Sera turned back to look at Sirius and said, You do not understand, this water, these oceans, they are already tainted beyond repair. There is no way even we, could stop what is about to happen. I don't even know, other than what I have seen and from that, things are about to get bad, very, very bad. The seas will all turn black, the animals in them will suffer and become mutated, grotesque, and evil beasts. All the small and isolated waters of the world will eventually become infected, either by the dark water themselves, or by the mutated beings traveling there. The land creatures will have the same fate, the very minute that they frink the dark water, and the planylife of the world will die quickly, a a matter of fact, it will probably be the first to go, then the small creatures, then the larger creatures, then man, then dragons themselves. If we cannot somehow isolate the dark water, then the entire world will fall. said the blue dragoness as tears fell from her eyes as she thought of her friends.

OOC: This would be an awesome time to have Ecco to help them, especially with her powers and connection to the oceans.

OOC: Actually, I was thinking that myself. I'll find her an opening. Oo, yay! I've not gotten to use her dolphin form yet!!! YAY!!!!!!!! DOLPHINS!!!!!!!!!!!!

IC: Sirius hovered near Sera, shaking his head angrily. No, we'll stop it. If we stop the source, we can destroy the dark water! he cried forcefully, his determination evident. He lowered his head. But I need your help, Sera. We need to work together to stop it. Please, help me find it and stop it, he said, raising his eyes pleadingly. It sounded as if she was on the verge of giving up hope and getting desperate, and he couldn't let that happen. They could still stop all those terrible things from happening; there was still time.

Ecco swam, her sleek body more sleek in the water than an arrow was to the air. She had been traveling from pod to pod in the seas for a while now, gathering information. The dolphins spoke of a deadly darkness, spreading to the east. They said that soon it would overtake the entire area, and had been in the process of moving to different feeind grounds to the north. All the tales of darkness and evil water had raised Ecco's suspicions, and she was moving to investigate. She leapt out of the water briefly for a look at the horizon, and for an instant she caught a glimpse of the darkness ahead. The water was dark and evil; she could sense the magic. Something is terribly wrong... she thought, and not for the first time. Her smooth black-striped white body slowed as she curved her flukes down to create drag. She couldn't go rushing headlong into this.

Sirius growled. No, it's not over. We can win. I can still sense where the greatest darkness is; I can locate it. And I can shield us from the dark water with light magic. I know how strong to make a shield, now. It'll take a lot of energy, but it'll work. But I need your help! I can't breathe underwater, and I can't fight a swimming beast alone, not with my swimming ability! If we want to stop the spread, we have to destroy the heart! he pleaded, desperate to vanquish this evil. He needed help, but Sera was focusing on the danger. Why did she think it was hopeless? Sirius would not give up. His heroes would never give up in a situation like this; they would band together and fight the darkness, no matter the danger or risk.

Ecco pumped her tail, her strong flukes propelling her forward in the water. Her pace was slower, though; more cautious. She could sense a new magic. Something else was nearby, something good! There seemed to be a point of light in the darkness... no, two, and they were dragons! She could sense them now. She flashed above the water again, glittering droplets streaming off her flanks. One glance showed her all she needed to see. A pair of sparkling shapes, one ocean-blue and one shining-white were farther ahead on a rock. And just beyond them was the dark water. She could already feel the evil. Ecco swam forward as fast as she could, hoping the dragons would know more, and perhaps would be willing to help. Hmph. Someone has to do something about this spreading evil, Ecco thought very matter-of-factly.

OOC: Those colors look so pretty together. lol

OOC: Yes, yes they do. lol.

IC:
Sera looked at Sirius and said, I am not sure how you will do it, but I will try to help you, but- said the dragoness as she raised her head and looked out to sea, she saw something jump up out of the water and slipped into the water herself. She sped toward the figure and found it to be a dolphin. She growled at it and used her mind to project several images at it, one of a bottlenose dolphin, then of the same dolphin swimming into the dark water, then a third one of the dolphin swimming out and being horribly mutated, then not long after, dieing. She said, Turn back, turn back and swim into the fresh water, go as far inland as you can and maybe you will survive, turn back. said the dragoness.

OOC: Heheheh. Ocean critters rock. Do you have NOSB where you live?

IC: Sirius nodded as Sera explained what she knew. He didn't have a great knowledge of the oceans, but from what he had seen of dolphins, he knew they were intelligent. Ecco had said she'd be able to get all of the creatures safely away, and he didn't doubt her. Well, then it looks like we were lucky. Finding her allowed us to save the nearby creatures, from what you say, he remarked.

