The room was heavy with the tallic scent of blood. Yenissa lay on the bed, her face pale as moonlight, her breaths shallow and ragged. A deep wound marred her side, refusing to close despite her body’s natural healing abilities. Blood soaked the sheets, pooling beneath her, and her eyes flickered with fading consciousness. Shennong stood over her, his face etched with worry as he examined the gash. His hands hovered over the wound, but he didn’t touch it—sothing about it felt wrong.
Cassandra stood nearby, her arms crossed tightly, her eyes darting between Yenissa and Shennong. Rilith and Velara, the twin seers, lingered at the edge of the room, their expressions grim as they whispered to each other.
"This isn’t normal," Shennong said, his voice low but firm. "She should’ve healed by now. Her kind always does. But this wound... it’s no ordinary cut."
Cassandra stepped closer, her voice trembling slightly. "What do you an, Shennong? What’s wrong with her?"
He didn’t answer imdiately. His gaze was locked on the wound, his brow furrowed. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "Sothing’s keeping it open. Sothing... unnatural."
Rilith’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and clear. "It’s the power of the world beyond the crack." She exchanged a glance with Velara, who nodded solemnly.
Velara’s voice was softer but no less certain. "We can feel it radiating from her wound. It’s not just any power—it’s our world’s power. Sothing demonic is at play here."
Shennong’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like the sound of that. Not one bit.
Yenissa stirred, her eyelids fluttering as she forced herself to focus. Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper, but it carried a weight that made everyone turn to her. "Shennong... don’t... don’t face him. Not Juno."
Shennong knelt beside her, his voice gentle but urgent. "Yenissa, what do you know? Tell everything."
Her eyes t his, filled with a mix of fear and determination. "That man... Juno... he’s a beast. A threat to humans. His sword..." She paused, wincing as pain shot through her. "There’s sothing inside that sword. Sothing... of our world. Sothing trapped."
Shennong’s eyes narrowed. "Trapped? What do you an?"
"I don’t know much," Yenissa admitted, her voice fading. "But that sword... it’s not just a weapon. It’s alive. And it’s dangerous."
Shennong stood, his mind racing. A sword with sothing trapped inside? A demonic wound that wouldn’t heal? It all pointed to one thing—one person. He muttered under his breath, almost to himself, "There’s soone who can answer this."
Cassandra’s heart sank. She knew that look in his eyes. "Who, Shennong? Who are you talking about?"
He turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Juno."
Cassandra’s breath caught in her throat. "Juno? You’re going to face him? Shennong, this is bigger than we thought. If Yenissa’s right, if that sword is what she says it is—"
"Don’t worry," Shennong interrupted, his voice steady. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze softening as he saw the anxiety on her face. "I’ll handle it. I will win."
Cassandra didn’t look convinced, but she nodded slowly, trusting him despite her fears. "What’s your plan, then?"
"I’m going back to the capital," Shennong said, his tone resolute. "Juno’s heading there. He’s expecting . This ends with him."
He paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, "By the way, Christina’s doing fine."
Cassandra blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "Christina? What does she have to do with this?"
Shennong’s lips curved into a faint smile. "She’s making waves. At this rate, she’ll be chosen for the student council."
Cassandra’s eyes widened. "The student council? But... only high-born dukes’ and counts’ children get those spots. How did she—"
Shennong raised a hand, cutting her off. "It wasn’t . Christina’s been showing off her skills, proving herself. She’s earning it on her own. And if she keeps this up, one of the orders might even take her in."
Cassandra’s expression softened, a mix of pride and relief washing over her. "That girl... she’s really sothing, isn’t he?"
Shennong nodded, his gaze drifting back to Yenissa. "She is. But right now, we need to focus on this." He gestured to the wounded girl on the bed. "I’ll find Juno. I’ll get answers. And I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again."
As he turned to leave, the weight of his words hung in the air. Cassandra watched him go, her heart heavy with both hope and dread. Whatever lay ahead, they were stepping into sothing far bigger than any of them could have imagined.
***
The moonlight filtered through the dense canopy of the Moonlight Forest, casting a deep glow over the river where Ka’ra sat. The orc chieftain, her deep blue skin blending with the forest’s hues, tossed smooth pebbles into the water, watching the ripples spread and fade.
