The Crow

A dry desert sun beat down upon Khana.

She wasn't quite used to the intense heat—or the thin clothing that came with it. Standing in front of a merchant's stall, she examined a display of fine silks fluttering in the wind like colored fire.

Just four more days, she reminded herself. Four more days, and I'll be back in Yunirith City.

Fay had left the day before.

Her other companions had chosen to stay and train a little longer, so here she was—getting baked by the sun and haggling over silk she never thought she'd wear.

Her usual attire—hoodie and jeans—was far too heavy for this place. Something she never thought she'd admit. Now she wore a dancer's dress spun from silver-blue silk, light enough to breathe through, yet revealing enough to make her feel vaguely exposed. The open back and shoulder cutouts weren't for fashion—they were a necessity. A sheer scarf draped over her head to shield her from the sun. Beneath the gauzy fabric, she wore white shorts and a chest wrap for modesty.

Robes were too hot to wear here—and, apparently, inappropriate for women anyway.

The merchant looked her up and down as she browsed the silks.

"A young desert flower such as yourself must have a man accompany her when shopping," he said. "I don't mean to be rude, but you attract the eyes of many here. It would be wrong to lead their gaze astray. At least bring your father to keep their hungry stares off you."

Khana's amethyst eyes flicked up to the merchant.

"Death is always something beautiful and out of reach," she said softly. "Should anyone choose to approach me, I would commend them."

A faint smile tugged at her lips. The merchant gulped. Something about Khana threw him off—like a beautiful creature with horrid venom.

A guard approached her, clad in brown armor from head to toe. Not quite metal, not quite leather—some kind of durable weave made from local silk. It looked soft, but carried the rigid presence of armor.

"Lady Khana," the guard said carefully, "I implore you to move along. Though you are a guest of Fang, we cannot permit you to cause a commotion among the citizens."

Khana rolled her eyes.

"Then you can accompany me. I require a few more things. I wouldn't want to slip up and have to kill some poor man."

The guard grunted, clearly nervous.

"Very well. But please stay close. Your appearance is... exotic to most here in Ashumo."

She continued onward through the market. The stares remained—but the edge in them had dulled. Having a guard at her back wasn't so bad after all.

It wasn't just the heat that made Ashumo uncomfortable. It was the way men looked at her—like she was something rare and glimmering, a trinket on a faraway pedestal they had suddenly found within reach. It didn't bother Tase or Fay, but they were meatheads anyway.

In Yunirith, beauty was admired. In Ashumo, it was claimed.

Here, women were respected—on paper. In practice, they were possessions to be pursued, won, or owned. A beautiful woman without a man at her side was seen as an unspoken invitation. And Khana, with her pale skin, silver hair, and amethyst eyes, may as well have been wearing a sign that read "Collectible."

On their third day in the city, a sand-runner merchant had challenged Ty in the middle of the market—loudly, publicly, and with full ceremony. A traditional challenge for her hand, like they were living in a storybook.

Ty had taken it in stride, flashing that relaxed smile of his and declaring,

"She's not mine—but I'll break your ribs like she is."

And he had. Broke that poor man cleanly, leaving him bloodied on the sandstone. Most backed off when Ty was with her—but not all.

Twelve times in the four months they'd been here, men had challenged her.

Tase? Even more.

Though Tase handled it herself, grinning as she claimed anyone who could beat her could have her.

No one beat her.

Khana moved over a fruit seller's wares taking in the exotic aroma of the fruits native to the Sandsea. She picked up a large red one with scaled skin, its aroma was sweet, The seller eyed her and the guard accompanying her with envy in his stare, she smirked, "Ill take twenty of these here. Have them delivered to the Vrogoss Inn. She pulled out several oval coins from her silk garbs and placed them down. Each region had different shapes for their coinage, but the material was always the same, Ruby, silver, gold diamond, and onyx, in that order from least to greatest value. The coinage on the continent of Kurlt was oval shaped, in Grove, where Yunirith city was located, it was star shaped. 

The merchant nodded, his brown eyes counting the coins carefully as her took them. "Boy!" A young boy ran over. "Have these delivered to the Vrogoss inn." The Boy took several oif the fruits into a crate and ran off hurriedly. 

Turning toward the rest of the market, Khana moved on, she really enjoyed perusing the markets here when she could. Having many things constantly traded in Ashumo was a thing of pride for its people. Ashumo was a city that was small compared to most others, but its currency was the most valuable. Getting to trade your wares in this city for some, was an achievement. Getting her was not laughing mater either, it was a city that was in constant motion, floating on the shifting sands of the Sand Sea, pulled by enormous kites.

