(Darlien Garandinar(MAIN), seas near Ascencion.)

The boat rocked heartily as the waves of the eastern sea crashed against it, nearly sending Darlien off the edge, to which a halfling laughed at length. The seas were rough today, but nowhere near rough enough to cause Darlien any undue discomfort, he was too pleased with the news. On'hino had done all but send a formal declaration of war, their army had assembled and was ready to climb onto the fleet. Darlien could have only dreamed of this moment prior to it. He smiled and sat on the wood deck, turning his chin up towards the grey skies as the wind picked up. He found himself intrigued by the way the halflings gracefully darted up and down the rigging as if the wind wasn't even there, their arms might have been short, but they could climb like no other.

[color=f7941d]"You're soldiers right? In the Benaduzan army?"[/color] He asked one of the halflings as he ran by. The halfling continued about his business, only responding when he had secured a sail and was tied up to the main mast.

"No, not anymore, we're smugglers, we can't do that and also be in the army," he yelled down, sarcasm obvious in his tone.

[color=f7941d]"Right, I'd forgotten."[/color]

The halfling snickered.

"You lie like a mainlander, humie."

"I don't appreciate that term." The other human on board responded. Darlien hadn't exactly researched the crew of this vessel, it was a smuggler vessel that was willing to take him from Ascencion to Praelium, so questions weren't exactly necessary. Even so, Darlien was so confused by these people and their actions that he almost wished he had done a little research.

"Oh, you gonna cry now? [i]Dici Humano[/i], you disgust me." Another of the halflings yelled down from the helm. The human was noticeably angered, a fact that aroused Darlien's curiosity far more than anything else that had happened on the bloody ship.

"You wish to anger a Praelian, halfling? I will gut you like the fish you are!" The man said, suddenly affecting a heavy Praelian accent that he seemed to be attempting to hide. Darlien's eyes shot open, and his sword-hand twitched towards his blade. A Praelian? Here?

Darlien stood immediately, suddenly not bothered by the rolling and lurching of the boat. He almost danced over to the man, who turned to him with a quizzical expression on his face. Darlien drew his sword in one smooth motion, his left hand beginning to glow as he channeled his magic into it. The Praelian's confusion was instantly replaced with a look of fury as he also drew his blade and charged forth without hesitation. He was a former soldier, presumably.

The Praelian struck with a powerful force, almost enough to knock Darlien off his feet, his blade crashing down vertically into Darlien's own.

"Put away your blade." He spoke to Darlien, like a father talking to an immature son. Darlien responded by spitting in the man's face. The Praelian pulled his sword away and punched Darlien against the face. He stood over Darlien, rubbing the spit from his face with a glare.

"Hey, hey, hey! Both of you put your blades away or get off my goddamn ship!" The halfling from the helm ran down and yelled up at the Praelian, spit from his mouth hitting Darlien while he lied on the ground. Karma was a harsh mistress.

This one was stronger than those at the village, Darlien seemed to have underestimated. Now that he looked closer, he noticed a large amount of scars on the man's upper arm, which was massive. Hmm, Darlien would have to pay closer attention to people next time he got into a fight. It didn't matter, Darlien knew, he could trounce him if he really tried, not that he needed to. He pushed himself into a sitting posture and holding out his hand. The Praelian looked confused before offering his own.

[color=f7941d]"You chose wrong."[/color]

Before the man's hand could touch Darlien's, a column of flame shot forth, dousing him in a cloak of orange. His face took on a look of complete terror before being consumed. His screams echoed out for what seemed for far too long, before he collapsed on the deck, the only motion coming from the flame that still cloaked him, crackling. The halflings stared, open-mouthed and sweating. Darlien smiled, standing and stomping over to the burning husk that was once a man. With a wave of his hand, the flame dispelled, leaving a black and charred corpse, yellow bone poking out from gangrenous and destroyed flesh. 

He turned to the halflings, with a smug smile, watching them as they attempted to slink away from him, filling every corner and hiding their faces with their hands. With a shrug, he spoke.

[color=f7941d]"Let's get going."[/color]