The ocean surrounding Marburg’s docking area flowed serenely over the horizon while sailors bustled to complete their duties for the day. A quaint plaza rested in the middle of the shipyard where passengers shopped and dined while waiting for their boats to depart. Amali sat in a diner staring out the window, watching the ships gently rocking in the water. Even through the glass, the relaxing, muffled calling of sailors permeated the walls as they hauled their cargo. She grabbed her black bandana from the table and tightly tied it around her head, brushing her fingers through her deep auburn hair. Her patchy, heavily-worn knapsack drooped over the edge of the vinyl cushion. She started counting the Dinara inside it.

Niko walked over carrying a tray full of food and plopped into the seat across from her, his fingers smushing the buns of a succulent burger. “Now this don’t look bad. Ya know what bugs me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Do I even wanna know?”

He bit into the sandwich, his chin dangling with lettuce. “Mmm—why’s it called a hamburger if there’s no ham?”

Amali chortled while stuffing her money back in the bag. “Really? That’s the kinda shit you think about?” She took a drink from her beer bottle. “You really are a dork.”

Niko opened his full mouth, making a garish face at her. “Oh yeah? I’m a dork who’s not sharing his fries.”

They stopped talking for a few minutes while they ate, then Amali eyed him strangely. “Hey, corn-head.”

“Yeah?” answered Niko.

“Where’d you come from before you met us?”

“Mount Faizon. I live with my Pop.”

Amali leaned forward. “Your dad teach you to fight?”

“He sure did.”

“How ‘bout your mom?”

Niko looked up from his burger and glanced down at the table, his mouth frowning. “I don’t even think I got one. I never seen her.”

“Oh, damn, sorry…I mean, sure you do, you gotta have a mom! You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”

“Pop said she didn’t wanna raise me, so she left when I was a baby. Just been me and him,” Niko replied.

Amali leaned back in the seat, her eyes narrowing as she peered around the diner. She leaned her chin in her hand, then picked up a fry from the plate. “Hey, kid.”

“Yeah?”

“Watch this.” With a smirk, Amali flicked the fry in the air, catching it between her lips.

Niko chuckled. “Hey, not bad. Lemme try.” He tossed one up, bouncing it off his nose. He tried again, the fry landing on his tongue as he caught it.

A half-smile filled Amali’s cheek. After a few moments she snagged a couple more fries. “Here, lean back and open wide!”

Niko grinned. “First one to make five shots gets all the fries.”

“You’re on.”

Amali tossed a fry above his head, lightly tapping his forehead as it fell. They laughed while taking turns until Kaffron walked over with more food. He caught one of the fries and stuck it between his lips like a toothpick. “Y’all havin’ a food fight?”

“Ah, we’re just havin’ a little fun,” Amali said.

“I won’t be mad if you throw some my way. Here babe, may as well fill up before we shove off.”

“You didn’t splurge on a buncha desserts, did ya? We’re tryin’ to save up,” she said.

“Too late.” Kaffron tossed her a candy bar, smirking.

“Are you guys gonna enter the contest?” Niko said, spewing small chunks of food from his mouth.

“Beats me, I never even heard of this place,” Kaffron said, pulling apart his sandwich. “All I heard was ‘treasure’!”

“What about you, Amali?” Niko asked.

Amali blew on a spoonful of steaming vegetable stew. “I don’t need to.”

“How come?”

She slapped the gun holster around her waist. “All I gotta do is blast those posers, wouldn’t be any fun.”

“Phh, I bet I could take you! Y’all just caught me by surprise last time!” Niko said.

Amali sneered as she flicked away a hunk of beef that fell in front of her. “Gee, Niko, nothin’s more of a turn-on than a kid who talks with his mouth full. Do they not have girls on your home planet?”

Niko licked a streak of ketchup from his chin. “Nah, there’s girls in town, they just don’t like me!”

“You don’t say,” Amali retorted.

“Since when do y’all care ‘bout manners?”

“Just ask your mom for help; they seem to know what girls like…come to think of it, you never mentioned her,” Kaffron said.

“Don’t ask,” Amali said, waving her hand.

“Why not?”

“Naw, it’s cool. I was just tellin’ her my mom left when I was born,” Niko said.

Kaffron and Amali leaned towards one another, whispering. “There’s somethin’ off about this kid,” Kaffron said.

“You think? You’re the one who wanted him to tag along. He’s a clueless putz,” Amali said.

He’s not cut out to be a smuggler, Kaffron thought while taking a sip of rum from his mug. Too bad, I’m startin’ to like him!

He and Amali shared a glance, smirking at one another.

