Bastyn was spilling pools of blood in the cabin trying to keep his consciousness while the alien tongue was forming words: “Kursikahn be damned”. The voice was barely audible therefore Zalyanitha had to put her face very closely the gross view to be able to understand.
“Is there a way to come to Unmandin?”, asked deva to the severed ear which luckily wasn’t needed to be attached to poor Bastyn unlike the tongue.
“Whose voice I hear?”
“I am Zalyanitha”
“Your name means nothing to me, who are you?”
“I am Zalyanitha, one of the awakened devas.”
Bastyn ‘s voice with the alien tongue stopped for a moment and replied:
“I see, Kursikahn got what he wanted”, the tongue then made some strange noise that could be interpreted as laughter.
Zalyanitha asks to fetch her some wine and food which is given for Bastyn. The immortal gets no satisfaction of that as he surrenders to violent cough of blood. Rakshavyada strengthens the grip around Bastyn ’s body to keep him sit. Hence this tiny gesture satisfied the tongue.
“Give me more, give me honey. I want honey”
Aturn was first to react and brought some honey from his personal chambers from the amber box and spoon. It was very disturbing view to see as the tongue energetically enjoyed the honey while the body seemed to be barely alive.
“I want more, I want to taste a body of woman”
“Would that be enough to answer all of mine questions?”, asked Zalyanitha in return
“I deserve that, I deserve it all after what I’ve done for Kursikahn"
Zalyanitha took the severed ear in her hands and confirmed that she is touching it.
“Do not try to fool me. I waited so long, I can wait more, yet your time is fading”
Zalyanitha starts gently stroke the ear with just the tips of her fingers. Bastyn starts gurgle with his mouth full of blood. Finally he finishes and Bastyn says with the alien tongue.
“Good, but I will need more, more, more”
Zalyanitha carefully starts to stroke the earlobe as lightly as the deva can do.
“More… more, more”, voice hisses from Bastyn
Zalyanitha continues her play with fingers and mildly asks various questions about getting to Unmandin
“Do we need some kind of ritual to get there?”
“You do not need any ritual, you need to obey some rules… let me guess, you know that no-one returns from there alive… Oh I waited so long…”
Zalyanitha carefully licks the severed ear just with her tip of the tongue. The view was especially shocking for Aturn and Esteva . However the voice demands more and more. Finally it says:
“The things I can say will be unexpected, give me what I want and I will reveal it all”
Zalyanitha realizes that the tongue have knowledge that is completely different from what she expects and the tongue knows that it gets nothing after it reveals it. The tongue continues:
“I know the way you have to go and you will not find the way without me”
“I can give you more but I need to receive more. I need to like it what you say, I need to find that useful. You will be rewarded after useful pieces of information I require”, Zalyanitha ‘s voice sounded as mild as gentle as it was strong when you feel yourself not in a place to argue back. Unsurprisingly the tongue gave up: “It will be as you wish”. Zalyanitha turns to the rest in the cabin and explains that the tongue wants to taste a woman and the view here might be very disturbing, she advised everyone that they might rather prefer to wait outside. Esteva was about to say something but the prince shut here up and dragged out of the cabin. Rakshavyada remained with the grin on his face.
Driving with her fingers Zalyanitha moved the alien tongue closer and closer to her. No matter how gross it looked with all the blood, nearly collapsing Bastyn supported by Rakshavyada.
“Why did you stopped?” – hissed the tongue in Batyn ’s mouth – “I want more”
Zalyanitha ’s emotions was surprisingly very well controlled: “First some answers”
“Those who are immortal may not lose the way”
Zalyanitha rewarded the tongue with a bit more of her.
“You will sail the river that has one bank ruled by the Wild One and the other for the Mad One. You must always keep in the middle”, the tongue whispered.
“Do we need to know something more?”
“You will be constantly lured by either of the sides. Fall under none of the spells, always keep yourself in the river and you will reach the goal. Keep in the middle of the river and you reach the goal”
Zalyanitha asked if Rakshavyada had any questions. To which deva of the hunt replied negative releasing Zalyanitha of her sacrifice. Deva of the justice spend no other moment to stay in the room. Rakshavyada then asked the severed ear whether it wants to go to Wild One or Mad One?
“Who are you” replied tongue in Bastyn ’s mouth.
“I am the one that can bring you an eternal pain”
“You know nothing, I have done my task and my brother will do his”
“Who is your brother? What task?”
“Are you immortal as well?”, – tongue seemed to be slower and even more harder to hear.
“Yes I am”
“That just proves that immortality does not go hand in hand wisdom”, – tongue seemed to be slower and even more harder to hear.
Rakshavyada understood that it is not that simple to intimidate something that has only immortal tongue and ear remaining and decided to approach in different strategy: “I have swallowed the seed of Wild One am I in danger there?”
“The place you go belongs to none of those two you will find all the answers there.” – the tongue seemed to be more and more faded, it added – “If you have no other question, I beg you let me rest”
“You may rest”
The tongue collapses right away. Rakshavyada immediately jumps out of the cabin just to summon Padme for immediate medical assistance for Bastyn and completely ignoring all of the questions written on Esteva ’s and Aturn ’s faces without words. By the time he closed the door after Padme he could hear Esteva ’s question about Bastyn ’s health which was completely ignored. Padme swiftly attaches original tongue of the Bastyn filling him with enough alcohol. After some time Esteva brings a goblet for Bastyn, which she claims is everything she could find that could help him to recover. Regardless Bastyn spends his time of recovery to dig his memory for the name he heard – Kursikahn .
Rakshavyada goes to wash himself after all he seen. He then passes through Aturn and Esteve, who seemed to solved all their arguments, and he finds a calm place to try hardly meditate out all he saw.
Padme spends some time on deck and soon she goes back to Bastyn just to drive him off her cabin and clean all the mess there.
Zalyanitha after calming herself down and washing she finds now friendly prince and Esteva to pass all the knowledge she heard from the tongue. That they have to keep in the middle of the river and under no circumstances approach any of the banks and that will be enough to reach an island which will be their goal. Princes mood seems to be raised by the news as he recalled that the tree he is searching for is under the hill in the island. Then he starts giving commands for the crew to advance forward with the ship. Zalyanitha left alone looks around the people working there and then remembers Guntur. She finds him playing with a figure of Padme. Deva of justice invites him to follow her. The boy seemed to have his spirit up as he finally can be somehow useful for them. Finally having some action. and adventure.
“Do you like women?” – Zalyanitha just asks. This naturally confused Guntur for a moment and as he replied positively Zalyanitha immediately took advance of him as a male, trying to forget her all gross experience and trying to squeeze as much pleasure as possible for herself. While Guntur performed far from perfect but it made its task. It helped to forget the bloody tongue.
