Chapter 25: The Cave

The princess awoke upon course and damp sandy floor. Her mind was reeling from brief flashes of oppressive darkness, gasping for air, thrashing as her lungs filled with seawater. She held her chest as pain crackled at even the slightest of movements. Her robed were tattered, her exposed bruised and all color having left it. Each breath was like needles pressed to her sides. How had she exactly survived the encounter? Thoughts came like a thousand voices, constantly swirling around her mind as she tried to get a semblance of what had happened. Thankfully Feku was to her side, her voice a place of stability.

“Stay still. Lie down." The kobold gently laid her claws upon the mage's torso, guiding her back towards the sandy floor. “Unless you want die. You have me scared." Her voice lowered, a flash of pain flickering across her purple pools.

“But what happened? The others? The ship?" Nivra coughed, wincing as if a cactus had given her a tight embrace.

“It would appear we were saved from the ship by an unknown hand." Came Tehya's pained cough, the minotaur leaning up along the smooth, stone cavern they found themselves in. “Robbed of our noble deaths by some ignorant idiot."

“You speak like death good." Feku snapped, her eyes narrowed. “Death always bad, don't be silly."

The cow snorted dismissively, waving off the kobold with a bandaged arm smeared with dried blood. Her weapon was missing, her clothes just as tattered as the mage herself. “How could you, a kobold understand? You hide in filthy caves digging like animals for your deaths."

“At least we no want death." Feku rolled her eyes, signaling her leaving of the conversation by focusing on Nivra's still coughing form. “It ok princess. You no drown, cough it out. You be better come morning."

“How do you know that?" Stars danced around Nivra's sight, leaving tiny green dots with their passing. Her eyes flicked around the sparse cavern, finding only a pool of water that divided the place, along with the dancing flames of a magical conjured campfire. Without wood the cavern was left with the damp smell of the sea, lacking the usually comforting fire's scent.

“I have spells in morning. We lucky to escape and find cave!"

They were, weren't they? Nivra contemplated through the pain of the events that led to this conundrum. There had been intruders, sea elves if she remembered them correctly in the dwindling light. The battle had been brief and brutal, that was before she'd been smashed upside the head. She rubbed her temple, finding a fist sized lump and groaning. “You didn't save us from the ship?"

The kobold shook her head with a sad sigh as Tehya simply coughed and laughed bitterly into her fist.

“And what? Sing or cower at them till they let us go? Tell her how a dark shape saved you kobold. Left us here like some prized meat to save for later." She gestured to the darkened water glimmering in the light, “Not like we can go anywhere. Perfect little cage if you ask me."

The mage eyed the drooping kobold, trying to meet her wandering eyes. She searched her from trembling foot to pale scaled snout. “Is this true?" She winced and dragged herself to the cavern wall, propping herself up against Feku's warning.

“Not entirely." The kobold tapped her claws together, nervously eyeing the water. “Voice say to stay put and safe. They look around for others and food. That all I know." She returned to Nivra a sympathetic gleam in her eye. “Honest."

“A voice?" Nivra patted her side, fear coiling in her gut at the mere mention of a voice. Voice of that thing they'd conversed with? The warning she'd discounted. The thought left a bitter taste on the tongue and killed what spirit she had. Not to mention, her belt was empty. She had no book, her staff wasn't in the cave, even her reagent pouches were missing from her belt. Her eyes widened as she realized the predicament, they were in. She was without spells.

“But not the bad voice. Not that…thing." Feku shivered, “Something that wanted to save us!"

“Yea, save us for dinner." Tehya grumbled, blood shot eyes falling upon them both. “You think all the way out here someone would rescue the likes of us for a pat on the head? A reward?" She scoffed, shifting in her seat. “Wouldn't that be the luckiest thing I ever did see."

Feku retreated, clearly wounded as she plopped down at Nivra's side. She searched Tehya and the princess' wounds, laying a gentle claw on Nivra's side. “In morning I heal…. Asterion…" She trailed off, her scales shifting to a dark azure. “He taught me stuff. Enough to heal little wound." She gestured to the cuts and bruises dotting Nivra's flesh.

“We'll be needing it too little kobold. Whatever this thing be, Its not going to be killing me without a fight." Tehya thumped her shredded tunic. “Its going to have to choke down every bit of me."

“It won't come to that." The kobold wiggled her feet. Up went her head, light shining in her eyes. “Maybe it be dragon to save us!"

“A dragon?" Tehya scoffed, recounting at least a dozen reasons why a dragon would rather eat or torture them to no end. “Especially with a princess and a kobold? We're be better off dying by it's claws, mark me words."

As the two bickered over the morality of dragons and their fates, Nivra was left to contemplate in silence of their predicament. No weapons, no spells, not any clue where they found themselves or how long ago the attack had been. She squeezed her nose with her aching fingers, chastising herself for not sleeping with her spell book attached at her hip. It would have survived the watery depths, she'd had it enchanted to resist flames and water years ago. Any mage worth their salt would do such things, without a spell book a wizard was essentially useless.

