Completed Revenge Of The Three

[Ricky Maze]

---Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial---

His blade only clashed as the leader angled his sword for a block with two hands, a quick flourish to bring the guards blade below followed with a swing towards his face. Ricky just barely managed to pull back as the tip swished past him, the air sliced by the edge of the cutlass as it continued in itd path. With a couple steps back Ricky brought his longsword up to block an incoming blow from the follower, with a flourish of his own to send the pirate staggering past him. The leader snickered as he went in for another swing, his blade swung downward to clash into Ricky's blade as he held it in position for a block. With his mind rushed he pushed back against the leader hard to throw off his balance, and caused him to teeter back far enough to leave a bit of space between them. Of course the chance to breath hadn't really existed, as he heard the other approach from behind with but a few ticks to react. Ricky looked out of the corner of his eye to spot the pirate as he made his attack, enough to see that his attack was a downward strike aimed for the head. Thus Ricky pulled himself to his right with a turn to face his enemy, and braced himself for another swing when the first one missed.

The Guard managed to duck under a cross over slash, and brought his longsword up to strike at the left side of the pirates chest. The leader however caught his cutlass in the path with a kick to Ricky's belly, and caused the guard to stagger back with a loud grunt as he forced himself to remain standing. His chest heaved as his arms already felt heavy, the cold sweat on his brow broken all over his forehead as he struggled to keep up with the two. He was outnumbered. Outnumbered but not outmatched. Though the leader had some form of physique to compare, on the other hand his follower was lighter. More quick on his feet like the last pirate Ricky fought, and managed to kill when his brotherly dog was ran through. "Damn these bastards, I'll see them t' Dira's domain with me if I'm t' die here!" His face was red. Flushed with bitter anger as the old rage slowly boiled. "How's that pretty lass o' yers?" The leader sneered with a challenging look, both continued to stalk forward upon their prey. Ricky's face remained unchanged, sharply focused and determined to see their lives ended swiftly. It wasn't until he heard the next words that followed that aroused his inner fears.

"Barnik's pro'lly finished her by now, after gettin' a bit o' sweet action on his own o' course." They both chuckled like maniacs, as they knew by the change in Ricky's eyes he was afraid. Afraid that she was hurt or worse... dead after horrid torture. The images that tried to fill his head were held off, his eyes nearly watered as he choked down the tears that struggled free. She would be safe. He had to make sure of this, no matter what the outcome would be. "Eat shyke and bleed ya filthy bastards!" He cried out in fury with a charge forward, longsword brought around from his right in an obtuse angle down to the smaller one. The pirate had a bit of trouble trying to hold his own against Ricky's weight, and the guard used this to his advantage while the opportunity stood. With a kick at the smaller ones groin he shoved the smaller pirate away hard as he could, and went into an overwhelming assault onto the leader to drive him back whilst the other fell onto his back in pain. Ricky's breath's were quick and heavy, each strike he made blocked as he relentlessly swung from left and right. When the leader predicted his next swing and tried to flourish, instinct kicked in and Ricky pulled a flourish of his own. Both blades pounded as the sound of metal rang loud into the memorial ground, Ricky's flourish just barely timed enough to fend off the leader...

---Location: Ricky's Place in the Old Quarter---

"Let's be off!" Burten urged once more as the three rushed on down the stairs, they made quick progress out into the city once more but Burt would go his seperate way as prior to the plan. Thus the two that were left inside the building were Telion and Gale, who took great charge to keep her safe in the time being. She watched with a disgutted frown as Gale retrieved the dagger from the skull, nearly having to keep from gagging as she heard the slosh sounds of metal slicing flesh. Gale then asked her if she were all right she took a moment before she gave an answer, a nod to follow as she finally responded. "Yeah. I'll be fine." Despite the pale discoloration from the shock and stress, she started to hold herself together now. She was untouched for the better part, untouched and unsatisfied with what the others had planned.

"Petch what they say though," She shuffled on into the room with the door wide open, a quick lean down to pick up her shoes while she sat on the bed, "I'm not going to sit here, and wait around while he's out there." She slipped on the first shoe with a huff and sure enough the other quick to follow, Fenvur sat a little distant on the bed from her with wary eyes. "Stay here baby, mama will be back with papa soon, 'kay?" She gave a quick rub on his head and stood on her feet, and made her way to the door to shut it quickly. She turned to Gale with a curious look to see if he were in agreement, or if he were to try and stop her from going to the graveyard. "Shall we get a move on?" It was a urge but one that waited to see what he had to say, either way Gale would find that Telion wasn't going to sit around any longer.

---Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial---

Hannah agreed with the plan. If anybody was more seasoned as a fighter it had to be Burt, how else could he have survived the travels he made in the absence of Ricky's life. No. She believed he was by far capable of protecting himself, where as Ricky on the other hand may be questionable. When Tallis had offered her the cutlass that lay on the floor, she took it without a second thought. She had seen plenty in her days as a pirate after all, so she was familiar with how it was used only by a little. Preferrably the use of daggers was in her range of skills, but Hannah hadn't the time to go about looking for a spare. Gale would be the one to make use of it, as he did so very well with the poor sod who now laid dead on the floor. When the time came for them to depart, she was never more glad to put the distance they had to cover behind them. They were on a time clock after all. If they were to save their friend then they would have to hurry, lest they be too late and discover their guard butchered in the graveyard. They made great haste to the graveyard in silence, minds focused completely on the task at hand, they couldn't afford to waste not a single tick or the worst could very well happen. Finally their rush to the Memorial Grounds brought them to the destination they sought, and as Hannah kept close and followed Tallis sounds of metal filled the air. Clashes and clangs that echoed out to disturb the peace that once loomed over the grounds, the battle a far cry to shatter the silence that the forever sleeping created.

As they came closer and closer, their approach was swift and silent. They remained undetected by their enemy as it focused on its primary target, which in turn endeavored to survive. Another clash filled the air with a ring that filled the air, as if two blades had collided with a skid to follow. "Gaaah!" The cry of pain followed that put a swifter move into their steps, the sound of their friend as he no doubt suffered a wound filled their hearts. When they finally came to view the sighf before them, awe struck the two as the bewildering scene unfolded. The shorter pirate laid face down in the dirt with a cutlass stabbed through his stomach and out his back, blood covered the metal of the blade as well as the soil underneath his lifeless body. While the other stood over with a blooded cutlass of his own, Ricky laid on the ground with his back to the lone pirate. The guard had turned to face his enemy and from there his wound was visible, a slanted clean cut on his abdomen that was almost too close for comfort.

With a hand over the wound as it bled profusely Ricky struggled to push himself away from the pirate. He was even lucky to manage avoiding what he could of the vital spot, had the blades edge sunk any deeper he would've been done for. His luck however seem to be nearly out, as the pirate jabbed his cutlass into Ricky's left shoulder with a laugh of amusement. "Aaaaah!" His screamed out in pure pain with a grind of his teeth as he fought the pain, his eyes still showed no fear in the face of his enemy.

"That's right! Scream a little more ya bleedin' petcher!" The pirate cheered as he reveled in the pain he caused, mind lost in the moment he believed to be sweet victory. What he didn't realize in his vengeful bloodlust was that two others had arrived now, and this was now more than ever the best and opportune moment to end the life if this man.

[Tallis]

Tallis’ calm façade was almost shattered as Ricky’s screams tore through the air, but he forced himself to remain level-headed. He channeled his rage, letting the blinding anger fuel his movements. As his fists clenched, he tapped into his djed reserves and sent the magical energy coursing throughout his body. He wouldn’t be holding back against this opponent. Hannah on the other hand had leapt forwards towards Ricky’s assailant. The hot-headed woman had moved on instinct and was only stopped as Tallis barely managed to grab onto her arm and hold her back. She whirled around in surprise, eyes wide with anger and confusion before she noticed Tallis’ gestures. He held one finger against his lips, motioning for her to remain silent, then pointed towards the cutlass lodged in Ricky’s shoulder. Hannah’s brow furrowed for a moment as she tried to understand, but she quickly gave Tallis a nod. She had understood the silent message. They had to maintain the element of surprise if they wanted to save Ricky. The pirate was closer to Ricky, and if he were alerted to their presence, he could quickly and easily stab the Wave Guard in the heart or head. In those few brief moments, the mage had formulated a plan. He pointed one finger towards himself and then at the back of the pirate’s head, indicating that he would be moving up behind the assailant. He then pointed towards Hannah, and motioned towards the pirate with a semi-circular gesture. Hannah nodded as she prepared to circle over and approach the pirate from the side. Then came the final instructions. Pointing towards the pirate again, Tallis used the flat of one hand to make a slicing motion across the wrist of his other hand. Hannah nodded. She knew what she had to do. While Tallis grabbed the pirate from behind, she would come in from the side and make sure that the pirate let go of the blade lodged in Ricky’s shoulder. The two moved in unison. The urgency of the situation seemingly boosted their coordination to almost super-human levels. Tallis sent djed coursing into his arms, granting him the enhanced strength of Flux. He grabbed onto the back of the pirate’s shirt just as Hannah’s cutlass came swinging down. The pirate had been caught completely by surprise. Hannah was deceptively strong, and the cutlass tore clean through the pirate’s hands. At the same time, Tallis, with his strength enhanced by flux, pulled the pirate into the air before slamming him into the ground on his back. The force of the collision had dazed the pirate, and before he could react, Tallis was back in action. Kneeling to the ground, the mage let res pour freely from his hands, covering the pirate’s legs and torso before transmuting it all to stone. The pirate was almost completely covered in solid earth. The only parts left visible were his head, the tips of his toes, and the bloody stumps where his hands used to be. As the pirate caught his breath again, he let out a blood-curdling wail. The scream was cut short however as Tallis let loose a flux powered stomp right into the villain’s face. Hannah looked at the scholar with a look of surprise. “That,” Tallis explained, “was for Telion.” The pirate simply gurgled as he choked on his own teeth and blood. The two quickly shifted their attention to Ricky. Tallis wasn’t sure what to do now. His plan only covered taking out Ricky’s attacker. It hadn’t involved taking care of Ricky afterwards. Several questions ran through Tallis’ mind: Should they pull out the blade or leave it in? And how would they take care of the wound in Ricky’s stomach? He turned to Hannah with a look of helplessness. Hopefully she had some first-aid knowledge so that they could keep Ricky alive until Burten arrived with medical help.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Common Vani Nari

She said she was fine. That was better than her just bursting into tears or not responding at all, he suppose. Though the paleness in her skin suggested against her words. But he left it alone.

