Valyrian Docks — Late Night
The moon had slipped behind heavy clouds, plunging the docks into near-total darkness. The smell of salt and tar hung thick in the air, mixing with the faint metallic tang of blood and smoke. Kaelarys crouched behind stacked crates, eyes fixed on the massive fleet anchored nearby. Ships emblazoned with the sigils of rival dragonlord families—black sails rippling in the cold wind—lined the water's edge like a steel wall.
He shifted the magic ring on his finger, feeling its familiar pulse steady his nerves. This was no mere raid. The fleet was the backbone of power, the veins through which Valyria's ambitions flowed. Without it, no war could be won.
System Notification:Quest Update: Strengthen Fleet (0/3 ships acquired)New Quest: Sabotage Rival Fleet & Capture Ships (0/3)
Kaelarys swallowed hard. The stakes had never been higher.
The guards' footsteps echoed as they patrolled the docks, their armor clinking softly in the night. Kaelarys slipped silently between shadows, the Shadowstep skill allowing him to vanish and reappear like a whisper on the wind. His eyes scanned the massive ships, noting weak points in the defenses, the placement of archers, and the location of the captains' quarters.
He needed to sow chaos.
Nearby, Lyanna emerged from the gloom, a sly grin playing on her lips. "I set fire to the warehouse across the harbor. Should keep their focus away from us."
Kaelarys nodded, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Good. Let's move."
They split up, Kaelarys slipping aboard the nearest ship while Lyanna remained onshore to maintain the distraction. Every step felt charged with danger, the tension thick like the ash in the air.
Inside the ship's hold, Kaelarys moved quickly, severing rigging and scattering supplies. He worked to cripple the vessel's readiness without alerting the crew.
Suddenly, a voice whispered from the shadows. "You're far from home, stranger."
Kaelarys froze, then slowly turned to face a lithe figure stepping from the darkness—an enemy captain, eyes sharp and calculating.
"Who are you?" the captain demanded, hand resting on a wicked curved blade.
"Just a traveler seeking passage," Kaelarys replied smoothly, drawing his dagger as the tension snapped.
The fight was swift and brutal—steel clashed in the moonlight, sparks flying as they danced a deadly ballet atop the creaking deck. Kaelarys's mastery of combat, honed by the system's training, gave him the edge.
With a final, precise strike, the captain collapsed.
Kaelarys wasted no time. He commandeered the ship's helm, signaling Lyanna to make her escape.
As flames bloomed across the docks and chaos erupted, the stolen ship pulled away from the harbor, cutting through the dark waves like a shadow.
Back aboard his estate, Kaelarys examined the captured ship's hold, a small but significant victory.
One down, two to go.
He looked to the horizon, where the first light of dawn hinted at the coming storm.
The war for Valyria was no longer a whisper — it was a roaring tempest.