She found herself discounting Feku's optimism over their savior, aware of the witch she'd encountered back within Drenedar's borders. Her stomach churned at the grotesque meal presented, and the implied fate of those that wandered in before her. Perhaps they were better off meeting a watery end, drowning was certainly more palatable than being eaten.

Brushing her salt water tangled hair, she counted her headband as one of the many things lost. She gave a heavy sigh and tried to insist that these challenges were only just that, obstacles that she and them would no doubt overcome. Yet the screams of the sailors who'd fallen still hounded at her thoughts, dragging her into a blacked miasma of despair. She looked to the pool, seeing Shandalar's face reflected in the firelight. She'd also counted on Nivra to have her protection.

Look at what happened there. The mage thought bitterly, you let her down as well.

“Have you tried even healing these wounds?" Tehya gnawed at her sullied bandages.

“Yes!" Feku snapped, smacking the warrior with her tail. She yelped and scampered away as the cow woman cast her with a look so fiery, the air was set to be cast aflame. She pressed herself behind Nivra, as if the wounded wizard could protect her from the minotaur's wrath. “So stop picking or wounds get worse!"

“Now a kobold is giving me advice in healing?" The minotaur's tail thrashed again the sand in disagreement. “What has the world come to?"

“Just be patient as lady Lyndis says. You both hurt, must rest. Have food in pack." She set aside a surprisingly dry pack, digging through with a wagging tail. She procured four soggy biscuits that ran through her fingers. She drooped, “Maybe not."

“Guess that means we plan our day ahead on empty bellies." Tehya grumbled, staring intently into the flames. “Not like how I imagined it."

“Imagined it how?" Nivra folded her arm across her, taking what comfort she could in the flame's warmth.

“Death." She said softly, “You're supposed to have a full belly, spirits full, and the adrenaline of battle coursing through your veins." She sighed, her ears drooping. “This? This is an insult to the very idea." She laughed grimly, “If I had a blade, I'd demand you ritually kill me. At least then I'd have an honorable death."

“We're not going to die." Nivra replied quickly, meeting the minotaur's sudden, hardened expression. Skepticism lay between the firelight dancing within her brown pools. It proved mightier than Nivra's conviction. She turned away, her body slumping. “At least not yet. I see that we draw breath. Long as we do, we have a chance."

“Its breath we draw with the mindset of the deluded." She snorted. “Feel free to concoct one of your schemes. I'll be preparing for what hopes to be a honorable death." The minotaur closed her eyes, composing herself with a gentle breath. In a whisper she began chanting in the minotaur tongue, of countless warriors from beyond her time, and the battles they waged to their end.

How her brow furrowed at the minotaur's acceptance of their fate. Blood boiled as she tried to stand on her wobbly legs. If she'd accepted her fate like her father intended, she'd have never gotten this far. She'd still be hidden away in a wizard's tower somewhere, doomed to a life of seclusion and study. That was not the makings of a queen, and certainly not one on a quest to see her nation redeemed. There had to be a way out of this.

She eyed the damp walls of the cavern, how they glistened in the camp light. There had to be a secret passage or something, this couldn't be their end. Fumbling along, inches at a time, she pressed her tired fingers into the ridges and valleys of the stone. Each time she muttered and hoped that the next time would reveal a secret, some hidden passage which would be their salvation. She'd gone all around their half of the room under Feku's nervous eye, not finding what she sought. She collapsed with an exhausted breath by the fire, what strength she had was practically gone.

“You should not be move." Feku helped her sit upon the wall. “What I say earlier?" Her voice grew sterner, eyes shinned with bravery.

“We-“

“You have to stay." She interrupted, tapping Nivra's chest. “Doctor mister kobold wizard's orders."

She chortled with a pained wince at the long list of titles, “You're a doctor now?"

“Good as any." She nodded, “So listen like good queen."

“Your bedside manner is absolutely atrocious."

“Joke on you." Feku replied over her shoulder as she renewed the fire, sticking out her tongue. “I donts know what atrocious mean."

If not for the night's events, Nivra might have challenged the kobold's snippy response. As it was, she sighed and knew that the scaled bard was right. Her mind was in shambles like her robes. Nerves were shot and she was lucky for any semblance of life. The others hadn't been so lucky. In the coming silence she recounted the nights events from attack to know, criticizing her every decision. They'd paid for her choices, failed decisions. Her father's words taunted her in fractured whispers.

“Think." She muttered to herself, staring at the coarse sand. There had to be something else, something was missing. When nothing came, she was left clutching at her wounded sides, swearing bitterly like a sailor.

“You swored!" Feku spun around, her eyes wide. “You swored!"

“Course she did kobold." Tehya chuckled, “I think the lady deserves to swear at a time like this!"

“But she never! Like never ever! No matter problem! Large or medium."