The ship advanced and dived into the fog. The surroundings were as dull and monotonous as it is possible, nothing seemed to be changing. The time itself gave an illusion to stop. There was no possibility to determine if an hour passed or it was four. Bastyn now looking quite well providing that he had his tongue removed and returned back looked quite well. Crew at least believed or at least pretended to believe that nothing happened to him. The immortal merchant reached the front of the ship to meet Vestur there who was all in to scrolls and books. It looked that only that kept him up in this dulling environment. The scholar tried to inquire Bastyn if he knows where they are heading. To which no answer was returned. Bastyn just sat to meditate on this question. Who is Kursikahn.
After some time Padme receives a visit from the prince to her cabin. She asks her to come to her apartments where he shows Esteva which sits in the corner and looked somehow uncertain. Prince pleads for help from Padme as she is the only person able to help.
“No-one can help me know, this is a price we all pay” – Esteva replies
“What is wrong with you, Esteva?” – asks Padme
“I no longer can see. My eyes can see as much as well can see. Please don’t worry it was miracle enough that was able to see while having no eyes"
Padme realizes that this is beyond of her ability just gave a few encouraging words that maybe it would be better in the future. Esteva simply replied that she is no longer sure what waits them in the future. Padme then takes the prince outside asking him to be gentle and supporting for the lady as this is the moment that is the hardest for her and helping hand is needed like never else. And then Padme hurries out before any emotional conversation might start. First she visits Bastyn to take him out of trans.
“Esteva lost her sight, are you happy”.
Then she spotted Rakshavyada as next victim of her gossips.
“Rakshavyada, what can you see?”
“I don’t know it’s all grey around and the ship”, Rakshavyada seemed as calm as ever
“Hence it is much more then Esteva can see, as she now sees nothing”
And then she runs off, leaving deva of the hunt puzzled.
Zalyanitha shares the instructions of the banks of the river with the rest of the crew, who works very lazily. Bastyn and Rakshavyada both separately dives in the trans like condition of eternal boredom. Until immortal merchant is being waked up by one of the sailors showing him the east horizon where the moon was not shattered and the gates were whole. The shattered moon from the stories of many many years ago where devas ruled was whole again. Hence unfortunately it was only an illusion as the moon rised from east higher in the sky and it was finally clear that there was only the perfect reflection from the sea. Sailors still share their fears with their first mate Bastyn the this is unusual place for the moon. After some time the fog clears out to reveal that the ships sails through the sea so calm and so perfectly reflective. It looks tat they are sailing through the sea of moon-silver. Bastyn starts to do some preparations and ties the steering-wheel so no-one would try to sabotage and turn it to any of the banks of the river. The moon itself sets in the west and suddenly it becomes very dark from the clouds of the storm. Bastyn orders the crew to prepare for the incoming storm and summons Rakshavyada to guard the steering-wheel. Merchant himself climbs up to crow’s nest. There he notices another strange phenomena: the lightning in the sky reflects somehow differently from the water. He immediately shares this observation with Rakshavyada. At that time it begins to pour. The drops are heavy somehow painful. It is soon realized that this is no water – it is moon-silver. These drops falling on the surface of the sea are not instantly are absorbed by it. The drops falls and rolls as tiny little balls through the silver surface and just then fuses with it. Empty barrels where ordered to be brought out to collect as much moon-silver as possible.
The storm finally is over, fog is long gone too and then all the adventurers spots some exotic flowers floating on the sea. These flowers not only looked absolutely marvelous with the size and beautiful colors. They smell even more wonderful. The smell lured everyone to come out on the deck to observe the view. Even Esteva supported by the Aturn came out and listening with the smile as the prince described them. Suddenly someone screams from the crow’s nest that the shore can be seen.
They were approaching the mouth of the river looking as impressive as everything around. The east side was grey and with mysterious lights, while the west side was full of green jungles. They could see the light of the harbor in the left side of the river. Bastyn strictly ordered to keep a course and sail forward. The river begins to narrow a bit while they are sailing forward. Rakshavyada looked at the west side of the river. The sounds of the jungle life. The smell of freshness and blood. It boiled the blood of the hunter. He remembered that it was a long long ago since he had a good hunt. Yet… Rakshavyada couldn’t let his companions down, or at least not now.
The wind blew from the the east bringing whispering words for Bastyn. “Kursikahn, Kursikahn, Kursikahn”. Bastyn still couldn’t remember whose name it is. It looked so close yet he couldn’t remember why. The merchant tried to call himself Kursikahn trying to see if it fits him.
At night Zalyanitha is woken up by the sound of scraping at her door. She opens it just to hear someone running away with bare feet. Deva spots a piece of paper with some poem. While it was a poem with quite good devanagari, ergo the choice of words were below average even for the most talentless deva. She immediately realizes who’s work it is and as she heads back to her cabin she hears the laughter of the child. Zalyanitha come out to the deck to listen for more sounds brought by the wind. The voice of the child is inviting her to come she can even hers voice along with child’s. And it is a happy caring voice. Zalyanitha decides that this must be a lure of the Mad One and goes down to her cabin.
After fourth cycle of the moon a sailor from crow’s nest shout that he sees an island. Soon everyone sees the hill coming in the middle of the river. The hill is similar grey from the east and green with moss in the west. While they approach they could see that there is shipwreck around next to the place where the shore is good enough to board. As they got nearer to the island it was seen that there are some more shipwrecks around. Prince whispers silently to Esteva that soon she will be able to see. “If the tree can make someone immortal than it can bring back the eyesight”
It was decided that only immortals will board the island first. So all four Bastyn, Zalyanitha, Padme and Rakshavyada boarded the boat to reach the island. As soon as they landed they spot a camping sight a long time deserted as pots were long rusted. Rakshavyada found a pile of bone and got an idea that these are human bones, and it really seemed that they were grieved. One of the tents were still half standing and it was possible to see remains of someone. There was a ring on the hand of the skeleton that showed that these are remains of no ordinary person. The group decided to move around the island. A bit further they found a half-dug cave completely covered with very thick roots. As Bastyn accidentally touched the root he was overcome with emotions of sadness and joy. It took some time to recover from that. He couldn’t say why was he so effected. After brief discussion a group decided to split. Rakshavyada went up the hill to meditate. Zalyanitha and Padme decided to return to ship to report what they have found. And Bastyn returned to deserted camp. Finally when he saw the skeleton with the ring it somehow was very familiar to him.

