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((OOC: <.< >.> *kicks it back to the first page*))

Janika was still pretty much confused, so she decided to follow Tekira and Aer.

Before that question could be aanswered, athe area ahead of them shifted suddenly, and a wall sprang up to cut off any further movement down the corridor. The celing seemed to scrunch back, revealing a hole through which a bleary eyed and dishevled Wraith decended upon a thin, floating sheet of metal.

"Damn it all! Ever since I ran in to you lot, I can't seem to get a decent rest." He rose an angry finger towards the companion and sneered. "That thing. Off my ship. Now."

((This might be a little bit OOC, but I thought it was funny razz ))

Aer rolled his eyes and sighed. "Lux. Useful comic relief. Now." With that, Lux reformed into his natural form and squealed at Wraith. As Lux did this, The sheet of metal upon which Wraith stood promptly shot back up into the ceiling, which closed neatly. Aer looked back at Tekira. "That probably won't please him," Aer said quietly, "but as far as I'm concerned, he needs to get over whatever his problem is. I wonder if I have a demon that will make them get along," he mused as he started walking again.

Wraith was cut off as, with a great shattering, the silicon fist exploded and Lux emerged from the dust, accompanied, oddly enough by a slavering, dark humanoid figure with gleaming red eyes.

"Um," Aer murmured.

"Glasya Labolas," hissed the creture in Aer's direction. "Nice to meet you, Master."

"Why did you...?"

The demon--Glasya Labolas, apparently--held up a little black wooden box, and tossed it to Aer, who caught it.

"This one is free of charge," Glasya Labolas snickered, before diving for Wraith.

"No!" Aer cried. "Don't attack him!" Glasya Labolas drew up short, looking confusedly at Aer, who shook his head.

"Why not? He offended me... I wish to kill him."

Aer looked over at Wraith meaningfully. Meanwhile, Lux zoomed gleefully around Glasya Labolas's head.

((I'm as sick of it as Tekira. razz

Forgive me for leaving Tekira and Janika standing while all this happens, but I tried to include them without actually controlling them... if there are any problems with how I write your characters, please let me know.))

At that moment, the entire ship gave a dreadful lurch. Lux, startled, flitted over to attach himself to Aer, like a bizarre helmet around his head, and Glasya Labolas made as if to 'trip' toward Wraith--and likely attack him in the process--except for the fact that Aer shouted and dove for the demon, demanding that he step away from Amryck. Having lost his balance when he jumped, though, Aer slammed into the side of the corridor; if Lux had not been hovering around his head, He might have cracked it open. As it was, Lux seemed to cushion the impact, and Aer quelled any ideas he might have had about asking Lux to get off.

"Glasya Labolas, you are not to attack Amryck. And if you get any ideas about that order not being for selfish gain, then let me remind you that if he dies, I'll have no one to teach me how to live with this ship. Now, just stay here and--urgh!" For the ship had given another heave, in the opposite direction, throwing Aer across the corridor. This time, there was no doubt that Lux's presence had saved Aer, for even with the cushioning effect, his head bumped lightly against the wall. Aer shook his head and stared at Wraith.

"Wraith!" he shouted. "Can you connect with the ship from out here, or do you need to be in the cockpit? You've got to find out what's--Glasya, catch her!" He had been interrupted by another lurch, one which seemed to make Tekira lose her balance, unlike the prevous two. Aer reflected, briefly, that both of the girls must have much better balance than he, who had lost his balance after the first bump. Glasya Labolas was snickering ominously as he obeyed and caught Tekira from ramming into the wall, but just as the ship settled, it shook again, and Aer dove to catch Janika, who had lost her footing this time. Lux took it upon himself to extend a little, sliding down to pad Aer's shoulder as he slid across the floor to catch Janika. Aer braced himself for another bump, as did Lux and Glasya Labolas, but this time, the ship seemed to be done for good.

"Wraith!" Aer said breathlessly. "Find out what the hell that was!" He tried to help Janika up, mumbling apologies and inquiries as to whether she was injured, and then added to Wraith, "Please, sir." He tossed on the 'sir' as an afterthought, considering that he was, after all, an apprentice of sorts.

Aer shook his head. "You made him leave..." he sighed, though. He wasn't going to try to fool himself. "Glasya Labolas! Where are you?"

"Here, Master." The voice came from beside Aer, but Aer saw nothing. "Don't fret. I cannot physically enter the room while your... acquaintance... is one with the ship, Master, but I can speak with you easily."

"I want you to--"

"Ah--a moment, if you please, Master. If you want me to render you another service, I have no objection, but first... There is the small matter of payment for the last."

Aer sucked in a breath. "What?"

"Catching the girl..."

Aer sighed. He wasn't about to refute that... After all, he had given the order. "What do you want?"

"Just a pittance, I assure you... Your left arm, Master."

"What?"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to sever it."

"I... Fine, take it, or whatever. But will you do another task?"

"But of course."

Aer looked at Wraith. "How far can you go?" he asked the demon.

"What do you mean?"

"Away from me. Is there a limit?"

"No. I can go to the ends of the earth, if you wish."

Aer nodded. "Go to the Forteresse. Do you--?"

"I know where it is, Master."

"Find Rivus. If you can stop him, or bind him, easily, do it. Otherwise, just find out what you can--about where he is, exactly what he's doing--and return here to report."

"This is really not my sort of job..."

"I don't have time to look up a better demon, Glasya Labolas. If you can do it, do it. I'll pay you later."

"As you wish, Master." With these words, Aer felt his left arm give a twitch, a small spasm, and then nothing.

"Glasya?" There was no response. The demon was gone. Aer flexed his arm, but it seemed fine. Finally, he looked over to Wraith. "Well, what happens now? Is there anything I can do to help? I might have a demon that can cut the attacking threads... Or maybe Lux can do it."