User blog:Wuldnakest/Finding Eternity (Parts 1-7)

Part 1:

The wooden ship sat moored securely to the dock. The weather was calm, but the ocean outside the bay was not. The pirates on board didn't care though: they knew the waters in this place were strange as they'd sailed this route many times. Their cargo wasn't any different either. In the ship's belly were ten men, senior students and instructors from a magic college in the nation of Kemrie in the Goidel Islands.



The pirates were trafficking humans. The island of Zipangu was always looking for men, and always paid top dollar for even the skinniest, meekest men. These sorcerers, however, would fetch a divine price.

One sorcerer, one of the senior students, lied uncomfortably on the hard floor with his blindfold and gag only making it worse. It had been some immeasurable amount of time since he felt the ship dock, and even longer since he was captured on his voyage to the island of Hy-Brasil. He would have tried burning through his binds, but they were metal chains - he would most likely boil away his own skin before melting the binds, so he only did what he could: sit there, be silent, and listen to whatever was going on around him.

"It turns out the Zipangans don't want magic men," one pirate said.

"Why not?" the other barked with frustration dripping in his voice.

"The native didn't say."

"Damn it! Well shit...they're dead weight now. We can't let 'em go, they might send the navy after us. We may as well get rid of them."

"Aye, Cap'n!" The ship was soon unmoored and was rocking again indicating to the young sorcerer that they were in the open ocean again.

Some of the other wizards were whispering things: "What are they gonna do with us? Where are they taking us?" and other worries.

Sometime later the ship's anchor could be heard unwinding and the ship stopped with a heavy lurch.

"Up!" one pirate yelled as he came down the steps into the brig, "Up you worthless shit!" The young sorcerer felt something hard collide with his back, a sword sheath or something. "Faster!"

The young man did what he was told. He knew what was coming, but told himself death was better than spending the rest of his life in this forsaken ship. When he stood up he felt the pirate push him to guide him to the stairs. He assumed the same fate was happening to his fellow sorcerers, though he couldn't be sure since he was blinded. His foot bumped into a step and he climbed up to the upper deck as carefully as he could with the pirate pushing him along impatiently.

"Hey, this one's gag has his blood on it. He’s probably sick so don’t touch his body after you kill him," a new voice said, probably the executioner's. The young Goidel knew why it had his blood on it even though he wasn't cut. He was very sick and he sought his cure in Hy-Brasil after searching in Kemrie and Alba.

"Yeah...we already looted his shit, anyway. And his robes aren't worth anything to me," the other said.

<p class="MsoNormal">As far as the wizard could tell, there were only three or four pirates left. Most of the crew fell to the wizards when they revolted, but eventually the mages succumbed and were captured.

<p class="MsoNormal">A sharp pain tore through his back as another club hit him. He fell with a thud onto the rough, burning sand.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Get up!" the pirate's voice boomed at him and kicked his side. He tried to stand up but collapsed back down. It was difficult for him to get up with his hands bound behind his back.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Forget it, just drag 'im," another pirate said.

<p class="MsoNormal">The wizard felt a hand on his back, then he felt his cloak and robe being tugged, and soon he was being dragged along the sand. He was choked by his collar digging into his throat, and he coughed. He felt the warm blood soaking into his gag and several drops ran down his chin where they would dry with time.

<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly he felt weightless and the tugging was gone. Half a second later, he hit the softer sand farther from the water, but he could still feel his exposed skin burn from it.

<p class="MsoNormal">"That's the last of them," one pirate said.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good. Stick them in the hearts. I want this over as quick as possible. There's still more men out there we can sell and the longer we dally here, the more money we lose on them."

<p class="MsoNormal">There were footsteps, the sound of a sword being drawn, and then an ear piercing scream, more horrific than anything the wizard had heard before. There were more footsteps, and then a similar blood-freezing scream as the next innocent wizard was killed.

<p class="MsoNormal">The young wizard, lying with one ear to the ground could hear something approaching. Suddenly a pirate yelled, "What the fuck are those?"

<p class="MsoNormal">A big group of something ran through. The pirates screamed as their voices got farther away. The sound of swords piercing skin and leather armor rang in the air. The sound of bodies dropping and being picked back up and screaming was all that could be heard for several long minutes, then the sound of yelling and screaming as whoever was picked up was taken away. The sorcerer recognized some of the voices as his instructors and fellow students. He only hoped that their new captors weren't bright enough to contain wizards.

<p class="MsoNormal">A more relaxed sound of hooves approached him, probably the leader on horseback here to look for stragglers. The sorcerer held his breath and lied completely still out of fear, and he hoped the same fate wouldn't befall him as the pirates.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Why not take these men?" asked a dull woman's voice.

<p class="MsoNormal">"They dead; look at the blood in his mouth. The others dead, too. Dead men are not as fun like living men," an equally dull woman answered. With that, the two women who sounded like they were on a horse left quickly to catch up with their group.

<p class="MsoNormal">The wizard exhaled with heavy relief. By now the blood had dried around his mouth along with another layer of saliva. His blindfold was soaked with his fear-induced tears. Lying on the burning sand with air-dried and chapped, stinging lips he could do nothing except try to crawl, but he had nowhere to crawl to. The ship might still have pirates on it, and there were no doubt sharp weapons on the beach that he could cut himself on accidentally. He chose to wriggle around when he felt it was clear, though, to see if he could at least get his bound hands in front of him. Maybe then he could at least try to remove them and get his blindfold and gag off.

<p class="MsoNormal">He was about to loop his arms around his legs when he heard something dragging on the beach towards him. He stopped moving out of fear and laid still. The thing dragged right next to him and stopped. He could feel whoever's gaze staring down at him, but soon he heard the dragging again which meant whoever was there was going to examine the next body.

<p class="MsoNormal">The dragging stopped again as the person examined the next body. After a few minutes the dragging began again. The sorcerer suffered a terrible coughing fit from the fear and stress. He could taste the metallic tasting blood pooling on his tongue and as a new layer soaked itself into his gag. More drops slowly rolled down his cheek this time since he was on his side.

<p class="MsoNormal">He immediately noticed that the dragging sound was coming back to him. He felt a hand, soft unlike the pirate's, grab his shirt and pull him by the collar along the rough sand. He was choked again and coughed up more blood, adding more to his gag and face, and he felt himself drop back onto the ground. The hand reached for him again, this time pulling him by the shoulder. It wasn't any more comfortable, but at least he wasn't choking.

<p class="MsoNormal">He soon felt himself being dragged over plants, fallen logs, and through mud instead of sand. Eventually the terrain changed to sun-warmed rocks, though many of them were angular and jagged, but none were very sharp. The sound of flowing water would have been calming, but he hadn't had the capacity to feel any relief, only fear. First kidnapped, then nearly executed, and now being kidnapped again for Lugh-knows-what reason. In his mind, the only thing to do was wait for his new captor to undo his binds so he could try to make his escape.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 2:

<p class="MsoNormal">"Be still," a calm voice said to the wizard as he felt his dagger being pulled from his belt. He started to struggle again and his breathing increased, making audible sounds against his gag as he started to panic again. A soft hand touched his shoulder and rubbed it softly to relax him. "Sshh...you're perfectly safe." He was pulled up onto something soft, probably someone's lap, but the cloth made it difficult to tell and the way there didn't seem to be two individual legs made him more anxious. He felt the same soft hand move from his shoulder to his bloody cheek. Two fingers pressed against his face and he felt the cold metal of his dagger.

<p class="MsoNormal">"This is it," he thought. Contradicting his anticipation, he felt the gag around his neck loosen as his dagger cut it off of him. He heard it clang as it was set down on the hard stone; his captor obviously wanting to make it known it was on the ground. The next thing he knew, he was being lifted into a sitting position, and he found himself leaning against a woman's body with his head against her shoulder.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Close your mouth," the same calm, womanly voice said. He did so and felt water splash against his face, and the woman's hand scrubbing away his dried blood and saliva. He wondered if his rough stubbles of hair irritated her silky hand as much as they irritated his face. "There, that must feel better."

<p class="MsoNormal"> His skin no longer itched under his dried saliva, and no longer felt like clay under his dried blood. He nodded in response to his new friend's comment. He tried to speak but his throat was too dry.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "OK, now open your mouth," was his next command.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He did so and felt clean, cool water being poured down his dry throat. He gulped vigorously for his first drink in perhaps days. He was only given a little, and he knew the woman was only being cautious: maybe too much water after a drought could kill you? He didn’t know, but he was happy she wasn’t taking any chances.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Better?" the soothing voice asked. He nodded in response, still afraid his voice hadn't returned yet. "Good. Now I'm going to find something to undo your binds. You stay right here and I'll be right back." He felt her stand up and heard her depart and he used his own muscles to keep himself sitting up.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The sorcerer wondered why she didn't remove his blindfold. He couldn't think of a good reason for it, but he didn't care: his gag was finally off and he could relax his aching facial muscles. He lied down on the warm rocks on his side and tried to relax all his muscles since all of his will to escape was gone now. He pondered who this girl was and why she was caring for him, and why she always made a dragging sound where she went.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Maybe," he thought, "she's a priestess or something. She might feel morally obligated to help me, and a priestess would wear a long robe that would make that dragging sound."

<p class="MsoNormal"> The girl approached him again, making that dragging sound that interrupted his pondering. He heard her sit behind him like before and held her hands against his hands and binds. "Hold still," she said as she placed something in the chain's lock, probably a lock pick. After a few minutes of messing with them, the metal binds came undone. The wizard immediately brought his hands around to his front for the first time since he was captured. He rubbed his stiff arms as his head was pulled back up to her lap. His caretaker’s soft hand replaced his as she briefly massaged one of his aching arms until she spoke again.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Keep your eyes closed," she asked of him as she reached for his blindfold. She pushed it up onto his forehead, but the sorcerer kept his eyes closed like she asked. He cloud feel her dab a wet cloth against his eyelids and wipe it under his eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "How did you know?" he spoke up. His voice was still raspy and hoarse from his dehydration.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I could see the stains on your blindfold," she replied sweetly.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The sorcerer said nothing. Instead he became embarrassed, thinking this girl might think him weak. He didn't want to make a bad impression, even if he might never see her again after today.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "There," she said finally as she brought the cloth from his face, "You can open your eyes again but don't be alarmed by what you see."

<p class="MsoNormal"> The wizard did. The blackness gave way to a beautiful scene of a large pond filled with deep blue water and many beautiful lilies in front of him, and a stream flowed into it nearby. In the center of the pond was a temple-like structure made of stone that arose from the water on an island. "What is this place?" he asked, still lying on the girl's lap. She kept her hand on his shoulder which he took as a sign to not get up. In his peripheral vision he could see her white robe, but it looked like it was made of scales instead of cloth, but he passed it off as an illusion by his borderline sight.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's a temple," she replied, "But first can I ask you something?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Sure," he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Who are you, and why were you about to be executed?" Her tone had little worry in it, but mostly sympathy and curiosity.

