"Can you..put me down?"
"I will not allow my husband to walk on his legs after a tiring day."
Yjorna was carrying Jenn like a baby, walking through the Endor Forest. Jenn looked up at Yjorna's face, inspecting her features under the sunlight and breezing wind.
'Even if she's crazy as hell…she's beautiful. I gotta ask as many questions as I can, hopefully she doesn't try and kill me again out of annoyance.'
"So uh..where are you from?"
"The tree."
"The tree?"
"The tree."
"The..tree.."
"The tree."
"Kirvana."
"Oh…OH!"
'It's been years since I heard about the Kirvana Tree. The Kirvana is a bridge between all realms. The Kirvana, also known as the The Arboreal Bridge of the Eight Realms. In the time before time, when the cosmos was a silent void, the eight constellations – grand celestial architects – wove the fabric of existence from the threads of their own divine essence. Seeking to create a nexus that would connect the nascent realms they had envisioned, the constellations convened at the heart of the universe. Together, they summoned the Kirvana, a colossal tree whose roots and branches would reach into every corner of reality. Kirvana is no ordinary tree. It is a cosmic axis, a living monument of natural grandeur and mystical power. Its bark glimmers with stardust, and its leaves shimmer with the hues of nebulae. The trunk is wide enough to house entire cities, and the wood pulses with the heartbeat of the universe. The roots of Kirvana dig deep into the foundations of the realms, drawing mystical energies and spreading life force to all corners of existence. The tree has guardians, immortal beings, Nymphs tending to the leaves of the tree, Root Dwellers, and the Sap Of Eternity; The sap that flows through Kirvana is said to hold the power of creation itself. It can heal any wound, mortal or divine, and grants visions of potential futures to those who taste its divine essence. I know more about it, but it's too much words for one paragraph of inner dialogue.'
Jenn explained to Yjorna, "My parents were scholars, they studied the tree a lot when I was younger, it's just been a while since I've heard the name."
Yjorna stared at Jenn with a smile, "So your parents were…smart?"
Jenn looked away fast in fear, thinking she was gonna stab him, because he's seen that look on her face before.
"Yeah they were. But how are you from the tree itself? Born from the Sap?"
"Yes, my husband. Do you not like that? If not, I should end myself right here-."
"NOOOO! No. No. No. It's just weird, why you came from the Sap of the Kirvana to help me. And you told me earlier there will be more like you coming. And if I beat them.."
"They will become your wives too, isn't it greattt?"
"Uhhh of course it is."
'I'm totally lying. It's crazy, and dangerous. Help me. But if I can beat them and gain more power like I always wanted…then I have to deal with it.'
Yjorna asked, "Are we headed to your knight exams?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Once we got married, my thoughts are yours as yours is mine. It'll help us in murderous battle situations against super annoying opponents that need to be murdered brutally. For if anyone dares to threaten you..I'll brutalize their family…hehe.."
"HAHA! YES! THAT'S AMAZING. Wait not the killing their family part, but just think about it, at the exams, during duels or something, I'll kick the shit out of all the others and prove those annoying knight captains wrong, HAHAHA! I'LL PASS THE TEST THIS FUCKING TIME!"
Yjorna laughed with him, and they both were laughing with evil laughs, "HAHAHAHA!" They both were in sync, the laughs on point as it filled up the sky.
Jenn said to Yjorna, "Just wait until after the exams, we're gonna do the adult stuff, and I'll have way more power to kick more and more ass!"
"Yesss, I can't wait…"
In the bushes and trees, something was peering at them, holding glowing magic weapons, dressed in dirt clothing. Fucking bandits.
They said to each other in the trees, "Is it me or..these brats are insane?"
Another one answered him, "Ignore all that. Seems like we got a good catch today. Killing and robbing the knight exam students was the right gig, they always come through this passage, and most of them are from rich families."
"Yeah, but we haven't ran into any like these two, there's something strange about them."
"Hey..where did the girl go?"
Suddenly, one of the bandits heads started sliding off of their body, hitting the ground hard.
The other bandits gasped, and they leaped from their position, and the trees were cut in half, wind and bark blasting all over the place.
One of the bandits thought, 'What the hell was that?! That speed…it's like-.'
FWIP!
Yjorna had appeared quickly in front of that bandit with her knife, and a malicious smile, saying, "Play with me…!"
The bandits were in fear, one of them spun with their glowing dark pink ax, trying to hit Yjorna. In the blink of an eye, Yjorna was above the bandit, and stabbed him in the back of the neck, she spun sideways, and the knife ripped the bandits head off.
