The ship hovered calmly over the sea.
The ocean beneath it was still, dark blue, endless.
Pluto, Vagan, Blue, and Rim sat on the deck in silence, scattered across the wooden floor. The wind moved gently through the air. The world felt slow. Peaceful.
Morin stood at the wheel, steering the ship without a word.
Blue leaned back, staring at the sky.
"I'm bored," he said.
"Is there anything we can do?"
He turned to Vagan.
"Wanna fish and get some food?"
Vagan sat on a chair with a book in her hands, her eyes never leaving the page.
"No, I'm good."
Blue sighed and looked at Pluto.
"What about you, Pluto?"
Pluto sat cross-legged, eyes closed.
"No," he said calmly.
"I have to meditate. I need to understand the source."
Blue blinked.
"The source?"
Pluto nodded.
"Yes. While meditating, I felt something. And I want to understand it."
Blue shrugged.
"Okay."
He looked around.
"Where's Rim?"
Morin spoke without turning.
"He's inside."
Blue stretched.
"Since all of you are busy, I'll go check on him."
Inside the ship, the room was quiet.
Rim sat on a chair, almost motionless.
Blue walked closer.
"Rim?"
No response.
"Hey."
Nothing.
Blue sighed.
He sat down on the floor beside him, leaning against the wall.
"I'll just wait…"
Slowly, his eyes closed.
Somewhere else.
Blue stood in a vast blue desert.
The sand was deep blue, stretching endlessly into the horizon.
In the distance stood a massive tree.
It was enormous.
Its roots spread wide across the desert, and white glowing lines flowed through its bark, like veins of light. The tree looked alive , radiating energy, power, and something unfamiliar.
Blue's eyes widened.
"Wow…"
He looked down at his hands.
They were purple.
His skin , purple.
His body , glowing faintly.
He froze.
"What…?"
"Why am I purple?
He looked around, confused.
"What's going on?"
He slowly began walking toward the tree.
Step by step.
But as he walked, the tree didn't get closer.
It felt like it was moving away.
The distance stayed the same.
Blue stopped.
His breathing slowed.
"What's going on…?"
The glowing tree stood far away.
The blue desert stayed silent.
The light kept pulsing.
And Blue stood still...
between confusion and something awakening.
Chapter End.