Following the trail from the cliff's edge, Kain, Lirien, and Gorm descended toward the Foam Shallows, their boots sinking into the damp sand as they spotted five skiffs bobbing in a sheltered cove below. The air thrummed with the clanging of swords and the sharp whistle of arrows, a chaotic symphony rising from the mist-shrouded shore. The Ruby pulsed hot in Kain's pocket, its heat searing through his tunic as he drew it forth. Red light erupted in his hands, and the Ruby Sword formed in an instant—its slender blade shimmering with red-purple flames, cutting through the fog like a blazing torch. Ahead, three siblings fought a swarm of pirates, their bodies marked with Yariv's crow tattoo: a towering man swung a broadsword with brutal force, a wiry woman loosed arrows with deadly precision, and a lithe figure danced through the fray, dodging blows with effortless grace.
"Let's lend a hand!" Kain shouted, his crooked grin flashing as the Ruby's power surged up his arm, igniting his veins with fire. He launched forward at super speed, a crimson blur streaking across the beach, sand spraying in his wake. He aimed the Ruby Sword at a pirate's curved blade, the flaming arc slicing through the metal with a sharp crack. The pirate stumbled back, eyes wide with shock, and Kain drove his shoulder into the man's chest, sending him sprawling into the wet sand with a grunt.
Lirien appeared at his side, her blonde hair whipping wildly as she twirled her broken spear. "Almost missed that one, huh, smart guy?" she teased, her voice cutting through the din as she parried a pirate's strike with the spear's splintered shaft. With a swift kick to the ankle, she sent the attacker tumbling, his sword skittering across the sand. "Try aiming next time!"
"Focus on yours, blondie!" Kain shot back, charging another foe. The Ruby hummed in his grip, its glow flaring as he met a pirate's sword with a sizzling clash. Sparks flew, the metal hissing under the Ruby's heat, and Kain twisted his wrist, sending the blade flying from the man's hand. A quick shove dropped the pirate to his knees, groaning in defeat.
Gorm lumbered forward, slower but unyielding, his cane now freed from his back and gripped like a war club. "Bunch of rats!" he growled, swinging the heavy wood into a pirate's arm with a dull thud. The man staggered back, clutching his limb, and Gorm planted himself near the archer, shielding her flank. "Keep shooting, girl!"
The archer, Sira, gave a curt nod, her focus unbroken as she nocked another arrow. "I don't need a babysitter, old man," she said coolly, releasing the shaft. It streaked through the air, pinning a pirate's quiver to a jagged rock with a satisfying thunk. Beside her, Toren roared, his broadsword cleaving through the mist as he smashed it into a pirate's guard. The blow sent the man reeling, and Toren hurled him to the ground with a heavy shove. "Stay out of my way!" he bellowed, his voice a thunderclap over the chaos.
Vael, the agile one, darted through the melee, twin knives flashing in his hands. He ducked under a wild swing, chuckling low as he hooked a pirate's leg with his foot, sending him crashing face-first into the sand. "Faster, everyone!" he called, vaulting over the fallen foe with a grin, his movements a blur of precision and mischief.
Kain spun the Ruby Sword, its crimson glow illuminating the swirling mist and the tangle of bodies. "I like your style!" he yelled to the siblings, lunging at another pirate. The flaming blade met the man's cutlass, shattering it in a burst of sparks, and Kain shoved him back with a snarl. The Ruby pulsed in his hand, its power a steady rhythm driving him forward. "Do these crows know about Selya?"
Toren felled a pirate with a brutal shoulder charge, sand exploding under the impact. "If they do, we'll find out!" he roared, his broadsword swinging in a wide arc to clear the space around him. Sira loosed another arrow, the shaft whistling as it pinned a pirate's sleeve to the sand, trapping him mid-strike. "Fight first, rookie!" she snapped, her tone icy.
Lirien laughed, her spear flashing as she toppled another pirate with a deft thrust to the chest. "They called you a rookie, Kain!" she teased, her green eyes gleaming with amusement as she danced around a clumsy swing. "Show 'em you're more than a fast talker!"
"Watch me win, blondie!" Kain replied, his grin sharpening as he darted into the horde's center at super speed. The Ruby Sword sliced through the air, a red streak of destruction, shattering two pirate weapons in quick succession. The men reeled back, startled cries escaping them as Kain pressed his advantage, shoving one into the other with a forceful push.
