Island of Ghosts

Island of Ghosts

Island of Ghosts Chapter 1

Choosing a course from the Indian Ocean toward the Antarctic continent, a crew led by a captain
named Edwick — known as the most infamous pirate in the entire world — had been sailing
through the sea for the past few days.
As they continued their journey, a growing anxiety — and beyond that, a fear — had begun to
haunt all of them from the very beginning.
Because they were all heading toward a place none of them had ever seen, heard of, or reached —
a place called the “Island of Ghosts” — an utterly terrifying region, known as a magical island.
No one outside knew that such an island existed in the sea, but the few who had come to know
about it and dared to search for it had met gruesome deaths without exception.
Based on certain events, the stories people told about that island went like this: the red sea of the
Limian region crashes down upon those who go to that island, overflowing with blood-red
waters. That is not water — it is the blood of countless people. At every step, curses block your
path, the screams of souls echo through the air, and the island is a paradise for massive beasts
that dwell under the power of dark spells.
Those who have severed their ties with the earth roam the island with rotting bodies. Countless
corpses lie scattered on the ground, writhing. Even the path to that island is not easily found.
Countless lives must be mercilessly lost. There must be some precious secret hidden there — for
that reason alone, sailors by the hundreds of thousands have bravely attempted to reach that
island over the years, only to lose their lives. The belief among the coastal tribes is that the island
is a death pit — it swallows everyone who comes near it.
But about four days ago, a pirate sailor named Edwick, while travelling through the sea, found a
clue connected to that island for the very first time. From that moment on, their lives turned
toward a whole new world.
What actually happened? What did he find? To know that, we must all go back four days.
Four Days Earlier
From morning onwards, everyone aboard the ship was busily engaged in one task or another,
working without rest.
For quite some time they had barely eaten properly. Their bodies had begun to weaken. Their
strength was fading. Their captain had ordered them all to gather their courage and be prepared
to face whatever lay ahead, knowing that difficult times were coming.
And so, after many days, they stopped the ship at one location and lowered the anchor into the
water. With some free time on their hands, several of them threw the nets stored inside the ship
into the sea and began fishing. Others cleaned the rusty cannons, keeping one eye out to watch
whether any enemy ships were approaching.
The captain of all of them was Edwick. His most trusted and favourite person — his right hand —
was Williams. Williams was the one who provided timely advice and guidance during the most
complex situations their captain faced, and sometimes took full charge and led the ship from the
front himself.
Edwick also had one and only one cherished daughter — Sophia. She meant everything to
Edwick, and Sophia too was very fond of Williams.
While all this was going on, the waves on one side were very strong, causing the ship to sway
back and forth. In that current, some things could be seen drifting from a distance. They
appeared to be broken pieces of wooden boats and fishing vessels — and so all of their eyes fell
upon them.
It seemed like someone had perished in the sea. The salty water completely devours corpses. The
flesh and remains of people serve as the primary food for the many carnivorous beasts and sea
creatures that live within it. And yet, seeing those broken boats, they all wondered how those
people might have died.
But in this great ocean, such sights are quite ordinary. People come and go every day. The secret
history of this ocean is exceedingly cruel. Within it exists brief information about many islands
one should never visit, and many regions of the sea one should never venture into. Those who go
deep into such dark waters must inevitably be swallowed by the darkness there and perish.
Many islands and spine-chilling stories belong to this ocean. The crew who had cast the nets into
the water were waiting for the time to pull them back up.
“Did you see that? I don’t feel right here. The sea also looks different. The atmosphere has
changed noticeably. It’s not even four in the evening and it’s already gotten dark. It feels like we’ve
come somewhere we shouldn’t have, and stopped somewhere we shouldn’t have,” said one of
them, fearfully.
“What you said is true as well. When evil forces from within the ocean’s realm are about to
emerge, this darkness appears as an ill omen. The sea is not as good-natured as it appears on the
surface.”
“I have been hearing a lot about something lately. They say those who go near the coast of the
Antarctic continent at the edge of the earth in the southern sea are dying. Not a single one has
returned. What happened to them there? Why did they die? No third eye knows.”
“There are many things about this ocean that we don’t know.”
“Why go that far — let me tell you about something that happened when I was a child. Once, my
grandfather and I went fishing in this sea. That entire morning, I don’t know how we spent the
time or what we did at that place. Before we could blink, it had gotten dark. Wherever you looked,
only the sea. On top of that, it was night. Suddenly, dark clouds appeared out of nowhere in the sky
and began to thunder.”
“As far as the eye could see, there wasn’t even a pin-sized island — only water. Unable to navigate
the conditions, we turned back that night.”
