Izeria P.O.V.

  Ancient beings are peculiar things.

  Some carry malevolent impulses that lead them towards destruction, others towards conquest, and many more with various motives and objectives.

  To the extent that there are some who could not only howl at the moon like the dark elves; there are others who want nothing more than to swallow it whole.

  The elders of all faiths have warned endlessly about this. Still, many refuse to listen.

  Civilizations rise and fall, the endless, ceaseless turning of the wheel. The pleas of the wise men ignored. In an age of mythical creatures and gods long-forgotten, we fought.

  We bled, we even suffered great losses, but in the end we won. Not without allies, not without regret, not without concessions and compromises, the dragons have overseen and continue to oversee a large part of this one world, Ladnahlayr.

  We won the right to govern, the right to rule.

  There are chosen ones and there are synchronicities but for the beings who come from the original creation, the great work is the only thing that requires fulfillment. The importance of the vessel, the vassal that performs it, is minimal for us.

  And as a descendant of such beings, I chose and have chosen the next steps in the turning of said wheel. Not without joy, not without debauchery. There is no enlightenment without a price. The price we all must pay to be able to bear the burdens and receive the blessings.

  A price required from the young man who was sitting across from me at a certain golden table.

  “Say Ikrei, you know Ixur, do you not?” I posed the obvious question.

  Everyone in the gathering was happily drinking, Sunnyu in particular was brooding.

  The fact that I wasn’t talking much before this, caused a small reaction on my soon to be carnal mate.

  I decided to clarify a little before the girls brewed up a storm.

  “I’m like her, a master of emotions, only way darker.”

  “You are not planning on breaking the rules, are you?” Volvair decided to intervene.

  Ikrei kept drinking silently watching the events unfold.

  “Do you think I need to? Let’s hope the two of you, at least, make it a challenge.”

  I spoke as melodiously as I could.

  ‘My normal speech always comes out equal parts sweet and sour. Void dragon roots, cannot be helped.’

  As more drinks and food was served, little chaos finally spoke up, interrupting my conversation with the girls. They were concerned with foul play.

  “What are you implying with your words?” A calm and steady utterance came forth.

  The table turned silent.

  ‘Good eyes, little chaos, firm.’

  “You can feel me; I can feel you. We all can feel each other.”

  I let him have a taste of the emotions that a dragonborn can produce just by existing.

  One intense surge of possessive feeling, not desire, not obsession but the domineering sentiment of my kind.

  The members of the table squeaked just a little.

  CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

  “Izeria!” “Izeria” “Izeria!”

  The gathered began shouting and howling my name. Although, someone like me should be above the praises of the many. It did made feel somewhat joyful.

  Little chaos was rattled, even if the rest couldn't feel it at that moment, I could.

  I gave him a left eye wink for extra emphasis. He shrugged.

  “Mu whal aan vulon wah dahmaan goraan sos.” I told him while gurgling another drink.

  Volvair began interacting and talking to little chaos with precipitousness.

  ‘Give me what I want and I’ll give you something to remember, son of Masarin.’

  Iru P.O.V.

  Day of Mardu, fourth day of the week. First week of the twelfth month.

  ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING!

  ‘Flame barrier!’

  No chanting spell manifestation was working properly after all the training. Sadly, it was limited to my fire spells and my lightning attribute.

  DOOONG! DOOONG! DOOONG! DOOONG!

  “Here I come, bookie!”

  The spinning metal was dangerous, I used a chant to evade.

  “ADOHI!”

  ZEEEZ! ZEEEZ! ZEEEZ!

  The immediate kinetic attack came right after. A massive energy blast, the final bolt. There was no choice for me but to counter with everything I had left.

  “DAELIN!!”

  My artifact glove started glowing fiercely. My charged lightning attack met the insidious white and blue streak of immense power. The thunderous clash of energies created a resonance effect.

  DOOOOONG!

  I had one knee on the floor and my left hand for support inside the training circle.

  “You need higher energy reserves, Iru.”

