The Dandelion Dynasty #2
The Wall of Storms
Emperor Kuni Garu, now known as Emperor Ragin, has reigned for years, and his dynasty seems secure. But the peace is fragile. Kuni’s children, the heirs to the empire, are coming of age, each with their own ambitions. And across the ocean, a new threat is stirring—an invasion force of unparalleled power, shielded by a seemingly impenetrable wall of storms, is preparing to cross the sea and challenge the Dandelion Throne.
Book Details
- Author: Ken Liu
- Published: October 4, 2016 by Saga Press
- Pages: 880 (Hardcover)
- ISBN: 9781481424332
- Awards: Locus Award Nominee for Best Fantasy Novel (2017)
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Contents
- 1 - Truants
- 2 - Fallen Kings
- 3 - Princes and Princesses
- 4 - Grand Examination
- 5 - Mimi
- 6 - The Hundred Flowers
- 7 - Teacher and Student
- 8 - A Drinking Party
- 9 - Palace Examination
- 10 - A Balloon Ride
- 11 - The Cruben-Wolf
- 12 - Crescent Island
- 13 - Merchants and Farmers
- 14 - The Hike Up the Mountain
- 15 - A Rebellion of Scholars
- 16 - Fighting Fire
- 17 - Through the Veil
- 18 - Heir to the Empire
- 19 - Partings
- 20 - The Magic Mirror
- 21 - Mother and Daughter
- 22 - The Emperor's Shadows
- 23 - Letters from Children
- 24 - An Outing
- 25 - Tests and Countertests
- 26 - Light and Reason
- 27 - Rebels of Dara
- 28 - Refuge
- 29 - Empress and Marshal
- 30 - Zomi's Secret
- 31 - A Visit to the Lake
- 32 - Battle of Arulugi
- 33 - Matters of Honor
- 34 - Unexpected News
- 35 - The Coming of the City-Ships
- 36 - Strangers
- 37 - The Prince's Stand
- 38 - The Empress's Request
- 39 - The Farseer's Departure
- 40 - The Corruption of Ra Olu
- 41 - The Interpretation of a Letter
- 42 - Invasion of Rui
- 43 - A Taste of Victory
- 44 - The Voyage of Luan Zya
- 45 - An Interlude
- 46 - Prince and Princess of Ukyu
- 47 - Mapidéré's Expedition
- 48 - The Lyucu and Agon
- 49 - The Dream of the City-Ships
- 50 - Homecoming
- 51 - A Trap
- 52 - The Marshal's Decision
- 53 - Discoveries
- 54 - The Aid of Tan Adü
- 55 - The Silkmotic Force
- 56 - The Prince's Flight
- 57 - A Plague
- 58 - Dream of the Dandelion
- 59 - Battle of Zathin Gulf, Part I
- 60 - Battle of Zathin Gulf, Part II
- 61 - Messenger from Afar
- 62 - Parting of the Lotus Seed
1 - Truants
PAN: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“You already agreed that there's no difference between playing first and then studying, on the one hand, and studying first and then playing, on the other. It's called 'time-shifting.'”— Princess Théra
In the smoky, boisterous confines of the Three-Legged Jug, a tavern in the heart of Pan, the Imperial children find refuge from their duties. Crown Prince Timu, at twelve, wears his seriousness like a heavy cloak. Princess Théra, a year younger, sparkles with an intelligence that often borders on mischief. And Prince Phyro, the youngest at nine, possesses a restless energy that can be charming or calamitous in equal measure. They are fugitives from a punishment assigned by their stern Imperial Tutor, Zato Ruthi: to copy out the 'Classics of Moral Government' ten times for neglecting their calligraphy practice. Théra, with her usual flair for logic, has convinced her brothers that this truancy is merely 'time-shifting' their responsibilities.
They listen, captivated, as a storyteller weaves the grand tale of the duel between the Hegemon, Mata Zyndu, and King Mocri of Gan, a narrative of honor, martial prowess, and the tragic nobility of a bygone era. The performance is abruptly shattered by the entrance of a hulking, scarred man. He declares the storyteller a traitor for glorifying the name of Mata Zyndu, an enemy of the Dandelion Throne. Flashing a bronze tablet, he proclaims himself an agent of the Imperial Farsight Secretary, Rin Coda, and attempts to extort money from the tavern keeper. His authority is challenged by a young scholar with a noticeable limp, Zomi Kidosu. With calm, incisive logic, she dissects the man's claims, pointing out the inconsistencies in his story and the fraudulent nature of his supposed credentials. Enraged and publicly humiliated, the man attacks Zomi, shattering her wooden practice sword. As he lunges for her, Phyro feigns being struck, and Théra masterfully directs the crowd's anger, turning the patrons into an impromptu militia. They bombard the imposter with a barrage of cups, bowls, and insults until he flees. In a final, vindictive act, he snatches Zomi's purse and hurls it into the tavern's blazing stove, incinerating her meager savings and, most devastatingly, her official pass for the upcoming Grand Examination.
2 - Fallen Kings
PAN: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The gods meant for us to meet here today, and we can reclaim the glory that is our due from the weed-emperor.”— Noda Mi
As a heavy snowstorm muffles the city of Pan, a divine conversation unfolds on the wind. The gods Tazu, Lord of Chance; Kana, the Vengeful Fire; and Fithowéo, the Blind God of War, observe the mortal realm. Tazu notes that Emperor Ragin's throne, established through the betrayal of Mata Zyndu, carries a 'dark stain at the origin.' This inherent flaw, they concur, is a seed of future conflict, a debt of honor that must one day be paid in blood.
Elsewhere in the city, the disgraced bully from the tavern, revealed to be Doru Solofi, the deposed king of Cocru, wanders in a drunken haze of self-pity. He is led by a mysterious, urchin-like boy—an avatar of Tazu in disguise—to a desolate city graveyard. There, among the snow-dusted tombstones, he discovers another fallen noble, the cunning and manipulative Noda Mi, former king of Faca. Noda Mi is running a sophisticated scam, preying on the discontented by pretending to channel the ghost of Mata Zyndu. He sees in Doru Solofi not a pathetic drunk, but a fellow aristocrat stripped of his birthright, a vessel for a shared and burning resentment. Recognizing their mutual ambition and hatred for the 'weed-emperor,' Kuni Garu, they swear a blood oath. In the cold heart of the cemetery, two fallen kings plant the seeds of a rebellion, one that will be nurtured by a potent mixture of misplaced honor and calculated deceit.
3 - Princes and Princesses
THE IMPERIAL PALACE: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“A sincere apology must come from the heart and not be done for mere show.”— Kuni Garu
An apoplectic Zato Ruthi storms into the Imperial Court, demanding to resign. He presents his robe, which the truant children have adorned with a crudely painted cow listening to a lute, accompanied by a poem mocking his 'music.' Just as Empress Jia is about to assent, Emperor Ragin intervenes with the practiced ease of a master politician. He reframes the children’s prank not as an insult, but as a profound, if clumsy, apology. The 'cow,' he explains, represents the children themselves, acknowledging their failure to appreciate the 'music' of Ruthi’s wisdom. He orchestrates a scene where the now-penitent children enter, bearing humble gifts and offering a tearful, seemingly sincere apology, successfully mollifying the proud tutor and convincing him to remain.
Later, in their private chambers, the children debate how to help Zomi Kidosu. Timu suggests a direct Imperial edict, a solution Théra dismisses as crude and politically unwise. She reveals a surprisingly deep understanding of the Grand Examination's intricate security protocols, lamenting that as a princess, her own intellect can never be tested in that arena. She proposes a more subtle approach: appealing to the one person in power who values talent over convention and might bend the rules—Marshal Gin Mazoti. Théra, alone, goes to the marshal. She sways the formidable Queen of Géjira by appealing to their shared experience as outsiders who rose on merit, and by confessing her own burning, frustrated ambition. Gin, seeing a reflection of her younger self and subtly probing the political currents around the Empress, agrees. She provides Théra with a blank, untraceable pass from her own domain of Géjira, giving Zomi a chance to compete.
