(A/N: SURPRISE! I'm not dead, and the story is not discontinued. The next chapter is in the works, and I'm not about to let it die. But enough ranting. ENJOY THE FIRST CHAPTER IN AGE!!)

Part Three: Crash

The darkness was thick and full around them, fog almost suffocating in the fading moonlight. A fine line traced the horizon, the walls of ice and snow far overhead, shadowed blue and pink against the fog. Karst's hands gripped the steering mechanism of the ship, her knuckles colorless and face taut. She swallowed hard. "Do you see anything, yet?"

"Nothing," Agatio called back from the front of the ship. He stood anxiously, hands crushed into fists. They had been sailing for almost an hour now, and thus far the waters had been kind. Perhaps too kind. Or perhaps the ice was merely another lie shoved down their throats by the Elder to keep them inside their pleasant little cage of Prox. Even so, Agatio could feel his fingers trembling underneath the leather of his gloves.

He turned away from the ocean, glancing back at Karst. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she said with a nervous chuckle. "This sailing thing is a little easier than I would have guessed."

He smiled slightly, looking out at the sea. He squinted against the dim light from the lantern that hung from the very farthest limb of the bow. A tall white shadow began to rise from the ocean, hanging in the vast space in front of them. Agatio glanced over his shoulder. "I see one!" he shouted back at Karst.

"A glacier? You're sure?"

"Positive," he called back, pulling off his gloves and tucking them in his belt. He began flexing his fingers. "Are you ready?"

The girl nodded vigorously then saw he was not looking at her. "Yeah!" she called to him from wheel. She took in a deep breath to calm herself, reached up and pulled the scarf tight around her neck.

Agatio took in a deep breath, watching the white form loom closer. He held his hands in front of him, his palms turned to face the sheet of ice. He shut his eyes tightly and focused. The shadow grew smaller, and a small wave rocked the boat.

Karst let out a gasp, turning the wheel to compensate in the narrow passage. She let out a slight laugh. "That was it?" she asked.

"You expected something more spectacular?" Agatio asked softly, glancing over his shoulder hurriedly, then back out to the water.

Karst smiled. "No, just… didn't expect it to be so simple."

Agatio's face hardened as the fog began to clear. The placid water was broken by massive spires of ice, piercing upwards toward the sky. Agatio stared for a long moment, rapidly counting the spires in his mind.

"What?" Karst called up to him. "Agatio, what's—"

"Bear starboard on my mark!" he shouted, rubbing his hands together. "Things are about to get a little more difficult!"

Karst's pulse sped up as she gripped the wheel. "S-starboard? What's starboard?!"

"Right!" Agatio shouted at her. "Bear right!"

"Now?!"

"Now!"

Karst spun the wheel, Agatio's hands glowing as another small wave rushed toward them from the rapidly melting ice. He turned his hand to another spire as KArst straightened the ship. The wind was suddenly colder, racing over them as the boat seemed to pick up speed. "Agatio," she called worriedly.

But he wasn't listening. He was already focusing on the fifth glacier they'd encountered, looking up as another began rushing toward them. "Karst!" he gasped, hurriedly turning his hand to the ice. "Slow down! Slow the ship d—"

"I can't!" Karst gasped helplessly, looking at the panels that lined the steering wheel. "Agatio, I—"

"Port!"

"What?!"

"Left!"

Karst began spinning the wheel, grabbing for it and letting out a soft shout as the ship rocked violently. Icy water splashed over the side of the boat, over her feet as she struggled to pull herself upright, turning the wheel to straighten the ship.

Agatio gripped the walls of the boat, gritting his teeth as his shoulder pulled out of place. The muscle burned as he lifted his hand toward another glacier, but he couldn't manage to focus his energy quickly enough. He let out a shout as the boat barely grazed past the glacier, shattering the figurehead at the top of the boat.

"What the hell is going on up there?!" Karst roared, gripping the wheel and struggling to turn. "I thought you said you could handle—"

"I'm working on it!" Agatio shouted back, forcing himself to his feet. He shoved his palm toward the rapidly approaching ice, struggling as it melted. He turned his hands to another, shouted a direction at Karst who hurriedly spun the wheel. The ship veered, narrowly avoiding one glacier before barreling almost headlong into another.

Karst screamed as the boat smacked into the glacier, ice clattering onto the deck. The blow knocked Agatio from his perch, down the small stairway onto the deck.

"Agatio!" Karst gasped.

