All of them sat on the stools in front of the big table. Agatha could not believe it, sitting in front of her, the same captain she was about to fight on the wild island right before Roud interrupted them...she remembered how he treated his underlings, Titus, was that his name? Did he just punch him in the face and knock him down before going with Radamast to check the Ghyphon?

  “Is this...your...mentor??” whispered Agatha to Roud, sitting next to her.

  “Mh mh...”, Roud smiled with his mouth closed,

  “For Lord Kloud...things could not turn worse than that...”, whispered Agatha to herself,

  “My dear friend Zeniat...” said Menethas,

  “Captain...captain Zeniat!” replied Zeniat while looking at the ceiling of the room, annoyed,

  “You have not changed an inch, Zeniat...we are here to propose to you a deal. A deal with your company of mercenaries. We need to catch the Golden Bird...” said Menethas,

  Zeniat looked at him as if it were a joke...

  “I am not joking, Captain. You are skilled with capturing beasts and magical creatures...we are in need of your help to capture that Golden Bird...” continued Menethas,

  “You mean...a Queen golden bird?” asked Zeniat,

  “Oh no...it would be a King golden bird...” replied Menethas,

  “Nononononono...absolutely no...” replied Zeniat. He stood up, walked till the end of his company tavern, and opened the door...

  “You can leave, thank you!” said Zeniat,

  “You will be rewarded with 1.000 golden coins for your task, Captain Zeniat”, continued Menethas.

  Zeniat still kept the door open, closed his eyes. Then he put one finger inside his right ear.

  “We will also grant you a free-access pass to wild islands from the King himself for about a one-year contract. This will allow you to make a fortune and also rebuild this whole village as you wish...”

  continued Menethas,

  Zeniat took off his finger, but he kept his eyes closed and kept the door open...

  “...and the King might also accept to name you mayor of this village, don’t you like the idea?” asked Menethas,

  “Nah, I do not want to rule my fellow citizens, I am already a big shot here...to restore the village? Am I not wrong, but the little punk you made me educate here, who just broke a comrade’s leg recently, is the Wizard of Light? He just got a palace in the capital full of treasures. He will rebuild this village without my help...” replied Zeniat,

  “Mh, what about the Sword you are looking for since your whole life, Zeniat?” asked Menethas,

  Roud made an astonished face and looked at Menethas...

  “What on sky are you talking about? That sword is in Tolmeca...on earth...”, whispered Roud to Menethas,

  “Yes, but he does not know...” whispered Menethas, smiling,

  Zeniat closed the door immediately and ran back to his place.

  “Now...that is good business, wizard. Where is the Sword?” asked Zeniat,

  “It is where you were looking for last time...” replied Menethas,

  “Damn you, boy, you ruined my catch!” shouted Zeniat while trying to grab Roud again from the other side of the table,

  “Yes, of course, but the Sword is still in there...” replied Menethas,

  “How do you know? The army has taken control of the island these days; access is not possible...they must have already taken it! Renigat!” shouted Zeniat,

  A mercenary came running down the stairs from the upper floor. He was also barefoot, in white, wide trousers, a fancy green-and-black gilet, and a red bandana.

  “Yes, Captain!” he shouted while making a weird soldier gesture,

  “Tell the others we are going to war against the Republic!” said Zeniat,

  “Sure, Captain!” he shouted, then ran towards the door... but he stopped and ran back.

  “Are you sure, Captain? Didn’t we do that many years ago? What for?” asked Renigat,

  “Since when do you ask questions of your captain! This is an ammutiny!” shouted Zeniat, not reasonably.

  “They do not have this, Captain Zeniat...” said Roud while putting on the table one of the keys they caught in the tombs with Agatha.

  Zeniat grabbed the key immediately and looked at it as the most beautiful treasure in the sky.

  “So.....so this iss......the key.....to open the chambers for my Sword!” shouted Zeniat with sparkling eyes,

  “Ahahahahah, this is the best day of my life! Renigat, stop there! Renigat?”

  Captain Zeniat looked back at the hall. Renigat has already left.

  “For a lightning cloud! Titus!” shouted Zeniat,

  Titus ran down from the first floor, he seemed just waking up from a sleep...

