Chapter 287: The River Giant
At Kellar’s command, dozens of men and women from the tribe boarded the vessel to empty the decks and lighten its load before the current could swallow it. Yet upon inspecting the hold and lower decks, the warriors uncovered something peculiar: there were no heavy supplies or common cargo, only rows of sealed timber chests. Furthermore, along the flanks where heavy cannon batteries should have rested, only hollow breaches gaped through the hull’s armor.
Suddenly, a shadow blanketed the riverbank. A screech echoed from the clouds as Little Green swooped down. Answering her master’s mental call, the giant eagle took a couple of minutes to arrive. She extended her talons, clamped onto the stern’s main timbers, and began beating her emerald wings with force.
"Now! Haul the ropes together!" bellowed Grok at the top of his lungs.
Combining Little Green’s aerial pull with the physical strength of hundreds of tribal members hauling heavy mooring lines from the shore, the oak vessel creaked, broke the water’s suction, and began sliding across the mud until it came to a halt resting safely on dry land.
The villagers gathered around the vessel, gazing up at the timber behemoth with wide eyes and a mixture of awe and bewilderment. While it did not match the scale of Karkadann, it remained a monumental construction. To the forest’s hunters and warriors, the existence of such a craft defied reason: no one understood how a wooden structure of such weight could float across water without plunging to the bottom; it contradicted everything they knew about nature.
Kellar walked toward the shore, rested a hand against the damp hull, and turned his head toward his people with a smirk:
"This is a warship," explained Kellar to them, raising his voice so everyone could hear. "It is a floating fortress crafted to sail across the world’s great seas and oceans... and very soon, it shall become the pride of our fleet."
Thorin approached the shaman, pointing toward the heavy containers they had hauled from the hold before beaching the vessel.
"Great Shaman, shall we open the chests? They might hold supplies or valuable treasures we could utilize right away."
"No," replied Kellar in a firm voice, raising a hand in dismissal. "We shall wait until the captain and his crew awaken. We are neither thieves nor pirates to plunder those who seek our refuge."
To Kellar, whatever lay inside those chests was secondary; whether filled with gold, silver, or bronze mattered little compared to the true prize before his eyes: the vessel’s structure itself represented the most invaluable acquisition they had secured in a long time.
Kellar walked along the bank and began inspecting the hull. The ship was ruined from the attacks it had endured: the upper decks were splintered and the side planking bore gaping breaches. Yet upon descending to the base to examine the keel—the true heart and soul of the vessel—he froze in shock. Despite the impact against the rocks and the punishment of the current, the keel remained intact, without a scratch or fracture visible.
Passing his palm over the dark timber, he felt a cold texture akin to tempered steel. The heavy beams were bound together with rows of polished rivets, yet upon closer inspection, he noted they were neither iron nor bronze; they emitted a translucent luster and a deep brown hue, as though sculpted from precious gemstones.
"Crystal rivets...?" muttered Kellar with a brow.
Noticing one of the pins dangling loose from a splintered side plank, he retrieved it and focused his shamanic perception onto the object. Instantly, the system interface unfolded before his eyes:
[Earth-Metal Stone Rivet]
Description: Fastening bolt forged from Earth-Metal Elemental Stone. Possesses structural tensile resistance and magical self-sealing properties against aquatic pressure.
Incredible... thought Kellar, mesmerized by the artifact’s engineering.
Intrigued by the resilience of the main frame, he tilted his head and analyzed the material forming the keel itself:
[10,000-Year Krukum Tree Timber]
Description: Mystical timber harvested exclusively from specimens of the Krukum Tree that have survived for a ten millennia. Upon reaching ten thousand years of maturation, the plant fiber absorbs earth mana until acquiring density and hardness equivalent to diamond.
"Good heavens..." whispered Kellar, unable to conceal his amazement.
A timber so tough it rivaled diamond explained why, despite the pirate onslaught and the collision against the river reefs, the keel remained impassive and pristine. Inspecting the rest of the hull, he noted the outer walls and upper decks consisted of standard oak, far more vulnerable.
Of course... analyzed Kellar as he gazed at the timber behemoth. A tree requiring ten thousand years to mature must be expensive and scarce in this world. That is why they only used this mystical wood to construct the vessel’s keel and backbone...
As Kellar continued exploring the vessel’s structure, the approach of a guard interrupted his thoughts. The warrior arrived winded, his face etched with anxiety.
"Great Shaman!" exclaimed the guard with a bow. "Some of the mariners are awakening in the infirmary, but they appear tense. Could you come to appease them? I fear a fight might break out shortly."
Kellar nodded without delay, leaving the ship’s hull behind as he strode back toward the village. Upon entering the infirmary, he was greeted by a scene of controlled chaos: several sun-bronzed sailors, still frail and wrapped in bandages, were attempting to push themselves off the cots amid panicked shouts. They thrased against the healers, trying to rip the needles and plastic tubing from their arms.
"Get away! What manner of sorcery is this?!" shouted one of the mariners, staring with terror at the bag dripping fluid into his vein. "What in the hells are you pumping into our bodies?!"
Intravenous saline solutions were a medical technology unknown in this world, where only rudimentary ointments, potions, or direct healing magic existed. Seeing a tube driven into their veins delivering a fluid was a terrifying ordeal for the seafaring men.
Kellar stepped forward, releasing an aura that instantly enveloped the room.
"Enough!" ordered Kellar in a calm voice, causing every mariner to freeze in place. "No one is harming you. What you see there is purified water with mineral salts designed to save your lives after the severe dehydration you suffered. If you wish to live to sail your ship once more, lie still and allow my healers to perform their duty."