Fire and drums, swords and shadows.

The dancers’ feet touched the ground at the rhythm of the drums, their blades moved, making flashes of light dance around them.

There were four dancers. Two women in the center and two men on the flanks.

The man on the left wielded two sabers, he was dark-skinned and tall. Next to him, an olive-skinned woman with short black hair held one longsword.

Next to the pair, a red-haired woman of tanned skin held two single-edged blades in her hands, while the medium-height young man on the furthest right of their formation had a bastard sword in his right hand.

They moved at the same time, full of elegance and fluidity.

Ethan watched them move, and a mysterious feeling filled him. It was such a strange sensation, a contradiction, a paradox. It was absurd, but also wonderful.

He watched their steps, how they coordinated with the movements of their arms and weapons. He noted the path of the swings and how it seemed to lead seamlessly to the next movement.

Simple at first, their moves got more complex as the music continued, faster, more fluid. Each of them immersed in their own dance, and yet they were part of a whole, the picture could only be complete with the four of them together.

They were dancing, there was no doubt of that, but they were also fighting. Performing slashes and thrusts at empty air, as they circled and swirled. Shifting positions swiftly, dodging and parrying invisible attacks with their dance moves.

At some points, Ethan could swear the swords left their hands and still kept spinning, swinging and slashing the air by themselves.

It must have been an illusion, he thought, and yet the more he looked the more he was certain it was all real.

It was chaotic yet organized, there was a meaning there, but he couldn’t grasp it yet.

The swings were not blind or brutish, they had a purpose, an intent.

Intent, a will.

Then he saw it.

Amidst the ever-changing swings of the swords, a pattern was woven. Lines were drawn in the air, pieces of truth hidden in their attacks, the Intent behind each strike and step.

It was complex and strange, something Ethan had never seen before, but he trusted his feeling and followed the Intent he had detected. Sure enough, a pattern emerged.

It wasn’t the forms of one dancer alone. Sometimes a move would start on the man on the left, then continued by the red-haired woman on the right, further developed by the man next to her, and ultimately executed by the woman on the left.

Sometimes there was a much straightforward move, smoothly performed by all the dancers at the same time or an obvious sequence that went uninterrupted from right to left. Those were meaningless, dead moves without the real Intent of the dance.

There was a message hidden in the dance, like a code to be deciphered, this went beyond simple moves, it was a collection of movements integrated into a whole, sharing the same root.

The dancing, the dodging, the jumping, the swinging, the spinning, and the drums. All were part of each other, influencing and leading the rest to create a beautiful masterpiece.

This... was an art.

Ethan watched with fascination as new patterns unfolded for him, the music changed and the dancers’ formation changed with it.

They started attacking each other in their dance, but the swords never actually clashed, always slashing empty air where the partner had been just a moment before.

The beating of the drums gained speed and the dancers accelerated, their blades sometimes becoming a blur almost invisible.

Ethan noticed something else now, it wasn’t just the men and women on stage who were dancing.

The swords were dancing too.

A flick of the wrist, and the blade came up.

Another flick, and the blade swung down.

Moving the arm up and down quickly as a whip made the swords twist in serpentine ways.

Taking a step forward extended the reach and taking a step back took them out of the opponent’s attack range.

But the opposite was also true.

Stepping into the attack to duck under the swinging arm, taking a step back to instantly change the target of a thrust.

Ethan observed such scenes over and over unfold before his eyes.

Then the dance reached its climax, with the echo of the drums and the dancing flames.

The Intent of the dance emerged again, filling the four sword dancers. They moved at the same time, each making a different move yet the same Intent was inside all of them; the truth was there, four parts of the same, four pieces of a puzzle hidden in their art, waiting to be whole again.

They swung their blades together, each different, but he knew it was the same.

Their shared Intent coalesced and its essence made clear to Ethan.

This was the flow of the clouds on a moonlit sky, the dance of pearly sands with the desert breeze, the howl of the wind under the blazing sun, the trail of life among the barren dunes.

As Ethan took a deep breath, taking in the manifested truth of this dance, the last beat on the drum resonated in the night, causing the bonfire to flare one last time, proud, hopeful, strong and full of life, reaching for the stars in the sky.

The moment passed, the music paused and the fire extinguished.

