The trip northward is less than comfortable, but less miserable than the trek along the roads. After all, there's little need to get up and about, save to go out hunting when the need arises. The boatman, a bewhiskered human, asks no more questions of his passengers than is absolutely necessary to get about the business of taking them down the river, and evidences no interest in learning anything more about them than what little they tell him. At night, they draw into ports along the way, staying in simple buildings at some points that seem to exist solely to give shelter to river men, and at other points staying in inns at towns along the river.

At last, they get to the lands of Northern Shore, and some sleepy seaside town they never even catch the name of. They leave the riverboat and take the next leg of their journey on a fishing vessel whose captain is content to take the shekels of Nekara and skirt along the coast for a while in lieu of casting out nets and braving snarks in the hopes of catching cold-water fish. The Vykarin Queen, sporting one of the most absurd-looking figureheads to be seen yet, plies its way through the waters, making its way along the coastal areas of Nordika, mostly past expanses of untamed wilderness with only the occasional signs of civilization.

Somewhere along the way, a score days before Candlemass, Alptraum has another troubling dream at night. In this one, the surroundings are surreal yet again…

The sky is ablaze with the colors of sunset, though the sun itself cannot be seen, and the horizon is limned in all directions, making it impossible to tell just in what direction the sun is rising or setting. At the horizon, the sky meets with a sea of roiling clouds, and all about, there are countless sky islands – not simple disks with hanging stalactites like Rephidim, but twisted shapes, like great hunks of clay grasped in a child's hand and twisted about, then turned to stone and adorned with clinging vegetation, crashing waterfalls with no apparent source, spiraling towers, and weathered menhirs inscribed with arcane runes. Firebirds flit about, then soar, circling above and then shooting off, dancing, twirling, this way and that, their shrill cries echoing like distant peals of thunder.

Atop a small sky island, there is a circle of gray stone, rimmed by menhirs, in which two creatures battle it out. One of them is an Eeee woman, dressed in wispy robes of sky blue, with light fur and platinum gray hair, commanding the power of lightning. Another is a gray fox'taur – a creature quite unlike anything Alptraum has seen in the waking world – her upper body swathed in robes of gray. Tiny imp-like creatures that look like strange caricatured crosses between Eeee, bugs, and some sort of demon pester the flying Eeee mage, apparently at the direction of the fox'taur, while the mage unleashes bolts of crackling energy at her own foe.

Meanwhile, hovering to the side and above this arena, there is a "sky island" that looks like a broken off section from some grand castle – specifically, a banquet hall, with a long table set out with a feast of bizarre delicacies – roast firebird, dragon soup, boiled cockatrice eggs. Reclining at one end of the table is a bat with fur covered in runes, holding a fluted goblet fashioned from a spiraling unicorn's horn, sipping a steaming, fermented drink from it as she watches the exchange below.

The battle at one point seems to be going in the favor of the female Eeee, for she nearly strikes the fox'taur with a blast of energy, despite the distractions of the imps. But then, with a wave and gesture of the fox'taur, the scene changes. Suddenly, the arena is not a sky island, but rather an airship flying across the dunes of some southern desert land. While the airship rocks about, they continue their battle, though it seems that the airship has troubles of its own: a Savanite crewman takes a burning torch and uses it to light the envelope of the airship, oddly enough.

The scene changes again. The two mages are still battling it out, though this time the scene is in a forested area completely surrounded by tall, reaching red jagged cliffs, beneath a pale blue sky in which the Procession cannot be seen. Gargantuan airships fly overhead, even one that does not have an envelope to help it fly, but rather wings. A storm begins to form … and then the scene changes again, this time to a place even more surreal than the last: a desert with multi-colored sands, sands which change color with each passing of the wind. The exchange of magic continues, but takes even more bizarre turns – At one point, a giant foot comes down from the heavens, seeking to crush the fox'taur … and the scene changes again.

The sand becomes water – a pool in the center of a forested clearing, with a cabin nearby. The fox'taur makes some claim that the Eeee cannot cast a spell at her, or she will "disturb the pool". For some reason, this causes the Eeee mage pause, as she refrains from casting spells, and instead tosses a rock, which bounces painfully off of the half-submerged fox'taur's head.

Then, Alptraum notices another person present – it's that winged gold-and-white woman again, standing next to the banquet table next to the rune-covered Eeee who has been watching these proceedings as if they were for her entertainment. The feather-winged creature calls out to the lightning mage, and tells her to form a bubble around the fox'taur, so that she cannot cast her spells. She calls the fox'taur creature "Yffryn", and she refers to the lightning mage as "Wynona".

