Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rain slams down onto the old stone, slipping through its cracks. It nestles itself into the moss that covers every metre of the cobble. Large slabs, as they are, the moonlight glistens off their wet surface. The faraway gurgle of water backing up centuries-old drainage systems. Dew fills the air. The grass and sea of flowers that stretch out as far as the eye can see, provide a comforting contrast to the large gothic cathedral that looms over the land. Huge stained glass windows adorn the building and bring life to the otherwise monotone structure. An otherworldly place.

Clink! Metal scraping stone. A piercing, shrill scream. Shouting. A semblance of a tussle. Under the impending weight of atmosphere the place exudes, two women are arguing beneath massive archways. One, raven-haired with blue highlights. The other, with pastel pink hair, a giant curved black scythe in one hand. Both have grim expressions on their faces.
“You must go back to where you came from, Demon of Sound!” The pink-haired one yells.
A look of shock, almost confusion, contorts the other's face. Scrunching up her pallid, smooth face, she replies.
“I have just been freed from ages of being bound, my dear Death. There is absolutely no way I will lie down and let you take me prisoner.”
The demon of sound giggles slightly.
“Although I have been in captivity for so long, do not think of my abilities so lightly. I AM STILL THE MOST POWERFUL DEMON!”
She erupts into boisterous laughter, her long, deep black hair falling into her face and becoming messy.

Time seems to stand still for a moment as Death herself stares with intense hatred at her. Thoughts swirl through her head like a whirlwind. Things she should say. What she should do. She sighs, casting everything from her mind. Her decision has been made. At the very least, it will be over quickly. One second she is standing still, the next, her arm swings the scythe in an arc, and the Demon of Sounds' head is split from her body. The head flies in the air for a minute period of time. In the silence, it thuds heavily to the ground. Rain continues to pour down from the gloomy, ashen grey sky. It soaks Death's hair and makes it hard to see as it cascades into her eyes. She stands there solemnly, taking in the scene. A dead woman at her feet. Just another day, just another life. Emotionless eyes glance over the body, she shrugs, and gets to work. Her muscles ache as she heaves the weight of the dead woman onto her back. A quick look around to make sure she hasn’t been seen. Once Death is satisfied, she draws an insignia in the air with her fingers. A swirling, glowing green hole opens. She steps through into the cold embrace of the mass.

…

Raspy coughing awakens her. Cold light glints into her vision as little by little, her eyes crack open further. More coughing. Her eyes shoot open wide as she jumps at the sound. Low, distant moans emanate and echo around the enclosed space. Black stone lines walls that rise so high the ceiling is not visible. On three sides, dusty iron grey bars stand to attention, begging her to attempt an escape, if only so they can taste some blood. Another bout of coughing from close to her right makes her fall backwards from her semi-lying crawl, sending tassels of black hair into her face and causing pain to crack its way into her head. Sniffles. Groans from the same direction. Something, or someone, is moving right on the other side of the bars. A hand appears. The nails are all broken and bleeding. Scraping. From the darkness, a filthy pale arm worms its way into the light cast by the dim blue flame in the brazier high above. Her breathing quickens. Breaths soar in and out at a rapidly increasing pace. More scraping. Now, dirty red hair falls into sight. It’s matted and looks like it hasn’t been washed in weeks. The pain in her head forgotten, the raven-haired woman watches in terror as a figure of a lady on the ground crawls forth into the light and grabs hold of the bars between their cells with both grimy hands.

A voice rises suddenly from the silence that had ensued from the woman grabbing the bars.
“Wh-who, are y-you?”
The words felt forced and seemed to exhaust her as she fell into another coughing fit.
“Introduce yourself first.” The words were spit from her mouth before she could react.
The red-haired lady looked taken aback by the vigor of the response. She paused for a moment. Brought her head back from the bars and hesitated.
“How do I know I can trust you?”
Vulgar words crossed her mind but she stilled herself.
“You do not want to share who you are but yet expect me to? We either both conform or neither of us do and you can go back to whatever loneliness you had before.”
The other woman scrunched up her face before giving in.
“You would do well to be kind to me, I have some influence in these lands. Anyway, I suppose I will grant your wish.”
She clears her throat so she does not cough again, and then stares confidently into the deep crimson eyes of the raven-haired woman.
“I am the Scarlet Queen, Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame. The queen of the Bloodflame Kingdom.”
Silence fills the air after her bold self-introduction. Confusion is etched onto the demon's face.
“Never heard of you. I, am the Devilish Diva, the Demon of Sound, the one and only Nerissa Ravencroft!”

The two stare at each other for a while. Laughter erupts from both of them as the absurdity of the situation hits. Two wealthy, powerful beings are trying to one up each other in a game of mental chess with their introductions, but they are both imprisoned. Nerissa ceases laughing to ask a question.
“Where actually are we, do you know? When will we be fed?”
A grim expression crosses Elizabeth's face.
“You do not know? How do you feel, are you hungry?”
A look of concern and surprise rises on Nerissa’s face now.
“I feel fine, and no I’m not hungry.”
Elizabeth sighs deeply.
“Thats because you’re not alive, or at least in the traditional sense. You are but a fragment of your soul. You have no real body here in the Underworld, the Land of the Dead. You were killed, yes?”
“I remember fighting death, I must have lost.”
Excitement spikes in Elizabeth.
“Death, as in Mori Calliope, the Grim Reaper?”
Nerissa twirls a strand of hair with a finger, she looks taken aback.
“You know her?”
Red hair bobs up and down.
“Yes! I need her help.”
“Well I can’t help you with that, aren’t you in the same situation as me?”
Now long red hair whips from side to side.
“You see, I was cursed by the witch Shiori and sent here with both my soul and physical body. I must escape and get revenge on she, who has wronged me.”

The dim hall lined with cells had begun to smell worse with every hour. The pungent scent of sweat, blood, and human faeces permeated to take up any space it could. Elizabeth was unlucky in that she was still alive. In a far corner of her cell, the ground was permanently stained yellow, brown slop sat in a pile. Her condition was worsening and by the look of her, she wouldn’t last much longer. Time ticked away, the two of them laying on either side of the bars and discussing what they would do if they ever got out of here. Elizabeth would track down the notorious Shiori and end her reign of treachery and witchcraft once and for all. Nerissa had been at wits end, but thought that she would like to help her. Not that she said that of course. The two were growing fond of each other in the dark.

Steel grating against steel. The air becomes frigid as the two women lay asleep. Clink. Clink. Clink. The slow morose tapping beckoned forth an eerie glisten, sobs of fear echoed down the hall. The sound grew louder, growing closer to the sleeping pair. The soft wisp of fabric lightly shifting over the ground. It stops in front of the women's cells. Pastelle pink hair wept like a waterfall down to the middle of the person's back. A dense black dress fitted to their form, showing off a large amount of cleavage, and accentuating the rest of their features. Purple and black hues surrounded eyes of brighter pink than their hair. The dim light shined in their eyes, giving life to otherwise dull and sullen portals of the soul. The woman stands there for a while. Watching, Waiting. Patient and steady breathing, she shows no sign of emotion as she gazes over the two. Finally, she clears her throat forcefully and bangs her long, curved black scythe on the stone with power.

