Cira emerged from the clouds into a clear patch withholding a single, small island. The lighthouse was taller than the whole island was wide, and the entire shore was surrounded by ships. Some bore unfamiliar merchant symbols, while others were unmarked. One notably was painted with Earth Vein’s mountainous island insignia.

  No less than three heads turned as Cira exited the clouds, and she could tell they possessed auras stronger than most of her mages, but these ones didn’t look like witches, curiously enough. They each widened their eyes and turned away at the sight. Apparently, a strange woman appearing from the sky was not common. Typically, the women arrived by ship, rather than flying, it would seem.

  More of a crowd seemed to take notice as she got closer, and a couple even stumbled back as she landed. The bricks which paved the landing cracked beneath her feet, but instantly mended themselves. She was basically surrounded by strange looking men and skeevy merchants. Not one of them looked like so much as a sorcerer, and some didn’t even look like they had business anywhere. Yet they all looked at her like some kind of strange animal.

  “What?” Cira shouted, as the heavy black captain’s hat kept the sun off her face and her dark coat covered half of the sword at her waist. “I need a guide. The pay is a single mithril coin.”

  There was a sudden uproar, and contrary to Cira’s expectations, the crowd thickened rather than dispersed for lack of expertise.

  “Me, I’m the one you want!”

  “No, me!”

  “You’re a merchant, Jackass! You’re not even from these skies.”

  “Oh yeah?!” The merchant threw a mean right hook and knocked him out, then turned back to Cira, “It’s me you want. I know all about this place—”

  “Idiot.” A man in robes, but not those of a sorcerer, spoke, “You will never impress our guest with such violent means. Can you not tell we are but lizards basking upon a hot stone in her eyes?”

  Wait… what?

  “Oh please,” A woman spoke, cutting through the crowd with a formal looking dress, “Your muscles and brains are full of mush. The guide this young lady needs is far more beautiful and sophisticated than you dolts.”

  As the woman with ashen blonde hair looped her arm through Cira’s, the sorcerer had one thought. You know, it’s awful convenient when they take the initiative… I don’t think a sweaty old man could pull off the same maneuver though. Should I pay this woman?

  “Well… I guess it couldn’t hurt—” The woman’s eyes sparkled as Cira spoke, then someone threw themselves to the ground trying to bust out of the gathered crowd.

  “Stop! All of you!” A staff with some red catalyst dangling from the end clattered to the ground as she pushed herself off her knees and grabbed it. “Just what is going on here?”

  “Hmm…” Cira eyed the girl up and down. She too had blonde hair, but there were dark streaks along with gold and almost platinum throughout it. For a moment, she was entranced by the way it reminded her of the cosmos on a hazy night. “You might be just who I’m looking for.”

  Realizing that a very particular person in full pirate gear emanating more mana than anyone on the island was standing in the center of all the commotion, the girl craned her neck up to look at Cira and suddenly stumbled back.

  “Who… who are you?” It looked like she was about to cry.

  “I need to send some letters.” Breaking out of the ashen haired girl’s embrace, Cira ignored the new one’s question, “Can you help me with that?”

  Many among the crowd looked ready to defend themselves in case a fight broke out over being chosen as her guide, but now they groaned and turned away. One man threw his cap on the ground and cursed the gods.

  “Uh…” The girl was a little startled by the crowd’s bizarre reaction as she had just arrived, but seemed to grow nervous under Cira’s gaze. “Y-yes, we can do that here. Do you already have the letters written?”

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  “No.” Cira had plenty of time to do so over the last few days, but couldn’t think of exactly what to say. She also just didn’t feel up to it. Things like these were better decided on the spot. As the jaws of fate closed in around her, Cira was intent on proving that she could come up with greater machinations on the spot.

  “I see…” She looked back at the lighthouse than urged Cira toward her, “Why don’t we head inside?”

  The bright young woman led Cira inside where it was remarkably busy. There were multiple counters for gods-know what and each one was fighting off a line. Along the walls were benches full of people just lounging about, seemingly waiting for something or just taking a load off. Some read books or had a meal before them. The two had to push past a small group just to get inside.

  Almost no one was dressed the same, and most of them were armed in some way, be it staff, sword or bow. Even a few guns, but not as many as the pirates kept on hand. Cira had two hidden in her coat, but didn’t expect to use them.