Ecco continued her task, never slowing or faltering. Whenever she came across a pod of dolphins or other cetaceans, she told them of the news, and the word was spread. She informed seabirds and cephalopods as well, for she had learned their languages (though the seabirds were somewhat simple in their speech, and cephalopods were very strange). Eventually, she came across a small group of right whales, who had been forced far off course in their migration to avoid the dark water. With them were a great number of smaller creatures, who had obviously decided to travel en masse to escape the threat together. Ecco was happy that her news had spread so quickly. Soon she could return and help the dragons deal with the dark water itself.

OOC: I should know what you just asked, but sorry, I have no clue, could you spell it out, I just got off of work and am slightly dazed and am not thinking as clearly as I usually do.

IC:
Yes, it should not be hard for most of them to get away, especially since most of the currents in the area carry the creatures closer ot land, which means that the estuaries will be where most of them go, being that, that is the safest place and where most ocena creatures hatch from their eggs, or are born, all but the deep-sea creatures, who are normally fast enough to out-swim the dark water, providing that it is not elsewhere also. said the blue dragoness as she watched the dark water. She said, I will be able to control the water once thedark water is away from it, and that means, that as you and Ecco destroy it, I will have to create a gap between the dark water and the normal ocean water. Which is something I have never done before. So, stay on the side which the ocena water is on because I don't know what will happen when I try this and if I fail, it could spread the dark water further, and at worst, kill me.

OOC: lol wish I could have replied earlier. NOSB is National Ocean Sciences Bowl, and it's like the most amazingly awesome competition ever. So far our team (on which I am the co-captain of five members) has got second at state for the past four years.

IC: Sirius nodded at Sera's further information, still glad there would be few more casualties in their fight. He only hoped he and his new friend would not increase that count personally. If you're sure you want to try it, then you may. I'm pretty sure I could create a shield around myself, now that I know what the dark water's like, though. And Ecco, too. Before we move in, we should get the location of the source of the dark water. Otherwise we'd never be able to get rid of it all. I can sense the dark magic from here, and I'm sure once we're closer I'll be able to pinpoint the source, the young white added. He didn't want Sera to risk herself if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Ecco was now coming back from her wide loop around the dark water. She had traveled fast, and all intelligent creatures had been alerted. The cetaceans would do their best to get the other swimming animals away from the stain of evil. Nothing could be done about the stationary benthic communities, though. The creatures such as sponges and sea fans could not escape if the dark water reached them. As she swam, she moved in closer to the dark water, eyeing it apprehensively. Her flukes pumped up and down in a steady motion, and her pectoral fins angled to turn her body back away from the darkness. As a shapeshifting magic-user, she could sense the powerful magic, as well as evil, just beyond. It would be difficult to get rid of it. Perhaps she could put a temporary spell on some of the nearby dolphins, with their permission of course, and they could help sear away the dark water with light magic? It was a possibility.

OOC: Nice, and no we don't have that, but it would be very interesting.

Sera looked at Sirius and said, That may not be an option. The center is likely to be surrounded by miles of dark water, with no place to rest meaning that it would be out of our reach, especially if there was no place to land without getting into the dark water itself. So, I think we will have to take this thing one piece at a time, you and Ecco will have to make a tunnel with your fire to the center of the dark water, then we will be able to attack the creature from which it comes, because it will be both deep under water, as well as surrounded by miles upon miles of the tainted water. said the dragoness as she waited for Ecco.

OOC: Too bad. It's majorly awesome. Heheheh. I'm listening to the Avatar soundtrack.

IC: Sirius nodded his head gravely. Yeah... I wouldn't be able to keep up a shielding spell that long. A tunnel could work, though. Perhaps we can fly in. I can hover above the ocean until I'm straight over the heart of darkness, and then we can go straight down. Judging by how far this dark water's spread, it'd be faster to go down rather than in and then down, he said, thinking over what they'd have to do. This would take a lot of energy, and a great deal of effort on his part to keep the dark water at bay. With all of them working together, though, it couldn't be impossible. He refused to believe that.

Ecco was making her way around the last bend, almost at a full circle. Her new companions were only about a mile distant. She heard a group of dolphins herding away a school of fish a few dragonlengths away, picking out their movements with her echolocation. She swam toward them. The younger members of the group were hanging back, obviously longing to stay. They swam to her eagerly when the dusky approached. Greetings to you, bottlenose pod. I am the one who spread the first news of dire evil nearby, she told them in the delphinic language. The gray-bodied cetaceans gave out squeaks of affirmation. We wish we could do more to help. It seems cowardly to flee, even if we are saving valuable members of the food web, one of the dolphins said, and Ecco chirped happily. You can help! I am a shapeshifter, and I know magic. Would you allow me to put a spell of light upon you, so that you may cut away the darkness on its edges? the dusky clicked eagerly. The young dolphins chittered back in excitement, enthusiastic to help.