4 - Grand Examination
PAN: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The rest is up to chance.”— Zomi Kidosu
The first Grand Examination of the Dandelion Dynasty commences, a spectacle of immense hope and crushing pressure. Thousands of the most brilliant scholars from every corner of Dara converge on Pan, their futures hanging on the outcome of a grueling three-day ordeal. The chapter meticulously details the atmosphere of tension and the rigid security measures enforced by Prime Minister Cogo Yelu and Farsight Secretary Rin Coda. Candidates are stripped of all personal belongings, searched for contraband, and sealed into tiny, individual stalls within a colossal, circular Examination Hall. For three days, they will have no contact with the outside world, only a pot of ink, a stack of paper, and the Emperor's single, profound question: 'If you were the prime adviser to the Emperor of Dara, what is the one policy you would immediately advocate to improve the lives of the people of the Islands?' The narrative follows the internal struggles of the candidates as they grapple with self-doubt, physical exhaustion, and the monumental task before them. Zomi Kidosu, armed with Gin Mazoti's forged pass, endures the trial alongside the others. She pours her radical ideas onto the page, and as the final bell sounds, she places her completed essay into the sealed submission box, whispering a prayer to both Lutho, the god of calculation, and Tazu, the god of chance.
5 - Mimi
DASU: THE TWENTY-SECOND YEAR IN THE REIGN OF ONE BRIGHT HEAVEN (EIGHTEEN YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“Talent is like a pretty feather in the tail of a peacock, daughter. It brings joy to the powerful but only sorrow to the bird.”— Aki Kidosu
The story flashes back eighteen years to the remote island of Dasu, a place of exile. Zomi Kidosu is born with the milk name 'Mimi' on the very day a catastrophic storm, sent by the gods, annihilates Emperor Mapidéré's fleet, an event that will ultimately pave the way for the Dandelion Rebellion. Her father, Oga, a simple fisherman, is forcibly conscripted into the search party for survivors and is presumed lost at sea. At the age of five, while hiding from a storm, Mimi witnesses a fantastical battle in the sky between the pawi of Lutho (a great sea turtle) and Tazu (a monstrous shark). During this divine conflict, she is struck by a bolt of lightning. The strike scars the left side of her face and leaves her with a paralyzed leg. She grows up in poverty and hardship, marked by tragedy and loss; her brothers are later killed fighting in the war between Kuni Garu and Mata Zyndu. Her mother, Aki, endures, clinging to the fading hope that her husband and sons might one day return from the sea.
6 - The Hundred Flowers
DASU: A LONG TIME AGO.
“True courage is to insist on seeing when all around you is darkness.”— The Orchid
To comfort the young, injured Mimi, her mother Aki shares a myth about the origin of the Dara calendar, the 'Tale of the Hundred Flowers.' In the story, the gods hold a contest to determine which twelve plants and animals will govern the years. The tale centers on Fithowéo, the god of war, who has been blinded by Kiji's fire in a fit of pique. Despondent and bitter, Fithowéo retreats to a dark cave, refusing to see anyone. He is visited by a humble, night-blooming orchid, who cannot be seen in the darkness. Through her gentle persistence, she teaches him that there are other ways of 'seeing'—through scent, touch, and sound. She reminds him that his duty as the god of war is not merely to represent victory, but to embody the courage required to persevere when all seems lost, to fight on in the darkness. Inspired by her wisdom, Fithowéo learns to perceive the world anew through his other senses. He rejoins the divine pantheon and, in gratitude, grants the humble orchid a place of honor in the calendar, a symbol of resilience and unseen strength.
7 - Teacher and Student
DASU: THE FIRST YEAR IN THE PRINCIPATE (THIRTEEN YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“Talent, Mimi thought. The words of her mother came unbidden to mind. Talent is like a pretty feather in the tail of a peacock, daughter. It brings joy to the powerful but only sorrow to the bird.”— Zomi Kidosu (internal thought)
The narrative returns to Dasu, where Mimi is now a fiercely intelligent and observant thirteen-year-old. In the bustling market, she listens to two traveling scholars debate a classical philosophical problem: which is larger, the morning sun or the noon sun? The scholars argue using complex, abstract reasoning. Mimi, unimpressed, interrupts them. Applying her own brand of empirical, practical wisdom, she calmly declares their premises flawed and their debate pointless. 'Weigh the fish,' she says, meaning one must measure the world as it is, not as texts say it should be. Her simple, direct intelligence captivates a tall, gaunt onlooker. The man engages her in a philosophical dialogue, and he is stunned by her raw, untutored genius. He reveals himself to be the legendary philosopher and strategist Luan Zya, traveling incognito as 'Toru Noki.' Recognizing her immense potential, he offers to take her on as his student, to polish her rough talent into a formidable weapon. He bestows upon her a new, formal name: Zomi, meaning 'Pearl of Fire,' a name that captures the brilliance and resilience hidden beneath her scarred exterior.
8 - A Drinking Party
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“My use, if any, is to be chopped down for firewood.”— Théca Kimo
In Pan, a lavish drinking party is held to celebrate the adoption of a son by General Mün Çakri, one of Kuni's most loyal 'brothers.' The gathering brings together the old guard of the Dandelion Rebellion—the gruff, battle-hardened generals and dukes who fought alongside the emperor. During a philosophical drinking game called 'Fool's Mirror,' the deep-seated anxieties of the court are laid bare. Duke Théca Kimo of Arulugi and the fierce cavalry commander Puma Yemu express their bitterness and feeling of obsolescence. In this new era of peace, their martial skills are no longer valued, and they are being sidelined by a rising class of bureaucrats and scholars—the 'abacus' faction. The conversation exposes the dangerous schism growing within Kuni's court: the 'swords' versus the 'abacus.' Luan Zya, observing the proceedings, feels a palpable sense of dread. He sees the political naivete of men like Gin Mazoti and the simmering resentment of the old guard, and recognizes that Empress Jia is expertly exploiting these tensions for her own long-term, ruthless plans.
9 - Palace Examination
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“A moral ruler should not resort to arms.”— Kita Thu
The Palace Examination begins, the final stage where the top ten scholars from the Grand Examination present their policies before the Emperor. The first candidate, Kita Thu of Haan, stages an elaborate theatrical performance involving a sword and a block of wood. His proposal is a radical one, veiled in classical allusions: that the Emperor should relinquish all military and administrative power and rule as a purely moral figurehead, effectively restoring the old, decentralized Tiro system. This is a direct challenge to Kuni's authority, a proxy attack orchestrated by the disgruntled old nobility who feel their hereditary power has been usurped by Kuni's meritocratic reforms. Emperor Ragin, with his characteristic folksy charm, deftly deflects the proposal. He uses a simple metaphor about a farmer needing both a gentle hand and a sharp sickle to manage his field, subtly reasserting his absolute authority without openly antagonizing the powerful factions backing the scholar. He then 'rewards' Kita Thu with a position in the Imperial laboratories, a clever move that both acknowledges his intellect and safely neutralizes his political influence.
10 - A Balloon Ride
SOMEWHERE OVER THE SEA NORTH OF CRESCENT ISLAND: THE FIRST YEAR IN THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS (FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“A knife needs to be sharpened against stone, but a pearl needs to be polished with soft cloth.”— Luan Zya
The narrative flashes back to Luan Zya's unorthodox education of Zomi Kidosu. He takes her aboard his hot-air balloon, the Curious Turtle, teaching her to navigate not by rote memorization, but by understanding the deep patterns of the wind. He introduces her to the competing philosophies of Patternism and Incentivism, but Zomi's practical, results-oriented mind chafes against his abstract, theoretical approach. Luan recognizes that her unique genius cannot be shaped by traditional methods; she is a pearl that requires polishing, not a knife that needs sharpening. As they drift over the sea, they witness a majestic cruben, a colossal sea beast, an experience that deepens the bond between the eccentric teacher and his brilliant, challenging student. Luan realizes he must adapt his teaching to fit her mind, not the other way around.
