In the heart of Veloria, the capital of the Celandine Empire, Emperor Aldric sat on his gilded throne, his eyes flicking nervously around the grand hall.

Despite the wealth and power surrounding him, Aldric knew the truth—his control was fragile. He relied on his loyal Knights, their unwavering obedience enforced by the ancient spell that bound them to his will. Without that spell, he would be nothing more than a figurehead.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest as a Knight entered the hall, his armor clinking softly with each step. The Imperial Knights were the best, but Aldric never felt at ease around them. They served him because they had to—not because they believed in him.

The Knight knelt before the throne, his head bowed in submission. "Your Majesty, I bring news."

Aldric's voice was sharp as he leaned forward. "Is it about the pirates?"

The Knight remained still, his tone careful. "There have been no new sightings of the fleet, Your Majesty. It seems they were lost in the northern seas."

Aldric's fingers drummed harder on the armrest. "Lost? To pirates?" He scoffed, but his voice wavered with unease. Pirates were always a nuisance, but one pirate weighed on his mind. "What about Reynar? Any word on him?"

The Knight hesitated, and Aldric's eyes narrowed. He could sense the tension in the air.

"Reynar remains on Greywater Island, as far as our spies can confirm," the Knight said. "He keeps to himself, but his presence… has not gone unnoticed by the people."

Aldric's jaw tightened. "One of the legendary Silver Serpents, and we've allowed him to live freely all these years. A pirate—one of those Twelve Commanders—walking about as he pleases." His voice grew sharper with each word. "Why hasn't he been eliminated? Why haven't we dealt with this problem?"

The Knight straightened slightly but remained on one knee. "Your Majesty, Reynar is no ordinary man. His strength—"

"I don't care about his strength!" Aldric snapped, rising from his throne. His face twisted with anger, and the air around him seemed to pulse with the energy of the binding spell. "We have the Empire's might! I want him dealt with at all costs. Do you hear me? Eliminate him."

The Knight looked up, his face tense but resolute. "Your Majesty, I strongly advise against that."

Aldric's eyes flared with fury. "Are you defying me, Knight?"

"No, Your Majesty," the Knight said quickly, lowering his head again. "But to go against one of the Twelve Commanders of the Silver Serpents—especially Reynar—would come at a great cost. His power is… formidable."

Aldric's patience snapped. "I can't stand your excuses." His hands twitched as he prepared to activate the spell that bound the Knights to his will. The spell could control their every move, even inflict pain as punishment for disobedience. His fingers sparked with energy as he stepped toward the Knight. "If you don't act, then I will—"

"Your Majesty," the Knight's voice remained steady, though there was a glimmer of strain in his eyes as the magic brushed against him. "Reynar isn't just a pirate. He's one of the Twelve Commanders. Going after him would not be a simple task. We could lose everything."

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Aldric paused, the spell's power flickering in his fingers. "What do you mean, lose everything?"

The Knight looked up, his expression grave. "The Silver Serpents were not just legends. They were feared by every empire and kingdom for a reason. If you attempt to eliminate Reynar, it won't be without consequences. He may be just one man now, but the cost could be... the fall of the Celandine Empire itself."

Aldric scoffed though his confidence wavered. "You think one man could bring down an empire?"

The Knight met Aldric's gaze, his voice calm but firm. "Reynar is not just any man, Your Majesty. He is one of the strongest warriors this world has ever known. And if we provoke him… it may take everything we have just to survive."

The room fell into a tense silence. His hands still pulsing with magical energy, Aldric stared at the Knight. His mind raced. The empire was his, but the thought of losing it all to a pirate—no, to one of the Twelve Commanders—made him hesitate. His power was fragile, held together by the Knights and the spells he cast over them. Without them, he was nothing.

The Emperor's anger flickered, but he let the spell fade.

***

The gentle rocking of the boat beneath Caius brought a strange sense of calm, though his heart raced with a mixture of nerves and excitement. The ocean stretched out endlessly before him, the waves lapping softly against the sides of his small vessel. This was the first time he had ever left Veloria—an island vast enough to be its own world. But now, the open sea called to him, and he couldn't help but feel at peace out here.

For a moment, he glanced back toward the distant outline of Veloria, already fading into the horizon. He would return someday, perhaps to explore every corner of the island that had once felt like the entire world. But for now, the seas were his new frontier.

He reached into his satchel and pulled out the map Reynar had given him. The parchment was weathered but sturdy, the lines and markings drawn with precision.

Reynar had marked several locations where Elara could be found and described her according to what she was a few years ago. Most were small islands scattered across the seas, but Reynar had made a particular note: Gambling houses. Apparently, that was where Elara tended to show up.

Caius smirked at the thought. It seemed fitting for someone like Elara, a former member of the Silver Serpents, to spend her time in places where luck and skill went hand in hand.

"Find the clues, find her," Caius muttered, remembering Reynar's words. But his quest didn't end with finding Elara. There was more—much more.

Reynar had spoken to him at length the night before, sharing tales of the Severed Seas, a place shrouded in mystery and danger.

Caius had been intrigued by the stories, fascinated by the idea of islands filled with treasure, unknown dangers, and pirates driven by the need to explore those treacherous waters.

But it wasn't just the riches that called to the pirates of the Severed Seas—it was something deeper. Reynar had hinted at it, but Caius wasn't sure he fully understood. What about those seas made pirates so eager to set sail? What drove them to risk everything?

Caius felt the wind pick up slightly as these thoughts swirled in his mind. His fingers relaxed for a moment, and the map slipped from his hand before he could react. His eyes widened in panic as the map fluttered in the breeze, carried away from him in seconds.

"Damn it!" Caius shouted, scrambling to his feet. He grabbed the oars and began rowing furiously, his heart pounding as he watched the map drift farther and farther from his boat.

He cursed himself for being careless. That map was his only guide, his lifeline to finding Elara and the clues to the Severed Seas. If he lost it now, he'd be adrift—literally and figuratively.

The boat rocked slightly as Caius rowed faster, the sound of the oars cutting through the water blending with his pulse pounding. The map was still visible, but the wind was merciless, pulling it farther with each gust. Desperation surged through him as he strained to close the gap.

"Come on, come on!" Caius muttered through gritted teeth, pushing his arms to the limit as he struggled to regain control.

The chase was on.