Fantasy Descension (C.DEX x Notorious)

[C.DEX]

The Avar sent a glare toward Gunnar, who'd simultaneously talked about how weak he was and how non-threatening he must have been at the same time. If he were a temperless man, he may very well have started something again, but he realized that that wasn't wise. Instead, he used his mouth. "I'm leaving you with a pretty notable scar. What does that mean in your culture?" he asked Gunnar, more than happy to pass the time with banter. "As far as 'why I didn't take down the ship before',... They were firing at me. My aim gets relatively dimmed when I have a bolt between my eyes, as it happens. How about yours? Also, I wasted a ton of elemental serum, and that's pretty expensive, when the alternative is running."


"Want to see my aim?" Orin chided, grinning. "I can help walk him, Gunnar. Blind handler, lame dog, and all that. He can walk in the right direction, and I can walk. And that's a deadly combination." he said, enthusiastic words getting the best of Slaw. Orin dismissed Gunnar, acting as an aide to the injured bird. He was just an inch shy of the man's height, but as Slaw leaned on him, it had become evident just why he had truly been flightless. "Wow. You need to lose weight." Orin said.


"It's the armor. If I can't fly I may as well protect myself." Slaw said, reaching up to yank a bolt out of his pauldron. "Maybe you should gain some." he chided back, "It's not that much further. I live in one of the ... wreckages." Slaw said, words hesitating for a reason the others couldn't quite put their finger on. "Can't promise I have a ship for you, but if you're willing to do the work, there's definitely enough parts for you to make one. Keep your eyes out as we walk and we'll revisit the places with any spare parts or useful objects when I feel better."


Orin detected the distress in Gunnar's voice, turning his attention back to him. "We're going to get back to Nora, probably can't even fly a Molt ship anyways. And whatever they said - they were probably just talking shit." he reassured his friend. "Now, we're at least going to have an opportunity to heal, that way you won't burst into a mist of blood next time Dio gets taken or you get shot again. Your wife isn't going to want to see you show up looking like a sky hobo, anyways. I get that the Veldard have low standards for smell, but ... not this low."


"Pretty apt description for a blind man." Slaw commented.


"We've been through a lot of shit." Orin replied.


Suddenly, a dilapidated ship had come into view as they had ascended to the top of a scrap pile. It had been nestled into a small canyon of scrap, not looking particularly sky worthy itself. Plates of thin metal fastened onto one another, some holding carved runes, melded together to form a decently-sized ship. It was half concealed by other rubble, permanently marooned. "Now, keep your hands to yourself. You can use the facilities; I reworked the old engine to cook food and all that. Might taste like mana, though. Oh, and there's one bed. And it's mine. Healing supplies are going be in the box next to the entrance. Once you lot get your stuff I expect you out, delusions of repentance be damned."

 

[Notorious]

"Not a chance in the world." Gunnar said with a smirk, "You can keep the bed, I get your floor though." Before Cheslaw could protest Gunnar gave him a nudge, "You're holding your end of your debt and not running out on us. It'd be pretty easy to sneak out if you got that room all to yourself. We're going to become the bestest of friends until we're up in the air. Then, you'll never see us again." Gunnar and Orin helped Cheslaw through the doorway, seeing the medical supplies he spoke about. There wasn't a whole lot there though unfortunately to the dismay of both of the injured. Gunnar then showed the first bit of kindness to Cheslaw, the viking knowing that he pushed too hard he'd have the Avar push back. "I'll patch you up. Those medical supplies are yours and I can heal on my own alright." He realized just how kind that gesture had been, especially after how injured he was so he added, "It'll give you the chance to come up with my ship faster."


"Trying to make friends, Gunni?" Sirius said, concealing a smirk behind his mask. "That's cute. This little house is also cute! It looks mighty lonely though..." He seen just how exactly Cheslaw had been living in this old run down airship. It was tight and cramped but big enough for one person to live in this area in total secrecy. There were several rooms but many seemed to be filled with rubble or junk Cheslaw had used to make his living quarters that much more comfortable. They seen the cooking area that he had spoken about and the path that led back to the engine room. There was no view to the outside world from here other than small view ports that were coated in a fine layer of dirt and dust, disguising what was going on inside this place. "Really lonely..." Sirius mumbled. "I'll grab these medical supplies. Help our new friend to his room Gunni. Play nice."


Gunnar grunted, he was being as nice as he could physically be. There he was, supporting an Avar's weight. An Avar! In his mind his thoughts were racing of what his people would think of him doing such a disgusting deed. Avar's were the reason he was down on the surface, Avar's were the reason that his people could potentially all be dead. His optimistic journey back home had quickly taken a sour note after the encounter with the Molts. His heart was aching and although everyone could tell it Gunnar wasn't about to let anyone in to help him unfortunately. Not even Dio, who had been pleading silently in the background to take it easy.


As they entered Cheslaw's bedroom it seemed to be much more well lived in and cozy than the outside room. Trinkets, weapons, clothing and all sorts of items were spread around the room in a messy but organized manner. However, his weaponry and defenses all seemed to be stacked in a cleanly order. Everything placed just right in order to defend himself, he definitely had an advantage in this room but Gunnar ignored it.


"Guess if you wanted to kill me while we sleep you could. Don't think that'd be the wisest decision but you could try it. Easy now, I fucked that ankle up pretty good." Gunnar helped Cheslaw to his bed and got a bit more closer than he'd have wanted, helping the Avar ease himself down until he was nice and comfortable. Gunnar then pulled up a seat, Sirius dragging the medical supply crate inside. "Does it hurt he-" Gunnar touched Cheslaw's broken ankle roughly, causing the Avar to roar in pain. "That's where it hurts huh? Whoops." Suddenly, a tin can that was sitting nearby went flying from its resting place and struck Gunnar in the face.


"Play. Nice." Dio instructed, growing tired of Gunnar's constant hatred and cruelty towards Cheslaw.


"Looks like you made friends with my wraith, Slaw. You can't see him but he's scolding me right now for that. I'm... sorry." Gunnar said quietly before handing Cheslaw some pain killers and he began to form a splint together to bind the ankle in place while it healed. There were several potions in the crate, ones that would enhance Cheslaw's healing but it was still a broken ankle it would take time to heal. As Gunnar quietly began to splint up Cheslaw's ankle, Sirius went out to go explore the ship while Orin seemed to hover around Gunnar and Cheslaw. He was a good mediator, just in case the banter got too heated. "Living the rough lifestyle huh?" Gunnar asked, breaking the silence. "Living near the molts wouldn't be my first choice. Why haven't you gone to a town instead? Seems... crazy you're out here alone."

 

[C.DEX]

"Your wraith...?" Cheslaw asked, more than a little alarmed by the objects in his room being kinesthisized toward Gunnar. He wasn't sure what kind of magic they had been pulling before, but it was a little more than extraordinary. With a heavy sigh, he put two and two together. "You're of Necras...? That's ... fantastic. So I'm not even legally allowed to be around you, let alone..." he stopped. "We'll build your ship soon, then. Get you out of here and out of my feathers." He said, his colloquism actually sending a wave of irritation over Gunnar once again. It hadn't mattered to him in particular; he didn't intend on staying with them too long.


"I'd never live near Molts. Molts live near me. These were my hunting grounds for years until they showed up to investigate where the ships had been crashing. Now, they think they own the place just because a few of theirs have been here, as well. Want to reclaim all the crashed ships - not even just the Molt ones - and catalogue. Normally they wouldn't even bother me, we just stayed away from each other, but something happened the other week with a particularly flammable substance in a ship we'd both been trying to hit. Krusch died, and now you got the story of that little skirmish. As for why I'm still here ... first, it was pride. Then, I realized the only way I could actually uproot and move was getting a ship. Amongst other reasons."


"Sounds like you're not making any effort to fix this one into anything other than a house." Orin remarked. "What are the other reasons?"


"Normally when someone leaves something ambiguous that's a hint not to ask about it. Maybe I'll tell you my story in another life, but right now your human is playing hand-footsy with my ankle and I just don't feel comf-" Slaw stopped mid-sentence, his words turning into an Avish shriek as Gunnar had put a little more pressure on his ankle than he'd found comfortable. Orin laughed, not as adverse to Gunnar's behavior as one might have originally thought. "Fuck you guys!" He shouted, "Better be an accident or I'm gonna let you mechanically illiterate fuckers put together your own shit!" He squawked, grabbing a haphazard kit from his pilfered medical supplies and throwing it toward Gunnar. "I got it from here. Fix your own self up; the faster you heal, the quicker you'll be out, because I don't foresee your other two crewmates contributing to lugging motors around."


"I resent that." Orin said, sarcastically. Still, he stayed. Whether it was to meditate or because he genuinely found the situation entertaining was up in the air.


"Anyway, apart from dignitaries, surface dwellers don't appreciate my presence much in towns. Usually towns pick either Molts or Avars to welcome - or neither - because having both in the same place is a recipe for disaster. Seeing as there are only Molt settlements around here - as you've noticed - I'm not too welcome. Too many assuming assholes associating me with the Isles."