“That so?" The minotaur sighed and stared at the water's edge, clearly haunted by the night. “I think now would-be time as any to swear. Unless you think this mysterious rescuer or dragon." The warrior put the word in mocking quotations, “Comes to save us."

“I do think that!" Feku snapped her snout between the two, when they gave her skeptical looks, she thumped her tail in protest, scattering sand. “It true! Maybe Storm's daughter came to help us!"

“Storm? As in the blue dragon at the port?" Tehya rose a brow, chuckled and then dismissed her with a wave. “Now I know you're crazy. Sure you haven't hit your head?"

“it not crazy…" Her voice grew softer as she turned to Nivra, “Right?"

The queen bit her lip. She'd seen the anger within Storm's eyes as he came after them. “Feku." She replied softly, laying a hand tenderly on his shoulder. “Even if it was his daughter. You think she'd risk her life to come after one ship?"

“Probably to throw us in irons!" The minotaur scoffed, “Or eat us. Whatever dragon justice would be. Either way, you can count me out."

“Even if not dragon." Feku folded her arms, “Better than sea elf. I take chances. Maybe they help with others.

Nivra didn't want to cut the little kobold's hope at the stem and simply let the words linger upon the air. Tehya didn't seem to consider them any value and pressed on back with her mutterings, drifting back into an almost trance like state. Feku leaned back against the save, staring up at the cavernous ceiling above, singing a gentle song to herself in comfort, to cease the trembling of her claws.

What felt like hours passed as the trio remained in such a state, Nivra having laid down around the fire, unable to find comfort in the cavern wall. It wasn't very lady like, but in this moment the future queen didn't care. She plopped down like the wildest of hermits, sand strewing about her locks. She counted the minutes, trying to will herself to sleep, but the voices of the lost demanded her attention. It was Feku who finally broke the stalemate of conversation, tilting her head at a high pitch verse from the minotaur.

“What you doing?"

Tehya opened an eye, searching Feku's curious expression up and down before giving a heavy snort of derision. “Praying."

“Praying?" The kobold gasped, clicking her claws. “You're a cleric too?"

“No." She closed her eye, resetting her hands against her knees. “I'm praying for a noble death, one that's memorable by song." She gestured to the cavern with her snout. “Though I don't think anyone will do remembering of us, one can hope."

“Why you always want to be dying?" Feku shouted, jumping to her feet, scales turning blue. “Dying is bad! It makes everybodys sad and terrible!"

Her words didn't move the stalwart minotaur. “Perhaps for you little one, but not for my people. Our deaths are just as important as our lives. Look to your queen, she knows what the future holds. She simply is afraid to share her true thoughts out of some human politeness. I will not entertain such baseless opinions." All eyes shifted to Nivra, but Feku's were the widest.

The wizard looked away, her cheeks flushed, her tongue tied for a snappy response. “Of course that's preposterous. We're not even sure this savior is a dragon. The best thing we could do is function on the assumption we won't be dying."

“See?" Tehya grunted with a grim smirk, “She has her views and I do mine. If we succeed I will be happy, if we should die how I wish?" She sighed, “I will also be so." She turned to Feku, who had not been convinced. “It might be hard to understand for one such as yourself, but my people long for a honorable death. One were we are standing, fighting to the last, reveling in the pure truth that is our way. To waste away like an old man or woman isn't our way, nor to pass without dignity in our beds." Her tone grew softer, laced with a slight fear as she stared into the wavering magical flames. “If we chose to walk this path, to die without honor is to pass into the empty valleys of the unworthy. Where our souls will be mocked, forgotten, looked upon with pity." Her eyes closed as a visible shiver went about her brown fur. “There can be no dishonor as great as this. It's something we all try to avoid."

“Your god sound bad." Feku wrinkled her snout, crossing her arms. “All because you die not in battle? Glenriech is much better."

Tehya scoffed at such an assertion. “Is that god not the one where the afterlife can be paid for in wealth? Save your judgements for someone who will humor them, I will not." She gestured for the kobold to depart. “You have your way, I have mine." With a flick of her tail the cavern was gone, and she returned to her low, mournful chants.

Feku plopped down next to Nivra, holding her pouch in both hands. She leaned on the wizard's shoulder, giving a heart wrenching whine. “We not going to die here right?" She asked softly, “I heal you in morning. Everything be ok. It has to be."

Nivra sighed, offering the kobold a sympathetic once over from claw to snout. “We're tired. We have no spells, my spell book and reagents are gone. All I have left is my cantrips. Unless you have a way to breathe water, we're stuck in this cavern. That's all if our savior doesn't return and make us pay up for our rescue. Granted they could be benevolent, but that's not really been a practical thought." In a deep sigh she described her time with the witch. “We were lucky to get out of there alive."

“But it can't all be like that!" Feku perked up, gesturing to the water. “That person thing could have eated us all fast like, but they didn't! They flung us up and plopped us here! They has to be good and best and stuff." She shot up, courage swelling in her chest as she marched to the water's edge. “Just you see miss Nivra, our savior will turn out good! No ifs and or butts." She stomped her claw and Nivra wisely held her tongue.

