VII : Losteria

It took them two days to reach their first big obstacle.

Not to say that their journey prior to this was uneventful, but barely anything happened. They ran from a few bandits and monsters, took some of them on successfully, and had trouble keeping Tristina in check while she goes on a rampage for food.

Now, they were here. The entrance to Teardrop Forest. Well technically, there was no 'entrance' to the forest. They were at the edge of the forest. It wasn't thick with trees, but enough to prevent the moonlight from illuminating the forest itself. To the left and right, the trees seemed endless and it seems like the only way to move forward is to go through them.

"Why is it called the Teardrop Forest?" Liliora asked.

"You'll see," Polus said as he climbed on his cart. "Just go straight and don't lose your way."

"Wait, aren't you coming with us?" Liliora asked. Polus did look like he was about to leave.

"I am, but I'm not following the same path you are," Polus said. "The cart will make it hard to navigate in between the trees. I have my ways to get my cart and Tristina safely across."

"Then why can't we just use your way?" Isaac asked.

"It's, uh, a bit complicated. The path is available only to me and if I want to bring you guys along, it'll take too long. I mean unless you're willing to wait for another week." Polus said.

Isaac sighed. That's not a good idea. "Fine. So we'll see you on the other side?"

Polus nodded. "So long, my friends. Stay safe!" He said as he took off, heading to the right side of the forest before promptly turning left and into it, going out of sight.

"I guess it's just us then," Meng said. "Lead the way."

Isaac sighed as he entered Teardrop Forest, followed by the two ladies. As expected because of the canopy of leaves above them, there was little to no light inside the forest. Isaac could barely see what was in front of him, but it changed when a sudden spark of light illuminated their surroundings. Isaac looked behind him to see Meng holding a torch. She handed it to him.

"Thanks," Isaac said as he led the way, torch in hand. Thanks to it, Isaac could see slightly better though visibility was still limited.

It looked like any other forest Isaac has been into, except for one tiny detail. The forest was deafeningly quiet. Normally, he would've heard a gust of wind, rustling leaves, and the sound of insects, but nothing. Except for the crunching of leaves and branches under his steps and the crackling fire in his hand, he heard nothing.

"It's eerily quiet," Liliora whispered.

Isaac said nothing has they ventured on. Since this was a forest, there's no way it's going to stretch on forever. If he kept going in a straight line as Polus told him to, eventually they'll be out of the forest.

The hard part was to keep track of their way. Since they couldn't see the sky, it was hard to gauge what direction they were facing without having any reference points. Isaac felt like he'd been walking in one direction, but the feeling of paranoia of being wrong was creeping up on him.

They'd been walking for what felt like hours before Isaac finally heard something from within the darkness. Something that sounds like rustling, buzzing, and splashing all at the same time.

"Is it . . . raining?" Meng asked.

It sounds like it was raining. As they trudged onwards, the raining sound got louder until Isaac noticed the ground getting muddy and the wood being damp. It was a bit odd that they could hear the rain and see signs of it, but they didn't feel it.

Up front, Isaac noticed the forest opened into a clearing. That part of the forest lit up brighter than Isaac had ever seen with other parts of the forest. "Looks like there's a clearing there," Isaac said. "Come."

They walked into the clearing and their jaws dropped.

The tall trees stretched far up into the skies, so it looked like the forest left a single opening for the moon to shine through. From above, droplets of water fell from an unknown source up in the sky. There were no dark clouds or anything for the water to come from since Isaac could see the moon and the stars clearly. It wasn't raining heavily or anything, but the droplets of water made it seem like it.

And below it, catching all of the water, was one of the most beautiful sceneries Isaac had ever seen.

The lake in front of them spanned as far as the clearing. From the looks of it, it looks shallow. Because of the moonlight, the lake glowed in bright blue color, rippling from the droplets of water. It was almost as if the lake was the one illuminating the whole scenery instead of the moon. The lake itself was clear so Isaac could perfectly see what was underwater.

In the middle of the lake was a giant tree, with its roots as thick as one of Isaac's legs. The trunk looked so big that if Isaac got an axe and tried to chop it down, it would've probably taken a whole year to do so. The leaves were so lush and thick but not so much that it covers up the sky.

"Wow." Meng gasped. "It's beautiful."

"I guess we now know why it's called Teardrop Forest," Liliora said as she held her hand out to catch some of the rain. "Where is this rain coming from?"

The group looked up and as Isaac noticed previously, there were no possible sources from which this water could come other than the sky, which is weird since it's clear and there are no clouds.

"I don't know," Isaac said. "But it is beautiful."

