To the depths of Mystery.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

The vessel was little more than an outfitted cargo ship. The Syndicate had some connections in harbor cities like Jadet and Serenti. The ship was returning from one of many cargo runs to other parts of the world, and sometimes Akashima and Scara Brae. The Northern Ocean, surrounded the vessel as far as the eyes could see. Miles and miles of waves churning were the only landscape that was visible. Overhead, were clouds threatening to bring a storm down on the world below. The vessel was a simple cargo ship built in the standard Jadet design but retro-outfitted for Syndicate purposes. There was a housing quarters for crew members and passengers. The cargo, this time, was a shipment of various resources from Akashima.

Elthas sometimes volunteered for guard duty on the sea-faring vessels as a way to pass the time and get over his fear of the ocean. Admittedly, Elthas was a forest dweller and preferred the trees to a life on the ocean. Currently, he was in his room, feeling the boat rocking every which way as it travelled across the surface of the water. He could never quite get over the sick feeling in his stomach. There were important guests on the ship that time, some were travelling back and forth in between Corone and Akashima. And others were simply allies of The Syndicate.

Elthas found himself laying on his bed on his off shift. It was late in the evening, and he felt sick to his stomach. Despite his own personal sickness, he worked. He always put duty before his own personal affairs. He was THAT dedicated to The Syndicate's way of life. His personal quarters were simply decorated with a painting of Concordia Forest. It depicted a simple hunter Elf, of the wild lands, with a companion bear at his side. The trees were all majestic oaks. Elthas also had a simple oak desk outfitted in his room where he could write letters to and from Syndicate quarters. His bed was a basic bed, nothing too elegant despite Elthas's standing with The Syndicate.

Elthas lay in bed, as he listened to the waves outside of the vessel. They crashed against the vessel, moving the ship across far distances quickly. It seemed a storm was brewing. As he listened, he could hear the voices of various other passengers in their quarters, and a few of the crew off duty. Guards patrolled the ship at all times, in disguise as regular members of the crew. The Syndicate operated in secret. Elthas knew that because he was a ranking officer of The Syndicate's military wing. He stared at the ceiling and felt his stomach churning with every movement the ship made. However, he was getting more and more used to life at the sea. He didn't like it, but he had to adapt to become an effective operative.

There was a knock on his door.

"Enter." Elthas said with a commanding voice. He did not get up from his bed, and door was open.

[hoytti]

Sorish wasn't use to riding ships as he normally just walked across the ocean floor. However, he had heard that a ranking officer for an organization was on the ship and if he could convince him that there organization would benefit from an alliance, then the Kingdom of the Northern Seas would have their first connections to the "Kings of Above".

Sorish walked down the swaying halls, workers running all over as the ship rocked. The waves outside had started getting larger. A storm was coming and all loose cargo had to be strapped down. Sorish's small group was hired to keep the guests comfortable as well as to be a walking medicine cabinet. You see a coralian's crown can be used to ease a churning stomach as it thickens the stomach acid making it harder to slosh around. After this was discovered Sorish started selling small chunks of his crown to sailors who get seasick easily. Now that they were headed into a storm everyone was going to need some of his medicine, perfect time to talk to this organization's officer.

Sorish walked up to the man's room and knocked on the oak door and waited a minute before hearing a commanding "Enter." Sorish entered the room with a tray with a small cup of water to make his medicine.

"Good day sir, my name is Sorish and I'm the doctor for this voyage. I heard from the crew that you get seasick on these voyages sometimes and since a storm is on it's way, I thought I'd bring you something to ease your stomach." Sorish put the tray down next to the man before he broke off a small piece of his crown. The piece was blue just like his body with a hint of green in it. It was full of canals that separated and combined together forming a rugged and coarse look to it. Sorish held the piece over the cup and crushed the piece into dust before he opened his hand to pour the dust into the water. He then stirred it before he offered it to the officer. "I hope you don't mind it tasting a little salty since it does come from the sea."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Carefully, Elthas sat up on his bed and looked at the doctor. He was aware that several non-Syndicate people were present on the vessel. He had to be careful what information he gave to them, and what information he didn't give to them.

The bed was pretty comfortable despite it being a standard bed. It helped the ship mates with their long journeys on the ocean.

As always, Elthas slept skyclad. That is, he slept completely naked. Nobody ever complained about the Elf's unusual habits. Out of respect for the medic, he kept the lower portion of his body covered with his bed sheets. Elthas was a well toned individual, his physique was more of an athlete's physique and wasn't quite as brutish as a heavy warrior's would be. Elthas looked at the medicine that was prepared for him. He'd heard about it a few times before from the other ship crew members. It was a strong concoction and it could relieve an upset stomach in minutes. Elthas was not afraid of a bit of salt in his drink. He knew his mind was always focused on the moment. The doctor had graced him with a gift, and he would not be unkind to the doctor.

"I thank you, doctor." Elthas said calmly. But the discomfort was evident in his voice. "The storm is brewing already." Elthas said plainly. He had enhanced senses and could taste the humidity and moisture of the storm in the air. Elthas looked to make certain his window was covered with the curtains, and he could not see outside. He didn't like storm manipulated sea waves, they disturbed him. "My name is Elthas." He took the medicine and drank of it. It was very salty, and a little bit bitter, but anything was better than puking up that day's lunch. Elthas did his best to drink the medicine in one big gulp. As he drank, he felt a warmth flow down into his stomach. Closing his eyes, he felt the medicine immediately attempt to calm his troubled stomach. After a moment passed, he looked at Sorish carefully. "Potent stuff." He said.

Elthas took several deep breaths and then stood up. He wrapped the one of the bed sheets around his waist so as not to be rude to his guest. He walked over to his desk and picked up the letter he was writing. "This will be delivered to my handler. His name is Theo Terrentius. I remember seeing you more than once. You seem an all right lad." Elthas was referring to the time spent on the ship. He'd seen Sorish healing the sick with his medical knowledge more than once. Elthas suddenly realized his stomach no longer bothered him. He smiled at the doctor. "The medicine did the trick!" Elthas continued. "The letter is to someone I have waiting for me back home."

[hoytti]

Sorish smiled at the man. "I'm glad you feel better, I have my assistants taking care of a few others who need this medicine. They to are also coralians so they have the ingredients on them at all times." Sorish then looked at the bed sheet. "I hope you aren't wearing that for my sake. It doesn't really mater to me since that isn't where our reproductive system is." Sorish said as he pointed at the sheet.

"Our reproductive system is up here." Sorish pointed at his crown. "We send the seed out the top of the head where it gets caught in a current to settle in the crowns of the female. That's why the bigger the crown the higher the status in coralian society. We also believe this is why our crowns are great medicine, because our bodies have to protect that area from disease."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas could not help but chuckle pleasantly.

He quickly found that Sorish was an agreeable fellow. "I'm just being polite." Elthas responded casually. "Give me a few moments and I shall get dressed adequately so that we may talk further. If you could please wait for me outside." He'd listened to Sorish's explanation the entire time without saying a word. Other cultures fascinated Elthas, and he was a hungry student of knowledge. He attempted to learn all he could about Sorish's species, and culture, by the words that were so openly spoken. Elthas would, in turn tell everything to Sorish about his own people. He had a feeling that Sorish and himself weren't that different from one another. That was another matter that made the doctor quite pleasant and agreeable. There was possibility for a friendship there. Elthas had several critical allies, but only one TRUE friend. The woman, Hylda Terrentius. His chosen mate.

Even then, his thoughts were oft on Hylda Terrentius. The smell of her skin, the taste of her mouth. Her soft hair against his skin, the breathing of her lungs and the drum-like beating of her heart. Elthas missed her dearly and he was eager to get back to her in one piece. However, he knew he had sworn an oath to the Syndicate. Such an oath was never taken lightly. Duty always came before personal affairs. Elthas could picture the way Hylda Terrentius looked by heart. He could paint and draw her, probably sculpt her blind folded. He knew every inch of her body, every curve, every inclination. The thoughts of Hylda pushed Elthas to continue forward, to always be his best. He looked as Sorish (Small bunny) stepped out of the room at his request. Elthas got dressed quickly so as not to keep the man waiting. As soon as he got dressed, a loud booming noise came from above. It was thunder made amplified by one of the Thayne's many lightning bolts. The explosive noise of the thunder sounded dreadfully close.

Elthas knew they were in for a bumpy ride.

As soon as he got dressed, he stepped out into the hallway and walked towards Sorish. "I know a place where we can talk in private." Elthas said.