“Then hold onto that." She eyed Tehya, shifting in the sand. “Those that search for death often find it."

“Well, if I'm to be the topic of conversation so often, you might as well answer some questions of me own." Tehya opened her eyes, her brow furrowing, ears pinning. “What was that thing in the hold? Was it you that brought this mess upon our horns? Why my crewmates are lost to us?"

Cold crept into the mage's bones as she held that forceful stare. In a way it was what she dreaded, others paying for her arrogant decision. Sure the captain had been aligned with her, but she still had the final say. She swallowed the lump in her throat and composed herself, maintaining an aura of calm. “Small ship I suppose. What do you know?" She listened intently as Tehya told her story of exactly what happened. There were plenty of errors, at least a dozen accusations that didn't happen, one in particular was about how the man shifted his shape into that of the table.

“He wasn't a mimic." Nivra replied coolly.

The warrior gave a big sigh, fingers running along the length of his snout. “At least it wasn't as bad as I could have thought."

“And how bad could it have been?"

Tehya chuckled grimly, “They could have been a shapeshifter, disguising themselves as part of the crew." She shivered, “Can you imagine something like that? You'd have to do blood tests, bathe them in fire, it would be terrible to face such deception!"

“Bathe them in fire?"

The minotaur nodded, “Most things can be solved by the flame."

“Except red dragons!" Feku added, clicking her claws.

Tehya grumbled something under her breath before being caught in a fit of coughs. They were enough to send Feku to the minotaur's side, the muscular armed woman pushing the kobold away. “I'm in no need pup. I've had worse. Should have seen us cross sword and cannon with a group of Covanians, damn lion people have canons like Lumara." She pointed to a scar at the top of her chest, right below her armpit. “Cannon caught me there, I was left bleedin and whining like an ogrian pig."

When no one shared in her amusement over her almost death, Tehya gave a heavy sigh and insisted that she missed her kind. 'They would have understood the meaning.' “But your story reminds me of one of my clan's own. The tale of the Layceld."

“A story?" Feku bounded over, planting herself with a wiggling tail before the minotaur. “I love stories! Small ones, tall ones, big ones, really epic ones." Her snout was silenced by Tehya's firm grip.

“Then listen and I shall share it little one. It is one often remembered by the Riverwind clan."

Tehya spoke in a reserved way, instilling them in a sense of grandeur as she explained her people's reverence for the sea. Where they tamed it with boat, sword, sail, and instilled that love to the others of her clan. They lived long lives and enjoyed a time of prosperity until what she described as 'the voice' came along. The minotaur's entire body shook as she described this malevolent entity that corrupted the minotaur's of her clan.

“Once they knew the sea was something to work, like the land of our other kin. Then they started to worship it, fall down on their knees before it, lose their lives to the waves. They'd fall into trances for days, when they awoke they were different." When asked, on how, Tehya didn't have the answer. “In time the followers of this voice grew larger by the day. Seasons passed and a great percentage of the clan of Riverwind called this voice master. They spoke of it as though it were a lost deity, choosing their clan for a greater purpose. That's when they started sharing images of the voice, a great eel like creature with four limbs. Its mouth was like a lamprey, it's eyes cloudy and slitted like an octopus. They claimed it could grant gifts that would put them above their fellow minotaurs and issue in another generation of prosperity. But my people were quite suspicious." She added, flicking her ears up. “We are slow to trust and suffer no deceptions. My people gave this beast and it's followers a resounding response, no. Our clan elders slew the speakers of this voice, insulted by what they saw as a move to weaken the clan." She bowed her head, “the beast responded in kind."

Tehya rose her arms with a wince, simulating a great wave that had swept across her land. “The sea came to swallow the ancestral hills of my clan. The towns, villages, hamlets, the forests. All were equally edible to this beasts ravenous hunger. When it was done we were a scattered people, never truly resting in a single home, fearing that this beast would come for us again."

“And you still travel ocean?" Feku asked in surprise. “Even after scary beast?"

“Either by our choice or the beast's hunger, it never struck our people again." She turned to Nivra, who had been enthralled and lost in thought the entire time. “This voice sounds suspiciously like that beast from our legend."

“That it does. We call it an abolyth. Ancient creature that dwells beneath the sea. Is there anything else that legend shared of it's abilities?"

 “They said that could communicate with its members no matter the distance, see and hear through them. That those that found themselves drawn to it would no longer find the land suitable for them. The air would be like poison."

Though her body was tired, her hope dim, curiosity filled her with a jolt of energy. She was rubbing her chin, curls forgotten. “It sounds like telepathy. Perhaps the beast has psychic powers. Might even be able to sustain those from miles away. If we're ever to get a chance to confront it, mental protections will be key." She chuckled and held herself tight, shifting against the hardened stone. “Granted, that's if we get to face it."

