Lost in Summer! Fated Paradise · Chapter 11
Fate's End
From the outside, the shipwreck looked ready to sink at any moment. But inside, it was in surprisingly good shape aside from one massive hole.
Luna
A shipwreck just appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the ocean...
Ayla
And there's no one aboard... The whole ship is empty...
I think I read about these in a book. They called them ghost ships...
Smile
Ngh... Ghost ships are nothing more than a baseless maritime superstition...!
This is merely an optical illusion... caused by the moonlight and reflections off the waves...!
Luna
Hmm? You're not just saying that because you're scared, are you, kiddo?
Smile
Negative...! I'm not scared. I only discuss phenomena backed by scientific evidence.
While the two bickered as usual, Ayla looked up from the map and surveyed the wreck's interior.
Ayla
Still... it really is creepier than I expected...
She was right. The sea breeze moaning through the massive hole made even the otherwise well-preserved wreck look unsettling.
...Are you sure the treasure's this way?
Ayla
Hmm... Yes. I'm sure...!
This route leads below deck... right where we are now.
And according to the map, somewhere around here...
*Clank!*
Luna
Aaaagh!
Luna jumped and wrapped her arms around Smile.
Smile
Ugh... You're heavy, Luna...
Luna
What was that?! What happened?!
Ayla
S-sorry...! I stepped on something...
Still focused on the map, Ayla lifted her foot, revealing a loose piece of metal plating on the deck.
Luna
Phew... So that's all it was? You scared me...!
Smile
...Luna was the one scaring everyone with all that ghost ship talk just a minute ago.
All right, you two. Let's focus on finding the treasure.
...Of course, I was just as eager to get off this wreck and away from its eerie howling...
Luna
*Sigh...* Where could it be?
We've checked everywhere it could be, but there's nothing...
Ayla
Hmm... Maybe we can't pinpoint it with only half the map...
I'm sorry. If only I'd taken better care of it...
Smile
Don't be so hard on yourself, Ayla.
The Pirate King's treasure is definitely somewhere nearby.
Fortunately, this unusual phenomenon has improved nighttime visibility. Locating the treasure should not take long.
Luna
Exactly! It's not like we can leave the island anyway.
So don't worry, Ayla!
Ayla
Okay. Then I'll keep looking for it...!
...At least no one seemed too discouraged by the fact we had no way off the island.
With our resolve renewed, we split up to search the wreck for the Pirate King's treasure.
Smile
I'll search over here. Keep at it, everyone.
Ayla
Okay. I'll search the same area again—
*Clank!*
Once again, I turned toward a sound coming from somewhere unexpected.
I figured Ayla had gotten lost in the map again and stepped on another piece of plating.
...
Luna
Oh, Ayla. Did you step on another chunk of plating?
That's what you get for walking around with your eyes glued to the map.
Keep that up and you'll trip. Watch where you're going—
Luna had apparently reached the same conclusion. Without even glancing toward the noise, she kept digging through a chest in the corner.
...Luna...
Luna
Yeah. Don't just stand there, Captain. Back me up.
What if she trips and—
*Bump*
Luna casually replied as she rummaged through the crate. Finding nothing, she turned to move on, only to walk straight into something and bounce back.
Luna
Hmm? What's this? There's something here... It's squishy, but firm...
???
Glurp.
Luna
Huh? Huh? It makes noise too. Where'd this thing come fr—
???
Kaaargh!
Luna
...
After enduring one poke too many, the enormous shape turned and bared its vicious jaws at Luna.
Luna
Sha...
Not that shark again!
Shark
Kraaawr!!
The shark let out a thunderous roar, and heavy footsteps closed in around us.
Countless torches surrounded us, illuminating the area.
???
Found you at last.
Several familiar faces emerged from the surrounding men, walked over to the shark beside us, and patted it on the head.
Pirate A
Good boy, good boy. All those burgers and spoiling you rotten finally paid off.
Pirate B
Come on. It lazes around all day, does one thing right, and suddenly it's a hero?
Pirate A
That's why you reward good behavior. Now he'll know to do it again!
Shark
Glurp!
One pirate tossed a burger into the air, and the enormous shark snapped it up with the practiced ease of a trained pet.
...So that shark belongs to you.
You had it tail us?
Pirate B
Yeah. Your course and our half of the map were enough to get us to Grave Island, but...
We had no clue where to go from there.
We only had it tail you just in case. Never thought it'd pay off this well.
Pirate A
Heh heh... Time to find the Pirate King's treasure.
So hand over the map before you get hurt!
The pirates fanned out around the shark in practiced formation.
Pirate A
Come on, big guy. Time to show them what you can do again!
Pull this off, and you'll get more burgers than you could eat in a lifetime!
Shark
Graaah!
Luna! Smile!
Luna
Hmph. Perfect timing. We need the other half of the map anyway!
Smile
Yeah. Our chance to recover the missing half of the map...!
Pirate A
Ghk... W-wiped out?! By these rookies?!
Smile
Surrender is advised. You can't beat all of us alone.
Pirate A
Eek...! S-stop them! Stop them!!
Shark
Eeeengh...!
Pirate A
You idiot! You're way too big to hide in that seashell again!
The last pirate clung to the shark's tail as it tried to squeeze into a seashell far too small for it.
Luna
Well, well...
How about you give Ayla's map back?
Pirate A
Eeek...!
