Phoenix Flight

Ken Yuan groaned as she was pressed into the wall of the inn room. She could barely keep her eyes open, her mind feeling like a sludgy mess, and it was all thanks to the body that was pressed tightly against her, one that had pinned her down and made a claim on her very being.

It had started off simple at first. A pretty woman had batted her eyes a bit, and in her need to impress and show off to that woman, she, the mighty Ken Yuan, had used what little fortune she had left to buy as many drinks as she and the woman could handle. As it turned out, the woman could handle a lot of ale… so much so that Ken found herself utterly broke, and the beautiful woman actually ended up paying for her.

It was also this same woman who took her upstairs, ordered a room for the two of them, and currently had her pressed against the wall, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

Raven was her name, though Ken could barely remember it.

When the kiss finally did break, Ken was left as a panting mess. She gasped; her cheeks flushed; her back ached—she’d been slammed into the wall the moment they got past the door. The woman had not been gentle...

Ken tried to focus, but either lust or the ale made everything a blurry mess, and the room seemed to wash away before her, leaving just Raven standing in front of her.

Raven had caught her eye because, to put it simply, Raven was beautiful. She was tall and lean, her body showcasing a decent amount of muscle. The woman had long, black hair and a pair of emerald-green eyes that almost seemed wild with lust. Her skin was pale, with a few scars littering her neck and chest, which were covered by a basic black tank top. The most striking feature she had was a slight smirk on her face as she stared at the flustered Ken Yuan.

Raven kept one arm on Ken’s shoulder, pinning the red-haired woman between the wall and her body, while her other hand braced the wall above Ken’s head.

"Weren't you bragging about how you're some bigshot?" Raven asked in a teasing tone. "For someone who claimed to be so powerful, you seem to have let yourself be pushed into a corner a little too easily."

"S-Shut up." Ken gritted her teeth and glared into those green eyes that had trapped her soul. She pressed her hands to Raven's waist and attempted to shove the woman off gently, but Raven didn't budge. "I got a little buzzed from the drinking earlier, but that's all. I'm still part of the Yuan family, and I could kill you in ten different ways if I wanted to-"

"Ah, shut up." Raven rolled her eyes and then used the hand not pinning Ken to wrap her fingers into the woman's red locks and yanked her forward into another heated kiss.

Ken's body immediately responded, her pulse quickening, heat flooding through her chest and down between her legs. The second Raven's mouth was on hers again, and all thoughts of escape evaporated like mist in sunlight. Her hands moved up Raven's sides instinctively, fingers gripping the fabric of her tank top.

When she finally pulled back for air, Raven's smirk had deepened, those green eyes glowing with triumph and something darker.

"That's what I thought," Raven chuckled, her laugh rough with satisfaction. Her grip tightened in Ken's hair, tilting her head back to expose the Yuan's throat. "You're not as tough as you pretend to be, are you?" Her breath was hot as she leaned down, teeth scraping lightly along Ken's jawline.

Ken felt humiliation surge through her, and her face darkened into a deeper shade of red. This was just like with Jin once again. She always seemed to be the one who was being controlled during bouts of lust, a fact that would bring anyone else in the Yuan family great shame if they knew. Why couldn't she take charge? No matter how arrogantly she would speak, it never seemed to come naturally to her.

Worse yet, a part of her was really enjoying this. Her thighs clenched tightly together, and she tried to ignore that pain in her neck, brought on from Raven's teeth, which was turning her on more.

The fire spread in waves from where Raven's teeth had marked her, burning a path down her body that made Ken's mind stop. Without thinking, her hips pressed forward involuntarily, seeking contact, and Raven noticed—of course, she noticed.

Raven's smirk grew for a moment, and she stopped her biting as her knee came up between Ken's thighs, pressing firmly against the cultivator's sex through the fabric of her pants, and the groan that escaped Ken's throat was embarrassingly loud in the quiet room, causing another wave of shame to wash over her.

"You like that, huh?" Raven murmured against Ken's ear, voice thick with amusement and something darker. Her hand slid from Ken's hair to grip her chin, forcing the flustered woman to meet her gaze. "That big mouth of yours is good for something after all, it seems."

Ken felt exposed and consumed in a way she had never known before. This strange woman was pressing every button she had, and there was no defense left in her. The only thing that remained was that damning arousal that burned through her body like wildfire. She was wet. So wet that the pressure of Raven's knee against her makes her whimper.

"S-Stop... teasing me..." Ken managed to say it between clenched teeth, though it came out breathless rather than commanding.

Raven simply laughed, the sound cruel with amusement. "Why would I stop? You're so cute when you're worked up." Her hand left Ken's chin to slide down her throat, fingers resting lightly over her pounding pulse. "Your heart's racing. You like this, right? You're so pent up and aggressive in how you speak and act, but you fall apart with only a bit of attention. You're a bottom, right?”

"I-I'm not a bottom!"

"You could have fooled me." Raven jammed her knee harder into Ken's sex, and she began to rub it up and down, causing a louder moan to tear its way out of Ken's throat. "I can't help but notice you're not trying to push me away either."

The words sent Ken spiraling into something unfamiliar and dangerous. She could do nothing to stop Raven, her body responding eagerly despite her protests, and that realization made her even more flushed.

"You think you know me?" She growled, though the threat lacked its usual flair. Her hips were grinding down against Raven's knee unconsciously, her hands clutching at the woman's shoulders now. "I could ruin you with a single strike. You're just lucky I can't seem to bring myself to... to..." Her words trailed off as Raven's hand slid lower, fingers pressing into the soft flesh of her breast through the thin fabric of her shirt.

"I know exactly what you are," Raven whispered, her words ragged with her own arousal now.

The fire in Ken's chest ignited at Raven's words, the intensity of her arousal mixing with that familiar humiliation as the truth of her own body's betrayal became undeniable. Raven's grip tightened on her breast, thumb circling over the hardened peak through the fabric, sending fresh waves of pleasure-pain coursing through her.

"You're right," Ken admitted through gritted teeth, her voice strangled with shame and something darker. "I... I can't seem to stop myself." Her body moved against Raven's knee with increasing desperation, her hips rolling in slow circles as the pressure built between her thighs. "But I swear, if you don't stop teasing me right now..."

Raven's grin sharpens as she feels Ken's body moving against her, her knee grinding firmly into the Yuan's soaked core. "If I don't stop?" she purrs, voice thick with amusement and lust. Her free hand slid down Ken's abdomen, fingers hooking into the waistband of her pants. "What exactly are you gonna do about it, little warrior?"

Ken's breath came in ragged gasps now, her control slipping like sand through her fingers. She should hate this—should hate how easily Raven has reduced her to a quivering mess with nothing but words and touches. But the humiliation only feeds the fire in her belly, making her ache even more intensely.

"I'll—"

The word died in Ken's throat as Raven's hand slid beneath the waistband of her pants, fingertips teasing at the edge of her underwear. The heat there was undeniable—her entire body on fire, her mind consumed by the thought of Raven's fingers finally touching her where she needed it most. Yet pride wars with desire, and even now, words spill out between labored breaths.

"H-Hurt you... I'll show you what happens when you mess with a Yuan."

Raven's chuckle was dark and knowing as her fingers brushed against the soaked fabric covering Ken's sex. "Mmm, promises, promises," she murmurs, dragging her nails lightly over the damp material.

The contact made Ken's back arch instinctively, a choked moan escaping as her hips jerk forward into Raven's touch. Every nerve ending in her body seems to be firing at once, her pulse thundering in her ears as Raven finally, finally slips her fingers beneath the fabric of Ken's underwear.

"So wet for me already," Raven breathed against Ken's neck, her words warm and teasing. Her fingers slide through Ken's folds with agonizing slowness, spreading the slickness there. "All this tension in your body... all that fire you carry..." Raven's teeth graze Ken's earlobe as her fingers finally, finally press against Ken's clit, circling it with deliberate precision.

Ken's entire body jerks at the contact, a ragged cry tearing from her throat as Raven's fingers work her over with ruthless efficiency. Her nails dig into Raven's shoulders, fingers twisting in the fabric of her shirt as pleasure-pain spiked through her. Every nerve ending in her body feels alive, charged, electrified by Raven's touch.

"I-" Ken gasped as Raven increased the pressure, her fingers slick with Ken's arousal now. "Y-You—"

"You what?" Raven challenged, her words rough and breathless as she felt Ken's body responding to her touch. Her thumb pressed down harder on Ken's clit while her middle finger traced lower, teasing at her entrance without penetration.