"That was almost a direct callout. Can you two stop being passive aggressive toward each other for a moment? Well, in Gunnar's case, directly aggressive. As nice as it is not being on the other side of the weapon, and slash or, fist ... we're going to have to tolerate each other for a few days."


"What in Arcadia's heavens are you all doing together, by the way?" Slaw asked, nearly ignoring Orin as well. "You look and smell like shit. You're traveling with a forbidden. A Human, Ifrit, and ... Caelila? I don't get it. And by the way, use the air shower in the other room when you get a chance, and I keep the clothes that don't fit me in the room off of this."

 

[Notorious]

"You worried about the Seers busting this place down for housing a forbidden, Coleslaw?" Gunnar actually started to laugh, the tension being cut as he had to calm himself down otherwise he'd hurt Cheslaw's ankle once more. "You live in a trash heap, nobody is going to come here looking to bust you. Hell, Orin is a forbidden one too he's a Shade. Sirius back there is probably something equally crazy." Gunnar paused, "Hey... Sirius?" They heard a rustle in the other room, the masked man poking his head in the door way. "What are you exactly? I'm Necras, Orin is Constellia and Sombros obviously. Bird boy over here has to rely on magic arrows so I doubt he has shit. What are you?"


"I'm Arkas!" Sirius said as he poked his head in the room, laughing as he said so. He waited an uncomfortable amount of time before speaking again, "For you uneducated, it means I can move faster with the assistance of mana among a whole bunch of other things. Everyone counts Arkas out, thinks that... he isn't a powerful god. He may be no Necras or Pyrit but let me tell you... He is a loyal god but if you cross him..." Sirius shook his head, "He'll shake your foundation to the core. And... you wouldn't even see it coming." Sirius let out a sigh, "He's one of the more playful of the gods as well. While those born under him serve as messengers and other trades that require speed and precision Arkas seems to enjoy a good joke as well." He paused yet again, chuckling under his mask, "Maybe that's where I get my playful demeanor from."


"Playful?" Gunnar said, laughing back at Sirius. "You're bat shit insane."


"You know it Viking, takes one to know one though huh?" Sirius tilted his head and looked at Cheslaw, "I fixed your stove top by the way. That thing was FUCKED, let me tell you. Not when I found it mind you but I did break it." He giggled, seeing the look on Cheslaw's face. "Call down Slawmato, your new pal Sirius fixed it right up. You had a leak in the line that was pushing mana out into what you ate. I'm surprised you didn't mutate from eating all that." He gasped, "IS THAT WHY YOU CAN'T FLY?! YOU NEED TO LEARN TO PROPERLY COOK AND CLEAN YOUNG MAN! THIS HOUSE IS FILTHY!" And with that, Sirius bounded back into the other room, the smell of sea food filling the small abode as he had begun cooking.


"Food..." Gunnar groaned, they hadn't even had the chance to eat yet and it was almost mid day after all the excitement. "What are you cooking out there?" He called out, finishing up Cheslaw's leg and taking a seat on the ground. He began to unbuckle his armor that had been completely caked in both dried and fresh flowing blood. When he took his armor off Cheslaw was greeted to the sight of just how thoroughly injured Gunnar had been. It was a miracle that he had been moving at all, much less supporting the Avar as they had walked to his house. "Thanks for adding that to the collection." Gunnar said to Cheslaw, nodding down at his new scar. He began to stitch up any serious wounds, grunting and groaning as he had to do all the needlework himself. "Orin... Buddy... I wish you could see to do this. Who knew my side kick would be blind..."


"Side kick?!" Sirius shouted out, "I want to be the sidekick! Orin can be my sidekick. And then Cheslaw can be our butler!" Sirius babbled on, that extra dose of mana from the stove causing him to go even more manic. "As for what the chef is cooking... So... you remember those crabs from earlier? I totally lied about them being able to claw out of your stomach and all that. I just didn't want to have to kill my new friends so soon. They'll make a great meal though for all of you!"


Gunnar smirked, "Good." He then turned to Cheslaw who had been resting while Sirius babbled on. Gunnar had ignored Cheslaw's question of how they came together so he decided to bring it back up. "We came together by chance. It's a long story but... basically your peopl- the Avars of the Floating Isles sentenced me to death by Descension. Basically what that means is they pushed me off the side of the islands. Somehow I lived the fall... And this blind devil here found me with his sister washed up on the beach." He seen the look on Orin's face, Gunnar smirked. "-Drowning in a puddle. He saved me and then we got separated from his sister and their people. We've been traveling for a little over a week now, getting into a hell of a lot of trouble. We just met Sirius yesterday, saved us from slave traders or something. Took on a golem that killed an entire town... Slaughtered a bunch of Central guards." Gunnar laughed, "I even challenged the goddess Constellia by slaying two of her Seers then shouting fuck you to the heavens." The more he retold their story the more ridiculous and unbelievable it sounded. "And now we're here. In your bedroom... In the middle of no where." The banter had stopped for just a moment, Gunnar's defenses lowering just a hair to finally talk without going after eachother. "How did you end up here? You know roughly of what happened to us... It's not normal to be away from your flock, Avars stick together. It's one of the few things I respect of your kind, my people do the same."

 

[C.DEX]

"I'm not your sidekick, Sirius!" Orin shouted. "And I'm not Gunnar's either! If anything, you two are my sidekicks!" he said, smirking. Then, he listened quietly to Gunnar's retelling of the story. It had all been a crazy happenstance that they were together, let alone even alive. Even Slaw had quieted as he listened, his eyes growing a little wider as he realized just how much trouble he could get into while traveling with the lot of them. A part of him had felt bad for Gunnar; understood why he'd been so gung-ho to get back to the islands. And then another part of him wanted nothing to do with any of them. The latter part came out.


"You ... did what? You challenged Constellia? And - slave traders, and then - you killed Central guards, you -" he stammered, nervous then. "I ... I don't mess with the Gods. I don't try to anger them, and I certainly don't slay their people and then flip them off afterwards; not intentionally, at least. You really want to be killed, don't you?" he asked, a part of him not surprised that a person who'd try to take him hostage against an entire ship of Molts would also try to get themselves smited.


"Well, we challenged her by being born. It's not like we could do much worse than that." Orin clarified. "Well, I thought we couldn't do much worse. Until we started off on this adventure. Gunnar, do you actually think we're cursed? Because we've been getting into a lot of shit that people don't normally get into." he said, brows knitting. The thought had disturbed him a slight amount; before meeting Gunnar, Sinna and Orin had lived a relatively normal life in the basement of the church. Some small sliver of him had wondered if Gunnar was the cause of all of it, but he set the thought aside.


"Anyway ... I guess ... Well - I was born in the Floating Isles. I migrated down here after some differences. Just been living down here ever since." Slaw said.


"Bullshit. There's more to the story than that. Don't make me divine your ass, because I will." Orin said.


"I'm not even sure what that means. But it's not that relevant, anyways. Obviously, I can't fly. I've been living here for a while, had friends come and go, but always end up going in the end. This isn't a place for others, but it's my place, anyways. And my 'flock' ... wherever they are, they're not here. That much is obvious. That's all you really need to know." he said, quieting slightly.


"Well... that's sad." Orin said. "You said you've had friends here?"


"A few. Gnomish sort came to investigate the scraplands back when the Molts didn't occupy it, helped me out with a few things. My quiver is one of them. There's a few other ancient gadgets around the ship that she made, but they don't really have much real use. Like most Gnomish inventions. But this isn't the place for Gnomes. Too dangerous." he said, lip pursed underneath his beak. He sighed, eyes shifting toward where Sirius had come and gone. "I wouldn't have noticed the mana leak, but I hear it's good for you, anyways." he said. "Doesn't bother me. Can't use it. Born in a place completely devoid of it, so even if I do have a sign - which I never bothered to investigate, by the way - I can't utilize the magic."


"Your sign is faint, but it's there." Orin said.

 

[Notorious]

Gunnar was busy at work patching himself up, thinking to himself of dipping straight towards that mana leak to power Dio back up. The wraith protested however, warning him of the dangers of meddling in powers he couldn't control. So, he resigned to his fate and continued to stitch himself up. He was looking forward to the shower, if anyone smelled worse than Gunnar it would be quite the feat.


"I think we're blessed." Gunnar said, a cocky smirk appearing on his face. "It's a better way of looking at it than us being cursed. Hell... I survived an impossible fall and I'm here to tell the tale. I've gotten into more action that I have in months and I've meet some decent folk along the way other than my own people... I've seen incredible sights, done amazing things... We all have. Well, aside from you Slaw. You've been stuck squatting and squawking here." He said, though lightheartedly. "I think the gods are watching us... Not just Necras but more of them. They must think what we're doing is right, sending us through trial after trial. I know Necras is testing me for something but... I'm not sure how if any of you fall into this?"


