Jacara thrown through a cloud landing with a loud splash. He awoke choking, screaming and flailing wildly in the water. "WHAT THE FUCK!" He screamed splashing his arms around. Kenpachi looked down at him with a smug smirk. "Finally awake princess?" "You...." Jacara growled. "Oh, you made a mistake throwing me into water. Now I can-" Kenpachi cocked his fist. Jacara yelped, raising his guard. "AH! Don't-" He sank into the water. He surfaced with a glare, like a crocodile, peeking only his eyes out. Kenpachi sauntered away, with Jacara bubbling with rage. Jacara climbed out of the water with two giant wooden buckets, being tossed onto him. "Ow!" Jacara rubbed his injuries, he frowned at the woman. An older woman, she wore an azure and golden Kāṣāya, with her braid wrapped into a bun. "Get up prince." She said with a stern voice, and frown. She stood with her arms crossed.
"I'm guessing by the giant buckets, you want me to carry some water." "Perceptive. Now get to it prince." Jacara chuckled, summoning several Fire gates around his body, drying himself off. "Save your strength prince. You will need it." "I'm not carrying any damn water. I'm grabbing some supplies for us. Then we are leaving this damn monastery." The woman uncrossed her arms, holding a long bamboo reed. "Ohohooo? Are you going to spank me, into doing chores?" Jacara scoffed. He gave her derisive eye roll, patting her on the shoulder. "Like that thing could even hurt-" The woman whipped Jacara with the reed, on the ankle. It snapped through the air with a loud crack, and cut his skin open. "SON OF A-" Jacara shouted, hopping on one leg. He stumbled onto the ground, gritting his teeth. "Up, prince." Jacara gnashed his teeth together. "Alright, you old bitch. Just remember you asked for this." Jacara summoned a card.
The woman struck Jacara's hand with the reed, cutting open his palm. He reeled back letting out a high pitched yelp. "AH YOU BITCH!" The woman crossed her arms again. "Get up prince." Jacara snarled at her. He summoned the Hero armour. Jacara held his arms out. "Well, what are you going to do now? Huh?" She approached his backside, loading her arm for a wide swing. The reed cracked the air, and then shattered the armour on Jacara's backside. He jumped into the air with a high pitched yelp, holding his butt, hopping and tripping back into the water. She watched as the water bubbled away, before slowly calming down. Jacara surfaced screaming his face bright red. "I WILL MURDER YOU!" "Come and try it prince." She scoffed with a smirk. Jacara placed his cut hand onto the ledge. "AH!" He screamed falling back into the water.
Jacara crawled out. "That. Is. It!" He slammed his fist into the ground. "I am a prince of two kingdoms, but I am not above hitting a woman!" Jacara shouted. He made a fist cocking it back. She stood confidently waiting for his attack. Jacara stopped himself, his fist an inch away from her face. "Well?" "I...I can't bring myself to hit a woman..." He dropped his head in defeat. "Then get started." Jacara looked at the buckets, each one able to fit a small child. "Those look like they fit 100 litres each." "That's because they do." "Fine, I'm sure there's some stupid rule to this. So what is it?" "No rule, simply fill those buckets with that water, and carry it up to the palace." Jacara chuckled, shaking his head. "Should have started off with that there are no rules, against me using magic. Alllright, where is this palace?" The woman pointed high into the distance, a floating pagoda in the distance. Jacara's jaw dropped. "Is it at least the bottom floor?" The woman shook her head. "Hurry up prince, the sun sets in a few hours." "Alright, what happens if I don't finish in time?" "You don't get food at dinner time."
Jacara healed his hand and ankle. He strained to lug the first bucket out of the water, and brought himself nearly to tears, dragging the second bucket out. Sweating and heaving, he stared at both buckets. The sun hit its peak. "Better hurry prince." "Don't you worry lady." "Grandma Xia." "WELL, 'Grandma Xia' I'll have these two baskets of water up there in no time." Jacara said, moving the two buckets, with a Gaia card. "Two?" Grandma Xia, said with a sly smile. Jacara froze mid step. He spun around scowling at her. She used her reed to point at a stack of buckets. Jacara counted thirty buckets at least. "Why this water? Why does the palace not have its own fucking water supply?" She struck the water with the reed. The water droplets floated gently in the air. "This water is brimming with Arcane energy. I'm surprised you did not notice that, Prince of two kingdoms."
