Chapter 18: First Village of New Tidings
The mountain rose from the water like a sword. Behind, many more silhouettes stood tall, covered in a fog so faint the outlines could barely be seen. There was no landmass below, no island or shore. It was as if the mountains were half submerged in the sea.
As the Drizzle made its way towards the faraway scene, the other six boats gradually came into view. The nearest was a Drizzle with a red roof on the cottage. Someone waved from there, but it was too far to see who.
"W-Wait, is that…?" a boy shouted out.
There was a whirlpool in the Drizzle’s path. The water spun in spirals and sank in the centre to unknown depths. But it was silent.
As the Drizzle approached, the giant whirl shifted. It moved out of the way, like a creature gatekeeper.
Everyone was speechless.
More whirlpools appeared. Tornadoes rose from the ocean surface to the clouds, and thunder hit the waters from above. All silent. As if just a mirage. And all moved out of the Drizzle’s way.
"Hey, we should go inside," Yu Han said. "It’s not going to be nice if someone falls in."
No one moved from their spot, eyes glued to the disasters and the mountains as if hypnotised. Yu Han stayed, but positioned himself closer to the door so he could run in the moment anything happened.