"Let's say the gods are watching..." Sirius said, walking in with three plates all piled up on eachother. He flung one at Gunnar who barely caught it while he gently gave Orin and Cheslaw their own plates filled with steaming crab meat. It looked and smelled delicious, more so than any meal the rest of them could have come up with. "Then what exactly are they wanting to see?" He asked, taking a seat next to Gunnar. "For as I've seen you bunch are just a bunch of lucky bastards and are alive only due to coincidence and luck. Even you Slaw, you're grouped into that as I've never seen Gunnar have mercy on someone before. Granted, I've only known him for a day, but from what I seen back at that slaver camp..." He shivered, "I kill for a living and I thought what you did was too far."


"They had it coming." Gunnar said, dropping the needle and thread in exchange for his lunch and began to dig in without warning. The Viking had been desperate for food and when they seen how quickly the meal disappeared before their eyes they could tell Gunnar had really been running on fumes. He still had some remaining although the others had barely even began to dig in. "They may be wanting to see what we're made of. It's not coincidence... It's divine intervention. We seen it with Necras even just a few hours ago!" He laughed, "If we weren't important do you think he would have covered me and Slaw like that? Hell no. The gods are watching... What they want to see... hell, I don't really care. As long as I get home and make sure my people are okay then I'm fine. After that, all I want to do is make sure Orin can fend for himself before taking him back to his sister." He smirked, "After more dangerous adventures of course."


"I guess they must be watching closer than we think then." Sirius said, crossing his arms and speaking almost in a whisper. "The action seems to follow you two so I'll help stick around. Kill some people, cook some food. It'll be a blast." Sirius looked over to Cheslaw, "Hope you like that crab. I didn't find much food around here so I figured I'd dig into my stash. Only polite after Gunnar kicked your ass and then forced you to make him a ship." His smile returned underneath his mask, causing the rogue to laugh. "How ARE we going to do that by the way? I'm good with my hands but I'm going to leave the heavy lifting to you two." He paused, "Also... if you need anything I'm willing to run and go get it. I'm good with directions and retrieving things. I'm not one to camp out or wait around so if you wanted something directly from the Molt encampment sign me up."


"More food." Gunnar grunted as he continued to stuff his face.

 

[C.DEX]

"Don't bother the Molt encampments if you can help it. They're like gnats. They'll swarm you and stick to you until you finally get back here, and then I'll be out of a home." Slaw said. "What we need is around here. A lot closer than you would think, actually. But we'll talk about that after we get some rest, since I can't help you find it unless I can walk." he said. Then, he looked to Sirius. "To be fair, I could have kicked his ass even further down the block. And I kind of did." he said, gesturing to Gunnar's wounds. "For someone that the Gods follow, if breaking one ankle is considered kicking ass, well..."


For the first time, Slaw smirked.


"I don't mean to diminish the victory, but I have hollow bones." Slaw said. He raised his hand, tweaking his beak between his fingers. He neglected his own meal, not particularly hungry. He hadn't been through what Orin and Gunnar had been through, however. "Though I admit that the few shots you did get on my face ... hurt. But you'd be lying if you said mine didn't."


Orin turned toward his food, looking particularly happy as he received it in his hands. He had been nearly as exhausted as Gunnar, though not nearly as hurt. Never in his life had he gone through quite as much running, getting injured, and fighting as he had done with Gunnar. It was a wonder that he wasn't starving with how he'd put down his food, matching up with Gunnar himself.


"Thanks for the crab." Slaw said, unsure about how happy he was about thanking the people that had practically kidnapped him. After all, it wasn't all over. He had a Viking in his room, and despite the fact that they'd talked together about their origins, it didn't mean they couldn't be back to trying to kill each other within the hour. And it wasn't as if he didn't want them gone. Still, trying to keep the peace, he continued eating, only stopping to comment in lulls of conversations.


"I wouldn't try to kill you, Gunnar." Slaw said. "Not if you're being protected by a wall of whatever-the-hell happened back there. As far as I'm concerned, I'd like to stay as far away from any God as possible and live my life in relative silence. I'm not important to your story." The Avar looked down to his meal, the word 'peckish' describing him to a T.


"It won't be long, Slaw." Orin reassured him, feeling the slightest bit bad. "Also, you're welcome to stay with us, Sirius, as long as you go the fuck to sleep at night. I hear warm milk helps."

 

[Notorious]

"Milk? Bah!" Sirius grumbled, "Even if I liked milked who would I milk here?" He began to laugh rather loudly, "Unless someone has a cow or a goat nearby it looks like I'm staying awake. I've adapted over the years to not sleep much, part of my training." Sirius stood up then stretched his arms out before leaning on the doorway, keeping an eye on Gunnar and Cheslaw. He wasn't there for conversation, he was worried Gunnar and Cheslaw would get into it again. To his surprise however Gunnar stayed quiet after he finished eating, Cheslaw's remarks not overshadowing his need for food at the moment.


"You hit like a bitch." Gunnar said with a smirk after he was finished, causing Sirius to shake his head in disapproval. Dio was doing the same, the wraith enjoying a relative quiet moment while they had all been eating. "I've been on death's door for hours and hours now, my mana ripped out of my body and old wounds opened. If you had me at a range I could see you winning... But up close and personal like that? I controlled the battle, you just had to scratch at me to get me off. If you want to see who's stronger it's an old Veldardian rite to challenge one another in combat until one of the fighters submits. I'd be happy to fight you again but you'd be nursing more than a broken ankle when I'm fully healed." Even though his words were a bit harsh it was all in good fun, the Viking smirking. "Maybe I'd even respect you more for being an Avar if you passed that rite."


"Avars... Molts... Vikings..." Sirius rattled on. "Refresh my memory, why is it that you hate them so much Gunni? Cause I don't want to poke the elephant in the room here-" He paused, "Okay, I totally wanna see what happens when I ask why do you hate Avars so much? It doesn't even seem like you hate Slaw necessarily, just the fact that he's an Avar has made you unnecessarily angry. Like, I'm cool with anger that's a normal emotion especially for a sava-" Sirius paused when Gunnar gave him a look, "-Human. Sorry, my racism is showing too." He giggled, "But is it really necessary to keep challenging each other? I don't get that about people. You're both stuck healing together, you're holding this bird hostage to get you a ship... I mean... Damn Gunnar, you're being an asshole." Sirius said, speaking bluntly on the matter.


"Have you never fought with someone before?" Gunnar asked, trying his best to ignore that Sirius was playing with fire. "Have you ever argued with someone after a fight? Do you understand that Slaw and I are on edge here because we both clearly don't like eachother but we're having to play house?" Gunnar shook his head, "This is how men settle their differences. We'll bash skulls for a bit, he'll help us get what he destroyed whether we steal another one, make one, I don't give a fuck. Then, we'll go our separate ways and he can live as a hermit for all I care." Gunnar paused, "For an assassin you don't seem to like conflict much."


"Oh... Don't get me wrong, I LOVE conflict. I come from a..." He was trying to find the right words as Sirius looked up to the ceiling. "...A family that always fights. One that would put this little slap fight to shame. My father was always gone... on work. So... My brothers and sisters were always fighting. They always thought of themselves stronger than me so they kept me out of their fights unless they absolutely needed me and usually when they called on me, they won with my help." He said, turning his attention back down to them. "I'm just saying I've seen my share of fights and usually they don't work for either parties. You should both stop being assholes and get along. Compromise. It'll make the time go by quicker."


"Compromise? After he destroyed my one way of saving my people?" Gunnar clenched his fists, "This isn't an argument. This isn't just a fight. Don't you see that he may have damned my people by foolishly destroying that ship?" He looked wearily over to Cheslaw now, "It's not because you're an Avar. Not anymore. It's because you may very well killed my wife. My family. Sirius was on the ship and could have taken care of it but... you ruined my chance to get home. To save my people." Gunnar leaned back, "Say what you want but I'm not fighting anymore I'm going to sleep. You wouldn't understand losing your people or your loved ones being a loner."

 

[C.DEX]

"I could tell you a million ways in which I understood, but you're so set in selfishness that you wouldn't understand. I didn't kill your wife. Or your family. I didn't kill your people. I acted in preservation, of not only me, but you as well. But you can be selfish. Because you were being selfish when you tried to take me hostage. Not that I doubt the talent of your rogue friend, either, but it's just as selfish to make him take on an entire ship for you." Slaw commented back, words just as fierce as Gunnar's. That, and he had a point. He continued on.


"What's the point? What happens when they kill your rogue friend - Sirius, was it ? - and then they kill you right afterwards, because Gods know you can't protect yourself against bolts forever, spirits be damned, and you sure as hell weren't jumping up to get them. Should the blind one find his own way home after you two are slaughtered? Because I've lost friends to them as well; ones just as confident as you." the Avar continued, causing the room to quiet slightly.