"The water is magic," Liliora said as she crouched and dipped her finger in the lake. She examined the sample of water on her fingertip. "I could feel some trace of it, at least?"

"Is it dangerous?" Isaac asked.

"I don't think so," Liliora said. "It's more similar to healing magic, so I think we're good." As someone with the most potency for magic in the group, Isaac decided to trust Liliora. He stepped into the lake and the water rippled gently as the rain poured gently unto him. He felt bad that he was ruining such serene scenery, but they have to move forward. He'd love to go sideways, but he was afraid he was going to lose his way and sense of direction.

The water did nothing but made his legs wet. Thankfully, it is shallow so they would have no problem just wallowing through the water. Isaac took a few more steps and when nothing happened, he called the others. "Water's fine."

Liliora and Meng stepped in and waddled along with Isaac. Now that he was in the lake, Isaac noticed something else. Meng seems to notice the same thing at the same time.

"Call me crazy," Meng said. "But I swear I saw a drop of water floating up."

"Good, I thought I was the only one," Liliora said.

From the lake, droplets of water were floating up into the sky. Maybe that's where the rain was coming from. It's just droplets of water floating up and dropping back down.

As they moved through the lake, Isaac could hear whispers in his ear. He stopped in his tracks and listened intently.

"What?" Liliora asked.

"Did you hear that?" Isaac asked.

"Hear what?"

"Listen." Isaac cupped his ears. He definitely heard whispering. It was very faint and soft, so Isaac couldn't make out what they were saying. "I hear whispering."

Liliora looked at Meng for confirmation, but Meng shook her head. "I don't hear anything."

"Same," Meng said. "I only hear the water."

Isaac was confused. He tried to listen for it again but this time, there was nothing. Only the sounds of the forests greeted his ears. Isaac frowned. "I swear I heard . . . nevermind," Isaac said as he continued onwards.

As they took in the beautiful scenery, they made it across the lake in one piece, fortunately. It was an experience that Isaac wouldn't forget.

Their journey then continued in the darkness of the forest. After hearing the whispers, Isaac was on edge. He kept his ears on high alert to see if he could catch those noises again, but he never could. Within an hour, they arrived at the other side of the forest, finally.

On the other side, the terrain changed from grassy to sandy. Isaac felt the warm wind against his skin which could only mean one thing, they were close to the sea. Even right now where they were standing, the grass and the sand were starting to get mixed.

"Phew." Liliora stretched. "Finally outdoors."

"We were outdoors this whole time," Meng said.

"No, I mean . . . You know what I mean." Liliora said. "Where's Polus?"

On cue, Isaac heard someone whistle to their right. Isaac looked over to see Polus and Tristina, already waiting for them on a nearby hill. He waved at them enthusiastically.

Liliora returned the wave while Meng whispered to Isaac. "You think Tristina can fly?"

Line Break

It appears luck was on their side when they saw an abandoned shack facing the ocean after traveling for a short while. So they decided to make camp for now. They were just out of reach of the waves so they wouldn't have to worry about getting wet.

"Have you seen Teardrop Lake?" Polus asked.

Liliora nodded. "It was beautiful. One of the most beautiful things I've seen in all my life."

Polus chuckled. "I didn't see it until my third time venturing through the forest," Polus said as he stroked the fire that they made to keep themselves warm. "It was truly a sight to behold. I wanted you to experience it for yourself. That's why I made you go through the forest."

"Wait, so what you're saying is that we could've avoided the forest entirely?" Meng asked. "We could've followed the way you took?"

"Oh, definitely not," Polus said. "But it was worth it, wasn't it?"

Isaac smiled. "Indeed it was," Isaac said. Although his mind kept going back to the whispers he heard in the lake. "Get some rest. We'll continue our journey tomorrow. Looking at the pace, I'd say we'll arrive by sunset tomorrow."

"Give or take." Polus see-sawed his hand. "I will be able to meet the Three Coins instantly. Not sure about you guys."

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked.

"You're first-time visitors, yes?" Polus asked. "Well, first-timers will have to go through a procedure to meet with them. Kind of like a registration. It's just to make sure you're not someone who the Three Coins don't want in the city."

"Like who?" Liliora asked.

"Sovereign Empire, potential spies, anyone who looks like they can't be trusted."

"He means you." Meng points at Liliora.

"Hey!" Liliora exclaimed as everyone chuckled.

"So, you might have a bit of trouble getting in," Polus said. "But I have some connections and influence. I'll do what I can to help."

"Thanks, Polus," Isaac said.

Line Break

After a while, Meng was fast asleep. Liliora for some reason was still wide awake as well as Polus.

"Thought you'd be asleep by now," Isaac said.

