343 réponses à ce sujet

[MireliA]

Gnat! she's exactly how I imagined her to be . Love the Zev and Kai pictures too.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Thanks MireliA! I think I need to tweak Gnat a little, she needs more darks. I was working on not making her shadows too dark as she is a pale girl with pale hair. Made me a little woogie about shading.

[TanithAeyrs]

Love the new pics Gil. Need MORE.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Aw, thanks Tanith! *HUGS* Oh and kiwibliss on FF told me to poke you for your next chapter. LOL!

[TanithAeyrs]

Poking worked - its on its way for you to beta.

[Gilgamesh1138]

YAY! I got it will read right now! : D

[Gilgamesh1138]

I tweaked Gnat a little and rescanned her in. More shading and detailing. : D

[Don Macarin]

OMG



I just have to say it, I LOVE YOUR WRITING



Normally, I don't like fanfic nor do I use fora. But I just had to sign up for this one just that I could leave a reply :$



Well, you made me like Zevran even more, but hehe, who doesn't like his spanish accent ?

[Gilgamesh1138]

Wow! I am so honored, and flattered. I can't thank you enough Don M. I am working on Chapter 79 and should have it up in a few hours. Again, thanks so much! *HUG* I am now all giddy. You made my day.

[LadyAly]

Pah - al ready landed at chapter 50 - so I hope to catch up to 78 soonish

Please don't stop writing XD

[Gilgamesh1138]

ROFL! Thanks LadyA! I am writing the next chapter! : D

[Lady Jess]

Those pics were great! I sense some couch camping this weekend, maybe Ill relax enough to get another chapter out.

[Gilgamesh1138]

LOL I Love it, couch camping. : D Chapter 79 almost done. Getting into the home stretch.

[Don Macarin]

AAARGH



You are seriously driving me nuts.



' Chapter 79 almost done'



Blegh, now I can't help but reload this page every 17.4 second !

[Gilgamesh1138]

Chapter 79


Kai had begun to worry that the sun would be rising soon and they might lose the element of surprise.  One could

hardly sneak up on a ship wearing all black in the light of day.  It sort of ruined the stealth of it all.  But a

fog had started to roll in as the sun began to warm the surface of the water.  It was so thick she worried that

they would miss the ship entirely.  The fog blurred everyone and curled and moved like a thing alive.  Kai felt

herself moving into that exhausted state where her thoughts turned strangely and she had a tendency to find

everything funny.  The boat beneath her rocked gently as they rowed out to the ship sitting placidly in the water.
It was the slight bump of the boat hitting the side of the ship that caused her head to snap up, and Zev lightly

grasped her arm.  She had fallen asleep, and she mentally chastised herself for doing so in front of the others.  A

fine leader she was if she couldn't stay alert.  Luckily, she had her hood up and the veil across her nose and

mouth, making it hard to see her face.
Zaeed used a small crossbow to shoot with one of their Scath hooks attached to rope up the side of the ship. 

Nimble as an Antivan monkey, Zaeed scrambled up the rope.  It reminded her of their attack on the mercenary ship

and watching Erys climb on board.  Thinking of Erys lead her to the death of Lelyth and that lead her to thinking

on the dead at the watchtower.  Kai gave herself a mental head slap for going there.  Maker's breath, she hoped to

sleep for a week at least when this was over.
Kai pulled out the procul globe, and Naseel who was with the boats on the other side of the ship informed her that

they were all in position and ready to go on her signal.  Kai looked up to see Zaeed motion that they could now

board.  Kai motioned into the globe and then gave the signal which quickly passed from one boat to the next.  The

air was briefly filled with flying ropes and hooks while Kai climbed up the rope the way Zaeed had gone.  She

flipped herself over the edge of the wooden railing to see Zaeed standing keeping watch.  Naseel and Jarren had

climbed up when he had.  Kai saw in the fog the lumps of bodies from those that had been keeping guard on deck. 

She felt the pang of regret and the urge to get sick all over again.  She never thought she would be grateful for

that response, but having a brush with her own abyss's allure, she knew it was firmly back behind her humanity

again, even as tired as she was.
She motioned Mhairi over.  "You said you know where they are holding the others?"
"Yes, my lady, they spoke of it when they were putting the first group into the boats to get to the ship.  There is

a large hold at the bottom.  They were putting them there."  Mhairi motioned with her hands towards the dark

doorway leading down into the bowels of the vessel.
Kai nodded.  "Did you happen to hear why they hadn't loaded the rest of you up and set sail?  I am hoping to avoid

any nasty surprises."
"Something to do with the rudder mechanism.  Someone sabotaged it.  Apparently, the ship would just travel in

circles if they tried to set sail.  If their cussing in Tevinter was anything to go by, my lady, it is damned hard