<p class="MsoNormal">How odd,<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0in;">  he thought,<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  ''What if I was some assassin or killer? Why wouldn’t she have asked me before freeing me?''<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  "My name is Auryn, and I'm a wizard from the island-country of Alba. I was going to a nearby island, Brasil, to get away from Orderlings...uh, invaders. My shipmates and I were captured by pirates. I heard them talking and they were gonna sell us to some natives on an island called Zipangu. For some reason men are prized, but they didn't want magic men. So the pirates took us to that beach down there to kill us since we were no good to them anymore. Then some...women on horses came through and took away all the pirates and probably the living sorcerers, but left the dead men and me. I think the blood on my face made them think I was dead, too," the wizard explained.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "So you're a sorcerer?" she asked him as she began rubbing his aching shoulder muscles again. "I've never heard of a man capable of magic."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn raised an eyebrow. Everyone in Alba had an innate magical ability, so why did only the women seemingly have magic here, wherever “here” was? "Yeah, I'm a senior student at my magic college."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "And you were going to be executed with your classmates? I'm so sorry," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It couldn't be helped," he replied, though he was happy he was getting some sympathy.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well, mostly for something else."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "What?" Auryn asked with worry heavy in his voice. He tried to adjust himself and look at the girl's face, but his muscles were too sore.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You're in Zipangu, and I'm a native. I can also say that a man would be very valuable to me," she said with a flirty grin, "But don't worry; you're quite safe with me."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "How can I be sure?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'm cleaning you up and caring for you."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You could be preparing me to be sacrificed."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, the ryu gets her experience with men from the pilgrims, but she always send the Shirohebi away so she can get her privacy," the girl said. "If anyone gets you, she'll be me."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn laughed thinking she was joking and just being flirty. "Yeah, well you'd be the most eligible of anyone I met today for that. Who are you, anyway?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'm a shirohebi, and I help maintain the temple for the ryu, and my name is Kawra," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "So you're like a priestess, and the ryu is the head priestess?" Auryn asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You know...in a way, I guess I am," she replied thoughtfully.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I figured so," he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You know the pond has healing qualities, if you'd like to go for a swim?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "That sounds very nice," he said. "Right now?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "When else?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Alright," he said and he sat up when Kawra removed her hand from his shoulder. He sat up and removed his black and red cloak first and laid it on the rocks, all the while facing away from Kawra. As he took off his red shirt, he heard the familiar dragging and a splash. When he removed his shirt completely, he saw Kawra in the water watching him with a grin. "Do you always swim in your holy robes?" he asked when he noticed she didn't take her clothes off.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'm not wearing anything under them, and I don't think I'm ready to show you everything," she replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well that's as good of a reason as any," Auryn replied thinking she was being abnormally open about such things as he removed his black trousers, leaving just his undershorts on. He jumped into the deeper water and swam towards the shallow edge where he sat down. He laid his head back against a rock, but the sound of stirring water put him on edge again. He saw a white reptilian tail go into the water some distance away.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I think a snake just went into the water," he said worriedly.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Was the tail white?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Then you have nothing to worry about."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Are you sure? I hate snakes."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra almost took on an offended look, but her expression was hidden by her speech. "Yes, I'm absolutely sure that what that white tail is attached to doesn’t want to hurt you."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn took her word and tried to relax since there was nothing else he could do. The cool water was nice, and he could feel it relaxing his muscles and he felt the wake Kawra made when she approached him. He opened his eyes and examined the girl closely as she stood in front of him. She looked no older than him, perhaps even younger. She had very white hair with a hint of light blue and long, pointy ears. Her eyes were purple and her skin was very white as well - like she'd seldom been in the sun. She wore a white shirt that covered her shoulders and breasts, but ended at her ribs, exposing her soft, flat stomach. Around her waist was a matching white skirt, but her legs were in the water that was too blue to see into. Neither of her clothes were really robes like he assumed. She stared back with a grin.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked her.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's just that it's been a very long time since I've seen a man...you may actually be the first one I've ever seen up close," she replied with a slight blush.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn chuckled at that. "Surely you aren't serious."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I am serious. As I said, sometimes the occasional pilgrim will come to see the ryu, but she always has the Shirohebi leave and give her and her pilgrims privacy," Kawra informed him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Oh, I guess I can understand that."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Hmm...can I ask you a favor?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Tell me what it is and I'll decide if I wanna say yes."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra laughed seductively as she approached Auryn. "Come here," she said as she swam behind him and made him lean against her like before.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "This is fine, I guess," he said, "You're very friendly around here."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra chuckled. "You say that after what's happened."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Then YOU seem to be very friendly."

<p class="MsoNormal"> The pair sat in silence for a while, Auryn couldn't figure out why Kawra was cuddling him like this, but the only logical explanation was because of the lack of men around, and Kawra simply didn't know how to act around a man. He would have corrected her but he liked the extra attention too much, especially after being away from women for a few weeks since he set sail to Hy-Brasil, and then put through an execution.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra broke the silence after some time. "I'm getting cold in this water, do you mind if I lie on the warm rocks?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> He never opened his eyes as he was trying to relax, but he was curious why the water was making her feel cold - it was just fine to him. "No, please lay where you like." He leaned forward and felt her move away from him and out of the water, but he kept his eyes closed thinking it would help him to relax.

<p class="MsoNormal"> So you're a sorcerer…" Kawra spoke as she wrapped her arms around him from dry land, "Do you have any magical items?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah, my hood has an enchantment on it so that my face would be concealed. The Archmage required everyone to wear it, though I don't know why."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It sounds pretty neat," Kawra said and then muttered, "I bet it hides your gender well," and Auryn decided not to pry her strange comment.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Let me show you rather than just tell you." He began to stand up but Kawra hugged him tighter to keep him in the water and in her embrace.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You said you're afraid of snakes?" she timidly asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Uh...yeah, but what does that have to do...is there a snake up there behind you?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well...not exactly."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn raised an eyebrow after he turned and made eye contact with her. "If there's a snake crawling on my clothes I can just scare it off with magic...or kill it preferably. I really should get dressed, though. I can't spend all day in here."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra flinched slightly at his preference to kill the "snake." "No, you don't need to get out yet. If it makes you feel better I can take off something and get in there with you again."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, that's not," he paused and looked at her chest then back to her purple eyes, "That's not necessary. I can just...uh...I can get dressed, it's improper for me to be naked like this." He stood up, and before Kawra could stop him again, he stood tall and his face turned as white as hers.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra gave him a sheepish smile.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He looked at her then sprinted out of the pond and back to his clothes.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, listen! It's not what you think...maybe," Kawra called after him. By the time she managed to turn around, a black cloak flew into her face, temporarily blinding her. She heard a strange sound and pulled the cloak off of her. Auryn was nowhere to be seen.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn jumped over the small stream and hid behind a nearby tree. He took care to make sure he didn't leave a trail by using his fire magic to evaporate the water from his skin. He saw there were no drops on the rocks making a trail, and he was confident his invisibility spell would keep him safe. He slowly and silently sat himself down behind the tree so he could try to calm his breathing.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The next thing he knew was the slithering sound of a large snake approaching and soon Kawra's face appeared around the tree and she slithered to sit in front of him. She looked directly at him despite his complete invisibility.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'm sorry," she said, "When I heard you didn't like snakes I wasn't sure what to do." She sat silently staring at where Auryn sat awaiting a response.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "How can you see me?" he finally spoke after moments of silence.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I can see your body heat," she replied as she pointed to two small indentations on opposite sides of her nose.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn said nothing, but instead started another coughing fit from the anxiety. Kawra slithered closer to him, but kept her distance to respect his distaste for most of her. She looked down at him with a sad frown. Auryn became visible again because he was unable to concentrate on his spell anymore. When his coughing was over, he looked at the pool of blood in his hand, and the droplets that leaked onto the mud and stones below. He looked up and was startled to find Kawra so close to him with a very worried look.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You're not well, are you?" she asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No...I'll be dead soon," he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Can I help?" she asked as she used her magic to bring up some water from the river to wash his hand off. Auryn pulled away out of fear. "Be calm," she said, "I'm trying to help you."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You can't unless you can make me immortal," he replied when she finished washing his hand.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Will you start looking for a cure here in Zipangu?" she asked after watching him back away about ten feet, probably out of the strike zone he thought she had.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yes."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Do you need any help?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No," he replied, "Go. Be at your temple where you're needed." He stood up and walked away before she could protest. He picked up his armor and cloak and put them on as he left, leaving Kawra to watch the departing man with a look of sympathy.

<p class="MsoNormal"> She expected him to not accept her since she now knew he didn't like snakes, but she suspected he could be turned. The ryu always said all men can be turned eventually; they just needed the right coaxing.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 3:

