01 :00 AM, local hour
Off the coast of South Africa
A rather peaceful night had settled and only the breath of the light breeze caressing the flat surface of the water was heard. A light fog had risen, but nothing too threatening, and besides some seagulls, no sign of life was seeing around. A large ship, sporting large white sails, decorated with the characteristic coat of arms of Corona, kingdom of Germany, floated quietly in the middle of the great expanse and infinite expanse of dark water, having anchored for that night off the coast of South Africa.
Africa was a vast continent, and although visited for a long time by many kingdoms curious to see the cultures and riches, Africa still contained many mysteries as it is immense, and some even seemed very well hidden . Eager to be able to establish commercial partnerships with other kingdoms and the African peoples, Corona had sent several of their dignitaries on the spot. With the permission of the leaders of the African peoples, the ships of Corona had been allowed to sail in African territorial waters, provided that no harm was done to their environment, which Corona promised and kept his word.
On the ship, silence had also settled, the majority of the crew being in the lower level, lying in their hammocks and sleeping soundly and some snoring louder than a cold bear. One of the sailors, a young man with brown hair and eyes the same color, unable to sleep because of the constant snoring of his comrades, decides to get up and climb the wooden staircase leading to the bridge. The fresh sea air stroked his face and he sighed with relief. Finally, a little calm. Apart from himself, almost no one was on the deck of the ship, except the sailor responsible for watching the rudder, who was half asleep on a bench behind. Then, on the front of the boat, contemplating the landscape in front of him, the captain, still dressed in his dark blue perfect uniform, his white trousers, his black boots and captain's hat on his head. Hands in the back, the man seemed thoughtful. The captain was a man in his forties and had extensive experience in the navy. His finely cut mustaches indicated perfect hygiene, and his seasoned eye showed his knowledge.
The young sailor stretched his arms, then went to the bow to see the captain. Although he walked without making too much noise, the captain felt his presence and turned his head slightly towards him, showing a neutral smile.
- "Well, young John. Does the sea air keep you away from sleep?"
- "It's rather the air from the mouths of the others that prevents me, captain." the young sailor genuinely says, scratching the back of his head. The captain saw what he wanted to say and gave a little closed laugh.
"How long have you been in the royal navy? Two months? Three months?"
- "Five, captain." John corrected with some pride. The captain admired this and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.
- "You still have a career in front of you." said the captain, with his years of experience. "And believe me, within a year, you will not hear snoring any more."
Young John seemed pleased with the captain's encouragement and leaned his arms on the railing. Before his eyes, a few meters away, the surface of the black and bottomless water, and the moon and his own face reflecting in it, gave him chills. The ocean was really a fascinating place, but also terrifying sometimes.
But as he turned up, John looked up, and his expression changed. Perplexed, he looked in front of him with great attention. Pulling away from the fog a little further away, a kind of .... yes, a small form, floating and drifting in the middle of the water.
- "Captain, look!" immediately warned John by pulling on the captain's jacket. This one, also perceiving the form, immediately took his telescope attached to his belt and glanced. He could then better discern what it was. A piece of wood, perhaps a makeshift raft made with the remains of a ship, and above, a human figure, lying and motionless.
- "Wake up the others, John!" commanded the captain. The young sailor obeyed immediately and rushed to the rear of the boat, near the rudder, and rang the little silver bell. The awakening was very sudden and most of the sailors fell from their hammocks to the sound of the bell. But accustomed to lightning alarms for the most part, they dressed as quickly as possible, sometimes forgetting a sock or even putting on their shirts, and rushed to the deck, wondering what was going on. The captain made it a point to inform them immediately and pointed out the direction of the drifting form.
- "A person in distress! Take the ropes and a rowboat, and faster than that!" the captain firmly ordered. All obeyed without question.
The rowboat was launched, and three of the sailors, equipped with ropes, went without further delay to this floating form. Taking the unconscious person with them on the rowboat and wrapping the ropes around the small raft, they brought all this efficiently back to the ship.
Once back on board, everyone approached to see what it was. John was among them and equally intrigued. All moved aside to let the captain come in front.
The person was a man, about thirty years old, black skin, a thin face, black hair damaged by the long bath in salt water, and an unshaven chin. He wore nothing but ragged remains of clothes, and he wore streaks all over his body. Obviously, he had fought or been beaten. The captain knelt and checked the pulse.
- "He's alive ..." says the captain. However, a detail caught his attention. Pulling aside the wrecked shirt of the shipwrecked man, he saw on the chest an enormous scratch mark. All looked almost shocked at the size of these marks. Which animal was able to inflict this?
- "Holy Mother of God ...." murmured one of the shocked sailors, making the sign of the cross. Looking attentively, the captain noticed that the man was firmly holding in the hollow of his hand, a kind of bronze tube and closed with wax. The captain took it from the shipwrecked man ....
- "AAAAAAAAH! NOOOOOO!" the man in rags suddenly awoke as if he was coming out of a nightmare, and his eyes were exhilarated, screaming in almost tearing his vocal cords and struggling like a madman. All the sailors, including the captain, took a sudden step back.
- "DO NOT APPROACH!! STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" the man screamed again, looking around with huge fear in his gaze. Then he froze, as if he had an excruciating pain in his chest, trying to breath, and collapsed to the ground. One of the sailors approached and checked the pulse again, but this time his face turned pale.
"He's dead," the sailor said. The captain, like everyone else, did not understand anything what had just happened.
Young John was speechless. He had seen in the eyes of this man. A fear.... A disproportionate fear, but not towards them.... It was as if he had seen the devil and all the demons of hell in person and that they tried to take him with them to hell....
