The battle raged on, a blur of steel, magic, and the smell of smoke in the air. Kael's heart thudded in his chest, each beat syncing with the violent clash of swords and the crackle of flames. His hands were slick with sweat as he fought to maintain control of the Water shard, the power coursing through him both exhilarating and terrifying. The water around him had become an extension of his will—sharp spires, walls, and crushing wave surged from the deck, but the more he summoned, the harder it became to keep them in check.
Tess was a whirlwind of destruction, her dual blades flashing with deadly precision as she cut down Council soldiers left and right. Aro had emerged from below deck, a primal force as he called on the power of his plant and earth shards to entangle enemies in roots and vines. Mira, though more hesitant to engage directly in battle, had her own way of contributing, hurling blasts of pure arcane energy at the Council's advancing forces, her eyes narrowed with focus.
Kael could feel the pressure mounting. The Shard Council was relentless. Every time they took down a soldier, more seemed to appear from below deck or from the ropes overhead. It felt like an endless tide, one that threatened to engulf them completely.
"Keep fighting!" Tess shouted, her voice harsh over the din of the fight. She was moving toward the bow of the ship, where the enemy's forces were concentrated. "We need to hold them off until we reach Telmaris!"
The enemy ship had drawn closer, and now it was almost side by side with theirs. The Council soldiers, equipped with ropes and hooks, had begun to climb across, boarding their ship in waves. They moved like clockwork, their coordination deadly.
Kael gritted his teeth, summoning more wave from the deck. He lashed out with water fists, knocking a soldier from the ropes and sending him crashing into the ocean below. The satisfaction of a successful hit was short-lived, though, as he saw more of them closing in on the ship's edge.
"Kael! Watch out!" Tess's warning came too late.
A Council soldier with a large, jagged sword lunged at him from the side, and Kael barely had time to raise his arm in defense. The blade scraped across the water barrier he had raised, but it wasn't enough to stop the soldier's momentum. Kael staggered backward, the impact forcing the air from his lungs.
Before the soldier could strike again, Tess was there, her shadow blade cutting through the air with lethal grace. The soldier barely had time to react before his life was extinguished.
"You're too slow, Kael," Tess said, a wry smile on her lips as she wiped her blade clean. "Stay sharp."
Kael nodded, breathless, but the adrenaline was already surging again. The fight was far from over, and he couldn't afford to falter. His grip tightened on his Water shard, and the ocean beneath his feet responded, rising in jagged columns, pushing back the advancing soldiers.
"Focus!" Tess shouted again, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We can't hold them off forever. We need a plan!"
Kael glanced over at Mira, who had taken a position behind the mast, her hands raised as she cast another blast of energy at the enemy. Her face was pale, her usual composure slipping as she focused all her energy on keeping the Council soldiers at bay.
"I don't think running is an option anymore," Mira called to Kael. "We're too far from the shore, and they're closing in fast. We need to find a way to break their momentum!"
The realization hit Kael like a stone to the chest. Mira was right. They couldn't keep fighting forever. The ship's hull had already taken damage, and they were surrounded. His mind raced, calculating every possible escape route, every alternative. And then, it clicked.
"We turn the tide," Kael said aloud, his voice suddenly steady. He looked toward Tess, Aro, and Mira. "The Shard Council might control their ship, but they don't control the ocean."
Tess raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"
Kael didn't have time to explain further. He focused on the shard in his hand, channeling its energy with renewed intensity. But this time, he wasn't just using it to defend. He was using it to command.
The deck beneath his feet rumbled as the wave rose, but this time, it didn't stop at the ship. Kael extended his will out, directing the power of the shard into the water surrounding the ship. The ocean, which had seemed a mere backdrop to the chaos, now responded. The water churned, responding to his every command.
It began slowly—a few small wave breaking through the surface of the water, like giant, blanket. Then, as Kael focused more, the true power of the Water shard came alive. The water swirled in violent, spiraling currents, lifting up huge waves on either side of the ship, pushing the boats together in a great collision of forces.
"Hold on!" Kael shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring storm he had created.
The wind picked up, gusting violently as if joining the chaos. Water surged onto the deck, crashing over the ship as Kael bent the ocean to his will. He had never attempted anything this large before, and the strain was immense. His head throbbed as he struggled to maintain control over the forces he had unleashed. The Water shard was strong, but even it had its limits.
"Kael!" Mira screamed, her voice strained. "You're going to collapse the ship!"
"I don't care!" Kael shouted back, determination clear in his voice. "We either sink, or we get the hell out of here!"
He focused harder, guiding the ship's course with the currents of water he had created. The Council ship, caught in the swelling waves, struggled against the tide. Kael could see their crew scrambling to maintain control, but it was too late. The waves continued to rise, and with a final surge of power, Kael sent the enemy ship careening sideways, the hull cracking and splintering under the force of the impact.
The Council soldiers, thrown off balance by the waves, tumbled into the ocean. The group of Kael's ship, though battered by the storm, rallied with newfound energy. They quickly turned their attention back to steering the ship through the rough waters.
Tess stood by Kael, breathing heavily but with a grin on her face. "I didn't think you had that in you."
Kael, too, was breathless, his body aching from the strain of wielding so much power. But there was no time for rest. The storm still raged around them, and they weren't out of danger yet.
"We need to get to Telmaris," Kael said, his voice hoarse. "Now!."
Aro, who had been helping secure the ship's rigging, nodded. "I've never seen a storm like this. But if we don't outrun it soon, we'll all be at the mercy of the ocean."
The ship was still intact, but it was now a race against time. The Council ship was drifting in the distance, barely afloat, but more ships were likely on the way. If they didn't get to Telmaris soon, they'd be caught in another battle they couldn't win.
With the power of the shards still humming in his veins, Kael focused on navigating them through the storm, steering the ship toward the distant shores of Telmaris. But the uneasy feeling in his gut didn't fade. The Council would be back, and when they came, they would bring everything they had.
And the truth about the True Shards was still out there—waiting for him to find it.