The Center of Cosmos

CHAPTER NINE

Chapter Nine

The wind became stronger and colder. The sailors conditioned the sails and the knights were on standby, holding trumpets with swords in their scabbards hanging on their waist. While the torches were lighted and lining on the ship, Celine was quietly observing everyone being busy.

Mathew was busy commanding the knight commander and calling for Lucas to pass the message to the ships behind them.

Allen was holding the blueprint of their plan as he instructed the sailors what they needed to do when the ships pass the dangerous place.

Casis was having a private matter with his aide as he went inside to talk to the captain’s ship.

Nathan approaches her.

“Are you okay?”

“I am fine,” Celine answered as she gaze at Nathan.

“How about you? You are not calling me big sister anymore?” she continued as she faced him.

“Well, I think you got uncomfortable when I called you that. And I only called you ‘big sister’ to brighten up your mood,” he replied as he smiled exposing his white teeth.

‘Well, he did not look like he was insulting or pranking me, that is why it doesn’t matter to me at all,’ she thought.

“It is fine, you can call me anything you want.”

“Oh, please do not mind that anymore, I was shameless back then, I apologize,” he said.

“You don’t have to. Thank you for trying to cheer me up at that time,” she answered.

“I hope we get along well, Celine,” Nathan uttered.

“Did we not?” she asks as he looked him in his eyes.

“To be honest, I am glad you understand that it is uncomfortable for me to hear someone calling me a big sister because I do not have a brother or a family, to begin with, it is a taboo for me. I also cannot call you as a friend because it is too early for me to say that,” she explained.

“However, it is clear as the sun for me, that you are a stranger yet a complete important one. Know that all of you here are important strangers for me,” She added.

“I am glad to hear that from you, then I will be on my way,” Nathan responded as he smiled at her.

“Yes, you can. Please do your best,” she replied to him.

He chuckled.

“It seems like you are trying to cheer me up. Thank you for trying,” he said as he excuse himself and walks away.

She looked back at the view in front of her. She saw tall and steep rocks that have a narrowed aisle in between, enough for a ship to pass through, as she looked up she observed that the parallel rocks are taller than the ship’s sails.

The darkness enveloped them as they slowly entered the place.

They have finally arrived.

Sirens or what are commonly known as mermaids are a creature that lives a long time ago, in their world sirens are the curse of the ocean bringing demise and chaos to the sea. They are the murderers of the travelers and sailors, the bringer of storms.

Sirens possess an upper body of a human female but it is too skinny almost like a bone and the lower parts of their body was a tail of a fish.

Children's books say that they are beautiful creatures but they are not. They have long hair and their face have no nose but gills found on each side of their necks. They have no eyebrows as well and have sharp teeth and claws. On the contrary, they have a beautiful voice which made them more dangerous.

They can lure humans using their voices which triggers the human heart’s sadness and fears that will make them insane and drown themselves in the water.

Nothing is more dangerous than the enemy who can use your own weaknesses to your death.

As the ship continued to enter the passageway, Celine shifted her head as she gaze at the cloudy sky. There were no birds and the place is dark. The only thing that lighted their way are the torches from the ship.

‘Even the birds have their sadness and fears as well,’ her mind whispered at her.

She feel her surroundings, the busy conversations of the sailors, the waves’ impact on the moving ships, and the howl of the wind, she can hear it all, however, despite that, she cannot feel any danger, not yet.

The inside of the water is dangerously very silent.

“The sirens are in the middle of this place,” Mathew uttered as he looked at her.

She did not respond and just looked back at him.

“Did I surprise you?” he asks.

“No, master, I have felt your presence beside me that is why I am not surprised,” she replied.

“You look like you are in deep thoughts while standing here that is why I approach you.”

“Not really.”

“Did Nathan said something that bothered you?” he questioned.

“You are watching us?”

“Not really, I just notice,” he answered.

She looked away as she looked at the fire on the torch.

“He did not say anything that could bother me. He just apologize for calling me as big sister during our breakfast,” she answered.

Mathew laughs softly.

“How did you feel when he called you his big sister?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh,” he mumbled.

“To be honest, I do not know what to feel that is why I cannot react,” she continued.

“Then I will assume that nothing is wrong with you,” Mathew replied.

“You worry too much master,” she said as her emerald eyes reflected the fire from the torch she keeps on staring at.

“There is nothing wrong in feeling worried about someone. It just means they are important to you.”

Celine glance at him upon hearing his statement.

“Then I apologize if I worried you.”

Mathew chuckled.

“What are you going to do next master?” she asks never breaking the stare.

“What do you mean?”

“If ever you have successfully saved this world, what would you do next?”

“I am still trying to figure out. How about you?” he responded.

“I don’t know,” she simply said as she shrugs her shoulders.

“How long will we be here?” she asks.

“The ship will continue to move a day and a half in this place. We will arrive at the center at dawn,” he simply answered.

She did not respond anymore until Lucas approaches Mathew and ask for his presence. They both excuse themselves to her and walk away, leaving her standing there alone until she decided to go to her room to rest.

It was already in the middle of the night, Mathew together with the three kings was still on the deck of the ship.

“We will be arriving at the battlefield after three hours your majesty,” Casis informed him.

“Yes, the captain has already informed me. But thank you for telling me Casis,” Mathew responded as he smiled.

Casis bowed his head as a response as he smiled back.

“As long as we carry our plan well, everything will be smooth for us and we will be arriving at the end of this passageway by afternoon,” Allen announced.

“Damn. I need coffee,” Nathan uttered.

The three men both look at him.

“What?” Nathan asks as he stared back at them.

“What comes to your mind and you suddenly called Celine as a big sister?” Allen uttered as he crossed his arms.

