Deep Sea Embers

Near the cathedral in the upper city district, a tall platform was once part of a city park. However, due to the renovation project of the steam core, the original park facilities were relocated, leaving only the solitary platform behind – like a forgotten knight vigilantly watching over the factory and plaza below.

From the platform, one could enjoy a panoramic view of the entire cathedral area and the central factory district.

During her occasional free time, Vanna would come here to clear her mind, and when she found it difficult to calm her thoughts, she would also visit this place to quietly reflect and sort out her emotions.

The afternoon sun was warm, and even with a slight breeze, it wasn’t very cold on the platform. The gentle sea breeze would blow across the platform and lift her hair by the ears, feeling a little ticklish.

Vanna pushed her long white hair behind her, quietly gazing at the winding, mist-shrouded steam pipes in her view. Then she broke the silence after a while: “I will be going away for some time.”

“Going away?” Heidi turned her head in surprise, “Where are you going?”

“I’m not sure, maybe a distant place, and I might be gone for a long time,” Vanna looked into Heidi’s eyes, “I can’t disclose the exact itinerary, but I thought I should tell you before I leave.”

Heidi blinked, looking a bit puzzled, “But you are a city-state inquisitor – can inquisitors just leave for a long journey?”

“I…” Vanna opened her mouth, attempting to make her expression resemble a smile, “It’s an arrangement by the church, an order directly issued by the Grand Storm Cathedral.”

“Oh… I see,” Heidi nodded in realization. She didn’t really understand the inner workings of the Storm Church, but when the name “Grand Storm Cathedral” was mentioned, many things no longer needed to be explained, “So it’s a sacred mission? Are you being sent outside the diocese to fight heretics?”

Vanna’s expression seemed to stiffen a bit, “…In a sense, it does involve heretics, but it’s not a combat mission.”

Heidi didn’t notice the subtle change in her friend’s tone, but she suddenly sighed, “Well, my father also left for a trip recently. There were no signs beforehand, and he just suddenly told me he had to go on business. My mother didn’t let me ask too many questions – now you’re leaving too. It seems like you’re both being mysterious.”

“Mr. Morris is also away, huh,” Vanna muttered, but quickly shook her head with a somewhat self-deprecating expression, “He’s probably visiting his friends in the academic world or attending some events. Scholars like him are often invited by universities in various city-states… Anyway, it’s not the same as where I’m going.”

Heidi turned her head, looking somewhat puzzled at her friend, “Why do I feel that you’re acting strangely? You seem to be preoccupied. Is it because you’re uneasy about going on a long journey? You don’t seem to have left the city-state much.”

“It’s not that. It’s probably just because I’ve been assigned to a task I’ve never dealt with before, and I’m a bit nervous,” Vanna shook her head, “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Well, okay,” Heidi sighed, and then seemed to suddenly remember something, suggesting excitedly, “Hey, how about we go to the movies together? There’s a new play recently, it might help change our mood – you should try to get more involved with popular things, it might even expand your social circle…”

Vanna didn’t pay much attention to her friend’s last few words; instead, she raised her eyebrows curiously at the thought of a new show, “A new play? What’s it about?”

“It’s a work by the famous director Sando Ke, called ‘Borderland Horrors.’ It’s about a small village on the border that falls into heresy, sacrificing the village women to the ‘Cave Demon.’ In the end, brave defenders destroyed the evil. I heard that the play uses a new technology called ‘soundtrack,’ which synchronizes sound with the images on the screen, coming from machines on both sides of the screen…”

Heidi excitedly introduced the “popular new elements” to her friend, but noticed Vanna’s expression growing more and more peculiar. She hesitated and stopped halfway through, then waved her hand, “Alright, you might not like this. There’s another play called ‘Night Watch,’ about brave defenders venturing into a mysterious land, accidentally getting trapped in a heretic’s nest, and relying on their wisdom and experience to survive and maintain their integrity… You don’t like this one either?”

Scratching her hair, Heidi tried hard to search her mind, “Then let me recommend a book to you. It’s a popular called ‘Walking with Shadows,’ which is about…”

Vanna couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted her friend with an almost pained expression, “Thank you, but I really don’t need it.”

She seemed to realize that her attitude was a bit harsh and sighed softly. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers and whispered, “Thank you for your concern, but the task I’m about to undertake requires a firm will and pure thinking. It’s best not to be exposed to too many things that might disturb my mind before departure.”