[hoytti]

Sorish turned towards Elthas. "More private then your bedroom? Well then again the walls are thin. Lead the way my friend and I shall follow." Sorish said as they both started down the deserted halls. The storm was kicking into full swing and most of the crew was now hunkered down in their cabins with only a few doing their rounds to make sure the cargo was secured tightly before they too headed off to weather the storm.

Elthas lead Sorish down two flights of stairs in a comfortable silence before they reached their destination. The cargo bay. As soon as the doors were shut Sorish put on a business face. "I guess now would be as good as any to tell you why I'm truly here," Sorish said turning to Elthas who was standing next to some crates opposite him as he himself leaned against some crates. "I'm Sorish Mon Larsh, future king of The Coralian Kingdom of the Norther Seas, and I would like to make an Alliance with The Syndicate."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas concentrated to be certain that they were alone. A few rats skittered in the dark, but they kept their distance. None of the crew members were present in the cargo bay area, it was a large chamber. Elthas listened as the young prince introduced himself and his purpose. Elthas did not interrupt not even once. When he was certain that his companion had finished, Elthas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. What would Seth say? What would Theo say? The two thoughts did come to mind quickly. Elthas could not bluff on this matter, and he could not make such a decision on his own. Theo and Seth Terrentius were two ranking members of The Syndicate operation in Corone. Theo, the more senior officer of the two, oversaw critical matters dealing with the faction. Seth, was his right-hand man, and was also Elthas's handler in the operation. Elthas had more intimate ties with Seth Terrentius, and sometimes disagreed with Theo. The two were fair leaders.

Elthas thought about that for a moment.

"So I see, young prince." Elthas said carefully in response. "At least, I am assuming you are a Prince or some other form of royalty. I do not wish to offend your culture if I am mistaken, please correct me." Elthas said. He continued to rub his chin as he spoke. "I can grant you an audience with the people you need to speak to when we are back on land." Elthas would explain his situation in full. "I am unable to make decisions of such importance on my own. But you will be allowed to speak to the ones who can assist you best." Elthas said carefully. "Also, I would ask that you observe Syndicate procedures and practices, and learn from me and the others on this ship." Elthas had a serious expression on his face. "An allegiance with us is something that would put you at odds with many of our enemies. If you are prepared to carry such a burden, then your request will be considered."

"When you have audience with my leaders, you can bring this matter up to them." Elthas paused for a moment. "The gentlemen you need to speak to are Theo and Seth Terrentius. I know them personally and could put in a direct commendation for you." Elthas knew he had revealed a lot, but it was important that the EXACT procedure was explained. His eyes narrowed as he awaited his friend's response.

[hoytti]

Sorish stood there, hand on his chin, back agianst some crates, as he looked down deep in thought. Do I have the time to make this alliance? Also, what of their enemies? would they have the technology or wizard to try to attack us? I need more information and time.

Sorish looked back up at Elthas. "I guess I'll do this in the order it was brought up. First off," Sorish held up one finger, "I'm wasn't born a prince as I am the first King of the Northern Seas. In fact, I am the first Coralian appointed as a king, which is equal to a god." Sorish chuckled to himself before he continued his response. "As for your practices, I will observe and decide by the time we reach land whether the alliance will truly be worth it." Sorish then squinted his eyes to give off an intimidating aura. "As for these enemies, an advantage to living under water is that land dwellers can't easily reach us and even if they do somehow reach us, they are slower under water then we are. However, I would like a list of these enemies and see what we can do." Sorish then stood at his full height to make his figure more intimidating. "Also, we coralians lean how to fight at the age of five and enter the military at 100, retire at 800, and die at 1000. I'm sure we can protect ourselves if the need arises and we will give you sanctuary in our towns and cities if needed." Sorish then leaned back and put on a soft smile that dissipated the tension that had built up during his discussion on the enemies. "I'm mainly looking for an ally that can help us connect to other land dwelling organizations and governments. Though, " Then Sorish's smile grew, "you should know that most Coralians will consider you a god, calling you a 'King of Above'. Just a warning."

After Sorish finished, he waited for Elthas to respond.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas's eyebrow was raised for a brief moment. "A king huh?" He nodded. "Well, it is certainly my privilege to help you out in anyway I can." Elthas felt the tension in the air change while the young king spoke, and that didn't bother him. Nor did the full height and apparent mass of the fellow. What DID bother him was the skill in which he was able to affect the air around him with. THAT deserved looking into. He was curious to see what his new friend was capable of doing. "I will be able to provide a rudimentary list of our current enemies, and a few especially dangerous ones." The Thayne threw their lightning bolts on the ocean below and the churned as the storm outside progressed. Elthas wondered just how safe they were on the vessel. He could feel a tension and a fear on the vessel that wasn't present before the storm struck. He sighed a moment. "If there is anything else you require, feel free to ask."

Elthas stood exactly opposite from his tall friend. To the bounty hunter, the idea of learning more about his friend was too good to pass up. He was a seeker of knowledge, and that was part of his character. It was why he was able to function so well with others, a trait many Syndicate operatives lacked. He had learned much about his friend and what to expect, and then something dawned on him.

"When we are off this vessel, I'd like to see your homeland sometime." Elthas said. "I'm not a very good swimmer, but I am willing to improve my basic swimming skill." Time spent on the ocean usually meant that the seafaring folk had a respect of it. However, Elthas knew he was a fish out of water, so to say. He was a land lover through and through, and preferred Ruild to the ocean any day. The true merit of life on the ocean was learning about the water-bound denizens of the sea. Elthas found himself wanting to know more about Sorish. He hadn't felt that eager to learn in quite some time. Previous moons were filled with many a dangerous Syndicate operation, and he had very little time to pursue his favorite passion: the arts.

He was getting ideas being near Sorish, and for someone like Elthas, ideas were dangerous indeed.

[hoytti]

Sorish chuckled slightly trying to hide his pain, "You'll need more then basic swimming to get to my people. After all, you need a way to breath while underwater. I have a spell I use to breath outside the water."

Sorish then lost his happy front. "The truth is, I haven't seen my home in 15 years. the last time I saw it was right after delivering the Sea Trees from Isylle. It turns out that we can make a poison out of the tree's thorns to help defeat any enemy we face. It came in handy to when a man attacked my home right after I left Fallien. My parent sent me my newborn sister that day and they headed off to the front lines." Sorish gave a small smile. "They died there while Sanderia and I were safe up here on the surface."

Sorish then looked at Elthas. "I guess I should explain our war time society to you if we're going to be partners. Those over 100 and younger then 800 head off to the battle field. Those older then 20 but less then 100 watch their younger siblings while those over 800 are in charge of strategy." Sorish smiled. "It's a good strategy as those who are under 100 has a chance to produce their own children before they to have to head off to the war. An advantage to living such long lives. But it also means that the majority of us have to go to war. I'm already 45 years old and still have 55 years before I head off to lead any troops into battle."

Sorish chuckled. "That's a lot of time to get rubbed." Sorish leaned there solemn for a few seconds before putting up his serious front. "If you have anything that you need or want to know just ask I'm willing..." Suddenly The bells on the ship started to ring and there was a shout of intruders on the ship. Before either Sorish or Elthas could do anything four figures, approximately 9' tall, ran through the door of the cargo bay and engaged Elthas as they tried to grab Sorish. "Your coming with us Your Majesty," Then two ran away as the other two stayed behind to stop Elthas. "If you wish to speak to the king you must come to Coral Castle," One said as they fought Elthas.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Before Elthas could comment on what Sorish mentioned, something happened.

The Syndicate vessel was raided.

Elthas heard alarmed shouts from the upper areas of the ship. He was about to take a defensive action when something STRONG forced it's way into the cargo bay. Feeling the commotion more than seeing or hearing it, Elthas frowned. He slowly turned towards the figures of two individuals like Sorish. He was beginning to prepare the counter strike, but they were already upon him. One of the big guys engaged Elthas directly.

"Have you lost your Thayne's forsaken mind?" Elthas prepared but the man was faster. I can't see them!? They moved like a blur. Elthas had a hard time keeping up even with his enhanced senses. One they attacked, Elthas was quickly overpowered. It made him feel humbled, and Elthas hated that feeling. Damn, they are good. Sorish, I couldn't protect you... The assailant knocked Elthas out with a swift blow to the head from a blunt weapon. Elthas felt a tremendous pain in his skull, and the darkness settled in. He fell to the ground hearing the last words of the mysterious creatures. He somehow knew he would have to be the one to mount the rescue effort. The last thought Elthas had before the darkness came, was...

