The Lake

== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
=== Part 1 ===
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock takes in a very deep breath, pulling on his crutches toward where Chief Akkey has been kept. Tonight, he could be entering into great danger or a great discover, gain valuable information, or lose everything for which he has worked…. could live… or die…
Just… don’t think about it.
He steps inside.
“Akkey, are you ready?”
Akkey Black: [POST LOST FROM DELETION]
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit leans over to him, whispering in his ear as the enter. “If you get a chance let me offer my soul. There is no sense in putting you at risk if we can avoid it.”
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock nods slowly. “I don’t like that. I feel like every human life is equal… but if you insist… that sacrifice has great meaning.” He sighs. “May it not come to that tonight.”
The Warden: Tree glanced up as the two men walked in, conversing, stopping when they caught sight of her and Akkey together. From the looks on their faces, she knew it was time. She shuddered and took a breath to ask the inevitable—and then her throat stuck and her limbs went numb as the Warden took over.
What are you—?
I can’t do it. She sounded absolutely ashamed of herself. 
Can’t do…? Treepelt suddenly realized what she was talking about. Oh, my gods, no, don’t—
I’m sorry. I truly am. But Hel…I can’t go there, child. What you humans experience here, this level of pain…that is what awaits me in Hel. I…I can’t do it. I can’t sacrifice myself.
Tree wanted to cry, she wanted to scream for Haddock to leave but it was too late; the Warden moved her jaw and said, "Are you ready, my King?"
Akkey Black: "Sire!" Akkey hurriedly brushed away the last tears, slightly taken aback at being seen crying with the Warden, "Go-good morning, Sir." 
She coughed and was about to ask the king if he had a good night’s sleep, when Tree suddenly spoke. “Are you ready, my King?”
Tree… no, the Warden? Ready for what?
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "I’m ready," Haddock answers in an emotionless, almost dark voice. "Stonegit and I are waiting outside with our dragons. Come with me, both of you, and we can begin this journey."
And hopefully it will not be an end for any of us.
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit walks out with them, not totally sure what was about to happen. But it didn’t matter. He would just stick by Haddock’s side, simple as that.
Treepelt Halfpaw: Throat closing, Treepelt stood and joined them out the door. The snow had partially melted, but it was still gleaming brightly into Tree’s eyes as the sun reflected off of it. She shifted her gaze to Haddock and the Warden spoke again. "We’ll have to meet up with an old friend when we arrive," she said.
Akkey Black: "Yes, sir." Akkey caught up with the others outside. She eyed Tree worriedly and tugged at the King’s sleeve, "Ready for what, sir?"
Excellinor: HELLO *CACKLES*
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Akkey’s question is left unanswered as a witch suddenly appears in front of them.
"Excellinor?" Haddock exclaims, shocked. "Can it be?" He turns to Tree. "Is this our ‘old friend’? How…?”
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit jumps at the sudden appearance of the hag and raises his ax, glancing quickly over at Haddock and then back again. “What’s going on? Explain!”  
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Excellinor cackles wildly while Haddock and the others try to comprehend her sudden appearance.
"Excellinor?" Haddock exclaims, shocked. "Can it be?" He turns to Tree. "Is this our ‘old friend’? How…?”
Before Chief Akkey can return a response, Excellinor shouts out, “Am I your friend?” Am I your enemy? That all depends - whose side are you on? Mine? Or not?”
"By Thor’s almighty hammer, I don’t have time for this!" Haddock shouts out loudly. And with a sudden lunge that belies his injured leg, he yanks out the hilt of Inferno and uses its blunt end to ram the old witch across the forehead. She falls to the ground in a heap, unconscious.
Haddock stoically places Inferno back in its straps at his thigh. Pretending the incident never occurred, Haddock inquires to the rest of the party, “So? We leave?”
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit blurts out a surprised laugh at the witch’s sudden drop. He quickly covered his mouth, nodding once and looking up at his King. “Whether to Hel and back. I follow you anywhere my King.”
Akkey Black: Akkey manages to suppress a smile and nods in agreement. “Where are we going, sire, if I may ask?” she inquires.
"We are not… not going to bring Vox back, are we?" she stares at Tree, thoroughly confused.
Treepelt Halfpaw: Treepelt swallowed and avoided her gaze, letting silence speak for her. She couldn’t have said anything anyways. The Warden had an iron grip on her throat, not allowing any words to emerge without her consent. And she hated it. Because if her tongue was free, she would yell at Haddock to leave, she would tell him to run before it was too late—but no. The Warden got cold feet at the last second and decided to save her own skin—or lack thereof.
I might have to stop her. Tree’s claws twitched. I might have to drive her out. Thor, I hope I won’t have to, but if it comes down to it…
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock answers Akkey’s question since Tree says nothing. “We can’t guarantee bringing Vox back, but yes, we are investigating the possibility.” He frowns, turning to Tree. “But youneed to lead the way. I don’t know where I’m going.”
He climbs into Windwalker’s saddle and waits for the rest of the party to themselves climb on the dragons. “So? Are we all ready?”
He shudders in his saddle. Is it just my imagination, or is my heart feeling cold again?
Akkey Black: Her stomach turns and a horrible feeling settles on her. “We’re investigating the possibility? But sir, what about Vox’ me-!”
Haddock gives her a cold look and she stops abruptly. His no nonsense face demands silence and absolute trust; even she, the Chief, can’t protest against it.
Relax, Akkey. Tree has changed, the Warden has changed. They won’t follow that plan… perhaps… perhaps they have a different one. A plan I know not of. She reassures herself and swings herself onto the dragon, “We’re ready, sir.”
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit rides alongside Haddock, gently rubbing Shovel’s neck. “It’s ok boy, I won’t let you run into something.” He leans over to Haddock. “Sire, I do not fully know what is going on. But I don’t need to. Just tell me who I might have to hit with my ax if things start going badly.”
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Gravely, Haddock says, "Anyone. Akkey. Tree. The ghost of Vox. All our lives are on the line tonight.” He takes in a deep breath and flinches. “Even me. If something serious goes wrong… the Warden possesses me… or all of Hel breaks loose… I don’t know… and the only way to stop a disaster is to end my life, do it without hesitation.”
Haddock cringes again as he looks up at Stonegit, his pained eye contact warning his bodyguard not to protest. Then, not wanting to talk any more about this, he urges the Windwalker forward and further away from Vox.
Treepelt Halfpaw: Treepelt cautiously approached Akkey’s dragon and boosted herself up alongside the Chief, keeping her gaze downcast. “I know what you’re going to say,” she murmured.
Akkey Black: Akkey glances at the half cat before staring straight ahead, lightly touching their dragon to rise in the air.
"Then perhaps you could elaborate, because all I feel at this moment is confusion." she coughs quite violently, shivering a bit against the cold wind.
The Warden: "You’ll see." Tree continued to avoid looking at Akkey and instead called out to Haddock, "Head that way." She gestured to the west. "Where you sent off Vox." 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock nods and flies his dragon in the appropriate direction. As th Winderwalker soars over the landscape, he thinks to himself, We are going out into the middle of nowhere… nobody to save us if something goes wrong. Not as though Haddock would have expected anything different.
Maybe I should have planned this a bit more, he thinks. Or not gone at all.
"And what do we do when we get there?" Haddock asks Tree, though he doesn’t expect much of a response.
The Warden: "I’m not entirely sure myself," The Warden confessed. "But someone will be there to guide us." She fell silent, stifling Tree’s attempts to warn Haddock.
