Inside the poorly lit tavern by the docks, sailors and other patrons mingled together in the cramped space. As the excited sounds of music and chatter announced the end of the day’s work, the server’s ran quickly to quench the never ending thirst only the Cyrios could have. Naturally attracted to the sea, their tanned skin and love for gold were a common occurrence at ports such as these.

  “Mind sharing what has brought you to Port Vordo, Miss Maya?”

  Sitting in a small table, in the far back of the tavern, Belle and Mahna stared seriously at Maya, her friendly expression unable to settle the unease in the air. Even while wearing no armor, and having no weapon on sign, her muscles and posture were enough warning that the Cyrion woman was not someone to be messed with. Wearing her long dark hair loose, her thick gold hoop earrings and bracelets brought quite a few curious looks towards the table.

  “Is that any way to talk to an old friend?” - placing her elbows at the table, Maya leaned closer with a smile.

  “Maybe I should just rip the truth out of you!” - instinctively moving her hand to her weapon, Belle began rising from her chair.

  “Boss, calm down…” - Mahna whispered to Belle, seeing the worried expression on Yuri’s face, as well as the strangers watching - “This ain’t the time!”

  “Right…” - Seeing with the corner of her eye that some of the nearby patrons seemed curious at the cause of the commotion, Belle sat back, crossing her arms - “You must be stupid to show your face around here…”

  “Why should I? I remember leaving the crew freely, with the captain's blessing.”

  “Yeah, leaving us and the Captain to deal with your mess!”

  Maya seemed to stop for a moment, as if carefully considering her next words.

  “I heard about the Captain…” - her smile wavering for a moment, the woman’s expression turned serious - “How is he?”

  “He’s fine,” - trying to not let her mind wander into the past, Belle could feel her patience running thin - “So why don’t you tell us what you want?”

  Realizing the conversation wouldn’t progress further without an explanation, Maya gestured to call the attention from one of the servers, who quickly came smiling to the table.

  “Bottle of Alteryan firewater, please.” - she blinked at the young server, causing the boy to blush as he rushed to pick up a bottle from inside the bar, before continuing - “I’m here on business.”

  “That’s never a good sign…”

  “The caravan I’m working with got their hands on some strange rumors,” - Maya tapped on the table, uncomfortable to speak of such things in a public space - “they needed someone who knew the area, for protection.”

  “So they choose you…” - speaking for the first time since the woman arrived, Yuri’s voice was filled with disdain, his face turned away from the table.

  “Yes…” - Maya could feel a knot in her heart, seeing how the boy treated her - “I’ve learnt how important it is to protect those close to us…”

  Moving away from the table and laying back on her chair, Maya’s hand moved towards the string bracelet on her arm, a parting gift from Luna. Despite their packed schedule due to training and the caravan’s travels, the girl had still found time to sneak out and ask the elders to teach her how to craft one.

  The indigo color from the string, dyed by the caravan’s women, was a visible contrast to the golden accessories Maya was using. Despite this, ever since Luna tied it to her arm, she hadn’t had the courage to take it off.

  “You’re a mother…” - watching as Maya fidgeted with the poorly made bracelet, the meaning behind her words began to change in Belle’s mind.

  “What?” - Mahna got up suddenly, raising her voice and almost knocking back the server, who nearly dropped the bottle he carried - “Maya the sea butcher? A mother?”

  “Mahna…” - Yuri stretched his hand in the direction of the woman’s voice, grabbing her pants and trying to pull her down.

  “What crazy bastard…”

  “Shut it!” - raising her voice while staring daggers at Mahna, Maya could feel her composure cracking - “I’m raising a stray, that’s all.”

  “You’ve changed.” - Belle looked at Maya as if seeing her for the first time., while Mahna slowly got back to her seat.

  “Well, It’s been five years after all.” - with a wink to the server, Maya grabbed the bottle still in his hand, while the boy placed a few cups on the table - “You haven’t aged a day yourself Belle.”

  “So you got into the city,” - remembering how the woman was insistent on flirting with her in the past, Belle began feeling frustrated as Maya kept trying to avoid the main subject - “saw that the Belle was at the harbor and what? Decided to swing by to catch up?”

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  Knowing how absurd the story sounded, Maya took her time to open the bottle, serving four shots. As she began passing out the cup, she hesitated for a moment before placing one before Yuri, with Mahna giving her a small node of approval for the boy to drink.

  “Not really.” - taking the first shot herself, Maya could feel the strong alcohol burning her throat - “I knew a tavern would be the best place to catch some gossip, running into all of you was not on my plans.”

  “But not a burden either, I hope!” - Mahna completed, taking a shot herself, before refilling the empty cups.

  “I’m afraid we got no news either,” - smelling her cup first, Belle took a small sip of the drink, her face twisting at the flavour - “we just arrived this morning.”

  “We do know one thing…” - Yuri corrected, holding his cup without drinking it.

  Being especially careful not to let his voice become too loud, Yuri began recounting what he learned while watching from the sky with his familiar. The strange movements on the docks, the high number of travelers arriving at the city, and the commotions being caused at the market by the Helios Church.