Padme asked the man if they are heading in the direction. The man mused that this is the way for the dead to take and what they are doing on it being alive. Padme tried to clear the situation and in the end she decided that it looks like the man is talking about Sorcerers gates. So they decided to follow the passing ship. At the midnight devas ship approached two dark figures – actually they were huge cliffs. Esteva suddenly panicked and asked if they must do something before passing between them. She held herself until the ship entered space between the rocks – then priestess finally lost her shit and started to scream for the ship to stop. She asked Bastyn if he know anything at all about this. Bastyn commanded to harbor until they’ll figure out something.

-X-

Meanwhile Mahormimat was living his happily ever after… boring happily ever after. Some months past and there was a new caravan at his city with a beautiful caravan master who firstly asked for the audience with the master of the city, namely Mahormimat, and gifted him with some lavish thingies. After some time they get to know each other better – she’s Anait Fanret from Purple Country and that’s all Mahormimat managed to get from the mysterious woman. Mahormimat started to suspect something, but accepted her gifts and drank her wine later finding himself cozily boxed and shipped to Crimson Emperor.

Deva finally wakes up and states that he is offended that they kidnapped him instead of asking politely to come visit. He asks for his wife and things, Anait states that everything could be procured. After dressing he is led to the Crimson Emperor.

At the throne room there are lots of naked bodies… women dead and alive, strange men gathering and eating maggots that crawling on the roots of the huge apple tree, half living statues and other strange things… One of the statue states that this is Mahormimat the Trader, deva that came to pay his respects to the Emperor.
The man sitting on the throne waves for one statue and that one screams for everyone to leave. After this Emperor asks for Mahormimats friendship, but deva feels that the man understands this “friendship” somehow peculiarly and refuses, Mahormimat tries to dodge the direct answer, but emperor presses the question asking to say yes or no. So after no, man claps his hands ant four sets of doors on the different sides of the hall opens…

-X-

Prince Aturn is angry that someone stopped the ship without his command. Esteva clearly states that the gap between the cliffs is unpassable until they do something and points to Bastyn that he is the one who could know.
After some indecisive dragging of the matter party decides to sew the tongue of the sorcerer Bastyn is carrying around in the box to the said merchant and as it for the help. The operation passes with flying colors so shortly Zalyanitha begins the interrogation… the remains of the sorcerer curses profusely…

Esteva had approached to the Padme. She is the only one deva stayed on the ship board. The blind girl is very confused about the purpose of this long journey to the lost city – Unmandin. The shadow covers her vision over the horisont in the direction of the Sorcerers gates. „If all of this is a big lie. What do you think Padme?“, but the the question remains unanswered. The deva does not knows how to boost the mood of the Esteva. Chill is getting stronger and stronger and Padme returns to cabin to improve her garment. The strange grey mist is approaching the ship. Deva gives command to the ship crew to take cover from the cold. Few moments latter the wind dies down, the sound of waves perish too. Only blue flashes poke through the deck of the ship without any damage. The deva prepares for the defence. The prince comes to check the situation. The rime line down of the Aturn’s hairs. The anxiety starts to grows…

Rakshavyada and sailors are filling the baskets with water. Wellspring instantly freezes. The deva could not believe in such rapid change of the weather. So, the mighty hunter equips with the sword and turns to the shore of the sea. Bastyn observes the strange cloud in the horisont of the see. The immortal man pulls out the sword and starts running toward Zalyanitha. The deva of justice notice the cloud too, but Silver Fox already pulls her from the water and gently drags her to the cover. The pirate gives the command to the other sailors to take cover. Zalyanitha, Silver Fox, Bastyn and Rakshavyada meets on the shore of the sea. Zalyanitha and Rakshavyada exchanges information about the strange cloud. The pirate tries to drag deva several times, but he is not able to do that. He starts to run to the safe place and screems „Glakar, Glakar….“. The other sailors echoes the same phrase too. Zalyanitha push Rakshavyada and Bastyn to the cover.

