Starlight Over Quiet Waters

After boarding the ship and settling into their cabins, Ren stepped out onto the upper deck.

The sky was already painted with the last hues of twilight, the sun dipping beneath the edge of the sea. A cool night breeze brushed against his face as the stars slowly unveiled themselves — countless, scattered across the sky like fragments of a forgotten dream. The ship creaked softly underfoot, and in the quiet hum of the open waters, Ren felt something he hadn’t in a long time.

Peace.

He leaned against the railing, gazing up.

In his old life, mornings had meant alarms, cold showers, and rushed commutes. Waking up every day with no purpose, just the same routine — office, traffic, bills. Repeat. But now… this was what he always wanted. Adventure. Freedom. A sky full of stars and no ceiling above.

He closed his eyes and smiled faintly.

“What are you doing out here alone? Everything alright?” Rachel’s voice broke the silence.

Ren turned, smiling just a little. “Yeah. Everything’s perfectly fine.”

It had been a while since they’d spoken alone like this.

After a brief pause, Ren asked gently, “Do you still hear from your dad?”

Rachel looked down. Her voice dropped slightly. “His letters used to come… but they stopped six months ago. In the last one, he said he was working on some big mystery.”

She gave a small shrug, but her eyes betrayed the worry she tried to hide.

Ren didn’t say anything for a moment.

Then he looked at her, steady and calm. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him. Somewhere, somehow.”

Rachel glanced at him — surprised at the certainty in his voice. She smiled, soft and grateful.

Further down the deck, a group of passengers had gathered around a glowing lamp, laughing and chatting under blankets. Kazuma waved at them from the middle of it.

“Hey! You two — get over here! We’re starting story time!”

Ren and Rachel exchanged a curious look. Without a word, they joined the circle.

It was colder up here than they expected — wind cutting across the open sea. Most people were wrapped in thick blankets. When they reached the group, they realized Kazuma, Melissa, and another girl were all huddled under one, in a ridiculous triangle of shared fabric.

Melissa grinned and tossed Rachel an extra. “Here — take this. You’ll freeze without it.”

Rachel’s face turned slightly red. Ren scratched his head and looked away. “It really is cold,” Rachel muttered, shifting the blanket between them and sitting beside him without meeting his eyes.

They settled in as the stories began.

One man told a ghost story about a haunted lighthouse that never shows up on any map. Another shared a tale about being chased by a spirit beast in the desert.

Then, an older man leaned forward.

“Forget all that. Have you heard… what’s been happening out on these waters lately?” His voice dropped to a dramatic whisper. Everyone turned toward him, curious.

He continued, “Last week — I heard it myself — a ship was attacked in the dead of night. Pirates. Not one soul survived. They took everything.”

The children in the group tensed up. One even clutched his mother’s arm.

“Don’t listen to him, kids,” one of the parents said quickly. “He’s just trying to scare you.”

“I’m not lying!” the man snapped, clearly offended. “It’s not just a story. I heard it from a sailor directly.”

Most people laughed it off, though a few exchanged uneasy glances.

The night grew deeper, stars brighter.

Alex stood up, stretching with a yawn. “Time for me to sleep. I’m heading down.”

He waved and disappeared down the stairs toward the sleeping quarters.

The rest remained, voices growing softer as the mood shifted again — toward calm, quiet talk. The ship rocked gently beneath them.

The night carried on peacefully. Laughter, soft singing, and the gentle sway of the ship made it feel like a dream drifting over calm waters. People shared stories beneath the stars, gathered in a loose circle around the lantern’s glow. Faces were warm, voices carefree.

No one noticed the shape in the distance.

Beyond the ship’s lantern light, far off in the darkness, a shadow silently crept across the water. A ship, cloaked in night, drawing closer with every passing moment. It made no sound. No wind in its sails, no creaking boards. Only the faintest ripple on the sea hinted at its presence. Closer… and closer…

The flag it flew was black.

A white skull grinned across it.

But still, no one noticed.

Not as the first grappling hook latched onto the railing.

Not as hooded figures — silent and swift — climbed aboard from the shadows. Thugs. Pirates. Moving like smoke, slipping in where no eyes were watching.

A little girl, Anya, played near the edge of the deck, not far from the others. Her mother sat by the lamp with the rest of the group, chatting and laughing. The night was so peaceful it felt impossible to fear anything.

Then—

A piercing cry broke the calm.

“Anya?!”

Her mother jolted upright. “That was my daughter! Where is she?! She was just here!”

Everyone turned.

From the shadows, laughter echoed across the deck.

“Heh… hahaha…”

A group of strange-looking men emerged into the lantern light. Thugs, armed and grinning, their faces twisted with malice. Crude swords, clubs, even hooks — they were armed with all sorts of vicious weapons. And they weren’t just a few. They outnumbered everyone on the deck.

Standing at the front was a man holding Anya in one arm, her small body trembling. His other arm ended in a hooked blade, which he now pressed against her throat.

“Mom…!” Anya whimpered, tears running down her face.

“Anya!” her mother screamed, rushing forward before someone held her back.

“Please! Let her go! Please!”

The deck went silent.

Just moments ago, everyone had been laughing, singing under the stars. Now, fear froze the air solid.

Was that old man’s pirate story… really true?

Ren took a step forward—but a sharp voice cut through the night.

“Oi, monster! Move one more step and this kid dies!”

Ren froze.

That voice… he recognized it.

Two of the pirates stepped out from the group—and sure enough, they were the same thugs who’d tried harassing Rachel at the guild hall.

They’d followed them.

From the underground fight club.

“Boss!” one of them called out, pointing at Ren. “That’s the guy! The freak we told you about!”

From behind them, a larger figure stepped forward.

He was built like a mountain, broad-shouldered with twin curved swords strapped to his back. His presence alone made the air heavier. Cold, cruel eyes locked onto Ren.

“That weakling?”

Without warning, he grabbed the thug who spoke—and drove a fist into his stomach.

The man collapsed with a gasp.

“You let him beat you?” the boss snarled.

He didn’t stop there. He kicked the man on the floor again. And again. Without mercy.

Everyone watched in horror. If this was what he did to his own men… what would he do to them?

“Line them up,” the boss growled. “On their knees.”

The pirates moved in, herding the passengers with weapons drawn. No one resisted. They were too frightened. Men and women dropped to their knees, trembling. A few wept. Others clung to each other in silence.

Anya was still being held, her small body shaking in the hook-armed man’s grasp.

No one dared move.

The night had only just begun… and already, it had turned into a nightmare.

To be continued...