The morning sky was gray, though the sea remained calm. A thin mist still clung to the water's surface, limiting visibility. On the deck of the Wanderlust, a round wooden table had been set in the center. Bastien stood beside it, his hands resting on an open map. His face was serious, a faint crease between his brows showing how far his thoughts had wandered.
One by one, the crew gathered. Nara arrived first, carrying two mugs of coffee, handing one to Juno who was already sitting cross-legged, scribbling on a chart. Ravi appeared next, juggling a stack of toast and an apple, biting both alternately. Arthur showed up yawning, his hair a mess like he'd just wrestled with the mast. Mia appeared from nowhere, quietly taking a seat beside Bastien like a shadow that never strayed far.
Bastien sighed and opened the meeting. "Okay. We have a problem."
Arthur immediately raised his hand high. "I know! Ravi's toast tastes like a ship sandal."
"That's because you ate the uncooked ones," Ravi replied flatly.
"Technical detail," Arthur shrugged. "Go on, Captain."
Bastien looked at each crew member in turn. "Our compasses. Both of them. They're not pointing to any landmass. But they are pointing to the same spot, unwavering. We're heading into a sea path that doesn't appear on any map."
"Not even old ones?" Nara asked, sipping her coffee.
"Not even those. This is a blank zone in the middle of West Blue," Juno answered, pointing at faint lines she'd drawn. "But... the magnetic field is unnatural. It's like something is forcibly pulling the log pose."
Mia added, "Even the seabirds won't fly in that direction. Something's hiding out there."
Bastien nodded slowly. "And there's one more thing…"
He took a breath, then continued in a lower voice.
"I had a dream… two nights in a row."
The crew listened closely.
"The first night, I stood on black earth. In the sky, there was a glowing symbol, pulsing… like it was breathing. The second night, I saw a massive stone gate, cracked down the middle, and I heard a voice—deep, heavy…"
Bastien mimicked the tone calmly:
> "'Dominance begins with will. Do you carry it... or are you controlled by it?'"
Silence. They exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
Arthur finally spoke. "...Heavy dream, bro. Are you sure it's not from Nara's spoiled soup?"
"That was fermented soup. Revolutionary," Nara protested quickly.
"Yeah, revolutionary soup made under your bed?" Ravi added, chuckling.
Nara said nothing.
Juno interrupted, "The symbol you saw, can you draw it?"
Bastien nodded and grabbed a sheet of paper. With a practiced hand, he sketched the vague shape he remembered: a circle filled with symmetrical spiral patterns, resembling an ancient seal.
Juno stared at it for a long time. "Never seen this before… but the spiral pattern… it resembles the magnetic field in this area. Like something's pulling reality into a single point."
Arthur stood dramatically and pointed at the sky. "The meaning is clear! Destiny is calling! We are no ordinary crew! We are… EXPLORERS OF DOMINANCE!"
"Terrible name for a fairytale," Mia said flatly.
"Sounds like a stage play title," Nara added.
"Wait," Ravi raised his hand. "What even is 'Dominance'? A place? An evil entity? Or a new type of spicy sauce?"
"Something," Bastien replied quietly. "I don't know yet. But it feels important. More than just a dream."
Arthur thumped his chest. "Then we have to investigate! We're aiming for legend, not cowardice, right?"
Juno narrowed her eyes. "I'm still skeptical. But… this anomaly is too stable to ignore. There's no natural magnetic swirl like this without a massive source. I agree to investigate."
Ravi bit into his toast. "This adventure smells… like sweet pepper and confusion. Weird, but I like it."
Nara glared at everyone. "You people... the only reason I even joined is because the captain's never gotten us lost. But if we end up facing a hundred-eyed monster, you're all sleeping on deck."
"What if the monster likes cuddles?" Arthur asked with a grin.
"If it cuddles you first, we're leaving you behind," Mia replied without hesitation.
Everyone laughed.
---
Night fell. The ship glided silently across the hushed waters. The stars began to appear, and the mist thinned.
Bastien sat alone in the captain's cabin, a dim oil lamp casting soft light. In front of him lay an open black notebook where he wrote down everything important during their journey.
He dipped a quill into ink, then wrote slowly:
Expedition Log – 1513
Dominance – entity? force? place?
Two consecutive nights: glowing symbol, black earth, cracked stone gate, unknown voice.
Unnatural. Dream… or message?
Do not ignore.
This may be the beginning of something greater.
He tapped the pen against the page, then looked out the round window into the vast sea.
Faint laughter from the crew could still be heard from the deck. In that warmth, Bastien knew—though they were venturing into something mysterious, he wouldn't face it alone.
Yet deep in his heart, he asked himself—
Do I carry the will… or am I being carried by it?