"Who's there?!" a female voice behind the door demanded. Just as Essar had expected, it was Tina, as rough and tough as always.

"Thiss iss Essar. Let me in, I have businessess with Captain Rajen".

There was a pause before Tina asked: "And what's your business?"

"I just told you", Essar replied so quietly that the doorwoman surely had some troubles hearing it. "I want to talk with Captain Rajen".

"I just asked what's your business with him! We don't let all kind of riff-raff in here, you know that!"

Essar sighed. How typical for Tina, picking up troubles just to show how tough she was. "I am very sssorry to ssay thiss, but that iss utterly none of your businesss. You keep the door, and you do that well, but you sshouldn't try to sstick your little ssnout into other people's businessess, especially into my businessss. Now let me in before I tear your waggling tongue from your mouth and feed it to the mute rat I'll turn you into".

That worked. There was a moment of startled and probably also frightened silence before Essar heard how the locks and bolts were hastily unlocked. The heavy door was pulled open and a small, petite-built she-pirate from the Mole Clan, struggling to keep her face emotionless, waved him to enter.

"Thank you", Essar said coldly and stepped through the doorway. He entered a narrow corridor leading deeper into the building and ending into another large door. There were also several smaller doorways along the way. Essar had hardly taken three steps as one of these smaller doors opened and a stout-built Dog Clansman stepped out to block his way.

"Ah, Rachy", the snake-wizard greeted the pirate with an icy glance. "You are ssstanding in my way".

Rachy looked like he was broader than he was tall. Dressed in a black, battle-worn studded leather armor and a bright red bandanna, he was quite an impressive sight. His brown-haired dog head was scarred from countless skirmishes and he wore an eye patch over his left eye. However, Essar was quite sure that both of his gray eyes were well and healthy. Especially the right one, which was now glaring at the snake-wizard with hostile rudeness.

"You're not wanted there", Rachy growled bluntly, tucking his thumbs under his broad belt. He didn't make a move to step aside. "You come in here only when the Captain wants, no other time".

"I came here to talk with Captain Rajen", Essar said, "and I believe he'll be very interested in what I have to ssay. Even though you are hiss first mate, you are not worth of my time. Would kindly sstep aside before I decide to turn you into a cat and throw you into my kennel? Even my houndss need ssome fun from time to time".

Rachy grinned. A scar that partly split his lip made it even uglier sight than usual. "I've never really liked you, Essar, but are you really that dissatisfied with that snake-head of yours? If you are, I'll be happy to remove it for you. Let's just save the Captain from the trouble, eh?"

"What a kind offer, Rachy", Essar replied. It was impossible to know from his tone if he was serious or mocking. "I'll keep that in mind".

* * * *

"This must be it", Silen hissed has he examined a window that was in the wall in about height of his chest. Like all others, it was sturdy and reinforced by dark iron fittings.

"Hurry", Nina whispered as she nervously turned her head from side to side, throwing glances up and down the narrow street. "I've got a bad feeling about this".

"Let's just hope that-", the soldier muttered as he tried to push the heavy wooden shutters open. "Curse it! They are bolted from the other side!" Frustrated, he lifted his fist to punch the window but then restrained his urge.

"Can't you break it?" Nina asked.

Clenching his teeth, Silen shook his head. "That would make too much noise. It would spoil Essar's distraction. If he's actually creating that distraction. Curse it, he probably knew that we can't get in from here!"

"That is a matter of opinion", a new voice said smoothly behind their backs. Both Silen and Nina turned in startled unison to face the man who had appeared from shadows surprisingly close to them.

"Eiji!" Nina exclaimed.

"Always at your service, Miss Anina", the lean Highlander said with his oily smile, performing the best court bow Nina had ever seen outside the Throne Room of the Castle of Windia. "I've always thought that little and sad girls need all the help they can get".

"Who are you?" Silen demanded. He had quickly stepped between Nina and Eiji. "How do you know Anina?"

Nina quickly related her encounter with the Highlander. Her tale was accompanied by Eiji's occasional comments, like: "Nonononoo! I was offering her a fair chance to win!" and "I was the politeness itself!"

"So, you're a gambler and a thief", Silen hissed with disgust as he lifted his spear. "Low-living scum like you cannot be trusted!"

Highlander looked fatally offended. "No need to be that rude! I was deeply moved by Miss Anina's sad tale about this friend of hers. So, since my day has been already ruined, and I don't have much better things to do, I thought I could just as well lend you a willing hand to rescue Mr. Aryn". During his speech, Eiji tiptoed around the wary soldier and started examining the window shutters.

"Hey!" Silen grabbed the Highlander's shoulder. "Not so quickly. Why should we trust you?"

"Now, now there", Eiji replied with arbitrating tone. "Since you've got very little time and you'll need to get inside quietly, you don't have much choice, do you?" Since Silen still didn't look very convinced, the Highlander lifted his hands as a sign of defeat. "You really shouldn't peer into the mouth of a gift horse, no matter how good its breath smells".