Ken's vision whited out for a moment as Raven's thumb flicks over her clit in time with the shallow thrusts of her middle finger. Her whole body convulsed, muscles tensing and relaxing in quick succession as pleasure coils tighter and tighter inside her. She's teetering on the edge, held there by Raven's relentless pace.

"I hate you," she choked out, though it sounded more like a confession than a curse.

Raven's laugh was dark and pleased. "Mmm, you keep saying that," she murmurs, her breath hot against Ken's neck as her fingers work faster. "But your body doesn't seem to care."

Ken's eyes squeezed shut, and her back ached more as the wall and Raven's body began to squish her. Her legs felt like jelly, and she realized with horror that it was just Raven who was keeping her standing. She didn't even have the strength to carry herself anymore.

Her arms are fully wrapped around Raven, hugging the woman tightly, and she even has her fingers wrapped around the bottom of Raven's hair, but unlike her, Raven barely reacts to the tugging.

Raven kept one hand on Ken's breast, not stopping as she roughly squeezed and pulled on it, trying her best to inflict pain on the arrogant cultivator who thought she would be the one in charge. Meanwhile, her other hand was fully engrossed with Ken's sex, her finger finally forcing its way in, nearly breaking Ken in the process.

She isn't gentle, and she doesn't coddle Ken. She fucks her. Rough and rugged, she pounds her fingers into her dripping cunt, and when it seems like Ken might grow used to it, she cruelly adds a second finger.

"You know," Raven began, and for a moment, she kissed Ken again, sloppily and full of tongue, before breaking it off, leaving Ken's lips bruised and gasping for air. "You really pissed me off. I could tell what you were doing a mile away. You wanted me, didn't you? You saw a pretty woman and thought she was yours to conquer, so you bought me drink after drink, thinking you could get me drunk and stupid and that you could have your way with me. I bet you're feeling stupid now, aren't you? A needy whore who is shamelessly getting fucked by the prey she wanted to claim. You're pathetic."

"Stop it." Ken practically whined, but she didn't stop herself, pressing even harder into Raven, her body getting even hotter by the words.

Raven roughly bit Ken's neck, breaking skin and drawing blood. Her tongue ran along the wound, and she managed to fit a third finger into Ken now. She picked up her pace, wanting to break the woman. Her own body was flushed and turned on, but she was only satisfied when the redhead before her wasn't.

Ken panted and lost all focus. Everything felt like it was fading away, save for a bliss in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers and toes curled, and her arms wrapped around Raven so tightly she began to hurt herself. She was finally at the edge, finally about to reach the peak Raven was forcing out of her.

And then Raven stopped.

It all came crashing down as Raven eased her body back, let go of her breast, and casually pulled her hand out of Ken's pants. Ken nearly fell, as her arms struggled to hold herself up, Raven no longer supporting her. Instead, the black-haired woman looked down at her hand, which was still wet and slick with Ken's arousal.

"Wow, so much. You must have come really close." Raven snorted and smeared her hand across the top of Ken's hair and face, marking the woman in her own filth.

Ken felt her nose and eyes burn as the arousal washed over her, and some got into her mouth as she sputtered and gasped from the disgusting act. Raven kept going until her hand was mostly clean. Ken felt disgusted, marked in her own fluids, but that was only the second biggest issue she currently had.

"W-Why did you stop!" She yelled, in a mix of anger, desperation, and hurt.

Raven just smiled. "You told me to. Weren't you begging me to stop?"

Raven's smirk widened as she watched the struggle play across Ken's face—disgust warring with undeniable arousal. She knew exactly what she was doing, exactly how much she was toying with Ken, and the power of that knowledge made her even wetter.

Ken's breathing was ragged as she tried to process what had just happened. The wall behind her felt cold against her back, a sharp contrast to the heat still thrumming through her body. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand, but the movement only smeared the wetness more, making her cheeks burn with humiliation.

"No, I didn't," she managed between pants, though the protest sounded weak even to her own ears.

Raven crossed her arms, her smirk deepening as she watched Ken squirm against the wall. "Really? Because it sounded exactly like what you said to me. 'Stop it,' you said. And I stopped. Simple as that." The black-haired woman stepped closer, her shadow falling over Ken as she leaned in. The movement made her scarred face more visible in the dim light of the chamber. "Or are you saying I misheard you? That you didn't actually want me to stop?"

Ken swallowed hard, her throat dry despite the sweat beading on her forehead. She could still feel Raven's fingers between her thighs, the slickness coating her inner legs as she shifted uncomfortably. She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head, but the movement only made the wetness smear further. Raven's proximity was overwhelming. Her body's heat, the faint metallic tang of blood from the bite on Ken's neck, the aroma of arousal clinging to both of them.

"I didn't mean it like that," Ken finally whispered, the words strained and hoarse.

Raven hummed in amusement, tilting her head as she observed Ken's face. "Then what did you mean, exactly? Because I could have sworn you were begging me to stop when your body was practically convulsing around my fingers."

Ken's face flushed hotter, her stomach twisting with embarrassment and residual need.

Raven watched with satisfaction as Ken squirmed, her breathing still uneven, her body betraying how much she'd wanted what Raven had given her. The moment of climax, the second before release. Ken had been so close, right at the edge, and Raven had yanked her back.

It was delicious.

Raven reached up with one hand, tracing her fingertips along Ken's cheek, pressing down just hard enough to make sure Ken could feel every movement, every microsecond of contact. "You know," she said softly, her words almost a purr, "I could have let you come. I could have kept going, let you ride my hand until you screamed my name and collapsed in my arms." Her fingers drew a slow line down Ken's neck, over the fresh bite wound, pausing just above where her collarbone met her shoulder. "But instead, I stopped. Because you wanted me to." Raven leaned in close, speaking softly in Ken's ear, her breath hot against the sensitive skin. "And now you're standing here, still dripping for me, still desperate for something I won't give you. I wonder how long you'll last before you beg me to continue."

Ken let out a shaky breath, her hands twitching at her side. She tried to push away the words, to deny the effect they had on her, but her body wouldn't cooperate.

Raven's lips brushed against the shell of Ken's ear as she spoke, her words dripping with mocking sweetness. "Don't tell me you're not enjoying this, little rabbit. Look at you—panting like a bitch in heat, thighs slick with your own need, and all because I showed you exactly how weak you really are."

Ken's entire body tensed at the crude comparison, but Raven was right. Her muscles were taut with restrained arousal, her pulse thundering in her ears. The humiliation burned through her, but beneath it pulsed something darker, something that made her chest feel tight and her breathing shallow.

"Say it," Raven ordered. "Say you want to be fucked by me."

Ken's lips parted, but no sound came out. Her breathing hitched as Raven's words struck their mark, her body betraying her with every shallow, rapid breath. The heat between her thighs was undeniable, the wetness coating her inner thighs evidence of what she couldn't deny—what she couldn't force herself to say.

Raven's smirk widened as she watched the internal struggle play out across Ken's face. She knew exactly what was happening—Ken's pride warring with her body's desperate need, her training and discipline failing against raw, consuming desire. The black-haired woman had pushed Ken past her breaking point, and now she was watching the aftermath unfold in exquisite detail.

Raven faked a sigh. "I guess I can go, since you don't want to keep going." The woman turned to leave.

The second Raven turned her back, Ken's stomach dropped. The heat pooling between her thighs suddenly felt unbearable, a weight pressing against her resolve. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Wait.”

Raven paused, turning just enough to look over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised in amusement. She didn't turn fully, keeping Ken waiting for a few agonizing seconds before finally facing her again. "Yes?" She tilted her head, feigning innocent curiosity even as her emerald eyes glinted with satisfaction.

Ken swallowed hard, her throat dry. She could feel the words building up inside her, caught between shame and necessity. She wet her lips. "Don't go."

Raven's smirk deepened as she slowly pivoted back to face Ken, her expression a picture of false curiosity. "Don't go?" she repeated, savoring the words. "You mean... You want me to stay?"

Ken's fingers dug into the fabric of her clothes, her nails scraping against the fabric. She knew how pathetic she sounded, how transparent her need was—it made her skin burn with shame, but she couldn't stop now. "Yes."

"Hmm." Raven tapped a finger against her chin, pretending to consider. "That's interesting. Because I could have sworn you just wanted me to stop."

