Deep Sea Embers

Around the world, a distinctive atmospheric layer, infused with the essence of clouds, gradually descended. This layer resembled a vast, flowing ocean above, seamlessly merging into the sky. In some regions, it drooped toward the earth or sea, forming a misty veil, while in others, it floated several hundred to tens of meters above the inhabitants, continuing its slow, almost imperceptible descent.

Frem stood on the icy plains under the night sky, his eyes fixed on the tumultuous clouds now so close that only a thin mist separated him from them. The scene was illuminated by light piercing through the clouds, casting a mercury-like glow over everything that momentarily stole one’s breath and stirred the soul.

Beside Frem, Priestess Delice stood, both looking upward at the celestial phenomenon after a prolonged observation. Around them, many others scattered across the tundra were similarly transfixed, as if held in place by an invisible force. However, the atmosphere shifted as people began to panic, their eyes darting around, many focusing on Frem.

“Your Holiness…” Delice broke the silence, her voice hoarse, “What do we do now?”

“Continue with our tasks,” Frem replied, his voice deep and steady, resonating across the icy tundra, “Construct the archives, transport the relics, safeguard our legacy—the world still lives; our mission is not complete.”

The Pope’s voice, firm and authoritative like a massive boulder, anchored everyone’s restless spirits. Momentarily pausing, the Flame Bearers bowed their heads and then turned their attention from the sky back to their work on the archives.

Unnoticed, Frem exhaled softly. Despite the frail pulse of his heart, his worried gaze shifted back toward the distant drifting mists.

…

Against a stark grey-white backdrop, the immense structure of the Vanished silently floated in the “transition channel,” devoid of reference points. Although it seemed stationary at the center of the channel, Duncan knew well that he and his ship were moving at speeds beyond human comprehension.

The Vanished had ventured beyond the world’s edge, and Duncan had truly departed the Boundless Sea, leaving behind the sanctuary built by ancient kings. Beyond the tranquil channel lay utter chaos: the extinction of worlds had left behind a tumultuous, scorching waste known as the Ashen Sea.

As Duncan felt his connection to the Boundless Sea weakening by the day under Alice’s control, he struggled to hear the voices of his two “avatars.” Now, he experienced only brief daily intervals of their consciousness, with their actions severely limited.

This weakening connection stemmed from several factors: Duncan’s “transformation” was intensifying, and the physical “distance” between the Vanished and the avatars was growing. As Ray Nora mentioned, other potential reasons might have involved the Ashen Sea’s unique environmental conditions.

However, there was positive news. The “enhanced marks” Duncan had placed on Nina and others to maintain contact under challenging conditions were still functioning effectively. These marks, designed for a specific, straightforward purpose, remained largely unaffected by the changes, enabling continued communication with his crew.

After conducting his daily checks, Duncan wandered through the Vanished, moving through deserted corridors and silent stairways until he reached the empty deck. Alice was at the stern, steering the ship alone without the presence of her usual companions, making the ship feel as it did when Duncan first arrived—abandoned and silent, echoing his initial encounter with the Vanished.

But some things hadn’t changed—his mind was noisier than during his first visit.

From somewhere in his mind, Shirley’s unrefined voice echoed, “Hey hey, Captain, let me tell you, we snagged a bunch of great stuff from that lighthouse! That woman, Helena, was really generous. She let me raid the warehouse, and I even found some gorgeous dresses… I don’t know why someone like her would hoard pretty dresses… pity they’re too big for me, two sizes too large…”

Then Nina’s sensible and gentle voice followed, “Uncle Duncan, everything’s fine here. Nilu and I have become good friends, and I even helped her sew a little dress… You must take care of yourself on the ship, and make sure you and Alice eat on time. I left lots of biscuits and jam in the kitchen…”

Sailor’s hoarse voice chimed in, “Captain, I haven’t been slacking these past days. Miss Lucretia can testify; I’ve already started helping her crew clean the deck and hallways—I wasn’t this diligent on the White Oak…”

“Papa, don’t listen to his bluffs; he was coerced into working by Luni because he just lounges in the warehouse all day. He even tried to convince my servants to join him for a ‘big sleep.’ Luni couldn’t tolerate it anymore… This guy even had the audacity to demand a daily wage from me, claiming that working wasn’t part of his agreement when he signed on with the Bright Star!” This complaint-laden voice belonged to Lucretia.

Duncan halted on the mid-deck, listening to the cacophony of voices in his head, and finally, unable to contain himself, remarked, “Sounds like you all are having quite a lively time.”

“One Shirley is enough to turn any place into a battlefield,” Lucretia’s voice, heavy with exasperation, resonated in Duncan’s mind. “She causes chaos everywhere, even managed to coax Nilu into hiding in a bedside cabinet yesterday. I had to take apart the entire thing to get her out! How do you usually deal with this?”

“Usually, I think it’s manageable,” Duncan responded thoughtfully, “It’s very quiet on the ship, so a bit of commotion is actually quite nice—even if it might be a bit overwhelming for you.”

Lucretia let out a deep sigh, “Ah, the most overwhelming thing is still Miss Vanna’s morning workout routine… although, that might not be as surprising as Nilu’s antics.”

As he listened to his daughter’s grievances, Duncan’s expression subtly changed, reflecting on the potential excessive chaos aboard the Vanished…

Then, a moment later, Morris’s voice returned. “How are things on your end?”

“The Vanished is still in the ‘channel’,” Duncan replied, glancing outside the ship’s rail before casually adding, “Honestly, it’s hard for me to gauge from a ‘distance’ or ‘route’ perspective where exactly we are, even Alice isn’t sure. But one thing is certain, we are nearing the coordinates given by Ray Nora. Alice can still sense that.”

“…I never thought the one who seemed the least reliable on the ship would end up doing the most crucial task,” Shirley interjected, “In the end, she’s the one who’s with you at the world’s ends…”

As Shirley’s comment hung in the air, a brief silence followed. After a few seconds, Duncan heard Shirley again, “Hey, why are you all silent! Alice isn’t as dependable as me! I’m usually so well-behaved… Nina, don’t look away!”

Duncan chose to ignore Shirley’s antics.

“How’s the situation on the Boundless Sea?”

After a brief pause, Morris responded, “Just as we reported earlier today, the clouds have descended—it’s now all covered in a thin ‘mist’ with low-hanging clouds everywhere… truly, if we didn’t understand the significance, it would indeed look like a magnificent spectacle.”

“The good news is, other than the clouds lowering, no other severe changes have occurred; at least it hasn’t affected the navigation of ships,” Vanna’s voice followed, “We’re currently heading towards Pland. Lucretia plans to take us there first; afterward, she’ll return to Wind Harbor with the Bright Star and stay there until the end.”

“We’ve also made contact with Mr. Tyrian; after reaching the central sea, a ‘Sun Sharing Fleet’ will leave Pland and head north. Miss Agatha will transfer to that ship and travel to Frost.”

“As for Sailor, we’ve arranged for him to meet Captain Lawrence in Morpheus if the city-state government is still operational. If not, the White Oak will come instead to take him to Morpheus.”

Vanna paused for a few seconds before adding softly –

“Captain, please rest assured, we will handle everything well and won’t let you down.”