to repair."  Mhairi gave her a grin.  "They were fit to be tied."
"Then it had to be one of their own?  None of you could have done it, you have all been locked away."  From the

expression on Mhairi's face, she had come to the same conclusion.
"I would not want to be the saboteur, for surely they too had the same insight, no?"  Zevran's Antivan accent

curled out from the fog in low tones.  Kai glanced at him and grimaced.
"That is my fear too.  Hopefully they have been too busy worrying about repairing the rudder rather than finding

their enemy and our unexpected ally."  Kai turned to Mhairi.  “Do you have any idea who it may be?"
Mhairi shook her head.  "No, my lady.  I thought we were truly going to become slaves in Tevinter." Mhairi's head

dropped as her voice shook.  "I thought we would never see Ferelden again."  Kai reached out and grasped her arm

gently.  Mhairi looked up and smiled, nodding.
Kai had four Scath scout ahead.  She wanted to take as many on the ship by surprise as possible, giving them a

chance to surrender if they would.  The plan seemed a workable one as they made their way down.  The bunks for the

soldiers on the ship were almost opulent by Ferelden standards, walled in warm wood panels, rugs on the floors. 

The soldiers who were found sleeping were easily taken by surprise, unarmed and unarmored as they were.  Kai had

them all taken in their various states of undress up to the deck of the ship to wait.  Any mages were to be subdued

if possible, killed if needs be.
It was when they broke into the Captain’s quarters that they hit their first spot of difficulty.  Apparently, the

captain had company.  His company being one lovely redhead who was...taking riding lessons, at least that was the

vision Kai had in her head as she blushed.  Said companion of the captain not only had firey red hair, but was also

a mage with actual fire balls at her disposal.  Kai had a second to realize the lady's hands were glowing with

flame before she and the rest were forced to duck back out and hide around the doorway.  "MAGE!"
The fire hit the wooden wall in front of them, flaring brightly before leaving a spot of charred wall and the smell

of burnt wood.  A second followed that one, sparks of flame and bits of red hot wood flying out in all directions,

hitting them.  The woman's voice was the high pitched squall of a cat whose tail had been stepped on.  Kai's

Tevinter, which was even poorer than her Antivan or Orlesian, caught only the barest fragments.  Zaeed, Mhairi and

Zevran, however, seemed to understand every word.  And despite the flaming bits of wall raining down on all of

them, they were grinning wide grins.  "It seems the lady in questions resents our intrusion, no?"  Zaeed grinned at

Zevran who laughed.  Kai snorted, Antivans, they would find humor if they were stuck in a burning house.  Or a

burning ship in this case.  And it would burn down around them if they didn't stop little Miss Flame Fingers soon.
Small flames were now running up the wall in front of them.  Kai had a moment to wonder if she should bat the

flames out before another fireball hit the side of the doorway near where she was.  She could feel the heat through

to her side of the wall.  She saw another hit the other side of the door.  The mage must have figured to start

aiming for their hiding places now that her initial anger was over.  Kai took a quick peek around the door frame

and had a second to catch one naked redhead and the naked backside of the Captain as he rummaged in a chest for

weapons or clothes, she assumed.  Maker, please let it be clothes.  Her view was obscured quickly by another

flaming ball whose heat seared her skin as it went by.  Kai was left to wonder if she had any eyebrows left.
This was getting dangerous for all of them, the mage and the captain as well.  If she kept throwing flames at them,

the whole ship would be reduced to ash and all of them with it.  Kai motioned for some of her Scath to go down to

the hold, rescue the prisoners and get them off the ship.  At least they would be safe.
Another fireball exploded on the door frame, and Kai felt the heat at her back increase.  She was just about to

charge when Rajed stepped out into the doorway with Gnat standing at his side.  Before she could tell them to get

back before they became cooked nugs, Kai watched the chains sail past her line of vision through the doorway.  A

wet, gurgled mewl followed by a thump and a larger thud came from the room.  Gnat and Rajed exchanged grins.  Gnat

turned and winked at Kai and with a salute yanked her balled weapon back.  Kai looked around the door to find the

mage's body and head had parted company.  The captain, still naked unfortunately, was lying on the floor in a

crumpled heap.  Kai found a silken robe on the bed; it was obviously the dead mage’s as it had flowers embroidered

on it and was a soft pink.  Kai threw it at Zaeed and waved her hand at the Captain.  He grinned and nodded.
Kai continued through the ship.  Her Scath had done a thorough job as always.  She saw very few dead bodies in the

rooms as she made her own inspection.  It was Naseel who pulled her to the side and motioned for Wynne.  "What is

it?  The prisoners?"  Please Maker, not one of them.
Naseel shook her head.  "No, my lady, not one of ours.  Well, not a Ferelden."  Naseel looked at Kai with a strange

