Listen up, kids. An elder is speaking.

Now, don’t get us wrong. The School for Shamanic Arts and Spiritual Mastery is staffed with many proficient instructors in several fields, such as spell casting, transmutation, battling evil spirits, and qeej expertise, among many others.

But as we all know, sometimes a student needs to learn something very complicated very quickly. Especially when the fate of the world is at stake. Take Pahua, for instance. She hasn’t even been formally accepted into The School for Shamanic Arts yet and she needs a master’s degree in transmutation to ensure that the vengeful god Xov is sealed away for good.

With the clock ticking, what can Pahua do? Hope she gets accepted into the school and wait the however many years it takes to become an expert in transmutation? Cram as much independent research on the subject as she can? (Trust us, the internet is no help on this.)

Or maybe she could venture into the Land of Dragons and meet with Huab Tais Zaj, the Dragon Emperor himself, aka the god of all rivers and lakes. But even if she were able to find Huab Tais Zaj, who’s to say he would even take the time out to help her?

When in Throne

Does the name Huab Tais Zaj sound familiar? You may remember him from such classics as Ruling Over the Land of Dragons, Training Shee Yee in Combat and Magic, and Being the Sky Father’s Son-in-Law. However, the Dragon Emperor hasn’t made too many recent public appearances.

But hey, if you had the best seat in all the six realms, you wouldn’t be eager to get up from it either. HTZ’s throne room is lined with shining white jade columns, with chips of precious jewels in the floor tiles, reflecting a rainbow of colors. The throne itself is vibrant coral marbled with gold and encrusted with shimmering seashells and pearls.

In short, you may never be able to afford a home as nice as the Dragon Emperor’s. But with any luck (and access to the right spiritual vein), you may be able to see the throne room yourself one day. If you can effectively project your spirt to his realm, that is. You’d better not arrive without a reason, though.

Transmutation Nation

If you’re looking to upgrade your magic skills, you’ll find few tutors more effective than Huab Tais Zaj. We’re talking about the man who taught the legendary hero Shee Yee everything he knew, after all.

Before you go see him, you may want to double-check that Huab Tais Zaj hasn’t already given you a crash course in magic during a previous life. The Dragon Emperor has a hard time recognizing older spirits in new, reincarnated bodies. Even if your memories didn’t transfer from your past life, Huab Tais Zaj will certainly remember if he once taught you.

From Pahua’s perspective, this whole practicing shaman magic gig is a relatively new experience. But in the eyes of Huab Tais Zaj, he’s done all this before. He spent years training Shee Yee to be a swordsman, archer, rider, and master of magical arts such as transmutation and shape-shifting. And now Shee Yee’s reincarnated self is a total novice?

We can’t blame Huab Tais Zaj for being reluctant to take Pahua under his wing and commit the time to educating her properly. Luckily for him, she doesn’t have the time for a comprehensive supernatural training regimen. She only needs to learn how to hone her transmutation abilities. So far, at least.

Water You Doing Later?

Transmutation is the ability to transform one piece of matter into another, completely different one. It’s a tricky skill for even the most experienced of shamans to master. And, just between us, some shamans even struggle to transmute hot water into tea.

Huab Tais Zaj’s advice for taking your transmutation game to the next level?

“It all starts with intent. Do not approach the object like a battering ram, forcing your will upon it. Altering a thing takes persistence and time.

“Instead, be like the river. It is steady and relentless even as it adapts to maintain its path. The river is capable of altering even mountains . . .”

A bit touchy-feely, but it’s a start. And hopefully it will be enough for Pahua to repair the damage done to Xov’s prison. (We’re not holding our breath, despite the fact that HTZ lives underwater.)

But that’s not the only lesson Huab Tais Zaj conveys to Pahua. In fact, he has something much more important to share . . .

“Be wary of those in whom you place your trust. Not everyone seeks to do good . . .”

We wonder if that includes old men who braid their beards and wear fish bones around their collars.

Class is in session! Learn more from Huab Tais Zaj in Pahua and the Dragon’s Secret on sale now!