Ken's jaw tightened. She could feel her heart pounding, her pulse loud in her ears. "Just... Fuck me! Will you just do it, and stop being an annoying bitch!"

Raven let out another snort, looking more amused. "Good girl."

"I hate you!"

Raven stepped forward, and she reached out, grabbing Ken's wrist. She pulled the needy woman off the wall and began to drag her toward the bed. The room she bought was a basic inn room with nothing noteworthy except for the small bed, which could barely fit two people. She forced Ken to walk in front of her and brought her foot up, kicking Ken in the rear.

Ken yelped and stumbled forward, collapsing onto the bed. She gritted her teeth and glared at Raven. "What was that for?"

"Take your clothes off," Raven ordered simply, and she casually began to undo her belt. "Leave nothing on. And stop talking back to me, or I'll beat your ass raw. Knowing you, you'd like that though, I bet."

Ken grits her teeth, her pride warring with the undeniable hunger clawing through her body. The way Raven's gaze bores into her—calculating, amused—only stokes the fire in her veins. She hesitates for a moment, torn between shame and overwhelming need. Then, with fingers that tremble slightly, she begins undressing. She pulled off her outer robe first, letting it fall to the ground at her feet. The undershirt follows, then the loose trousers. Each movement feels like surrender, like she's peeling away layers of protection. She stands before Raven bare, her skin flushed from residual heat and shame.

Raven too stood naked, the woman not bothering to hide herself. Ken took a moment to study Raven's body, admiring it. She felt a little pride because she was sure hers was better. Her breasts were at least a cup larger than Raven's, and her ass was also fuller. She also lacked the bit of scarring Raven had, which danced around the woman's stomach and chest.

Raven also took the time to admire Ken. Her eyes greedily roamed over Ken's lustful body. Ken didn't look like a warrior. She bore no noticeable scars, and although she had muscles, they weren't anything impressive. Her breasts were large, far too big to be those of a warrior. Ken was just a pretty object, one to be owned and claimed by real warriors.

Raven let out a slow breath as she approached Ken, her emerald eyes locked onto the other woman's body. "Lie down," she orders, words silky with intent.

Ken's stomach twisted with a feeling she refused to name. Something between dread and desire. She hesitated for a moment too long, and Raven didn't wait for compliance. Her hand snaps out, gripping Ken's hair and yanking her down onto the bed with enough force to make the mattress bounce. Ken gasps at the rough treatment, her fingers scrabbling at the sheets as Raven looms above her.

"Tch." Raven clicked her tongue in mock disappointment. "Did I tell you to hesitate?"

Raven loomed above the flushed Ken, who glared up at the other woman. "Fuck you." Ken hissed out through clenched teeth. "Hit me again and see what happens!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "My Haru, you talk way too much. That's okay, I think I can find a good use for your mouth."

"I'll fucking beat you raw-"

Raven casually shifts around on the bed, and then she sits down directly onto Ken's face, setting her full weight down on her. Ken lets out a muffled gasp and groan, and her body spasms in panic, but Raven lets out a sigh of relief. "Finally. Now stop running that mouth off and get your tongue to do its job."

Ken writhed beneath Raven's firm grip, her muffled protests turning to gasps as Raven grinds down harder. Her fingers claw at Raven's thighs, but the other woman's weight pins her in place. The feeling of suffocation mingled with the heat from Raven's body, creating a dizzying cocktail of shame and arousal that Ken can't deny. She tried to squirm away, but Raven just gripped her hair tighter, forcing her face closer.

"Pathetic," Raven murmurs, though her breathing has quickened slightly. "Can't even keep your mouth shut for a few minutes without complaining." Her movements grow more deliberate, using Ken's face to satisfy her own needs while maintaining complete control. Her sex was thoroughly rubbing up and down across Ken's nose and mouth, coating the woman in her arousal. "How's humiliation taste?"

Ken's muffled protests sound increasingly strained, bordering on desperate, as Raven continued her slow, methodical use of her face. The taste of Raven filled her senses, salty and warm. She hates how her body responds—how her thighs tense, how heat pools in her core despite the indignity. Every struggle only served to drive Raven harder, to grind with more force. The pressure was overwhelming, Raven's muscular thighs like iron bands around her head, her grip in Ken's hair unrelenting.

Raven leaned forward, resting her forearms on Ken's stomach as she continued rocking. Her sweat-dampened hair brushed Ken's thighs, the strands catching on Ken's heated skin. "Come on, use your tongue already." Raven panted a little.

Ken's body arched involuntarily as Raven's command sinks in, her tongue flicking out without conscious thought to taste the woman above her. The flavor flooded her senses. The musk of arousal, the salt of skin—and something inside her snaps. Her hands grip Raven's thighs with sudden desperation, fingers digging into flesh as her tongue works with frantic urgency. A low moan vibrated through Raven's body, and the sound only spurs Ken on. She licks and sucks with increasing intensity, her humiliation and shame morphing into something far more primal.

Raven threw her head back with a sharp inhale, her hips jerking forward as Ken's mouth proved more skilled than anticipated. "That's it. Finally, you're way more hot when you don't speak. Just keep that up." Raven chuckled, and she took her hand and slid it down Ken's stomach, cupping the woman's sex. "Keep up the good work, and I'll give you your reward."

The second Raven's fingers brush against her folds, Ken moaned shamelessly into the wet heat above her. She arched her back, pushing her hips up into the contact, desperate for more. Raven's laugh was dark and rich as she felt Ken's immediate response. She applied more pressure, circling Ken's clit with just enough pressure to tease but not satisfy. The contrast between the brutal control Raven wields and the teasing pleasure was unbearable.

"Already so wet for me," Raven murmurs, fingers sliding lower to tease at Ken's entrance. She dipped just the tip inside, pulling back as Ken's body clenched around her. "So desperate. Get your tongue in deeper if you want me to keep fucking you."

Ken whimpers, the sound muffled by Raven's sex pressing against her face. Her hips buck wildly, chasing Raven's fingers as they dip in and out without fully entering her. The teasing was cruel—Raven knows precisely what she's doing, taking Ken to the edge of madness with her touch. Ken's tongue flicks frantically, her mouth sucking and licking with desperate precision, determined to make Raven feel good enough to stop this torturous game.

Raven groans, her fingers finally sliding in all the way to the knuckle, stretching Ken open. "Yes, just like that," she moaned, grinding down harder as Ken's tongue works her magic. “You were made for this. Maybe I’ll keep you around. Let you be my personal bitch. How does that sound?”

Raven's fingers pump in and out with relentless pace now, each thrust punishing and deep. Her other hand grips Ken's hair tighter, forcing her face harder into the wet heat above her. The taste of Raven was overwhelming, the slickness coating Ken's lips and tongue as she devours her. A tremor runs through Raven's body, and Ken knows she's close.

"I'm gonna cum on your face," Raven panted, her words thick with arousal. "You'd better make it worth my time." Ken's hips jerked wildly, her body quivering as Raven's fingers filled her completely. The friction was unbearable. Too much, too little, just enough to keep her on the edge of release.

Raven's thighs clamped around Ken's head as her body tensed at the first pulse of an orgasm that hit her. Her hips jerk uncontrollably, smearing her climax across Ken's lips and nose as a guttural moan tore from her throat. The overwhelming heat and wetness coating Ken's face pushed her to the brink—her own hips grinding against nothing, seeking any friction she could find. Raven's fingers twisted inside her as she rode out her climax, prolonging the moment of ecstasy.

Ken spasmed hard as her climax doubled. She was drowning in Raven’s release while experiencing her, and her brain felt like it had turned to utter mush. When the effect finally died down, she was still shaking while Raven remained sitting on her face, riding out the last bit of her own climax.

"Fuck, you're good at this," Raven gasps, finally pulling her fingers free with a wet sound. She drags them up Ken's stomach, leaving a glistening trail. "Clean them up."

Ken's body thrums with aftershocks, her muscles still twitching from the intensity of her orgasm. Raven's fingers hover near her mouth, sticky with both of their fluids, demanding obedience. She hesitated for just a moment. Just long enough for Raven to raise an eyebrow.

"Problem?" Raven's tone was light, but danger lurked beneath it. She sat on Ken’s stomach now, keeping her hand offered and her eyes narrowed. The threat wasn't necessary.

