Starsea - Part I - Dark Water

Hello everyone! I would say welcome back to the Realm but this is the official beginning of Starsea, the origin story for both the Third and Fourth Captains. Their actual profiles will be done at a later date so no intros at this time, but the events depicted within this article are quite dark and extremely emotionally traumatic.

WARNING: Some content within this article is too graphic for those that are thirteen years and younger. Also this article may include triggers for depressants so read at your own risk. 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Erin, up on his father's favorite cliff, was the first to notice the fleet of approaching ships that bore the insignia of the Royal Navy and there was no mistaking the course. They were heading straight towards Port Rhianna, so he fled through the forest as quickly as he could and made it to the closest warning bell, ringing it repeatedly before pointing out to sea. People started running and shouting; the elderly preparing for battle to defend the port so that the many families could make it into the hidden tunnels, the men without families of their own joined their ranks and even the women did as well. Meanwhile the parents were trying to get the children out of the port town but it was proving difficult because they had been in the middle of the solstice celebration, so much of the paths were blocked off with directions and stalls.

The son of Killian Jones had only one thing on his mind and that was to get to his godmother which was also proving difficult because it was like a fish trying to swim up stream while all the other fish went in the other direction. People started crying out in fear and surprise as flaming cannon balls fell from the sky all around them. Not good...because to have that kind of range and not even be passed the channel...elite navy. These were trained killers with one purpose and one purpose only...to eradicate all that was considered evil by their king or simply in the way. The only conclusion that the brunet child could come to was that the battalion that was attacking them was that under the command of the one known as The Butcher of the Royal Navy... Augustas Torrin...but how?

The only way to find Port Rhianna was for the captain of one of the ships to give out the coordinates to someone and that someone reported it to Torrin. He was blown off his feet by the shockwave of a cannon ball that had landed in the house he was next to. It sent him to the ground, his ears ringing and his vision spinning. His world became rather jumbled when he was picked up by someone...but not his godmother or his Blue Eyes. The person...a woman...carried him back home and that's when he realized that je was quite literally surrounded by naval officers...this was not going to end well...dread made his stomach twist itself into knots but he tried to remain calm on the outside, act like an innocent child rather than the child progedy that he was, but then he heard his godmother cry out in pain.

He was taken into his home and down to the basement. He was set on his feet and forced to turn around...he honestly wished he hadn't. There was godmother, strung up and was apparently being beaten with a whip...why didn't she use her powers? His eyes narrowed when he spotted a silver ring around her neck. It was something she had never warn before...did it somehow inhibit her ability to call on her powers, keeping them contained within and unable to reach the surface? She was struck again and he demanded that they stop hurting her. The man beating her simply smirked and gave orders for the boy to be held in place, making certain that he could not look away before continuing to whip her.

He beat her and smacked her, slapping her all around and yanking her hair back so that he could forcibly kiss her. Then he ordered two of his men to strip the blonde of her remaining clothing and Erin knew what was going to happen next. He struggled against his captors, tears in his eyes as he watched his godmother be brutally raped right before his eyes and was completely powerless to stop it. This treatment went on for hours until the boy dropped all pretenses and glared at them, demanding answers for how they found this port, what device was around the blonde's neck, and why they were targeting them specifically...his answers came in the form of a single name...Milah Torrin. The woman had stolen his father's heart had told her husband the coordinates after the Captain of the Jolly Roger had proposed to her.

Worse still, they knew that his godmother had powers and used a device called a radahan to trap that power within her, making her weaker than a newborn kitten. It was only temporary though because her power would eventually destroy the accessory given enough time. Then came the why for it all...him...Erin Clarence Jones. They came to Port Rhianna looking for Killian's only child and to exact revenge for the many times Milah had to let a monster bed her and all for the sake of destroying the so called evil pirates. Once all of his questions had been answered... they made her watch, they made his Big Sister Emma watch as they chopped him into pieces while he was still alive and conscious. His last thought before his heart gave out from the intensity of the pain was a single image of a glowing blue crystal cut into the shape of a trident and the one holding it was his father.

The last few days seemed to drag on for the Captain of the Jolly Roger. Didn't help that he kept having some rather bizarre dreams. So many different images and scenes and nothing was making sense. Every time he awoke, it felt like he hadn't slept at all and the dream he had just awoken from made his instincts scream; his son was screaming, Swan was crying...more like wailing, there was smoke and ash and dwindling flames...and blood, lots and lots of blood. Before the dream ended, the blue clad woman with amber skin had crossed the divide between and pulled something out of his chest...a glowing blue orb that swirled and churned like the sea and the currents that laid beneath. 

When several members of his crew started yelling in a panic, he exited his quarters only to see the port town they called home in utter ruin, black smoke billowing into the air and several large vessels were aflame but he managed to use his spy glass to catch a quick glimpse of the crest and his blood ran cold. He immediately started barking out orders, priming the cannons, prepping for battle and when they were in range, all hell broke loose. The few soldiers remaining were easily overtaken by the crew of the Jolly Roger and were slaughtered. He ordered his crew to search for their families and any other survivors. He cleaned and sheathed his sword before racing through the smoldering townscape, calling Swan's name repeatedly as he went.

He made it to their home and his breath caught in his throat. There was a fair amount of blood in and around the building, but he couldn't let that stop him. He entered the first room and did his best to ignore all the blood that was sprayed everywhere, calling out to the blonde once more. He heard a muffled response from presumably the basement...he never did like that cellar...and descended the stairs into the darkened room. He asked Emma to use her power to light up the room and she told him that she couldn't. He growled in frustration, stumbling about the room and locating what he needed to make an impromptu torch. 

Once lit, he turned to face her and he nearly dropped the damn torch. She was naked, covered in dark bruises and several lashings, her hair and body splattered with blood, she was shackled to the ceiling and she was crying a small ocean. He set down the torch and got to work on the shackles, her broken body collapsing into his arms once free from the restraints. He pushed her hair back so he could look into her eyes and asked her what happened and who did this to her. What she told him completely blindsided him because it was impossible...there had to be some mistake. He pushed those thoughts aside and carried his friend upstairs and into some clothing. 

He picked her up again and carried her to where she said his son would be and he barely managed to set the woman on her feet before rushing up to the quite bloody display. There before him was the remnants of his only child...chopped into pieces while still alive, made his godmother watch after being brutally beaten and raped, then set up this spectacle. His son was dead, he wasn't here to protect him, protect them both...his heart screamed as his dream became a reality when his blonde haired friend began wailing in grief and despair. He couldn't...it was too much...so he ran...collapsing briefly into a barrel before staggering back to his feet and walking further away. No...he couldn't believe it...Emma had said that it was his precious Milah that had betrayed him, that brought The Butcher straight to them...he just couldn't believe it.

Yes, Milah was a spirited lass; headstrong, defiant, adventurous, and could be quite the she devil but there was no way that she was capable of committing such atrocities. There was no way that she would betray the man she loved...he had made certain, a full and proper check into history and parentage...she couldn't...a sound off to his left made his head snap in that direction and despite the distance, he could still hear Swan's screams of anguish. He walked quietly into the darkened alley, silently pulling out his sword in case it was one of the stragglers from the Navy vessels still lurking about. He stopped short when he saw Milah pinned to a wall, her hands being held above her head, and a man in a naval uniform was pounding into her womanhood like he owned it.

