Rayo and Charlotte, Yasmina’s dragon, dart about the sky above the wagons. Charlotte seems increasingly irritated that she can’t catch up to the smaller dragon. Mateo looks up from the luxurious hoaram drown wagon at them with a smile. Yasmina peers over at the wonder in his eyes and a smile forms on her soft lips remembering the wonder she once felt when she started off on her journey. A pleasant experience somewhat lost after decades of adventuring.

  “You’re quite taken with them,” Yasmina says.

  “In my world I was working an assembly line day in and out struggling to pay rent, now I’m watching dragons chase each other through the sky riding in a luxury wagon with a woman of majestic beauty and dating a sexy vampire elf, it’s a bit of an upgrade,” Mateo replies.

  Yasmina’s smile turns to a more serious look of worry.

  “You shouldn’t mention those things, or anything technology related in this world, that information can be very dangerous,” she warns.

  “Sorry, it’s hard not to let slip memories from the life I lived before, Okami has warned me too, this wagon is pretty sweet by the way,” Mateo says looking over it.

  The wagon itself is a large silver vessel covered in what resemble gold vines. The carriage floats atop a cloud construct while two conjured scaled hoaram draw it.

  Scaled hoaram are a different beast from regular hoaram. Instead of fur they have thin scales covering their bodies and large splines running down their backs. They aren’t great for riding, but they are more resilient than regular hoaram, and resistant to fire damage, though, less resistant to cold.

  Serenity and Stitches enjoy the luxuries of Yasmina’s heavenly chariot as Okami and the others follow in the wagon.

  After traveling a bit north the path leads east through a canyon with cliffs that peer down ominously. The canyon walls are covered with various deposits of jade and ruby crystals, even some with the dark pitch of obsidian. Shadow covers them as they enter the canyon and the two dragons lower their flight to the wagons.

  “Why’s it so dark?” Jade asks.

  “Shhh, we are entering the canyon of La Muerta, the lady of death, where the cries of the lost echo forevermore,” Okami says.

  “Is she pretty like Yasmina?” Jade questions.

  “Of course, for what is the beauty of life, but death, knowing that one day your journey comes to an end, and you can finally rest,” Okami answers.

  “Terror no like death, she smells bad, and hair is oily.”

  Okami tilts his head giving Terror a curious gaze.

  “Have you met La Muerta?” He asks.

  “Terror no time for talking about stinky woman with oily hair, rot-guards ahead.”

  A small contingent of armored corpses block their path walking aimlessly until the wind blows the scent of life in their direction. The maimed rotting vessels turn their attention to the two wagons as they come to a stop. The horribly gruesome corpses let out a loud shriek before charging the wagons.

  A massive torrent of wind forces the undead horde back as Charlotte slams her massive body on the ground letting out a thunderous roar sending saliva spewing through the air. The saliva pools up turning to slime creatures that take a reptilian shape.

  “Should we help her?” Mateo asks.

  “I’m sure little Rayo will try,” Yasmina replies laughing playfully.

  Rayo lands beside Charlotte giving off a tiny roar that goes unnoticed among the undead horde.

  “He’s so cute, trying so hard to win the affection of a dragoness that is far older than him,” she says chuckling.

  “Don’t be laughing at him just because he likes your cougar dragon, it’s not the size of the dragon that matters, but the vigor with which they fight,” Mateo says raising his chest proudly pressing his fists against his side.

  “Yeah, ok,” Yasmina says rolling her eyes.

  The undead horde charge the group of slime lizards. Being undead, most of their weapons are old and corroded, having little effect against the slime lizards. Their bodies however are imbued with necromagic. The horde eats its way through the slimes consuming them in a horrendous display of savagery.

  The horde moves in on Charlotte and she begins to convulse, as if hacking something up like a cat hacking up a hairball. Her gaping maw opens spewing out several large stones.

  “Please tell me those aren’t kidney stone golems,” Mateo says raising his eyebrows.

  “You seem to know much about the anatomy and physiology of dragons,” Yasmina says seeming impressed.

  “Well I am raising one, not all of Stitches’ tomes are, ‘The Lusty Kitten Maid’, and ‘The Horny Faun of Dialus’,” Mateo replies.

  “Have you read those, I felt like the Kitten Maid could have used a little more intercourse and a little less drama, The Horny Faun on the other hand, that was peak smut, had me near soiling my loins,” Yasmina states.

  “Anyway, dragons are fighting,” Mateo says staring back toward the two dragons and the undead horde rapidly approaching them.

