Right after his speech, Conrad had Hopps set up a desk and started the recruitment process for the expedition. He had set the pay at fifty gold coins for sailors and seventy for officials, with the promise of dividing loot and glory equally. Those numbers had left every person in the tavern speechless. Not even Captains of the Imperial Fleet would earn that much for just one mission.

But then, the first bag of coins fell into the hands of a lizardman veteran. It was only the first half of the stipulated pay, but all could see its volume, feel its weight.

For the first time in his life, Rall witnessed the proverbial power of greed. Conrad was certainly a well-respected individual in Sturmwater, but sailors were practical people. Many times had someone landed on these shores spouting fantastical stories of mystical treasure coves or sightings of mythical creatures. But money? That was something everyone would believe.

They jumped on the occasion, crowding the desk and even fighting for better positions. In the end, only the strongest, quickest, or the luckiest would get on the Lady Veronica. Only the best would board on the ship's maiden voyage, one Conrad had invested more than twenty years to attempt.

The recruitment went on for a couple of hours, and Rall got bored quickly. He felt like a quick walk around the tavern would help clear his mind. He would've liked to bring Tui with him, but she had to remain near Conrad to make their act more credible.

He took a step out of the tavern, arduously wriggling through the rowdy crowd. A deep breath when he finally surpassed that energetic obstacle.

The warmth of the Sun was soothing against his cold body. The smell of the salty air was new to his nostrils but certainly not annoying. After walking a few meters away, his gaze turned the corner and reached the sea. When they had arrived at Sturmwater, he had seen the sea for the first time. At the time, he did not have a chance to absorb the mesmerizing beauty of that view. He had read a lot about the oceans that surrounded the Continent and of the countless wars fought to gain control over their waters.

The truth was, most of that infinite expanse was unexplored. It was simply too dangerous to venture thousands of miles away from the land, not knowing whether provisions would last to make the return possible. Ancient Theorzean records told of arcane sorcerers so powerful that they could ride lightning to the other side of the globe and of martial masters so exceptional that could run on water, each of their steps covering one hundred miles. Those were legendary individuals whose figures thousands of years of hearsay had greatly exaggerated. Still, some historians believed that somewhere beyond the territories of colossal oceanic monsters were mysterious lands that only the Great Kingdom of Theorzea at its peak could reach.

Lost in thought, Rall did not notice two individuals in heavy golden and red armor approaching him from the back.

In an instant, a large hand covered his mouth as someone lifted him from the ground. Startled, Rall struggled to free himself but those hands did not budge even a little. In front of him appeared another figure, shorter and more feminine than the one holding him. Yellow feline eyes were the only facial feature her helm let through. Behind her flew a mantle, on it the symbol of the Church of Light. On her shoulder pads were three stars. She was a high-ranking official of the Inquisition.

Her hands moved to his face, prying open his right eye with her index and thumb.

"It's him," hissed a hoarse female voice.

Rall felt the man holding him nod, then they both started moving away from the Wrecked Vessel. It all happened so quickly that no one had even noticed it. Well, almost no one. As they turned back, a tall man in a butler outfit appeared in front of them, his bearing calm and collected.

"Move," ordered the inquisitor.

"I am afraid I cannot, madame," answered Hopps. "But I will be happy to oblige if you leave the little sir in my care."

Rall stopped his useless struggle for a moment to admire the stone-cold attitude of the butler. He remembered when he had first met him, a crazed maniac obsessed with explosives. During their travels, the boy had learned a bit about the mysterious butler. One certain thing was his absolute devotion to Admiral Delaux. Thinking about it, he wondered if he had been manipulated by Conrad too. Still, right now, the butler was Rall's only lifeline if he did not want to expose his Fairylight.

"This will be your last chance. Move, or by the name of Saint Lucius himself, your life will be forfeit."

"This kid is Admiral Delaux's precious nephew!" Proclaimed Hopps, raising his voice to attract the people trying to get in the tavern. "I am sure that the Admiral will be happy to pay large sums to anyone who helps to keep that boy safe!"

"Death it is then. By the power bestowed me by the High Priestess of the glorious Church of Light, I, High Inquisitor Artalia, declare you an enemy of the Divine Light. Prepare for execution."

Her right hand swiftly unsheathed a simple shortsword, which was so perfectly polished that its blade would reflect light better than most mirrors. She channeled her inner energy, ready to strike the butler down. However, she stopped and turned around. With perfect movements, she cut down an empty bottle of cheap liquor that someone had thrown from the tavern. Her technique was so precise that the glass bottle did not shatter, splitting into two halves instead.

She scanned her surroundings and noticed tens of menacing-looking sailors greedily eyeing the kid in her colleague's hands.

