It didn’t take long for the Reconnoiter Company to settle on the Ark-Shelled Island. Most of the Fleet started to surround the Island after every parasite in the innards of the beast were slain. With the removal of the creatures, the first one to settle were the builders who immediately cleared the surface of the beaches and provided space for where Fleet could truly land. The rest of the Fleet however, didn’t embarked on the island after noticing the Graveyard of Giants that were going to be their next destination.

West of Arkshelled was the Ark of the Elven-kin who had dominated the island with the Ark itself seemingly melting on top of the creature’s neck. Not only that the Ark ‘grew’ like extending roots covering a trunk of tree. It melted into the Beast and using the body of the beast as a ‘mold’ for the Ark.

The Ark had covered every part of the beast. From the innards to the very veins of the beast.

After the ‘domination’ of the beast. The Reconnoiter Company, and the Fleet have decided to call the Island as Arkshelled.

Arkshelled became the center of the fleet truly. And like ducklings who are following its mother. The fleet gathered around, guarding the ‘beaches’ of the beast. There are four beaches where the ships could land. The rear of the beast, which located east of the beast where the hardened tail that looked like a mountain’s spine are where the Grand-Galleons were marooned. On the Western side was where the head of the beast were, and it was more of an overlooked cliff with a fortress attached on the back of the beast’s neck.

With the power of the Ark it was able to fortify the tail allow the Grand-Galleons to be ‘dragged’ by the beast if it does decide to move. It was also tailored to become a shipyard where ships that are damaged could be repaired

Arkshelled have four giant limbs that are spread in a position where it could act as the ‘shoulder’ of the beast. On the shoulders are where some of the ships can temporality anchor themselves and land men on the beach. Most of the ships however are placed on the North-Eastern side of Arkshelled where a platform that was made from interwoven roots firmer than steel was created. Through this place they could moor the ships.

Other than these flat ‘shoulders’ that most of the crew members could settle down. There was only the slopes of the Island that are not fit to be settled.

The ‘shoulders’ were large enough and by the estimate of the Scholars who personally walked the shoulders after dealing with the parasites that there is two-hundred miles of area on the shoulders. Each shoulder was big enough that they could permanently settle down people in the shoulders.

One of the reasons that they would settle people in the shoulders would be was to give them something. Though the voyage is mostly composed of soldiers and such. The crew of the ships have their family that are crowding each ships. If they could place these families on the Shoulders then there would be less burden and stress knowing that they are in the Ark.

It came to the Admiral’s attention that Arkshelled itself needed people to maintain it.

In the middle of Arkshelled lies a giant elder tree and surrounding it are smaller elder trees that provide home for the sprits or the balls of light that follows the Fleet. Upon capture of Arkshelled, the spirits started growing plants and floras around the island. The soil that is layering the ‘shell’ of the beast itself was fertile enough that they could produce crops and place the cattle around the island. Once the farmers settle and those who could tend to cattle could find a place for themselves. Then there would be communities around the four ‘Shoulders’ of the Island.

As for whether they can turn the Island into a small country can be guaranteed with the protector of the Ark roaming around. The Island itself could carry the fleet on it back and it wouldn’t sink and the rock-like layer and the bark covering the belly of the beast has toughened the Island.

But the idea itself cannot be manifested without real thought behind it. To make sure that the Island remains stable. The Elven-kin themselves decided on where the houses are going to be. They also planned in the future to make use of the Ark’s abilities to further reinforce the stability of the Island.

Two weeks was all it took for the Fleet to creature semi-housing on the Shoulders after it was declared that they could enter the Island freely. Most of the fleet had send the non-combatants on the Island. The Elven-kin has started roaming the Shoulders and although the Island itself has more space beyond the Shoulders of Arkshelled. The trees that they grow on the slopes of the Arkshelled occupied most of that space. Some of these ‘trees’ were fruit trees that have seemingly mingled with the elder trees.

Not only that they have designated these trees as places where they could not cut down. They demand that they would contact the Constable they assigned and any violation will send them to an Inquisitor of the Fleet.

There were also spaces around the slopes that are meant for farming. It was actually the farmers who demanded that they would make contoured farms around the sloped land of the Island. The Elven-kin found this acceptable and had pledged that they would help in terracing the farms with the use of their Protectors who can be used to till the lands. Of course, they would have to leave the rest of the farming to the farmers and figure out to grow crops in an Island that moves.

One of the biggest obstacles that they would have consider was how they could create a sustainable farm in a hostile and volatile environment. The Island itself was moving and though months may pass without a change in season. It doesn’t mean that the crops that they planted may grow and survive.

That itself wasn’t the problem. The problem that the whole fleet was facing was that it couldn’t move forward so easily on the Graveyard of Corpses left behind by the beast that are still lurking around the area.