Telion quickly moved to her and Ricky's room while the bloody haired blonde went back over to the corpse. He did it again... After all his promises that he wouldn't... he did it again. Gale kicked the man in the side lightly while Telion came back out with her shoes, ready to go. Shall we get a move on? Get a move on?! Was this woman crazy? There wasn't any chance he was letting her go out! Not with people still roaming around trying to kill Ricky and everyone he loved.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no." Gale shook his head,"Mhm, mhm. No, you are not going anywhere." The man briskly walked between her and the door. "You are going to stay here." His arms crossed firmly, as if to show he had some authority. " I have a specific obligation to protect you and if you go waltzing about out there, then I cannot do that very well, now can I?"

The images of all the possible things that could happen to her flipped through his mind. She could get stabbed, shot, decapitated, all sorts of things! If anything happened to her, not only would it break Ricky's heart and he would never forgive him for it, Gale wouldn't be able to forgive himself either. Ricky and himself both had way too much on their plate to handle that. Hopefully Telion would realize that fact.

Though that may not help her decision at all. The soon to be mother looked too determined for that to stop her. With a sigh, the artist finished," I am not the best fighter, Telion," he admitted," I will not be able to protect you as well out there as in here. I really do not want to risk any chance of you getting hurt." Yeah right Gale, like she cares if she gets hurt when her loved one could possibly die. Good game, Gale. Try again next time.

[Ricky Maze]

---Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial Grounds---

"Son... of a... petchin... whore...." Ricky's face was a harsh scowl as he fought back the pain that coursed through his entire body, his entire torso radiated with a burning sensation that only continued to get worse (particularly in his shoulder), he tried hard to keep from further satisfying the pirate with a locked jaw that gritted his teeth. Though that hardly helped in resisting the urge to bellow out from the enormous pain his body felt as he looked from his stabbed shoulder to the bastard that stood above him. It was then shock filled his expression as hid eyes caught action of a swiftly excuted gambit that led to the scums demise rather quickly, as the execution of Tallis' plan was done so flawlessly the pirates hands were soon severed by Hannah's harsh blow. From there it was all Tallis that handled the fiend, immediately disabled the man that attacked Ricky and left him sabotaged to where he was completely helpless. A slow and painful death brought on by the choking of his very own blood, ironic that the taste he very much craved for would be his own.

Ricky's vision had slightly blurred now. The immense pain automatically brought out the flow of tears in his eyes as he took heavy breathes, Tallis and Hannah had both turned to him now. Their faces overwhelmed with that of concern, Ricky didn't comprehend what had happened just yet, only that they had took action and practically saved his life. "Oh... Thank Priskil... Thank the Divines..." Almost relieved, his mind quickly jumped to that of the one he loved. As Hannah knelt down next to Ricky she placed the cutlass she held cutlass on the ground, hands already applied pressure on his cut over the abdomen. "You're okay Ricky, were here now and your father is on his way." She assured him as he grunted and groaned with tightly shut eyes, he was finally able to open them when a small portion of the pain settled.

"Where's... Telion..." He managed to ask inbetween fast pants.

"Telly is fine, she's safe. Now you need to relax and try to breath." She tried to calm him, but he just seemed to much in pain. The angle of the cutlass looked to have pierced straight through his shoulder, and still rested within its place as its master no longer held it. She looked rather scared now, unable to figure out what to do, how to help ease the suffering of their friend. Her hands were already wet with his blood, and the wound still persisted to bleed. Things didn't look good at all. "Tallis. I don't know what to do!" She kept glancing from the bleeding wound which she kept applying pressure to, and between Tallis' and Ricky's face with worry growing in her eyes.

---Location: Ricky Place in the Old Quarter---

He rejected the idea and prevented her from leaving, but of course she expected the chance to occur. Gale did after all take everything seriously, so keeping her safe by the best means possible would no doubt mean seeing that she stayed here. "If it's your obligation to keep me safe Gale, then please don't keep me here while the man I love is in danger. Take me to him so that you may stick to that obligation, and that we may both see him alive and well!" She cried out nearly frantic, she was worried and patient, and best of all still pregnant. Therefore she could very easily be an emotional train wreck right about now, but no she held it together because she was determined to get to Ricky. She wouldn't have it any other way. Gale then of course provided reasons to back up his arguement for staying here, reasons that seemed only counter productive for the woman before him.

"Gale McCenry," She placed firm hands at her waste with a bitter frown, "I know you're worried for my safety, but right now Ricky is the one who is in more danger than you and I both. He needs us to be there for him, don't you see that? If Hannah and Tallis have arrived to help him by now, then the threat should no longer exist." She explained with a stern voice, her determination to go still unwavered. "Ricky needs to know that we're there for him, and the only way for him to see that is if we go there now. So you either take me there yourself, or so help me by Zulrav I'll force you if I have to!" A little bit of anger and fustration might have been ventilated, Gale was after all dealing with a pregnant lady. That meant he would be at the front of all the emotional whirlwind that stirred, and he no doubt would continue to see it without end; unless his mind had changed and he decided to go.