Ken's mouth opened obediently, her tongue peeking out to lap at Raven's fingers with slow, deliberate strokes. The taste was intoxicating. Salt and musk and the faint tang of herself mingling with Raven's essence.

Raven's eyes darkened as she watched Ken clean her fingers with practiced care, her tongue circling each digit slowly and thoroughly. The room fills with the wet sounds of Ken's mouth working, punctuated only by the occasional moan that escaped Raven's throat. When Ken finally released her fingers, Raven brought them to her own mouth and licked them clean, savoring the combined taste.

"You're learning," Raven purrs, sliding off Ken's stomach and settling beside her on the bed. Her hand trails down Ken's stomach, fingers dipping between her thighs to stroke the sensitive skin there. "But we're not done yet." The threat in her words carried a promise, and Ken shivers despite herself.

Ken breathed in short, ragged gasps as Raven's touch sent fresh waves of pleasure coursing through her. The taste of both of them still coated her tongue, mingling in her mouth like a sacrament to the moment. Her body remained slick and throbbing, craving more despite the humiliation that clouded her vision. Raven's hand moved with deliberate slowness, her fingertips tracing patterns on Ken's inner thigh that made her hips jerk involuntarily.

“You can keep going, right?”

“Y-Yes.” Ken whimpered.

“Good girl.” And with that, Raven got ready for the cycle to repeat itself. Tonight, she’d have fun doing all that she can to this woman from another land.

***

Pain…

Ken felt pain. A terrible, terrible pain in her stomach and her throat. How long had it been since she had eaten anything? How long had it been since she had gotten to drink anything? The forest was cold, and the ground dug into her flesh as she collapsed.

She was dying.

Dying of hunger and thirst.

Martial Cultivators were supposed to be able to last weeks without sleep and food, but everything her father said about her was true. She was pathetic, and after only one month, she had reached her limit. She was going to die.

Worse yet, she was going to die lost and alone in another nation.

Her Qi was so low that she couldn’t even summon Yujin. She was helpless. She was scared. Ken’s fingers dug into the ground, and her stomach growled louder than it ever had before.

“S-Someone.” Ken’s voice croaked out. “Someone, please help me.”

She had no idea how long she was left lying in the dirt, but eventually her prayers were answered. Perhaps Han Yuan, her ancient ancestor, was looking down upon her, because the sound of a branch snapping caused her to raise her head just slightly.

Ken stared up at the face of a beautiful woman who now loomed over her. The woman had her head tilted to the side, and her soft green eyes studied the dying Ken Yuan. Eventually, a smile broke out on the woman’s face, and she let out a soft giggle.

“Oh my. Should I save you?”

***

The land of Rossum was truly a beautiful place. Spiraling fields that never ended. Flowers that bloomed bigger than any building. Waterfalls that reached toward the heavens. And most importantly, air that was rich in Qi.

Qi was the foundation of all life. In every plant, animal, and person, it flowed. They say the elves created the human race in the first land, Gallenth, and it was in that land that those humans learned the way of mana from the legendary hero Haru. Not all humans learned from the pale Knight, though.

Before Haru arrived, tales claim that humans had no magic. These powerless beings served the elves, the giants, and the dragons. Treated like tools, they were forced to work until their bones shattered and they prayed for salvation. That salvation would come in the form of the pale Knight, but what of the time before that? Rossum was a land that humans discovered when they ran away from the elves.

Land founded by the legendary Han Yuan, the first slave to break from her chains. Han was not willing to wait for some savior and took matters into her own hands. She freed as many of her own people as she could, and together they escaped Gallenth and traveled through the land of the stars, eventually arriving at a continent that would go on to be known as Rossum.

Because Han Yuan and her people weren’t there to greet Haru upon her birth, the people of Rossum were never taught the ways of magic. They never developed cores, nor did they have the ability to cast spells. Even now, hundreds of years later, those who have the blood of Rossum in their veins cannot use magic.

Instead, they were forced to find their own solution. Rossum is sometimes referred to as the land of spirits due to the abundance of energy in the air, which forms into twisting beasts. Creatures created not of the elves but instead of the planet itself. A naturally born species that has its own way of using energy. The people of Rossum studied these spirits, which led them to learn how to create Qi lines. Unlike a Core, Qi lines didn’t allow them to cast spells and have a type of magic they could use, but it did allow them to use the naturally formed energy of Qi, which was identical to mana. With this energy that created the first sect, the country became the very first nation of the human race!

Rossum truly was amazing! It was a shame its people were awful though… It was also a shame that it was so pure and untouched that all other land lacked the intense mana that was in the air.

This was something Ken Yuan was starting to really hate.

“Damn it.” The red-haired woman groaned slightly as her eyes opened softly. She stared up at the wooden roof that was above her and groaned. Her head was pounding, and everything was way too bright. She was suffering from a bad hangover. Normally, she’d just use a basic Qi gathering method to heal and purify her body. Still, she lacked the ability to do that because the air in Esteria was so polluted and shitty; such a thing was impossible. “Why the fuck did Feng send me here…”

It had been one month since she arrived in the kingdom of Esteria. Her boat had washed up on the land's shores, and she was forced to fend for herself, taking up odd jobs here and there, making money. It was her hope that Feng would approach her and they’d be able to return home or figure something out, but sadly, that wasn’t the case. Feng still hadn’t come for her, nor had he contacted her.

Ken sat up and winced slightly as her head pounded again. “Hurry up and find me already, old man.” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around with a frown. She was in bed, but the room wasn’t one she recognized. She had no clue how she had gotten here. The only thing she could remember was getting blackout drunk last night.

As she looked around, she was able to notice two things. The first was that the room she was in was small, with only a single queen-sized bed. It had a window that poured in sunlight, a nightstand with a TV on it, and a door that led to a bathroom. The second thing she noticed was that all of her clothes were on the ground, scattered through the room… Along with another set of clothes. And there was a pair of arms wrapped around one of her arms…

“Shit.”

Ken looked down, praying to every spirit she knew that the person she was in bed with was at least good-looking. Luckily, they were. In fact, they were downright breathtaking.

It was a woman, a little older than her. She had fair skin, though a few scars did litter her arms and around her chest and back, showing a life that likely involved a lot of fighting. The woman was also rather muscular, the blanket doing little to hide her lean and well-built form. She had long, raven-black hair, and her eyes were squeezed shut.

Ken had no idea who this woman was. Not a single name came to mind, and the face wasn’t one she recognized at all. Had she gotten so drunk that she slept with some disgusting Esterian?

Ken shook her head and got untangled from the sleeping beauty. She got dressed, slipping her red kimono on, and was out the door. Outside was a hallway to some motel, but she barely paid attention and focused on making sure the gourd with Yushin in it was at her side. As her hands rubbed it, she felt a familiar warmth and spark, and she could sense her spirit hiding within.

Good.

She had been half afraid that she’d wake up to her spirit missing. Some person coming in and stealing him. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

Ken finally took a calming breath once she was outside and could see the sunlight. It made her eyes sting a bit, but she ignored it, squashing down the pain and instead forcing herself to focus. The town she was in was small and everything she hated about Esteria.

Cars drove down the streets, and thick smoke billowed out of chimneys. All the buildings were small and stacked on top of each other, made of ugly red bricks, and they had jagged pipes that poked out of them, blowing more smoke into the sky. The air tasted foul and gross on her tongue, and everything was so loud it made her want to scream.

People walked by, all giving her odd looks since her hair was a mess and she had bags under her tired amber eyes. It didn’t help that she wasn’t dressed like the fools of this land were.

This wasn’t a place where Qi could exist. Spirits didn’t roam these lands. Ken shook her head in disgust, and she turned and began to walk. She had no clue what direction she was going in, but it didn’t matter. She honestly didn’t give two shits where she ended up in this hellhole. It was all the same anyway.

She’d just walk until she arrived at some place where she could make a quick bell or steal food, then she’d move on again. That was how she managed for the past month, and she had no plans to change suddenly.

It was with these thoughts that she headed down the road, ready to leave this unimportant town behind. She didn’t get far, though, before a voice called out to her.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Ken stopped, and she narrowed her eyes. The voice was directed at her, and it belonged to a woman. It held an edge of power, and also in the air, Ken could feel a soft bubbling of energy. She felt like prey with the eyes of a predator on her, and it irked her. She spun around and growled.

