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Embla was floating. The sounds of screaming seemed to come from somewhere far above her and were muffled as though she were hearing it through water. She tried to struggle, to swim to the surface of whatever held her, but her body refused to move. No sound emitted from her when she tried to scream. With growing panic the raccoon realized she couldn't even look down and see herself. She was completely silenced and immobilized, helpless in an alien surrounding.

Ozias watched, equally helpless, as the raccoon trashed in her sleep. They had tried every method he and the two alligators could come up with to try to rouse her before Logan had left to seek help. Nearly a full day later and he had yet to return. Connor had stalwartly tended to both their needs, proving food and drink, even bathing the unconscious thief to remove the mud that had covered her when she fainted.

Despite Ozias's inability to communicate with him they got on well enough and the large reptilian male's presence was oddly comforting. There was an inherent gentleness in him that left Ozias wondering what sort of life he had led. Embla had certainly taken to him quick enough, a fact that left an odd feeling in the pit of the badger's stomach. It hardly seemed right that she warmed up to other creatures so quickly when they had been traveling together for months. He knew however, that he would never be able to point this fact out to her without her getting the entirely wrong idea. He wasn't quite sure what the right idea was at this point, but in the end he would have to keep it to himself anyway.

His musings were shattered by the boat rocking as Logan finally returned. Ozias jumped to his feet, eager for any news. He froze when another reptilian creature came through the door however. She had a sleek scaled head with cold yellow eyes and a long slender body. She had arms, though no legs, and apparently amazing muscle control and balance as he couldn't see how the snake woman could maneuver so easily. She slithered over to the sleeping Embla without bothering with greetings. She turned and spoke quickly to Logan in a strange slurring but musical language and Ozias's heart sank as he realized that this was yet another person in this foreign land that he had no way of speaking to. Logan explained what had happened to her and the snake's face went grave as she turned back towards her patient.

"Bad magic got cher. She say her soul inside dat jewel." Logan translated, pointed at the glistening black gem with one clawed finger. Another exchange passed between the medicine woman and the alligator before she placed her cool scaly hand on Ozias's shoulder. "She say you got to sleep, dat she gon put a spell on you to save lil' missy."

The badger reluctantly laid out on the bed beside Embla, looking uncertainly at the snake. She slid his hand into the raccoon's and gestured for him to close his eyes. Ozias's uncertainty made him pause but he finally gave in and let his eyes slip closed. Almost instantly he felt a light airy feeling go through him and his mind started to slow then become blank. His whole body relaxed onto the bed and his breathing became even, matching the coon's.

Suddenly the acrid tang of smoke and a woman's sharp scream made him jolt awake. The world around him was on fire. All around him huts were ablaze and people were running in terror from monstrous shadow creatures. He watched in horror as one reached out and grabbed a young opossum and lifted him above its head. The man screamed in agony as the creature's claws pierced his middle and ripped him completely in half. Ozias felt the bile rising in his throat but quickly remember that he was here to find Embla.

The area seemed familiar and as his eyes locked on the altar in the center of the village he realized why. He was witnessing the destruction of the burned village from the swamp. The realization that his sword had not followed him into this dream world only made the sick feeling in his stomach grow. He was fairly certain if one of the shadow monsters ripped him in half in this world it would have dire effects in the real world as well. He cautiously started for the altar and immediately had to dodge the swinging arm of one of the beasts only to have one of the others take a swipe at him with their claws. Fire lit up on his side and a glance down informed him that he was bleeding. He put one hand on the wound and ran back into the sanctuary of the swamp trees. The creatures didn't seem inclined to leave the clearing so he hoped himself safe for the moment. A quick inspection of the wound informed him that it wasn't going to kill him, but another swipe like that could take him out. If only he had a way to defend himself. He wondered if weapons could actually harm the things at all. Certainly somewhere in this village there were weapons of some kind. These people had to hunt and fight off enemies on occasion.

He made a mad dash for one of the more intact huts. Once inside he glances around the walls, hoping there would be some sort of weapon mounted there. Several glances around the room told him they had no such things. When he turned to find another hut however he saw a glint by the doorway. A hunter's spear leaned against the wall next to the door. It wasn't much, but it was more than he had and would easily tell him if they could be harmed. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of getting too close to the creatures again, so instead he took careful aim and with a might throw hurled it into the shadow being that was standing between him and the altar. The monster shrieked and clawed at the spear lodged deep in its chest before it slid to the ground.

