Where Ashes and Oaths Collide のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 121 - チャプター 128

In Distrito da Canle, the docks were constructed from weathered timber planks, their uneven surfaces showing years of heavy use. Thick mooring ropes we coiled around large wooden bollards that lined the edges of the quay, while several stout barrels, woven baskets, and bundles of cargo sat neatly stacked along the right-hand side. The calm canal water ran alongside the docks, reflecting the muted daylight and the silhouettes of the surrounding stone buildings. A large wooden sailing vessel moored against the quay, its dark timber hull reinforced with horizontal planking and a single tall mast rising high above the deck, supported by intricate webs of rigging lines. Escuro stood still among the bustling traffic of the docks. Some being dock workers carrying foods and walking purposefully along the quay, while others seem to be merchants or townsfolk. He looked at the imposing stone buildings flanking the canal, constructed from grey masonry blocks. On the left si

As the Sea Wraith cleared the mouth of the Distrito de Canle harbour, the wind caught its canvas in full, driving the ship confidently into the open sea. The city shrank behind her, its stone buildings slowly dissolving into the hazy distance as the coastline curved away. Waves struck the bow with steady rhythms, sending sprays of cool seawater across the deck while the ship rose and fell with graceful determination. Every timber seemed to come alive beneath the force of the wind, from the groaning hull to the swaying masts and singing rigging overhead. Mar stood at the stern with on hand resting upon the tiller, his blueish grey eyes fixed on the endless horizon where sea and sky merged beneath drifting grey clouds. The Sea Wraith cut through the black water with barely a sound, her hull hugging the shadows of the jagged coastline as it approached Cidade dos Escravos. Mar sat at the helm; his greyish blue eyes fixed on the distant glow of Cidade dos Escravos&rs

“A specimen,” Mar said, the word tasting foul in his mouth. “They are keeping her like a caged bird to see what song she sings.” He turned away, pacing the narrow deck of the Sea Wraith. His mind was racing through every port he had ever docked in, every rumour he had heard in smoky taverns. “If she is useful to them, they will not burn her,” Mar muttered, more to himself than Escuro. “They will keep her somewhere secure. Somewhere far from the docks.” “I am gathering an army,” Escuro said suddenly. “To fight against the Santo Order. To free those they deem impure. Hopefully on day we will find her.” Mar stopped pacing. Hee turned slowly, his blueish grey eyes fixed on Escuro with an expression that was hard to read– half disbelief half something darker. “An army,” Mar repeated, the word landing heavily between them. “You are a boy in black robes talking about armies,

Mar let out a short, humourless bark of laugh. “Eagerly arguing. Right. That is what happens when you tear down the walls of a city and leave the people to pick over the carcass.” He leaned back, the old chair groaning under his weight. “You are a terrible liar, Escuro. Even after eight years, you still talk like a boy trying to convince himself he is doing something noble.” He stared at Escuro, as the man who had carved a path of destruction across the continent. “So,” Mar said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous rumble. “You have taken the city. You have broken the Santo Order. You have got your throne. Now what? Are you going to keep playing soldier until there is nothing left to fight?”“No, my goal has never been titles or cities. I want what I have always wanted, for the Santo Order to fall. No matter the cost,” Escuro said, taking another sip of rum. “We found her.” The glass in Mar’s han