Chapter 229: “Blood Compass”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
When the infamous pirate captain disembarked from the battleship with his entourage, no other crew members followed. The Sea Mist remained anchored in the harbor, its imposing presence casting a dominant shadow over the entire city-state, reminiscent of a massive iceberg taking a brief rest.
In the captain’s absence, First Mate Aiden took command. As the most seasoned and experienced among the crew, he was the natural choice for leadership.
Observing the bustling port, a sailor remarked, “The local sheriff seems quite on edge. Do they think we’re here to raid and loot? I’d have thought the officials in Pland would be sharper than the simple folks up north.”
Without turning to face the sailor, Aiden responded, “The moment they slack off, you’d be the first to mock their lack of courage, wouldn’t you? But tell me, if they roll out tanks, would you stand your ground against them?”
The sailor gulped, his hesitation evident. “I’d rather not find out. I don’t fancy the idea of being carried back in pieces.” He then glanced in the direction their captain had ventured with those so-called spiderwalkers. “Speaking of risks, do you think the captain will be alright? That towering woman with him seems formidable. I doubt even the captain can handle her.”
Finally looking at the sailor, Aiden said, “We’re not here on a mission of violence. They extended an invitation to us. Have you so quickly forgotten our captain’s teachings? We now operate under the banner of the Sea Mist Venture Capital Company. The days of piracy are behind us; commerce and trade yield far more profit.”
The sailor pondered for a moment and asked, “So, when might we return to our old ways?”
Sunlight glinted off Aiden’s bald scalp as he replied, “Only when those we seek to trade with refuse to cooperate.”
This answer resonated with the undead crew, who signaled their agreement with solemn nods. It was clear that the first mate commanded significant respect among them. The tranquility was broken by another sailor, this one noticeably missing half of his head. “Think we might get a chance to go ashore in Pland? I’ve heard stories about…”
Aiden promptly cut him off. “Don’t even entertain the thought. The captain was clear: no one leaves the ship without his express permission. If you lot go wandering around, you’re bound to scare the daylights out of the locals. This isn’t the north; the people here aren’t familiar with the undead or our customs.”
The sailor replied with a hint of dejection, “That makes sense. The captain handpicked those who appeared the least… disturbing. He needed to blend in without drawing undue attention.” He then added ruefully, “But I reckon if I put on a turtle shell and a hat over my head, I’d look fairly decent too.”
Aiden’s voice was sharp, a cold command cutting through the chatter. “Enough! No one is to go ashore without the captain’s explicit instruction!” He fixed an icy stare at the sailor who had spoken, the frustration evident in his eyes. He could already envision the chaos that would ensue if the sailor were to defy orders. Trying to divert the sailor’s restless energy, he added, “If you’re so keen on being useful, head to the cabin. Check on those unfortunate souls who suffered in the recent blast. If they’re not moving, see if you can piece them back together.”
But before he could utter another word, a faint clicking noise interrupted the tense atmosphere.
The sound piqued everyone’s curiosity on the bridge. Heads turned, ears strained, and eyes darted around, attempting to locate its origin. The sailor with half his head missing identified the source.
Beside the captain’s chair stood a peculiar machine—a complex assembly of gears, levers, and compass pointers. The machine had fallen silent once again, but its jittery pointers betrayed its recent activity.
“Did this just… move?” A curious sailor, drawn by the intricate design of the machine, leaned in for a closer inspection of its various pointers.
Aiden approached as well, his eyes narrowing at the sight of a small hemispherical bowl at the machine’s center. It held remnants of dried blood. He remembered the captain using it to determine the direction of the elusive Vanished.
A look of concern etched into Aiden’s otherwise stern features.
Being the captain’s right-hand man, Aiden was well-acquainted with this mysterious contraption.
Termed ‘Anomaly 203’ or the ‘Blood Compass,’ this brass device, with its intricate design and cryptic functioning, was once in the possession of the Frost Queen. It now belonged to Captain Tyrian.
Unlike most anomalies, which often wreaked havoc and destruction, the Blood Compass was deemed to have a somewhat “benevolent” nature. By filling the central bowl with the user’s blood, it could be activated to locate their kin. However, despite its benign appearance, the compass harbored malevolent tendencies.
Firstly, once activated with blood, it compelled the user towards an insatiable obsession, luring them to repeatedly offer their blood until their mind shattered or they perished from blood loss. Moreover, although the compass could guide its user to their blood relatives, it often did so with malevolent intent, bringing misfortune to those in its path.
Aiden recalled a chilling tale where Anomaly 203 led a father to his estranged son. Yet, rather than a joyful reunion, the meeting culminated in both taking each other’s lives.
However, for Captain Tyrian, these malevolent tendencies of the Blood Compass were merely trivial concerns. His indomitable willpower easily withstood the alluring pull to constantly offer his blood. And as for the misfortunes the compass supposedly brought upon its users…
Firstly, Captain Tyrian and Miss Lucretia had an understanding to never cross paths when Anomaly 203 was active. Secondly, the bond between the Abnomar father and son was famously robust, marked by “mutual respect” and understanding.
