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Cydra: the Early Years
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1413690" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p><strong>Escape from Elcruche!</strong></p><p></p><p>Elcruche let his lip curl up in a half-smile. </p><p></p><p>“He got away again,” Brandon said, his penchant for pointing out the obvious once again serving him well. </p><p></p><p>Elcruche turned away angrily. “Back to the ship! We’ll keep an eye out for their exit. They don’t have anywhere to go.”</p><p></p><p>“Unless they’ve already gotten back to their boat,” Brandon pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“You saw how they fight.” Elcruche sneers.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p><em>Splash!</em></p><p></p><p>Rajah was in the sea! Turning, tossing waves were spinning him...</p><p></p><p><em>Air!</em> Then: <em>Did the others make it?</em></p><p></p><p>Treading water, shaking his long hair from his eyes, Rajah looked around. The boat, over <em>there,</em> had clearly been taken. The ship that his pursuers piloted was near the <em>Sea Hag;</em> it was obvious that the pirate vessel had been boarded and, barring a miracle, taken. His friends were around him in the water- all except Haart...</p><p></p><p><em>Oh, no,</em> thought Rajah- <em>His armor! Even if he did make it through the dimension door, he’ll sink like a stone!</em> But there was no time to worry about that right now; the fact that Elcruche would be coming out of the pyramid and after him in just a few minutes was what he had to worry about. What could he do? Could they retake the <em>Sea Hag?</em> Even if they could, they’d get destroyed by Elcruche’s ship. Rajah frowned as he desperately turned over his options.</p><p></p><p>A dolphin popped its head up above the water. </p><p></p><p>Lyr cried out, “A good omen!” Then a sleek, greyish-silver skinned humanoid head broke the surface as well- a merellin.</p><p></p><p>“Hello,” he called, with laughter in his voice. “I am Akakathan Dundian! Who are you folks, and why are you swimming here?”</p><p></p><p>“I’m Lyr,” cried the captain of the pirates. “Can you help us? Very bad people have taken over our ship and are after us! Can you help us escape?”</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps,” the merellin replied. “Why are these bad people after you?”</p><p></p><p>“That’s a very good question.” Lyr looked hard at Rajah.</p><p></p><p>”I don’t know!” he protested. “They’ve been after me for a while, but I don’t know why! I don’t know anything about how all this stuff works! Sometimes I just want to go back to the jungle with the tigers!” His voice was full of frustration.</p><p></p><p>One of the dolphins spoke in a high, squealing staccato and Akakathan responded in kind; then the merellin announced, “We will help you.”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Elcruche reached the top of the pyramid without incident. He saw no sign of the whelp anywhere. Frowning, he posted four men at the entrance in case ‘Rajah’ was still inside the Aquan Pyramid; then he returned to his ship. The lookout told him that nobody’s emerged from the pyramid other than his team.</p><p></p><p>“Unfortunate,” Brandon smirked. “The Emperor will not appreciate your failure.”</p><p></p><p>Elcruche shrugged. “I have not failed, I simply have not succeeded yet.”</p><p></p><p>“The Emperor may not see it that way. He is not always known for being... forgiving.”</p><p></p><p>“The Emperor does not forgive disloyalty,” Elcruche says frankly. “My loyalty is absolute and unwavering. He knows this and has absolute confidence on me. The <em>unfortunate</em> thing,” he continues coldly, “would be for him to suspect that someone was not fully supporting my mandated mission. Especially someone who, by law, should be executed for matters of religion alone.” He stares Brandon in the eye. “Do not think you can put me at a disadvantage, Bleakist. I am a trusted officer of Imperial Wotan, while you are a mercenary allowed to serve in exchange for your continued survival. The Emperor is wise enough to know the difference. You are a blunt tool with few uses, for you have no subtlety. I can go anywhere and do anything, given the time and the tools, for I am versatile. Do not overestimate yourself.”</p><p></p><p>Brandon bites back his reply. “Yes, sir,” he answers with a smirk.</p><p></p><p>“Now remove yourself from my sight.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>It’s a long journey to Undemin, especially by dolphin, but it’s the closes isle with reasonable amounts of habitation. The party is deposited on smaller islets for rest periods, while their dolphin and merellin escorts fish for them all. </p><p></p><p>“We are very grateful,” Urick says sincerely.</p><p></p><p>The dolphins chatter at the group.</p><p></p><p>“When we get a new ship,” Lyr says, “we’re going to name it after your leader.”</p><p></p><p>The head dolphin grins. She chortles. </p><p></p><p>“Her name is Twikwakikikak,” Akakathan tells them.</p><p></p><p>Undemin finally comes, and Akakathan- moved by the growing camaraderie he’s felt with the group- asks if he might join them for a time. “Sure!” Lyr cries. “We’ll need some replacements for the crew we lost.”</p><p></p><p>“We need to return to Yafall and let the crew know what happened, too,” Urick points out. </p><p></p><p>And so they set out to restore their fortunes, which were looking so good but suddenly went so poorly. They learn more of Rajah’s tale- he remembers nothing of his very early youth; only the jungle and the tigers that raised him, and occasionally a glimpse of a mysterious figure, half-elf and half-tiger and incalculably old.