((Since today's chapter was so short, I'm posting two in one day! This one's fun. ಡωಡ ))

Dance was admittedly grateful for the new Sanses, who revealed themselves as Abyss and Mecha. The robot was apparently Abyss's closest friend and assigned guardian of the remarkably small one, who's scarves literally turned into wings.

He felt out of place somewhat as they knew nothing of each other, but was fascinated by the book of AU's Abyss apparently had, staring at the page in it that was a bio on himself.
Abyss had explained that he'd been sort of thrown into the Multiverse from his AU's destruction and had been searching for something capable of bringing it back.
Dance couldn't help but pity him.
Even if he could have brought it back, he had lost that chance, ending up stranded in Alagaësia.
Hard luck.

Mecha didn't seem too affected by the stranding himself, instead trusting that it would work out fine in the end.
The pair and Dance had joined with Roran and the others to discuss strategies and sharpen a few weapons. Roran even offered Dance a spear.
"In case someone slips by your magic."
He'd simply shaken his skull and summoned a sharp bone attack.
"I can just use one of these. Those'll break if I tried fighting with them."

Jeod had been out the entire time, meeting with his men and gather those willing to join them.
Dance had been standing there quietly and out of the way when Jeod returned, addressing Roran. "We can count on five more hands. I only hope it's enough."

It was a few hours past midnight when they all woke up, Dance grinning like mad as he gently shook the new skeletons awake, then joining the villagers in the mansion's front lobby as everyone put on a cloak to hide themselves, not just the skeletons.

Jeod arrived, holding an oil lantern that he lit and held before them. "Are we ready?"
A series of nods answered him. He unlocked the door and they headed onto the cobblestone outside, whereupon the merchant paused, gazing into his house for his wife. She did not come. He shivered, shutting the door.
Roran gently took hold of the man's arm. "What's done is done."
"I know."
Abyss nudged him. "Hey, she might still show up. It's a difficult decision, Jeod."
"Perhaps."

And so they scurried through the dark streets, only slowing when they came across a patrol or other midnight wanderer, which for the most part avoided their group. Dance flinched when someone walked over them on the roofs above.
"The design of the city makes it easy for thieves to climb from one roof to another." Jeod told them.

They slowed down when they approached the gate to the harbor, open with a few men passing through already.
Dance gritted his teeth as the guards aimed their pikes at their group, demanding their business there. Jeod merely handed one a scroll, to which the man stared for a while.
He returned it. "You may pass."

When they were a little ways away from the wall, Jeod spoke.
"It's a good thing he couldn't read."
Dance snirked loudly as Mecha snorted, the two high-fiving at their shared sense of humor. "Quiet, you'll draw attention to us." Birgit hissed at them.

They stood on the damp, crusty wood, waiting for the sailors to arrive. They looked rather like sailors would when they came, braided hair, scarred, but quiet. They immediately noticed the skeletons, who had removed their hoods; eyeing them in suspicion before regarding the rest of them.

A larger human stepped forward, pointing his thumb to Birgit. "You didn't say there'd be a woman along for the fightin'. How am I supposed to concentrate with some backwoods tramp getting in m' way?"
"Don't talk about her like that." Nolfavrell growled as Dance's eyelights flashed angrily.
"An' her runt, too?"
Jeod spoke evenly. "Birgit has fought the Ra'zac. And her son has already killed one of Galbatorix's best soldiers. Can you claim as much, Uthar?"
"It's not proper." Another spoke. "I wouldn't feel safe with a woman at my side; they do naught but bring bad luck. A lady shouldn't-"

Birgit moved without warning, slamming her foot in Uthar's tenders and snatching the speaker and setting her blade upon his throat. She held in place, so all could witness what she'd done, then let him go. Uthar rolled on the boards, hands between his legs as he murmured swears.
"Does anyone else have an objection?" She questioned, her son's mouth agape at her behavior.
Nothing.
Jeod continued. "Did you bring what I wanted?"
The shipmen brought out clubs and ropes.
"Good."

They now snuck down the docks toward the magnificent Dragon Wing, hiding from sight as Dance poked Abyss's scarves repeatedly, wondering how he turned them into wings. The short skeleton shot him glares, but he kept going, since he felt a change in texture beneath the soft fur.
It felt like they were made of water under the fluff.
Interesting.

They arrived, watching the sentries as they paced the deck of the ship, Roran and Uthar undressing, Abyss fluffing out his scarves.
There's no way they're not a part of him. Dance thought to himself.
He had to admit, Abyss was a very strange skeleton.
He'd never seen him without the crystal over his sternum.
The two now underdressed humans started slipping into the water.
"Don't stop moving or you'll freeze." He heard Uthar tell Roran.
Great, the water's dangerously cold to them. Alter's gonna have a field day if they get sick.

