Leaving Gavren with the villagers of the Village of Shadows, Kain followed the pirates' severed ropes. Lirien and Gorm trailed behind, climbing the black cliffs of the High Fractures. They rose like the jagged spine of some ancient, forgotten beast.
Their obsidian surfaces glistened with a sheen of salt and moisture. Centuries of relentless winds and crashing waves below had carved them. The sea roared in a distant echo, almost a lament.
The salty gusts lashed at them as they climbed, sharp as honed steel. They tugged at their clothes and numbed their fingers with cruel cold. The frayed ropes swayed dangerously beneath their feet.
Kain gripped them tightly, knuckles whitening with effort. Each step was grueling, but he pressed on, pulling himself upward. The ropes, abandoned by the pirates, creaked with every move.
The Ruby Jewel pulsed hot in his pocket, cutting through the chill. It urged him onward as if alive and aware. It whispered promises of answers awaiting at the summit.
The golden pendant thrummed in harmony against his hip. A subtle pulse, almost a heartbeat, steadied his resolve. He clung to it as he climbed, step by step.
Lirien scaled just below, blonde hair whipping in the fierce wind. It was a wild tangle, like a fluttering golden banner. Her green eyes scanned the rock, sharp and unyielding.
She searched for handholds and signs of their quarry with predatory focus. Gorm followed, broad shoulders hunched against the gale. His cane, strapped to his back, swung with each firm step.
His breath came in heavy grunts, but he didn't stop. Determination etched his face, a rock amid the storm. He pressed on despite the wind howling around them.
"There!" Gorm's voice boomed over the wind's howl, deep and resonant. It cut through the air as he pointed upward. His calloused hand aimed at a jagged ledge above.
"The pirates went that way," he said with absolute certainty. "Selya's with them, I'm sure of it." His eyes locked on the path ahead.
Kain twisted to look, clinging to the rope with force. The wind battered his face, salt stinging his eyes. His brown eyes squinted against the fierce burn.
He traced the faint trail of scuffed stone and severed ropes. It snaked toward the cliff's edge, barely visible. It was a thread of hope in the surrounding darkness.
Gavren's cries still haunted him, raw and broken. They were the pleas of a man who'd lost all he loved. Kain knew that pain, an old wound in his soul.
He flashed a crooked grin, defiance masking the inner weight. "Then it's now or never," he rasped. The ropes bit into his palms, scraping skin raw.
The Ruby Jewel burned in his pocket like a living heart. Each pulse fueled his climb, driving him upward. It was a call he couldn't ignore.
They crested the summit in one ragged, gasping breath. Boots crunched on loose gravel across the barren plateau. The wind roared around them, relentless and wild.
The High Fractures stretched out, cracked stone everywhere. Twisted rock formations rose like sinister skeletons. Nature had shaped them into disturbing forms.
Kain straightened, wiping sweat from his brow with his arm. The Ruby Jewel buzzed against his thigh, insistent and alive. It grew stronger with every moment.
A cave loomed ahead, dark and yawning in the cliffside. Its edges, smoothed by time, swallowed the daylight. It looked like a wound torn in the cold stone.
Lirien landed beside him with a light, nimble thud. Her lithe frame stood steady despite the climb. She pointed to fresh marks on the hard stone.
Scuffed bootprints, coils of severed rope, and damp earth. "They've been here," she said, calm but taut. Her green eyes narrowed, predatory and alert.
Kain stepped into the cave, damp air washing over him like a tide. The sound of dripping water echoed through the chamber. It was a slow drip-drip-drip against the walls.
The slick walls were streaked with dark green moss. He drew the Ruby Jewel from his pocket, red glow bursting forth. It cast jagged shadows dancing like specters.
Heat surged up his arm, intense and alive on calloused skin. It was as if the jewel sensed something lurking there. Lirien and Gorm followed, footsteps muted.
Their breaths puffed visible in the cave's chill air. "Nothing here!" Kain growled, frustration roughening his voice. He kicked a rotten chest in the corner hard.
The wood shattered under his boot, brittle and decayed. A torn scrap of parchment fluttered to the wet floor. Lirien darted forward, snatching it before it soaked.
"Foam Shallows," she read aloud, steady but edged with tension. "In the Tempestamic Ocean—shallow waters full of foam and hidden rocks." "Where currents drag relics from the depths."
"A map," she said, tracing the faded, water-stained ink. "But nothing about Selya," she added, disappointment in her tone. Her fingers held the parchment carefully.
Kain slammed his fist against the wall, gravel tumbling down. His patience frayed like the ropes they'd climbed. "Damn it! Where is she?!" he barked, hoarse.
The Ruby Jewel buzzed louder, a frantic pulse matching his rage. He spun, brown eyes flashing in the gloom. He spotted a subtle crack in the opposite wall.
It was a hairline fracture shrouded in shadow, nearly unseen. Something glinted there, a steady golden flicker. "What's that?" he murmured, stepping closer.
