Chương 100: Compass
"So you're telling me that the three kingdoms have banded together, two of which only because their kingdoms were destroyed, and that in four months Fallen Sky plans to wage war on King Victor and the forces of this Dead Tree?" Emma summarized.
"That's correct." Roman confirmed.
"And you abandoned your duty and responsibility to Fallen Sky… to come find me?" Emma asked.
"Well that's, I mean when you put it like that it sounds bad."
"I'd say it's pretty bad." Timi added from beside the fire.
"I left to find my squad leader! No man left behind! That's a thing, right?" Roman protested.
"It's a thing in fairy tales, sure." Timi agreed.
"It doesn't matter—" Emma interrupted, "he's here now anyway."
"About that… where is here?" Roman finally asked.
"That's the million dollar question, isn't it"? Emma commented.
"To put it eloquently, we're lost." Timi answered.
"Lost?"
"Stranded on an island in the middle of the greater sea, no landmarks surrounding us, no stars to guide us home. Trapped in the unknown." Timi closed his eyes and recited their situation like it was a play.
"And the animals here are possessed." Emma added.
"Possessed?"
Roman turned to Timi, expecting another explanation.
"Hey little man, don't look at me, I don't know what the deal is with those monsters."
"Monsters?"
"When you kill anything at night they revive stronger, bigger, scarier. Like demons." Emma explained.
"Can't we build a boat?" Roman asked.
"Hey Timi, you wanna build a boat?" Emma sarcastically threw the question out.
"So we can sail further into the abyss? I think I'll pass."
"We don't know what direction Fallen Sky is in so we can't sail anywhere haphazardly." Emma responded genuinely.
"I know where to go." Roman stuffed his hand in his pocket and pulled out a polished pocket watch, "I'll just make a compass."
Nobody replied to Roman. Instead, Emma and Timi both froze. They mutually watched the pudgy boy dismantle his watch, mouths agape.
They followed his fingers with their eyes. He unscrewed that part, pulled that piece out, and the springs jumped onto the floor.
A wave of essence rolled over the dismantled watch in Roman's hand. Pieces of metal began to bend, springs began to flatten and straighten until an entirely new device appeared in his grasp.
"Here." Roman said, handing the compass over to Emma.
Emma held the compass in her hand. For some reason, she held her breath, as if her breath alone would be enough to destroy their ticket off this floating rock.
Timi suddenly stood up and peered over Emma's shoulder.
"Does it work?" He asked.
The two of them, a nineteen year old girl and a raggedy man who looked to be in his forties, stared longingly at the brass contraption. The needle spun around for a bit, but eventually settled in a single direction.
"I think so." The words weightlessly fell out of Emma's mouth.
"So which way is home?" Timi asked.
"It's pointing to Fallen Sky already—" Roman butt in, "well to the Ivory Lighthouse above Fallen Sky, but same thing."
"Why is it pointing to the lighthouse?" Emma asked.
"Umm—" Roman classically closed his eyes and rubbed his chin, "it has something to do with the lighthouses' interference with the night and day cycle, but other than that I don't really know."
"I guess I do need to build a boat." Timi said out loud.
"How long will it take?" Emma asked.
"Well, do you want a raft or a ship?"
"Something in between? Enough space for all of us to lay down at least." Emma clarified.
"It's going to take a long time just to process the wood and weave the rope—" Timi said, "it won't take forever but, at least another month."
"F***." Emma heaved.
"I can make all the rope and dismantle the wood, remember?" Roman interrupted.
Emma's expression glowed.
"If you had all the materials already, how long would it take just to build it?" Emma pushed.
"Maybe a week." Timi pondered.
After a few more short conversations, the trio separated to accomplish their assigned tasks.
Timi was the builder. He needed to first design the boat and then construct it.
Emma was the gatherer. She needed to cut down the plethora of trees they needed and collect the overgrown grass.
Roman was the middle man between them. Emma needed to bring him all the materials so he could synthesize the rope and wooden boards they needed.
Overnight, they had a purpose, they had something to work towards. Hope reignited itself in Emma's soul and it grew brighter by the day.
The nightmare that was this island was coming to an end. Little did they know the island was a safe haven within the abyss.
The open sea, the treacherous waters were far more dangerous. Far more unforgiving. Far more corrupt than anything that exists above the surface.
Roman's arrival saved them, but it also opened up the gates to a much darker future. When they're lost and astray, when their hearts are beating the fastest, who will reignite the light of hope in a sea of utter blackness?
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