As "Wynona" begins to cast another spell, "Yffryn" utters some more incantations, and the scene changes once more – apparently at her command. Yffryn is no longer in a pool, but rather half-submerged in a fountain, and the surroundings are no longer forest, but rather some sort of city, at night, with gorgeous displays of fireworks exploding in the sky. Some sort of celebration is going on … but something's wrong. "Wynona" looks on the scene with horror. There is a shouted exchange as the feather-winged woman tries to shout directions to the lightning mage, Wynona. Wynona seems panic-stricken, running to various people that have appeared in this scene, trying to warn them of some impending danger.

And then, the sky explodes. It is as if the city has been ripped from the earth and cast into the heavens. All becomes weightless and begins to float about, even the water in the fountain. The lightning mage and the fox'taur are surrounded by ethereal bubbles that ripple and somehow separate them from the death around them, as people float from the ground, their bodies swelling and bursting.

What follows after that is a little less clear. There is an argument made by the feather-winged woman with the rune-covered Eeee watching this scene from her detached banquet table. It seems that the feathered-winged woman is arguing that Wynona should be declared the "winner", since she needs only dispel the "bubble" to kill Yffryn. The rune-covered Eeee seems unsatisfied. And then … another female Eeee shows up – this one having appeared earlier in Alptraum's dream on New Year's Eve. She is light-furred and gray-haired – much like "Wynona" – but armored, and carrying a great battle axe.

The Angel of Vengeance gives the feather-winged woman a battleaxe, and the golden and white creature takes the battle to the rune-covered Eeee reclining at the table. Many words are exchanged, but it seems Alptraum can only understand a frustrating fragment of them all.

The dream only gets more strange, though Alptraum at last picks up a name for the golden-and-white feather-winged woman: she is Envoy. And the rune-covered Eeee she is battling is Zakaro. The scene changes again, to some stone-walled room where a bizarre ritual is taking place. Wynona and Yffryn are still battling with exchanges of magic and mundane weaponry, while Envoy attempts to fight Zakaro – Zakaro having various spells to use in her own defense. Zakaro turns Envoy into some small ring-tailed animal, and the ring-tailed creature, seeing an opening, leaps over to bite Yffryn on a hind-leg.

Wynona catches Yffryn off guard with a spell, and stuns her. Envoy returns to her normal form. At this moment, Wynona is in a position to finish off Yffryn – but she hesitates. Zakaro urges her to kill Yffryn, to complete this "test," and makes promises of power and respect. Wynona is hesitant … but at last refuses. She has no interest in Zakaro's offer.

Zakaro seems crestfallen, and the original arena returns. A passage appears to one side of the ring of menhirs, and Envoy and Wynona head for it, getting Yffryn to her feet and helping the stumbling fox'taur to it. As they do so, the dream begins to fade away, Zakaro remaining behind at her banquet, slipping into darkness.

And then, Alptraum awakens, in his bunk, in the cabin he shares with Autumn-Storm on the Vykarin Queen. It's a new day, but not a holiday. Apparently that doesn't protect him from the bizarre dreams, alas.

The Eeee grumbles and slowly comes to. "Why couldn't the dreams stick to the holidays?" he mutters gloomily and slides his legs out of bed. He takes a moment to pull his vest over his shirt and stretch. He blinks his eyes wearily and heads to the door. He glances back toward the bunk where Autumn-Storm would normally be, figuring if she's still asleep, he'll leave her asleep.

She's still there, sure enough. When it's cold outside, Autumn-Storm prefers to sleep late. And since it's always cold outside…

The Eeee grabs his cloak and throws it over his shoulders. He then carefully opens the door and slips out, trying to make as little noise as possible.

The creaks made by the door are only one of many to be heard at any given time on this aged but rugged Sylvanian fishing vessel. It was already cold inside the cabin, but even worse outside. The boat has traveled far enough west along the coast to begin a slightly southerly course, but it hasn't gone far enough south to warm up the weather any. Outside, morning mists obscure the view of the sea as it stretches out to blur with the sky on the starboard side … and the darker line of the Nordikan shore on the port side. As can be expected, Nekara is already up and about, fully dressed (assuming she ever changes out of her robes at all), and leaning against the outer rails on the port side, gazing off toward the shore, or perhaps the sky above it.

The ship's crew go about whatever business it is that fishermen do when they're hauling passengers instead of fish – though they've still made a business of doing a little fishing along the way, and hauling them in to the port towns along the coast for a little extra money on the side.

"Looking for something?" Alptraum asks quietly as he approaches Nekara. Once there, he leans on the rail next to her, his claws clicking quietly on the wood and gazes out over the water.

Nekara shakes herself out of whatever trance she's in, and looks to Alptraum. "More visions, that is all. Have you had them as well?"

On the shore, Alptraum can barely make out what looks like a town of sorts … though not one of any type he's used to seeing. It looks like a settlement of houses built up in the trees, high enough that they can be seen above the clinging mists.

