Age of Heroes

They finally dropped anchors at the famous Port Ana Maria. The sight of seagulls flying nears the port and sound of people yelling can be heard even from the top of the deck.

The quarter master has already gone to the city of Ana Maria. A woman comes out from a cabin. 

'Mikael!' she summons her voice is concentrated to be only heard by Mikael. Mikael who was in his cabin room reading is startled. 

Such precision of control in her internal energy. Admirable and worthy of praise. Now wonder she is known to be a capable warrior herself.

She does not bring shame to the name of her teacher, the Eastern Devil.

If he had to compare between Arial and Rhyssa abilities, it is this. Arial power is explosive, domineering and all conquering. 

Rhyssa is elegant in her attacks, beautiful and deadly in her movement, utilizing the most efficient way to kill her enemies, ever-changing, and have the prodigious mastery over the use of her internal energy.

Arial is like a storm that could not be stopped, a hurricane that destroy everything on his path, a fire that burns every obstacle.

An unstoppable force.

Mikael once see Arial fighting his disciple Mu Xiyun. Mu Xiyun was imprisoned by the Xiantian Manor for one year. 

In that jail of hers she managed to gain fortune. 

Heaven is not blind after all. She learns the Ice Palm of Hundred Misery, one of the lost manuals of Xu Shang, one of the most powerful martial artists during the time of the Four Dragon Slayers Brothers.

Combined that with Arial teaching, she improved by leaps and bounds. 

From his conversation with Xiyun, Mikael come to the conclusion that Arial technique is different from most of the Central Plains martial artist.

Mikael bear witness to the teacher and disciple battles on the top of a huge cliff in Vangua. They were fighting for three days and three nights. 

They did not stop to eat or drink. They traded fist, kicks and strikes. Arial was teaching his disciple for the first and the second day, and his attack was constrained. It wasn't until the third day that they really duke it out.

The cliffs turn to flatlands by the time they were finished. Arial won an overwhelming victory. 

Such explosive powers and domineering internal energy even though Xiyun moves were more elegant and refined, in front of such divine power such as of Arial, her defense crumbles, her stance broken, her attacks nullified. 

After that Xiyun promises her teacher that she herself would deal with the people who imprisoned her. 

She only wanted to ask one thing from her teacher and that was to search for her sister. 

After her release or to be more accurate her break out from the jail, she wrecks the Ermei Mountain, and fighting the seven schools before she realized that the Abbes and her sister have run away in the chaos. 

At the time, Arial was about to launch a second expedition against the rebel forces of Zettel and he task his spies to search any news and deliver it to his disciple. 

Mikael don't really know what happen after that.

'Still not coming?' the words coming inside his ears, ringing with a slight anger. Mikael prepares himself, putting down his book and get out from his cabin.

Rhyssa wears a veil, hiding her face but her eyes scans the port with great attention. She is waiting for Mikael.

Mikael is treated as a walking guide. 

It is true that while the Empress is knowledgeable, the information about the Land of Shadows is scarce. And it seems only Mikael knows about it.

Mikael on the other hand look in fascination at the port. He wanted to explore the Port even if the Empress did not summon him.

He did not stop here the last time. It is the Haven of Pirates, the Pirates Port before sailing the Triangle Sea. 

The cawing of the sea birds fills the Port. 

Pirates when they weren't traveling the high seas in search of plunder, most fearsome of pirates often dropped anchor in safe ports of call around the Dark Sea, before the entrance of the Triangle Sea.

There is another islands of Pirates situated in the Western Sea but they rarely sail far from their domains.

Only the strongest of pirates sails here. To the mouth of Charbdis and to the belly of the beast.

And this ports and harbors really helped the pirates.

Most of these harbors were merely hidden coves or makeshift island hideouts, but over time a few evolved into small cities whose economies ran on the big business of piracy.

They disembarked their ship, the large ship which captures the attention of many of the people on the port. But it is not the size that caught the attention of the pirates.

After all there is other ship that is even bigger than Dragon Head. It was the design on the ship that attracts this unwanted attention.

There is a design of dragons and many people are depicted on the design. 

These people in it look more like sailors than pirates. The pirates in the Port of course realize this. 

But they did not act. 

You can loot. You can plunder. 

But not on the Pirate Port. This rule is known to all pirates.

If even Pirates could not rest without fearing their loot being plundered then these ports of pirates would cease to be a stop for pirates who are here to enjoy woman, some drinks and recruiting other pirates.

Surprising, that the pirates port is the only part of the sea that is safe from a pirate plunder. Of course the mayor of the Pirate cities must be strong. 

If not these laws could easily be broken.

Rhyssa stepped down the ship with Mikael beside her. They have decided to supply and restock their supplies. She gave the sailors gold to buy what is necessary. 

The sailors have already gone to the market quarters to buy all the necessary supplies. Rhyssa and Mikael have decided to wait for them at an inn. 

Buying large supplies would probably take them a few days. 

There is also that veiled man that accompanies Mikael. The man did not say anything but Rhyssa judged the man to be older than her. 

Might be some experts hired to protect him. Mikael is after all a great noble. 

