Ashera, Artemis, Rothar, Lyna, Seises, Xix, Suntiana, and their respective groups were gathered at the docks. Along with Tyrnal and all his books, Hayami and Seslyn as they waited for the boat to arrive. Tyrnal was reminiscing. Thinking back to when he first met Hayami and Seslyn. He had been so excited, two new races he had never seen before. They were so different physically. Tyrnal had been surprised by how similar they were in every other aspect though. They spoke and read the same languages, Hayami even read and understood ancient elven and human. Seslyn had been taken from her home by elves. They were all, Tyrnal included, subjugated by the elves. Tyrnal had been hounding both Hayami and Seslyn nonstop. Trynal had learned quite a bit from them.

  Hayami had been taken while she was working close to the Northern territory’s border by a band of slave traders employed by the elves. Apparently, it was common practice for the elves to abduct people from the border.

  “Finding proof of those abductions couldn’t have been easy. Have you found the slavers?” Tyrnal asked.

  “...Yes, I have... That’s how I ended up here...” Hayami said, giving Tyrnal a concerned look.

  “Oh, dear I was so lost in thought I didn’t, well you know, think,” Tyrnal said looking flustered. “What will the people of the North do now that you have all this concrete evidence?”

  “The council will do what it always does. It will debate, stall and eventually bring it to Zaneth, our current leader. Then he will decide if it’s worth going to war,” Hayami said with a shrug.

  Tyrnal was stunned, war he didn’t think anyone would take on the elven empire. At least he hadn’t thought about it. Tyrnal wondered if that was what Ashera wanted. He looked at Hayami, thinking about what to say.

  “If this, Zaneth was it? Decides to go to war with the elves, what will happen to all these people?” Tyrnal mused aloud.

  “Simple, they can either help or stay in the safety of our kingdom, these people will never be subjugated like they were here,” Hayami said. “They have won their freedom and in doing so proven to me at least, they have no allegiance to the elves.”

  Tyrnal stood there next to Hayami, contemplating this idea. Freedom, something no one in the elven kingdom had known for generations upon generations. This brought his mind back to Ashera, he wondered how she was doing, truly doing. She was a woman, a human woman, out of time and without a family, a people or a nation to go to. Tyrnal wondered about her mental health, this was a new concept he had been reading about in the human books. Apparently back during the war humans took pain staking efforts to ensure someone’s mental wellbeing as well as their physical wellbeing. No one had even checked on her, no one had begun to think about how they had been the cause of the all the people she knew dying in the building they had used as a base. Tyrnal lamented this fact.

  “I wonder if she hates us too,” Tyrnal said in a whisper.

  Hayami stood there pretending not to hear his question. Instead, she pointed out Ashera standing on her own and gently pushed him in her direction. She nodded at Tyrnal when he looked back at her with surprise. Tyrnal stood there for a moment contemplating if he was really the right one for the job when another shove, harder this time, came from Hayami. Taking Hayami’s hint he walked towards Ashera.

  “You have a moment Ashera,” Tyrnal stammered.

  “Of course, and you don’t need to be nervous, we have fought together. I consider you a comrade,” Ashera said with a smile.

  Tyrnal grew less tense with Ashera’s words.

  “Thank you,” He began, “I don’t think I am deserving of such words. You have done so much for us ever since we stumbled across you in that building. You trained us, helped those of us who can now use magic learn how to control it and even inspired everyone to rebel against the elves.”

  Tyrnal paused, afraid of what would happen with his next words. “Yet we have done nothing for you, I have just become aware of the situation you were in when we first met you. If not for us your security system wouldn’t have activated. You would still be in that state of stasis, but you wouldn’t be alone. You’re fellow humans… The ones who were exterminated, would still be here if we hadn’t come crashing…”

  Ashere, very uncharacteristically grabbed Tyrnal in a hug, “None of that now. Yes, my friends are dead because of events but it could have happened without your intervention. Hell, another one could have stumbled in there and I would be dead. We were wondering around down there for millennia it was a miracle no one accidently stumbled in there on their own. If anything, I’m grateful they didn’t come back into a world ruled by elves. I don’t think they could have handled it. Hell, I could barely handle it.”

  She held him for a bit before he hugged her back. Then he felt it, tears falling on his neck. He held her until she pushed him back. She turned and went back to looking out over the water. Without a word Tyrnal went back to where he had been with Hayami. His expression shifting between concern and relief. He didn’t think she was as adjusted as she would like him to believe, but he did believe that she didn’t blame them for what had happened.

  “Ships here!” Someone bellowed from the end of the dock. “Get ready.”

  ***

  It didn’t take much for Seises and Xix to deal with the guard from the mainland. They made sure to make it look like the ship had sunk before triggering his scroll, sending him back to the mainland. Perfect that bought us some time, they thought. Xix shuttled the prisoners off the ship putting them through the new welcome program Suntiana and Ashera had devised. Pulling out the paperwork from the ship she called for the first person.