He shook his skull to himself, patting Abyss on the shoulder. "Don't get yourself hurt, owl."
The other flinched and glared at him, wings poofing up as his eyesockets went blank. "I'm not an owl."
Mecha snorted as Dance raised his hands in surrender. "He doesn't even know about that."
"What'd I do?"

Abyss only shook his skull. "Nevermind." He muttered, before leaping into the air, disappearing with a soft fwap. He was even silent like an owl.
"Dude, what was that?" Dance asked Mecha. The mechanical skeleton smirked.
"It's a nickname. Little Owl."
"Pfft- no way."
"I'm not kidding, he grew up with that."
"He's actually like an owl."
"And so short."
They both laughed.

Abyss fluttered on high, the salt smell of the ocean below flooding his senses as the waves called to him. He glanced at Dance and Mecha laughing at the pier, frowning at the feeling it was about him. He peered up at the sky, staring at the stars as they flickered and twinkled.

He sighed as the human, Birgit, began distracting the guards, falling into a slow dive. He was a pacifist, and it bothered him to fight others when he could be better than that.
But at least they're just knocking them out and restraining them.
That he could do.

Abyss kicked out his legs and flared his wings as his feet cracked against one guard's head, Uthar subduing the other as Roran pulled out his rope and Birgit went for the gangplank. Abyss kept his wings raised as Uthar followed Birgit, his victim unconscious. Roran tossed his rope to Abyss, who sighed and nodded before the human could respond.

He tied one and hesitated on the gag, only for Dance to notice, the other busy with the second. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just don't want to suffocate him or something."
"I got it." The purple themed skeleton took the gag from him and tied it himself, just as the prisoner started waking up. The human saw them and screamed, his cry muted by the gag.
"Are we really that scary?" Mecha asked, carefully walking onboard from the gangplank.
"We look like living death to them, what do you think?" Abyss countered.
"Fair point."

It wasn't long until the others returned to the deck, bringing four more bound captives as Jeod lined all of them up and announced. "We have much to do, and little time. Roran, Uthar is captain on the Dragon Wing. You and the others will take your orders from him."
"Aye aye, captain!" Mecha said in a freakishly piratey voice.
"What the hell..?" Dance deadpanned at him, eyelights gone.
"Never do that again." Abyss told him, and Mecha pouted.
"I thought being a pirate could be fun."
Dance banged a bone attack over the robot's skull with a clang. "You're not the captain or the boss."
Mecha groaned, putting his wig back on. "I can dream."

They spent the next two hours setting up, Mecha and Dance working together with Roran, and Gertrude to dump access materials overboard, skeletons using blue magic to quickly and quietly get it done so nothing splashed. Abyss and the rest were dealing with the rigging, the winged skeleton flapping about to help them from angles normally inaccessible due to the fact that humans can't fly.

It definitely caught them off guard when the shout came. "Someone's coming!"
They all ducked down, Abyss shooting to the crow's nest before the strange skeleton peered over.
"Everyone relax, it's just Helen."
Those who'd assumed the position of acting as sentries glanced over, Mecha peeking at the newcomer while Jeod went to collect his wife. The woman came aboard and disappeared into the main cabin, coming back without her burlap sack to join her husband at his side. His face had lit up in radiant joy.

It was getting light to the east in the sky above the Spine when Abyss again called out. "I think I see them!" He pointed down the coast, where the village could be seen hurrying towards the Dragon Wing.
"Hurry now, hurry!" Jeod cried.

Uthar then ordered the shipmen to bring out javelins and jars of tar, coating the front ends of the bolts and setting them in the ballistae aimed at the pier.
The villagers had almost reached them when they were spotted, sounding the alarm.
Immediately as it began Uthar roared. "Light and fire 'em!"
Dance stepped forward. "Brisingr!" And all the javelins burst into flames, to which the they released the triggers, sending a line of fire in a deadly arc towards the other ships and buildings along the bay.
"Draw and reload!"
They darted around the ship as Mecha suddenly used magic to yank the taut cords back and reset the giant crossbows, leaving the men with only the task of getting them loaded. Dance teleported to the top of the forecastle and shouted again, the projectiles lighting up and being sent down the waterfront.
"Pick your targets at will!" Uthar now commanded.

The blaze enveloped the front as the villagers stampeded towards the Dragon Wing, Alter ahead as he did his best to guide them. As the smoke concealed the ship from the archers, they suddenly turned on the villagers. The missiles never hit their targets, a wall of bones materializing to shield Carvahall.