"One last night, yes. A magic battle throughout differing terrains," Alptraum says, his gaze not leaving the water. "Not sure what to make of it. The dreams are coming more often now, it seems. Used to only be on holidays."

Nekara nods. "Zakaro is the Goddess of Sorcery," she says. "I am not so certain anymore that these visions are allegory. Rather, I am thinking that somehow, mortals are doing battle in the realms of the gods – and for what purpose, I do not know."

"Well, Gorphat has been slain, according to one dream I had. Perhaps they intend the same fate for the others," Alptraum offers with a shrug. "You'd have a better chance at understanding it than I would. I'm lost."

Alptraum lowers his gaze and just looks into the water near the ship, watching his rippling reflection in the morning light.

"Understanding shall come in time, I pray," Nekara whispers.

"Me too," comes Alptraum's reply. A moment passes, then he says, "And I'm sorry that I seem to give you such a hard time. I'm just trying to make sense of everything. And thanks for being patient with me and my questions."

There is a momentary pause, and during that pause, Alptraum is able to better hear sounds coming from beyond the ship. He hears a faint sound of music – a horn of some sort. No, several instruments. At first, it seems as if it might be coming from the shore, perhaps from that strange tree-house town … but then he realizes that it must have been some trick; rather, the sound is coming from further out to sea.

Nekara raises an eyebrow. "If you did not give me a 'hard time', but accepted everything I told you without question, I would wonder at your naivete and whether you could survive at all in such a large city as Babel."

Alptraum looks over at Nekara and grins, a few wisps of white hair falling over his eyes. "I do have one more question about when I arrive in Babel. Uh, will I have to wear an outfit like yours? I fear I would look rather silly." His ears flick as he speaks, trying to train a bit on that music.

"Only if you wish to pass yourself off as a Yodh, my brother, you should wish for me to start calling you my sister instead," Nekara says. "My robes are ceremonial, and indicative of my station."

Once Nekara stops talking again, Alptraum is able to hear a little more. The sound is very faint, so faint that it's understandable that ears belonging to less sensitive species – humans, Korvs, Rhians, Khattas – might not pick it up. However, Nekara seems to pick up on the noise, too, as she looks off in the same direction.

In the distance, the mists whorl slightly, and Alptraum can pick out a faint shadow … sails? Rigging? It's only fleeting, and even though Alptraum hasn't seen ocean-going vessels before, something about the shape strikes him as familiar. He had seen a model in the Chevalier's manse before. The shadow reminds him something of that.

Alptraum laughs. "I was trying to tease you, Nekara. Not everything I say is meant in seriousness. Smiling once in a while won't hurt you." He then adds, "You hear it, don't you? The music? Reminds me of home, sort of. When we'd set up camp and play songs and tell stories. It's somewhere out at sea." His silver eyes narrow, and he stands up from where he was leaning on the rail, ears trained on the shape now, straining to make out other sounds."

"Yes," Nekara whispers, "I hear it."

"I've seen the shape before, in some fop poodle's mansion," Alptraum comments in a whisper. "I don't like this."

There are several instruments, and their sounds carry differently across the waters, such that it's almost a quiet cacophony, making it nearly impossible to follow the original tune as it might sound closer to the source. Another whorl in the mists, and Alptraum sees another glimpse of the ship, albeit very distant: it's an ocean-going vessel, just like one of the models in Pierre DuValle's den (only, of course, much larger), and flying the symbol of Gallis. Although he cannot see the whole of the ship before it vanishes into the mists again, if it is entirely like the model, he can fill in many other details – it is a ship of war, with ballistae along its sides, and an elaborate fortified platform meant to be used by a battle-mage for his ritual spells.

Alptraum inhales softly and flexes his wings as if wanting to fly after it. "It might be a Gallisian warship," he mutters grimly, "off to destroy the lives of yet more people."

"Ourselves included," Nekara warns. "We are on a Sylvanian ship."

"Yes, we are," Alptraum agrees. "I'm going to find the captain. We have to alter course." The Eeee then moves off in search of the captain, rather hurriedly.

The ship is not terribly large, and the captain not hard to find – a shaggy-coated Rhian, his hair as light as snow, contrasted sharply by a black and broad-shouldered seaman's coat. He pulls a pipe from his mouth, turning away from contemplating the skies when he sees Alptraum hurrying purposefully toward him. "Aye there, lad. Up early this morning, are we? A fine day, brisk and bright."

"Fine for the moment," Alptraum says, frequently glancing back towards the ship in the mist. "There's a Gallisian ship out there. I can hear it, as well as Nekara. I think it's one of their warships. We may want to change course, quickly."