"Stay there!" he growled, forcing himself up as the boat rocked back and forth away from the glacier. He rushed toward the stern again, looking down as the ship lurched away from the ice. The figurehead was torn clean away, and a gaping hole had torn the upper section of the ship's hull away. Thankfully, no water was being taken in.

Yet, Agatio reminded himself bitterly.

He shook his head, gripping the edge of the deck as his slid to his knees.

"Agatio?" Karst asked, still standing by the wheel as the ship rocked back and forth on the water. He said nothing. Karst swallowed hard, murmured, "Agatio, are you alri—"

"Turn the boat around," Agatio murmured darkly.

Karst frowned. "What?"

"Turn the boat around," he growled, standing. "At this rate, we'll be at the bottom of the ocean before we're free of this ice garden." He stared at her, her strawberry eyes welling up. His jaw set. "Karst… we need to turn the ship around."

She shook her head, gripping the wheel. "No."

"Karst," Agatio murmured thinly. "We've failed. We're not going to make it past these glaciers… alright?"

She gripped the wheel as he came closer. She shook her head violently, staring at him worriedly. "You… you're not serious, you can't be," she murmured.

Agatio sighed. "Karst—"

"No!" she gasped. "You can't do this to me! You can't! Do you know what will happen if we go back?"

"Karst, I have no energy left," he said flatly. He held out his hands. "Look, they're shaking! I can't get us through this!"

"You aren't even trying!"

"Karst," Agatio said thinly, "we need to turn ar—"

"No!"

Karst's voice rumbled through the walls of ice, echoed in the tiny passage until only the sounds of the ocean remained. Only a moment, and a quiet rumble passed into the ocean.

Agatio frowned, staring up at the glacial walls as he took a few steps toward Karst. "That didn't sound very good," he murmured.

Karst pushed the hair from her eyes, saying nothing as Agatio's hands fastened over hers. "Karst, let go of the wheel," he said, fingers pulling hers loose. "Now, we need to turn this thing around before something happens, alright? Now w…"

His words trailed off as he looked up at where Karst was staring. A large crack had begun running up the side of the wall, trailing upwards. Even as he spoke, he could see it crackling upward.

"Agatio," Karst murmured, stepping away from the wheel.

The ice broke further, sprinkling chunks of ice over the sea water.

Agatio pushed her away, grabbing for the wheel. "We need to go," he murmured, pressing his hand against a panel and slidding his fingers to the top of the screen. The ship lurched forward, creaking loudly.

Karst watched as the ice continued to crack. "Agatio…"

"Not now, Karst—"

"Agatio," she breathed urgently, "look."

Agatio glanced over his shoulder. The seam in the ice was mere meters from the horizon. It stopped a moment, crackled into a few more veins, reaching higher and higher.

"Karst, get below deck," Agatio murmured, grabbing hold of her and dragging her toward the stairs. Before they'd even reached the door, a roar rose up behind them, like the earth was splitting in two. The water was around them before the cabin door slammed shut, movement sending them smashing into the walls, down the corridors. Agatio felt Karst's shoulder slip from his grip. He flailed about helplessly in the rapidly moving water, unable to think, unable to breathe.

Karst panicked when she felt his hand slip across her shoulders, then away from her. The darkness was full as the water rushed all around her, freezing to the marrow. She struggled to catch hold of something, anything as the cold flooded around her. A spike of heat at the back of her head. She'd hit something. Her arms stopped beating at the water, as the dark blue turned to black, and she went cold.

"No… freaking… way."

"Garet, we don't have time to argue!"

"Where'd Mia go? She can do it—!"

"Mia isn't here!"

"Ivan! No freaking way! I'm not—"

"Do you want him to die?!"

A long pause.

"You know how they write stories about the heroes and stuff?"

"Yeah?"

"This never happens in those stories."

"Garet—"

"And if this gets into our story when they start telling it, I am coming after you and—"

"Garet!"

"Alright! I'm going! I'm going…"

Isaac blinked his eyes open, weakly stared up at the midday sun until a shadow passed into his vision. A shadow that looked very much like Garet. A shadow that looked very much like Garet, mouth gaping open, leaning close to Isaac. Too close. And getting closer.

Then their lips touched.

Isaac screamed, frantically shoving Garet away from him and scrambling to his feet, spitting and wiping his mouth on his sleeves. Garet was doing the same, scooping up seawater in his hands and scrubbing his face, gagging.