His boots splashed in shallow puddles as he approached. A shout split the air before he could reach it. It was a raw, desperate cry from the shadows.
A wiry man leapt out, wild eyes gleaming with panic. A rusty dagger trembled in his hand, faintly glinting. "Stay away from that!" he snarled, voice hoarse.
Kain dodged by instinct, twisting from the blade's path. It grazed his tunic, tearing the fabric with a rip. He seized the man's wrist in a fluid grip.
He twisted hard until the dagger clattered to the stone. "You're too weak to make me sweat," Kain mocked. He shoved the stranger against the wall firmly.
His eyes burned with disdain as he held the spy tight. Lirien was already there, tossing severed ropes over him. She bound his arms with practiced ease.
The spy thrashed weakly, but the ropes held him fast. Gorm stepped up, cane now unstrapped in his strong hands. Its tip pointed at the man's chest.
"Talk," Kain ordered, crouching before the trembling figure. His brown eyes were hard as flint. The air grew thick with tension and dread.
The man choked, filthy face twisting in fear and panic. "I… don't know much!" he stammered, sweat streaking down. "Yariv… took her to the Foam Shallows!"
"On a big ship… that's all I know!" he finished, voice cracking. His wild eyes darted between them, pleading. Terror consumed him entirely.
Kain narrowed his gaze, the Ruby Jewel pulsing hot in his pocket. "A big ship, huh? Useful as a leaky bucket." Sarcasm dripped from his words.
He turned to the cracked wall, steps deliberate and firm. "Let's see what you were hiding," he said low. He drew the Ruby Jewel again, glow intensifying.
Heat rushed through his veins, alive and throbbing. The jewel transformed in his hand with swift grace. Light stretched into a long, slender blade.
Red-purple flames sparked along its edge, crackling with energy. The hilt solidified, swirling patterns pulsing with his heartbeat. The Ruby Sword shimmered in the cave.
With a swift slice, Kain cut the wall with precision. The blade cleaved stone like cloth, effortless and clean. The glow revealed a small alcove within.
A golden bracelet with a red stone gleamed inside it. Its pulse synced with the Ruby Jewel's own. "Found you," he murmured, grabbing it carefully.
The jewels' glows merged into a radiant, humming light. The sword reverted to stone in his hand. He stowed the Ruby Jewel, clipping the bracelet to his belt.
A sudden scuffle broke the silence, shadows shifting fast. Two figures emerged, knives glinting in the torchlight. Gorm's flame flickered, catching their attack.
The first lunged at Kain's back, blade aimed low and quick. Lirien spun faster, blonde hair flaring like a whip. She hurled a loose rope, tangling his arm.
With a sharp yank, she pulled him off balance, tripping him. "Behind you, idiot!" she teased, voice laced with mockery. She darted forward with swift grace.
She landed a light kick to the second spy's knee. It buckled, toppling him with a grunt of pain. Her tone carried a sharp, playful edge.
Kain turned, crooked grin flashing in the dim light. "Funny girl," he shot back, advancing on the second man. He twisted his arm with a quick jerk.
The knife clattered away, echoing in the cold cave. "Give up before I lose my patience," Kain warned. His voice was sharp as the jewel's edge.
The man crumpled, hands raised in full surrender. His breath came ragged, broken by fear. Kain shoved him against the wall with force.
Lirien crossed her arms, kicking the knives to a corner. "Not bad… for a little thief who almost became a target." Her words blended praise and taunt.
"But I think you still owe me one, huh?" she added. A mocking smile played on her lips. Her green eyes sparkled as she watched him.
Kain snorted, securing the warm bracelet at his belt. "Keep dreaming, blondie," he replied, tone light but firm. "If we're counting, you owe me ten."
He turned to the first spy, still bound and trembling hard. The man's pale face reflected pure dread. Gorm's cane kept him pinned in place.
The three spies lay subdued on the cave's damp floor. The air hung heavy with salt, sweat, and fear. Kain crouched before the first, steady and sure.
The Ruby Jewel stayed secure in his pocket, a warm comfort. "Let's try this again, since you're terrible at talking." Sarcasm thickened his voice.
"Selya. Where is she? Give me something useful," he demanded. "Or this cave becomes your permanent home." His eyes blazed with resolve.
The spy swallowed hard, sweat cutting through the grime. "In the Foam Shallows! Yariv… has her on a big ship!" Words tumbled out in panic.
"They stopped near some rocks… I swear, that's all!" he gasped. His wide eyes begged as the cane drew closer. Terror swallowed him whole.
Kain stood, the Ruby Jewel's pulse steadying his will. "Rocks, huh? Better than nothing," he muttered softly. He glanced at Lirien and Gorm, determined.
The Foam Shallows awaited them, an uncertain fate ahead. With it, the hope of finding Selya alive. If they were fast, they might just make it.