As she moved through the market the crowd got thinker, Merchants were yelling out their goods left and right, wafts of perfumes, and spices assaulted her nose, some of the were quite alluring, others repulsive.

Khana moved on towards a somewhat familiar stall, several sets of gadgetry where on display all running on small monster cores.

"Ornacs oddities, Gadgets for everything you can imagine! All the way from Yunirith City!" 

Khana stepped up and locked eyes with the Merchant Ornac, when he noticed his face went pale. "L-Lady Crow! W-w- what, I, but, you?1" He stammered incomprehensibly, making Khana chuckle.

"Ornac! What are you doing in Ashumo? Selling your weird contraptions?" She folded her arms a her mouth up turning into a snarky grin. 

"Ornac took a deep breath. "Listen now Lady Crow, We aren't in Yunirith, so y-you can have thing for free! Alright!" He had his best strong face on trying to appear confident. 

"Relax, Ornac. It's not like I ever robbed you. In fact, doing business in your shop alway brings in more customers. I paid you in publicity." Khana's eyes looked over the gadgets displayed on his stall.

"Now, lady Khana, I got a real invite to be here, If you are going to get something you have to pay, Ok?" His voice had that hint of worry that made it shake. "Please pay..."

Khana smiled, flicking her amethyst eyes up at him. " Ornac, you have something more deadly right?" Ornacs expression grew tired, and he let out a deep sigh. Of course he does. Khana knew Ornac well, out of all the inventors on the continent of Grove he was the most talented, and he could use his aura to shape monster cores to boot, a task even some of the most powerful Aura masters struggled with, Ornac was a genius. 

He fiddled around under his stall and gestured her in closer. The Guard with Khana waldo stepped in a bit closer, curiously taking him. " Now take a look at this Lady Crow," He cradled what appeared to be a gauntlet in his arms, it was small, and form fitting, something that could easily be concealed or passed off as a glove, but Khana knew better, she looked at it hungrily know it was some sort of dangerous toy.

"What does it do Ornac!" She reached out to touch it only to have him pull it away. "You have to pay."

Khana sighed. "Fine, yes, yes, I'll pay."

She pulled out two star-shaped onyx coins and laid them down. Ornac's eyes lit up as he scooped them into his pouch.

"And in Grove currency no less. Okay, now lean in close. This gauntlet amplifies the Aura you channel through it and can solidify pure Aura energy. The socket on the palm? It lets you plug in raw monster cores—uncut ones. The stronger the core, the better the amplification."

Khana snatched it from him eagerly and slid it over her hand. The fit was perfect.

"This is a great piece, Ornac. I'll make sure you get fat funding from the Roost when you return to Yunirith."

The guard eyed the gauntlet, then glanced at Khana.

"Generally, weapon trades are illegal in this market," he said, shifting his rifle slightly. His tone was flat, but there was weight behind the gesture. "But this time, I didn't see anything. Fang's relationship with Skyflock and Yunirith City is too important to risk on a trifle like this."

Khana winked at him. The guard cleared his throat and turned away.

"We should move onward, Lady Khana," he said briskly.

She turned and winked at Ornac. "I'll be seeing you soon, Ornac. Let's meet again in Yunirith."

"W-wait! Does that mean you're finally returning? After three whole years, Lady Crow?" Ornac's voice rose behind her. "Lady Crow!!"

The market faded behind them, giving way to a wide, sun-swept street. Several bridges stretched over gaps in the sandstone base of the city, linking platforms that floated together like ships in formation. Houses lined either side, their rooftops dominated by massive towers of rope, sails, and rigging. High above, enormous kites danced in the wind—each one part of Ashumo's delicate navigation system.

There were five such kite-rigging districts in the city, strategically placed to control Ashumo's motion across the Sandsea. The entire city, small though it was, moved with purpose.

Khana was admiring the closest tower when a broad-shouldered man stepped directly into her path.

The guard moved between them instantly.

"I'll have you step aside, sir," he said in a dry, deadpan voice.

The man spat on the ground between them.

"I challenge you for this woman!" he barked, eyes snaking over Khana with open greed. "She'll be mine today."

Khana's fingers twitched—longing for the warmth of this fool's blood. But before she could react, the guard leveled his rifle.

"You make a challenge. To a Fang Guard?" His tone shifted—low and dangerous. "State your rules of engagement."

The man sneered. "No weapons. Bare fists. Powers, if you've got 'em."

