Deep Sea Embers

Feeling the atmosphere grow weird, Valentine seemed to realize his remark might have been inappropriate or surprising. His face reddened slightly, and with a touch of hesitancy, he explained, “You see, Vision 004 affects everyone differently. Some emerge feeling dizzy, and some experience temporary memory lapses or even shifts in their cognitive functions. I’ve come to understand these varied reactions, but you’re the first person I’ve seen come out… well, burping.”

Vanna felt the weight of the stares surrounding her. The situation felt surreal, and she felt a pang of vulnerability. “I… I’m not sure why that happened,” she began, only to be interrupted by another burp.

Suppressing the urge to burp again, Vanna tried to recollect her experience inside Vision 004. She noticed that the ethereal figures around them began to shift and rearrange, parting to make way for Pope Helena’s entrance.

Seeing the revered Pope, Vanna instinctively straightened up in a show of respect. But as she raised her head, another burp escaped her lips.

Helena’s brow furrowed.

For a moment, the esteemed Pope studied Vanna, then let her gaze drift to where the “Tomb of the Nameless King” had once been. Breaking the silence, she inquired, “Vanna, did you perhaps consume the guardian of the tomb?”

Vanna blinked in surprise, “…?”

Gathering her wits, Vanna responded with rigid attention, “I would never go as far as to eat stones inside.”

Yet Helena’s face remained stoic. Given Vanna’s past record of remarkable accomplishments, it wasn’t entirely implausible to the Pope that Vanna could do such a thing. After a moment, she dismissed the idea, “Even for someone as unpredictable as you, that would be excessive. Can you tell me what happened?”

Trying hard to remember, Vanna replied, “I just can’t…” A fleeting memory seemed to bubble up, but it was gone before she could grasp it. She sighed in frustration, “I genuinely cannot remember.”

Pope Helena’s expression remained unchanged, “It seems that even after three attempts, the memory-erasing effect of Vision 004 remains potent.” She pointed at the parchment Vanna held, “Perhaps the parchment can provide some insight into your experience.”

The mention of the parchment snapped Vanna back to reality, and she immediately unfurled it. But, as was typical after an entry into Vision 004, most of it was torn away, leaving behind only a few lines of scrawled writing.

When Vanna’s gaze landed on the words, her eyes immediately narrowed, signaling a mix of surprise and concern.

“Vision – Frost…”

“Vision – Vanished…”

“Vision – Vanished Fleet…”

These three lines were written haphazardly, and unlike the usual visions she’d come across, these had distinctive names without accompanying numbers.

A hint of gravity crept into Helena’s eyes as she took in the information, her expression becoming increasingly solemn.

After glancing at the parchment’s contents, Bishop Valentine seemed equally perplexed and alarmed.

Vanna had once again extracted peculiar codes from the Tomb of the Nameless King, codes that deviated from the regular format seen in the “Anomalies and Visions List”.

For a moment, Vanna was lost for words. She pondered over the handwritten lines, then, with a puzzled expression, looked up at Helena, “Visions… but they have no numbers.”

Helena’s voice carried a weight as she responded, “The mention of Vision – Frost does not particularly shock me. After Pland’s transformation into a vision, I sensed its impending revelation. However, the mention of the Vanished without a number is puzzling.”

Valentine quickly added, “Furthermore, the Vanished Fleet is mentioned as a separate entity, indicating it’s distinct from the Vanished, even without a numbered label.”

Without uttering a word, Helena’s eyes scanned the spiritual figures present. Their movements suggested they grasped the gravity of the situation. Familiar with the protocols concerning confidentiality and potential contamination, the saintly projections respectfully bowed and vacated the gathering without awaiting further instructions.

The expansive, time-worn square was soon devoid of all but Vanna, Valentine, and Helena.

After the last of the saints had departed, Helena, in a quest for clarity, inquired, “What has recently transpired regarding the Vanished? And why has the name ‘Vanished Fleet’ resurfaced? Is it possible that Captain Duncan is rallying his fleet once more?”

The legacy of the Vanished Fleet was well-known, though it hails from a bygone era, over a century ago. It was not seen as a threatening “vision” in contemporary understanding.

Commanded by the state-of-the-art ship, the Vanished, and bolstered by formidable warships, the Sea Mist and Bright Star, the Vanished Fleet was a naval powerhouse of its time in the vast expanse of the Boundless Sea. Accompanied by other auxiliary ships, it was a dominant force, powerful enough to challenge even the city-states.

Before its tragic dissolution, this mighty fleet had charted numerous islands, founded vital maritime routes, and even demarcated portions of the known world’s frontiers.

Captain Duncan and his legendary fleet epitomized valor and grandeur during that age, embarking on ventures where few dared.

Yet, their legacy abruptly ended when the Vanished was consumed by subspace.