“All of a sudden, sounds I had never heard before… shapes I had never seen before… began
swimming at a short distance from us, heading straight in our direction. And very fast at that.
Terrified by the sight, I immediately hid behind my grandfather.”
“Even he — a man of iron resolve — was frightened, speeding the boat forward while occasionally
glancing back.”
“The sea was also foaming and crashing wildly, and the boat couldn’t withstand it. Unable to hold
back, I asked: ‘Grandfather, what are those things?’ He said: ‘Listen, child. It is night. On this sea at
night, people who died long ago wander even without life. If they catch us, they will kill us and
drag us to their world. Don’t look over there. No matter what happens, do not come out’ — and he
covered me with the sail and hid me in the boat. That night, the two of us somehow barely escaped
with our lives.”
“If we hadn’t, our story would have ended that very day,” said another among them, staring at the
sea as he recounted what had happened to him.
“Enough! Stop scaring us. We’ve already thrown the net into the water and it’s been a long time.
The time to pull it back is approaching. Everyone stop your chatter and come. If we don’t eat now,
we won’t get free time again. And even if we do, who knows whether we’ll be alive to eat. So this is
the last chance — eat your fill now and fulfil your final wishes,” said Antony, one of the workers, as
he stood up.
“Yes, what he says is true too. Right now we are all together. After this, who among us will stay and
who will go — no one knows. Let’s spend this time happily. Let us have joyful experiences. Let us
lose ourselves in our old memories.”
Saying that, they all went near the place where the net had been cast and stared into the water.
Others grabbed the rope attached to the fishing net and began pulling it up. As the net came up
into the ship, it felt very heavy and weighty. Seeing all kinds of edible sea creatures caught inside
the net, thrashing about desperately, they were all overjoyed at first.
But after fully pulling it in, a shining object — glowing like a pearl among the fish — caught their
eyes. None of them knew what it was. Was it a diamond mineral? Or something else of great
value? In their greed, they began to quarrel, each claiming it was theirs. In response to their noise,
Williams rushed to the scene in a flash.
“Hey! What’s all the fuss? Do you have even a bit of sense? Have you forgotten that we are out on
water? Or not? Look around. It has gotten dark. This is the time the sea reveals another side of
itself. Do you know where we’ve stopped? Staying here too long could cause something to
happen. Quickly wrap up the net and raise the anchor. We still have a long way to go,” he
commanded sternly.
“Don’t get worked up, Williams. If you knew what we found, you wouldn’t talk like this. This is
what they were fighting over. We found an object. It’s shining. If you want, you look at it. Do you
know what this is? Since I found it first, it belongs to me. After you look at it, you must return it to
me. I’m telling you in advance,” said Antony as he brought the object he had spotted in the net and
handed it to Williams.
Sea moss had wrapped around the object, and Williams removed it completely. After removing it,
it turned out to be an old glass bottle — a wine bottle from about sixty years ago. But there was
no wine inside it. It appeared that something else had been hidden in it. Even so, this kind of
thing isn’t available now — and moreover, how did it end up in the sea? He couldn’t figure it out.
Wanting to find out what was inside, he forcefully turned the rusty cap and opened it, tilting it
upside down.
From inside, an old paper tied with a string fell into his hand, and Williams’s heartbeat suddenly
rose.
“Something so carefully secured and then thrown into the sea — there must be something
extremely important inside it. Whoever put it here must have been caught in circumstances
where they couldn’t deliver it to their people. That’s why they must have thrown it into the sea like
this. After spending so much time in the water, what could possibly be in this paper? What are you
trying to tell us, friend?” he thought.
With trembling hands, Williams slowly unfolded the paper a little and looked at it.
According to the markings in it, there was a path showing mountains coloured in yellow. It
seemed to be a clue to some “treasure.” The captain knows a lot about things like this — only by
showing it to him could one understand what was in it. He must quickly get it to Edwick,
Williams thought.
“Return it to me politely. That… is mine. I found it first,” said Antony, stepping forward to take it
back.
“I think your life is more valuable than this. This is mine now,” said Williams, pointing his gun
directly at Antony’s head.
“Yes, yes. Would anyone risk their life for that wretched bottle? It’s all yours — just don’t shoot me,”
said Antony with dissatisfaction, raising both his hands and stopping in fear right where he
stood.
But the truth — known only to Williams and no one else — was that it was a broken gun with no
bullets. He had stolen it from someone and kept it hidden, using it to intimidate the crew into
doing work. The only real gun on that ship belonged to Edwick alone.
“Alright, fall in line. You all go and get busy preparing food for everyone tonight. I’ll go and meet
the captain,” said Williams, and he went to his captain.
