Time Lapse

Chapter 10 ~ Cetus of the Sea ~ Part 4

Two weeks passed, and Carnia felt a sense of purpose in his soul as he recovered a newfound pool of energy, cleaning the deck, hoisting the sails, and helping the crew with any chore possible. While the mood on the ship should've been cold and dreary, the energy between Captain Qort motivating his men and Carnia helping everyone out as they could, the sailors wouldn't give in to the monster.

"Hey, did ya hear what the kid called that thing?" one sailor asked another group, enticing the conversation and fueling the crew's goal of reaching Gestalt. The only things blocking them from reaching Gestalt were fast winds and the monster between them.

"We heard, Cetus, was it? It's a fitting name. I'm not sure what language it's from, but it seems strange enough. It makes me wonder what type of gods the people of Gestalt believe in." A sailor in the group replied, bouncing up and down like a kid. Despite what should've been a grim attitude, the crew was far too close anymore to feel fear.

Since the two weeks passed, Captain Qort steeled his men in the face of adversity. There was no room to be fearful now, not when they had come so far. Especially when they were the closest expedition to Gestalt yet. If it weren't for the growing confidence and resolution between the crew of the Vos Lonis, they never would've made it as far as they have, with or without Carnia, even if they were unaware of the boy's birthright.

More days passed, and only a week remained until the fated arrival to Gestalt. From there, the men would abandon the ship and storm the beaches to escape Cetus. This was the plan, in theory, and everyone onboard knew it was only a matter of time before Cetus revealed itself again. While minutes became hours, and hours became days, only three days remained.

Every few hours, each crew mate eventually took a turn on the lookout. Captain Qort decided, "We need a constant pair of fresh eyes to ensure when they see land, it's not just their imagination." If this did happen, it could only stir more anxiety about the crew's well-being.

Another day passed, and less than seventy-two hours remained while the crew took carefully timed sleep rotations. Every decision was carefully calculated, ensuring everyone was in their best state when Cetus arrived. Eidos planned a strategy between Qort to relly the cannons on the starboard side of the deck, so once the Vos Lonis drift on the beach, they can face the cannons to fire Cetus. Meanwhile, eight separate cannons were situated near the port side, ready to evacuate and deploy themselves on land.

Bows were held above the door frames, so the crew who knew how to use an arrow could fire if close enough when Cetus showed itself. The only keg barrel full of powder that could explode was held up near the bottom of the ship in case Cetus's hand grabbed the Vos Lonis by the bottom, similar to the Arrow. The crew made an intricate plan for strategy, including the different hypothetical terrains that would exist on Gestalt or wherever they landed on the continent and how each possible terrain had pros and cons for what they knew of Cetus.

"If Cetus was a sea monster, he should've shown himself by now," was the common remark around the ship. Meanwhile, they devised more plans about what group of the crew should run while the rest stayed to fight. Ultimately, it was shot down since the sailors felt it unjust to leave their brothers' and captain to fight alone. Had it not been for growing loyalty in the face of their nearing expedition, the crew would've given up long ago. Parts of them wished they could stop to have a feast for the Arrow but knew it would be pointless if Cetus decided to appear mid-meal, blindsiding the final survivors of the voyage.

***

It had now been the final day of the voyage, and the crew prayed this was their last day at sea for a long time. A profound sense of adventure and anticipation energized the morning. Several crewmates were content with the idea of giving their lives to kill Cetus, not just for revenge on their brothers', but also to free the path to Gestalt.