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The battle roared all around me, a familiar sound; the clashing of swords, the thunderous war cries from every man on the field, the spraying of blood and above all else, the dreadful, pitiful screams of the dying. It was a symphony of death; music to my ears. Almost calming in its way, like a babbling brook to some, or a gentle breeze rolling through the trees to others. It always put me in trance of sorts, the sort of trance that puts me in the mood for killing, in the mood for swinging my sword and destroying whatever poor soul gets caught beneath its cold, unyielding edge.

But the orchestra that was the battlefield would be nothing if not for the heavy, intoxicating scent of blood, piss and mud. Not appealing to most I imagined, and certainly not appealing by themselves, somehow with the music of the dying all around me, these smells swirled and mixed and filled my lungs with an amazing vigour. This was the smell of battle, the very essence of the fight. Everything that I heard around me, this so-called symphony of death, I breathed in its heady aroma and roared as it splashed across my face.

No one could stand in my way, and those who tried were obliterated completely, absolutely. I had many nicknames during the Century War, and though that time was long since behind me, on this foreign, bloody field I was earning my nickname, Nosferatu, Death on the Battlefield. Indeed, my sword ripped through flesh and metal like it was nothing, over and over until my arms began to burn. But that burning only drove me on.

Again and again I cut through my enemies. I used to keep count of how many lives I took during a battle, but as I would lose myself in the bloody fray, I always lost track. All I could focus on was staying one step ahead of every person on the battlefield, every foe I encountered, and cutting them down before they got the chance to do the same to me. Eventually my mind would go blank, my pain and injuries and senses all mixing into one massive crimson blur, and all I would see was the next life moments before I took it. It was pointless to keep track. All you could do was just keep fighting until either you die, or the battle was won.

Suddenly I heard the thunderous roar of cannonfire, and screaming more horrific than ever, which somehow snatched me from my blood-soaked daze. They weren't our cannons, we didn't even have cannons. Somewhere a half dozen pandas were being blown to pieces by a single ball of iron. Somewhere, there was a single ball of iron with my name on it. But until it found me, I had to keep on fighting.

At some point, a few furs decided it would be a good idea to team up against me, attack me all at once, but sure as the frosty sunrise, my sword crushed each of their skulls in a single decisive blow. I roared bestially as they fell, their warm blood splattering against my thick armour with an audible pang. I doubted anyone even heard my roar, but those who did knew to stay away from me. And yet there was always another enemy, always another fool ready to meet his end.

A few more shots of cannonfire practically shook the ground beneath me, the deafening explosions ringing through my ears. I often lost track of precisely where I was and where I was headed in the heat of battle, knowing once you're in the midst of it, it ceases to matter. But of course I quickly discovered after a few more cannon blasts, I was getting closer and closer to the enemy battlements, closer finally toward the end.

It was well past midday by the time I heard the cannon shots, and not much later before I finally saw the walls of Xin'an. My pawpads were amazingly sore from swinging my blade almost nonstop since sunrise, my arms were on fire and my legs were extremely exhausted. My lungs burned terribly from inhaling blood and smoke and ash, and I was certain I could no longer feel my tail. Though I had suffered only minor cuts and bruises so far, I could feel my body already starting to weaken. But somehow I knew, I would not let that stop me.

Behind me, suddenly from nowhere, I sensed an enemy attack. Not one to think too much during battle, I followed my instincts and blindly swung my blade behind me, and sure enough I gutted a poor dog who must have thought he'd had me. I just smirked, then gutted another dog, then another, until seconds after another cannon blast, the earth exploded right before me.

I was thrown back at least four body lengths with unbelievable force, a violent ringing in my ears. My sword fell nearby, I somehow saw that through my daze as my body struggled to recover. I managed to roll over, the maddening sound of battle still roaring around me. But just as my paw reached toward my weapon's grip, someone stomped on my poor digits.

It was a fellow feline, dressed in the colours of the enemy, grinning as he pointed his spear at my face. He pulled it back to strike, and just as I thought this may be my end, a black-and-white savour came roaring from behind him.

Realizing what was happening too little too late, a bloody spear burst from my enemy's chest, felling the feline at once. I took the paw of the panda whom I would later buy a drink for, and he pulled me to my feet, grinning.

"Getting a little rusty, hm?" grunted the old panda. He was a seasoned warrior like myself, though he had once been retired.

"Nah," I growled, reclaiming my sword. "This is just my warmup."

The two of us continued our attacks on the enemy forces, both watching the others' backs as we spilled more blood than we cared to consider. Or at least, more than I cared to consider. Enemy after enemy fell by my sword and his spear, until amidst the cries of battle and the roars of cannons, a great banging rang out over the battlefield from the city's gate. The panda forces had made it to the walls, and had begun the final phase: Operation Smash the Gate Open. That's what I called it, anyway.

"Don't let up!" roared the elder panda, swinging his deadly spear around to skewer another poor feline. "We're at the gate!"

A triumphant "Rah!" came from the other pandas, almost energizing them. We had all been fighting hard since the sun came up, and no doubt the panda forces were beginning to tire. Most of them weren't much of fighters, and yet despite the odds, somehow we were winning this fight.

After a few more loud crashes at the main gate, some of the most blood-curdling screams I had heard in recent history came roaring over the heads of the soldiers from at least five horrified pandas. When I managed to get a glance at the main gate, the battering ram had been dropping and only a few dead pandas were left clinging to it. I cut down some enemy dog, then noticed men on the battlements above the gate, readying with more buckets of what I assumed was hot oil.

"Shit," I grunted, finally hearing the orders to reclaim the ram. I cried out to whomever was commanding our forces to stop, but as predicted half of the next group of pandas - ten or so grabbed hold - were bathed in boiling hot oil. The remaining forces backed away from the ram, smartly enough.

"Archers!" I suddenly heard, right after decapitating a fellow tiger, but before the commander could issue his final order, one cannon blast sounded, just barely missing him, then a second far more accurate blast immediately followed, taking him out with extraordinarily gruesome results. Even from twenty feet away, some of his gore smacked against my armour.

And just as it did, an extreme pain struck me in the ribs, just where my chest piece ended on my left side.

I snarled terribly as my sword dropped, then turned to the attacker, which only served to wrench the knife further into my body. With a loud bark, the dog backed away and with a second knife, sliced open my right arm, then stabbed at my chest. Fortunately I was still with it enough to dodge his attack, pain ripping through my ribs, but as I stumbled he managed to kick the knife further into me.

I cried out terribly as I fell to one knee, left paw feeling for the slick, bloody knife caught between my ribs. I was then kicked in the face with an armoured foot, forcing me onto my stomach, but before I could do much else, my head was suddenly forced back and I felt the terrible nip of a blade at my neck.

My life had flashed before me so many times in my life, perhaps now there was nothing left to show. I was just stuck in the moment, the here and now, waiting for death to finally find me. It had come close to snatching me more times than I could count, and while I always figured I would go out in a blaze of bloody glory, somehow I didn't think it would end quite like this.

But it seemed death would yet again have to wait another day, as the biting knife lifted from my throat about as suddenly as it had come. I groaned and tried to lift myself, shaky from the pain of the knife still inside me, but I was helped up once more by that tough old panda.

"Thanks again, old man," I grunted, finally gripping the knife. I ripped it out at once, tossing it at the corpse of the dog who almost killed me. "Woulda been cheaper for you to let him cut me."

The hardened old warrior just grinned at me. "We pandas have more honour than that, despite you mercenaries having so little."

That was a sweeping judgement, but he wasn't exactly wrong either.

"Our commander is dead, our forces are starting to lose focus," he went on, taking out a few more enemies. I quickly reclaimed my sword and despite the pain, managed to take down a few myself. It looked like the old panda had taken a few licks himself, but he was still fighting. Which meant I couldn't back down even for a second either, lest I be bested by an old man.

"This battle is lost."

I growled deeply. Like I said, most of these pandas weren't fighters. While seemingly well-trained, they weren't soldiers, they hadn't the fortitude to be. Most of these men were fueled by victory thus far. But as we were being slowly driven back by more seasoned, far more disciplined warriors and unceasing cannonfire, it was clear we were on the losing side. And if we did lose this battle, it would seem unlikely we would win this war.

Now, as a mercenary, I had no real obligation to these men. I was getting paid to fight, paid to help win battles, and of course if we failed to win the battles, I would not be paid. In fact, I would likely be dead, and as a mercenary - again, with no obligation to these men - no amount of money was worth dying for. So why I did what I did next, still baffles me.

I growled deeply and with as much strength as I could muster, I obliterated a couple canines, a couple felines, and countless more as I worked my way closer to the centre of the panda troops. When I got there, or as close to the cannonballed commander as I could get without stepping in him, I took in a deep breath and recalled my days with the Midland Royal Army.

"Left flanks!" I snarled, holding up my paw. I got little attention from the fighters around me, but as I heard my command shouted back over the death cries of pandas and enemies alike, I continued. "Back in formation!"

Though there seemed to be some hesitation, they did it. I issued a similar command all around, then brought the archers forward.

"Aim for the battlements, take out the men above the gates. Prepare the volley!"

Amazingly, a small group of pandas stepped forward as the flanks kept the enemies at bay.

"Take aim," I growled, holding up a paw. But just as I did, I suddenly heard a very precisely-aimed cannonshot, and before I could react a massive ball of iron nearly blew my head clean off.

Surprised to say the least, I grabbed my sword immediately and lifted it, recalling the fate of our poor commander, not allowing myself the time to think on my ludicrous actions. I held my sword at an angle and stood behind it as if to use it as a shield. And as predicted, a second cannon blast quickly fired, hammering my sword in an instant and deflecting upward.

Now, I'd like to say that wasn't the stupidest thing I had ever done, but as my breath was blown from my lungs and I flew back and rolled over dozens of corpses like an enormous striped ragdoll, I found myself unable to recall any such instances of incredible stupidity. Yet despite the massive crack in my massive sword, somehow I had survived the second shot that had previously obliterated the panda commander. Was it luck, or insanity? Or a bit of both? Either way, I struggled to lift myself, and with a bit of help from a particularly muscular panda, I reclaimed my spot near the gory smear that was once a commander.

I raised my paw once more, most of our forces staring at me in disbelief, no doubt surprised by my recklessness. Naturally I ignored those stares, far too used to them by now. "Take aim!" I snarled as loudly as I could, blood trickling down my face. I think if any of my bones had been cracked, they were thoroughly broken now. Though it was still difficult to breathe, I was somehow able to find my commanding voice. "Release! Second wave...prepare volley!"

It had been too many years since I took command of a battlefield, and though I didn't usually have archers in my company - the Dragonkin Brutes, we were called - I knew enough to be able to competently command them. And so far, they were following orders obediently.

The panda archers released more arrows in three more waves, not only felling some of the oil-dumpers, but some of the cannon operators, too. Though we were far from winning, we were a hell of a lot closer now.

Next, when I was confident our forces could ram through the door largely undisturbed, I ordered more men forward to the ram, and more men to strengthen our flanks to protect the rammers. In just moments they were back on track, battering the door mercilessly.

"Keep up the attack!" I roared, then ordered another squad of archers forward to take aim at any enemies up on the battlements they may have missed.

Two, three, four more rams, and already I could see the doors starting to crack and splinter. With my knife I fended off some nearby attackers, aiming for throats, guts, anything to keep the archers safe. The deep, fiery pain in my ribs was ever-present, but for now I was able to burn through it, fueled by adrenaline.

"Commander!" I suddenly heard, and though I hadn't been called that in many moons, I responded to it all the same. It was a young, frightened panda, pointing toward the battlements. "Th-They're back!"

"Prepare volley!" I shouted, "And loose!"

In a second, the gate tower was bombarded by arrows, striking a few more enemies, though how many were killed was hard to judge. Unfortunately, in all the commotion the bucket of hot oil was jostled around enough to spill at least half of it, though luckily not the whole thing. A couple pandas were splashed and released the ram, despite my roaring at them, but the remaining eight was enough to keep pounding.

I growled desperately, then was forced to sink a blade in the eye of some poor dog. When I retrieved it, I turned to the scared panda. "You!" I demanded. "Watch the battlements and open fire on anyone you see up there, we have to keep the rammers safe. Do you understand?"

Though the panda was afraid, he nodded all the same.

"Good. I'm going down there and we're going to break through that door. You listen to me, and we'll get through this alive. Okay?"

"Y-yes sir!"

I gave the panda a quick nod, then reclaimed my cracked sword and made my way down toward the city gates, toward the bridge upon which our forces were trying to break through. I smashed my way through at least a dozen more enemies on my way down, wearing more blood than armour, until at last I reached the ram.

"Come on, men," I growled, taking hold of the empty spot. "We're almost through, put all your strength into it!" I had hardly any strength left, but I couldn't give in now, I wouldn't.

Just as I said that, we backed up, and my heart jumped when a volley of arrows flew overhead. Wary of spilling oil, we bashed the door one more time, then another, then as more arrows flew, we smashed the doors again, then again. I could feel we were making headway.

I used all the power I had left in my body to force the ram forward, splinters flying everywhere. The doors were starting to give, and I had to ignore the pain in my arms and legs and ribs, focusing that terrible energy into destroying the door.

We rammed forward two more times, and upon the third, at last we broke through. Immediately there was chaos as a flurry of arrows came raining down upon us. I ordered, for all it was worth, our forces forward, while clambering to my enormous sword for some form of protection. My thick armour deflected some arrows, though I got stuck by a couple. I just broke them off, leaving the heads in, and began swinging my sword.

Pandas were all around me now, roaring as they charged the front gates to reclaim the city. I was told beforehand to try to avoid their gardens and temples, to leave them as intact as I could, but I had made no promises. For now I smashed through the soldiers guarding the outer walls of the city. There was another set of walls further in, guarding the palace, but they were apparently not as heavily fortified.

And so late in the afternoon our tired forces fought and bled and died and killed as we made our way through the city and its streets, nearing the palace gates. If any civilians were still left within the outer walls, they had made themselves scarce, and rightly so. By the time I approached the gates, our archers had already lined up and were firing upon the palace's walls, but by the gate itself, something was amiss.

I heard terrible screams, and it looked as if the fighting had come to a halt. It seemed there was a monster guarding the palace gates, and he was slaughtering pandas left, right, and centre. When I got a better look, I saw this monster was nothing more than a fur wrapped in several layers of very thick armour, which covered his entire body. He carried a great axe with him, and anyone who dared to get close he nearly cleaved in two with a single swing. Interestingly, his armour resembled nothing of the enemies', which made me think he was a hired sword just like me. Was this their last line of defence?

Immediately I stepped forward, paw on sword, but I was stopped by the old panda who had twice saved my life today. "He is too mighty," he said, "and swift like the wind."

"None can defeat Tormund the Terrible! Tormund the Terrifying!" Tormund laughed heartily.

"Archers!" I roared, holding up my paw. I ordered them to fire all on Tormund, but the armoured beast was unaffected. He just laughed and mocked our attempts.

I gritted my teeth. He couldn't take us all down...could he? "What if we rush him?" I asked the old panda.

"Three dozen of us now lay dead at his feet. How many more shall die taking this city?"

"As many as it takes!" I barked, but I could see the stubborn old warrior wouldn't budge.

"These men are barely trained," he growled at me, "our numbers are quickly dwindling. Not one of these men can take this monster on."

I just grunted and glared at the armoured beast.

We had come so close to taking Xin'an, only to be defeated by a single soldier? Enemy soldiers had lined up along the battlements of the inner wall, archers ready to attack, yet it seemed they were interested in how this would play out.

I was not impressed by Tormund, but more than that, I was unimpressed with our men. Despite all of my bleeding wounds and exhaustion, I was not ready to give up, not now. I pushed past the old panda, against his advice, and through the crowd until I reached the wide clearing our men had given him. If I was going to die here, fighting Tormund, I would at least have to weaken him enough for the others to take him.

"What's this?" laughed the giant panda-killer. "Another soldier to taste my bloody blade?"

I looked Tormund dead in the eye and continued to pace toward him, gripping my sword firmly. This fool wore inch-thick armour, yet had amazing speed. That told me he had more weakness in his metal suit than it appeared. Either that, or there was no way he could keep that pace for long. But he was strong, no doubt about that, even from thirty feet away I could see it. I had no idea what manner of fur he was, as even his tail had armour, and his ears. I suppose it didn't matter, I would obliterate him all the same. Or die trying.

I stopped just out of reach of his axe's swing, holding my sword with just one paw. I was covered in blood, not all of it from my foes.

"You sure you want to do this, cat?" barked what I was beginning to suspect was a dog of some kind. "You can barely even hold your weapon."

I took my sword, which I hadn't yet named, in both paws and readied for attack. I took a few deep breaths and tried to ignore the pain in my ribs from the deep stab wound. If this was going to be my final battle, if this monster was going to end me here in this foreign land, then I would make it a glorious fight, one these pandas would tell stories of for decades to come.

"Okay, Luca," I told myself, letting out one last, long breath, paws tightening around my sword's grip. "Let's do it." And with that, I charged my enemy, sword lifted above my head and ready to strike.

Our weapons clashed with an agonizing scream, his axe deflecting my blow with incredible force. But through the burning pain I lifted my sword and deflected his attack, then again, each time being pushed back further and further. He roared every time his axe came at me, and I snarled back, our strength damn near equal.

This guy was big, and he was monstrously strong, and his axe was two times too big, much like my own weapon. I could tell he was tiring quickly, but so was I, and I was far more wounded. We both danced amongst the corpses of pandas as gracefully as two monsters could, weapons flying with wild abandon. Sparks flew and steel cried, and each time our weapons deflected off the other, they planted themselves firmly in the ground.

"You smell like piss!" the monster knight roared, swinging his axe down at me.

I just barely managed to swing my sword upward to block it, but I was knocked to the side. Unfortunately, that was the exact moment when my footpaw decided to find a slick pool of blood. Though I faltered for only a second, it was enough of an opening for the beast to strike.

Amazingly, I only suffered an enormous blunt blow to the head, instead of losing it altogether, and though it stunned me and sent me reeling backward, I was somehow still alive. Not one to spend much time pondering miracles, I leapt back without a thought, just before his axe shattered the cobblestone path beneath me. My head was still spinning, which did little to balance me as I struggled to hold onto my sword, trying desperately to reclaim my position.

The armoured beast was relentless in his attacks, and though I was just able to stay one step ahead of him, it wasn't enough to gain any kind of offense. So for now I saved my energy by dancing around both his frightening axe and the dead lying around me.

The monster's weapon smashed through dirt, cobblestone and corpses alike, he swung the bloody thing wildly. Though it was hard to tell, I think he may have been laughing. Was this fun for him? My head was pounding and my body ached horribly, so I could say with a certain measure of confidence, I was not having fun. Is that why he didn't decapitate me?

Suddenly, with just the briefest, shortest of moments I was presented with two options: lose an arm, or drop my sword. In less time than it took me to blink, I yanked my arm away from my blade. I suffered an enormous gash which nearly sliced my forearm clean off, but luckily it was still firmly attached. My sword, however, was now somewhere behind the wild beast, who was still attacking.

I leapt backward, then again, careful not to trip or slip or otherwise falter, diving to his left and to his right, and in any other direction that kept me alive for a second longer. The clever bastard, though still coming at me, kept my sword's position constantly behind him, guarding it carefully. I growled as I at last spied its location - it was stuffed nicely between two dead pandas - just as I nearly lost my left ear.

Warm blood trickling into my ear and down my face told me I had a fine new cut in my ear, but like for most of this battle, I was lucky to still have it. I was snarling and panting like some kind of wild savage, sweat and blood pouring off my face, thick white slaver spilling from my maw. This monster was still going strong, and with each attack I felt his blade getting closer and closer to ending me. I had to think of something fast.

I noticed, in the fractions of seconds I had to notice things, he used a lot of power to swing his axe at me. Though I was exhausted, I would need to drum up at least one good surge of energy if I was to gain any kind of advantage, striking between his attacks. But he left amazingly little space to counter, which meant I'd likely need to distract him somehow.

I glanced for a second at the pandas and enemy army surrounding us. This was just a show for them, they knew the victor would be decided by this battle. Would none of them help? Though there was some good fighters amongst the panda forces, most of them were cowards. Those who weren't had been laid waste by the armoured beast. There was to be no help from them. Perhaps I had to fight dirty.

Though there were few holes in his armour, I knew there was some by his face. That was all I needed. As I artfully dodged yet another attack, ignoring his taunts and cries and terrifying laughs, I managed to grab a pawful of dirt, though that afforded me another fine cut near the tip of my tail. Just as he came in for another strike, I focused just enough to be able to leap back, then tossed the dirt in the fool's face.

He was barely bothered by it, but it took him a moment longer than it had to to pull back his weapon from the ground. That was all I needed. With that sudden burst of energy - perhaps fueled a bit by the cries of the breathless panda army - I unsheathed my knife from my belt and stabbed it in the monster's side, luckily finding one weak point in his armour, just under his arm.

The monster roared and thrashed his arm about, striking a sound blow across my face. Blood spewed from my maw as I fell to my side, with barely enough strength to push myself back up. I heard him snarl as he yanked the knife from his ribs, throwing the blade at me. He missed, but I don't think he was trying to hurt me with it. I realized when I glanced up at him, he had dropped his axe.

"That was pretty good," the monster growled, blood trickling down his armour. "It's nice to finally have an opponent worth fighting."

He laughed again, and though I had managed to get to my paws and knees, however shakily, he took just a few thunderous steps toward me and kicked me square in the ribs. Though my armour protected my ribs, it was still like being struck in the side with a cannonball, or damn near. When I finally stopped rolling, I gasped desperately for breath, clutching my poor side uselessly. I had managed to get one good attack in, but clearly it wasn't enough. Was this really it?

"I had fun with you, little cat," the beast snarled, sounding a bit too much like he actually had had fun with me. "But none can defeat Tormund the Terror!"

Tormund the Twat then bent down and picked up my sword, dragging it toward me.

"Such a small cat, shouldn't use weapons too big for him."

I growled quietly, desperately trying to regain enough strength to find a way out of this, but I was far too weak. Every hair on my body was in pain, or perhaps it was just my broken ribs. Either way, I found it impossible to take a breath, and getting up was out of the question. I had managed to push myself up with one paw, but as soon as I bent my body to get a knee on the ground, a horrifying pain tore through my body. This really was it.

As Tormund the Talkative raised my sword above his head, ready for the final blow, I gave one last effort at getting up. It was a pitiful attempt, full of snarling and swearing and spitting blood, and I think the monster was enjoying the show. He paused, anyway, for all the good it did me, still very much holding my sword to kill me except I heard the beast chuckling. Finally I succumbed to the vicious, unrelenting pain that ran up my body, not yet ready to die but accepting of it.

There was a time, I suddenly recalled, just as the armoured beast took his attacking stance, where I would hear a deep, dark chuckling somewhere within me, a black little monster poking its head out, beckoning me, when I was this close to death. But in that moment, lying before my enemy, I heard no such chuckling, at least not from inside me. There was nothing inside me, nothing screaming, nothing scratching and begging to take over and rip the beast apart. It had once been such a familiar feeling, sometimes I wouldn't even realize I had slipped into my blackened rage. I was a monster then, a real monster, something people feared and for damn good reason. But not now. Now I was just some whimpering, quivering, bleeding piece of shit, perfectly willing to accept my fate when once, I would have fought tooth and nail to avoid it.

But just as Tormund began his attack, I heard a sudden loud growling from afar, a desperate war cry and it was getting closer. When I looked up, I saw that old panda charging the metal beast, spear in paw and a flaming intensity in his eyes. I shook my head and tried to tell him to stop, but it was too late. He had taken Tormund's attention away from me and received a wickedly fast strike across the chest and stomach because of it.

As my weapon slammed into the cobblestone, still coated in blood, that poor old bastard was immediately stopped, blood and guts spilling onto the ground. Falling to his knees, the delirious panda tried futilely to scoop his innards back into his body, until he caught my gaze. That burning passion was there for just a moment, begging me to finish this, screaming at me to stand up and fight, until at last they went dull and dead.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and though there was no dark rumbling deep within my stomach, I did feel some kind of stirring. I opened my eyes again to see Tormund roaring at the pandas, all of whom looked too afraid to attack, and clenched my paws into fists. I growled quietly and gave one last shot at getting up.

Though an amazing pain tore through my body, I just growled deeper and continued to get up, breathing heavily now. I glanced at the corpse of the old panda who had thrice saved my life, and decided there was no way in hell I was going to let his death be in vain. I managed to get onto my paws and knees just as Tormund took notice, and he took up my sword once more. But when I looked into his eyes, he must have seen something far more terrifying than himself, because that moment's hesitation was all I needed.

The metal-clad beast swung my sword quickly above his head and went in for the kill, but I was that much quicker. Despite the tearing pain all throughout my body, I snarled like a Hel Beast and lunged out of the way. I felt the explosion of dirt and rock behind me, but I didn't falter.

Tormund snarled from beneath his metal mask and swung again, and I dodged once more. Several times an intense, violent flood of pain tried to stop me, but it wasn't enough. I just snarled as loudly as the pain, staying one step ahead of the horrible beast but I knew I had to get in close if I stood a chance.

Again and again I jumped and dodged his attacks, until at last I found my opening. Tormund had lifted my sword high above his head, just as my broken ribs forced me down to one knee, and with a heavy breath he swung it downward.

Every instinct in my body told me to push myself out of the way, to back away from the beast to gain some distance. Linked with my broken ribs, it was especially difficult to push myself away from the blade and twist myself to aim toward the monster, yet to both my and his surprise, I had somehow pulled it off.

Just as my weapon smashed apart some more cobblestone, my body fell by Tormund's armoured feet and I had little time to react. Despite the objection from my broken bones, I twisted my body and slammed a foot into the flat side of my sword, knocking it from Tormund's paw.

Surprised, he quickly adapted by slamming a foot down on my chest, which may have broken a couple more ribs, it was difficult to tell at this point. And even if it hadn't, I cried out all the same. He slammed down a second time, but thankfully I had enough wits about me for when he went in for a third, I held up my paws and gripped his armoured foot. Unfortunately that only served to smash my elbows into the stone beneath me, but at least it was something.

Pain surged through my body without remorse, unrelenting in its cruelty. Tormund tried grinding his foot down as if squishing a bug, but I held onto his foot insistently. With eyes closed tight, my muscles burned and strained and ached as I tried to lift the enormously heavy leg off my chest, and for a moment it seemed impossible. And yet that stirring inside me, it grew more intense.

I growled deeply, gritted my teeth and began to push. Though part of my body begged me to stop, I did not. I pushed and pushed, using the pain crashing through my shoulders and arms and ribs and my back and legs as a kind of fuel. This intense, bloody rage was something I hadn't felt in what seemed like an age, and I clung to it. Little by little, I began to lift the beast off me, snarling like a maniac and giving the metal fur pause.

In a final effort, blinded by pain, I gave one last push at Tormund's leg, causing the massive beast to finally falter. As he stumbled back to regain his balance, I rolled over and pushed myself up onto my feet. A second after he recovered and saw I had done the same, the monster roared and attacked.

His first punch struck me square in the jaw, and just as blood spewed from my maw, I was quick to recover. I snarled and glanced at the beast, which again, made him hesitate.

"W-Wait," he growled, but I would not.

I quickly got in close and punched Tormund hard in the stab wound I had given him earlier, and though he tried to counterattack, I dodged and swiftly kneed his injury instead. The beast stumbled back, and though he tried to speak again, I think to get me to yield, it was too late. I was seeing red. Nothing would stop me from ripping this beast apart.

I swung my fists at the metal monster, mostly aiming for his open wound but hitting anything I could. My knuckles quickly became raw and bloody, snarling and growling like some sort of rabid Hel Hound as I kept up my attack. At last I was pushing the beast back, splattering my blood across his armour, yet I was un-phased by any of his attacks.

My horrifying cries rang out above the roars of the audience. My fists were like cannonballs, striking the metal monster without pity. Tormund was afraid, I could sense it. That darkness inside my belly, it snarled and laughed, feeding on my enemy's fear. This is what it lived for, this beast inside me. It was this beast that had earned me so many victories in the past, and had lost me so many loves.

When it became clear pounding on his armour would do me no more good, my claws came out. I scratched at the metal monster as if to rip straight through, but it was futile. I pounded on his chest and kicked at his legs, knocking the monster back, blind to everything around me. It was just Tormund and I, darkness surrounding us both. Again I smeared my own blood against his thick armour, letting out a familiar and yet foreign scream.

"Stop this!" Tormund begged, swatting half of my attacks away. I just gritted my teeth and snarled at him, lunging for his face.

My claws scratched at his armoured mask, then again, I think aiming for his eyes. Blood spewed from my mouth as he countered, and though he landed a few good hits, it was as useless as my attacks were.

Finally, my fingers managed to grasp at something more helpful. Having to reach up, I clasped onto his face mask and with a terrifically wild roar, pulled down hard, using my weight to tear it from his helmet. Though Tormund madly objected, a few good yanks snapped the pivots and I stumbled back, facemask in paw. I roared again at him, the fear clear on what I discovered was his ugly lion face. I just bared my blood-soaked teeth and went at him again.

Though he swatted some of my attacks, I pounded on his armour and clawed at his face relentlessly, lost in my fury. Sweat and blood poured off my body as I twisted and turned, slamming a heel into the side of his knee. It wasn't enough to make him fall, but it was enough to make him stumble.

With a mighty roar, I deftly swung myself around to Tormund's back and gave a hard pull on his armour, though the beast was as sturdy as a mountain. I received a hearty elbow to the face, but I clung on tight, giving another painful yank. My muscles burned and begged me to stop, but I pushed that all aside and listened only to my inner darkness. It was laughing, snarling, forcing me to continue no matter how many attacks I took.

At last his armour waned. Though another elbow finally forced me off his back, I dodged his cannon-like fists and reminded him with my claws where his stab wound was. As he cried out, I took hold of his gorget and gave one mighty pull, weakening the leather keeping the parts together. Tormund put his mighty paws on my shoulders to push me away, but I just pulled again, then once more, tearing off another piece of his impenetrable armour.

"That won't save you!" the monster of a lion roared, taking a few hard swings at me. He missed both times, though just barely, and I hammered my fists once more into his chest plate, snarling as horribly as ever. The confidence with which Tormund attacked was quickly fading, and now it seemed he only fought to survive. Good.

I punched the ugly beast a few more times, the dark monster inside hiding the pain coursing through me and replacing it with pure black vigour. I gripped onto Tormund's armour again and pulled with all my strength, weakening the leather keeping him together. I roared and roared, snapping my teeth at the lion's exposed neck, though there was still a dark matted mane to bite through. Nevertheless, one more pull on his chest plate was enough to rip it off his body, and it fell with an incredible clang.

That was exactly what I needed. As if brought back to life by a dark, evil angel, I clawed at the chainmail containing the lion's massive body with incredible speed and strength. Though I only succeeded in breaking my claws, my attacks were at least effective enough to push the monster back. I snarled and spat up blood, then punched the beast in the face. He stumbled back, and I continued my assault.

As Tormund begged for mercy, begged me to yield, I refused. My useless claws swiped at his exposed neck, and when I got a chance, my teeth sunk into his mane. I could feel his warm flesh so close, managing only a mouthful of dark fur, until he pushed me away. In a surprising turn, Tormund came at me, kneeing my horribly damaged ribs and hammering his armoured fists into my face.

My inner darkness was loving this, as it screamed at me to get up and attack. I avoided a punch and swiftly got in close, moving quicker than the lion thought I could. In a blind flurry, I punched and clawed and snapped at the monster, giving him no time to retaliate. Slaver and blood spilled endlessly from my maw. I was winning this fight, I knew from the moment I breathed in the intoxicating scent of fear.

With one last roar, I punched the lion square in the maw, splitting his lip for a third time, then lunged. Though my teeth were aiming for his neck, they instead sunk into the left side of his lower jaw, clamping down with amazing force. My teeth pierced his flesh and I felt his bones crack and break inside my maw, now swallowing a good amount of his blood.

Tormund howled horrifically and pounded his forearms down on my shoulders, then again, and again until my teeth ripped from his jaw. His blood poured all over my face and I simply roared at him, his flesh still dangling from my teeth. I had to laugh a terrible laugh as the monster cradled his bloody jaw, tears and sweat streaming down his face as he backed away. I had only seen so much fear in a man's eyes before a handful of times, and right now Tormund topped them all.

I approached the monster with a black fire in my eyes. He begged me to yield, even held his paws up to surrender, but I continued my deathstare. He had taken so little damage by comparison, yet he was now reduced to a snivelling coward. Had he someplace to run, I was certain he'd have done so already. And yet despite his twisted, fearful face, for a second he stopped and had some moment of clarity, or perhaps desperation. He was still going to fight.

For the final time in our bloody, terrifying fight, Tormund swung his fist as hard as he could to punch me in the face. I moved my head back to avoid it and as his fist flew past me, I took a firm hold of his wrist and immediately shot the heel of my hand up toward his elbow, snarling as I did. Just as I had suspected, the joints of his armour were far less secure than the rest of his plating, which was evidenced by the satisfyingly loud crack of his bones.

Tormund screamed horrifically as his arm bent in the entirely wrong direction, pulling it back furiously. He attacked with his other paw, but I quickly parried and punched his wounded jaw. He cried and attacked again, blinded by his rage and his pain, fuelled by desperation and despair. I continued to dodge his pathetic attacks until I spied a familiar object, my sword exactly where I had left it. Both my darkness and I grinned wickedly.

In a very swift, fluid motion, I ducked to avoid one of Tormund's attacks, while also pushing myself toward my blade and gripping the handle firmly. Keeping up with that momentum, my body straining to continue my attack, I pulled my giant sword along with me and spun it once around, picking up incredible energy. Upon completing a single revolution, I roared furiously and let my blade loose, smashing down upon Tormund's shoulder.

Much to my amazement, I think because of the thick armour and my sword's large crack, all I had succeeded in doing was lopping off his entire left arm, the one that hadn't been broken at the elbow. His blood sprayed violently into the dirt and cobblestone as his arm fell with a heavy thud, and Tormund himself fell to his knees, I think unable to comprehend exactly what had happened. He just looked up at me with horror and shock, giving into futility. All he could do was clutch the open, gushing wound on his left side.

"Y-You can't," he began, shaking badly enough to make his remaining armour rattle. "Please, I y-yield..."

I just growled at him and held my blade tighter. I didn't say a word, but instead stood above the metal beast, enjoying this moment of victory. My darkness enjoyed it too. There was a time when I might have spared the poor lump of fur and flesh and blood, and from what I had learned of the pandas these past few months, they definitely would have. But my darkness clawed at my stomach, roaring at me to take his life.

Giving in to my hidden monster as I had countless times before, I lifted my sword above my head and just as Tormund opened his maw to speak, I slammed it down, crushing his skull beneath his helm.

The darkness once called Nosferatu just chuckled and receded back into the pit it had crawled out of. As Tormund's blood slowly coated the cobblestone, pain slowly began to refill by body. The deep wound in my ribs was the first to come back, then all my broken bones and in no time, my face was on fire. The pandas surrounding me stood in horror at my blood-soaked visage, having unlikely seen such a thing before.

"Archers," I growled, glancing over at the panda forces. Before issuing the command, they had already snapped into action, shakily readying their bows. I held my arm up, but just as I was about to order the attack, I heard someone crying "surrender," then the word began to echo through the crowd.

Sometime after the great palace gates began to creak open, what remained of the day became something of a blur. A thunderous roar called out to the heavens as the pandas reclaimed their ancient city, banishing those who had forced them out so many moons before. My body was tired and weak, and finally collapsed amongst the dozens of dead pandas surrounding me, my world quickly becoming dark and silent, just as I preferred.

When I regained consciousness, my body was immediately flooded with pain ranging from terrible to mind-numbing, from toes to ear-tips. I cried out into whatever darkness I had found myself in, the plush bed beneath me telling me I was an inn, or a lodging of some kind. Perhaps I was at the palace, being treated unsuccessfully by the royal physicians.

I think my face hurt the most. I had suffered countless blows to my muzzle, mouth, jaw, eyes, anywhere a fist or an elbow or a knee could hit. There was still that deep, twisting pain in my ribs from the stab wound, plus the dozens of cuts I had suffered throughout the day. My breathing was ragged and hoarse, usually the sign of a broken rib or two. All I could do was groan, eyes shut tightly.

I wanted more than anything to celebrate today's victory, to get myself so blindingly drunk I wouldn't feel a thing. But it hurt to move.

"God damn it," I growled, trying to sit up. It was a waste of effort, and I just flopped back down on the bed. Fortunately it felt like I was no longer bleeding, and when I concentrated enough I think I had been stripped down and bandaged up, at least around my torso. With shaky paws I felt up my arms and my legs, which had also been bandaged. I sighed longingly, hearing a slight ruckus amongst the painful ringing in my ears, and past the constant smell of blood I smelled the pungent scent of ale. Fine ale, if such a thing existed.

Most of their alcohol, I discovered, was rice-based, which I was naturally skeptical of at first. But after our first victory I learned very quickly that while their drinks were wildly different from what I was used to - they had a rice mead, which was different but effective - they were just as good, if not better, at getting me drunk. And right now all I wanted was a tall mug of something, anything, that would make me forget today's battle.

I made another futile attempt at getting up, this time managing to get a paw behind me to hoist my body up. My arms were shaking badly and wanted to give out, but I was able to hold on long enough to slide my left foot off the bed, falling to the floor with a loud thud. Luckily I didn't fall back, but instead my body slumped forward, which ended up being the wrong way to go; a sudden shrieking pain tore up my side, likely ripping open my stab wound. Undeterred, I slid my other leg off the bed until both footpaws were firmly planted on the floor, but as I began to stand, I found that task quite impossible. I had barely made it off the bed before my whole body decided to quit and I collapsed onto the floor.

All I could do was groan, but thankfully a door opened and the blazing flame of candlelight came bursting into the room. I groaned again, eyes shut. I couldn't tell who it was, but it was a vaguely familiar voice. He had called someone, and soon a few sets of paws forced me back into bed.

"You have to rest," the voice said as he placed the candle down on the bedside table. When I looked, it was a fat young panda wearing simple farmers clothes, or so it appeared, some long, robe-like tunic and a short pair of pants. I think it was the kid I met during the battle, the one who commanded the archers for me. "That's what the doctor says, anyway. I brought you some food and tea."

"I don't want damn tea," I grunted. When I looked at the kid again, he looked a little nervous. I had to sigh. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Yeah, I know. But still, I saw what you did to that guy. I've never seen anything like it. And trust me, I've seen some pretty messed up things. You were like someone else."

I grunted again. "Yeah, I've heard that before. Just don't worry about it, kid, I'm me again. As long as you're on my side, you've got nothing to worry about." Of course that wasn't entirely true, too many times when I had entered that terrifying state, it ceased to matter whether you were friend or foe. All that really mattered was fulfilling my unquenchable bloodlust. But the panda didn't need to know that.

"Well anyway, you're in the palace's infirmary. Most of the officers are in the Great Hall celebrating, most of them are drinking to you, and the ones we lost. I was just told to check up on you."

I closed my eyes and tried to relax. "Thanks, kid."

"My name is Zhang," he said with a smile, holding a nervous paw out to me. I grabbed it firmly, giving a quick shake. "Zhang Chen Tzu."

I wasn't going to remember all of that. "You can call me Luca."

"Luca. Sounds simple enough!"

"So what's it take to get a drink around here?"

Zhang seemed confused, glancing over at the tea for just a second. "Uh..."

"A real drink, kid. Some of that rice stuff you guys are always drinking."

"All I have is this tea. The doctor says it'll help you heal. He said it's brewed from special water up in the mountains, at a secret hot spring few men know about. Like, besides the regular hot springs. Everyone knows about them. I dunno about all that, but it does have lemongrass and ginseng, and a touch of honey."

Defeated, I had to sigh as the panda forced a small cup of steaming tea into my paw. Like any sane tiger, I took a sniff first, finding it wasn't too horrible. I took a delicate sip, then another, then finally enough to get a good taste. It was hardly the worst drink I'd ever had, but it wasn't the best either. It wasn't going to get me drunk, that much was sure, but somehow after finishing the cup, I started to feel a bit better. Of course I'd heard of phoney medicines that trick people into thinking it's curing them - a Holy Knight named Keefe had once told me about them, though I'd long since forgotten their name - and I had no doubt this tea was having a similar effect on me now. Nevertheless...I did feel better, whether it was imaginary or not.

When I finished the cup, I handed it back to the panda and he promptly filled it again.

"More?" he asked, handing it to me with one paw gripping the handle, the other beneath it like a black furry saucer. "The doctor says you should..."

I think Zhang was spending too much time with this doctor.

"I'll have one more cup," I told the panda, giving him a serious gaze. "But then I want you to drag my sorry ass outta this bed and bring me to the sleaziest, roughest, filthiest pub in town, okay?"

"Uh," he said, looking a little nervous. He glanced back at the door several times. I could see from the light outside the shadow of at least one figure standing out there. Was it a guard? I couldn't blame them, these otherwise peaceful people had probably never seen a monster quite like me.

"I dunno about that."

I took the cup at last, taking a quick sip, then a larger one. "I'm leaving this room one way or another, kid, so either you help me out, or I crash through the door and take that asshole out guarding me. Make something up, I don't care. But I ain't staying here any longer, you got it?"

I could see Zhang was very uncomfortable now. His duty told him to keep me in bed, but his fear of me wanted badly to obey. Either that or run for his life. He just sat there shaking, sweating in the candlelight and grasping the fancy teapot tightly in both paws. His mouth opened to speak, but he couldn't form any words, just a bunch of sounds that may have been objections.

I almost felt bad for the kid.

"I uh, I don't um... I don't know this city all that well. I mean, I can help you I guess, but I dunno where any of the pubs or alehouses are. M-Maybe I can ask the doctor to give you some of the palace's wine?"

I sighed deeply, then finished off my tea. I hadn't yet moved, but Zhang was watching me with terrified eyes, as if I would transform right before him and destroy the infirmary and all the injured pandas inside it. When I moved my legs, the poor fat panda yelped and nearly leapt right out of his chair, paw plastered against his chest as if to stop his heart from bursting.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"I-I don't like this!" the frightened panda cried, finally getting up. Any fear he may have had was quickly turning to anger. "I'm just trying to be hospitable and bring you some tea, you don't have to be mean about it! Screw you, get your own damn drink! Not that you'll be drinking all that much anyway, not 'til you get paid, right?"

My ears flicked, despite my stitched-up left one. Again the panda had defeated me. The fact of the matter was, I didn't have a penny to my name, and with my sword broken it would take quite a bit of my earnings just to get it repaired, much less forge a brand new one. How much did that leave left over for drinking? Depended on the drinking hole, I suppose.

I tried my best to wave the kid off. "Someone'll buy me a drink or two, I'm the Hero of Xin'an, after all. Just find me a place where all the pandas hang out and I'm bound to get a free drink or so. "

Zhang just growled quietly, still frowning at me from half way across the room. He gave me a long, hard stare, growing less and less fond of me with every passing second. But finally his resolve weakened and he stopped frowning.

"If I help you...what do I get out of it?"

I shouldn't have been surprised, but somehow I was. "I'll make sure there's always a drink in your paw," I tried, but he didn't look like much of a drinker to me.

The panda just crossed his arms. "No, I don't want that."

I sighed quietly, then shifted myself a bit more in order to try getting up a second time that day, hopefully with better results. "Then what?" I asked, just as my left foot thudded against the wooden floor. There was some kind of straw mat underfoot, too.

"I um... I want you to teach me how to fight."

Now that did surprise me. "Are you serious?"

The panda nodded. "I'm not really much of a fighter, in case you didn't notice."

I hadn't, really.

"It's mostly been luck getting me through these battles. Never really been in much of a fight either, at least before I joined the uprising. I grew up on a farm with my parents, so I didn't get out much."

"So then why join the fight? There are hundreds of other capable fighters, and let me tell you, when we march upon Tao'zhan, the battle will be a thousand times more intense. From what I've heard, Tao'zhan is a city more massive than anything anyone has seen before, and we could be looking at a month-long siege."

I wasn't meaning to scare the poor panda, and perhaps it was just the mercenary in me talking, but putting your life in such amazing danger just seemed so useless to me. He was good for nothing more than target practice for the enemy, though I was amazed he'd made it this far.

"I loved my father very much," Zhang told me, "and though my mother and I had a difficult relationship...I still loved her too, truly I did. I lost both of them because of Emperor Xu, and the farm I grew up on, my home. I'd spent a while travelling after the Exodus, but after...certain events...I decided to stop running and join the fight. I knew I wouldn't be much use as a fighter, but I had to get Emperor Xu back for what he did to us pandas. It's been almost five years since I left my home, two since I joined the resistance. I love my country, and I'll die trying to reclaim it. But I'd feel a lot better about it knowing I helped make a difference."

The kid had conviction, that much was sure. Whether or not I could teach him something was open to debate, but if he managed to get me the hell out of this infirmary and into an inn, I'd give it my best shot. Of course all I could teach him was techniques with a sword, so hopefully he had something to work with.

"Well kid," I managed to grunt as I sat myself up more or less properly, "you've got yourself a deal. You help me get shit-faced, I'll help you swing a sword. You do have one, do you not?"

"Well, yeah, I do. Sorta. I can get one. Used to have one that belonged to my family, but I lost it years ago. I had one with me in battle, but I was pretty useless with it. Used a staff mostly, 'cause that's what most of the others were using. But that didn't do me a whole lotta good either."

Cute kid, but I wasn't terribly interested in his past. All that mattered was his future, and with any luck I could extend his future by at least a few more battles.

When Zhang and I at last shook paws, sealing the deal, he sat on the bed beside me for a second and pulled my arm over his shoulder, and much to my delight he managed to get me onto my feet without incident, despite my shakiness. Though I was at least a head taller than him, he was a good, sturdy crutch to lean on, and as I hobbled along with him past a couple empty beds toward the door, I could tell the kid had a lot more muscle beneath his flabby exterior than I had originally assumed. Perhaps he'd make a more competent fighter after all. After quickly dispelling the curious and anxious guard, in no time at all we left through the palace gates in search of the nearest pub.

The sun was setting when the young panda and I began our search. As we passed by the ornate temples and tranquil gardens, dozens of robed pandas sat a sad and lonely vigil, praying to whatever gods they believed in that their lost loved ones made a safe journey through the afterlife. Some had even stopped in seemingly random spots, next to the cobbled pathway and on stone benches near the gardens. Though I had only one goal in mind, I couldn't help but whisper a silent prayer for the fallen pandas, many of whom had fallen by my side.

The search for a watering hole - with emphasis on "hole" - was surprisingly not easy. Sure, there was pubs and inns, but what I wanted was something I was a bit more used to back in Midland, especially during the Century War. Something without class, something filthy and rowdy, something with stale old beer, or ale, or mead, or whatever they had to offer. I wanted a place that was dark and dangerous, someplace where it wasn't a good night unless a fistfight broke out. I was just a lowlife, mercenary scum, and I wanted a place who served only them.

Unfortunately, most places looked far too respectable for the likes of me, smelling of sweet wine and savoury meals, the gentle sound of their style of music permeating the air. They were dim yet refreshing, and as clean as pubs could get. I also noticed that tonight especially, they were filled with silently grieving pandas, all of whom were praying in their own way. They also looked expensive, and as Zhang couldn't stop reminding me, I had no money.

I have no idea how long the panda and I hobbled through the streets - to be fair, I was doing most of the hobbling - before finally finding an acceptable hole, but once I heard shouting and the soothing sound of a brawl, I knew I was home. No surprises, the fine establishment was located somewhere close to the city's walls, further from the palaces and temples and gardens, closer to the gates that saw a lot of traffic. Merchants and traders mostly, both of honest and ill repute, all of whom could conduct no business until their whistles were thoroughly wetted.

"Are you sure about this place?" asked a nervous panda. He winced at each crash of breaking glass. I had to admit, when my stab wound began throbbing horribly and my legs refused to steady me on their own, I was becoming more and more reluctant to enter. But no, this was the only place for me.

"You're damn right I am," I said as boldly as I could whilst hanging from a fat panda's arm. Whether I sounded confident or not was open to debate, but as Zhang started to lead me in, there was no backing out now.

No surprise, the moment we entered the loud, raucous pub, my nose was immediately greeted with a horribly acrid scent, reeking of stale beer and day-old stew, and about as many sweaty drunken soldiers as you could count. Most of them weren't pandas I noticed, and were far too busy drowning their sorrows in ale to notice me wobble between tables, avoiding elbows and fists and insults from every direction. A battlefield of its own, both luck and skill brought me to a table, which had just been cleared for me by a massive rhino blinded by booze.

"Go get me a drink," I told the young panda, practically out of breath. My stab wound was throbbing something fierce, and clutching it did nothing to relieve the pain.

Unfortunately, Zhang looked as if he had just shit his pants, or was about to. "I-I dunno about this place," he told me, taking a seat. His paws were shaking and his head darted about like a paranoid lord, suspecting assassins all around.

I sighed, but I wasn't without compassion. For now, ignoring the nervous panda, I very carefully got to my feet and held a paw up to the bartender, who didn't come close to noticing me. I shouted at him, my voice still hoarse from the battle. Now I growled, and as I avoided a wayward fist, I tried again. Still nothing, and as anger took over, I slammed my fist down on the table. That gained as much attention as the first attempt, though a few nearby soldiers did glance at me. I tried one more roar at the bartender, but he was busy at the farthest end from me. There seemed to be no servers around either.

I just sighed and sat back down, defeated. I hadn't the energy to get up and demand a drink in the most unruly way I knew how, not like in the old days. The few furs who had noticed my pitiful attempts - all of whom seemed to be together - shared glances with each other before getting up, now approaching my and Zhang's table.

I glanced the trio up and down, determining the soldier in front - a brute of a bull - was something like their leader, and the two scuffy-looking mutts behind him were his filthy henchmen. They looked like they wanted to fight, and as they surrounded the table - the mutts both clasped paws on Zhang's shoulders, making sure he stayed sat - I knew I'd be brawling soon.

"Why you look familiar to me, tiger?" the unfamiliar bull asked with a cocky grin.

"Ugly mug like mine, could be anybody's."

He just laughed quietly through his nose, shaking his head. Though I was injured and still very much feeling it, with a bit more effort than I'd have liked I stood up, standing nearly as tall as the bull. He didn't look even close to intimidated by me.

"Took a beating in the battle today," the bull pointed out, gesturing his head toward me. He guzzled the rest of his drink in no time and loudly slammed the large horn down on the table. The clang and clamour of the other pub-goers was as deafening as ever, and they still paid little attention to us. "Tell me, which side were ya on?"

I glanced at Zhang, who looked both scared and furious at the same time. I could tell he was readying himself for a fight, or at least I hoped he was.

"Pandas. You a merc?"

The bull nodded slowly, crossing his arm against his barrel chest. "Yup. Guess we was on the same side, hm?"

The mutts who had accompanied the bull over here were chuckling. The more we conversed, the more drunk I was beginning to realize the three of them were, and I was still without a drink of my own. When the bull at last uncrossed his arms, he drew a blade and simply fiddled with it for now, picking something from his teeth.

"You want something from me, bull?" I was starting to get agitated, not in the mood for any of this. I was going to get that drink or, as the bull seemed to want it, die trying. "Either put that rusty needle to good use or go sit back down."

That seemed to make the bull laugh, but when I growled and bared my teeth, paws clenched into fists, he was quickly silenced. He gave me a very serious glare, gripping the knife far more aggressively now. If he aimed to use it, I could only hope he would make it as quick and painless as possible.

"How many o' 'em Emperor's men y'kill, little tiger, hm? I counted 'bout thirty or so, kinda lost count after a while. Ain't that right, boys?"

The dogs ardently agreed.

I just scoffed at the old bull. He had his fair share of scars, I could see them crosshatched throughout his short white fur, at least the parts of him that were showing. The brute was wearing only a sleeveless shirt and pants, but I imagined the whole rest of his body was equally as adorned.

"Perhaps you were pissin' your pants somewhere in the back, eh?"

I wasn't sure exactly what had come over me, but rather than let the bovine go on believing that, before I could stop myself I found my fist suddenly flying through the murky air. In seconds, an intense pain crashed through my arm as my knuckles came against the bull's extra-thick skull, knocking him toward the table about an inch or so, meanwhile I stumbled back like a buffoon, clutching what I hoped wasn't a broken paw.

The bull just held his jaw, not a drop of blood on him. He just smiled, glared at me, and before I knew it I was flattened onto the filthy pub's floor, people crying out as I inadvertently shoved them out of the way. Now the pub was spinning and I somehow found myself on my feet again, I think held up by the angry bull. Fortunately I had enough wits about me to heave my body to the left, avoiding a punch, only to spring back up and attack.

I struck the massive bull on the other side of his jaw, barely moving him. When I received my second punch of the evening, I could see he was enjoying this a hell of a lot more than me. After my third punch, which slammed me against the bar - at least I had the bartender's attention now - I grabbed the first thing I found and was luckily able to splash it in the angry bull's face.

As the white-furred beast stumbled, I slammed the heel of my foot into his knee, elbowed him square in the forehead, then for good measure smashed a chair over his stupid horned head. He was down for sure, but hardly out. Before long he was getting back up, but I kicked him clumsily in the shoulder - I was aiming for his face - which forced me back toward the bar again.

Just as I recovered, the wind was forced from my lungs as the bull threw himself against me, chunky shoulder and all. The two of us struggled as the rest of the pub-goers roared and cheered us on. Fists were thrown, feet were kicked, elbows flew and blood was spilling. I could hear Zhang crying out, not because he was in trouble but for my sake, the sweet fat thing that he was.

Finally we were locked together again. The bull was biting at me and I was stuffing my poor fingers in his mouth to live unbitten for a few more seconds. My broken claws were unsheathed and I took as many chances to slice into him as I could, at last finding a weak spot upon his belly, no doubt a wound earned from the last battle.

I scratched him there again, slammed the heels of my forepaws against his ears, kicked him in the gut then shoved him with all my might back toward a table, over which he lost his balance and fell. I gave him one final kick for good measure and let out a bestial roar, letting the rest of these drunken bastards know who'd won.

As predicted, the bull was getting back up, but he made no attempts to attack me. The crowd simply cheered and held up my arms, as if this was some kind of event. I roared again, louder when a drink was forced into my paw and I guzzled it down quickly. I sat back with Zhang who looked horrified.

"You've reopened your wounds," he said indignantly.

"You!" growled the bull, approaching me with his mutts. The rest of the crowd had gone back to what they were doing, and I was ready for another drink.

"Back for more?"

"Nay, I shoulda known better than to brawl with you. Didn't recognize ya without all the blood and armour... You th' one who defeated Tormund, ain'cha?"

"In the flesh and fur," I said proudly, feeling those reopened wounds Zhang had mentioned. Now I really needed that other drink.

"Oi!" the bull suddenly cried, holding up his hand. He yelled it again to get everyone's attention. The maddening thing was, it worked quite well. I even noticed another tiger poke his head out from a door near the bar, the server I presumed. Perhaps this bull was some kind of regular.

"This tiger here," he began telling everyone, pointing directly at me so as to not confuse me with someone else, "is the savior of Xin'an!"

The drunken crowd cheered quite heartily at that, holding their drinks up to us.

"He's just a damn lowly merc like the rest of us, but he fought tooth and nail to defeat one of Xu's toughest soldiers. Boy's a damn hero, givin' all he's got to help these pandas out. But problem is, he ain't drinkin' like a hero should! So why don't you pieces of shit thank the Hero of Xin'an the only good-god-damn way you know how, and get him bloody wasted!"

The crowd roared and took turns slapping their battle-hardened paws against my back, I think trying to knock me across my table, but as promised these pieces of shit thanked me the only good-god-damn way they knew how, and in no time I had a second mug of warm piss-water guzzled down and had already been given a third.

I held up my drink and made them give Zhang one, which he sipped dubiously, and then I roared with the celebrating crowd.

"They call me Nosferatu!" I cried, polishing off my drink, and as another was dutifully placed within my paw, I rumbled, "Death on the Battlefield!" which got them all to repeat it as drunkenly and as loudly as they could. I think if I had arrived earlier, they probably would have lifted me onto their shoulders and paraded me around the filthy dregs of Xin'an, but I think not a single soldier here had the strength nor the coordination to perform such a feat.

Nevertheless, I quickly downed yet another drink, perhaps for fear of tasting it, and that tiger server made another appearance, finally bringing some food around. I wasn't sure, in my ever-increasing stupor, what exactly it was - meat of some kind, and perhaps roasted potatoes - but it went perfectly with my rancid ale, no utensils required.

By the time I finished my fifth drink, the pub was spinning wildly. I think I got in a few more brawls while I was there, but I couldn't remember nor feel a thing. However my nose was bleeding again and I had a black eye, that much I knew. In fact, I didn't even feel any of the wounds I had entered with, a sixth mug saw to that. The tall, sinewy tiger - not usually my type - came around a few more times with food, and my paw couldn't resist feeling his butt. He seemed to like it, and though I could have sworn he was in barmaid's garb, I was hardly one to be picky.

"Another!" I roared, though it may not have come out quite so coherently. Either way, the eager pub-goers did as I commanded, and as with every drink before it, I downed it immediately. Although most of it likely ended up pouring down my face and chest, a good amount did make it into my maw and belly, same with the food still going around.

As the noise and bustle of the pub thundered around me in a chaotic blur, I was steadied as I laid an extremely sloppy kiss on the food-serving tiger, which seemed to excite the crowd. The strangely-dressed tiger - I was suddenly reminded of an old friend who enjoyed similar tastes in fashion - didn't seem to mind, as I was given a hardy slap across the face, followed by another kiss. I had no idea what had happened with Zhang, and I didn't much care either.

Perhaps it was just the alcohol, but I was enormously aroused by the tiger, his stout yet feminine figure, the way he winked at me every time we made eye contact, even his clothes. In fact it had been a long time since I had felt so amazingly turned on by another, and each drink seemed to make these feelings worse. I was already losing control of myself, but as my wandering paws were reciprocated, I knew I couldn't resist the sexy striped beast much longer.

I lost count of the number of drinks I had, and the evening thereafter was very much a confused mess. I remembered stumbling horribly up a set of creaky old stairs with drink in my paw, into one of the fine establishment's rooms, where the striped barmaid and I entered and quickly disrobed. Or maybe just I disrobed. Someone disrobed, I was sure of it, but the important part was, I did remember the tiger's amazing warmth.

I remembered he was very enthusiastic, too, very loud, and oh so warm. His insides wrapped around my member so beautifully, massaging every inch of my desperate shaft, again and again, both of us wanting it so bad. His cries were...higher than expected, but he enjoyed it as much as I did, perhaps even more so. Though the memory was just a haze, I seemed to remember going on for quite some time, sweaty and drooling and growling, animalistic in a way, until I finished up inside him, planting my seed with thunderous results. In fact, he made almost as much noise as I did, as if he had orgasmed too, though it wasn't quite the deep, guttural rumbling that mine was. It was nice and sweet, and extremely satisfied.

I must have fallen asleep not long after finishing up, locked in the tiger's warm embrace. Of course by morning I was only greeted by the sharp, pounding kiss of a nasty hangover, instead of the sweet lips of last night's conquest.

I groaned as I opened my eyes, the crack of light through the nearby window intensifying my headache a thousandfold. When I tried to move my sore, tired body, my stomach only roiled and I nearly lost yesterday's meal. For now I laid back down and covered my face with my arm, discovering quickly I had been the one who'd disrobed. Grateful that mystery had at last been solved, I groaned again, but nothing I did could will this splitting headache away.

"Nosferatu," a voice whispered loudly, startling me.

"Ughh," I managed to say in response, turning my head toward the direction of the voice, though keeping my arm draped over my eyes. The voice was small yet defiant, and very familiar.

"You're pathetic," the voice grunted, his soft footsteps inching closer. I caught a brief whiff of his scent; it was warm and velvety and a little sweet, but with the vaguely sour tang of a weary traveller. However vague, it nearly made me vomit, but somehow I kept it down.

"Fuck off," I decided to say, not entirely sure who this asshole was, but certain I didn't care enough to know. All I really wanted - strange as it may sound - was a hot cup of tea, some nasty, greasy breakfast food, and something to make this horrid pain in my head disappear. Of course most of these Eastern Landers didn't eat like that, at least not in the morning, though they loved their tea. It was a miracle at all that I found this place amongst their tea houses and raw fish huts.

"You made a fool of yourself last night," the voice continued.

My response was barely a grunt. It seemed the slightest sound or the tiniest crack of light either squeezed my head like a vice or twisted my stomach like a damp cloth, or both at once. What I really wanted was another drink, perhaps a dark beer with my breakfast, or anything else that would take the pain away. Of course I knew it was drinking which got me into this mess to begin with, but in my experience, the best cure was more booze. I would even resort to drinking wine if I had to.

"I don't care," I managed to say, turning away from the window and the stranger. I instead pulled the bed sheets up over my head, wishing the whole world would disappear, my pain included. "Go away."

The familiar stranger just sighed. "You have to get up."

"I don't have to do anything."

"You do if you still want to get paid."

I groaned once more, shutting my eyes tightly. The prospect of getting out of bed was not appealing in the slightest, especially since I was still naked. But much more than that, I could feel my body was ready at any moment to throw up, even at the slightest provocation. I laid as still as possible, ignoring the strange presence looming over me. Perhaps I would lie here until the pandas won their war, then collect my reward.

But sadly, I knew the stranger was right. After all, after my fight with Tormund, I'd have to look into repairing, or more likely replacing my sword. And though my fellow revellers took great joy in getting me blackout drunk, they would no doubt draw the line at weapon forging. And so it was with a great sigh that I turned onto my back, tilted my head toward the newcomer and cracked open an eye.

My heart nearly skipped a beat as the white-furred stranger slowly came into focus, recognizing the small arctic fox almost instantly. I had to look twice to see if it really was my old friend Loki, but sure as the sunrise, there he was, standing before my bed with arms crossed and looking about as friendly and happy as he tends to get. However accompanying my surprise was a sudden flash of anger, though my knotted stomach saw to it that I barely reacted, though a fist had most certainly formed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I groaned, shielding my eyes from the blinding cracks in the window slats.

"I was looking for you," he stated simply, taking a step back as I struggled to sit up.

Tensing my stomach muscles did nothing to ease the pain, but at least my feet were firmly planted on the floor, though I still sank listlessly forward, eyes closed again. My belly roiled and though I was certain I'd be enjoying a second helping of meat and ale, I managed to keep it down. I groaned pathetically, paw rubbing my head futilely. Luckily the bed sheets still covered my important bits, not that Loki would have minded otherwise.

"It didn't god-damn occur to you that I didn't want to be found?"

Though I wasn't looking, I could tell he frowned at that.

"Just go away. Go back to wherever the hell you came from."

He was probably still frowning. "You know where I came from, and I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Yeah, well far away from me would be a good start."

This time the little arctic fox growled, which got no reaction from me. "I tracked you down because there are some things I wanted to discuss with you, but I see you're hardly in a state to listen."

"And I'm not going to listen, Loki. I don't care what you have to say, whatever it is, it's not important. You know, you may find this hard to believe, but I actually like my life right now. Life is simple, like in the old days. You fight, kill, and die. Simple. So get it through your thick skull: I'm not going back."

"I wasn't going to ask you to come back," the fox snapped from beneath the hood of his dull red cloak. "You selfish asshole."

Finally I glanced up at the arctic fox, who looked about ready to punch me. But I knew he wouldn't. I have to admit, I was curious why he had come to find me, no doubt it was a long journey from Midland. It was for me, at any rate, at least until I found stable employment by the warring pandas.

In fact, when I first arrived in these lands, I had almost enlisted with Emperor Xu and his crazy lot. I would have put my pennies on them winning this war, an army of so-called perfect creatures. But they seemed too comfortable to me, too complacent, too self-assured. It was as if they knew they would win beyond a shadow of a doubt, and so they were ill prepared for the fire and fury of the panda forces. I think that was why I joined up with the pandas, they had a certain intensity of spirit I was strangely attracted to. They had such amazing drive, such incredible will to win, I saw victory in their eyes. And hell, in the end, it was for a good cause.

"All right, Loki, you're right. I'm just feeling like shit, I'm sorry. Tell me what it is you came to say."

Loki paused for a moment before saying, "Fuck you."

I raised a brow. "That's it?"

"No, I just don't want to tell you now."

I sighed with annoyance. "Yeah, that's what I figured. Either get lost, Loki, or help me find my clothes."

After another short pause, the arctic fox took a few steps back and bent down, and before I could react he threw my pants into my face with surprising force.

"You're an asshole," he told me, "and a drunk piece of shit. But...I wasn't lying when I said I have nowhere else to go. The Holy See eventually put a bounty on my head too, and chased me out of Midland."

"They didn't chase me out of Midland--"

"Oh that's right, you ran away. I mistook you for a braver fur."

I sighed angrily. "You'd better be getting to your point, Loki."

"Yes, well as I was saying, somehow the Holy See had discovered my involvement with the Crimson Ki--"

"Don't," I suddenly interrupted, giving the fox a wicked glare, "you dare mention that name to me." I didn't even realize my paws had formed extremely tight, shuddering fists. I let them relax after a moment, but Loki had already noticed.

He gave me a serious stare. "You can't keep running from all your problems, acting like nothing happened."

"Apparently I can," I responded quickly, wanting desperately out of this conversation. "Except somehow I can't seem to escape you. I don't wanna talk about it, Loki."

"You can't keep denying the past. Eventually you're going to have to face it and deal with it."

"But not right fucking now!" My paws were fists again.

"Fine," Loki said begrudgingly. "My point is, Luca, the See chased me out of Midland and I had nowhere else to turn. I followed you as best I could, but I was at least a month behind you. Unimaginably, your trail went cold several times, but all it took was a rumour or two of a 'demon tiger' and I knew where to go."

Oh yeah, did I mention most of the older generation of pandas referred to me as " Yaoguai Hu?" It means demon tiger, and they don't say it in a nice way either, not in some twisted celebratory way after a long battle. They were afraid of me - and rightfully so - convinced I had some deep, dark evil lurking within me, a demon wanting out. They also told me no mortal soul could fight the way I do, with such merciless strength and unyielding power, truly I must be possessed. I told them they were nuts. I don't talk to the older pandas anymore.

I just grumbled at the arctic fox. "Well good for you. And now what will you do, now that you've finally found me?"

