Hazu P.O.V.
“You can raise your head, child.”
I was properly prostrated before the Madame inside her private quarters. With the order I shifted my posture.
“Report.”
“Consort Yun Hee has progressed to the next stage in her cultivation. The more time she spends wither her lord, the more her chaos root will grow. It has begun to fully manifest. She is undergoing intensive training as we speak.”
I bowed down again, waiting for orders.
“What do you make of her andurian?”
“He is suitable. The lesser god spirit within him is mutinous, impossible to bring under control without harming the host.”
I spoke only facts; interpretation is always left to the “Great Seer” herself.
“His guards, what have they done?”
“Nothing, they just watched and are watching the entire thing from the shadows. Not even a look of surprise.”
“Did you bring it?”
I took out a small flask with just a drop of the strange concoction patreon Krigsain had given to the little miss. The Madame’s blood tentacles spread through the floor retrieving the flask in less than a few seconds.
She was inspecting the solution behind her barely lit curtain. After many minutes, close to an hour.
“Let’s not overstep the Andurin, Hazu. They have sent them in good faith it seems.”
‘Whatever is in the flask is of great interest to the Madame!’
I bowed down respectfully again. Nevertheless, I was troubled considerably.
“I can feel your uneasiness, child. Speak.” She ordered.
“The little miss is like a drug. The andurian oddity will be addicted to her before he departs from here. But she refuses to completely overtake him. She likes him, Madame.”
I was fearful of the reaction from our leader.
“Explain.” Her voice became abrasive.
“If they are not training, they are doing it like rabbits. But break time is spent in her new music room with the andurian. She loves it, Madame.”
“I see.” Came a melodic voice, her anger dissipating.
A new flask appeared before me, blood red liquid. I took it from the extended tentacle and put it away inside my ring. Extreme corrective measures if necessary.
“Let’s see how things develop, there is plenty of time. Bring me eight drops of his blood.”
‘The Madame is going to use divination on him? Blood ritual?!’
“Excuse me my lady but didn’t you say not to overstep the Andurin?” Nervous but I needed to ask.
“The Andurin order, little flower’s toy has yet to become kotari and he is an exception.”
Her Qi was manifesting; she was letting me know that the questioning of her orders had gone far enough.
“I’ll be inconspicuous, Madame.” I quickly prostrated myself.
“You may leave.”
I stood up with a bow and departed.
‘Too bad it is the last night of little lord. The blood collection will have to wait.’
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Ciel P.O.V.
“Take a seat.”
Freslia’s quarters were proper girly. Extremely surprising. Then again a deluxe accommodation for one without a sealed space is something to be expected.
“You wanted to see me, Claimere?”
“Yes, how is progress with Mikros?” She was being uncharacteristically pleasant.
“Really great, resources are abundant and lady Mikros is a great teacher. I’ll be close to a tri-core by the time my kotari trial comes.”
“Never disregard the basics Ciel. Power, control, speed, intuition and the Will. Those eyes of yours are special.”
Freslia placed a small case on the table next to me.
I reluctantly opened it.
“Wow!” I was far more than just surprised.
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The runes on the lenses made it clear. Runecraft artifact lenses.
“They will protect your eyes. Enemies will get feisty during the war.”
I couldn’t speak. It was too much, the pair cost a fortune, thousands of Ucra, in the tens of thousands kind of thing.
“Why?” I exclaimed.
“You are good Ciel, real good. That is why.” She padded my shoulder and sat at eye level.
‘I wasn’t getting what she was saying. You are good too, lady Freslia.’
She also placed a small booklet with many pages, parchment style, the expensive kind. It appeared from her temporal ring.
“What is this?”
“This is for you if you agree to my condition.” More pleasant sounds.
It felt eerie, so unlike her.
I flipped over the first few pages. It had detailed information of everything regarding Krigs, abilities and powers excluded. Everything else seemed to be there.
“I can’t accept this. This is invasion of privacy and that’s just the starting point.” I complained with intent.
“I’ve been watching the two of you closely for a while now. You like him Ciel, too much for just a crush. You need help and I need help. In the latter pages you will find detailed recommendations for the path of a sage and also a guide to your one-sided affair’s heart.”
“People are not machinery; things don’t work like that.”
“Of course not, but it is your best shot. Besides—”
Freslia showed me her right palm.
“I made a deal with the unruly one.”
It had a cut. The type of cut that happens when you do a blood pact or ritual. It was going to take some time to heal.
“I know many things; you are going to have to trust me. You will suffer and it will take time but in the end, you will have what you desire. If you do as I say.”
‘What?! Can you make someone forcedly love another? Is that even love? I don’t want that! I must be reading too much into things!’
I just stared at her dumbfounded, not knowing how to explain myself without causing future problems. But I did have a major preoccupation.