  Everyone present looked ready to take off into the sky at a moment’s notice with mismatched leather clothes and heavy coats. It was easily the busiest trading post or equivalent Cira had ever seen. Just considering the different types of people made this lighthouse seem like some kind of nexus.

  Their chatter was constant, but for some reason started to slow down, replaced with whispers and anxious footsteps. Before Cira even realized it, most everyone in this lobby was staring at her, watching her next move. Even the counters had slowed to a crawl.

  Geez… I know I look like a degenerate in this pirate getup, but I didn’t realize it would be this bad. They can’t be too uncommon. These guys didn’t even see me fly in…

  Cira’s words trailed off as she came face to face with… herself.

  “Hold on a moment.” Cira called out to the girl leading her as she approached a pillar with various posters hung on it. Each one contained a drawing of a single person and the word ‘WANTED’ at the top. The one in question, however, had a portrait of her in her Dreadheart coat, saber in one hand and pistol in the other, putting on a vicious face, as if in the heat of battle.

  ‘Eternal Pirate Empress’ Serena Dreadheart

  Threat level: Dragon

  Reward: 25,000 gold crowns. Half if dead.

  They can’t even spell my name right? I guess that’s for the best… But someone could become very wealthy from killing me—doubly so for capturing me. I daresay it would be no easy feat. Cira peeled it off the column and conjured a mirror in her offhand, striking different faces and comparing herself to the drawing. They really didn’t do a bad job here.

  “Can I buy this?” The girl blanched at her question. “I want to hang it in my room.”

  “I-I guess so…” Cira flicked a mithril coin into the air and when the girl caught it, she gasped. For some reason, she seemed overtaken with fear, stuffing it into her pocket as the surrounding murmurs grew. “What is the meaning of this?!”

  She asked frantically, but Cira shrugged it off, “What does ‘Threat level: Dragon’ mean?” She rolled the poster up and it disappeared. Most others were portraits of pretty scary looking dudes. Mostly pirates with a couple exceptions who looked like mages. Common threat levels she noticed were ‘bandit’, ‘brigand’, or ‘caster’. Their bounties ranged from a few hundred silver crowns to a thousand gold at most.

  One poster stuck out to her with the silhouette of an old man in robes with a pointed beard clearly depicted.

  ‘Merlin X’

  Threat level unconfirmed.

  Reward: 10,000 gold crowns, dead or alive.

  What a stupid name, Cira thought. The bounty was impressive, whoever he was. She could only hope there weren’t any unsuspecting old men who struck a similar shape.

  The entire room was noticeably on edge as Cira sauntered in admiring the bounties. It was quiet enough that everyone could hear this conversation.

  “It means that the threat on that bounty is equivalent to the average dragon…” This girl was really fighting to get answers out. Cira wanted to tell her it was okay, but at this point couldn’t compromise the tension she had accidentally garnered.

  “And how big of a threat do people in these skies consider the average dragon?” She thought it was a reasonable question. Since most people here were armed and there were even witches and mages up above, a dragon might not be that big of a deal, especially if they have enough to consider an ‘average dragon’.

  But the crowd only grew more restless, and the girl looked at her with a hopeless glint in her eyes, “It’s a living calamity that could crush a chain of islands if it wanted to. The entirety of the enforcers would struggle to subdue one and they say only the oldest witches could stand against them as equals.”

  Cira was interested to learn that ancient witches were supposed to possess the same strength as dragons. The two members of the High Coven she had met seemed sorely lacking despite their age, but it would be impossible to mistake them for dragons. Does this mean the Adjutant is someone I should really worry about?

  “Interesting…” She drifted into thought as the girl led her through the crowd on the other side of the room, who conveniently parted, “Er, my desk is right here if you would…”

  She walked around the counter and started rifling through a drawer. Cira watched her depress some strange artifact on the underside of her desk, and it sent mana somewhere distant, but she was more curious than anything.

  “We better get this done quickly then.” Cira smiled, inadvertently striking fear into the young woman’s heart. “What’s your name?”

  “M-my name…?” She stammered, blood draining from her face yet again, “It’s Kindrel… I am a lighthouse keeper here. And yours—I mean, from whom shall I address these letters? I also need to know the recipient.”

  Cira smirked, “The first one is going to the Silver Witch, but it is actually a message from a friend.”