"Silen", Nina said quietly. "I think we should trust him".

The young soldier kept his hand on Eiji's shoulder for a moment longer, then he pulled it away. "Hurry, then, Eiji".

The Highlander smiled. "Thank you, Miss Anina. This won't even take a moment". He turned and continued examining the window. Soon he chuckled and put his hand under his leather vest. "Really, now, Captain Rajen, you should get better things to lock up your windows. This couldn't be simpler". Pulling out a thin-bladed dagger, Eiji set to his work with an evil smile playing on his lips. He slid his tool into the gap between the window shutters and jerked sharply upwards. The Highlander grinned with satisfaction as a clank of a falling bolt could be heard from inside. "There we are", Eiji said and pushed the window open. Lithely he lifted his foot onto the ledge and prepared to climb inside.

"Hold there", Silen whispered. "I thank you for your deed, but you don't need to risk your life further". To his amazement, the Highlander just shook his head.

"Nononooo", Eiji replied. "This is like a classic good story or something. Valiant heroes hurrying to rescue their friend, getting unexpected aid from a new ally. I want to be a part of it. And", he added with a cunning grin, "I'm not going miss a chance to pay my respects to my dear half-brother by stepping onto his toes".

"Your half-brother? Who's that?"

Eiji shrugged. "Who do you think? Captain Rajen, of course. Ever heard the term 'sibling rivalry'?" Leaving Silen to ponder this new revelation, the Highlander climbed through window, agile like a…well, a monkey.

"Captain's…brother?" Silen managed to puff. "Oh, by Windia…" He followed Eiji as quickly as he could. His large wings caused him some troubles, and he had to fold them tightly against his back before he succeeded to squeeze inside. Soon Nina followed him. Though her wings had been growing quickly, they were still years away from their full size, so she had no troubles at all in climbing through window.

* * * *

"I am getting impatient, Rachy", Essar hissed. "Inform your Captain that I am here, or I'll have to do it myself".

The Dog Clansman held firmly his ground. "You're not making a single step forward before you tell me your business here. You won't scare me like you did Tina".

"I already told you, Rachy, you're not worth my time. I have very little time now, sso if you please let me go to meet Captain".

Rachy was just about to growl his reply, when another voice spoke behind him. "Excuse me, could you move a little?"

The Dog Clansman nodded. "You've finished your business, Hain? Good. Get lost". He stepped into the doorway he had came from, letting the tan-skinned man to pass. Essar seized the chance immediately and quickly moved forward. As he had expected, Hain was more polite than Rachy, letting the snake-wizard to pass with a little nod. This all happened too fast for the first mate to react.

"Hey, you slimy snake!" Rachy shouted as Essar walked quickly down the corridor. Then the dog-pirate threw his hands up in frustration. "Oh, what the hell. If you're that eager to die, go ahead".

"Have fun, Essar", Hain said with a half-smile. He performed a mock of a polite bow, his hand resting on the hilt of a slim rapier hanging from his belt.

The tone of his words made Essar to halt. He turned slightly to steal one more look of that suspicious tan-skin. What on earth Hain was doing in here? What kind of deal he was striking with Captain Rajen…? Snake-wizard pushed such thoughts aside and nodded. "Have a good night, Hain", he replied calmly and continued his way. After making sure that the tan-skin had left the building, Rachy quickly followed Essar.

"Your business is better to be good", the Dog Clansman growled. "You know that Captain Rajen doesn't like people who waste his time".

"I'm aware of that", Essar replied as he pushed the large door in the end of the corridor open. "I won't disappoint you".

"That's what I decide, Essar!"

They entered a large room, almost the size of the common hall of the Inn of the Three Pirates. It filled with tables, chairs and barrels. Almost every wall was covered with all kinds of flags. A banner with the seal of the Royal Family of Windia, a classic black pirate skull-flag, war banners of the Highlander Clan, there were all there. On the one wall, there even hanged a huge, tattered flag with the sign of the ancient Dragon Empire on it. The room was half-filled with pirates, perhaps the most colorful collection of cutthroats and rogues anybody could ever find.

Most of the pirates were humans, but there were also members of several Clans present. A large group of Highlanders were having a beer-guzzling competition in the corner. A slim and muscular Woran pirate was quietly leaning against a wall, watching the arm-wrestling competition held between a large Farm Clansman and a burly Ox Clansman. Other rogues were also having fun, who was gambling, who throwing daggers into a target hanging on the wall, who was simply chatting and telling tales of their latest deeds. Essar's arrival was shrugged off with a single glance.

In the middle of the room, there was a large table. Behind it stood a luxurious sofa. Sitting on it, surrounded by cutthroats like a king by the nobles of his court, there was a tall, almost black-furred Highlander. He wore a large cape, woven of thousands of little silver and gold strings shining and glittering with the pirate captain's every move. His eyes were bright, almost innocent-blue, but they held a firm touch of toughness as he regarded the snake-wizard coldly. "Essar! You slimy filthy phony-mannered scale-faced fork-tongued crook! What the hell you're doing here?"

