"Are you certain it's still in the same spot, Jekk?"
"Without a doubt, Master Liet! Once we pass that island, we'll be there!"
Jekk clung to the oars with all her strength. The sea remained calm for the first few hours, but they soon hit a current and started to accelerate. Before long, they left the island Jekk had mentioned far behind. After traveling with the current for another day or so, Alden and Jekk arrived at a desolate, barren island. Jekk pointed her index finger toward the island and declared, "This is it!" Upon reaching the island's shore, they nudged the boat from the sea onto the land, as there was no object or place to tether it. Jekk led Alden further into the island. Eventually, they reached the base of a towering mountain. Jekk approached a crevice that ran like a thin line down the mountain's center. She crawled into the crevice, and Alden followed suit. As they ventured into the mountain, they encountered a narrow tunnel, which they continued to traverse. Soon, they reached the tunnel's end, which opened up into a vast cave within the mountain. It was so spacious that a lake was nestled inside. Turning to Alden with excitement, Jekk exclaimed, "There it is, Master Liet!" as he pointed at the ship floating on the lake. "My ship, the Willich!"
"Wow! It's as massive as you described, Jekk!" Alden marveled.
"It is, Master Liet! I... I... I lost my entire crew in that tragic event, and my ship suffered severe damage. But I managed to save both myself and the ship. Then I came here, to the sanctuary of our pirate guild, trying to repair it, engage in piracy for a while, and recruit a new crew. But every time I looked at this ship, it brought back memories I was trying to forget. So I left it here, constructed a boat, and settled in Koa."
"I see. By the way... how is it lit up here?"
"On one of our expeditions, we stumbled upon something peculiar: a white, viscous substance. We learned from the person we acquired it from that it emits light for an extended period. It seems like it's still on the walls."
"Meung’burg could certainly use something like that! So, how can we get this ship out of here?"
"This ship and this place are filled with mechanisms we've gathered from here and there, Master Liet," Jekk explained with a grin. "Come with me." They both boarded the ship, and Jekk promptly headed to a metal box in the center of the deck. A lever protruded from the side of the metal box. Jekk began turning the handle for about an hour before making his way to the helm. He pulled a lever next to the rudder and maneuvered the ship. Alden observed Jekk's actions in sheer amazement.
"Hey, Jekk! How are we going to get out of here? The lake ends!" Alden inquired.
"Don't worry, Master Liet, look!" Jekk pointed to a massive door at the cave's far end. In the center of the door was a hole resembling a keyhole. As the horizontal pole, extending from just below the bowsprit at the front of the ship, entered this aperture, the gigantic door began to open outwards, splitting in two. Alden watched in awe as the sunlight bathed his face, sparking an epiphany in his mind. His eyes were nearly blinded by the brilliance of inspiration! In a flash, he pulled out his leather-bound book from his bag and retrieved another glass bottle shaped like a pyramid from his belt. A pin adorned the top of the pyramid, which he used to write something on the first page of his book. Each letter he wrote appeared in a faint, glowing green hue. Although the green ink seemed ready to fade at any moment, Alden soon realized that his book's pages were extraordinary. The ink did not smudge onto the following page when he closed them, but it smudged when he touched it. Alden resolved to incorporate the mysterious green ink pyramid into his story. Meanwhile, Captain Jekk, steering his ship just like in the old days, navigated towards the unknown horizon, the same place where he had first and last seen the Earless Captain. This voyage was a sort of internal reckoning for him, a resolution of unfinished business. His emotions were so intense and complex that he momentarily forgot about Alden. He secured the wooden stick just beneath the rudder and walked over to him.
"Master Liet!" Jekk called out, "We're almost there. What are you up to?"
Alden was writing in an ecstatic state. It took him a few seconds to respond to Jekk. "Ah... Well... I was, um, writing."
"Like a diary?"
"No, no, no, I'm writing a novel."
"Oh, very good! And what's it called?"
"The Chronicles of Earth."
"The Chronicles of the Earth? What's it about, Master Liet?"
"I'm writing it so that one day, when I return to Meung’burg, I can share with the people there what the Earth is like. It's a tale of villages scattered across islands, of ruthless pirates, of peculiar inventions. The protagonist is Captain Jekk."