"Now, I'm helping you. Not because I'm being forced to, because I could probably kill you right here. Rogue might take me out - again, just hypothetical - but I'm helping you because I actually believe your goal is tangible. And I understand wanting to fly again. So maybe instead of blaming me for all your problems - and by fuck, what is that about? I don't even KNOW you! - you can thank me for my hospitality as you eat off of my plates and sleep on my floor." Slaw said, finally taking a breath. He looked to Sirius. "If you don't think that a few mean words in return for holding me hostage and trying to sacrifice me to Molts is compromise, then you're just as stupid."


A small silence had passed, as Slaw had finally finished his meal. He stacked it on top of Orin's plate, who had long since finished his meal and had resolved to watching them all quietly. Slaw had had a point; Gunnar had been being selfish. They very well could have stopped, rested for a while, healed up, and Gunnar certainly didn't have to flag down a ship full of combatants. If Sirius had died, what would he do? What would he have done if Sirius had never come, and Gunnar had died in the tavern that night?


The thought weighed on him a little. "We'll ... be gone as soon as we can, Slaw." he said, feeling the slightest bit guilty. "Just bear with us. What you're doing is important, anyways. It's necessary for us to get back to the Isles, and if you can help us - well, I'd be grateful, at least."


"'Least someone fuckin' would." Slaw said. Then, he looked to Gunnar. "Night, princess."

 

[Notorious]

"Gunnar stop!" Dio's voice shouted out, breaking through the veil and filling the room with a ghostly roar as not only Gunnar but everyone heard it as the Viking jumped to his feet inhumanely fast. Injuries be damned he was looming over the mouthy bird faster than he could have imagined, the viking wrapping his massive around around Cheslaw's throat and lifting him into the air. He slammed the bird against the wall, the force of the impact cracking the wall behind him.


"You could probably kill me huh?" Gunnar whispered, starring right into Cheslaw's eyes with an intensity he hadn't seen before. He had went too far with Gunnar, a man who was torn all apart by the fact that he had just lost everything and he kept playing with fire. Now, it was going to be a miracle if Gunnar stopped. "That's big talk for a little bird." He was about to continue speaking but he seen Cheslaw's hand move towards a concealed weapon so he slammed him against the wall again. "I'll always be selfish for my family. For my friends. I'd tear this world apart for them, much less a pathetic flightless Avar. I don't need you for a ship, this is my way of showing you mercy for your fuck up. You should thank me for my hospitality for keeping you alive. Without me, those Molts would have mowed you down sooner or later. You can't fly away so they were bound to catch you... They'd have gotten you right before you dove into your trash heap you pathetic little bitch."


"Gunnar... Buddy..." Sirius said, eyeing the exchange with burning curiosity. He wasn't about to stop such an amazing show such as this but he didn't want Cheslaw to die necessarily. He stood in front of Orin, "You both are angry. Remember what I said about my family arguing? It's just like that. Both of you are being too... too fucking stupid to stop and listen to yourselves. Slaw, you're not taking in account Gunnar's emot-"


"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Gunnar roared, the room practically shaking from the viking's ferocity. Cheslaw was growing red in the face, his restraint not to strike back quickly diminishing. It didn't matter though as he was now at Gunnar's mercy, the viking willing to snap the Avar's neck with how much he had angered him. "Lives are on the line and you're calling me selfish? The fact that I want to save people makes me selfish? You clearly haven't had a family little bird... I can see why now. They probably didn't want you... You pissed too many of them off. Probably pushed you off the side of the isles because of it. Is that why you're down here? Is that why you camp out in this ship? You miss home?" Gunnar slammed him again, gritting his teeth as he got in close. "Too fucking bad. You can't fly back up so you're stuck here just like us. Not that anyone would welcome you home when you got back, they probably let the runt of the flock die on purpose."


"Please." Sirius said, for once not laughing or smiling or anything of that nature. "You both are angry. Maybe not necessarily at each other either. You're both hurt and pissed off and taking it out on eachother... Gunnar you are in the wrong, Cheslaw... You are also in the wrong. The old saying of two wrongs don't make a right is absolutely true. Please, just calm down Gunnar. Even your Wraith broke through the veil to tell you to stop... Perhaps this is divine intervention." He said, taking a step forward, "Maybe those very same gods want you to spare Cheslaw here. That he may prove to have an important role in all of this. Is it coincidence you found him and Necras protected you both?" Sirius smirked underneath his mask finally, "Necras cares not for the lives of the living, only the death of them. He kept both of you alive... meaning that Cheslaw is meant to be sparred."


Gunnar turned to Dio, looking for answers. "Is that true?" He said outloud, the wraith manifesting in the corner of the room yet close enough to where he could physically stop Gunnar from doing something stupid. "IS IT TRUE?!" He roared, causing the room to go silent once more. Dio only offered him a short, curt nod which cause Gunnar to drop Cheslaw roughly to the bed. His metal splint went breaking off as his feet hit the ground, causing him more than enough pain for the comments he had made. And, Gunnar's stitches had burst open and he was bleeding everywhere once more. "Looks like you may be important to this story after all. If the gods weren't watching out for you..." Gunnar paused. "...I'd kill you." With that, Gunnar grabbed his armor and equipment off the ground along with the medical supplies then left the room. He passed by Orin and Sirius without another word, the viking heading outside for some fresh air as he mended himself once again.


"Reminds me of home." Sirius said with a satisfied sigh. "Sorry about our viking friend he's... a lot less civilized than us. Plus the poor bastard just learned his people had been killed. Everyone he knows is probably dead." Sirius said with a shrug, almost uncaring in the way he phrased it. "It didn't help that you were antagonizing him though. Not the wisest move to lash out at someone who was beginning to help you and attempting to make things right. Especially one who may have just lost everything..." Sirius went over to Cheslaw's leg and began to bind the splint back together and began to fashion it back to his leg. "Orin... I'd check on Gunnar if I were you. You know him better, calm that asshole down before he bleeds out."

 

[C.DEX]

During Gunnar's rage, Orin had taken several steps back, surprised that the Viking had lashed out so thoroughly. He'd never been in close proximity of it before, and he'd certainly never heard Dio. The Ifritian Seer even looked a bit scared, unable to control the situation that had been spiraling out of control. It had taken Sirius talking to him for him to snap out of it, realizing that the rogue was probably right. He snapped out of his stupor, feeling for the way out of the room again. He'd found it, leaving both Sirius and Slaw in the room alone.


Orin felt his way out of the ship, following the contrails of Dio's form. He followed the laboured sound of Gunnar's breathing, filled with rage, pain, and exhaustion. Despite his fear for (and of) his friend, he followed until he had found that they were both outside. The air smelled like metal, rust, and ocean. Dio was faint in Gunnar, having expelled a notable amount of mana to both make himself known and heal the wounds that Gunnar had re-opened.


He approached the angry Viking, though through caution, it was rather obvious that Orin was trepid. For a while, he watched Dio and listened to Gunnar in silence, choosing not to make himself known to them. He wasn't even sure what to say if he did come out. What could he tell someone who could have potentially lost their family, their wife? After a while, he stepped out from behind Cheslaw's wall, approaching Gunnar. He kept his voice low, trying not to irritate the situation any more than it already had been.


"...Gunnar?" Orin asked. "Can you please come back inside...? We can ... we can let Sirius sleep in Cheslaw's room for the night, but - he promised to help us. That's what matters. Threat or not, we're going to have a ship - we're going to get back to your family. I'm going to meet Nora. If the Veldardians are anything like you, the Molts are wrong - they've got the wrong people." he said, sadly, but also naively.


"Sirius said you're bleeding. I ... can't see you, so I don't know how bad it is, but - please don't die on me. I don't want to be out here alone. I'm sorry if I fucked up in any way, but - I don't want you getting yourself killed. Regardless of the bird, regardless of the Molts, we need rest. Even if something did happen up there, we can't help with it until we're healed. And every time I'm near you, I smell blood."


He sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. His own wounds were still tender. "We don't have to be with him for long, but - I don't ... I don't want you to kill him. We've had enough death so far without killing someone because they were mouthy. And - I understand. We've had everything taken from us, so the concept of doing it to someone else would be shitty, regardless of whether they have family waiting for them or not." Orin stopped, trying to measure Gunnar's anger, raising two hands in front of him. "And - I know. I know. We need to get back up to yours. That takes precedence."


Slaw sat mostly in shock - the whole ordeal had happened quicker than he could really react, despite the fact that he was an archer. In a moment, the Viking had gone from peacefully eating his meal to throttling the bird, who'd taken a few hoarse coughs as the blood returned to his face and the oxygen to his head. Then, the pain in his ankle had come back.


He had gone mostly quiet, unsure how to parse the situation. Firstly, he'd been set up in the company of someone a significant amount stronger than he'd originally assumed. Secondly, he was being taken hostage in his own home by him. And that was just great. "...I lash out, sometimes. You're right. But ... making things right ... wasn't on his mind. You - you people are on the verge of making me lose everything - that was his original intent - but -" he coughed. "I guess that doesn't matter, either. I'll help you. Quietly. I know my position here. And then you'll be on your way."

