"A crab?" Aaron, still flummoxed by what had just occurred, almost stumbled backwards in shock.
The helm that the mysterious crab had entered began to automatically adjust in a direction that the compass indicated as East.
"Huh? That's the direction I wanted to go anyway. How did it know, and how is it automatically moving?" Aaron spoke aloud even though nobody was listening.
I guess it'll take me wherever I want, depending on whatever I tell it. I can use this to try to get back home without any delay! However, before I do this, I must figure out what that mysterious crab was and why that phrase suddenly activated this ancient vessel.
After a moment of thought, Aaron remembered a story his mother once told him of the myths and legends from the darkest and most dangerous sea. The Sea of Abyss. The sea was filled with the most dangerous and ancient monsters that could destroy entire nations with just a flick of their monstrous tails. In these ancient myths, there was always the rumor of ancient ships that hunted these monsters without any fear of being devoured.
These vessels were simply known as "Ghostships," and there were only 7 known to be active in the world, each belonging to one of the Great Sea Kings. The descriptions provided in the ancient textbooks and articles about the Great Sea Kings describe their vessels as ships that seem to have their own free will, almost as if they were cursed with the souls of sailors long passed on, giving them a ghostly feeling of life.
Could this be one of those mysterious ghost ships!? Aaron immediately thought of this possibility, however, dismissed it because it seemed too preposterous, and all the known Ghostships were occupied by the Great Sea Kings and their crews, meaning they were almost impossible to steal! Also, this ship seems too small and puny to withstand and hunt the devils that lurk within the Sea of Abyss. Though... the big crux in my deductions is that this ship gives off the characteristics of being "Alive" and also while the 7 known Ghostships are all unsinkable and unstealable, it didn't mean that other Ghostships couldn't exist...
Either way, it's not important right now; what's truly important is getting home and then asking the village elders about this. Oh right! Around the docks of our island, sometimes docks one of the Great Sea Kings themselves! Great Sea King Cosmoti, ruler of the Sea of the Cursed, and emperor of the Cosmoti Island chain, rightfully named after him. He was the 5th to ascend as Sea King during the previous era, and currently one of the strongest in the world, alongside the Ghostship he wields.
The name of the Ghostship is a closely guarded secret only known to the King's descendants and crew; however, it was rumored to be a ship with emerald green sails and a sleek, dark hull with ancient symbols written directly across that not even the King Cosmoti could read himself. Nobody knows the origins of the ancient Ghostships however, it is speculated that they were forged by either the deities or a being above them with the power to protect the world from a never-ending storm that wished to engulf the ten seas.
With all this knowledge in mind, he decided that when he returned home, he would seek out the guidance of a professional, either attempt to get an audience with his Lordship the Sea King Cosmoti, or to meet with one of his crewmates who sometimes drunk at the local bars spouting the tales of their ancient beast hunting. If he couldn't meet with either of these forces, he would think of another solution, but for now, this was enough to calm his nerves.
Aaron walked to the bow of the ship and stared into the Abyss of the sea, and began to think about the location he was currently at. Could it be the Sea of the Abyss? No, I wouldn't even have a chance to breathe here, let alone sail on a boat, whether it be a Ghostship or not. Not even one of the Great Sea King's adventures into the Sea of the Abyss alone. Only one time in recorded history did someone enter the Abyss and come back to tell the tale. The first Sea King who hasn't been seen in nearly 200 years. History had seemingly forgotten this man's name, yet even without a name, his status still emanated throughout the world.
Children were taught that if they were naughty, then the first sea king would come and punish them, and that if they ever met someone they suspected to be him, then they would immediately do whatever he asked, no matter the cost. He was said to be one of the closest beings to a true deity in our world, apart from the vicious sea monsters lurking within the Abyss. Rumors of where he went and what happened to him in the Abyss have circulated the world for the past century; however, nobody can know for certain anything except those who have returned from the Abyss.
As Aaron was thinking of the tales and folklore he had known for as long as he had lived, he gradually saw an outline in the distance. He quickly grabbed one of the ropes and tied it to the mast and wrapped it around himself. Taking a closer look, he climbed onto the boat, just barely being able to hold onto the rope he had tied to the mast, allowing him to not fall overboard into the foggy waters that lurked below. As he looked into the distance, he carefully made out the shape, it was an island! An uninhabited one by the looks of it, yet he got the impression that life might have once existed, but a change in the climate made it unsuitable for humans to live on, leading to a migration.
As the small boat approached the island, he soon realized he had no idea how to stop the ship, and he began to panic.
What if the ship slammed into the island and sinks!? I'll be stranded there with no hope for rescue! Lampooned Aaron with a look of sorrow and fear on his face. Ah! That mysterious phrase on that piece of paper! I'll try to recite it again, and maybe it will make the ship stop!
Aaron rushed into the captain's cabin, carefully avoiding the frame of the door and maneuvering towards the cabinet where he had placed the paper. He quickly recited the phrase on the paper,
"Awaken, Lost Ship of The Sea"
He waited for the ship to stop or slow down; however, no such thing occurred. If that didn't work, let's just try it again! Aaron thought as he began to recite the phrase again.
"Awaken, Lost Ship of The Sea!"
Yelling this time, he waited for a response from the ship; however, nothing changed. Looking out from the captain's cabin, he began to see the island getting closer and closer without any sign of the ship slowing down. He began to panic, but immediately began calming himself.
This ship knew that I had wanted to go East, and it had corrected its heading to sail us in that direction, so maybe if I asked it to stop and anchor at this island, the ship would comply? The idea was utterly ridiculous because, after all, it was just a boat with some cool sails and a weird crab monster. Yet even with these thoughts in mind, he still tried to come up with a command that he believed the ship would respond to.
"Lost Ship of the Sea, cease movement at once and anchor at this island." Aaron shouted in the most commanding voice that this young fifteen-year-old boy could muster while simultaneously praying to the many deities of the sea.
A howl from the hull of the boat brought Aaron back to his senses, and after observing his surroundings, he noticed that the ship had stopped moving!
Incredible! This ship is truly magical, to be able to listen to what I ask it to do and quickly respond to my command. I wonder what the limits to this ability are...
After thinking deeply about the possibilities, he asked the boat to raise the sails and anchor at the edge of the island. The boat quickly obeyed his command, summoning magical lights to toss the anchor off the deck and into the sea while the flaming turquoise sails slowly faded away into sparks. This helped reinforce his belief of what he had been suspecting since he remembered the description of Sea King Cosmoti's ship. This was truly a Ghostship however, it had been lost to time, gradually losing its power and authority, leading it to return to a primitive sailing vessel, only good at sailing and deterring semi-weak sea creatures.
Aaron had only started to suspect the truth of this ancient boat, and he believed that one day, if he nurtured this ship and if he grew in strength respectively, he would eventually be able to restore this lost ship to its former glory, whatever that was. Therefore, he decided that while he was adventuring throughout the seas, he would investigate Ghostships and ancient history to be able to decipher the truth about this boat and how to strengthen its power so that he could truly become,
A King of the Sea.