It had been awhile since the pier of Truce had been this lively. The skys seemed esspecially calm, due to the efforts of the windspirit Ariel trying to create good sailing weather. But, as much as the winds mattered, it was apparent in everyone's eyes that they knew the waters themselves would be against them.

It seemed that the group would travel on a ferry again. This time, however, it was painted white and gold, the colors of the Legio Aurea. Edmund was standing with his staff planted firmly on the ground. Nearby, Edgar and Caius were waiting on the dock for everyone to show up. "So, how'd he take it?" Caius asked the knight.

Edgar shook his head. "Not... well." Edgar didn't seem to want to speak on the subject. Caius raised an eyebrow. "He told me that my entire life was nothing but a lie based on my raising and my birthright. I told him that he was a bastard and he acted like it."

Caius sighed. "That's not the way to make people like you, Sir Edgar. You know that right?" "I didn't ask for your opinion, sir." Caius glared. "Don't call me 'sir.'"

Edmund walked past them down to where the adventurers had gathered and spoke. "When we get there, Ariel and I will attempt to keep the sea calm enough for me to freeze a section of it, and provide you all with a platform to attack from. Dio, if you could provide air support, that would be appreciated. We're going to kill this thing. Or, at the very least, trap it back under the ocean floor where it came from. But, killing seems easier. Questions?"

Gustav raises his hand. "Was ist Los?"

Dio nods. "I can do that, though I'm going to need a navigator with me to change out ammo cartriges. Oh, and to watch my uh..." He taps his chin, struggling to remember the millitary term. "My seven, I think."

Silas raises his hand.. "I uh... Hi I'm new here,.. Exactly how big is this thing? Because the idea of making a platform of ice to fight it makes it seem prettty big"

Balbadorf sighed as he stood next to Caius, he raised his hand "How long will the ride be?"

Zendra once again, as usual was being her normal quiet self up until it came time for questions, then surprisingly she raised her hand, "If killing fails, how are we to trap it?" Though killing seemed like the first priority she wanted to know how Edmund planned for them to trap it under the ocean floor again and what all was involved for that plan to work.

"It's roughly the size of a fairly large house. Maybe... three or four times bigger than the ferry here. Nothing too large." Edmund shrugged as if it was no big deal, despite this being the first combat situation he would have been in in the Cleft. His confidence was eerie to the two men behind Edmund, who were eyeing him suspiciously. "As for trapping..." Edmund twirled his staff a bit. "I have that covered. I've had experiences with demons in the past."

Caius interjected. "As good and dandy as that sounds, I'd prefer to avoid sorcery beyond what's needed. We don't need you turning into a warlock on us, now do we?" Caius sighed, and turned to Balbadorf. "Only about an hour or so. Nothing to worry about time wise. If it hadn't attacked a major city by now, there's no doubt we can get to it before it does."

"As for YOU!" Ariel the windspirit materialized next to Dio, floating above him, albeit upside down, "I'll be up in the sky with you. No need to worry about any nasty wind turbulance, and I can switch out your weird slug slinger without any trouble at all!"

Balbadorf's arms fell slump, as he trudged toward the ferry, he couldn't wait to arrive at the Demon Lord's location in the middle of the ocean. He sat down on the deck of the ship, taking a flask out of his pocket he closed his eyes trying to sleep his way through the trip.

"Oh, well good. That takes care of that, then. I've got air support covered." Dio salutes. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to move my vanship onto the ferry." The pilot turned and started walking back to his airship at the end of the dock.

Gustav sighs and steels himself. Judging from the air of what was going on here, things were going to be rather dangerous. As Ariel materialized, Gustav stares blankly at it, as if seeing the creature for the first time. "Caius. Ist, dass ein Hexe?"

Silas nodded to Edmund before turning to walk towards the ferry... Working without his partner was nerve-wracking.. it'd probably be less nerve wracking if the thing they were fighting wasn't the size of a house but who can really prove that?

Question answered, Zendra returned to her typical silence, staring out towards the sea with an elegant looking black spear leaning against her shoulder. The same spear she had managed to steal from a demigod not too long ago.

Caius shrugged at Gustav. He didn't understand much, but he could get the gist of what the knight was trying to ask him. "I don't know," he said. He nodded slowly. "If it turns on us, we kill it. Right now, we let it live." With that, everyone made their way onto the ferry.

