Screams echo through the hallways of the cathedral as Jessica pries Mateo’s eyes from their sockets. Blood streams down his cheeks and he falls to the floor writhing in agony. Having received so much damage he breathes deeply taking in his last few breaths. Natalia scurries to his side as Jessica exits the room.

  You have died.

  Your pixie has thirty seconds to activate ‘pixie’s kiss’.

  “Mateo,” Natalia says placing her hand on his cheek.

  Mateo remains unresponsive because he is dead.

  Your pixie has twenty seconds to activate ‘pixie’s kiss’.

  Natalia leans in pressing her lips to Mateo’s. His figure glows with a faint glimmer. Natalia presses her lips against his harder sliding her tongue between his bloody lips. Mateo’s eyes open and he pulls her in for a moment before returning to an unconscious state.

  Pixie’s kiss successful: congratulations you aren’t dead, you should kiss your pixie for saving you. Oh wait, you already did.

  Mateo wakes holding a drooling wingless pixie in his arms. He feels around noticing that she has very supple breasts and soft skin. He feels dirty for feeling her up, but it’s hard to see without eyes.

  “Natalia?”

  Natalia opens her bright cerulean eyes rubbing them as she leans up to him seeming exhausted.

  “Mateo?”

  “I can’t see you, and I taste cherries.”

  Natalia blushes before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek against his.

  “I had to use Pixie’s kiss on you, it took a lot of my energy, but I was able to bring you back, or rather, keep you from slipping away.”

  “I thought that was a metaphor, not a literal kiss, and I remember feeling tongue,” Mateo says confused.

  “Listen asshole, if you don’t like my kisses then you can just die, and I’ll kiss someone else,” Natalia says pulling away and crossing her arms.

  Mateo cannot see her throwing her fit because he, again, doesn’t have eyes. He can however hear the door to his cell open. The scent of a familiar dragon knight graces his senses. Mateo doesn’t know the scent but he recognizes who wears it. Snow Lilly and Honeysuckles.

  “Yasmina?” Natalia asks.

  “By the gods what did they do to you?” Yasmina asks rushing over to Mateo.

  “Yasmina it’s nice to see you, or, it would be if I could see,” Mateo replies as she grips him closely her soft sapphire hair brushing against his cheek.

  The entire cathedral shakes as the thundering roar of dragons echoes through its halls. Yasmina grabs the collar around Mateo’s neck and it disintegrates in her hand. He gasps as his mana begins to return to him.

  “Yasmina, what is going on?” Mateo asks.

  “Run, I’ll meet up with you, Rayo is outside, me and Charlotte will hold them off, we’ll rejoin you when we can.”

  “Will you be ok?” Mateo asks.

  “Once you exit the cathedral I will join you, now go!”

  Mateo and Natalia run toward the exit. Without his sight it is difficult for them to flee. After stumbling into a few things and falling into the floor several times Mateo stops gathering his thoughts. His mana has returned, though he finds it is somewhat difficult to access his inventory. He breathes deeply trying to sense Natalia’s presence.

  “Natalia, we are soul bound, do you think you could lend me your eyes?” Mateo asks.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You can hear my thoughts, let me see your visions,” Mateo replies.

  Mateo’s blood fizzles indicating that this action is consuming mana. His vision becomes that of a third person video game. Mateo turns to Natalia gazing through her eyes.

  “Thank you, Natalia, I love you.”

  Natalia blushes rubbing herself against his cheek.

  “I love you too Mateo.”

  They run through large halls built to accommodate dragons forcing their way through several large heavy iron doors.

  The doors to the central cathedral in drakvania burst open. A false moonlight cools Mateo’s skin as he steps into frozen tundra. Not all of drakvania is a frozen forest, but the area around the main cathedral is. Natalia peers around revealing large mountains.

  “Natalia, I need you to be my eyes, don’t break the spell, I have to see.”

  Mateo enters into the Corelands in a third person view.

  “Don’t get too close to any walls or whatever, it’ll be hard for me to position myself,” Natalia proclaims.

  “Don’t worry Nat, I know how this works, just trust me.”

  “You’re so assertive all of a sudden, are you sure you’re ok?” Natalia asks,

  “Absolutely not, but that doesn’t matter right now, I have to get you to safety.”

  Natalia blushes and follows his lead.

  Tall trees resembling evergreens tower over the landscape. Violet vines twist up their trunks and around their limbs with a pulsating glow. The vines creep up from the stone road gripping the evergreens as if they are pulling something from them.

  The mountain trails are conveniently clear of snow. The stone on them is, warm. The vines must be siphoning mana from the trees and using it to warm the road clearing it of snow. Mateo hurries down the open trail his bare feet beating against the stone road. Without the choker around his neck his powers have near returned to him.

