The mist hung thick over
the Foam Shallows, laden with salt and a tense silence that seemed to press on
everyone's shoulders. Rennik's skiffs had left the cove hours ago, slicing
through the choppy waves with a steady rhythm, oars dipping into the dark water
as Broken Rocks emerged in the gloom ahead. The rocky islands rose like broken
sentinels, cloaked in dark green moss and the remnants of wrecks—splintered
beams and rotten ropes dangling like abandoned webs. A low roar echoed from the
sea, a deep sound reverberating through the rocks and vibrating in Kain's
chest. Tashkivor, still slumbering in the depths, stirred restlessly, and the
waves crashed with growing force against the stones, white foam splashing into
the air. Kain drummed his fingers on his belt, the Ruby pulsing hot in his
pocket, the golden bracelet clinking softly in the cold gusts of wind.
Yariv's pirates had
retreated after the last clash, leaving behind a trail of debris on the wet
sand—charred wood scraps, torn ropes, and a broken curved knife stabbed into
the ground. The five speedboats bobbed in the cove, their wooden hulls creaking
with the water's motion, and Kain ran to the first, leaping aboard with an
agile bound. His soaked boots made the wood groan, and he gripped the helm with
steady hands, the salty wind tousling his brown hair as he stared into the
foggy horizon. "Selya's in the Abyss," he said, his crooked grin flashing
across his lips, a mix of determination and sarcasm that had become his
signature. "These boats are our way. Who's with me?"
Lirien jumped in behind
him, her broken spear clutched tight, her blonde hair fluttering like a
rebellious flame against the gray mist. "I'm in," she replied, her green eyes
gleaming with a resolve that cut through the air's tension. She balanced at the
bow, boots firm against the rocking deck, and shot Kain a teasing glance. "But
try not to flip this thing before we get there, huh? I don't want to swim to
the Abyss just because you can't steer."
Kain let out a short,
hoarse laugh, the sound echoing over the waves' crash. "No promises, blondie,"
he shot back, his gaze meeting hers for a moment before turning to the restless
sea. The mist seemed to swallow the horizon, a gray veil hiding what lay ahead,
but he felt the Ruby pulse in his pocket, a living flame that seemed to know
their destination was near.
Gorm approached the boats,
his cane tapping the wet sand with a dry thud, his weathered face hardened by
years of caution and battles. "I'm going too," he declared, his deep voice
rumbling like low thunder. "Yariv won't slip away easy, and this mist is full
of shadows that don't fool me." He climbed into the third boat with steady
steps, the weight of his experience clear in every move, his cane propped
beside him like an extension of his will. Rennik, the scruffy-bearded trader
with nervous eyes, followed, his hands trembling slightly as he adjusted the
helm. "I'll steer," Rennik said, his voice shaky but laced with forced resolve.
"I know these waters better than anyone here, but keep watch—this silence isn't
natural."
Toren, Sira, and Vael
exchanged quick glances near the second boat, their boots sinking into the damp
sand as the wind blew in sharp gusts. Toren crossed his arms, his broadsword
resting at his side like a symbol of his raw strength. "Abyss, huh?" he said,
his deep voice tinged with curiosity and suspicion. "I've seen Broken Rocks
swallow whole ships, crews screaming to the end. If Yariv's there, it's our
problem too."
Sira clutched the torn
Foam Shallows map, her cold eyes scanning its charred edges as the wind tried
to snatch it from her grip. "I know Broken Rocks," she said, her voice calm but
sharp as an arrow. "Pirates like Yariv's burned villages I knew, places I swore
to protect someday. If the Abyss is his lair, I'm going for them." Her resolve
was quiet but solid as the rocks around them, an echo of the contained anger
she'd let slip in the earlier fight.
Vael twirled his daggers
between his fingers, the metal glinting in the faint light piercing the mist, a
light smile playing on his lips. "And I'm with them," he said, nodding casually
at his siblings. "But that Ruby really cuts, Kain? I want to see it in action
in the Abyss—maybe even against those stubborn waves." His taunt was light, but
his eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity.