The fox just shrugged quietly and paced a little. "I hadn't thought about it. I um..." He turned just enough so I couldn't see his face. "I thought wherever you were, whatever you were doing, we could do it together. If...you're interested."

"And what if I'm not?"

Loki fidgeted with one of the many handmade bracelets tied around his wrist. "I don't know. You're the only person I have left in this world. I suppose I could get by somehow. Of course the option always exists that I dispel the ancient Rune that the Crim..." He had to stop himself for a moment. "...that was cast upon me when I was a child, the Rune of Reversion."

When Loki finally glanced back at me, I just gave him a shrug, knowing nothing of his magic runes.

"When cast correctly, it...well basically stops my physical body from aging, or rather reverses the effects of time at the same rate it flows."

At last I began to put my pants back on, though I still sat upon the bed, only barely comprehending what he was saying. "I think you've told me something about that before. I didn't get it then, and I still don't get it. Sounds like witchcraft to me. I suppose dispelling it would make you age like a normal person, hm? You could just save yourself some trouble and learn to tie a noose."

Loki grunted. "Are you going to let me travel with you or not?"

I let out a big long sigh and leaned back on my paws, remaining topless for now. My stomach was still bothering me and my head pounded, perhaps that explained my weakening resolve. However reluctant, and with a groan, I gave the arctic fox an affirming nod.

"Fine," I told him, "I guess there are worse companions out there. But I don't want to hear any talk about Midland, or..." My heart suddenly thumped heavily against my chest as I tried to push those thoughts aside. "Or anything else like that, got it? I have a new life out here and frankly, I'm very much enjoying it. I suppose what you tracked me down to say involves something of the sort..?"

Loki frowned and nodded. "Another time, then."

"Yeah, or not at all."

The fox grunted again. "So you're enjoying it out here, are you? Are you enjoying the new wounds you've collected, too?"

When he mentioned it, as if on cue, the new wounds I'd collected began to throb more fiercely, though not quite as bad as my head. "A small price to pay for my freedom, I suppose. I've certainly survived worse."

Loki sighed through his nose, staring intently at my reopened wounds, inching closer. "I could help fix these up for you, if you'd like. Just some fresh bandages and a couple runes should see them healed in no time."

It took all my strength not to roll my eyes. "Boy those Runes can do anything, can't they."

Loki frowned. "It's an ancient, forgotten power, a language first spoken by the gods. You've seen what I'm capable of on more than one occasion, so don't act like you don't believe in it. Besides, it wouldn't hurt you to try, the least you'd get out of it is clean bandages."

It was finally my turn to frown. "Just keep your damn Runes away from me. I know you're some sorta...what was it?"

"Runecaster."

"Runecaster, but I still don't trust it. I've gotten by my whole life healing the old-fashioned way, and it hasn't let me down yet."

"Yes, well you had some assistance along the way, even if you didn't know it."

I shot the arctic fox a wicked glance, but it wasn't like he was wrong. My whole life I carried around a Dark Presence inside me, it kept me on my feet when other men would have fallen. It was what had earned me my nickname, Nosferatu, Death on the Battlefield. It was something I scarcely understood growing up in Midland, which was embroiled in a century-long war, but it gave me a certain fierceness rarely seen in battle, which would only seem to trigger when my life was in mortal danger.

It would start as an eerie scratching in my belly, the monster wanting out, a feral breathing down the back of my neck. And when I was on the brink of death, it would rear its black, ugly head and I became an entirely different tiger, a beast of beasts. I'd been told numerous times it was like a transformation; one moment I'm taking a beating, the next I'm pulverizing my enemy with fists, claws, teeth, and anything else I could use to satiate my undying bloodlust. Often I would blackout from my injuries shortly thereafter, when my enemy has fallen. In fact, I can't immediately recall a time where I didn't, though I suppose there may have been some instances.

Loki just sighed through his nose and took a few steps toward me, holding out a paw. I was cautious at first, but relaxed when he simply touched my left ear, which was still incredibly tender, like the rest of me. He rubbed it gently with his thumb, sighing quietly again.

"You've become more reckless in battle," he pointed out, the slightest bit of distress in his voice. When I looked up at him, his eyes glistened with concern. He retrieved his paw and lowered his head a little, looking down at my the rest of my bandaged wounds.

"Maybe I have," I shrugged, turning my head away. When my eyes glanced back, he was fiddling with his bracelets again, and from beneath his hood I noticed a slight reddish hue upon his cheeks. "So what?"

"So...I still care about you, Luca. You shouldn't just throw your life away because of--" Again the arctic fox had to stop himself. "Because of, um..."

"Just say it," I conceded with a sigh.

"Because of what happened at the Black Castle. I know you tried to kill yourself in the McCree's garden not a week after we pulled you out of there. And now under the pretence of mercenary work, you're trying to kill yourself all over again. You think if you aren't doing it yourself, it'll work. But it hasn't yet, Tormund is proof."

I just scoffed at the small fox. "Or maybe I just need to make a living. Sure, if my head happens to get lopped off in the process, well, so be it. That's the mercenary life, Loki, that's what it's all about."

"Every mercenary I have ever known is never willing to die for whatever cause they sign on for. At the first sign of danger, they take whatever money they've earned and flee. Mercenaries are not noble, they aren't honest, they are simply in it for the money. And their lives are worth a hell of a lot more to them than a battle and a pawful of coins, at least they seem to think so. You know this, you lived most your life that way. Luca in the old days, which you seem so fond of this morning, would have taken one look at Tormund and his mountain of corpses and you would have fled, like every other mercenary did. But not this time. You took charge and led the army to victory as if you were a real soldier, with absolutely no regard for your own life."

"And that, Loki, is why those bastards last night kept buying me drink after drink after god-damn drink. Maybe on some subconscious level I'm trying to get myself killed, I don't know. But so what? I have nothing and no one left to live for, so who the hell cares?"

"I do, you thick, stupid tiger!" Loki hissed. He was almost in tears now - at least I think he was, beneath his hood - but there was also immense rage in his voice. He squeezed his paws into fists, face burning red. "I know we haven't been real close in the time we've known each other, but...I've..."

The crazy thing was, I was actually starting to feel a little bad. I glanced down at my left wrist where only one bracelet sat, one that had been made especially for me by Loki. It was kind of his thing, and I really did appreciate it.

"I care a great deal more about you than I've ever said, and it wasn't until your sudden departure from Midland where I began to realize just how much I've come to depend on you. I know you don't want to talk about it, so all I'll say is, I know what it's like to lose everything."

I just huffed and looked away again. My stomach was turning much more than it had been when I woke up, and my heart was pounding against my chest. It took a moment, but I realized my fingers were tapping on the bed, twitching furiously. I stopped them when I noticed, took in and exhaled a deep breath, then looked the other way.

"I'm done with this conversation," I quickly said, growing more and more uncomfortable. Loki was venturing into territory I would have preferred left entirely alone.

The arctic fox grunted but did back away, crossing his arms. "Do you need help?" he said after a moment, bending down to grab my shirt. This time he handed it to me nicely, and with some effort I managed to slip it on.

"I think I'll be fine," I groaned as my body leaned forward, muscles tensing as I prepared to stand. But as my arms helped launch me to my feet, my poor stomach decided it had had enough and decided to give, hurtling me back toward the bed. "Shit."

My legs were still weak as if I had already begun drinking, that coupled with my reopened wounds and my churning stomach made for one immobile tiger. But as I waved Loki away, I was determined to do this on my own, feeling like an old street beggar spying a lord and lady from afar. Upon my second attempt, I groaned as if I had just been stabbed, but with the bedpost as my crutch, as well as a swift arctic fox, I at last managed to stand. My balance left much to be desired, but at least I was upright.

"Ugh, god," I groaned, clutching my poor roiling stomach. "I feel like I'm gonna puke."

Loki took a more wary stance, but he remained by my side, one small but firm paw upon my back. I held an arm around his shoulders and clung to him tightly, though if it came time to kiss the floor I was fairly certain Loki would do little to prevent it. Still, I appreciated his effort and as I took my first real step of the day with increasing balance, I appreciated him all the more.

With some effort, Loki managed to carry my poor drunk body downstairs to the main floor of the pub, where I noticed a female tiger tending to something near the unoccupied bar. There was also a few people eating at a couple tables, but most of the chairs were still up. Loki and I promptly removed a couple chairs from a window side tabletop and sat, myself much more unceremoniously than my white furred companion. I sighed heavily and groaned quietly, then glanced at the curvy tiger as she worked away.

I assumed it was her brother I had bedded last night, or perhaps a cousin, who was likely still sleeping off our raucous evening together. Either way, this one kept glancing over at Loki and I as I begged my headache to leave me, grinning a little but not yet serving us. Perhaps she was the cook or something, though when I scanned the room the others had already eaten. Was it too late for breakfast?

"Something on your mind?" Loki asked me, raising a brow. He had finally pushed his hood down, revealing his bright blue eyes.

"Hm?" I responded, finally focusing on the fox. "What?"

"You seem distracted."

"Nah, it's nothing. That tigress over there though, she keeps glancing over here. At least I think she is, she's not being real obvious about it."

Before I could stop him, Loki turned around in his chair as plain as day and got a good look at her. She of course whipped her head around and nervously retreated into the backroom, or more likely the kitchen.

"So?"

"So," I shrugged, "I dunno. Just seems strange."

Loki scoffed. "Not that strange."

I opened my mouth to ask the fox exactly what the hell that meant, when out from the kitchen came the buxom tigress with two steaming plates of goodness. Well, as good as food got in dives like this. With a happy grin on her face she placed our morning meals down in front of us, but winked as she pushed my plate toward me.

"I gave you a little extra bacon this morning," she told me with an amorous smile, blush smeared across her face. "Stud." If I didn't know any better, I would swear she had purposely pushed her ample breasts into my shoulder as she whispered "stud" directly into my ear, in a very soft and sultry tone. She also gave my thigh a good squeeze with her strong paw as she stood up to walk away.

"Uh...thanks," I managed to spit out, unable to completely comprehend what had just happened. I watched her turn and finally walk away, her tail swishing seductively from side to side before she resumed her work behind the bar. I think she continued with her brief glances in my direction, though by that point I had stopped watching.

Loki was unimpressed.

"I think she's hitting on me," I masterfully deduced.

Loki flicked his head back as if something had flown into it and made a sort of disgusted face, as if I had said the absolute stupidest thing he had ever heard. "Do you have any idea who that is?"

"Uh," I answered, glancing back at her. "Should I?"

The arctic fox just shook his head at me. "No, I suppose not." Being the natural detective that I was, I realized quickly that his response in fact meant, "Yes, you should."

Unfortunately I had no idea who this smitten Eastern Lander was, and I was beginning to suspect I probably should have. But certainly no names came to mind, in fact the only connection I could think I had with her was that whichever relative of hers was working the bar last night, I had had the best sex of my life with. Besides that, I didn't know any other tigers or tigresses, certainly none this far from my homeland.

"That 'guy' you think you fucked last night?" Loki started. "That's 'him.'"

I immediately furrowed my brow, having to process exactly what he'd said. "Wait...what?"

"You really are a drunk old fool."

"So, wait..." My head was really pounding now as I tried to recall last night's conquest. All I could remember was a sweaty mess of orange fur, white fur, and a hell of a lot of stripes all mashing together in total ecstasy. It was warm and loud and crazy, and amazingly fun. But more details than that eluded me. "It was...her?"

Though Loki didn't say anything, his hard frown gave me my answer.

"Shit," I said in astonishment. I took this time of reflection to shove the extra bacon I'd received into my mouth, crunching it a good long while before speaking again. "Really?"

Somehow Loki managed to frown more, a talent of his that never ceased to amaze me.

"Wow..." I ate some more breakfast as I tried my best to remember the darkened room we'd bedded in, but the single burning candle, as well as the countless pints of ale, made finding details difficult. I glanced back at the tigress, then down to my plate, then finally back to Loki. "Really..."

Loki finally touched his food, I think ignoring me now.

I just shrugged with a mouthful of food. "Ah well, you know what?" I started, spitting a bit of meat as I talked. "It was a fun night for us both, so what difference does it really make? I like sex, she likes sex, we both had sex with each other and we're neither the worse for it, so who cares? I needed to stick my cock in a hole and she was there to provide it, and quite happily I might add, so no harm done. Besides, once the panda soldiers move out, I'll go with them and I'll never see her again."

Loki responded with silence.

I just shrugged again, unable to take my mind off the tigress. All I could do was laugh. "I've gotta say, though... it was quite possibly the best sex I've ever had. Who would have thought? Maybe this is a start of something new."

Loki finally glanced up at me, chewing his bacon passive-aggressively. "Somehow I doubt it."

"You're probably right, unless I get blindingly drunk again. But still... I wouldn't have thought it'd be so good. Just like this bacon, so black and crispy. I wouldn't have thought it'd be any good either, yet here I am, eating more and more of it, and loving it."

Loki just rolled his eyes at me. "Very poetic."

I just smiled at the grumpy fox and shrugged a shoulder, taking another glance at the tigress. I had never in my entire life found any attraction to any female I had ever known, sexual or otherwise. Any relationships I had had with them was purely platonic, if even, and I sure as hell never sought those relationships out. There was absolutely nothing about their form that made me want them, hardly anything about their personalities that could possibly sway me. So was I really that drunk last night?

I just sighed and shoved some more food in my face, using my paws of course to cram it all in. I finished my breakfast quickly, already wanting more and eyeing Loki's meal hungrily. But the arctic fox was protective of his meal, only half way to finishing. However, it seemed he took pity on me as he grabbed a small cluster of eggs and bacon a moment later and dumped it on my plate.

"Here," Loki said with mild annoyance.

"You're the best," I told him, but he just grunted.

Just as I finished off round two, I glanced up at the pubs doors swinging open and was surprised to see Zhang sauntering in. He spied me immediately and, as if taking a few cues from Loki, frowned at me. He approached the fox and my table, seeming to get more angry with every padded stomp.

"I was worried about you," he said crossly, taking a seat. "With all your injuries, then that fight... And you just left me there!"

I had almost forgotten the panda had even taken me out to the pub to begin with, however forced it may have been.

"Look, you're already bleeding all over the place."

The panda wasn't wrong, and it made me wonder how much I'd soiled the bed with my fresh wounds. I pushed my ears back. "Sorry, kid, I didn't mean to abandon you like that. But hey, if you'd had more than just that one drink then maybe you could've shared in the revelry. I don't know what you expected to happen. But I haven't forgotten about our deal, so don't worry."

Like looking into a strange, misshapen mirror, the panda grunted, sounding almost exactly like Loki. I was certain neither of them would have appreciated me pointing out their similarities in that moment. Which of course reminded me, these two hadn't officially met yet.

"Uh," I began, "Zhang, this is an old friend, Loki."

The two shared glances, but no surprises, it was the panda who held out his paw. "I'm Zhang Chen Tzu."

Though it took an awkward amount of time, Loki at last shook paws with Zhang. "Loki," he simply responded. I think he would have retreated into his hood had he not put it down to eat.

"So how long have you guys known each other?" Zhang asked, now holding his paw up to get breakfast as well. "Luca and I just met yesterday. Well, technically the day before, during battle, but we weren't formally introduced. He's quite the fighter."

The shy fox had little to say, certainly no words.

"We've known each other for years," I said, not wanting to delve too deeply into our relationship. "In northern Midland we met, and we travelled together for a while."

"You know, I used to be a traveller too, though I was mostly alone. I made it as far west as a country called Essex, years after all pandas were exiled. Of course I wasn't a sellsword like you, but I managed to get by. It was kind of fun, actually, travelling and seeing the world and meeting so many different people and their cultures. Made it to a town called Wayford, have you heard of it?"

I wasn't familiar with the town, though I had been to Essex before.

"Actually, I made it as far as, um...as far as a place called Wyndham Green, but it isn't very big. That's where I got most of these scars."

I hadn't really noticed them, but when he mentioned it, I did see a bunch of scars up his arms and a few on his face. Zhang looked almost ashamed to mention it, shrinking back a little and glancing away. There was a slight hue upon his cheeks, and though I couldn't be certain, just mentioning the town's name seemed to make him anxious. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened there.

"Uh, well anyway, but then I learned there was an uprising going on, and word was spreading quickly. So I decided to join and here I am!"

"What happened at Wyndham Green?" I asked the panda perhaps more candidly than I should have, my small arctic partner glancing over expressionlessly. I was perhaps a bit too forward with Zhang, as my question had taken him aback slightly. He shifted uncomfortably as the tigress brought him his breakfast - I declined her offer for a second helping - but after a healthy amount of eggs, the panda attempted to explain.

"Sorry," he said, finally swallowing his food. "Um, just, uh... There's a guy there is all, a lion."

I used to know a lion.

"C-Copernicus is his name," the panda continued nervously. "He, um..."

"It's okay, kid, you don't need to explain. I was just curious, I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable. I thought maybe you were training there or something."

Zhang was starting to make me uncomfortable. Loki, of course, remained absolutely silent, choosing instead to watch the poor kid sweat, and me try to clumsily comfort him. I wasn't used to taking care of, or even listening to, people's problems. I suppose it was sweet that Zhang thought he could confide in me, it was clearly something he didn't enjoy discussing, but if it made him so damn uneasy, then why bother telling it?

"No, no, you asked. And...well, some of the healers say it's good to discuss past traumas, to help get over it I guess, but...well, since my family's gone, I don't really have anyone to talk to. I guess you're the only person I'm closest to now, and it's really been buggin' me."

"Zhang..." I almost felt guilty letting him go on. We'd only known each other a few days and he considered us close? "There aren't any other pandas you can talk to? I mean...we don't know each other all that well, we've only just met."

The poor panda sunk in his chair a little. "Oh, uh, yeah, I know. I'm not all that close with the other pandas, they're all soldier types, and, well, I'm not. If truth be told, they make fun of me a lot, usually behind my back, but I can still hear 'em. I'm a lousy fighter, sure, but I ain't deaf. Anyway, none of the other soldiers really give me the time of day, and the healers are too busy patching up 'real' wounds, so I'm kinda on my own."

I pushed my ears back, but much to my surprise, it was Loki who decided to say something.

"You can trust us," said the arctic fox seriously, giving Zhang's forearm a squeeze with his little paw. "Life is tough, and it's constantly throwing hurtles at you, one after the other until it seems all but impossible. But what really sets men apart is how they choose to deal with their hardships; they can either embrace it and become stronger, or succumb and fall. Luca and I can help you embrace your difficulties."

Zhang gave Loki a good long stare as if searching for doubt, but if there was any to be had, I couldn't find it. He gave one slow nod and reclaimed his forearm. After eating a bit more, he swallowed, ordered a drink - hopefully for all of us - then began.

"Copernicus," he said with some difficulty. "Some highborn lion, makes his money with several local businesses as well as a trading company. But, um, another successful business he keeps secret involves, well...trading people."

I had to sit back in my chair, as if literally blown away by that. "That's quite a claim," I said, though I didn't sound particularly doubtful. Growing up in wartimes in Midland, I had seen a lot of strange business interactions amongst the mercenary groups, and mine was certainly no stranger to selling their soldiers. Somehow, though, I felt like the trading Zhang was talking about was much more illicit than trading fighters.

"Beneath his home he's got this...dungeon, where he keeps his prisoners. I was held there for gods know how long, and..." Zhang's paws were shaking now, but my warm paw on his shoulder helped calm his nerves.

"Just take deep breaths," I told him, not sure if it really helped. I recalled times back during the Century War, when I fought in the Midland Royal Army, some of the men I commanded reacted just like how the panda was now to previous battles, all the blood and death finally getting to them. I remembered the doctors trying to treat those men, and they said stuff like "take deep breaths," and "relax." They usually had to give them a few doses of poppy milk to calm them, but of course I didn't have any on me now.

"Thanks," he said, and at last three mugs of dark beer was delivered. I drank mine quickly, Zhang only managing to get down half of his before giving in.

"Anyway... This dungeon of his, he...well, he tortures people, turns them into slaves, but I think he really just enjoys doing it. Some of the things he did...it wasn't just for business as he'd tell you, he loved inflicting that pain on us, how could he not? Some of the others were down there for months, some even longer, torturing them day in and day out. You were lucky if you got a day off, and you rarely got two, but if you did you always knew on the third day, your punishment would be twice as harsh, as if he's gotta make up for lost time. And when he's finally tortured you enough, when you're completely beaten and broken and can't even remember your own name, that's when he sells you to the highest bidder."

"That sounds terrible," was all I could think to say. I wasn't intimately familiar with the art of torturing someone, and had certainly been fortunate enough in my life to have avoided such treatment, so it was difficult to imagine what it must have been like for Zhang to endure such pain.

"Like I said, I have no idea how long he'd kept me down there for before I managed to escape, but it felt like it had been at least a few months, probably more! There's no windows, no daylight pouring in, just the everlasting darkness. He did things to me, he took off...pieces of me, and he forced me to...to service him, even while he inflicted terrible pain. I will always bear those scars, but if there's just one thing I know I will never be able to erase from my mind, it's those terrifying black eyes of his."

"Black eyes?"

Zhang shuddered at the thought. "He lures you in with warmth and generosity, no one ever the wiser. He comes off as just a regular highborn, perhaps a little eccentric but no different from any other lord. He offers you food and bed, and even a bath for the more weary travellers. But when he finally has you down in that cold, dark dungeon, something changes. His eyes become blacker than the night sky, darker than the deepest ocean. I...can't explain it, I just know with all his knives and needles and torture devices, nothing frightened me more down there than having to stare into those evil, blackened eyes."

With everything I had seen in my life, I wished I had the luxury of saying that was unbelievable, but I didn't doubt for a second that that lion was some kind of monster. And I'm not talking about the type of monster who skulks around at night praying on lonely prostitutes, I'm talking a real monster, the type mothers tell their children about at bedtime to keep them out of trouble. Maybe not with horns or tentacles or spines running down their backs, but I would bet there was something unnatural about that lion and his cold black eyes.

"I...I've never told anyone that before," said Zhang after downing the rest of his drink, cringing a bit at the taste but glad for it. "Thank you for listening to me, I know I probably sound a bit crazy right now, I know the healers weren't thrilled to hear me tell it. They think I was exaggerating, they refused to believe such a man could exist, I think that's why they told me to get lost... They weren't that mean about it, but they may as well have been. Anyway, thanks again. Luca, you're a good friend. And thank you too, Loki."

"It was no problem," I said calmly, giving the panda a solemn smile. Loki gave Zhang a curt nod, anything more would've been unusual. Together the three of us sat in silence for a good long while, until eventually we had all finished our meals.

"Well kid," I said as I stood up, giving Zhang's shoulder a friendly pat, "I appreciate you checking up on me, but I should really go collect my payment now. Meet me in the, uh...Relaxing Garden, or Thinking Garden, or...Zen-something..? Whatever it is, and we'll see what I can teach you. Bring a sword."

"It's called Serenity Gardens, and I don't think we should train there. It's meant for mediation and self-reflection. People go there to relax and pray. Plus, what about your wounds?"

"I'll take care of it, just meet me there, okay?"

Zhang pushed his ears back a bit. "Yeah, all right."

I gave the kid one final nod before I stumbled into the daylight, Loki in tow, which by the way did nothing to mitigate my pounding head. Fortunately the streets were quiet around the pub, though I could hear the noise and clamour of a busy city all around me. I just groaned and glanced at the hooded fox, who showed little pity for my bruised, battered and bleeding body. Of course it didn't stop me from using him as a short, white-furred crutch, much to his chagrin, but the reluctant canine helped me all the same.

"So what'd you think of his story?" I asked Loki, who had one arm around me as I used his shoulder to keep me up. Together we - or I - hobbled though the backstreets toward the palace, not yet venturing toward the busy thoroughfare.

The arctic fox shrugged. "That sort of thing happens all the time, you just don't hear about it."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"Okay, if you say so."

Loki grumbled something to himself, until he finally said, "You can see it in their eyes, a certain loss of innocence, a loss of life. People forced into slavery, they're just husks of their former selves. These slavers, they take everything away from you, every part of who you once were, even your name, it becomes theirs, until they sell you off, at least. You see them a lot more when you lift your head up and actually look."

"War can do the same thing to people," I pointed out. Fortunately I hadn't succumbed to the horrors of war, though I knew plenty of men who had. A lot of them end up going crazy, even during down time they saw enemies everywhere. They would freak out and start attacking city guards or shopkeepers, even regular folk passing by. I don't know what it says about me that I had never been affected like that, but I was damn glad for it.

Loki, of course, didn't respond.

The sun, after the initial shock of it piercing through my eyelids, actually started to feel nice upon my fur, and a gentle breeze kept me nice and cool. There was few clouds in the sky, a perfect day if I had ever seen one, it was enough to almost make you forget a violently bloody battle had occurred not a few days before.

Soon enough, though, Loki and I were forced onto the main road heading toward the palace, and not surprisingly we were stopped by a couple guards, two poor pandas who looked far more interested in praying than in guarding the Royal Palace. It probably had a very elegant name, too, but I didn't know what it was.

"That's far enough," the one on the left said unenthusiastically. He, along with his equally enthused cohort, was holding what I recently discovered was called a guandao, a polearm with a curved blade at one end. "You have business in the Royal Palace?"

I guess it was just called the Royal Palace. "Yeah, I'm here to collect my pay. Both for helping win this city back for you pandas, and for killing Tormund the Assface. I heard at the bar last night there was a pretty hefty bounty on his head."

The younger looking panda on the right snickered to himself while the left panda gave him a disapproving glance, then another one at me. "I had two other tigers tell me the same thing this very morning, and I doubt it'll be the last time. So why should I believe anything you have to say?"

Not only was I being accusing of being a liar and a cheat, but I especially loved how Loki kept his stupid maw shut during the whole transaction.

"Did any of the other tigers look like they'd been beaten half to death? Did any of them still have blood soaking through their clothes from the gaping wounds they'd suffered? How many of those tigers were god-damn foreigners?"

The left panda straightened up a little, shot his eyes at his partner, then back to me. "No need to get upset, sellsword. I can't just let anybody through this gate, especially none that may still be sympathetic to Emperor Xu. You have to understand my caution..."

I growled quietly, loud enough so they may have heard it, but so quiet it could have been something else. "My name is Luca," I told them. "I'm not one of these Eastern tigers, understand? Maybe we all look alike to you, but I come from a land much further west of here, in the northern parts of Midland. I don't give a damn about Emperor Xu or your damn uprising, nor about winning this stupid war. Frankly, I lived most of my life in wartimes, so your fight ain't too much different from anyone else's. All I care about right now is getting paid for services rendered, all right?"

It seemed my ire only served to strengthen the pandas' positions. "I'm sorry, Luca, I'm afraid I'm going to need to verify your identity." He then signaled something to his partner who then ran off through the gate's door, though not in enough of a hurry for my liking.

"I was just behind these walls yesterday," I growled, making sure he heard it this time. I could feel Loki getting a bit agitated, but still he remained silent. "Where the hell do you think I got these bandages, anyway?"

The panda looked as if his resolve was weakening, though still he held fast. I could have bowled him over, and probably quite easily, but I knew better. An angry tiger forcing his way into the Royal Palace would more likely land me in one of their prisons than get me paid.

"Where were you during the battle, anyway? Anyone on the frontlines would have seen it for himself. Did you know Tormund? Sounds like he had a bit of a reputation 'round here, several drinks were bought for me in honour of his untimely demise. Do you know what I did to him and his inch-thick armour? I ripped it off piece by piece with my bare paws, until one final blow cleaved his head in two. He had sliced nearly in half a couple dozen soldiers before I got to him, and trust me, if I hadn't, he would have torn through your army like they were nothing. So just let me through, and this will all be over. You can continue on with your day, turning away tiger after tiger."

This time the panda didn't respond, but instead tightened his grip on his guandao. That said more than enough, anyway.

"God damn you," I growled, getting just a bit too close to punching this panda out.

"Calm down, Luca," Loki finally said. "I'm sure Zhang can help us clear things up."

"Feh," I scoffed. "This halfwit probably wasn't even close to the actual battle. That why you're on guard duty, panda?"

The panda was a statue, barely moving, seeming to ignore everything I was saying now. This of course infuriated me more, probably because if I attacked him now it would look entirely unprovoked. I just sighed angrily and with some adjustment from Loki, turned around and paced away from the main gate leading into the Royal Palace.

"Cheap asshole panda bastards," I growled under my breath. Loki gave me a bit of a squeeze, or as much as he could while being used as a crutch.

"You're just getting this upset because you're in pain," the fox told me.

"You fucking think?" I snapped, admittedly feeling a little bad immediately after I said it. The truth was, aside from my splitting headache and nausea, my stab wound felt like it was being jabbed with a blazing hot knife, my possibly broken bones were throbbing all over, and every other cut and bruise was hammering away without mercy. What I really wanted now was another dozen drinks or so to numb the pain and sleep away the rest of these injuries, but it seemed unlikely to happen any time soon, especially without my money.

"Quit being a baby," a very patient arctic fox said, struggling to keep my worthless body up.

"Excuse me?"

"All I've heard you say this morning is how much pain you're in. The Luca I knew wouldn't go on endlessly about his injuries, he'd be proud and show them off. He'd revel in the pain, he'd act like it's some kind of rite of passage. I don't know if you've just gotten soft, or if you're just purposely rejecting all that you were."

"Fuck you, Loki." Of course just as I said that, the little fox began to push away from me, which made me falter and nearly fall over, but he caught my flailing body just before I fell.

"Yes, thank you," I groaned, I think reopening a few more wounds, "you've proved your point."

"You know, something occurred to me when Zhang was telling us his story."

I just grunted. I could have told him I didn't give two figs what he had to say, but I knew he was going to tell me anyway. So I beat him to it and said, with as little interest as possible, "What's that?"

"Zhang embraced his troubled past despite everything in his head telling him to forget it. I realize his story was much different from yours, but he did it all the same and I think he'll be stronger for it. There's no telling how, perhaps just peace of mind. Either way, it occurred to me that despite his pathetic fighting abilities, he's got a hell of a lot more mettle than you do."

"Uh, actually, I was right the first time: fuck you, Loki."

Thankfully the arctic fox didn't back away again.

"Do you think it was easy for him to talk about that? He'd kept that hidden for at least a few years since it happened, but he came out all right. I could practically see the weight lifting from his shoulders."

"It took all my strength not to hit that panda over there, but if you think I won't hit you, you've got another thing coming. Why is this so god damn important to you, anyway? The past is exactly where it should be: in the past. I don't give a shit if that makes me some kind of coward, I'm not going to discuss it. I told you before, I've got a new life now, so there's no point in going back there."

Loki sighed. "It's unhealthy."

"So is war."

"Is it so crazy...that I care about you, Luca? There was a time when I thought you cared about me too. Is that no longer the case? Was it ever the case?"

Now I sighed. "This is precisely the reason I didn't want to see you."

"So you really have denied your entire past."

I decided to take a cue from the panda still standing guard and not say anything.

"I see. Well maybe coming to find you was a big mistake after all."

The two of us stood on the side of the cobblestone road in total silence for a good awkward while before I finally heard a bit of talking back by the Palace gate. It seemed the young panda had finally returned with a very old panda, who walked with the assistance of an aged wooden cane. This panda was wearing dark red and yellow robes, looking almost like one of their monks, except both shoulders were covered. Then he glanced at me.

"Mercenary!" he shouted in my direction, waving me over. Loki and I approached as quickly as I could manage. "You're looking worse for wear. I thought I ordered the young one to keep you with our physicians. Look at you, you're bleeding again."

"And you are?"

"I am General Yuan Zi. I did not get to witness your battle with the terrible Tormund, but my lieutenants say you fought him like a demon. They call you Yaoguai Hu, but what may I call you?"

"Luca."

"Ah yes, Luca. Now that I think on it, I do believe I have heard your name at least a couple times during our campaign. Come, walk with an old general."

Loki and I followed past the panda guard, and, I might add, with a certain amount satisfaction. Well, I did at least, I think Loki couldn't have cared less. I wanted to give one final jeer as I passed him, but I decided to be the bigger man and give him a smug grin instead.

"So I understand you have not yet been paid for your services," said the general. Thankfully his need for a cane kept him walking at the same brisk pace Loki and I managed. "Most of the payments had been handed out shortly after claiming victory, but you were rushed into our infirmary with very deep wounds. Frankly, son, I'm surprised you're up and about."

I just shrugged, though my shoulder disapproved. "It's nothing I'm not used to."

"Indeed. So tell me, young Luca, where did you learn to fight the way you do? If the stories can be believed, you fought with the intensity and ferocity of a demon. And yet you also commanded the frontline company with precision and strength. Surely you must have a military background."

I had to hand it to the old panda, he was clever. With a slight smile I said, "I once served in a specialized division of Midland's Royal Army, the Dragonkin. I commanded my own company, the Dragonkin Brutes. I was their Captain, but before that, I was just doing what I'm doing now, selling my sword to anyone who'd have me. Served in a few mercenary bands early on, but most my time was spent looking for work."

The old general was nodding, as if he had already guessed as much. "Yes, yes, I see. And the way you swing that massive sword of yours, you have not had much formal training I presume?"

He wasn't wrong. "The first time I swung a sword I was just a kid, not yet a man grown. Raiders attacked our group, and I was given a sword about as big as I was. They told me I either die, or swing the damn sword and pray to god I lived long enough to see sunrise. Guess you could say the rest is history."

I practically heard Loki scoff as he looked away.

"I had a bit of training here and there, but certainly nothing you'd call 'formal.' If you can call any of what I do a technique, it's kept me going for this long, so I guess I'm doing something right."

"Intimidation can go a long way on the battlefield," said the caned panda. I couldn't tell how I was supposed to take that.

After walking past a quaint pond with a couple large willow trees nearby, General Zi led us into a tall red building with a yellow roof - most of the buildings looked like this within the Royal Palace walls - up a set of stairs and into a room with a short table and a few squat bookshelves, plus a dozen candles strewn about. The old panda, who, unlike me, hadn't run out of breath after climbing those stairs, then reached into a small wooden box and pulled out a sack of coins about the size of his fist.

"This ought to cover everything," he said as he turned back to me. "Payment for use of your sword upon victory, as well as for the bounty upon Tormund's head."

The general then threw the coins toward me, which thankfully I was able to catch with one paw. "It's a curious thing, Tormund being here."

I knew better than to ask, and yet some horrible little itch at the back of my neck forced the word, "Oh?" out of me.

"He is one of Xu's top soldiers. Not particularly high-ranking, no, he hadn't the mind for it. But what he lacked in intellect he made up for a hundred fold in brute strength. So why was he sent so far from his home in Tao'zhan, so far from his emperor? Was it to protect Xin'an? Who protects the emperor now?"

"There could be any number of soldiers who would die for the emperor."

"Yes, but none he trusted as much as Tormund."

I shrugged. "Tormund, that's not exactly an Eastern Lander name. From what I heard, all foreigners were exiled and banned from this country, so maybe one of his officers had a bug up his ass about it. Could be any number of reasons."

General Zi nodded a few times, pondering the matter further.

"Anyway, so what? He's dead now; in my books that's one less obstacle in the way of winning this war, whether it was here or in Tao'zhan."

"Your words are not untrue," conceded the panda, though it felt strangely like he was also telling me I was wrong. "What's troublesome, though, is for whatever the reason may be, Xu sent away one who was arguably the strongest soldier in the whole of the Eastern Lands, a man who had been by his side since before his ascension, a man who had halted every attempt at assassination no matter how deceitful or ingenious. Either the emperor has found a new form of protection, or he has taken leave of his senses, or started to at least. One may prove a hindrance, the other a help."

I didn't know what else to tell the panda general, having little experience in planning battles. Even as Captain of the Dragonkin Brutes, did more following of orders than anything. I certainly couldn't give him any advice, knowing neither Emperor Xu nor the giant mess called Tormund, at least not as well as he seemed to. And so I stood there with Loki in the silence of...whatever room this was. Probably a prayer hall, they seemed fond of those.

"But, this is a matter for another day. You have your payment now, spend it wisely."

"Thanks," I nodded, and just as Loki helped me turn, I stopped for a moment. "Uh, there is something else."

General Zi raised a brow as he looked up at me, both paws upon his cane's handle now.

"My sword, it was damaged in battle. Perhaps irreparably, and I'm not sure I'll have enough here to commission a new one."

The old general smiled at me and chuckled quietly, taking a few steps toward me. With a paw on my shoulder, he led me toward the stairs, like he was gently kicking me out. "I will call on you again in the days to come, so I ask if you are to stay with us, that you do not stray far."

"What? Why? What do you need me for?"

"All in good time, Luca the Mercenary. For now I suggest you get some rest, perhaps get those bandages changed. Or you can visit our hot springs in Mount Tai, not a day's hike east from Xin'an. All I will say is, find the Dragon's Tooth, and you will find true healing. As for your sword, I will take care of it, so you needn't worry."

I gave the general a long skeptical gaze, but he seemed genuine. I then nodded and he walked me out of the building, where it was up to me to find my way to Serenity Gardens to fulfill a promise I'd made to another panda.

"What do you think he wants?" I asked Loki as he helped me along the path. The streets within the Royal Palace walls were calm and quiet, completely lacking the loud bustle of the city beneath it. I noticed some birds were chirping nearby, small songbirds likely nesting in one of the many willows. I knew Serenity Gardens was outside the Palace walls, but north of the palace proper.

Loki shrugged at my question. He barely struggled to keep me up, and didn't complain. I had to respect the little guy for that, I really did appreciate him more than I let on. Probably more than he knew. I was feeling a bit better, but still needed a bit of help to keep me going.

"I know the Gardens are closer to the palace, but how do we get there?"

The arctic fox gave me the same response as before. We wandered throughout the Royal Palace streets for a while longer before Loki eventually got frustrated and asked someone, who very kindly pointed us in the right direction. We passed at least a dozen pandas at small makeshift vigils at the sides of the pathway, each one saying a silent prayer. The rest was a mix of canines, felines, and species I wasn't intimately familiar with trying to go about their busy day. Not far off I could hear weeping as another poured buckets of water over the bloodstained cobblestone, trying unsuccessfully to wash it away. Though I recognized their pain and grief, I didn't feel any of it.

Soon enough Loki and I made it to a walled area with a perfectly circular entryway into what was clearly a vast green garden. The streets had quieted toward Serenity Gardens, and inside the walls amongst the sound of noisy critters and a flowing river, as well as the calming wind rustling the canopy of leaves, not a fur could be seen.

"It's nice in here," I said as loudly as I'd say anything, though it sounded like a booming scream in the silence.

Loki agreed with a long grunt. He looked around everywhere, utterly fascinated by the beauty surrounding him. We passed only a few furs along the path, each one meditating or otherwise keeping to themselves, and we were careful not to interrupt. There was clear spots for self-reflection, by trees and ponds and the river, as well as a few stone benches and seats scattered about, each one having collected its fair share of moss.

"Do you think Zhang's here?" I asked the fox quietly, when no one was in sight.

Again he shrugged.

"You all right?"

"Yeah," he sighed. I knew he didn't mean it, but I wasn't sure if I should press it or not. Was it because of the argument we had earlier, before seeing General Zi?

"Y'sure?"

This time Loki frowned. "Yes."

After wandering the Gardens for a while longer, passing by a huge variety of strange and colourful flowers and plants I hadn't ever seen before, eventually Loki and I came to a sort of clearing with a five-storey pagoda at the furthest end. It looked closed. To the left of the clearing ran a river, larger than most we'd crossed, but likely still a branch of something much larger. Just when I began to ask myself where the hell Zhang was, out from a few nearby bushes by the river stumbled the panda.

"You came!" he said nervously, approaching with a couple large wooden swords.

"I think I'm good, Loki," I told my companion, who gave me a nod as he let go. He just turned away and threw up his hood, heading toward the pagoda. Something was definitely up with him, but I didn't have time to inquire now. "Thanks!" I yelled after him anyway, though he didn't respond.

"What's wrong with Loki?" Zhang asked, but I told him I didn't know. When he handed me my sword, I swung it around a few times not only to get a feel for its weight, but to see if I'd even physically be able to do this. Though my muscles were still bruised and sore, everything seemed okay.

"Okay," I began, thinking way back on my own lessons. "Uhh... Well firstly, hold the sword in your dominant paw, like this." I clutched the sword by its grip with my right paw, and Zhang did the same.

When the few memories I had started slowly trickling back, I taught the panda both how to hold his two-handed sword, as well as the proper stance he should take. Of course my current technique lacked many of these points, but I figured it would be good to start him off knowing something at least vaguely useful.

In no time at all, he was pointing his sword toward my head like a pro, arms in front and holding the grip with right hand just beneath the guard, the left below. I told him to stand with his right leg in front, and to make damn sure he had his balance, despite my desperate lack of it. Nevertheless, Zhang showed me he could take the proper stance, but we were just getting started.

"When you go to strike," I told him, doing my best to demonstrate, "push yourself forward with your left leg while raising your blade, sliding your right footpaw forward a bit, then strike downward as you bring your left leg back up, see?" I showed him what someone had once shown me, though they had the benefit of not being injured at the time. Still, Zhang got the idea and he practiced a few times, swinging at air but showing improvement with each attempt.

"Think of the sword as an extension of your arm," I said. "Use your right paw to guide the blade, and your left to strike. Watch." I did this a few times, pulling back on the grip and striking hard, still at the air.

"When you move," I continued, "when you're bringing your left leg up, that's building momentum. The sword is a part of you, use your body's weight and movements to make a strike, you can't rely on your arms alone. When you use your entire body to strike, you'll find suddenly the sword becomes much easier to wield, and your arms will tire less quickly. Now you try."

Though Zhang faltered many times, I could see him trying to copy what I had done. Though I think he was getting frustrated, I could also see determination in his eyes. He continued to strike toward me again and again, but he was still using his arms too much.

"Stop. Let me try something." This lesson I remembered very well. "Stand there for a moment. Okay..." I stood before Zhang and suddenly attacked him with my sword, whacking his arm with the wooden blade using only my arms to strike.

"Ow!" he cried as expected, holding the tender spot. "What on earth was that for?"

"Oh it wasn't that bad. Now this..." And with that, I struck Zhang a second time, this time pushing my body forward and using the momentum to propel the blade faster. This time he cried out very loudly.

"God damn it!" he screamed, I think the first time I heard him curse. This time he jumped around cursing some more, rubbing the bruised spot furiously. He growled and groaned and backed away from me, sword far from where he once stood. "You're an asshole!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Neither he nor Loki looked amused, the latter having been meditating or something by the pagoda until Zhang's uproar.

"You see the difference in the attacks?"

Zhang did not appreciate that lesson, his scornful frown attested to that. When he picked up his wooden blade, I was surprised to see him suddenly rush me, whacking me in the arm in the exact spot I'd whacked him.

"Hey!" I snarled, quickly knocking the sword from his paws. A flash of anger rushed up, but it took only a few steps toward the cowering panda to see tremendous fear in his eyes, which stopped me dead. My claws were protracted but I sheathed them quickly, and I took a few long, deep breaths as my body relaxed.

"I...I'm sorry, Zhang."

"Maybe this was a mistake," he said as he got back to his feet, pushing away from me. Maybe he was right. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but...I'm not sure you're the right one to teach me." He rubbed his arm some more.

I pushed my ears back. "I really am sorry. If you want to stop now, that's fine, I've shown you the basics. But it won't be enough to save you on the battlefield."

Zhang sighed deeply.

"I don't blame you, kid, really I don't. Anyway, if you want to improve, you need to practice and hone those skills. Go to the barracks, use the training dummies. Or find someone less...dangerous, than me."

He sighed again, I think realizing there was no one else.

"Maybe we can use that tree instead of each other," I suggested, pointing at a particularly large willow.

"Maybe better." Zhang tried a smile, but I can tell I still scared him.

Together he and I practiced for hours, the same techniques over and over until he seemed to have it. He could tell when he was striking the tree harder than others, and though it was a relatively slow process, he was definitely catching on. I even taught him to snarl and yell as he drove his weapon forward, though a few nearby garden-goers didn't approve.

Before long the sun was nearing the top of the pagoda, hanging lower in the sky than I'd realized. Zhang was thoroughly beat, myself even more so, while Loki continued to sit in silence. In fact other than glancing over when I smacked Zhang with my sword, the little fox had hardly moved a muscle.

Still, I felt something that could best be described as pride when I saw Zhang improving throughout the afternoon. Though still a little weak and haphazard, his technique had developed quite well considering he had gone from knowing absolutely nothing about swordplay to, well, weak and haphazard swordplay. But progress was progress! All he needed now was a real battle to test his ability and he'd be set.

"Thank you again, Luca," Zhang said as he bowed very formally at me. I did my best to do it back. "For all you have taught me. I know I'm still far from being a skilled swordsman, but I have between now and the battle to reclaim Tao'zhan to practice and get better."

I gave the kid an affirming nod, and bit of a smile. "You did remarkably well, truly. A lot better than I expected, I'll just say that."

That seemed to make Zhang laugh, and just as the sun scraped the top of the pagoda, Zhang, Loki and I returned to the city proper to find lodgings for the night. Zhang, not surprisingly, took off toward the barracks, and while I was sure I could find a spot somewhere around there to lay down too, part of me craved something with a bit more privacy.

"Where to now?" I asked the little fox, who was no longer helping me move about, though he did stay close by.

Loki shrugged. "Anywhere you wish."

"You gonna tell me what's wrong with you?" I asked him as we simply began to wander, hoping inspiration would strike me in our random meanderings.

The fox shrugged again. "Unlike you," he started, giving me a look when he said it, "I've been thinking about my past. The Serenity Gardens, despite being worlds apart, reminded me of home. I haven't thought about home in a long time, I guess it's just catching up to me."

Loki and I passed a couple praying together, just as we came into the more clustered streets of Xin'an, where most of the homes and inns were, as well as countless shops no doubt owned by the homeowners.

"Oh?" I inquired, though I was fully aware that had the situation been reversed, I'd likely be storming off by now. Or making Loki storm off.

The arctic fox sighed quietly. "Life was so much simpler then. My village was surrounded by forest, much like the Gardens. The flora is far different, but still, it brings back fond memories. Of course they weren't too fond at the time, but I guess age has a funny way of changing one's perspective."

I wasn't sure if Loki was lecturing me again, or if he was genuinely reminiscing.

"My father was cruel to me, but in the end he taught me everything I know, or at least laid the foundation for it. I had never loved so hard as I had back then either. My mother and sister...even my father, I miss them very much. Heimdall, even Jorn..."

I raised a brow. He had told me much about his past before, but I had never heard the name Jorn before. "Jorn?" I asked him.

Loki smiled quietly beneath his hood, cheeks with a subtle hue. "We started off as enemies, I guess you could say. He beat me up a few times, I cut him with a knife. But in the dragon camp, we grew very close. I offered to, um..."

The blushing fox had to stop himself, and I paused to see if he'd continue, but he kept quiet.

"Yeah?" I ventured to say.

"I offered...myself. It was the only thing I was good at in the camp. He'd protected me and fed me and...well, he saved me. And the only thing I could give him in return was my body. He didn't take it, but I was ready to give everything to him. I loved him more than I knew, probably more than he knew. My only regret was not being able to grow up with him, to have at least the rest of my childhood with him. And my father, and my sister, and mother. They must be in Valhalla now with my brother Tyr. One day I hope to join them too."

I rested a paw on Loki's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, and for a change he let me keep it there. I pulled him in a bit closer, and he let his body press against mine, standing no higher than my chest. I appreciated that he opened up to me, though I couldn't help but think it was also some kind of tactic to make me do the same. I did sense some real pain in his voice, though, a sense that he'd lost something very dear.

"Let's find a place to rest," I finally said, never good at this sort of thing.

The fox nodded and after a bit of fruitless searching, Loki and I settled on a small place not far off the main thoroughfare. It was quiet and respectable and didn't smell of piss and sweat, but most importantly, it offered private rooms. Of course it cost me a few more coins for the night than I would have preferred, but I got a free drink out of it which I enjoyed thoroughly. Naturally Loki abstained, though he did drink some water. After a few long, loud yawns, though, I was ready to admit defeat and head in for the night, arctic fox close behind me.

"There's only one bed," he pointed out, pushing back his hood. There was also one nightstand and one small dresser and one chair and a few candles, which the fox was quick to light.

"Yes," I agreed, removing my shirt with some effort. I noticed Loki turn away just as my top came off, and at last he removed his red cloak. He glanced back at me again, but darted his eyes away seconds later.

"It's okay to look, Loki," I said as I unstrung the fly of my pants. I hadn't yet pulled them down, but they had fallen a little, hanging just above my privates. Loki was blushing furiously.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he grunted as his own shirt came off. "I assume you're taking the bed."

I shrugged. "It's more bed than I need. You don't have to make this so awkward, you know." Strangely, I found myself fiddling with the hempen bracelet Loki had made for me all those years ago, which he noticed immediately.

"I'm surprised you kept that," said the fox, who was wearing about ten times as many spread across both arms.

"Of course I did. It was a really sweet gift. You know, I did think about you from time to time after I left, if you can believe it. Everyone else...they went on with their lives, but you stayed with me. I know I probably should've said something, but...well, you know."

Loki grunted and gave a quick nod. "Yeah. I know."

"I'm curious, though, what, um... What happened to Valo?"

Valo was what was known as an Alpha, bristly, black-furred, wolf-like monsters who walk around on four legs. They live in packs, and after killing the master alpha, I had once earned a pack of my own. These creatures, while fairly basic, were loyal to a fault, and Valo was the only one who had survived a vicious fight against an even larger monster, though he had lost a back leg. He was still able to get around though, and even though he couldn't communicate with me like people, he was my most loyal friend. I missed him a lot since leaving Midland, especially on those cold, lonely nights.

"Uh," Loki started, looking away immediately. Somehow I knew what his answer was going to be before he said it, and my heart sank at the news. "He was killed by some knights of the Holy See. To be fair, Keefe tried to stop them, but they called Valo an evil Hel-beast, and ordered him destroyed. Um...well...he was 'bathed in the cleansing light of God.'"

That means they burned my poor Alpha alive. A quiet growl escaped my maw, but I was more saddened than anything. I knew it was my fault, I should have brought him with me. Maybe Loki was right about me. I sighed heavily, suddenly wanting that second drink.

But just as good as a second drink, Loki rubbed my back with his small, white-furred paw. It was a comforting paw, warm and soft. Even though he flinched and backed away a little, I forced the little guy into a hug anyway, which he reluctantly accepted.

"I'm sorry for running off," I suddenly found myself saying. It made Loki prick his ears. "I...know it was selfish of me. I know I didn't handle things well, and yeah, maybe I am running away. But I was never equipped for such...loss. What man is?"

Loki gave me a tighter squeeze. "I know, Luca. I shouldn't have berated you like I did. I suppose it's been so long, I kind of forgot just how bloody and raw that kind of pain is. You know what I've been through, though, you know what I've experienced in my life, especially in my youth. You never forget that kind of loss, but it does get easier."

I think the fox had to resist telling me that talking it all out also makes it easier, or perhaps that was just my subconscious filling in the blanks. Either way, he stopped there, and I rubbed the poor fox's back. I knew I would have a sympathetic ear with Loki, but I was perfectly satisfied leaving this conversation exactly where it was.

"Thanks," I said, and at last we parted. "Let's get some rest."

Loki nodded, and as I turned toward the bed I finally let my pants drop. Not surprisingly, as Loki pinched out the candle, with only the pale glow of the moon shining through the window to guide him, he turned toward the chair in preparation to sleep.

"You're not seriously sleeping on that chair, are you?" I asked him as I climbed under the sheets. "C'mon, hop in."

I could practically hear the fox blushing, blood pounding through his ears and into his face. But a second later, I heard his pants fall to the floor and a watched his glowing, moonlit form approach the bed, and soon he was under the covers with me.

Of course the fox made the whole process a great deal more awkward than it had to be, but as I draped an arm over him and forced his naked body up against mine - and after a bit of squirming - Loki finally relaxed.

His body was soft and warm, and he fit perfectly in front of me as if he'd been formed out of my white-furred underbelly at birth. As we both got used to being this close to one another, our legs slowly intertwined and I have to admit, I couldn't help but run my paw along his belly. He objected with a quiet growl, and yet I could have sworn I felt his cute bum press eagerly against my sheath, which was getting tingly by that point.

Unfortunately the rest of the night was mostly just a blur, as the events of the day as well as my injuries soon caught up with me. It seemed just as my paw came upon Loki's sheath and balls, and after getting a few good gropes and a long, hefty moan in there, I could hold off sleep no longer and I was out cold at last.

Morning came suddenly with a sharp kick to the knee. I snarled loudly, and Loki had the impudence to act as if I'd woken him up. We argued for a minute about whose fault it was, but neither of us got out of bed. I growled anyway, and as his small pointy ears flicked at me, something compelled me to bite the one on the left.

Loki froze.

I growled again, pulling him back toward me and giving the fox a squeeze.

"L-Luca..." blushed the arctic fox, his ear still in my mouth.

"I've got nowhere to be today," I said with a slight groan, releasing his ear. That familiar tingling was back in my nether regions. "And that general said he'd call on me, so that'll be his problem if he can't find me here."

"We can't."

"Why not? It won't take all day."

"I'm sure," the fox said dryly, and I was certain it was supposed to be a slight. It didn't bother me, it just made me hold onto him tighter. With his ear reclaimed, however, it gave Loki the perfect opportunity to bite down on my forearm, which was enough to let him slip out of bed.

"Go to hell!" the little fox snarled, reaching for his pants.

I just sat up still in the nude, holding my forearm. "Relax, Loki, I wasn't going to do anything if you really didn't want it. Just thought you were being your usual shy self."

He was still frowning, at least until he looked at some of my open wounds, or rather the bloody bandages covering them. The wounds that hadn't been covered, I think the stitches had been torn, though I hadn't felt around yet. I think Loki was doing that for me.

"You really should go get checked out," he said, finally putting his pants on. They were the same old pants he'd always worn, made mostly of some animal hide with a large fur and leather belt to hold them up. They were stitched up in more places than I was, held together with leather cord, while the rest had been patched up numerous times with leather pieces of varying age. Of course the bottoms near his feet were still all frayed and torn, after years of being dragged along the ground. If I had to guess, I'd say the pants didn't belong to him because they were clearly way too big for him.

"I'll be fine," I insisted. "The bleeding's not that bad anyway."

"Still, it's enough to get infected."

Not interested in being jabbed by a needle a hundred times just to get patched up, I decided to ignore Loki's suggestion and get up, stumbling as I did. Thankfully Loki helped me, though he did it with an air of "I told you so." Nevertheless, I managed to slip into my pants easily enough and threw on my loose, woven shirt. It then suddenly occurred to me when I caught my reflection in the window, whatever happened with my armour?

"C'mon," said Loki, now with his top on as well as his long red cloak. Nothing he wore really went with his pants, as if they'd been plucked out of an ancient time.

"Where're we headed?"

"I know you reject the power of the runes, and that's your prerogative, and since you are also rejecting the rebels' physicians, I thought today we'd take a trip into the mountains."

"What, to find those hot springs?" I asked with obvious skepticism. Before we went anywhere, though, we first sat to eat a warm breakfast. It seemed fish was a more favoured dish here, and while not my favourite, it was good enough for my growling stomach. Fried potatoes was also offered, as well as some dark wine.

Loki shrugged, shoving a huge piece of fish in his mouth. "It's not like you've got much else planned. At the very least, it'll offer some relaxation and more time for your body to mend."

"Yeah, that's if I don't tear open more wounds just hiking to the place."

Loki was unresponsive, looking ravenous compared to yesterday. He finished his meal long before I did, and even managed to sneak a few potatoes from me.

"Why're you so interested in these hot springs anyway?"

"I just want to see if they're really as restorative as all these pandas say it is, especially the ones General Zi told us about. He's not the first person I've heard stories from either, though it seems only a few people know where the 'secret springs' are. Apparently the secret springs are the pools with real healing powers, but no one knows where they're hidden. Perhaps it's reserved only for royalty, I don't know. Either way, I'd like to see them for myself."

I couldn't help but smile. "You're an adventurous little fox, aren't you. I wouldn't have figured."

Loki reflected on that for a moment, fiddling with one of the inn's knives. "I guess I haven't really had this much freedom before, at least not since I was a child. And even then, I always had to do what my father told me, or suffer the consequences. Even after being sent here from Hel, I was always on a mission, and after being cast out by the Crims--by my king...my mission was always to find you. And once I did, well, my mission became yours. Now that we have some downtime...I'd like to do something a bit more leisurely. The gods know there aren't many of those these days."

The fox had a point, and I couldn't exactly disagree. I hadn't really thought about it that much, but as I found myself reflecting upon it too, I realized he was right. I literally had nothing to do today, no mission, no journey, no obligations whatsoever. In fact, I had no idea when the rebel army would make their next move, so I really had nowhere to be until then. I'd heard the famous hot springs mentioned quite a few times throughout my time in the Eastern Lands, though they were usually in reference to when Xin'an gets reclaimed. Still, I had no real reason not to go, assuming the hike through the mountains wasn't too rigorous for my poor beaten body.

"Yeah," I said, looking at the excited glint in Loki's eyes, "sure, why the hell not. Let's go."

And with that, Loki and I were off. We left the inn to gather some provisions for the day-long journey, if what General Zi had said could be believed. In a satchel I carried for us a few portions of dried, cured meat and some fruit and nuts, while Loki carried a leather canteen full of water. Together we headed out through the eastern gate, gazing at the ancient Mount Tai off in the distance as the sun just began to look over the highest peak.

"Do you think the water really has healing abilities?" I asked Loki as we passed a group of patrolling soldiers. I recalled the tea Zhang had brought to me when we officially met, he said it was made of the same special spring waters. And I have to admit, it did help liven me up a little, at the very least. Perhaps it wasn't so farfetched. I mean, I'd seen far stranger things in my time.

"I dunno," he said, pushing back his hood. "I suppose it's possible, I'd heard of such things before. In fact, in the snowy mountains north of my village, back when I was a kit, there was said to be a magical spring. My tribe thought that's where our Mountain River flowed from, that it was a gift from the gods, and if you found its source it would grant you any wish. But only if you were pure at heart. I think the parents just made that up so we'd be good."

I laughed quietly through my nose. "Were you a good kid?"

Loki furrowed his brow. "I suppose that depends on who you ask. Father didn't think so, most of the time anyway. He wanted me to be a fierce warrior like my brother was, Tyr. But I wasn't, no matter how hard he tried to train me. He did teach me how to use the Runes though, I mean, how to cast them. I remember his surprise when I cast my first one, nearly burned down our tent."

"And now look at you."

The small fox nodded, with just the faintest hint of a smile. "Yeah. They all said I was a natural, the elders. I knew more runes than anyone else, especially at my age. I don't think father expected me to be able to cast them as quickly as I had."

"Well you're one hell of a fighter now, I can tell you that."

Loki just grunted, giving an affirming nod.

There was little activity on the pathway, which was well-trodden by the looks of it, likely a main road into the city. We passed a few travellers here and there, but after such a bloody battle, I think people weren't eager to go out. Nevertheless, a few farmers and traders passed by, though their wares seemed pretty meagre. I guess in wartimes, embattled cities let few people in.

Close to the path was a relatively large river, a piny forest on the other side. Were it not for the hilly, rocky terrain and ample flora scattered about, you would no doubt see this wide river winded endlessly toward the mountains, or rather, away from the mountains. Numerous bridges lined the river, some covered some more decrepit, many of the ones closest to Xin'an with armed guards on either side. It seemed rather than carve out a path along the river, the sensible Eastern Landers built dozens of bridges to bypass the unforgiving flow, creating a more direct route to wherever this roadway led.

"This really is a beautiful land," I commented, taking in a deep breath of the fresh, sweet air. Amongst the evergreen forests and grassy hills, bright red and purple bushes grew, dotting the land within and without the forest edges. The bottoms of the leaves, an old soldier had shown me, were soft and fuzzy, and were a sight to behold when in bloom. Luckily they were, dozens of clusters of purple and reddish flowers sweetening the air.

Loki agreed with a noise.

"It's too bad so much of it has been ravaged by the war, though at least this area still looks nice. I've gotta hand it to these Eastern Landers, they really appreciate the wilderness here. I've heard some of them talk about forest spirits and wind spirits and whatnot, like if they disrespect a forest they'll be cursed. That's why they always plant two trees for every one they cut down. It's a strange culture, but kinda nice, too. I remember entire forests being torn down during the Century War, used for building their war machines and the like, and those forests were just left to waste away."

"We never took anything for granted when I was a child," said Loki, just as we stepped onto a particularly large bridge. "Like these people, we replaced our resources where we could, and when we couldn't we'd use every piece so nothing went to waste. Perhaps it was because food was so scarce up north, we couldn't afford to."

Though the air was cool by the river, by the time the sun reached high noon, Loki and I were plenty warm. Of course because of my injuries I had slowed down a bit, but Loki was very patient with me. A few times we had to rest by a rock or a tree, or on a bridge when there was a railing, and while nothing was bleeding, that didn't stop the rest of me from being sore.

"You really should have gotten those taken care of," lamented the fox, just as I rested upon a particularly large rock. "There's an inn not far from here, at the crossroads. We'll stop there and see if we can't get you cleaned up a bit."

I was panting by this point. "Ain't necessary," I told him, just before a sudden spasm shot up my ribs. I growled painfully, and Loki looked incredulous.

"You won't make the hike through the mountains like this," he insisted. Perhaps it was just in my nature to disagree. "You've clearly reopened something. We don't have to sew you up again, but at least let me put some clean bandages on those."

I sighed heavily, more from exhaustion than from Loki's persistence. "Fine," I conceded, at last pushing myself off the rock. "How far do you think it is?"

Loki shrugged. "An hour or so, it's hard to say. All these hills and rocks make it difficult to judge time and distance."

That was a fair point, and after taking a long drink of water - which Loki had replenished a couple times already since leaving Xin'an - we were off once more.

Though I wasn't keeping track of time, getting to the inn took long enough. I was thoroughly beat by the time we arrived at the Crossroads Inn.

The inn was a much larger building than I expected - red with a brownish roof - and like most inns along the road, a lantern hung outside the doors with the sign just above. This one - the aptly named Crossroads Inn - had a couple lanterns, both with a wicker mesh covering. That, I'd been told, indicated they served food, though I would have expected that anyway from an inn this size. Despite the fact it wasn't yet suppertime, at least by my estimation, upon entering we saw the place was still quite busy. At least it was big, plenty of room for myself and a small arctic fox.

"Staying the night?" the attractive female wolf asked us shortly after we sat down. I was beginning to realize what these pandas were talking about, about their insane Emperor exiling all the "imperfect" furs from his land. Almost all the landowners and farmers and soldiers and shopkeepers were surprisingly beautiful, both male and female. Yet I hadn't really noticed it until the she-wolf asked us what we wanted. Back in Midland, most inn owners were quite homely, but not one was in the Eastern Lands.

"I don't think so, we're on our way to Mount Tai," I answered.

The wolf nodded, seeming quite uninterested in her job. I noticed she had a sword slung around her hips, unusual for a female, much less an innkeeper. "So just a meal then?"

I nodded back, but Loki quickly interjected. "Do you have any fresh bandages for the tiger? We can pay you for them if we must, but they need dressing either way."

The apathetic wolf just sighed quietly. "Yeah, I can probably find you something. Tell me, which side of this war you folks on?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

The wolf leaned in closer, though I was certain with all the noise, no one would have heard her anyway. "Answer the question, boys."

If she was trying to be intimidating, it wasn't working. "We're with the pandas," I said with a frown and a bit of annoyance. I didn't like being grilled by an innkeeper. "You gonna kick us out now or what?"

The she-wolf grunted as she pushed herself off the table. "My apologies. While I will serve most men who come through those doors, anyone aiding Emperor Xu will pay full price for our services. Friends of the rebels eat and board for free."

I was genuinely surprised by that, especially since the she-wolf was clearly been exempt from the Emperor's ridiculous laws.

"I don't like to spread that around, as some of Xu's followers will try to take advantage. Because of the war we have only simple fare to offer. Tonight it is a hearty stew with a dark ale. Not the Crossroad's traditional meal, but as I said, our supplies are scarce."

"That'll be fine," I told the wolf. "Do you mind my asking why? I mean...why aid the rebellion when you clearly aren't affected by Xu's law."

The wolfess simply grunted, with just the slightest hint of a growl. "That is so, but this inn was not originally owned by me nor my sisters. Though it was and always has been a family business, my mother and father fell victim to Xu's hideous law. They were taken from us, and I have been running their business for the greater part of six years now. Being a hub for travellers and the like, my parents were some of the first exiled from the Eastern Lands. I was fifteen when I took over, knowing little of the business. My mother was killed by Xu's soldiers, and father savagely beaten. I suspect I will never see him again."

Loki and I could only stare at the poor wolf, whose eyes had been hardened by her burden. Nevertheless, I somehow saw some tears hidden behind her icy gaze.

"I'm sorry," I said. I probably should have known better than to ask, most people had no happy stories to tell.

She just shook her head, wiping a bit of mist from her otherwise stone-cold eyes. "No, I must apologize. These past few years have been especially difficult on us, with more and more of Xu's men coming through these parts to defend Xin'an. I should not have gone on like that. Please, excuse me."

And as quickly as she'd arrived, the she-wolf was gone, disappeared into the back. Loki was just giving me a look as if to say, "Why the hell did you do that?"

"How was I supposed to know?" I said, though I hardly thought I needed to defend myself.

"She offers free room and board to rebels, what kind of story were you expecting?"

"I don't know, I--" Fortunately I was interrupted by the innkeeper, who had brought us our food.

"Again, please forgive me. I have made a habit of staying composed during these trying times. I suppose I needed to get that off my chest."

Both Loki and I gave her a nod, Loki telling her it was okay.

"Thank you. I have laid out supplies to patch your friend up in the recreation room, though it has since been converted into an infirmary. Travel safely, friends."

At last I got to fill my empty stomach with real food, finding cured meats and nuts not nearly filling enough. The stew was quite tasty, though clearly a mix of a dozen different leftover meals thrown into a large cauldron. The meat and vegetables was very tender, so it had likely been cooking all week, while also being added to every night. Still, all in all, it was a thick, delicious meal made all the better with bread and ale.

"That was pretty good," I commented, patting my stomach as I shoved a final piece of bread into my maw. "Just what I needed to continue on this trip of ours."

Loki was still working away at his meal, the slow eater that he was. Or perhaps I just always made a pig of myself and ate too quickly. But before long he finished up - I may have helped him along a little - and though I tried to gather my things to leave, Loki was intent on re-bandaging me.