<p class="MsoNormal">About an hour later Auryn continued walking along the path, though now that he was farther inland, he saw many strange creatures. Most were hybrids of things he knew, such as birds and some plants, all mixed with women in some way which reminded him of Kawra. The way they looked at him told him they were at least borderline nymphomaniacs, but none ever touched him or got within ten feet of him, and his self-esteem consequently lowered each time that happened.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He tried to ignore it and continue walking, suspecting it had something to do with the fact he looked almost demonic with no face and two glowing red balls for eyes, as well as his black armor plates and blood-red robes. Still though, he couldn’t help but feel bad about himself each time he was silently rejected by the nymphomaniacs.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Eventually, he got so warm in his hood that he lowered it, and briefly enjoyed the cool breeze, but also exposing the fact he was no demon. Auryn opened his eyes from his ecstasy because of a splashing sound. "Surely that snake-girl isn't still trying to...what does she want with me anyway?" He looked towards the river that the trail to find ripples in the water, but no creatures. He looked closely and listened intently while his senses sharpened themselves. There was nothing in the water, nothing on land, and now the birds had stopped chirping. He didn’t charge up his magic since that would take away his focus, but he knew the risks of having little defenses. A fish jumped in the pond, making another splash. Auryn looked in time to see the fish’s tail disappear beneath the surface and he calmed himself and laughed for getting so worked up over nothing.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra watched silently from the tree branches as a youko watched her Auryn curiously, and she wasn’t going to have any of it. He may not have wanted her yet, but Kawra wasn’t going to let some vixen step in before he warmed up to her. She kept a close eye on Auryn’s blood-red cloak in contrast to the green grass around him. Unfortunately for him, he stuck out like a sore thumb and any other mamono who could see through his disguise would be after him, too. Luckily most didn’t seem to understand he wasn’t some stray demon from some unknown realm. The youko, however, seemed to know something was amiss about him, and was either too cautious or some other reason to not try to lure him.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Foolishly, Auryn removed his hood. “No!” Kawra thought as she picked out all the other mamono that might try to steal him from her. The youko perked up and began to move toward him. In a flash, Kawra used her massive tail to propel her out of the branches and straight to Auryn. She collided with him hard, and they ended up in the stream nearby. She hoped that the impact didn’t break any of his bones or hurt him in any way, but she securely wrapped herself around him so that she could safely pull him to the other side of the stream.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly, the water began rushing over her and then her tail hit the muddy bank, followed by her human body and then the water that was above them in the river fell onto them as well. Kawra groaned as she lifted herself up with her arms and turned around to make sure Auryn was alright. She gasped when she realized that they were both back on the same bank that the youko was on: exactly where she didn't want him to be.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for the present,” the youko taunted Kawra as she picked Auryn up by his collar. He began coughing again and some blood landed on her luxurious yellow cheongsam, permanently staining it.“You really should take better care of your men,” the youko taunted further.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s not her…fault,” Auryn spoke through gasps of air when he was finished coughing. He stood up straight when he caught is breath, and stood a head taller than the youko, much to her and Kawra’s surprise. Usually Zipangan men were the same height as a youko, but Goidelic men like Auryn were much taller and therefore more imposing.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">The youko looked up at him with a seductive smile. “Well you can be sure I’ll take better care of you than she did.”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra said nothing, but told the youko off by slapping the youko’s face with her tail, leaving a solid red mark on her cheek. The youko let go of Auryn and jumped on Kawra’s human half with her fists at the ready. Auryn didn’t wait to find out which one would win the fight, and took off running down the path.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Within minutes, he made it to a clearing with a village in it. He didn’t slow down as he approached a village and went through its torii and found himself in the square where he stopped suddenly. The locals were staring at him with mixed emotions of confusion and fear since he sprinted into the village as fast as he could, and because of his dark looking robes. He would never know why the Archmage wanted the students to look something like demons. Auryn shyly made his way to the side of the village square when he noticed all eyes were on him, and he went inside one of the shops.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Hello...er...stranger," the shopkeeper said eyeing Auryn's strange outfit, "Anything you're looking for?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah," Auryn repied, "Would you have happened to see anyone who looks kind of like me? I mean wear the same armor as me?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Can't say I have," the shopkeeper said. "You look tired, though. Why don't you go to the bathouse nearby? They'll let you relax in their stream nearby. Or go to the inn and try to sleep for a while."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh, no thanks," Auryn said, "I think I've had enough streams and ponds to last me a lifetime," and left with that, leaving the shopkeeper staring at the door in confusion.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Now what?" Auryn thought, "I'm lost, no one from my party's around here or probably even escaped...shit." He walked in a random direction through the town, trying to see what he could do here to pass the time or if he could find a map to get to the next settlement that his comrades might be at if they were free. Just as he was about to give up searching, he stumbled upon what looked like a library, but he wasn’t sure since he couldn't read the symbols on the signs. "Jackpot."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn went into the library and found a map. After looking it over, it appeared that this was the closest settlement to where his ship was broken.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Who knows what's happened to everyone else?" he thought to himself. He looked around a little longer and came upon an interesting book, “Lamia: A Reference Guide.”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Excellent," he thought as he sat down and opened to the chapter regarding shirohebi. As he read, he found that they were unusually docile for lamia, and were always a shade of white but that shade depended on the individual. In some areas they were deified like the ryu. They would never attack, rape, or kidnap a man under normal circumstances.<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  Lucky me, he thought remembering the time spent with the shirohebi. They were commonly worshipped as servants to the ryu.<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  Like Cuchulainn was with Lugh, he tried to relate his own religion to all of this. He was about to get to the downside of Kawra's kind, but it appeared the pages were missing for whatever reason.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Seeing that he was finished with the shirohebi section, Auryn decided to learn more about whatever the ryu was while he had the chance. He learned it was a half woman-half dragon that was close enough to a lamia to be in the book, and that they were usually very powerful, and often regarded as goddesses.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">I'd hate to get on a ryu's bad side, he thought remembering Kawra telling him about the ryu that owned the temple. The book told him that they were usually very warm, but to him not being around one was the best plan of action.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Losing interest, Auryn closed the book and placed it back on its shelf. He stood there for a few minutes thinking about what he should do next.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe the librarian has some book that can help me understand this place better, he thought. He stood up straight and made his way to the librarian’s desk nearby.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hello," he said, "Could you help me find something that might explain this place to a foreigner?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"I've got just what you need," the librarian said as she handed him a map and a rather thick book. "Catalogue of Species or Monster Girl Encyclopedia," it was called. It was also written in the common language.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Thanks," Auryn said and he went back to his table. He opened it to the table of contents.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Alraune, Amazoness, Ant Arachne this and that" Auryn read silently. He turned the page and found a prologue.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Zipangu is, at a glance, like any other island nation. However, one needs only a few hours to discover how wrong that assumption is. While Zipangu does share much of the same wildlife as many other nations, it is home to many hybrid creatures, all of which are blended with women in some way."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">OK, that makes sense. He reminisced about all the hybrid creatures he saw that were around the path, though only the fox was brave enough to get near him as well as Kawra, or maybe a different shirohebi, he didn't know. He stopped his reminiscing and went back to the book.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">“This encyclopedia’s mission is to catalogue all the known species of Mamono in Zipangu, and eventually the world. Many creatures will attack a man on sight for his spirit energy. Notable exceptions are Ryu, Shirohebi, and Inari, among others from Zipangu. Each creature, aggressive or passive, needs men's spirit energy to survive. They attain this energy through sexual intercourse…most men who fall victim to such creatures never return…while many theories exist, the most common are that the man is enslaved by the mamono, is held prisoner for the remainder of his life by his captor, or simply death.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">''Sounds like I have nothing to lose, then. Thirty days is all they'll get out of me, probably''. He continued reading all of the relevant chapters, mostly on his shirohebi “friend” and her ryu deity, though he didn’t learn anything more about them from this book than what the other book taught him. As far as Auryn was concerned, Kawra was the only lamia he would tolerate seeing again since she had proven to be docile, and he certainly hoped to stay far away from the very powerful ryu. He continued reading about other species he saw and anything with an interesting name. Suddenly, Auryn suffered a powerful coughing fit. He tried to cover his mouth, but a particularly powerful explosion from his throat sent blood over his black sleeve and onto his lap.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Dammit," he whispered,<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  I'll have to wash these before the stains set in. His expression degraded when he realized the only place to do so was the stream supporting the village. Auryn stood up, carrying his encyclopedia back to the librarian and taking care to keep the blood stains on his robes hidden.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Did it help you?" the librarian asked as he handed her the book.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes, I think so," he replied, "Thanks." He turned and left the library at a brisk walk. Keeping his blood stains hidden, he was able to navigate the town, and he put up his hood when he left the town's walls, hoping it would make him look undesirable to any stray mamono as it appeared to do on the other side of town.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">As Auryn walked into the wilderness, he tried focusing his magic to better detect any denizens that might await him. Alas, his skill wasn't honed well enough and he failed, losing most of his magical energy and giving no effect.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Dammit," he thought, "now I'm pretty vulnerable. I can't wait around for my magic to come back either, a hybrid might stalk into the pond," Auryn told himself while continuing towards the stream.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Along the way, he heard many sounds he was used to, like birds and others, but he never fully trusted the sounds to not be a nymphomaniac hybrid determined to kidnap and rape him. He was unaware that the locals put the town where it was because few mamono actually lived in that part of the forest. With each sound, his pace quickened, and soon he stumbled on the pond, no more than twenty feet from the gate.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'll be fine," he thought when he realized his proximity to the town. Auryn removed his hooded cloak and set it on the rocks near the water. Next he removed his robe top in case any blood soaked through, and he kept his pants on.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn dipped his cloak's sleeve into the water and scrubbed it against the rough rocks around him. In time the blood seemed to wash out, and he went to inspect his shirt.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">When he heard a rustling sound on his way to his shirt, Auryn charged up his electricity. He put out a huge amount of free magical energy and ran his fingers through it, splitting the energy as he did so. The two halves of the energy, positive and negative, came clashing back and produced electricity. He gained control of the lightning bolt and fired the powerful blast into the woods near the sound he heard. Thunder roared through the valley as the pond and part of the forest lit up. The ground that the lightning bolt struck exploded and a cloud of dust arose between the trees as mud and hot clay rained down in the immediate area. When it was over, everything was completely silent: no bird songs, no voices from the town, barely any wind rustling the leaves.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn stood still for a moment, exhausted from draining his already low magic reserves. Lightning was the most powerful magic he could do, but it was also the most draining since it required putting out free energy, then using more magic to split it. When he was assured nothing was around, he collapsed to his knees as he breathed hard as he tried to regain some energy and stamina. When he looked back up, he noticed half of the charred corpse from a fox or other small animal lying on the rocks in front of him. He smiled at himself for being so jumpy and he laid himself down on the warm rocks to rest, figuring that any hybrids wouldn't come this close to the town especially after the disturbing sound and ambiance of unnatural thunder.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Just as Auryn closed his eyes, he heard splashing and the groaning of a familiar voice. "Urgh...what did you do to me?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He sat up and saw Kawra's dripping, white figure lying on the rocks obviously harmed from the electricity. Behind her, many dead fish floated in the water. Maybe some of the electricity got into the water through the ground? Auryn didn't know.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Sorry," he said, "That wasn't really for you." He didn’t move any closer but he still looked at the lamia lying on the rocks as her pain subsided.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'll find a way to punish you later," she said with a smile when she recovered. "Maybe I'll have to steal all of your energy so you can't do...that again?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn shrunk back a bit, now knowing what it took for her to take his energy, though he wasn't sure if spirit energy and magic energy were the same. "I don't think so," he told her, "I need that so I don't get caught here defenseless."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra slowly propped herself up into a sitting position and she considered going near him. "What did you do, anyway? I've never seen anything do that kind of magic."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Just a...lightning bolt," he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh like from storms?"

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah, just like that," he said. His tone was amiable, though he desperately wanted to leave out of fear of the lamia. The only comfort he had was he actually knew what she wanted from him.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"The ryus will sometimes make storms, but they never make lightning on its own...at least as far as I've seen. I guess I can understand why because I'm still in pain, and I might need some spirit energy now," Kawra said as she lay on her back, letting her arms rest above her head in a submissive position.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"No, not now," Auryn said as he looked towards the town with a relieved grin, "Your fan club is here." He pointed to the town where a large crowd was coming through the torii calling "Shirohebi," and other things that related to Kawra.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn backed away to his things and disappeared into the crowd. Out of the lamia's sight, he was able to get dressed and get out of the town's area without being seen by her.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">When he was a safe distance away, he threw his hood back up, assuming the demon-like look that his headmaster required of him. Auryn continued into the forest and towards the next town.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">The sorcerer stopped to open his map after a while. He sat down on a big, half-buried rock as he regained his bearings and tried to orient himself.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"OK so...I guess I'm...here," he read aloud as he realized this map made no sense to him. The written symbols made no sense either since he'd never seen them before.The books are in the common language, so why isn't this map? he silently complained. In a foolish act, he pulled his red and black hood off his head to try to see the map better.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">If he wasn't so distracted with his map, he may have noticed the minotaurus stalking about nearby. Suddenly, he felt some vibrations against his feet and heard a heavy stamping getting closer.<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  What on Earth is that?<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  he thought as he brought his map below eye level.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Charging towards him was a massive girl - easily taller than him and much more muscular. Her legs were covered in thick fur and ended in powerful hooves. On her head were two relatively small horns which sat just above her cow-like ears. On the ground behind her was a large axe that probably weighed half as much as she, and her speed was steadily increasing.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn quickly stood up and his red and black cloaked flapped in the wind. He powered up his magic and at the last second, and when the minotaurus was almost on top of him, he fired a powerful blast at the monster. He expected the blast to throw the girl on her back, but instead it only stopped her in her tracks, just a few feet from him. Trees shook from the blast many yards behind her as it passed them.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">She groaned at the shock of the wave, but then looked down at Auryn with a smile. In a last ditch effort, Auryn disappeared using an invisibility spell since his magic reserves were drained from the blast. He jumped backwards as the minotaurus tried to get him in a hugging grasp, but he narrowly dodged.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">The minotaurus looked around for the man, but to no avail. "Where are you?" she yelled loudly as she growled in frustration. She heard footsteps behind her, and quickly turned around with her lusting grin and charged at full speed towards the sound."Come out!" the minotuarus screamed as she ran past the sound with no new mate. Suddenly she heard a strange sound behind her and turned to see what was going on. She spotted her target in plain sight and charged.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He prepped his magic again as the minotaurus charged him, thanks to his invisibility spell timing out. He prepared another blast spell knowing well that it would tax his reserves so much that it would burn away most of his stamina as well. As the minotaurus came close, he blasted her again, but this time the minotaurus was so determined that she only slowed down.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn felt his energy drain away as the minotaurus approached and he waited for her to kill him in the collision. Suddenly, a white streak flashed in front of him as he collapsed to his knees. As his body collided with the ground, he saw the struggling minotaurus being crushed by a powerful snake tail before everything went black and cold.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 4:

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Sometime later Auryn awoke on a rocky outcropping with the setting sun behind him. He felt weak, but most apparent was his hunger. He sat up and looked around. Behind him was a forest, but in front of him were the gradual beginnings of a flat plain. He looked to his right and saw the white tip of a snake's tail next to him. He pulled away but quickly remembered where it most likely led to. He looked a little farther away and spotted Kawra's white body lying calmly on the rocks near him. She looked like she was sleeping.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "She...saved me?" he asked himself silently so he wouldn't wake Kawra. He looked to his left and figured he owed her something. "Maybe I can get her dinner?" he thought. He quietly stood up and stalked off looking for small animals. He knew snakes were carnivores so he figured a lamia would be as well. As he stood up he wobbled a lot from his fatigue but he pressed on.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn searched the immediate grassland for quite some time before the sun set and the nocturnal creatures began coming out. In the dim twilight, he managed to find a rabbit which he killed using a kind of necromancy. He used another, forbidden spell to strip the flesh of the dead rabbit, organs and all. The only side effect was the reanimated rabbit skeleton.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn placed the rabbit flesh in front of Kawra, though he didn't know when she would wake up and he didn't want to disturb her. As he walked away though, he tripped over his undead rabbit skeleton and fell onto the ground below with a soft thud and a loud swear.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra groggily awoke and looked at Auryn lying in the grass. She chuckled lightly at him before she noticed the food in front of her. "What's this?" she asked when she saw the flesh.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's dinner...if you want it," Auryn explained as he stood, "I mean if you like rabbits-"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's perfect," Kawra smiled as she sat up. "What about for you, though?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You deserve it more than me," he said as he approached and sat down near her, "Thanks, by the way, for...getting me out of there."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra smiled and chuckled at his awkwardness through her mouthful of rabbit, "It's nothing." She took another bite and looked at the rabbit. "No bones? And you left the good parts?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's a dark magic spell," he said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Demonic magic?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Necromancy."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Oh. Well where's the rest of it?" Kawra didn't understand the relation of dark magic to humans so she didn't ask why Auryn knew anything in that school.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn replied by holding up the clean skeleton of the rabbit. Kawra looked away in disgust at the sight.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Who would make such gross magic?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "The Kemries," he replied, "I think anyway." The two sat in silence for a little bit as Kawra enjoyed her small dinner.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Auryn, here. Eat," Kawra said holding out a part of her rabbit. "I know you need to eat. Don't say no, either, unless you want me to force-feed you."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn chuckled as he tore a piece of the rabbit from the main corpse. He picked out the organs and tore off the fur and ate the muscles. "It's a bit raw," he joked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I don't think so...this is how I always eat food, except with the bone still there obviously," Kawra said as his joke went over her head.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Not me, I liked mine cooked over a fire."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Ew, that sounds like it'd be so dry."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Sometimes."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "So what kind of magic did you use to try to stop that rapist?" Kawra asked after some time of silence.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "The buffalo-looking girl? It was just a pressure wave to knock her off her feet. And why do you call her a rapist?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Most monsters aren't respectful like me. They like to mate with men by force. I think that's wrong."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I agree."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Tell me more about your magic. I want to know everything." Kawra finished her food and lay on her stomach and rested her head on her hands.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn laughed at her enthusiasm. "Not even I know everything about magic. But it starts with a basic spell, usually fire based." He held out his hand as spawned a tiny flame. "As your skill in magic grows so does your magic reserve; the more energy you can put into a spell, the stronger it gets," he made the flame grow a little bit, but noticeably. "The problem is that high level spells, like that pressure wave, can be so taxing that your body converts its own stamina into magical energy, and you can pass out from making a spell too powerful. It's probably the same with your water magic. If you're wondering, the reason why I know forbidden magic like necromancy is because some of my friends and I went into old crypts looking for powerful spells. They just happen to be necromancy spells like that insta-kill spell, 'Strip the Flesh.' Of course I just use it to hunt, not evil."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "What do you do to replenish your magic?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Usually just wait, but there are plants that can boost your magic and stuff...at least on Alba and Brasil, I don't know about Zipangu."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Cool. I can only replenish my magic with sex."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I know. I read a book about your kind: mamono, I think you're called."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah. Can I ask you a favor?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn looked at her with a worried look. He had strong feelings of what she was going to ask of him, and he knew he wouldn't enjoy it. “I guess.”

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'm cold-blooded. Would you mind...getting closer?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn looked away awkwardly. He was relieved, surprised even, that she didn't ask for sex, but her tail still worried him. He wanted to say no, but Kawra did save his life. The least he could do was keep her warm. "S-sure." He started to move towards Kawra, but she slithered to him before he could get far. She embraced him tightly and coiled all of her tail around him, leaving almost four coils from his waist to his chest.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Thank you," she whispered.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's no problem, you're helping me stay warm, too," Auryn said as he felt his own body heat convect into Kawra's skin, then back to him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good. I didn't want to bother you, but the rocks just aren't enough right now."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You're not bothering me," he said, and he almost meant it. He started to enjoy the calm embrace of the girl, even if he hated her snake tail wrapped around his stomach and ribs. He could use his replenishing magic to heat the rocks, but he chose not to. He knew the lamia enjoyed the embrace and that she purposely set this up.

<p class="MsoNormal"> After a while of keeping each other warm they lay down and went to sleep. Kawra's presence deterred any stray mamono that passed through during the night, especially since each of those mamono was weaker than her.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The next morning Auryn awoke but didn't sit up. Kawra wasn't cuddling him, but her tail was still wrapped around him, albeit much more loosely than when they went to sleep. The rocks beneath him were cold, even through his two layers. He wondered how cold that would be to Kawra and her one, thin layer along with most of her exposed tail.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'd better get some breakfast," he thought as he turned his attention to the grassy land with sparse trees. "My magic should have regenerated by now; I'll just smoke the food out of their holes and kill them there." He sat up and carefully unwrapped Kawra's tail from him. Unfortunately he suffered a loud coughing fit as he did so.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Mmmm..." Kawra stirred from his coughing, "Good morning. Are you well?" She received no response so she opened her eyes to find Auryn looking down on her with a look of irritation. "Oh, yeah. I forgot, sorry."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's fine," he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Mm...now where do you think you're going?" she asked as she wrapped the tip of her tail firmly around his leg.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn smiled at her flirtiness, "Breakfast."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good idea," Kawra said as she pulled herself closer to him and wrapped her slacking tail around his waist. Why don't I find you some food if you give me energy?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn looked at her as she brought herself to his level. "But why don't I get us some food? You're obviously still tired."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, no," Kawra said as she coerced him into a sitting position. "You stay here; I'll bring you something good. Your coughing will scare away any food before you can kill it."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Thanks," he replied and he watched her slither off. He began thinking as he examined her human body, "Maybe when she gets back I can give her some energy? No, what am I thinking? She's a snake...and what is even under her skirt? I should just get a fire started."

<p class="MsoNormal"> He gathered some sticks and dry grass that he piled together in a round pyramid shape. "Better wait for her to get back before I light this."