Fuck that hurts... A bruise swelled on the side of his head where the weapon struck him. He fell to the ground...

[Miss Relt]

I ran down the halls as the ship bucked and lurched. 'Those idiots, I told them to wait till we got off the ship.' I turned a corner and ran right into Sanderia who was crying. "Sanderia, what's the matter? have you seen Sorish or Ethen?

Sanderia clung to me and said, "y-yes... sniff, I w-was with E-Ethen wh-when we were a-attacked. Sniff, the t-t-tall men in r-r-red cloaks grabbed Ethen who-who told me to r-run. I d-did as I w-was told. I noticed more e-escorting Sorish out of the cargo bay. I h-hid be-behind some crates nearby, I h-heard someone g-get hit and t-two more came out. I r-r-ran after that." After the explanation I grabbed her and headed to the cargo bay.

Inside the cargo bay, I saw a man on the ground. he looked like he had been hit in the head by the pummel of the sword. I ran over to him as I took out the gauze wrapping from my medical bag and started to wrap his head. "Sanderia, while I'm doing this, I need you to wake him up. It isn't good for him to sleep while he has a head injury."

Sanderia just nodded and started to shack him softly while I called out to him. "Sir, I need you to wake up! You have a serious head injury! Sir, wake up!"

[Elthas_Belthasar]

A few moments later, the feeling in his body was coming back.

He woke up with a start, sitting up almost violently. His eyes opened, and the glow in his pupils returned. He growled as he realized all at once, what had occurred. "Sorish!!" He saw Korra and Sandaria looming over him. His head suddenly started hurting all at once, he had a painful bruise where he'd gotten sucker punched. "Aaaargh, what the fuck is this migraine!?" He touched the side of his and felt the large welt where the stranger had connected with his weapon. Elthas growled. "I got caught by one of those strange guys..." Elthas admitted. "They appeared all at once and I tried to resist." Elthas hated knowing how weak he truly was. He couldn't even protect a friend, no, an ally.

Elthas noticed that Korra had medical equipment with her. He relaxed his sudden tension and decided to lay back down. "I'm sorry. I must be in shock." He looked at Korra and Sanderia, they bot had features similar to Sorish. However, they were clearly female. Korra was especially tall. Elthas noticed that right away. Elthas was definitely not a short one. However, he he noticed that she had a massive height and that impressed him. Elthas settled down against the ground and let Korra and Sanderia work. "I want to help you get your friends back. I owe those guys one...for that sucker punch." Elthas would have to grow stronger to protect those he cared about, and that would mean fighting people who were stronger. He allowed the two nurses to work while he laid there as relaxed as he could manage.

[Miss Relt]

I continued to wrap the man's head as he spoke the nonsense of getting Sorish back. I knew he wasn't in danger, but this man didn't and I needed to tell him that before he went and did something stupid.

"Sorish is not in any danger my friend. Instead he is actually in the safest place he could be. Those men were the Royal guard. It appears the other coralians were unwilling to wait another week for him to finish up some diplomatic business," I said as Sanderia wrapped his torso. "They were hand chosen by the leaders of our villages for their heroics and strength. They are the best of the best and are about six hundred years old. It would be suicide to actually try to attack them, especially when they are protecting Sorish."

Sanderia looked over to me as I finished. "Sorish was looking for a man named Elthas," she said with a seriousness that shouldn't be seen in a girl her age. "Now that Sorish is going to be pretty much stuck in The Northern Sea Kingdom, we are going to have to find Elthas, and take him there ourselves. I really hope he is willing to go."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

How could I have been so stupid...?! He couldn't accept the explanation that the girl gave him. The way they nabbed Sorish meant that there was more going on than anybody knew. There were holes in the girl's explanation. "I am Elthas." He admitted. "Sorish was attempting to get an alliance with the people I represent..." Elthas shook his head. "This was my fault." Elthas hated knowing that his friend got caught right under his watch. "Thank you for helping me with the injury." Elthas said. "Look, royal guard or not, they kidnapped Sorish and assaulted me." He needed an adequate plan to get Sorish back. "They must answer for what has happened here today." He added. Then he sighed, his head really hurt. She finished wrapping his head in the bandage and he sighed. "What are we gonna do?" He asked.

"I mean what CAN we do!?" Elthas did not buy that they were members of the royal guard or whatever. The attackers clearly had their own motives for kidnapping his friend. "If you guys will attempt a rescue, I want to be a part of it. It is the least I can do, however useless I am." Elthas said. "But...I can wait until my injury heals."

[Miss Relt]

I sighed. he will not rest until Sorish is proven to be safe and sound. Wait a minute did he say his name was... "Did you say your name was Elthas?"

Elthas nodded. "Yes."

"Well then," I said with a smile, "it seems we need to take you to see him anyway, I'll show you the way to Coral Castle. If I'm right he should be there sitting on the throne there learning how to be a king. If I'm wrong and they were not of the royal guard then we will have to find him as soon as possible, with the real guards' help of course. Do you happen to have a way to breath underwater?"

[Elthas_Belthasar]

(In case it wasn't clear yet, ALL BUNNYING approved!!!)

She asked him several questions and revealed one important thing.

Sorish was in fact some royalty in their culture, that piece was confirmed. He is a king to them or something of that nature... Elthas sighed. He was probably dragged in deep into something that didn't necessarily concern him. Elthas had his honor and he would assist the ladies with finding their friend, Elthas had always honored the old allegiances. And, he was eager to form a few new ones. When Korra explained the second part of the situation to Elthas, Elthas thought for a few moments. A way to breathe underwater...? Of course! The crewmen sometimes went deep diving in special suits that were designed to handle the pressures of the deep. Elthas never used one before, but he figured saving a friend would be as good a reason to learn as any.

"I think I can come up with something, but I will need time." Elthas said carefully. "If you're waiting a bit, I can find one of the diving suits the crew members use for underwater journeys."

It was a long shot, but he was certain the ship's crew would be up in arms by then. If that were the case, they would follow Syndicate protocol. Elthas would be able to naturally assume authority there. He was a ranking officer of The Syndicate, and that held a lot of sway in such matters. Elthas knew just the person he needed to ask too... "I have to speak to someone about the diving suit, but I think he will be able to help." Elthas looked at Korra for some sort of a response. After an uncomfortable minute passed, she spoke.

"Oh, I'll stay here." Korra said. "You can take care of what you need to and we'll meet back here."

Elthas nodded.

He got up and thanked his friends for their quick but skilled treatment of his head injury. He needed to go deeper into the cargo bay are for the diving suit. It was Syndicate procedure, and Elthas would have liked to show the ladies the ropes. No matter, Elthas made his way through the perpetual maze of crates and boxes. The cargo bay area was surprisingly a large hold, with several yards of neatly stacked boxes everywhere. Elthas knew what some of the crates contained, materials and resources needed for The Syndicate's many projects. He didn't know what a good 50% of the crates contained however due to his rank and the secret nature of such matters. Elthas dreaded knowing what could be in SOME of the crates. There were areas of the cargo bay that were off limits, even to Elthas. He made his way towards where the diving suits were.

Once he spotted Jake, he walked over towards the heavy set man. Jake was a Salvarn, you didn't see many of them in The Syndicate crews. Salvarns were a stocky and hearty bunch that were virtual tanks. He saw the familiar appearance of Jake's frame nearby and walked over towards him. As always, Jake was performing maintenance on one of the many diving suits oblivious to what happened to Sorish and the rest of the ship. Jake worked in silence and said very little, only what was needed to conduct Syndicate business.

"Jake." Elthas began. "Are you aware of what just happened?"

"Syndicate business, it better be if you're down 'ere, Elthas." Jake was always serious and turned around to look at Elthas, giving him a once over. "What can I do for you, laddie?" Jake asked. His accent was thick with a Salvarn overtune, he had a scruffy beard, and wild mane of hair. His eyes were large and full of intellect. He wore a strange lens like device over one eye. He tapped it with one hand and it raised up to reveal the eye hidden behind it. It was some sort of a focusing or scanning equipment.

"Jake..." Elthas cleared his throat. "We lost one of the medics, it was a break in you see. Medic is a friend, I'd like start a rescue operation for him, and for that, I'll need one of them diving suits."

"You want to BORROW one of the suits?" Jake asked. "You don't even know how to pilot one!"

"Jake. This is an emergency, I'm not asking to borrow one. I'm asking to confiscate one." Elthas said carefully, his tone becoming quite serious.

Jake folded his arms across his chest. "Look I cannot just give you one of these, crewmates need these suits who got more experience than you do..." Jake began.

