Seagulls and Sea Rats.

Sprinting across the reef toward Tarawath I collapses to the ground next to her, the rock striking my knees painfully but heart ignored the sting. I slid my arms underneath Tarawath’s warm body, pulling her close to me.

“Tara?” I whispered her name, pushing her bangs from her eyes, “Tarawath, please open your eyes, hun.” My fingers trembled as I touched her face, the tips slowly tracing her cheeks to her lips. Suddenly, a slight gasp as she inhaled her lips quivering a bit as her body shook lightly and her eyes fluttered opened.

“Mm…hey, Kal.” She smiled.

“Are you ok?” I pressed, “You’re not hurt?”

She forced a smile, not through pain but exhaustion, “I’m fine. You should know better then to worry like that, Tiger.” She attempted to sit up in my arms, but her body just couldn’t handle it.

Footsteps neared behind us as Faction 5 closed in, I felt a coldness to my right as Katurian knelt down beside him. On instinct, without even thinking my body shied away pulling Tara from him. He put his hand on my shoulder pulling me back.

“Stop being so weak.” He spat as he put his other hand on Tara’s cheek to examine her face. As soon as his fingers touched her skin the shadows enveloping his fingers and hand began to recede. The entire cloak of darkness fled from his body, sinking into any nook or crack of the reef it could find. Katurian looked into Tara’s eyes, as he did I could feel her body shaking in hands but she didn’t try to pull away. “Mmm…you consumed all of your Astral powers, didn’t you?”

Tarawath nodded to him, “Astral Flow, we call it.”

He let go and stood up, “She’ll be fine then, just tired.”

What happened next is hard to recall, suddenly, I was on the ground my vision dazed and the entire world spinning. My cheek pressed against the rocks and Tarawath laying next to me on her back her face contorted with pain from the blow of being thrown to the ground. I shook off my confusion, rolling to my back to see what had hit us. Gideon and Vael were still on their feet, Stitch was on all fours shaking her head. I saw no sign of Katurian. Standing before Gideon and Vael was a the same demon-beast we ha encountered in Jeuno! Several lashing spines were protruding from his back and whipping at Gideon who fended and parried each one with her Great Sword. Vael stood behind her swatting them away with his massive Galka mitts. I turned to Tarawath, pulling her closer to me. I tried to speak, but the blast still had my head jarred I couldn’t hear anything except the muffled sounds of battle let alone my own words. I looked back towards the fight and saw Katurian, once again enveloped in Shadows he was hovering behind the demon focus channeling some sort of green beam into it’s back. From what I saw on the ground at the demons feet it was burning or stripping off the beasts skin. I sensed footsteps behind us all of a sudden. Before I could look to what I was several gun shots cracked in the night air and the shells hit the demon-beast, flashes of light blue, green and red erupted into shards of ice, gusts of air and bursts of fire. I felt someone grab my shoulders, lifting me upward. As I looked down two men were carefully taking Tarawath into their arms. As my hearing began to focus back in I could hear one commanding voice over all other sounds.

“Get these two back to the ship!” it said, “All fire focused on that mammoth in the sky!”

I looked to my left where the voice was coming from, it was a tall Elvaan, white hair dressed in red and brown like a pirate, the trademark look of the Corsairs. I shook off the Hume who was pulling me to my feet, but he held fast to my aid.

“Easy ‘der mate! We’re ‘ere to help ya, ya see!” he spoke to me.

However I was beginning to regain my composure, “I’m fine!” I said pulling away and stumbling forward a bit. “Gideon!” I shouted past all the fighting.

She didn’t look at me, instead just called over her shoulder as she battled the beast, “Get on the boat Long-Ears! Get whatever information you need, we’ll meet you back in Whitegate in a few days! Just get out of here!”

“Sad story this would turn out if the Phratrie just left a few friendly Vagrants to fend for themselves.” The main Corsair smiled as two red bursts erupted from the gun was wielding.

I glanced behind me quickly to see the two men had just gotten Tarawath to the ship and where hoisting her up the side. I turned to the Corsair in charge, “Don’t worry about them, it’d be best if we pulled back – they can more then fend for themselves!”

It was at that moment Katurian’s shadow form seemed to explode with darkness! Flares of shadow shooting out of his body in every direction as his eyes flashed an intense red and from above the demon-beast out of nothing appeared condensed shadow energy in the form of a scythe swinging down and severing the beasts arm from it’s body. The limb crashed to the ground and it like rock, shattering as though it was glass. The beast let out a massive roar as it swung at Katurian, who evaded by dissipating in and out of his shadow form and loose dark energy.