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The dance was over, applause resounded in the plaza, the whole audience standing and cheering loudly.

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Yet, as the crowd in the plaza gave them a deafening ovation, the performers only had eyes for one person among them all.

A youth of copper hair that stared at them with a piercing gaze, as if their deepest secrets were laid bare before his golden honey eyes.

But there was no ill-intent on him, quite the opposite, he projected a heartfelt admiration for them and their art.

The young man silently stood and cupped one hand on the other across his chest, bowing his head deeply. Respect and gratitude so intense that was almost physical.

They all bowed, returning the salute. He was someone who definitely was worth speaking to.

But it would have to be later, for in the same table as the youth sat one of the Elder Hunters and the Second Prince of Sahbadia.

The four dancers walked away, reaching a corner of the plaza where a robust old man waited for them while sitting in front of a pair of drums. He stood up and dedicated them a huge grin as they arrived.

“Elder, did you notice it too? Did you feel that?”

The red-haired woman, Issima, asked when they reached the man.

“I want to know the origin of that boy, the feeling he gave me… the way he was peering at our dance, it was like the ceremony with the spirits of the ancients.”

The dark-skinned man, Taus, commented and received nods of agreement from his companions.

“He is an interesting lad indeed. He has already made quite an impression for diverting the monster horde, but to think he could influence our performance of the ancient dance… interesting, very interesting.”

The old man, Edek, caressed his own beard with a pensive look, but he was unable to hide the smile on his face.

“Have the ancestors blessed us with a new chance? I wonder if that's the case. In any case, we should speak to him later, he is sure to have an interesting tale to tell us.”

He laughed, full of vigor. The four young men and women in front of him were surprised by his words and enthusiasm, but they smiled too, the sensation they had during the dance just now was still with them.

It was liberating and hopeful, they were excited and a bit nervous, but the smiles on their faces wouldn’t be erased any time soon.

“Alright, boys and girls, let’s feast! Celebrate and rejoice, we faced death today and witnessed hope tonight. Go, enjoy the rewards our ancestors have gifted upon us.”

“Yes, Elder!”

Edek announced with a laugh and the dancers saluted, then proceeded to go back towards the feasting area, fully intending to eat and drink until they were full.

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“Great performance, right? I think it’s the best I have seen in a long time.”

Kareb turned to Ethan and spoke as they sit back down.

“It was amazing.”

It was all that came out of Ethan’s mouth. As he distractedly stared at the retreating dancers

“It seems like the Sword Dancers made quite the impression on Young Ethan. Was it your first time watching such a performance?”

The prince commented by the side.

The dancers were no longer visible, Ethan turned his head to look at Kareb and Amir

“Yes, it’s the first time I have seen such a dance. Did you call them Sword Dancers? What are they? They don’t seem like simple dancers to me.”

Both older men frowned and exchanged a look.

“You don’t know about Sword Dancers? They are very famous, one of the oldest traditions of The Desert, their history goes back thousands of years and though those Clans are very secretive, they are renowned for their skills and sense of honor.”

Kareb spoke, looking half amused and half surprised.

“They are also one of the strongest influence on this side of the continent, even if a lot of their ancient arts have been lost with the passage of time, they are a force to be reckoned with in war.”

Amir complemented, his face already back to a serene semblance, a carefully trained mask to hide his thoughts and emotions.

“Your country has a fascinating culture, Your Highness.”

Ethan praised honestly.

Everything he had seen so far in this city had been very interesting, it had been one new thing after another, and it was only the first city he visited.

He was already eager to explore more of this world.

Amir smiled after hearing Ethan’s words.

“This is but one of many wonders of these lands, Ethan. If you are interested, you can travel with my group when we head back to the Capital.”

Amir said his words casually, as if they were not a big thing. Kareb gave him a glance from the side but made no comment.

“Thanks for the offering, Your Highness. I’ll consider it, but first I will have to speak with my Master.”

“Of course, it’s nothing urgent, also, don’t feel forced to accept, it’s an invitation, nothing big.”

“Thank you.”

A new group of people walked to the place where the Sword Dancers had been just a few minutes ago.

This group was a band of musicians, none of them carried weapons.

“Another performance?”

Ethan asked excitedly, he wanted to see what the music of this country was like.

