Chapter 10: Island in the Mist

Outside, a mesmerizing full moon hung in the sky—a sight not often seen even today.
It was as if the heavens had opened a vast, empty eye, gazing through you.
Into places where the ordinary human gaze could not peer.

Charlotte was no longer asleep. She quietly approached Tom and gazed at his face for a long time in the moonlight.

After a while, she couldn't hold back and began to wake him...

- Wake up!

- Mmm... Leave me alone!

- Tom!!! Wake up!

- It's the dead of night!

Charlotte had fully surrendered to the night's atmosphere. She desperately needed Tom.
Sleeping was out of the question now...

- It's time to open your eyes. Come on! I want to show you something.

- What is it?

Tom reluctantly opened his eyes. There it was again... For the first time in ages, he'd managed to sleep properly, but Charlotte wouldn't even let him relax now.

- Look at me...

In the moonlight, Tom saw her silhouette.
It was Charlotte, whom he'd known nearly all his life. But tonight, she was different—like an enchanted vision from another world.
Her contours were sharply outlined by the gentle silver light filtering through the thin curtains of night.
Her body glowed, reflecting the moon's rays and casting an aura of mystery and allure around her.
His heart began to pound wildly to the rhythm of pulsing desire.
Sleepiness vanished as if he'd never been asleep...

- What... What did you want to show me?

- I wanted you to see all the echoes of eternity. Of which you are the father. Oh, my dear Tom... My silly Tom.

Every move Charlotte made was filled with grace, like the dance of forest nymphs enchanting those unfortunate enough to wander into the depths of a predatory thicket.
But Tom was not one of them. He knew the way.
Tom was certain he was among those ready to walk the path.
To conquer all monsters, unravel every mystery the darkness held...
And for such souls, the Goddess had prepared gifts.
Tom was ready to claim them.
Gifts he hadn't been able to reach for so long.

- Charlo...

Tom, like a small child, reached out his hands toward Charlotte, but she stepped back.
She gently raised a finger to her sweet lips—lips Tom had long regarded as the ultimate prize.

- Shhh...

That enchanting sound... Tom loved this game. It had been so long since they'd truly been alone together.
But now, it seemed the whole world wanted it, yearned for it for them.

With each step, Charlotte lured Tom away, and he followed, his gaze unwavering.
He didn't notice...
How her soothing "Shhh" had transformed into the hissing of snakes that had long entwined his body.

Charlotte stepped forward.
Tom could finally see her face...

...

What's happening?! What's wrong with her...?

Tom wanted to scream but couldn't utter a word.
He finally felt the mass of snakes coiling around his body.
In an instant, the brave Hero and master of the universe had become mere prey for the monsters.
Against the backdrop of a now blood-red moon, a face scarred, burned, and cut stared at him—Charlotte's face.

- Tom!

Tom wanted to scream, to break free, to do something. But his body no longer obeyed him.
It now belonged to Charlotte. Or to whoever was pretending to be her...

- Tom... If this continues, I'll have no choice left. Do you truly want this?

What in the blazes is she talking about...!?

- Look at what you've done to me! See! Come on! Look at me!!! LOOK!!!

Tom didn't understand what was happening! What had become of his wife, his beautiful Lottie?
Whose doing was this? And what was she talking about?!

- Either or, Tom. It's time to settle the accounts. I won't wait any longer. I've been far too lenient with you.

- Wh... wha... what...?

Tom overcame the terror gripping his body and managed to force out a few sounds.

- Oh, poor men... God endowed you with such passionate hearts, strong wills, unbreakable spirits. But hmm, it feels like He forgot to add something... What could it be? Still don't get it?

- You're not her! This can't be! It's all unreal! Bring back my Charlotte!- Hahaha, but it's me! Tom! I am your beloved Charlotte. They say a woman's beauty is adorned by a man's love! What do you think of my adornments? Thank you!

The snakes tightened around Tom even more. He was about to lose consciousness.- If you can't do it, I'll start myself... I'm taking the first part of your debt.Either or, Tom! Time flows so troublingly that it might run out soon. So act faster!!!!If you don't hurry, I'll take myself first, then descend to savor one last look at that sweet childish dream. What do you think she sees in her dreams? Fairies? Don't hope they'll save her!

- Wha... What am I supposed to do????

- Haha, you've got so much work to do, Toooom, ahh...

- TELL ME!!!!

- Hey! Don't yell like that! You're speaking to your wife first and foremost! Please don't forget. I understand everything, but manners haven't been canceled. You're still a gentleman! You should set an example for all your subordinates. Otherwise, those tales about criminal sailors might turn out to be true!

- Enough mocking! What do you want from me!

- Hmm, let me think... First... Second... Third... LET'S START WITH YOU OPENING YOUR EYES!!!

Tom was jolted awake by Richard's shout, barely reaching him through the haze of sleep.
A horrifying dream.
Yet it was... just a dream.

- Captain!!! Captain!!! Wake up!!

- Yes, Rich! I'm awake... Awake... What's going on?

- Looks like our voyage won't be so easy. The wind wants us to dance with it today. A storm's brewing!

- Those old siren cries won't let me sleep properly! I'll be on the bridge in a moment, Rich.

- Don't dawdle, or you might miss the whole party.

