Unaware of the international crisis her escape had created, Nuan Yulong rexed in a hidden oasis in the very next morning.

  For most citizens of Yulong Empire, the desert surrounding their settlements, be it a cluster of shacks or a gorgeous city, would be all they ever knew. But for those who ventured far enough, it would be possible to find glittering pools of water ringed by ferns and grasses.

  In one such sanctuary, Nuan bathed away the blood and weariness. Water streamed down her naked form and dark hair with its defiant streaks of orange. Each droplet hit the pond, reflecting her perfect shape in alluring ripples.

  She stole an expectant gnce toward shore, a wish she dared not voice flitting through her mind.

  "Don't expect it," came Xia's refutation. "He's not the type to peek." The ptinum-blonde princess, equally bare, slipped into the water beside her.

  Eyeing the new arrived Curtis girl's more ample curves, the Dragon Scion-turned-fugitive lowered half her face into the water, blowing frustrated bubbles.

  Nuan, cooled by the water but still burning inside, crept on slushy sand beneath and met the insidious gaze of the blondes. Assignment understood, she tackled her nemesis into the water. There, the two girls began wrestling.

  "And why are you here?" the attacker demanded. "My issues have nothing to do with you!"

  "You ungrateful brat," said the ptinum blonde. "Is this how you thank me for rescuing you?"

  The two wrestled against each other in the waves, causing such a ruckus that it was impossible not to be heard. But after a childish fighting match that saw Xia putting Nuan under a headlock, the Dragon Scion, still eyeing the side of the pool, craned her ears and was promptly disappointed.

  "He is really not coming," the Yulong Princess voiced with disappointment.

  "That guy has never once watched me take a bath," Xia cursed, sharing this failure on her face. "His blood is made of ice."

  "So you also tried to get his attention!" Nuan roared. "What do you have between you?"

  Knowing she had let her innermost desire slip, the Curtis girl tried not to hide her face, and better yet, her feelings. "He is an acquaintance."

  "Do you think I am stupid?"

  There Xia opened up in a mixture of possessiveness and caution. "Look, this is going to sound nuts, but you shouldn't have feelings for that guy." She reflected back on her circumstances. "It will lead to nothing good."

  Nuan snorted upon hearing that. "Why do I not believe you?"

  Xia frowned with exasperation, but a scheming part of her mind purred in satisfaction upon realizing her leverage over Nuan. She tried to beat that ugly image out of her head, but the sweet aftertaste of superiority remained. Their retionship was a tangled web of rivalry and alliance: sisters one moment, scheming rivals the next.

  Before anything more could start between the newly established rivals, both Nuan and Xia heard a voice spoken from somewhere far away: "Are you both finished? We need to have a strategy meeting!"

  Hearing that, both women immediately climbed out of the pool as if racing and looked at their clothes; typical Yulong Empire robes bought in one of the outposts: white for Xia and flower-patterned for Nuan. They slipped on their robes without bothering to wear underwear and dried their hair with the moist towels.

  Together they rushed over to Ciel, feeling a sense of competition neither could fully expin.

  Ciel awaited them on the rock, looking at a map of the Yulong Empire.

  "Why did you two take so long?"

  "It's her fault!" both girls immediately bmed one another.

  "Never mind," Ciel looked at both of them with great suspicion and immediately dismissed the threat. He gestured for them to take seats opposite him.

  Gingerly they sat down while the Union Lord expined the strategy.

  "Our goal is simple. Get close enough to Mandrake, and everything will be fixed."

  "Are you sure that will work?" Nuan said. "The Yulong court is complicated, and my execution must be arranged by a powerful faction. Even if you manage to get to the pace—"

  "Not important," came the reply with more certainty than sunrise. "If Mandrake knew I was within shouting distance of the capital, he wouldn't give a shit; he'd come to stop me from talking faster than your entire court could even gasp."

  Both women blinked at Ciel's unparalleled confidence.

  "How are you so sure?" Xia asked, bewildered. "All this time you've acted like the Emperor is an incompetent chump."

  "Yeah," Nuan, for once, took Xia's side. "Regardless of what you think, my father can literally summon wind and rain with a thought. He can turn this country upside down, and possesses the most profound of minds."

  Ciel snorted, "I'll take those bets then." He pointed to the annotated map. "Given information is transmitted through low-tech means, we should presume the capital of Yulong only heard about Nuan's escape yesterday. This means they haven't established a counter squad yet. Knowing how Mandrake would run things, the court will be fighting each other for weeks over credit, and we need to hit them while they still have lost their marbles."

  "Is he right?" Xia turned toward Nuan.