 

[Notorious]

All was quiet on the beach as Gunnar had quietly tended to his wounds. Dio was even more exhausted than he was, the wraith barely even a flicker to Orin now. As he spoke, Gunnar listened. He didn't speak as he simply absorbed Orin's words, letting his friend speak his mind as Gunnar finally got the first chance to calm down. He had been thinking irrationally for a while now, ever since he took on Cheslaw he had been making mistakes. To him they were justified but he took a moment to sit there and think long and hard what he was doing. Although he concluded he'd do it all again if it meant saving his people he did feel like a prick.


"I won't die on you, brother..." Gunnar replied, just as quiet as Orin had spoke. "It's been a long time since I've been in the thick of it like this. I'm going as hard as I can for so long now... Ever since I fell from the Isles I've hardly had a moment to rest. To eat or drink. I've been moving... fighting... running." He was revealing just how tired he really was to Orin, "Then, I see the best shot I have at returning home to see my wife again... Hell, to rescue her now that I learned she may be-" He paused, trying to find the words. "Learning that she may be... gone..." He said, choking back tears. "Orin... I don't know what I'm doing anymore..." He confessed, hanging his head in shame. "First I kidnap an Avar and then I force him to make me a ship? Sure... It makes sense to me that I'd do anything to try and rescue her but... I almost killed Cheslaw in there." He admitted, "I was moments away from ripping his throat out or crushing his wind pipe. He was on the brink of death for what? Being upset that I've taken him hostage?" Gunnar shook his head, "That's not like me. Not anymore."


The waves crashed in nearby softly against the metallic shards of debris, adding a rather melancholic backdrop to their conversation in the airship graveyard. "I'm going to rest here then I'll leave. We'll leave, if you'll still join me. I don't know how but... I'll find a different way to get a ship. We just crashed into this hermit's life and taken it over within hours and it's not fair. He may have blown that Molt ship up but he was right... On the off chance Sirius died up there I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself for letting it happen and him going in there without backup. I'm just too one tracked right now cause Orin..." He wiped his eyes, silently thanking the gods that Orin was blind as to not see him cry. "I may have just lost everything I love... And there's nothing I can do..." He buried his face in his hands, never before feeling as defeated as he did right now.


Back in the airship Sirius continued to mend Cheslaw's leg, the pair of them very quiet after what had transpired.


"You will be compensated." Sirius added. "I may have only met Gunnar but his biggest strength and his weakness is his heart, as cheesy as that sounds. He's just hurting and took it out on you." He chuckled, "Partly because you roasted the hell out of him but that wasn't all on you. And fear not... I won't allow him to hurt you again as long as you promise not to do the same to him. We aren't savages, we're people. You'll be compensated with whatever you wish for helping that man and I'll ensure that he is on his way. I double as a thief and have hardly ever been caught in the act before so whatever you wish for compensation whether it be money, supplies, weapons... more arrow juice you name it. Drink." Sirius said, grabbing a bottle of painkilling medicine and jamming it into Cheslaw's face. "We're going to get you nice and high then I'm going to guard the door. Ensure that Gunnar doesn't go berserk on the chance Orin pisses him off too." He paused, "That was a joke."


Sirius backed away from Cheslaw and took a seat by the door like he said he would. "Thank you for your help. It takes a brave man to do what you're doing... To acknowledge that you will help us even after you've been wronged several different times today." His words were sincere, something new that the others hadn't seen from Sirius just yet. "Now then... Do you need anything? Name it and it's yours." Sirius began to laugh, "Want a big tittied Avar lady? It may take me a while but I can find a way." He teased, trying to lighten the mood after what had just occurred. It was going to take a lot more jokes and a hell of a lot more pain killers for Cheslaw to ease up but Sirius was determined to offer his support.

 

[C.DEX]

Cheslaw sighed, looking to his ankle as Sirius had finished bandaging and splinting it again. Then, he looked out to the doorway. Had he gone too far? It just seemed to be insult to injury. Then, he let out a frustrated groan. Emotions were on edge, there, and he wasn't used to having to deal with anyone's but his own. "All the humans I've met before have been psychopaths. The few that I've met." He said, lamenting slightly to Sirius' open ear. "I just assume there isn't anything between their ears except rage and entitlement. I didn't consider -" he paused. Didn't consider what? That Gunnar's intentions could have truly been non-selfish? Another frustrated grumble escaped him.


"I didn't intend on starting anything physical. Just got pissed. So no, I won't hurt him, not unless he tries something again. In that case - all bets are off. But I understand more than anyone, I think, wanting to get back up to the Isles and fly again. Which isn't saying that I'm forgiving him, because he's a giant asshole, but I am willing to help you all. Now if only you'd just asked nicely. Hell, the other scavengers might have helped you if your guys' first response wasn't to swing first." Slaw said. "...As far as compensation, just ... getting out of my sight will be enough."


Frustrated and still in shock, Slaw leaned back against the wall. He took the medkit from Sirius after the rogue finished up patching his wounds, lifting his arm to reveal the damaged wing that rested between the arm and his body. Without too much blood running through it in the first place, the wing didn't possess too much of a threat to his health, but it still hurt like the dickens and looked particularly nasty.


"And needle and thread." He said, grimly.


Orin slowly approached Gunnar, taking a seat next to him, resting his head on his knees. "I understand. I ... didn't see the battle, but I've had things that were close enough to see be ripped from me before. I'm hoping for Nora. Praying for your people. I don't know where they are or what happened, but I believe that they're still out there, waiting for you."


They sat in relative silence for a little while, listening to the environment. Orin felt the tension; every second that passed was one that Gunnar hadn't spent looking for his family. He didn't know if his words meant anything at all, or if they just made things worse.


"Everything stays." Orin said. "Right where you left it. It changes, always, but everything stays. That's what Balor would say. People .. aren't like us. They don't do this. They don't go out and have big adventures. I can't even imagine there aren't Vikings who just ... farm, and try to live. Veldard will be there. I don't know how it will look, but ... it'll be there." He said, somber. "And of course I'll go with you. I'm your sidekick. And where the hell else am I going to go?" He asked, smirking.

 

[Notorious]

As things calmed down in the airship and Sirius silently did what Cheslaw asked of him, outside Gunnar and Orin sat next to one another in solidarity. They were both feeling pain right now, Gunnar more so than Orin but the two of them had grown so close to one another in their journeys that what the both of them felt was mutual. Gunnar's pain was Orin's and vice versa, the two of them thrown into too much pain together all at once forming a brotherly bond that would be incredibly hard to break. Gunnar listened to Orin's words and couldn't help but have a faint smile appear on his face when he heard Orin call himself his sidekick. It took a moment for Gunnar to compose himself so he wasn't openly weeping as he talked.


"You're wrong." He managed to hoarsely say after Orin's words hung in the air for a little while. "You're not my sidekick. Not by a long shot. You never will be either." Gunnar said, looking down at the ground after saying something so harsh. He mulled over his words, trying to find the right ones to say to his friend after leaving him hanging for a moment. "I'm your sidekick, Orin." Gunnar said, smiling widely after he seen Orin go from devastated to elated in seconds. "You've always been there for me... You saved me from that puddle. Hell, I'm just your older brother who gets into too much trouble. Without you I would have ended up dead in the woods somewhere. You're the hero of this story, brother... If you can help keep me out of trouble you and I are going to do a lot of great things for a lot of good people." He paused, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm just happy I get to tag along with you for the ride."


They both sat there after Gunnar said that, both finally getting a moment to just relax with one another after a long couple of days. In fact, the last time they got to truly relax was at the Inn in Hatchment which after all that had happened it felt like that was months ago let alone yesterday. The two of them were exhausted to the core and would need several days to recuperate so finally Gunnar stood up and helped Orin to his feet.


"My people are strong. Even if we were attacked... not all of them will be gone." Gunnar said, a bit of optimism showing after Orin had rallied him. "My Nora is one tough woman. As I said before, she's tougher than me." Smirking, Gunnar began to walk back inside with Orin behind him following Dio's trail as usual. "She can't be dead. And if she is, I'll reach into the abyss and pull her out. That's what she'd do for me." He stopped before he entered the small hidden home, "And that's what I'd do for you too, Orin..." He added before entering. "Thank you for being there for me." With that, they both entered Cheslaw's home to finally get some well deserved rest.

End of Chapter 7 - Friends​

Several days had passed since the incident in the airship graveyard. All had been quiet and rather awkward in Cheslaw's ramshackle home. Orin and Sirius managed to do the impossible of keeping the Avar and the Human separated aside from a few rather tense moments of them accidentally ending up in the same room together. To their surprise however the two of them were rather mature about it all, not even exchanging a hello to one another but giving eachother space. The looks they gave the other could kill however, causing both Sirius and Orin to spring into action whenever it did happen. It was as if two territorial animals were locked in the same cage together, it was only a matter of time before something happened.


