Chapter 674: The Fifth Ark

In an immense, dark void, four spiritual beings named Helena, Lune, Banster, and Frem convened. This shadowy, formless realm, devoid of light and matter, served as their chosen meeting place.

These individuals were not ordinary people but popes, senior religious leaders, who had concluded preliminary talks before a significant conference. They lingered in this dark space, troubled and perplexed by a new mandate from a higher power they revered as the "Divine Will."

Just earlier, while selecting a location for their important gathering, they received a profoundly clear yet disturbing message from their deity. This directive unexpectedly instructed them to bypass the four traditional Arks and instead convene at a mysterious fifth Ark, leaving them deeply confused.

Breaking the silence, Helena gazed into a shimmering flame within the darkness and mused, "The fifth Ark... what does it make you think of?"

Lune, sounding resigned, responded, "What else could it mean? Apart from our church's four Arks, there's only one other place that could be the fifth Ark."

Banster, expressing skepticism, remarked, "Honestly, this is the first time I'm questioning divine guidance. We intended to invite that captain, but hosting our crucial meeting on 'that ship' was never planned. And this command—it's peculiar, isn't it? It's been a long while since we've received such a direct and intense divine message..."

Frem interjected decisively, "This is an order from Them, Banster. They know our time is limited, and we recognize it too."

Helena looked at Banster, "You're not still upset about the 'Fleeting Moment Incident' where he took your ship, are you?"

Banster quickly dismissed her concern, shaking his head, "Of course not, that was long ago. I don't dwell on it. I'm just being cautious... But these are merely my personal feelings. They don't alter the fact that we've received a clear revelation about the fifth Ark as part of the Divine Will. We really have no other option."

The four popes then fell silent once more in the dark expanse.

Helena, deeply reflective as she watched the phantom flame, admitted internally that she shared Banster's concerns and doubts. Nevertheless, she decided to fully trust in the guidance of the Storm Goddess.

As she observed, the flame transformed, expanding into a tranquil, vast sea. The rhythmic waves unveiled a grand, ancient figure approaching her—a vision of the Storm Goddess, a figure of immense power. Behind the goddess was a profound, indescribable "Reality," reaching out towards Helena. She felt chilling sensations touching her soul, merging with her thoughts, accompanied by a whispering urgency:

"Make haste while time remains..."

As the vision and the sound of the waves faded, Helena stood resolute, her expression determined. "Let's get ready," she declared, "Inform the bishops who will join us and notify the ark personnel about the fifth Ark. They need mental preparation, but remind them we don't have much time."

Lune immediately emphasized the need for additional preparations, stating, "Also, don't forget to provide some basic information about 'that ship.' It's different from the church arks they're used to. We don't want any embarrassing misunderstandings when they step onto 'that ship.'"

Helena acknowledged Lune's point with a nod. "Education alone might not suffice; there are too many unusual things on that ship. Vanna keeps telling me about some peculiar new situations." She advised, "Tell those preparing for the assembly, whatever you see on that ship, even if it seems bizarre, don't react. Just treat it as normal."

Frem, who had remained silent, then added, "Before we proceed, we should contact that captain. We've chosen his ship for our meeting without his consent."

Lune concurred, "Exactly. We also need to plan how we'll board the Vanished, transfer personnel, and possibly revise the meeting agenda... With the location being outside the four Arks, many of our original plans will need to change."

"There's so much to do," Helena sighed, feeling overwhelmed. As she spoke, she began to fade into the surrounding darkness, "I'll go contact my saints first..."

"I need to talk to my students too," added Lune, as his form also began to dissolve.

Soon, only Banster and Frem remained in the dark void.

"See you in the physical dimension," Frem said with a firm voice before he too disappeared into the darkness.

Banster was left alone as he shrugged. "I really didn't mind... Why does no one believe me..." he mused to himself, his words echoing in the empty space.

