Yu Chen’s breath caught, and he couldn’t help but to take a step back as the figurehead twisted, moving as though alive.

  The living statue turned, gazing at them with unfocused eyes. Her lips parted, as if to speak, stretching out one hand as though reaching towards them. It hung there, in the space between them for a brief moment before falling to rest by her side. Her eyes slowly blinked, moving one last time before falling shut in deep repose.

  Yu Chen almost thought he’d imagined it, but the proof was there, a dozen subtle differences that proved the statue had truly moved. Her posture had shifted, her elbows bent a different way, but most noticeable of all was how her face, once angled downwards, had risen up, as though to greet the wind and the sky as she cut through the river.

  He looked towards the Riverlord in awe, feeling a new sense of respect, and more than a hint of fear. How much power did the man truly possess? Yu Chen couldn’t help but wonder.

  “She’ll wake eventually; she just needs rest.” Riverlord Moxuan murmured, his voice weary. “It’ll be some time before she can reveal her true power. It took me centuries to recover after I bonded with the city. Her soul had nearly faded away by the time I awoke.”

  The Riverlord’s jaw tightened at the memory, his hands trembling as he stared up at the ship. A storm of conflicting emotions crossed his face. Sadness, joy, and more than a hint of anger, yet it was love and resignation that came out on top. A longing fondness for what had once been, entwined with acceptance of what it had all become. Beneath the surface a deep undercurrent of self-loathing ran, anchoring it all together.

  Yet his shoulders were pulled back, his spine straight and unbowed despite the long years that had passed and the countless things he’d seen and endured. He hesitated for a brief moment before stepping into the air, walking across an invisible staircase as he approached the frozen statue of his long dead wife.

  Yu Chen wondered why he didn’t simply fly up, but perhaps the moment meant something more to the man. He savored every step, taking his time as he walked up to gaze into her face. He reached out, caressing her smooth cheek one last time before leaning forward and gently kissing her stone lips. A gesture that never quite touched. Their time together had long since passed, and as lifelike as the Riverlord appeared, he was nothing more than an apparition, unable to feel a thing.

  “Forgive me.” He whispered, lingering for a long moment before turning, floating down before them. His eyes no longer showed any of the pain and emptiness lurking behind them, appearing as cold and regal as ever.

  “You’ll be leaving soon.” he said, staring around at them. “Tell me, where are you planning to go next?”

  “Baixian city.” Yu Chen replied, “for now, at least.”

  Han Moxuan nodded, stroking the small goatee on his chin. “The city of Riverlord Wuyou, he’s a man of some ability.” He said, staring into the distance before turning back to Yu Chen. “Or rather, he was at one time. It’s likely he’s ascended by now. Or perhaps he’s passed on, leaving behind a descendant to rule in his place.”

  “Ascended?” Yu Chen asked, but the man waved away the question, looking around at the rest of them.

  “What is it that you seek there?” He asked, looking over each of them closely.

  “Knowledge.” Yan Ziqi stated firmly, the first to reply. The artificer crossed his arms as he spoke, staring at the Riverlord with hungry eyes.

  The Riverlord barked, a harsh, grating sound.

  “Don’t look at me like I have something for you boy, I’m no master of yours.” He said, before pausing for a second and continuing. “If you have any brains, you ought to be able to glean something.” He gestured towards the ship before turning to look at the tall barbarian.

  Serbo au Serbo hesitated once the Riverlord’s gaze fell on him, struggling to find the right word before saying something in his guttural language.

  “Recognition.” The Riverlord said, nodding his head. “Understandable, for a wastelander. Reputation is everything for your kind. How about you?” he asked, turning to face Sun Yuan.

  The boy’s face reddened as he was put on the spot. He looked around, struggling to come up with an answer, even glancing at Yu Chen before speaking.

  “Purpose.” He finally said, folding his hands behind the back of his head as he kicked at the ground.

  “Of course,” The Riverlord replied, as though expecting the answer. He turned his gaze towards Xue Lan.

  “And what about you?” He asked, his voice almost gentle.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  A long moment passed before she replied, squeezing the hilt at her side in a white-knuckled grip.

  “I don’t know.” She said at last, staring at the floor.

  The Riverlord nodded.

  “Most people don’t.” He said. There was no mistaking it this time, his voice was definitely gentler than before. Finally, he turned to look at Yu Chen once more, raising a single eyebrow.

  Thoughts ran through Yu Chen’s mind as he considered the question, recalling all the reasons he’d come to the river in the first place. There was Xiao Huang of course, the small dragon’s visions and advice had determined his direction a long time ago. But it was the Reavers who had truly driven him to action, forcing him to unless he wanted to join the ranks of the dead and dying, they left in their path.