Guided into the recreation room-turned-emergency infirmary by the young she-wolf, Loki sat me down and made me take off my shirt.

"These bandages are disgusting," he told me, peeling some off, along with some of my fur. I had to growl as the dried blood clung to both my fur and the cloth wrap, either ripping it straight out or coming damn near. The process took much longer than I'd have liked, especially since it felt like it was doing more harm than good. But once Loki had removed everything, I was at last able to relax.

"You look terrible," Loki added, getting up to fetch a basin of water. He dragged over a large metal washbasin that was only half filled with water, and looked clean enough to me. "With all this dried blood, it'd be much easier with hot water, but this'll have to do."

I sighed as the fox took a cloth and squeezed the cold water onto my wounds, causing me to growl once again. He then called me a baby, then told me tigers are supposed to love water, but I disagreed. At least not in this form.

Though Loki started off delicate around my wounds, his reddening washcloth scraped progressively harder into my fur, causing me even more distress. And yet I sat there taking it, I guess knowing deep down it had to be done. He scrubbed and scrubbed, feeling like he was ripping every one of my wounds open again, and by the time the washcloth was about the same hue as the bloody water, the fox finally announced he was done.

"Finally," I grunted, putting my arms down. The worst wound, I was told, was by far the stab wound in my ribs, and I was inclined to agree. "Could have done without the grindstone, however."

"Oh hush, you big baby. Now lift your arms again."

I sighed, but did as I was told. Slowly the arctic fox wrapped the new bandages around my torso, up and over my shoulder and around my ribs as well as around my midriff, where a few nasty cuts were. He then did my arms, and fixed up a few spots on my back. Next I was forced to remove my pants, but the fox seemed very uninterested in my nether regions as he re-bandaged a few of the minor, yet still significant wounds along both legs. When he was done, and my pants were back on, Loki rubbed my back softly and sighed.

"I wish you'd be more careful," he said with a hint of genuine concern.

"Well I haven't died yet."

Unsatisfied with that response, Loki and I collected all our things, thanked the wolf for her hospitality and continued toward Mount Tai all the same. Not much conversation was left to be had between the fox and I after leaving the Crossroads Inn, and our short sojourn ensured nightfall came just as we arrived at the base of the mountain.

Fortunately there was a small village-like establishment before the path opened up to the mountains, and we had a place to stay before travelling to the hot springs. They were modest lodgings, but more than enough for a tiger and a fox. Our room had only a bed and a small table, though to be fair I wasn't sure these rooms were meant for prolonged visits.

"You know," I grumbled, "when General Zi said the hot springs weren't a day's walk from Xin'an, I didn't think he meant it'd actually take more than a day."

"Yeah, well he probably didn't take into account the slow and the injured," my companion pointed out. As usual getting ready for bed was a horribly awkward affair, and this time there was no place else for Loki to sleep except on the floor. Or in bed with me.

"I really wish we'd made it to the hot springs," my aching body said, using my mouth to speak for it. "When we got to that inn I thought for sure we were almost there, but it was like the mountains kept moving further and further away."

Loki smiled for just a second at the thought. "They can be deceptive sometimes, especially when you haven't seen them up close."

I groaned as I got myself into bed, careful not to ruin my new bandages. Sitting nude, Loki was careful not to glance at me, despite the fact he had already gotten himself topless. His body was small and sinuous, with delicate curves in just the right places. In fact if I didn't know any better, it would look almost as if he was still just a child, showing some musculature, but not nearly as much as a grown man. He was cute though, even when he was being horrible about it. I ran my knuckles down the centre of his back, which made the poor fox freeze.

"What're you doing?" he asked, turning his head slightly to look at me.

"I'm tired," I told him, "and that candle won't last forever. Let's go to sleep, then we can spend all day at the secret hot springs."

"If we can find them." Loki finally turned around, pushing me back onto the other side of the bed as he blew out the candle and slipped out of his pants. "And no touching."

I just smiled and welcomed the fox into bed with me. Though I made no verbal promises, I decided to be a good tiger and keep my paws to myself for tonight, despite the fact our tails kept brushing together, particularly with his being so thick and fluffy.

Morning came much quicker than I'd have preferred, but I really just wanted to stay in bed all day. I argued with Loki about the benefits of bed over hot springs, but the fox seemed insistent. It almost seemed like he was more interested in finding them than I was, but then again I mostly came because I had nothing else to do.

Loki and I had a modest breakfast of salted meat and fruit, plus a pawful of nuts. There was about one serving of each left for both of us, which would hopefully last us until we could make it back to the Crossroads Inn. Thankfully the small village had a well to refill the canteen, and when we were good and ready, the fox and I were off once more.

It was hard to tell when we were in the mountains proper, as much of the terrain closer to the mountain base was rocky and hilly, we could have already technically entered them. With plenty of trees around, we followed the clearly marked path through the pines and rocks, until the trees thinned and it was mostly just rock and shrubs. I think we were on the mountain now.

The path winded up which from my perspective, seemed more like an enormous hill than a real mountain, but my experience with mountain climbing was severely limited. Nevertheless, the way up seemed relatively easy, only getting steep in a few parts, but the path was clearly well-used. In a few instances wooden steps had been constructed, but they were in poor condition. Still, my battered body appreciated it, as many of the rocks looked jagged and slippery from the morning dew.

The sun glistened beautifully off the rocks, as well as the shrubs and grass that had been dewed by the morning mist, and while the workout kept my body warm, I could see my breath the higher we climbed. Still, as we came out of the mist, the view below was spectacular, a vast field of mountains, many of which were greater than the one we were on. The valleys were green and rocky, with coloured shrubs speckling the land.

I took in a deep breath, and not just because I was running out of it, and sighed loudly. Loud enough, anyway, to make Loki turn around, who was panting as well.

"Doing all right?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I said, out of breath. "Surprisingly. Think it's much further?"

Loki shrugged. "We just have to keep following the main path, that's what we were told. It didn't split off very often, and this one looks like it's been used the most. I'm sure we'll get there soon enough."

"Not soon enough," I remarked, which Loki didn't care for. "My pads are getting sore."

"You know," he said, turning around and continuing along, "you've gotten a lot more whiny since leaving Midland too."

I ignored that, instead focusing on my footing as we continued along the well-trodden, yet still difficult pathway.

Luckily, though, after a bit more of a hike and another long twist, we at last came between Mount Tai and another mountain, though for all I knew the other mountain, whose peak was likely much higher than Tai's, was a part of this one. Either way, the pathway opened up slightly between the two large rocky structures, and when we came out of the large crevice, before us was at least a dozen steamy pools of water, pathways leading to each.

Each pool was on its own short elevation or platform, leading down like enormous steps to the final pool, which looked to be just behind a sudden drop-off, though a short rocky wall separated the two. And each pool had a small set of stone steps leading to the next, rocks lining every one. It was nice to see grass growing here, aside the cobbled pathways, and small shrubs in their own natural rock planters. Beyond the steamy springs was an awesome backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the land leading on endlessly behind a curtain of everlasting clouds and mist.

"Finally, we made it," I said between breaths. There was only a few people in the hot springs, who must have left much earlier than Loki and I to have gotten here before us. Still, it would be nice and quiet, even more so if we knew where to start looking for the fabled secret springs.

"The general said something about a dragon's tooth," Loki reminded me, glancing up as if I knew something more. "See anything like that?"

I looked around. "Nope."

Loki sighed.

"Is it gonna look weird if we just wander around?"

"Maybe not if we look like we're looking for a good spot."

And so Loki and I pretended to look for an ideal spot, gaining absolutely no notice from the two pandas sitting together in the third tier pool, nor the lone lioness in the fifth tier. To me all the pools looked the same, but if these three got here this early, one can only assume those are favoured spots. The lioness was in the smallest of the twelve pools, perhaps she wanted it all to herself. It looked like she was naked, along with the pandas, though the water was too cloudy to see. They did have a small pile of clothes behind them, folded nicely, so it was difficult to say what all had been removed.

Of course I probably should have been paying more attention to finding the so-called dragon's tooth rather than playing "are they naked," but a tiger has to have priorities. I imagined they were, even in smallclothes I didn't imagine you could easily relax with them on and submerged.

By the time we got to the final pool, I glanced past the rocky, jagged wall only to see a sheer cliff below, which made my stomach turn until I looked back up. "It ain't down there," I pointed out, which Loki didn't appreciate.

"General Zi could've been more specific," Loki grumbled.

"What's the big deal, anyway? I doubt it's got secret powers like everyone seems to think. Besides, how could it really be different? It probably all comes from the same source, so we might as well just pick one of these pools and relax while we still can."

I was sorry to see Loki so disappointed, so I rubbed his back to console him. It did little good, but I think he was finally conceding.

Of course, just as that thought came to me Loki pricked up his ears and looked back at the entrance, flicking his tail as he took off. I followed him dutifully, but not without an annoyed sigh. Maybe there was a secret hot spring just meant for important people, maybe not, either way I didn't care. I was sore and tired and I wanted to relax, but Loki insisted on continuing the hunt.

Naturally as we passed the pool-goers, I looked as discreetly as I could to see how naked they were, but found no answers upon the second pass.

"The entrance to the secret springs can't be where the regular springs are, or everyone would see the officers going in. It's gotta be elsewhere, somewhere people won't notice."

"God damn it, Loki," I said, finding it difficult to follow him closely. He sped through the crevice and back out toward the main path, glancing around carefully. By the time I caught up, he'd already looked around and continued along the path further. Now irritated, I simply took in the scenery rather than helping Loki find his stupid secret hot spring. Nothing cried out "dragon tooth" to me, most of the rock formations could have resembled teeth.

"I have half a mind to leave you here," I grumbled to myself. For all we knew, it could have been one of those paths that diverged and continued on through the mountains. Frustrated, I turned back toward the regular hot springs - the real hot springs so far as I could tell - until about half way through the dark crevice Loki called out to me.

"Did you find it?" I asked him, leaning against a rock.

"No," he said. "Are you giving up?"

"This is stupid, the general probably just said that to get you going, he probably tells everyone that, especially foreigners. It's probably some big joke amongst the Eastern Landers. I mean, do you really think the nobles here are any different than anywhere else? They love playing shitty little jokes on commoners no matter what country you're in. They're probably laughing about it right now, those people down there are probably having a good chuckle."

Loki frowned, grumbling silently to himself until suddenly his head snapped toward the wall behind me, and the rock I was leaning on. He stared at it for long enough to make me look over.

"What?"

Now he furrowed his brow, as if trying to figure the wall out.

"Loki, what?" I got up and looked now, just as the fox took a few steps toward the wall. He then held his paws in front of him, feeling up and down the stone surface, as if looking for a secret switch or a panel. With a mischievous grin, he looked back at me and knocked his knuckles against the stone, which echoed as if it was hollow.

Needless to say, I was taken aback. "What the hell..?" I said, now gazing at the wall about as intently as Loki. "What is that, some sorta door?"

The arctic fox shrugged, but glanced around. I realized the rock I'd been leaning against looked somewhat like a dragon's tooth, though many of the rock formations looked like that. Loki then began looking around for a switch, or so I assumed, until he saw a smaller, somewhat out-of-place rock looking far more dragon toothy than what I'd been leaning on, sticking out of the wall. About the size of my fist, the little fox grabbed hold and jiggled it, turned it, pulled it, until realizing pushing it down released some hatch on the fake wall.

A small crack soon appeared, and much to my surprise, a hidden panel in the wall opened up, revealing something of a corridor behind it. Loki immediately pushed it open, and when I looked back at the other bathers, I saw the large rock I'd been leaning on completely obscured the view.

"Holy shit," I commented as I followed Loki into the hidden passage, seeing the door behind us was simply made of wood, with the outside only built to fool regular folk. "That's crazy. How'd you know?"

"I couldn't be sure," said the fox, "but the colour of the rock just somehow looked...off. Very slightly, but off all the same. It's a very convincing camouflage though."

When at last we came around the corner, the hidden pathway opened up to a cave with steamy vents along the sides, and beyond the maw of the cave I saw dozens of trees clearly not part of the natural mountain flora, as well as a few stone benches and a couple long, padded tables, each with some colourful plants nearby.

The trees here were tall and skinny, with long leaves that draped downward and danced in even the slightest wind, as well as some colourful shrubs also not part of this rocky environment. In fact, I'd guess other than the large pool, nothing here seemed natural, like it had all been planted. Still, it looked nice.

The large pool, as it turns out, was accompanied but a few other smaller pools scattered throughout, but unlike the regular springs it was all on a single tier. It was styled in the same way as the others, though the trees provided some extra elegance, and even the stone pathway looked more nicely groomed. All along the edges of what looked like a sheer drop was some tall, wispy grass blowing delicately in the mountain air, as well as a short wall so the Eastern Land nobles wouldn't fall to their deaths.

"They could put these trees in the other one too," I pointed out, "but then I guess that would make this one less special."

Loki frowned at me, unimpressed by my cynicism.

"And you know," I continued, peering into the largest pool, "this water looks exactly the same as the other springs. It's nice that there's a hidden hot spring and all, and that hidden door is a nice touch, but other than all these trees and stuff, it ain't that special."

"Luca," said Loki as he approached me, apparently ignoring my comments. "Let me help you remove those bandages."

"What? Again?" I sighed.

"Even if these waters aren't any more rejuvenating than the others, you still shouldn't get your bandages all wet, especially since we don't have any extra. Just take off your clothes and I'll help."

I couldn't remember a time since meeting Loki where he had ever been so forthcoming with what he wanted, it was a little strange and yet kind of nice too. His desires always seemed clear, but he was too shy or too upset to ever act upon them. Most times he needed some amount of coercion from me, and even then it was difficult. But he was so much more open now. I guess he really did miss me a lot more since I left Midland.

In just a few minutes the fully clothed fox had me naked and un-bandaged, and he just stood in front of me for a moment blushing. He glanced up at me, then suddenly away, reminding me instantly of the old Loki I knew and loved. Guess it was just a one-time thing.

"It was your idea," I pointed out. "C'mon, you gonna get undressed too?"

Loki nodded, then turned away. He unhooked his cloak then removed his sleeveless top, folding them nicely beside mine. Soon his pants were off and joined the others, and Loki walked ahead of me to dip a toe in the steaming water.

"How is it?" I asked him, approaching the large pool.

"Not bad," he said. I never noticed how full of scars his white-furred body was, most of them difficult to see beneath his fur. But with the warm weather his coat was thinner and though darker in a few areas, I could see a lot more. There was more on his back than anywhere, at least so far as I could see.

"Well here goes nothing," I said at last, climbing awkwardly over the stone edge. But as I touched down my feet suddenly slipped out from under me and my ass hit the bottom harder than I would have liked. I was sure there was a more noble way of doing this, but I was never even close to being a noble, so I figured that gave me a pass.

Finally Loki joined me with little concern for my sore ass, slipping in with barely a splash and sitting with the water right up to his neck. It only came up to my chest, but just barely.

"I guess this isn't bad," I said, spreading out my arms and letting my body sink into the hot, murky water. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but it almost seemed as if my body was tingling all over, very subtly, but definitely there. Nevertheless, I found the longer I sat in the water, the looser I seemed to become, and I couldn't help but close my eyes. I let out a long, satisfied sigh as my body turned into butter. I was ready to melt away.

"Mm," Loki managed to say in response.

For now I just sat, relaxed, and watched the small arctic fox wade around in the pool, looking for a good place to sit. I told him to just find a spot, but he ignored me. He almost seemed child-like, face full of wonder and excitement, I had never seen him like this before. It was almost cute. He had probably never seen a hot spring before, much less been in one, but then again neither had I. Perhaps he was thinking of the hot springs in the mountains near where he grew up, regretting having never been. I smiled at the fox, leaning back on the rocks behind me and watching him.

"It really does feel nice," Loki commented, glancing back at me for a second before continuing.

As I watched the fox climb out of the large pool, staring at his adorable naked bum, I caught briefest flash of the back of his balls, then a sudden tingling rushed into my nethers. Surprised by this, my eyes were affixed to Loki's agile little body as he stretched himself toward the wispy green canopy, tail swishing back and forth. He was nicely toned, but his features were smooth and elegant. It was hard to believe this was the same fox who I had fought with nearly to the death so many years before.

Of course when Loki turned back toward me I had to look away immediately, creating a small splash when I did. I shifted awkwardly where I sat, unable to look up at the fox for fear of having been caught. But still, I couldn't get that image of his perfect bum out of my mind, and I was definitely feeling it down below.

"Fuck," I gasped silently under my breath, glancing quickly at the fox. He was looking around at the trees now, apparently perfectly comfortable to be naked here. Perhaps he hadn't seen me. Even still, that didn't stop my paw from floating toward my sheath, rubbing my hard member within.

He was a lot sexier than I ever remembered. I mean, I always thought he had a cute little body, but somehow now it seemed so much nicer. I closed my eyes and sank a bit deeper, picturing Loki's ass in my mind's eye, a quiet moan escaping my throat as I poked from my sheath. I bit my lip, then cracked my eyes open to see if I was being watched. When the coast was clear, I began to stroke, slowly and sensually.

"Ahh," I sighed happily, trying to remain as still as possible so I wouldn't let on. I imagined my paws all over him, running them up his hips and his sweet curvy waist, all up his chest and down to his bum. I cursed again, remembering his warmth at night. I imagined the warmth of his body, burying myself deep inside there, slick and hot and...

"Luca!" I suddenly heard, shaking me violently from my dream. I created a big splash, my heart pounding as I looked about.

"What? Yeah..?" Shit, he'd caught me.

"I'm glad we came here," said the fox on the opposite side of the pool, as he climbed gracefully back in. He waded about for just a moment before finding a seat, at least five body lengths away. I just watched him relax as my heartrate slowed down and I was able to catch my breath, face totally flushed.

"Yeah," I called back. "Me too."

I let out a big sigh. Tiger barmaid notwithstanding, it had been a long time since I'd been intimate with another, and I found myself suddenly wanting Loki bad. Though my shaft had retreated back into its sheath, my tail still flicked and my groin still ached. I couldn't stop imagining his naked body, covered in scars and as sinewy as I'd ever seen it. He was one sexy little fox, and I was only now starting to have a real appreciation for it.

In no time, I found myself hard once again. Head leaning back, I glanced at the fox, who was melting into the pool like I had, naughty thoughts flooding my mind. I always knew he liked me, wanted me in ways he could never express... Was that still the case?

I sighed heavily, letting myself completely unwind once again, arms floating out by my sides now. The water had some strange way of penetrating my fur and my skin, seeming almost to reach right into my muscles and soak up all the pain. My body was a sculptor's clay, so soft and malleable, whether or not it was healing my wounds, it didn't matter. It was an amazing feeling, nothing in the world seemed to matter. All the stresses and problems I'd left behind, they melted away just like me, everything was just so perfect.

Loki looked as if he was experiencing the same thing.

"C'mere," I called to him, waving my paw at the arctic fox, totally relaxed if not still a little bothered. My head was leaned back against the rocks and I found it difficult to move my body. Though I still ached a little, it felt like nothing compared to when we'd arrived. Of course I'd have to wait until I got out to see if there was any real changes, but so far the secret springs seemed to be working. "Come sit beside me."

Loki just groaned, another reminder of his former, horribly shy self. He turned away.

"God damn, Loki," I started, not sounding nearly as annoyed as I wanted to, "how many times do we have to do this? Just...come here. You want to, I want you to...so just do it. Why do you have to sit so far away anyway?"

"Because... I was doing just fine on my own, you know," he grumbled, just his head now poking up from under the water. "And don't tell me what I want."

"I'm sorry, I just... Just come here, Loki. Come keep me company. Please?"

The fox grumbled something incoherently, but ultimately decided to come over. He had to sigh first though, eventually wading toward me and taking a seat an arm's length away, until finally he shifted his adorable little butt closer to mine. It was then I noticed he had kept all of his bracelets on, and he likely kept the couple around both ankles on too, which I saw him wearing earlier when he first got in.

I put an arm around the fox as he got in closer, not pulling him into me but simply resting it behind his head. I think if the water wasn't so relaxing he'd have frozen up as usual.

"That wasn't so bad, hm?"

"I guess not." Loki's grunted, ears flat against his head. Sometimes I wondered if he just pretended to hate this, or if it really was as torturous as he made it look.

We sat side by side for a good long while, nary a word spoken between us. We both became much more comfortable with each other, especially Loki, as the water worked its magic on our tired bodies. That familiar presence had once again entered my nether regions, but I tried not to think about it.

"So tell me about all those scars," I asked Loki, trying to break the ice a little. "I noticed a lot of them on your back. And don't tell me they're from one of our fights, because I've seen you reattach an arm."

Loki shifted a bit more uncomfortably now, as if everything the tepid spring had done was quickly unravelling. But he stayed by my side, which was good. "Uh," he started, "no, they're not from you. They're from...before. Before I knew the runes, I mean. From when I was a kit, my father did not make my childhood an easy one."

"He hit you?"

Loki shrugged. "Not exactly. Sort of. Like I told you before, he was trying to train me to be a warrior and a hunter, and many of his lessons were...aggressive. He meant well, he just...didn't accept my other interests. He punished me a lot, especially for my poor weapon skills. He always said I needed to learn, that my enemies would do worse and more, but I never understood, not truly. My mother defended me as best she could, but father always managed to find a reason for my lashings."

"They must have been some lashings to leave permanent marks."

"Indeed. But...most of those are not from father. They are from the head slaves in the black dragon camp, if you recall."

I nodded, though I only remembered a few stories. He hadn't gone into great detail about his time there, but I knew enough to know it sounded horrible, and that he had a profound hatred for black dragons. I couldn't imagine the kinds of tortures he had to endure at such a young age.

"Do you remember how you got all of your scars?" the small fox asked me, lifting a paw to my chest. He ran a finger down an old scar, which I remembered was a deep one. When he ran his pad over the whole thing, he simply rested his paw on my chest as if to covet the scar. He glanced up at me curiously, leaving his paw there.

"Yeah," I said, giving the fox a smile. "Well, not all of them, but most of the big ones. That one you're touching, that I got during the Century War, before I joined the Dragonkin Army. Me and a couple of other mercs were paid to guard Lord Winkler's manor for an indeterminable amount of time, easy money, really. Of course he failed to mention that we were hired to protect his wealth from a band of rogue Kushan bandits who had already hit a bunch of nearby estates. If you don't already know, they're masters at stealth and often employ poisoned knives. The knife that'd gotten me was luckily untainted, but damn was that bandit fast. I barely made it out alive, but after killing the final bandit, and consequently trashing the manor, my, uh, services were 'no longer needed.'"

Loki just smiled silently and rubbed the scar a little more, his fingers soft and delicate. An arousing shiver ran up my spine as his claws scraped carefully at the sensitive flesh, until his paw slid up my chest and toward my right shoulder. He turned himself toward me a bit more so he could touch the large scar running from there and down my shoulder blade, another quick shiver. He fingered the scar gently, using that grip to pull himself in front of me a little more. He was blushing like crazy and couldn't make eye contact. I just let him continue, feeling the same pressure down below that I think he did.

"How about this one?" he asked, now on his knees beside me, paw still on my shoulder, though to be fair I couldn't see much of his body beneath the cloudy water and steam. His leg was definitely brushing up against mine though. "If you remember."

I smiled and nodded, letting my paw fall upon Loki's left leg. It made him blush of course, but he let me keep it there. "That's an axe wound I suffered on the battlefield against the Knoxx Stronghold," I told him, "back when I was Captain of the Brutes. I led my men to the back gates of the stronghold while they were distracted in front. We got through and reclaimed it, but there was a real bastard waiting for us inside, him and is gigantic battle axe. It was after that when the men started calling me Nosferatu...out loud."

Loki was still blushing. "I see."

"Any others?"

Loki let his small paw run slowly down my right arm, softly caressing one of my newer wounds, but ultimately let his right paw wander down over my soft belly, which had a few substantial scars running across it. His fingers were so sensual and soft, almost tickling the old scars as his digits slid across the raw tissue. Each time he did, another shiver ran through me.

It was nice, surprisingly arousing, not quite enough to drive me crazy. It was just enough to make my heart beat faster, for blush to creep onto my face. Despite being soaked in steaming hot water, I felt almost flushed, Loki's magical fingers doing wonders to turn me on. He eventually found a nice big scar that ran under my left nipple, which he stroked soothingly. The shy vulpine came very close to touching my nipple, but managed to just barely avoid it.

"This one?" he asked, still caressing the scar.

I nodded again, just as Loki rested his paw against my left pectoral as if to cradle it, though I think he gave a slight squeeze while he was there. The fox squirmed ever so slightly, cheeks burning red. I met his gaze, finding myself with just as much hue upon my cheeks as him. My heart was beating faster now.

"That one," I said with a deep breath, "unfortunately, is not nearly as glamourous as the others. When I was new to the Dragonkin, I was ordered to fetch weapons, despite there being plenty of squires and stewards around, I guess some sorta lesson in humility. Whichever the case, I tried carrying too many at one time, before long I tripped on something and one of the weapons was just unsheathed enough to slash into me."

Loki couldn't help but laugh, leaning back in sheer delight. I had to admit, I couldn't help but laugh, too. Perhaps because I so rarely heard the fox express such joviality, it became refreshingly contagious. I gave his leg a squeeze.

"Not one of my more shining moments."

Loki just continued to smile and run his fingers along more scars, though he had found most of my biggest ones already. For now we sat together silently whilst he searched more of my body for places to touch, regrettably neglecting the most sensitive and wanting of areas. But I still loved this moment we shared together, smelling the sweet air and relaxing in the hot bath.

I gave Loki's leg a heartier squeeze and asked, "Any more you'd like to know about?"

The fox shook his head, letting his right paw float down to mine to hold onto it, while the other gently ran up my forearm, up from my wrist. Like before, his fingers were soft and made me tingle, an almost inaudible moan rumbling from my throat. I couldn't tell if the fox was feeling what I was feeling, but I was willing to bet my last remaining coins he was. I caressed his leg now, more toward his inner thigh this time, which elicited an equally small gasp from the fox.

"Tell me," he started after a moment, breathing a bit more heavily now, "why don't you like the Runes? You've seen what they can do, what miracles they can perform... And you know I know them. So what's the problem?"

I sighed, moving my paw away from his thigh for now, though kept it upon his leg. "I don't know, Loki, it's just...strange. I mean, I've seen some pretty messed up things in my time, things they'd probably lock you away for if you tried to explain them. Stuff you could call magic, or energy, or whatever, it's just...too fucked up for me. I'm not selling my sword here in the Eastern Lands because I want that shit surrounding me, you understand? I just want to heal the way I used to, before I met--" I had to stop myself. "Before everything went to hell."

"I understand," said Loki, bowing his head. Though it could have been the steamy pool we were bathing in, I could have sworn the fox was shaking a little, like he was nervous. His face was redder than mine at this point, and when he finally released my paw, his little fingers ventured to stroke idly at my sheath.

Now I was really blushing, squirming as if I'd switched roles with Loki for a moment. He wasn't quite stroking, but rather ran his finger tips up and down my sheath, only fingering the bottom part of my shaft that had been exposed. He was yet to grip anything. The fox's heart was beating heavily, or was it just mine? My cheeks were burning as hot as the springs now, and all I could do was stare at the little fox, who still avoided my gaze.

"I'm sorry I was so short with you before," he said softly, still running his fingers up and down my extremely hard member, "back in Xin'an. I was angry, confused... I didn't know what I wanted exactly." Now he gripped my full shaft, gripping it firmly. "I mean, I knew what I wanted, I just wasn't sure...if that was when I wanted it. Luca, I was so lost when you left, I didn't know what to do. I was so glad to find you, and you...rejected me. I just...I dunno..."

The little fox just trailed off, paw remaining where it was but he looked further away from me.

Feeling a sudden pang of guilt, I lifted my left paw to turn the fox's head toward me. I gently stroked his cheek to comfort him, running the backs of my fingers through his soft fur. "I know I was harsh with you before...but I'm really glad you're here with me, Loki. I'm glad you were stubborn enough to stick around, and even more glad we could be here together. I'm, uh...sorry. For being so shitty."

Loki smiled and closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them he gripped my length even tighter. He looked at me as he began to stroke, agonizingly slow. He then released his grip, deciding instead to tease me with his fingertips, running his claws up and down relentlessly.

Needless to say, the little fox knew how to make me moan. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, arms propped up on the edge of the pool now, totally taking it all in. I was so hard and my loins ached badly, but it was such an amazingly good pain I let the fox continue. He knew what he was doing, knew precisely how to get me going, and it took all my strength to not take him right now. All I could do was moan, the only form of release Loki would allow me for now.

The arctic fox was beaming, smiling as he focused on teasing my cock. He fondled my large, full, heavy balls, juggling them between his fingers and giving them a tug, but giving them a wonderful massage as well. All while his other paw kept stroking my shaft so softly, so gently it was like he was barely touching it at all.

Normally by this time I'd have been leaking precum like crazy, but beneath the steamy water it was impossible to tell. Still, I couldn't help but squirm as the fox continued to make me moan, though I tried my best to keep still. The water was halfway up my chest now, almost at my neck, and like the minerals in the water, I soaked it all in.

"God damn it, Loki," I panted, face burning red, "have you always been so good at this?"

The arctic fox nodded slowly, now with a full grip of my shaft and pawing slowly. He would stroke a half dozen times or so before tickling my balls again with his claws, which I think he loved fondling most of all. He seemed to covet them like a precious treasure, an ancient artifact that could only be handled by the most delicate of paws. In fact, he seemed to love doing this about as much as I loved receiving it.

I groaned softly as I relaxed even further, but as the immense aching in my nethers grew, it was getting that much harder to resist taking control. Still, I couldn't deny how unbelievably intense his paws were, considering how gently he was touching me. But I could tell Loki wanted to take things a little further himself, the way he bit his lip and let out the quietest of moans. He had sufficiently turned me on, tenfold, but we both wanted more.

"Should we get out of the pool?" I huffed, finally lowering my arms.

Loki nodded, giving my shaft one last good squeeze before reluctantly letting go. "Yeah," he said with heavy breath. He gazed at my rock-hard shaft for a moment more before shifting away from me, clear longing in his eyes.

He stood up quickly, which put his sheath and balls right there in my face. He was at least as hard as I was, poking out almost entirely, save his knot still hiding beneath his sheath. Despite water pouring from his fur, I was certain Loki was dripping precum from his tip, clearly finding as much - if not more - pleasure in touching my nethers as I did. When I glanced up at him, he held out a paw to help me up.

I groaned as I stood up. Though the water had helped with my injuries, I was still in quite a bit of pain, though most of it had melted away in the magical waters. Perhaps there really was some strange healing qualities to them. Nevertheless, together with the fox we got out of the hot pool and shook ourselves as dry as possible. We sauntered excitedly down the stony pathway - I limped a fair bit more than Loki did - until we ended up beneath a large cherry blossom blooming its bright sweet flowers in the sun, which I promptly leaned against.

"Are you okay?" Loki asked, running his paws up over my belly, somehow managing to pull his gaze away from my still fully-erect cock to look me in the eyes. His face was still beet-red, but it was wonderful being able to be this naked and this comfortable with the arctic fox. Neither of us had anything to hide at this point, nothing to be embarrassed by, which made the red-faced fox all the more adorable.

"Yeah," I answered, "I'm fine. Still a bit sore, but I'm doing better."

"Mm, good," he said, paws finally trailing down to my nether region. For now he simply held onto my shaft while his other paw pulled and massaged at my ample balls, which altogether were at least the size of his fist. They were hot and heavy, and he seemed to love holding them, weighing them as if to see how much was in there.

"You have such a perfect package," said Loki hotly. He licked his lips, eyes now totally affixed to my cock and balls, yet he still continued to tease me.

All I could do was lean my head back and moan. I put a paw on his head for what little good it did me, basking in all of Loki's attention. I was definitely dripping precum now, which the fox delighted in spreading down my shaft, making it slick and easier to handle. That made me moan even more, long, drawn-out sighs of total bliss. Even now it still amazed me how skilled Loki was with his paws, and I was sure he did everything in his power to make this as excruciating as possible.

Still significantly wet, Loki at last knelt down in front of me, on the green grass at the base of the tree, with paws firmly attached to my tiger-parts. I kept my paw on his head, rubbing gently between his ears until he looked up at me. It seemed as if he was asking permission, which was silly by this point, but I nodded at him all the same.

Loki nodded back, cheeks ablaze and smiling from ear to ear. He just stared at my nethers as if not knowing quite where to start. He was breathing heavily, finally deciding first to nuzzle my balls, getting his nose right under them and inhaling deeply. This made the fox moan loudly, breathing his hot breath between my legs. He took in another, gripping my shaft and stroking it slowly.

With eyes closed, Loki groaned like he was in pain, taking in one final breath of my scent before pulling back, letting my full balls melt off his muzzle. He opened his maw and gave the left one a good lick before kissing it, now letting the ball slip into his mouth. An odd yet very satisfying sensation, he carefully pushed it around his maw with his tongue, suckling upon it until trading it quickly for the other. I wasn't sure if he'd gotten both in at once, but either way it was enough to make me moan.

Loki absolutely loved teasing me like that. He shuddered and groaned as he brought me pleasure, caressing me more lovingly than I ever would have thought possible from him. It was like he lived for this, like he wanted nothing more than to gratify me, which he did with the utmost care. I rubbed the fox's head again, letting him know I very much approved.

The little fox continued to worship my tiger-bits like they were holy relics, paw idly stroking my length while he busied himself with my sagging, sweaty balls. He seemed to love having them draped over his muzzle, where he would enjoy licking me in behind and, perhaps even more so, taking in long, deep breaths of my scent. It was becoming difficult once more to not take control, which resulted in my claws digging into the tree behind me.

"Ahhh," I sighed happily. The pleasure Loki brought me was not terribly overpowering, but instead was a subtler, softer rumbling that pumped through my nether regions at a very long, constant rate. I hadn't experienced anything like this before; it had always been a very hot yet relatively quick affair, never this everlasting, drawn-out pleasure Loki managed. I think I liked this more.

Very much enjoying my soft cries, eventually Loki could resist all the precum he'd coerced out of me no longer. He ran his strong tongue up my entire length, agonizingly slow so as to lap up every bit, knowing it would make me cry out. My legs suddenly felt weak as he finished up, an unexpected rush of pleasure striking from out of nowhere. I groaned in pure delight, inching down the tree a little as the fox licked my shaft again.

I swear that made Loki chuckle a little, but it sure as hell didn't stop him. Though he'd already licked me a few times, for now the arctic fox simply nuzzled my cock, groaning as my tiger-meat ran across his face. He caressed it so lovingly, nuzzled my entire package with such incredible reverence, just being able to touch it seemed like it was enough for him.

With eyes closed, the horny little fox stroked me a few more times, then kissed the underside all the way down to my sheath. He ran his tongue beneath my sheath, all while one paw massaged my spiny tiger-tip. I moaned much louder now, claws digging into the poor cheery blossom once more. Just when it seemed Loki had no more tricks up his sleeve, he went and did something like that...

As the fox focused his paw's attention on my cock's tip, while his other paw focused on my sweaty orbs, I knew he was done with the slow steady pleasure he'd been giving me before. Each slick grip of his paw on my tip sent loud spikes of pleasure coursing through my nethers, each one making me sharply moan. I cursed a few times, knees about to give out. I slid down the tree some more, until at last I fell - much to both our surprise - straight onto my bum.

Loki chuckled, yet looked at me with concern. When I told him I was fine, the arctic fox continued, now just stroking me slowly and steadily.

"I dreamed of this so many times," Loki said tenderly, glancing up at me. I think he had a permanent blush upon his face now. "I spent countless nights imagining what we'd do together... It figures I've forgotten all of it now."

I smiled lovingly at the little fox, still as hard as ever. "This has been amazing so far."

Loki smiled widely and looked away. "R-Really..?"

"Yeah," I nodded, bringing a paw down to his. Though he seemed surprised by this, when I began to stroke his paw just a little faster, he somehow blushed even more. Or again, it could have just been me. Either way, when I removed my paw he kept up that pace, and I rubbed his warm cheek with my knuckles immediately after.

"This is perfect," murmured the overjoyed fox, looking up at me for just a second. Our eyes locked for a long moment, until the same thought was transmitted between us, and Loki slowly began to lower his head. I removed my paw and just as his eyes closed, the little fox wrapped his lips around the tip of my shaft.

Wasting little time, on his knees in front of me, Loki held onto the base of my shaft and lowered his head, taking in almost my entire shaft on his first go. Moaning quietly almost the entire time, I didn't really start to make noise until the fox pulled back. I had no idea how he did it, but by the gods, he sent an extraordinary wave of pleasure coursing through my nethers with just one motion, ending by licking my oozing tip.

When he went for a second round, I made about as much noise as the first, claws now digging into the grass instead of the tree. I couldn't help but squirm as the fox continued, not any faster or anything, but I was sure he was working up to something. Or perhaps he just liked hearing my cries of ecstasy. Whichever the case, I loved what the fox was able to do with his tongue and maw, things I wasn't even sure were possible, yet somehow he did it. My hips thrusted unconsciously as he worked my shaft, using his paw to enhance the sensations.

"Ooh, fuck," I groaned, panting a little more heavily now. "This is too much," I huffed, but it hardly slowed Loki down. In fact, I think he actually sped up, though it hardly diminished the incredible sensations. I was in heaven, and at this point I didn't care who heard me.

In order to give me a break, Loki pulled his head away but continued stroking my slick shaft at a steady pace. I could feel deep inside me, buried within my nether regions my orgasm was starting to approach. I wouldn't last long, which was a damn shame. He could have finished me off whenever he wanted, at that point it would have taken simply touching me in just the right spot and that would be that. Yet he just stroked me at that unbearable pace; enough to keep me extremely horny, but not quite enough to make me cum.

And boy did I ever want to cum. I mean, I loved sharing this moment with Loki, he was so soft and sweet and loving, I wanted to keep going until the sunset, but my body ached fiercely for that sweet release. I hadn't even realized how slow this buildup had been, but now I was close to bursting. I wanted it badly, needed it more than anything, and I knew Loki would aim to keep it from me for as long as he could. And I think I liked that.

"You're so full," rasped the little fox, tilting my cock in such a way that he could nuzzle my balls again, his wet nose nudging them onto his snout. Amazingly he continued stroking, however slowly, basking now in my damp tigerhood, taking all of it in. "Such a virile tiger, so eager, so ready for more. I want your seed Luca, more than anything I want it... If you'll allow me the honour."

I was surprised he had to ask at this point, but I was in no position to deny him. A happier Loki, I had never seen. His head must have been swimming, surrounded almost entirely by my sweaty bits, precum smearing into his cheek as he nuzzled my shaft and lapped up the mess he caused me to make. The little fox seemed to revel in playing with my balls, rivaled only by having my cock all over his face.

But eventually, Loki couldn't help but take in my shaft again, swallowing it whole as he very enthusiastically continued along, pulling back and making me howl. He bobbed his head much faster now, now using both paws to massage by balls. I could hear - and most definitely feel - the little fox gagging on the tip of my shaft, but he took it like a champ and didn't falter even once. I was so close once again, so close to the edge I was sure at several points I would go right over, but Loki wouldn't have it, not yet.

"K-Keep going!" I cried, paw on his head again. I pushed him down now, muscles tensing as my orgasm poked around the corner, but never showed itself. I was growling now, body almost in pain the further on we went.

But eventually my primal needs began to take over. Though Loki so badly wanted to swallow my cum, I wasn't sure I wanted to finish up there. And while I was enjoying Loki's blowjob immensely - far more than I'd ever enjoyed one before - I was ready to take matters into my own hands, which shocked the fox as I forced his head back.

"L-Luca..?" the fox asked with surprise. "What's wrong?"

But he instantly recognized the passionate fire in my eyes. Our eyes were locked for just few seconds, but it was enough. Loki nodded quietly and backed away, turning around immediately and assuming a submissive position, on his elbows and knees with back arched, ready to receive me.

"That was amazing, Loki," I puffed hotly, "but now it's my turn."

"Yes, my King," he said softly, almost inaudibly. "My body is yours."

Choosing to ignore that for now, I pushed his bushy tail to the side - which was still pretty damp, by the way - and let my tiger-meat slap down upon his rump. Loki twitched at that, realizing instantly what it was. When he looked back, he seemed to look in awe of me, that reddish hue still emblazoned upon his cheeks as he awaited my cock eagerly. He smiled when I moved, and closed his eyes when I poked open his hole. And when I finally pushed my saliva-slicked cock forward, he let out the longest, most horny cry I'd ever heard him make.

The little arctic fox was in pure bliss as I slowly spread open his tailhole, pushing inside him with relative ease, though he was still satisfyingly tight. It took little time to hilt the fox, and with one paw on his hip and the other gripping his tail, I made damn sure he felt every inch.

"Ahh," moaned Loki, squirming and pushing his perfect little rump back into me. I could have ended everything right then and there and Loki would have been perfectly content having had me inside him, but I wanted to give him more. I wanted to give him everything he desired, and I would hold out for as long as I possibly could, if only to extend the fox's ecstasy for as much as he could bear.

But eventually, I began to pump my hips into Loki's rear, pushing myself into his body over and over, very slowly at first, just to hear his sweet little cries echoing off the cavernous walls. He made far more noise than I did, he was completely uninhibited, and I loved hearing it.

Gradually I increased my speed, panting heavily now as I worked his poor little body, though he cherished every second of it. My heart was pounding, but there was no way I could slow down now. Our bodies worked together like perfectly oiled machines, myself pushing in while he pushed back, the fox yelping every time I hilted him. It was amazing how well our bodies worked together, moving so perfectly, so fluidly as we pleasured one another.

And Loki was impressively tight. His slick insides enveloped my cock firmly, his body was so warm and inviting, I wasn't sure I ever wanted to end this, despite my body throbbing painfully for it. My orgasm was, once again, right around the corner, but I would try to hold out as long as I could. Although as I began to groan while panting, sweating profusely now, I was sure it wouldn't last very much longer.

Five, six more pumps, my orgasm was right there. Loki howled in ecstasy, and I just had to concentrate on holding it back. I slowed down now, opting instead to give heavier thrusts at longer intervals, but after a couple dozen of those, I was back on the edge. And I think Loki knew it.

"More..!" he barked, grinding into me. "Don't stop..."

I responded with a few growls and moans, eyes closed tight. I didn't stop, either. He wanted it badly, and at this point, it was becoming impossible to hold it back. And so with two, three more thrusts, I abandoned my attempts at longevity, finally allowing myself release.

Four, five more, Loki was practically whining, begging, he would have done anything to feel my seed inside him. I gripped his hips on both sides now and after a few more thrusts, I could hold back no longer.

My claws dug into Loki's sides as with my final thrust, letting out a thundering roar, pushing as deep inside the arctic fox as I could as my hot tiger-seed came bursting out. Loki cried out as well, as my body twitched and I hammered his rear several more times, wave after wave of immense, almost painful pleasure shooting the rest of my load deep into Loki's bowels. When at last my orgasm started to fade, we were both panting heavily, my seed thoroughly planted with the arctic fox.

Loki's tail flicked with excitement, moaning softly as he caught his breath. "Th-Thank you," he panted, face glowing red. He wore a constant smile as we basked in the soft afterglow, my musky seed starting to permeate the air.

"Can you lean back?" I asked him tenderly, pulling back on Loki's hips.

Loki nodded, and we shifted ourselves so I was sitting back upon my knees and Loki's back pressed against my chest. I wrapped my arms around the little fox and gave him a good squeeze, my cock still inside him acting as some sort of hot, fleshy plug.

"Aah, Luca... That was amazing. Better than that... I'm never going to forget this momen--"

Loki was suddenly interrupted when my paw fell upon his hot red shaft. Amazingly his knot was still beneath his white-furred sheath, but I aimed to change that.

"Wh-What're you..?"

"Shh," I told him, stroking him slowly, fondly. He let out a few soft moans, leaning his head back into me.

"You don't have to..."

I shushed him again, nuzzling his cheek as I gave his fox-meat a squeeze.

Loki absolutely loved that. He yelped and barked and moaned quietly as I slowly exposed his entire shaft, pulling down his sheath and rubbing his thick knot a few times, which made him really groan. I knew a little about canine anatomy, and had learned through the years that their knots were particularly sensitive, though they generally enjoyed the entire thing being caressed. Which is precisely what I did, whilst my other paw held onto Loki's chest firmly.

Incredibly well-lubed by Loki's substantial amounts of slick precum, I stroked the poor fox slowly, concentrating - like he'd done to me - around the tip of his shaft until it seemed he could no longer stand it. The little fox squirmed, despite still being pegged by my shaft, making as many pleasured cries as he had before.

Eventually his paws rested on my left forearm, which I left still pressed against his chest, gripping it as if he was about to fall. And so I stroked the little fox faster, and faster still until it seemed he would cum, where I promptly slowed down. Loki figured out very quickly what I was up to, and begged me to stop.

"Please, Luca..."

I nipped Loki's ear playfully, edging him once more, payback for earlier. And though he pretended to hate it, I knew that couldn't be further from the truth. And so we played that little game for a while, until Loki began getting desperate.

"Let me cum," he begged me. "Hnghh... Please, allow your loyal servant this one thing."

I chuckled quietly, nipping at Loki's ear once more. With a tug, I decided to show the fox mercy and give him what he wanted. And so I stroked him faster, and faster still, which made him squirm and writhe desperately, moaning near-constantly until at last, I used my other paw to squeeze on his knot.

And just as I gave his knot that perfect squeeze, Loki immediately seized up and began to howl. His paws reached back behind his head to grip the back of my neck, braced for the fountain of cum that fired out. I could feel him trembling as several waves of cum squirted from his throbbing tip, running down my knuckles and dripping onto the grass. He was panting even heavier now than before, though a bit more whiny now. Loki thanked me several times, eyes closed as he leaned back on me.

"Thank you, Luca..." Loki said softly as he released the back of my neck, one paw patting his full belly. "That was far more than I deserved. I will cherish this time we've spent together until my final breath."

I smiled and gave the little arctic fox a long, tight squeeze against his chest, holding him in a warm embrace for a good long while. He had surprised me so much today, but they were all wonderful surprises, unforgettable. I had only been this close to a few other furs throughout my life, and I was damn glad Loki and I were able to share this moment together. My heart was racing, which could only be calmed by giving my fox another squeeze.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to remain this close to Loki, my poor legs were starting to burn. I groaned softly, however pleasurably, as I began to move my stiff, sore legs, so unused to keeping them bent beneath me for as long as I had. Though Loki shifted awkwardly, he got the hint and slowly, reluctantly, reclaimed his own tailhole, clenching tightly as he pulled away, only losing a few drops of tiger-seed as my cock finally slid away and flopped listlessly against my balls. As it retired into the warmth and safety of my white-furred sheath, I gave Loki's bum a playful smack and a kiss between his ears.

"That was incredible," I told him with a smile, still feeling a bit of residual pleasure from my almost painful orgasm. My body ached and creaked as I shakily got to my feet, still sore from yesterday. Luckily it seemed I hadn't reopened any wounds, at least none that I could see, which despite the magical hot spring, were still tender and raw. Still, considering they were only a few days old, they had already healed remarkably well. Perhaps there really was more to this hot spring than I'd originally suspected.

Loki was already back on his feet, gazing at me to see if I needed help. I got to my feet just fine, though was still a little stiff. He approached me casually, his small ears just reaching above my nipples, running a couple fingers along my stomach, where one of my many fresh wounds were.

"Yeah, it was," he smiled, nuzzling me a little. "So, do you still think this water is a myth?"

I had to smile, always somehow forgetting just how short the arctic fox was. I answered him with a shrug. "I'm still dubious, but I guess I do feel better. C'mon, let's relax a little longer before we head back, okay?"

With a quiet smile, Loki nodded and headed toward the edge of the secret springs, to the furthest pool from the entrance, the pool completely bathed in sunlight. He and I slipped in, myself far more elegantly than the first time - though it took me a while - and together we sat along the furthest wall, faces aimed toward the warm, life-giving sun.

For once Loki was able to sit next to me, and I mean right next to me, without making a fuss. He held a paw on his belly and simply let himself relax, eyes closed. I did the same, draping an arm around him and pulling the little guy close to me. Moments like these were too few and far between for mercenaries, especially during wartimes.

I have no idea how long we'd sat there for in the silence of the mountain air, soaking in as much of the healing water as we could, though I still wasn't completely sold on it. Either way, the sun was well past midday and my skin was no doubt getting wrinkly and soft. It had been a long, long time since I'd last had a proper bath, so I suppose I wanted to enjoy it as best I could. Plus the warmth of the sun hugged every strand of my fur, coating it in its rejuvenating light, while the cool mountain air nipped at my nose, but was never uncomfortable. I could do nothing else but sigh in content.

By the time other well-to-do Eastern Landers showed up to have a warm bath of their own, a couple of them pandas, my stomach began to rumble and I could bear their accusing stares no longer. They made it silently clear that the pool Loki and I inhabited was a prime location, and they wanted us out of it.

"Wanna get outta here?" I whispered to Loki, just after noticing one of them shaking his head at our tidy pile of filthy clothes. Despite the fact they'd piled their clothes next to the pool as well, in piles at least as tidy as ours, I suppose it was because neither Loki or I wore gold-lined silk and fine-woven cotton that they took exception to it.

Loki opened his eyes and glanced up at me as if in a daze, like he'd just come out of a dream. "Huh..? Oh, uh, yeah, I guess. I must've dozed off... How long have we been in here for?" Then he noticed the noblemen. "How long have they been here for?"

I frowned at the noble Eastern Landers, who were doing their best at ignoring the two degenerates. It seemed odd that not one of them said anything to us, so either they were expecting a couple lowlifes to be here, or they were all cowards. "Long enough for those fancy lords to show up. They just got here, though. It's well past noon anyway, and I'm hungry."

Loki rubbed his belly again. "Yeah," he agreed, "I could eat. We just have a bit of fruit and nuts left, and two portions of meat. Should take us to the Crossroads Inn, at least."

And so at last Loki and I climbed our sorry asses out of the best pool in the mountains and gathered our things. I was still limping a little, but required little assistance from Loki, though my body was still very sore all over. The nobles continued to ignore us as Loki helped dry my fur and re-bandage my wounds. There was a few spots of blood, but for the most part I was doing okay. Then at last we left the secret hot springs behind, making our way back down the mountain.

I couldn't decide whether or not the journey down the mountain was any easier than the journey up. I was in better condition now, to be sure, but as the terrain became more unsteady and challenging, whatever soreness and pain I thought had been washed away by the hot springs was slowly coming back. By the time we reached a crossroads in the mountain pathways, a sort of waypoint with an old, vine-covered wooden pergola, Loki and I sat to eat what meagre food we had left.

With only a few hours of daylight left, I made the decision to rest at the mountainside village for the evening. Loki objected, but when offered to make it to the Crossroads Inn by himself, he was quick to refuse. Luckily the arctic fox and I found lodgings once again. Loki and I slept very comfortably together, me holding onto the fox as closely as possible, and by daybreak we were off.

It was around noon when we reached the Inn, though our meal was not free a second time. Discounted, but the wolfess insisted - as politely as she could - that we pay. I was more than happy to oblige.

The Crossroads Inn wasn't bustling, not like it once had, according to the she-wolf, but there was still quite a few travellers and soldiers here eating and talking and resting their weary bones. Well, that was what I was doing, at any rate, alongside the more able-bodied Loki.

Our meal, unsurprisingly, was freshly-baked bread with that old stew that had been brewing away all week, plus some dark ale to wash it down. It was as delicious as expected, pretty standard fare for roadside inns, though it seemed somehow the wolfess was able to afford at least a little bit of salt to help improve the taste. I decided I had best savour the meal, as I couldn't be sure when I'd eat so heartily again.

"How is it?" I asked Loki.

Loki, with mouth full, grunted and nodded, I think trying to say he liked it. I just smiled at him, rubbing his leg with my foot. As expected, Loki started to blush, though he had to frown at me first.

Unfortunately, my meal was interrupted when I felt a sudden tickling in my gut. Now, I had had food poisoning before, and though it was always a horrible experience, it had never started out like this. The tickling was faint, but noticeable enough to make me stop just before putting another spoonful of brown slop into my mouth. I looked over at Loki, who was gnawing away on a heel of bread, but as the tickling grew into a more subtle scratching, he glanced up at me.

"All the way out here..?" I said quietly, putting down my spoon. I concentrated on the scratching, now with a quiet chuckling in the back of my head. My paws were trembling slightly, which I tried futilely to hide by clenching them into fists, and my face paled. "How?"

Loki didn't look nearly as concerned as I expected him to be, nor as surprised. He just gave me a long, serious look as if trying to communicate something to me, but all I got was his silence. Perhaps he knew what was up. Perhaps they'd followed him, or he brought them along. But why? And why keep it a secret?

"Loki..?"

The fox sighed through his nose and looked away. "That's mostly what I wanted to discuss with you before, when I found you in that filthy cesspool of an inn. But you weren't exactly in the listening mood."

"Well I'm listening now. Are they here to kill me?"

Loki shook his head and turned back toward me. "With the Cr-" The fox paused cautiously.

I had to sigh. "Go on."

Loki nodded. "With the Crimson King dead, his Disciples are left to wander, searching for their new King. Most of them just continued on with their lives, others went mad. But with the Holy See hunting them down and offering bounties, many set out to find...you."

I growled. "I've told you before, I reject the old prophecies and legends, all of that shit. I don't care if the Old Gods really exist out there, I don't care about fate or destiny. It's all bullshit, Loki, I create my own destiny. Man creates his own destiny, carves out his own path, and I intend to do the same. Fuck fate, fuck the Holy See, and fuck the Crimson King."

Loki grunted, though somehow I knew we'd be discussing this again in the future.

"I just remembered why I didn't want you around, Loki. I've lost everything, can't I just god-damn move on?"

"This isn't moving on," he insisted, "it's running away. You still haven't accepted what happened to...during your battle with the Crimson King. There was a service for him, you know. For both of them."

"Stop! Stop, god damn it, just stop..." Along with the insatiable scratching in my gut, my heart was also pounding heavily in my chest. My breathing was deep, hard painful breaths. "I can't, Loki, I can't... It's too much, too fucking much."

"You haven't allowed yourself to grieve, but you must if you ever want to move past this."

I didn't want to move past this. Why did I have to move past this? As long as I wasn't in Midland, time was frozen there. I wanted to live my new life in the Eastern Lands, away from the darkness and the turmoil and the growing strength of the Holy See. Away from every reminder of who I once was, a life I now rejected. That old Luca was a dying husk, left back in the decaying ruins of Midland, while the new Luca made coin by selling his sword in a foreign land. This new Luca was far more agreeable to me, free from monsters and demons and magic. Just me and my sword.

Loki threw up his hood. "You know you can't deny your fate forever."

I huffed at the fox, turning my gaze away from him as I finished off my meal. Now we were both frowning, though unlike Loki, I had no hood to sink beneath. When at last I finished, I downed the rest of my dark ale, desperately wanting another. Despite a look from the fox, I got another one and finished it almost as quickly.

As the alcohol began tickling my head, the terrible scratching at my belly wavered, sinking back into the depths of my bowels once again, though that strange, chuckling darkness still remained, more like that feeling you get when you know someone's watching you. It was present, but...I could barely feel it.

"There was another matter I wanted to discuss with you."

I just grunted, clearly not in the mood for another discussion.

"Much has changed in Midland since your departure."

Just as the wolfess gave me my third lunchtime ale, all of which I had to pay for, I turned away from the fox. "I don't care about what's happening in Midland. You've already told me enough, I know far more than I wanted to. My home is here now, so it really makes no difference to me how things have changed. So those Disciples have found me, good for them. I'll rip them apart all the same, and continue to destroy them until they leave me alone. I want no part of Midland or its affairs, or its monsters, or anything else. Why can't you just accept that?"

As Loki considered his answer, I downed my third ale, chugging it quickly. I badly wanted another, but I knew a long day was still ahead of me, a long hike back to Xin'an.

But it seemed the small arctic fox was finally conceding. He sighed heavily, now looking at me slightly apologetically. "You're right, Luca. It seems your mind is made up, and it would be unfair of me to force the issue. Though I do care deeply about you and want to see you finally start to heal, if you will it, I will follow you to the ends of the earth. Whether you reject the Norns or not, I will remain your loyal subject until the day I die."

Loki was always a strange little fox. Since being spurned by the Crimson King all those years ago, the fox had grown more and more attached to me. We had once been such bitter enemies, having nearly killed one another on several occasions, but he now clung to me as if I was the only thing connecting him to this world. Then again, my attachment to Loki had also grown immensely, far more than I ever would've imagined. Especially since yesterday's soak in the hot spring, the fox had become more than just a friend to me now, and it was so undeniably great being able to feel that once again.

And yet despite our deep, mutual feelings for one another, Loki had never treated me with such intense devotion before, at least not like this. It was unusual, though not altogether surprising. I had my suspicions why he felt this way, but I pushed those suspicions aside the moment they began to surface, opting instead to accept Loki's undying loyalty, regardless of his reasons. A strange part of me suddenly wanted to kiss the arctic fox, but he was too far away.

"I think this calls for another drink," I said, but Loki reached across the table to pull my arm down seconds after I raised it.

"You've had enough," he said, not seeming so loyal now. "I'm not dragging you back to Xin'an. Besides, that Disciple you're trying desperately to ignore? He's--"

Amazed by the fox's uncanny timing, the front door of the inn suddenly burst open, a blinding light touching every bit of grime and filth that had been hidden by the darkness and dank. I stood up immediately, knocking back my seat and instinctively reaching for my sword. Unfortunately I'd left my broken sword behind, never imagining for a second I would have to fight one of the late Crimson King's demon soldiers, not this far from Midland. I felt its darkness and it felt mine, this feeling all too familiar. I hated this feeling, rejected this feeling, I wanted no part of it.

Yet a sudden rage flared up inside me, nothing could hold me back. Before anyone could firmly grasp exactly what was happening, with clenched fists I approached the twisted bird-like monster, tall and thin with snow-white feathers. It had a long neck, its face sharp, just a pale barren skull. It simply smiled at me as if it knew me, and though the smallest part of me told me to wait, told me something wasn't quite right, the larger, darker part of me struck the beast in the face with my scarred, damaged fist.

The monster fell back immediately, screeching horribly and startling most of the inn's patrons. My fist was bleeding again. I heard someone crying out to me. It was Loki, but I could hardly listen. This dark rage that had taken over, it had been so god-damn long since I'd felt this, even battling Tormund my rage was never quite so strong.

I grabbed the snow-white beast and with a mighty roar, slammed its head against the adjacent table, ruining someone's lunch, then threw him across to the other side of the dining hall. The owner was yelling at me, sword drawn, and a couple other she-wolves appeared. They had their swords drawn too, but made no moves against me. Good, I could deal with them later.

For now, I was entirely focused on the Disciple. Though not in its true, horrifying demon form, the shape it had taken was not quite of this world, a disgusting mix of some strange avian and a wicked Hel Beast. This one even wore clothes like furs do, flowing white robes it seemed. An odd choice, but I had little time to ponder that as I kicked the monster back into the wall.

It wasn't until I picked up the pathetic beast, roaring fiercely as I did, and punching it hard in the face again when I began to realize, it still wasn't fighting back. I snarled and punched it once more, now earning a second bloody knuckle, then again, finally letting it fall to the floor.

That tiny part of me telling me to wait was finally gaining some traction over the black beast inside me. I was breathing heavily, and as I stared down at the whimpering Disciple, its talons long and sharp and deadly, I noticed a few strange trinkets dangling from its twisted form.

I knelt down in front of it, spying a gold chain around its neck and pulled it up and out from the elaborate robes. And in that instant, my darkness was as shocked as I was to see hanging from the chain, the sacred symbol of the Holy See.

Luckily for the she-wolf who owned the inn, my inner darkness had receded enough so when she touched her blade to my neck, I did not immediately retaliate. I was breathing heavily, though, paws still shaking from the sudden flash of rage. I released the Disciple's chain and stood up when prompted by the sword. It was a rusty old thing, looked like it hadn't been used in an age, but I was not about to argue.

"Slowly," the wolfess barked. Her sisters were ready to strike at any moment, though one of them was helping the beaten monster to its feet, however cautiously.

I had always had this darkness inside me, a little monster that always kept me on my feet. And it always knew when there was another monster nearby, it sensed it even when I didn't. It would creep forth slowly, a shadow lightly tapping on my shoulder, pointing me in the direction of the Hel Beast, craving its blood. Even now as it slithered back into the depths of my mind, I could hear it hissing and chuckling, almost begging me to kill the white-feathered beast. I wanted nothing more than to oblige, but for now I would have to be patient.

"I don't know what your problem is, tiger, but you're quickly wearing out your welcome. We accept all kinds here, I thought you understood that. But I guess not. I thank you for your patronage, but you best leave now, and take the arctic fox with you."

"Wait," the feathered Disciple hissed, holding an arm out to me. "I forgive this one, he has not yet seen the light of the Holy Spirit. Do what you will with him, but it is he whom I have been searching for."

The she-wolf just growled quietly, clearly confused by the commotion, and no doubt flustered with so many prying eyes upon us. At least she managed to sheathe her sword. "All three of you: out. We don't need any more trouble here."

Not interested in anything the Crimson King's Disciple had to say, nor this pious show it was putting on, I just huffed and made for the exit, Loki in tow. He had remained silent the whole time, save for when I punched the beast in its bony jaw, and said nothing even as we left, heading toward the roadway.

"You aren't the least bit curious what he has to say?" asked the fox at last, after reaching the crossroads.

Admittedly, there was a small part of me that wondered why the hell one of these monsters came searching for me from so far away, and wearing the robes of the Holy See... But ultimately, I wanted the beast dead. I had lost count of the number of Disciples I'd killed on my journey to slay the Crimson King, they were nothing more than giant, grotesque obstacles on a long, painful path. But it seemed the life I'd left behind in Midland was intent of finding me again. I would have cursed the gods if I had thought it would do me any good.

"No," I finally said, huffing again. That sudden flash of rage had not yet left me entirely, and my own dark beast was still lingering. I stopped by one of the crossroads' three tall signposts, taking a few deep breaths. I needed desperately to calm down.

"Well that was the other thing I wanted to tell you. There have been great changes in the Holy See, including a new Holy Father. They have grown extraordinarily in strength and influence in a very short amount of time, using the Crimson King's dark reign to bolster their position."

I sighed heavily. If there was anything I cared about less than Midland's affairs, it was the affairs of the Holy See.

"Your point?"

Just as Loki opened his mouth, however, a loud shriek sounded from toward the Crossroads Inn, though I was certain it was some horrid voice.

"Luca the Mercenary," the voice cried, and I felt that rage quickly returning. It was the Disciple, and had I been in better physical condition, I would have likely ripped its head off right then and there. Instead I turned and with some assistance from Loki, began toward Xin'an once more.

The monster quickly caught up. Its hollow eyes pierced through the back of my skull, much as I tried to ignore it, its face some twisted, spiked bird's skull. My knuckles were still bleeding, and I was certain with a sharp pain I my ribs, I'd reopened at least one more of my wounds.

"Please hear me out, I have not come to harm you."

I stopped and glanced at the robed monster. "Maybe not, but that won't stop me from harming you."

The Disciple nodded. It was almost surreal having a conversation like this with one of my most hated enemies. Disciples had made my life extremely difficult during my journey to stop the Crimson King, there seemed to be at least one around every corner, in every town I visited. And anyone could have been one, from a simple farmer to a highborn lord; they inhabited the bodies of regular furs, even those you were close with. This one looked as if it had stopped midway between its disguise and monstrous form.

"I have been sent to find you, Mercenary, with a message from the Holy See."

"You know, I probably would have knocked you out even if you weren't some sickening Hel Beast. I've been around long enough to see all sorts of freaks and their crazy beliefs, and I don't give two shits about any of them. The Holy See means about as much to me as some lowly street urchin worshipping a rock. So save your breath. In fact, just stop breathing altogether."

And still the Disciple smiled at me, not quite amused, but certainly not upset by my words. It was impossible to believe it could be such a devout follower of the Holy See.

"I am not on a Mission, my child. I have come as but a messenger."

"You ain't showing me the difference. Just spit it out or I'll send you back to Hel faster than you came from it."

That did amuse the beast. "It is true, I am a spawn of Hel and the Devil King, but I have been bathed in the cleansing light of the Holy Spirit. I am no longer bound by the shackles of the Devil King nor his blasphemous world from whence I came. I see the true light of God now, and serve a greater purpose."

I glanced down at Loki, who had a sickened frown upon his face, hidden partially beneath his hood.

"Who sent you, Disciple?" I finally asked, growing weary of the damnable beast.

The monster shook his head, and despite not having any physical eyes, somehow could tell it'd closed them. "Not Disciple, child, no longer. For I have been bathed in the Holy Waters of the Promised Land, and given my true name. I am Matthias, reborn as an Apostle of the Holy See, and serve as Messenger to the Holy Father."

It took all my strength to not knock his head right off. "Answer the damn question, Hel Beast."

The so-called Apostle was unmoved. "I have been sent by the Commander of the Order of the Holy White Iron Knights, Paladin Keefe McCree. He has told me you two are acquainted. The Commander has requested your presence to discuss a potential contract. He has instructed me to tell you it is a high-paying, job, very low-risk, back in Midland."

I couldn't say how long my brows had been raised for, surprised by several things the monster had just said. "Hold on..." I didn't know where to start. "Keefe commands that ridiculous order of Knights? I thought he left the Holy See." And what the hell was a Paladin?

"Alas, this one has not the information you seek. You must speak to the Commander himself for greater details. What message shall I pass along to the Commander McCree?"

I was still trying to wrap my head around all of this. "High-paying, low-risk? What's the hell's the contract for? Why is he reaching out to me? And how the fuck did he know where to find me?"

The Apostle just shook its head. "Sadly, I know not the contents of the contract. And the Commander knew not where to find you, not exactly. Our past...link...has allowed me to follow your trail, albeit not easily."

"Useless Hel Beast," I spat. "You go tell Keefe to shove it up his ass, I'm done with Midland. Know what? I don't give a shit what the contract is for, he can give it to one of his Holy Iron...whatever-the-fuck Knights. And tell him if he sends another god-damn Disciple after me, I'll rip it apart just like every monster before it, then I'll come after him."

The beast nodded, sliding his deadly left talons into his robe. "The Commander suspected you would say as much, and has ordered me to give you this no matter your response."

