It quickly became apparent why the officer had sent Cyll to the Salt Ward. The wonderous smells of baked goods faded quickly, leaving only that of seawater and unwashed bodies.

Buildings grew smaller and tighter together. Polished marble turned to brick and brick to wood. A heavy smog that had been hidden by the towering buildings in the center square quickly surrounded them.

It became clear they’d reached the Salt Ward when the smell of rank human flesh completely vanished as dead fish and the overpowering smell of stale saltwater assaulted their noses. Even Patty grimaced as the stench assaulted her.

“I think I might get an infection just from breathing this air in,” Maya said between bounces on top of Patty’s shoulder.

“No better alternatives,” Cyll grunted.

He suddenly raised a hand and ground to a stop. Patty stopped as well, glancing at the suddenly serious pirate curiously. She tilted her head and lowered Maya to the ground, propping her up against the wall of a house.

“What’s going on?” Patty asked.

“We’re surrounded,” Cyll jerked his head towards an alleyway crossing the thin street they were on.

A laugh echoed out from the darkness. Four men stepped out from within it. Their clothes were stained and torn, and the men’s faces didn’t look much better. Behind them, three more emerged.

The largest of the four men at the front stepped forward, baring the few yellowed and rotting teeth that remained in his mouth. He drew a rusted scimitar from his waist and pointed it in their direction.

“Drop all your money and walk away, pretty boy,” the man said. His voice was scarred, and his words were accompanied by a racking cough. His eyes flicked to Maya. “And leave the girl.”

“I’m sorry?” Cyll asked, his lips pulling back to show off his teeth. “I think I misheard you. Were you offering to find us the nearest doctor?”

The other men surrounding them drew their weapons. Cyll shrugged.

“Your call. Patty, kill them. Leave one for me.”

The puppet bounded towards the three men behind them. One of them laughed and reached out towards her, expecting a little girl. Instead, his voice caught in his throat as Patty’s fist went clean through his stomach. She shook him off like a dead bug and kicked his body into another man.

They both flew through a stone wall and disappeared into the darkness. The puppet turned towards the last man in the backline. His scimitar clanged against the stone and he screamed, turning to sprint away.

Patty’s axe was faster. It cut through him and several inches of the rock beneath his feet, silencing the man instantly. The puppet pulled her weapon out of the ground without an ounce of effort and turned to help Cyll.

The other pirate didn’t need it. He’d already dismantled three of the men opposing him. Their weapons still stuck out of various spots on Cyll’s body, his blood oozing down from the wounds. That didn’t seem to bother him.

The last remaining would be thief dropped his weapon. It hit the ground with a clatter, and he sprinted back down the alley with a horrified scream. Cyll bounded after him and they disappeared into the darkness.

The screaming stopped. There were a few minutes of muffled conversation. Then the screaming started again, but it only lasted for half a second. Cyll reemerged, the swords slipping through him and clattering to the ground as his wounds healed. He kicked one of the bodies out of his way and nodded to Patty.

“Good job. I just had a quick talk with our friend in the alley. I know where the doctor is.”

“He was your friend? I’m sorry,” Patty said, picking Maya up again. She patted Cyll on the shoulder, knocking the man the man slightly to the side with the force of her touch.

“It’s a saying,” Cyll said. “He wasn’t actually my friend. Now, no more wasting time. Maya needs healing.”

Cyll led Patty through the streets of the Salt Ward once again. This time nobody bothered them. It might have been due to how Cyll’s clothes had been completely stained brown with blood.

When they reached the doctor, it became evident that the encounter at the alleyway had been helpful. The healer’s house was a small wooden hut flanked by the ruins of two larger houses. There wasn’t a single thing to differentiate it from their surroundings. If the thug hadn’t told Cyll where to look, they’d never have found it. Cyll rapped on the door several times.

“I already told you,” an irritable voice yelled from within the house. “I’m not selling you any medical alcohol! It’s not for drinking.”

“I don’t want alcohol. I’ve got an injured patient for–” Cyll started.

The door swung open before he could finish his sentence. An older man with a greying beard and a hunchback stared up at the pirate. He spotted Maya on Patty’s shoulders and gave them a grin.

“You’ll have to excuse me. Been dealing with some particularly annoying customers recently. Come in,” he said, stepping aside and waving them in.

The inside of the hut was just as bare as the outside. There was a single shelf at the back wall covered with pots and bottles. The only other furniture was one small wooden stool and a long table that took up most of the space within the hut.

“Set her on my bench,” the old man said, gesturing to the table.

Patty did as the doctor requested. Maya groaned but didn’t voice any further complaints as the old man poked and prodded at her. After a few minutes, he held two shaking hands over Maya’s body and closed his eyes. Weak grey light formed around his hands and passed into her body. He let out a slow whistle.

“What did she do? Looks like she held onto a bolt of lightning, not to mention fractured ribs and a broken nose.”

“She had a rough fight,” Cyll started, but the doctor talked right over him.

“But that’s all fine. Not much trouble to fix at all. The real question I have…where’s her Life-spark? There isn’t a single drop of Essence in this young woman’s body.”