VOYAGE I: Onwards To Utopia

Chapter 26

The course 

Hongjoong sprung to his feet and approached the navigator, his eyes moving towards the map. He scans it and was astonished that it was indeed the real thing.

"But how?"he couldn't help but ask.

Yeo smiles."Firstly, I new that map was something quite special and that we may not be the only one who knows about it. I also caught a glimpse of a crow  flying away from the window of this room, that time we already pieced the map together. Birds don't usually loiter on ships, specially crows."he pauses."I knew then that carrying around something so valuable as the map to that special island was too risky. So I hatched a plan of my own. I made a fake replica of the map, nothing a bit of gold ink and some gold leaf couldn't handle. I made sure they almost look the same enough to fool those Welkins and as well as you guys. But the fake map leads to somewhere else. I stashed the real map somewhere in the cargo hold when those pirates climbed on board and pretended that I didn't want to hand over the fake map so it looked realistic. Convincing the enemy they got the real map and convincing you all that we lost the map."

"Wow."Chan blurted out.

"Mind blown."Sehyoon motions his hands over his head as if imitating an explosion.

"Why didn't you tell us?"San shook Yeosang.

"We really thought everything was over."Wooyoung joined shaking Yeosang.

"Cause if I did they wouldn't buy it."Yeosang replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeosang, you beautiful-smart-annoying man, you made us worried."Yunho cried.

"Yet you saved the day, I love you Hyung."Mingi said, hugging the lean boy tightly.

Yeosang then awkwardly hugs back the two and gives them a pat.

"Alright, alright, release him."Seonghwa chided the two Giants and helped Yeosang straighten himself up.

"Thanks Hyung."Yeo says to him.

Seonghwa smiles."Once again, you proved just how cunning you are."

Hongjoong then gives Yeosang  pat on the shoulder."Well played, Yeo. Well played."

"So, are we gonna Voyage to this island or what?"Jongho spoke up.

"Yeah let's go!!"Kwan cheered.

***

"According to our course there are three places that we'll be passing through to get to Utopia Island. First is  Stormo, where we'll face heavy rains, winds, thunder and lightning. Next is Golden Haven, this is a dangerous one that place is home to some of the sky's magical creatures. The Sky Allures. The last place we'll go through is Pastelia, where a pod of fhales(flying whales) pass through when they migrate. It leads straight to Utopia."Yeosang stated.

"How long will it take till we get there?"asked Joong.

Yeo puts a finger on his chin."Without any stopovers or trouble I'd say about a week or two."

"I guess we'll have to do some tinkering with our ships. This'll be a rough travel."Junhee mutters.

"That's true, I'm worried about those Allures though."Donghun shudders.

"Why? What are those things?"asked Mingi.

"If the Sea has sirens, then the sky has these Sky Allures. They look like pretty ladies all covered in gold, from their hair, to their tail and lace like fins."Byeongkwan replies.

"I heard that if you stare straight into their eyes, either you'll be in a daze or you'll turn into solid gold."Jongho says."At least that's what I've heard from my grandfather's stories."

"They jump on ships too, knocking men into the clouds. Where...they kill them."said Sehyoon.

"Do they eat people?"Seonghwa asked a bit uneasy.

"No, they're sadist creatures and kill for fun."Chan answered bitterly.

"That's sick."San commented, which Yunho and Wooyoung agreed to.

"Once we reach Golden Haven, those creatures will start surrounding our ships, following us as we sail through. They'll keep calling onto us, trying to catch our attention and wanting us to look into their eyes, which is something we have to resist."said Yeosang."Shinji won't be affected since she's a girl, the Allures are only after men."

"Alright, let's all get to work then. We'll set sail tomorrow at dawn."

"Aye!!"

The room fell silent, but there was something Hongjoong had been wanting to discuss.

"Back in Amelia's Island, something weird happened."all eyes were now on Hongjoong.

"Why? What happened?"asked Seonghwa.

"Somehow those days we spent there, I didn't turn to stone at night."

"Simple, It was Amelia's island. She's a witch, a powerful one too. Only her power works on that island, other magic entities like curses that aren't from her are blocked when you're there. But it doesn't mean that the curse is gone."Junhee answered.

"There are side effe—

Hongjoong suddenly fell backwards but was caught by Wooyoung and Seonghwa.

"Are you alright?"Woo asked and Hongjoong nods.

"There are side effects though."Donhun finished his sentence."The curse had been wanting to take place as it should but the magic there is interfering with it, and as a result the two forces have been fighting inside you. When you were still in the island you couldn't feel it, but now that you're out of there, the effects of the will start to show like what's happening now."

Hongjoong then loses his balance so Woo and Hwa carried him to his seat. He started to look pale and exhausted and his temperature was slowly rising.

"I think his burning up with a fever."said San who placed his plan over the Captain's forehead.

"He'll be fine, he just needs some rest."Yunho stated, as he was in charge of healthcare."We should take him to his quarters."

"Right, we'll get goin now too. We have to ready our ship as well."Junhee bids."Get well soon Hongjoong."

When A.C.E left only the ATEEZ members were left. Mingi and Jongho then started to carry Hongjoong to the sickbay, followed by Seonghwa and laid him on a bed.

Hongjoong was now barely conscious. Jongho and Mingi left right after, leaving Seonghwa.

Hwa then pulls a blanket over Hongjoong."Get some nice rest."he whispered, before turning to leave when he feels a light tug on the helm of his shirt. He turns to see Hongjoong's hand pinching the fabric of his clothing.

"What is it?"he asked.

"Seonghwa... you're in charge again, until I get better. Make sure the voyage proceeds as planned alright?"Hongjoong's voice was almost a whisper.

"Of course, Captain."