The bastard was raping his woman! He moved to the side so that he could see who exactly his next victim would be, and he had to stop himself from doing something overly rash because it was him...the Butcher of the Royal Navy himself, Augustus Torrin. He had to get his love away from the Navy commander before he could contend with the man himself...then all thoughts ceased as his Milah cried out for more, to fucked harder and faster by her husband. His world turned on its axis as he realized the truth...Swan Lake had never lied to him and would never accuse someone of something unless she was absolutely sure...and here was the proof...and it was his own damn fault.

The dark captain maneuvered into a better position as to not be easily seen by the traitorous bitch and just as Torrin hit his peak, the pirate cleaved the man's head from his shoulders. This startled Torrin's wife as she landed on the ground and she tried to get away, but he caught her and yanked her up by her hair. He raised his sword to kill her too, his eyes shifting from oceanic blue to mirrored obsidian but he couldn't do it. He still loved her...but that didn't stop him from throwing her to the crew, revealing her treachery, and to do with her as they saw fit. For over a year, she had remained on board as nothing more than a glorified sex toy for his men...especially Mister Black, but then one day whilst Black was pounding away into her...she died...she had simply lost the will to live. He took her body ashore and burned it, not wanting to pollute the sea he loved so much with her filth.

After he returned, he threw away the name Killian Jones and chose a new one, James Hook and he went from being a well known pirate to one of the most infamous pirates to every sail the entirety of the ocean. He became The Scourge of the Sea and nothing and no one got in his way. He pillaged as he pleased, killed whoever he wanted, stole everything that he wanted, and captured and raped any woman he desired, but then the unexpected occurred...serendipity...or so it would seem and once again, another book closed and another opened. Only this time, it was a book that he never wanted to close.

Artz: CUT! CUT! CUT! I'm ending it there because if I don't, we'll be jumping into the ocean that is James Hook and the woman that has waited eons for him to meet her.

Poseidon: Bloody hell, love...that was even more brutal than the version you sent to Anna!

Anna: it's a work in progress, dummy. Of course stuff is gonna change because she has to Artzify this bitch.

Poseidon: isn't that what she did the first time? How can you Artzify something that is already artzified?

Hook: Simple...she's Artz.

Anna: And a woman...kinda in the job description to be changeable.

Hook: No that's in the description of a consultant criminal.

Artz: Enough. It's 6 am and I have to get up in like 5 hrs to go to work so good night. *punts them out of the article*

Through the Looking Glass

Don't let the title fool you because this article covers the time from Erin's birth to wherever it is I decide to stop because it's a bit difficult to find intermission points because once it gets rolling...it rolls and keeps on rolling. Now I would have named this as part of Starsea, but like I said the end has yet to be determined. I was, thankfully, able to locate a good stopping point so no warning label for this one.

Now then, Killian stayed at Port Rhianna for about two years until his reappointed first mate, Mister Black, finally convinced him to return to piracy. It took everything he had to relinquish his son to his wife's friend and now his as well. Emma Swan was the child's guardian, godmother, and governess. She would guide him, protect him, and teach him but she would never let the boy call her mother so he ended up calling her Big Sister Emma. The blonde woman always made sure that her charge remembered his parents, the woman that gave birth to him without regret and the man that protected him from the guile of the so called good guys.

Erin understood quite clearly that his father was not merely a sailor but was in fact a rather well known pirate. It didn't stop the boy from believing that his father was the real hero, albeit a reluctant one, but he was proud to be the son of Killian Jones. Of course he couldn't actually say that because his parents did have a long list of enemies and by his mother giving him her maiden name, she was protecting him. Then there was the enigma of the cloaked blue eyed woman that always showed up after his father had left. He didn't really get a proper introduction but he was pretty certain that she was in some way family to his godmother. It was a moot point but he did feel safe when she was near and sometimes...when he dreamed of his mother, she would tell him time and again that should he ever want a mother then to look no further than the mysterious blue eyes.

He was about to turn six years old when his father started acting oddly and his visits became less and less frequent but every time he did visit, he seemed so much happier and his ocean blue eyes practically shined with hope. Erin, on the other hand, was being filled with an ever increasing dread. Something wasn't right and he wasn't the only one who sensed it either...Blue Eyes and his Big Sister Emma, they sensed it as well. The tension was building, a pressure hanging in the air just waiting to pop and then his father told him what was making him so happy...a woman. He had met her at a tavern back before he had become a full fledged naval officer and the same night he had met the boy's mother. Killian told his son that he was being extra careful, making absolutely certain that his newfound love was honorable and true, someone worthy of his complete trust...worthy of his son.

The woman's name was Milah and she had shared in many of Killian's most recent adventures...though he would always drop her off at another port before coming to Port Rhianna...that he would never risk the safety of his only child and the families of his crew. He knew he had found someone special when he found Mister Black guffawing loudly and friendly at something the woman had said. If Black approved of her then she was most definitely worth his time...even the stern and highly efficient Mister Hawthorne had taken a rather unusual shine to the woman, probably because she was even more strict about the cargo and the efficiency of the galley. Then there was the man child with two left feet and a terrible sense of direction, Mister Jefferson...Milah was actually able to mitigate some of the foolishness the poor bloke got himself into and snapped at anyone that poked fun at him.

Most of the crew got along with her well enough but there was some friction being generated between the woman and his beloved Clare's crew but it was to be expected. A new woman coming on board, proverbially acting like she owned the place...he had known it would rub them the wrong way. Fortunately, he was able to smooth over most of the ruffled feathers but there were some that would never yield and he felt absolutely wretched when he had to boot them off the ship at Port Rhianna in order to keep the peace aboard his ship. A few flat out warned him that Milah couldn't be trusted, not with the port's coordinates and for a time, he agreed with them, but the more time he spent with her, he was starting to change his mind.

The Captain of the Jolly Roger found himself hanging on to her every word, reveling in the sound of her laughter, his heart becoming lighter every time she smiled, and then on a cloudy, moonless night, he took her to his bed and made love to her. His precious Milah was a little hesitant after that night and she wasn't quite sure of herself or where they stood but he was steadfast and held firm, giving her no reason to doubt him or his growing feelings for her. By Erin's seventh birthday, Killian knew that he loved her and if he was patient enough that she would agree to be his forever. He spent the next year doing everything he could to claim her heart and a few months after his son's eighth birthday and with the full support of his entire crew, he told her the coordinates for the secret port where the crew of the Jolly Roger called home...then on bended knee, he proposed to her and she said yes, her entire being radiating with joy.

They made plans to have two different ceremonies, one at Port Rhianna and the other at a quiet seaside town. The reason was so that his beloved Milah could have her parents and family see her get married. They already knew that he was a pirate and apparently wanted to make their wedding into the perfect day which meant that his intended bride had to leave the Jolly Roger for a time as to avoid the massive headache that came with planning a wedding and the constant bickering between all parties involved, something he was extremely grateful for.

His and Clare's wedding had been a very private affair, hidden away in the forest in a clearing with a fresh water spring and ethereal golden flowers. It was strange...the entire time he was there, he felt someone watching him...so happy yet so incredibly lonely. His wonderful Clare told him that it was the Guardian of the forest, a celestial spirit and the fact that they were permitted to the inner sanctum...the place where the spirit's very soul was said to reside...meant that the Guardian had chosen to grant them its blessing and bestow a precious gift to them. He asked what the gift was and his wife's eyes sparkled with mischief before rendering him speechless...by singing.

While his newly made wife had been singing, the golden flowers throughout the clearing began to softly glow, the light becoming brighter as golden sparkles blew softly through the air before slowly falling back to the ground below like a gentle snowfall. It had been one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen yet for some inexplicable reason, he wished that the sparkles of light had been blue and not gold though he had no clue why. He favored more earthly tones but his favorite color was red, a bright and gorgeous crimson red. Clare had interrupted his thoughts by kissing him softly, her honey brown eyes so warm and beautiful.