11 - The Cruben-Wolf
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“You have created a monster that is neither fish nor fowl, and at home nowhere.”— Kita Thu
Hidden in a secret chamber behind the throne, the Imperial children—Timu, Théra, and Phyro—listen to the proceedings of the Palace Examination, accompanied by the shrewd and observant Soto Zyndu. Mata Zyndu's aunt provides a running commentary, peeling back the layers of rhetoric to reveal the raw power struggles beneath. She explains that the scholars are mere mouthpieces, their presentations a form of political theater where the great factions of the court battle by proxy. Théra, with her sharp intuition, grasps the subtext immediately, recognizing Kita Thu's proposal as a message of discontent from the old nobility. Timu, ever the literalist, focuses on the philosophical merits of the arguments, failing to see the political currents. Phyro, meanwhile, is simply entertained by the spectacle. Their differing reactions are a microcosm of their strengths and weaknesses, a subtle foreshadowing of their fitness—or unfitness—to rule.
12 - Crescent Island
CRESCENT ISLAND: THE FIRST YEAR IN THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS (FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“The Ano logograms are the most sophisticated machines ever devised for working with ideas.”— Luan Zya
In a continuing flashback, Luan Zya and Zomi land the Curious Turtle on the remote Crescent Island. They discover a tiny, isolated hamlet where the inhabitants speak a dialect so ancient it is almost pure Classical Ano. The elder of the village is deaf, so they are forced to communicate by sculpting complex logograms in wet clay. Luan seizes the opportunity for a lesson. He deconstructs the written language for Zomi, explaining how the various components—semantic roots, phonetic adapters, inflection glyphs—are not mere pictures, but parts of a sophisticated machine for constructing and manipulating ideas. For the first time, Zomi, who has always disdained the cumbersome logograms in favor of practical knowledge, begins to see the engineering beauty and logical elegance of the writing system she had so long dismissed.
13 - Merchants and Farmers
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The Flow of money is as vital to the health of the empire as the Flow of blood is to the body.”— Naroca Huza
The Palace Examination continues. A scholar named Naroca Huza, representing the wealthy merchant families of Gan, uses an ingenious moving-picture machine to argue for lower taxes on commerce. His presentation sparks a fierce and public debate with Empress Jia Matiza. Jia, a staunch Moralist, argues that unchecked commercialism exploits the agrarian foundation of the empire and concentrates wealth in the hands of a few, leading to social instability. The argument lays bare the fundamental ideological conflict at the heart of the Dandelion court: the traditional, land-based power of the Moralists versus the rising power of the merchant class. The tension escalates when Marshal Gin Mazoti, whose power base is in the trade-rich kingdom of Géjira, implicitly sides with the merchants. The two most powerful women in Dara clash openly, culminating in Gin pointedly referring to the Empress as 'Lady Jia'—a subtle but shocking insult that strips Jia of her Imperial title and sends a wave of ice through the assembled court.
14 - The Hike Up the Mountain
CRESCENT ISLAND: THE FIRST YEAR IN THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS (FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“Why don’t you ever listen to me?”— Luan Zya
The flashback to Luan and Zomi's tutelage on Crescent Island continues. As they undertake a grueling hike up a mountain, Luan constructs a revolutionary device for Zomi: a mechanical leg brace. Using bent branches and animal sinew, he creates an exoskeleton that stores and releases kinetic energy, allowing her to walk almost without a limp for the first time in her life. Their journey is interrupted by a massive forest fire, accidentally started by a careless noble hunter. Believing his own leg is broken and that they are trapped, Luan attempts a noble sacrifice, trying to send Zomi to safety in their balloon while he faces the fire alone. But Zomi sees through his deception—his leg is not broken. Enraged by his lack of faith in her, she leaps from the rising balloon basket to stay by his side. It is then that her practical genius takes over. While Luan despairs, Zomi calmly analyzes the fire's path and the wind's direction and devises a plan. She orchestrates a controlled backburn, a feat of brilliant, intuitive engineering that starves the wildfire and saves both the hamlet and her despairing teacher.
15 - A Rebellion of Scholars
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Talent is a loaded word. Is it truly talent that the examination measures or mere habits of mind?”— Zomi Kidosu
Zomi Kidosu's turn arrives at the Palace Examination. She eschews all spectacle and pageantry. Instead, she delivers a blistering, radical critique of the Grand Examination system itself. She argues that the exam, far from being a true meritocracy, is inherently biased towards the wealthy elite from scholarly states like Haan, who can afford the years of specialized tutoring required to master the complex logograms. The system, she contends, is a machine designed to perpetuate the power of the ruling class, systematically excluding brilliant minds from poorer backgrounds. To illustrate her point, she conducts a simple but devastatingly effective demonstration with empty boxes and a promise of cake for the young Princess Fara, proving how a system can create the illusion of fairness while being fundamentally rigged. Her proposal is revolutionary: abolish the use of logograms in the exam entirely and replace them with the simpler, phonetic zyndari script, thereby creating a truly level playing field. Her speech scandalizes the court and ignites a riot among the thousands of failed scholars gathered outside the palace gates, who see her as their champion.
16 - Fighting Fire
CRESCENT ISLAND: THE FIRST YEAR IN THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS (FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST GRAND EXAMINATION).
“The best way to honor the gods is to blame them for less.”— Luan Zya
In the smoky aftermath of the forest fire on Crescent Island, Luan and Zomi engage in a profound philosophical debate. Zomi, emboldened by her success, challenges the very foundations of Dara's traditions. She questions why society clings to inefficient and flawed systems, like the cumbersome logograms, simply because they are ancient. She advocates for a radical, engineering-based approach to all of society's problems—if a system is broken, it should be dismantled and replaced with something better designed. Luan, a product of tradition, argues for the value of history, caution, and incremental change, but he is visibly shaken and impressed by the ferocious power of her intellect. Their argument encapsulates one of the central themes of the series: the eternal conflict between tradition and innovation. During their survey of the burn scar, they discover a species of plant with a unique, fire-resistant seed pod. Zomi, in a moment of wry confidence, names the plant after herself: 'zomi,' the pearl of fire.
17 - Through the Veil
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Sometimes you kick the dog because you’re aiming for the master.”— Soto Zyndu
The Palace Examination concludes, leaving the court in turmoil after Zomi's revolutionary speech. From their hidden observation room, Soto Zyndu explains the political fallout to the Imperial children. Princess Théra, displaying her precocious political acumen, correctly deduces that the entire examination was a series of proxy battles between the factions of her mother, Empress Jia, and Marshal Gin Mazoti. She alone seems to grasp the dangerous fractures developing in her father's court.
Outside, the rioting scholars are skillfully dispersed by Captain Dafiro Miro, who cleverly turns their own ambition and greed against them. Zomi is then granted her private audience with Emperor Ragin. She uses a simple parable about a fisherman tasked with finding a single black pearl in a barrel full of white ones to illustrate the flaws in the current system. The emperor, deeply impressed by her passion and intellect, acknowledges the truth in her words but sends her away without a decision, leaving her future, and the future of her radical proposal, uncertain.
18 - Heir to the Empire
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“A young dynasty must pass through a wall of storms before the first succession.”— Kuni Garu
In the quiet seclusion of his private garden, a weary Emperor Ragin confides his deepest fears to his old friend, Luan Zya. He foresees a devastating civil war erupting after his death. His two sons represent the court's factions: the scholarly Crown Prince Timu, backed by Empress Jia and the 'abacus' faction, and the charismatic, martially gifted Prince Phyro, championed by Consort Risana and the 'swords.' To avert this catastrophe, Kuni reveals his secret, radical plan: he intends to bypass both sons and name Princess Théra as his heir. He knows this is a political impossibility in the deeply patriarchal society of Dara unless the foundations of that tradition can be slowly and carefully dismantled. He pleads with Luan to stay in Pan and help him navigate the treacherous political waters, but Luan, driven by his own quest for knowledge, refuses, choosing instead to embark on his long-planned voyage to explore the unknown lands beyond the sea.
In a separate, chilling scene, Empress Jia tends to her herb garden. She gives her Farsight Secretary, Rin Coda, a subtle and menacing lesson in politics. Comparing the removal of dissent to the careful weeding and cleansing of poisoned soil, she plants the psychological seeds that will lead the loyal but weak-willed Rin to his eventual tragic downfall, all while positioning him as a tool for her own designs.
