The thick fog enveloped Fog City, shrouding the skyscrapers in its cold, damp embrace. "Damn this fog," Maria muttered, her breath forming wisps in the frigid air. Her heart pounded, like a war drum echoing in her ears. Her parting from Cain and Professor Shepard felt like a gaping wound in her chest. "I'll just be a burden," she whispered, her voice barely audible amidst the wind's whisper. She walked listlessly, traversing the deserted streets, accompanied only by the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of her boots on the wet pavement. "Cain..." she called his name in her mind, hoping to see his silhouette through the fog, calling her back. Only silence answered her, cold and empty.
Again, at an unwelcome time, memories of the past assaulted her, like a tidal wave crashing against the fortress of her soul. "No... not anymore," she groaned, her body trembling violently. Her breath hitched, her chest constricted, as if squeezed by unseen hands. "I need to hide," she muttered, panicked. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for a crack, a small crevice to shelter in. A narrow, dark, and hidden alley caught her attention. "Hopefully it's safe here," she whispered before slipping inside, huddling in the darkest corner, her body shaking uncontrollably, her hands covering her tear-streaked face.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Cain and Professor Shepard walked towards Professor Shepard's old house. "Are you sure about this, Professor?" Cain asked, his voice laced with anxiety.
Professor Shepard, a few years older, merely nodded slowly. "Thomas... he was my childhood friend, Cain. We grew up too fast, too quickly understanding this world full of mysteries," said Professor Shepard, his voice heavy and trembling. "We spent time together, solving puzzles, dreaming of changing the world. Now... everything has changed."
They arrived at Professor Shepard's house. The scent of old, damp coffee greeted them. "There's something I want to show you," said Professor Shepard, leading Cain to his desk. On the desk, a crimson envelope, old and dusty, lay forgotten. "This... I found it last month," said Professor Shepard, his voice slightly trembling.
Cain opened the envelope. Inside, a sheet of paper containing handwritten coordinates, inked in faded ink. "What is this?" asked Cain, confused.
"Coordinates to an uncharted island," answered Professor Shepard, "but I have a bad feeling about this."
Meanwhile, in the narrow alley, Maria heard footsteps approaching. She held her breath, her heart pounding. A man emerged from the darkness. It was Silas, the barista from "The Gilded Bean."
"Excuse me, interrupting," said Silas, his voice soft and soothing. "Are you alright?"
Maria, startled, could only nod. "I... I'm scared," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Silas smiled faintly. "Calm down," he said, taking a thermos from his bag. "Drink this coffee. Tell me what happened."
Maria accepted it, inhaling the fragrant, calming scent of coffee, "there's nothing..."
Silas looked confused, "I know someone who might be able to help you," said Silas, smiling. "His name is Professor Shepard. He's an expert in things like this."
Back at Professor Shepard's house, Cain was still staring at the coordinates, confused. "I don't understand," he said, frustrated.
Professor Shepard patted his shoulder. "Don't worry," he said. "I have someone who can help us. My student... Silas. He's an expert in interpreting ancient maps and coordinates. He's also a very good barista." Cain raised an eyebrow. "Barista?" he asked, incredulous. Professor Shepard smiled slightly. "Yes, he's more than just a barista. You might be amazed after meeting him."
Maria was still sitting in the dark corner of the narrow alley, tears still streaming down her cheeks. The night wind pierced her bones, making her shiver violently. Silas, who had been sitting in front of her a few moments ago, was now gone, leaving behind a faint scent of coffee and a chilling silence. She reached for a torn piece of paper from her pocket, a rough sketch of an old house was drawn on it.
She clenched her fist, holding back a sob that was about to burst. "I have to be strong," she whispered to herself, "I have to go back." With renewed determination, she got up, her steps faltered as she walked down the narrow alley towards the main road, disappearing into the thick fog of Fog City.
Meanwhile, at "The Gilded Bean", Cain and Professor Shepard sat opposite Silas. The pungent smell of coffee filled the room, mixing with the anxious scent that enveloped them.
"Silas," Professor Shepard began, his voice heavy, "we need your help. These coordinates..." He placed the sheet of paper containing the coordinates on the table, "lead to an uncharted island. We need your expertise."
Silas looked at the coordinates, his slender fingers tracing the fading lines. "This… is ancient," he murmured, "and very complex." He lifted his face, his gaze sharp. "You know this might be dangerous, right? This is clearly a coordinate in the middle of the largest ocean in the world. You might not come back with your bodies."
