Sabbath's team had spent two more weeks in the tavern, with the same routine. But today felt different somehow, they hadn't come down for breakfast. They simply asked for it to be sent to Sabbath's room, where they stayed the entire day. That is, until it was time for dinner.
Mira wiped down the last of the wooden tables, humming an old tune her mother used to sing. The tavern bustled with the usual evening crowd — a mix of travelers, merchants, and locals nursing the day's worries with drinks, while exchanging tales of the road. The air smelled of roasted meat and spilled ale, mingling with the faint scent of rain from outside. It was a night like any other, or so she thought until they walked in.
They always made an entrance, though Mira doubted they realized it.
The first to catch her eye was the tall woman, Emaila — she looked so alien tonight, different, yet all the more mesmerising, her gaze flickering over the room as if cataloging every soul inside. Not like she was worried about what anyone would think seeing her now. How could she?. Then there was the golden - haired Mage, Jon, seeming awfully obscure in his crimson cloak, his features barely discernible. Hayz came next, his radiant presence drawing every head without him even trying, carrying his colossal hammer like it weighed nothing. Angie just beside him, clad fully in armour…. only, her's was an entirely different design. Something dawned by the Samurai, if only a bit tweaked to her feminine grace.
And finally, Sabbath.
Sporting a similar appearance to when she first saw him. His hair tied back for once, a ponytail replacing the messy bun or free fall Mira had grown used to seeing. That small change threw her more than she cared to admit. His friends must've teased him into it, she thought.
The five of them were as mismatched a group as Mira had ever seen, yet they had an unsettling level of unity that intrigued her. She'd heard the rumors, of course.
Everyone in town had. 'The happiest Bound men' they called them — former slaves who'd somehow broken their chains. The stories varied with each telling, but one detail remained constant: they were dangerous. She knew it too. But having seated here in her father's tavern, laughing over drinks? They didn't seem like the hardened warriors the rumors painted them to be.
Mira tried not to stare as they claimed a table at their usual spot. Jon leaned back in his chair, hood down, while Hayz ordered a round of drinks. Emaila's laughter rang out like silver bells, and Sabbath — well, he just sat there, enjoying every conversation pitching in and conversing like he never did with anyone else.
To her surprise, it was Angie who waved her over.
"Hey, Mira, isn't it?" Angie's voice broke through her thoughts, warm and inviting. "Why don't you join us? Take a break. You've been running around all night, I'm sure."
Mira hesitated, glancing toward her father behind the bar. He hesitated a bit, then gave her a quick nod of approval, though the glint in his eyes suggested he'd be listening closely. She wiped her hands on her apron and approached their table, acutely aware of the stares from the other patrons.
"Sit here." Hayz said, patting the seat next to Sabbath. The others exchanged sly grins, and Mira's cheeks burned. She lowered herself into the chair, hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her lustrous black hair tied in a neat bun. Eyes like onyx pearls gleaming with a rush of emotions.
The conversation continued, lighthearted and full of teasing. Angie complained about Hayz's hammer, bemoaning its impracticality, which led to a laugh from Emaila.
"Why not just use something like Emaila's staff?" Angie asked. "At least hers doesn't take up half a room." Which was a foreign thought, as she'd never seen Emaila with one before.
Noticing this, Emaila chimed in, describing how her staff was more than just a weapon — it was something she used as an extension of her powers.
"I could channel my light through it." Emaila explained, spinning an imaginary staff in her hands. "Blades, whips, shields — you name it, I could make it."
"Ouuu, where is it now?" Angie quipped, earning a round of laughter.
Mira found herself smiling, the tension in her shoulders easing. She'd always loved hearing about the abilities of Espers, Mages, and Samurai. It was one of the perks of living in a Transit town — there was never a shortage of fascinating stories.
"And what about the rumors?" Mira asked, surprising even herself. "Is it true you were Bound?"
The table fell silent for a moment, the lighthearted atmosphere shifting. Emaila was the first to nod, her expression softening.
"We were." she said, her voice quieter now. "But not anymore. We set that ship aflame and watched it burn, sailing farther into the horizon." Ever the humble poet.
"How?" Mira pressed, as her curiosity deepened.
Before anyone could answer, Angie leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Tell her about the Tier-2 Fiend."
Mira blinked. "Tier-2? But you're just—" She caught herself too late, her words hanging in the air.
"Tier-3?" Hayz finished for her, grinning. "Yeah, we know. It wasn't easy."
"Wasn't easy?" Angelie scoffed. "It was insane. We should've died ten times over."
"But we didn't." Emaila added, her gaze drifting to Sabbath.
All eyes turned to Sabbath, including Mira's. He leaned back in his chair, looking as though he'd rather be anywhere else.
"It wasn't just me." he muttered, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "We all played our parts."
"Yeah, but you came up with the plan," Hayz said. "And you executed the Fiend while we could only distract it."
Mira's heart raced as she listened, imagining the scene they described. Sabbath, standing against a monstrous Tier-2 Fiend, orchestrating a victory against all odds. It was almost too much to believe.
Before she could respond, a faint tremor shook the tavern. Glasses rattled on the tables, and a few patrons glanced toward the door.
"Don't mind that." her father called from behind the bar. "Explosives shop down the street. Happens all the time."
The conversation resumed, Mira laughed nervously, though she couldn't help but notice how many patrons had subtly angled their chairs toward the table. How long had they been eavesdropping? Safe to say, she couldn't blame them.
"So" Emaila said, turning her attention back to Mira. "You don't seem too surprised to see folks from different nations."
Mira shrugged, fiddling with the edge of her apron. "We get all kinds here — Espers, Samurai, you name it. But a team like yours? That's new. I've never seen anything like it."
Emaila's smile widened. "We get that a lot."
The conversation flowed easily after that, filled with stories and laughter. Mira felt a warmth she hadn't expected — a sense of belonging, even if only for a moment.
As the night wore on, she couldn't help but steal glances at Sabbath. There was something about him, something that drew her in despite his aloof demeanor…. well, to anyone not part of Team Holiday. She wondered if he noticed her, if he cared.
However bothered, she was still engrossed in the beauty of it all. Even failing to realise she'd forgotten the gnawing sense of oddity that plagued their actions today. From missing breakfast to coming down all geared up.
But that was a thought for another time. For now, she was content to sit among these unlikely heroes, listening to their tales and dreaming of worlds far beyond her own.
That was, until Sabbath seemed to realise how odd his lack of active engagement in the conversation was, or maybe Mira had passed some silent test? Regardless, Sabbath suddenly asked: "Hey, Mira, are you familiar with the game of Chess?"
Mira was dazed by the question, she had not expected it, and she certainly was not prepared to answer either. So Angie and Emaila did so for her. "Oh yes, we've seen her play a couple times with Lila, would've called her over, but today's her day off."
Sabbath raised a brow, wondering when they'd gotten so acquainted with the tavern's people. "That's interesting…." After a short pause he continued "Say, how about a game?". The Team seemed to bubble in quiet anticipation for her response. But it never came.
A large bed of prey suddenly burst into the tavern.