  “At your..serviceee...Captain!” shouted Titus,

  “Go catch Renigat! I was emotional and told him to say something stupid at the dock. Stop him, order changed!” shouted Zeniat,

  “Yes...Zeniat...” he ran out, Zeniat grabbed a bottle and swung it at the door, smashing the bottle into pieces.

  “Captain! How many times, Titus!” shouted Zeniat,

  “So, this...will give me entrance to that chamber, ahahahah!” laughed Zeniat, again,

  “Yes, Zeniat, this key will give you what you have been looking for your whole life...” replied Menethas,

  “This is the best day, the best day of my...my life...yes, my my my life! Ahahahah! Zuri, where are you?” shouted Zeniat,

  Zuri arrived with the glasses filled with ron for all.

  “We need to celebrate! We have to celebrate! Cheers!” shouted Zeniat,

  “What do we do now...?” whispered Roud to Menethas,

  “Just simply take any magical sword from your palace in the capital, I am sure you have one, he will not notice the difference...” Menethas whispered back to Roud, winking his left eye.

  “Now, how did you find this key? How did you know about this key?” asked Zeniat,

  “We know Zeniat from books, you know? Those dusty things you have on the second floor you never open?” replied Roud, smiling while pointing at the ceiling...

  “How funny of you! You know your uncle has been in search of this Sword since he was a child, and you dare not tell me?” asked Zeniat,

  “Wait a minute, what is this thing...” asked Zeniat while looking at Bracchius sleeping on Agatha’s shoulders,

  “I have seen this thing already...” he then looked at Agatha,

  “I have seen you too!” shouted Zeniat,

  “How dare you come to my home now, asking for help! You also have almost ruined my dream of having my sword! You were there fighting against us on the wild Island, hunter!” shouted Zeniat.

  He took a big scimitar under the table and pointed it at Agatha’s neck.

  “Hunters are not allowed in here...princess!” shouted Zeniat,

  Menethas pointed his finger at the scimitar; a tornado of wind enveloped it, and it started to tremble in Zeniat’s hand. He then pointed the finger at the ceiling, and the scimitar flew up and struck it, remaining lodged there. Zeniat looked up at his scimitar in the ceiling, mouth open. He then sat slowly down.

  “Well, well, so we need to catch a Golden Bird King...” said Zeniat, forgetting what just happened,

  “Yes, Captain Zeniat, we need your expertise in order to catch him. Although we are wizards, we are not equipped with ships like those you use for beasts. It might be weeks till we could catch a Golden Bird with our powers, but with your ship, we could in a matter of days”, said Menethas, smiling at him.

  “Seems fine, but I have not had a skilled thrower for months. I lost the best I had six months ago due to a fall, while the 2nd in command is now in jail because he was seen drunk in the capital kissing a statue...” said Zeniat,

  “We will help. After all, even if you despise Agatha, yes, this is her name, she is a professional hunter. And not only that...we already had plans to recruit Kenji”, said Menethas,

  “What? Oh no...that guy? No...I cannot work with that guy, he won’t put feet on my ship!” shouted Zeniat,

  “He won’t set foot on your ship, Captain Zeniat. We need his skills to drive the Bird to our catch”, replied Menethas,

  “All of this will make me have my sword?” asked Zeniat, looking at Menethas suspiciously, trying to understand if it was going to be truly worth it.

  “Yes, Captain Zeniat...with your help, you will get your sword”, replied Menethas, very sure of it.

  “Can I go check on Radamast, Zeniat?” asked Roud,

  “Yes, sure, off you go”, replied Zeniat,

  Roud walked the stairs of the main hall up and knocked on Radamast's shared room. The rooms were very simple, with just two to four cast-iron beds in wooden rooms. Some rooms had posters of expensive ships and boats, and some others of nice, good-looking women.

  “Who is there?” asked a broken voice,

  “It’s me, Radamast...I am here to cure you...” replied Roud,

  “Finally! Why did it take you so long this time? Are you not part of the crew anymore?” asked Radamast,

  Roud entered and saw Radamast on his bed with the broken leg.