Both Nerissa and Elizabeth respond. They awake, startled and start looking around in alarm. The pale, smooth face of the Grim Reaper greets them, a smirk on her face.
“Ladies, I have a proposition for you. There are conditions that once bound to the oath, you can never prevent from happening.”
The two women look at each other, desperation and purpose on their respective faces. They nod in agreement.
“Go on.” Elizabeth says carefully.
Mori’s smile widens.
“Of course, back to what I was saying. If you agree I will free you. You will work for me as guards and assassins. You will do as I say. With your powers you will help me defeat the Phoenix Goddess Takanashi Kiara and crush her empire. I will rule the world, and thus grant you freedom. Although once the contract has expired; Nerissa, you will lose your demonic powers and Immortality. Elizabeth, you will be stripped of your place as Queen of the Bloodflame Kingdom. If either of you disobey, both of you will be killed by the mark I am to place on you.”

Quietly, the women discuss the terms of the contract, weighing up the pros and cons.
“We don’t have much choice. It’s this or rot in here until I die, or for you, it’s forever.” Elizabeth sighs and runs a hand through her messy scarlet hair.
“I understand and I agree.” Nerissa says.
They turn to the Grim Reaper and nod. Together the women say,
“I agree to the contract.”
That eerie grin appears yet again on Mori’s face.
“Perfect!”
She unlocks Elizabeth's cell first and grabs her wrist. Red light glows from Mori’s hand and carves an intricate symbol of a circle crossed with two scythes upon Elizabeth’s wrist. Next, she unlocks Nerissa and does the same.
“Welcome to the Underworld, follow me.”

Chapter Text

“AAAAARRRGGHH!”
Green light envelops Nerissa. It bounces off the stone and casts a deathly glow. The light shoots from the outstretched fingers of Mori and arcs like lightning into a ball of energy. High-pitched screams continue to flow out of Nerissa as her real body is reunited with her soul. Sweat runs down Mori’s face as she grimaces with effort. A few metres away, Elizabeth stands still, her mouth locked open with horror embedded on her face. There is a thud as Nerissa slumps to the hard ground. Slowly, she wakes and attempts to get up. Elizabeth immediately runs forth and helps her up by grabbing her under the arms and snaking hers around Nerissa’s waist, feeling the long dark hair brush her fingertips. For some reason, it feels intimate to her. She fights the impending blush and tries to shake the thought from her head as she feels her companion's slick, sweaty skin against hers.
“Bloody hell, are you okay?” Her heavy accent weaves its way around her tongue.
Her new found friend tilts her head to look at her. She has a feverish smile but is able to detach herself from Elizabeth and hold her weight with her legs.

Mori watches the two with amusement. Her patience is wearing thin. She has other things of importance to attend to.
“If you are able, I will give you a quick tour of the Underworld.”
The two women look at each other and nod at their benefactor. She sets off at a walk, taking the steps two at a time before reaching a large iron door and producing a ghostlike blue key out of thin air. The door swings open, and Mori gestures for the two to walk through. She locks the door behind them. The view that they are greeted with is perilously stunning. They stand on a small outcrop of rock that looks over a sea of bright lime green water. It churns and flickers so much that it looks like a sea of fire. On the far side of the green mass is a large black marbled temple. Huge pillars rose far above and ran into the ceiling of the cavern. The outside gardens were rows of small white flowers, the petals of which glowed with their own internal luminescence.

A whistle so clear and piercing cut through the stale air. Mori gestures with her right hand to below where the outcrop of rock ends. Out of nowhere, a small rowboat with three seats appears; it has that same ghastly blue glow that the key made by the Grim Reaper had. Elizabeth goes pale and starts shaking her head. Pink hair flies for a second before crashing back down as Mori jumps into the boat. She extends her hands.
“Here, come.”
Nerissa isn’t too keen on the unstable-looking ghost boat either, but she attempts to look brave in front of Elizabeth to hopefully inspire some confidence. She takes one long, white, slender leg and places it in the boat, applying pressure and tries rocking it. It stays still. With the safety checked, she brings her other foot into the confines of the blue glow and turns around. Elizabeth still has a queasy, unconfident look on her face, making her pale skin turn somehow lighter. It makes her look like a bunch of ashes among a fire with how her hair shines.
“It is safe. You do not need to worry, dear. Hold my hand as you step in.” Nerissa says.
Suddenly the woman's eyes fill with obedience. Her body shaking, she passes out one of her hands, feeling the intense warmth and energy radiating from Nerissa’s. She finds that it helps steady her nerves, to make her feel ready to take on any challenge. This still doesn’t inspire the utmost confidence, but it makes do. With her scarlet eyes closed, she pulls one leg into the boat and soon follows it up with her other. She shakes the whole time and tries to focus her mind on the feeling of Nerissa’s hand. Someone clears their throat and Elizabeth opens her eyes. She sees Mori staring at her.
“Shall we get going then?”

The journey was not one that she would be interested in doing again, but Nerissa looks over her shoulder as she steps onto the dark rock. Elizabeth is blue in the face and looks like she is about to throw up. As Nerissa watches her step off the boat, almost instantly, she lurches and brings herself to the edge of the rock, starting to gag and vomit. A pure protective instinct rushes over Nerissa, and she dashes to her new friend's side and pulls back the long, lush locks of scarlet hair into a makeshift ponytail with her hands. As her friend is throwing up, she runs her hand over her back in concentric circles and gives the slightest of pats every once in a while.
“You’re okay hun, you’re okay.” Nerissa whispers softly.
Elizabeth is breathing heavily, a putrid taste in her mouth. No more contents of her stomach seem to want to come up.
“Thanks.”
She stops for a moment and seems to deliberate on something.
“Oh, you can call me Liz, if you like. My mother used to call me that when I was a little girl. I think it’s quite cute.”
The raven-haired beauty smiles warmly.
“Liz? It is cute. Very fitting, if I might say.”

Elizabeth's face darkens at the playful flirt, reducing the contrast between her skin and hair. Nerissa laughs, causing her ample bosom to jiggle in the white striped collared shirt she wore, outlined by a hip-height black vest. This is something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Elizabeth. She tries not to look, but her eyes get drawn back. She can feel something turning inside her, wanting to see and touch. She shakes her head to clear her mind and brings her eyes up from the floor and meets Nerissa’s gaze, a knowing smirk on her beautiful face. She doesn’t say anything, and neither does Nerissa, who stands up and clasps her hand around hers and pulls her up. They walk to a visibly unhappy Mori, who just shakes her head and sighs.
“Come on, keep up.”

The Grim Reaper turns and makes her way in a fit of annoyance towards the two large black steel doors. They rose to about halfway up the cavern's ceiling. Inlaid with deep violet swirls and cold grey studs that jutted out randomly. With a simple wave of her hand, Mori commands the doors to swing open, and they give way to a wide room. A strip of black felt carpet ran down the centre of the room from where the doors opened. At the other end was a chiselled throne of dark obsidian. Pure midnight black intermingled with violet, just like the doors. The only exception was the numerous blinking blue and pink dots that resembled space. It sat upon a raised dais and provided a view of everything else in the room. On either side of the space, doors lined the walls. Some were open, others were closed and were only simple wooden ones, nothing like the one at the entrance. The walls themselves were made of that same black marble that the pillars outside were. The place smelled of light incense and a mild smokiness that resembled good quality tobacco.