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: No sooner does the party land by the lake side, Stonegit’s eyes widen as he sees Stranger. He hops off Shovel and draws his ax, advancing and pointing the weapon at him and getting right close to him. “Stranger. Last I saw you were locked up and being a right stubborn ass. And now you’re here, talk quickly. But don’t make any fast moves or I swear I’ll ram this ax right into your neck.”
Pitch Black: "My, my…" Looks behind Stonegit and sees the small group, "You brought what I asked for good girl, Tree… But I don’t remember asking you to bring extras…" 
Akkey Black: Akkey’s eyes widen and she launches herself off her dragon. She stares at her father and Tree, completely bewildered, "Father! What are you doing here?! Brought what you asked for? What in Odin’s name are you talking about? Tree?!”
The Warden: Very carefully, Treepelt got down from the dragon’s back and stepped forward until she stood at the forefront of the group, crossing her arms. "There were complications. Brave little souls, all of them, they wated to tag along. But it shouldn’t be a problem." She glanced at Haddock and Tree wanted to strangle the Warden. If you mess this up even further—!
Silence.
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock hardly knows what to think, seeing the Stranger face-to-face and realizing that this is Akkey’s father, this is Pitch, an old war friend from a time which now seems like an absolute eternity ago. He thinks upon the last few days, of the actions he has committed against the now-known “Stranger,” of the threats and the questions revolving around Vox’s descent to Hel, and he wonders, How much can I trust someone with whom I once trusted my life?
After… after all the wrongs I’ve done to him… Haddock feels a little queasy, reaching toward his head… after all the ominous or unexplained things he’s said to me.
Stepping forward off Windwalker and approaching Pitch, Haddock reminds himself, I can’t trust anyone. Not Tree… not him… perhaps not even Akkey…
…to think once there were days when I knew my enemies from my friends.
"Whatever Tree says," Haddock remarks aloud, glancing back at Tree, "she’s right. There should be no problem here. Let’s… let’s get down to business, shall we? What are we supposed to do? What exactly… are… we doing?”
Pitch Black: "Well, if you don’t mind… There are several steps… Many of them do not include your hand around my throat." Pitch says. Roughly takes a step back and knocks the ax away from his face. "Now… As your precious goddess has so lightly said… I can take one in place for one… The price is on this end is one of you… Vox’s price is his memories…" Steps to the waters and looks into water. "Akkey you remember how to fish yes?"
Pitch Black: "Ye-yes…? What does that have anything to do with all this?" Akkey suddenly catches her breath. A soul… that’s what the soul is for… Her memories come rushing back and she feels like throwing up. I need to stop this…
She narrows her eyes and says, raising her voice each time, “Tree… you’re still planning to bring Vox back through soul exchange?”
She takes several steps towards Tree, getting angrier by the second, “We talked about this! Vox comes back and all you get is a world of pain! What are you doing?!”
"I thought you’ve changed!"
The Warden: Tree arched her back and appeared to swell as a cat would, baring her teeth. "If you’re truly my friend, you won’t question my judgement!" She glared at everyone present, personalities blurring once more, feeling that familiar rage beginning to burn within her. "You’re not ruining this, any of you, and if you try to interfere—if you try to run—if you try to stop him from coming back—" Her claws slid out. "You know what happens." 
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit’s eye flares when he sees Tree’s claws. The damaged area of his brain sends a wave a pain through the rest of his head as it registers the claws as a major threat in progress. Letting out a yell of surprise and fear the moment the claws come out, he scoops up his ax and hurls it across the area towards Tree. 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock wheels around, and with a shout exclaims, “What are you doing? Stonegit! Let her proceed!” In a quieter voice, one he hopes Stonegit but not Tree can hear, he says, “We haven’t found out enough information yet…”
Akkey Black: "Dodge!" Akkey pulls Tree down and the half-cat falls into the lake, the chief close behind. The water is surprisingly warm, and Akkey comes up spluttering and gasping for air.
"Who’s the idiot now!" Akkey splashes out to shore, "I told you I’m your friend! Of course I would be worried about you and your judge-" she whirls around to drag Tree out, but she is nowhere to be seen. Not an ear or a tail anywhere.
Akkey gawks. She swears she had an iron grip on her arm. Where did she go? She notices Pitch staring down at his feet, eyes wide with surprise but still smiling.
"You…" she wades towards him, "Father! What did you do?! Where is Tree?!"
Pitch Black: "That… That would be a good question…" Pitch nods looking at the water, "She’s somewhere… But since you had to be foolish… I did not have time to pull Vox out…" 
Pitch slowly turns towards Stonegit… “As for you… You could have killed someone!” Pulls water from the lake accidentally  pulling up some stones too and throws it towards Stonegit. One stone hits him in the head causing him to black out. “Like my ignorant daughter…”
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit’s ears ring as his world swirls around him and turns black. He collapses to the ground. A few moments later, he presses his hand on the ground pushing himself up weakly. He blinked hard, his head still buzzing. He froze, and then blinked again, only seeing blackness. “No…” he barely whispers, a shaking hand reaching up and touching the area around his good eye. He winches, feeling the sting of a gash, a painful displacement of his eye. “Noooo!” he screamed, looking around wide eyed, but unseeing. "No! God no! Don’t! No god no no! Why!"  
He crawls weakly, feeling the blood drip from his wound, and then the shock and pain became to much, and he rolled over on his back, curling in on himself, his curled up hands hovering over his face. 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock rushes up, cursing loudly and without restraint. He stoops down, stumbling a little on his weak leg, and immediately notices Stonegit’s condition. “Stonegit, NO!” His voice is loud and furious. He hardly even notices he is horribly limping as he stands back up, pulls out his sword, and runs straight toward Akkey’s father. “PITCH! Who is the ignorant one here? What has possessed you tonight? What has possessed you at all? LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!”
 With unrestrained fury, Haddock prepares to swing with all the strength to kill, and charges straight toward the lake. 
=== Part 2 ===
Treepelt Halfpaw: //PURGATORY//
It’s dark…
…I don’t think this was supposed to happen…
…someone…someone pulled me under…who was it…?
Get up, child.
No…I don’t want to…I want to sleep…
NO! You need to get up!
Treepelt hazily blinked and looked up; there was a fuzzy face just out of the range of her vision. Who…?
You ARE blind, child. Can’t you recognize me?
…no…that’s not possible…
And yet you are here in the afterlife without having to die. Your definition of possible is about to change very quickly, Treepelt.
A hand reached out of the darkness, an offering of support. 
Now’s the time to decide, child. How much do you trust the Warden?
Tree hesitated.
Not that I have any choice, but…
She took the hand. 
With my life.
A fanged smile.
Excellent. Let’s hope Lostvox is still in Hel, hm?
=== Part 3 ===
Akkey Black: "No!" Akkey screams. She lunges for the King and manages to knock him down before he steps into the lake, but the sword was moving too quickly. It pierces her right hand, and she cries out in pain. Falling to her knees in front of the King, she grits her teeth and pulls out the weapon.
"Still so impulsive, my King…" she glances up and smiles weakly, relieved that he’s far from the water, "Water is more dangerous than you think. It’s how Vox fell in to Hel. I assume, Tree, too…"
She frowns at her father, perplexed and slightly hurt. Ignorant daughter! Ten years since that day and she has no inkling of his plans. There are too many secrets, and it aggravates her. The water doesn’t even affect him, either… and it brought me to camp instead of Hel. The water…
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: It takes a moment for Haddock to realize what has happened. His leg is feeling incredibly battered at this point, but the pain of his emotions feels far greater right now. The displeasure radiating across his facial features easily could be from either his anger at Pitch, frustration at Akkey, or self-hate for causing the chief harm. Gritting his teeth as he rights himself onto his feet again, Haddock snarls to Akkey, “If you don’t want to get hurt, don’t get in the way of this again.”
