Sebastian and his crew with the exception of Elsenor, who has wisely returned to keep an eye on the ship and keep herself out of the hands of the locals, stood at the mouth of a cave on the edge of town looking into it. " We sure this time?" asked Audrey.
" I hope so" said Elanna, " I don't want any more bats in my hair."
As Sebastian stepped into the cave a deep roar shook the entire cave. " I think we found it" said Tanis.
They started down the tunnel, once inside the tunnel the cool early autumn air became progressively hotter. They followed the heat deep into the heart of the mountain. As they went deeper they could hear a deep chant echoing from in front of them, and an almost suffocating stench of incense. They slowly began to see light at the end of the tunnel and carefully crept towards it.
They peeked around a bend in the tunnel and saw several men in long black cloaks standing around a massive opening in the floor. They were chanting in some strange language, " What is that?" asked Audrey.
" Sounds like Sithican" said Ziu, " and if it is we are in serious trouble."
" What are they?" asked Elanna.
" Men, rather once men who have made an allegiance..." said Ziu, but she was cut off by a fearsome roar shook the entire cave.
Everyone looked at the opening in the floor and watched in horror as a giant Wurm burst through. Wurms were the last remain of the Dragons of old. They were intelligent like Dragons but were more akin to snakes than their great scaled ancestors. This Wurm was a giant green and yellow scaled beast with cold black eyes and large fangs. Wurms could project things like fire, acid or ice from their mouths like Dragons but were still extremely deadly and dangerous. " Why have you awaken me?" the Wurm asked.
" Outsiders are here" said the priest, " they are coming to destroy you."
The Wurm laughed, his eyes glittering with menace. " No one can harm me" he chuckled, " Zentarth fears no one."
Ziu's almond shaped eyes got big, " Zentarth, the soul eater" she said, " we can't win this fight we should leave now while we still alive."
" I think you're right" said Sebastian.
" I hunger" said Zentarth, " where is my meal?"
" The strangers are many, you can eat them" said the priest, " we have nothing to offer you."
Zentarth looked the priest and with lightning speed scooped up the priest in his massive jaws and swallowed him whole. His screams could be heard as he traveled down the Wurm's throat into his stomach. The other cultist in the room screamed and attempted to flee. Zentarth ate several more before they fled down through the cave, past Sebastian and the others. Everyone quickly started running, even Tanis managed to keep up with the crowd as they burst out of the mouth of the cave.
Zentarth burst out of one of the caves higher up on the mountain and let off a terrible howl. He dove into another cave and appeared out of another this time close to town. His massive head smashed into a house and the screams of the inhabitants filled the night. Alarm bells began to ring all across town and the citizens began to panic. " I think its time to leave" said Sebastian.
" Agreed" they all replied.
They started racing back to their ship at the opposite end of town. As they neared the square, arrows began to land all around them. They quickly raced for cover and saw that cultists were on the roof tops firing arrows at them, not Zentarth who had moved on to his second meal. Now split into three groups, the crew ran in different directions knowing to meet up at the ship.

Sebastian and the Silvertail Sisters raced down a side street and then into an alley. They climbed over the wall dividing the alley and ducked into a doorway to catch their breath. " You're sure the new Rune stone works?" asked Sebastian.
" Of course we're sure" said Alexis, " it was brand new, the thing will work like a dream."
" Assuming we actually make it back to the ship" said Audrey, " we have angry cultists, and now a giant Wurm to deal with."
" One thing at a time" said Sebastian.
Suddenly the door Sebastian was leaning against pulled back and he stumbled inside. Two cultists charged at him with long daggers. Audrey and Alexis hissed and leapt onto the pair, attacking them with their long claws. The two men started screaming but a woman appeared and hit Audrey with a fireplace poker. Audrey howled and the cultist was able to fling her across the room. Sebastian pulled his sword out and killed the male cultists with a swift stroke. The female cultist struck him twice with the poker before Sebastian was able to defeat her with a sling stroke through her chest. Alexis was sitting on the second male cultist cleaning her claws and riffling through his pocket. Audrey got up and meowed, " That poker hurts."
" Okay?" asked Sebastian.
" I'll be fine, I just want to get out of here" said Audrey.
The trio went to the front door and saw that Zentarth was now on the second block of homes. They quickly left through the back door and again started running for the ship.

