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Watching his father take the locket back, he swallowed. There were many reasons why he couldn't keep it for himself. One of which was the pain he could see in the old dragon's eyes. One could say that he was almost indifferent to the emotions of others but that wasn't true when it came to the only family he had left. His father should be the one to keep that token of her, Kaz had his own tucked away in his belt which served as a constant reminder of the past anyways. "I understand my responsibilities, father." But if he didn't return and take care of things ahead of time, he would be constantly distracted anyways and that was never a good thing. Thus he stood by his father and waited patiently for the Laerethe to work his magic.

The wind was knocked out of him at the experience and pain clouded golden eyes for a moment before he blinked and familiarity washed over his senses. A nod to Rahsaveer. "Thank you." This was home... but it looked so horribly defeated he couldn't help but cringe. Turning to his father and hoping the shaky feeling in his gut wouldn't betray him, he finally spoke. "Vetkin is still around, isn't he?" When he'd been a child, he would sit on a crate in the craftsman's workshop for hours on end, watching him forge a Guardian's sword or blow glass into a vase for mother's flowers. It was just so amazing to watch someone make beautiful things out of junk that no one seemed to care about. The old dragon was indestructible in Kaz's eyes and many a lesson he had learned in that place... And then, when disaster had struck, it was Vetkin that had inspired and encouraged him to do what he had now come back to do. Some things just never changed.

Richards was leaning on the railing, looking at the scene before him much like Gem was. That ship out there, with Hunter on it, could be nothing other then the Burning Prince. but why was his captain on that ship, and what was he doing on it.

glancing over at the three dragons, and the other elf...as well as most of the rest of the crew.

"Back to work, the lot of you!"

at least that would get the crew to stop lollygagging about.

"What in the Sands has he done. No one barters with the Burning Prince and gets away clean. no one."


The Captain knew that the other elf was listening in. just as much as he knew the one on the horse was.

"You're willing to sacrifice allies and comrades for your own skin, are you. Condemn someone to service on my vessel in your name? Not exactly the same Hunter Deacon that I made a pact with all those years ago."

"I've seen alot more since then. And I don't have any intention of being anyone's servant. you or otherwise."

the Captain gave a wry chuckle at that, making the legs that formed his beard twitch and spasm.

"You've been doing work for others since I raised that ship for you in the first place. you served under the Pirate Lords, made yourself at least two enemies in their ranks despite your influence in those same ranks. You serve Lycear now, and those little wretches looking to repair what never should have been given in the first place to those that had it."

"But I made those deals and those pacts on my own will. there's a difference in servitude and working under someone. servants have no choice."

"Aye. true enough. Well then lets see how far your really willing to go. you want out of the deal I made with you, by sacrificing another. Then lets forget about Lycear and those hundred and fifty. I'll give you two choices instead. the black dragon in the saltbeds, or Desdemona."

Hunter's jaw set, and he stiffened a bit, which got a slight gleam to the other captain's eye.

"Oh? not so eager to accept that offer, are ye. A little harder to sacrifice someone close. But the way I see it, the lads and myself...well...it does get a bit stifling out here. we could use some entertainment of our own."

A slight chuckle there, and a emptying the contents of his pipe on his clawed hand.

Hunter smirked lightly.

"Trying to make me have the choice you made, is it? You, who sacrificed humanity for the adoration of a goddess you couldn't have even if you were the ruler of all the sands? You forget I studied. I learned your history as much as you know mine."

the Captain's face hardened, and his beard twitched in agitation, causing the crew to look and act a little more hostile toward Hunter.

"Watch your words, captain. your treading on dangerous ground."

Hunter walked over and around the other captain, keeping one eye on him, the other on the crew.

"You would try to part me and her just to see if I have the resolve, would you. but lets say I take the other choice. what good is the black dragon to you."

The Captain turned his head slightly.

"You and your entire menagerie couldn't take that one."

"So, you admit to placing an option that's unattainable. that's against Code."

"Code? I was there when the Code was laid. I know it better than you do. You're bartering with me, lad. I don't have to give you goals you can achieve, save one. your bartering your soul for another price. I can deem that price as I see fit."