I took a small letter from the Apostle. It had a wax seal on the back, the Holy See's coat of arms. I could hardly believe Keefe had gone back to them. Moreover, he was made a commander? I had so many questions for my old friend, but every part of me wanted nothing to do with him and the Holy See. It was possible Loki knew something, but it sounded like he hadn't lasted much longer living in Midland than I had.

"Anything else, Luca the Mercenary?"

I growled, then spit on its cloak. The Apostle was unmoved, but Loki glanced up at me, I think a little surprised. He shouldn't have been. Before the Hel Beast could wipe it off, I finally turned and walked away. Though I could still hear a bit of movement, a sudden gust of wind, followed immediately by another as well as a cloud of dust, told me the bird-like monster was taking flight. I continued along without taking a single glance back, uninterested in the direction it was headed.

"As diplomatic as always," commented the silent arctic fox, after the dust had settled. "Are you going to read the note?"

I just scoffed, looking at the seal again. Has he really gone back to them?

"Maybe," I grunted, pocketing it. "You know anything about this?"

"About which?"

"Any of it. Keefe, the so-called Apostle, take your pick."

The fox shrugged beneath his hood. "I don't know much. I left Midland not long after Keefe departed for the Holy City, after I discovered a bounty had been put out on us... Rin included. I think the dog went to reason with the See, at least for Rin's life. As for that Holy Messenger... Well, the Holy See clearly has a means of rooting out Disciples and...converting them, for lack of a better word. I don't know how, perhaps some form of ancient magic I had never seen before. Perhaps something newer. If they are harnessing the power of the Runes, I don't know which ones they're using. I can think of some runes they could apply, but...none that would cause such a profound change."

"Who knows, the Holy See has always been fucked. I remember back in the army days, there was always a priest around in our camps, but back at Castle Midgard there was a bunch of them. Bishops and archbishops and priests... I remember one in particular, Archbishop Martin. He did not like me, I can tell you that. Stupid old rat. It's funny, none of the other men saw me for what I was, not one. Sure, they knew I was some sort of beast on the battlefield, but they just figured I was one of those one-in-a-million fighters, you know? It only seemed to be Archbishop Martin who saw past that, saw the darkness I held within me, sensed it even when I didn't at the time. He called me Devilspawn, but thankfully Commander August wouldn't hear any of it. I think he had his suspicions too, that there was something different about me, but August had about as much patience for the Holy See as I did. The Archbishop tried to take it further up the chain, tried speaking to the Holy Father himself, but he was not concerned about some dirty, filthy soldier. I almost died when I was told the Holy Father had absolved me of my sins anyway, Archbishop Martin really hated me then. Well, hated me as much as a man of the cloth can hate someone."

Loki remained silent, and I became deathly aware that I was rambling. The little fox glanced up at me though, and with somewhat of a hopeful smile, he gave my right arm a gentle rub. He was likely blushing beneath his dark red hood, but seemed fine with the extended contact. I risked giving his back a rub in return, which he also accepted. I smiled down at the fox.

"Do you miss those days?" Loki asked me.

I nodded. "Midland was full of chaos, desolated by war, its people suffering, but gods forsake it, it was much simpler times. The only worry I had was whether or not I'd get paid, and what asshole was looking to steal my coin. I just wish I'd known at the time that those were the 'good old days.' Now it seems the whole world is going to shit; Disciples everywhere, the Holy See employing monsters..."

"It isn't your fault, you know."

I sighed heavily.

"The Norns decided your destiny long before you knew of it, long before either of us were born. The events that unfolded that night, after the fall of Midgard, nothing could have stopped his Disciples from coming through. Sure, maybe it could have been stopped that night, but it was going to happen. I realize most men reject the idea of fate, and I don't blame you for doing the same, it's not an easy thing to accept that your life is not in your own hands. It took a long time for me to realize I was never going back to my old life with my father and Jorn, that the Norns had brought me to Hel for a purpose."

"Yeah? And what purpose is that?"

"To serve the ruler of Hel."

I grunted.

"I was adept at casting the Runes at a very young age, which I don't believe was by chance. Though everything had been taken away from me, I accepted that my command of the Runes and my being Carried to Hel, it was all part of my destiny. Once I realized I had little control over it, it was like a weight had lifted off my shoulders."

I just scoffed and shook my head. "Well that's great for you, Loki. I still think it's a load of shit."

The arctic fox nodded. "I know you do."

"Look, can we just not discuss this anymore? And I don't mean for today, I mean ever. I don't want to hear any more about the Norns, or destiny, or the fucking Crimson King. We can talk about anything else, I don't care, just...enough with the destiny bullshit. Please?"

"As you wish."

I sighed again. "Good. So tell me what you know about Keefe. He really went back to the Holy See?"

The fox stayed silent for a short time, which I didn't know how to take. "It seems so," he finally said, though it sounded like there was slightly more to it than that. "He took care of his mother back home for as long as I had stuck around, but I'd overheard him talking with his mother about returning to the Holy See. She didn't want him to, but he said he felt lost. The only spiritual guidance he'd ever had was with the See, and while he wasn't sure where his beliefs laid, he knew he wasn't going to find many answers with her. When the See had put bounties out on all of our heads, he knew he had to return. When I finally left the manor, he had already packed what little he had and left for the City. That, and I had to accept...that you wouldn't be returning."

"I guess it's too late to apologize, huh?" I said, pushing my ears back.

"A little," the fox said with the slightest grin. He gave my arm a gentle rub to let me know it was all right. "This might be unrelated," the fox continued, "but Keefe spent a long time grieving the death of his father, I'm not sure he had ever truly gotten past it. He was finding it difficult to forgive you for what you'd done, as was his mother. He never told her his father was a Disciple, though."

Somehow I felt that letter burning a hole in my chest. What did Keefe want now? Was it really about a job? Or had he found the answers he was looking for with the Holy See? They were all about forgiveness, perhaps he wanted to tell me he'd forgiven me. Or perhaps he wanted to sink a knife into my chest. But the See frowns upon murder, and Commanders of the Holy Knights wouldn't murder a poor mercenary...would they?

All I could do was sigh. Loki tried to comfort me, but my heart was strangely heavy. These were the kinds of things I was trying to forget, the many reasons I had left Midland. Nothing but sorrow and pain was left there, and the damned arctic fox had to bring some along. Of course I had asked about Keefe, I couldn't blame him. As always there was only myself to blame. Every terrible thing that had happened to me and people around me, I was solely to blame. So much loss, so much grief, all caused by me.

I needed a damn drink.

The sun was past midday by the time Xin'an finally came into view. My feet were sore and my wounds itched. Though not limping, I was definitely not walking at my usual brisk pace, using Loki as a crutch again. He didn't seem to mind, or at least didn't complain about it. He told me my bandages needed to be changed again, and I didn't relish the idea.

When I thought of it, I had spent a great deal of my life wrapped in bandages. I'd only had an infection once, though it nearly killed me. It was during my army days, so thankfully there was medicine aplenty, but I was still in nasty shape.

I remembered when August, the great white lion commander of the Dragonkin Army, came to me and told me to get the burning, swollen wound looked at, just days before we were to march on the aptly-named Hoary Keep, a stronghold blocking an important trading route in Midland's western province. I told August I was fine, despite the profuse sweating, dizziness, and hallucinations, but he insisted with no room for argument. The Brutes ended up being led into battle by my second-in-command, an old skunk named Blade, while the Army's doctor sewed up my crusty, fetid wound.

Of course it only got worse from there, and his medicine didn't seem to work. I was told I'd likely have to lose the arm, lest the infection reach my heart. In fact, it had already climbed up almost my entire left arm, I was told I wouldn't last much longer. And if I remembered correctly, I had even been strapped down during one of my blackouts for the doctor to do just that, but I woke up just as the sawblade bit into my flesh. To hear the stories, it was like I was possessed by a demon.

The doctor even resorted to brining in a priest, but August knew it would do little good, not for the demon I had within me. I thrashed about in my restraints, far too violent for anyone to get near. I had moments of rest, where I would apparently talk incoherently, likely hallucinations. But the second the doctor, or anyone else for that matter, came near, I would suddenly lash out in a vicious, uncontrollable rage. The doc said he'd never seen anything like it, and August concurred. They barely even recognized me, or so they'd said.

The priest ended up sticking around to read me my last rites, certain I would die. Yet despite massive dehydration and loss of blood, as well as various other fluids, the infection never got the better of me. It left a nasty scar on the inside of my left forearm, but after a few days of being in my "demonic state," as the priest had called it, the infection eventually cleared and within a week I was back to normal. The doctor couldn't believe it, and though August was unsure, he kept me on as the Brutes' Captain.

I sighed quietly, glancing down at the scar. Those hardly seemed like good days back then, but gods how I missed them now.

"As soon as we get back," I told the fox, who was dutifully carrying me along, "first thing we're doing before we do anything, is getting a god-damn drink in me."

"You had enough at lunchtime," Loki commented, to which I replied with a grunt.

"Then at least a meal. I think I'd prefer to avoid the inn with the tigress, however."

Loki agreed wholeheartedly. Together we approached the city, getting through the gates easily enough. Many of the pandas were still praying, and I noticed dozens of new mounds had been raised since our departure to Mount Tai. Though the air smelled sweet, mourning and loss still lingered, thick like a muggy haze.

Finding an inn was easy enough, but finding a cheap one with enough room for a fox and a tiger was a whole other story. And as the sun dipped lower and lower toward the horizon, our options were quickly thinning.

Luckily we found the one establishment that was almost dead inside, a ramshackle little place in the poorest part of town. It was dark and dank, and reeked of stale beer and rotting onions, but the price was right and the room was practically free. Dinner was questionable meat in questionable gravy, spiced with questionable peppers and salt. The ale, while effective, could strip paint, though fortunately I required fewer of them to get as drunk as I wanted to get.

Soon enough we headed to bed, together we shared a smaller bed than anticipated, but it was at least, as the innkeeper put it, cozy. Loki and I squirmed around for a while, myself far too tired and drunk to do anything even remotely fun, so instead we laid together completely nude, myself holding the small fox close to my body. He made absolutely no attempts to escape, in fact if I didn't know any better, I would have sworn he'd drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.

Morning came faster than I'd have liked, and with a wicked hangover to boot. I groaned painfully as light split my eyelids apart, and I gave the warm naked arctic fox a tight squeeze. It was usually at that point when I would realize the fox had left, but I was pleased to see he was right where I left him. Unfortunately my squeeze also woke him up, and while not hungover, he appreciated it just the same.

"You're warm," I commented, I think still a little buzzed. My head was killing me, though.

Loki grunted, no doubt accompanied by a frown. But he didn't move, instead he surprised me a second time by snuggling back into me. "So are you," he said quickly, as if he had to say it. "You still reek of that rancid booze, though."

I was certain that was no exaggeration. I just squeezed the fox a little tighter and nibbled on his adorable little ear, which made them flick. However once they sprang back into place, he let me continue. I felt Loki relax in my arms as I nibbled away.

"If we stay in here too long," he said, pretending to ignore me, "they'll charge us an extra night. We should go."

"We're fine," I insisted, rolling a paw down to Loki's crotch. As expected, behind his warm, soft sheath, he was as hard as a rock. I gave his sheath a good squeeze, and the little fox moaned.

"We shouldn't," he gasped, "th-these walls are falling apart, everyone will hear us..."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Loki, there's no one else here, and the dirtbags who are probably aren't even conscious yet. C'mon, you got way harder before I did."

Loki grumbled something incoherently, then very subtly at first, began to pump his sheathed cock into my paw, trying hard not to make much noise. He was clearly trying to force my paw to pull his sheath back, but just to be a tease I loosened my grip just enough so he couldn't. That just made the fox try harder, grinding his hips into my paw as best he could, while at the same time stifling his moans.

Though I desperately wanted to continue, myself good and ready to go, my hangover was still pounding mercilessly away at my skull, and nothing was alleviating it. I tried to ignore it by pushing my sheath into Loki's cute little bum, which was very well-received, but it seemed the more I wanted it to go away, the worse it got. I needed some of that damn tea, and I needed it now.

"God damn it," I growled, stopping everything. I left my paw on Loki's sheath. "My head's killin' me, Loki."

Now Loki groaned with frustration. "Are you kidding me? Then why did you get me going?" He growled loudly as he elbowed me in the ribs, missing the deep stab wound. The area was still incredibly tender, though, and my sharp snarl reminded him.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry!" he suddenly said, changing tones immediately. The worried fox leapt up onto his knees and spun around on the straw-filled bed, examining my wound. I wanted to smack him pretty damn hard, but the concern on his face seemed genuine. I just groaned, lifting my left arm to let him look at it. His fingers were delicate, and despite still being bandaged, he felt around anyway, I think to see if I was bleeding again. His gentle sigh of relief suggested I wasn't.

"Don't worry about it," I said, growling as I strained to sit up. With some effort I did, and Loki was right there with me. Neither of us were clothed yet.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," the fox insisted. "It was more playful, I swear."

I nuzzled the fox lovingly. "Really, Loki, it's fine. If it ain't bleeding, then no harm done. Even if it was bleeding, it'd be fine. What you should be sorry for is letting me drink so much last night."

Now Loki frowned. I think I was about to earn another elbow to the ribs, but fortunately I was spared. He nuzzled back instead. "Mm, I couldn't stop you if I tried. You know, you shouldn't drink so much."

My headache concurred.

"Firstly," he continued, and I knew I was in for a lecture, "you can't control yourself when you drink, and you act like a buffoon. Secondly, you always end up having way too much, then having mornings like this. Plus you can't get it up, plus...it just isn't healthy. This city has enough drunk bastards staggering around its streets, it doesn't need another. Plus it makes you...less attractive. And smell bad. I just don't like it, Luca."

The fox had a bad habit of turning simple things into an issue, but I still loved him all the same. "I like drinking, Loki, and I'm sorry if you don't like it. But I'm going to keep drinking, particularly after battles, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Loki sighed forlornly.

"I guess I could try not drinking as much,' I conceded. I was sure my pounding skull would agree wholeheartedly.

That perked the fox up at least a little bit.

"I was pretty damn drunk when we first had sex, remember, so the booze must be doing something right. Right?"

That earned me a frown, and thankfully nothing more. Well, nothing more than Loki's blushing cheeks. He turned his head away, and for now I simply rubbed his back. I noticed him glance down at my sheath for a couple seconds longer than if he was just looking around, but neither of us made a move.

As we sat upon the cheap bed, a sudden chill ran up my spine. I looked around, but no one was there and no noises could be heard. Well, I could hear some noise from outside, and some patrons downstairs, but otherwise all was quiet. Loki noticed immediately.

"What is it?" he asked, running a paw up my leg. His fingers tickled at my sides as he felt me up, still on his knees in front of me. His eyes scanned my white-furred belly as his claws drew trails through my fur, his pads running carefully across my abs. Then he finally looked up at me for a response.

I just shrugged, leaning back on both paws, legs spread out to create a black-and-orange-striped inlet for the fox to sit in. "Not sure, probably just this creepy place. I swear the roof is going to come down on us."

Loki just smiled and ran his paws up my stomach and over my chest, blushing as much as ever. We could have done this a thousand times and I think the arctic fox would still be blushing. Then he ran his paws over my shoulders and up the back of my neck, leaning in for a kiss.

With a smile, I leaned forward to kiss the shy little fox, a paw upon his back. We shared a long kiss, our tongues only touching together for a moment before pulling away.

"Sorry," he said softly, head pointed downward. I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You are like two different people, Loki."

I think he didn't know how to take that. "There have been so many times I've wanted to do that with you, and I've always been too afraid to do it. It's such an odd thing, really, that something as simple as a kiss could make me act like this. So timid... Not that I'm not a naturally timid person. I was the bane of my father's existence, so unlike him in every way. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I never learned the runes. He and I would likely be together now in Valhalla."

I pulled the fox in close and he put his arms around me. Loki didn't find himself in this position very damn often, with me or with anyone else. It sounded like this was a rare moment for him, and it meant a lot to him, especially being the initiator. I had to smile, giving Loki an extra squeeze.

"I like all sides of you, Loki. You can be damn terrifying when you want to be, and so soft and sweet too."

"I could say the same about you."

With little warning, I tilted my head and gave Loki a kiss, eyes closed and pushing into him. He embraced it fully, and I could feel a particular warmth around my stomach, emanating from his crotch. I was certain he had been hard the whole time, and though my headache was reminding me once more why I shouldn't have drank so much, it was a nice kiss all the same. When at last we parted, I gave the naughty fox's bum a good squeeze, adding just a bit more hue to his cheeks. I think he wanted to smack me again, but sometimes my paws acted for themselves.

"Stop," Loki insisted, trying very hard not to groan audibly. He put a paw on my wrist for good measure. "Or I'll whip these curtains open and make as much noise as I can. I'm...horny enough as it is, I don't need your useless, ale-soaked paws making it worse. I'm going to get dressed now." He then kissed me again, quickly on the nose.

Now I groaned, leaving the fox alone. He climbed off the bed with a full, hard sheath, which I delighted in watching as he scrounged around for his clothes.

The arctic fox grabbed the same old pair of pants he'd always worn since the day we'd met, with the leather stitching and patchwork. I think he had told me they once belonged to his older brother Tyr, which was why they fit him way too big. Still, he was adorable inside them.

Luckily for me, Loki put his pants aside for now and found his sleeveless top first, made of soft leather that fit quite snugly against his body, but always left his sexy stomach exposed. That was fine with me, of course, he had a cute slim body that he either liked to show off, or he simply got too hot in anything longer. Nevertheless, the little devil remained hard the entire time as he slid into his top, leaving his pants for last so as to give me something to watch.

In no time the fox pulled his pants on, covering himself completely from the waist down. The pants were all tattered where they scraped along the ground, but apparently he was fine with that. Lastly, Loki loosely wrapped a long red scarf around his neck and shoulders, leaving more than enough to make a hood for when he wanted to frown at me.

"You know they make newer pants," I commented as I stood up.

The fox frowned, but opted not to hide it beneath his hood. "It's the only thing I have left from my childhood, and they perform their function adequately, so shut up."

I just laughed and tussled Loki's headfur. That prompted the fox to suddenly whip open the holey curtain, which made me growl like an injured monster.

"Aah, god damn it!" I snarled, turning away from the light. My head was caught in a vice, squeezing viciously as the light poured in. It also made my poor stomach roil horribly, and I nearly puked then and there. "What the hell was that for?"

"Because despite our...closeness, you're still a drunk bastard who needs to learn a lesson."

I could have hit the fox, but in my current state I would have likely missed and fallen over, worsening my condition and my injuries. So instead I opted for another growl, stumbling around our modest room looking for my clothes.

My clothes weren't anything special, nor did they hold any sentimental value. I wore a short, light-brown tunic that, unlike Loki's top, fell past my waist and covered my crotch. It was light and loose, perfectly contrasting the leather top I often wore beneath my armour. Though similar to Loki, it was breezy enough to keep me cool and covered. My top, unfortunately, was old and dirty and full of rips and holes, and no longer had a string to hold the collar together, as it was the only normal top I'd brought with me after leaving Midland.

The next thing I tripped over was my pants, a normal pair of dark linen trousers that fortunately still had the string, which laced up over my crotch and around the waist. Like my shirt, they were nothing special. They weren't particularly loose nor particularly tight, and ran just down to my footpaws. They had cuffs around the ankles that had been worn through enough to make them uncuff-like, but it was the only pair I had. If I wore boots it wouldn't make a difference, but I usually preferred having something to dig my claws into, especially during battle. Most often, I simply wore some kind of protection around my lower legs, for all the good it did me.

Lastly I put on my belt, tightening it over my tunic around my waist. Like everything else I owned, it was pretty standard, certainly nothing special. It had a few notches for small pouches or knife sheaths, the latter of which was already attached. I didn't often use knives, and they were certainly not my go-to weapon, but I thought without my sword, it was better to at least have something. Anyway, I strung my coin purse onto my belt and at last turned to Loki, who was all ready to go.

"We still need to change your bandages," he said as he opened the door, and together we - or I - stumbled down the stairs for our complimentary breakfast.

Breakfast, like the rest of this place, was cheap. It was a typical meal of tea, eggs, and bacon and sausage. I managed to shove it all down, trying desperately to taste as little of it as I could. It didn't help my stomach problems unfortunately, and only time would tell if it would make them worse. The tea helped a little, but Loki suggested I stick with plain water. I wasn't sure I'd trust the water in this place though.

Nevertheless, Loki and I finished up quickly enough and went in search of fresh bandages. We tried the Royal Palace, since they'd made it their duty to patch me up to begin with, and luckily I wasn't turned away. Perhaps General Zi had spread the word that the Hero of Xin'an would need to gather his things before we marched on Tao'zhan.

Loki changed my bandages easily enough, though that didn't stop me from complaining about how much it hurt. He helped wash my wounds and clean off any crusty old blood, though he said they had healed remarkably well, at least compared to when he'd last changed them. But they were still tender and fresh, and could easily be reopened if I wasn't careful. I told him I'd be fine for the billionth time, but that didn't stop him from warning me.

We asked around afterwards to see if General Zi had been asking for me, but no one seemed to know anything. In fact, half the people in the Royal Palace avoided me, the other half looked at the Yaoguai Hu with suspicion. The ones who did talk to me still reacted in either of those two manners, but I'd simply caught them before they could get away.

I did find out, however, that my gear had been moved from the infirmary to the guards' barracks. I was getting the distinct impression that with every day passing since the victory, I was being treated more and more like some common sellsword.

Now, I was a fairly modest tiger, I certainly took no great pride in bringing down Tormund the Moron. As a mercenary, I suppose it can be said I'd gone far beyond what was expected of me, but I was never one to back down from a challenge. So I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much that my stuff had been moved. I mean, logically, they likely had the proper equipment for storing my armour in the barracks, so perhaps it was as simple as that. After all, it wasn't as if they tossed it all out into the camps outside the city, which was where all the other hired swords were forced to live. Most of the panda army camped out there, too, as there wasn't much room for such a large mass of people, as well as the friendly armies to the pandas, who came from other countries to aid them.

Not that I needed my armour, though it was good to know where I could find my stuff when I needed it. Did they not want me wandering around the Royal Palace anymore? If that was the case, then why did I get in so easily? I wouldn't blame them for not trusting me, no one trusts a sellsword. But surely I'd proven myself.

I sighed, only slightly perturbed. Loki assured me everything was fine and to stop reading into it so much. He said I should focus on resting up and healing before the army eventually moved out. They were likely still planning their attack on the giant city of Tao'zhan, which I'd heard was almost like several small cities within a city.

"So what now?" I asked Loki, now freshly bandaged and with nothing to do. The people inside Xin'an were hard at work, repairing the surprisingly little damage caused by the battle. There was still some people, mostly pandas, praying at the various temples and shrines, both big and small. I had to wonder if they were still praying for their loved ones, or if it was something they practiced every day.

Loki just shrugged, and together he and I wandered the streets aimlessly. It seemed, however, that we were gravitating toward the Serenity Gardens, toward the main entrance outside the Royal Palace walls.

The fox remained mostly silent throughout our journey through the city streets. I never knew if something was on his mind, or he simply had nothing to say. I glanced down at him several times and his face gave nothing away. As we entered the gardens, he sighed quietly through his nose and I gave his back a gentle pat. He gave me a small, gentle smile and - perhaps one of the strangest things he'd done to date - held onto my paw.

Throughout my entire life, I had held paws with very few people, much less outside of the bedroom. But the little fox held on firmly, saying nothing more as we meandered slowly through the exotic garden, listening to the gentle stream trickling beside the path, rippling over stones and small statues. The air smelled sweet, and you'd never know a bloody battle had once raged outside these walls.

"You okay, Loki?"

The fox nodded, reclaiming his paw slowly. "I'm fine. It's been an extraordinarily long time since I've felt this close to someone, and those I have were few and far between. We've had our differences of course, but I'm glad to be with you now. You... I'm able to feel some semblance of happiness when we're together."

I smiled a bit wider. "I must admit, when I first saw you in the Eastern Lands, I wasn't too excited. I wanted nothing to do with my old life, nor with anyone I'd known from it. But after spending some time with you, out of everyone to track me down, I'm not sorry it was you. So, I guess thanks. You know...for being here, keeping me company and all that."

Loki nodded again, fiddling with one of his dozen bracelets. He was blushing, just the slightest smile on his face. He looked like he was thinking something, like he wanted to speak but was too embarrassed to say it. This wasn't unusual behaviour for Loki, so for now I decided to leave it alone. I could have forced it out of him, but oft times he ended up telling me anyway.

So for now we continued to walk together, nary a word spoken. Loki marvelled at the trees and shrubs and flowers around him, no doubt thinking about home again. Myself, I was not nearly as awestruck as I was when I first came here, but it was amazing all the same. I felt my mind beginning to wander, not thinking about anything specific but instead realizing the absence of thought. My mind seemed to empty, and I felt incredibly relaxed. Was this the purpose of these gardens?

Soon enough my mind snapped back to reality as I heard a faint shouting from somewhere in the gardens. It sounded like there was a fight, and a distinct knocking on the trees. Over and over I heard these noises, and they grew louder the further along the path Loki and I travelled, until at last we came to a clearing with a familiar five-storey pagoda at the far end. In no time, I spied a young panda practicing his sword techniques, and from what I saw before he stopped, he had improved quite well.

"Luca!" cried Zhang, running over to Loki and I, carrying his wooden sword with him. "I've been practicing just like you said. I think I'm getting better, but I've only been attacking that tree. Are you here to help me train some more?"

"Uh," I managed to say, having not anticipated this.

"Oh, it's okay if you can't. I just got excited to see you, thought maybe you heard I was looking for you. I heard you went to the hot springs though. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, kid, as a matter of fact I did." Of course all I could recall was getting intimate with Loki, but I wasn't about to tell Zhang about it. "Not sure it was as miraculous and healing as they said it is, but it was good to relax all the same. Have you been practicing that whole time?"

Zhang nodded enthusiastically. "People have been giving me looks, but I don't care. It's nicer doing it here than with the other soldiers, most of them just yell at you. This is much more peaceful."

"You know, it might benefit you to train with the others, even if you don't like it. Ultimately they want to see you improve, see you become a better soldier."

Zhang drew his ears back a little. "Yeah I guess... Didn't really think of it like that. Not that I want to be a soldier at all."

"Half of the rebellion don't want to be soldiers, but they do it because they have to."

"Yeah, I know... So what're you doing here?"

"Killing time, mostly. General Zi said he wanted to talk with me later, but I haven't seen him. Any idea when we'll be moving out?"

Zhang shrugged. "Not sure, no one's really talking about it. I think they're pretty scared, I know I am. Everyone just keeps talking about how impossible it'll be to storm Tao'zhan. I heard the outer walls are ten metres thick, battlements all along the way and towers every hundred metres or so. And we don't have much in the way of siege engines. We've got some catapults and stuff, but not much else. What we need is to bring some of these cannons with us, but then Xin'an won't be as well defended, in case there's a counter-attack. At least, that's what the others are saying."

"I'm sure they're planning something, Zhang, they want to take Tao'zhan with as few casualties as possible. Storming the city obviously isn't the best option, though you also have to consider, will the Emperor have enough men to effectively defend every entrance into the city? If Tao'zhan is as big as I've heard it is, they'll have greater defences at the most likely points of entrance, which means others will be more vulnerable. Perhaps they're deciding which sides to storm."

Zhang sighed heavily. If he wasn't nervous about the battle before, he certainly was now.

"But who knows? During the Century War between Midland and Maldad, there have been countless times where either side essentially starved out the enemy castle. Now, those battles can take months, even a year depending on the size. They stop all forms of commerce and trade from entering the castle until the enemy starves and surrenders. That's usually the safest option, minimal loss of life, but it takes much longer. Some battles can be won in a day. I've never really been a part of war planning, so I'm not sure what strategies they're considering. But you pandas would know a hell of a lot more about Tao'zhan than anyone."

"That's not making me feel better."

I smiled at the scared panda. "Let's just practice some more, and leave the planning to the generals."

Zhang nodded. "All right."

For the rest of the afternoon, Zhang and I practiced his swordsmanship, disturbing as many people as we could who came here just to relax. A few of them asked us kindly to stop, but we didn't. Loki, expectedly, sat by himself near the pagoda, either watching us or meditating, I couldn't be sure. He had his hood down, so perhaps it was a bit of both.

"That's good," I told Zhang after receiving a surprisingly painful welt on my arm, later in the afternoon. I had taken off my shirt with the warmer it got, not that it provided that much protection from wooden swords anyway. "You seem to have your technique down, but I want to show you how to chain some of these attacks together. Thing is, your enemies know at least as much about fighting as you do, they're going to be anticipating your moves as much as you are theirs."

Zhang nodded, ready for anything by this point. I showed him how, after taking his first swing, to shift the weight of his body to the other foot and keep up the momentum he'd already built into a second attack. That was tough enough for him at first, and different for me because I was using such a small sword compared to my usual weapon. But he seemed to be a quick learner, though I hit him a lot more than he hit me. We practiced this for at least an hour or so, both of us receiving our fair share of welts and bruises.

"Check your blind spots!" I reminded the panda as I struck him in the ribs. He cried out, but at least he didn't stop. We practiced closer to the trees, too, and after banging into every second tree, Zhang began to realize the importance of "be aware of your surroundings."

"It just takes just the smallest slip to give your enemy an opening, then that's it."

After another hour or so of straight fighting, Zhang was starting to get tired, and his performance was getting noticeably worse as the day wore on. I had to admire his perseverance, though, but eventually I had to make him stop. He wasn't doing himself any favours at this point, though I was surprised he'd lasted as long as he had, roughly five hours of training.

The panda was panting, and amazingly so was I. It was more of a workout than I'd anticipated, but was glad for it. Hopefully I didn't reopen any wounds.

"That's a lot to remember," Zhang told me, sitting beneath a tree by the river.

"It'll eventually become second nature, it's just a matter of practicing. That's really all there is to it. That, and proper armour."

Zhang nodded, resting his head back against the tree. He had lost his shirt at some point too.

"If you're back here tomorrow, I'll help you with your defence. That can be equally as important as a strong offence, any soldier will tell you that. But I seriously think you should ask some of the others for help. They might be rougher than me, but they know their stuff. Believe me, the others might talk like they don't care about you, and maybe they don't, but they know losing even one soldier in battle will make it that much harder to claim victory."

"I guess that's true."

"If you have their backs, they'll have yours. No one's alone on the battlefield."

Zhang nodded again. "Thanks Luca."

Together we sat by the stream for a good long while, Loki remaining by the pagoda. I kind of felt bad, but if he wanted to join us he could have easily gotten up and done so. Perhaps he was waiting to be invited.

Before long, though, Zhang eventually got up and reclaimed his shirt. He thanked me for all the lessons and bowed, off to find himself some dinner, likely in the barracks, or perhaps out in the soldiers' camp outside the city. Myself, I rejoined Loki, who had finally gotten up.

Loki was glancing up at me with barely moving his head, with just the slightest hue upon his cheeks. I couldn't imagine what he was embarrassed by now, so I pretended not to notice. What worried me was the small smile on his face, and a fiery look in his eyes that was never a good thing. What was the little fox thinking?

"Did he hurt you too badly?" Loki asked, though I sensed a certain level of sarcasm with it. His small paws then reached up toward my waist and rolled up along my bandaged ribs, then down over my stomach.

"I'll live," I grinned, for now watching the blushing arctic fox. "Something, uh, on your mind, Loki?"

"What do you think is on my mind?" answered the fox cryptically.

"I never know what's on your mind."

He glanced up at me again, that familiar fire still in his eyes, then suddenly shoved a paw down my pants. Loki groped my sheath immediately, then moved down to grip my balls. "Clear enough?"

Loki's advance had caught me off guard. "Woah, uh, yeah... Yeah, I got it. Loki, what's this all about?"

He said nothing, but instead gave my balls a tighter squeeze. Once I became hard enough, he moved back up to my sheath and stroked it slowly, urging my spiny cock out from its protective fuzzy home.

"Loki, for god's sake, there's people around."

The fox removed his paw and took me by the wrist, leading me to the back of the pagoda where I was promptly pushed against it. His paw was back down my pants again, and I couldn't help but let out a long moan. Eventually my butt slid down the side of the red pagoda and onto the ledge at its base, sitting back against it now.

"What's gotten into you?" I gasped, just as the fox removed his paw. I couldn't help but smile, breathing more heavily now.

Still not answering me, Loki pushed his paws against my chest and rolled them up, over my shoulders and down to my biceps, groping them mercilessly. He rolled his fingers around to my triceps, then back around and over my chest again, giving my nipples a pinch.

I suppose if I wanted an answer that badly, I could have just stopped him, but as he pinched and twisted my poor nipples again, a loud groan ensured I did nothing. I had no idea what had prompted this, but I certainly loved it.

"You made me so damn horny this morning," the fox growled, twisting my nipples again, except holding them there. "Do you have any idea what it's like to go on an entire day like this? Thinking about you, wanting you, but unable to get it?"

Now I didn't respond.

Loki felt up my chest again, slower this time, running his paws over every muscular bump on my body, back over my shoulders and down my arms. I wouldn't have thought Loki would go for the muscular type, but when I thought about it I was never too sure what his type was. He was always such a mystery, frustratingly so sometimes, but he'd made his desires poignantly clear now.

When Loki's paws ran over my chest again, I flexed them for him, which for some reason surprised Loki, as if he didn't think I'd figure it out. But a second later, after flexing them again, the fox groped me even harder, groaning as he explored more of my body and all the hard ridges I had to offer.

"Gods forsake you," the blushing arctic fox breathed. Though it was impossible to see beneath the thick leather and fur around his waist, I was certain he was as rock hard as I was.

Loki reached his paw down my pants again, and as he did he leaned forward and put his lips around my left nipple, flicking the tip with his tongue. That got a bunch of strange noises out of me, louder ones when he bit down. He then worked my other nipple in much the same way, eliciting plenty of groans, growls and moans from me.

Eventually, though, the fox could no longer stand the foreplay. Despite his pants still being up, I grabbed his rear and squeezed both his cheeks, which made him yelp. Soon he had my pants half way down my thighs and I had his down around his ankles. Loki kicked them aside quickly, grabbing my paw without a second thought and thrusting it into his crotch.

I gave the fox a good, hearty squeeze, pulling back his sheath immediately. Knot and all, he was completely exposed and dripping copiously. I had never seen Loki as horny as this. I gave his adorable little bum another good squeeze, prompting him onto my lap.

Almost instantly, the fox straddled me and using one paw to guide my shaft, lowered himself and opened his hole to me. He slid down my cock quickly and easily, moaning the whole way. Seconds after I put my paws on his hips, his paws on my shoulders, he began to push his hips onto my lap, squeezing his hole as he did.

I couldn't help but moan. I guess he'd had this on his mind all day, it was no surprise we got into it so quickly. Almost every thrust into his body squeezed precum from his shaft, Loki dripping constantly. He moaned loudly and sped up, pumping my cock ceaselessly.

I gripped Loki's hips tightly and thrust up into him as best I could, still sitting on the pagoda's edge. He twisted my nipples as he rode my cock, then copped another good feel of my chest. I was panting at this point, head leaning back in the structure behind me, head abuzz. This had all come on so fast, it was barely enough time to comprehend. He was so tight around my shaft, and I was throbbing terribly. I knew wasn't going to last long, and I think Loki didn't care.

"Aaah!" the little fox cried, a large spurt of precum shooting against my chest. With his cock bouncing around uncontrollably, long strings of precum made interesting designs over my white-furred stomach.

"Aah-hah," I panted, feeling my orgasm was close. I growled deeply, gripping the fox tighter. With claws out, I groaned loudly, pushing him down onto me. He just squeezed his tailhole against me, wanting me to cum as badly as I did.

After a few more thrusts, I was right there on the edge. A few more times, I was so damn close. A couple more, the fox squeezed particularly tight and just at the right moment, I pulled him down onto my cock as far as he'd go, suddenly letting out a roar.

My nether regions exploded with extreme pleasure, a loud, crashing wave pumping my seed into the fox's hole. Loki bit down on my shoulder just as I began to roar, my paws shaking as my orgasm let out a few more powerful waves, until at last it began to fade. I was left panting, resting back against the pagoda.

"Shit," I huffed, head swimming. "That was such a rush."

Loki was blushing big time, and after a moment's rest, grabbed my paw and pushed it against his beaming red cock, which at this point was incredibly slick. The fox had always been so shy, this was an odd yet refreshing change for him.

But as I stroked him, an idea suddenly came to me. I stopped for a moment, wanting to pay the fox back with more than just a handjob. I pushed him off me, despite his objections, and got to my knees in front of him. Loki was stunned beyond words.

"Wha..?" was all he managed. Despite that, his tail was wagging and he held his paws on my head, cradling my ears with his thumbs.

I smiled at the fox and glanced at his red-hot cock, licking my lips a little before opening up. He was so surprised, it was almost funny. With absolutely no prompting from Loki, I wrapped my lips around his cocktip and much like he'd done with my nipples, flicked my tongue at his tip.

Loki could do nothing else but moan. As I began to take more of his shaft, his paws gripped tighter against my head, but I think more out of pleasure than from trying to take control. In no time I took the whole thing, down to the start of his knot at least, bobbing slowly at first. It had been many years since I'd last done this, but I found it easy to get used to.

Short, shallow thrusts at first, with more confidence I began to push faster and take in more of Loki's cock. His precum was nice and sweet, making this even easier for me. I held my paws on Loki's bum for now, swallowing greater lengths, even taking some of his knot into my maw. Loki, of course, could barely contain himself, even more so as I sucked hard upon pulling back, only to push in once again, working into a steady, smooth rhythm.

I had no idea how long I'd continued this for until my paw got involved. I held it around his knot as I bobbed my head more quickly, enjoying this a lot more than I usually did. I had played the bottom many times before in my life, but never for Loki, rarely for anyone smaller than me. Especially that much smaller than me, but strangely I found myself loving this.

"Ooh, gods," moaned the fox, now starting to push my face into his hips. He was pushing his knot further into my maw, which was uncomfortable at first, but I soon adapted. I wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose or not, but went with it all the same, taking as much as I could.

"I'm so close," he groaned, grippng my head tighter. He was thrusting into my maw now, as well as pushing me back. I wasn't all that comfortable losing control like this, but I trusted Loki and of course accepted the role I'd put myself into.

We were working together very quickly now, and with a wider jaw I was taking in almost his entire knot. I sucked and licked and worked his shaft to the best of my ability, and in no time, after a few final thrusts, my nose was pushed deep into Loki's sweaty hips, forced to breathe in his sweet, intoxicating musk as suddenly, knotted with my mouth, his orgasm struck.

It was difficult at first to choke down his seed, especially with his cock already so far down my throat, but amazingly I managed, barely able to catch a breath as his knot filled the end of my maw. He was moaning very loudly, pushing in as if he hadn't yet gone deep enough, until at last his orgasm faded. Just to be cruel he held his cock inside my maw for a few moments longer, until eventually he released my head.

His cum made a long trail between my tongue and his tip, which he teasingly wiped against my muzzle. I frowned at him, but Loki bent forward and licked it clean off my face before I could say anything. His seed was warm, and like his precum tasted quite sweet, but salty as well, a taste that would likely stay on my tongue for the rest of the evening.

"Thank you," Loki said, getting down to his knees with me. He gave me a long, deep kiss, and I was happy to kiss him back. Our tongues mashed together fervently as I shared the flavour of his fox-seed with him, which he seemed to enjoy as much as I did. When the kiss finally broke, Loki nuzzled me and I held him tightly, nuzzling back.

"We should go find something to eat," I quietly suggested, giving his cheek a gentle kiss. "And maybe get dressed too."

Loki smiled and laughed softly, pushing his head into my chest for a moment as if trying desperately to not let go, but with some reluctance he did. I just watched his cute bum disappear beneath his large leather pants, blushing the entire time.

When he finished, I was quick to pull up my pants and reclaim my shirt from the other side of the pagoda where I'd left it. We then left the Serenity Gardens with quiet smiles on our faces, caught in the soft afterglow, certain everyone we passed by knew exactly what we'd done.

Eventually Loki and I made our way outside the city walls and into the camps, finding the mercenary camp easily enough. As expected, the sellswords who had actually stayed had set up a modest camp, though they had enough food to share with Loki and I. We set up our own tent, realizing quickly that my coin would be gone before we disembarked if I continued to rent rooms every night. Potentially, at least, depending on when the rebel forces decided to move out.

The following week passed by slowly, the latter half seeing near constant rainfall. Despite that, I stayed out in the camps with the rest of the soldiers, doing my best to keep busy but finding it difficult. I played different card games for the most part, winning (and losing) myself plenty of food and coin. I also gambled on various tabletop games I hadn't yet played before, many of which were simply variants on games I used to play back in the old days with Midland's army, and even before in the few mercenary bands I'd joined. They had chess, of course, and strange form of checkers, plus an interesting tile game I didn't understand at first. Some of the men were getting restless, and passed the time brawling. Despite the numerous rain-soaked fights that broke out, and the dozens of eager eyes upon me, they knew better than to pick a fight with the Yaoguai Hu.

Eventually, after wandering around a bit, Loki and I found Zhang in the camps, wading through a sea of pandas before finding him. Zhang and I trained more, this time with actual training dummies and other soldiers. While not great, he was improving significantly. I showed him how to use his enemy's momentum and movements against them in order to deflect attacks and strike back. That was especially difficult for him, as he wasn't particularly nimble on his feet, but at least I had the enjoyment of hitting him dozens of times with my practice sword.

What amazed me most was his perseverance. Nothing like the panda I'd first met, he was always eager to learn new techniques or practice old ones, and didn't even mind taking a dozen blows if it meant improving. We trained for hours in the rain, both of us absolutely coated in mud by the end. Loki, of course, stayed out of it, remaining inside Zhang's tent in favour of warmth and comfort. Regardless, Zhang and I, stripped of most of our clothes, continued on in the mud and the rain, fortunately getting cleaned by the downpour though we got covered from head to toe.

By the time the rain stopped, it had already been three days into the following week, and still no word from the General. I'd reclaimed my armour and gear, and my broken sword, from the guards barracks and moved them into Zhang's tent, who was kind enough to let Loki and I stay there. A few times, with the lack of privacy, Loki and I had to sneak off to have some alone time, for a bit of fun in the woods, or sometimes the Serenity Gardens.

Loki and I had quickly become very comfortable with each other, and often found ourselves craving the other at the strangest times. Loki, for instance, seemed to almost always want it after watching me train, and I definitely got him going a few times during lunch or dinner, usually by touching him inappropriately with my footpaw from beneath the table. We usually didn't stop everything we were doing to go have sex, but it was hard to think about anything else until we got it. A few times, I even let the fox try a couple runes on me, such as the rune to create greater amounts of seed; that one was mostly for his benefit.

By the time the second week passed since moving out into the camps, sleeping with the arctic fox didn't feel even remotely strange. We both wanted it and both loved it, and we could even be passionate about it when we wanted to be. Even the thought of growing that close to Loki no longer seemed like such a foreign thing, it almost seemed natural now. It usually started off with just some harmless flirting, but sure as the sunrise, it almost always ended with one of us howling.

"C'mere," I said, holding onto Loki's thick tail. He simply smiled and turned around, his tail slipping from my paw as he did.

Loki was nude, standing in the middle of Zhang's tent attaching a new bracelet around his left wrist, which made a total of seven on that arm. I was lying as comfortably as I could on an old bedroll, though the sleeping furs made it more bearable. With a smile, Loki followed my prompt and climbed under the soft hide and fur blankets, snuggling as close to me as possible.

I put my arms around the fox and gave him a good squeeze, his little body exceptionally warm. I had just been freshly bandaged the night before, so I wasn't totally naked as the fox's fur entangled with mine. But I was as close as I was going to get, and Loki loved it all the same. He nuzzled into my chest as his paws groped at my muscular body, and I simply rubbed his back.

"You're going to have to get up eventually," noted the fox, curling up into an adorable white-furred ball.

I just groaned, loathing the idea. Zhang had already gotten up to seek out breakfast, while Loki was about to do the same before I pulled him back in.

"Do you think he heard us last night?" I asked Loki as I ran my claws through the fur on his back. He seemed to especially like that.

"Who knows," shivered the fox. "I know I was trying to be as quiet as possible, you made a few noises though. We could have left the tent, you know, I wouldn't have minded."

I shrugged. "I didn't think a blowjob would be that noisy."

"Well if he heard us, he didn't say anything. We probably shouldn't do it again, though, I mean...he didn't have to invite us to stay here. It wouldn't be very courteous."

I sighed quietly, knowing the fox was right. "Yeah, I guess. But maybe you shouldn't be such a tease."

Loki frowned. "I didn't even do anything, you're the one who had idle paws. I was just trying to sleep."

"You were touching my balls."

The fox started to blush. "I didn't do it on purpose. Besides, even if I did, we don't always have to do something if one of us so much as touches the other. Sometimes just touching can be fun too."

With a paw I forced the fox out from his nicely-formed ball of white fuzz, Loki facing me again. "You mean like this?" I said, then pulled Loki in close to me, my paw gripping his right butt-cheek as our sheathes mashed together.

Loki gasped at first, then louder as he realized what I was doing, holding his paws against my chest as if to push away. But ultimately he stayed put, blushing harder as he felt my stiffening sheath against his, holding back a moan.

"Y-Yeah," he exhaled. "Like that." He then closed his eyes and relaxed, melting into me. Soon Loki was fully erect, but refused to react even as I groped his bum. I wasn't even sure he was still awake, yet I continued trying to get a rise out of him, but to no avail. Finally I sighed and stopped, and in no time my cock had softened and sunk back into my sheath.

"You're no fun," I grunted, and the fox just nipped me.

"Let's get something to eat."

And so at last I threw off my warm, comfortable bed sheets and greeted the chill of the morning's misty air. I begrudgingly threw on my smallclothes and pants, this time going for my sleeveless leather top, the snugger, thicker material more likely to keep my body warm than the loose, light fabric of the tunic. Loki, who wore his typical attire of ratty ancient pants and soft, snug leather half-top, approved of my decision by blushing and looking away.

As we left the tent in search of food, I glanced at the arctic fox and said, "Don't you think we're past this whole blushing thing?"

That didn't help the fox's situation.

"I mean, I don't blush every time you put on your top. Are you really that embarrassed?"

Loki grumbled to himself. "No, I just...like what I see, is all. I can't help it. Is it really such a big deal?"

"No," I laughed, "It's not. I think it's kinda cute."

The sun was just starting to rise above the distant trees by the time the scent of cooking meat found my nose, and I followed it carefully through the dozens of groggy soldiers and their identical-looking tents, only distinguished by a banner or a post. Luckily the food tent was easy enough to find, it was the biggest and had the largest crowd surrounding it. Plus the smoke billowing from it looked much different from the numerous burning fire pits scattered throughout the camp.

Luckily by this point the cooks knew me by name, so getting some food from them wasn't the arduous task it had been. Most of the other sellswords had to fend for themselves when it came to finding food, unless they were being sponsored by one of the rebels, so I guess it was lucky they wanted to feed me. One of the few moments, I suppose, where being the Hero of Xin'an actually got me something useful.

Breakfast was a modest serving of dumplings and rice balls, served with a couple helpings of glazed tofu and a pawful of dried fruit. It was nothing like the breakfasts I was so used to in Midland, and nothing like what I could pay good coin for here, but it satisfied me well enough to last me until lunch, and the price was certainly right.

Loki and I sat close together by a small campfire with a few other soldiers I didn't know. They were talking amongst themselves, discussing their families and children, everyone they'd left behind in order to join this uprising. Although no one said it, you could tell by the sorrowful longing in their voices, no one expected to return home after attacking Tao'zhan.

Loki and I shared a glance while we ate. I had no idea what he was thinking, but I was suddenly reminded of his lecture he'd given me shortly after finding me here, about my recklessness in battle. He wasn't wrong. I no longer had anyone to live for back home, in fact I had no home at all, nothing to return to when the war was finally over, regardless of the victor.

And I knew I'd live to see the end of this war.

I had always persevered, and for the greater part of my life I had no idea that I never had a choice in the matter. My inner darkness, Nosferatu, my black shadow, it had always kept me alive no matter how dire the circumstances. It had sent me on many a dark journey I thought I would never return from, but I had always found the light again. And yet despite all of that, the inevitability of life, in that moment as I gazed into Loki's icy blue eyes, I found myself wanting to persevere, and afraid to fail at doing so.

Such a strange feeling this was, I hadn't felt this necessity for life since...before. Before, when I had someone I cared for, someone I lived for. He was the only someone I lived for. He was someone I would have gone through hell and back for, someone I would have laid down my sword for. He was someone who fueled my inner darkness, who fueled my and its need for life. Then in an instant, that need was gone, taken from me, as well as the fear.

"You all right?" a concerned arctic fox asked, rubbing my arm supportively.

"Yeah," I answered softly, stifling a tear. I had tried for so long to forget these things, yet bit by bit it seemed to be coming back to me, just as Loki had said it would. I sighed and turned away, barely able to finish my last ball of rice.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, Loki, just...forget it."

When I felt his sweet paw upon my back, that quiet, creeping fear sunk into me, digging its claws into my heart. I had nearly forgotten how unpleasant this fear was, this fear of death, this fear of my myself, and of Nosferatu. There was no danger around me, not yet, but like my inner darkness it was there, hiding but definitely, unquestionably there, waiting to rear its ugly black head at the worst possible time.

I had to sigh, clenching my paws into fists for just a moment, then releasing them as if it would take the stress with it. It didn't. Why did this have to happen now? Or at all, for that matter.

"You sure?"

"Yes," I said more angrily than I meant to. It made the fox back away for a second. "Yes," I repeated, a bit more calmly that time. "Let's just get out of here."

With that, I shoved the last rice ball in my maw and got up, hoping my brisk walk back to Zhang's tent would take everything off my mind. As expected, Loki was not far behind.

"I wish you'd tell me what's wrong. I've known you long enough to see when something's bothering you. Is it about that messenger?"

I shook my head, just six tents or so away from Zhang's. "No, it's not that. Just...something on my mind. I don't want to talk about it and I don't want you to worry. Please?"

Loki stared at me for a long while, then finally nodded. "I can't promise I won't worry, but I'll do as you wish."

"Good. Now let's find Zhang."

Surprisingly, the young panda wasn't in his tent, which was where he usually went to eat his breakfast. There wasn't even the lingering scent of savoury dumplings, so he had to have taken it elsewhere. But I hadn't seen him back at the food tent, nor anywhere between there and his tent. Perhaps he'd gone straight to the training grounds.

The training grounds wasn't far from Zhang's tent. It was a large area close to the edge of the camp, though still surrounded by soldiers' tents. The grounds themselves was separated by an eight-sided wall, ruins, I'd been told, from a once towering temple. All that remained was the crumbling stone-and-mortar foundation, but at least now it saw more practical use.

There was five practice dummies set up, as well as a pawful of different types of wooden weapons, plus some cheap armour made just for training. Most people I saw trained with the practice swords, some wooden, some very dull steel. Others practiced with their various polearms, and a few targets for the archers. When Loki and I arrived after breakfast, there was but one lonely soldier training, as well as a familiar young panda finishing up his meal.

"Oh," Zhang said with his mouth full, spitting a some half-chewed rice at me, "hey, Luca. Hi Loki."

Loki, as always, remained silent, and I gave the panda a curt nod.

"You're here early," I pointed out.

Finally Zhang swallowed. "Yeah, I know. I wanted to get finished early today because, um..." The panda started to blush and looked away, turning toward the steel training swords.

I couldn't help but smile, being instantly reminded of my white-furred companion. "Go on," I chuckled, already forgetting about my own problems.

"Oh, it's just that... Well, I met another panda the other day, I mean, one who's...more like me. Or us, I guess. He grew up on a farm, just like me, except his farm grew more than just rice. His name is Tengfei, and he used to live in the north but he said Xu's soldiers burned down all their crops and his home, slaughtered all the animals, salted the land... Anyway, he's a pretty good fighter, said his father used to fight in the Imperial Jade Army before the Exile, so he's had lots of training. What I'm saying is, I'm gonna meet up with him tonight, maybe make a trip to Mount Tai..."

"Aah," I said with a cheeky grin, glancing down at Loki. He was unmoved. "Well good for you, kid, it's nice to see you're making some friends around here. Someone to watch your back out there, in case I ain't around to help you."

Zhang just shrugged as a response, still blushing as he reached for the steel swords. "Are you going to train with me again today?" he asked, pulling a couple out of the stand they were stored in. It was as if he already knew my answer.

I nodded, taking the sword from him. We both threw on a set of stiff, bamboo training armour, which covered my chest, shoulders, upper arms and fell just below my waist, to protect my hips and crotch. It had a few parts strung to it to protect the sides of my ribs, though unfortunately on Zhang, it couldn't quite cover the whole area, though I tried not to hit him too hard.

After the rain had finally stopped a few days ago, Zhang and I tried practicing for the first time with the steel swords. I told him he'd have to get used to the weight of a proper sword, and while he groaned about it and wasn't all that keen on the idea, he was still just as eager to try it out. Luckily for him the training blades were so dull you couldn't even cut paper. Of course they still hurt like a bitch when you got hit by one, but better a bruise than a lost limb.

"So what're we gonna practice today?" asked the eager panda, swinging his dull blade around in elegant circles. The ground was still damp from all the rain.

"Same thing as always, Zhang." Most of our training at this point involved perfecting his technique, and mine as well since I rarely used a sword this small. Nevertheless, he had improved immensely since we'd first started training, even when I was trying to hit him. Though he wasn't so good at dodging my attacks, he'd certainly managed to parry a few and even snuck in a few counters. The panda was slow on his feet, but amazingly deft with his hands. With more practice, he could probably start using a larger sword and plough through his enemies like I did. But that would have to come later.

"Good!" I growled as he blocked a few more of my attacks. I was going a little rougher on Zhang today, attacking more openings than I tended to. He needed to learn where he left himself vulnerable, which as we were discovering, was in even more places than he realized. Still, the resilient panda kept at it, though I could tell he was going to have at least a dozen new bruises by the end of the day.

"You might want to invest in heavier armour," I told Zhang as I struck his sword, meant mostly as a gibe but also as a serious suggestion. If he was going to be this slow on the battlefield, then a few more pieces of armour would go a long way in helping him survive. Still, it was enough to provoke him into attacking me, all of which either missed or were otherwise blocked.

As the sun began to rise and break up the morning's mist, it took little time for me to start heating up in the training armour. Soon my shirt was damp with sweat and I was panting like an animal, Zhang even more so. After a short break my top was off and though I was tempted to go on without the armour, a few tender spots convinced me otherwise.

I couldn't tell how long we'd been sparing for before Zhang finally had to call it quits. I nodded at the poor, no doubt hungry panda and put our training gear away. There was a dozen more soldiers practicing by this point, so it was just as well we stopped since it was getting a bit too crowded for my taste. Zhang sat to my left on the ruined stone wall, still panting and having a long drink of fresh water, which he graciously offered me.

"You're improving every day," I pointed out, wiping a few drops from my chin. When I glanced down at Loki, I had to smile as he suddenly looked away blushing. "And I was serious about the armour. I don't know when we're going to be moving out, but you ain't exactly quick on your feet. A bit more protection would do you some good."

Zhang reclaimed his waterskin and nodded, taking another large swig. "I'll have to see what the quartermaster says. Any word on your sword yet? Hope they didn't forget about it."

I had to shrug, taking another gulp of water. "Not yet. I'm tempted to just burst into the Royal Palace and start making demands."

The sweaty young panda just laughed. When he finished the last of his water, he furrowed his brow and shook the empty skin, obviously not satisfied. "There's a river nearby where I've been filling this up, you can come with me if you'd like? Maybe I'll freshen up a bit, too, especially before I meet Tengfei."

That probably wasn't a bad idea. I couldn't recall the last time I'd cleaned myself, which usually meant it was a good time to do it. "Loki?"

He still couldn't look at me, but as he readjusted a couple of his bracelets, the arctic fox finally nodded. And so Loki, Zhang and I left the training grounds in search of more water, grabbing my shirt before taking off away from the camp.

Flowing from Mount Tai, the river's water was amazingly clear and icy cold, even as the air slowly warmed up. There was still a fair number of corpses in the torn up field outside of Xin'an, further away from the city and from us, thankfully, people still burying their dead. Though I had grown used to this sight long ago, I could tell it still made Zhang uncomfortable, and he did his best to ignore it. When at last we stopped, it was by a small group of trees that had miraculously survived the bloody battle.

"I've been coming out here to meditate," said Zhang as he knelt by the gently flowing river, "when the smell isn't too bad, anyway. I like the Serenity Gardens and all, but sometimes it helps to remind myself of the price we pay for war. It's kinda humbling, you know?"

There was probably a time when I did know, I would have been just a child then. And even still, I'm not sure I ever really sat down and thought about the all the death and destruction I and the other mercenaries had wrought. Perhaps I was too young to fully comprehend the weight of taking another man's life. Before long it had just become commonplace, something we all did, something we had to do in order to survive to see another day. Then we would do it all over again.

When I glanced back at the camp and all the busy soldiers, then back out into the bloody field, I began to realize just how little I cared about these pandas. I mean really cared. I wanted them to live to the extent that living, and winning, would mean more coin in my purse and food in my mouth, but nothing more. What did that say about me? Is that what made me the Yaoguai Hu?

With a quiet sigh, I watched Zhang fill his waterskin and guzzle most of it down a second later. Having learned much about etiquette from my time in Midgard - Midland's capitol - I knelt down next to the river and simply stuck my face in, taking in substantial gulps of water until I needed a breath. Water sprayed all over the place as I leaned back up, flowing out of my fur and onto my pants, soaking them quickly. I heard Zhang snort, but he decided to stick with his waterskin, filling it once more.

"It's actually pretty refreshing," I said to Loki, who seemed unimpressed. Zhang, his thirst amply quenched, began to remove his clothes with little hesitation. "See?" I gestured toward the panda, as if to encourage the arctic fox over, but he seemed uninterested in all things river-related.

I just shook my head and removed my pants, which got a tiny reaction from Loki but nothing else. When I tossed them back toward my shirt, back toward the rock Loki was leaning against, I turned back and nearly gasped out loud to see Zhang's shaft dangling from his hips, scars where his sheath would be.

I knew Loki noticed it too, and I tried desperately not to stare, and so I busied myself with removing my smallclothes, tossing them aside but unable to get that image out of my head. Even as Zhang waded into the river to about his waist, I found his crotch difficult to look at, but impossible to turn away.

"This is always the worst part," yelped the plump panda, water lapping at his balls. But at last, with a high-pitched howl he sunk his nethers below the frigid water and up to his chest, just as I began to step in.

"Christ that's cold," I growled, glancing once again back at Loki. "Come on in!"

Loki grumbled something incoherently to himself, just like the same old Loki I'd always known. He did stand up straight, though, scratching his exposed belly, annoyingly unsure.

Ignoring the fox now, I stepped further into the river just as Zhang resurfaced, having dived down to wash himself. I pretended not to notice him check me out as he wiped the water from his eyes, though he may have also been glancing at my scars. Of course he had already seen most of them, but perhaps there was still some he'd missed.

Once I managed to get my sheath and balls below the icy water - I didn't yelp like Zhang, but I could see why he did now - the panda and I splashed about, probably having more fun than we should have. Loki, predictably, stayed close to the shore but remained dry. He seemed annoyed by something, quite possibly the fact most of my bandages had come off in the river, and the ones still attached would need to be replaced.

"Come on," I laughed, splashing water toward the fox, who easily stepped out of the way. "This is how you used to play, isn't it? And wash yourself."

Loki nodded, seeming distant. "Yeah," he eventually said, his gaze finally coming down to Zhang and I. "Yeah, I did. It would've been colder than this river, I'm sure of it. But that was a long time ago."

"You can still enjoy it," I told him, working my way back toward the shoreline. My fur was three times heavier as it carried the river water with it, pouring off me like some kind of walking striped waterfall. Without any warning, I suddenly lunged at the distant fox and wrapped my arms around him.

Loki squealed and howled and thrashed about angrily as I got him and his clothes all wet, but all I could do was laugh. I picked him up off his feet - easy to do when I was two heads taller than him - and growled and I dragged him back toward the river. All his noise had gained the attention of some of our fellow soldiers further upstream, most of whom got a good chuckle.

Despite his raucous objections, when I got back in up to my waist, I simply dropped Loki where I stood, creating an amazing splash. Zhang had been laughing the entire time, frankly I was starting to worry he wouldn't be able to breathe, but he seemed all right. Loki just splashed about furiously as he corrected himself, and when he was able to properly stand he attacked me.

"You son of a bitch!" he snarled, punching me in the stomach. It didn't hurt, but I could see he wanted it to. He punched me a few more times then pushed me back. "I could god-damn drown you right now if I wanted to," he went on, "you have no idea what my runes are capable of!"

I just smiled at the angry arctic fox and gave him a little splash. His eyes flared with rage, and upon splashing him again, he ran at me. I received another few punches, this time with his claws out. I couldn't help but laugh, well aware he could probably kill me where I stood if he really wanted to, but I knew he wouldn't, and I think deep down he knew I knew. And so Loki and I wrestled in the mountain's river for a good long while until I managed once again to pick him up and plunge him into the river.

When Loki surfaced, he threw a dozen profanities at me before I knelt down and shut him up with a kiss. It was a soft kiss, eyes closed as the river flowed around us both, and Loki embraced it quickly. Though it was hard to tell, I thought a couple tears rolled down his cheeks as I pulled away, the arctic fox perfectly calm now.

"Gods forsake you," he muttered, slowly getting up. Begrudgingly, the fox removed his pants and his top and threw the heavy balls of clothes toward the shore, and together Loki, Zhang and I splashed about in the water, bathing and having fun, forgetting for a moment this country was still locked in a bloody civil war.

Zhang had left before the sunset to meet Tengfei, his potential mate and fellow soldier, while Loki and I retired to the panda camp to dry off and get some rest. It was a quiet evening, and we both sat by a communal campfire the other pandas had started, some of them singing traditional Eastern Lander songs. Though I didn't understand the words, I somehow got the sense they were very spiritual songs, songs about their old ways of life and what they were striving to regain.

When our fur was thoroughly dry, Loki and I at last made our way back to Zhang's tent where we nestled down for the night, forgoing the fresh bandages as the wounds seemed to have mostly healed, or at least enough where they weren't splitting open again. I held the small fox close to me, and it was wonderful to feel his warm, white fur against mine, no longer shielded by the bandages. We snuggled as close as ever, myself giving the arctic fox a few good squeezes until we both relaxed.

"Um," Loki started, breaking a long silence, "I'm sorry for getting so mad before."

I smiled, kissing the fox between his ears. "I understand, Loki, maybe I went a bit far."

The fox shook his head, burrowing back further into my chest and stomach. "It's not that... Well, that was part of it, it's just...I was lost in thought, was all. All these pandas, they fight because they long for the past, for the way things used to be, and they're so close to achieving it. When we were at the river, I suddenly remembered how things used to be when I was a child, my village and the Mountain River. I'll never get those days back, no matter how badly I want it. You two splashing in the river...it reminded me of an innocence I never got a chance to appreciate."

I gave Loki another good squeeze. "Well I, for one, am glad for the way things turned out. I mean, I know life's been pretty shitty for you, but uh...I dunno, I like where we are now. You were right when you said I was being careless in battle, because I didn't give two fucks if I lived or died. But now, I guess...I'm glad I'm still alive. And I'm going to keep on living. You know...for you."

Loki remained as motionless as he was silent. Only the slightest, quietest sniffle gave him away. He said nothing for a good long while, as if still trying to process the information. His little paws then gripped around my forearm and he nuzzled back into me some more, sniffling again. I could feel his heart beating quickly now, a rapid, heavy thumping against his chest. He was breathing deeply through his nose, then let out a long, almost painful sigh.

"You all right?" I asked him.

Loki just nodded. "Yeah, Luca. I'm fine. I just... There's no place I'd rather be than here with you. I know you probably think I'm strange or something, but I really will follow you to the ends of the earth, I mean that. Even if you had continued to reject me, that was how I felt and that will never change. I was...more happy than I knew how to express when you decided to keep me around, and now...I guess I still don't know how to express it. I will do anything for you, Luca, know that. I'm yours, I was always yours, even when neither of us knew it. Luca, I..."

The arctic fox quietly groaned as he trailed off, unable to finish his thoughts. But I think I knew what he was trying to say.

"I know, Loki. Me too."

The fox sighed again and I gently rubbed his soft belly, which made his bushy tail flick. I gave him another soft kiss and in no time the fox was asleep. I had to smile as I felt myself dozing off, so cozy and warm beneath the soft hide blankets, holding onto my old nemesis as closely as possible.

When morning broke, amazingly I was the first one awake. Loki was still curled up beside me, snoring softly, Zhang nowhere to be found. I could only assume the panda hadn't come back last night, which made me smirk.

After a big long stretch, Loki still curled beneath the blankets, I gave his smooth hips a gentle rub, but ultimately decided to get up. The sun was just beginning to rise when I stepped out of the tent, the air cool against my fur. With just a ratty pair of pants on, I went in search of food, gathering two portions for myself and my faithful arctic companion. When I got back, the scent of hot food stirred the canine awake.

"You got food already?" he said groggily, wiping the crusty sleep from his eyes, sitting up and leaning on one paw. "Some of that had better be for me."

I held a plate out to Loki, and he took it slowly, clearly still waking up. "How long have you been awake for?" he asked me.

I shrugged, mouth already stuffed full of rice and meat. "'Bout a half hour, maybe?" I said before waiting to swallow. Loki did not appreciate the extra rice I spat at him. "You slept a lot longer than usual."

"Guess I was more tired than usual. Plus uh..." As expected, Loki began to blush. "I was pretty comfortable..."

I simply winked at the little fox and we finished our healthy, albeit a little bland, breakfast and curled up in bed again, myself quickly getting nude again. I always enjoyed downtime between battles, but it had already been a few weeks and I was starting to get restless and bored. Though I didn't mind snuggling with Loki, amongst other activities, I was getting a little anxious and needed something to do.

"So what was up with Zhang's sheath?" I suddenly blurted out, which surprised the relaxed fox.

"Uh... What?"

"You noticed it, didn't you? At the river. I mean...he didn't have one. Is that normal? All the other pandas I saw had a sheath, do you think it's some weird tradition or something?"

"If it was a tradition, don't you think you'd see more like that?"

"I dunno, but it creeped me out a little. His cock was just flopping about freely, it was weird."

