Spirits of the Earth

It was only a small village, a neat little place that was out of the way, but the duty that brought her here was none the less important. A few nights ago, miraculously she had seen a vision that hadn't been a few minutes into the future. This was one that was quite a bit further. A body, washing up onto the rocks of an island. This body leaked such dreadful things from it, a strange blight that poisoned the very rocks themselves. The island's name was not important, she knew however the location of it, and had set sail the next morning. Her small craft was a sleek vessel, it was meant to transport no more than four people. She knew a little of the seas, one had to when you were born to island chains, and her father had taught her the ways of sails and knots. This helped her to manoeuvrer the craft as it cut through the water like an arrow through the air.

Her trip took her only a day, but she was ever vigiliant as she awaited a sign of her vision. It came finally with a strange flicker in the air. Something was odd...and she felt an uneasiness. The young woman, dressed in a black robe that hugged close to her body stood on the shores, far from the rocks of her vision. Her eyes were bound by the purest of white silk clothes, shielding her eyes from the physical world. Her hood was drawn up, hiding her soft blond hair in the darkness of the garment. By the time she made it to the rocks of her vision, there were villagers around the site, pulling a body from being battered by the waves. A zombie had been enlisted to do this chore, and it was no easy one as an advanced rate of rot began to affect the zombie.

It was nothing more than a pile of rotted flesh and soft bones as it dragged the man's carcass from the waters. It was unrecognizable, the man's skin had all but been eaten or rotted away, and there was something terribly wrong with the smell. The woman regarded the corpse with disgust. Though faint, she could hear the soul crying out to her. However, that would have to wait. She approached one of the young men who stood looking apprehensively at the body.

"Tis a grave thing afore us, Goodman, and erelong I fear that thou shalt have needs of me." Her tone was docile, it was soft and smooth even under the archaic language that she used. "Linger here not long, for if thy group of villagers wish to knoweth the identity of he who's life hath been spilt, I wilt require a goodly number of items for mine ritual." Some could be a superstitious lot, but the group was level minded, and knew what she intended. To speak with the dead.

Night had to fall, and well into the night, before midnight, were the villagers prepared. A number of torches had been spread out around the body, more to show where the blight was, and where it was unsafe to tread. The young woman had looked pensive all day as she delegated orders for what she required. Sage was the hardest object to obtain, but it was something she required, if only to clear her mind.

"I call to thee, O spirit of Slain, thou shalt not linger long in thy ephemeral form, I shalt not keep thee from rest, but I doth require answers." She called her, focusing herself to call upon the soul. It was a wretched thing that stood within the blight. A soul should be beautiful and untouched, unmarred by death, but this soul was...disgusting to the woman. It was dark, faint, struggling to appear almost. "Please...Please no...no more..." It cried helplessly at her.

"Thy rest is at hand, harken to me O spirit. What manner of creature hath done such atrocities to thee? Answer soothfast, and speak swith, as the moon wanes, so doth my power...I fear erelong our conversation shall be closed." She urged the restless soul, who just wished no more than to pass on. "He came without warning...so quiet...and his touch was excruciating. I felt my body cry out, and my soul itself cried as well. He showed no mercy as he took from me my life, but I didn't care. However my soul...he could touch my soul, and his touch was...How could I bear it? I tried to flee, but he held me there, his face alight with mirth. Please...let me go...I want to rest...I am dead, and I am tired." The wretched spirit spoke softly, and there were murmurs in the crowd as they listened.

"Prithee, didst thou perceive a name from this vile monster?" She inquired, her brow marred with sweat, and the white symbols upon her cheek did now glow as she tried to hold onto the soul for just a little bit.

"Beware of him, the Ugly one! Look not at his face, his beauty is a trap! He is ugly! Run from the Ugly One! He comes not to these islands, but beware him!" The soul cried out in anguish as it was forced to recall the being that slain him.

"Thy shalt feel his wrath no more...My power over you wanes, and so go thereinto comfort, rest, and be at peace. We shalt mind nowise." Her tone was consoling, as she did indeed feel pity for the soul. Such a grievous tragedy to one who did not deserve it. She rose slowly and turned to the villagers, the runes on her face no longer glowing. "Burn it all. Let the fires purge and cleanse the land from this monster. Take care, lest thou shalt find thyself in such a fate." She retreated a little ways to observe as the villagers set fire to the blighted area and the corpse of the dead man and their decayed zombie. It was but all they could do at this point. The fire was quite large, and it burned away merrily without a care, consuming the tainted area and bodies. The woman was almost sure that very few people on the island, or even on the ocean itself would not miss the blaze.

It had been a long time since the entropymancer had been to the islands. She had missed it quite a bit, the feel, the smell, everything. Not that she was all the way home. She had only made it so some tiny island she wasn't sure of the name of.

She hadn't planned on stopping long, just to get some food and take a break. But there had been an accident. One she wasn't really equipped to deal with, but it had piqued her interest. And then her interest had been further aroused when she way the lovely medium arrive. Senka was always a sucker for the pretty ones.

So the necromancer stayed to watch. It was a sad, depressing affair. That someone would do that to another soul was deeply horrifying. She shivered, hands sliding over her bare arms. She could get her jacket, but she knew it wouldn't really help.

When the fire takes off, blazing bright against the darkness, Senka moves closer, feeling the intense heat against her skin. Her strange mismatched eyes, one a solid white, the other a solid black glance over at the woman, "That was a good thing you did." In the fire light, the other woman was even prettier. She moved a little closer, "Did you find out what happened?" She could still smell the stench of corruption on the air, even with the fire blazing.

Her thoughts were elsewhere, unaware of almost anyone around her. She was troubled by these turn of events. Somewhere on the continent, there was a creature there that so...easily was able to hurt a soul. That was able to cause such decay, to even have it not harm the body, but to blight even rocks that it did touch. The zombie had decayed so quickly when it retrieved the body, and yet the actual corpse stayed in such pristine form. It horrified her to say the least.

And the casual way it seemed to feed and pollute the soul. This was surely the work of a necromancer, but its power was so raw and unbridled, and it's work was quick. This was not something she really thought would be good to go against. Perhaps a warning should go out...if only she had the foresight to have asked the soul for a description. Though, she did think that part of her did not want to know the face of the creature. As long as it was shapeless, formless, faceless, she felt a bit...safer. Though it meant she would not know it if it stared her in the face, she would not see the creature's face at night in dreams.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice cutting through, she turned a blindfolded gaze to the woman and nodded slightly. She turned her attention back toward the fire, watching pensively before the woman spoke once more to her. "Aye, t'was a creature of fearsome repoire. Betwixt the anguish pain that didst rage within the soul, it revealed the murder. I dared not pry deep within, for it wert a terrible creature that doth twisted the poor soul." The young woman sighed almost dramatically as she turned toward her. "Heretofore I had never dreamt such a creature could exist, I darest not call it a person, for whereof such person could spawn and raise for such an evil?" The question was redundant, she did not expect much of an answer.

"It truly rended my heart, there was not a single mawt nor bloatfly upon the carcass...It was as if Death itself wouldst dare not touch it."

Senka shivered, watching the fire. The cleansing flames helped, but the dark energy of the place was still strong. A taint in the air, slowly being eaten away by the fire. Such a shame to meet such a lovely woman under such dark circumstances. It was enough to even kill off her sex drive.

The woman's archaic speech was a little hard to follow, though the entropymancer was pretty sure she got most of it, "I can't imagine anything close to human doing that. I've felt demons magic and even that didn't....compare to this." She rubbed her arms, feeling the scars under her fingers. Flesh was just flesh, that didn't matter. But the soul....to taint and harm it like that. That was something so morally abhorrent to Senka it made her feel ill.

"They wouldn't touch the flesh. Only the soul...." Senka's strange eyes watched the dancing flames, "It's like a soul eater. Only....worse." She didn't speak for a while, just watching the fire, "Are you alright? You came close to that taint."

The fire would help to cleanse the place of all the evil, but their minds would still be filled with the darkness of what happened here. At least that darkness could not harm them, it could only serve to guide and protect them, to educate them to the horrors of what is out there. But how to protect from such a blight? It was a power unlike any other she'd seen. So strong, so...palpable. If word got out however, those who desired power might seek this creature, and if this creature was really so strong...

There would be an epidemic, unless one managed to actually kill this creature. It was impossible to say at this point though, the monster was very strong, and it had the power of an almost intelligent and overwhelming blight. "Nay, there be not a demon that ever could compare to this." She agreed readily with the woman as she observed her carefully. A necromancer perhaps, but not one like that which had killed the man they now burned.

"Aye...but methinks the fearsome foe didst have more intentions that just to devour and feed...but to spread that which was tainted." That was a sickening though, that it wanted others to touch it, and to become tainted and blighted until it would spread across the entire land. That was not something she so wanted to witness, and luckily for now she had stopped it here.

"Worry not anent myself, ifsoever I was in mortal peril, mine eyne would have showed me. Heretonow, I never wished away my second vision, but I am now having to harken to these strange visions more and more." She gave a sad sigh as she thought more upon it. Why was it her that was to have such visions? And for them to have been so far away, days in the future, it worried her. She never relied heavily upon the visions, but now they seemed to show her something important.

"Thou may call upon my name, if thy would like to. Daltheseena, as the gentle spirits come to know mineself." She made no inclination to hold out a hand in greeting, but gave a gentle inclination of her head.

This was a dark place. Senka shuddered again, sighing. It was a problem that would have to be taken care of and not by her. She didn't have the power to even come close to the amount of power this monster had. She could only control entropy, she had no real talent in any of the other schools of necromancy or magic.

"Spread it?" Senka made a face, "How cruel some creatures are. I'll never understand it." She shook her head, long braid dancing behind her. The whole thing just made her feel sad.

The woman's next comment had her raising an eyebrow, "Visions? Are you a seer as well?" Now she remembered why she hadn't wanted to come home. Almost everyone seemed so much more talented then she was. Depressing really.

"Daltheseena? That's a pretty name. I'm Senka. Senka dela Nostari." She stared to hold her hand out, then paused, letting it drop. The other woman hadn't extended hers, so maybe she didn't want to be touched.

"Are you going to watch the fire all night? Or can I buy you a warm drink?"

"Naught but a few minutes in mine eyes doth I see, but there be times when it extends pass the fold of minutes, allowing glimpses into distances untold." Daltheseena told her simply, or as simply as the archaic woman coudl at least.

"Mine visions have already revealed thy name unto me." Dal spoke softly, as she knew that at times her visions were benign. She wished for huge events that could change the world, but oft she got names of people or prices of items from merchants. It wasn't the most handy ability in the world, but it at least helped her in some ways once in a while. Like with this event at least.

She gave a kind smile as she looked to Senka. "These people art but of a humble breed, and thou wilt be hard pressed to find a place that serves such beverages." Dal paused thoughtfully, putting a finger to her lips as she thought about it. "Mayhaps, if thou wishes to share a drink, that thy wouldst accompany me back to my ship. Though I doth not imbibe a great quantity, enough to leave mine sense , I doth keep a few good bottles of brandy, rum and whiskey...for when the night be cold and my tea needst to be a mite stronger." She wouldn't mind the company as well, the ship wasn't the biggest, but when it was meant to transport four, and have a crew of ten or twenty, it often seemed a little...empty.

Daltheseena turned and headed to the other shores of the island, where she had landed. She had dared not to land on the same side as where the vision had taken place, lest she find herself in grave trouble of course. It was a fine vessel of course, and it did as it was told. She took Senka across the boarding plank and into the captain's cabin, which of course had become her quarters. They were lush and extravagant, but nothing overly gaudy, as ships had a tendency to sway and rock. A rather beautiful rosewood table was set out, and Daltheseena lit a small stove in the corner and put a kettle on. She got out two glasses, though unsure if her new companion would care for one.

"Dost thou enjoy tea, or wouldst thou prefer a shot of something else?" The bottles of alcohol were in rather artfully designed bottles, and she bought them out to display on the table for Senka. Daltheseena on the other hand took a seat and looked pensive, biting her lower lip almost unconsciously as she waited for the tea. She didn't often have living visitors, this was quite a treat, but also a little unusual. However not much harm could come from this. Daltheseena reached up and tugged her hood off, letting her long soft blond hair spill forth. The colour bordered almost on a white, which went well with her caramel skin and the white designs on her cheeks.

"If thou wouldst not find mine question rude, how didst thy find thyself on this island? Wert thou driven by some force as well?"

"Oh. Well." Senka gave a small laugh, pale skin flushing slightly, "Guess the introduction was unneeded." It was a little hard following what the woman said, her speech was very archaic and Senka had never been one for the past. She was much more into the present and what was going to happen next.

The woman was right, Senka was pretty sure there wasn't much to be had on the island, but she was a a creature of hope. And the woman's suggestion had her smiling back, "That sounds lovely. I would love a nice, strong cup of tea."

The ship was lovely. Senka was impressed. She didn't really know much about ships, but she thought it looked nice. Her strange eyes peered around, taking it all in. And a small room, a pretty lady and some booze was always a good thing in her book.

"Driven? Not really. I just was stopping off to take a little break, get some water before I moved on." Senka shrugged, watching the woman with obvious interest. The hair was a beautiful shade of blond, Senka was a little jealous. Her own hair a dark, silky black, other then the bangs, "Those are some beautiful tattoos you have."

"Nay, Tis always nice to hear from the present reality, ere I find myself lost in the glimpses of beyond." Dal told Senka simply. It was true, she'd rather hear it from a person than from her visions. She always felt a little cheated, knowing names and directions she asked for ahead of time. One of the things people didn't understand was that she needed to ask really, she didn't always get visions, and so she wouldn't always know.

Daltheseena had done her best to give the ship a nice air of familiarity to her, a home for herself when she needed it. She did indeed travel a lot, and this ship housed her quite a bit. It was nothing over the top of course, but there were some fineries and exquisite pieces to it, she would admit with a shy smile.

Dal smiled earnestly, her own cheeks finding a little darker colour coming to them as she was being admired by the woman across from her. She of course didn't think anything bad of it, that there was harm that could be there in the simple things. "They art a focus for mine craft. Delivered unto me in sweven. These upon mine face art but a fraction though, there art more upon mine person.. I didst thole the pain of the process, the gratification was verily a reward." Daltheseena turned her blind gaze to Senka, her hands reaching up to the pure white cloth that bound her eyes to darkness. Slowly...she began to untie them before she pulled them away completely.

Her eyes could have been mistaken for white, but if one searched closed enough, they'd find they were actually the lightest of blues. "I would pose a question to thee, Senka, if thou findst it rude, dost not feel obligated to answer. Thou art like me, but thou art something else...thou art have heritage unknown. Thou hast piercings, tattoos, and thou hast scars like of my culture, but thy skin hath a paleness unfamiliar to mine people." Daltheseena smiled earnestly, noting all the piercings and tattoos upon the face of her new friend.

"Erewhile I hadst only seen thee through the veil and visions, but now that I see thee through mine own eyes, I can verily begin asking questions in earnest." She had chosen not to give herself many piercings, though her ears had been pierced of course, the left one having an elegant design of a silver chain looped and dangling like a large snake amongst tree branches. There were five earrings on that ear, with the chain attached to each one of them as it were.

"I...apologize, I hadst yet to post any question unto thee...thou art not a full Thanati like mineself, art thou? Raised here, and perhaps thou have some of our blood within thee, but thy other wordly complexion and thy stunning eyes betray a different heritage." She tried to word it properly, and she hoped that mixing it with compliments would help to soften the question, which could really be quite rude. Some people didn't like to talk about it and became offended at the subject.

It was nice to know she hadn't irritated the other woman by her redundant introduction. Senka had never really dealt with seers much and she always felt a little awkward. It was hard to not stare at the woman, but Senka kept trying to keep from being rude.

"The tattoos are lovely. Though the face ones always hurt the most, don't they. Well, I have one down my spine that I was sure I was going to die when I got it." She didn't always understand everything the other woman said, but she was pretty sure she had the basics down. And the more she listened to her speak, the more she was able to pick up, "I always wanted to get white ones, but they don't work well with my skin."

The question, combined with the removal of the eye cover had Senka wondering if the woman wasn't actually blind. She had assumed she was, but her movements had been very sure and she was commenting on her appearance. Her tongue flicked out over one of the rings in her lip, grinning, "Don't worry. It's a question I've gotten many times. No point in getting upset about it." She wasn't ashamed of it, though she had often wished she had gotten the lovely, ducky skin of most Thanati.

"My father was born and raised here, though he was orphaned, so who knows what is in his blood. My mother was an elf. She developed some flesh crafting and entropymancy and got kicked out of her village. Got her skin." She didn't know why she didn't have her fathers darker skin, as that tended to breed through or why her eyes were so strange. She just assumed it was because of her brother.

Senka frowned slightly, she hadn't felt her brother presence much since landing on the tainted island. She hoped he wasn't hurt by it, it had been a powerful corruption and he was just a soul. And normally her brother liked lovely woman as much as she did, so he should have been around, watching Dal.

"Aye, thou needst to have thinself a certain colouration to work with such colours." Daltheseena agreed with a smile. The woman's own tattoos didn't look bad either, and they didn't contrast poorly with her so that was good no doubt. It was always bad to see poor choices when it came to tattoos, with simple designs and poorly chosen ink colours.

"Good, I wouldst hate to upset thou, let me knowest if I perchance overstep any boundries." She did not want to make an enemy of this woman, she was good company, and one of her own so she would not want to step on any feet. It was hard to make friends when you could glimpse even the slightest into the future, that was something she found on the mainlands. Some found it might queer to be able to know what someone was going to say before they said it, but she didn't blame them. Their culture and superstitions were different, but the term witch did have a certain sting to it.

Dal continued to sip her tea and smile at Senka as she shared her lineage. It was actually quite a story in her opinion, and it did offer some explanation. "That wouldst explain a number of things, but they doth not seem to be such a burden upon ye, in fact I would be so bold to say that it makes thou quite unique amongst all of us dark skinned ones. A white rose among all the red." That, she thought, was a very accurate way of putting it actually. She did not meet many a Thanati that were of such pale colourings, it was very refreshing in all honesty.

"Thou seemst a tad perturbed, Good Senka, doth something bother thee?" Her white eyes were upon Senka, as if searching for something. The future lay hidden at this point sdly, perhaps her gift overspent from the uses of the day and prior night. Not a great matter, but sometimes people didn't want to divulge things, and if it were something that she could help with...all the better to know the truth. "Again, if I overstep, please, hesitate not to instruct me so."

"I'm far to pale for white tattoos." Senka nodded her head, agreeing with the woman, "I always wished I could have them though. They look so good on other people." It was a popular color on the islands, with all the darker skin the native people had.

Senka gave a short laugh, shaking her head, "Oh no. I'm quite hard to offend. I've had much ruder questions asked. You know how mainlanders are, so quick to hate our kind. I'm sure you have it worse then I do." Like Senka, Dal was easily visible as an outsider and her abilities as a seer and a speaker to the dead would make her stick out quite a bit.

She was still a little distracted, wondering where her brother was to respond much to the compliment. Senka gave Dal a small smile, her eyes scanning the room, as if that would make her brother magically appear, "Thank you."

It wasn't like she was being very subtle, so Dal's question got a small blush and a sheepish smile, "Sorry. I don't mean to be so distracted. But I can't sense my brothers spirit. And after that taint, I'm a little worried about it."

"Aye, they art a troublesome lot, but tis out of fear for us unknown, of death and the immortal beyond." Dal considered herself lucky. Her powers were benign in nature, they didn't really hurt any souls, or desecrate the bodies of the dead. That was a true insult to the mainlanders usually, very much a terrible and evil act. They hadn't learned yet that the body is flesh and blood, it is a vessel that holds the soul, and once the soul is released in death, the body means very little. They would learn in time though, they were still all so long, and every culture had a lot of growing to do.

She didn't blame them, they were ignorant. That of course, was not an insult to them. Ignorance wasn't an insult, it simply meant that they were uneducated, they had not bothered to learn.

If they didn't learn, that was alright by her too.

"Truly, t'was only the truth I doth speak." Again she was smiling to the other woman. This woman was quite good company, it was good to be with a woman who was just like her, but was on the opposite end of the spectrum so to speak. She was a pale skinned woman, while Dal was a dusky caramel colour.

"Thine brother hath past on beyond this mortal coil?" It was a redundant question as Daltheseena pursed her lips for a moment. Her eyes almost seemed to become whiter, and her white tattoos gave off a soft glow before she smiled brightly. "Ahh...I understand. Though he died 'ere his time, I canst see thou wouldst not grieve, for his spirit wanders with thee. That wouldst mean that he lives on with thee, and that the experiences he wouldst encounter in life he canst still experience with thee." That was a truly Thanati looking at things after all. Dal remembered her tea was still there, and she picked up her cup and began to sip gently at her tea.

"How is thine tee, dost thou require more?" Always a gracious host, when she could remember it of course.

"It's so strange. They care so much for a mess of blood and flesh and other such mundane things." Senka shook her head, finding the whole thing confusing. Mainlanders were an odd bunch, but Senka found them fascinating all the same. "Yet they care so little for the soul. I don't understand them."

Lifting the cup, Senka inhaled deeply, savoring the rich scent, "I have to admit, it is nice to be home. Back with people that understand how the world works." And Del was good company beyond that. Even with her odd manner of speech, she felt so comfortable.

"Yes. He died at birth." Senka chewed on of the rings in her lip, nervous. He sometimes was harder to sense then others and sometimes wondered off to check things out. But the dark, soul tainting energy made her nervous, "Can you tell if he's okay? He wasn't hurt by that taint was he?" Despite her connection to her twin, Senka had no real talent with spirits, so she was out of her league.

Taking another sip, she nodded her head, "The tea is lovely. Thank you. I wouldn't say no to another cup though."

"They art but a strange folk, they doth believe that which is but a husk makes up all what a person is." Two vastly differential beliefs were present in the two cultures. Daltheseena could understand theirs however as well. "Tis not as much a mystery as thou might believe Senka. A person doth spend all their mortal time with the coil of another. Tis only natural for one to find themselves thinking of the world they inhabit, and not the one they shall inhabit. Tis their way to think of the now, and not of the later." Dal explained, hoping it made as much sense to Senka as it did to herself. The concept was sound, the mortal coil was controlled after all, and a great deal of time, usually around a hundred years was spent in the presence of other shells. You get attached to the shells, and when the shell dies, not everyone is comforted by the fact that the immortal soul moves on...because you had not moved on yet. You were stuck here, while a friend you had known for ages was no longer with you.

A distressing though to say the least, and Dal did hope that one day mediums and soul-speakers would become more helpful to the lost ones.

"Aye, Thou art correct. Even though I find myself wandering to the distant lands, I doth find mineself erelong wanting to return to native soils." It was always nice when a vision didn't have her sail off to another shore...but at this point in time, with the recent event fresh in her mind, she did wish that perhaps she had been called away to far away lands.

"I dost not find him hurt by taint, verily I ensured that no soul would pass within the taint, save for the soul already tainted. Thy brother's soul is quite safe, as far as I have been gifted knowledge." She did know that nothing had touched the taint, except for the zombie who fished the body free from the water's grip. Other than that, there wasn't a soul who had come into contact with the filth that had been contained within the husk.

"Then I shalt get thee another fresh cup." Daltheseena stood and moved to the little stove, retrieving the kettle and a small jar of honey. She brought it to the table, pouring out some of the delicious smelling, and tasting, tea into Senka's cup. She added a little bit of honey, just enough to sweeten it up nicely. "Hast thou a place to sleep? This clipper of mine hath another sleeping quarter, I doth offer it to thee if thou wouldst require or want it."