Elanna, Tanis, and Sam carefully slipped down the side street. They were all on edge but the relative silence of the street made them think that possibly they had managed to shake their pursuers. Elanna's ears twitched and Tanis sniffed the pair. They both grabbed one of Sam's arms and hauled her into the shadows, their other hands clapping over her mouth. Ten cultists raced up the street, weapons in their hands. " Our night of judgment is upon us" one shouted, " our god has turned against us and we must slay him or we shall never see dawn."
The cultists cheered and raced up the street and out of sight. " I think they've found something more important to fight than us" said Tanis.
The trio slipped out of the shadows and ran on. They rounded a corner and stopped dead in their tracks. The cultists were arming cannons. Thankfully they were pointed towards Zentarth and not their ship but they were between them and the only road that led to the ship. " Any ideas?" asked Tanis.
" Yah" said Sam.
Sam pointed to the closest door and tried to kick it open, with no success. Elanna looked over at Tanis who charged the door and smashed it clean off its hinges. They rushed into the house as the first cannon fired. The inhabitants of the house were huddled under the kitchen table, it wasn't clear if they were afraid of Zentarth or the burly one eyed Dwarf that had just burst through their door. Tanis bowed, " Excuse us" he said.
The three raced through the house and out a window. They climbed through a neighboring window, and so on until they managed to get on the other side of the block with their ship now in sight.

Ziu and Gabriel heard a thunderous explosion as watched a cannon ball whizzed down the main street towards Zenarth, who now had devoured almost two blocks of the city. He was smiling, his long fangs slick with blood, bits and pieces of the unfortunate citizens still hanging in his teeth. The long wicked snaked watched as the cannon ball thudded into this scales leaving no visible damaged. He chuckled again, " Thank you, your balls help digest your friends!"
Ziu was holding her shoulder, where an arrow had founds it mark. " We have to move" said Gabriel.
Ziu was trying to disguise the fact that she had another arrow in her leg. Clearly this wasn't her night. They got up from their hiding spot behind the large statue in the center of the square and Ziu attempted to limp her way to safety. A second cannon ball smashed into the statue, dropping both Ziu and Gabriel to the ground as they were showered with bits of marble. " Go" said Ziu, " I can't."
" Last thing we need here are heroes" said Gabriel.
Gabriel grabbed Ziu and started to carry her. She struggled the entire way until she was able to worm free of Gabriel's grip. " What?" asked Gabriel.
" My Order teaches you always to stand on your own" said Ziu, wrenching the first arrow from her leg, " I can not be carried anywhere."
" Then at least let me help you" said Gabriel.
He offered his hand to her, and after a few moments she took his hand. " All right, but not a word to anyone" she said.
Ziu climbed on Gabriel's back and they began to run.

Zentarth was amused by his disloyal worshippers as they tried to stop him. Their arrows had no effect but he was interested in those black metal objects by the dock, he had never seen those before and contrary to his words they did hurt. But to his good fortune their aim was bad and only a few had hit him so far. He smashed into another building and bit a man in half as he tried to flee. He liked watching them wiggle afterwards, like worms that had been cut in half.

Elanna and Tanis tossed Sam up on the deck and the pair raced around and up the gangplank. " Tanis get the guns ready" said Elanna.
" You think we'll be able to stop that thing?" asked Tanis.
" No but we can buy the others some time" said Elanna.
Tanis raced down to the gun deck and one by one pulled the guns into position to fire. He sighted the first gun and pulled the lanyard.