"What the hell was that?!" Isaac demanded furiously.

Garet stammered for a moment in shock before shouting back, "I thought you were dead—!"

"Do I look dead?!" Isaac screamed, holding out his arms.

Ivan looked between the two. "Well… you weren't moving."

Isaac shuddered, turning away and wiping his tongue on his palms.

Garet was still standing awkwardly. "Look, I only meant to—"

"No," Isaac snapped, rounding on him. "No, no, we are not speaking of this again. Ever. Do you understand me? This never—"

"What happened? Is everything okay?" Mia asked, bursting through the brush and looking between the two. "I thought I heard someone scream, and—"

"Scream?" Garet murmured. "No one screamed."

"I didn't hear anything," Isaac seconded.

"Garet kissed Isaac because he thought he was dead," Ivan volunteered happily.

Garet's composure quickly melted away as he tore down the beach after an already running Ivan. "I'm going to kill you, you little brat!"

"Garet!" Mia called frustratedly as the two took off down the sandy expanse of shore. "Garet, stop! You shouldn't…" She groaned, shaking her head. "I swear he's been drinking seawater again, and if that's the case I'm am not going to make up another elixir, I'm telling y…" Her words trailed off as she slowly glanced at Isaac. "Wait, what did Ivan just say about you and G—?"

Isaac's eyes narrowed dangerously. "One word, Mia… you say one word—"

She held up her hands in defense, fighting back a grin. "I wouldn't think of it," she said as she lowered the armful of herbs onto a blanket lay out on the beach in the shade. "But I'm not so worried about your wounded ego." She nodded at him. "You hit your head pretty hard."

Isaac reached up, his fingers stopped at the pale fabric wound around his head. He frowned, glancing at her. "What happened?"

"Too much… too much to be told all at once, that is," Mia murmured quietly. "Truth is, I've been out-cold most of the morning, and before that, well… Garet seems to remember a giant wave of water…" She paused, her nose wrinkling thoughtfully. "Or a whale, but… he's often unclear on most subjects so I assume the former is likely more correct."

"It was huge," Isaac murmured, shutting his eyes. "Like a massive wall of water, heading straight for our sh…" His eyes snapped open. "The ship…" He dropped to his knees, grabbing Mia's shoulders. "Mia, the ship! What happened to the ship?!"

"Sages and Oracles, Isaac! The ship is fine," she gasped, wriggling out of his grip.

Garet came to a stop, still gripping Ivan in a headlock, the small boy squealing 'mercy!' at the top of his voice. "Fine?" he asked darkly. "Depends on your definition."

Isaac frowned. "Where is—?"

He gasped as a pot dropped right by them, landing with a loud clang. He looked up and his jaw fell open. Miraculously perched atop the cliff-walls and the trees, the overturned ship's deck stared down at him, the cabin door hanging off the deck like a wobbling tongue.

"It's been dropping things all day," Mia muttered darkly.

"We fell from there?" Isaac asked as he touched his head. "That's how I got this?"

"Well, yes and no," Mia continued, glancing at Garet as Ivan wriggled out of his grip. "You see, we were all inside when it capsized and landed on those trees." She sighed. "You were unconscious when the rest of us came to and realized we needed to get out before the ship fell, or something else bad happened, and—"

"—and Garet and I went and got some rope," Ivan said. "I wanted to tie the knot, but Garet said he would do it better."

"It was cheap rope, okay?" Garet snapped.

"Either way," Mia said, looking between the two, "the rope held my weight, and it held Ivan's, but I don't think it liked holding both you and Garet at once."

"So, that's how we fell and that's how I hit my head," Isaac finished.

"No," Garet said. "The rope kinda snapped, and… we both fell. But the boat didn't like that too much and shifted a little a-and one of those pans came flying out and—"

"That's what hit you in the head," Ivan finished.

Mia smiled. "Luckily, you were already unconscious, so it didn't hurt that much."

Isaac looked at them. "You're kidding."

Mia made a slight face. "Not as exciting as you hoped?"

Isaac sighed. "No, I just dread telling whomever we meet next that I was injured, not by fighting someone, not from falling from a dizzying height or saving someone, but that I was injured when I got hit by a pan."

Ivan began to giggle but stifled it in his sleeve and cleared his throat.

"Well," Mia murmured, trying not to smile. "It does sound somewhat less… enchanting when you say it that way, but yes. I can imagine that would be awkward."

