Hao saw only land where he was expecting water.

It was his second day on land, his first morning waking on it.

He was stunned by the sight when the sun finally came.

It seemed like a different world.

Tall trees, stretching green fields, and I can't see the ocean.

Hao noticed there was no ocean smell, it was terrifying and pleasant.

There was no smell of fish or moss, and there wasn’t salt in the air.

He pushed it out of his mind, worried he would start understanding this elderly Senior Ran.

Hao stood and watched the sunrise, scanning back and forth unable to stop himself.

Others started to wake as the sky grew brighter.

Talking quickly began as groups woke, waking one after another.

Silence as soon as one gritting voice tore the morning peace, “Up? Good, hurry, board, we must go.”

They had yet to eat but boarded, knowing they would not see a meal for the day.

Quickly moving with the orders of Senior Ran.

Two hours later stomachs shook the second and third carriages in line but no one spoke up.

They already tempted Senior Ran's temper yesterday, not shortly after boarding the carriages.

Gils was stuck together with the islanders.

An interest was sparked in everyone, causing them to ask the non-islander questions.

Zui was quick to mention it must be true that non-islanders were heretics to the lord of waters.

Leading to a shouting match.

No one wished to have the Senior speak up again.

Hao slept through most of yesterday, not hearing the two fighting again.

It was the inaudible shouting of senior ran that woke him.

Senior Ran must be mad, Hao’s thought was more than an insult.

Hours ago, after the senior’s scolding, the carriage reached a stop for the day, everyone getting out to sleep for the night.

Hao winked off for a moment but woke during the night, already having a share of sleep.

He wandered a bit in the moonlight, thinking the rest were asleep till he found the senior talking to himself.

He tried to ignore the lights and pacing from where the senior was, hoping to forget and return to sleep.

A mad wizard, or ghost, is it true some people who live on land mix with the dead?

Rescue from the thought came with the morning sun before he got another wink of sleep.

Back to the carriage after the night and they were moving again.

The sun nearly was at its peak when the warm carriage stopped again.

Greeting the islanders with something completely new.

The smell of Breaktide’s stronger than ever before.

The smell of meats and sweets hit him like rain in a storm.

It was hard to see inside of the carriage, but Hao knew; everyone else must be reacting the same way, right?

Indeed, he was. All the islanders had bulging eyes and eager feet, but the carriage door was not open, and soon wheels moved again.

As the carriage moved slowly past the gate outside, the islanders pushed against each other to see out of the tiny window.

Hao caught only a glance before being shoved aside.

Even after the assault, he had a silly grin on his face and wished to laugh into the air.

We’re on a road of gray stone, and the enormous buildings have different colors.

Much of the carriage shared the same reaction and had similar thoughts.

Not the one serving as a guardian.

He was stunned by the reaction of the islanders.

They continued down the road, warm air drifted through windows and gaps in the wood.

Carrying one hundred different smells, all pleasant except one or two.

Light beamed in, changing to a dozen different colors as the carriage moved.

The horse stopped, and the light froze still.

Only floating dust left to look at in the curtain of light.

A couple of seconds after the stop, the carriage door popped open.

Leaning out one by one, Gils burst from the carriage first.

The rest followed, Hao was near the door, one of the first to see beyond the door carriages walls.

All the islanders swallowed air at the sight.

A Temple of Water much like the one they were familiar with.

Ten times in size, pillars of blue and white stretched from the road to the sky, sitting under the roof.

A monk in the water temple robes stood scanning over the group.

He smiled when he found Ran, “Ahh, good friend, it's good to see you as always, have you brought an offering”.

Ran looked at him with obvious hostility and threw him a coin pouch.

The monk caught the coins with surprising agility, “I’ll send the offering to the temple head.”

The monk bowed and pointed toward the temple, guiding everyone into the entrance.

The children passed the monk, walking through the oversized entrance.

Ran was last in the line, Gils at his side, the rest of the men staying in the carriage.