Mori looked back and saw the glamour in the girl's eyes.
“It is a nice throne room, isn’t it? I would have thought, Elizabeth, that you would have had something as extravagant, if not more so.”
Elizabeth stops peering around and shows a hint of jealousy as she talks.
“No, I did not. Nothing this…prodigal and excessive. It suited its job and that is it.”
Curious and seeking to patronize, Mori raises an eyebrow.
“I guess I was wrong. Your kingdom can’t have been that powerful if your throne room was that of a tiny, dishevelled chamber.”
Furious, Elizabeth shouts.
“HOW DARE YOU! You would speak ill of those that are to help you, have you no manners?”
Nerissa wraps her arms around the Queen's shoulders and holds her back as she squirms, trying to get at Mori.
“Hmmm. How is it that you’re trying to decipher what I mean when you don’t even know me? Do you think you’re better or more righteous than others purely because of your title? If that is true, then you are no less than I. Let me remind you. You are in MY jurisdiction, who you are and what you do is of no quarry of mine. As long as you remain in the Underworld, you are under my rule and will be treated as such.”
She walks forward and retreats the black sleeve of her dress up her arm.
“If words will not suffice for you, then I will teach you another way.”
Nerissa lets go right as she understands what is happening, but it’s too late. Elizabeth is still bound by her while Mori’s outstretched hand flies flat and crosses her cheek with a resounding slap.

After that outburst of emotions, Mori walks off.
“I will show you to your rooms. Your gear has been collected and put in each room, respectively.”
They follow her through twists and turns, up staircases, and through blighted gardens that hold flowers and plants, the likes of which have never been seen in the overworld. Their guide stops in front of two metal doors.
“We’re here. Nerissa, your room is on the right. Elizabeth, yours is on the left. Amenities are included. If you need more soap or towels, ask one of the servants. They are the little ghost spirits floating around in maid uniforms. There are onsens on this floor at the far end. I will let you get settled.”
With that, she stalks off.

As Nerissa opens the door, it does not creak. A scent of ginger and toasted nuts hit her, it was shocking. To the left sat a large fireplace blazing with flames. To the right was a huge four-posted bed. It was around the size of two king-sized mattresses fused into one and had long black drapes that hung down to isolate the bed and the rest of the room. From where she was standing, the opposite wall was pure glass. The view was of the green water and countless other black marble temples. In other words, it was a nice caveat, but nothing that really made someone gasp in awe. Past the fireplace was an ensuite with an open double shower for two, a black toilet, and a tub the size of a swimming pool. Behind the bed was an open-plan wardrobe that stretched back as far as the eye could see, filled with women's clothing, shoes, and accessories. It’s insane that she provided this. It feels like something from back home, completely different from the rest of the place. She looked stunned and taken aback by the kindness that Mori had shown in her hospitality. The day's toll had made her tired, and she felt like she was being pulled to bed. Throwing back the drapes and snuggling under the black covers, she concedes to sleep.

…

A fair woman with scarlet hair lay on the bed in front of her, her hair all messy and covering her blushing face. The girl was naked, and so was Nerissa. Hunger ebbed at her so badly that it made her half-crazy. She licked her lips in anticipation. Her breasts rose and fell with the deep breaths that racked her body. She crawled onto the bed and positioned herself over the girl. Nerissa ran her hands up from the girl’s muscular, tense calves, tracing a path of stimulation over her thighs, making the girl whimper. Her fingers inched closer and closer to the girl’s vagina. She teased her. The girl had her eyes closed, and her fists were scrunching the bed sheets tightly. The girl let out an exasperated sigh as Nerissa swirled her hands around her wet pussy and up her flat, chiselled stomach. She tried to muffle her moans of pleasure at the overstimulation by burying her face into the covers, but this only sent waves of gratification coursing through Nerissa and making her more desperate to explore every crevice of her partner's body.

Nerissa trailed her fingers up to the girl’s heaving breasts. She swept each index finger beneath the under boob, feeling the plumpness engulf and mold to to her as she abducted her fingers. Warm skin became sweaty, and applied a sticky lubrication that made Nerissa’s touch feel even more invigorating for the girl. Her quiet whimpers cascaded into moans. She sighed out Nerissa’s name lovingly, tenderly, and bequeathed her curvy body to Nerissa, who now ran circles with the tips of her long nails around her rock-hard pink nipples. She flicked the nubs, causing the girl to squeal in delight and shiver in ecstasy. Now she straddled the girl at her chest with her thighs and dipped her mouth to her small, red ears. Blowing carefully, she provided cool sensations. The girl responded in kind. She broke out into Goosebumps and moaned louder. Nerissa whispers sweet nothings into her partner's ear and then suddenly bites it hard. Under her, the girl squirms in pleasure as she feels her climax coming. Anymore of this and she would be screaming incoherently. With her deep crimson eyes, Nerissa locks eyes with the red-haired girl whose body she was relishing in ravaging. She slips her right hand down between her thighs and reaches back. The girl arches her back in anticipation, and a shred of desperation to be touched more. Her finger hovers in the air for a second as she stares into the other girl’s scarlet eyes, and then she starts moving it towards her vagina.
….
She bolts awake, her whole body feels like it’s on fire, and as she lifts her right arm, she can see that she is dripping in sweat. Peeling back the covers, the bed’s dressing is caked in her body's liquid. It smells like sweat, but it has an undertone that gives off a scent that seems like something else is mixed in. Given the dream, Nerissa thinks she knows, and, luckily, she sleeps nude as well. She sits up, her skin glistening in the warm light of the fireplace. Her raven black hair is messy and tangled in some places, so much that the blue under streaks are barely visible. Confusion and distance are etched onto her face as she slumps over and holds her face in her hands.
"Who was that? Do I know them?"
She stays like that for a while, until she decides to get dressed and find a maid to change her sheets.

After doing that, on her way back, she spots Liz in front of her door, pacing in her armour.
“Liz?”
She whips around at the sound.
“Oh! You scared me. Couldn’t sleep, huh?”
Nerissa looks down and drags her feet in shapes on the carpet floor. She chuckles a little, ashamedly.
“Yeah, something like that, I guess.”
Liz looks at her weirdly but ignores the strange behaviour and speaks.
“Mori is giving us our first task. She sent me to bring you to the throne room so she can give us the details of the mission.”

Chapter Text

Back in the throne room, Nerissa shivers at the coldness of the open space. Mori sits in the carved obsidian seat, holding her large, black, curved scythe between her legs with one steely fist. Black steel glinted in the green firelight as rows upon rows of soldiers stand to attention, lining either side of the Grim Reaper and stretching back ten metres until the walls end. In her other hand, Mori is holding two thick aluminium chains that attach to the necks of two women. They look very similar, and it’s hard to tell them apart. The biggest giveaway is that one has blue streaks in her long blonde hair, a blue belt, and a black and blue jacket over her white dress, which reveals a lot of upper breast. Her eyes are pink and she is slightly taller. The other woman is the opposite, with short hair and a colour scheme of pink with bright baby blue eyes. This one has a flat chest and wears a crop top that does not provide a view of cleavage. Instead, her slim, muscled stomach is on show. Both of them have ears like those of a dog with wild tufts of white hair protruding from their ears.

“What I want you to do, my newfound underlings, is to sneak into one of Takanashi Kiara’s training camps along the border of the KFP Kingdom and find out what they have been preparing for. It has been rumoured that they are getting ready to launch an assault on one of our primary resource centres in the Violet Ocean. We are in an alliance with the people of those waters, and it is our duty to protect them as well as our supply routes of ores and minerals. We are to find what they are planning and report to the Tentacle Queen, Ninomae Ina’Nis.” Mori declares to a room full of people enraptured by her speech.
There is a respectful applause when she finishes. She stands up, her black dress hitching up her legs to reveal chiselled calves; it’s clear that she works out. Making her way down the steps of the raised dais, Mori continues towards Elizabeth and Nerissa. The two dog-girls follow suit and bound in their master's wake.

