Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 395: A gift from the friends across the sea(1)

Chapter 395: A gift from the friends across the sea(1)

The night was cloaked in pitch-black darkness, a veil so thick it felt as though the world itself had been swallowed by the void. Blake stood on the deck of the Roaring Axe, his hands resting on the cold railing as he stared out into the abyss.

He had always despised the dark; the inability to see what lay ahead filled him was nerve-wrecking.

Yet, tonight, that very darkness was an ally, as after all being unable to see ahead worked on both sides. 

The Roaring Axe was the lead ship, cutting through the blackened waves like a predator stalking its prey. Behind it, ten other vessels sailed in tight formation, their sails catching the faint breeze. Blake's gaze shifted to the merchant vessels among them—awkward, slow-moving hulks of wood and cargo. They were a far cry from the sleek warships he was accustomed to commanding, but they had their purpose. Their size and weight, combined with the element of surprise and the wind in their favour, would allow them enough speed to breach the enemy ships 

 For an entire week, Blake and his crew had waited, testing the wind, scanning the skies, and measuring the currents.

Without the wind blowing in their favor, the ships wouldn't achieve the speed needed to execute the plan. Ramming an enemy vessel required momentum—a crushing force that merchant ships simply couldn't muster under their own sluggish power.

Each of Blake's ships had been meticulously prepared for this mission, their decks loaded with flammable materials. Bundles of dried wood and bales of hay were packed tightly against the rails, while barrels brimming with fish oil were secured in the holds.