The mob tore past a burning warehouse as the Dragon Wing shot more at the wharf, this time metallic bone attacks launching alongside them as Mecha added his power.
Villagers were soon throwing themselves on deck, pushing, shoving, panicking.
"Get belowdecks!" Someone shouted, bodies heaving as they obeyed desperately, able-bodied men remaining to help out on top.
Beats and Kin soon appeared, having stayed behind to help the animals get on. The smaller spotted Abyss, darting over in a moment of glee.
The smaller immediately covered him in his wings, Kin seeing he was reasonably safe and kept herding the flocks.

When everyone that could fit inside the ship had entered, the rest clustered around each other on the deck, shields above their heads as Blasters hovered over them protectively. They must have been Abyss's, as crystals were inlaid into the skulls. Uthar pointed at one of the sailors and snapped. "You there, Bonden! Get those swabs to the capstans and weigh anchors, then down to the oars. Double time!" He redirected his attention to the men at the weapons. "Half of you leave off and take the port ballistae. Drive away any boarding parties."

Everything was a cacophony of sound, Dance huddling near the mizzenmast as he reduced his vocabulary to brisingr, eyelights whizzing around as he took in the madness, always keeping track of when they had reloaded the ballistae, aware of Abyss protecting Beats with his wings as a drumbeat began beneath them.

The ship pulled out to starboard, the right, as it headed for deeper waters, flames devouring the harbor. Dance froze when he heard the shriek. In a blind panic he thought of the Ra'zac, straining over the railing as he searched for signs of the nauseating creatures they rode upon.
But then instead of those emancipated beasts he witnessed a strange sight.

A flash of vivid blue caught his gaze, flickering in the inferno consuming the waterfront. "Guys, what is that." He yelled hoarsely as it materialized into twin pinpoints. Roran scrambled to his side, studying it. "It's bigger than last time." He murmured as flames condensed into a vague figure, wrenching itself out of the wildfire. "What is it?!" Dance demanded, freaking out.
The human's eyes locked on his lights. "I don't know, but it told me to save Alter before I first laid eyes on him. It told me about skeletons."
"What?"

Another piercing cry echoed across the waves as what appeared to be a bird launched into the sky, formed entirely of flame as it powered it's tremendous wings downward, casting a yellow glow on the water, it's shape reflecting off the saltine waves as it heaved itself into the air. It's head turned inland, beak parting to spew a river of reddish flame over the city before it swung around the other way, blue eyes blazing as it stared through Dance. He knew it was looking at him. He didn't know how, but it was. He was paralyzed by the gaze, breathless.

Then it turned to the side ever so slightly, and he nearly collapsed in relief, gasping. He dared glance at Roran, only to realize that the human was now caught in it's attention, staring not in fear, but in calm, unrelenting defiance and oddly enough, understanding.
A voice echoed suddenly, catching Dance completely off guard, because it was in his mind.
It was as though made of flame, eerily melodic and feminine as it spoke, a strong vibrato joined by rich tones.
We meet again, Garrowsson. This will be the last you see me until you reach your destination. I am no creature of water. But when you arrive at the Burning Plains, you will change the fate of Alagaësia.

It's enormous wings flapped once more, driving it, her it seemed, skyward.
"Wait." Roran spoke calmly, his voice barely audible amidst the booming drums, shouted orders and thudding ballistae. Yet, the avian turned it's eyes upon him again.
"Are the stories true." Murmured the human.
"I know you can tell me."

She drove her blazing wings toward the ground once more, directing herself southward.
Yes they are. Eragon will fell this king and lead the new order of Riders.
And soon, Nightmare and Dream shall lead the final battle for their rights as gods in Alagaësia.
"Dream?" Dance choked.
The phoenix, as it could only be described, turned it's baleful blue eyes upon him once more.
Why yes. Jeod spoke nothing of him, for he knows nothing of what happens in the land of the elves. There are more skeletons and gods in Alagaësia than you know. Dream was among those found in Du Weldenvarden, the elves' forests. His brother has already given up his rage. Everything you know about the Multiverse needs to be questioned, Dance Sans.

You must band together if you are to join the Wyrdaí Islingrya, Fated Illuminators.
"What if we want nothing in common with them?" Abyss suddenly spoke up behind them. Dance flinched, spinning to see the short one standing there with Beats, Kin and Alter, all staring at the great bird.
The Wyrdaí Islingrya is merely the name for those fighting for the fall of Galbatorix. There are three factions already- you have enough in your number to form your own party. You have strong, honorable hearts.
"What are these factions?" Alter prompted as the phoenix as she floated down the coast alongside them.