"Jake..." Elthas began. "I understand your view but this is a direct ORDER." He shook his head, he hated having to get crazy with a fellow agent. "I WILL HAVE one of the suits. A friend is in danger, and I cannot sit by and wait for protocol to take into effect. Give me the suit, and I won't make any trouble for you."

Jake seemed to ponder the severity of the situation. "All right, listen, they take a bit of time to prepare. I can spare you one of the older models. But you have to wait until it's charged and fully prepped. I can't let you dive with an unprepped suit. That's the condition. If you can wait, you can have a suit." Jake said.

"All right, Jake. You have yourself a deal, and I am taking your word for it. I just want to help a friend." Elthas decided he kept the ladies waiting long enough.

Elthas started to leave for the time being and would give Jake all the time he needed to prep the diving suit.

"Elthas. Your fucking code is more trouble than it's worth. Remember that when someone drives a knife in your back." Jake grumbled out loud and went to work on one of the suits. They were in a special chamber located nearby, in storage pods.

Elthas sighed as he heard Jake's comment and decided it best to ignore what was said and move on.

Some battles were not worth fighting.

[Miss Relt]

After Elthas went off to find this "Diving Suit" that he was going to use to help us, I turned to Sanderia. "Sanderia, can you tell me what exactly the coralians that took Sorish away looked like?"

Sanderia nodded then placed her hand on her chin, something that the entire Larsh family seemed to always do when thinking. "Well," she said as she continue to think, "there was about nine of them. Four of them had grabbed Sorish while five had grabbed Ethen. They all seemed to have no crowns." That caught my attention. no crown? No coralian would remove their crown except... OH NO! I was internally panicking but kept my cool as I continue to listen to Sanderia's description. "It looked they didn't have any algae at all." More evidence of it being that group. "Um they wore a red cloak that transitioned to black as it got closer to the bottom." That just confirmed it, but I can't worry her. "Oh and their eyes were grey."

I nodded then thanked the young coralian girl just as Elthas came back. Before he could say a word I pulled him behind a few crates where Sanderia wouldn't hear us.

"You were right." I told him.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas paused for a moment as he studied the two ladies before him.

"I was?" Elthas asked in exchange.

He felt more than a little agitated and he did not want to take it out on his new friends. He simply wanted to get the rescue operation over with. His chest heaved up and down with frustration and he felt more than a little angry at having to talk to Jake that way. The old man was just doing his job and following Syndicate protocol. Elthas knew there was at least an hour or two to kill before they could rescue the kind doctor he now called friend. Elthas looked at the facial expression of the ladies and decided that Coralians were extremely difficult to read properly. Further, he didn't knew what was their basic facial anatomical configuration like. He simply decided he needed to learn more about them.

"What was I right about?" Elthas asked. "Looks like we have time to prepare for the trip before we head out. Just so you ladies know...I am a terrible swimmer and will have to pick it up as I go." Elthas said carefully. "The suit I am going to use to swim is not going to make me a better swimmer. That's going to have to wait until I improve on my own." Elthas was growing more and more concerned about Sorish. "So what did you two discover?"

[Miss Relt]

I cursed in coralian then turned to Sanderia. "Sanderia, can you go and see if anyone on this ship was hurt in the extraction of Sorish?"

"Um sure Korra, but why? What's going on?" She asked me with fear in her eyes.

"Nothing Sanderia, I just think it would be a good idea for one of us to stay and keep the people healthy, you think you can do that?" I asked and hoped she would buy it.

"Um, I guess that makes sense."

I smiled, "Good, when the ship docks, I want you to come and meet us at Coral Castle, got it?"

She nodded then left us.

I sighed then turned back to Elthas. "Okay, now that she is busy I can tell you. You were right, they were not of the royal guard. They were the Trench Dwellers, coralians who had been banished to the deep sea trenches for various crimes in the coralian community. I don't know what they want Sorish for, but it can't be good. They wouldn't know about him being future king since it isn't public knowledge. So whatever they want him for, it must be because of his ability to use advanced magic, a rarity among coralians. If so, I fear for Sorish because knowing him, he will refuse to do as they wish. We have to get to Coral Castle, Also known as The Island of Grace above water. Oh by the way, not a word of this to Sandria understand? She is Sorish's sister and likes my brother who has also been captured."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas listened very carefully to everything that Korra said. "Damn." Elthas began. "I hate being right like this, I don't want any harm to befall Sorish." Elthas found out what he needed to; Sorish was in fact in some kind of danger. Elthas rubbed his chin carefully. He closed his eyes and tried to recall any detail about the battle that would have revealed more information. "They move very quickly and I had a hard time seeing them." Elthas said. "I was knocked out pretty quick, I don't know of what use I can be." Elthas shook his head. "For what it's worth, I view Sorish as a friend now. He was trying to seek out my people for an allegiance. I wish to honor him with the bargain that I promised him." Elthas sighed. "I can at least grant Sorish his request with a meeting with my leaders. From there, it's up to them if they wish to have an allegiance or not."

Elthas knew time was ticking. He looked at Korra for a long moment. "Listen, I need you to come with me for a moment. I want you to explain the situation to Jake." Jake was a well known cargo bay hand, and he kept the diving suits in order. "Maybe we can get the operation under way sooner."

Suddenly-

"Elthas!" Came the voice of one of the Syndicate ship mates. "Where the hell you been man?" It was a man named Ryon. "Whole ship's in a fucken' uproar. You gotta come quickly."

Elthas looked at Korra. "You heard Ryon." Elthas said. "Let's wait on the meeting with Jake and attend to the ship's affairs first. I PROMISE you, we will rescue Sorish at all costs." Elthas had an unusually serious expression on his face. He then moved quickly to follow behind Ryon.

***

At the top deck of the ship, the entire grew was gathered. Elthas recognized many of the undercover Syndicate operatives. He knew what was what. The Captain was a Syndicate operative as well. Elthas greeted folk as he arrived and immediately maneuvered towards The Captain. "Boss." Elthas spoke quickly. "Sorry for my delay, I was preoccupied." Elthas said carefully with a frown, the bandages were still wrapped around his head injury.

"They got you too huh?" The Captain said. "It was a surgical strike." He said carefully. "Several other members of the ship were nabbed as well. We are still doing head counts to figure out who went missing."

"They nabbed Sorish." Elthas said. "I don't understand this at all, but I have some new information."

"Do share." The Captain said.

Elthas motioned towards Korra. "She can explain better than me." Elthas took a look at The Captain. "But it is imperative we get Sorish back."

"The Doc?" The Captain asked. "They took the doctor too?" The Captain folded his arms across his chest. By then, rain was pouring freely. "All available hands, listen up! We have a serious situation here." The Captain, normally piloting the ship, had left the steering wheel for a moment so that the ship could cruise on its own along the waves. "We need to avert a civil war." The Captain wanted to get Sorish back. He had some idea of Sorish's worth.

"Where do we begin?" Elthas asked.

"You need to get under the waves, and into water." The Captain said carefully. "I'll make certain Jake gets you a diving suit."

Elthas narrowed his eyes. "Jake is readying one for me."

"Okay, I can give him a direct order for you to prep it as soon as possible." More Syndicate protocol.

Elthas was not liking it. They were wasting his time while his friend was in trouble. Elthas looked at The Captain. "Save it." He said suddenly. "Jake should already be ready by now, and I will have a diving suit necessary to rescue Sorish."

"You're not a strong swimmer." The Captain responded.

"It doesn't matter, to rescue a friend, I will do the best I can." Elthas was still waiting for Korra to explain the situation to them. "Korra. We all need to know what you know, the information will supply us with tactics and logistical data." Elthas said.

[Miss Relt]

Elthas motioned me forward. I stood up on the platform then cleared my throat. "And the information you shall get. The people that attacked us today were what we coralians call The Trench Dwellers. They are exiled coralians who have done some of the worst illegal acts among coralians. You can identify them by their gray skin and the lack of a crown." I pointed to my head to indicate what I meant.

"They are called Trench Dwellers due to the fact that they live in one of the many trenches in the sea. Based on our location I'd say they had to have come from Leviathan." A murmur spread throughout the crowd at this. Leviathan was a trench notorious for killing divers. "Leviathan is the trench where breakers of the Magic Law goes. This makes it dangerous for non magic users to enter this trench." I turned to Elthas. "You mentioned that they were too fast to really see. More then likely they were using magic to enhance their speed. I know a little bit of magic but not enough to fight..." Suddenly the door opened and in stepped Sanderia who looked confused.

"Uh, did I stop something?" she asked as all they eyes were on her.