He advances toward the waters again, but this time pauses right before his foot reaches the water’s edge. He points out accusingly to Pitch, “Stand in the center of the lake and be a coward, or come out and face me. Either way, you will reap the consequences for tonight!”
Pitch Black: Pitch steps towards the edge of the lake taking a quick look to make sure the waters are still working. Pitch fixes the hood lower on his face and turns toward Haddock.
"Haddock, it has been a long time good friend… Still letting that anger get the best of you…" Pitch chuckles and rubs his arm that was damaged by Haddock’s blade. "I hope this anger has not effected my daughter to greatly over the years seeing how I have trusted you to take care of her…" Pitch looks over at Akkey. "But I see now I have trusted in the wrong person."
Akkey Black: Akkey flinches as the King snarls at her. It hurt more than the throbbing wound on her hand. She bites her lip and stands a ways away behind him, staring at her Father.
Everything is going so wrong today. She failed to save Tree, Stonegit has gone blind, her own father called her ignorant, and now the King is angry at her. She was only trying to save him! Does he not understand that? The waters are dangerous… or suspicious, at least. She and her Father can still touch it without being affected, after all.
"…I have trusted you to take care of her, but I see now I trusted in the wrong person." she hears her Father coming towards them. Trusted the wrong person?She’s suddenly filled with rage, all the pent up anger in the past ten years exploding.
"Trust? You trusted His Majesty to take care of me?" she snarls, "I came on my own! I have served your ‘friend’ by myself, without your help!"
Akkey clenches her fist, uncaring of the pain and the blood dripping down her hand, “You left me! For ten years, you left me to fend for myself! You left me alone! I looked for you! I was devastated! I thought… I thought it was all my fault! Did you not care?! You didn’t even protect Mother! Or Maya!”
She’s screaming now, her throat sore and her heart thundering, “They died, Father! They died brutally! There were swords through their chest! Why didn’t you protect them?! Where were you?! Gallivanting in the countryside for years! For reasons unknown!”
"And then…" tears stream down her face, she’s so frustrated, "And then you locked me up in that prison! You said you loved me… you were protecting me?! How?! You think you were being a good father?!”
She throws her arm up, motioning towards the King. More blood spatters on the ground, “King Haddock has been more of a father to me than you ever will!”
Pitch Black: "And how many times have you had a near death experience since I let you go?" Pitch side steps Haddock and makes takes steps towards Akkey.
"He has only been a "father" because I asked him! I sent word after I left for him to look for you…" Pitch looks down noticing Akkey ’ s hand. Pitch reaches into the cloak and pulls out a scrap of fabric for Akkey to wrap her hand in. "I am sorry but I had no choice… They were after me…"
Pitch steps away to collect himself before continuing.  “I had went to talk to the man out east of our house when we were attacked… I knew you had gone into town so I was sure you were safe but your mother and Maya as soon… As soon as… As they attacked our neighbors I knew that… that they were gone…” Pitch sighs pulling himself together. “We were surrounded they took Aster and me… There is where I stayed… In a very secluded place… So much darkness… So many voices that said you had died as well… When I had finally learned to move through waters it was nine years later… I sent word for Haddock to watch you…”
Pitch looks down at the troubling waters, “I am sorry.” 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "Pitch," Haddock says quietly but firmly, "Now is not the time for this. You can talk all you want about why you couldn’t be there for Akkey… but the point regardless is you - weren’t - there. So it hurt her. It hurt her greatly, and I saw it all first hand watching her grow up. You can’t placate the past with a simple ‘I am sorry’. There’s always going to be that pain there because what happened cannot be reversed. You’ll always be responsible for that, however it happened, whatever excuses you bring to the table.
"You hurt her." More than a little anger touches Haddock’s voice, quiet as it now is.
"And," he glances down at Akkey’s hand, a bit of worry touching his otherwise hard features, "you’re stillhurting her. Desist now. Step away. Get out of here. Never come back. I’m not giving you the option. You can try to hide away in the center of that ‘special magic lake’, run up to attack me, or flee from us… but no matter what you do… I’m going to make sure you do no more harm to anybody. Tonight. Tomorrow. Ten years from now. And nothing’s going to stop me.”
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Haddock suddenly hears a small shuffle behind him. When he looks back he sees Stonegit, standing, his legs shaking as he slowly makes himself move forward. A line of blood droplets trailed behind him. He reaches out a shaking hand, clumsily finding Haddock’s shoulder. Gripping it, he pushed himself ahead, standing in front of the King, straightening his back, and spreading his arms slightly, head sagging. He didn’t know if Pitch was still a threat, and he could no longer see to evaluate the situation for himself. But once again it didn’t matter, his job was to protect the King. And now…standing between him an the danger was the only way he could do that. 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second:Haddock, trembling slightly, wordlessly and gently places his right hand on top of Stonegit’s. He watches his body guard steps forward and in front of him, face expressionless but heart tearing on the inside. “No, don’t,” Haddock murmurs. “Don’t do this. Keep yourself safe.”
Akkey Black: Her hand twitches under his. She wants to pull away, but he’s so gentle. So careful. She stares at him through her tears and listens to him reveal all that he’s done in the past ten years. About her family, about Aster, about the darkness in his prison. 
How he thought she was dead. Just like she did about him.
She hears him apologize, but she can’t speak. She doesn’t know how to feel. She’s furious, absolutely seething… but he’s still her father. She can’t respond.
She listens to Haddock quietly respond in anger. He’s been her father for the past ten years. He filled the void that Pitch left. She said she was alone, but all this time… the King had been there for her. He understands her. And he knows that Pitch needs to stop.
"Father…" she chokes out, watching Stonegit stand defensively in front of the King. He’s still so loyal, so protective; despite his handicap.
"Father…" she tries again, her face hardening "I cannot say I forgive you… ten years… it’s been too long… but I…"
"I truly am glad you are… alive." She takes a deep breath and takes a step closer, “So please… please stop this. I can’t lose you again.”
Pitch Black: Pitch is stunned in silence for a while as he looks from his daughter to the small group and then back to his daughter.
"So you want me to stop? Now? While Vox is still stuck and Tree is well somewhere…" Pitch shifts his eyes towards the water again, "Well i mean bringing back Tree will be easy… But Vox is too far in… to just bring back easily"
Pitch looks back to the group, “Still, if you wish I will stop…”
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock frowns. “You’ve done nothing but make situations worse since we started. You stop with your destructive nonsense, and start doing something good. So if you’re going to change how you’ve been acting tonight -” he spits angrily on the ground, showing how little faith he has in his old friend Pitch “- and get on to the purely benevolent task of freeing Tree and Vox, I will talk.” Haddock slides his sword back into his scabbard but keeps his left hand resting lightly on top in case he needs to use the blade at a moment’s notice.
"Tell me what I need to do to get this done."
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: "What I need to…" Stonegit says abruptly. The young Viking was starring in Pitch’s general direction, but his angle was off. Blood seeped from his eye, trailing down his cheek like a tear. "I’m here, I’m in front…I’m doing it. Period." he inhales shakily. "Because it’s gonna take more than water to kill me."
Pitch Black: "Yes… It will be all of Hel that will take you…" Pitch turns and taps the water again. He waits a minute before turning back. "But it wasn’t your soul that I wanted…"
Pitch taps the water again and a blurry picture of Vox shows. “Vox… who do you think? The King? Or Stonegit?”