The previously known Bad Sanses are the Wyrdvrangr, Wandering Fate. They are led by Nightmare, but now he is also known as Alalëa, Alalëa Äfdraumr. There is Eldjierdar, Breakers, and they are each other's advisors, Error himself often having the final say. He has been called Jierdaí Edoc'sil by the elves. And the last, known only to the elven folk, is resolving to be called Bleikrhjarteya, shining hearts. Dream is at their head, mostly as their representative. He is the Islingr Draumr.

"So you want us to do the same." Abyss noted.
They all have unique goals, but are united by the desire to end Galbatorix's reign. You as well, have side goals. You want to protect Carvahall and reach the protection of Surda and the Varden. Does that not qualify you as your own party among the Wyrdaí Islingrya?
"But why?" Mecha pointed out. "What's the point?"
Politics. You won't be respected if you are classified as rogues. But as a unified team with an assigned leader or representative you can make your standing with those in power. Skeletons are too valuable to the Varden to be cast aside, and if you do not unify they will take charge of you and assimilate you among the other teams and common warriors. I do not believe that is in your best interests. Do you?
"We stand with Carvahall. No one else." Dance asserted sternly.

Then assert your stance before it can be torn asunder. Make yourselves something to be reckoned, a family of your own, whatever you want to call it. I'm trying to help you while I have time. I can do nothing over water. Now tell me, skeletons. What are you?
Dance stammered, not sure how to respond as Roran glanced between him and the others.

"How can we trust you?" Kin demanded. The bird landed on the forest away from the beach, flames jumping off her as she cocked her head at them out on the water. You can't. I have nothing but my words to convince you. I am but a stranger to you, a mysterious entity. All I have is my desires, and you do not know them. Sure, I could let you into my mind and you could see it from there yourselves, but not only do you not understand how that is done, my mind is too vast and confusing to be understood. So all I can tell you is trust me. Look at me, Sanses, and judge me how you will. Do as you do best, and judge my intentions. What do you believe?

That seemed to spark something in them all. Beats' eyelights widened alongside his sockets as he peered at the firebird. Kin tilted his skull to the side as he narrowed his sockets at her, tail curling around Beats. Alter straightened, studied her for a moment, then looked away bashfully. Mecha regarded her closely, then shrugged. "I'm not one of the judging types." He muttered as Abyss… his eyelights turned whitish and round, slits in the middle as he gazed right through the entity, who stared right back. Dance was about to judge her himself when he glanced back and saw Abyss.

The small one's gaze was so utterly penetrating, even more so than the avian's. Mecha was giving him a worried look, like this wasn't new to him, but strange nonetheless. Kin regarded him curiously as Beats froze and slowly faced him, shaky hands reaching for his headset.
Dance didn't need any more to guess he could hear something from Abyss.

"You don't have any malignant intentions for us." Abyss spoke, his scarves floating around him.
You can see.
"And you're not from anywhere we know."
No I am not, god of the Abyss.
Dance hesitated. "God of.. wait. God?"
"Then we'll consider your suggestion."
Very well.
She vanished then, simply disappearing from the land in a flash of yellow light.
Dance turned to confront Abyss, but the strange skeleton's eyelights died and he swooned into Mecha's grip, the metal one already prepared to catch him.

"How is he a god?" He demanded of Mecha, who shook his skull. "I don't know. And before you ask him anything, he doesn't have any idea he's one."
"You know?!" Alter exclaimed.
Mecha nodded as he scooped the other up. "His dad assigned me to protect him until he completed his mission. I don't know what's supposed to happen when we're stuck here, but I'm still doing my job."
"And you didn't think to tell us?" Jeod questioned as he came closer.
"Well his dad asked me not to tell him and avoid telling others, but I don't know what to do when whoever or whatever that was just knew and told everyone!" He hissed.

"Why doesn't he seem like other gods?" Beats asked nervously.
"I don't know. Maybe something to do with his abyss. It's how he travels between AU's and he's named after it. I don't know much more than you, okay? But before we ended up here, he was looking for something to bring his destroyed AU back from the dead, and only he could use it." He sighed, peering at the unconscious skeleton in his arms. "Abyss is surrounded in confusing circumstances. Kin, Beats. You remember when you helped me find him after he disappeared, right?"

"We were stuck in that AU for awhile." The green-clad skeleton growled. "But you remember when we found him, right?"
"We do." Beats peeped shyly.
"Those Orbs he was looking for and finding, are you saying they could help him bring back dead AU's?" Kin quested. Mecha nodded. "He only got the one, but Nightmare had another. I don't know if he still has it, but if he's here and still has it and is feeling generous because of whatever that stuff about being forced was, maybe that'd give Abyss enough power to get us back home."