“Just thinking that maybe the mood will light a bit because there is a certain someone who said too much to her,” he answered.

“And you think it lighted up the mood?” Allen rebut.

“Do not start an argument right now,” Casis intervened as he massage his temple.

“We should focus and put ourselves in a good condition. Meaningless arguments should not get in our way,” Mathew announced.

“Yes, your majesty. I apologize,” Nathan said.

“I apologize for my attitude your majesty,” Allen uttered as he bowed his head.

“There is nothing to worry about, it’s fine,” Mathew replied as he smiled at them.

“Lucas?” he called.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“How is Celine?” he asks as he faced him.

“She is currently at her room resting your majesty. However she requested me to wake her before we arrive at the sirens’ colony,” Lucas answered.

“It's much better for her to not get interrupted on her sleep but if she really wanted for you to wake her up then do as she says,” Mathew uttered.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“How were the knights doing Casis?” Mathew asks.

“All of them are in good shape, your majesty. They already had their dinner one hour ago,” he replied.

“It is good to hear. Then how about the three of you?” Mathew questioned as he gazes at them.

“We already had your majesty,” Nathan answered.

The wind became strange and became colder. It’s already been three hours, and they have already arrived.

Mathew held his sword tightly as he signaled the knight who was holding a lighted torch to give a signal to the ships behind them to be ready.

The knight immediately swayed his torch sideways indicating to be ready and be alert.

Sirens will immediately notice the ships by the light coming from the torches and will automatically try to sing.

However, there is a certain hint before the mermaids’ starts to use their voices which no one easily noticed. It is when the howling of the wind stops.

Then the howling stops.

Mathew signaled the knights to start and the knight immediately relayed the message to the other ships.

All the knights who are holding trumpets started to blow as their trumpets’ sound echoed aloud along the way.

With the loud noise coming from the trumpets it’s impossible for them to hear the sirens’ song.

They have assigned three knights in each post. The two have their own trumpets and will take turns every two minutes. And since the mermaids’ music will not be heard all the enemies will try to climb the ships using their claws, and this is the role of the third knight. They will shoot arrows at all the mermaids who will try to approach the ships.

How will they be able to see through the dark? Sirens’ tails will glow if there is light. And since there were torches lining around the deck of the ship, the enemies will be easy to be spotted.

The loud noise was impossible for them to communicate but the three kings understands the mouth’s movement without needing to hear his voice.

Mathew looked at Nathan.

“Nathan now.”

Nathan nodded his head as his spear started to glow.

There is no way the third knight in each post can shoot all the sirens approaching them if they were too fast to swim, that’s why they need to change the flow and current of the water. As long as the current and the flow of the water takes alongside the movement of the ships then all is well.

Casis and Allen are also busy doing their roles. Everyone was executing the plan very well as they all doing what Mathew was making them do.

Celine together with the aides who were witnessing the entire scenario was totally speechless and amuse.

Celine although has an expression which hard to read remained standing as she was impressed by all of them. She stared at Mathew who was too busy giving commands.

‘I remember you said to trust all of you. You really never failed your words to me master. I am glad,’ her mind said as she looked at everyone.

After hours of implementing the plan, Mathew saw a mark of an ‘X’ indicating that they have passed through the center. A few meters away from the mark the knight assigned to give signals lighted small fireworks as it glowed above the ship’s sail saying they have successfully passed through the center, followed by the second, the third, the fourth, and the last.

Soon the loud trumpets’ sound faded into small echoes until it was gone.

The plan was successful!

It was already at the break of dawn since they successfully crossed the center of the passageway. Soon they will arrive at the end of the mermaid’s den by afternoon.

The knights’ laugh celebrated the success of the plan as the aides approaches their bosses.

Celine remained where she was. It was a very amusing sight for her and she felt her heart beating fast. She felt an unknown feeling within her.

‘Am I happy or relieve?’ she asks herself.

“How was it? Did I not disappoint you?” Mathew asks as he walks towards her.

“You never did master,” she replied.

“Then why are you not smiling?” he asks.

“I forgot how,” she responded as she shrugs her shoulders.

Seeing his expression as if he was not rewarded, she then walks towards him.

“I am sorry for requesting this master but can you bend a little?” she requested.

“Of course,” he replied as he bend.

She then patted his head as she felt his soft hair on her palm.

“You did this to me and when I ask you what this gesture means, you answered that this is what you do when you did a great job,” she said.

Mathew who was surprised began to laugh in amusement.

“You never fail to surprise me,” he said as he smiled at her.

Suddenly she felt cursed energy coming from behind her master. She immediately push him to the side as her left arm was stab by a black dagger.

Her eyes widened when she realized it was not an ordinary weapon.

“Celine!” Mathew called.

“Master! Don’t come near us!” she said which made him stops approaching her.

“Miss me?” the man who stab her said as he grinned at her.

It was Erius.

“How does it feel? Should I also cut your arms so that you would understand?” he said as he laugh.

“You, where did you get this weapon?” she asks.

“Do you really think I would tell you, b***h?” Erius replied.

The other knights and the three kings were trying to approach them.

“I told you to not come near us!” She shouted which made them stops.

“I will ask again, where did you found this weapon. Who healed you?!”

“I won’t tell you,” he said trying to provoke her as he pulled out the dagger pierced on her arm.

She yelp in pain as he saw the monster running towards Mathew. She runs after him and uses her strength to pull the monster’s arm towards her as she throws him on the floor.

She hasn’t totally recovered herself but she has enough energy to use a little of her magic.

She raised her bleeding arm and swayed her fingertips, Erius started to burn and turn into ashes as she took the dagger and use her magic to broke it into small pieces.

Her vision started to get blurry as she felt nauseous like any minute she’ll puke. And after a few seconds, she heard Mathew’s voice before she lost consciousness.