  “So, that means your eyes are…” - Maya lost her words halfway, looking at Yuri and still seeing the naive little child the crew had rescued from a slaver’s ship years ago, his blue eyes shining with wonder.

  “It happened around a year after you left,” - the boy lifted the cloth over his eyes, revealing the darkened scarred skin underneath - “Sea Serpent poison straight to the eyes.”

  “I’m sorry…”

  “It could have been worse.” - already on her fourth shot, Mahna’s words were starting to become slightly slurred - “Had I not carved your eyes out, the poison would have gotten to your head!”

  “And now you have Gardenia to keep watch for you.” - Bele interrupted, trying to salvage the conversation, giving the boy a gentle head pat.

  “Well boys, It must be my lucky day!” - shouted a loud voice coming from the tavern’s entrance, grabbing everyone’s attention - “Look who has come back from the dead!”

  A tall man covered in scars on both arms, followed closely by four others, started making its way towards the back of the tavern. Wearing matching sets of heavy leather armor, their weapons in hands, people were quick to leave their tables as the group passed them by.

  “Friends of yours?” - looking at Belle, her expression filled with curiosity, Maya took another shot from the quickly draining bottle.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing…” - adjusting her position while placing her hand on the hilt of her blade, Belle tried but failed to recognize any of the men walking towards them.

  Their weapons looked poorly kept, short swords mostly and a small mace for the largest man, all ideal for combat in small spaces. Walking carefully enough not to leave any empty spot from where one could escape, they seemed intent on preventing anyone from running by them, their leader taking point.

  “Evening friends,” - Mahna quickly got up from her seat, losing her balance for a moment before grabbing the bottle from the table - “got enough time to join us for a drink?”

  “Oh we have time,” - the man spoke, watching as the woman stopped to take a swing at the bottle - “unlike the rest of you.”

  “You sure?” - Maya asked casually, turning her head around to look at the group.

  As soon as the bottle left Mahna’s lips, she spat at the man, the liquid quickly catching fire while still in mid air. Suddenly finding himself engulfed in a jet of flames, the man panicked while moving backwards, his companions startled by the sudden events.

  Holding the now empty liquor bottle as a weapon, Mahna jumped forwards, swinging it at the man. As he screamed in panic, frantically patting his burning hair, the improvised weapon hit the side of his face, shattering while sending the man crashing into the floor.

  “You bitch!” - screamed one of the man’s companions, rushing forward as the remaining clients ran outside.

  Jumping from her chair as soon as Mahna used her elemental magic to light the alcohol on fire, Belle drew her sword with her left hand, guiding Yuri to stay behind them, as the two tugs on the right started to advance towards her direction. Striking quickly with his short sword, the man looked surprised as Belle blocked his strike with ease, graciously moving as she pushed him back.

  As the second man watched his friend’s attack fail, he tried taking advantage of his position to aim at the woman’s unprotected left side. When the sword hit Belle’s arm at full strength, the man felt confident for a second, before realising a strange sensation where he had hit her, his blade now stuck.

  “Surprised?” - Belle asked as she swirled towards him, chopping his head off clean with a swing of her blade, blood starting to pour instantly.

  “A little help over here?” - Maya called, holding back one of the assailants using a small dagger, while Mahna had a fist fight with another.

  “Still busy at the moment…” - Belle replied as the first man tried striking her once again, its expression enraged upon seeing his companion bleeding on the floor, their blade still stuck to the woman’s arm.

  “The fuck are you?” - the man yelled as he swung his sword around aimlessly, the rage turning into fear as his battle prowess faltered.

  Seeing a gap in his defenses, Belle blocked the man’s sword with her own, before removing the other blade from her left arm and stabbing him in the chest. Gasping for air for a brief moment as his eyes widened, the man quickly lost his strength, falling down on his knees.

  Turning around to look at the others, she saw Maya guiding Yuri from the back, her shirt covered in blood. Seated on the floor on top of the biggest enemy, Mahna continuously punched the man’s face, his head already a pile of misshaped meat.

  “Let’s get out of here!” - Belle called the others, giving the unconscious leader one last kick to the head, just to make sure.

  “Right after you…” - pulling a scared Yuri by the arm, Belle started making her way to the door, her dagger still at hand.

  “Now Mahna!” - yelling back at the woman, who was still entertained with her enemy, Belle waited for her to calm down before guiding her out.

  On the outside of the tavern, a small crowd of clients and curious onlookers had formed at the entrance, too scared to come any closer. The sounds of gossiping could be heard as soon as the group made their way outside, seeing Belle and Maya covered in blood.

  “Who the hell were those guys?” - Maya came closer to Belle, returning her dagger to its hiding place inside her boot.

  “I don’t know,” - without stopping, Mahna started pushing people out of the way, heading in the direction of the docks - “we didn’t get to talk much!”

  “Whoever they were, they just took a hit on us in the middle of the city…” - Belle grabbed Maya by the shoulder, pushing her to follow Mahna as the crowd opened a path - “Until we know what’s going on, you’re staying with us!”