Subsequently, the Vanished Fleet fractured. The flagship, once lost, re-emerged in the human realm labeled as “Vision 005”. Over the decades that followed, the other ships scattered, leaving only the Sea Mist and Bright Star. However, they no longer sailed under the banner of the Vanished Fleet.

Historically, the term “Vanished Fleet” was never designated as a vision. Therefore, the emergence of a new vision labeled the “Vanished Fleet” was puzzling.

Taking a deep breath, Vanna began, “There exists a ship named the ‘White Oak’,” she paused momentarily, collecting her thoughts to recount the recent incident that transpired in the Cold Sea. Though she was certain that Pope Helena would have been briefed through her intricate network of informants and possibly possessed a general understanding of Frost’s situation, only Vanna, who had been directly involved in the event, could elucidate its intricacies. “That particular ship, the White Oak, has now assimilated into the ranks of the Vanished Fleet…”

With keen interest, Helena absorbed every detail of Vanna’s recounting of the “Mirror Frost Incident”. She listened intently as Vanna described the transformation of the White Oak and its subsequent assimilation into the Vanished Fleet.

Once Vanna had concluded her tale, Helena pondered for a moment before speaking, “It appears that a new iteration of the Vanished Fleet is materializing. The moment the White Oak was transmuted and integrated as part of this fleet, a novel ‘vision’ was registered in the Tomb of the Nameless King.”

Vanna slowly nodded in agreement, “Manifested as a vision… and intriguingly, one devoid of a numerical designation.”

Helena reflected, “Such phenomena have been recorded historically. Typically, the emergence of a new vision has been linked to cataclysmic events or significant environmental upheavals over vast territories or oceanic expanses. I wonder, what ramifications does the reformation of the Vanished Fleet portend?”

For a brief moment, Vanna seemed lost in thought.

“It appears… no noticeable repercussions have been observed?” she remarked contemplatively, after a considerable pause, “Presently, no casualties have been reported, nor have any regions been rendered off-limits. Rather, with the consolidation of Frost’s state during the metamorphosis of the White Oak, events seem to be progressing in a surprisingly favorable direction.”

Helena carefully observed Vanna, remarking, “Moreover, this new ‘vision’ has not established any discernible ‘rules’ or ‘taboos’.”

A contemplative expression flitted across Vanna’s features.

Bishop Valentine chimed in, “Standard ‘visions’ possess associated rules and prohibitions, akin to how conventional ‘anomalies’ have inherent dangers and conditions for containment or sealing. However, from your depiction, it seems the Vanished Fleet presently doesn’t display any taboo characteristics. Although the White Oak possesses its unique attributes, these ‘distinctive traits’ are restricted to that individual vessel and don’t seem to extend to the entire ‘fleet’.”

Helena mused, “It’s conceivable that since this vision is still nascent, its underlying principles remain elusive. Alternatively, it might be mirroring the prevailing circumstances in Pland.”

“Pland’s present scenario?” Vanna echoed, her attention shifting to Bishop Valentine, awaiting further enlightenment.

Valentine elucidated with a grave demeanor, “As I conveyed during our prior communication – tranquility prevails in Pland. Nights there no longer evoke terror, and darkness has ceased to spawn aberrations. I’ve been devoid of any alarming updates about any paranormal disturbances within the city for quite some time. I am optimistic that Frost might exhibit similar stability.”

Nodding in agreement, Helena added, “A serene night and the benign cloak of darkness – an environment conducive to thriving. A region’s true anomaly might be its sheer lack of anomalies. Presently, Pland epitomizes such a domain.”

Vanna hesitated momentarily, letting her thoughts organize themselves. The weight of the situation and its implications weighed heavily on her mind.

In an attempt to cut through the thick silence, Bishop Valentine speculated, “Could it be that these ‘visions without numbers’ function uniquely? They might act as barriers against all otherworldly influences, with their only distinct feature being the absence of any anomalies within their boundaries.”

Deep in thought, Helena responded, “We must be cautious in drawing any conclusions. It would be wise to monitor the newly emerged ‘Vision – Frost’ closely before making any judgments.” Her gaze then turned towards Vanna with a hint of suspicion, “As the one orchestrating these events, has Captain Duncan exhibited any out-of-the-ordinary behavior? Does he harbor any specific ambitions or intentions? Is he plotting to expand the fleet’s dominance, or perhaps reunite with the Sea Mist and the Bright Star? Did he confide any of his plans to you?”

Vanna took a deep breath, her face a canvas of unease, “He did assign me a particular mission.”

Helena’s eyebrows furrowed, her tone taking on a more serious note, “What did he entrust to you?”

Vanna replied cautiously, “He seeks a way for the White Oak to bypass certain checks, essentially wanting me to uncover a potential blind spot in the church’s oversight.”

Helena’s eyes widened in surprise and a touch of alarm, awaiting further explanation.