Killian Jones knew that he would never stop loving his beloved Clare, but he also knew that she would want him to find happiness again which was why he had opened his heart once more...yet there was a part of him that kept being drawn somewhere else but every time he tried to follow that pull, it simply led him back to Port Rhianna and his rather troublesome best mate, Swan Lake. He honestly believed that woman lived to torment him and that thought alone drew him away from his memories and back into the present. The dark haired captain ordered the crew to gather the necessary provisions to take to Port Rhianna, not knowing what was to come or how it would change the course of his life, his very soul, forever.

Artz: And Cut!!! I have got to stop it there because the next bit is...*runs away*

Yuna: Yep, definitely saw that coming.

Durga: She's crying her eyes out...again. How many times does that make it?

Yuna: Dude, I've actually lost count and she's had this part planned practically from the start...before the Prismata even existed! Heck most of the Blood Guard wasn't even thought of back then.

Durga: It still doesn't change the fact that she loves him. She can't even look at an image or gif without...ya know...I think this is actually worse than her love for the Doctor.

Yuna: She's had a chance to explore his character but importantly, she understands the role in which the Doctor is meant to play in her life...the core of her soul, the foundation in which she has built upon. He made her Artz which is why we never needed the Doctor to be real in the other reality because we had her.

As for the conundrum that is her Captain and her God of the Sea...its mostly about the people born from a single character and a certain actor's portrayal as that character. I swear Colin O'Donoghue was born to play the part of Killian Jones, but then Artz realized why she liked him so much because they were very similar to each other personality wise...but unlike her, Killian didn't have anything to ground himself with so he descended into darkness and from that darkness...

Hook: I was brought into being and the wench has particularly bad habit of poking at a character until she accidentally creates something entirely brand new. I may have started from Once Upon A Time but I am nothing like the brat or the show's version of myself. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little insulted...do I really act that stupidly when drunk? Don't answer that, brat! *pointed stare at a nearby snickering Poseidon*

Poseidon: You have to admit that this is funny. *points to the YouTube above* Why because it's just plain ridiculous...not to mention that Killian gets jealous of himself.

Yuna/Durga: *muffled laughter as they walk away*

Hook: *watches them go* This isn't going to be pretty, Killian.

Poseidon: *softly* I know...still silver lining *ignores the are you serious look from his counterpart*...she is finally getting to Starsea which means it won't be long before...

Hook: ...all hell breaks loose. Come on, brat. Let's crack open a few barrels of rum and leave her to it, eh? *they leave*

Artz: *runs back in, looking refreshed* Damn allergies...welp, guess that's a wrap. Till next time, dearies!

The Return of Silverfrost - Part V

This is it, my lovely nonexistent readers. This will be the final article before the events of Starsea begins. I'm not sure how much will be revealed during this article so brace yourselves for a torrential storm of emotions and just to be on the safe side.

Warning: Content may be too graphic or emotional for readers under the age of thirteen. You have been warned.

Now then...we left off with Emma and Killian discussing plans for Clare's care and the health of his unborn child. The pirate captain decided to remain in Port Rhianna for the duration of his wife's pregnancy which allowed his crew. Their own respite because quite a few had family members that claimed the city as their home. Others, however, were not as enthused...these individuals being Simeon Black, Paul Jefferson, and Lawrence Hawthorne. These were members of the original crew that had been hand selected by Augustus Torrin to serve aboard the Jewel of the Realm.

No one was aware of this piece of information except for a single individual, Clare Jones. She had discovered a few things during her adventures with her husband but no solid proof. Now her husband would take a great deal on faith but even he had his limits. She needed hard evidence, actual solid and visible evidence that proved their guilt unquestionably. Unfortunately, Mister Black was quite clever, Mister Hawthorne capable of procuring and providing the necessary components, and Mister Jefferson was considered and an idiot and a blustering buffoon which often made people disregard any irregularities about his behavior...a tricky lot indeed.

Then there was the issue of a certain person's arrival, not long after her beloved husband had wandered off to collect his thoughts...Yuel. Of all the people to visit her that night, it was the First Oracle...from the future, a distant one at that. The Seeress of the Blood Guard showed her a series of visions that completely broke her heart, but there was nothing that could be done. Those moments were fixed meaning that they were going to happen and nothing and no one could stop it...not even her impossible godmother. Yuel had journeyed into the past to ensure that Clare's dormant heritage was transferred to her unborn child and given the name of Her Ladyship's fallen friend so that Silverfrost could rise again.

Once her work was complete, she returned to the future from whence she came but not before granting the woman one last vision that filled the pregnant woman's heart and soul with love and joy. Everything has its time and everything ends but if nothing ended then nothing would begin. Just because one book came to a close, did not mean that it didn't have a sequel or even an entire series to follow in its wake. Yes, she would make her story be one filled with love and happiness. She will make her husband bat shit insane whilst blind siding him at every turn. She will sate his physical lust then use him herself until he passed out, utterly spent by their activities. He will know without a shred of doubt that she loved him with her entire being and bring about the final vision, making it a reality...why...because she loved him...she loved them both.

The brunette's pregnancy progressed relatively well until she started going into labor too early...two months early. Clare knew why of course, Emma had sensed it, but poor Killian was clueless. The child's growth had been accelerated when Clare's dormant heritage was fused with it and her body had barely been able to keep up, much of her own life force being pushed into the child to keep it stabilized and healthy. The daughter of Eleanor Lyra Oswald knew what would happen and did it anyways. To save the future, her story had to end. The story of Clare Ravenwood Jones, wife of Killian Jones...was dying and her husband didn't even know it yet, supporting her and encouraging her as she gave birth to the only child they would ever have together.

The dying woman heard the cries of her newborn son and Emma cleaned and wrapped him in a blanket before placing the child into her friend's waiting arms. Clare's eyes filled with tears, her heart torn between the love for her son and the sorrow she was about to inflict upon the boy's father. She smiled as the tears flowed down her cheeks and she apologized before naming him.

'Erin Clarence Oswald.'

That caught the captain's attention immediately and he wondered why she give their child her last name instead of his, but then his beloved Clare gently pushed their son into his arms and he focused completely on the tiny, pudgy thing...so fragile...his son...their son. He was brought out of his revelry when the Swan girl started sobbing in grief, her hands glowing in a golden light. He knew that Swan had powers, she had told him so but he had never seen him use it before which made him wonder why she was calling on it now. That's when he noticed that his wife had her eyes closed and did not appear to be breathing.

He didn't know what to do or how to feel. He could only watch as his wife's best friend tried desperately to save the woman that had just given birth to their first born. She sobbing and crying, tears streaming down her face like twin waterfalls... begging her powers to work but nothing was happening. The bundle in his arms moved and he became hyperaware of the little baby currently being cradled in his father's arms...she knew. Somehow his Clare knew which was why she had given their son her last name...it was the only way she could protect him from beyond the grave...to keep him safe from his parents' many enemies.

He called softly to the distressed blonde who looked up at him, a silent plea in her almost colorless eyes. He told her to stop before she went too far because he needed her to take care of Erin. He had to make arrangements for his wife's funeral, acquisitions for his son's care, and inform the crew of some rather drastic changes... maintaining the secrecy of Port Rhianna, that the coordinates could only be given out by a ship's captain, all others spellbound to prevent anyone from being bribed or tortured for the information. This little island in the middle of nowhere had to remain safe at all costs. He would not let his beloved Clare's death be in vain. He would ensure the safety of their son, the blonde acting as his guardian, the families of his crew...he vowed to never let Port Rhianna fall.