"You can hear it?" the Rhian mutters, dumping out the ashes of his pipe over the edge of the ship, and then pocketing it, as it becomes evident he has no time for a proper smoke. "Aye, but it's a good thing to have Eeee ears about. Whereabouts is it?" He reaches into his coat, and pulls forth a spyglass, telescoping it out.

Alptraum nods and looks back out into the mists, letting his ears relocate the ship before pointing. "Thereabouts. I heard the music they were playing," he says.

The captain raises his spy scope, and frowns as he peers through it. After a brief pause, he sets the scope back down. "Blast it. We'll have to go in further toward shore to avoid them … and take care not to run aground. Good job, lad." He then starts shouting out orders, and rushes toward the helm to take the wheel from the shipman presently manning it. No alarms sound, but the sailors quickly spring into action as the idea spreads that there's hostile company in these waters.

Alptraum makes his way back to Nekara and says, "We're moving closer to shore. This could be good, or bad, depending on where we are. I'm going to grab my crossbow and be ready. I suggest staying somewhat low and out of bow-sight," he says in a whisper. "I'll also fetch Autumn-Storm."

Nekara nods solemnly. "I will look for any opportunity to make myself useful."

"Don't let that ship out of ear- or eyesight if you can," Alptraum says. "Apprise the captain if it heads towards us." With that, he makes his way back to his cabin and fetched his crossbow and bundle of wooden bolts. He also shakes Autumn-Storm firmly and says, "Danger is near; you need to get ready in case we have to flee."

Autumn-Storm jolts to wakefulness, and almost falls out of her bunk, as her legs get tangled up in her sheets, but she recovers quickly, and flails a sign, "What danger?"

"Gallisian warship," Alptraum signs back quickly. "We're trying to avoid being seen and go around."

Autumn-Storm nods, as she throws on more clothes, bundling up for the cold. "If we sink in these waters, we're dead," she signs, morbidly.

"We'll do what we can to avoid that," the Eeee signs, trying to reassure her. He then heads back out the door, crossbow and bolts in tow. His ears flick around again, trying to relocate the ship as he tries to locate Nekara again.

There it is again, a phantom shape in the mists, passing by, further out to sea. It's even closer now, though it doesn't seem to be closing in. But then, what if it's just lining up broadside for shots? Nekara is still up on the deck, watching the ship intently. By now it has gotten close enough that even those without Eeee hearing can pick it out … though hopefully the much smaller fishing vessel will escape the notice of the galleon.

Alptraum makes his way over to Nekara and starts to load two wooden bolts into the crossbow. "If our luck holds, it won't see us and we'll sneak by," he whispers to her, trying to reassure himself now.

Nekara's eyes are closed, and her wings and arms spread out to each side. Her head is thrown back, and she has loosed her white hair, allowing it to flutter freely in the sea breeze, making her a strange figure indeed to see on the deck, toward the prow of the ship. Time passes, and it seems as if the crew is holding its collective breath … and then the Gallisian ship passes on, its shape becoming less distinct as it is enveloped by the mists again.

"Looks like we're past – for now," the captain whinnies, "but the mists will burn off soon enough." He has pulled his pipe back out, and chews on the tip, even though he hasn't taken the time to light it.

Alptraum looks at Nekara curiously. He wonders if she's using some sort of magic or spell, and feels himself start to move away from her instinctively. As he backs up, he goes through the motions of unloading the crossbow, finding himself rather afraid of this Eeee claiming to be his sister.

The tense moment seems to draw on far longer than possible, even more tense as the mists start to clear and dissipate with the warming light of the rising sun. But by the time the mists clear, the galleon is a speck in the distance, quite some distance up the coast … and quite hopefully far enough away that even if it notices the fishing vessel, it won't be able to turn about to overtake it anytime soon. The matter is settled when the captain turns the ship to cut closely around a small jutting peninsula … and the galleon is cut off from view entirely.

Nekara lets her wings and arms droop, her shoulders slumping as sudden exhaustion falls over her. She leans forward against the railing, her white hair blowing across her face.

Autumn-Storm just keeps watching in the direction of the galleon, as if even while the danger is passed, she's afraid to relax … afraid to tempt fate with her guard down.

Alptraum finds himself sitting near a railing on the deck, breathing slowly and watching Nekara. He gets up warily and eases his way back over to where she lies slumped on the railing. "What were you doing?" he asks in a whisper, hands gripping the crossbow tightly.

"Feeling for disturbances – magic," Nekara whispers, her voice barely carrying above the ocean and the creaks of the ship. "There was a wizard on that ship, working magic. I opened myself to the flows of spirits, in case I might catch some hint of what manner of magic was being worked – and whether any might be directed at us. We are safe for now. Whatever their concerns are, we are not a part of them."

"I see," Alptraum replies back, still gripping the crossbow. "Were you able to tell what sort of magic was being worked?"

