People gathered once again by the table, for possibly their last meal, at the captain's request, the chef used most of the food, leaving enough for a day of travel. Some came hesitantly, not really hungry, as the truth didn’t leave their stomachs. Navia sat across the table to have direct eye contact with Oswold, a bit disturbed by his approach.
“Thank you all for gathering. First, I would like to thank our chef, Diana, for cooking this meal. I know that some of you might barely touch the food, but this is my last gesture toward you…” The captain stopped for a moment, considering his next words and the actions he took that led him to that moment. “Part of you probably will try to leave this place to try to survive. This meal will give you strength for the path ahead.” Many people seemed surprised by that answer. The man was hesitant to let anyone leave, yet now he acknowledged the fact that they could leave whenever they wanted.
August was the one most surprised. He traveled with Captain Oswold for a long time and sailed many miles on this ship. He knew how stubborn the captain was, yet at this moment, he was like a different person.
“And for the part who isn’t sure about leaving… This is our last meal, so enjoy it to your heart's content… Have a good meal….” All of the people gathered went silent to let those words sink in. They had a choice to make, but it was a hard one for many. Captain Oswold tried his best not to shed a tear, holding it in, but the water in his eyes couldn’t be hidden from the light of a candle.
No one had it in them to take a bite of the food except for the captain, slowly taking the bread and salad. Picking the best fish he could find. It was his last meal, and he wanted to taste the best food out there on the table. Next was the old lady, the mother of Isabell. She too looked for the best parts of the fish and salad, sharing them with her daughter.
Instead of thanking her mother, Isabell began to cry. There was no need for words; a single gesture told her everything. Her mother wanted to treat her child one last time. Trying to bring that wholesome feeling of sharing food with a family one last time.
Everyone was sad, but the Captain did his best to hold back the tears so everyone could enjoy the food instead of listening to his cry, and Eufemia, Isabell’s mother, wanted her daughter to remember her smile, even if it was the last one she would ever see.
Even with tears and not feeling the need for food, Isabell took a bite of what Eufemia gave her. Accepting the last gesture her mother would ever give her. The rest of the people followed, no matter if they wanted to stay or leave; they did it for each other's sake. Seeing that the captain let a light smile sneak onto his face even when overwhelmed with sorrow.
“Glad to see everyone’s enjoying my food… I hope it’s not my last one…” Whispered Diana, hoping that no one heard it, but to her surprise, Benedict the Goldsmith, who sat beside her, heard everything.
“Let’s hope it's not… But even if it is. Be proud of it, as I haven’t eaten anything like that in a long time…” Answered Benedict, loud enough so Diana would be the only one to hear it.
Another man tried to speak with August, a bit uncomfortable by the situation, but they were able to share occasional laughs. People began to open up to each other about their past, telling about their experiences, regrets, and sins. They felt compelled to tell someone the truth.
“I know it may not seem like the right time…” The Captain began speaking loudly. He reached for something in the bag beside his table. “All I want to say is it has been a pleasure working with you.” Oswold nodded his head toward the few remaining workers of the ship and then turned to the passengers, “And thank you for all the times we spent together on the ship.” The man took out the bottle of wine and opened it. “And above all, I wish good luck to the ones who are leaving. May you find a way out.”
The dining grew closer to the end as everyone sipped on the bit of wine given to them, for some the last sweet taste in their life, while for others a taste that would bring back the memories of this day.
August gathered all the people who wanted to try and escape this “cavern”; they took all the knives from the kitchen, trying to gear up and prepare for possible fights.
Only four people decided to stay, among them was the captain and Isabell’s mother. All of them sat by the table chatting and waiting for their turn. The young lady approached her mother, wanting to convince her, but Eufemia knew what she would say.
“Don’t make it harder, my dear… I chose to stay because I don’t want to be a burden…” The older lady looked at her broken foot, still feeling the pain but doing her best to forget about it. “I lasted eighty-four years, that’s a long time.” As Isabell tried to say something, Eufemia put a finger on her mouth and cut in, “And you should last longer than me. That is my wish… So try to keep it true. Would you, Isabell?”
“I’ll do my best…” Answered the girl, embracing her mother as tightly as she could, unable to let her go.
“Alright, people! You have a moment to prepare yourself for what is about to come. Navia had killed many monsters, but we don’t know how many of them are left or how many entered the ship again. Apparently, there is a hole through which they entered the ship, somewhere on this floor.” There was something in August’s voice that made everyone listen to him. He didn’t hesitate with his words, and they carried the confidence he had in himself.
“I could see him as a squad leader in the order.” Thought Navia, being glad that August was the person she met. A hidden rough gem was drifting on the sea, waiting to be discovered.
“Navia, if you could.” August stepped away from the door and grabbed the handle, waiting for Navia’s signal. Once she nodded her head, he opened them. This time she only created two daggers as she didn’t expect much or anything at that matter.
Standing in the corridor, she looked up the stairs and both sides, but there was nothing. Not even the corpses of the monsters she once killed. “Odd… The corpses of the monsters are quick to decay, but it's not that fast… I did hear a lot of noises last night, but I didn’t expect anything like that.” Navia waited a moment, looking out for any frogs even though she knew very well that there was no one in the corridor.