By their Captain's shout, the pirates quickly calmed down, every pair of eyes turned to Essar. Within moments the room was quiet enough for the snake-wizard's quiet reply to be easily heard: "Greetingsss, Captain Rajen. I have came to talk with you".

"I can see that", Rajen said quietly. His tone seemed to be a mark, since the massive-framed Ox Clansman rose up and moved behind the throne of his Captain. The bodyguard leaned against an enormous two-handed sword and glared warningly at the snake-wizard. "State your business", the Highlander Captain demanded, leaning forward in his luxurious chair.

"I have fulfilled my part of our deal, and you owe me a favor", Essar began, producing his pipe from the depths of his cloak. "In return, you promised me that you'll take care of ssome passengerss. You haven't filled your part of our agreement. I don't like that".

Rachy moved to the snake-wizard's side and leaned so close that his menacing growl was but inches away from Essar's snout. "And who's saying that you can talk that bluntly to the Captain? Hmm? You?"

"Rachy!" Rajen snapped. "Get over here". His first mate obeyed quickly, walking backwards toward his Captain, never leaving his eyes from Essar's amused sneer. "Keep your mouth shut", Rajen hissed to Rachy as he had finally reached the table. "You don't know how to handle Essar".

* * * *

"Did you find him?"

Eiji shook his head as he closed another door he had picked open. In the dark corridor behind them, there were four doors leading to the rooms they had already searched. Storerooms and bed chambers, but not a trace of Aryn. "What if they are not even involved with the disappearance of your friend?" the Highlander asked quietly.

"That's always a chance", Silen replied as he squinted up the corridor. "Damn, why has it to be so dark in here?"

"Ah, so you like more a good duel on a flat arena and a sword in hand, eh?" Eiji asked as he sneaked to the next door and set to the work with his lockpicks. "I like darkness. It helps you to do things you don't want others to notice. But why do they have to keep all of these doors locked?" He didn't see the black glare Silen threw into his direction.

Nina's heart was pounding. Though this far they had been fortunate enough not to encounter any guards, she feared that their luck would soon run out. With each passing moment, her fears grew that any moment a pirate would step around the corner and spot them. Just a moment ago, when the murmur of the pirates downstairs had suddenly ceased, Nina's heart had skipped a beat. Though Silen had said that Essar had probably started his distraction, Nina had imagined that the whole pirate crew had somehow learned their presence and would come running upstairs within any moment.

Every time a new lock gave up under the merciless pressure of Eiji's lockpicks, Nina hoped of the bottom of her heart that they would see the familiar face of her bodyguard. The quicker they found him and got away, the better.

The door opened with a satisfying 'snick'. Eiji pushed it a little and peeped in through the gap. Then Nina saw how a smile made its way to his face. "Well, how's it hanging?" the Highlander whispered, pushing the door a little more so that the gap was now large enough for him to slip in. He was quickly followed by Nina, while Silen stood behind to stay on guard.

Aryn didn't look very well. In the gentle light of a single lantern hanging from the ceiling, Nina saw a large, dark-blue bruise on his temple. Other than this, he looked unharmed, though he was still a miserable sight, hanging upside down from a chain attached to one of the sturdy rafters. "What the…?" the bodyguard mumbled, wriggling like a fish fooled by the fisherman's bait and squinting at the newcomers. "What do you want? Why in the- Holy Mole!" His wandering and bleary eyes had focused on Nina. "Nina! What the heck you are doing here?!"

"Shh!" Nina replied. "We're here to get you out of here!" Her absolute relief made her voice light. "Silen, we found him!"

"What, Silen's here too?" Aryn struggled to get his thoughts clear. "Oh, man…"

"Eiji", the young soldier who had appeared into the doorway whispered, "Can you free him?"

"Absolutely no problem", the lean Highlander replied. He examined the bodyguard's unusual prison for a moment. The chain Aryn was hanging from went over the rafter and descended down into the corner of the room, where it had been locked into a hook nailed into the floor. Eiji knelt down and set to the work with the sturdy padlock.

Nina struggled hard to keep herself from laughing with joy. They had found Aryn! Soon Eiji would free him and then they could hurry away before any pirate could stop them. With kind help of the Highlander, Essar and Silen, she had succeeded in repaying her bodyguard's protection! No matter how frightening this place was, the world seemed to her a brighter place now. She could affect things, she could survive in this world!

"Err", Eiji said quietly after a while. "Maybe there is a little problem…"

"What?!" Nina's spirit sank again. "Can't you pick it?"

"Nonononooo", Eiji replied. His hands never stopped from working with his lockpicks. "I mean that this lock is…well…hard. I think I can pick it, but it'll take some time".

"Well, get on with it, then!" Silen hissed.

"I'm doing, I'm doing".

"Silen", Aryn said quietly. "The last door in this corridor. I saw them taking my things there. Could you fetch them? Faster we get out of here, the better".