Jekk was taken aback when he learned that the protagonist of the novel was inspired by him. He was about to express his feelings to Alden when something caught his eye. "Look over there!" he exclaimed, pointing at the colossal mushroom-like structures lined up on the horizon. When Alden raised his head and gazed at the spectacle, he felt a shiver down his spine.
"W-What is that?" Jekk exclaimed, "Master Liet! The curse I couldn't explain to you," Jekk continued, "this is it!"
"I've never seen anything like it in my life!"
"These entities, with vines hanging from their heads, clutch onto anything in their vicinity and release their spores all around. Wherever these spores land, it first causes a burning sensation, and then it begins to decay!"
"H-How is this possible?!"
"I never comprehended it myself! When one of the pirates in my crew got ensnared by one of these colossal mushrooms, the others went to rescue him, and they all started rotting instantly. I was at the helm! I had no idea what to do! My only choice was to flee..."
"Is this what you meant when you said there's nothing beyond these seas?"
"Actually, I thought they were confined to the ocean, but it appears they can move! We can't linger here, Master Liet!"
"And how much farther do we need to go?" Alden asked.
"Another half an hour, if my memory serves me correctly, to reach the wreckage."
"Alright then! Let's prepare to get to work." After traveling for another half an hour or so, they lowered the sails and brought the ship to a halt. Jekk's face bore a somber and anxious expression. He spoke in hushed tones, "Master Liet, do you have any plan for searching the wreckage?"
"Well, as a matter of fact..." Alden removed the Lifkaruz from his belt and exclaimed, "I do!"
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Amid Jekk's astonished gaze, Alden stripped off his clothing, gripping Lifkaruz firmly in both hands, and plunged into the sea, holding the sword out in front of him! As Alden descended, the dragon on the hilt of Lifkaruz started to spin rapidly. Where the sharp edge of the blade touched, water seemed to vanish! Approaching the seabed, Alden tilted the sword upward, creating a reservoir of water beneath him and allowing for a gentle landing. As he slowed down, he swayed Lifkaruz from side to side, carving an air pocket that accompanied his journey along the ocean floor. It didn't take him long to spot the wreckage. Alden explored the sunken ship, moving in and out of its chambers. His arms grew weary from wielding Lifkaruz, despite his best efforts to search swiftly. Fatigue began to creep in, and he could no longer sustain his grip. He ascended to the surface. Without delay, he instructed Jekk on how to use Lifkaruz and sent him back down for the search.
After several minutes of anxious anticipation, he spotted Jekk's head emerging from the water. Without delay, he handed him the rope ladder. In Jekk's grasp was a piece of parchment.
"I found it! I found it, Master Liet!"
"That's incredible! How did you locate it so quickly?"
"Master, every pirate ship possesses a wine cellar where the crew stashes their plunder. It was inside that treasure chest. I apologize for forgetting to mention it earlier. Please forgive me!"
Alden felt immense joy as he gazed upon the map. On the map, a specific area was marked as "the sole path to Meung’burg." Situated to the west of Koa Village, nestled between two mountains, this region filled Alden with a deep sense of serenity. With elation, he exclaimed, "Jekk, this is it! The Pit is right here! We've discovered it!"
However, as the pair rushed back to the island harboring Mata Village, they soon sensed that something was amiss.
Smoke billowed from the island. They quickly anchored their ship and made their way ashore, but what greeted them was pure chaos. The ground was stained with blood, houses ablaze, and an eerie, haunting silence. Panic set in.
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Alden and the others, their faces etched with horror, swiftly retreated to Koa Village, only to find it swarming with more people than they could fathom. Bewildered, Alden scanned the crowd and suddenly locked eyes with Simalri.
"Simalri!"
"Alden?! Oh, thank the heavens!"
Alden, in distress, demanded answers. "What in the world is happening here?"
Simalri's voice trembled as she recounted the nightmarish tale. "Pirates from Mata Village descended upon us, Alden. They spoke of an impending apocalypse, claiming everyone would perish. They were raving lunatics, tearing our village apart and setting it ablaze. The survivors fled here."
Alden clenched his fists. "Those pirates!"
"I felt the same way initially, but given what's occurred, my perspective has shifted," Simalri explained hesitantly.
Alden, puzzled, probed further, "What do you mean?"
Simalri gestured toward the sea of people from various villages and replied, "Take a look around you. There are survivors here not just from Mata Village but even from the distant Noa Village."
