The sky was dark, almost as black as night although it was the middle of the afternoon. The swells tossed the ship as if it was little more than a beach ball. The captain of the vessel ducked under the cabin door, keeping his large horns from hitting the roof. He began barking orders, hoping to keep the ship moving even in the dangerous weather. A larger than life wave rose up out of the ocean, hitting the ship from the stern. The captain had his back turned and was unaware of the danger. When the wave hit, water sloshed across the deck, taking the captain with it. The demon slid to the bow, hitting the railing hard, and a black orb the size of a baseball fell out of an inner trench coat pocket.<br/><br/>If it wasn't for the fact that the captain was also the navigator, most of his crew probably would have little to no concern about his safety. However, since this was the case, a handful of demons stopped what they were doing to ask him if he was okay.<br/><br/>"Turn about lads! We can not head home with out that trinket!" the captain barked. The orb that had fallen into the dark and thrashing ocean, was the entire reason for their journey.<br/><br/>~~~~~~<br/><br/><span style="color: #80FFFF">Morys sat below deck, his knees tucked to his chest, his chin resting on his knees, his normally sun-kissed face an unusual shade of green. Morys was seasick. He knew he was mad to get back on a ship after his awful ride from Almeria to the far off continent. The Almerian felt he should have stayed in the Fairy lands. The ship heaved, his stomach moving with it, and Morys bit his tongue to keep from losing his lunch.<br/><br/>A young man Fairy joined him in his corner. This Fairy had sand blonde hair, his wings were large, butterfly-like, and pink with intricate black swirls and designs. Morys wondered if he was ever teased for the color of his wings. "I'm Adean," the Fairy stated softly as he sat next to Morys cross-legged. The Fairy sat stiffly, keeping his back straight, his wings stretched out behind him.<br/><br/>Morys grunted a response, not daring to open his mouth to speak.<br/><br/>The Fairy gave him a sideways sympathetic look. "It might be easier on deck? To deal with the seasickness, I mean. Some fresh air might help."<br/><br/>Morys wasn't so sure, but he was thankful for the Fairy's kindness. He nodded slowly.<br/><br/>Adean stood and stepped in front of Morys, turning to face him, he offered a hand to help him up. Morys excepted it, and he leaned heavily on the Fairy man as he helped lead him up the stairs out onto the deck.<br/><br/>The wind tossed Morys's too-long black hair. Since being free of the military, he let it grow out. He shivered involuntarily and looked up at the sky for a moment. His gray eyes seemed a mirror for the storm clouds above. Another wave tossed the ship and Morys nearly lost his balance, and would have, if it hadn't been for Adean's strong arm.<br/><br/>Morys swallowed hard. "Thank ye, stranger." With Adean's help, he stumbled to the railing that helped keep people from falling overboard.<br/><br/>"I think looking out there will make it worse," Adean said cautiously, waving his free arm out to sea.<br/><br/>Morys shrugged and noticed something shiny in the water. "Fetch me a net?" Morys asked, as he stared at the glinting orb being pushed by the waves straight toward the boat.<br/><br/>Adean furrowed his brow, looking at Morys as though he had lost his mind. Then, the Fairy's gaze followed the Almerian's and he saw what Morys hoped to fish out of the water. "Ah," he said, as if suddenly enlightened. He let go of Morys and walked somewhere across the deck.<br/><br/>Morys's gaze was still fixed on the thing as it came ever closer. Another big wave pushed it right into the side of the ship. Morys reached for it as the wave and the object crashed into the ship. Again he almost lost his balance, but somehow managed to stay within the ship. He grabbed the orb out of the ocean, and dried it off on his cotton shirt.<br/><br/>Adean returned with a fishing net, but stopped running toward Morys still several feet away. He dropped the net and continued toward Morys in a walk. "You got it! But... What is it?"<br/><br/>Morys shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea. Maybe it's valuable." The orb fit in one hand, his thumb and middle finger just touching around the orb. He tucked it into an inner pocket of his leather vest.<br/><br/>"LAND HO!" shouted one of the Fairy shipmates.<br/><br/>"Thank the merciful gods above!" Morys said, in a stage whisper.<br/><br/>Adean chuckled.<br/><br/><br/>It was less than an hour for everyone to get safely on land. Morys was so thankful to have something solid and unmoving beneath his feet again.<br/><br/>"I suppose I'll see you around," Adean said, as he headed up the beach, his arm raised in parting.<br/><br/>"You're not coming to the inn with me?" Morys asked. On the way to shore, Adean had mentioned an inn that accepted all races.<br/><br/>"I have fish to sell," Adean called back. He pointed to a stand selling seashell jewelry. "Just take the street behind that booth, the inn will be on your left."<br/><br/>Morys nodded even though the Fairy's back was to him, and he headed the way Adean had pointed.</span><br/><br/>~~~~~~<br/><br/><span style="color: #FFBF00">The wind ruffled TiiLiiqia's  cloak, nearly blowing her hood off of her head. She quickly grabbed it and held it tightly. Everyone walking the streets were either wearing heavy cloaks and looked as though it were winter, or they wore light cotton clothing with nothing to protect them from the wind.<br/><br/>Tii was weary from her journey. She had spent months sleeping on the hard ground since running away. Until now, she had stayed out of heavily populated areas for fear of her father's guards finding her. Perhaps it was a want for a proper bed that caused her to be bold or maybe careless now, TiiLiiqia was unsure.<br/><br/>She walked through the streets, looking for something inviting. The wind that ruffled her cloak and gave her resistance as she walked smelled heavily of salt and dead fish.<br/><br/>Finally she came upon an inn with a Dove in flight on the sign that read "Dove By Inn" in large letters over the bird. Under it in slightly smaller letters it read "All are welcome".<br/><br/>Tii decided that was enough invitation for her, and she stepped inside. She was very unimpressed by the interior.<br/><br/>Square and rectangular tables were scattered unevenly about the room, each with a candle lit on it, no doubt because there was insufficient light coming from the windows. There was a bar to the right, with two middle-aged men behind it. One was wiping down the counters, the other had his back turned and seemed to be cooking fervently. On the far side was a set of stairs that lead away into darkness, and a lit fire blazing in a fireplace.<br/><br/>Tii immediately headed for the table nearest the fire, hoping it would help warm her up.</span><br/><br/>~~~~~~<br/><br/><span style="color: #80FFFF">Morys finally found the place that the Fairy had told him of, the Dove By Inn. He entered and headed to the bar. Now that his stomach wasn't jumping all over the place, he realized how hungry he was, and he wouldn't say no to some booze either.</span>