  As they approached, Xix pulled out a tablet, looking up the document she needed. Xix motioned for the man to follow her as she walked toward the old intake cabin. Once there she started questioning him.

  “Right, says here you were convicted of the rape of an elf. I take it you’re prone to violence then,” Xix stated.

  “I most certainly am not!” the pantherite protested. “I was having romantic relations with the accuser’s husband. Seeing as her husband was having an affair with a beastite, let alone a male one like myself, she accused me of rape to remove me from her husband’s care.”

  “Huh, wouldn’t have expected that from an elf. Normally they’re much more understanding of dalliances than that. You being a beastite definitely would have been off putting for her,” Xix said.

  She looked him up and down, he wasn’t bad looking his features where quite attractive if she was being honest. Maybe he would be good to take with them, if he passed the rest of the questions.

  “What was your occupation before being sent here? What you did in that roll and if you worked with others and what roll you filled in the team,” Xix asked.

  “I was a carpenter,” he said proudly. “I was the foreman, in charge of a team of craftsmen who specialized in rune scribing, at least the part the elves would let us do.”

  “I’ll take him!” Tyrnal yelled, quickly covering his mouth. “Oops.”

  Before he could ask anything, Xix said, “Sorry our resident dunderhead has a thing for people in charge. It makes it quite awkward to be his boss.”

  Tyrnal looked hurt but played along. He did after all have to make up for that mistake.

  “Xix, darling don’t be so cold. You know you love the attention,” Tyrnal said with a wink.

  Everyone around the cabin doors were trying very hard not to let slip this was a charade. Artemis coughed loudly to stifle himself, and the others around him who were snickering.

  Xix Shot Tyrnal a look, “oh shut up. Right, you, next question what city slums did you come from?”

  “Rasmada, shit hole that it was,” he replied.

  The questions continued, they were about his background, interests, time spent working in cities, until the last question came up.

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  “Finally, now that we have assessed what kind of person you are. Would you be willing to help navigate Rasmada if we were to take you with us off this island?” Xix asked.

  “Off the island? I don’t understand. I was just sent here...” he started.

  Xix raised a hand, “all your questions will be answered depending on your response. Yes or no.”

  “Yes, though I’m not sure why a prison guard would need a guide in that city surely you could ask anyone there,” he said cautiously.

  “Good, Artemis take him and explain everything,” Xix said as she turned to him. “Now we need to put these on to make everything look the same.”

  Xix pulled out a set of cuffs and placed them on his wrists. Seeing how scared he now looked, she softened her gaze, held his hand for a moment to comfort him and said, “don’t worry, you’re safe now.”

  Artemis came through the door and escorted him away. Xix went through the same questions with the remaining four prisoners. Deciding along with Tyrnal that none of them would be of service for one reason or another. Two of them were merely children taken for having tried resurrecting their people’s shamanistic beliefs. Xix had them taken away to their old base which now served as a sort of school for anyone they thought could be useful in the future. One was in a similar situation to Drent, but the husband had been less pleased to hide his wife having the dalliance with her. She was also sent to the base, until they got the island completely under their control Xix wanted to keep her safe from those who were still uncontrollable. The last was sent to the tower, to isolation his crimes had been against other beastmen thus he was deemed too dangerous to be rehabilitated.

  Confident that Xix and Cyrth would take good care of the island, training and eventual deployment of troops Ashera gathered the others to leave. Ashera had tried to get the old communication equipment they had used during the war up and running, unfortunately, it was dead. The satellites that she had needed had long since crashed. Tyrnal, had come up with a small, but effective, solution for this. He had found a spell that would bring small stone or metallic objects to life to relay messages over long distances. Ashera had asked Sumal and his friends if they could make anything like that. Happy to help Sumal made two sets of ten small birds that could be used. One to leave on the island and the other for Ashera and the rest to take with them.

  Sumal had asked if his team could remain behind to make the island a more hospitable place for them to live. With everyone else in agreement with him, Ashera had no choice but to agree. Sumal would have been a great asset for breaking into Elven cities Ashera thought but making it a more comfortable base was a worthwhile goal too.

  “Everyone ready?” Ashera asked.

  With a sense of nervous excitement growing within the group everyone started talking all at once. Most saying goodbyes to those they were leaving behind, others cheering ready to board the ship and get on with the next adventure, only Artemis stood off on his own. He was wondering if he should stay with the group.

  “You are staying with us, right?” Suntiana chirped, as she snuck up on Artemis. “It won't be the same if you’re gone.”

  “I attract too much attention as it is,” Artemis sighed. “Look at the problems I caused within your group when I first showed up. It might be best if I made my own way to the Norther province.”

