The floodwaters surged with unrelenting force, like a ferocious beast pounding against the dam, unstoppable in its fury.
The soil, softened by the relentless torrent, began to give way.
The height of the dam could no longer withstand the overpowering surge.
Cracks started to appear in many places, and water gushed through them, carrying mud and churning up murky waves, like claws tearing at the dam's structure.
"Hurry! All able-bodied men to the dam!"
Grandfather's voice pierced through the howling wind and rain, full of resolve, ringing clearly throughout the village.
Through the curtain of rain, young Borne could barely keep his eyes open, but he could still make out the frantic figures moving about.
His father and the other men of the village had already sprung into action, their heads bowed, backs bent, as they carried heavy sandbags on their shoulders.
The muddy ground groaned under their feet, but no one hesitated.
"Reinforce the dam! Faster!"
Grandfather stood atop the dam, rain beating down on his weathered, wrinkled face, blurring his vision, but his resolve did not falter.
His hands waved continuously, directing everyone to fill the growing cracks.
From afar, young Borne watched, feeling as though his grandfather was an unshakable fortress.
Despite his old age, he stood at the forefront, leading the charge.
His father and the other men had no time to think about their exhaustion.
Their faces were soaked with rain and sweat, indistinguishable from one another.
The sandbags on their shoulders grew heavier, and their steps more labored, but no one stopped.
Their clothes, soaked through, clung to their bodies, heavy and cold, and every face was twisted in grim determination.
"Faster! The dam won't hold much longer!"
Grandfather's voice echoed again.
Borne's father, hunched over, gripped the sandbag tightly.
His shoulders were reddened from the weight, and the skin on his hands, worn raw by the rain, mud, and rough fabric of the sack, bled, the blood mixing with the muddy water.
But still, he clenched his teeth and pressed on.
Persistently, he continued stacking the sandbags onto the dam, one after another.
Even though his strength was nearly depleted and his legs trembled uncontrollably, he did not back down.
The water kept rising, crashing against the dam with a thunderous roar, as if it were trying to consume everything in its path.
The cracks in the dam widened, and water burst through the gaps like the claws of a beast, tearing at the entire barrier.
Young Borne stood nearby, his hands clenched tightly together, heart racing with worry for his father.
He watched his father's tall figure, feeling both admiration and unease.
The man who had once been drunk and reckless was now the protector of the village, standing before the flood, using his weary body to hold back the wrath of nature.
The wind continued to howl, and the rain pelted everyone's skin like countless steel needles, yet no one retreated.
The flood, like a raging beast, relentlessly battered the dam, and Borne's heart seemed to tremble along with it.
The roar of the floodwaters grew louder, and the clouds in the sky churned, as though they were ready to swallow the entire world.
Rain streamed down his father's face, his hair blown into disarray by the storm, making him appear disheveled and worn out. Yet those blue eyes of his remained resolute.
Borne's heartbeat quickened as he watched his father hoist the heavy sandbags time and time again, feeling as though he could sense his father's invisible strength.
"Don't stop! Hurry!"
Grandfather's voice remained steady, as if trying to subdue the entire storm.
His father said nothing, continuing his task in silence.
The heavy burden on his shoulders slowed his steps.
Each step felt as though he was dragging a thousand-pound weight, but still, he pressed on, showing no sign of retreat.
The rain beat down on his back, his clothes soaked through long ago, yet he stood as firmly as the dam itself, an unyielding protector of the village.
Young Borne's heart swelled with conflicting emotions. The man who had once seemed far from perfect was now carrying the hope of the entire village.
"Father…"
Young Borne couldn't help but whisper the word softly.
His father didn't turn around, fully focused on the sandbags in his hands and the ever-surging floodwaters.
The cracks in the dam were growing wider, water beginning to seep through in several places, and the soil was being washed away, thinning by the second, threatening to collapse at any moment.
Borne clenched his fists tightly around the edge of his shirt.
He wanted to run over and help, but his grandfather had already told him that this wasn't something he should be doing.
All he could do was watch silently from the sidelines.
The rain was coming down even harder, and it felt as if the entire world had been transformed into a realm of water.
The floodwaters, like a wild beast, continued to batter the dam, while his father and the other able-bodied men stood as the last line of defense, desperately trying to stave off the impending disaster.
Suddenly!
A deafening crash echoed through the air, as if the entire earth itself had been shaken.
A vulnerable section of the dam could no longer bear the pressure.
A massive chunk of soil crumbled under the relentless assault of the floodwaters, collapsing with a thunderous roar.
The water surged through the gap like a beast unleashed, tearing apart that portion of the dam in an instant.
Boom!
Cries of alarm erupted from the villagers, and everyone quickened their pace, desperately trying to seal the breach.
"Hurry! Get over there and block it!"
Grandfather's voice was nearly drowned out by the howling wind and pounding rain.
In that instant, Borne's father's gaze locked onto the widening breach, the danger escalating by the second.
Without hesitation, he grabbed a massive sandbag and charged toward the collapsing section of the dam.
Young Borne stood frozen, his eyes glued to his father's towering, unyielding figure, his heart pounding so hard it felt as if it might leap out of his chest.
Water was already gushing through the breach in the dam, tearing at the entire structure like the claws of a ferocious monster, threatening to bring it all crashing down at any moment.
His father's steps were heavy, each one sinking into the waterlogged and muddy ground, but he pushed forward with unwavering determination.
Finally reaching the breach, his father used all his strength.
With a mighty heave, he slammed the sandbag down onto the section of the dam that was on the verge of collapse.
The massive surge of water crashed against the sandbags, sending up a spray of mud and water, and Borne's father's figure was nearly swallowed by the flood.
But he stood firm at that most dangerous spot, gritting his teeth against the violent force, struggling to prevent the water from spreading further.
The torrential rain continued to batter his father's back, and the mud and water had soaked through his clothes.
His entire body trembled, yet he refused to let go.
With every passing second, the pressure from the flood increased, as if it were trying to tear both him and the dam apart.
Young Borne held his breath, his eyes never straying from his father's back for even a moment.
The villagers quickly rushed to his father's side, helping him reinforce the dam that was on the brink of collapse.
Their shouts and the sound of their footsteps were mingled with the roar of the wind and rain.
Yet the floodwaters continued to surge, the winds continued to howl, and his father's shoulders continued to bear the immense strain.
As everyone fought desperately against the flood, the raging water and violent storm had driven many to the edge of despair.
Then, above the clamor, Borne's grandfather's old but strong voice rang out through the storm.
"The waves are wild beasts, the spray our blades, the raging sea devours the souls of cowards…"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was steady and powerful, cutting through the storm and reaching the entire dam.
Upon hearing the familiar song, the villagers, whose spirits had been weighed down by exhaustion and despair, suddenly felt a renewed sense of strength.
Side by side, they gritted their teeth and hefted sandbags to reinforce the dam, their movements becoming quicker and stronger.
More and more villagers joined the battle against the flood, singing along with Borne's grandfather's voice.
"Beneath the typhoon, we march forward with pride, in the storm, we are the true masters…"
Each lyric was filled with the wild resilience and defiance unique to the people of Stormhaven.
The song grew louder and louder, more and more people joining in, even the women and children standing at a distance couldn't help but sing along.
Every word carried the indomitable spirit of the people of Stormhaven.
Young Borne, Dillon, and Victor, though still just children, clenched their fists and joined in, their voices rising in unison with the villagers.
"Don't count on the skies clearing, don't hope for the waves to still, the mast of destiny never rises for the timid!"