The last three days passed quite fast. Agatha stayed in the library the whole time, learning new things about the Sky Mountains and the world beneath. She was increasingly excited to clear the clouds and see the rest of the world. Roud finished the repairs on his boat, Menethas played around with Bracchius, cooked meals for everybody, and had fun outside playing with his owl.

  Agatha could almost walk by herself, but she still needed help with the crutch. That morning, the sun was bright in the sky with very few clouds, and the wind was fresh and cozy at the same time. Agatha walked the stairs to Roud’s ship and sat on a bench with some red pillows on it. Bracchius flew inside the kitchen looking for something to eat. Meanwhile, Roud was on the nearby grassy field, talking to Menethas.

  “So, should we all go with my ship?” asked Roud,

  “Mmmh, it might be fun, Roud, but I guess it's better if I also take mine...we have to do at least half the voyage together, but then, we might split”, replied Menethas,

  “I see, well, the first place we need to go is?” asked Roud,

  “Your hometown, Roud...” replied Menethas,

  “Really? Don’t we have to go talk to the King first?” asked Roud,

  “Yes, we do have to talk to the King, but first we need to convince your mentor to come with us...you know, the King does not like his kind after the civil war...” replied Menethas,

  “Sounds good to me! Ahah! I was actually also missing seeing my mother, Celest; it has been a while for me to come back home lately...all these Wizard of Light duties have covered me with work lately!” said Roud,

  “Ok, make sure Agatha is safe on your ship. If you take the cliff on the right, you should be able to depart without any problem...the hard part is entering here, not exiting”, said Menethas with a big smile.

  “Fifififiuu, fififiuuu”, he whisled. The owl came to sit on Menethas' shoulder while walking back to his home tower.

  “Where is master Menethas going?” asked Agatha to Roud when he jumped on the ship.

  “He has to take his own boat; we might have to split at some point in our journey. So better this way...”, said Roud,

  “So, where are we going now, Roud? I do not want the King to see me like this. What will he think of me, dressed like this and unable to walk? Does it not seem like I'm already a failure of a queen?” asked Agatha,

  “Oh, ahahah! Do not worry, Agatha. We are going first to my village, guess what, you are going to meet my mother!” said Roud, smiling.

  “We are going to your village to see your mother? Does it seem a bit selfish when we need to open the chambers with the keys and open the clouds? Am I not seeing my Grandpa, too?” asked Agatha,

  “I know, I know, I apologise, but we are going there to actually convince my mentor to help us catch the Golden Bird! My mom just lives in the same village, so why not have a nice meal at her place, don’t you think?” asked Roud while navigating the ship out of the Wind Island.

  The ship went out very softly with no problems. After leaving the island, Roud slowed down the flight of the ship in order to wait for Menethas to come with his ship.

  “I guess we can have a meal with your mother, Roud. If we need to truly convince your mentor to help us...who actually is this mentor of yours?” asked Agatha,

  “Oh, he is just a man who taught me to fight. I was always so bad at it. I was used to getting beaten by him any time I failed to dodge an easy stab...ahahah. But things changed when I bonded with the stone; somehow, he couldn't hit me anymore, even with his strongest attack...do not worry, he is not bad, he is a good man...you will like him”, replied Roud.

  The wind started to become stronger, and from the northern part of the tower, a ship flew towards them. It was not real... at least, that was what Agatha thought. The ship was smaller than Roud’s ship; it looked like a sloop. The sloop was painted light blue, with white clouds carved on it. Menethas was navigating on top of the quarterdeck. On the right and left sides of the ship’s wheel, there were two sculptures of animals with their mouths open towards the driver. From time to time, Menethas was driving some wind into the sculptures, which generated power in the ship via a wind mechanism, similar to those used by artisans to create sounds inside houses or on balconies to protect against bad spirits. But the strangest thing about Menetha’s ship was not the system itself; it was the sails! The sails were not of Brenath Silk or any silk! The sails were clouds!

  Roud also looked at the ship, amazed. He, of course, had no memory of this ship; maybe it was something new, or maybe he still had to get it back in his very long memory to recover.

  “Hellooo...what are those faces? Lead the way, Roud. I imagine you know the Emerald Root to take to arrive at your village! Aahah!” laughed Menethas with his owl on his shoulder.

  The two ships sailed together in the direction of Roud’s hometown. From time to time, folks with ships slowed down, looking at the two rare ships happily. They asked Roud and Menethas where they could find those types of ships, whether they were sellers, shipmakers, or else.

