Deep Sea Embers
chapter-576

Vanna’s disclosure sent shockwaves through everyone present, leaving them visibly stunned. Her account discredited many of Duncan’s recent theories concerning “The Dream of the Nameless One.” Contrary to the general expectation, Vanna revealed she had never ventured into the “forest” that had been the focal point of their conversation. Astonishingly, she hadn’t even encountered a forest in her dream experience. Instead, she described being ensnared in a mysterious desert. This unexpected twist left everyone wondering: What could this desert symbolize or represent?

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Duncan was the first to recover his composure. He probed, “Were there any indications of human presence in this desert? Did you notice any distinct landmarks or unusual features that stood out?”

Taking a deep breath, Vanna began detailing her experience in the dream’s desert landscape. “The desert was dotted with bizarrely-shaped boulders, towering and contorted, as if some force had petrified them in the midst of motion. Far off in the distance, I could discern what appeared to be fluctuating shadows. I couldn’t determine if they were natural formations like rocky outcroppings or perhaps even a cluster of buildings; they were simply too far away to identify. What was most striking, however, was a faint red fissure that marred the sky, colossal in its dimensions.”

Duncan’s eyes briefly glinted, and his focus seemed to intensify. “A red rift? Could you elaborate on its appearance? Were there other noteworthy elements in the sky?”

Vanna got up from her seat and retrieved a pen and paper from a small table nearby. As she sketched, she continued describing the mysterious rift. “The rift had a dark red hue, its edges blurred as if enveloped in some form of mist. It emanated a subdued glow from deep within, though the specific features inside the rift remained indistinct and enigmatic.”

Everyone watched, captivated by Vanna’s pen as it moved across the paper. Meanwhile, Duncan leaned in as if being pulled by a magnetic force to get a better view of the sketch. The lines she was drawing seemed to resonate with his own memories of the “red light,” causing his expression to take on a grave seriousness.

After a brief pause, Vanna ceased her sketching and pushed the paper toward the center of the table. “This is a rough approximation. I’m no artist, but I’ve done my best to capture it. Aside from this rift, the sky was devoid of other features.”

Duncan appeared perplexed as he instinctively asked, “No other features? What about the sun? Could you describe what it looked like?”

This question was of paramount importance to Duncan. If Vanna had observed a sun in that mysterious desert, then the sun’s physical characteristics would hold significant implications.

Vanna, however, shook her head. “There was no sun to speak of. Oddly enough, despite this absence, it still seemed as if it were daytime—the sky was filled with a radiant, albeit sourceless, light, except for the area around the red rift.”

A mixture of surprise and puzzlement floated across everyone’s faces. Even Duncan seemed momentarily confounded until Vanna’s voice pulled everyone back to the present moment. “That’s all the information I can offer from my experience,” she concluded.

All eyes then shifted to Duncan as if awaiting the next revelation.

Nina, appearing increasingly intrigued, inquired, “Uncle Duncan, what did you see in your dream experience?”

After a brief moment of thoughtful contemplation, Duncan began to share his own surreal experiences. “Alice and I witnessed something quite unnerving in the real world—city blocks had transformed into nightmarish distortions of themselves. Towering trees and a maze of vines had overtaken the streets as if the forest from ‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ had somehow bled into our own reality. Interestingly, we saw no elements of the ‘desert’ that you described, Vanna. But what truly captured our attention was an extraordinarily large vine we discovered deeper within this altered neighborhood.”

He went on to detail his unnerving exploration of that vine—how it led to a different ‘Vanished’ sailing through an impenetrable fog. Mounted on the ship was another goat head that was both strangely familiar and deeply unsettling. The head spoke to him, revealing a constantly changing sea map and offering a plethora of cryptic information while enveloping Duncan in a dream-like state of awareness.

The room descended into an even more profound silence than after Vanna had spoken as if the gravity of Duncan’s revelation weighted down the air itself.

“Your experience is even more perplexing and unsettling than the desert landscape I found myself in,” Vanna murmured, almost to herself.

Beside her, Dog mumbled, “Well, he is the captain, isn’t he?”

Ignoring Dog’s solemn aside, Duncan continued, “What deeply concerns me is that the ‘goat head’ mentioned Atlantis near the end of our interaction.”

Vanna nodded thoughtfully, adding historical context. “If my memory serves me right, Atlantis is synonymous with the ‘World Tree’ in ancient Elven lore. Known alternatively as the Tree of Life or the Origin Tree, it was said to be the first life form created by the demon god ‘Saslokha’ according to elven beliefs.”

The room fell into a state of collective introspection. Even Alice, who usually struggled to keep up with such complex conversations, displayed signs of intense contemplation. Finally, breaking the thoughtful silence, Lucretia looked up at Duncan, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “Papa, you’ve never really elaborated on this ‘First Mate’ on the Vanished. What exactly is that goat head?”

Duncan replied cautiously, “It originates from subspace. That’s about all I can disclose at this moment.” He then pivoted quickly, adding, “However, I think it may be time for me to have another, more serious, conversation with it.”

With everyone’s accounts and observations laid bare, it seemed as if the pieces of an incredibly complex puzzle had been put on the table. Everyone who had navigated between reality and various dreamscapes the previous night had now shared their information, providing Duncan with a plethora of clues to ponder over.

After a moment to organize his swirling thoughts, Duncan took a deep breath and addressed everyone in the living room, temporarily setting aside the myriad questions racing through his mind.

“Based on what we’ve all shared, there are several conclusions we can begin to draw,” he began.

