Chapter 6 The Calling of the Sea

The sea was calling.

Lucien stood at the helm of his ship, the Crimson Serpent, feeling the weight of the ocean's breath on his skin. The waves rose and fell, each one like a heartbeat that echoed in his bones, each one like the beating of a drum that urged him onward, deeper into the storm.

His father's death had set everything in motion, but it was the curse, the bloodline, the Heart of the Abyss that kept him tethered to this endless journey. The Heart-his father had hidden it, protected it, and now, it was his to claim.

But at what cost?

Lucien's gaze was cold, focused. He had to find it. He had to secure it, or else everything-his life, his empire, and even his soul-would be lost to the sea forever. But as the storm raged around him, there was something else. A pull. Something that seemed to tug at him from the depths.

It was the sea itself.

The sea was more than just water. It was alive. It had been alive long before Lucien had been born. And now, it wanted something from him.

It wanted him to take his place.

A sharp voice broke through his thoughts. "Your Majesty, the course has been set. The crew is ready."

Lucien turned to face Ryker Thornfell, the captain of the second ship in the fleet. The man was a master of tactics, a former ally of Lucien's father, but there was something about him that made Lucien uneasy. Ryker had always been too ambitious, too hungry for power. And now, with the Heart in the picture, who knew how far he would go?

"We'll need to stay ahead of the storm," Lucien replied, his voice cold. "If the Heart is to be found, we cannot afford delays."

Ryker's lips curled into a smirk. "Of course, Your Majesty. You're the king now. The Heart is yours to claim."

Lucien's fists clenched at the mention of the Heart. There was a growing sense of dread in his chest, as if the power he sought was already taking root inside him. A hunger. A craving that he couldn't shake.

As Ryker turned to bark orders to his crew, Lucien looked out across the churning waters. The ocean seemed to stretch endlessly, an abyss that threatened to swallow them whole.

But there was no turning back now.

Isolde's words echoed in his mind. "The only way to break the curse... is to claim the Heart. But to do so, you must kill the one who holds the power."

Was it Isolde who held the power? Was she the one who stood between him and the Heart?

And if she was, could he bring himself to do what was necessary?

The sea whispered to him, its voice like a siren's song. It called him to the depths, to the darkness, where the Heart waited. It promised him power, control, freedom. But it also threatened to drown him.

"You've always been the one to carry the weight of the Dreadmour name," Isolde had said. "But this power... it will destroy you, Lucien. It will consume you, unless you learn to control it."

But could he? Could he truly control the Heart of the Abyss?

A shadow crossed his path. He turned to find Lira Vane standing before him, her fiery eyes glowing with an unsettling mix of lust and malice. She was a sea witch, a creature of the ocean who knew its secrets better than anyone.

"You seek the Heart," she said, her voice low and throaty, like the hum of the tides. "But you don't yet understand what it is you're truly after."

Lucien narrowed his eyes. "And what would you know about it?"

She stepped closer, her gaze never leaving his. "More than you realize. The Heart is not just a relic. It is alive. And if you want to control it, you must give it something in return."

Lucien frowned, the pull in his chest growing stronger. "What do you mean? What price must be paid?"

Lira's lips curled into a wicked smile. "The price is always steep. The Heart demands a sacrifice. A soul. And when you claim it, it will demand yours."

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, Lucien felt as if the very sea itself had risen up to claim him.

He shook off the feeling, forcing himself to focus. "I don't have time for riddles, witch. Tell me what I need to know, or get out of my way."

Lira's smile faded, and for the first time, Lucien saw a flicker of something almost like pity in her eyes. "You will learn, Lucien Dreadmour. You will learn the true cost of the Heart... when it's too late to turn back."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Lucien standing alone at the helm, the weight of her words pressing down on him.

He had no choice now. He had to find the Heart. He had to break the curse. But with each step he took, the ocean's whispers grew louder, and the price of the power seemed to rise higher.

The storm was just beginning.

Cliffhanger-

A sudden jolt rocked the Crimson Serpent, nearly throwing Lucien off balance. From the crow's nest came a frantic shout, barely audible through the roar of the storm.

"Sails to the east! Three ships-closing fast!"

Lucien's blood turned to ice. No vessel should've been able to track them in a tempest like this. Not unless...

"They're not flying any colors," the lookout cried. "Ghost ships!"

The words struck like a dagger. Lucien's gaze shot toward the horizon. Through the sheets of rain, faint silhouettes emerged-ships, black as obsidian, cutting through the waves without oars, without sails.

Ryker's smirk vanished. "They've found us..."

Lucien turned sharply. "Who?"

Ryker didn't answer. His eyes were locked on the ghostly fleet.

And then, from the storm itself, a voice slithered across the water-low, ancient, and unmistakably female:

"Return the Heart... or drown with it."

Lucien's breath caught. The Heart was no longer just his burden. It was bait.

To be continued...