"Are you sure that's what you need to do?"
Star nodded and glanced at Wind Climber standing next to the queen. "I need to go on a journey to become stronger so I can protect this holy mountain. After that I shall return Iyane."
"So, there's no other reason why you must leave? Can't you stay for a little bit longer? Are you bored of me?"
Star looked at Iyane's face and shook her head. "No, I'm not bored of you at all. I've realized that I'm still not strong enough to face the coming danger. I want to keep you safe and the people of this city safe."
"As long as you're not bored of being here. I can see in your heart you truly want to keep this city safe. You have my blessing to return to the plains. Don't forget your home, come back soon and please be safe. My bed will be lonely without you by my side."
Star nodded and hugged Iyane with a sad smile on her face. She heard Iyane's heartbeat racing in her ear and didn't want to let her go. She took a step back letting the hug fall. She wiped a tear from her face and looked at Wind Climber with a frown. "Look after her while I'm gone… If I hear that you haven't fulfilled your end. You're the first person on my list."
"Don't worry. I'll do my best to advise her in unifying the city… I'm also sure you'll be back with other strong people to help defend this holy mountain in its time of need."
Star nodded. "I'll be back alright. I must keep my eye on my queen… She's important to me. Don't let any harm come to her."
"Ahh my ears are burning. I'm standing right here and you're talking about me. How about you talk about me when I'm not around? Hmm"
Star smiled at Iyane and felt her face heat up. She turned her back to Iyane and wiped a tear from her face. She looked at Iyane and bowed. "I take my leave for now. I'll shall return…" She bowed.
"When you return the city will be whole again. If there's any trouble, we shall send a message to you. I'm sure our shaman friends will be able to find a way to communicate with you on the plains."
Star smiled and walked out of the palace and down the stairs leaving the city behind. She stopped walking and turned around staring at the city. "Goodbye city for now. I'll be walking your steps again soon."
"Wait up a moment."
She turned and smiled at the familiar face. "Slouen. How's married life treating you?"
"Its been an interesting experience. I heard you're heading back to the plains."
Star nodded.
"Ahh. Can you give this letter to Maseli when you see her?" She nodded as Slouen handed her the letter. "Everything is in there about me deciding to stay here… Just let her know I'm happy and doing well. Also, that if what people are saying about what's coming then the mountain will be the safest place."
Star smiled and looked around. "I hope you didn't write anything that would hurt your life here."
"No… I'm not that type of person. I keep my word… Now, I must return to my wife. She is going to be giving birth soon."
Star smiled. "How come you didn't tell me sooner?"
"You've been busy with the queen… You should go before it starts raining."
Star nodded. "Yes. I'll be back soon. I'll see you when I return."
Star walked forward and gave Slouen a hug. "Be safe. I'll be back."
"Farewell for now kid. You've grown up so fast."
"Don't make me cry you mountain walker."
"I'm not a mountain walker anymore. I'm one of the tribe."
Star took a step back from Slouen and smiled at him. She turned and wiped a tear from her eye. She grasped her bow and continued walking down the steps out of the city. She looked up at the sky smiling. "Rain is coming… The perfect weather for a sad farewell."
She raised her hand to the sky as she walked and smiled as the first drops of rain fell on her. She lifted her bow and fired an arrow into the nearby mountain. She pulled on its wire and jumped towards the mountain letting the wire pull her. She grabbed onto the mountain wall and jumped. She twisted in the air and shot another arrow on the lower mountain pass and grabbed onto it with her hands and feet.
"Wooooooooooooooowww!"
She looked up from where she jumped from and smiled. "It's a pity that no crowd was here to see that." She sighed. "Doesn't matter. I'll be back with Maseli soon. I can ask her for what's happened recently." She smiled. "That blacksmith should be finished with the bow... I have to go see him and his strange apprentice."
She jumped in the rain firing her arrows as she climbed down the mountain with ease. She stopped once she landed on the green grass. She looked at the trees and grass around her. "I never realized how much I missed the color green and trees so much."