Vox Arnason: The waters just mere feet away from where Vox has propped himself up against a boulder have begun to form ripples, seemingly out of nothing. His stamina wearing thin, the boy drags himself wearily to the edge of the condemning pool. 
"…Vox. Who do you think? The King?… or Stonegit?"
Vox rubbed his eyes in disbelief. That voice — he knew it as if it were his own. The Stranger had returned for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
"…what? Stranger… it’s you." He inched himself closer to the water, straining his eyes to make out the features of a few familiar faces behind the hooded entity.
"Haddock? Stonegit?"
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "Oh my gods," Haddock breathes, falling down heavily onto his knees and leaning towards the water. The reflection of his face falls over the face on the other side of the water. Vox’s. "This… this is impossible. I thought it was all a ruse. Vox… is that really you?"
Vox Arnason: "My King!… yes, yes it’s really me. I am so happy to see you… I can’t remember how long I’ve been down here. I am so sorry for-
-for what happened.”
Vox clenched his fists and held his eyes shut. He couldn’t show weakness in front of his commanding officer. The tears fought their way through the tight seal created by his eyelids. The situation was too much too soon.
"I-…-I shouldn’t have made you unlock her. It’s… it’s my fault for what happened. I deserve to be here. It shows my capacity as your strategist if I made such an incredibly juvenile mistake… all out of lo-"
He couldn’t force the word out. All that trailed was a whimper. The lump in his throat grew larger and he failed to make any further conversation. He couldn’t bear to look at the King anymore.
He had failed him.
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit’s hand reaches out, catching Akkey by the wrist and jerking her back. Hand trembling, he takes out his pocket and puts it to the back of her head leaning her forward towards the water. “No one move,” he says in a flat voice. “No one move, it’s okay. Any sudden movement, anything t all, and I’ll sever the nerves in her neck.” Stonegit gags slightly, his injury causing his stomach to churn. “Pitch,” he mumbles weakly, looking ill. He turns towards Haddock’s old friend, accidentally staring over his head with his sightless eyes. “Akkey wants to be with Vox…You can pull people out of the water, free of charge…Haddock told you to do the right thing. Now’s your chance, because when I dump her in that water, you are going to have pull them out.” he shakes his head, gulping. “And you better bring them all out along with your daughter or I swear to god…I’ll make your life worse then Hel.”
[Note: a sudden movement will cause Stonegit to kill Akkey! Whoever goes next needs to be very careful because he is going to drop he PDQ]
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock’s head jerks up. He quits staring at Vox and instead turns his attention to Stonegit’s drastic display. Internally he flinches, hating to see Akkey’s life threatened, hating even more that Stonegit is the one threatening her.
This better just be a bluff to force Pitch’s hand… Haddock considers. If it is a bluff, this actually… might… work…
So Haddock just waits, near the water, anticipating Pitch Black’s next move.
And desperately, desperately hoping that Stonegit will not actually kill Akkey.
If it comes to ending someone’s life… do I save Stonegit… or Akkey…
Haddock very, very quietly pulls out his sword, hoping that Stonegit does not hear the sound of metal scraping out of his scabbard. He holds the blade at the ready in case he needs to act.
Pitch Black: Pitch’s eyes flicker to everyone before they land on Akkey. “There, there, Stonegit… No need to get pushy. I require a soul…” Pitch steps over towards the water slowly, watching from the corner of his eye at what Haddock is doing.
"Release the girl and I will be merciful on your soul…" Pitch’s voice darkens. "Where as Hel excepts everyone… There are darker places that don’t like visitors…"
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: "Have mercy on my soul?!" Stonegit growled, shifting so that his feet where planted firmly. "Who do you think you are you! I can’t! Don’t you understand?! I can’t do anything else!" Tears mixed with the blood on his face. "You’re trying to take him away! You want to kill him and I can’t let you!" his lip trembles. "You took the one part of me that still worked and crushed it with a stone you bastard! And now you want to take one of our lives! No! I’m not releasing the girl! Not on your orders! And if you take one more step I’m dropping her. Then we’ll see how much of a soul you need to being somebody back!"  
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "Make sure you aren’t going to those dark places, Pitch," Haddock threatens. "I’ll take you to places darker than Hel myself. And you’ll be going there shortly if you don’t start doing something productive now. You won’t be able to save both your life and Akkey’s. You probably won’t be able to save either. Stonegit and I are both going to follow through with our threats. So if you value your life, it’s time to quit talking, and time to start doing something right.”
Akkey Black: Akkey grabs at Stonegit’s arm, attempting to break free from his grip. But it’s useless. The bodyguard is too strong for her. ”Stonegit… please…” she whispers. Then the King speaks, and his words make her stomach drop.
"You won’t  be able to save both your life and Akkey’s. You probably won’t be able to save either."
What? Is Haddock really pushing through with this? My life is in danger! Why… why would he do this?
"Looks like yer king has abandoned yer life, too. Looks like yer goin’ back to Purgatory soon." she hears the voice in her head again.
No! she mentally shakes her head, No he hasn’t! He’s my King… my father these past ten years. He won’t abandon me so easily! He won’t let me die! He has a plan… I know he does!
The voice laughs, "Ye’ll join Tree there soon, Miss."
Join Tree…? There? Are you saying… in Purgatory?
Akkey eyes her father, desperate to get his attention.
"Father!" she calls out, her voice muffled by Stonegit’s sleeve, "Tell me the truth! Where did you send Tree? Is she in Purgatory?"
Pitch Black: Pitch listens very carefully to both men before turning his attention to his daughter. “Yes… Don’t worry if I know the Warden any… Tree is safer there with the Warden than anywhere she could be…”
Pitch turns his hard glare back to the two men, before reaching down into the water searching for the boy. Pitch grabs a hold of Lostvox pulling him up by the arm. Pulling the unconscious Vox half way through the water before lowering him back in.
"I’ll make you a deal. I pull out Tree free of charge… Because let’s be honest anyone can walk in and out of Purgatory… But gentlemen… Hel is different and requires a soul to switch… So whose going to Hel? Make your decision quickly because water in Hel does not stay around forever…"
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock had expected he would never see Vox again.
Haddock had expected that Vox could never actually be taken out of Hel.
Haddock had expected that, when they flew to this location, they would uncover a ruse and a plot against him, something about the “Stranger” Pitch, or something about the Warden.
So Haddock had never expected to be asked for a decision like this.
His aggressive stance from earlier… dies… as the situation sinks in.
For one of the first times in his life… Haddock… hesitates… without any idea what to do… no impulsive inclination… no calculated or strategic response to unfold.
Someone’s going to die today because of my mistake.
Haddock sucks in a very nervous breath, eyes darting from Stonegit to Akkey to Pitch and then down toward where Vox now resides in the water.
Do I stop Pitch… or do I end this… by sacrificing myself and hoping others can flee away?
I have failed many times in my life.
Most recently with my role as king in these last few weeks.
Maybe… maybe where I fail in life, I can succeed in death.
Maybe I should be the one in Hel.
But Haddock immediately chastises himself for the thought. The confrontation need not be over yet. There could be a way out of this situation, such as there was a way out of the Grounded Dungeon.
He knows he must look like a fool, just standing there without speaking as Pitch waits for some sort of response. Yet Haddock needs to war with himself.
Needs to figure out if there is some clever strategy that can save this situation. Save Akkey’s life, save Stonegit’s, save Tree’s if possible… halt Pitch from doing more harm…
I’ll try to keep him talking, Haddock decides, reversing on his earlier strategy to try to get Pitch to act. “So how does this ‘send to Hel’ process work?” he asks guardedly.