"...I knew that!" Jacara scoffed. "Just testing you..." He stopped seeing the water slowly trickling out the bottom of the bucket. "What the fuck!? Why is it leaking?" "Because you aren't using-" "NO! I refuse to be a part of this insane test of strength! You expect me to carry all this water, up to that floating building in the sky, that's at least a good hours walk away, with broken fucking baskets!?" "I thought this would be easy, since you can use your magic? Or is the prince of two kingdoms, not only weak, but a liar." She cracked a sly grin, cocking an eyebrow at him. Seething with his rage boiling just under the surface. "I will bring this place crashing to the ground." He growled. "You can't even lift two buckets of water with your hands." He let out a low growl, sealing the buckets shut with Enk magic, creating a cloth to wrap them. Jacara slowly moved the buckets, sliding them along the ground with Gaia. Grandma Xia, followed behind, humming a whiney tune. Jacara took a deep breath, using all his mental strength to not lash out.
Ul'lanna was thrown into a rock pool, cracking the surface of thin ice. She shot awake screaming at the freezing cold water. She splashed around, before standing up shivering, her teeth chattering violently. Ichibae stood at the ledge, the wooden slats covered in frost ,and icicles lined the ceiling. She held herself, with Ichibae holding his staff in her face. "Wh-wh-wh-wh-" "This is our hot spring." He said with a smile, and white smoke following his words. Ul'lanna quaked on the spot, looking around at the water freezing around her legs, with eyes of contempt. "We have the monks that need to train their Fire magic here. Normally we would have ten to twenty in here at a time. However, I would like for you to keep this room hot enough for my son's liking." "F-f-f-f-" Ichibae waved her goodbye, as she continued to stutter, trying her hardest to swear at him. Ul'lanna waded out of the water, creating a Fire gate to warm her blue limbs.
"Wh-wh-what kind of...fucking psycho-" "I must apologize for my father." Kenpachi said. Ul'lanna leapt to her feet, standing at attention, and saluting him. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I am sure you must his training methods quite extreme. However it means he sees potential in you." 'I see you in me...Focus Ul'lanna!' "Are you okay?" He asked reaching for her. 'Oh fuck! Did I say that out loud?' He pulled away feeling an intense heat around her. "Ul'lanna?" "Yes, that is I!" He cocked both eyebrows at her. 'GET A GRIP, UL'LANNA!' "I am okay....I need to continue my training now." She said robotically, before jumping head first into the water. He looked at her shocked. "Hmm, she must really be eager to train." Ul'lanna screamed under the icy cold water, nearly boiling the water instantly. She resurfaced with a composed smile. "The water is ready."
"Wow, that is impressive." He said, sliding down the rest of his Kāṣāya. Ul'lanna watched with bulging eyes. The water bubbled and boiled over, with scalding steam rising to the surface. He slowly waded into the water. She stared in awe at his completely naked body. "Ahhhhh, the temperature is amazing Ul'lanna." "Yes..the penis-ture..." "What?" "Nothing!" "Oh, that reminds me." He said turning around, showing his back. Her jaw dropped. "THE WATER IS READY EVERYONE!" She shook her head. Her trance disappeared. "Everyone?" A horde of naked men and women barged in, ranging from children to elderly. All of them quickly leapt into the water. Her eyes now bulged with disgust, completely mortified at all the naked women and men. She ducked into the water, seeing a wave of genitalia, that could never be unseen. Kenpachi watched as the water bubbled. 'The water hasn't dropped in heat, even with all these new bodies. That is impressive. She is very dedicated.'
Yamada awoke in a warm bed, a thick fur blanket draped over him. The bed was the softest thing he had slept on in over a month. He tried to sit up. He let out a groan, clutching his stomach. An excruciating pain radiated out from his stomach, and his arms, with both of them feeling numb. Yamada tried to force himself up, before a finger pushed his head back onto the bed. He looked up to see Karina smiling down at him. He felt his heart race, and his face stiffen. Behind her were two men in white cloaks. They sat by his side, branding him with two Blessed gates. The two men glared at Karina, pursing their lips to a line at her. She pointed to his arms shaking her head. One of the Blesseds, removed the blanket, revealing a giant bruise in the size of a foot on Yamada's stomach. "And this one?" She giggled with a nervous smile, scratching the back of her head. They both let out a low displeased mumble.
