Sunlight blanketed the entire bay. Three massive ships cut through the waves, and as their anchors crashed thunderously into the shallows, the Giant Whale and two refitted warships docked in Kaer Alhu's sheltered harbor.
This fortress, built as a royal stronghold, possessed a staggeringly vast silhouette. Its gray stone walls climbed along the mountainside, their surfaces scarred by the sea wind. Some towers had even collapsed halfway, yet it still retained the weight and majesty of a royal castle.
The island was not large. The group followed a steep trail strewn with gravel and weeds upward, soon arriving before the castle gates.
When the crossbow guards recognized Uweien at the front, they lowered their loaded crossbows and shouted, "Boss!" As the winches ground, the heavy gates slowly opened.
Several guards looked past Uweien, studying Ron and the well-equipped regular soldiers behind him with curiosity and caution.
The inner courtyard was much larger than it appeared from outside. The broad open space could accommodate over a hundred men in formation. Gaps in the walls on both sides had been patched with crude wooden palisades, while most of the walls remained intact.
At the sword-fighting enclosure to the north, two bare-chested hulks fiercely battled with shields and axes. Their movements were crisp, shield bashes combined with heavy axe chops, every swift and precise attack carrying tremendous lethality. Each clash came with a deep, booming thud.
Pirates in the southern corner were practicing axe throwing. A lanky man weighed an axe in his hand before hurling it hard. The blade carved a swift arc through the air before slamming into the target, its handle still trembling slightly.
Ron stopped to inspect the group. Their lean, capable builds could not conceal their bandit air. Their eyes were defiant, and their techniques carried the ruthless