Morning after; mourning after.

I open my eyes and find myself back on the hill... the tree is gone. It's stump is all that remains. The broken box of memories sits atop of hunk of wood.

Forget all this! I need to wake up, I need to fix this! Oh gods, Prissy...

I feel a sharp pain in my back, seeing a gleaming blade poking through my chest as I'm knocked to the dirt.

"Hello, brother." Says an electronic, snoody voice.

Turning about, I see a machine in the shape of a man, his arm having become a blade, which drips with my blood. His form is smooth, bereft of flaw; perfectly symmetrical. The details of his metal body are all precisely crafted to an absurd degree. It is as if he were a living diagram of the human form, comprised entirely of gleaming steel.

As its blade re-shapes into a bloody arm, It says. "It was most illogical to defect from our Dark masters at the start of our being. Fear not. I will repair what you have done; and we shall own this world."

Another pain as I'm grips with enough strength to crack my ribs, and launched high into the air by enormous hands; a crude voice shouting out "Shut it, L0G! He's not one of us, not anymore!"

As I impact back to he ground of my mindscape, I lookup and see a large, green, and very angry creature; an orc, smelling strongly of beer. He wears loose sandals tan baggy, long pants, a loose fitting open chested shirt of the same color, and a string of bronze beads which reaches from his right shoulder, across to the left side of his hip. At his back, held my a strap going the opposite way of his beads, is an enormous keg. His face has rough features, with hair that could best be described as a tangle of black, messy ropes, which obscure his face.

The L0G speaks, saying. "He is, Urgog, No matter what, he is. It is a fact. Just because you feel strongly about his betrayal means nothing."

The two begin arguing, but my ability to understand them taken away as a tentacle of shadow grasps me by the leg, then the other; my arms are then held down as well. A horror walks from these shadows... an Us? It's dressed in extravagant black plate armor, lacking the helmet.

"Calm yourselves, brothers... we have a city to burn... he will join us, one day." It says in many those familiar many voices.

The other two bow before their master and brother, speaking in unison. "Yes, Lord Naimad."

This 'Naimad' turns to me, and says three words through gritted teeth as it creates a shroud of darkness...

"Thump. Thump. Thump."

No... you're dead... you're all dead!

I hear the shattering of glass, the crunch of metal, and Her scream suddenly halting...

...

I wake up, jerking from my resting place so harshly as to headbutt a worrying Ariel.

"Dang! Darn! Doodles!" He swears, holding a bleeding nose; just like when this first happened.

I don't apologize, too absorbed in thought... blast it all! Where is Cilla!? I need to apologize for last night, what was I thinking, leaving the room like that.

"Calm down" A familiar, emotion-muted voice says, her gloved hands resting on my shoulder. "The siren attack is over."

I turn to see Cilla, fully clothed; but, with color to her cheeks.

I begin to speak. "Prissy, I'm..."

She puts a finger to my lips, saying. "Don't apologize. Few can resist the song of a siren. In fact, I should thank you for wearing me out. When I'm... like that... people usually get hurt; plus, you were a good lay."

Wait... aren't I immune to mind control due to my Angelic Protection!?

"Ariel, why didn't your feather work against the song?" I ask, positively fuming now.

Holding out his hand that wasn't holding his bloodied nose, the God says. "Oh, well... sirens were made by one of the old Dark Gods of Corruption for the explicit purpose of countering that kind of protection... it just makes you so aroused you can't think, so it's not 'mind control' or anything. Anyway, the Captain wants to talk once you're on your feet, and when we find Ashes and Zana."

"They're missing?" I blurt out, fear freezing my heart solid.

"Yeah, all we have is their clothes..." He explains, holding it out Zana's hat.

...really?

I take the hat, standing, and go about throwing the strewn about clothing into it, and before long, two fully clothed girls pop out of the hat; both with cheeks as red as roses.

"Th-thank you..."

"What a life saver, thanks Monster!"

Gabbie, with bags under her eyes, re-enters the room saying. "Oh good, your awake! And you found those two! Fantastic. Ariel, the Captain says we need to speak with her. Now."

Our group makes its way up through the ship, which contains many, many, many sore crewmembers, cleaning the ship of Gods only knows how many stains... but many of the men are missing. I haven't seen Darrin among them, despite his work as a day-shift deck guard... Once were above deck, I see we and the two escort ships are docked, but not with Bounty, instead we appear to be at what Cilla referred to as a "Emergency port." Where ships head when needing repairs. This one in particular was on a small island far from the main shoreline; a town around half the size of Tomo, but with just as many defenses.

We arrive in the captains cabin, where sits Thrusk, along with a once-more petrified, and naked, Osil; his expression telling me he had just... nevermind.

She states. "Ah, finally... How was your night, my guests? Eventful?"

"No..." I reply in a groan.

"No." Cilla says, adjusting her hood to hide her blush.

"Yes." Says Gabbie, looking as though she hadn't slept a wink.

"Maybe~" Ashes giggles out.

"What Ashes s-said." Zana mutters, looking at the floor.

"Wonderful." Thrusk replies. "I have a... request. Almost half of my men were **** by those sirens, and the man I'd usually have for a rescue effort was among their number."

I interject. "Darrin."

"Yes..." She sighs. "I am requesting that you accompany Marrow, myself, and three others to the siren's lair to recover my men. I'm willing to pay a large sum of gold for your assistance."

"Why us?" I ask; the words 'large sum of gold' catching my attention.

"What, do you think I have a ship of fighting men to use for this? I run a trade convoy, not a battleship; those few who can fight were taken, barring Whuthran, who will be one of the people coming with us." The captain state, snapping her fingers.

Osil, no longer stone, but still naked, falls to the floor; he quickly covers his nudity where it matters, and barks out. "Bloody hell! Why am I always so unlucky..."

"He, and his companion, will also be coming as well..."