Liliora shrugged. "Don't feel like it. Especially since I didn't do much aside from walking today."

"I thought you did something in Riverside."

"Meh," Liliora said.

"She got back in time to help me sell a few things," Polus said.

Isaac didn't think much of it, so they enjoyed each other's silence until Polus decided to ask a question. "Isaac, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Isaac poked the fire with a stick. "What's up?"

"What's the purpose for you to go to Losteria?" Polus asked. Isaac tensed a bit. He looked at Liliora, but she was avoiding Isaac's gaze. "I know you still have some doubts about me, but I meant it when I say I want to help."

"What you're doing right now is enough," Isaac said.

"Yes, but I want to do more," Polus said. He looked like there was more he wanted to say, but he held back. "I just want to repay my debt to you."

Isaac sighed. "It's not that I don't trust you, but what we're dealing with here is bigger than us."

"So, you don't trust me?"

"It's not that." Isaac found it hard to explain without telling him everything.

"We value you as a friend." Liliora interrupted. "And the burden we bear is for us alone. We'd hate to put it on you and put you in trouble." Liliora gave Polus a cheeky grin. "After all, you have your hands full on being the finest merchant west of Arya, don't you?"

Polus sighed. "I just wanna help."

Isaac felt bad seeing him sad. "Tell you what, I'll let you in on something. If we succeed, you're gonna make a whole lot of gold coins."

Polus's ears perked up. Gold coins were something he was interested in. His attitude suddenly changed. "Then I shall deliver you safely into Losteria, mark my words!"

Isaac chuckled. He looked over to Liliora and gave her a subtle nod as thanks. "Speaking of making money, my dearest Liliora will you be available after our journey?" Polus suddenly asked.

"Uh, what do you mean available?" Liliora asked.

"If possible, I would like you to come work with me as a merchant," Polus said. "You do very well in pulling in customers. Of course, I would teach you everything I know about being a merchant. What do you say?"

"Hmm," Liliora said. "You do know I'm a demon, right?"

"Yes, but you're also a succubus," Polus said as if the demon part didn't bother him at all. "Plus, I know plenty of demons who work as merchants."

"Really?"

Polus nodded. "They normally do their business down south since it's closer to home with the desert and heat and everything. But there's plenty of them."

"Does the desert remind them of home?" Isaac asked.

"So they say," Polus said. "Though I think it's because the desert gets really hot at times."

Liliora shrugged. "I'll think about it." She said. "And just for your information, Hell is not that hot. I'd say its more . . . warm."

Out of all the words in the world, he didn't think he'd ever heard someone describe Hell as 'warm'.

"You ever feel like going back home?" Polus asked.

There was a long pause before Liliora answered. "Sometimes." She admitted. "It's not like I hate my home or my family. I just want to live my own life, you know?"

"You can't do that in Hell?" Isaac asked.

Liliora shook her head. "Hell is like its own kingdom. I'll admit, it's not a pretty place. But the demons in there are still living beings. We still need food, water, homes, basically just about anything you'd need to survive."

"I thought Hell is a place where damned souls go to," Polus asked.

"That's half true," Liliora explained. "They go there, but not willingly. It's like a prison if you will. There are not a lot of job prospects in Hell if you ask me. That's why some demons get summoned for work."

Again, whenever he has a conversation with Liliora, he always founds himself being confused.

"I'm having trouble understanding this," Polus admitted. "So, Hell is a place?"

Liliora shook her head. "Heaven and Hell are like a place, just like how Arya is a place. It's just up and down. Why does it exist? No one really knows. And like most places, they have a ruler. One for Heaven, and one for Hell."

"Are they like God or something?" Isaac asked.

Liliora snorted. "As if." She said. "Nope. Just regular old living beings. As I said, they're just places. It's not for souls who did good or bad in their life. They have their cities and kingdoms and people. It's no different than the cities and kingdoms on this land except for where it is and the people who live there."

"You said souls go to Hell, but then you said it's not for souls," Isaac asked. "What do you mean?"

"I did say it's like a prison, right?" Liliora continued. "Most sorcerers or those who know dark magic often put curses on souls. And when they do, they condemn these souls to Hell. For what reason, I have no idea. Suddenly Hell just became the place to send cursed souls to. Then people start crazy rumors about how we collect souls for fun as if it's our fault the souls end up there. We didn't ask for it." Liliora grumbled. "My cousin had to work a whole week just to catch escaped souls terrorizing Hell. Had to replace our windows twice."

So, Hell and Heaven are not as mystical and magical as Isaac thought. It's a place for living beings, just under different conditions and circumstances.

"So, Heaven? Is that a real place?"