Nekara reaches back up behind her head, binding up her hair once more. "No," she says. "I am attuned to the powers of life and death, as granted to me by Sunala. My understanding of the godless powers of mages is limited. It may have been an air mage speeding their way by giving them wind in their sails … or a fire mage readying balls of flame just in case they might enter combat … or any number of things."

"Oh, well – I'll leave you to resting then," Alptraum replies uneasily and starts backing away from Nekara. He quickly gathers up his bundle of crossbow bolts and returns them to storage in his cabin. A minute or so later, he returns to the deck and goes to stand against a rail and look out over the water again.

Aside from that near-brush with a Gallisian warship, the journey along the coast is largely uneventful. The stops at the coast are frequent enough for Alptraum to surreptitiously go on hunting forays into the woods, and to deal with other necessities, as this ship isn't made to be a passenger liner. The species represented along the coast are far more diverse than Alptraum has experienced back in Sylvania. For instance, there are felines of different colors, and large rodent-like beings that look very much like Sylvanian squirrels – tree-dwellers called Kadies, he learns.

As winter starts to give way to early spring, so the ship continues southward until the weather becomes less freezing … and more stormy. It's just a few days until they make landfall in a port where, Alptraum is to understand, they should be able to get an airship to make the trans-oceanic journey.

Alptraum glides lazily in the air over the ship as the sky grows to a ruddy hue as sunset approaches. His wings flap easily, the Eeee content to soar once more, as being ground-bound was getting to him. He takes in a deep breath of sea air and curls his wings in slightly and reluctantly soars back towards the deck of the boat.

The bat feels a curious sensation in one of the inner pouches of his garb – a bit of weight that wasn't there before. It occurs to him that this is the pouch where he keeps stowed away that pouch of wooden shekels. The sun begins to dip below the horizon.

The Eeee smirks as he glides down and lands on the deck. He digs into his vest and produces the pouch, opening it and expecting to find gold coins. "So, the coins become gold on holidays, is that it?" he mutters.

Sure enough, they're gold. And Alptraum hears a loud screeching caw from somewhere above in the darkening sky. Soon after, a few shouts of alarm go up from the sailors on the deck.

The Eeee winces and curses. This could cause problems. He quickly puts the pouch back away and takes off again, winging skyward and hoping to lure the Korv away so he can deal with it without attracting too much attention.

As Alptraum wings away from the ship, he can hear guttural curses in what he presumes to be Chronotopian from somewhere behind him. The ghostly Korv is on his tail!

Alptraum flaps his wings hard, trying to gain ground from the ship before glancing backwards to make sure the Korv is indeed behind him. "This guy is starting to get really annoying," he growls, silver eyes narrow.

As Alptraum glances backwards, he sees that the Korv is not the only flier on his tail. Nekara is airborne, too, pursuing the Korv. Alptraum hears her high-pitched cries, as she uses her voice to help her navigate in the air, now that the sky is dark enough to thwart the use of eyesight alone.

Alptraum shouts back towards Nekara, "I've got him, don't worry! I've had to deal with him before! He's harmless! One hit and he's gone!" He then starts to make a hard arc so he can attempt a diving attack to shatter the ghost.

Sure enough, the Korv, seemingly incapable of realizing his own frailty, moves to intercept Alptraum, rather than to evade him. It is a ridiculously simple thing to reach out and touch the ghost … at which point the apparition breaks apart into a cloud of dust that showers down toward the water.

Nekara lets out a high-pitched cry of alarm at this sight, then glowers after the departed ghost. She turns to circle around the spot in which the ghost was vanquished.

"Better than plowing through him like last time," Alptraum thinks with a smirk and waves toward Nekara. "Back to the boat," he cries out. "I'll explain there."

Nekara gives the disintegrating cloud another glare, then wings back toward the boat.

Alptraum wings easily back towards the boat, flying more by sound than by sight. When the ship gets within range, his wings curl in some and he glides down slowly and lands on the deck, letting his wings ease against his back. He looks for Nekara.

Nekara is not long behind him, gliding in to land as well, her white hair being the most visible feature to be caught by the glow of the running lamps the sailors have lit now that the light is failing. She smoothes out the folds of her robes, then looks up to Alptraum. "You were going to explain this, now?"

Alptraum reaches into his vest and pulls out the pouch and offers it to Nekara. "That ghost is after this. It's got some sort of bizarre curse on it. I've had it since the Sheriff of Blackshire gave it to me. I've considered just giving it to the ghost, but I want to know more about the specifics of the curse behind it. The ghost is harmless, one touch and he disintegrates into nothing," he explains.

Nekara feels the weight of the pouch, and her eyes widen as she looks at the gold inside. "You've been … carrying … this … around?" She looks at Alptraum. "And you've been dressed like that?"