Senka gave a small shrug of her shoulder. She understood the idea, it just made little sense to her. It was just flesh after all. She had seen it manipulated and changed by artists. Seen the zombies shuffle around. They might wear the face of a loved one, but there was no sign of the person they had loved there.

Like her brother. Senka wasn't much of a medium, but she could sense her brother. It had never really bothered them that he didn't have a mortal body. He had never seemed to begrudge her hers, no violence or malevolence from him, "Outsiders are a strange lot, to be sure."

The reassurance that her brother was alright had the entropymancer relaxing with a small sigh. He was probably just hiding then, nervous about the dark magic that had found its way ashore. He wouldn't resist the lure of a pretty girl very long. Senka smiled a little at that thought. They really were siblings.

She crossed her long legs, watching Dal get more tea. She was wearing a sort of mix of clothing styles, having picked up some things while on her travels, wearing some breeches that hugged her slender curves nicely. It had been nice, being able to be much more open about her attraction to woman. But she was home now, and dealing with another Thanati. Test the waters, make sure she didn't get herself in trouble with her interest.

"I don't have a place to sleep." Senka stirred her tea, tongue playing with one of her lip rings, her mind drifting off into some rather naughty places for a moment. All that warm, candy caramel colored skin against her own pale skin....Senka gave a small shiver, turning her attention back to the present, "I would love to stay here if it wont inconvenience you."

"Aye, they art a group of odd behaviours." Dal agreed with a gentle smile. She never realized how...well, nice it was to be talking to someone again. Usually she had spent a lot of her time with her own thoughts and visions, trying desperately to help those who truly needed it. It was a slightly stressful life to say the least, but it was rewarding. That's one thing that kept her going at least.

Dal was, for the most part, very ignorant when it came to matters of a personal nature. She had never actually...been interested in sex, or in male relationships. She had always been focused on her gifts, and never really thought about anything like that. She knew that she was probably average for a Thanati, she never really had any way of judging such a thing...nor an interest in comparing herself either. There had been better things for her to do after all.

She could never imagine that this woman had such an interest, after all it was rather...lewd, illegal, and immoral for two genders to feel attraction for each other. Granted, that was a matter of flesh, and really, Daltheseena was interested more in the ethereal beyond than something so trivial.

At Senka's mention of not having a place to stay, and her want to stay here, it made the young seer smile. "Then thou must stay here tonight! It is of no inconvenience unto me, I promise thee. T'would be a nice change from the solitude that we art used to around here." Daltheseena smiled, ignorant to the naughty thoughts that were plaguing the mind of the other woman. Such things would never have crossed her thoughts really, but once more...she was unaware of these things.

"Please, accompany me to thy quarters, I shalt show thee everything that thou might require during thy stay." Her tea was left on the table as she went to the door to her cabin. Granted they would need to leave the warmth and comfort of her cabin but it was a short walk to the stairs that led to the depths of the ship. "On thy left is the washroom. Thou wilt find a stove for heating water inside. If thou desires any food, the stores and the kitchen art but here on thine right." Inside was a simple ship's galley, carefully created to not have any fires light the ship aflame. The stores had mostly food that would keep, but a fine meal could be produced, even bread could be baked.

"This room shalt be thine own." She opened the wooden door, showing her the particular place she'd stay in. It wasn't overly dressed up, it had a porthole for looking out into, and a small dresser, mostly filled with towels and bedsheets, though the one person bed was already made up of course. It even had several pillows...five of them actually. "Tis my hope that this serves thee well and is not too uncomfortable." Daltheseena told the woman as she turned to look at her, hands folded in front of her as she bowed. She wouldn't deny it, she was nervous, she didn't have much of a personal life after all, and this was a worrisome subject.

More so since her gift wouldn't help her much here, after all it wasn't of a great importance in her life, at least...not that she knew of.

Senka stood as Dal offered to escort her to her quarters. Things were looking up, this was a much nicer ship then she was used too. And the company was nice. Even if Dal didn't have an interest in her sexually, Senka enjoyed talking to the woman. She took one last drink of her tea before leaving the cup on the table and following the pretty medium outside.

It was a little chilly and Senka shivered a little at the temperature change. Then she felt hands on her shoulders, rubbing lightly. She smiled, one hand coming up to touch the phantom ones. Zoran couldn't actually warm her any, but she appreciated the gesture, "There you are. You had me worried."

Sorry. I'm here now.

"Good." Senka turned her attention back to Dal as she explained about the bath, "Hmmm...seems a lot of work for just one person to use." She smiled brightly, "Do you want to share the water then? I'm good at washing hair too."

I can help too.

"No." Senka shot her brother a dirty look and then proceeded to ignore him. Little pervert. The bedroom had Senka's approval though, "My! This is very nice Dal. Better then most places I've been staying at." Lots of pillows. That was for sure. Was there even a bed under all those pillows? "Thank you very much for letting me stay." Never one to pass up an opportunity, Senka reached over and hugged the other woman, for maybe a tad longer then absolutely necessary.

The conversation between Senka and her spirit brother had not gone unnoticed by the Medium. However, for both of the women it was almost like there was another person there. Dal could sense the brother, and if she realyl focused, she'd be able to see the brother, bring him into a complete almost...corporeal in a way. He'd be visible, almost completely really, but he'd still be a spirit. The world would be able to see him though, just as she done with the spirit on the beach.

Dal reached back to her hair, which was a little on the long side, it did cascade down her back. "Thou art most generous for offering, mine hair hath grown quite as a weed dost. Tis small wonder that I manage to ever clean it." Dal said as he gently ran a finger through a bit of hair she had grabbed. Luckily it was nothing too intensive really, but her baths did take a good while in order to completely scrub her hair clean.

"Thy brother dost be a strange one." She could hear, in some manner, what the spirit was saying. "Incorporeal and gone from the physical coil, yet he doth seem to still hath the heart of a teenager. 'Erelong I shalt start having to barricade mine quarters with wards and alarms." She didn't much seem to mind the strange perversion of the spirit. She was of course not used to such behaviour, and she found it oddly amusing and refreshing. An old saying came to mind about the whole thing. A dog with a bone.

"Thou art most welcome Senka, tis mine hope that you find everything...adequate." The hug was unexpected really, and Dal awkwardly put a hand on the woman's back, patting it a few times. Then things got even more awkward as the hug seemed to last...a bit longer. "Thou...appear sleepy. I shalt let thee hast thy privacy so thou may hath a restful slumber." She removed herself from the hug and quickly retreated from the bedroom. That was more than awkward enough for her.

A nice bath however would help to put her at ease. She felt a tad...dirty, spiritually mostly. Being so close to the blight...having to feel all that...pain. She was quick to get the stove ready and to start hauling buckets to the bath, putting them on to boil and then filling her bathtub up. Once she had it rather full, she was quick to add her scented oils and get her cake of soap before disrobing and stepping into the delightfully scented water. She relaxed into the very soothing water and smooth tub, sighing to herself as she let the calming smells and stress-relieving water just melt away the tension.

This was truly nice.

Yes! That's right. Senka smiled brightly, doing her best to look utterly innocent, "I would be happy to help wash your hair sometime." Senka shot her brother a dirty look at his comment, mentally promising him much pain if he ruined this for her.

"I can hear you. It is rude to talk about me like I am not here." The spirit reached out, running a hand down her hair, "Touch you too.

"Zoran!" Senka hissed his name, swatting at him, disrupting the boy, "Stop that you little pervert!" Flushing slightly, Senka turned her attention back to Dal, "Sorry about him."

But the damage was done. Dal was taking her leave and Senka wasn't going to get to see her naked, "Yes. Everything is very nice. Thank you." Once she was alone with her brother, Senka glared at him, "Asshole."

"She likes me."

"You wish. I'm taking a bath." Senka sighed, letting her hair down as she headed over to the stove to heat the water. Stupid brothers! The set up was nice and it wasn't too long before she had the tub full and was sinking gratefully into it. She could feel Zoran nearby, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to him. So she just let herself sink into the warm water and imagined what the lovely medium looked like in her own tub.

"I doubt that thou couldst, O Spirit, but I expect thee to stay out of mine bedroom whilst I sleep, and away from mine bathroom whilst I bathe...lest I have to trap thee in a warded area." The threat sounded very real, and she did seem to have some form of control over such a thing. Whether she actually had a warded area was anyone's guess however. Still, when you could see dead people, it was probably a good idea if they became a poltergeist or angry spirit.

Dal's bath lasted quite a while, she spent her time gently cleaning her hair and soaking up the rich full smells of the oils she had used. Her soul truly felt like it was getting a nice bath as well. She could feel all the tension melting from her body. She was however, ensuring that Zoran wasn't going to invade her privacy. The brother and sister were a very odd pair, there was something about Senka that seemed...overly friendly almost? Dal couldn't exactly put her finger on it though, but something was weird about the woman.

The brother on the other hand, acted like a typical male almost. She hadn't many encounters with the opposite sex in such manners, she could remember when a rather rugged man in a tavern once paid her a compliment...and a slap on her rear. Her face had blushed for hours and she had absolutely no response for it. She hadn't seen it coming either, she almost thought the Gods had directly stopped her from seeing this just to be funny.

With her bath done, Dal slipped out of the bath and retrieved herself a towel, drying herself off before she grabbed a large satin robe to wrap around herself. There was a layer of thick wool between the satin, which allowed her to stay warm despite wearing only the robe. She tied the belt up to keep it from falling open, and when she was thoroughly snuggled into the garment, she headed for her bedroom.

She did however, use a quick warding spell on the door to ensure she'd have no unwelcome spiritual visitors. She didn't know why but the thought of Zoran sneaking in to view her just seemed...disturbing in a way. It sounded like the beginning of a poltergeist or other violent spirit. Jealous of the living, an obsession with a still living person, wanting to be with them, and yet having no ability to. However, Senka and Zoran had been around for a while obviously, and he had not turned into a violent spirit yet, but precautions were still in order.

She was a chaste woman, who had gotten away from the affairs of the flesh and into the affair of the soul. Getting into bed, Dal pulled the comforters about her and rested her head on a few smaller pillows, allowing her eyes to close and slowly let herself drift off to sleep. Morning would come soon, and then she could set sail again back for the main island chain perhaps.

"Of course. And my name is Zoran. I don't like being called spirit."

There was no malice or anger coming from Zoran. There had been some dark times when they were younger, but nothing very bad. He seemed content to be at Senka's side. She did her best to accommodate him, finding him freshly killed bodies to use for a short time or on rare occasions, she would let him posses her.

Being Senka's twin, Zoran resembled her. They both had the delicate elven features, the two-toned hair, though both of his eyes were black. He had a thin build, almost scrawny, a strange mimicry of what he would have looked like. There was something odd about his spirit, almost more...alive.

Senka sighed, shaking her head, "He'll stay in my room. I promise." And he would if she demanded it. They had a strong bond and a strange power over each other. Senka spent a fair amount of time in her bath, having her brother help her with her hair.

Even in a strange bed, the necromancer slept deeply. It was much later then she normally slept and she only awoke when her brother gently shook her awake. Yawning, she sat up, her long hair pooled around her. She hadn't put it back, wanting to let it dry over night.

Padding over to the door, she opened it and barefoot and dressed only in her light shift she started looking for Dal, "Hello? Daaaal?" Her belly gave a loud rumble and she flushed, covering it with her hand. She wanted some breakfast!

Dal would have liked to have gotten a good sleep that night. However, the fates were strange and they were most assuredly not going to let her have the best of sleep. It was a vision that disturbed her rest, one of the strangest quality.


The air was musty, the floor was rocky and wet, in the distance she could hear the gentle trickling of water. A light source came from her hand, a torch that she was holding no doubt. The surrounding tunnel was rock, she was underground, she could feel it in her head, the pressure difference. She ghosted along however, going through a complex series of underground...and undersea tunnels. She could see flickers of gold and diamomds here and there, as well as skeletons lost to time. No doubt adventurers that had come to plunder.

There were some creatures...giant bugs, feeding on each other and a rather recently slain adventurer. However that was not it...something else was pulling her along. There were traps, ones she couldn't get a proper look at, but she knew would be dangerous. Pitfalls and perilous journeys over small chasms. This place was immense, but still she continued on.

Finally she came to a lower chamber, where there was...something there, stuck in a strange substance. It looked like darkness but it had a shine to it that she was unfamiliar with. There was a creature within what could have been a crystal...frozen almost in time. "Please...help me..." The creature stuck in it was in a ripped and tattered robe, but underneath she could see a pair of glowing eyes, one red, and one white. They burned with a strange intensity, one that seemed to look straight at her. "I...cannot help you...I doth not know your location." Dal found herself saying. "Please...please help me! I don't want to be here anymore! I'm sorry Father! Please save me!" The wailing of the voice pulled at Dal and she found herself coming closer to the creature, until she walked across the strange black substance to the creature that was frozen within a crystalline structure. There was cracking, and suddenly the creature was free, grabbing a hold of the side of Dal's face. "FIND ME!"

Dal awoke with a startled gasp, holding a hand to her chest as she tried to calm herself. She knew...she knew where to sail now. She had gotten the location from the creature...and luckily still within Thanatos waters. Dal slowly got out of bed and found herself a robe to wear, as well as her ceremonial blindfold which she affixed. Morning had come, and it was time to fix food.

Dal was in the galley when Senka awoke, already she was fixing up a meal for the two of them. There was a bit of bacon, some pan fried toast, and a bit of eggs. She also had some sliced up piece of potato done in a light oil, giving them a crispy texture. "Thou shalt find me within the galley Senka!" Dal called out over her shoulder. Sometimes it was handy when you could see a portion of the future. Sometimes.

Yawning, arms stretching over her head, Senka followed Dal's voice and the smells of food. Her belly rumbled again as she slid into a seat, taking her plate. It smelled heavenly and Senka carefully bit into a potato, fanning her mouth and rapidly moving it around to try and cool it, "Ack! It's hot! But it's so good! So domestic."

She gave Dal a wink, blowing on another slice of potato, "Would you like me to make some tea?" She was pretty good with tea, if she did say so herself. Tilting her head, the entropymancer studied the other woman, "Are you alright? You seem tired."

"Thou must be careful, tis freshly cooked and from the pan." She ignored the wink from Senka, not really understanding what it had meant. She did however know that this woman was a very strange one, unlike most of the people she had met who were peasant and commoners. Yes, Senka was a magical person like herself, gifted with an ability over the dead so to speak.

"Thy offer is generous, but I hath the water boiling as we speak." Dal said as she gestured toward the pot on the end of the stove. True to her word, the water was already boiling. She took it off and placed a teabag inside it, beginning the steeping of the tea.

"T'was a long night, mine friend." Senka said wearily as she brought the kettle to the table and sat down with a small sigh. "Certes I hath had enow of visions, last night during slumber I saw...a strange thing. A creature...a skeleton surrounded in strange magic and a sparkling crystal...is trapped. It asked if I could hither to it and free it...Mine belief is that though locked in death, the spirit be trapped. It doth bring me surprise and fright...as I witnessed death time and again within the underground complex. Great beasts snacked 'pon explorers, yet the soul's call had been so great." In other words, Dal had plans to set sail today and try to find the island where this person resided. It wasn't something that she really looked forward to, as it had been so dangerous but...

She would go.

It was her nature to help those who asked her of it. More so if it had been a vision that asked her.

Senka just grinned at Dal and ate the potato, moving it rapidly around her mouth, sucking in air. It was amazing, even with the high heat. And she was starving. Swallowing the bite, Senka starts to serve herself a plate, trying to not stare at Dal wearing her robe. It wasn't scanty by any means, but somehow, it was still quite teasing.

She felt the air stir as Zoran found his way into the room. She could feel his hands touching her hair, ghostly fingers pulling through the thick, dark strands. Senka was used to the motion and paid it little attention, "Oh, well...fine. I just feel so useless. I feel I should earn my keep some how."

The mention of her dream had Senka frowning, "Are you sure you should go? That sounds....awfully fishy. Do you know why it is trapped? That sounds like it might have been a punishment for some great crime." She would go with Dal regardless, but she didn't exactly want to go release something bad.

"Well, either way, I suppose I'll have to go with you. Protect you and such." Senka took another bite, a little more careful this time, smiling happily at Dal. She was pretty sure Dal wasn't going to swing her way, but she could always hope.

"Thine company is enough payment, I hath not had the opportunity to converse with many." Dal did admit that she liked being to able talk to someone, and with Senka here she found it rather enjoyable. Zoran was a little bit strange, but he was also welcome company. Both of them were really. Still, her only fear was Zoran becoming jealous or angry at the living and turning into a poltergeist. That however...was probably not going to be that big of an issue. She had always been wary of spirits, but Zoran appeared very different. That was probably for the best.

"Thy worry is thankful, but...tis hard to explain." Dal looked to down to her food and began to eat, enjoying and savouring it. She took a deep sip of her tea and smiled at Senka. "I thank thee...allow me to try and...explain. Emotions and personalities in visions can be strong...in this vision...the creatured rushed toward me and grabbed mine person. T'was then I could sense the personality. The creature that we sail for, tis simply a jester, a joker, whatever it is that it does, simply means no harm. There be no harmful intent, there be no jealousy, tis simply...hurt, confused, and..." Dal rubbed the back of her neck as she thought about it. What was the word that she was looking for?

"It is...bored. Tis desiring to be free, hath been trapped there, alone, and wishes to be freed." Dal explained with a shake of her head. The creature was not a threat as far as she could figure. It was trapped, it wanted to be free, it didn't have any malice, any spite, it was just...bored. Dal felt that helping to free that poor creature would do no harm.

"After breakfast, I shalt clean up, then depart for the island. It shalt only be a few hours...less with thou helping however." Dal smiled at that thought, she hadn't really had anyone helping her with the ship. This would be interesting for sure. "I thank thee, and thou as well Zoran, for wishing to accompany me."

"You are going to give me a big head with all this flattery." Senka gave a small laugh. Her hair shifted softly, Zoran still playing with it. When she took a bite of  bacon, he tugged lightly on her hair. The necromancer blinked, "Oh. Zoran. I'm sorry. Dal, can you set aside a little plate for Zoran?"

Thank you.

"Sorry I forgot." She glanced over at Dal, "I give him offerings. Let's him enjoy it." She knew they were a strange pair. She had never met a ghost like Zoran before. But her brother showed no signs of becoming a jealous monster.

As Dal spoke, Senka listened. She didn't try to interrupt, she just took it all in. Taking a long sip of tea, Senka glanced up at Zoran. The spirit just shrugged, not really caring. He would go with her no matter what she picked.

"Well, if you can promise me that he isn't an evil creature, then I would be happy to help you. I'm not bad in a fight." She raised one hand, "Make things rot and go all crumbly."

"Tis only but the truth." Dal responded, a light giggle passing her lips before she went back to her food. The spirit, Zoran, was an amusing fellow, the fact he preened his sister was something of an adorable nature. They must have been together a long time. "Oh? Ye, I shalt prepare him an offering." The woman stood and went to get a small plate, putting a bit of potato, egg, and bacon onto it before she slid it in front of a third chair, setting out some silverware and a glass of juice. "Thy breakfast will get cold soon Zoran." She wanted to treat him as if he were just another person, and really, he was. He exhibited more behaviour and traits of a living soul than one that had died.

It was comforting.

"I promise thee that the creature sought shalt not be one of true evil." The creature still had an aura, but everything that Dal could sense of him spoke otherwise. Like he had been of evil, born of it, bathed in it, but he did not embrace it. It made her feel better about going after it, it meant the creature was good, or could be good, and had not succumbed to evil.

"Thy help shalt be most appreciated Senka. Now, we shalt finish breakfast, and then a grand adventure doth await." Dal smiled at Senka before she once more began to eat, sipping her tea liberally. She did enjoy a good glass of tea, and the juice she had in her storage wasn't bad either. A few simple necromantic enchantment spells helped to keep a lot of the good food from going bad, preserved it and kept it fresh almost. Sometimes it was good to know necromancers, for whatever reason the mainlanders didn't agree.

"Oh start." Senka knew she shouldn't read into it. Getting her hopes up over Dal would only lead to heartbreak. Dal was a Thanati, born and raised. Though that didn't stop Senka's eyes drifting down to Dal's ample breasts.

Zoran smiled at Dal, sitting in front of the food. He couldn't actually eat any of it, but he still could enjoy it. Senka smiled at her brother, glad that Dal wasn't bothered by him. He was very important to her, her precious brother and she hated when he got left out of things. But this felt nice and normal, sitting around with him and Dal.

"Well, as long as you promise." Senka didn't mind releasing some spirit if it made the other woman happy. But she also didn't want to unleash anything evil into the world. But she trusted Dal.

Taking a long sip of tea, she smiled again, "A grand adventure sounds good. Something exciting and romantic. That they will write books about in the future." She wasn't in any rush to leave the warm kitchen, so she savored the tea, comfortable and relaxed.

It was a slightly impish smile upon the seer's lips. The company was grand to have, if only a little...different than what she was used to. She might have started blushing constantly if only she knew where the gaze of the other woman was directed, and the thoughts that were coursing through her mind.

Luckily she was unaware.

"Mischievous perhaps, but the spirit hath no wrath within." She could sense the jester within that strange being. It was alive, it was dead, it was evil, yet it was good, it was bored and yet it was entertained. The creature, whatever Undead it may be, was not something normal, not something that any had encountered, at least, not to her knowledge. She had a few stores of books to her advantage, perhaps during their sail she would look into them and perhaps find what they were going to rescue. It had been the overall...look of the creature that stuck with her. The glowing eyes, the ripped and ragged robe it wore, the general feeling of it was one of wonder and...amusement.

"Thou speak as if we art to go off and save the world Senka. Tis only a creature in bondage that is to be saved."  As she slowly finished off her food, she began her rituals for the morning. It was more or less the act of cleaning the strip she used to cover her eyes, using an array of oils with varying scents to give the cloth the sweet smell of lilac and lavender, as well as a hint of vanilla. Once done, she lit a stick of incense and applied the garment over her eyes, gently folding and tucking the two pieces together. She never tied it in a painful knot, to her the cloth was almost sacred, it would have been an insult to do something so rough and careless to it.

As morning passed, their departure arrived, and soon the schooner was headed out to sea once more. She had done her duty to this island, she had helped the people and calmed the soul of the restless dead here. Now it was onto bigger things, onto stranger things. Senka and Zoran were welcome help, she was able to teach Senka a few things about sailing, but mostly she got the woman to steer. It was apparent that Dal was comfortable on the ship, even blindfolded she seemed to know everything that was needed. Whether it was letting out the sails, or tying a new knot, the boat and the woman were in sync. Once they were further away from the island, she was able to relax. A small table on deck served her purposes as she got a few books out, old crinkled things written in archaic languages.

She wanted to find out about this creature they were to save. Each time she came to the robe, to the eyes, it didn't end well. There was a trickster creature who only appeared at cross roads. Ancient and forever, the creature granted wishes, but they would often turn to complete disaster. She was afraid of such a being, it held such power, it held such...greatness to it. Other passages didn't work out so well, some spoke of vengeful liches, while others...spoke of the Grim Spectre himself. A Reaper, a being that collected the souls of the dead and shuffled them off to the great beyond. Things didn't add up, the eyes, it always came back to the eyes. This one had glowing eyes, vibrant growing eyes, and yet...none of the passages, none of the descriptions ever spoke of such things.

It was troubling for the seer. Maybe they were truly going to free a creature that wasn't part of their world. The thought was exciting, as it was a trifle terrifying.