Unshockingly, it was the woman. The one she had woken up in bed with. Unlike her, the raven-haired woman actually looked presentable now. The woman had tied her hair back and taken the time to wash up and do her makeup. Now that her eyes were open, Ken found herself staring into an emerald gaze. The woman wore a black tank top and blue jeans that were a bit torn. She also held a black leather jacket and had a large smirk on her face.

Ken didn’t know why, but seeing that smile made her anger flare up. “What do you want?” Ken spat out. “Round two? Sorry, but I don’t plan to stick around.”

“Nah.” The woman shook her head and started to approach casually. “You weren’t that good. I’d rather keep it as a one-night stand.”

“Like hell I wasn’t good!” Ken felt her anger surge, and she did her best to suppress it. Through clenched teeth, she glared at the woman who now reached her. “What do you want then?”

Without missing a beat, the woman reached out with her free hand and poked Ken on the cheek. Ken growled, but the woman just poked her harder. “First of all, don’t raise your voice at me, unless you want my boot in your mouth again.”

Ken felt her face heat up. “T-That didn’t happen.”

“Sure it didn’t.” The woman hummed and turned away. “Well, come on.”

Once more, Ken felt her eyes narrow. “What?”

The woman turned back and rolled her eyes. “It means follow me. I know you Rossum people aren’t the smartest, but at least use your head.”

“Why the hell would I ever follow you?” Ken hissed.

The woman’s smile returned even larger. “Because I own you.”

“What?” Ken clenched her teeth and showed her fangs. “Wanna say that again?”

The woman let out a heavy sigh. “We drank a lot, but I guess you seriously can’t hold your liquor if you don’t remember what took place last night.” The woman’s arms folded, and her smile was gone, replaced with a frown. “You were practically dead. Out in the woods. I brought you back here, and with a bit of magic, we got you fixed up. You hadn't eaten in days and nearly died of thirst. I paid for all your meals and drinks and made sure your pretty little face was kept safe. It was actually somewhat amusing. You kept drunkenly muttering that you were 'woo-ing me'. Regardless, none of that was cheap, nor was it for free. You agreed to work for me. So be a good dog and follow along.”

Ken felt as though one of her teeth was nearly shattering from the pressure of how hard she was cleaning her jaw. What the woman said couldn’t be true, right? After all, she had been traveling around from place to place and… Well, she said she’d steal food to survive, but she hadn’t… Also, now that she thought about it, she hadn’t done a single job in over a month since she arrived and had earned no money… Had she really almost died out in the woods of starvation or dehydration?

“No!” Ken grabbed the gourd that was at her side, and she shook it. Fire streamed out, and from it Yujin formed, taking on the appearance of a large fox forged from flames. The golden spirit bowed its head and floated in the air. The raven-haired woman watched in silence and raised her eyebrow slightly. “Yujin!”

“Yes, Lord Ken Yuan?” Yujin asked softly.

“Tell this woman she’s lying about what she said!” She might not remember anything, but Yujin was always watching and listening, so if what the woman said was true, which was highly unlikely, then Yujin would know.

Yujin turned to look back at the black-haired woman. “Do you want me to lie to her?” Yujin asked, causing Ken’s heart to sink.

“Lie?”

“Yes, everything she said was true,” Yujin confirmed.

“Even the boot part…”

“Yes.”

“Damn…”

“I had a feeling you were from Rossum.” The woman reached out and poked her hand into Yujin. Despite being made out of fire, the beast didn’t actually burn her. “This is a spirit beast, isn’t it? Are you a Martial Cultivator? I could tell you were decently strong, but for you to be on that level…”

Ken wanted to laugh. She was far from a Martial Cultivator. She doubted she’d ever actually be on the level of a real one. She had gotten Yujin under exceptional circumstances, and he was far weaker than other spirits as well. Calling her a Martial Cultivator was like calling any dumbass in a suit of armor an Arcane Knight.

“You’ll be even better than first thought.” The woman laughed and reached out, grabbing Ken’s wrist. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going? Slow down?” Ken grunted.

The woman let out a hum. “Let me cut to the chase. You owe me, and you’re going to pay me back. See, I’ve been tasked with delivering something. Unfortunately, after a skirmish with the Lord of Threads' soldiers, we lost some of our guards. I put resources and efforts into you, so I think it’s only fair if you pay me back.”

Ken’s eyes narrowed into slits, and she stared at the back of the woman’s head as they walked. “Are you stupid or something? You need to protect something, and it’s apparently important if the Lord of Threads is after it, so you decide to just bring in a random like me into this? What if I decide to steal whatever it is you’re guarding? Have you thought about that?”

The woman hummed once more and lazily shrugged her shoulders. “Nah. You won’t do such a thing.”

Ken’s frown only grew. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

“Two reasons.” The woman turned back, and her smile had returned to her face. “First, I’m pretty good at reading the intent of people. I know that though you may have dark thoughts, your heart would never once act upon them. The proof is the very fact that you haven’t stolen any food or water. With how many towns are nearby this part of the woods, it would have been more than easy for you to do such a thing, yet you were at death's door when I found you. Maybe it is pride, or maybe it’s some other foolish thing that drives you. Either way, I’m confident that you aren’t the type to steal.” The woman had two fingers up, but she lowered one down, leaving her final reasoning. “My second reason is that you would rather help me, simply because it hinders the Lord of Threads.”

Ken felt her lips purse together into a thin line. Everyone in Rossum knew who the Lord of Threads was.

Esteria hated the Ebony Knight. Rossum knew of that monster's existence but wasn’t concerned with him all that much. This was because they had their own monster that they had to deal with—one who was still alive even to this day.

The Lord of Threads was one of the first Cultivators to serve under Han Yuan. At one point in history, he was the founder of the Azura Thread sect, one that was able to rival Han Yuan’s Spirit Beast sect. No one remembers his name, nor do they know what drove him to slaughter his entire sect. What is known, though, is that he is a madman who weaves a world that suits him and him alone.

The Lord of Threads is Rossum’s greatest shame. The thing they all hate.

“Is that immortal bastard here?” Ken demanded.

The black-haired woman shook her head. “Of course not. No one even knows if the Lord of Threads is even still alive. His army of enchanted warriors are bound to his threads and follow his commands even to this day, but the Lord himself hasn’t been seen in over five hundred years. Some of his warriors attacked my group. We drove them off, but they’ve been attacking more and more. Due to the situation going on in the kingdom, I haven’t been able to get any proper help. It’s likely because we’re right on the border. That’s where you’re going to come in. A strong girl like you can help little old me out, right?” The woman winked.

Ken felt her cheeks heat up again, but she tore her gaze away. “Whatever. I don’t really give a rat's ass.”

“You’ll be well fed, and it’ll get you to a capital city. You could even earn some Bells.” The woman clicked her tongue. “Besides, I rather liked spending time with you.” Her smile seemed a lot more real now. “You had so many nice stories to tell.”

Ken refused to say anything and stared at the ground in silence. She let herself be dragged, and eventually the two of them reached the woman’s destination. At the edge of the town was a train. Sleek and silver, it looked fast and extremely expensive. Men were loading cargo onto it, and several of them waved and cheered when they saw the black-haired woman.

“Who are you?” Ken finally asked.

“Oh? You don’t even recall my name?” The woman sounded a little hurt.

“Sorry, I don’t.”

The woman nodded. “Raven. My name is Raven.”

***

Ken quietly stared out the window, watching the expanse of trees go by in a blur. She had been alone for the past four hours now.

After Raven took her to the train, Ken found herself being led on board. There were many men and women who all seemed to respect the black-haired woman, though Ken didn’t care to get to know any of them. Whatever relationship she might have had with Raven, it was over. Nothing more than a one-night stand.

The only reason she was even on this stupid train was for the free food and the fact that it would get her somewhere the fastest.

The train was powered by pure mana and was a new form of Sini Corp tech. Extremely expensive and valuable. She had seen trains like these in action whenever Rossum and Esteria would get into a battle. What made these trains so noteworthy was that they could go anywhere on land, literally creating the track as needed.

She didn’t know all the details, but Feng had once told her that an ancient elven relic had inspired these kinds of trains. The elves had a machine that could go anywhere, even beyond the stars. Feng was old. Not as old as the elves or the races before them, but still old nonetheless, so she was willing to believe him when he spoke of such a machine.

This particular train was a bright silver and had five cars in total. The crew were scattered throughout the train, all going about their business, while she remained alone in a small cabin. The room she was in had two leather chairs connected to the walls and a table in the center. Her fingers tapped away at the table, leaving minor dents within it, and in the air, Yujin soared around, the small fox doing various twirls through the air.