"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?" Alptraum asks defensively, then shrugs. "Oh, it looks like real stuff, doesn't it? Just try and use it somewhere and it turns to wooden shekels. I tried in the last town to buy Autumn-Storm some warmer clothing. I think it only appears as that on a holiday."

Nekara laughs at the explanation. "Ah, that is a rich curse, indeed. So, this ghost wasn't animated by some necromancer, then? It's just a cursed treasure?"

"Right. He was some sort of pathetic pirate, according to the Blackshire Sheriff. I think he made some mage mad and got what he deserved in the end," Alptraum says. "I should either ditch the stuff or find a way to un-curse it. It's useless as is." He then holds his hand out for the pouch, then asks, "And do I really look that bad?"

Nekara hands the pouch back. "You merely do not look like someone who carries around a pouch of gold shekels," she says. "Do not let your pride be bruised so easily."

Alptraum closes the pouch and slips it back into his vest and shrugs, saying, "They're cursed and useless." He then walks towards the railing and looks out into the darkness and listens for a moment. "Thanks for being concerned," he finally says with a look back at Nekara.

Nekara says, "You're carrying a relic important to a departed spirit, however 'pathetic' he may have been. Perhaps Sunala's hand is in this again; perhaps another purpose for you is to find a way to let this pirate find his rest at last."

Alptraum looks down at the deck and says, "Well, I have seen him once in my dreams, right before I met the little Eeee that seemed so familiar to me. I could have followed him in his quest, but I chose to learn more of, well, the family."

Nekara nods. "Then perhaps you will meet him again," she says, brushing back a lock of white hair that has pulled free from her headband, as she looks shoreward. "I am presuming, though, that we will not see him again tonight."

"I don't think so. He will come every major holiday, though. It's predictable," Alptraum replies. "Though, I suppose I could try to contact him in dreams again. At least there I understand what he says."

Nekara nods. "If you have no further need of me, I shall retire for the evening, then. It will not be long before the next leg of our journey begins."

"Well," Alptraum says slowly. "If I get there, I could try to pull you there as well, if you were interested. I sorta did something like that with Autumn-Storm once." He fidgets uncomfortably and says, "Although in that case, I became her."

Nekara raises an eyebrow. "That might prove interesting. Sleep well, Alptraum," she says, and then goes below decks to her cabin.

Alptraum waves. "Goodnight," he calls after Nekara, then shrugs. He decides he might as well get some sleep and see if he can somehow make contact again. He wanders back towards his cabin as well.

As Alptraum gets back to his cabin, he finds that Autumn-Storm is already in her bunk, curled up. While the weather has gotten warm enough that she's not sleeping so late in the day, she's not really had much to do except during the brief periods when the ship is land-side, and has stayed in the cabin for the bulk of its time at sea. She isn't actually asleep, however, and nods when Alptraum warns her to 'be prepared to wake me should I start acting really strange and possibly dangerous,' though giving him a weird look nonetheless. When he tells her he's going to try 'something weird', an attempt to control his dreams, she just nods some more, and burrows herself into her blanket a little more tightly. Once he's finally in his own bunk, and has the cursed pouch in his hand, he finds sleep readily gaining on him. His mind is filled with ideas of the Korv … and of Nekara … as he starts to slip off.

For a fleeting moment, Alptraum witnesses the barren Sea that he's seen so often before … but then the Sea floods in again, resuming its "normal" appearance. Alptraum sails along, solitary (so far as he knows at this instant) in the stormy skies above the gray expanse.

Alptraum flaps gently over the Sea. For a place that terrified him so in the beginning, it seems to be rather normal to him now. He glides about lazily for a bit, trying to decide how to do this. He shrugs and does what first strikes him, he thinks of Nekara, to try and visualize her alongside him above this Sea of torment. He eases his breath and just focuses on that image, on what he knows of her and her voice.

… and then he hears his own name spoken in her voice. "Alptraum," she says, and there she is, flying beside him, looking about at her surroundings. "The Sea of Souls," she says, in awe. "You brought me here."

Alptraum looks over at her, rather surprised by it as well. He blinks a few times, then says, "Have you never been here before? All I did was think of you and visualize you being here." He flaps lightly and looks out over the Sea, saying, "First time I came here, I was terrified. Now … it just seems familiar to me. Almost normal. Now, that's a scary thought."

"It needn't be," Nekara says, though her voice has a trace of uncertainty to it as she still scans about. "I have dreamed of this place before, yes … but not like this. When I have come here, it was … as if I was acting out a part in a play, or just an observer, unable to speak, to act. But now … I am speaking with you … I am … I am here."