[Tallis]

As the sounds from the pirate behind him slowly came to a stop, Tallis noticed that his body was shaking. It was dawning on him that he had just killed a man. Of course, he had done it to protect his friend so he had no regrets. However, he had never intended to use his arcane skills to in such a way. He had taken a life to save a life, but it wasn’t an equivalent exchange just yet. He needed to keep Ricky alive. Steadying his shaking hands, Tallis knelt beside Hannah to take a look at the wound. What he saw would give him nightmares for days. Though the cut wasn’t fatal, it was still deep. Bright red blood spurted freely from the gaping wound, flowing past a layer of pearly white fat and running all over Hannah’s hands. The sight made him gag. He had never dealt with anything like this before, but it seemed obvious to him that he had to stop the bleeding. “It’s okay. We can do this. Everything will be fine.” He had to stay calm - for himself and for the ones around him. Hannah and Ricky couldn’t be allowed to panic. “Try and see what you can do about that shoulder wound,” Tallis said, kneeling beside Hannah to take her place, “I’ll deal with this.” Hannah moved aside to give Tallis room and he placed his hands right on top of the wound. Pulling on his reserves of djed again, he sent res pouring out of his palms to cover the wound. At this point, his hands glistened wet and red with blood and much of the fluid mixed with his res. He then began the transmutation process, creating dense heavy soil that mixed with the blood to create a viscous, clay-like dressing for the wound. Calling on his power as a stormwarden, Tallis sent a breeze blowing over the growing layer of clay. After a few moments, everything had hardened, forming a makeshift cast over the wound. As long as Ricky stayed still it would hold in place, keeping the gash together and stopping any more blood from flowing out. Tallis’ only regret was that he couldn’t clean the wound to prevent infection. Hopefully, Burten would be arriving with a medical team anytime now to help properly treat Ricky and take him to safety. With the largest wound taken care of, Tallis moved to where Hannah was kneeling to take a look at the blade in Ricky’s shoulder. Hannah was applying pressure to the spot and, to Tallis’ surprise, there wasn’t much blood pouring out. He assumed that the blade was filling the hole it had made, forming a sort of seal. If they pulled out the blade, he imagined there would be a small fountain of blood. After consulting with Hannah, they agreed that it would be best to leave the cutlass where it was until the professionals arrived. Ricky’s grimace broke Tallis’ heart. He couldn’t bear seeing the man in pain, but it was out of his power to relieve his suffering. There was only one thing left that he could do. He could pray. Clasping Hannah’s hands, the stormwarden felt the young woman’s hands shaking in his own. Tallis should have known that he wasn’t the only one feeling the emotional and physical toll of the events that had just taken place. “Be strong, Hannah. For Ricky. For me.” He flashed the woman a small smile and began his prayers. “Zulrav! Father of storms and winds! Your faithful servant calls for you. I thank you for your guidance. I thank you for helping us find Telion and Ricky in time. You have graced me with your blessings before, and I ask that you help me once more.” As he prayed, a calming breeze swirled around the three of them. It carried away the scent of blood and dirt and brought the smell of the ocean to them. “This man has faithfully guarded this city and its people. Now it is his turn to be guarded. Help us ease his pain. You once brought me to his father, now I beg of you, bring his father to us. Send help our way, and keep the winds on their backs. This, I humbly ask of you.” As Tallis continued to pray, he felt Hannah's hand tighten against his own. It seemed that both she and Ricky had squeezed their eyes shut. He hoped that they could focus on his voice. He hoped his praying helped keep their minds off of the pain. He hoped for the best.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Common Vani Nari

Sticking to his obligation by letting her go towards the danger? Ha! She must be thinking about this situation differently than he was. "Telio-" Gale was interrupted with 'seeing him alive and well'. Like that was even an argument. If that was the case, then there was nothing wrong in waiting to see him. And what if he wasn't okay? What if he was killed right before her eyes? What then? How would she feel?

"Telion-" Ooooh, bringing out the full names? Does she honestly think that is going to help? As if saying his full name was some scary thing. She continued on about Ricky being in more danger and blah blah blah blah. So what if Ricky is in more danger? They would be in that same amount of danger if they went to him! Yeah, Hannah and Tallis were there and helping, and although Gale was sure they were more than capable taking on a couple of pirates, but things have gotten from bad to worse before, even if the odds were in someone's favour. What if they didn't have it under control and then they barreled into it all? She wouldn't be very happy when a sword plunges through her, would she? He didn't think so. He certainly wouldn't be very happy.

Trying to get his points into her thick skull, Gale's eyebrows furrowed and his arms fell back to his side. His voice raised slightly,"Telion!" But she continued. So she thinks that the only way to show Ricky that they were there for him was if they were out fighting? Does she really think Ricky thinks like that? If they weren't physically by his side that they didn't care? Wow, it's either she doesn't know Ricky as well as she thought or the entire situation in general is getting to her head.

