Time Lapse

Chapter 10 ~ Cetus of the Sea ~ Part 3

Eidos clung to the railing with fierce determination, and Carnia mirrored his father's stance as they braced against the tumultuous sea. Meanwhile, Captain Qort bellowed commands, his voice a beacon of resolve amidst the chaos.

"Put your backs to it, men! We won't let that beast halt our journey to Gestalt!" Qort's words rang out, rallying his crew with a fiery determination. "If that monster dares to show its face, we'll give it a fight it won't forget! Remember why we're here-for our brothers, for our loved ones, for a new era!"

With each impassioned declaration, Captain Qort's conviction only grew stronger, his veins pulsing with determination. Slowly, his fervor ignited a spark among the crew, their shouts of defiance mingling with the crashing waves and howling wind. "To Gestalt! For our fallen comrades! For victory!" They cried, their voices carrying across the deck as the Vos Lonis surged forward.

Among the chaos, Carnia clung to the ship with a newfound intensity, his gaze flickering to his father in search of guidance. The memory of his prophetic nightmare weighed heavily on his mind, its significance now undeniable in the face of the monstrous threat.

"Dad, it's the same creature from my dreams. It's been following us, waiting for this moment," Carnia revealed, urgency lacing his words as he sought his father's understanding.

Eidos met his son's gaze-concern etched in the lines of his face. "So,n now's not the time to panic. Just trust that we'll make it through this," he assured, his words infused with a paternal reassurance that offered a sliver of hope against the gigantic creature.

"I hope you're right. But I had a nightmare that..." Carnia stopped his words; his father's eyes shot with worry.

"You what? There was a dream about this?" Eidos's face was closer to his son's, and he held his shoulders firmly instead of the railing. His look from earlier disappeared, now replaced with an alarm he hadn't shown until now.

Carnia hesitated, his father's sudden alarm catching him off guard. Eido's grip on his shoulders was firm, his eyes searching his son's face for answers. The weight of years of unanswered questions hung heavy between them, intensifying the tension in the air.

"Why, what's wrong?" Carnia's voice trembled with apprehension, his father's demeanor shifting into an urgency he hadn't witnessed before. For years, he dodged Carnia's questions about his mother, how they met, or worse, how she died.

Eido's abrupt demand for privacy from Captain Qort deepened Carnia's unease, signaling his father's urgency. "Captain Qort, I need to speak with my son. Head straight for the next few hours; we must out-gamble the monster." Eidos spoke to Qort with demand and order. Captain Qort was too focused on delivering his men safely and keeping their spirits high. Only a shared wave of the hand to brush the father and son duo away gave Eidos his answer.

Eidos grabbed his son by the hand, dragging him to the lower deck and into their cabin. Once the door slammed shut, Eidos sat his son on the bed, pulling up the chair from the desk and sitting opposite Carnia. "Son, tell me about this dream."

Carnia's face was red, worried he'd done something wrong. He wanted to start from the beginning, but the nervousness caused him to choke on his words. Carnia never seemed to be someone to choke on his words when necessary, but the mix of his fright against the cruel voyage evoked a deep root of fear in his soul. "W-well... It wasn't too long after we got..."

"Come on, just tell me everything. I don't care how long it takes to hear; just tell me, and don't skip any details." Eidos demanded to his son, scooting his chair a few inches closer in anticipation. Despite the father's intense stare and rare pop of emotions against Carnia, he still held a look of concern behind his expression.