Chapter 33
The Isle of Waves, a lonely tor of land deep within the heart of the greatest ocean in the world. Lush tropical beaches, gorgeous sunny weather, tourqoise clear warm ocean to swim in sheltered by the might coral reef from which Ocean Temple rises. The Magnificent Conch shell that houses the temple is a spiralling confection of glittering white shell and bright bands of Lapis-Lazuli. So bright in the glorious, tropical sunshine it over-shadows the tall mountain that rises above the jungle that covers the rest of the island. Clustered near the beach is a nice, tidy town. Thatched roof cottages made from wood stood upon stilt and connected by sandy paths and elevated walkways. The tranquility of the Isle is shattered as a sonic-boom cracks over the gigantic bay sheltered by the temple. A firey-comet of doom careen out of control from the skies, a roaring conflagration of wood being carried on a massive pillar of red and yellow flame. It skims over the village, vanishes above the tree tops and curves ever so slightly to move around the outskirts of the central mountain before it slams into the Jungle with an almighty BOOOOOM that echoes over the entire island and leaves the sky filled with fleeing, whirling clouds of frightened tropical bird. A circle of trees has been flattened, flames creeping through the remain fronds and branches. A massive outward laying circle of destruction and in its centre flaming remains of the AMS Dao settles to the ground.
Talen slowly sits up and peers at the carnage around him. He ponders the wrecks that are his hands, and with some difficulty, slowly stands. "We'll have to see if we can get those two out from underneath, and give them a proper burial." he says to the huddle of mog engineers around him. "You two, go and see if you can find the captain, tell him the float stone is gone, and that engineering is a write off. We've casualties."
Raziel's eyes creek open and then as the light blinds him he instantly regrets it and closes his eyes. Slowly, ever so slowly, the battered man starts to push himself up from where he was draped over the ship's rail, though he ends up more sliding. A hand reaches out to steady himself for a moments and he takes a look around, taking stock of the situation. His eyes go to the kukri imbedded in wood then he starts to stumble towards where the captain lay, checking for breath. Nodding to himself then his eyes move on to the familiar color of dripping blood. The aegyl starts forward again, leaving blades and captain both, to discover the source of that drip.
Meanwhile, up in a tree overlooking the crash site, seated astride a branch, Penny groans, one hand going to the head of her poleaxe, which is missing most of it's haft and the tip of which is speared through her shoulder and into the tree at her back. A couple experimental tugs has her gritting her teeth, biting back on the pain, before she leaves it alone for the moment, taking a moment to look over the crash site, trying to spot movement from survivors and other members of the party, the mouse in a little bit of shock, no doubt, from crash and injury.
Catching Dust's paw as his face is batted at by the concerned feline, Kier looks around for a moment before sitting up and looking down at the shirt he was wearing, or what's left of it. Looking around after a few moments, he tears the shirt off and moves along over towards a downed locker and reaches down to pull it up and off a trapped mog, and proceeds to help bandage up any injuries he might have. As he moves to work, he looks up towards his kit and his supplies, and motions for Dust to go knock them down from the branch they're hanging from. As he works, he says softly to the mog, "You are hurt... do not move... once I am done, stay here, I will get you some water."
Vazkor stirs among the wreckage of the cabin he's uncomfortably wedged in... The man's eyes cracking open, and then blinking a few times to get rid of the spots that swim across his vision. Not quite sure how he got here, his memory a bit fuzzy, he starts to try and get himself out of his predicament then... Pushing his arms off against the collapsed wall he's smooshed against... Only to let out a loud grunt, gritting his teeth together, as sharp pain shoots right through one of his legs... The man craning his head to look down at it then, and soon deciding that he went and broke his damn leg... The injury forcing him to take a few long moments to gather himself, before he attempts to steel himself against the pain, and try to get himself out of the wreckage again, fully willing to crawl if he has to. The swashbuckler finding himself less concerned about his own injuries, and more wanting to know what happened to the others, soon shouting out, "Hello?"