  “I’ll get to it; I have been training everything else. I’ll start a serious meditation period.”

  My private training partner helped me up as our weapons and artifacts disappeared into our rings.

  “I’ve been meditating ceaselessly for the past weeks. I think I ne—” Golden hair’s words were interrupted.

  “Hey guys, I got your artifacts ready as requested. We should go take a look at them at the castle’s workshop.”

  Cheap artifact master maker was here.

  “Did you watch the whole thing?” I had to get confirmation.

  “Who do you take me for, bookworm? Private is private, I just got here. You know we all have shadow guards following our steps.”

  “You know, he only means well and the shadow guards let us do plenty. All part of the testing.”

  Ciel was actually not being her puckish self with Kletay, not since Krigsain left to do who knows what.

  “I know, chalk it up to my non-existent comedic timing, sis.”

  We slowly headed to the workshop tower.

  “You know, I got a flash crystal that has been making the rounds.” Kletay threw it to Ciel.

  We were not surprised by the contents.

  “What do you make of it, Iru?” Ciel was actually very interested but not as effusive as she would have been a few weeks’ back.

  ‘Something’s up with her.’

  “Hard to answer, there is a huge difference in marrying someone into the Kotar kingdom and being married off and sent to live in the empire. Control or to be controlled, difficult proposition when you consider all the interests involved.”

  We kept walking through the corridors and saluting our fellow sachears and kotari along the way.

  “Interesting answers, every time. I’ll charge you nothing if you can answer something I am interest in, mister book!” Kletay proposed and enticing trade.

  “I can answer, I can answer!” Ciel interjected with her proposal.

  “If you can’t answer to my liking, I’ll charge you double, miss Thresen.” Kletay put the wand down metaphorically.

  Ciel had a defeated gait with her step after Kletay’s words.

  “I love a freebie, what do you want me to answer Kletay?”

  “A one-minute answer isn’t worth thousands upon thousands of Ucra. Let’s get to a private room in the alchemical workshop and talk there, bookworm.”

  Kletay picked up the pace with swift steps.

  “You are not leaving me out of his conversation, are you?” Ciel had yearning eyes.

  “Just come along, golden hair.” Hollered Kletay.

  The mechanical, magical workings inside the tower of the sages in Malaktaraf were awe-inspiring to any who has the opportunity to bear witness. Contrary to our expectations, the place was filled with beautiful and detailed tapestry with very comfortable and delicate furniture. Intricate details in all the walls and doors.

  “You train here all the time?” Ceil probed.

  “A lot of the time, yes.”

  Kletay opened a security artifact check with one of her rings and we entered the safe room commonly used for more private matters. We sat down on the comfortable wyvern skin seats and began to socialize in earnest.

  “Inquiries worth thousands of Ucra, I can’t say I’m not interested, master crafter.” I spoke without any filter.

  “Magi of Liria, what do you think of our instructions in dealing with the anomalies we will face?”

  ‘Kletay is a direct, no nonsense kind of gal in all her ways.’

  “It’s going to be hard, strenuous and if we are not careful, in the end, deadly.” I laid it all out plainly.

  “What do you make of the malgrunians, are they going to get away with it?” Kletay forced the issue.

  “Rebirth through fire, a world where they rule. They will do anything to have that. That won’t happen as long as we are here.” Ciel nodded at my words.

  Kletay kept her finger on the pulse with another question.

  “Isoray Dogran is here, he is an empire noble, the home of the Void of Consciousness. There are no guarantees of what will happen after the war is over.”

  Kletay was pointing out the dangerous angles the silent war was already causing.

  “Isoray is an unbound, an unbound sealed by the Will. It is clear that he wants something else. He doesn’t want to serve Falam, he wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

  “What are you getting at Kletay, you getting cold feet?” Ciel interjected like she always does when things get weighty.

  “You have seen it right, Ciel? Some of our brothers are borderline insane, evil even, won’t they turn against us when temptation comes?”

