"Hello captain, it seems you could use a hand." Vaz said, climbing over the side of the ship without the aid of the nearby sailors.

  They all looked at Vaz and Theo with surprise. Not least of which the captain himself- his black short beard and shining amber eyes stood out on his face- wrinkled from years in the sun. But not from age. The man was in his mid thirties at latest- Theo surmised. He stepped forward.

  "Why would you attempt such a foolish thing? It's better to be stranded than on a shipwreck, you know." the captain said dismissively. He was missing a leg now and was hopping around with a cane. "The goblins have stalled their attacks for now- they rest. But soon they will resume..."

  "Ay sir, we explored the island a bit and were tasked by the islands god to rescue you." Vaz said, politely as he followed the captain to the helm. He was watching over the island and green goblin horde from there. What Vaz had said caused him to turn to him in surprise; "God you say?" he examined Vaz and Theo carefully before continuing; "You don't seem to be suffering scurvy or delirium. What sort of god would watch over an island such as this? Old sailor stories besides, this goblin infested outhouse in the middle of the ocean seems hardly befitting a true god."

  "Tis' a part of the reason the god has reached out to us sir, it claimed that the island is somehow containing it, and would like to be free. In exchange, it offers the islands many treasures..." Vaz knew just what kind of reaction that would draw from the captain.

  "Gregors Squall- of course! Why would that dwarvish bastard challenge us so without the promised reward of the seas?" he looked to his remaining men who were once dour and depressed begin to smile with hope.

  "So you believe me sir?",

  The captain shrugged; "You'd have much reason to return to this god-forsaken ship without a proper reason! And aid!"

  "Ay sir, and aid we bring. I say we abandon the ship and swim to safety. From there we can begin our expedition into the island. Your navigator is quite competent and can ensure we evade the goblins movements."

  Theo had remained quiet so far and allowed Vaz to do the talking- he had a way with sailors. Or pirates in this case.

  "But our stores- and our wealth-", "Let them have it, I say. Where would the goblins take it? To another island? We can deal with them later sir. After we fulfill our promise to this god. Or would you like to tempt fate by not doing as this god commands?"

  "Watch your tone boy, I'm still your captain.", "Of course sir."

  The captain looked over the faces of his men. And sighed. "-Wait? Where did the other one go?"

  ---

  Theo was below deck searching for a familiar door. He climbed down a rope ladder into the cargo-hold.

  "Lirielle? Are you in here?"

  A voice sounded from behind the door; "Why have you returned Theo? If you held hope that I could protect you here, even I can not hold the tide at bay forever."

  "I came back to free you! I know I didn't promise- but it worked out! There's a god here, and it needs our help."

  "I told you once before, I'm bound to this ship by great magics, a sailors bargain and a cleric of Gregors words. I can not leave."

  At this point a couple of sailors started shouting down into the hold; "Oy! Come outta there! Captain probids speaking to the creature!"

  "There's no time to explain-" Theo opened the door and saw the Nymarion in a rather compromised position. "Sorry!" he said as he quickly looked away. He never expected a mermaid to have... 'Parts', but everything reproduced he supposed.

  "I'm only tending my wounds... You no longer have to avert your eyes." Lirielle said.

  He looked back, to see the Nymarion lifting herself from the padded chaise lounge chair they laid on. Her room was opulent and well decorated with various gold pieces and bottles of fanciful wines. It was a larger room than he expected- from the outside it just seemed like a dingy closet.

  It distracted him for a moment until he saw the wounds she had.

  Her aqua colored scales had thick gashes in them- her entire body did. All the way from the base of her tail and up her humanoid torso. The frilly fins that hung from her body and acted as clothing were tattered and torn.

  "You need a healing potion!" Theo went over and instinctively steadied her by grabbed her shoulders. He examined her wounds- it didn't take a doctor to see that she shouldn't be standing.

  She put a hand on his- "The sailors have long since run out of such things since we've arrived here. But there is some solace, perhaps this, is my long awaited freedom."