"Where am I?" Karina pointed to herself, making a box with her fingers. "You're in Karina's bed room." Foreaux said. "I said you should be in the commoner's housing area, but she felt bad for kicking you." "You mean nearly killing him?" She winced, scrunching her face, shying away. "I'm oka-AHHH!" The Blessed pressed into his stomach. "No, you're not. If you weren't a Forsaken Knight, you'd be dead already." Karina begun to bow repeatedly, begging for forgiveness. "You don't have to say sorry. I was in no state to try and use magic." "Water magic at that." Foreaux said. "It appears the rumours of Forsaken Knight, and someone with a Water affinity, were not low-lander propaganda. Although, we weren't expecting it to be the same person." Karina sat beside Yamada. She stroked his head gently.
She signed a few a hand gestures at Foreaux, before turning back to Yamada. He felt his heart pounding against his chest. "She wants to know, why you became a Forsaken Knight." She turned back, pouting at him. He rolled his eyes, and sighed. "She wants to know, why 'a sweet young boy', became a Forsaken Knight." "So, I could become strong enough to kill a certain man." She shook her head, before signing at Foreaux. "You're an idiot." "Hmmmm..." She crossed her arms, letting out a low pouting growl. "What? I'm paraphrasing." He shrugged. She begun to aggressively sign at him. He chuckled raising his hands. "Alright, alright. I'll translate properly." He said touching her shoulder. She pinched his cheek before sitting back down next to Yamada. "She said, you should not have taken a shortcut for strength, that you can always grow stronger with time."
"The man, I want to kill far exceeds my power, and scares those, who are even stronger than me. I will take every shortcut, I can to reach him." He snapped. The room went quiet. Before the Blessed, handed the silent blessed a few gold coins. The three of them looked at him funny. "What was that?" Foreaux asked. "Just lost a bet, thanks to this kid." "What was the bet?" Yamada asked. "Whether or not you were crazy. I clearly chose the stupid answer of saying no you weren't." Karina leaned over Yamada, his eyes bulged at her breast hanging over his face, she flicked the Blessed on the forehead. She sat back down, letting out a huff at the Blessed, crossing her arms pouting at him. Karina gave Yamada a few gentle head pats, before signing at him. "She says, you're not crazy. I say you're completely insane." She pointed at her door. "What? I'm right." She pointed at the door again. "You know, I'm right Kari." She glared back at him, pointing at the door. "Alright, I'm leaving. Have fun trying to speak to him."
"Kid, I don't want to say he's right, but you do know, what happens to you right?" "I'll eventually lose control, and become a Draken. I'll have someone kill me, before that happens." Karina flicked his forehead. "Ow!" Yamada winced. She signed a few hand gestures at him, to which Yamada got a vague idea of. "Karina, everyone knows what happens, when you do that ritual-" Lightning crackled around her, with her hair shooting into the air. The Blessed bowed his head. Her hair floated down again. "Hmpf." She pouted. Karina pointed at Yamada, before wagging her finger, and then pretending to stab her heart. "Alright, you're all healed up. We're not gonna bother trying to replenish your Arcane energy. So don't ask." The Blesseds bowed before hurriedly walking out. Yamada sat up inspecting his arms and stomach. The injuries were gone, but he could feel himself lacking in strength. How he wanted to eat a Draken heart to recover. If he could devour that swarm below.
Karina helped him out of the bed. She took his hand dragging him along. "Hey wait-" Her hands were supple, but her grip strength was incredible. She dragged Yamada through the corridors. They passed female and female, each of them bowing at her and him. "Where are we going?" Karina escorted Yamada to a shrine, with a few bronze statues behind it, all of them female. She pointed eagerly at one statue. A woman holding her fist in the air, designed with bronze wrappings woven around her fists. Yamada froze, tearing up instantly. "Mum...." He whimpered, slowly moving towards the statue. Karina nodded eagerly, pointing at the engraving underneath it. Yamada took a gulp reading the engraving. "Master Osore Ken, the Blazing Fist." He chuckled reading it a loud. Yamada sank to his knees, placing his forehead against the statue, before beginning to sob. "Hey mum...I don't know if you can hear me...but it's really nice to remember your face again." He chuckled trying to force his tears back.
Karina teared up. "I won't forget it again." He raised his fist at her. "I'll avenge you and dad, and everyone else they killed. I'll make sure, that I never lose anyone I love." He lowered his fist, sniffling and letting the tears flow down his face. "I'll become someone, you would be proud of. Someone that's worthy of carrying on your name." He wiped his tears. Karina stood by his side. "Thank you...for showing this to me...I-" Karina embraced Yamada tightly, nuzzling him tenderly. Yamada's eyes darted back and forth nervously, as he gently and awkwardly stroked her back. "There...there...?" He said nervously. Karina held her hug firm, rocking Yamada side to side. 'What is happening!?' A female monk walked past, giggling at him. He mouthed 'Help me' to her. She shook her head, scurrying off.