  “Therefore, we were brought here and are under strict supervision. Tarei is a prime example, a berserker class with blood cravings, vampiric. He could turn for the proper rib and flesh. Then again, he might not thanks to Sufyul, we will have to trust in the arrangements of the elders.”

  I gave her the truth she asked for.

  Ciel was engrossed in her thoughts. Kletay offered another cutthroat comment.

  “Good and evil are nothing but concepts, is that it?”

  I enjoyed a bite from a chocolate bar that I took from my ring.

  “Irrespective of the gods, if I torture you until the end of time whether you believe or not believe in the concept of evil as a reality, you will feel that I have done you evil. Good and evil exist. They are just words to express something that is, deep within the heart of hearts.”

  One more time, I gave Kletay a dose of the truth, the failures of relativism.

  “If the battle is righteous like this one, I will fight. If it is an interest driven proposition, I’ll abstain. This is my path, my way.” Ciel added.

  “What’s your take on the conflict then, Iru?”

  “The order prevented a grand summon of some kind, that’s what I think. The special beings needed for such a thing must have gone into hiding or their leaders are alerted by now. Therefore, the malgrunians need blood. Blood in the hundreds of thousands and millions even, if they can get awakened blood into the mix, even better.”

  “The peace talks are going to be anything but.” Kletay gave a loud sigh with her statement.

  “Everyone wants to gain something from the conflict. The intervention of foreign forces depends on too many factors to be seen clearly. Many want the demise of the Andurin and not only that of the Kolga members.” Ciel gave her final assessment.

  “Does your line of questioning have anything to do with a certain long haired redhead?”

  Kletay grew even more somber but managed to continue speaking steadily.

  “I thought things might turn out different for me, that is all.”

  Drinks and a few snacks came from her rings. The girls started talking while sipping plenty.

  I just watched the entire thing.

  ‘You have created an unlikely and deadly pairing chosen.’

  Ikrei P.O.V.

  The reality the descendant of the dragon kin had chosen was grand.

  Two large fireplaces with crackling blue flames placed on either side of where I was standing. Enclosed yellow fire lights floating around the place four cubits above me. They were made of a strange glass material. Many tables in the corners with many books and grimoires. Antique curtains of even stranger materials, royal colors, gold, purple and red.

  The dragoness Izeria did not hide her thoughts from anyone until that moment. As I have said before, in the inner white palace your thoughts are protected unless the other party wants you to know.

  She was sharing with everyone.

  It was a representation of the gathering place of her kind, the draconylf coven.

  ‘Music hasn’t started. Guess the rulers allow her to play with greater liberty.’

  Warm, slender fingers traced the edges of my spirit clothing. It wasn’t dissolving, a monstrous level of control. She was walking around me in a very tight circle as her hands played. Her speech sounded just like at the table, the double dose of menacing and alluring.

  “An interesting find chaos child. You found your female penumbra in this life.”

  With small twists and turns elegantly executed she spoke in my ears, one sentence to my right, the other to my left.

  I shuddered instinctively without any proper explanation for it. I was still in my thoughts, when an impossibly soft pillow settled over my chest. My eyes drifted towards my newly comforted area. It wasn’t a pillow, it was Izeria being up close and personal.

  We locked eyes.

  Her dark eyes bore a close resemblance to mine when Hodonsyr is active.

  “I want you to touch me like you touch her, little chaos. Otherwise, your little game ends in sorrow.”

  I knew what she meant. I felt it.

  ‘Yun Hee is that important, huh?’

  I had been thinking about many things up to that point. I spoke one of the most pressing and blatant questions I had left came from my lips. After all, it was the safest place to pose such a question, rulers and gathered as witnesses.

  “Are you the Queen of the Night?”

  ‘Time to test the vision of the dark chalice.’

  “Ha, ha, ha!” A melodious and discordant laughter came from dragoness Izeria.

  Many of the gathered laughed, commented and questioned my probe. Once again I was lost in my ignorance about a subject everyone was circumventing.

  “HA, HA, HA!” “This one takes the cake!” “Unta! Unta!” “He really can’t remember?!”