Ozias didn't wait to see if it were truly dead. He sprinted towards the altar and skidded to a stop just before crashing into the raised stone table. The stone bowl sat filled with water, the black jewel submerged inside it with tendrils of a black wispy substance seeping from it's glistening surface. He started to reach for the gem but remembered that it had trapped Embla. Maybe the same fate awaited him if he touched it. After a moment's hesitation he pushed the heavy bowl from the altar. It shattered upon contact with the ground and a bright light flashed, making the shadow monsters screech and disappear off into the swamp.

When his vision cleared a gasping Embla knelt on the ground, the jewel on the ground before her. Water dripped off her like she herself had been submerged and when she looked up at Ozias her eyes filled with tears. He swept her up off the ground, holding her against him in a protective hug. "I thought you were lost," he murmured.

"Where are we?" She asked worriedly, looking around at the burning village. Both villagers and the monsters appeared to be gone for the moment, but the carnage made it obvious something horrible had happened here.

"I think we're inside the jewel. It seems to have saved the moment the village was destroyed. It was probably the cause of it," he answered, releasing her quickly, a little embarrassed at his reaction to finding her. "We have to find a way out of here."

Embla nodded, but really didn't know what they could do. "Maybe we have to break the gem?" She gestured to the broken bowl.

"I don't think so, how would we return it to Corsurus?" he pointed out. He picked up the gem and looked at it, a frown on his face. "I hate to suggest it again since it's what got us into this mess... but try your magic?"

The coon shook her head. "I don't even know what sort of thing I would use. Why didn't he give you magic too? It certainly would be helpful about now for you to be able to do it too." she held out her hand for the gem and then paused. "Wait, what about your god? Certainly this isn't what he would consider justice."

Ozias hadn't really thought to involve his own god in this mission, but she had a point. He looked down at the gem and closed his eyes, praying that Altas could hear him from this hellish world. Embla watched as a faint glow appeared around the badger. The glow traveled down his arms and into the gem. The black surface seemed to absorb all light that hit it and suddenly she got an idea. She placed her own paws on Ozias's and willed the darkness of the gem to be pulled inside herself. An icy feeling crept up her arms and into her chest, making it hard to breathe but when she opened her eyes the jewel was glowing slightly now. A whimper of pain slipped from her and she wavered, leaning against the guard for support.

A heavy feeling began to fill them both, their eyelids slipping shut and their bodies trying to sink to the ground below. Ozias pulled her against him, determined not to be separated from her again. She nestled close against his chest and let the darkness take her.

"I think da badger's eyes just opened." Logan's voice seemed like it was coming to his ears through syrup. Ozias groaned and started to sit up but Embla's arms were still around him and the movement sparked the fire to return on his side. He slid his shirt up and sure enough, the wound had followed him from dream world to this one.

Embla's gasp as she woke up told him it looked as bad as it felt. "Hold on." She held out her hands and let the purple light of her healing magic spill out over it. She held the spell for several moments only to realize it wasn't doing any good. "It's worked on every other wound we've gotten..."

The medicine woman spoke to Logan and he nodded. "She say dat is a spirit hurt. Only time heal dat one, missy."

"What's the point of having magic at all if it can't solve any of our problems?" She growled and looked at the ragged cuts. She put her paw gently against them and smiled as Conner brought her a bowl of hot water with a clean cloth. She gently swabbed the wound and bandaged him with more cloth provided by the alligators. Ozias was silent as she worked, his expression unreadable as he concentrated on her

When he was cleaned and bandaged she started to get up to go to the couch to sleep but the badger's paw caught her. "Stay?" he asked, fully expecting her to say no. To his surprise she laid back down against him and laid her head on his chest. He couldn't help but smiled slightly as the snake and two alligators left them in peace. It feel oddly good to hold her like this. He certainly hadn't expected it.

Embla leaned up and gave him a soft kiss on the side of his muzzle. "I am glad you didn't die," she said quietly before laying her head back down on his chest. He wasn't sure what sort of response that merited so instead he just let sleep take him, knowing that she would be following suit shortly.