I came up with a plan quickly. "Sanderia, perfect timing, do you mind running to Coral Castle and calling out to the gate, 'King kidnapped at Leviathan!'?"

She looked at me. "Korra, what's going on?"

I rubbed my arm nervously, "Nothing a 10 year old needs to worry about."

She looked at me funny but then left. I sighed. "That was Sorish's little sister. With that signal we will have help sent our way." I then turned to Elthas. "We will be the first to enter the trench and anyone else who wants to help can follow. I suspect that the Northern Seas Army will invade the trench about two hours after we enter. We have those two hours to find the people that was taken and formulate a way to get them out safely. Any longer and they may be killed."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Wondering about the relationship between Sandaria and Korra, Elthas decided it best to keep ti to himself.

There was a lot of information for people to gather all at once and there were whispers in the crowd about what was actually going on. One crew member, quick witted, turned to look at Korra for a moment and made a comment. "Can we expect more invasions of the ship?" The crew member asked.

The ship's Captain looked at everyone present. "I will need a small group of volunteers, including Elthas and his companions." The Captain said.

Syndicate men were men of action, and they looked out for their own.

Sorish had become one of their own in a short period of time. Elthas looked at The Captain for a long moment and kept a relaxed composure about himself. His head still hurt him, but the medicine that Korra had used on him was working. The bandages were pretty comfortable too. Elthas wanted to honor the friendship that he was developing with Sorish. He looked at The Captain for a long moment, then walked towards him. "Captain. If we're dealing with a full scale war, none of us are safe here. We'll need weapons and skilled swimmers. Not just me." Elthas said. "I have some tactical experience with what we're dealing with here. I can play more of a consulting, strategist role here." Elthas was scared of getting overpowered again, but he wanted to be certain that he could HELP the situation.

Rain continued to fall.

The Thayne tossed mighty lightning bolts across the canopy of the heavens.

Elthas felt a bit foolish at everything that had transpired. In his eagerness to rescue a friend, he had not thought about how quickly the creatures had overpowered him. Plus, he was a terrible swimmer to make matters worse. He would best stay on the ship. "We need to assemble skilled swimmers in the diving suits." Elthas said carefully. Elthas turned to look at Korra. "I am afraid I will have to stay here and provide tactical support to you guys on the field." Elthas shook his head. "As everything stands, they would just knock me out again." He wanted to be a part of the rescue operation, but he would just hold everybody down. There was a scrying tool on the ship that was used by Syndicate strategists, and that tool would become Elthas's strength. "Korra. You are welcome to stay here on the ship if you wish it. I will need as much help providing tactical support as I can."

[Miss Relt]

I looked over at Elthas after he spoke, then sighed. "I believe that would be for the best." I then looked him in the eye. "However, I will need to give a letter to the commander of your men to give the commander of the Coralian Army so that he knows that they are allies. Also, it might be a good idea to tell me more about this "Scrying Tool" you have since it will be the main way of communicating with our troops." I then got out a piece of coral paper and a pen for full of squid ink. I then began to write

"Dear General Krill,
I am writing this letter to tell you that these men are here to help. Please let them lead you to the scrying tent where you will receive more instructions.
Sincerly yours,
Korra Jeanine Relts"

I then signed it, folded it and put my wax seal on it. I then handed the letter over to Elthas and waited for his explanation of scrying.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

The Captain looked at Elthas for a long moment.

"I will have someone explain the scrying system to Korra." Then The Captain became very serious. "Suit up with the forward assault team." He said to Elthas who blinked a few times in surprise.

"Sir?" Elthas responded.

"You are not staying behind. Though they got you the first time around, I trust in your capacity to learn and adapt. You will find a way to defeat the enemy. The rest of the team will need you leading them physically."

Elthas hesitated for only a moment. "If you order it, Captain. I will of course, oblige." Elthas joined the group of guys who would be part of the diving team.

"Elthas, good to have you with us." One of the gruff divers said casually. "The diving suits are ready over at maintenance."

"I am aware. I asked the old man to help out." Elthas said casually. "You guys need to be aware that we're dealing with a powerful enemy we CANNOT underestimate them." Elthas said. "We have to work together if we have a chance at beating them."

"Understood." They said in unison. "Elthas, you seem troubled, what's bothering you?"

"I think that I can come up with a way to defeat them..." Elthas thought about the way that the strangers MOVED. And how quickly they knocked him out. They needed a way to see them first. "Of course!" Elthas walked with the squad of Syndicate veterans as they made their way to Maintenance. "Use the infra-red visor feeds. It might be our only hope. If they give off heat of some sort, we can track their movements!"

"The visor feed..." One of the Syndicate veterans said carefully. "All right, I'll be certain to make sure everybody adapts that to their visor. Elthas, good to have you with us."

Elthas nodded.

"We have some big fish to fry this time..." Elthas grinned as he said that. They made their way to the maintenance area where the diving suits awaited.

[Miss Relt]

I couldn't let Elthas leave without the note because if he didn't have it then he would not survive. I shoved the note into his hands and said, "Don't forget this, without it you will be killed." I then turned to the captain as he started to teach me about scrying.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

(Continuing this thread with my level 4 abilities and such.)

As far as sea-faring pirates went, the Syndicate operatives were well prepared and seasoned. Their ship had a submersible on board that could crew several people all at once. It was meant for deep-sea expeditions and it was clearly a clockwork device. Elthas had never taken a trip to the deep in that thing before, but he knew they were about to. He adjusted the diving suit onto his body, and clamped the heavy helm downward upon his head. The pirates were clamping the helm down upon Elthas and helping the four crew members of the submersible get their heavy gear on. Elthas felt them attached the gloves on his person, and then he was ready. The suit was powered by a form of arcane properties, and once that was activated, Elthas felt power pumping through the suit itself. It was a good feeling. Upon the thick sheet of glass that was his visor manifested a glowing array of symbols and readings. It was also a manifestation of the suit's energy. Elthas immediately activated the visor read out, and he could switch it with his mind. Something about the energy of the suit allowed for Elthas to control the visor feed. It took a bit of getting used to, but he was able to handle it with some degree of skill after a minute or two passed.

The read outs checked positive.

One by one, the men entered the submersible. It was a huge device that had brass colour on it's surface. The device had many attachments that functioned like limbs used to grab deep sea treasures, or samples of this and that object that needed studying. Elthas waved his hand despite the heavy texture of the suit's material. It felt like it weighed a ton. He entered the cramped up space of the submersible. They closed the hatch of the vehicle behind Elthas and he made his way to one of the seats. Sitting down, he strapped himself into it and looked at his companions. He could tell they were all equally as scared as he was. The submersible was then lowered, using a device of chains, into the launching bay. Once that was completed, the lights in the submersible turned on. The artifact engine that powered the submersible was fully activated, and Elthas felt a rumble in his very stomach. The propellors of the submersible were all turned on, and the pilot proceeded to command the tiny vehicle out of the Syndicate ship. And into the ocean proper. Hopefully, they would be able to find their missing ally in time, and make their way through the deep blue sea...

Elthas had never felt so frightened in his life.

[hoytti]

Sorish awoke with a splitting headache. What happened? he thought before he noticed he was deep underwater. Possibly one hundred fifty thousand feet below sea level if he was reading the pressure right. That meant he was somewhere near the bottom of Leviathan as that was the only trench they were going to pass on their way to meet the Syndicate. Great captured by a bunch of witches and warlocks, he thought as he started to look around his cell. The cell was a simple coral cell, probably made of the stronger coral. The cell seemed to have been lit by glowing algae that is common in the depths of the sea. He then spotted something that made his heart go cold. About a foot from him was a young coralian boy. He looked beaten up and it looked like he had lost a lot of his blood. Sorish stood up quickly, despite his body's protests, moved over to the boy. He flipped the boy over and gasped. Sorish looked at the pained face of his girlfriend's little brother, Ethen.

Sorish's shock turned to anger in a matter of seconds. His eyes turned red as he turned from the child. Roxi awoke from her slumber with a start as she felt the Red Death take over Sorish's consciousness. She searched his memory to figure out what exactly caused him to start to lash out. When she saw the last image that Sorish saw, she also grew angry. However, her anger didn't cloud her judgement. Instead she let Sorish continue to look for enemies. It didn't take long for Sorish to notice nobody was around and he settled down however, his anger was still great.

"Sorish," Roxi said softly through their connection, "we need to get out of here and find the people who hurt Korra's brother."

