The sea.
Held countless miracles and unknown voyages, but also countless dangerous journeys. Everyone who lived upon it understood that.
The Thunder struggled onward through the sea.
Black clouds shrouded the ocean, and savage sheets of rain were hurled down by the hurricane.
The deck barely fought to remain above the waterline, periodically vanishing beneath the waves and sweeping away sailors whose faces had gone white.
"Tie down the cargo!"
"Hold the rudder steady! Keep heading east!"
Captain Hagen roared.
But the torrential rain, storm, and waves never ceased. Suddenly, a rope snapped. A sailor below was struck hard in the face by the whipping rope and sent flying, instantly swallowed without a trace by the great waves.
The Thunder pitched desperately.
"There's a lot of water in the cabin, Captain!"
"Send more men! Bail the water out!" Captain Hagen roared.
Just then, blue light flooded the waters ahead. A massive bolt of lightning tore across the pitch-black stormy sky.
The hull shuddered violently.
"Land! That's land!" someone shouted.
"Land! Thank the gods, there's an island ahead!"
Hagen roared, "Everyone below deck to bail water! Take the helm—we're running the ship aground on the beach!"
"Yes, sir!"
The storm gradually subsided.
"Captain, it's an island. It looks very barren."
"Captain, all our freshwater barrels overturned. We have no fresh water left."
A short while later, Hagen cautiously made his way through the forest. Besides Fiken, two sailors followed close beside him. Each held a weapon, walking alertly while scanning their surroundings.
The food aboard the ship had nearly been eaten up, and after the storm, very little fresh water remained.
More importantly, the ship that had survived the storm had nearly fallen apart after barely reaching shore. Then there had been the sudden downpour during last night's camp, drenching everyone