"Why the hell are we even discussing this? Maybe something was wrong with it at birth and it needed to be removed, I don't know. I'm really not interested in Zhang's sheath or his cock. I'm much more interested in--"

My ears immediately perked. "Yes?" I said with a wide grin. "Finish what you were saying."

Loki was blushing again, a much deeper red this time. "Never mind."

I had to laugh. "No, no, not 'never mind.' You can't just say something like that, stop mid-sentence then just say 'never mind.' Tell me what you were gonna say!"

Loki grumbled incoherently. "You know what I was going to say."

"Maybe, maybe not. You're much more interested in what? I wanna hear you say it."

Loki sighed. "I'm much more interested in...yours. Your sheath. Happy now?"

I squeezed the arctic fox. "I have been sated. And also good to know."

The poor embarrassed fox just frowned, trying to hide his face. I shook my head and ran my paw through his fur, over his chest and belly and his hips. He could be as cute as he was devilish sometimes. After all we'd done together, for some reason discussing personal matters still made Loki squirm. I suppose some people would never be comfortable talking about that sort of thing, no matter how often they'd done it.

"So any plans for the day?" I asked the fox, idly stroking his curvy left side.

"No," he said, still pointed away from me. With very little effort, I turned Loki onto his back, and at last he glanced up at me. As always, his face gave nothing away. I just smiled and rubbed his soft belly, which made the fox close his eyes. I continued doing this for a good long while until the fox opened his eyes again, cold and icy blue.

"I think Zhang had his sheath cut off by that lion he'd mentioned before, the one who trains and sells slaves."

My head flicked back at the sudden change in subject. I guess this was how Loki felt when I first brought it up. "I thought you weren't interested."

"I'm not, really. But it makes sense, I suppose, though I don't know what the point would be. I guess it makes them more submissive, but there's hundreds of ways to make people submit. Maybe the guy has a collection or something."

"So, were you thinking this the entire time I was petting you?"

Loki made a face that said I was being ridiculous. "No, it just sorta popped into my head."

"Ah, okay," I said skeptically, sticking my forefinger into my mouth immediately after. Loki glanced at me curiously, and once it was thorough moistened, I lowered it toward Loki's nether regions and told him, "Well I can certainly be thankful for having my sheath, and I'm definitely thankful for yours."

And with that, I slid my slimy digit across the small opening atop Loki's sheath, which somehow surprised him, but not nearly as much as when my finger suddenly slithered inside. I felt around the warm, wet inside of his protective sheath, pulling my finger out just enough so I could slide in another, spreading open his hole just a little more.

Predictably, Loki let out a good long moan, soft and quiet. My wet fingers slid in and out of his sheath with the utmost care, poking and prodding as delicately as I could. Loki seemed to love it, the white-furred fox squirming helplessly beneath me. I think he was even humping a little into my fingers, which was a welcomed surprise.

When I pulled both fingers all the way out, his hot red tip poked out immediately and continued to grow, though most of his cock remained inside. Vaguely sticky, but mostly slick, I rubbed Loki's tip with my wet fingers, purposely slow. Loki was almost panting now, ears flat and blush splashed across his face. His left paw gripped my forearm desperately, but I knew if he really wanted me to stop, he'd do more than hold my arm there.

When he opened his eyes, Loki smiled at me. I stopped for now, but kept my fingers upon the tip of his throbbing cock. "No one's ever cared this much about pleasuring me before," he said softly. "I was always the one who had to please others, but you seem to enjoy doing this to me as much as I enjoy receiving it. It doesn't feel right, my instincts tell me to stop you, that I'm being selfish. But you really, truly enjoy doing this to me, don't you."

I smiled down at the little fox. "Yes I do, Loki, very much so. You know this whole sex thing, it's a two-way street. We can't have just one of us doing the pleasing, we both have to work together, please each other, and everything will turn out great!"

His icy eyes suddenly had a devilish glint to them, and before I could figure out what he was thinking, Loki had already pushed his paw down my ratty old pants and located my sheath, sliding his finger right inside. Except once he had his finger in, he gave it a good tug - which I admit made me yelp pretty loudly - guiding me atop him. My nethers lit up as his finger explored the inside of my sheath, forcing the slightest moan out of my maw.

He moved his fingers around as if to churn up the slick insides, which of course made me instantly hard. Even the fox groaned a little as he pushed his fingers as far inside as he could, until at last retrieving them and giving his fingers a deep, long whiff.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," Loki groaned, blushing but hardly embarrassed. He gave his fingers a lick, then another good sniff, definitely savouring the aroma. "This...is the very essence of your scent, that smell I love so much. It's thick, it's strong, warm and heady... I'd smelled it before, sure, but never like this, never so purely. You must think I'm a freak..."

I laughed warmly at the arctic fox, nuzzling our cheeks together. He was incredibly warm. "I don't think you're a freak, Loki, don't be silly. It's different, I'll admit, but you must know by now that I'm pretty easy-going when it comes to stuff like this. I even tried some of your runes out, remember?"

Loki nodded. "Of course I remember."

I gave the fox a little kiss, then another one, until at some point our tongues met and we were kissing each other much more deeply, for more passionately. As I became harder, Loki snuck a couple fingers down my shaft and beneath my sheath, then a couple more until it seemed he was stroking my shaft with his fingers caught under my soft, protective flesh. I moaned softly into the kiss, amazed at how sensitive I was. Perhaps we would have to do it like this all the time.

It was funny, no matter how much I thought I knew the little arctic fox, somehow he always managed to throw something new my way. I had heard of people having strange obsessions with various specific body parts, sheathes included, but had never been with one. And for as long as I'd known Loki, I'd never known him to be particularly kinky, much less with such an unusual fetish. Yet here we were, the fox getting so much more out of it than I was, and believe me, I was loving every moment.

"L-Luca," moaned the fox, no longer stroking me but I was plenty wet. "I want you inside me," he said in a hard, horny voice. "I mean...here." Loki then gestured toward his own sheath, plump and full of fox-cock.

I wasn't all that surprised, at least not as much as I would've been had he just suggested it out of the blue. This was definitely a new experience for me, this sheath play, and this, this was something entirely different. I mean, I suppose the principle was the same as what I'd done to him with my fingers, but would there be enough room? I guess there was only one way to know for sure...

"How should we..?" I began, up on my paws and knees now, moving toward the fox.

Loki shifted around a bit, blushing heavily and I think trying to figure out the logistics of it as well. "Uh," he said as he shifted again, and I tried moving too but it was incredibly awkward.

"Wait," I grunted, then began to turn around. But the fox moved about a bit more which made me second-guess myself, so now I really had no idea what the hell was going on. This was becoming more effort that it was worth.

"Keep turning," Loki growled, and soon my butt was pointing toward his face, nearly right in it. But the fox pushed himself back so our crotches were close together, and I could see now what he was trying to do. With my dripping cock pointed toward his sheath, which was pointed toward mine, I lowered myself as best I could, prodding the opening of his sheath with my barbed tip.

Loki groaned quietly, I think anticipating this immensely. He was grinding his hips into me as if I couldn't enter fast enough, and I had to use my paw to calm him down so I could aim.

"Just like that," he huffed, finally following my lead.

But before I could fully enter, having gotten just a finger's length in, a sudden dark chill ran up my spine. I froze immediately, my dark presence stirring awake, scraping its nasty claws against my stomach. It chuckled quietly, sensing the darkness of another, a Disciple of the Crimson King.

"L-Luca?" whimpered Loki, trying desperately to hold my cock in place, but soon he sensed what I was sensing. He was panting a little, but didn't let go. "It...could just be that messenger," he suggested, squirming a bit and still wanting more.

"I don't think so," I growled softly, soon letting out a big sigh. I felt anxious now, definitely not something that helped a horny tiger out. Though I tried to keep going for Loki's sake, he and I both knew this was over.

"I'm sorry," I exhaled, moving toward Loki's side and sitting next to him, no longer hard. Nosferatu, my dark presence, it was groaning and scratching constantly at my poor guts, twisting them and laughing at my pain. It wanted to meet this other and no doubt tear it apart. I silently cursed myself, though happily Loki tried to reassure me with a warm paw on my leg.

"I understand," Loki sighed, rubbing my leg. Unlike me, he was still hard. "We can continue this later, anyway. What're you going to do?"

"Not sure," I shrugged. This was one of the many reasons I left Midland to begin with, to rid myself of my past life and all the figurative and literal demons that had once plagued me. Now it seemed one of those literal demons had found me once more, perhaps I needed to take it out before it caused any serious harm. "Could it just be passing by?"

"Could be. I don't know exactly how far the Crimson King's influence had reached, perhaps some of his Disciples had made it as far as the Eastern Lands. Maybe even further. But if one of them was part of this army, surely you'd have found it by now, or it would have found you. Either way, it would have made its presence known."

"So what the hell are they doing here now? The Crimson King is dead, they don't need to hunt me anymore. Could it be they don't know? Maybe they still think they're following his orders."

Loki didn't look convinced. "Do you want me to find them for you, see what they're after? If they're that clueless, then maybe they won't know he had disowned me."

"How easily do you think you can find them?"

"Not sure. My sense isn't quite as acute as yours, but I can usually feel something. I mean, when it's not physically obvious. But the fact they managed to follow you here tells me they'll find you eventually, whether you stay here or not. But I can try to find them first, for what it's worth."

I nodded. "Thanks, Loki."

Loki nodded back, leaving soon after dressing himself. I just sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall of the tent, doing my best to ignore the relentless aching in my stomach. But of course, it was constantly there, which made sitting around all the more torturous. I tried for some more sleep, but that was impossible. It was almost enough to make me throw up, except by that point I was more or less used to the feeling.

In fact, it was well-nigh a nightly occurrence back in Midland, when being hunted by the Crimson King. Lurking in every shadow there was always a monster, every damn night. Some of them would attack, while others just liked to torture me with their veiled presence. Some nights were better than others, some I even slept throughout the night, but it was never without my own little demon raking its talons through my guts, chuckling, sensing they were near.

It took less than a week to realize just how much of a relief it was to finally be rid of those nights after finally leaving Midland. I hadn't appreciated a peaceful sleep beneath the stars more so than when I finally left, like all my worries and troubles had suddenly lifted off my shoulders. I almost felt like a new tiger, like I could actually start over and no longer be tortured by my past. Things had really started looking up, despite not having a job nor a single coin to my name.

But I should have known it wouldn't last. Though it had been years since I'd left Midland behind - years not even thinking about these Disciples, much less encountering any - it seemed that like Loki, they were catching up with me.

I let out a short growl, suddenly becoming acutely aware of my broken sword. I still hadn't received word on that, nor anything from General Zi. I was already starting to get used to the idea that whatever plans he thought he might have had for me, were now thrown aside like the rest of the sellsword rabble. To be fair, they hadn't literally been thrown aside, but they certainly weren't treated with much respect by just about everyone.

Perhaps I would have to be more proactive, assuming the guards outside the Royal Palace would even let me near the palace walls. If it was the same geniuses I'd encountered before, at least they would recognize me.

Suddenly, the tent flaps burst open and Zhang appeared, looking about as surprised as I was.

"Oh!" he cried, paw immediately flying to his chest as his entire body convulsed. "Luca, I didn't expect to see you here. What's going on? Why're you naked? Is Loki finding you some more bandages? Because I had six rolls before you guys moved in here, you couldn't have gone through them all already..."

I just shook my head, pretending not to notice the panda's shirt was on backwards. "He's just out doing me a favour, no need to worry. My wounds have healed pretty nicely by this point, so we're forgoing the bandages for now."

"Okay, and...why're you still naked?" The panda moved uncomfortably to the other side of the tent where he took a seat near his gear.

"I simply haven't gotten up yet. I mean, not up, up." I neglected to mention I'd gone out to get breakfast, and what transpired afterwards. All my important bits were covered anyway, so I wasn't sure why he assumed I was naked beneath the warm bedsheets in the first place. "So how'd things go with Tengfei?"

Zhang immediately began to blush. "Well surely you noticed I didn't come back last night..."

I gave the panda a grin and nodded knowingly. "I did, as a matter of fact."

"Mhm, so about that well. I could die in battle tomorrow and be a happy panda."

A quiet chuckle escaped my maw. "So are you going to see him again?"

"Oh, definitely. We've kinda gotta keep it secret though. I know a lot of us exiles are pretty tolerant, but a lot more of us aren't. Maybe after we win this war and place a better Emperor on the throne, things like that won't matter as much, but for now..."

I nodded. "I understand, kid. I guess I've been lucky, usually being the toughest guy in a crowd, most people who knew didn't have a choice but to accept. Didn't mean they liked it, believe me, but they knew better than to confront me about it. Knew they'd get their teeth knocked in if they started feeding me some of their pious bullshit, or whatever reasons they had for hating me. It ain't easy, though fortunately that was always the least of my problems."

"You're a good friend, Luca, I'm glad I met you. Even though you were kind of an ass when we first met."

"You're all right too," I said with a laugh. Despite the distraction, Nosferatu was still grinding away at my guts, twisting them while laughing at me. I couldn't tell if it'd gotten any worse or not, which I suppose was a good thing. "You wanna do any more training today? I'm starting to go a little stir-crazy hanging out in the camp so much. Any idea what's taking so long yet?"

Zhang shook his head. "Not really. All I was told was to keep an eye on you and to give you your medicine, which I did a pretty pitiful job at anyway. The others seem to think they're still drawing up plans. Tao'zhan's a pretty big city, you know. It's got half a dozen entrances into the lower city alone, plus another half dozen leading into the Upper City. As far as I know, the main gateway into Tao'zhan is through the Heaven's Gate, which leads into the Lower City. The Eastern Land's largest temple resides there, as well as a great deal of the city's agriculture, plus much of the poorer residences in the northern section."

"Sounds like you know the city pretty well."

Zhang shrugged. "My father used to talk about it all the time, said he grew up in the Lower City growing rice at the Temple of Agriculture. He was an orphan, he told me, living on the streets for most of his childhood. I guess he tried to rob the temple, but the monks there took pity on him and sort of adopted him, taught him how to grow crops, setting him to work in the rice fields in particular. That's what we grew on our farm, if I hadn't mentioned that before."

"You may have..." I honestly couldn't remember.

"Yeah, well anyway, from what I remember of my father's stories, the Emperor lives in the Palace of Supreme Enlightenment, which is surrounded by other great halls, all in the centre of the Forbidden City. My father told me he had only ever been there once, having accompanied the head monk from the Temple of Agriculture, but he didn't get to see much. He said it was the most magnificent part of Tao'zhan he had ever seen, everything was made of marble and gold, and the air was sweet and the streets impossibly clean. But um, the Forbidden City, the Emperor's home, it's very well fortified, that's what I'm trying to get at... High walls, a wide moat, sentries everywhere, only four entrances leading into it, great Halls that surround the Emperor's palace... Oh, and on top of that, the Forbidden City resides within another city - the Royal City - which has its own set of fortifications within the Upper City. It's mostly shrines and temples and gardens and stuff, but still, it's a lot of area to cover between the Upper City and the Forbidden City."

"Jesus," was all I could think to say. It sounded like besieging Tao'zhan was out of the question, so what options were left? I suppose that was what the General and his men were trying to come up with. From what I'd overheard around camp, Tao'zhan had never once been overtaken in all its years standing, so no doubt they would have to think pretty far outside the box. "It could be months before they devise a plan..."

Zhang shrugged again. "Yeah, I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. I mean, they must have known it would eventually come to this, if it came to this. They must at least have some idea on how to take the city."

"These other sellswords are gonna take one look at Tao'zhan and take off, I can promise you that."

Zhang suddenly looked extremely worried. "You don't really think they will, do you?"

"I'm certain of it. They don't do this for glory, they do it to get paid. And they don't get paid to fight battles they don't think they can win."

"So why did you stick around?"

"Because I ain't got anything else to live for." Of course that had changed now, perhaps I'd have to consider taking some cues from my fellow mercenaries and just count my losses and move on, let the pandas decide their own fate. I knew I wouldn't, but it was awfully tempting at this point.

"You've got Loki," Zhang pointed out needlessly, though it made me sigh anyway.

"Yeah I know. Look, let's stop worrying about this for now and do something to take our minds off it. What do you say?"

Zhang nodded. "Sounds good to me. I wouldn't mind some more training, if you're up to it."

"Yeah," I said, stretching my arms above my head, bones cracking at the joints. Though it took a bit of digging, I at last found my tattered linen pants and equally dishevelled shirt, and joined Zhang back at the training grounds, where for now we were the only ones. I hadn't seen Loki along the way, and the feeling that Disciples were around wasn't fading.

Zhang and I practiced in the hot late morning sun until some time after noon, where we both sat to eat some lunch and before long, Loki had eventually found us. He just shook his head at me when I asked without words how his search went. I just sighed and offered the little fox half the sandwich Zhang had made me, which seemed to make him smile.

As he ate, my gaze was suddenly transfixed by the thirteen bracelets he wore around his wrists - seven on the left, six on the right. It amazed me how he could do so many different things with them, each one was unique. Most of them were made out of dyed hemp, many of them with wooden beads of varying sizes and quantities. A few were made out of leather, likely scraps, and probably my favourite of the bunch was the one with several small stone beads woven into the braided leather, runes carved into each one. In the centre of that particular bracelet was one large rune, the one he told me was denoted to his namesake, the old trickster god.

"What're you staring at?" Loki frowned, after swallowing his food.

I smiled at him and leaned down, and much to my surprise the surly white fox let me kiss him right between his short little ears. He pretended to not like it, but I knew how he would react if he really didn't like it.

Loki just grunted with red on his cheeks, taking another bite of the sandwich.

After a few more minutes of rest, Zhang and I were at last ready to get back at it, practicing the same old moves we'd been doing the last couple weeks. Despite still being slow on his feet, he was showing signs of improvement, and I could tell many of his movements was out of reflex rather than consciously thinking about it.

But not long after starting again, I felt a particularly hard twist in my guts, hard enough to make me stop. Zhang slashed my arm with his dull metal practice blade, which stung but his celebration was short-lived. Soon he was apologizing, but turned as white as a ghost when he saw what had caught my attention.

Walking toward me along the edge of the camp, toward the training grounds, was a tall, well-dressed lion and two gruff old bears, one much older than the other. The bears must have been servants of some kind, both dressed poorly and looked unclean. The lion on the other hand, he was clearly highborn: his mane was dark and well-groomed, his clothes immaculate and fancy. None of them were clearly from around here, as they drew looks from just about everyone they passed.

But of course, their most distinguishing features was the dark secret they hid within, one no one else could see or feel, all except Nosferatu. My inner darkness saw them, wanted them, craved them, just like it always had. It had been a long time since I felt my darkness get this excited, its dark claws stretching out to investigate the newcomers, knowing who they really were, alerting me with sheer delight.

Zhang was petrified. "Th-That's... That's him, Luca. That's the one, that's the lion," he managed to spit out, backing away. I stepped between the lion and Zhang, finally gazing into his dark, evil eyes.

It was him all right, I sensed his demon even before I saw those eyes. They were darker than the night sky, two small voids hungry for light. He continued to approach, seeming un-phased by my death stare, grinning like a confident fool, until at last he stopped only a few body lengths away from me, two bears behind him on either side. It wasn't until they stopped when I realized a few more had arrived with them, though I hadn't the time to check them out.

The lion glanced past me toward Zhang, still grinning that evil smile. "Panda," he said as if greeting a friend, "it truly is good to see you again. Pity we never got to finish our sessions together."

"Kill him, Luca!" Zhang snarled, though still wasn't brave enough to step forward. "Kill that monster."

A glance back from me silenced the poor, frightened panda. He was even too afraid to run.

"Unfortunately," the lion continued, "I haven't come for you, panda. To say so would suggest I cared enough about your pitiful life to make retrieving you even the slightest bit worthwhile. You will die soon anyway, all your kind will, that I have no doubt."

My anxious little demon was reacting to his, and I could feel his reacting back. But why was he not attacking?

"Why have you come here?" I growled, showing the posh lion my teeth. "Your king is dead, you have no reason to hunt me now. But if it is a fight you're after, know I will rip you apart, that much is certain."

The lion was appalled. "N-No, Your Grace!" he said apologetically, holding out his paws. Much to my surprise, and Zhang's, the lion suddenly bent his knee, bowing before me. "I would never dream of such a thing," he said, arm crossed against his chest and head still bowed. He wouldn't even look up at me, much less make eye contact. "Unless you wished it, of course."

"What...the fuck..?" was all I could think to say, looking at his small entourage. Each one of them had bent the knee, bowing their heads dutifully. This was way too weird, and Zhang was as speechless as I was. My twisted death-stare quickly began to crumble, turning more into a face of utter confusion. "What the hell is all this?"

But when I turned to Loki, the little god-damn arctic fox had bent the knee as well, arm across his chest, and was doing it with about as much fervor as the others. I took a step back, wrinkling my nose at this disgusting display, face scrunched up as I struggled to understand.

"You...are the Crimson King, my liege," the lion explained. "We are all bound to you for eternity, here to serve in both the mortal world and in Hel.

"...What?"

"You are the new ruler of Hel, Your Grace, surely you must--"

"No..."

"Your...Grace?

"No!" I snarled, shaking my head; I'd heard enough. My fists immediately balled into fists and I stomped just once toward the lion, managing to hold myself back for now. But my teeth were bared and nothing could suppress my enraged growling. "You're a damn fool, a monster, every single one of you. I tore your king apart, and I'll do the same to you, just like every Disciple before you."

My head then snapped to Loki with a quieter growl. "Get up," I barked, holding a paw toward him. Without a word, the fox stood up and handed me his knife, head still lowered. Gripping the knife hard enough to crack my knuckles, I took a few long strides toward the lion and grabbed him by the mane, forcing his head back as I pointed the knife's tip toward his eye.

The lion trembled only slightly, but made no attempts to resist nor get up. He was breathing heavily, he must have sensed his impending death. But the son of a bitch just knelt there and took it, like it was an honour. "M-My King..."

I just shook my head. "I ain't your damn king," I told the black-eyed beast, "I ain't nobody's king. I'm just a piece of shit mercenary, no more, no less. I spent years of my life killing you Disciples, you think I won't do it again?"

"I - we - are only here to serve you. We can help you in this war, should you wish it. The panda will not be harmed."

I gripped the knife tighter, getting my teeth right up in the lion's face. "I don't need your god damn help," I growled. "And for the record, I ain't doing this for me. This is for Zhang." And with that, I pushed the knife straight into Copernicus's eye, slowly sliding it forward. He let out a loud, terrible cry, drawing the attention of dozens of panda soldiers. As he howled, his left paw clung my forearm while the other pushed on my hip, but the monster still made no attempts to escape the pain. I just rumbled deeper as I sunk the knife in right to its hilt, twisting it, my paw soaked in his blood. When at last the lion went limp, I let him fall to the ground, knife stuck inside his skull. That wasn't nearly as satisfying as it should have been.

I turned away immediately, Zhang no less horrified, though I was sure the blood covering half my face didn't help. I was still seething, but I couldn't stay here. I had to get away, the whole situation was still insanity. As I took my leave of the training grounds, I stopped to say one thing to Loki: "Kill the rest."

Loki could do nothing else but nod. The last thing I heard that day was the sound of Loki yanking the knife from the lion's face, and the quiet pleas of the small group of Disciples wanting nothing more than to serve.

The following week was a tremulous one to say the least. Although Zhang hadn't kicked me out of his tent, it was clear my presence made him incredibly uncomfortable. He had barely said a word to me, and I knew it wasn't because he was training with Tengfei now. He feared me, saw something different in my eyes, something new and terrifying. He saw me, my inner darkness. He saw why the elders called me Yaoguai Hu. It was no doubt the same thing he saw in the lion's eyes.

Even Loki hadn't said much. He certainly hadn't mentioned the Disciples, but I could tell he wanted to. I think he didn't know whether or not I had calmed down. The truth was, I wasn't even sure myself if I had. I wasn't seeing red, that much I knew, but I still couldn't get that lion out of my mind. I did everything I could to not think about it, but it was useless. He was mad, anyway.

"Everything okay?" Loki asked, snapping me out of my trance. At his behest, I had been giving meditation a try. He said it would help me find my inner peace and offer some serenity. Naturally I doubted its effects, but most of the Eastern Landers practiced meditation in some form, so I thought there could be some merit to it. Loki's interruption didn't help.

"Yes," I frowned.

Loki was dubious. "Your face said otherwise."

I had to sigh. "And what exactly did my face say?"

The fox paused for a moment as he searched for the right words. "That you're still angry. Did you practice the mantra I taught you?"

"Yeah, Loki, but it doesn't help," I grumbled as I stood up. "This is stupid, I'm not gonna find inner peace this way."

Loki got up with me. "It couldn't hurt to clear your mind once in a while. All you do is try to forget your problems, until suddenly you snap and go ballistic and freak out about two dozen soldiers. You know word's spread around, they think you're some sort of psychopath now."

"Have they already forgotten I won this city back for them?"

"Yeah, well you didn't do much for your image in that final fight either."

"Feh," I scoffed. "Who cares what they think, anyway? When I start killing their army, then they should be concerned. But until then, they should just be glad I'm fighting for them. Most of the other mercenaries have left, all of the independents have, anyway. You know Zhang told me Tao'zhan is nigh impenetrable. And even if we do break through the outer walls, there's still a couple more we'd have to break through to reach the Emperor."

Loki nodded and together we made for the Serenity Gardens' exit, where we'd been meditating for hours. "I've heard much the same. I imagine it will take some time for them to prepare a strategy. No doubt they're greatly outnumbered, and frankly, outmatched. It was a miracle at all that they managed to take Xin'an."

I smiled proudly for a moment. "Do you think they'll be able to do it?"

"Not sure, " the arctic fox shrugged. "I suppose with the right strategy it's possible. You've experienced more war than I have, what do you think?"

"I think their best plan would be to starve the city out. Might take months for their food stores to dry up, but it's the safest option. And with so few men, they can more easily stop caravans than breach those walls. Plus if they can set up a barricade out along the edge of the Bonai Sea, then nothing's getting in."

"But they grow their own crops within the Lower City, they don't rely that heavily on trade. It's mostly fishermen and exports."

"How the hell do you know that?"

"I've heard the other men talking, it's about all they can talk about. Most of them don't expect to come back from this."

I couldn't say I blamed them. The odds were greatly stacked against them. Even if they wanted to starve Tao'zhan out, they would at least have to take the Lower City first, but by the sounds of things, even that would be an unlikely task. Still, to me it seemed like their only chance.

During the Century War in Midland, during my brief tenure with a mercenary group called the Lost Sons, my unit and I were charged with blockading the major roads leading into a fairly large town known as Yorktown, where many of the enemy's soldiers were trained. It was an easy job to say the least, and for once I was always fed. Of course most of our food had been stolen from the caravans, but I wasn't the one calling the shots, I was simply a lowly fighter reaping the rewards. Regardless, it took just over a month for the town to surrender, so I couldn't imagine how long it would take a sprawling city like Tao'zhan to fall.

"So then why the hell is it taking them so long to move out? The Emperor must know this is the pandas' best chance at winning, they must be stockpiling like crazy. Not to mention, their front gates must be far more fortified than usual, especially now."

"Perhaps that's the point, leave the gates to the Upper City less guarded."

"Do you really think they can risk a frontal assault like that? There's still the Royal and Forbidden Cities inside."

Loki just shook his head with a quiet sigh. "Who knows. I'm sure they'll come up with something, whether or not it works is for the Gods to decide."

I just scoffed. "Yeah, and which Gods are those? The old ones, I suppose."

Loki frowned at me, just as we left the Gardens. "You know they exist, the Crimson King was proof of that."

"You know, I'm not so convinced they do. I mean sure, the Crimson King existed, but that doesn't prove they do. I've never seen them, I've never felt their presence. And if they're so kind and benevolent and watch over us, then why is this world as shitty as it is? All the Crimson King proved is that people are terrible and they get what they deserve in the end. That doesn't mean there's an opposite realm where the souls of the just go to celebrate and feast and whatever else you've said. It just means they don't have to continue being monsters in the afterlife."

Loki was unamused by my theistic theory. "That's absurd."

"Yeah, that's absurd."

Having come to an impasse on the subject of gods, Loki and I continued toward the camps surrounding the outer walls of Xin'an in silence, wading through a sea of pandas and other imperfect beasts until at last we reached Zhang's tent, which was feeling much less like his since killing Copernicus. While most of the soldiers already kept to themselves and avoided eye contact with me, now it seemed all the more poignant as some of them physically avoided me as well. I tried not to let it bother me, but admittedly it annoyed me a little.

"These people are farmers, labourers, commonfolk," said Loki almost immediately after entering the tent, "they've never seen a fighter like you before. Don't take it so personally."

"I'm fine," I insisted, sitting down in our sleeping area. Was the fox reading my mind, or just my face? Either way, it was a warm summer's day today, so the sleeping hides and furs weren't necessary, but were still nicer to sit on than the hard ground. "Though with so little to do now, it'd be nice if I could get in a few games of dice or cards or something, but no one will play."

"We could play."

I shook my head. "You can't play dice or cards with just two people, that's--" By the time I realized just what Loki was talking about, he had already removed his shirt, tossing it aside. And as he started his sexy little dance, slowly but surely his pants and everything else was removed, and he stood before me totally nude, shaking his hips seductively, waving his tail back and forth as if to draw me in. All he wore was a devilish grin, eyes full of want.

I looked Loki's body up and down carefully with a dopey grin on my face, relaxing into the fur and hide. As he drew closer, I had to consciously close my mouth for fear of drooling all over myself. I held a paw out when he was within reach, and with my claws I gently scraped the back and underside of his fuzzy balls, just for a moment.

But it was enough to make Loki gasp sharply, deciding now would be a good time to start blushing. He kept up his little dance, though found it more and more difficult each time I touched him, which I did at every opportunity. Eventually I had no choice but to grab him by his wrist and pull him down into the bed furs with me, pushing him onto his stomach and growling ferociously.

Just as Loki joined me on the ground, I pinned the poor fox down and bit him right on the back of the neck, eliciting a sharp, loud yelp from him. I felt up his arms as he squirmed and struggled like a helpless beast, breathing heavily now and biting him again, a little harder.

This made Loki stop struggling and he simply let out a long, pleasured groan, then a softer moan when I bit down a third time. I was rock hard now, and I could tell so was he. I flipped the fox onto his back and again slid my paws up his forearms, but rather than pin his wrists down, my pads continued up toward his and very quickly we linked our paws together. Though his paws were much smaller than mine, somehow they fit perfectly together.

"You sexy fox," I growled, nipping the front side of his neck now. Though he yipped fairly loud at each little bite, it wasn't nearly as loud as when I first did it. The fox melted beneath me and my powerful teeth, loving every little pinch, our paws clasped tightly together. I wanted to take him right then and there, just rip off my clothes and ravage the little fox, but it was always so much sweeter when I tortured him like this, for both of us.

"Ooooaaah..." he managed to say, writhing uncontrollably beneath me. My lips brushed against his collarbone and down toward his chest, giving his nipples a rough lick, then a gentle bite, then a soft kiss for good measure. I then pecked slowly up his neck until his lips met mine, and we shared a deep, passionate kiss.

"Mmm," groaned Loki, paws gripping mine even tighter. I could feel his body's heat wafting up through my fur, particularly from his nether regions. Soon the temptation became too much, and with a short growl I pushed myself off him, practically ripping my shirt off. I fumbled helplessly with my belt, but once I remembered how to work the damned thing, my pants were off in a matter of seconds.

My sheath was full, tip poking out, and when I glanced I saw Loki was in much the same state. I mrowled with desire, hovering over the fox as our paws reconnected. I gave his little paws a loving squeeze, to which he reciprocated immediately with a happy (and horny) smile on his face.

And so I gave the little white fox another long, deep kiss, loving how he squeezed my paws extra hard depending on what I did to him. The kiss, for instance, got a very tight squeeze, where as the gentle peck on the cheek hardly warranted anything. It was still adorable, though, my lips now kissing him down his neck again, giving a few deep, rumbling growls while I was at it. Of course I couldn't help but nip him a few times, but his little yelps made it impossible to resist.

I chuckled quietly when Loki let out a very loud yelp, after I had bit his right nipple. Yet for as much as he cried out in pain, it was almost always followed immediately by a warm and gentle moan, and often a hot exhale of breath.

With another deep growl, my paws suddenly disconnected from Loki's and I rolled them behind his back, pulling the fox up into my chest. My teeth bit down on his shoulder as his fur mashed into mine, nibbling insatiably up his neck while he clung onto me tightly, moaning and twisting his face into my shoulder. I growled again as I nipped playfully, my hips instinctively grinding into him, fruitlessly for now.

Much to my surprise, as I was humping into the air between the fox and I, suddenly Loki wrapped his legs around mine and lifted his bum off the ground, our hot, sweaty sheaths pushing together. I let out a long, horny gasp, the fox doing the same, using his legs to mash our rock-hard parts even harder together. Loki whined terribly, ears drawn back, and I simply nipped at him again, growling twice as loud as before.

But suddenly, just when it seemed neither of us could resist the other any more, I heard a loud commotion outside, which I tried desperately to ignore. But it kept getting louder, and louder still as the fox and I made love. And before either of us had even the remotest chance of getting decent, a burst of bright light illuminated our tent from the wide open flap, with only the shadow of an unknown soldier to block it out.

"Oh god!" cried the startled beast, and his sudden intrusion unfortunately making me lose my grip on the fox, though luckily Loki landed quite softly upon our hides and furs. "L-Luca? The, um, uh, m-mercenary?"

I growled angrily now, but still refused to turn. Loki was trying to hide himself beneath me, though he left his paws on my sides, fingers brushing gently over my ribs.

"What?" I asked sharply. The intruder had to know what Loki and I were doing, so why was he still standing there?

"A-A message for you. Uh, it's from General Zi. Oh, and um, p-pardon the interruption..."

I sighed heavily.

"The General requests your presence as soon as you're able," the messenger told me. "And...I am to escort you to him. Wh-When you're decent...I suppose."

"Does it look like I'm able to now?"

The intruder didn't respond, besides his embarrassed, stuttering noises. Fortunately he had the courtesy to step outside, offering Loki and I the chance to finish up, though any and all hardness had been taken away. I sighed forlornly.

"I'm not really in the mood now," admitted Loki, shrinking a little beneath me.

I growled quietly. "Me neither... How long should we make that bastard wait for us?"

Loki smiled softly, running his paws up my arms and over my shoulders. "All day, I suppose. Not sure how patient he'll be with us, though. Besides, weren't you the one who said you were getting stir crazy?"

"Yeah, but that was before I had found something to do. Now I just feel like being a jerk to get him back."

The little fox chuckled.

I sighed for a third time, finally lifting myself from atop Loki's warm and petite form. "Let's just go see what he wants. Maybe we'll have time later to finish up, when we know there won't be any intrusions."

Loki nodded, and soon we were both fully clothed and being escorted to the Royal Palace. I felt enormously underdressed as I walked through the gates in my dirty old shirt and equally ragged pants, at least Loki had the smarts to don less shabby clothing. Though neither of us had much variety, Loki had gone with his close-fitting hide half-top and his ratty old pants, opting to leave the hooded cloak behind. As it was mid-afternoon and quiet hot out in the blazing sun, neither of us felt inclined to dress too heavily.

Naturally the fox and I got looks from everyone within the Palace walls, and even outside them, I had to wonder what they thought of us. Did they think we were criminals, or prisoners perhaps? Though the bottoms of Loki's pants were incredibly frayed, the rest seemed in relatively good order, if you ignored all the stitching and patchwork. Still, a couple scruffy furs like us - myself in particular - had to send some odd signals to Xin'an's citizens and lords.

Loki and I were taken to a building not unlike the one General Zi had paid me in all those weeks ago, though this one wasn't nearly as tall. The messenger stopped outside the front door and spun around, joining a similarly-garbed soldier on the other side, standing vigil.

"You may enter now," he proclaimed, I think still to embarrassed to make eye contact with me.

We entered the building and were immediately greeted by at least eleven other men, as well as General Zi and a couple others. The old panda gave Loki and I a curt nod as we entered, a large table in the centre of the room with maps and papers strewn about. This was undoubtedly their war room, it seemed the next step in their attacks was close at hand.

"Thank you for joining us, Luca. Your companion may stay, he too may fill a critical role in our claiming victory," the General started, and the eleven other soldiers looked back at him, away from me. "Beside me is Captain Lee. A brilliant tactician in his own right, he helped us plan our vital next moves."

"Thank you, General. As most of you surely know by now, Tao'zhan is nigh impregnable, and claiming her will be next to impossible. I'm sure you all have your own ideas and theories, and have heard dozens of rumours on what we have been planning, but what we have devised is the closest we have come to creating a battle plan."

"Obviously a full-frontal assault will result in our utter destruction," General Zi continued, "which leaves very few options. The City is far too big and we are far too few to block the trade routes, and even if we did they still have their vast gardens within the city, so we cannot simply starve them out. I realize many of you and your fellow soldiers have already reached this conclusion, so the question on everyone's mind is, how do we take the city? That is precisely why we have brought you thirteen here."

"Indeed," said the General's younger cohort. "Each of you have shown to be quite skilled on the battlefield, with the exception of Luca's young companion, but we have been assured the fox is capable. Having said that, you thirteen will serve an extremely important role in recapturing the city. I must insist now, not a word can be spoken of our plan outside these walls. Secrecy is of the utmost importance, and vital if we are to win this war once and for all."

We all nodded. It was amazing the amount of trust these pandas put into these soldiers, more so the amount of trust they put into a poor sellsword like me, not to mention his poor companion they knew even less. How did they know I wouldn't take one look at the city and run away? How did they know the others wouldn't? I suppose they had little choice.

"For our plan to work," continued the young captain, "we must infiltrate Tao'zhan with a covert unit of our own men. That is where you thirteen come in. We have procured enough sets of the Imperial Army's armour to outfit you all, from our captured prisoners. Unfortunately we were unable to obtain armour worn by Tao'zhan's Jade Army, but they will be altered by our most skilled artisans to resemble their armour as flawlessly as possible. Having inspected the armour myself, I can assure you all they will pass as the genuine article."

Like myself, the other men looked unsure of the plan so far. No doubt they had an even better idea than I did how difficult it would be to sneak into Tao'zhan masquerading as one of their own. Still, no one objected.

"Even with the armour," said a clouded leopard, who was shorter than me but looked pretty tough, "do you really think they'll open their gates to just anyone? Besides that, we're a pretty ragtag team - no offence to you others - will we even be able pass their ridiculous Model Citizen Inspection? Each of us are covered in scars," he said as he gestured toward a large one across his cheek, "they might just kill us on sight! That's assuming a group of Jade Soldiers walking up to their gates wouldn't cause enough suspicion as it is."

"The situation is not ideal," said Captain Lee, "and we know the risks are considerable. We cannot force you into this mission, but know you have each been chosen for your exceptional skills, and frankly of our rebel forces, you are most likely to pass the Emperor's dreadful Inspection. Let it be said now, if any of you wish to back out, do so now."

Though some of the others shuffled uncertainly, no one dared exit.

"Excellent," General Zi nodded. "We do know the risks, do not doubt that. But we have confidence in your abilities, and are enormously grateful to you all for putting your lives on the line for such a dangerous mission."

"Indeed," said Lee, now glancing at me. "Mercenary, I know your kind all too well, and I can ensure you, you will receive a substantial bonus should this covert mission be a success. The General has promised me you are unlike the other cowards who have already fled our cause, but my trust in you is not so easily won. Do you accept our offer?"

I was a little offended by his distrust in me, but I understood it well. I nodded. "How substantial?"

The Captain scoffed, shaking his head at the General. "That will be discussed later. For now, I must have your word you will fight only for us, and will do so with as much loyalty as any of our own soldiers."

I frowned at Lee as he frowned back. "Yeah, Captain, you have my word. Are you gonna tell us the plan now, or what?"

The Captain disapproved of my response, though accepted it, and General Zi seemed unmoved, perhaps more unsurprised.

"Yes, continuing on... As discussed, each of you will be given a full suit of Imperial Armour which you will need to get into Tao'zhan. But you will not infiltrate the city through the front gates, instead you will breach her walls through their vast system of sewers."

The tension in the room suddenly rose tenfold. The soldiers were not keen on that idea.

"Again, I know the plan is not ideal, but we have obtained the city's blueprints as well as a detailed map of their underground sewer system, and we feel it will be the safest and easiest way into Tao'zhan undetected. The tunnels handle both the city's refuse and street runoff, so points of entry are numerous. As you can see, there are several points of entry," Lee continued as he leaned over the table and pointed at one of the maps, highlighting a number of openings into the city's harbour. "Six teams of two - the Mercenary's team will include a third - will enter through six different openings at different times throughout the night, once every half-hour after nightfall, making your way to these positions."

The Captain then pointed out six circled points on the map which appeared close to the walls, right near each of the Lower City's gates. The Captain then divided us up into our teams, pointing out precisely which entrances to take and when to take them, and which corresponding manhole to enter out of. Their sewer system was indeed complex.

"Memorize the path you will take, timing is extremely important. They change the guards at precisely the crack of dawn. You must strike just as the new guards arrive, they will be at their most vulnerable."

"Won't there also be twice the numbers?" the clouded leopard asked.

"Indeed," replied Captain Lee, "but those beginning their shift will not only still be waking up, but they will be distracted by their exhausted nighttime fellows. Our scouts have reported the men patrolling the walls are all too lax in their duties. They do not take their jobs as seriously as they should, and so they will pay for their arrogance. The more of them we can eliminate along the walls, the greater our chances of success. That is why I have assigned two men per team, you must watch each others backs to ensure victory."

"So we secure the Lower City's walls. Then what? Surely someone will notice, then the rest of Tao'zhan will be alerted. Those are too many bodies to hide."

"After securing and raising the gates," Lee nodded, "teams must regroup at the Heaven's Gate, take out any enemies along the way. Only when you regroup, Sun Shen will light a firework to signal our army. That is when we will strike, taking out all opposition within and without the Lower City. With those gates open, we can easily flank the enemy within the walls and attack them from behind. Timing is essential. It will be a difficult battle to be sure, and the Jade Army is indeed formidable, but with the gates open and the walls secured, our chances of overtaking them will increase greatly. And once we secure the Temple of Agriculture and get a strong foothold on the Lower City, then we can focus on blocking trade routes in the sea and on land. The Forbidden City will have large stores of food to be sure, but they cannot hold out forever."

General Zi stepped forward. "Once we claim the Lower City, we can then begin work on taking the Upper City, securing the walls first. As well, Tao'zhan's narrow streets will make it difficult for the Jade Army to mount a counter attack on the Lower City, as the streets will force them into a bottleneck position."

"We will be, too," I pointed out, carefully looking at the old map.

"Indeed," Lee commented. "But we will lock down as many of the streets leading into the fields as we can, totally sealing up the ones we cannot defend. As long as we can avoid fighting near the Upper City's walls, the Lower City should fall with few casualties."

I grunted. It seemed like a solid plan, not too far off from what I had come up with. Infiltrating the city through the sewers was a fine twist, though I didn't relish the idea of sloshing through their refuse.

"Our army will move out in five days, but you thirteen will travel through the mountains so you can arrive early to scout out your positions and await our signal. Our army will have to take the long way to Tao'zhan, as the mountains can be unforgiving to large transports. Once we are in position, the Emperor will no doubt send a messenger to negotiate, and it will be on the following nightfall you will make your move. In the unlikely event they refuse to negotiate, we will find a way to signal you covertly."

The room was silent as we pored over the maps and plans, though I think most of us were still just running the information through our heads. When I glanced at Loki, his brow was furrowed as if concentrating heavily. A pat on his back shook him from his thoughts, and he gave me a gentle smile.

"Get some rest," General Zi suggested. "It will be a long hike east through the mountains, but I have faith in you, and in our men. If we fail to take the Lower City, victory will no doubt be lost to us."

We stuck around for a short while longer, going over the plans a few more times until we knew precisely what we had to do. Loki, myself, and the clouded leopard - whose name I discovered was Sun Shen - were to take the second tunnel into the sewers, the three of us heading toward the main gate. There would be more men guarding the gate there, so we would have to strike swiftly and decisively. I had never been on a mission like this before, it was both exciting and extremely nerve-wracking, but I was confident in my and Loki's abilities, I just wish I knew a little more about Sun Shen. Perhaps I would have to make a point of that in the days leading up to our departure.

The following day, having stayed up late drinking after our meeting in the war room, I woke up with an arctic fox curled up in front of me and a panda interrupting my sleep. I thought for a moment it was Zhang coming in to grab something, but this panda was formally dressed, or rather, dressed in soldier's garb. Of course I discovered quickly it was the same bastard who'd walked in on Loki and I not a day before, though at least he was more cautious this time.

When I made eye contact with him at last - ignoring him didn't help - he tied open the tent flap and told me my presence was requested in the Royal Palace's armoury.

Having neither eaten nor drank my morning tea yet, I was slow to get up. Loki did the same and at about the same speed, though he was dressed and ready to go before I was. When at last I was decent enough to leave, very groggily I made my way out of the tent and was for the second time escorted to the Royal Palace.

When we arrived, only half of the special unit had shown up, though after entering the barracks, the rest slowly trickled in. I had to wonder how suspicious it was that we had all been escorted to the Royal Palace by armed soldiers two days in a row. Or was I the only one? Looking around, I noticed that as usual, I was the most poorly dressed of the lot, the rest looking like they at least put some effort into dressing themselves.

Finally, Captain Lee walked in, looking as respectable as ever. The tall, thick panda looked all of us up and down, and the incredulous look he gave me and my dishevelled clothes - and fur, for that matter - nearly earned him a smack. But I refrained.

"Thank you for joining me," said Lee. He looked toward a dark-furred monster of a dog, bringing the long-haired beast forward. "This is Zhaolei, our quartermaster. He will help outfit you all with the Imperial Armour, show you how to equip it, and so forth. Most of you should have some idea on how to assemble the parts, most of you already wear armour similar to this." Lee looked directly at me when he said that. "For those of you who don't, Zhaolei will find you the proper size and get you set up accordingly."

Captain Lee gave the brutish dog a quick nod then said, addressing us, "We have faith in every one of you, and cannot sufficiently thank you for your service to the rebellion. May the gods - whomever they may be - bless you on your journey and on your mission, and grant you the wisdom and courage to achieve victory. Be swift, be silent, and be strong." He then gave us a curt nod and promptly exited the barracks, leaving us in the monstrous hands of his quartermaster.

"Right," said Zhaolei, slapping his paws together. "So which one of you fine gentlemen are going to demonstrate for the rest of you how to strap into this armour, hm?"

No one was quick to volunteer, but soon a voice behind me said he'd do it, and when I turned, the clouded leopard named Sun Shen stepped forward. "I've got experience in this type of armour."

Zhaolei nodded, but before starting the dog glanced at me. He stared for just a moment, enough to realize I wasn't from the Eastern Lands, despite an abundance of other tigers. "You," he said, pointing at me with a grin on his face. "You look like you have no experience wearing our armour, no?"

I sighed silently through my nose. "Not really, no. How hard could it be, it's just armour?"

Apparently Zhaolei thought that was funny, and laughed heartily. "A fair point, tiger. Nevertheless, it couldn't hurt to have you put it all on before heading out onto whatever fool's errand the General has you on."

I ignored that comment and stepped forward. "I'm not going to have to get naked, am I?"

Zhaolei chuckled and looked toward the tables full of gear, all neatly organized. Though most of the various pieces looked the about the same, they varied more in size than anything. Though I didn't know much about Eastern Lander armour, I had seen enough to recognize the shoulder pieces, as well as the longer plated garments that covered from your chest down to your knees. While I had seen some plate armour like I was used to, most soldiers wore the outfits made up of dozens of small steel plates, or sometimes steel triangular scales, woven into thick fabric and leather. Their armour certainly looked a hell of a lot fancier than mine, though I questioned how well it'd protect me.

"First step," thundered the enormous black dog, "is your underclothes," he said, sifting through a pile of clothes of various colours and patterns, though most appeared to be red. "Now, usually these are more fitted, but we have little time and resources to perfectly outfit each of you, though our craftsmen will do their best to get your sizes down."

Zhaolei then handed me what looked like a long red robe, and when I slid my arms into it and tightened it around my waist - I had opted to leave my ratty clothes on, for now - I saw it flowed down just above my knees, cut in the back and front so I could easily move my legs.

"As you can see, the sleeves are still very loose, but you will be equipped with reinforced leather bracers, which will keep that under control." The quartermaster then busied himself at one of the tables, forcing one of the bracers around my forearm, but having to try two more times until he got a pair that fit me properly. "You will also have a matching pair of leather greaves, all of which should be secured before moving on to the scale armour."

Zhaolei then assisted in tying the greaves around my lower legs, which went up to cover my knees and down over the tops of my feet, tying off behind my calves. So far so good, this armour, while much lighter than I was accustomed to, was surprisingly comfortable. Of course, I hadn't yet moved onto the metal armour yet.

"Next is the biggest part, which I know most of you are already familiar with, but a reminder could never hurt. As you can see," he said as he picked up one of the long pieces of woven armour, now approaching me from behind, "you put it on like a coat and use the hook-and-laces to keep it closed. The shoulder straps are adjustable, so it should fit most of you just fine. Notice how the Imperial Army - and indeed, the Jade Army - uses mountain pattern scales, which is pretty rare throughout most of the country, so consider yourselves lucky we got ourselves some."

After just a moment, I felt the weight of the metal and cloth upon my shoulders, draping almost halfway down my shins, save an inch or two. A cloth strap around the waist secured it snugly, and fortunately my knot-tying skills were adequate enough to keep it fastened nicely. Next came the shoulder bits, which - as Zhaolei explained - included extra protection over my chest and back, which was uncommon with most Eastern Lander armour, again made with the same "mountain" scales as the other piece. The shoulder bits covered most of my upper arms, and again, cloth straps and laces kept the whole thing tightly tied and secured to my body.

Much to my amazement, I had greater range of motion than in my usual armour, almost as much as if I wasn't wearing it at all. The last component was something the quartermaster called a "belly cushion," despite the fact it only covered my hips and waist and in this case, my lower back as well. It was secured with a leather belt, which altogether made the full suit of armour quite snug and very comfortable. I moved around a bit, feeling almost as if I was just wearing some fancy clothes, rather than full armour. I was impressed, though I still wondered how much protection it would really provide.

"And that's about it," said Zhaolei, giving me a heavy clap on the shoulder. "You will all be outfitted in Imperial Armour before the week is out, if you can find some that fits you well now, that would be perfect and save us some time. I gathered up what we took from the prisoners, gathering what sizes I thought would fit your lot best. I can only hope we have enough pieces to adequately disguise each of you. Are there any questions?"

"I have one," I said, turning to face the canine. "Do you have any armour that's going to fit Loki? He's not exactly a big guy..."

Loki's face turned a thousand shades of red.

Zhaolei just laughed, noticing Loki's embarrassment. Actually, I was pretty sure everyone noticed Loki's embarrassment. I felt bad, but I was legitimately concerned.

"We should be able to find something, I'm sure of it. If not, we'll have to make do with what we have. So tell me, Luca, how does it feel?"

"Surprisingly good," I said, rolling my paws over my scaled chest. "Lighter than what I'm used to, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm a lot more flexible in it, too, which is good. I think I like it. What about our weapons?"

Zhaolei smirked. "The Jade Army is always armed with a guandao, usually with a dragon head holding a sharp jade blade. Unfortunately we don't have access to the authentic weapons, so our artisans will have to craft something similar. It will no doubt involve the clever use of paint... Luckily, most men in the Jade Army are allowed to carry another weapon of their own choice, the guandao is mostly just for show, though I can assure you they cut just as easily as steel."

"How do you know all this?" asked one of the others, a tall, skinny panther checking out some of the armour. The others by this point were already sifting through the various pieces, trying to find a perfect fit.

The brute of a dog chuckled quietly, though had a serious look in his eyes. "All of you have been effected by Xu's Law in some way or another, and I am no exception. As most of you have likely already guessed, I was quartermaster for the Jade Army during Emperor Xinlang's reign, may he find peace. When Emperor Xu took over, I was almost immediately expelled. He exiled some of his greatest thinkers, planners and generals, replacing them with what he considers 'attractive' fools, and ultimately it will mean his downfall. Had he the experience of his elders, we never would have made it so far in this war."

The other men nodded, I think beginning to realize just how lucky they were.

"As for weapons you can get any real use of," Zhaolei continued, "your own weapons will suffice. Perhaps a few cosmetic changes here and there, but it is hardly anything you will need to worry about. If this operation goes exactly as planned, you will barely be noticed, much less called out. But we must take every precaution we can afford, which means these disguises are necessary."

I winked at Loki, who had hardly moved amongst the other soldiers, giving his shoulder a gentle rub. "What do you think?" I asked him, taking a step back.

Loki looked me up and down, giving me a quick nod. "Looks fine. Doesn't really suit you, but it will do. At least it's not falling apart like your current armour."

I had to laugh; the fox had a point. He and I then glanced toward the weapon racks and looked them over, most of the swords looking far too small for my taste. There was a dozen polearms to choose from, and twice as many swords, and even a few strange weapons in between, but nothing called out to me. But with my sword in disrepair, I had little choice. Besides that, my old sword would have likely stood out anyway, looking nothing like the weapons used by the Eastern Landers.

"Luca the Mercenary," called Zhaolei, taking a few heavy steps toward me, "you disapprove of the weapons selection, hm?"

I shrugged. "Not exactly what I'm used to, though I can effectively wield these swords."

Zhaolei nodded, arms crossed against his enormous, hairy chest, the black fur sticking out from his long, robe-like tunic. "I saw you on the battlefield, you doubtlessly know. Many of us did, in fact, including most of your fellows here, both outside of Xin'an's walls and within. We saw you take on that monster Tormund, probably one of the only non-natives to have been allowed to stay in the Eastern Lands. Having said that, I think I have a weapon better suited to your abilities than these toothpicks. Hold on."

Zhaolei exited into another room and before I could say anything, he had come back with a sheathed two-handed weapon in a long scabbard. The scabbard itself was relatively fancy, with woven leather and rope all the way up, and the handle was leather-wrapped as well, with a few pieces of jade woven in. The quartermaster unsheathed the single-edged sword, placing the scabbard down on a table to present the weapon to me, holding it delicately toward me.

"It's called a zhanmadao, used mostly for cutting through infantry. It is not like your old sword, that much is sure, but both General Zi and myself agree, you will finding it to your liking."

Much like my old sword, in total it was almost as tall as I was, though this blade was much thinner, lighter. And unlike my rusty old sword, it had a slight curve to the last third of it, and had a single edge. I took the sword and when Zhaolei and Loki backed away, took a few careful swings. I was so unused to such a delicate - and frankly, attractive - weapon, but as I began swinging it faster, I had a growing appreciation for it.

"This will do just nicely," I said, taking another swing. My technique was never particularly refined, but with this sword I somehow felt incredibly skilled, like I could slice through anything with ease, and do it with grace.

"This is that, uh, 'extra payment' you'd been told about earlier. Should we win this war, both the armour and the sword are yours. The blade, I should mention, is of the highest quality and created by our master bladesmith, Qi Long, folded twenty times over for optimal strength and hardness. You will not find a better blade in all the Eastern Lands, master Qi Long assures me."

Not exactly the payment I was expecting, but it was a nice surprise. Surely when this was all over, my reward would be enough to find passage across the Bonai Sea anyway, helping another poor country out in whatever war they found themselves in.

"Thank you," I said as Zhaolei handed me the blade's scabbard. There was a long rope around it, to be worn across my back. I equipped it immediately to get a feel for its weight, and like the armour it was as light as could be. "I will no doubt make great use of it."

The black dog nodded. "And what will you name your new blade?"

It was always interesting to see, out of the vast field of differences, what similarities these foreign countries had to my homeland. Even in Midland, every great sword, they said, had to have a name. And like all my weapons past, I could never come up with anything good.

"Uhh," I managed to say.

Zhaolei just laughed, clapping my shoulder once again. "I'm confident you will come up with something," he said as he turned away, going to assist the others now, most of whom had already picked out their armour. There was only a few remaining - Loki included - who hadn't found anything reasonable. Though to be fair, I wasn't sure how hard Loki even tried.

"Not going to get outfitted?" I asked the little fox.

Loki grunted. Perhaps he hadn't gotten enough sleep. "I prefer lighter armour than what they have, easier to move in."

"You'll stick out like a sore thumb, you've gotta pick something."

Loki frowned. "We won't even need them if we do everything right. Under cover of the night, who's even going to notice?"

I shrugged. "Just find something, okay? If we just follow the plan, everything will go smoothly and we'll have nothing to worry about."

"Are you worried?"

"It's a pretty important operation, Loki."

"You realize you're not one of them, right? If everything goes south, you have no obligation to these men. Once this is all said and done, what do you imagine will happen? You'll just be another sellsword out on your ass, they'll quickly forget you. So why're you so worried?"

I sighed. "I don't know, Loki. I mean, in all the time you've known me, have I ever backed down? I made a promise to the rebels, and I ain't turning my back on them now. Especially after they made me this weapon, gave me this armour. I realize I have no real obligation, but I gave them my word. So deal with it."

Loki grunted, and I grunted back.

"Just find some damn armour."

After a long pause, Loki finally conceded. "Yes, Your Grace," he muttered, just loud enough so I'd hear it. I growled quietly, but chose to let it slide.

By the end of the day, both Loki and I had been given our armour, and myself my new sword. It still needed a name, but I felt like the usual route I went with naming swords - Bruiser, Crusher, and so forth - wouldn't work so well with such an elegant weapon. It needed something equally as elegant, like...

Before I could think of something, Loki nudged me with his elbow, as someone walked into the bar we'd found ourselves in. Sun Shen, the clouded leopard, had just walked in, looking about as serious and stern as he had this morning. Once he spotted Loki and I, he took a seat at our table with barely a word.

"Luca," he said as he sat. "Loki. So it seems we are to be partners in this operation."

"Seems so."

"What are your thoughts on the plan? I was dubious at first, but it seems about as sound as anything I could come up with. I think it's our best chance, if I'm being honest. If what Zhaolei said can be believed, their armies are being run by amateurs, for the most part anyway."

I nodded as I took a long swig of my Eastern Lander ale, which was pretty good stuff. Amazingly, it got better with every pint I ordered. "So what's your story?" I asked the leopard, who seemed taken aback by my forwardness.

He just scoffed. "I could ask you the same thing. Mercenaries aren't exactly trusted in these parts, especially in such dire circumstances. Most of our hired swords have already left, hearing stories of how impenetrable Tao'zhan's walls are. Most of them probably went to fight for the Emperor, the traitorous scum. I have never met a sellsword who would bet against the odds, with the exception of you. Frankly, that makes a lot of us very nervous."

"Why should it?" I frowned. "A sword's a sword."

"Indeed, but the fact you're sticking with us suggests you either think we'll win - which no sane man would think - or you have a far more devious plan in mind."

"Since you don't know me one god damn bit, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and not knock your teeth out, and assure you I'm not nearly smart enough to come up with some super secret plot to profit off the rebels' destruction on my own. Sure, maybe Loki is the brains to my brawn, but I promise you, I want to see the end of this war as much as anyone. You know, it might surprise you to learn I actually made a few friends within the panda army, and I would hate it if something bad happened to them."

It was actually just one friend, and since killing Copernicus in front of him, I was beginning to wonder if we were even that anymore.

Sun Shen leaned back in his chair just as his drink arrived, eyeing me suspiciously. But when he finally took his drink and had a generous sip, he seemed at least a little satisfied with my response.

"You know, you bastards could have just asked me right then and there, without any of this whispering behind my back bullshit. I'm a big tiger, I can handle it."

Sun Shen grunted. "We don't trust you, but we do trust General Zi. Even Captain Lee seems to have some faith in you, which is good enough for me. But this is a very important mission, we have to know you won't abandon us at the slightest sign of trouble."

That caused me to slam my empty cup down on the table. "Excuse me?"

The clouded leopard shrugged. "You join our rebellion three years after it started, most mercenaries who'd been hired before you have already left, and all that have joined since you did have also left. It makes me wonder, why are you still here? Or better yet, when are you going to abandon us?"

I had to hold back a growl, Loki's paw on my shoulder assisting in that. "Listen, asshole. I didn't get myself beaten half to hell by Tormund the Fucking Moron because I like it, or because I have a death wish. I got the shit kicked out of me because I want to see these pathetic rebels win this damn war, because the Emperor sounds like a lunatic who needs to be taken down. You think I squared off against Tormund because I wanted to? He would have slaughtered the lot of you if I hadn't stepped in, and he'd have slaughtered me too if I wasn't that much quicker. So fuck you and your 'abandon us at the slightest sign of trouble.' I'm here for the long haul, and I've got dozens of fresh scars to prove it."

Sun Shen maintained his stern stoicism. He was serious to say the least, it made me wonder what his rank was within the rebel army. In fact, it made me wonder even more why he'd been exiled from the Eastern Lands; he seemed like an attractive enough leopard. He did have a scar on his cheek, but I assumed it was from the war.

The clouded leopard took a much longer drink of his ale, still staring at me as if searching for weakness in my story. But he found none, and at last gave me a nod. "My apologies, Luca. As I said, and as I'm sure you understand, this is an extremely important operation, and we cannot afford any mistakes. Not to suggest you will make any, but...well, it is good to know you are on our side."

I grunted, finishing off my second glass of ale. "I've been doing this for a long time, I know loyalty is hard to find, even amongst your fellow soldiers. But, if you haven't already figured it out, I once served in Midland's Royal Army, a country far to the west from here. I know what loyalty is, and what it means. I commanded a small unit, did it for quite a few years until the war ended. I even commanded my own little mercenary band before joining the Royal Army, though we didn't last long."

"Oh?"

Even Loki looked at me curiously.

I laughed quietly as my third drink arrived. "Well, after the last group of mercenaries I'd ran with had disbanded, me and a few of the others decided to form our own little group, doing odd jobs at first until our numbers grew a little, then we started taking on bigger jobs. There was twenty of us in total, and I was their leader. I wasn't appointed or anything, but it was my idea to form and they just sorta followed me. Anyway, to make a long story short, we were stationed at Fort Ahlstrom, one of the big trade towns in northern Midland - they were right on the river, so many of their goods flowed downstream to the rest of the country. The enemy army was quickly upon us, but before I could even draw my sword, one of my men had stabbed me in the ribs and all but three had abandoned the fort. Needless to say, we surrendered within the hour, myself captured along with the Fort's nobles and commanders. I think had I not taken twenty of them out before surrendering, they'd have killed me on the spot."

"How did you escape?" asked the leopard.

"That's a far less interesting tale. A small company of men from Midland's Royal Army had come from neighboring Neustadt to reclaim Fort Ahlstrom within a fortnight, while I was still on the mend. It wasn't long after that when I would join the Dragonkin, the last mercenary group I served in before they were absorbed into Midland's regular army."

"Impressive," said Sun Shen with a slight grin on his face. I don't think he was expecting my story to be quite so involved. No doubt, he and the others thought I was just some common sellsword with no real story to tell, going from one job to the next. "I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, in retrospect. Your command of the battlefield was a welcomed one, and much needed."

The rest of the night was spent telling stories of our past failures and victories, Sun Shen having served in many battles throughout his life. He was a bit younger than me, and had served in the Imperial Army for about as long as I'd served in Midland's. Before that, he revealed, he was simply a guard along the walls of his hometown of Qi'wan, the largest city in the Eastern Lands' northern provinces. Apparently he was over-qualified for the position, and while his family and friends urged the young feline to aim toward the Imperial Army, he had no such desire. It wasn't until a neighboring northern state, a warring state apparently, attacked Qi'wan and killed his little brother that he would finally join the army in order to strike back at the Eastern Lands' enemies.

By that point in the story telling, both Sun Shen and I were thoroughly drunk, most of our stories sounding like total nonsense. But we persisted for a while longer until neither of us could keep our eyes open, and so with some assistance from an irritated Loki, Sun Shen and I stumbled helplessly back to Zhang's tent where he and I fell asleep, myself with a warm arctic fox to comfort me.

When dawn broke, Sun Shen was gone but at least Loki was still with me. I had a killer headache and my mouth was dryer than the Shathar Desert to the far west. Loki chastised me for drinking so much by fetching me water in the loudest way possible, which brought him some pleasure. I would have killed him if I didn't feel so weak, but at least I got what I craved. I also filled my belly with fried meat and rice, though my stomach was still upset. Luckily the small fox took pity and curled up next to me, happily nuzzling close.

Loki and I continued to do that until I was hungry again, and with my headache faded slightly, we went in search of lunch. That was when we bumped into Zhang, who I hadn't seen in days.

"Zhang," I said as I stood behind him, awaiting food. "How's your training going?"

The young panda was surprised to see me. "Oh! Luca, hello. Um, it's going well. Tengfei has taught me a lot, though I would have been totally lost if you hadn't helped."

"Glad to know all our hard work is paying off."

Zhang smiled and nodded, shifting forward a little. "Yeah. So um, I guess you've heard by now... We're moving out in a few days. General Zi came out to the camps to tell us, and some of his men. Guess this is really it, huh?"

I nodded. "Seems so. You gonna be all right?"

"Well I'm not going to run," he frowned, "if that's what you mean."

"Nah, I know you won't, Zhang. Look, uh...about before..."

"It's fine, Luca, really. I shouldn't have been surprised, really, after your fight with Tormund and all. I guess...I never really had any idea just how brutal you could be. I mean, I saw you fighting Tormund, but...I didn't know you then. After I got to know you, seeing you like that kinda freaked me out."

"I know it did," I said regretfully. "I suppose I didn't exactly handle myself in the greatest way. But the stuff he was saying, it was craziness. He was... Well, he was trying to remind me of something I have tried very hard not to think about it, maybe made me angrier than I should have been. Anyway, I'm sorry you had to see that, Zhang. I hope when this is all over, we can still be friends."

Zhang smiled. "Won't you be moving on?"

I just shrugged. "I dunno, kid. I'm starting to like it here. I could be persuaded to stay, perhaps. Who knows."

Together we gathered our food and sat along a ruined wall not far from the training grounds to eat, Loki to my right and Zhang to my left.

"I wanted to tell you something, kid, that, um...I'm not really supposed to tell."

Both his and Loki's ears perked.

