Haunted Waters?

The smell of blood was always an ears one for the dragon slayer to identify, however with Zinnath having now eaten two of the naga, it was hard to tell where the source of the scent was coming from. It wasn't until she faintly hear Kiersa chant something did her attention switch to the ship. A wide smirk crossed her features as she sat back down on Zinnath.

"Quietly, go underwater, circle around the ship and let me climb up on the railing."
She asked of the Serpent as she gently pat her back. Right away, Zinnath dove underwater as if she had just seen something, disappearing in the darkness and mist of the ocean. The large snake made her way under the boat, careful not to hit it as she passed, then resurfaced on the other side. From there, Zinnath attempted to quietly break the surface of the water while bringing Aayla up to the railing.

The small dragon slayer leaped off of Zinnath, and crouched down on the railing, watching the naga and Kiersa's fight. She would be here if anything went terribly wrong... however, was it wrong of her to leave this fight to the nun? She was sure her partner could use the battle experience....

From the corner of her eyes she noticed the sailors and brought a finger to her lips, indicating she wanted them to be quiet so that she could at least surprise the Naga with her sudden re-appearance.

The sailors spotted the blue haired girl arrive and did as they were told, still remembering the displays of power they had witnessed her pull off earlier, instead watching the nun fight with the Naga. Kiersa’s chest was heaving from the exertion of sustaining not just one but two Stigmata spells, grunting as the Naga’s trident struck against her shield once more, her own blade swinging out to try and get the creature. Their serpentine form gave them far too maneuverability for her liking, but such were the challenges the Maker sent her. “Ssssoon you’ll ssssleep mortal… death awaitssss you!” the beast hissed as it coiled its tail around her, holding her in place like a snake with a mouse. The nun cried out as the limb began to tighten around her, her arms pinned beneath the scaled embrace that was crushing her chest.

The nun fell limp in the serpent’s coil, faint motes of light signalling the dispersal of her Stigmata spells. The naga gave a chuckle as it used its trident to tilt her head up to force her to look at it. “Now… you sssshall pay… for what your friend did to ussss… it will be sssslow… and an agony like you’ve never felt before…” it hissed slowly, a smirk across its face. “You’re wrong…” Kiersa said softly, causing the creature’s head to tilt in curious confusion. “Oh? And what am I ssso wrong about?” it asked of her, before starting a little at the look in her eyes.

Behind those eyes was fire, and scenes of mutilation witnessed. “My mortal flesh may not know much agony and pain creature… but my soul… my soul has known pain and suffering the likes of which you can never hope to inflict! For my sin I will atone! You are not the one to end me!” she cried out, a blaze of light erupting from the gaps in the coils as she cast another Stigmata spell. “Damocles double!” she intoned, the brilliant blades of holy light surging forth and in their creation sliced through the beasts tail, severing it in twain.

The naga fell to the deck, writhing in pain as it bled from the stump of its severed limb. The nun walked over to the beast, her blades humming like the choir of a church in the silent air of these dead seas. “May the Maker show more mercy on you, than you have this mortal world.” Prayed the nun before spearing her blade through the beasts head. As its body fell silent of life, Kiersa dispersed the blades, and found her body shaking as she fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her body as her eyes closed tight, her lower lip bleeding as she bit back the cries she wanted to pour out.

Spoiler:

Aayla had leaped off of the balcony when the Naga wrapped it's tail around the girl, readying a water dragon's claw to clober the damn thing in the head for hurting her friend. She really thought that Kiersa would be able to handle herself against this thing.

"Hey! Let her-"
She paused as she heard Kiersa talking to the serpent before crying out as a bright light engulfed her body. Aayla relaxed her fist as she brought her hands up to shade her eyes from the light, a smile returning to her face again as she watched the Naga's tail get sliced into pieces. Of course, she could do without the morbidity of it all... she even winced as Kiersa drove her blade through the Naga's head.

"I at least let most of them live..."
She whispered to herself as she ran over to Kiersa's side and gently placed a hand on her back.

"You did great Kiersa..."
She told the nun softly, gently rubbing her back as it to reassure her. She suddenly stopped though as a sudden wave of sickness over-came the young dragon slayer and she quite literally fell flat on her face.

"uuurg...."
It was like her body had just expelled all of the earlier adrenaline from her body... and it had jut remembered that they were on a ship. Her motion sickness was quick to set it, making the young Water Wizard feel like she had been the one to get beaten around the ocean, and not the Naga.

