Helletta knew that to qualify for the testing, she needed her master’s approval, and for that, she had to bring back a worthy catch. But she had been so caught up in the hunt, time had slipped away from her.

Now, she had to make a decision, even though she knew it would upset her master. Ignoring the sail, she revved the Helsuk and sped toward the nearest port city.

The city she landed in was called El-dorent. A sprawling port city that sat on the edge of the vast ocean, its harbor was filled with ships of every size and design—sleek trading vessels, bulky cargo ships, and agile fishing boats.

The air was filled with the sounds of creaking wood, clinking chains, and the shouts of sailors. Markets stretched along the waterfront, a vibrant tapestry of colors and smells.

Stalls made of bright, patchwork fabrics sold goods from every corner of the world—spices that filled the air with a heady scent, piles of exotic fruits with skins of yellow and green, and baskets overflowing with seashells and coral.

Traders haggled loudly with customers over the price of bolts of shimmering silk, crates of precious stones, and strange artifacts. Children ran barefoot through the crowds, weaving between the legs of adults, while musicians played lively tunes on flutes and drums.

The scent of saltwater mixed with the rich aromas of roasting meat and fresh bread from street vendors, creating a sensory overload.

Helletta maneuvered through the chaotic scene, feeling the press of the crowd around her. El-dorent was much larger and more crowded than the small port town she called home. Back home, everything was quiet and orderly, with neat rows of modest houses and a single market where everyone knew each other by name.

Here, the streets were narrow and winding, packed with people of all kinds: merchants with their carts, sailors carrying crates, and even a few cloaked figures slipping through the shadows.

As she ventured deeper into the city, the crowd grew thicker. People jostled her from all sides, and she found herself constantly dodging elbows and carts. She passed rows of shops with painted signs, some displaying colorful fish, others adorned with ornate symbols she didn’t recognize.

It was loud, too, with the constant din of voices raised in argument, laughter, and song.

After some time, she found herself in front of a small shop nestled between a tavern and a vendor selling grilled fish skewers.

The shop had a weathered wooden sign that swung slightly in the breeze, and inside, it was filled with an eclectic assortment of items—jars of herbs and powders, strange bones hanging from the ceiling, and shelves lined with trinkets and oddities.

Behind the counter stood a man, a typical southern build, with olive skin that had been weathered by the sun and the sea. His hair was long and unruly, some of it tied back in thin braids.

He was old, with a face marked by deep lines, and he smoked a pipe that released a fragrant, sweet-smelling smoke, tinged with the scent of spices and flowers.

Helletta approached cautiously, clearing her throat. "Excuse me, sir. I'm looking for the place where they test warriors."

The man looked at her blankly for a moment, his pipe hanging from his lips. He took a deep draw, blowing out a cloud of smoke that swirled between them.

"Test warriors, you say?" His voice was gruff but not unfriendly. He seemed to ponder her words, then his eyes lit up with understanding.

"Ah, you must be looking for a branch of the Blue Sea Cradle," he said, nodding slowly. "That’s where they do all the testing for fighters and such. And you're in luck—there's one right in the center of the city."

Helletta’s face brightened. "Thank you!" she replied.

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He chuckled softly, tapping the ashes from his pipe. "No trouble, little one. Just follow this street until it forks, take the left path, and keep going. You’ll see a large building with a blue banner. That’s the place."

Helletta nodded in gratitude, quickly thanking the man again before setting off toward the city center.

Helletta made her way toward what she assumed was the city center, but all she found was an empty, desolate space. Her frustration grew, and she began to suspect that the shop owner from earlier had played a joke on her, sending her in the wrong direction on purpose.

“Are you lost?” a voice called out. Helletta turned quickly and found herself looking at a girl around her age, so strikingly beautiful that Helletta immediately averted her gaze, feeling a rush of embarrassment.

Growing up among fishers, sailors, and drunken visitors, Helletta rarely encountered anything she could call beautiful. In fact, the only person she had ever considered to resemble the idea of beauty she had cultivated from the books she read was the man who had raised her. His hair was the color of the moon, and his eyes seemed to reflect a deep, unspoken solace. He looked a bit like her, though she wouldn’t know that yet.

