Archibald came out to the deck once he heard the commotion. By then, the sky above them was already covered with dark clouds, and the rumbling of thunder kept getting closer.
The crew ran around to ensure the ship wouldn't get swallowed by the strong current, but no matter how much they tried, they got swept off closer to that tumultuous sea. It was as if the God of Sea was angry and planned to swallow them all.
"Your Majesty, you should get inside now!" Leslie shouted so his voice wouldn't get drowned in the commotion.
"Didn't the Captain say there shouldn't be any storm if we set sail today? How can this happen now?"
"Your Majesty, nature can't be predicted by human logic sometimes. What happens now is beyond anyone's calculation!"
Archibald gritted his teeth, but he showed no intention to move.
The rain started to pour, but he refused to move an inch from where he stood. There was no meaning in hiding if the whole ship would be swallowed by the sea anyway.
"Is this what the 'Curse of Forgotten Land' means?" He muttered as his sharp eyes gazed at the dark clouds above them.
Leslie, who had been standing beside him all this time, suddenly remembered the prophecy passed down in the Sun Kingdom.
The Land of Oblivion used to be part of the Sun Kingdom before a great earthquake happened and separated the land. The disaster caused a lot of people to lose their lives. Some also got separated from their families and friends who lived in another part of the land.
It was said that many people tried to save those who were trapped in that part of the island, but no man ever returned to tell tales.
However, the Roseau Empire's army could easily set foot on the island. It meant that people could enter, but nobody could escape them. And their situation was probably the cause of it. The so-called curse was probably real after all.
Leslie felt uneasy but maintained his calm expression. Archibald had yet to give his order, so he shouldn't panic.
"Your Majesty, I think you are right. The Land of Oblivion is surrounded by mystery. Not even the most experienced sailor could guess this would happen in this unexplored territory."
Archibald looked deep in thought. In the next moment, his lips curled up in a sinister smirk. "It's strange. If the water and weather were this volatile in this area, it wouldn't make sense how the islanders could come and go as they pleased. I have been wondering why those people surrendered pretty easily, but they were just waiting for us to enter our coffins on our own feet. What a conniving people; they teach their Priestess well."
Leslie couldn't understand most of what he said, but being his aide for a long time, he could pretty much guess what he planned.
Archibald always managed to find a crack in the logic that was presented before them. If he wasn't cunning or resourceful, he probably wouldn't be able to sit on the throne and survive the war.
And Leslie also would never swear his allegiance to a weak and dull-minded king.
"Your Majesty, what is your order?"
"Get the Priestess. I believe she is our key to getting out of this situation."
***
Aisha looked up at the dark sky, and her heart constricted.
There were a lot of restless spirits roaming around this area. They would fly to the sky or dive into the sea, all while lamenting about their suffering. She had been feeling unwell since the impact started and now felt like vomiting.
Not because the sea current was harsh for her but because the spirits noticed her presence and began to latch on her.
Aisha had trained her divine power for as long as she could remember. Unless the spirit had a strong grudge or regret, it should be impossible for them to latch onto her. But here, it was like she became a magnet that attracted all kinds of spirits.
Her divine power alone wasn't enough to deter them, and she was quickly put into a disadvantageous situation.
"Save me. I'm drowning; it's so painful. I can't breathe."
"Mommy, where is my mommy? Why did she leave me behind?"
"I want to meet my lover for the last time. Your body seems to have great affinity with me. Give your body to me!"
"Why are we the only ones who have to suffer like this? It's unfair. I can't accept this!"
The sensation was like she was shackled by many arms at once. Aisha was paralyzed and couldn't move. While everyone was busy steering the ship or screaming a command, she only stood there like a fool, letting the rain wash over her body.
She prayed inwardly to ward these spirits off, but it was no use. Their souls had been wandering for too long for her to be able to handle them. Their regrets and grudge were deep-rooted, and there were simply too many of them here!
It took her everything to prevent them from forcefully taking over her body. Some even fight among themselves to decide which one should have the claim over her body. Their anguished scream felt like it would pierce her eardrums.
Aisha had never felt like this before. The Holy Shrine was cleansed properly every week, and the daily prayer she did help to keep the evil spirits away. But in this unknown territory, she was like a lamb who was about to be slaughtered.
Perhaps the Head Priest wasn't exaggerating when he said there were a lot of negative spirits out there who would want to take over her body. They isolated her in the mountain because of that. Even living people were prohibited from getting near. Only a few selected person was permitted to be around her.
Aisha had severely underestimated how harsh the world outside was. Now, what should she do? She needed something. Anything that she could use to channel her power.
"Priestess Aisha? What are you doing?!"
Someone touched her shoulder, and it somehow jolted her from her trance. Aisha slowly turned her head to see Leslie looking at her worriedly.
"This place is dangerous! You should come inside now!"
Leslie tried to pull her along, but she didn't budge. He stared at her in confusion, "Is there something wrong?"
Aisha's lips quivered, looking like she was trying to tell him something. "The…. Er…."
"I beg your pardon?"
"The…dagger…. Give it…"
Leslie's frown deepened. He gazed at her closely, and only then did he notice an abnormality. Her eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged out on her whole body as if they could burst anytime.
"Priestess, are you alright?"
Aisha was so frustrated she could cry. It was so hard just to utter a few words; she couldn't afford to explain everything!
"The…dagger… Give it....to me."