  Suntiana snuck her wing around Artemis’s and placed her arm in his, “Nope you’re staying I’ve decided and that all there is to it.”

  She looked at him and gave a look that was both determined and pleading at the same time. Artemis’s expression softened, and he shook his head. His relationship with Suntiana had been strained at times since he came to the island. Yet here she was the only one to figure out what he was thinking. Artemis didn’t know why but when she looked at him like this, he had no power to say no.

  “I’ll stay,” Artmis whispered, placing his other hand on Suntiana’s.

  In one fluid motion Suntiana embraced Artemis. Artemis wrapped his arms around Suntiana holding her tight.

  “Ahem,” came a call from behind them. “Sorry to interrupt this moment but...”

  Suntiana looked out to see everyone had shifted their focus to them. Suntiana turned a colour of scarlet that almost matched her feathers. Seeing this everyone laughed.

  “Ahem,” Suntiana said attempting to regaining her composure, “let's go everyone is waiting.”

  The last of the beastites, now they referred to themselves as druids. They boarded the ship and those who could helped get the ship underway. It would be a long journey to the shore. The ship barely being held afloat by runes, patches, and constant bailing of water. Their destination put them as close to the northern side of the sea as they could get, most of the coastline to the north was a straight up and down cliff face. Their plan was to go ashore just to the north-western most point and walk from there. Ashera had been hesitant to do this at first as, according to their new friend Seslyn this put them very close to an elven outpost.

  Seslyn upon hearing this was still the plan jumped for joy, this was close to her home city. She longed to go home and asked Ashera a thousand times if the group could take her there. After a day or two of constantly being pestered by Seslyn, Ashera put it to a vote.

  “All in favour of taking a small detour to get Seslyn home rase your hands,” Ashera said, confident she already knew the answer.

  As Ashera expected the only one who didn’t agree with the plan was Hayami. The other group leaders all looked at each other with smiles. Ashera understood her position, after all the longer she stayed here the more likely it was more of her fellows were being taken for slaves. Ashera looked at everyone and with an expression of defeat she raised her hands.

  “Alright we’ll head our way there as soon as we make land fall. We won't all be going, the majority of us will need to head North while the elves still think we are all on the island. Maybe, you can recruit some more people along the way,” Ashera said.

  The dawn of the third day brought trouble, looming right in their path was a giant thunderstorm. The clouds stretched out as far as the eyes could see in all directions. Ashera wondered about stopping the ship and waiting it out but knew that the storm was headed towards them. Ashera ordered Artemis, Tyrnal and Suntiana to reinforce the runes and Rothar with some of his men to reinforce the patchwork holding the ship together. The former soldier, Bjarne was at the helm attempting to plot a course through the storm. Mostly he was just praying that the ship didn’t sink.

  Rothar and the men he had brought manned the oars helping, as much as they could, to keep the ship steady. The tattered sails were whipped around in the gale-force winds ripping even more, one falling from the mast entirely. The waves battered the ship, rocking it from side to side with enough force at some points to tip it right over everyone thought. Most of the people who were needed to keep the ship going were barely holding on. If not for the ropes tying them to the deck most would have been lost to sea already. Thunder crashed over head as the ship slowly pressed forward. The storm grew harsher and harsher until Ashera was sure they were going to sink.

  The bailers couldn’t keep up with the water, what was left of their sails were strewn around the deck and to her knowledge at least two of the crew had gone overboard. Lightning struck the now barren masts causing one to fracture and fall across the deck. She relayed orders to have Rothar and his men retract the oars, the best they could do now was hope and pray. The storm carried on long into the night the ship, which felt more like a small boat with the way it was being flung around continued to take on more and more water. Most of the people on board were now using anything and everything they could find to bail. Suntiana was using her druidic magic to have roots grow in places where the hull had been torn. It was slow but it was all she could think of to try and stop them from sinking. Tyrnal was in a panic using magic to protect his book while simultaneously using it to remove water.

  The one who had it roughest, at least by his own opinion, was Artemis he didn’t fare well the last time he was on the ship. This time though it was much worse, head hanging out of a port hole wrenching up what food he had left in his stomach only to have it brought back into his face by the waves. He didn’t care who it was that helped he just wanted someone to make it stop.

  The hours went by, the crashing, shifting, and writhing getting worse and worse. Everyone was getting to their breaking point. As the hours went on the ship creaked with each consecutive blow. As the creaking became cracking Suntianas magic could barely keep up with it. Finally, after an eternity in the minds of everyone, the storm subsided, the sea grew calm and everyone who had been helping bail the ship were finally making headway.

  Artemis, Rothar and a few others returned to the deck with Ashera. Strewn around the deck were ropes, pieces of sales and the main mast. Ashera took stock of all the damage, she looked almost defeated. She sighed deeply, clapped her hands against her face and turned to the men who had followed her.