The young soldier hesitated. His eyes moved from Aryn to Nina and back again. He was already drawing breath for speaking when the bodyguard nodded. "Take the girl with you if you don't want her to stay with this monkey".

"Who? Me?" Eiji looked up from the lock and summoned an absolutely offended expression onto his face. "I'm a gentleman!"

That was enough for Silen. He grabbed Nina's hand and led her out of the room. Their soft footsteps moved quickly away, giving way for the silence and quiet clicks and snicks of Eiji's tinkering.

"You know", the Highlander said, "does that hanging give you a new angle to regard the world or something…?"

Had Aryn's hands not been tied behind his back, he would probably have covered his eyes with his palm. Now, he had to contend just with rolling his eyes toward the heavens (or toward the floor, in this case.) "Oh, man…"

* * * *

Captain Rajen leaned back in his sofa, smiling. "Ah, you mean that fellow with cat-ears?"

Essar nodded.

"Oh, yeah, we got him down", Rachy laughed, sitting on the corner of his Captain's table. "We had to-"

"Shut up, Rachy", Rajen interrupted. Then he turned his attention to Essar again. "You asked me to 'take care of some passengers'. I assumed that to mean that you want them out of your sight quickly".

Essar tilted his head. "Do you mean that you have killed him?"

"It was really tempting option", Rachy chuckled.

"To be honest with you", Captain Rajen said, "On the instant you told me about these passengers, I smelled money. Cash, coins, jewels, Essar. You wanted them quickly out of your area, not to simply kill them, so they had to be some characters of importance because you didn't dare to slay them. I thought I could try and see what kind of profit I could squeeze out of 'em. This cat-ears seemed to be a good fellow to start, so we knocked him out".

"Ahh, sso thiss iss a matter of misunderstanding, then", Essar replied. "Good. You made a mistake in your reasoning, Rajen. One of these passengerss iss of ssome importance to me. You know that I don't like other people touching my prey. Return Aryn Ssseaholt to me, and thiss matter iss ssettled".

The Highlander Captain's smile got broader. "I don't think so, Essar. We've been doing favors for each other long enough, so you know the rules of the trade. It's not the one who spots the prey first, it's the one who catches it first. Capturing this Aryn cost me four good men, Essar. I'll have to get some sort of profit from this".

Essar looked as surprised as it seemed to be possible for him. With the snake-wizard, this meant that there was a mild trace of amazement in his quiet voice. "Only four dead?" he hissed. "I expected more. Either Aryn's sskillsss have rusted or your crew iss better than I thought".

"You hit the bull's eye with that latter option!" Rachy laughed. His roaring was quickly joined by snickers, chuckles and guffaws of other pirates.

"Shut up".

"Ssso, Captain Rajen", Essar hissed after the laughter had died. "You've done a very sseriouss mistake here. Aryn iss just a bodyguard. He iss expendable and of little importance. It's the boy he's guarding".

Rajen wrinkled his brow. "I thought he was guarding a girl from the Wing Clan".

The snake-wizard shook his head. "The girl, Anina, iss nothing but a sserving maid. They are keeping the boy ssafely hidden away. Outside their group, only I know where he iss. Give back Aryn, and I may let you to have your sshare of thiss".

The Captain chuckled and shook his head. "What are you trying to pull out, Essar? If the bodyguard is expendable, why do you want so badly to free him?"

"You asssssk too much, Rajen", Essar replied. "If there iss ssomething I don't tolerate, then it iss disobedience. I grow weary of your attemptss to distract me. Bring Aryn to me now, or face the consequencesss".

The Highlander Captain grinned with his sharp, white teeth. "And what kind of 'consequences' might those be?" he asked, starting pleasurably to rearrange the glittering folds of his magnificent cape.

"Unpleasant".

"Yeah!" Rachy shouted with a harsh voice. "To you!"

Again wild laughter echoed in the room. This time, it had somehow more menacing edge in it. Essar noticed how many of the pirates fingered their daggers and cutlasses. Once again Rajen's shout could be heard above the noise: "Shut up!"

* * * *

The door refused to open. Silen struggled to quell the sudden urge to curse out and loud. "Damn!" he whispered. "I should have thought that it's locked just as other doors on this floor!"

"Should we call Eiji?" Nina asked. Her voice was already shaking, the stress and fear had finally started to slowly crumble her spirit. "He could open it in no time".

"He's trying to get Aryn free. No, we can't bother him with this yet". Silen shifted his weight from one foot to another, quickly pondering his choices. "We don't have time to waste anymore", he finally decided. "I'll try to break it open quietly".

"Be careful!"

Back in Aryn's prison, Eiji lifted his head as he heard a muffled thud coming from somewhere. "Hmm? I wonder what that was? Oh, well…" He focused his attention on the padlock again. "I really wonder what kind of artisan tinkered this masterpiece for a lock. Rajen should really equip his windows with locks like this one. Then his nocturnal visitors would be only either his concubines or the cream of the thieves of Capitan".