  The trees rustle as wingless draconic creatures emerge from them giving chase. The dragon broodlings, known as the wingless, are sentinels scattered about the forest. After the commotion at the cathedral, they are on high alert.

  “Natalia don’t look back, I can’t see where I’m going,” Mateo yells.

  “Sorry, Mateo,” she pauses for a moment as he scurries through the woods.

  “What’s wrong Natalia,” Mateo yells still running full speed as she resumes following him.

  Pixies don’t need their wings to fly because they are beings of magic. With enough practice and the right skills Mateo could learn to do the same. He would likely be using some form of telekinesis or gravity spell to do so. Pixies, often being from a realm of differing laws of physics, have a natural ability to manipulate gravity that doesn’t consume their mana. Unfortunately, some of their skills come from their wings. Most notably their ability to travel from one place to another instantly.

  “Are we going to die?” Natalia asks her voice shaking, though not from the cold.

  “Absolutely not,” Mateo replies.

  The dragon broodlings are near atop of them when they reach a frozen cliff. Mateo comes to a sudden halt placing his hands on his knees as he pants in exhaustion. Natalia lands on his shoulder wrapping her tiny arms around his neck. The dragon broodlings move around him stalking him with malicious intent. Mateo summons his dagger and stands firm.

  As the broodlings stalk him a small contingent of dragga emerge from the woods. None of them are adorned in dragon scales and seem to be of one or two tiger claws. Which makes them far more powerful than Mateo.

  “Mateo, I’m sorry I filled my entire inventory with snacks instead of anything useful,” Natalia cries as imminent death draws closer.

  Mateo’s dagger extends and he lets out a loud cry as a large obsidian circle wrapped in gold and ivory vines rips open the sky. The dragga and the broodlings halt as massive obsidian claws grip the circle pulling an angry obsidian dragon through it. Several figures leap from the dragon as it comes crashing down on two broodlings crushing them into a gory pulp of scales and blood-soaked meat. The sound of bones cracking echoes through the frozen woods and off the mountains as Rayo lets off an angry hate filled roar that shakes the ground loosing snow from the tree branches.

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  “Rayo!” Mateo yells.

  The large dragon lets off an excited roar at the sound of Mateo’s voice.

  “Mateo, stand back, we’ve got this,” Serenity yells.

  Gnashing maws and angry yells close in on Mateo as the dragga and the broodlings attack. Rayo grips two more broodlings in his claws slamming them into the ground. Serenity disappears into a shadow appearing behind one of the dragga. Her obsidian blade glides across its scaled throat letting loose a spray of crimson.

  Terror summons his hammer raising it high in the air before slamming it on the ground. The frozen dirt quakes putting the enemy off balance as he moves in bashing their heads into their torsos.

  Stitches rises above the others her body encapsulated in a violet glow as undead dragga and broodlings claw their way out of the frozen ground. Most of the undead creatures are more bone than flesh as they have been dead for ages and are decomposed.

  Harvester of Gore activated: ability ‘Gore Golem’ activated.

  Stitches begins reinforcing her horde of undead with severed parts of the recently deceased. The gore golems clash with the encroaching forces pushing them back.

  Mateo’s mana runs low and his vision through Natalia cuts off. Now blind he kneels breathing heavily.

  The enemy is near driven away as Yasmina joins the battle bringing with her a small squadron of dragon knights and her sadistic sister Sir Jessica.

  “Shit, she wasn’t supposed to bring trouble,” Serenity yells.

  “Trouble, Terror thinks she brings more fun.”

  “I know you assholes have tiger claws or whatever, but I’m still only nine talons, so this isn’t an optimal battle for me!” Stitches yells.

  “Terror, those are all dragon knights, we need to flee,” Serenity says backing toward Mateo.

  “Or we could die gloriously!” Terror says charging the enemy.

  “Rayo, grab that idiot and Mateo and let’s get the fuck out of here,” Yasmina says clutching her left arm which has been nearly severed mid bicep.

  Mateo passes out and a bunch of shit happens. When he wakes, he’s in an inn north of Heroldin known as the ‘Lonely Lycanthrope’. His senses become attuned to a room populated with Terror, Serenity, Stitches, and an injured Yasmina.

  “Can you reattach it or not?” Yasmina demands.

  “It’s not like I’m sewing a new limb on I have to use actual healing magic,” Stitches replies.

  Mateo sits up staring around the room through hollow bloody eye sockets.

  “Stitches?”

