Day 29 (continued)
Theren convalesces. The crew is running the ship, under Voss’s supervision. Temerity gives Chikatika the nod and she slaps Theren to cure wounds. Mary-Ann goes for a nap. Gage seeks Voss to ask her opinion. The sun is setting beautifully. The sea is calm. Voss thanks Gage for his help. Gage asks if what happened to them was normal. She fixes him with a withering glare. This was not normal at all. He wants to modify the crow’s nest, but Voss is unconvinced by his arguments.
The wind begins to pick up in the direction of travel. The ship picks up speed. This happens for about half an hour. Darkness descends. Stars twinkle brightly in constellations. Out of nowhere, a ship appears. This is thrice the size of the Tidecaller. They do not see it until it is right next to them, so dark is the wood that it almost absorbs light. There is a clear similarity between this vessel and the previous ship, but this is not rotting – it is pristine. A slight glow surrounds each of the crew members. These are not shambling undead of the previous crew. They are armoured warriors, glowing a slight dark red. On the bow is a figure wearing robes patterned with dying embers. The heat emanates from them.
Mary-Ann remembers the words Master of Ash, that the ghost captain mentioned them. She read something years ago, a newspaper article about another ship being destroyed in the name of the Master of Ash, like a cult – sinking ships and raising ships, searching for something. Lavender remembers nothing specific when she sees the figure, but she realises that this ship is utterly opposed to what Auriel stands for. She backs away from their immediate sight line. She is very wary. Gage tries to see what’s going on, but it’s too dark to see. He stealths himself and sneaks up to the crow’s nest. Temerity looks over at the ship. He sees a vast number of people on the ship and the size of the ship. The figure’s cloak and hair flutter in the wind like tongues of flame. She has dark red skin and glowing red eyes, with flames dancing around her hands. He starts crushing hard on her.
Theren sees that there is nothing particularly magical about the ship itself – it is big and slow. The people are magical, with an incredible sense of necromantic energy, but no other types of magic present. The ship pulls up alongside, but does not move to attack. A voice carries across the distance, magically amplified. It is warm and harsh, like a forge. It informs them that Lyra Valstrath, high priestess of the Master of Ash, informs them that they carry something that does not belong to them. She gestures and an image of Lavender’s ring appears. Her Master of Ash has sought the ring. Her predecessor is Magnus. Either they hand over the ring and she will allow them to leave freely, or she will take it by force.
Lavender whispers to Anaphel that she will go with the ring. Anaphel replies that Lavender isn’t going without them. Theren thinks this is a bad plan but doesn’t want to die. Mary-Ann sees the ship through a porthole but doesn’t know what’s going on up on the deck. Lavender whispers that the party needs one of them to stay for protection – she has a better connection to the ring than Anaphel. Anaphel refuses to let Lavender go without them. Voss warns them to decide fast. Temerity uses charm person on the high priestess, but fails. Lavender steps forwards, but Anaphel steps forwards alongside her. Lavender announces her agreement on one condition: she goes with it. Lyra agrees to take her prisoner, as long as the ring is in her possession, not Lavender’s. Lavender declines to relinquish the ring. Lyra threatens to remove it from her charred corpse.
Voss tells them that they could outrun the ship, but only if they leave now. Theren and Temerity agree that running away is a good plan. Mary-Ann has arrived on deck and agrees. Lavender is dismayed by this discussion. The Tidecaller’s sails drop. Lyra is unimpressed and raises a large staff in the sky. The chase is on.
Anaphel tries to navigate the ship away, but cannot figure out where to go – they are so shaken by what has happened. Gage uses hunter’s mark and then fires two arrows straight at Lyra. Both pierce her. A slight glow appears around the wounds. He moves round behind the main mast and drops behind the mainsail, hanging onto the cross beam. Two flame cannon are aimed at the ship by the opposing crew. A massive blast strikes the ship, causing damage to the deck. Lyra points a finger at Lavender and a beam of red ember smashes into Lavender’s chest, heating it. She feels herself weakening from the ray of enfeeblement. She bellows at her crew and they rally. Mary-Ann tries to repair the ship, but doesn’t manage to do it.