Letting out a rather loud, agitated groan, Thaylorn returns to the concious conscious once again. The Imp seems to have found himself tossed off the ship in it's crash and upon the ground, the scaint remains of the figure head laying atop him. Muttering a curse beneath his breath, Thaylorn pushes the chunks of the decoration off himself before sitting up, regretably, hands going to his head as it aches and burns. From where he remains in a man-made fountain before the ship, he calls out for the others "HEY!" as loud as he's able before glancing about himself at all the burning debris.
Captain Farquan slowly sits up, groanng and rubbing at his head and looking around. He then spots what Raziel is looking at and hurries over to help the man. The pair of them soon pulling the shattered wood away enough to get at the injured form of the Bosun. He's unconcious and got a badly broken arm and a few punctures from the wood but he is alive! The mogs below nod to Talen and two of them scramble over and out of the hole in the side of the ship and stop before changing direction to go investigate Vazkor's shouts. Soon enough the moogle engineers are helping to extract the man from his cramped resting place and get him out onto the shattered deck of the ship. The mog Kier is tending too nods and smiles, "Thank you.. Kuupopo... that was a nasty crash..." he points toward where the smouldering ruins of the ship can just about be seen through the flattened trees. Dust meanwhile has climbed the tree and nudged Kier's pack free and is now sitting on the branch MEWLING quite loudly in complaint... someone is stuck. As Thaylorn calls out his voice drifts up to Penny and the knight can see the imp below her tree sat in the remains of what looks like a stone fountain, the coping and statue that used to adorn it shattered and water leaking out of the bottom of it. Shaking his head and looking around Captain Farquan winces and works his neck and looks at Raziel, "Well... that's the end of my ship...."
Talen sighs, and sits down, sniffling a little in frustration. He closes his eyes, whispering a few words as his hands begin to heal of their burns. "We'll have to leave the bodies for now, we can't move that thing without heavy equipment, I didn't realize just how big it was. Alright, so let's take a better look at you..." A few more flashes of light here and there as Talen deals with injuries. "Okay, grab anything useful for survival... food, water, stuff for lighting fires, containers we can put water in, rope, dry clothing, stuff that's not too big. If you can't carry it, leave it. Let's get out of here and see if we can find the others." The viera leads the mogs out of the depths of the broken ship.
Raziel looks over as Farquan joins him and then, doing his best to ignore his own bruised and battered state, the aegyl works with the captain to get at the Bosun. He checks the man over before applying a lightly healing spell to just get the blood to stop, but not to heal broken bones improperly, before blowing out a breath. His ear perks at a familiar yell and he looks up and around in time to catch the moogles appear then disappear as they go to retrieve Vazkor. He blows out another breath then nods to Farquan, "I'm afraid so.. that we aren't, all of us, dead is a feat in itself." He moves over to retrieve his blades then pauses and lets out a series of whistles used to call his pet mongoose.
Penny struggles to shift position as she hears and sees Thaylorn, prevented, for the most part, by the blade spearing hr shoulder, giving a whistle through her front teeth, much easier than yelling, to get his attention. The blade itself she holds steady, as much as possible, with her right hand to keep bleeding to a minimum, not to mention that moving on the blade *hurts*, and lacking the leverage to pull it, and herself, free, keeping still is the next best option.
Retrieving his weapons from under the wreckage close by, Kier moves over, and reaches out to give Dust a place to jump to. With all of his things back together, including a very annoyed cat, he moves back to the injured mog and takes a leather cup from his kit along with a small blue crystal in the shape of a water drop. Focusing a little mana in it, clear and cool water begins to drip from the apex of the design and slowly fills the cup. This is handed to the Mog as the bare-chested young man proceeds to dig into his things and get his leather vest out, securing it on his chest and checking his pockets. A skinning knife comes out, and is handed to the smaller being as he says, "Here... in case of beasts." This still leaves his boot knife, another under the quiver for his bow, and the Ostep. Cinching things in place, he stands up and puts the water crystal back away, "Gather what you can, I will look for the others. We meet..." Looking a moment, he then motions towards a stand of trees a bit further away from the wreckage, "There... clear of the wreck and any fires or otherwise."
Vazkor growls as his injured leg is jostled around a bit as he's carried to the remains of the deck... Only to sprawl out on it as he's put down, staring up at the sky for a few long moments as he forces the pain to recede once more. Sitting up a bit then, he looks around, and seems relieved as he spots at least a few of his companions still alive. The man waving weakly over at Raziel some, before he mutters to no one in particular, "Perhaps I need to stay off airships... This is the second crash I've been in in five years." And letting out a long sigh, raising a hand to rub his face.
