Chapter 16

  Rows of Huaxia lanterns were strung up all throughout the streets of Isle Durna, bathing them with a warm, orange glow. Children played in the streets, tossing around makeshift balls of straw or chasing each other around in circles. With the successful retaking of Tal Adol from Pirate Lord U’lua, the inhabitants of the island had every reason to celebrate. Crowds of drunk pirates spilled across the plaza like water unleashed from a dam. Even the guards were too lax to bother breaking up any fights done in jest. Music from Sarhi and Huaxia lands drifted from every tavern Sannan walked by. Sannan had reason to celebrate too, not just for surviving that grueling battle that in all likelihood could have ended his life. The Sea Snake did not just set out to take hostages, but to plunder, and he received a share of the stolen loot. Only for Neheri’s elemental frog to consume most of it. Disheartened as he was at first, Sannan did feel relieved as if a weight had been taken off his back.

  “You’re certain you want to leave tomorrow?” Zari carried a set of firecrackers that have since been extinguished.

  Sannan smiled ruefully. “You could say I am feeling homesick.”

  Staring wistfully at the lanterns, Zari replied. “Understandable. I don’t believe I have told you before, but I was raised on Isle Durna. My father would take me out to participate in the lantern festival each year. A tradition, brought over from the Yujin Empire that Sarhidians don’t seem to mind partaking in. I believe we Sarhidians have a festival of our own similar to this, but I can’t say it involves lanterns.”

  “There is something about lanterns that invokes a sense of wonder in a child’s imagination. In any case, we should meet up with Erbosa. Considering we will be heading off tomorrow, this might be our last time seeing her in a while.”

  “Who is to say she won’t show up tomorrow to see us off? She really has taken a special interest in us ever since the day we first stepped into her captain’s room.”

  A deep voice came up from behind her. “Indeed, I do wonder why that is the case.” Sannan turned to see stocky Atram trailing behind the two of them, lugging a sizable casket of Sarhidian baskat.

  Turning to Sannan, he commented, “it could be your incredible expertise with engineering at such a young age.”

  Sannan scratched his hair with a nervous laugh. “You flatter me, Atram. Zari and I did not get the chance to praise you for driving that other Pirate Lord’s forces from that island. What was her name, again?”

  Atram moaned. “U’lua. Ah, it’s fine. I sometimes have trouble with Ra’shalri names too. Yes, I don’t think that woman wants to provoke a war with Erbosa. She probably just took that island for the pleasure of cracking some heads. Barely left any people there to hold it afterwards.”

  “Right,” said Sannan. “Zari and I were going to pay Erbosa a visit. You can tag along with us if you wish.”

  “Oh, I believe she is quite occupied at the moment. Crushing Fengren at a game of Kingdom, that is.” Atram barked a hearty laugh, though it was drowned out by a group of men and women nearby, laughing uproariously at a cabin boy’s story.

  “Might I ask how long a game of Kingdom lasts?” Zari inquired. “We would not want to interrupt her in the middle of something important.”

  “Two to three hours, give or take. And don’t worry about interrupting her, she’s used to that sort of thing.” With a nod, Zari sped up her walk and was about to turn a corner when Atram spoke up again.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Wait! I wanted to ask you something. How did it feel? Putting an end to that Zevros fellow.”

  “I can’t say it felt great,” said Zari as she turned back around to face him. “But it was liberating, in a sense.”

  “How were you able to fire off all those charged shots at him?” Sannan asked.

  Zari responded with a touch of pride. “That was the new weapon I was working on, a crossbow that loads and fires three arrows instead of one. I unfortunately don’t have it with me right now.”

  “Most impressive,” said Atram. “Well, you two should find the Pirate Empress at the Broken Wheel. Farewell!” The fleet division captain left to join a pair of his fellow crew mates, still with that casket in tow.

  “The Broken Wheel?” Zari murmured with a puzzled expression. “I cannot say I have heard of that tavern before.”

  Sannan thought back to his time spent on the island during Erbosa’s expedition. “Sounds familiar. Wait, I believe I have seen it before. Follow me!”

  Brushing their way past galavanting townsfolk and weaving through the sidestreets, the two eventually found themselves standing before a washed up, two story building with a sign displaying a rusty wheel. Hassian, of all people, stood by the tavern’s entrance accompanied by his winged artifice. The bald man’s eyes widened when he saw the pair.

  “Some adventure you two had with the Pirate Empress, huh? Come on in, my sister sure knows how to cook you two a sumptuous meal worthy of a celebration like this.”

  Grateful for the offer, Zari and Sannan followed the mechanic inside. Winged Exodeus was prepared to follow, only to be told by its maker to wait outside. The inside of the establishment was almost a mirror of what Sannan saw back in Jar’haava, albeit slightly smaller.

  “Yet again, my Ruler claims victory,” Erbosa announced. “This might only be your second time playing Fengren, but you need to step up your game.” Before her was an irregularly shaped playing board divided up into various sections, with several game pieces scattered throughout. Perhaps to avoid standing out too much, the woman had donned a sleeveless brown tunic as opposed to her usual garb.

  Sitting across from her behind the circular wooden table, Fengren pursed his lips. “I can assure you won’t have it so easy in the third round.”

  “Erbosa!” Zari waved to the Pirate Empress from where she stood near the tavern’s entrance.

  “Ah, it’s you too.” Erbosa took a brief sip from a cup of reddish tea. “Enjoying the festivities so far?” Stoic as ever, Fengren gave a brief nod of acknowledgement before resuming his study of the game board.

  “Of course.” Zari took a seat on an adjacent table, and Sannan soon followed suit. “It was truly nostalgic getting to see the lanterns again. I can only imagine what it is like celebrating such a festival in the Yujin capital.”

  “If you and I weren’t pirates, we could certainly have a look, but alas…” She casually swept her game pieces off the board and began repositioning them in a row on one end.

  Hassian interjected, “care for any entree or drink in particular?”

  “I can have the mackerel from last time,” Sannan replied. On her end, Zari requested soft shelled crab with a healthy dose of puri sauce.

  “Just wanted to know,” Erbosa went on, “is there a reason you two wanted to pay us a visit?”

  “We were thinking of heading back to Port Besaar tomorrow morning,” said Sannan.

  “And just how do you intend on keeping Zari’s identity a secret?”

  “A disguise. Either that or she would have to go about cloaked. In any case, I will work on clearing her name sooner or later. We could always take up commissions from the Reisender Alliance. If she makes a name for herself as a famous adventurer, that will help matters out for sure.”

  With an accusatory glare, Zari said. “If I am adopting a disguise, you had better not ask me to get rid of the hairpin.”

  Erbosa nodded to herself. “Sure, sure. I wish you two the best of luck, but for the time being, let us enjoy this moment together! If either one of you is interested in this game we’re playing, I am more than happy to go over the basics.”

  Given the delicious meal and the friendly exchange they had with Erbosa, Fengren and Hassian, the memory of that violent confrontation with the Sea Snake had already begun to fade. By the time Sannan and Zari left the tavern, it felt like a half hour had passed, when in reality it amounted to about four. The mackerel dish was just as tasty as he had remembered it, though it always brought forth the memory of Sastal, who must be worried sick by now back home. Hands behind his head, Sannan strolled back to his workshop content that he will be seeing her again soon.