Ken finally let out a heavy sigh, and her shoulders sagged a bit. “Why did that woman invite me to come along?” Ken questioned.

“She said her reasoning, did she not?” Yujin responded.

Ken shook her head. “Yeah, right. Like I’d believe such a thing. She is obviously someone important if she’s on a train like this, and whatever she’s guarding has to be important as well if the Lord of Threads tried to get it. There’s no logical reason why she’d want a stranger like me to come along.”

It was true that, like everyone from Rossum, she hated the Lord of Threads, but just because that was a fact, it didn’t mean she was best suited to guard some item he wanted. Esteria and Rossum weren’t at war, but both nations held a deep dislike for the other one.

If not for Mordehim and its twisted existence, Rossum and Esteria very well could have gone to war first. So, why would a woman working for Esteria want someone from Rossum close by?

Ken, of course, knew the truth. She’d have to be blind to not see it. “You’re with the Arcane Knights, right?” She asked flatly.

There was a moment of silence, and then eventually the door to the cabin's room slid open. Raven stood on the other side, still sporting her slight smirk, and she casually flipped her hair and entered the room. “My, aren’t you perceptive?”

Ken leaned up and folded her arms. “My nose is quite sensitive, and I’ve already become familiar with your scent.”

“Yes, you were saying how much you loved it last night—”

“Will you shut up with that!” Ken huffed out. “Drunk me and current me are different. I’m right, though, aren’t I? You’re an Arcane Knight, aren’t you?”

Raven hummed, and then eventually she took a seat. She stared at Ken, her eyes full of amusement. “Yes, I’m an Arcane Knight. One on a quest.”

“Is everyone else on this train also a Knight?” Ken asked, suddenly a lot more tense.

Raven shook her head. “No. There were others, but they’re dead. I told you, the Lord of Threads killed them. Unfortunately, the quest I’m on is under wraps, and the kingdom is a bit busy, so I can’t really get anyone else to help me at the moment. The rest of these crewmembers are soldiers and military personnel. Still strong, but none on the level of a full-fledged Knight.”

“And you’re telling me this because it doesn’t matter if I know or not, does it?” Ken sighed. “Is that why you got me drunk last night?” Raven didn’t say anything, but the woman’s smile did fade a bit. Ken took that as a confession, and she nodded her head. “You found me in the woods, and I’m betting you could tell I was Rossum from the look of my clothes and the feeling of my Qi. Qi lines are different from Cores after all. You were wondering why someone from Rossum would be here, so you got me healed up and did your best to get me in a state where I’d listen to you.” Ken’s eyes narrowed. “So, do you know who I am?”

Raven remained quiet for a few moments but then nodded. “Ken Yuan Zzhang.”

Ken squeezed her eyes shut. “I told you.”

“You said a lot of things last night,” Raven admitted. “It seemed as if you had a lot to get off your chest. The truth is, I knew you were someone important the instant I saw you. I figured I had some noble from Rossum who was hiding here in the kingdom. Little did I know I had a member of the Yuan clan here. Not just any, but Ken Yuan of the sect Zzhang. They say you’re an up-and-coming member of the Martial Cultivators.”

“They say a lot of things about me,” Ken muttered bitterly. “Most of it isn’t true. Hell, I’d say it’s all just propaganda.” Ken let out another heavy sigh. She had actually gotten drunk and, in her lustful state, confessed so much to this woman, simply because a pretty face gave her the time of day. She was pathetic, and worse than that, it sounded like she was a sub! “So, the reason you ‘invited’ me to come on this train wasn’t because you needed a guard, was it?”

Raven stared back at Ken, and the dark-haired woman seemed to consider her words. “We both drank a lot last night.” The woman said slowly. “Do you remember any of what you said?”

“Nope.”

Raven snorted. “Damn, girl, do better.”

“Fuck you!”

“You said a few things I found interesting.” Raven cut in. The woman leaned forward and propped herself up on her elbows as she gazed closer at Ken. “Normally, it’s fine if someone from Rossum comes to the kingdom, but when a Martial Cultivator shows up, or someone as closely connected to them as you, my kind can’t help but get a little concerned. I imagine it would be the same if a member of the Helios family were to suddenly appear in Rossum. Your land wouldn’t really know what to do. So, I decided to keep an eye on you and personally ensure you leave.”

Ken felt a sudden twist in her stomach, and she stood up. “No. I came here for a reason. Believe me, I’d love to go back to Rossum; your kingdom blows, but Feng told me to stay here, and I’m not going to disobey my teacher.” She knew he wasn’t dead. He was alive, and as soon as he could, he’d come to the kingdom and find her. So until then, she wasn’t going to leave, no matter how much she hated this place.

“Yes, that’s what you said last night as well,” Raven stated. “You went on and on about how much you hated this place, but also how much you refused to leave. Maybe if things weren’t so tense, the kingdom wouldn’t mind a Yuan running around her, but one who has her spirit and is practically a member of the Martial Cultivators is a different story. They wouldn’t be so keen on letting you stay. Luckily for you, there is an option.”

Ken remained standing, and she stared down at Raven, her eyes burning. “No…”

Raven’s smile just grew. “See, the kingdom would be a lot less worried if they knew where you were at all times and if they knew you weren’t here to cause any issues. There’s a simple way for that to happen.”

“No.”

“All you have to do—”

“No!”

“Is become an Arcane Knight.”

“Why the fuck would I ever do that!”

Raven giggled. “Look, those are your only two options.” The woman tapped the center of her head. “Think about it. You either leave or you join the Knights and put that strength of yours to use. It wouldn’t be the first time powerful warriors from other lands joined us. It happens more than you’d think. The king accepts all—”

“So long as they’re willing to be his dogs.” Ken spat the words out and clenched her hand into a tight fist. “I know the stories about Nier Sini! Son of Haru Sini, brother of the one who faded out! He’s not a Martial Cultivator, yet he still lives despite not knowing the way of Qi. The age of a Cultivator is naturally extended, but his is… He shouldn’t exist! The one who forces chains, the Slave Master, is what my people call him. Don’t act like he’s a good guy or that he’ll even remotely be on my side. He’s not even on your side. The nobles, the military, the knights—all of it is the same to an unfeeling robot like him! You’re all just lines of code for him to use.”

Raven allowed Ken to yell out all her frustrations. The woman remained expressionless and only spoke up when Ken was done, the red-haired girl panting heavily. “If you saw what was out there, you would change your mind.”

“What?” Ken scowled.

Raven looked out the window, and the woman’s eyes went up to the sky. It was still the middle of the day, the sun high above. “Have you ever wondered what’s up there? The king has. The king knows. The king keeps us all safe. Not just Esteria, but everyone. We all live in a world that is safe because of him. So maybe I am a worthless set of code, maybe I’m barely even a person to him, none of that matters to me.” Raven stood up and began to walk to the door. “I, you, everyone, owe him.”

Ken stood there motionless, processing what the Knight said. She owed the king? He was keeping them all safe? What did that mean?

Raven opened the door and was about to step out. “Look, just stay put for a bit, okay? We’ll be nearing the capital in a few days. I’ll get you a room and a place to stay when we arrive and make sure you don’t starve again. The Knights exam is next month, so if by then you still don’t want to do it, we will have to ask you to leave, but please just wait before making your decision. Okay?”

“Why? Why do you care?” Ken demanded.

Raven tapped her chin. “Because I like you.”

“What?”

Raven shrugged. “I enjoyed talking to you and the way we spent time.” The woman giggled. “Perhaps I’d like to do it again.”

Ken forced her cheeks to turn unred. “L-Like hell!”

“Cute.”

“I’ll beat the ever-loving crap out of you!”

Raven let out a heavy laugh and threw her head back. She was about to say something, probably witty or flirty, but before she could, ‘it’ happened.

There was a violent jerk, followed by a loud screeching sound, and the entire train came to a sudden stop. Ken struggled to keep her balance, and Yujin dropped down and landed on her shoulder, his fur sticking up. Raven’s confident look was entirely gone, and the woman’s face paled.

“Shit? Seriously?”

“What is it?” Ken winced.