  Izeria’s golden horns were coruscating, a riveting sight when up close. She padded my right shoulder with her unnatural control. The spirit cloth once again did not dissolve.

  “Too funny, too funny, reincarnation of Eriel. But you can consider yourself as one of her interests and a pet peeve of cosmic proportions.”

  Her dark eyes danced like serpentine lights and her lips turned into a very wicked smile.

  I felt it, the smile she gave me was a matching expression to the word known as infamous.

  A drop of sweat came from my magical construct’s temple, the dragoness words caused preoccupations and instability. Something that I thought I was thoroughly acquainted with and prepared for after so many years inside the dark realm.

  “I take it you are not going to tell me exactly what’s going on, right?” I asked trying my best to sound firm.

  The gathered were silent, the rulers were joyfully humming. They all seemed to be waiting for something.

  ‘Volvair’s nervous. Sunnyu’s angry.’

  Izeria didn’t bat an eye.

  “Riiiight!” She played with my hair for a breath with her fingers.

  “If you were told, things won’t transpire the way they need to. As you can tell, I get plenty of maneuverability in here. The perks of being your chaos grand seigneur, Ikrei.”

  The menacing and alluring combination in her voice felt even colder, closer to a harsh winter. I knew that her ability to imprint feelings without coercion was transcendental, the closest thing to the stratas that I have ever experienced from a non-god, the powers and mysteries of the dragonborn.

  Still, after several grains of consideration I decided that I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

  “How about you give me your best shot and let’s see where we land?” That was my final answer.

  Izeria smiled with a sunny smile evocative of the sunrises in Xena forest. The dark dragoness seemed strangely pleased.

  “Then let me show you a nip of sorrow first.”

  SNAP! PHAT!

  The rock recording, final track of Ixur’s album “Queen of the Night” began playing with a snap of her fingers.

  CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! “Here we go!” “A dragonborn in action!!” CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

  Izeria P.O.V.

  ‘Love that drum intro, very fitting for dark lords.’

  “Go ahead and try. Do your best.”

  I gave little chaos an arms wide open gesture with an imposing frontal foot, an intentional protective pose. I knew exactly how the lights and my dress would merge, creating an unforgettable image.

  ‘I can feel you Volvair, I know you think I’m like you but I have no need for petty tricks.’

  I had never directly participated in the Bacchanalia before. I prefer other more private venues, the ones with soul killing included in the proceedings. Consequently, the girls had no point of reference for my inherent dragonborn body, even in a magical construct restricted state.

  The music began its rhythmic call; the groove was intoxicating.

  “Am I restraining your hands? I am allowing you to touch me. Would you like me to lose my horns? The manifestation of my body in this place cannot be like yours. I am not human. Why don’t you state your grievances to the rulers, they can hear you, you know?”

  Heryr was simpering towards me.

  ‘I can feel you witch of witches. I am a half dragon and then some, there’s nothing to do.’

  I didn’t care how the three of them took my expression in combined with my incongruous voice, only that they shivered.

  I smiled.

  Ikrei P.O.V.

  The undulation of feeling came simultaneously from Volvair and Sunnyu. The message was twofold but simple.

  ‘We can reverse it, if you give up the sword.’

  “Whatever creature Heryr was and is; the ruler is related to the dragons.” I said while I began gathering my thoughts and feelings.

  Her eyes were a dead giveaway. It was clear the situation I found myself in, was a tilted table.

  The dark path, a path filled with all possible nooks and turns, could not and cannot avoid shenanigans from the dark lords.

  ‘Turpitude, killings, brutality, betrayals, half-truths. Just your typical shadowy menu from the ones that love twisted outcomes.’

  There was neither shame nor uninhibitedness coming from a true dark one that stood uncovered. The lights inside the space shone with power, her outline became even more pronounced. The golden horns reflected darkly, like an encompassing shadow.

  “A do over, give into me.” Once again the dragoness’ voice was a warm breath on my ear.

