20.

After a hard sparring session, "Hey, Ivy, come here," Scathach called across the courtyard, as Ivy was walking past. "I was thinking about your limited weapon usage," she said, once ivy had jogged over. She led her to the door of what looked to be a broom closet in the backroom of her castle. "Of all the weapons I've had you try and spar with, how do you feel about them?" 

"I don't really like them," Ivy said honestly. "I prefer my fists, or something like this," she took the brass knuckle from her pocket, holding it up. 

"I've noticed you seem to do better than usual whenever you use spears," she opened the door. Inside, it looked like an old armory that no one had used for many years. 

Ivy sneezed as she walked inside; the dark room was filled with dust and cobwebs. Medieval-looking weapons and torture devices hung from walls and were strewn across tables. 

"See, what'd I tell you?" Scathach pointed at Ivy. 

"Hm?" It took Ivy a second to understand what she was saying, but she realized that she was seeing in the dark. Subconsciously, she had activated a miniscule part of her energy, allowing to glow so she could see. "Wow, that's so cool!" 

"You have to be mindful of that. Having your energy activate without you fully realizing it is a bad habit to have." She turned, walking to the end of the room, where a long locked chest was set on the floor. "My servants told me they cleaned this room," she muttered, removing a sticky cobweb from her hair. 

Scathach kneeled and examined the lock briefly before effortlessly ripping it off. She opened it, and they both looked inside. 

"What do you think?" Scathach asked. "It's yours if you like it."

Ivy reached inside the chest, holding the golden weapon tightly in her hands feeling the solid cold weight of it. The trident was almost as tall as she was, its surface intricately etched with swirling patterns that seemed to shimmer like the ocean water. Tentatively she poked one of the points, testing its sharpness. Ivy twisted the staff of it, and it collapsed in on itself, shrinking down to a more compact form. "Proteus," Ivy read the engraving on the hilt. 

"It was made for one of Poseidon's sons...forged in his palace."

Ivy gave her a strange look. 

"Here, try it out on some of the dummies in the courtyard."

"Y'know," Ivy said as they walked, "When I first grabbed this, I felt an instant connection. Almost like when I got my brass knuckles."

When they got to the courtyard, Ivy extended her trident and flung it from twenty yards away, slamming the dummy in the chest. 

"Taber, come here." Scathach said, waving him over. "Fight Ivy," she said, as he arrived. 

Watching Ivy fight with the trident was a night and day difference. 

Ivy circled around the edge of the sand pit, keeping low to the ground, and holding the weapon in just her right hand. 

The group of trainees had followed them to the fighting area, curious to see what was going on. Kaly watched in the shade from a ways away, a frown forming on her face, 'Why does everyone here think Ivy is so impressive when my skills easily surpass hers? Based on performance, I should be the one getting praise, and being noticed... Is she just better than me? Or…well, it's probably just because I look like a monster to them. Well, at least she doesn't see me like that.' 

Taber held his newly created sword tightly. It took all his concentration to deflect all of the incoming thrusts of the trident; she was just so fast. Feinting a step to the right, he charged left, kicking up sand as he slashed down at Ivy. 

Ivy felt her teeth rattle in her skull as his sword bashed against the trident's staff. Before she could react, he stomped on her foot, then bashed her with his shoulder, knocking her off balance. Following up, Taber knee'd her in the face. 

"Ack!" Ivy stumbled back. 

Seeing his opportunity, Taber moved in. 

Gripping the trident at its end, and as if she were using it as a baseball bat, Ivy swung at him. 

He wasn't able to duck in time, as the trident's point grazed his chest, slashing a bloody cut across his torso. 

Scathach jumped in, stopping the match before it got too intense. 

A day later, Scathach had everyone get into a group of three, with Ivy, Taber, and Kaly choosing finding each other. They would be going to a neighboring island for a mission that she estimated would last two days. 

