Duncan leaned against the railings, gazing thoughtfully at the vast ocean stretching endlessly before him. Its deep sapphire waves rose and fell rhythmically, a deceptively serene sight beneath the gentle glow of the sun—a sun whose true nature he was only now beginning to comprehend.
He gently turned the golden sun emblem over in his fingers, feeling its faint warmth seep into his palm. This small artifact, brought from the sinister depths of Pland, held significance far beyond its modest appearance. It was a symbol of an ancient sun worshipped by fanatic zealots, whose existence spoke of secrets buried deep within the fabric of this world's history.
"Children of the Sun," Duncan murmured softly, recalling the goat head's disdainful tone when it had mentioned these elusive beings. If the goat head's information was accurate, these "children" weren't mere metaphors or human leaders of a cult. Instead, they were genuine entities—strange, dangerous remnants from an age long forgotten, now manipulating human worshippers from the shadows.
The Lost Home, and perhaps even Duncan himself, seemed to have no love for these "Heirs," as the goat head called them. An unspoken hostility appeared to exist between whatever faction Duncan represented and these mysterious remnants of ancient powers.
He looked down into the ocean again, its depths unfathomable, hiding countless secrets beneath its surface. According to the goat head, there were not only Heirs of the Sun but also "Heirs of the Deep"—similar creatures dwelling beneath the waves, equally ancient, equally mysterious.
A wry smile crossed Duncan's lips. "And here I thought it was just fish swimming around down there."
Footsteps behind him broke his reverie. Alice approached cautiously, clearly having overheard his last words. She paused hesitantly, carefully measuring her words. "Captain… did you just say something about fish?"
"Just thinking aloud," Duncan replied, turning to her with a faint smile. "How did the fish-drying go? Did you manage to avoid another 'incident' with the ropes and chains?"
Alice straightened immediately, an eager smile lighting her porcelain face. "No incidents at all, Captain! Everything went perfectly this time—I asked carefully before doing anything. Your loyal first mate explained things thoroughly."
"Did he now?" Duncan raised an eyebrow, slightly skeptical. "So you're telling me the goat head gave you concise instructions?"
"Well, perhaps not exactly concise," Alice admitted sheepishly, "but at least thorough. Very thorough."
Duncan chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "I'm glad to hear it."
Alice stepped forward, her expression shifting to one of curiosity as she noticed the small golden emblem in his hand. "Is that the thing you brought back, Captain? Mr. Goat Head said you returned with some sort of artifact. It looks… strangely warm."
Duncan raised the sun emblem slightly, letting the muted sunlight reflect off its polished surface. "It belonged to some fanatics worshipping an ancient sun. They thought it held the essence of their god."
Alice's eyes widened slightly. "Does it?"
"Not anymore," Duncan replied, his tone light yet firm. "It's just a relic now—a symbol of old misguided beliefs."
Alice tilted her head thoughtfully. "I've never understood why people worship such dangerous things."
"Desperation and ignorance can lead people down dark paths," Duncan said quietly, his gaze once again drifting toward the distant horizon. "Especially when the truth is lost to history."
Alice hesitated, glancing between the emblem and Duncan's thoughtful expression. "Captain, do you think those people know they're being manipulated by these so-called 'Children of the Sun'?"
"Most likely not," Duncan said, shaking his head. "Most of them genuinely believe in their twisted vision, blind to the true nature of the creatures they worship."
Alice shivered slightly, pulling her dress closer as though to ward off a chill despite her wooden body having no real sense of temperature. "It's frightening to think about."
"It is," Duncan agreed gently, "but that's why we keep sailing. To learn, to understand, and perhaps… to guard against such dangers."
Alice smiled warmly, clearly comforted by Duncan's confident words. "I'm glad you're our captain, Duncan."
Duncan laughed softly, turning back toward the navigation room. "And I'm glad to have a crew like you—even if your first days aboard are a bit too lively."
Alice giggled lightly, seeming to regain her usual cheerful demeanor. "I'll be careful from now on, I promise!"
As Duncan stepped back into the navigation room, the goat head instantly swiveled to face him again, clearly eager to continue their previous conversation. "Captain, you seem deeply curious about the Heirs—shall I enlighten you further? Perhaps an enlightening yet brief summary of my accumulated knowledge on the subject—"
"Yes, briefly," Duncan interjected firmly. "What exactly are these 'Heirs'?"
The goat head clicked its wooden jaws, composing itself briefly before beginning again in a surprisingly concise manner. "Heirs are ancient beings, born from the cataclysmic event known as the Great Annihilation. When the Old Order fell and the Deep Sea Era began, many fragments of the former world survived as twisted remnants—these remnants became what we now call 'Heirs'."
"So they existed before the Great Annihilation?" Duncan asked carefully.
"They are byproducts of it," the goat head clarified. "They are neither entirely human nor entirely of this world—yet they dwell in hidden places, manipulating humans from the shadows."
Duncan thoughtfully turned the sun emblem in his hand again. "And the Children of the Sun… these are specifically connected to the ancient sun?"
"Precisely. Unlike the creatures of the deep sea, the Children of the Sun obsessively yearn for a return to the Old Order. Their goal is to resurrect their fallen god—the original sun itself."
"But that's impossible, right?" Duncan pressed, watching closely for any hesitation from the goat head.
The goat head paused, its voice suddenly cautious. "It should be impossible. The ancient sun was shattered beyond recovery. But belief is a powerful thing, Captain. Even impossible dreams can bring terrible consequences if enough people believe strongly enough."
Duncan frowned, his fingers tightening slightly around the emblem. "Then what of the 'Heirs of the Deep'? Are they allied or opposed to the sun's Heirs?"
"Generally opposed. The deep sea holds many creatures and many factions, but most of them have adapted to the current age. They prefer the darkness beneath the waves to the ancient sun's resurrection. They have their own ambitions, however, and many are no less dangerous than the sun-worshippers."
Duncan nodded slowly, understanding beginning to crystallize in his mind. "So we have multiple ancient factions hidden in this world, each with their own plans, manipulating people from behind the scenes…"
"Indeed," the goat head confirmed solemnly. "Our ship—the Lost Home—is feared precisely because we do not serve any of these factions. Under your command, we stand apart from both the Heirs of the Sun and those of the Deep."
"We serve no one," Duncan said softly, feeling the weight of his position settle more heavily on his shoulders. "And thus we make enemies of everyone."
The goat head's voice became quiet, almost reverent. "Yet that is why you remain free, Captain. Why this ship sails the seas without chains."
Duncan stood in silence, processing this revelation. He felt as though he had just stepped closer to understanding the purpose of the Lost Home and his own enigmatic existence aboard it.
"Thank you, first mate," he finally said, his voice steady. "This information was… very helpful."
"Always at your service, Captain," the goat head replied proudly, its wooden form radiating unmistakable satisfaction.
Duncan turned to the open sea again, letting the ocean breeze sweep across his face, clearing his thoughts. His mission was becoming clearer with every discovery. To remain free—to chart his own course—he would need knowledge, strength, and allies.
And perhaps, Duncan thought, glancing over his shoulder toward the deck where Alice was humming softly as she busied herself checking dried fish, he had already begun gathering the crew he would need for what lay ahead.