The resurfaced Kraken unleashed a thunderous howl directed at the ship. In response, the majority of the warriors found their legs turning to jelly, and a wave of fear overwhelmed them.
Some succumbed to the pressure, pissing themselves and slumping onto the ground, their mutterings carrying the weight of dread and uncertainty.
The once-mighty defenders were now reduced to shaken individuals grappling with the overwhelming presence of the sea monster.
The anger of the Kraken manifested in the rising tentacles—each one emerging with ominous intent. One, two, three, and four tentacles ascended, a visual testament to the escalating fury of the sea creature. As if in synchronization with the Kraken's wrath, rain started to pour again, adding to the chaotic atmosphere.
The once-steady ship now danced uncontrollably on the violent sea, swaying like a child caught in the throes of an unrelenting tempest. The elements conspired to amplify the sense of impending doom, as the ship struggled to endure the wrath of both nature and mythical beast.
The warriors, already rendered helpless, observed the ominous rise of the Kraken's tentacles with a stoic indifference. A collective sense of resignation permeated the air, as if they had already conceded to their impending fate. Even Morvain, who had experienced a fleeting sense of satisfaction moments ago, now felt a palpable certainty that this might be the end for him.
Yet, amidst the prevailing despair, not everyone succumbed to resignation.
Much like the heroes from ancient tales and legendary adventures, there surfaced individuals of remarkable courage—brave souls who refused to be swallowed by the prevailing sense of defeat. These extraordinary figures, seemingly drawn from the fabric of myth itself, stood tall amidst the despondency that had overtaken their fellow warriors.
Amidst the shadows, Lumiere, Orion, his second-in-command, and the scrawny knight of Lumiere, all of them, standing steadfast in the midst of darkness as the rain poured down.
As the certainty of impending doom tightened its grip on Morvain, he found himself unable to evade the intense goosebumps racing across his body. In this very moment, he bore witness to the unfolding of a legend, a melody destined to resonate through the echoes of the years to come.
A melody he would not be part of, yet a melody he would witness. "Will I be able to do that? To stand up for people who I consider beneath me?" Morvain pondered, his fingers tightly gripping the wooden frame of the door.
Then another thought struck him; in the future, he would be announced as Eldric Stormwatch, a name known to many. If he didn't take action now, wouldn't that cast him in a negative light? Did he want that?
"No," he thought, firm in his decision. Even if he didn't particularly care for those people, he had no desire for his name to be linked with any form of failure.
"Fuck! What should I do?" his mind frantically explored every avenue, desperately seeking an idea to save the ship, yet nothing surfaced.
Then, an uninvited voice echoed within his mind, a thought that crept in without warning. "What will I do?"
Simple as it was, the question acted as a catalyst, snapping him back into the harsh reality of the situation.
He ran.
Toward the heroes. In that desperate sprint, he chased the glimmer of survival, hoping that if he somehow lived through this, he'd be counted among the heroes. Singing and praising, perhaps. Yet, if he were to meet his end, the looming threat made it clear – it didn't matter where he stood when it happened.
The tentacle appeared to stretch thin as the Kraken slowly lifted it higher than before. Warriors who had seemingly given up watched in astonishment as a scrawny kid ran across the deck, screaming a battle cry that mirrored the same desperation as a baby's cry when hungry.
Many eyes were now fixated on him—eyes of failure, eyes of determination, eyes of shock, and eyes of curiosity.
"What's he doing?"
"Who is that?"
"Is he crazy?"
"Is he really going to fight?"
The sudden commotion seized the attention of the heroes. Amid the chaos, there were no scowls or raised eyebrows; instead, a collective watchful gaze fell upon Morvain.
Undeterred, Morvain swiftly snatched a discarded sword from the ground. The weapon, however, proved to be much heavier than anticipated, burdening his movements and impeding his pace.
"Yes, that's right. Watch me rise when others have faltered. A scrawny kid standing up for the entire ship, highborns and lowborns alike. Be ashamed with yourself," Morvain's face twisted into an ugly grimace as he pressed on.
A few feet away, he came to a halt, taking a deep breath to gather his resolve.
His hand tightly gripped the sword, swinging it around with newfound determination. Morvain took a deep breath and cast a glance at the girl beside him.
"You could die," she remarked, smiling at him.
"We are all going to die, my lady. It's only a matter of where you die," he responded with a wink, a spark of defiance in his eyes.
"I don't want to die with these cowards." He pointed at the cowering men.
He took a deep breath once more and let out a blood-curling scream.
"You're all going to die." his voice traveled through the whole ship and the men and women looked at him. "Is cowering all you could do? Is running and hiding the only thing you know how to do? Then what about the warriorhood? You call yourselves a warrior? You're all fucking cowards!"
"We can't defeat that monster! We are not powerful enough to face that calamity."
Said a tired voice from his side. The young man was slumped on the ground, tears and rain water drenched him. His red hair was wet with blood and his hands were blue, undoubtedly an "Iron Fury."
Morvain looked at him.
"Look at me. Look at me!" he howled. "I do not have an ability yet I'm standing here right now. Facing an absolute death without fear. That power does not come from luck. Luck that I was not born into. This power comes within me. Nothing else.
"Are you going to give up? Are you going to die here, without ever knowing what could've been."
Morvain walked back and forth.
"You, are you going to let some monster beat you without putting up a fight." He said and pointed at the warrior.
"Stand up and fight. Fight until you can no longer stand and fight even then. Fight until your last breath, and don't you dare die with regrets. Stand up and fight! This is our land, our home, and we will not give it up without a fight. Stand up and fight with me."
He roared and his voice boomed throughout the ship.