By the time he reached the captain’s quarters, Edwick and his daughter Sophia were already
inside, talking lovingly and warmly. Not wanting to disturb their happiness, he quietly stopped
outside the door. The captain got very little time with his daughter to begin with. “I can check in
the morning,” Williams thought, and just as he was about to leave, came a voice: “Hello, Williams.
You’re leaving? Come in, come in. What’s that in your hand? It looks like you’ve brought
something for me. How can you leave without showing it to me?”
“Captain, while our men were fishing, they found a bottle in the net. Going by the markings on it, it
appears to be a liquor bottle that has been in the sea for sixty years. Inside the bottle, there is also
a piece of paper. It shows a path leading somewhere. I came to tell you about it,” Williams
hesitantly said, placing it in the captain’s hand.
Taking the bottle in his hands and examining it, Edwick murmured “There seems to be
something inside this old bottle” — and slowly opened the cap, taking out what was inside. What
had appeared to be a small piece of paper inside, once taken out and all its folds unfolded, turned
out to be large enough to cover the entire table.
“Wow — how did such a large paper fit inside such a small bottle?” said Sophia, glancing shyly at
Williams.
“But this doesn’t look like just paper, does it, Captain? Do you know what this is?” — and looking at
the captain, Williams found that his face was glowing with an inexplicable joy. The happiness in
his eyes was clearly visible to Williams.
“Captain, you’re so overjoyed — you must already know what this is. Could you tell us about it as
well?” asked Williams eagerly.
Immediately, Edwick went to Williams with immense joy, embraced him wholeheartedly, and,
unable to contain his happiness, began to pace the entire room exclaiming loudly:
“I did it! I did it! I finally did it! This is what I have been waiting for all these years. This is not
merely paper as you might think. This is a map describing the most precious treasure in the entire
world —
the Golden Mountains. According to what is in this map, those mountains lie nestled in an island
called ‘Island of Ghosts.’ A few essential details required to reach that place are briefly described
within it.”
“Since my childhood, my grandfather and my father told me stories — countless stories — about
the treasure of the Golden Mountains.”
“Do you know one thing? No matter how much gold we take from the Golden Mountains, it is said
they never diminish even slightly. More and more of what we need keeps coming back to us. It is
all golden magic. They say it piles up in heaps all around. In my childhood, my father always used
to tell me one thing about the Island of Ghosts.”
“In the year 1578, a sailor, along with his crew, searched the entire ocean for many years aboard
their ship, and after great hardship, finally discovered the Island of Ghosts, reached the treasure
of the Golden Mountains inside it, loaded as much gold as they needed into their ship, and set off
on their return journey.”
“But while coming back through the sea, something happened — and their ship suddenly
capsized and sank. However, at the moment of sinking, the sailor wrote down on paper some of
the details about the treasure he had discovered and the path to reach it, sealed it inside a bottle
so it wouldn’t be destroyed, and threw it into the sea. Why exactly the ship sank remained
unknown, but the rumour spread that what he had written contained crucial information about
the island, and whoever obtained it could claim the Golden Mountains. Countless sailors combed
every inch of the ocean searching for it. But that bottle vanished without falling into anyone’s
hands.”
“Many who crossed the boundaries of the sea searching for that bottle and unknowingly crossed
forbidden limits were torn to shreds by the darkness and died. Their deaths too were horrific
beyond all imagination. The Golden Mountains lie inside the very island that has been branded
as the most terrifying place on this ocean — the Island of Ghosts. No one has ever managed to
locate exactly where that island is on the sea. But it is said there is a secret path to reach it — only
through that path can one enter the world where the island exists — and that all the while you are
travelling there, death follows like a shadow, and disasters arise to ensure your failure.”
“Even so, no matter what — this Edwick is not one who fears danger.”
“We will somehow reach the ‘Island of Ghosts,’ discover the treasure of the Golden Mountains,
and show the world who we are. We will create a new history. We will all stand until the very end
as the first people to ever set foot on that island and return. My lifelong wish is about to come
true,” declared Edwick, and walked with boundless joy from his cabin toward the crew on deck.
But Williams remained behind, heavy with worry, thinking — not knowing at all what to do now.
Sophia, seeing Williams like that, said: “What happened, Williams? You were fine just a little
while ago. Fear and pain — both are visible in your eyes at the same time,” she said, placing her
hand on his forehead and touching his cheeks.
“Sophia, the captain’s treasure obsession has gripped him badly. Knowingly, he is about to take
everyone’s lives on this ship soon. Prepare to die,” said Williams, with anger.