Padme and Aturn leans with the back at the doors to the cabins. Deva begins to see the figure of the frost giant in the cloud, but Aturn could not see the nothing more than a frost. The creature crouch near the ship, the big blue eyes scans the deck for someone or something, but it seams that the beast does not find his target in this place and straightens his back. The Padme notice that the someone rides this creature. Aturn is confident that his father mages could be involved is such weather behaviour. The giant crushes the other ship with his bear feet.

The grey cloud reaches the small island. Bastyn puts his head behind the cover and notice the big creatures like cats with the blue eyes. One of them is attempting to grab him, but the immortal man has good reflexes to avoid such attack. The sailor screams echoes from all the sides of island, the red drops of the blood covers the snow. The one creature targets the Rakshavyada, but after the confrontation with the eyes of the deva the big cat leaves him alone. Silver Fox appiers in front of the crew with gabbling about some place with something to show, but big hand grabs him and raises him to the sky. The loud screems reaches the ears of crew. The Bastyn starts to run to the direction witch was stated by the sailor. Rakshavyada and Zalyanitha had joined to the run of immortal merchant. After a few moments latter the mist begins to dissipate, the wind comes back and sounds of the nature covers the ears of the runners. The trio returns to the shore of island. The ice-field covers all the way to the ship and beyond. Rakshavyada and Zalyanitha starts to collect the snow to the barrels. Bastyn walks around the island and tries to find the survived sailors of the other ship, but he finds only a few morass of the blood, but no bodies – nothing more. The immortal returns to the crew after a few hours.

The great hunter moves toward the ship and Bastyn joins him. They reaches the broken ship and search the wreckage, but does not finds nothing useful. The immortal is determined to make a search in the cold water spots. He dives in the ice hole and grabs an object small enough to pull him out of the water. Meanwhile, the deva engross some fish and Bastyn too with improvised net. Bastyn reads the pattern on the object „Glakar, Glakar…“. He announce the Rakshavyada about this finding. The deva is not impressed about it and suggest him to leave this object here. „We don’t nee more troubles when we have already“. The man throws out the object and helps the deva to take the quarry to the ship.
Zalyanitha starts to make the way through the glacier.

At last, Rakshavyada and Bastyn scramble up to the ship. Both of them requests the axe. The deva returns back to the shores of the island. Bastyn takes up with some micromanagement of the crew of the ship: eases the crew, gives the instruction to process the quarry and so on. An attempt to communicate with the Padme seems to be failed.

Zalyanitha, Rakshavyada and Bastyn creates the way trough the ice-field to the island, to be safe enough to reach the land. After a day the snow melts on island and Bastyn is able to make more inspections around the island. He finds a place where all travellers to the Sorcerer gates leaves the notice about them. Many names of nobleman and common folks and wizards have tried to reach the gates. One more day and ice-field melts completely and free the ship from his grip.

The journey continues…

Zalyanitha returns to the Undmandin in her dreams. The voice leads her through the city and introduce her about the key object of the place. Bastyn tries to combine the puzzle of the „Glakar“ to something useful. Rakshavyada hides him self from the people as always. On the dawn of the 11th day the ship reach the place of grey sky, sea without tides and no wind…

The sailors whispers quietly between themselves about turning back to safe sea, but Bastyn convince them that all of them does not have choice – all of them must obey to the prince. Esteva comes to the deck too. She asks Bastyn the same questions about the future. Bastyn tries to cheer her up, but Esteva remains in silence.

In the late night the Rakshavyada hears the sounds of the dums and rhythmical splash of the water. The other ship is approaching the ship… Bastyn alerted the Aturn about the situation on board.

At first the crew tried to put out the fire. When the ship started to moan like a person they stopped firefighting and abandoned the ship. Aturn was furious. He could not believe that Esteva could do something like this. Bastyn and Rakshavyada tried to calm him down noticing that the moans and cries coming from the burning ship are the sign that it was the right thing to do.

After a while Padme found Esteva in the cabin of the crew. She was catatonic. Padme lifted her and started carrying away. Esteva warned her not to do this. Padme continued her work but tried to calm her down by saying that she need help and Padme will take care of her. She brought her to the cabin of the lady and helped her with bathing and otherwise.

Bastyn saw to the lady companion of the former captain leaving the ship safely. She also asked for a few men to row her boat. After a while she shouted to Bastyn that she saw survivor from Aturn’s ship. Zalyanitha helped to rescue the survivor by throwing a rope into the water (with a box attached to its end). Turned out that it was one of the orphans who was clutching a figure of Padme and desperately calling for her. Padme was called for and she took another patient into her care.

Meanwhile Rakshavyada tried to keep himself busy by getting involved in smithing. Zalyanitha and Bastyn inspected the ship and captain’s cabin. They found that journal entried coincide with the route that devas were taking – it became clear that this ship was on a mission to observe them. Other interesting finding were letters explaining the special status of this ship and letting take care of problems with any local authority.

Aturn asked Bastyn to take the position of first mate and consulted with him and Zalyanitha about possible courses. They decided to get water supplies on so called “Last resort” isle and set straight for the Sourcerer’s gate.

x-x-x

After several days they reached the last resort isle. They also noticed a stranded ship and an exhausted crew. Bastyn, Rakshavyada, Zalyanitha and a soldier went to the shore on the float so get the water. They were greeted by captain who Bastyn recognised as the pirate named Silver Fox. After usual courtesies (surprisingly the pirate crew also was coursed for the same destination) captain asked for help to repair his ship (some tools and manpower since his crew is too exhausted from trying to survive). They promised to take his request to their captain and started working on re-supplying the water. Silver Fox called his men to help with water barrels. Bastyn also asked of they had any drugs and could trade. Next Silver Fox called a mate to help Bastyn clarify his request. Afterwards he approached Zalyanitha who was gathering mussels and offered some. He clearly wanted some female attention and was doing his best to get some (in a polite and tender way). He was surprised when Zalyanitha told him that she was taken into this ship not because she was a woman but because she knew the lands where they were sailing.

