Snow fell like soft rain on a large complex courtyard. Every hour, one could see servants rush into the snow and shovel it away from the tone-paved ground. The stoned path and stone house was kept snow-free by an army of servants all through the white cold. The white cold had arrived early for Other-side and would go on long after the bloom arrives for This-side.

Yelling could suddenly be heard tearing through the windy night, making the servants pause. They were sure it was not the master, even though it was common to hear him at this time, yell the mistress's name in the heat of passion. What could a woman possibly do to a man to make him scream without pride? Was it not the job of the man to conquer the woman in bed, letting her scream in the testimony of his prowess? Why was the role reversed here? The servants would always sigh, not knowing where to hide their faces in shame. Their great master screamed like a woman in bed; his scary person forgotten.

The yelling they heard this night was surely not their master, but someone riding madly towards the gates. They stopped their work and looked at the shadow madly approaching. They tried to listen to the words he shouted into the night and when they did, it scared them stiff.

"Fire! Fire! The city is burning! Fire!"

Before the man arrived at the gate, one of the guards had rushed into the house to tell the master. The news was so urgent that he did not care for the frown of those guarding the halls.

"You cannot enter, sir. The master is busy," one of them said respectfully, signally that the one rushing past them was their superior. When they saw that he ignored them and walked right past, they seemed to panic. No matter the urgent nature of the problem, no one was allowed to barge into the master's bedroom at this hour. Even though the man ignoring them was their superior, they could not let him pass.

"No, sir... you can't!" they rushed after him, but he glared at them in response.

He knocked twice but did not wait for a response and he barged in. The room stilled as the guards feasted their eyes upon the sight before them.

On the bed, the master was kneeling with his naked butt in the air, while the mistress had a wooded four-inch stick tied to her naked waist; which she used to plough the master's hole from behind. The sight was scarring, as her breasts bounced as she performed the fast motion, letting the master moan in ecstasy. Their actions held their attention so much, that they did not even notice when the guards barged in. The head guard was not faced with this view; he called to the master.

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"Master! Urgent news!" he said, making the others wonder if he was already aware of the masters' preferences. His voice not only shocked the masters but the guards as well. They rushed out of the room like their feet were on fire, hoping that the master did not see their faces. The door shut behind the head guard, and the mistress frowned at the disturbance.

"Do you wish to lose your head?" she asked the cold guard. She did not bother to stop her actions, slapping the master's behind and causing him to groan.

"I apologise, mistress. This is urgent," the guard said and the master moaned.

"Oh? He likes you watching, I see," she said, slapping the master on his behind again. "It's as if he wishes that you join to play with him. What do you think?" she asked the guard, whose cold eyes turned colder.

"The city is burning," he said and the couple on the bed paused.

"What?" they asked in unison.

"The city is burning. All of it. Many have died," the guard said.

A red fat man was suddenly seen rushing out of his mansion into the cold, the next moment. He looked dishevelled as he looked into the night towards the direction of the city. It was no more dark smoke alone, rising into the sky from that direction. The sky was lit, and one could see the city completely ablaze. He spun and screamed at the guards.

"Get martial guards there! Put out that fire immediately!" he bellowed madly.

"City Lord," a voice called behind him and he turned immediately to see a man in grey fur.

"Yes, you! What are you doing here? You should be over there handling the fire! Go put it out!"

"City Lord, no amount of water can put it out; we have tired," the man said solemnly.

"What about the water formation? Have you done that!?"

"Even the water formation did not put it out. We have even used the reserves of spirit water when the fire first broke. Nothing works," the man answered.

"Nothing? Do you know what is under the city? If this fire stays on too long, we are doomed! The Avrid will have our heads!" the city lord seemed to have lost his mind.

"Have you informed the messengers?" the city lord asked.

"Yes. They will arrive soon,"

"While they come, are you just going to stand there? Try and put out that fire even if you need to use human blood. Put it out!"

The man frowned. He understood why the city lord was angry, but what could he really do? All the water or liquid they could use to put out the fire, they had used. The man considered running, as he knew what was coming next. When the messengers arrive, he will probably be killed.