  They, of course, replied easily:

  “We are Wizards!”

  Some folk did not believe them, and some others thought it was a joke. Some others got scared by the reply, and some more wanted an autograph. The rest of the journey went fine. Agatha looked at some Sky Islands from time to time, seeing magical creatures flying around. They had to travel for about half a day, but they finally reached the Island of the Temeria Village.

  The island was not very big; it was actually a small-to-medium-sized island, and it was quite rocky, with two mountains on the right and left. In the middle of the touching of the two mountains, quite hidden but in a very good position for the sun, lies the Temeria Village. Trees were covering the lowest part of the Island and some parts around the village, but the rest of the mountains were only rocks.

  The village was quite rural, with wooden houses with thatched, solid, and firm roofs. Some houses had colored walls in pale red, orange, blue, yellow, or pink. In the middle of the village, a large stone square and a white fountain, sparkling with water. Next to the cliff, docks with ships and boats of all kinds, goods transported, and a lot of...

  “Roud! Roud! Don’t you dare to tell me...for Lord Kloud! What is the meaning of this?” asked Agatha, scared.

  “Ah...well, I was just about to tell you...you know...”, replied Roud,

  “What on sky Roud? Now you tell me? When are we almost there?” asked Agatha, looking scared at the docks.

  “You know, this is truly my...hometown...” said Roud,

  “Your hometown is a mercenary Island? Roud!”, asked Agatha angrily,

  “...yes, Agatha, I come from a mercenary Island...” said Roud with a sense of sadness,

  “You are bringing me to an Island of people who fought against my Grandpa! Those people that I fight with as a hunter, anytime I go searching for rarities! Are you kidding me, Roud? You can be the Wizard of Light, but you are a mercenary? Is the story of the King a lie?” asked Agatha in panic,

  A hand on Agatha’s shoulder...Menethas just flew with the wind power onto their ship.

  “Your Majesty, Roud was born in this village...but the stone of Light chose him as the next Wizard of Light because any child of this world is innocent and can make a change...” said Menethas. He then put both hands on Agatha’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

  “I understand your anger and your disappointment, but Roud has no guilt in this...” said Menethas,

  “He should have told me! Asked me first at least!” cried Agatha with vivid eyes,

  “Dear Agatha, Roud’s soul is changing...he is indeed a millennia-old Wizard, but he is still a child...as future queen of the Sky lands, you need to open your heart and feel what others feel, or you won’t be able to even feel happy within yourself...great lead comes from love, great lead comes from compassion and forgiveness, not from confining people away. Now, we truly need the help of mercenaries to catch the Golden Bird. Be patient and do not tell anybody who you are for now. Yes, we will see the King next”, said Menethas.

  Agatha stopped crying. Roud felt judged.

  Agatha looked at Bracchius, who was licking his toes. She walked to Roud and hugged him.

  “I am sorry, Roud, I should behave more like your older sister for now. I care for you.”

  Roud smiled. Menethas flew back on his boat.

  “Ok, lads! Let’s dock our ships!” shouted Menethas,

  The mercenaries were not scared to see the ships. They had already seen Roud’s ships a dozen times. Some sailors help to rope the ships to the docks. Roud jumped down to help them.

  “Hello Redus! Hi Drasenta!” said Roud happily to the two sailors,

  “Hello to you, Roud! Welcome back!” said one of the two,

  “What on sky did you bring this time, Roud! Another ship?” asked another sailor passing by,

  “What kind of ship is this? You made an upgrade or what?” asked another sailor passing by with some goods,

  “Oh, nonono...it is the ship of my...” said Roud,

  “Of the Wizard of Wind...exquisite and elegant mercenaries!” said Menethas while flying down with the power of wind.

  “Good Lord Kloud! You Wizards are multiplying? What is happening on a lightning cloud?” asked a captain nearby,

  “Oh no, it’s just the two of us and my assigned...ehm, friend, Agatha”, replied Roud while Agatha was walking down the stairs, with Bracchius sleeping on her shoulders. All the dockworkers looked at Agatha in shock...

  She was so beautiful.

  “Let me help you, dear Agatha!” said a sailor without shoes on the dock. He walked up the stairs, helping Agatha with the crutch.

