Chapter 576: Individual Actions
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Vanna’s revelation sent shockwaves through everyone in the room. Her account contradicted many of Duncan’s recent theories about “The Dream of the Nameless One.” Contrary to expectations, Vanna revealed she had never ventured into the “forest” central to their discussions. Instead, she described being trapped in a mysterious desert. This unexpected twist left everyone wondering: What could this desert symbolize?
After a few moments of stunned silence, Duncan was the first to regain his composure. He asked, “Were there any signs of human presence in this desert? Did you notice any distinct landmarks or unusual features?”
Taking a deep breath, Vanna began describing her experience. “The desert was dotted with bizarrely-shaped boulders, towering and contorted, as if petrified mid-motion. In the distance, I saw fluctuating shadows that could have been rocky outcroppings or even a cluster of buildings, but they were too far away to identify. The most striking feature was a faint red fissure in the sky, colossal in its dimensions.”
Duncan’s eyes briefly glinted, his focus intensifying. “A red rift? Can you elaborate on its appearance? Were there other noteworthy elements in the sky?”
Vanna stood up and retrieved a pen and paper. As she sketched, she continued describing the rift. “The rift had a dark red hue, its edges blurred as if enveloped in mist. It emanated a subdued glow from within, though the specific features inside the rift remained indistinct and enigmatic.”
Everyone watched, captivated, as Vanna’s pen moved across the paper. Duncan leaned in, as if pulled by a magnetic force, to get a better view of the sketch. The lines she drew seemed to resonate with his own memories of the “red light,” causing his expression to turn grave.
After a brief pause, Vanna pushed the paper toward the center of the table. “This is a rough approximation. I’m no artist, but I’ve done my best to capture it. Aside from this rift, the sky was devoid of other features.”
Duncan appeared perplexed and instinctively asked, “No other features? What about the sun? Could you describe what it looked like?”
This question was crucial to Duncan. If Vanna had observed a sun in that mysterious desert, its characteristics would hold significant implications.
Vanna shook her head. “There was no sun. Despite this absence, it seemed like daytime—the sky was filled with a radiant, albeit sourceless, light, except for the area around the red rift.”
A mixture of surprise and puzzlement crossed everyone’s faces. Even Duncan seemed momentarily confounded until Vanna’s voice brought everyone back to the present. “That’s all the information I can offer from my experience,” she concluded.
All eyes then shifted to Duncan, awaiting the next revelation.
Nina, increasingly intrigued, asked, “Uncle Duncan, what did you see in your dream experience?”
After a moment of thoughtful contemplation, Duncan began to share his own surreal experiences. “Alice and I witnessed something quite unnerving in the real world—city blocks transformed into nightmarish distortions. Towering trees and a maze of vines overtook the streets, as if the forest from ‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ had somehow bled into our reality. Interestingly, we saw no elements of the ‘desert’ you described, Vanna. But what truly captured our attention was an extraordinarily large vine we discovered deeper within this altered neighborhood.”
He detailed his unnerving exploration of the vine—how it led to a different ‘Vanished’ sailing through an impenetrable fog. Mounted on the ship was another goat head, both strangely familiar and deeply unsettling. The head spoke to him, revealing a constantly changing sea map and offering cryptic information while enveloping Duncan in a dream-like state of awareness.
The room descended into an even more profound silence than after Vanna had spoken, the gravity of Duncan’s revelation weighing down the air itself.
“Your experience is even more perplexing and unsettling than the desert landscape I found myself in,” Vanna murmured, almost to herself.
Beside her, Dog mumbled, “Well, he is the captain, isn’t he?”
Ignoring Dog’s solemn aside, Duncan continued, “What deeply concerns me is that the ‘goat head’ mentioned Atlantis near the end of our interaction.”
Vanna nodded thoughtfully, adding historical context. “If my memory serves me right, Atlantis is synonymous with the ‘World Tree’ in ancient Elven lore. Known alternatively as the Tree of Life or the Origin Tree, it was said to be the first life form created by the demon god ‘Saslokha’ according to elven beliefs.”
The room fell into a state of collective introspection. Even Alice, who usually struggled to keep up with complex conversations, displayed signs of intense contemplation. Finally, breaking the thoughtful silence, Lucretia looked up at Duncan, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “Papa, you’ve never really elaborated on this ‘First Mate’ on the Vanished. What exactly is that goat head?”
Duncan replied cautiously, “It originates from subspace. That’s about all I can disclose at this moment.” He then pivoted quickly, adding, “However, I think it may be time for me to have another, more serious, conversation with it.”
With everyone’s accounts and observations laid bare, it seemed as if the pieces of an incredibly complex puzzle had been put on the table. Everyone who had navigated between reality and various dreamscapes the previous night had now shared their information, providing Duncan with a plethora of clues to ponder over.
After a moment to organize his swirling thoughts, Duncan took a deep breath and addressed everyone in the living room, temporarily setting aside the myriad questions racing through his mind.
“Based on what we’ve all shared, there are several conclusions we can begin to draw,” he began. “Firstly, the realm of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ is expanding its scope and influence, manifesting in the real world. While we don’t yet understand the catalyst for these changes, they are likely connected to the upcoming ‘Fourth Long Night’ and possible alterations in the sun.”
“Secondly,” Duncan continued, “it seems the general populace within our city-state is largely oblivious to the far-reaching effects of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.’ When these transformations or mutations occur within the dream’s boundaries, the individuals in those affected areas disappear. Yet, when the dream recedes, they reappear in the real world and resume their daily activities as if nothing happened. We haven’t determined where these individuals go during their time in the dream.”