Liliora nodded. "I've been there. As horrible as Hell is, I prefer that to Heaven. The people up there are ignorant on another level." Liliora scratched her head. "It's always so bright as well, for some reason. As if the people of Heaven don't need night time."

Heaven and Hell. Isaac wondered if he'd ever get to visit these places one day.

"Hell . . ." Polus muttered. "Would they be interested in some of my products?"

"You're not seriously thinking about doing business in Hell, aren't you?"

"Depends on the situation." Polus shrugged. "Besides, wouldn't that be cool? Polus Longleaf, the Merchant of Hell."

Isaac had to admit, that does sound cool.

"Demons like some exotic stuff," Liliora said. Upon hearing this, Polus took out a small book out of his pocket and starts writing. "While human sacrifices are the best, we don't want humans to go kill each other. Mountain goats would be a close second. Oh, and keep the horns. I know a few demons who would go crazy over those."

"Mountain goat horns?" Isaac asked. "For what?"

"Our horns break frequently. It looks hideous when it does, so we just change them with the horns of mountain goats." Liliora said. "It's more popular to male demons than females. Size matters with them."

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Not really. It feels more like pulling your eyeballs out."

And with that image in mind, Isaac went to bed and let Polus and Liliora discuss what kind of stuff they wanted to sell in Hell.

Line Break

Isaac was surprised that Polus and Liliora stayed up through the night. When Isaac woke up, they were still talking about the kind of goods and products that they could potentially sell.

"What about dragon teeth?" Polus asked.

"Could work, but the elite demons won't settle for anything lower than a tiger's bladder," Liliora said.

"What on earth did I wake up to?" Meng asked as she exited the shack.

"Morning," Liliora said with a beaming smile.

"Morning." Meng yawned. "Did I hear something about a bladder?"

"Liliora was just telling me about what kind of drinks the elite demons would be interested in buying," Polus said.

Isaac almost threw up. Hearing tiger's bladder and drinks in the same conversation was not a good way to start the morning.

"Well, you can wait until we're on the road," Isaac said. "Let's head out."

Line Break

If nothing goes wrong, they're looking for a one-day journey at most. Since it was daytime, Isaac could see their surroundings for once. The Teardrop Forest behind them blew gently from the ocean wind. The sand beneath his feet was white so it was almost blinding to look at with the bright sun. From what Isaac remembered, this part of the land jutted out of the northwest corner of the continent. So if things go well, it won't be long until they reach Losteria.

That's also assuming if things go well.

So they continued their journey. The terrain was slowly changing from dirt to sand the further they travel. Needless to say, the cart was having a tough time moving forward.

Poor Tristina had to work extra hard to pull the cart so much so that Isaac decided to walk alongside her to lighten her burden. It's not like the cart was traveling fast, so he could keep up. It didn't take long before Meng joined him on foot, but for a different reason.

"Liliora has been talking non-stop about how to properly disembowel a mountain goat," Meng grumbled. "And it's not a comfortable ride in there."

Isaac laughed. "Well, you're gonna have to stick with me then." The two of them walked next to the cart that was struggling along the sands. After a while of walking, they finally met their first group of enemies.

A flock of large vultures with talons as sharp as a dagger. Isaac didn't know what their problems were with him, but they looked like they were ready for a snack. The flock was currently circling high above them, waiting to strike.

"I'm just gonna go inside." Polus scrambled into his cart along with Meng. The only ones who could realistically fight these birds were Isaac and Liliora. Liliora can cast combat magic while Isaac has a bow. He wasn't sure how good he was with it, but now was the time to find out.

The first batch dove in towards them. Liliora let loose a fireball unto one of the vultures and it burnt into a crisp. Isaac wildly fired three arrows and managed to only hit one of them by accident, sending them spiraling down into the sands.

Christina surprised the two of them when she gobbled up two vultures in quick succession. The sound of squishing could be heard as Tristina chewed up the birds. Isaac had never felt so grateful that they have this giant lizard on their side.

Soon after, the second batch of vultures dove down again. Again, Isaac nocked an arrow and fired but this time, he tried to aim. But it's kind of hard to aim when you're looking straight up. By some luck of the gods, his arrow flew straight into the eye of a vulture. He nocked another arrow and fired again. And again, his arrow was straight on target.

"Didn't know you could shoot a bow," Liliora said as she cast another fireball.

"Me neither," Isaac said. He was surprised himself, but it was something to think about later rather than now.

As they fought for another few minutes, Isaac heard a loud screech. At first, Isaac thought it was more vultures, but from the skies descended three figures. It was three people, each riding a giant eagle of their own. Armed with swords and bows, they start fighting the vultures.

