"Indeed I am him." he replied.
"Yinglong? Do you know what happened to our parents and the other villagers?" asked Lanying.
"Don't worry Lanying and Annchi. I took them to safety."
The girls sighed before Lanying said, "Wait a minute! How do you know our names?"
"I have been watching this place and many others over the years. I know everything that goes around here and everywhere else."
That was partly true. He also made a vow to always watch over Annchi and he meant to keep it. As he kept glancing at Annchi, he saw a totally different Annchi from the one he once knew. He had seen she lived a hard life. He wished he could have helped her, but he knew he couldn't for he simply wasn't allowed to by the gods that governed this galaxy. He had been tempted to ask, but once an order was given he had to obey it. He was very relieved he could help her now.
"Excuse me, Yinglong, but what do we do now?" asked Lanying, jilting Yinglong out of his thoughts.
"Oh, I am sorry. I have an assignment for you two. I want you to find the lost unicorn princess."
"But weren't all the unicorns killed during the Invasion?"
"Don't you remember Lanying? The last time the merchant came through he said that not all the unicorns died. Somehow, the princess of the unicorns survived thanks to her parents. He said that her soul was preserved and she was born in this time." pointed out Annchi.
This was the first time she spoken since the conversation began. She had been a little intimidated by the wise sage. She felt power radiating from him. But she sensed his goodness and felt that she could trust him. Annchi had a way of knowing who to trust and who not to.
She turned to Yinglong and asked, "Yinglong, why do you want us to find the lost princess?"
"Because it is your destiny to find her."
"Well . . ."
"We'll do it!" interrupted Lanying.
Annchi looked at Lanying and saw the eagerness in her eyes. Lanying had always wanted to go on an adventure and this certainly would be one. Annchi took a deep breath. Deep down inside, she knew that she must do this.
"All right." Annchi nodded.
"Uh, Yinglong? How do we begin?" asked Lanying.
"First, you two must go to the Kingdom of Shangdi."
"But, but, Yinglong, Shangdi is many weeks away from here. It's impossible to reach it. We have to cross an ocean."
"Lanying is right sir. It would be considered treacherous to travel right now with winter almost here." Annchi added.
"Nothing is impossible!" shouted Yinglong as he raised his staff.
There was a crack of thunder and the three of them vanished in a cloud of smoke.