  I was sad that I had to give up the sword to Sunnyu but I estimated that the dark half elf expected such a situation. The crowned witch and the daughter of the great dragon were strangely calm. As long as I could use the stone, any other considerations were unimportant. Even if I couldn’t trust anyone the golden horned woman was pinning me into a corner.

  I was concerned with the dragoness desire for my feelings towards another woman and Akathos’ warning of the dragoness’ ability to feed.

  ‘Is the seed of Malgrun going to be affected? Cleansing through sex? Is she like a Vampire?’

  With many, many thoughts and reservations, Akathos’ teachings came back to me.

  “You are but a child. A child is no greater than a slave. Until you reach maturity in the arts and wisdom, you require stewardship. Either your desires consume you or you overcome them. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

  Everything was a test, everything was a hurdle to prevail over. If you are afraid then learn to instill greater fear. If others hate you, hate them back in greater measure. If you hate yourself for being weak then integrate your own shadow and then disintegrate that hate through power by becoming strong.

  ‘To look into the abyss and not be consumed by the reflection. The dark path, the path without light.’

  All his lessons replayed within my soul. I was looking forward to the integration portion of my training. At any rate, I just needed to survive the schemes of a drunken dragon, and with all these thoughts I did what needed to be done.

  I accented.

  CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! “Just let her eat you, boy!” “Lucky bastard!” CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

  “HA, HA, HA, HA!”

  The dragoness smiled. It was not the thing that was making me worried, neither was the laughing twisted metal sword but the words that came from her mouth that did the trick.

  “Do not feel beguiled. For it isn’t me that is pulling your strings.”

  SNAP! PHAT!

  The Queen of the Night started once more. Arn and Heryr were very happy, we all felt it. It was the beginning of the show, the one they were genuinely expecting.

  I reached out and touched her body once more, right over her belly button. Just like I touched Yun Hee many, many times before with the same feeling.

  ‘You want my feelings? Have at it!’

  A sculpture, a living monument to the beastly allure stood there with a dark smile as my fingers circled her waist.

  The sleazy groove of the riff and the drums matched my heartbeat. Even if I knew that chicanery was a forgone conclusion. It didn’t mean I was ready for the double horned femmebeast. The lyrics and the feelings of the gathered faded into nothingness once the sword resonated with the blonde presence.

  A horned and taller version of Yun Hee appeared for just a couple of breaths with her long lush black hair delineated under the lights. Then she faded away and Izeria was before my eyes, perfectly leveled with her breath upon my ear again.

  “A man’s first crush is always a special thing. Pour more.” The dark cold voice transformed into sweetly worded mewls.

  “MORE!” Screamed the twisted metal as it vibrated.

  I felt how the energy from the gathering and the sword were allowing the strange phenomenon to occur. It was the twisted metal’s doing. It was so special that for those seconds, the smell, the feeling that Yun Hee emits materialized before me simultaneously.

  ‘Shit!’

  Izeria’s hand touched my spirit cloth and it disintegrated into nothing with one finger. Obviously, I became apprehensive. She touched me right over where my magical construct’s heart was.

  I just stood. That was all. I just stood there looking into her dark eyes searching for the meaning in her actions. The music played but it mattered not. She beckoned me to touch her.

  Again, I just stood, not really wanting to move forward. Being naked was no longer a problem.

  ?Here I am

  And you're a rocket queen

  I might be a little young but honey I ain't naive

  Here I am and you're a rocket queen, oh yeah

  I might be too much

  But honey you're a bit obscene?

  As the music played, Izeria shared a vision of a faraway place, her home. The grandiose forests, mountains, pristine lakes and clear skies. And then, I saw the depths, a wondrously lit place filled with jewels in the midst of darkness. A place where there are only reflective shadows, strange creatures and the magical ruling beasts. The lair of the dark dragons.

  “WOW!” “WHAT A SIGHT!” “LEAVE THAT KID, DRAGONESS, I’M HERE!”

  The gathered shouted and behaved like excited little children.

