“Order, people, please, order!” shouted Dhabeos Myrkan amidst the din of the crowd, trying to be heard from the dais at the end of the captaincy's meeting hall.

  It was not uncommon for the room to be full when the residents were summoned in assembly to discuss matters related to the port, a tradition that had been maintained despite the wizards' control, but that morning it was quite different.

  All around him, men, women, young, old, even children, were arguing heatedly, demanding answers and grimacing in frustration. Unlike other times, not only had the available seats been filled to capacity, but now a large number of people were crowded in the aisles, against the wall and the entrance, some jostling to try to see and hear better. Many had been left outside and for the first time Dhabeos had requested the presence of the officers, two of whom were at his side, while several others had positioned themselves outside the room to avoid altercations between those trying to sneak inside. Leila was also there to give him her support as she watched the crowd with folded arms and a serious look on her face.

  “No more secrets!” shouted the people.

  “This is none of the wizards' business, it's ours!”

  “Dhabeos Myrkan! Is it true?”

  Sailors, fishermen, merchants, tavern-keepers, craftsmen demanded answers. They gave him defiant looks and made threats. Voices were raised one on top of the other: had they really captured a chimera? What did they plan to do with him? What did that mean for the port? Others, more exalted, accused the captaincy of withholding information and making secret pacts with the wizards.

  Dhabeos turned his eyes to one end of the room where the culprits of the whole mess stood. When he met Rufus' gaze, still with his arm immobilized, he raised his chin and gave the captain an arrogant smile. He was accompanied by Milo and the rest of the gang, including Penn, who had reappeared safe and sound, although with several bruises on his face.

  Somehow, those troublemakers had managed to get the support of a large majority of the Children of the Port to spread the news throughout Stormbrace about a chimera that had been captured by the wizards.

  If that had been no more than a rumor, the matter would have stopped there, but given the strange explosion that had occurred in the surroundings of the old lighthouse and several witnesses who swore they had seen the shadow of a large flying creature, they were too many coincidences to be ignored. Thus, the possibility that the wizards had violated the Covenant awakened an ancient outrage as well as the reminder of past glories.

  Now they were all there demanding answers from Dhabeos.

  “Silence!” Dhabeos ordered in a loud voice, “or we cannot continue with this assembly!”

  However, the crowd's fury would not subside. Dhabeos was at a crossroads between his duty as Port Captain and his desire to help Silas and Olivia. When the chimera's transformation occurred he had been horrified at the mistake he had made but seeing that Penn had been freed while those two had fallen prisoner a sense of guilt gnawed at him. They were now in Rovenna's hands but, although he trusted her, he knew her power was bounded by the Conclave and the five families.

  “What are you waiting for, Dhabeos?” Rufus leapt toward the dais. The officers accompanying Dhabeos feinted to take up their swords but the captain stopped them with a gesture.

  “Let me handle this, Rufus, you've done enough for today.”

  “At least I've done something, unlike you. As much of a thief as I am, I have more honor than you.”

  The two engaged in a duel of glances.

  “Hey, that boy!” someone shouted pointin at Rufus.

  “That's Markus' son!”

  “He's a thief!”

  “Yes... but his father-!”

  “His father was an honest, hard-working man! He's the opposite.”

  Rufus raised his head to the crowd.

  “Yes, it's me! I'm the boss of the Port Ghosts! And yes, I'm a thief! But what choice do I have”

  Some began to boo him, but many others kept silent, waiting to hear what he had to say.

  “They call us rats, scum! But... Do we have any other choice? The wizards have left us with nothing! They demand higher and higher tributes, our families get sick in order to pay, children are left without parents!”

  “Agree!” a merchant shouted, “they take the best goods and when they don't want to pay we have to go up to our necks in debt!”

  Some voices raised in approval.

  “It's true!” A tavern keeper raised his fist. “They squeeze us dry!

  “And when we complain, they punish us! My brother was held in the City Hall dungeon and when they let him out he could barely walk!”

  “My sister too!”

  “My father!”

  “My mother!”

  Dhabeos rubbed his forehead. The situation was getting out of hand.

  Rufus continued as the fury spread like the flame of a candle that has tipped over rolls of parchment.