Indeed, even with all the ominous warnings surrounding the Blood Compass, nothing could have foreshadowed the calamitous first meeting between Captain Tyrian and another ship: both firing upon each other with a barrage of artillery.
Given this, Captain Tyrian had often used the Blood Compass not just as a navigational tool, but also as an alert system to detect the reappearance of the Vanished in the known world, a practice he had maintained for over fifty years.
Aiden, along with a few curious sailors, huddled around the brass mechanism of Anomaly 203. The complex assembly of pointers and gears, usually silent, had momentarily sprung to life, only to become dormant again.
Attempting to lighten the heavy mood, the sailor with a prominent hole in his head remarked, “Perhaps it just felt like stirring a bit? I mean, it’s usually so still…”
Aiden shot him a disapproving glance, “This is no time for humor!”
Seeking a solution, another sailor, his skin withered and parched, proposed, “What if we just clean off the lingering blood in its center? Its unpredictable movements are unsettling.”
Aiden quickly responded, “That’s not an option. The captain made it clear: the blood isn’t to be removed by hand. It has to naturally dissipate within the compass over a span of seventy-two hours.”
The sailor’s curiosity peaked, “What if someone were to erase it prematurely?”
Aiden sighed, “Understanding the standard operation of an anomaly is challenging enough. Who would want to risk witnessing its reaction when tampered with? Unless you’re volunteering to be a guinea pig for the sake of human understanding?”
The sailor hurriedly backpedaled, “Forget I mentioned it.”
But before they could further discuss, the ominous “click-click” of the Blood Compass’s gears echoed again, diverting everyone’s attention.
Aiden, being the closest to the device, involuntarily retreated a step. Yet, he remained riveted, observing the compass’s every movement. This time he had a clear view. For a fleeting moment, all pointers directed their attention towards Pland, before resuming their erratic dance and eventually stopping.
After a tense pause, the sailors exchanged wary glances.
Still attempting to bring some levity, the sailor reiterated, “Told you, it just wanted to stretch its legs a bit.”
Aiden, however, promptly countered him, “Enough!” He replayed the compass’s brief activity in his mind. Even though the pointers had darted in different directions before going still, Aiden was certain: for that brief moment, they had unerringly pointed at Pland.
The brief moment in which the compass pointed directly at Pland might have been easily dismissed by others as mere happenstance. However, to Aiden, it felt deliberate, as if the compass had momentarily locked eyes with its true target and then quickly averted its gaze in a hurried attempt to deceive.
Why did Aiden think this? The answer lay in his conversations with Captain Tyrian about the unique properties of the Blood Compass. According to the captain, the compass occasionally exhibited behavior reminiscent of sentient beings, much like humans.
The implication was chilling: the compass could feel fear.
A surge of unease washed over Aiden. “Something’s amiss. This city-state… there’s a lurking danger,” he declared, his gaze sharpening with newfound urgency. “We need to inform the captain immediately.”
“But the captain’s orders were explicit: no one is to go ashore,” a sailor retorted.
Aiden thought on his feet, “We won’t physically venture. We’ll send a message. Fetch Perley, now!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the sailor darted away and swiftly returned from the bridge, a vividly colored parrot perched on his shoulder. The boisterous bird took a mischievous delight in repeatedly nibbling and grinding its beak on the sailor’s exposed skeletal cranium.
“Perley,” Aiden commanded, raising his voice to grab the bird’s attention, “I need you to relay a message.”
Halting its playful antics, Perley cocked its head, fixing its gaze on Aiden, “Perley listens. Perley can send message.”
“Fly to the cathedral in the city-state,” Aiden instructed, “Find the captain. Tell him: ‘The blood compass points to Pland. The city-state may not be safe!’”
Inb4 Perley meets Ai and is converted to the Cult of the Fry. 😛
That would be adorable!!
“Aiden knows the device well” -> “Aiden knew the device well”
“the effects only work between” -> “the effects only worked between”
“most anomalies that are directly malicious” -> “most anomalies that were directly malicious”
“It does not require any special sealing” -> “It did not require any special sealing”
“health fractures or they die of blood loss” -> “health fractured or they died of blood loss”
“As far as Aiden knows” -> “As far as Aiden knew”
“these negative effects have always” -> “these negative effects had always”
“the Abnomar family have always been” -> “the Abnomar family had always been”
“how cursed and bad luck the Blood Compass was” -> “how cursed and unlucky the Blood Compass was”
“they’ve all quieted” -> “they had all quieted”
“this thing just want to move” -> “this thing just wanted to move”
“He’s sure of it” -> “He was sure of it”
” in a panic to “cover-up” -> ” in a panic to “cover up”
I fear for Perley