  “Wise, old, dangerous, foreign. From another reality. A place where the known gods do not roam. The children of creation before the myriad worlds. The cup, the golden cup from which you drank. Much is expected of you, Ikrei. And as your grand seigneur, I tell you to fulfill that which you have already agreed to do. I will not repeat myself.”

  I remained guarded. I felt Volvair’s desire to intervene but I knew she couldn’t. For a split second and just for a split second, Izeria’s visage seemed to turn into a man, a blond and imperious version of herself.

  Shock doesn’t even begin to describe the internal struggle I was suffering.

  ‘She is like King Bayl. Inhuman. Yuck.’

  Sunnyu’s laughter could be felt easily.

  “He took the trial?!” “He isn’t worthy!!!” “Dragoness rip his soul out; he doesn’t deserve you!”

  CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

  The gathered continued to behave strangely.

  ‘It is infuriating to know that everyone else wants to be in your shoes but you.’

  The sleazy interlude from Queen of the Night with moans began.

  “BE SILENT! The obliteration of innocence has been paid!”

  The entire gathering stopped interacting amongst themselves with the dragon shout that came from the bedlam blonde. The powerful scream spurred me back into action even if I didn’t understand what she meant.

  “Now, where were we?” Izeria deftly touched my chin as her gaze intensified with a honeyed voice.

  She weaved slowly, her nose was moving like a flutter around mine. Close enough for a kiss but not touching my lips, her locks floated with the lights.

  “Jangmie daehan kiseu.” I froze, it was impossible not to.

  A soft whisper in the tongue of my consort. Then again not quite, a variation of it but the message was the same, the words Yun Hee spoke to me many a times. The scent of roses, the unmistakable recognition a man like me gets from his own woman.

  The sword had something to do with it, it was laughing again.

  ‘Can’t call it betrayal when those souls were trapped because of me.’

  Izeria only smiled devilishly as she waited with her dancing nose and enticing breath.

  The outro of Queen of the Night was blasting in full force.

  “Ikrei, it is time to begin.” The voice of Lord Arn was heard. My soul shook like a broken piano key.

  ‘I really though I understood fear until you spoke mighty lord.’

  “You want it, then take it all.”

  I decided to give the dragoness a full emotional overload since I was cornered.

  We both reached out, Izeria’s tongue darted out searching for her favorite spot. It was surprisingly warm, sweet and addicting. The interlocking was a mixed bag that included her barrage of desire with my feelings and memories of a cute rose scented lass.

  “The flame is but an unquenchable desire, this is the malgrunian vampiric compulsion. The one I’ll take from you.”

  ‘What the hell?’

  Horned Yun Hee pushed me down on a bed behind me, her hand remaining just over my chest. More emotions poured in accompanied with a vision, a dancing dragon traversing the vast expanse surrounded by stars.

  Another memory and another kiss were taken out me, a softer and gentler touch than the Spider Queen from way back then.

  “I miss you.” Another strand of red energy came from my parting lips.

  The pleasurable sensation on my neck felt like waves radiating from Izeria’s mouth. Her hair tickling my skin as Yun Hee’s green eyes gazed upon me. Izeria’s tapered finger teased and danced as she carefully mounted. I was lost in the image of Yun Hee; I grabbed her face tenderly with both hands even if I knew it wasn’t her.

  Whatever happened when the strands of power came out was affecting my reason.

  Another kiss, a hard tongue twister with all the feeling I could muster.

  Another memory, a couple dancing over piano keys. Izeria’s desire and a dance under the moonlight when she was young. The feeling of smoldering lava came back, even stronger than with Heka. I was inside the descendant of an ancient thing, unbearably unforgettable. An unexpected dizzying euphoria.

  Another strand and another sense of release.

  “Metal of souls resonate for us!”

  “HA, HA, HA, HA!”

  The accumulated energy exploded all around, inside the space and inside the gathered.

  Izeria morphed back and forth between Yun Hee and her blonde self. The reflection in her eyes took me for a ride. I was Eriel and then I was me.

