[center]~Journey~[/center]

Ashley gave Xara a load of shit for holding them up for hours—something she only allowed him to do because she had allowed Kavius' confession to their responsibility for the explosion to calm her nerves a little regarding her pursuers. Luckily for Xara, Ashley had no idea what he'd been doing all that time, aside from acquiring some supplies—and luckily for Ashley, Mikhail and the others were there to dissuade Xara from trying to do something similar to her. She did try to interrogate Kavius regarding the duel, pretending to be interested for more "normal" reasons than to gather more details regarding their fighting styles, but when it came out that Kavius somehow managed to beat the mage, she had difficulty focusing on her original intent. [color=#ff39d6]"You beat him, but lost to me? Something doesn't check out here. Who's holding back against who?"[/color]

After unsuccessfully trying to push it out of her mind, Ashley decided that she'd better check in on Aleria, to make sure that what happened was at least consensual—she [i]had[/i] smelled of alcohol, after all. As was typical of Ashley's way of thinking, she wasted a lot of time and brain power trying to come up with a way to delicately broach the subject, before realizing something obvious: [color=#ff39d6][i]Why am I still trying to find an opportunity to ask her? If it's this hard to catch her alone, she must actually like Tonka. They've become inseparable. Asking the question is redundant.[/i][/color] Upon having this realization, Ashley decides that she'd better give up, rather than risk making one or both of them angry with her undesired concern.

She was both glad for and somewhat annoyed by the quietness of the sea. At some point, she had decided that she'd better cut back on the coffee and try to match everyone else's sleep schedules, but now that she was here in the moment and the withdrawal headaches were more than just a theoretical something "future Ashley" may have to deal with, the fact that making a pot of coffee was now actually [i]possible[/i] made resisting her addiction that much more difficult. For the briefest of moments, she contemplated making Mikhail a sort of accountability partner for her, but she felt so utterly ridiculous for even thinking of it that she gave up on the idea immediately. [color=#ff39d6][i]Just one cup of coffee. Just one. And a bit of wine to dull the... shit, what is this, the Santa Lyrica? Of course there's no [b]wine[/b], you idiot. Only the strongest stuff for burly seamen.[/i][/color] She eyes the moonshine warily. [color=#ff39d6][i]I haven't really drunk much alcohol aside from the poisoned stuff Lady Madeline gives me at parties, have I? Hmm... I can handle about... this much, maybe?[/i][/color]

When next Mikhail saw her, they both got to find out what kind of drunk Ashley was. [color=#ff39d6]"Hoi, Mihhell. Dun bovvah mee. Ah'm dwunk. HUCK!"[/color] She hiccuped loudly and suddenly, completely disrupting her grumpy demeanor. [color=#ff39d6]"I's shorryy. Ah donno wathaell deesh saylersh puddin at—"[/color] She points at the bottle of moonshine. [color=#ff39d6]"Aye wazzna dry'n twogeddrun. On'st."[/color] Apparently, she didn't know what kind of alcohol it was. Still, despite drinking what she must've imagined was a very conservative estimate of how much she could handle, she was apparently that much more of a lightweight.

Later that day, after she'd sobered up a little, she suddenly spoke up. [color=#ff39d6]"Hey. ...I've been a little selfish. Back home, at the tavern, it seemed like you wanted to speak to the 'real Ashley.' So, since this mission may be our only chance to speak together as equals, I wanted to... show you something a bit closer to how I am at home, I guess. Actually, I may have gone overboard just to see what you'd think of me. ...I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."[/color] She shifts awkwardly, looking out over the railing of the ship at the stars on the horizon. [color=#ff39d6]"I'm a dark knight. Er, dark mage—and a knight. Both those things—"[/color] she clarifies, still a little tipsy. [color=#ff39d6]"—so choosing my words carefully is often a matter of life and death. I know my way of speaking is a bit stiff, and the way I have to switch between hiding my emotions and exaggerating them to fit in makes me seem... well, I get all kinds of comments about it. Anyway..."[/color] She turns away from Mikhail, a little shy now.