"TELION!" It was his turn to interrupt. "What good are we to him injured or dead?!?!" He threw his arms out wide,"How would putting yourself in danger show you that you care for him if what he wants is you as far away from danger as possible?!?!" The frail hands fell to his sides again. The blonde took a breath and continued with a softer tone. " Telion, I know he's all you can think about, but I would bet Mizas that you're all he's thinking about." Gale walked closer to the pregnant woman,"Richard would be crushed if he comes home to see you hurt, or not here at all." The pessimist placed his hands on her shoulders lightly,"By staying here and staying as safe as possible, you will be giving him one less thing to worry about." His hands dropped again " I promise you, as soon as we have news and it is all clear, we will go and see him. But for now, I am sorry Telion, but I cannot let you go."

Gale gave her an attempted smile, though it quickly vanished when his face twisted into a awkward look. His nose scrunched up when it started to tingle. He managed to say quickly and with a distorted voice," I really hate your cat," before taking a deep breath. The artist quickly lifted his green shirt over his nose and let out a hideous,"ACHOO!!"

[Ricky Maze]

---Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial Grounds---

Hannah listened to Tallis without a word, her eyes examined the cutlass that rested in his shoulder, front side and from what she could see of his back. The blade had in fact pierced through his flesh and managed to escape through the other end, blood barely treaded down its edge like the wound it entered. He would no doubt be in a world of terrible hurt when it came time to remove he blade. Tallis had an idea that would help the bleeding on the cut though, one that Hannah thought to be rather clever if not slightly risky. The young scholar pressed his hands on the gash which caused Ricky to pant swifter as he fought the pain, tears freely flowed from his eyes as he struggled to remain still. Hannah placed a hand on Ricky's cheek in an effort to capm him, with a few words to help try and distract his mind from the pain. If only such a task were truly possible.

"Gahahahoow!" He bellowed out while Hannah kept his frame steady, deep heavy breathes followed as his struggle became even harder while the clay molded over the wound. There was a warm breeze that blew through the air, one that blanketed them as the clay began to steadily dry. Yet even in this warmth Ricky started to feel something, something that he didn't take well as a sign; cold. His body nearly shivered as he struggled to remain still, his effort to listen to Hannah was nearly impossible at this rate. He wanted to bellow, kick, and try to move around all at one, never before did it become so difficult, so very annoying, to simply try and sit still.

From what Ricky could see in his blurred vision, both Hannah and Tallis were more than worried. They looked scared. Maybe even a little terrified. The situation looked grim but there was no doubt a curtain of hope, for Tallis took a moment in their wait to pray. Pray to a God that would hear the words of a Stormwarden. His words stirred the winds as he did once before upon their first meeting, to show an example of what Zulrav and his gifted devoted were capable of. Except this time it wasn't to set an example, it was to call out for a miracle in a time that seemed vital. Hope did exist now, and it grew even greater with each tick that passed. As the words of the Stormwarden filled their ears and the scent of the sea wafted through the air, both Ricky and Hannah had closed their minds to take in the prayer.

Tallis' words were a comfort as well as a distraction, all of them held high hopes that Burt would indeed be here soon. That his father would come just in time to save his son, just as any father would hope to do. This led Ricky's thoughts to Telion and their child, how they no longer had any threats posed against them now that these pirates were dead. He felt all the more comfortable knowing they were safe, even in the highest amounts of pain, he felt that for the first time they were truly safe from any danger that remained. Thus his heart was no longer disquiet, instead it had started to settle as he took deep breathes, and he held on to the hopeful idea that they would always be taken care of. "Hannah, Tallis," He looked at the both of them now with sincere eyes, his deep gaze directly madr contact with both of them as he spoke.

"If I don't make it t' see Tel... watch her f'r me, would ya." He requested with a dim smile as his light hearted warm nature tried to show through, though the scowl amd grimace from the pain made it all the more of a challenge as he felt exhausted now.

"No, Ricky! Listen to me, you have to stay awake you hear me!" Hannah nearly shook him in a quick panic, thankfully she remembered the dried clay, but took to several face taps to keep him around. Still his eyes slowly crept closed as the exhaustion took over, his mind wanted nothing but to sleep now that all the trouble seemed to pass. "There were no more bad people to hurt Tel now, the ones that intended to were taken care of." These words echoed in his head as he slipped away into what felt like would be everlasting sleep, sleep that he didn't think he would (or really want to) ever wake up from. "Ricky!" Her words, and Tallis', were echoes now that seemed to become drowned out, echoes that cried out into an endless abyss as they never reached their intended target.

"Ricky! Stay with us Ricky!" She shouted frantically, tears practically steamed down her cheeks as she watched Ricky. His eyes were completely still, and his heartbeat was at an incredibly slow pace. She constantly looked between Ricky and Tallis unsure what to think or do, she was practically helpless at this point and unable to do anything. For the first time in her life she began to actually pray herself, her free hand took Ricky's as she sobbed and hoped Burt was near.

"I guess this be it then. They'll take care o' her 'fter all." The words were a comfort that now brought a sense of peace, his heart ready to let go as he hoped for the best. If this were to be the end for him, then at least he went down with a fight.

