Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 160: Call from the sea(1)

Blake's ship sliced through the waves as the jagged silhouette of the island came into view. The rocky coast rose steep and unforgiving, cliffs plunging into the sea like the jaws of a beast, but nestled in the heart of it was Blacktide Cove, the only place on the island that welcomed ships. A narrow strip of sandy beach curved into a natural harbor, its calm waters offering refuge from the wild seas beyond.

As they drew closer, Blake's eyes scanned the horizon, noting the dozens of ships already anchored in the cove. Their sails hung limp, banners fluttering weakly in the wind. recognized many of the banners—old rivals, former allies, and friends.

The cove itself was small but bustling with life. Campfires burned along the beach where crews gathered, talking and drinking whenever their captains walked inside the Call, their shadows flickering against the rocky cliffs that hemmed them in. Beyond the harbor, the cliffs rose up sharply, barren and craggy, save for the pathways carved by centuries of footsteps leading toward the inner sanctum where the Free Lords convened.

Blake stepped onto the shore, his boots sinking slightly into the wet sand as he surveyed the cove around him. The salty breeze from the sea whipped through his neck-length black hair, but his eyes were already fixed on the imposing structure carved into the cliffside ahead.

The Call of Sea loomed before him, a stone amphitheater carved directly into the mountain's side, its stark silhouette descended from those who had ruled this island for generations.Apparently the history narrated by the elders said a long time ago they were not a confederations of island but instead a kingdom.@@novelbin@@

Anyway that was a long time ago before they deposed their last king and declared a oligarchic confederation