"Except we're not bartering on equal terms. you just admited that Desdemona's service to you has nothing to do with the service you'd expect from me, thus her value must be lower or greater than mine. and since it's my soul that has yet to have a solid value to it, I can claim that it's value is below that of Desdemona, in regaurds to service, and that leaves you with one choice I can't make, and one choice I can refute with counter offer."

The Captain crossed his arms lightly with a bit of a smirk.

"Counter offer? what do you think you're trying to do, Hunter. There's nothing on your ship of value to me save yourself."

"Who said it had to be my ship? I don't recall that being in the terms of our original agreement either."

A slightly exasperated sigh, and a gesture of 'go on'. Hunter always had some hidden card in his deck, didn't he. and it was that very intrigue that caught Jones' eye in the first place.

Hunter continued to walk around him until they were standing face to face, so to speak, and gave him a slight grin.

"We keep the same time frame, one month. in exchange for me, I'll give you the one that got away."

The Captain's browridge raised a bit.

"I get that arranged for you, you give me the freedom of the sands with my soul and the Chimera."

"And how do you plan on doing that? you've nothing thats going to get him into the Sands. he still owes his debt to me. you're hoping to simply play bounty hunter to finish your own?"

"That's my offer. You give me a month, I get your bounty, and you take the bounty on my end off in exchange for doing what you can't."

The Captain watching him a moment. there was some trick here, some deception. it was undeniable. But he gave a slight grin, taking Hunter's hand with his human looking one.

"We have an accord. you have till the end of this month to get my bounty to me."

"wait a second. the end of this month is only a week..."

"Not my problem. you're the one who failed to specify which month. So I'll be seeing you in one week, Captain. in one manner or another."

The rest of the crew gave derided smirks and chuckles, walking towards the Burning Prince but not making it before fading into sand and drifting off on the wind...and the ship herself plunged directly into the quicksand, leaving a frowning and aggravated hunter on a marooned ship.

She wanted to roll her eyes at how fickle pirates could be. Honestly...Lycear or the Black, a variable army of souls, even Kelligrin's expertise...those were all very good offers. Then it got changed down to one dragoness or someone else whom was in Hunter's shady past no doubt. The former choices made more sense...if one wanted to take down the power notches, those were it. Or so she'd seen on the plane. Note to self...deals with pirates were not smart to make. Watching the ship and crew disappear, leaving Hunter behind, she dropped her magical ties she had going immediately blinking some as a lightheaded feeling washed over her. And now she had a gaggle of souls that she didn't even want to boot too...angry, scared, regretful, sorrowful, anguished souls...just great. Turning her horse about, she gave a little kick to start heading back to the ship...wow, that wasn't a pleasant feeling at all.

She blinked at the shout from the first mate and looked to idling pirates and others...of course they were distractd by the sight before them, who wouldn't be. But the gleam of gold in the sun and his little voice drew her gaze down to him. "I'm not scared. And I think you're very right..." Shaking her head lightly before noting something very important...where was Kaznec? If anyone, he would be at the railings watching what was happening with that interest of his that was always present. Okay that was just worrisome, a flick of her tail in her agitation to that knowledge and patting at Cyvalor's hair just to be comforting. "Just stay here okay? You don't want to be any closer."

"They're talking...what's that story again? You make deals with him and then you have to serve on his ship or something? What on earth could be that important to Hunter? Or rather what does he already owe?" Frowning lightly, "I don't like this Thobias...I'm not on the sands to play in games with Legends."

Hunter rubbed his chin lightly. he'd have to be quick on this to beat the deadline. a glance over toward Gem's newly christened Gale Claw. And he knew how to do it. just the time he thought he'd have was severely cut short. Before glancing over at Sav.

"Mind giving me a lift? Seeing as I did what I promised to do, might I get a ride back to the Chimera?"


Desdemona was about finished with her sister, besides, she was getting a bit tipsy herself and honestly didn't trust her sister not to notice and to try and convince her to be one of the 'girls' for 'old times sake'.

So she set her glass down, and got herself up, casually smoothing out her clothes a bit.

"Well I need to get back shipside for the moment. if we stay overnight I'll be more than happy to have another talk with you, sister."