Sirius thought for a moment and then shook his head. I think I'll just look for myself. I'm good enough at fishing to sustain myself, even if I'm not an expert, he replied. He gazed out over the water and swiftly took flight. His powerful wings carried him quickly out over the glittering surface. Despite the grim mood of the day, the sky was sunny and bright for now. He could see the rolling gray clouds of a storm building up, though, in the distance. No doubt it would break when they began their descent into the heart of the dark water. Sirius turned his attention to the water itself, and caught a faint glitter of silver beneath the water. Several large fish were swimming, headed further out to sea. The dragon didn't know that they were delicious yellow-fin tuna, but to him they looked appetizing. Sirius flapped his wings several times to get higher, and angled himself around the small group of fish so that he'd come at them out of the sun in case they were looking out of the water. He waited until they came close to the surface and then dove, slicing neatly into the water and slashing rapidly out with his claws. He felt his left front talons tear through flesh, and whipped his head to the side. His jaws instinctively closed around his catch, and he swam to the surface as the rest of the tuna bolted off into the murky distance.

Ecco continued her trek back to her new allies. She saw them fly off, and decided to keep on her current course. They would return, no doubt. Probably off hunting or scouting. She came to the rocks where they had been and dove, deciding to get some food for herself. She darted into the crevices of the rocky slopes of the small islands, her beak able to fit inside and pluck out hiding fish. She gulped down about half a dozen before swimming back to the surface.

Sirius flew on with determination, blue eyes fixed on their goal. He could sense the heart of the dark water; it was almost overwhelmingly evil. A sudden gust of wind jolted him forward, and he glanced back. The wall of stormclouds was getting closer; no doubt it would be upon them by the time they descended into the ocean.

Ecco brought up the rear of the group, looking around them often to check for signs of danger. The water seemed too quiet. Even though it was dark water, shouldn't there have been some dark creatures? Her echolocation revealed nothing below them. Maybe they know we're coming... she thought, wondering if the dark creatures were grouped together around the heart of the dark water. The black and white dragon kept her wings rigid as the wind picked up, riding the wind like a seagull as it propelled them forward. How close are we? she called to the young white.

Sirius glanced back at Ecco. Almost there. It's just up ahead. The water looks darkest there, in the center, he replied, gaze returning to the spot where he could sense the greatest evil. A rumble of thunder tingled through his bones as the storm closed in.

Sirius nodded and powered ahead, his eyes narrowing as they came up to the point. As soon as they were above the center of the dark water, he went into action. The young white dove down swiftly and then spread out his wings. He hovered, blasting the water with bright silver fire. His starfire was laced through with some white, making it unique to him. The darkness was burned away from the water with the light magic, even as the liquid on the surface began to boil away in a cloud of steam.

Ecco grinned. Sure thing, Sera. You know more about this dark water than I do, she replied. As Sirius dove to begin getting rid of the dark water, Ecco hovered as well above the others. When a spot of dark water had been cleared, she dove down and breathed out a torrent of ice, making a nice platform for herself. She couldn't cast spells effectively in dragon-form, so a quick dissolving into light and reforming as an elf did the trick. She got to work immediately, forming up a spell to shield them from the dark water. It would need to be a lot stronger than the one she had placed on the dolphins.

Sera continuded to freeze the water as they decented before the dark water around it could re-taint it and did her best to help the other two when necessary. She lent her strength to the others and used her ice breath to freeze the water into ice as strong as she possibly could, which meant that is was nigh unbreakable.

OOC: Sorry, pass.

Sirius nodded solemnly at Sera's words. He silently pulled in his wings and dove after her into the water. The darkness below was already clawing at him, putting him on edge. He could sense its immense strength, and he knew the immense strength they'd need to defeat it. But will it take our lives to destroy it? he wondered, paddling with his wings and claws and keeping his eyes fixed ahead. No dark water was near them yet, but he was prepared to remove it from the tunnel with his light magic flame.

Ecco pumped her tail smoothly up and down, a stream of rapid clicks emitting from her and echoing back. She could not detect anything with her echolocation through the ice, but so far the tunnel was clear. You guys are such downers. We'll all be fine. Maybe banged up a little, but none of us is gonna get killed. Okay? she called, her voice determined and sounding almost as if she was giving instructions. These were two good dragons, and Ecco hoped she would be able to become their friend in times to come.

