The Paragons rummaged through a crate near a bay dear that had a familiar red lettering addressed to them. Inside, they found yet more boons from supposedly the same mysterious benefactor. Once they finished searching, they made their way out of the warehouse toward the Sanguina, Nicoletta’s ship.
The dark wooden ship came into view, a small crew, a handful of blood sirens, and Nicoletta aboard. Once the sirens spotted them, Nicoletta arrogantly invited them aboard. After a short conversation with her, she commanded her retinue of blood sirens to fight the Paragons as she observed from the helm. The Paragons cut through Nicoletta’s blood sirens with relative ease, now prepared to face the Matriarch herself.
Nicoletta descended the stairs, arrogantly clapping, unbothered they had just killed some of her people. She added that she needed to even the odds and summoned another ally from below. Cassian emerged from below deck, still in his Navigan armor and weaponry. His eyes were the blotted out red color of the blood bound. Though he still seemed to be aware of who he was, he apologized that he had no choice but to fight the Paragons. Everyone drew their weapons, and the battle began.
The battle was harrowing for the Paragons. Though they only rendered Cassian unconscious, Nicoletta would frequently use her amulet to revive him back into a fighting state as she danced across the ship with her daggers. Eventually, Cassian was disarmed and knocked unconscious, and Nicoletta’s amulet seemed to dry up with magic to continue raising him. Though she nearly defeated some of the Paragons, they emerged triumphant. Lette dealt a grievous shot to her chest with his pistol, and she began to transform similar to the First Sister. Her features began to elongate and sharpen, and she sprouted black membranous wings with green accents, matching her eyes. Her amulet glowed red hot. Though she seemed to be in a more powerful state, there was a look of fear in her eyes. She leaped into the night sky to soar away, so Lette fired a couple more shots toward her, though each one missed the mark. Nicoletta had escaped, but Cassian had been saved.
Dieter’s crew bound Nicoletta’s blood-bound crew and escorted them off the ship, and Cassian began to stir. It seemed as though his bond was temporarily weakened to Nicoletta, as he explained he was blood-bound to her and could not trust his own actions. He expressed his desire to remain in Atrae so that he did not have to live a life of confinement and risk killing his own friends, but the Paragons stood firm in their view that he was safer in their custody. Cassian reluctantly agreed, as he could not fight, regardless. He merely made one request: that they toss his sword overboard. Aksell attempted to deceive Cassian by tossing another blade overboard, but he spotted the deception. It angered Cassian that they would take him captive and not even honor his only request, but Aksell eventually fulfilled it. As they got him to his feet to lock him in the Sanguina’s brig, he announced to Cain that he relinquishes his title as Knight-Captain. As the Sanguina finally began to depart the hostile waters of Atrae, Cain noted that the Red Midnight was already long gone. They set a course for Illeta.
The following day, on the horizon, the crew spotted a bright white light, almost like a star burning in broad daylight. Cain explained this was the celebratory flame they always light for the Festival of the White Flame. He added his estimation was accurate in that the festival would begin in a few days. As they gazed at the lovely light, the four Paragons blood-bound to Wren felt the spell fade, and their eyes returned to the normal.
As they sailed toward Illeta, Cain let the Paragons know of an uncharted island on the horizon that seemed to have some abandoned structures on it. He said it may be a good spot of respite to resupply. The Paragons agreed, and they sailed toward the fairly small island. As the unmanned dock came clearer into view, the party noticed Akalar lose his footing. When they checked on him, they found that his eyes had been warped to the same blood-red blot as if he were blood-bound…