19 - Partings
PAN: THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I had hoped you would come so that you could meet...”— Gin Mazoti
Luan Zya prepares for his great voyage. His farewell with Gin Mazoti is fraught with unspoken emotions. The years of unresolved tension and affection hang heavy in the air between them, but both are too proud to give voice to their feelings. When Zomi Kidosu arrives to see her master off, Gin's curt dismissal of the young scholar is laced with a jealousy she cannot hide. The scene is a painful portrait of missed connections and simmering political rivalries.
Meanwhile, Empress Jia summons a nervous King Kado of Dasu for a secret meeting. She presents him with Zomi Kidosu's examination pass and forces him to confirm what she already knows: it is a forgery. The pass did not come from Dasu's official allotment. This confirms that it was supplied by Gin Mazoti, via Princess Théra. Jia now possesses a devastating piece of political blackmail, a weapon she can use to destroy the marshal at a time of her own choosing. The trap has been set.
20 - The Magic Mirror
TUNOA: THE SIXTH MONTH IN THE EIGHTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Kuni Garu must die!”— The Hegemon Cultists
Two years pass. The nascent rebellion started by Noda Mi and Doru Solofi has festered and grown into a widespread and dangerous movement. Operating from the old Zyndu stronghold of Tunoa, they have transformed their political grievances into a fanatical religious cult centered on the veneration of Mata Zyndu's ghost. Their most powerful tool of recruitment is a new technology: 'magic mirrors.' These are specially crafted bronze mirrors with microscopic, invisible etchings on their surface. When light reflects off them in just the right way, they project a ghostly, shimmering image of the Hegemon, seemingly proving to their followers that he has returned from the dead to lead them. This potent combination of religious fervor, technological deception, and growing discontent makes them a far greater threat than the Emperor suspects. Through a series of catastrophic intelligence blunders by Rin Coda's Farsight Office—blunders secretly orchestrated and amplified by Empress Jia's agents—the rebels also manage to acquire a substantial war chest, allowing them to arm their ever-growing legions of fanatics.
21 - Mother and Daughter
PAN: THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE NINTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“To achieve a better life for the people, why must I choose to stain my name in the annals of Dara?”— Jia Matiza
Three years after the Grand Examination, a new history lesson from Zato Ruthi sparks a debate. Princess Théra, now fifteen, chooses to write her essay on the controversial historical figure Princess Kikomi of Amu. She argues against the traditional, misogynistic narrative, presenting a sharp, revisionist defense of Kikomi's actions that showcases her keen intellect. Empress Jia, listening in secret, is both proud and troubled. She sees her own reflection in Théra's willingness to challenge convention, but also reflects on the lonely, difficult path of a woman who wields power, and her own conscious choice to be seen as a villain by history in order to secure her husband's dynasty.
In a separate scene, Jia meets with her loyal agent, confirming that her secret funding of the Hegemon cults is proceeding as planned, escalating the crisis to a point where the Emperor will be forced to act. Later, in a tense conversation, she begins to gently broach the subject of a political marriage for Théra, revealing that for all her unconventional thinking, her plans for her daughter's future are deeply rooted in tradition.
22 - The Emperor's Shadows
PAN: THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE NINTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I have an idea. The best way to tell who is most suited to rule is to observe them in practice—a friendly competition, if you will.”— Jia Matiza
Aboard an Imperial airship, Kuni, Jia, and Consort Risana discuss the growing problem of the succession. It is here that Empress Jia unveils her masterstroke. She proposes a 'friendly competition' between the princes to test their fitness to rule. She suggests sending the scholarly Prince Timu to govern the remote but administratively complex island of Dasu, a trial for his bureaucratic skills. The martial Prince Phyro, meanwhile, will be sent to the restive Tunoa Islands to pacify the Hegemon cults, a test of his military prowess. They will act as two 'Emperor's Shadows,' ruling in his name at opposite ends of the empire. On the surface, the plan is a brilliant piece of statecraft, designed to give both princes valuable experience. But secretly, it is a ruthless political maneuver. By sending both heirs apparent far from the capital, Jia effectively removes them from the daily politics of the court, neutralizing Risana's influence and allowing Jia to consolidate her own power base in Pan, moving her one step closer to her ultimate goal.
23 - Letters from Children
VARIOUS LOCATIONS: THE SIXTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Every day in the lives of the common man is a day of battle.”— Aki Kidosu (paraphrased by Zomi)
This chapter is an epistolary, composed of letters from the younger generation two years after the princes have taken up their new duties. Zomi Kidosu, now serving as a trusted advisor to Queen Gin Mazoti in Géjira, writes to her mother on Dasu. Her letter is full of wry observations about the stuffiness of court life and her pride in her work teaching peasant girls practical skills. Prince Timu's letter to his father is a comically long-winded and bureaucratic report, detailing his administrative successes on Dasu but also confirming that wealthy families are already gaming the examination system by relocating to his province. Prince Phyro's letter from Tunoa is a boy's adventure story, full of bravado about his victories against the Hegemon cultists, but hinting at a more complex and escalating conflict. The distinct voices in the letters paint a vivid picture of how each of them is growing into their new roles and responsibilities, far from the shadow of the Imperial Court.
24 - An Outing
LAKE TUTUTIKA: THE SIXTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“A real friend is a mirror that reflects the truth back to us.”— The Lady of the Lake (Tututika)
Princess Théra and her younger sister, Fara, sneak away from the palace for an idyllic day by the sacred Lake Tututika. There, they encounter a woman of breathtaking, otherworldly beauty. It is the goddess Tututika, the Lady of the Lake, in mortal guise. The goddess engages Théra in a series of cryptic, metaphorical conversations about friendship, choice, and the nature of truth. In a pivotal moment, Tututika skims a flat stone across the water's surface. As Théra watches the intersecting ripples, the goddess remarks, 'Light, in its true nature, shares much with these waves.' This seemingly simple observation is a profound clue, a divine hint that sets the brilliant princess on the scientific path to understanding the secret of the rebels' 'magic mirrors,' giving her the first key to unraveling their power.
25 - Tests and Countertests
PAN, ARULUGI, AND THE KARO PENINSULA: THE SEVENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“When the hunter comes to you with his axe sharpened, do you continue to play the loyal dog waiting for slaughter, or will you turn into a fierce wolf and fight for your survival?”— Cano Tho
Empress Jia's intricate and ruthless master plan begins to bear fruit. While continuing to secretly funnel funds to the Hegemon cults to escalate the crisis, she simultaneously manufactures a trail of false evidence. Through forged letters and manipulated witnesses, she frames the honorable but politically clumsy Duke Théca Kimo of Arulugi, making it appear that he is the secret mastermind arming and funding the rebellion. Emperor Ragin, presented with this seemingly irrefutable evidence and facing growing instability across the islands, feels he has no choice but to move against his old friend and comrade-in-arms. Théca Kimo, receiving the Emperor's ultimatum, is cornered. Believing he is the victim of a vast conspiracy with no hope of proving his innocence, he feels his only option is to fight. He reluctantly declares rebellion, falling perfectly into the trap Jia has so carefully laid to eliminate one of the last powerful, independent nobles who stands in her way.
26 - Light and Reason
PAN: THE SEVENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Not all wars are fought with swords and spears, and not all foes are found on the battlefield.”— The Smith (Fithowéo)
Following the cryptic clue from the Lady of the Lake, Princess Théra seeks out a reclusive, unassuming blacksmith within the palace grounds. The smith is, in fact, the god of war, Fithowéo, in disguise. He agrees to teach her, but not with words. Instead, he uses a moaphya, a stringed musical instrument, to demonstrate the principles of wave interference. By plucking the strings and showing her how the vibrations create patterns of amplification and cancellation, he gives her the final piece of the puzzle. Théra has a moment of brilliant insight, a scientific epiphany. She realizes the rebels' mirrors are not magic at all. They are a work of science, their surfaces etched with microscopic, invisible ridges that manipulate the waves of light, acting like countless tiny lenses to project a hidden image. With this discovery, Théra now possesses the knowledge to create a counter-measure, a way to fight the rebellion not with swords, but with science.
