As the Ocean Voyager set sail, Eric and his men faced the normal challenges of the high seas, the first few days were both awe-inspiring and also treacherous too. Who knows what lies at every corner and bend.
The crew encountered unsteady weather conditions, which seem to be testing their navigational skill and resilience. Huge waves crashed against the Ocean Voyager rattling the crew to their bone's but magically Eric's confidence seems like a balm to them. He set his head high and his morale kept those of his crew high too.
Within the first two days of the Voyage, they began seeing many wonders which the sea has instock for them, both the master and the crew members marvel at the diverse marine life, the beautiful dolphins and the magnificent whale's. These wonders kept a burning hope for them that such wonders await them at the Midland's.
Soon they came across an island that lies in one of the uncharted waters. Taking down it's coordinates and a drawing of it, he marked on the map so other navigators and for future references.
As the sun began its descent, slowly sinking into the horizon, the crew of the Ocean Voyager marveled at the unimaginable beauty of the spread the expanse around them. The ocean waves lapped the hulls making a soothing rhythm that sounds like a lullaby creating a relaxing atmosphere for the sailor's. Little did they know that the voyage is about to take an abrupt turn.
It started with a faint scent of smoke that caught the attention of the rigging monkey at the top of the mast. He squinted his eyes peering into the distance and soon his eyes spotted something peculiar. Debris of ship planks, clothing and broken chest litter and floated around the water. Like they were thrown overboard by ship crew, the suddenly a thick column of smoke rose mysteriously into the sky. A chilling sensation filled the air as the crew members realized they had company.
Whispering and murmuring quickly spread across the sailor's even to the lower decks as everyone tried to ascertain the mystery unfolding before them. What tragic fight had taken place here?, Is it a shipwreck?, Or had there been a battle on the high seas?, Or had the notorious Dead Arrow Pirates attacked a returning ship. The questions remained unanswered, to find answers to them; they have to investigate. Eric ordered the Capt to change course as they head towards the source of the ominous smoke and debris, a decision Eric should never had made.
As the Ocean Voyager approached the debris a shocking sight came into focus. Litter's in swirling waters were the remains of a once majestic ship, the testimony to the destructive powerful force of the sea, the divers amongst the crew members wore their gears and jumped overboard, searching for survivors holding onto hope to the possibility of finding lost or unconscious one's. But as time past, the tension in the air increased in thickness.
After hours of backbreaking efforts, the crew found no lives; not even a dead body amongst the wreckage. The ship has been rounded up by the vengeful unforgiving forces of nature, and had taken sailor's both body and soul. The crew mourn the loss and paid their last respect to the fallen sailor and a gun salute was shot to honor their last struggles. But they knew their mission was far from ending, diligently going through the debris and searching for any clues that would shed some light on the identity of the ill-fated ship and it's crew.
In the days that followed, their diligence paid off, they recovered tattered logbooks and fragments of personal belongings which revealed tales of voyages to distant lands and new beginnings in those lands. The crew of the Ocean Voyager realized they had not only witnessed a harrowing tragedy but evidence of tales from men that has sailed the unknown waters before them.
And soon they sailed out of the debris zone sailing towards their destination, their hearts heavy with a renew sense of gratitude and profound appreciation for the unpredictable nature of the sea. The memories of the broken ship planks, floating clothing's and other debris etched itself in their minds, a remainder of the fragility of life and the indomitable spirit of those courageous enough to venture into the unknown waters.
Some hours after they left the scene a thick cloud started gathering rapidly at the horizon, few minutes later the pitter-patter of rain on the sea could be clearly heard. From the south came a heavy bust of wind, which soon turned into a windstorm.
In seconds the storm engulfed the ship, The rain-shroud passed by, spitting at them with its undead tears, The rain whipped down like crystal nails and streaky lightning emblazoned the sky.
The sea swells rose, freezing the sailor for a split of a seconds as the north wind blew and swiftly throwing the vessel about to their doom as the sea throbbed grey with woe.
A mountainous wave rose up before the ship blotting out the sky. The wind howled out there doom, a whirlpool was beginning to form rapidly just few metres in front of them. It spanned faster and whiter and the flitering rays of the sun leered down in triumph.
The ship rose with the swell, inclining upwards to its destruction. It was propelled up onto the lip and it hovered there for a mini second, a fly-speck on the cobwebbed lines of the wave. Time seemed suspended. The whirlpool gaped under it with dire-white jaws. It rolled and spun around the edge inviting the sailor's in. Then like an avalanche thundering down a hillside the once majestic ship plummeted down into its milky depths, swallowed whole in a final, terrible, squeak of timber
Blinded by the torrential rain and buffeted by vicious winds, the vessel succumbed to the relentless fury of the tempest, Eric felt his life force drifting from him as he was thrown about ferociously in the storm. Closing his eyes and accepting death, he held his locket tight as a treacherous swell knocked him out cold.
Eric woke up on the desolate island, his thoughts blurred and his body weak. The island seem devoid of life, it had an eerie silence that weighed heavily on his mind and spirit, glancing around his mind told him he had no chance of survival on this island. No access to food nor water, his condition deteriorated as he staggered back to the seaside after a fruitless search inland. He clung to hope, though he never knew if one will come, and he refused to succumb to despair as it kills a man faster then anything.
Just when his hopes began to wane, his eyes caught two figures emerge from the shadows of the sense forest, they displayed no signs of hostility. Instead, they offered him help to his wounds as the male amongst the two lifted him up on his shoulders and they zoomed off back into the forest.