Senka trusted Dal to make sure they weren't going to be releasing anything awful into the world. There were some dark things in the islands, sealed there by their ancestor, others drawn there by the magic the necromancer's used.

Licking her spoon free of tea, Senka smiled, "The world, one life. It's all the same really. Can't have one without the other."

The necromancer watched Dal's strange ritual for a little while. She didn't really know much about mediums. The only ghost she was able to communicate much with was her brother and he wasn't a normal ghost. After a bit, she excused herself, returning to her room to get ready as well.

She had her own rituals. Her's was a bit more physical, chalking outlines along the floor. Hopefully Dal wouldn't mind, as they washed away. Once those were completed, she took a deep cleansing breath and started a number of long, slow, complex stretches between the various symbols. It helped clear her mind and focused her magic.

Once that was done, Senka finished getting dressed, her brother helping do her hair up and lace her bodice, "Nice to see you making yourself useful."

The ghost smiled at her, almost identical to her own, "She's lovely."

"Very." Senka fussed with her bangs in the mirror, getting her hair perfect. Shame she didn't have anything to line her eyes with.

"She wont like girls you know."

That got the ghost a glare, "Rude! She might! At least I'm alive!"

Zoran just smirked, leaning over her shoulder to look in the mirror. It didn't reflect him at all, but he still seemed able to see himself in on. He fixed his own hair, looking smug, "She's a medium. I can be real to her. And I've got the right parts."

"What's that? I think that's the sound of no candy for a week." Glaring and huffing, Senka stood up, "And at least I will be able to talk her into a group bath. There's those amazing hot springs."

Heading out to find the seer, Senka followed the pulse of her life energy until she found her, surrounded by books, "Well hello. What's all this? Bit of light reading?"

"Waxing poetic, thou surprise me, but thou art correct." She couldn't argue with Senka's words and philosophy. She had to admit, they were the same. Life and the world were quite interchangeable. Dal wished she could put it into better words, but it was perhaps a little early to try and understand that particular philosophy at this time.

She let Senka do her own rituals, hers seemed a bit more interesting than her own, a lot more physical activity, while hers were more...well, they had a personal spiritual meaning. She hadn't met a medium like herself that did the same rituals as she. It was something that Dal had come to do out of comfort perhaps. Maybe one day soon she should ask Senka if she could...join her in the rituals that she was doing. They reminded her of a sort of...Zen art, slowly moving in different poses to open up energy flow and relax the body and focus the mind.

Her only worry would be opening her mind up and having more visions splash through.

The siblings were probably lucky that Dal was unaware of their current conversation, that the medium was so deep in her studying that everything outside of her little table was almost ignored. Not to mention that they were below deck and she was on the deck with her table and pile of books. She looked up when something broke into her thoughts and distracted her from her current reading. It was Senka. She smiled lightly to the woman and nodded as she put a silk bookmark into place and closed the book.

"Aye, I hath been trying to research what creature we art trying to rescue. I hath not been able to find any sort of creature to match what I hath seen, save for a Grim Reaper, but even then...the creature doth not match the description completely. I believe we art off to find a creature that hath not been documented." The thought, though scary, was also quite exciting really. They would meet with a creature that no one had ever seen before, that no one had ever written about. Dal and Senka would be able to even...perhaps publish some sort of research paper on the matter. The necromancers and mages would no doubt like to hear about it.

"Canst thou help me return these below deck? I believe I hath finished researching for the day." She picked up a stack of books and shot a smile at her friend before heading to the stairs below deck to the store room to put the books away. She very much enjoyed the idea of having a companion or two around, it made the trip less...solemn. Yes, that was the perfect word for it. Things were livelier, despite one of the companions being a spirit.

Odd how that worked.

"Of course." Senka beamed at Dal and started collecting the books. Even if Senka couldn't touch, Dal was beautiful. It wasn't a bad way to spend her time, plus the medium was pleasing to talk with. It felt so good after her time on the mainland. Zoran gathered a few of the books as well, though he couldn't take many at a time.

"Really? You really think it might be new?" That was an interesting thought and the necromancer shivered slightly in delight, "I hope so. I have never discovered a new creature before." Senka closed her strange eyes and sent up a quick prayer to Inima. "A Reaper? How would one of those be caught? They serve the Goddess, bringing souls to her so she can give them life again."

The twins followed after Dal, Senka holding the books out for Zoran who found their place on the shelf. Zoran paused while holding on book, filled with information on creatures of myth and legend, "May I borrow this one? It looks interesting." The ghost fingered the cover, though he couldn't actually feel it.

Senka frowned slightly. It had been a while since he had a body. She should let him use hers soon. Not much to do on the ship, but even so, it was better then not.

"Thy help is most appreciated Senka. Thou art gracious." Another friendly smile was given to Senka and Zoran. "So is thine Zoran." She started back toward the bowels of the ship. She really did like to have the help, they'd be able to make less trips, and having help was always great! She wouldn't have to do all the chores around here! Though, she'd never explicitly ask Zoran and Senka to help, but she would never turn the away if offered of course.

"Aye, tis seems to be the only logical explanation." It was a better thought than a reaper had been captured and was being held against the will of both the being and the Goddess. However, a new species was still just as bad because if it was the only one, someone had locked it away against its will. "Thy thought is a worrisome one verily, rest assured if it is, we will find ourselves in great favour with Her." The idea of the Goddess being pleased with them was one that made Dal feel a little tingly. To be favourable with a Goddess, and their Goddess none the less? It was an incredible idea, but she still hoped that it really was just a new species of some sort, because...someone capturing a reaper? The thought was...completely horrifying. Only a God should have such control over the reaper.

"Hm? Of course Zoran, thou may borrow any book that thy wishes! Thou doth not needst to ask." He was a friend after all, and she was more than happy to let him borrow whatever he wanted. He probably could use the distraction anyway, and reading was a great way to waste time anyway. The trip would be a few days at least, so they would need to find ways to entertain themselves. Though, Dal knew she would have some work to do, those giant insects she saw would cause a problem, and she would want to remove that particular problem. She could whip up an elixir or salve of some sort that would make the insects ignore them.

She took a book off from the shelf though, knowing she had to get the right ingredients for a particular sort of lotion she had used before. It had made a pack of wolves avoid her when she was in a forest once, and with just a bit of modification she was sure that the creatures would ignore them. She wouldn't need to make anything for Zoran, so it wouldn't need to be a huge batch, but enough for Senka and herself. She didn't know why, but she found a light blush creeping on her cheeks as she thought about it having to apply all that lotion to each other. It faded quickly however as she put it into a more logical thought. They were just women after all, and it wasn't like Senka thought differently! She was from Thanatos after all! They both were! That helped her to rationalize everything and made her feel better about the whole thing.

"If thou wants to help me once more Senka, I must make a lotion to help ward off other creatures I gazed upon in mine vision." It would help to go a bit faster, getting ingredients together and combining them, cooking them and creating the special lotion. It would greatly help the two of them get through the complex maze system that they would be walking into. She didn't much like the idea of being snacked upon by the monsters within.

The praise had both twins beaming. It had quickly become a contest between them to win Dal's affections. A little sibling rivalry never hurt anyone.

"I really hope it isn't a Reaper." Senka felt a chill at the very idea, rubbing her hand over her arms, "That would mean something very bad indeed." She very much liked the idea of the Goddess looking favorably on her, but the thought of anyone but Her being able to control the Reapers was terrifying.

She chewed lightly on her lip ring, "I hope it's just some new creature. Maybe a forgotten experiment?" That would be sad to have it left forgotten and alone, but much less horrifying then the alternative, "Or it just might be something rare. There might be records of it in the Church library?"

"It can't be a Reaper. I have met one. They are....I can't imagine one being bound by anything mortal." Zoran glanced over at Dal, expression serious, "If it is a Reaper, make sure you do not meddle where you shouldn't. It isn't wise to anger the divine." The spirit hugged the book to his chest, smiling then, "Thank you for lending me the book."

Shaking her head, Senka reached over and ruffled her brother's ghostly hair, "I'm sorry. I should really get you more books. And you can ride me later today, alright?" Her brother beamed again, nodding as he ducked away from her hand.

"Lotion? Of course. I'm not bad with potions and the like." That meant time alone with Dal. And it would be so warm while they boiled and cooked things. Have to strip down a bit. Her caramel skin all shimmery with sweat....Senka gave a small, happy sigh at the mental image before reluctantly returning to the present day.

If only Dal knew that the twins wanted her affection, that they were trying to vie for her attention and trying to win it. That however, did not cross her mind, she just thought them to be normal, to be her friends.

"Nay, the records will be of no use, if they were to be, I wouldst have glimpsed it 'pon the vision." If she was meant to know the creature, meant to have found out what it was, she probably would have seen it. There had been nothing though, and at least from her research she knew it wasn't anything known, at least, not in her books. They were books that had been written some time ago, but she made sure to get them updated, or purchase entirely new books and kept them on hand. She would have read something if it had been a reaper, but alas she had found nothing to really insinuate it was a Reaper.

"Nor can I gentle Zoran. I promise thee however, tis a creature of the Goddess, a Reaper as I doth fear, then we shalt have the utmost care and respect." She assured the spirit. He would know about the reapers more wouldn't he, having been taken by one before. There was a bit of comfort there, if it was one, then he could lend a hand when they found it. "Of course mine friend, I hope that thou finds it to be a good read."

There was something that really made Dal's eyebrow rise slightly. "Am I...to assume that...by 'ride thou', thy meaning is that he mayest inhabit thine body?" Once more, there was that slight tinge to Dal's cheeks. She wasn't completely naive, and the spirit could interact, but she didn't want to assume...such a debauched idea. They were siblings after all, but, she had heard of a lot...stranger incidents between two loving people.

She coughed uncomfortably and was glad that the subject changed. "Thy help is welcome then, we shalt start right away." With a rather bubbly smile to her friend she set off to the kitchen. She had to get out her scales, her mortar and pestle, along with a few other items to help cook and separate things properly. They'd have to be quite careful though, they could accidentally create the wrong thing, or spoil the ingredients involved. Dal went straight to the kitchen, all her alchemical equipment was stored there anyway, as well as the roots, herbs, and mineral water she would need. It was just like cooking a meal, but this one wouldn't be eaten. She began to get out pots and knives, her mortar and pestle bowl, as well as her scales and other equipment. She had to light a fire in the stove, though she opened a window since it was going to get quite warm in the room.

Now the recipe could be followed...after she retrieved the needed ingredients.

Senka shivered again. On one hand, finding something new could be wonderful, but on the other, she had a bad feeling about this. Who knew what they would find there. She just hoped that Dal's visions wouldn't lead them to someplace they shouldn't meddle.

Zoran smiled brightly at Dal, cuddling the book, "Thank you. I like reading." It was one of the few activities he could do on his own. Dal's response had both the twin's staring at her, their expression's almost identical looks of confusion. It took quite a moment before it occurred to either of them what else they could have meant.

"OH GODDESS! EW!" Senka's jaw dropped and she stared at Zoran with a look of horror. Her brother looked slightly ill, "Nonononono. I....no. I just inhabit her body!" They both leaned away from each other, slightly weirded out now.

"Kitchen. Yes. Good plan!" Senka smiled a little brighter then normal, trying to push aside that icky feeling the mention of fucking Zoran had brought on. The spirit just took his book and fled to their room, more then slightly creeped out. Senka loved her twin, very much. But....ew. That was just gross.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her delicately pointed ears, Senka examined the items Dal was laying out, "Just tell me what you need me to do." She edged closer to the window in the kitchen. Better make sure it wasn't open too far. Keep it nice and warm in here.

"Tis not a problem at all." She smiled at the spirit, glad that she could help him feel a bit better. He probably didn't have a lot of activities really, so reading would not doubt be something to help him quite a bit. At least he wouldn't be bored on the trip, he'd actually have something that he could enjoy and not need anyone's help.

The reaction of both the twins caused Dal's cheeks to go even darker as the realization came to both of them. It was funny that that most innocent and naive one of them was the one who had caught the innuendo for their particular conversation. Dal found her hand moving to her neck, embarrassed as she tried to push that particular thought out of her head. It was really quite...something actually. At least both of them seemed just as shocked at the particular thought. "That is...what I hadst hoped to hear." Just the thought make her feel...they were siblings after all.

She actually was glad she was a single child.

Dal started to get out her supplies, remembering the particular ingredients she would need, such as the different roots and herbs, as well as a bit of mineral water. Once that was all out, she put out a knife and a few of the roots. "I needst those to be finely diced, whilst I will mix herbs and a special spice." It was the key ingredient really, it wasn't exactly a spice, it was dried bug carapaces and a small bit of powder. The powder was to keep their skin moisturized and wouldn't dry out, making them sweat more, become dehydrated, and have the creatures within the cave smell them, and be able to sneak up on them. She began to use the mortar and pestle to grind up the herbs into a paste of sort, liberally adding the 'spice' to the mix as well as some mineral water. When all this was done, the end result would be a goopy pink mixture, but for now, it was just a bit of a strange greenish mix.

Closing her eyes, she reached up with her robe sleeve and wiped her brow. It was getting pretty warm in the ship's galley, but she had the window open so there was no real problem was there? She began to boil some water, adding her paste to the bubbling water. "Goddess, even with the window, tis getting rather warm in here." Dal commented as she once more wiped a bit of moisture from her brow again. "Mine choice of thick robe hath come back to haunt me." She commented as she looked to Senka, smiling, her face a little flushed. "Doth you hath those roots chopped?"

Senka was still feeling a little grossed out at the suggestion that she and her brother would sleep together. They were closer then most siblings were she supposed, and Zoran would scrub her back and help her wash her hair when she bathed...but...gah! It was all platonic!

Glad for something to distract her, Senka took the roots from Dal and began to dice them. Senka was a little slow with the knife, as she didn't often use them, but she was thorough and patient. Her hands moved steadily as she watched Dal. Watching the lovely necromancer move about the kitchen was just the balm her soul needed.

Glancing over at the window, Senka felt just a tad guilty. But really, who could blame her? Though it was getting warm. She could feel herself sweating as well, the loose strands of her thick hair sticking to her neck. She was glad she had dressed lightly, the thin fabric of her shirt already clinging to her, "I'm about ready to strip down myself, and you have it worse then I do."

Smiling, Senka gestured to her pile of chopped roots, "All done. What would you like me to do with them?"

"Aye, twas not a good idea...Thine idea methinks tis a grand idea." Two women could be in such a manner of undress, there was nothing against it. Senka was a good woman in her opinion actually, she had a nice head on her shoulders, and she was a boon to have in such times. "Ah, prithee, add them to the pot if thou couldst." Dal told her as she added one more thing to the pot before she moved away from it so that Senka could add the chopped roots to the pot. When that was done, Dal let out a rather dramatic sigh as she moved away from it. "Goddess, tis too hot...I hope thou dost not find this bold, nor scandalous, but I must be out of this robe, and I wouldst not like to leave this so..." Dal began to pull at her robe, at first slow as she pulled it up past her knees and waist. The woman was wearing pants beneath her robe, though they were thin breeches that hugged her body, showing off her curved hips and luscious thighs.

The robe kept going up, and soon it it was off her head and was being folded by the woman and placed on a nearby empty counter. The only thing that really covered her very ample bosoms was a a simple strip of cloth wrapped around her chest, covering her nipples from sight. The poor piece of cloth was perhaps a little too small, and what lay within the confines of the band seemed to strain against the material. Her caramel coloured skinned was thinly glazed with her perspiration, giving her a rather beautiful shine. Dal was not a very overweight woman, most the fat had been evenly distributed, though it was obvious her hips and her breasts, had received quite a bit of the fat. She had a slight jiggle in her bosom and her rear as she walked to the stove to peek into the pot.

"Ah, tis perfect, and tis a lot cooler in here now." Dal said with a content smile, getting a wooden spatula and beginning to stir the content of the pot carefully. Already it was starting to thicken up, soon she would add the last ingredients, it would become the smooth lotion, and they would be prepared for the worst!

It was uncomfortably hot in the small room, but it was a small price to pay for her brilliant plan. She ran her hand across her brow, wiping the sweat away. Her pale skin was starting to flush a pale pink from the heat. She could feel the sweat starting to form, a drop sliding down her spin. Very attractive.

The entropymacer moved closer to the pot, making a face at the heat, dropping her roots into the boiling water, "Oh, don't worry about it. I don't mind at all. I might join you..." Her voice trailed off, getting distracted by all of Dal's creamy skin. The medium had a lush body, all sweet curves and feminine softness. Just the way Senka liked them.

The other woman stripping seemed to be a signal that it was alright to strip down. She wiped her hands off, then started to undo her top. Senka's frame was slender and lithe. She lacked the womanly curves of Dal, a fact she was painfully aware of. Her breasts were small and perky, wrapped only in a simple white cloth. She didn't need much to contain them.

Sliding her pants off, Senka had a body closer to her brothers then Dal's. Damn elven ancestors. Tattoos and scars covered most of her skin, some dark, a few white against her pale skin. Even her belly button was decorated in an elaborate scar design and had a delicate piercing in it.

Getting close to the pot again, Senka glanced inside, wrinkling her nose, "It smells interesting. What comes next?" Doing her best to be casual about it, Senka maneuvered herself closer to the medium. If Dal didn't like girls, Senka wouldn't push, but it didn't hurt to test the waters.

Dal couldn't remember a time when the kitchen had been so heated, or the last time she actually had a friend to help her out in it. It was always nice to have more hands around to help her with it. "Nay, if thou findst the heat too unbearable. Tis only us females." The medium told her with a good natured smile on her face. She didn't honestly see anything wrong with it, they were two women who were alone and in a very heated room. This was platonic after all. If she had known that Senka had such feelings for her, she really would have probably said otherwise.

Dal didn't say anything, nor....well, no one could see her eyes, but she didn't bat her eyes when the woman removed her clothing. She noticed that Senka wasn't like a regular Thanatos. It was very apparent now that she had not been given the same amount of...attention by the Goddess in her physical creation. Dal wasn't scarred like Senka was, her body was clean of any scars, but her body was covered with the beautiful and intricate ancient designs, all of which were white tattoos that snaked around her body.

"T'would be more appropriate to say vile, but that shalt change with the last ingredients." She told the woman, smiling at her as she began to mix a few more ingredients into the pot. "We shalt add a few things, pinch of dye, and then it shalt simmer for a while." She added a dash of a pinkish liquid, which turned the entire thing pink as well. It was also turning into a thicker substance as well, starting to look more like a lotion as well.

"Thine assistance Senka hath been a most grateful welcome. Though thine brother at first brought worry, I hath seen that he and thou hath such a wonderful connection, and that there be nothing to fear nor worry." She had her doubts at first, but there was nothing to worry about now. He would not become a vengeful spirit, he was lovable and a good natured soul, something so rarely seen. "And I thank thee once more for accompanying me on this most adventurous occasion." Show bowed her head slightly in respect to the woman. "Thou art truly a noble person." Maybe Dal was laying it on a little thick, but she wanted the woman to know she was truly welcome on this ship. It wasn't a glamorous lifestyle, and sometimes it was warning people of a bad crop, a ship wreck, or even just a bad storm, but it was about helping people mostly.

There may not be glory and rewards, but she was not squandering the gift that the Goddess had given to her.

It was blisteringly hot in the small room. Senka was just glad that the scent of the lotion would overpower any smell should would be giving off. The mention of both being females caused Senka to flinch internally. Dal was a good little Thanatai. Damn. Though Senka didn't want to give up that last silver of hope.

"It is pretty bad." She laughed, "I'm glad that we wont have to go around reeking. It's not very flattering to a girls ego to send monsters fleeing in terror at my scent." Though at least it was turning a prettier color. Senka liked the pink color.

She turned away to get some water, all the sweating making her thirsty. The tattoos across her back were the most impressive, a artful blending of black and white ink in an intricate pattern. Down her spine were a row of piercings, delicate barbells.

"There is no reason to worry about Zoran. I know it must seem strange." Senka took a long drink of the water, "Want some? I don't know why Zoran is the way he is, but he's never been violent. I don't know if it's because of our bond or what. But you have nothing to fear from him, besides his occasional attempt to see you naked."

Senka blushed slightly, giving a small laugh at Dal's praise, "I am not that wonderful. I'm glad that I can help. Honestly, I have nothing better to do."

For Dal, even the thought of being with a man was a strange one. She had been raised as most Thanatai were raised, with the thought of giving to the Goddess new life. Homosexuality was looked down upon, but she had heard of men and women even...skirting the laws so to speak. She didn't try to think on it, but she was more concerned with the Gift that the Goddess has given her. It was a strange though really, but as she saw it, the Goddess didn't want her to give life, she wanted her to protect it and save it. Therefore, she got these visions, and she was able to do so much with her powers.

She just never had taken the time to be a woman.

"Aye, thou spake the truth, t'would rather they run and I still smell good." She did take the time to be beautiful, or at least...have pride in her appearance. Some things were hard to break, and she was proud of the body the Goddess had given her. She was prouder of her soul of course, but all the tattoos, so intricate and creative, were all her expression to the Goddess. Dal realized she was complicated and that she was a bit of a paradox. Didn't bother her much though!

Dal smiled and nodded, moving over to get some water from the woman. "Zoran tis just a spirit, he art an easy one to deal with. I believe that with thou influence, he hath been stopped from turning malevolent." She told the woman with a smile. Dal had to reach up however and pull her cloth up a bit to uncover her eyes and look at the tattoos and the piercings on Senka. "Thou may have been born on the mainland, but thy soul is Thanati." Dal spoke warmly before pulling her blindfold down once more. "Thou hath some very impressive designs Senka. T'is great to look upon."

It really wasn't fair. Dal jiggled delightfully as she moved, her ample curves straining against the fabric of her underwear. Senka sighed, looking Dal over then down at her own lean body, "Sometimes I hate my elven ancestry." Her hands slid down her sides, pouting, "I could pass for an adolescent boy."

She smiled at Dal, "I agree. Just because I am going to be running from monsters doesn't mean I don't want to feel pretty." She was a vain creature and she made no means to hide it. Senka hadn't covered herself in tattoos and scar patterns for no reason. Many of them were mythical in nature, symbols of the Goddess and necromancy, blended in with other artistic designs.

"Really? I would like to think I am a help at least. I feel very blessed to have him in my life." She glanced away, feeling awkward, "Sometimes I wish I hadn't stolen his life from him. That he could have been my brother in flesh as well as spirit."

The next comment had Senka's pale skin flushing and she smiled, "Oh, I was born on the islands. My mother met my father there. I just got much of her mainland looks. But thank you all the same. I often feel like a foreigner in my own city, just because of my looks." She traced along one of the designs along her belly, "I like them. I am proud of them."

Dal didn't much mind her own body, sometimes she wished she were a bit thinner, but at least she wasn't too ridiculous looking. A man had called her luscious once, and another had referred to her as plump, which made her feel like a pig that was ready to be spit roasted over a fire. Not very appealing, but luscious had at least been a generally nice sounding compliment. She did like the fact that she had nice hips and well endowed breasts however, her mother had said she was perfect for children. "Thou just needst to fill out, thy shouldst hope thy father's side starts to show through."

"Thou maketh an excellent point." She told her friend, smiling, feeling that she had done a lot of smiling around this woman. That was by far a bad thing though, she liked that she was able to feel happy, that she wasn't so sullen and dramatic as she usually was. "We of the fairer sex shouldst always be proud of the looks we doth inherit, and if we may improve them with a good lotion, the better!" The lotion would give her a much healthier look, and she knew that her tattoos would shine and almost have a glow to them naturally afterward.