Night fell. Yamada was escorted to the dining hall, bustling with monks handing out food, laughter, and chanting. Karina pointed towards the corner of a long table. Ul'lanna and Jacara sat side by side, both slumped on the table, each with a bowl of rice and plate of steaming vegetables. Yamada hesitantly sat down in front of them. A monk handed him a plate of intoxicating stir fried noodles and meat. Jacara and Ul'lanna both shot him a glare, with their heads still glued to the table. They sniffed the meat, trying to reach his plate, groaning and moaning. Yamada looked at them confused, as they continued to try and reach for his food like zombies. "What are you two doing?" "Give." Jacara said. "Food." Ul'lanna said. Yamada hesitantly took the chopsticks, ready to feed them.
Grandma Xia and Ichibae sat down beside them. He pushed Yamada's chopstick away. "They do not get to eat meat, until they finish their chores." Grandma Xia said, tapping her reed against the table. "Or if they do a bad job at their chores." Ichibae said, taking out a peach. Ul'lanna and Jacara sobbed gently. "Are they okay? What were their chores?" "This one needed to carry water, to the Palace. He barely got a quarter of the way, before he started asking strangers for help." "A valid tactic." He groaned. "She needed to keep the hot springs, hot for our weary brothers and sisters." "I did exactly that." "You evaporated all the water." "Which, you will now have to refill." "I hate you both. And everything about this place" Jacara growled. "Fuck you. I didn't ask to have my eyes assaulted by thousand cocks and cunts." "What?" Yamada asked. "These people bathe naked together!" Ul'lanna exclaimed, her head still glued to the table. "And they want me to carry heavy things!" Jacara exclaimed, unable to move his head. "Why aren't you two moving?" "We're in pain!" They yelled in sync. "Now give us your-"
Grandma Xia, pulled Jacara's head back, sliding the bowl of rice into his mouth. He tried to flail, with only his shoulders, shimmying side to side. She shoved a few vegetables into his mouth, forcing it up and down, before making him slug back a cup of water. She dropped his head onto the table with a solid thud. Yamada watched on horrified. "Bed time, is in four hours, and we'll start again tomorrow at sun rise." She said, patting on him the back. Jacara begun to sob, before sliding off the bench. Yamada winced at the thud. Ichibae took the plate of vegetables. "No!" Ul'lanna cried out, trying to move her head away. "Vegetables are good for you." "I did not nearly die defecting from the Kal'Nar army, to go back to eating plain crap again. I will have meat and sweats in my mouth." She declared proudly. Ichibae pinched her nose shut, holding her head back. He slide the vegetables and rice into her mouth, before making her slug back the cup of water. He gently placed her back onto the table. "The hot springs will need to be ready after breakfast, and will need to be hot until dinner." He whispered before leaving. "Yamada." "Yeah....?" "If you want my help, you will get me some sweet or meaty in my mouth. I don't even care if its attached to your body."
Yamada looked around the dining hall, sliding a piece of meat into her mouth. She chewed it eagerly, before shedding a single tear. "Thank you." She whispered before sliding off the bench. Yamada stood up, peering over the other side. "Are you two okay?" They both shook their heads, as they were dragged away. Karina sat at his side, with her own plate of food. "Are they gonna be okay?" She nodded, before signing they would be sleeping. She opened her mouth, gesturing for Yamada to do the same. He opened his mouth as Karina placed a fried piece of steak into his mouth. He munched on the meat, with her smiling happily at him, grabbing him another piece. Foreaux sat down across from them, with a glower expression. "Why are you feeding him?" She pointed at Yamada's hands. "They're healed." She shook her head, grabbing Yamada's hand, showing Foreaux the scars.
She signed a few gestures, one of them which Yamada understood all too well. A pain in his heart. "He's not a boy anymore Kari. Look at him. He's a man, who made his decisions. Now finish your dinner, and let him eat his." Yamada ate his meal, with Karina glumly sitting next to him. "Can I ask-" Karina nodded at him. "I didn't even ask-" "You want to know, why she can't talk. It's only natural to be curious." Foreaux placed his chopsticks down. "Nearly four decades ago, she lost her daughter, and-" Yamada pulled her in for a hug, to her surprise. She looked frantically at Foreaux. He pulled away, letting out a sigh. "I nearly lost my words, and so did Kale. You'll find your voice again." "We've taken her to every famed Blessed across Jux. None have healed her." "A Blessed didn't fix me. Kapuna and the Maelstrom did."