"What the-" Liliora was at a loss for words.

"The Three Coins protection." Isaac noticed. The protection for those aligned with Losteria, as Polus explained. "About time."

Hearing the eagle cry, Polus peeked his head out of the cart. "Is it safe?"

"Yeah," Isaac said as the vultures were getting viciously ripped apart by the mercenaries. "The Three Coins are here."

"Ah, bless them!" Polus immediately jumped out of his cart after knowing that he was safe. "Just in time."

"A bit late, if you ask me," Liliora said. "I almost ran out of mana."

"Are we good?" Meng asked from the cart.

"Yeah, we're good," Isaac said as he watched the mercenaries kill the last of the vultures. "Come on, let's keep going."

Line Break

The rest of the trip went similarly to that. They get occasional monster attacks here and there but no bandits, surprisingly. You'd think that with a city full of merchants there would be bandits roaming around outside the city but there is none.

Perhaps the Three Coins scared them.

After that relatively easy journey, they arrived at the gates of Losteria by the next morning, since Tristina got a little too excited jumping after a Black Deer and broke one of the wheels on Polus's cart.

"These were supposed to be indestructible," Polus grumbled.

"Maybe you just have one heck of a lizard," Meng said as she repaired his wheel.

When they arrived outside of Losteria, it was not like what Isaac imagined.

When it comes to big cities or kingdoms, the first thing you'd usually see would be a big wall guarding the perimeter around the kingdom, to protect from enemy invasion.

Losteria doesn't have that. Instead of looking like a dignified kingdom or a well-established city, Losteria looked very rough. Buildings were scattered unevenly and looked the same. There were no tall palaces or guard towers, no grand buildings, and whatnot.

It looked like a band of misfits and ragtag individuals decided to build their perception of what a city is, which is probably the case.

Losteria was big. Probably even bigger than the White Kingdom. It sat just at the edge of the coastline which both spanned to the left and right for a few hundred meters before curving inwards into a lagoon.

If there was one way Isaac could describe Losteria, it'd be organized chaos.

The city was bustling with life, even more so than Leadun. There were shops, stalls, and taverns everywhere. Isaac saw all kinds of people like trolls, elves, demons, something that looked like a walking tree, and many more. There were adventurers, merchants, mercenaries, common folk, and also distinguished knights.

If you're looking for a hodgepodge of everything from every people from every different type of people out there, then Losteria is the place.

If it wasn't for Polus, Isaac would've felt overwhelmed. "Welcome to the land of the free, my friend!"

That also describes Losteria very well. It's a free city. You can do what you want, just so long as you don't cross the line. Isaac saw people selling a lot of stuff, he saw fighting, he saw people having discussions in hushed tones, and he even saw a lizard woman doing weird massages on a royal knight.

Suddenly, their band of three people, a demon, and a lizard doesn't seem so out of place in this world.

"This is overwhelming," Meng said.

"This looks fun." Liliora grinned.

Isaac walked up to Polus. "How do we meet with the Three Coins?" He asked.

"Not gonna be that easy," Polus said. "I suggest you find a place to stay first. I'll see what I can do for you. I have connections on the inside, but it might take some time. In the meantime. . ." Polus found an empty spot just outside a tavern. He snapped his fingers and his cart turned into a stand. "I'm gonna get down into business."

"I'll help you!" Liliora said with glee. Out of all of them, she seems to be the one most excited about being here.

Isaac and Meng exchanged looks. "Let's find a place to stay first.

"Let's." Meng agreed.

But that was easier said than done. Thanks to Losteria being an unorganized city, the place was very hard to navigate through. Every corner he turned, it looked different. It was disorienting. Every street looked different, every alleyway was different. There was no specific landmark to guide them on which way they were headed. The city was like a maze, thanks to its structure.

"Okay." Isaac threw his hands up in exasperation after making the wrong turn for the thirteenth time. "I'm lost."

"I'm getting a headache from being here," Meng said and Isaac agreed. He wondered how people got around here so well considering how much of a maze it was. After wandering around for quite some time, Isaac found himself at an empty city square. An empty circular area that goes down for a few meters, so the whole place looked like a bowl. Four stairs led to the lower ground where the floor was cobbled with stones. In the middle of the square was a patch of grass and a big oak tree that looked like it had been there for hundreds of years.

Amidst all the chaos of Losteria, this place seemed like an oasis in the middle of a desert. It was so quiet here compared to the rest of Losteria.

Isaac and Meng walked down the stairs slowly, taking in the scenery. He didn't know why, but he couldn't hear anything outside of this square as soon as he stepped in.

"Is it just me, or everything just went quiet?" Meng asked.