  Theo looked up at her; "No, not like this. Here, I have something for you." he said thrusting the silver bracelet into her hands.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  She looked up at him in confusion, her large fishlike eyes had an alienlike quality to them, but they reflect her emotions well enough.

  "It's an artifact- it can break your curse!"

  Lirielle let out a surprised gasp, and immediately sleeved it over her wrist. Then she looked to her spear. Dulled from killing countless goblins. She picked it up and the bracelet began to shake.

  ---

  "We'll take whatever provisions we can- with whatever artifacts this god gifts us, perhaps we can exterminate these goblins with-"

  Vaz was talking with the captain, planning their journey.

  A woman appeared, the Nymarion. A couple of sailors who were calling for Theo in the cargo-hold had backed up uneasily.

  "Are the goblins attacking?" the captain asked, putting a hand on his sword and looking over the side of the ship.

  Once he saw there were none, he turned back to the Nymarion, confused. Then he looked to the shaking artifact on her wrist. He drew his sword and pointed to it; "What is this then?" he asked smiling nervously.

  "For countless moons, I have served on this vessel." she began. The captain saw where this was going and held his sword up defensively; "I only did as the black hand asked, and even then I protected you! Did I not provide you the best I could? Did you think my affections to be nothing but a brute savages?" he was angry- frightened. And... Hurt?

  Theo had emerged from the deck behind the Nymarion. So he had freed her. Vaz took a few steps around to join him, and sailors did the opposite to stand alongside their captain. They nervously eyed each other as they did. A stand-off of sorts began.

  "It is true, you could have been a worse captor, but a captor you were still. And my people have long held traditions considering these matters, I'm sure you are aware?" she twirled her spear into a ready position. "Any last words?"

  He grimaced and steeled himself; "Were your affections an illusion, or had you always planned to mutiny!" he shouted out and charged at her. Sword flailing about. He'd abandoned all finesse in his strikes.

  She leaned away with a look of pity in her eyes. Dodging each slash easily- the captain had an unsteady gait thanks to missing a leg below the knee.

  "You were a distraction." she slashed out with her spear making a careful cut along his neck. He gurgled in pain and feel back- but Lirielle caught him by the collar. His eyes were wide in shock as she kissed him firmly on the lips. "I-I'm sorry-" the captain pleaded. Life rapidly fading form his face.

  She tossed him over the side of the ship.

  The sailors rushed in to save their captain while Theo and Vaz moved to defend Lirielle- they had chosen their sides instinctively. Prisoners- vs their captors. But Vaz regretted the decision- they needed the sailors. They needed all the help they could get.

  But before they could help her- the Nymarion blurred and cut them down in an instant.

  She breathed hoarsely, looking at the blood that dripped from her spear.

  "Lirielle..." Theo walked over to her side, and she flinched- which caused him to flinch. He clenched his fists. "We needed those sailors. There's a god, it wants our help- it's what gave us that artifact.."

  Her gaze snapped back at him and her eyes were full of conflicting emotions. Theo almost felt numerous fatal cuts opening on his body from the stare. After a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, she relaxed.

  "..I apologize Theo, but I have other more pressing arrangements to honor first, as well as seek the aid of my people. To heal myself. If you are still on the island when I return, I will aid you then."

  "But-"

  She blurred over to the railing and dove over- splashing into the water. They saw a blue shape just beneath the waves disappear over the horizon like a speeding dolphin.

  It was almost comical, just how quickly their hopes were dashed. There they stood- red blood pooling across the deck from many sailor corpses.

  Then they heard the goblins blow their horns.

  ---

  "Rex... I don't feel so good..." Jason groaned, clutching his stomach. The cold feeling was building again. Soon he'd blast the area around him with ice.

  Rex walked besides him tentatively- always watching their surroundings and sniffing about. He looked up at Jason; "Seed. Mana." were the words he heard, but with them came an understanding.

  The flower wolf wanted him to use his [Mana Seed] skill. But why would that help? He supposed if there was any time to try it out...

  "Just here?" he asked. Jason wished Rex was more open to conversation, but it was like speaking to a parakeet often times.