Her face is serious and shows worry.
“You are to leave right away. I will conjure a portal for you and give you a way back for when you have gained as much info as you can. I see you both have your weapons. I am also assigning these two girls to watch over you.”
With that, Mori unlinks the chains from their collars and weaves a sign in the air with her right hand. A green swirling portal opens in mid-air. She hands a a small green gemstone to the taller, blue girl.
“Use this to get back. Throw it on the floor, shatter it, and it will create a portal back here just like this one.”
Mori pats the two on the head, making them smile and bark in happiness. One blonde fluffy, and one fuzzy tail whips back and forth. The four of them walk through the portal with a nod of the head to show they understand. With the situation at hand, they all realise that they don’t have time to waste.

….

As she steps out, Elizabeth's stomach churns and she instantly throws up.
“I w-will n-never get over that feeling.” She sputters.
Nerissa walks out of the portal slightly disgruntled but otherwise fine.
“Oh come on! It’s not that bad.” She laughs lightly.
Elizabeth shakes her head and stands up.
“It’s alright for some innit love? You’re a demon for bloody sake’s, so of course something like that isn’t gonna ruffle your feathers.” Her rough Bloodflame accent writhes in disgust.
“Not really nice to to make fun of me for being normal, devil spawn.”
This only make Nerissa laugh harder, causing her whole body to shudder.
“Awww. You know I’m only jesting darling. I wouldn’t put somebody down when they’re out of their comfort zone.”
The dark look on Liz’s face lightens but a trace of unsaid hurt at the joke still lingers.

“WOOOAAAHHH!” The two dog-girls yell.
They run to the ashamed Nerissa and butt-hurt Liz. The two make cute puppy dog eyes at the previously arguing women.
“No need to fight, Ruff!” The blue one says.
“You are on the same team, nya!” The pink one continues.
The fluffy blue one brings the attention back to her by starting with another loud sound.
“AH! I am Fuwawa, and this here is my sister-”
“Mococo!” The pink one finishes.
At the same time, they yell excitedly.
“AND TOGETHER WE ARE FUWAMOCO! YAY!”
Silence ensues. Liz and Nerissa just look at each other with dumbfounded expressions.
“Wow, where did THAT energy come from?” Nerissa chuckles.
Elizabeth reaches out her hand.
“I am Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame, Queen of the Bloodflame Kingdom! It is nice to meet you.”
Fuwawa and Mococo take turns shaking the Queen's outstretched hand. Nerissa introduces herself and hugs each of the twins. With that done, they decide to get moving.

The foursome slips under the canopy of dense forest. The morning air is dewy, and frost covers the crunchy grass underfoot. Few rays of sunlight peek through the leaves and create a glowing, ethereal effect around whatever they reach. It is not long before the group finds the forest becoming sparser and sparser, until it ends completely. When they step out, all four let out an audible gasp. A large stretch of land is surrounded by mountains that dip and then rise higher in sections. Upon the mountain peaks directly opposite them, the sun climbs higher. The sky is a mixture of colours. The joyous yellow of the sun, the pinkish hue of the fading darkness, deep ocean blues that give way to the day's brilliantly cerulean cloudless depths. In the centre of the sheer valley is countless tents, brick buildings, shade cloth structures, and innumerous amounts of people. The distant shouts of soldiers, the clang of steel, arrows thwacking targets, and the bustle of markets propelled themselves around the otherwise empty cavernous space and floated up to the four women's ears.

As they navigate their way down the unruly course of the mountain, the day begins to recede. The number of animals they see on the trails and among the bushes is getting less and less. Fuwawa and Mococo aren’t fazed by the landscape. The two of them bounce around, hunting rabbits and the occasional bird, taking infrequent breaks to wait for the slow humans, Liz and Nerissa, to catch up.
“Ahhhhh.” Elizabeth yawns, her mouth opens wide, and one eye shuts due to the power of the reflex.
“Don’t do that or you’ll make me tired as well,” Nerissa says light-heartedly.
A curious but disdainful look crosses Liz’s face.
“Do demons get tired?”
A beautiful, but hearty laugh rises out of Nerissa. A bird flies around her head and lands on her shoulder.
“You see this bird here, does it need sleep? What do you think is the difference between a human and demon, a human and bird, or a demon and bird?”
Confusion crawls it’s way into Liz’s body.
“What?” She asks quietly, scratching her red hair.
“The only difference is how our body looks, what it is capable of, and how we choose to live. Every animal, no matter if it is from the sea, land, or sky, we all need rest as we are all living organisms. Is that not true?”

The bird flutters about Nerissa again. She pokes out a finger, and it lands on it willingly. Liz takes a deep breath, her chest and stomach stretching the material of her very short white and black dress underneath her white and red armour that adorns her arms and shoulders. She turns and looks into Nerissa’s eyes. There is meaning in those deep red abysses. Millennia of knowledge, a cesspool of emotions, and maturity are present. Both of them smile at each other. With her other hand, Nerissa slowly reaches out and cradles Liz’s left hand. She gently pulls it up so they now each have their arms straight. Her thumb caresses the back of Liz’s hand.
“I believe you try to hate me because of what I am, not because of who I am. I think that you hold onto a righteousness deep in your heart that you do not know of. This part of you spurns a creature that is unnatural, but it conflicts with your perception of how I have yet to show anything that matches your pre-conceived notions of a demon,” Nerissa sighs.
She lets go, averts her eyes and begins to walk away down the steep stream crossing.

“Wait!” Liz shouts after her.
“I don’t hate you! It’s just hard for me you know….”
Hearing the vulnerability in her shaking voice, Nerissa turns back and takes a step forward with wide eyes.
“It’s just. Well….”
Nerissa walks back up to the now downcast Elizabeth. She takes both of her hands into hers gently.
“Hey, It’s okay. If you need to tell me anything then I’m right here okay?” She says softly.
Tears form in Liz’s tired eyes. All around them is the sound of the water rushing past, the sway of the trees as the wind brushes through the leaves, and the occasional bird call. Slowly, Liz chokes back the tears that threatened to fall.
“When I was a little girl, a demon attacked our Castle. The Soldiers that fought it all died. We don’t know for sure why it was there, and why it did what it did. My father, the King, after seeing so many of his men fall, he went out and confronted the demon. He didn’t live to see the sunrise again. I can still remember the sounds the demon made. It sounded like a banshee at points, but at other times, it sounded like it was singing. It sounded like it was enjoying the killing spree. Nobody knows what happened to the demon. After it killed my father, it seemed like time and space were distorting, like it wasn’t real, or as if it was never even there. It left behind no marks or evidence that it had been there at all. A witch had been there that day. She had told us that the demon was sealed away, just that some of its power and consciousness had leaked out as the bonds of the seal weakened.” She breaks down into sobs at reliving the memory.

Nerissa hugs Liz as she cries. The story sounds familiar. Images flash through her head, and she can see herself standing in the middle of a castle's courtyard with her long, black handled tuning fork that separates into two sharp silver instruments at the end. It was javelin-like and had raven feathers along the handle. Dozens of men stood around her as her ghostlike body writhed, and as she shrieked and sang whenever she killed another man. Loud approaching talking broke her out of her daze. After a couple of seconds, the twins came out of some bushes on the other side of the stream. Mococo yells across to them.
“Hurry up! We have to get to the camp fast. It’s almost night time, and we can quietly slip in under the cover of moonlight.”
Nerissa pulls Liz up as she stands with her arms still wrapped around the woman's shoulders.
“We’re coming, sorry we just had a little incident there for a second.”
The two of them stride over the streams, crossing and past the twins. Nerissa looks over her shoulder.
“Come on, come on, be good girls and follow us.”
Fuwawa and Mococo look at each other with grins on their faces. They run to catch up to the others.