  The large stones turn to Kidney stone golems and begin to pelt the encroaching horde with unbearable lower back pain. Which has little effect on the undead vessels who either don’t have kidneys, or have kidneys that are already damaged.

  The unaffected vessels charge the golems pounding against them with a furious force. Mateo is surprised to see rotting corpses displaying such strength. The golems pound undead vessels into grotesque piles of flesh as more rise from the ground.

  “Is your dragon a conjurer?” Okami asks joining them at the front of Yasmina’s stalled chariot.

  “Yes, she creates things inside of her, and then she wills them into existence using power from her spirit, not something uncommon among those who wield the creator essence,” Yasmina replies.

  Okami gives her a long curious look. Then he pulls out one of his notebooks and flips through it to a page titled ‘Cast Create’.

  “Could she,” he pauses for dramatic effect as hordes of undead are dispatched a few meters away, “create something inside someone else?”

  “I suppose it’s not impossible, could be quite dangerous, what creature are you looking to create?” She asks.

  “Not a creature, an organ,” Okami replies.

  “Would you guys shut it, Rayo is about to try and show off in front of Charlotte!” Natalia yells floating above Mateo.

  The Kidney golems fall and the undead horde rush toward Charlotte as she charges another attack. Rayo steps in-front of her, his small claws barely shaking the ground as he lingers infront of the much larger Charlotte.

  The horde of undead assault Rayo as he bites and claws his way through them ripping them into fragments of lifeless corpses. The wave of vessels is seemingly unending, but Rayo isn’t tiring. Steel and bones tear against his scales and wings as he turns from a brilliant dragon, to a tattered one.

  “Mateo, your dragon doesn’t seem to be fairing so well,” Yasmina says.

  Voiddragon ability- Voidrage: User gains increased stamina and absorbs damage for a time. Once enough damage is absorbed user multiplies it by the amount of minutes spent in battle sending it out as a large frontal beam.

  Rayo slams his claws down on the ground staring out at the vast horde of undead as his eyes turn to void filled spheres. He opens his gnashing maw, this time letting out a thunderous roar that shakes the entire canyon, and a massive void lighting beam shoots from his throat narrowing into a horizontal beam that disintegrates everything it touches.

  The horde of undead evaporate in the onslaught of Rayo’s attack and the path is clear. Mateo nudges Yasmina’s shoulder as Charlotte cancels her conjure.

  “See, vigor,” Mateo says laughing.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Huh, wouldn’t mind some of that vigor myself,” Yasmina replies.

  Serenity steps up to Mateo patting him on the head.

  “Sorry sir Yasmina, that vigor belongs to me.”

  Rayo collapses and Charlotte approaches him. He opens his eye a little to see if she’s moving closer to him. She nudges him with her snout and he cries out in an improvised agony. The large female dragon locks him in an embrace and pulls him toward the heavens.

  “Yasmina, where is your dragon taking mine?” Mateo asks.

  “Nothing heals the fatigue of battle quite like a lot of se-.”

  “Indeed, dragons are very sensual healers,” Okami interjects.

  “Uh, yeah, sensual healing.” Yasmina says seeing that Jade has joined them.

  “Cookies heal too!” Terror yells.

  “If only you were blue,” Mateo says.

  They make camp at the edge of the canyon as the sun retreats giving rise to the moon. Mateo moves close to Serenity as warm crimson moonlight fills the night air. Yasmina watches him curiously as he casts a calm spell on her, and she erupts into a rage of lustful desire dragging him into her tent.

  Terror is writing words on a small stone with a cylindrical piece of coal as Jade sits in his lap. He sounds out the words to her slowly as she struggles to read them. She smiles and looks over at Stitches reading a tome alone on a stump just outside of the reach of the fire. Her dragon armor replaced by a plain open chest shirt and some tight pants resembling leather she moves to sit beside Stitches crossing her legs.

  “Volume six of ‘Her Light and His Darkness’ didn’t know anyone else read fairy porn,” Yasmina says surprised.

  “It’s not about that, the true story is how she’s always there when he needs her, never faltering, always by his side,” Stitches says.

  “There through thick and thin, do you think he deserves her love though?” Yasmina asks.

  Stitches shoots a glance toward Serenity’s tent then stares back at her tome. Her eyes glide across the pages effortlessly absorbing the passion and lust on them as love turns to conflict that eventually resolves back into love.

  “The main character is kind of a dick towards the end, I’m a little disappointed he got back with Hestra after she banged his brother, glad when she died, you think he’s going to embrace the love of his pixie Celestia in the next volume?” Stitches asks.

  “Haven’t decided yet,” Yasmina replies pointing toward the author’s signature on the last page.