"I noticed it too," Isaac said. Losteria was bustling and noisy, so this silence was a surprise.

As they made their way down, Isaac noticed a soft and quiet melody playing from the tree in the middle. It was faint, but Isaac could hear the sound of a stringed instrument being plucked. "I hear music," Isaac said.

"Same," Meng said softly. For some reason, they felt the need to whisper since the place was really quiet. It was as if they didn't want to disturb the peace of this place. "Maybe there's someone down there."

As they made their way towards the tree, the music got louder but it was still playing softly and gently. Isaac felt his head getting lighter, being swooned by the soft tune. Isaac saw a person sitting cross-legged underneath the shade. The sun seems to beam on them gently.

The man wore nothing but simple clothes. A green vest over a white shirt, with leather pants. His hair was raven black and he wore a single-feathered tricorn hat, with the hat itself being black and the feather colored in bright red.

His most defining feature would be the white carnival mask he wore. It covered the whole of his face, save for three holes where his eyes and mouth should be, though Isaac saw nothing under it. The holes in his mask show nothing but darkness even on this bright sunny day.

Isaac found himself mesmerized by the man's performance. A melody that Isaac could only describe as enjoying life and living in the moment.

When the man noticed him, he stopped. "Hello there."

"Um, hi," Isaac said. "Sorry if we're interrupting or something."

"Nah." The man said with a smile. "I was just finishing up."

"You played beautifully," Meng said.

"Thanks." The man said. "The name's . . ." His words trailed off. It was unnerving how he was just staring at him with a mask with its mouth carved into a twisted smile, almost like a jester. The holes in his eyes were curved, unlike normal human eyes. "Well, you can call me Melodist."

"Nice to meet you, Mister Melodist," Isaac said. "I'm Isaac, and this is Meng."

Meng waved nervously. "You two are not from around here, are you?" Melodist said. "You have a . . . foreign smell."

Isaac didn't think he smelled bad, but then again he hadn't showered in almost two days. It's kind of hard to shower without smelling like salt when the only water source you have is the ocean.

"Yeah," Isaac said. "We're adventurers from Sarca and we're here on a job." He felt bad about lying, but it was necessary. He can't let anyone know of their mission.

"We're here with two other people and as you can see, we're currently lost," Meng said.

"We're not lost," Isaac argued.

"You just said we're lost about five minutes ago."

"No, we're not," Isaac said. "We just can't find our way around."

"That's called being lost."

"May I interject?" Melodist said. "I can help you if you want."

Isaac didn't feel comfortable asking a stranger for help, but since it was just asking for directions, Isaac saw no harm in it. "Sure. We're just trying to find a place to stay."

Melodist bowed slightly. "I know just the place. Come."

As Isaac followed the Melodist up the stairs, Meng walked up next to him. "Should we trust him?" Meng whispered.

"No," Isaac said. "We'll keep him at arm's length."

Isaac and Meng followed Melodist out of the square as effortlessly navigated through the streets of Losteria. He seems to know where he was going, so Isaac was just following him. Eventually, they reached a building just about the edge of the city. Isaac could see the shoreline from here and it's pretty close to port.

The building almost looked like Isaac's house from when he was at Rost, just not as run down. The brick walls looked weathered and the roof looked like it could be replaced, but it still looked sturdy.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Melodist said.

"Uh." Isaac hesitated. "Your house?"

"You're looking for a place to stay, right?"

While that is true, Isaac wasn't about to stay in a stranger's house no matter how good of a musician he is. "I was thinking more like a tavern. Gonna have to say no to this."

"I second the notion." Meng looked just as worried as Isaac was.

"Why?"

"Well, firstly is because we're new here," Isaac said. "Secondly, we barely know each other. And I don't feel safe staying in the house of someone I barely know."

"I see. Well, I will show you the-"

"Hey!" Someone interrupted their conversation. Isaac turned around to see a band of people surrounding them. There were about five people, all armed and they all looked mean. "We've been searching for you."

"Oh my." Melodist said. "We have some guests."

Isaac was getting anxious. He and Meng had done nothing wrong, so they must be here for Melodist.

"Okay, we don't have guests. You have guests." Meng corrected him. "So if you will, we'll just be on our way and-" Meng pulled Isaac and was about to walk away when an arrow flew, inches from Meng's face and landed on the wall of Melodist's house.

The fact that the arrow went through a brick wall shows how strong it was.

"You're not going anywhere." The big guy on the front said. If Isaac had to describe him, he looked like a human alligator. Bottom heavy and looked skinny from the belly up. The bald head didn't help him look more humanlike. "I'm taking you and your friends in."