  "The Emperor encourages heavy competition among the court to earn his favor," Nuan nodded. "I believe that unless the trusted advisors volunteer to sort this situation, my older brothers will likely be fighting each other over the credit to turn me in."

  "So that's what you think?" Ciel ughed. "I almost feel sorry for Mandrake being stuck with all of you."

  Ciel's statement only confused the two, but he continued without pause.

  "Mandrake will not talk much, and lucky for us, because that fool of a man is actually smart. This means we will be fighting the folks below him. We need to exploit the fact that they would be fighting for credit, and make our way into the capital's proximity. The journey will likely take a week and I have a way to dissolve the majority of the force coming to stop us. But Nuan, I have one thing to request of you."

  Nuan gulped, closing her eyes for what could be the most momentous day of her life.

  But instead of the dirty imagination running through her mind, Ciel's request was simple: "Can you teach me how to use Aura? I don't think I can afford to get caught unprepared again."

  And that is how pandemonium erupted in that oasis.

  "That's it! That's all you want from me? You stupid!"

  "You could have asked me. I can even teach you White Magic too!"

  ---

  Later, far away in the capital of Da Ming, the walls bustled with rumors and activity, but the marble pavement lining the Dragon Pace couldn't be quieter.

  The door leading to the golden hall, painted with the observant gazes of phoenixes, pushed open, and in walked a nervous official into the boiling shouting match.

  "Second Prince Er Long," condemned a fat official with a pointed goatee, "should I remind you that Nuan was part of your entourage? To deflect responsibility for her escape is shameless."

  The gangly Second Prince rounded on the official. "We handed her straight to you, and you dare compin to us for your own security fumbling? What you're doing is simply putting the cart before the horse!"

  The official drew himself up, ready to spit back an angry retort, but the delicate hand of his master pulled him back.

  "Brother," the First Prince, Yi Tong, rose to the occasion with a warm smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I do admit the fault of the breach lies with us, but our little sister received aid." His eyes narrowed. "Did you give her any?"

  "Are you accusing me, you two-headed snake?" Er Long scowled.

  But a cough rang out, silencing the room.

  Behind the obtuse golden veil, which revealed only shadows, the Lord of Torrential Skies, Mandrake, gestured with his fingers from atop a throne, elevated above them by a flight of stairs. Seeing this, the royal interpreter came forward.

  "The Emperor demands your silence for this incompetency," the loud man arrogantly enrged the Emperor's decree. "Both your excuses are unbecoming of this court."

  Hearing that, both cowed princes immediately bowed to the lonely shadow seated high above perfect gold stairways. "We apologize to the God-Emperor for our incompetence!"

  A minuscule nod was observed.

  Seeing this, the nervous official took his chance to speak: "Sir, we have—"

  The interpreter immediately frowned at this breach in decorum. "You dare come into this sacred hall and interrupt our meeting? All reports must be submitted through the official—"

  "Let him speak." The voice from behind the veil cut through the hall.

  The room went silent for exactly a tenth of a second before the interpreter backtracked.

  "Such generosity, O' God-Emperor. Your wisdom knows no bounds."

  And throughout that room the same words were repeated.

  "Your wisdom knows no bounds, O' God-Emperor!"

  The figure did not respond, instead he waited for the ruckus praising echoing in the hall of phoenix and shining tiles above to die down naturally.

  The interpreter finally stopped wasting time and ordered the messenger to speak.

  "Do not dare waste the grace and wisdom of the God-Emperor! Hurry and speak!"

  The messenger gulped at the most important moment of his career. "Third Prince Ming said there are sightings of Nuan Yulong."

  Er Long pounced at this mark of weakness. "And why did he not move to seize her? Did he grow meek during his tenure away from this great hall?"

  "No, O' Second Prince," replied the messenger. "It is just that we reported three separate sightings of Nuan in Jin Xin, Hua Ling, and Gong San." He cried. "Our troops have confirmed that these sightings are legitimate."

  The room immediately erupted in confusion.

  "Impossible," said the Second Prince. "Are you telling me Nuan managed to split into three and run around the country?"

  "This must be a distraction," said the goateed official, clique of murmuring eunuchs muttering in agreement behind him.

  "Yes," the First Prince agreed, eyeing this opportunity. "Our foes likely have a scheme in mind, and given her helper during that rampage, this is exactly what they would do."

  Before the chaos could progress further, another cough from the throne a few paces from the ceiling silenced the discussion.

  There Mandrake made his ominous speech: "Tell Ming Xuan to brace himself. I expect you all to help him to the best of your ability."