The captain, more than perplexed, decided to open the bronze tube by breaking the wax. Inside the tube was a kind of old parchment rolled and visibly protected from moisture. The captain removed the paper from the tube and unrolled it to see the contents. For a moment, his face froze in an expression of stupor that intrigued all the sailors around him.
- "What is it, captain?" asked Young John. The captain lowered the parchment and rolled it without showing it to the others.
- "We have to go back to Corona, now!" They were the only words the captain uttered before turning back to his cabin, hurriedly.
***********
Kingdom of Corona, North Germany
Corona, a small island near the coast of northern Germany, had also become the capital of the kingdom of Germany. Although of modest size, it had become famous from other kingdoms around the world, whose dignitaries and other tourists came very many every year to admire the architecture and culture, and also in the goal to make commercial and political partnerships with them. But the kingdom was also famous for its princess, Rapunzel, whose rumors said she had gold hair of magical origin, which would have been granted by a tear fallen straight from the sun, many years ago and who had the power to heal wounds and give eternal youth.
It was early evening in the capital and already the first lanterns were lit in the streets. At the castle, however, calm would soon be broken when the ship's captain posted more than a month ago to South Africa, entered the throne room, saying it was greater importance. King Frederic, a man of impressive stature, proud face, black hair and a slightly grizzled beard, and his wife, Queen Arianna, a mature woman with green eyes and long brown hair falling on her neck, both stood side by side in the throne room, empty of any presence but their own. The captain arrived and bowed respectfully to them as he should.
- "Captain, what is so important to tell us that necessitated your return from Africa?" asked the king more than intrigued. The captain understood perfectly and revealed the reason for this hasty return: the famous rolled parchment discovered in the shipwrecked man hands.
- "My king, my queen .... Off the coast of Africa, we discovered a shipwrecked man who seemed to be deviating for weeks ..." the captain said, "...and in his hand, he was holding this." He handed the parchment to the royal couple. The king took it and immediately unrolled it, curious as to what it could be.
-"Mother? father?" suddenly made a young and feminine voice. The royal couple and the captain turned to see Princess Rapunzel come, in her pink dress with slightly swollen shoulders, and her hair which she had decided to cut and had become brown. At her side was her husband, Flynn Rider, a young athletic man, sometimes too sure of himself, with short brown hair and a small goatee on his chin.
- "Rapunzel? Flynn? What are you doing here?" asked the queen.
- "Well, we have heard this rather strange start of conversation and we have decided to come take a look." Flynn said without hiding. Rapunzel nodded. The queen sighed once again at the too curious and adventurous character of the young couple, but after all, she had accepted it. The captain, however, seemed more reluctant to continue.
- "Maybe we should continue this conversation in your private office, majesty?" asked the captain, but the king did not see the interest.
"My daughter and Flynn have my all my trust, Captain Wagner. If there's a secret to keep, I know they'll never reveal it."
- "I promise, and you know me, I never betray a promise." said Rapunzel proudly, raising her right hand. Flynn also swore. The captain could not say anything more and agreed. Rapunzel and Flynn then approached while the king unrolled the parchment in plain view. What they saw then impressed them all. The parchment represented a sort of maritime map, as well as black ink coordinates, revealing the location of what appeared to be an island, somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, specifically somewhere in the archipelagos of Polynesia, a vast wilderness and neutral territory, waters and islands almost unexplored, for the few that the few explorers have seen. The King and Queen, as well as Rapunzel and Flynn, all exchanged intrigued, even fascinated glances.
- "Imagine, majesty ...." said the captain with bright eyes ".... If this card was so well hidden, it's for a good reason .... This unknown island must probably contain resources and treasures, that Corona could discover and declare as his own..... We would become the first kingdom to set foot on this new land."
The idea was interesting, it had to be recognized. Although the queen did not look very excited at the idea, the king was quite different and smiled. He turned to the captain.
"Would it be possible for you, Captain Wagner, to sail to Polynesia?" asked the king, trying to rationalize the thing.
-Majesty, I can, and if you wish, I would do it. We can prepare a crew and leave within a fortnight. "
- "In this case, you have my agreement." added the king enthusiastically. The captain thanked the king, bowing.
- "It's decided, I go with them." said Rapunzel suddenly, much to everyone's surprise. The queen stared at her anxiously, as did the king.
- "It's out of the question, girl." the king said firmly "The place of a princess of Corona is not on board a ship at the other end of the world, but here at the castle."
Rapunzel insisted, but the king made his decision and left, followed by his wife, who looked sorry for her, but in agreement with her husband. The captain having no say on the subject, withdrew quietly. Rapunzel sulked, arms folded and scowling. Flynn came to her.
- "Pffff ... He continues to treat me like a little girl ...." Rapunzel says. Flynn looked at her with an eye and a malicious smile, then as if nothing had happened, revealed the hand hidden behind his back, and holding the parchment. Rapunzel gave him a complicit look.
- "Some old habits are tough." Flynn said with a wink. Rapunzel gave him a kiss on the cheek and took the parchment in her hands, looking again at this map and these coordinates. Some strange symbols caught her attention.
- "What can this mean?" she asked. Flynn shrugged, as puzzled as she. A symbol stood out from the others, and made Rapunzel and Flynn rise in chills. Ink stains, which, if looked carefully, took the form of a kind of screaming ape skull with pointed canines. A gust of wind, almost like a distant roar, suddenly penetrated through the window, surprising the couple, and made the flames flicker from the lanterns hanging on the walls of the hall. Rapunzel and Flynn exchanged the same rather circumspect gaze, and looking at the map again, noticed a detail that gave them more chills: the ink stains forming the skull seemed to have moved, the screaming mouth of the skull seeming to have enlarged, while the ink had flow a little bit, so it was supposed to be dry for a very long time.