Raven stepped out, and the halls were filled with yelling. Ken jogged after the woman, and various doors on the train opened as people stepped out. “The route we used was away and secured to hide from anyone who would be looking for this train,” Raven explained, and she walked down a ramp, stepping outside. “Despite that, though, one person managed to find us. Well, I say a person. It’s more like a concept at this point.”

Ken felt her throat go dry, and she stared up into the sky. Yujin was hissing even louder, and his entire body shook. The train had stopped in a random grassy field, and dozens of men and women were scattered about. Most were in tactical gear and carried heavy-looking guns or swords. All of them stared up at the sky.

The sky had split open. A dungeon’s entrance was appearing midair. Powerful jolts of energy blasted out, scorching the land, and a hole began to twist and morph. From that hole an object fell and crashed toward the ground. Ken followed it with her eyes and entered her fighting stance, getting her palms ready.

The thing that hit the ground was in the shape of a human and was just as big as a person as well, with two arms, a head, two legs, a waist, and a torso. It lacked flesh, though. Instead, it was made out of solid wood, and there were no features on its body at all. No ears, hair, clothes, or anything. It was smooth and flat as well, lacking breasts or a penis. It looked sort of like the wooden dolls artists would pose and use for sketches, and out of all of its limbs, poked out, leading up to the rift in the sky.

It was a puppet. One that was being controlled. Bullets rammed into the wooden beast as the soldiers opened fire, but the construct didn’t look bothered, and despite being made out of wood, its body withstood the attack. It calmly stood up and raised an arm. Its hand unfolded and opened up, and a barrel poked out.

“Get down!” Raven yelled right as a flash of blue exploded out, and the puppet unleashed a beam of energy that split several of the slower soldiers in half.

A few moments later, more puppets dropped from the rift, all the same as the first. It took only a second for thirty of the creatures to appear, all pulling off their hands to reveal laser-like swords or guns. One turned its back, and a barrage of rockets was unleashed out of it, blowing the battlefield up. The soldiers cried out but did their best to fight.

Raven let out a curse and stood back up. She was the Knight here. That meant it was her job. The military was strong, but compared to the Knights, they were lacking. This is because being a Knight meant going beyond the level of humans. It was up to her. Her mana surged out, green gas gushing out of her skin, followed by a wave of black. “Vil Shadow Gear.” Her shadow lunged up her body and covered her from head to toe. It formed into a heavy-looking suit of plate mail, with a helm that covered her head. Green mist rolled across the suit, and a bright emerald green cape flowed off of her, complete with the symbol of the Umbra Mortis guild. “Row Shadow Chest!” From the ground next to her, the shadow surged again and formed into a square-shaped box, which opened and blasted something into her hand.

Raven swung it out, revealing that she now held a long, black scythe. The blade was curved, and more green mist poured out of notches in it as she gripped it tightly. Then, with a cry, she launched forward and began to slice her way into the horde of dolls.

Ken stood up as well and watched Raven fight. The woman was strong, moving like a blur, and tearing the wooden construct to bits with ease. However, there were so many of them, and the weapons they wielded were extremely advanced. So much so, they began to slowly wear down on the armored woman as more dolls dropped from the sky. The Lord of Threads was said to have an endless army that he could use. The dolls would simply come until the gate closed on its own, and she had no idea how long that might take. That meant it didn’t matter how many Raven killed; she’d eventually be overwhelmed.

“Yujin,” Ken ordered.

“Of course.” Yujin’s body glowed, and his form changed as he became a glowing orb of fire. Rossum could not form Cores properly, and it was Han Yuan who discovered the method for gaining the power that the rest of the world had. They just needed someone with a core to inhabit their body. “My power is yours.”

Yujin sank into her flesh, phasing through her clothes and her stomach. She felt an intense warmth in her belly, and Ken gritted her teeth. The Qi lines within her body fused and connected with Yujin, and her hair began to change. It grew slightly longer and became the color of golden flames. Her eyes, too, burned with a powerful red fury, and she felt Yujin’s energy burst out of her.

It was possible for her to enter this form any time Yujin was out, and just having the gourd near her was enough for her to use his powers, but by absorbing him fully as she did, Yujin and she could enter a perfect state of fusion. When she had Yujin out and tapped into his power, her hair would become golden, and her eyes would turn red. However, when Yujin truly became her Core and settled within her own body, a new transformation would take place.

This was something the spirit beast master, Medora, was most famous for. A way to use their spirits that her father had forbidden, as fully fusing with a spirit beast was a sign of weakness. Ken didn’t care about that right now, though. Instead, she just wanted to destroy the puppets; the sight of the Lord of Threads' creations pissed her off.

From the top of her head, fire sprouted out and began to take shape. It formed into a pair of long, furry ears, and from her rear, a tail jutted out, also furry, with fire lining her body. Her teeth grew sharp and jagged, and her claws extended, forming from her nails. The fire dripped down her body, and all the soldiers looked shocked, some horrified, and others amazed. To them, it was as if she had become a mutant.

That wasn’t the case, though. This form was similar but different. Spirits weren’t monsters after all.

Ken dropped to all fours, and, with a roar, she charged forward, blasting across the battlefield. She neared Raven, and she jumped up, slicing her claws out and unleashing a wave of fire that tore through a chunk of dolls.

“Oh?” Raven sliced into another group with her scythes. “What’s with the new look? I like it.”

“Just shut up. Row Flame Slicer.” Ken felt the fire twirl around her claws, setting them ablaze, and she and the Knight began to fight through the horde together. “We just have to keep killing, and eventually the gate will close!”

“Easier said than done.” Raven winced as a strike rammed into her side.

By now, there were over a hundred of the dolls, and even more were spilling out faster and faster. Every time they killed one, ten more would take its place. Ken blinked, and suddenly she was fighting a hundred. She felt her body tear and her blood spill as lasers tore into her and ripped chunks out, but she fought through the pain and spammed her healing spell to recover the damage. All her stats were significantly boosted in this state, and she was only slightly behind Raven in terms of power, who was also throwing out everything she had.

Just when the two of them began to get the hang of the swarm, the hole in the sky grew larger, and a different kind of puppet came out. This one looked like it was a massive elephant. After that was a deer, then a bull, a horse, various birds, monkeys, and gorillas, and so much more. The animal puppets were all massive and had even more firepower.

Bombs rained down and lasers spilled out. The other soldiers were obliterated, and the train was torn to bits, but still, Ken and Raven fought, going back to back, as the swarm just kept getting bigger and bigger.

Ken grabbed Raven, and she swung the woman around, who in turn used her weapon to form a gigantic shadowy blade that split the wooden animals apart, but just like last time, the portal grew in size, and a massive hand came out. This puppet was far bigger than any other, so much so that it didn’t fall from the portal and instead stepped out. It was a puppet of a giant, complete with a wooden greatsword that hummed and buzzed with lightning. Unlike the others, this one wore armor and even had a face, showing a rough-looking man sketched into it.

The puppet swung its sword down, easily splitting the land in two, and Ken watched in horror as the attack came toward her. But Raven jumped in front of her and held her weapon out. “Vil Shadow Barrier!” The shadows lifted and became a twisting wall that barely deflected the blow. “Hit it as hard as you can!”

“Right.” Ken jumped out from behind the woman, and she inhaled, puffing her stomach and chest out as much as she could. She brought her hands together and formed a sign with them and used that to gather her Qi and Yujin’s core. This was a move her master had taught her, and it was the reason he had given Yujin to her so early. This was simply an imitation, but it was undoubtedly her most potent attack. “Vil Flame Dragon!” Ken stomped on the ground, opened her mouth, and blew out as hard as she could.

An intense inferno blasted out from her lips, and it was as if hell itself opened up. The flames took shape into a twisting dragon, its wings expanding, and its claws slashing out! The creature rammed into the wooden giant and erupted in fire, scorching its body, but it wasn’t enough. The puppet still stood, and with a slice of its weapon, it tore the flame construct in two.

“Shit!”

“My turn!” Raven ran forward, and she used her scythe to launch herself up. She spun through the air and avoided the strike of the giant as it swung its sword at her. She landed on its outstretched blade and ran along it, bringing her scythe back. “Get ready!” She called out to Ken. “Vil Shadow Blade!” The shadows grew on her weapon and doubled its size, and she jumped off the sword and swung her weapon at a section of the burnt puppet's chest. Thanks to the damage Ken dealt, the blade was able to cut through, leaving a large gash that revealed its insides.

That was the last attack she was able to land on it, though, because a second later the puppet rammed its fist directly into her body.

