The morning fog hung low over Kota Serunai (Serunai City), thick with the scent of salt, burning wood, and Lingqi. Broken stilts still trembled from the floating citadel's earlier destabilization, and murmurs of panic spread through the harbor districts.
Hai Cheng and Yue Lan stood at the edge of the central dock. Their eyes scanned the strait, where the Arus Dagang (Trade Current), Arus Alam (Natural Current), and Arus Warisan (Heritage Current) pulsed uneasily, reacting to the artificial distortions left by the Admiral's citadel.
"The currents…they're unstable," Yue Lan said. Her Batik Lingkar (Batik Array) glimmered faintly, turquoise threads tracing patterns over the water. "Something's stirring below."
Hai Cheng's gaze went deeper, into the dark veins beneath the strait. His Suanpan (abacus) vibrated in his hands as beads spun without control. "I feel it…something ancient."
---
The First Sign
A low rumble emerged from beneath the harbor. The water around the stilts swirled violently, forming unnatural whirlpools. Lanterns swung on their ropes, and distant cries of merchants echoed across broken planks.
From the center of the largest whirlpool, a massive shadow rose. It was unlike the Harimau Ombak (Tide Tiger)—this was larger, older, its form flickering between water and energy.
Hai Cheng whispered, "The Guardian…"
Yue Lan's eyes widened. "The legends…they spoke of a creature that protects the strait itself. But no one has seen it in centuries."
The shadow surged upward, spectral fins cutting through the water, batik-like patterns glowing faintly along its body. Currents pulsed around it, responsive, alive.
It emitted a low, resonating growl—felt as much as heard. The water itself seemed to vibrate with the Guardian's presence.
---
Rising Tension in the City
Across the city, news of the floating citadel and unnatural currents had reached the merchant guilds and Peranakan clans. Rumors spread: the Admiral was not just a threat—he was attempting to seize control of the strait itself.
Some factions rallied behind Hai Cheng and Yue Lan, offering vessels, manpower, and knowledge of hidden Lingqi channels. Others hesitated, fearing the wrath of the Admiral and the unpredictable Guardian beneath the waters.
Hai Cheng noticed the subtle tension building in the city. "We can't just defend the currents," he said. "We have to communicate with the Guardian."
Yue Lan frowned. "Communicate? You mean…somehow persuade it to fight alongside us?"
Hai Cheng nodded. "If we fail, neither the city nor the currents survive."
---
Attempting Contact
Hai Cheng stepped onto a raised stilt, extending his Suanpan (abacus) over the water. Jade beads glowed as they aligned currents—not to control, but to signal.
Turquoise threads from Yue Lan's Batik Lingkar (Batik Array) extended downward, weaving protective spirals into the roiling water.
The Guardian responded slowly. Its glowing patterns shifted, pulsing in a rhythm that mirrored the hybrid currents. Hai Cheng interpreted the movement—an ancient language of flow and energy, batik-like symbols encoded in the very water.
He whispered, "It's listening…we need to prove that we protect the strait, not seek to dominate it."
---
A Test of Worth
Suddenly, the Guardian surged upward, sending waves crashing across the stilts. Hai Cheng and Yue Lan barely maintained balance, turquoise and jade currents flaring in reaction.
"Not attacks!" Hai Cheng shouted, "Proof—stabilize the currents!"
Beads spun violently on the Suanpan, arrays extended, and together, they merged Arus Dagang, Arus Alam, and Arus Warisan into a flowing lattice across the central harbor.
The Guardian circled them, spectral fins brushing the lattice. Waves calmed slightly. Its glowing patterns rippled faster, scanning their currents, their intent, their harmony.
Hai Cheng exhaled. "It accepts…for now."
---
A Threat Above
Even as they made contact, the floating citadel remained visible on the horizon. The Admiral had stabilized his position, his machinery whirring with cold precision.
He raised a mechanical rod, sending a pulse of artificial Lingqi toward the city. Stilts shook. Civilians screamed.
Hai Cheng's lattice reacted instinctively, redirecting the pulse safely into the harbor. But Yue Lan noticed something alarming.
"The Admiral…he's adapting!" she shouted. "Every pulse we redirect, he changes the frequency!"
Hai Cheng clenched his Suanpan. "We've stabilized the city and earned the Guardian's attention—but he's already preparing the next wave."
The Guardian, sensing the threat, let out a deep, resonating roar. Currents surged, rising like spectral walls, warning the Admiral that the strait itself was now aligned against him.
The tides were no longer just rising.
They were awakening.