"But why do that? Ya love her and she loves you, so don't let go like ya intend. Fight!" It was a voice he didn't know at all, yet the only one he could hear now...

---Location: Ricky's Place in the Old Quarter---

Gale's turn to interrupt followed and he did so with a better arguement, his points stronger than Telion's as her reasoning seemed to fail in coercing the artist. As Gale slightly raised his tone Telion's slightly flushed face paled once more as she finally listened to his words, her determnation wavered as she understood not just his concern but his reasoning for staying as well. Thus she fell speechless and could only listen, with a somber expression to Gale as he continued. When he then concluded his arguement Tel's eyes started to well up, aware that he had an awkward look she stood the with arms folded, expression unchanged when he finally managed to sneeze due to his allergies. Telion then approached him with a hug as tight as she could give, unable to hold back all the emotion she held within.

"I'm sorry Gale," she pleaded with her faxe burried in his chest, a quick note to his allergies as well as the rest of the situation, "Not just for Fenvur but for everything! I'm sorry you were involved, that you- you're in the middle of all this. I'm sorry for yelling-" Sobs came as she could no longer be understood, all that could be made out was wanting to see Ricky and the worry she felt for him. Which was already clearly present in her reaction, she hugged Gale tightly and continued to cry as she did so, no longer arguing but instead listening to the artist as she accepted the fact they wouldn't be going anywhere just yet.

---Location: ?---

"Who... are ya?" As Ricky opened his eyes he no longer saw Hannah and Tallis nor the view of the memoriap grounds he once laid in, but instead a place that was nothing but pitch black as far as his blue eyes could see. The cutlass no longer rested in his shoulder but a black hole was still present from where it once was, and Ricky's gash over his abdomen looked to be an empty as well.

"Ye should know, ya come and visit me when ya can. Ye're even on me grave right now." The voice from earlier answered him with echoes from all around.

"Wh.. what?!" Ricky didn't think it possible, considering the voice would belong to that... Could it really be? "Odis?"

Something came from above, a flicker that slowly descended down before him as it steadily grew. That flicker was but a small light that slowly grew and shaped into a figure of what was in fact a dog, but only just for a moment, until it stretched into another shape before him that reflected a face of someone so familiar. Someone Ricky knew from when he was a child. "How ya doin' Rick?" Odis asked with a faint smile on his face, Ricky looked at the figure in disbelief as he tried to remember this man. Short hair like his father's, bulky frame with several tattoo's along the arms. A fish out of water decorated his right bicep, and from this tattoo Ricky finally recognized who this man once was. Not only was he the dog Odis that was a brotherly companion to Ricky, but the figure of the man before him was also... the best friend of his father, in which the name Odis originally came from.

"H... How?..." Ricky raised his arms questionably, but the spectral form of Odis only stopped him from asking any questions.

"I'll explain everythin' in a moment bub, fer now though I've a lot t' cover and little time t' do so." Burt added in his approach to Ricky, the spector placed a hand on Ricky's right shoulder and sure enough he felt real. Solid. Ricky, who was lost as well as confused, only looked to Odis silently, ready to make sense as how the two were the same.

---Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial Grounds---

Faint heartbeats. Then finally a solid one. Hannah's face looked evermore hopeful as she looked to Tallis. She opened her mouth to speak but the sound of footsteps cut her off, and when she looked to see it's source, Burt had finally arrived with a couple of healers from the Infirmary. "Oh! Thank the petching Gods! Please hurry!" She called out as they made their hasty approach.

"How is he?! How bad is he hurt?! Are we too late?!" Burt's concern overwhelmed him as evident, his entire face was covered in sweat from the run, as the top half of his shirt looked soaked from the exercise. The medics were right behind him, and they wasted no time in preparation. Burt would watch his son in earnest while he waited to hear what the two had to say.

oocSorry if I overloaded with details on the first bit guys. I can cut a section off if needed.

[Tallis]