  “Wait, Yasmina Coldthorne, you write these?” She asks.

  “Can’t say I don’t.”

  The blood moon falls below the horizon and a new dawn rises painting open fields of flowers with rays of illumination. Mateo and friends continue East until the open planes are replaced with large willow trees covered in cherry blossoms. The dirt road changes to a jade brick leading them to a large river that runs through the center of the nation of Satsuki.

  Their wagons stop outside a large gate. The doors are carved, one with cherry blossoms, the other with plum blossoms. They creek and squeal as they open slowly revealing a small greeting party.

  A ruksha woman approaches wearing a long flowing kimono wrapped in a thick sash that ties into a bow at the back. A cherry blossom tattoo runs up the brilliant ivory scales on her neck pouring onto her left cheek. To either side of her are large orcen men adorned in heavy armor wielding spears. The ruksha woman takes a bow, and Mateo and his party follow suite.

  “I am Zenauria, overseer of Satsuki, I see you are guests of Yasmina, feel free to relax in the hot springs, if you find need of me, I reside in the Ivory tower in the center of Satsuki, where the cherry blossoms flow,” she says rising with grace.

  “I am Mateo, it is a pleasure to meet a ruksha with such brilliant violet eyes, they complement your ivory scales, and the cherry blossoms on your neck, you’re very enticing,” Mateo says as Serenity punches his shoulder.

  “Zenauria is glad to catch your eye, compliments are not unwanted, enjoy your stay, and the Falling Moon Festival,” she says bowing before she makes her leave.

  The pleasant aroma of the hot springs is a welcome respite from that of the rotting corpses of the canyon. Seeing that Serenity is elsewhere, Beatrice moves in on Mateo with unrestrained hunger.

  “Sup dude, you enjoying the water?” She asks.

  “Um, how did you get in the men’s hot spring?” He replies.

  “Ha, I’ve got a bigger dick than most of these losers,” she says flexing her bicep.

  “Terror disagrees,” he says grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the water exposing her naked form.

  Her dark skin can’t hide the scars of battle. One scar in particular grabs Mateo’s attention, a long scar running from her left hip up to her right breast.

  “Terror let her go, this is a bath, we should be relaxing, even if the women sneak into the men’s bath,” Mateo says.

  “Fine, Terror go make sure no men sneak into women’s bath with Jade, Terror finds men in women’s bath, violence is answer,” he says slamming his fist into his open palm.

  “Um, wouldn’t you be the man sneaking into the women’s bath?”

  “Nonsense, Terror no sneak,” he replies his wet naked figure stepping away.

  “So, Beatrice, how’s the men’s bath?” Mateo asks.

  Beatrice leans back sprawling out her arms as she displays her large perky breasts above the warm water. Mateo tries not to stare, but there is only so much a man can do. She turns to Mateo with a smile sinking into the water.

  “Thanks,” she says.

  “For what, staring at your tits?”

  “No you lard ass, for letting us join your team,” she says punching his shoulder.

  “Lard ass, if anyone is a lard ass it’s Natalia, have you seen how much she eats?” Mateo replies.

  “Hey asshole, I am not a lard ass, for your information I am quite lean for a pixie,” Natalia says placing her hands on her hips as she floats above him.

  Mateo stares around seeing that Okami, who is distracted by his rune tablet, is the only other male in the men’s hot springs.

  “Am I in the wrong hot spring?” Mateo wonders aloud.

  “No, Beatrice is just a naughty pervert,” Natalia replies.

  “And what about you Nat?”

  “Pixie’s don’t have reproductive organs, we are just kind of floating magic blobs, what good would it do us to be perverse?” Natalia asks.

  Mateo stands with a sigh giving Natalia a broken smile.

  “Ima need you to be big Natalia for a moment,” he says. .

  Natalia increases her size still garbed in her winding scarlet garments. Mateo embraces her rubbing her back gently.

  “You’re more than just a magic blob to me Natalia, I love you, my floating backseat driver,” he says.

  It’s almost a hallmark moment, except, Mateo is naked, and Beatrice is a very naughty girl. Two large firm breasts press against Mateo’s back as large pillowy lips press against his ear. Words escape from them like whispers of desire.

  “Oh my, perhaps a Mateo sandwich is what I’ll have for dinner,” Beatrice says, her words flowing over her lips with a subtle hint of honey suckles.

  Mateo struggles, breaking free from the awkward humanoid sandwich Beatrice has created.

  “Stay your honeyed words vile enchantress!” Mateo yells.

  The door to the men’s bath bursts open and Serenity steps in.