The boat itself was rather familiar to all of them. Beyond the paint and that it seemed relativally new, it was just what they were used to. In fact, the new quality of it seemed to almost make it a yatch, but such frivolous spending seemed to be out of character for Edmund. He was a man of practicality. Just... well dressed, practicality.

The ferry arrived with next to no trouble. All of it came out at them all of a sudden. A massive clawed tentacle reached over the side of the ship, and came crashing down onto it. It pushed the entire ship over, and it would have capsized if it weren't for the sheet of ice that immediately froze the ferry mid-tilt. Edmund was the first person on the ice, and everyone else quickly followed suit as they slid off of the boat.

Caius ran over to help Dio with his vanship, while the others tried to figure out what was going on. Edmund's focus was on keeping the makeshift ice platform they were on stable. Edgar, then, took the lead with sword and shield in hand, face completely covered with his full helmet. "Alright men, it can strike at any moment. Keep your eyes peeled, we are in its domain now."

Balbadorf fell onto the ice sheet with a good thud, his balance already off from thee trip, he stood as edgar spoke, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, "Any known weaknesses?"

Dio rushed over to his vanship as it began to slide across the deck of the ferry. "Caius, can you keep it on the deck while I get the engine started?" He hopped up onto the stubby wing of the vanship without waiting for a response and climbed up to the top to manually start the engine.

Gustav draws his battered blade, and the ugly piece of iron that is his shield. Slamming it down onto the ice, Gustav uses it almost as a third leg, to keep himself from falling over. Ice and platemail do not always work together.

Silas looks around.... Is it acceptable to just start enchanting people's weapons? Do these people even apperciate magic? Regardless... Barrier first, ALWAYS go with the barrier first. Silas holds himself as still as he can while standing on the ice and speaking to no one in particular, "Hold" A green aura begins to glow around him.

Zendra held her spear at the ready, surprisingly keeping her balance on the slick ice. She listened, or more accurately started paying attention to her senses. There was a lot of water here, but there were things that were not water too. Though they dwelled in it, fish felt as different from the water as rocks felt different from air. She could pick up on it, something massive under the water speeding in their direction, "Ahead! Approaching fast!"

Edmund's ice sheet seemed to grow at startling rates. It was as if all of his ice magic was significantly enhanced by the very presence of the sea demon. He had no doubt in his mind that anyone else with some connection to mana or water would notice such abilities boosted as well. He, however, worried what this meant for fire. "I haven't seen much about elemental demons to answer anything about weaknesses. I'd hit it with anything I got!" Edmund shouted.

Caius was barely able to strap down the wheels of the vanship down to a hook on the metal siding to keep it from tipping over onto the ice. As he made sure it was secure, he shouted down to Dio. "Just signal me when you need this line cut! I won't have time to untie it fast enough for you to takeoff!"

A massive head that seemed like it belonged to a shark crashed its way up through the ice. Due to Zendra's warning, people were able to get out of the way and none of them were hit by the falling peices of ice before it stopped a few yards ahead of them.

As it began to rise, it seemed to be composed of all matter of sea cratures. Tentacles rose from the water around it, ending in rough claws. A shell of a crustation seemed to cover most of the body. It's torso was wide enough to be a large whale, and its very head was that of a shark. It made an ungodly yell, like a screaming whale, and took a deep breath. It seemed to be preparing something, and they needed to act fast.

Balbadorf looked up at the beast, "I've seen some ugly sights in my day, but this thing takes the godamned cake." Balbadorf decided it'd be wise to keep his distance for now and started to run around it hurling fire at it from a distance.

The engine of the vanship chugged for a moment as Dio turned the crank, then died. "Oh, come on! You worked just an hour ago..." Dio started turning the crank again. After a moment, the engine roars to life and the back of the vanship starts to float off the deck. "Ha ha, there we go!" Dio leaps down into the cockpit and starts lifting off the deck, only to get stopped short by the line. "Oh yeah, Caius!"

"Yalva fucking Lin!" Silas shouts as he falls backwards, barely managing to stop himself from falling onto the ice in what would no doubt have been be a comical number of attempts to stand back up... Since he is a fairly decent distance away from the demon and his magic could be aimed upward... There was no reason not to aim high, presumably higher than anyone could reach... Friendly fire is no joke. "Bolt" a shot of blue energy roughly the size of an stake flies at the creature.