The Elvaan blinked once after witnessing this then turned to his men, “Back to the boat, Scallywags!”

As I turned to follow I caught only a glance of what happened next. Stitch had ran in close to Vael who had a nasty cut all down his arm from one of the lashing spines. She was knuckle deep inside of him when one of the spines managed to get between them. Ignoring Vael, the spine flickered red before slamming itself into Stitch with an immense force. She was propelled backward nearly 30 yards before she was stopped by the cliff face. He body clattered against the rock like a rag doll before she slid to the ground, remnants of blood trailing down the wall with her. As I was being shuffled onto the ship I saw Katurian appear beside her. The ship was pushed off and that was the last I saw of Faction 5 that night.

The main corsair, obviously Captain of the ship took straight for the deck with myself in tow, “Alright, seadogs! We ain’t got much wind tonight, so hop to it and get us back out to the blue!” he barked.

I reached forward putting my hand on his shoulder, “Where’d they take Tara?”

He stopped suddenly, in fact, everyone within view suddenly froze at my action. The Corsair turned his head slightly to my hand, “…the Summoner?”

I removed myself from him, “Yes. I need to make see her now.”

“Strange for a Summoner of her nature to be traveling in the company of those such as yourself and whoever the others were, don’t you think?” he smiled.

“She’s my fiancé.” My patience were suddenly growing thin. “And I’m not up for games right now.”

Tara’s sweet, familiar voice came from above us, “Kal?” She was leaning over the rails from above near a door to the cabin, she still looked weary and tired.

“Miss?” the Corsair asked, “Do you have relations to this man besides being the prey of Lamian Hordes?”

She smiled weakly, “Of course. He’s my prince in shining armor.”

The Corsair returned the smile, “Perhaps he might re-invest in that shining part.” He then turned to me, “My deepest apologies…Mr?”

“Landis.” I said, “Kallo Landis.”

“And Tara?” he asked her, “Was it?” to which she nodded with a sweet smile.

“Allow me to introduce myself then, I am Qultada Captain of the Seagull Phratrie…and apparently, your savior for the night.” He grinned, then another thought suddenly caught his attention, “…Landis? I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be surprised.” Tara stuck her tongue out, “He gets around back home.”

“Your first time in Aht Urghan than is it?” Qultada asked as he turned walking once again towards the upper deck.

“We’re here on business.” I said, “Those people we were with on the Reef hired me to help them with a errand in the Ruins.”

“Alzadaal?”

“Those are the ones. The reason we were on the reef actually, was to find you.”

“Hiring a foreigner to take them through the ruins, that seems odd.”

“Not so much through, but just to get them in.”

“So, whatever do you need us for then?” Qultada asked, turning back toward me.

“It’s the Alzadaal Depths we need access too…we were told if anyone could give us information about gaining access there, it would be the Corsairs.”

“And you’ve been all too accommodating so far.” Tara smiled, seeming a bit more full of zest as she came to my side and took my arm into hers. “A real gentlemen. Like someone else I know.” She nudged me in the side lightly, “It would be against my better judgment to tag you for someone who wouldn’t help out a poor damsel in distress.”

Qultada’s lips slowly curved up into a smile as he crossed his arms, “…silver tongued little Angel isn’t she?”

I grinned back, “She matches wits me with sure enough.”

“He said Angel, Tiger. Not devil.” I got another nudge, this time a bit harder.

Qultada turned back around this time to a door as he unlocked it, “I think I can help you out…but Landis, that name sounds too familiar. You sure you’ve never been to these lands before?”

“Like the Mithra said,” another voice suddenly chimed in from above us, followed by the clicking of a gun cocking, “He gets around.” All attention was turned to the ropes above and sitting perched with a Hexagun in his hand was a carbon copy of myself in Corsair garbs. “Welcome to Aht Urghan, Kal.” It was Akeem, but in a way it wasn’t. There was something in the way he talked, the way he looked at me that just wasn’t my brother. “What’s the matter? Nothing to say? Aren’t you proud?” he slid down a rope to the deck, instinctively I pushed Tara behind me to separate her from any type of danger. His eyes followed her for a moment and he grinned wickedly, “Just like you now…a Vagrant roaming Vana’diel! We’ve so much more in common, don’t we?”

