As his power as a Pyromancer grew, Gendry's perception of runes grew stronger too.
Besides, this was not Storm's End. There were not so many "Stone" runes here.
"Found it."
Gendry's face lit up. There were indeed runes near the shore. Though very, very faint, they were there, seemingly buried deep among the rocks and gravel.
"Right there." Gendry took off his yellow velvet cloak.
Under the astonished gazes of the many knights, squires, soldiers, and fishermen, the king strode swiftly toward a large rock by the sea.
No wonder it had been hard to find. The magic sword lay among the rocks, beneath a great boulder.
"Bring me a hammer. The strongest, sturdiest stone-breaking hammer you have."
"At once, Your Grace!"
The steward of Tarth immediately summoned laborers and workmen.
Gendry swung the hammer while the laborers drove wedges into the adjoining sections.
Bang! Bang!
Gendry swung with swift, powerful strokes, the stone-breaking hammer seeming like a toy in his hands. At last, the rock split.
The knights of Tarth felt their scalps prickle. They dared not imagine what it would feel like to have that force land on a person.
Bang! Bang!
Beneath the shattered rock lay another layer of stone.
"Lift it up." Wedges were driven into another broad slab, and the stone broke apart piece by piece.
Once the slab had shattered, Gendry swept his arm, and everyone froze where they stood.
A sword rose from beneath the water along with a stone, its blade embedded in the rock.
"The Sword in the Stone."
Gendry rolled up his sleeves, and his hands touched the cold shimmer of the hilt.
It was a blue sword, blue as the sea.
The small sliver of blade exposed above the stone was cold and clear, a deep azure.
The hilt,