Hearing the whistle from above, Thaylorn turns his attention upwards from where he still sits and upon seeing Penny as she is, tosses(pushes) the rest of the pieces of debris as best as he's able off of him before going to his feet. Looks like he avoided damage for the most part, his armor in one piece...But by the way he winces he's probably still hurting. "Uhmm, hold on!" He calls, hand going to rub at his neck for a moment before he lifts easily eough off the ground towards where Penny is pinned. "Uhm...I'm no doctor but...But I have some white magic?" He ponders towards her, wondering the best way to help out with the weapon impaled through her shoulder.
Other members of the crew are starting to appear, some wandering in from the woods, others clambering out of the wrecked ship. Things are all a bit mad, and there are a lot of injuries and not that much white magic to go around. Several mogs move over to Kier and his injuried companion who turn out to be called Richard and they offer to help mover Richard back over toward the ship-wreck. Captain Farquan helps the Bosun down onto the main deck next to Vazkor as Em wiggles out of a hole and runs over to CLING to Raziel's legs, his fur is all a mess and a bit singed! Whgich is about when Talen and his engineers emerge from the ruined depths of the ship as a group. Thaylorn has a trickier job on his hands, he can't heal Penny until such time a he removes that blade but if he pulls it out Penny may fall out of the tree.....
Talen motions to the mogs in tow, "Go and help the others gather. I'll see what I can do for peoples' injuries." The viera heads towards the closest, which is Vazkor. "Ugh, that must have been something for it to break your leg, Vaz. Hold steady for me, okay?" Talen closes his eyes, a white glow emenating from his hands. "Did you see anyone else badly hurt?" he asks quietly, almost mumbling.
Raziel looks down then he bends to lift EM and smooth down the animal's fur. Letting him stay in his arms for the moment Raz looks over towards Vazkor as Talen goes to him. There's a faint smile, but then he looks at the viera, "make sure to set that break first.. elsewise it'll heal badly." He looks around, starting to count heads, but comes up two short, "going to see if I can find Thaylorn and Penny." EM is transfered to his shoulder then and he starts limping off while liftings his voice to call to them if he doesn't spot either right off. Penny relaxes a bit as Thaylorn hears her whistle and comes up to check on her, giving him a smile and chuckling a bit and nods to Thaylorn at his mention of white magic, "Yeah, I know a bit too... No good with the blade in the way, though. I can't... I can't pull it out, no leverage. Could you, please?" Either she's not worried about falling, or isn't thinking about it, more probably the later given her state. "Gotta say, though, first time I've been skewered with my own weapon. Don't recommend the experience." And she's babbling a little, too.
With his hunting kit back, and his supplies, plus anything the mogs can scrouge, Kier begins to set up a small place where he can work. His skills take no magic as he bandages wounds, stops bleeding, sets bones, and gets most of those injured coming around up and running once more. Looking to Talen, he says, "Save your magic, and let me see your hands. You may still need bandaging."
Vazkor nods at Talen and Raziel both as he sits there, broken leg and all... Giving the Viera a bit of a grin and a shrug at his comment, before he looks at the Aegyl and nods. Glancing down at his leg, and motioning at Talen, "Aye, it needs set first." The man letting out a bit of a sigh, before he looks over at Kier, and remarks, "Bandage his hands, and then make me a splint, if you will?"
"I'll try not to get one stuck in me, only if you promise you won't again either!" Thaylorn remarks towards Penny as he sets his hands upon the glaive as gently as he can "This might hurt a bit uhm, sorry..." He murmurs as he sets his feet against the tree and pulls with all his might, hoping that the weapon comes free without causing more damage to her. Penny is currently 14 minutes idle and may not get back to you soon.
Penny SCREAMS as the blade is pulled out and falls unconcious and slumps off the tree branch she was otherwise balanced on. The sceam draws Kier's attention, he is a few trees away and can see her fall as can Raziel as he is searching. What they don't see as she falls out of sight is Thaylorn's cushion of water catching her and carrying her gently down to the ground. She is bleeding heavily however and her breathing is coming out in a gurgled froth of blood. Back on the ship it is a matter of moments to set bones, banadage wounds and use healing magic to finish anything else off that needs it.
