The winding streets of Ei'en passed by in a blur. The flickering lights and bustling sounds of citizens going about their business were nothing more than a distant buzz in the back of Mei's mind. The moment she stepped onto the academy grounds, a wave of light-headedness washed over her, and for a moment, the world seemed to float around her. Master Umi Nagisa was likely still out, so with little concern, Mei bypassed the servants and headed straight to her section of the courtyard. The tension in her body was immense, every muscle coiled tight. Without hesitation, she grabbed her robe and made her way toward the secluded hot springs above.
Ki in this world flowed into cultivators like oxygen into blood, suffusing their bodies and nourishing their inner reserves. This energy would gather in a spiritual nexus known as the Ki Island, a growing manifestation of their power within. As they matured, cultivators refined their Ki Island into more complex structures, which in turn enhanced their physical form. Over time, this Ki transformed their bodies, aligning them with the essence of the deity they served. For Mei, the nature of Vasu-Jin, the serpent god of venom, was something she still struggled to understand. His Ki was elusive, potent, and venomous—a force that coursed through her veins with a bite that she had yet to fully tame.
Mei staggered into her room, her legs giving way beneath her as she collapsed onto the floor. Even after her cultivation session at the springs, she could barely wrap her mind around what had happened earlier that day. When Master Myong Yeo-Jung had returned, Mei hadn't uttered a word, instead rushing back to the academy as swiftly as possible. Never, in all her years, did she imagine that the Crown Prince would be the one to save her life. She had become so desensitized to the contempt others held for her that she was still struggling to comprehend that someone so powerful would step in for her sake.
A familiar, hissing voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Well, that wasss exciting, wasssn't it?" The voice came from her mirror.
"Lord Vasu-Jin?" Mei asked, raising her head.
"Of courssse it iss me, foolisssh girl!" he snapped irritably. "Did you really risssk your life for that little eight-year-old brat?!? Becaussse of you, I nearly had to intervene myssself, and that would have been quite... inconvienent for me, here in the heavenss."
"I am sorry, Lord," Mei replied, her eyes downcast as she averted her gaze from the mirror. "I don't know why I did that... my body acted before I could even think."
"Aww, Mei, it iss fine," Vasu-Jin sighed, releasing a puff of ethereal mist. "But remember, I am your deity, and you are my familia. Do try to be more cautiousss next time."
"Yes, my Lord," she whispered. Mei blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. Aside from her parents, no one had ever been this concerned for her well-being. In her heart, she felt a deep, unspoken gratitude for the serpent god who had taken her under his venomous wing.
----------------------------------------
Deep within the mountains...
"AHHHH!" A blood-curdling scream echoed off the damp stone walls.
"Please, I beg you! I didn't do any—AHHHH!"
The young man’s voice trembled with terror, his head hanging low, eyes barely able to focus on the dim torchlight that flickered around him. His fingers were pierced through with long, gleaming needles, each one dripping with blood. Several more needles protruded from the tips of his fingers, wedged painfully beneath his nails. Sweat plastered his disheveled hair to his face, muscles tensed in agony as he struggled against the bindings that held him to the wooden chair.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
A girlish giggle filled the room, light and playful, yet laden with malice. "Oh, you really don’t know why, do you?"
A woman’s voice, sickeningly sweet, came from the shadows.
"You tried to harm our dear Seito Mei," she pouted, as if reprimanding a child. "And anyone who does that will regret it. You, my unlucky friend, are no exception."
"I never did anything to anyone named that!" he cried out, his voice cracking with desperation. "You’ve got the wrong man!"
"Lying? Oh, I hate liars!" The girl's cheerful tone turned sharp. She leaned in close, her eyes glittering behind the white mask she wore, a red symbol painted across its surface. With a gleeful hum, she drove another needle between his fingernail and bone, savoring the thin spray of blood that followed.
"AHHHHH!" The man's scream filled the chamber, his breathing turning ragged, each gasp a fight to draw air into his lungs. He tried to pull away, his wrists straining against the metal cuffs, but every time he attempted to circulate his Ki, the bindings drained it away, leaving him powerless.
"You BITCH!" he spat, rage momentarily overpowering his terror. "I will kill you! When I get out of here, I'll find you! I'll beat you until your own mother won’t recognize you! I'll make you beg for death, then hand you over to the beasts to be their plaything, a breeder for criminals!" His threats grew more vile, spewed with venomous fury.
The woman only giggled, tilting her head in mock innocence. "Oh! Such colorful language." Her voice was maddeningly cheerful. "You really shouldn’t anger me, you know."
Soga Michinaga looked up, his eyes filled with hatred and despair, only to be met with the sight of his tormentor—a petite woman in a black cloak, her traditional prostitute’s garb now replaced with a deadly elegance. He had mistaken her for an easy mark in the alleyway, a mere plaything for his frustrations. Now, he realized too late the fatal error in his assumptions.
"Please... release me," he pleaded, his voice cracking. "My father will pay any sum! Just let me go, I promise I’ll forget all of this!"
"Aww, you had to ruin it!" the girl whined, stomping her foot in disappointment. "The others said I could play with you as long as I was having fun. But now you've gone and used that tired old line. Ugh, so boring!" She pouted as if someone had stolen her favorite toy.
Her wooden sandals, with sharp metal blades embedded in the soles, clicked ominously as she approached. Raising her leg high, the robes slid down to reveal a slender, toned leg. Soga's mind, clouded with pain, still registered her twisted beauty, but there was no mercy in her eyes—only a sadistic delight.
"Wait! No, please—"
"Oops, almost forgot!" she interrupted, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "You should see the face of the one who sends you to the afterlife!" She slid off her mask, revealing a cruel smile, her short brown hair ending in playful curls. "Goodbye! What was your name again? Eh, doesn't matter. BYE BYE!"
Her foot came down in a swift, brutal arc. The last thing Soga Michinaga saw was the femine leg of his captor crash down on him and the sadistic grin of his executioner. The Blade embedded itself firmly into his forehead. Blood sprayed across the stone floor, his head flopped down.
tap
tap
"Come in!" Motome called out in a sing-song voice, wiping the blood from her sandals.
"Motome, did you make a mess of things again?" a deep, rumbling voice filled the chamber as Dukuro stepped inside.
"Oh, DUKURO! I missed you!" she squealed, her tone shifting from murderous glee to childish delight. "Let’s not separate again!"
"You know the mission comes first," Dukuro grunted, unimpressed. "Boss says get back to your post. He also said good job eliminating a potential threat, but no more acting without permission."
"Hmph, tell the boss he’s no fun!" Motome pouted, skipping out of the blood-spattered dungeon with a cheerful hum.
The remaining prisoners watched her leave, their eyes wide with terror. Their breathing was shallow, bodies trembling, as they struggled futilely against their bonds. One man choked back a sob, while another chewed on his lip to stifle a scream. Any attempt to harness their Ki was drained away by the enchanted restraints, leaving them utterly helpless. For them, there was no hope, only the certainty of a slow, agonizing death at the hands of their captors.