The sun had gone down a while ago. The sounds of the camp had faded out as the only people who now walked the site were night guards or the drunks who had been kicked from the tavern at its closing time. The four women had found a part of the wooden stake fence that was broken. It was bent out of shape and had a gap big enough to fit them all through if they squeezed.
“It’s time we get going, ruffians,” Fuwawa whispers, her fluffy dog ears perking.
Silently, she slides herself through the gap in the fence. She looks around, seeing no one, and gestures for the rest to follow her. Mococo slips in easily. The bustier Elizabeth struggles and gets stuck midway. Nerissa suppresses a chuckle, sighs, and then proceeds to help push her through by grabbing Liz’s big round butt, and heaving her. Liz falls through and lands on her hands and knees, pink creeping onto her face. After a second, as the others are making sure Liz is okay, Nerissa gives her left hand a small sniff. She smiles a little and nimbly climbs through the opening.

They are met with rows of tents, torches flicker within the space of every two to three, attached to the sides of wooden planks pushed into the ground. Fuwawa looks dedicated. She glances around, shushes the others with her index finger, and indicates for them to follow. The group almost gets caught a couple of times, but Fuwawa quickly comes up with a solution before the guard turns the corner. Once they reach the end of the tents, they come across a wide circle of dirt. In the centre is two men sword fighting, the clashing of steel on steel is loud, and they do not notice the four women scuffling around the archery equipment that lines the sides of the dirt arena. As they are exiting the other side, Mococo raises her hands to her head, makes a silly face with her tongue sticking out, and does a mocking dance. Fuwawa pulls her away, an unhappy look on her face.
“Stop it, you ruffian, you want to get us caught?”
She doesn’t wait for a reply and silently charges on ahead. The others follow their self-appointed leader.

After another close encounter, Nerissa catches Elizabeth's eye. They smile at each other, and Nerissa whispers.
“How are you doing?”
Liz raises both her eyebrows, widens her eyes, and makes an enthusiastic thumbs-up with both her hands. Nerissa has to suppress her laugh into her shoulder as another guard walks by their hiding spot. Once that guard has left, Fuwawa says,
“We should be good, time to keep moving.”
And so, under the cover of the night, the group finds their way into empty tents, stealing maps marked with supply routes and blueprints of weaponry. They come to a brick structure. It’s a half-enclosed alcove littered with an abundance of swords, bows, arrows, and daggers. Mococo goes to grab one, her small hands barely missing the hilt of the sword. It gets knocked off of its stand and clatters loudly to the floor, banging on a wooden stand that holds three bows on the way down, making even more noise.

….

Her skin feels like it's on fire. The sweat that runs across her back, down her face, and between her large breasts feel like boiling water. The navy blue hair that drapes from her head is in her face, occasionally getting in her mouth as she writhes and moans. Candles are scattered around the room, and it smells like vanilla and brown sugar. The lights are dim, and she can barely see her cute girlfriend beneath her, but she can definitely hear her.
“OH KRONII!” Her girl screams in ecstasy as Kronii’s fingers pummel her tight, wet pussy.
Her girlfriend's arms are wrapped tightly around her sweaty back as she lies on top of her, bodies pressed tightly against each other to feel as much contact as possible.

They swap positions. Now they lay looking at each other in the eyes as they grind their vaginas against the others. Moans fill the air, and Kronii can’t help but want to praise her beautiful brown brown-haired, hazelnut-eyed girlfriend. Two striped owl feathers sit atop her head, sticking out like two fingers making a peace sign, a reminder that she is only part human.
“I love you so much Mumei, I-AH!”
She struggles to finish her sentence as Mumei leans over as they ride each other, and pulls Kronii’s face into her small boobs. She then tilts Kronii’s head so that they are yet again, eye to eye. She stares into Kronii’s amalgamation of bright and dark blue eyes.
“I know you do, sweetie, I love you too.”
She smiles through the pleasure as she tries to keep her composure long enough to be able to talk.
“Now let me be your good little housewife, and I’ll get you off.”

Mumei pushes Kronii down so she's lying spread-eagled on the fluffy light grey blanket that covers the big bed. With her small fingers, she spreads Kronii’s lips and teases her with the nails on her fingers. She brings her face so close that she is within licking distance. Instead, she spits into the spread lips of her girlfriend and blows to bring about an icy chill on the sensitive area. This surprises Kronii, and she jumps a little at the sensation, her toned ass lifting off the bed and thudding when it comes back down. Invigorated at the reaction, Mumei doubles down and licks along the inside of her curvy, muscled thigh, smooching in places and softly biting. This also brings out a good reaction from her girlfriend as she moans louder at the unexpected stimulation. Kronii covers her face with her right arm in embarrassment at the novel things being done to her. She's never felt like this. She never even knew that Mumei was into this or could make her feel this good. This celebration of the past five years they’ve been together has made her see her girlfriend in a different way. No more, does she think Mumei is only that sweet, docile, submissive girl she usually is. Now, she knows there is a darker, kinkier side to her, and she’s excited to explore this newfound sexual freedom of her girlfriend.

Toes curl, and fists scrunch the blanket tight as Kronii holds on for dear life. The sensations pulsing through her body make her feel crazy, and out of control of her limbs. All she can do is lie there with her eyes closed, her breathing precariously heavy as her partner plays with every part of her muscled body. She has trained her body much, but this is something entirely different. Kronii is a slave to Mumei’s light caresses and passionate fondling. Mumei’s expert tongue dances between her extremely wet lips, knowing the places that make her feel best. At first, she will play at the entrance carefully, and the next second, she is sucking the soul out of Kronii as her tongue dashes in and out of her, going deeper and swirling around more with every lick. Beneath the loud, incoherent Kronii, the squelching of Mumei’s activities can be heard. At times, she will hold Kronii’s legs down to the bed so that she can get deeper, but other times she will tenderly grope her big breasts, occasionally flicking the rock-hard pink nipples and causing a crescendo of the groans emanating from her girlfriend's throat. Then she starts using her fingers as Kronii strains to talk.
“I’m getting close, don’t stop.”

Thick, gushy liquid coats her two fingers as she pumps them in and out, curling them upwards to hit Kronii’s G-spot. It’s not long before Kronii starts yelping in excitement, her whole body quivering violently as she orgasms. Mumei withdraws her fingers, pulls Kronii into a hug, kisses her, and asks,
“Want some wine, then you can do me?”
Kronii flops down onto the bed, trying to compose herself, and just nods, a look of complete enlightenment on her face.
“Wow,” she whispers, as she watches Mumei’s plump little behind bounce as she walks away.

The naked brown-haired girl trots back into the room joyfully, a bottle of expensive wine from the finest vineyard in all of the KFP Kingdom. Her smile radiates and brightens the room. It makes Kronii feel at ease, and her heart flutters whenever she looks at her endearing girlfriend. Mumei pops the cork off the vintage red and pours two half glasses. The scent has notes with a mixture of red cherry, plum, and cranberries. Mumei takes a whiff from her glass as she passes Kronii hers. Delight covers her face, and she takes a sip, swirling the velvety liquid around in her mouth to gauge the flavour before swallowing.
“AH.”
She smacks her lips, pleasantly surprised at the vibrancy of the flavour profile. Raising her glass. She nods at Kronii, watching her take a sip before placing her glass on the bedside table on her side of the bed that she sleeps on. Taking in the moment, she closes her eyes. She hears Kronii say seductively,
“My love, it must be time for your turn.”
Kronii’s arms snake around her naked back, and she can feel her partner's voluptuous breasts squishing against her. She replies,
“I can hardly wait, darling.”

