Stories from the Eleventh Ocean

There was a storm coming when the sailors hit the Tenth Ocean. It was still far, but already threatened the hearts of the men and women that fiercely rowed those seven ships, as many as the Seven Seas that were in the Old World.

Soon the storm reached their prows but did not defeat them. In a peculiar manner, they went into a formation which permitted them to arrive right at the centre of the beating and roaring thunder beast, the infamous Eye of the Storm that killed very many seaman and warriors.

Those mariners seemed far smarter than the ones who preceded them, as they used the storm as a means of transport, much likely in the Old Word used taxies. Their goal was to reach the Lighthouse, a relic from the past which appeared to be still useful. It was a very tall tower with a beam of light that travelled horizontally for long distances, to signal where a safe shore was. Old technology for modern needs. Its light could go so far and shine so bright that after moving with the storm for a few hours they could already see it, and even if they didn't know, but could imagine, the Lighthouse guardian was waiting for them.

He was the son of the Turtle God, the oldest creature living among the Worlds and the Eleven Oceans. While his father was wandering throughout the Lands to spread his knowledge and wisdom, he decided to stay at the Lighthouse to be a staple for the voyagers and the adventures of the New World.

He was waiting for his fellows from the long ships who had those strange manners to touch each other prows forming the shape of a flaming flower which chronicles were long lost to these days. He was always entertained by their unusual way of solving problems. It was quite funny.

During the wait, he sat on a bench outside the warm room where he used to live and started to play an old song, almost old as his parent, with a string instrument which has forgotten its name. It was called the Siren's Song and it told the daunting story of a beautiful red-haired girl with the most beautiful voice of all those ancient Seven Seas, who for love gave up his most precious gift to have a pair of legs instead of her beautiful shiny tale. She left the sea, her home, to venture to the Land which didn't move, to meet a prince that she saved from a ruinous shipwreck.

While he was intoning this mesmerizing piece he wondered why every story in the Old World finished with a happy ending... Life didn't work like that. so he got lost and lost in his singing his future guests could hear his beautiful voice in the distance and even if they were still trapped inside the storm they felt immediately relieved. He sang deep, going low to make the soils and the seas tremble in respect and reverence.

The storm was beginning to fade as the song was fading too and the company thought that they were finally free, they ignored the fact that they should've been ready to rumble. The Rover and his ghost ship, the ignominious Terror of the Oceans, were waiting for them.

As the curtain of the thunderstorm disappeared dread was the sensation that appeared in the seafarers' hearts, but not in their faces.

"At last we meet" - said the leader of the Company of the Long Ships. Those were the last words spoken from both sides. The twenty brave mariners uncovered their cannons and started firing them, as they knew. They knew that nor the Rover, nor his hideous crew were actual ghosts. They were made of flash, even if not human flesh.

Why ghosts should've needed to roam in the Oceans stealing food and riches from the boats and ships of those who fell due to the terrible storms which populated the waters? Desperation was running through the blood of the pirates as their companions fell dying for the flames into the unforgiving Eleventh Ocean.

The not-so terrific anymore ghost ship was burning and gulping water from the right side at the same time and the Captain watched his numerous crew fall one by one, destroyed by a bunch of sailors with ridiculously small ships. Was it possible for the most famous Buccaneers of the New World to lose to such little sea rats?

Those "little sea rats" thought it more than possible, since they left the stronger bomb for the Rover himself and while he was lost in his thought the bomb hit him and ignited his body and the rest of his crumbling vessel.

We could hear in the Future Chronicles that he could've been still thinking and not believing in his demise while he burnt away with his crew and his ship.

As the heroic seamen watched their enemies burning and sinking into the blue deep void they knew that the Eleventh Ocean, convinced of their worth, will let them pass and arrive safely at the Lighthouse. No more dangers on the horizon, only feasts and dances and singing with their godly friend for the next eleven days and eleven nights, until that graceful day was to come, the day they would sail home. That day arrived and after giving their farewells to the wise reptile, they jumped on their boats waiting for the right signal to depart.

In a matter of seconds, the sky went cloudy and grey and a great shadow began expanding in fight with the light. Right at that moment, that mysterious entity revealed itself. It was the signal they were waiting for, the Great Bird surfing the Sky.

They took their oars and commenced to roam with all of their strength following the mythical beast which will guide them home. So they travelled through growling waters, spikey backdrop with fangs to come out of the oceans, and traces of melted ice, until they reached the red and friendly shores of their beloved and fairly unforgotten Village of the Fifth Ocean.

This short story is part of a challenge with myself where I had to craft a story a day to educate me to write every day like I've always dreamt. Hope you're going to enjoy it and that you'll be willing to participate with advice and constructive critiques to help me improve my art.

Inspired by Celestial Ocean, author of Tales of the Seven Seas. Go listen to him on YouTube