When arriving, they will come across a village, and to locate the elder in the temple who will have a 'problem.' After helping, they will receive an item that they will bring back as proof of completion. 

"Oh, this is going to suck!" Kaly said, looking at the 'boats' they had to use to get to the island. 

"Row boats aren't bad once you get a rhythm," Taber said. "Plus, you have two more arms--that's two more ores rowing, so we'll get there even faster."

Kaly looked down, embarrassed, her blue skin turning purple as her cheeks felt hot, mumbling, "I'm really regretting showing everyone that." She got into the row boat, as Ivy held it still for her, sitting at the end. 

Ivy sat in the middle, and Taber was at the front, steering. 

"Oh my GOODNESS!" Ivy collapsed dramatically onto the beach, her energy flickering off, sprawling in the wet sand. "My shoulders are gonna fall off."

"It wasn't that bad," Kaly laughed, kicking her lightly. 

Taber looked around, "We're the first one's here," he noted. Glancing back at the ocean, a few miles out, the other row boats dotted the cloudy horizon. The waves bagan to get larger, then the wind picked up. "They're about to have a bad time."

The island was dense and tropical. At the southernmost point was a tall and active volcano. 

Kaly pointed to a sign a ways down the beach, "There's a sign-"

Taber's eyes began to glow as he zoomed in on the sign. "We're going to have a bit of a run."

"What do you mean?" Kaly asked. 

"Assuming 'Amalis' is the place Scathach wanted us to go, we will need to go forty miles." 

"I hate her. Ivy?"

"Yeah?" Ivy responded.

"I hate her."

The sun was sinking below the horizon as they finally reached the secluded village, hidden deep within the heart of the tropical island, Amalis Cove. The journey along the winding trail from the beach had been marked by a dramatic shift in weather. What began as the edge of a looming rainstorm had transformed into a sticky, oppressive humidity that clung to their skin, making each breath feel thick and heavy. 

In the center of the village stood the large stone temple. The infinite waterfall cascaded down its roof and over its multitude of spires, crashing around it. Its walls had a line of massive sea shells pressed into it going along its perimeter. 

The salty smell of seaweed filled their noses from the strange incense lanters that hung around the temple. 

They weren't sure where it was coming from, but the consistent sound of the crashing waves of the ocean followed them. 

Inside the temple's dimly lit interior, an old man sat beneath a massive, ancient statue. The figure carved from dark stone depicted a deity of the sea, its stern eyes staring down from above. Water trickled from its mouth, cascading into a bowl the size of a small bath at its feet, where the old man sat, partially submerged. His weathered hands dipped into the water, sending ripples across the surface, as he muttered ancient prayers that seemed to blend with the distant echoes of the waves. 

Hearing the three enter, he turned, a bit surprised, "Oh, you're here already!" He had a cheery demeanor. He hoped out of the bowl, and quickly wrapped himself with a robe, beckoning them forth, using a cane to walk. He pointed to a painting of the volcano on the island. "About halfway up, there is a cave. A family of intelligent beasts have been a terror for far too long. Get rid of 'em."

"Oh, nice." Kaly grinned, rubbing her hands together. Both Ivy and Kaly turned, and started to leave. 

"Inside there should be a three-eyed human skull. Bring it back." 

Taber asked, "Wait, Do you know anything else? And, what do you mean intelligent?"

"That's what I was told to tell you." The old man nodded.

"Great." 

It was well into the night before they made it to the base of the volcano. 

"Both of you turn off your energy," Taber ordered. 

"But, I can't see!" Kaly protested. 

"We don't want them sensing us. He said they were intelligent. Maybe that means they can sense or use energy or something."

"Do you think they would sense our energy-eye-thing," Ivy asked. 

"I think we have to use that. We use so little energy there, that I doubt they will sense it."

"But I still can't see!" Kaly said. 

"Why weren't you there to learn this?"

"Here," Ivy held her hand out. 

"I-" Kaly grabbed her hand. 

"Wow. Nice." Taber said. "Let's go."