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit interrupts the King though. “You go,” he said to Pitch. “It’s your daughter that’s at risk, it’s your mess, it’s your turn to seek redemption.” he licked his lips dryly. “So you go ahead and pull Tree out, and then give up your soul for Vox. Hell, if you do this I’ll see to it that we get you out one day. But for now, we all have to go home alive, and you have to stay.”
Stonegit shifts the knife so that the tip it’s under Akkey’s right eye. “If you can’t do this, for some weird reason, you better find an alternative pretty damn quick. Because I promised my King I wouldn’t leave his side…so your not sacrificing me. But I also swore to protect him, so there will be no sacrificing him either! And if you CAN do this, but try to talk your way out of it, or try to work this to your advantage, Akkey is loosing an eye!”
His shoulders sag a little, but he keeps a tight hold on Akkey. “Go under that water, and send up Tree and Vox. No more games, no more deals…just go.” 
=== Part 4 ===
Ded-Ded Anon: pulled? no miss, ye got pushed. that chief dunked ye into
the water. now yer stuck and loverboys aint out either
Treepelt Halfpaw: What—!
No…no, she would never…we just made up…
…she doesn’t want me gone…s-she wouldn’t…she…said…she was glad I was alive…
…
…what do you mean, he isn’t out?! A soul for a soul…it should have worked!
Ded-Ded Anon: oh shes definitely the reason why ye fell miss. yer right it shouldve worked, with yers. but ye fell too soon and dem stranger didnt do it on time. convenient right? the chief pushes ye and her own father doesnt get him out...
Treepelt Halfpaw: Are you saying…it was on purpose?! She w…she would…never…
…would she…?
Ded-Ded Anon: tche... i was careful but ye noticed me too quick. i aint going nowhere with ye miss. guess this is goodbye. wonder what the chiefs doin...
Treepelt Halfpaw: Good riddance. Clear your head of any of those thoughts, child. The Chief meant no harm. It was an accident. The Warden continued walking in a sinuous prowl, climbing over boulders, always draped in enough shadow to conceal her figure. Treepelt continued to follow her, feeling more and more wary with each twist of the dark tunnel they took. 
Are you sure you know what you’re doing?
I thought you decided to trust me, cat-child.
I thought I did, too.
The Warden looked back again and cocked her head, giving a fanged grin. You’re spunky when you’re not possessed. I like that. Perhaps we should have spent more time getting to know each other.
Well, we do have the rest of eternity. You can make up for any lost opportunities now.
There’s the bright side I was looking for. Her rumbling voice dripped with sarcasm. She had paused in her rush to speak and Tree was able to come alongside her. The Warden was almost three heads taller than her, and yet still foggy and unfocused. She couldn’t make out any other details besides the eyes and the ears. Tree hesitantly spoke to the tall figure.
We need a bright side…to get through this. To get to…Hel.
The Warden’s ears flicked. Indeed. And they continued walking.
=== Part 5 ===
Akkey Black: Akkey listens to all three argue and bicker. Each comment is ticking her off. They’re getting nowhere with this, and Stonegit’s grip is tightening by the second. Her life, Tree’s life… even Vox! They’re in danger and these men still can’t come to a conclusion. It’s like they’re toying with them.
When Stonegit shifts the knife under her eye, intent on gouging it out, she’s heard enough. She grabs the knife and tries to release it from Stonegit’s hand, but his hold is too strong. It slices her cheek and rivulets of blood trail down her face.
"Ugh… let go!" she gives a final tug in frustration, and suddenly she’s doused with water. The current is strong, and she feels Stonegit finally releasing her.
The water recedes, and she falls to her knees. She starts coughing and gasping for air, her body throbbing painfully. She looks up and sees Stonegit and the King, drenched and on their backs. Her father is staring at her, a mixture of shock and awe on his face.
The coughing finally subsides. She slowly stands, and feels something pull on her right hand. When she lifts it, she sees droplets of water rotating around it.
"I suppose… you know exactly what happened here," she says flatly. She observes the moving waters on her limb then looks pointedly at her father. So many secrets, none of them is surprising her much anymore. "Is this why I didn’t fall into Purgatory with Tree? Just like you?"
Her eyes light up as she realizes something, “Does that mean… I can also control who comes in and out of the waters?”
Pitch Black: Pitch drops Vox back in and slides his hood back to get a better look at what Akkey is doing. “You can?” Pitch looks nervously around the waters. “Uh… It took my five years to learn how to even hold the water… I’m not even sure… I mean I could teach you but… now not the best time…”Pitch looks back to the men whose eyes are as wide as his. No, now is the best time! Pitch gives a haunting smile as he looks to his daughter. "No, no, now is perfect actually…" Pitch repeats his thoughts, "Come here child." Pitch taps the water again sending it swirling and bubbling. Pitch doesn’t even wait before he starts to explain. "You must relax and think of where you are… If you have been there it is easier to think of and faster to transport to…" Pitch looks over his shoulder to make sure the two men are still there. "Going in is very easy… Pulling people out or in is the hard thing… It’s like a guess of who your reaching for since the waters get disturbed… Now… Tree will be very easy to reach for… Purgatory is like happy terrible terrors on dragon nip… No one really knows whose in or out…" Pitch troubles the waters catching the sight of Vox still sitting there. "People in Hel are harder… They all know everyone… So exchanging souls is the easiest way to keep the numbers the same so no one really gets suspicious…" Pitch looks over to Akkey with a smile, “Are you ready?”
Akkey Black: She gazes into the waters, and is silent for a moment, deep in thought.
This power… for once, a surprise that is beneficial, she laughs to herself, I can get Tree out. I can also get Vox out. I need to choose… a soul for a soul.
"What about Vox’ memories?" she turns to her father, "I won’t allow him to leave if it means that he will forget."
Pitch Black: "It’s only a small price for his heart back…" Pitch says while calming the waters. "I mean there are other ways but with him not having a heart well someone has to lose something… Memories are easy to rid people of… Most want them gone… Can’t say I don’t have many I would want to keep… " Pitch leans away from the waters and slips his hood back on. “But I’m not even really sure if he’ll lose anything… I mean I’ve heard things but… I’ve never personally seen whether it works or not…”
Akkey Black: Akkey cocks her head, contemplating, “So a soul for a soul… and memories… not necessarily his… for a heart.”
"Done."
She reaches into the waters and starts to pull Vox out, with a bit of resistance but still breaks through. With her other hand, she forms a tendril and whips it towards the two men on the ground. It closes around a leg and drags him towards the water at an alarming pace.
"I will bring Tree back. And I will bring Vox back."
"Sacrifice ourselves for the King. For the Rebellion. And I will finally have paid for my mistakes. My memories for his heart… and your soul for his.”
"You’ve sworn your loyalty to the King, right, Stonegit?" she asks him.
Then she pulls him into the water.
Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss: Stonegit reaches up, grasping Akkey’s wrists as he is dragged in. The water sloshes around his neck as he cranes his head up, his blinded eyes somehow meetings hers. He held her gaze for a tense moment, and then spoke. “That I have.” he says quietly, but firmly. “Just one…second…more.” he whispers, turning his head to the side and reaching up one hand. He used his fingers to painfully open his swollen, bloody eye, grimacing has he did so. And for a brief moment, he saw the blurry form of his King. Letting out a long, relenting exhale, he closed his eyes, content that Haddock was the last thing he had seen. He gave a small smile, nodding carefully. “I’ll be back, after all…it’s just water.” 
Then Stonegit’s hands released Akkey’s, and he slowly sunk into the water. 
Akkey Black: She stares into his sightless eyes, and a mutual understanding comes between them. To save the King, Vox and Tree… they must do this. She sadly brushes his cheek, then lets him fall. 