Sirius frowned in uncertainty when Sera called back for him to remain and fight off the sharks. He would go along with her plan, but he still didn't like letting a friend go off alone while being surrounded by dangerous creatures. He knew she could handle herself, though. She had almost a century of life on him, at least. The white contented himself with slicing into all the sharks he could reach, ripping and tearing through their gritty flesh and using his starfire to burn them when he could. He slowly made his way deeper in the tunnel, fighting and killing all the sharks in his path.

Ecco stopped when Sera spoke to them. Gah! Some warning would be nice! she called down to the blue dragoness, though her voice was edged with humor. She didn't stay completely behind, though. She trailed loosely behind Sera and killed all the sharks she could. Her ice armor was stained red.

Sirius smiled gratefully at Sera as she provided them all with air, but could not take the time to speak. He had begun an attack on his own second tentacle, and was being distracted by a fairly large amount of sharks that kept darting in and out at him for an attack. They didn't actually do much in their strikes, but he had to turn away from the tentacle to deal with them each time they swam at him, and most escaped before he could kill them.

Ecco felt almost at home, except for the dark magic and evil, being in the water and fighting against enemies. Her claws and teeth were perfect for ripping off tentacles. However, other appendages kept swiping in at her, and she was forced to dodge to the side to avoid them. A few got glancing blows on her, leaving large bruises, but Ecco ignored them. They had to kill this octopus thing before the dark water grew too powerful.

OOC: So this octopus has eight tentacles like a normal one, right?

OOC: Yea, it only had 8, it has like 4 left now, or something like that.

IC:
Sera growled and launched herself at a particularly large shark that was closing in on Ecco. When she was done, the shark was ripped to shreds, literally. The blue dragoness smiled and went to work with the other dragon/dolphin/elf on one of the remaining four tentacles. They were doing very well. The dark water was beginning to falter...

Ecco grinned at Sera as the blue took out a huge shark, glad to be able to keep working on the tentacle. We'll take out his defenses in no time at this rate. Hopefully his body'll be as squishy and easy to dig into as his arms, she exclaimed with a good-humored laugh. Ecco was a very optimistic dragon, and though this was a grueling fight, she had no doubt they'd come out as the victors. She and Sera, working together, soon finished off the fifth tentacle, and the massive appendage sank slowly down as large clouds of murky blood floated up from its ripped edge.

Sirius was working on finishing his tentacle, glad for his light-sheathed talons. They were doing far more damage than normal claws would do. His thrashing tail and swift wings were good for dealing with most of the sharks, but they did pose a distraction quite often. Nevertheless, Sirius had eventually reduced his tentacle to a few tendons and strands of flesh, which he cut through in one powerful blow mixed with some starfire. He glanced over at Ecco and Sera, who had finished a tentacle and were moving on to another one. Only two left. As Sirius raced to join them at one of the last two, and largest two of the tentacles, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. It felt like something was constricting his insides, and he cried out in pain. When the next wave hit him, he immediately felt the dark magic. It was the dark water. He had not completely removed it from his system!

OOC: lol Yay another twist. This was just getting too easy for them.

OOC: Nice.

IC:
Sera heard her young friend cry out in pain through the thick dark blood of the injured octopus. Her eyes dialated as she saw the agony on Sirius' face. She immeduately flapped her powerful wings and propelled herself to Sirius. She watched the hatchling writhe in pain and began to push him toward the surface. Something was wrong with him and it would only get worse if he did not get air soon. She continued to try to push the dragon toward the surface and said to Ecco, I am not sure what is wrong with Sirius; however, I will try to find out once we reach the surface can you handle things down here for the moment? asked the dragon as she pushed her friend toward the surface away from the dark sharks as well as the monster.

Ecco followed Sera's gaze and noticed Sirius, a look of pain upon his face. She paused, worried, as the blue swam toward him and began pushing him toward the surface. Yes, I can take care of things for the moment. This beast only has two tentacles left, she called back quickly, hoping the young white would be alright. As the two ascended to the surface, Ecco swam rapidly back to one of the remaining tentacles. With only the two, the octopus could not effectively fight her off. There was a momentary lapse in sharks, which meant she could start digging into the penultimate appendage. The black and white dragoness attacked it ferociously, ripping the flesh to shreds with her long talons and needle-sharp teeth.

Sirius felt the muscles across his entire body tense and contract as another wave of pain swept through him. The remaining dark water must have regained its power when he got in close proximity to its source. It was now trying to spread through him once more. He growled in pain, dimly aware of being pushed upwards through the water.

Suddenly, a bolt of dark magic shot from the heart of the dark water towards the young dragon, seemingly attracted by the dark water within him. When it struck, he cried out, and a blast of magic pulsed out from him, strong enough to propel Sera away from him a short distance. When the magic cleared, Sirius's scales were pitch black, and the water around him was clouded and black; dark water.