"Shouldn't you keep your mouth shut and pick that lock?" Aryn hissed through clenched teeth. "Any pirate could hear you if you talk all the time!"

Eiji shrugged. "I always work better when I talk about something at the same time", he replied. "Besides, that Snakeling fellow is doing his best to distract those pirates even as we speak".

Aryn's mouth fell open. First, his words came out as a meaningless blur, but then he caught his senses again. "What? Essar is here, too?!"

Eiji chuckled as he nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes". He lifted his eyebrows as another thud could be heard. "Now what is that noise?"

Up in the corridor, Silen clenched his teeth as he prepared to punch the stubborn door again. Nina nervously watched the stairs in the other end of the corridor. "Hurry!" she whispered. "I have a bad feeling about this!"

The young soldier didn't reply. He punched the door for the third time. His fist had hardly touched the wood when a door right next to them opened, and a Highlander pirate stuck his scarf-covered head into the corridor. "What the hell..?" he muttered drowsily, squinting at the soldier and the princess with a bleary gaze. Then his eyes widened as he realized the situation. His hand flying to draw the sword from his belt, the pirate quickly stepped into the corridor and roared: "INTRUDERS!! ALL MEN TO THE DECAAaarrgh!!"

Silen had reacted swiftly. Before the pirate could fully draw his weapon, the young soldier had stepped forward, drawing momentum from his move to stab his spear into the Highlander's chest. The pirate's shout turned into a bloody gurgle as he collapsed to the floor. "Curse it!" Silen muttered. "Now we're in a hurry!" Without further ceremonies, he turned to face the storeroom's door and kicked with so much power as he could muster.

The wood gave up with a loud crash. A large crack opened its gaping maw into oak. The young soldier's second kick broke the door away from its hinges.

Down the corridor, Eiji laughed. "Now we're getting to the fun part!"

Aryn cursed aloud and wriggled in his uncomfortable prison. "You're completely nuts, do you know that?! Hurry!!"

"Oh yes, of course!"

* * * * 

The pirates' laughter calmed again. But, this time it didn't completely die out. The cutthroats were still chuckling and snickering, casting meaningful grins and evil smiles in Essar's direction.

"Now, let's see what kind of unpleasantness we shall first try…?" Rachy barked, fingering the blade of his cutlass.

"I ssaid before that I will remember you kind offer", Essar replied calmly. "It wass sso kind that I wish that I could repay it ssometime. I alwayss pay my debtss…when it ssuitss me, that iss".

"Wha?"

"Shut up, Rachy", Captain Rajen said. He didn't share the mirth of his crew. The Highlander's face was serious as he leaned over the table and growled: "I know well your power, Essar, but I don't think you could take out my whole crew. As you said before, they indeed are quite skilled in battle". Rajen kept a meaningful pause, before he continued with a totally different, gentler tone: "However, I don't believe in a meaningless battle. I'm sure we can arrange a deal that gives us mutual profit, can't we?" He leaned back again and joined his fingertips before him into a form of pyramid.

Rachy's genuine shock was mirrored by each of the pirates. "But Captain…!"

"I said shut up, Rachy!" Rajen snapped. "Can't I hammer that into your thick skull? I know what I'm doing".

Though Essar didn't show it, he smiled inwardly. Yesss, he thought, You indeed know. The rumors are true, then. You are indeed afraid of me. Only a few more threats and you'll be giving Aryn to me for free. Aloud he hissed: "With your crew and my magic, our deal will no doubt be of the most profitable of kindsss".

The Highlander Captain drew breath to say something more, but a muffled shout from upstairs interrupted his words: ""INTRUDERS!! ALL MEN TO THE DECAAaarrgh!!"

Without a pause or hesitation, Rajen's expression darkened. "Liar!" he shouted to Essar, "I knew from the beginning that you had something up to your sleeve!" He jumped up from his sofa and barked orders with a voice used to command: "Check the upstairs! Close the doors! I want no thieves to escape this time. And", he turned his cold eyes to face Essar. "And kill him! KILL HIM!"

This was the order the bloodthirsty pirates had waited for. They drew their swords and cutlasses, their daggers and clubs. A group of cutthroats ran from the room, heading for the second floor. Rest of the Captain Rajen's crew, Rachy in front of others, prepared to face Essar. As if instructed by a single mind, the group of Highlanders threw a swarm of throwing knives into the air in a single storm of swirling little blades.

With speed that matched his slithering, reptilian cousins, Essar grabbed the hem of his cloak and lifted it before him like a shield. Calmly he stood as the daggers flew toward him…only to bounce harmlessly away from the dark-red cloth, clattering to the floor without making so much as a scratch onto their real target.

The last of the daggers had hardly been deflected away, when Essar's fingers were already performing mystic gestures toward the nearest attacking pirate.

Sparks.

A swarm of tiny fireballs flew from the snake-wizard's fingertips. Their force stroke into the pirate's chest like a dozen little explosions, sending him propelling backwards, knocking several of other attackers off their feet.