Sebastian watched as the first cannon his ship fired and the ball whizzed directly into the snout of Zentarth. At least Tanis made it, nobody else could have done that. Zentarth howled, blood pouring from his nostril. " Come on" said Sebastian.
They ran through the cultist cannoneers and through the docks as the second cannon fired. All three simply leapt through one of the gun ports on the side of the ship. " Great" said Tanis, " start reloading the guns, where is Gabriel?"
" He hasn't made it yet?" asked Audrey.
" Not yet, neither has the witch" said Elanna.
" Then we wait, we'll never be able to figure a way out of these mountains with out them" said Sebastian.
Gabriel and Ziu made their way through the broken open door, further terrifying the inhabitants. They picked their way through the homes as cannons thundered and Zentarth howled. They got in sight of the ship and Gabriel put Ziu down and together they limped into the comforting safety of the ship. Gabriel sat Ziu in the galley and raced down to the gun deck, " What the hell are you waiting for?" he asked, " that big snake is not happy."
" You're late" said Sebastian.
" Sorry, we got delayed by the locals shooting at us" said Sebastian.
" Girls, get the Rune stones going, we are going to leave" said Sebastian.

Zentarth was now enraged, he was in pain, those strange fire devices on that ship were hitting him over and over and it was starting to crack his scales. He dropped to the cobblestone street and launched himself forward. He slammed into the three cannons manned by his rebellious worshippers and set about devouring them all, strange fire devices and all. He turned his attention to the ship and watched to his dismay as it began to rise up. He couldn't let it escape, no one harms Zentarth the soul eater and escapes.

Sebastian watched as Zentarth coiled up, readying himself to spring at the ship. Then Tanis fired two more cannons at him, the balls hitting him in the face. Zentarth sprung forward and suddenly two more cannons balls slammed into Zentarth, but these were different, they were glowing with blue fire. The first ripping into Zentarth, the second smashing his scales. The Wurm howled, and fell down to the ground, smashing the dock to pieces. Sebastian watched in amazement as the bleeding Wurm fled back towards his caves, leaving the town in crushed ruins. The Esmeraldas' Triumph flew over the peaks and far away from the town, each foot bringing them closer to Yumeria and further from the large teeth of Zentarth. Sebastian watched as Gabriel climbed up to the flying deck, " Fun day, no" he said.
" Wouldn't live any other way" said Sebastian.
Gabriel plotted the course and the Esmeraldas' Triumph sailed gently towards Yumeria.

Ziu took her hands off two of Tanis' cannons, she had a slight smile on her face, a sight which unnerved everyone. " Take me home please" she said, before casually walking out of the gun deck.

Ziu walked into her quarters where Hellfire was looking out the window. " I've never seen a Wurm before" she purred, " they are truly amazing creatures to see in the flesh, or should I say scales."
" They aren't nearly as fascinating when they are chasing through town" said Ziu.
Ziu sat in the chair and exhaled slowly.
Elanna bravely walked up to the door and knocked, " It is Elanna" she called out, " may I bind your wounds?"
" Please come in" said Ziu.
Elanna walked in and saw Ziu removing her clothes. " Thank you for using your magic to save us" said Elanna.
" It was nothing" said Ziu.
Elanna gently went to work on Ziu's wounds, Elanna could see several other scars on the naked woman's body. " You've seen a lot of violence I see" said Elanna.
" Sometimes I think too much" said Ziu, " each time I am wounded I swear that I'm going to retire to our Order's grand library and spend the rest of my days tending quietly to the books but I never seem to be able to get adventure out of my blood."
" I know the feeling" said Elanna, " my mother wants me to return to our home and work with her, but this ship has a strange effect on you, the longer you are aboard the harder it is to leave."
" Even around all the others?" asked Ziu.
" They are unusual but they are my family now" said Elanna.
" Elves always are able to find the very best in any situation" said Ziu.
Elanna finished wrapping the bandages around Ziu's wounds, " Thank you" she said.
As Elanna got to her feet Ziu suddenly collapsed on the floor. Elanna raced over and picked her up. " What's wrong?" asked Elanna.
" I don't know" said Ziu, " I just have the strangest feeling something is terribly wrong."
Elanna helped Ziu over to the bed, " I have this feeling our adventure together isn't over yet" said Ziu, as Hellfire brought over Ziu's nightgown in her teeth, " I think our adventure together will forever rid you of that desire for adventure, and you'll return to your kingdom to live quietly."
Elanna made sure Ziu was comfortable before leaving. She too had a strange feeling that was only intensified by Ziu's words. She knew the adventure was just beginning and if she survived it would cure her of the need to adventure ever again.