When she crouched to get another mussel she saw that the water is starting to freeze and icy cover is spreading over sea.

At last the the crew gathered in the boat and started to pursuit the enemy ship. The ship captain had ignored the threats of the Aturn. The prince decided to get back to own ship and prepare for the battle. “Prepare the cannon” – had been the first command of the Aturn when the crew returned to vessel. The garrison including devas started to prepare for the battle.

Mean while the sloop of the harbour had unmoored from the docks and slowly started to swim toward the Aturn’s ship. The few flying pyramids joined to the assault. The enemy ship had dropped anchor and stopped near the pier. The prince did not listen to warnings about unequal struggle with the the moon island forces. So, the Bastyn and Rakshavyada started to preparing the retried routes. The merchant started draw down the boat and the great hunter retreated to the broadside of the ship. The prince ordered to back down to the safe place when pyramids had shooted several volley of the „silver needles“.

The Bastyn outlined the plan about the abordage of the enemy ship to the Padme while the deva researched the wounds of the immortal merchant. The plan was about the fast maneuver to abordage of the enemy ship while the forces of the moon island are receded into the harbor. The deva did not finded the solution how to help the merchant to make his body to regenerate the wounds made by the glyph creatures, but she agreed of the plan. Rakshavyada was the second person who was introduced about the plan how to capture the enemy ship. The hunter had accepted the plan too. The Bastyn introduced the plan to the prince, but the noble did not accepted the plan and went to his cabin.

Bastyn announced to Zalyanitha that the big flying object is spinning around the territory of the harbor. Maybe, it could be her’s eagle. The deva started to observe the „eagle“. Any attempts to call the beast by the whistle had failed. Few more circles and the object disapiered from the horizon.

The prince showed on the deck in the late afternoon with the commands to prepare for the battle. He shortly introduced the plan how to capture the ship. The crew started to prepare for the battle once more. The crew equipped at least on meele and one range weapon, but merchant gathered two range weapons. Padme headed back to her cabin to look more comfortable clothes for battle and founded the love letter from the suitor. The Esteva had approached the Zalyanitha and introduced plan how to get rid off the Aturn‘s ship. The girl looks very alarmed about this ship and she can’t to convince the prince to drop this boat. Zalyanitha endorses this opportunity to leave damaged ship. The Bastyn does not forgot to attach the case to his body. The pursuit of the enemy ship starts…

The enemy ship had been cought sailing along the island. The well-managment of the Aturn’s ship delivers the opportunity to abortage the enemy ship without heavy consequence. The cannon remained unused, but the prince, devas and solders started to move to the enemy ship. The Bastyn took up a comfortable position to lay down the rain of the bolts and javelins. The intimidating roars of the Rakshavyada, easy frags of enemy soldiers and the killing of the ship chieftain (was slain by Bastyn) forced the opponents to give up very quickly. Only half of them stayed jammed along one the side of the ship. Aturn, Zalanytha and Rakshavyada and soldiers surrounded the enemies and started to watch them. The Bastyn and Padme landed to the cabins of the ship. They mercilessly had raided every doors of the cabins. The pretty girl with green eyes lost the consciousness when Bastyn braked the doors. Padme cought the real captain of the ship. The man does not give the right answers about Vesturn and ended his life with cut belly. The Bastyn and Padme had found the two remining nobelmans. They said that the captain and the lady should now about the Vestur. The Bastyn took the lady and awakes her with some medical stuff. The girl showed there teacher is hidden. She tried convince the Bastyn and Padme to let her go to the island. Bastyn agreed… The merchant announced that Padme is not a human at all and did not explained his notions.

The Bastyn carried scholar in his arms. The Aturn sends the new part of curses to the enemy ship. The merchant gives him good reason do not burn the ship to the ground, but Aturn does not accept an idea to sail to sorcerer’s gate with two ships. Esteva could not resist the constant dispute abandon prince’s ship and had burned the boat by her own hands. Rakshavyada strengthened his grip around Aturn. The Bastyn helped the girl to leave the ship.

