Marissa and Lassim left the Sitnalta Services branch office and headed next door across the street to a medium-sized inn.
The building had a cozy, rustic charm, yet with decorations as if touched by the sea. There were barnacles and starfish creeping up its wooden walls and coral repotted into planters adorning the windowsills. A warm, inviting glow emanated from the entrance like a lighthouse in the night for weary ship captains.
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As they walked in, they were greeted by a cheerful innkeeper, a regular human with a friendly smile. "Welcome! Looking for a room for the night?" he asked, wiping his hands on his apron.
"Yes, please," Lassim replied. "Just one room."
The innkeeper nodded and handed them a key. "Room 5, up the stairs and to the left. It’s still early, so feel free to explore the town. Dinner will be served at six if you’re interested."
Thanking him, Lassim took the key, and they made their way up to their room to check it out. Afterwards they decided to head out for some food.
The idea of food inspired them a bit as Marissa led the way further into the port town, guiding Lassim through bustling streets filled with merchants, sailors, and townsfolk.
The air was thick with the scent of saltwater, fresh fish, and various spices. They eventually reached the town center, where a giant statue caught Lassim’s eye.
The statue depicted a pirate standing triumphantly with one foot on top of an overflowing treasure chest, a cutlass in one hand and a siren in his tender grasp in the other. The pirate was in the act of kissing the siren, who seemed to be swooning in his embrace. The craftsmanship was exquisite, capturing the essence of adventure and romance.
"That’s quite a statue," Lassim remarked, admiring the intricate details.
Marissa smiled. "It is, isn’t it? Sailor’s Rest started out as a safe haven for the world’s initial sailors—adventurer pirates. Back then, fashion was different from the martial attire we have today. Nowadays, the ’pirates’ are into less pillaging and plundering, and more providing services.
Some folks like to imagine they can be still be pirates and dress up in old-fashioned attire, but they’re usually just drunkards running old-timey themed ferries for travelers. This statue is an ode to the port’s beginnings."
Lassim chuckled. "That’s interesting. I can admire their passion for reliving the days of adventure at least. Plus they made a cool statue out of the tale."
They continued their walk until they reached a pub called "The Crow’s Nest." The pub’s roof featured a ship’s mast with sails open in the "wind," thanks to an illusion array. Lassim noticed the illusion flickering in and out of existence for a split second every minute or so as they approached.
Just as they were about to enter, a person was thrown out of the pub through the front door, nearly colliding with Lassim. He heard the raucous of some shouting through the doorway as he deftly sidestepped the human cannonball.
The cannonball person stumbled to his feet, spat on the ground, and demanded, "Ye’ bastards forgot me hat!"
A second later, a pirate captain’s tricorne with a skull and crossbones embellishment on the folds was thrown out. The drunken "pirate" retrieved it and stumbled off towards another bar, mumbling obscenities under his breath.
Marissa turned to Lassim, a bemused expression on her face. "See, I told you they were all drunkards."
They entered the pub, which was in the midst of being reset by waitresses and waiters. Shattered beer glasses were being cleaned up, and tables were being rearranged.
One of the waitresses noticed them and waved them over. "Sit wherever you’d like, and I’ll bring over some menus and drinks in a moment."
Marissa and Lassim found a booth-style table in one of the corners and took a seat. A few moments later, the waitress arrived with a giant mug of some kind of fruit juice mixture for both of them and handed over a menu on parchment paper that looked like a treasure map.
Lassim felt like he was in the weirdest restaurant he’d ever been to, as it seemed like everyone was role-playing or just really playing up the pirate theme. He unfurled the menu and saw that all the food options had pirate-themed names too.
A few of the descriptions sounded interesting, so he ordered three different options to try. He ordered the Pirate’s Code Crab, the Parlay Pheasant and for dessert a Treasure Chest Cake.
Marissa was unsure what to order, but Lassim reassured her. "I’ll pay for everything today as thanks for traveling with me, so just eat your fill."
Marissa appreciated the gesture and ordered a few options to pig out alongside Lassim.
When their meals arrived, Lassim noticed that each dish had a Jolly Roger on a toothpick, and even the miniature chocolate berry cake he ordered was shaped like an overflowing treasure chest.
