Chapter 84

“I have received a revelation.”

What is a revelation? 

The word is a translation of the Koine Greek apokálypsis (ἀποκάλυψις) from the New Testament, also sometimes translated as ‘apocalypse.’ Apokálypsis originally meant the act of opening a cover or lifting a veil. Its meaning expanded to refer to the general act of revealing that which was hidden.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, such revelations appear several times, the most representative of which is the final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation. And as is widely known, the Book of Revelation exudes an eschatological atmosphere in its every passage. For that reason, the English transliteration of apokálypsis—apocalypse—came to mean the end of the world.

In any case, the important thing here is that a revelation is something that reveals what was concealed. Of course, in the Christian worldview, the existence and will of an omnipotent God are naturally revealed through the providence of nature, the unfolding of history, and human reason and conscience. This, too, is a revelation, and theologians call it ‘general revelation.’¹ But there are times when that is not enough. Therefore, sometimes, God intervenes directly. To the foolish and sinful humans who do not know His will, God sends His representatives, angels or prophets. Sometimes, He lets them hear His own voice or shows them a vision. In that process, all sorts of supernatural miracles may be revealed.

That is the revelation I claimed to have received. A message sent directly from the omnipotent God who created and rules the universe.

“A revelation… you say?”

I nodded at Raleigh’s words. To Raleigh, I am a messenger and servant of the almighty God. One who acts on earth as God’s representative, one who delivers God’s message. When I, of all people, speak of a revelation, how must it sound to him?

Thud.

He collapsed before me, kneeling as if his strength had left him. He listened quietly to my words, then whispered again, “More than that… a-are you all right? I am curious about the content of the revelation, but you were struggling to even breathe just now, Sir Nemo…”

“I am fine.”

I said nothing more to him. I, too, needed time to organize my thoughts.

A revelation. Yes. I had received a revelation. I could not know if it had truly come from God, but there was no other way to explain it.

—“Thou shalt have eyes to avoid death.”

This voice, still echoing in my head, proved it. It was the same voice that had appeared when I first turned on the Immortal Order game screen. It was the same voice that had come to me on the day I first escaped from the valley of death. That voice was making my entire body tremble, using my eardrums—no, my very soul—as a diaphragm. I could do nothing but listen to that voice.

—‘O immortal, who will exist beyond the ages.’ 

—‘…Do not question thy immortality.’ 

—‘Thy flesh will not age… and thy spirit will have bright eyes that transcend the ages.’

And again.

—“Thou shalt have eyes to avoid death.”

“…”

Yes. 

Eyes to avoid death. If what I had just seen was not the eyes to avoid death, then what was it? It was all too clear. I had faced a situation tantamount to death in that vision.

Walter Raleigh had died before my very eyes. The corpses of many others had floated on the river. I was pinned to the bottom of a river or perhaps the deep sea, losing consciousness for what felt like an eon. It was a horrific moment.

While Raleigh waited for me, I stood there blankly, then took out my phone and checked the date. June 2, 1600. The date I had seen in the vision was July 23, 1600. There was a little more than a month and a half until July 23rd.

The people here can avoid death. If I lead them and we leave this place, we will be able to escape that terrible storm, and the people around me will be able to survive. It is, literally, ‘eyes to avoid death.’

‘What are the criteria? Can I see when people around me are about to die? Then why didn’t I have this experience in the battles with the Spanish? Why…’

Scrape.

I wiped my face with both hands and reorganized my straying thoughts. For now, such details were not important. I could learn about this new ability gradually later. For now, I had received a ‘revelation.’

“Raleigh, I have received a revelation.” 

“I am… listening.”

And, I had seen the countless deaths that would pour down upon this place. I had seen the land and sky mix into a shade of gray, and amidst it, I had seen countless people and animals die.

“Follow me.” 

“…Pardon?”

My head was still throbbing, but I could not stop walking. As I moved, Raleigh, though with a bewildered expression, quickly got up and followed me. And so, Raleigh and I walked through the undergrowth in the dead of night, under the countless stars. I walked the exact same path I had walked in the vision while carrying Raleigh on my back. A sudden shiver ran down my spine, and I turned back to look at Raleigh. He was alive. Yes. Raleigh was still alive.

“…Sir Nemo? Are you truly all right? You look pale.” As he looked at me with concern, I couldn’t hold it in and blurted out, “Raleigh, I am glad that you are alive.” 

“Pardon?” 

“You are a good man.” 

“Yes…? Ah, ahem, thank you.” 