27 - Rebels of Dara
TUNOA: THE NINTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The grace of kings lies in graceful lies.”— Noda Mi
The rebellion on the Tunoa Islands reaches its climax. Noda Mi and Doru Solofi, their forces swollen with fanatical followers emboldened by the 'miracles' of the magic mirrors, have besieged Prince Phyro and the disgraced Farsight Secretary Rin Coda in the old Zyndu castle. The Imperial forces are on the verge of being overwhelmed. At the critical moment, an airship appears in the sky. It is Princess Théra. She has constructed her own, far more powerful projection mirror. Using a massive sail as a screen, she projects a giant, shimmering image for all to see: not the vengeful Hegemon, but an image of Mata Zyndu embracing his old rival, Emperor Ragin, as a brother. The image shatters the rebels' faith in an instant. Their miracle is revealed as a cheap trick, their leaders as charlatans. The rebellion, built on a foundation of lies, collapses in the face of a bigger, better lie.
28 - Refuge
NOKIDA: THE NINTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“If you intend to preserve your honor and influence, you must protect not only Noda and Doru, but also all their men.”— Zomi Kidosu
Defeated and exposed, the rebel leaders Noda Mi and Doru Solofi flee to the independent kingdom of Géjira, seeking sanctuary with Queen Gin Mazoti. Gin is caught in a political dilemma, torn between her honor-bound duty to shelter the desperate and her political obligation to the Dandelion Throne. It is her sharp-witted advisor, Zomi Kidosu, who illuminates the correct path. Zomi argues that Gin must grant refuge not only to the leaders, but to all of their followers. By doing so, Gin can transform a political liability into an asset. She will be seen as a magnanimous ruler, a protector of the disillusioned, subtly positioning herself as a powerful check on the Empress's authority and establishing her kingdom as a sanctuary for all those who dissent against the central government in Pan. It is a politically savvy move, but one that plays directly into Empress Jia’s larger game.
29 - Empress and Marshal
PAN: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“You think like Mapidéré.”— Gin Mazoti
With the rebellion in Arulugi proving more difficult to suppress than anticipated, Emperor Ragin decides to take personal command of the army, a move that Jia subtly encourages. With the Emperor away from the capital, Jia, now acting as Imperial Regent, makes her move. She summons Gin Mazoti to Pan on the pretext of a war council. In a shocking and dramatic confrontation in the throne room, Jia accuses Gin of high treason. She presents Gin's act of sheltering the rebels in Géjira as irrefutable proof of a conspiracy against the throne. Before the stunned court, with the full weight of her regency, Jia orders the arrest of the empire's most celebrated military hero. In a single, audacious stroke, she removes her greatest political rival from the board and consolidates her absolute control over the machinery of the state.
30 - Zomi's Secret
PAN: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“To carry out my promise to the queen, I must first betray her.”— Zomi Kidosu (internal thought)
Empress Jia summons Zomi Kidosu to a private audience. The Empress reveals her trump card: she knows that Zomi's pass to the Grand Examination years ago was a forgery provided by Gin Mazoti. Jia now uses this secret to blackmail Zomi. She presents her with a prepared confession, a document that falsely implicates Gin in a wide-ranging, treasonous plot. If Zomi signs, she will be pardoned for her own crime; if she refuses, both she and her elderly mother on Dasu will face the consequences. Trapped by her past, torn between her loyalty to Gin and her love for her mother, Zomi makes an agonizing choice. She signs the false confession. Her coerced betrayal gives Jia the 'ironclad proof' she needs to publicly justify her actions against the marshal and cement her own unassailable power.
31 - A Visit to the Lake
PAN: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“You’ve passed the test.”— Jia Matiza
In a masterful display of political theater, Empress Jia takes a still-imprisoned Gin Mazoti for a private boat ride on the scenic Lake Tututika. What appears to be a pleasant outing is, in fact, a high-stakes negotiation for the future of the empire. With brutal honesty, Jia lays out her grand vision: a stable, enduring dynasty ruled by systems and institutions, not by the volatile charisma of individual warriors. She argues that powerful, independent figures like Gin, however loyal, are an inherent threat to that long-term peace. She then presents Gin with a stark choice: be executed as a traitor, her name disgraced for all time, or accept a deal. The deal is that Jia will reveal that a foreign invasion fleet is massing to the north. Gin must agree to lead the war against this new threat, and after securing victory, she must cede her titles and power, accepting a diminished role in Jia's new world order. Faced with the cold, inescapable logic of Jia's political calculus and the looming threat of invasion, Gin reluctantly accepts the Empress's terms.
32 - Battle of Arulugi
ARULUGI: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“War is a subspecies of smokecraft.”— Puma Yemu
The war against Duke Théca Kimo in Arulugi has been a bloody stalemate. Kuni Garu's arrival on the front lines, however, brings a secret weapon: Consort Risana. She unleashes her mastery of illusion and deception on the battlefield. Using her signature smokecraft, she conjures phantom armies and ghost fleets, sowing confusion and terror among Kimo's forces. Under the cover of this mystical fog, General Puma Yemu's shock troops cross the lake undetected on simple rafts and launch a surprise assault on the 'impregnable' City in the Lake. Kimo's army, caught completely by surprise and demoralized by what they believe to be supernatural forces, collapses. Kimo is captured and, despite Kuni's reservations, executed for treason. The victory is swift and decisive, a testament to the power of unconventional warfare and the unique talents of Kuni's diverse inner circle.
33 - Matters of Honor
PAN: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“If I do as you ask, I will never be able to clear my name.”— Gin Mazoti
Emperor Ragin returns to Pan, victorious from the Arulugi campaign, only to find the political landscape irrevocably changed. Empress Jia has consolidated her power, and he is now a ruler in name only. The loyal Captain of the Palace Guards, Dafiro Miro, visits Gin Mazoti in her prison cell, revealing he is acting as a secret agent for the emperor. He informs Gin that Kuni never believed in her guilt and offers her a chance to escape, to flee Pan and rally her own forces. But Gin's rigid, unbending code of honor becomes her undoing. She refuses to flee like a common criminal, insisting that she must clear her name through official channels, to be vindicated publicly. Her pride and her sense of honor, the very qualities that made her a legend, now render her politically powerless, trapping her completely within Jia's intricate web.
34 - Unexpected News
ARULUGI: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The wind blows, and clouds race across the sky.”— Kuni Garu
While Kuni and Risana are managing the political fallout from their victory in Arulugi, an urgent airship courier arrives from the far-off island of Dasu. The messenger carries a sealed letter from Prince Timu. As Kuni reads the report, his face drains of color. The letter contains shocking and devastating news: a massive fleet of unknown, monstrous ships has appeared off the northern coast. They are not pirates. They are something new, something far more dangerous. The chapter ends with Kuni staring at the horizon, realizing that while he and his court were consumed by their internal power struggles, a far greater threat has gathered, poised to descend upon Dara.
35 - The Coming of the City-Ships
DASU: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“What manner of monsters must they be?”— Ra Olu
The mysterious fleet belongs to the Lyucu, a technologically advanced and warlike people from a continent beyond the Wall of Storms. Their colossal 'city-ships' and terrifying flying war-beasts, the fire-breathing garinafins, completely overwhelm the unprepared defenses of Dasu. The pirates who once terrorized the northern seas are the first to encounter them, and they flee in panic, their tales of invincible flying monsters spreading fear across the island. Faced with this overwhelming force, Prince Timu and his conservative tutor, Zato Ruthi, decide on a course of diplomacy. Believing in the inherent superiority of Dara's culture and reason, they resolve to meet the invaders peacefully, hoping to awe them into submission.