<p class="MsoNormal"> After a while, Kawra returned with a fox that she had taken bites out of already, but most of it was still intact. "Here," she said holding out the animal, "Maybe you can take all the bones out?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I can try," he replied, "But first, let me light this fire." He kneeled down next to his bundle of sticks and his hand began to warm up, but no flames or even sparks were produced.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "What's wrong?" Kawra asked, "I've seen you make a fire before."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I don't know...I should have enough magic for something so small as this," he said. After some time he looked back up at Kawra. "You didn't take any energy from me last night, did you?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra blushed at the thought. "No, we didn't do anything like that."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn looked at her with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "Are you sure?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I didn't rape you!" she protested, "I didn't take any energy."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Fine," he said as he examined his pants to make sure they were how he left them the night before, "But it looks like I can neither make a fire or debone your kill."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "That's fine," Kawra said. She handed the fox carcass to Auryn and pointed at several places on the fox, "Eat here. It's got a lot of meat. Also you can have the heart, if you want."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Thanks," he said as he looked at the dead fox and debated eating breakfast. He took a bite from one of Kawra's bites so he wouldn't get as much fur. The meat was wild tasting, but filling. He took several bites until he felt satisfied, and gave the rest of Kawra.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "That's it? You humans must not eat much," she commented looking at how much of the fox was left. "No wonder you run out of energy so easily."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn looked at her again and stood up straight, standing just taller than Kawra. "I think we should get going."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "That's probably a good idea," she said. Most of her fox was finished since she ate so fast, so she set it on the ground for whatever scavengers would be lucky enough to find it. She slithered up next to Auryn and noticed he was walking slower than usual. "Something must be really wrong with him," she thought, "I hope he gets to live long enough to cure himself...if there is a cure. His sickness must be sapping more energy than he thinks. I know I didn't take energy faster than he could regenerate it." She also noticed that she couldn't feel his spirit energy since he wasn't radiating it anymore, which meant that she could very easily lose him unless she kept him in plain sight all the time.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Shoot, I bet this would be easier with my map," Auryn broke the silence.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You mean this?" Kawra asked as she pulled a roll of paper from her sleeve. "I picked it up when I found you yesterday. I figured you might think it was important."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yes, that's it," Auryn said happily, "You're a lifesaver!"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra blushed, "It's nothing, really. You would do the same for me."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn pondered that. Would he really risk his own life to save Kawra? He would now of course since he owed her, but normally it might be a different question. He opened his map while he thought about it and stopped walking. "We're in luck," he said, "There's a town nearby. West, about ten miles."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh good!" Kawra exclaimed happily, "You can get your magic back, maybe."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Maybe," he repeated.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'll find a way to help you get it back," Kawra told him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You're very sweet," he told her with a grin.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You know you're walking slower than usual. Do you want to ride me?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn laughed. "I don't know if giving you more energy will make me walk faster."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I mean do you want me to carry you?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, that's fine. I appreciate it, but...it's not very masculine."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I understand," Kawra said, and then teasingly added, "But I am up for anything." Auryn laughed at her comment and the two continued their journey in relative silence, save for the harrowing coughing that Auryn suffered that was becoming more frequent.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Eventually the pair reached the gates of the town. After an hour or so of walking with the hot sun on their backs, they were happy to find a place that might give them shade.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You go on ahead," Kawra spoke up, "I don't really know how they'll like a mamono in their town."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn stopped and so did Kawra. "But you're a shirohebi, yeah?" he replied, "Wouldn't they accept you here just like they did in that last town?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Maybe, but I don't know for certain. In marshes and near water, we're respected and even revered. Here in the plains I don't know."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Very well. I'll see if I can find something for the both of us, then."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Have fun, and don't talk to any strange women," Kawra told him as he turned around and walked towards the gate. He responded to her comment with a nod and a wave before he was halted by the town guard. Kawra turned around and looked for somewhere she could lay in the warm sun, but away from the road. Auryn seemed to be able to tolerate her snake-like appearance now, but she feared others might not. Suddenly, she stopped when Auryn's voice rang in her pointed ears.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Kawra, they don't mind your kind, I guess!" he called to her. "Come in with me, if you want."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra was filled with joy: she could spend more time with Auryn, and not have to keep her guard up from other mamono who would try to steal him from her by force or seduction. She quickly slithered over to the town's open gate and ended up next to Auryn. "I'd love to join you," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn nodded with a smile and led her inside.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Keep your noses clean while your here, outsiders," the guard said as they went inside.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Inside the wall was nothing like they expected. Human men wandered the streets with either human women or a mamono of many breeds. Several men walked with their inari wives, a man and a jurougumo were running a clothing stall in the market, and they were able to spot one nureonago with her husband, and several other types of docile monsters could be seen with their husbands; though Kawra was the only lamia and Auryn was the only male who looked even remotely like a classic incubus, if only thanks to his robes.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Did that guard tell you mamono were accepted?" Kawra asked Auryn.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah. He said, 'You know your wife is welcome as long as she doesn't try anything.'"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You know I wouldn't," she said. She looked around and thought, "I love hearing that: being his wife."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I know that, I've slept with...er next to you, and nothing happened," Auryn reasoned out loud. "So is there anything you want?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I don't even know what they have! Let's at least look around," Kawra suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Right behind you," Auryn said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra was somewhat agitated by Auryn's giving her control. She had always dreamt of a dominating man, but Auryn seemed to prefer to share the command, and sometimes give it up completely. At the same time she was her<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  de facto<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  guide in Zipangu, so he could still be very dominating and not show it here. Still, she didn't let that make her think any less of him. "OK, let's see what they have," she said pointing at the man and jurougumo selling clothes.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "What have you got?" Auryn asked as they approached the stall.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Clothing made from the strongest of Arachne silk," the jurougumo said. Her husband was quiet in the rear of the stall.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Hmm...I'm not after any clothes," Auryn told her. He turned to Kawra, "Are you?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No, not really," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn nodded at her and then turned to the Arachne, "Not today, I guess." He and Kawra turned around and continued through the market. There were other clothing stalls, as well as a stall with weaponry supposedly made from cyclopses, and other interesting things. Soon they came to the last stall: a produce and meat vendor.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Finally," Auryn muttered. He looked at Kawra, "I'm gonna buy some food. Would you like anything?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yes, can you get me some rabbit meat?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Sure." Auryn approached the food vendor and a male farmer came to his service.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Looking for anything in particular?" he asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah," Auryn replied, "There's a plant that restores magical power, but I don't know if it grows on this island. Would you happen to have any? Also I need some rabbit meat for my companion."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Rabbit meat I can do,” the farmer said, "But I've never heard of a plant that does that, though I have another product that has the same effect, and more."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good enough. What is it?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Holstaurus milk," the farmer said. "Just milked her this morning."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Oh cool. Is a holstaurus like a cow or something?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah, she has cow-traits," the farmer replied.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'll take some of that then...enough for two."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Right," the farmer said as a woman with a hat on her head and white and black pants with a necklace that had a bell on it handed him the rabbit meat, "This is two pieces, and the milk will bring your total to seventy pieces."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn went pale. "Seventy...pieces? Why so expensive?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Because it's incredibly rare and in equally high demand. If you don't wanna pay full price, I can always find someone who will."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Fine," Auryn said as he produced a small sack of coins from his red pouch. The pirates looted any magical items from him, but didn't search his bag very hard since he had a sleeve inside where he kept his money, "Seventy pieces for the nice crook."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Pleasure doing business," the farmer said in a halfway teasing manner with the stacks of coins in front of him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah, real fun," Auryn sarcastically replied as he walked away.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Did you get everything?" Kawra asked Auryn when he approached her.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yes, I did," he said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Before he could complain about the price, Kawra spoke up: "I found a place we can sit." She led him to a bench near a fountain in the town square and sat down awkwardly thanks to her wide tail. "So what did you get?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I got you some rabbit meat, and I got us both some milk."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Milk?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "The farmer said it’s supposed to restore our magical energy," he said as he opened his jar and took a sip of milk.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Is this holstaurus milk, then?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yean. Why? How’d you know?" Auryn asked as he placed the jar to his lips again and drank several more gulps.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "It's from his wife's breasts..."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Huh," he said as he took the jar from his mouth, "I guess that's why it was so expensive. You know, I'd charge a fortune to counter the jealousy, too," he said as he swirled it around in his jar before taking another gulp with a look of indifference.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Wha-don't drink that!" Kawra scolded him. She reached over and tried to take it from him, but he held it out of her reach.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Hey, you don’t<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  know<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  it came from his<span style="font-size:10.5pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  wife’s<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  breasts,” he defended himself, “she could have been his livestock.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“What does that matter?” Kawra questioned him, “It’s not proper to drink that.”

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Why not? It's supposed to replenish my magic. And yours too, if you'd drink it."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Because it came from<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  another woman's<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  breasts. That's why not," she said as she stopped trying to take his jar, seeing it was futile.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well next time just feed me your milk if it's such a problem. I'm sure it'll replenish my magic too." He didn't realize that Kawra was pouring any demonic energy into him through devotion, let alone the affect it was having on him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra's mood changed. "Maybe I will," she said with a slightly seductive tone even though she knew Auryn wasn't being serious.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Wait, would it really? Does snake milk replenish magic?" His tone dropped its sarcasm and replaced it with curiosity.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Snake milk? Snakes don't make milk."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well you are a snake...kinda...and I'm sure those aren't just for attracting mates," he said pointing at Kawra's chest.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well they certainly caught your eyes, you pervert," she teased him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn replied with a shrug and a half grin after he took several gulps of his Holstaurus milk. "Well I’d be lying if I said I didn't look.”

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Oh so we are mates?" Kawra said with a sly smile.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "...You tricked me into that..."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Your words, not mine," she said as she cuddled next to him for warmth and affection. She looked at her rabbit haunch and looked at Auryn. "Would you like this? I'm not hungry after that fox this morning. I usually just eat once a day."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Oh, uh, sure," he replied. He realized she made him buy that for her just so she could give it up to him to make him eat. "And are you gonna drink that milk?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "No," she said, "Here. You can use it to replenish your magic after I take your spirit energy."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Funny," he said as he froze the jar with his replenished magic and placed it in his pouch. "Though maybe I can spare a little for her, especially after this milk," he thought. He mentally kicked himself. "First I hate snakes...now I'm thinking these thoughts about one. What is the deal? Which reminds me..." He looked down at Kawra who was resting her head on his shoulder and taking care to keep her head away from the spiky pauldron. "Hey, I read a book on your kind once, but all the pages with the drawbacks were missing. Would you mind telling me what those might be?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra wasn't quite sure how to react. She could very well lie and say there weren't any drawbacks, but she knew Auryn was too intelligent to not know better. "Well," she began, "All lamias are very jealous. Most will kill men who cheat on them."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn looked at her but didn't say anything.

<p class="MsoNormal">"And," Kawra continued, "shirohebi won't kill men usually. Instead we use our magic to make lust burn like a fire inside them which only we can satisfy, and even then it has to be the shirohebi that put the magic there and it never really goes away."

<p class="MsoNormal">"So don't cheat and I'll be fine?" Auryn asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"In a nutshell," Kawra replied.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn grinned. "No problem, then. But for right now you have to make an exception about the holstaurus milk and anything else I have to use until I'm healthy again."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra made eye contact with him. "I'm not ruthless," she said, "I can understand if something like holstaurus milk is something you need.<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">  But don't think you're exempt from my teasing," she laughed as she cuddled up to him affectionately.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good," he remarked after laughing with her, "Being too busy with sex means no cure, which means I die before you can really enjoy it."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I know," Kawra grinned evilly, "So I'll be sure to wait till after you're well again to make you my incubus."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn choked on the last drops of his holstaurus milk. He coughed up a pink mixture of milk and blood. "Right," he said looking at the splatters of pink on the ground below him.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I'm joking," Kawra laughed, "I don't see a reason to do that."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good," Auryn replied. He reached back into his pouch and pulled his map out. He looked up at the sun to get an idea of the time. "The next town is like twenty miles from here. I don't think we'll be able to make it there before dark, and we don't have any camping supplies."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "So you're saying we should find an inn here for the night?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yes, we should," Auryn looked away from Kawra and searched for an inn from the bench. "Maybe we should ask someone if there's an inn? It is a tiny town."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra stood up on her tail and looked around as well. "Maybe one of the guards will know?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Perhaps," Auryn said as he stood up and walked off to question the closest guard. After a few minutes of talking, Auryn returned. "He said there's one just down this road here. He also said it's small so we better get over there before it gets booked up."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Right," Kawra said and slithered off with Auryn.

<p class="MsoNormal"> They reached the inn and went inside. There was one clerk and one mamono: a kikimora.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good afternoon," the clerk said when he saw his new guests. "Here for a room?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah," Auryn said. "Just one."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "You're in luck, I have only one left," the clerk said. "It's twenty pieces."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Twenty?" Kawra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah. Each room is run by Anastasiya, the kikimora there." The mamono waved at the mention of her name, "She keeps a good inn," the clerk said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Would you do ten?" Auryn asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Twenty. I don't bargain," the clerk said.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Alright," Auryn gave in. He reached into his pouch and produced his sack of coins. He counted twenty and put them on the counter and placed his pouch back in his bag.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "All is good, I'll show you to your room," the clerk said as he stood up and walked down the hall with Auryn and Kawra in tow. They stopped at the room on the far left of the hallway and the clerk opened the door. "Enjoy your stay, you two," he said and walked off.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Well here we are," Auryn said as he looked around the room. There was a bed for two as well as a small table and a tiny chair in the room. "Looks pretty nice."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Yeah," Kawra replied, "It's clean." She looked at the bed which was only about six feet long. "I hope you don't mind being coiled around," she said pointing at the bed. "I don't think I could fit my whole tail on there otherwise."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Mmm...we'll figure that out later," Auryn replied. "It's gonna be light out for another hour or so."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I know," Kawra stated, "I just wanted to let you know. I know you're not very fond of snakes."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I can deal with the nightmares for just tonight," he thought. Auryn looked at her tail, "I'm sure I'll be fine," he told her.

<p class="MsoNormal"> A small, genuine smile creeped onto Kawra's face. "Oh, good."

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn returned her smile. "So what should we do?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "I don't know...you pick."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "OK, then let's go back into the town and see what there is to do. Maybe they've got some event tonight for some reason or other?," Auryn suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Fine by me," Kawra said as she followed Auryn out of the room and eventually back into the streets. They looked through every stall and shop that they could just to pass the time. Eventually it got dark and the stalls began to close. Auryn and Kawra went back to their room and prepared for bed.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Auryn turned around after removing his shirt to find Kawra lying in the bed already. Her shoulders seemed bare, but the blankets were too high for him to confirm anything. "Are you wearing your holy robes?" he asked as he pulled his half of the blanket down so he could get into bed. Kawra's half remained unchanged.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawra giggled slightly. "Why don't you find out?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> He laid his head on the pillow. "Niamh guide me..." he muttered.

