Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 302: Long lost powers(1)

Chapter 302: Long lost powers(1)

A young boy stood on the bow of a ship, the salty spray of the sea misting his face as waves crashed against the slender wooden hull. He leaned forward, perched at the very edge, mesmerized by the rhythmic rise and fall of the lower deck as it cut through the churning waters.

"Blake," his father's voice called, steady and firm, breaking through the boy's reverie. The man studied his son's eager, bright-eyed expression with a mixture of pride and amusement. "Remember this: half the worth of a man lies in what he does, not in what he says. When you make a threat, see it through. The other half, though, is in how vivid and bold those threats can be." He smiled, his rough hand resting atop Blake's windswept hair.

"You're thirteen now," his father continued, his tone deepening with purpose. "It's time you truly understand the weight of these words. Today, I give you your first ship—your own little kingdom, where you are the ruler. Sail the waves fearlessly, fight with a spirit so fierce that even death itself hesitates to claim you. And remember, when our time comes, we will all return to the embrace of the God of the Storm, as is the fate of every free soul. The only question is whether we go with our chests lifted in pride or bowed in shame."

Blake barely registered his father's words, his mind adrift on a tide of excitement as the reality of the moment crashed over him. His first ship—his own ship—was all he could think about. The boy's wide eyes sparkled as he glanced down at the lower deck, where the crew busied themselves with preparations, the sea spray leaping up to mist their faces. The ship seemed alive beneath his feet, the creak of the wood and the tug of the sails whispering promises of freedom and adventure.

The boy's fingers twitched at his sides, itching to grasp the wheel and feel the power of steering such a vessel through the endless blue. His father's hand, heavy and warm, tousled his dark hair, but Blake's attention remained fixed on the vast expanse of ocean before him. Every wave seemed to beckon him forward, a new challenge, a new horizon.