“Attention, passengers boarding the ship to Gundul Island, your ship will depart in ten minutes. Report to the dock at Pier 3 and have your tickets ready.”

“Well, that’s our ship, guys,” Kaffron said.

He stood up and hefted his knapsack over his shoulder. Niko took one last bite and scooted from his seat, yanking the ticket from his pocket. They walked out of the busy diner and into the broad shipyard. Eight sweeping wooden docks, where men worked and loaded the boats, surrounded them.

Amali squinted her eyes against the sun. “Over there, Pier Three.”

They ran over to the crowded dock. A massive wooden freighter anchored in the water before them, around thirty feet tall and over fifty feet in length.

“That thing’s huge,” Niko said in amazement.

“Yeah, we been on ships just like this,” Kaffron said, somewhat boastfully.

“Really? Wow, what’s it like?”

“Eh, we usually stick to the lower levels, less chance of getting—seasick.”

Amali nudged him aside. “What he means is we don’t do a lot of sailing—nor do we actually pay for it.”

Niko raised his eyebrows. “Right, I forgot; you guys just sneak around.”

“Shit, at this price I’d rather stow away in a box! This trip better not be a waste of time.”

“Nah, it’s gonna be awesome! I heard there’s tons of hidden places to explore.”

“Well if we don’t come back totally empty-handed it might be worth our while,” Kaffron said as he approached the colossal, silver-and-green ship.

“I say we team up, crush the opposition, and split the money,” Amali said, pounding her fist.

“Just so long as y’all don’t gang up on me again!” Niko said, pointing at her while grinning.

“Scout’s honor,” Kaffron said, blatantly crossing his fingers at Niko. They laughed.

“I’m surprised y’all are actually coming! Wait, you’re not gonna hijack the boat, are ya?” Niko said.

Amali put an arm around him, smiling casually as they stood in the line of passengers. Her hand cupped over his mouth. “Pipe down, bigmouth. God, you stick out like shit in a swimming pool.” She turned to Kaffron. “You really thought he could hang with us?”

With a laugh, Kaffron slapped Niko on the back, forcing him to trip up the ramp. Niko caught himself on the side of the ramp and fumbled while a disgruntled shipmate stood before him, waiting for him to get organized. “Good evening. Mind if I check your tickets?”

Niko handed the crumpled ticket to the man and awkwardly traipsed up the ramp to the main deck. Amali and Kaffron followed behind and handed off their tickets.

“Wow, pretty nice. Babe, how’d you feel about living here?” she said, prodding Kaffron.

Meanwhile Niko turned around and watched the small crowd of people boarding behind him. Amid the dozens of civilians and travelers, sparse others boarded and wandered the deck, their physical appearances and clothes garnering odd looks from others. Two men were almost as large and brawny as Kaffron, one of them with a completely shaved head and a thick, black mustache. A heavy, brown armored vest covered his robust torso, dangling over his stiff, black pants. “Man, he looks like one of Kaffron’s sidekicks.” A shorter, older Arugian man wandered around, wearing a sleeveless crimson tunic with a white undershirt covering his arms. His tight ponytail bobbled behind his back as he stepped over the deck. Lot of weird lookin’ people on here. I wonder how many are goin’ to this competition.

Niko stepped across the wooden planks and ran excitedly over to the side of the ship. The sun illuminated the ocean, casting a sparkling glint atop the rippling waves. An abrupt noise came from behind him. A tall, mid-thirties man stood approached Niko, dressed in a silk, sleeveless yellow-orange vest with four black dots adorning the front chest area. His bare, thin arms were sinewy yet brittle looking. A woven headband lined with vibrantly colored feathers poked through his curly, coarse hair. His bronze-toned face appeared scraggly and unshaven.

“Greetings. Are you attending the Gundul festival, young one?”

“Uh, yeah. How ‘bout you?” Niko asked.

“I am,” replied the man, with a crooked simper.

Niko turned slightly. “Nice to meet ya. Where you from?”

The man stroked his bushy beard. “I am from southeast Keruvia, a very small village called Serangga.” He had a heavy accent.

“You ever been to Gundul Island?”

“I have not, but I hear many stories.” He stepped toward Niko with a knock-kneed stride, his upper body hunched. “Secrets remain untouched by the unprepared.”

Niko pinched his nose from a pungent stink permeating from the man. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Many do not survive. The Gundulites protect what is theirs—by any means.”

His pupils constricted as he leered at Niko, his vest seething with noxious, green fumes. Niko gagged, covering his nose and mouth as the putrid smog thickened. He stepped back, bumping into the man standing behind him. He grabbed Niko’s shoulder, making him jump.

