Mateo is returned to the currents of rage. The ship is nearly upon the port of Trellus. Mateo notices that water from the river flows to the edge of the land mass before vanishing into a rift. Zenara steps up to him placing her hand on his shoulder.

  “Welcome back, how was your training?” Zenara asks.

  “I kissed an Amphithere,” Mateo replies.

  “Oh, and how was that?”

  “Natalia was right, four arms do make for great hugs, but I am more curious about the water pouring over the edge of that landmass,” Mateo says pointing out the river draining into an open rift.

  “Ah, the rift to the Storm lords realm, they regulate the weather in Terramundus and the realm of Gottes, inside every cloud is a large dark orb, this is a one way portal from the storm realm to Gottes, the portals are also located under large bodies of water in Gottes, when open they soak the clouds with moisture until they can hold no more and it rains,” Zenara explains.

  “So, what if a school of fish swam into them?” Mateo asks.

  “Then it would rain fish,” Zenara replies. “The Storm lords have magical barriers that prevent that of course, though it should be said that one Storm lord found it amusing to drop a whale on the Synagogue of time some three hundred or so years ago, the reigning king Garrentius the fourth was alight with fury,” Zenara states with a playful grin.

  “So, all the planets of Gottes have artificial weather, or is it just Terramundus?” Mateo asks.

  “Daedalus and Zoi have their own weather systems that are lightly regulated by the Storm lords, Terramundus has needed full regulation by them since the descent, that’s about all I know on the subject,” Zenara replies.

  “I won’t press you further then, let me know when we reach, well wherever we are headed.”

  “We will arrive at the port of Trellus soon, enjoy yourself at your leisure, you are a guest here.”

  Mateo spends time among the crew and with his companions. Jade displays how she is progressing with her artwork which she can bring to life. Sapphire is happy to rid the ship of as much chocolate as she can. Terror communicates via his dragon rune tablet with Ra’Sheana, who is less flustered by the children under her care with the help of the elves. For a fleeting moment, all seems at peace. A realm at war seems to calm.

  After retreating to his quarters Mateo presses a few runes on his tablet hesitantly. The image of Serenity appears before him; her neck covered in passionate bruises reluctant to heal.

  “Mateo, you’re calling late, I wasn’t expecting,” Serenity stops noticing the disappointment on Mateo’s face.

  “That didn’t take long,” Mateo scoffs.

  “Mateo, it’s not what you think, he’s an old friend, and we, I still love you, haven’t you and Stitches-,” he cuts her off.

  “She’s playing a cat and mouse game with Mitsu, but that doesn’t matter, and I guess we didn’t either,” Mateo interjects.

  “Mateo, wait, please, I love you, it’s not what you think,” Serenity cries hurriedly.

  “You’re right Serenity, where I come from that’s not how love works,” Mateo says tapping a rune on his tablet that ends the call.

  Serenity presses her tablet against her chest bursting into tears. She thought he understood, that he wanted her to walk her own path. She didn’t know she hurt him so bad and now there is no taking it back.

  Mateo steps below deck into the cafeteria where a certain ebony skinned silver eyed woman is enjoying a drink or three, alone.

  “Anything I can get you Mateo?” Dulmond asks as he approaches the counter.

  “Whatever she’s drinking, I want a bottle of it,” Mateo says pointing toward Beatrice.

  “On the house,” Dulmond says slamming a large bottle on the table.

  “Thanks.”

  Dulmond pats the counter and Mateo pauses turning back toward him.

  “When we do things out of anger, it doesn’t change the consequences for those actions,” Dulmond says pouring himself a glass of what seems like spiced rum.

  Mateo turns away gripping the bottle in his hand tighter.

  “You’re right, actions have consequences,” Mateo turns back to him with a smile. “Hopefully mine aren’t too severe.”

  Dulmond waves him off with a concerned grin.

  Mateo finds his place at a small table where Beatrice is enjoying boneless chikus wings and the third of her soon to be far too many alcoholic beverages. The wings themselves can hardly be called that, they’re more nuggets. She peers up from her plate curiously.

  “Thought you’d be with the neko girl,” she says grabbing her drink.

  “Her and Mitsu are, complicated,” Mateo replies.

  “I see, and what about me and you?” She questions her interest peaked.

  “I was hoping for something more, casual,” Mateo replies.

  “Casual works for me.”

  Tendrils of mana give a faint luminous glow lighting Beatrice’s chamber as Mateo wakes by her naked form. He reaches over running his fingers through her soft silver hair and she trembles in her sleep at his touch before waking. She rolls over and her bright silver eyes peer into his as she grumbles drowsily.

  “I don’t think I’ve been ravaged like that in, well ever, we didn’t do anything weird did we?”

