"That was an outstanding performance, girl," Horatio praised her while they still stood bowing.

"Thank you," Kiyu replied. "You weren't bad yourself, though."

She still had her mask on and forgot that he couldn't see her face. This whole situation had taken her by surprise. But for this minor incident, it had been helpful. So the audience had seen the whole thing as part of the show.

"How about it, can I buy you a drink?" he asked, laughing. "It's been a long time since I've met anyone interesting on my travels!"

Kiyu would have liked to say yes, but she had to go back to the others. After all, they still had things to do in town. Tomorrow would be their big day, and they needed to get ready.

"I would love to, but I have to get back to...."

"Kiyu!"

After the crowd dispersed, Zhèngyi and Laki hurried toward the stage and looked up at Kiyu.

"Your friends?" asked Horatio, looking at the other two. "Then of course they can come too haha!"

"Come?" wondered Laki. "Come to what?"

"To food and drink and a delightful story or two," Horatio replied and headed to the other end of the stage, where small stage steps were located.

"As I was saying," Kiyu opened, "I would love to, but we have some business to attend to."

"Too bad, but I guess there's nothing we can do about that." retorted Horatio, taking off his fur coat and replacing it with a simple shirt.

"Haaa," sighed Zhèngyi. "I think I can manage just fine on my own. Go ahead, you two would just be in my way, anyway."

'Zhèngyi? But why?'

On the one hand, Kiyu thought it was great to spend some time with Spiritformers who didn't want to kill her right away, but on the other hand, an uneasy feeling was making its way to the pit of her stomach.

Wasn't Zhèngyi putting their burden on himself with this?

"Are you sure about this? You don't have to do this alone." Kiyu assured him, looking at her friend.

The last thing Kiyu wanted was for Zhèngyi to burden himself with their group responsibilities just because she could enjoy some time to relax. They were all in the same boat and needed to be there for each other.

"It's alright. I can handle it.", he smiled. "I'll meet you at the docks later, okay?"

Before Kiyu could answer, however, he turned and rummaged up the city map he was managing. Since he had the more complicated route ahead of him, it was only understandable that he took the map with him. Kiyu and Laki could ask their way to the port, which had to be somewhere around here, anyway.

"Alright, I guess that's settled. Follow me."

Together with Horatio, she left the stage and waited for Laki to join them. The ice spiritformer led them a few meters further into a tavern, which was hidden behind one of the many festival stands. Taverns were still open despite that the festival was in full swing?

'And that's worth it?' wondered Kiyu.

But the interior was to teach her better. Indeed, several people had gathered at the tables and bar here, drinking their mugs of ale.

"Let's sit down. Are you drinking?"

"Oh, no thanks," Kiyu replied, taking off her mask. "We're too young, and I don't think alcohol is my thing anyway-"

Laki also shook her head and took off her mask as they settled down at a small table for four. A young server had joined them at the table and was taking orders.

"A beer and two waters," Horatio said, turning back to the two girls. "You've got some delicate moves for your young age," he opened.

"Seems a little stiff, though. Self-taught, I take it?"

He didn't mince words about his assumptions, but he was right. Kiyu had never learned to fight, at least not with style.

What for, anyway? The incident with Rika aside, she didn't need it to fight for her survival either, until two weeks ago.

"Yeah," she confessed, nodding.

"And what about you? You're a spiritformer, aren't you? I thought Spiritformers could only have one ability, but you froze fire and created a weapon out of ice?"

"Ah, the one ability thing is vague," he explained with a laugh. "I can create ice, so I froze fire as well as created the sword. But I can also control ice."

"Create and control?" repeated Laki.

"You could say my ability is 'ice' if you want to limit it to one," he replied.

Just then, the server came back and put down the beer mug and two glasses filled with water. With a wave, Horatio signified to her they needed nothing else for now.

"I understand," Kiyu replied.

Until now, she had always assumed that the Spiritformer's powers were limited to one action. But when she looked at it, her ability ended up comprising several small actions as well. Raising temperature, hardening bones and muscles, and even regeneration.

For several moments, she shrouded herself in silence. What did they want to talk to him about? It felt strange to be sitting here so relaxed. No time for stress, no pursuit, not a single form of excitement.

"Why this stage show, anyway?" interjected Laki. "Otherwise, I only see Spiritformers fighting, and not just for show."

Toras aside, the group only knew two other people with these special powers for them, and they use them... well, not for stage shows.

"Why? It's obvious, isn't it? I do this for a living!" he laughed. "After all, I'm Horatio of the Ice!"

He waved his beer mug in the air, at least motivating those around him to be in a good mood, before turning his attention back to Kiyu and Laki.

"But what about you guys? Two little girls and the fellow, I'd say you are travelers as well, correct?"

Kiyu nodded. "Yes, we heard about the Harbor Festival and were eager to experience it for ourselves," she lied.

Even though Horatio was nice, as long as they were in Xianzhu's territory, she didn't want to reveal too much that could hurt them. Her top priority was Laki and Zhèngyi, and of course, herself.

Time flew and Kiyu and Laki listened to the stories of Horatio, who, or so it seemed to them, must have traveled all over the world.

He had experienced countless places and their stories, or at least heard of them, and while Kiyu listened to him, she felt so small. It wasn't even bad for her to feel so small, quite the opposite. Somehow it was.... Comforting to know that there was so much more out there than just fighting and death.

And it was also comforting to know that her life so far was nothing special, no special suffering experienced. She was just one of many, and fate had not turned against her or anything like that.

Laki also seemed to like the stories of various places, and she immersed herself in those stories.

The tavern grew emptier and emptier as time went on, and it wasn't until almost no one was around that Kiyu realized how much time had passed.

"Shit!" she exclaimed as she stood up. "Zhèngyi's already waiting for us!"

Kiyu rummaged in her pockets, looking for a few pieces of money to pay for the two glasses of water but....

'Damn it! Zhèngyi has the money too.'

How could this have happened? She just wouldn't give up. There had to be another coin hidden in her pockets somewhere. At least enough to pay....

"The evening is on me," said Horatio, who must have noticed Kiyu's restlessness, "At least you brought some distraction into this daily routine, for that I thank you."

He also straightened up, tossed a few coppers on the table, and headed for the tavern's exit before Kiyu and Laki.

"Who knows, one day we might meet again and then you'll buy me a drink."

With a laugh, he disappeared, leaving the stunned girls open-mouthed.

Kiyu was the first to regain her composure and lead Laki by the hand outside.

It was getting late and evening was falling, but outside the festival was still going on. However, the many booths in the outer areas had closed, and only a small core was still available.

Here, people gathered after coming from their hard work, drinking and talking with each other.

There was no time left for them to contemplate the festival, however.

'I wonder if we are too late,' Kiyu wondered and ran with Laki towards the pier.

Thanks to the darkness, it was no longer necessary to put on the masks they had bought here. No one would look at them, anyway.

They reached the dock of Oras within a few minutes, which was because they had run the entire way.

As always, it was Laki who had arrived at the destination first. Sure, Kiyu could have helped with her spiritual energy, but that would have been cheating. But where did Laki get this energy and endurance? Incomprehensible how...

"You're late," someone said, stepping out of one of the shadowy areas of the harbor that no cone of light from the surrounding lamps could reach.