  ‘Can’t be. A trick, a devil’s trick!’

  “SWORD!” Izeria shouted.

  The twisted metal’s energy resonated and expanded again. The gathered gasped, Izeria shared another memory with everyone but I couldn’t see it. The dragoness had begun a furious hip thrust that was as torturous as it was rapturous.

  Her hand touched my torso and went for another deep tongue as her thighs and pelvic region went into overdrive. As trickles came from our mouths another almost imperceptible red strand was swallowed up by her.

  The morphing dragoness was smiling. It was tripping me inside; she was doing whatever she wanted. The strange spectacle of constantly seeing two women within one was not my idea of a threesome.

  ‘The freakin’ sword comes back to bit me! Akathos!!!’

  Izeria P.O.V.

  “You, bastard dragon, you are cheating!”

  “Really? All you need to do is give yourself up to everyone. Will you little elf?”

  I wasn’t going to entertain a complaining rival. I knew exactly why she felt that way.

  ‘You don’t want to let the sword share many of your secrets, do you?’

  I caught Ikrei’s lip, tugging it with a wanton bleat. He was a helpless little rabbit, a creature without the ability to withstand my fiery furnace. We locked eyes again. Sometimes they were green, others they were black. A constant switching between two women as I poured even more of my desire into him through his trunk.

  “Let me leave a little something for your beloved little girl.”

  His hands clumsily settled on my behind as the savage thrusting accelerated. Little chaos was doing his best not to groan. I was controlling his sensations through my lower lips.

  A snap of my fingers and a new song began to play. My very own creation inserted into everyone through the sword.

  My little gift for his consort ended. He couldn’t fathom or decipher what had transpired. I spoke sweetly in his ears once more; it was time for him to learn.

  “Hate that comes from weakness. Desire that burns for belonging. Regret that comes from choices. Fear that comes from oneself. I commend you for not shriveling before my true appearance.”

  He was having a hard time breathing with a magically constructed body. A clear sign of extreme strain.

  “That was a mild round one, little chaos. You’ll like it, I think.”

  Volvair was not happy and the little dark elf challenger was kicking a chair.

  My laughter echoed inside the space, the floating lights incongruently flickered. The rulers and the sword joined in their delight.

  “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

  Corin P.O.V.

  “We have done everything as you requested, my lord.” I answered politely.

  “Good. Continue under the Zarandel blood, report with haste all about our target. He needs to die.”

  “Reversing time to kill him would be easier, my lord.” I offered the obvious deduction.

  “He will adjust just like he did now. He hid right under the noses of the ones who want him dead, choosing to remain weak and avoid detection from the great seers. This is a unique chance to kill him.”

  “Old things walk in the old ways. Still, why did you try and fail previously, lord?”

  “Consort of the empyrean blood, are you questioning me? There are many restrictions when changing the flow of time without severe drawbacks. Let’s say the chance was too good to miss for my associates and they acted on their own. This is your final concession, keep in mind that as high as you are, you are but a whore.”

  I couldn’t deny that his words hurt, but even if I hunted him with all my contacts in the empire, he would just be reborn and kill me for good in retaliation. A truly dangerous one.

  “Excuse my curiosity, a slip of the tongue is always a possibility when dealing with the women taught under the feet of the Emperor. What are your orders?”

  It wasn’t a threat but a reminder.

  ‘If Corin Bloomindale can be considered a whore, then you are nothing more than a very expensive male prostitute to the Kolga. Even if I can’t touch you, the Emperor can and all your powers are nothing before him.’

  As expected, the eastern lord was not pleased with my words. He carried on regardless.

  “Prepare, coordinate and report. Have everything ready for a trap, a perfect trap. It will take many steps to trick a chosen one. Use all pertinent information, associates and circumstances. Whisper in the ear of the Zarandel boy through the others, make him do our bidding. When everything is ready I will personally come in for the kill.”

  “Very well lord, I follow your will.” I bowed and prepared to deactivate the communication crystal.