Cain nodded firmly. "We know. But we have to try. I met Thomas in prison 2 months ago, he told me to go to the uncharted island according to the instructions you will get after meeting Professor Jack Shepard. This has all been according to what my cunning cousin has planned. I was part of his plan, and I won't let him down."
Silas sighed, "It's not just you who has problems here, kid. I also have a job and a family to support. Just find someone else who can do it besides me."
Professor Jack Shepard shook his head and said, "That can't happen. You are the most skilled map interpreter in the world."
Silas smiled and replied, "You say that because I'm the only student of yours who can interpret maps, right? I'm not stupid enough to believe that after seeing the harsh reality of our society that is very lazy to learn. I know you must have a little time until you look very desperate to convince me even to the point where the professor praises me unconditionally. Besides, who is Mr. Thomas? Is he a very important person for you to be willing to do this for him?"
Professor Jack Shepard replied, "He's my friend."
Cain replied, "He's my family, even though I don't like him. But I honestly respect him as a smart man."
Silas sighed, "How much will you pay?" asked Silas.
Professor Shepard breathed a sigh of relief. "We will pay you a fair amount for your help."
After a brief negotiation, an agreement was reached. The three of them hurried to Silas' house.
The small house looked simple from the outside, but behind the old wooden door lay secrets that were far greater. Tiara, Silas' little sister, opened the door. Her red hair shimmered under the streetlight, her blue-green eyes stared at them with an expression that was hard to interpret.
"Come in," said Tiara, her voice soft but cold. She stepped aside, making way for them to enter. Inside, the smell of spices and old books filled the room. Silas opened a hidden door behind the fireplace, revealing a secret room filled with neatly rolled ancient maps. Cain and Professor Shepard were amazed.
"This… is amazing," murmured Cain, his fingers touching a very old map.
Tiara smiled faintly, "My brother is a little… unique." She looked at the maps, as if remembering something. "There are many secrets hidden here," she whispered, "secrets that may be more dangerous than you imagine."
Cain tried to hold back a laugh, thinking that it was just nonsense believed by Silas' younger sister who seemed to admire her brother very much.
In the secret room, the aroma of spices and old books mingled with the smell of earth and something else, something that Cain couldn't yet explain. Silas, with his slender fingers, unfurled an ancient map. Candlelight illuminated the intricate details etched on it, showing unknown coastlines, remote islands, and strange-looking symbols.
"This… is a star map," Silas murmured, his eyes narrowed. "Not a regular geographical map. The coordinates you gave… they are the key to finding the exact location under a specific night sky."
Cain furrowed his brow, skeptical. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone doubtful. He wasn't used to mystical things like this.
"I mean," Silas explained, "the location of this island is not fixed. Its position shifts according to a specific constellation of stars. You have to find the right time and place where this constellation of stars aligns with the island. Only then can you find it."
Professor Shepard nodded, "I suspected as much. Thomas always loved complicated puzzles." However, Cain was still hesitant. This sounded too fantastic to him.
"But," Silas added, his voice turning serious, "there's one more thing you need to know. This island… is said to be cursed."
Cain chuckled, skeptical. "Cursed? Seriously? This is the 18th century, not the Dark Ages," he said, trying to stay calm, but his doubts were evident.
Professor Shepard patted Cain's shoulder, "Listen, Cain, I know this sounds absurd, but believe me, there are many things in this world that are far more absurd. Do you think it's not strange that this island has never been charted by anyone? There's something strange about this island, and I'm sure Thomas is involved in something much bigger than we imagined."
Tiara, who had been silently observing from the corner of the room, added, "Legend also says that the island holds a great secret, a secret that is very dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands."
Cain remained skeptical about all these stories. He trusted scientific evidence more than ancient legends.
Cain spent the next few hours studying the map, but he remained skeptical. Silas explained the ancient symbols, interpreted the intricate lines, and calculated the exact time. Cain listened carefully, noting every important detail, but he still didn't fully believe. He was more inclined to think that this was all a trap or something.
Finally, Silas finished. He pointed to a spot on the map, "This is where the island is, but only on June 21st, at 11pm, under the constellation Orion. You're lucky, it seems."
Cain was still hesitant. June 21st… just a few days away. He had to consider all the possibilities.
"We have to hurry," said Professor Shepard, his voice full of determination.
Cain nodded, but with doubts still lingering in his heart. "We have to find Thomas," he said, but his voice sounded more like a statement than a belief.