Artz: I was gonna make this long but decided against it because there is a bit of a time skip here and in case you're wondering...no, Erin Clarence Jones is not the reincarnation of Artz's and Anna's friend from their world...he is, however, the one that will bear the name of Silverfrost, later shortening it to Silver because....*trails off as she realizes that she didn't put in a description of Baby Erin's appearance* Brunette like his father so dark brunette but his eyes will be closer to amber or honey like his mother's.

Poseidon: You just love dragging things out, don't you?

Anna: Now he gets it.

Artz: Its called suspense, sweetie. Not to mention, anticipation...that build up of emotion and then...

Poseidon: *deadpans* and falls flatter than a pancake because you can't keep your mouth shut.

Hook: I'm sensing a pot/kettle reference here. *Anna nodding in agreement*

Poseidon: What's that supposed to mean?

Durga: That you don't know how to keep your mouth shut when you come.

Artz: Wow...um...sorry?

Durga: *gives her a bemused look* Its not your fault that I'm your sonic screwdriver.

Artz/Anna: *enters the gutter simultaneously and just walk away*

Poseidon: *tries to follow but is dragged away by Hook and Durga*

A few moments pass...and a head pops up from below the screen.

Ren: *whispers* Hiya, I'm Serenity aka Ren. Just wanted to have a brief cameo before...*Hope, fellow fan of Artz's work pushes Ren back out of the screen*

Hope: Sorry about that. *keeps pushing Ren back down out of frame then gives a brief wave to the readers before punting Ren out of the article entirely*

The Return of Silverfrost - Part IV

Hey everyone and once again welcome back to the insanity that is The Realm. Today's article will focus on Clare Ravenwood Oswald. Clare is absolutely vital to story of Starsea because she was the wife of Killian Jones and the mother of their son, the one that is granted the name of Silverfrost, more commonly known as Silver Jones. Now as stated in the previous article, her mother died before her first birthday and was therefore raised by the Star Child herself. Artz did leave for a time but that was to take Graham to each of the packs that he would one day be responsible for. During that time, Van and Neptune volunteered to watch over little Clare. While on this pilgrimage of sorts, Artz and Graham crossed paths with Liam and Killian Jones. They stayed with them for about seven months before tragedy struck, ending in the deaths of the brothers' parents and the Star Child.

We were given a brief overview of this during Mars's profile and the story of Liam Jones. Now Clare herself was a bright and clever child, and whilst in public, she was refined and poised, everything that a lady of the times would want for a daughter. Once she was no longer within the public eye, all bets were off. The brunette child was full of mischief and mayhem. She lusted for adventure and to explore the world beyond her home land. To that end, she asked her godmother, after she had returned from Graham's pilgrimage, to be taught how to fight and how to sail.

The Star Child lifted an eyebrow at this so called request and stated quite clearly that should Clare wish to pursue this path, she must master both nobility and to the child's surprise, piracy. When asked why, Artz simply stated that she wanted Clare to get married to an outstanding naval officer...who would one day become a pirate and if she truly wished to be with him then she must prove it. Clare tried to weedle more out of her godmother but Neptune ushered her out of the room rather hastily. She heard quiet whimpering from the other room, the kind associated with deep wounds and she was immediately worried about her godmother.

The fourth mage refused to budge but the third mage simply bonked her on the head, saying that she would find out eventually anyways. This was when she first learned of the Jones brothers and and she honestly felt absolutely horrid for the younger Jones. He was going to go through so much and not even understand why. With eyes blazing with determination, the young girl dived head first into her studies, learning everything she could about being a noblewoman, a merchant, a sailor, a pirate, and a plethora of diverse skills across a rather wide spectrum of fields.

When she was old enough, Van and Neptune...acting as her parents...moved to the port town where the Jones brothers were currently living. One of the naval academies resided in this area which was why they were here at all. It took about four months before Clare and Killian crossed paths with one another. Serendipity truly at work because Killian Jones was in the middle of a brawl outside the tavern, supposedly for flirting with an already married woman.

He was definitely on the losing side given that he was alone, but overall he did hold his own for a short time. Clare smirked because she was currently dressed like a deckhand, her hair tied under a bandana, so she looked very much like a man. She didn't hesitate to get involved and fought them off long enough to get Killian onto his feet. The duo fought back to back and easily incapacitated their opponents, but then they heard the whistling of the approaching authorities so they ran.

Luck was on their side because none of the town guard had seen them in the first place. Killian introduced himself but was taken off guard when Clare pushed him against a wall and snogged him. She pulled back laughing as she let her down, revealing that she was in fact a woman. She was absolutely loving the stunned look on his face and the fact that his hands were still held up from where she had been kissing him. She walked slowly towards him, his eyes following her every movement and slid her hands along his chest as he swallowed hard. 

She was trying very hard not to laugh at the fact THE Killian Jones was completely speechless. She brought their lips close together and hovered, waiting for him to make the next move. She was not disappointed because his lips did meet hers, but she was annoyed at the imbecile that had the audacity to interrupt them...the Butcher of the Royal Navy, Augustus Torrin. He had yet to earn his more colorful moniker but he was still an asshole and was one Killian's current commanding officers that was temporarily in residence at the academy. He immediately ordered the younger Jones back to the academy, leaving him alone with one seriously pissed off Clare Oswald.

Then of course the asshat tried to rape her, believing that she was one of the port town's whores that catered to the Navy's specialized needs which resulted in him coming face to face with the Star Child herself. Let's just say that he didn't leave that encounter completely unscathed...he would never reproduce at the very least. Artz made certain to keep minimal contact with Clare because Killian would be instinctively drawn to her and that would blow a hole in the universe but it did make her happy...just seeing him again so similar yet so different but after so many years of waiting, she honestly didn't care that he was neither her Terror of the Deep or her Scourge of the Sea. She even found it hilarious at just how often Clare rendered him speechless by suddenly doing something completely bonkers.

It took about seven months before he and Clare were married and another year before the Jones Brothers graduated from the academy with honors. Liam was given command of their newest ship The Jewel of the Realm...the irony was not lost on her...and Killian was made a lieutenant. He would have been a commander had it not been for his brief encounter with Torrin. Killian was forced into leaving his young wife to go on a mission upmost importance with his brother, mere weeks later. Clare could see it in his eyes, her husband knew that something was wrong but for the life of him, couldn't understand why, but Clare did.

This mission would be the final days that the brothers would share together before Liam took his own life to save his baby brother from an even more horrific end. Not long after their ship left, Clare was packed and ready to go. She had been preparing for this practically her whole life but in the last few years, she had made quite the name for herself as a pirate. Her crew were Blood Guard so she never feared mutiny but she had kept it small, didn't want to call too much attention to herself just yet. The wait was now over, the guise of an elegantly refined noblewoman was no longer necessary. It was time for "******" to sail the seas once again and find that dastardly husband of hers, preferably beating the living shit out of him before fucking him into next week. Honestly that idiot...did he honestly think that she would reject him just because he became a pirate?!

Imagine his surprise when he tries to loot a merchant ship already being looted by another pirate ship and he says that he was taking it from them, only to hear...

'You can't take what is already yours, sweetie, *uses the ropes above to land in front of him like a bad ass* unless you want to get a divorce?'