“I'll hope that we do." Tehya offered a nod, slightly raising her one good arm. She winced and retracted it, “Facing off against the terror of Layceld? I think that's a death worthy of story in itself."

“Perhaps it can read our thoughts?" The call for mental protection was sounding even wiser. She was now sitting up, invigorated by the possibilities. “Do you think it would want to capture the crew? Learn what they knew of? Instead of just killing them?" She turned to Tehya, a sliver of hope piercing the long shadows of the cave. “They might be alive!"

The warrior caressed her chin, thinking over the implications.

“We just need book and we can go rescue!" Feku leaped up with a great smile, starting to prance around the sand. “Now you just like Veledar!" She froze practically mid leap, her eyes wide as she covered her snout with a yelp.

“Whats a Veledar?" Tehya grunted.

“I no suppose say that! You hear nothing!" Feku whirled around, waving her claws. “Forget you hear!"

“Noted." Tehya turned to Nivra, her head tilted. “But lets say that it wanted us alive to interrogate. How would it get us down there without drowning? Unless it was among the sea elves. This could all be wishful thinking."

Good question, Nivra stayed silent contemplating a response. “You mentioned with it's touch, air would become poison. Clearly this would mean it has a way." She snapped her fingers with a smile. “The gills! That's what happened to the captain from the ship! The abolyth must have touched him!"

Tehya's snout wrinkled, her ears pinned. “You mean to say, they'll become like that thing we had below deck?"

“Precisely." She crossed her arms with a satisfied nod. “Which means they might be able to be saved. They're not to be food."

“What about slaves?" Feku asked softly, returning to the fire. “Maybe it needs those?"

It would certainly fit with the inflated sense of worth that the voice had in the cargo hold. Tehya and the mage grew silent, contemplating their thoughts as a sense of unease settled once more around the trio. Sure they had an inkling of what the creature had in store, but they still had no way of reaching it. Nivra furrowed her brow as she realized the predicament, kicking the sand from under her. Perhaps with the healing Tehya could swim above? She was the most physically capable of them. Though this was if the bloody mermaid hadn't drifted away. Or if they were anywhere near the ship. Plus this could all be undone if their savior returned and proved to be less than helpful.

“Can someone please talk?" Feku asked softly, her scales bone white. She pressed close to Nivra, clutching at her robes.

How long had they been thinking this over? Nivra held the kobold close, fearful of letting her know of the doubts and cold licking at her flesh. “That can certainly be arranged. Any topic good for you? How about the magical applications of dragon bloo-“ She paused as Feku tossed her a fiery look. “Ok, how about the fur of a unicorn then?"

“How about another story?"

Nivra nodded and drummed up a story from her youth. One where she and her brother fished upon the lake of Erendith. “There I was as my brother boasted about his catch, undoing my own. When I went to pull the hook out from the fish's mouth I instead tore out it's eye." She shivered and pretended to wretch, “Absolutely disgusting."

“And that's why you hate eating fish?" Feku scoffed, pulling back in disbelief. “That silly! Fishes taste good!"

She shook her head, chuckling and restating her opinion. “Well you can keep all the fishes for yourself." She poked the kobold on the snout. “That just leaves more you doesn't it?" She smiled when Feku nodded, her scales softly shifting back to a dark green. Though as she lingered, the story played upon her thoughts. How different she must seem to that little girl from so long ago. Nivra looked down at her tattered robes, their journey this far playing before her.

Killing a hag against her word, making peace with the murderer of her father. Even now she was working to appease a beast in a hope that he would not make war upon her home. She'd faltered in a key moment, lost her mentor, and even offered to trade the life of a friend to secure their safety. Though the fire warmed the skin, her insides were deathly cold. She was just as bad as the man she'd called father. Perhaps she should have returned home at the hurdle, been a force for change back at home instead of heading out on this fruitless quest.

But I had to try something. She thought, clutching tight her robes. Her quest had to matter, something to put an end to the vile rot at the depths of her kingdom. Yet as her resolved formed into shape the question lingered of what she would be willing to sacrifice in people or soul to achieve such a prize. Would it be worth it at the end? Would Lumara be better or worse for her actions? She shivered, not knowing the road ahead. That's of course when the pool of water began to ripple, and a serpentine like head with horns rose from it's surface.

Shrouded by the shadows, the beast was a darkened effigy of fear. Silver eyes glimmered in the dwindling light. Nivra shot up, her legs wavering and threatening to collapse. One hand held her on the wall, the other flung out, electricity coiling around her fingertips as she groaned out the words.

Teal scales revealed in the piercing electrical light like diamonds. It's light blue membranes glistened with moisture as the dragon pinned their wings, rising up to tower easily over the mage. It's ivory like horns didn't even scratch the ceiling as water dripped down it's scales to mar the sandy floor. From an air of building dread, the dragon cocked it's head, pinning it's wings with an amused question.

