Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 403: Pioneers of the future(2)

It is like a dream come true! Aron cheered in his mind as he stepped down from the smaller ship, his boots sinking slightly into the soft, warm sand. The salty breeze tugged at his cloak, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the constant sway of the ship beneath his feet was nothing but a distant memory.

He paused for a moment, turning back to the ship—a floating, creaking mass still anchored just a short distance from shore. The ship that had held him captive for nearly a week and a half was finally behind him, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to breathe in the unbroken stillness of solid land beneath him. @@novelbin@@

Finally, he thought, his eyes scanning the horizon.

"I wonder if there are any tribes nearby," Aron muttered to himself as he stretched his legs, taking slow, deliberate steps on the firm sand. The sensation of solid ground beneath his boots was almost intoxicating after what had felt like an eternity at sea.

He took a deep breath of the salty air, glancing toward the tree line beyond the beach. "Or better yet, I hope they speak Azanian."

Of all the obstacles they might face, the language barrier loomed largest. Alpheo had been clever enough to undestand that and choose somebody that spoke a close language . Fortunately, their proximity to Azania meant there was a chance—perhaps a slim one—that the locals had traded with the sultanate before. If so, there might be someone among them who spoke enough Azanian to bridge the gap.