[color=#ff39d6]"Oh, but you deserved that joke about your 'lance.' You didn't believe me when I called you handsome, and that ticked me off just a lil' bit, yeah?"[/color] she says in a faux-grumpy voice. [color=#ff39d6]"My heart may be given over to the darkness, but I still have feelings, you know? A [i]gentleman[/i] like yourself should be more considerate, really,"[/color] she drawls like a spoiled noble lady, as though she were mocking somebody in particular with this "bit" she was doing.

[hr]

[center]~Ecological Dead Zone~[/center]

The next day, Ashley realized that the calmness of the sea was unnatural. Yesterday—although she was drunk—was an ordinary day. This was not.

As she always did with Troe, she considered his words as carefully as she did her own. Without trying to lead her in any particular direction, he'd asked her how she was feeling today, while doing his best to pretend that engaging in small talk wasn't something completely unusual for him. [color=#ff39d6]"Yes, I feel it too,"[/color] she confirms, cutting in line a bit with his planned list of questions. [color=#ff39d6]"I've worked with curses, evil spirits, and various mind-altering drugs. Even been bitten by a black widow once. You know that feeling of impending doom you get when you're poisoned like that? That unspeakable dread? ...Well, if you know it, you know it—but this isn't quite like that. It's more like the feeling of being watched, but... much more intense."[/color] Ashley continues to ponder a bit. [color=#ff39d6]"You ever been in someone else's manor—maid and menservants coming and going, clamoring every which way, busy about their work—but then you turn a corner, and there's [i]nobody there[/i]?"[/color] she says ominously. [color=#ff39d6]"And you start to wonder about why. [i]Why is nobody here[/i]? If someone sees me in this place, will I be in danger?"[/color] Ashley persists, making a bit of a clueless face. [color=#ff39d6]"It's that kind of feeling. This... profound sense of [i]not belonging[/i]. Like I've unknowingly set foot on holy ground, angered some powerful something that's sneering down at me, and I'd better pray that I don't anger it any further."[/color]

It wasn't often that Ashley spoke her true feelings on something, with no reservation, so she took this opportunity to privately ask Troe a few questions of her own. [color=#ff39d6]"You know. Just because something no longer has a mind of its own doesn't mean it can't coordinate with others of its kind,"[/color] she says, assuming that Troe will know what she's talking about. [color=#ff39d6]"You know how insects can communicate using pheromones? For example, you kill one hornet, and suddenly, the entire nest is attacking you? ...At first, I was thinking that our best option to secure the reward money would be to bring a live specimen back to the capital, perform a live dissection, and report our findings in person. But, as I keep thinking, more and more—especially with this foul mood—I find myself thinking: forget the reward money; what about the safety of our country? Let's do the research on-site, and report our findings normally—maybe bring back a severed head to appease the adventurous among us. But whatever evil is at work at Irinoth, we should leave it here—not risk bringing it back with us. Don't you think so?"[/color]

[hr]

[center]~Ships are Approaching~[/center]

Ashley had her eyes on the horizon the whole time, looking out for the Santa Lyrica, and was one of the first to notice the approaching ships—and their trajectory. [color=#ff39d6]"BATTLE STATIONS!"[/color] she cried out, shortly before the first round of enemy fireballs flew up into the air.

Ashley reached a hand forward, creating a magic circle. It was an off-white, slightly violet color, and legible only to mages. Of the various forms of dark magic, this was a subtle one: that of a kind of "counterfeit" holy magic. Its runes pronounced suffering upon the enemy, masquerading as judgment.

[color=#ff39d6]"Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, who turn their eyes and ears from the Goddess and her precepts. Children of men, I know thy iniquities: how thou plunder and kill innocent men, and ravish women. Therefore, hear this word of judgment concerning thee: This day, the sea shall be thy master, and ye shall have the winds for a tormentor; yea, ye shall have each other's flesh for meat, and blood for drink. So have I written,"[/color] Ashley finishes, pointing forward as the magic circle disappears... and nothing seems to happen, at first.

