Minutes later, aboard the Azure Kraken
The Azure Kraken was the jewel of the Blue Skull Raiders' fleet, and its command deck reflected that grim prestige. It wasn't a war room in the style of the Alliance, but a private lair dressed in trophies of blood and conquest. Rare beast skulls hung from hooks like lanterns, shattered banners lined the bulkheads, and the central throne was carved from obsidian bone, its jagged arms inlaid with frozen crystal. The air was unnaturally cold, every breath misting like smoke.
Seated upon that throne was Captain Draeven. His skin was pale as frostbitten stone, his beard threaded with silver rings. Resting across his lap was that very blade—a cruel, curved weapon sheathed in a sheen of rime. His presence alone made the chamber feel like the heart of a glacier.
At his side, the first mate shifted uneasily.
