Raven's Revenge

[Therin]

OOC: Sorry, Zzyxx, it's a story thing. Hit me up on IM, I'll explain the whole thing.

That night, Raven stood at the bow again. He was exhausted, more of mind than of body. Being cooped up as passenger aboard a ship, even when you had wings, didn't leave you much to do with yourself during the day but sit and think. He opened his eyes, and stepped down to the deck when he heard a familiar tread behind him. He spoke without turning. "You didn't sleep last night, Captain."

She stopped. "How do you know?"

"I could see the circles under your eyes. I also heard the steps of your patrol all night."

"You could have moved."

"You did not keep me awake, Captain, have no fear of that. We all have demons that we must face from time to time. Some are simply more...immediate than others. Will you sleep tonight?"

"Will you?"

"I have things that I must do. You do not."

"You are no stronger than I am, Southerner. Going without for this long will affect you just as much as it will me."

"It will. But as simply a passenger aboard this voyage, I haven't the need of my faculties that you do as Captain. To command your men, you will need all of your wits at your disposal."

"You build a tolerance for it."

"Maybe, but it never loses its potency. You need sleep, Captain. Take it. Or are you afraid of what you might find in dreams?"

"I am afraid of nothing, Southerner, and my dreams are none of your business!" She turned, and stalked aft, fuming.

Raven sighed and stepped up to the bowsprit again, turning, finally, to regard the rest of the ship. He closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to drift aimlessly, wandering across the shadows of thought until-

His eyes snapped open, but they were unfocused. He was concentrating on something else. "Emerge, Rayne, dweller of the shadows. You will hide from me no longer!"

[Azurel]

Rayne emerged from the shadow of the mast, floating to Raven.

"Speak."

[Therin]

"Speak, nothing, don't try that mysterious crap on me, Rayne. You know my father. Where is he?"

[Azurel]

"Mysterious? What is the point of speaking more than you have to. And as I have said before, several times now, I know not where your father is. If this is all you wish to bother me with, I'll be returning to my shadows and I will not be coming out again."

[Therin]

"Fine, you don't know where he is. But you know him. You know where to look, you who to ask, and you know how to track him without him knowing. So tell me."

[Azurel]

"I have never tracked him. I do not follow his patterns outside of battle. The only place I could even suggest to look is that infernal academy."

[Therin]

"Then that's where we're headed. I have to go to Norwind to deliver news of the Prince's death anyway, so we'll stop by the Academy and see if Dr. Samoth knows anything. Until we get there, I want you to teach me his patterns in battle, and how to counter them."

[Azurel]

"Heh, that would be the reason why he continues to defeat me in battle; he varies his pattern each time. The only way you are going to be able to counter him is to be a quick study while fighting him."

[Therin]

"Then I will need more power. You are a master of the shadows, no?"

[Azurel]

"Quite."