Chapter 11 – Good Ales

SEA SERPENTS COULD BE SOLD for thousands of lanias—the currency in most territories affiliated with the United Alliance. Though some parts of the serpent were burnt and damaged by the harpoons, most of the serpent could still be sold, especially the scales and meat that travelers and tourists would love.

“Port Royale is quite famous for ales, and exotic foods,” said Raijin to the trio as they continued walking. “And the best can be found in Maelstrom Tavern.”

Raijin was leading the trio to a hidden tavern. The path looked almost too suspicious, like an alley where people could get mugged, that the trio considered just running away.

“This place seems to be pretty dark and secluded,” said Riku worriedly.

“Well, the cost of rent near the harbor and main roads are too expensive, so many businesses and houses are built here far from the traffic,” replied Raijin, pointing to several stores in the alley. “The place may look dark and scary, but trust me, there are good pieces of stuff around here. Aaaand here we are.”

They reached the tavern and somehow, it looked cozier than they imagined. It was well-lit and had clean surroundings. Just above the door was a sign that says, The Maelstrom Tavern.

As they entered, they saw a bunch of rowdy people, drinking and singing and dancing and already drunk even though it was not even night yet. The Maelstrom Tavern was said to be built even before Port Royale was acknowledged as an autonomous region. It used to be famous for travelers but was now almost like a secret club whose most of the patrons were the fishermen of Port Royale.

“Hey! It’s Raijin!” shouted a drunk man on top of a grand piano.

“Raijin!!” shouted all the people.

But they all stopped when they noticed the elves. They started whispering and almost became sober. One man tried to approach the elves with his rifle, but an older-looking man, Boris, appeared.

“Oy! Why'd the music stopped?” said Boris.

The people got startled and started to awkwardly sing and play music again. Some continued playing billiards and card games, others continued their conversation, though they were still eyeing the elves. The guy with the rifle went back to his seat and drank his ale.

“Raijin! I see you have some guests,” asked Boris.

“Hey, Boris. These are Daisuke, Riku, and Jack. They are elven travelers.”

“Aye. I am Boris Thunderstone, owner of The Maelstrom Tavern.”

“Woah. You’re a dwarf!” Daisuke exclaimed.

“Hoho! Well, I am, indeed, lad.”

“It’s our first time to actually see one in flesh,” said Riku.

“Is that right? Well, why don’t you lass and lads go upstairs and make yourselves comfortable, eh? It’s a bit rowdy down here. I’ll try to join you shortly.”

“I’ll prepare a change of clothing for you three,” Raijin offered.

* * * * *

The trio and Raijin were now making themselves comfortable at a table. Large servings of ales were served, which they all enjoyed.

“Hey, how come you’re so well-known here?” asked Riku.

“I live here. After I became an orphan, Boris took care of me. He’s friends with my parents. Or so he says. I was still young when my parents left. So I really have no good memories with them.”

“Then why not work here instead of being a fisherman?” asked Jack who was already drinking his ale.

Raijin did not answer the question and just drank his ale bottoms up. Daisuke also finished his mug before asking him a question.

“You really must love that boat, don’t you? She must have some sentimental value of some sort.”

Raijin flinched. “How’d you know?”

“Well, it’s old and creaky. Even us elves would change a boat altogether when it is beyond repair.”

“Boris told me that it’s my father’s gift to me. I find comfort in using that old creaky boat than buying a new one. Besides, I've got no money to buy a new one.”

“How about the money you’ll get from the serpent?” asked Riku who was also enjoying a mug of ale.

“Some of it goes here. I give some to Boris for the utilities. Some of it, I use to pay the loan sharks my parents used to owe.”

“Loan sharks?” asked Jack.

“The Great White Sharks. They lend money to people at high interest, almost impossible to pay. Anyway, just three more years and I’ll be able to fully pay them up. Interest and all.”

“Why does the United Alliance not deal with them? They’re like the most powerful faction in the entire world.”

Raijin shrugged. “'Guess U.A.’s got a more serious matter to deal with. Treasure Hunters.”

* * * * *

In another alley, there was another tavern called The Hammerhead Tavern. It served not only as a tavern but also as the headquarters of the Great White Sharks.

“Brother Hammer. How much we’ve got today?” asked Sera, one of the Sharks Brothers.

“Not much. But it doesn’t really matter,” replied Hammer. He was slimmer compared to his younger brother Sera who was tall, bald, and very muscular.

Sera got confused. “Uhh…what do you mean, brother?”

Hammer stood up. “I was talking to our older brother earlier with the telesponder—“

“Really?! What he say?”

