Wrestling with waves.

The first steps into the damp, salty dungeon are Thrusk's to take; delicate care is taken with each step, with the sheath of her sword being used to prod the earth before progress is made. The momentum is agonizing in its tedium. This task, in a physical sense, was a simple one, but in terms of psychological discomfort and disruption; it towered over us all like a mountain. The wails of the crew could be heard echoing louder and louder as we approach... until we reach the central cavern. Three paths lay before us, but the pained sounds of the men had silenced the second we entered.

"A silencing Enchantment; hiding which path is which... boooring..." Says Anaz, riding her boomstick like a floating chair.

"Which way do we go, then?" I ask.

Thinking carefully, Thrusk says. "One path will likely be a trap... look to the cavern floor for wear from use; the ones that have smoothed over will have been used, but the more ragged one will have been mined."

Spreading out, Marrow and Whuthran check one path's entrance, while my group checks another; the Captail, Osil, and Ehur check the last.

"Cracky..." The voice of Whuthran calls out in a poor attempt to whisper.

Walking over to their path, our cloaked Ranger takes something from her cloak, a heavy pouch of some sort, which she throws into mined path with great ****; aimed at the ground. Within seconds, the path collapses without a sound; the Enchantment keeping it from alerting the entire dungeon.

"Wow, this place must have an incredibly low quality Dungeon Core... this is just horrible design." Cilla mutters.

"Now for which path to take..." Says the Gorgon, then noticing something in the leftmost remaining path.

A pair of pants.

"There we are... seeing as those noises were happening, most of their number are likely with my crew... we strike now, or never." Re-attaching her sheath to her belt, and sword in hand, Captain Thrusk stands at the path to the breeding chambers.

We follow her lead, with myself at the back of the group as we head deeper still into the dungeon. Now that I think about it, maybe I would have preferred it if they weren't in the middle of their 'fun' when we attack them; I'd rather not slip in some... unsavory fluids...

Its then that I noticed I've stepped on stone that seems to press downward for some reason, causing a massive sheets of stone slams down both at my front, and behind me; sealing me from the others. The pitch black nature of the shadows overtakes my eyes.

"Monster!" I hear my companions yell; their voices muffled by the rock.

Acting before thinking, I slam my right fist into the stone... big mistake. The crack of my knuckles on its surface could probably be heard by the others; my proceeding curses and swears most certainly being heard.

"Damn these sirens! Damn them to hell and back!" I yell, my rage flaring violently.

"It's no use; it's Enchanted... blasted stone." I heard the stifled voice of Cilla say. "It'll have to either be lifted, or hit with such **** as risk killing Monster."

"NO! I will not be made to look like a fool again!" I shout, my throat feeling... different; my voice too, has change back into that dominating tone from the night before.

"Stop screaming! You're wasting air! Just wait till we find the Dungeon Core, when it's destroyed, the trap will deactivate." Thrusk says, but...

They're going to have to save me... no, no, NO! Not after what those freaks did! I deserve to fight them! I deserve ****!

I begin slamming into the wall with both fists; harder, and harder, and HARDER! I feel my blood trickling down my arms. But. I. Don't. CARE!

"Stop it you dolt!" Says Cilla, seemingly worried.

They made me do it! They made me be with her! How can I ever explain that to Bell!? THEY TOOK THAT FROM ME!

All of my frustration, my anger towards... everything! It was all coming out with each forceful blow with my now shattered hands into this stupid fucking rock! I can barely breath as I just keep wailing into it. These people, these Gods, they brought me back to be a weapon, they wouldn't let me rest! They took Her from me! They took ME from me!

Something in my throat tightens as I just keep screaming out in rage while I continue to ruin my hands; the pain barely being a factor at this point. It begins to feel like I can't breath. Taking deeper and deeper breaths, I begin to feel a pressure in my throat; oh great! Another thing this damn body does that I don't understand! Why can't all this nonsense... JUST... GO...

"AWAY!"