Zendra gritted her teeth, holding her spear tightly with one hand while withdrawing a small blade kept at her waist with the other, she charged forward, feet gliding over the ice until she stopped running and just let herself slide towards her target. This was her element, and it was somewhat freeing to be surrounded by it. It was almost too easy to manipulate it to her will though she did not want to fully embrace the call to do so. That had always turned out to be the mistake. In no time she had reached the monster's flank, her spear plunging into its shell with a crack.

as Silas casted his spell, he soon realised that he and Edmund were the only two people in the team that had not moved since the creature showed up. Massive tentacles rached through the ice, breaking it, and grabbing both of the mages.

Caius cut the line to let Dio through and dropped to the ice below. He quickly moved next to Edmund, who had not moved too far from the ship, and stabbed his sword straight through the monster's flesh. In pain, it dropped the sorcerer to the ice, Edmund nodded, and instead of focusing on the ice platform which seemed more ot less stable, stared down Setebos and seemed to be pointing his staff at it. Caius ran to join the others in close range.

Setebos screamed another whale like yell as it was stabbed by Zendra's spear. Whatever it was preparing, it had lost. The wound was quickly seared by Balbadorf's barage of flame. Silas's magic bolt, however, didn't seem to be able to peirce the creature's thick shell.

Gustav arrives at the giant monster, slamming into it with his shield to break the momentum of sliding across the ice. Lifting his blade, Gustav begins carving into the monster, hacking at it with the slightly rusted weapon.

Balbadorf got directly behind the creature as he stood still for a few moments collecting the fire within his body. He closed his eyes to focus, hoping to be able to prepare his next strike.

The vanship lept up into the air once the cable was cut, spinning around to face the creature. Dio looked over the battlefield, noticing one of the mages was trapped by a tentacle. He couldn't tell which one it was because of the wind blowing in his face, but he shot at the base of the tentacle anyway. "Oh, right, I'm stupid." Dio touched his collar, causing a clear helmet to rise up and cover his head.

The spear that was embedded in the creature's shell was yanked free, a slimy string of ooze following in its wake. The howl it made only managed to encourage Zendra. So it was like a turtle in that it was fleshy and weak under its shell if you cracked it open? She jabbed the spear in again and again in quick, furious succession, this time a little left of the first wound. She then dug the blade of her knife into a crack that resulted, wedging the shell apart and causing it to crack further. From there, Zendra mearly had to keep using her spear to separate it and expose the soft tissue underneath.

Possibly, shooting at a thing grappling an ally while at a great distance and with the wind in your eyes wasn't the best of ideas. Silas could feel the extremely sharp and sudden sting of a few bullets wedging themselves in his body. One hit his arm, another his leg, and yet a third in his chest. He was extremely lucky not to be hit in any vital areas.

Edmund withdrew from his focus with a satisfied grin. He turns to Silas, and waves his staff, the ice immediately, reaching out in a wedge shape and slicing the tentacle in half, Silas hitting the ice below. "Ariel, get Silas into the Vanship! He's wounded and I don't want to worry about him on the battlefield." Silas was quickly lifted and placed as gently as possible into the back seat behind Dio. After Ariel strapped him in, the spirit disappeared.

Edgar found himself near Gustav, both heavy armored fighters closer to the front of the beast while Zendra was joined by Caius at the flank. All of the melee fighters were greeted with an unpleasent shock as the ice around them began to crack and seperate as Setebos began to move.

Gustav holsters his shield as the cracking begins, trading his safety for the chance to reach out and grab something if the ice did start cracking apart. His sword, however, does not stop, continuing to lash out and seek the monster's hide.

Balbadorf's hands clasped together in front of him began to spread, an orb of fire coming into existence between his palms. A few moments later Balbadorf was heaving a huge fireball over his shoulders. He charged toward the beast with the small sun in his arms.