She landed on the ground gripping her knife as blood rained above her, her smile not faltering, she kicked the blood from the side of her cheek, sneering, "More..I want more..!"
Jenn stood to the side, thinking, 'Weapon magic..word magic…soul magic..and rune magic…four properties and sources of magic that speak for itself. I wasn't born with magic, that's why I mostly trained with basic weapons..'
One bandit was running towards Jenn, and Jenn thoight, 'Am I weak if I don't bond with Yjorna again?'
Yjorna was fighting another bandit, and she said, "Jenn! My love! You can win easily!"
"What did you say?!"
"One sec, my love!"
Yjorna stabbed a bandit in the chest, and covered his mouth, smiling to us face, "Shut up. My dear husband is trying to talk."
"MMMMF!" The bandit screeched under the palm of her mouth.
Yjorna turned her attention back towards Jenn, "My love! You don't have magic alone, but when we bonded, you gained my strength and speed as well! And plus, even when you were fighting me, you were able to withstand a blow from my knife at full power, and even beat me In a single move. Even without magic, you had the ability to get stronger off of damage done to you, keep that in mind! Now SLAUGHTER HIM!"
Jenn thought, 'That's true…fighting her made me notice an ability I didn't even know I had. I wasn't that strong before, and once I took that damage, I gave twice as much back. And my arm grew back after I married Yjorna. Haha..haha..HAHA! Fuck man..this feels awesome..no more weak Jenn..'
The bandit slid on the ground, and aimed a glowing yellow bow and arrow, saying, "Bratty ass wanna-be knight!"
He shot a volley of arrows, Jenn saw them In slow motion, and in the blink of an eye, he dodged them.
'Huh?! He dodged my—.'
Jenn was behind the bandit with a grin on his face a smile, and he punched the bandit in the face. The bandit went flying, the ground under him crack due to the power and force from the punch.
Jenn grinned, "That was so awesome…"
Yjorna hugged Jenn from behind, and smiled, "Hehe..I knew you could do it. You didn't know you've alwayssss been special, my husband."
"Yjorna.."
'Despite her being crazy as hell, this entire time, she's been making me feel like I'm actually worth a damn. My parents didn't really pay that much attention to me because they were too busy studying the Kirvana, and everyone I grew up around and took the last years exams with all laughed at me because I lost a duel to a little kid, and couldn't even conjure a single spell. This might go well. But she's still scary and I should definitely avoid long periods of eye contact. But..she's easily capable of not feeling anything after killing someone, it's like she doesn't think about it, it's natural. I have to tame her bloodlust, unless it's needed, like it was now. Those bandits wanted to rob and kill us.'
Jenn grabbed Yjorna by the shoulders, and said, "Yjorna!"
Yjorna's knees got weak, and she blushed, "Yes husband.."
'That look..'
Jenn stuttered out of nervousness, "I-I uh, we gotta set some ground rules."
"Rules?"
"Yes. You can't kill just anyone, unless—."
"They are trying to kill us first?"
"Yes. That may sound super evil coming from me, but—."
"—Survival is important."
"Yes! Definitely. But don't just attack people without my say so, or if you need to just to protect me, do it, but—."
"—I'd be able to tell from your emotions right? Since we are one now."
"Eeexactly."
"Okie dokie! But just know..." Yjorna for close, putting her knife to Jenn's throat with a smile, "If anyone tries to kill or hurt my darling..their facing me..."
"Mhm Mhm! Got it!"
"Yes! Let's go!"
Yjorna picked up Jenn like a baby again, and they took off.
"I can walk, Yjorna."
"You need to be fully prepared for the exams, my husband."
"Mhm. And about that Pheonix demon form I had.."
"Hmmm? What is it?"
"What was it? How does it work?"
"It's our bonded power, merged together once we got married. Our souls had intertwined, and my magic power had correlated with your soul. Butttt, we can only be in that form for 5 minutes at a time, and then a 2 hour cooldown until we can use it again. Buttttt, once we get stronger the more we bond and our love grows, we'll eventually won't ever have a cooldown..hehe..I can't wait."
Jenn rubbed his hands together, thinking, 'Ha..that's it. I can make the most of this! Whatever is happening, I'll take advantage. I'll do anything. Even though I've never done anything lewd…I'll have to man up, I think.'
