Memories Lurking on the Island

Having passed the black "islands" clustered across the surrounding sea, the Lost Homeland and the Brilliant Star gradually approached the "central main island," which seemed like some artificial megastructure built from piles of black boulders.

Thin mist flowed slowly around the two ships as if it were alive, drifting over the nearby sea. A breeze blowing through the fog swept across the decks, seeming to carry faint whispers and overlapping murmurs.

Vana stood at the edge of the deck, watching the "island of black stone" gradually grow larger in her field of vision. Her hands slowly clenched without her realizing it. At some point, the gentle sound of waves began echoing in her mind. In a daze, she seemed to return to many years ago, to the first time she had heard that sound of waves—in the Grand Cathedral's prayer room, before the Goddess's sacred statue. She had just completed her baptism when that gentle voice had blown into her heart like a sea breeze:

"Ah... my little fish... you're here..."

Vana suddenly woke from her daze. She realized it was not an illusion; a voice truly was sounding within her heart. At almost the same moment, she saw a change take place on that dark island—the magnificent "palace" seemed to tremble faintly, and countless enormous limbs writhed out from every door and window. Tentacles reached into the air, then drooped into the sea, churning the waters and weaving the clouds and mist.

Then, those tentacles suddenly vanished, seemingly retracting into the palace. Yet many hazy shadows of various sizes appeared around the island. They seemed to be gathered ships. Countless swaying figures came ashore at the island's edge, carrying torches and banners as they stepped onto the black boulders like pilgrims, entering the temple through two side doors...

Vana