"So don't tell them that," Garet said. "Tell them you were mauled by a bear while trying to rescue us or something. We'll play along, right?" He gave Mia a "light" nudge with his elbow, sending her stumbling a few steps away, rubbing her arm.

"I think that what he's going to tell people is the least of our worries," Ivan said frankly. "I don't know if you've noticed, but there is no nearby town."

Isaac frowned. "No nearby town?"

"We don't know that," Mia said. "We haven't gone far enough to be able to tell, y—" She jumped as another pot fell from the cabin above them, cursing softly. She looked up. "I'm starting to get tired of…" Her words trailed off into silence.

Garet raised an eyebrow. "Mia? Are you…" He glanced up, and then turned his head to the boat above them, soon followed by Ivan and Isaac. "Hey, Iv?"

"Yeah?"

"Was that much rope left after it snapped?"

Ivan frowned. "I don't think so."

Isaac frowned. "It couldn't have just gotten there on it's…" His words ended abruptly as two slender, yet well-built men slipped out of the boat, hanging on the rope. More of the same rope was slung across the deck, tied to the underside (which at this point had become the topside) of the ship. The first of the two reached up to test the rope, gave it a sharp tug, and began to climb across the top of the deck, though it was by all rights actually the bottom.

The second continued to hang from the first rope, shifting his weight as he hoisted his bag further over his shoulder. The bag twisted and a bag of herb-filled bottles, a few gold coins, and an ornately decorated jar falling from the over-flowing brim.

Garet's jaw dropped. "Hey!" he shouted.

The two men glanced down at them. "Qei de bruyo, eh?" one asked the other, who shrugged.

"Hey!" Garet shouted again. "That's our stuff! You're stealing our stuff!" He looked at the others. "They're stealing our stuff!"

"We're aware, Garet," Mia said, hands already glowing. She motioned toward the sea, pulling a long strand of water. She gripped her wide spread fingers to fists and pushed them upward, but the water fell back against the sand. She frowned, made the motion again only to let out a sharp breath and shake the sudden pain out of her hands. "I can't control this water!" she gasped. "It won't freeze!"

Garet gripped his hands to fists. "It doesn't have to," he growled, hand suddenly glowing. He flung his fist up toward the two men, both already leaping from the boat to the cliffs. The bolt of flames clipped the side of the boat, rocking it violently on it's perch as Isaac grabbed hold of Garet before he could fire another round.

"Are you crazy?!" he shouted. "You'll bring the whole boat down!"

"They're taking our stuff!" Garet shouted. "Our weapons, our food, our pots—"

"Iris forbid they take our pots," Mia grumbled, folding her arms across her chest.

Garet sighed, starting toward the rocky cliff.

"Garet!" Isaac shouted as Ivan padded along after him. "Garet, come back! We haven't thought this through!"

"I'm going after them!" Garet said.

Ivan nodded. "Me too!"

Isaac sighed. "Let's talk about this, at least! Try to gather our thoughts—"

"We don't have time!" Garet shouted.

"Yeah!" Ivan seconded.

Isaac pointed at the boy. "Don't support him, you're making things worse." He looked at Garet as he began to climb. "Garet! Garet get down from there! You don't even know where they're going! Mia can't magic any of the water here, and sand is hard enough to deal with! And we have no weapons! Garet!"

The red-haired Fire Adept only continued climbing.

Isaac sighed as Ivan rushed to the cliff wall, grabbed hold and started climbing.

"Aren't you going with them?"

Isaac didn't glance at Mia as she walked to stand beside him. "You think I should?"

"I think we're going to need all four of us if we're going to come out of this alive," Mia sighed.

Isaac groaned, starting for the wall, Mia in tow. He motioned. "Ladies first."

She raised an eyebrow. "Not when I'm in a dress I'm not."

Isaac flushed terribly. "Oh… sorry," he mumbled, and began climbing.

(A/N: MASSIVE APOLOGY. It's been far too long, but I've been busy; new job, my Premier Opera role, working full-time, getting laid off, finding new work, and balancing friends, family, work, and play. It's short, but there will be more to come, I SWEAR IT. And it won't be in six months, it will be in MUCH, MUCH less time. And it will be longer. This one was very short, but it's something, right?

Again, apologies for the long span of time. I hope it's been worth the wait, and expect a chapter in GSLAN soon as well. THANK YOU and please, if you want a new chapter faster R&R. It makes me all excited and write-happy.)