  Mateo can’t see, but Serenity seems kind of hurt that he didn’t ask for her first. Stitches leaves Yasmina, much to her disdain, to join Mateo. He wraps her in an embrace holding her tight. His hand runs over her soft ears, and he finds comfort in her embrace.

  “I’m so sorry Stitches, I’m so sorry someone put you through this,” he says having felt her pain in agonizing detail.

  “It’s ok, I have something for you, and Natalia,” she says turning toward the small Pixie.

  Natalia rests upon a nightstand in her small form consuming snacks twice her size as she drowns her sorrows in carbohydrates. Stitches turns her gaze toward Serenity.

  “Can’t you just heal him?” Serenity asks.

  “No, this is spirit damage, I’ve seen this kind of dark magic before, the spirit acts as a kind of shell giving form and energy to the soul, Mateo’s eyes can’t be healed because they haven’t been destroyed, they have been moved,” Stitches replies.

  “Dark magic, I know a little, but I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Serenity replies.

  “It’s a form of torture that’s been outlawed in Gottes, you separate someone’s spirit into different pieces so they cannot regenerate their form, it’s what they did to my eyes, only they destroyed them, they must be keeping Mateo’s eyes for some reason.”

  “Do you have an extra pair of, you know, eyes?” Serenity asks.

  “I do, but I’m not going to be able to control myself after I give them to him, you’ll have to pull me off him.”

  Serenity nods.

  Ability activated: Immortal seamstress.

  Mateo’s empty eye sockets are filled with two bright cerulean eyes. Natalia’s bloody stubs are replaced with raven wings. Mateo peers into Stitches’ heterochromatic eyes.

  “For some reason, your beauty is far greater through these eyes than my own,” Mateo says.

  “Uzuki?”

  Stitches pounces on him kissing him vigorously. Her claws dig into him as Serenity tries to drag her off him.

  “That’s my boyfriend not yours,” Serenity yells struggling.

  After a few moments Stitches relents allowing Serenity to pull her from Mateo.

  “Hey assholes, my goddamn arm is falling off because I put my life on the line for some dude who isn’t giving me any dick, can I get a little sympathy over here!” Yasmina yells.

  Stitches returns to heal Yasmina and Terror joins Mateo at his bedside.

  “So, you guys were quite a bit more powerful than you let on?” Mateo asks.

  “Terror is curious as to how you didn’t catch on when Terror said he had been adventuring with Serenity for years.”

  “He’s right, I thought you’d have us figured out when he spouted that off,” Serenity says running her gentle fingers through Mateo’s dark hair.

  “I guess it didn’t really matter, I was only concerned with getting stronger, being able to protect Natalia and my friends, nothing else mattered.”

  “Terror, can you give us a moment?” Serenity says.

  “Terror bored with romance anyway, Terror find sweets.”

  Natalia appears in the air beside him.

  “Did you say sweets?” She says flapping her raven wings proudly.

  Rick and Beatrice look over the village of Heroldin as Hellbent gather at the edge of town. What few guards they have take up defensive positions at the gate.

  “Should we intervene now brother?”

  “Yes, we need to allow the new Herald time to recover,” Rick replies.

  “What of the band of bards?”

  “They are returning, it seems Satsuki has fallen.”

  The moon falls giving rise to an ominous violet sunrise. Smoke from the fires outside of Heroldin have changed the warm orange glow of the sun to a violet hue. Most likely a scare tactic used by the Cult of the Immortal Father. Mateo wakes to several messages in his peripheral.

  Mateo Ryusane, Voidwalker Battlemage, you have ascended to ten talons.

  New quest available- Challenge of the phoenix. Complete this challenge to ascend past phoenix tier to be able to earn tiger claws.

  Quest updated: Book of Sanguine, scour the realm in a near endless search for the cure to the Sanguine Curse. Update: you are high enough rank to read the Book of Sanguine, study its secrets and unlock the ability to cure Serenity of the Sanguine Curse.

  Skill elevation rewards:

  Seven talon- Void Armor: armor conjured from the void, it is pitch black and darker than obsidian, this armor stores inflicted damage in the void that can be discharged as a powerful knock back area attack.

  Eight talon- Void Cloak: a cloak conjured from the void. Incoming spells will be absorbed into the void where they will be broken down into ethereal mana replenishing your mana pool for half of their cost. Use of this cloak costs constant mana unless you are using void-step.

  Nine talon- Grave Robber: User is given the ability to loot fallen enemies for items inside their inventory, when used on monsters they are broken down into loot glowing before their bodies turn into puddles of residual mania that evaporate into mana after a short time.

  Ten talon- Void Lord: Void Space upgrade. Your Void Space has been upgraded to a Void Palace.