As Aturn ‘s ship approached the harbour of Moon Island the mood of devas and immortal were grim. Bastyn was looking to the sky above this cursed island and spotted a huge bird diving down to the ground and picking up it’s prey to cary somewhere in the depths of the island. Bastyn then focused his attention to the harbour itself. He tried to evaluate what are the ships of the island militia do. How many are there of them and if they somehow trying to prepare for a battle. Suddenly he hears the voice of one of the youngsters refugees from the Moon island. “That is a wonderful port. Are we in Rat kingdom?”. Bastyn decided to be bitterly sincere “Can’t you recognize your own home?”. At first the guy couldn’t or refused to believe but very soon he realised that Bastyn was far from joking mood. He is as much unwilling to return here as any of them. The boat was ready to swim to the island and prince was impatiently calling for everyone. Rakshavyada was already there. To Bastyn surprise the expedition was joined by Esteva as well.
Four members of ship crew where rowing. Deva of the hunt was checking the sky for flying pyramids. Bastyn decided to share his theory of glyphs and patterns at first Rakshavyada met this coldly, he was to busy to pretend that he is not listening about argue between Esteva and Aturn. Esteva was trying to convince the prince not to return to the ship. Hence Aturn was refusing even to hear this. Rakshavyada then turned to Bastyn to hear his theory to have a pattern shaped in funnel and pour glyphs to have them reconnected. Unfortunately that would not work at all. Yet Rakshavyada shared his observation of pattern effects on glyphs.
Finally they reached the island and immedietelly were aproached by harbour master. After brief negotiations taxes were payed along with some bribes and expedition was free to enter the harbour. Rakshavyada suggested to split into two teams, one would check headquarters of the city watch and other will try to check over the merchants to find Vestur. Deva also added that plan would be executed if only prince agrees on it. So sailors went to headquarters while prince, Esteva, Bastyn and Rakshavyada went to one of the merchant house which was known to Bastyn through his business here in Moon island.
While servant of the merchant received guests the master of the house took some time to join them. Rakshavyada was all suspicios on everything around him. He realised that he is actually in the city he is banished from by very powerful shimer. Deva’s paranoia was kind of even more intense than Bastyn ‘s. Needless to say waiting for the merchant was quite a challenge for prince who is used to receive everything without any hesitation. When Aturn lost his patients and required immediate presence of the merchant, the master of the house came with unfinished preparations. He was given description of the Vestur and remembered such the person that was short on money and sold some rather expensive books in rather small price. He adviced to search for him in one of the inns rather quite luxurious because of the amount of money he got. The team thanked for information and immediately decided the exact inn where they will start to search. And where the fun began.
The culture is rather a complex thing. It not necessary only differs between the nations such as Moon Island and Crimson empire it also quite different between social layers and historical backgrounds. The team of ancient deva, pompous prince, mysterious priest and immortal merchant comes into the luxurious inn where they believe that their friend is in. They sat at the table and were approached by the servant. The group was ofered some wine. Bastyn evaluated his money capabilities ordered the cheapest wine he found in menu. That was greeted with slight disgust by both prince and the servant, so prince rather asked for the wine suitable for his state. Then Bastyn went to talk to one of the servants describing Vestur. The servant replies that there is such a person along the guests but it is against the rules to disturb guests in their resting hours. Merchant warned that the prince behind his back would not like that in which servant replied that thier inn treat everyone like princes. Seeing that he is no match for this pointless discussion Bastyn took out his trump card by asking to summon a manager of this house and returned to the table of the rest of the group. In no time the manager came. He imediately offered some more proper places for the servants as soon as he spotted Rakshavyada. Luckly Rakshavyada did not understand a word of him. He just looked back at him and guessed that he said nothing pleasant. But soon the arguing about Vestur’s whereabouts has started. Once again the prince lost his patients and was about to kill the manager where he stood. Naturally security was summoned and everyone was kindly asked to leave. Rakshavyada calmed down the prince by stating the point that prince would be a very valuable hostage in foreign land and they left peacefuly. Bastyn remaned to win some time in hope that Vestur will check what is the fuss and see him. And it actually worked. The voice of Vestur suddenly came from upstairs. He seemed surprised that Bastyn is here and was quite happy that prince was the one to organise this mission. The old teacher calmed the staff of the inn down and went out to meet his master. He kind asked everone but Rakshavyada to join him at breakfast. Rakshavyada was very suspicious about that so he warned that if he is being tricked he will find everone involved. Both of them went to wait next to the boat they arrived for everyone to get back.
After few hours harbour was waking up to it’s usual day. Prince and Esteva came without Vestur explaining that he was left behind and at least what they could do is to wait for the teaher. Esteva once more raised the topic on abandoning the ship and not returning there. She who used to see without her eyes felt pain in the ship. There was something very wrong threre. Prince was staying unmoved.
After some more hours there was no sign of Vestur. Bastyn suggested to look after him. Aturn and Esteva went back to the inn, fsecretly followed by Bastyn. Rakshavyada stayed next to the boat. On the way Bastyn spotted that the pair is spyed on by some sailors from crimson bay. At the entrance of the inn he revieled himself and shared his observations and suggested to move away the inn and hiding that someone might be important there. They tricked one of the followers and failed to get any information out of him before cutting him dead. When finally they returned they saw that a ship of crimson bay is leaving the port. Rakshavyada was signaled that help is needed, so he jumped to run not knowing what is wrong. On his way he was spotted by one of the guards from the Heart city. Rakshavyada pushed him in to the water before he sounded an alarm to rush to the rest of the company. They also shared their suspicions on the boat and spies. Rakshavyada was silently facepalming on such idiotic reasons to blow a cover but thought of the plan to trick everyone on leaving the island. He expressed a doubt that Vestur must be in that ship and they must be hurry to aboard their ship and chase that one. And there is no time to lose. What will be next Rakshavyada will improvise.

After a short fight with glyph’s cloud the crew members had retreated to the more safe place, but still the creature hited hard enough to took down Padme and Rakshavyada to the state of deep sleep. The great rescue of Padme had brought the consequences – The Darkness started to devour the both deva’s warrens. They managed to escape from that blackness, but the great terror had printed to they minds for rest of they lives.

Meanwhile, the prince had come on board to check the status of boat. No one of the crew members answered to his question „What have you done with my ship?“. The Esteva was accompanied the Aturn, but the macabre dance of glyph’s cloud had scared her enough that she had disguised her face by hands. The Zalyanitha and Bastyn had dragged the fallen comrades to the safe place. Any attempt to awaken them had failed. A few moments later the Padme and Rakshavyada awakens from deep sleep. The cloud creature spreads in the ship inch by inch herewith cutting the safe zone. „Do we have the opportunity to combine these glyphs back to the original form?“ – Bastyn asks the Rakshavyada. The deva announce that it’s possible to done this at least theoretically, but now the ship is doomed to be eaten by creature. The great hunter with help of the merchant dropped the safe boat to the sea. The Bastyn prepared to asks another question to the deva, but Rakshavyada hurled him down to the sea for a safety. Even Aturn was swashed to the sea with other sailors. Esteva was handled with more care. The merchant tried to speak with Esteva about the terror inside the ship, but the girl was unable to explain this event.