Her people had changed since they’d settled here. The forest had worked its magic on them, just as Shennong had promised. Their bodies had grown larger, stronger, their skin tougher and now a striking deep blue, like the twilight shadows of the trees. Even their appetites had doubled, driving them to hunt relentlessly, their newfound strength making them formidable predators. But it wasn’t just their bodies—sothing deeper had shifted. The orcs were... evolving.
Ka’ra’s thoughts drifted to the village, where the old crone knelt daily before a small carved figure. Ka’ra had crafted it herself at people’s insistence, a figure of the "spirit" that had led them to this forest. She hadn’t known what to make, so she’d shaped it in the likeness of Shennong, the human who’d guided them here. Now, that figure stood in the heart of the village, adorned with flowers and offerings, worshipped as a deity. Ka’ra didn’t know whether to laugh or feel uneasy about it.
She herself had changed too. Her strength had grown to the point where she could wrestle a Tygros—a massive, feline beast of the forest—to the ground with ease. But she’d forbidden her people from killing them. Instead, they’d begun taming the creatures, using their strength for labor and protection.
The orcs were thriving, their numbers growing, their bonds tightening. Even their breeding habits had shifted. Male and female orcs, once indifferent to each other, now felt a stirring attraction, their instincts adapting to the forest’s strange energy. Yet Ka’ra’s heart remained fixed on humans—on one human in particular. Shennong.
She tossed another rock, her mind wandering to him, when suddenly two hands covered her eyes from behind. Her body reacted on instinct, muscles tensing as she spun, her fist lashing out. A loud thud echoed as her strike hit sothing solid. She froze, blinking at the sight before her: a lump of soil, crumbling into dust. Then, as the dust cleared, a familiar face erged, grinning.
"Shennong!" Ka’ra exclaid, her heart still racing. She forced herself to relax, brushing a lock of dark hair from her face. "What in the spirits’ na are you doing here?"
Shennong’s smile widened, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Just checking on my greatest creation. The forest’s doing well, isn’t it? Thought I’d take a look before heading to the capital."
Ka’ra sighed, her broad shoulders slumping. She gestured to herself, her blue skin catching the moonlight. "Look at . Look at us. Just like you promised, we’ve changed."
Shennong’s gaze softened as he studied her. "You have. And, Ka’ra, you look even more beautiful now."
Her breath caught, and for a mont, she went silent, her usual boldness faltering. "Is that so?" she murmured, her voice quieter than usual. She hesitated, then added, "So, is there anything you want from ? From us?"
Shennong shook his head, his expression calm. "Nothing, really. The orcs can live here peacefully. That’s all I ever wanted for you."
Ka’ra fell silent again, her fingers fidgeting with a pebble. The words she wanted to say weighed heavy on her tongue. She wasn’t one to shy away from speaking her mind—orc culture didn’t bother with human subtleties—but this was different. She took a deep breath, her golden eyes locking onto his. "I saw you the other day. You and Yenissa fucking each other."
Shennong raised an eyebrow, his grin returning. "Oh, I know. I caught you peeking."
Her face flushed, though it was hard to tell under her blue skin. She straightened, her orcish bluntness taking over. "Fine, I’ll just say it. Can you... you know, fuck ? Put kids in my womb? I think I am attracted to you and your stregnth."
Shennong’s eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he chuckled. "Well, that’s direct. But I suppose it makes sense—you’re not human, after all."
Ka’ra crossed her arms, unfazed. "So? What’s your answer?"
He leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "Sure. But not now. You’ve got to show you’re worth it first."
Her lips curved into a sly smile, her confidence returning. "Oh? And what do I have to do to prove that?"
Shennong’s grin matched hers, a spark of intrigue in his eyes. "I’ve got sothing coming up—sothing big, for both and the orcs. It’ll be... interesting. Wait for my ssage. You’ll know when the ti cos."
Ka’ra tilted her head, intrigued but willing to play along. "Fine. I’ll wait. But you better keep your word, Shennong."
He laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "I always do. I would have sex with you anyway...but this makes things more interesting, doesn’t it?"
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