“Thirdly,” he added, “we find ourselves scattered across different locations during these dream-induced mutations. Some of us remain in the real world, while others are thrust into the dream’s dense forest or a mysterious desert. We’re uncertain whether our dispersion is random or follows a particular pattern.”
“Fourthly,” Duncan concluded, “there are groups—specifically the disciples of Annihilation, the followers of the Black Sun, and the shadowy Enders—who seem to be more informed about this vision. They are well-coordinated and driven by a shared, though undetermined, purpose.”
After summarizing, Duncan looked around at the attentive faces. “Is there anything anyone would like to add or clarify?”
Lucretia shook her head thoughtfully. “Not at the moment. My main concern is whether we can expect more of these dream-induced mutations. If so, how should we prepare?”
Morris, the elder scholar, sighed deeply. “The likelihood of more mutations seems high, given the escalating influence of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.’ The silver lining is that the more frequently these anomalies occur, the better our chances of discerning their patterns. Our understanding is riddled with speculations and unanswered questions. These gaps could potentially be filled if another large-scale mutation transpires.”
Nodding in agreement, Duncan added, “Your point is well taken, Morris. This isn’t merely wishful thinking; we require additional instances of these mutations to better understand the mechanics of ‘The Dream of the Nameless One.'”
“But,” Vanna interjected, “we must also consider the dream’s ability to separate us and disconnect our lines of communication, especially with you, Captain. That presents a significant logistical challenge.”
Duncan nodded gravely, “I’ve already started formulating preliminary strategies based on my experience last night—especially after my encounter with the massive vine and the mysterious Vanished. If the dream’s influence expands again, we should have an opportunity to test these ideas.”
Finally, Shirley, who had been quietly listening, posed a question on everyone’s minds. “So, while we’re gathering all this information and awaiting another occurrence, what are our immediate actions?”
The tension in the room was palpable. Each person was acutely aware they were operating against a ticking clock, the nature and timing of which were unknown. Clearly, the next steps needed to be executed with speed and extreme caution.
“‘The Dream of the Nameless One’ is a volatile element that could shift and evolve without warning,” Duncan stressed, maintaining focused eye contact with Lucretia. “Our immediate task is to check if other districts in the city-state were similarly affected last night. The most efficient way is to liaise with Wind Harbor’s governing officials.”
Lucretia didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll speak with Sara Mel, the city governor, to see if he has any insights or observed anomalies from last night.”
Acknowledging her with a nod, Duncan shifted his focus to Morris and Vanna. “We should also extend our inquiries to the surrounding communities, especially around Crown Street. We need to determine whether residents of other racial backgrounds, apart from elves, have experienced any peculiar events. This could give us a broader understanding of the dream’s impact.”
Vanna nodded energetically. “That’s right up my alley. I can canvas the area and speak with the locals.”
Morris chimed in, “I still have some academic contacts at the Academy of Truth. They might have information that could aid our investigation.”
Finally, Duncan looked at Nina and Shirley. “For now, it’s best if both of you stay at home,” he advised after some thought. “Your skills could be essential if we unearth significant leads about the followers of the Black Sun or the disciples of Annihilation. But until then, it’s safer for you to stay put.”
Nina sighed, visibly disappointed but obedient. “Alright, I understand.”
Shirley’s eyes met Duncan’s. “And what will you be doing?”
“I have to return to the ship, and I need to do it immediately,” Duncan declared, standing up from his chair.
Alice, sensing the urgency, rose to her feet as well. “Then I’m coming with you!”
A look of confusion flashed across Duncan’s face. “Why would you want to accompany me?”
Alice hesitated, scanning the faces of everyone in the living room. She scratched her head, finally declaring with an air of inexplicable certainty, “I really don’t know!”
Duncan looked at her for a moment, contemplating her unorthodox enthusiasm, and then finally broke into a resigned yet endearing smile.
“Very well, if you’re keen on joining, you’re welcome to come. To be honest, I’d be uneasy leaving you alone in the city, given the circumstances.”
Alice’s face lit up with a mischievous grin. “Hehe… Great!”
With their roles and missions clearly defined, each person left to carry out their respective tasks. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of gravity and urgency; everyone understood the potential dangers ahead. Duncan headed for his ship, taking the silly Alice along. Meanwhile, Lucretia, Vanna, and Morris dispersed across various sectors of Wind Harbor, each carrying out their individual missions to gather more information about the perplexing dream that seemed to hold their world in its increasingly unsettling grasp.
Hopefully Goat Head will actually give some real answers about itself.
Saying Goat Head is from Subspace… Might actually make it be from Subspace. But do we truly know? The Entity was quite mysterious and has always been vague. The only thing for sure is that it seems to act as an anchor for Duncan, and it seems to be careful about Subspace or some other source of corruption. It adheres to rules and warned MC about them. That seems to be its main objective, aiding the Vanished being the second.
The Flame seems to also influence MC in the form of some instinct.
Well, we have confirmed from its own mouth that it wasn’t originally in the Vanished. But I don’t remember the chapter MC held that conversation. But saying it is from Subspace might actually be falling into a trap. It could be from somewhere else.
But yeah, I would be surprised Goat Head informs MC of anything else. He acted very careful before. Perhaps MC anchoring himself in this world is enough to allow the Entity to disclose more, so it is worth the questioning… But I will be surprised if that is enough.
Anyone that must seek safety should have been brought back into the Vanished. Being in the house don’t seem safer, given the level of the vision, but the ship that survived subspace should be immune to whatever is happening here, hopefully.