Zalyanitha and Padme had made the trap for the glyphs by constructing the pattern with some kind of labyrinth. This attempt had not convinced Rakshavyada to stay in ship and he leaped to the sea. Boath girls jumped to the too. The escaped ship crew gathered around the boat. The great hunter initiated to sail the boat away from danger and Bastyn helped him to complete this task. Any atempt to convince sailors to take a row had failed, because Aturn had been tried to hamper these actions and once more Rakshavyada had swashed him to the sea. At last the crew gathered they strengh to make a escape.

One of the sailors suggested to look back to the ship during the escape. The glyph’s cloud was covered the major part of the ship, but somehow the creature began to disintegrate to smaller parts and wind was able to scater them out of the ship. The boat turned back to make some inspections about the ship. Rakshavyada had tried to convince the crew don’t go the ship, but the curiosity overcome the sence of danger. Padme and Zalyanitha were the first persons who boarded the ship. The glyphs had been imprinted inside the wood of the ship where the cloud creature was covered the object. The devas announced that not damaged part of the ship is safe enough to continue investigations of the rest of the ship. Rakshavyada boarded the ship too to help with these investigations. The great hunter started to survey all glyphs. Maybe he would be able to revert them back to the original pattern (two of them). Aturn had started to gather the sailors around him. He wanted to board the ship too. Bastyn tried to convince him to stay in the boat. Prince ignored him once more.

Rakshavyada explained that the ship is doomed and recover could cost even greater price. The world collapse is an inevitable and this „death“ could not be stopped or defeated with known knowledge of this world. Aturn hitted the black balls from the distance, but they does not responded. Prince with help of the Padme started to investigate the major threats in this ship – black balls and convinced that they are not active. Padme and Zalyanitha started to remove them from the ship. Rakshavyada advised Bastyn to keep boat safe from the ship. Padme and Zalyanitha had started the investigation of the ship inside the deck. They finded out that the crew which were parted inside the undamaged part of the ship are in great shape including the yongsters. The other covered part of the ship had more troubles. Seems that trapped sailors had executed suicide to themselves. Two of them are still alive (one of them is badly wounded). Padme started to care about them. Aturn had been troubled by these suicides.

Some notes.

Padme and Rakshavyada feels tiried.

Rakshavyada is not pleased about Bastyn’s action that killed his demon and that debt would be reminded any time when service would be required to accoplish the great hunter task. Deva begins the preparations for rescue of Padme. Meanwhile, Esteva find down that Zalyanitha lost the Chandrakridalu during visitation in the moon island. The deva of justice tried to convince the blind pilgrim that she was to weak to recover extraordinary ring, but the girl mentioned that this action was the biggest mistake that deva has ever done.

The immortal merchant begins his preparations to visit the moon island once more – he changed his appierance in very drastic ways. Only Aturn calmed down his sailors that this newcomer is the Bastyn and not some kind of stranger or a daemon. The merchant interrupted the youngsters intimate games by asking how they managed to escape the moon island. He had learned that the smuggling passage exists in the island. Guntur announced Rakshavyada about this conversation with the strange man. The deva headed down to the Zalyanitha’s cabin to find who is this mysterious person is. Zalyanitha comforted to Rakshavyada that she is still dreaming the same dream about Unmandin. Both devas tries to reconstruct the map of this city by small fragments of their memories, dreams, etc. The great hunter suggested to build the conversation with voice next time when Zalyanitha would be in the dream again.

Rakshavyada oversees time to time that Padme iterates hers mantras correctly. Even long days does not stopped her to remember herself as a person. Meanwhile, Bastyn feeds his new demon and Zalyanitha reconstructs map of Unmandin, Rakshavyada recollects his strength during meditation.

Aturn invited the crew to the dinner on the fifth days eve. He had declared the plan how to recover Vestur from the island and he wants the support of the team members. Only Rakshavyada and Bastyn promised to help. The immortal merchant grabbed some weapons just in case. After a dinner everyone went out to keep their affairs in tact.

Zalyanitha falls back to the same dream. She was forced out the dream by incredible force at the start of the conversation. The the freezing sense chased her after the dream for a while.

Bastyn and Rakshavyada prepared tools that would help to fall to the warren. This night is the best moment to connect Padme‘s and Rakshavyada’s warrens together. The show started. The immortal merchant does not failed his friends to send them to the same spot in the lanes of silver space. Rakshavyada spotted the possible location of the Padme and started his journey to the tower. Whispering voices, bells ringing did not prevented to find the remains of the Padme. It took some time to see through illusions and see the real patterns of deva. Rakshavyada had made several precise chops and cut down patterns of the armour and tongue. These actions freed out Padme, but the battle on the ship just started.