“Ah, alright. That’s my bad,” Heidi smiled awkwardly, “I forgot you’re a ‘professional.'”

Vanna waved her hand.

After a while, she heard Heidi’s voice again, “My break time is almost over. I have two patients scheduled this afternoon.”

Vanna took a gentle breath, “You go ahead. I need to prepare for my departure.”

Heidi nodded, but suddenly stopped before leaving the platform. She turned her head, and her face looked hesitant in the afternoon sunlight and breeze, “Can I see you off when you leave?”

“…No, this is a special mission.”

“Will you write to me?”

Vanna hesitated for a moment. She wanted to say yes, but the lady knew that was not possible. For an instant, the inquisitor got this notion that there was an invisible curtain between them, pushing each towards a different path.

“…I don’t know,” Vanna whispered, “but I will… try. Maybe it won’t be that strict there.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting for your letter,” Heidi’s face lit up with a bright smile. Then she suddenly approached Vanna, pulled out the crystal pendant from her collar, and pointed to Vanna’s chest, “We have the same amulet, so you’ll have good luck.”

Only Vanna remained on this windy platform after her friend left.

“…Good luck,” she murmured softly, her expression somewhat odd as she eyed the pendant, “I hope that antique shop owner’s thing can really bring some good luck.”

But then a loud chime suddenly rang out from the direction of the church, interrupting Vanna’s thoughts.

She raised her head, looking towards the source of the chime, and saw the massive clock face on the bell tower displaying the time. The sun’s rays had gradually passed the highest point in the sky, slowly moving towards the western side of the church.

She took out the parchment and looked at the text on the back – her “entry instructions.”

According to the instructions, a messenger would come to pick her up in an hour. She should wait in the church courtyard before that time, and anyone unrelated would not disturb the handover process.

What kind of messenger would it be? And how would she be taken to the distant Vanished on the Boundless Sea?

Vanna had many questions in her heart, but she still took a step forward, heading towards the church.

She originally had several plans before leaving the city-state where she was born and raised. She wanted to visit her most familiar shops, go to the theater, visit the port, meet a few friends, and pray in the sanctuary…

But there wasn’t enough time; she didn’t have that much leeway.

In the church courtyard, Pope Helena and Archbishop Valentine had been waiting for her for a long time.

“The messenger hasn’t arrived yet,” Valentine nodded at Vanna, who had just entered the courtyard. “Are you ready?”

Vanna looked at the belongings she had with her.

Apart from the indispensable greatsword, there was only a neatly packed suitcase – she didn’t have many personal items. In addition to the necessary clothes, the heaviest items in the suitcase were her prayer book and some blessed church readings.

These were materials safe to read on the Boundless Sea and could alleviate the boredom of life on the ship.

“Everything is here,” Vanna nodded, then looked up at the silent Pope beside her. “I can still pray on the ship, right?”

“Of course,” Helena smiled. “Captain Duncan even promised that you could set up an extra cabin as a small chapel.”

“Well, I guess I’ll look forward to the ‘sailor’s life’ that lies ahead,” Vanna sighed. “I can’t imagine what it will be like.”

Helena opened her mouth as if to say something, but at that moment, a burst of fire and the sound of flapping wings suddenly came from the sky, interrupting their conversation.

The messenger had arrived.

Vanna looked up in surprise, only catching a glimpse of a green flame falling like a meteor from the sky. Huge skeletal wings suddenly spread within the flame. The next second, the flame “fell” onto the path in the courtyard, transforming into a spinning, rising gateway.

“It’s time to leave.” Pope Helena’s voice came from the side with a reminder and urging.

“Okay.” Vanna nodded gently, casting aside the last bit of hesitation in her heart and taking a step forward.

She took a deep breath and crossed the spinning gate of flames. At this moment, her mind was filled with turbulent thoughts.

What would the scene be like behind the door? What kind of life awaited her on that ship? Would she first see the terrifying ghost captain? Or some… sailor on the Vanished? What would the crew of that ship look like?

The flames surged and then receded just as swiftly; crossing the gateway took merely a moment.

Vanna experienced a brief disorientation before a cool, moist sea breeze greeted her face, along with the sound of crashing waves filling her ears.

She blinked and then firmly slapped her forehead.

She wondered if there had been an issue with the teleportation.

Or perhaps there was a problem with her own eyes.

Because she saw… Morris standing before her, offering her a smile.