<p class="MsoNormal"> "What?"

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Nothing. Never mind."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Alright," Kawra said. "Sweet dreams."

<p class="MsoNormal"> "Good night," Auryn said as he magicked every candle in the room and everything went dark.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 5:

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn turned to his side and closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt Kawra cuddle up to him. Her skin was cold – a welcome feeling in this hot, muggy climate. The soft silk of her clothes was comfortable against his back, "I DID find out," he thought. He closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn awoke suddenly. The room was the same but something felt different. Kawra was still holding him, and her tail was coiled snuggly around his legs and waist. He was fine with cuddling, but Kawra's snake tail still made him uncomfortable and his heart quickened every time he thought about it. He tried to ignore the scaly, firm tail as he tried to figure out what else was bothering him. He focused on what he felt and used his magic to enhance his senses as best as he could. With time, he was able to figure out there was a strong energy imbalance.

<p class="MsoNormal">The energy was so strong, in fact, that Auryn created a small bit of electricity without sacrificing his own power. He split the strange energy and when the two halves collided, red lightning was created instead of the familiar blue lightning. More interestingly, the lightning bended away from him, as if being blown away. When he moved his hand around, he noticed the electricity bended away from Kawra specifically.

<p class="MsoNormal">"She must be radiating energy," he thought, "I wonder why?" He let the red lightning go into the floor with a quiet buzz and relaxed again. With Kawra behind him, he felt much more comfortable than usual. He also noticed how soft and inviting her cool skin was. For some reason he was tempted to turn himself around and hold her as well. "No harm in it, as long as I don't tug on her tail," he thought as he turned himself around carefully and stretched his arms around her waist. He closed his eyes and drifted back to a peaceful sleep.

<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning Auryn awoke to find himself exactly as he went to sleep: Kawra hugging him and he was holding her back, and Kawra's tail was wrapped firmly around him. He looked at Kawra to find her smiling at him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good morning," she said, "Did you sleep well?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes, I did," he replied. "Did you know you were radiating magic last night?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I figured I might've been," she replied. Her smile grew when she looked at Auryn the way he was embracing her. "Did you want to make sure I was warm?" she asked in an innocent tone.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh, uh, yeah," he lied, "it was real cold."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra giggled and pulled him closer, pressing his head against her throat. "It's still cold."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn didn't feel a need to get going anymore. Instead he could have lied there as long as either of them felt like. "It'd be hot if you were warm-blooded, you know."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Maybe," she replied, "I bet you're glad I'm not." She felt him smile against her skin.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah." Auryn suddenly broke from her grasp with a wild coughing fit. Blood exploded from his throat onto his hands and onto Kawra's skin. "Sorry, sorry," he said when it was over and he noticed the red drops contrasting against her white skin.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You're getting worse, aren't you?" she asked as she wiped his blood from her arm.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I think so."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Listen, I might be able to fix you. The mermaids have life-giving blood. I heard from one of the books that I read last night that humans and mamono drink it for longevity," Kawra informed him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Is that true?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"It’s worth a shot. What other chance have you got?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn fell back onto his stomach and lied like a rock. "It's the most reliable method so far," he said after he turned his head so his face wasn't buried in the pillow.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra placed her hand on his shoulder and rolled him to his side with his back to her. She pulled him into a cuddle and stroked his hair sweetly. "Do you want to relax for a while?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Mmm...yes," he said obviously liking the sound of lying next to Kawra longer, "Yes I do."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra giggled again, "Then we can stay. We're in no rush." She held him tightly in her arms and wrapped her tail around his legs. "You're not bothered by my tail?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"No, it doesn't seem unnatural anymore," he propped himself on his elbows, "but don't think I'll let a real snake wrap me in itself."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra smiled, "Good."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn lied back down facing Kawra. He placed his hand on her side and felt her silky skin. "Can you tell me why that would be: why I’m not bothered by your tail anymore?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra's smile faded. "No, I don't know."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn grew a smile. "You used some magic, didn't you?" He moved his hand to her back and affectionately rubbed it to coax an answer from her.

<p class="MsoNormal">She paused. "Yes…I was giving you magic last night," she admitted, “It’s only so your own energy doesn't run out before you can cure yourself.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn used his magic to look closely at her own energy and from what he could tell, she wasn't lying. "Alright," he said.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You're not mad?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"No. I'm irritated by it, but I'm not mad, especially if it’s for a good reason."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, I also noticed your pulse was really high for some reason so I thought you might be dying."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hmm...ok," Auryn said. He remembered the discomfort that her tail brought him and how his pulse was high because of it.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Do you want to get up now?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn broke eye contact with her then looked at her eyes again. "Yes. I'm not in that mood anymore."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Alright," Kawra said with a tone of disappointment. She uncoiled her tail from Auryn and she pushed the blankets off of her, making her way out of the bed. Auryn followed suit. He stood up and watched the lamia stand herself on her tail. He noticed then that she never stood herself taller than him. Maybe her tail muscles weren't strong enough? He decided he wouldn't ask her something so personal, just in case she already felt awkward now. He could tell by her tone that she probably felt rejected.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh?" she asked when she turned around to find Auryn staring at her, "Did you need something, Aurie?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Wha...oh, uh, no," he replied and went back to putting on his robes.

<p class="MsoNormal">She turned her whole body to face him and slithered around the bed so that she was to his back. "Well if you do," she wrapped her arms around his chest, "you only need to ask."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled at her affection which for some reason, he now wanted to return. "I know," he told her with a calm tone. He paused for a moment and thought about asking her about her tail, but decided he liked the mystery of it better: it would probably be one of the few things she would keep a mystery. He started coughing again and he broke from Kawra's grasp and leaned over the table. Blood splattered onto the wood.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra looked at him sympathetically and bowed to be on his level to comfort him with her arms around his chest and his head against her throat. "I'm sorry about this."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled at how much she cared for him. "It's not your fault," he said looking up at her.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I know, but I can still feel sympathetic for you," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn gave her a hug. Kawra returned it and pulled him to a standing position again. "You can, especially since you also try to help me with a cure."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra said nothing. She responded by hugging Auryn tighter.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I think we should clean the table,"Auryn finally said.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra let him go with a blush and a slight smile. "Yeah. We should."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn stood up and pulled a white rag stained with red from his pouch, something he picked up the previous night with some of his last coins. He wiped down the table and there was a knock.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hello?" a woman's voice called. "It's Anastasiya. I want to know if you're ready for your room to be cleaned."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Ready?" Kawra asked. Auryn nodded. "Yes," she called, "Come in."

<p class="MsoNormal">Anastasiya came into the room with a broom and a rag. She looked around then looked at Auryn who was wiping up something with a red stained rag. "Are you OK?" she asked and approached him, understanding one of them was bleeding, "Do you need medical help?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"No!" Kawra said quickly getting in the way of Anastasiya, "He's fine."

<p class="MsoNormal">"No thanks," Auryn said as he used his magic to pull Kawra towards him and away from Anastasiya, "I appreciate it, but I'm in good hands." She wrapped him in her tail when she got close.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh," the kikimora said, "Good enough. Are you two ready to leave, or should I give you more time?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"We were just leaving," Kawra said with some venom in her voice.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Alright," Anastasiya replied as she stepped back and out of Kawra's way when the two left the room with their things. Anastasiya watched them leave, and when they were gone, muttered under her breath: "Bitch."

<p class="MsoNormal">"You needn't be so protective of me," Auryn told Kawra when they were a safe distance from the kikimora. "I'm not really attracted to any mamono. Especially married ones."

<p class="MsoNormal">"I can't help it," she said, "I just feel like only I should be the one with the right to pamper you and care for you."

<p class="MsoNormal">"You do a well enough job, though," he said then adopted a teasing grin, "I'd say you've spoiled me."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good," Kawra laughed.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Feeling better?" Auryn asked. Kawra nodded and he said, "Then let's go. We have a long way to go."

<p class="MsoNormal">He grabbed Kawra's arm and walked her through the already heavy crowd of humans and mamono in the market. They reached the opposite wall where they met a guard.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Leaving town?" he asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yep," Auryn said.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Stay safe," the guard parted them with as he opened the gates for them to go through. The two looked back at the large wall behind them.

<p class="MsoNormal">"If they allow mamono in the city, then why would they have such a thick wall?" Kawra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn shrugged. "Human invaders?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Maybe. C'mon. You have a cure waiting for you." She grabbed Auryn's arm and pulled him along with her. They walked all day and Auryn kept a close eye on the map. Occasionally Kawra took her turn examining the map whenever she thought Auryn was misreading it. Whenever she wasn’t examining the map, however, she was examining him closely. He was obviously getting worse despite her efforts to treat him.

<p class="MsoNormal">By nightfall, they didn't have the next village in sight, so they decided to find a kind of shelter since they didn't have any proper camping supplies. Unfortunately the only shelter they could find was an ancient and weathered tomb near the ruins of a ghost town. The buildings were crumbled and only their foundations remained. Plus whatever creatures that made their homes in the run down houses were most likely very dangerous.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You sure we should make camp here?" Kawra asked as she looked around at the old mausoleum. "I mean what if someone tries to sneak up on us?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Would guards make you feel better?" Auryn asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes, but it's not like you can find guards way out here."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn didn't say anything. He replied by raising his hand and doing a small gesture. Behind him a ring of white energy flowed across the ground and several undead mamono, mostly skeletons and one zombie, rose out of the ground. They stood where they were awoken and didn't move since they were under Auryn’s influence, not the Demon Lord’s. "Feel better?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I guess," Kawra said, "It's better than nothing."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good," Auryn replied, "Now let's set up some kind of camp." He removed his cloak and draped it over the branches of a nearby tree in case it rained while they slept. Beyond that there was little that could be done. The mausoleum was locked tightly so they couldn't get inside, and some magical barrier deterred Auryn from breaking in with his magic. Whatever was in there wasn't meant to be set free.

<p class="MsoNormal">"So we just lie on the dirt?" Kawra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah," Auryn replied, "I know it sucks, but there's not much of a choice."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra wrapped herself around Auryn once and hugged him. "It's fine, as long as I'm with you."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled as he wrapped his arm around Kawra. "She looks sexier than before," he thought, "I wonder why that is?" He hugged the lamia for a few seconds before replying: "Luckily it's just one night here. Come on, we should try to get comfortable."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra let go of him and he led her beneath the makeshift tent and lied down. Kawra slithered next to him and coiled herself around him from his waist up to his chest. She felt his heart speed up as she did so.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I don't want you getting a cold or something while you're already sick," she tried to comfort him, "Don't worry about my tail."

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'm not," he lied.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra laughed. "I know." She held him firmly absorbing his warmth and hopefully bouncing it back to him like a blanket. In about an hour Kawra had drifted to an uneasy, restless sleep, and Auryn soon followed.