“Firstly, the realm of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ is clearly expanding its scope and increasing its influence, so much so that it’s starting to manifest in the real world. While we don’t yet understand the catalyst for these dramatic changes, they are likely connected to the upcoming ‘Fourth Long Night’ and possible alterations in the celestial body we know as the sun.”

“Secondly,” Duncan continued, elaborating on his earlier points, “it seems that the general populace within our city-state is largely oblivious to the far-reaching effects of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.’ When these transformations or mutations occur within the dream’s boundaries, the individuals in those affected areas seem to disappear. Yet, when the dream recedes, these people reappear in the real world and resume their daily activities as if nothing has happened. We haven’t yet been able to determine where these individuals go during their time in the dream, nor can we conclusively say whether this vision is limited solely to elves. This city, Wind Harbor, is a bustling hub for various races, including traders and adventurers. Our next step should be to investigate the state of these other communities based on last night’s happenings.”

“Thirdly,” he added, “when these dream-induced mutations take place, we find ourselves scattered across different locations. Some of us remain in the real world, while others are either thrust into the dense forest within the dream or transported to a mysterious ‘desert.’ As of now, we’re uncertain whether our dispersion is haphazard or follows a particular pattern that we haven’t yet discerned.”

“Fourthly,” Duncan concluded, “there are groups—specifically the disciples of Annihilation, the followers of the Black Sun, and the shadowy Enders who seem to be working behind the scenes— who are clearly more informed about this vision than we are. They are well-coordinated and appear to be driven by a shared, though as yet undetermined, purpose.”

After summarizing, Duncan looked around at the attentive faces. “Is there anything anyone would like to add or clarify?”

Lucretia shook her head thoughtfully. “Not at the moment. My main concern now is whether we can expect more of these dream-induced mutations to occur. If so, how should we prepare ourselves for them?”

Morris, the elder scholar in the room, sighed deeply. “The likelihood of experiencing more mutations seems high, given the escalating influence of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.’ The silver lining here is that the more frequently these anomalies occur, the better our chances are of discerning their underlying patterns. Right now, our understanding is riddled with speculations and unanswered questions. These gaps in our knowledge could potentially be filled if another large-scale mutation transpires.”

Nodding in agreement with Morris’s assessment, Duncan added, “Your point is well taken, Morris. This isn’t merely wishful thinking; we actually require additional instances of these mutations to better understand the mechanics of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.'”

“But,” Vanna interjected, “we must also consider the dream’s ability to separate us and disconnect our lines of communication, especially with you, Captain. That presents a significant logistical challenge.”

Duncan nodded gravely, “I’ve already started formulating some preliminary strategies based on my experience last night—especially after my encounter with the massive vine and the mysterious Vanished. If the dream’s influence expands again, we should have an opportunity to put these ideas to the test.”

Finally, Shirley, who had been quietly listening, looked up and posed a question that was undoubtedly on everyone’s minds. “So, while we’re gathering all this information and awaiting another occurrence, what are our immediate actions?”

The tension in the room was palpable. Each person was acutely aware that they were operating against a ticking clock, the nature and timing of which were as yet unknown. Clearly, the next steps, whatever they might be, needed to be executed with both speed and extreme caution.

“‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ is a volatile element that could shift and evolve without warning,” Duncan stressed, maintaining focused eye contact with Lucretia. “Our immediate task is to check if other districts in the city-state were similarly affected last night. The most efficient way to do that is to liaise directly with Wind Harbor’s governing officials.”

Lucretia didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll go speak with Sara Mel, the city governor, to see if he has any insights or has observed any anomalies from last night.”

Acknowledging her with a nod, Duncan shifted his focus to Morris and Vanna. “We should also extend our inquiries to the surrounding communities, especially around Crown Street. We need to determine whether residents of other racial backgrounds, apart from elves, have experienced any peculiar events as a result of the dream. This could give us a broader understanding of the scope of its impact.”

Vanna nodded energetically. “That’s right up my alley. I can canvas the area and speak with the locals.”

Morris chimed in, “I still have some academic contacts at the Academy of Truth. They might have information that could aid our investigation.”

Finally, Duncan looked over at Nina and Shirley. “For now, it’s best if both of you stay at home,” he advised after giving it some thought. “Your skills could be essential if we unearth any significant leads about the followers of the Black Sun or the disciples of Annihilation. But until we do, it’s safer for you to stay put.”

Nina sighed, visibly disappointed but obedient. “Alright, I understand.”

Shirley’s eyes met Duncan’s. “And what will you be doing?”

“I have to return to the ship, and I need to do it immediately,” Duncan declared as he stood up from his chair.

Alice, sensing the urgency, rose to her feet as well. “Then I’m coming with you!”

A look of confusion flashed across Duncan’s face. “Why would you want to accompany me?”

Alice hesitated, scanning the faces of everyone in the living room. She scratched her head, finally declaring with an air of inexplicable certainty, “I really don’t know!”

Duncan looked at her for a moment, contemplating her unorthodox enthusiasm, and then finally broke into a resigned yet endearing smile.

“Very well, if you’re keen on joining, you’re welcome to come. To be honest, I’d be uneasy leaving you alone in the city, given the circumstances.”

Alice’s face lit up with a mischievous grin. “Hehe… Great!”

With their roles and missions clearly defined, each person left to carry out their respective tasks. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of gravity and urgency; everyone understood the potential dangers lurking ahead. Duncan headed for his ship, taking the silly Alice along for the ride. Meanwhile, Lucretia, Vanna, and Morris dispersed across various sectors of Wind Harbor, each carrying out their individual missions to gather more information about the perplexing dream that seemed to hold their world in its increasingly unsettling grasp.