He crouched and gripped one of the links. The cold metal bit into his palms. Bracing himself, he pulled with all his strength: once, twice, harder each time. Nothing. The chain didn’t shift an inch. It was as if the ocean itself were holding it fast. He let go, breathless, and stared at it in silence. Whatever it was attached to, it was far heavier than he’d ever imagined.
Elias straightened, squinting toward the horizon. What could lie at the other end? A wreck, maybe. A cargo hold packed with coins or artifacts, swallowed decades ago. The thought was foolish, but it stirred something in him.