Killian is just stunned because his wife was standing in front of him then it took a few seconds for him to realize that she was a pirate and a few more to realize that she was a pirate captain. Things became completely bonkers when she told him that she was the legendary "*******" and that she had been a pirate ever since she was eleven years old, captain at thirteen. She scolded him quite thoroughly for just leaving her behind, not even giving her the choice and then spent the next two days having some rather torrential sex between the pair. 

Her crew joined his and there was minimal grumbling, but she was still weary of her husband's first mate, one Mister Simeon Black. There was something about him that seemed familiar and not in a good way either, the echo of a dream of a life never lived. She and Black butted heads quite often until her husband became involved, ordering them to have a duel and whoever won would be his first mate. Subvissive to say, Clare won and rather quickly too which was a major blow to the loser's ego. After things settled down, Killian and Clare went on adventure after adventure, their love soaring ever higher as if to touch the stars themselves. 

Things changed drastically when Clare started feeling quite ill and was nauseous all the time...not to mention the utterly outrageous cravings she was having and her sex drive had easily quadrupled, even wearing the infamous Killian Jones completely out. He was getting quite worried but apparently his wife was already several steps ahead of him. She had ordered that they return to Port Rhianna and she informed her husband of an old friend that would be able to give them an accurate diagnosis. Little did he know that this would be his first encounter with a rather spirited blonde that held a direct link to his forgotten past.

Upon arrival, Clare saught out her friend, Emma Swan, and the blonde verified the woman's theory...she was pregnant. Clare Ravenwood Jones was with child and it hit Killian like a ton of bricks. He was going to be a father, but his and wife's chosen profession was not exactly conducive to the rearing of a child and behind closed doors, he started panicking. He didn't know what to do or even where to begin and he certainly could not let his wife see him like this but what the hell was he supposed to do? His brother's voice echoed in his mind...she shines only for you now.

He forced himself to calm down, on the outside that is, and returned to the ladies. He told the blonde to look after his wife...both women giving him a knowing look...and he left the area. He walked through the city, noting that the sun was starting its descent. It would only be a few hours before nightfall and there was someplace he wanted to go to. This place was up on one of the forested cliffs that enshrouded the port town, making it very difficult to locate said town from a distance. He always found it odd that the island in which Port Rhianna was founded upon was in the general shape of a crescent moon and that not far off shore was a rock formation that paralleled the star in the sky that was always found near the moon.

He worked his way through the maze like forest with ease...like nature itself was guiding him...and there he stood, the highest cliff on the island. He watched as the sun sank lower and lower, the sea and sky blazing with reds and oranges, slipping ever deeper into the darker hues of blue and purple...twilight, a time that is neither light or dark...he didn't know why this particular time meant so much to him not did he understand why the stars always appeared so beautiful to him. He watched as each pinpoint of light appear in the deep blue sky, allowing his chaotic mind to calm as his thoughts ceased to race.

He sat down at the base of one of the nearby trees, resting his back against the trunk and shifting his sword to a more comfortable position. His eyes drifted once more to the star filled sky, trying to empty his mind...to find the answer within himself just as she taught him. He blinked...she...who...his eyes closed against his will as he fell into a deep slumber. 

Killian found himself in a field of golden grass, perhaps wheat or barley. He couldn't really tell because he wasn't a farm hand. The sky was filled with light orange clouds and the wind was blowing through the field. Just where the hell was he? A faint feminine giggle drew his attention to a beautiful amber skinned woman clad in blue clothing...the style struck a familiar chord in his heart. He walked towards her and a crack appeared between them, something akin to a never ending ravine of some sort and the place where she now stood was entirely water.

'Who are you? Where are we and why am I here?'

The woman smiled sadly at him, her eyes holding a forlorn hope. Her response was simple...he had unknowingly called to her and she answered instinctively. When he asked why, she did not reply but instead asked what it was that troubled him so. He wasn't quite sure why but he trusted her, he trusted the mysterious and enigmatic woman whose name he did not know...so he told her, told her about his Clare and his unborn child, about he and his wife being pirates, about everything that had happened in his life and he felt so lost, that he didn't know what to do.

'The answer you seek, dear one, lies within the swan lake, but tread carefully. There is darkness all around you; some are known to you, others will be hidden in plain view, and the darkness will rise from within and brought down by the shallow sleeper.

Do not be afraid, my dear child...for where there is light, there is hope and where there is hope, there are miracles. The impossible will occur not once, not twice, not three times but four. To save the past, you must first save the future...the star that shines so bright on the moonless night...find your star, Killian Jones and let her light guide you through the clouded way. To change the future is to change the past...go now, return to your world, and you will have all that you need.'

The pirate captain awoke rather harshly, his mind muddled and dazed, but the moment he heard a sword being drawn, he was on his feet. His eyes were still clouded over from such a deep sleep and he couldn't see properly but he still managed to hold his own against his would be assailant until said assailant was pinned underneath, their hands being held above their head in a tight grip. A woman...the body pressed firmly against his was that of a woman. 

Said woman chuckled but it was not an evil or wicked kind...goodnaturedly. He recognized her voice immediately as his wife's friend. What was her name again...Emma Swan...his brain came to a halt as his eyes cleared and connected to hers. Her eyes were currently a mix of blues and greens but when he had first met her, her eyes had been a forest green. Looking at her now, her eyes were similar in color to a lagoon or a lake...swan lake... Swan Lake...his answer lied within the swan lake. That was what the woman in his dream had said.

He allowed her to get up, each returning their swords to their proper places. As dawn approached, he and the blonde discussed the situation of Clare's pregnancy and together they decided upon a course of action that would drive his wife completely mental because of her adventurous nature but would lead the Captain of the Jolly Roger down a path he did not know he would take and if given the choice, he never would have but he needed to...something he would understand one day but not for a long time.

Artz: And that's a wrap for Part Four!

Hook: Took you long enough, wench.

Anna: No ADHD meds, dude. You're lucky she typed anything at all.

Hook: *look of understanding* Ah, well let's be off so she can put in the final touches and post it.

Durga: *arms crossed* You just want her to hurry up and get to your debut. Admit it.

Hook: *smirks* Speaking of debuts...*finds himself mummified in a variety of duct tapes*

Anna: *sitting next to a certain pyro pixie and a mound of empty duct tape rolls, sipping her coffee like nothing had just happened*

Clare: *walks in* If by chance you noticed a certain issue then by all means, leave your suggestions in the comment box below. If you didn't notice, it's because you were probably to wrapped up in the article. *several snickers are heard at the pun* Anywho, I am in desperate need of a badass pirate name because Artz really doesn't want to use Bloody Mary. Seriously, she wants something original and packs enough punch to render my husband speechless...again. *pushes everyone out of the article with Anna's help*

The Return of Silverfrost - Part III

Heya everybody and welcome back to the third installment of this little mini series. I do apologize for getting sidetracked, but you gotta follow the muse otherwise that slippery little sucker will disappear to parts unknown and you never know when or if he'll ever show back up and yes, my muse is a he and his name is Sage. *blonde guy with green eyes currently tied up at her feet* He's been MIA for quite some time but with a little help....*Crowley raises a glass in appreciation, Missy winks at her, and a rather wickedly smirking Anna waves at everyone*...he is back. *Sage is crawling away only to find himself upside down and wrapped in vines* This is exactly what I'm talking about. Anyways, this next portion of this tale will be from the perspective of one of my favorite anime characters of all time and probably one of the oldest obsessions/crushes I've ever had. *points below*

Anyone who has watched YuYu Hakusho are punching the air right now because yes, Hiei of the Jagan and master of the Darkness Flame is indeed a member of the Blood Guard. At this point in time, he is only a trainee. He would be an apprentice blade were it not for his near constant search for his twin sister and his blatant obsession with the pair that had saved his life and his mother's. Van's sensory abilities had fascinated him so much that he sought out a demonic scientist to implant the Jagan eye into his forehead, but he had no training or mental discipline to control or utilize its powers and actually lost his memories for a while. It is during this period of amnesia that Hiei is reunited with the twin that he does not remember and Yukina doesn't know that he is her twin, having no idea what her brother was supposed to look like.