36 - Strangers
DASU: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Thank you for your information.”— Pékyu Tenryo
Zato Ruthi, embodying the cultural arrogance of the Dandelion court, leads a diplomatic mission to meet the Lyucu leader, Pékyu Tenryo. Ruthi completely misjudges his adversary, treating the Lyucu as unsophisticated barbarians who can be impressed and intimidated by displays of Dara's formal military drills and classical rhetoric. The cunning and patient Tenryo masterfully plays the part of an awestruck savage. With feigned humility and carefully crafted questions, he tricks the pompous Ruthi into revealing a wealth of crucial military intelligence, including the capabilities of Dara's airships and the location of Mount Kiji, the sole source of the lift-gas that keeps them aloft. The chapter ends with a deeply ironic scene: Zato Ruthi returns to his camp, smug and confident that he has managed the 'barbarians' with his superior intellect, while in reality, he has been thoroughly outmaneuvered and has handed the invaders the keys to the kingdom.
37 - The Prince's Stand
DASU: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Lives are more important.”— Prince Timu
Having gleaned all the information they need, the Lyucu attack. Their garinafins prove to be a weapon of unimaginable terror, their fiery breath incinerating Dara's vaunted airships and turning the battlefield into a fiery hellscape. The Imperial army, trained for a different kind of war, breaks and scatters. The island of Dasu falls in a matter of hours. In the midst of the slaughter, Zato Ruthi is killed. Prince Timu, watching the horrific civilian casualties and the complete collapse of his forces, makes a courageous and pragmatic decision. Realizing the utter hopelessness of resistance, he chooses to surrender himself and his surviving soldiers to Pékyu Tenryo. It is an act of both bravery and sacrifice, a choice to save the lives of his people even at the cost of his own freedom and honor. The crown prince of the Dandelion Dynasty becomes a captive of the invaders.
38 - The Empress's Request
PAN: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I am willing to do anything and let history be my ultimate judge.”— Jia Matiza
News of the catastrophic defeat at Dasu and Prince Timu's capture sends shockwaves through the Imperial Court in Pan. The crisis is beyond anything they have ever faced. Empress Jia, now regent and in full command, understands that there is only one person in the empire with the military genius and unwavering resolve to confront this existential threat: the woman she has just imprisoned and disgraced. In a moment of stunning political pragmatism and personal humility, Jia goes to Gin Mazoti's prison cell. She confesses everything—her entire long-term plot to break the power of the military faction, her manipulation of the court, her willingness to be a villain to build a lasting peace. She then begs Gin to put aside their personal enmity, to forgive her, and to once again take command of Dara's armies to save the empire from annihilation. It is a moment of profound sacrifice, Jia offering up her own reputation and legacy for the survival of the dynasty.
39 - The Farseer's Departure
PAN: THE ELEVENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I can’t blame it on Jia. She might have given me the idea, but it was I who did the deed.”— Rin Coda (internal thought)
The court reels from the recent political earthquakes. Rin Coda, the Emperor's childhood friend and Farsight Secretary, is consumed by guilt. He understands now that he was a pawn in Empress Jia's game, that his paranoid pursuit of conspiracies led to the downfall of honorable men and the disgrace of Gin Mazoti. Unable to live with his complicity, he hangs himself in his office, leaving behind a full confession that exposes the empress's machinations. Kuni Garu is devastated by the loss of his friend but makes the painful decision to suppress the confession, realizing that the truth would shatter the fragile unity of the court at the very moment it is most needed. The chapter ends with the court solidifying its plans for war under Jia's regency. With Timu captured, it is decided that Prince Phyro will be the heir, as Princess Théra has made it clear she has no desire for the throne, choosing a different path.
40 - The Corruption of Ra Olu
RUI: THE ELEVENTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Good and evil are mere labels we place on deeds that benefit or harm us.”— Pékyu Tenryo
With the northern islands of Rui and Dasu now firmly under Lyucu control, the occupation begins. Ra Olu, the former Imperial regent of Dasu, proves to be a willing collaborator. Seeking to preserve his own power and status, he advises Pékyu Tenryo on the most effective methods for subjugating the Dara populace. He suggests a brutal system of collective punishment, turning neighbors against each other by rewarding informants and brutally punishing entire villages for the actions of a few. In a move of insidious psychological warfare, the Lyucu also begin a process of religious syncretism, claiming that the Dara god Kiji is merely another aspect of their own fire god, Péa. This act of cultural appropriation is designed to demoralize the conquered people, corrupting their faith and severing their connection to their own history.
41 - The Interpretation of a Letter
PAN: THE TWELFTH MONTH IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The judgment of history cannot be ascertained from up close.”— Zomi Kidosu
An ultimatum from Pékyu Tenryo arrives at the court in Pan. The letter, penned by the collaborator Ra Olu, is written in a florid, arrogant, and highly classical style, filled with boasts and threats. While the rest of the court sees only an insulting declaration of war, Zomi Kidosu, newly appointed as Farsight Secretary, sees something more. With her unique, analytical mind, she deconstructs the letter's language, not for its meaning, but for its hidden data. She analyzes the metaphors Ra Olu uses to describe the garinafins, the cadence of his prose, the subtle boasts he makes about their power. From this linguistic forensic analysis, she gleans a piece of intelligence that is a stunning breakthrough: the garinafins' ability to breathe fire is not infinite. It is an exhaustible biological resource, tied to their diet and requiring a period of rest and recovery. This single, crucial insight, extracted from a piece of arrogant propaganda, gives Dara its first tangible strategic advantage in the coming war.
42 - Invasion of Rui
RUI: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I’ve lived one step away from falling thousands of feet the entire time I’ve been in a uniform, and I’ve never prayed.”— Pon Naye
Vindicated and freed, Marshal Gin Mazoti launches a daring, high-risk counter-invasion of the occupied island of Rui. The assault begins with a stealth fleet of mechanical crubens, submersible assault craft designed by Zomi Kidosu, which secretly assemble a squadron of new, experimental 'phantom' airships at sea. These skeletal, fast-moving ships are equipped with another of Zomi's inventions: powerful, long-range flamethrowers. Under the cover of darkness, Gin's fleet launches a devastating surprise attack on the Lyucu navy anchored in Kriphi Harbor. The battle is a stunning, chaotic success for Dara. The Lyucu ships are incinerated, and in a moment of supreme courage, the veteran airship squadron commander Pon Naye deliberately rams his own vessel into a garinafin, killing the beast in a suicidal blaze of glory. Dara has drawn first blood.
43 - A Taste of Victory
RUI: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Our warriors may be invincible on the battlefield, but they outnumber us by more than a hundredfold.”— Pékyu Tenryo
The Battle of Kriphi Harbor rages. The pékyu's own daughter, Tanvanaki, a peerless garinafin pilot, rallies the Lyucu air force and leads a ferocious counter-attack. With her brilliant tactical mind, she quickly identifies the structural weaknesses of Dara's new phantom airships and nearly turns the tide of the aerial battle with a clever diving maneuver. However, her success in the air is cut short by Gin Mazoti's brilliance on the ground. Under the command of the ever-reliable General Than Carucono, Dara's ground forces, having landed secretly during the chaos of the naval assault, begin their attack on the city of Kriphi itself. Faced with a two-front battle and the loss of his navy, Pékyu Tenryo is forced to make a strategic retreat, abandoning the harbor to save his army. Though Dara has won a major, morale-boosting victory, the Lyucu army remains a powerful and formidable force.
44 - The Voyage of Luan Zya
SOMEWHERE NORTH OF DASU: THREE YEARS EARLIER.
“The universe is knowable.”— Luan Zya
This chapter recounts the fate of Luan Zya, who set sail on his voyage of exploration three years prior. Using a massive, specially designed kite to ascend to the upper atmosphere, he becomes the first man from Dara to chart the high-altitude wind currents. It is there he discovers the Wall of Storms, a colossal, permanent typhoon system that isolates the islands of Dara from the rest of the world. In a daring act of scientific curiosity, he pilots his kite directly into the heart of the storm and is struck by lightning. He survives the crash, finding himself adrift in a strange new ocean. After months of drifting, saved from starvation only by the unexpected kindness of a herd of crubens, his knowledge of the natural world allows him to start a signal fire on a piece of driftwood. He is eventually 'rescued' by a passing ship, a vessel of the Lyucu people.