  “The wizards treat us as if we were less than nothing! They take everything from us, and no one stops them! And now they're going against the Covenant! Wasn't that supposed to be sacred? A hundred years ago our ancestors risked their lives to prevent the massacre against the chimeras. Are we going to let their sacrifice be in vain? Are we going to let the wizards do whatever they want?”

  The hall was filled with screams of indignation. Some started pounding the wooden benches and the floor with their feet. Others raised their fists in protest.

  “We have waited for a long time! No one is coming to save us! We have to do it ourselves!”

  “I've seen the chimera with my own eyes!” Rufus made a sign to Penn, who approached coyly, avoiding all the eyes staring at him. “A few days ago Penn was captured by the wizards, as you can see he didn't have a good time. Knowing this, the chimera decided to go to save him and now he has fallen prisoner. He risked his freedom to save one of our own!”

  “How can we believe that?” someone objected.

  “If you don't believe me then believe the Port Captain!” Rufus' eyes oozed fire as he turned to Dhabeos. “He was a witness too!”

  All faces in the room turned to Dhabeos who felt a knot tighten in his stomach. If he denied what he had seen, he would save the port from a revolt that would only bring more misfortune. But denying also meant making everyone believe that the son of his friend Markus was a liar. He could live with the shame knowing that he had saved thousands, but the Children of the Port would never trust him again.

  “Answer us, Dhabeos!” a craftsman demanded. “Is it true what the boy says?”

  “You can't stay silent any longer!” added an old woman, her voice trembling as she tapped the ground with her cane. “Are you with us or with the wizards?”

  Voices rose one above the other, clamoring for answers. Some approached the dais. Dhabeos sensed the tension in the officers, ready to intervene if the situation got out of hand.

  An old man, a member of the fishermen's guild, stood up suddenly and took his place in front of the dais. He raised both hands to ask for silence. When the other fishermen saw him, they were the first to take their seats. Gradually the rest of the room followed them, though the air remained still heavy like a storm about to break.

  The old man looked at Dhabeos. Deep wrinkles enveloped his eyes, witnesses of an era marked by despair.

  “Dhabeos Myrkan, Captain of the Port, everyone respects you, we know about your loyalty and your love for Stormbrace. Every time we've had a problem you've been the first to stand up for us. You even defended many when they were threatened by the wizards. We all know about your grandfather's disgrace. Now, here, in front of all of us, all we need is the truth and I, as well as all those present, know that you will honor it.”

  As the old man spoke, Dhabeos felt a pair of warm hands resting on his shoulders. Turning his head, he met Leila's sweet gaze. She had sacrificed everything for him, years of her life away from her own. And what had he given her in return? A gray life in a gloomy harbor, always plagued by the fear of one day being discovered by wizards and yet there she was, facing the storm with him, not pushing into anything, trusting in his decision.

  And what had he sacrificed? What was he willing to sacrifice now?

  He closed his eyes, silently asked the Nymph for strength, and before continuing he took a deep breath.

  “It's true...” his eyes swept the room, catching both looks of anger and astonishment. “A chimera is now imprisoned at the City Hall.”

  The clamor of the crowd erupted again. Some shook the benches until they broke their legs.

  “I knew it! We cannot allow it!”

  “The wizards have violated the treaty!”

  “Something must be done!”

  “If no one stops them now, nothing will!”

  “We have waited too long!”

  “The sirenians must intervene!”

  “The League of Pirates!”

  “No one will come to save us, we have to do it ourselves!”

  Dhabeos raised his voice to demand silence again, and this time his authority was heard as the room gradually became relatively quiet.

  “Listen well to what I am going to say now! I have been faithful to the truth but now I must warn you. You can make threats all you want but you must remember that we are dealing with wizards. Assuming we rescue the chimera, that comes with a price.”

  He felt Leila's hands give him another squeeze.

  Rufus raised his eyebrows.

  “We?”

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  “Are you with us, Dhabeos?” a sailor asked.

  “I assume the consequences of what I have just revealed. If you decide to go all the way to the City Hall, I will go with you.”

  Those words drew loud cheers from the audience, which Dhabeos had to stop immediately.

  “But... if we do that... we will have to abandon the port.” A heavy silence fell over the crowd. Dhabeos paused as his gaze crossed the hall from one end to the other. “By the time the sirenians or the League decide to intervene, it will be too late. The Council will come for us all, without mercy, as they did a hundred years ago... Like our ancestors... we must weigh anchor and set sail for the islands.”