  Mateo throws off the cover and leans up staring at the floor.

  “Sorry Beatrice, I didn’t mean to linger,” Mateo replies.

  “Zenara said we’d be at port in a few hours when you were, inebriated, won’t you stay a little longer?”

  Mateo lays back sighing deeply.

  “I guess there is no harm in it.”

  “I suppose since you gave me what I want, I can give you the emotional support you came looking for,” Beatrice says running her ebony finger over Mateo’s bare chest.

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  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take out my frustration on you,” Mateo replies.

  “It’s fine, but why don’t you tell me what’s going on between you and Serenity.”

  “I just didn’t think she would move on so quickly,” Mateo replies.

  “She hasn’t moved on, ugh, I was hoping Okami would have to give you this speech,” she pauses readying herself to give a long-winded explanation of romantic relations in the realm of Gottes, or at least Terramundus.

  “Gottes is an infant realm only being a little over ten thousand years old. That being said, the culture presses for women to have children. The introduction of realmwalkers who could not produce offspring with the natives created a problem. So, society adapted, often using surrogate mates to create a family. Just because Serenity has selected a surrogate mate doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. The reason I was surprised you came to me instead of Stitches was because she had been grooming Stitches to be your surrogate mate.”

  The room is silent as Mateo stares forward a blank expression on his face.

  “I don’t know if I can accept that,” Mateo replies after a few moments finally breaking the silence.

  “Remember, we are foreigners here Mateo, whether you accept the culture or not, it is still here,” Beatrice rolls on top of him letting her long silver hair drape down over her firm ebony breasts. “Now don’t tell me you’re too upset to give me a little breakfast.”

  After receiving her ‘breakfast’ Beatrice sits up lighting a small pipe. She takes a few puffs and offers it to Mateo. The smell is strong, but also pleasant. Giving off hints of what Mateo would know as apple pie. He takes the pipe and inhales deeply before returning it to her.

  “Beatrice, can I ask you something?”

  “I’m an open book when I’m smoking berry bombs, ask away sweetie,” she replies taking another puff.

  “Why do you want a child so bad?”

  Beatrice exhales offering Mateo the pipe again. He takes it breathing in the effects of a berry bomb.

  “In my world, Yetla, overpopulation was an issue, the poor weren’t aloud to procreate, the nobles used contraceptive magic on us to make sure we couldn’t breed, and when that didn’t work,” she pauses rubbing her stomach gently as a tear runs down her ebony cheek, “they used more violent methods.”

  “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel comfortable,” Mateo says thumbing the tear from her cheek.

  “No, I think someone should know,” she says grabbing his wrist. “Only the noble houses were aloud to have children, to help control the people, women, especially of color, weren’t aloud to own land or attend knowledge councils, we were just there to take care of the home or be concubines, ignorant vessels to be bred by the rich,” she stops seeming visibly distraught and Mateo rubs her back gently calming her.

  “When I was sixteen, I ran off with a boy named Fey, he was the son of a penniless elf woman, I had a high resistance to magic which allowed me to become pregnant, when the nobles learned of it they had him publicly flogged to death and beat me until I miscarried, instead of supporting me, my parents disowned me, and his mother blamed me for his death, the only one who stood at my side was my brother, he robbed our parents, killed them, and then used the money to buy supplies while we hid.”

  Beatrice clenches her fists as Mateo gently kisses her on the forehead. He places his hand over hers and she leans into his bare chest rubbing her soft silver hair against it.

  “After a few months of training that Rick learned from one of the noble daughters he was to be wed to, we ravaged the noble house holds, striking in the night while they slept, we lit the manors with a fire that consumed all, and a rage that couldn’t be satiated, the Chaos Twins they called us, but greed was endless, and we were only tear drops in an ocean of sadness, they caught us, stripped us of our clothing, publicly flogged us, and tossed us into the pit of the abyss, and that is where we remained until we came upon this world and were reborn.”

  Mateo pulls Beatrice into his arms holding her in a calming manner. She gives off a heavy breath relaxing in his embrace.

  “It was so freeing to end up on this world where women outnumber men, while it isn’t perfect, at least men and women are seen as equals here, and not possessions, I’ve not visited Daedalus or Zoi, so I can’t speak for those worlds.”

  The door bursts open and Zenara steps in.

  “Oh my, I didn’t expect to find you in here Mateo.”

  “I didn’t expect to see you in here either.”

  “I mean, it is my ship, besides that, we are near the port of Trellus.”

  The Currents of Rage docks at the port of Trellus. The port itself is near barren except a single weeping Ruksha. Mateo bids farewell to Zenara, who embraces him in a more than friendly manner before returning to her ship. Grelak approaches Mateo offering him the communication digits that will allow them to reach each other if needed. Mateo pats the Kobold on the head as he sees him peering lustfully over at Mercedes.

