<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>

The Lands Trio had formally joined forces with Chieftain Xander to tackle the once-thought impossible task of defeating the Cobalt Serpent. After making some last-minute preparations the night prior, the four of them set sail on Xander’s prized vessel, Wyona’s Hand. It is a massive, technologically advanced piece of craftsmanship, able to house over two hundred sailors if necessary, complete with living quarters, armories, storage, mess halls, and likewise, multiple bars. One might consider it excessive, borderline wasteful to bring out such a large ship with only four people onboard, but Xander wouldn’t have it any other way. Why, of course, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s encounter, his life would be in Wyona’s hands, quite literally and figuratively.

As for now, the Cobalt Sea is calm, soothing, and sleepy. The twinkling reflections of the moon on the water below were so serene, dancing amongst the gentle waves and ripples, noticeably in contrast to the overbearing presence of the massive ship. The Lands Trio and Xander sit around a meeting table, the burly water buffalo choosing to fully reveal the story of the Cobalt Serpent that they were so desperately after. There were no exaggerations or lighthearted quips in this story, only the tragic, depraved truth of what happened so many generations ago. In the middle of Xander telling the story, Zenchi commented on a factor that couldn’t be ignored, “So he died of Heartblight. I see...” While recounting the origin story of the serpent, Xander clarified what the three of them had been suspecting up to this point, “Aye. Ivanne was a good friend o' me distant great gramps. They all thought he perished from a seasickness, but...” Xander noticeably winced in discomfort upon retelling the story. It had happened far before his time, but the emotional struggle and turmoil it had wrought was passed down, generation after generation. And now, he was the one riddled with the weight of it. The birth of both the Outriders and the Cobalt Serpent were nearly one and the same. The Outriders, and the people of G’eelm Outpost, hailed from the extremely remote island known as Felvhati Isle, far out in the middle of the Cobalt Sea. Despite it having a buzzing, active community, the islanders sought out life elsewhere, hoping to expand their reach and escape the troubling storms that frequently plagued the sea. It was none other than the Outriders who sailed out and found new land. While not the first of furkind to land on Evercrest, they were the first to settle at the base of the Angel Mountains. It was there that they decided to build their new home, G’eelm Outpost. Now, the story of how G’eelm got its name is practically common knowledge for those who live there. Xander continues, “When they buried Ivanne in the Cobalt Sea, he wasn't dead. His body and mind were, but his Heart was corrupted beyond saving.” Such is the true reason behind the name. Ivanne G’eelm was one of the first Outriders to brave the sea. He was a blue Naga, a rare breed outside of Zeptia, the home of most of The Lands’ Naga population. Ivanne was close friends with Xander’s ancestor, making the connection between the Outriders and the serpent even deeper. As previously stated, he would not be so lucky on their voyage that would go on to found G’eelm Outpost. Despite his death, his legacy would live on, as the Outpost was named in honor of the fallen sailor. Alas, he would live on in another way as well. A far, far more disturbing way. “The Heartblight inside o' him just wouldn't let go, and before they knew it, he transmogrified into...the beast.” Heartblight was a disease that seemed to pick and choose randomly who it set its sights on. Tragically, Ivanne was one of its many victims. The Lands Trio already knew some of this troubling information about Heartblight. With their recent excursion through Bloodcrest Cavern, they learned perhaps more than they needed to about the disease. According to doctors and researchers, the disease eats away at a victim’s being, both physically and spiritually, eventually consuming them to the point where their whole body turns against them. Their blood turns from its pure red to a scalding hot yellow, essentially killing them from the inside-out. But it doesn’t end there, no, not always. Roseland provides her thoughts on Xander’s story so far, “It's almost too horrifying to think of. The disease that turns unsuspecting victims into despicable creatures beyond our imagination...” The Blood Frenzy is what it is commonly called. When a Heartblight patient reaches the point of no return, their form transforms into that of a despicably feral beast. Ivanne was one of the first ever documented cases of a victim going into the Blood Frenzy, a fact that has troubled the people of Felvhati Isle and G’eelm Outpost for countless years. While his fellow sailors saluted him as his casket was lowered into the sea, he was never fully deceased. His body was no longer under his control, for the disease was now in command.

After having retold the lengthy, tearjerking story once again, Xander began to bring it to a close, “My old, old man could tell the beast was 'is mate by the color of 'is scales and eyes.” Shockingly, the only reason the serpent was recognized as a former comrade was through Xander’s ancestor, the first ever Chieftain of the Outriders. While everyone else saw a rampaging beast that hated the world and being forced to survive in it, he saw his old friend. It was that exact moment when the serpent and the Chieftain locked eyes when everything changed. From there, the Outriders’ had unknowingly sealed their futures. And Xander, well, he accepts this reality more fervently than anyone, “It's the Outriders' sworn mission to slay the serpent...and lay Ivanne's soul to rest.” Even though many a sailor had been lost in the endless war against the serpent, there was a faint glimmer of hope, a silver lining amidst a sea of doubt and uncertainty, “Our previous encounters've weakened it to the point where we might just 'ave a shot.” With Xander’s final closing remarks, that chapter of the story is brought to a close. That was all in the past, and in the present, it was time to settle the score for good. Whether victorious or not, the future of the Cobalt Sea laid entirely on Zenchi, Ithaca, Roseland, and Xander. Tonight’s battle would decide…everything.