Wake.

  Yipachai’s eyes popped open, revealing a clear sky above him. He was lying on his back on something soft, feeling surprisingly comfortable considering…

  Considering he had just drowned!

  He bolted upright, using his hands—when had his bonds come undone?—to prop himself up so that he was suddenly face to face with a giant creature looming over him, its vertical irises intent on his face. Covered in shimmering blue scales, the beast had great, curved horns on its elongated head, and its mouth was full of teeth as long as Yipachai’s forearm. Its long, serpentine body extended back into the surf and was obscured by the water. It exhaled, expelling a steaming cloud into his eyes.

  With a yelp, Yipachai scrambled back through the…sand? He was on a beach, like the ones near Hanaburi in the places without mangroves, but the sand was strangely black.

  “Who are you?” he asked, his voice high-pitched and crackly.

  I am the one they call the Stormbringer, the creature’s voice sounded feminine in Yipachai’s mind, but that is only because they do not know the true bringer of storms, nor the One whom he serves.

  A warm sense of amusement filled Yipachai, and with a start, he realized that he was bonded with this beast. Hers had been the voice that had called to him in the water. Ancient. Powerful.

  “You…you saved my life, didn’t you? Do you have a name, oh great…snake?”

  The beast puffed another hot breath of air through her nostrils, and Yipachai sensed a flash of irritation coming from her. Snake? I am no mere common beast, child. My name is Haimunei, and I am the dragon who serves the Lord of the Sea. It is a shame that Sentients no longer remember my kind, or that of my master. Or of his master.

  She lowered her head, her great, green eyes seeming to study him. You, however, should consider yourself blessed by my Lord, for you breathed in before your body resorted to using my power.

  Yipachai raised his hands in what he hoped was a placating gesture. It was true, then. He had drowned, or come close to it. Then, by bonding with Haimunei, he had suddenly gained the ability to breathe underwater despite being unconscious. And his injuries seemed to have largely been healed. He still felt stiff, and sore when he moved, but for the most part he felt quite alright, all things considered.

  “Is the Lord of the Sea…Tianfu?” Yipachai asked. It suddenly occurred to him that he was speaking aloud, when he normally communicated with beasts in his mind. Fortunately, Haimunei didn’t seem to mind.

  Amusement wafted through the Lan Kuanghi bond as the dragon made a huffing sound in her throat. Was she laughing?

  By the great waters, no, child. Tianfu is but a mortal owl. Long-lived, and highly honored, but mortal. Still, he is wise, and so I heeded his request.”

  Highly honored? Just what was Tianfu? The bird had always been a strange one, but there had always been a sort of…weight to his words, to his presence.

  “Is he here, then?” Yipachai asked, feeling slightly guilty for questioning Haimunei so much. She seemed kindly, but he had known kindly monks who got irritated with all of his questioning. Certainly, this time, Yipachai had the right to be confused. He had been kidnapped, beaten, sacrificed to the sea, and now here he was bonded to something called a dragon on a beach with black sand.

  No, Haimunei said. Tianfu is still east of here, near the place you Sentients call Hanaburi. I do not expect to see him again.

  Yipachai could feel a hint of remorse through the bond. A fondness that Haimunei had for Tianfu. Strange indeed.

  “Then…where exactly are we?”

  We are on a beach west of the bay where those thieves make their den. I believe if you walk a few days to the west again, you should arrive in Amigawa the city. As it is, you are already standing in Amigawa the country. The Banqilun are awfully lazy when it comes to naming places.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Amigawa? Yipachai hadn’t spent much time studying the maps that the teaching monks at the monastery had shown him, but to come so far in so short a time? He was sure he had only been on that boat a day or two at most. And they had started in Hongshu, east of Hanaburi. Had Haimunei taken him even farther?

  And the Banqilun. Yipachai had only seen a few of them during his visits to the city. Both the men and the women were incredibly tall, far taller than any Hetanzou he had ever met. They had always seemed so noble, walking about with their great l’anti staffs. The Hetanzou never liked to admit it, but the Banqilun were the true masters of Lan Banti. Yipachai himself had never given much time to studying the art.

  He pulled his legs back, then leaned forward so he was squatting on his heels. He couldn’t believe how much better his body felt. But then again, he didn’t know how long he had been asleep on the beach.

  “So, what am I supposed to do now?”