Not all the music would have magical properties and make fire dance to the rhythm of the songs, right?

“It’s time for dancing, especially for young people.”

Kareb had a strange smile on his face, and the tone he said it made Ethan wonder if there was something he was missing.

Someone approached their table, the red-haired Sword Dancer from before.

She walked in front of the table, taking a moment to look at the Prince’s escorts that stood silently around the table.

“Your Highness, Elder Kareb.”

The young woman put a fist on her chest and bowed slightly.

“Issima of Thaliss, it’s been a while. It was a great performance just now, a great pleasure watching your group improving.”

Kareb greeted her with a smile.

“It’s our pleasure to perform the dance of our ancestors, sir.”

Issima answered, it seemed she and Kareb knew each other from before.

“A superb performance, the art of the Clans might one day regain its full glory.”

“May the ancestors hear your words of blessing, Your Highness.”

After exchanging brief greetings with Amir and Kareb, Issima turned her attention to Ethan, meeting his eyes.

She had beautiful hazel eyes, sharp, decisive, and curious.

The music of the string instruments started, a soft melody for a quiet evening, contrasting with the rapid and powerful sound of the drums from before.

“Greetings, fellow warrior. My name is Issima Klaidev from the land of Thaliss, It’s a great pleasure to meet you.”

She dedicated him a smile of pearly teeth that made Ethan skip a beat and extended her hand to him.

“I’m Ethan Bhreg, it’s nice to meet you.”

Ethan stood up and clasped her hand, she gave him a firm handshake and let go.

“Tell me, Ethan. Would you share a dance with me?”

Issima asked after a few seconds of looking at Ethan.

“Ah?”

That sound of surprise was all that came out of Ethan’s mouth, he didn’t expect for her to invite him to dance.

Moreover, he wasn’t sure what kind of dance she meant, it could be a normal dance as some couples were doing right now in the plaza, or she could be meaning a sword dance, involving the use of blades.

Either way, his first instinct was to decline, she was a beautiful woman, but he had no clue about the dances of this world, he didn’t want to embarrass himself.

“I’m sorry Miss Issima, but I do not know how to dance.”

Ethan gave her an apologetic look.

Issima looked surprised for a bit and seemed to be thinking of something when Kareb intervened.

“Hey, Ethan. It’s disrespectful to refuse the first dance of the night, you know? It’s also an omen of bad luck.”

Kareb looked at him with a stern expression.

“Really? Ah, I meant no offense, Miss! I seriously don’t know how to dance.”

Ethan replied instantly, but Issima remained silent.

“Nevertheless, you must accept. Besides, the dance is not complicated and she can show you how it’s done. But if you refuse it’s like insulting her appearance and status. You’ll trouble her.”

Kareb spoke with a serious tone.

Ethan looked troubled but let out a sigh and bowed to Issima.

“I apologize if I offended you, Miss. I will gladly share a dance with you.”

She smiled and extended a hand again, he grabbed it and they walked to the dancing area in the plaza.

Once they left, only Kareb and Amir were on the table.

Kareb face changed into a mischievous grin.

“You lied to him.”

The prince spoke with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, of course, but there’s no way he would have danced with her if I hadn’t made up that excuse, it’s for his own good.”

Kareb answered with a laugh. Amir’s eyebrow rose higher on his forehead.

“I’m sure he will be grateful for being tricked into a dance he has no knowledge of.”

“Hah! He will dance with a beautiful girl; she came to invite him herself! This is a rare occasion; she usually doesn’t pay attention to anyone. Do you know how many people would kill for a dance with her?”

“I’m sure a talented young Swordswoman like her must have a long list of admirers, but isn’t that worse for him?”

“Naah, he’ll be fine. He might be a shy lad who can’t drink wine yet, but he can take care of himself.”

Amir shrugged after hearing that, whatever happened couldn’t be any big deal.

Or could it?

“Say, Elder.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“I bet 10 gold coins that they kiss tonight.”

Amir raised a cup of wine.

“Ha! That shy boy and that picky princess? Now that’s quite an interesting bet, I accept!”

Kareb laughed and raised his cup too, they clinked their cups and drank.

It was a fun feast and the night was young, there was plenty of time for enjoyment.