The SS Grudwar rocked gently beneath my feet, the soft creaks and groans of the wooden frame blending with the faint lapping of waves against the hull. The salty tang of the ocean clung to the cool morning air, mingling with the faint, oily trace of mana-powered machinery humming faintly below deck.
I moved through the narrow corridors with practiced silence, my boots barely brushing the old planks. Each step was calculated, every shift of weight deliberate—I couldn't afford to leave even a whisper of sound behind.
Ahead, the low murmur of voices drifted down the corridor, growing clearer as I approached. I slipped into the shadows behind a stack of crates, my back against the cold wood, and tilted my head slightly to listen.
"Ugh, why do we have to set sail so early again? This shipment's not due until next week. Why the heck are we embarking at dawn?"