The monks spoke to Ran as he followed behind him.

“Friend Ran knows the procedure. After an aptitude test, those who fail you can do as you wish.”

Ran said nothing in response, just looking at the monk with sharp eyes.

“Everyone line up, and wait just a moment.” The monk said while he made a slow walk away.

The recruits lined up side by side and stayed silent.

Not only was Ran glaring even more than before, but they had to leave an impression on the monk.

The monk soon returned with another monk at his side.

He kept his eyes closed, not making the slightest noise as they continued.

The new monk never spoke; he simply walked in front of the Islanders.

Held a stone between himself and the Islander, stopping for a moment, then moving to the next.

He continued before stopping in front of one child, raising his hand for a moment, lowering it, then continuing.

Doing the same passing Hao, but not raising his hand.

Hao wasn’t fully sure what was happening, but his heart sank to his stomach.

My future was just determined, wasn’t it?

He couldn’t do anything but stand quietly as the monk continued for two more people.

Zui was just to Hao’s right. The monk raised his hand halfway.

The last slightly out of line was Gils. The monk stopped in front of him.

The monk was just about to raise the stone all the same when he started sliding backward.

“Not him.”

Senior Ran stepped forward.

His speed was far greater than Hao could imagine.

The monk that brought them to the temple glared at the Senior but the Senior returned the glare, “he is a nephew.”

The monk's glare disappeared as fast as it appeared.

He bowed his head, as he said, “Ahh, we didn’t know the friend had any family”.

“Enough, you can take one as usual.” Ran was quick with his response.

The two monks took several steps back, and the one with the stone walked away.

“Friend Ran saw for himself two passed. Perhaps a compromise?” The monk said, rubbing his beardless chin.

“We will take the better one, but as for this large one… Ah, how about a messenger of sorts for correspondence?”

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Senior Ran had no reason to say no.

He nodded his head. “You know that the school head is the one who will decide that.”

“What if they go up the mountain?” The monk asked, one eye closed.

“You and I know there is nothing up the mountain. The sect has long given up that search. It's nothing but legend now.” Senior Ran said.

Hao turned his head for a second, he thought he saw Ran moping.

Very well, The rest you can do as you please. With their consent, of course.”

“I’ll leave an imprint on the large boy. The imprint will serve as a token of identity, you can discuss it with your school head.”

Senior Ran dashed behind the cowardly Nial who seemed to mix in with the shadows during the entire journey.

“Step forward, you as well wait here. The rest of you go outside.”

Outside, the questions started to rain on from the children's mouths.

Mainly around apprenticeship in the water temple.

Hao was one of the islanders in the greatest panic.

He thought he had a great chance to join the water temple.

If not as his island monk then as a normal worker, it was no dream of his, but the benefits were countless.

He had even heard you can work outside of the temple doing scholarly work.

While he was a failure as a fisherman, he could count all his steps from one side of the village to the other on a good day.

“What of the scholar exams for the temple,” Hao called forward into the group hoping for even just a hint.

“Ha! It's not something talked about outside the temple anymore.”

“It's been more than a dozen years since they only take apprentices into the temple now. It's not like any of you would actually pass.”

It was Gils's voice, still as arrogant as before, now only when Ran was not around.

In just a few words, Hao’s dreams were torn up like a fish's fin washed up by the tides.

Will I have to go home empty-handed? What about this Ran and his ‘nephew’? What do they plan for us?

Hao was quick to imagine awful scenarios.

Someone else with less tact voiced his worries for him.

“What do you plan to do with us?”

Gils’s smirk grew to a grin, eager to respond, perhaps having a comment he thought clever.

“I’ll tell you that now.” an older voice came from behind Gils to the left of Hao.

From the entrance of the temple came Ran.

Senior Ran continued, "What you do now is your decision.”

“You can return to your villages, the coin given previously will not be taken back. Or you can continue to our sect.”