“…Akeem?” Qultada raised an eyebrow, “…this is your brother?”

“No.” he said walking closer to me, only feet away now. “This man is a Corpse.” He raised his Hexagun and the powder flashed!

Voices followed quickly with panic and confusion! I had ducked just barely at the last second pulling Tara down with me. Even another member of the crew had reached out in time to push Akeem’s hand upward but the bullet still tore straight at me had it not been for the Ninjutsu magic still lingering from the Lamia fight it would’ve been me, not a shadow copy dispatched.

“Hold him down!” Qultada ordered beaming toward Akeem as two other crew members pulled him back. “You two!” he pointed to Tara and I, “Against the wall!”

“Captain!” Akeem began to speak, “Silence!” he was seething with anger, but keeping it well hidden.

“No one.” He punctuated, “No one on this ship decides who live or who dies except me.” He pointed to Akeem, “I thought that’s something you understood.”

“As for you Mr. Landis.” He paused, then a slight grin snuck into his lips, “You’re lucky I remember just were I heard your name.” he turned back towards Akeem, “Drevan had mentioned a son before, but I didn’t realize he had two.”

Akeem seemed confused, “…wait, what?”

“I don’t know much of the story here.” Qultada went on, “But, I know enough to know it’s not my business and I doubt any of it as severe as to warrant the murder of siblings on my ship, especially when they’re guests of mine…and one of them being such a lady of high standing. As for you Akeem.” He turned to my brother, “Repercussions will be had.”

He scowled, “I didn’t do anything!” he pulled at those restraining. “He’s the one who deserves punishment! His whole goddamn life is one long crime!”

I felt Tara’s grip on my arm tighten.

“Akeem.” Qultada said, “Calm down. This type of behavior is hardly fitting.”

“Oh, I can calm.” He said, “It’s just a matter of time before I get my chance at him…” he looked at me, “At you for real. I promise, Kal, it’s coming.”

A click sounded and suddenly, Akeem was at the receiving end of a Hexagun barrel, “That. Is especially not how we operate in this crew.” Qultada whispered. “And I’ll not have you smearing the good name.”

“Qultada!” I finally was able to break my own silence, “…don’t.”

He looked to me, “You’d have him spared even after this little speech and claim to your life?”

“He’s still my blood.” I said solemnly, “I don’t…” I looked to Akeem, “Akeem.”

“Don’t even.” He spat.

“You’re sure then?” Qultada asked once more, his Hexagun still inches from Akeem.

I stopped for a moment, Akeem’s eyes trying to burn a hole right through me as I seriously considered the options. It was one thing that I’ve taken away his entire life up until this point, could I really handle, really live with myself knowing I was the cause of my own twin brother’s death?

A soft hand took mine, clasping around it, “Kallo…” it was Tara, she put her head against my back.

“Just let him go, please.” I said.

Qultada nodded, “Very well.” He pulled his gun from Akeem, “Akeem, you are hereby banished, not just from the Corsairs – but I’d wager it’s in your best interest to get as far from Aht Urghan as possible. You know how ungentlemanly I can be when not in the company of guests and more so, that of a Lady.”

Akeem then looked, not at me or Qultada, but at Tarawath. His eyes cold, not filled with hate, not with thanks either. It was as though they were viewing a prize, a possession. Like a scheme was building, he blinked and smiled and while still staring at my fiancé addressed me, “I don’t owe you a goddamn thing.” He pulled away from those keeping him held down and walked toward the back of the ship.

“Don’t give him too much liberties.” Qultada said, “We’ll drop him off near Caedarva. Until then, keep him close.” The two men Qultada spoke too nodded and took off after Akeem. “As for you two…my apologies.”

I shook my head, “No. I’m more inclined to offer my own.”

He nodded, “Down to business then shall we?” he raised his arm towards the still opened door to his cabin and Tarawath and I entered.

“Alright.” Qultada said as we all took seats inside. “We don’t deal too much in the Ruins to be completely honest. They’re big, they’re deep – but the Empire and the Immortals have quite a hold on them. So, I can’t help you directly. However, I can point you in the right direction of someone who can help.”

“That’s better then what we have now.” I said.

“…they’re not going to be willing to help.” He smiled.

“Everyone has a price.” I returned the gesture.

His smile widened, “Indeed they do. And as President of the Salaheem’s Sentinels. Naja Salaheem’s price is often extremely high.”

~ by Kallo on September 19, 2008.