Her current destination was the “Circus” tent but she checked a few of the smaller ones on her way there. All of them had bedrolls inside but nothing else. It was the case for each tent she took a peek inside. She could hear a murmur coming from the giant tent.

At the entrance to the tent there were wooden stairs, judging by the rough design they were quickly built. Walking up the stairs she could hear the people walking, a few whispers barely audible.

Once Navia reached the top she couldn’t believe her eyes, she was looking for the survivors of the attack expecting them to be distressed, sad, depressed, and losing all hope. Except it was the opposite. People were smiling and almost laughing.

She was standing on a platform that was leading to the side tents in a circular shape. In them, there were stands where hundreds of people sat and observed the center tent, where the slightly elevated platform was placed for everyone to see. On the platform was a small wooden ship with a Beronian flag, a red flag with a blue cross, and a white square in the top left corner. To the sides were placed wooden contraptions, once Navia moved closer to the stands she noticed that they were shaped like waves of the sea and painted blue. On the ship were five people, two of them were wearing Beronian soldier’s uniform, dark and yellow. Three of them were wearing normal citizen clothes.

“And that’s all?!” Shouted one of the soldiers on the boat, sounding like he was telling an obvious joke. At first, one person laughed and the whole crowd followed.

Approaching the stands she saw that all of the people had their gaze on the scene right at the soldier who told the joke that she only heard the end of it.

“Excuse me.” Said Navia trying to catch the attention of the woman sitting right by the platform. The young woman in a worn-out green dress and a white apron didn’t react so Navia repeated the question a bit loudly “Excuse me!” At the time it was total silence and her raised tone traveled through the whole tent, making Navia shrink on herself out of shame.

The woman finally turned her head to Navia and spoke “Apologies for not noticing, I was too focused on the play. What brings you here?” The answered her gaze moving from the play to Navia a few times and then resting on her for an entire time.

“Ehm…” Navia was caught off guard by the question. “I am a warrior of The Order Of Tomorrow and I came here to look for the survivors.”

“Order Of Tomorrow?” The woman asked, amazed by the answer given by Navia. “We’re all alive and well in here.”

“With all those monsters just behind the gates of the shelter?” Said Navia with disbelief as she pointed her hand toward the gates, the exit from the shelter.

“Beronia’s military gots it under control.” The woman answered with a light smile on her face, no worries or fear on her.

“How so?” Asked Navia, trying to understand the survivors' situation.

“I don’t know all the details but the soldiers told us that the army is preparing a fleet to escort us.” The woman calmly answered.

“When? Will your supplies be enough till that time comes?” Navia continued with her questions. Worried about the safety of those people.

“We don’t know when but small ships smuggle supplies for us so we can endure. In the meantime, we enjoy the plays or even act in them to kill the time while we wait.” The woman answered with a monotonic tone and a smile that didn’t change, making Navia feel a bit uncomfortable.

Navia then noticed how silent the whole tent went, looking around and trying to figure out why. She didn’t have to ask because the woman saw her confusion and answered “It’s an interval. A moment for the actors and the audience to rest. Calm yourself and your emotions between the acts in play. Oh. They are about to start.”

Her focus was entirely on the woman she was talking with but for a moment she noticed that all the people behind the woman were watching her and once the play started they turned their gazes at the stage.

As the actors came onto the stage they bowed in each direction to the crowd which was silent until one person began to applaud and the rest of the crowd followed. Looking in the direction of the first claps she saw another platform near the stage, opposite from the entrance to the tent with a single chair, almost like a throne.

A single man with a black bowler hat and a mask that covered his eyes and nose. The mask had sharp features with its top part colored red and beneath the eyes colored white with a single blue line at the bottom. A few dark hairs came down from the hat and laid against his mask. He wore a long black coat with a triangular cut at the end that hung from the throne to his ankles. Under it, he had a simple white shirt with white buttons. Grey dress pants with a silver chain hanging from the right side and black dress boots on his feet. On his hands black leather gloves.

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“Who’s that?” Navia asked without taking her eyes away from the mysterious man.

“That the director. He is the one who made this theater and runs it. Magnificent playmaker. If I could, I would never leave that place.” Said the woman.

Navia was a bit horrified by her answer and looking back at the woman she wasn’t even looking at her. She was entirely focused on the play. Navia raised her hand and was about to wave it in front of the woman’s face but a sudden voice made her flinch.

“Good day young lady.” Turning around she saw the direction in a flesh, bowing to greet her.