Though they have no opposition so far. And have started scavenging the left behind corpses. The sea itself was mudded with a strange thick liquid that none of the fleet would touch. None would dare after the Scholars and Researchers of the Fleet discovered that in those thick liquid were fthe lea-sized worms that resembled the same parasites that they found on that pus-ridden beast. The air was rancid. Most of the crew have started wrapping their faces with scarfs in order to breathe the air.

The frailer ones started to lose their appetite as the Fleet ventures deeper into the Graveyard of Corpses. Thankfully, in the Milostiv, there was no one that got sick because of the rancid air.

Though there are certainly enemies below them. Not all ‘enemies’ are hostile and they have enemies such as what the fleet is facing now.

An environment that smelled of rotting carcasses was the enemy of the Fleet at the moment.

*****

Every stench permeates the air. Rotten meat falling from the bones after being dipped too long in such pudgy and murky water. There were bones that are falling from the side, crumbling, and it was a wonder. If bones could fall to the side after so long. Then how many years have it been since these creatures have fallen?

Among the creatures were the black-scaled that they met on Tascam’s point and fought in the Dread Line.

Gabrio took it all in. He wore the beak mask he kept in his clinic. His arms crossed and his eyes steady on every single rotten spine and rib that was beginning to fall down on the ocean. Gabrio was preoccupied.

“The foul odor of Cadaverine,” he wrote in his journal, “and the colorless liquid of putrescine. Or at least that’s what teacher call them.”

He snapped his journal to a close. He held on to the rigging of the Grand-Galleon as the ram of the Grand-Galleon pushes forward on the small bones. Though the Grand-Galleon could push forward because of its hulls. The rest of the ships followed gingerly while maintain a column four column formation. Positioning wise, this was the worst thing they could do while being surrounded with the giant rotting bones.

No divers were allowed on the ocean because of the ‘parasites’ that are living in the water. The spirits following the Fleet were uneasy in a way that they kept on shaking as if they were freezing. But that was not it either. Gabrio had been observing the ‘spirits’ and the elven-kin ever since they entered the graveyard of giants.

It was out of curiosity that he started looking at the spirits and the elven when the fleet was discussing their entry to this graveyard.

The Elven-kin did not like the smell and though the Island needed to handle the Shoulders of the Islands. They did not allow the locals to tend to the buildings while the ‘death-smell’ was gone. Though the smell isn’t making the people sick yet, the lot started to complain. But knowing how ‘omens’ are treated by the Elven-kin. None of the locals were able to complain. To safeguard the locals they were placed inside Arkshelled Island where they might take shelter from the smell of death permeating the air.

“They call it the Sea of Reeds,” Dom said while approaching. “The old Charts had mentioned the Empty Sea and the Sea of Reeds. From what we’ve gathered it seems that we have traveled the Empty Sea. If it wasn’t for the winds brought by the spirits, we wouldn’t have made it this far. To think that the Sea of Reeds wouldn’t be filled with Reeds…just the dead of the sea monsters.”

“Below the ocean, the divers pointed out of flora growing that are giants. I believe that this is the Sea of Reeds, but at the same time it is the place where these beasts live. I don’t know how we defeat that predator, but even it could not possible eat all of this.”

“Then there is more to come.”

Dom said with his voice shaking behind that mask of his. Gabrio glances over his direction and shook his head.

“Fear ain’t going to help. All we have is Arkshelled and the strength of our cannon. I believe that they have a plan to get us out of this mess. We still the Icean Spine and beyond that…let’s just hope that we can go beyond the Icean Spine.”

“Mighty glaciers and mountains of ice. I do hope we can see that.”

The Grand-Galleon, the Milostiv pushed against one of the spines. It started to bend and before long it cracked and fell to the side. The Grand-Galleon moved, following the path cleared by Arkshelled as it breaks everything that was in the way.

Bones were grinded and some were swept by the layered surface of the Island as it paves a way. The further they go the thicker the miasma was. The spirits who blew the winds started to falter and before long the sails became still.

The Sailors faltered and one of the deckhand trembled as he started to pray. Not far from where Gabrio and Dom was standing. The Helmsman cursed and lit a rolled tobacco, driving the miasma away.

Behind the Milostiv, the rest of the fleet stopped as well. The signalman on the crow’s nest lowered his hands and signaled to the Helmsman.

Gabrio didn’t like it. He saw the fear slowly corrode the eyes of the sailors. But as the fear of the unknown starts to weaken their spirits.

Gabrio heard a voice.

It was a voice so mythical that he could only swing his head to where it was coming from. Above the castle of the mast, he saw the lady of the ship, Lady Eletha of Roan sing a song that empowered the spirits.

Her voice boomed throughout the fleet and not long there was a chorus that covered the fleet. Like a storm of multi-colored lights, the fleet’s spirits grew bold and a thin barrier started to manifest.

What followed was the roar and praise of the crew. Even Dom couldn’t help but cheer at the power she displayed. The Elven Artes, the blood, which made them valuable to the fleet.

Gabrio stared at her figure, then returned his eyes to the bones that rots the seas. His thoughts however was on something that bothered him deeply.

Why is her singing so weaker?