Lukas awoke to find himself tied to the branches of a large spruce tree.
"What the hell?" he gasped.
"Shut up, we're trying to sleep!" shouted Beat and Finn in unison.

A few hours later Finn finally untied Lukas. Beat sat on the branch, eating a slice of toasted bread. He tried to convince Finn to keep him tied up.
"All I'm saying is he needs to learn his place. He insulted us, and we're the leaders." sighed Beat as Finn swung his swords light tendril at the ropes binding their friend.
"I agree with you Beat, I just think we shouldn't starve him." replied Finn. "Besides, we've got a river to cross."
"Oh yeah." murmured Beat taking a bite of the bread.

"I'm coming with you. Kane can't risk leaving, but I can steer the boat." stated the young girl standing before the boat. She had a good figure, and was about Finn's height. Her hair was wavy, brunette, and went down to her shoulders. "I'm Mist, your captain, commander, and queen." she growled.
"Captain, permission to speak?" saluted Beat standing to attention.
"Granted." she nodded, smiling at his attitude.
"Your skirt was blown up. It is revealing your undergarments. I must add, frills is not what I would expect from someone of your attitude." stated Beat, starting to blush.
Finn and Lukas burst out laughing at that. Richard, trying to use his training, managed to only smile.
"All of you on the ship now!" she screamed. "And I hope you learn to show more respect Grimsley!"
"Yes ma'am, Captain." shouted Beat from the ship
"Kane owes me big for making me put up with these kids." she growled under her breath.
"Cap'n, I must apologize for Beat's actions. He is not as sane as you, and I fear he may have gotten me to lose some sanity." apologized Richard, returning to stand before her.
"I may let you and the other two off, but Beat needs to learn his place, he's in charge of cooking." she replied thinking.
"If I may Captain, he is a terrible cook. He'd be better off cleaning and other things like that." suggested Richard.
"Hmm, much more fitting. Who would cook?"
"I can. I was the cook for a gathering of fighters led by Beat. He acts like an idiot, but he always has a reason for what he does. Maybe it was his way of telling you that he respects your authority." sighed Richard walking onboard.
Mist stood still, frozen by the words spoken. She had authority? It was respected by a leader? Grimsley was a leader? All these questions whizzed through her head.
"Cap'n! Are you ready to set sail?" shouted Finn who had climbed up the mast to the small crows nest.
"Aye, I'll be there to steer shortly." replied Mist, shaking her head. "What is going on?" she murmured.

Beat was satisfied by the results of his statement. He proved the captain was strict, and ready to dish out punishment. He was relieved when Richard told him what his task was.
"Swab the deck, even though it's only a skiff. Two cabins, the kitchen where we sleep, and her quarters. This is easy." muttered Beat to himself. "Just keep testing the captain, see how ready she is to defend her title."
"I thought that was your intention." laughed Finn behind Beat.
"I knew you were there. I figured you would thank me for pointing that little up-skirt out to you guys." sighed Beat mopping more of the wooden deck.
"It was good for a laugh. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a few things to do." yawned Finn walking off.
"I didn't stop you." muttered Beat turning back to his work.

Lukas was at the tiller, learning how to steer the vessel. He listened closely, trying to learn as quickly and efficiently as possible. He didn't want to end up like Beat, who was now cleaning the anchor.
"Alright Lukas, just ease it to port, that's the left side." instructed Mist kindly.
"Right." nodded Lukas turning his attention back to his work.
"When we hit the current we'll need to row. After all, we're headed against the current.
"Aye Captain!" shouted Beat and Finn from their posts. Richard banged on his ceiling, which was under Lukas's feet.
"They seemed to learn quickly." laughed Mist crossing her arms against her chest. "I'll be studying some river charts if I'm needed. Knock first."
"Aye Captain." nodded Lukas.

Richard had his hair tied up in a bandana, and rolled his sleeves up. He had sweat plastering his hair to his forehead as he cooked over the bubbling cauldron.
"This is way too hot." he muttered.
He tried to douse the flame, but it didn't faze the fire.
"Beat, come here!" he shouted.
"What? I'm busy cleaning." snapped Beat sticking his head through the door.
"Lower this flame please?" asked Richard.
Beat sighed and snapped his fingers. The flame diminished and now cooked the soup he was making perfectly.
"Thank you." sighed Richard.
"The firewood was soaked in oil. The Captain should know. I'm out." stated Beat walking out the door.
"Oh great. Time to get the Captain." grumbled Richard as he walked out the door.

