“Bar Fight!”

From the corner of my eye, I watch the hooded man at the front.

From beneath his cloak, he holds what looks like—a dagger.

Close to his side, he slowly moves it from beneath the fabric.

I watch as Jorvain’s eyes bounce from Serena to the hooded man, full of alarm.

“Serena!”

Dain yells—hurling a knife through the air—perfectly flying past Serena’s face and the hooded man in just enough time to make him hesitate long enough for Jorvain to rush forward.

Dashing past the people in his way—he yanks Serena towards his body—sweeping her away from the man in one clean motion as he swings his dagger—It clanks against a jar Jorvain's used as a shield.

Jorvain pulls his arm back, swinging his jar forward—the liquid inside slashing against the man's face—quickly followed by the jar itself, which shatters on impact.

Causing the man to fall to the floor with a thud. Completely unconscious.

The pub gasps in shock and fear.

My eyes go wide, completely stunned.

Jorvain shakes his hand of the beer's residue, his eyes sharp.

He lifts his head, facing the rest of them.

“Do you all really wanna fight? “

He asks coldly, clenching his fist.

The men glance at each other, then at their unconscious man.

“Answer him! Cause if it’s a fight you’re looking for, I’ll have to ask you to take it outside.”

Emrys shouts, stepping forth, raising her bow with furrowed brows.

“Should’ve asked that before you knocked our leader out with a glass jar!”

One of the men barks, stepping forward; he raises his weapon.

“Your leader?”

Jorvain says with a scoff.

“Jorvain! Don’t provoke them! “

Maelis shouts, positioning themselves in front of the elders; they’ve gathered into a corner at the end of the pub.

“Oh, come on, if your leader was that weak, then the rest of you must be even weaker!”

Jorvain says with a prideful grin, placing his hand on his hip.

“Attack!”

The man hollers.

And just like that—a fight breaks out.

We all shoot up from our chairs, ready to fight back.

Is this it? My moment, my time to shine?

I grip my sword, unsheathing it.

Is it wrong that my heart's pounding with excitement, rather than fear? It probably is, but I, I can’t help it.

“Grab everything you can! “

The hooded man shouts as he rushes forward, swinging his blade.

Emrys blocks his hit with her bow, gritting her teeth as she steps forward, slamming her leg against his—sweeping him off his feet with a thud.

“Ugh! I can’t use my bow indoors!”

She whines, putting her bow into her back; she balls her fist.

“No need!”

Jorvain says mid-weave—grabbing a fistful of one of the men's cloaks.

He yanks him forward—slamming his knee into his gut.

“Mommy!”

Anika cries as one of the men tries to grab hold of her arm—Dain leaps over the table—slamming a metal tray into the man's face; he tackles him to the floor.

“Roba! Protect Anika!”

Jorvain shouts—round-kicking a man so hard he slams into the bar counter with a crack.

Maelis dodges and blocks the various flying objects dashing through the air, protecting the elders.

“I got you! “

Maelis shouts. Taking a glass to the head to protect an old man.

My eyes shoot through the room, landing on Anika. I rush through the commotion—scooping her up in one fell swoop. I carry her over my shoulder to safety as she cries for her mother.

Serena scrambles through the commotion, narrowly dodging falling objects.

“Stop! Don’t do this, please! Don’t hurt anyone!”

She pleads, begging them to stop.

“Mommy!”

Anika cries, her face red and her eyes puffy.

“Shhh, shh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’ve got you; your mother's okay too; we’re here.”

I say as gently as I can, stroking her hair to calm her down.

But the sudden sound of a stool being smashed against Jorvain’s face doesn’t help. In fact, it works her up all over again.

“Jorvain!”

I shout at the same time as Emrys, who glances at me through the commotion, kicking a man in the face.

“I’m okay! Guy to your right, Dain!”

Jorvain shouts, already rushing to the next guy.

Anika goes on weeping, and it makes my brows furrow at the sight—poor girl.

“Don’t worry, we’re heros; we won’t let anyone get hurt.”

I say, trying to muster a smile.

They’re heros, but am I? I think to myself.

“J-Jorvain, let me help! “

I shout, reaching for my sword with my free arm.

“You are! “

He shouts back, dodging another stool thrown at him.

“Keep Anika safe! Don’t let her get hurt!”

He finishes, swinging from one of the pub's pillars into one of the hooded men.

“But,”

I try to argue

“I can—

“Behind me, Mrs. Smith!”

Maelis shouts, cutting me off, as they yank Serena out of harm's way to the corner of the pub near the back tables with the rest of the older people.

“Anika! Anika, where are you!?”

Serena screams, her voice full of fear

“It’s okay! It’s okay! I have her; she’s safe.”

I shout back, trying to calm her nerves.

“Mama! “

Anika calls.

My brows furrow as I watch all the commotion, holding Anika tightly. I block different items being chucked through the air—a glass shard flies past my face, nicking the side of my cheek.

“Oh no!”

anika exclaims, full of worry.

“It’s okay, I’m alright. Are you okay?”

I ask with a shaky smile.

She shakes her head with a frown.

“It’s okay, it’s almost over. I’m worried about everyone too.”

I say quietly.

I can’t even help them…

Still, even now, just when I thought for sure I’d have my moment,

I’m useless.

***

In the center of the floor, the hooded men sit back-to-back, tied up in piles.

I return Anika to Serena, who cries and holds her tight.

“Alright, let’s tidy up this mess, yeah?”