"It's always been like this for me," Alptraum replies, watching the fellow Eeee. "I can interact with things here. I can find people here. It's in this place I caught Autumn-Storm as she fell towards the Sea. It's in this place I somehow became Autumn-Storm." He shrugs softly and asks, "Want me to see if I can call the Korv to us?"

"Go ahead," Nekara says, sounding slightly stunned. "Let us see if this shall come to pass, then."

"Avralie," Alptraum says and lets his silver eyes close. His thoughts shift to the Korv, the bits he remembers of him. He draws back to the memories of standing on that decaying deck, the sounds of the Korv crying to his men. The Eeee simply tries to close out his surroundings and think of just the Korv.

The storm thunders more violently, and down below, there is a crash of waves – waves of vaguely formed spirits – as a vortex forms in the mass. Something pushes its way up and through the maelstrom … a tattered, decayed, far-less-than-airworthy airship and its ghostly crew, bursting forth from the "water" and rising up into the air. Ghosts cling to its sides, one by one losing their grips and falling back to disappear into the Sea once more, even as the airship continues its upward climb.

Alptraum closes the sound from his mind, holding onto the image of the Korv. Slowly, he allows his eyes to open as he breathes slow and steady.

As he opens his eyes, he's greeted by the sight of the airship rising steadily beneath him, its envelope impossibly inflated even though it is torn in many places, the flaps of fabric flapping in the stormy winds. Nekara glides to one side to avoid the airship's slow upward descent. Even now, Alptraum can hear the pirate laughing and cawing raucously, calling out commands to his ghostly crew. "That's better, lads!" the Korv cries. "Off again! This storm isn't enough to scare the likes of me!"

Alptraum doesn't hesitate. He flies toward the tattered airship and lands quietly on the deck. He motions to Nekara to join him. "Come on," he says.

Nekara follows after Alptraum, though she has a dazed expression on her face, not fully registering her odd surroundings. One might describe her as moving "as if in a dream," but that would be self-evident, considering the circumstances. As for the crew, they pay no heed to the two visitors on the deck, even though the Korv takes the time to kick at the fingers of a clinging ghost hanging onto the side. "Off with you, blasted sky-barnacle!" the Korv caws out. The ghost just flails and falls, becoming less distinct as it drops toward the Sea, then vanishes into the waves.

"Nekara? Come on, we're safe enough for now," Alptraum says to her, then walks along the deck slowly toward the Korv. "I really wish I knew how I do this. It's almost instinctive. I just relax and call, then they come." He shrugs.

Nekara nods, following after Alptraum. "I should be the authority here, not you," she says, absently. "I should be ashamed."

Alptraum stops for a moment and looks back at her. "Why?" he asks.

Nekara shakes her head. "I am a priestess of Sunala. But here you are, a lost brother who knows not of his own heritage … and you are at home in Her realm."

"I can't explain it. Believe me, the first time I came here, I was more dazed than you are now. I know not of the theology of this place, but I have had the experience of it. Many times, in fact. I used to wonder if I was something … what was it Xanadu called … Oh yes, a Nephrilim," Alptraum says with a shrug. "Come here enough, and you'll be more comfortable than I am, I bet." He then proceeds forward again, toward the ghost of the pirate that pursued him earlier.

"'Nephrilim?'" Nekara repeats, awkwardly, not sounding familiar with the term at all.

The Korv pirate takes no notice of Alptraum, too busy hopping about, flapping his wings, goading his crew into doing this or that or the other task, cawing and laughing wildly. "He'll not escape us this time! That treasure will be ours, and vengeance as well!"

"Descendent of one of the Fallen Angels, I think is how it was described. Related, a child of one in a way. It was said they kept some of the powers the Fallen had," Alptraum explains, halting now and then as he watches the Korv. His hand dips into his vest and searches out the pouch.

He pulls out the pouch, but immediately he knows that it is not as it should be. Even though he can remember – can imagine the weight of it, the way it should be, as a pouch of gold, here it refuses to be anything other than a pouch full of wooden shekels.

Alptraum tosses the pouch to the feet of the Korv and waits to see if that generates any sort of reaction.

The pouch lands on the deck with a clink of wooden chips. The Korv stops his cawing and commanding, and looks down at his clawed feet, stooping down to pick up the pouch with a wing-claw. "What's this?" he caws, then pulls the pouch open. "Pah! What joke is this? I told you worthless scoundrels to keep this out of my sight! Is this someone's idea of a jest? Off the ship with you!" He draws his wing back, preparing to fling the pouch off the rail.

Alptraum moves quickly toward the ghost, eyes narrowed. He makes an attempt to grab the Korv's claw before he throws it overboard.

The Korv stops, when his claw is held by the bat's hand. "Now then, what's this?" he caws, craning his neck to give the bat an annoyed sideways glare with one beady black eye.