"Thou art blessed to have him with thee, a spirit to have bonded with thee is a boon from Her." Perhaps, in some way, Dal was actually a little jealous of the woman. She definitely thought the girl was lucky to have her brother's spirit with her. "He doth live on however, and despite his lack of corporeal body, he doth get around quite alright." He even liked to read, and as she had said, would try to compliment her, so he still held onto his earthly ambitions.

Dal smiled warmly at the Entropist. "Thou shouldst know that thou art always welcome in the land of your ancestors, dear Senka. The spirits know thee, and they accept thou and thine brother. Thou art also a welcome friend in mine company any time!" She looked upon the woman, a slight expression of admiration. Her own tattoos were a lot more to do with the Goddess' blessing and breaking the barrier between life and death. "They art truly a work of art."

Senka gave a short laugh, looking down at her thin form, "Somehow, I feel like it's a little late to hope for some tits and ass. I'm stuck with concave breasts and stick legs." Senka really didn't have to worry about anyone calling her plump. Though she had been mistaken for a boy more times then she really wanted to admit too.

She wasn't as bad as she acted, but she had a slender, lean frame that heavily favored her elven mother. There was little fat and less curve on her. She did her best with corsets and some helpful padding, but there was only so much one could do.

"Exactly. Nothing wrong with feeling pretty." She beamed at Dal, striking a silly pose. Her smiled faltered a little at the mention of Zoran, "Yes. I mean, I love having him. But...I feel guilty. That I stole his life from him." She gave a small, somewhat bitter chuckle, "He can't have a real life. Fall in love, raise a family. He can only watch through me. Or flirt with a pretty medium."

Her smile came back, "They are beautiful, aren't they? Zoran designed them. He is a talented artist." Senka had stolen his life from him, so she felt it was only fair he could chose what she did with her flesh.

The crudeness of her language made the cheeks of poor Dal turn darker in colour. However, she was able to smooth it over and stop the blush from spreading too far. In this particular state of undress, Dal would probably turn her whole body into a different colour from blushing. "Thou...mightst be able to change thine body?" Dal tried to sound hopeful, at least, as best she could, but it was a little difficult. Senka was probably quite right about her comment, and well...it wasn't her fault after all. The body her parents had created for her unfortunately wasn't like the regular Thanati.

Dal had probably found a rather excellent medium, no pun intended. She was not overly fat, nor was she slender and lithe. People seemed to like it, at least, a few of the visitors from across the sea did. A lot of the sailors who came into port when she was around would whistle and some even made some...pretty lewd comments toward her. However, she ignored them, men who simply could not control their own bodies. Though they meant little to the Thanati, bodies were still important, they still held meaning, and they were still gifts from the Goddess.

"Thou doth allow him to still experience life Senka, though he may not be able to feel it with his own body...but he still may experience, and he may still feel it." There was a blush on her face though from the talk of flirting with a pretty medium. She was pretty sure she knew what she meant by that particular comment. The idea of Zoran being interested in her in such a way was...it wasn't disturbing, but it was unfamiliar to say the least.

Dal put on some thick gloves and took the pot from the stove, placing it on the rock counter top to cool. She placed it on a special device that would secure it, and the lid to the counter, so it wouldn't splash around or accidentally slip off the counter and make a mess. The person who had designed this special holder was absolutely terrific, and she was very grateful that someone had the same problem she did with cooking on a ship.

"Verily he art a wonderful artist. I art amazed by how talented he is." She admired the designs on her flesh, rather surprised that Zoran had designed them all on his own. The two of them were quite lucky to have each other, for Zoran to be able to create such beautiful works of art, and for Senka to allow them to be put onto his body. Her body was his canvas, she was the testament to his life, to his creativity, and she was the vessel so he could express himself. Even in his death, Zoran was still able to leave something for the world to see.

Senka was amused at Dal's reaction to her comments. She knew she was rather vulgar and just didn't care. She just wasn't one to worry over such things, "I doubt it. I could try eating more and getting fat, but that though appeals to me even less then just being flat."

She had been raised on an island of dark skinned, plump people that tended to come up to her chin. Senka had always wished she could look like they did, wished her pale skin would darken instead of burn in the sun, that she didn't tower over most of the islanders. But it wasn't too be and she tried to not dwell. Her odd hair and odder eyes didn't help matters any either.

"I suppose that is true. It just....seems so unfair." Senka shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts. It couldn't be changed and her brother seemed happy enough. Her fingers played over the jeweled stub in her belly, smiling down at her skin. She really was a work of art, "He is amazing, isn't he?" Many of the designs even helped her channel her magic, giving her better control over her powers.

"What else needs to be done to the lotion? Or do we just have to wait for it to cool now?"

"Thou wouldn't want to get unhealthy and develop any sort of complications mine friend." Dal actually considered herself very thankful that despite her...luscious body, she hadn't developed any sort of problems from it. She was physically capable, she wasn't the strongest woman in the world, but she sailed BY HERSELF, and had done so for quite a long time. Not to mention she drank a good amount of tea that helped to purify her mind and body, keep her rejuvenated, and to clear her mind when times got difficult.

Luckily that didn't happen too much. She usually had the tea for the health and the taste as well. Tea was always very delicious, no matter what kind. It didn't matter if she added anything to it, like a bit of honey, sugar, or milk, it was delicious all the time. Senka would learn that particular thing about her now during their little trip, that the medium just loved to have tea.

"The Goddess had her reasons for thou to take thine brother's life. Perhaps she saw that thou wouldst also die within the womb, p'raps thine brother spoke with her and to preserve thine life, gave his own. These things art mysterious in their ways, and thou shouldst remember that thy live, and thou brother doth live because of thee." She smiled happily at the woman, trying to help cheer her up. She didn't like to say that the Goddess worked in mysterious ways, but there was always a reason for what she did.

"Truly, his artistic capabilities art unparallelled to some of the living." If she ever wanted to add another tattoo, she would look into getting a design from Zoran. He had a lot of beautiful talent, and she would actually feel honoured to have something designed from the Other World on her skin. No doubt it might also help her powers out, he would have some knowledge no doubt, not only because of his studying habits but also because his closeness to the Other World and the spiritual knowledge that lay within it.

"Aye, once it cools, it shalt finish the process on its own. Then I shalt transfer to an earthenware jug, and it shalt sit and absorb a thin layer of age within the jug, then...it shalt be complete." She spoke to Senka as she got her robe and pulled it on over her head. "Now, mine perspiring body doth sayeth I shouldst go and have a nice walk on deck, get a little fresh air. Doth thou wish to join me?"

"Yeah. I think I'm just stuck looking more like my brother then I would like." Maybe it was some weird punishment for stealing Zoran's life. She was forced to look like him. Senka pushed her sticky bangs back from her face and gave Dal a small smile, "Maybe. I just...I hope he didn't give his life for mine. I don't want that on my conscious. What's done is done I suppose."

She was more then happy to turn to more pleasant subjects. Talking about Zoran being dead always made Senka feel guilty, "He is amazing. My brother has some real talent. It just makes me sad I only have so much skin." There was real pride in her voice.

It was sad so see all those luscious curves covered by a robe and Senka made a sad face for just a moment before starting to pull her own clothes on, covering up some of the tattoos, "That sounds lovely. I feel like I need a bath again after all this sweating." She gave Dal her back, the bodice she normally wore needed to get done up and Senka couldn't do it alone, "Could you lace me up please?"

Dal gave a small giggle as she thought about that. "Thy brother shapes thine body in his image. How appropriate." She didn't want to say it out loud really. Maybe it was punishment. Maybe she HAD stolen his life, moved his soul from his own body and took it over in the womb, and therefore...the body became female, but still had traces of male in it. That would be an awkward conversation, and Dal decided to push it from her mind, just as Senka was inclined to. This was probably for the best, the past couldn't be changed, and there was no sense mulling it over with 'what ifs' and 'what could bes.'

"Thou couldst always share his talent. I doth believe thou and he couldst become tattoo artists within Thanatos." Dal really was sincere when she said it. Many people would absolutely kill to have these tattoos on their skin. Maybe people might actually want to use her corpse when she died to be a servant. The idea to some mainlanders it was absolutely wicked and disgusting, but if the church itself wished to use your body when you were gone, it was almost an honour.

"Aye, tonight I shalt definitely settle mineself once more in the warm embrace of the liquid. If thou worries about some errant smell for the time being..." Dal almost looked...shy as she went into the wares and returned with two small green stalks with a leaf on the end of it. "Oh, of course..." She put the two sprigs down and helped the woman with the bodice, lacing her up carefully. She knew how much a pain these could be, and sort of dreaded her true ceremonial outfit. She barely wore it, because of how much trouble it was, and because it needed a second pair of hands. Once she was done lacing the bodice up for the woman, she took up the sprig and smiled at her.

"Rub this upon thine clothes, the sprig be filled with a fine juice that smells of lemons. When turned downside, the leaf acts much akin to a cloth, and can be applied to clothes. Thou shalt find that despite our sweaty work, we shalt still hath a nice fragrance." To demonstrate it, she turned the stalk upside down so the leaf was on the bottom. Already a lemon smell began to emanate from the plant. She ran it over her robe carefully, down her front, her sleeves, and gave a few swipes around her neck, and then dabbed it behind her ears once or twice. When she was done, she placed it into a small bucket of compost and gestured to her clothes. "They doth not stain the cloth either, the liquid leaves no trace, and therefore safe upon even the most delicate of cloth. I hath used it on silk before and seen nary a trace 'pon it."

Senka smiled at Dal, "Yes. He shapes it well I think." She loved her tattoos, scars and piercings. They were beautiful and so much a part of her now, "I've debated doing some fleshshaping, but I'm not sure." There was some beautiful things she could do, but it could be pricey and she was a little scared of letting someone melt and form her flesh and skin like it was wax.

"That's an idea if we ever settle down. Right now we move too much to really establish something like that. But he does have some real talent, doesn't he?" She waited as Dal did the laces up. It was a bit of a process, though thanks to her slender frame, she didn't have to lace the corset too tightly to give her some shape. She loved corsets, they actually made it look like she had some breasts.

The herb had a light lemon scent that really was pleasant. Senka took the sprig in her hands, looking it over, "My my. You do know a lot. This is a most useful plant. You seem to be quite skilled in keeping a nice scent." Senka applied the plant to the rest of her bodice, taking a deep breath of the scent.

"Aye...I wouldst not be one to go into flesh shaping..." While Dal didn't have an earthy connection with her body, it had still been a gift from the Goddess. She wasn't entirely sure that she liked the idea of having an earthly soul shape and change her very flesh, her very look, the look the Goddess had given to her. While she was okay with tattooing herself, she still wasn't sure about going all the way and drastically changing her look. She had said a prayer for every ear piercing, and for her tattoos, and the amount of praying to alter her flesh's shape and such would just be...too much in her opinion.

It wasn't that she wouldn't do it of course, but the more time she spent praying and having her body altered, she would have less time to use her gift of foresight. It was all relative.

Dal nodded, forgetting that the woman couldn't see her as she helped her with the laces. "He art quite an artist, and thou shouldst settle down and utilize his talents, if of course if he art willing." It was his choice of course, it was not up to any of them, it was all up to Zoran really. If he wanted to, Dal was sure that Senka would help him for sure. He would be a big hit no doubt with the people of Thanatos, the business that they could generate would no doubt be very comfortable for them.

Dal blushed slightly as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I thank thee...but after thou lives on a ship for most of thine life, thou learns tricks not to smell of salt and fish." Dal told her awkwardly, shrugging her shoulders slightly. It was a little embarrassing to admit, she would admit that she spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to smell better and get the fishy...salty sea smell off of her.

"It's so pretty, but it's a little intimidating." Senka thought the effects were beautiful and she was a little jealous of those who had the nerve to do it. She might if Zoran ever asked her too, but so far her brother hadn't. That might change once they got home and it was easier to get done.

Senka slid her hands down her corset, settling into it as Dal finished up her laces, "Thank you. And we might someday. I'm not sure either of us is ready to settling in one place yet. We are still young yet." And would be for a long time, thanks to her mothers elven blood.

"Yes. That is a good point. I wouldn't want to smell like fish all the time either. Though this seems to work wonders." Senka rubbed her thumb over the used leaf, "I shall have to remember this one." Smiling at Dal, then entropymancer gestured to the door, "Let's get out of this stifling room and air out a bit."

"Aye, quite intimidating." Dal could only agree with that particular sentiment. She wasn't sure about the beauty of it all, as a lot of the time her eyes were bound to such things, and her mind didn't always often wander to such ideas. Even though they had all this spirituality and religious understanding about life and the body, pain was still pain, and things could still hurt. Though they were very good at controlling the pain, the flesh sculptors that is, there was still very bad chances of...well...a lot of pain.

Dal giggled quietly as she thought about it. They did have a long time to live. "Mine apologies to thee, I forget sometimes that thou art not human, unlikes some of us who hath a finite time to accomplish so much."  Dal would get another body after this one failed and her soul was freed from the coil. However, her reincarnation could take place at any time, she could be gone for a hundred years, and there would be no guarantee that she would still have this unique gift available to her.

"Thou may plunder the pantry for this plant any time thy wishes if thou wants to have a fresh lemon smell. I also hath a nice vanilla smelling plant, and a very unique coconut scented one." Dal nodded as she started heading for the door, pulling it open and enjoying the cool breeze that suddenly carried into the kitchen. "Ah, that art a refreshing breeze...let us be off unto the bow of the vessel." The medium headed from the kitchen, climbing the stairs and onto the deck of the ship. Everything was perfect out here, she had no visions telling her about what rigging needed to be adjusted or changed, what part should be trimmed or given slack. She set about leaning on the railing, looking out onto the ocean with her blindfolded gaze. It wasn't too bad, she could still see a little bit but...

Everything was clear on the ocean. It was a rather nice day all in all, there was no storm in sight, and that meant the sea was calm, allowing their vessel to cleanly cut through the waters.

"Oh, I've got a finite amount of time. It's just a bit longer then a normal humans." She was only half-elven and would live maybe to be twice as old as a human if she was lucky.

"I promise you, if I start to smell like fish, I will plunder away." Senka was more then happy to head to the ship. It was even more sweltering inside the room with all her clothes back on and the cool breeze was so tempting.

Once on the deck, Senka took a moment to just feel cool. So refreshing after all that heat. After a moment, she moved  to join Dal, leaning against the railing, holding one pale arm out, "You know, no matter how much time I spend in the sun, I never seem to get any darker. So unfair."

"Tis more time than I hath, thou shouldst make sure to never waste what extra time thy hath." Even a few more years was more time than most people had. While Dal would never wish for immortality, she would perhaps like a few more years than she had already. However, that was not in the Goddess' plans, and that was okay by her.

"Thine skin be fine just as 'tis, there art people who prefer porcelain." Dal told the woman with a smile. She noticed that despite all the confidence that Senka had, she was still very self conscious about her body. It was funny, considering that she was from Thanatos, but her upbringing perhaps wasn't the same as Dal's own. Then again, her own wasn't the same as most people. Funny how that worked. They were two extraordinary Thanati weren't they?

"Tis a beautiful day out on the ocean...I hath been worried about that storm, but alas, with mine efforts, tis appears things are clear skies once more." Dal sighed happily as she gazed out over the sea. It was hard to see the world through her blindfold, but there was nothing wrong with what she could see. There were no darkspots on her blindfold, the light was all flowing through the fibres normally, which meant...no clouds, at least, no really dark ones.

"One day, I doth wish to see the waters of the Yorieq isles. I hath heard that swimming 'pon the shallow, warm waters art but a dream. Hath thy ever adventured such a distance before?" Dal's voice was slightly lost in a dreamy tone as she just thought about it. The waters around Thanatos were a little colder, and they weren't the tropical clearness that she heard Yorieq was.

It was certainly a thought, that one day she could see the splendours and wonders of the 'other side' of the world.

Senka nodded, strange eyes watching the water, "Mmmm. Yes. That is true." While she was raised to not revere the body like many on the continent did, Senka still had the vanity many Thanati did. She wished she had the curvy, pump, beautiful form and beautiful dark skin so prized on the islands.

"I suppose. Though, at least I was blessed with good hair." The bangs were dark, but the rest of her long hair was a pure, solid, natural white. She didn't need to dye it to achieve the color, "But sun kissed skin is so pretty. Oh well."

The comment about Yorieq got another longing sigh from Senka, "I never made it that far. But I wish I could have. The water there is supposed to be so warm, with beaches of white sand and I heard the water is so blue." Maybe someday. Senka had stuck mostly to the eastern side of the continent, not wanting to be too far from Thanatos.

"Have you ever left the islands? Or do you visions keep you here?"

Dal could only admit that she was still a woman at heart, and that she still did take some pride in her appearance really. It was hard not to, she was proud of her body, just as Senka was. Though, Senka perhaps was a little more vain and prideful than she was...there was still some humility left with Dal. It was only natural after all. If she got too cocky and uppity, the Goddess always had her way of giving a difficult task to attend to. Not the most pleasant thing in the world, but still...an honour.

"Aye, thou doth hath very beautiful hair. I art envious of such colour." Dal's hand went to her own blonde hair, that had tried to turn white but had settled on blonde for the time being. It was a sad state of affairs, but she still thought it was better than some of the strange hair colours she had seen in the world.

"Nay...I hath been kept here near our shores to safeguard the people as best as I can." That was her excuse anyway, her belief. She just never had the gall to go so far, in case the Goddess wanted her to stay and help those of the islands. She had occasionally been to the mainlands, but never further than any coastal town, and never for more than a few hours. She didn't really count it as much of a trip after all.

"I doth believe that the Goddess shalt let me one day see the farthest shores as I please, once the people of Thanati art safe."

"Your hair is lovely too, like the sun kissed it." Senka reached over and lifted a hunk of the woman's hair up, running her fingers through it, "And it is not that much darker then mine. It goes well with your skin."

So pretty. Senka gave a small, internal sigh. A shame she was so....Thanati. She wasn't a seducer of the unwilling and she didn't want to freak the other woman out if she found out that Senka liked girls. And maybe Zoran would get lucky with Dal. Her brother could use some love, though, Senka had her doubts that he would be successful. Dal seemed utterly disinterested in sex.

"Well, it is very, very different out there, I can tell you that. People live lives that are exactly the same and totally different. And almost none have heard of the Goddess. It's strange." She gave a laugh, "But there are some amazing places."

"Thou art too kind. Tis merely what I hath been given." Dal thought it particularly nice to have someone's hand run through her hair. She could remember, when she was little, the most...well, exciting time was when her mother would cut her hair. For whatever reason, the feeling of someone's hands through her hair always calmed her down, she wouldn't dare go deeper into exploring the thought or emotions, but it always felt so nice.

The things we thought about.

"I consider thee lucky. I hath always imagined what the world beyond the coast mayest look like. I doth hope with all mine heart one day I shalt see it. I wouldst imagine they hath not heard of our religion, tis one kept close to our land as I wouldst understand." She couldn't say for sure, but she did know that the other countries and nations had their own religions and beliefs to them, and that her Goddess didn't rule over them all.

It didn't matter much to her however, she had her beliefs, and they worked for her, and that was really all that mattered.

"Tell me a tale of the mainland...if thou wouldst not mind. I long to hear of exotic lands, I always hath I suppose." Dal asked seriously as she turned to face the other woman. She had very little time to hear stories about it, and now she had a prime opportunity that she would surely not waste.

The fact Dal didn't seem to mind Senka's hands in her hair just encouraged her. She didn't really care if it was sexual or not, it was nice just having contact with someone like this. She spent so much time with just her brother, it was nice to touch a living person. And Dal's hair was heavy and warm and felt very alive.

She leaned closer to Dal, still touching her thick hair, absently running her fingers through it, "It is very different in places. The forests are the strangest. Such huge trees like you couldn't believe. And tons of them. You can be surrounded by them until it's all you can see. And the cities."

Senka gave a small laugh, "The cities are huge. Even their small ones. The capital doesn't even compare to the size of those cities. And the people. Someday Dal, I will take you."

It felt nice being out in the warm sunlight like this, feeling it against her skin, playing with a beautiful woman's hair, "Or did you want a specific story? I'm not sure how interesting mine would be. Most of the exciting ones involved crawling through crypts and killing undead. And, well, that's not all that exotic."

Senka wrinkled her nose, "They seem to have problems on the big island with undead. No one controls them properly, so they will run rampant. It is sad. They don't know how to use them. And they hate necromancers. Oh, well, I was almost burned when this small village when they found I was a necromancer."

It did bode well perhaps for Senka that Dal didn't seem to mind. And why would she? Dal did notice that her hair was being fondled, but there was no real...argument from her. Dal liked it really, and she couldn't just say no after all. That would be rude. And it would deprive her of some good feelings. Ones that she was perhaps afraid of exploring, and didn't want to really think about consciously but...good feelings none the less.

Dal looked rather awestruck as she listened to Senka talk about the forests and the cities of the mainland. She was really interested in them, she really would have liked to see all of the mainland, or as much of it as possible. Without her blindfold on. She didn't want to see it through a haze, she wanted to be able to see the world. She would just have to hope that she was released from her service by the time that she could make it to the mainland. Even if she was old and grey, it wouldn't matter.

"They wouldst burn thee alive for thine practices? Hath they no concept of right? We doth not use evil, our craft is...is noble! T'would be like us killing those who hath power of the elements, or nature." There was righteous indignation within Dal's voice as she thought about the idea of killing people for the magical practises. It was absolutely horrific! They were not people but monsters! It was a very frightening thought, that such practices were abound and plentiful on the mainland. Hopefully they would not think of her ability to perceive the future and to communicate with the dead a barbaric practice.

Truly, she didn't want to find herself being burned for what she did, for what the Goddess had commanded her to do. It was a horrible thought. However, the calming presence of hands through her hair did turn her rage down once more. It was good to have fingers playing through your hair.

"They are very set in their ways. They think what we do is evil." Senka shook her head, fingers brushing absently through the thick, pale hair of the medium, "They are so obsessed with the flesh, they lose sight of soul."

She sucked lightly on the pricing in her lip, "They don't mark their skin willingly much. Because they think it makes it ugly. Mostly, they act like our manipulation of the dead horrifies them. They treat death like it is...is...unclean." Senka huffed slightly, offended.

"Like bending nature to your will and calling fire where there was none is somehow so much better." She was glad she had Dal's hair to attention. It was calming. It was upsetting, to have her craft insulted the way it had been on the mainland.

"They art in error. They art but beasts then, shouldst I find them crawling in the dirt, I wouldst not be surprised." She gave an indignant sort of huff just at the thought of it. They were truly uncivilized! To burn people alive for their magical practices, of practices that did help the world so much. They could contact the dead, the ancestors, they could speak to those who had passed, and they could use the bodies of the fallen for an advantage! No one would truly wish to have their body lay inert and useless would they?

"Unclean? Thou art quite correct, their craft cannot be so much holier and pure!" They took the very natural elements of the world, and bent them to their will. From nothing, they created many things, fire, lightning, water, they moved the earth and the winds, and did it as if they were so much better. Dal had to agree that they could be no better if they thought their magic was any better.

"They art but ignorant fools then, if they truly believe we art unnatural. I hath heard of their strange practices before, and gave them little heed, but for them to prosecute our own like this? Tis naught something that shalt bode well for them." Her voice was less angry now, more because of the gentle feel of Senka's hand through her hair. She was truly angry at these mainlanders, and couldn't understand how they would stray so far, and how they could possibly act so...ignorant.

It was...mind boggling to her.