Talen opens his eyes and blinks at the piercing scream, and then looks to Kier. "My hands are fine, at least, any pain left can be dealt with later. Do you know who that was and where they are?" He looks to Vazkor, "So, give it a try, carefully, and lean on me first. Then we should go and find out who that was and see if they're alright."
Raziel's head snaps in the direction of the scream and he starts moving faster. For a moment forgetting about his body's complaints in the face of the girl's scream. He moves through the trees towards where Thaylorn and Penny are only to scowl in the face of the blood and start to weave magics to stanche the flow of blood, a brief glance sent to Thaylorn then back down at Penny while his wings glow with beads of healing energy that flows down into his hands and into the templar.
Penny is unconscious from the shock of the poleaxe blade being removed from her shoulder. Blissfully unaware of all around her, of pain, of Thaylorn and Raziel, of her breathing troubles, and of anything else, she is the perfect patient, holding perfectly still for Raziel's healing magics!
Kier's sandalboots crackle lightly on the dead leaves on the ground as he approaches close to where Raziel is treating Penny. Looking to the Aegyl once, he just nods, and out comes his kit. Kneeling down besides Penny, he begins to use some herbs and bandages for the wound to cover what magic will not close. Looking around a moment as he speaks, his voice is still oddly calm and low, "We are on an island someplace, and will need to get to high ground to get our bearings. But this makes no sense. We were close to a Jagd when the ship would have gone down. We should be in a rocky, lifeless terrain. Instead, we have free use of magic, and I can assume we have scared the wildlife off. So... where are we, really."
Vazkor lets out a loud, pained growl through clenched teeth as his leg is set, and is instantly hit with a brief faint spell afterwards, slumping back down. But as Talen finally applies his healing magiks, the man feels better right away... Letting the Viera help him up, and testing his leg by putting some weight on it, before he waves Talen away some, "I think I can walk, thank you. Let's see what's going on ahead..." And with that he heads towards where the others seem to be.
"Oh, Raziel, yeah, hi..." Thaylorn remarks as the Aegyl makes his appearance "I didn't know what else to do, her poleaxe was shoved through her shoulder." The Imp adds as he kneels down by Penny's side in turn to contribute his own healing magics in an attempt to get the blood to stop flowing.
Thaylorn and Raziel's join curing spell on Penny's shoulders bring her back round and knit up her shoulder and stop her bleeding. It doesn't cure it completly sadly it wa a very bad wound but Kier's poultice helps with the rest. Back at the ship, out of sight of the others Vazkor, Talen, Captain Farquan and the moogle crew see a group of Nu Mou come walking out of the woods. Dressed in flowing green and brown robes they are carrying packs and baskets and a whole variety of things. They stop in a group just shy of the ship and the leader walks forward, thumping her staff on the ground and looks up at Talen, Vazkor and the others on the deck. "Good day travellers, do you require aid?"
Talen says, "Good day. We certainly could use your aid. We have wounded, and as you can see, most of what we had in the way of supplies has been ruined by the crash. We would happily accept what hospitality you could provide. There are also questions, like where are we?, that could be answered by you, if you have the time?" The viera bows at the waist. "We would be in your debt."
Raziel frowns a little, but then lets out a sigh, "looks like the best we can do for now. Thaylorn can you help her with the water bubble? Let's get back to the ship and the others." He glances at Kier then and frowns, "Your right.. this is rather odd, but given the oddities in this trip there are a few posibilities, none of which would entirely surprise me. Let's group up though."
Penny groans as she comes to under Raziel's and Thaylorn's spells, blinking her eyes open and wincing at the pain that remains, lessened though it is from before. With Kier's poultice soothing the wound's remnants even more, she sighs, giving all three a weak smile, "Thanks, guys... I feel much better." She doesn't try to get up just yet, still slightly out of it and collecting her thoughts, listening to Raziel for a moment before piping up, "Everyone else ok? And... Anyone seen my duffle?" She looks down at herself and her pretty well beat-up and abused armor, "Think I need out of this, won't do me much good in this state."