This, however, didn't stop the mighty mass of Captain Rajen's personal bodyguard. Letting out a fierce battle cry, the Ox Clansman rushed for Essar like a charging bull, his huge sword swinging through air in a deadly and unstoppable arch. Again the snake-wizard grabbed the hems of his cloak. Quickly he spat his next spell, swirling the red cloth around him. The bodyguard's sword came down to split Essar's head in two. Had it been a moment sooner, it would have caught its prey. Now, it met only thin air.

In a flash of red light, Essar reappeared in the other side of the room. Before any pirate could act, he lifted both of his hands, palms open.

Waves of flames.

With thunderous boom, jets of white-hot fire flew to engulf nearest pirates.

* * * *

"Hurry, damn it, hurry!"

"I almost got it", Eiji replied. Though he was still chuckling, the laughter had now a stressed edge in it. His nimble hands worked with fevered speed. The fur on his forehead was shining with sweat. The Highlander twisted and turned the lockpick, digging it deeper into the stubborn padlock. "Now this I'll call art. Just refuses to give up!"

"How much longer?" Nina asked as she rushed into the room. She carried several pouches and numerous tiny scabbards with a throwing knife in each of them. "This is all we could find", she said and put her load down onto the floor.

Eiji blinked his eyes as he threw a glance on the pile of daggers. "Whoa, Mr. Aryn, you carry all of those with you?"

"You just pick that lock!" Aryn snapped to him. The bodyguard turned his head back to Nina. "Where's Silen?"

Nina swallowed before she answered. Her mouth was completely dry. "He's guarding the stairs. It sounds like some pirates are heading this way".

A low roar shook the floor. It was accompanied by shrieks of pain from downstairs.

"Look's like Mr. Essar is warming things up down there", Eiji remarked. Before Aryn could draw a breath to give him an angry reply, the Highlander nodded. "Yes, yes, just a little more".

"In the name of Windia, halt!" Silen's voice could be heard calling from down the corridor. His proud shout was soon followed by pirates' rough barks and threats.

"Girl", Aryn said, wriggling in the air again as the first clash of metal echoed in the corridor. "Take a dagger and cut my bonds. Hurry!"

Nina set to her task quickly. She chose one of the three longer daggers in the pile and drew it out from its black scabbard. Suddenly, the room somehow seemed to get brighter. Completely ignoring the danger they were in, Nina halted and stared in amazement the dagger in her hand. Its blade was crafted of purest silver, it reflected and strengthened the lantern's dim glow, casting beautiful rays of white light to the dark walls. Even to the princess's untrained eye, the dagger felt sharp and perfectly balanced. She hadn't noticed before that the hilt, too, was decorated with a silver pommel. It was carved into a shape of a miniature dragon's head with two tiny drops of gold serving as its eyes. Into the base of the dagger's white-gray blade was carved its name: Swallow.

Aryn muttered a curse with a low voice. "Don't use that one", he hissed. "Take another". A sharp yelp cut through the air as one of the pirates fell.

Nina blinked. With an effort that required much of her will, she tore her eyes away from the beautiful silver blade and thrust Swallow back into its scabbard. Tucking the weapon under her own belt, she picked up another of Aryn's battle daggers and drew it out. Though it was utterly ridiculous to think otherwise, she couldn't help but to feel disappointment when this blade turned out to be made just of normal metal. "What was that?" she asked as she reached up to cut the rope that tied Aryn's hands behind his back.

"A gift".

* * * *

Silen bashed another cutlass away with his shield. A sharp thrust with his spear forced the pirate to step back again. The Windian soldier was standing over the stairs and did his best to block any attempts of his opponents to advance. The place was good to defend. The stairs were too narrow for more than two pirates to climb side by side, let alone fighting there.

Silen's spear shot out toward his opponent's right side. The pirate blocked his thrust instinctively, only to find that the soldier's spear was already flying toward his left side. Again the cutlass got in time to parry the blow. Silen immediately withdrew his weapon and stabbed to the right side again. He continued these lightning-swift thrusts to left and right, forcing the dazzled pirate to retreat. Suddenly the soldier broke his rhythm, stabbing twice toward his opponent's left side. The pirate didn't react in time. Silen kicked the body hard, sending it down the stairs toward other attackers.

One of the pirates, a lean Woran warrior with two swords in his hands, jumped over the body and ran up the stairs, leaving others to trip and stumble behind him. Silen had hardly enough time to lift his shield before a blade already clashed against it. The Woran was skilled, the young soldier knew it from the first strike. His swords flew up and down, slashed and thrust, seeking holes from Silen's defenses. The Windian soldier soon found out that he was being slowly pushed back from his place.

"Hurry!" he shouted. "I can't hold them!"

"Tsk-tsk", the Woran smirked without breaking the shifting and changing rhythm of his attacks. His blade cut a little chip from the spear's wooden pole. "You can't hold me!"