"Exactly! That part was awful. You can't tell anyone where you are from or the magic you do. And Zoran had to be extra careful. They treat ghosts like...like...vermin! Their own departed dead treated like some rodent to be destroyed!" It made her livid to think of it. Mostly, she had enjoyed her time on the continent, and if she was careful, things went okay.

It was calming to be stroking Dal's hair, pressing close enough against her to feel the heat coming from her. She really was stunning.

"But we should talk of nicer things. It doesn't help anyone to dwell on what simple minded barbarians the continent dwellers are."

"They art truly...jerks." Dal said with a certain finality. She couldn't think of any sort of word other than that. It was out of place for the medium to use such words but...she was almost shaking with rage. Though, she might have been a little cold from the sea air, but really...there were a ton of emotions just running through her. She was however, slowly noticing that her hair was being constantly stroked Senka however. Now things just felt a little...strange. She reached up and ran her own hand through her hair, untangling Senka's as well as she smiled at the woman, though, her face was blushing quite a bit.

"Thy spake the truth, we shalt talk of better things perhaps...lest we shall continue to infuriate ourselves." Dal agreed with Senka, her blush slowly fading. She wasn't sure what she had felt but...it was...very odd to say the least. Dal wasn't used to strange feelings, but all she focused on was that it had felt...nice, that it reminded her of better times when she was young. That was the safest thing to think about.

"So, thy hast been a traveller all thine life?" This was probably safe, talking about Senka's past, finding out about her and her brother. "How dost thou decide where to roam?"

Senka was a little sad when Dal pulled away, but she figured it was only a matter or time. Too bad, she had enjoyed the feeling. So often it was just her and Zoran and while they could touch, he didn't feel like a warm, living person.

Pulling her braid over her shoulder, Senka contented herself with playing with the end of it. She hated it when her hands were still. She liked to fidget with something.

"Oh, no. I grew up on the islands. I never really went anywhere until a few years ago. Zoran and I just...wanted to see the world. See what was beyond the water." Senka smiled. She had been so full of wonder then, eager for adventure, "I didn't want to live a simple, boring life."

Tapping the end of the braid against her lips for a moment, Senka shrugged, "We just...wander mostly. See where life and our feet take us. If some place sounds interesting, we go there. What about you? Have you always been...called like this?"

As far as things went though, Senka had been able to play with Dal's hair for quite a long time before she noticed, or even cared. Dal of course, didn't read too much into it, her thoughts were never on such topics. She was a bit of a prude yes, but that was just because she had never had the time. It was an awful fate, celibacy because of innocent ignorance. Her life had always been about serving the Goddess, when really, one of the best things you could do was to produce a child for a soul.

Funny how that worked.

Dal was all smiled as she listened to Senka talk, almost in awe of the woman. Being able to go wherever you wanted, having adventures and meeting new people, new spirits, seeing new places. The cities sounded extraordinarily incredible, and it only helped to strengthen her desire to see one.

"Aye, the Goddess hath always called unto mine person. Ever since I wert a small child...but then, she didst ensure my duties were not severe. At times, I was called from school by her visions, but never on dates where a test happened, much to my dismay." Dal said cheekily, an impish sort of smile on her face. "Other kids daydreamed of different worlds and of fantasies akin to their hearts...but the teachers didst know that when mine eyes unfocused and glazed, t'would mean that I wouldst soon be leaving."

"That must have been....difficult." Senka didn't envy Dal her duty at all. She liked her freedom. If the Goddess called her, she liked to think she would answer, but she was glad she hadn't. Her life was already not fully her own. She split it with her brother. Having to also stop what she was doing to follow visions? She couldn't imagine.

"You'll see the mainland one day. I'm sure the Goddess wont keep you forever." Senka reached over and lightly squeezed the other woman's shoulder, smiling at her, "And you have gotten to see far more impressive things then I have, I'm sure. Tell me about what you do. There must be some interesting stories from you time serving the Goddess?"

Dal was honoured that the Goddess has picked her for this most auspicious task. She would have liked her freedom, but her ability to help people, to see the future and prevent disasters that could change the course of history, even if it was just for a small island. It made her feel good at least, doing something for the Goddess, being commanded by a greater power to help people. Dal had been raised as a selfless sort of woman, so her thoughts never just centred around her own person, they were always about others. It was her nature, one that had been molded perhaps by the fact that she had those visions.

"I doth hope so." Dal put her hand on top of Senka's hand as she squeezed her shoulder, smiling at the other woman. She could not have asked for a better companion, a more supportive travelling companion. "Mine stories? I hath not a lot of stories that thy wouldst find interesting. A lot of mine adventures are merely listening to spirits, or to release them unto the next world when they art trapped." Dal however would have an interesting story to tell after they found that island. This strange creature, this thing trapped...a new species, a new creature, never before seen before in any of the books she had...it would be a story she could tell.

"Awww. Really? I'm disappointed. No sordid tales of romance, betrayal and murder? Or heroic rescues just in the nick of time?" Senka gave a small laugh, "That's too bad. Well, I guess I can't talk much. I don't really have many."

Sure, she had been on a few a few adventures, but nothing really exciting. At least, not in her opinion anyway. Stepping away from the rail, the mage stretched, back cracking as she did so, "Well, I think I shall go join my brother and read a little. I'm looking forward to our little adventure."

"Nay, unless thou counts the shores of where we hath met." Though, as she thought about it, there were perhaps some interesting accounts. However, those could be saved for later, perhaps for dinner. The only real one she could think of when she stopped a man from marrying the wrong twin. That had been an interesting vision, and an interesting ordeal. Yes, it might make for a nice dinner conversation.

"I shalt inform thee if I need thou for any reason, or if food hath been prepared." Dal told the woman with a smile before she set to checking the riggings of the sails, as well as their plotted course. She'd have to modify it a little bit, while she locked the steering wheel into place, it still honestly required someone at the helm the entire time. However, she made do nicely on her own. As long as she kept an idea of where to go, things would be alright.

It was a couple of weeks later when the ship was finally coming into view of an island. It really wasn't all that large, maybe a few hundred feet, with a slight rise in the middle. It was apparent this was probably made by some volcano over many...many generations. However, it didn't seem active, everything had a slight grass growing over it, which meant that it had been around for quite some time. The clipper had to come to a stop, the anchor dropped to ensure they wouldn't get too close. She didn't want her ship to get wrecked after all. The weather was calm, overcast perhaps, but calm at least. There weren't any large ways, but the island just...seemed a bit scary in the dimmed light. Dal was dressed in her traditional robe and blindfold, as well as a pack on her back to hold the jar of lotion that would keep the giant insects away from them.

She was waiting for Zoran and Senka on deck, near the pulley system that would lower the small row boat to the water after they got into the boat. There was a nervous aura around Dal as she fidgeted slightly, watching the island. What would they find? What manner of creature would be inside the cave system? A new...scary adventure.

The twins had enjoyed the ship ride, mostly spending it with their noses buried in books. They so rarely got time to indulge in reading and books weren't easy to come by. Though Zoran liked to tease Senka because she still had to read aloud.

As she knew they were going on an adventure, Senka had her hair pulled back in a tight french braid that hung down to her hips. Her normal, elaborate clothes were replaced by a more simple, functional outfit. And comfortable shoes. One thing Senka had learned in her time taking out crypts full of masterless zombies was always wear comfortable shoes.

Heading to the deck, Senka made her way to Dal, eyes on the island, "Well. Here we go. I wont lie, I am a little nervous." Tilting her head, she sucked on one of her lip piercings, "When do we apply that salve stuff?"

While Dal wasn't sure if they'd encounter any Undead, the giant bugs might be some sort of trouble. Of course, Dal was pretty sure that the lotion was going to help them. She hadn't seen any undead in her vision, but it wasn't as if she had seen anything, and they hadn't been down there, so it had been less of the future and more of a cry for help. There could be anything lurking...and she just hoped that the three of them would be able to handle...pretty much anything.

"My stomach is flighty with thine." Dal admitted as she checked out the island that they would be going to soon. It was a scary thought, that they would be going down there...without any of them having any real fighting skill. It was exciting too, but she was more nervous than excited about the possibilities.

"We shalt row the boat ashore first, once inside the cave entrance, then we shalt apply the salve." Dal explained as she climbed into the small boat and helped Senka in as well before lowering the small boat into the water. It wasn't long before the three of them were all safely on shore, and it was much nicer having Senka there to help drag the row boat up onto shore so it wouldn't float away. "Well...this shalt be an adventure...aye?" Dal looked to her companions with a slightly nervous smile. Things would...things would be fine.

The closer they got, the more Senka felt her stomach fluttering. But she could also feel the excitement raising. Standing on the beach, she smiled at the other woman, not wanting to make it even worse for poor Dal, "It will be fun." Reaching over, she patted the medium's shoulder, "Don't worry, you are safe with me."

Zoran beamed at her as well, "I'll protect you Dal. Don't worry." Dal was really very pretty and Zoran had spent quite a bit of the trip flirting with her, "Which way are we headed? I can go first, let you know if I see anything."

Dal was very glad to have the company on this particular mission. Not to mention, she was just glad that Senka didn't make the situation anymore nervous. Dal wasn't a fighter, if one of the bugs was strong enough to ignore the lotion's smell, then they might end up like some of the skeletons she had seen in her vision. What if there was more to it? What if the being was malevolent? What if she hadn't seen traps, or there were zombies and animated skeletons she couldn't handle?

However, the two siblings were there, and they seemed confident in their ability to protect her.

"Thy art very generous and I appreciate thee both for thine offers. Hopefully, thou shalt not need to." She tried to reassure them. Hopefully, things would not get too risky. She wanted to save...no...The GODDESS herself wanted Dal to save this poor creature locked away, so she would have to. "First, thine sister and I must apply the salve. If...thy wouldst scout ahead to see what lay there, thou wouldst have my gratitude." Over the past little while with Zoran always complimenting her and flirting with her, which at first hadn't been noticeable, but by the end it was quite clear...she felt...subconscious in a way.

Just nervous.

Now stripping in front of him would just be...weird. When he was gone, she carefully peeled her robe off. Her skin was starting to show goosebumps upon them, the cooler air of the cave was nice, but without her robe it was a little more noticeable. She removed the large earthenware jug of the thick pink lotion and placed it on a rock for Senka and herself, and began to apply it on front as best she could. She wasn't modest in front of Senka, she found very little need to be. She of course didn't realize her intentions. "Canst thou perhaps do mine back Senka? Tis good if we ensure a rich coverage." Better safe than sorry. Plus, it was a lotion, and it did help the skin after all! Dal made sure to apply it to most of her front, and now she was even untying her breast band, which had been done up at the front with a small knot. Even it was soon removed, and she turned around, though...Senka did perhaps get a good look at her lotion covered body.

"After I shalt do thine, and then we mayest redress and proceed to find thine brother."

Damn./ Zoran pouted a little, snapping his fingers, though they made no real sound. So much for getting to help rub lotion on Dal's back. But if she wanted him gone, he would obey. He gave the medium a quite grin before heading off into the trees.

Senka smirked at her twin as he left, starting to strip down. The cold air made her shiver and it was hard parting with her warm top. She did her best to not stare at Dal while she smeared the lotion over her own pale skin. Sure, she was attracted to Dal, but she also didn't really want to betray that trust Dal had in her.

The medium's words got her attention and she glanced over, blushing at the sight that greeted her, "Oh...sure. No problem." Doing her best to take even breaths, Senka started to cover Dal's back in the lotion, making sure to work it into the other woman's caramel colored skin.

Oh Goddess but she was going to end up reincarnated as a bug for this, she was sure. Once she had gotten all of Dal's back, she turned to give Dal her back, "Alright, you are good. Go a head and get mine." Reaching up, Senka moved her heavy braid out of the way, tugging it over her shoulder to hang down her front.

Zoran's disappointment was lost on Dal thankfully. At least the spirit obeyed and went off into the cave. If she had been a geologist, she would no doubt be very interested in how such an island formed with a large cave complex beneath the ocean. She had heard of how eruptions of liquid rock would gradually build after thousands of years, and it could only make her wonder how long it took to form just this simple small island. It wasn't even large enough for a village, and yet, the bugs had somehow taken refuge in it.

One had to wonder.

"Thou art most helpful and kind Senka." Dal gave her a nod and a smile as the woman agreed to help her with her back. Dal had no idea the implications of what might come of this, of Senka's particular disposition, or her desires. To Dal, it was just a friend helping out a friend. There was no shame, no embarrassment, no envy, not even comparison. They were just two friends rubbing lotion on each other. Maybe to Senka or Zoran that particular though passage would seem a tad...unnatural, but for Dal, it was the simplest most natural thing out there.

Though, Dal would admit, deep down in the back of her mind, it did feel good. Like when Senka had ran her fingers through her hair over and over again. But that of course had to all be neutral, it couldn't be good or bad right? Sure it felt good but...there were reasons for that. Dal's mind would not go off into that dark corner at the back of her mind, she would not dare explore those feelings...not here, not now anyway.

"As thy didst to me, I shalt do to thou." Dal told the woman as she got some lotion onto her hands and began to rub it into Senka's back. She even began to hum, as if it were some simple household chore. It at least helped to remove any fears she had about what they were about to do, about where they were going into and what dangers they may face. Once done, Dal rubbed the excess onto any part of her own body she missed, and redressed. Her clothes would be a bit slick from the lotion for a while, but they could always clean them later. "If thou hast any prayer of protection, thou shouldst say it now for the Goddess to hear." Dal said as she looked further into the darkness of the cave. The light from the outside didn't seem to go so far, but there were simple ways around that. Dal had a couple of spells for light, but also for taking on the eyes of the Lich, allowing her to see in darkness.

"Canst thou see in such darkness Senka, or wouldst thou like a spell of mine?"

It felt nice to have someone rub the lotion into her back. She really should pamper herself more often. For all her vanity, little things like skin care often got over looked in Senka's busy life. She found Dal beautiful, but Senka was more then used to most girls not returning her attraction. She just had to stop thinking about Dal that way, but her into the friend category.

"That was nice. My skin feels quite a bit better. I should go to deadly bug infested islands more often." Pulling her clothes back on, Senka made a face at the feeling of her clothes touching the slick lotion. Not the most pleasant feel, but it would fade.

Senka peered into the cave, over the top of Dal's head. She couldn't see her brother, but she could sense where he was, "Oh, I can see just fine in this light, I only need a tiny bit to see. Thank you though." Taking a deep breath, Senka made a circle with her hands, representing the circle of the Goddess, life, death and rebirth and gave her a silent prayer asking for protection on this mission.

Once she was finished, Senka took a deep breath, entering the cave. It was cool inside and the necromancer moved slowly, letting her eyes adjust.

"Dal? Can I join you again?" Zoran's voice was faint, as he had been forced to travel rather far so he couldn't see them anymore. He was a bit of a pervert, but he liked Dal and didn't want her mad at him. So the ghost was behaving.

Dal gave a small chuckle at Senka's comment, shaking her head. "Thou shouldst not need a quest or trial to keep thine skin well moisturized. I hath mine own recipe of lotion that I doth use quite a bit." Though, she had run out of ingredients as of late and really needed to stop by Suna and pick up some more. Most of the good ingredients came from the mainland, and perhaps that was another reason she wished to visit. All the apothecary work that she could do on the island.

It was a little selfish, but she liked having smooth soft skin.

"That art a pleasant thing to hear, If only I hadst thine eyes." Dal needed a spell to see in the dark, but it wasn't particularly bad or anything. It did seem that Senka had a few abilities that others would no doubt kill to have naturally. Perhaps she could find eyes like Senka's and have them...oh...but then she might lose her visions. That would not be good at all.

"Aye, thou mayest return to us Zoran." She called out to the ghost as she started the approach into the cave with Senka. Her hands moved to her face and she touched upon the tattoos. Slowly, the white tattoos began to glow, and then faded. Dal much rather preferred to see like a bat, using a sort of...otherworldly way of seeing. It was like seeing outlines with her mind, using even the faintest bits of sound. This way she would still have her vision, still be able to see any danger, but also able to identify things in the cave's darkness.

"Well...this doth be the beginning...we shalt hope never the end." Dal said, her voice slightly wavering. She was scared, she wouldn't deny it. Hopefully they could find this being quickly. With resolve in her heart though, she led them forward into the cave. It was wet smelling, and there were a few places where a tiny bit of water was dripping in, but it seemed like something that had been going on for years. The walls of the cave complex were rough and natural looking, as if molten rock had at one time rushed through the cave. Hopefully there would be no more to come through for a long...long time. Well after the three of them had left. Well, for Zoran it would be no trouble...but Dal and Senka were a little...flammable when it came to molten rock.

Dal stopped as they came to a bend in the path, holding a hand out to stop her companions. "Around this corner doth be one of the great insects...we must take heed...it will think us one of them, but if we appear aggressive, it...may attack." Dal slowly peered around the corner, and sure enough sticking to the wall was a very...very...VERY large centipede. The creature was absolutely gigantic, and was chewing upon what appeared to be...Dal couldn't be sure, but some form of sea born creature, perhaps a shark or large fish. The thought was a little disturbing...these creatures leaving the caves to gather food from the sea. Whatever it was feeding on was dead however, the large mandibles of the centipede gnashing and chewing ferociously upon its meal. With a small gesture, Dal began to walk, keeping her back against the opposite wall. The creature regarded her once, but was more interested in the meal it had. If they just...kept moving...hopefully it wouldn't think they were after the meal.

Senka kept close to Dal as they moved deeper into the cave, body tense to run or cast if she needed too. Her eyes adjusted to the cave, though with the little light, she couldn't make out colors well, everything was in shades of gray.

The mention of the insect had Senka glancing over at her brother, who had shifted to look back at her. Hopefully they wouldn't attract it's attention any. Between her and her brother, they could easily take the beast, but with the close confines of the cave, it would be hard to make sure they killed it before it hurt anyone.

Senka moved purposefully past the creature, neither looking at it or giving any outward sign of her fear. Act like you belonged and people thought you did. It was still true of the animal kingdom. Once they passed it by, Senka let out a small breath, relaxing a little, her voice a soft whisper, "Well, that was heart pounding. Looks like your lotion is working."

Dal barely breathed as the two living members of the group slowly...ever so slowly inched their way by the great beast. It paid them little heed, occasionally shifting its great body, or the antennae upon its head would twitch. Thankfully Zoran had no smell, as a ghost, he couldn't be seen or felt by the creatures, at least...that was a hope. Some animals and bugs were very sensitive to the dead, cats especially, and there were tales of insects under vampire control...but they seemed mindless, and they paid no attention to the ghost.

"Aye, tis good to know that we art both protected." Dal had been...well she wouldn't admit it out loud, but she had been downright worried it wouldn't work. Usually she used the lotion to stop smaller bugs from noticing her, scarabs and flesh eating beetles that cared not if their meal was alive or dead before they devoured. Luckily, it seemed that these particular bugs were quite close to their miniature cousins.

"We shalt keep moving, our target lay still beneath us." Goddess knew how far they would have to travel. In her vision, it had been quick, but she had been...flying in a way. There had been no concept of time or distance for her in it. As Dal led the intrepid group through the cave network, they could encounter a great many of the beastly sized insects. They however, like the first one, paid them no mind. Though, one had seemed very interested in Senka, perhaps seeming like a suitable...companion, a quick smack of the antennae got their point across. Senka may not have found it humorous but Dal had a rather amused smile on their face. It seemed like hours when Dal finally found a small antechamber that was bug free to take a stop in.

She produced some food for her and Senka, thought it was nothing more than a bit of bread that had very little smell to it, and some jerky. She even left an offering of food out for Zoran, though, she did not dare risk burning it in case the bugs could smell it.

"We mayest have more leagues to go...but...in mine heart I canst feel a strange power. We art closing in upon our quandary. Tis a creature that is dead...but in a state that time dare not touch I canst still feel the being's power...the energy from it..."

"You can stop smiling any time now Zoren." Senka gave her brother a dark look before taking some food from Dal, "It was not that funny you little bastard."

"Are you kidding? It wanted to mate with you!"

"It did not!" Senka was glad it was dark as it helped hide her blush as she continued to give Zoran a death glare, "It was just friendly and regardless...it was not funny!" Just picturing that stupid bug was making her angry. She could still feel it pressing against her and she shuddered.

Turning, she glared at Dal as well, "And don't you start in either." She took a bite of the bread, huffing. Her brother sat next to his food, reaching down and picking it up. Because it was an offering, the ghost was able to actually eat it, biting into the bread, "Are you sure about this Dal? I am still worried that what is down here was sealed for a reason.

The conversation between the two siblings was almost as hilarious as the encounter that they were talking about. Dal had been lucky enough to get by it quickly enough that it didn't think her a target, or that she was uninterested, but Senka must have been moving a slight bit slower or shown some unconscious interest in the large beast. Interest like..fear. She didn't know how insects operated, but for whatever reason, it had tried to enjoy a little bit of time with Senka.

It had also been extremely hilarious.

"I wouldst not dare speak a word in edgewise." Though, her tone was peppered with humour and her smile was quite mirthful. It would be one of those stories that she would be able to tell people perhaps in a tavern or an Inn one day in the future. Hopefully when Senka wasn't around to stop her fast enough.

Dal gave a sigh at Zoren's words, shaking her head as she thought about it. "I doth not believe the creature hadst been sealed for a reason. I doth believe that some misplaced fate sealed him away. When we find ourselves inside the creatures chambers, I shalt communicate with his very soul, and we shalt discover if he art upon the side of Good or Evil." While the two words were very hard to define, it was her definition of good and evil. It would be to see if he would cause Senka and herself any harm. If the creature couldn't trusted, then Dal, Senka, and Zoren would simply leave the creature to be imprisoned. If it could be trusted...then they would release it somehow.

"But, I doth not believe the Goddess wouldst give mine eyes a vision if it were to be for naught." It wouldn't make sense, to come here and leave. It had to be for a very good reason. When the group finished their food, Dal continued on the way, though, the insects down here seemed a little worse for wear. While there were heaps of food, dead bodies, lichens, plants, even fungi, they seemed...so battered. Some had missing antennae or legs, some had broken pincers or in the case of a few large beetles, missing wings. Though, most of them seemed...injured naturally, not be any weapon that an adventurer may have brought. It took no more than a few minutes of getting around some of the slower, docile bugs to reach the turn off she had seen in her dream. At the entrance was crystal upon the ground...lots of it. It covered all of the ground inside the room, and stuck underneath it in the middle was a strange figure.

At first the creature just looked like a robe, a tattered robe with the hood up, but as one looked closer, they would see...certain things about it. Like the top half of the robe was crimson, and had a strange sewing imprint all around it, that looked like diamonds. The bottom was black, and held in place with a large red and black belt around the middle. Large scary gauntlets, ones with curved talons could be seen poking out from under the sleeves of the robe.

The rather disturbing part what the pair of glowing eyes...the left one red, the right one being white. They had a strange glow to them, they seemed to shimmer slightly, dim and brighten, as if...whatever was underneath it was still alive.

"Well...we hath found it."

"That's right you aren't." Senka glowered at Dal, taking another bite of food. Zoran just grinned at the medium. It was always fun to knock his sister off guard. She flustered so well.

"Don't get mad at Dal. It isn't her fault bugs find you sexy." Zoran had to duck as a rock came flying his way. While he was a ghost, his sister could make things solid to him. And he didn't want to get it, though he never stopped grinning at her.

Straightening her top, Senka huffed and latched onto the topic change, "Well, I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't have lead us to evil. So...it will be fine. I'm sure." She wasn't really that confident, a knotted feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

Senka noticed the battered looking insects as well, but she just assumed they had done it to each other. What else could it have been and after the overly friendly one earlier, she wasn't feeling very friendly toward them.

