Waves of ocean water lapped up on the sides of the jagged rock of Valadel. Dark, puffy clouds moved in, blotting out the golden sun. Ominous sounds of thunder ached in the sky, giving hint to rain. Gusts of winds blew violently, slamming against the old castle walls. Off in the distance, Jorden had grown fainter, as if the island was slowly moving away, further and further. A loud clap was heard from the sky, bringing rain with it. Gusts of wet wind surrounded Miles as he held his hand above his eyes. It was difficult to see in the violent storm. His eyes were squinted, trying to keep rain from entering them. He had kept moving, pacing back and forth across the stone landing so he may stay warm. Waves had grown bigger with each gust of wind. It worried him that a possible rogue wave would pass by and sweep them up, swallowing them back into the sea. He couldn't let his thoughts distract him, however. He had to stay vigilant. Rain dripped from his forehead and down his back, giving him slight shivers. From inside the castle, sounds and shuffles echoed off the walls. The cursed ones worried him. He feared they may attack him from behind as a ship may pass by. He set up a trap, a string of cans behind the castle doors so he may know when they come, but it wouldn't be enough. A boom of thunder made itself heard, sending a streak of lightning crashing against the water. Water jumped from the wave, heated by the bolt of electricity.

"Steady men!" He heard someone yell from quite a ways away. In an excited panic, he jumped to his feet. If his ears deceived him, he would cut them off. From the right side of the castle, a large fishing boat braved the storm that surrounded them.

"Hey!" Miles yelled, "Hey!" He was frantically waving his arms. The seamen showed no sign of noticing his efforts. Miles felt dread the boat wouldn't see him. Quickly, he ran inside the castle, sprinting to the shelter.

"Tytus!!" He yelled as he ran down the halls. He quickly turned the corner to the hall that led to the refuge.

"Tytus!" He yelled again.

The bookcase was lifted from the ground.

"Miles, what is it?!" Said a worried Tytus.

"Get out here, there's a boat!"

"A boat?! Quick, Cristomir, come!" He yelled. The two rangers quickly crawled through the space between the bookcase and floor.

"Come on!" Yelled Miles, motioning them down the hall. The trio sprinted with full might, running through the dark, gloomy corridors. No cursed ones caught wind of their antics, much to the warriors pleasure. They quickly came upon the grand double doors and slipped through. The boat was still there, but just a little further out.

"Over here!"

"This way!"

All three men were jumping and shouting, desperately trying to gain the attention of the sailors who inched further and further away. Tytus, after realizing they wouldn't hear him, tore off his mantle, waving it around as if it were a flag in the breeze. Cristomir did so as well. Their large, red capes flowed in the violent winds. It was to no avail, however, as the ship disappeared behind the waves and heavy rain. The trio had stopped any sort of movement, giving up in a mournful defeat.

"Shit..." Said Tytus.

Miles said nothing and simply returned into the castle.

"Do you think another one will come?" Cristomir asked.

Tytus took moments to answer. "Perhaps. If we're lucky....or if the Scrag doesn't get to us first." Tytus had started pacing, trying to think of another way to escape. A boat had come, and they missed it. How were they supposed to believe another would come. They winds blew hard at him and the rain pelted against him. Thunder clapped in the sky, heralding lightning. He scratched his goatee, combing the water out as he did so.

Finally, Cristomir broke the silence."Do you think-"

"Wait!" Said Tytus, interrupting Cristomir. He squinted so he may see further into the storm. Out behind the waves was the ship, turned around, headed towards the castle.

"Quick, get the others out here!" Tytus barked.

Cristomir said nothing but left right away eagerly. He ran the path they traversed earlier, came to the bookcase and lifted with all his might.

"Get out here, the lot of you!" He yelled underneath. "The ship is coming back!"

The room lit up with praises from each and every member. Miles, who had already made it back from the seemingly disappointing encounter with the boat, slid the bookcase away from the entrance, revealing the hall.

"Come on!" Cristomir yelled, waving with this arm. Every member exited with urgency. Cristomir started to leave but halted in his tracks. He ran back inside the room and frantically looked around, trying to find the piece of equipment he would not leave in this castle. Finally, he saw it. Leaning against the wall, next to an empty quiver, was Stormbolt. He picked it up and slung it around his back. This was all he had left of Danticus, this would leave with him as well. He then left to rejoin his group, and the torch that gave them light hissed as Cristomir brushed by it. They ran down the hall, Miles with his sword drawn in case of any encounters with the cursed ones. Surprisingly, as they came to the grand hall leading to the entrance, there were none.

"Through here!" He shouted, pointing to the grand double doors.

"Wait, wheres the Scrag?" Said Valyn.

"Don't worry about him, we need to go!" Said Cristomir.

Valyn shook his head. "He's bound to come! We need to be ready!"

Cristomir nodded in agreement. "You're right. Okay um..."

"If it comes down to it, I'll hold him off." Said Miles.

"No! We are all so close! I'm not letting him claim anymore numbers!" Said Cristomir.

"Wait...I know what to do!" Said Valyn.

"And that is!?"

"Just back up..."

The group did so as Valyn walked forward a few steps. He inhaled deeply and exhaled. He tried to recall the story his uncle told him, the one about his father, the wall of ice he summoned to save him and his brother. Valyn tried to channel the energy of the story through his veins, hoping to accomplish the feat his father had. His wrists had turned the ritualistic light blue and his eyes became a frost white. Cristomir could feel the room get colder as frost became visible along the walls. The rain that poured in from outside became small pieces of ice that fell heavily to the floor. Valyn became still and motionless, his palms out, small swirls of blue dancing along them. The frost on the walls began to grow outwards, with the intention of inevitably meeting. Ice from the floor and ceiling grew to each other, inching closer and closer.