"Actually, we're more like acquaintances than friends." Isaac tried but they were having none of it as they snarled at Melodist.

The man in question sighed. "Small mercenary groups." Melodist whispered under his breath. "Always trying to make a name for themselves." He looked over his shoulders at Isaac. Under the mask, Isaac couldn't tell what kind of expression he was wearing. "Don't worry, this will be over quickly."

Before Isaac got the chance to ask what he meant, the alligator dude charged in on Melodist. At first, Isaac thought he was going to be gutted like a fish considering the large axe he was wielding.

But the Melodist waved his hand and pulled something out of the air. The unmistakable sound of a sword being unsheathed rang in the air. Melodist was now holding a sword, its blade was thin and straight similar to a rapier. The handguard was decorated with a white gem of some sort that gave Isaac a familiar feeling. Like he'd seen it before.

As the alligator guy charged, Melodist held his rapier up. It looked like a needle compared to his opponent's massive axe. The alligator guy hefted his axe up and swung downwards. Melodist didn't flinch. In one swift motion, he quickly hit the axe from the side and deflected the axe, making it strike the ground.

Within a blink of a second, he followed up with another swift strike across the alligator guy's chest. He yelped in pain as he stumbled backward.

The other members of his group suddenly figured now was the best time to jump in. The first attack was an arrow, to which Melodist parried perfectly. The others jumped in and Melodist went to work.

He could only describe what Melodist was doing as mesmerizing, similar to how he plays his music. Everything flowed perfectly into the rhythm. There were no wasted movements. Melodist weaved through the group of mercenaries effortlessly, almost as if he was doing a play.

Within a few minutes, the group of mercenaries was on the floor, injured and groaning but still very much alive.

"I suggest that you stop." Melodist said at his fallen enemies. "I prefer to not end your lives, but any further provocation would result in self-defense."

The group seems to understand what it means. They hurriedly got up from Melodist's threat and scurried away. Melodist threw his sword in the air and it vanished into nothingness.

"Now," Melodist turned to them as if the last few minutes didn't just happen. "Where were we?"

Line Break

"So you're a mercenary?" Isaac asked.

"I guess you can call it that." Melodist served both Meng and Isaac a glass of drink each. His home was comfy, to say the least. Even though it doesn't look like he stays home often. "Though I'm not often for hire unless the situation calls for it."

Isaac's head was still in the fight earlier that he'd witnessed. Compared to Darius or Hillut who fought and overwhelm their opponents with brute force, Melodist seems to be the opposite. His way of fighting emphasized elegance if anything, methodically taking out his enemies one at a time.

Isaac sipped on the warm drink Melodist just served us. It tasted slightly bitter but refreshing. Not the drinks that he's used to, but Meng seemed to enjoy it.

After finishing, Meng let out a relaxed sigh. "Thank you for the tea."

Isaac hadn't drunk tea before, but he was not against it.

"So, mind telling me what you're actually doing here?" Melodist asked.

The atmosphere dropped. The room suddenly got way more intense. "What do you mean?" Isaac tried to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"I know of everything that happens in this city." Melodist said. "And I hear not of this high-paying job you described. If there is such a thing, this city would be much more crowded." Melodist leaned across the table closer to Isaac. "Also, I have a keen ear for lies. So what are you actually doing here?"

Isaac and Meng exchanged glances. Even though Melodist saved them - albeit he was the cause they were in trouble in the first place - Isaac did not trust him for one bit.

"What are you saying?" Isaac said. Meng looked like the cat got her tongue. "We told you why we're here."

"I see." Isaac knew that Melodist knew that Isaac was lying. Luckily for them, Melodist didn't press further which was a plus because if the dude suddenly goes berserk, both of them would be dead.

To his surprise, Melodist chuckled. "Sorry for my theatrics. I was merely jesting."

Isaac replied with a confident and confused: "What?"

"It matters not to me your purpose of visiting. Just so long as you keep safe." Melodist grabbed his instrument and began walking to the door. "Use the place however you see fit. I just ask you to stay away from my room." He said before walking out of the door.

Isaac was confused. Was he kidding? Was he serious? Did he let it slide intentionally? There were so many questions and Meng didn't look better than him.

"He . . . He's dangerous." Meng said.

"You don't have to tell me." Isaac gulped. "Come, let's find the others."

Line Break

Fortunately for them, Liliora managed to find them somewhere else to stay which was perfect since Isaac and Meng were not looking forward to their stay with Melodist.

It might be slightly rude to leave without saying anything, but Isaac preferred to be rude than to be dead.

By the time they'd finished telling everything to Liliora, Polus came back with his haul for the day.