“Are you thinking I'm going to eat you or something Nivra?" The dragon slunk closer as Nivra in her confusion dropped her warding arm. Her brow rose.

“Excuse me?" She blurted without thinking, lost on how this dragon knew her name. Could it read minds as well? The mage didn't lift a finger as the teal dragon chuckled, planting its haunches down with a deep chuckle.

“Cause eating people is gross. Totally terrible, why even do it when you have the sea at your paws." She gestured to Feku with a flick of her frills. “Can you believe this Feku, she thinks I'd even consider eating her."

“You won't take me alive you beast!" Bellowed at the top of her lungs, leaping up to charge head first at the imposing dragon. Dull white horns sought to gouge the dragon, draw her blood, at least injure in one desperate attempt. Exhaustion and the dragon did not agree with the warrior. With just a slight change the beast shifted and tripped the minotaur with an extended forepaw. Instead of the enemies blood, Tehya ended up tasting sand.

“Woah, woah. Tehya, you shouldn't be just charging anyone. What if you hurt someone!" She gasped in surprise, laying a scaled paw against her light blue chest. “Like me for instance!"

Shaking her head free from a layer of sandy, Tehya pushed herself up with a groan. On her mind was the same question painted on Nivra's face. “How on the earths do you know our names dragon?"

“I second that question." Nivra added, giving the not that shocked kobold a raised brow. Evidently the kobold had known more than she was letting on. Nivra sat, her eyes never leaving the dragon's scales as it laid itself down before the fire like a frost bitten dog.

The dragon waved it's paw, none too concerned with Tehya's sharpened look, nor the tensing of her muscles begging to spring. “Its not that hard to remember the name of the crew you know. Especially after a month at sea, you'd have to willfully dense to not do that!" When they didn't reply but with raised brows the dragon sighed, thumped her tail and placed a paw to her snout. “Of course! You wouldn't have seen me, I was the parrot always fluttering around." She cleared her throat and did a perfect imitation of the parrot's voice. “I do a near perfect human as well, should ask my father, says I don't smell right but what does he know?" She rolled her eyes. “Names Achaaz by the way." She swelled her chest, slightly tilting her head in a regal way. “Achaaz the adventurous, daughter of the Ramakox and Fremra." She let silence fill the cavern, waiting for applause. When none came her snout flashed between the two. “You don't sound surprised."

“Annoyed I didn't catch ya." Tehya growled, returning to her seat. “All this time under my nose was a shapeshifter and I didn't even know!" She crossed her arms with a sharp huff, “Guess we better up the inspections of the crew!"

“Hey don't feel bad." Achaaz scoffed, “Its not like your members of the sapphire guard or something. You're just a bunch of sea dogs!"

Nivra shook her head, trying to grasp what had been weighed against her shoulders. This entire time they'd had a dragon dwelling in their midst? No wonder Storm had not given chase when he did! His daughter was here the entire time keeping tabs on them. Just as Tehya was grumbling and bickering with the dragoness, Nivra was softly burning inside. Just another instance she should have seen coming. She knew dragons were shapeshifters!

“So if you were with us the entire time, should we expect to be returned in chains?"

Achaaz snapped to the human, repeating what Nivra had said with a chortle. She threw her head back and cackled, smashing her tail against the floor. “Now you think I'm working for my father?"

Now she was lost as to what the dragoness was doing here. She cleared her throat as Achaaz's frills spasmed in time with her laughter. “So….What then?"

“The adventure human! How was not that your first guess?" She smiled, “The open the sea, the promise of an interesting time. The sun, the pirates, the far from home princess. Is that not the making of some grand adventure?" She rolled her paw, “Not to mention the treasure that could be found in such a place. Come on. A dragon would have to be stupid to not come along."

“And here I thought you were against such material things." Nivra shook her head, recounting how Arcturus had described Fremra's antics and beliefs. “You're telling me that isn't true?"

“We're not all like my mother you know." Achaaz replied, “And the urge to collect wealth flows through all our veins. Just as my father why he still has his sapphire guardians bring him things." She snorted, “he may pretend to be well learned and wise, he still has the avarice burning through him. Hell, if you weren't escaping his clutches, he'd probably be proud as ever to know I tagged along." She wiggled her tail, smiling with all her teeth gleaming in the light. Tehya visibly shivered, eying such a display with mistrust.

“Must be quite the adventure for you dragon." Tehya grunted, “The entire ship lost, the crew captured by those gilled freaks. Where were you? Sleeping the entire thing through?"

Achaaz turned with narrowed eyes and a wrinkled snout. “For your information Tehya, I was trying to save my friends as this was going down. Do you know how many of them there were?" She placed a paw to her chest, “I was satisfied with only saving the three of you. There were dozens of them out there with cruel blades and spears."

“Some dragon." Tehya replied bitterly. “Couldn't even handle a few dozen fish."