  “Leave...?” asked a trembling woman hugging her son. “To leave everything? Our home? For how long?”

  Dhabeos looked at her sadly.

  “I'm afraid forever... or at least for a long, long time...”

  This time the room was filled with whispers as friends, family and colleagues huddled in small groups and discussed the matter. Some left the room to update the rest of the people waiting outside the captain's office. The decision was not an easy one. To remain silent, to continue under the rule of the wizards, or to abandon everything they knew and go into exile on the islands. The longer it seemed to last, as he watched the expressions of doubt and fear on many of the faces, Dhabeos already feared that it would not be possible to repeat the pirate exodus of a century ago. He himself already doubted his own sanity. Perhaps it would have been preferable to lose his honor rather than risk the lives of an entire city.

  The calm of the hall was broken by a captain who stood on a bench and shouted: “Just by chance... I need more crew members for my ship! Who's with me?”

  Some laughed at the quip, but several raised their hands.

  “I need new crew members too!” exclaimed another captain.

  “So do I!”

  The rest of the captains followed suit.

  “The storm stopped after the chimera's arrival, it's a sign! We must take advantage of the opportunity!”

  “Someone said that the wizards are weak now!”

  Dhabeos knew that was true. There would never be a better chance than that. He had received Rovenna's message requesting healers as well as support to defend the City Hall.

  And now he was going to betray her.

  Although Rovenna didn't need any army of wizards to take care of some unruly sailors.

  “But there aren't enough ships for a whole city!” someone complained.

  “We'll ask the pirates for help!”

  “We are pirates now!”

  “Hooray!” the crowd rejoiced.

  “Listen up!” This time it was Leila who raised her voice above the crowd. “Everyone here knows me, but few suspect who I really am! I came here for love and was forced to hide my identity! My real name is Leila “Savage” Fyrion!”

  “Are you the daughter of Enid “Fierceful” Fyrion?” exclaimed a surprised old man.

  “That's right! And my father is Royden “Sneaky” Branson. I'll send a message to my family! They'll send us more ships!”

  Dhabeos approached her to whisper in her ear.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “If my father doesn't want to, my mother will make him do it, she'll be the first to sail when she receives word from me.”

  “Vote, vote, vote!” someone shouted, and soon a chorus formed.

  Dhabeos was dragged out of the captaincy where another larger crowd had filled the street. People of all classes, colors and trades. By this time most of the port had become aware of the situation and wanted to take part in what was about to happen. They handed him a barrel to stand on top. The crowd stretched up and down the street, others watched from windows and balconies. Many Children of the Port were perched on the rooftops.

  “All those in favor of freeing the chimera and rebelling against the wizards say aye!”

  “AYE!” the response was resoundingly unanimous. The decision was celebrated as a feat and the shouts became deafening. People kept jumping up and down like bubbles in a boiling pot. Dhabeos felt his heart about to burst.

  “All those against...!”

  It was as if a wave of silence spread from the front rows to the back. For a few seconds the citizens looked at each other in silence exchanging complicit glances, winks and handshakes.

  “All those willing to go to the City Hall, come with me! The rest of you, get the boats ready! We sail today!”

  It would not be easy, but Dhabeos now felt a fire like he had never felt before. Together with Leila, they pushed through the crowd and began the climb to the top of the cliff. Many had already armed themselves with shovels, chains, knives, hammers, picks, all kinds of tools. The officers had also joined in with their swords. At one point, the mob opened up to give way to a group of people carrying a battering ram.

  Dabheos caught sight of Rufus and the rest of the gang who were heading in the same direction and as soon as he reached him he grabbed his arm.

  “This is a grown-up matter. Besides, your arm...”

  Rufus freed himself with a movement of his shoulder.

  “Cut the bullshit. If I don't go, I won't be able to look the chimera and Olivia in the eye. They are there for us...” He wrinkled his lips as if he had something stuck on the tip of his tongue. “I'm proud of you, Dhabeos,” he said it as if he were the adult, ”and I'm sure your grandfather is too.”

  The Port Captain nodded and they marched on through the crowd. As they made their way up the steep streets and ladder-like bridges that ran along the cliff, Dhabeos managed to get to the front. It was his duty to be the first to demand Silas and Olivia's release.