Eleanor Oswald is currently unconscious from the prolonged exposure to the Makai's rather toxic atmosphere, so she can't exactly tell them that their siblings. The young fire demon had been out on patrol, making certain that no one ventured near the bandit camp that he currently called home, when he crossed paths with the leaders of that very same camp. The moment he saw the ice maiden, the Jagan flared to life, recognizing the similarities between their auras but because of his lack of experience and knowledge, he didn't understand what it was trying to tell him so he forced it back into dormancy. He then accompanied the leaders and their guests to the camp though he doubted that the human would be around long because human females were easily broken and he had seen quite a few suddenly die in the middle of certain activities.

The other one though was an ice maiden which made her quite the asset to their group, but it wouldn't stop some of the more reckless members from bedding the poor thing, being deliberately rough so that she would produce mass quantities of tear gems in the process. He didn't understand why that bothered him so much. He didn't know the girl and she definitely didn't know him, yet his baser instincts were stating that he needed to protect her. He glared at her when she glanced his way, but she simply smiled, just a small one and his glare faded along with his annoyance. Who was she to him?

Upon arriving at camp, several members whooped and hollered thinking that they had new toys to play with but the first seven that got within reach of them were now dead at the leader's feet, vines swirling around both of them and their guests. The main leader ordered that no one was to touch them, harm them, or kill them. Relief flowed through the fire demon's body, a fair bit of tension leaving him much more relaxed...an event not unnoticed by by the bandit leaders. When they walked into the main hub, he was asked to follow to them which he did so without complaint. He watched as the two women were seen to, their injuries being treated and a few plants set up to purify the air of the miasma, allowing the human the ability to recover.

They were now in the leaders personal den, a place few had ever seen. Both the bat and the fox were extremely territorial which is why the den existed but it did not explain why he was granted entrance at all. How many people could boast that they had been allowed entrance into the sanctuary of the legendary bandit thief and equally notorious thieving partner, Yoko Kurama and Kuronue?

So here he was, the fire demon without a name or a past, standing in front of the two most powerful members of their bandit gang and thus the reason why they were the leaders, and he had no idea what to say or do. He usually didn't mingle with the others, mainly because they annoyed him and he preferred peace and quiet, just relaxing in a tree somewhere. This was definitely not within his current skill set and comfort zone, but he allowed none of it to show because it would be construed as weakness and he already had it bad enough with the damn memory loss. Then they spoke and his mouth ran dry. They had noticed his reaction before when they had slain their own men to protect the females. He became confused when they didn't ask why but rather to watch over the girls and ensure that no harm befell them.

His mouth spoke before he could stop it and asked...well more like demanded to know why. Why did they want him to babysit the females that were obviously more trouble than they were worth? The silver kitsune chuckled softly, stating that it was those very same females that had single handedly escaped a fully armed compound completely unnoticed and were that not enough, the human girl had saved Kuronue's life by pushing him out of range of a bamboo trap. Hiei's eyes widened...resourceful and a life debt. The bat chose that moment to comment that this was the first time that Hiei had ever reacted to something before. The fire demon knew he was right but he was not about to admit to that aloud. The fox suggested that by spending time with them that it might allow him to access his lost memories, maybe not much but something was better than nothing.

And that was how he got saddled with babysitting the females. The human didn't wake up for over a week and the ice maiden kept an almost silent vigil over the woman that had rescued her from such an awful place. In the few conversations they had, he had learned her name but not the human's though he had been right about the resourcefulness, but he also learned that the demoness was looking for her mother and twin brother. She had been exiled after she had helped a wounded man. They made her watch as they executed him before they forced her to leave and never to return. When she pulled out a rather beautiful orb, her mother's tear gem that she shed while giving birth to her, he could only stare in shock because he possessed an identical gem...or he had. The third in command of their bandit group, Yomi, had taken it from him, believing he had stolen it from the treasury.

The black clad fire demon went silent after that, refusing to look at her or converse with her anymore. His mind and heart were reeling from this new information. What if...what if he was the twin brother she was looking for? He wasn't sure and he didn't have the stone to prove it anyways, but did it really matter? He was a bandit, a thief, a killer...even if he was her brother, he would never tell her. He would not stain her purity with his blood soaked darkness. He didn't deserve to be her brother nor could he ever be worthy of her at all. More days passed until finally the human woman awoke, but she was still quite delirious. She kept rambling about how she needed to get them to The Realm. What the hell was The Realm and why did it feel like he was just stabbed in the heart repeatedly?

Yoko and Kuronue attended to the woman who was begging them to find her godmother or some man named Van...another stab to his heart. His breathing accelerated as his head began to ache. It felt like his head about to explode from the pain. He wanted her to shut up, to stop ripping his heart to pieces...what the hell was happening to him? He grabbed his head, his hands fisting into his hair as tears came to his eyes. The ice maiden called out to him, alerting the bandit leaders that something was wrong. His tears fell and clattered in the floor as smooth round stones...tear gems. He really was her brother. He screamed in agony, the sound causing the human female to bolt upright and look right at him.

'Hiei!'

The wall between his conscious mind and his dormant memories exploded and countless images, thoughts, and feelings flew through his mind. A constant stream of tears clattering to the floor below as he remembered. His name was Hiei, a name given to him by the man that had saved his life when he was thrown off the floating island of the ice maidens. He joined the Bladeworks in the hopes of becoming one of the legendary blades but once he learned of his sister's exile, he went in search of her, so that he could bring her home...to the Realm...The Realm of the Blood Guard. He wanted her to meet the woman that saved their mother's life and even made it possible for her to touch him and raise the child she had given birth to, but he had become frustrated and impatient, so he sought out a doctor capable of implanting a Jagan eye successfully so that he could find his twin...only for that same eye to completely overwhelm his conscious mind and him not having the mental fortitude and training to use it. That's why he lost his memories because of his own foolishness.

The fire demon ran from the room and straight to the treasury, the fox on his heels. The Jagan flared to life once more, easily shattering the enchantments and runes protecting it. He didn't hesitate, dodging the secondary traps with an ease and grace that Yoko had never seen the boy do before. He watched as he systematically tore through the treasury in search of something, only to discover that it wasnt there at all. The look of fury on Hiei's face, realizing that Yomi had lied to him and the bastard probably hid it after he took it from him. The silver kitsune got the gist of what the boy was trying to convey telepathically through the Jagan and went in search of Yomi himself, only to discover that the camp was empty. His attention was drawn to the sky when he sensed a very powerful force just suddenly appear.

'If you're looking for your men then they left about two minutes after you went inside. The one with all the damn ears was leading them though judging by his so called plan, he's led them straight to their deaths. Now then, you have something that belongs to me. In fact, you have three things that belong to me; a brown haired girl named Eleanor, the ice maiden Yukina, and my girl's favorite pyro pixie Hiei. Give them to me and I'll be on my way. If you don't...*eyes glowing with blue light*...I won't hesitate to kill you.'