Jorvain says with a huff, placing his hand on his hip.

“On it.”

Maelis responds.

“O-okay.”

Emrys says, wobbling on her feet.

“Not you, Dain, could you take care of Em?”

Jorvain asks with a small smile.

“There’s a cabin inn right beside the pub, just outside; head there and tell Casiaen you’re a friend of the smiths, and he’ll get you all a place to sleep.”

Serena says with a sniffle, wiping tears from her eyes as she hugs Anika.

“Thank you.”

Jorvain replies softly.

“No, thank you. You all saved us, my daughter, too. If you weren’t here to protect us, who knows what would’ve happened? You really are great heroes.”

She says with tears in her eyes, her voice full of sincerity.

“Just doing our jobs, isn’t that right? “

Jorvain asks with a grin.

“Yes, sir.”

Maelis replies, sweeping glass from the floor.

“Yeah...”

I mutter, avoiding his gaze.

“Dain, book us a room, please. Me and the others will tidy up here,”

Jorvain says, straightening out the scattered stools.

“What about them?”

Dain says, signaling to the crooks as he picks up a very drunk Emrys.

“I’ll handle them. Maelis, Roba, clean this place up as best you can.”

Jorvain states.

Dain leaves with Jorvain, and Maelis and I stay behind to clean.

“Sorry for the mess.”

I say as I stack the plates.

“That is the least of my worries.”

Serena says with a small, relieved smile.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Maelis says with a smile.

“Of course, I’ll be leaving now; someone's got to get the elders to their homes. Say goodbye anika.”

Serena says with a gentle smile.

“Goodbye! “

Anika says with a smile, wiping snot from her nose.

“Mommy, where’s the big man?”

She asks her mother as they walk to the door.

“He left, honey.”

Serena says with a laugh.

“Oh, will you all be here tomorrow for the lantern show? I’ll have to tell my father to cancel it for tonight.”

She says, pausing at the door.

“Will probably be leaving in the morning.”

Maelis says with a sigh, dreading the morning.

“I see. That’s a shame. Well, goodnight.”

She says with a bow, leading the elders out of the pub, with Anika in her arms.

***

“I was totally useless back there, wasn’t I?”

I sigh.

“What do you mean? You saved Serena’s daughter.”

Maelis retorts.

“I didn’t even help fight; everyone's bruised and banged up, and I’ve got nothing more than a nick.”

I say, looking down with shame.

“That doesn't mean anything.”

They argue

I shouldn’t be complaining to them anyway.

“Yeah, you’re right, sorry.”

I say, forcing a smile.

“Uh, I’m gonna get some fresh air if that’s okay?”

I ask, trying to avoid their gaze.

“Sure, we’re basically done here.”

They answer, leaning their broom against the wall with a sigh.

***

Once again, I find myself outside, outside on the outdoor benches of a pub.

Now that the commotion has died down, it feels like I can finally catch my breath.

The view isn't much different from before: a dark, quiet town settled in the moonlight, still adorned with decorations.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

My eyes widen at the sound of Jorvain’s voice as I look up, meeting his eyes, crinkled by the big grin on his bruised face. He holds up a lantern.

“Your face! “

I exclaim, wincing a bit.

“A stool to the face will do that. I’ll drink a healing potion before bed; I’m too drunk to care. Mind if I join you?” he says casually, pointing to the space on the bench.

I shake my head, scooting to the side.

“What a night, am I right?”

He says with a huff, leaning on his right arm; he looks up at the moon.

“Yeah…”

I mutter.

“So, have you…”

He pauses.

“Yeah?”

I ask, glancing at him.

“Do you think you’ve figured it out?”

He asks with a small smile.

“Figured it out?”

I ask with furrowed brows.

“Why you’re here, with us, on Sol Viridis.”

He asks, looking back at the moon.

I sigh, taking a second to think about it, but I know the answer’s no.

“No, not yet…I wish I knew what you know, but I’d be lying if I said I did.”

I look forward, eyes fixating on a dancing firefly, drifting in the wind.

“Hey, that’s okay. You’ll get it; I know you will.”

He says with a smile as I turn back to face him.

“How can you be so sure?”

I mutter, my face furrowing with frustration.

“I’m the one who wanted you here; of course I’m sure.”

He says confidently, pointing to himself with a thumbs-up.

“Fair.”

I say with a sigh.

For a moment there’s a slience between us, not awkward, but not comfortable. Just there, but I guess I don’t mind it.

“Hey, Roba? You might not understand it yet, but... things have been different since meeting you. I feel like... like you’re special. “

He says with a sweet smile.

My eyes widen, shining in the light of the moon.

“So, don’t give up on yourself.”

He smiles, his eyes crinkling with a glint of compassion.

My heart skips a beat, and I can’t fathom why, but I don’t bother fighting it; it’s Jorvain, after all—the great hero.

Suddenly the pub door opens with a creak.

“I’m finished in there; should we head to the inn?—Oh, hey, Jorvain.”

Maelis says, walking out with their staff.

“Sure thing, I’m beat.”

Jorvain says with an exhausted sigh.

“Well yeah, I can see that.”

Maelis says dryly.

Which gets a laugh out of jorvain as he rises from his feet with a wobble.

“Man, we probably shouldn’t have drunk so much booze.”

I think aloud.

“What? No, we’ll be fine! We’re the Sol Viridis! What could possibly go wrong?”

He says with a cheeky grin.

“Jorvain!”

Maelis and I both yell in sync.

End.