</p><p></p><p>“About two years ago some people found me,” he told the party, “and they tried to take me into civilization. But then <em>that</em> group appeared- they wanted to cage me, I don’t know why. I’ve been on the run from them ever since.”</p><p></p><p>Lyr scowls. “Sounds like something to put on your ‘need to know’ list.”</p><p></p><p>“No kidding.”</p><p></p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> The pirates go to the fabled Isle of Courage!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 1413690, member: 1210"] [b]Escape from Elcruche![/b] Elcruche let his lip curl up in a half-smile. “He got away again,” Brandon said, his penchant for pointing out the obvious once again serving him well. Elcruche turned away angrily. “Back to the ship! We’ll keep an eye out for their exit. They don’t have anywhere to go.” “Unless they’ve already gotten back to their boat,” Brandon pointed out. “You saw how they fight.” Elcruche sneers. *** [i]Splash![/i] Rajah was in the sea! Turning, tossing waves were spinning him... [i]Air![/i] Then: [i]Did the others make it?[/i] Treading water, shaking his long hair from his eyes, Rajah looked around. The boat, over [i]there,[/i] had clearly been taken. The ship that his pursuers piloted was near the [i]Sea Hag;[/i] it was obvious that the pirate vessel had been boarded and, barring a miracle, taken. His friends were around him in the water- all except Haart... [i]Oh, no,[/i] thought Rajah- [i]His armor! Even if he did make it through the dimension door, he’ll sink like a stone![/i] But there was no time to worry about that right now; the fact that Elcruche would be coming out of the pyramid and after him in just a few minutes was what he had to worry about. What could he do? Could they retake the [i]Sea Hag?[/i] Even if they could, they’d get destroyed by Elcruche’s ship. Rajah frowned as he desperately turned over his options. A dolphin popped its head up above the water. Lyr cried out, “A good omen!” Then a sleek, greyish-silver skinned humanoid head broke the surface as well- a merellin. “Hello,” he called, with laughter in his voice. “I am Akakathan Dundian! Who are you folks, and why are you swimming here?” “I’m Lyr,” cried the captain of the pirates. “Can you help us? Very bad people have taken over our ship and are after us! Can you help us escape?” “Perhaps,” the merellin replied. “Why are these bad people after you?” “That’s a very good question.” Lyr looked hard at Rajah. ”I don’t know!” he protested. “They’ve been after me for a while, but I don’t know why! I don’t know anything about how all this stuff works! Sometimes I just want to go back to the jungle with the tigers!” His voice was full of frustration. One of the dolphins spoke in a high, squealing staccato and Akakathan responded in kind; then the merellin announced, “We will help you.” *** Elcruche reached the top of the pyramid without incident. He saw no sign of the whelp anywhere. Frowning, he posted four men at the entrance in case ‘Rajah’ was still inside the Aquan Pyramid; then he returned to his ship. The lookout told him that nobody’s emerged from the pyramid other than his team. “Unfortunate,” Brandon smirked. “The Emperor will not appreciate your failure.” Elcruche shrugged. “I have not failed, I simply have not succeeded yet.” “The Emperor may not see it that way. He is not always known for being... forgiving.” “The Emperor does not forgive disloyalty,” Elcruche says frankly. “My loyalty is absolute and unwavering. He knows this and has absolute confidence on me. The [i]unfortunate[/i] thing,” he continues coldly, “would be for him to suspect that someone was not fully supporting my mandated mission. Especially someone who, by law, should be executed for matters of religion alone.” He stares Brandon in the eye. “Do not think you can put me at a disadvantage, Bleakist. I am a trusted officer of Imperial Wotan, while you are a mercenary allowed to serve in exchange for your continued survival. The Emperor is wise enough to know the difference. You are a blunt tool with few uses, for you have no subtlety. I can go anywhere and do anything, given the time and the tools, for I am versatile. Do not overestimate yourself.” Brandon bites back his reply. “Yes, sir,” he answers with a smirk. “Now remove yourself from my sight.” “Yes, sir.” *** It’s a long journey to Undemin, especially by dolphin, but it’s the closes isle with reasonable amounts of habitation. The party is deposited on smaller islets for rest periods, while their dolphin and merellin escorts fish for them all. “We are very grateful,” Urick says sincerely. The dolphins chatter at the group. “When we get a new ship,” Lyr says, “we’re going to name it after your leader.” The head dolphin grins. She chortles. “Her name is Twikwakikikak,” Akakathan tells them. Undemin finally comes, and Akakathan- moved by the growing camaraderie he’s felt with the group- asks if he might join them for a time. “Sure!” Lyr cries. “We’ll need some replacements for the crew we lost.” “We need to return to Yafall and let the crew know what happened, too,” Urick points out. And so they set out to restore their fortunes, which were looking so good but suddenly went so poorly. They learn more of Rajah’s tale- he remembers nothing of his very early youth; only the jungle and the tigers that raised him, and occasionally a glimpse of a mysterious figure, half-elf and half-tiger and incalculably old. “About two years ago some people found me,” he told the party, “and they tried to take me into civilization. But then [i]that[/i] group appeared- they wanted to cage me, I don’t know why. I’ve been on the run from them ever since.” Lyr scowls. “Sounds like something to put on your ‘need to know’ list.” “No kidding.” [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] The pirates go to the fabled Isle of Courage! [/QUOTE]
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