"This bag is your treasure, my friend," Alptraum says, holding the claw firmly in his hand. "It's cursed, to torment you. It appears as nothing but wooden shekels, save on sacred nights. How did you originally come by it?"

The Korv's eyes narrow. "We put in our lot with a blasted sorcerer, we did – a grand Olympian illusionist, who claimed he was a descendant of Dagh hisself. He made up a right lovely illusion to hide us so we could ambush a Gallisian air-galleon … but he made another lovely illusion when we split up our share of the loot … and slipped word to the Gallees on where to find us… " His eyes burn with fury, as his claws close tightly around the pouch of coins, crunching them lightly within the coarse cloth.

"When did this occur? did the Wizard have a name? What did he look like?" Alptraum asks, relaxing his grip some. "Let me guess, he made wooden coins appear gold?"

"Abzhalom," the Korv growls. "Abzhalom the Great, Abzhalom the Mighty, Abzhalom the scrawny little furball who could only cast spells on account of his wretched little wand! We should have waylaid him and just taken it from him. I could've used that thing myself, I'm sure, with a little practice." He grins his beak together. "I'll find him. I'll find him yet."

Alptraum releases the Korv's claw completely. "Was he a Khatta?" he asks.

"Aye, that he was!" the Korv caws. "A little black bad-luck Khatta, and not even a Chronotopian one! One of those toga-wearing, gutter-vomiting Olympians!"

Alptraum blinks. "How long ago was it when he betrayed you?" he now inquires.

"How long ago? How should I know how long ago?" He looks to his crew. "Does anyone know how long?" He spits on the deck. "Not long at all. Wouldn't stand to let the scoundrel go for long without catching up with him. I'll have him soon enough, I will!"

Alptraum shakes his head slowly. "No, I'm afraid you will never catch him. Look around you. Your travels in life long since ended. You walk the path of the dead now. Let this hatred go and rest. I will try and locate him for you, if I have the chance. I cannot promise I will find him – but destiny has a way of bringing things together. This Khatta may be the one I'm seeking, now a gray-furred older Khatta, and a powerful necromancer," he says slowly and glances toward Nekara.

Nekara is not silent, Alptraum finds, as he looks to her. She is – and apparently has been for some time – whispering a chanted prayer, a prayer calling for peace for the dead, a ward against hauntings and restless spirits.

The Korv frowns, but he looks seriously at Alptraum. "And who are you, boy, that you'll find him before I do?"

The black furred Eeee looks at the Korv a long moment. "Someone who can step into and out of the realm of the dead. A traveler of both worlds," he says quietly with a glance back toward Nekara. "My name is Alptraum." He motions toward Nekara behind him and says, "She is Nekara, a Yodhsunala, and my sister. I still yet live, and that is why I may find him before you. For, if he were dead, surely you would have found him in this world by now."

"'Nightmare' is your name, eh?" the Korv echoes, the edges of his beak turning up in a grin. "You hunt him down for me, then, you hear? You send him my way … and I'll take care of the rest." There's a glint in his dark eyes.

"Alptraum Reisender, the Nightmare Traveler," Alptraum echoes with a nod. "I will try to find him. If he is the one we pursue all ready, he will be difficult to catch. It may take us some time, but we will try. What is your name, friend? So I can tell him who sent me."

"Captain Klaus Schmidt," the Korv caws, puffing up his chest proudly. "Terror of the Nordikan skies!"

"Then he'll know Captain Schmidt sends his regards. Until we meet again," Alptraum replies firmly and steps away. He heads back over to Nekara and taps her shoulder, saying, "Time to go, Nekara … unless there is something more you want to do here."

Nekara shakes her head. "No. I would not impose upon Sunala any longer than I have already." She sighs, looking beyond the rails, at the brewing storm, and the horrible "sea" churning below. "Thank you."

"As you wish. I could try to take you to other places: the temple where I met the Eeee, if you wanted," Alptraum offers.

"No," Nekara says, shaking her head. "Not now. I am not … I am not a tourist visiting Babel. One does not visit the realms of the gods to gaze upon the wonders. One comes with business to tend to. I wish to leave. I wish to leave now, if you are finished." She looks directly at Alptraum, fear in her eyes.

Alptraum looks at Nekara curiously, not feeling the fear she apparently is. "As you wish," he replies again and stands before her. His eyes close. Like when he 'summoned' her, he thinks of Nekara, but this time wishing her gone from this place. Free from the darkness of the turbulent Sea.

It seems easy enough. Nekara is gone. She doesn't fade away – she's just gone.

Alptraum looks around for a bit before taking to the air. "When are you going to tell me what you want, Sunala?" he says softly as he flies away from the Sea. "Will I ever speak to you?" He shrugs again and closes his eyes, trying to bring his thoughts back to the cabin of the boat, and the bed that should be beneath him.