"Well, I can't give you many details, but me and a bunch of other soldiers are going on ahead to Tao'zhan, travelling through the mountains so we arrive before the rebel army does. We're on a special mission to get... Well, look, my point is, I won't be able to fight next to you when the battle starts. Maybe I'll find you during the melee, but I'll already be inside the city. It's...well, I can't say much more than that."

Zhang nodded with a mouthful of rice. "I understand," he said before swallowing. "And it's okay. Tengfei said he'd be with me, and he's a pretty good fighter too, so I'm not too scared... Well, I'm pretty scared, but, well, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know. You'll do fine, kid, I'm sure of it. So I should tell you, the General actually came through for me and commissioned me a new sword. Doesn't have a name yet, though. Actually, come to think of it, my last sword didn't have a name either, but there was nothing special about that one."

Zhang shrugged. "Oh I dunno, it was the sword that helped defeat Tormund, sounds pretty special to me. Why don't you name it now, then name your new one?"

"Sure," I laughed, popping my last rice ball in my mouth. "Well, the old one's pretty much dead now, but what if we called it... Tormundsbane?"

"Sounds good," Zhang snorted. "As for this new one? Hmm... Well, it'll be used in the battle to defeat the Emperor. So why not call it something like that?"

"Like Xusbane?"

Zhang laughed. "Naw, something more...menacing."

"More menacing than Xusbane?"

The young panda chuckled and shook his head. He gave it some serious thought until finally saying, "Zhong Kui."

"Zhong Kui?" I repeated. I had heard so many names since travelling into the Eastern Lands, it was hard to tell the difference them and their normal words. But this one sounded like a name.

"Yeah. He was an ancient demon hunter long before the Eastern Lands were formed, a time when monsters and angles roamed the earth. He's a mythological figure more than anything, but I assume you'll be using it to take down the Emperor's army, right? Many of us think he's a demon incarnate, and that's why he's so insane. I'm not really sure I believe that myself, but even still, he's pretty awful."

"Hm," I said. There was one time when that wouldn't have been too far off.

"Apparently Zhong Kui once commanded an army of eighty-thousand demons, the ones he vanquished in battle. I know it probably sounds pretty crazy to you, but he's a fairly well-known figure in Eastern Land folklore, so thought it might be a good name for your sword. It is an Eastern Lander weapon, after all."

The kid made a good point, though I didn't care much for Zhong Kui's backstory. Still, it was a good name and more fitting than I wanted to admit.

"I think it's a perfect name," Loki chimed in with a devilish little grin on his face. I would have snapped my teeth at him if it wasn't for Zhang sitting right beside me.

"Yeah, see? What do you think?"

I grumbled silently to myself. Though I didn't slay monsters and demons anymore, I certainly couldn't deny that that had been a big - if unfortunate - part of my life, and with all these Disciples popping up recently, perhaps the name would become all the more appropriate. Though I didn't rule an army of eighty-thousand demons, the slaying of them held far more appeal.

"Yeah, I think it's pretty good, kid. Zhong Kui."

Zhang smiled happily. "So can I see it? What kinda sword is it?"

"Uh... Well I'm not sure how Zhaolei pronounced it. Zhan...something."

"Zhanmadao," said Loki, which sounded right.

"Ah," smiled the panda, "that makes sense. That'd be way too much sword for me to handle, but it definitely suits you."

When we all finished eating, I went and brought Zhang my new sword - Zhong Kui - which he seemed thoroughly impressed by. For most of the afternoon he and I did some light training, and he showed me some techniques Tengfei had showed him. The kid had improved a lot, far more than I would have expected when we first started. Though there was still much room left for improvement, he had grown so much in just a month's time, it really was remarkable. Thinking about the battle to come, I realized I didn't really want any of the pandas or rebels to die in the upcoming battle, but I wanted Zhang to die least of all.

Into the evening Zhang finally introduced me to his boyfriend Tengfei, who was a much slimmer panda than Zhang and looking very much the warrior my friend had talked him up to be. Tengfei had cool blue eyes, a hard look in them that even I didn't want to mess with. But after a couple drinks he loosened up a little, showing me just how much he cared about Zhang and how serious he was about the battle to come. If Zhang had been searching for my approval - which surely he hadn't - I would have given it wholeheartedly.

The next day I spent mostly with Loki, training for a little while with my new sword to get used to the weight and feel of it, knowing I would have little time to do it on my way to Tao'zhan. Loki helped a little, though he wasn't as proficient with a sword as he was with his staff, but it was enough to practice with. Loki mostly used his staff to not only create, but to control his cast runes. It would be interesting to see some of his moves on the battlefield.

That night Loki and I made love beneath the stars and an bright, eerie full moon, out in the field by the small group of trees by the river we had bathed in before. Loki was so soft and warm, and I pleasured him in the most tender way I could, nipping and stroking his fur, keeping the little fox as close as possible. I loved his small pleasured cries as our bodies connected, penetrated, both of us locked in total ecstasy. Though I couldn't say how long we'd spent together, I finished up inside him and he grumbled happily pressed against my chest, clinging on as if to never let me go. I held on to him lovingly, a low, pleasured growl sounding as we fell asleep, knowing the next morning we'd be heading out.

And sure as the sunrise, the arctic fox and I had made it back to camp just in time to meet up with the others at the guards' barracks, to gather our gear and head out before sunrise. We found our armour easily enough, and luckily got some help fully strapping in as this armour was so new to me. But once Loki and I were fully equipped, we and the other eleven men took off with best wishes from General Zi and Captain Lee.

The camp was busy that morning, even before the sun peaked over the mountains the soldiers were getting ready to move on to Tao'zhan. Inside Xin'an, too, was abuzz, soldiers and guards and civilians all preparing for the rebels' departure, but the thirteen of us with our special mission slipped out unnoticed.

Little was said between us as we left Xin'an, the early morning mist thick before sunrise. But after a couple hours of walking the dirtroad highway, the sun rose over the mountains and cleared the fog away. The air was cool as the mist parted, and despite the stench of war wafting through the breeze, somehow the freshness of dawn managed to poke through. Perhaps I was just all too used to war to even notice the awful stench.

We reached the mountains just before sunset, finding simple lodgings at the basecamp. Unfortunately Loki and I were forced to share a room with two others, and even though we slept very close together, it wasn't nearly as close as we had hoped to get. Still, it was nice sharing my warmth with the fox, even if the others disapproved. No one said anything of course, but somehow I could tell some of the other soldiers weren't too fond of our relationship.

As we entered into the mountains, which was easy going at first, still very little conversation was to be had. I talked a bit with Sun Shen, learning a little more about him, but for the most part we followed along the makeshift path in silence, concentrating more on not slipping, which had faded and crumbled from years of disuse.

Sun Shen, I'd discovered, was part of a large family in Qi'wan, and the only one of his siblings to follow in his father's footsteps, despite at first refusing to join the Imperial Army. He was the eldest of twelve children - eight boys and four girls. The youngest, he told me, was Fei, his little brother, who had been killed in a fire during the raid on his city. Apparently the death of Fei drove his mother insane, leaving a tired and distraught father to take care of the family while Sun Shen went to Tao'zhan to enlist.

The clouded leopard's voice was full of remorse as he told the story, regret clear on his face. He sent money as often as he could to his family, and when he'd last gone to see them, before the great exile, his father had left with the second oldest son in charge. The family, Sun Shen said, would have been broken up further had they not all left together in exile, only some of them meeting the Emperor's insane standards. It was then I discovered, Sun Shen hadn't been exiled himself, but had abandoned the Imperial Army to take care of his family during the exodus.

Night fell quickly in the rocky mountains, and though we had bedrolls and small portable tents, it was still a rough night. The ground, unsurprisingly, was mostly rock and the air was cold and the wind blowing hard, which made sleep almost impossible. Luckily I had brought enough food with me, enough I was told, to last me for our entire journey through the mountain range, though I was skeptical on that. It had all been portioned for us before leaving, and while it was good enough, I was still hungry afterwards.

The next morning was almost as rough as the night, but once I put on every layer of armour and gathered all my things, my body quickly warmed up with the rising sun. The day was mostly spent walking, as predicted, though the others talked a bit about what they'd do when this was all over, and talked about their loved ones and their families, and a few opened up about when and why they were exiled.

It took nearly a week to travel through the mountains, my body sore and tired, but I was glad to see a town that actually served alcohol. We had passed through a small community within the mountains on the fourth day, and while they were very generous and hospitable, all I found myself wanting was a drink or two. Or five. But since traders rarely travelled that path through the mountains anymore, they had only their natural resources to rely on for food, and nothing to make their own alcohol with.

When we reached town, we quickly discovered the armour would come in handy far more than I realized they would. Everyone in town was very attractive, as one would expect in the Northern Lands, but sadly most of the town was loyal to the Emperor. At least, that's how they acted. Perhaps it was our Jade Armour that made them act that way, but if they secretly hated us, they hid it well.

It would be another week and two days of travelling the side roads before reaching Tao'zhan Province, the governing city of which of course was Tao'zhan itself. We encountered few people along the way, and most of who we had passed were simple farmers or traders, not bound for the nation's capitol. We took the path less travelled, wanting very much to avoid the second largest city in Tao'zhan Province, Shihuang, since a good portion of Xu's armies would be stationed there. Apparently the rebels would be avoiding it, too, since it held little value to the war efforts and was just out of the way enough where they could go around the landlocked city.

On the seventeenth day of travelling, we hunkered down in a small village south of Tao'zhan, bound for the capitol in the morning, which was not a day's walk from here. I found myself a little nervous for the next day, having never performed a secret operation like this before. I'd charged into battle hundreds of times without the slightest bit of fear, yet this mission, it had me worried. Perhaps because there was so much more at stake than just simply killing until you're ordered to stop.

Loki and I snuggled close together by a blazing fireplace in the village's inn, a small establishment but a cozy one. There was enough rooms for all thirteen of us, though as usual we were divided between three rooms. Still, their common area was nice, a good place to relax and enjoy a drink before finding sleep, if there was any to find anyway.

"You okay?" asked Loki, whose paw was under my shirt and stroking gently at my belly. He rested his head on my shoulder and snugged close, my arm wrapped around him. "You seem tense."

I sighed quietly. "I am a little. Usually my missions are simply 'swing your sword until the battle's won, or you die.' Never this undercover secret stuff. I know the plan's real simple and all that, but still, there's a lot riding on our success. In regular battles, dying doesn't even necessarily mean you've failed, both sides lose dozens of soldiers but only one can win. We have to win this."

Loki just smiled warmly at me, his paw travelling up toward my chest. "It'll be fine, Luca. I know it seems different from any other battle you've been in, but when you break it all down, you're really just killing people in a different location."

"Yeah, but on the battlefield, you just kill until you can't anymore. It doesn't matter who, you just keep going until it's done. With this, we've got to eliminate everyone, no one can escape. If they manage to alert the Upper City, we're all screwed. Never had to worry about that sorta thing before."

"You won't fail, Luca, it's not in you to fail." The fox said that right before his fingers brushed over my nipple, and the blush on his face told me he did it on purpose.

In the entire seventeen days our team had been travelling, Loki and I had unfortunately had absolutely no time to ourselves, and I could tell he was getting frisky. In the last week alone he teased me at every chance he got, especially at night, which I think he enjoyed doing even more than the act itself. We both knew we couldn't do anything to satiate our lust, but at least he had a way to vent his frustration, by tormenting me relentlessly. I had nothing I could do about it.

"Don't," I gasped, the fox now pinching my right nipple. He giggled quietly, not wanting to draw any more attention than we were already getting from the others. Sometimes I thought the fox was far less subtle than he imagined he was. "God help you if I suddenly snap."

That made Loki laugh quite loudly. "You won't do anything," he said softly, "you've been saying that for days. I wonder what it'll take to make you snap, anyway?"

I groaned silently, resting my head back on the large, comfortable two-seated chair, which we were currently hogging. "Don't test me, Loki."

The little devil pinched my other nipple, then began rubbing it sensually, all beneath my loose shirt. He was trying to get me to moan even louder, to embarrass me in front of the five soldiers who hadn't yet gone to sleep, Sun Shen included. The serious leopard was just staring into the fire as if searching for answers to questions he didn't yet know.

"God damn it, Loki," I huffed, starting to feel even warmer by the gently blazing hearth. "I'll get you for this, I hope you realize that."

"No you won't," he said, finally leaving my poor nipples alone and for now, continued running his fingers through the white fur on my stomach, relaxing once more. I just grumbled at him, rock hard beneath my pants and wanting so badly to take him then and there, but alas I was unable. When eventually I calmed down enough to stand up, and after a couple more drinks, the hellish fox and I at last got into bed, cozying up together before the march on Tao'zhan.

Morning came again all to suddenly, with Loki and Sun Shen jostling me awake. They were in a panic, practically tossing my things at me.

"We have to go quickly," Sun Shen whispered loudly. "I don't know if they're on to us, or what, but a small unit of the Jade Army is here, we have to get out of town before they see us."

"Fuck," I growled, my heart immediately pounding. Loki shoved my armour and my underclothes at me, already half dressed himself. Though some breakfast would have been nice, I whipped off my bed sheets and hurriedly began to dress myself, fumbling in my rush.

"Calm down," Loki suggested. "There's no need to panic, they arrived just before dawn. Apparently they're travelling with an inspection officer, which is pretty routine. Not so much in towns like this, so their appearance seems odd, but it just means we have to get out quickly."

I nodded, my clothes already on. With some help from Loki, I got into the rest of my faux-Jade Armour and quickly the rest of the men assembled on the ground floor of the inn, inside the common room. My eyes were still heavy but I was sure I had all my gear. While a panda named Tzu looked out the window, he soon directed us toward the back of the inn, after ensuring us the coast was clear.

The streets of the small village were still cool and dark in the dawn's early light. Though the sun had not yet risen, its light was already peaking over the horizon, the town just now starting to wake up. Unfortunately, the twenty or so men had already woken up, and were already canvasing the town, no doubt enforcing Xu's Law. I had to wonder if this was a regular occurrence, or if they arrived today for a particular reason.

"We'll split up," Tzu said as we all exited the inn, "into four groups, it'll be harder to track us. I have no doubt they're here searching for us, which means someone tipped them off. We can't worry about that now, the plan is still the same. You three," he pointed at me, Sun Shen and Loki, then himself "we'll head north for three miles, while you three go east for the same distance, then head toward our meeting place. You three will head south-east, and you three north-east. There are plenty of roads and side roads, but remain vigilant. We cannot afford getting captured. Do you all understand?"

Everyone nodded, and when Tzu gave the order, we separated. It was just myself, Loki, Sun Shen and Tzu, making our way to the northern part of the village, which happened to be the longest route through the village in order to leave it. With a paw on my sword, ready for a fight, the four of us cautiously made our way between buildings, trying to act as casually, yet as carefully, as we could, trying not to draw too much attention to ourselves.

The village was quickly getting brighter with every step, more people gathering and wandering about, tension higher than usual with Xu's men milling about. I had a feeling when the Jade Army was sent out to investigate a town, they were usually tasked with finding people to exile, whether they broke the strict law or not.

Suddenly, a voice called out behind us. "Hey, stop!" the voice cried, and before anyone could say anything, I had already drawn my sword and slashed it down the soldier's chest, slicing through his armour easily as the heavy blade cleaved through his flesh. He screamed loudly as he fell, but a quick stab through his heart silenced him quickly. I was surprised at the efficiency of my blade, my only regret was not getting my paws on one sooner.

"You fool!" snapped Tzu, pulling me away from the Jade Soldier. "They'll burn the whole village down searching for us!"

"We have to move," Sun Shen said in a panic. The soldier's cries had undoubtedly been heard at least by some of the villagers, who would do anything to gain the approval of their beloved Emperor.

Tzu growled, but agreed. I sheathed my sword - after wiping as much of the blood of as I could - and we continued toward the northern end of town. When we heard the town's bell tolling noisily through the streets, as well as a bit of an uproar, I knew the soldier's corpse had been found. The four of us - and hopefully the other groups- were running by this point.

I'm not sure how long we had run for, but once we were reasonably sure we hadn't been followed, we took a short rest beneath a large willow tree beside a well-used side path, which ran almost parallel to the main highway.

"You're a damn fool," Tzu said breathlessly, continuing our conversation from earlier. "I told Captain Lee it'd be a bad idea to bring you in on this, but General Zi was so confident in you. Your foolhardy actions could have ruined this entire operation. Tao'zhan will likely be on high alert now, if they weren't already."

"What the hell did you want me to do? The guy was shouting at us, and I silenced him. No one saw it, they don't know it was us."

Tzu growled again. "They were there searching for us."

"You don't know that. They do those checks all the time, it could have been anyone in that village, so far as they know."

"The rebel army is on Tao'zhan's doorstep, do you really imagine the Emperor will be sending out his men to perform inspections?"

"The Emperor is insane, who knows what he wants. I mean, he changed the laws of the entire country in order to banish every 'imperfect' person. Someone that obsessed, sure, why the hell wouldn't he send his men out? He's sitting so pretty in his Forbidden City, probably doesn't think he'll ever be touched."

"We can't stay here much longer," Loki interjected, pointing southward, back toward the town. It seemed off in the distance, we had some followers. They were just insects on the horizon, impossible to differentiate between soldiers or farmers. Either way, none of us wanted to stick around long enough to find out.

"Let's move out," Tzu ordered. "And hope your little stunt didn't cause any of the other teams to be captured. So help you if this mission fails because of your recklessness."

I had to frown at the panda, but followed his orders all the same. Fortunately Loki was quick to place a reassuring paw on my arm, sliding his pads down until our paws linked. The two of us trailed behind Sun Shen a little, Tzu in front.

"I wouldn't have done any differently," the fox noted. "Though I'm not sure I would have been quite as efficient with it. Runecasters are not known for their subtlety."

I smiled at the little fox, giving his paw a squeeze. "Thanks, Loki. I'm sure once we reach the overlook, I'll get to hear more about it. How the hell was I supposed to know what would happen, anyway?"

"To be fair, he could have just thought we were part of his team."

I scoffed. "He'd know right away we weren't part of his team because for one, we're all sneaking around together, and two he wouldn't have recognized us."

"Not that you gave him a chance to notice."

"Yeah, well I think I made the right call. Anything could've happened, and I chose the safest way."

A few hours passed and we were finally making our way toward the meeting site, and those insects on the horizon hadn't stopped following us. It was difficult to judge distance, especially since the surrounding area was made up mostly of rolling hills and rocky formations, but I was certain they were a bit closer now, though it was still unknown exactly who they were.

"Think Tzu would be mad if we attacked those guys back there?" I jested with Loki, who, like Sun Shen, was unamused.

"Don't push him," cautioned Loki. "You know, for someone who was so concerned about this mission being a failure, you don't seem to be taking this very seriously."

"I'm taking it seriously, Loki, if I wasn't I'd have just gone and done it. But still, we can't let them follow us to the lookout. We should at least find out if they're Jade Army or not."

Tzu suddenly stopped, having likely heard everything I said. "I hate to admit it," he grunted, turning his head toward me, "but I think the tiger's right. Luca and Shen, when we pass this next bend around the hill, I want you to hide behind that tor there and see who they are. Traders and farmers don't often come this way, the terrain is too rough for their caravans. If they're Xu's men...well, I pray you'll show at least some discretion when approaching them."

"Aye aye," I said facetiously, and after giving Loki a wink, Sun Shen and I broke our pursuer's line of sight behind a hill, then continued up behind a tall formation of rocks until we reached the tor Tzu had pointed to, looking down on the pathway easily. I watched as Loki and Tzu continued along the road, until they disappeared behind another hill.

"You have a problem with authority," the clouded leopard stated. "And while I don't disagree we had few options back at the village, Tzu is not wrong in calling you reckless. When those men draw near, do not rush in headlong, even if they are the Emperor's soldiers."

"And if they are, then what? We just stand here and let them walk by?"

"No, we assess the situation and then act."

"You know, I'm not a complete moron. In case you've forgotten, I've led men into battle before, I know what to look for. But until they get here, what I say and do ain't gonna make a difference. So relax a little, at least until they're in sight."

Sun Shen disapproved my cavalier attitude, but ultimately knew I was right. At least, that's what I assumed when he frowned and turned away from me, ducking down to look over the corner of the rock. For now I sat with my back against the rocks while the leopard observed, sighing quietly as the sun ducked behind some clouds.

In no time at all, both Sun Shen and I simultaneously heard the crunching footsteps of our faithful followers, which propelled me into a crouching state, ready to move. But just to be sure, Sun Shen held his paw out toward me, signalling for me not to move. It wasn't necessary, but I obeyed all the same. Then as they moved closer along the path, the leopard glanced back at me and nodded, I think trying to tell me they were Xu's men.

He then signaled there was three of them, then pointed northward as the trio passed by our rock formation. I glanced over the edge of the rock to see three Jade Soldiers marching along the path in a bit of a hurry, looking very serious and not speaking a word.

"Well?" I asked the leopard.

He thought for a moment, then said quietly, "We'll follow them along this ridge, keeping out of sight. We'll attack them when we get closer."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go."

And with that, and with as much dexterity as I could manage, Sun Shen and I took off behind the smooth yet rocky hills, following along the trail for a good long while until the sound of their footsteps seemed very near, though I knew sometimes sounds could be deceiving in such uneven terrain. Amazingly, even at our brisk pace, Eastern Lander armour was surprisingly silent, especially compared to my old steel plates.

"On the count of three, we attack, okay?"

I nodded.

Sun Shen drew his blade and took a few deep breaths, quietly saying, "One... Two..." Then after a few more, finally he said, "Three."

Quickly I bolted from my position with a paw still on my sword's handle. As I came up over the peak of the hill, snarling wickedly and surprising the Emperor's men, I unsheathed my heavy blade, leaping deftly off the rocks and just as the closest soldier to me could draw his weapon, I cleaved him nearly in two, slicing straight into his chest from his shoulder.

I kicked the soldier off my blade, but had to duck back to avoid losing my head. Luckily Sun Shen put that soldier down, using one of his two small blades to cut his enemy's throat. When his blood stopped spraying, I reclaimed my sword and realized the third soldier was gone.

"A runner!" cried Sun Shen, pointing toward the hills.

I growled fiercely and took off toward the nimble scout, dropping my sword as I bolted up the hill. My legs burned and I was panting heavily by the time I climbed over the peak, only to find yet another hill before me, my quarry nearly over the top. Much to my surprise, however, as I began up the second hill, from behind me Sun Shen bounded forward, disappearing quickly behind the peak.

By the time I reached the top, Sun Shen had stood up from the dead scout beneath him, blood still dripping off his blade. He glanced back at me with a ferocious look in his eyes, panting. Of course I was panting much more heavily than he was, my body already aching from the sudden upward sprint. I gave him an affirming nod and after checking the bodies for anything useful - I took a bit of coin for myself, which Sun Shen didn't like - we continued along the path toward the meeting place.

"I hope this won't become an issue later," said the clouded leopard rather cryptically.

"What?"

"You're not a young tiger, very few mercenaries live as long as you have. It's only a matter of time before your age catches up with you."

I probably should have been more offended than I was. "Yes, well until it does I'm going to keep fighting. I'm quite good at it, you know, and as long as we can avoid battles where I have to run up a steep hill, I think I'll be fine." Sun Shen just grunted, and the rest of our journey was spent mostly in silence.

By the time Sun Shen and I made it to the lookout, Loki and Tzu had already arrived, as well as two of the other groups. It was getting dark now, the sun fading to the west. Tzu didn't seem too worried about the missing party, however, though he did stare stone-faced toward Tao'zhan, which sat stolidly on the horizon.

Even in the twilight, I could still see the unimaginable size of the city, all its high, thick walls, and the great port on its eastern side. It looked amazingly fortified, and was enormous beyond belief. I had never seen a city quite so large, thousands of buildings crammed together, both short and tall, not even the capitol of Midland had seemed so massive. I could see the Forbidden City - or I think I did - within the centre of the Upper City, glowing like some sort of heavenly beacon, it was no doubt filled with temples and halls of gold and jade, even more wondrous than I'd been told. I was starting to see now why it took so long for the pandas to concoct an infiltration plan.

"Any word from General Zi?" one of the others asked Tzu. The experienced panda shook his head.

"We'll hunker down here for the night, scout out the city and its port, make sure everything is running smoothly. We still have to be very careful, we cannot afford to get caught. If they catch wind of us or our plan, entering the city will be nigh impossible." Tzu then turned to Sun Shen. "Shen, tell me about our pursuers. Emperor's men?"

The leopard nodded, resting down his gear. "Aye, Luca and I took care of them. We were not followed."

"Good. Let's set up for the night then. Absolutely no fires, it will draw too much attention to ourselves. Remember, men, we aren't here, understood?"

The rest agreed, I simply smiled at Loki and he gave me a hug. "Come on," the fox said, pulling me by the paw, "our tent is already set up. You look tired."

Without a fire, Loki and I were forced to sleep extra close together to share our warmth, which of course neither of us minded. He fit so perfectly in front of me while we slept, somehow it was even more comfortable with him there than without. Though we couldn't get into any trouble, it didn't stop me from running my knuckles over Loki's sheath, figuring he had teased me enough the previous nights, it was time I got him back.

At some point between rubbing his filled, hard sheath and biting his little ear, he and I had fallen asleep. My body wasn't too sore from the day, but when morning came I started to feel it more. Was this what it was like to get old? I hadn't ever considered myself an elderly tiger, though after chasing that scout, it started to make me wonder.

After eating breakfast and cleaning my blade, most of us sat around waiting for the final group to arrive. Tzu had hoped they'd appear in the dead of night, but unfortunately they weren't with us. I told the panda it was too soon to assume they'd be captured, but he sent out a couple men to scout the horizon for our missing soldiers. Meanwhile, he'd sent out a couple others to get a better look at the city, to try to track the guards' movements and change times, as well as when they took a break.

I was beginning to suspect Tzu didn't trust me, nor Loki all that much, since it was he, myself and the arctic fox left behind. I suppose I didn't mind being lazy, though I was slightly offended Tzu thought so little of my abilities.

Instead I was sent with Loki to another small village on the coast, south-east of our location and out of sight of the great city. The village was made up mostly of fish merchants and traders, a quiet little town overshadowed by Tao'zhan's grand port, but still bustling. He said we were running low on food and water, and didn't know how long it would take for the rebels to arrive, so it would be prudent to secure some more in the meantime. We left our armour behind to avoid raising suspicion, but were told several times to be extremely careful who we interacted with.

By mid-afternoon Loki and I arrived at the fishing village, the smell alone helping guide us through the forest and to its grassy border. With a purse full of coins, the fox and I received our dried and cured foods with little incident, having just enough left over for a few pints of ale.

"I don't think you should," warned Loki. "Tzu's pretty meticulous, you think he won't count that up?"

"Fuck Tzu, if he was so meticulous, he shouldn't have given me so much. He's a big pain in the ass anyway, I don't remember him getting put in charge."

"Well someone has to run things. Besides, Captain Lee said Tzu knows these lands better than any of us, you just weren't paying attention. Let's just get the food and get back, we can't afford to stay here any longer than we should. If any one of these people have even the slightest suspicion, they'll run straight to the village marshal and we'll be arrested."

"God damn, Loki, you're no fun. All right, let's get out of here. Buzzkill."

Loki ignored that, and though I was feeling quite thirsty, I ignored my baser instincts and left without any alcohol in my tired old belly.

"You know, I think he just sent us on this task because he doesn't trust me with anything really important. Maybe he wanted me to get arrested so I wouldn't be part of the plan. I guess you're just guilty by association."

The little fox shrugged. "Not much you can do about it, so stop worrying. And yeah, maybe he doesn't trust you - and that stunt back at the other village sure didn't help his opinion - but I don't think he wants you captured, because if you get captured, you're even more likely than the other men to reveal the plan for your freedom. At least, that's how he sees it. You're just a common sellsword, he doesn't care that you were part of Midland's army, nor that you commanded the rebels in the battle for Xin'an. You're just a mercenary."

I grunted. "I was right, fuck Tzu. I can god damn scout as well as anyone."

"You know that, but he doesn't. All he knows is that you swing your sword first, then ask questions. He thinks you're too out of control, that you'll do something stupid and ruin 'the entire operation,' as he keeps saying. You might as well just relax while you can, save your energy for when we infiltrate the city."

"I guess you're right," I sighed. It still annoyed me though. "Maybe we should make out in front of him or something, I can tell he doesn't like our relationship. Just to get under his skin, and because there ain't a damn thing he can do about it."

Loki was blushing, a small grin on his face. "I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, doing it in front of him..."

If he was implying what I thought he was implying... Despite a sack full of dried fruit and fish, which I carried over my shoulder, I ran my claws up Loki's back, the bottom portion of which was uncovered due to his soft hide half-top. It made the fox flick his tail, at any rate, and he glanced up at me with rosy cheeks.

He placed his paw on my crotch just as we entered into the forest, a pathway cutting through the trees. It was a little awkward, but once he started to touch my rear, I knew I could do nothing else before heading back.

"You asked for it," I growled happily, ducking off the path and further into the woods, Loki following excitedly. Once we found a good clearing near a large mossy rock, I placed down our food and immediately faced the fox, who had already removed his top.

In just moments he and I were both naked, the fox pressed up against me with a paw gripping my hot, full sheath, leaking precum already. I noticed he, too, was dripping, both of us having wanted this for weeks but unable to express it. Like ravenous beasts, he ground his body up against mine and I couldn't help but do the same. I then very quickly took him and pushed him against the soft, mossy rock and pushed my hot member between his cheeks, not yet entering but letting him feel exactly how horny I was.

"Take me now," Loki exhaled, pushing his rear into me. Though I always loved some foreplay, my balls were aching horribly at this point, ready to explode from days upon days of terrible neglect. Sufficiently slicked, I slid my spiny shaft into Loki's hole with amazing ease, and the fox let out a long, undulating appreciation for it.

In what was some of the fastest sex of my life, I pounded the fox's rear quickly, hammering hard much to his delight, despite my hazy head telling me to slow down and enjoy it. But my body was in complete control now, claws digging into Loki's shoulders as we worked our bodies together as if the end of the world was right before us.

Though I couldn't keep track of time, I felt like just mere moments before I felt that agonizing orgasm on the brink, just a few hard pushes until it arrived. I roared fiercely and bit Loki's ear, which made him howl, giving it a good hard pull until at last, after a few extra thrusts, my legs shook and my orgasm hit me like a cannonball.

I had never roared more loudly in my life, feeling more like being punched in the balls and gut when I finally unloaded my weeks worth of seed, dumping it all inside the fox relentlessly. Even Loki felt it, howling with pure delight as my warmth filled his bowels, again and again until at last I was dry. I felt so tired and weak, my whole body aching terribly when I finally settled down, still feeling the incredible pressure within my nether regions.

Both of us were panting, myself harder than the fox, heart racing. When I began to pull out, Loki's paw shot back to my hip to hold me there.

"Not yet," he gasped. "Please."

I nodded, thrusting once more to get as deep inside him as I could, my semi-hard cock plugging his hole adequately. He pushed back into me, groaning almost non stop, a paw rubbing his full belly.

"That was crazy," he said, blushing madly. Leaning forward a bit, he very dextrously guided me down onto the forest's floor, still locked with my crotch, moving very carefully so as to not lose a drop. Once I was down, he very expertly, and very slowly, turned himself around. I could feel a few small globs running down over my balls, but I think the fox was okay with that.

When at last he finished moving, I looked up to see his hot red cock aiming toward my face. Loki bit his lip a little, wiggling his bum as if to remind himself I was still there, then took my paw and placed it upon his shaft. I just smiled at the fox, stroking it slowly at first.

Loki moaned quietly as if this was the most incredible thing he'd ever felt. I was absolutely certain it was not the most incredible thing he'd ever felt, but at this point, he was horny enough where just looking at him would be enough to make him cum.

Unsure of how flexible I still was, I leaned up anyway which seemed to surprise the small fox. Once he realized what I was attempting to do, however, he held both paws on my head and assisted me. He even moved himself somewhat closer, at the loss of a couple more globs of tiger-seed, until much to my own amazement, my lips touched his cock tip.

Using my arms as support, I flicked my tongue at his tip mercilessly, which if you'd heard Loki you would assume he was in pain. He pushed my head down further, though, I think about as impatient as I was earlier, and astoundingly I managed to get all but his knot in my mouth, sucking as best I could from my awkward angle. Hopefully I wouldn't be too sore after this.

I could feel the fox shaking on top of me, particularly his paws on my head as I sent him to great places. At least, that's how he made it sound. Either way, I did my best to pleasure the horny fox, even making a few pleasured noises myself as I took every inch in, suckling hard upon his tip each time I pulled back.

"Ooh, gods," Loki moaned. "L-Luca, I'm s-so close..!"

I was unrelenting in my ecstatic assault, and I could feel just how close Loki was. His paws and legs shook, and though he was trying to hold off, inevitably his orgasm struck, and it struck him about as hard as mine had struck me.

The fox howled thunderously, pushing my face into his crotch and pulling on my ears as he bucked into my maw, his hot seed shooting down my throat. I bobbed my head a couple times to torture the poor fox, and to get a taste of him, and when all was said and done, he finally let me rest, a long string of cum leading from my mouth to the tip of his cock.

"Mm, Luca... I could go again. Let's go again!"

I just laughed. "Maybe you can, but I'm pretty much spent."

"You tired old cat," the fox groaned, pushing his bum down into my crotch again and letting out a long, happy sigh. "I've never been so horny before in my life."

"It's your own fault, really. You couldn't keep your paws to yourself every night."

"Hush," he barked, leaning forward and giving me a long, deep kiss, which caused my tiger-pride to pop out of his rear, spilling a good amount of seed on my lower belly, but amazingly he'd kept most of it in.

"Mm," I said as we kissed, his mouth tasting so sweet after so long. The fox kissed me a couple more times, then simply let himself collapse onto my chest and stomach, wrapping his arms around me as I did the same to him. I rubbed his back with delight and gave him one final kiss, then we just simply nuzzled one another, basking in the soft afterglow of some of the fastest, most painful sex I'd ever had.

We remained like that for a good long while, until we started to notice the darkening sky. There was still at least an hour of so of daylight left, but it would take us about that long to get back to the lookout. And so reluctantly, Loki and I clothed ourselves, gathered our things and left, a smile on both our faces.

As predicted, twilight was fading as we reached the lookout, a very impatient Tzu waiting for us with arms crossed. I didn't suspect he knew what we'd done, but he knew something held us up. Since neither of us had brought weapons, nor did we return with any cuts or bruises, I could only imagine what he thought.

"Mission accomplished," I said as I held the sack full of food out, placing it down by his feet. Tzu retained his unimpressed look while he took the bag, peering in to make sure we hadn't screwed up.

That night we all sat around what would have been a fire were we allowed to build one, eating the newly acquired food. The missing team hadn't yet returned, and I could tell it was weighing heavily on Tzu's mind. The scouts he'd sent out revealed nothing, but Sun Shen assured him, that team had the longest route to take, and any number of reasons could have slowed their journey.

The next few days passed with no word from the missing party, nor the rebels. Tzu assured us the rebels would arrive, but he couldn't figure out what was taking so long. He went on a few missions himself I think to get his mind off the missing men, worried this would all be for naught.

The following day, I was sent with Sun Shen to look for the missing team, retracing our steps back to the village, though not taking the exact path we'd taken initially. We found the path the missing team would have likely taken, though we couldn't be sure of anything. We searched until nightfall, finding nothing, until late afternoon the next day when we found a small iron dagger one of the men had been carrying, which featured an etched dragon on the blade. Sun Shen recognized it, and thanked whatever gods he believed in that we'd found it.

Of course, where did we go from here?

We scouted out the area some more, seeing nothing amongst the hills, but looked around until nightfall. In the morning we headed back to the lookout to report to Tzu. He was troubled to say the least, but until we found the bodies, couldn't be sure of anything.

"They were most likely overtaken by marauders," the grizzled panda growled. "But we cannot know anything for certain. We must find them. Loki, you go with them, plus you three. If they're alive, we must rescue them. If not...may their souls rest in peace."

And by dusk, the six of us arrived back in the foothills, camping out for the night. Loki, Sun Shen and I lit a fire upon a hill, not just to keep ourselves warm but in hopes of attracting whomever had attacked the three men. The other three hid nearby, figuring a group of six armed men would be too intimidating for most marauders, but the three of us could make for easy targets. It was when my eyes started to feel heavy that we heard an unusual birdcall, no doubt our shadowed enemies communicating.

The next few minutes were tense as we waited for the ambush. I was breathing as quietly as possible, but it seemed the only thing I could hear beyond the crackling of our fire was the sound of blood gushing through my ears. I could almost feel their hungry gazes upon us, unable to determine just how many there were, but they were there, that much I knew.

Suddenly, a loud cry rang out from one of our hidden men. The three of us leapt up with just enough time to see a glaive coming toward me. Amazingly I dodged it, unsheathing my sword immediately and swinging at the first dark shadow I found. The blade sliced cleanly through the marauder's stomach, spilling his guts next to the fire. With a loud cry, I swung my sword behind me, lopping off the head and an arm of another attacker. I then bolted down the hill and toward our men, sinking Zhong Kui into the chest of another, just before one of our soldiers suffered the same fate.

From out of nowhere, I saw a sudden flash of light and a frightening crack, I think Loki casting a Lightning Rune. The ground then burst and a couple men went flying, shaking terribly when they landed. Then a second flash, a wooden stave suddenly felling someone before they could even grasp what was happening. In much the same devastating fashion, another enemy fell, and soon all was quiet, save the panicked footsteps of a fleeing bandit.

Loki, whose eyes seemed to be glowing a little, suddenly and swiftly took off with a powerful yet graceful leap, bounding away as if riding the wind. I think he was following that last remaining soldier, who after witnessing his fellow marauders being slaughtered was hopefully making his way back to the main camp. The rest of us quickly followed.

Trailing Loki wasn't easy, not only because it was so damn dark out, but because he was moving almost silently through the air, touching down on a hill's peak only to fly away again, seeming as light as air. The five of us moved as silently as we could, wanting to stay close but not wanting to alert the coward to our presence. We had to assume if he knew we were following him, he wouldn't lead us back to the camp, though I had seen dumber bandits before.

Before long, the marauder disappeared, and Loki along with him. Panting, we looked around for a light, or some sign of where they went, unsure of how far we'd travelled. But within moments, the fox landed elegantly on a rock peak above us, crouched as he looked down at us. This was a lot more like the Loki I once knew and hated: small but powerful.

"I saw him enter a small cave," said the fox. "Between two rocks. I suspect it opens up, though he could just be hiding. It's not far east from here."

The fox then climbed down effortlessly, waving for us to follow. Well off the main path now, we travelled between hills until at last he pointed between two large rocks, grass creeping up all around them. Sure enough, further in was a fair-sized opening, dark and deep. Most people would have missed it even during the day, the hole very well hidden. How these bastards had stumbled upon it, I would never know.

"It'll be dark," Loki said, "but I recommend forgoing torches. I doubt they'd expect us. Any objections?"

"Let's just try to get our men back," growled Sun Shen, looking eager for a fight. I would have thought the last short battle would be enough, but the determined scowl on his face said otherwise.

And so one by one, the six of us ducked into the cave's entrance, discovering quickly that without the quarter-moon's pale blue light to guide us, the cave was, indeed, dark. But with Loki ahead, he helped guide us through the dank, mossy cave in the pitch black until soon I noticed a slight glistening on the rocks I slid my paw along, torchlight somewhere ahead.

"I've heard stories of vast tunnels beneath the foothills," whispered one of the other men, though Sun Shen quickly silenced him. It made me wonder just how vast these tunnels were, and hoped they opened up into larger chambers somewhere along the line. As much as I enjoyed walking crouched down - Loki, lucky for him, was able to traverse the tunnels standing completely upright - my neck was getting increasingly more sore.

"We're coming up to a chamber," Loki informed us, though I wasn't sure how he knew. Perhaps one of his Earth Runes let him see things normal furs could only hope to see.

But whether it was through his magic runes or just intuition, sure enough we came upon a dimly lit chamber, up on a ledge with a rather precarious pathway leading down to the floor of the chamber, where men were hurriedly rushing around, arming themselves. I could see in the distance a small, winded canine reporting to a much larger fur, feline I guessed by the look of his tail. The other men - about twenty or so, though it was difficult to say how many were hiding in the many crevasses throughout the large open chamber - looked as if they were preparing for a battle.

"Do you see our men?" asked Sun Shen, who was slowly inching closer toward the edge, to get a better look.

I shook my head, scanning the cave for any signs of rebels. Unfortunately, most of the marauders also did not observe Xu's Law, so looking for "undesirables" didn't help here. But after a few more once-overs, I did notice a particularly well-lit tunnel in behind where the scout and who I could only assume was the marauder's leader was standing.

"What should we do?" I whispered to Sun Shen.

He thought about it. "They aren't like the Emperor's men, they could be far better trained. For all we know, they could be ex-soldiers. Attacking them head-on might not be wise, but if we use the shadows to our advantage, we can take them out one by one, until one of them tells us what happened to our men."

"They're cowards," I growled. "They attack in the night, how much skill could they possibly have?"

"It doesn't matter, we have to act soon," said the leopard, most of the men armed at this point. Though I could only glance quickly, it looked like there was at least twenty-five now, likely more. "They're clearly expecting us, or at least someone. We should attack now."

"Loki?" I said to the fox.

"I'll do whatever you command me to do," he said, which made me want to hit him. I knew it to be true, but I still didn't like hearing it.

"You men okay with that?" Sun Shen asked, looking back at the three others. They nodded, paws on their weapons. Each one looked determined, I think wanting to get their fellow rebels back as badly as anyone.

"Good. We'll go in quietly, try to surround them. When I give the signal, we attack. If you encounter any of them when getting into position, take them out silently, or as silently as you can. Understood?"

They nodded again, then as silently as we could, the six of us descended the rocky slope down into the large chamber.

Fortunately I wasn't afraid of heights, especially after my foot slipped a couple times on the way down, though luckily it didn't draw any attention to us. I had no idea how visible we were to our enemies, had they the mind to look, but once we reached the main floor, we spread out amongst the shadows.

With knife drawn, I saw an ugly marauder straight ahead. He was holding onto a lantern, but set it down to further inspect his blade, a form of guandao with a shorter handle, but much longer, more sword-like blade. From behind, I managed to get close enough to the poor bandit to sink my knife into the back of his neck, felling him instantly. I left the lamp where it was, continuing on behind a rock, then to another one, ears perked to their fullest and eyes wide as saucers.

The marauder leader - a large, tough snow leopard - was barking orders to his men, telling them we'd likely be by soon, though from the sounds of it he didn't realize we were trained soldiers. He told his men not to believe the scout's story of a demon fox, the one who fights like a bolt of lightning, but instead told them to remain focused. He insisted the returned scout was simply hysterical, traumatised by the fight.

When I stood behind a large rock formation, I felt Loki's small, sweet paw brush past my tail as he crept into his position ahead of me, giving me a devilish glance as he snuck by. I frowned at him, though more because I couldn't do anything back without giving my position away. I wasn't sure what sort of signal Sun Shen planned on using, but I stood patiently awaiting it.

After a short time, though it felt like an eternity, for just a couple seconds I heard a strange hissing sound, unsure of what it was until the very last moment, when suddenly from out of nowhere a small flash burst with an ear-splitting bang echoing painfully through the entire chamber. Though disorienting at first, I quickly slipped out from my hiding place and drew my sword, swinging it downward at the first enemy I saw.

While he was distracted, my heavy sword smashed through the plated armour of one marauder, down into his shoulder and half his chest, blood spraying out as I kicked him off my blade. Snarling loudly, I swung myself around and with great force, obliterated a second marauder's hip, nearly slicing him in two. The other men were roaring as fiercely as I was, though I couldn't tell which of them were our men, and which were our enemies.

I could, however, hear the booming, commanding voice of the marauders' leader, the snow leopard, shouting orders fruitlessly. I wanted him for myself, though with so much chaos clashing all around me, I wasn't sure I'd make it to him. I suppose it didn't matter anyway, as the fifth bandit fell beneath my mighty blade, we would easily win this battle.

I roared viciously as I took out another enemy, driving my blade into his gut, then sliced off the head of another, saving one of my own men from being killed. Unfortunately, saving him meant a fresh new gash in my ribs, but my painful cry alerted Loki, who crushed him beneath a rune-controlled rock.

"Are you okay?" Loki asked breathlessly, fending off another attacker.

"Yeah," I groaned, picking up my sword and killing the offending attacker. Using that fresh wound to fuel my rage, I gripped my new weapon tightly and charged a group of three men, stabbing one in the throat - which seemed to surprise them, by the way - then pulled it out to deliver two fatal wounds to the other two, though they would likely not die instantly.

I roared again as the two fell, swinging my blade upward to open up a soldier's chest, then around behind me to behead another. I didn't know how many were left, but despite my bleeding cut, I could have gone on for hours.

Needless to say, hours had not passed before receiving a second deep wound, this one across my back. I killed him immediately after, starting to feel a little more weak now, though I was far from giving in. I charged another marauder who was harassing one of my fellows, stabbing him in the heart from behind, or damn near enough to kill him instantly. Then I noticed another lose his footing on the damp, rocky ground, falling backwards and seconds away from losing his head.

In an act of desperation, I raised my sword above my head and heaved it toward the marauder, and though I didn't manage to stab him, I had at least inflicted a wound bad enough to stop him.

The bandit cried out and held his gushing wound, which gave my fellow soldier enough time to thrust his blade into his enemy's gut, twisting it to ensure a quick death. When I went to retrieve my blade, however, I received my third wound of the evening.

This time, unfortunately, it was a stab wound in my chest, a spear that had come from out of nowhere. I stumbled back as pain shot through my entire midriff, the handle of the spear causing the blade to rip at my flesh. But when I grabbed hold to tear it out, a snow leopard suddenly appeared to keep it there. It was their leader, and it looked like he was eyeing me about as much as I was eyeing him.

The snow leopard growled as he twisted the blade and pushed his spear forward, and I held onto the shaft helplessly. But that didn't stop me from growling back, trying to pull it out but with two other large wounds, found the task impossible.

"Your men told us everything, old tiger," he growled, twisting the spear again. "We'll get quite the reward, I suspect, for bringing even more of you in, hm?"

All I could do was snarl. I tried calling out to Loki, but blood starting to gush from my maw, gargling my words. I was then pushed onto a large stalagmite, the blade forced deeper into my flesh and into my lung. Breathing was difficult, each time I tried I coughed up more blood. I called out to Loki again, but nothing except that warm, carmine red came out. But before that deep, dark voice inside me could creep up and take over my mind, the frightening, enraged face of Sun Shen appeared moments before he stabbed his duel blades through the snow leopard's back.

Relief came almost instantly as I slid down the stalagmite with the spear still stuck in me. Sun Shen said something smart like, "Just stay here," before bounding away to attack more marauders. Maybe I blacked out or maybe the bandits just fled, either way the clouded leopard reappeared soon after with Loki, the fox crouched in front of me.

"Did you find our men?" I asked, the steely taste of blood thick on my tongue.

"The others are searching," Loki said. "I'm going to pull the spear out, then apply a healing rune, understand?"

I groaned horribly as the spear shifted about in my body. "No," I growled, "none of your damn runes."

Ignoring me, Loki removed a neckless he'd been wearing and tied it around my neck, which fit quite snugly against my throat. Despite that, he cast a few runes into the stone hanging in its centre, then quickly ripped the spear from my chest.

I cried out in terrible pain, more blood spurting from my maw, as well as spilling from the fresh wound. The fox tore off my shirt immediately and stuffed a good chunk of it into the spear wound, ordering Sun Shen to hold it there. While the leopard did that, Loki wrapped my other two wounds, though he said they would be okay.

"You reckless fool," Loki growled, taking over for Sun Shen. He continued to put pressure onto my wound, which hurt immensely but it was better than bleeding out.

"We've got 'em!" I heard someone shout, which drew Sun Shen's attention away. "They were being held captive, one of them is really badly beaten."

"Do these runes really work?" Sun Shen asked as calmly as he could, though I could sense a great deal of stress and urgency in his voice. "Can you use them on our men?"

Loki nodded. "I'll need some sort of talisman, but it should be easy enough to put one together. Keep pressure on Luca's wound, I'll tend to them." And with that, my faithful arctic fox hurried to the next chamber, Sun Shen replacing him quickly.

"I hope you don't plan on fighting like this in Tao'zhan," the clouded leopard sighed. "If you're even able to."

I would have told the leopard off if it didn't hurt so much.

"I saw you during the battle for Xin'an, you were unstoppable. You fought like a demon. So what happened to the Yaoguai Hu? Or is it that your luck is just starting to run out? Or maybe it's time you hang up your sword, leave the fighting for the younger furs."

I growled angrily, shaking as I tried to lean forward to punch the leopard, but the pain was too much. Instead I said "fuck you," though I spat more blood out than anything. Still, I think he got the idea. He just shook his head at me, using one paw to wipe my blood off his face while the other kept my torn shirt pressed firmly against my fresh wound.

After some time, Loki remerged with two badly beaten soldiers, both of them completely naked, while the other - an otter - was carried out on the shoulders of a rabbit and a wolf, our men. The arctic fox came back to me and with a sigh, kissed me on my forehead. "He'll live," said Loki, "And the others will be fine. How're you holding up?"

"Just great," I managed to say, spitting out more blood. Amazingly, I think Loki's runes were actually helping, though the deep wounds still hurt. Both the fox and Sun Shen then began to help me up, and when I got a good look at the otter, suddenly my wounds seemed superficial by comparison.

It was a long, agonizing hike back to our camp, having not only to carry injured men with us, but all of their gear as well. In the pitch blackness of the night, sleep didn't come to any of us easily. The journey back to the lookout was even worse, all of us constantly looking over our shoulders not only for more marauders and bandits, but for the Emperor's men as well. Fortunately we encountered very few people along the way, and those we did encounter said nothing as we passed them. A few offered aid, but we refused, wanting to get back as soon as possible.

It was getting dark by the time the nine of us made it back to Tzu and the others. Sun Shen explained as best he could what had happened, and those wounded were put into a tent to heal, myself included. Loki had to explain the runes to Tzu, and even carved a bunch onto the ground around the tent, encircling it, to denote it was a place of healing. Tzu didn't entirely trust Loki's runes, but allowed it anyway, figuring they would either work, or do nothing at all.

No word had arrived yet from the rebel army, and Tzu was getting anxious. Nevertheless, the next day the panda sent out his men to scout the city anyway, trying to learn as much about the guards' patrols and habits as he could. By lunch time I was already feeling well enough to walk around, which was Sun Shen's cue to do some training with me.

"I did tons of training back at Xin'an," I told him, getting only a stick to fight with.

"Yes, but where you were the master, now you are the student."

"Give me a break," I scoffed. "What could you possibl--" A sharp pain suddenly slapped me in the face, and Sun Shen was grinning at me with his stick ready to strike again. "You fucker!"

Sun Shen dodged all of my attacks easily, then struck me in the ribs, then the leg, then my arm several times. I attacked him more and more furiously, yet he was just that much faster, hitting me each time I missed. Loki was quite amused by all of this, not at all concerned about my gaping wounds, at least not as much as he had been after suffering my first batch, after Xin'an.

"Just hit me!" snarled Sun Shen, leaping out of the way once more. I was panting heavily by this point, yet the leopard seemed more than ready for more. I didn't let that stop me, of course, but it seemed as if it was becoming more and more futile. Finally when he came in to attack once more, a tiny voice alerted me, the smallest bit of darkness that didn't want to get hit again.

I blocked Sun Shen's stick with my forearm then knocked it away with a snarl, my other paw already thrusting forward to grip at the leopard's throat. Though he batted my arm away, I growled deeply and kicked him in the leg, then knocked him to the ground. Were it not for Loki interjecting, I would have likely attempted to kill the leopard.

"Calm down," growled Loki, pushing me back. "You're just training, there's no danger here. Save Nosferatu for Tao'zhan."

I was breathing heavily, filled with more rage than I should have been. My wounds were burning, making everything that much worse. But somehow I managed to focus on Loki, on his icy blue eyes, and I felt myself calming down. Sun Shen was already getting back up, I think a little surprised by my outburst.

"Now where was that Luca in the cave yesterday?" he growled, rubbing the side of his knee. "The point I was trying to teach you was that you can't keep attacking everything at full force like that. I realize that's worked for you in the past, but clearly you're going to have to adapt else you'll fall before long. When your enemies have more space to move, unlike on most battlefields, they can dodge your attacks so much easier. That's where you need to hone your abilities, learn to fight a foe who will be able to fight back."

I just growled. "Says the one who nearly had his throat ripped out."

Sun Shen scoffed at me. "Your backside was completely vulnerable, if this was a real battle you would have been stuck through the moment you dropped your sword."

"You mean my stick."

"Yeah," frowned the leopard. "On top of that, giving into your anger like that is another perfect way to get yourself killed. I know that when you're completely surrounded by enemies it makes little difference, but when you're not it makes you sloppy and slow, and you put even more energy into each of your attacks, which brings us back to my first point."

Deep down, I knew Sun Shen wasn't wrong, at least not entirely. Having collected myself by this point, he and I continued our training well into the evening, and while my instincts told me to attack him with everything I had, I did manage to pace myself at least a little.

For the next few days we continued our training, my wounds now almost entirely healed. The others, I had learned, were also doing well, and the otter was able to move around by himself now. The group of us injured folk trained together, which Sun Shen believed would help in the healing, even if it didn't feel like it. Both he and Tzu agreed, it was best to keep our abilities honed, rather than let them get dull whilst mending.

By mid-afternoon the next day, five days after rescuing our men, a rebel messenger at last approached our small camp in the foothills, emerging through the trees swiftly to meet with Tzu. The two talked for a good long while, until at last he was sent back to General Zi. In the evening while we ate our dinner, the panda filled us in.

"Tomorrow the rebels will approach Tao'zhan, spreading themselves out as much as possible to appear larger, until an envoy from both sides meet halfway to discuss terms. In all likelihood, it will end in a stalemate. It will be on that night we will finally make our move into the city. I realize many of you still carry fresh wounds, and while Loki has done his best to speed up your healing, you must remember to stay focused. So much is riding on our success, though I scarcely need to remind you. Get some rest tonight, and prepare as best you can tomorrow. It will be a very long night for all of us."

There wasn't much said between any of us that evening, I think most of us lost in our own thoughts. Though the plan was simple enough, no one ever went into battle thinking they'd come out alive, unless they were a damn fool. I could hear the others saying their prayers before attempting to sleep, myself opting instead to get as close to the little arctic fox as I could before getting some rest.

I was up early the next morning, the first one awake before Tzu. The sun was just beginning to rise over the Bonai Sea, shimmering brightly in deep reds and yellows and oranges, casting its refreshing glow upon Tao'zhan far in the distance. It wouldn't be long before the rebel army approached the city from the south, a mere six-thousand men to the Emperor's fifty-thousand.

"Mercenary," Tzu said as a greeting. "You're up early. Having second thoughts?"

I ignored that. "The odds aren't exactly in our favour."

"Securing those walls will aid us greatly. When our forces attack and the Heaven's Gate is open, all chaos will break out, that much is certain. But with the other gates unguarded, two units will flank the Lower City and attack the Jade Army from behind. If we move quickly enough, our forces will enter the Lower City before their generals can even realize what's happening."

"Sounds about perfect."

Tzu nodded. "But we must always remember, there are no constant conditions in war. Like water flowing over the land, it retains no constant shape. Therefore, we must always be prepared for the inevitable change in battle."

I grunted. "What kind of changes?"

Tzu laughed quietly. "If we knew that, this battle would already be won."

I sighed quietly, watching the sun rise higher over the distant hills and forests. This really was a beautiful country, I could even imagine retiring here. Of course, the moment that thought crept into my mind, I realized, when would I retire? Did mercenaries even retire, or did they simply die before getting the chance? Perhaps that was their retirement. Injuries were getting harder and harder to recover from, I was beginning to notice, I suppose it was only a matter of time before my head was lopped clean off. And as Sun Shen seemed to enjoy pointing out, I was getting slower, tired quicker.

"Are you concerned with tomorrow's battle? Or tonight's operation?" asked the panda, for once not seeming angry with me.

I just shrugged, feeling slightly less confident in myself than I usually did. "I've been in enough battles to know nothing ever goes as planned. Then again, I've been in battles where claiming victory was almost a work of art, absolute perfection. Experience has taught me, however, the former is far more likely."

Tzu seemed amused by that. "How many wars have you fought in, mercenary?"

"Wars? Just two, really. This one, and the Century War between Midland and Maldad. Not sure if news of that ever reached the Eastern Lands. But I've been selling my sword since I was fifteen years old, give or take, and I've been in more battles than I can count, if that's what you're getting at. Won most of them, lost a fair share, too."

"This country has seen its fair share of wars, usually with the Warring States up north. I was just a soldier, like you, never a sellsword however. And like you, I've seen many victories and many loses. Yet no matter how many battles I've been in, and will continue to be in, I will never get a good night's sleep beforehand. I think that must be normal, surely. How can a man truly prepare himself to take the life of another? I would not trust a man who sleeps soundly before heading off to war."

I hadn't ever given it all that much thought before. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't. Most times I didn't. Did that make me normal?

"To be fair, though, the battle won't really start until tomorrow morning."

Tzu looked unimpressed. "Yes, well while the rebel army sleeps, we will be performing our task. I wonder, will you survive the battle to come? After we claim the Lower City's walls, will you be able to then carry your enormous blade into the fray and live to tell the tale?"

I furrowed my brow, not entirely certain what Tzu was actually asking.

"Sun Shen has informed me, since your fight against Tormund, you have slowed down significantly. Whereas before you seemed unstoppable, one of the Emperor's scouts would have escaped were it not for Shen's swiftness. Even in the short battle against the marauders, you were struck down far easier than he would have thought possible. I suggested it was merely the injuries you had suffered, but he is convinced you are...starting to show your age. So I wonder, are you up to the task?"

I was getting god damn tired of hearing people say that. "I'm up to the task," I insisted angrily. "I know how it looks, but I assure you, I won't be a problem."

Tzu just grunted. "Good."

Already annoyed at the crack of dawn, with a frown I turned back to our small camp and sat next to Loki, who was just getting up. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and groaned slightly, rubbing his footpaw over my tail.

"You're up early," he said groggily, still lying down. "What's up?"

I grumbled incoherently to myself, but finally broke down and said, "Loki, am I too old for this?"

The fox buried his head in his pillow, turning around with grunt. "For what?"

"For this, for selling my sword, battles and war. Am I too old?"

Loki sighed. "Well...you do have a lot more white fur than you used to," he said cautiously, turning to look at me. "Why? Is this because of the marauders?"

I grumbled again. "Not exactly. Sun Shen's been telling everyone I'm too old to keep fighting. Do you think I've slowed down?"

Now the fox shifted uncomfortably, effectively answering my question. Though I still wanted to hear what he had to say. "Luca... What do you want me to say? Yeah, I've noticed a difference since the battle for Xin'an. I can't explain it, perhaps your injuries that time were just too great. Maybe if you'd accepted my healing runes, you would've mended properly."

I just shook my head. "I don't feel any worse than I did then."

Finally Loki sat up, nuzzling into me. "I don't exactly have a lot of experience in this, but from what I remember as a child, it can take years for elders to realize exactly how old they are. All it takes sometimes is one incident to suddenly make you feel your age. Usually in those days, it was an elder slipping on a patch of ice or getting up out of bed too quickly and hurting themselves. So far you've been able to get out of bed perfectly fine, so I wouldn't worry too much."

"Do you think I'm old?"

The arctic fox shifted into my lap, back pressed against my chest, holding my paws as they gripped his soft belly. "You're as old as you are, Luca. My opinion won't change your age."

"You know what I mean..."

With a bit of blush on his cheeks, Loki said, "Well you're still just as virile as you've ever been...so there's that."

I nipped Loki's ear and gave it a playful tug, rubbing his belly and chest. He had avoided my question expertly, and for that he'd have to pay. I would have given anything to show the fox my virility right there in the tent, but unfortunately it wasn't possible, at least not without getting caught. Perhaps we could sneak off later...

Before getting the chance to consider that further, our tent flap opened and the serious face of Sun Shen appeared. "Are you two going to stay in here all day?"

I could've punched him, especially as he gave Loki and I his disapproving glare, the two of us as close as ever, wrestling a bit moments before the intrusion. Ignoring the leopard, I nuzzled the top of Loki's head and bit his other ear, giving it a tug as well, though the fox was far less comfortable with this than I was. He struggled and pushed himself away, growling instead of groaning, which left just me receiving that wicked glare.

"We won't move until tonight, so what difference does it make?"

Somehow Sun Shen managed to glare harder. "Get up. We're going to do some more training today. You've barely improved."

"Will a single day's lesson really help that much?"

I didn't trust the sly grin and shrug I received as a response. But like a good tiger, I got up with little ease, feeling more and more like an old man the more it was mentioned. I grumbled at the stupid clouded leopard and grumbled at my sore body, and grumbled at his lessons and Sun Shen's face, and just about anything else I could think of before finally getting to my feet. I noticed Loki had a semi poking out of his sheath, and I grumbled at not being able to do anything with it.

"You wouldn't have gotten away with it anyway," said the blushing fox, seeming to read my mind. And for embarrassing him earlier, the fox groaned quietly as he rubbed his crotch and exposed more red shaft, biting his lip. It was my turn now to glare at him, though that only seemed to make the fox laugh. "Go on."

I threw on my shirt - which I had to borrow from one of the others, since mine was torn and covered in blood - with a frown and finally exited the tent, greeted almost immediately by three men holding onto sticks: Sun Shen; a tiger named Jian; and a big black bear named Lao. Each of them looked eager to train, and when the leopard threw me my stick, I had a feeling they weren't going to be training with one another.

"I'm not going to like this, am I," I said unenthusiastically. Unfortunately the area we trained in wasn't far from where my tent had been set up, so I couldn't even stall.

"I realized yesterday during our training that in battle, you're not often in a one-on-one fight with your enemies, that you must always be cautious of others around you."

"Yeah," I sighed, "I've been in a few battles before too."

The other tiger - Jian - smirked at my sarcastic remark, though I couldn't tell if the young, thin cat was itching to hit me, or if he simply thought I was amusing. Either way, I didn't like it.

"Having said that," continued Sun Shen, "today's lesson won't be too different from what it has been, except now..."

"I get it. Let's just get the beating done and over with, okay?"

"Steel yourself," growled the leopard, then came at me.

I blocked his first three attacks easily, but before I could block his fourth, the tiger came at me. I managed to block his stick, but unfortunately that meant a hearty blow to the face by Sun Shen. I tried to remain calm as we went again, this time Jian attacking me first. I blocked, dodged the bear, blocked Sun Shen and leapt back, my old instincts starting to kick in. That helped especially when Lao - the white-chested bear - came at me with a stick a bit larger than mine.

My stick met his with thunderous results, my wooden weapon nearly vibrating right out of my paws. Of course, just as our sticks struck, I was whacked on the back of my leg. I snarled, but swung my fraying weapon around to strike Jian, but he was quick to avoid me. I swung again, then again, missing him each time until I was hit on the back. I continued to swing, until I realized no one was attacking me now. I just growled at the others.

"This isn't the point of the lesson," growled Sun Shen. "You tell me you're not too old, yet you cling to your old habits like a mad dog. You have to block our incoming strikes, at least the first ten. Then I will start to consider you a success."

"You know what your problem is?" I growled. "You talk too much. That'll get you killed on the battlefield, and if not that..."

With a sudden burst, I attacked the clouded leopard, who was surprised by my attack. I swung my stick at him three times, each one either blocked or dodged, but I could tell I was getting close. I thrusted my wooden blade toward him, but he knocked it away. I spun to work up some unneeded momentum, coming down hard on Sun Shen. I was unrelenting, but he was always just one step ahead of me. Finally I kicked up some dirt, blinding him for just long enough to ram him with my shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Fortunately I was in control enough to stop my attacks.

Sun Shen snarled at me as he got up, wiping the dirt from his eyes. That was when I sensed an attack from behind me. It was the tiger, and I was just swift enough knock his stick aside, then block the bear's attack, taking a step back. I blocked a few more of his attacks, parrying away in order to avoid Jian. Both were coming at me, and though somehow I was evading them, I was already panting heavily.

Seeming to sense my exhaustion, Sun Shen came at me. I blocked his attack, pushing back with enough force to make him falter for just a second. It was enough of a gap to block Jian's stick, then again, then the bear, then Sun Shen again. My muscles were burning as I swung my light stick around, making me wonder how I was supposed to swing my sword.

Of course it was that moment of introspection that earned me a nice new welt on the side of my head. I snarled fiercely, holding the bump as I staggered to the side, swinging at whoever was approaching me. I was still panting, and wanted more than anything to just lie down, though luckily the bump on my head was caused by a stick and not a real practice sword.

"You did well," Sun Shen panted. The others were breathing heavily too, but I seemed worse for wear. "It seems you can be swift when you want to be."

I wasn't sure what he was implying, if anything at all, but I growled at him just to be sure. "So I can still go on this mission, huh?"

Sun Shen grunted. "Indeed. You may rest now, Luca, we'll practice more later."

All I could think to say was another growl, then I sat in the small clearing in the forest we were using as a training area, tossing my barkless stick aside. Loki's appearance put a smile on my face, which got wider when he sat between my legs and pressed his back up against my chest, looking up at me.

I kissed his little wet nose then held the fox close. "Well I passed," I said with little enthusiasm. "Though it seems they want to beat the shit out of me later, too. I don't know why they're wasting their time, it's not like I'm sticking around after the battle."

"Oh? Where are you headed?"

Just before I could answer, I suddenly realized, I had no idea. I had no plan, frankly, I didn't imagine I'd even live to see the end of this war. I could have travelled further east, or try my luck heading south. With the Emperor dethroned, I didn't imagine there'd be much use left for a mercenary like me, or any mercenary, really. I suppose there was always private jobs, like protection or escorts, those were usually pretty easy money.

"I'm not sure," I told the fox, sinking a bit deeper into thought. Perhaps the pandas could direct me to another war-torn country, or maybe--

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Loki pushed my paw down his pants, pressing my pads into his hot, full sheath. He was still as hard as when I'd left him, and judging by how eagerly he was rubbing my fingers over his sheath, he wanted it just as badly as I did.

"L-Loki..." I managed to spit out, immediately becoming hard. In a strange twist, I found myself blushing, surprised by his advance. It was amazing to imagine how he had once been so reserved, and was now forcing my paw down his pants. It was almost becoming too much as I felt his hot flesh in my paw, grabbing it, making him squirm. I could see the others from afar, close enough to see what we were doing if they looked hard enough, but far enough where they wouldn't notice anything right away.