"He sounds dangerous," Liliora said while munching on an apple. "Then again, this is Losteria. You meet dangerous people at every corner."

"Can't say she's wrong." Polus chimed in. "Everyone here is a good fighter, some more than others. Speaking of which," Polus rummage something from his bag and tossed Isaac a letter. "Ask and you shall receive."

"What's this?" Isaac took the letter. On it was a red wax seal with no logo.

"That my friend is your official invitation to the Banquet of Coins," Polus said proudly. "Had to pull a few strings for that."

The three of them stared at Polus, waiting for him to explain. "What's that?"

Polus looked at them in disbelief. "Banquet of Coins." He repeated as if they would understand the second time. "The largest event for nobles and merchants west of Arya?"

"Never heard of it," Liliora said.

Polus sighed in disappointment. "The Banquet of Coins is like a ceremony. A gathering for the richest of the rich. Naturally, this means nobles, merchants, and sometimes even kings of cities." Polus explained.

"Okay, what does that mean for us?" Isaac asked.

"Well, among the guests of honor would be one of the Three Coins, Captain of the Windy Fleet, Eiko Kamura," Polus said. "You said you wanted to meet them, right?"

This was good news. The purpose of their visit was to convince the Three Coins and the merchant fleet that will be sailing to the White Kingdom that the White Kingdom were friendlies, and also to find out if Losteria mean to do business or invade.

And if anyone knows anything about the merchant fleet, it will be a member of the Three Coins that are in charge of the ocean routes of the Losterian Pathways.

"Thanks, Polus." Isaac smiled. "You did great." Polus beamed with pride. "When is the banquet?"

"About three days from now," Polus said.

So they have a time limit here. They need to find any information regarding the merchant fleet, the Three Coin leader that's in charge of it, and also the traitor, all before they set sail which they don't know when that'll be. If Isaac had to bet, they had until the Banquet of Coins to find out all the information they can since all the merchants will be gathering there.

"That's our deadline," Isaac said. "Polus, I want to explain something to you so you might want to take a seat."

As of right now, he trusts Polus completely despite how they met. Polus had done so much for them that they would've had a rough time getting their mission done if it weren't for Polus. As far as he knew, he trusted Polus as one of his friends.

And so, he explained everything to Polus. Where he, Meng, and Liliora came from. Why they're on an adventure to Losteria, and why they wanted an audience with the Three Coins.

After explaining all that, Polus threw his hands up in exasperation, to Isaac's surprise. "You could've told me sooner!"

Isaac expected some sort of reaction, but this wasn't one of them. "What do you mean?"

"Could've gotten a discount on the invitation if I told you guys were from the White Kingdom." Polus sighed. "They're interested in merchants from other lands. Since no merchants have ever been into the White Kingdom before, they'd be interested in you."

Isaac shrugged. "Sorry."

Polus chuckled. "It's fine." He said. "The White Kingdom, huh?"

"Yep," Liliora said. "None of us were born there though. I was summoned, Meng came from outside, and Isaac was brought in by the White Witch."

"Would love to visit there one day with Tristina," Polus said wistfully.

"Which brings me to my plan," Isaac said. "So, listen up." Isaac took a few deep breaths before explaining. "Meng, you and I will be focusing on entering the banquet. This means getting fancy and learning the proper etiquette so we don't look out of place."

Meng groaned. Formalities were among her least favorite things.

"Liliora, I'm gonna need you to find something out for me," Isaac said. "There's a woman here. Iola's wife."

"Oh, he mentioned her," Liliora said. "You want me to look for her?"

Isaac nodded. "Just to make sure she's safe. Iola was worried about her wife and I want to reassure him of her safety. And also we need to find this person that will guide the fleet. They'll be from the White Kingdom, but aside from that, we know nothing else. I'll leave it up to you."

"You got it."

"And Polus," Isaac said. "I need you to find out about the merchant fleet. Everything you can find. How many people? Who will be on board? When will it depart? What will it be carrying? Find out everything you can."

"Wait, you're trusting me with a job?" Polus asked.

Isaac frowned. "What? You can't do it?"

"Oh, I can do it alright," Polus said. "But I'm not one of you guys. I'm just here to help."

"And right now, I'm asking for your help." Isaac smiled. "You might not be from the White Kingdom, but you're part of our group now. As well as Tristina."

Polus looked like he was about to cry. Then he bawled as he hugged Isaac and kept rubbing his cheek on his. "Thank you so much! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Bah, get off me." Isaac struggled. "If you wanna thank me then just do what I told you to."

"Yes sir!" Polus saluted and went outside. Isaac sighed while Liliora and Meng just laughed.

Some things never change.