On the northwestern coast of the Imperial Sea, the fishing town of K’raka was home to the roughest and rowdiest community of fishermen in all of the Vine Kingdom. A stiff wind from the north blew nearly year round, and the rocky cliffs housed millions of foul tempered blackwing gulls. If not for the incredible bounty of the choppy surf, there would be no merit to living there. The sea near K’raka was packed with oyster, emperor crab, goliath tuna, and the legendary saberfin - an aggressive type of shark which could fly through the air and take the head from an unwary sailor with their sharp pectoral fins.

Four days after their departure from Vinia City as the sun was setting, Agitha, Merc, and Zell arrived at K’raka which was to be their last contact with civilization for the rest of the spring and summer. The single gravel street seemed deserted compared to the bustle of Vinia City.

The nearly fourteen year old Zell had grown a bit over the winter and now stood around six inches above five feet tall. His weight had also increased thanks to Birna’s cooking and his intense training schedule, putting him at around a hundred and fifty pounds. His nutmeg brown straight hair had grown just past his jawline and his green eyes sparkled with the excitement of a new adventure.

With his leather armor, demon bone pauldron, and fine weaponry he appeared at a glance to be a grown fighter. A look at his boyish face and wide eyed innocence betrayed his true age however.

The grey haired and violet eyed elf Agitha also wore her matching suit of enchanted demon bone studded leather, which conformed to her sleek muscular figure. On her swinging hips, she carried two incredibly beautiful longswords also crafted from the shining obsidian bones of the titanic gorger demon slain the previous fall. In a vertical sheath on her back rested the legendary Onigoro, an unearthly sharp curved sword that housed the devil of the same name.

At the head of the formation was the mighty direwolf Merc, outfitted for travel and battle with his own armor which matched Agitha’s.

“Where is everyone?” Zell asked as he surveyed the the scene.

“Either on the water or already a bottle deep at the tavern.” Agitha answered with a fond smile. She had always liked the tough little town.

“So we’re taking a boat south, and then heading into a forest to camp for the summer? Doesn’t sound so bad. I worried Rin for nothing I guess.” Zell said as he kept pace with Agitha’s fluid strides.

“You are just a living, breathing, bundle of red flags. Seriously just ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ made flesh.” Agitha flicked him on the top of his brown hair as she spoke.

“Ouch.” Zell rubbed his head. “Well it’s worked out for me so far. What’s the worst that could happen?” He stuck out his tongue a bit and winked as he retorted.

“I’ll admit your luck is on the spooky side.” Agitha said. “But if anything can collect a red flag it’s the place we’re going.”

The trio made their way to the harbormaster’s cabin to submit their voyage request.

“You’re still alive, Bark?” Agitha hailed the bent old sea dog as she approached.

“So they keep tellin’ me.” The man’s weathered face shattered into countless deep wrinkles as he smiled at the approaching Agitha. His bushy grey eyebrows lifted a tiny bit as he saw Merc. “He’s huge! I remember a little grey puffball.”

“Twelve years ago.” Agitha recalled. “The harpy job was the last time I was here. Four days dangling from cliffs and collecting hag heads.” She added wistfully.

“Mighty heroic given you were piss drunk for most of it.” The old sea dog nicknamed ‘Bark’ for the state of his skin added to Agitha’s recollection.

“Who’s the new puppy then?” Bark shifted his beady pale blue eyes to Zell.

“This is Bait, my apprentice.” She answered off handedly.

“Oh the poor soul.” Bark removed his worn leather cap and covered his heart with it, revealing a shining bald scalp surrounded by wild bushy grey hair.

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“Bound for The Tear, then aren’t you?” Bark surmised.

Agitha swiftly held up a finger to her lips, but it was too late.

“What’s The Tear?” Zell chimed curiously.

“Eh? He doesn’t know?” Bark lifted a bushy brow as he asked.

“It’s a rainforest region far to the south where the wildlife grows larger and more ferocious. That’s all.” Agitha leveled a serious stare at Bark as she explained.

The old seadog took the not subtle hint and said no more on the subject.

“I’ll pin your request, will you be staying at Merrie’s?”

“It’s still the only place to sleep, and I wouldn’t want to upset my ‘cousin’ would I?” Agitha dropped a handful of silver coins in the harbormaster’s open hand and gave him a pat on the shoulder before leading Zell and Merc away from the docks.

Merrie’s inn was the biggest building on the street, three stories crafted of cut stone blocks matching the rocky cliffs of the area. The swinging sign above the door depicted a detailed wood burned image of an elf woman with exaggerated ears and oversized breasts holding two foaming mugs. Zell’s gaze lingered on the image long enough to earn a taunt from Agitha.

“Want to make a rubbing to take with us?” She asked slyly.

“N-no way! It’s just a wierd picture is all.” Zell blurted as he blushed and snapped his eyes away.

“Sure it is.” Agitha let it go at that, knowing that the best ammunition was still yet to come.

