Gabrio was called by the Constables to the room where most of the important people of the Grand-Galleon gathered. The Captain was scanning his people and raised his hand.

“Gentlemen,” said the Captain. “I know that the voyage has been troublesome. We lost friends and lovers in the pursuit of an island that we do know exists and on our tail is a monster that dares to challenge the fleet of AON’s greatest.”

Gabrio folded his arms. He thought back to the past months. The flat seas. The still waters. He was sure that if the elven-kin weren’t with them. They would have been stranded without them blowing their sails. In recent days however, a curious mind saw the toy that was powered by steam. Through boiling, and the steam, the toy-like device would produce a force that causes motion.

When a craftsman saw this he thought of how it would be if it gets bigger. The FLEET was obviously lacking the materials, so he had asked for the assistance of the elven-kin, through persuading the officials of the ship to do this favor for them. It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the help of the blinder of light.

The results of said device being powered by steam had made waves. It became a topic of interest among the fleet, how they could possibly improve it to make it a functional device. Some would call a waste, but then again many people of the fleet have been used to the eccentricity of some of its passengers and the elven-kin themselves were rather interested in the way how this engine worked.

Other than that there was still the anxiety brought by the endless waters they are facing. Gabrio himself thought that the waters were never going to end. It was not everyday that there was excitement among the FLEET. Although he did have to witness the birth of children. Wiles had become a father and had been eager to help his wife and his little children. The fleet had celebrated the news and Gabrio was sure that some were inspired to create a new generation of children.

The creation of life was a beautiful and fascinating thing. However, Gabrio also had to report this enthusiasm to make sure that there would be enough ration to feed the Grand-Galleon. Arkshelled Island itself has become the production area of the fleet. It was fascinating since the outer layer of the Island has rows of plants and crops. While inside the Island there are places that the Elven-kin used to create these vertically-stacked planting beds that were controlled by their sprites. It was masterfully designed and was made to efficiently make use of the ‘innards’ of the island to produce foods.

Outer layers have farms that grow their crops naturally while the innards have crops that are grown as reserves. Mana had told Gabrio of this when he had a free time that the Captain had demanded of him.

The Captain continued his speech, “I assure you that this will not continue. I have heard news from our kin that there are traces of lands that have drowned.”

“Another possible Icean Spine?”

“I hope not, Officer.”

The Captain shook his head and then sighed.

“We might have to pass what the kin calls the Long Strait. It is a canal that was supposedly the entryway to the lakes of the world. It is supposedly the crossroad of all continents.”

“Are we expecting enemies?”

“Who knows?”

It was already guessed by the officers of the FLEET that the elven-kin knew more than they let on. They are informed and from what Gabrio had observed from them. The white sails that left AON many years ago have returned and told their kin of what they saw beyond the seas.

Everyone was sure that they knew the way. It was a testament of their knowledge and secrecy among their people. But the few months have solidified some of the relationship and they were willing to let on that they know more than what they tell.

The Long Strait was their next target. The crossroads of the worlds. It also made Gabrio question a lot of things just by the naming. Or was AON just separated from the ‘worlds’ that they know?

“But I do know that we cannot approach this like last time. Our Admiral has told us that a select few will be chosen to handle the negotiations if there are living people in the Long Strait. We must be vigilant. We do not know if these people are willing to allow us to pass through.”

“So there is also a good chance that they aren’t alive?”

“We will know soon. Our travels have made it clear that the cataclysm has started. It reached us the moment we left our homeland. You have seen the places. You know it in your hearts that we have little time left.”

Drowned Cities and ruins that have been abandoned. The people were nowhere to be found and yet there were signs that great constructions were made. From what the Scholars saw and deduced. It seemed like the people of these drowned cities created their own ships as well and left their home.

It made Gabrio wonder if they too knew that the end was coming and hoped that they would reach the end of the world. Is everyone hoping to save the world? Do they have their own blinder of light? It made Gabrio think of the possibility and he had hoped that many of them share the same goals.

The creatures of the interstice were their enemies. And yet they fought humans more than they fought the enemy of men. Gabrio wanted to believe that they were not alone in this endeavor and that everyone desires to save the world that they know.

The Captain however believed that another fight was coming. That as long as they approach the Long Strait there would be obstacles. Obstacles that he wanted everyone to be prepared about.

***

The day passed easily without care. Gabrio woke up early, dressed himself up, and then checked on the people of the Milostiv until noon. By noon, he was done checking the people of the Galleon and joined the rest of the officers in the deck as they slowly approached a massive land.

