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The crew were completely spooked. Legends surrounding the dead walking the seas of the north had been heard by many of them, but now that the legend was verified, few went back to their posts. Cenek tried to encourage the men by reminding them that the harder they worked, the sooner they would be free of the area, which did motivate a good number of them.

Ylli, having noted Victoria's attachment to the old king and knowing Khaldun would have his hands full with other matters, attempted to comfort the girl. [[Could you not see how happy the old king was? Let him rest, miss. He's in a better place.]]

Noting the crew's reluctance, Khaldun pulled himself away from the rails to rally their spirits, but Cenek gave him a look as though to say he would handle everything. The man was not stupid or blind, and so he meant to give Khaldun the time he needed to sort things out. Quizzical, Khaldun was assuaged and descended below, knowing the ship was in more than capable hands. He remained silent, waiting for Daemon to speak his mind.

Daemon watched Khaldun for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry... that... I'm just sorry." He found he could not properly express himself. It had not occurred to him to look for his parents out in the snow, and even now the idea of looking for someone he knew among the dead was foreign to him. Here he was trying to push Khaldun into that category and he could not understand why. He only felt that it was what needed to be done, but he could not bring himself to say it. Not yet.

[[He's not in a better place. He's in a dead place. He'll forget us all there.]] Victoria's eyes filled with tears, though none spilled out. Walking around, she stomped the snow from her feet, frustrated that she could not speak so others could understand. [[I just-]] She cut off, her head whipping around to Dorian and Leonid. Something I can do.

With a determined stride, the tiny girl pushed Dorian aside and reached out for Leonid's hand just as the Composite had before her. Only this time it was different. There was a slap of flesh against flesh. Leonid's ghostly form was replaced with that of a breathing body. As soon as his transformation was complete, both he and the girl fell into the sea, both unconscious.

Dorian sprang to his feet and without thinking, dove headfirst into the sea. Grabbing the Composite under his arm, he pulled the girl on his back almost as an afterthought. "THROW A LINE!"

Daemon quickly ran out after Khaldun, watching him dive off the end of the ship. His eyes wide, he looked to Cenek in a panic. "Help him!"

Dorian swam, seeming more worried about the state of the unconscious Leonid than himself. Swimming as he could in the uncomfortable situation, the cold did not affect him whatsoever. His eye caught sight of the rope. Please just let it hold until he gets on board.

Daemon looked in horror as the rope snapped, his eyes wide with fear. "Grab it!" As he spoke he dove dramatically to the edge, reaching for an end that was not there. "Khaldun!" he shouted, as if that would help the other boy in some unseen way.

The waters in Khaldun's area calmed, leaving an unnerving circle of still water around him as the waves and currents flowed. A groaning came forth from the sea, similar to what was heard nights before.

"Khaldun!" Daemon yelled helplessly, hating himself for not trying harder at Khaldun's lessons.

Dorian ignored everyone else on the ship save Leonid. Laying the other man down gently he held his head in his lap. "Stupid... so stupid..." Looking up once more towards the direction that his companions of old disappeared, Dorian shook his head. "Now we're alone together."

Victoria, much like Leonid, had become unconscious upon contact with the spirit. Slumping pathetically, she was left to the good will of the crew to ensure she was not lost to the sea.

Another groan from below the sea again echoed on the wind. Daemon watched on pins and needles, waiting for Khaldun to swim. Come on, come on, what is he waiting for? From Daemon's vantage point, he could not see the calm waters, only Khaldun staying still.

Without further warning, the sea opened up beneath Khaldun, swallowing him whole. It was not as if a whirlpool had taken him, but rather like he had been standing in a bin and the floor had dropped beneath him. Much as Alice down the rabbit-hole, Khaldun found himself gently falling through darkness. The sea was gone, as was the sky and everything else around him. He was alone.

Soon after his initial descent, his freefall quickened to reckless speeds. Within the blackness came voices, countless voices all speaking and laughing in languages that seemed familiar enough but not interpretable to any ear. A feeling of nausea followed suit with an assault of bright flashing colors. In the background a soft chanting began to grow behind the voices, growing louder the faster he fell. Koreiana forshay unta. Echoing off invisible walls, the chanting soon echoed off the blackness, blurring everything together into a hellish nightmare.

SLAP! Khaldun's feet hit an invisible floor. While the feeling of nausea remained should he have a weak constitution, Khaldun found himself surrounded by nothing but the inky blackness. Behind him came a voice.

"Oooh, did you fall down here? Aska, I should have had that leaky roof fixed years ago."

