Morning showed no obvious place to seek harbor. Binggongchang skirted beneath the rocky cliffs of the new continent, close enough to enjoy fragrant breezes but without finding a place to put the boat ashore. After a few hours, the tantalizing cruise seemed to offer something better-- a verdant island with a deepwater harbor with a channel that was navigable into its interior-- a huge flooded cave.
Shoji and Bo Jing who had improved on their rudimentary knowledge of sailing during the course of the voyage were able to bring the Binggongchang to a natural dock. Artful placement of the gangplank allowed the passengers to walk down to a gravel beach without getting their feet wet. The dripping water sounded like music. Or maybe that was music, even singing.
Was this Party Island at last?
No, it was her older, wiser older sister. About half the sailors refused to get off the ship.
The leaders of the expedition, however, were intrigued and after disembarking made their way eagerly toward a gentle light. They met a man there who introduced himself as Saridan and invited them to join him in meditation.
Weeks passed. Those who weren't familiar with seaweed salad learned to love it.
And then it was time for The Tests.
Hyamsam was brought into a small room and told to sit at a table and watch a rock until it jumped. It seemed boring and pointless but (with some meta-game encouragement from White Bear) he persisted. Saridan reward him with this lesson-- moderation in all things including patience, especially when someone asks you to wait for a rock to jump.
Shoji was brought a shrine dedicated to The Path of the Red Mountain and invited to re-dedicate it to his own School. Although he found the practitioners of The Path of the Red Mountain to be insufferable busybodies, he allowed that their beliefs affirmed goodness in thought, word, and action, and that he refused to treat his faith as a tribal affinity. He declined to disturb the rival shrine. Saridan congratulated him.
Next, Saridan invited Bo Jing into a cave lined with swords and asked him a provoking question. "What would you do if I tried to kill you?" Bo Jing laughed off the piece of hypothetical sophistry. When Saridan picked upa fiery sword, Bo Jing drew his katana and fended off a flurry of attacks without seeking to strike Saridan. Saridan congratulated Bo Jing on his ability to defend himself without excessive force and gifted him with the fiery sword.
Finally, Saridan led Bangqiu and Bayan to a cave with a seemingly bottomless pit in the center. He told them that they would be leaving the island soon but that he would answer a call for help if they were willing to sacrifice their most valuable possession. After some debate between the two of them Bayan cast her magical sword-- a gift from her mentor Beatriss-- into the pit. Bangqiu, reasoning that even though he didn't see much use in the Blood Gem Crucible, he had fought a dragon to get it and assassins to keep it, and thus it was, objectively, the most valuable. He cast it away with little reluctance. Saridan scolded them for their lack of confidence in their own abilities but promised that he would honor his promise.
Shoji and Bo Jing were each presented with an additional gift, a glowing pearl, that when dissolved in saltwater, resulted in a bubbling ruby-red drink that was sweeter than honey.
Everyone else-- except those sailors who had refused to leave the ship-- got a vial of holy water.
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