  “What in the infinite void is going on in here, and why do you have an erection!” She yells pointing at Mateo’s crotch.

  “Who the hell is letting all the women into the men’s bath!” Mateo proclaims.

  Okami sighs stowing his rune tablet in his pants on a bench near the bath.

  “Mateo, look at the women around you, if you were not entangled with Serenity and either of them asked you for something, would you not oblige?” Okami asks.

  “Of course he wouldn’t, he’s not a pervert like you Okami,” Natalia says crossing her arms.

  Serenity’s towel drops to the floor and all eyes are on her as she steps into the water with the grace of an immortal temptress.

  “Sorry Nat, he’s got a point,” Mateo says sinking into the water now free from Beatrice’s grasp.

  Beatrice sinks into the water covering herself too. Her eyes avoid Serenity as she moves toward Mateo wrapping an arm around him. Mateo seems nervous as he waits to be reprimanded.

  “Don’t worry, I know he seems like an easy lay, I’m not angry or anything,” Serenity says her eyes targeting Beatrice.

  “Hey, when did I become an easy lay?” Mateo protests.

  “Honey, we had sex the first night we met,” Serenity replies.

  “Have you met you?” Mateo says waving his hand up and down as to display her like a prize.

  “He’s not wrong, but physical attractiveness isn’t why I’m drawn to him, he’s a realmwalker and well,” she stops as Rick enters the bath.

  “Realmwalkers cannot produce offspring with non realmwalkers, they can however, produce offspring with other realmwalkers, Beatrice isn’t just horny, she’s longing, she wants what you can give her, that’s why I’ve been letting the women into the bath,” Rick replies.

  “Ah, of course, it’s all selfless and has nothing to do with you wanting to see Serenity naked,” Mateo snipes glaring at him.

  “What, that’s preposterous, I would never stoop so low,” he replies unable to remove his eyes from her naked form.

  “Barbarians, the lot of you, I’m going to retire to my room, do try not to disgrace our good name by defiling the bath,” Okami says standing.

  “He’s right, I shouldn’t have let you ladies in, we should hurry though, the Falling Moon Festival begins soon,” Rick says lathering himself with soap.

  As the Moon rises the falling moon festival begins. At the entrance they are offered Ginko masks that resemble a Kitsune. The festival isn’t about being oneself but honoring the dead as onlookers while they make their journey into the afterlife.

  The river is closed for the festival so that the cherry blossom petals, which represent the souls of the departed, can flow freely. Coins litter the River bed because it is custom to toss in two coins in order to help poor souls pay for the ferry into the next life. No one dares scoop them out of the river for fear that lady death might pull them in drowning them for their disrespect.

  Pleasant music fills the air as the attendants dance about the street, cherry blossom petals shimmer in the moonlight as they fall around them. Mateo holds out his hand and Serenity takes it. They enjoy a slow dance as others couple up. Terror places Jade on his shoulders and twirls about like a barbaric oath. To which she giggles pleasantly through her mask.

  Rick propositions Zenauria for a dance and she does not refuse. He may seem an imbecile, be he is also quite the gentleman.

  “My lady, I must say, this is a beautiful festival, almost as beautiful as you,” he says twirling her about before laying her out in his arms.

  Zenauria lays back allowing him to hold her up and lets off a soft reptilian purr.

  “And I thought hazel eyes was the smooth talker,” she replies rising into his arms.

  She lays her snout over his shoulder as they interlock fingers. The music changes to a slow rumble. They spin about in the street, cherry blossom petals raining down like a gentle snow. Rick runs his hand down the scales exposed by her open back dress stopping just above her buttocks. He pulls her closer and whispers.

  “Hellbent, headed north, we met them in the marshes, I’ve never seen them that far north.”

  “And here I thought we were just enjoying a dance,” she says with a tender lisp.

  Rick slides his hand down gripping her bottom firmly and smiles.

  “Ever the vixen, I’ll give you a, more detailed report later tonight, that is, if you’ll have me,” he says leaning back.

  Ivory scaled fingers run over Rick’s cheek as violet eyes peer into his. Zenauria gives him a familiar lustful grin and Rick takes a bow leaving the dance floor.

  “What god do I have to pray to in order to get some dick around here,” Beatrice complains downing another alcoholic beverage as she watches her companions dance about the street.

  Okami sits alone recording everything he can about the falling moon festival on his rune tablet as thunderous bursts of light fill the sky. Everyone looks up as what Mateo knows as fireworks shake the heavens above them lighting them with joy and hope. Then his eyes grow wide and he pushes Serenity away from him giving her the look of a stranger.

  “Mateo, are you ok?” She asks.