"A little fire isn't that frightening. and a few burns is better than the suffocation of being consumed by the Sand."

Hopping up on the back of the horse, much to it's dislike that seared his hand flicking it's tail at him. a wince, but that was it. he had plans to adjust and people to setup.

"Ready when you are."

"There are worse ways to die, yes." Waiting for him to get on before patting at the agitated mare...she didn't like other riders really...to soothe her before urging her on with a fluff of the mares firey wings in slight show if her agitation. Getting back to the ship she listened for the sound of Hunter's boots to hit the deck as he got off and prepared to get off as well, but she jumped lightly in surprise at the touch to her thigh, ears twitching as Kelligrin's voice followed. Couldn't he clear his throat or something first?! A hand out in the supposed direction he was in, her finges grazing his in seeking and she noted his had his arms up. Would be angry at him wanting to help her down, but was feeling drained. Grabbing his wrist, she got down with his help...though she'd never admit that. "What do you need to talk about now? I'm really not in the mood..."

She had to admit, the child was funny and she chuckled lightly as he bounced around from topic to topic. Fearing he may run to the creature, she plopped her hands on his shoulders to keep him in place. "He went back where he belongs...and I think I was told that's called a nightmare...they're black horses made of shadow and flame. I wouldn't touch it if I were you." But another worried look around...he still wasn't wondering what everything was about...and he still hadn't come out of Hunter's cabin. Did something happen to him in there? Suddenly she was feeling anxious.

"Well...regardless of who or what it is...just be ready to break from this trip with him if need to. I'll not be risking my ship or my crew for his deals with devils. I'm on the Sands for the freedom and the jewels...not for such dark things. I think it worries me more that he knew where the devil would be...or rather knew how to call him..."

Desdemona gave a nod, giving her a hug.

"but don't be afraid to trust. everyone needs allies in times of strife. And I'll be in touch, one way or another. even I got some favors to call in if I have to."

Before she headed back out to the ship, noting too many folks that were obviously disturbed or inquisitive about something..and noting a golden dragonling on deck. well that wouldn't do. So getting back up on deck, and taking the little dragonling by his horn and turning him around.

"Now what do you think your doing? you know the girls are going to be worried sick about you."


Hunter hit the deck in a stride going for his cabin, with Richard's right on his heels, before closing the door while Hunter got himself something to drink and pulled out an old book and laying it on his desk, and started flipping through it. lists of dates, names, connections.

"You going to tell me what exactly you were doing out there?"

"You don't need to know. my affairs are my affairs."

"the hell I don't. your affairs affect my life and the life of this crew. you don't want to come clean then how are we supposed to trust your continued..."

Hunter looked up, and the look on his face got Richard's to step back abit.

"The words better die in your mind before they make it to your mouth, Mister Richards. What I choose to do with my ship is my decision and not yours. and if you want to test me on it I'll be getting a new crew and that includes a first mate at this atoll."

looking back at his book, and tracing names with his finger. there is was. Thobias was his ticket. all he'd have to do is arrange for something to happen to Thobias that would get Teach to be willing to risk it to preserve his progeny. Then he'd just have to keep Teach out on the Sands by any means needed to trade him over.

She was tense as he lead her down...she didn't trust his steps. Very few people she liked leading her for that reason adn he was liable to step over something that she would just run into because she couldn't see it. Didn't have to worry too much about that though seeing as he decided to do all the walking on his own carrying her with him before he parked her on a bench. "I'm still learning...soul snatching is hard for me to do a lot at once and containing them moreso..." Leaning her head back and closing her eyes. "You don't need to worry about me."

A worried look to Caden. "That's my question exactly...out of all people he would be the one to look on such a sight." Angling a look down to Cyvalor once more, "Well...nightmare doesn't have to just mean icky dreams. Many words mean many things. "And yes I'm sure...and you'll meet Kaznec."...when she knew where he was...oh yes starting to get quite anxious that he was gone. More so than she had ever been...she usually wasn't the anxious from abscense kind of personality. "Des, he's not being any trouble."

She squeezed his hands back after collapsing her spyglass and settling it to her belt. "For now, let's just continue to stock up and have the crew relearn their stations on this ship. I know it's not as big as the other and that may get them cranky."