  “I am sorry, Radamast, I did not expect to break your leg, I only thought to scare you...” said Roud,

  He put his hands on Radamast's broken leg and mumbled a spell; his hands turned light, and he somehow healed Radamast's leg in part.

  “Yes! Thank you, boy!” shouted Radamast,

  “Why did you stop us? We know you have to work for the king now...but what business on a wild Island?” asked Radamast,

  “You know, Radamast...we are going back there. I will tell you later if you can wait...” replied Roud,

  “You think I can wait? Come on! I have been sitting down like a dead person for almost two weeks now! I am not going to walk like a zombie for another two weeks without knowing...” said Radamast,

  “Ok, ok, I will tell you. We just made a deal with Zeniat to catch a flying creature. If we catch the creature, the treasure in that chamber, it will be yours...” replied Roud,

  “Yes! So we can finally stop living like this?” asked Radamast,

  “I thought you liked to live like this...” replied Roud,

  “Are you kidding me? I love our job, yes...adventures, flying around, feeling like criminals. Of course! But you see where I live? You call it life, Roud?” asked Radamast,

  “I guess you are right, Radamast. But if you give me some time, I will rebuild this village and make you all rich!” replied Roud,

  Radamast touched Roud’s head.

  “Roud, you are not to stay here. A miracle happened in Temaria: a boy was born with light magic, and you have turned out to be a Wizard. You will have to do so many things; Temaria would be your last thought. Go away, leave...stay in the capital. You are what makes me proud of Temaria, but you do not have to sacrifice your life for us”, said Radamast.

  “Do not worry, and thank you, Radamast. I will not forget any of you in here...” replied Roud,

  “Have fun with the captain...” said Radamast while putting himself in his bed again,

  Roud got back to the others a bit sad, but motivated to come back and help them all. Once he got back to the table, all the members there were signing a contract with the King’s sigil.

  “Ah, you know, Captain Zeniat...it is law that after signing a contract with the King, at the end of your task, you have to come to the palace to meet him...” said Menethas,

  “For Lord Kloud! Why did you not say it first! You damn Wizards, I knew you were hiding something!” shouted Zeniat while trying to hit Menethas with more bottles around,

  Menethas blocked all of them with the power of the wind and gently returned them to the table. Zeniat stopped throwing them. He then pointed his right finger at Menethas...

  “I swear to Lord Kloud that I will have my vengeance on you in this life or in another!” shouted Zeniat,

  “Will he listen to your swear when you curse him every day? Ahahah!” laughed Menethas,

  Zeniat put his finger down and started to laugh as well.

  “Ok, Roud. Time for dinner at Celest’s house? Tell her I am coming too tonight...your mother must have missed you a lot...”

  Agatha, despite the rumors about mercenaries and her encounter with Zeniat on the Wild Island, began to figure out who he was and how mercenaries behaved. They seem more theatrical and emotional than folk from cities. They look like dangerous people, and they are for sure. Great fighters and courageous people who capture beasts and venture into dangerous places. But deep down, even if they behaved in a certain way, cursed most of the time, shouted at each other, and hate the Republic and the King, they are deeply connected to dreams and caring when it is needed.

  Roud, together with Menethas, Agatha, and Bracchius, walked down the road to reach Celest’s house. The sunset was beautiful, with orange and pink colors in the clouds. They arrived at a small, cozy house next to some trees, and the door was open.

  They entered inside, and it was made of wood with red walls. A table to the left and a big double bed on the other side. A fire pit and a lot of strange items on the walls. A smaller table on the other side and stools, chairs, and benches to sit in some parts. Food was on both tables, along with cheese and fruit. In the middle of the room, a lady dressed in simple clothes, with blonde hair, was still very beautiful despite her older age.

  “Hello, my boy...” she said,

  “Hi mom...I missed you...” said Roud. He ran to hug her.

  “You could write a bit more in your journeys...you know I am worried about you every day when you leave”, said Celest,

  “I am sorry, Mom, I should and will this time...” said Roud,

  Celest looked at Menethas, Agatha, and Bracchius...

  “He always says like that and then forgets...ahah”, she patted Roud’s back... her eyes were sparkly with tears.

  “Please, sit...I was just about to cook dinner...” said Celest,

  They all sat down hungry. It had been a long day for all.