When it didn't it alarmed Sirius and Orin even further.


Sirius entered Cheslaw's room with a plate of fish and some sort of vegetable that he placed in front of the Avar, smiling at him from underneath his unsettling mask. He had still not taken it off the entire time any of them had spent with him, causing a bit of concern for the man's well being. They hadn't seen him take a sip of water, a bite of food. The mystery surrounding the man was enough to drive them up the wall with theories if they hadn't been so focused on what they were doing.


"There you go Slaw!" He said with a cheerful voice. "Looks like that leg of your's really healed up pretty well. Your ankle looks kinda bigger but that will just make it harder to snap next time!" Sirius chuckled, "Thankfully you had those potions or you'd be F-U-C-K-E-D for quite a few weeks. How you feeling buddy?"

 

[C.DEX]

"Good enough to stand. Lets get you all out of here." Slaw said. He'd been cooped up in his room for more time than he could personally stand. Despite being a loner, despite the fact that he'd normally be more than happy to stay within the confines of his home, there was a certain uncomfortableness he'd felt even within his own home with the recent addition of others. Still, it had staved away a certain fear; at the very least, if he'd been tracked down after their recent stint, there'd be less of a chance of him being killed where he slept.


It was a small consolation.


During those days, Slaw had taken to silence. While Sirius had helped by bringing him meals, very few words had been sent the rogue's way. In fact, Sirius' presence had unnerved him completely. There was tension that had been in the air when it had come to Gunnar, but he wasn't sure if Sirius simply felt pity for him or he was biding the opportunity to use him. His words had been kind enough, but there was something strange about the man.


Slaw had taken the time he had gotten to himself - and with other people - to begin crafting a crutch for himself. A few days later he had finished, intending on using it to scour the surrouning areas for the parts they had needed to get their ship up and running. He stood, regarding Sirius and his offering with no amount of hidden disdain. "...I have a few ideas for the major parts we need for the ship. A new mana storage cell, an engine - as much as I hate it, Molt engines are gonna be easier on liftoff than a Rune engine." he said, hobbling to the door and peeking out. He left his meal behind,


Orin had taken up his living room, closeby to Slaw's room in the case that something had happened with the tension between Slaw and Gunnar. He'd still been sleeping when Slaw had awoken, the sound of his crutch hitting the floor bringing the groggy Ifritian back to reality.


"Where's the Viking?" Slaw asked. "We're heading out to get the parts."


"You're asking me?" Orin chided. "Uhhh..." he said, looking around for any sign of Dio. Dio, who had still been relatively faint, supplying all of his mana toward healing Gunnar as well as he could within the past few days. Instead of taking the expected route, however, Orin called out. "Gunnar? We're going out!" he called.


Slowly rising from the mishmosh couch, Orin climbed to his feet. "Can I help?" he asked.

 

[Notorious]

"You're part of the team Orin, you gotta help." Gunnar said, hanging from the rafters above them performing suspended crunches. He had to strengthen his core after the massive amount of damage he had put his chest and stomach through recently so to Orin's amazement Gunnar had been exercising after the first night or so of rest. Most of his wounds had been healed thanks to Dio, giving the viking a ridiculous turn around time to keep pushing forward and would probably make their new Avar friend jealous. He wanted to keep active, otherwise he'd be a lot less useful to them being the brute of the group if he was weak. He reached for his shirt and concealed his scarred up chest, Cheslaw's contribution looking like a small foot note on a massive canvas of injuries. "What sort of parts do we need?"


"A ton of shit." Sirius added, the plate of food Cheslaw left behind in his hands. "Do you know how rude it is to accept food that you're not going to eat? Gunni, you hungr-" Sirius was interrupted by Gunnar grabbing the food and eating without hesitation. "Gee... It feels great being appreciated." Sirius said dryly, pleased to see Gunnar was appreciative of him but a bit irked Cheslaw didn't even offer a word of thanks for him helping around the place. While Gunnar began devouring the fish Sirius continued, "Something about an engine and a mana storage cell." Gunnar nearly choked when he heard both of those words.


"Was hoping we were closer than that. An engine is going to take all of us to carry... Usually when an engine goes bad my people strip the ship because it's such a bitch to replace." Gunnar shook his head, "Whatever it takes. All I need is a ride up there." He turned to Cheslaw, "I'd say you getting the full ownership of the ship is fair enough for the intrusion. Been thinking about that." He didn't offer any words of hostility as he knew that as soon as he did then it would be on again and it would get in the way of returning home. "A mobile airship would be the best way to live... This is a big world." He said, taking note of the idea as he went and grabbed his armor. Luckily for all of them he had cleaned the blood off of it and had thankfully cleaned himself, after all the blood Gunnar had poured out it was a miracle he wasn't dead.


"This is a big world." Sirius reinforced, "It's why we need to get a move on. Staying in one place too long makes my skin crawl and this ship here... Without it moving I'm going crazy." He paused, "-er." Sirius laughed as he opened the front door and led them all out, Orin strategically placing himself inbetween Gunnar and Cheslaw although both seemed to be on noticeably better terms. They were both healed and just wanted to be rid of eachother, making it that much easier to ignore one another unless absolutely possible. When they exited the ship they found it was morning with one of the suns peeking out from the horizon with the other just out of sight. Sirius took in a big breath and let out a happy sigh, "With all this metal we could build a beach resort here. We'd have to avoid all the falling airships coming from the sky because both of your people don't know how to stay up there obviously but... It could be an attraction."


"Could start people from the top and let them sail down. That ride is the craziest one you'd ever survive." Gunnar said, smirking. He barely remembered the fall now as some time had passed, all he remembered was how fast it all had happened and the miracle that he had managed to survive it was still replaying in his head. "Though it looks like most don't. Otherwise this place wouldn't be such a big scrap heap. Do we have a base for a ship or do we have to go shopping around for one?" Gunnar asked Cheslaw, wondering what they were going to do to get in the air. To Orin's delight Dio seemed to be in better spirits today, his power beaming compared to what it had been after the Strix had drained him. The Wraith gave a cheerful thumbs up to the boy as they all walked outside, waiting to get orders on what to do and where to go.

 

[C.DEX]

"You're right. The engine is big. Or else I would have brought it myself and used it in my home. It's going to take all of us to lug it. I'll pull it - along with ... Sirius?" he asked, still unsure of their names after so many days. He had kept to himself for the most part, carving or brooding. "Best to have one of each of the stronger members on each side of the block. Weight distribution and all that." he said.


As they walked, following him, Cheslaw's eyes shifted to the side. He stopped, veering off of the side of their path to grab a metal coil that had laid in wait. He had been scanning for useful parts for the entirety of their walk there, stopping occasionally to find himself them. They had acquired a length of metal coil - something he'd presumably intended on using as rope - and a hook. He'd wrapped the coil around his body - something that a normal person might find fairly heavy - and walked along with it. It had probably helped that the Avar had shed his armor for the most part, finding that it had needed repair anyhow after their battle with the Molts.


"I had intended on keeping it, anyhow. If you think you're going to find a ship here, mostly already built, that isn't in possession of someone - then you're wrong. I imagine you intend on staying on the Floating Isles, with your people, after you go back to them?" Slaw asked, though it wasn't clear whether his curiosity was just feigned niceties or not. The questioned sparked one in Orin, however, whose eyes showed curiosity as well.


"By the way - the mana storage cell should be easier. It's of Molt design. They do it the way Central does; compress, bind it into a chemical, and store it. When we get it, we should be able to strap it onto someone and that'll be that; might even be able to bring it back with the engine." he said.


"How far is it?" Orin asked.


"Just over there." Slaw said, pointing out. He didn't seem to be cognizant of Orin's disability - that, or he didn't care. Their eyes had followed his finger except Orin, meeting a downed ship in the distance like any other. "We'll hook the cable around the engine and pull it back. It'll take a while and we'll be tired, but the sooner we do it, the sooner we can be skybound."

 

[Notorious]

"Telling a blind man 'just over there'? Real descriptive, guy." Sirius said, finding humor in Cheslaw's mistake. Whether he cared or not he knew the boy was blind so phrasing it the way he did killed the Rogue with laughter. "I bet you'd tell a wheel chair bound cripple 'Oh it's just a short walk away'. Or perhaps a deaf person you'd say, 'Did you hear that?'." Sirius actually seemed to be growing tired of Cheslaw himself at this point, his patience thin due to the lack of gratitude and the lack of socialization. He had been waiting on them all hand and foot, gratitude had been shown from Gunnar and Orin but not the Avar. "Let's get this over with." The Rogue finished as they approached the ship.


Like any other ship in the graveyard this one had seen better days. The closer they got to the ship the more they realized just how bad of condition it had been in. This one in particular had crashed directly into the ground, the front half literally ripped completely apart by the collision allowing the elements to rip away at the insides slowly but surely. The closer Gunnar got the more he realized he didn't even recognize this model of Molt ship. It seemed far too advance for the Molts he had ran into before.