In the captain's quarters of the Vanished, a surprising scene unfolded. Goathead, usually engaged in conversation with its other head, was startled by Duncan's latest update. "What?! They're coming aboard? Those bishops?!" it exclaimed, pausing its ongoing conversation. "Have they lost their minds?"

Duncan, unfazed, responded with a casual glance at Goathead. "Don't look at me, I'm just as surprised as you are," he said. "But the message is clear and confirmed. It's been declared by the will of the Four Gods - all four Arks have been explicitly excluded, and they've chosen the fifth Ark as their final meeting place." He paused while showing a hint of complexity on his face, "The Vanished is the fifth Ark."

Goathead responded with a mix of sarcasm and amusement. "...Ah, so the doomsday Enders call the Vanished the Promised Ark, and now the followers of the Four Gods have dubbed us the fifth Ark. The infamous Vanished is becoming quite the attraction..." It shook its head mockingly. "At this rate, they might even start calling you a good person. What an insult..."

Duncan remained silent for a moment, struggling to maintain his composure.

After a brief pause, he retorted: "You might want to reconsider your values. Sure, you've regained a part of what belonged to Saslokha, but it's hard to see you as the 'Creator' of the Second Long Night in your current form."

Goathead grumbled, "I didn't make it, did I? And the one who did isn't doing much better - the 'Nether Lord' is still trapped in the deep, shadowy sea, blocked in the subspace passage. As Dog described it, it's like being stuck in a flushing toilet..."

Realizing that dealing with this increasingly sarcastic goat head was a challenge, Duncan sensed his discomfort.

Goathead added, "If you find my words unpleasant, I'm just pointing out how strange this situation is. Those doomsday Enders treating the Vanished as a 'Promised Ark' is one thing, but now these mysterious Four Gods suddenly declare their 'Divine Will,' naming the Vanished as the fifth Ark outside their own four Arks... Something about this just doesn't seem right."

It then turned its head thoughtfully, looking earnestly at Duncan.

"The term 'Ark' carries significant implications on the Boundless Seas. Traditionally, there are only four recognized Arks, and any ship that dares to claim the title of an 'Ark' outside those is viewed as heretical. Now, out of nowhere, the Vanished is being hailed as the fifth Ark. I can't shake the feeling that this designation might be pushing us into a rather precarious position... Though, to be fair, it seems we've been navigating through one crisis after another lately..."

As Duncan listened to Goathead's extensive comments, he remained calm, only responding once Goathead had finished. He asked for clarification, his tone casual yet incisive. "The 'they' you mentioned, are you referring to the four major churches, or the 'Four Divine Entities' they represent?"

Goathead paused, considering the question. "...Does it really matter? The four major churches are just extensions of the Four Gods' will, their subordinates, if you will..."

Duncan disagreed. "It does matter," he asserted, shaking his head. "If you mean the four major churches, they likely don't have the power to threaten the Vanished. But if it's the 'Four Gods' themselves orchestrating this, their involvement is intriguing. If the fifth Ark is a strategic move by the Four Gods, that aligns with my own plans."

Goathead appeared surprised, momentarily lost for words.

Seizing on the moment, Duncan continued, "Doesn't that pique your interest? As the former 'King of Dreams' who has reclaimed a part of Saslokha's memories, aren't you curious about these entities who were once your equals?"

Goathead thought deeply, then shook its head. "Not interested," it answered thoughtfully. "I haven't regained my memories from the period of the Great Annihilation to the Deep Sea Era, so these so-called 'Kings' are just an alien concept to me... I might regret it, but I feel no remorse about that."

Duncan looked at Goathead seriously for a moment but decided to leave the conversation there.

He then walked over to the navigation table and sat down.

"I've brought Nina and Morris back on board," he informed Goathead. "As witnesses of the Great Annihilation, they'll also take part in the assembly.

"I've accepted the invitation from the Church of the Four Gods. We're now heading to the designated meeting point near Wind Harbor, and the Bright Star will rendezvous with us there. Lucretia and her group of bishops will come aboard to help us prepare for the assembly.

"Let's pick up the pace. We have an appointment to keep."