"Phenomenal..." Said an awestruck Jazmyn.

Finally, the ice had met in the center, creating a thick frozen wall. Valyn's wrists had become the pale color of his skin again and his pupils returned to his eyes. He fell to the floor in exhaustion.

"Valyn!" Cried Aryanne. She ran next to him, kneeling down beside him. She still wore the great, white and blue robe she had recovered from that fateful chamber. One of her hands went to the back of his head, raising it from the icy, cold ground. The other went to his upper arm.

"Gabrielen, help her with Valyn. Miles, stay here and keep an eye out for the Scrag. We need to know if he comes so we may be prepared."

Tytus' head popped in from between the doors.

"The boat's here! Get out here!" He said.

"Okay, okay, come on, lets go!" Said Crisotmir.

Gabrielen ran over to Valyn and took his arm around his shoulder, as did Aryanne on the other side. They hoisted him up from the floor and quickly dragged his body up the steps and to the outside. Miles took his post, watching the ice wall for signs of the dreaded beast.

The ship was as close to the jagged rock as it could get.

"Come aboard!" Yelled their captain.

Entering first was Aryanne and Gabrielen, who dragged along the unconscious Valyn. Some sailors quickly took him aboard, but dropped him in panic.

"What in the abyss! His ears!" Said a sailor.

"Hers too!" Said another one.

"We'll explain later! Please, just get us out of here!" Said Tytus, who climbed aboard after them.

The sailors were dumbfounded and bewildered, but helped them nonetheless.

Back within the castle, Miles took cautious steps backwards, eager to get to the boat, but still wary of an appearance by the Scrag. As if on cue, a thud was heard from behind the ice. Then the ice itself cracked in a single spot. Then another, and another.

Oh no...

He looked behind him. Only Cristomir still had to board the ship. Another thud came from the ice wall, demanding his attention. He snapped his view back to the frozen barrier. Another large crack appeared in the ice, like spider webs. Another came in the same spot, as the ice began to protrude out in the center. Finally, a fist the size of Miles' own head broke through the ice. It's claws were long and it's forearm thick and veiny. The large arm retreated back into the hole. A disfigured, marred face made itself known through the gape in the ice. The Scrag's milky white eye roamed around frantically, searching for what his nose had smelt. Finally, it honed in and focused on Miles. The face left the hole and more thuds were heard from behind the ice. Cracks and spiderwebs decorated the ice as the Scrag so desperately tried to get through, to get one final kill.

"Miles, come on!" Shouted Cristomir, who was aboard the boat.

Miles let his gaze break away from the ice and sprinted towards the boat, determined not to suffer a death at the hands of the Scrag. He ran and jumped aboard the boat, grabbing Cristomir's hand to keep from falling into the stormy blue water below. Cristomir hoisted him up onto the ship, and the squadroner crashed on to the deck. He laid down for a minute, panting, lungs burning, but alive. He rolled over from his back and onto his chest, pushing himself up to his feet. They all stared in anticipation at the frozen blue wall, waiting for the moment the scrag would break through. To their happiness, the moment never came. They sailed on the large fishing boat away from the dreaded castle, the nightmare finally over. Aryanne and Valyn, despite the horrors they faced within that place only the most sadistic could desire, would miss it. It was all they knew. Now came a new time in their lives, one full of mystery.

"Alright sir..." Said the ship captain to Tytus. "Explain to us what you're doing in a castle in the middle of the sea with two, er, whatcha call em? Elves." He shook his head at the absurdity of the question.

"It was a mission given to us by the king...if only...if only he knew." Said Tytus.

"The king sent you here? The king of Jorden? Well...what was in there?" He asked.

Tytus rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Nothing of the heavens...nothing good at all."

The ship captain scratched his gray beard and studied Tytus with his hazel colored eyes that rested beneath shallow forehead wrinkles.

"Well, lucky for you, we're on our way to Jorden from a moon sail, fishin' in the southern seas. We'll go full sail after this storm eases up a bit. Ya'll head below deck and rest up. I'll tell ya when we get there. Shouldn't be too long."

Jazmyn stepped forward. "You're too kind, sir."

"I'll be sure to tell the king of your deeds." Said Tytus.

"Ah, you can tell the king whatever you please. Now, if you'll excuse me...the helm needs my attention."

"Hatch is right over their." Said a sailor, pointing to the hatch lying in the ships floor. Tytus thanked him and the survivors had crawled inside. Empty hammocks and small tables rested below the deck. The adventurers took their seats, taking off the rather cumbersome pieces of armor. No one said anything, as nothing needed to be said. Each was just happy to be on their way to Jorden. Many were lost on this trip. Many good men lost their lives and for what?

The elves were found, of course. But what more? Nothing. No artifacts of immense riches, no ancient weapons of power, nothing. Of course, the elves where a staggering find, but only death and monsters awaited them. Tytus was worried as to what the king's response would be, regarding the elves. If he were to order their death, this journey would be for nothing. If he were to order their survival, the nations would surely war. And of course, no matter the outcome, he and the survivors would be caught in the middle.

*****

(Thanks for reading, and I'd love to know what you think! Sound off in the comments! Your feedback is always appreciated!)