Sorish nodded in response then turned towards the bars. Sorish began to chant *Water Gun straight and true. Water Gun get us through.* A water current shot out from Sorish's hand as it crashed into the door of the cell. The door creaked from the pressure of the water that hit it like a moderate punch. After a few seconds the hinge broke and the door crashed into the wall on the opposite side. Sorish stepped out of the cell then looked to the right and left as he heard footsteps run from both sides of him. He stood there as he was surrounded by coralians in red robes that faded to black at the bottoms. Their crowns completely removed never to grow back again, Trench Dwellers.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

It was a cramped quarters.

The suit he wore for underwater exploration was already quite heavy, but the submersible made him exceedingly uncomfortable.

He was thankful that the captain had the foresight to lend him some troops to go rescue Sorish.

Elthas was feeling a little dizzy the deeper they went into the trenches of the underwater kingdom.

"Do you know where you're even going?" Elthas had to ask.

"We have rudimentary maps of this area thanks to Sorish's people." The submersible pilot said in response. "The gloworbs built onto the ship's outer hull make it easier to navigate."

"Relax Elthas, we'll be out of this thing soon enough. I know the quarters are tight, but soon you'll only have to worry about pressure against your suit, and moving against the current."

"By the Thayne." Elthas groaned. He sat back in his chair and tried to look as comfortable as he could. That was a harder thought than he would actually admit.

"You're good friends with Sorish. We're using Syndicate time now to rescue him, will this be worth it?" One of the Syndicate members asked.

Elthas blinked. "He needs our help. That should be enough..." Elthas didn't want to have to explain himself to people who did not understand the way he operated. He was one of The Syndicate's up and rising members, but many of the other folks in the guild looked down on Elthas. He was too kind hearted for some of the darker Syndicate works. That is true... Elthas thought to himself. But The Syndicate is NOT necessarily comprised entirely of evil folks. There has to be a balance within it's ranks. Elthas appeared to be deep in thought and the nearby Syndicate agent noticed that.

"Elthas. This area is occupied territory, just be on your guard when we get out of the submersible." The fellow said.

Elthas nodded. "I'm aware. I expect a battle almost as soon as we arrived at the trenches." Etlhas was thankful for his new daggers he'd recently acquired. The daggers were comprised entirely of Delyn ore and enchanted to be extremely light weight and easy to manipulate. He hoped it would be sufficient for the depths of the sea considering all the gear he had on his body at the moment. "We have to find Sorrish's people if there are more being held captive."

"Look, I don't want to get involved in more than necessary." The pilot said calmly. "Any extra baggage we pick up is your mess, not ours."

Elthas wasn't going to let that go. "How do you intend to navigate through their cities without assistance? How do you expect to earn their trust when we're attempting to infiltrate a prison?"

"Do you believe that he will ask for help to rescue any other prisoners?" The man pressed.

"I do." Elthas quipped back. "Be ready for the worst. Prisons on the surface are bad, I can't imagine how terrible will be what we are about to go through." Elthas said.

***

Soon they were outside of the submersible. The pilot of the submersible put all the systems on standby. Elthas felt good to get out of the cramped quarters. He carefully made his way into the deep. The water was surprisingly warm, he could feel the warmth from the relics and artifacts that were operating in his suit. There were five members of The Syndicate also getting used to the warm waters, and calm current. The ocean, that deep, was in layers. They were in the deeper portion of the layer, in one of the trench-quadrants of the area. The Submersible's last systems checks went on standby mode, and the small craft went dark.

"Turn on your glow orbs." One of the Syndicate members spoke into Elthas's helmet system.

Elthas nodded as they all turned on their lamp-like navigations systems. Elthas felt extremely nervous as he swam, it felt as if the whole ocean were watching them. In many ways, that was probably more true than not.

"Which direction do we head?" Elthas asked into the comm.

"That way." Was the only response.

He saw a lot of lights up ahead, and swam in that direction. Despite how deep they were, the ambiance of the trench was very distinct. The five Syndicate representatives were alert and tried to look out of their helms the best they could. Elthas felt a nervous tension that surrounded the group, including coming from himself. He didn't like the feeling and wasn't sure if the ebb of the current was making him feel that way or not. The current was quite a delicate structure and it had it's own characteristics according to the senses of his people. To him, the ocean was ALIVE. And arguably a Thayne in it's own right. Elthas felt very small compared to the depths of the ocean all around him. Though the lamps they used were pretty potent, Elthas noticed he could see no more than a few paces in any direction. And that was probably way better than the rest of them could see.

"Everyone stay close, don't want anybody to get lost." Elthas said more to calm his own nerves than theirs.

"Don't worry Elthas, we're all accounted for." One of the Syndicate crew said to him in response.

Elthas swam forward when he noticed something VERY odd. He was certain he noticed it before they would. The direction of the currents changed VERY swiftly and Elthas almost felt a pulse within it, of life. He wasn't sure why he was able to feel things in the current and flow, he only knew that he COULD. Probably a side effect of his people's senses. Elthas told them as soon as he felt the change.

"We're no longer alone." Elthas commented.

Before anybody could respond, a small group of Corallians suddenly manifested out of the ebb. Elthas recognized the robes of the Corallians as similar to something that Sorish would wear. They were all armed.

"How the hell did you know that shit?" One of his companion responded to Elthas.

"Don't ask." Elthas said back. Elthas assumed that this was a Corallian scouting party.

The captain of their troop swam forward towards them. His stance was completely aggressive. All of the forward scout part was armed with dangerous looking weapons. The Captain spoke to the Syndicate outfit in Sorish's native tongue. Elthas didn't understand a single thing that it was attempting to "say". Then, suddenly, Elthas remembered the object that Sorish's companion had given him. Shit the letter! Elthas opened his packs and suddenly took out the small parchment that Sorish's friend had given him. Elthas confidently swam towards the Captain.

"Hey." Elthas began. "I was given this to give to you guys..." He handed the captain the letter...

[hoytti]

Sorish looked around him as he was surrounded with nowhere to go. The prison that once held him was to his back and Trench Dwellers were to his front and sides. He knew that he wasn't likely to make it out of this fight alive. Not only was he out numbered. Most of these Coralians were far older than him thus more experienced. He would probably be killed if he tried to fight them. "At least HE isn't here," Sorish thought with a sigh. "If HE was, then I would surely be nothing but walking fish food."

Seems Lady Fate had it in for him since just as Sorish thought this, the man who he hopped wasn't there was. The Coralian was tall, about 12' or so. He was also extremely broad shouldered and his body seemed thick. No he wasn’t fat; he was just naturally wide around. From feet width to neck he was built like tree, thick and sturdy. This man was Levron Von Scheller, the man that had earned the titles “Levron the Destroyer” And “The Destructive Giant,” and he was the leader of the Trench Dwellers of Leviathan.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas saw the reaction that the Corallian had to his introduction letter.

There was an emblem on the sealed envelope and it had the royal symbol on it.

Elthas waited for the Corallian to read the letter, and once that was done, he could proceed. The Corallians knew some of the common-tongue and were capable of communicating with the surface dwellers. Elthas watched the mannerisms of the Corallians very carefully, he knew that the other Syndicate members would not give two shit's either way. But Elthas was representing the interests of The Syndicate and of the Terrentius Estate. He had to tread carefully, lest their potential new allies decide to take their resources and business else where. Elthas waited as patiently as he could with the weight of the pressure suit surrounding his body. Though Elthas was a strong willed Elf, the suit weighed a ton. It was hard to adjust with so much dead weight on his body, but he knew the suit protected him from the pressure of the deep. Elthas looked at his companions. "A little longer." Elthas said.

"This suit is heavy, normally folks are given some time to train with the suit. Mobility and all that shit." One of the Syndicate members said.

Elthas nodded. "Yeah. Sorry that it had to go down this way, but I wouldn't let any of you stay in enemy territory like that either. We have to rescue Sorish, he's a good friend. And I'm certain he'll reward us well." That was the minor concern to Elthas, but he knew Syndicate services were NEVER free.

The Corallians were talking amongst themselves for a few moments, then one of them approached Elthas.

"You know Lord Sorish. His seal is on this parcel." The Corallian explained. "You have the rights of Emissaries." The Corallian continued. "I was discussing my companions how best to proceed with you all. I don't know how to explain this to you surface dwellers, but you've all come at a bad time."

Elthas nodded. "Yeah no shit. Look, Sorish was kidnapped by some weird Corallians off of one our Syndicate ships. That's Syndicate responsibility. We're here to rescue Sorish."