Finn sat in the crows-nest looking for anything that may house their enemy. He was soon bored with that.
"Hey Beat! Switch jobs with me!" he shouted down to his friend.
"No, I'll get yelled at by Mist." replied Beat gruffly.
"But this is so boring." sighed Finn leaning over the rail. He then spotted a major threat. "Turn around! Whirlpool!" he shouted.
Beat snapped out of his act, abandoning his cleaning duties and rushing to the tiller. He pushed Lukas aside and turned hard to port.
"Why did you push me? I could have turned it." growled Lukas rubbing his face.
"Sorry, instincts kicked in. Needed friends to survive." laughed Beat.
"Where'd that one come from?" shouted Finn.
Beat and Lukas turned to see another whirlpool where they were turning towards.
"What is going on?" shouted Mist as she ran up to the tiller.
"Whirlpools on either side of us." stated Beat grimly.
"So we reached this point." sighed Mist. "We have to go ashore."
Richard stumbled onto the deck and pointed to a major threat. "The banks are too high. If we went ashore we'd ruin the ship."
"Survival of the crew first. Captains main priority." replied Mist.
"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but the whirlpools are gone." shouted Finn.
"This is really confusing." growled Lukas.
The crew stood perplexed by this event for only a minute. Before any could even guess what was going on it struck.
A giant serpent like beast rose from the river. It's head looked like that of one of the dragons Finn and Lukas had killed, but it had metal plating against the side of it's face. It revealed a cavernous mouth filled with rows of teeth. It let out an earsplitting roar and dove beside the ship, causing a massive surge of water to pour onto the deck.
"What was that?" gasped Mist as the water trickled off the sides of her face.
"Looked like a river dragon, but with metal attached to it." answered Finn.
"Wait, here it comes again!" shouted Richard.
He was half right. Because this time two heads rose from the water. Each had blue scales, and while one was dark marine blue, the other was as blue as the water.
"Lukas freeze the water!" screamed Finn jumping from the mast.
Lukas focused on the river, but only managed to freeze the areas around the banks. he concentrated more, trying to freeze the dragons. But a third dragon rose from behind the ship and struck at Lukas's unprotected back.
"Lukas!" gasped Beat pushing the boy aside. Beat was then covered in water that seemed to be freezing around him.
"Oh my lord!" gasped Mist looking to the frozen boy.
The ice started to steam and Beat shook himself out as steam rose from him.
"That was unpleasant." stated Beat shaking himself.
"What the hell? How'd you do that?" shouted Mist trying to comprehend what happened.
"Just, ugh, we'll tell you later." sighed Finn drawing Lightbringer.
The three heads rose to reveal their razor sharp teeth. The larger of the three struck at Richard but Finn blinded it with a flash from his sword. Lukas tried freezing it again but seemed to freeze the timbers of the boat. The other two heads decided to strike at the same time, aiming for Mist and Finn.
"No way!" shouted Beat snapping his fingers. A flame jumped from his hand and shot at the two heads.
The serpents screeched and dove under water. Leaving a eerie silence.
"They're gonna come back. We've gotta prepare ourselves." sighed Richard.
"How come I can't freeze this river?" sobbed Lukas.
"Don't worry. I think one of them keeps the water warm to shoot scalding water out. So then one would freeze, one boils, and the third would probably be the smart one." explained Beat.
"But it has been difficult to do anything." whined Lukas.
"Oh shit!" gasped Beat.
"What is it?" asked Mist in shock.
"We forgot Zachari in the void!" screamed Beat.
"Oh my goddesses!" gasped Richard.
"How did we do that?" screamed Finn.
"Lets hope he's okay." stated Lukas.

"Where the hell am I?" shouted Zachari. He found himself in a place far more advanced than Aeorobis. "This place is amazing." he sighed.
"Hey you! Get out of the way!" screamed a man on a strange metal vehicle with two wheels. Right behind him a bigger vehicle with four wheels followed.
Zachari looked at the things, an decided to follow them. He got a running start, and jumped into the sky. He glided towards the strange vehicles and landed on the larger one.
"Excuse me, could you explain where I am?" asked the prince, calling to the one on the two wheeled vehicle.
"You lost?" shouted the man.
"You could say that. I was dropped here by a group of people I don't really know well."
"You sound like someone that was lost in the Void. We here in Cybitril can help. But maybe you could help us first."
"Sure, I'd be happy to help." agreed Zachari.