  "Follow. Find." the white wolf with magenta colored flower petals jumped ahead- bounding over the white snow bluffs and fallen logs. They were near the entrance to the mines now- and therefore the dungeon. He staggered after the dexterous hound.

  "Slow down! I haven't slept in 24 hours!" It was true, he had not slept. For whatever reason he was compelled to stay up through the night and continue on. When he asked the hound why he didn't become sleep Rex had only said; "Seedborn", with the interwoven meaning that they did not sleep like normal.

  They passed by a frozen creek that led into an iced sculpture of a waterfall. They walked across the ice and found the entrance to a small cave. "Seed." Rex said as he pawed the soft soil at the base of the cave. Most of the ground was covered in ice and snow elsewhere but here, so it did make a fine spot.

  He leaned down and activated the skill.

  [Mana Seed]

  He felt the cold sensation he usually felt during his episodes travel down his arm and into the soil ahead of him. A seed the size of a baseball formed in his hand. It glowed white and had a pale wooden exterior.

  The moment it plopped onto the ground roots emerged and began to bury it into the soil.

  "Hide." he heard Rex say, but when he turned he was missing.

  Jason turned back to the seedling and it was also missing, a gopher hole left in it's place.

  "RRRRAAAAR!" a furious roar erupted from within the cave. Theo looked, but the roots that hang from the dirt ceiling obstructed everything- not to mention the darkness. After hearing heavy footfalls approach he dove to the side- hiding in some brush nearby.

  And not a moment too soon as a hulking bear double the size of a grizzly ran out of the cave. It stomped across the ice lake and kept roaring as it barreled through the frozen tundra.

  "What the?" Jason asked, standing up from behind the section of brush he hid behind.

  "Beast. Know." Rex said. The flower was poking up above some bushes nearby. Jason looked over and saw the wolf head pop up too. "Talk about camouflage, you have it built in." Jason joked.

  "Burrow, seeded. Rest." Rex said, and the meaning he inferred was to go into the cave and sleep.

  Jason didn't know what was going on, but that was pretty on par for course ever since had first snuck into his fathers study and used the machine to come here.

  "It's dark."

  Rex only shot him a look without speaking this time. It was... Judgmental.

  Jason rolled his eyes and stepped into the cave. It was large enough he could stand up in, but he still had to duck the occasional root.

  Then he heard crying- a bear cub was entangled and mewling in pain- Jason ran over and tore at the vines that gripped its body tightly.

  "Rex! Help! It's killing them!"

  There were two wrapped up in the briar.

  "Biomass. Sufficient." is all he said, sitting next to him observing his efforts with a curiosity.

  "Have a heart! They're in pain!" Jasons palms became bloodied from the thorns- they were so strong! Like rope!

  Rex padded over and gripped the first cub by the throat and bit down. It shook for a moment and fell still. Then he went towards the other.

  "No!" Jason pushed him away. "I don't want this! Stop!" he gripped the writhing vines and they slowed. He took deep breaths- "Undo. Undo." he chanted, clenching his eyes shut. Feeling the connection to the nature around him.

  Slowly- almost hesitantly- the briar unraveled from around the mewling cub. It's fur was slightly bloodied, but it hadn't managed to do too much damage yet.

  Jason breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the dog-sized baby bear into his arms. It was weak, tired from fighting with the vines.

  "Biomass.", "Shut up." he said as he carried the mewling cub to the edge of the ice lake. Placing it carefully. Hopefully the mother would find it here. As for the other...

  Jason stepped back into the cave brushing aside the rapidly growing roots like a curtain.

  It laid in the back- dead. Being absorbed into the wall of the cave.

  "Burrow. Safe. Rest." Rex said as he nestled down into a bed of roots.

  "We need to make some ground rules, Rex." but the flower wolf did not respond.

  "...First thing tomorrow, then."

  He sighed and went to the back of the cave.

  Something about this place spoke to him- the seed had grown into a home for him. He sensed it. Little white flowers began to grow in places, still closed up and yet to bloom- but they were there.

  Fatigue washed over him as he sat at the back, and the vines moved towards him. His consciousness faded.