Deep Sea Embers

The observation signal from Lucretia had disappeared, and at that exact moment, all information related to Wind Harbor was quickly transferred just before a complete system reset occurred.

Zhou Ming remained calm as he adjusted to the changes happening within the shelter. He sensed the slow disintegration of its boundaries, the gradual crumbling of the Boundless Sea, and the cities among the curtain of stars fading away into nothingness. He was overwhelmed by a cacophony of voices—thousands expressing confusion, fear, desperation, and hope. It was as if tens of thousands of minds were speaking to him simultaneously, only to fall silent all at once, repeating this cycle over and over.

Zhou Ming felt detached from this cyclic disturbance. As the Reverse Singularity began to activate, he dedicated nearly all his focus to maintaining the stability and control of the process. After an indeterminate amount of time, he finally had a moment to observe his surroundings.

With his eyes closed, he “saw” Alice seated nearby. She was intently observing, seemingly detached from everything happening outside the Vanished.

He also “saw” the Vanished itself, hovering above a sea of clouds, appearing like a blazing, pristine illusion. Much of the ship had been engulfed by a fierce inferno, leaving only the core where he stood at the helm and some parts of the stern’s structure intact. Beyond these remnants was a light mist trailing a brilliant tail of flames.

Periodically, the humming of Goathead reached him; this remarkable ancient relic floated deep within the light mist, continuing its final burn.

Eventually, Zhou Ming heard footsteps approaching.

The “Door of the Lost” at the stern swung open, and Ray Nora stepped through. Known as the Frost Queen, she silently gazed at the distant sea of clouds, watching as the world faded into the starlight. After a brief pause, she walked towards the helm. Ascending the stairs bathed in starlight, she joined Zhou Ming at the ship’s control.

“I thought you had left,” Zhou Ming remarked with a slight smile. “The bonds of the Vanished are gone. Your ‘Drifting House’ could leave at any time.”

“It could indeed leave, but where would it go at a time like this? The entire world is dying, and if I left, I would likely be consumed by the starlight anyways,” Ray Nora replied, smiling as she shook her head. “I’ve decided to stay. This is the best seat to witness the end of the world—a spectacle too grand to miss.”

Zhou Ming simply nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he steered the ship toward the distant sunlight in the darkness.

The sunlight fluctuated, dimming and then brightening again. Amidst the intense radiance, Zhou Ming seemed to already perceive the grand corona and the ancient “deity” beneath it.

Occasionally, voices from the distant, disintegrating Boundless Sea, where he had left many “observation nodes,” reached his mind.

“…This is Frost. A curtain of stars is gradually spreading from the direction of the frigid ice field,” Tyrian informed him. “The distant sea surface has vanished, a clear rift has appeared in the clouds… it’s quite spectacular. We are prepared here.”

Then Agatha’s (shadow) voice followed: “The cathedral has gathered many survivors. I am with another ‘Agatha’; we are looking after the children here… They don’t fully grasp what’s happening. I’ve told the children that this is a necessary process to usher in the new ‘Dawn’, assuring them that everything will soon be alright.”

“Morpheus also observed starlight above the western seas. It’s rapidly approaching us. There’s some unrest in the city, but it’s not too bad, it’ll be over soon,” Sailor’s voice sounded casual, “I’m with Captain Lawrence, and we are standing on the city walls with others from the White Oak. We just agreed, when the starlight comes, we’ll all close our eyes, count to three, and then open…”

From another location, Morris shared his observations: ‘Here in Pland, nothing significant has occurred yet. We can only see the stars at the horizon. I’m with my family, and from here, we can see the trail you left in the sky. It’s truly a breathtaking sight,’ he said, his voice filled with awe.

In the silence, Zhou Ming attentively listened to these distant voices. Assisted by the ‘beacons’ scattered across the Boundless Sea, he sensed the ongoing shifts within the shelter. After a considerable pause, he nodded slightly, expressing gratitude, ‘Thank you all for holding on.’

However, soon after, the mental link echoed the voices of Tyrian and Agatha, then unexpectedly, their signals vanished. Shortly thereafter, Sailor’s and Lawrence’s signals also disappeared.

Hours later, the starlight’s ascension led to the dissolution of more than half the city-states in the Boundless Sea. The ancient sanctuary, established by kings long past and operational for ten thousand years following the Great Annihilation, rapidly contracted to a third of its original expanse, continuing to diminish swiftly.