“—and he said he’ll be here tomorrow.” Hammer walked towards Sera. “Brother, we’re done with the loan shark business. It’s finally time to take over this place.”

“But the Great White Sharks has been our life since we were kids. Are we really going to exchange the life we have now for something even more dangerous?”

“High risk, high reward, my dear brother. So what if we put our lives on the line if we have the chance to get more? This is the age of treasure hunters, brother. Might as well become one.”

“Didn’t our brother lose years ago? What’s he even up to all this time?”

“Oh, you know his thing. When he loses some pets, he goes out to grab some more. So tomorrow, be prepared. The Great White Sharks will join forces with the Fishbone Hunters!”

* * * * *

It was past midnight.

Daisuke, Jack, and Riku stayed in the Maelstrom Tavern longer than they intended. After all, they’ve just been in one heck of a day on the sea.

Most of the customers were already gone or asleep inside the tavern. Raijin and Daisuke were still up and talking. Riku was already asleep even before getting drunk, probably due to tiredness, and Jack already passed out after two mugs of ales. They even forgot to eat proper dinner.

“You know, you guys are not the first elves in this town. A few days ago, a group of so-called ‘Seekers’ came.”

“Really? What are they doing here?”

“Not sure. I wasn't able to talk to them. But the fishermen said that they were looking for an Iron Lizard or something.”

“I don’t know why they would be looking for a lizard made of iron though.”

“Anyway, you guys still haven’t told me why y’all are traveling. You lot realize that humans don’t like elves, right?”

“That’s no brainer. But we have no choice. We have to go outside our island to find our treasures stolen by hunters.”

“What kind of treasures?”

“Well, we used to have sacred weapons. But the three of us are looking for a specific treasure: a wooden statue.”

“A statue? Why would hunters steal a statue?”

“I was told that it was not the statue itself that the hunters want, but the treasure that the statue will lead them to.”

Raijin squinted his eyes. “And that treasure, y’all looking for it too?”

“Not really. Only the statue.”

Boris appeared and heard the latter part of their conversation.

“Ahh. At last, I finally get to rest. Raijin. Daisuke. I see you guys are still up.”

“What’s up, Boris?” asked Raijin.

“Mr. Boris. Are we too loud?” asked Daisuke.

“Hohohoho! Not at all. But I did overhear your conversation. Not that I am eavesdropping. So you guys are talking about statues, eh?”

“Umm, yes. A wooden statue to be exact,” Daisuke clarified.

Boris sat down with them, holding a large mug of ale. “Hmmm. I remember my time as an explorer. There was a talk about the most beautiful statue. Not that the statue was carved perfectly or beautifully, but because of the person the statue portrays.”

Daisuke's eyes widened after hearing Boris. “The person in the statue, does she look like this?”

Daisuke took his runestone and activated it to become a book. Raijin was startled, but Boris just continued drinking his ale. Daisuke then showed Boris a picture of a woman elf, an image of Maria Ashenwood.

“Hmmm. It does look like her. But I could be wrong.”

“You do not happen to know where it could be, do you?”

Boris took a sip from his mug again. “Twelve years ago, when I was at the Emergent Kingdom selling good ales, there was this auction. My eyesight was already blurry so I couldn’t be sure, but a statue was one of the items being auctioned.”

“Maybe your eyesight got blurry because you were drunk!” Raijin teased.

Daisuke’s eyes got wider. He couldn’t believe that he already has a possible lead on where the statue could be.

“Look, kid...I do not want to give you false hope. But if you are looking for a statue of an elf, your best bet is to go to the Elysian Republic,” Boris chugged down his mug of ale.

“Is that where the buyer of the statue lives?”

“Yes. But the one who bought it is the most dangerous person on the continent of Aria.”

Raijin then remembered the stories about the country of Elysia and the ongoing war between the two most powerful and influential families in the world, not even the government of Elysia could do anything about it.

“Boris, are you saying that the buyer is Don Luca Lumbard? The son of late Don Lucio Lumbard?”

“I’m afraid so. He is the only man capable of bringing an army to another country without any problem.” Boris tried to drink from his mug, but it was already empty. “Story says that he went to his sister’s wedding in another country with almost 400 ‘personal guards’; all suited up and wielding high-caliber firearms.”

Daisuke was not sure how dangerous or powerful this Don Luca Lumbard was, but if going to Elysia will lead him to the statue of Maria, then he has no choice but to go there.

“Then I guess it is settled,” said Daisuke.

“Settled? What’s settled?” asked Raijin.

“We are going to the Elysian Republic.”