Quefaialm: In Another World With A Battleship

Chapter 18: Crash Landing

Present day.

In the mysterious realm of morning slumber, where dreams dance and alarm clocks are treated with disdain, there existed a world where pillows became marshmallow clouds, and blankets transformed into magic carpets of warmth.

However, amidst this cozy utopia, there lurked a sinister force known only as, on what I call "The Morning After Effect."

It lay in wait, ready to ambush its unsuspecting victims with a pain so intense, it could only be described as the wrath of a thousand grumpy cats.

And then those cats became bigger.

Bigger, and bigger, its mouth gaping wide, ready to put something in its mouth.

And that something is.....

"ME!? Aagh!"

I woke up all of a sudden, jumping up from where I was lying, feeling my heart pounding fast.

"Oh, it was just a dream," I said, letting out a sigh of relief.

I glanced around, reassuring myself that everything was I think it should be.

The morning sunlight filtered through the wispy clouds, casting warm rays across the sandy beach and the crystal-clear blue sky.

My battleship sat strangely, its front stuck in the sand where it should be floating in the sea.

"Good morning, Leith," I greeted it with a wave.

Umu, something's not right. Yeah, everything feels... Off?

"Wait! How did I end up here?"

I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the confusion that fogged my mind.

Glancing around, I realized I was in a place I didn't recognize. The surroundings were unfamiliar, and a sense of unease crept over me.

As I lay on the sandy beach, I realized that everything around me was unfamiliar. The landscape was different, and a sense of unease began to wash over me.

"Hmmm.." I closed my eyes and tried hard to remember how I got to the beach.

It was a dark and stormy night. The heavy waves were crashing against my ship, and I struggled to steer through the turbulent sea.

Rain lashed against the deck, and thunder rumbled ominously overhead. I fought with all my strength to keep my ship on course, but the storm were not giving in.

Suddenly, without warning, the power on the ship went out. The lights flickered and died, which leaves me in pitch black. I wonder why it just lost power? I thought it wouldn't happen, especially since I don't even need to replenish its ammunition.

And now, here I am, lying on this unfamiliar beach.

"And that's that"

Seeing my battleship stuck in the sands, I assume I got thrown out of it and ended up here.

"But why am I not injured, or feeling any pain or anything like that, considering the distance between me and my ship?"

I scanned my body, expecting to find bruises or cuts from the crash, but to my surprise, there was nothing. It was as if I had been gently placed on the beach, unharmed despite the chaos of the storm.

Then, a sudden realization washed over me, as if I had been struck by lightning in this mind of mine.

"Nathalie!!"

I shouted, my voice echoing across the empty beach. I remember, Nathalie had been sitting beside me during that tense storm.

Seeing how far I had been thrown, I hoped that she wouldn't be in the same situation as I was.

"Oh.."

I looked around, trying to find her. But I didn't notice she was sitting next to me all this time.

She's been looking at me with those eyes that seem to be not understanding anything.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked her, curious.

Well, she can't respond to me yet. But still, if I'm guessing that she was also thrown out the same as me, how come she's not injured? I'm glad that she isn't, though.

"Alright!"

Enough of that worry, I'm really glad that we are both okay, especially Nathalie.

I stood up from the sands and brushed myself off to clear some sand. Then, I turned to Nathalie and gently tapped her to brush off the sand dust to keep her clean.

Then, I stretched myself out as if I had just woken from a nap.

After making sure Nathalie was okay, I made my way towards my ship.

The sand felt warm beneath my feet as I walked towards the shoreline where my battleship stood stranded.

"Can it still be saved?" I muttered, my hand resting on the bow as I inspected it closely.

The ship was stuck in the sand, its massive hull listing at an angle of about 14 degrees or so. Despite its position, the turrets atop the ship's deck still rotated, their barrels pointing in different directions.

As I inspect further, I noticed the flag of the clan and the Heptaclan Federation still fluttering proudly in the air.

"It looks like a shipwreck now, but it still works," I muttered to myself as I surveyed the battered vessel.

Making my way towards the bridge, I noticed the systems still operational from my seat. Ways on how I made to the deck was challenging, navigating around debris and obstacles given by the storm.

Luckily, I spotted a ladder leading up to the bridge.

Sigh...

I let out a sigh as I dropped myself into my seat, the captain's chair of the ship.

I settled into the familiar embrace of this seat, feeling its comfort against my back.

Despite the situation I'm in, this seat offered a sense of stability and control in the midst of uncertainty.

"First venture out of the game world, and here's what greets me," I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

With a deep breath, I stood up from my seat.

I don't plan on staying here, especially when I've temporarily left Nathalie down there.

"Weapon, check. Food ration, check. Ammo... map? Well, it's useless. PDA, secured. And what else?"

With my resolve strengthened, I began to search the storage compartments around the bridge for any remaining essentials.

I opened every cabinet, meticulously examining their contents for anything that could be of use.

With all the necessary supplies gathered, I descended from the bridge and made my way down to where Nathalie have been waiting.

As I approached the beach where we had landed, I scanned the area, searching for her. And there she was, standing by the tree.

I approached her and gently said, "Let's go."

Now, side by side, we set off across the unfamiliar terrain of this unknown land.

Leaving the ship behind, I cast a hopeful glance back at it, silently vowing to return it to the sea as soon as possible.