The sight of the entrance had Senka pausing. The crystal was beautiful, but she couldn't shake that feeling. Making a circle with her fingers, she made an attempt to ward off anything evil. Inside, the sight was worse. Senka gasped, her hand coming up to grab Zoran's. The thing looked...sinister.

"Dal? That's what you saw? I...does it even have a soul you can look into?"

She just smiled at the comments Zoran made. It was quite funny, but she dare wouldn't bring it up as much as he might. She even gave a small giggle as Senka lobbed a rock at her brother's head. Okay, that may have been a little uncalled for, but it was still funny as ever.

"That art mine thoughts as well Senka. T'would not be in her nature to lead us unto evil so." At least, that was the hope. It could be another test of sorts sure, but would the Goddess really test her again and again? It wouldn't be fair, unless she must be tested for some unknown reason. A possibility perhaps, but not one she believed the Goddess would give to her. There would be reason, and the Goddess would tell her. Plain and simple.

"That...that art what I saw...I..." She had to peer at it carefully, but it was hard to tell from so far away. She dare not step onto the crystal, as it was unknown what it could be. But the creature was there, and it was...alive. Perhaps. "Do not take any step upon the crystal, I feel it art a plague, or perhaps a means to seal the creature within." The worse part was there were legs. Everywhere. Insect legs sticking up from the ground. No doubt a few tried to venture within, only to have to pull their own legs out to escape starvation and death. She felt a tad bit of pity, but she had to focus on the creature.

"The creature...it art dead...yet it art alive. As if the spirit doth live within, locked inside..." The spirit and the soul, they could be two different things, or in some eyes, they were the same. She viewed them as...closely the same thing...and what they were looking at was...a being who had its soul trapped within some strange robe. The robe felt...even from here...alive...yet...not. Sentient, but not to a degree of speech or intelligence. Dal got to her knees in front of the crystal, not close enough to have herself get caught in it, or her clothes for that matter. "Unto the Goddess I pray." She spoke out loud before lowering her gaze and speaking quietly. The words were ancient and forever, they were a language that few could probably remember. They weren't of this world...but of the next perhaps.

Slowly, the creature within the crystal stirred. The lights of the eyes grew bright, until...a strange misty humanoid shape stood before them. One half was red, one half was white. "Hey now...this is more like it!" The voice was young, it was cocky and boyish, definitely male. The humanoid looked at its hands and legs before it suddenly noticed it was floating above crystal, and in front of a curvaceous woman, what could be a male elf, and a spirit. "Woah woah woah, what do we got here! Must be my lucky day!" The spirit, or whatever it was, slowly floated closer, until it stopped, a strange crackling sound in the air. There was some small tether between the body and the spirit.

"Oh you gotta be...wait..." Carefully the spirit looked back...at the body, then at the trio. "What's going on?" With Dal finally finished her incantation she looked up at the spirit. "Oh trapped spirit, I, Daltheseena, beseech thee. Tell us thy name, and why thou wert trapped within thine crystalline prison." The spirit scratched his head as he regarded the strange woman speaking oddly. "Uh...yeah...I'm Pal'zerus...and I fell. Kinda. Into a pool of crystal. I thought it was water, I kinda smelled, thought to myself it was a great place to have a bath, so I jumped right in...next thing I know, it's turning into crystal! Then I get stuck...able to look out, not able to move...Bah." He waved his hand in dismissal, as if he didn't really mind it. Like it was a minor inconvianance.

"Dost thou knowest how we mayeth be of service unto thee?" The spirit seemed to be thinking for a moment. "Can you speak the normal trader's tongue maybe? I'm not getting a lot from all these dosts and thous and thees. But I heard the word service and if you want you could service my-" "I apologize for mine speech, tis the one I know. How canst we free thee? How doth that work." Dal actually sounded...curt and rude...her face was a bit darker than normal, as if embarrassed and flustered. Never had a spirit talked to her like this!

"Oh! Help me! Great! Well! Uhh...fire maybe. Or...I don't know...lightning? Oh! Well, it's not REALLY crystal. Like...diamonds...it's sort like a really thick glass, but...it kinda...eats things that try to walk on it...BUT! For the most part solid. So. If you know how to generate a really loud noise...like...ridiculously shrill...I bet it would break. Try grabbing boyo's ears over there, betcha that'll make him scream like a girl." The spirit said as he directed a wave toward Senka. It was probably good the humanoid mist didn't have a face, or it would be grinning like an idiot no doubt.

Off everything Senka had been expecting...this was not it. Her strange eyes blinked, trying to follow what exactly was happening. Both Dal and the spirit had an odd way of talking and she had never seen anything like the creature before.

She exchanged a glance with Zoran, who shrugged. He couldn't feel anything evil about the man, but he wasn't sure he liked him. And he really didn't like how he was talking to Dal. His eyes narrowed and he gave the spirit a dark look, "Watch how you speak to her or we'll leave you here to rot."

Senka had started to examine the crystal, from a safe distance when she heard the spirit mention grabbing "boyo's ears" and saw him gesture to her. Her cheeks darkened with an embarrassed anger and her hands curled into fists, resisting the urge to blast him apart with her entropy magic, "Boyo! You rude little-" She made a low growl in her throat, glaring at the man, "I am not a boy!"

She was with Zoran on this one! He could stay her forever for all she cared!

"I don't rot, I'll stay preserved and smelling of lilacs till the end of time." The spirit told the other spirits matter of factly. It was true too, he didn't rot, and the glass would keep him here forever and ever. Perfectly preserved. He'd be bored as hell of course, but he wouldn't be rotten! No not him!

The other one didn't seem altogether pleased by what he had said. If he had a face, he'd frown just a little. Just a little though. He could have made any number of jokes of course about Senka, from being a man instead of a boy, or a teen who'd yet to get hit by puberty. However, there was always...a second sort of option wasn't there? Charm the other lass as well! Though, neither of them seemed very charmed, it wasn't as if he didn't have his ways.

"Oh, I apologize. I'm not used to my women being so delicate and fragile looking." The spirit bowed low. "My most humble apologies my dear. I am Pal'zerus De Netari, but you can call me Pal." He straightened up and looked back to his body. "I've just been stuck down here forever, with no one but the bugs around, unable to talk to anyone. Forgot how ta be civilized." He told her with a rather obvious wink. "So do forgive me." Dal just shook her head and sighed. "Tis understandable spirit...but I hath bad news...we doth not have the ability to create sounds to crack glass...But...this glass, doth it be alive?" The spirit shrugged in response. "It kinda is. It reacts to living things, like one of those plants...and it's been feeding off me since I got stuck in here, taking my energy...that's why I can't move." The spirit sighed and shook his head. "It's just my luck...people always said I was bad luck, but it's not supposed to affect me." He whined slightly as he floated back over to his body.

"If it art living...perhaps Senka, thou couldst use thine entropy to weaken it and flee, creating for the trapped one a path out. All thou wouldst need to do is direct thine power from here to its corpse." Dal suggested as she looked to her friend with a hopeful smile. It could work...then the creature would be free. It was obviously still quite alive, and if they could weaken the glass, then perhaps he would be able to run from the glass creation.

Senka could think of a few names she would rather call Pal. His awkward attempt at charm did little to sooth her annoyance, if just kept her from grabbing Dal and dragging her off to leave the bastard down here. Crossing her arms under her small breasts, Senka continued to glare at him with her odd eyes.

Her death glare was only broken when Dal asked her question. Looking down at the crystal, Senka smiled slightly, "Oh, I don't need it to be alive to work my magic on it. Everything corrodes, all returns to dust, the living and the non living alike." She kneeled down and stretched her hand out over the crystal, careful to avoid touching it, tendrils of her power sliding over the stuff, testing it.

It would take some power, as the life span on this crystal was long, but nothing she couldn't do. Pulling out a piece of chalk from her pocket, Senka cleared a spot on the cave floor in front of the crystal and started to draw a sigil. She didn't need the symbols for her magic, but they made it easier and she had the time.

Zoran moved close behind her, reaching out to rest on hand on her shoulder. Her magic always worked better when they touched. The power in the sigil grew and began to spread out over the crystal. Where is touched, the substance began to wear away, shrinking down as it turned to harmless dirt and sand. It was slow moving, though Senka was forcing thousands of years of wear and decay into only a few minutes.

Once the path reached Pal, Senka was sweating a little. It wasn't difficult work, but it took a lot to decay so much rock, with it's long lifespan. Now the case around Pal. She felt her brother slid some of his own energy into her and she gave him a grateful look. Letting out a deep breath, Senka started on the crystal case that had grown around Pal.

"We are almost finished." Zoran fed his twin a little more energy. He could feel her straining to keep at the crystal. It was alive, in some strange way, but it was so hard and long lived, it might as well have been rock. But she would be finished soon and hopefully Pal could find his own way out of the cave.

It was slow, hard work, but the crystal retreated, grains of sand falling to pool at the creatures feet as it disintegrated. Finally the last of the sticky substance was gone and Senka sagged back into Zoran's arms, feeling drained, "Whoo. That should be it. Goddess but I hate working with rocks."

At least she didn't want to run off and leave him!

That was two on his side it seemed. The busty one didn't want to leave, though she seemed to find him crude. Still! She didn't want to leave him here, that was the best news he had heard in years! The very best news! Now...the spirit thing might be a problem, but hopefully they'd be able to get a long nicely. Hopefully. Still, both were death glaring. He wondered why the spirit was, it wasn't like he had directly offended him after all. Or had he?

"There are a few things I know that probably wouldn't be affected...but that's not a discussion for now. We can worry about that when I am free!" Yes, keep the ladies happy, they could help him. Maybe the spirit could too but...he was honestly more concerned about the two living people that seemed to have some powers. Like...the busty one called his spirit, which wasn't actually dead or anything...well...it kinda was but wasn't...still, she had called him forth from his body. That took talent. And this one could help him escape! Freedom for all! Freedom for Pal!

Both Dal and Pal'zerus watched carefully as the twins set to work. It seemed like a whole lot of work, but they appeared to be doing a little bit about it! Hah! Pal began to dance around as he waited, this was working out really well! It was working out awesomely well! They were...they were far enough away! HAH! THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T DOING ANYTHING! He understood now, he totally forgot that it had a radius! They were outside the radius, and so, they weren't screwing up, or being eaten by bugs or the crystal. Ahem.

And she even managed to avoid making his...body disappear!

"Back to thine body now, gentle Pal, thou art freed. This could never hath been achieved without thee Senka, I, and I assume Pal'zerus, thank thee." Dal looked from Senka to Pal'zerus, before the spirit began to fade and disappear. Then...suddenly...the form at the middle of the dust...stirred. "Gahah!" Quickly he jumped forward, it almost seemed like under the strange robe there was a form, as one could see feet moving and kicking as it ran. Of course, there was no reason for him to run, as the crystal wasn't growing back. Still, it was really better to be safe than sorry. Once away from the crystal, he suddenly grabbed Dal in a big hug.

"ah hah hah! I'm free!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" He cried as he danced around, hugging Dal. The medium looked incredibly surprised and just...awkwardly moved around as Pal hugged her and danced. "T'was really the doing of Senka and Zoran...I was but a vessel to lead them here." The strange creature turned to look at Senka and Zoran, his white and red eyes upon them. "Well! I thank you! Both of you! I'm free! I'm free! Gods almighty, I'm free at last!" He almost seemed like he was crying as he approached them and bowed. "Pal'zerus De Netari, the Cursed Wraith, at your service. Whatever the three of you want, I will do my best to do! I am eternally in your debt...and for a creature that can't die, that's a long time!"

That took a lot out of her. She missed working with fleshy things. They decayed so much easier. But at least Dal was happy. The spirit was rather annoying. Her brother helped her to her feet as Dal sent the spirit back into its....body thing. It was a little creepy.

When Pal suddenly started running across the crystal, Senka startled a little and both twin's expression went from surprise to annoyance at the sight of Pal swinging Dal around. That was their Dal he had his hands all over.

"Well, I'm glad we could help." Senka gave him a nod with her head. What the Goddess wanted with such a creature free was beyond her. At lease Dal was happy. Rubbing her arms, Senka glanced back at the opening they had entered from, "Let's get out of this cave." She did not want to end up sleeping down here.

He couldn't help but notice a little bit of...hostility from Senka and Zoran. He couldn't understand why of course, but he had to assume they either just didn't like him, or perhaps they didn't like him touching the medium. That would be weird really...unless...no, they didn't seem like that kind of people. There was no reason for them to...he didn't even know. Nor did he care. He was free. He was freeeeeee! Oh it would never get tiring to say that, or think that either.

"Out?" Pal perked up instantly at that thought. "I can help with that!" He clapped his metal gauntlets together and a strange thick fog began to seep from between the gauntlets. It sunk low to the ground, forming a circle. Pal reached inside of it suddenly, his entire arm disappearing into it before it reappeared with a large wicked looking broadsword. Dal gave a slight start as he pulled the weapon free, blinking several times at it. "That...art a very large weapon." She noted, slightly nervous. It wasn't...planning anything was it? The blade was incredibly thick, and looked like it was meant for a creature twice as large as Pal, but the creature held it easily with both hands. "I can get us out of here lickity-split! Mmm...splits...ahem! Sorry." He stepped forward for a moment before he stopped, looking down at the fog around his feet.

"Why walk out, when we can just fog out! I have been asleep for too long without my powers." He turned to look at the three, sliding the sword back into the fog, which disappeared into it like the floor wasn't there. "Thou art...quite a magical being, aye?" Dal finally had to ask as she looked at the fog and where the sword had been. "Of course, but this is all basic Netari abilities. Though, took me longer to learn most of them. Still, works out great for me." Pal shrugged his shoulders as he gestured for them to come step into the fog. "Netari? Mine ears doth find that weird foreign, upon mine tongue it is alien." Dal said as she didn't step forward yet. "Oh, Netari...it's the clan I'm in. I'm actually a Wraith, but see, there is a specific...clan where I come from, called Netari. That's why you might recognize the word Wraith, but we're special." He told her with a shrug. While she knew what a wraith was, this was actually quite different from a normal wraith.

"Though...I don't think my powers will work on uh...the spirit...Zoran was it? Yeah, don't think it'll take him, BUT he's a ghost, he can just float on up can't he?"

The fog caused Senka to step back a little, a little surprised by it. When the sword appeared, she gave Dal a nervous look. What had they let loose onto the world? At least he didn't seem to be aggressive. Yet anyway.

He was a Wraith? Senka only knew a little about the creatures, though she had never heard of the clans or all this smoke magic. Her eyes widened, "W-wait...smoke out? You want us to go through all that?" She shook her head, "Oh no. No thank you. Besides, I don't go anywhere without Zoran."

The spirit came up behind her, hand on her shoulder, "We can just walk back." There was too much risk that Senka might end up somewhere else and the twins wouldn't separate. Ever.

Dal could sense the spirit very well, his intentions to a degree...and she saw no malice from the being. Her second sight would have warned her of anything dangerous,a nd yet she saw nothing at this time. It was comforting to know that if danger presented itself to her, she would be able to see it.  

"What? No it's fog out. Not smoke. Smoke is nasty...smells terrible...fog is pure." He crossed his arms over his chest as he addressed the two of them. It was faster this way! It could take them right outside! They obviously didn't trust him...and that was too bad! He was a creature of good intentions...but most roads were paved with good intentions after all. Pal sighed and once more pulled the large sword from out of the fog. "Then we will...walk...to the top." The way he had said walk, it was like...the word was poison almost. Granted, he could float if he wanted...or he could walk in some manner.

"Since thou art the one who art armed, and thou seemst to knoweth this area...thou shalt lead." Dal said as she looked to the wraith, who nodded and hefted the weapon. "Just call me Berallius." The wraith said with a chuckle, but when Dal just gave him a blank look he blinked. "Oh...Berallius is a renowned cave explorer in my world...that...you wouldn't know him. Um, okay this way!" With that, the Wraith quickly began to walk. One could swear he might even have been blushing. Dal just shook her head, shrugged her shoulders and started walking. "He art a strange one...but thee hath nothing to fear of him...at least...I doth not believe so..." Dal whispered quietly to Zoran and Senka as she fell into step with them.

Senka lifted an eyebrow at Pal's grumblings, her lips almost curling at the corners. He still made her a little nervous and she was still pissed at being called a boy, but there was something amusing about Pal, "Relax. The walk wont kill you."

Zoran gave his sister a look, "Senka. That was a terrible joke. Don't do that." He grinned when his sister flushed and stuck her tongue out at him. Pal's comment on Berallius received matching confused looks from the twins before they exchanged a look with each other.

Pal was definitely weird.

Glancing down at the shorter woman, Senka studied her, "Can you see that? That must be handy. Well, what the Goddess commands, I shall follow. And she seemed to want him free."

Her brother just grumbled to himself. He still didn't like Pal much. He was far to touchy and flirty with Dal.

"You don't know that! I knew a guy who once went for a walk...an hour later, ambushed by a bear and killed. A bear! We have to deal with giant centipedes and beetles. I might not be able to die easily...but what if they take an arm or something." Pal shuddered, the blade in his gauntlet covered hand made a tinging noise as the two metallic objects shook against each other from the shudder. He was definitely an amusing creature to say the least, Dal even was smiling at the antics of the amusing creature.

"Aye...he doth not pose harm to us...but I wouldst still be on guard, there art something strange about him..." She couldn't put her finger on it though, but there was something just...about him. It was like he wasn't saying everything about himself, but...it couldn't have been bad could it? Her vision would have showed her it, the Goddess would have saved her.

Dal suddenly stopped however, her body rigid, and a strangled noise escaped from her mouth. It was loud enough for Pal to stop and turn around to look, quite confused. Something seemed quite odd about the woman. "Zoran! Pal! Turn thine eyes away from me!" The Wraith quickly turned around, rather confused by the woman's strange words and mannerisms. When Zoran and the Wraith were no longer looking at her, Dal reached out and grabbed Senka by the arm and pulled her toward her to whisper to the woman. "I...I must hath not tied mine...mine...band properly....it...it hath come undone." She whispered quietly tot he other woman. Dal's face was quite a bit darker as she whispered to the woman, gesturing to her chest, which seemed to have been...unconstrained. "I needst thou to...stand thinself in front of me and block them from looking whilst I retie." It was heavily embarrassing at this point...but she blamed it on the lotion, it must have gotten onto her band and just...cause the knot to come undone.

"Is everything okay back there?" Pal asked as he started to turn his head. "If thou looks Pal, I shalt ensure that thou will find thineself in the afterlife so quickly! It goes for thee as well Zoran...thou keep thine eyes from gazing back toward us!"

Senka snorted, "I have no fear of...bears or of these beasts." She only sort of knew what a bear was, she had never actually seen one; only heard about them and she was sure her magic could tak car of it.

Zoran grinned, "The centipedes are far more likely to mate with you then eat you."

Senka gave him a glare and started to tell him where he could shove his comments when Dal went still. Zoran immediately turned away, thoroughly confused at the strange request. But he did as he was told. It was hard to not look though.

Almost as confused as her brother, Senka gave Dal a quizzical look and then it all sunk in, "Oh. Of course." She moved to stand between Dal and the....boys? Pal counted as male she supposed. Her own pale cheeks were a bit flushed from the view of impressive breasts that she had gotten to see, "Dal? Why don't you turn around and uh...I can get it for you?"

"You should be afraid of bears, as a woman that is. Did you know that when you enter your monthly cycle, they can SMELL it and are attracted to it?! What cruel nature there is!" Pal said dramatically, though...completely serious. Sure, bears couldn't actually hurt him, no normal natural creature of the world could but...he still didn't like them! He could end up hurt somehow, or missing limbs, or something like that! Something bad.

It was probably lucky that something had happened to Dal before Pal'zerus had a chance to ask what Zoran meant by his comment. It sounded interesting and juicy...but now he was more focused on the problem with Dal. Just what was going on back there anyway?

"Thy wouldst need to...lift mine robe...and I hath tied up at the front." Dal peered around Senka for a moment and sighed. "If any of thou look, there shalt be great pain." With that, Dal pulled off her robe, holding onto her untied breast band. She had to shift it around so that Senka could tie it up at the back, and hold onto her robe at the same time. How inconvenient was this? She had sworn that it had been tied up properly but...ugh, she couldn't imagine this happening during a seance or anything like that, it would be so embarrassing!

"So, Zoran eh? Y'know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were almost cross at me." Pal took a few steps toward the spirit till they were right next to each other. "We could be great friends, pals even, no need to have such hostility toward me." Pal reached out to pat the spirit on the shoulder...and oddly enough there was contact between the two. A strange sort of...electricity between the two of them. For a moment, Zoran would probably be able to see through Pal's eyes for just a second...to feel his body, the strange mist of Pal's power. Pal jumped back almost a good two feet, even with holding onto the large sword.

"Good gods! What the hell was that?!" Pal exclaimed as he looked to his hand to Zoran. Dal had also jumped at Pal's sudden exclamation, though luckily Senka had finished tying her up and had put her robe back on. "Doth everything be alright?"

"What?!" Senka felt her cheeks heat up at the mention of her monthly cycle. She was not sure she felt comfortable hearing Pal talk about that. She looked over her shoulder, giving the wraith a dirty look, "I really did not need to know that."

Turning back to Dal, the entropymancer helped Dal secure the breastband, doing her best to not stare. Dal trusted her to help her and Senka was more than capable of keeping her mind out of the gutter.

Zoran glanced over at Pal, his expression unamused. He did not like the creepy wraith. He didn't like how he spoke to Dal, or looked at her or flirted with her. Dal was a lady and this wraith seemed to forget that. He started to respond when Pal touched his shoulder.

The spirit went still, for just a moment seeing himself through the wraith's eyes, stunned by the strange flash of being inside Pal's odd body.

"ZORAN!" Senka's voice was shrill as she whipped around, forgetting all about Dal. Her heart was pounding, her face going white as she stepped closer to him, reaching her hand out.

"I-I'm okay. It's okay Senka." Zoran shook himself, reaching out and taking his sisters hand. That had been just strange, "I don't know what that was. I've never experienced that before."

"How do you think I feel, being in the presence of all these wonderful ladies who could, for no other reason than being such fine ladies, bring ruin and death!" Pal exclaimed as he waved his arms in an over-excited, over dramatic fashion. He wasn't trying to be crude or anything, but it was a worry. Bears! Women could bring bears, and by accident! It was terrible.

Dal's face was a little flushed, a tad bit darker than normal. She was quite embarrassed by this whole situation, and it didn't help that Zoran and Pal were right there. She had not meant to just start...flashing them the moment they freed Pal. She didn't meant to start flashing them at any time! This was just...bad luck. That's all it was.

It was quite a shock to Pal even, he felt as if his entire body was suddenly losing control. Things had even gone dark for a moment there...it was as if he wasn't...he wasn't sure. For a moment there had been darkness, then it almost seemed like he was moving out of the way...out of his body. Out of his own body. No way. He knew what that...roughly meant.

"You can take my body!" Pal exclaimed as he looked to Zoran. "That's what it was! You were taking my body! I'm just...a bunch of magic and spirit...stuck inside a skeleton under this robe...and you're a spirit...ah hah hah!" Pal clapped his hands together, the gauntlets smashing together loudly. "Thou canst easily share thine body then?" Dal asked as she peered curiously at both Pal and Zoran. "That's right! Well, it's not really a body...kinda...I mean, it can turn INTO a body...but that's not important. What is important is now we have to respect some personal space here...because I only touched you and you started to push me out." Pal told the spirit as he carefully eyed him. A spirit who could auto-posses a body was a bad thing wasn't it? Especially when there technically was a soul already in it.