They finish up, Kronii making Mumei squeal, and convulse like the naughty vixen she is. Lying there, arms wrapped around and her body spooning Mumei, Kronii’s mind flickers to her work. She should probably see to it that the camp is in good shape, that the soldiers are sleeping, and that there are enough supplies to last until their next shipment. Unwillingly, she huffs and detaches herself from the warmth of the nude Mumei she was snuggling. To Kronii, nothing smells better than Mumei. The combination of herbs and spices that are in the soaps she uses to clean herself, the intoxicating perfumes she wears, and the pheromones that exude from her pores and sweat as they make love, and how it lingers as they fall asleep together afterwards. It’s something she would give the world to stay with. She will never forget that smell, even if Mumei were to pass, fifty years later, Kronii would still remember. But alas, she has a job to do as Kiara’s second in command, and war general, to oversee the training of all new recruits and thus the facilities of the camp.

Pulling on the last of her blue suit, inlaid with golden embroideries and her white gloves, she takes one last glance at the love of her life, who smiles at her.
“See you when you get back, honey. I’ll be waiting, naked.” Mumei suggestively giggles as Kronii says
“I love you, Mooms.”
With that, she steps out into the chilly night air.

The night was silent. So far, Kronii hadn’t seen anyone. She walks slowly, her long legs taking small steps as she is deep in thought. Suddenly, she is awakened from her daze as a large crashing sound comes from nearby. Her heart pumps as her sympathetic nervous system kicks into action. Pupils dilate, and her mouth goes dry. She runs around the corner of a tent, and in the enclosed weapon rack, four random women stand in shock as they attempt to place all the weapons back on the stands. They hear her feet pounding on the dirt and look up, fear in their eyes.

Chapter Text

Nerissa looks up and sees a well-worn woman with blue hair rapidly lessening the distance between them. She has a commanding air about her.
“FUWAWA, THE PORTAL!” Nerissa yells.
She sticks out her hands and gestures for the gemstone. It is quickly handed over. Liz grabs Nerissa’s hand, Fuwawa grabs onto Mococo, who grabs onto Liz. Raising her arm and bringing it down hard, Nerissa shatters the gem at her feet. At the last moment, as they are getting sucked in by the explosion of a green portal, Fuwawa feels something strong grip her ankles, and she is yanked back. Mococo is pulled away as well. The portal shuts after having transported Nerissa and Elizabeth.

Fuwawa and Mococo hit the ground forcefully, their breath is squeezed out by the impact. They heave, attempting to sustain their oxygen stores. After having lain on the ground all bruised up and covered in the dirt that they had kicked up, they finally raise their gazes at the sound of a throat being cleared.
“Hm hm.”
Their dog ears stand up, alarmed that someone had been able to get so close without their notice. The woman’s crystal blue eyes blazed with fury.
“Explain yourselves, and I will decide what happens to you,” she sternly proclaims.
Mococo’s voice wavers in terror. The authority that the woman gives off is daunting.
“I-I-I….err.”
Fuwawa, ever looking out for her beloved sister, takes over.
“We are so sorry, miss. We are wanderers, and we chanced upon your settlement looking for shelter during the night. It seems our companions have abandoned us in a hasty flight out of fear for their lives. We mean you no harm, honest.” Fuwawa crawls towards the woman on all fours.
“Would you mind telling us your name, and will you perhaps help us ruffians?”

Distrust is evident in her stare, but she at least complies somewhat.
“I am the person in charge of this camp, the right hand of the KFP Kingdoms queen, the sole military operations chief and war general, Ouroboros Kronii.”
She takes her foot clad in black male dress shoes and lets it linger on the underside of Fuwawa’s chest, flicking dirt up on her white blouse. Her eyes seem to somehow narrow further, and a frown takes its place on her lips.
“Now, tell me who you really are, and what you’re doing here,” she says calmly.

“HUH?” Fuwawa gasps in shock.
She looks helplessly to Mococo, and then whips her head to Kronii, and repeats the gesture a couple of times. Finally, she seems to come to terms with the situation. Her shoulders slump, and her chest pushes down onto the shoe embedded between her breasts. Downcast, she says,
“So there is no fooling you, it can’t be helped. I am Fuwawa, that's my sister Mococo.”
Mococo’s face reddens with rage as her sister starts to divulge information to the enemy.
“S-Shut up, you idiot!”
She races forth, tackling Fuwawa by the stomach and clasping both hands over her mouth as they fall to the ground, Fuwawa on her back, and Mococo sitting atop her abdomen. Mococo cries out in pain as she feels hard enamel clamp down into the flesh on her hand. All the while, Kronii stands, casting her shadow over the two pups with smug smile on her face. Her amusement it seems, stems from a place of curiosity. Without that enduring trait of hers, one would find her getting impatient with the two. Alas, they may prove useful if she plays her cards right.

“If you two are done squabbling, then I would like to show some hospitality. Maybe that might invigorate some stories from you.”
Mococo looks with indignation at Kronii.
“As if you expect us-”
Her yells are interrupted by a loud rumbling. Surprised, she looks at her sister.
“I am…. hungry. It couldn’t hurt to take a look right? Its not like we have much choice anyway.”
That only reddens Mococo’s face, and she starts to spit out an angry stream of words.
“WE COULD RUN, GET OUT OF HERE. DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN WILLINGLY GIVE AWAY VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT COULD GET OUR FRIENDS KILLED!”
This visibly hurts Fuwawa. Her face contorts with pain. She starts to tremble, and tears form in the corners of her eyes. Talking slowly, and deliberately in a hushed tone, she says,
“I’m sorry but I honestly don’t think you know what you’re talking about. Get out of here? The moment we try to escape she will call for help and then hundreds of soldiers will be on us, and they are like to kill. I would rather talk then have there be a chance that you may die. I know its selfish.”
Tears spill and she falls into a bout of sobbing. Mococo doesn’t say anything but sit there staring down at her sister crying, her face somber and her eyes becoming wet as well.

The twins are led down paths that twist and turn through tents and brick buildings. Kronii stops at a clear patch of dirt, looks around, and, upon seeing nobody, brushes the ground with her right foot. Slowly, a metallic material is revealed, and the orange glow of nearby torches shines off. She bends down, causing the tight blue suit pants to stretch against her voluptuous cheeks and well-muscled thighs. Grabbing hold of an unseen latch, she groans in effort as she pulls open a circular hatch with a ladder leading straight down into darkness.
“Get in.”

….

Whoosh!
Nerissa and Liz materialise from nothing, a swirling green mass seems to spit them out, but it’s gone as soon as it appeared. Both of them hit the ground awkwardly, grunting as the impact sends a shockwave of pain through them. Around them, all is silent.
“Ah, are you okay?” Nerissa asks, drawing in deep breaths to steady her racing heart. Liz looks up from her position on the ground, sprawled out on her stomach. Through locks of crimson red hair, she laughs in absurdity.
“I am a knight; you need take no care of me.”
Standing up shakily, Nerissa shakes her head and lets out a soft puff of air to dissuade Liz’s comment.
“Really? You look like you’ve been in a tango with a bear, darling.”
She extends her hand and helps the sick-looking woman before her get up on both legs.
“I will say though Liz, you are dealing with the portal better already. You haven’t even vomited yet.” She says with a mix of sarcasm and genuine praise.
Liz’s eyes darken for a moment. She extends her pale right hand and pushes Nerissa away. They were awfully close, and the distance seems to ease her anger at the jab.
“Aw, come on. Don’t tell me, little Miss Knight gets angry when I’m complimenting her.”
Elizabeth sees red for a moment.