As she pulls out the unconscious strategist, she gives Pitch a hard look.
"Promise me, Father," she says firmly, "Promise your daughter. If you truly love me… get Tree out of Purgatory."
A final tug, and Vox slides through the waters. His unconscious body falls on the hard ground, his heart beating strongly. 
Akkey sighs, and lets her eyes close. Good.-
She opens her eyes and sits up groggily. Her clothes are wet, she’s shivering from the cold and her throat feels like fire. She looks up and sees two men, one brandishing a sword and the other looking like he came from Hel and back; both just as drenched as she is, staring at her in horror.
She subconsciously picks up a rock to defend herself, “What… why are you looking at me like that? Who are you?” 
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock puts away his sword.
 He recognizes defeat when he sees it.
Though anger burns inside his head, such as it always does of late… mostly right now he feels numbness. Shock. Pain… but he does not want to admit that last one. Not at all.
But he does admit there’s no point fighting now. What is done has been done. The soul exchange has been made. Vox is back. And Stonegit… Stonegit is gone.
This is all my fault.
The failure of a king.
"Pitch," Haddock says slowly, "know this. I will avenge you for what has happened today. But for now… I just ask now you let us all leave in peace." 
Pitch Black: Pitch nods, “Please watch over her… again…” He looks over to Akkey with a sad expression before adjusting the hood. “Do not tell her who I am… But if she ever asks about her father tell her… tell her he loves her…” Pitch looks to his old friend with a hidden plea in his voice. 
Pitch looks to Vox, “You too, boy. None of this is said to her.”
Pitch turns one more time to his daughter, “Good job, child.” He bows his head before turning and tapping the water. The water bubbles and swirls giving the lake an eery black color. Pitch steps into the water  disappearing. The water bubbles subside and the lake returns to its original color.  
=== Part 6 ===
Treepelt Halfpaw: //PURGATORY//
Treepelt was beginning to think that they would never reach Hel. The tunnels hadn’t lightened or darkened in the slightest; they remained in that strange, foggy gray haze, both dreamlike and nightmarish in quality. Her sense of time passing was beginning to distort. They could have been walking for hours or a few minutes. Things were going missing from her head that shouldn’t have—names, faces, feelings…one specific one that kept slipping from her grasp…what was it…?
Vox. Vox, it was Vox. She chanted the name to herself, struggling to hold onto his warm gaze and tight embrace. 
Forgetting already? The Warden looked back again at Tree following her. 
I’m not trying to, she responded almost angrily.
It’s not your fault, child. This place is…very strange, to say the least. Her elongated animal face caught the light for a brief second before they hurried along again. I think someone is following us, as well, she added offhandedly. Treepelt glanced nervously over her shoulder. She couldn’t see anything, but she trusted the Warden’s senses.
Pitch Black: Pitch steps up through the grayish fog. “Tree… and Warden?” He looks at the two different bodies in slight surprise. ”Where are you going? If you’re looking for the way out you should probably stop here.” Pitch stops them in the middle of no where. “Tree… I’m glad you are safe… I’m afraid if you would have been left up there much longer you would be in Hel by now…”
Treepelt Halfpaw: "The way out?" Treepelt looked confused. "What good would that do?"
"The scout is still in Hel," the Warden rumbled. "We’re going to retrieve him." She flashed her eyes warningly at Pitch. "Unless you’re going to stop us?"
Pitch Black: "Uh… At this point it depends on what the girl wants don’t you think, Warden?" Pitch takes a deep breath and pinches the bridge of his nose.”Akkey pulled Vox out… She was coming to retrieve you but she had slight memory lost… Or maybe its permanent?…” Pitch shakes his head, She won’t remember you. "I’m not sure but you can’t get to Hel this way…"
Treepelt Halfpaw: The Warden blinked and subsided, glancing downward. Treepelt gaped at the hooded figure.
"N-no, that can’t—how—did they both lose their memories?” she said in alarm, fear clutching at her heart. “And Akkey can pull…people out now…?” She shook her head, ears flapping. “And Vox is…out?” She looked accusingly at the Warden. “You couldn’t have figured this out earlier, could you?” she fired.
"How was I supposed to know?" the Warden retorted. "I’m as trapped here as you are."
Tree turned back to Pitch, eyes wide and hands trembling. “So we have to get out now!” she said feverishly. “We have to get to Vox!”
Pitch Black: "Well Akkey could… Now she can’t… She forgot who she was… But Vox… He still has his memories…" Pitch looks around at the endless gray around them. Pitch waves his hand about mid air clearing a spot. "Oh, I almost forgot… This will only allow one through since I have to make water this far in…" Pitch drops a small puddle of water. 
Treepelt Halfpaw: "Only…only one…?"
"Tree," the Warden said immediately. 
Treepelt whirled around. “Now hold on a minute—”
"Don’t be stupid," she snapped back. "This isn’t up for debate."
"But…but why? I thought you would want to…get out."
"I do." The Warden looked down shamefully. "I want it more than anything. But this…this is a more worthy cause to have a chance at life than anything I could ever fight for. This is…this is love." She chuckled. "I—I understand, child. I understand love…I understand you and him." 
She gazed at Tree, her eyes inscrutable in the darkness. "My behavior has been inexcusable," she murmured. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. But more importantly, I hope you can find it in you to forgive yourself. None of this was your fault, young one. Absolutely none of it."
"I…" Tree’s heart swelled and her throat stuck. "Thank you," she whispered. "I…I forgive you." She smiled weakly. "No harm done?"
"That’s debatable." The Warden grinned sheepishly in response, then tipped her head. "Take care, child. I don’t want to have to come possess you again to get out of danger."
"That makes the two of us," Tree joked. The Warden nodded once more, and with a flourish of shadow, she had disappeared into Purgatory.
Pitch Black: Pitch taps the small water and watches as the lake comes to view. “Tree… I hope you the best of happiness… With Vox… Remember to love unconditionally… It is what has saved you all…” Pitch holds out his hand so he can lower tree in. “It will be a little wet… But when you are ready…” 
Treepelt Halfpaw: "I’ll remember that. Thank you." Tree paused a moment, looking after the place where the Warden used to stand, still in a state of disbelief over what had been said. The last thing she expected was for the Warden to apologize. Shaking her head, Tree carefully accepted Pitch’s outstretched hand with sheathed claws, grateful to have control over her own body once more.
"I was born ready."
And with that, she lowered herself into the chilly water.
=== Part 7 ===
Vox Arnason: Vox could hear the others as they discussed retrieving Tree from Purgatory… or worse, Hel.
He could feel their sympathetic glances and offhand comments of how quiet he had been for the past few hours.
Isolating himself from everyone was his way of coping. His love was gone… again. All of the fighting and goodbyes were fruitless. He was alone in the world again, without the one person that kept him whole. There was a fate worse than Hel. There was nothing left to live for, and he was alone. It was Purgatory all over again.
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Vox was not the only one quiet. Though Haddock inserted in some comments about retrieving Tree from Purgatory, many times he fell silent, staring listlessly away from the others, or else glanced awkwardly in Vox’s direction. Most of the time, his comments were simply to retreat, to go back, to get some rest… not to take any further action.
Vox Arnason: "Haddock."
The King’s attention was ripped away from those he was locked in conversation with, and turned to the boy sitting across the way, still near the water. No eye contact accompanied the hoarse and weary voice that called for him, only a gaze locked against the ground in front of him.
"Where is Tree?… and Stonegit? I’ve heard you guys talking, and I know you have answers. I need to know."