Kiersa blinked and rubbed at her face at the sound of Aayla’s voice. “H-how l-long… w-were y-you there?” she asked, truly wondering how long her friend had been there watching the fight. She turned around to give her friend a hug… only to find her chest filled with her friends face as she flopped onto her. The nun began to blush furiously at this interaction before stroking the girls hair soothingly. “It’ll be alright… we’ll get you on Zinnath and you’ll be fine.” She said softly before looking around for the aforementioned Sea Serpent. “E-everyone, get onto Zinnath’s back, quickly… we d-don’t know how long w-we’ve got till they come back.” Called out the nun to the sailors who all quickly obeyed. Kiersa herself dragged Aayla to the Sea Serpent, getting the great beast and the sailors to help her aboard.

Once everyone was safely and securely holding on, Kiersa let Zinnath fly them out through the cloudbanks and fog, away from the Naga and shipwrecks and… the nun blinked for a moment. “Umm… w-were we meant to get the b-bread as well?” she asked softly of Aayla once the girl had recovered from her Slayer induced motion sickness. The nun really hoped they didn’t need to fetch the bread as well… it would be all soggy surely by now. That and it would open them to more attacks from the Naga and whatever ghosts lurked around these cursed waters. Kiersa looked down at her robes and started to shudder at the sight of the Naga’s blood all over them.

Aayla was absolute dead weight as Kiersa tried to drag her back on Zinnath. The poor Serpent attempted to hold as many people as she could, but soon found herself descending onto the water's surface where it woul be easier for her to carry everyone. It also required a lot less magic power. 

When Aayla got on Zinanth's back, she slowly started to feel better, but was quick to jump in the water where she swam alongside the large creature.

"S...sorry about that... Kiersa... I was uhm... I saw the whole thing... I wanted to give you a chance... you know..."
She sad shyly, her cheecks going red as she peered at the sailors who all stared at her as if she was some sort of freak. They had been impressed by her display of strength, but also terrified of it... then they had seen her fall over simply because she was standing on an old ship...

"Uhm... bread... don't think we.. need..."
Her face had gone beat red at this point as everyone stared at her, her head sank slowly so that just her eyes were visible above the water.

"I'm gonna... uhm... keep look out... maybe more... Naga..."
Her sentences really didn't make much sense, but she was so embarrassed that she let herself sink below the waves as she followed Zinnath as they headed back towards shore. She did keep an eye out for Naga the entire time however, as it would be much easier for them to attack Zinnath while she ws floating on the oceans surface compared to flying.

The nun gave a sigh of relief as the sailors all shook their heads as well. “S-sorry… I j-just remembered the n-notice saying something a-about bread is all…” she said, blushing a little embarrassed at her mistake. She did however shoot them all a stern look… well, as stern a look as a fourteen year old girl dressed as a nun can give to a group of fully grown men, for their attitudes towards Aayla. They had the good graces to mutter half-apologies and at least look scolded. Kiersa sighed as she returned to looking around the seas, partially to keep a track of Aayla and partially in case anything came over the water towards them. Spirits didn’t tend to care which direction they came from.

Soon enough they began to pierce the bank of fog and clouds, with the shore in distant view. “Land ho!” crowed one of the sailors almost out of instinct before being thwapped upside the head by their crewmates. “Ye wanna stow it till we’re farther from that cursed stretch of sea eh?” growled one of the sailors. “It’ll b-be alright…” said the nun. “If a-any Naga came c-close to us, Aayla or Zinnath could s-sort them out quickly.” She assured the sailors, offering a soft smile whilst stroking the great leviathan’s scales.

“No offense there Sister, cursed seas ain’t a thing to trifle with… We’re God-fearin’ men as much as any-“ began one of the sailors before Kiersa interrupted. “Why would you fear the Maker?” she asked in genuine confusion as she looked at them all. The sailors all looked at each other, scratching their heads a little as they threw glances at the blood stained robes she was wearing but not drawing attention to it and just letting the matter drop. Kiersa looked at them for a little longer before looking out to the closing shore and shaking her head. “Strange people…” she said softly.

When they finally reached shore line and Aayla waited until all of the  Sailors had climbed off of Zinnath's back and got to safe ground before she took a deep breath and rose out of the water, gripping the side of dock and lifting herself up over it. She took another breath as if to relax after the long trip and finally stood up straight, tilting her head sideways as she rung out her hair, letting the water drip free from her head. Th act seemed ridiculous to her and yet she always felt she had to do this after a long swim. She then walked over to Zinnath and lightly rubbed the Serpents face before resting her forehead against hers gently.

