Min Yon Sul almost jumped out of his skin. The sound of small stones scattering all around from next to him told a tale of similar reaction from his companion. They both spun around. The gaudy blade appeared in Rei Yang’s hand, poised for an attack.

Not ten paces from them stood a strikingly beautiful silver haired woman, studying them. She had her arms crossed across her chest with one of her index fingers pressed against her lips. Head slightly tilted to the side, she observed the pair, like an oddity she’d spotted at a local market.

”Wh-, Who are you?” Rei Yang asked.

The woman turned her face to the roof of the cave, gripping the tip of her chin between her thumb and index finger, clearly in thought. ”Hmm, I wonder. Who am I?”

”That’s what she asked.” Min Yon Sul said.

”That she did, indeed. Curious. I am quite certain I should know, yet it escapes me.”

”Great. As if we haven’t been through enough shit already and now we have to deal with a madwom--.”

Rei Yang stepped hard on his foot. ”Be quiet. I can’t sense anything from her. Either it means she’s an ordinary mortal, or she’s someone so far above us that we can’t even touch her feet. I’m banking on the later.”

Min Yon Sul glanced at the woman. ”Apologies, madam.”

The silver haired woman ignored him completely, apparently still lost in thought. Min Yon Sul and Rei Yang both stood still, not daring to move. They quietly glanced at each other. Min Yon Sul shrugged his shoulders.

”Errmm, madam? Excuse me, madam?”

”Huh? Ah, yes, yes. Visitors. Quite peculiar indeed. Hmm, how long has it been since the last time?”

”I’m sorry, madam, but that is something I can’t answer, I’m afraid.” Min Yon Sul said.

”You’re afraid? Oh, no, no, you have no need to be afraid. You’re guests.”

”No, no I’m not-, ah well, frankly I am afraid, but that’s not what I-, ugh. It’s a figure of speech.”

”I see, I see. You say you’re not afraid. Yet next you say you are afraid. What odd creatures you are. Fear not, we are not in the habit of killing infants. Oh, and be a dear and put that toy away, young miss.”

The sword in Rei Yang’s hand fell slowly from a guard to pointing to the ground. Min Yon Sul stared the woman in silence. He could’ve sworn he saw her eyes gleam unnaturally in the light, but it was hard pin pointing what it was exactly.

Without a word, she turned and started walking away from the beach. Her white robe flowed around her as she strode ahead. The light from their Qi lamp glinted off of the silvery runes embroidered on the hem and lapels of the robe.

By now she’d already gotten to the edge of the light. If the lack of light bothered her, she didn’t show any signs of it.

She glanced at the over her shoulder as she walked ”Well, are you coming?”

Min Yon Sul and Rei Yang glanced at each other once more, and then followed the weird woman in silent agreement. They had barely taken any steps when the woman ahead of them spoke again.

”Oh, I forget you children are practically blind. Here, let me help you.”

She clapped her hands in front of her and in an instant the hidden roof the cavernous space started glowing with soft light. Before them, a field of grass spread out into every direction. Flowers like Min Yon Sul had never seen sprouted from the ground all around them.

He missed a step at the sight. Next to him Rei Yang drew in a sharp breath.

This must be fancy as hell if she is impressed, he thought.

The silver haired woman kept her pace ahead of them. Myriad of scents filled the air as they traversed across the blooming field. After a short walk they came up on to a vast mound rising from the field. On top of the raised ground stood a massive building made of dark stone. Silvery runes ran across the sprawling building’s every surface.

The building Shin Yang had practically pulled out of his ass earlier was finest thing Min Yon Sul had ever seen. Every fine detail had filled him with sense of wonder. Besides this place, it could’ve as well been a shack made by hobbyist woodcarver on their spare time.

It was hard to explain, but the building in front of the practically oozed perfection on a profound level. Every last edge of the slightly up-turning roofs, every pillar supporting the covered walkways around the sprawling building and every railed balcony lined up with immaculate symmetry. Everything was flawless.

”What-, What is this place?” Rei Yang whispered.