The common room was already in full swing when they entered. Drunken singing, laughter, and the sound of metal mugs colliding in zealous cheer accompanied the thick smell of pipe smoke, strong ale, and unwashed sailors.

Few took notice of their entrance at first, but an eerie quiet began to spread throughout the inn. Soon all eyes were on the armored trio. A path opened in the crowd, and a figure began walking slowly toward them through the smoky haze.

“You have some nerve showing your face here, bitch!” The advancing woman growled.

She came into view and Zell couldn’t contain a little gasp. It was certainly the elf woman from the picture on the sign. She was prettier than the picture and none of the proportions had been exaggerated. Her low cut clingy blue green dress flowed about her like the foamy sea. Her hair was so dark that it reminded him of raven feathers and cascaded in waves down to her tiny waist. Her left eye was the color of platinum and the right was covered in a black patch. Where the woman on the sign was smiling, this person was baring her white teeth in an open snarl.

“Careful you don’t trip over those ridiculous things, you overpainted harlot.” Agitha fired back, advancing at the same speed.

Zell was frozen in place, unable to look away. The two met face to face, and slowly their expressions relaxed into smiles, and then all at once they both burst into raucous laughter that spread throughout the entire room instantly. The two elves hugged eachother and turned to make introductions.

“Oh how yummy!” Merrie exclaimed as she stared Zell up and down and licked her lips.

“That’s Bait, my apprentice. Take it easy on him, he’s still mostly innocent.” Agitha teased.

Zell who had faced death at the hands of a mana lamprey, a troglin, and even a greater demon had never been so terrified. Thankfully the scary lady redirected her attention to Merc.

“Is that Mercy!? The little puffball grew up!” She leaped at Merc and wrapped him in a big hug, and the direwolf’s tail wagged furiously at the attention.

“Mercy?” Zell echoed in confusion.

“That’s what Merc is short for.” Agitha explained. “I found him as a pup after his mother attacked me in the mountains.” She finished.

“Huh. I always assumed it was short for Mercenary.” Zell mused. “I like Mercy better.”

“Well, I suppose it’s a party now!” Merrie announced. “Garit! Bring up two kegs of the black stuff.”

“Yup.” Answered a big barrel chested and barell bellied man behind the bar.

The celebration began in earnest after that, Agitha held a mug in each hand and joined the sailors in telling tales of battle and other conquests. Zell happily ate the freshest seafood he had ever tasted. He devoured live oysters opened right before his eyes, scallops the size of his fist, giant crab legs and steaming seared ocean fish. He was watching the boisterous grownups now engaged in an arm wrestling tournament when Agitha’s voice reached him over the crowd.

“Five silver says that kid over there can whip your best!” She announced, pointing directly at Zell.

“Oh no.” Zell groaned under his breath.

“Bait, on the double!” She yelled.

With no other options presenting themselves, Zell walked over to the table where everyone was already furiously placing bets against him. He had arm wrestled once just for fun against Kel over the winter, and his arm ached just remembering it.

Before he could protest Agitha shoved him into the seat across from the muscular dark skinned human sailor.

“I’ll try not to break your arm, kid.” The man said putting his elbow down on the table.

“Thanks.” Zell answered, taking the sailor’s thick hand in his own.

Agitha put her hands over their clasped hands.

“When I take my hands away, begin.” She instructed.

“Ready. Wrestle!” She lifted her hands and Zell grimaced, waiting for the wrenching pressure from the sailor.

It never came. Zell felt some pressure, but it really didn’t amount to much. His confused expression shifted to the sailor’s face which was screwed up and red from exertion. Had Agitha paid him to take a dive? Zell didn’t get it but decided to just play along. With a smooth and effortless motion, he drove the sailor’s knuckles onto the wooden table.

The crowd erupted in disbelief, those who had lost claimed the sailor had indeed been paid off. A few sporadic scuffles broke out but were swiftly stopped by another challenge from Agitha.

“Any that doubt it are welcome to win their money back double or nothing against the kid!” She shouted above the clamoring crowd.

Soon Zell was facing a line of challengers, and to his own amazement beating them with next to no effort one after another.

The excitement gradually died down and Agitha carried her now overstuffed coin pouch to the bar and dumped a pile of silver onto the polished wood.

“Drinks on me for the rest of the night!” She declared to a deafening cheer.

It was nearly midnight when Zell helped Agitha up the stairs and down the long hall to their room. To his dismay there was only a single bed, and he dropped Agitha onto it. He unlaced her boots as he had done so many times after her nights partying with the rowdy dwarves of Vinia City.

“Bait.” Agitha said coarsely, her voice spent after all the loud conversation and laughter in the smokey common room.

“Aye.” He responded absently, pulling the covers over her.

“I don’t really kick in my sleep.” She said as she rolled over to make room in the bed.

He didn’t reply other than to lie next to her on top of the covers. Merc curled up at the foot of the bed and they all fell quickly asleep.