Long Journey || ATEEZ

Beginning Of The End

The ATINY's crew sailed for a few days more along ever-smooth seas. The horizon remained a hazy mess of fog, and there was no sign of The Catastrophe and her crew. There was still that lurking feeling though; that feeling pricking at their backs like an incessant mosquito as if they were being watched. It was a feeling Seonghwa was quite unused to. He had always been the predator in the shadows, watching and waiting; he'd never had the pleasure of being the prey.

It was clear Cezanne wasn't far off; she never was. Always breathing down their necks, beady eyes searching, searching for an excuse to strike and find glory, to stamp out these so-called bugs under her heel and feel petty superiority in it. Because that was what kind of person Cezanne was.

Of course, Captain Hongjoong wasn't going to take any risks. He engaged in vigorous checking of the water's safety – wherein Shinoko who knew best about the sea, and Jongho who knew best about mythology that wasn't quite so mythical (for surely this water had been a result of Eterna's fallen blood from Cin's story) unloaded as much information as possible that could point to the water's safety. Once Hongjoong and his overly-paranoid mind was satisfied, they let Shinoko scout out the area in her siren form.

She returned after a few hours, having done a thorough search of the area, and reported that there was no sign of Cezanne's ship.

All for the better.

It was at that point that they first saw the island; a barely discernible blob of grey shadow in the distance, sitting plainly on the horizon as if it were beckoning to them – but it was there. And it was waiting.

The sails were dropped and Jongho placed on the poop deck. With a raise of his hands, godly wind began to puff up the sails, and the ATINY began to speed up. With anticipating chatters, excited whoops and a heck of a lot of cheering, Hongjoong and his crew began to sail towards the island.

Maybe just over an hour later, give or take a dozen minutes or so, the ATINY was in clear sight of the island. The water was becoming too shallow for the great galleon to travel any further, and so, with no choice, the pirates of the ATINY anchored their glorious ship. Chattering excitedly, they gathered at the edge of the ship overlooking the island.

Gallons and gallons of river cascaded down an unimaginably tall cliff-face, and the crescendo of water falling beat at their eardrums like some tribal chant, praying to the gods, waiting for a blessing. The icy chill, the almost resentful atmosphere of the white columns of indifference were overwhelming as the pirates of the ATINY gaped at the almost holy sight. The whole place radiated power and authority – such was expected of an island crafted from the blood of the Lord of the Gods herself.

It was a monumental tribute; a long-standing statue of eternity standing proud and tall, an untouchable grace that only the gods could reach. This place was blessed. Or perhaps it was cursed. There was a fine line between the two; one that the gods enjoyed tightrope-walking between all too often.

But what they did not notice in all their awe were the ruins.

Seonghwa certainly did, being quite the keen observer, and he shivered as his eyes roved over them. Assassin's instincts guiding him, he'd made it his priority to scout out the area as much as possible visually before they explored it for real, and his verdict was that something didn't quite add up. Cin had said the island had been formed from Eterna's blood – so why were there remnants of human civilization left strewn across the coastline, like some weird, cursed amulets to ward off evil? Perhaps Cin had been mistaken – except the Ghost Queen rarely made mistakes – and this treasure simply wasn't treasure worthy of the gods.

But that opal water had him doubting.

"Captain," the first mate uttered, nudging the shorter demon beside him. "Look," he said, pointing to the ruins.