”I have no idea. I’ve never heard even a wisp of a rumour of anything like this being here, inside the mines.”

The building sat on a solid stone foundation reaching up to Min Yon Sul’s chest. Covered walkways surrounded the building on all sides. Ahead of them the woman walked up the couple of steps to the entrance to the palace. Calling the place anything less than a palace would've been an insult to the building.

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The strange woman glanced at them over her shoulder. ”It’s been such a long time since we’ve had guests. Would you like some tea?”

Min Yon Sul turned to Rei Yang. She shrugged her shoulders, clearly as lost as he was.

”Errmm, sure. I mean, yes, thank you, madam.”

”Splendid.”

Without saying anything more the silver haired beauty spun around once more and continued into the building. Min Yon Sul shared a look with Rei Yang and in silent agreement they followed the woman into the building.

The moment they crossed the threshold into the building proper, Min Yon Sul slammed face first on to the floor. A gasp next to him told of similar fate on his companion’s part. It was as if someone had dropped a fully loaded mining cart on top of his back.

He struggled to draw a breath. Try as he might, he couldn’t get his limbs to even budge. Next to him Rei Yang whimpered.

”Ah, apologies, children.”

Instant later the weight started easing and Min Yon Sul drew a deep breath. He managed to lift his head enough to turn to the woman standing above them. A circle of runes radiating with power hovered in the air above her hand. As the runes shifted, the weight lessened gradually.

”What the fuck was that?” Min Yon Sul blurted out.

Next him, Rei Yang was on her knees, mouth hanging a gape. ”That-, that was Qi. Pure, raw Qi.”

”Yes, it was Qi. Apologies again, children. It was an error in judgement on my part. I keep forgetting you are so weak. I’ve tuned the Qi gathering array down now.”

”Wh-, what? All of that Qi was from a Qi gathering array?” Rei Yang sputtered.

”Yes, indeed it was.”

Min Yon Sul glanced at the stunned young woman sitting on her knees next to him. She had yet to pick her jaw off the floor. Clearly, what they’d just witnessed had to really fucking impressive if the noble pain in the ass next to him was left flabbergasted in such a manner.

”I’ll let you children catch your breath and get the tea going. Down that hallway, you will find a lounge room, first door on the right. I’ll be with you in a moment.” The woman said, gesturing to the one of the arched doorways.

As the woman disappeared into another hallway Rei Yang still stared ahead in daze.

”What is it?”

Rei Yang blinked and turned to him ”It’s-, it’s-. How do I explain this to country bumpkin like you.”

”Was that really that impressive? Isn’t the madwo-”

She grabbed his forearm in a vice grip, her fingernails biting into his arm ”Do. not. insult. that. woman. Say you understand or I will knock you out cold right now.”

”Wait, what the-?”

She pierced him with a look that promised violence if he didn’t listen. ”Say you understand.”

”Yeesh, I understand. What’s gotten into you?”

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and let out long sigh ”You idiot. You are so ignorant that it drives me mad. That Qi gathering array just now... I’ve never seen anything like it. She is strong.”

”What do you mean by that? Haven’t you spent your entire life surrounded by insanely strong people like your uncle?”

”Yes, I have, but this is different. Let me put in a way even your slow country hick brain will understand. If my uncle got mad at you and decided to slap you, we might find bits and pieces across the fields. If she got angry and slapped you, she might level the entire mountain along you without even noticing it.”

Min Yon Sul gulped. ”I-, I see. Then who is she?”

Rei Yang pushed herself back to her feet. ”I have no idea. I’ve never heard of anyone like her. All I know we don’t want to anger her.”

Min Yon Sul gathered himself up as well and they made their way to the corridor the woman had pointed earlier. The lounge room was as flawless as everything else thus far. The walls were split in panelled sections, depicting scenes of serene landscapes and flowing rivers carved straight into the stone. In the middle of the room sat a knee-high table surrounded by plush cushions.