"C'mon," I huffed, aching as I stood up. Giving the fox little room to argue - not that he would have - I pulled him along as I made my way deeper into the forest, until I found a clearing far enough away from my fellow soldiers where I couldn't see them moving between the trees.

In a sudden fit of passion, my pants were pushed down to my ankles and after doing the same to Loki, I took him right then and there. Though I thought I saw some movement in the distance, I ignored it as my pushed myself into the warmth of Loki's body. The whole affair lasted only a short while, Loki howling as if we were all alone out here, pushing into me about as hard as I pushed forward.

I almost couldn't believe how quickly we'd done it, the intense rush coming over me and the violent wave of pleasure crashing over us, even as I finished Loki off as well. We were both panting heavily by the end, both of us blushing and simply relaxing amongst the trees. Despite finishing, Loki got to his knees and with his tongue, cleaned my half-hard cock up, and my sheath and balls as well. It was almost enough to make me want to go again, but I knew this was it for me, at least for a little while. The young fox no doubt wanted more, but it would have to wait.

"Thank you for that," said Loki as we made our way back, straightening ourselves out as the small camp came into view. Neither of us could stop smiling, more especially Loki. "I always love it when you finish inside me," he said softly as he rubbed his belly.

"Of course," I said as I ran my fingers up Loki's back. "I'm surprised you still want it from such an old man."

Loki just rolled his eyes then smacked my bum. "I'm older than you are."

I laughed. "Right, of course." Though technically true, the fox had long ago halted his body's natural aging, effectively making him immortal, a rune cast upon him millennia ago by the Crimson King. Though the fox - so far as I knew - could still be killed, age would never be the cause.

By the time we made it back, it seemed the rebel army was just starting to form outside, and we got a few dirty looks from our cohorts either because we were late showing up, or they suspected what we were doing. I wasn't sure what the point of us watching the two parties speak was, it wasn't like we could hear them, much less see what was going on. They were just insects from so far away, but Tzu insisted.

"Sorry we're late," I said insincerely. Tzu barely glanced over.

"This is it," said the panda warrior. "This is the final moment before we can finally reclaim our land. It's been over a decade since Emperor Xu ascended to the throne, enacting his insane laws. How that fool thought he could exile thousands of his own people and get away with it, we may never know. The Emperor is a fool, a monster in his own right, and tomorrow he will see the price he pays for perfection."

Some of the other men agreed heartily, but I just kept my mouth shut for fear of insulting someone. It seemed everything I did was some sort of slight on them or their people. Even my profession insulted them, like every aspect of myself was an affront to their way of life. Perhaps I just wasn't spiritual enough.

The meeting between the Emperor's man and the rebels' didn't last as long as I thought it would. There was no violence, which I suppose was good, but it looked like, as everyone had predicted, it had ended in a stalemate. Both parties, joined by a few footmen, talked for maybe a half hour tops, then swiftly rejoined their respective sides. Despite that, the tension around our camp was high, more particularly from Tzu. He had a quiet intensity in his eyes, as if he thought it could have ended any other way.

"So what now?" I asked, and Tzu just sighed.

"We await word from their messenger. We will likely move on Tao'zhan tonight."

The others continued to watch the well-formed rebel lines for a short while, as if still waiting for something to happen. The rebels were far from the city's walls, far enough to avoid cannonfire at any rate. I had no idea what sort of weapons they would employ within the walls, if they would even have any at all. I got the impression the fields close to the Heaven's Gate was mostly all crops and farmland, and they would likely try to avoid destroying it if they could. Catapults and mortars would do significant damage to their crops, though with the rebels knocking on their front gates, it could be unavoidable.

"We took all their major cities, all their major castles and holds, even their armouries," Tzu growled furiously, fists clenched. "The Eastern Lands is ours, yet that fool still resists? Such an arrogant bastard Xu is, he will die trying to keep this country free of us 'imperfects.' Pandas have ruled this land for millennia, and he thinks he can just cast us out so easily? I hope to drive my spear straight through his heart myself."

The rest stood solemnly for a moment, and though I was hardly stirred by Tzu's short speech, I could appreciate the sentiment. Perhaps it was because I had exiled myself voluntarily that his ire was lost on me, having never felt a particular attachment to Midland, the closest thing I had to a "homeland." And even then, I was not loyal to Midland, I had simply chosen a side in the war, and got paid accordingly. I was born on the border between Midland and her enemy Maldad, no real home besides the small trade town known as Concord, in the seediest of seedy pubs.

But of course, with the scorned rebels saying a silent prayer to their gods, it would be far too awkward for me to escape now, so I sighed quietly and stared out toward the horizon, gazing upon the massive city of Tao'zhan, and the small army of rebels hoping to conquer it. The outlook seemed grim, but this plan was the only hope they had at regaining what was once stolen from them from a mad Emperor.

Later in the afternoon, after a somber lunch of cured fish, rice and dried fruit, Sun Shen and his companions enjoyed a few hours of beating me senseless, though admittedly I was getting better at dodging or blocking their attacks, even when all three came at me at once. Loki simply watched as their sticks struck me again and again, though he may have also just been watching because at some point I had lost my shirt.

Whilst we trained, the messenger from the rebel encampment arrived searching for Tzu. He seemed slightly concerned at the sweaty and bruised tiger he happened upon, but fortunately Sun Shen pointed him in the right direction. I wasn't sure how long we'd continued on for after the messenger left, but Tzu had decided I needed to rest before our mission, that my skill could only truly be tested on the battlefield. I wholeheartedly agreed and after sneaking off a second time that day to make love to an extremely horny Loki, I took a short nap until I was startled awake by a clouded leopard.

"Get up, you fool!" he snarled, pushing my gear toward me. "Old man, you could sleep through anything."

"It's your fault," I growled, slowly getting up. Loki had already risen and was getting into his armour. "You tired me out with your pointless training."

Sun Shen just grunted, exiting the tent. With Loki's help, despite still being half asleep, I slipped into the armour with relative ease, and when I at last emerged from the tent, sword and sheath still in my paw, I saw everyone was already ready to go. I pushed my ears back as they all glowered at me, as if I had done this on purpose.

But in no time at all, we disassembled our camp, made one final check to make sure all weapons and armour were equipped - and more importantly, that we fit the part of Jade Army soldiers - and carefully made our way down the ridge, toward Tao'zhan.

In the twilight we travelled through the forest and eventually through flowing fields of long grass, the wind brushing it gently into our faces as we snuck across the countryside. Having to stay off any main paths, we travelled quickly across the well-worn thoroughfares as we came to them, but mostly cut through fields and forests, making our way to the banks of the Bonai Sea.

I was becoming more and more nervous the closer we got to Tao'zhan. I was a competent fighter, that much I knew, but with Sun Shen's "old man" bullshit added onto the fact I had never walked into a battle so cautiously before, it was more unknowns than I was used to dealing with. But Loki would be there with me, and even though we didn't get along, I knew Sun Shen would have my back. I had his, at any rate, I had to if we had any hope of winning this.

It was a new moon tonight, guided only by the vast blanket of stars above us. This had to have been planned, I never realized it until we were in the final stretch of our journey through a small, thin forest and I was nearly tripping over everything. We were almost at the edge of the Bonai Sea, where our boats would be waiting for us. I then began to think, who would have put the boats there? Would it not seem odd, a pawful of small boats on the shore of the Sea?

I could hear the Sea's gentle waves lapping quietly against the shore, a sign we were getting close. Not a word was spoken between us as we traversed the woods carefully, ever-cautious of mysterious lights in the distance. Unfortunately the total darkness caused me to suddenly snarl noisily as my armoured shin smacked the edge of something hard and hollow, causing me to nearly fall forward. Everyone froze as I held perfectly still, waiting to hear signs of detection. Luckily we heard none.

I heard Sun Shen growl, or maybe it was Tzu...or one of the others, I could barely see them, just vague reflections off the faux-jade pieces of their armour. Either way, one of them approached me and though I could barely see his face, I could tell it was full of anger. This one grabbed my shoulder, and it took every bit of strength I had not to knock him out right then and there.

"Foolish tiger!" Sun Shen snarled quietly. "You're bound to get us all killed."

"Enough," said Tzu. "Jain, how close are we to the shoreline?"

The young tiger crept up gingerly. "We are not far. The boats should be hidden nearby. Perhaps that is what struck the mercenary so callously."

I couldn't tell if he was mocking me or not. Nevertheless, the tiger skulked around the forest a bit, until he found a particular tree and a set of shrubs covering what I realized was a boat. And when I looked at what I had smacked my shin on, behind a bit of camouflage was another damned boat.

"Good," grunted Tzu. "Uncover them quickly and start dragging them out. We'll start toward the city when the Red Star is directly above Dragonridge Mountain's peak."

We immediately made ourselves busy pulling shrubs and sticks off the boats, and Sun Shen and I - with little Loki carrying our oars for us - held the boat above our heads as we guided it carefully out of the woods. Fortunately the clouded leopard took the lead, which meant if we bumped into anything, I could scoff at him for a change.

"Hey Shen," I said quietly, though the wooden dome covering our heads intensified the sound, much to my surprise, "where did these boats even come from? I ain't exactly a great swimmer, especially not in armour. If these things--"

"They'll be fine," growled Sun Shen. "They weren't tampered with, if that's what you mean."

I was getting annoyed by Sun Shen's impatience with me, perhaps after the battle I'd get the pleasure of knocking his head off. "So who put them here?"

"We did," the leopard sighed. "Our men built them shortly after we arrived. What did you think they were doing out here the entire time?"

"Tzu said they were out scouting."

Sun Shen just scoffed. He was being exceptionally jerky to me tonight, I couldn't figure out why. I knew he wasn't all that impressed with the fact I was here to begin with, but I hadn't done anything to offend him personally, at least nothing I could think of. I was sure he'd have let me know by now if I'd done something terrible to him. Perhaps it was because I'd slept in a little.

Soon enough we made it out of the forest with little incident, neither of us tripping or bumping into anything. A few times our boat had brushed up against a couple trees and branches, but nothing too devastating. Warily we placed the boat down on the sandy shore, next to the water, careful not to drop it too heavily. Loki placed the oars inside the boat and pushed it out a bit, preparing for the launch. The briny waves slapped against the boat softly, the Bonai Sea quite calm tonight despite the breeze rolling off it.

Tao'zhan was very close now, though still quite a distance away. The walls were dark and immense, the city itself even more so, but the harbour's lights on the horizon showed its distance. A lonely lighthouse sat upon a rocky jetty on the distant shore, opposite to our small beachfront. There were few boats milling about in the sea, the lighthouse only highlighting a few of the anchored ships.

In just a few minutes all wooden rafts were placed along the shore, and after Loki and Sun Shen boarded ours, I launched our boat off the sand and hopped in. Immediately my stomach began to churn as the boat rocked horrendously back and forth, finding it impossible to find my balance. I tried my best not to panic as each terrifying rock made me think we were about to capsize. But fortunately Loki and Sun Shen managed to control the boat long enough for me to grab onto the oars and get them into the water.

"I don't think I was the right choice for this," I said at my normal volume, the waves and the wind covering the sound of my voice.

"You're the strongest out of all of us," Sun Shen said, giving me a serious stare from the front of the boat. I doubted he'd ever admit that again unless it would somehow benefit him.

"Aren't you afraid an old tiger like me will tire out too quickly?" I growled, paddling the boat alongside the others. We made our way out to the middle of the inky Sea, my stomach becoming far more used to the small, rocking vessel.

"Yes I am, but it wasn't my decision, was it."

"Quiet down, you two," barked Tzu angrily, probably having had about as much of our bickering as he could handle. "If you two continue on like this we'll all be doomed. You all need to focus. The time to strike is nigh, we must wait until the Red Star is positioned above the mountain, so prepare yourselves."

Being the boat's paddler, I could do little else but sit there to prepare myself, but I did take few deep breaths and recounted the path we were supposed to take. I wasn't great at memorization, but Loki was usually pretty good with that stuff, and Sun Shen was just serious enough to remember that in particular. I sighed quietly, which made little Loki glance up at me. He shifted closer - which made my stomach churn from the boat's movements - and rubbed the back of my calf.

"Doing okay?" he asked quietly, giving my muscles a squeeze.

I nodded, keeping a firm grip on the oars, paranoid I might drop one. "I've never exactly been the sneaky sort. I hope it all goes okay."

Loki smiled at me, giving my calf muscles a bigger squeeze, then groped my inner thigh a little. "It'll be fine, just another battle like every other. Afterwards, well...we can spend some more time together, just us two. So you can't just die out there, you've got plans."

I smiled back at the fox, which turned all the more sinister when I realized Sun Shen was doing his best to ignore us, arms crossed over his chest. I'd never done it in a boat before, much less with a third person present, so that would have been interesting. Though less interesting would be the ten other men able to watch, including an irate panda.

For now I kept my thoughts to myself, though thanks to Loki - who had now shifted back to the front of the boat - his naked little body was all I could think about. His sweet curves, his cute butt, the way he always wanted it so badly, you'd swear it would be his last time ever. His sheath and balls, always so warm, his smooth belly, I wanted all of it right now, but alas there was a battle to win. I sighed again, thoroughly hard beneath my fake Jade Armour.

Soon enough - I kept looking back at the Red Star, though to me they all looked the same - Tzu ordered us to move, and after the first couple boats departed, it was finally our turn. I paddled hard against the waves, being guided by Sun Shen toward Tao'zhan. There were very few people out in the docks, and those who were appeared just to be civilians. As we drew closer to the incredible walls of the great city, I could see guards up on the ramparts milling about, seeming surprisingly calm considering the rebel army on their doorstep. Perhaps General Zi was right about them being over-confident.

My heart stopped as I swore a couple men on the docks had spotted us, pointing exactly in our direction. I could see Loki was ready to strike, but Sun Shen calmed him down. They didn't seem alarmed, though, and just before I could react, I realized they were admiring the starry sky, one pointing the Red Star out to the other.

"Fuck," I said under my breath, keeping the oars steady until they walked away. I then paddled toward the docks, managing to squeeze the boat through the thick supports and toward the walls further in. Sun Shen helped guide the boat to the tunnel we needed, and one by one the three of us disembarked.

There was a small, steady stream of filthy water running through our tunnel, which was large enough to accommodate us, but I had to crouch down to traverse it. The smell was extraordinary, and I was certain I had already stepped in something horrible several times before all light had left us.

I was never all that great in the dark, as a child it always made me anxious. It still did, but after some of the things I'd seen and experienced - including, but not limited to, monsters and demons, and more blood and guts than a normal fur could stand - the dark didn't seem so bad. But of course, coupled with the extremely close-quarters, that fear was starting to come back to me.

"I can't do this," I suddenly said in a panic, immediately stopping. I couldn't see my own paw in front of me, but I heard the other two stop moving. A warm, comforting paw rested upon my right paw, which was pressed against the round wall of the tunnel. "I have to go back."

Though I couldn't see him, I could tell Sun Shen was pissed.

"What's wrong?" asked Loki, the concern clear in his voice.

"I just..." I was breathing heavily, heart racing. I knew I had to keep going, but some part of me screamed, begged me to turn back. I felt so weak, pathetic, I hated it, I hadn't felt like this in so long. Sweat was now pouring down my face. "It's too much, I need to get out!"

Just as I turned, a small light suddenly appeared, a soft, fiery glow. It was Loki's staff, the end of it producing a wisp-like fire, like he'd captured the essence of the blaze's light. It was almost hypnotizing, a great relief coming over me like the waves of the Bonai Sea. Sun Shen looked furious, but quickly softened up and allowed it, at least for now.

"Most children grow out of that," said the leopard as he turned. "Just don't keep it on for long, that...whatever it is."

Loki nodded. "You can hold onto my tail if you need to," the fox suggested, without the slightest hint of sarcasm or cruelty. I was surprised Sun Shen was so accepting, though I had to figure he'd gone through the same when he was younger.

"Maybe when you turn it off," I said, humiliated by the whole affair but thankful Loki was there for me. Had he not been, this could have ended very differently.

And with Loki's little wisp of light guiding us, we continued through the tunnels without delay, finding holding onto the fox's fluffy tail amazingly comforting when there was absolutely no light to be had. But soon, after being ordered to keep the wisp away, a few lights could be seen in the distance, likely our exit. It was difficult to gauge its distance, however, all my senses severely thrown off. Besides my sense of smell.

Truly, I had not smelled something quite so foul in a very long time. Sure, I'd smelled the putrid stench of death before, numerous times in fact, but this one...was entirely different. You get used to most smells - like blood and piss and shit, even the smell of rotting flesh - but with all of the worst smells imaginable - like blood and piss and shit, and yes, even the smell of rotting flesh - blending together in a single tight space, it was amazing we'd even made it this far. I think the only thing keeping me from passing out was the idea of passing out in whatever rancid mess was creating such a smell.

At last we reached our destination, faint torchlight pouring through the metal grate above us. I had only a vague idea of where we were, but if the city's blueprints could be believed, we should exit just inside the city's main Gatehouse. This was where the guards slept and ate, and where many of them would congregate during shift changes. I had no idea how the hell we were supposed to take out so many guards without being caught.

"We have to wait down here for a while longer," Sun Shen said quietly, the three of us huddled close together. "At least until it's closer to their shift change. I have no idea what to expect up there. Captain Lee seemed to suggest many of them will talk amongst themselves before heading back to the gatehouse to rest. We have to move swiftly, try to block the exit onto the street if we can..."

"Why don't we attack now? While they're asleep, then get a drop on the others. It'll be easy."

"That's not part of the plan."

"Yeah, well I don't think Zi's plan involved the three of us being overwhelmed by the enemies and alerting the entire city to our presence."

Sun Shen shook his head. "You don't know that will happen. Our generals spent months coming up with this plan, it has to work. We have to trust them."

"I've been in dozens of battles where the mission didn't go as planned, and have always come on top. If we eliminate the men in bed, we can take the wall more easily. Your generals won't know anyway, all they're looking for is an open gate when dawn breaks. Loki, what do you think?"

Loki seemed surprised I'd asked him. "Uh," he managed to say. "I'd follow you wherever you go, Luca."

I growled. "That's not an answer. Whose plan is better?"

Loki sighed. "I've never been much of a planner, Luca, I usually just do. Both strategies have merit, but...Luca's is more sensible. I know you Eastern Landers prefer to fight with honour, but in war we're often left with few options. And especially in an operation so delicate, the fewer men who see us, the better."

Sun Shen exhaled a frustrated breath. "And what if your plan fails? Then what? This entire mission could crumble because of your impetuousness."

"Or it could run perfectly, perhaps even better than Zi's plan."

"General Zi said explicitly that the plan relies on timing. And you said yourself you weren't much of a strategist, perhaps you should just trust what our generals came up with."

The leopard had me there, though I still thought the plan was stupid. I mean, we were going to exit right into the barracks, or at least the guards' mess hall. Either way, when the guards would be changing, that seemed like the most chaotic time to mount an attack. But perhaps that was the point? We could more easily blend in - smell notwithstanding - and attack at the best moment. But what would be the best moment? Would we be discovered before finding it?

"I dunno," I growled. "I don't like it. It's too risky. I'm going to go up now, at least see what we're dealing with."

"No!" shouted Sun Shen angrily, though careful to keep his voice quiet. "We must follow the plan."

"Screw the plan, those guys haven't been inside Tao'zhan in years, and I doubt they've visited the guards' barracks even before the exodus. No one knows what we're walking into. I'm going, you can stay here and wait until dawn if you really want to."

Ignoring Sun Shen's furious growls, I started to climb the ladder, up to the gatehouse. The leopard pulled on the bottom of my pants to coax me down, but I kicked his paw away. Loki, as predicted, joined me up toward the metal grate.

My heart was pounding as I neared the tunnel's exit. Most gatehouses I'd seen had various rooms and chambers to it, most of them used as lodgings, but since this one was particularly large I wasn't sure what exactly to expect. There could be a smoke kitchen on the lower levels, or even holding cells, though situated so far from residences, it seemed unlikely. Even still, it was not knowing what I was getting myself into that made me nervous. Each rung of the ladder made me think perhaps waiting was the better idea.

But before I could reconsider and start going back down, my paw had already lifted the rusty metal gate, peering carefully inside as I carefully shoved it away. Unsurprisingly, the room was dark and dank, and smelled not quite as bad as the sewer tunnel, but was far from pleasant. When I poked my head up higher, I realized the General's plans had sent Loki, Sun Shen and I to the gatehouse's latrines, which somehow felt like a bit of a slight. The torchlight, I realized, was coming from outside the heavy door, which was just slightly ajar. The small barred window on the door let the light come through.

Very quietly, Loki and I exited the sewer tunnels and piled into the latrines, careful not to drop anything or make any loud noises. Much to my surprise, following Loki up the pipe was Sun Shen, looking none too pleased to be joining us.

"You reckless old fool," the leopard hissed, making sure he had his twin blades with him. "Your plan isn't without its advantages, I will admit. But it is still foolhardy. If something goes wrong, only you can be blamed for our downfall."

"A lowly mercenary like me? No one will remember I even existed."

Sun Shen growled. "I don't like the idea of slitting men's throats while they sleep, but I suppose we have little choice. Here, take my blade, you'll have a much easier time at it."

I nodded, and just as I took Sun Shen's second blade, a noise suddenly came from outside the latrines. Immediately the three of us plastered ourselves against the door's wall with weapons drawn. Sun Shen's small sword had a very slight curve to it at the end, and where it began to curve the blade became heavier, like it could cleave a had clean off and yet was still light and delicate. I had to wonder where the leopard had these weapons crafted, and if I could procure one too.

The door then began to open, and as I held my breath a drunken wolf came stumbling in, only half in uniform. He was mumbling something to himself before dropping the bottle he'd been carrying. Needless to say, it made the fool turn around, and just as he jumped at seeing three people in there with him, Sun Shen cut his throat.

"Well that's one down," I grunted as the young leopard pushed the body down the hole we'd come out of. "How many more to go?"

My partners ignored that, and very carefully we glanced out the open door, Sun Shen leading the way, and cautiously made our way up the stone stairs.

The smell of the latrines quickly faded, but there was still the incredible stink infused with our Jade Armour, at least from the knee down. Nevertheless, it was nice to get away from the stench, and as we made our way up the short spiral staircase, the smell of stale beer and liquor filled our lungs instead.

"Have they been celebrating?" I asked very quietly. "They should all be asleep..."

Sun Shen scoffed, stopping close to another partially opened door, listening carefully. "These arrogant fools think they're indestructible behind their walls," he said, turning his head toward me. "They've seen our army, they know we're no real threat. Their generals are too inexperienced to consider anything other than a direct attack. Xu's Law will be the Emperor's downfall."

There was not much noise coming from behind the door, though there was some to be sure. Whatever celebrations had been happening tonight, it was clearly coming to a close. I could hear a few voices still talking - all of it drunken nonsense - a bit of groaning, which was followed by some puking, and some quiet whispers of the soldiers talking to themselves. No doubt it was the mess hall outside the door, which was, by my estimation, half filled with half-conscious drunks.

Sun Shen had to think for a moment. "Hide your weapons and follow my lead," he said, peering again out the doorway. "But keep them at the ready."

Loki and I nodded, and as casually as we could, the three of us made our way into the mess hall. As predicted, there was at least a dozen men strewn about the room in no condition to fight, half of them asleep, the others far too out of it to even notice us. One of them grunted as Sun Shen neared, but fell out of his chair and into a pile of his own vomit instead. The pair talking amongst themselves noticed us, but paid us no mind.

Sun Shen looked disgusted. I almost felt bad taking these pathetic excuses for soldiers out, but it had to be done. The three of us drew our blades, which got the attention of the two most conscious soldiers, but Loki and Sun Shen had ended them before they could do anything about it. Unfortunately, the noise awoke the others - well, some of them, anyway - who had jumped out of their seats in an intoxicated daze, searching hopelessly for their weapons.

Of the ones who found them, I cut open the throat of one, then sunk my borrowed blade into the chest of another. When I retrieved my blade, it was in just enough time to deflect the attack of a border collie, but he was far too unbalanced to block my next attack, which opened up his gut. When I turned around, Loki and Sun Shen had taken care of the others.

"Nice blade," I said to the clouded leopard, getting a good feel for the balance.

Sun Shen nodded. "Indeed. They were a gift from my family. Now, secure that door and we'll continue on."

As ordered, I dragged one of the heavy wooden tables over to the door, unsure of where it led but it would help in leaving the bodies undiscovered. Had we the time, we would drag the corpses all downstairs, but that would be too risky.

"The barracks will be in the other gatehouse, we must move quickly."

I nodded, and with Loki, Sun Shen and I made our way into a second chamber attached to the mess hall, which looked more like some sort of lounge or living room, and we disposed of the few sleeping soldiers inside. We then made our way up to the second level where several guards stood patrol. They stared at us three filthy animals for a moment, but that was a moment too long.

I snarled loudly as I ran one of the guards through, watching from the corner of my eye as Loki very swiftly slashed open another's throat. The remaining guards drew their weapons, but I managed to block a spear once, then twice, and just after the third attack, Loki had already slipped behind him and cut a hole in his back.

In the commotion, I barely had time to notice one of the guards attempting to escape. I roared at Loki to stop him, and he did so easily, and when I turned to Sun Shen, he looked like he was having a bit of trouble.

Pinned against a stone pillar, and having knocked over a couple large quivers of arrows, Sun Shen snarled and reached for a small knife at his hip. I ordered Loki to take out another fleeing enemy, just before taking a swing at the leopard's attacker. Much to my surprise, the blade sliced cleanly through the soldier's helmet and his skull, dropping him immediately. Wasting no time at all, I took out one last soldier, who was too frightened to move. I felt a bit bad about that one, realizing most of these men, despite having had first-class training, had never seen a real battle before.

I clapped a paw on Sun Shen's shoulder as he gasped for air, recovering easily. "Here," I said to him, handing him back his blade. No doubt he was not used to handling just one single-handed weapon. "Take it. It's a damn fine blade, but you'll need it more than me."

Sun Shen, who had been cut on the forehead, nodded, and reequipped himself. "This is pitiful," he said. "If our generals knew just how easily the walls could be taken..." The serious leopard almost laughed.

"Yeah, well there's still plenty of fortifications left. Let's move, the sooner we get the gates open, the better." And with that, I drew Zhong Kui and we headed up another set of stairs, to the top floor. Inside, once again, a unit of a dozen men, all of them peering out the small windows, or arrow slits.

With a mighty roar, the three of us charged forward, frightening the group. It felt incredible swinging my new blade, it seemed as if it was slicing up the air itself. It was heavy and strong, yet so easy to handle, and obliterated my enemies as easily as any of my old swords. I took out two men in as many strokes, then a third, leaving me just enough time to admire the deftness and skill with which Sun Shen and Loki took out their own targets.

Wasting no time, we entered into another chamber, taking out another series of guards along the inside of the wall, across the pathway bridging the two gatehouses. It was amazing how easily we took out the guards, one by one, clearing each chamber systematically. The three of us worked together so perfectly, we seemed indestructible.

Several times I saved Sun Shen from being killed, and both he and Loki had done the same for me. I tried to keep track of how many times I'd saved his skin, if for no other reason than to rub it in his face when this was all over, assuming we'd survive dawn's attack.

It took little time to work our way down to the barracks, encountering almost no trouble with the sleeping soldiers. Most of them had made their way back from the mess hall - I had to wonder where they'd gotten the booze from, as all the servants seemed to have left - while those who hadn't celebrated that night were either sleeping, or too tired to effectively fight back.

I had no idea what time it was when we cleared out the gatehouse, but after doing a couple more sweeps and barricading several doors, the three of us took a moment to savour our victory, in the uppermost chamber on the eastern side.

"We still have to take the men out on the battlements," the buzzkill leopard told us. "They do make their rounds, so we should act quickly. Of course if we'd bothered to stick to General Zi's plan, we wouldn't have to worry about the men on the walls..."

I wish Sun Shen had mentioned that earlier, or if he had that I had listened. We couldn't barricade the entrances, though, because then our men wouldn't be able to enter the gatehouse at the proper time, but if we left them open, the dead bodies would eventually be noticed by the men on the walls. I was beginning to see why planning battles was never my forte...

For now I left the planning to Sun Shen, who by this point was feverishly trying to come up with something, so I took this moment to glance out one of the arrow slits to get a good look at the city below.

Of course with the sun still down, most of Tao'zhan was still covered in darkness, but in the distance I could see the lights and fires of the farmers and residences closer to the Upper City's walls. I had never seen a city quite so grand before, especially one that contained its own farms and fields within its curtain walls. With the limited view of the arrow slit, I wouldn't have even thought the Lower City down below was enclosed within the walls, but was instead a small farmers town outside the city proper.

Within the farmers fields, however, I noticed an immense camp, men ready to attack the rebel army the a moment's notice. I could barely make out the tents, much less the men inside them, but small lanterns strewn across the fields gave a brief glimpse, showing small, glowing outlines. This was quite possibly the first time in an extremely long time that I'd felt real dread before entering a battle.

Needless to say, the army camped out in the Lower City - which I didn't believe for one second was their full force - dwarfed the rebels in numbers alone. Perhaps our men had more skill, but skill could only take us so far when we're facing off against an army over eight times our own size.

"I think we should wait," said Sun Shen suddenly, pulling my gaze away from the Lower City. "We've cleared the gatehouse, we can handle any patrols who come our way. We'll wait in ambush until dawn, simple as that."

It was as good a plan as any, though the Emperor's army camping so close to the Heaven's Gate still made me nervous. When I glanced back out at the fields, my heart sank as I noticed more and more lanterns lighting up, and saw more movement than I felt comfortable with. What were they doing?

"Uh, Shen..?" I said tensely, but before he even had a chance to glance toward me, an ear-splitting alarm bell rang out across the fields. Had we been noticed? Was it one of the others? I couldn't be sure, but...no, it was us. Several small formations of men were already heading toward the Heaven's Gate. Had someone escaped? Did we miss a soldier? I quickly recounted all the men I cut down, I recalled no survivors. Now my heart was racing.

"H-How did they know?" Sun Shen panicked, unsheathing both his blades. "God damn you, Luca, we should have stuck with the plan!"

"I didn't ask you to come along!" I snarled, Zhong Kui already drawn. "Loki and I could have done this ourselves."

"You arrogant, old fool," growled the leopard. He looked about ready to attack me.

"Stop," barked Loki. "They aren't sending all of their men yet, they're investigating. Their army will be ready, but we still have time. The Heaven's Gate has two portcullises, we'll open them first, worry about the doors later. Sun Shen and I will open the first gate, it's the heaviest. Luca, you'll be on your own for the second. Sun Shen, you will need to light the firework, you'll need to signal the rebels."

"But..."

"We don't have a choice! Luca and I will defend the gatehouse as long as possible, but you need to signal the army. Hopefully the other teams are in place, and they'll assault the other gates when the firework explodes, and the rebels will assault the Lower City as planned."

"That's a lot of ifs," Sun Shen argued.

"Or we can stay here, wait for them to discover the dead bodies, and promptly die after they corner us."

The leopard took a long, deep breath. "Fine. Let's go."

And with that, we three snapped into action. Luckily, the Emperor's army was stationed on the farther side of the farmers fields, which gave us a bit of time to open the gates before they stormed the gatehouse, though it wouldn't be long before they signaled a much larger unit to move in.

I ran through the gatehouse as quickly as I could, panting as I flew down the tower's stairs toward the portcullis's controls. This was normally a two-man job, I suppose Loki was counting on me to lift this one by myself. Nearly out of breath by the time I reached wheel to open the gate, I held on tight and pulled it down with all my strength.

Though I could hear the metal grinding against stone, the metal gate barely budged. I pulled on the wheel harder and harder, muscles burning and threatening to break the wooden wheel, and still it barely moved. I took a short break and tried again, growling viciously as I tried my best to open the gate, but to no avail. I could already hear the first gate grinding open, though it was slow-going. All my best efforts did nothing to open the second gate, my heart thumping painfully against my chest. I snarled and growled and made all sorts of horrible noises, but nothing would open this gate.

My arms were on fire, it felt like every blood vessel in my body was close to bursting. My pads were raw, but still I tried. I could hear the gate opening in the smallest increments, tiny bursts of screeching metal as it opened, but it was too slow. The enemy would be on me long before I even opened the gate halfway, instantly I began to regret this decision to strike early.

Perhaps Sun Shen was right all along. I was too reckless, I had barely given this plan a second thought before I decided to enter the gatehouse myself. I cursed myself endlessly, wanting nothing more than to follow the other mercenaries and get the hell out before I was killed. But it was too late for that now, I was going to die trying to open this gate, it seemed certain now.

Just as I began to give in, I heard a loud whistle carry off into the sky, and an incredible burst afterward. A strange red light poured through the tiny windows for just a moment until it faded, no doubt the clouded leopard's firework. In despair, I at last dropped the gate with a loud bang.

With sword on my back, I decided I wasn't going to stay here and die. The rebels would have to find another way to open this gate, that task was beyond me now. The Emperor's army would be arriving in full force, and I intended to slow those bastards down for as long as possible.

I left the control room in a hurry, paw on Zhong Kui's hilt, gripping it tightly. Though my arms were tired, I had more than enough in me to take on a dozen soldiers, more when they arrived. With determination, I cleared the tables and chairs from one of our barricades and exited the Heaven's Gate with only one goal in mind: kill the enemy.

I turned away from the closed gate and took a long, deep breath, watching the small unit of men charge toward me. They were shouting, and I saw another split off, no doubt to inform his superiors. I could handle this small unit, but the other fifty-thousand men? Well, I'd at least try to put a dent in their forces, no matter how large.

I took in one final breath and began my attack. At full force, I charged the small unit of Jade Soldiers, and as they approached I let out a terrifying roar as I unleashed my blade, tearing down the first soldier with ease. I kept up that momentum and swung my blade again, butchering a second soldier, snarling terribly as his blood sprayed against me. The others began to howl, alerting the army the attack had begun, though no one had split off. They thought they could take me.

Two more attacked. I readied myself and with one powerful swing, deflected their attacks then swung again to split open their bowels. As their guts poured into the street, I ran through another soldier, letting him fall as I swung my blade around to lop off the head of sixth man. It was enough to give the other six soldiers pause.

"Who are you?" one of them growled, looking a little more decorated that the other fools. Certainly more than his dead comrades. "You aren't one of us."

He was stalling, but I was more than happy to oblige.

"Just a mercenary," I grumbled, pulling my blade back and taking a defensive stance. "A mercenary who's gettin' paid a lotta coin to see your emperor dethroned."

The handsome dog in charge just laughed. "You plan on taking on the entire army yourself?"

I nodded, grinning confidently. "If that's what it takes."

The commander scoffed. "Arrogant old fool. Men, attack him all at once."

I held my heavy blade up by my ear, pointing it straight toward them. They hesitated, but when one finally had the guts to attack, I cut him down. As my blade sunk into his bloody corpse - perhaps I'd used a bit too much power on that one - three others came at me. Though I suffered a nasty cut on my left arm, I retrieved my weapon and managed to swing it around hard enough to cut through one of their faces, then as I charged two more I sliced open one's belly, lopped off another's arm.

I was snarling fiercely by this point, ignoring their horrified screams as I silenced yet another, then as the commander was backing off, begging me to join the Emperor, practically tossing his money straight at me, I sunk Zhong Kui into his chest. Unfortunately when I looked up again, a much larger unit was coming after me now.

I backed myself toward the unopened gate as at least a hundred men marched toward me. This was it, Luca, only two options now: fight, or die. I took in a few deep breaths while I could - I was panting quite heavily by this point - and stared down my enemy.

Surprisingly, when the hundred or so men reached the gate, many of them horrified by the mess I'd created, their commander stepped forward and held his arm up to stop the others. They obeyed, but I could tell they all wanted a piece of me. Most of the young ones, however, looked terrified.

"Surrender now," said the commander, "and we may make your death a quick one."

I could only hope Sun Shen and Loki were making their way to the inner portcullis's gate controls, which meant if I stalled long enough, I could perhaps survive this battle after all. For now, I scoffed at the commander.

"You insolent fool," he barked. "You mean to face my hundred-man unit alone, much less the Emperor's entire army? No mortal man can perform such a feat, not even the Yaoguai Hu himself. Don't think I haven't heard of you, the poor mercenary who took down Tormund. The Mighty Emperor resented that brute, the ugly monster that he was. Sure, he had his uses, but thanks to you, you finally put the lion out of his misery. Now, lay down your arms and come with us, lest you feel the wrath of the Emperor's Royal Dragon Army."

I wasn't surprised there was yet another army with a ridiculous name that fell beneath the massive umbrella that was the Emperor's Royal Army. It made me wonder what company Sun Shen had once belonged to. Perhaps the Royal Jerk Knights.

When I raised my sword in defiance of the arrogant commander, like the one before him, he ordered his men to attack. And like before, I cut each attacker down easily, startling the others. Though a few more came at me, I took them out as effortlessly as ever.

"I can go all day," I mocked the commander, which only enraged him more. Perhaps that wasn't the best move, as he commanded his archers to prepare.

Nevertheless, I readied myself. When they loosed their arrows, I leapt back and to the side, but inevitably could not avoid the two arrows striking my right arm and the left side of my ribs. I snarled as I snapped the arrows, leaving the heads inside in an attempt to prevent myself from bleeding out.

"An additional month's salary and a week's worth of rations to any man who can slay this foul beast," barked the commander. "Honestly, he is just a man with an absurd nickname, nothing more."

One of the young soldiers scoffed, far too tempted by the money. He and two others attacked, and though they were quick - perhaps Sun Shen's lessons had paid off after all - I was able to dodge and block them, until I found my opening.

I swung my sword upward to slice open the knee of a screaming dog, then as I gripped my blade close to the hand-guard, I shifted my weight and pulled it down hard by the pommel, cutting clean through one's armour. The third fool faltered for just long enough for me to slice open his throat, coating my fur in his blood.

I roared at the commander, and I could feel the fear in the others, but he was unimpressed.

"H-He is the Yaoguai Hu!" cried one of the archers. He was shaking, most of them were. These cowards had never seen battle before, had never seen their own comrades bloody and dying. They were green, every one of them. From what I had seen of the rebel army, I had no doubt if they could get through that gate, they could easily overtake this pathetic army.

"Enough!" the commander cried. He was furious, disgusted by the cowardice of his men. "There are a hundred of us versus one tired, old tiger. In the name of the Emperor, attack him at once or so help me, I will have you all executed for treason!"

Though it took them a moment to gather themselves, they finally did get into formation and at last the first wave attacked. I barely heard the commander tell the archers to ready a second volley over the cries of the men as they charged toward me. When the first of at least twenty Jade Soldiers approached, he fell immediately. Unfortunately, the others continued their attack.

I swung my sword as hard as I could, finding the blade swung so much faster than my old sword, yet still had great length. After cutting open one soldier's face, I was easily able to shift my momentum and attack again, and again, cutting through one enemy after the other. But despite being much lighter than my old blade, Zhong Kui was still very heavy, and took far more strength than I had to swing it, at least considering all my newest wounds. For now I would attack any fool who dared approach me, swinging my sword without remorse until either I collapsed, or the Emperor's army was completely wiped out.

When at last I heard the commander order the archers to release, I ran through some poor ocelot and used his lifeless body as a shield. Because of my weapon's remarkable sharpness, the kid slid off cleanly and I continued my assault. This time, I charged toward them.

My thirsty blade once again lapped at the soldiers' blood, each mighty swing hitting every target, though it wasn't always fatal. The commander finally ordered his men to surround me, but that only meant more of them would fall before dawn.

I snarled wickedly as I beheaded a soldier, ran another through, crushed the skull of another. My arms were burning, paw pads cracked and raw from the new material of my blade's grip, legs tired from dancing around the battlefield. With so many dead or dying already around me, I was sure I'd trip soon enough, then that would be the end of me. But for now I kept breathing, panting heavily and hoarsely, swinging that terrible blade of mine almost blindly now.

How many more men had joined the fray? I could barely hear the alarms over the roars of the men. A screaming pain tore through my ribs as I was struck by an arrow, or perhaps a crossbow bolt, but with so much adrenaline pumping through my veins, I hardly even noticed. A few more appeared - two on my legs and one in my shoulder - but I was unrelenting. Half a dozen more men fell, my Jade Armour now soaked in my enemy's warm crimson, or what was left of it.

Though I was fighting with wild abandon, I had taken a few more hits than a normal fighter should have. In my blind rage, I left myself far too vulnerable, which mostly involved attacks on my ribs, chest and shoulders. Fortunately I was moving with enough agility to avoid certain death, or loss of limbs, but I ended up with some nasty bruises and possibly some broken bones, which resulted in pieces of my fake Jade Armour coming apart. I think both shoulder pieces had already been detached, as well as half the guard covering my left leg, and my chest armour was looser than I would have preferred. Nevertheless, I let nothing deter me.

"He's just one man!" I heard their commander scream desperately, fear clear in his voice.

I was an unstoppable force. I had lost count of the number of men I'd killed, surrounded by my enemy. I had no idea how long I'd been swinging my sword for, but in the brief second it took to notice, the sun had still not yet risen. It felt like I'd been fighting for hours, barely a spot on me not covered in blood. All I could smell now was shit, piss and gore, that nauseating aroma which marked every battlefield. I had no idea how much I had left in me, and as I took a few more hits - I think one of them sliced through my armour and incised the right side of my waist - I could feel my attacks starting to weaken.

"Don't let up!" a voice somewhere thundered. That empowered the men, and they came at me even more fiercely. I took a nasty cut across my muzzle as I stumbled back, blocking the next attack. Though I tried to regain the offensive, for now I had to step back and defend myself against a fury of blades and spears. I took a few more hits before I finally struck down the bastard who'd sliced my face open, but there was still hundreds more where he came from.

My blood mixed with theirs, the stench intoxicating. I took a few more hits and doled out even more. The black monster sleeping within me began to stir, and as more pieces of my armour flew off, and I incurred further injuries, my darkness started stretching its wings. It began to take hold, and I did nothing to hold it back. Its terrifying roar came thundering from my maw as I obliterated a young soldier, tasting his blood in my mouth.

But stronger than that, I tasted the enemy's fear. Though they didn't let up, they saw me as their terrible Yaoguai Hu, a true demon tearing through them with ease. I had taken more damage than they thought possible, not one of them imagined I could still be standing. Yet I was, and not only that, I had completely soaked the ground in their blood, the grass and mud slick and warm. Much of it was on me, absorbed into my fur. I roared again, taking a few more hits before mowing down at least a dozen more men. Nosferatu's thirst was slowly being satiated.

I had lost myself in the fierce melee. All I could see was blood and enemies, lives my darkness wanted to take, needed to take. And it would stop at nothing to do so. As well as my sword rending flesh and bone in two, I used my claws and teeth as the gods had once intended, ripping through flesh like a wild beast. This sent terror through the Jade Army, the unstoppable Yaoguai Hu was upon them. Their reckoning had come.

Unfortunately, as I had proven time and time again, even demons could be slain. I was practically blind as I fought, seeing my enemies for only seconds before I cut them down, which meant I had made myself far too vulnerable far too often. After sustaining a few more generous blows, despite all my roaring and snarling and blood-soaked craze, it seemed the enemy was finally starting to gain the upper hand, much to their commander's glee. Well, at least I had taken a good chunk of them down first, though I had lost track of how many.

But a moment of reprieve at last came when the battle paused for just a second, when all eyes turned away from me and toward the Heaven's Gate. The second portcullis was finally opening, and like a shining beacon from above, the mighty roar of the rebel army came flooding through.

It was utter chaos as pandas and other exiles exploded onto my bloody battlefield, and again the chaos resumed. I swung my sword ruthlessly, reenergized by the sight of friendly forces. Most of the Jade Army was distracted by this new threat, but I would not let up, not now, not until the battle was won.

And we fought well into the morning, myself nearly a walking corpse before the last enemy fell, and yet I never gave in. Nowhere had I seen Zhang, nor Loki or Sun Shen, but as the afternoon sun brought the flies and the rot into the decimated farmer fields, the pair found me in the one patch of land unsoiled by the battle.

"I spoke with Tzu," Sun Shen said wearily, half covered in blood. There was likely more ire behind his voice than the exhausted clouded leopard let on. "He said we captured the Lower City, took over a thousand prisoners, but with higher casualties than expected. We were lucky the other teams had gotten the hint and opened the gates, else it would have been a vastly different outcome." His tired eyes laid all the blame on me.

"General Zi is going to want answers," he continued, sitting next to me. Loki sat with us as well, eyeing all of my newest wounds. He seemed exhausted too.

"I didn't see you during the battle," I said to Loki, ignoring the leopard for now.

Loki just grunted. "After we opened the gate, I was with you the entire time. You were...lost during the fight, but I remained with you, though I was wary of your sword. And Sun Shen is right, they want to why we didn't follow the plan."

"I don't give a shit. We won, didn't we?"

"It would have been a far different result had we not managed to open the front gate," Sun Shen told me. "Though our rebels flanked the Emperor's men, our main forces were still stuck behind the second portcullis. I'm not sure what you did to it, tiger, but it took five of us to open it."

I didn't have the energy to argue with Sun Shen, so I continued to ignore him. "How're you holding up, Loki?"

Loki stared at me as if surprised by my question. "I'm...okay," he said, a slight hue to his cheeks. "I took a few hits, but otherwise escaped unharmed. You look worse for wear, as usual."

I shrugged, though it hurt to do so; I think I had taken one too many crossbow bolts to the shoulder. "Yet here I am."

Loki nodded, then knelt in front of me to examine my body closer. Most of my armour was gone now, so I had taken more wounds than I should have. Nevertheless, I came out alive, which was about as much as I could have asked for.

"You were pretty wild out there," commented the arctic fox. "Seemed you were swinging at anything that moved, though the rebels knew to give you a wide berth. Even still, you had slowed down quite a bit near the battle's end."

"Almost as if I was exhausted," I said annoyed. "And injured." I knew what the fox was trying to imply, at least I thought I did. I think he was starting to agree with Sun Shen, that I was getting too old to be a mercenary, or rather, a mercenary who fought in war.

Sun Shen just grunted.

"I took a lot of hits, in case you didn't notice," I argued. There could have been any number of reasons why I'd slow down in battle.

"Which isn't typical for you, Luca. You're usually much swifter than that. At the very least, you don't let it slow you down."

I just scoffed, uninterested in having this conversation. "As if I have anything else to do, anyway. I'm still alive, so at least there's that."

Loki didn't exactly share my perspective, and Sun Shen rolled his eyes and got up. "I must go for now, Luca. I will admit, were it not for the second gate getting stuck, your reckless plan would have gone off without a hitch. And you fought well, if not carelessly, and I am surprised you are still able to stand. A normal man would have fallen long before you, and in some way I admire that about you, your perseverance, especially for a sellsword. I cannot say more, but I will tell you, in the morning the General will want words with you, whether you want to or not. His elite soldiers will make sure of it. It might be best to make yourself scarce before sunrise. Oh, and if I see you on the on the other side of the battlefield...I will not hesitate for one moment to sink my blades into your chest."

"Right," I scoffed. "Take care, Shen."

The leopard nodded and took off. Did he really think I would turn cloaks so easily? I suppose history has always proven otherwise, often enough, anyway, so it wasn't unreasonable to assume I would do the same.

There was still much planning and preparation to be done before invading the rest of the Tao'zhan, but the most difficult hurdle had been cleared. Perhaps the pandas were no longer in need of my services, they could undoubtedly handle the rest of the city's capture without me; so many of them had proven themselves capable warriors. I think it was about time to start considering Sun Shen's advice, though I wasn't exactly in a state to make a hasty getaway, nor would I make it too far if I did.

"We need to get you to the healers," Loki suggested, though if I was wanted by the rebel army, perhaps being incapacitated by their healers wasn't such a wise idea. Maybe it was time to reconsider Loki's healing runes, though it sounded like it could take just as long to recover as regular medicine.

"Yeah," I said to the fox. "Yeah, all right."

And so reluctantly he and I got up, the small fox acting as my crutch once more as we stumbled through the destroyed farmers fields where hundreds of slain soldiers still laid. The cleanup was going to be a long, arduous process, and no doubt a whole new graveyard would have to be built in order to adequately support the number of fresh corpses.

No matter how many battles I'd been in, there was always something so unsettling about the aftermath that I could never get used to: all those piles of corpses. It brought it all into perspective, the frailty of man. It showed just how very similar we all are, yet despite that we are always willing to tear each other apart for religious ideals, or for more land, or gold, or for whatever other reasons people needed to shed blood. And yet I made a living off the turmoil of war, and the greed and destruction of man. What sort of monster did that make me?

We arrived at the healer's tent quickly enough, a makeshift thing built in one of the few clearings the farmer fields had to offer. It was already busy, most of the wounded the Emperor's men. They were no doubt prisoners, but had to be healed as if they were one of their own. It didn't look like there was much room for Loki and I, and there were many worse off than me who were still waiting to be attended to. The healers wouldn't even glance at me, so busy bandaging up the other poor fools who were fortunate enough not to fall beneath my mighty blade.

"This is a waste of time," I grumbled, wincing from my open wounds. Most of them were still bleeding, plus some of my older wounds had reopened, though amazingly most of them had already healed before the battle. While it had been just a short, albeit painful walk to the tent, I had no idea where Loki and I would go now.

"We'll go to the river," the fox suggested as if reading my mind, pulling me along. I didn't have a whole lot of choice since the fox also acted as a crutch, though if I wanted to walk on my own, I probably could have managed, however slowly.

Fortunately the sun had long since peaked today, and while it was still a few hours or so until it would set, it wasn't as hot now as it had been during the battle, which had ended some time after noon. The river wasn't as busy as I had expected, nor as bloody, though dozens of pandas and many others were knelt by the side praying, at least that's what it looked like. Some where cleaning themselves and their equipment off, but most remained solemn and silent.

"Kneel here," sighed Loki, who also seemed solemn and silent. I was sure something was bothering him, but I knew by now that if I asked, he wouldn't tell me. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to anyway.

"How're you doing?" I asked him cautiously, despite my injuries. Most of my exposed fur was matted with blood and mud as well.

"I'm fine. Take off your clothes, we need to clean your wounds."

Deciding not to argue, I did as I was told, removing my broken and filthy armour, as well as the torn and bloody underclothes. I'd have to find my old armour before long, hoping someone had hung onto it for me. If not, and it was left back at Xin'an, I would likely have to abandon it. But one way or the other, I would need fresh clothes before departing.

After kneeling in the cool water of Tao'zhan's stream, the water splashing up around my hips as I let myself relax, Loki began to splash water through the fur on my back, which was pointed toward the river. When I glanced over, dark clouds of bloody red flowed away from my body, yet there was far more stuck within my fur and even more pouring from my wounds.

With Loki's own armour mostly removed, now just wearing the loose robes beneath, I was startled to suddenly hear tearing as he removed strips off his sleeves, one big one at first that he used as a washcloth.

"Loki..?" I began, but he silenced me quickly. And seconds later, he pushed the cloth into my back and began to scrub, right over a particularly nasty - and crusted - axe wound.

I snarled loudly at first, claws scraping at the soft, dirty sand beneath me, gripping even harder as he scrubbed my flesh raw. But having had to do this many times before, I knew it had to be done. Having only had infected wounds once before in my life - and having seen many others succumb to it after weeks of torment - I was not eager to experience that again. And so I endured Loki's treatment, the little fox doing his best to work as much of the blood out of my fur as he could.

Glancing again at the water flowing around me, dark, almost black globs of thick blood washed away, and still the little fox scraped away at my fur, as if tearing every hair off my body. He scrubbed harder and harder, as if intentionally causing me pain, growling as he worked his paws and the red cloth through my fur.

He was breathing heavily, seeming almost exasperated until I heard a quiet sniffle. Then it became louder, until I realized the poor fox was crying. His paws trembled as he ground the makeshift washcloth into my back, working every inch of dried blood out as he could, but soon was unable to make any progress through his tears.

"Loki?" I said, turning toward him. I wasn't sure I'd even seen him like this, eyes red and tears coursing down his face. Ears drawn back, the fox turned away as I tried to get a closer look, his teeth bared a little and face stuck in a snarl. His lips were quivering yet he kept his paws on my back, shaking, then let out another short yelp.

"Loki, what's the matter?" I asked with my own ears drawn back, ignoring his insistence I stay sitting still, turning around to hold my paws on his shoulders. "Come here," I said, pulling the fox toward me. And it seemed that made the little fox break down completely as he began to weep in my arms. This was so strange, I had so little experience with such things, but I comforted Loki as best I could, rubbing his back with my dirty, damaged paws.

"How many times are we going to have to do this?" the arctic fox wept, digging his head into my chest, reddening his fur. "I can't...I can't keep doing this."

"We can find someone else to clean me up, Loki," I told him, as clueless as ever.

Loki growled angrily, digging his claws into my ribs. "I don't mean that," he barked, trying hard to compose himself, though I was sure he was still crying. "I mean...worrying about you. You fight like you want to die, and I can't..." The fox took a few long, deep breaths, then continued, "I can't lose more people I care about. Everyone I'd ever...loved...has been taken away from me. And you're the only one I have left."

A sudden pang of guilt struck me like a war hammer, and all I could do was hold the arctic fox closer. I knew he cared about me, and of course I cared very much about him too, I knew this. I didn't want to see any harm come to Loki, and I would protect the little fox no matter the cost, but I was far too dense to realize just how much pain he would be in if ever I fell in battle, especially from my reckless behaviour. I sighed deeply, giving Loki a squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere, Loki."

The fox sniffled a few more times, wiping his eyes and his nose but keeping his face covered. "You survived that battle, but only because I was able to protect you. What will happen in the next battle, or the next one, what if I'm not close enough to save you?"

There was no reasonable answer, so I kept my maw closed for now.

"Maybe you think I'm just being selfish, but...I've lost so much, Luca. My entire family was taken from me, you know that already, as well as Heimdall, Jorn. The only comfort I ever had was with the Crimson King, and even he eventually rejected me. He tossed me aside so easily, so carelessly, like I was nothing. I was some simple amusement to him, for the millennia I'd spent with him in Hel. He never cared about me, I was just an instrument that'd outlived it usefulness. And yet...he had meant everything to me. And I can't lose another one...that I love, Luca. I need you."

I sighed heavily. I was willing to protect Loki with my life, yet somehow in my ignorance, I failed to consider the consequences were I to die on the battlefield. To me, it didn't matter what happened after death, that would simply be the end. Life would go on without me, the world would carry on. Like so many others, my life was insignificant. And while I cared for Loki a great deal, it was only in this moment that I was beginning to realize the impact my insignificant death would have on the poor arctic fox.

"Loki...I know it seems like I don't care if I live for die, but..." I sighed, never good in these types of situations. "Look, it was true when I said I didn't have anything left to live for, and I really believed that. I was acting more recklessly because I genuinely didn't care. But having spent so much time with you...well, you've come to mean so much to me. You're not only the only friend I have left, but...well, I really care about you, Loki, and I love everything you've given me. I, um... Ah, fuck... I love you, Loki, okay? So I ain't goin' anywhere, I promise."

Loki started crying again, burying his head once more in my chest. But as he held onto me with trembling paws, somehow I could tell these were different tears. He then growled a little, then chuckled, then nodded slightly. "I'm going to do my utmost to protect you, Luca, no matter what. You're my king, my love, my saviour. You're everything to me, and for as long as I live, I will serve you."

I nodded in response, nuzzling Loki's tear-soaked cheek. I gave the little guy a kiss, heart pounding heavily against my chest. It had been far, far too long since I'd felt this way, it was almost foreign to me. It felt new and exciting, but damn terrifying at the same time. What if I failed to hold up my end of the bargain?

Eventually the fox had composed himself enough to continue scrubbing the mess from my fur, and had my wounds all cleaned up and most of the blood washed from my fur in no time. Though it took a bit of sneaking, he also managed to procure a couple rolls of bandages, all of which we needed. My body was still in pain, but at least I would stave off infection for at least a little while. Loki remained still slightly somber after finishing up, just staring at my body half-wrapped in bandages, a troubled look on his face.

"Try not to worry," I told Loki, stroking his cheek lovingly with the back of my paw. "I was thinking of taking Sun Shen up on his advice, anyway. There's no point in sticking around when I've clearly overstayed my welcome. They'll likely imprison me come sunrise, and I don't plan on staying here long enough to see if it's true."

"What do you plan on doing about our gear?" Loki asked, glancing up at me. "Even if they took it with them during their march, they'll no doubt be holding it hostage. You don't even have any clean clothes to change into, and I don't plan on leaving without my stuff."

"Well they'll be keeping an eye out for me. Maybe you could try to find it while I lay low?"

Loki frowned at the proposition. "Where will you hide?"

I looked around, vast fields of ruined crops all around us. However there were some farmhouses littered throughout the massive open fields, as well as barns and a few silos. I pointed to the closest field, which had an old barn nearby. "I'll hole up in that barn until you return. Sound good?"

Loki nodded. After helping me across the river and the field, and after checking out the property to see if we were alone - we were, for now - the arctic fox gave my good shoulder a concerned squeeze, then took off. Hopefully he wouldn't be long.

At some point in waiting amongst the bales of hay, I must have fallen asleep. I recalled vague dreams of the battle, blood and guts everywhere, coating me, and myself stepping from that blood to crush my enemies. I awoke with a terrible twist in my gut, enough to make me throw up. There was as much blood as there was digested food amongst the mess, so I moved to a different part of the barn. Loki had just returned, though without any of his old gear.

"Are you okay?" he asked, coming to my side immediately.

"Yeah," I nodded, aware of how horrible my breath likely was. I could see through the cracks in the barn, and through the loft window, the sky was just starting to redden, sundown just a few hours away. I must have slept for just as long. "Did you find our stuff?"

Loki gave a short shrug, still wearing his Eastern Lander robes. "I asked around a little, did a bit of espionage. I think they have it with them, at the command tent, or at least near enough to make retrieving it next to impossible. Not without a fight, at least."

I grunted. "We'll have to leave it, then. I know it's all the stuff you have but...I'm not going back there. It sounds like they aren't too interested in hearing my side of the story."

The little fox did not like that idea.

"If you think you can get in and out with your gear without getting caught...then I suppose I can't stop you. But you heard what Sun Shen said, they'll be coming for me at the crack of dawn, and I'm sure they'll be looking for you, too. I dunno much about your Runes, so I dunno, maybe you have one that can help? Like...an invisibility rune, or something?"

"That's nonsense," grunted Loki, as if I should have known better. "You can put up wards to protect you from others' senses, but to truly become invisible? It isn't possible, not so far as I know."

"Well we can't wait all night. Maybe that would be the best time to make a move, anyway, when the sun goes down. They'll probably be protecting it, though, just in case we go for it. But...they're also assuming we know it's there. What do you think?"

"I won't be able to grab everything. But I can grab my stuff and nab whatever I can for you, then I'll meet you back here and we can make our way to the Heaven's Gate, then hopefully away from Tao-zhan. How does that sound?"

"Good," I nodded, taking a few deep breaths. "I didn't think I'd be leaving the Eastern Lands like this, but I guess there isn't much choice. It's too bad there wasn't more time, I would've liked to say farewell to Zhang, at least."

Loki shrugged. "There's still a bit of daylight left. You might be able to find him before nightfall."

"Yeah, well I think it'd just be best to lay low. For all I know, they're gonna use him to try to get to me. Honestly, they won the battle. What's the big deal?"

The arctic fox stood up, rubbing my good shoulder. "You spent a long time in Midland's army, surely you can understand the rebels' ire. Imagine how August would have reacted if you deviated from his plans."

The fact was, on more than one occasion I'd deviated from his plans, usually charging into battle before everyone else. He didn't like it, but I was never punished too severely. We'd always achieve victory, anyway, which was all that mattered to August. My second-in-command, however, it infuriated him to no end. Either way, I saw Loki's point. Perhaps they wouldn't be as rough on me as I assumed, but I couldn't exactly afford to take that chance. And if I could leave without any violence, all the better.

"I guess you're right," I conceded. "Let's just...try to get outta here before they come looking for me, okay?"

Loki nodded, and for now he gave me another once-over to make sure my wounds were all wrapped. He took another scrap of his Eastern Lander tunic and tied it around my left forearm, which had only a few shallow scratches, and asked if I wanted a couple healing runes inscribed. I would have ordinarily declined, but since my wounds were especially painful, I accepted.

The fox inscribed his soft, green glowing runes, which amazingly began to work instantly. Perhaps one of them just dulled the pain, but like some kind of stream, the healing numbness spread out from my arm to affect my entire body, my poor footpaws the last to feel it. I had no idea if any of these runes were actually healing my wounds, but they at least helped take some of the pain away. When I stood up, however, much of the pain came flooding back to me.

"Be careful," cautioned the fox, by my side instantly. "I know you're feeling the effects, but your wounds are still fresh. You can still cause more damage. Just take it easy."

I sighed. For all the miracles Loki's runes could perform, they sure didn't act very quickly.

"Let's just wait until nightfall," he continued, "we should be fine here. I'm going to go scout out the command tent a little more, and I'll return before the sun goes down with our stuff. Will you be okay?"

I sat back down with another heavy sigh, my filthy and bloody clothes beside me. At least I still had my sword, in case the pandas decided to get violent. I nodded at the fox. "Go on, it's not like I'll be going anywhere anyway. Not very quickly, at least."

"If I don't return after the sun sets, leave without me. I'll find my way to you." Loki then gave me a quick peck on the cheek, a short bow and took off, bounding swiftly over the water like a gentle breeze.

It amazed me some of the things he could do, and he owed it all to his Runes. I rarely ever saw him cast them, but as he's told me before, he's become so adept at it, it takes only a moment to cast a few. And sometimes the results of those hastily drawn runes could be fantastically destructive. With just the right set of runes - again, his words - he could create incredible catastrophes that will level entire cities. It was a wonder how people eventually came to stop using them.

Nightfall came quickly enough - though constantly looking over my shoulder made it drag that much longer - with yet no sign of Loki. I wanted to keep waiting, but knew they'd be scouring the Lower City looking for me at the crack of dawn. I had to leave now, but...I couldn't abandon Loki like that. I wouldn't. Deep down I knew better, I knew the fox could handle himself, I knew what he was capable of. It took him years, but he'd found me after I'd left Midland, he could find me again. But...I had to try. My mind was telling me to run, but my body refused.

Shakily I stood up, took what was left of my baggy, dirty pants and threw them on, the torn and bloody top portion haphazardly hanging around my waist. Topless, I slung my large sword over my back and took off up the riverbank in search of my loyal arctic fox.

Not surprisingly, soldiers were everywhere. Most of them were fast asleep in their tents, the rest were awake by their campfires, staring morosely into the flames. They had no doubt lost some good friends in today's battle. Was that because of me?

I gave myself little time to consider the consequences of my actions today as I searched feverishly for Loki. I listened carefully for his voice, but heard only quiet murmurs of broken pandas, and the soft sobs of the grieving. I could see the command tent not far off, the most brightly lit. It wasn't until the warm light began shining upon my face when I realized how insane this was.

If they had, indeed, captured Loki, would they even hold him here? If that was the case, they had to be expecting me. Most of the city's exits would no doubt be guarded, perhaps...that was why Sun Shen had warned me, so I would make my escape and be captured. But they couldn't predict my actions, they would know I could cut through a few guards without a second thought. But there was no way they would let me leave. Not only would they want justice for my disobedience, but there was no way they could risk me crossing into enemy lines. I knew they didn't trust sellswords, in fact many had probably already crossed.

Suddenly, a quiet chuckle from my hidden darkness. It felt fear, smelled the sweat. It was too late. I'd already walked into their ambush. My paw had already gripped Zhong Kui before my mind even realized it. I didn't want to fight the rebel pandas, but I couldn't surrender either.

A silent snarling within my dark belly, Nosferatu sensed danger was near. It was excited, it wanted blood. Had it not been thoroughly quenched during the battle for the Lower City? But as my allies crept forward, waiting to strike, I felt its dark claws scraping slowly against my gut.

Soldiers began to slowly step out from behind their tents, holding their guandaos toward me, taking a defensive stance. They were fully armoured, perhaps more so than usual, but their paws were shaking. As they emerged, one of them called out to me.

"Don't move," he said as commandingly as possible, though was clearly afraid. "We have you surrounded. Don't...make this more difficult than it has to be."

My paw tightly clenched my sword, arm twitching. With just a few swings I could get away, but I truly held no ill will toward these pandas. I didn't want to kill them, but if backed into a corner, I would have little choice.

"Put your weapon down," the another said. It was Sun Shen. I should have guessed. "This doesn't have to get bloody."

"You son of a bitch," I spat, glancing to my right. The clouded leopard held his paws on his swords, but kept them sheathed.

"The General only wishes to speak. He does not want violence."

"Says the man leading a war?"

Sun Shen grunted.

"If the man wants to talk, he should have come to me himself. Instead he sends a bunch of low-level goons after me? It's no wonder this rebellion needed help from the likes of me when you have cowards running the show."

"Luca," a grizzled old voice said, General Zi stepping from the commanders tent. Of course he had to make his presence known after I called him a coward. "At ease."

I just growled. "What's this all about, Zi? We achieved victory, I see no problem here."

"This was supposed to be a clean victory, Luca, minimal lives lost. Instead we lost hundreds. And you are the cause of it."

I just scoffed. "You cannot predict the outcome of a battle any more than you can predict next week's weather. Your plan was faulty, it was clear the moment we stepped out into the barracks."

General Zi almost laughed. "You are soldier, sellsword, nothing more. You march into battle and you swing your sword, that was your job. That is what we were paying you for. You do not get to change battle plans because you don't like them. We paid you to follow orders, which you failed to do! Had you waited until dawn, as we had discussed, the other teams would have had a chance to open the gates at the proper time. Instead we suffered heavy casualties in what should have been a fairly painless process. But then you decided you could plan battles better than seasoned generals? How do you account for that?"

Naturally I had nothing to say.

"You are an arrogant, reckless, tired old mercenary who has clearly outlived his usefulness on the battlefield. Though your skills are impressive, I will admit that, your inability to follow orders - orders, need I remind you, that you are being paid to follow - has rendered your services useless. Now if you will, please step into the war room, Luca, so we can discuss your future within the rebellion."

Sun Shen looked far more satisfied than I would have liked.

I grunted again, finally releasing my sword. My paws were clenched, however, as I followed General Zi into the command tent, as well as Sun Shen behind me.