A blast of some sort of dim white light; outlined by darkness, comes from my open maw. It burns into the stone in front of me, the smell of own blood being cooked away filling my nostrils. Before I can even understand what's happening, a massive hole as been melted through the trap; as well as the cavern wall behind it. The others, who had thankfully moved out of the way, looking on in disbelief, and horror.

"Your hands! You absolute moron!" Cilla screams, unusual amounts of worry in her voice.

Looking down... yeah, they were a mess. Swollen, bloodied; and with some of my fingers bent at odd angles. More interesting to me, my scales seemed to be emitting some sort of dark vapor...

I'm slapped, twice, once by my handler, and a second time by Gabriella.

"She said to wait." The Priestess states, looking at me with worried, yet stern eyes.

She begins to chant and Incantation as she puts her hand over my own; an Utterance clearly not being enough for my self inflicted injuries.

"Ariel."

"Angel who fell."

"Our powers, combine."

"Heal; Divine."

With that; spectral golden arms come from Gabriella's back, and joining her own in healing my wounds. My hands, now healed, don't even bare scars from my rage filled tantrum. One of these golden arms then slaps me across the face; both hurting me, and healing the stinging pain.

"Well, at least now we know you're definitely part dragon." Ariel says from his Alm atop his sister's staff. "Breathing shadow-flame is neat; Ruya used to do that at us when she was a bad guy... ah, memories..."

"Excuse me." The stern voice of the Captain comes from the front of the line. "It's all well and good that you're out of that trap, but we have a job to do... one that just got a whole lot harder with the small explosion you just shot out of your gullet; alerting everyone in a quarter mile radius... Now, carefully this time..."

We continue, 'carefully', might I add... Then, we find ourselves in a chamber.

Full of very, very naked men; including Darrin Hoffman, chained to the cavern walls.

"Darrin!" Shouts Marrow, running over to her friend. "Are you ok?"

"Thank... the Gods..." He mutters, his face red as a tomato. "They've just been singing .. all damn day. 'Getting the toys ready.'"

"Well, that's at least good news in some way." Says Marrow. "That means they won't be able to use it in a fight today."

I look over to Cilla for answers; she whispers back. "A sirens song strains its rhythm; much like a spell. Its not a 'Song' in the usual sense... or I suppose, unusual sense, given their rarity."

Gabriella and Ehur begin to help those with injuries, ranging from men with open wounds, twisted ankles, or even compound fractures from their initial struggles. Clothes are handed to the crew members as their chains are undone, and those who seem to be in need of food or water are cared for. While all of this was happening; those who weren't assisting directly in the aid of the men were guarding a passage which led deeper into the dungeon; the other presumably still blocked off by the trap I had set off.

While we guard the passage, I undo the clasp holding my hook to its top mechanism; and grasp it firmly in my left hand... I never thought I'd feel like this again with Madness gone; the itch for a fight, wanting to have the iron smell of blood flow through my airways...

I overheard a conversation between Darrin and his Captain; starting with him saying. "There's another man being held here, the pet of their new matriarch. He's the one who disarmed me..."

Another captive; working with his captors?

Eventually, enough of the sailors are able to at least carry each other to effect a full withdrawal from the dungeon; the only issue being that we would need to go further into the dungeon in order to circle back through the route we didn't take, back in the first chamber. Well, we would, if I didn't just demonstrate the capability to make a safer passage... damn it! We might never fight those damn sirens!

Thrusk, standing center of the room, starts giving orders." Alright, we head through the passage we came from. Monster, you first, second, I want..."

Her words are cut short, as a whizzing sound comes from the darkness of the other passage; a spear being throw, and finding a new home in the stomach of Captain Thrusk.

"CAPPY!" Roars a now enraged Whuthran, who immediately charges into the tunnel for ****.

As Gabriella and Ehur rush to the captain, she yells out; despite her wound. "Go you idiots! Make sure he doesn't get himself killed!" before collapsing to her knees due to her injury.