There was an awkward moment. The Corallian's eyes went wide briefly and then the Corallian looked at Elthas. He was searching Elthas's eyes for something... "Sorish was kidnapped you say?" The Corallian moved back towards his fellows and explained everything he just heard. "You're here to mount a rescue effort then?"

"We are." Elthas said calmly. He was trying really hard to be as diplomatic as possible.

Then something happened.

Something ugly and dark.

One of the Syndicate agents took a battle ready knife and STABBED Elthas from behind.

Elthas felt a sharp pain penetrate his lower back area, and blood began to pour from the injury.

"What!?" Elthas yelled suddenly.

"Your friend can rot, so can you, Elthas Belthasar. Continue to honour the "OLD ALLIANCES" all you want. That shit won't fly with The Syndicate. Your services are no longer required." The Syndicate agent stared at The Corallians for a long moment. "Keep him, he's no longer with us."

Then the agents began to swim back to the submersible.

***

Elthas was bleeding out, water was leaking into his suit.

He hadn't felt so terrified in a long, long time.

He felt the cold water seeping into his suit and begin to fill his suit up.

"Help..." Elthas called out to the Corallian. Why, why was I cut off... Elthas thought to himself. I just wanted to help Sorish...I just...

In a sudden moment, one of the Corallians grabbed Elthas. There was a powerful surge of magic, and a blinding flash of light. Elthas blacked out. When he came too, he found himself in a chamber in what appeared to be a Corallian house, or whatever was their structure capacity. Elthas blinked a few moments, he felt bandages around the injury he'd sustained from the Syndicate dagger. Also, he didn't feel the weight of the suit around him. Elthas was able to breathe normally and without the assistance of the suit. He coughed and growled in pain, then, he stood up once he'd recovered his strength.

"What the hell just happened?" One of the Corallians asked of Elthas.

Elthas felt a tremendous pain where he'd received the injury. "I don't know." He said honestly. "But I think I just got severed from The Syndicate for wanting to help Lord Sorish." Elthas shook his head. "I didn't want it to have to go down this way. Damn." They tagged along just to see me undone...guess that was my Burn Notice. Elthas tired to remain calm, he knew freaking out would solve nothing. "But regardless, I'm here to rescue Lord Sorish." Elthas would continue to as planned.

"You surface dwellers are all the same." The Corallian said to Elthas. "However, we honour those who would help us." The Corallian walked over towards Elthas and helped the Elf stand straight. "Your injury was serious, some of our medics used our healing arts to save you from death. You were very lucky, a few more moments and you would have bled out and died, likely to be eaten by some sea monster."

"Just my fucking luck." Elthas sighed. He accepted the Corallian's help. "I guess I owe you now."

"You must rest." The Corallian said calmly. "Our healing arts does wonders for you surface dwellers, but you should rest while you can. We're still searching for Lord Sorish anyway."

"Haven't found him yet?" Elthas asked. "All right." Elthas sat down on the equivalent of a bench. "I will relax until he's found. I will assist your forward assault party in the search."

"You've fought against the Trench Dwellers already?" The Corallian suddenly asked. "It's a miracle you were allowed to live...they normally do not take prisoners."

"It doesn't really matter. I just want to help Lord Sorish." Elthas wanted to get in friendly with the Corallians. He knew he was alone deep in the ocean, and that didn't bode well for his survivability. Elthas thought about what he would likely have to stay in Sorish's kingdom for some time. Elthas didn't like the thought of that, but at the very least, the Corallians would take good care of him. Elthas sat down carefully and noticed that he hardly felt any pain. The injury was numb and it tingled ever so slightly. He also felt very light headed as a result of contact with the Corallian's powers. He imagined that the Corallians in front of him were deeply skilled in their arcane mysteries. Elthas spotted all his gear and personal belongings nearby. The Corallian stood by Elthas's side and was looking right at him. As were several other Corallians, male and female. "Look, I appreciate your help. I just hate feeling useless. How can I assist you guys?" Elthas asked.

"You've already done enough. Our Healers peered into your mind while you were knocked out." The Corallian hesitated. "They learned from your memories exactly WHO assaulted your vessel."

"Tell me about these Trench Dwellers, what exactly are they?" Elthas had to know what he was dealing with.

"They are Corallians who have opted to become Outcast from Corallian society. Often, their crowns are removed, and some replace them with potent sea shells unique to this land." The Corallian sighed. "We've attempted to make peace with them, but they seem to be warlike and infinitely destructive." The Corallian continued. "Some of them have dabbled into forbidden power."

"Damn that would explain their enhanced mobility..." Elthas said angrily.

"Enhanced mobility?" The Corallian asked. "YOU SURVIVED one of the forbidden techniques?" The Corallian suddenly moved quickly towards Elthas and placed a hand on either side of his face. "Tell me, how did you do it? The forbidden teachings have devastated entire squads of our best defenders!"

"H-hey, take it easy!" Elthas began. "I don't know how I survived it...maybe dumb luck." Elthas shook his head. "The Trench Dwellers were too damned fast. I tried to fight it, but all I could do was SEE. I wasn't fast enough to react..."

The Corallian rubbed his chin. "You might yet be our salvation." He looked at his companions. "Deldra, come forth." The female Corallian obeyed, and joined Elthas and his companion. "I need you to peer into his mind. And see with sight beyond sight."

"What's that shit even mean!?" Elthas felt a little nervous, perhaps more than he realized.

"Relax Sir Elthas." The woman had a soothing voice. "This will not hurt. We need to know exactly how it happened, our Healers only saw parts of those events. We need to delve deeper now..."

"Will it hurt?" Elthas asked.

"I will be by your side." The woman said truthfully. "I will guide you as you will guide us. If you survived the forbidden techniques, it is imperative that we learn everything we can from you. Because you might be our last chance..."

And the woman dived DEEP into Elthas head...

[Miss Relt]

I was nervous. Something was wrong. It had been a few hours since we had sent the team and yet there was no contact from them. According to the captain they should of reached the ocean floor an hour ago, I thought as I waited patiently for the words to appear on the scroll. Yet nothing. Not even a splotch had appeared. As I sat and waited I began to fear the worst.
What if they were attacked by one of the many creatures that lived in the deep. What if they were crushed by the water pressure. what if... My thoughts were interrupted by noise in the hall. Feet ran down the hall towards the launch bay. I got up and ran towards the door. When I opened it I saw much of the crew run past me.

I grabbed one and asked, "What's going on?"

The man looked nervous but then sighed and said, "The submersible has returned and I hear that some of the crew was injured."

My heart dropped and I whispered "Elthas." I turned and ran down the hall to the launch bay. As I entered I saw many of the crew exit with dents in their suits. I ran up and searched for Elthas but he was not among them. My heart dropped further but I shook my head and had to find out what happened.

So I walked up to one of the rescue team members and asked, "Where is Elthas."

The man looked at me with a frown and said, "The creature that attacked us got him." I fell to my knees and started to cry. However, Carol sent out a mental notice that she wanted to talk to me. It was rare for Carol to want to talk so I connected with her.

"He's lying Korra," She said through the mental link. Korra stopped crying, whenever Carol thought someone was lying she usually was right.

"What do you mean?" I asked her as I tried to think of a possible reason she would think this man was lying. They looked banged up and there was no way they would do that to themselves was there?

The man tensed up when you said Elthas's name," Carol commented, "Also, these dents don't appear to be caused by any sea creature we know, and we know every sea creature there is. There is also the knife that is on the leader of this groups belt. It seems to have been used, but not on any creatures hide. It is bent slightly which means it had to go through something hard. It could of been a shell but I doubt it considering that most shell creatures wouldn't leave dents but would crush them. That leaves the possibility of it being a Coralian armor, but the problem with that is that it would meant they were attacked by coralians but no Coralian would attack without being provoked. However, Elthas wouldn't allow that to happen so I have my doubts. Plus with the coral hide that is below Our armor there is no way that that blade would have only been bent that much. This leaves us with only one option." Carol then fell silent to see if I could figure this out. I thought about all she said. The fact that both Coralians and sea creatures were out and that the blade was bent meant that...

"They betrayed Elthas" I said to her as she sent a mental nod. My eyes filled with determination as I stood and walked away.

"Where are you going?" the man I had talked to asked.

"To the scrying room," I said with determination in my voice, "I'm going to see what I can get from the Coralian patrols who most likely found Elthas's body and took his stuff to study. After all, The Kings from Above are important to us and we love to find out as much as we can. They may have found the scroll and took it. If they did then I can contact them." I then turned around and didn't listen to the man as he tried to get me to not do so but it was no use I was going to find out what happened and nothing was going to stop me.