The guard calmly unslung his rifle and set it down with care. He took a loose, balanced stance—nothing flashy, just efficient.

Khana couldn't see his face through the helmet. But judging by the tension in his frame, she imagined the look beneath was pure steel.

The man pounded a fist against his chest and roared, "I'll have that pale beauty!"

He charged forward, Aura surging violently through his body. His muscles bulged grotesquely, and each thunderous step cracked the sandstone beneath his feet.

The guard stepped forward to meet him head-on, slipping under the man's outstretched arms. He grabbed his tunic and whipped him over his shoulder, slamming him to the ground with a deafening crack.

But the challenger wasn't out yet. He recovered quickly, rolling away just as the guard's fist crashed down where his skull had been. The stone cratered under the impact.

As disgusted as Khana was by the man's leering claim, she had to admit—he was agile.

He kicked off the ground and launched back to his feet. The guard pulled his fist from the sandstone, like someone retrieving their hand from warm butter. Khana narrowed her eyes. She still couldn't sense any Aura from him—but something was there. Something she couldn't place.

The challenger rushed again, this time dropping into a sudden sliding kick that swept the guard's legs from under him. The guard tumbled, and the man surged up, grabbing the helmeted face and slamming it into the ground with a dull thud.

He pinned the guard there by the head.

"This is it for you, puny guardsman!" he snarled. "Concede to me! She is mine!"

Khana's fingers twitched in rising annoyance, but again—again—the guard moved before she could.

Even with his opponent pouring Aura into every strike, the guard reached up, calm as glass, and clamped a single hand around the man's forearm.

There was a crack like a branch splitting in half.

The challenger screamed and stumbled back, clutching his shattered limb. His forearm bent the wrong way—clear finger marks indented deep in the flesh where the break had occurred.

The guard rose to his feet and tore off his ruined helmet, tossing it aside. His deep burgundy eyes burned with silent fury, and his short brown hair whipped in the wind like flame-tipped thread.

He stalked forward.

"You know," he said coldly, "for an Aura user of such strength, you seem to have a poor ability to heal."

Then he kicked the man in the face. Teeth scattered across the sandstone.

The challenger spat blood and crawled backward in panic, trying to put space between them. He didn't stop until he reached the edge of the canal—just inches from the Sandsea's rippling, heat-shimmering surface.

"I yield!" he gasped.

The guard stopped just short of kicking him in.

He turned away without a word, leaving the man groaning in the dust, cradling his ruined arm.

Reaching down, he picked up his cracked helmet, eyeing the damage with a sigh.

"That's going to come out of my pay."

Khana smiled, arms folding as she stepped toward him.

"My, my. You're a lot more skilled than I expected."

She looked him over—not with hunger, but with deliberate interest, like a scholar studying a rare find.

"What's your name, anyway?"

The guard met her gaze, holding it steadily. Her amethyst eyes sparkled under the sun, sharp and unreadable.

"Fenric Terreta," he said.

Khana tilted her head slightly, one brow raised. "A Terreta? Out here? That's a long way from power and privilege."

She stepped beside him, brushing her hand lightly across his arm as if testing the texture of his armor. His olive-toned skin, flat burgundy eyes, and short brown hair were all surprisingly... appealing.

"Honestly, I wouldn't know," he replied. His tone wasn't cold—but careful. Measured.

Khana smiled again—softer this time, with something like amusement threading through it.

"Well, Fenric Terreta. What do you say you escort me back to the inn? I've had enough heat and stares for one day."

"Lady Khana—" he began.

She raised a finger, tapping it gently against his lips before he could finish.

"Don't spoil it. Just walk with me."

The sandstone streets stretched wide under the fading gold of the sun, and the wind caught the loose folds of Khana's scarf, fluttering it behind her like a royal banner. Ashumo's market noise faded into murmurs behind them—just the occasional bark of a merchant or the creak of a high tower rope. People on the street where becoming less frequent.

They walked side by side now. Fenric kept a respectful distance, but Khana drifted just a touch closer with every step, her smile never leaving her lips.

"Do all Fang guards fight like that?" she asked, eyes half-lidded with interest.

"Some better," he said, still watching the road ahead. "But they're dead."

She laughed softly, a musical sound that turned the air warmer. "So humble."

He shrugged. "I'm paid to keep people alive. Not impress them."

"Well, I hardly think my life was endanger there." Khana shrugged

Fenric eyed her regarding her for a moment, "I was keeping him alive."

Khana laughed again, You impress me. Consider that a win. Keep this up and you'll have to take me on a date."