The mist thickened in the Foam Shallows, curling around them like a living thing, heavy with the tang of salt and the coppery scent of sweat and blood. The pirates' numbers dwindled, their movements growing sluggish as desperation set in. Then, from the haze, a lean figure emerged—his tattered coat flapping in the wind, a jagged scar slashing across his face. The spy from the Village of Shadows. He brandished a long, notched sword, his wild eyes locking onto Kain with a sneer. "Back for more, kid?" he mocked, lunging forward with surprising speed.
"You!" Kain growled, the Ruby pulsing hot as he shot toward the spy in a red blur. The Ruby Sword swung down, aiming to snap the man's blade, but the spy twisted aside, the flaming edge grazing his coat with a hiss of burning fabric. "Where's Selya?"
The spy laughed, a hoarse, grating sound, as he parried Kain's next strike with a clang of steel. "Dancing with the crows in the Abyss!" he taunted, kicking a spray of sand at Kain's face. "That Ruby's half-baked in your hands!" He slashed low, the blade whistling through the air, but Kain sidestepped, wiping the grit from his eyes with a snarl.
"Half-baked, huh?" Kain spat, the Ruby's power surging through him like a wildfire. He moved in a crimson flash, the sword arcing toward the spy's weapon, but the man spun, blocking with uncanny agility. Kain pressed forward, flanking him, the blade slicing the air in a deadly arc. The spy rolled back, dodging by a hair's breadth, his sword still intact. "Hold still!" Kain shouted, frustration boiling as he lunged again. The spy darted between two pirates, shoving one into Kain's path with a cackle. Kain pushed the lackey aside with a grunt, but the spy vanished into the mist, his shrill laugh echoing. "See you in the Abyss!"
Kain stopped, chest heaving, the Ruby Sword reverting to its gem form with a faint shimmer. He pocketed it, his mind racing. How's he so fast without a jewel? The question gnawed at him, but there was no time to dwell. Selya was out there, and the spy's words—Abyss Crow—rang like a lead.
Lirien jogged up, spear in hand, her blonde hair plastered with sweat. "Let him slip away again, smart guy?" she teased, wiping her brow with a smirk. "Need lessons?"
"He's too fast for a rat," Kain shot back, his grin returning, sharp and defiant. "Said Selya's in the Abyss—Abyss Crow. We're going after her."
Toren approached, sheathing his broadsword with a metallic scrape. "Broken Rocks," he grunted, his voice low and certain. "Black-sailed ship. I know the place."
Sira stowed her bow across her back, her expression cold. "If it's not a lie, we've got a lead," she said, her tone clipped. Vael twirled his knives, smirking as he joined them. "Or a trap. Either way, it's fun."
Gorm slammed his cane into the sand, the impact sending a small tremor through the ground. "True or not, Yariv's laughing at us," he muttered, his deep voice thick with irritation. "He left a trail."
"Help me!" A hoarse cry cut through the fading sounds of battle, drawing their eyes to a jagged rock. A disheveled man stumbled out—scruffy beard, torn clothes—chased by a pirate wielding a rusty dagger. Gorm reacted instantly, swinging his cane in a wide arc. The wood struck the lackey's back with a resounding thud, and he crumpled to the sand, groaning.
Kain approached, the Ruby warm in his pocket, its heat a steady pulse. "Who are you?" he demanded, brown eyes narrowing as the man raised trembling hands in surrender.
"Rennik, trader!" he gasped, pointing east with a shaky finger. "My skiffs—five in the cove! Take them! Yariv nabbed me for Shallows routes—he's got plans!"
Lirien felled a lingering pirate with a quick jab of her spear, the man collapsing with a wheeze. "Turning hero, Kain?" she teased, smirking as she leaned on her weapon. "Gonna row for him?"
"Only if you carry me, princess," Kain shot back, already sprinting toward the cove. "Selya's in the Abyss—these skiffs are the way."
A deep, guttural roar erupted from the sea, shaking the rocks beneath their feet. The waves crashed harder, foam bursting into the air as if something massive stirred below. Tashkivor. The golden bracelet at Kain's belt hummed, its vibration syncing with the Ruby's pulse.
Gorm struck the sand with his cane, his face grim. "The beast's close! To the skiffs!"
Rennik paled, his voice rising in panic. "Tashkivor! Grab the boats!" he yelled, pointing to the cove where the skiffs rocked violently against the tide.
Sira bolted ahead, her bow bouncing on her back. "Broken Rocks, two days," she said curtly, her words clipped with urgency. Vael followed, chuckling low despite the tension. "If we don't sink first!"
Kain clenched his fist, the Ruby's heat grounding him as the sea roared at their backs. "To the Abyss, for Selya," he said, his grin sharp and unyielding as he led the group to the skiffs, the shadow of Tashkivor looming ever closer.