“An ending that befits you will be waiting for you.” 

“What do you mean by that…”

I mean that I will not let you die so meaninglessly.

“…You will soon find out.” 

“…”

The places where there had been a stream and a muddy mire in the vision were all still dry land. Among them, I climbed a particularly high hill and surveyed the area. …A safe space. The space where the people had taken shelter. I examined the soil there, the surrounding topography. I thought about the storm that had raged in the vision, and the stability of this place.

…Would this place be safe? How could I know? Do the Lenape people, who have lived on this land, know? I combed through my memories of wandering through the vision. And I tried to remember how many people were on the high ground at that time.

***

At best, six or seven people. They don’t know either. They hadn’t known a storm of that scale was coming, and they hadn’t known where to evacuate. Then… where, and how, must the people of this place flee to be safe?

At that, the images of the many bodies being swept away by the river were drawn in my mind again, and then erased. I wandered around restlessly, looking up at the high ground here and there. And I superimposed the vision from before onto it. Someone is dying. Swept away by the current, they die. Trapped in the debris of a house collapsing in the gale, they flail and die. They are injured by the debris carried by the wind, and sometimes, isolated, they starve to death. And amidst those many deaths, people blindly climb to a place the water cannot reach. Toward dry land where they cannot be swept away by the current…

Thud.

That place is this place. Suddenly, my head cleared for a moment. The screams that had echoed in my ears and the shimmering images of corpses momentarily subsided. This place is…

“…Walter.”

…a shelter that will save the people.

At my call, Raleigh, who had been panting as he followed me around, caught his breath and looked up. We met each other’s eyes. Both of us still alive.

“I have received a revelation.” 

“…” 

“Countless people will be swept away by the spray and die.” 

“What did you just…” 

“Countless people will be swept away by the storm and die. He showed me, in a holy vision.”

Raleigh’s expression hardened again. He looked around with a bewildered look and said, “It is so peaceful… a storm, you say?” 

“Yes. A disaster that will come in less than two months.” 

“…” 

“Many will suffer tribulation. Walter, we who have received this knowledge have been given a mission. We must save those who do not know.” 

“…” 

“Will you… help me?”

I spoke to Raleigh, and after a moment of confusion, Raleigh… with his usual face, knelt before me and said, “As I always have, I will do so.”

And the very next morning, I gathered the people. “Fifty days from now, leave for the place we have shown you. A mighty storm will come. If you do not flee it, you will all…” 

After saying a few words to the villagers… we left the village immediately. After instructing the others to follow by wagon or on foot, or to escape via the coast, only a few people and I moved quickly in the Porter. My hands tightened on the steering wheel.

***

“That is the place.”

They walked for a long time, past forests and hills. And when they reached a place with solid ground, He finally raised his finger and pointed. Vicente, though exhausted and panting, lifted his head. He looked up at His finger, and at the hill at its tip.

“Exactly forty-four days from now, evacuate to that place. It would be good to start digging into the ground there and storing food and drinking water. You must be able to hold out for at least three days.” 

“B-but, is it not too high and steep a place?” 

“Yes. That is why no matter how high the water rises, it will not dare to trespass.” 

“…”

He turned his head and spoke to the tribe members who were momentarily protesting. At that, the people began to stir. They whispered amongst themselves about how an outsider could know the topography around their village so well, and whether the rumors that he was a spirit were true. Of course, unlike last time, they did not throw sacrifices or ask for blessings the moment they saw Sir Nemo. Hadn’t he come here to prevent that in the first place?

“Vicente, Manteo, come to my side. And it would be good if you could mark the points I indicate with stakes.” 

“Y-yes, understood.” 

“Before ‘that day’ comes, everyone must take refuge inside these stakes. It is necessary to protect your lives.” 

“…” 

“…” 

“…”

When He finished speaking and looked around, no one dared to add another word. Vicente had seen such a spectacle several times now, so it was not so shocking… but for the residents here, it must have been the first time. That way of speaking, talking about the future as casually as if it were something that had happened last night. That attitude, walking without hesitation to a place that even the locals found unfamiliar, as if he were returning to a place he had been before.

“‘When that day’ comes, everyone must take refuge here and hold out for several days. Do not worry if your fields collapse and your houses are destroyed. Your safety is the most important.” 

“…” 

“…” 

“…”

And that confident face. It was an expression that only one who had not a single doubt about his actions could make.