Silen clenched his teeth. How could such a skilled warrior be dealing with scum like pirates? Soldier took another step backward, then launched a furious attack, jabbing and thrusting with his spear. He cursed this tight corridor, this lack of space. Like all Windian warriors, Silen preferred fighting in open space, where he could take the full advantage of his wings and long weapon. This narrow corridor restricted him just to stabbing.

* * * *

"Openopenopenopenopen… There!" With a triumphant shout from Eiji, the padlock finally surrendered. The Highlander quickly removed the chain, which immediately darted upwards, being pulled over the rafter by Aryn's weight. With a heavy thump, the bodyguard fell to the floor.

"I bet you did that on purpose", Aryn growled as he struggled and kicked to get his legs free from chain. As he stood up and reached his hands toward Nina, the bodyguard's features had once again assumed that dark, frightening edge. "Daggers".

Nina obeyed quickly, handing over both Swallow and the blade in her hand. To her surprise, Aryn just accepted the normal dagger, pressing the one made of silver back to the princess's hands. "Never use that one", he muttered, bending down to pick another of his battle daggers and a handful of his throwing knives. Without wasting another moment, he rushed out from the room, almost bumping into Silen, who had already been forced to retreat this far.

The sudden appearance of Aryn seemed to startle the Woran warrior. The pirate quickly took several steps backwards, eyeing his new opponent cautiously. "So, Seaholt, we indeed get a match".

"I promised you, Lynn, if I ever get a chance", Aryn replied. He grabbed Silen's shoulder and pulled the soldier backward. "Get back, this one's mine".

The Woran flashed a wicked smile. He held out one of his swords, motioning the other pirates behind him to stay away. Slowly and calmly Lynn assumed a battle stance, keeping a respecting distance from Aryn. "This is going to do a world of good to me".

"I doubt that", Aryn replied, whirling his daggers into a reversed grip and assuming his own battle stance as well. For several moments they stood still, studying each other. The corridor was quiet, even the pirates said nothing, expecting to see a magnificent show of skill from both of warriors. Nina held her breath, her heart pounded even wilder in her chest. The air itself seemed to twine and wound around itself, gaining tension with every moment. Again the floor shook, the cries and shouts could be heard clearly.

Darting forward like an arrow from a bow, Lynn charged, his twin blades flashing back and forth in a deadly pattern. Aryn's daggers flew, he blocked two wild blows and suddenly stepped forward, whirling his body to the side of a thrusting sword. His short blade came down, cutting a long wound into Woran's arm. Lynn was still gasping with pain as Aryn swung around and slammed the hilt of his other dagger against the pirate's face. The Woran staggered backwards, swinging his swords before him in defensive arches. Mercilessly Aryn blocked the flying blades and pushed them out of way, lifting his foot into an agile kick. His boot came heavily into Lynn's face, knocking him into floor.

"Not a chance", Silen muttered. Nina had told him that the bodyguard was a skilled fighter, but it was the first time he had actually seen those daggers flying in action.

"Death to you all!" Stepping over the unconscious Woran, Aryn's green eyes flashed with fearsome rage as he dropped his blades and drew a handful of throwing knives from his belt. One of the pirates was too brave, lifting his cutlass to strike. A blink of an eye later he staggered backwards, clutching the dagger hilt-deep in his chest. Aryn's hands darted back and forth, sending his knives flying with almost careless precision. Little blades bit quickly and deep, and one by one the pirates started to stagger or fell, who clutching his shoulder, who his throat.

Some of Aryn's targets were lucky or skilled enough to knock the flying death-dealers aside. But still, they weren't very willing to face the bodyguard who had felled their most skilled fighter. Quickly the pirates started to scramble back toward the stairs. One of the cutthroats stayed behind, bravely protecting his fellows' retreat with the large shield he carried.

"If you want to scare your enemy", Aryn mumbled, picking up his daggers as last of the pirates had disappeared from sight, "always look fiercer than you really are. Come on, we'll have to get out of here!" He turned and ran into opposite direction.

* * * *

The pirates got closer. Essar chanted his spells as quickly as he could, but even his magic could not hold all of enemies away. Tongues of fire flashed out from his palms, bolts of lightning stroke from his fingertips. Air turned freezing cold at his command and even the chairs and tables heard his call, raising into air and flying toward the pirates.

But still, no matter how hard his spells bombarded them, the enemy, led by that ever annoying first mate Rachy, rushed closer.

"Curssssse you, I'm getting tired of thisss", Essar hissed, rays red light swirling around his slim fingers. He clapped his hands together, finishing his next spell.

The nearest group of pirates lifted their swords to strike. Suddenly, their weapons started to rust and wither, as if the time itself had been warped, changing centuries into seconds. This slowed the pirates for long enough for Essar to inhale deeply. His yellow eyes were nothing but slits as he opened his mouth, letting out a loud, keening hiss.

"Look out!"

* * * *

The floor shook.

Eiji chuckled again. "If he's going to continue that much longer, this floor will soon join the one below!"