At the wave of her hand, August followed, and slightly behind him, seventeen other people with knives and pans in their hands. Three of them carried bags with small bits of food that would let them survive another day.
With Navia in front, the group moved toward the seating area. The corpses of the frogs were also missing down to every bit of the flesh, leaving only yellow stains from their blood.
People in the back were glad that nothing was happening, but the ones who could see Navia seemed worried just by reading her expression. Moving toward the back of the ship, the stench was getting stronger.
“I feel like I am going to vomit at any moment…” Benedict held a kitchen knife in one hand while the other hand was on his mouth, trying to hold it in.
“Its far worse down here than it was on the deck… Did the scent of blood mask this scent?” August felt confident he wouldn’t feel bad because of the smell, but it suddenly hit him. “Doesn’t that smell bother you, Navia?” Shouted lightly, August, from the back of the group.
“I witnessed a lot worse. Get used to that if you want to become a warrior of the order.” Answered Navia, focused on the path forward. Suddenly, she lifted an open hand, and everyone halted.
Everyone searched for the thing she noticed, but Navia was the only one with the eyes of a hawk. She noticed a movement in a small gap between the planks. Something was moving outside, but it didn’t seem to notice them.
Navia turned around to the whole group and placed a finger on her mouth, the most well-known sign there could be. Be silent and follow. Navia constantly looked to their left between the small gaps. She didn’t know what it was, only that it was there.
Near the back of the ship, there was a hole big enough for a horse to walk through. This was how the monsters entered the ship. Navia placed one dagger on top of another, and as they melted together, they formed a spear. Before dashing outside, she checked on August, who was ready for anything that would happen. He grasped the dark sword in his hand and braced himself for combat.
In the blink of an eye, all that was left was dust from Navia’s dash. Twisting her body, she immediately threw the spear at the first monster she saw, a frog walking on the side of the ship. It didn’t even have time to realize that Navia was there as the spear went through its torso, pinning it to the wall.
With a knife in hand, she was ready for more, but there were no more monsters around. She straightened her back and lightly shouted, “You can come out.” As the people slowly left the ship, Navia went to pick up her spear and take back the blood.
The stench was much stronger outside, but it was to be expected since they were inside a living creature. August ripped the sleeves of his shirt and continued to shred them into bits until he had a cloth to cover his mouth and nose. He gave six of them to other people and approached Navia with the last cloth.
“The smell doesn’t bother me. Give it to someone who needs it more than me.” Stated Navia, focused on her surroundings, not wanting to make the same mistakes as last time.
Seeing as the cloth covering the mouth and nose made it easier to stand in this place, another man ripped his sleeves to give cloth to a few people who were left with none.
“August, lead the way. You were the one who spotted the path.” Said Navia, moving closer to the group and giving August the space for him to take the lead.
Focused on finding the exit, neither of them noticed how many more ships were inside the Gruesome Cavern. Many of them were torn to pieces with a clear sign of struggle against the current, which took them into the Leviathan’s belly.
August was able to recognize a few of the ships from the ports he had been to recently. Judging by their state, it was easy to tell none of them survived. Some were lucky and drowned in the water before falling into this hell.
Suddenly, he was jerked backwards, realizing that Navia was now standing behind him, holding his jacket. “There is a group of monsters ahead. Better to avoid combat if possible.” Explained Navia. August didn’t see any monsters, but he believed Navia; only he witnessed what she is truly capable of.
Nodding his head, he turned the group to the right, trying to use the shipwreck as a cover from the barnacles’ sight. August thought they were supposed to sneak, but Navia suddenly picked up the speed, “Another group of monsters is moving behind us.”
As they quickly marched forward, August quickly noticed a dozen Barnacles standing a mile away, straight from them. He turned to the right again, moving between the two sides of a ship broken in half.
“Why does it feel like they are tailing us…” August spoke his thoughts to Navia as she was in front, just in case a monster jumped them from around a corner.
“It’s something else…” Navia suddenly stopped as they stood on an empty field with ship wrecks all around. Each path between the ships was blocked by large groups of barnacles, and on the ships themselves stood frogs with acid ready to spit at anyone who would get close. “A trap.”
Navia changed most of her blood into a long sword, leaving just enough for bracelets around her forearms. Her eyes darted from one group to the other, looking for the first one to move, but the monsters didn’t budge from where they stood.
“Are they waiting for us to move first?” Asked Benedict, trying to hide how much his body was trembling, but his voice was enough for everyone to notice.
The monsters showed a bit of strategic thinking while storming the villages and cities. There was always a monster capable of destroying the gate or walls to make the path for the rest, but that kind of strategy was the first. Almost as if someone was manipulating the monsters to their will.
“He cannot be alive…” Navia pushed the thought of Sive surviving as she was certain the man was dead, but what else was capable of controlling the monsters?
A light moved between the barnacles. Navia watched it as if in trans. The closer it got, the more tense she began to feel. August was quick to notice her trembling hands. He moved closer to make sure how she was doing, but just one look at her face made him worry. Her eyes seemed distant as if looking at something far away, far in time. Then there were the tears, no sobbing or any sign of crying other than tears running down her face.
From between the barnacles stepped out a tall monster made of bones and a few muscle fibers. On its head, a bulb of light swinging from one side to another. In its hands, a harpoon with gashes in the blade and clear blood stains that no water could wash off.