“Good day…” She hesitantly answered.

“My name is Sive Herming. Director and creator of this wonderful theater.” Introduced himself to the man as he pointed his gloved hand toward the stage and the act began as if on his command.

“I’m Navia Silckthron of The Order Of Tomorrow.” Answered Navia, her eyes piercing right through the mysterious director.

“Miss Navia…” The man tapped the cheek of his face with a finger. “You’re bleeding… And your blood is… Black…” Sive said with a bit worried expression as he reached for her wounds but held his hand back to not touch the woman without her permission.

“Oh… It must be because it's drying. I injured myself while running from the barnacles.” Answered Navia as she took a step back from the man, her gaze falling on his legs as she didn’t want to look at his face, expecting a disgusting expression from the man.

“The ones in front of the mountain? How did you escape them?” Sive asked, clearly intrigued by Navia’s appearance and the hole in her armor.

“I used cannons from the fourth wall to distract them and lure them into the fog. While running from one of them I had to jump through the window and the glass shards must have cut my face.” Answered Navia as she pressed a hand against a wound and took a look at the blood which surprised her how dark it was.

Before she could linger on it any longer, the man gasped, and his eyes shined as he said, “Brilliant! I must put it in one of my plays! Amazing improvisation, daring! And the thrilling chase!” Sive took out a piece of paper and a pen and began writing it all down, a wide grin on his face as he did so. Once he finished, he looked at Navia and realized that his smile was a bit terrifying. “My apologies. Theater is my passion and… How do I say it? I become so excited… that I wouldn’t even notice a missing arm or leg while preparing a script or playing on stage.” The man answered with an innocent smile on his face.

“Why did you decide to make a theater in here?” Asked uncomfortably Navia as she grabbed her right wrist, curious about the truth and she didn’t want to hear more terrifying comparisons.

“When I came here… Everyone was so scared and anxious. The children were crying, and the parents tried their best to calm them down, but their true feelings were hard to cover. I thought that a play would distract them from the terrifying things outside, and I saw a chance to perform in front of a massive audience.” The man explained as he acted like a sad parent at the beginning and finished it with excitement that he held for the theatre.

“That’s very kind of you.” Navia said with a warm smile, even though his character was a bit weird his intentions were kind in her eyes.

Sive’s eyes shined with curiosity as he looked at the young woman in front of him. “Perhaps you could perform on my stage?” The man asked as he slowly moved his gaze toward the actors.

“I’m a warrior, not an actor… I don’t belong on the stage…” Navia turned her head around to hide her embarrassment.

“Everyone can perform at the theater!” Said the masked man as he spread his arms and raised them toward the sky, his gaze distant as if he was able to look at something through the fabric and the mountain itself. “Your appearance is stunning! And dramatic…” He said as he leaned a bit forward, looking at the hole in the armor.

Navia took a step back and covered the hole that was right in the middle of her chest, giving the man a threatening look, to which he backed away with hands near his face. “I didn’t mean anything like that. I am a man of culture, not a filth from the brothel. What I meant was that you already look like you are wearing a magnificent costume for a drama.” Sive slowly waved his hands as he tried to defend his action.

“Like I said. I don’t belong on a stage.” Stated Navia with confidence to stop the man from trying to persuade her.

“Look. I want to help you. Silver armor, the teal cape, and the sun on your back gives hope to people and are signs that you’re trustworthy. But those are the people in distress. You might need more for them to trust you than just the look of a warrior. Show yourself on stage and act for them that way, they’ll come to like you, and you’ll earn their trust.” As Sive talked, he moved behind Navia and began to whisper to her ears, as he did that she tried to get away but he quickly came from the other side.

Navia felt uncomfortable and anxious by that man “Well… I don’t know…”

“You want to help those people and if you want to lead them you need their trust… And that’s where you’ll earn it.” Sive grabbed her by the shoulder and pointed his open hand at the stage as he led Navia closer to the edge of the stands.

“If you insist… I could play a side role with a few lines…” Answered Navia, looking at the stage with anxiety but it changed into a small smile as she looked at the stands on the other side, seeing people watch the play, forgetting about the danger behind the gates.

“I promise it will be a small role.” Sive said as he extended an open hand toward Navia, which she shook. “Gate Open.”

Navia’s eyelids became heavy, and her breaths shallow. Strength was slowly leaving her body, and she fell. Sive grabbed her before she could hit the ground and held her close. Before her eyes closed, she could see a maniac grin on his face.