I walked into the scrying room and locked the door. I then went to the scroll and wrote down one word. "Elthas" I then watched as the word disappeared.

"I hope he has the scroll," I say as I waited for the reply.

[hoytti]

Sorish gulped as he looked at the giant before him. There was no way that he would be able to fight Levron and his whole crew. Even if he was to use magic, most of these people used magic themselves. Sorish knew he had no choice but to do what he was told, at least until someone came to help him. Sorish sheathed his swords and held up his hands in order to show Levron that Sorish would cooperate with him.

Levron chuckled as he saw the king of the seas submit to him. He knew that the reason was the numbers and not Levron himself but it still amused him that the king would submit in order to stay alive. However what Sorish said next surprised him

"I'll submit to you Levron," Sorish said in a calm collective voice, "for I know that it would be pointless to fight you right now. Live or die it wouldn't change what you will do. Instead I will follow what you say until the time is right to confront you."

Levron was furious. The king didn't submit to him out of fear but out of necessity. He used the speed magic to his advantage and appeared in front of Sorish and covered up his water holes in order to keep the water from circulating through his gills. In a sense, chocking him.

"You will do as I say and you will learn to fear me little king. You will bow before me and will learn who you're superior is. You will submit!" Levron then through Sorish backwards but Sorish maintained his balance as he sent water through his gills in order to regain the oxygen he had lost.

Sorish stood defiantly and said, "I'll never submit to a man who abuses a child."

Levron looked at the child behind Sorish then smiled. "Ah the Coralian boy that was brought with you. He'll be fine, he was just roughed up when he was resisting my men, that's all. If he would of come quietly he wouldn't be like that.

Sorish had a hard time as he tried to the red death under control. "Why," Sorish growled out with such hate in his voice that the water itself dropped in temperature. "Why do you need Ethan?"

Levron chuckled, "Why for the ceremony of course."

Sorish looked at him confused, "What ceremony?"

Levron chuckled again. "Why the Forbidden Ceremony of Power of course."

Sorish was shocked, the Ceremony of Power was created by his great-great grandmother in order to become queen of the seas. However it required a strong spell and the blood of a child. The sacrifice of a child is the reason that it had become forbidden. However once the shock was cleared anger took its place.

Sorish barely kept the red death at bay the best he could as he said, "Levron I challenge you to a duel to the death. Winner takes control of the other's kingdom."

Levron gave a cocky smile. "I accept."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

"I understand now..." Deldra said calmly. After diving into Elthas's mind, she'd learned a great deal about him. She looked deeply into his eyes as he sat there, attempting to relax himself after the ordeal of the psychic ability. She began to speak. "Elthas. It was not luck that saved you from the Forbidden Power." She continued. "You have someone who watched over you from the beyond the mortal coil." She smiled calmly. "The solution was so simple, I couldn't even believe it at first but that's what I discovered. You love someone, or HAVE loved someone deeply and fully."

Elthas felt his head slowly return to normal. It was a weird sensation to have someone dive into your mind, and Elthas handled it surprisingly well. The main reason was that he was focused on the injury that he'd already sustained at the hands of his companions...former companions. Elthas sighed. "There was someone. A long time ago...but she was taken from me."

"So you never loved again after that?" She asked.

"No." He said plainly, and then there was a presence in the chamber. Elthas found himself staring at the familiar specter of Hylda Terrentius.

She walked towards Elthas and Deldra. "Elthas..." She began and spoke in that echoing voice that ghosts oft spoke in. "The people you are dealing with are on the bring of committing a serious disaster upon their own kind." Hylda spoke in a very serious tone. "Your friend, Sorish is in great danger even as we speak." Hylda did not stop there. "I am here to warn you of the great battle that will occur for you very soon. You must be ready to fight with all you have."

"They are too fast. How can I fight something like that if I can't react quickly enough?" Elthas felt tired, he just wanted to rest.

"You survived the forbidden teachings once before because of the mental bonding you have to me and another." She explained.

"Another...? You mean Seth!" Seth Terrentius was a former member of The Syndicate that was killed in a betrayal and power play. Seth had once been one of Elthas's closest allies. Elthas sighed, he knew he would have to deal with ghosts for as long as he lived. Elthas shook his head. "I'm not sure I'm strong enough, but I know I want to save Sorish. I feel it is IMPORTANT that I assist your people." Elthas explained to Deldra and the rest of the gathered. "I will deal with The Syndicate business later." Not once but twice now... Elthas thought to himself and felt his anger building in his heart. He looked at Hylda and Deldra. "I need to know what to do to fight them. To protect Sorish."

"You already know what you need, you just have to trust yourself." Deldra said calmly.

"The Corallian is right." Hylda added. "You will become stronger than you could ever imagine. You are the only man I have ever truly loved. Use that to give you strength when the hour is darkest." Hylda said calmly.

Elthas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I am not certain I understand this bond business entirely, but I recall something from the elders teachings in my hometown." Elthas said. "The teachings stated that immortal-kind oft developed a strong connection into the Antifirmanent. Granted, I didn't study the old teachings as much as I should have, but now..." Elthas sighed in frustration. However...he decided that he would in fact go after Sorish and save him from the dark that was coming. "I will need a way to breathe underwater without that damned suit. It's too fucking heavy and I need my full mobility if we're to assault the Trench Dwellers." Elthas explained.

"You will need a bubble of air then." Deldra said.

"Listen to them Elthas, trust in them. They are young yet like your tribe was. They will be able to help you." Hylda said softly.

Elthas nodded. "I will do everything in my power to protect your people. Even at the cost of my own life." Elthas promised to Deldra and the gathered Corallians.

Hylda spoke next. "Believe me young Corallian. Elthas may be trusted. He honours the old alliances." She smiled softly.

Elthas looked at Deldra and suddenly found in himself the strength to stand. "We need to be out there searching for Sorish. I could not live with myself if I were unable to save him from whatever is coming."

Deldra nodded. "We must prepare you to fight like us."

Elthas felt shaken just a few moments longer. He looked at Hylda and then at Deldra. "I am willing to die for Sorish. This I can promise. Tell me what I must do."

"Follow me." The male Corallian suddenly interjected and got their attention. "Elthas you are now as one of our tribe. You have shown extreme loyalty to Lord Sorish and are free to walk among us as an equal."

Elthas nodded. "We got a friend to save then." And the group began to prepare Elthas for the battle ahead.

***
The letter of introduction started to glow for a long moment.

Elthas spotted it because the shine was bright enough to get his attention. Narrowing his eyes he looked in the general direction of the glowing light. Elthas studied the glowing parchment for a long moment and then decided to get the Corallian's attention.

"Hey. Shouldn't you at least acknowledge that strange glowing light?" Elthas walked towards the male Corallian that had the letter he'd given them. Elthas got the fellow's attention who seemed to be momentarily distracted by this or that thought. "The letter is glowing." Elthas said again and the Corallian reacted.

The Corallian turned to look at the glowing letter in his possession. "The scrying tool on your ship! Of course!" The Corallian said calmly and then looked at the glowing letter. One simple word was written on the letter. ELTHAS. The word glowed in a simple common written text. Elthas looked at the letter.

"Shit! I almost forgot, our Corallian friends back on the boat are probably no longer safe! We have to get them out of there somehow!" To compound matters, Elthas understood the window to rescue Sorish was probably a very small window. Elthas sighed. "We probably can't rescue everybody can we? We need Sorish fighting alongside us. We have to locate him."

The male Corallian alongside Deldra looked at each other. Then at Elthas. "I have some of our best trackers looking for Sorish. You will help us find him. You will also show us how to overcome the forbidden techniques."

Elthas paused for a moment, it was a tall order he was well aware. "I don't know if I am able to teach the secrets that you need but I will assist in anyway I can. Lives depend on this shit."

The male Corallian bowed gracefully towards Elthas. "There isn't much time we must act now."

Elthas agreed. He lookd at his companions and then gave himself one last preparation stretch. He spoke. "I expect there will be a lot of fighting once we find Sorish. Make sure your warriors are well prepared." Elthas said, he felt more determined to rescue his friend from the certain doom that was likely coming.

[Philomel]

Name of Thread: To the depths of mystery (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?25768-To-the-depths-of-Mystery/page4)
Type: No Judgement

Rewards:
Elthas Balthasar receives: (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?15053-Elthas_Belthasar)
2000 EXP
190 GP

Miss Relt receives: (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?16320-Miss-Relt)
730 EXP
100 GP

hyotti receives: (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?16188-hoytti)
765 EXP
90 GP

[Hysteria]

exp and gp added!