"The entire Noa Village?"
"Yes."
"But why?!"
"People say the culprit resembles a colossal mushroom. Initially, it was in the sea, spotted first by the pirates. Then it began spreading on land. It emits a pollen-like substance that's toxic to the touch. That's why people fled here in a state of panic."
"I see..."
"Regrettably..."
"And where's Koa’tan?"
"He hasn't left his dwelling since this ordeal began."
"Perhaps it's time he takes action!"
Alden and the group made their way to Koa’tan's location, where guards were stationed outside the building he occupied. They were granted entry without difficulty and proceeded to his room. Inside, he sat alone, surrounded by numerous books written in Huratanli. As Koa’tan laid eyes on Alden, he leaped to his feet, clutching Alden's collar with urgency.
"It's you! Only you can save these people!"
Alden, bewildered by the situation, implored, "Calm down, Koa’tan! What's happening? Explain it to me."
Koa’tan's grip on Alden's collar loosened slightly as he revealed, "Only... I'll tell you everything on one condition."
Alden inquired, "?"
Koa’tan continued with a surprising offer, "You must take these people to Meung’burg."
Alden was taken aback by this proposition, but he couldn't leave behind so many people to face a grim fate. Determined to help, he embarked on a journey with the entire group, guided by the map he possessed. To expedite the process, Simalri's team of lions was employed to transport the villagers and their belongings, though the sheer number of people and possessions made the journey last for several days.
Upon reaching the designated spot on the map, Alden was taken aback. There was no sign of a Zar’ikat pit in this location. Instead, a dense forest surrounded them, and it felt eerily familiar to Alden. As he ventured a bit deeper into the woods, he came across the very tree where Lifkaruz had been lodged. Astonishingly, the tree still stood. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he approached Koa’tan and confessed that there was no pit. However, after realizing that their current position matched the map's indication, he promptly instructed all the villagers to commence digging.
A camp quickly formed around the excavation site, drawing people from every village. Their collective focus was unwavering. Villagers of all ages and genders worked together tirelessly, digging a massive trench for days and weeks. Finally, their hard work bore fruit. Could this be Meung’burg? Could it truly be it?
The Zar’ikat pit led to a cave, and when they discovered the cave continued, a team of scouts ventured forth. To Alden's astonishment, they returned with the exhilarating news – they had found Meung’burg! People wasted no time; thick ropes and iron chains were employed to transport their belongings underground.
At that very moment, as the goods were being transported, the colossal mushrooms drew closer to the people. Panic-stricken individuals jostled one another, desperate to enter Meung’burg as swiftly as possible. In the midst of this chaos, a tragic accident occurred, taking the life of one of the most instrumental figures in the excavation of the pit. Regrettably, he became the sole casualty of the Ikat. Jekk relayed this news to Alden.
"Master Liet, have you heard? A man has tragically fallen into the pit!"
"Alas, my worst fears have been realized! Do we know who it was?"
"No. His name was Zar, a young man hailing from the distant Ikat Village... They've named the pit after him."
"Zar from Ikat Village? Zar’Ikat?!"
"Yes, sir."
Baffled, Alden made his way through the villagers who had resettled in Meung’burg, one by one, until he reached Koa’tan, insisting on answers.
"Enough of this! I've done as you asked, now it's your turn!"
"Ah, Liet Alden... Come, sit down. I hardly know where to begin..."
"Start with the confiscated books from centuries ago."
"Hmm... Do you know why these villages were initially established here?"
"Why?"
"To hunt Huratan."
"What?!"
"But before we could find them, their curse found us! These colossal mushrooms only thrive where they reside, and as you can see, they're right above us now! We lost many people, so many. Nearly all the male guards perished. Almost all the male children born to those who remained in the villages didn't survive. Men proved to be far less resistant to the pollen... The villages were devastated, and something needed to be done. Koa Village held leadership at the time. The then leader of Koa had all the books seized, the knowledge erased, and the other leaders eliminated. This information was clandestinely passed down from leader to leader."
"Then why didn't you leave?"
"Where could we have gone? The seas were already infested with those mushrooms. Now they've encroached upon our villages. We disturbed them, and they emerged."
"What's so peculiar about them?"