"And leave Carvahall defenseless?" Alter pointed out.
"Obviously we'd help get rid of Galbatorix since we're involved in Alagaësia now, but then we can go home!" Mecha explained. "I didn't have any hope when Abyss said he couldn't do it without some more, but when Dance managed to get the info that the King of Negativity is here, then we can stand a chance! He might cooperate if he wants to go back too!"
"Bring him back to the Multiverse?" Dance scoffed. "Are you hearing yourself?"
"Do you have any better ideas?" Mecha countered.
He hesitated. "No.. but there's gotta be a better way of going about this."

Roran raised his hand. "Can we put this discussion on hold? We have more pressing matters at the moment." Jeod nodded. "Stronghammer makes a valid point. We need to address our plans for the journey before we discuss your plight in our world."
"Fine." Kin snapped.
"We'll go over this later." Dance concluded.
"The ship's more important right now." Alter added.
"Thank you." Jeod nodded as he swept away to find Uthar.
Dance leaned onto the railing behind him, sighing.
Things just got a lot more complicated.

. • ° . • ° . • ° . • °

Mecha was leaning against the main mast to think, his first chance since Abyss passed out an hour ago. He stared off toward the land drifting by, remembering the tremendous bird made of fire and the way it stared into him like it saw everything in his Soul.
No Sans could do that, he was sure.
Not even Classic himself.

He was so lost in thought he almost missed the dark figure floating out of the horizon. Mecha stared at it in confusion as it flew closer. What.. is that? It resolved into something large, a malicious creature with leathery wings and viscous beak.
He waved at one of the humans and pointed. "What is that? It's concerning me?"
The man squinted at the thing for a moment, then his eyes went wide.
"Ra'zac!" He cried out. "Ra'zac!"
What.

Mecha lunged forward, staring at the creature intensely as he spotted something riding it. Both resolved into something clearer as they followed the Dragon Wing from land.

Roran showed up from the hatch not long after Dance, Kin and Alter. A human pointed for Roran as the creature screeched. A sickening voice reached them. "You shall not essscape!"
"Oh shit." Dance whispered, eyelights dead. Kin shivered beside him.
"Does anyone have a bow?" Stronghammer questioned.
"I do." Responded a young man, falling to one knee. "Don't let them see me."

"No." Kin hissed, a Blaster appearing beside him. "Kin, no!" Dance yelped, the wild skeleton leaping atop the laser skull and shooting forward.
"Shit!" Mecha shouted.
"Get him before he gets himself hurt!" Alter cried, racing to the end of the deck.
"I got it, I gOT-" Dance gasped as Kin appeared above the Ra'zac.
The purple themed skeleton teleported, appearing in the air above the Ra'zac as well, landing on a Blaster he summoned beneath him as the steed suddenly turned and lunged at them.

White light exploded as Kin fired.
A wretched shriek ripped through the air, shattering glass on the ship and cracking stones onshore. They all watched, covering their ears and skulls alike to shield from the terrible scream as the skulls disappeared, their owners incapacitated by the sound as they fell towards the distant ground, the beast fluttering pathetically as it winged further inland, screaming all the while as smoke peeled off it, dropping through the morning mists over the hills.

Alter threw himself over the railing, gasping as his arm lunged outward, wincing as he activated his weak blue magic. The bodies stopped falling.
"Mecha. Get them now." He hissed, not daring to take his gaze off them.
The robotic skeleton nodded, steps thudding on the deck as he ran, jumping over the rail and landing with a clang on the metallic skull he'd summoned beneath his feet. "Just keep holding them!"
The motherly skeleton only grunted, Beats standing by his side and adding his magic as well, shaking.

"Did he kill it?" Jeod whispered.
"I can't tell. I think so, that looked like he summoned lightning itself." Baldor shook his head.
"N-no." Beats stammered. "It's just really h-hurt and an-angry." He tapped his headset shakily with his free hand. "I can hear it s-sc-scream-i-ing."
Both Beats and Alter fell to their kneecaps when Mecha had a hold on both Dance and Kin.

Loring patted Alter's skull kindly. "At least they hurt him and live, I'd wager they'll think twice about bothering us again."
Mecha returned, his laser skull peering at them while he slid onto the deck with Kin and Dance in his grip.
Roran spoke up grimly. "Save your triumph for later, Loring. This is no victory."
"Why not?" Horst questioned.
"Because now the Empire knows exactly where we are."