look on her face.
"Spit it out, Naseel, not a Ferelden but one of ours?  I am not in the mood for riddles."  Kai grasped the elven

woman's arm.
"The Tevinter mage, my lady, the one we met in the Brecilian Forest?  Verina?  She came back.  She..." Naseel

looked straight at Kai.  "I think she is their saboteur.  She is in a bad way, my lady.  They tortured her.  When I

found her some men were...they are dead now.  But she is in need of healing magic." 
Kai nodded.  "Take us to her, Naseel."  She followed the elf down a set of steps, then into a side corridor and to

a room.  This room, unlike the rest of the ship, was devoid of the little luxuries the Tevinters seemed to find so

necessary.  In fact, take it off the ship and put it in the old blood mage hideout, now the Scath hideout, and

neither Vimaro nor Concha would have noticed any difference.
There were four dead bodies lying on the floor, one half undressed.  Kai felt her heart beat faster as she glanced

at the foot on the edge of a wooden table with shackles.  The shackles dangled by their chains now.  She steeled

herself to look more closely.  Naseel had covered the woman with her cloak.  Kai would not have recognized Verina

by her face, so swollen and bruised, lips bloodied.  Wynne was at the woman's side in an instant, gently lifting

the cloak.  Kai put her hand on Verina's forehead and her eyes opened to slits.  They looked confused at first, and

then sparked in recognition.
"My lady, I am so glad you made it.  The children, the..."  This ended in a horrible wet cough.  Kai shot a look at

Wynne, who grimaced and shook her head.  Verina caught the look and gave Wynne a knowing smile.  Wynne's hands

glowed, and Verina's breathing eased, and she seemed more comfortable.
"Lady, I am done for.  I just want to know if my death was for naught.  When I returned home, it was to keep a

watch for more of Anora's treachery involving my country.  I thought I could do more if I went home and worked from

behind the scenes.  I had hoped to contact you once I was back here.  They did not tell me what we were here for, I

think they did not trust me completely.  And so, I found out too late.  I am so sorry I failed to save the others

at the watchtower.  I..." Verina's eyes started to glaze and her breath got shallower.
"No, it was not for you to save them.  And you did save the rest.  We owe you, Verina.  They owe you their lives,

and we all owe you our thanks."  Kai felt tears slipping down her cheeks and heard the slight popping noise they

made as they dropped onto the cloak covering the woman's chest.
"What Anora is doing, what my government is doing, it is wrong.  I want you to know, my lady, not all of my people

are cruel and heartless.  Not all of my people agree with what is going on.  Some of us are willing to do what it

takes to stop it."  The woman's voice faded into a whisper at this point.  "Please remember this, my lady."
"I know that, Verina.  You are a true hero of your people. And you will not be forgotten.”
Verina smiled and her chest rose to let out in one final sigh.  Kai felt her vision going gray and bowed her head,

resting it on the dead mage's chest.  Her hands clenched into fists.
One more person as cannon fodder.  One more to the tally against her very soul.  A poor stranger had gotten herself

caught up in all of it because of some petty, spoiled tyrant in a county not her own.  It shouldn't have even been

Verina's fight.  And yet here she was, her corpse cooling on a wooden table in a ship far from her home.  Kai

realized she had no idea if Verina had a family or a husband, anyone who might miss her and wonder what had

happened to her.  She didn’t know who to send word or ashes to.  Kai was going to see the woman had a proper

cremation.  She would not go down with the ship into the bay.  She directed Naseel to get some Scath to carry the

body out and place it on a boat before they scuttled the ship.  Naseel nodded.
Kai stroked Verina's forehead one more time before turning to Wynne and Zev, who had come in behind her.  "Let’s

get the hell out of here."  And she strode to the door without glancing back.

Modifié par Gilgamesh1138, 24 juin 2010 - 07:41 .

[Gilgamesh1138]

[Gilgamesh1138]

A better picture of Naseel, I think. But I want you all to be the judge, before I delete the other one.

[Gilgamesh1138]

[Gilgamesh1138]

Another picture of Zaeed, I wasn't happy with the last one. Like Naseel, I will let you all decide if I should delete the others.

[VioletTheirin]

I liked the first one but definitely like this one even more!! I loved reading your story before but it is even MORE enjoyable having an actual face to visualize!

[Gilgamesh1138]

Thanks V! I will write Chapter 80 next. I have to figure out how to get them all to Highever. No wagons. : (

[Slim Warden]

Wonderful art Gil (Oh I envy you're skills with the pen) and I'm still catching up with this awesome story.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Aw thanks Slim for reading and looking at my fan art. : D

[TanithAeyrs]

Love the new pics Gil. Don't delete the old ones though - they were good too.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Well than I shall leave them. : D