“Whoa, take it easy! How’d you do that? And what’s that smell?”

The man sniggered while he stepped through the gas. “It is the defense of the Serangga assassin beetle.” He opened his vest, revealing a swarm of tiny, hard-shelled insects latched onto his shirt, skittering and hissing as they covered his torso.

Niko jumped back, his eyes wide. “Dude, that’s so nasty! You’re gonna fight using bugs?”

The man closed his vest and stepped beside Niko, his shaggy eyebrows lifting. “They are crafty for their size, using their own gifts for survival. Be thankful you are not on their land.” He bowed to Niko and walked away. “Remember that.”

Niko’s face scrunched while he shifted away from the foul, lingering odor and walked across the deck. “Where the hell do these people come from? And how do they keep findin’ me?”

“All aboard!” the captain said through the loudspeaker. “Passage from Marburg to Gundul Island is now underway! We arrive tomorrow afternoon. Enjoy yourselves.”

Airhorns filled the air while the vast boat steered steadily from the dock, leaving crashing waves in its trail. Niko stood over the edge watching the water, catching blurry hints of various fish navigating the depths. “Man, this is awesome!”

He propped his backpack against the wall and leaned gently on the rails. Soft footsteps clanked on the planks behind him, interrupting his serene moment. A young woman stood near him, clad in a stiff, thick, brown leather vest, its golden zippers chinking as she moved. A long-sleeved purple shirt covered her arms to the elbows, while a black, studded leather miniskirt draped over her knees. Her eyes peeked at him through a black bandana tied around her head, her grey hood wafting with the breeze. “Hey there,” she said.

“Who are you?” The woman smiled at Niko as she pulled back her hood and lowered her eyewear. “Wait…Alia?”

“How are you?” Alia replied.

Niko anxiously shook her hand and sighed. “Man, glad to see someone I know on this tub!”

“I can say the same. I’m happy I ran into you again.”

Niko’s hands cradled his hips. “Don’t tell me you’re goin’ to this Gundul contest?”

She cocked her head, giving him a playful shove. “Yeah, got a problem with that?”

“Eh, guess not. Didn’t recognize ya!”

“Good, then this outfit was worth my last bit of money. Almost couldn’t pay for my ticket!” She laughed, and leaned beside him over the edge.

“It’s funny, I was hopin’ I’d bump into you again,” Niko said.

“Then I guess we’re both lucky.” She smiled at him, her eyes rolling down to the water. “I had to leave town. Someone’s been following me.”

Niko’s head shot up. “Oh no…is his name Jirani?”

“Yeah! How do you know him?”

“I worked in his restaurant to earn some money,” Niko said. “I heard him talkin’ about you. What’s going on?”

Alia rubbed her face, groaning. “So he dragged you into this…I know we didn’t get a chance to talk much at first…I ran away from Aruga three years ago. My dad arranged for me to get married on my twentieth birthday, but I refused.”

“So you left and went to Senigot?”

“Right. All my life, Dad’s been breathing down my neck, pushing the old religion on me—but never told me I had to get married until I was sixteen! He hid it from me just to control my life, like he always has.” She banged her fist on the metal railing.

“Man, that’s lousy. I’da left too. So how does Jirani know you?”

“He’s one of my dad’s bodyguards. He sent them to take me back home.”

Niko tugged his collar. “Bodyguards? Dang, he must be pretty strong then.”

“He and Dad used to train together. Jirani would always take things too seriously.”

Niko shifted towards her. “Cool, did your dad teach you to fight?”

“For a while. Never really liked it, just one of those things you’re born into where I come from.” She chuckled. “I should be grateful, least I can handle myself out here.”

“I used to work out with Pop, least when he had time,” Niko said, half-grinning. “I guess we’re in the same boat.”

Alia giggled. “I’ve been in worse places.”

Niko removed his hat and brushed through his hair, chuckling nervously. “So if you’re s’pposed to get married on your twentieth birthday, uh, how old are you?”

“I’m nineteen. How about you?”

“Oh me? Uh…”

“You forget?”

Niko blushed. “Nah, I’m seventeen.”

She leaned closer to him. “Tell me, Niko, how come you’re out here all by yourself?”

He shrugged while fumbling his hands. “Eh, I guess I just wanted to get away for a while. I mean, my hometown’s so damn small it just gets boring after a while! Pop used to travel all the time; I figure now it’s my turn to have a little fun! I told my buddies about the contest, and—”

“You’ve got friends on board?” Alia asked.

“Yeah, I met ‘em a couple months back. Let’s see if we can find ‘em.”