The hissing grew louder, like thousands of small snakes slithering over blocks of ice. Caver dropped into a stance, the muscles in his arms, thick with whip scars, tensing until his veins bulged."Get over here, you coward! Show your face!" Caver challenged, his raspy voice echoing against the cave's ceiling.Lyra suddenly stepped forward, her hand calmly lowering the tip of her own bow. "Hey, chill out, Slave. If you want to die, don't do it now—you're just being a nuisance to me."Lyra let out a short, piercing whistle. Instantly, the hissing vanished. The dark shadow at the cave's bend shrank, as if being sucked back into the rock crevices. "Oxa is a moody pet. She knows who smells like despair, and both of you reek of it right down to the bone.""We don't need a psychology lecture from you," Karla interrupted, clutching their child tightly. "My husband needs a place to sit. And I need hot water. Now."Lyra raised an eyebrow, impressed by Karla's boldness. "Fine, Elf. Follow me. Do

"Lower those iron pipes first; it'd be a shame if they went off because your hands are shaking," Jack smirked, not at all bothered by the steam rifle muzzles just inches from his nose.The lead Ogre soldier hissed, hot steam venting from the slits of his iron helm. "Escaped slaves. Human and Elven. Hand them over, or your head gets crushed.""Geez, so aggressive. Don't you see what's in the sky?" Jack pointed toward the red clouds pulsing ominously in the heavens.Agrasuuman's Blood Pulse ritual had begun to form the pattern of a giant eye. A sense of dread crawled over the skin of every living thing on the dock. Caver gripped Karla’s arm tightly, trying to stand even though his legs still felt heavy from the fall."Leo, we're out of time," Caver whispered softly. "Karla's Elven blood is being tracked."Leo gave a slight nod, his hand surreptitiously moving to the hilt of the sword hidden beneath his royal cloak. "Damn it, the magic sensors are getting stronger. Jack, are you going to

"Black blood splashed on my face! Dammit, what is this smell?!" Caver spat, wiping away a thick fluid that smelled more like rotten sulfur than ordinary animal blood.The impact of his axe had been heavy, but the magical Kraken's skin felt like hacking through a rubber tire as thick as a fortress wall. Instead of being severed, the massive tentacle was barely scratched and only grew more enraged.A violent shudder rocked the deck of The Iron Crab. The sound of cracking wood was painful to Jack's ears as he struggled desperately to stabilize the wheel."Caver! The ship won't hold much longer if you just stand there gawking!" Jack shouted, his face flushed red with a mix of panic and anger. "That tentacle is already starting to tear through the port hull. One more pull and we're all toast!""Be patient, man! I'm working on it!" Caver shouted back, his breath coming in gasps. His lungs felt like they were being burned by the icy snow he had been inhaling since their escape."be careful!"

Oxa vanished completely, leaving behind a trail of green light that slowly faded into the salty sea breeze. The silence that followed the fairy’s words felt heavier than the weight of the stones Caver used to carry in the Moar mines. The night wind swept grains of black sand across their feet, but none of them dared to move for several seconds.Caver still gripped the hilt of the Coral Sword he had just received. The weapon felt cold, yet there was a strange pulse of energy within it—as if the sword thirsted for something. His eyes stared straight into the mist where Oxa had stood. His mind worked at a painful speed, processing the information that Larius, the only person who had shared his last bread ration in prison, was to be hanged tomorrow morning."Damn it," Jack cursed, breaking the silence and spitting to the side. "Less than twenty-four hours? We just got stranded on this ghost island with a ship whose mast is snapped like a toothpick, and now you’re saying we have to attack