The journey continued towards on through the Sheengale Woods, where centaurs roamed wild and free, their hooves kicking up dappled sunlight from the forest floor. In the background, a small herd moved with graceful poise, their bodies half-hidden by the shroud of ancient trees. A centaur foal, curiosity winning over wariness, cantered close, observing Jenn with wide, innocent eyes before scampering back to the safety of its kin. Up above, in the intertwining canopy, satyrs played their flutes, the lilting music intertwining with the whispers of the wind.
As Yjorna and her charge tread further, the woods gave way to rolling hills where griffins soared across the open skies, their shadows fleeting over vast, golden fields. Below, bands of roaming humans, clothed in the earthy tones of peasants and merchants, worked the land and tended to herds of woolly aurochs. In the distance, a grand bazaar bustled with barter and banter as tangible as the aroma of roasted chestnuts and smoldering incense that wafted from the busy stalls.
The travelers soon reached the outskirts of an abandoned city, its towering spires clawing at the heavens, now home to nothing but echoing memories. Cresting ivy and blooming wildflowers claimed the crumbling stone, painting the desolation with life's enduring assertion. Sprites danced through the empty halls, flickering lights against the encroaching vines, their laughter a delicate chime patterning the silence.
Their path led them next to the Shaded Vale, a serene expanse where the dragons of legend chose to alight. In this sacred cradle of dragonkind, titanic creatures with scales shimmering like gemstones lay in repose, their eyes reflecting the passage of eras. In the sky above, dragons of younger blood sported amongst the clouds, their roars thunder, and their flight casting graceful, fluid shadows upon the land.
Crossing a bridge of woven willows, Yjorna carried Jenn over the Serene River, alive with naiads and water spirits whose songs swayed the currents. Fishermen on its banks paid homage with offerings of silver leaves and whispered thanks for the river's bounty. Aquatic beasts of lore—giant plesiosaurs and shy kelpies—flitted through the water, glimpses of their forms sparking tales among the folk that watched from safe shores.
They passed through the majestic Crystalbluff Mountains, piercing the sky like a crown of the earth. Yetis watched from high, craggy perches, nodding at the sleepy Jenn with an unexpected gentleness while dwarven forges deep in the roots of the mountains sang with the clatter of hammer and anvil, shaping the bones of the land into treasures fierce and fine.
Somewhere distant from Yjorna and Jenn's solemn journey, beneath a velvet sky studded with blue star and constealltion shaped clouds, the opulence of corruption unfolded. The moonlight shone indifferently upon a grand tent, its silken fabric marred by the depravity that transpired within. Scarlet and gold hung in decadent swaths over the structure, creating an eerie glow that bled into the night. At the center of the tent, a gilded auction platform stood bathed in artificial light, stark against the darkness of its purpose.
Around this nefarious stage were rows of plush, darkwood chairs filled with figures robed in the finery of high society. Overstated jewels adorned their thick necks, and fingers heavy with rings tapped with impatient greed. These were the corrupt elite; merchants, lords, and ladies, whose fortunes were as ill-gotten as the wares they sought this night. The tent was filled with the murmur of their silken-voiced chatter, discussing lands acquired, wars profited from, and the current stock on offer as casually as one might discuss the weather.
Guards clad in iron dark as onyx stood at every entrance. If gilded armor did not betray their allegiance, the insidious crimson sigil emblazoned upon their breastplates did — a mark known to inspire dread in the hearts of the common folk. Silent sentinels, they allowed only those with the wealth and wickedness to belong within this clandestine gallery of sin.
At the fore of this assembly stood the auctioneer, a smarmy man dressed in a coat of tails and a top hat that seemed to scrape against the conscience of heaven itself. His voice, mellifluous and chilling, rang out across the hushed crowd as he introduced the next item — or rather, person — for bidding. "Lot seventeen," he declared, "a master scribe, skilled in the ancient languages and the art of the quill." Chained upon the dais was a young woman, her eyes defiant even in captivity.
The bidders appraised her like a prize mare, discussing her between themselves with deplorable detachment. "A fine acquisition for your library, Lord Brennix," one long-nosed woman cooed to her neighbor, a heavy-set man with a menace to his jowls. He eyed the scribe with a critical squint. "Provided she's as well-behaved as she is educated," he rumbled back, drawing a sycophantic laugh from the woman.
A whip-thin man in a serpent-green doublet hissed, "The Order has outdone themselves with the selection this season. Not a mediocre soul in the lot." His companion, a young lady with cruel eyes and hair like spun silver, nodded in agreement. "Indeed," she spoke, her voice sharp as the knife at her belt, "they scour the corners of the world for such rarities."
