8. Invisible Threats

Once we got to the boat the grandfather invited the boy to come aboard, the three of us headed to the old man's office, where once inside the old man sat down and we did too.

"What is your name young man?"

"My name is Marcus sir"

"So Marcus, where are your parents?"

"My parents died sir, I come from the city-states it is normal that adventurers die every day" even though Marcus tried to hide, in his words there was a lot of sadness.

Marcus is like me, he also suffered the loss of his parents, this is such an unfair world, I wonder how many more are in our situation, at least I have the old man, but those who have nothing ... I sighed at the thought of that.

"How did you get to Verf Blauw?" asked the old man

"I came to town with a group of traveling artists," Marcus muttered.

"I see, how long have you been living alone?"

"My parents died a year ago sir, it took me a year to get to the Verf Blauw state" Marcus's voice was getting weaker.

"So you just got to town then?"

"Yes sir, I arrived in the city 15 days ago"

"Tell me Marcus how old are you?"

"I am 9 years old, I will turn 10 on the fifth day of the sixth month" tears began to form in his eyes

"So you're 10 years old, you're very young Marcus" the old man murmured "What will you do Marcus?"

"I don't know sir I-I don't know" at that moment Marcus broke down and started crying.

Seeing this, the grandfather stood up and approached him, when he was in front of Marcus the grandfather hugged him, I did not feel jealous, Marcus had it very difficult he managed to live alone for a year, her cry echoed throughout the room.

After crying for a long time Marcus calmed down and fell silent.

"Marcus, go and take a bath, put on these clothes and we will go out to dinner, tonight you can stay on my boat, tomorrow we will speak again, my name is Basilio Beltrán remember it and that brat over there is Dan Balam I hope you get along well with him, "said the old man as he pointed at me.

Marcus just nodded and quickly went to take a bath, my grandfather and I was alone in the office.

"Dan, from tomorrow Marcus, will be a member of the crew treat him well, it is not good that you grow up among so many adults," said the old man as he left the room but before leaving he stopped, he looked at me worried.

"One more thing they Dan, be very careful from now on, things in this city can get dangerous, do not leave the ship unless you are accompanied by someone I trust."

When the old man left the room, I was thinking, I took off my shirt and looked at my arm, the mark on it still did not disappear, but strangely it did not hurt, I looked at it until Marcus finished bathing, passed him the clothes.

Marcus was unrecognizable, his skin was dark like Mr. Dragan's, his hair was black and curly, his eyes were black, his eyebrows were sharp, now that he was clean he no longer looked like a beggar, he looked like the son of soldiers or warriors.

When he saw me waiting for him, Marcus smiled at me, he was missing two teeth and they were yellow, he passed the dust that I use to clean mine and he passed it through his teeth with his fingers, that reminded me that tomorrow we should buy him things for his daily needs.

After brushing his teeth Marcus and I went out onto the deck where the old man was standing smoking his pipe, I don't know what happens to the old man but I know that something worries him, it must be related to the city and what he talking about today Mr. Gogsling and the fat captain, I hope to be strong one day so I can help you with your things.

When the old man noticed us, he kept his pipe in the ring and said to follow him for dinner, we went to the same place as yesterday, after finishing we walked around the city a bit, we went to the adventurers' guild to see some acquaintances and then we returned to the port.

When Grandpa arrived, he took a bed out of his magic ring and put it next to mine, then said that he had something to do and that we should sleep, because tomorrow will be a busy day.

Marcus and I talked until we fell asleep.

"Dan, Marcus on deck right now !!!"

A scream woke us up, hearing the old man shout I cursed him a hundred times, look at Marcus who was still stunned, I felt the same the first time I heard that scream, sometimes it is Mr. Dragan who screams, sighed and stood up I started to change into my training clothes and told Marcus to do the same.

When we reached the deck the old man was standing next to a man with green skin, he had black hair tied in a ponytail, his ears were pointed and two fangs protruding from his lower lips.

He wore a white shirt that exposed his muscular chest from which hung a silver medallion, on top of his shirt he had a black coat, he had brown pants tied at his waist with a red ribbon and accompanied by boots in black leather, it was Garald the brave, one of my grandfather's three lieutenants, he is was of the ogre race.

"Good morning Mr. Garald" I greeted politely.

"Good morning Dan," he replied.

After the greetings, the old man began to speak, "Marcus, today I, Basilio Beltrán, make the promise to you, I will take care of you as I take care of my family, Marcus wants to join my crew and travel the seas on the Shark Queen?"

Hearing this, Marcus was moved to tears and as he could answer "Yes captain"

After that, the grandfather introduced Mr. Garald and told me that today Mr. Garald will be the one to train with me, while he and Marcus will take a tour of the city and visit some members of the crew.

I trained with Mr. Garald until noon when we stopped to eat, then Mr. Garald sat on the deck while he took out a map and a book, he started writing some things while analyzing the map, I kept practicing until Grandpa returned.

When the grandfather returned Mr. Garald said goodbye and the grandfather said to change me to go to the coliseum, after changing I noticed that the grandfather also bought clothes for Marcus, in the coliseum the grandfather explained exactly the same thing to me to Marcus.

Observing the fighting I realized that despite having spent a single day now I could better understand the fighters, when we finished we went to eat in the same place and in the end we returned to the ship, after arriving we prepared to go to bed, Marcus and I talked until we fell asleep.

* Somewhere outside Verf Blauw *

"You found the boy"

"Yes my lord," replied a man with a pale face and red eyes.

"What happened? What you do with?"

"I'm still not used to my body, he took me by surprise and boy escaped, I couldn't run after him," said the man with a touch of fear.

"Useless, all of you are useless, now the old man will know that we are here"

"Lord, I can kill the old man when I have full control of my body," answered the pale man.

"You think the old man is so easy to deal with, the murderer of Grauel, not a trace of his body was left, if you underestimate him you would end up the same"

"Excuse my impertinence, my lord," the pale man apologized.

"You still don't face any of them, you don't understand what is the power of those assholes, if things were easy, our master would have triumphed a long time ago" sounded a voice as cold as ice.

"What must I do my lord," said the pale man ignoring that voice.

"Observe the child but you must not let the old man find you or finish you, now we can only wait, that old man is too dangerous, while he is close we will not be able to do anything to that child"

"I understand my lord"

"Remember this, if you fail this time even if the old man does not kill you I will take care of it, now go away I have more important things to do"

The pale man quickly retreated, leaving only two men, one hooded and one wearing a white mask.

"That asshole screwed up again," said the hooded man.

"I know, we have to find a way to eliminate that old man"

"My lord, if you allow me I could try it"

"Eventually the old man will die but the time is not yet, "

The hooded man removed an object from his robes and the two disappeared without a trace that they were ever there.