Mission:
The seas were getting rougher. Huge crests rolled around me as the sun set behind the waves, bathing the land in darkness. “What a day…” I mumbled to myself. After a surprise attack from a fleet of sea otters, our ship was wrecked far from Sampetra. The Sea Scum was an old ship, rotten through, and a few rams from the beaks of the otter vessels destroyed the rudder and keel. We capsized then and there, and I am afraid many of our crew was drowned. The dinghy came to me as the rest of our forces struggled in the water, and after throwing in my staff and my pack; I climbed aboard and realized that the ship had sunk beneath the waves. I guess I must have passed out, as it was past noon when I found there was nothing left, including the crew. Rummaging through my emergency rations, I found half a loaf of bread and munched on it, uncorking a flagon of water as well. It was getting colder. “May as well settle for a while,” I said to myself, “I could be here for some time.” Pulling my wet clothes around me tighter, I settled deep into the dinghy and let myself drift with the current.
*Bump*
“Huh?”
*Ka-thunk, ka-thonk*
I looked out over the side of the boat and saw the gentle swell of the waves upon the wet sand. It was still dark, and the water was still cold. Dragging myself onto the beach, I flopped through the breaking waters and took camp next to a large rock situated on the shoreline. Awaking the next morning, I saw the sun and realized it was well past morning. The dinghy was riding the tide and I grabbed the pack and my staff. I then dragged the boat up past the waterline and explored what appeared to be a small island in the middle of the ocean. Towards midday, I stoned a small seabird and gathered some rice from the pack I carried. Munching on roasted bird, eating the rice, I happened to look into the tropical forest when I noticed something. Something big. “A Badger?” I asked myself, “Out here? That can’t be good.” It was a big male, wielding a giant, double-bladed sword. He looked around and walked off. Looking at my makeshift bowl, I realized that I had to act fast or else it would find me. I put out the fire, shoveled down the rest of the food, and scattered the ashes around the campsite. Deciding to forget exploring the rest of the island, making it back to my dinghy, it came to me that perhaps that Badger could get me off the island. The dinghy wouldn’t make it any farther, it had a gash in the side once the boat made it through the sand bar, and then I concluded that if that Badger had made it here, then it must have had some ship of sorts. It was getting late again, the sun nearing the horizon and the moon was already high in the sky. Settling into the warm sand, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I awoke with a start, realizing I had forgotten about the Badger almost completely and had fallen asleep with no regard for attack. Looking around, I found a puddle of ground water and splashed some into my face. Grabbing my staff, half-buried in the ground, I headed off to face the badger and to get off of the island. Confidence swelled within me as some force drew me to the Badger.

Skyblade had gone mad. The lord of some mountain island, he had become confined for too long, and in a mad rampage had killed his close advisors and took to the waves, a small cruising vessel. Brooding alone in his bloodwrath-maddened state, Skyblade shoved his massive sword into the sand and sat with his head in his paws, struggling to control the blood lust he felt. “Noooo…” he muttered, “I can’t… control it…” Breathing shakily, ragged and harsh, he threw his paws against the side of a tree and crushed the trunk underneath the force of the blow. It shuddered as birds flew in all directions, leaves fluttering in the light breeze. “Nooooo!” He grabbed the sword he wielded and stood, a monstrous image in the early morning light. Thundering into the wilderness, he made his way into the morning heat, straight into me!

I don’t know who was more surprised, he or I. Immediately, I dove to the side as the massive battle blade crashed to the ground where I was a moment before. Jumping forward, I nearly avoided the sweep of the blade across the ground, and again the thrust to where I lay. I jumped up and thrusted with my staff at him, but the blade glanced off of the layer of chain mail he wore. Hurling myself out of the way again, the sword tried to meet my neck.

Picking up my staff, I ran headlong into the tropical forest, hearing the sounds of small trees and shrubs hacked away by the Badger. I appeared in the middle of the Badger’s camp, his fire underneath me. Struggling out of the flames, I rolled in the sand as I saw the Badger crash out of the underbrush. Looking around, I saw the red of his eyes as the Bloodwrath enveloped his being and he swung the sword madly. Spotting me, finding some opponent to release his rage, Skyblade charged and attacked. With no other opportunity presenting itself, I ran straight at the massive foe and thrusted with the staff blade at a small, unprotected area of body. The blade found its mark. Slumping to the ground, the bloodwrath clearing from his eyes, Skyblade looked at me and spoke his last breath. “You, ferret whom has defeated me… Thank you, for freeing me…” Unsure of what he meant, I withdrew my weapon, buried the noble beast in the sand, and planted the sword as the marker for his grave. Stocking his food supplies into the small vessel, I silently thanked the Badger and set sail for Sampetra.