  Void Dancer- Void Step upgrade: When you void step the world around you slows by a half step until you return from the void.

  Voidcation: Time spent in your void palace, including with party members, will slow time in the realm of Gottes.

  Spirit ability unlocked- Pixie’s Crush: Natalia Starbreaker has become infatuated with you after tasting the sweet serenity of your kiss and is willing to physically enter the realm of Gottes to crush your enemies once every twenty-one hours.

  Spirit damage acquired: Your spirit has received damage. The spirit debuff, ‘blind’, has been added to your active effects

  Spirit damage acquired: Your pixie has received spirit damage. The spirit debuff, ‘Wingless Monarch’, has been added to your active effects.

  Status update: Blind has been rebuked by the buff, Eyes of the Benevolent Hare.

  Status update: Wingless Monarch has been rebuked by the buff, Wings of the Promiscuous Harpy.

  Eyes of the Benevolent Hare: You have the tempting eyes of a sexy bunny boy. Plus three to charisma against the opposite sex. Preditorial humanoids including but not limited to; Neko, Ruksha, Lamia, and vampiric entities will be more susceptible to your charm.

  Wings of the Promiscuous Harpy: Your scantily dressed caramel skinned pixie is now outfitted with wings adorned in raven feathers. If you don’t want her, send her my way.

  Oh damn, I didn’t mean to send that last part. Shit, I’m still typing. Why is this auto submitting? Oh, I see. There’s one more thing.

  Heroldin’s Champion: In the event that Heroldin is under seige from enemy forces you may draw upon her power in its defense. This will summon the specter of Heroldin to witness your undeniable victory.

  Good, now that that’s done I can… Stop typing everything I say.

  *banging noises*

  There we go, never mind it’s still going. Fuck me.

  Available skill points: Twelve.

  “Mateo, are you ok?” Natalia asks.

  “Uh, I guess, the user interface is acting weird, I’ve got some skill points so I’m going to consult Stitches.”

  Mateo approaches Stitches’ room. Serenity is standing by the door; her crimson eyes directed at the floor.

  “Guess you need to see Stitches about leveling up.”

  Mateo grips her shoulders pressing her against the wall. She looks up at him curiously. Mateo leans in placing his hands on her hips as he kisses her aggressively. They spend a long moment lip locked. The world around them nothing more than a distraction from their desire for one another.

  “Ewe, get a room losers,” Jade says clutching a sketch book in her arms as she passes them.

  Mateo smiles letting up on Serenity. She steps into the hallway rubbing the back of her neck.

  “I was worried about you,” she says nervously.

  “Don’t be, I’ll be here, I’ll always be here if you need me,” he replies.

  “She’s waiting for you inside, I’ll be in our room waiting when you’re done,” Serenity says with a half-broken smile.

  “I’ll be there, I promise.”

  Mateo steps into Stitches’ room and she hurriedly returns a pile of tomes to her inventory. One of which Mateo notices is titled, ‘The Lusty Orcen Maiden and the Elven Prince’.

  “Mateo, I thought you and Serenity would spend the night together,” Stitches says off put by the intrusion.

  “I have some skill points, and I wanted your advice.”

  A bright pink pair of panties on the floor becomes obviously visible to Mateo as he takes a step back into the hallway.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he pauses.

  “No, it’s fine, I wasn’t expecting company is all,” she replies flustered.

  “I can come back later,” Mateo says still staring at the panties.

  Pink lace panties adorned with a bow. Neko often wear panties with a bow at the base of their tale to attract a mate. It signals to the compatible male that they are ready to copulate. Your affection level with this female is high enough for copulation. Do you wish to copulate?

  Yes? No?

  “Natalia, what the fuck?”

  Natalia appears on his shoulder shrugging hers.

  “That’s not me, that’s the narrator,” she replies.

  “The narrator, I don’t know what that means,” he waves his hands frantically, “no, I don’t want to copulate.”

  “Damn, are you sure, she’s right there in front of you and she wants your affection so bad she can almost taste you,”

  “No, no, and no,” Mateo replies.

  “Fine, have it your way, enjoy the friends zone mortal.”

  Stitches stares at Mateo curiously.

  “Well, aren’t we going to choose your skills?” She asks.

  “Yes,” he replies sitting in the floor.

  She climbs into his lap pressing her soft ears back against his chest.

  “Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?”

  “No, I have an erection because there is a sexy cat girl who isn’t wearing panties sitting in my lap,” Mateo replies.

  “Oh, you seem so straight forward now.”

  “Stitches, I love you, but the fate of the world is more important than our little love triangle.”

  She pauses for a moment.

  “I don’t think so, but I’ll be a good kitty, let’s talk skills.”