“I DON’T FEEL LIKE PLAYING AROUND WHEN OUR FRIENDS HAVE BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE,” Elizabeth screams in pure rage.
“It’s our fault; the least we can do is not stuff around and find a way to help them.”
Her voice quietens, almost to a whisper. Guilt overcomes Nerissa for acting the way she did.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to discount the situation we’re in.”
The two of them fall silent as they finally come to a stop to take in their surroundings. Large streams of bright green water fall from seemingly empty space and disappear into invisible depths. The cavern must rise and fall far further than what a human or demon eye can perceive. The sound of the water rushing is present, but it sounds more like the hushed hiss of a snake. The two of them stand upon a black stone bridge. Torches line the sides in braziers, casting a sickly lime glow off the stone.
“Well, it took us to the Underworld. How does she expect us to know how to get back to her temple?” Liz shakes her head in confusion, bringing a hand up to face palm.

After having walked for what feels like ten or so minutes, the bridge still protrudes out in front of the two with no sign of tapering to an end. For the girls, confusion wavers into frustration. Nerissa wanders off to the side of the bridge.
“What the fuck!”
At the outburst, Liz just smiles.
“Has she tricked us, and this was all a setup? Walk on a never fucking ending bridge until we die?”
Walking over to Nerissa, Liz places a warm hand on her companion's heaving shoulder in comfort. Even though Nerissa is looking the other way, she shakes her head.
“Something doesn’t feel right, she said it would take us back to her, TO HER. Wherever she currently was. It must have malfunctioned and spit us out randomly nearby.”
Nerissa sighs deeply and continues talking.
“How do we get help then?”

Liz snakes her arm under Nerissa’s, who is leaning both arms on the side of the bridge. Black hair tickles her hand as she reveals the remains of the crystal.
“It didn’t break when we used it.”
Her mouth open, Nerissa stares in awe.
“It’s blue. How is it blue? It was green, wasn’t it?”
She whips around and grabs hold of both of Liz’s arms. Liz nods in affirmation.
“Yeah, it was.”

Still amazed, and her mind going a million miles an hour, Nerissa says what Liz had been thinking.
“Something went wrong with the crystal, and it spat us out in a different location.”
Liz nods in agreement.
“I think I remember a story about the Bridge of Dread. Unaccounted-for souls are sent here to roam for eternity. The only way off is to jump and gain access via death.”
Nerissa looks at her grimly.
“So there's no other way, huh?”
Another shake of the head. Fear creeps into Liz’s eyes as she realises what's about to happen. She lunges forward and yells for Nerissa to stop. She’s too slow. Both feet leave the ground, and black hair flashes downwards.
“NO!”
She plunges after the reckless demon in a flurry of red.

….

Mori raises the glass to her lips. The last contents are drained into her mouth. She smacks her lips in satisfaction, and one small droplet runs from the corner of her bottom lip. Staring at the back of the large doors that adorn her throne room, she sighs. Dark circles dig deep under her eyes. The usually hot pink of her iris’s are dull and muted. The room is empty except for her. Her back is slumped, arms draped over the armrests. Her heart is filled with anger. That anger is the breeding place for a covert sense of desperation that grows within her every day. A lack of control eats away at her. With one shaky hand, she raises the arm holding the glass slowly. Painful moans pulse like waves from her throat. A deep sadness lies behind every muscle contraction as she tries to steady herself.
CRASH!
Glass shatters across the floor in front of her throne.
“Oh, Orpheus.”
Sobs rack her body. She knows that if anyone saw her now, they would think her weak. She hates feeling like this, but the grief has finally come to be paid its due.

….

Nerissa breaks through the surface of the water, coughing and spluttering. The water is flowing fast, and she has to fight to stay afloat.
SPLASH!
Something hits the water like a meteor a metre from her. She couldn’t tell what it was due to the velocity, but thinks it looked like a person. Opening her wings that lay dormant around on either side of her waist, she takes a breath and plunges. Being a demon means that the water does not irritate her eyes; it is as easy as seeing on land. Something flailing can be seen far off. She flaps her wings to generate momentum against the current. The closer she gets, the more and more it looks human. Now barely a couple of meters away, she lets out a gurgle, the sound not travelling very far in the water.
“Liz!”
Pushing forward, Nerissa wraps her arms around Liz’s upper body and starts the struggle of moving towards the surface.

At last, they breach and begin to draw in ragged breaths rapidly. They float along, Nerissa’s arms cradling Liz like a baby. Finally, the stream slows. Turning the bend, Mori’s temple can be seen. Grabbing a hold of a thick black gnarled dead tree root, Nerissa helps Liz clamber up before she pulls herself up. From beside her, a whisper comes.
“We made it. That actually worked.”
Nerissa looks over and replies nonchalantly.
“You just needed to trust me.”
Worry seeps into Liz’s expression.
“You were jumping off a bridge into nowhere! For all I had known, you might have been jumping to your death.”
A tear slips from her left eye, leaving a streak on her smooth skin. A faint sob. A wet sniffle. Nerissa pulls Liz close, wrapping her arms around her torso tightly. She guides Liz’s head onto her firm shoulder and pats her back consolingly.
“I apologise for making you worry. When we get back, how about we ease our stress at the onsen?”
Red eyes flick up, and a warm loving smile spreads across Elizabeth’s face.
“That would be lovely.”

The large double doors crack open. The scene before them is anything unlike what they were expecting. Mori sits in a stupor on her throne. Both legs are spread wide open over the armrests. In the dim torchlight, it is hard to see. Nerissa and Elizabeth’s eyes are drawn to Mori’s hiked-up dress. No underwear is present, and dried blood is caked all the way down her legs. On the floor is something that pulls at their heartstrings. Dread fills them, and they understand that the worst has happened.
“Oh my god,” Liz whispers.
They stand there, unsure of what to do.
“But she wasn’t pregnant, wasn’t she?” Nerissa asks in confusion.

“Mori?”
They shake her gently.
“Mori, can you hear me? Are you okay?”
Her glazed-over eyes tell the tale of trauma. Spit dribbles solemnly from her parted lips. Her breathing is uneasy; a whistle emanates with every breath in and out. Liz crouches to the floor. It’s sticky and coated in a film of blood. The tiny baby that lies in a pool of embryonic fluid does not move, nor does it breathe. Rolling her hand in her wet dress, she turns the baby over so that its face is up. She looks over its genitals. Her voice is hoarse, both disgust and a great sadness are evident.
“It was a girl, Nerissa.”
Tears fall as she crouches over the body of a little girl who never got the chance to live.
“Mori must have kept this a secret; otherwise, this wouldn’t have happened. The little girl must have been dead at birth.”
Liz’s sadness grew bitter. The unfairness of the situation could have been avoided.
“It’s her fault.”
Nerissa stops taking care of the unconscious Mori, who was now covered up and looking less like a corpse. She turns slowly.
“Her baby wouldn’t have died if she weren’t so selfish.”