Following orders, Marrow does so first, surprisingly followed by Osil, then us. Heading through the passage, we see the body of one of the sirens; or at least, what's left of it. The pile of twitching bloody meat was unrecognizable as anything that once live; it's Monster Core floating inches above the mangle of flesh, fully intact. Seeing as all others ignored the shiny object, I decided to put it in my pack; for safe keeping, of course. Finally, we ran out of the passage, finding Whuthran fighting with seemingly half the sirens of the dungeon.

The sirens themselves seemed to look like discolored, blueish women with black hair; their bottom halves instead being that of a tentacled sea beast. The coloration of their lower halves was an even darker shade of blue than their skin, with black spots dotting it at random. Each siren wore semi-rusted, poorly kept armor; made of spare parts torn from ships. This provided minimal coverage, and only superficial defense. Their weapons ranged from spears, bidents, and trident, with offhanded shields or nets; all of which matched their armor in terms of construction.

Whuthran, as he attempted to smash yet another siren, was struck cleanly in the eye, causing gouts of blood to flow from his socket. He stumbled, falling to his back, allowing the majority of the sirens to disengage and begin their **** on us; with two staying, stabbing at the giant in an attempt to finish him off.

Two engaged with me right away, with one whispering to the other. "Is... is that him..."

"Kill now... find out later..." The other hissed back.

I agree, I'll find what you're talking about once your both dead...

The one which whispered lunged first, trying to impale me with a bident. I unlatch and pull forth my butchers shortsword just in time, sliding the thick, heavy blade in between the two prongs. The hissing one throws its net, which I can't avoid it without risking the other freeing its weapon. Once the net has weighed me down, Hissy Siren goes for a follow up attack with its trident. I move my left arm in the way, using the chains wrapped around it as a shield. Unfortunately, this seemed to be a distraction, as Whispering Siren snaps one of the prongs from its weapon, shoving the newly minted spear into my right arm; forcing me to drop my shortsword. Thank the Gods for Cilla, for while Hissy was about to go for another stab, a crossbow bolt found its way into her eye socket; killing the monster instantly. As she slumps backward, her chest opens, and her Monster Core comes forth... intresting. The whispering siren, seeing her kin's demise, panics, and rushes off into another passage, which glows with cyan light.

Holding my bleeding right arm, I watch on as the others fight on. Ashes is swinging her mother's sword, which glows in Necroflame; and in one wide arc, shatters the weapons of both if her opponents, forcing them to flee. Anaz, who has used her boomstick to reach the cavern ceiling, from which she fires a shot; I must have missed the incantation, as I don't hear one before I see a siren warrior's head shatter into pieces of frozen skull fragments and brain tissue. Cilla; having had two of the sirens close the distance, pulls off her gloves. When the first of her enemies lunges, she grapples them, putting them in a headlock, then swifting snapping their neck like a twig; growling all the while like a rabid animal. When the second attempts to avenge its kin, Cilla uses the corpse as a projectile, throwing it into the next, causing it to fall to the ground. After closing the distance in a disturbly quick fashion, the cloaked ranger swiftly slashes her claws downward across the back of the downed siren's neck; severing their spine.

Osil, on the other hand, was fighting one siren... barely. He was mostly dodging its attacks, nearly getting skewered until he accidentally slips. His slip up saved his life, causing the siren to slam her spear into solid cavern wall, snapping the wooden shaft. Disarmed, it was **** to flee like Ashes opponents before it. Marrow... oh my. I hadn't heard whatever spell she had just used, but two desiccated bodies lay before her, their blood seemingly having been evaporated into a red mist; which now collected into a single bar, or ingot, in the Mohun mage's hand. And so, with those last few kills and retreats, we've won.

With no more enemies present, I was tempted to simply press on, ignoring the pain in my arm. I wasn't finished...

But seeing my angered expression, and most likely a change of eye color, Cilla stops me. "It's over. We have the crew..."