She walked through the forest and stopped as she approached the familiar trading city. "I'm back…" She smiled. She walked into the tavern and looked at the bar smiling at Maseli.
"Hello Maseli… I'm back."
"Ahh girl you're back. What about Slouen. Is he with you?"
"Ahh no. He's back on the mountain. He got married and I think he's planning to stay up there. Here this is for you. It's a letter from him." Star handed the letter to Maseli and then sat at the bar while she opened it and read it to herself.
"Ahh. I never thought he would settle down… He seems happy, but this coming trouble what's he talking about?"
Star shook her head. "I'm not sure, but now all the mountain tribes are going to unite to prepare for it. Whatever it is. It's big and dangerous."
"Ohh… Well then, we also need to prepare down here. Come you must be hungry from your trip. I'll get the girls to bring you some warm hot food."
Star nodded. "Thanks… Also, have I missed out on anything while I've been up on the mountain?"
"Lots girl… Eat first and then we can talk about that."
Star looked at the plate of food that appeared in front of her and felt her stomach grumble. She started eating and drinking looking around the tavern. She stopped at the large map on the wall and smiled.
"I've got a lot of memories of just sitting and staring at that map…" She frowned. "It's been altered again."
"Yes… Your eyes never miss anything. As I've said things have changed around here."
Star nodded and chewed on the food in her mouth. She stood up with her plate and walked towards the map. "There are more islands, and also what's changed at the capital?"
"It's no longer a port city. The Supreme has closed off the port for military reasons. They're getting ready for a war… The Supreme has also called for the rite of the guard."
Star looked at her in confusion. "Rite of the guard? What's that?"
"It's a worldwide event seeking the strongest to lead the Supremes' soldiers to fight against the enemy."
"Did they say who the enemy is?"
"The Supreme mentioned that the pirate and smugglers are on the move."
"That's interesting. What do people have to do to be a part of the guard?"
She looked Maseli staring at her. She looked back at the map. "Do you want to join the guard?"
Star nodded. "I'm interested in being in the rite. What do I have to do?"
"Well. If you want to be a part of the rite you need to find others who are strong and that you can work together with. Then together you do the rite and the strongest team becomes the guard."
Star looked at Maseli. "Is that all there is to it?"
"Well finding them is probably one of the hardest things to do, but the rite itself is covered in secrecy. This is so no team will have an advantage over the others."
Star sat down at the map and nodded. "How many people do I need to find?"
"That's the problem there. The only way for the rite to accept the team is for the Firewarrior to select the team. You need someone from the north to ask for you to be in their team. You can't just go find some random people."
Star cursed and shook her head. "I see. So, does that mean many people have been travelling north to find Firewarrior's?"
"If you go north, you'll probably die from the cold… No people wait here or around people that have a reputation hoping that someone will find them."
"So, if I want to take part in the rite I need to wait?"
"Yes, you can sit and wait for something to happen to you… Or you could go out and make a name for yourself. For example. There is a blacksmith in the ancient tower that many people are talking about. I'm sure that there'll be many people trying to get him on their team, so that they have the best weapons and armor."
Star nodded in thought. She looked at her bow. "That same blacksmith made this bow. He really has some skills... He is also working on a special bow just for me. I plan to go see them."
"Then why don't you do what everyone else is doing and stay near him then?"
Star frowned and shook her head. "No. I'm not much of a sitting and waiting for something to happen… I prefer to build a reputation myself."
"Hahahaha… That's the Star that I know. How about this, I'll contact my sources and see if there's any work that would need your special talents, and then we can decide from there. How does that sound?"
Star nodded. "That sounds good to me… Thanks Maseli for helping me once again."
"When you're a guard then you can return the favor."
Star smiled and handed the empty plate to one of the serving girls. She watched Maseli stand up and stood behind the bar. "Your room is still the same one upstairs. It's been kept clean. Go up and clean yourself up before you get a cold."
Star smiled and picked up her things and walked up the stairs as the door opened and travelers walked into the tavern. "Tomorrow is another day forward, and a chance for my shadow to start growing..."