"Molts are getting crafty. Other than the fact that it's missing half of its front this ship seems to be in pretty good condition." He ran his hands along the walls as they all funneled into the ship after about a half hour of walking to the downed ship. The scavengers had a chance to pick apart this state of the art machinery but sure enough, the deeper they entered the ship they soon found that the engine had remained almost entirely intact. Partly because it was truly massive, an entire team of scavengers was needed and the odds of getting more than two or three together was slim. "Beautiful." Gunnar remarked, looking at the long dormant engine. He could practically feel the radiating mana energy flowing through it, residual from this ship's last flight. "Two pull two push?" He asked Cheslaw, "I could probably do best pulling. Wrap some cord around me and I'll get us going."


"You're a pack mule now?" Sirius asked, giggling. "I assumed you'd want to do the pushing since you could exert more force but I'm not going to question your judgement." Sirius grabbed some cable laying about as Cheslaw had his set ready for the other puller and wrapped it around Gunnar. The lithe rogue ran around Gunnar a few times before tying the cable around him. Gunnar checked the tension and took a step forward, the engine beginning to slide slightly but it was still connected. "Perfect!" Sirius exclaimed, "Now we'll hook another one of you up to pull and we'll be good to go. That is of course after we slice all these pesky wires in no particular order at all!"


"Or... Just unplug them." Gunnar said, raising an eyebrow to the mechanically illiterate assassin. "Just listen to the Avar, he'll know what to do. Don't slice, pull."

 

[C.DEX]

"Sorry." Slaw said, briefly. It was a wonder if he'd been careless or just deaf to Sirius' helpfulness. Perhaps it was all a matter of misunderstanding; after so many years, it wouldn't be that huge of a surprise if he'd forgotten his manners. He looked to Orin, who didn't really seem to mind himself, though that may very well have been due to the fact that it had been brought up so often. He'd been called a devil, demon, useless, worthless, amongst a different slurry of names throughout the Ifritian's career alive, and he'd been told to look, watch this - the list went on. And it didn't seem to bother him.


That was good enough for Slaw.


The Avar moved to unplug the wires from the engine, fastening the valve that fed mana into it and detaching it from the ship. He'd taken a solid, practical brick of steel dislodged from the ship itself, slamming it into the rusted bolts that had held the engine in place. "This - is ..." he started, commenting on Gunnar's observation about the ship. "...Mostly what they look like now. The Avars are falling behind; the Molt's technical style of craft is easier to advance than wild, unpredictable runic magic. But what they don't have in speed or technical advancement, they have in firepower and damage. I've seen Avar ships crash that gather mana from the environment and concentrate it into fireballs to barrage other ships with - cannons."


As Gunnar had the cable wrapped around him, Slaw moved to the bottom of the engine along with Orin. They had traded places, and that was fine. He didn't say much, instead getting behind the engine and placing his back to it. He dug his heel into the ground, pushing on it with his back, while Orin took the opposite approach. Instead, Orin showed his inexperise in the subject, placing his hands flat on the block and pushing it.


"Use your back. It's stronger than your arms." Slaw said, directing Orin to do as he'd done. Really, he didn't expect much out of the Seer, but even throughout the days that Orin had spent adventuring, he'd gotten stronger. He turned around, pushing the engine block with all of his might. Then, Gunnar and Sirius' job had gotten significantly easier; Slaw had raised his arms, catching wind beneath his wings, and thrust it forward, adding only to his force against the block. He struggled doing so, humidity coming to his forehead - while he certainly couldn't use his wings to do anything more than simply glide, he could use them to catch air. It hurt still, but his wounds had healed enough for him not to simply burst them open by means of flapping.


Soon, they had all been pulled into breathlessness, especially as they had ascended the pile of scrap. After a while, even Gunnar had fallen into exhaustion, and Slaw's wings had taken a slow tiredness.


"How much longer?" Orin asked, barely a wisp of air to his name.

 

[Notorious]

"About an hour." Gunnar said panting, the viking long since ditching modesty by throwing his armor to the ground not caring if he retrieved it or not along with tying his shirt around his waist. They had been going up a mountain of scrap, the ship they had been looting from unapologetic-ally at the bottom of a massive scrap heap. Gunnar took a moment for them to rest but they couldn't for long with him and Sirius practically suspending the engine by their bodies while they ascended the mountain. Sirius wasn't showing signs of tiring but physically he wasn't aiding Gunnar much, the viking holding the bulk of the weight alone. Veins were bulging out of his muscles as he held on to keep it steady. "If we... Keep pushing we'll hit flat ground and can rest. If we fuck up here it'll crush you two or it'll go toppling down this hill." He said, looking backwards to see where Orin and Cheslaw were. "And I don't know about you all... But if I have to go back down that fucking hill I'm gonna go berserk."


"Maybe you can ask your spirit friends to help us out." Sirius suggested, "You know... a little more divine intervention. Send in an army of the damned to push this thing up this hill. Have you seen me?" He said, holding his arms out, "I'm a twig! I'm doing not much other than being a counter weight."


"You volunteered, Sirius." Gunnar grunted, "Besides... When we get up there we'll be welcomed with a feast. All the rest we can get. Slaw will have a ship and can scavenge the world for whatever the hell he wants... Live in the middle of no where so no one bothers him." Gunnar stopped breathing heavily as he caught his breath finally, hoping that the others were ready too. "And... I'll be able to save my people. Come on now... PUSH!" He roared, beginning to climb the hill again cause the engine to move all on its own. This forced Orin and Cheslaw to get right back at it, ironically relieving Gunnar as he didn't have to shoulder the weight of the massive engine all on his own anymore.


"You know... I wasn't joking about that army of the dead thing." Sirius added, "I mean I was. But... you seem to have some talents you haven't took advantage of yet. Why don't you call upon them?"


"Even if I could... I doubt Necras care or not if I make it up this hill with an engine strapped to my back." He said hoarsely, taking everything in one step at a time. "All I've been able to do is pull weapons out and heal quick. That's a lot compared to most people but that's about all I'll get for now."


"For now." Dio added, a mischievous nature to his voice. To Orin's surprise Dio was right next to him, pushing along side him from the other side. He wasn't adding much, but the fact that the wraith was exerting as much force as he could too on the engine was reassuring that they could get the job done. The cords wrapped around Gunnar and Sirius began to creak, the insulation ripping slowly but surely nearly silently behind the pair of them. The insides of the cords were beginning to be exposed, a terrible sign that things were not about to go their way. The gigantic task before them was nearly done too, if that cord gave out right near the top it could prove to be fatal for those pushing.


"I see the top!" Gunnar exclaimed, pulling harder. "We can finally take a rest, just a little more guys!"

 

[C.DEX]

"It is a wonder the Gods care about you at all." Slaw said, though the harshness of his words didn't match up with the monotony of his voice. It had been a mean comment, wrapped up nicely in a satin bow. "All I have seen from you all is the ability to murder and steal. I don't ... want to think as much, but I hope that kind of shallowness isn't what the Gods are advocating for."


"Slaw!" Orin nearly shouted. "Stop being a rude piece of shit!" he exclaimed, shouting what had been on everyone's mind. He'd been pushed to nearly his breaking point, too tired to come up with funny comments. Every muscle in his body had ached nonstop, and the charming candor of the Seer had become increasingly thin. "Sirius ... Sirius has bent over backwards for you, cooked you meals, tried to make up for everything, and you -" he was gasping with every word, tired beyond belief. "- haven't even said THANK YOU!" he shouted, the burst of anger coming as a complete surprise to the others.


While Orin breathed, Slaw had gone quiet. They had come a long way, nearly getting to the top, and they hadn't even gotten there before Slaw had driven another one of them crazy. Orin seemed to be winding up again, building up enough energy to continue while his brow contorted in anger. Slaw opened his mouth to speak, finally. "I didn't mean -"


"Please and thank you! That's all we're ... we're asking, dude!" he exclaimed, the end of their tense battle of push and pull in sight.


Somewhat shocked, Slaw looked to Orin. While the task had united them in some small way, it had also been slowly tugging at their foundations, with the Seer's cracking at the base. "I just, I didn't mean to - I was saying what was on my -"


RRRRIIIIP.


Mid-sentence, the cord that had been attached to Gunnar's back had snapped, its chords snapping like the horsehair on a playing bow. It had played the same disharmonious sound, and suddenly, the pressure on Orin and Slaw's back had come to a crescendo. It was hard to realize what had been going on at first, though the relief on Gunnar's back had given him a fantastic hint as all of the forward pressure he'd been putting on the cord sent him tripping upwards, as well as Sirius. In just a few seconds, the massive engine had pressed on the two pushers, with them realizing what was happening in a moment.


Then, Slaw reached his hand out, taking them off of the block for a moment to shove Orin out of the way. The Seer tumbled to the side, managing to catch himself on scrap before he tumbled the full way. Then, Slaw had given out the same shrill shriek of pain that Gunnar had become familiar with in his time slaying Avars.


