me,” Faro said, waving his arm in a wide arc. “I’ll show you Mizuchi.”
Hana jumped at that. “Please,” she replied, “I’m excited to learn more about him.”
Faro led Hana through the castle courtyard. Rather than grass or sand, a mix of short trees and five-foot shrubs laden with colorful fruits adorned the area.
Hana had never seen fruits like these before. “What are those?” she asked, partly because it was in farm-girl character and partly because she was genuinely curious.
“Oranges,” Faro said as he pointed at one tree, “and de ones near de ground are pineapples. Bet you never had dem in Lodia, ya?”
Hana had traveled from one end of Raa to the other, but she’d never heard of a pineapple. The fruit didn’t look at all appetizing, what with all those spikes and sword-like leaves sticking out of it.
“In here,” Faro called. He opened a wooden door that led to a stone staircase. Hana thought it would head up to enter the castle keep, but instead it led underground. She followed Faro, and together they walked down the steps.
Aside from the stairs, the passage lacked any sign of manmade construction. The walls were curved and smooth, like any natural cavern in Shikari.
“Underground, de storms don’t blow,” Faro said. “Dis is de safest place on de whole island. Dat’s why Mizuchi’s here.”
Hana’s heart fluttered. Why Mizuchi was here! Faro was taking her to the Zuryokaiten!
The steps led farther and farther down. Hana lost track of how many they’d walked. Torches lined the cave walls, so they had plenty of light.
The deeper they went, the wetter it became. The walls glistened with water, and Hana had to watch her step on the slick stairs. The air was much cooler in here than outside, like going from the middle of summer to late fall in a few moments. If anything, it was more humid here than in the tropical climate outside.
At last the steps ended at a door, this one made of blue stone. “Mizuchi’s in here,” Faro said as he pulled the door open.
Hana couldn’t help but rush in first. It wasn’t in character, but she couldn’t restrain her anticipation. If the Water Dragon’s weapon was in this room, she could take it and be on a ship back to Lodia before nightfall.
The room was forty feet across and dome-shaped. Seafoam green tiles coated both the walls and the floor. At the far end was a circular pool of water ten feet in diameter.
Three rows of carved stone pews separated Hana from the pool. A smattering of people sat in them, lost in silent prayer. Candles on sconces lit the room, and they gave everything in it a warm, soothing glow. Hana smiled despite herself.
The room’s focal point was a painting that hung suspended above the pool by a pair of metal chains. Mounted in a gold frame, the image depicted a steel-gray sea serpent wreathed by a tidal wave. Flecks of gold accentuated the beast’s wingless curves, and golden hairs cascaded down its spine.
Hana walked as close as she could to the painting without falling in the pool. The frame bore a plaque at the bottom: “Mizuchi, the Water Dragon.”
She sighed. So that was it. There was no Ryokaiten here after all. It was just a place to worship the Water Dragon himself. Divinion had once possessed a similar shrine in Haldessa Castle, though the Lodians had long since forgotten its purpose.
Hana turned back to face Faro, and she was shocked to see the worshippers had stopped praying. They glared at Faro as though he were a demon. He strode up to Hana. “Dis is Mizuchi,” he said. “Is he what you expected?”
“Not exactly,” Hana admitted.
Faro knelt before the painting and folded his hands. Hana hadn’t expected the carefree bum to be religious. Low-class or not, he impressed her more with each second.
At length Faro unfolded his hands and reached for the bundle at the end of his stick. He untied the knot, and all his possessions were laid bare for Hana to see. There wasn’t much: four
Hana jumped at that. “Please,” she replied, “I’m excited to learn more about him.”
Faro led Hana through the castle courtyard. Rather than grass or sand, a mix of short trees and five-foot shrubs laden with colorful fruits adorned the area.
Hana had never seen fruits like these before. “What are those?” she asked, partly because it was in farm-girl character and partly because she was genuinely curious.
“Oranges,” Faro said as he pointed at one tree, “and de ones near de ground are pineapples. Bet you never had dem in Lodia, ya?”
Hana had traveled from one end of Raa to the other, but she’d never heard of a pineapple. The fruit didn’t look at all appetizing, what with all those spikes and sword-like leaves sticking out of it.
“In here,” Faro called. He opened a wooden door that led to a stone staircase. Hana thought it would head up to enter the castle keep, but instead it led underground. She followed Faro, and together they walked down the steps.
Aside from the stairs, the passage lacked any sign of manmade construction. The walls were curved and smooth, like any natural cavern in Shikari.
“Underground, de storms don’t blow,” Faro said. “Dis is de safest place on de whole island. Dat’s why Mizuchi’s here.”
Hana’s heart fluttered. Why Mizuchi was here! Faro was taking her to the Zuryokaiten!
The steps led farther and farther down. Hana lost track of how many they’d walked. Torches lined the cave walls, so they had plenty of light.
The deeper they went, the wetter it became. The walls glistened with water, and Hana had to watch her step on the slick stairs. The air was much cooler in here than outside, like going from the middle of summer to late fall in a few moments. If anything, it was more humid here than in the tropical climate outside.
At last the steps ended at a door, this one made of blue stone. “Mizuchi’s in here,” Faro said as he pulled the door open.
Hana couldn’t help but rush in first. It wasn’t in character, but she couldn’t restrain her anticipation. If the Water Dragon’s weapon was in this room, she could take it and be on a ship back to Lodia before nightfall.
The room was forty feet across and dome-shaped. Seafoam green tiles coated both the walls and the floor. At the far end was a circular pool of water ten feet in diameter.
Three rows of carved stone pews separated Hana from the pool. A smattering of people sat in them, lost in silent prayer. Candles on sconces lit the room, and they gave everything in it a warm, soothing glow. Hana smiled despite herself.
The room’s focal point was a painting that hung suspended above the pool by a pair of metal chains. Mounted in a gold frame, the image depicted a steel-gray sea serpent wreathed by a tidal wave. Flecks of gold accentuated the beast’s wingless curves, and golden hairs cascaded down its spine.
Hana walked as close as she could to the painting without falling in the pool. The frame bore a plaque at the bottom: “Mizuchi, the Water Dragon.”
She sighed. So that was it. There was no Ryokaiten here after all. It was just a place to worship the Water Dragon himself. Divinion had once possessed a similar shrine in Haldessa Castle, though the Lodians had long since forgotten its purpose.
Hana turned back to face Faro, and she was shocked to see the worshippers had stopped praying. They glared at Faro as though he were a demon. He strode up to Hana. “Dis is Mizuchi,” he said. “Is he what you expected?”
“Not exactly,” Hana admitted.
Faro knelt before the painting and folded his hands. Hana hadn’t expected the carefree bum to be religious. Low-class or not, he impressed her more with each second.
At length Faro unfolded his hands and reached for the bundle at the end of his stick. He untied the knot, and all his possessions were laid bare for Hana to see. There wasn’t much: four
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