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "Vox…"
It was very strange to speak that name again, to use it to refer to a living person. So vividly in Haddock’s mind he recalled the ship burial ceremony… the flaming arrows shot into the sky… the reflection of flame dancing on the ocean waters… the ship disappearing in the distance, sails flaring up into oranges and pinks, dying away into the night once the fire consumed the boat and the body… Vox’s body. His dead body.
Yet here he was now. He was beside waters again. Not for death, but for renewed life.
Haddock realized all at once he has not spoken a response more than Vox’s name. Returning to the present, he said again, “Vox,” and then tried to formulate the words to explain what happened.
"You know I’m sure we came here to this lake to take you out from Hel. And so you are here now. For the love of Odin… where Tree and Stonegit are…" Haddock sighed. "Whereas you came out of the waters, they went in. Tree fell in the lake. Stonegit’s entrance was…" Haddock paused, trying to maintain a stoic face "…a voluntary sacrifice. So… they’re gone."
Vox Arnason: Vox wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed since the last words escaped the King’s mouth.
"They’re gone."
"Tree fell in the lake."
"Stonegit’s entrance was a voluntary sacrifice."
This was all his fault. His stay in Purgatory — had he just accepted his fate and gone to Valhalla as planned… had he not sold his soul for a chance to return to the mortal world… had he just stayed away from the water…
"It’s all my fault."
Vox cradled his forehead in the palms of his hands. The tears came, but any sound was rendered inaudible. He couldn’t bear to look up at his commanding official. Once already, he had lost one of his best men. Now, a second has fallen, all through his own actions.
"Haddock… I-"
Vox took to his feet and paced the length of the water a time or two. He couldn’t find the words to grieve. So badly did he want to embrace Haddock; to assure him that things were going to be okay.
But he didn’t even believe that for himself.
"I did this."
Vox turned to a stone wall, and without hesitation, threw his fist at full force against it. The sound of bone and flesh disintegrating against it was chilling, but under the circumstances of his emotions, Vox felt no physical pain. He kicked and yelled and blindly worked his way around the area surrounding the lake, destroying anything and everything in his path.
"I’m the reason they’re dead! I am the cause of everyone’s pain. This… this is just fantastic!”
Haddock was stunned. This was not the reaction he was prepared for out of the boy. He was unable to speak, only able to observe the breakdown in sanity he witnessed before him.
"How could I- how could I have been so naive?”,Vox bellowed as he dropped to his knees. He had already suffered fatigue from his retrieval from Hel — his rampage only served to further his pain.
“She’s GONE because of me… Tree is gone!… and Stonegit — why would he do such a thing? Why would he sacrifice himself… for me?!”
Vox was no longer able to keep up the anger and frustration. His voice cracked at the last delivered phrase, and it silenced him.
He lowered his head against the hard ground in front of him and choked back tears. All he could do now was cry.
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Slowly, very slowly, Haddock limped toward Vox. Then, placing a hand on his knee, he bent down, lowered himself to the ground, and sat beside Vox. Though usually Haddock hid his emotions in public - indeed, rarely expressed them even in private - his far-too-rapid blinks came from tears watering his eyes.
"I, uh… don’t blame yourself," Haddock said quietly. "You didn’t choose to die. You didn’t make Stonegit’s decision. None of this is… your fault."
Haddock gestured around to the lake. “Everyone here, dead and alive, cared about you. Cares about you. You have a chance to live now, Vox, and carry forward their legacy because of the kind actions people like Stonegit did. I know what Stonegit would say - that it was his own decision, not yours. So don’t blame yourself for an action another person took.
"And really… everything can be traced back to me. The day you died… we both know that was my fault for letting the Warden go. And I was the one who took everyone to this lake. So if you have to blame anyone, blame this failure of a king."
Vox Arnason: Vox rubbed the excess of tears from under his eyes. They burned now from the constant irritation, but none of that was of importance to him. The words of his King were all that were on his mind.
"Hadd- my King… thank you. I know you mean well, but-"
He fought back a lump from forming in his throat. His King had already seen him vulnerable and unstable. He didn’t need to further any reason for him to be looked down upon.
"-it’s not your fault, either. I told you… told you to unlock Tree. I shouldn’t have pushed to bring her back so quickly. I guess I was just so caught up in her."
He kept his stare directly at the ground beneath him. He felt Haddock at his side, but couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge his presence.
"I’m so sorry, my King."
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock suddenly barked a short, sardonic, bitter laugh. “Look at us two fools, playing a game of blame. Fighting to put the blame on ourselves and take it away from the other. Well, at least there’s something positive to be said in that neither of us hate and point fingers at each other for what happened, for all that could have been how other people might have reacted in our situation.
"One thing I’ve realized through the years," Haddock said, starting to idly draw in the sand to avoid contact with Vox’s tear-stained eyes, "is that we are always so quick to notice our own faults, and to put the blame on ourselves, but are perhaps more likely to give others the benefit of the doubt.
"Maybe…" Haddock grimaced, still clearly internally fighting with his own self-doubts, "it won’t be easy for either of us, but it’s time for us to say, ‘we both made mistakes,’ and quit harping so much on ourselves. Try to quit blaming ourselves. Maybe, instead of saying, ‘I made the past so horrible’, we should say, ‘This is how I’m going to make the future better’."
Vox Arnason: The words were true. From their meaning, to execution, they were entirely genuine. The King spoke softly as to keep Vox’s emotions in check — something the hardened warrior hadn’t done in many years… but it was still not enough to convince Vox that he could move on.
He could never forgive himself for having the love of his life in the same position that he was in. It wasn’t fair; she didn’t deserve any of this.
He couldn’t live without her.
He glanced over to the waters once more.
If she’s in there… there’s no rules against going back, right?…
Akkey Black: *stares at these two men cry and be emotional. is absolutely confused and wonders why the hell she’s soaking wet with a cough, and a bloody cheek and hand*
=== Part 8: Vox Finds Beauty ===
Treepelt Halfpaw: Moving from the afterlife to the real world was a strange proccess, just as strange as it had been going from life to death. She gasped and coughed, vaguely feeling herself lying on the rocky shores of a beach…thatbeach…
Treepelt glanced up. There were two men and a girl in front of her. she blinked hard, trying to clear the fog in her head. One of them was staring at the lake…staring at her. She cocked her head, trying to remember.
Oh, Odin.
He carefully stood, continuing to gaze at her, with an inscrutable expression, the remnants of tears shining on his cheeks. Tree shakily got to her feet and backed up a few steps down the shoreline, breathing hard, and she started to talk…
Vox Arnason: here was no way this was her.
Not after all the strife and hurt the pair had endured over the past three weeks. The loss of her presence; the premature farewells that had be to be said by both sides. The sudden betrayal of the Warde-
-the Warden.
He could feel it. The Warden wasn’t there. This wasn’t like before, when Tree was in holding. He was blinded by love then. With a clear view of what was right in front of him, he could feel that Treepelt was no longer under the control of the Warden. The tears forming on the bases of her eyelids, the water dripping from her hair… this was every bit the girl he remembered.
Every bit the woman he fell in love with.
He approached her with no sense of caution as she spoke. 
"…what reason did I have to live after you, Vox? After what I did?"
He continued with conviction. It was her. His gaze didn’t falter as she hit him high and low with words of pain and regret. All of the torment she had endured for almost a month was coming out in full swing, but it mattered not to the Scout who gave his life to see her safe…
…and here she was, exactly as he had originally envisioned.
"Oh, stop looking so lost, Vox! Shout at me, scream, hurt me! Say… something!"
As he stood just mere inches away from her, Treepelt raised her head to meet his stare. There was not a look of anger, or hurt, or disbelief — there was only a look of longing. Longing to have what he believed would be gone for eternity.