In Pland, the last lights of the city-state night lit up, and amidst the clouds and mist, the chaotic roars of unseen entities echoed. Enormous, shadowy figures twisted and swelled between the city’s rooftops and towers in a final, desperate frenzy, reaching towards the distant curtain of starlight.

Atop the high walls of the shelter in the upper city area, Vanna and Heidi stood together as the encircling starlight curtain rose around them. Heidi, overwhelmed by the sight, whispered, ‘So beautiful…’

Vanna smiled in response, ‘Didn’t I always tell you? The captain always ensures a spectacle—you never believed me.’

Feeling a bit defeated, Heidi replied, ‘My ‘Miss Knight,’ remember I’ve always stayed within the city. I haven’t experienced as much of the world as you have.’

‘Isn’t the world within a madman’s mind enough?’ Vanna retorted playfully.

‘Let’s not talk about work at the end of the world,’ Heidi quickly said, adding, ‘I hope psychiatrists in the new world won’t need guns to battle delusions.’

The two longtime friends continued their conversation about the impending new world. Nearby, Morris, looking pensive, whispered to his wife, ‘Do you think… our daughter and Vanna are a bit…’

‘Impossible, right?’ his wife responded, reflecting his thoughts.

‘I used to think it impossible too, but the captain said it’s possible…’

As the curtain of starlight finally reached the sea’s edge near Pland, Shirley instinctively clutched Nina’s hand, gazing anxiously at the star-filled sky. The roars and strange noises of the city began to fade under the brilliant starlight, the world around them growing ominously quiet.”

The voice of Dog emanated from the shadows at Shirley’s feet, saying, “Pland lies at the heart of the Boundless Sea… the starlight is now closing in on the city-state’s coastline, leaving only this city remaining in this world.”

“I used to really dislike this city,” Shirley whispered, her voice tinged with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness, “with its perpetually waterlogged and foul-smelling alleys, the chilly, unwelcoming houses, and the incessant noise from the thunderous factories. But now… I find myself hesitant to leave.”

Nina remained silent, simply offering a comforting pat on Shirley’s hand, then bent down to adjust the collar of her “Uncle Duncan,” gently nudging him toward the window.

Although her Uncle Duncan could no longer see the world through his own eyes, Nina knew that he retained a faint, lingering connection to this avatar. Her gestures, she hoped, might provide some solace as he faced the imminent Great Annihilation.

“Uncle Duncan,” she said quietly, “the lights at the city’s edge have snuffed out. I just witnessed the tallest rooftops in the Crossroad dissolve into the starlight. It seems it will soon be our turn.”

Nina raised her eyes to the sky, observing the majestic blaze of firelight sweeping across it, hidden partially by clouds. This fire, now entering the rear of the World’s Creation, left only its spectacular tail flame, which cast an entrancing glow that was reflected in her eyes.

Shortly after, she felt a response echo within her heart: “Yes, I’m almost there.”

“Is it dark where you are?” she asked tentatively.

“In the areas devoid of sunlight, it’s pitch-black, like the back of the World’s Creation,” the voice replied, “unlike the side facing the Boundless Sea which emits a pale light. But when the sun shines, it becomes incredibly bright – the Black Sun is directly ahead; I’ve already seen it.”

“Take care on your journey,” Nina advised softly, “Shirley and I are waiting for you.”

“Okay.”

The voice in her mind faded away. Nina squinted, watching as the magnificent blaze was slowly concealed by the World’s Creation. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed another city block quietly merging into the starry sky.

The starlight continued to encroach above Pland, and now, only a few structures stood defiantly against the impending darkness.

Shirley gripped her hand once more, revealing his usual bravado to be a facade for his underlying timidity.

Nina smiled reassuringly, holding Shirley’s hand tighter. She gazed into the pervading starlight, whispering almost to herself, “Just keep moving forward… don’t worry, just keep going…”

She turned to look directly into Shirley’s eyes, which were illuminated by the spreading starlight.

“Shirley, you can blink now.”

As they watched, the starlight finally sealed completely above Pland, swallowing the last tangible section of the Boundless Sea. Every sound, every material, all history—everything that had ever been born, destroyed, great, mediocre, noble, sinful—all was absorbed into the quiet stillness of the starlight, leaving nothing behind.

Thus, the world was obliterated.