Strange times indeed.

"...Just....shut up." Zoran gave Pal another dark look. The creature was annoying and it was weirding Zoran out to be talking about....womanly problems like that. And how they related to bears. Which was just extra weird.

And he wasn't really sure what the deal with Dal was. She seemed really freaked out about something and they weren't allowed to look.

'What? I can...take your body? I didn't mean to take it." He had never taken over anyone but Senka, "You can make a body? And I could borrow it? That's amazing!"

"I can't make a body...I can become a body. Watch!" He reached up to his hood and pulled it back. Dal averted her eyes quickly, thinking they would see something disgusting, but instead of being a weird skull covered in mist and magic...it was...a head. An actual face and everything. even his gauntlets had changed suddenly into human hands! Dal gasped as she regarded the wraith through her blindfold. The transition had been so smooth and so fast, it was as if he had never been a wraith at all. He had strange hair, originally black but with streaks of red and blue to it. His eyes were dazzling, charming even...just like his normal wraith eyes, his left eye was a cardinal red, and his right eye was a an ivory white.

He wasn't altogether bad looking either, he appeared to be quite handsome, if a little young looking. "See, if I pull my hood back, I become a body...I was told it was to keep all the magic from escaping." Pal explained with a large grin, pearly almost...skeletal white teeth showing as he did so. "But you. You can't take my body unless I say." He said as he turned to Zoran, reaching a hand out to touch the spirit. His hand went right through. "Good. You can't take my body as a human!" That was a little better to know.

"Wouldst Zoran be able to turn human if he wert to posses thine Wraith form?" Dal asked, rather curious by this new development of Pal's. It was rather odd in fact, but it wasn't particularly bad. Inf act, it would probably open up a whole lot of things for the spirit. That is...if Pal were willing to share. "Of course! It's as simple as pulling back the hood. He would be...a wraith basically! Hm. Zoran De Netari. Not a very typical name for a Wraith but...could work! Anyway! Are we okay? Can we go?" Pal hefted his sword again, eager to get the hell out of here.

"Aye, everything art back to normal, we shalt once more be off." Dal told him with a nod. The Wraith grinned and nodded. "Then let's go! Get you ladies out of this place. He winked at the two females before pulling his hood up and starting off again down the hall. "He art a very sure creature...he shalt be a handful." Dal murmured quietly to her friend Senka.

Both Senka and Zoran gasped at Pal's transformation. Neither had ever seen anything like that before. And Senka was rather surprised he was good looking, though that still didn't forgive him any for calling her a boy. It did make her a little disappointed he had thought she was a boy though.

She glanced over at her brother. He could posses Pal. Not forever, but he could be a human male at least for a little while. If Pal allowed it. Zoran was staring at Pal, a look of raw hunger touched with sadness was naked on his ghostly face.

"W-would you let me? Posses you? For a little while? Please?"

Senka turned to Dal, having almost forgotten about the other woman and she nodded, giving herself a mental shake, "He is that. He's an odd one."

Pal just looked at Zoran with one eye larger than the other, the Wraith equivalent of raising and eyebrow. So he wanted the body? Wasn't that something interesting! Not that he could blame him of course, Pal was a handsome devil after all! A very handsome devil indeed. "Maybe later Spookypants, I'm free after years of confinement. You at least got to move around. I need to stretch my legs and arms and abs and buttocks and neck and all my other body first." He'd want to run around and have some fun first before letting someone just take his body.

Someone who had, if he remembered correctly, told him to shut up and had glared at him like he had committed a heinous act.

"He doth like to taketh the light and shine it 'pon himself." An attention grabber, that's what Pal was to a T. The creature loved to have people pay attention to him. No doubt after his confinement and imprisonment, he would no doubt relish the attention. The trip up wasn't as slow as it had been before, Pal appeared to be able to simply get the creatures to move without much effort. Of course, one or two needed a good swat from his broad sword, but he didn't need to kill any of them. When they reached the mouth of the cave, the broadsword was sent back into the fog and Pal ran outside into the sun. "Oh sweet fresh air! How I missed you!" He grabbed two handfuls of sand and just...felt it between his gauntlets.

He was finally free. Dal was smiling as she observed the wraith revel in his new freedom.

Zoran gave a nod, though he couldn't quite get that look of want off his face, "No, no. Of course. I understand." It was hard to not try and climb into Pal's body right then, but Zoran could wait. To be a man while in a body. He could sleep with a girl, really sleep with her the way he was supposed too!

Senka gave a small laugh at Dal's comment, "That is an understatement." He was growing on her though. Annoying, yes, but not so bad. Other than thinking she was a boy. That really was it. She was getting a flesh crafter to give her bigger breasts.

Outside, Senka had to admit that it was nice to be in the fresh air again. She could only imagine it was worse for Pal, having been trapped for who knows how long. Taking a deep breath, Senka shaded her eyes, giving them time to adjust to the brighter outside.

Zoran could always try, but Pal was quick, and could always pull his hood back and become human. That would stop him. However, the spirit was a respectful sort, and wouldn't just...take this away from him. It would be mean and rude and not nice. Pal would be very upset, and throw a stink loud enough to wake the dead...without any...magical abilities.

"At least he art a kind and decent soul. T'would be terrible if we wert to unleash something horrible 'pon the world." Dal didn't mind the strange spirit that much. He just seemed like an excitable sort, his rudeness was obviously because of his situation, he probably hadn't anything to talk to in a while. He seemed childlike as well...but at the same time, had a good grasp on what was going on...to some degree.

She looked over at the wraith, who was now on his back, rolling in the sand like a cat would. The young seer giggled in amusement as he made a pleased sort of sound...much like a cat. He did have a strange playful side to him, it reaffirmed her believe of him being somewhat childlike. Finally Pal stood up and brushed himself off. "Thou art finished with thine display?" Dal asked the wraith who nodded. "Very much so!" He replied as he clapped his gauntlets together loudly. "Then we shalt now return to mine vessel." She pointed to the ship anchored not far from the island, then to the little row boat on the shore. "Yeah alright!" Pal was quick to run to the shore and push the boat into the water. "Let's go ladies!"

With everyone in the boat, Pal took it upon himself to row. Of course, half way to the boat one of the oars snapped in half, so he was forced to get them there with one oar. The strange thing that Dal noticed was...it had been termites. They were quickly thrown into the water to drown...but it wasn't the place for termites. Something fishy was going on, but Dal couldn't quite put her finger on it. "We'll be fine!" Pal said as he alternated sides with the oar, careful not to smack Dal or Senka with it as he did so.

It took them a little longer but they were finally at the boat, Pal using the pulley system to pull them. Everything was done and Pal was leaning against the mast, his hood down and grinning. "This is by far the best day I have ever had."

Senka just shook her head at the wraith's actions, smiling as he rolled around on the ground. Though if he let her brother borrow his body, she would forgive him for the boy comment. Her brother seemed distracted the rest of the way back to the ship, hardly even noticing when the oar snapped.

"Termites? Should we be worried Dal? They must have been there a while to have weakened the oar so badly..." Senka was rather surprised. She didn't think this was the right area for termites. Though, she was no bug expert.

As she started to climb onto Dal's ship, her foot caught on the edge and Senka 's other foot managed to hit a slick of salt water. With a surprised cry, Senka landed face first onto the deck. Sitting up, she brushed at the salt water soaking into the front of her clothes, her face red, though she was uninjured besides some minor bumps. She turned to give the edge of the boat a startled look, "I can't believe I did that. I'm not normally so clumsy."

"I doth not believe it to be a problem Senka, I shalt concoct some potion whilst on the ship just in case. They couldst be just from the island, since there wert such a numerous amount of insects." Yes, termites on a wooden ship was a bad thing, but the ship's wood had been treated to ensure that termites wouldn't find it all that delicious. Though...the smaller row boat wasn't something that had been treated...so they could have gotten into it.

Dal would handle it once they got back to the ship. Pal seemed determined to keep rowing anyway. That was fine, at least he seemed to be helpful and useful.

Dal gasped in surprise as Senka suddenly stumbled and fell onto her face. The seer was rather quick to help her friend up, rather surprised at the sudden action. "Thou art uninjured, which at least art a good thing." Dal commented as she helped her friend up. Pal actually looked a little...guilty as he coughed uncomfortably and just...quickly started to fiddle with the anchor chain.

"Senka...stay up here and keep off thine ankles just in case thou hath sprained them. I shalt go prepare a poultice for both thine ankles and the ship." Termites eating the ship wasn't something good, but Senka's ankles swelling up and her being in pain was also a bad thing. When Dal had gone below deck, Pal approached, though...he seemed to keep about...ten feet away from Senka. "I'm...I'm sorry that you hurt yourself Senka. Ahm. You should be fine though right? I mean nothing life threatening! Coulda happened to anyone!" Yeah, just keep saying that. Could have happened to anyone...who was within ten feet of him.

Zoran stared at Senka, confused and worried. Senka was many things, but she wasn't normally clumsy and she had grown up around ships. "Are you sure you are alright Senka?"

The entropymancer nodded, "I'm fine. Just stunned mostly." She was pretty sure her ankles were fine, she had stepped a little weird, but they didn't seem sprained, "I just feel stupid. I can't believe I did that." Reaching out, she took her brother's hand, "Don't worry. Dal is just fussing."

Zoran nodded and stroked her hair as they waited for the medium to come back, "Maybe today was an unlucky day?"

"Yeah, just unlucky! Nothing more." Pal said with a grin and a nod. Sure, anyone could put together that all the bad luck started when Pal was revived but...no one seemed to even see that connection, which he was grateful for. It was only a few minutes later when Dal was reappearing from below deck with two jars, one small, one much larger, which she immediately handed to Pal. "If thou couldst start slathering this poultice around mine ship, I wouldst be most grateful." She told the Wraith with a small almost...flirtatious smile. He seemed to like her, so she was sure that she could convince him to do things he normally wouldn't.

"Sure! I could!" He grinned and rushed off to start rubbing the strange mix onto different places of the ship. Dal approached Senka and knelt before her, taking up her ankle to inspect it before she began to rub a deep green, almost sweet smelling lotion onto it. It was quite cool actually, probably to help reduce swelling. "Thou shouldst be fine Senka, tis nothing too serious, and we art lucky for that." Really it could have been so much worse...but a little swelling? Nothing too bad.

"Thou shouldst not walk 'pon it just yet. Let mine poultice work and then thou mayest do as thine please." Dal told the woman sternly as she looked up at the elf, still massaging the woman's ankle with the mixture.

Neither Senka or Zoran had even thought to connect the bad luck to Pal. Not yet anyway. For now it was a coincidence as far as they were concerned.

Dal's hands on her ankles had Senka flushing a little, her eyes on Dal's dark hands moving over her skin. The swelling was very minor and the pain wasn't that bad, not anywhere close enough to distract her from Dal's hands on her, "Oh, it isn't bad at all. Thank you Dal." At least she managed to keep her voice from wavering.

Zoran leaned over Dal's shoulder, watching with interest, "How long will it take? Before she can move around?" He didn't like when Senka was injured and he fidgeted behind the medium, "Are you sure it's not serious? That she wont been her ankle wrapped?"

And no one knew his secret. Pal was quite pleased about that, everyone just seemed to think this was all random though, that it was just a period of bad luck. Really if he stayed away from them all, he wouldn't have a problem.

But they were woooooomen!

Dal smiled up at her friend and nodded. "Tis mine pleasure Senka. Thou wert injured on mine vessel, so I shouldst care for thee. And thou art mine friend, I wouldst hate to know thou wert in pain." This would make sure that she didn't have any damage to it. If Senka was crippled, even for a few days, Dal would feel terrible. Little did the trio know, Pal would probably feel worse about it. While his bad luck could be...fun in some ways, it was still terrible when someone got injured or hurt because of him.

"Tis quite alright friend Zoran, thy sister shalt be fine. This poultice shalt relax her muscles, and prevent her from doing any more damage." Dal explained to the spirit as she finished applying the poultice to her ankle and stood up, looking to Pal who was busy right now applying the termite control on areas of the ship. Really, Pal knew there probably wouldn't be anymore termites, the oar had been a very isolated incident, but he didn't want them to figure out he was bad luck after all.

"Don't worry. It really doesn't hurt anymore. I promise." Senka patted Dal's arm to reassure her. Her ankle really did feel much better. Now she was just stuck sitting on the deck until her paranoid brother and the medium said she could move.

"Zoran, stop fussing. Really. I'm fine." Senka smiled at her twin, waving him away, "Go help Dal with something." The spirit gave her a worried look before giving Dal his attention, "Is there something you would like me to do Dal?"

"Thou couldst try to reel the anchor in." She told him with an impish little smile on her face. It was fun to tease the spirit once in a while. "Thou couldst search the ship, see if we hath anymore undesired insects onboard." He would be useful for that sort of thing, sine he could pass through solid objects and search for say...termites...or one of the beasties from the cave. Maybe a small insect or two had come to the ship somehow, and were now feasting on food and growing bigger. "Thou shouldst start with our food supplies." Dal suggested with a nod of her head. That would be the most logical place to look.

"All finished!" Pal cried enthusiastically as he came back with an empty jug. "Thank thee Pal. Couldst you pull the anchor in p'raps? We shouldst get underway soon." Dal asked the wraith, who nodded and grinned. "Can do!" Though, he had to pull his hood up, to get that wraith strength back that would help him reel in the big anchor using the wheel and crank system. With that all satisfied, Dal began to get the mast and riggings ready. They'd be able to head out soon.

Zoran's expression fell when Dal asked him to pull up the anchor up before he realized she was teasing him. Giving her a flat look, the spirit sunk down into the lower part of the ship to look for bugs. Haha Dal. Haha.

Senka carefully stood up, testing her ankle. It still felt fine, Dal's potion doing it's job, "Is there anything you want me to do Dal?"

She wasn't without a sense of humour it seemed. Pal might have been rubbing off on her, he was an infectiously happy sort of creature that seemed to like joking. At least her jokes were...well, they weren't THAT bad were they? Maybe a little tasteless but it was all in jest.

"Hmm...thou couldst p'raps clean the kitchen? It art a tad messy after mine potion brewing." At some point, she wanted to write a few pages on Pal, about his race. For now though, while they were all busy with things, it could wait. Maybe after they enjoyed some supper they could have a little...chat with him.

Senka nodded, "That I can do. I hope the next island we stop at is filled with half naked, gorgeous men that have an ancient history of massage. Instead of...pervert bugs." The girl gave the island one last dirty look before she headed below as well.

Things would be much more interesting with Pal around. That was sure. Senka was starting to warm up to him. But so help him if he ever called her a boy again...

"Thou art hoping for a miracle, but I shalt keep mine eye out. For thee of course." There was a slight blush on Dal's face, the thought of such an island was really quite...interesting to say the least. It was a little while later, when all the chores were done and Dal got the ship on course that they all met up in the galley for something to eat. Pal was the one cooking, offering to make them a nice meal as thanks. He was just happy that they were about ten feet away so nothing bad could happen.

Dal sat at the table with a book out, and a small piece of charcoal with a sharp tip and was writing in it. Well, writing and drawing...she was writing about Pal, and doing her best to draw a picture of the wraith as well. "The scholars of Suna wouldst be most interested in this book now...Methinks it wouldst help to further studies in the Undead." Dal said as she looked up to Senka with a smile. "Thou wouldst not mind if we wert to p'raps stop there, wouldst thee?" If Senka would be uncomfortable there, she didn't want to go there, but she was sure that the information would prove interesting and useful. At least too someone. She might also have been...longing to see the capital again.

It had been a while.

Senka watched Dal scribble on the page. There must be some interesting knowledge on the ship. She had to admit, she was interested in the wraith. Shaking her head at the woman's question, Senka smiled, "Oh no. Not at all. I haven't been there in a long time. I will look forward to seeing it again."

Zoran nodded as well, smiling. There were a number of mediums there and he liked when people could actually see and interact with him, "I think they would like your book. Have you learned anything yet?"

"That art good to hear. I wouldst not want to take thee somewhere thou wouldst not desire." She told the woman. It was clear that her speech was lapsing. Honestly, she kept it up to sound so dignified and mysterious...and because she never spoke much so she had the luxury...but now she was around people who just spoke normal. However, she seemed to be keeping the thees and thous.

"There art some...As Pal hath explained...he art dead...and yet he art in control of elements...mainly it art water, specifically ice." One would think a creature of such undead creation would be...charged with necromantic powers...but for them to control elements? That was entirely different and somewhat unexpected.

"Pal...wouldst thou mind telling us thine story? How thou came to be?" Dal asked as the wraith sat down and nodded. "Sure! Story with lunch...dinner? Linner. Afternoon, yeah, afternoon food. Ahem, sorry. Let's see, well...I was born in a small village...it wasn't too bad...meagre though! I think I was a fisherman or something...no...I was a cook. Yes. Anyway, one night walking home, I got jumped by a man. He stabbed me. Quite badly. I died right then and there! Oh, that was not fun. They buried me, and then...my village apparently got slaughtered." Pal explained as he began to pile food under his hood. It was hard to say how he was doing it but...he was managing somehow.

"Anyway...I woke up in a crypt, surrounded by creatures sorta dressed like me. Apparently they take the bones or corpses of the dead and infuse a magical core into them that recalls the soul and locks it in place. One of the side effects is the ability to utilize powerful magics, usually manifested as ice. They told me they had brought me back to fight for the grand Netari army! Psh. As if. I did a little song and dance for a while, but eventually they found that I just wasn't what they wanted in their army...cause I was a pretty big nuisance and pest to them. Eventually they just...let me go wherever they wanted, sending me on missions far away. I found this open portal thing...and went on in. Had no idea that it would take me here to another world!" Pal finished as he sat back, picking up a glass and swirling a metal gauntlet finger in it.

Dal was furiously scribbling in her book about his story, quite interested in him. This was excellent really!

Senka smiled as she noticed the slip in Dal's speech. It was kind of cute the way the medium talked, but this was a little easier to follow. Helping herself to the food Pal brought, Senka eat in silence, listening to Pal tell his story.

Though...where was that food going? Wasn't he dead? Even when Zoran ate, he still left the physical food, just sort of ate the essence. Senka really didn't want to think to hard on that.

"Netari army? What is that? What are they fighting?" Senka frowned a little, "They spent all the energy creating you and....just let you leave?" That seemed rather...convenient.

It just showed how comfortable she was becoming around the two of them. Pal she wasn't too sure of, but he appeared so harmless and helpful, and her visions showed nothing that would worry her. If he meant harm to her, the Goddess would NEVER have asked her to free him, and would have showed her how to seal the cave or some such thing. She'd never want it free.

"Bwuh?" A bit of what was probably juice ran down the side of his hood as he looked up. "Oh! Netari army. Ahem. They're fighting EVERYONE. The leaders, Danton and Der'ton turned on a powerful sort of mage in their lives...in his death throes, he cursed them with being wraiths. Now extremely angry at the world and the living...well...even the dead...anything that isn't Wraith they have a campaign of war against life and even death. It wasn't my thing...I don't want to kill people and turn them into me. I barely want to be me; though devilishly handsome as I am." Pal boasted as he pulled down his hood. Once more he turned into that strange red and white eyed mortal. There was now even a bit of food around the corners of his mouth, which he wiped away with a small cloth quickly.

"Trust me, I made sure they didn't want me, and they couldn't just kill me. Netari don't hurt other Netari...I mean they can, but they don't like to. They didn't know I actually left the world...they probably think I got myself ate by a dragon. To them, one minute they could feel my presence, and the next...POOF! Nothing. Gone. Disappeared. Poof." Pal was finished with his food, and his beverage, sat back and grinned. "I think I got a good deal out of it really. Never even saw it coming I bet!" Again Dal was quite silent the entire time, writing madly in her book about this strange and fascinating creature. He ate. But he was dead...and she was sure there was nothing but a skeleton and some magic...something under his robe...yet he ate. And he could become a person. It was all..quite a bit to take in.

Senka was a little impressed. That sounded fascinating to say the least, "You are a very interesting man. I bet you have some stories to tell." She gave a laugh, "You have awful table manners though." Holding out her napkin, she nodded at his face, "There is food everywhere. Which, makes me want to ask, how is it you are eating? Do you need too?"

"Oh I have many many stories to tell! Some of them I can even tell in the presence of women!" Pal grinned and winked before he set down his utensils and took the napkin from her. "Ahem. It's been a while, you can't blame me, can you?" He asked her as he began to wipe the food away from around his mouth and...forehead...cheeks...some on his ear...eventually it was all gone. "What? Nah. I don't really NEED to. I mean...in either form, it goes straight into my magic core and turns into...well like...magic I guess? Like more magic. I just haven't eaten anything in like a couple years so I wanted to taste again. Bluh, I haven't done a lot of things in a couple of years...might have to start catching up." Pal grinned impishly as he picked up his glass and drained it.

Dal was busy writing, but she picked up a forkful of food and began to chew, but stopped and yelped slightly as she held her mouth. She spat something out into her hand and looked at it carefully. It was a black pearl...that had a slight swirl of white in it. "Pal...did thine...did thine use oysters in our food?" She asked the Wraith who had quickly put his hood up. "Oysters? No...it's chicken...is that a pearl?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "Aye...tis...and now mine teeth hurt. I shouldst take a pain tonic methinks." She set the pearl down and stood up, going to her little medicine cabinet, slightly put out. How did a pearl, of all things, end up in her food?

"You girls sure are having a l-lot of bad luck aren't you?"

Senka and Zoran both stared at Pal in wide eyed disgust as he cleaned himself off. Watching the man put away food was strange enough, but how messy he was went to a whole new level. Was that food on his ear?

Glancing down at her own food, Senka found herself rather less hungry than before, "Well, good luck with tha-" Dal's yelp cut her off and she turned to the medium, "Dal, what? How could a pearl get into the food? Are you alright?"

Moving over to her friend, Senka rubbed her back lightly, "You didn't crack a tooth, did you?"

Zoran tilted his head, watching the wraith with his odd eyes, "Yes. Recently the luck seems to have gone bad. I wonder why that is..."

"Sorry...things uh...work differently with the hood up. Eating food that is." He told them as they looked at him with obvious disgust. It was true, the food entered the mist and swirled around him, sometimes getting stuck on his person...then when he transformed into a human, it would get shunted out onto the skin. He was glad for that, because he'd hate to have something stuck in his skin. It'd be...all creepy feeling.

"Nay Senka, mine tooth doth be fine...but it doth ache now. I shalt dull mine pain." It was the oddest damn thing in the world, and she didn't have any explanation for it. She got herself a tonic and drank it, swirling it around in her mouth before spitting it out into the wash bucket. It was never good to drink those things, especially if they were meant to numb pain by application. Her throat and stomach wouldn't forgive her.

"Very good question Zoran...don't think we'll ever know." Pal said as he curtly pulled his hood up, as if hiding under it in some sort of shame. Dal returned to the table, rubbing her jaw before she looked at the pearl once more. "Thou shouldst be more careful when cooking Pal...thou must hath mixed an ingredient up." She told the wraith, who nodded sullenly. "Y-yeah, that must have been it. Sorry Dal, I'll try to be more careful."

Zoran never stopped watching Pal, expression serious. He was slowly connecting a few dots together, but there wasn't enough proof yet.

Senka took her seat again, glancing down at her food. She wasn't really hungry anymore, too worried she might bite down on some pearl or something equally unpleasant. Pushing around the food on her plate, she tried to think of something to change the subject with.

