The morning came too quickly for Grim’s liking. He had spent most of the night cultivating and not sleeping.
A soft knock at his chamber door interrupted his practice. "Come in," he called, expecting one of the Dragon Kings.
Instead, Lin entered, carrying a small light blue crystal. Her usual composed demeanor showed cracks—her silver eyes were slightly red-rimmed, and her hands trembled slightly.
"A final gift before you depart," she said, her voice lacking its usual steadiness. "Just destroy the crystal and I will come to see you if you ever need me."
Grim accepted the crystal, noting how it felt cold against his palm despite the warm energy radiating from within. As their fingers brushed during the exchange, he felt a jolt through his skin.
"Lin," he began, but she stepped back quickly.
"The changes you’re experiencing will intensify over the coming weeks," she said. "If you need anything, promise me that you will destroy that crystal. Promise me."
She moved toward the door, then stopped, her back still turned to him. "I know what my duty requires of me..." She took a shaky breath. "Just be careful, Grim. More careful than you think you need to be."
When she finally looked back at him, her blue eyes held an intensity that made his chest tighten. "The bond between us isn’t just professional anymore. We both know that. But your safety—your humanity—has to come first."
"Don’t make this harder than it already is," she whispered, then left quickly, leaving Grim alone with the weight of unspoken emotions and the crystal warming in his palm.
After Lin departed, Grim made his way to the main chamber where the Dragon Kings had gathered to see him off.
"The portal will take you directly to the coastal ruins where you first entered our realm," Ao Guang explained, gesturing toward a swirling vortex of water that had appeared in the center of the chamber. "From there, you should be able to reach Port Velmira very quickly."
"What about the political situation in the human realm?" Grim asked. "My disappearance won’t have gone unnoticed."
"Time moves differently between our realms. But, my estimation it’s been at least a month."
Gongfu approached next, his golden eyes looked serious. "Remember what we discussed yesterday. Trust your own judgment above all else. The power you carry comes with responsibility, but that responsibility is to protect, not to dominate."
"I understand," Grim said, shouldering the pack Ao Qin had provided.
With his farewells complete, Grim stepped toward the portal. The swirling water seemed to reach for him, drawing him forward with gentle but irresistible force. As the familiar sensation of dimensional travel washed over him, he caught one last glimpse of the Dragon Kings watching his departure with expressions that mixed hope and concern.
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The transition from the dragon realm to the human world was jarring. One moment Grim was surrounded by crystalline beauty and flowing water; the next, he stood ankle-deep in tide pools beneath a gray sky.
The coastal ruins looked exactly as he remembered them. But now, with his enhanced senses, he could perceive details that had been invisible before. Traces of old magic lingered in the stones, faded but still present. More troubling were the recent disturbances—scorch marks and areas where the stone had been recently damaged.
Grim made his way inland, following the path he had taken to reach the ruins. The landscape seemed more vivid now, colors sharper and sounds clearer.
The road to Port Velmira was busy with the usual traffic of merchants, travelers, and local farmers heading to market. Grim attracted some curious glances—his clothes showed signs of his recent adventures, and there was something about his bearing that seemed different—but no one questioned his presence.
As he crested the final hill before the port city, Grim felt a complex mixture of emotions. Relief at returning to familiar territory, apprehension about explaining his absence, and an underlying sense that he was no longer quite the same person who had followed after Gongfu.
Port Velmira bustled with its typical afternoon activity. Ships crowded the harbor, their masts creating a forest of wooden pillats against the sky. The scent of salt air, fish, and human activity was almost overwhelming after the pristine environment of the dragon realms.
Grim made his way through the crowded streets toward the district where the Warden’s Residence was located. His new position as Imperial Defender of the Southern Shores came with certain privileges, including quarters in the administrative complex that governed the port region.
The Warden’s Residence was an impressive building constructed from local stone. Guards at the entrance recognized him immediately and offered respectful salutes.
"Lord Ambrose," the senior guard said. "Welcome back. There’s correspondence waiting for you in your quarters."
Grim’s quarters were more spacious than he had expected—a sitting room, bedroom, and small study. Someone had clearly been maintaining the rooms during his absence, ensuring everything was clean and ready for occupancy.
On the desk in the study, a single letter waited. The envelope bore an official seal he recognized immediately—Chen Xing’s personal mark. Grim broke the seal carefully and unfolded the letter, noting that the paper was of high quality and the handwriting precise.
I hope this letter finds you well and successfully settled in your new position. Reports of unusual activity along the southern coast have reached the capital, and I believe these developments may be connected to matters we discussed during your time here.
Three merchant vessels have disappeared in the waters near Port Velmira over the past month. The circumstances of these disappearances are strange.
Additionally, there have been reports of strange phenomena at various coasts hroughout the region. Witnesses describe lights, sounds, and what some claim are voices speaking in unknown languages. The local population is becoming increasingly nervous.
After three weeks, all signs have ceased and returned to normal. I assume this is your doing in your leave of absence.
Your servant in the Empire’s defense,
Setting the letter aside, Grim moved to the window that overlooked the harbor. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and crinson red. Ships bobbed at anchor, their crews preparing for evening meals or shore leave.
But something felt wrong. Grim’s enhanced senses picked up traces of supernatural energy that definitely shouldn’t exist in a normal port city. The dragon contracts had made him more sensitive to magical disturbances, and there were definitely disturbances present.
A knock at his door interrupted his observations. "Come in," he called.
A middle-aged man in the uniform of the port authority entered, offering a respectful bow. "Lord Ambrose, I’m Harbormaster Rennick. I wanted to personally welcome you back to Port Velmira and offer my assistance with anything you might need."
"Thank you, Harbormaster."
After Rennickhe departed, Grim returned to his study and reread Chen Xing’s letter. The timing was too convenient to be coincidental. Ships had started disappearing around the same time that Jiaolong and other supernatural threats had become active.
As night fell over Port Velmira, Grim reflected on the strange twist of fate that had led him to resolve a crisis before he even knew it existed. Gongfu’s presence in the human realm had been the source of the disturbances, and his return to the dragon realm had ended them.