Fenric didn't answer. But his lip twitched, ever so slightly.

As they neared the narrower stretch of road leading toward the Vrogoss Inn, the wind shifted. Khana stopped, head tilting. Her expression shifted, smile thinning. Some form of wrongness was adrift in the air, carried by the wind like a scent to a bear, or a deer. Ahead of them the road ahead was quiet—too quiet. The smell of smoke and spice still hung in the air, but the street was empty. Deserted. No shouting vendors. No skiff traffic. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Khana's hand dropped to her side. "You feel that?" she asked softly.

Fenric nodded once, slow and deliberate. "Eyes on us."

They turned the next corner—and saw them.

Three humanoid constructs stood at the far end of the path, each roughly human in shape but unnaturally proportioned. Their limbs were too long, too smooth. Glass-black armor layered over matte skin like scaled insect plating. Their heads were featureless glowing gyros, a single glowing slit pulsed like an exposed nerve in the middle for their chests. They had ball-like joints on their shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips, and each of them Bore a symbol on their chest, a pawn.

They moved in perfect unison—no footsteps, no sound.

Then one tilted its head with a sharp twitch, and a mechanical voice rasped out from within its chassis

"Assessing: Target Located."

"Commencing Termination of... The Crow."

The three of them moved incredibly fast, bodied whittling, joints rotating, and blades erupting from various points on their bodies. They were like human sized blenders with nightlights for heads. Khana's Eyes narrowed, the amethyst color glinting fiercely as the first one moved in on her faster than Fenric could react to intercept. Khana's hand whipped up so fast it created a micro sonic boom, she grabbed the gyro head of the closest one and slammed it into the ground, lifting her body upward off the ground and kicking the next one into the last one, sending them some distance away. Her amethyst eyes flicked down toward the creature below her. It was already swirling its body around under her grasp spinning various blades around to dice her body up mid air. As she moved to evade, glass shard erupted from the ground below the creature impaling it in many places, the shards rotated swiftly like drills and tore the creature apart receding quickly after. 

Khana landed gracefully shooting a glance at Fenric who smirked, "That's another win Fenric.Would have never guessed that-" She ducked backwards avoiding several blades that streaked past. "Alright, flirting can wait."

Khana moved forward, closing the gap between her and the other two mechanical creatures. Both of the spread apart trying to encircle her. Khana charged headlong, long light pink energy claws extended from her fingers, her eyes took on a glow of deep amethyst.

"Confirming, Signature combat maneuver of The Crow. Deploying countermeasures." The Mechanical created their own shade of pink, each of their blades gaining pink auras, they stood upright and began rotating on every ball joint, again like demented humanoid blenders. Khana's own aura blades extended to about three feet long off her finger tips and became curved and deadly like claws. The moment she was in range she slashed through both of the creatures, skidding to a halt. These creatures tumbled apart like broken dolls littering the ground with bits of metal and blades, the glow from their bodies fading instantly. White ooze spilled from their parts sinking into the sandstone. 

Khana stood upright, staring down at her hand. The white ooze from the creature's body clung to her skin, cool and lifeless. She breathed deeply—slow, controlled—but her eyes lingered on the pale slime with an unsatisfied hunger. 

It had been a battle. Brief, but a battle.

And yet... there'd been no thrill in the kill. No warmth. No fear in their eyes. Just the cold, mechanical collapse of soulless machines. It was like breaking toys. 

Her breathing quickened, subtle but real. Her eyes darted, searching the shadows for more—anything to release what still churned inside her. A hand graced her shoulder bringing her senses back around, she shuddered out a controlled breath and her gaze flicked up to Fenric. 

"We need to rep—"

Khana wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting him off mid-word.

"Oh no," she whispered, eyes glittering. "This can wait. You're coming with me."

Fenric blinked, caught between alarm and confusion as Khana seized his wrist and dragged him toward the inn, ignoring his quiet protests. Her movements were fast—like she hadn't left combat mode at all. Still thrumming with raw energy, her fingers clenched tighter around his arm.

She needed release. Not in blood. But something else.

When they reached the doorway to her inn hut, Fenric grabbed the frame and stopped, forcing her to turn and face him. Her amethyst eyes locked with his—shimmering with fire and intent.

"Lady Khana, this is... highly inappropriate," he said, voice strained.

Khana smiled wickedly and yanked him forward by the collar.

"This is just fun."

The door behind her slid open with a soft hiss. She pulled him through, and it closed just as quietly behind them.