"Well, heading to the Capital will be fun. I really should pick up a new headscarf. I got so used to not wearing one on the continent." It was a rather awkward subject change, but dwelling on the pearl wouldn't do any good. Just a bit of bad luck.

Was the spirit looking at him so much? This wasn't something that Pal was particularly happy about because it meant that the spirit might be suspicious of him. It wasn't his fault though!

It wasn't like he could control it. Pal began to clear the plates, because it was obvious that people weren't going to eat anymore. He would admit, that there was a lot of bad luck was going around, but that was because their own natural luck hadn't adjusted to his own sudden increase of bad luck. It was...something else entirely. However, it wasn't really something too uncommon for him.

"Where...what capital are you talking about?" Pal asked the ladies curiously. He knew a little bit about the world but...he didn't know WHICH capital they were headed to. "We art...uch..." Dal put a hand to her cheek before drinking more potion. "We art headed to the capital of Thanatos, called Suna. It art where I hath come from, and where the ancestors of Senka come from." Dal explained to the wraith with a somewhat forced smile. Her mouth was hurting still a little, but the potion would be kicking in soon to completely numb the pain.

Zoran wasn't sure what Pal was doing. The wraith didn't seem like a bad guy, but there seemed to have been a lot of accidents and mishaps after he joined their little party. He just couldn't figure out what it was that was going on.

"I grew up around the city. It's been years since I was back there. It's beautiful." Senka's eyes kept sliding over to Dal, her smiling faltering when she saw the pain she was in. She wanted to do something more to help, but there really wasn't she could do.

"I'm sure you'll like it. And I know the people there will be interested in you."

The staring wasn't really helping, but Pal wasn' about to say anything. What was he supposed to say? Oh, I forgot to mention that I was cursed as a human, and it manifested even worse as an aura when I became a Wraith. No he didn't really think that would do well now. It would probably get him kicked off the ship! Well, maybe not kicked off the ship, they seemed really too nice for that but...even still, he was sure he'd end up in trouble. Then again, he could argue they probably never would have let him on board so...yes keeping this a secret for now was a really really really good idea.

"Aye, tis a grand place, there they shouldst find thou to be fascinating. I doth see it being very good for thee." Dal told the Wraith as she put her tonic down, smiling now. She definitely felt a lot better now, and she was lucky her tooth hadn't cracked or anything. She could have gone through the pain, but the pain relieving tonic would eventually spoil and she'd rather not have to throw it away.

"Sounds...sounds nice really." Pal said as he cleaned the plates in a bucket of water, scrubbing them clean. Of course he had to pull his hood down and turn human to stop the water from freezing.

Senka nodded, smiling happily at the talks of the capitol, "Oh, it really is. There isn't anywhere in the world like it. It's stunning." She just wished she had more money to spend there. Get herself some amazing new clothes and jewelry and scents and....just...everything. She had been living out of her bag for so long, Senka missed having things.

Maybe when she and Dal parted ways, she would be able to have a real wardrobe again. That thought made her a little sad. She liked the curvy little medium, but she couldn't impose on her forever.

"Well, I may have to just stay if it's that good! A place where the dead can live well, sounds like my kinda town!" With his chores done, he put the dishes on a little drying rack and sat upon the counter to watch them from where he was. He was out of range, at least he was sure that he might have been at this time...he wondered where he could go while the two living ones slept. He didn't want to break anything when they slept, or cause any problems...but it would be...a problem wouldn't it?

"Until then, thou shalt be a good specimen to study...and thou canst regale us with tales of thine world." Dal told the wraith who smiled, a little certain that he could at least help make the trip a little more interesting.  "Well, I could definitely do that if you ladies are up for stories...but I mean...you don't have to believe them...cause I'm sure it all sounds very weird. Different worlds and all that, probably sounds like I am crazy." Pal said with a grin as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Dal was willing to listen to him, though it was a little...farfetched. He could just be a little crazy, but he didn't seem dangerous.

"Ooooh! Tell us a story." Senka leaned forward, interested. She loved stories, true or not. And while Pal might be making it all up, it should still be interesting. Zoran moved next to her, leaning against her side.

Senka's hand found his and she gave it a squeeze. It wasn't fair, how so many people treated her brother. All because he was dead! It was a natural process! To be home again, where people were normal would be so nice.

"Okay! A story you shall have then! Let's see....oh, well! In my world, we have these...heroes of sorts. They're known throughout the land really, picked by the Gods to be their instruments in time of extreme necessity. It wasn't always this way though, it's said that the Gods must wait for their instruments to grow, for it to be the right time. One of these people, these grand heroes...well, his life before being a champion of the divinity was one of...interesting ways. I travelled with him for a while, both when he was wasn't a hero, and when he was. This was...before all that." Pal had told the story many times before, and he launched into it right away, eager to tell them of his exploits as a 'youth.' They didn't have to believe him, but it woulda been nice!

"Dragons in my world are much different. They're completely and utterly sentient with the ability to shapeshift into humanoid forms. They live in cities all over the place, some in the mountains that are their own, and some that are just in fields and plains. Anyway...this hero, Derit, that was his house name, thought it would be good fun to go visit the Ancient City of the Dragons. They're big on traditions and ancient customs, and have this thing called the Sceptre of Starlight. It's an incredibly sacred artifact that the leader of the eight dragon clans gets to use. So he drags me along to go and...well steal it. Not for profit, not to start a war, but because he felt the inkling. Derit did a lot of things 'because he felt an inkling' really. So we get the city, invited in, wander around for a while, scoping out the palace. Dead of night he sneaks us both in through a shadow to the main hall. I mean they didn't even do a good job of guarding it. It was just out on a pedestal waiting! He slips around the guards, knocks them out one by one, then grabs the sceptre! Oh you have never heard such noise. They'd enchanted the pedestal to go off if anyone who wasn't the correct dragon grabbed it. The whole city is awoken by the noise, and they are FURIOUS." Pal remembered how scared he had been because of this..and remembered how much he wished they had just visited a brothel or something.

No such luck though.

"Anyway...we're running for our lives. The entire city had some anti-teleport shield up, strong enough to even stop me from using the fog to escape. We are dodging patrols, we are sneaking through sewers, heck, we had to go smash through the wall of a house at one point, and then jump out a window. The whole time, I had thought he'd have just...gotten bored with the idea of stealing the sceptre and we'd have gone drinking that night instead. Really wish I hadn't let him talk me into." He shook his head and sighed deeply. He was crazy sure, and he loved a good time, but when an entire race got angry with you? Well it wasn't fun! He liked to be mostly harmless, and that stunt had really been anything but.

"Finally though we're almost at the city walls. What's waiting there? The Royal Queen, the Royal Princess, the High Priestess, and an escort of the highest trained divine warriors that they have. That right there? That's bad news. If I had a bladder, I'd have definitely needed a clean robe. This is serious stuff, we stole a holy artifact of an entire race, and we're facing a pretty harsh punishment for being caught. What does Derit do? Turns on the ol' charm. This guy was good...being a vampire an' all that. The Queen didn't fall for it...but with the sceptre returned, this guy is walking away with the Royal Princess and the High Priestess! I mill around town for a few days, finally he walks out unharmed, unscathed, and the biggest, stupidest grin I ever seen on someone. Let's just say after those three days, he ah...found out every ticklish spot on the princess and the priestess. First thing he says to me though? 'Let's go steal the Bow of the Matron Mother from the Elves.' I ain't a very violent person but I almost punched him right there." Honestly, Pal had enjoyed the exhilarating rush that the chase and everything had brought to them...mostly. He had felt alive though...and that was the grandest feeling.

Dal was...almost awestruck by the story. She of course started blushing near the end there with talk of the rogue seducing the two dragons, but sex was just a part of life, a good part, though...there were some questions. She was a bit of a prude, but she had an analytical mind, and having sex with an undead creature....well it didn't produce children for one...so it was slightly iffy...but the fact that he had been able to was a whole different story. "That wert a most fascinating story Pal. Thou art very lucky thine didn't end up as a meal." Dal chided the wraith slightly, though it sounded as if he had known better. Still, it was funny to think that the Wraith had been privy to such a fascinating tale. But...at the same time, it could just have been a story with no truth to it.

Either way, it was definitely a good way to pass the time.

Senka found herself quietly laughing as Pal told his story. There was just no way that was real! It was all too far fetched, the part about some vampire being able to seduce a princess and a high priestess especially. She snorted when Pal got to that part. She would believe he was really from a completely different world first.

"That was a cute story Pal. Thank you for telling it. Though please don't steal any important artifacts while in the Capitol. I would hate to see you strung up." She really couldn't imagine anyone charming their way out of getting strung out by their internal organs or something equally painful if someone tried to steal from the church.

Things worked differently in his world after all, and when you had actual Gods smiling on you sometimes, or influencing how things worked...well sometimes you got lucky. Sometimes you got really lucky. Of course, he didn't think he was blessed by the Gods himself, but he had played a few key roles here and there. Those were stories for another time though! A time when he didn't want to come off like he was bragging about something. After all, that's what people might think too, they might think that he was just trying to impress people. Gift and a curse.

"Oh you won't see me taking any important or unimportant artifacts! Won't be taking anything unless I pay for it or am given it. No no, stealing is a very bad idea considering it's a place of Necromancers who could probably necromance me easily." Best behaviour. That's the important thing really. He'd just have to be on his best behaviour.

"That art the most important thing then Pal. Thou shouldst be fine. Thy sensible nature shalt keep thee safe." Dal assured the Wraith, quite sure he would be okay. Pal didn't think that same thing though, considering he was cursed and might end up with a few people being hurt around him.

(Sorry this took so long. My work/school schedule had been draaaaaining.)

"Sensible nature? After that story, I don't think you sound that sensible Pal." Senka was still somewhat amused by the silly story. And she still didn't really buy it, "Though I have to admit, I'm feeling sleepy after all that food and tramping around in caves all day."

"And it must have been hard work fighting off all those bugs that wanted to mate with you." Zoran grinned at his sister, ignoring the dark look she gave him.

((Hey! You know it's all good, and that I do not mind how long it takes, especially when it comes to school and work. Knowledge is good, and money is excellent, so if you need to focus on those then you do so!))

"I think Dal was right, I am plenty sensible." Pal said flatly as he looked to Senka. He was plenty sensible! It wasn't his fault that he was sucked in by fate and a vampire's words. He really hadn't been able to fight it, that was something that you just shouldn't fight either. Here though, they didn't really seem to have fate, or at least, they didn't have deities that were in everyone's business.

That was really nice.

"What's that now?" Pal asked with extreme interest and a rather large grin on his face. Sounded like justice to him! Serves her right for...making fun of him in the future. Okay so it was just silly but it was still awesome. "Senka hadst some trouble with a large bug. The beast doth believed Senka wert actually a lady bug." Dal said humorously as she looked to her companion. "Wouldst thou like a bath before thee retires Senka? I art sure that Pal wouldst be willing to assist thee with retrieving water." The seer said as she looked to the Wraith, who stood up. "I'd love ta help! Least I could do really!" A woman having a bath? Oh yeah, he was going to help!

Senka's pale skin flushed a dark red and she gave all three of her companions a dark glare, "It was not my fault that the bug was confused." Her brother got the darkest glare that promised revenge later, "And I thought I told you not to talk about that you little brat."

Dal's suggestion of a bath mollified the girl a little, though her face was still flushed, "A bath really does sound nice." She would just make sure she warded the crap out of her room so Pal didn't get any funny ideas.

"Thou shouldst find some buckets up top Pal, if thou couldst start filling them with water and boiling them, thou wouldst greatly help Senka." Dal told the Wraith who grinned and waved a hand. "Why deal with all that carrying when I could just do...this..." He opened a porthole, letting cool air slowly flow into the kitchen. Dal's skin became a little bumpy and she shivered at the feeling. Pal began to move his strange gauntlets back and forth, and within a minute there was a strange stream of fog pouring in through the porthole. It was directed though it was hard to see through, but it was in the shape of a rope. "What...art thou doing Pal?" Dal asked, quite interested in this new magical technique.

"Simple really! I'll use the fog to transport water. It'll go into the pot from the ocean, get heated up, then it'll go into the bathtub!" He had to get the oven going again, which he did, and put a pot on top of it before he started to wander off to find the bathtub. The rope of fog did just as he said, into the pot from the ocean, and then out the door and presumably into the bathtub. Dal stood up and decided to follow along. Sure enough he was in the washing room, with the rope of fog in the shape of a spout, pouring what appeared to be steaming water into the tub.

"Thou art really quite a remarkable creature Pal." Dal praised the young Wraith, who just gave a thumbs up as he controlled the stream of fog still with his other hand. Sure, he was showing off, but he had to get in with these ladies after all!

Senka stared, rather impressed. They didn't have much magic on Thanatos that wasn't Necromancy and seeing it so casually used was always a little thrilling, like she was privy to some secret she wasn't supposed to have seen.

And, well, that was just damned useful! She followed after Dal and was delighted at how quickly her bath was filling with warm water, "Thank you Pal! This is wonderful!" She gave the wraith a bright smile, her annoyance at her brother melted.

Once the bath was filled, she shooed everyone out, wanting to take her bath in peace.

"There's a reason they call me the magnificent Pal!" He boasted casually. Once the bath was filled he, along with everyone else, was shooed out of the room. "Wouldst thou mind pouring one for mineself Pal?"  The Seer asked the Wraith, who was more than happy to oblige. Two naked women right where he was? Oh yeah like he'd mind at all! It was a quick thing to do, and soon the seer and the entropymancer were both enjoying a bath, leaving the two spirits to themselves. Pal could only smirk, their wards protected against him and Zoran sure...in spirit form, but Pal was lucky enough to have two forms.

Of course, he decided that right now was not the best time to ah...test the limits juuuust yet, so he set about being on the deck, far away from the living. "Gods, good day and bad day today. I need a change of curses." He murmured quietly as he stared at the open ocean before them.

The trip was easy, the winds fair, the company pleasant. Leaning out over the rail, Senka watched the land in the distance growing larger. The weather had gotten warmer and she couldn't wait to get into the city.

"Not to much longer, huh Dal. I'm ready to get on land again. I feel like I've been on here forever!" She wanted a real bath, that didn't come from salt water. Leaning back, she stretched her arms above her head, arching her back.

Dal stood beside her friend and shook her head. "Thou art correct. Tis still going to be a while till we art in Suna though...at least tis not too far from the port." She wondered if they'd have to go through customs or anything silly like that. Some times her ship got searched, and sometimes it didn't. She didn't think they would this time...she was travelling with a spirit, an eccentric...Wraith, and an entropymancer so...it was a good bet that they'd just seem like residents coming back to the home island.

"Hey uh...I was looking at some of the books on board...ahm, a lot of...a lot of the things studied in there were uh...were vivisected or dissected so uhm...with me being a new undead creature to your people can we not...uhm...tell anyone? I don't wanna end up on a slab." Pal told his friends as he came up beside them, his hood was down and he was fully human. Indeed, the idea was horrible, and if there was someone there who could control him because he was undead, he'd have no choice in the matter. He'd rather they'd not kill him, he liked life! Life was good, and death was bad.

Senka glanced over at Pal, pursing her lips slightly, "Well, I guess that is alright. I wont lie though. I'm sorry, but if the Church asks, I can't lie." They likelihood of them asking was slim, but it was still there. And Senka wouldn't do anything to draw attention to the fact Pal was anything but a normal human.

"You can't lie to the church? Lame. I used to lie to them all the time. Heck, used to lie to Demi-Gods too. But if that's how it has to be, then that's how it has to be. Ahem! You know in this form, I'm teeeeeechnically a living breathing human so you could just say that I'm human and it's not a lie." Pal told the necromancer after a slight ramble on his part. It wasn't his fault that he liked to talk, and tell of stories from when he was young! "I doth not believe we shalt find ourselves in much trouble with thee Pal...so long as thou doth not draw undue attention." Dal told her cohort, who just grinned. "Attention loves me though, so we might have a problem. I'll try to keep it on the quiet side though."

"We art getting closer...I shalt prepare for docking." It would be a quick trip from the docks to Suna itself, at least that was what she hoped anyway. Smiling to herself, Dal began to raise the sails a little bit, cutting their speed before she headed up to the wheel to accurately guide it toward the docks. The wooden structures were slowly becoming more and more visible, and Pal couldn't help but feel excited.

"Like Dal said, just...don't attract to much attention and you'll be fine." Senka reached over, patting the wraiths hand. She was looking forward to being home again. So many friends and family to catch up with. And just getting to eat the food and be around people like herself again would be so nice.

"What are your plans when we land?"

"That...I'm sure that I could uhm...handle that." He said with a slightly indecisive nod. Okay so he wasn't really sure he'd be able to do that but...he had to didn't he? If he wasn't careful he'd end up being studied like...well not like an animals. Those usually lucky to be allowed to stay in their natural habitat and get studied that way. He could only be so lucky.

"I know not at this time. The Goddess hath not told me anything, so I suppose I shalt visit libraries and churches p'raps. Maybe tell some explorers about the island we encountered." Dal would be lost on what to do, she could only hope that the Goddess told her of some people that wanted help.

"I'm sure you'll get pulled off on some other mission soon Dal." Senka laughed, reaching over to pat the woman's hand. She really liked Dal, enjoyed her easy company. Pal was fun, but he was a little much. And so self-centered. She found herself feeling talked at, instead of talked with. But, she supposed that was probably a side effect of being imprisoned for so long.

"As soon as we land, I am eating!" She wanted the spicy, flavorful food so badly! Ships rations and the flavorless sludge on the main land left much to be desired. If it didn't make you cry when you ate it, there wasn't a point!

"Thou art kind, and I doth believe I shall as well." She put her hand over her friend's hand, smiling and nodding at her. She was right of course, she'd get a vision eventually. Of course right now it was a good time to take on new stock and what not. Her stores hadn't been meant for four people, and she was starting to run low. Not that she minded, it had been really nice to have such company. "What of thee Senka? I doth suspect that thou shalt take a different path than mine." She suspected that the two of them wouldn't be companions forever, she didn't assume that it would end so...quickly. Of course, it'd been maybe a month, which wasn't bad. Pal stayed rather quiet, the conversation seemed like it'd be just a little personal and if he got involved now he'd be in some deep trouble.

"Ah, well, I haven't been home in...years." That was the problem with exploring, made it hard to visit the people she had left behind. And much of her family and friends had been upset with her that she was leaving the islands. But she was back and she wanted to find everyone again, find out what had happened.

"I think I'm going to go home for a bit, see my family. I am sure they want to know I'm okay." Dal's hand on her own was nice. She wished she could be a little closer, return the touch a little easier, but she didn't think the medium would feel comfortable with that, "Though, if you get another vision and want help or company....don't hesitate to ask."

"Thou shouldst definitely take some time to explore the city once more." Dal told the woman with a smile. If her friend hadn't been home in a while, then it would be good to let the girl go wandering around. She'd miss her friend of course, but...she could always look her up again later right? Finding her wouldn't be too much of a problem, if she stayed in Suna then she could find her easily. After all, how many light skinned necromancers would you find in Suna!

"I wouldst very much like to like thee up if thou wouldst not mind. Zoran and thee hath been very pleasant company." She nodded her head slightly to her friend before turning her attention to the wraith. "And thee Pal? What of thee? Wouldst thou like to accompany us once more?" She asked. The poor creature didn't have anyone it seemed, so she hoped to be just nice to the creature. Pal shook his head and chuckled. "No no, not me. I remember the mainland of this place, and that's where I'm gonna go. I remember this really nice girl but...I think she's gone forever. So! Gonna find one of them big cities again and have some fun there I think!" Pal said with a large goofy grin. He missed the people there...they were nice too, and there had been that pretty girl.

"I wish thee luck then. If thou wert to find thyself here in the Isles again, doth look us up again." Dal said to the silly wraith man. He was nice, but strange, and perhaps a little...lonely. She could see what he wanted of course, it was obvious...he always insisted on helping them with their baths, and that was...well slightly unnerving. He was however, harmless as far as she could tell.

Senka reached over, covering one of Pal's hands with her own, "I'm sure you'll find all kinds of adventures. I expect we'll even hears tails of them on the islands." She didn't dislike the wraith in anyway and her heart went out to him. He was just a lot to handle.

The odd looking necromancer nodded to Dal's question, smiling at her friend, "I-we, would love it if you looked us up Dal. This has been a lot of fun!" And honestly, she would probably look for the medium herself soon. She liked her company, it was easy and fun and it was very nice to have someone that could see Zoran.

"Psh, I'm gonna try and stay off the ra..." Pal rubbed his chin for a moment as he thought of the right word. Radar wouldn't mean anything to these people. "Stay off the focus of your people. I'd rather they not find out that what Dal wrote about it real. I mean what if one gets really curious and wants to come find me? No no...I'm gonna make sure my exploits stay continental." Gods he hoped that the word continental meant something to these people. It was so hard to know what was right and what wasn't right.

"Then I shalt ensure to look thee up again mine friend! I art sure we shalt find a new adventure to occupy our time." Dal wouldn't mind that sort of thing really. Her quests sometimes weren't that exotic, but they were at least something to do right? Maybe she'd get to find another exciting creature like Pal...or perhaps she'd have to save a village or something again. That one wasn't that bad either, it had been rather exciting, though Pal's rescue had been pretty fun. She just hoped the wraith didn't get into trouble that made her need to rescue him.

It wasn't more than half an hour later when they were pulling into the docks. Luckily there were some spots open for the small vessel. Some of the dock workers tied up the ship and the gang plank. Pal was the first person off the ship, though to be fair he was helping to tie it up at least. Once it was moored, Dal slowly walked off the ship onto the dock, ensuring that her blindfold was tied up tight and proper. "Now...we go off to the city depths, aye?" Dal asked as she turned to look at Senka.

"Yes." Senka had her belongings packed back up again, secured over her shoulders. It was going to be sad leaving Dal and she would even miss Pal a bit. He was friendly enough and the company could have been worse.

Reaching down, Senka hugged the curvy medium tightly, "I'll miss you and I hope the Goddess will lead us together again. Thank you for the ride. It was so fun." Releasing her, she smiled at Pal, opening her arms for him too, "You take care Pal. Don't get into too much trouble."

Zoran smiled at Dal while his sister said her goodbyes to the wraith, "Thank you. I had a lot of fun with you. I hope we can meet again soon." He gave her a small bow, as he couldn't actually touch the woman. Not with out a lot of effort.

"I shalt pray and ensure that she doth lead us once more to each other, mine friend." The Medium said as the two of them hugged. How hard would it be for the Goddess to just do a little nudging after all so they saw each other again? Not very, considering she was a Goddess and all. Pal jumped at the opportunity to embrace Senka, grinning as he did. "Oh, I'm gonna stay out of it as best I can. Maybe I'll get an ear pierced and a tattoo to fit in!" That'd be something alright, he had no idea what would happen if he got them then turned back into a Wraith. It'd be an experiment. He'd just need the gold to get them...now...he'd have to do a little pick pocketing, perhaps a wooing and seducing...as the hug ended with Senka he was already thinking heavily on what to do.

"I doth hope that as well Zoran. Maybe thy will hath found a willing host by then too." Pal would have been an excellent subject for possession cases. The two of them seemed to be able to interchange spirits almost without any force of will. Dal wished they could have done some experiments, but the Wraith got really...scared when you mentioned such a thing. "Goodbye mine friends...we shalt meet again, I am sure of it." With their slightly teary goodbyes said, Pal and Dal headed off together, though Pal would almost certainly break off from the medium soon to get himself into trouble, while Dal would find a library or two to spread the knowledge of the new species of undead she had encountered.