Ellie chose that moment to run out and placed herself in front of the silver kitsune, glaring at the third mage before yelling at him about issuing death threats to the people that had saved her life and had been looking after her all that time. Yukina rushed out, begging the brunette to come back inside so that the miasma wouldn't kill her. Hiei appeared in a blur and used the Jagan to give Van the whole story...then Ellie started coughing up blood. In a blast of wind the third mage vanished and the others got the very sick brunette back inside.

About an hour later, Van returned with Hiei's tear gem but then asked for Yukina's. When asked why, he revealed that their mother had gotten in touch with him, just as he acquired the second stone and told him about the healing properties held within. Even if he took Eleanor to Her Ladyship, there would be no way to help her. The miasma of the Makai wasn't just deadly, it corrupted a person's life force, their very souls becoming infected and slowly eaten away. Ellie was fortunate that one of her ancestors had once been an ice maiden, but that heritage had been diluted by countless generations and it's potency was lost. However, the potential was still there. It wouldn't return the life force she lost but it would purify the effects of the miasma and thus making her immune, but to do so would require the destruction of their mother's tear gems. The ones shed for each child at birth were the most potent and powerful.

They had a choice to make; the life and soul of a human girl or the tear gems of their mother that could never be replaced. The twins looked at each other, taking the other's hand before both held out the stones to the wind mage. There was no doubt, no uncertainty...Eleanor had brought them together, saved Yukina's life, restored Hiei's memories, and she was the goddaughter of the woman that saved their mother. There was no choice or decision, just fact, but even as the Pathfinder used the gems to heal the girl, something unexpected happened and they wouldn't find out until several months after they had returned to the human world... Eleanor Oswald was pregnant and she was still a virgin.

Now that was a bit awkward to explain. Apparently, Kuronue's pendant had been accidentally activated when she had come into contact with him before, touching it the moment she saved his life. The spirits of his ancestors repaid the debt of life owed to the brunette which resulted in a dual effect; the miasma was purified while part of her life force was replenished by the pendant, but due to her shortened life span, the rest of that energy and power created a new life...Clare Ravenwood Oswald. Her first name was in honor of the woman that had saved the Star Child so long ago, but her middle name was literally poking fun at a certain bat and fox who joined the Guard to watch over her and Clare.

Van reported what happened to his girl and she thanked him for fighting so hard to get her back, even her pyro pixie and his sister home too. The Pathfinder felt pretty damn awful. He had tried so hard to get to Ellie and she didn't even live to see Clare's first birthday. He watched from afar as Clare grew up, playing with the future alpha of the Wolf Clan, Graham, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to get past it. He was stuck in an ever deepening rut. He practically became a ghost of his former self until someone decided that he looked better as a drowned rat. He went to yell at the person responsible and was rendered speechless. Standing before him was little Ellie or someone that had a remarkable resemblance to Eleanor. She giggled before introducing herself.

'Fourth Mage of the Blood Guard, the Magi of the Mist, The Tempest. I am Neptune of the Prism Guard and I am her Acheron.'

The Third Mage didn't know what to do or what to say, but he didn't have to say anything because she did. The Second Oracle had sent her back through time...to save him. She informed him that she was indeed Eleanor Oswald, well she had been reborn a few centuries later and that she was quite literally her own grandmother, but she told him not to tell anyone because that would be really, really painful and all sorts of awkward. She was named Ellie though so he could still call her Little Ellie if he wanted to.

He tried to apologize for not getting to her sooner and she blasted him into a wall with some rather scalding water. She wasn't called her Acheron for nothing. Due to her water powers having a much higher temperature and sometimes acidic in nature, the Star Child had given her a purpose to reflect that more fiery disposition. Acheron was the name of a river that ran through the Nether World and was often referred to as a flaming gulf or an acidic lake. Ellie stated quite clearly that if Van hadn't arrived at that exact moment, then Clare would never be born and she was kind of necessary if Artz was to get her Captain and her God of the Sea and in turn, the acquisition of the Lightning Fang, the three individuals needed to save Her Ladyship in the first place. Not to mention that if Van had got to her sooner then they never would have found Yukina or save Hiei. He arrived exactly when he was meant to.

Artz: And that's the end of this one. Though Ellie's mark is either going to be the upside down trident or a modified version of Aquarius. Haven't really decided, but good news is...

Hook: Is that she is finally getting to Starsea.

Anna: Technically she already has by including that series of events in Mars's profile.

Hook: True, but the next article will start with Clare and hopefully end somewhere near my rise to glory.

Poseidon: *smacks him.in the back of the head* Try something new, its called tact. Why because in order for you to take the stage, something has to put me completely out of commission first.

Hook: *smirks* Love the wording, brat.

Poseidon: *beams* Can't very well ruin our story, now can we?

Anna: *punts them to the Realm before high fiving her sister and strolling away*

Artz: I may just add a secondary title to this mini series. *walks away, muttering to herself*

The Return of Silverfrost - Part II

Hello everyone and welcome back to The Realm! Last time, we left poor Van in a rather precarious situation. The situation being a glorified boot camp to strengthen the Third Mage's power, endurance, stamina, and give him a much wider spectrum of abilities in order to Eleanor from a rather dangerous environment and from some very ill-mannered beings that called themselves, demons. Much of what happens next will be glossed over because I have not worked out the exact sequences of events, but it doesn't mean that some new faces are about to be revealed. Now back to the story, I mean article.

Eleanor awoke in some kind of holding cell. She couldn't call it a dungeon because she could feel a draft coming from somewhere and dungeons were typically underground. Her wrists were shackled above her head and she was sitting with her legs spread open, and sitting on her rather sore bottom. It wasn't the best sitting position to be in, especially when you included restraints on her ankles to prevent her from standing. Fortunately she was still in her original clothes and she could feel that the pockets hidden within random places by the oddly proficient at sewing, Third Captain, had sewn into her clothes at the behest of her godmother...had not been found, meaning that she was more than capable of removing her restraints, but the Third Captain had stressed that when in an unknown location, information was paramount to escape and survive.

There wasnt much in the way of lighting, so she closed her eyes and allowed her other senses to take over. The sense of touch provided her some information; the floor was stone but lacked any sort of pattern or intricate texture meaning that it was not artificially made, the shackles and restraints were scratched and dented meaning that they had mean excessively used...she wasn't the first which did not bode well for her. Her sense of smell gave her some rather odd information; the dominant scents were blood, ash, and something she couldn't identify but she was pretty sure that it was not good for her health. Hearing provided the most important information; she was not alone in the holding cell because they kept shifting ever so slightly but with a bit of clinking...another prisoner.

She kept listening, focusing her mind to discern the more distant sounds; screams and female in origin, grunting from exertion, the snaps and slaps on exposed skin, a bit of chanting like some kind of ritual was being conducted, thuds of things being tossed aside, and she could have sworn that she heard someone having sex. It didn't take a genius to work out what was transpiring here...ritualistic sex, torture, and ultimately killed then tossed aside like trash. They were searching for something, something specific, specific and rare, something that was not easily detectable which explained the other information provided by her senses. The brunette opened her eyes and was pleased to see that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness while she had them closed. The first thing she took note of was the other occupant in the holding cell.

Eleanor was taken off guard by how beautiful the young woman looked. Her hair was similar in shade to the water found near tropical islands, aquamarine. The woman's eyes were red but were soft and kind. The kimono she wore was patternless and was ice blue with the fabric tying around the mid section being a deep blue that reminded her of her godmother's eyes. She had honestly never seen someone with such exotic coloring, her God mother not withstanding...huh, bluish hair and red eyes, she was the opposite of the Star Child. The girl's skin was somewhat pale and she wasn't sure if it was naturally that way or not. Further inspection made the brunette realize that the exotic colored woman was producing a small shell of deceased temperatures...an ice maiden?