With one hand, he ran his fingers across her cheek, nestling them in her hair with his thumb resting against her ear. With the other, he pulled her chin further up, to see every bit of beauty that stood before him.
"Tree… you’re…"
He swallowed, and grinned at the feeling of contentment that washed over him.
"…you’re as beautiful as the day I lost you."
Treepelt Halfpaw: She’d never expected to see him again, she’d accepted that he was beyond his reach, and thus the Warden’s plan and wild encouragement had given her an insane, fiery hope. But back then, deep down, she had known she would never see him again, not alive, at least.
Until now.
He didn’t flinch through everything she threw at him, everything she threw at herself, he just continued walking towards her with that stone expression, the lingering sadness left from his tears—he thought I was gone—and her voice nearly rose to a shout at the end, choked with tears and pain. She glared at the ground, refusing to look up, until she felt it—a slow, gentle, warm hand drifting across her face and tilting her chin up, bringing her tear-filled eyes to meet Vox’s. And when he spoke, she exhaled in a shaky, disbelieving sob, closing her eyes and feeling a single tear spill down her skin, her shoulders shaking once, convulsively.
He was right there, in flesh and blood. His heart was beating. His eyes were open. 
Vox is alive.
Vox Arnason: Her breath against his face was a reward greater than the biggest greeting of a warrior at the gates of Valhalla.
He’d done it. She was safe.
Without the slightest reservation, he pulled her to him. Their lips met for the first time since before the rebellion had even occurred — before the uprising of the Warden. Before they were forcefully ripped from one another by the unrelenting grip of fate, and made to believe that what they thought to be their one chance at happiness was not meant to last.
He was alive. She was in his arms once again, without the chance of them falling apart as was before.
He could feel her shaking; much caused by the stress of the day, and the onset of hypothermia that needed to be addressed soon. The two of them were drenched in the water that consumed them both, but the heat they shared between them was enough to ensure that their embrace would not be broken too quickly.
As he pulled himself away from her, he brushed the hair from her eyes and chuckled. “You look awful.”
Tree shoved her weight against him, nearly knocking the two to the ground. Her appearance was not of any concern to her at this point.
"Those are some big words for a guy who just went through Hel and back."
"Yeah, I’d say so… Tree?"
"…yes, Vox?"
—-
"I’d swim and sail on savage seas,
With ne’er a fear of drowning.
And gladly ride the waves of life,
If you would marry me.
No scorching sun, nor freezing cold,
Will stop me on my journey.
If you will promise me your heart…”
Treepelt Halfpaw: Her heart thudded violently against her ribs, more full than it had been in years. With a small, weak laugh, she tilted her head, touching the bridge of his nose with her forehead, and quietly sang back.
"…and love me for eternity…"
She sniffed and hugged him tighter. “It’s cold,” she noted pointlessly, as water dripped off of the tips of their hair, darkening their clothes and chilling in the faint breeze. “It’s been a long time since I’ve…felt something…noticed things like this. The Warden numbed me…and I’ve been so caught up…in all of…this.” With a slight smile, she loosened their embrace a moment to vaguely gesture at Vox.
Then she glanced around at the surrounding party. There was Haddock, looking worn-down and stunned, and Akkey, watching them warily. “Where’s Stonegit?” she realized. “He’s not…he didn’t…?”
Vox Arnason: The shaking had begun to cease, until the mention of the King’s right-hand man. 
"Tree, he… he sacrificed himself to bring me back."
Tree gripped the back of Vox’s cloak tightly at the words. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
"Haddock told me it was his own choice. He wanted to make his King happy, and he voluntarily went into the water… giving me my soul."
He hated saying that. It shouldn’t have had to end that way… to have a friend give up their life to keep him alive.
Treepelt Halfpaw: Tree felt like she was hearing the words from far away. She didn’t know Stonegit personally, or all that well—after all, he had just thrown his ax at her—but knowing that he was in such a dark, torturous place haunted her conscience. “As long as he…did it voluntarily…” she whispered into his shoulder, feeling the guilt start to creep back. It was dark, heavy, crushing, she could actually feel her knees starting to buckle under the weight of it, when…
Stop.
Frightened, she jumped and whirled around, still halfway holding onto Vox, and they both saw a faint misty figure forming beside them, tall and dark. Tree, wh—t did I tell -ou ab-ut being g—ilty?
"Th-the Warden?" she gasped. "How—?"
A tiny gap in Purgatory, nothing more. It won’t happen again, which is why I wanted to say… She turned to Vox, You’d be insane to forgive me, scout, but I hope you’ll remember my apology. Everything seems to have worked out…somewhat…I hope you two find happiness. Her scarlet eyes pulsed and dimmed. I’m fad—ng…per—aps w— will see e—ch other ag—in, sc—ut…
Vox Arnason: It wasn’t but mere hours ago that Vox had told himself that if he never saw the Warden again, it would be too soon.
Having her appear out of nowhere — only to wish them well was the last thing he would have expected. It was a fitting farewell, as she would be returning to damnation, while he and Tree would move on with their lives as if she’d never been a part of it.
Wait. Did she say… perhaps we’ll… see each other again?
===Part 9===
Pitch Black: Pitch looked at the small group from the shadows. Akkey standing staring at the small group in confusion, Vox and Treepelt reuniting and King Haddock standing behind them.  Though the picture missed a person in order for this to be a completely happy ending he knew what had to happen. 
Such a brave warrior he was, Pitch, and you sent him to Hel. He sighed at the internal voices that filtered back in.
Don’t worry Stonegit will be back. The brave always seem to come back. Pitch argued with himself. 
And what about your daughter? She has forgotten you. She forgot about everything. Pitch rolled his eyes at the voice. So go back and make things right. She won’t remember what happened that long ago. You can start all over again. Have father/ daughter bonding time. You can teach her all the things about the water. You could-
"SHUT UP!" Pitch’s voice echoed through out the small area he was almost afraid he said it to loud but when he looked at the small group they were still huddled together.
I know what I have done. But it is like Haddock said, to leave, it is the best choice. He will take care of her like he has all these years… I do not doubt him… Pitch sighed pulling at his hood so it fell further on his face. He looked to the small group with slight envy before turning and walking into the shadows. 
He would return but only for his daughter’s safety.
Akkey Black: Akkey stood a short distance away, gazing upon the group of three. The younger boy and the cat-girl who popped up from the lake ran into each other’s arms laughing and sobbing. Then the older man gave a shout of joy and gathered them both in his arms. 
They looked so happy. And she wasn’t a part of it.
She was just a girl, shivering and drenched to the bone, coughing her lungs out and bleeding through her hand and cheek. She didnt know who they were, where she was, or what she was doing before she woke up. She didn’t even know who she was.
Perhaps they knew. Perhaps they could answer her questions. She was about to take a timid step forward and ask them, then she heard it
Or thought she heard it. Was that a yell? From somewhere behind her, it sounded like someone shouted, “Shut up!”
She looked around but she couldn’t see anyone else. But it seemed so familiar? That voice… it was like she’s heard it before. Perhaps she just imagined it.
She shook her head. My mind’s playing tricks on me. That was nothing. Forget it.
 Then she approached the trio. Without seeing the hooded figure, hidden in the shadows.
Category:Season 1Category:Events
Category:Chief Akkey of the Stoic Hearts
Category:Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second
Category:Pitch Black
Category:Stonegit Brotchurn Elmiss
Category:The Warden
Category:Vox Arnason
Category:Akkey Black
Category:Treepelt Halfpaw
Category:BOTGD