  “Sorry buddy, I’m not sure she’s into you.”

  Grelak looks up at him with a toothy smile.

  “That is an inconsequential matter, I only need to show her that I am there for her in her time of need, timing is what women are about, no matter how beautiful,” he pauses glancing at Mercedes again, “you need only be the man that a woman needs at that time.”

  “Yeah, you find a nice young lady and get fucked, then let me know your thoughts afterward,” Mateo says patting his scaled shoulder.

  “To copulate with a female is a most sacred ritual, surely I can not just bed one out of lust,” Grelak replies innocently.

  “You do that, and uh, keep in touch with Mercedes, she’s a feisty se?orita, but she needs an hombre that has a little experience to, pique her interest,” Mateo states offering his advice.

  “I take your advice gracefully, and I hope your travels return you and,” he glances over at Mercedes again, “your companion to the Currents of Rage.”

  As Mateo steps away the crew of the Currents of Rage wave farewell before disappearing into the astral. Rayo raises his ivory snake head unhinging his jaw to give out a low cute gurgle.

  “What was with the kobold staring at me intermittently?” Mercedes asks.

  “I don’t know, he kept saying you were staring at him strangely, it was a bit unsettling, he did mention having access to a lot of cheese though,” Mateo replies.

  “That is all complete bullshit,” Mercedes says narrowing her eyes.

  “You’re right, but who cares?”

  With that the Currents of Rage vanishes, and Mateo turns his attention to the weeping Ruksha.

  “I’m destined for Satsuki, what news do you have of it?” Mateo asks.

  Tears run down the cheeks of the dark scaled young Ruksha as she peers up at Mateo her lizard lips trembling. She raises a claw pointing west toward Satsuki.

  “Xe’Sara knows Satsuki has fallen, all that reside have met the Allmother, Xe’Sara wishes to speak no more,” the Ruksha says.

  Mateo approaches her running his hand over her scaled cheek.

  Ability activated: Calm.

  “Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Mateo asks.

  The Ruksha, now strangely calm after the touch of this stranger peers up at him with bright jade eyes as her brilliant feathers flutter nervously.

  “Xe’Sara saw men from the false father come, they brought ruin to Satsuki, all who stood fell, and all who fell were subjugated to the will of the false father, then, two moon falls ago, a white falcon flew high among the burning willows, it laid wrath to the followers of the false father, laying waste to their forces, Xe’Sara was afraid, so she ran, and when she could run no more, she hid, and here she hid, and stay here she did,” the young Ruksha replies.

  “You’re right to stay here, I’ll check out the village,” Mateo says turning to Stitches, “give her a potion, she’s injured.”

  Stitches nods administering a potion to the young Ruksha before they move on. As they leave the port of Trellus the young Ruksha stands staring blankly at them as if they are ghosts heading toward a yard of graves. Her expression gives an unsettling feeling of emptiness. As if there is a hole inside of her that cannot be filled.

  A few days ride and Mateo and his party have reached Satsuki.

  Smoke fills the air as the stench of burning corpses and dreams snuffed out by the flames of madmen fill the air. Hell is not imaginary in this place, it is palpable. Mateo’s party strolls into the courtyard to find Cult of the Immortal Father followers crucified upside down or piled in mounds their blood flooding the streets. Walking along the river that once ran pink with cheery blossom pettles, Mateo finds that it now runs red with blood. Moving further into the main courtyard of Satsuki, Mateo notices an ironclad figure poised upon a mountain of corpses.

  The figure rests their offhand on their knee, as a massive cherry blossom tree burns behind them in the center of town. Mateo approaches and the ironclad figure raises their gaze toward him.

  Active quest acquired: Trial of the Tiger. This is a time sensitive quest, disregarding this quest will result in failure. Trial of the Tiger, pass the trial set by the Order of the Tiger to ascend to the rank of Tiger Claw and earn Tiger claws.

  The figure rises stepping down from the mound of corpses and meeting Mateo face to face. It holds out its hand uncurling its armor-clad fingers.

  “My name is Blanco Halcon, and I am here to test your merit, Voidwalker.”

  The world around Mateo and Stitches freezes. A dome forms over them separating them from the rest of the party. Stitches moves closer to Mateo readying her staff.

  “I’m here to see if you have the guts to ascend to the rank of Tiger,” Blanco says with a cynical smile.

  You have entered a turn-based domain. You may not exit this domain until your challenge is completed or failed.

  A twenty-sided die appears in Mateo’s hand, and he looks toward his eager challenger.

  “What is this for?”

  “Roll for initiative,” Blanco replies.