Raven cried out, and she was launched from the sky into the ground, hitting it hard enough to leave a crater. Her armor became torn and dented, a small river of blood pouring out, but despite the pain, she laughed.

The puppet got ready to bring its sword down onto her, but before it could, Ken appeared in front of it. Her claws dug into its chest as she got on top of the hole Raven created. Once more, she puffed her cheeks out. “Vil Flame Dragon!” She unleashed the attack directly into the puppet, melting its insides and burning away whatever made it live. Its burn turned a deeper black, and ash peeled away as it twitched and then collapsed backward, dead.

Ken also collapsed, rolling off of the destroyed construct, and she breathed heavily. Her muscles ached, as did her bones, and her vision blurred. She was tired. Exhausted even. Yujin’s flame was also running low.

With some effort, Ken managed to stand up, and she groaned weakly. The hole in the sky was still open, but the puppets no longer came spilling out, and the giant one had thankfully killed all the small ones. Unfortunately, all the soldiers were also dead.

“Yo, bitch, are you still alive?” Ken weakly coughed out, and she stumbled over to where Raven was.

Raven chuckled and sat up slowly. “Yeah. Shit. Talk about bad luck. The Lord of Threads attacked my cargo twice now.”

“What the hell are you carrying?” Ken asked.

“No clue.” Raven shook her head. “It’s somewhere on the train.” She stood up, went over to Ken’s side, and caught the girl when Ken’s legs gave out. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Ken nodded and closed her eyes. “I have a natural healing factor in this state. Just give me a moment. Casting two Flame Dragons left me exhausted. When I gather up my Qi, I’ll heal myself and then you.”

Raven nodded and helped Ken get back to her feet. “You were kind of awesome out there.”

“Of course I was.” Ken looked out at the destroyed puppets, and her tail wagged back and forth in an excited manner. “I guess you were okay also.” Her new ears flattened when Raven reached out and petted her head. “Stop it!”

“You’re kind of cute like this.” Raven giggled. The woman’s smile then faded as she looked at all the dead soldiers. “Shit. I hope some are still alive. I’ll check on them all and—”

“I can’t believe my face puppet was actually destroyed.”

Both Ken and Raven froze. Their entire bodies went perfectly still, and their hearts began to beat rapidly. Sweat poured down their backs, and their stomachs did a flip.

There was an intense shift in the air. A new sensation. Like a new predator had suddenly appeared. Their fight-or-flight instincts were screaming at them to run, but they couldn’t even muster up the courage to take a step forward. Both girls stood there in pure horror.

“This isn’t good. The other puppets don’t matter, but a face puppet, especially one of a giant, is hard to come by.” A man stood next to the remains of the massive puppet. No. Not a man. A monster. A monster who looked like a human. “What to do?”

Ken felt her hair stand up, and her body kept shaking even harder. One moment, she saw an old man in loose white robes, with long grey hair and a grey beard, and the next moment, she saw flashes of his proper form. Tentacles, teeth, twisting limbs, and hundreds of hands. Then it would snap back to the shape of the man. She nearly wet herself but managed to keep at least a little of her courage.

That all changed, though, when the man’s eyes settled on her. He had a smile that was far too big and a pair of eyes that were colder than any human should have been able to have. They were grey and dull and looked like ice.

This was him.

The Lord of Threads. A Cultivator of the days of old. One who was said to have thrown himself into the world of monsters. He was here. He was standing before her.

“Oh. A Yuan.” Then suddenly he was gone. Ken nearly screamed as she felt the hands wrap around her head. “I have enough of your people. Die.”

There was a twist, a crunch, and a snap, and Ken realized with horror that her neck had been snapped.

***

Ken gasped and sat up, breathing in heavily. Her eyes were wide, and her chest rose and dropped as she drew in air. Her hand shot up toward her neck, and she felt her head was still attached. It ached, but the pain was going away.

She shuddered, though, when she remembered the way her head had fully twisted around… The Lord of Threads had killed her in an instant. Or at least, he would have. Thankfully, she was in her fused spirit beast form, and so her healing factor had mended her snapped and broken neck. Yujin had also surged up when he felt her death approaching and had used his own healing spells on her. The brain could survive for a bit, even if it were cut off from the body, and so she hadn’t actually ‘died’ yet, which was how she was able to heal. If her head had been torn off or the Lord of Threads had bothered to rip her body up, then she would have been doomed, but thankfully, he moved on from her as soon as he took her down.

Ken shook her head as her body came back into a working state. Her mouth felt dry, and she looked around in a panic. “Raven?” She didn’t see the Lord of Threads anywhere, but the train was toppled over and torn to bits, and the hole in the sky was gone, so if she was lucky, he had left. “Raven—”

Ken’s nose twitched, and she smelled the familiar scent. It was dozens of feet away. Raven must have tried to run or was pushed back. She took off in the direction, and in only a few moments, she spotted the girl.

Ken stopped dead in her tracks, and her face paled. Her knees shook, and her fists unclenched.

“Raven?”

The woman was missing both her legs and her arms. There was a hole in her stomach that went all the way through her body, and her eyes were also missing, having been torn out. Cuts were sliced all around her body, and she lay in a crimson pool of her own blood. Her armor was gone as well, as was her scythe. Raven was…

“I—Is that you?”

Ken nearly threw up when she heard the woman speak. Raven was still alive. She collapsed next to the woman and held her hand out. “V-Vil Flame Feel!” Her fire seeped out, but it was pointless. There was no recovering from this.

“I—it is you, isn’t it?” Raven croaked out.

“Yeah. It’s me.” Ken slid her arm underneath the dying woman and did her best to get her comfortable. “Just let me think for a second.” She grunted. “I’ll figure something out and—”

“You really are so stupid.” Raven laughed.

“Shut up!” Ken shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “If I can get more Qi, maybe I can force a Ril-level technique out.”

“I really would have liked to see it again.” Raven let out a weak sigh.

“S-See what?”

“Your face.” Raven’s voice grew weaker. “I really did like you. You were interesting and had so many stories. I was kind of sad when you didn’t recall any of the things we shared.”

“Y-You can tell me about them later! And… you can remind me.”

“You told me you wanted to stay in Esteria.” Raven’s voice got even quieter. “That you had to stay. That you hated your land.”

Ken felt her lip quiver. “Yeah… I love Rossum, but the people there… I’ve never been good with people at all. I hate them. I hate people in general. Humans, I mean. I can never stand them.”

“That’s okay.” Raven gave a weak grin. “I told you earlier, I’m good at reading people’s hearts. You might have these dark thoughts or bouts of hatred, but I know that it’s just your mind. Not your heart. You’re not the type to do something evil.”

“You don’t know anything about me…”

“I guess you’re right. Shit, that sucks.” Raven winced. “I was looking forward to learning more about you. I was even going to beg Crow to let you on his team.”

“Crow?”

“My brother.” Raven coughed badly, and her body shook. “Damn. He’s going to be so pissed. Do you think you could pass on a message to him?”

“...Sure. He’d be happier if you told him yourself, though.”

“We both know that can’t happen.”

“Yeah… What’s your message… Raven whispered the words, unable to even properly speak. Ken nodded once she heard them. “Okay. I’ll tell him. I’ll pass that onto him.”

“Ha… Ha… I… I tricked you.” Raven began to grow cold. “T-The only way you’d be able to talk to him is t-to t-try out for the Arcane Knights. L-Looks like you got no c-choice now.”

“Yeah.” Ken chuckled. “Looks like my hands are tied.”

“I knew it.” Raven let out one final breath. “You’re a kind person.” And then that was that. Raven didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Didn’t live.

Raven was dead.

Ken felt her lip quiver slightly, but she was the mighty Ken Yuan. She didn’t feel things. She wasn’t some nice person either. Raven was wrong. She didn’t take the time to find a communication device and call as many numbers as she could to report what happened, and she also didn’t make sure all the bodies were covered and protected for those who would soon arrive. She also certainly didn’t cry, and she didn’t leave the area feeling like the world’s biggest failure.

Lastly, she didn’t go to the capital to take the Arcane Knight’s entrance exam, because why would she ever do that? Why would she fulfill the wishes of someone she had just met? Someone she barely knew.

She would never.

Because she was Ken Yuan. She had other reasons to do what she did. Reasons for why she took the time to call, to put the bodies away, and reasons to head to the capital.

That was just who she was.

The story that was being told.