Whispers of Desires: A Sense of Duty {Book 1}

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 30: 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓: 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖊𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖞𝖆𝖑 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓

The pirates swarmed into the cabin, their faces a mix of eager anticipation and curious wonder. "Lads," Shale bellowed, his voice booming, "it seems we've got a proposition from King Kiyoshi here, one that might line our pockets and serve us all well. He's lookin' for our help to take down a common foe, and in return, he's offerin' us a formal alliance 'twixt Ivamis and our own kingdom. Give it some thought, but mark me words: the choice ye make today will carve the path we walk in the days to come. If we stand together, we can bring order to these chaotic seas and carve our names in history. But if we turn our backs on this, lads... we may well be signing our own death warrants." (Gentlemen, It seems King Kiyoshi here has made us an offer that could benefit us all. He seeks our help against a shared enemy, and in exchange, he is offering us an official alliance between Ivamis and our kingdom. Think carefully about it, but know this: the decision you make today will shape the course of our futures. If we unite, we can bring stability to these chaotic seas and secure our place in history. If we reject this, we may be condemning ourselves.)

The crew muttered amongst themselves, their eyes flickering with thought. Kiyoshi could sense the respect they had for Shale, their captain. He knew that whatever course they chose would hinge on Shale's judgment. After a few moments, Shale turned back to him with a grim nod. "Aye, King Kiyoshi, I think ye speak true. I'll back yer cause, but know this—my crew, they're a wild bunch, unpredictable as a storm on the high seas. If they're to follow ye, they've got to believe yer words, and believe in yer heart." (Yes, King Kiyoshi, I believe your words. I will support your cause, but understand this—my crew is unpredictable, like a storm at sea. If they are to follow you, they must trust in your words and in your intentions.)

Kiyoshi nodded seriously. "I understand, Captain Shale. I will do everything in my power to earn your trust and the loyalty of your crew. Together, we can create a new alliance that will change the course of the seas."

"Now then," Shale growled, "ye spoke of this Daemon, a slippery one, eh? Tell us more, King. What makes him such a menace, and what devilish tricks does he have up his sleeve?" ("Now, then, you mentioned this Daemon, a crafty one, eh? Tell us more, King Kiyoshi. What makes him so dangerous, and what tricks does he have?")

 "He's not just any vampire," Kiyoshi said, his voice cold. "He shares my royal blood, and with that comes special abilities. However I have never seen him harness his powers so he might be a bit weaker than we planned."

Shale's eyes gleamed, intrigued by the challenge. "Well, now. This partnership might turn out to be far more interestin' than I thought." He turned to one of his burly lieutenants, a scarred beast of a man with a jagged scar runnin' from ear to chin. "Scruff," he bellowed, "gather up the finest trackers we've got. We've got a prince to catch." (Well, well, this partnership might be more interesting than I first thought. Scruff, gather the best trackers we have. We've got a prince to capture.)

Scruff gave a grin and a salute. "Aye, Cap'n. Leave it to me." With a flick of his heels, he was gone, barking orders to the crew. "Vortex be a small kingdom, and everyone knows everyone," he muttered under his breath. Soon enough, the deck was alive with chaos as pirates scrambled up the rigging and hoisted the sails. (Yes, Captain. Leave it to me. Vortex is a small kingdom, and everyone is interconnected.)

Then, from the entrance, a commotion rang out, voices raised in panic. One of Shale's crew stumbled into the cabin, his face as pale as a ghost. "Cap'n!" he yelled, eyes wide with terror. "He's gone! The prince... he's gone!"

Shale's face darkened, his curse low and venomous. "Blasted hells! How'd he slip away?" His voice dropped to a deadly growl.

"I... I don't know, Cap'n," the pirate stammered, shaking with fear. "One moment he was there, the next, he vanished. Must be his dark magic at work."