There was a knot in Tallis’ throat, and he could only watch in silence as Hannah frantically tried to keep Ricky from slipping into sleep. As the Wave Guard’s eyes glazed over, a solitary tear slid from Tallis’ unblinking eyes. It traced a path down his cheek before falling onto Ricky’s chest. As the tear fell, Tallis took a shuddering breath and found his voice again. “No.” It was all he had to say. That one single word. No – Ricky couldn’t die here. No – he couldn’t leave everyone behind. No – Tallis and Hannah couldn’t take care of Telion. That was his job. Not theirs. No… it just wasn’t fair. In his grief, it seemed that all time had stood still. He took a deep shaky breath and closed his eyes. And by the time he had opened them again, time had started once more. And in that moment, Tallis’ sadness turned to rage. He wasn’t sure who he was mad at. Was it Ricky? Was it the pirates? Was it fate itself? Tallis didn’t know. The young mage who had kept himself composed all this time only knew that he was angry. “Ricky Maze, you are not allowed to just give up like this!” The sudden outburst shocked Hannah, and she almost toppled over in fright. Even after everything that had happened, she had never heard Tallis raise his voice. “Oh yes, I know you got stabbed! And yes you’re bleeding a lot! And I’m sure it hurts! But that does not give you the permission to just leave us like this! “We worked petching hard to keep Telion safe! We worked petching hard to get here in time and save your sorry ass! You could at least do us the courtesy of staying awake! And if not for us, at least for your unborn child! “That’s right! Let’s talk about the baby that’s on its way! Are you going to let it grow up without even knowing its own father?! Are you that selfish, Ricky Maze?! ARE YOU!?” His anger reached a climax, and just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. Tallis sat in silence again, kneeling beside Ricky’s body without uttering a single sound. Hannah quietly grabbed Tallis’ hands, squeezing them to show that she was there for him. “You can’t give up on us all,” Tallis whispered, knowing deep-down that Ricky was deaf to his pleas, “You’re going to take your stupid nap, and you’ll wake up and we can just go back home, alright?” The two sat there in tense silence as they desperately tried to sense Ricky’s faint heartbeats. But by some miracle, they suddenly felt a stronger thud. And then another. Each heartbeat brought hope back to them. Tallis sat there in amazement, counting each thump and wondering if it was just a phase or if Ricky was actually getting better. But he was suddenly roused from his stupor as Hannah shook him and diverted his attention. Burten had finally arrived with the healers. Tallis and Hannah stood up from their spot and moved to Burten’s side, letting the healers get in close to the injured Wave Guard. The three stood together, watching as the healers worked on Ricky. As they waited, Hannah and Tallis began piecing together the story of their arrival and the events that occurred thereafter. It was hard for all of them to relive how badly Ricky had been hurt, but they felt reassured knowing that their dear friend wouldn’t be leaving the world of the living just yet.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Common Vani Nari

Oh great, now she was going to cry. Her eyes are watering and ever- Oh gods Gale, why are you always so harsh? Dammit man, what it wrong with you? The artist sighed at his own tone but yelped from surprise and soreness when Telion wrapped her arms around him as if she was a-... a... What gripped things really tightly?

Telion went on about being sorry for all these different things, some things that she couldn't control and some being just ridiculous. Why was she sorry for Fenvur? She wasn't even the one who brought him home. Besides, it's not like you could do anything about allergies. It was just a ridiculous thing to be sorry for. Absolutely preposterous. However, the pessimist didn't comment on this fact. He simply hushed her while she buried her face into his chest. His shirt might not have been the cleanest thing to whip her tears on, but if you're bawling your eyes out, anything would really work.

"Shhh, it is alright Telion," Gale rubbed her back softly, hoping that would do something to help her calm down. He remembered his mother doing it to him and it worked every time. Nevertheless, if it didn't work then it didn't work. He would just have to wait for Telion to pull herself together. However long that is. The man tried his words again," I have no doubt that Ricky will be fine. He is a strong man who is more than capable of looking after himself." Of course, Gale did have some doubt, there was always some doubt, but for the sake of the situation, he attempted to seem as confident about his opinion as possible. Though, he had to be honest with himself. He wasn't very good at sounding positive.

[Ricky Maze]

--Location: ?---

"Back when y're father and I set sailed on that ship a storm hit the boat hard, then some things happened that led to y're father and I runnin' fer our lives. I made 'em a promise y' see, a promise that no matter which of us made it out alive I'll be lookin' out fer y'. I... didn't make it to my greatest request. I died shortly after we reached the mainland, though I cannot remember how my end came." Odis explained with an arm over Ricky's shoulders as they walked without end, he listened quietly to better understand the whole story. "The last thing I remember was wakin' up as a pup, and 'fore I knew anythin' I was already bein' beaten upon like a welp. Save the moment ya came t' me rescue lad." He pointed out with a hearty grin, aware that Ricky knew of the memory already. It was the first day he met Odis and practically took him in, the dog that followed him home because he chose to.

"Did ya know who I was?" He asked with intrigue. Odis then looked forward a bit puzzled at the question.

"Not really. I hadn't much memory on what happened in me previous life, but I had a feelin' in me gut that told me t' stick with ya, and thats what I did. Savy?" He finished with another look to Ricky, who contemplated all of this as it all started to make sense.

"Reincarnated as a dog huh? How was that like?" He finally asked rather amazed, still overwhelmed with the whole story.

"Can't say fer sure mate, I mean the tail was aight but the fleas were murder." Both chuckled at his remark, and then Odis led to a more serious answer. "Honestly t'was the best time o' me life. I got t' spend 'nother lifetime with the son o' me closest friend, and in the end I actually kept me promise after all." His expression revealed content as he turned to Ricky, as though there were no regrets at all about what had happened. Ricky finally understood now how Odis could've easily sacrificed himself to save Ricky, all because a promise made in the past drove him to see it through. He was bound by it, and in turn lived a different life until the time came to fulfill that promise.

"So ya always been 'ere this whole time? Listenin' t' me when I came and visit?"

"Aye, that I have. I gotta say, it's 'bout time ya hooked up with that lass o' yer's. Ye made a cute couple even back then." He admitted with a smirk, which led Ricky to a bit of a blush. During the entire time span they were friends Odis was there to see it all, and to think he even believed them to be a couple even then was wild. "Speakin' o' which, we gotta get ya t' wake up now."