They dug into their food, Lassim savoring every bite. He noticed the meat seemed to be from high-rank beasts, likely Spirit Growth stage or higher, as he could feel the overflowing mana in every bite. While it was nothing compared to the Drow realm’s beasts and meals, but outside of that it was one of the best meals he’d ever had.
While eating, Lassim asked Marissa about her plans after he departed.
"I’ve still got another week before I have to report back to the Sea Sect," she explained. "I’m hoping to cross the barrier into the Spirit Transformation stage before I go back. That way, I can take on a big commission to buy those enchanted boots I mentioned instead of having to do several smaller missions."
Lassim thought about it for a moment before he silently made a mysterious decision before encouraging her. "I believe you’ll be able to do it. You’ve got the determination and the skill."
They finished their meal just as another argument between two "pirates" seemed about to escalate into a fight at the bar. Rather than enjoying the show, they quickly left the pub before getting mixed up in the quarrel.
Back at the inn, they settled in for the night, both feeling content and full from their meal.
The next morning, Marissa and Lassim skipped breakfast, still feeling full from the night before and eager to work off the food with their practice session. Lassim paid for both their night’s stay before he met her outside the inn and headed to the docks. Marissa greeted a few sailors that she seemed familiar with as they passed.
Reaching the water’s edge, they jumped in, feeling the cool embrace of the ocean.
Marissa gave Lassim some tips. "The deeper we go, the more pressure we’ll feel from the surrounding water. It can affect your underwater breathing, making it feel harder to breathe because of the weight of the water on top of us. But as a peak Spirit Transformation stage existence, you should have a much easier time than me, so don’t worry too much. It’s just something good to remember in the future."
They began their underwater breathing techniques, filling their lungs entirely with water mana, before they dove deeper into the sea.
The underwater world was alive and bustling with activity—sahagin, sirens, nagas, and various fish and sea creatures swam around them.
With his spirit sense and clear vision through the water, Lassim spotted a seemingly gigantic underwater city off in the distance. "Is that Sitnalta?" he asked, his voice muffled by the water.
Marissa’s peal of laughter rang in his ears. "No, that’s just one of their many border outposts. Sitnalta is a massive underwater metropolis. What you see is just a small, tiny outpost by comparison. They build these to secure their borders and facilitate trade between kingdoms. Your mission this afternoon that Myra mentioned will take you to one of these outposts.
I’m not sure if your route will take you past the main city, but it’s pretty amazing if you get the chance to visit. I had to go there for a mission from the Sea Sect once, and it was breathtaking. The water mana there is incredibly dense, thanks to their own unique condensed water mana source crystals they use to power the city. My attunement to water mana grew a lot during my visit."
Lassim was fascinated by her description, and Marinelle seemed eager to visit someday too. "[I promise to take you there someday]," Lassim said mentally to Mari.
Zaphy pouted slightly. "[Is there a lightning city we can visit too? I don’t want to be left out.]"
Lassim chuckled. "[We’ll find one, Zaphy. Don’t worry, if it doesn’t exist we can make one!]"
They dove deeper and entered into a coral cave system, which Myra had described yesterday as a nursery for young sea beasts.
She was definitely spot on with the description as Lassim was amazed by the biodiversity of sea life in his view. The coral itself seemed to move and shift slightly, producing a unique green or pink plumage that the baby beasts and fish snacked on.
Marissa noticed his gaze and explained, "It’s a symbiotic relationship. The coral system spreads through the waste of the beasts, reinforcing itself while providing them nutrients. It’s very much alive and can even defend itself to some extent. Because it’s so valuable, the beasts have learned that they shouldn’t mess with the coral network.
If they do, they’ll face the wrath of not just the coral but also the many other beasts that rely on it."
Lassim marveled at the whole process, feeling grateful for the experience.
After they’d been underwater for a while he noticed that Marissa was having a harder time at their depth, so he decided it was probably time to head back to the surface. It was likely close to noon anyway, and the shark rider should be arriving soon.
They quickly made their way back to the surface and headed to the Sitnalta Services branch office, ready for the next leg of Lassim’s journey.