The horizon was a sad line of charcoal and indigo as the Horizon's Call sailed into waters churning with a primitive anger. The vast, mysterious sea seems to surge in defiant reaction against the passage of time.
For weeks, storms, ancient curses, and secrets hidden deep in the depths had worn the crew. Every wave, every gust of wind, and every deck shake spoke of fate's merciless march as the ship approached a place known only to the oldest of sailors as the Crucible.
At the front, Seraphine's dark eyes reflected the stormy seas to come. Etched into her mind were recollections of past trials—the roaring tempests, the phantom voices, and the solemn oaths taken beneath the star-filled sky. Yet, amid the turmoil, a great will surfaced. Softly, almost lost in the din of shattering waves, she said, "This is where we are meant to be." Here is where we have to demonstrate, once and for all, the strength of our oneness, "The Crucible of Fate."