Conversations wove together in a tapestry of vile anticipation, creating an undercurrent of excitement among the elite as the auction continued. They discussed, with appalling levity, the prospect of their future slaves' service, their talents weaponized for their owners' gain. Their speech swam in the oily language of entitlement, ignoring the chains and the shivering flesh of those on display.
The auctioneer's gavel struck, and a collective breath was drawn as a new slave was brought forth. "This one's a prize," the auctioneer crowed, gesturing to a man with scars crisscrossing his back—the marks of a warrior, one who had faced monsters perhaps greater than those within the tent. The bidders murmured their admiration, covetous eyes assessing.
One bidder, a widow with a notorious penchant for collecting fighters, leaned forward. Her voice slithered across the rows as she remarked, "My arena could use a man of his... resilience." Her words were met with knowing smirks as coins and banknotes were clutched a little tighter in anticipation.
In their talk, the name "The Order" was utilized with a mixture of reverent fear and obscene satisfaction, revealing the deep-seated roots of the organization behind this abominable trade. "It is said The Order's reach extends to the highest seats of power," an astute young count whispered to his neighbor, an observation that drew a shadow of wariness across her usually placid features.
The air turned thick with opulence and vice as more slaves were paraded across the stage. Each was different; some hung their heads, resigned, while others bore their shackles with an air of rebellion not yet extinguished. Blood, sweat, and tears—the currency of their livelihood—stained the gilt-edged world of their beholders.
As the auction deepened, the transactions became bolder, the sums of money exchanged grew larger, and the laughter grew more grotesque. Cordiality was a mask for the predators beneath, each displaying civility only as a means for more ruthlessengagement. With each lot sold, the auctioneer gazed with satisfaction at the wad of notes in his palm, smirking his victory over morales bought and sold.
Strategically spaced around the tent were velvet-draped stands where the spoils of wealth and warfare decorated the space – armor, weapons, artifacts of legend, rare manuscripts, all the plunder of a decadent elite. "Just last week I acquired a tome from the fallen library of Everspring," boasted an extravagantly dressed earl to a cluster of peers who listened with feigned admiration. His pride, a tool for his oratorical self-worship, filled the tent along with the clinking of gold.
Meanwhile, unseen to the gathered crowd, a tense quietude fell over a dim corner as a cloaked figure entered under the guise of darkness. His presence seemed to ripple through The Order's watchdogs who stiffened, a silent recognition of his covert power. The man known only as the Arbiter — The Order's enforcer, an executor of their most secretive edicts — moved with a deliberate calm that contrasted the chaos of bidding.
On the stage, a girl with hair like the sun and eyes that reflected the depth of the oceans stood, her spirit undefeated despite the ordeal. As the auctioneer sang praises of her beauty like a siren's call to the depraved, a high-ranking naval officer rabid with lust launched into a bidding frenzy, his eyes betraying his sinister intentions. "She will sail the seas on my flagship and adorn its prow with her presence," he boasted, receiving approving nods from greedy companions.
As the evening waned and the belly of the night grew full with the day's sins, fatigued slaves were returned to their holding pens, the items of their future servitude signed and bound in decadent red wax. The clink of coin within the tent harmonized with the wails of despair that seeped through the gaps in opulence's armor.
Suddenly, a girl with braided brown and blonde hair stepped up, she had an eye patch over one of her red eyes, and she was dressed in black ripped up sackloth.
The auctioneer pointed at her, "And we save the best for last.."
The crowd stood up, the it eyes peering at her, suprised by her rare hair color, they said:
"She's beautiful.."
"I'd have fun with her.."
"That hair color!"
The auctioneer stated, "She's beautiful, isn't she? Her name is Seven. 19 years old, and also a girl who slain a large Nightfur bear, a rare bear that is rumored to have never been beaten before! Step up, place your bets, and-."
"No." Seven spoke.
Gasps filled the room, and the auctioneer asked,"Did you just speak? Who told you to speak—?!"
THWACK!
Seven grabbed the auctioneer by the throat, and the auctioneers body began to morph into a large assault rifle gun, with red and black smoke, and she grinned, speaking in third person, " Seven has to look for him. Jenn. Seven is coming for you, her future darling. After she shoots these killers who stole her."
Guards in the crowd, screamed while brewing up their magic:
"Kill her!"
"What kind of weapon is that?!"
"What type of magic…allows someone to change someone into a weapon..an unknown weapon at that."