“What was that?" Achaaz growled, “I couldn't hear you over being knocked out. We cant all be ancient dragons with dozens of powerful spells. I did what I could manage. Just be thankful I mistook you for Asterion among the cloudy water."

“Oh is that why I'm alive?" Tehya replied, her hands forming firsts. “How lucky me you made such a blunder."

“Don't give me that look." Achaaz looked away with a huff, her frills flaring out. “You'd do the same thing in my place. Save the people you know or the lawless pirates. Easy choice, would do it again." The minotaur said nothing, but her eyes were murderous. Feku thankfully broke the tension now swirling around the air.

“Why you take so long in search? Nivra was scared!" The kobold stamped her foot, standing tall.

“Apologies of course." Achaaz bowed her head, coiling her tail around Feku's diminutive frame. “I had to make sure that we were not followed. Those that did had to be…" She trailed off, looking to the water. “Taken care of. Sadly they taste nothing like fish." She wrinkled her snout, sticking her pink tongue out in disgust. “I'd rather bite into a pulsing mass of rotted flesh."

“So was there anyone that followed you?" Nivra asked as Achaaz recounted her brief encounter with some sea elf scouts, each of them being felled by her claws or teeth. Now that they had a means of escape, the last thing they needed was that being undone by her inexperience.

“Of course." The dragoness waved off her concern. “I left no witnesses to both encounters. Left their bodies far away from this place. No one will be sniffing out this place I found." She gestured to their surroundings with her half folded wings. “Not an inn by any means but it will do for now. I figure we can start heading back come morning, after the aching in my joints subsides."

“We can't go back." Nivra blurted, meeting Tehya's eye. By the expression on her face, both had the same thought. “Now that you're we can continue on with the mission, possibly even save the rest of the crew! Did you see where they went?"

The air fell silent as Achaaz looked away, her frills pinning to her snout. “Of course I saw where they were dragged off to. Their unconscious bodies bound tight and held within the slimy claws of those elves." The dragon shivered, “They were accompanied by this giant eel like thing. That abolyth thing I believe you mentioned below deck." She snapped to Nivra with a hardened look. “They're gone and we should focus on heading back home, we don't all need to die."

Go back now? Nivra shook her head as a cool voice whispered to return to port. Cut what loses they had suffered and return while they could. It was the smart, tactical play to be made. Yet as the idea bounced between her ears the more wretched it became, they'd be leaving all those souls that had stood up for them, sworn to help her, protect her. Guilt clutched at her heart with it's boney, cold fingers.

“Some dragon you are." Tehya scoffed, “Here the sound of a chance or a fight and you turn tail and flee. Figures."

“Can you breathe underwater without my help?" Achaaz replied condescendingly, “I'm the one calling the shots here like it or not. I saw what they did to the ship, the elementals, the storm, the crew. They have an entire army at their beck and call, not to mention that creature." The dragon snorted, leveling the minotaur with a sharpened look. “We're in over our heads. Perhaps if we had the others of her group to help we could, but we don't." She tapped her paw, “Stay here if you like, but we are heading back come morning." Achaaz let her words linger on the air before slinking off to rest her paws by the water's edge. Down went her snout, right into those paws as she curled around herself. There would be no room for convincing, words to be shared. Her wings pinned as she stared to the pools rippled.

“Guess we have no choice huh?" Tehya grunted, closing her eyes. “Dragon is a coward and we're saved. Lucky us."

Feku only whined and renewed the fire with a flick of her claws. “Poor Asterion." She muttered softly, curling her tail as her scales turned a dark navy.

They couldn't just give in like this. That dragon was the only thing standing in their way from trying to rescue the others. Not only that, but the future of Nivra's kingdom. If she honestly believed that any sacrifices should be made for her people, this was it. Even if that meant her own life. With a wavering step she tentatively crept to Achaaz's side, aided by Feku's little claws. Down she plopped to the dragon's bulk, putting on a calm face as the dragoness turned to her.

“What do you want? I can see it in your eyes. You only want to talk about the others." Achaaz grumbled, “I already made my choice."

“That I heard. The pragmatic choice if I ever heard one. Trust me, I'm familiar with the decision myself." She sighed, staring off to the water. In it she could see the replaying of the night with Shandalar's death. Her willing offer of Veledar to keep the rest of them safe. “You're right though, we should return with our tails between our legs, cherishing that we were lucky enough to be saved. Though its not the most inspiring story that could be told."

“This isn't one of those stories." Achaaz replied sternly, “Just something that fell apart, a tale that tells the people in it should have just turned back." She looked away, her paws trembling.

She was holding back. “You're scared aren't you?" Nivra caught the dragon's eye. “It's okay if you are. I've been terrible scared more times in my life than you can imagine."

“But its different for you." She scoffed, looking Nivra up and down. “You're a human. Fall down the wrong way and you meet your end. We're supposed to be of a tougher breed."

“And yet you're not." Nivra reached out, resting a hand on Achaaz's scaled neck. No growl came, no snapping response, the dragon merely sighed and rested her snout into her paws.