SMACK!
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! It’s clear that something went wrong other than no medical supervision. Besides, we don’t even know if the Grim Reaper can have children. For all we know, the pregnancy was an accident, and this is just what happens. She’s dead, for fucks sake. How is she fertile in the first place?”
Liz rubs the burning red handprint on her left cheek. She accepts the consequences of her words with no less than dignation.

With everything cleaned up, all they can do is wait. Both women have dark circles under their eyes. The mission had failed. Two of their group have been taken hostage, and now their leader has had a stillbirth. Slow groans escape from Mori’s parted lips. Elizabeth and Nerissa jump in fright. Their bottoms that had been firmly planted on the cold, hard floor rose and fell. They get up and check on Mori. Her eyes were no longer glazed over. Pain was embedded in the pink circles that stared up at the roof. She was breathing heavy, and now that the groaning had begun, she seemed to find comfort in expressing how she felt through the noise.
“We should try getting her to drink,” Liz says.

Nerissa nods and hastily sees to the task. A couple of minutes go by, and she comes back with a goblet of water that is sloshing around. Nerissa spills some on the floor as she practically jogs up to where Mori sits on her throne. She passes the goblet to Liz, who brings it up to Mori’s parched-looking lips. Ever so gently, Liz tips a small amount in, and surprisingly Mori swallows it.
“I don’t know if it’s because she’s the Grim Reaper and has godlike abilities, but her body is healing way too fast. It isn’t normal to bounce back this fast from a catatonic state after trauma,” Liz says.
More water this time is carefully poured into Mori’s mouth. She swallows it instantly. Her eyes are still fixed on the roof, but the pupils have started to shift and dilate.
“Do you think we should let her see the baby's body when she recovers?” Nerissa asks.
Liz grunts in affirmation.
“Yeah, we will also have to ask what she wants done with the body.”
The two look at each other, uncomfortable with the topic.
“This is so messed up,” Liz whispers as she shakes her head.

The two of them stay by Mori’s side as her body heals itself at an alarming rate. Both of the women sit on the black marble in silence. Their chests rise and fall asynchronously. The only sound is their light breaths mixed with Mori’s heavy ones.
“Aaaacck.”
Nerissa and Liz look up, eyes wider than a threatened deer. Rattling coughing ensues. It sounds phlegmy. Pastel pink hair falls into their view on the floor. Mori is doubled over, her head mere centimetres from her thighs. Liz stumbles onto her feet, and begins worrying over the injured woman in front of her.
“How are you? Can you hear me?”
Another bone shaking cough.
“I-I’m.”

Mori stops. She thinks for a while. Gloominess overcomes her like a fever. Dark fervent circles lie beneath her eyes. A distant look exudes from the depths of her sullen, hurting pink eyes. Finally, she says something.
“It’s not fair.”
Nerissa and Liz exchange grim expressions. Nerissa speaks in a calming, warm tone, like one a mother would use when trying to console her child that had lost its doll.
“What's not fair?”
Mori's eyes dart to hers, boring into her. Repressed anger, hopelessness, and an understanding that the world is an unkind place boil like molten lava. They mix. A devastating acceptance of terms of what it means to be a woman, even one so powerful. No one is safe from the clutches of evil when it bears its ugly fangs.

“Choices must be made. To take, you must first give something in return, especially when what you are taking is gifted for free.”
Mori brings a hand up to her face as a tear slides down her cheek. Mournfully, she slowly wipes its salty grime off her face.
“I knew what would happen, but I just had to see, for a woman like me, a child is yet to be free,” she sighs half-heartedly.
“Being destined to an eternal life with only the souls of the dead as company would take its toll on anyone. I admit, I yearned for a feeling of escapism, of a fleeting sense of intimacy if even for a night. It was I who deceived a young man so in love that he would entertain me for a mere moment of my long life just so that he could save his wife from this place.”
Her confessions said, Mori relaxes and slumps back into the solid coldness of her throne.

The heels of their shoes echo as they dawdle in an uncomfortable silence. It’s petulant, overbearing. The throes of the last days seep weariness into every aching muscle and bone in their bodies. Alas, they return to the corridor outside their rooms. Neither speaks as they crack open their respective doors and slam them shut. Nerissa’s skin crawls in sweat and excruciating revulsion. She pulls off her vest and throws it on the floor, not bothering to fold it. Next is her shirt, which joins the rumpled vest in a mound of filth on the grey carpet. Finally, she drags the flexible matte skirt from her sticky thighs carefully with the tips of her index and thumb.
“Ew.”
Nerissa climbs into bed, feeling the smooth sheets pull her in.

Sleep does not come. Nerissa lies awake with memories of the recent traumatic events plaguing her mind. She shifts often out of an uncomfortable reflex. Tossing, turning. Tossing, turning. That's her night. Sometimes her mind wanders. Rarely, but brief conceptions that first appear more pleasant, turn sour like an unripe green apple. Her skin is sticky and unbearable, but the fatigue in her body relentlessly prevents her from getting up and having a refreshing shower. She rummages under the sheets some more. As soon as she has gained the courage to pull herself into a seated position at the end of the bed, a knock sounds at the door. Nerissa sighs and closes her eyes in frustration. Whoever it is must have a reason for disturbing her, given that not many people reside in the Underworld, let alone the Grim Reapers temple.

Without realising that she is still in her dirty, sporty underwear that she wore on the mission, Nerissa shouts out to the person on the other side of her door.
“Come in!”
The steel door cracks open and a head of long, dazzling red hair greets her. Elizabeth walks in, casting a look over the room. Her eyes fall on Nerissa’s almost nude form. She blushes, her face turning bright red instantly. Liz covers her eyes dramatically and turns away, she herself in a cute pyjama suit with baby brown bears. Nerissa looks stunned for second, then she glances down at herself.
“Really, this warrants that kind of reaction?”
Liz seems to pull herself together at the calming nature of Nerissa’s voice.
“Sorry, I was just surprised. I didn’t expect that when I walked in.”
Nerissa nods and pats the bed next to her.
“Come tell me what's up,” she says.

Liz’s voice shakes slightly.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
She holds her head in her hands as she rubs her tired-looking eyes.
“Do you think everyone will be okay, Nerissa?”
Looking at her and gently placing an arm around Liz’s shoulders, Nerissa says,
“I don’t know. We don’t know the enemy or what the twins are like. We also don’t know much about the Grim Reaper.”
Liz just grunts and drops her head into Nerissa’s arm.
“I hope it all turns out fine.”
Nerissa strokes Liz’s head comfortingly and twirls some of her red hair in her thin fingers, looking deep in thought.
“You humans.”
Nerissa stops to make a little tutting noise.
“Do they really mean that much to you?”
Liz turns her head so that she's looking up at Nerissa. She smiles and looks straight into her beautiful eyes.
“You all do. You make it sound like caring is what makes me human. Do you not have anyone you truly care about?”
Nerissa smiles back wholesomely and replies with a flutter in her stomach.
“I guess I do.”

They sit there on the edge of the firm bed for a while in silence, Nerissa cradling Elizabeth’s head. Nerissa breaks the silence.
“I need to wash. I don’t know how you are dealing with my sweaty, stinky self right now.”
Liz laughs.
“I don’t mind it. It shows character.”
The two laugh at this comment until their amusement fades. They sit contentedly with each other's company.
“I was actually going to ask if you wanted to go to the onsen to unwind when I came in,” Liz says.
Nerissa’s stomach flutters again. She grins through the tiredness.
“I would love that.”