Chapter 211. Shattered Heart Isles
The Narwhale swayed gently as she sailed forward. Standing on the deck, Charles gazed at the hazy lights in the distance. A weary yet relieved smile appeared on his countenance. Despite all the hardship, they had finally arrived at the Shattered Heart Isles.
"All praise...to the Great One...for His protection... His servants... saved us..." Bandages mumbled and went down on his knees. With devout faith, he bowed solemnly toward the sea.
Meanwhile, Linda pressed her hands against the white triangle on her forehead and muttered her own prayers. Clearly, she had her own interpretation of the entity who had saved them from their crisis.
However, Charles felt that it was no divine intervention. The giants had mentioned that something in the water had drawn them to the Narwhale.
Moreover, it was something that swam swiftly in the waters, and it managed to hide its identity from the giants. Whatever it was, Charles was certain it was no messenger of any god. After all, the gods of the Subterranean Seascape were never known for their benevolence.
As the Narwhale inched toward the shore, Charles finally understood why it was called the Shattered Heart Isles.
Unlike any island they had encountered before, this location wasn't a single landform. It consisted of multiple smaller islands, each resembling fragments of a shattered ceramic plate.
The Narwhale entered a shipyard; her battered form was in urgent need of repair.
The shipyard of Shattered Heart Isles was strikingly different from any other. The most notable feature was its enormous scale. Not only was the shipyard much larger in size, but everything—the chairs, tables, blueprints, and even the various machines—was nearly twice as large as normal. Even the people as well!
Thankfully, whether it was the bone-hoisting dockworkers or the blueprint-wielding engineers, they paid no attention to Charles and his crew. The crew's anxious hearts were slightly eased.
Inside the shipyard, the giants shed their robes and revealed their entire physiques. Beyond their towering height, they bore distinct features unlike that of typical humans. Their skin was a pale blue hue, and their chins jutted forward prominently. The eyebrows over their two eyes were joined together in a unibrow, giving them an ancient, almost Neanderthal-like appearance.
Moreover, Charles noticed something else: the absence of machinery in the shipyard. The place felt prehistoric and was a stark contrast to the technological advancements on other islands.
As Charles observed the shipyard, a giant with a pencil tucked behind his ear approached. "Do you want to repair your ship?"
"Yes," Charles answered. "Can you repair a steamship? It's mainly the outer shell that needs fixing."
The giant circled around the Narwhale before responding that repairing the steamship wouldn’t be a problem. A standard repair session would take thirty days, but Charles could get his ship in five days if he opted for an expedited service.
Of course, Charles decided on the expedited service. He certainly wouldn't want to waste his time here. However, a problem arose when he had to put down the deposit. The giants neither accepted bank checks nor Echo.
Just as Charles was stuck in a tough spot, the Haikor shipwright mentioned that there was no need for him to worry since he had a solution in mind.
Soon enough, the shipwright returned with a scrawny man trailing behind him.
The man flashed an unattractive grin; the gap between his lips exposed several missing teeth. "Hello, I'm Gordon. Don't worry. I offer the best rates in the harbor district for the exchange of Echo into Goldkrons. I only charge a two percent conversion fee."
"What's a Goldkron?" Charles asked.
"You don't know? And you dared come here to try and hit it big?" Gordon then produced a fist-size golden disc that resembled a large coin.
"See this? The hard currency in this place. The tall guys only deal with these. Echo is not in circulation here."
Observing the intricate patterns on the golden coin, Charles wanted a closer looker when Gordon swiftly pocketed it once again. "So, do you want to exchange?"
Charles' gaze shifted from the coin onto Gordon's face. With a calm look, he inquired, "You live on this island?"
"Of course. Not only do I live on these islands, but I was also born here. I know the Shattered Heart Isles like the back of my hand. If you need supplies whatsoever, you can count on me. I have connections for everything." Gordon boasted with an air of confidence.
Charles pondered for a brief moment and answered, "I can do an exchange. But I'm not familiar with this island, so I'll need you to be my guide. I'll pay you three hundred thousand Echo for the job."
Hearing Charles' words, Gordon couldn't hide the joy lighting up his visage. "No—not a problem at all! Esteemed sir, please bring out your Echo; we can do the exchange on the spot."
As Charles' crew brought out chests of Echo, one after another, Gordon's face lit up with unmistakable, growing excitement. He swiftly exchanged the chests of Echo for Goldkrons, and the Haikor shipwrights immediately got to work.
Charles watched them hoist the Narwhale onto the ship bridge with chains before he stepped out of the place with a visibly excited Gordon.
The harbor district was right outside the shipyard. Just like the shipyard, everything in sight was massive, leaving the crew awestruck with wonder. Standing on the streets, they felt like they had entered the land of giants.
Taking in the appearance of these massive buildings, an odd sensation stirred in Charles. Soon enough, he recognized where it stemmed from.
The architecture here was far more primitive compared to his own Hope Island. If the islands in the Northern Seas were at the technological level of the 18th or 19th century, Shattered Heart Isles were several centuries behind without any trace of industrialization.
"Sir, this way, please. I'll bring you to an inn first," Gordon proposed.
"Are there many humans on this island?" Charles inquired.
"Several thousand, at least. The Haikor Tribe still needs to maintain interaction with the outside world, after all," Gordon said as he smiled and nodded at the passing giants, even though they ignored his friendly gestures.
As Charles strolled through the orderly environment, a surreal feeling washed over him. Was this really the extremely dangerous place Elizabeth had warned him about?
Elizabeth described the Haikors to be repulsive lunatics—a group even more fanatical than the disciples of the Divine Light Order or the Fhtagn Covenant.
However, Charles noted that there was nothing overtly unusual about them aside from their tall stature and slightly aloof expressions. Even the harbor district was much cleaner than other islands he had visited.
Wanting to know more, Charles asked Gordon about the Haikor Tribe.
Gordon was quick to respond. "Well... there are indeed rumors that they're a hybrid of humans and the native inhabitants. But who cares whether it's true or not? It doesn't affect us. We just want to make money, and that's all that really matters."
"Dangerous? Nonsense. They've been interacting with humans for hundreds of years without any major incidents. And they’re mostly vegetarian.
”You outsiders really shouldn't judge others based on their appearances. Of course, don't walk too close to them, or they might accidentally step on you."
"Their religion? I'm not too sure. It's a chaotic mess. But I feel that they aren't deeply devout to their gods anyway."
"Previously, there was this guy who accidentally smashed the statue of one of their gods. If it was any other religion, he could forget about making it out alive.
”However, these tall folks simply charged him double to replace the statue. They bought a new one and resumed their prayers as if nothing happened."
With each answer Gordon provided, Charles gained a new level of understanding of the Haikor Tribe. With their mysterious veil lifted, his wariness towards the towering inhabitants lessened considerably.
Indeed, if they were truly the lunatics Elizabeth claimed, they couldn't have built such an orderly city.
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