The sea was unusually calm, and the sky was clear, but Romulus wasn't reassured. He stood on the deck, watching the horizon with expert eyes, then said in a low voice, "This calm... is not normal. The sea only quiets itself before it screams."
Not an hour passed before black clouds began to gather rapidly, and the wind whipped the sails. The waves rose suddenly, as if the sea had decided to swallow everything above it.
Callias shouted, "Storm! Prepare!"
The crew moved quickly, tugging at the ropes and fixing the sails. But before they could catch their breath, something even more dangerous appeared on the horizon: a pirate ship, its sails tattered but massive, advancing toward them, taking advantage of the wind.
"Pirates... in the middle of a storm?!" Darius asked, staring fearfully.
"Sea wolves," Romulus replied sharply. "A storm is the perfect cover for them."
The black ship approached, its horns blaring. The pirates brandished swords and spears, their voices mingling with the thunder.
Linus stood in the bow, his hair whipping in the wind, and shouted loudly:
"Men! The sea tests us twice tonight: with the storm and with the pirates. We will not be defeated by either!"
The crew's voices rose in cheers, despite their fear.
The waves crashed against the two ships, almost meeting. The pirates threw their hooks and tried to board. Callias lunged with his axe, cutting the ropes before they could be secured. Darius fired flaming arrows despite the rain, wounding one of the pirates in the shoulder.
But the storm showed no mercy. A bolt of lightning struck the white ship's mast, causing it to shake violently, and the men nearly fell.
Linus shouted:
"Hold on! Don't let the sea tear us apart!"
A pirate leaped onto the deck, a massive man, carrying a rusty sword. He lunged at Linus, but the latter parried with a powerful blow. Swords clashed amidst the rain and wind, sparks flying with each blow.
"You will die tonight, heir of Athens!" the pirate said, laughing wildly.
"I will not die before I see my city!" Linus answered firmly.
With a decisive blow, Linus pushed him back, and he fell into the sea, swallowed by the waves.
But the fight wasn't over. Dozens of pirates tried to board, and the men fought with all their might. The sea itself was an enemy, rocking the ship with every wave.
Romulus approached Linus and said over the din: "We won't last long if we continue like this. We must use the storm to our advantage!"
"How?" Linus quickly asked.
Romulus replied, "If we turn the ship into the wind, it will push us away from them. But it's dangerous... it might capsize us."
Linus looked at his men, then at the growing number of pirates, and said firmly, "I'd rather risk the sea than fall into the hands of these people."
He quickly gave his orders:
"Callias! Darius! Steer the oars! Nikos, steer the ship into the wind!"
The men moved quickly, and the white ship began to turn slowly. The wind pushed it hard, almost capsizing, but they held on as best they could.
The pirate ship, however, couldn't maneuver at the same speed. It hit huge waves and began to rock violently.
"She's sinking!" shouted one of the sailors.
And indeed, the black ship capsized under the force of the storm, and most of the pirates drowned in the sea. The white ship, however, was pushed away, its sails torn, but it still held on.
The men sat on the deck, panting with exhaustion, their wounds bleeding. But they were alive.
"Together we defeated the sea and the pirates!" Darius said, laughing despite the blood on his face.
"We survived because we were together!" Callias answered, raising his axe.
Linus stood on the prow, watching the darkening horizon. His deep voice said, "This night will not be forgotten. The sea called it the Storm of Blood… and we came out of it alive."
Romulus approached and said with a small smile, "Every time you pass a test, you come closer to being the leader Athens needs."
Linus smiled, despite his exhaustion, and said, "I will not stop… until I arrive."