As long as that man did not interfere with her, she will not interfere with him. Not to mention, that Mikael vouched for him and even make the man do some work.

The man follows the other sailor buying the supplies to make sure they will not run. 

This was suggested by Mikael. After all even sailors know that there are many places to hide here in the Pirate Port.

'Mikael tell me about this place.' Silence. And Rhyssa look at Mikael. Mikael is still looking amusedly at the Port.

'Mikael!' 

'Oh my lady. Forgive me.' He said flustered and then he began talking in whispers as they do not want to attract so much attention.

'Port of Ana Maria!' He said almost like a declaration. 

'It is the most popular ports of call for thieves, prostitutes and pirates of every stripe my lady.'

'Yes, I can see that' Rhyssa said. 

She could see a seamy harbor overrun with gambling, prostitution and drink.

She could see a prostitute selling her body in broad daylight, flirting with a few pirates. She could see a pirate is chugging bottles of ale while gambling at the other side of the harbors, laughing all the time.

She just sighed. She will not be here long anyway

'Other information?'

'That is all I know about Port of Ana Maria.' 

'I thought you sailed the Triangle Sea before?'

'Only a little. I did not enter the Pulsating Current of Charbdis, or pass the Sea of Monsters. Did not sail the Ring of Fire. Each one is more dangerous than the last one.' 

'Why did you even sail here the first time?' 

'I have something to do at the time.' 

'What things?�� Rhyssa asked.

'Important thing.' He said nonchalantly, like it was insignificant. People do not sail the most dangerous sea in the world just because of "something"

Hearing this Rhyssa wanted to flipped out. 

Mikael never gave her a straight answer. It's the kind of people Rhysa dislike the most. She likes straightforward attitude and she doesn't like people speaking in riddles. 

Even the Sun priest knows this and tries as much to make it as straightforward as possible when they are talking with the Empress.

Rhyssa was about to vent her anger when suddenly Mikael said.

'Though I remember there is some brethren here.'

'Brethren?' This caught Rhyssa attention and she endures her anger.

'Yes, the Brethren of the Coast.' Mikael said. 

'I never met one of them but I've heard their stories when I sail the seas and stopped at some of the Ports. It started on Port of St Diana. I was there the last time, which is how I heard of this organization. The Port of St Diana is a fortified stronghold, a prime destination for pirates, attracting men of rough character from as far as Ariundus, Ming and Asteros. As more marauders arrived on the island, they organized themselves into a loose fraternity of thieves called the "Brethren of the Coast" and developed their own code of conduct.' 

'Code?' Rhyssa chuckles. Pirates have codes?

'Of course my lady. If they do not have codes, then the very notion of an organization would crumble don't you think?' Rhyssa nodded in agreement. 

They are walking while talking but since Rhyssa hearing is impeccable and Mikael spoke slowly nobody could even imagine that Rhyssa is listening to Mikael explanation right now.

Most of the sailors already know some of the stories of the pirate's port. 

Many of those sailors in Arial employ that accompanied him in his voyage, has sail the Western Seas, The Blissful Eastern Seas with its calm winds and little danger, and the Frozen Cey of the North. 

Of all this seas, the most dangerous of them all is the Triangle Seas. 

Sailing the Dark seas and entering the Southern Seas, people then have to stop to the three pirates ports.

Port of Ana Maria, Port of St Diana and Port of Screaming Souls. Of these three ports Rhyssa decided to stop at the first port before entering the Triangle Sea. 

In the triangle sea is the Pulsating Currents of Charbdis. 

In front of it is the Sea Of Monsters. 

In front of it then is the Seas of Rough Storms where lightning, winds all forces of nature conspires to wreck your ship and take your life.

Then the Ring of Fire where fire will suddenly shoot out from the bottom of the sea. 

At least that is what most people know about it. The only one that could sail such treacherous sea is one who knows about the sea.

'Tell me about the brethren.' Rhyssa ordered. 

'Let us wait after we find a place to sit.' Rhyssa nodded. Talking like this is not comfortable. 

They went into a tavern and chose one of the tables. Inside the tavern Rhyssa could hear the laughter of pirates, and the smell of pirates. 

The sound is noisy and the smell is disgusting. But Rhyssa is not affected by it. How many time she feel these same thing when she enter the barracks of her men? 

'Continue' Rhyssa said when they find a place to sit.

'To be honest I don't really know that much about the brethren. Only that they sell their service to highest bidder and they have sailed the Triangle Seas countless of times.' 

Hearing this Rhyssa eyes brightened. 

'You mean they sail the Triangle seas without harm?' 

'Yes, not one of them is harmed in their expedition. Most of them died fighting the Navy or other pirates. But dying on the trip to land of shadows? Never. Which is why they are one of the strongest factions of pirates that sailed the open seas. Other than those impressive feats, I do not know much about them.'

Rhyssa nodded.

Then she heard an erupting cheer from outside the tavern.

'WOOOHHOO!'

'SHE RETURNS!'

'What is happening?' Mikael asked Rhyssa.

'I don't know.' Rhyssa said and she ran outside.