<p class="MsoNormal">They were awoken in the night by a strange cloaked girl with snow-white skin. She grabbed Auryn's shirt and tried pulling him away. Kawra awoke and uncoiled herself from Auryn, and coiled herself around the girl.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Leave him alone!" she shouted as she suffocated the cloaked girl who let go of Auryn to deal with the new threat. The strange girl cloaked herself in fire, forcing Kawra to let go. Luckily she didn't suffer any significant burns.

<p class="MsoNormal">When she was free, the strange girl waved her hand and many undead began arising from the dirt and her fire cloak disappeared. The ones under Auryn's control seemed to now be under the girl's control. They all ran over to Kawra to subdue her, but each was struck by powerful lightning and crumpled to dust before they could reach her.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Unless you want to be our charred dinner, I wouldn't recommend doing that again," Auryn said pointing at the strange girl with a finger glowing with white lightning.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn was curious why his lightning was now white instead of blue, and he wondered why he felt he had a larger pool of magic energy, but he did his best to remain focused on the strange girl.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Why are you so focused on that stalker?" the girl asked, "Why not come home with a lich; a true magic user?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Auryn don't listen to her," Kawra desperately yelled to him.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn blasted the lich with his lightning, and her limbs and appendages exploded from her body, leaving a cross in a circle behind. "She wasn't so tough," he thought to himself.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra slithered over to him and held him tightly. "Don't ever get dragged away again," she playfully scolded him.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn chuckled and then asked, "Why was my lightning white instead of blue?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"You know how I said I'd wait to make you my incubus?" she asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes," he replied thinking back to yesterday when she was teasing him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well...I changed my mind," she said, "I don't want to wait because making you an incubus will make you stronger so you'll live longer. Your lightning will be red by the time it’s all over with."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn, while moved that Kawra was doing what she thought was best for him, wasn't very keen on becoming what he thought was a truly demonic creature; he didn’t know he would receive minimal physical changes and more magic and stamina. "Thanks," he said. He would have said more but he was interrupted by a sound behind him. He turned around to see the lich regenerating herself. She stood again like nothing happened and she looked at Auryn.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Don't deny yourself, you know you'd prefer to live a life of magical experiments and deepest pleasures," she said, "Come with me, and you can live as all sorcerers want to live." She gestured again and more skeletons regenerated and reappeared to coerce Auryn into going with the lich. Kawra coiled herself around him to keep him safe from the new skeletons.

<p class="MsoNormal">"How to kill an undead," Auryn thought to himself, "How...cut off the head!" He pushed out his energy and cut it, producing more white lightning. He threw the bolt at the lich's head, but missed. The circled cross exploded off of her head and strange mist flew out of the symbol and into the lich. She screamed as her soul went back into her body and fell to her hands and knees. She looked back up at Auryn with extreme lust in her eyes and she charged him. She was met with a powerful swipe of Kawra’s tail. Her face was red from the impact, but she stood up hungry to satisfy herself with Auryn. Since the lich lost all her focus, however, the skeletons in the graveyard fell apart and turned to dust.

<p class="MsoNormal">The lich charged up her own lightning but was able to hold it, being much more skilled than Auryn. She pointed her hand at Kawra but didn’t fire. “Last chance,” the lich said.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn silently called her bluff. He grabbed Kawra in a very tight embrace. He had a feeling that the lich wouldn't kill him if it could be helped, and it was obvious that she knew how lightning worked: if she struck down Kawra while she was touching Auryn, then he could very well be killed with her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t push your luck,” Auryn told her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t be a fool,” the lich retorted.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn didn’t let go of Kawra, but he did free one hand to prepare a powerful bolt of fire. The lich didn't budge, but it was apparent she was out for Kawra’s blood at this point. Eventually though, the lich gave Auryn an opportunity which he seized. He fired the bolt of fire straight at the lich who couldn’t ready herself in time. The fireball struck her, making her lose focus on her lightning which electrocuted her, giving her a quick death. After the roar of thunder, the area went silent.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Is she dead?" Kawra asked after a few minutes of silent waiting.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I think so...I think that cross thing is her phylactery, so if it's broken then she must be dead," Auryn said.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Phylactery?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"It holds her soul so she can live forever. If you break a lich's phylactery, I've always been taught it kills them, but it looks like it makes them mortal." Auryn approached the charred corpse and kneeled down so he could lift her hand. “May you find peace in the Fortunate Isles,” he quietly blessed her.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra watched him do a small ceremony for the lich but her jealousy couldn't be contained. “What are you doing?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Giving her her rites,” he said. “She was a skilled sorceress, she deserves peace in death.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra didn’t know how to reply to that. “Make it quick,” she told him not wanting to interfere with his religion, even if her jealousy bothered her.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn stood up and approached Kawra after some time. “I’m finished,” he said, “Plus if the mermaid blood doesn't work, then I can probably make myself a lich.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra looked back at him. “But you’re a male.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I don’t think it’d matter,” he said but now he didn’t really know. He only said it wouldn't matter for his own comfort.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Mmm...I think I'd prefer the mermaid blood," Kawra said looking at the fresh grave and shattered phylactery. "But we should get to sleep so we have more energy tomorrow." She slithered under the cloak and looked at Auryn who approached her. He pulled his cloak off the branches and placed it on the ground and crawled onto it, pulling Kawra next to him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"It won’t rain," he said, "We may as well try to sleep on it instead of under it."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra turned to him and basked in his warmth as it contrasted with the cool night air. “Good.”

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah," he said placing his hand on her bare side and rubbing it lightly. He suddenly stopped as he realized what he was doing.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra coiled herself around him and got close, but left enough room for his hand to comfortably explore her. She leaned over and kissed him softly. "You can do that if you want. It doesn’t bother me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn grinned at her submissiveness. He gently felt her silky skin, but tried his best to contain himself. He didn't want the energy Kawra gave him to go to waste, and she didn't want it back anyway.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 6:

<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning Auryn awoke and found himself on his cloak with Kawra coiled firmly around him as she slept. He looked at her affectionately and smiled. His smile faded and he turned around just before his coughing started up. A pool of blood soaked into the dirt below him and he felt a soft hand on his back.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Are you getting worse still?" Kawra's gentle voice came. Auryn turned to her to see her leaning over him with a concerned look. She looked at his heavily bloodshot eyes and wondered if he was about to start bleeding from his eyes or if he was just tired. "Do you want to rest more?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes," he said, "I would like to lie down for a little while."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Alright," Kawra said sweetly as she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him against her. She lied on her back and placed Auryn's head on her breast and kept him on his side so he wouldn't choke on any blood he happened to cough up again. She calmly stroked his back to keep him calm in hopes that it would calm his lungs and diaphragm as well.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You're so good to me," Auryn said with closed eyes after a while, "Why?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Because I love you and someone needs to take care of you," she replied.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn's eyes shot open. He had had relationships in the past, but no girls ever told him they loved him so quickly. "Is that a mamono thing?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"What?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"To tell someone you love them so quickly," he clarified.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I guess so," she replied, "Don't humans develop the same feelings just as fast?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn grinned but didn't laugh at her naivety. "No. No we don't."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Why not?" Kawra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Because...I don't know," he pondered. He lied in silent thought for a few minutes with his eyes closed as he relaxed with Kawra.

<p class="MsoNormal">Eventually his caretaker spoke up. "Are you feeling better?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled but didn't open his eyes. "Yes, but I don't want to get up."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra giggled at his remark. "C'mon you pervert, or you'll die before you can enjoy them again."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn didn't move. "But I'm not done enjoying them now."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra sat up and pulled him with her. "Yes you are," she said with a lighthearted tone, "They're not yours, anyway."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Fine, fine," Auryn said as he sat up, "I'm getting up." He sat up and tried to keep himself calm since he was afraid if he got too excited then he would cough again. After a few seconds he felt Kawra’s arms wrap around him sweetly.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'm ready anytime," she said.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Let's get out of this lychyard, then," Auryn replied as he picked up his cloak but didn't put it on. He pulled his map from his satchel and examined it. "I think we're about ten miles from the next town, which looks like a fishing town since it's right on the coast."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good," Kawra said, "Maybe the humans will attract the mermaids to the shore so it'll be easier on us?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"We can hope." Auryn said as they passed through the graveyard gates. The two continued on for much of the day, only stopping at noon to eat lunch.

<p class="MsoNormal">The pair found a nice rocky outcrop to rest and Kawra lied on the rocks to soak up their warmth. Auryn pulled the jar of Holstaurus milk from his satchel covered in frost. He kept it frozen with his magic to keep it until he really needed it.

<p class="MsoNormal">"We're gonna need to find some food," Auryn said as he opened his jar and took several gulps.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah, maybe I can go get us something and you..." Kawra began as she turned around and then paused when she saw him drinking the holstaurus milk. "Don't drink that!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Why not? There aren't any negative side effects."

<p class="MsoNormal">"How would you feel if I drank milk from another woman's breasts?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Aroused."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra looked at him with a slightly shocked look, and then turned away frustrated with herself for not wording that right. She felt Auryn's hand on her shoulder and he walked around to her front.

<p class="MsoNormal">"It's only so I can have energy while I'm sick," he told her, "When I'm better I won't need it to have energy to give you; I'll be able to do that on my own."

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra looked back at him and slowly grew a smile. "Alright," she said. "But when you're cured you won't have another drop of that stuff."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled back at her. "I know." He held up his jar. "Do you want any?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"No, I don't want any," she said with a slightly annoyed tone. "You would never be lucky enough to see that."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Alright," Auryn said and he started walking back to his things, "At least I asked."

<p class="MsoNormal">"How do you feel?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I don't know," he replied, "My magic reserves are fine...I guess because you're turning me into an incubus. I guess it wouldn't be all bad...having more magic than I'd know what to do with..."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well you keep daydreaming and I'll get us some food. When I bring it back I'll let you debone it."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Sounds good," he replied, "But shouldn't I do the hunting 'cause I'm the male?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"What? No. No mamono would dream of burdening their man if it could be helped. It’s bad enough I can’t cure your sickness myself."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Heh...sounds reversed. In Alba the men usually hunt while the women stay home. Both go to war, though."

<p class="MsoNormal">"That sounds so backwards," Kawra said, "Women should serve men." She looked over the grassland and slithered off to find food.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn sat awkwardly as he waited. His culture always told him men were the hunters, not the women. He felt like Kawra was almost forced to go find their food while he at least thought he was able-bodied but just sat around lazily. Eventually he might get used to the mamono way of life, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. Could he just sit idly by while Kawra had to care for each of his needs and hers while he could easily provide for them both?

<p class="MsoNormal">"Here we go!" Kawra's cheerful voice came, interrupting his thoughts, "I hope you're hungry for fox."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled at her. "Of course I am."

<p class="MsoNormal">"C-could you debone it for me?" Kawra asked in an almost timid tone, like she knew she was doing something wrong.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Of course, happy to," Auryn replied. He took the fox's corpse and placed it on the rocks. He cast his spell and the entire skeleton was ripped out leaving a gaping hole in the flesh. The skeleton approached Auryn and stopped.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Thanks," Kawra said, "I'll cook it for you now."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn placed his arm in front of her and stopped her. "Please, relax. Let me do something; I feel wrong making you do everything."

<p class="MsoNormal">"But I like doing things for you," she protested.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn moved his arm to her shoulder and stood in front of her. "And I dislike sitting idly by. So why don't you lay you down on the rocks to relax, and I'll do my half of the work?"