Bastyn went to prince’s yacht to present his and Zalyanitha’s requests. After Esteva had talked to Aturn he invited Bastyn, Zalyanitha and orphans into his ship. He was very polite but it was clear that his mood is not the best. The invited guests gathered their belongings and boarded prince’s ship which immediately set for the direction of Crimson Harbour.
In the following few days Aturn was very quiet except for a few courtesy phrases and questions, such as asking Zalyanitha where her eagle was.
x-x-x
Meanwhile Rakshavyada was lost in the maze of reflections. He was hearing the voice who guided him giving directions similar to “turn left and you will find exit”. After a while Rakshavyada figured out that the voice was trying to confuse him. He concentrated as hard as he could and managed to find a string of pattern which he followed and the “helping” voice became angrier and angrier. Soon Rakshavyada found a mysterious shape which he dealt with as usual – destroying it with his sword. Then he shattered the walls of the maze one after another and escaped.
x-x-x
Padme felt someone’s presence. She could not move or talk but that someone told her that he would take care of her. She felt terrible: as if she had to be somewhere important and couldn’t.
x-x-x
When Rakshavyada got out he saw a familiar set of armour which he identified as Padme. Padme was having hard time clinging to reality and tried to hold on to Rakshavyada as he was the only familiar object. When they got to the deck ship seemed to have changed moving direction and it was moving towards the bottom of the sea. Rakshavyada grabbed a lifeboat and put Padme inside. Several of the crew members joined him. Soon Saturn’s ship went underwater and a few sailors joined Rakshavyada. They were drifting for a fortnight and all mortals died. Padme was focused on reading her own patterns in order not to slip into nothingness.
They were found by Aturn’s ship and brought inside. Esteva said to Bastyn that she had kept her promise and now it is his turn to bring back Vestur. The course was set for Moon Isle.
After Rakshavyada had something to drink he told Zalyanitha of their adventures. Next, they were concerned about Padme. Bastyn was trying to gather items for entering Padme’s warren but it was harder than expected. Esteva told him to never talk about his request (to give him painful pleasure) again and not to mention it to the price. Rakshavyada was crafting an acoustic rattle which could sound like bells.

At last, Rakshavyada enters the secret room of the ship after a short invitation by Saturn. Magician held Padme in his grip. Deva wanted to take a friend to the cabin too, but harsh tone of the prince forced to abandon this an idea. The mighty hunter makes sure that the doors does not held the power of daemon, but the small quivers still ripples in the wood. A strange smell emanates from the room consisting of incense, oils and rotted meat aromas.

Meanwhile in other boat. Bastyn nots down a pattern of the Ati while Zalyanitha returns to her cabin to continue her rest. The commotion starts to increase in the nearby cabin and deva wakes up once more. The goddess without warning enters the room and finds out that youngsters discuss laud enough about a strange game. It asks that youngsters calm down and go to sleep, because, tomorrow will be a difficult day in order to properly manage the ship. And every strong arm in the deck would be the the greatest gift for all the crew. Guntur would like to drive the ship, but deva wants to know if he has any knowledge how to handle the ship. The guy mentions that he has read many books about a ships including some notes about greatness of Mahormimat, but the human does not announce any real knowledge about ship handling. Deva mentions maybe he will learn these tidings, but now them need to get some rest. The goddess returns to her cabin these words. But youngsters still discuss about the strange game in reduced voices. A sailor lands from the decks and calls the deva to show on the board, because some ship is pointing to them. The ship is far enough to be able to discern the identity of the boat. Bastyn picks up food supplies and arranges them that the human meat would be the last chain of food making rows. The merchant enters the board after this short work. He sets out all the fears about food supply to the deva. At last, the rouge ship comes along side that details of boat would be seen good enough.

Rakshavyada starts to enter the room, but strangness of the stairs lets him to doubt about his safety. Deva are probing them in close inspection and finds out that material of the stairs is still biological, but texture is simillar to the wood. Prince encouraged him to go inside without fear of anything. The Hunter better grips his sword and attracts inward accept his fate. Once the foot of the deva hits the floor, the doors shuts down immediately behind his back. Walking through the greasy floors the deva reach the second doors. These door is wrought with the finest carvings. Deva discerns silver plated patterns too. John easily push the doors and they opens. The curtain „forest“ opens before devas eyes, but poor light source does not allow him to see more details in far reaches of the room. Rakshavyada walks into the room and scatters the carpets with the sword. The doors closes once more and leaves deva in the strange room. Deva walks few more steps to he room and few more… And idea began to spin the hunters head that this room dimmensions exceeds the physical size of the room. Deva revels that the carpets marks the wall of the some kind of the maze. The great hunter tried to apply the „left“ hand rule to the walking in the maze, but had found out that labyrinth is build on more complex approach. To follow the silver pattern is the only way to not lost in the structure. Strong determiniation of the deva let him to go closer and closer to the exit of the maze even with interference of Saturn’s voice. The voice became more and more importunity when Rakshavyada comes closer to the end. Even the rad dragon attacks does not stopped the great deva to reach the exit and to find the hidden Red Prince.

A ship with red sails rapidly towards the current location of the Zalyanitha and Bastyn. No doubts that this ship owner is the Aturn. Both vessels approached quite close to be able to reach the both ships with boats. The prince Aturn was the first person who was boarding the Zalyanitha‘s & Bastyn’s ship. The quest demanded the private conversation with merchant and deva. Esteva’ had been arrived to help prince to make a deal with both immortals. Anyone was not surprised by the excesses of Aturn. The prince demanded to help him to save the Vestur from the island. Also, he wanted that immortals give him a hand to rescue the Rakshavyada from custody of the Saturn. Zalyanitha mentioned that the mighty hunter could to take care of himself, but this argument does not convinced the Aturn. The prince gave an hour to the immortals to make a final verdict. Zalyanitha accepted to sail with Aturn‘s ship, but she does not board the island at all. She will wanted to remain in safe distance of island. The youngsters should be accpted to the Aturn’s ship too. Bastyn decided to help to save Vestur from the island with one condition – Esteva’’s demon should help him to find the way how to retrieve back the Chandrakridalu or rebind the shimmer to crew members.