  “Oh no no, let me help you, Agatha!” said another sailor walking also up the stairs to help her,

  “Go away, Nemat! I said it first!” said one of the two,

  “Yes, but I am better than you at helping to walk the stairs!” replied the other one,

  “Indeed indeed, Nemat, but you smell bad, I don’t think it's something you should do when you smell like that!” said the sailor,

  “Oh, really? Because you smell flowers, right, Trish!” said Nemat,

  “Yes, of course, I buy my perfume from Madam Isabel...at the Cloudly Apple tavern, you know? Do I have to teach you all manners?” asked Trish,

  “Oh, thank you...you...you are very kind...and...” Agatha was trying hard to cover her mouth from laughing,

  “Let me smell it, come on...fancy butler!” said Trish,

  “There you go, smell...” said Nemat while opening his white sailor shirt and showing his chest full of black hair,

  Trish smelled...

  “Puah! You smell like my Grandma Linda!” said Trish,

  “How dare you! Apart from that, your grandma is a great woman. These flowers smell like fresh air!” said Nemat

  “Na, you smell like an old grandma...” replied Trish

  The two started to grab each other. Agatha was laughing hard next to Roud.

  “Stop there, boys!” shouted a captain on the dock,

  “He was the one starting it, captain!” said Nemat,

  “He is the one smelling like a woman, sir!” replied Trish,

  “Just shut up both of you and get back to work! And Nemat...yes, you smell like Grandma Linda...” said the captain,

  “Iiiaaahh...” breathed inside Nemat, “I will remember this one captain!”

  Everybody at the dock laughed. While passing through the dock, each sailor made a bow to Agatha, who, with a hat, took it off for a better bow. Agatha blushed.

  Roud, Menethas, and Agatha walked inside the village. The village was decent, but you could see the poverty around. Still, somehow, even with poverty, it felt cozy and a happy place to live. Kids were playing in the main square, while young girls were selling food from stands along the edges. Some people were restoring holes in roofs, and others were trying to paint walls to make them prettier. It felt strange for Agatha. She felt ashamed of how she had behaved on the ship before.

  Everybody has their own story. This is what she thought. Maybe it is time to accept it. Her heart was still fighting against it: these people were the ones who fought against her Grandpa. But even if they did not lose the war, what did they obtain? They do not look rich at all. Did they really fight for their own freedom? Were they always confined? Kids seem no different than the others in Humerian. Why do we fight? Why have I fought against them? Am I the wrong one, or are we all?

  They passed the main square and walked to the upper part of the village. At some point, they stopped at a huge house looking more like a tavern. On top of it, a big sign:

  “Three Dancing Barrels Company”

  They entered...

  A big hall with tables to drink and eat, on the other side, a big space for dancing. On the other side of it, a huge table full of documents, books, maps, and mercenaries' stuff...someone sitting writing down some stuff with a feather.

  Agatha could not see his face; she could only see a black jacket, a wooden leg, a sparkly scimitar on the table, and a large black hat adorned with red and white feathers, likely from Brenath.

  “Captain Zeniat!” shouted Menethas,

  The Captain looked at all of them. He stood up on his wooden leg and walked firmly towards Roud. He grabbed Roud by the collar and smashed him into a table. Agatha was about to attack him, but Menethas stopped her with a hand gesture.

  “How dare you show your face again here, Roud!” shouted Captain Zeniat,

  “I am sorry, uncle! I had work to do!” replied Roud, almost not breathing,

  “You broke Radamast's leg! You stopped us from getting the Enchanted Sword! Now all the army is on that Island!” shouted Zeniat,

  “I know, I know...but the Ki...King...” replied Roud,

  “The King, my gems!” shouted Zeniat rudely,

  “We...need...yourr....help..p..p!” said Roud without air in his lungs,

  “What? I did not understand you...” said Zeniat while putting his ear to Roud’s mouth,

  “Help...he..help...” said Roud,

  Zeniat left the grip with his right hand and brought it to Roud's face, making a gesture of treasure...

  “Ye...yes...yes...” replied Roud,

  Zeniat stopped grabbing Roud also with his left hand...

  “Welcommme! To the company of the Three Dancing Barrels! Anything to drink? Oh, hi Menethas, long time no see...I am still working on it on your education request for the boy, you see?” said Captain Zeniat, patting Menethas on a shoulder.

  “Zuri?!” shouted Captain Zeniat,

  A girl came from the bar, she had ebony skin like the night and blue eyes like the sky.

  “Bring us some Ron...thank you!” ordered Captain Zeniat,

  He then sat on his sofa behind his huge working table. Inviting the others to sit on the stools,

  “Let’s talk business!”