“I’m Ella,” the girl continued, her voice light and bashful. “Wait… why do you look away?”

Helletta felt herself shrinking even further, hiding behind her hands. “Your face... it radiates,” she mumbled. “And my master says one should always look away from pretty faces, lest they be lured into deep waters, never to surface.”

Ella laughed softly, moving closer into Helletta’s line of sight. “I never thought I’d meet a girl so young speaking the tales and suspicions of old fishers.”

Helletta slowly uncovered her eyes, dropping her hands as she flashed a defiant stare at Ella. “I am a girl, yes, and young too, but I am also a fisher,” she declared with a pride that could only belong to a teenage girl.

Ella's smile widened into something more cunning. “Aye, I hear fishers are an awfully proud bunch.”

Helletta squinted, her expression skeptical. “Master was right about pretty women after all,” she muttered under her breath.

“And to answer your question,” she continued, “I was headed to the Blue Sea Cradle, but I seem to have lost my way. A man not too far back told me to look for a blue dome resting on alabaster pillars that touch the sky in the center of the city. He said I wouldn’t miss it if I kept going south. But all I’ve found are more shops and manor houses.”

Ella shook her head, laughing again at Helletta's innocent confusion. “You call yourself a fisher and listen to shopkeeper tales?” she teased, noticing the irritation that flashed in Helletta's eyes.

Ella had grown up among fishers in the Sweetglade marshes. She had spent years developing reflections—illusions used by fishers to attract prey—and knew how proud and stubborn they were about their craft. She never missed a chance to tease them. When her brothers returned from the sea, smelling of saltwater and fish, she would pinch her nose, mock their odor, and scoff at the baskets of fish they brought home for dinner and breakfast the next day.

Helletta reminded her of her brothers—wild, proud, and fiercely independent. Ella pointed to the ground beneath them. “The Blue Sea Cradle’s testing ground is actually below us, in the waters beneath the city. You know of the rings, don’t you?”

Helletta looked up, seeing the faint outlines of the invisible ringed cities shimmering like a mirage in the sky above them. “Master spoke of them,” she replied. “He said there are worlds above and below us.”

“Aye, that’s right. Worlds for those deemed worthy. But they also say Lord Koleson, Sovereign of the Kerrasuk region, lived in the deepest depths, surrounded by ancient serpents.”

“Sounds lonesome,” Helletta murmured as she kept pace with Ella. They moved through the crowded streets until they reached the city’s heart.

When they arrived, they didn’t find a grand building as expected, but rather a circular, miniature lake set into the ground at a busy intersection. The water's surface was smooth and glassy, reflecting the sunlight in brilliant, crystal-like branches that danced across the gentle ripples.

“Come on,” Ella urged, moving toward the lake’s edge. She stepped forward, and instead of sinking into the water, she walked across its surface as if it were solid ground. Helletta hesitated for only a moment before following. To her surprise, she too stood atop the water, the sensation strange but steady.

They made their way to the center of the lake. Ella pulled a small pin from her pocket, its head carved into the shape of an erect hand with a serpent coiled around it. She raised it above her head and spoke clearly, “To the Cradle under the Blue Sea.”

Immediately, the water around them began to rise, forming a giant droplet that enveloped them both. Helletta’s heart raced; she had never seen anything like this. Ella remained calm, as though she had seen it all before, while Helletta stood in stunned silence.

The water then collapsed around them, splashing and shifting as it transported them away from the busy market square.

Helletta quickly checked herself, expecting to be drenched, but found herself completely dry. She glanced down, noting that not even a single drop of water lingered on her clothes or skin. Before she could process what had happened, her gaze was drawn to the new surroundings.

The walls that now encircled them gleamed with a pale turquoise hue, illuminated by intricate, glowing engravings that seemed to move like liquid light across their surfaces. Massive statues lined the walls, each one crafted with exquisite detail. People moved gracefully through the space—human in appearance but with an elegance and efficiency that made them seem almost otherworldly to Helletta, who was only accustomed to the rough-and-tumble fishers she had grown up with.

Ella stepped forward with a welcoming smile, gesturing with a flourish like a gracious host. “Welcome,” she said, “to the Blue Sea Cradle.”