by JC Kang
“No!” Scarface leaned into the column of light from above. “We have an intruder!”
Apparently, the two men’s agendas had just reached an impasse, and soon her escape route would be compromised. Stowing her knife, she took one step back and leapt toward Jiang. Pop-vaulting off his back, she snared one of the ropes and climbed hand over hand to the tween deck.
The longshoreman’s eyes widened.
Jie flashed a grin and bolted through the other workers toward the steps to the upper deck.
“Stop her!” the longshoreman yelled.
One man spun around, too late, and Jie avoided his grasp. Yet two more now blocked her exit. Four came clopping down the steps, broadswords in hand. No easy way out.
Unless… The oar ports provided several not-so-easy way outs. Even if she could squeeze through, it was a long drop into cold water. The winches groaned behind her, likely meaning Jiang, Snaggletooth, and Stubby Fingers were on their way. Right; freezing sounded more appealing than being gang-raped and murdered. She took a sharp turn toward the closest row of benches and then dove toward the oar port.
For once, her flat boy’s body proved useful, as she swished through—only to have the hem of her pants catch on the oarlock. She dangled upside down, the drawstring of her pants biting into her waist and hips. Perhaps it was for better, given the narrow rocking space between the hull and the stone dock. The wrong timing would mean being crushed like a cherry. As the gap started to widen, she took a deep breath, drew her knife, and slashed the drawstring.
Into the water she went, wearing nothing more than undergarments. The frigid water sent a chill to her core, almost stopping her heart. Still, she dove deeper, kicking off the dockside and swimming over toward the next berth. The ship’s crew would be scouring the waterfront for her, and the longer she remained underwater, the more she could confuse them.
Her lungs burned. At last, she came to stone steps leading from the harbor floor to the top of a dock. She poked her head out and gasped for air, looking back in the direction she’d come. Sure enough, two berths down, the Wild Orchid was at full alert, with sailors running along its dock. It was time to lay low, lest the information about Wailian’s illegal firepowder die with her.
She looked at the ship docked here, its dark shadow swallowing up the sun’s warmth. The Tarkothi blackship. On deck, a fair-haired man with fine features eyed her. Her chattering teeth rattled her brain. The foreigners may or may not turn her in, but staying in the water meant death by hypothermia. Waving both arms, she floundered.
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Appendix
Celestial Bodies
White Moon: Known as Renyue in Cathay, and represents the God of the Seas. Its orbital period is thirty days.
Iridescent Moon: Known in Cathay as Caiyue, it is the manifestation of the God of Magic. It appeared at the end of the war between elves and orcs. It never moves from its spot in the sky. Its orbital period is one day, and can be used to keep time.
Blue Moon: Known in Cathay as Guanyin's Eye, it is the manifestation of the Goddess of Fertility. Its phases go from wide open to winking.
Tivar's Star: A red star, a manifestation of the God of Conquest. During the Year of the Second Sun, it approached the world, causing the Blue Moon to go dim.
Time
As measured by the phases of the iridescent moon:
Full = Midnight
1st Waning Gibbons = 1:00 AM
2nd Waning Gibbons =2:00 AM
Mid-Waning Gibbons = 3:00 AM
4th Waning Gibbons = 4:00 AM
5th Waning Gibbons = 5:00 AM
Waning Half = 6:00 AM
1st Waning Crescent = 7:00 AM
2nd Waning Crescent = 8:00 AM
Mid-Waning Crescent = 9:00 AM
4th Waning Crescent = 10:00 AM
5th Waning Crescent = 11: 00 AM
New = Noon
1st Waxing Crescent = 1:00 PM
2nd Waxing Crescent = 2:00 PM
Mid-Waxing Crescent = 3:00 PM
4th Waxing Crescent = 4:00 PM
5th Waxing Crescent = 5:00 PM
Waxing Half = 6:00 PM
1st Waxing Gibbons = 7:00 PM
2nd Waxing Gibbons =8:00 PM
Mid-Waxing Gibbons = 9:00 PM
4th Waxing Gibbons = 10:00 PM
5th Waxing Gibbons = 11:00 PM
Provinces of Cathay
Province
Ruling
Family
Resources
Dongmen
Zheng
grain, stone, guns
Fenggu
Han
timber, rice, grain
Huayuan
Wang
livestock, rice, wheat, lumber, firepowder, guns
Jiangzhou
Liu
timber, wheat, silk
Linshan
Lin
wheat, millet, timber, porcelain
Nanling
Peng
livestock, steel, stone, gems, crossbows
Ximen
Zhao
fishing, rice
Yutou
Liang
fishing, rice, iron, copper, fish paste
Zhenjing
Wu
ships, rice, fish
Human Ethnicities
Aksumi: Dark-skinned with dark eyes and coarse hair. On Earth, they would be considered North Africans. They can use Sorcery.
Ayuri: Bronze-toned skin with dark hair and eyes. On Earth, they would be considered South Asians. They can use Martial Magic.
Arkothi: Olive-skinned with blond to dark hair and light-colored eyes. On Earth, they would be considered Eastern Mediteraneans. They can use weak Mental Magic.
Bovyan: The descendants of the Sun God's begotten son, they are cursed to be all male and live only to thirty-three years of age. They are much taller and larger than the average human. Their other physical characteristics are determined by their mother's race. They have no magical ability.
Cathayi (Hua): Honey-toned skin with dark hair and eyes. High-set cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes. On Earth, they would be considered East Asians. They can use Artistic Magic.
Eldaeri: Olive-skinned with brown hair. With features and small frames, they are shorter in stature than the average human. In a previous age, they fled the orc domination of the continent and mingled with elves. They have no magical ability.
Estomari: Olive-skinned with varying eye and hair color. They are famous for their fine arts. On Earth, they would be considered Western Mediterraneans. They can use Divining Magic.
Kanin: Ruddy-skinned with dark hair. On Earth, they would be considered Native Americans. They can use Shamanic Magic.
Levanthi: Dark-bronze skin and dark hair. On Earth, they would be considered Persians. They can use Divine Magic.
Nothori: fair-skinned and fair-haired. On Earth, they would be considered Northern Europeans. They can use Empathic Magic.
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank my wife and family for the patience they have afforded me as I pursued my childhood dream of fiction writing.
A shout-out goes out to my old Dungeons and Dragons crew: Jon, Chris, Chris, Paul, Conrad, and Julian, for helping to shape the first iteration of Tivara twenty-five years ago. Huge thanks to Brent who contributed so much backstory to the new literary version.
A gigantic thanks to my sister Laura for her spectacular job with the maps.
Thanks to the readers and writers on Wattpad for their encouragement and fe
edback.
And finally, to writers over at critiquecircle.com who motivated and helped me along the way. Jason, for patiently providing countless ideas. Kelly, for amazing input, character development and all the other advice. Victoria, for showing me how to layer scenes. Andy, for unparalleled wordsmithing. Ernie, for teaching me the fundamentals of fiction writing. Lindy for her sharp eye. Taylor for the numerous suggestions. Laurel, Joyce, Tracy, Traci, Larissa, Alicia, Kathyrn, and Ardyth for beta reading; and all the others who critiqued.
About the Author
JC Kang's unhealthy obsession with fantasy and sci-fi began at an early age when his brother Romain introduced him to the Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Star Trek, and Star Wars. As an adult, JC combines his geek roots with his professional experiences as a Chinese Medicine doctor, martial arts instructor, and technical writer to pen multicultural epic fantasy stories