The Senior walked to the carriage in silence, having nothing more to say.

The kids started a discussion among themselves.

Most of them had a slight idea of what a sect was. The Temple of Water was once a sect after all.

The Islanders quickly split into two groups.

Both groups were repeating the same action despite the separation, eyes glancing over at the temple.

Things were still unclear, some questions were still unanswered.

But the only chance they had of joining the temple was gone.

They failed before they could try, now it was something out of reach.

They waited, the sun passed its zenith and was on its way towards the ground.

The groups had become stable, with one or two kids still shifting.

Hao was one of them, struggling to stay still.

The prospect of getting more for his village dragging him like a rope.

Still, he wanted to return home, even if it was an unpleasant place for Hao.

It had been only two days and one morning but he couldn’t keep his home out of his head.

It followed him from the shore to here; to the temple that shattered his imagination and expectations.

Perhaps there's even more to see on this land. Which stories could be true? Which ones are exaggerations?

Hao finally built up some courage from his curiosity, it seemed to him, to take a lifetime.

He walked forward in front of everyone, each person frowned when they saw where he was walking, Hao was frowning too.

Standing a few paces away he mimicked the posture of Gils and others who manned the ship.

His feet were side by side and hands together; one hand cupped over another.

Hao’s hands were cupped, but he did not bow.

“Senior Ran…” Hao said, his own voice surprising him.

The elderly man who was sitting on a carriage wheel looking at the sky turned his head over slowly.

Hao and the elderly Ran looked at each other, only for a second.

Hao almost didn’t recognize him when he was looking at the sky, he appeared unfettered, even younger and less intimidating.

But it was slowly coming back, like the wrinkles were popping fresh from his skin.

Hao lowered his head a little, avoiding contact with the eyes.

He knew Ran would like it, and looking at the ground saved both of them a little face.

“If we serve at your sect… do we get coins.” the question burst from Hao’s mouth.

Ran was stricken to silence with the rest of the carriage crew.

“Pfft. Coin. Coin? Hehehe, you can, you can if that's what you want, as much as you may want.” Ran said.

He turned his head and stared back at the sky, carrying a sigh in his face after his laugh.

Hao wasn’t sure about the answer he got, but it was an answer good enough.

Hao turned, and a few of the assumed dock workers and shipwrights were red-faced and ready to burst into laughter.

The island kids matched Hao’s confusion.

He hadn’t even taken a step when he heard the senior's voice again.

“Do you think those who battle free in the sky need coins?” The senior began to mumble, staring at the clouds.

The red faces disappeared and turned white and Gils ran by bowing and whispering to his uncle.

Ran's face turned far redder than the ones of those who were stifling laughs before.

Hao was less confused and more concerned now.

He would get paid now, and that was a reason to stay.

The amount paid before was fair, almost irresistible, enough to rebuild half the village and purchase new boats.

I just hope not everyone on land is as mad as Ran.

Hao moved with a hasty pace, almost a jog toward the two groups of Islanders.

Standing with the smaller of the two groups, the group that was staying.

The children were not silent in their wait.

“Do you think he was talking about immortals?”

One child would whisper into the circle the island kids formed.

“Bullshit, there’s no such thing.” Another would respond.

The same conversation repeated the word immortal, being constantly used like a chair at the most popular inn in town.

Among the many stories Hao thought he might run into on land, even after seeing his skepticism get crushed repeatedly.

He didn’t for a second believe he would see a few things in the stories.

Immortals that could fly and control water. Nonsensical. They sound like great-uncle in a drunken shout.

Next, they'll mention the wizard that secretly controls the world.

Or maybe the lizard people at the bottom of the ocean!

Hao lost himself in thought, chuckling out loud.

He did not get many friendly looks after laughing at their conversation.

Luckily, he didn’t have to handle their looks of displeasure for long.

The monk came out with a woozy Zui in his hand.

Hao saw tattoos of the word water on Zui’s hands.