"What?! Wake up?! This is a dream?!"

"Well not exactly. It's sorta like- well not like- ye know what. Understand that its all in y'r head, savy?" Odis crossed his arms and watched as Ricky shrugged cluelessy, and with a sigh he then chuckled with hands placed on his shoulders once more.

"B'fore we... "wake" me up, will I remember any o' this? Will ya still be watchin' over me? Over me family as well?" Ricky inquired sincerely as he felt the need to, if this was in his head after all, he certainly would like to know a couple things before being sent back.

"Always lad. Always. Though I actually belong elsewhere fer now, until then though we'll likely cross path's again without knowin'." He added with a smile to Ricky. The guard gave a soft smile of his own in turn, a nod of assurance to Odis as he felt that was an acceptable answer. "Now. Ready?"

"Y-yeah. Ready." Ricky nodded as he gave his answer, and then Odis' right hand fell to Ricky's shoulder wound. From there he felt his world go hazy, and within an eye's blink everything went black...

--Location: Maria Satterthwite Memorial Grounds---

The healers carefully removed the dried clay as though it were a stab, blood continued its course as the reopened parts of the gash were cleaned out quickly in an effort to prevent any infection. As one healer focused on the cleaning and disinfecting the wound the other used his healing mark for it's intended purpose. Blue light swarmed over the parts of the gash his hands covered as it practically sealed the gash shut like an illusion, the magics behind it restoring that of the severed flesh underneath the palms. Hannah leaned on Tallis for support as she was more than just exhausted, she still felt panicked after what would've be the point of death for Ricky. Now that the healers had arrived just in the nick of time, all hope seemed to increase further as they came closer to healing Ricky back to good health.

As the group watched the healers work sure enough the gash had been healed well enough with but a thinner cut than before, and together they finished patching that up in steady time. No doubt Ricky would have a scar there once it's healed, but that was of little important now. What was important was the fact he still had a cutlass through his shoulder, as they had to examine the angle the blade entered and its exit point as well. By this point Ricky had lost a large amount of blood, enough to go unconcious for several bells at best. When one healer leaned Ricky up and held him in position, the other grabbed the hilt with a firm grip and gave a few tugs as the blade barely even inched out. With one more tug with a little more force behind it the blade finally came loose and slid from its resting place, and Ricky's eyes opened right after. "Gaaaahohohohoooooow!" His reaction surprised the medics and the group, the scream of pain unexpected from the guard as he grunted and groaned while the healers worked to disinfect the shoulder as well before healing it.

Hannah practically jumped out of her skin at his scream, she ran her hands ran through her fire red hair almost frantically as she tried to keep calm. Nevertheless she and Burt took Ricky's reaction as a good sign, he was awake once more after what seemed like an eternity of sleep. Ricky's eyelids were still heavy though, and even though much of his pain had died down he still felt it radiate around his stomach area. Of course his entire left shoulder felt as though it were on fire, but that seemed to null down to an agitating flare after a warm pleasant blue light came next. The healers cupped their hands over the hole in his shoulder and from their the soothing feeling that followed eased his pain by a lot, enough to the point where he was ready to sleep.

"He's all good, but there's been a lot of blood loss. He'll need to stay at the Infirmary for a few days." One of the doctors explained to the group, relief filled the group soon after as Hannah and Burt thanked the Divines that Ricky had lived.

"I'll head back to Ricky's place and tell the other two the good news, I can only imagine the worrying Telly's going through." She looked specifically to Tallis, then proceeded to give him a gentle hug. "You were pretty amazing back there, thank you for helping Ricky." She spoke appreciatively with a loose grin, a sincere admiration in her eyes as she left to rush on to Gale and Telion. They too deserved to know what happened after all, and the sooner they heard everything the better the two could rest at ease.

--Location: Ricky's Place in the Old Quarter---

Gale comforted her and did his best to help calm her nerves, his words (though mostly true) weren't all that convincing for the pregnant woman that cried in his shirt. Her tears didn't seem to stop their flow even as her sobs were steadily under better control, it took several chimes in fact to finally find the ability to loosen her grip around as she slowly recomposed her self. Finally the sobs lessened and the tears gradually lessened their streams down her cheeks as she eased back, a apologetic look shot to him as she gave a fragile smile of appreciation.

"Thank you, for everything Gale." She finally found her voice once more, her soft tone nearly a whisper as she looked between his face and the floor. "You're a good person... I mean, a good friend." She corrected as she wiped her eyes with her thumbs. "Ricky is lucky to have a friend like you around." She added with a bit of a bigger smile, though that died down as the sound of footsteps tapped against the stone floors of the other room with the stair case that led up to the second floor. "I think someones coming!" She remarked with a few steps away to the bedroom door, she waited a little bit before going inside should it by chance be one of the others, and sure enough the door into the hallway swung open to reveal a huffing Hannah.

"He's all right!" She said inbetween gasps. "Ricky's all right." Her eyes were red and puffy from crying so much earlier, but a loose smile on her face proved that the news she brought to be even better than good. Telion's face showed a mix astonishment and relief all in one, as she managed to rest a hand over her heart with a much needed sigh.