"Come on, lady! Let the lad go."

"Yo! Give him to me!"

"We'll fuck you up if you don't leave our Cap's boy!"

"Go back to that High Bitch of yours!"

The crowd roared with slurs and profanities, more people joining in the encirclement by the minute.

The inquisitors looked at those people with surprise, anger, but most of all, contempt. "Ignorant vermin. You do not know your place in this world, so let me show it to you."

The woman raised her shortsword to the sky, and soon her internal energy manifested in a brilliant light that covered it from its hoist to the end of the blade. Those not blinded by the light noticed that two ethereal feline tails had appeared from her lower back, as well as a pair of ghostly cat ears on her helmet.

"Martial Technique - Pride of the two-tailed lio-"

"Stop right there!" Decreed a commanding voice, originating from right outside the retreating circle of drunken sailors.

The shimmer around inquisitor Artalia dimmed as her focus turned to the new and unexpected variable. Three knights in black armor and emitting powerful auras arrived at the scene. They were High Guards of the Borian Empire. In front was a familiar man, Rall recognized to be the one they'd met at the gates of Sturmwater.

At the same time, an old man exited the Wrecked Vessel.

"What in the gods' names is going on here!" Exclaimed Conrad. He had noticed many men and women turn around and shout blasphemies, but brawls were common here, and onlookers were always quick to bet on their results. But then the voice of the High Inquisitor had reached inside, as well as the light from her sword.

And now he noticed that two inquisitors from the Church of Light were holding Rall hostage. That was the worst possible outcome. Losing Rall would mean the end of all his dreams.

"Let go of my nephew, now!" Shouted the Admiral from the top of his lungs.

He was in his official navy uniform, so the High Guards gained a surface-level understanding of the situation. Especially the one who had met Conrad at the gates. He had felt his instincts telling him that the former Admiral's group would bring nothing but trouble, but he had not expected the Inquisition to be involved in it. The relationship between the Empire and the Church of Light was strained at best and even hostile at times. One particularly violent incident could mean a new Holy War, which the Empire's many enemies would instantly take advantage of.

It was the High Guard in front of the three the first to break the silence. "Honored Inquisitors of the Church of Light, let the Admiral's boy go." In his voice was his honest respect for two powerful warriors, as well as the authority coming from his position.

Inquisitor Artalia scoffed, still brimming in the emission of her internal energy. Her ethereal tails waved menacingly, as did the light on her sword.

"Stand down, Black Guard. This kid is wanted for interrogation by her Eminence."

"What does my nephew have to do with the High Priestess?" Responded Conrad in bewilderment. Of course, he had an inkling that Rall's white Fairylight was the reason for the Church's interest, but he had to recite in a way to get the help of the High Guards, for only they had a chance to stop two inquisitors.

"Silence, old man. This boy is no nephew of yours. No other person in two thousand miles has emerald eyes like his!" Roared the High Inquisitor.

Rall's eyes opened wide. His eyes and their significance had been all the talk in Korn, but that was just a small village full of old ladies who loved to gossip. It was true that he had never met another with green eyes, but he just thought they were rare. He wondered what the inquisitor's words meant for his mother's identity.

But now was not the time to think about that.

Again, he resumed his struggle, but the man's bear-like arms were too strong. Still, giving a bit of spectacle could make all the difference for the High Guards' actions.

Indeed, Conrad's identity and Rall's show of helplessness as well as the inquisitors' impertinent behavior, made their decision easier.

"Leave the boy, or face the Empire's Law."

There was no respect in the High Guard's voice now, only an obvious threat.

All three prepared their weapons, long glaives of dark steel decorated with flowing trinkets of mysterious arcane properties. Because of those trinkets, it was common knowledge that no two High Guard's weapons were the same, giving them the element of surprise against new opponents. For that reason, those knights never purposely left an enemy alive, trained as they were to go for the kill with every attack.

Artalia analyzed the situation once more. They most likely had their target, though they had not confirmed his Fairylight. But those three High Guards were a problem. She knew that, once they were in combat mode, hostages were useless against them. Like inquisitors, they were scum. They would not bat an eyelid to sacrifice all the civilians present on the scene if they deemed it to make the fight even slightly easier.

The energy around her dissipated, and her shortsword returned to its scabbard.

"Broly, let the kid go," she hissed at the man beside her. Immediately he freed Rall, who ran to Hopps and near the three knights in black armor.

Then they calmly walked away. Not one person stood in their way, their murderous intent too high. Rall understood what it meant. Neither the inquisitors nor the knights could predict the result of a fight. A rather scary prospect when thinking about the difference in numbers.

The Church of Light... even his father worshipped their Goddess. It seemed he had unknowingly made an influential and insidious enemy.