"But... they're still here..." I mutter.

Ashes hops over, saying. "Yeah, but after an ass kicking like that, they'll be scared to raid for years. That's what we did for dungeons near Saltmoore; jump in, do damage, jump out."

"That's not enough! They made a mockery of me!" I yell, my voice once more changing for the worse; catching myself, I say. "Sorry... I don't know where that's coming from."

My rage is interrupted by the sudden voice of Ariel. "See, I knew offering fairy was a bad idea, but I didn't listen to my gut!"

Gabriella, Ehur, a newly healed Captain Thrusk, as well as the crew come piling out of the passage; that voice coming from the top of the staff once again.

Sighing, Cilla offers. "Look, if you feel this strongly about this, I'll help you take the rest of them out."

"Me too! I never got to finish a dungeon as a guard." Says Ashes, gleefully brandishing her heirloom blade.

She changed her tune awfully quick...

"U-uh..." A stuttery, fearful noise comes from Anaz; well, Zana is back then.

"If you five want to finish off this dungeon, than fine by me." Says Captain Thrusk; looking drained, and tired from her most recent penetration incident since the siren attack on the ship. "Just let me evacuate my men first... Whuthie! Guard the final passage. Let nothing leave."

The heavily wounded giant follows the order; although, it appears as if his wounds are already closing. His eye, too; it had been entirely cut open, but now it was seemingly just bruised. It seems giants regenerate incredibly fast; on top of being incredibly powerful... well, never fighting one of those...

Once the men have finally evacuated in full, and seated in the small fishing boat, a magical flash of Necrofire is sent high into the air by Marrow. This will signal the Ihsroms breath to raise anchor, and sail towards the lair for pick up.

Now... Cilla, Gabbie, Ashes, Zana, and I are standing with Whuthran just outside the final passage; waiting for the Captain to return and give us the go ahead. The wait... is taking... forever! Not intending to enter the passage, but curious as to what that glow is at the very least. It's then that I'm pat on the back by a powerful, large hand.

Whuthran's 'thank you' for keeping him company goes unheard as I stumble forwards into the passage.

Onto a stone that presses downward when stepped on.

Everyone looks on in horror as a stone slab slams the entrance shut. Most likely unknown to them, a the passage floor suddenly inclines, becoming slick, and sliding me deeper into the dungeon. After a nasty tumble the lands me squarely on top of my own tail, I find myself in what must be the final chamber of the dungeon.

Alone...

Against ten or so sirens...

I'm going to kill that giant...

Looking around, I see that this last section is a sort of throne room; with someone sitting in that throne. A siren, larger than the rest. Unlike the others, she her tentacled half is red, with yellow spots instead of black; her hair matches the red, and her eyes match the yellow. She wears similar armor to the rest, but clearly of a higher quality. The final difference is her weapon of choice, sat by her throne. An anchor... she must be absurdly strong, or bluffing...

This siren's high pitched, (literally) bubbly voice carries authority, as well as inexperience, in "The Traitor Champion... To think I, of all the Dark's servants, would catch you..."

"The traitor what-now." I ask... no... that was just some dream...

Rather than answer my question, the siren queen instead snaps her fingers. "I will enjoy watching my own champion tear you apart, thread by thread.

Stepping out, seemingly of his own volition, a peachy skinned man in a ragged tan suit comes forth; wearing a matching, short brimmed hat of some sort, and brown dress shoes. He has short, sandy blonde hair, with a matching stubble. He stands at around six foot, perhaps an inch taller. His features are sharp, yet his eyes speak of many, many sleepless nights; and not in the fun way. In his right hand are three six inch long sewing needles, each connected to a threat that leads up his tattered sleeve. In his left hand is a stopwatch, which ticks annoyingly, over and over...

He speaks, his deep voice sounding suave, yet depressed; his words confusing me more than just about anything so far, including the God of **** wearing bunny slippers.

"Hello, Monster. We meet for the first time... again..."

...

Come again?