“A-are there no other shelters? It seems this place is not enough for all the tribe’s people to stay…” The chief, whose attitude had been surly, asking why they suddenly had to evacuate, was now bowing his head respectfully and asking.

In the eyes of Sir Nemo, who was looking down on him, there was a calmness that seemed almost emotionless. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke. “…There should be. Let’s look.” And after looking around for a long time… “Let’s go this way.” He began to walk toward somewhere again. Everyone followed him, as if mesmerized. His expression was still so very calm. And his demeanor was as casual as if nothing were wrong.

***

I must be calm. I must not show a different side of myself. I must not be frightened or fall into fear. I…

—“S-save, save me! Please… please…!” 

—“D-daddy? Daddy! Daddy!” 

—“My… arm… can someone find my arm…”

I must be calm. I have seen disaster dozens of times. I have seen death thousands of times. But I must be calm.

I could now roughly sketch out the hurricane’s path and lifespan. The hurricane would weaken rapidly after July 24th. The method of finding out was simple. In all the visions, the date never went past July 23rd. The voice had said to call this ability ‘eyes to avoid death.’ Of course, it couldn’t be my death. Because I am a being who does not die. I had experienced that to the point of nausea in the first vision.

Then whose death was it to be avoided? The people around me. Even if I didn’t know the limits of this ability or the conditions for its activation yet, I could make a rough guess through the process of elimination and analogy. I had been through several battles so far, yet I had never had an experience like this, so man-made disasters like war are not included. I don’t know why. Many people have died of old age or sickness in Virginia, but that has never triggered a vision for me either, so individual deaths or natural deaths are not counted. A large-scale plague never swept through London while I was there, but even if it had, I doubt it would have triggered a vision like this. So it’s safe to assume it only shows events that will happen in my vicinity.

To summarize, it’s the ability to detect deaths caused by a natural disaster that will soon occur in my vicinity. I still don’t know the more detailed activation requirements, like what exactly counts as a disaster, or how close in time and space it has to be for this cheat to activate. But for now, that’s what it is.

—“Aaaaaargh! Aak! My-my leg, my leg is pinned! Please, Great Chief, help me!” 

—“Wh-wh-where are you going? Great Chief, Sir Nemo! Where…!”

I see a vision. I see countless deaths. And in the midst of it, I run like a madman. I run in the direction people are evacuating. I push through thorn bushes, step in puddles that reek of decay, and I run. And there, I find the place where people are the safest. And…

“…Sir Nemo?” 

“Ah, Manteo.” 

“You were in a daze again for a moment.” 

“…Was I?” 

“Is it… the ‘revelation’ Baron Raleigh spoke of again?” 

“…”

I wake from the vision and, in reality, I head for that place. The countless visions of death ceaselessly churn in my brain. Chilling and terrifying scenes that make my hands and feet tremble unfold endlessly. In them, I sometimes drown. Or I am pinned somewhere, or my limbs are torn off. Still, I walk. I walk, and walk, and then… I reach it.

There. My head clears for a moment. The gray sky that had been strangely superimposed over the clear sky of reality finally disappears as if washed clean, and the sun rises brightly. Seeing that sight, I am filled with an indescribable sense of liberation.

Earlier, the name of this ability was said to be ‘eyes to avoid death.’ And it was said that its use was in foreseeing disaster. Then let’s look at it backward. A place where the eyes to avoid death are not activated. Is that not a place where there is no need to avoid death?

…I no longer see death before my eyes. I no longer see the bodies being swept away, nor do I hear the horrific screams. Is this really a revelation? Something so painful and terrifying? I just want to stay in this place. Until the disaster is over.

“…”

I close my eyes for a moment… then open them. And I saw the people. They were waiting for me.

“…Is this the place?” The chiefs of the nearby villages ask, looking at me with worried eyes. I nod to them and hold out my hand to Vicente. Vicente handed me a coat. I took a step to leave the newly found shelter… and then stopped at the boundary. I swallow.

“…What is it?” 

“Are you all right?” Vicente and Manteo ask. In the distance, I see Raleigh looking at me with worried eyes.

So I answer. 

“It is nothing.” 

I am an angel who has received a revelation. I must foresee disaster and lead everyone to the path of life. Therefore, I must give everyone confidence. I must not show any sign of weakness.

I must be calm. I must be calm. There are still so many people left to save. There is no time to delay.

As I take another step outside the boundary.

—“H-help me! M-my mom, my mom is bleeding so much…!” 

—“O-oh, spirits, ancestors…”

I see the vision again. Still, I walk. A storm rages in the clear sky.