"GUNNAR! SIRIUS! HELP!" Orin shouted, taking the place of Slaw, who very well couldn't speak in light of the engine crushing his back.

 

[Notorious]

All it took was Orin to scream for help for Gunnar to spring into action. The intense relief he felt from the engine falling down quickly turned to horror as the engine crushed down on Cheslaw. He felt relief once more seeing that Orin wasn't caught in it but was conflicted as he physically seen the Avar push Orin out of the way. If it had been in any other way Gunnar would have let Cheslaw die but fortunately for him he had done the one thing to gain his trust: protect Orin. Gunnar rushed straight towards the engine that was crushing Cheslaw, his wing the only thing sticking out from the side of the massive machine. Sirius rushed over to Orin to make sure he was okay, only to see the same sight as Gunnar. The weight of the machine impacted the ground around Slaw, giving him only moments to live before he was completely crushed by it.


Without hesitation Gunnar began lifting the machine.


After what he had seen Cheslaw do for Orin it was second nature to him to want to save the Avar putting their differences aside truly for the first time. He had been pulling the machine hard and a lot of his energy had been expended but seeing an ally like that be nearly crushed by the machine was more than enough for the viking to receive his second wind. With a roar Gunnar began lifting the engine block off of Cheslaw, revealing that thankfully he hadn't been taken out by the engine. His foot was trapped due to the splint he still wore and his whole body had an immeasurable amount of pressure on it thanks to the massive bit of machinery.


Even with all that he had pushed Orin out of the way, knowing that it could be the end.


"DON'T YOU FUCKING DIE ON ME YOU AVAR PRICK!" Gunnar groaned, lifting the machine block higher and higher the Avar's foot just stuck underneath still. "I'LL RIP MY WAY INTO THE UNDERWORLD AND KILL YOU MYSELF!" He roared pushing harder and harder. The four man job became a one man job as Gunnar summoned strength he didn't know he even had, Dio joining with him and giving him that extra boost he needed. With a mighty heave Gunnar pushed the engine block up onto the flat bit of land, Cheslaw's leg splint being shattered by the massive engine but leaving the Avar relatively unharmed. As the engine crashed to the sand with a loud thud, sending bits of metal shrapnel and debris from the graveyard everywhere Gunnar looked down at Cheslaw.


Everything was tense as the dust settled and the engine rested on the flat land with the Avar scavenger laying on the ground dumbfounded that he was still alive after such a horrendous accident. Gunnar looked down at him and took a step forward, "Looks like the gods are looking out after you." He then lent a hand down to help Slaw up, "It is a wonder the gods see something in us, huh?" He said, a cocky smirk forming on his face as he did so but not out of spite. "Come on. Let's make sure you're not broken Slaw."

 

[C.DEX]

Slaw looked to Gunnar in complete disbelief, mouth agape. The pain hadn't even set in before the engine block had been lifted off of him, Gunnar lifting it high enough to embed it into the sand with a massive SLAM when it had dropped again. Slaw had pulled his legs out before Gunnar had dropped it again, the metal splint actually protecting his ankle from being crushed completely. He took a moment to be in shock and breathe, the engine having stolen all of his breath away, causing him to gasp to get it back. The thought of being killed then and there for helping didn't even have the chance of crossing his mind before the whole incident had been over.


The engine sat nicely on the top of the hill, to his amazement. He'd severely underestimated Gunnar, simply assuming that because he'd pushed himself to his limits nearly every day that he'd be a contender. But he wasn't. And if the incident several days ago hadn't convinced him, Gunnar lifting the entire engine solo had. He took Gunnar's hand in his own, pulling himself up to his feet and then staggering when he'd found that it didn't support his weight. That was nothing new, of course, but his ankle had certainly been reinjured again.


"...Slaw. Thank you." Orin said, still in partial shock himself, assuming the bird hadn't been crushed by Gunnar's words. Still, the Avar had given out a hiss of pain, contrary to his being. "Are you okay?"


"T-the..." Slaw started, still shaken up. "The gods just tried to kill me. They're looking out for me?!" he nearly shouted, unable to control his volume in light of the adrenaline. Orin bellowed a laugh at his expense, the tension falling away as they had all realized that they didn't have a dead bird on their hands. Slaw's eyes were wild and still panicked, "Holy fuck. Unholy fuck. You all - you are all unlucky. Unimaginably so. I haven't -" he stopped to breathe.


"Calm down." Orin said, smirking.


"I haven't gotten this many near death experiences in - in a long time. No - whatever Gods are protecting you all are far outweighed by those who aren't." he said, collapsing at the top of the hill, near the engine. Orin followed them all to the top, taking a rest as they all looked down on the ship below them. They had to descend, and then they were done. "...Thank you, Gunnar."

 

[Notorious]

"You're welcome... Cheslaw." Gunnar said, giving him a firm nod as he too took a seat at the top of the hill. He couldn't help but laugh however at Cheslaw's reaction to what had happened. "Not an optimist huh? Can't say I blame you." He said, letting out a deep breath as his arms ached and his body was exhausted. "Way I look at it is that was an accident and they saved you. Not that they're out to get you and you made it out narrowly. I don't see that being possible you were literally protected. I've seen engine accidents like that before, seen a lot of good men get squished. Burying them is the toughest part."


"Do you bury them in a bucket?" Sirius said, holding back laughter. "Do you set the bucket on fire? A funeral pyre for a bunch of guts is probably the least pleasant way to bury the dead."


"We eat them." Gunnar said, causing Sirius to stop laughing entirely. They all looked towards Gunnar he maintained a straight face until he couldn't any longer, breaking out into an almost Sirius-like laughter. The viking crashed down to the ground and began to look up at the sky after all that was said and done, they still had quite a ways to push the engine but thankfully it was down hill now. "And I thought I was gullible." He added, still laughing about the disgusting joke he made. "Listen... I don't think any of us want to push this thing down this hill as it'll go tumbling down. I don't want to test our luck by going and having someone on the other side stabilize it so we need some more cable. We'll push it down but slow it's descent from behind and ride it down like a sled."


"You're crazy..." Sirius mumbled, "I love it!" He jumped to his feet after taking a quick break with them and began to wander off on his own as he normally did. "I'll find us some cables! The kind that won't snap and break Coleslaw's back! I'll be right baccccccck!" As Sirius pranced away he vaulted into the air and practically disappeared into a pile of rubble, vanishing from sight as the Rogue began to scavenge for some stronger cables.


"That one is a strange one." Dio said to Gunnar, causing the viking to let out an unwarranted chuckle to the others. "He has no reason to stay yet... Has been helping you all out of no where. I have kept a close eye on him and he doesn't eat, sleep, drink nor eat. Though he disappears from my view quite often." He commented, sharing with Gunnar his observation. "Be wary, Gunnar. There are elements in play here that we do not yet see."


Gunnar acknowledged Dio, followed by looking over to Cheslaw and Orin. "We'll take it the rest of the way Slaw. If you don't want to tempt the gods into sending you more bad luck you can head back home and get this shit ready to install maybe. Can you walk?"

 

[C.DEX]

"Ow - I ... can hobble. Which is fine, I guess, as long as scavengers don't come. I'll - I'll lay low." Slaw said, face contorted in slight pain. It wasn't exactly that he felt unwelcome; in fact, the mood seemed to lighten greatly after he'd had the engine block dropped on him. But they did have other things to attend to. Pushing past the visions of his life that had passed before his eyes, he looked to Gunnar, face stoned in shocked neutrality as he'd told his cannibalism joke. Then, Sirius disappeared.


Slaw sighed. A part of him didn't want to leave, fearing that he'd run another streak of bad luck and be killed in the process somehow, but another part of him just didn't want to walk the whole way back. He lifted his wings, checking the state of them. They were still healing, but with his splint destroyed and his ankle re-injured, Slaw didn't exactly feel like reinjuring himself again by descending the hill. He pushed himself back up, hobbling on one foot, putting his back to the engine block again as it stood valiant on the top of the hill.


"I'll get the ship ready to take the engine and grab the mana cell, since it's on the way back." he said. Then, almost partially unsure, Slaw kicked off of the block, wings spread. Surely enough, the wind took them, and with armor off, the Avar was able to descend the massive scrap heap by gliding. He'd beat them down by a long shot, not landing quite so gracefully but landing nonetheless, becoming a blip in Gunnar's vision.


"The people we travel with are weird." Orin said. "I could have died. He saved me, but I don't understand why; I was in the middle of yelling at him. He doesn't seem to like us at all, but he's helping us. Judging by the direction of the air when he took off, he's not exactly running in the opposite direction of where we're supposed to be going." he concluded, a little sharper than the others gave him credit for. "Sirius ... I don't even know what to start to think about him. I can't help but think he's just helping us because he's bored."


Orin reached out, feeling the snapped cable that had formerly held the engine block. It had to have been insanely strong at one point, no doubt being used for similar circumstances.


"I wonder when he'll leave us." Orin said.