  “And Corin, the Emperor is not in Turgan, I am.” The regressor lord closed the connection from his end.

  I shuddered as I straightened my cloth and walked through the streets back to my party.

  Ikrei P.O.V.

  “What the hell was that? You are cheating left and right!” Sunnyu was blasting away.

  Sunnyu’s shouts were not helping any, I was still getting over my latest experience. Izeria went back to drinking like a sailor without answering anything. The entire gathering was buzzing and our table was even more lively.

  The previous session allowed the gathered to read me like a book, hiding our thoughts became unnecessary. I failed, I failed like a dork.

  “Ikrei, if things continue as they are, Izeria will win. I can do what she did but you will owe me. You in?” Volvair’s offer was tantalizing.

  “You cannot beat her without me! Give up the sword, kid!”

  Another thundering shout from the dark elf made me put my Dracul on the table. I had many thoughts but the realization of my situation and the present danger named Yun Hee made Izeria’s meddling seem benign in comparison.

  Even if Izeria was fear itself when she wanted.

  “A dagger from behind is worse than a sword from the front.” I babbled without thinking.

  “The greatest misery is always delivered by those close to you, Ikrei.” Volvair gave one more droplet of wisdom.

  The mystic witch and the daughter of the great dragon were waiting for an answer. I exchanged glances with Izeria. I had been used like a rag-doll and like one the big plushies on sale from the vendors in Zunyl.

  “Fine, what’s the plan great witch?”

  “You share with me; I share with you. The more we share, the more the sword eats, the more it will resonate with you. I can create a similar experience to the dragon over here bar the eating of godly power threads. She is a glutton.”

  Volvair pointed towards Izeria as more food was served.

  “You are leaving me out, you witch!” Sunnyu complained.

  “You keep enjoying the bad man and resonate, I’ll do the rest. Unless you want to share your memories too.” Volvair countered.

  “I can’t do that! I am not as old as the two of you, fiends! My control isn’t perfect.”

  “I thought you were a grand expert, dark elf.” I interjected.

  “I am. You forgot all about your little girl while we were together.” Sunnyu was not taking prisoners.

  “Alright, alright. The sword is yours. I just want the use of the stone. What do you want Volvair?”

  “Your help, help my sisters when the day comes, regardless of the result tonight.”

  ‘Zurians first, and now, I add witches to the list.’

  Without room for a maneuver, I nodded.

  “Great, this will be a great initiation for you, young blade.” Izeria finally spoke with her alluring and menacing utterance.

  ‘Initiation? What?’

  “Some get thrown into living flames, some must do a true soul kill, others must have sex with the undead, others are cramped into caskets with a woman. You are getting off easy, Ikrei. You are having sex with us.” Volvair expanded for me.

  “Eriel deserves this much.” Izeria gurgled through another drink.

  “You know Ikrei, this is the Infinite Bacchanalia. At some point, pleasure turns into torture. And that sword doesn’t like you too much.” Sunnyu gave me a dose of truth I didn’t need.

  “Everybody, the festivities begin officially now. Please join in at your leisure!”

  The shouts came from several demonic beings.

  And even though things were getting out of hand and way over my head with many worries and questions rising in equal measure, I was starting to miss the days when Freslia pushed me down the cliff.

  “Come, chaos hammer. Let me show you how we really do things among the Volva.”

  Before I could finish my drink, I held Volvair’s stretched out hand in anticipation. No callout was made at the time by the servants of the rulers, she was going to show me the real powers of the witch of witches.

  I did catch a few couples getting feisty by the columns of the different areas. The dammed twisted metal was emitting a humming vibration; it was enjoying everything. At least, it was having a far better time than me.

  “In the magic realms, sometimes being a legendary sword is better than being human.” The crowned beauty said.

  We faded away with a snap of her fingers.

  This was the last thing I can recall from the whole ritualistic activity. The consequent proceedings and interactions can be summarized with one recurring thought.

  ‘Death through sex with mythical grannies. Unbelievable.’