(The Timeless Ocean, Leonardo's POV)
The Cult fleet sailed steadily toward its destination.
The hundred-kilometer gap had shrunk to under twenty in just over an hour, as the men kept their eyes glued to the mysterious island that hovered ahead of them like a mirage that refused to fade.
Leonardo stood at the bow, his knuckles white around the rail as the wind whipped against his face. By now, he had made up his mind to explore the island despite his uncle's apprehension, as he hyped himself up internally to make the most of this rare chance.
'Nothing in life ever falls to men who don't take chances. Wasn't that something Mum used to say all the time?'
He wondered, recalling the phrase vividly, as if her voice still lingered in his ears, as he used it to justify what he was about to do.
'At my age, Uncle and Father were already dominating their home planet's population as VR gamers. They were legends. If they could handle the thrill, so can I.'