45 - An Interlude
RUI: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“The mortals have to figure out how to deal with this, and so do we.”— The Gods of Dara
As war consumes the mortal realm, the gods of Dara convene to debate their role in the conflict. Tazu, the god of chance, mercilessly taunts Kiji for the invasion of his sacred home island of Rui. The other gods question whether their ancient pact of non-interference should apply to these foreign invaders. The god of calculation, Lutho, reveals a critical fact: their own divine power is intrinsically tied to the land of Dara; they are incapable of crossing the Wall of Storms. They realize with dawning horror that the Lyucu have left their own gods behind and, in their desperation and ignorance, are beginning to worship the gods of Dara. This creates a complex theological crisis and a potential shift in the balance of divine power. Ultimately, divided and uncertain, they decide to let events unfold, allowing the mortals to determine their own fate.
46 - Prince and Princess of Ukyu
IN THE COUNTRY OF STRANGERS: TWO YEARS EARLIER.
“Welcome to Ukyu, the country of the Lyucu.”— Cudyu Roatan
Luan Zya's time among the Lyucu is detailed. After being 'rescued' at sea, he is nursed back to health, only to find himself a prisoner, albeit a comfortable one, living in a cell carved into the back of a colossal garinafin. He is introduced to the children of the pékyu, the charming but ruthless Cudyu and the sharp, intelligent Vadyu (who the reader recognizes as Tanvanaki). They spin a carefully constructed lie for him, a fabricated history in which Emperor Mapidéré's lost expedition arrived peacefully, shared their knowledge with the 'primitive' Lyucu, and then tragically perished from a plague. It is a masterful deception, designed to win Luan's trust and manipulate him into sharing his own vast scientific knowledge for their own purposes.
47 - Mapidéré's Expedition
IN THE COUNTRY OF STRANGERS: TWO YEARS EARLIER.
“Are you from Dara?”— Oga Kidosu
While exploring his strange prison, Luan Zya discovers a hidden, lower cell. There, chained in the darkness, he finds another man from Dara: Oga Kidosu, Zomi's father, who was lost at sea nearly two decades earlier. Oga reveals the brutal, true history of Mapidéré's expedition. After his own fishing boat was destroyed, Oga was carried by a giant sea turtle to the shores of Ukyu, where he was immediately enslaved by the Lyucu. He recounts the horrifying truth: the expedition from Dara was not wiped out by plague. They were systematically tricked, disarmed, slaughtered, and enslaved by the cunning Pékyu Tenryo. Luan realizes with dawning horror that the prince and princess have been lying to him, and that he is a pawn in a decades-long plan to conquer and enslave his homeland.
48 - The Lyucu and Agon
UKYU AND GONDÉ, THE LAND OF THE LYUCU AND AGON: A LONG TIME AGO.
“Control of the garinafins is now the foundation of both the cultures of the Lyucu and the Agon.”— Oga Kidosu
Oga Kidosu continues his story, painting a grim picture of the land of Ukyu and its people. He describes the harsh, nomadic life of the Lyucu and their ancient rivals, the Agon, a culture forged by the unforgiving landscape and endless tribal warfare. He recounts the rise of the current ruler, Pékyu Tenryo, who was sent as a child hostage to the Agon. There, he learned their ways, their tactics, and their weaknesses. Upon his return, he used this knowledge to wage a brilliant and ruthless campaign of conquest, uniting the warring Lyucu tribes under his iron-fisted rule. Oga's story reveals the Lyucu to be a highly disciplined, pragmatic, and brutal people, whose entire society is built around the mastery of the garinafins and the art of war.
49 - The Dream of the City-Ships
UKYU AND GONDÉ: TWENTY-ONE YEARS BEFORE LUAN’S ARRIVAL IN UKYU AND GONDÉ.
“We are the instruments of the All-Father, meant to cleanse that land of its indolent masters and to take it for our own.”— Pékyu Tenryo
The arrival of Emperor Mapidéré's fleet is shown from the Lyucu perspective. Pékyu Tenryo, immediately recognizing the technological superiority but cultural arrogance of the Dara, feigns submission. For years, he plays the role of a servile, primitive king, allowing his people to absorb every piece of knowledge they can from the invaders: advanced shipbuilding, metalworking, written language, and military strategy. He learns of the fertile, rich lands of Dara, a paradise compared to his own harsh homeland. When he has learned all he can, he orchestrates a sudden, violent, and devastating betrayal, slaughtering the unprepared Dara expedition and enslaving the survivors. He then uses their captured ships and their own stolen knowledge as the foundation for his great dream: the invasion and conquest of Dara, a land he sees as a divine inheritance.
50 - Homecoming
UKYU AND GONDÉ: TWO YEARS EARLIER.
“Your sages speak endlessly of the value of human life and the lack of distinction between acts of commission and omission. Yet here you are, trying to pretend that you’re different from the man holding the stone knife.”— Pékyu Tenryo
Now fully aware of the Lyucu's horrifying plan, Luan Zya is confronted by Pékyu Tenryo. The pékyu demands that Luan provide him with the scientific knowledge needed to navigate the Wall of Storms. When Luan refuses, Tenryo resorts to psychological torture, brutally torturing Oga Kidosu in front of him. Unable to watch Zomi's father suffer, Luan capitulates. He provides the complex meteorological calculations needed to find the safe passage through the storm, but secretly, he builds a subtle flaw into the equations, a flaw that will prove fatal to a future fleet. Both Luan and Oga are taken aboard the invasion fleet as prisoners. In a final, desperate act of sabotage, Luan manages to set fire to the garinafin's food supply, knowing it will be his last act.
51 - A Trap
RUI: THE SECOND MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Weigh the fish, the universe is knowable.”— Luan Zya (in a letter)
In the aftermath of the victory at Kriphi Harbor, Zomi Kidosu and General Than Carucono make a grim discovery. They find the bodies of Luan Zya and Oga Kidosu, washed ashore. The two men managed to escape the Lyucu flagship during Luan's final act of sabotage but died of their injuries. Luan's most precious possession, his magical book Gitré Üthu, is clutched in his hands. Inside, Zomi finds a final message, a poem written for her. As the Dara forces celebrate their victory, Zomi retreats to decipher her master's last words. The poem is a code, a final lesson. And as she unravels it, she realizes with a jolt that Luan Zya has left her the key to the Lyucu's greatest secret: the flaw he embedded in their navigation calculations, a trap that will destroy their reinforcement fleet.
52 - The Marshal's Decision
PAN: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“We don’t fight to leave a name; we fight because it’s the right thing to do.”— Captain Atamu
The court in Pan faces a crisis of morale. The military is shattered, and the threat of the main Lyucu invasion looms. In a moment of political genius, Soto Zyndu orchestrates a grand public spectacle. She gathers a volunteer army composed of the very rebels Gin Mazoti had sheltered, along with disgraced nobles and commoners, all fiercely loyal to the legend of the marshal. In front of this ragtag army and the assembled court, Soto presents Gin with Na-aroénna, the legendary sword of Mata Zyndu himself. It is a powerful symbolic act. Overwhelmed by this display of loyalty and the sheer will of the people, Gin Mazoti finally overcomes her own pride. She accepts command, agreeing to lead this army of outcasts in what seems to be a hopeless war against the invaders.
53 - Discoveries
DARA: THE THIRD MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“A real friend is a mirror that reflects the truth back to us.”— Princess Théra
In a secret laboratory established in the scholarly state of Haan, Princess Théra and Zomi Kidosu work side-by-side, conducting a series of brilliant scientific investigations. They dissect the carcasses of the garinafins recovered from the Battle of Kriphi Harbor, reverse-engineering their biology. Their intense collaboration leads to a cascade of stunning breakthroughs. They uncover the secrets of the garinafins' flight—a natural fermentation process in their gut that produces a lighter-than-air gas—and their ability to breathe fire—a biological spark mechanism in their jaws that ignites this flammable gas. Most critically, Théra discovers that the captive garinafins are suffering from a mysterious reproductive ailment, a key vulnerability. During this period of intense, shared intellectual discovery, their deep friendship blossoms into a quiet, profound romantic love.