"Is he really necessary?" I asked. "And tell me where Loki is."

"Your friend is fine, he's with us."

When I entered the large tent, I saw Loki with arms folded, sitting in the corner with two guards next to him. He looked about as impressed as I was, though his eyes lit up a little as our gazes met. While I had qualms about killing these soldiers I'd fought beside for so long, I had no reason to believe their lives mattered enough to Loki to stop him from escaping without bloodshed.

"The others want to imprison you," said General Zi, standing on the opposite side of a large, map-covered table. "Some of them want to see you hanged, despite we pandas not believing in such punishments. But despite your actions last night, there is no denying you have been of great service to our cause. We could not have made it this far without you, I fear. So we reached a compromise."

"I can hardly wait," I growled, though when I glanced back at Loki, he didn't seem upset or worried. Perhaps they'd already explained it to him, or perhaps he'd even helped negotiate the compromise.

"Because we cannot allow you to leave Tao'zhan - many fear you will turn to the Emperor for employment - you must remain within its walls, but because of your tremendous service to our cause, you will not be imprisoned. You may roam freely within the Lower City, however you will be guarded at all times. You may not, under any circumstances, carry a weapon with you, nor will you be invited to fight alongside the rebels when we move to take the Upper City, nor, subsequently, the Royal City and the Forbidden City. Your sword and your gear will be returned to you when the battle is over."

"Assuming you rebels can finish the war."

"Such arrogance," scoffed the General. "As I said, we owe you a great deal. But we have the rest of this battle planned out, your services will no longer be required."

Somehow I doubted that, but it seemed the rebels had everything under control. All I had to do, then, was wait until they came crawling back to me, begging me to defeat another wall of an enemy. But perhaps I was being big-headed, and they truly could finish the rest of the campaign without me. It was nearly over, after all, the biggest hurdles had been cleared.

"What about my pay?"

General Zi laughed loudly, shaking his head. "You disobey your superiors, then ask to be paid? The sword we gave you is worth nearly double your regular payment, consider that your compensation. Now get out of my sight before I have you thrown into prison anyway."

I had expected such a response, but thought I'd ask just in case. True to his word, two armoured soldiers followed Loki and I away from the commanders tent, though we had no place to sleep. We settled for a spot beneath a tree, away from the regular camps - only half of the rebels' camp had been set up inside, the rest were still behind the hill outside of Tao'zhan. Though the soldiers were unimpressed, they had little choice.

The following few days - after Loki got his clothes back and I got something clean to wear - I made myself useful by helping clear the fields of corpses, a job I wouldn't wish on anybody. It wasn't my idea, of course, but at least I would get fed this way without having to venture toward the residential part of the city. As the rest of the rebels slowly rebuilt their camp within the walls, an increasing sense of resentment grew within every soldier who entered the Heaven's Gate. I could tell word had spread all across the rebel army that I was the one to blame for the deadly change in plans, their wicked glances had said as much.

But even still, I tried to make myself as useful as possible, despite knowing I couldn't make it up to them. Of course, there are always losses in war, but it seemed every death was now entirely by my hand. I had to admit, I did have some moments of guilt, but like the rest of my past, I pushed it aside and focused on keeping myself busy.

Nearly a month had passed since the battle for the Lower City, and the rebels had already captured Tao'Zhan's outer walls. The Upper City was essentially now theirs, though not truly taken yet, as the Jade Army had only the streets to fight in, a poor battlefield for both sides. But having claimed the walls, the rebels had a great advantage over the Emperor's army. Both sides wanted to avoid as much collateral damage as possible - despite the destroyed farmers fields - which meant both had to be careful where they aimed their weapons. In fact, siege weapons would almost entirely be out of the question, and it was clear the rebels had more fighting ability than the Jade Army. The pressure was on, and still the Emperor refused to surrender. He had to know how dire the situation was, yet he clung on to his fancy palace of gold and jade within the Forbidden City, tucked away nicely within the extravagant city around it, the Royal City.

The Royal City, whose walls did not attach to Tao'zhan's main fortifications, would be no easy task. But like the rest of the Eastern Lands' capitol, it had its weak points and its strong points, and had one too many gates to defend. Though its walls were high, it was clear defense was not their primary function, but rather to keep the lower- and upper-middle classes out, the residents of the Upper City. The Royal City, from what I'd heard, was indeed beautiful, only the most wealthy and powerful living within its walls, living that much closer to the Emperor, yet they seemed to pay for that luxury with poorer defenses.

The Forbidden City itself would no doubt be the toughest battle for the rebels. It's walls were thick and its battlements high, however compared to the outer walls of Tao'zhan, they might as well have been made of paper. Unfortunately, with a wide moat completely surrounding it, and temples and houses so close to the city's walls, any number of siege weapons would be next to impossible to employ. The main gate leading from the Royal City into the Forbidden City was small compared to the rest of Tao'zhan, though still needlessly lavish and colourful. The battlements stretched outward from the gates to bottleneck any incoming enemies, and though the structures on top were impressive and beautiful, they helped guard the archers and artillery, of which there would no doubt be aplenty.

The walls of the Forbidden City, from what I'd heard, were some of the greatest fortifications in the entire country, however if the pandas managed to breach them, victory would almost be assured. While there was far more space within the Forbidden City between all their expensive gardens and temples and palaces for the Emperor to mount a proper attack, if the Emperor's personal guard fought as poorly as his Jade Army, he would undoubtedly fall quickly. But it was breaking through those gates that would prove exceptionally difficult.

All of that, anyway, was according the rebels still left defending the Lower City, who had been talking to my personal guards.

My personal guards were two pandas, Zhong - who I continuously called Zhang by accident - and Min - one of the few female warriors I'd encountered. The duo did a very good job at tailing Loki and I, rarely more than ten feet away. They were amazingly vigilant, and seemed only slightly bothered by the fact they were stuck guarding me instead of on the walls fighting the Emperor. I think that made them resent me even more, though I think they were slowly warming up to me.

Though it took another week, the rebels at last moved into the Upper City, sweeping through with surprising ease. I had to admit, I was surprised they managed to take so many parts of the city with as much skill as they had. Of course that only gave me more time to consider my disobedience, always reminded of my mistake. Perhaps that was another reason for keeping me out of prison, so I could see with my own eyes exactly how my actions had affected the other soldiers. After all, I had grown close to most of them, perhaps not on a personal level, but they had treated me with such reverence and pride, now all I saw was disappointment and fear.

Part of me wanted so badly to make it up to them, to show them I was still on their side, but I knew if I charged into battle now, they would never forgive me. I had to be patient and trust they would not need me before the war's end, and if they did, that they would come find me themselves.

Fortunately for the panda army, my services were not required in the battle to take the Upper City. They had claimed victory once more, ensuring nothing was coming in or out of the Royal City now, no doubt preferring to starve the Emperor out than risk yet another attack. All exits of the Royal City were guarded, though a few mortar rounds proved the Emperor was not as concerned with damaging homes outside the City as was originally assumed. Even still, the rebels gave the Royal Walls wide enough berth to avoid the artillery, yet remained vigilant of Zu's movements.

It took only a couple weeks for the rebels to at last take the Royal City. Much to my surprise, they had used the Emperor's own cannons against him, obliterating the weak, thin walls. Though many of the nearby buildings had suffered broken windows, it was a small price to pay for overtaking the wealthy city surrounding the Forbidden City. As predicted, the Jade Army fought poorly, their young, good looks doing nothing to help fend off the fierce, battle-worn rebels, and within a day the Royal City fell.

Despite victory being almost certain for the rebels, still they insisted on keeping me captured. Perhaps it was some sort of test, they had to know I could easily escape at this point. Perhaps they were counting on the fact I didn't want to fight them, and were simply testing my loyalty at this point. With the war so close to being over, I hardly saw how it made a difference. Still, at least they let me into the Royal City, which after the dust of battle had settled, I was allowed to wander freely.

Surprisingly - or perhaps not so much, given the Emperor's clear insanity - the Royal City had not been evacuated before the rebels had attacked. Most of the homes, while having suffered minimal damage, still housed the families of the Eastern Lands' wealthiest. Even a few days after the battle, most of them were still extremely shaken, and despite their wealth, they were left with little food. I assisted the rebels and some of the Lower and Upper City civilians in spreading around as much food as possible, though the Royal City was still extraordinarily large - at least as large as Midland's capitol - so it would no doubt take weeks to reach all the families.

Ultimately, it was probably a good thing I had avoided the last few battles since my recovery was incredibly slow. By the end of each day, even if I wasn't moving around much, I was usually exhausted and in pain, and my bandages needed changing every few days. I had only been given the one set of clothes - a long, sleeveless tunic and pants with handy strings at the bottoms so I could pull them up around my knees - and since receiving them, they already had a dozen bloodstains.

"Luca, are you okay?" Loki asked me as we sat to eat lunch. The midday heat was unbearable, and hazy and humid as hell. It made my bandages itch and my wounds itch even worse, though at least with my loose farmers garb, the slight breeze today's weather had to offer cooled me down the slightest bit. I was beginning to see why Loki, with his thick white fur, preferred tops without sleeves, and quite often, without a midsection.

"Yeah," I huffed, taking a bite out of a rice ball. At least I had a bit of sauce to go with it, as well as with my dumplings and fish. The city folk were much kinder to me than the rebels were, though perhaps it was because I volunteered to help clean up the city. Zhong and Min, who had resigned themselves to their duties, accompanied me with much lighter armour on now. They said they had tried to negotiate letting me continue on unescorted, but General Zi wouldn't have it. At least they sometimes shared their rations with me.

"You look like you're going to be sick."

The fact was, my stomach had been bothering me all day. I tried my best to deny that it was the dark claws of Nosferatu scratching at my belly, that it was only yesterday's fish, but this pain was all too familiar to deny. So I continued eating, not wanting to raise alarm. But the way Loki stared at me, I think he knew. He always seemed to know.

"I'm fine," I insisted unconvincingly. There was only ever two situations that made Nosferatu rear its ugly head: certain death, or the presence of a Disciple. Those damnable Hel Beasts, soldiers in the Crimson King's demon army, the little monster inside me always knew when they were around. And it always tempted me, urged me to fight them, to kill them, as if it could only be satiated by spilling their blood. I hated it, and as often as not, it brought me to the brink of death. Perhaps that was what drove my inner darkness; the weaker I became, the stronger its grip on my mind. It changed me into a beast, into a Yaoguai Hu, and that often didn't end well for somebody. Of course that somebody was usually me.

Zhong and Min were sitting nearby, curious what Loki and I were talking about, almost suspicious, but they had no idea. As Loki continued eating, he glared at me as if he'd read my mind. For all I knew, he had read my mind.

Finally he huffed and turned away. "I'll take care of them if they approach us," he said sassily. No doubt he thought there could be another small band of Disciples coming to find me, but...it seemed like more than that.

When we finally finished eating - I was the last one to finish up, which wasn't usual - the pain in my gut hadn't gotten any better. With the rebels now marching upon the Forbidden City, prepared for tomorrow's final battle for control of Tao'zhan, there was something undeniably off in the air. I couldn't quite place it, but as the rest of the day wore on, the tension was palpable. Was I the only one sensing this?

Later that night, when we were at last able to rest in the fancy inn we'd helped clean up, Loki asked me what was wrong.

Both of us naked, I held the arctic fox close, his body warm and soothing. Finally I admitted, "Nosferatu's been bothering me all day. Nothing major, just...always present, like an itch I can't scratch. On top of that, I can't seem to shake this constant feeling of dread, like something terrible is going to happen real soon. Do you think it's connected?"

"Well," Loki began, pushing himself back into me, "let's look at what we know. 'Nosferatu,' as you call it, only seems to bother you when a Disciple is near. But you've never felt this dread before, have you?"

I shook my head. That insatiable scratching at my gut, it was never a good feeling, but it had never been like this.

"The rebels are about to make their final assault on Tao'zhan, so maybe you're just anxious about how the battle will go. After all, if they lose, then all of your fights, all of these injuries, will have been for nothing."

"Not nothing... I did get paid for most of them, after all."

Loki rolled his eyes, or at least, I think he did; the room was dark, and he was facing away from me. But it was likely. "You're more emotionally invested in the rebels' quest than you let on, just admit it. You want them to win, because even though you try very hard to remain partial, you don't like the Emperor any more than the pandas do."

I sighed. "You're not wrong, but...ah, I dunno. I still don't get why they're even going to assault the Forbidden City. I know it's still huge, but why risk it? Are they that sure of victory? Even Min and Zhong don't know. But...maybe you're right, maybe I'm just nervous for them. I'm just not convinced that's all this feeling is."

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know, Loki. I'm sure it's nothing, it's just...I can't shake it. Something's not right."

Loki was starting to nod off, and was yawning every ten seconds or so. It seemed he didn't feel it, so maybe it was just me. Victory was almost assured for the rebels, so there was little to worry about there. Although the Forbidden City was small compared to the other Cities, it was still a substantial size and could hold a fair number of soldiers, including those who had managed to retreat behind its walls. It would still be a tough battle, but the rebels had at least as much skill, and even more men. Plus they had the city almost completely surrounded.

I had hardly slept all night. I'd been tossing and turning, evidenced by Loki sleeping farther away from me, barely within arm's reach. When I held a paw out to him, he opened his eyes tiredly and met his with mine. Within moments I'd pulled him in and we shared a warm, close embrace. I had no idea how long we'd cuddled for, but it wasn't long before Zhong and Min came to get us up.

"They're preparing for the assault," Min said, dressed in full armour. Zhong looked ready for battle, too. "They're evacuating this section of the city now, I think you should go."

My first instinct was to say, "What if they need me?" but I knew they had everything well in hand. Except there was still that nagging feeling in my gut again, that creeping dread. I felt even more compelled to stay.

"Come on, Luca," said Loki as he stood, holding onto his pants. "Leave the rebels to it, you'll only enrage them further."

I didn't like this, but what choice did I have? I got up and clothed myself quickly, and just as Loki and I exited the fancy inn, I was met by a familiar face.

"They told me I'd find you here," said Zhang, wearing full armour. He looked different somehow, more like a seasoned warrior than the baby-faced panda who barely knew how to fight. The sword he carried was just slightly too large, but I was sure he handled it well.

"Zhang," I said in surprise. "I haven't seen you since we departed Xin'an. What're you doing here?"

"This is it," he told me, apparently ignoring my question.

I nodded, having to step aside for evacuating richfolk. "Yeah..? Are you feeling all right?"

Zhang sighed mournfully. "I just wanted to see you before we took on the Emperor. I know you'll probably be gone after all of this, and...I just wanted to tell you something."

I stood silently, waiting for him to spill it.

He sighed again. "You've taught me a lot about fighting in a pretty short amount of time. It's helped keep me alive, I think." The young panda was fiddling with something by his side, as if he was nervous. "So...it's true you broke rank, huh? Started the assault before the others were ready?"

Something horrible twisted in my gut. "Yeah... Yeah, Zhang. I ain't real proud of it, but what you've heard is true."

"Just tell me why... Did you at least have a good reason?"

"No," I admitted. "No, I didn't. I thought an early assault would be better, but the army was alerted."

Zhang lowered his head. He was trembling, even as more people rushed by. Zhong and Min were getting impatient, and Loki seemed on edge. When he glanced back up at me, I saw nothing but rage in the young pandas eyes. Then suddenly, he lunged at me.

With a surprising roar, Zhang swiped a small dagger at me, catching me off guard enough to slice into my chest. Fortunately, I was that much faster. I jumped back, and before I could retaliate, Loki had already disarmed the panda and knocked him down, pushing his face into the dirty cobblestone with his paw, knife held firmly against Zhang's neck.

Zhang struggled, tears streaming down his face as he roared for the fox to get off, but Loki was firm. I was surprised again to see the fox overpower the panda so easily, but perhaps it was the dagger at Zhang's throat that kept him down. I had to stop the fox from killing him right then and there.

"You bastard!" screamed Zhang. "Arrogant son of a bitch! You're just like him! Yaoguai Hu!"

The twist in my gut only became worse.

"Tengfei was one of the first to be slaughtered in the early attack!" the panda howled, eyes closed tight. "I'll never forgive you, Luca. Arrogant bastard..."

Finally Loki got up off the grieving panda. I had no words for Zhang. It seemed too late to say sorry, but I said it anyway. The panda didn't react, but instead let his rage and tears flow out. Finally I had to leave the panda, though I couldn't get his eyes out of my head. Only a few times in my life had I seen so much fury, so much hate, in one man's eyes. And nothing I could possibly do would ease his pain, a pain I knew all too well.

It was almost noon before the rebels were in formation, and Loki and I had just reached the Faithful's Pass, one of the two main gates connecting the Upper and Lower city. Zhong and Min had already left us, left to join the assault.

For years the Eastern Lands had been ravaged by war, by this rebellion. Homes were destroyed, villages leveled, fields torn apart. The land itself had suffered greatly, both had suffered heavy losses, soldiers and innocents alike, and both sides were equally to blame. It would be a long road to recovery, but to the pandas, it would be all worth it to get their country back. And today would at last determine, after so many years of turmoil, who would rule the Eastern Lands.

And yet the Upper City was deathly quiet, when the assault should have already started. Loki and I were some of the last to leave, but I couldn't exit into the Lower City, despite Loki pulling my arm.

"Let's just go, Luca, there's nothing left for you here. We can talk about Zhang later, okay?"

"Something's not right," I said thoughtfully. The grumbling in my gut hadn't yet subsided. Something terrible hung in the air. The city was too quiet. Was the Emperor surrendering? No...from what I had learned of Xu, especially at this point, he stood unquestionably opposed to surrendering. The fool would die on his throne, I was sure of it. So...why hadn't the battle started? "We have to go back."

Loki sighed. "Are you serious? The pandas can handle it. Maybe they're negotiating? You can't even see the Royal City from here, much less hear it. Are you really so surprised it's so quiet?"

I shook my head. Of course either of those was just as likely as anything, but...something told me otherwise. Nosferatu was agitated, I could feel its dark wings unfolding, stretching outward. "Don't you feel that?"

Loki growled. "The air is always thick before any battle, you know that."

I huffed obstinately, but Loki was right. With no armour - and especially with no weapon - I would do little good in a battle I was far from welcome in. Although I doubted the rebels would turn away help, somehow I thought my presence would not inspire as much morale as it would have in earlier battles. Still, something didn't quite sit right with me.

As the last of the fleeing citizens exited the Upper City, I finally surrendered and followed the arctic fox and the rest of the bystanders into the poorer, residential area of Tao'zhan. Before long, everyone - the rich, the poor, and the farmers, all huddled around the small buildings as if lost - turned their heads toward the Forbidden City as massive warhorns blew, and finally the battle commenced.

Though the cries of the soldiers was as faint as the hot, summer wind, the deafening sound of the Emperor's artillery boomed clearly through the air, one after the other. The people around me - having never even pondered war before, much less witnessed it - shook in fear with every crash and devastating roar, the artillery ripping through buildings and pandas alike. Though the outcome of the battle would have little effect on them, the innocents of Tao'zhan quivered as if this day could be their last. After all, could the battle not spill into the Lower City?

Though some monks and farmers - who had survived the first assault on the city - tried to reassure the frightened, telling them the walls would protect them, it was a waste of effort. Loki and I simply wandered the narrow streets, the flat dirt roads leading us throughout the city to reveal more of the same: cowering citizens praying to their gods. It was the same everywhere we went, and there was no escaping the sounds of the bloody battle north of the centre wall.

It was mid-afternoon before Loki and I decided to rest. However with the battle raging on - at least the artillery had settled down significantly - and the hot, sticky wind blowing through the streets, it was no easy task. We had found some shade, yet somehow the sun still managed to pierce the leaves of the large willow tree we'd found by a surprisingly peaceful pond and garden. It seemed Tao'zhan was amidst a terrible heatwave, and the citizens thought it was punishment from their gods for desecrating their temples with war.

Though rest was nearly impossible to find, Loki and I were at least able to soak our feet in the cool pond, the fox leaning up against me. There were others nearby doing the same, paying Loki and I no mind. I suppose it was nice, and I always enjoyed these moments with the arctic fox, but with the battle so close - the gates that gave direct passage into the Royal City were only a dozen blocks away - I couldn't sit easy.

Soon the noises of battle stopped, and an overwhelming calm came over Tao'zhan. It was enough to give me pause, and I could tell the others had much the same reaction. It wasn't the eerie peace of a battle won, nor the devastating silence of defeat. It was something else, like an invisible shadow had spread its leathery wings over the entire city. It sent a chill down my spine, even on such a hot day. Loki gave my arm a squeeze, feeling it too. He seemed anxious too.

"Do you believe me now?" I asked him.

Loki just grunted. As the air slowly became thicker, almost stifling, a hot breeze rolled in quickly, becoming stronger every second. The clouds grew noticeably darker, blowing in from the west. Something ominous was raging within the impending summer storm, something I'd felt many, many moons ago at Castle Midgard, before it was ravaged by the devastating winds.

"We have to go check it out."

The arctic fox finally agreed with me, but just as we both got up, a sudden crack of lightning crashed into the Forbidden City, the painful, ear-splitting thunder shaking the ground beneath us. It lasted a good ten seconds, and both Loki and I had to cover our ears. The winds became more powerful, the clouds nearly as black as night. Where had this storm come from? Then, an incredible, impossible roar echoed across Tao'zhan, bellowing through the city streets.

Panicked, heart racing, my head snapped toward Loki. "My sword... I need it now, and as much armour as you can carry. Do you know where it is?"

Loki nodded.

"Retrieve them for me, I'm going to make my way to the Royal City. Use your runes, or whatever you have to; you'll make it there and back faster than I will. Okay?"

The arctic fox trembled at the sound of another lightning strike, but he confirmed with as confident a nod as he could. After a moment's hesitation he was off like the wind, riding the powerful gale like some magical nymph, as light as the air.

More thunder crashed through the streets, citizens screaming and scrambling as if their gods' fury was raining down upon them. I made my way toward the closest city gate - the Healer's Gate - pushing past the panicked mob, though most of them were seeking shelter. A few drops of rain fell, then soon began an incredible downpour, the howling wind blowing it sideways.

In almost no time at all, the streets were flooded and muddy, and my vision was blurred. I fought my way toward the Healer's Gate through both terrified people and the weather itself, barely able to hear another mighty roar from the Forbidden City. As loud as the thunder itself, the inhuman roar shook the ground and the houses, and almost moved the rain with its volume alone. No man could produce a noise like that, and if he could, for it to be so deafeningly loud? Impossible.

Though the Healer's Gate was closed, the gatehouse - which had almost a constant flow of terrified rebels and enemies alike pouring through - was open. I pushed my way through, drenched to the core by this point, snarling as I shoved past the fleeing soldiers. Luckily the Healer's Gate opened into a thoroughfare that led straight through the Upper City and to the Royal City's main gate, though with all my half-healed injuries and the heavy rain, it was still a long way off.

Undeterred, I ran across the stone street - if you could even call it running - which was flanked by tall, impressive temples and pillared structures, for what seemed like an eternity until I reached the magnificent and glorious Gate of Divine Harmony. Thunder struck almost every five seconds now, and the snarling and roaring from the Forbidden City had intensified. Cannons still fired, though it was difficult to make out through the lashing winds and rain.

I was exhausted already, as if I'd been swinging my sword the entire way there. My legs burned, injuries even worse, and my lungs felt as if they would explode. Tao'zhan seemed even more massive than it had before, its streets stretching even longer with every heavy breath I took. As a stroke of luck, the dark and golden Gate of Divine Harmony was open, at least enough to let me through. Stepping over a surprising number of burnt corpses, I looked up at the impressive Forbidden City in the distance, suddenly horrified to see a massive, grotesque monster roar even more fiercely than before, seeming to grow out of the well-fortified Meridian Gate.

It was a Disciple to be sure, but I had never seen one so large, nor so grotesque. The massive Hel Beast stood taller than the Forbidden City's walls, crushing the glorious and expensive buildings atop the Meridian Gate - the main gate leading into the Emperor's city - the walls beginning to crumble beneath it. Its arms stretched at least the length of its body, colossal towers with stony, clawed hands at either end, incredible horns and spikes running up the lengths of the limbs.

The monster slammed a fist down onto a crowd of resisting pandas, then again, until a few cannons fired and did little damage to its thick, scaly flesh. What looked like eyes and tooth-filled mouths ran down either side of its softer belly, but that, too, had incredible maws with what looked like squirming tentacles that pulled people in. Down past its long torso - which had an extra, smaller set of arms by the way - was its lower body and appendages, equally as deadly and tough as its arms, at least four on either side. The horrifying Disciple had a lashing tail that crushed homes and buildings within and without the Forbidden City, as well as the Emperor's army and rebels alike, caring little for whom it flattened.

Though it was difficult to make out through the pouring rain and nearby lightning strikes, it appeared that atop the monster's immense, jagged shoulders, and above a massive, gnarl-toothed maw where its chest was supposed to be, sat what looked like the remnants of its former self: a peacock whose lower half had been transformed, bright torn rags hanging off its body and snapping wildly in the whipping winds. Its left arm - from what I could see - was fused to the monster's body, and while it had one free, feathered arm, it's torso and neck were so horribly distended and elongated, it barely represented its former self. Its eyes were glowing, however, which I saw past the dozen or so dangling tentacles, nasty growths protruding from its otherwise unaffected face.

Nosferatu was howling. This had to be the thing it'd sensed, this Disciple to end all Disciples. Even to me it was a horror, so much so I was reminded of my first encounter with one, back in Castle Midgard. I refused to believe a monster like that could possibly exist, and I found myself doing the same now.

I had battled and destroyed dozens of Disciples in my life - particularly after the fall of Castle Midgard - all of them hulking beasts in their own right, but none had ever looked so hideous, so ancient and gargantuan. Its legs and arms, and even its shoulders looked tough and sturdy, yet other parts - particularly around its horns and spines, all along its back - appeared to be decaying, twisted masses of rotting flesh and iridescent feathers. The terrifying monster roared again, shaking the ground beneath me. Lightning split the sky, and as the walls began to collapse and crumble into the moat surrounding the city, I knew I had to step in.

I ran forward, trying my best to clear my head. It was just a stupid, ugly monster like the rest, its size made no difference. I would destroy this one just like all the others. Though it stood as tall as the tallest tower, I could never rest knowing this beast existed in our world, a reminder of the Crimson King.

As I approached the slaughtered armies, I could hear the commanders of the battlefield ordering a full retreat, though the scene was utter chaos. The winds whipped so violently, it was almost impossible to hear their commands. Most of the rebels and soldiers just stared in pure horror of the monster before them, no amount of training could have prepared them for such a beast. Not even the fierce lightning strikes or hammering rain could snap them out of it, and before long they were crushed by the enemy. I growled deeply, grabbing a soldier's guandao, but paused when an immense stream of fire blew from one of the Disciple's many orifices, charring the dead and living alike.

"Fuck," I grunted, watching as the blackened soldiers were retrieved by the old Disciple, scooped up by one of its enormous hands and devoured by some of the many twisted maws covering the monster's body.

"Luca!" I suddenly heard someone hiss. It was Sun Shen, leading a group of soldiers away from the Forbidden City with General Zi. They had all lost the life in their eyes. They had seen far more than any normal man was meant to see.

"I just got here," I snarled over the sound of the wind and rain.

"This isn't possible," muttered the General, stopping with Sun Shen. The clouded leopard urged the others to continue their retreat, though the long-reaching streams of fire made it a difficult task. Fortunately the rain diffused the stream, and we were far enough away to avoid direct contact with the beast.

"Keep going, General," said Sun Shen, then glanced back at me with a wicked glare.

"I knew the Emperor," said Zi, his gaze a thousand miles away, "when he was but a child. Such a sweet boy he was... How...could he be..?"

"The General's delirious," the leopard reported. "Most...men are. Most lost all control of their faculties, many think this is the rapture. I have guided as many as I could out of the Royal City, but many accept this as the End Days, they accept their fate. There is little to be done for them."

Suddenly, like the blowing gales Loki arrived with arms full of amour and gear. Fully armed and armoured himself, he was panting upon getting here, cautious of Sun Shen and the General. Shortly after his arrival, another hot stream of flames blasted toward us, though I didn't think it was directly at us. Nevertheless, we ducked behind the marble walls of a half-ruined temple, Sun Shen all the while hurrying soldiers down the Royal City's main thoroughfare, away from the Forbidden City.

"His father was a noble ruler...such kindness in his heart," the General went on. "The boy...called me Uncle."

Loki looked up at Sun Shen curiously, just as I took my stuff. Fortunately the fox had grabbed my sword, and the chest piece of my armour, though the right spaulder had gone missing. As Loki helped me strap in - he had brought only my left gauntlet as well, plus some protection for my belly and groin - Sun Shen explained.

"It's the Emperor," the leopard sighed, resting against the wall for but a moment. "General Zi was close to his family, he had hoped to reason with Xu when he appeared above the Meridian Gate. We ceased fire, thinking it was a surrender, but... The Emperor, he sounded like a madman. He talked of the betterment of our people, and our place in his New World. He talked of not just dominating the Eastern Lands, but of the rest of the continent as well, even as far as your Midland."

"So wait... That's..?"

Sun Shen nodded, as the General continued muttering to himself. "We refused to give in, yet General Zi begged the Emperor to stand down. He would not, and just as we commenced our attack, when no words were left to be spoken, the skies quickly darkened and Emperor Xu began to...change. That monster you see now, it will tear this entire city apart. I have never seen such a demon before, not even in my grandmother's old tales. Such a thing cannot exist, and yet..."

I growled deeply. "You just keep working on evacuating as many people as you can, I can only pray others have begun to do the same. I'll take care of Xu."

Sun Shen's eyes went as wide as saucers. "You...can't be serious. He is as large as Tao'zhan's greatest temple, how can you hope to fight him?"

With Loki by my side, I was sure we would find a way. The fox had such extraordinary abilities, and I...could never let a Disciple defeat me. For better or for worse, I was going to stop the mad beast, I had to.

"I'll figure it out," I grunted, at last equipping my long, heavy blade.

"It is suicide. I will fight with you, Mercenary. I must defend my home, and the home of thousands of innocents."

"What about him?" I said, gesturing toward General Zi. He was still muttering to himself, all fire gone from his eyes and quivering like an old man. I doubted anyone had ever seen such a beast before, much less this ancient monster, far more grotesque than any Disciple I'd ever encountered.

I could still hear the massive Hel Beast roaring in the distance, shaking the walls around us. It sounded as if it was trying to speak, but its words came out as deep, muddled snarls. Its long streams of fire warmed the air as it spewed toward fleeing soldiers, and as it crawled over the walls of the Imperial City, we could hear the wood and stone walls snapping and crumbling apart. Few cannons continued to fire, as most men had already begun to retreat. Lightning filled the air constantly now, and the rain was cool and heavy. I glanced down and Loki, and he seemed about as eager as he was gonna get.

"I will bring him to safety," determined Sun Shen, "then return to assist you in destroying the demon emperor."

"Fine," I huffed, though I think Sun Shen was at least as concerned about me getting killed as I was about him. Still, if the foolish clouded leopard wanted to throw his life away like that, who was I to stop him?

After taking a few long, deep breaths, both Loki and I as armed and armoured as we were going to get - Loki always wore very little armour, just a single spaulder on his right arm and his red cloak draped around his neck, plus his usual leather attire - we shared a glance with Sun Shen, then with each other, and together we left Sun Shen and the General and headed toward the mad, monstrous emperor.

The monster looked enormous even in the distance, through the rain and mist and stormy clouds. It had already moved from its perch upon the Meridian Gate and was currently smashing through buildings and temples in an attempt to crush the resistance. I wasn't sure what soldiers were left to attempt resisting, but regardless it seemed about as bent on killing enemies as it was on wanton destruction.

It apparently didn't notice us as we approached it, walking past dozens of dead bodies - half of which were burnt to a crisp, the other half slashed open or smashed against the cobblestone - as well as an endless amount of rubble and broken glass. However, with one particularly loud crash of lightning, the monster at last looked over.

It let out an intimidating roar, and I was surprised by the speed with which it clambered toward us, over a now demolished building, slamming its giant hands down beside Loki and I. The monster stared at us, its many mouths agape and ready for its next meal, breathing heavily as the rain poured over its scaly body. Its breath was hot and smelled of a thousand rotting corpses, but it seemed intrigued by Loki and I.

"Yooouuuu," it said in a deep, gnarled voice, its many eyes upon me. They then flicked to Loki, then back to me. "Slayer of Disciples," the beast hissed, using the impossibly large maw upon its chest to speak, despite the dozen other sharp-toothed mouths hissing down its stomach. The other mouths, it seemed, had long tentacles lashing from within, a few still holding onto the gnawed limbs of soldiers. The monster Disciple took a step back as if about to strike, but made no moves yet.

"Stand down!" commanded Loki suddenly, holding his staff out in front of him. There was a new hempen braid around the end, red with black and red beads dangling off the ends; the colours of the Crimson King.

The monster just laughed, a long, raspy chortle. "Little fox," it continued, "The Crimson King's little pet... I thought you dead long ago, when you failed our Master. I shall be Hel's new ruler. You will bend your knee to me!"

This monster was out of its mind, or what was left of it.

Loki just scoffed. "Luca is the rightful heir to Hel's dark throne, all Hel Beasts know it. And you know it, deep down in your black bones. You will kneel before my Master, and your new King, or suffer for your folly!"

"This broken cub?" cried the beast, slamming its two main hands down into the ground, shattering the cobblestone and nearly knocking me over. It could have crushed us easily by now, but it so far held off. I was looking for an opening, or at least some vulnerability, but the beast seemed to have none. "I was the Crimson King's oldest, most loyal soldier! I fought for him from before the time of the Great Exile, I was his brother in arms! I deserve to rule, the throne belongs to me, the eldest of all His Disciples! Not some long-forgotten whelp, the one and only mistake my Dark Lord had ever committed."

"You mean besides getting cut to pieces by the long-forgotten whelp?" I said, paw constantly gripping my sword. Nosferatu snarled and screamed, intimidated and frightened by the monster - or maybe that was just me - but it wanted nothing more than to bathe in its hot blood.

The monster roared once again, accented by another lightning strike. "You jest at the loss of the Great King, but you have only served to enthrone his fiercest follower. Now kneel, or face my wrath!"

"I don't even want the damn throne," I roared right back, getting sick of this delusional Disciple. I had dealt with dozens of these Hel Beasts in my time, countless numbers of them, but every one of them always knew their place. "Take the god-forsaken thing, it's yours! I ain't the Crimson King, nor will I ever be! But I sure as shit ain't bendin' my knee to some grotesque, repulsive Disciple, not in this lifetime or the next. So go ahead and call yourself the Crimson King, 'cause it won't do you any damn good when I'm cuttin' off your head."

That only served to enrage the beast further. It slammed its fists down into the ruined streets, let out an agonizing roar and aimed its foot-long orifices toward Loki and I. When I saw a faint glow appear, we both began to move. I dove away from Loki as a sudden stream of fire shot out behind me, singeing the fur on my tail. When I looked back, Loki had already recovered and made his way toward me. Helping me up, we retreated slightly so as to avoid a slamming fist, and all the while the monster hissed and screamed at us.

Nosferatu was excited.

I had no idea how the hell I was supposed to take down such a demented, tower of a beast. While it roared furiously at Loki and I, I took that time to slash at its enormous wrist, and while I had managed to cut it, it was a pitiful attempt. Luckily the monster was slow enough so I could dodge its incredible fists, shattering the ground beneath me. This fight may have been a mistake.

Ultimately deciding against a frontal assault, Loki and I took to the streets of Tao'zhan, deciding instead to disappear in the narrow streets to try to confuse the thing. Though fully aware it would undoubtedly demolish everything in its path, attacking it head-on would do little good as well.

That, of course, became all the more evident when I heard and felt the ground trembling beneath me as the monster clambered over a golden temple to chase after us. Trying to be at least a little tactical, I waited until the Hel Beast seemed distracted before dashing across the street to another set of buildings, trying to get enough distance to surprise it. Soon enough, I heard the sound of splintering wood and crumbling stone, the deafening sound of the Disciple flattening homes behind us.

"I'm going to distract it," said Loki as he cast a series of runes. His fur, I noticed, became darker, almost black, and thicker and harder like tree bark. It was a two-fold defense, using it as a natural armour as well as camouflage against the dark. "I'll be able to get close enough, you can attack its vulnerable spots."

The monster roared furiously and crashed through a second building, getting closer. I could feel the heat from its flames as it attempted to scorch everything around it, in hopes of finding us. "You cannot escape me!" it cried, its voice booming through the stormy streets.

"What vulnerable spots?" I growled as Loki and I moved between buildings, now heading back toward the Forbidden City. It was difficult to concentrate with the near-constant thunder rumbling above us, and the deafening sound of destruction everywhere. I had never seen a monster so immense, it was still difficult to believe it truly existed.

"Its eyes," he said, almost entirely covered in bark now. Only part of his face remained white-furred. "Any of its orifices, especially those firespitters."

I nodded, gripping my sword tightly. I had to remember what the monster looked like, where its crazy orifices were, where I had to attack. With the heavy rain and pitch-black skies, visibility was low, they would be difficult to find. But I had to. After a few deep breaths, I was off. I watched out of the corner of my eye Loki bounding up the side of a building as light as air, using his staff to control the elements. I had no idea what kind of height he could achieve with such amazing abilities, but as long a he could distract the Disciple long enough for me to get in close, we might actually stand a chance.

The streets were scattered with blood, bodies and rubble, but as I ran through the streets, by some miracle I tripped over none of it. I tried my best to clear my head, to focus on the task at hand, and though for the most part I was able to, part of me couldn't help but think how most of this was my fault. I hated these Hel Beasts with a passion, I couldn't stand the thought of letting one live, yet would any of this be happening now had I left sooner? No doubt the towering Disciple had sensed my presence, how couldn't it have? Had it only transformed because it knew I was here, because I was more of a challenge to it than any of these rebels? Or was this inevitable? So many homes were ruined now, so many lives lost because of one ancient Disciple. I had to end this thing, and I had to do it quickly. Would that be enough to be forgiven?

Soon the monster was in sight, but even as it swung its massive arms at Loki, as if trying to swat a fly, the eyes running down its belly focused on me. Its giant maws opened and tentacles extended. How many men had this thing devoured already? From the corner of my eye, flames and lightning erupted above me, Loki creating a brilliant distraction. Yet as the thin, whip-like tentacles branched toward me, I knew it wasn't distracted nearly well enough.

I swung my sword in front of me, slicing a few tendrils in half and the body-sized mouth let out a terrifying shriek. Its black, vine-like arms recoiled and teeth clamped down, which made my next attack practically useless. At least four eyes were on me, and though the Hel Beast was still clearly distracted by Loki, its firespitters still took aim. I managed to dodge the white-hot stream, but soon the maw-tentacles latched onto my right arm. I managed to haphazardly push my sword away, but it got caught up in the tentacles before my left paw could grab it. I was then attacked by the other arms, now losing use of both paws. Soon I was entangled, its slimy, razor brown teeth glaring at me.

I roared and snarled and struggled to free myself, but it had lifted me off the ground. There was enough of them where ripping a tentacle apart was impossible, yet it still hadn't devoured me, as if it wanted to savour the moment. The monster continued to swing and spit fire at a majestically aerobatic Loki, roaring all the while. Perhaps it was distracting the fox, knowing Loki could free me easily otherwise.

I kicked at the monster's maw, pushing back on my feet in a futile attempt to resist. The maws could chomp down to bite at me, else it would sever its own tentacles, which seemed to be the only thing saving me right now. But when I noticed its long firespitters suddenly aim toward me, I knew then it would soon be over.

Before I could totally grasp what was going on, a long stream of fire blasted outward. I managed to kick the beast hard enough to throw off its aim, but my right arm was engulfed in flames. I let out a frightening scream, the smell of burnt fur and flesh wafting profoundly up my nose. Most of my forearm and upper arm remained alight, as if covered in liquid flames, like something kept it there even after my flesh had burned up. The fire spread toward my neck and down my ribs a little, and toward my chest, the pain overwhelming. My arm felt bloody and crisp and raw, all at the same time, and I struggled to free myself even harder.

Nosferatu screamed about as loudly as me. It was elated, it wanted blood, any blood, even mine. Its dark wings unfolded, stretched, digging its claws deep into me. Though the fire remained, the pain was quickly disappearing, my years of fighting telling me severe nerve damage had occurred. My arm was charred, my mostly-unscathed, paw trembling, and I started to feel my darkness take over. I'd felt this hundreds of times, I had always resisted, but perhaps now...I didn't need to.

Why resist? I could lose myself to the darkness, but unlike before I could lose myself permanently. Was that even possible? Somehow I knew it was, but what would happen? Loki had told me stories of my ancestors who had lost themselves to their darkness, they were eventually taken down. Was that the only solution? Would Loki be the one? Or the remaining soldiers of Tao'zhan. Perhaps that so-called Apostle of the Holy See would, that would be a fitting end. Or perhaps Loki knew a way. I wasn't even sure how to give in to it, my resistance was always involuntary.

But before I could ponder it any further, before losing a foot to one of the Disciple's many mouths, a blinding flash boomed beside me, Loki appearing from nowhere. With an intense growl, the fox took up my sword and though somewhat awkwardly, sliced through each of the monster's tentacles, grabbing me as I fell. He let me drop carefully, then with an adorable snarl, used my sword to stab one of the monster's eyes.

The Disciple withdrew as it howled in pain, its many feet stomping violently around us. It slammed its fists down as if blind, stomping everywhere having no idea where we were. Nevertheless, with the ground shattering and shaking, Loki scraped the flames off my arm with his staff then cast a few runes. He then grabbed onto me and helped me to my feet, handed me my sword and together, he and I very ungracefully bounded away, back toward where we had met up with Sun Shen.

"You said you'd distract it!" I snarled after he put me down, leaning me against the wall. I was clutching my burnt arm, soaked and stinging from the rain, though at least the cool drops brought some relief.

"I did," he barked, shaking the flames from the end of his staff, the end without the beads. It was like some sort of fire sludge, thick and sticky and impossible to extinguish, even in the rain.

"Cowards!" cried the Disciple, stomping around and continuing to burn its surroundings. "Come back here and fight me!"

"I think it's its eyes, they seem to almost work separately from its main body. No doubt that is how it can control so many moving limbs at once, performing different tasks. If we can take out its eyes, we will have at least some advantage."

I growled horribly, not because the plan was insane, but because with one arm down - and in extreme, blistering pain, by the way - it put us at an even greater disadvantage. But still, we would need as much help as we could get, that much was clear now. My left leg was stinging too, I think I'd cut it on the monster's lowest maw, the one that'd captured me. At least it was still intact.

"I'll strike at its eyes," Loki suggested, still completely covered in his bark-like armour. It had grown somewhat, now with jagged spikes running along his back, and some bulked up around his shoulders, elbows and knees to protect his joints. Even his normal armour and his top was covered now, though his pants and hood remained untouched. The fox's eyes glowed an eerie green, as if he had communed with nature itself. "You stay here."

I simply growled.

Ignoring me, the fox cast a few runes, ending with one on the shoulder. "This will help with the pain, and begin to heal you. You're badly burned, I cannot guarantee all your fur will grow back, but it's the best I can do right now. We will take this fool down, I promise you."

With that, Loki put up his hood and took off. Despite his plea, I got up anyway, barely feeling anything in my right arm. That was my good arm, too, which meant I'd be swinging my sword with my left paw. I could still grip it, at least somewhat, with my right paw, though it was more like a stiff claw now than any useful extremity.

Over the thunder and the pouring rain, I heard the Disciple cry out, its tail lashing at anything it could, which resulted in more broken buildings. It was thrashing about - or that's what it sounded like - the booming crash of demolished structures echoing through the black, stormy gales. I gripped my sword tightly, the pain still immense. I had always used such pain to my advantage, and that would be the only good it would serve right now.

"Mercenary!" I suddenly heard, Sun Shen returning from the Lower City. He ran up to me, just noticing my injury. "You are lucky to be alive."

I just grunted.

"The Emperor has gone insane," said the leopard, soaked down to his core like me. "He is just demolishing everything, he will destroy the entire city at this rate."

"Loki's there, he's taking out its eyes. It will be more vulnerable."

Several odd, bright flashes came from the Disciple's direction, perhaps Loki casting lightning runes. Again the monster cried out. I could only assume Loki's attack was successful, at least until I heard a sudden bang through the rain, and the deformed emperor began laughing.

A sudden dread came over me. "L-Loki?" I rasped, standing more rigidly. I started toward the edge of my hiding place, but Sun Shen held me back. I shook him off, fearing the worst for the only friend I had left. I had to believe his armour would protect him, but the fox was far from indestructible. I had made a vow to keep Loki safe, to protect him with my life, and I was doing little good standing around.

"Pathetic creature," the Emperor said, twisting its towering body around as if to scan the area for anyone else, or me in particular. "I have no rival, I cannot be bested by a mortal..." It rumbled and growled as it stomped around, half blind by Loki's attack. It let out a screech and blew fire, perhaps a vain attempt at scorching anyone surrounding it. I could feel the heat as the fire blew past the half-ruined structure I was standing behind, Loki's runes working wonders on my bloody, blistering wounds.

I gripped my sword tightly. I had had enough of this Disciple. It was not only a disgusting perversion of whatever form it had once been, but it had taken down the only thing I had left to live for. Injury or no, I was going to take this damned beast down, whatever it took.

"We need a plan, you fool," snarled Sun Shen, but I pushed him off.

"I need to help Loki," I said, desperate to see the little fox alive. "There's no time for that."

"You can't help him if you're dead."

I snapped my teeth at the leopard, who kept pulling back on my shoulder. I'd have done much worse if he'd pulled back on my burned shoulder. "Any suggestions?"

As I suspected, the clouded leopard was silent.

"I've done this before, Shen, they ain't that much different from one another. Doesn't matter their size, not one of them has been able to survive a beheading."

"You're a damn fool."

"At least I'm doing something! I don't give a shit what you do now, but if you feel like helpin' in the slightest, you'll distract the thing while I climb up there. Use the cannons lying around, or go find Loki. If he's still breathing, he'll help. We have two advantages: it's slow, and half blind."

Sun Shen was shaking his head, breathing heavily. But I think he was on board. "I'll climb it," he suggested. "You're injured, and it's as tall as the Great Temple. My chances are greater."

I growled, but knew the leopard was right. He had a certain flame in his eyes, wanting badly to save his city. With my burned arm, climbing would be one of the last things I'd be doing. I could only hope the clouded leopard could make it far enough before being shaken off. Finally I nodded.

"I'll distract it for as long as possible, but you have to move quickly. If it realizes what you're doing, I doubt you'll live long enough to get a second chance."

Sun Shen nodded, clenching and unclenching his fists. He was breathing heavily, wincing only slightly as the monster roared. "I will do my utmost. Good luck, mercenary."

"You too, Shen."

And with that, we took off.

The rain was heavy and black smoke somehow wafted through downpour, no doubt several buildings ablaze from the monster's devastating streams of fire. Patches of flames still burned amongst the ruined cobblestone, the flames seeming to stick to everything it touched.

Of course the Disciple noticed me first as I dashed forward, lashing its tail as I ran toward it, nearly tripping me. By some miracle I managed to stay on my feet as I scurried away from it, toward where I thought some cannons had been. I was keeping an eye out for Loki, but it was too dark and raining too heavily for me to get a clear view of anything. All I could do was concentrate on not getting flattened.

The Disciple enjoyed this. It lashed its tail at me, I think missing me on purpose, wanting to see me fall more than anything. It thundered toward me, throwing its tower of a fist down just as I rolled away, booming loudly in my ears as chunks of stone and dirt flew everywhere. The monster made it extremely difficult for me to get on my feet, toying with me more than anything. It would pay for its arrogance.

When at last I was able to stand, I was quick to at last draw my sword, with just enough time to slash upward as it came in to attack again. My sword bit into its hard flesh with surprising ease, cutting deep and raining hot blood down on me. The monster cried out and recoiled, and I could only hope Sun Shen was still okay. While it was momentarily distracted, I took off toward the edge of the Royal City, toward where I thought they'd set up artillery.

Amongst the ruined temples and gardens, and the heavy rain, I saw little that would help me. Coupled with the massive monster coming after me, I had little time to search around. And before I knew it, it was attacking me again.

It pounded the ground once to unbalance me, then swept its arm toward me, hitting me hard and sending me skidding across the gravel roadway. I rolled around like a ragdoll until at last I was stopped by a fallen...something, no doubt a part of a nearby temple. My burnt arm, despite Loki's runes, was now horribly cut and bleeding, firing great amounts of pain all up my body. I snarled and rolled, barely able to breathe, certain a rib or two were broken. You would think I'd get used to that by now, yet each time was as terrible as the last.

I managed to pick myself back up again, against all odds, though my sword was nowhere to be found. I had no time to think, so I hobbled as quickly as I could toward the ruins, past a large puddle of that burning goo, grabbing a long stick half ablaze.

The end, though charred, looked sharp, which served me well when the Hel Beast came at me. Inexplicably, I managed to jump forward to avoid its attack, turning around with just enough time to stab the sharpened wood into the monster's wrist. Though not nearly as effective as a sword or a spear, I had managed to puncture its thick skin and burn the wound. The monster howled, and I made yet another mad dash.

Through all the pain trying to bring me down, I found refuge within a half-broken temple, though the Disciple was quick to demolish it. I had to stumble over dozens of dead soldiers who had stood their ground within these walls to escape into another building, which with many of its eyes severed, was easier than anticipated.

Somewhere in these ruins Loki was lying, either dead or just hanging on. I looked feverishly for him, or anything else that could help me, but when it wasn't rain in my eyes it was smoke or dust, or rubble flying past me as the mad Disciple desperately searched for me. But as I made my way between shelters, I noticed, like some brilliant ray of hope, a cannon thus untouched by the battle.

But as the monster swept its hand across the open field - or perhaps it was some garden, I couldn't be sure - it knocked both me and my ray of hope away.

As I struggled to pick myself up again, the beast laughed and held an enormous piece of rubble above me, enjoying this game far too much. It felt no threat whatsoever, wanting instead to lord its size and superiority over me rather than end it now. Perhaps it thought because I was the next supposed ruler of Hel, it would make me suffer for defying it claim to Hel's throne. I didn't even want the damn throne.

"I could crush you so easily," it said, no doubt with a smile. The beast threw the piece of rubble - which was at least the size of me, if not bigger - past me, letting it crash just a body's length away. The sound of grinding, shattering stone and marble was deafening, accented by the lightning above.

The monster then picked me up by the leg with its lowest set of arms - I guess I wasn't dragging my sorry ass away quickly enough - and passed me up to its middle arms, both sets smaller than its main set, which were more like gigantic towers. While still enormous, he was more easily able to manipulate me with the smaller hands, but for now he held me by both arms, threatening to pluck them off. My left arm was in the most pain, his grip just slightly greater than the length of my arm, squeezing it tightly.

"Swear fealty to me, and I may consider letting you live," the monster chuckled. I looked for Sun Shen, but I could barely see anything. Water was pouring down its rough, leathery hide, myself somehow even wetter than before, if that was even possible. The beast squeezed me even harder, bending the armour covering my left arm, amused by my pitiful growls. He made sure to pull, too, any more and my arms would dislocate.

My mind was beginning to weaken, the world somehow going darker. Nothing but pain and misery enshrouded me. Loki was nowhere to be found, he had likely been killed, and I was sure by this point, I had more broken bones than just my ribs. Hell, I wasn't doing all that great when I started this battle. Nosferatu was growling along with me. Could it be my body was even too weak for my darkness to take over?

"Answer me!" the Disciple boomed, squeezing my arms tighter. I heard and felt definite cracks, and when all I could do was scream, two audible pops sent my mind reeling. With a deep growl, the beast tossed me back into the street from at least fifteen feet in the air, back into the Royal City. I hit the ground with a loud thud, rolling quite a ways before I stopped. The air was gone from my lungs and my vision darkening. I struggled and gasped for breath, but my body was too broken to inhale. I should have run away when I had the chance...

But then, a sudden cry in the darkness perked my ears, and Nosferatu was intrigued. It was loud, angry, and there was at least a dozen of them. They were familiar roars, vengeful, ear-splitting. Some rumbling around me opened my eyes, Nosferatu now spreading its broken wings, coveting me, keeping me awake. It sunk its claws into me, forcing my burnt paw down onto a small bed of flowers, but it was more of a pathetic, excruciating flop than anything. The rumbling became louder, the roars almost deafening. The Emperor seemed surprised.

"We will protect you, your grace," a gentle yet terrifying voice said next to me, an enormous presence looming over me. Its paws or claws or hands, whatever they were, attempted to scoop me up, but I snarled violently, agonizing pain clutching my shoulders. It was enough of a roar to make the monster release me.

"Find Loki," I hissed. I could only hope he could help me.

"It is your shoulders," the white-furred beast pointed out, its large, eagle-like face leaning in close. "I will assist."

Before I could tell the monster off, its twisted talons took hold of my right wrist and after a moment of blinding pain, popped my shoulder back into its spot. I writhed and rolled around, at least until the Disciple forced the other back into place, surprisingly gentle on my charred skin. Though I was shaking and cold, my arms felt infinitely better, though still extremely sore. Plus I still had the broken bones to deal with. I still growled at the presumptuous monster.

"Don't touch me again," I rumbled, pushing myself away from the helpful beast. I got myself back up to my feet, breathing heavily. The rain stung my burnt, bleeding arm, but at least I could move now. They were still incredibly sore, but it was a pain I could easily push aside whilst Nosferatu had its claws sunk into me.

"We have come to assist. We sensed your plight..."

I growled angrily. I despised Disciples, but with all of my fresh wounds - particularly my arms - it would not be advantageous to turn them away now. Especially as they had already begun attacking the Emperor.

"There's a leopard," I told the horned, eagle-like monster standing next to me, voice broken and gravelly. "You have to find him, help him. He's climbing the Disciple's back, you need to sever its head."

The Disciple nodded at me, and with a couple flaps of its enormous wings, took off. Standing alone now, I limped back toward the battlefield. Growling the entire way, I searched for another cannon to use, relieved to find one close by.

Lightning exploded in the sky as the friendly Disciples attacked the Emperor. They roared and screamed horrendously, clawing and biting each other, caring little for the remaining structures they destroyed. Fortunately, the massive beasts - who I could barely make out due to the constant downpour and extraordinarily dark skies - were directing the Emperor away from me, which gave me plenty of time to set up my attack.

With some amount of effort, I set a single cannon up, then nearby set up another. My body was sore, but with Nosferatu snarling and clinging tightly, it managed to keep me on my feet and focus on defeating the mad Emperor. When all was said and done, I managed to gather five cannons beneath the marble roof of a less ruined building, though they were hardly set up professionally. But it would have to do.

Not far off was one of dozens of patches of fire, which was easily gathered on a long piece of broken lumber. When I glanced at the fighting Disciples, I saw mine were taking a greater pounding than I'd hoped.

Though it was difficult to make out, I saw the Emperor smash its arms down continuously, managing to hit the biggest of my allies. It roared and swung its tail around, wrapped the end around the neck of another and slashing it open, spilling a lake of blood into the streets. I could see the eagle-like Disciple flying around, clawing and biting at the distracted Emperor, but he was smacked away. It got up quickly, screaming loudly as it to intimidate the tower of a monster. But when I waved my burning lumber at it, the beast flew toward me.

It made sure to do a quick bow when it approached. "Your leopard is well on his way, I have been watching him carefully. You needed something, my liege?"

"I have some cannons set up. Draw the Emperor closer and we can attack its vulnerable spots, blow him apart."

The Disciple bowed its head. "Its carapace is unusually tough, cannons may not be enough, and those are extremely inaccurate weapons. But I will do as you command."

"Good. And keep an eye out for Loki. And find my sword!"

It bowed its head again and flew off. It was then I realized my paws were trembling. There was still no sign of Loki, and I still had no damn idea what the hell I was doing. I had to resist the undying urge to give in entirely to my Inner Darkness and attack the Emperor head-on. Breathing heavily, I watched as the monsters fought barbarously, but true to its word, the white Disciple helped drag the Emperor closer.

Though the noise and rumbling was unbearable, worsening with the closer the Emperor got, I at last saw my first opening. I readjusted and ignited the first cannon, but unsurprisingly it didn't fire. I cursed, and tried the next. After an ear-piercing boom, I hit the towering beast square in the chest. Though it faltered, I only made it angrier. Fortunately, rather than being attacked immediately, the others kept the Emperor busy while I set up my next shot. It fired, which amazingly managed to stun the Emperor long enough for an ally to slash at its damaged belly.

The next cannon was another dud, and when I checked back to the fight, the Emperor was swinging all of his arms furiously. He smacked my allies away, at least for long enough for it to come thundering toward me.

Howling madly, it smashed its fist down onto the roof, caving it in with ease. I was able to dodge enough to get myself close to the cannon, but the massive beast cleared the rubble away quickly and reached down to grab me. I think it regretted not killing me faster.

"I have tired of this game," the Emperor shrieked, grabbing hold of me. I held onto the cannon for dear life, but it ended up coming with me instead.

I roared and growled as I was lifted off the ground, pawpads tearing apart as I held onto the cannon, pulling it with me. Nosferatu took a tighter hold of me, which was the only thing getting me through the pain ripping through my body. Eventually I was passed up to its largest of hands, the monster I think wanting to look me in the eyes before it ended my life. It squeezed me and the cannon tightly, which caused even more of my bones to crack. All I could to was scream, beginning to black out.

It was at that moment when Nosferatu took over entirely. The Emperor held me up, but I was far too gone to hear whatever pathetic speech it was spewing. A long blaze of fire blew past my head, a sudden pain piercing my already burnt arm. But with my left arm I held onto that cannon like a vice, pulling it up as the monster drew me closer to its uppermost maw, those damned tentacles worming their way out to drag me in.

Then I - or Nosferatu - began to laugh. With both arms free, I hauled the cannon as close to my body as I could, using the small flames on my burned arm to ignite the cannon. A second later, the cannon fired. What happened next was just a blur, but I saw the monstrous beast falter and recoil, screeching terribly, and the cannon flying back with enough force to rip my arm clean off, had I not let it go. Though it wasn't a deadly amount of damage, it was enough to make it howl and drop me.

But no sooner had I been dropped, the white Disciple - and so far as I could tell, the only one that could fly - grabbed me midair with its front talons and placed me on the ground gently. The others continued to distract the Emperor, and the eagle-like monster held out a talon to me. It was carrying my sword.

"Take that to Sun Shen," I commanded, "the clouded leopard. Tell the others to continue their distraction, you need to get there unnoticed. Get Shen to the Emperor's head and end this immediately."

Sensing the urgency in my voice, the Disciple nodded and took off. I watched as the Disciple flew around and when it found a perfect opening, it scooped up Sun Shen - at least, I think it did, it was too far to clearly see - and hovered around the Emperor's head. Sun Shen leapt off the white Disciple's back an onto the Emperor, successfully catching it by surprise.

"No!" the Emperor cried, "I am your rightful King! Stand down immediately!"

But before any of my allies could comply, Sun Shen began to hack at the Emperor's body. The monster screamed a most terrible scream, flailing about madly. From what I could tell, it had shaken Sun Shen free as blood rained down on the city. But the flying Disciple managed to catch Sun Shen, and together the two flew back around and took one final slash at the Emperor's misshapen body. Like a falling tower in the largest castle stronghold, the Emperor's massive body slowly began to collapse, falling across the wide moat protecting the Forbidden City and crushing part of its walls, and likely some temples within. As for the Emperor's top portion, it fell not far from where I'd been placed.

I approached the monster with a severe limp, grabbing the guandao of one of the hundreds of fallen soldiers nearby, though most of them were flattened messes of blood and flesh now.

The emperor writhed about helplessly, its arms flailing about madly as if to fly away. It looked up at me and hissed. It was trembling horribly, dragging itself toward me. I held the end of the polearm to the Emperor's deformed face, and though it looked hesitant, it bowed its head at me.

"I...yield. Please f-forgive me...my King. I have erred most...grievously. I want...nothing more than to...serve in your glorious army. Please... Spare this wretched life..."

I wanted to enjoy this, I wanted so badly to lord this moment over the delusional monster, but instead my stomach just churned. My paws were still shaking as the battle winded down, and the pain was starting to creep back into my body.

And it was that moment's hesitation that gave the dying Emperor its opening. Its left arm swung at me, the long feathers on its wing like razors. First it cut my cheek, then sliced into my belly, its attacks blindingly fast. It howled as it lumbered toward me, despite the lack of legs, giving me another deep gash in the right side of my ribs. I fell down to one knee, but just as another flash of lightning struck, the Emperor stopped.

When I looked up, Loki stood above the Emperor with sword in paw, piercing the monster's head from behind. His face was half covered in blood and I noticed a terrible wound in his right side, blood running down his leg. I had no idea what had happened to him, but a smile crept onto my face as the world became dark. I could hear commotion around me, but it was the little fox I saw and felt last before blacking out entirely.

My eyes opened to complete darkness. I barely felt a thing besides the cold chill running up my spine. A figure began to appear before me. It was a dark figure, barely recognizable, barely visible. But its dark laughter gave it away instantly. The Crimson King.

I tried to move, tried to attack, but it was impossible. I was disembodied, stuck in place, forced to watch his bloody, mutilated visage become clearer. I growled.

"Taken another beating, have we?" he said with a smarmy grin, despite his face still being smashed in. "Indeed, but your trials have only just begun," he smirked before flashing his long teeth, then vanished.

I woke up suddenly, faint noise - voices, perhaps - coming from beyond my dark confines. Where was I? It hurt to move, but a quick glance revealed wooden surroundings, a table, some boxes for storage, perhaps. It seemed I was in a storeroom, or a closet or something. Light peered through cracks in the old wooden door, flickering like candlelight. There was a candle in my room, but it had long since gone out.

The door then opened, blinding me. I could still barely move, but I was sure I still had my body. It was just covered in pain. And hunger.

"He's awake!" cried a young girl, no older than ten. She was a young tiger, then a clouded leopard appeared - Sun Shen - keeping the girl away.

"Go tend to the others," he told her. She seemed disappointed, but obeyed gladly. He walked in, kneeling beside my small bed, which was more like a straw mattress on the floor. It looked like he'd broken his left arm, or injured it at least, enough to need it in a sling.

Loki appeared behind him soon after, wearing only a borrowed pair of pants - someone at least twice his size had clearly once owned them - while his midriff was tightly bandaged. There was a light stain of blood at least the size of his fist on the right side of his belly, no doubt an injury from our fight with the Emperor. The fox approached me slowly, and I moved to embrace him.

He was quick to push me down, however, telling me to rest. The arctic fox did, at least, lean forward on his knees to give me a long kiss, paws on either side of my face. He was trembling a little, even when he nuzzled me after. Sun Shen raised a brow, perhaps a little bit surprised by Loki's forwardness.

"I wasn't sure you were going to wake up this time," said Loki softly, placing a small paw on my chest.

It hurt to smile, but I tried anyway. "Where are we? How long was I gone?"

"We're in a small village not far from Tao'zhan," answered the clouded leopard, "a farming town. Many are being treated for injuries, and much of the city has evacuated to here. You have been resting for nearly three days now."

I was tired and weak, and needed food badly. I needed water even more.

"The Emperor..?"

"Dead," said Loki, as Sun Shen lit a candle. The room I was in was barely spacious, but fit the three of us comfortably. A third onlooker crept into the room, a white-feathered avian of some kind, almost an eagle, but with long black horns and strange, lion-like body. Its eyes seemed to glow a deep red, and wore mostly red robes with black detailing it.

"Get that thing out of here," I growled, turning away from the Disciple, who had donned its smaller form.

"The feathered beast was invaluable in defeating the mad Emperor," Sun Shen explained, "and was quite concerned for your well being when the battle concluded. I do not know how one comes to command such frightening beasts, nor do I want to know, but it is loyal to a fault, and deserves many thanks for its aid."

I grunted, but managed to relax. My entire left arm was bandaged and in pain, and it wasn't until I noticed Loki fidgeting with a paper charm that I realized he had cast some sort of healing runes - or so I assumed - which likely helped at least somewhat. I had at least a dozen new cuts and injuries, probably more, and had fresh bandages on those, too. In fact, when I took a glance, it seemed most of my body had been bandaged up, but especially my arm. I groaned quietly.

How much longer could I keep going on like this? Not wanting to admit Sun Shen may have been right, I couldn't deny that each battle I entered, I fared more and more poorly, or rather, sustained more and greater injuries. It wouldn't be long before I would simply fail to recover, and that would be the end of it. Perhaps that was what worried Loki the most. He knew more than anyone what I was capable of when Nosferatu took over my mind and body; I could take more injuries than any normal man could, my inner demon would always keep me on my feet. In fact, the splint on my left leg told me it had been broken, yet I was able to stand on it whilst my darkness had taken the reigns.

I groaned again. I knew no other life. I had been fighting and killing, selling my sword since I was just a child. Could I settle down if I wanted to? There was always private contracts, guard duty, but those...had never appealed to me. But with my body almost entirely wrapped in bandages, perhaps it was time to consider alternatives to my otherwise exciting lifestyle.

That thought alone was incredibly depressing. Where would I go, anyway? What would I do? Even if I hung up my sword - one of my closest friends had done it, after all - then what? I didn't know how to farm, I knew no trade, had no real skill besides fighting. Perhaps I could help train young fighters? Or become a blacksmith's apprentice, though I was probably too old for that now. I wasn't exactly young, as Sun Shen delighted in reminding me, what was an old tiger to do?

Eventually Sun Shen, who had wished me well and a swift recovery, left Loki and I alone, though the overbearing presence of my most loyal Disciple remained. Apparently most of the credit for defeating the monster Emperor went to Sun Shen, though he didn't enjoy the praise. He gave credit where credit was due, but most Eastern Landers were far more comfortable with praising one of their own as a hero than some outsider sellsword and his fox companion. And I was okay with that...so long as I got paid.

Unsure of what I was to do next, I took this time instead to rest and heal, and help rebuild the city. I didn't know where my journey would take me next, though I couldn't help but recall that Apostle who had delivered my old friend's message. That seemed like ages ago. Even with Loki's runes, my injuries were slow to heal, and as the days wore on, that job offer was looking sweeter and sweeter. Perhaps it was time to put away my sword and armour once and for all, and start considering those jobs for tired old mercenaries like me. Perhaps it was time for something new.