This is going to be a troubling tale for me. I have made a grave mistake that will catch up to me soon. Dreams have plagued me since the Monestary. The pit in my stomach keeps twisting tighter. Hopefully writing will sooth my thoughts and make for sweeter dreams and better sleep…

We unlocked a large decorated door. And here is where my troubles begin. There was a conversation between three high pitched screechy voices and a fourth ambient voice. Matisse wanted to just barge in, but I decided take a closer look. I counted one big 3-headed skeleton who I concluded was the 3 voices I heard, a spell casting skeleton and 6 skeletons cronies. “Well,” answered Rusty. “Maybe Matisse’s barging in idea might have a place after all.” Taking front, Rusty and Matisse burst through the door as a distraction giving me ample time to use my stealth. We entered to discover an attractive but dirty, eladrin girl. She was dirty; I don’t think she’ll be Matisse’s type.

The distraction worked, giving us a round to ambush our foes. We quickly dismantled a few skeletons. Unfortunately, one of the heads on the 3-headed boss kept resurrecting them. I made a quick mental note to take that one out as soon as possible, but, just then visions scoured my brain with images of things I feared, fear so powerful, I found myself quivering in the corner. I regained my thoughts and returned to the action.

Rusty helped free the eladrin girl. The Eladrin girl finished freeing herself and hurled several magic missiles into enemies turning them into dust. Awesome, we have a mage!

Two skeletons tried to get the jump on me, but you don’t fool a fool. I dodged right and nailed one of them hard, making it dead again. I shot past the second, unable to avoid a jab to my stomach. I pulled out my bow and shot an arrow right into one of the 3-headed skeleton’s heads, turning the resurrecting head into crumpled bone. Ignoring the spell caster, I made my talents useful to Rusty who was surrounded by the 3-headed baddy and several skeletons. Together, Rusty, the Mage girl, I, and Matisse’s healing of rusty, made mince meat of the band of skeletons. But, just before the 3-headed one was defeated, he called out, “It is done! They have succeeded in our plans master” and exploded leaving a red crystal with a strange red liquid locked inside.

Matisse’s curiosity got the better of him and he touched the crystal. We all watched as he went into a trance as if transported off somewhere. Afterwards he wasn’t making sense and tried to keep the crystal saying, we need it and no one else can have it. I suspect many things about Matisse, his feminine side for instance, but greed is not like him. “It is the only way to keep my mother alive!” he called out as rusty tried to grab him. Seeing my opening I picked it from him with ease.

But, as soon as I touched it, I was transported to a room with an old man, The White King. I could see the trap Matisse walked into. I could only see one option and that was to see where this went. I had no choice. I was curious. What every got Matisse spooked, I had to see what the White King offered.

His words still echo in my head and it’s been a week at sail since that day.
“I have a task for you. You see, Matisse can not be trusted. His delusions of his god would get in the way. You understand. You on the other hand, I have a special proposition for you.” I stroked my chin trying to ignore the bad feeling about dealing with this guy. If only Rusty’s judgment was here as a guide. No. I am a lone with someone who seams to have power over Matisse’s mother, and already knows a lot about us.

“Don’t destroy the book. Instead, bury it, throw it in a lake, but keep it away from, any volcanoes or thing of that nature if you catch my drift. In return I present you with this new body…” I was again transported, but to the entrance of the black city. There was my body but with silver skin that glistened like armor. “Unlimited power, and who knows, maybe you can kill me and take the black city for yourself. All I ask is that you don’t destroy the book. If you disobey, there is fate worse than death that awaits you. The book and I are linked.” He reached out his hand. A cold sweat dripped from my forehead as I felt shivers in my spine. I felt pulled, unable to resist even though everything in my body told me no. “Ok, I’ll do it.” And we shook hands. And a deal was sealed.

Rusty smacked me hard knocking me out. I still think that was unnecessary, but I can see their hesitancy for trusting me especially at this point. I awoke with a splitting head ache seeing the ruby being held up by one of Alethia’s spells. I guess she introduced herself while I was out. Its ok I’m sure Ill get to know her better later. The party interrogated Matisse and me. He explained that his mother was in danger and the White King offered to release her in return for Matisse’s help. I explained that Matisse was telling the truth, and that Rusty’s decision to knock me unconscious was understandable. I explained that I too saw the White King. I divulged in deal I made with the him.

“At least my reasons were noble,” Matisse interjected.
“Don’t question me on morals and humility. I have my reason’s I did what I did. When a friend enters a dark whole, you have to follow to pull them out.” I looked at Rusty and Alethia. “At this point you can’t trust either of us. And no this is not one of those you can only trust one person by not trusting both tricks. Both Matisse and I have made a deal with the White King. We have made a packed with a devil. The White King mentioned that the book and he are connected,” I said.

“So in other words we have to figure out how to sever that connection,” Rusty finished.

“So, how do you guys know each other?” Alethia interrupted.

We told her the story about being connected to the whole Knights of Oeryn.
“Alethia, I need to see something” Rusty pulled out his pendant, and gave it to her. It shined as she held it. What do you know, another fortunate coincidence. We now have another “relative” amongst us.

We all sat there for a moment and started to leave.

I pulled Rusty aside, “If I start to act strange, end me.”

“Gladly,” he said enthusiastically. A little bit of hesitancy would have been nice.

We now have two more crew members Blank, a man who was a monk in the monestary who ended up incidentally sinking it by taking the map we now possess. We freed him from his curse that the other monks had place on him for his crime.

Haffston Smeltvor owes us a debt. So he is now our new bartender, a bad one at that, but a bartender none the less.

Now we are off to Camnir. This keeps getting worse and worse for me. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to visit that place again. Oh boy, I hope no one recognizes me, but after the dreams I’ve been having of the black city and the White King, there will be no way avoiding his spies.

I could take the ship for myself and run. Steal the book and go. That was strange. That was a thought but I didn’t mean to write it.

Running can’t be an option. I made an oath to Matisse and Rusty. Alethia has not made the oath yet but I am sure she will be fore we land. I plan on keeping this oath. Rusty and Matisse are the closest family I have had. I had abandoned friends before. No! They abandoned me! Who says Matisse and Rusty won’t abandon me? I must have fallen asleep for a bit there. That’s it I’m getting a drink maybe Haffston will be up at this hour.