But aboard one of the enemy ships, there was chaos. All at once, a swarm of locusts had descended upon their sails, chewing at them. If nothing was done about it, their ship would be severely, if not completely disabled. One reckless mage, clearly a new recruit, was trying to delicately scare the insects away with flame, before a more senior sorcerer nearby scolded him severely, then began using ice instead. Others joined him, and soon the situation was under control, but not without damage to the sails, and a disproportionate cost in magic.

[color=#ff39d6]"Take evasive action; keep us out of range of their archers for as long as possible, and see if you can't separate the ships from each other—that one should be slower now,"[/color] Ashley barked to the helmsman, before running back down to the main deck.

[color=#ff39d6]"O Goddess, my eldest friend. Be my shield. Envelop my mind, that I spare no thought for my enemies. Envelop my heart, that I may not be troubled. Envelop my body, and mold me into the image of an angel of death."[/color] As she says this, a thick, dark miasma emerges from under her cloak, surrounding her.

"Is that..?!" one of the mercenaries aboard the locust-infested vessel exclaimed quietly.

"Aye. The rumored dark mage, wanted dead or alive. Today's our lucky day. We bag her, you and me are set for life!"

[color=#ff39d6]"Khhk-khhk-khhk!"[/color] Ashley snickers, pure malice spreading across her face as she smiled. [color=#ff39d6]"That's right! All eyes on the witch! Waste your magic on me!"[/color]

Ashley cackled as fireball after fireball came hurling toward her like meteors, and she batted them out of the air like they were nothing. She limp-wristedly shakes her hand as though it were slightly too warm, mocking the enemies through the looking glass. As though they suspected it to be some kind of a trick, or a fluke, they try again with a second volley, only to fail a second time.

However, as it became obvious that Ashley's plan to evade the enemy ships had a definite shelf life, the voice she used to bark orders became more desperate. [color=#ff39d6]"Do we have any cargo we can toss?! Anything?!"[/color] she begged Tedreus, mentally going through everything she knew about naval battles—which, admittedly, wasn't much—but she had to think of something. She [i]had to[/i].

[color=e90000]"Nothin' that'll make up that much difference in speed, little champ. You did yer best. Our best option now is to fight 'em man to man."[/color]

Ashley knew what that meant, despite the captain's attempt to make it sound simple. She looked crestfallen.

[color=e90000]"Prepare to be boarded!"[/color] Ted shouted out, while Ashley took the moment to swallow her pride.

She angrily casts another miasma, using it as a smoke cover against impending archer fire as the two ships—which had hardly had time to be separated at all—approached, and the faster one was very nearly within range to shower them with arrows. [color=#ff39d6]"Everyone, retreat below decks now!"[/color] She shouted, maintaining the others' cover as she watched them scramble. By the time she herself began to run for the hatch, arrows had begun raining down, and were missing her by narrower and narrower margins as her cloud cover started to dissipate. Before she could shut and lock the hatch, one lucky arrow made its way through the crack and embedded itself in her left shoulder.

At first, Ashley didn't know what had happened. It felt like she'd been punched. It wasn't until she started falling down the stairs, and the arrow started getting knocked around and jostled against the gaps between the planks in the wall that she started screaming. But, she wasn't crying for a healer.

[color=#ff39d6]"Lock the hatch! LOCK IT PLEASE!!"[/color] she screamed, channeling all of her agony into those three words, as though it were the last order she'd ever need to make.

Tedreus obliged, scrambling over her writhing body to get to the hatch while Mikhail helped her to her feet.

[hr]

[center]~Below Decks~[/center]

Ashley had steadied her breathing as best she could by the time she was brought to Aleria.

[color=#ff39d6]"I hoped I'd... not need your... services... so soon, Sister..."[/color] she breathed, trying to ease the tension. Her shoulder was torn up pretty badly, as though she'd tried to remove the arrow herself, though she obviously wasn't so inexperienced as to try something like that. Something else must have happened. She was losing blood fast, and without a healer on deck, she would, at the very least, be down for the count. She seemed to be taking it well, though. So well, in fact, that she was still—weakly—barking orders.

[color=#ff39d6]"I need... mages... the portholes... knock'm dead... drown'm..."[/color] she mumbles weakly. Were there portholes? She couldn't remember. [color=#ff39d6]"Mikhail, you... take over—for me..."[/color]