  Heal, Haimunei said, Grow strong. Soon, a man will visit this beach. He will be able to help you, and you will be able to trust him.

  “Who is he?”

  You will see. The dragon’s head began to pull backwards, the powerful muscles in her neck rippling beneath her scales as more and more of her body was submerged beneath the surf. And Yipachai?

  “Where are you going?”

  Haimunei ignored his question. I can sense your hatred for the man who hurt you. He still lives. But remember this: your anger may lend you strength for a time, but it will not sustain your spirit forever. Once your vengeance is spent, seek the higher things. Seek the true Song.

  The last of the dragon’s enormous head vanished beneath the surface. Yipachai felt her swimming away quickly, and he strained to hold onto the bond.

  Wait! he said, this time speaking in his mind. What do you mean? Will I see you again?

  It is doubtful.

  A piece of Yipachai’s heart broke. It would be a shame to never meet such a magnificent beast again. Then thank you, he said. For saving my life.

  You are welcome, child.

  With that, Yipachai could maintain the bond no longer. Haimunei was simply too far away. The bond snapped, sending an odd, painful twinge through his mind. It faded after a few moments.

  Yipachai sat back down into the sand, then leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He stared out over the water for several minutes, in the direction that Haimunei had gone, and thought about what she had said.

  He hadn’t been consciously thinking about it at the time, but what she had said—that she could sense his hatred for that bandit, Mangsut—was true. He didn’t know he was capable of such a deep, decisive hatred. Something inside him just knew he had to track that man down. Had to recover Elder Satsanan’s pendant. Had to mete out justice for her, for the enslaved acolytes, for the rest of the monastery.

  Tears stung Yipachai’s eyes, and rolled down his cheeks. His breath came in chokes and sobs, though he tried not to make a sound. It was the first time the events of the last who knew how long had truly caught up to him. It was the first time he had been safe enough to cry. To feel.

  A soft song caused him to look up. A small sea mhonglun floated just in front of him, its little watery face seeming to stare up at him. Its song sounded almost curious.

  Wiping his tears with the back of his hand, Yipachai coughed out a laugh. Sea mhonglun had been the type his monastery had revered most. “Do you want to talk to me, too? It wouldn’t be the strangest thing that has happened to me recently.”

  The mhonglun regarded him blankly, its song that same, questioning coo. Though it was Sentient shaped, its form wasn’t refined enough to have facial features.

  Just then, another song caught Yipachai’s ears. This one was a low, bass melody coming from somewhere behind him. Someone was humming. Casting a look over his shoulder, he saw a giant of a man with warm, brown skin standing atop the small rocky outcropping that divided the beach from the terrain beyond. A Banqilun. He had to have been multiple heads taller than Yipachai, and broader than most of the other Banqilun he had seen.

  The man had a long, mossy green beard that went down to his chest, though the top of his head was shaved save for a simple topknot. He wore a basic tunic and trousers and carried a long staff on his shoulder with a pail on either end. A large, cloth bag was slung across his body, coming to rest on his opposite hip.

  The stranger let out a whoop when he saw Yipachai, then quickly began scrambling his way down the outcropping towards him.

  Yipachai stood, brushing the sand off his legs and hands as he turned to face the man. It was frightening, seeing someone so large running towards him with unknown intentions, but there was nothing for it but to wait. Though Yipachai’s wounds weren’t much of a bother anymore, he was still terribly tired. He wouldn’t have been able to run more than a few paces, and the Banqilun’s long strides would have outdone him in short order.

  “By the great water, a Hetanzou!” the strange man said, his beard bouncing as he jogged up to Yipachai. “You alright there, young master?”

  Yipachai shrugged. “I’m…not sure. I’m supposed to be waiting for someone.”

  The man pursed his lips and thought for a moment. Yipachai couldn’t be sure, but he thought the man had to be younger than Elder Satsanan. He definitely moved faster.

  “Well, no one lives around this beach but me, so unless you’ve got a Montililun on a ship sailing your way, I’d say you’re in for a long wait.”

  Yipachai stared at the man, unsure of what to do. “Oh,” he said, feeling stupid. “Um, my name is Yipachai.” He bowed, palms together, suddenly unsure if that was the appropriate way to greet an older Banqilun man.

  Thankfully, a warm smile spread across the man’s face, his dark brown eyes twinkling. “Harato Tsukama, at your service, young master.”