<p class="MsoNormal">He was already gently coercing Kawra to the ground when she said "Alright." She found herself lying calmly on the ground with him over her before she knew what was going on.

<p class="MsoNormal">"There," Auryn said with a comforting tone, "Now you just relax here and I'll have a nice lunch for you." He stood up and walked over to their kill, and he began to heat up the rock and cook the fox as well as he could. When he was finished he pulled the meat from the body and brought it over to Kawra.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Just muscle?" she asked, "Can I have the organs as well?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn smiled. "Yes, you can."

<p class="MsoNormal">She got up and slithered over to the fox then back to Auryn, wrapping herself around him. "Do you eat the entrails, too?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Not usually."

<p class="MsoNormal">"You humans are so weird. I'm gonna teach you to live a civilized life when you're healthy again."

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn looked at her. "We humans are very civilized; maybe you Shirohebi are the barbarians?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra chuckled. "I doubt that. You'll see after you've lived with me for a while."

<p class="MsoNormal">"We'll see about that," Auryn replied as he ate his fox meat. The two continued eating their lunch until their bellies were full. At that point they packed up and left the rocky outcropping, and continued their journey to the ocean. Auryn magicked the fire so it wouldn’t light again without influence.

<p class="MsoNormal">The pair walked for a long time before Kawra stopped them. She was watching Auryn very closely the entire time and finally decided that his slow pace needed to be fixed.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You’re walking too slowly,” she said while she guided him off the road to sit down, “You should rest before you hurt yourself.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m fine,” he protested, “Really.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“No, you’re not. As terrible as the truth is, you’re not fine. Please, just sit down and rest for a while.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Fine,” he said as he realized Kawra wasn't going to compromise.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Good.” She removed his cloak and wrapped it around him, and then pulled him against herself so that he could lay against her. “Now you rest. Don’t worry about anything else; let me take care of you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn couldn't protest. Kawra coiled around him firmly so that he had no choice but to try to sleep. “Alright,” he gave in.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Here,” she said holding out her hand, “this will help.” In her hand blue energy appeared and then materialized into fresh water which fell into Auryn’s mouth for him to drink.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s nice,” he commented, “Better than any water I've had before.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra smiled. “Thanks.” She kept her gaze locked on Auryn in case he became worse. He didn't look any worse other than his bloodshot eyes, but he was obviously tired, so she didn't think too much of that.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn finally sighed. “I guess I could take a nap, if you’re so insistent.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Good,” Kawra said. Her voice was emotionless since she didn't want him to think she was worried in case that made him upset, but she didn't want her usual lightheartedness to make things seem less serious. She watched him shut his eyes and felt him lean all his weight against her, and then kept watching him as he slept. He kept breathing and he wasn't sweating or anything abnormal, so she assumed his sleep was helping him. When she was completely assured that her love was fine, she too fell into a peaceful sleep, even though she meant to stay awake.

<p class="MsoNormal">When Kawra awoke the first thing she examined was Auryn. He was still sleeping and Kawra let him continue sleeping. The next thing she noticed was that the sun was in the middle between its highest point and the horizon, so it was the afternoon.

<p class="MsoNormal">With one arm around Auryn, Kawra took out the map and looked it over. The town was close – close enough to make it before sunset. She looked at Auryn who lied quietly against her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“He needs his rest,” she thought, “But we can’t waste much time when we’re so close.” She looked between Auryn and the map and finally made her decision.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Auryn,” she said aloud as she tapped her finger against his face, “It’s time to wake up. We need to leave before the mermaids go to sleep themselves.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn didn’t move. His eyes remained shut and his chest wasn’t rising or falling.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra stared at him fearing the worst. “Auryn,” she said, almost screaming, “Wake up!” She tapped her fingers against him firmly and started shaking him. “Auryn!” Her eyes began to well when her fears were realized.

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn’s lifeless body slid off of Kawra’s chest and thudded against the ground. She stared at him and slowly reached out to touch him. His skin wasn’t warm anymore and his pulse was gone. Kawra’s tears fell from her eyes and she fell onto Auryn’s corpse. The only thing she could do was cry as she clutched tightly onto his clothes and hugged him. "Please," she whispered, "Please wake up..."

<p class="MsoNormal">When Kawra’s eyes were dried and she couldn't cry anymore, she looked back at Auryn’s face. She hoped that somehow he found a way to wake up, even though she knew it was impossible. When she looked at his colorless face, the despair returned and she fell against him, sobbing weakly. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Part 7:

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra awoke with a strong depression, but she couldn’t cry anymore. Too much of her energy had already been spent on it, and she knew crying wouldn’t bring Auryn back. It was just that she didn't know what else could be done now. Her love was dead, and he wasn't coming back. There wasn’t much else to keep her to this world.

<p class="MsoNormal">He deserves a proper funeral,<span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0in;">  she thought to herself. She melancholically picked up his corpse and used her magic to find the nearest body of water, which happened to be a decently sized river not very far away.

<p class="MsoNormal">With a heavy cargo and a heavier heart, she wasn’t able to move very quickly, but she persisted. She dragged Auryn’s body through the grass with her head down and the occasional tear dropping from her eyes. Eventually she made it to the brook where she rested Auryn’s corpse on the bank.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I…I don’t know what you said to that lich girl,” she said aloud after she set him down, “but I would like to give you the same wishes.” She looked at his body lying in the grass, and she stood still. She reached down and gently stroked his skin, trying to remember his warmth, both physical and emotional.

<p class="MsoNormal">Her sadness turned to anger at herself and she struck him without thinking. Immediately she realized what she did and she let herself fall onto his body. She clutched him tightly as she started crying again. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could have helped more…but I…I wasn’t good enough for you. It was my fault you died! I wasn’t a good wife and now you’re dead…and it’s all my fault,” she sobbed into his cold chest.

<p class="MsoNormal">She stood back up and cleaned her face as best as she could. She picked up his body with one arm under his neck and the other under his knees, and she carried him over the water and held him above the flowing water. Doing her best not to cry, she said what was said at any shirohebi's funeral she ever attended: "May the flowing waters take your soul to the glistening oceans of Ame," she said, and then added specifically for Auryn, "Please wait for me there. I know I wasn't a good wife on Earth, but maybe in Heaven I can do better." She kissed his corpse and dropped him deep in its depths. “I love you,” she whispered when she couldn't see his body anymore.

<p class="MsoNormal">Stricken by the realization that that was the last time she'd ever see his face, Kawra began sobbing again and dropped into the grass. She lied there and cried for an immeasurably long time. The sun set and the air cooled quickly. Soon, even the ground lost all of its heat and without any rocks or Auryn’s warm body to keep her from the cold, she went into a hibernation-like sleep.

<p class="MsoNormal">*                                                          *                                                      *

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra awoke in a strange bed in a room she’d never seen before. She looked at her hand in front of her face. It was still white and there were five fingers like normal, so she knew she wasn’t dreaming. She sat up quickly and pulled the covers off of her. The firs thing that she noticed was that she was completely naked for some reason, and she pulled the covers back over her body in case someone walked in and saw her.

<p class="MsoNormal">She looked around the room. The architecture was unlike anything she’d seen before. There were pillars that held the ceiling above the floor with opened curtains in between each pillar. A green vine grew in a coil around each pillar, similar to how Kawra liked to coil around Auryn. Outside she could see it was nighttime, and an aurora was giving off its show in the skies even though it was very warm where she was. The moon was also full so there was enough light to see clearly.

<p class="MsoNormal">Half of the room was circular which she could see blue waters glistening between the pillars, and islands both near and far in the distance could be seen, but the other half was a straight wall with a single door. Next to the door was a rack that held a strangely familiar red cloak.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra slid herself out of the bed and made her way cautiously to the garment. Its texture felt the same and it even carried a familiar scent, but that wasn’t possible, was it? There was no way it would still smell the same after being soaked in that river, and no one would even bother to pull his body out of there, anyway. Plus, she was the only one who even knew his body lied in that river.

<p class="MsoNormal">“What’s going on?” she asked aloud. She looked around the room and remembered she was naked. Seeing no other choice, she put on the cloak to see what else could be seen and learned. She pulled the cloak around her and used its straps to close it so she could be considered decent for whoever her host was. She cautiously opened the door and made her way into the hallway. It was lined with wooden support beams every few feet, and the walls and ceiling were all a white plaster. Still, she understood that she was underground now; that the house that she was in was probably built into a cliffside.

<p class="MsoNormal">She made her way through the hall and came to another, open doorway that led into the open air. Below her was a set of stone stairs that wrapped down the cliff into a forest that was met by the ocean. She was naturally drawn to the water being a water lamia and she slithered carefully down the staircase.

<p class="MsoNormal">At the base of the stairs was a small canal that led into the ocean proper and the trees’ branches covered it nicely to keep it cool in the daytime. She fell into the water happily and swam through the canal. With all the walking that she did with Auryn, she had forgotten just how much better swimming was, and how slithering wore her out so much quicker. The water was smoother and softer than anything she’d swam in before and was incredibly clean and clear. As she swam she looked up and saw the house from the outside. It was indeed built into a cliffside and there were a few other circular rooms jutting out from the rocky cliff. There were also many pillars that stood on the very top of the cliff and there were huge monoliths that sat on top of two pillars each.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra swam out into the open water where there was a beach with a short stone structure and someone was sitting on their knees in its center with their back to the ocean. She looked curiously at the figure as she swam over to the beach and quietly slithered onto the warm sand.

<p class="MsoNormal">There was no doubt: the short, brown hair with the pale skin and the black and red shirt promised Auryn, but Kawra wasn’t a fool. She cautiously approached the man and made her way to his front instead of tackling him only to find out he wasn't who she hoped for.

<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly, he glanced up at her. His golden-brown eyes were the only reassurance that Kawra needed. She lunged at the man and hugged him tightly with her arms first, and then coiled her tail firmly around his body as well. The firs thing she noticed was his natural warmth and his heartbeat was back. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she quietly said, “Are you really him? Are you real?”

<p class="MsoNormal">A familiar voice filled her ears with its laughter. It calmed down and spoke: “Yes.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra tightened her grip on him and didn’t move or say anything. She just cried a little louder when she knew she was holding Auryn.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Uh, could you not squeeze so tight?” he asked after a few seconds.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra smiled against his head. “No. If I let go, what's to keep you from going away again?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Auryn chuckled. “I won’t leave, I promise.” He assured her by grabbing her arms and holding her wrists firmly, but didn't hurt her. Kawra responded by loosening her tail around his body so that she wasn't suffocating him. They stared long at each other while they just enjoyed the other's company.

<p class="MsoNormal">“How…what…what’s happening? I thought you were dead?” she finally spoke up.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I am,” Auryn replied, “And so are you. We’re in the Fortunate Isles.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra’s smile faded from the shock of hearing that she had passed away. “So…I’m dead? And we're in Ame?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yep,” Auryn smiled, “We’re now just a couple of spirits living in Heaven.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kawra wrapped her arms around Auryn again and kissed him tenderly. “So now we can be together and not worry about being separated or anything?” she asked after she pulled her lips away from his.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That’s right,” Auryn said with a happy smile, “We’ve found an eternity to spend together.”

<p class="MsoNormal">