"Thank you for all you're help today Zinny... you were great."
She told the Serpent with a large smile. Zinnath lifted her head gently, pressing it into Aayla gently as if hugging her. Finally she turned to face Kiersa and the Sailors.

"I would avoid this part of the Sea for a while... I don't think the Naga will be too happy with anyone who tried to get on their waters now. We'll have someone look into these spirits of yours too and tr to rid the ocean of that... but in the mean time... please stay out of these waters... or at least post up a warning, and travel ready."
She explained to them, her stutter temporarily gone as she forced herself to keep a straight face. She wanted to just run away and dive under water again, out of sight and out of mind f the sailors... but she had to make an impact on them o hopefully keep the community safe.

The sailors all nodded at the little blue haired girls words and made their departures, the nun letting out a soft sigh of relief as they left before she went over to Aayla. “Um… s-sorry about y-your dress…” she apologised, gesturing to the robes she had borrowed from her team-mate which were splattered in naga blood, as well as her own. The swim-suit would have similar stains as well, but mostly from her own blood as a result of the Stigmata magic. “I-I’ll pay f-for a new o-one to r-replace it f-for you i-if we c-can’t get the… stains out…” she offered, an apologetic smile on her face although on the inside she was dreading the girls response. She had loaned her her own clothes, and here she was, standing in them and having ruined them…

A new worry struck the nun as she realised something. Aayla had been there the entire time during her fight… she had heard every single word she had said to the Naga… she had been there the day that she’d come to Sabertooth and heard about what the demon had done to her convent and the village nearby… The Slayer was, in Kiersa’s opinion, a smart girl… She’d be more than able to put the pieces together and figure out what had happened that dreadful day… The nuns eyes began to water and she quickly fell to her knees, bowed her head and clasped her hands in front of her in a sign of pleading. “P-please… I… I didn’t know… p-please d-don’t h-hate me… I... d-didn’t m-mean… I…” she stammered, unsure of what to say and unable to get her words out straight.

"Kiersa why are you crying..?"
She asked the nun as she knelt down in front of her, a great big smile plastered on her face as she placed her hand on the girls shoulder.

"It's just clothes, i'm really not worried or mad about that at all. I can always get more at any time. So don't worry."
She told her as if that would solve all of their current problems. She gave Kiersa a tight hug before standing up and extending her hand to thr young girl to get her back up to her feet.

"This job was a lot of fun but, I think im ready to go home if you are. Don't want to get everyone else worried. And besides... i'm kind of worried Hirai might think I lost a fight in the water..."
She said lightly with a shudder at the thought of what the other dragon slayer might do if she HAD lost an underwater job... frankly, it would just be embarrassing for her to admit at all...

"So come on, let's go"
Again, she had a great big grin on her face as she helped Kiersa back to her feet before she guided the young girl onto Zinnath's back before getting on herself.

The Serpent stuck her tongue out, tasting the air as she kept her eyes on the two young girls, getting ready to take them back to the guild hall.

The nun blinked as Aayla talked only about the clothes, as if that was what she was talking about… She hasn’t figured it out… she realised as the Water Dragon Slayer helped her to her feet. “O-of c-course… s-sorry… n-never h-had s-someone lend s-stuff before… w-wasn’t s-sure…” she lied, wiping her tears away with her hands. I’ll tell her later… maybe… Kiersa thought to herself as she tilted her head as she tried to think of who Hirai was again before recalling. “Oh, the r-rude man w-with the t-talking cat.” She said in realisation before frowning. “A-as i-if you could l-lose a f-fight in the water…” she chided.

Kiersa followed Aayla onto Zinnath’s back and the great serpent took off into the skies. As they travelled the nun was silent, reflecting on the job and its accomplishment, and also her words to the Slayer she called friend. She’d find out eventually… the nun thought to herself as the sands gave way for forests and grass below. But do I tell her now… when we arrive… or much later? She silently questioned, looking up in Aayla’s direction in contemplative thought. She looked away and turned her gaze to the world below them as it raced on by. Maker… is this how You feel? Every day, watching over us in silence, unable to warn us of our folly, or tell us Your plan for the world? Kiersa clutched at her chest for a moment, her eyes closed as she slowly breathed. This weight… this burden… it is mine yes… mine to atone for, mine to correct… But must I bear it alone?

She looked once more in Aayla’s direction as she tried to fathom her decision before looking away once more. Aayla doesn’t deserve to bear my pain… Until it becomes far too much… I must bear it alone… And so the nun rode in silence as the grass turned away for sand and the guild hall came into view, a castle sitting amongst the clouds.