"I'm sure your friend is fine, just explain what's going on!" shouted Mist. "How is it possible for you to use fire and freeze things?"
"I would wait for that answer. The things are coming back." grimaced Finn.
"You know what? Screw it. We all need to make a sacrifice now and then, I'm jumping ship and taking those things on!" stated Richard.
"Yeah, no. If anyone has nothing to lose it's me. I may find happiness in death, I may reunite with Ivy." sighed Beat. He handed Lukas his rapier, and drew his staff.
"I am not gonna let you die. I'm backing you up." growled Finn.
"Ha, I'm appreciative, but no. If I don't kill those things, shoot them with your Mad Bow. I probably will get eaten." stated Beat.
The serpents rose, and stared at the people. Beat ran forward, and slammed his staff into the middle serpents head. That made the other two strike, the larger of the two swallowed Beat, not even bothering to chew.
"Oh no!" gasped Richard.
"Bastards!" roared Finn firing Mad Bow at the one that swallowed Beat.
Then the middle serpent began to heave. It's noun opened and Beat pushed his way out.
"How'd I get in this one?" he gasped in disgust.
"What the hell?" gasped everyone watching.
Beat was swallowed again. And when everyone snapped back to reality, Lukas snapped the bow from Finn's hand.
"You may hit Beat." explained Lukas.
"I don't give a damn, just help me kill this freaking thing!" screamed Beat shoving his head from the third head. "Wait I've got an idea!"
Suddenly the thing started writhing around. Causing massive surges and waves. Beat then jumped from the center mouth and rolled onto the deck.
The creature kept bucking, and then stopped. It then exploded and covered the crew in blood.
"What did you do?" shouted Richard in surprise.
"I emptied a bag of bombchus in it's throats. They kept scampering around, so it made them spit me up." laughed Beat, wiping blood from his face.
"You're face is cut." sighed Mis wiping a cloth across his face.
Lukas choked up at that. He sniffed, and then shook his head. "Well, you didn't die." grinned Lukas.
"These things aren't the monsters that have been sprouting up. They all bleed water, this thing had real blood." growled Mist.
"Eh, who cares? We did kill it." yawned Finn.
Suddenly a giant head burst through the deck of the ship sending the group flying. Finn went flying into the water, while Lukas and Mist were thrown onto the shore. 
Richard clung to the wreckage, and looked for Beat. He saw Finn, floating with his face under, but then he vanished. He turned to find a large man jumping across the wreckage, and grabbed him. Richard went unconscious as he was pulled from the water.

Beat clung to the head of the monster, trying to keep from being tossed off. He watched his friends get to safety, and smiled. He then turned his attention to the monstrosity.
"So, you that things real head?" laughed Beat. He drew his hidden weapon, and placed it on the monsters eye. "Bang."
The monsters eye exploded, and the Beas screamed in pain. It dove under the water, dying as it sunk deeper. Beat could feel someone searching for him, but he doubted they would find him. He fell asleep, and found himself with all his lost loved ones. His mother, Ivy, and everyone else that hadn't been returned yet. He was swept away by the current as he reunited with his lost love. "My sweet Ivy, may I have this final dance?"
"Of course." nodded Ivy as she hugged Beat, guiding him to a place of safety.

"Damn. I didn't get Grimsley." sighed the large archer. He looked at the two he managed to save. He smiled looking at his son. The other boy began to stir, and looked at him.
"You're the guy who had the giant bow!" he gasped.
"My name is Madskillz, but don't tell Finn I was here. I regret what I'm about to tell you." sighed Madskillz.
"What happened?" sighed Richard.
"Your friend Beat, I didn't manage to save him. Lukas and Mist made it ashore, but I swept you and Finn out of the water. Beat took that thing that attended you all down in one final effort. I'm sorry, but Beat Grimsley is dead." explained the man.
"No." gasped Richard.
"I must go now. Remember, Finn can't know I was here."