In the sunny city of Amaterasu, a horse-drawn carriage meandered through the cobblestone streets, going past the busy marketplace and the quaint shops selling various goods.
At last, the carriage came to a stop beside an abandoned-looking building with a faded sign hanging above the entrance.
It had two floors, each with broken windows and peeling paint. The broken windows showed an interior filled with dust and debris, while the peeling paint revealed layers of old colors underneath.
It had clearly been abandoned for decades, with no signs of recent activity or maintenance.
The carriage door opened, and two figures of different heights stepped onto the well-maintained sidewalk.
They both wore sunhats, and their faces were covered with the wide brims. Their bodies were donned with matching dresses, flowing in the gentle breeze of summer heat, giving them an ethereal and graceful appearance.
They looked like sisters, but one had red eyes like a fiery ember, contrasting with the other’s soft, ocean gaze.
They were Bella and Emma, who had followed Ambrose’s instructions and sought refuge in the bustling city of Amaterasu.
After the fateful events of Hightown, they took the steam locomotive and traveled to Amaterasu, where they had lived near the heart of the city ever since, far away from the entrance of Amaterasu—thus, far from danger.
They hadn’t had a proper residence so far in Amaterasu and finally got information about a possible building being sold, which could be the start of another branch of Whispering Pages.
Seeing the dilapidated building, Bella felt conflicted.
On the other hand, it was definitely going to be cheap since it was a surprise that it was still standing, but the repairs would empty her wallet quickly.
She still had a lot of money from the Dragonborn and his gang of misfits, but it wouldn’t be long before all the money would be drained.
Especially since she had to fill up the catalog of new books.
“Bella?” Emma called out.
“Hm, yes?” Bella turned to the little girl and saw her pointing at the interior. “What is it?”
“I feel like this is the perfect place.” Emma said with a smile on her face.
“Hmm?” Bella also looked at the dilapidated building but couldn’t see the appeal that Emma seemed to find in it.
“Can’t you see it?” Emma led Bella by hand inside the creaking building and pointed at a mural on the wall that depicted a breathtaking sunset over rolling hills with sharp mountains as the backdrop.
It was an old mural with faded colors and peeling paint, but it was strangely attractive.
Bella saw it beforehand but didn’t take note of it until now.
“It looks like home.” Emma said and touched the mural gently. “My mom took me there once to see it. This looks just like it…”
Bella looked at it and smiled. “So, this is the place?”
“Yeah.” Emma nodded with a smile. “This is the place.”
…
Splash—at the foggy sea, a white-sailed ship bobbed up and down among the gentle waves.
The seamen on the deck worked hard at hoisting the sails and adjusting the rigging. They were already seeing an island in the distance—it was Borneo Island!
A black-haired adventurer with a sword sheathed at his side stepped out onto the deck, his eyes gleaming with expectations.
“Oh, finally awake, ar’ you?” The rough-sounding captain growled, his weathered face wrinkling with a smirk.
“Mm.” Ambrose nodded and walked over to the captain, who was standing by the ship’s wheel. “Did anything happen last night?”
“A few sirens sing, nothing special.” The captain roughly said.
“Siren sings?” Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Ja, how new ar’ you with the lore of the sea?” The captain asked, his eyebrow jumping at the question.
“Very new.” Ambrose crossed his arms behind his back as he stood near the edge of the ship, gazing out at the vast expanse of foggy water. “This is my first time in Dark Waters.”
“I see.” The captain removed his brown tricorn hat and ruffled his hair.
“There ar’ creatures called sirens in these dangerous waters.
“They usually sing durin’ the nights, trying to tempt desperate seamen into their clutches!
“They are said to have enchanting voices that can lure sailors to their doom.”
“I see.” Ambrose nodded as sirens also existed in the mythology of their reality as seductive creatures who would lure men to their deaths with their irresistible melodies.
“They might be beautiful, but they’re not Heartstoppers!” The captain laughed.
“Heartstoppers?” This time, Ambrose was completely clueless, as he had not heard about that term yet.
“Heartstoppers ar’ the most beautiful creatures, even making elves envy their beauty!” The captain said, but there was a look of trepidation in his eyes.
“Heartstoppers can stop a man’s heart with just a single whisper or a kiss. Their beauty is so destructive that empires can collapse under their spell.
“Thank the Holy Father that they’re almost extinct, and it’s hard to come across them!
“However, I wish to meet at least one before my death, even though meeting one can bring my death, haha!”
“That’s very interesting.” Ambrose responded, finding this new race of creatures fascinating.
He also kind of wanted to meet these Heartstoppers to see just how beautiful they were.
‘I wonder how they would compare against Bella, hmm.’ Ambrose shook his head and then looked into the horizon, where the island loomed with a tempting aura.
“We’ll begin docking soon; get your stuff!” The captain said and began barking orders to his sailors.
Since he had everything in his inventory, Ambrose leaned on the rail and watched as the ship slowly approached the island.
After twenty minutes, the ship finished docking with Borneo Island’s harbor, and the crew immediately began deboarding with bags hung over their shoulders.
They were going to the town near the harbor and purchasing the necessary equipment for their expedition to Fishing Paradise.
As Ambrose walked down the harbor, he heard the captain’s rough voice behind him.
“Be careful out there, lad!” The captain shouted. “Dark Waters is dangerous but also tricky to navigate. If you feel like there is a safe moment, it most likely isn’t. Dark Waters can trick you into thinking you’re safe before engulfing you in its treacherous depths.”
Ambrose turned over to look at him, thanked him for taking him here, and then followed the sailors to Borneo Town, which was known for its alcoholic beverages.
As they arrived, Ambrose couldn’t help but notice the lively atmosphere of the town, with people laughing and dancing in the streets.
It looked like there was a small festival going on.
There was live music, food stalls, and colorful decorations everywhere.
As the sailors walked through the town, some went to fetch supplies, while others were tempted to join the festivities.
Since they had spent too long in the seas, some went to look for a company of women to fulfill their need for female touch, while others were drawn to the sounds of music and laughter coming from the local tavern. 𝐎𝓋xt.𝗰𝐎
Ambrose also walked into the tavern and saw the dancers swirling gracefully on the floor. The dance looked local with a touch of tradition mixed with modern flair, and the music was rapid with guitar strums and lively percussion.
After sitting on a high stool, Ambrose ordered a drink and admired the dancers’ skillful movements.
He was swept by the lively rhythm and infectious energy of the music and began to tap his foot along with the beat.
…
At the harbor of Borneo Island.
The bushy-bearded captain witnessed the last of his crew members leaving the ship to go for a supply run. He also planned to visit the town, but for a different reason.
However, at that moment, he heard the sound of waves splashing as another ship with black sails and a skull and crossbones flag approached the harbor.
The bushy-beared captain’s eyes widened with horror as his eyes reflected the sight of the flag.
It was a skull and crossbones flag, with the eyes replaced with black hearts.
“Black Heart Pirates…”