The same thing repeated on his legs, more peeking from his sleeves.

Ran had to grab him, dragging him along, placing him in the hands of Gils who bowed his head.

“Those who wish to return prepare to board the carriages. The rest take one carriage to the outskirts. My big sister will come to retrieve you. Gils, you can rejoin me after all is done.” Ran said.

Senior Ran mentioned he would escort them back with a face of resignation.

They left one carriage and some servants behind.

Going a fair way outside the city to rest.

“Would this group be Master?” A soft voice chilled the air.

Hao looked around but saw no one.

Suddenly, everyone around Hao grew paler, falling to their knees.

Their heads touched the ground after looking up.

“Immortals!” That was all anyone said.

Hao turned his head, trying to find what turned them pale.

Up in the air stood a girl.

Hao must have had some leftover courage and it just now decided to cut through any caution he had left.

“What the hell are you?” Hao said under his breath.

Hearing the whispered words, her eyes jumped to Hao.

His words had no effect other than a twitch, only looking down at Hao for a moment.

A man appeared in the time it took her to lift her eyes.

Hao was watching this time, which doubled the shock.

Breathing in it was just her in the air, before he breathed out the man appeared.

They were moving similarly, walking on the air like it was the ground.

“The rest of the area is clear, but there are too many unqualified bystanders.”

The man spoke, his voice betraying his age.

He appeared no older than Hao’s father, bald and beardless.

Yet spoke in the voice of some who had lived three times as long.

Hao could only observe, debating whether to run.

They were otherworldly, struggling to straighten his thoughts.

The first thing he could gather was that the girl was ten times greater in looks.

What is that? Can a human look so delicate? Hao had seen few girls his age, and none like this one.

Pale soft features, black hair down to her waist, and big gray eyes.

Common features in the typical person from land, or he was told.

Her floating was a bit choppy compared to the man’s, but both were spotless.

Robes and skin were without dust or dirt, and even their shoes were shining pristine white.

The only difference in their clothing was blue silks waving off the girl, which made her more eye-catching.

Walking in the sky… Hao questioned reality for a moment.

The people burying their heads in the dirt continued to repeat, “immortal,”.

The two were ignoring them.

“You can begin if you like before anyone else comes. Take those four, there are appropriate ages.” The man said.

The man had yet to look down.

He did not need to, pointing out the four Islanders, Hao could feel invisible eyes on his neck.

“Alright, you know what to do, wrap them with True Qi. We can use that carriage.” The man spoke, watching her.

The girl started to walk in place, stepping like an invisible carpet was being pulled from under her.

Her eyes locked, as her hands started to move in a flow.

She moved in precise, overly practiced patterns.

Her feet stopped moving, toes clenched inside her shoes like she was perched in the air.

Only for a moment.

“Wait, immortals, they are recruits going to a martial school. The school is willing to offer them to you if you take us in!” Gils shouted.

It was just the beginning of his desperate shouts.

“Quiet, and keep quiet of today. The man yelled, making leaves shake as he threw a coin purse at Gils.

Her footing in the air got dramatically worse.

She was walking in place again.

It was too late for her to stop, Hao felt a weight gathering around him.

He tried to leap back but got dragged in the other direction.

An invisible hand had a grip on him.

The carriage shook, its doors flapping, the horse ripping free, running from the slamming sounds.

Hao could see who he was being dragged with.

Zui, and two others, Hao knew neither, only knowing the angry faces they made when he laughed at them earlier.

He thought they were fools for talking about Immortals, now it seemed he was the fool of the day.

Now is not the time for this! Hao shouted in his head.

With a slam, she pulled them all into the carriage, the proper size for four, but that did not mean it was comfortable.

Hao suddenly felt like he was being pulled to the ground, lifted and dragged through the sky.

Mom, Dad, Great-uncle, this is madness, a damned Immortal.

With that thought, Hao met the shaking boards of the carriage, joining the rest in their slumber.