Ellie didn't know much about the ice maidens due to their radical isolationism, but her godmother did tell her about the tear gems that their kind could create simply by crying. These stones were highly valuable and many would pay a hefty sum indeed to acquire an ice maiden that could essentially provide them with limitless wealth. She also knew that the ice maidens produced asexually meaning that they didn't need men to impregnate them. Any ice maiden that allowed a male to get her pregnant was executed after the children were born. Female infants were kept to raise while the male infants were thrown off the floating island they called home. How did she know this? Her godmother...she and the Third Mage had been traversing one of the realms on Sol side that were parallel to the main universe...the Makai...and she witnessed a child wrapped in bandages and sutras being thrown from a cliff.

The Third Mage easily caught the child and startled the ice maidens on the cliff by landing in front of them. He noticed one woman being held back, bound and gagged...the mother of tye child that he had just saved. His power over the wind had them scurrying away from him, but all it did was free the bound mother that walked calmly over to him. She apologized for the trouble and asked him to find him a home where he could be cared for properly. She would do so herself but her son's power was opposite of her own and she couldn't even hold him. The Star Child appeared next to Van in a flash of light, saying that she could fix that problem and before the ice maiden could ask for clarification, both she and her child glowed with light, ice blue and fire red initially clashing but then merged into a gentle lilac. The redhead had balanced the boy's elements and that balance granted his mother and unknown at the time, his sister, immunity to his flames.

The ice maidens prepared to attack, believing the Star Child to be some kind of vengeful spirit that wanted to destroy them. She told Van to take the boy and his mother to The Realm, entrusting them to Selene's care, who claimed the snow region as her domain. The trio left and the Star Child proceeded to scold the living daylights out of these idiots because she had been the one to grant their ancestor the ability to wield ice and become one with winter itself, the tear gem thing was an ability that naturally evolved through the generations though. Having said her piece, she left in a flash of light...not realizing that the boy she had just saved was none other than the fire demon known as Hiei, wielder of the Jagan and master of the Darkness Flame...if she had, she would have taken his twin sister, Yukina with her.

Eleanor audibly gasped, the pieces falling into place. The ice maiden looked up, her soft carmine eyes shimmering with unused tears. She whispered Yukina's name and the girl's eyes widened, surprise flickering briefly across her face. The brunette's face became resolved and determined. She wasn't going to wait around to find out what they had planned for them. She needed to get Yukina to her long lost brother and safely to The Realm, at the very least to her godmother. Which brought up the hiccup, she had the tracking mark and the moment she goes beyond her godmother's sensing range, she would have called the Third Mage to find her. The fact that he hadn't retrieved her yet meant that they were beyond his sensory capability...conclusion: They were in one of the realms that existed within sol but not directly accessible, meaning that he wouldn't be able to find her.

Ellie was on her own this time and a simple human she may be, but she had something precious that needs protecting. Nothing and no one would get in her way. The brunette began her escape attempt, quickly freeing herself from the restraints and quietly made her way over to the frightened ice maiden. She freed her as well and pulled her to her feet, but was a bad idea because the girl let out a cry of pain, her ankle having been injured prior to being captured. Ellie waited with baited breath, closing her eyes to listen. There had been some interruption and judging by the squabbling, their captors had decided against checking things out so that they wouldn't be tempted.

Ellie wasted no time and deftly unlocked their cell, but noticed a rudimentary alert system as well as some kind of runic array etched into the ceiling. Clever...fool the prisoners into thinking they could escape by disabling the trap but have them ensnared by the array. Admittedly, the more advanced and complex arrays were a bit of a problem for her. Mystic had tried to teach her but her brain functioned better with engineering and invention. She could disable to the alert system easily but the runic array was extremely complex and way beyond her skills. For some unknown reason, the array unraveled itself...the only clue was a faint giggle that faded away. The brunette did not waste the opportunity and disconnected the alert system, cracking open the cell door, and smirked when the array did not appear or activate.

She signaled to the ice maiden to get on her back so that she wouldn't injure herself further and the girl complied, silently slipping onto the girl's back. Eleanor did push the cell closed so that it was less likely for their absence to be noticed before quite literally following her nose. The slight draft made it easy to navigate the maze of corridors, probably because she had spent way too much time with wolves the last few months. Unfortunately, their luck was running out because they kept having to hide every few yards to avoid being seen. At this rate they were going to get caught. No, she couldn't think like that. Yukina was depending on her to protect her, to get her to safety, away from this hellish place.

The woman was surprised when people started rushing about all over the place. She thought that their disappearance had finally been noticed, but after observing their behavior, what little speech she could actually understand, and quite a few resounding thuds in the distance...they were under attack. Perfect, just the distraction they needed because the assault had emptied the corridors which allowed Ellie and Yukina to slip out completely unnoticed. The brunette didn't bother to stop once they were outside, the risk of recapture was too high so she had to observe as she ran.

The sky held what appeared to be two suns...maybe three...and was red tinged with a touch of purple...miasma, that's what she couldn't identify before. Red sky, multiple suns, miasma in the air and beyond the Third Mage's sensory range...The Makai, more commonly known as Demon World which did not bodr well for her. Yukina was born and raised in this world so she has a natural immunity to it, but Eleanor was human, born and raised on Earth in the Human World and therefore lacked any resistance to the airborne miasma, yet she wasn't feeling any of the effects. A mystery to be solved at a later date. She was so grateful for all those running lessons from her godmother and what did she call it...parkouring...otherwise this would not be so easy nor would she have covered so much ground in so little time.

To her credit, the brunette woman contained her squawk of surprise when a man with bat like wings on his back and wielding a deathscythe landed in front of her. At least she managed to stop before she was within arms reach of him. She would admit that he was kind of handsome and definitely had some muscle on him, but she couldn't let her guard down for a single moment. This was a world of demons...to hesitate is to die, to trust is to be betrayed, nowhere was safe in the Makai and kindness was something that did not exist in this land and she damn well knew it too. Her instincts screamed and she jumped forward, crashing into the startled demon, just as several bamboo rods shot out in countless directions. If Eleanor had not forced the bat demon backwards, he and them would have been skewered.

The brunette didn't have time to think before another man dressed in white and had silver white hair ripped her from Yukina's hold and carried her in his arms, the bat right behind him while carrying the ice maiden. The trees blurring past was making her very dizzy and her head felt so heavy...crap, the miasma was finally taking effect and her body temperature was rising, making her pant for breath. There was some shouting but at this point, everything was incomprehensible and she lost the battle to stay conscious.

Anna: Well this one is shorter than normal. What gives?

Artz: Changing pov, so I figured I cut it off here. Especially since I found such a lovely and ambiguous image that just had to be used.

Anna: You don't know what's gonna happen, do you?

Artz: *beams* Nope!

Others: *facepalming*

Artz: I do know the who, where and why, but I need a refresher course for a certain character so that I can show him the proper respect he deserves. *faint male chuckle is heard from somewhere above then but it's too dark to see*

Poseidon: When do you ever show respect? You completely rewrote the character I was based on then created a new one and...

Anna/Artz/Hook: Whole different birthday.

Mystery Guy: *outright laughs*

Preacher: *glances up* Will wonders never cease...he's actually laughing...we're all gonna die.

Everyone: *nods in affirmation*

Artz: Nah, it would be far too tedious and quite frankly, we're not worth the effort. *earning a snort of amusement from the hidden figure* And that's a wrap! Seeya next time for Part III!