*Crash!*
Once the unconscious pirates were tied up tight, we reclaimed the missing half and restored the map at last.
Smile
Ayla, think you can find it now?
Ayla
Yes, it's here... It looks like this door is supposed to open...
Oh! It opens into a tiny hidden room!
A nearly invisible groove ran along the wall, hidden unless you knew where to look.
I hooked my fingers into it and pulled, revealing a tiny makeshift compartment no bigger than a closet.
Smile
Small for a ship this size... Structural analysis suggests this was the wheelhouse.
Luna
Hmm... So where exactly is the Pirate King's treasure?
Wait, there's a small box over here.
On the old helm sat a small box bearing a carved pirate crest.
Inside lay a golden compass, gleaming with an almost blinding light.
Luna
Could this be...
Ayla
The Pirate King's treasure...?
Smile
An old, worn compass. Visual inspection alone is insufficient to determine its significance...
Ayla
The needle won't move from north... Is it telling us to go deeper in that direction?
With a puzzled look, Ayla reached into the box and picked up the compass.
And the moment she did...
*Krrrk... Krrrk...*
Luna
T-the needle... It's shaking like crazy...!
*Fwoosh!*
Ayla
Ahh...!
A blinding light exploded from the compass, swallowing Ayla whole.
Ayla
Ngh... Ah...!
The light slowly receded. Ayla's body went slack, and she crumpled to the floor.
Smile
Ayla, are you okay...?
Luna
Is something wrong?
Ayla
...
We rushed to steady her, but Ayla didn't respond. She simply stared ahead, wide-eyed and frozen in shock.
Ayla
No... It's not that...
It's just...
...
Somehow... It's like I haven't felt this in forever...
Still in disbelief, Ayla raised her hands and slowly turned them over, as if confirming something for herself.
Ayla
My whole body... It feels so light...
I haven't felt like this since... since I was little...
...!
As she kept checking herself, tears began streaming down her face.
Smile
Ayla... why are you crying...? Does something hurt?
Ayla
I'm sorry... It's just... my body hasn't felt this light in so long...
...Heh... Hehehe...
With a bright, relieved smile, Ayla bowed deeply.
Ayla
Thank you... Thank you, everyone...
All the while Ayla held the compass, its needle had seemed permanently fixed on north...
And now, it pointed straight at Ayla.
Luna
Hmm? Wait, there's something under the compass.
A single sheet of paper lay hidden inside the supposedly empty box, its color faded until it was almost indistinguishable from the wood beneath it.
Ayla
This looks like... a note.
Ayla took the paper from Luna and slowly read through it.
In defiance of fate, I created Flora and dreamed that it might remain an eternal paradise...
To preserve that paradise, I bound every trace of cold and darkness within a single sheet of parchment.
My selfish dream may have burdened you with illness, yet you endured and came this far. As recompense, I leave you this compass and the blessing held within it.
Until the day I cast anchor upon this shore, defied fate at last, and ended my ceaseless wandering...
This compass was my guide throughout my entire life.
This compass responds when one refuses to yield to fate.
Hold fast to that conviction, and wherever this needle points, there your fate shall await you.
Luna
May my blessing be with you on the path ahead.
Once Luna finished reading the message aloud, she folded the faded paper and returned it to Ayla.
Luna
...Guess he was every bit as tired of being pushed around by fate.
Don't you think so, Ayla?
Ayla
...
Ayla gave no reply. She simply stared at the compass in her hand.
Ayla
It said, wherever the tip of this needle points, there your fate will be... right?
Smile
Yeah. And the needle is...
...Still pointing at Ayla.
Luna
It really is. No matter where Ayla moves, the needle follows her.
Yeah. That means Ayla's fate...
Is in her own hands.
Smile
Looks like the Pirate King was saying the same thing we were.
Your fate is yours to shape.
Ayla
...!
Only then did Ayla finally look away from the compass and raise her eyes to the sky.
So much had happened that none of us had noticed, but...
Ayla
The night... It's almost over...
The sun was rising beyond the horizon.
That's the last of them, right?
Brushing off my hands, I looked over the pirates tied up across the deck of their own ship.
By the time we had loaded even the unconscious pirates aboard, the sun was already high in the sky.
Ayla
Yes...! That's every last one of them!
And yet there she stood, finally free to keep moving forward.
Pirate A
Ugh... You're telling me the Pirate King's treasure wasn't even gold or jewels? It's not worth a single coin?!
You're telling me it was really nothing but... that lousy golden compass...?
Shark
Eeeengh...
...Needless to say, the pirates looked pretty crushed when they learned what the Pirate King's treasure really was.
Smile
Then we should begin preparations for departure.
Luna
All right! Everyone together now!
Luna took a deep breath and climbed to a higher spot.
Luna
All hands! Anchors aweigh!
Ayla & Smile
Anchors aweigh...!
Anchors aweigh!
Our answer came without the slightest hesitation, loud enough to shake the entire deck.
Luna
Of course, Captain. Why would I hesitate?
The biggest gamble of my life starts now, and I'm putting every year I have left on the line.
Your entire life?!
Aren't the stakes way too high...?!
Luna
Hehe... With that much riding on you, you couldn't possibly lose, could you?
Right, Captain?
As the sea breeze swept over the bow, we couldn't help but share a warm laugh.
Story and illustrations © Studio B-Side. An unofficial reading archive — for questions or requests, see the About page.