The shoreline of the land itself spread within miles. There were mountains curtaining the shoreline and a huge space that had a C-like shape. The infrastructures surrounding the shoreline made it clear that it was manmade. On the far right of this shoreline was a tower that still shone in the fog.

As the fleet approached this shoreline that had a large opening in the middle. Gabrio saw moving shapes in the front of the fleet in the shape of boats. Spotting these shapes, the whole fleet lit up as flags and flares were thrown in the air to signal the whole fleet.

Every man in the deck started going to their stations. The officers remained alongside the pilot of the Grand-Galleon as they watched things unfold within the safety of their telescopes.

Gabrio spotted ships that were inferior to the Grand-Galleons. A large ship was leading this group of ships and Gabrio saw what seemed to be a woman bathed in dots of light accompanied by a man clad in white robes.

There was no fear in their eyes. If anything Gabrio could tell that they have this confidence in facing the whole fleet. The woman in the bow of the ship signaled to the man next to him.

The man took a step forward. Gabrio saw him speak to the air and then there was this silent boom in the air that enlarged the aura of this white-robed man to gigantic proportions.

“Who dares to trespass our land?”

There was silence at the strength of this man. However, the same power boomed in Arskshelled and two giant figures appeared in front of the white-robed man and spoke without fear.

“We are travelers from AON. We have come far to reach the thousand islands as the light told us!”

The sprites floating on the shoulder of the fleet-kin were translating for them.

“I see that you have carried your kin! You say that you are ordered by light?”

“We are! By the Light’s Mandate. We carry the Blinder to the Eye of the World!”

Then Gabrio saw the familiar shine of Terin Gaspar’s power. An avatar made of light carried a sword and a banner made from the shine of the sun itself. It was blinding. The fogs dispersed and the vista cleared. White brown structures with flat roofs and rowed houses appeared before them. Despite what they expected, there was no ruin in the shoreline. There were no damages nor there were signs of ruin.

However, there were numerous ships of all sizes waiting on the far eastern side of the coastline of this land. Most of them were ill-maintained and showed signs of battle.

The strangers who greeted the fleet gasped at the banner of light that Terin Gaspar carried. The man in white robe spoke a language silently to the woman next to him and said.

“So you are blessed by the light. You intend to pass the long canal and head straight to the thousand islands, friends?”

“We do.”

“Then we bring dire news. Your leaders are welcomed for now. Bring men you can trust and we shall meet as equals. Leaders to leaders.”

“We will meet you on our island. Is that satisfactory?”

“It will be.”

Their gigantic forms dissipated. The fog that covered the shoreline never returned. It took hours before another ship returned to them. It was a ship painted in white and it docked in the tail of Arkshelled Island.

Through the sprites of the elven-kin. They were informed of the agreements between the strangers and the whole fleet. However, the FLEET made it clear that they will not abandon their ships and only a few would visit their land.

Which was an understandable statement knowing that beyond the canal there were forces of the interstice waging a war of annihilation against them. The numbers were staggering and passing through the canal without removing the forces that were guarding the canal would result in casualties and the possible loss of ships.

It was an agreement that they only heard, not witnessed. Nonetheless, it was all they needed to have friendly relations with whatever forces were out there that was keeping this part of the land safe from the invaders.

Gabrio was sure that it wasn’t truly what they believed. The fleet itself wasn’t sure of their sincerity and wanted to know more of the situation. Bringing in the leaders was one thing, however, the Reconnoiter Company’s fleet would like to see the trouble personally and judge for themselves the proper actions.

The strangers might be willing to stay neutral about the visit of their large fleet. But they weren’t gonna make it easy for the fleet to pass through this canal without gaining some of their favors first.

Knowing about this made Gabrio only sighed helplessly. Even the threat of the end of the world wasn’t going to be easily forgotten. Their interest mattered first and like crabs in a bucket. They will pull the fleet into their collective demise unless the fleet does something to help them.

And with the blinder of light with the fleet.

They have a very good reason to ask him to help them before he moves to the place where he’s supposed to save everyone. It was a reasonable request upon seeing the size of the fleet and how many words of power speakers are in this fleet.

Gabrio believed that the appearance of the banner of light alone made every eyes in this land believe that the ones will be helping them repel this army of darkness has arrived.

Like a light shining in the darkest moments. It made Gabrio wonder again how many of them would not come out of this land alive by the time they passed through the Long Strait.