Lyra disappears in a puff of ash and reappears on the bow of the Tidecaller. The ship begins to move and pushes forwards, pulling away from the enemy ship. Voss tries to navigate the ship, but cannot figure out how to steer the ship through her adrenaline. Lavender charges Lyra but cannot manage to hit her due to her enfeeblement. Temerity inspires the crew and shrouds the rear of the ship in impenetrable darkness. Lyra fills the air with a roar of flame and blasts Lavender with necrotic damage. The enemy crew launches firebolts at the ship, but cannot get through the darkness. Theren uses Raulothim’s psychic lance on Lyra. She resists some of the damage. Voss’s crew manages to get the sails set.
Anaphel sees Lavender in trouble and heads straight there. They use their spirit guardians. Gage fires his bow at her and pierces her again with a sneak attack. He stealths once more. Lyra strikes Lavender with a conjured fiery whip. Lavender shakes off the enfeeblement and brushes off the whip. Grappling hooks fly towards the ship. Two of the four successfully grapple the ship. The spellcasters launch spells at Temerity and Lavender. Temerity is hit, but his darkness spell remains intact. The grappling lines break as the Tidecaller surges ahead. Voss keeps the ship on course at the wheel.
Lavender smashes Lyra, causing massive damage. Lyra reacts with fire, hurting Lavender and Runcible is dispelled. Lyra teleports across the deck away from Anaphel and Lavender. Temerity uses healing word on Lavender and inspires the crew passionately. The enemy ship fires flame cannon. Theren uses psychic lance again. She resists much of the damage and retaliates with fire, hurting Theren. Lyra rallies one of the boarders, who rushes over to attack Temerity, slashing him. The Tidecaller rushes forwards and leaves the enemy vessel far behind – they can no longer catch up.
Anaphel heals Lavender. Gage fires at Lyra to incapacitate, successfully managing to knock her out. He clambers back up into the crow’s nest. The two boarders attack. One strikes Voss, but doesn’t do much damage. The other strikes Temerity, but he resists much of the fire damage. Mary-Ann shouts at the boarder by Voss, to encourage him to give up. He surrenders to Voss. Voss continues to steer the ship. Lavender charges across the deck and lands a decent hit against the final boarder. His armour glows red, absorbing some of the damage. Temerity tries to hit the boarder beside him, but fails. Theren uses agonising blast but misses. Anaphel moves down off the fo’c’sle and launches a cold spell at the boarder, doing a massive amount of damage. A red glow comes from behind the helmet – he is clearly undead. Gage fires arrows at the boarder and causes even more damage. The boarder attacks Lavender but misses. Mary-Ann fires her shortbow at the boarder, exploding it in a cloud of fiery ash. Lavender grabs a handful of the ash as it drifts around her.
Voss informs the crew that there is about half a day of sailing left to get to Adalens. Lavender heads over the Lyra and ties her up. Anaphel freezes the cord. Theren heads below decks to resummon Runcible. Temerity moves to sit on Lyra. About an hour later, Lyra awakens. Everyone gets together to interrogate her. Temerity is still sitting on her. She is not impressed by being bound. Temerity gently strums his lute. Temerity begins to goad her. She starts to glow, but Temerity resists the fire damage. Her magically amplified voice bellows at him. Temerity continues to goad her. Lavender demands that she tell them about the Master of Ash. Lyra replies that he is more powerful than they can ever imagine. He controls all and he will have his vengeance and he will have his power. Temerity continues to goad her.
Mary-Ann tries being the good cop and cradles Lyra’s head, stroking her hair and asking why the Master of Ash wants the ring. Lyra replies that he wants to destroy his competition – the one inside the ring – she who strives for balance. The Master of Ash wants to tip the scales in his favour. Temerity uses his detect thoughts – Lyra wants only to get the ring. Lavender asks about Pellor, but Lyra says nothing. Theren says Sargonnas and there is a flash of recognition. Theren asks if Auriel can be released. She doesn’t respond but Temerity sees that there is a very complex procedure to endure to release Auriel, fraught with danger. Mary-Ann wonders out loud what the worst form of punishment for her might be. Lyra doesn’t respond but thinks that the worst thing that could be for her would be to fail her master.
Day 30
As morning begins to break, Adalens is visible: white stone, docks, houses, palaces and the wizard tower floating in the sky. Everyone is up on deck to view the sights. Temerity stays sitting on Lyra. He asks her what she thought might happen when she inevitably failed the pretender that she aligned herself with. Lyra’s face is blank, but this hurts her. Voss pulls into the village of Port Adal and docks. She pulls Lavender to one side and cautions her that the city has eyes and she should move fast and carefully. They aren’t sure what to do with Lyra. Voss solves the problem by picking up Lyra and throws her overboard.