In 1630, when the Black Death broke out in Venice once again, the women of Venice, whether poor or rich, prayed to the Virgin Mary, hoping she could save the city, while the men sent those who had fallen ill to Poveglia Island.
Nosebleeds were a harbinger of death. Men and women first developed unidentified lumps in their groins and armpits, some as large as apples or eggs. The lumps spread from those two areas across the entire body, followed by black spots, especially dense on the arms and thighs. Nearly everyone who showed symptoms died within three days. The lucky survivors gathered in safe houses, shut themselves inside, and clung cautiously to life.
Prayer was humanity's attempt to borrow supernatural power to achieve its goals; it could also be seen as a final refuge.
Wherever there were miracles, there was religion, and then places of worship such as temples and churches. This had been humanity's custom for thousands of years.
Whether the plague vanished because of the women's prayers or the elders' promise to build a church for Maria, both drew upon the power of miracles. Those who maintained reverence were often neither arrogant nor conceited, and would not challenge the sun with wings made of wax on their backs.
Poveglia Island and Sentosa Island, formerly known as Heirless Island, were both small islands the locals would not visit. To cleanse the Dark Forces on the island, the Italian government even sent people to plant blackberries there, preparing it for eventual sale as an asset, like Sentosa Island.
The buyers in Singapore were relatively fortunate. So far, there had been no reports of hauntings on Sentosa Island. Strange incidents were frequent on Poveglia Island, however, and no local workers would go there no matter how badly they needed money.