54 - The Aid of Tan Adü
TAN ADÜ: THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“All men are brothers.”— Huluwen
The ever-loyal Dafiro Miro undertakes a diplomatic mission to the remote southern island of Tan Adü, hoping to enlist the aid of their legendary cruben-riders. He is disappointed to learn from the Adüan chief that their gods have long since fallen silent, and they can no longer command the great sea beasts. As he prepares to leave, however, he discovers that the Adüans possess a simple but revolutionary piece of technology: a 'fire tube' (a fire piston), a device that uses rapid air compression to generate fire. In a flash of insight, Dafiro realizes this is the very same principle used by the garinafins to ignite their fiery breath. He understands that this simple tool is not only a potential new weapon but also the key to understanding and countering the invaders' greatest advantage.
55 - The Silkmotic Force
DARA: THE FIFTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“This is witchcraft!”— A Peasant
Meanwhile, Prince Phyro, at the behest of his mother Consort Risana, travels to the rugged northern state of Faca. His mission is to investigate the 'silkmotic force,' a phenomenon of static electricity that has long been used by street magicians and illusionists. Together, Phyro and Risana uncover the scientific principles behind the Ogé Jar (a Leyden jar), a device capable of storing and discharging powerful electrical shocks. They immediately grasp the military potential of this technology. It offers a new way to combat the garinafins, a weapon that does not rely on fire and that could be deployed to devastating effect on the battlefield.
56 - The Prince's Flight
RUI: THE SIXTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“You and I are not so different after all, Father.”— Prince Timu
On the occupied island of Rui, a terrible tragedy unfolds. The captive Prince Timu, idealistic and desperate for peace, has fallen in love with the Lyucu princess, Tanvanaki. She masterfully manipulates his affection and his genuine desire for a peaceful resolution, slowly turning him against his own family and people. Believing he is forging a new, better future for both Dara and the Lyucu, Timu agrees to marry her. In a public ceremony, he accepts a Lyucu name, denounces his mother, Empress Jia, as a warmonger, and claims the Dandelion Throne for himself, effectively becoming a puppet emperor for the invaders. News of this profound betrayal reaches his father, Kuni Garu, and breaks the old emperor's heart.
57 - A Plague
RUI: THE NINTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I am willing to be judged for my choices. The same as Kuni, as anyone who would wield power.”— Jia Matiza
Empress Jia, armed with the scientific intelligence provided by Princess Théra, unleashes a brilliant and ruthless act of biological warfare. She orders General Puma Yemu's forces to use airships to drop millions of locusts onto the occupied islands of Rui and Dasu. The swarms devour all the natural vegetation that the garinafins feed on. This forces the Lyucu to use their stored grain as fodder, a food source which Théra and Zomi discovered is toxic to the garinafins' delicate digestive systems. A plague of bloat and sickness sweeps through the Lyucu's garinafin herds, decimating their numbers and crippling their single greatest military advantage just as their main invasion fleet approaches.
58 - Dream of the Dandelion
ZATHIN GULF: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I have lived an interesting life.”— Kuni Garu
The final battle for Dara begins. Pékyu Tenryo, his forces weakened but still formidable, launches his main invasion fleet towards the mainland. On the deck of the Lyucu flagship, an ailing Emperor Kuni Garu, dying from a self-inflicted infection, is chained to the mast as a human shield. In a final, heroic act of defiance, Kuni breaks his bonds. He delivers a powerful, rousing speech to his assembled army, a speech broadcast across the fleet by signal flags. In his final moments, he names Princess Théra as his successor, solidifying his revolutionary vision for the dynasty. Then, to free his army to fight without fear for his safety, he takes his own life. His sacrifice inspires his people, uniting them in their grief and resolve, and becomes the final, defining act of his legend.
59 - Battle of Zathin Gulf, Part I
ZATHIN GULF: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“Hold it...”— Gin Mazoti
The great Battle of Zathin Gulf begins. Marshal Gin Mazoti leads the Dara fleet from the bridge of a new class of semi-rigid, saucer-shaped airship, powered by the flammable fermentation gas reverse-engineered from the garinafins. The Lyucu, led by the brilliant pilot Tanvanaki, are still confident in the power of their remaining, healthy war beasts. The Dara forces unveil their first new weapon: massive crossbows, powered by the silkmotic force, which fire explosive bolts that can pierce a garinafin's tough hide. The initial volleys are devastating. The Lyucu, however, quickly adapt, using their garinafins' sharp talons to tear at the fragile gasbags of the Dara airships. The battle descends into a chaotic, swirling melee in the sky, with the outcome hanging precariously in the balance.
60 - Battle of Zathin Gulf, Part II
ZATHIN GULF: THE TENTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“To win, she had to give up her name and endure the judgment of history.”— Gin Mazoti (internal thought)
The Battle of Zathin Gulf reaches its desperate climax. The Dara fleet unveils its ultimate weapon: long, silkmotic lances that discharge massive electrical shocks, electrocuting the garinafins and causing them to fall from the sky. Victory seems within reach, but the treacherous noble Noda Mi, who has infiltrated Gin's fleet, uses fire arrows to ignite the flammable gasbags of the Imperial airships, turning the tide once more. In a final, desperate act of sacrifice, Gin Mazoti deliberately crashes her flagship, the Silkmotic Arrow, into the Lyucu command vessel. She and Dafiro Miro lead a boarding party, engaging Pékyu Tenryo in a final, brutal duel. Dafiro is killed, but at the last possible moment, Zomi Kidosu arrives. Together, Zomi and a mortally wounded Gin manage to kill the Lyucu pékyu, a heroic sacrifice that finally ends the invasion.
61 - Messenger from Afar
SOMEWHERE OVER THE SEA BETWEEN RUI AND THE BIG ISLAND: THE TWELFTH MONTH IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF FOUR PLACID SEAS.
“I’ll think of it as . . . a gift from my mother-in-law.”— Pékyu Vadyu
With Pékyu Tenryo dead and their army shattered, the Lyucu sue for peace. Empress Jia meets with the new Lyucu leader, Princess Tanvanaki, now known by her formal title, Pékyu Vadyu. They negotiate a tense truce. Dara will pay a yearly tribute to the Lyucu in exchange for the safe return of the occupied islands of Rui and Dasu. It is a humiliating peace, but a necessary one. During the tense negotiations, Tanvanaki makes a strange demand: she insists on taking Zomi Kidosu's simple necklace, which is strung with the fire-resistant 'zomi' berries. It is then that the horrifying truth is revealed. The 'zomi' berry is, in fact, the tolyusa plant, a plant the Lyucu believed was extinct and which is the only thing that can cure the reproductive ailment afflicting their garinafins. Jia, in her moment of victory, has unknowingly handed the enemy the key to their future survival.
62 - Parting of the Lotus Seed
KRIPHI: THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN THAT DOES NOT YET HAVE A NAME.
“I am willing to drink from this cup for the sake of the empire.”— Consort Risana
In the war's aftermath, a messenger from a distant land arrives: Takval Aragoz, a prince of the Agon people, ancient enemies of the Lyucu. He was carried across the sea in the belly of a whale and brings a gift of fertile garinafin eggs and a proposal for an alliance. Princess Théra, now Empress Üna, accepts a political marriage to forge this crucial alliance. In a bittersweet farewell, she and Zomi Kidosu confess their love, accepting that their duties lie on separate paths. Meanwhile, Empress Jia confronts Consort Risana, arguing Dara cannot afford two rival powers at court and presents her with a cup of 'poisoned' tea as an ultimatum. Risana initially agrees to sacrifice herself, but after testing the tea on a pet rabbit, she discovers it is harmless. She realizes Jia was performing a ruthless political act to manipulate her into a noble suicide. Jia confirms the deception, leaving Risana trapped. To prevent a civil war and protect her son Phyro's future, Risana accepts her tragic fate, ceding total control of the empire to Jia. The book ends as a Lyucu reinforcement fleet is destroyed by the Wall of Storms—Luan Zya's final, posthumous act of sabotage has succeeded.