Headed by a Snake

Ying Yue felt Tycon's lips touch hers.

It was... just right.

He gently pressed down on her chin... so Ying Yue opened her mouth obediently, allowing their tongues to intertwine for a brief moment.

It was... more than right. It was nothing short of... magical.

Yue slowly opened her eyes... and she found Tycon staring at her with a look of amusement. .

"Th... that... wasn't fair," She pouted.

"I am not a good person," Tycon insisted.

"That may be so..." Ying Yue sniffed, "But... we're not enemies."

"I beg to differ."

Suddenly, Tycon's golden eyes changed-- his dark pupils transforming into thin, vertical slits.

...Ying Yue tried to scream, but her voice was trapped in her throat.

Tycon swiped his hand to the side like he was throwing open a curtain, the skies turning black behind him. Diamond patterns of golden light appeared all around them, speeding across the darkness, twisting and undulating in hate and malevolence.

The cool air of the Realm of the Cloud Goddess turned hot and stifling... and despite Ying Yue's strength, she couldn't breathe no matter how hard she gasped.

It happened so fast.

She couldn't tell what really was happening.

Was this all just a nightmare? And if so, what had she done to deserve it?

Going against all her instincts warning her otherwise, she forced her eyes to stay open.

...Even if she kept them shut, the diamond-patterns swirling around her were actively assaulting more than just her visual senses.

Ying Yue had to focus her chi, circulating it at a rapid pace... just to speak despite the invisible pressure.

"Wh... what... is...?"

Her voice was slurred... like her tongue didn't want to work properly-- like she was sick or drugged...

Tycon stood up, grabbing hold of his curved blade and resting it upon his shoulder, "I'm breaking us out of your Domain."

He... he could do that?

The clouds below were dissipating at a rapid pace... and without a voice, Ying Yue felt herself falling without complaint.

She could barely move... She couldn't verbally command her flying sword to stop her descent.

Squeezing every last drop of willpower out of her body, Ying Yue... reached towards Tycon and spoke the words etched in her heart.

"S... save me..."

...

⟬ Moon Crescent Isle. ⟭

« System, grant me administrator access to the Reality Marble using Ying Yue's mana signature. »

⟬ Granting access to host... Access granted. ⟭

« System... shut it down. »

Tycondrius plunged his curved blade into Jiang Ying Yue's chest, leaping forward and pinning her to the muddy earth.

The strike alone would be enough to kill an ordinary man or woman... nevermind the Third-Circle injury poison coursing through her body. However, Tycon knew better than to take the the physique of an Adamantine-Rank Martialist lightly.

With a quick glance around him, he ascertained the situation. Light rain pattered on his back. Captain Krysaos was standing a short distance away, his jaw hanging lightly slack with vague concern.

Only minutes had gone by since he'd interrupted the good Captain's fight with Ying Yue.

...Weeks had passed within her Reality Marble.

Thus, as much as he wanted to go home, eat a large steak, and drink several ales... the mission took priority.

Keeping his main hand on his sword grip, Tycon raised his opposite hand and snapped his fingers, "Kill her."

⟬ ⌈Commander's Strike⌋ activated. ⟭

"Got it!!" Krysaos shouted, drawing his rapier and leaping forward to attack.

As a testament to Ying Yue's skill as a Martialist, she shot her right arm out, gripping the man's blade with a bleeding hand.

"Wh... why?" She asked, her eyes unfocused.

Tycon twisted his curved blade and drew it quickly, widening the hole in the dying woman's chest.

She lifted her other arm-- perhaps to stop him.

She could not. The effects of the Sword of Venom atop that of Tycon's Reality Marble-assisted ⌈Vexing Gaze⌋ rendered her powerless.

...Or perhaps Ying Yue was asking for mercy?

He would grant it... but not in the way she wished.

"Death," Tycon whispered, "to the enemies of Sol Invictus."

Grabbing tightly onto his own blade with his offhand, Tycon used the force of his entire body to stab Ying Yue through her left eye.

...After nearly an entire breath, her raised arm fell limp to the mud.

"Fool girl," He whispered... "No matter how fortunate you believe yourself to be, you cannot trust a man you'd just met..."

The ordeal left a sordid taste in his mouth.

Granted, Tycon had no intentions of dishonoring his partner, Elle... but nevertheless... Ying Yue died an unjust death.

...The fault, however, was not hers.

"Whew," Krysaos wiped at his brow underneath his hat. "I uh... I wasn't sure what to do, LT."

"You should have gone for the head," Tycon grimaced.

In a quick motion, he drew his sword and slashed open Ying Yue's throat.

She did not react.

Tycon shut his eyes and whispered a prayer, 'Requiescere in pacem...'

Krysaos coughed into his fist, "I *meant*... you and that girlie there kinda... stopped moving for a bit."

"How long?" Tycon asked.

"Not even ten minutes," Krysaos crossed his arms but waved his hand beside his head, "But uh... looks like you were in there for longer?"

Tycon glanced up at a few loose locks of long hair matted to his face, "Your assumption is correct."

"Gonna tell me what happened, LT?"

"High-level magic spell," Tycon slashed the blood off of his blade before absentmindedly wiping off the blood on the crook of his sleeve. It was a useless action, considering it was still raining. "Are you injured?"

"Got my arm frozen," Krysaos shrugged. "Magic-wise, nothing I couldn't handle. How 'bout you, you good?"

"No..." Tycon sheathed his weapon, "No, I am not."

...If he hadn't taken advantage of Ying Yue's naivete, killing her would not have been easy. More than that, however... he was infuriated by the waste of her talent.

"You look like Wonderboy pissed in your breakfast oats," Krysaos snickered.

Tycon fought the urge to roll his eyes, "After we're done here, we've another god to kill... a Cloud Goddess."

"Sure, why not," Krysaos shrugged, "What she do?"

Tycon gestured to the dead girl at their feet, "She sent a child to do what she is too cowardly to do herself... but nevermind that. Have you learned anything, Brother-Captain?"

"Yeah..." Krysaos frowned, "The water cultist girl implied that King and Imperia landed on the north side of the island."

Water cultists? ...It was an apt, if overly simplistic description for a Hidden Sect blessed by the mysterious Lake Goddess.

Tycon decided not to correct him.

"We'll deal with the elves soon enough," He shook his head. "Our current priority being the sea god, we need to reach the *cultists'* Inner Sanctum... and their Guardian Beast."

"Ugh," Krysaos groaned. "Worst-case scenario, huh?"

"This is nowhere near a worst-case scenario, Brother-Captain," Tycon glared.

",