Neville said, “Don’t worry about me. Everyone, attack. We must kill this beast.”
Blood still seeped from the wound on his back as he leaned against the broken rail, but he wasn’t even bothered by it. He ordered his men to keep hammering the Brineclaw until they were certain it was dead.
After relentless attacks from all his forces, the Brineclaw finally stopped moving and showed no signs of life. Neville let out a long breath before collapsing to the deck, gasping heavily.
That monster had been one hell of a fight, but fortunately, Matthias had brought plenty of martial experts on this voyage. Otherwise, they never could have finished it off.
Once the waves finally calmed, Matthias hurried over with a squad of personal guards.
“Neville, I heard you were hurt. How bad is it?” he asked.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. This is nothing. I’m not going to die from a scratch.” Neville flashed a grin, revealing blood-stained teeth. “Back in my battlefield days, I’ve taken wounds way worse than this and still pulled through.”
When he tried moving his arm, searing pain shot through the wound on his back and made him inhale sharply. Matthias knew Neville’s stubborn streak and didn’t push him further but spoke with quiet authority.
“You’re one of my finest generals, and I can’t afford to lose you. Get that wound treated. There’s still plenty of work that’ll need your attention.”
Neville acknowledged the order with a nod.
Matthias turned toward the Brineclaw floating on the sea’s surface, a gleam flashing in his eyes as he addressed the soldiers, “Everyone, this beast may be fierce, but we’ve taken it down. This proves that when we work together, nothing can stop us from moving forward.”
The soldiers’ spirits immediately lifted while much of their earlier fear and exhaustion seemed to melt away.
He continued, “Hoist this Brineclaw aboard. Its meat must be incredibly delicious. We will feast on it tonight. Eat your fill, regain your strength, and boost your morale!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The soldiers cheered in unison, excitement spreading across their faces.
Soon, they secured the enormous crab with thick ropes and used the ship’s winches to haul the creature aboard. Since it was bigger than the ship itself, everyone stared in awe at their monstrous prize before cooking it up and feasting with gusto.
Nathaniel’s fleet was sailing smoothly across the Eastern Sea with massive, sturdy vessels carrying sharp, battle-ready soldiers. Throughout their journey, the sea remained perfectly calm without even the slightest wave while a few lazy white clouds drifted across the azure sky.
Dolphins occasionally leaped from the water in graceful arcs before slipping playfully back beneath the surface, creating ripples across the glassy waters.
Standing at the bow with a telescope in hand, Nathaniel constantly scanned the waters ahead with growing unease. The Eastern Sea was supposed to be perilous, yet their journey had been unnervingly smooth.
“Your Highness, look over there!” a lookout suddenly shouted excitedly. Following the lookout’s pointing finger, Nathaniel saw something extraordinary appearing on the distant sea.
It was the magnificent palaces and towers floating among the clouds with a stone plinth inscribed “Elysium” visible at their entrance, while mist swirled around the buildings like something from a fairy tale.
“It’s Elysium Isle. We found it.”
The soldiers aboard erupted in cheers. Their faces were alight with joy and disbelief. Nathaniel gripped his telescope tightly as excitement coursed through him. The island he had dreamed of for so long was finally within reach.
“Quick! Full speed ahead toward the Elysium Isle,” he commanded. The fleet immediately adjusted course and raced toward the mirage at full speed, ships cutting through calm waters while leaving white trails fanned out behind them.
But just as the fleet drew closer, the surrounding sea underwent an eerie transformation. Previously calm waters began churning violently into massive whirlpools with spinning forces so powerful they seemed ready to devour everything.
The sky darkened instantly as thick clouds rolled overhead and howling wind tore across the waves. Giant swells lunged at the fleet like roaring beasts, tossing ships violently as if ready to flip them at any moment.
“This is bad. We’ve sailed straight into a death zone,” an experienced old sailor cried out in terror, his face white as a sheet.
Nathaniel’s heart sank as he realized what they’d seen wasn’t Elysium Isle at all, but a deadly mirage.
The fleet’s situation had become incredibly perilous. Some ships were lifted high by giant waves only to be slammed down again. Their hulls groaned, as if they might break apart any second.
Others were caught in swirling whirlpools, spinning helplessly as soldiers screamed, powerless to resist. Masts snapped under the roaring wind, and sails shredded into tatters, twisting and flapping wildly in the storm.