A man sitting cross-legged sipped on some tea as his form rose in the air. He was dressed in ancient robes, likely ceremonial by their gaudy decor. With long black hair and brown eyes, his appearance seemed to be that of the long dead Ty'Mish. Levitating around Khaldun to get a 360 degree view, he smiled. A cup of warm tea also appeared in Khaldun's hand.

"But I suppose everything happens for a reason, no?" His smile widened to an unnatural width. "So tell me, young prince, how did you find your way to the Road?"

Daemon stared in disbelief as Khaldun disappeared beneath the water. The calmness of the waters gave way with violent winds and crashing waves. It was a storm unlike any the group had faced yet.

Morrigan's eyes flew to the sky. If things got any worse she was almost certain they would be lost at sea. "Master Cenek, I tink ve should make haste."

"Gatekeeper? Shlava no," the mysterious man chuckled softly, as if such a thing were below him. "No, I am," he paused as if to think of what name to choose. "I am a storyteller. And I mean to see that this one goes down in the history books. And no story is complete without a startling realization, no?" His eyes closed in a broad smile and sipped on his tea.

The man's laugh this time was honest and true. Moving closer to the boy, he looked down at him. "No, not the afterlife. Something much darker and dangerous for a mortal to stumble upon." He seemed to climb down out of the air so he now stood, but his feet still did not touch the ground.

Moving without so much as lifting a leg, the man traveled away from Khaldun. Without warning a wardrobe appeared, which the man opened and began to rummage through. Pulling out odds and ends, each with a unique look and sound, he was quick to find a bag.

"Here we are." He smiled as he turned to face Khaldun. "Are you ready to go then?"

"We can't just leave him!" Daemon shouted at Cenek even as his unsteady legs caused him fall to his knees on the deck. "Go back! We can find him."

Morrigan watched Daemon, sadly shaking her head. "A prayer for you and the one you have lost. The next Dalshini is several years away. May he wait for you in the afterlife." Without another word, she fought to remain on two legs as she sought to help Ylli.

Looking from Morrigan back to Cenek, Daemon's mouth worked, but no words came. He's the captain! "He's the captain!" His mouth mimicked his mind, finding no alternatives to argue.

"Where? Koreiana you will find no road signs here to lead you down your path. In all places, both here and the world of the physical where you dwell, words have a power to them. Your kind's generous use of magics should be enough of a proof to that." Shaking his head, the man set his bag down. "Your kind always wants to know the where and the why. You can never seem to appreciate the journey for anticipation of the ending."

With a dramatic sigh, he raised his legs, once more sitting lotus style in mid-air. "Well, if we are to hear your story, then one must be comfortable, yes?"

Clearing his throat, the inky darkness around them seemed to waiver until it was replaced with a sprawling forest. Flora and fauna seemed affected by neither man's presence. "This is where the mistake began, young sir. Ty'Mish many years ago. Although now, because of the Great Disaster (a name I'm sure you don't even recognize) this once beautiful land is replaced with nothing but ocean.

"Although your eyes have likely only seen the Ty'Mish Ocean, this land was once populated by the Kachirna. These people were subjugated and demeaned, enslaved and cast aside. And it was through them that the Ty'Mish Mother was able to order the constructions of the An'dah."

Pausing, the man waited for a look of recognition in Khaldun of the word. Finding none, he continued.

"The An'dah is a simple enough device. It allows for the control of the natural flows and spirits of the world. In other words, with it a single person could utilize all magics in this world and leave all other casting peoples stranded.

"If that isn't an assault enough on nature, the sudden loss of such a natural ability would be permanent if passed on through the generation, thus granting the An'dah wielder alone control of otherworldly forces."

The scenery around them disappeared, giving way to a massive fleet of ships. Another change found them inside a cabin of one of the same ships, with Tierney Cameraci pouring over documents of every age and language. A small smile played on his face as he did so. He was pleased.

"This man is already leaps and bounds ahead of you in finding the An'dah. He is already well ahead of your own ship, which seems to have changed course from Kuzoth. This is a problem, but in either respect, you could not have hoped to reach Kuzoth before your enemy. This is why I decided to intervene. We will walk the Darkened Ways to Kuzoth, where, if we were to leave now, you would find yourself considerably ahead of your opponent.

"So," he said with a smile, "are you ready to go -now-?"

Daemon looked back in shock at Cenek. "It's not that simple! We can't leave him! He's..." He's what, Daemon? "He's too important to our mission! We have to go back! If you don't I'll... I'll just swim for him!" Daemon put on a brave face, but it was only moments later that his arm was snatched harshly by Morrigan.

"QUIET!" she hissed. "If you say dat you villl be tossed ofer. De only man who needed you on dis ship es dead. You had best remember dat. Come to kitchen." Ever a command, the young princess dragged the boy with her.