  Time and again he’d seen them pass through, falling like locusts on a harvest. They spared no one, not those he’d call peers, or those he could only look up to. He’d pushed forward in a mad dash to escape, rushing away from a death that always seemed just a step behind. What was it he sought? His thoughts turned towards his own desires, things he wanted to pursue, but couldn’t. At least, not until he had the strength to carve his own path forward.

  He didn’t know how much strength that would require, how much he’d need in order to turn the wheel of fate and seize his own freedom, but the strength of a Riverlord seemed like a good start.

  “Power.” he whispered, and though it felt wrong he knew it was right.

  The Riverlord turned his gaze away at the words, looking up towards the ship hanging in the sky.

  “Power…,” he moved the word around in his mouth as though tasting it. “Be wary with that. The pursuit of power will consume you if you're not careful.”

  Yu Chen tilted his head, not quite understanding the words. The Riverlord didn’t bother to elaborate.

  “Good,” the Riverlord said. “If that is what you seek, then you will all find it in Baixian city, whether you know it or not.” He glanced towards Xue Lan with his last words.

  “But enough of this. I grow tired, and long for rest.” He said with a sigh. “The time has come for us to part ways.”

  He flicked his fingers, and it was as though a solid wall of force had grabbed them. Yu Chen let out a startled shout as they were lifted through the air and unceremoniously deposited onto the deck of the ship. Another gesture ripped open a shimmering portal in the middle of the workshop, flooding the room with the harsh light of the midafternoon sun.

  It also actually flooded the room, a waterfall of yellow water pouring through the portal partially cresting the surface of the river.

  “Take care of my wife,” The Riverlord warned one last time as the water rapidly flooded the space. He glared at Sun Yuan with a sharp gaze, the water already butting against his knees.

  “I’ll protect her with my life.” the young navigator promised, his tone firm as he met the Riverlord’s eyes. Yu Chen clapped a hand on his shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze to reassure him.

  “Good.” The Riverlord replied. Nothing else was said, as he gestured forward, sending the ship rocketing out of the portal.

  It surged through the shimmering portal, the world around them transforming into a blurry kaleidoscope of lights and colors before, with an audible pop, they came out of the other side. Yu Chen stumbled, catching hold of the railing as the ship landed on top of the river with a splash. He blinked away the harsh light of the sun beating down on them, finding it painful after so long in the dark.

  It didn’t last long, driven away by the sight of the amber-hued waters spreading around them endlessly.

  He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he looked around at the others. They were busy regaining their footing. Sun Yuan was the first to move, his promise to the Riverlord still fresh in his mind as he strode towards the wheel. Xue Lan on the other hand stumbled to the railing, tightly gripping her sword hilt as she glared down at the yellow waters below them with a complicated expression on her face.

  Serbo au Serbo had fallen to his knees, whispering in that strange language of his as he repeated the same sign he’d made before. A blessing perhaps, or a ward against evil. Yan Ziqi didn’t even look as if he’d realized they’d escaped yet. The artificer only had eyes for the ship, his mind racing with possibilities as he examined the new mechanisms.

  Yu Chen couldn’t blame him. As relieving as it was to be back on the river the ship was a marvel. Its modern design now contained a hint of something ancient, even otherworldly, and though the figurehead no longer moved he couldn’t help but feel as though it was still watching over them. He almost felt a sense of reverence towards the vessel, and even more so towards the power of the Riverlord that had reforged it into something greater than before.

  Sun Yuan hauled at the wheel, spinning the bow of the ship to point upriver.

  “Baixian city?” He called out.

  “A moment.” Yu Chen replied, moving up the quarterdeck to stand beside the other boy.

  He stared around for a second before walking over to the railing and looking down at the glimmering yellow waters below. A thought ran through his mind, something he’d been waiting to do for a very long time.

  “Hold her steady for a second,” Yu Chen said. “I have something I need to do.”

  He reached up, gripping the neck of his robe when the river suddenly rumbled. The glass-like waters around them broke into waves that rocked the ship back and forth. The world hushed, as though holding its breath for a single moment before a violent cacophony erupted, a massive plume of water rocketing out of the river in the distance.

  It stretched higher than high, as though reaching towards the heavens before its momentum faltered and it fell back to earth, raining amber droplets all around them.

  “Han Moxuan,” Xue Lan said, her voice filled with sadness as she stared towards the source of the explosion.

  Yu Chen swallowed, before nodding. The spirit had been true to his word. Barely a moment had passed before he’d self-destructed, taking the entire city with him.

  They shared a moment of silence for the tragic end of a Riverlord, all of them contemplating his fate in their own ways. In the end Yu Chen sighed, shaking his head. There was nothing they could do now besides take care of the ship and move on with their lives. He pulled off his robe, revealing a muscled body that had lost some of its bronze during his time in the darkness. A flick of his fingers sent it into his spatial ring, preparing him for his baptism in the river below.

  He took a deep breath, but instead of leaping forward he leapt to the side, dodging the terrifying tentacle that rose out of the river, blurring through the air as it slapped down at the ship.