Though a deadly danger in the form of a sudden storm now threatened Tom, he was relieved.
Thanks to it, he'd escaped the clutches of that horrific dream.
What was that all about? He'd wanted that unknown voice to speak to him again.
He thought he had enough courage to wrest answers to his questions from it.
But it turned out he'd underestimated it. The terror he felt seeing Charlotte's mutilated face... What could it all mean?
Tom didn't know, but he was certain that dream boded nothing good.

Quickly gathering himself, Tom climbed to the bridge, where Richard was already waiting.
In truth, the weather wasn't too severe. Richard could have left Tom sleeping, but he was worried about the captain's state and mood.
He needed to feel the sea again, and this small adventure was a perfect way to regain his old form.

- So, what's the situation?

- Haha, almost a calm. Consider it a day off, but I still decided to call you. Or you'd forget how it's done on your retirement. Reef the sail!

- You heard the captain's order, you sleepy layabouts! Furl that damned sail!

- The wind doesn't seem too strong. I think we can leave the jib alone for now. Keep an eye on the course, Rich.

- We'll handle it.

The ship began to rock gently on the waves.
Though the storm seemed mild at first, Tom felt it was only the beginning.
Was it experience, a mere premonition, or superstition from that bad dream?
Whatever it was, the sea didn't welcome Tom.
Or perhaps it was testing whether the real Tom had returned.
Whether he was worthy to reign over the elements.

- We've drifted three miles, Captain.

- Not critical. The main thing is to get out of the bad weather now.

- But... I thought we'd just wait it out.

- Richard.

- Yes, the wind isn't very strong, but it's dangerous. We're not sure if the storm will worsen.

- Where's your enthusiasm, Richard? The wind's on our side now. So why wait? While there's no hurricane yet, we can outrun the storm on a headwind!

- I'm always up for a risk, Captain. If you give the order, I can't stop you. But in my opinion, it's simply unjustified.

Clearly, Tom had already made up his mind. And Richard understood this, having known his captain for so long.
He was already slightly regretting his decision to wake Tom.
That's why he tried to dissuade him.
Because the Tom Richard knew always put the crew's safety first in any situation.
Now, however, Tom was embarking on a very strange venture. What could explain it?
Did it mean Tom had decided to challenge God? To accept the elements' challenge and emerge victorious?
Richard believed in his friend and captain and didn't want to doubt him.

- Richard, I won't back down. Sirens, sharks, and sea devils are already lying in wait for us.They're just waiting for us to lower the sails and fall into their bloodthirsty jaws one by one. When I'm challenged, I accept it!So, please, see to it that everything is secured on deck.

- Aye, Captain...

Richard didn't recognize his captain. But despite that, he couldn't help but believe in him.
For this was the same Tom who had saved him from death's grasp so many times.
The sea's son, the ocean's prince, an incredibly talented sailor who had achieved so much for his age. He simply couldn't be wrong.
He'd sooner jump into a shark's maw than put anyone from his crew in danger. So this must be right? He just didn't see something. Didn't understand something.

- All... All as it should be... Hey! Can you hear me, you rogues? Time to work a bit! The sea's restless today, decided to play a trick on us. It thinks we're fools! Thinks we got our feet wet and got scared. I don't know about you, but I'm not planning to run!

The crew responded in unison: "Let it hide itself!"

- Glad to hear it! So enough fussing! First, secure everything on board! And close all hatches and the hold!

While Richard carried out his orders, Tom faced his own battle. This storm...
It was surely a sign from her... A warning... A symbol? Whatever it was, there was no turning back. He needed to show her he feared nothing and was ready to face any challenge.
In the world of dreams, she held power over him, but not here. Not in real life, not at sea, where he reigned!

- Thought you could scare me that easily? No. You won't get the satisfaction. No storm has ever beaten me! And it won't this time. Rich, the wind's picking up! Lower all sails except the mainsail. We're in for a rough ride!

- You heard the captain! Otto, take Barry and be ready to bail water. Alan, lower the foresail. Arthur! Check that everything's evenly secured.

How does a human measure up to the sea?
Just a grain of sand, perhaps even less.
In fact, what is a human in the grand scale of the world? A tiny nothing.
A faint speck of light on the map of life. Barely noticeable.
It's strange we survived at all.
In a world where dinosaurs raged, hurricanes swirled, and volcanoes scorched forests, how did such a small creature persist?
More than that—how did it come to rule this world?
Was it just blind luck? Did the world flip a coin, and we—humans—won?
Just like now—a blind kitten named Tom, trying to catch a favorable wind amid a storm that was only gaining strength?

- Yes! There it is! Now we'll catch it! Prepare to change tack! Rich, this is what we've been waiting for! We'll grab the backstay now.

- If we pull this off, I'll marry again, Captain, and name my son after you. I've never heard of anyone managing this maneuver during a storm!

- No one! No one before us, Rich!!!

- Turn over the bow!

- Hurry!

- Take the wind!

An extra minute, half a minute, a slightly stronger gust...
And old Lottie would have capsized from the fierce wind during the mast's turn.
But fortune favors the bold. She loves those who step into the darkness and catch the right tack.

- We did it!!! You did it, Captain!!!

- Of course we did.

Tom was nervous, but his efforts weren't in vain. He took the risk and triumphed.
As Lottie rode the backstay, she soared over the waves like a swallow.
Tom had tamed fortune. Again...
Just like in the good old days.