Plaguebound

Chapter 23

The voyage back home had begun. The ship had turned around and departed from Crystal Cove. Such a brief visit for such integral items. The party was now more than halfway done with their quest. Two locations remained; four ingredients left. Then they can cure the plague and confront Grimwald. The deck was full of laughter and joy. Elizabeth watched the waves. Isaac helped himself to the mead down below. Vera and Willie drunkenly sang shanties and danced with each other. A brief break, soon to be interrupted. Elizabeth looked back at her friends and smiled, grateful for their presence. But when she resumed her sightseeing, her eyes widened.

"Guys! Do you see that?" She called out. Vera and Isaac stopped dead in their tracks. They rushed over to the side of the ship. 

"Is that?"

"Can't be, can it?" A flash of lightning in the sky, not a cloud to be seen. A ring of arced electricity. A paper-thin window into a distant local, one hundreds of miles away. It bubbled and boiled the water around it. Inside stood four figures: a knight, a mage, a doctor, and a samurai. 

"Remember, you only have a few minutes, so make them count." Necros instructed, his hand rested upon Dullahan's shoulder. 

"And don't screw this up. Not unless you want me to take something else from you." Grimwald threatened. 

"N-No sir! I won't fail you." He cowered. 

"That's the fearless Dullahan?" Vera questioned. "Not really living up to the legends."

"You're right." Isaac confirmed. "I wonder what's gotten him so shaken up." Necros' hand started to glow a brilliant blue, charging the headless horseman with a similar energy. In the midst of the chaos, Elizabeth locked eyes with Grimwald. Without hesitation, he pointed at her and then dragged his thumb across his throat. She clutched hers in response, such intense fear running down her spine. She didn't have to guess what Dullahan was afraid of, she had already met his greatest fear. Dullahan stepped out of the portal. His foot hovered just above the bottomless ocean. The three heroes of Ethros had a puzzled look, which quickly turned to horror as Dullahan's foot planted firmly onto the sea as if it were solid ground. 

"Only a few minutes, remember that!"

"Yeah yeah." The portal quickly closed, leaving Dullahan stranded out in the middle of the ocean. 

"Okay, so he can walk on water. That's not something to worry about, right?" Vera panicked. 

"Hey Dullahan!" Isaac called out. "What gives? I thought you were too embarrassed to fight us! I don't see a new gourd on that armor!" 

"I didn't see his horse either." Elizabeth whispered. 

"After our last encounter, Grimwald gave me some... encouragement..." His bold voice became shaky. "Now I'm over such a silly notion, such a trivial attachment!" 

"If you say so. And what's with the party trick?" 

"This is no party trick, paladin!" He began to pace in front of the boat. "Grimwald named this technique the Dreadnought, and it shall be your demise!" The three heroes all looked at each other and shrugged. Dreadnought? Not a clue. "Now!" Dullahan held his blade behind his back. It glowed an ominous dark energy. "Enough talk! It's time I take your head!" He raised the blade above his head and slammed it into the water. An arc of evil magic escaped the sword and soared towards the ship. It easily pierced and split the wood. Barreling through, it sliced the boat in half. The waves kicked the vessel up and to the sides. Everyone held on for dear life, hands gripping onto whatever they could hold. All except...

"MEDIC!!" Willie screamed. Elizabeth spotted him. He was clutching his chest, no his side. No, Willie was clutching where his arm used to be. 

"Willie!" She got to her feet, but quickly toppled over. The ship's two halves were sinking fast.