“I saw that creature. The one with the powers. I heard it in my mind." Achaaz spoke softly, curling her tail. “Just a tiny whisper, tempting me closer. It spoke of mystery, legends, things no one had ever known before." She shivered, closing her eyes. “I was trapped within it's gaze, a cold so great that it swallowed me whole. I did what I could only think of, shielding myself with a murky cloud." She recounted her harrowing tale of swimming down, her heart practically exploding from her chest. “I think it needs to see you, as it soon lost track of me, swam away to join it's minions. That's when I found you." She weakly gestured to them all, “I used an invisibility charm to shield myself and did what I had to do."

The dragoness whined, her eyes a chasm swirling with fear. “I don't want to become one of it's puppets. Not like that thing, just a corrupted dragon, choking for breath and not able to control myself." She rose her paws, staring at them as she quivered, “It's a fate worse than death."

“That may be, but the others are facing that reality right now." Nivra swallowed down her pragmatism. “The ones you swore to protect when you boarded that vessel."

“Did I?" The dragoness scoffed.

“You certainly did." Nivra replied sternly, “When you joined the ship as an adventurer. If I'm aware, adventurers always stick together, have their companion's backs." Her voice grew lower, realizing how she appeared to Arcturus and the others.

“Didn't you try to betray Veledar to the lich to save yourself?"

“It was to save us all." She said softly, “It was a mistake, and I'll right it one day. I just need to do this one quest first."

“That all that matter to you? This confounded quest? Not the threat of death and the loss of life? Where is the concern for your own morality?"

Nivra paused, composing her thoughts as she absentmindedly caught the dragoness' scaled chin. She nearly chuckled to herself at those silver, stern eyes. Others might have been shied away by those predatory things, but she had more important things to worry about. “I am the rightful queen of Lumara. The concern for my people and their prosperity if more important than my life. In that temple lurks the key to my people's future. Shandalar my master believed it to be so, as do I. I'm begging you to put aside your fear and help us find a way to complete that and rescue the others."

She turned to Feku and Tehya, biting at her scaled lips. She paused as Feku placed her claws together and begged with a cracking voice.

“You must Achaaz, Asterion needs our help. I need his help. He promised to bring Azik back!" She had tears in her eyes.

“But we could all die." Achaaz responded, trying to look away. “You're asking me to face death, all for a handful of pirates. That wouldn't be doing the same for me."

“Then for Asterion!" The kobold stomped her foot, lashing her tail. “He will go to heck if we don't help! He has to rebirth his people!"

“Resurrect." Nivra corrected.

“I don't care! He needs to be saved!" Her scales flashed red, her eyes filled with fire. Even the dragon was taken back how forceful the kobold became. “You big brave dragon, act like it!"

“But I'm not." Achaaz drooped, her frills pinning. “I'm pragmatic."

Tehya snorted, “How convenient. Were not that pragmatic when your father came after us. Only when the seas get rough do you flee."

“Don't mind her." Nivra cut the minotaur off before she could start a rant that would be most unhelpful. “Listen to me." She gently moved Achaaz's snout right infront of her, their eyes locking on one another. “I just need my book, regents and staff. All of which are back at the boat. If we gather some supplies and use our heads we could certainly mount a rescue operation. I just need you to find what courage you have-“

“But what I jus-“

“Courage isn't facing the danger without fear." She cut the dragon off with a rub of her cheek. “It's knowing the odds before doing such a thing. You speak of stories that your father told, but I can guarantee those people in those stories were not the paragons of bravery as you know it. Each step along their journey was fraught with peril, the uncertainty of what lay ahead. They had plenty of chances to head back when things got rough. But they didn't."

She began to hold Achaaz's snout in both hands as the dragon didn't stir, soaking up her words like a sponge. “They dreamed that things could get better, that a future of light awaited them beyond the hills and mountains of each journey. So I'm asking you to follow us there Achaaz, to take that step with all us scared mortals. Help us save the ones we care about. So that we might sleep soundly with what nights we have."

“Speak for yourself, I'm not afraid!" Tehya blurted in.

“Except her." Nivra groaned, holding the dragon's attention. “What say you?"

The words settled upon the dragon's snout, letting a heavy silence linger in the air. Achaaz contemplated, her silver pools traveling to each of them in turn. Her tail flicked, her eyes dilated as she took a deep and scale shivering breath. “Fine, I know how such things can weigh heavy on the mind." She sighed but rose a paw to silence Feku's cheer. “But Nivra, I demand the ability to call things off if they get out of paw. If our foe is so insurmountable that no victory is certain. Understood?" She rose a brow, shifting her paw forward.

Nivra nodded, placing her hand upon the warm scales. “You have my word."

Achaaz looked to the water's edge, kneading the sand. Where once darkened water mocked her of the night's events, instead looked a tad brighter. She gave a heavy sigh, turning to the smiling kobold and resolute mage. “What must I do?"