Not long after they had sat down their host came back carrying a tray of steaming porcelain cups. Next to Min Yon Sul, Rei Yang sat in a prim and proper pose on top of her knees, her hands folded in her lap. He tried to copy the pose and manners of the young woman to the best of his ability. He saw no point in trying to offend the the woman in front of them.

For as long as he’d known the young woman, he’d never seen her rattled this badly. Not even when they faced the crackmaws. So their host must’ve been truly terrifying.

The woman laid their cups in front of them and sat down across the table. She quietly lifted her own cup, drew in a deep breath, savoring the aroma and took a sip. A moment later she laid her cup back on the table and let out a content sigh. Min Yon Sul and Rei Yang both had still yet to touch theirs.

”Please, children, enjoy the tea. It’s been a while since I last brewed tea for others but I’m quite certain haven't decayed to the point that it'd be poisonous.”

They both jerked in their seats and went for their cups, almost spilling some of the liquid.

”Children, relax. You have nothing to fear in here. I’ve been alive long enough to not mind some ignorance from infants. I am not going to slap anyone. After all, I am particularly fond of this specific mountain.” She said, with a twinkle in her eyes.

Next to him Rei Yang jerked, actually spilling some of the precious brew. ”My apologies, great elder, I meant no offense.”

”And there was none taken. It is the fate of us women to suffer from the blockheadedness of men.”

Min Yon Sul nearly choked on his sip of tea.

”Errr, I-, I’m glad someone understands what I have to deal with.” Rei Yang said.

The woman across them let out a silvery peal of laughter. Slowly the mirth faded and her expression turned more serious. ”So, how did two children, barely out of their diapers, end up here?”

”Great elder, we didn’t mean to intrude on your domain. The underground river carried us here.”

”Why in the world would you go into the river? There are plenty of better places to swim around the mountain.”

”Didn’t get much of a choice, ma’am. It was either fighting crap ton of crackmaws or taking a dip in the river. At the time, going for a swim felt like the better option of the two.” Min Yon Sul said.

”Crackmaws? Oh, you mean those bugs crawling around this place.” She glanced at them. ”Yes, I can see how dealing with several of them might be a little inconvenient for you.”

”Inconvenient? We barely managed to kill one of them and I almost ended up losing an arm.”

”Only through real hardship are the greatest warriors forged.”

”Sorry, ma’am, but I’m happy if I can get out of this hellhole alive.”

At his words, the expression on the woman’s face shifted. The air crackled around them. Suddenly the air felt heavier than it had been just an instant ago. ”I will have you refrain from insulting this place.”

Min Yon Sul hurried to answer ”I’m-, I’m sorry, ma’am.”

The pressure lifted and the air around them calmed down. ”Apologies, children. I’ve been asleep for a very long time and it seems I still get quite easily irritated after just waking up.”

”Oh, no need to apologize. It’s not the first time my mouth has gotten me into trouble.”

”I can attest to that being true.” Rei Yang said.

She gave her a slight smile. ”Worry not, children.”

”Still, I'm sorry. I still stand behind my point, however. When was the last time you checked your front yard, ma’am? You might not like what you find. All I, and countless others, have known in this place, is torment.”

The woman gave him a serious look and then closed her eyes. Moments later the air started humming as waves of pressure pulsed from her. Her eyes snapped open, blazing with power. ”The gall! How dare mere mortals defile this place in such manner.”

The raw power welling in the air pressed down on Min Yon Sul. He had fight to stay on his knees and not to slump down to the ground. Next to him Rei Yang was gasping for air as well. The woman noticed them and in blink of an eye the maelstrom of power abated.

”Forgive me, children. It is unbecoming of me to lose my composure like this.”

”Who are you?” Rei Yang said, still breathing heavily.

”I’ve had many names along the years. Now I’m just a humble old woman taking care of the last resting place of her husband. You can call me Raina.”

”Wait, what? All of this, just for a grave?" Min Yon Sul asked in stunned voice.

"Who was he, then, great elder?" Rei Yang asked.

The woman gave him a wistful smile. ”Ilakilieth, The Last King of the Void Dragons.”