Vazkor was planning to head towards where the others are, but instead finds himself distracted by the approaching Nu Mou... The man arching his brow as he turns around to greet them, raising a hand up and stepping forward... And glancing at Talen next as the Viera responds to their greeting. The man nodding in agreement, and speaking up as well, "Aye, we have wounded, as well as dead... It's fortunate you came. I take it you have a settlement nearby where we may rest and take stock of our situation?"
"Aye I can sure try, Raziel, let's head back though maybe there's more medical supplies there." Thaylorn remarks as he conjures forth a bit more magic in an attempt to envelope Penny in a water sphere, mostly with the intent to bring her along back to the ship. "Going to have to wait till we get back, I think though." He chimes to Penny about her armor comment.
It is easy enough for Thaylorn to engulf Penny in the bubble of water and with Kier and Raziel start back for the ship, they meet a few other mogs, stragglers who fell off some distance away. The quartet can see Vazkor and Talen talking to the Nu Mou but are not yet close enough to hear them. Meanwhile the Nu Mou leader smiles at Talen and Vazkor and bows her head, "We do indeed, we saw your vessel fly over-head and crash into the forest with such ferrocity we set off at once to find you. This is the Isle of Winds, home to the Nu Mou and the Ocean Temple, your craft almost took the roof off the temple in its passing." Captain Farquan pales at that and wavers a bit, "Oh good.... well... er... Master Vazkor i'd like to revise my estimate... we are not three weeks away from our destination...." he sits down with a thump, "I think you owe me a new ship..."
Talen blinks. "We travelled three weeks in what, moments? Uh, remind me to have a stern talking to that coin... and Ifrit. That was quite a kick in the pants." The viera slowly lowers himself to the ground next to the Captain. "I have no words at the moment..." Raziel keeps an eye on Penny as they move back to the ship. He looks up and towards the Nu Mou once they come into sight though and his brow lifts. "...Interesting. Let's go and see what's being said and where we are." The man picks upt he pace a little bit and as he does his own limping becomes more evident. A hand lifts once he nears and then catches the tail end of where they are, "that... was impressive.."
Penny shrugs to Thaylorn, smiling as she's transported along in the bubble, "Fixing it will have to wait, sure, unless we happen upon a good armorer or something. I was mostly meaning to take it off, but for that I need a change of clothes, and that's in my duffle, so... Yeah..." Along for the ride, she goes where Thaylorn's bubble takes her, ears flicking as she catches about as much of the conversation with the Nu Mou as Raziel does, though keeping her peace for the moment.
Eyes flick to Penny a moment as Kier says, "We will need to wait until the ship settles before we can look for your things. Until then..." Reaching up and back into his pack, he yanks free a shirt, and passes it over to the woman. It's clean, a light grey/white tone, and has ties on the front and sides, "My last good shirt." Once more he looks around, and then back up towards the Nu Mou, before asking the question that's been plaguing him from the beginning, "Why are we here again?"
Vazkor frowns a bit at what they're being told, the man looking around a moment to take in more of the island, before he nods some and responds, "Well, thank you for coming for us... If you would allow us a moment to get everyone and everything together, we shall follow you to your town." The man pausing then to look at the others as they catch up, nodding some as he sees none of the core group seem to be missing, before he adds, "... I'd rather have travelled three weeks and avoided death and injury, but it can't be helped. We'll just have to honor those that have passed by doing our best to finish what we're here for... And we'll have to discuss compensation once we are back home, Captain." Leaving Raziel or someone else to answer Kier's question.
Thaylorn direct Penny's bubble to fly along with the group as they move "Aye, I'm curious just a bit myself..." The Imp murmurs before falling quiet again, his head still aching from before. Tail twitching slightly he merely stays with the rest of the group.
Captain Farquan pulls himself together, standing up and looking around, he finds his hat and puts it on firmly, pom bouncing out of the hole. "Well Master Vazkor, I think we are lucky to be here and not smashed into the sea inside a Jagd... I guess whatever happened some of us survived! Forans call Muster!" he walks off to assemble the crew and soon hgas his mogs stripping the ship and venturing inside the holds and cabins as best they can to start getting ready to abandon the smoking ruins of the Dao. The Nu Mou leader smiles and bows and gestures to her people and they hurry over to start helping everyone. Those who can't walk are put on stretches, Penny is helped out of her armour and into Kier's shirt and a long gra skirt one of the Nu Mou donate and the leader turns to regard Raziel and bows to him formally then turns to Kier and smiles. "Welcome... all... I am sure you will learn why you are here in good time good Master, but I suspect you are here because you know the ways of the wild... and in these jungle's such knowledge will be vital. Now come lets get you all back to town."
