Morning dawned with a thin mist hanging over the village. However, there was no longer any doubt on Kai's face. Last night, his determination had crystallized. He had to act, and time was ticking.
Kai's first step was to meet his father, a fisherman whose body was strong, battered by the sea wind.He told him about his visions, the rumbling sounds from the bowels of the earth, and his conversations with Grandma Ino and the elders.
At first, the father frowned, trying to digest his son's words that often felt strange to him.
However, he saw the sincerity in Kai's eyes and felt the same anxiety about the changes in the surrounding nature.
"If that's what you feel is right, son," his father said in a deep voice,
"then do it. The sea is unfriendly, but a true sailor will not be afraid to face a storm to save his home. I will help you prepare a boat and provisions."
With his father's help, Kai began to gather simple supplies. Dried sago and dried yams, dried fish, fresh water in bamboo, and some traditional navigational equipment.
His father's small sailboat, a sturdy orembai sailboat with a single large tanja sail, had been inspected and repaired. Attached to the stern were two large wooden steering oars, ready for Kai to steer through the waves.
Meanwhile, news of Kai's intention to travel spread quickly through the village. The reactions of the community were mixed. Some people, especially the younger and more open-minded, had high hopes for Kai.
They saw him as the only one who dared to act in the face of paralyzing fear. They helped gather supplies and offered encouragement.
However, most of the villagers still did not believe him. They considered the story of the ancient dragon to be just an old legend and doubted Kai's ability to "talk" to the forest.
They saw him as a naive and stubborn young man who was wasting his time on something that made no sense.
"What are you going for, Kai?" asked an old woman in a worried tone.
"That's just an old story. We'd better hope and pray that the woodcutters will leave soon."
"But, Grandma," Kai answered patiently,
"I feel the restlessness of the forest myself. And the signs... all point to that legend. We can't just wait."
"You're just a young man who's spent too much time in the forest," a fisherman said dismissively.
"This world is real, Kai. It's not just the whispers of the wind and the sounds of animals."
Despite doubts and ridicule, Kai remained steadfast. The support of his father and Granny Ino gave him strength.
He also felt a strong urge from the forest spirits, as if begging him to act.
Granny Ino gathered some of the more open-minded elders and retold the legend of the Ancient Dragon, emphasizing the omens that were happening.
She also expressed her belief in Kai's abilities, even though she herself did not fully understand them.
"We have no choice," Granny Ino told the elders.
"If the legend is true, then we are all in danger. Let Kai try. We must give him a chance."
After much debate, the elders agreed to give Kai a chance.
They provided some initial clues about neighboring islands that might hold pieces of knowledge about how to appease the Guardian.
With his father's small sailboat repaired, Kai prepared to set out on his journey.
In the back of his mind was Granny Ino's words,
"Listen to your heart, Kai. Nature will guide you. And never underestimate the power of belief, even if it seems old-fashioned."
As Kai's boat began to move away from the shore, most of the villagers only saw the departure of a strange young man.
However, some people, especially children and elders, saw a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty that had engulfed their island.
Kai's small sailboat cut through the waves that began to rise in the waters around the island. The wind blew hard, pulling the sail roughly and making the boat sway left and right.
The sky that had been clear began to be covered by fast-moving gray clouds, a sign of sudden bad weather, typical of the sea in that area.
Kai, despite growing up by the sea, was not an experienced sailor like his father. He was more familiar with the forest than with the ferocity of the waves.
However, his determination to save the island and the spirits of the forest gave him the courage to face the challenges of the sea that awaited him.
Every time a large wave hit the hull of the boat, Kai gripped the wooden rudder tightly, trying to maintain his balance.
The sea water splashed his face, salty and cold, making him have to squint to see the direction. The wind roared in his ears, drowning out the sound of the waves crashing mercilessly against the boat.
Amidst the weather's ferocity, Kai sensed something more than nature's wrath. There was a strange restlessness in the sea itself.
Usually, even when the waves were high, there was a predictable rhythm and pattern. But this time, the waves came suddenly from all directions, wild and irregular, as if the sea itself was rebelling.
Every now and then, Kai would see dark shadows moving beneath the surface. Too large to be mere schools of fish or dolphins.
The shadows moved quickly and mysteriously, creating a sense of unease and foreboding within him. Was this also a sign of the Guardian being disturbed, whose power was now beginning to influence the sea?
Night fell with pitch black darkness. Without the stars to guide him, Kai had to rely on his instincts and his limited knowledge of traditional navigation.
The sound of the waves crashing against the boat grew more and more eerie in the darkness.
Exhaustion began to consume his body, but he knew he could not give up. Every mile he traveled brought him closer to the answer and the hope of saving his home.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the turbulent sea for a moment. In that brief flash, Kai saw a massive wave heading towards his boat, several times the height of a normal wave.
The roar of the wind mixed with the roar of the approaching water, creating an eerie atmosphere. With quick reflexes, Kai swung the rudder paddle with all his might, trying to avoid a direct hit.
The boat rose high above the crest of the wave, then slammed down hard into the valley of the next wave. The wood of the boat creaked under the immense pressure.
For a few tense moments, Kai felt like his boat was going to shatter into pieces or capsize. He held on to the rudder paddle tightly, closing his eyes and praying to the sea spirits who might take mercy.
Slowly, the storm began to subside, as if the sea's fury had reached its peak. The waves were still high, but they began to have a more regular rhythm. The sky began to show a small gap of light on the eastern horizon.
Kai opened his eyes, feeling his body being crushed but his boat still intact. He had survived the sea's fury, but the arduous journey had drained him physically and mentally.
He knew that the journey to the neighboring island would not be easy, and that the dangers would not only come from nature, but perhaps also from the ancient forces that were awakening.
With the last of his strength, Kai steered his boat again, looking toward the faint land that was beginning to appear in the distance.
A thin hope still burned in his chest, pushing him forward even though the sea and the restlessness of nature seemed to want to swallow him.