Deep Sea Embers

Turning her attention back to Tyrian, Vanna inquired, “Did your father exhibit any unusual behavior before he spoke with those strange visitors? For instance, did he acquire any mysterious texts or visit secretive places?”

Tyrian shook his head as he responded, “It’s hard to say. You have to understand that a century ago, my father was one of the most renowned explorers in the world. Dealing with strange artifacts and hidden places was part of his everyday life. My sister Lucretia and I were just starting to learn from him and explore his ‘collection,’ so we didn’t have many opportunities to discover more.”

He paused for a moment, letting out a soft sigh. “And back then, neither of us considered the consequences of what was to come. My father often received various unusual guests, so those strange ‘visitors’ were not necessarily out of the ordinary. By the time we realized that something was wrong though, almost a year had passed since that ‘secret conversation,’ so there was no way for us to investigate anything further.”

Vanna nodded in agreement, but their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a loud chime and siren that emanated from the window. Bishop Valentine looked up and observed that the sun had set, casting a faint shadow of the World’s Creation in the sky. “The twilight bell strikes,” he remarked before suggesting that they conclude their discussion. Turning to Tyrian, he offered the hospitality of the cathedral for the night, with dinner and undisturbed rooms provided.

“Thank you then,” Tyrian expressed his gratitude, “I plan to stay in this city for a few more days. I did live here briefly a century ago, so I’m interested in seeing what changes took place.”

“Of course,” Valentine smiled, “the Sea Mist is already a friend of Pland, and we are always ready for friends. You can stay here as long as you want.”

“You are welcome to stay here as long as you want,” Bishop Valentine warmly responded, acknowledging the Sea Mist’s relationship with Pland.

Vanna stood up from the couch and offered to show Tyrian to his guest room after gathering the sailors from the room nearby.

As Tyrian and Vanna walked towards the guest room, Tyrian expressed his surprise, “I never thought the Inquisitor would personally escort us. It’s quite an honor for a mere ‘pirate’ like me.”

Vanna turned around with a smile and corrected him, “You’re not just a ‘pirate.’ Your lineage is impressive – son of Captain Duncan, the Frost Queen general, and the Sea Mist Fleet commander. If all the pirates on the Boundless Sea are of your caliber, then we won’t need any city-state authorities.”

“… ‘Pirate’ is simply a convenient cover that allows me to cause trouble for certain individuals in the Cold Sea. Some people even prefer to label me as such to increase the bounty on my head, giving them the illusion of being useful,” Tyrian explained nonchalantly. “But as you mentioned, those titles belong to the past, Miss Inquisitor.”

After a moment of silence, Tyrian added, “I’ve never shared so much about my past with an outsider before. I hope you understand.”

Vanna nodded in understanding. “I can imagine it must be difficult,” she said sympathetically. “But sometimes, in order to find a solution, we must confront the things that make us uncomfortable or uneasy. And that is what we are trying to do here in Pland: uncover the truth and find a way to help your father.”

Tyrian nodded in agreement, “I understand. Thank you, Miss Inquisitor, for your understanding and willingness to help.”

As the man spoke, he glanced at Vanna’s eyes but quickly averted his gaze. Again, he felt a faint yet palpable pressure that was even stronger than what he had sensed earlier on the dock. Then recalling the recent experience of the inquisitor communicating with that man, Tyrian suddenly got some terrible ideas of where this discomfort came from.

Vanna picked up on Tyrian’s unusual behavior and asked him directly, “Captain Tyrian, you seem a bit tense. Is there something that’s making you nervous?”

“No, Inquisitor,” Tyrian responded by hesitantly shaking his head. “You mentioned having communicated with my father multiple times. Did he, by any chance, impart any gifts or powers to you during those interactions?”

Vanna abruptly halted her footsteps at this remark. “Why do you ask this?”

Tyrian quickly clarified, recognizing that his question might be overwhelming for someone as devout and resolute as Vanna. “I don’t intend anything else,” he explained. “I simply wanted to bring to your attention the power that my father brought back from subspace. It’s highly unusual and challenging to remove, and it’s extremely polluting, much like other chaotic erosion from subspace. If you accidentally delve too deep…”

Vanna took a deep breath and expressed her gratitude. “Thank you for reminding me,” she said sincerely.