"That's why I've been trying to stay on his good side", Aryn replied, pulling the window shutters open. "We can't go down there, and those pirates will soon return, so we'll take the quickest route out. Who goes first?"

"Aryn, this is the second floor!"

"I know that, girl. Silen goes first and then catches you. Move!"

The Windian soldier, trained to obey orders quickly and without question, nodded. Reaching through the window, he dropped his hindering shield to the alley below. "Too tight", he muttered, "I can't try to glide down". Drawing his wings tightly against himself, Silen squeezed through and jumped down. Thanks to his heavy chain mail and awkward position, his landing wasn't too perfect or silent. Ignoring his bruises, the soldier stood up and reached up to catch Nina, who was already climbing over the window ledge.

"Go ahead", Eiji gestured to Aryn much in a same way as a host gestures his guests to enter. "I can keep the back guard".

Aryn didn't bother to argue with him. Letting his pouches to fall to the alley, the bodyguard swung himself over the window ledge. Just as he removed his hold and fell down, a group of pirates appeared onto the other end of the corridor, startling the Highlander.

"Typical luck", Eiji mumbled and turned to jump through the window.

"They're escaping!" a tiny female member of the Mole Clan shouted. Snarling with anger, she lifted a crossbow that was over half of her own height.

"Get him, Tina!"

A quarrel darted through air with a precise and deadly accuracy. Eiji stiffened as the shaft sunk into his back with a painful thump. A deep-red stain quickly widened in the back of his white shirt as he swayed and gripped the window ledge. "Damn…the end of…my…luck", the Highlander muttered haltingly. His every word was accompanied by drops of blood spilling from his mouth. Eiji glanced down to his allies in the street. Silen was cursing quietly, Aryn was shaking his head with disbelief. And Anina…Oh boy, that expression! "Get…going!" His red-stained lips managed to form a weak smile, before he slumped against the ledge and then fell to the corridor's floor.

"Eiji! Eiji!" Nina grabbed her hair with both of her hands and yanked as hard as she could as an attempt to ignore the horrible cut that had appeared inside her. All that agility and coordination in his every move hadn't been enough to rescue Eiji. She had known the oily Highlander less than an hour, but within that short time, she had grown to like his over-smooth manners. Silen had said him to be nothing more than a cheater and a thief. The Highlander that proved that to be wrong, he had volunteered to rescue a man he would never really know. One life can often come with a price of several others. Essar's hissing words echoed in her tearful mind. Little did she notice how Silen grabbed her hand and dragged her into the dark, twisting maze that never seemed to end.

* * * *

"Please! Don't kill meeee! I will serve you! I will do anything for you! Just don't kill me, pleaseeeee!" His completely rotten and utterly forgotten cutlass hanging in his hand, Rachy pressed himself against the corner of the room. His free hand clawed the wall behind his back, trying to find a door, a window, a hatch, any way to get away from this horrible monster that approached him with a pleasurable pace.

"And in the end", Essar said with the voice he used to ponder the inconceivable turns and twists the life had to offer, "it iss alwayss the largest mouth that sscreams the loudest". It was impossible to tell from his expression if he really was enjoying this or not. However, the snake-wizard was in no hurry with this enemy. "That iss why I like Aryn. He boastss very little with hiss sskillsss. Actually, I believe that ssometimess, he isss…ashamed because of them. Ssso much unlike the one who taught him what he now knowss about fighting, I understand".

Essar was now but a few steps away from the Dog Clansman. He was well within Rachy's sword's reach, but a thought of attacking was far from the first mate's mind. The panic-struck pirate wasn't really interested in the snake-wizard's theories, either. He just continued to claw the wall and stare into those narrow gateways with darkness that promised him nothing but death. "Please…" he breathed, "don't…"

"Oh, but you offered to remove my head for free", Essar replied, slowly lifting his slim fingers to point the Dog Clansman. "Ssuch kind offersss have to be repaid. I alwaysss pay my deptsss…when it ssuitss me, that isss. You were alwaysss ssuch a hothead, sso frying will be a fitting end". With that, the snake-wizard passed through several mystic gestures.

Bolts of bright blue lighting flashed out from his fingertips, scorching and burning Rachy's dog-hair. The first mate screamed as rays of electricity danced and flickered up and down his body, sending waves of ever-increasing agony.

Coolly ignoring the horrible, bitter stench of burnt flesh, Essar wheeled around and calmly strode into the middle of the room. There he halted and inspected absent-mindedly his handiwork. "And just in case there are those who haven't fled but are ssmart enough just to play dead, remember thisss: I am Essar. Essar Sshoo, a magician and a dealer of information. I can be a powerful ally, if you wish, but to those who sstand between me and my goalss… I am a nightmare of the worst kind. Thank you for your time, though thisss evening hasn't been very nice to any of uss, it hass been very profitable. I bid you good night".

With that, the snake-wizard turned so that his dark-red cloak swirled around him and then headed out from the room.

Previous: Chapter V
Next: Chapter VII
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