"That is... a lot of blood." Silas sank to his knees. This is new... Silas has been hit with a few arrows in his time.. Hell, he's even taken a sword wound or two... But if we get right down to it he doesn't even know what a gun is... Also this hurts, A LOT. A small discharge of electricity pulses around him and he (shakily) stands back up. He couldn't feel his leg... or his arm and trying to move them using magic was an awful idea, but sitting here didn't put him in any less danger... The barrier would repair the wounds eventually... probably. Just gotta not die. Silas attempts to make his way... He wasn't sure where exactly but the point is he didn't want to be here.. He considers firing more bolts but in his current state he can't exactly be sure of his aim and he wouldn't want to risk hitting an ally.. He wishes he knew what the hell hit him.

"Sorry about that." Dio flew the vanship towards the creature. "Better strap yourself in and get another ammo box ready. I'm going to need you to change the current one out in a minute. The new ones are under your seat." He started firing once he stopped talking.

The crack of the ice caused Zendra to pause in her work. It was not a good sign. Armored men could sink, and fighting the thing would be difficult if it managed to pull them into the water with it. She did not want to be swimming in its vicinity. "Move or join it in the water!" She shouted, jerking out her spear and knife before retreating across the ice.

most of the melee fighters began to flee, all except for one. Gustav was waiting for an oppurtunity to grab hold. And it did, in the form of a large explosion coming from the back of the demon god. Gustav immediate grabbed hold as the ice around Setebos not only cracked, but began to melt as Balbadorf's attack radiated massive heat.

Setebos let out a screech of pain and sunk beneath the water to stop the burning, leaving Balbadorf standed in the water where Setebos once was. A massive tidal wave formed in the distance, and began making its way quickly towards the group. They only had a moments notice to reach. Beneath the water, the shadow of Setebos's form could be seen from Dio's airship.

Balbadorf saw the tidal wave,"DIVE IF YOU CAN SWIM!" he began to dive as quckly as he could heading toward the wave.

Dio banked and came around for another strafing run on the shadow. He sighted on the shape of the creature and pulled the trigger, sending a grand total of three bullets arcing into the water before the ammo cartrige ran out. Dio kept pulling on the trigger, as if expecting more bullets to magically come out of the guns. "Ohh, I hate the clicky-click sound."

Silas indeed had a box of ammo out from under the seat, like he was asked to, however he had no idea what it was. "What the hell even is this thing we're flying in? What in the hell am I even supposed to do with this.?".. His wounds have stopped bleeding, he couldn't feel his limbs but he was no longer bleeding to death.

Gustav inhales deeply. Seeming almost to believe that he can hold his breath long enough to finish his work, clinging to the demon as he begins striking at it before the water covers them both. Should one be able to see beneath the waves, they could spot Gustav still down there, struggling to damage the monster in any significant fashion.

"Tch." Zendra really did not like the idea of getting into the water where that creature had the advantage but with the oncoming tidal wave there really didn't seem to be much choice in the matter. It was either be carried off by the wave or let it sweep over and hope to surface. At least she could easily tell where the creature was regardless of if she was in the water or not. With that in mind, She followed Balbadorf's suggestion.

Caius took Zenda and Balbadorf's lead, being lightly armored, he wouldn't be too encumbered by swimming. Edmund and Edgar stayed above water however. The two brothers were greeted by the unpleasent feeling of being shoved through a layer of ice under water, while the others could more or less ignore the wave.

Before too many people had time to react, they found that they were breathing regularly, a bubble of air surrounding all of their heads. A rather large bubble containing Ariel could be seen slowly floating up to the surface. They had air itself on their side, but the water couldn't be trusted.

Edmund pointed his staff and the group, sans Dio and Silas, found themselves once more very close to Setebos, who seemed to still be writhing in pain. His full form clung to the ground with crablike legs, seven tentacles around where fins would be on its whale like body, and its shark head snapping

The spell Edmund cast seemed to make movement in water almost as simple as it was above. Now was their oppurtunity to strike. They were going to end it here and now.

Bubbles emerge from Gustav's helmet as, invariably, he lets out some of his breath while exerting force. Force spent entirely on doing the one thing he had done this entire battle. Lift sword. Insert sword into flesh. Even underwater the knight worked like clockwork, not exerting quite as much force as he had on 'dry land', but still doing what he can to wound Setebos.

Zendra for a moment was slightly disoriented and confused by the bubble of air that was surrounding her, but this didn't last long as soon as she realized that she didn't have to worry about outswimming the monster. She charged forward again, eager to sink the point of her weapon into the exposed soft area that had been hidden under the shell before.