However, in reality, Vanna couldn’t help but feel that Tyrian’s reminder had come a bit too late. The influence of Captain Duncan seemed to be more severe than anyone had anticipated, and now all she could do was hope that he would actually knock when he sought her out…

Although Tyrian was unsure of what was going through Vanna’s mind, he sensed a palpable awkwardness in the air. However, the discomfort was short-lived, as Vanna took the initiative to break the silence.

“I have a question,” she said. “Your father mentioned a ‘countdown’ before he lost his sanity. Do you know anything more about it? Did he mention any other details?”

As Vanna posed her question, her mind couldn’t help but recall her previous communication with the goddess of storms, Gomona, and the cryptic message the deity had conveyed to her – “Time is limited and about to reach the critical limit.”

The sentence that Vanna couldn’t comprehend at the time now seemed to be intricately linked to the “countdown” mentioned by Tyrian.

Tyrian locked eyes with Vanna, and the two remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, Tyrian spoke in a deep voice, “During his last moments, he said something to Lucretia. He said, ‘our world is just a pile of extinguishing embers.”

As the corridor came to an end, Tyrian turned to Vanna and expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for leading the way. I’d like to spend some time alone with my subordinates for a while.”

Vanna nodded in understanding. “Of course, I understand. Please feel free to reach out to me if you need anything,” she replied before heading back the way they came.

As the door closed behind her, Tyrian felt a wave of relief wash over him, now that the surroundings had quieted down.

As Tyrian thought back to his conversation with the inquisitor, he couldn’t help but feel the pressure he had sensed from the lady. It was a palpable sensation that left him feeling uneasy. If he had to relate it to anything he experienced, it would be the sensation he got whenever his father gazed down at him! The memory sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it all meant.

“Captain, is everything all right?” A trusted sailor looked at his boss with concern, “You seem tense ever since we landed.”

“I’m alright,” Tyrian reassured his sailor with a wave before casually walking over to a nearby table, “Could you bring the items over?”

Without delay, one of Tyrian’s trusted sailors approached the table, carefully placing a suitcase from the Sea Mist on its surface. With a key, Tyrian unlocked the case and revealed its contents.

In the suitcase was a complicated lens apparatus comprising multiple small lenses and curved connectors, featuring a large crystal ball at its center.

“Watch the door, don’t let others disturb me,” Tyrian instructed his men to keep watch at the door and ensure that he’s not disturbed.

It was only after several sailors had departed that he directed his attention towards the crystal ball. Then, delicately adjusting one of the lens angles, he murmured the name “Lucretia.”

Eventually, there was a slight tremble in the lens assembly, and the crystal ball positioned at the center started emitting a glimmer, coupled with an unsettling sound, until the vague outline of Lucretia materialized within the crystal ball, saying “I am present.”

“Why is the image so blurry?” Tyrian furrowed his brows, “Where are you currently located?”

“I… am at the border,” Lucretia’s voice crackled through the crystal ball amidst the static: “The surrounding… environment… is causing more interference, and I’m trying to adjust… Is it better now? Can you hear me clearly?”

Eventually, the interference dissipated, and Lucretia’s form gradually became more distinct.

“The environment around me has shifted slightly, and the spirit realm is creating an unusual disruption in reality,” the voice from the crystal ball explained. “Is everything alright, brother? The Bright Star is traversing through turbulent waters. If this isn’t urgent…”

“I’m currently in Pland,” Tyrian got straight to the point, “The Sea Mist suffered significant damage during the battle with the Vanished, and the situation in this city-state seems unsettling.”

The figure on the other end of the crystal ball was taken aback by the news.

After a few moments, Lucretia’s slightly anxious voice spoke up: “Did you truly come across the Vanished? Are you safe now?”

“…… Frankly, I was beaten up, but it’s okay now,” Tyrian said in a low voice. “The problem is… ‘his’ situation seems a little wrong.”

“His situation isn’t right?” Lucrecia frowned, “You met him up close?”

“Mhmm.”

“Then…” Lucretia opened her mouth, seeming hesitant, “So this time you saw our ‘father’?”

“…… Not exactly.”

“In all honesty, I took a bit of a beating, but I’m fine now,” Tyrian whispered. “The issue is… there’s something off with ‘him’.”

“His situation isn’t right?” Lucretia furrowed her brow. “Did you meet him in person?”

“Yes.”

“In that case…” Lucretia hesitated before speaking up, “So, you met our ‘father’ this time?”

“Not exactly.”