  “Right,” Ashara said, sighing again, “you three grab the torn sails and take them below deck to be repaired later. You two go around wrapping up the sail lines and other ropes. Make sure to wined them up tightly. Rothar, Artemis you and the rest oversee getting the mast back in place. I’m going to get Tyrnal and Suntiana to help with the rune magic. Once the mast is back up, we’ll start rowing and getting the new sails raised.”

  Everyone got to work the two groups Ashera had assigned to take care of the sails and rope finished in a timely and efficient manner. They joined back up with Rothar and Artemis who were busy raising the mast. Artemis and Rothars men held the mast Suntiana started growing vines and roots to hold the mast where it had been severed. Others who had joined in were lifting a rune inscribed ring up to cover the break and secure it further in place. Rothar and his men went below deck to start rowing, while Artemis and the others started rigging the masts for the sails.

  The ship was back on course, it was worse for wear but still afloat. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief now that things were working out again. They managed to make up for some lost time on their way to the mainland.

  They sailed the ship into a small cove that was sheltered from the rough waves of the sea. They dropped anchor as close to shore as they could manage and started to move everyone and everything ashore. It took hours and more trips than they wanted but it was done. All that remained was to sink the ship. Making sure to manoeuvre the ship to the middle of the cove Lyna and a hand full of the crew placed the barrel bombs and made their way back to shore.

  Tyrnal formed a quick magic circle in the air and released an arrow of fire towards the deck of the ship. The next moment the ship exploded, raining pieces down everywhere. Some making it to the shore and almost hitting everyone.

  “Hey, Ashera, who was it that did the math for the powder?” Tyrnal asked stamping out a flaming board at his feet.

  Ashera turned and looked at Barin, “Barin? Care to explain?”

  “I was teaching Lyra, and I might not have been paying as close attention to her calculations as I should have,” Barin explained.

  Barin winced expecting to get an earful. Ashera shrugged, “it wasn’t bad. As far as explosions go, I rate it a nine out of ten. No one was hurt.”

  Ashera looked at Lyra who was shuffling her feet, unable to make eye contact with either her or Barin. She began to understand what was going on. She laughed aloud.

  “Moving on, Seslyn, I believe we promised to get you home. Now I don’t think we are going to need everyone to come that way. Hayami, I’d like to ask you to lead everyone who doesn’t come to get Seslyn home to your home.”

  “The city is heavily guarded, yes. Very hard to get into my home,” Seslyn stammered.

  A chorus of voices erupted of people wanting to come along. Most people wanting to go to war with the elves as quickly as possible. Some wanting to see if any of their family had been brought here to serve the elves. The rest were quiet wanting to head North Ashera assumed. Ashera raised her hands to quiet the group, so she could think.

  Ashera wanted to bring a small party, not an army. She also knew having a couple groups on standby might not be a bad idea given its an elven city. Rothar and Lyna would have to be split up one group going North and another coming with them. Seises team would need to go with Hayami to scout but perhaps she could steal one or two. Artemis’s stair caught her roaming eyes, he was coming along no matter what. At least that’s what his eyes were saying to her. Suntiana would be a good one to bring along, during the war a healer was always a welcome addition, one was not always available, however. Suntiana being the only truly trained healer put Ashera in a tight spot, Suntiana’s group of healers could triage and maintain most people's injuries but, in a pinch, they might lose some people if things went sideways. Ashera thought long and hard about it, which group would need Suntiana most.

  The group was growing restless while Ashera made her decisions, they started breaking off into smaller groups talking amongst themselves. Most talking about how unreal it was being back on the mainland, others talking of leaving the group and making their own way again. Some talked about heading to where the rebellion was and joining up there. Still more were anting to head North as soon as they could.

  Suntiana walked up to Artemis and just stood there.

  “You’re going with Ashera, aren’t you?” Suntiana said softly.

  “Yeah,” Artemis began, “The city won't be an easy place to take if that’s her plan. Even if it’s not, the human ruins under the city where Seslyn live could be infested with more of those poor people. Zombies is what Ashera was calling them I think.”

  Suntiana reached over and took Artemis’s hand, “be safe.”

  Artemis smiled, “you might be coming with us. You never know what she’s going to decide.”

  Suntiana nodded, she just stood there clutching Artemis’s hand. Artemis thought Suntiana must fear what could happen. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. This made Suntiana smile, it was a sad smile, she hoped Artemis wouldn’t notice.

  Suntiana had a bad feeling about this expedition, she couldn’t put it into words. She just felt on edge like something big was going to happen. Mostly she feared losing more of her friends. War with the elves wouldn’t be clean she knew that but still she wanted to keep as many alive as she could. She hoped she was wrong, she wanted to be wrong.