Caius did not appreciate this much water. At all. He swam forward and began hacking at all of the tentacles that it was flailing about at them. Edgar went to try to distract it at its head, trying to get its attention off of everyone. Gustav's wounds against Setebos began to bleed as his blade cut through the outer layer of blubber. Zendra's spear, however, seemed to cut through the beast like butter with every strike.

Everyone within the water could hear a rumbling voice. ""

Gustav would be pleased, or even show some form of outward joy at having finally actually wounding the beast, but being under water hampered that a bit. Raising his sword, Gustav spends not a moment contemplating the rumbling voice. Monsters always tried to delay things when they knew they were about to lose. The only thing Gustav pays attention to is the placement of his sword strikes, concentrating now that Setebos' blood was making it more difficult to see the wound.

The spear sinks in easily and deeply and with luck she was hoping with every strike to puncture something vital. She ignored the words rumbling through the water, they were meaningless to her. What did it matter if Zendra was fighting water or anything else in this world? She struck and struck again making deep wounds, and would continue to do so until it died.

"" the hacking away from the entire team continued, until a very large crack was heard as bones contorted against themselves. ""

The beast seemed to fall still after it spoke. It didn't move at all. Then, a shockwave was sent through the ocean, and Edmund's staff began to glow as the sorcerer gave a satisfied grin. He pointed upwards, signaling everyone to resurface.

Balbadorf began his surfacing, he was saddened that he could not be of more help during the fight uderwater.

Seeing Edmunds indication to swim upwards, Zendra pulled her spear free of the beast's corpse and began her acent to the surface.

Gustav looks around as the demon falls still, noting Edmund's signal, and Sir Edgar's ease of movement under the waves. Obviously some kind of spell had been cast. Sheathing his sword, Gustav kicks off the demon's body and makes for air.

when they resurface, it seems even the boat had returned to its normal position. Edmund swam and made his way over to a ladder on the side of the ferry, and soon everyone else followed suit. With everyone on board, Ariel took the liberty of drying everyone off with hot air without permission.

Edmund looked between everyone, esspecially Edgar, as he spoke. "Well, you've done it. You've slain an elder demon. Or, a sea god, as he called himself. But, unfortunately, I don't trust what it said at the end. My theory that he won't be the last is only supported by it. So, while we make our way back to truce, I have a proposition for you."

"With the return of my legitimate brother, Sir Edgar, it's apparent that time is needed now more than ever to have a group of heroes ready to defend the world against a threat like this. Our father lead a group of knights onces called the Legio Aurea. The Golden Legion. These knights swore to protect the world against evil threats like this, and had no fear in the face of danger."

"I'd like to ask you all, if you would, to join me as I restart this order once more, and take my father's place." Edgar glared at Edmund as the sorcerer continued to speak. "While we may not be an order of knights, the Golden Legion will march once more as a group of heroes."

Gustav sits on the deck of the ferry, water pouring out of his armor. After a few moments something clicks with the Knight, and he lets out a huge breath of air, before beginning to breathe rapidly, catching up for lost time.

"Yeah, sure. I'll help you all out in between my deliveries." Dio leans against his vanship. "Vanquishing elder gods seems like a... fun pastime."

Balbadorf clambered up onto the ship's deck he flopped onto his back as he rested. "Count... me in" He said taking deep breaths to steady his heart rate.

Silas shifts uncomfortably as feeling starts to return in his limbs... Whatever numbness he had been enjoying up until now gone. "Assuming the offer extends to me and that I can bring a friend I'm in...... Do knights still get paid? Inn rooms are pretty expensive..."

Zendra shot a glare towards Ariel after drying her off then stood, listening to Edmunds words quietly. She had no interest in protecting the world, or at least not a world that wasnt her own so she couldn't swear such things if that is what he would be asking her to do. But..."This is not a light decision." Zendra said, looking at Edmund, "I will think on it."

Edmund nodded. "Nothing you say today will be permanent. I do not want to accept pledges when you are all under pressure. Even if you all do not wish to join as pledges, I will not turn down those willing to support."

Edgar noticed Silas' shifting. "We can give you food and shelter, though, after this point anything beyond that might be a bit beyond us. We're constructing a guild hall in Mandala. Mountains are easy enough to defend, and the town is known for having experiences with demons in the past. We won't be turned away there."