chapter 3

Augur Storm remains at the helm of the ship, staring directly at the vast, endless ocean ahead of her. Next to her stood Captain Salazar, the fear of the woman beside him still humming in his chest, and he dared not look at her face.

Around him, the crew anchored the ship flawlessly, some of them obeying Salazar's order immediately while some grumbled. Amidst those who grumbled were Thane and a few of his loyal colleagues who came out of the inn late.

Standing next to her for hours without resting is starting to become unbearable for Salazar, but he dares not move. She had instructed him not to leave his side and that he should leave Thane to commandeer the ship.

By now, Salazar was starting to feel his legs trembling, the consequences of standing too much with his already half-broken leg, and he couldn't help but feel as if it was a punishment. And yet, he dares not complain.

Perhaps it was out of fear of what she'd do, or perhaps he just didn't want to stir her anger again. But at the same time, he forced himself to remain still, gripping the rail of the ship for support but avoiding leaning too much on it so he wouldn't fall.

Standing next to Augur Storm is a thing, and falling into the ocean that leads to the Seven Isles is another. It will be like jumping from a frying pan to a fire. Salazar couldn't tell which creature he should fear most. The augur next to him, or the deadly sea beasts of the ocean with their sharp, hungry teeth and bright eyes, that are roaming around their ship in readiness for food.

Approaching footsteps from behind causes Salazar to crank his head back slowly. He wasn't surprised to see Thane approaching.

"We should rest," he said to Salazar, but his gaze was resting on Storm, who wouldn't stop staring at the ocean ahead as if reading every change in the tide. "We spotted an island a few paces ahead, and I told the men to sail for it."

Salazar gulped down nothing in particular, daring to peep at Storm, obviously waiting for a reply, but none came. In fact, nothing in her posture hints that she will reply to them.

When no response came, Salazar said the opposite of what his body wants, "Under whose authority?"

He could feel his body pricking him as the words left his mouth. He so much needed rest, but at the same time, he didn't want to feel the wrath of Augur Storm.

"Under mine!" Thane seethed, averting his gaze from Storm. "The men are tired from the endless sailing. We need rest because our eyelids are closing on their own."

"Is that all?" Salazar shrugged, forcing his will to remain intact so he wouldn't break down in front of Thane. He didn't want to show his weakness.

"No, not all," Thane grumbled, taking a step closer to Salazar. "You will kill us all! If we dare continue to sail for the Seven Isles, the rocks won't welcome us. It's not only forsaken; it's a cursed place that can't be sailed at night."

"I'll decide that," her voice came softly like the evening breeze, the aura of it forcing Thane to shiver as if the coldness of the night was seeking shelter in his body. "Sail the men to the island, and you will be an example for them not to defy me."

Though Storm didn't turn or change her posture, she could already feel the sign of death roaming in the air. Someone will die, and she wishes more than anything that it's Thane.

He had done well by changing his mind and coming with her, though she suspected that it was out of curiosity, or probably because Salazar had tip him about the empire fortune near the Seven Isles when he was standing at the mouth of his ship.

"Are you now listening to a girl…" His voice hung in the air, and then he gasped for breath.

Finally, she wheeled back, staring directly at Thane with blood-red eyes. She had channeled some of the blood magic she hibernated earlier.

"I don't like it when people question me," her voice remains calm, but her eyes say otherwise. She watched around for the sign of death she felt, but it was gone again. Storm sighed in frustration. She just couldn't understand the reason why Nature won't kill this man.

"Nature wants you to live again," she said, sighing. "but that doesn't mean I can't torture you to my taste."

She makes him feel the pain of the blood magic, intensifying the pain, and Thane drops to his knee, wailing in sorrow like a newborn baby and clutching his head tightly as if it were about to explode.

His wailing pierces the night, attracting not only the attention of the crew but also the beasts of the ocean. They leaped up, twirling their body as if enjoying the screaming. It was like dancing to the song of sirens.

"Look what we found," the voice of Salazar rang out amidst the cries of his colleague. It's evidence that he said it to stop Storm from punishing his partner. "The jagged rocks of the seven isles."

It worked, though.

Storm stopped torturing Thane to look at what Salazar was talking about. Behold, it's indeed a dangerous path to tread, but that doesn't move Storm. She had been on this mission for years, and nothing could stop her now, not even these jagged rocks of the ocean, which scattered like the broken teeth of some ancient sea beast and served as a formidable barrier that guarded the treacherous path to the Seven Isles.

Storm could see the menacing outcroppings rise from the depths, their sharp, unforgiving edges cutting through the water like a blade.

Looking closely, she could see that some were still concealed by the swirling mists or veiled beneath the restless waves, making it almost impossible for any sailor to navigate them without peril. She could now see the reason why the empire ship sank here.

The surfaces are rough, irregular, and steep—sharp as a sword's edge—some even resembling the spires of ruined castles, worn by time and tide but still capable of puncturing any ship that dares to venture too close.

The rocks themselves seem almost alive, as though they have a will of their own, hungry for the hulls of the ship to shatter upon their faces.

Cracked and splintered, they rise from the water in jagged formations, sometimes towering high above the waves, other times lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to ambush the unwary.

As the ship sails closer, the water grows choppier, swirling violently around the rocks like a turbulent vortex, pulling at anything that comes too near.

The jagged formations look like a deadly labyrinth, their twisted shapes seeming to shift with the currents, making the path ahead unclear.

Some of the rocks appear to be hidden beneath the water's surface, only visible at the last second as the waves crash against them, exposing their vicious tips.

"The ship's hull would be no match for these massive stone teeth." One of the crew cried out,

"One wrong turn, one misstep, and the boat would be punctured; the sharp edges will tear through the wooden planks as if they were paper."

"It's a deathtrap!" another one yelled.

Now, they seem to fear the rocks more than Augur Storm. The fact that it's still dark and neither of them, except Storm, can see beyond the mist makes it complicated.

"Get your men ready to drop anchor when I give the order," Storm said without caring about their complaint.

She didn't need to turn to feel the angry eyes of the crew, their urge to kill her because she was leading them to their death.

The only place they were wrong is that Storm didn't see any death sign in the air; she only saw Nature giving her the pattern to navigate the rocks.

She breathed deeply, summoning her telepathy power and wrapping her aura around the ship. She took control of the wheel without touching it, borrowing power from nature itself to have proper steering of the ship.

She feels the air getting heavy, thick with the scent of brine and salt, and the sea itself seems to grow darker and colder as she started tapping into nature's power.

The sound of the waves crashing against them is like a constant, menacing roar, like the growl of a beast, warning her to stop. But Storm isn't the type to give up, not until she receives the signal from nature.

She felt the power of the rock trying to stop her. At that moment, Storm knew she was on the right path. Only great beings could cast such spells to protect themselves.

For any other being, they would have turned and fled, but this only drives Storm to harness more power from nature and push the ship forward, directing it gently to avoid the rocks.

"What's that?" One man said, pointing to a glowing, bright writing that suddenly appeared on one of the rocks with a mystery look on his face.

Storm looked at the writing briefly, and she understood what it meant. It's a warning message, written in an ancient language.

"AUGUR STORM, STOP FOLLOWING US OR YOU WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES."

She chuckled, and whispered, "Melanie, wait for me."