Max made his way back down the path in no particular hurry. Originally, he as going to pay a visit to this Bone Yard, yet as late afternoon faded into early, the canopy of trees above casting an even deeper shadow, he thought it best to return to the ship if they were staying the night on this island. Having made up his mind to forgo further exploration in favor of talking to the old man, seeking his counsel.

The more he thought about it, the less he was sure he wanted to see what awaited him upon his return. Wondered if things were going to get worse, cooped up with those two again if they were still on such rancorous terms with each other. Had been so sure, even if Justin wouldn’t lighten up, that Shades, at least, would find some way to smooth things over. Now he wondered how much longer both of his friends would be with him.

It just wasn’t fair, the way Justin was forcing him to choose sides like this. He wanted to be friends with both of them. His old friends had never done this to him back in the Islands.

Until his recent adventures reawakened it, it had become quite rare anymore for him to dream of his childhood. Dreams Shades would likely describe now as bittersweet. Sometimes, he felt it was all he had left, and that only made his current situation worse. Tormenting him at times like this with the fact that not only were those days long gone, but even this renewal of his dream of going off on adventures with his friends was in danger of being revoked before it rightly even got going.

In spite of his leisurely pace, the downhill cant of the trail still brought him back down the mountain fairly quickly, and he soon came in sight of the gates. Even so, he still worried that his indecisiveness may have already cost him any chance of consulting with Abu-Sharrah before his friends returned to the ship.

And that was when he first heard the sound of screams and breaking glass up ahead. Followed by shots, and more screaming. No clue what was going on, but he was sure his friends had gotten themselves into some kind of trouble, and he rushed to help them.

Even when things went eerily quiet, he kept running, hoping he wasn’t too late, and moments later he saw the gate slowly swing shut, hearing the lock clang home even from this distance.

Pacing himself as he drew near, he gauged his jump. The gate was taller than he, and lined with spiked metal poles across the top. When he got in range, he jumped, grabbing the crossbar running about a foot underneath the spikes, vaulting the gate and flipping over the spikes entirely.

Max hit the ground running, glad that his ankle was healing so quickly under Abu-Sharrah’s care. Doubted it would have supported him through a move like that even a day or two ago. On top of that, after all the screaming he heard only moments ago, followed by such overwhelming silence, he was immensely relieved to see Justin and Shades, as well as Bandit and Abu-Sharrah, alive, standing on the deck of the Reflection, waving at him.

They were shouting something, but he couldn’t quite make out what.