  With each step they took, it was as if the entire port was waking up from a long sleep. From the balconies hung people waving their arms and cheering, while others threw handkerchiefs or banged pots and pans. Dhabeos never thought it possible: an entire city rebelling against the Council.

  The wooden bridges creaked under the weight of the crowd, and the alleys reverberated with the echo of thousands of voices. Dhabeos looked up to the rooftops and saw agile shapes scurrying back and forth. The Children of the Port were marching ahead, escorting the crowd.

  Dhabeos had walked that distance countless times but it had never felt as long as it did that time. In what seemed like an eternity, they reached the massive iron gate of the City Hall. That part of the building remained intact. The damage that Rovenna had described to him must have been on the other side, but they didn't have time to reach there. He also knew that due to the chimera attack, the shields had stopped working.

  Those who were carrying the battering ram began to hit the wall to make a breach, many more joined in to help, among them Dhabeos whose face was soon covered with sweat due to the heat of that sunny day. It wasn't going to be an easy task. They must have all lost their minds.

  In fact, he was expecting some Masters to appear at any moment, but nothing of the sort happened as the battering ram was sinking into the stone of the wall. When he raised his eyes, he saw a pair of terrified young faces watching them from the wall. From their clothing they must have been Initiates. One of them stretched out his hand toward them as if he wanted to attack them but then closed it into a fist. They did not have enough power to face them.

  In the midst of that rage, the iron gate opened. The crowd backed away, uncertain of what was about to appear behind it. A piece of violet cloth was the first thing Dhabeos glimpsed before the haughty figure of the Master Arcanist was revealed in front of them.

  She gave them a stern look.

  “Yes, what do you want?” she asked as if instead of a mob she was meeting a peddler coming to offer her wares.

  Dhabeos approached. His whole body was stiff with tension. The crowd stood in expectant silence. Something was about to explode.

  He took a deep breath before speaking.

  “Rovenna, we have come to demand the release of the chimera, also his friend. Their capture is a clear violation of the Covenant.”

  Rovenna looked at him with an uninterested air.

  “The prisoners attacked us first. Actually, they were the first to violate the Covenant. All we did was defend ourselves.”

  “But you-”

  Rovenna did not allow him continue.

  “I never expected this from you, Dhabeos.”

  “For what it's worth, neither did I.”

  “You leave me no choice.”

  “Rovenna.”

  “They're all yours.” Rovenna stepped aside as Olivia and Silas, with tired faces and as surprised as Dhabeos, emerged from behind the door. They looked pale but other than that they seemed to be fine.

  The captain couldn't understand a thing.

  “This... what...?”

  “Master Arcanist!” A young Initiate appeared at Rovenna's side. “Please, I beg you, let us fight!”

  Rovenna shook her head.

  “None of you have any idea of magical combat techniques. I will not risk your lives. I am responsible for all of you.”

  “But, Master! They are not wizards! We can handle them!

  “Silence!”

  Although they had won, Dhabeos stared in disbelief as Silas and Olivia were greeted by Rufus, Milo and the gang, as well as the rest of the crowd that celebrated the victory with more cheers.

  But what kind of victory was that?

  “There is nothing to be done,” Rovenna told the apprentice. “All the Masters are seriously wounded. Only you, the Initiates, and I are left.”

  “But you...!” the boy began to object.

  “I'm old and tired... Besides...” She put both hands behind her back. “My back is killing me... so many days of riding...”

  “Are you serious?” asked Dhabeos whose astonished gaze rivaled that of the Initiate.

  “Luckily for all of you, the chimera absorbed all my power... I am nothing but a helpless old woman at this point... Please spare the lives of my young Initiates and take the prisoners away.”

  “Master!” groaned the Initiate, deeply moved.

  “Come in now, boy, before these brutes do you any harm. Besides, you have yet to write another report.”

  The boy did as he was asked and disappeared behind the door while blowing his nose with the sleeve of his robe.

  Behind Dhabeos the crowd was moving away as they kept on chanting.

  “To the islands, to the islands!”

  A shadow fell across Rovenna's eyes.

  “Do you understand what this means?” she asked. “I can't do anything for you anymore. You are a traitor.”

