Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 286: Dealing with rats(1)

Chapter 286: Dealing with rats(1)

The pirate stood at the prow of the ship, wrapped in a cloak of salt-stiffened wool. The sharp sea wind bit at his face, carrying with it the tang of brine and the distant tolling of bells—a frantic warning from the village ahead. His ship, sleek and black as a predator, cut through the waves with deadly precision, the oars moving in a synchronized rhythm that sent sprays of foam cascading into the air. Behind him, his brothers sharpened blades and adjusted belts heavy with weapons, anticipation etched into every scarred face.

The ship finally reached the shore with a low groan of wood against sand. As soon as the prow kissed land, the pirate raised his sword, his voice cutting through the roar of the waves. "Brothers! To the raid! Take what you can, and leave no man standing!"

A cheer erupted, and the pirates surged forward, leaping over the gunwales and splashing into the shallows. Feet pounding the wet sand, they charged into the village.

Doors were smashed in with heavy boots and the butts of axes. The few houses that remained unboarded were quickly gutted, their meager valuables stuffed into sacks and packs. A handful of villagers mostly elder man, cowered in corners, pleading for mercy that did not come.

Most of the village, however, already had deserted, having sound the horn of alarm a dozen of minutes before . The pirates found signs of hasty flight: footprints stamped into the mud, abandoned carts, and broken fences. Here and there, signs of animals being led away—the bleating of lambs and sheep fading into the distance as the villagers fled inland, desperate to escape the raiders.

The pirate scowled, his sword dangling loosely in his hand as he kicked over a table