“Why would you go this far for me? I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
“I told you. You are good. The good boys and the good girls should win, even though the world doesn’t work like that most of the time. I want you to succeed where I failed.”
I stood up and respectfully gave the kotarian military salute. I left Krigs parchment book and the lenses on the table. My integrity isn’t for sale.
I turned to leave.
“All you have to do is tell Krigsain that you will fight for his love. Then there won’t be any conflicts with my offer.”
“I think I have heard enough.” I opened the door to depart.
“When you change your mind just change your hair, you need a new look. I’ll come find you then, Miss Thresen.”
I left in a hurry with my wildly beating heart.
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Ikrei P.O.V.
“Enough!” “Enough, woman!”
Her blessing energy receded. I had a virulent pecker ready for discharge under my Hanfu cloth.
“Your resistance is getting better, good right?” Pleasant voice, unpleasant imitation.
I sat on my bed, we were going to start a round of joint meditation. Yun Hee sat in front of me in lotus position also, only a few inches away. The orgon crystals in my room lit up with the chants. Internal multi seal formation inside the rooms.
‘I’ll never get over the extravagance in this place.’
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!”
The purpose of doing this was to aid me in managing the energies within me. The fire of Malgrun and the so called chaos root that I was better not knowing anything about.
I felt how Yun Hee was redirecting the dark energies. Not much different from Krigsain or Ixur. The restrain of the contract didn’t allow for memories or thoughts to be shared. She adamantly refused to share beforehand for several minutes.
“Argh!”
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!”
The pain from the interference was excruciating but I remained alert. The terrible punishment from my morning fights and the meditations were paying off.
“Argh!”
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!”
Another extremely painful soul poke. Every time Yun Hee tried to control the dark energy, it retaliated. The important thing was that I was getting better at remaining conscious at a good pace.
I could remain focused for thirty-three minutes, give or take a few seconds.
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!”
Yun Hee switched to the fire of Malgrun. It was done as a rest period from the pain but the problem was that my loins became heated severely. I felt how Yun Hee was getting aroused intensely. She was enjoying it.
‘Ha, ha, ha, ha!’
I could feel her laughter, that maniacal sweet toned laughter of hers.
‘Strong emotions sometimes cross over, interesting.’
When it came to resisting the desire from the engulfing flame, I was far behind. All I wanted to do was pound on that delicious transforming derriere. It is terrible to realize how much of an animal one truly is.
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!”
We continued the meditation portion of our joint training for several hours.
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Yun Hee P.O.V.
“Your control over yourself and your chaos root is getting better.”
“My restrain against your fire is in the cloths. You don’t have anything to do with it, right?”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha!”
‘Of course I do, you dummy.’
“At least you don’t run your mouth.”
“I could if you want me to, lord. This is your last night here, right?” I was definitively imitating his ways.
“I do wonder why you call me lord when you underhand my efforts with subtlety.”
“Everything I do benefits you ultimately, you must become strong to resist all things.”
I placed my hand on his face. I could feel that the pillow talk was about to get serious.
I let my energy expand. I wanted to cover him with the reassurance of the flame.
“You know; I did gain something in the middle of all your mingling.”
“What would that be, lord?”
“I can know when you are about to move your hand or when you are about to move your leg. I can feel the flow of your blessing through your meridians.”
‘Really? That can’t be, it is too soon!’
“I’ve gone through pain and despair, dealing with pleasure is a little bit easier.”
His eyes were intense. Not malicious, just passionate.
“Out with it. What’s on your mind?”
“I burn with desire but it is all fake. Do you actually desire me?”
I placed my arms around his neck and nodded.
“Do you want to do something that I will definitively not like?”
‘Guess I cannot lie or play the fool.’
“Women can also be Spider Queens my lord. Whether I will be one to you. That’s the only question.”
He grabbed my buttocks with force. My eyes held firm, his did too.
“You are angry. Let me soothe you.” The blessing of Malgrun exploded inside the room.
“This is soothing? Joker.” He was aroused beyond control.
He still had his wits about him. His feelings intensifying but all over the place.
“You want me to leave, lord?”
“Of all the little things that mean nothing, let’s have one that is real.”
His Qi exploded as well, the seed of Malgrun was resonating with my blessing. The transformation I expected never came. Even my hair remained static, it wasn’t obeying me.
And for the first time, without pills or chants he directed me as we interlaced. Yun Hee was just that, Yun Hee and my lord wasn’t my lord but Ikrei, just Ikrei, the small time forest hunter.
‘Burn with me or burn away!’
I could tell you it was nothing; I could tell you that my recollection was and is off. But I remember that night as it was and I do today, all the same. Even if our destiny was never a kind one.