"The emblem of the blind dragons signifies time itself. The legend tells that they lose the light in their eyes amidst the vastness of eternity. Your Lifkaruz is an ancient weapon, drenched in their blood! The crimson glow it emanates is a result of that blood. You might believe you've lost your memory, but you haven't, Alden. No, you're nothing other than a time traveler."
"W-what! Do you even realize what you're implying?!"
"I'm fully aware; listen! If the dragon on your sword returns without making contact with you, if you throw it, it will take you on a journey through time, and everything physical that occurred after the sword's touch will be erased! That's the curse! You must take this curse away from here; you must return to your own time!"
"I-it can't be!"
"Look, I know this must be incredibly difficult to comprehend, but I've analyzed your journey. If you throw the sword with the dragon's head up, you'll travel to the future. If you throw it with the dragon's head down, you'll travel to the past. If you don't turn it, it will go up and down on its own. First, you left Zar’ikat, and then you journeyed to the future. When you lost Zar’ikat, you went back to the past, but it wasn't your past. I believe you originated somewhere in between. The time of your journey is determined by the distance the sword travels. You've experienced two time jumps. Because they occurred around the Zar’ikat pit, the total distance the sword traveled didn't extend beyond this city's borders. Hence, if you throw the sword to a point in Meung’burg, you should be able to return to that era, if not the exact moment you first arrived. Don't worry if you can't throw it that far; it will accelerate itself, spinning with the dragon, until it hits an obstruction!"
Alden came to the startling realization that he had been traveling through time, and the shock of this newfound knowledge overwhelmed him. His world had been turned upside down, and he grappled with the uncertainty of his temporal journey.
Yet, he found it impossible to heed Koa’tan's counsel. His brief but intense adventure on the surface, among these people, held far more weight than his enigmatic, nearly forgotten past life. The details of his prior existence and whereabouts had all fused into a shapeless haze. And then there was the sword – should he retain it and harness its power? But for what purpose? Or should he cast it away into the hands of fate?
Fate... perhaps he should surrender his entire existence to fate's capricious whim and attempt to live without the burden of constant contemplation. All of these thoughts swirled around his weary mind, yet he felt unequipped or, perhaps, unwilling to make such momentous decisions all at once. Thus, he resorted to the most practical course of action: not to remember.Haut du formulaire
Alden parted ways with Koa’tan, and much like every other memory he couldn’t remember when or how he had found himself in his newly assigned stone dwelling. Collapsing onto the old bed that awaited him, he remained there for nearly a full day.
He remained indoors for several days, torn between the quandary of his next course of action and the steadfast determination to see his novel through, despite the overwhelming stress. Writing, evidently, was his refuge. He barricaded himself within the four walls of his residence and poured his thoughts onto the page, dedicating days to the completion of his novel.
The inhabitants of the Earth had fully embraced their new home in Meung’burg, even establishing an aged inn to serve the community. Alden, perhaps motivated by the completion of his novel, decided to leave his residence to seek solace. He was on his way to visit the inn he'd heard of from Jekk.
During his journey, he came across a sculpture, and locals explained that it was crafted in his honor. Alden didn't pay much heed to it and continued to the inn situated at the far end of the town. Seated at the stone bar, he requested a potent drink unfamiliar to him, brought by the Earth's residents. With an initial sip that didn't particularly please his palate, he lifted the cover of his book and began pressing the scrolls he had carried with him onto each page. Every time he transferred the parchment, his written words became legible in the copy on the parchment, thanks to the ink's special luminescence.
With this act, Alden completed the process of transcribing his book. The final sentence he reproduced read, "I am a failed writer because I was able to write what I lived, not what I imagined!" On the parchment copy, he inscribed the words "To Simalri," then left it resting on the stone bar of the inn.
Swiftly downing his drink in a single gulp, he withdrew his sword from his waist. After gazing at the age-old weapon for a brief moment, he inverted the dragon's head and hurled Lifkaruz with all his might.
The word "Time" suddenly invaded his thoughts, a mysterious intrusion he couldn't quite fathom. This compulsion to document it confounded him. The man, with his pallid complexion and obsidian attire, bore an eerie air of non-existence. It was as if he had sprung into being only moments ago. What remained clear to him, however, was his identity as a writer, albeit one whose attempts had met with failure. He found himself sitting on a stone armchair, nestled within the aged inn's bar.