  Dhabeos raised his eyebrows.

  “Same as you.”

  “No, I'm just a weak and incompetent old woman who couldn't deal with a group of sailors.”

  Leila, who had been left waiting for her husband, approached them.

  “You could come with us,” she said. “My parents-”

  Rovenna shook her head.

  “There are still people loyal to me in this land... at least I hope so... I cannot run away without trying to convince the Council first.”

  “Do you still think you can avoid war?” asked Dhabeos.

  “It is my duty as a Master Arcanist.”

  “But if you fail-”

  “Then I will resign my post since I have been unable to fulfill my duty.”

  “You'll be punished.”

  “I can defend myself. See to it that you reach the islands safely. I'll need an ally within the League.”

  “There will be two of us,” Leila said, earning a grateful look from Rovenna.

  Dhabeos still could not comprehend the unexpected outcome.

  “How could you let them go just like that?”

  “This is beyond me. We're dealing with something out of this world. You saw it yourself. Those two had better get as far away from the mainland as possible. They are now a problem for the Archmage of the Island. Do me a favor and see that they get there without further delays.” Rovenna reached out her hand to Dhabeos and he shook it. She repeated the same gesture with Leila. “I wish you both luck. I have no doubt, Dhabeos, you will soon be worthy of a pirate nickname.”

  “Best of luck, my friend.” The captain took his wife by the hand and they rushed off behind the crowd heading for the docks.

  The next phase of the plan turned out to be more complicated than the chimera rescue. As many had already predicted, there were not enough boats for everyone. The dock had become chaotic as a large number of people scrambled to get on the boats first. There were also other ships that due to the storm would be in need of repair. Dhabeos ordered his officers to organize the departures. It would take several days for such a feat. They could not accomplish it alone without the help of the League.

  Realizing this, he was forced to make the hardest decision of all.

  “You must set sail now,” he said to Leila, ”take as many children as you can.”

  “You're going too!”

  “I am the Port Captain, so I am the last one to leave.”

  “I will stay with you until the end!” She hugged him, but as much as it pained him to let her go, there was no other way.

  “A message can get lost.” He wrapped his wife's tearful face in his hands. “But if you show up in person on Rebellion Island, your parents can't refuse. We depend on you now.”

  As the ships set sail and the carpenters set to work, Dhabeos stayed close to Leila until he persuaded her that there was no better alternative. He knew the secret passages of Stormbrace. If the Council decided to send a contingent of wizards to subjugate the port, he and the rest of those waiting could hide there.

  With his heart clenched and his eyes flooded with tears after so many years without being apart, he said goodbye to his wife and the children at the docks. He did not move from there until the ship left the bay behind, as he prayed to the Nymph for a good weather and a trip out of peril. The biggest threat was the Royal Navy which could intercept the ships, but Rovenna had promised him that she would delay news of the attack as long as she could.

  For the next few days he immersed himself in work making records of all the people still to be sent to the islands. When there were no documents to take care of, he would make a tour of the docks to check on the condition of the ships under repair.

  During the night he would stand watching the glowing lighthouse which would soon be extinguished as soon as the last person left the harbor. He had stationed several soldiers at the top of the cliff who would be in charge of lighting a bonfire in case they observed suspicious movements. Every now and then, Rovenna managed to get messages to him about the condition of the wizards still recovering at the City Hall.

  Still, however, he did not know what to do about Silas and Olivia. Because of that extraordinary situation, no captain was willing to head for the Fellowship of the Island. They all wanted to find a safe haven in the northern islands and did not trust that the hybrids would want to help them. Dhabeos concluded that the only option would be for him to take them there himself once the port was emptied, which could take a few more days... But like Rovenna he thought it would be best if they left as soon as possible.

  Another problem posed by Milo, Rufus and the rest of the gang, who had refused to be separated from their new friends and won't get on a boat as long as they were still there.

  He was dealing with that headache when an agitated officer appeared in the captain's quarters.

  “Sir!”

  Dhabeos couldn't help but jump, thinking that the officers had given the signal that wizards were approaching the port.

  “WHAT?” he shouted, making his subordinate shudder.

  But as it turned out, it wasn't the wizards.

  “Sir! It's The Rambling Herald! Just righ now Jasper Gloom is entering the bay!”

  Thank you for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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