“How can you say that, Williams? Ever since the day my father mentioned the map and the golden
mountains… you haven’t been yourself since then. You’ve changed. For you to be this frightened,
you must know something real about that island. Is there truly a treasure there?” said Sophia
softly, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, there is a treasure. But reaching it is not easy at all. The curses inside the Island of Ghosts —
the magical creatures, the dark forces waiting for release through the power of spells, those who
died before their time wandering in the air, desperate to bury in the earth anyone they spot — the
souls of the dead have settled as ghosts upon the trees there. Wherever you look, nothing is
visible except death.
The path to that island keeps changing moment by moment.
Twisted and confused, there is only a sea reddened with blood. The army of skulls there would
finish off everyone who arrives — bones and all — in an instant. That is why there are so many
destroyed ships at the bottom of that sea, all mourning the loss of their masters. We too will join
that list.
Sophia… even before now, many have journeyed deep into the waters of the southern sea, but as
they went further in, the clouds that should be in the sky were seen lying spread across the
surface of the sea, as if sleeping. Nothing ahead could be seen.
It was in such moments that the dead — slain by the fiery wrath of that sea — attacked them. With
that sudden evil omen descending, everything collapsed and was annihilated in that very sea
without a trace.
For a human to step foot on that magical island and return is nothing but a daydream. The entire
place is filled with a land that demands sacrifice. All of these will not allow anyone to reach the
riches inside it easily. In one word — it is another hell on this earth. The sky there rains
thunderbolts with sounds that shatter your eardrums. The sea attacks at will with waves
hundreds of feet tall.
Another spine-chilling piece of news I have heard: around the island, the thousand-foot ‘head’ of
a demon called ‘Leetarin’ roams. It appears large enough to swallow a mountain whole. It sucks
people and ships that enter its mouth instantly into its depths. It is because of all these things that
those who went near the island never came back. What I have told you is very little. In truth, my
father knows far more about that island than I do. But he is hiding all the truths and misleading
everyone.
You are going to see it for yourself soon, Sophia. Events that will shake your very heart are about
to appear before your eyes. The real story is about to begin now,” said Williams, with fear.
On the other side, Edwick, unable to contain his happiness, stepped out of his cabin and began to
display his wild, manic joy openly for all to see.
“Today is a day I will never forget in my entire life. Because we are going to venture into the
southern seas to discover the most ancient treasure that will astound the entire world.
If luck is on our side and fate cooperates, and we reach the Golden Mountains — no one in this
world will be wealthier than us. Starting tomorrow, our hunt begins. The time has come for all of
you to demonstrate your courage. Only the truly brave will be able to protect themselves and keep
themselves alive.
We are heading toward the ‘Island of Ghosts’ — so some of you may die there.
Therefore, reduce your attachment to your own lives,” said Edwick, delivering the news of their
deaths coolly and calmly to his crew.
The moment he uttered the name “Island of Ghosts,” the expressions on all of their faces instantly
changed.
Going into the southern sea meant laying the foundation stone of their own graves — they knew
this well. Even so, if they told their captain they didn’t want to go, he would say “How dare you
defy me?” and kill them and throw them to the sharks. Such was his ruthlessness. They thought
to themselves: “We came here for work and got caught under this madman. Our lives — all of us
— are in this lunatic’s hands like a stone. No one knows when he will hurl us into the next danger.”
“What is this — the moment I say something, I can see the fear of death on all your faces.
I know what you’re all thinking. That while attempting to cross the ocean’s boundaries and reach
the Island of Ghosts through the southern region, we will die halfway. That all the cursed lands on
the other side of this ocean will not let any one of us stay alive. That we too will die like everyone
else.
That is your thought, isn’t it?
No matter what it takes — we are going to the Island of Ghosts and we will be back. In order for us
all to become wealthy, God has given us this opportunity. If anyone dares to defy this — you know
me well. If you don’t want to become food for sharks, you must absolutely come with me to the
‘Island of Ghosts.’ Our journey begins tomorrow. All of you eat and drink whatever you like tonight
and sleep peacefully and rest. Because starting tomorrow, it will no longer be possible — we are
going into the dark borderlands. Prepare yourselves for everything. If dying is required to protect
my life, sacrifice your lives without hesitation and win my heart. Once all the gold on that island is
mine, I will build you all tombs made of diamonds.
If anyone among you objects to this, or has a problem coming along — those people can jump into
this sea right now and die. That would be the best thing for you. If I have to be the one to kill you,
the pain will be unbearable and you’ll be at my feet begging. If anyone talks back when I come out
tomorrow morning, this is what will happen to them,” — and with that, Edwick laughed to himself
and went back inside.
~To be continued