Chapter 12: Interlude (The Islanders)
“Hey, can you see it? The Bird Star is out again!”
“Oh, oh! It’s shining brightly today too!”
The man pointed towards the sky, where a particularly dazzling star sparkled with a radiant light. It was the early evening, just before sunset. The sun would dip below the horizon in about an hour, but the sky still held onto its brightness. In the southern sky, far in the distance, the Bird Star twinkled alone.
The Bird Star had suddenly become visible a few days prior. Since then, it had consistently appeared at this hour. Initially, there was a commotion, with people wondering if it was some unknown monster, but after three days without any sign of it approaching, the excitement faded. Instead, as it began to shine just before the clock tower chimed, the islanders came to appreciate it as a good omen.
“But what on earth is that thing?”
“Who knows? Is it some kind of patrol?”
The Bird Star moved slowly across the sky. Its location varied from day to day, but it seemed to orbit around the same general area. At this time of day, the sunlight hit it at just the right angle, causing it to reflect brilliantly. The islanders speculated about its true nature, guessing it might be a Feathered Serpent with wet feathers or a dragon covered in hard scales, but unfortunately, there was no way to confirm their theories. They had heard tales of distant lands where ships ventured hundreds of nautical miles to fish, but no one on this island owned such a large vessel. Even at the farthest, they could only sail a dozen nautical miles, and even then, they would be unable to discern the true identity of the Bird Star.
“I’ve heard there’s a rock or an island way out that way,” one said.
“That’s just the ramblings of a drunken fool,” another replied.
A few years ago, a battered shipwreck had washed ashore on this island. The crew, weakened from their long ordeal, spoke little due to the language barrier, but it was clear they had come from a great southern continent. They had navigated using a map of islands they had never seen and constellations they had never heard of. After their shipwreck, they wandered far to the north, away from their intended course, before finally reaching this island. Once they regained their strength, they were transported to the northern continent. The islanders were left with a lasting impression of the ship they boarded—a paddle steamer that ran without wind, turning the waterwheel in a way that seemed impossible. After that, they heard nothing more from the castaways, who had only been a source of entertainment for a few months.
“But there’s definitely a big island to the south, right?” one of them mused.
As they continued their conversation, they watched the Bird Star until its light faded with the changing rays of the sun.
“Well, I guess that’s it for today.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
With the Bird Star gone, the islanders began to wrap up their work, and soon the clock tower began to chime. Thus, another day on the island came to a peaceful close.
One month later, the southern islands would meet a swift end to their history, invaded by a nation from the northern continent.