草稿纸
Chapter157FuryoftheSea,ReturntoAlliance
TheragingcurrentsoftheBosharStraitragedendlessly.Dark,swirlingwatersbatteredtheenchantedvesselfromalldirections,whilethickmistseepedthroughthelayersofmagicalbarriers,gnawingawayattheprotectiverunescarvedacrossthehull.Giantseawyrms,ancientbeastsbornofthestrait’scurseddepths,circledtheship.Theirmassivebodieschurnedthewaves,androwsofsharpfangsglintedcoldlybeneaththedimsky.Roarsechoedacrossthewater,carryingaprimalhungerthatpromisednothingbutdeath.
Kaiselstoodrigidonthedeck,hisdarkmagicflaringnonstop.Hewovedefensivespellsagainandagain,patchingthecrackingbarriersastheseawyrmsslammedtheirbulkyframesagainstthehull.Behindhim,thepatrolshipsofSeraglodrewnear.Magesaboardlaunchedwaveafterwaveofoffensivemagic,theirglowingspellscuttingthroughthemistandcrashingontothealreadyfragileshield.Corneredbetweenravenousbeastsandrelentlesspursuers,hewastrappedinaninescapabledeathtrap.
Foralongwhile,Kaiselfoughtwithallhisstrength.HismindwasfixedonScara,onAmelyaandtheyoungchildhiddendeepwithintheroyalpalace.Thesecrettheyguardedwasabladehangingovertheirheads.Ifexposed,allthreewouldperishwithoutmercy.Crossingthestraitwashisonlychoicetosavetheonesheloved.Yetashestruggledagainsttheendlessassault,thesoundsofdistantbattledriftedacrossthesea.
Hecouldheartheclatterofarmor,theshoutsofwarriors,andthefuriousroarsofdemonsoldiers.Murokthedragonlordhadledhishellisharmyacrossthesky,bypassingtheseablockadeentirely.Thealliedforcesonthewildernesswerecaughtoffguard,fightingontwofronts.Thelineofdefensewascrumblingdaybyday.
Imagesflashedthroughhismind:DylanholdingtheHolySwordhigh,standingalonetoleadtheremainingmages;Brienenduringendlessbattles,tryingtoholdthebrokenformationtogether.Oncefivegreatmagesstoodsidebysidetodefendtherealm.Nowmostofthemhadfalleninblood.Dylanhadlostnearlyallhisoldcompanions.IfKaiselleftnow,hisoldfriendwouldbelefttobearallthepainanddespairalone.
Thethoughtstabbedathisheart.Hislongingforhislovedonesstillburnedfiercely,buthecouldnotabandonthecomradeswhohadfoughtbesidehimfordecades.HecouldnotleaveDylantofacethefullwrathofthedarkarmyallbyhimself.
Kaiselletoutalowsigh.HeceasedchannelingmagictowardthedistantshoresofScara,andtwistedtherunesontheshiptochangecourse.TheenchantedvesselgroanedagainsttheviolentcurrentsandslowlyturnedbacktowardthecoastofSeraglo.Theseawyrmschasedforadistance,thenhesitatedastheydrewnearshallowwater,finallyretreatingintothedarkdepths.TheSeraglopatrolmageswatchedinsurprise,yetdidnotlaunchfurtherattacks,merelymaintainingtheirvigilance.
Thejourneybackwasnoeasier.Thecurrentsstillthreatenedtocapsizetheship,andhismagicwasnearlydraineddry.Whenthehullfinallytouchedthesandoftheabandonedharbor,Kaiselsteppedontosolidground,hislegstremblingfromexhaustion.Thesaltwindsweptoverhisface,andheturnedhisgazetowardthewildernesswherethewarraged.
Hehadgivenupthejourneyacrossthedeadlystraitforthetimebeing.ThesecretinScarastillhauntedhim,andthedangerhadneverfaded.Buthemadehischoice.HewouldstandwithDylanandtherest,holdingthelineagainstthedarkhorde.
Theroadaheadwasstillfilledwithbloodanddanger.Butatthismoment,hewasnolongeralonefugitiverunningforadistantrescue.Hereturnedtohisoldbattlefield,readytofightalongsidethosewhosharedhisfate.