Talen assists those who are injured, but does grab a few useful items from the ship. "I am so going to have a stern word with Ifrit. And that coin." He pats a pocket carefully and phews. "The spirits should have known the ship could not handle such a long journey in mere moments. But I guess it was off the cuff, done in a place where magic was failing quickly."
Penny smiles in thanks to Kier, "I feel kinda bad, seeing as it's your last, but thank you..." She blinks as Nu Mou come and start helping her change clothes, blushing brightly at the unaccustomed assistance that soon sees her in Kier's shirt and a grass skirt. She weathers the process well enough, though, and it isn't like she didn't need a little assistance, her wound, mending though it is due to magic and Kier's dressing, all but robbing her of the use of her left arm.
Raziel inclines his head to the Nu Mou leader before he straightens once again, "Thank you for your aid.. it is greatly appreciated. We are in your debt." His voice freezes up as Talen speaks and he looks over at him with a frown before coughing. Looking towards Kier he answers, measuring his words, "we are here because the spirits took action to save us from what was likely certain death. Why this island rather than our other destination.. that remains to be seen. It could have been chance or it could have been there was a deeper purpose. For now we will have to wait and see." He steps over to Vazkor to help him along. "Next time no breaking things."
Raziel inclines his head to the Nu Mou leader before he straightens once again, "Thank you for your aid.. it is greatly appreciated. We are in your debt." His voice freezes up as Talen speaks and he looks over at him with a frown before coughing. Looking towards Kier he answers, measuring his words, "we are here because the spirits took action to save us from what was likely certain death. Why this island though? Because we have need to see to the safety of the coin... kin to which Talen has mentioned. For now we will have to wait and see." He steps over to Vazkor to help him along. "Next time no breaking things."
Kier reaches down and picks up Dust, getting the cat to settle over his bared shoulders as the leather-clad hunter takes a moment to inhale deeply and close his eyes. Looking to Penny, he just shakes his head, "Do not worry about the shirt. It is just a thing... and things can be replaced. I have some straps. We can settle your armor and glaive to be carried until we can get them repaired." And with that, the hunting kit, his preparations for being in just such a situation (minus the crash), several leather cords are brought out, and braided through the armor and around the glaive. Once this complex little play is done, he cinches it all together into something he can sling it in place, and says, "I have this ugly feeling we will look back on this event, and smile... compared to what is to come."
Vazkor looks over at Raziel and smiles a little bit, the man shrugging and patting his previously injured leg, "I'm fine, really... There's people who are worse off among us, anyway." And with that, he actually decides to keep busy some, the man walking over to a nearby stretcher with an injured Moogle upon it, and starting to help carry it as the whole group begins to follow the Nu Mou.
"Yes, back to town so we can rest and heal the rest of us who need healing." Thaylorn murmurs as he nods about what the others say "Aye, the Jagd would have been much more destructive I believe." The Imp lets out a small sigh before nodding and looking off into the forest in anticipation as to what's going to happen.
The party set off, the Moogle's carrying equipment and supplies from the ship, the Nu Mou carrying survivors who cannot walk. The jungle is lush and magnificent and there are weaving, wandering sandy pathways that meander past the trees and every now and then stop by large Conch Shells on stands or flowing fountains... it is all quite idyllic but the jungle beyond the pathways is wild. After an hours trip you reach the shore of the large bay. The village is inviting as is the bright blue sea! 4 miles of sparkling azure water hemmed in by the brilliant white coral reef and out on the far side of the bay, rising from that reed the gigantic conch hell that is Ocean Temple, in all its Lapi Lazuli banded splendour! The party have reached... or almost reached their destination. Escorted into the village and made welcome as honoured guests with plenty of time to re-cuperate after their harrowing ordeal in the Jagd.
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