He looked at his scars. Remembering how it felt to stand before the Maelstrom. Letting the salty waters seep into every cut, scrape and gash across his body. He looked to Karina, reminded of the warmth, comfort and love Kapuna gave him. "She'll find her voice again." Yamada excused himself, bowing at them before making his way out. "That boy, is all sorts of messed up." Karina glared at him. "You can get angry at me all you want Kari. You know I'm right." Karina followed after him. She found Yamada standing in front of Osore's statue once more, now adorned in his armour, without his helmet. She quietly snuck closer to him. "Hey mum...Probably not the knight you ever wanted me to become..." He sniffed, wiping his eye. "I'm sure dad isn't happy either." He chuckled. She watched as he transformed into his Serpent Knight state. Standing over five metres tall with his elongated neck.
"I'm sorry, for what I've become." He growled solemnly. Yamada balled his fists, piercing his own scales. She watched as blood trickled from his palms. "But I cannot let him live. I will kill Begron Argul. I will make him suffer for everything he has done." He hissed. Karina covered her gasp. Yamada returned to normal looking at his bleeding palms. Karina approached him. "What are you-" She held his hands, tearing off a piece of her sleeve, wrapping it around his hands. He felt her tug his hand. Yamada followed her through the moonlit floating cities. Each one circulating in a gentle dance. She took him to the ledge of a city. Yamada stared at the endless clouds beneath him. "Why did you bring me here?" She pointed at the ledge, and then at her throat. "This is where you lost, your daughter." She nodded, taking a seat on the ledge, patting beside her.
Yamada took a seat. He flinched feeling her head rest on his shoulder. She giggled. Karina begun to sign with her hands. She placed a hand on his head, making a fist with the other, and forcing an adorable frown. She then placed her hand over his heart, making fluid wave motions with her fingers. Yamada cocked an eyebrow at her. This one he didn't understand. She pulled on her Kāṣāya. "Smooth?" She shook her head. "Stretchy?" She shook her head frustrated. "....Blue?" Karina rolled her eyes. She took his hand place it onto her breast. Yamada let out a yelp, pulling his hand free. "Soft! Soft! I get it now!" He blushed. She snickered, patting his back. Yamada looked up to the stars dancing in the sky, burning brighter than ever before.
"We should go to sleep." She nodded, helping him up, taking him by his arm. "Where is my bed?" She took his arm into her chest, grinning at him, and pointing at herself. His eyes bulged in shock. Yamada was escorted to Karina's room. His shock disappeared seeing a mattress on the floor beside her bed. He let out a sigh of relief. Karina stomped over, kicking the mattress away, grabbing the pillow. "What are you doing?" She flipped open her blanket, jumping inside, patting the bed for Yamada. "I'll just go sleep on the ground." Karina stomped out of the bed, dragging Yamada in with her. She embraced him from behind, hearing his heart pounding inside his chest. "Why are we-" She shushed him with her finger, nuzzling closer to him. Karina wrapped herself around him, putting her leg over his leg, and wrapping her arms over his chest.
Ul'lanna and Jacara slept side by side in the rows single beds. Their room pitch black with the orchestra of snoring echoing through out. "Ul'lanna?" Jacara whispered. She was silent. "Are you dead?" "Yes." She said through her teeth. "How are you able to sleep with all this snoring? This must be agonising for your ears." "Not as agonising as this conversation. Shut up and go to sleep." "We should run. Steal some supplies and make our way to Artaraxus." "Make some ice for me." "What will that do?" "Prove my point." "What point?" "That we're powerless here, and we have to follow their rules." "No we aren't." Jacara groaned, holding his hand out to summon the Frost card.
A knife threw through the air slicing it in half. "Point proven. Now go to sleep." Jacara let out a long excruciating groan, rolling out of his bed, landing on the ground with a thud. "What are you doing?" Ul'lanna hissed. Jacara clawed at her bed, pulling himself up with a scream. Wheezing and heaving, he placed his hands over her ears. She blushed her heart pounding. What was he doing touching her ears!? He pulled his hands away falling back. She felt two soft buds of cotton tucked in her ears. The noise of the room had grown soft, and bearable. She sat up watching him crawl back onto his bed, before rolling over. 'What is with him?' "Thank you." She whispered.