Kain nodded, the Ruby
pulsing in response in his pocket. "You'll see," he said, his tone hardening as
he leaned on the helm. "The Abyss is a black hole in the Fracture Sea. I've
seen boats vanish there—waves that swallow everything, rocks that crush hulls,
mist that muffles screams until nothing's left. Yariv uses it as a den, and now
Selya's trapped in that hell. We're pulling her out of his hands."
Lirien adjusted her spear,
her eyes narrowing as she stared into the mist. "Broken Rocks is the heart of
it," she added, her voice steady. "A nest of pirates and hidden relics. If
Selya's there, Yariv wants something big—something these jewels and trinkets
explain."
Toren snorted, uncrossing
his arms and climbing into the second boat with a grunt. "If Yariv's stirring
the High Fractures, he's already taken plenty from us," he decided, his words
heavy with rancor. "Let's go—but it better be worth it."
Sira leapt into the third
boat beside Gorm and Rennik, map in one hand, bow in the other. Vael hopped
into the second with Toren, twirling his daggers before stowing them. "Then
it's settled," he said, chuckling low as he balanced on the rocking hull. "We're
hunting crows in the Abyss."
The boats surged forward,
oars cutting through the waves toward the rocky islands, the sound of water
slapping the hulls blending with the wind. A subtle creak of wood echoed in the
distance, nearly lost among the waves, and Kain frowned, his brown eyes scanning
the haze.
Sira shouted from the
third boat, eyes on the map: "The rocks! The map shows a blockade!" Vael
pointed at shadows on the stones. "Ambush!" Arrows sliced the air, one
embedding in the hull near Kain, its black fletching quivering.
"Pirates!" Sira exclaimed,
firing an arrow that disarmed a foe, his knife splashing into the foam.
"Protect the boats!"
Kain drew the Ruby, red
light bursting as the Ruby Sword formed, cutting through the mist. "Let's give
them a warning," he said, leaping into the shallow water at super speed, a red
blur. The sword swung down, shattering a pirate's weapon, sending him reeling
with a cry.
"Close one," Kain
muttered, dodging a strike and shoving the pirate with his shoulder, toppling
him into the water.
Lirien jumped beside him,
her spear deflecting a knife. "Still figuring out that sword, huh?" she said,
grinning as she kicked another pirate back. "Aim for the weapons."
"Good tip," Kain replied,
blocking a sword and disarming the foe with a quick twist.
Toren charged, his
broadsword sweeping pirates aside, knocking weapons away. Sira fired arrows,
disarming with precision. Vael darted among enemies, disarming with his
daggers, laughing as they fell.
Kain raced to the rocks,
the Ruby pulsing. A wave rolled from the channel. He raised the Ruby Sword and
spun the blade at super speed, slicing the wave in two. The water parted,
trembling at the end, and the pirates froze, startled.
"Get lost!" Kain shouted,
the sword pointed. The Ruby hummed, his control steady for a moment.
"Look at that," Lirien
said, laughing as she deflected a pirate. "Almost looks like you know how to
use it."
The pirates retreated,
stumbling over the rocks. Toren grumbled, "Cowards." Sira stowed her bow, and
Vael twirled his daggers.
"Here!" Vael called,
pointing to debris among the stones. He pulled out a golden necklace, warm,
etched with a curved claw. Kain took it, the heat pulsing. "Another relic," he
said, eyes flashing.
Sira examined the
necklace. "It glows with the Ruby—might amplify the jewels," she said,
frowning.
Lirien gripped her spear.
"Then Yariv wants this because of her," she said, serious. "Let's get him."
A creak of wood cut
through the mist. A large ship emerged, black sails billowing. Yariv, tall and
cold-eyed, held Selya by the arm on the deck. "Thanks for the relic!" he
laughed, eyeing the necklace.
"Selya!" Kain shouted,
racing to the boat. The ship turned, a wave pushing the skiffs back. Yariv
vanished into the mist, his laughter echoing.
Kain gripped the helm, the
Ruby hot. "He won't escape long," he said, glancing at Lirien. She nodded.
"We're going after him."
The sea calmed, but the
Abyss awaited.