Deep Sea Embers

But even so, there will always be those persistent few who try to sort through the historical materials passed down through the ages. Sadly, try as they might, the fragmentation had been too extensive to the point it’s near impossible to reorganize the truth from the false. At this point, no one knows what the world was like in the Age of Order.

Fortunately, not all was lost. Since the ancient kingdom of Crete, record keeping has been relatively well maintained. Although city-states rose and fell throughout the ages, civilization continued to thrive with the linking chain never broken. To credit this feat, many scholars looked to the miracle currently illuminating the sky, also known as Vision 001 (sun).

This was the biggest known vision to influence humanity thus far. In reality, many scholars have debated whether the sun was actually a vision or a natural phenomenon due to its size and perpetual existence. But since the survivors of the ancient kingdom of Crete referred to the sun as Vision 001, the naming stuck and has not changed.

Obviously, not all visions are terrible and harmful, and vision 001 has brought security to the world for at least half the day, with anything below sea level suppressed by the light. It’s through this suppression that civilization has managed to develop to this day.

According to the information left by the ancient kingdom of Crete, after the opening of the Deep Sea Age and the century before the appearance of Vision 001, the whole world had been enveloped by night, illuminated only by the dim glow from the “World Creation” in the sky. As a result, there’s also another name for that ancient kingdom – the kingdom of Eternal Night. It’s a name representing the environment they had to live in.

Duncan stood before the narrow window and stared thoughtfully at the world under the sun.

The world before the Great Annihilation… What exactly is it like?

Did the sun shine on all things in this world before the century-long night?

Most likely a yes. No matter how many inconsistencies and contradictions the city-states have in the ancient records, one thing is common in their description: the Age of Order is a bright, safe, and prosperous era.

But in any case, that prosperous and bright period has passed, and the vast sea of today is illuminated by Vision 001, which is known to the world as the light source during the day.

That makes a lot of sense then if what I suspect is true. It’s likely the reason why those Black Sun cultists are so despised by the public – calling the “false sun” some blasphemy thing when it’s giving the only light to the world. It’s no wonder the public wouldn’t tolerate their existence. It’s the same as attacking civilization.

In a way, those cultists are poor souls abandoned by the times. If the circumstances are different, they would be the ones in the right.

Naturally, pity was one thing. Duncan wouldn’t be delusional enough to think their ambitions could be realized at all, nor did he think some sacrifice would truly bring about the burning of a fusion star upon this world. After all, there was not a single star up in the night sky when he last checked. This world was clearly separated from what he knows as outer space.

Duncan returned to his room, closed the door, and beckoned Ai to come down from the cabinet.

“Who is calling the fleet?” The dove chirps after landing on his shoulder.

Instead of ignoring the bird, Duncan went over to the bed and found the sun emblem he had hidden in the corner. Then after another thought, he came up to the drawer where the spirits were stored and took out two bottles – something attached to the underside.

“Drink less.” It’s Nina’s handwriting on the note, and it appears to be posted a long time ago.

Duncan faintly smiled at the message and closed the drawers behind himself. It never worked before on the real Ron so of course it won’t work now with Duncan.

“If you can, try to bring them to the Vanished.” He said to the dove and displayed the items in his hands to the bird.

Ai immediately flapped its wings and made a proud chirp: “Fedex free shipping!”

Duncan nodded, allowing himself to lie down in a comfortable position before going back.

He had been away from the Vanished for too long. Although nothing should happen to that ship without his attention, but he’s the captain. It wouldn’t look good if he kept locking himself in his room.

Besides, there’s nothing Duncan needs to do on this side for now. Nina had left for school, and she had other plans already after class. On top of that, they had discussed it and that she would stay in the dormitory for another night.

With such an opening, it’s perfect for him to test his theories of shuttling items through the spirit world and controlling both bodies. The latter should be feasible according to his own perception.

Duncan softly inhaled and readied himself. First came a wisp of green flame burning around his shoulder, then with a crackling sound, Ai transformed into her undead bird form and popped open the compass lid hanging around her neck.

The familiar sensations flooded into Duncan’s mind like always – twinkling starlight and the speeding through of his mind in the space tunnel – and before he knew it, he had found his consciousness descending upon the Vanished in the captain’s room.

But before he makes contact, Duncan did as he has planned and forces a “brake” on his ghost fire, effectively preserving a part of his mind on the body inside the antique shop….

Meanwhile in the captain’s bedroom, his main body had slowly opened its eyes and examined the room. It’s the familiar furnishings of the ship and the battering of the waves against the ship’s hull like he remembered.

Slowly pulling himself up from the chair, he touched his body, and instead of only feeling one body, he got the sensation of two at once!

This outcome slowly drew a smile on Duncan’s face. Like he thought. He can now split his focus and control the second remotely using a single mind.

Not waiting, he promptly took this newfound ability for a test drive.

On the second floor of Duncan’s antique shop in the city-state of Pland, the “antique shopkeeper” who was lying quietly on the bed when he suddenly shot open its eyes!

The expression remained a little stiff, like a zombie observing the room from side to side, but sure enough, he was able to manipulate his arms and legs like a rusty machine.

If this scene was seen by some outsiders, it would surely frighten them silly and call the city police, saying there’s a man possessed by evil spirits.

Then again, such a claim wasn’t wrong!

Duncan had a tough time physically moving the remote body there, but after many attempts, he finally managed to sit up from the bed!

But the next second, the distant picture in his mind suddenly started to spin wildly because he had fallen to the floor…

Duncan sighed, “Well, it looks like I’ll have to practice for a while longer.”