The Koi & The Dryad

Night rubs his temple, while I continue to pace, how are we supposed to free the Dryad. I mean wouldn't her handing us the Koi set her free. Unless her curse runs deeper than that. But why would a Dryad be the guardian of the Sacred Koi?

"I know," Night says pulling me from my thoughts.

"What?" I rub the side of my head at least the Dragon Realm was easy why couldn't this be as well. Granted all we did there was Assassinate the Dragon King to keep him from colluding with Nathalia but still a lot easier than this.

"It makes no sense," Night flicks my nose, "I just remembered something."

"What?"

"There was a story mom use to tell me when I was little," he walks up to the oak, "there was once a nymph who fell in love with a great Emperor but as fate would have it their love was domed," the Dryad remains in her tree but even though the wind has ceased her branches rustle, "the Empress Dowager wanted to conquer the now Koi Realm and needed a contract with the land folk.

"She found the nymph unworthy and attempted to burn her down. But when the Emperor learned of this, he threw himself into the flames so that even in death they could be together. What the Emperor didn't know, was that the Land Princess didn't want to be bound to the Undersea and so while pretending to help Empress Dowager and him she sent him to his death. After all, it was the Land Princess who convinced the Empress the best method was to burn the nymph," at Night's silence the Dryad steps out of the oak her eyes filled with sorrow.

"What else?" the Dryad asks.

"No one had ever seen the nymph and the Land Princess at the same time for she had been cursed at birth. The child of a mortal and a Deity that should have never been born. The moment the Emperor perished in the flames Princess Xia's curse broke and with it her heart. She had, lead her beloved to his demise, all that remained in the ashes was a Moonstone Koi. The Princess went mad, and wouldn't allow anyone near the place, where she murdered her beloved.

Forsaking her mortal skin, she dug her roots deep into the earth forever guarding his tomb. As atonement for her sins, she gave Empress Dowager her lands which lead to the creation of the Koi Realm," Night tilts his head, I can already guess what she wants from him, "I can't raise the dead nor would I want to. For what you've done, you have paid a thousand years rooted to that spot. He forgave you long ago and awaits you in the Underworld. Unless you join him, he will not be reborn."

The Dryad moves towards us the oak moving with her, "how do I know you tell the truth?" her crimson eyes give off an eerie glow, "your bloodline belongs to the Underworld, I'm certain you can bring him back."

"The problem with Deities," I say, taking one of Night's swords and stabbing it into the oak's heart, "is they don't know when to fold," the Dryad screams as I reach in and pull the Moonstone Koi out, "there's a part missing from that story."

"Oh, do tell," if Night is surprised, I was able to lift his sword he hides it.

I pull the sword free, "the Princess and the Nymph while one and the same had the same goal. Princess Xia wanted the Emperor dead, see she had met a mortal or so she thought but it turned out the mortal had deceived her. He was no other than the Emperor feeling cheated she devised a plan how could she know that treacherous night under the blood moon they had bound their souls. What drove her mad was feeling how he was burned alive not watching him die.

"Princess Xia guards the Emperor's tomb not out of love but hate," I lift the sword named Ash and bring it down with all my might. I don't know what's worse hearing the dryad scream now or having heard the demons screech earlier.

"Do I even want to know," Night summons the wooden box and I place the Sacred Koi inside.

"I'll tell you later," I hand Ash back to him and call my magic to me summoning a pair of wings of the blackest black I shoot into the sky.

Night follows behind me until we're flying side by side, "I see you finally got the hang of it."

"I'm a fast learner," I swop around him then forward. We fly like this until the sun starts to rise, circling each other trying to get ahead of the other until finally, we land by the River of Sorrows.

"Don't think I don't know what you were doing," Night keeps his wings extended brushing them on my own.

"I haven't the slightest clue as to what you're referring to," I turn and fly into the cascade, the water drenching my wings. Night's right beside me not missing a beat, "if I recall you made me a promise."

His eyes light up as I close my wings and start removing my clothes. He does the same his eyes not once leaving my own. And as promised I'm pinned against the cave wall his lips grazing my neck nipping my shoulder, breast, and abdomen until he's between my legs.

A delicious shiver runs through me his tongue tasting and prodding. At some point, we end up on the cave floor canines at each other's throats. My breath catches as he runs his hand up my calf past my knee and stopping inches from the desired spot. Night gives me a wolf's grin aware of what I want. When I let out a growl, he finally complies letting out a growl of his own.

The feel of him is electrifying I will myself forward, sinking my claws into his shoulder, as I flip him on his back, switching positions so I'm the one on top. I don't care if I die nor if anyone hears our moans of ecstasy, my claws dig into his side and he lets out a pleased growl his own claws sinking into my hip and thigh. We collapse in each other's embrace engulfing ourselves in a cocoon of shadows and darkness. Let the world burn for all I care.