The clash of steel rang through the storm-churned air as Captain Lucian Valcourt and Captain Seraphine Delacroix battled once more, their swords singing against each other in a deadly rhythm.
Seraphine was as breathtaking as she was dangerous. Dressed in black and gold, her corset embroidered with intricate patterns, her raven-dark hair whipped wildly in the wind. Her piercing blue eyes, lined with kohl, held a fire that matched her relentless attacks. A silver pendant hung against her chest—a token of something unknown, something almost… unnatural.
Lucian met her strike for strike, their movements a deadly waltz across the rain-slicked deck. Every attack was precise, every parry a message. They had fought a hundred times before.
Then the heavens roared.
The winds howled like a beast unleashed, rain slashed down in sheets, and the sea itself rose in fury. Both crews scrambled to secure their ships, their duel momentarily forgotten.
“Captain! The sails—!” someone from Lucian’s crew screamed.
He turned, but before he could react, the ship lurched violently. A rogue wave slammed into The Obsidian Serpent, the impact so powerful that it ripped the deck from under his feet.
Lucian’s world tilted.
He tried to grab onto the railing—missed. The wind roared in his ears. The last thing he saw before hitting the freezing abyss was Seraphine’s face, her expression shifting from determination to something… raw.
Then he was in the water.
The cold stole his breath instantly. The waves dragged him down, saltwater filling his lungs as he struggled. The ocean was a merciless void.
Through the darkness, he saw her, standing at the bow of her ship. Rain poured down her face, her wild hair sticking to her skin, but it was her eyes that froze him. They were glowing. A strange, unnatural light—something ancient, something powerful. The storm ceased. The wind vanished the sea calmed.Lucian, gasping, barely afloat, locked eyes with her. What had she done? What was she?