Chapter 7 – The Lost Continent throws the group of explorers into a deeper spiral of uncertainty as they confront the devastating loss of their launch. This vessel was more than just a boat—it was their link to safety, to retreat, to the last vestige of control they held over their dangerous journey. Its absence not only weakens their logistical advantage but also sends a sharp blow to morale, especially for Taylor, who embodies silent resignation more with each passing hour. Among the remaining crew, shock slowly gives way to scattered frustration and the desire for action. The narrator, burdened with leadership and inward conflict, recognizes that despair must be fought with resolve. Instead of allowing the group to splinter emotionally, he proposes a calculated pursuit, aiming to track the launch using their understanding of the river’s twists, aided by their compass and the maps they’ve managed to preserve.

The group’s path forward becomes a blend of rugged perseverance and emotional endurance. Traveling on foot, with only their makeshift gear and wits to guide them, each man battles his own internal demons alongside the physical hardships. The conversations shift to Snider—the man now believed to have stolen the launch and abducted Victory. What began as anger soon evolves into philosophical reflection: if they capture him, what then? Is justice still a priority when law and order feel like distant memories? The narrator tries to remain neutral, though his personal feelings grow harder to suppress. He cannot ignore the tangle of fear, admiration, and guilt that Victory’s memory stirs within him. She comes from a world wholly unlike his own, yet he cannot detach the emotional weight she now holds in his thoughts.

One afternoon, when fatigue nearly claims them all, the unexpected happens. The river’s slow bend reveals a familiar shape drifting aimlessly—it’s the launch, seemingly abandoned. Two of the strongest swimmers are sent out, clinging to hope that Victory may be onboard. What they find instead is a grim tableau: Snider’s lifeless body sprawled inside, marked by a deep stab wound. Clenched in his stiffened fist is a strand of long, dark hair. No further questions are needed. Whatever had occurred, it’s clear that Victory had defended herself, and did not wait around after doing so. Snider, viewed already as a coward and traitor, receives no fanfare in death. A shallow grave by the water’s edge is all the honor his fate allows.

Now reunited with their launch but not their companion, the group recalibrates. With renewed urgency, they set off upriver, steering the recovered vessel slowly, calling Victory’s name at intervals. Hopes remain cautiously alive, buoyed only by a smoldering campfire found nestled beneath thick foliage—a silent signal that someone had passed recently, someone who perhaps hoped not to be found. Time, however, is no friend in this wild terrain. Just as the mood flickers between anticipation and fear, the narrator strays slightly from the group to scout ahead. In an instant, he is struck down, ambushed by hidden figures whose presence had gone unnoticed in the dense wilderness. The world spins, and with it, the fragile balance they’ve tried to maintain teeters toward chaos once again.

What began as a hopeful recovery ends in violence and renewed separation. The terrain, unforgiving and alive with unseen threats, reasserts its dominance over the fragile security they’d briefly reclaimed. The chapter’s events underscore the volatile nature of survival—not just in physical terms, but in the emotional and moral battles each character quietly endures. As they bury one of their own and continue their search for another, they are forced to reconcile what kind of world they have entered. This is no longer just an expedition; it’s a test of humanity’s resilience, adaptability, and ability to cling to values in a place where old rules no longer apply.

The journey down this lost continent is reshaping them, stripping them of assumptions, and forging a deeper understanding of who they are when stripped of society’s frameworks. Every mile forward is earned not just through sweat, but through soul. Victory’s fate remains uncertain, but her spirit—unbroken, resourceful, and fierce—now serves as a compass just as much as any navigational tool. She may be out there, hiding or watching, and they must press on not only to find her but to protect whatever remains of their shared humanity.