Path of the Berserker

Lunalah made it abundantly clear who was invited to dinner and who was not, issuing my entourage a passive aggressive invitation to dine with the rest of the crew within the servant’s gally on the lower decks. As they departed with nothing but cheers and smiles, in anticipation of the food and drinking fest that would soon commence, I couldn’t help but feel I had definitely gotten the short end of the stick.

“You must go as well, Ling Wei,” the princess said as she eyed my crew warily. “I do not trust that bunch aboard my vessel after your previous reports. You must supervise them. Closely.”

Ling Wei bowed with a sigh. “Yes, of course, your majesty.”

As Ling Wei departed and left me alone with the princess, I felt suddenly vulnerable.

“Come, Marshal Iron Bull,” she said with another smile. “My private chefs await your every order.”

* * *

I wasn’t used to being wined and dined, and in this case, by someone I actually hated, but I figured I might as well make the most of it. The sea of stars that greeted us as we entered the aft deck of the space yacht was phenomenal. It was a reminder that the small aetherite crystal that powered the vessel, provided the same protective barrier that the pagoda’s did and within it, even the vacuum of space could do no harm.

A huge table was spread out before us and a team of no less than three chefs bowed to us in greeting. As Lunalah sat she immediately began to rattle off a cacophony of orders to them, starting with some fancy Qi-infused wine she had procured from her personal cache that was 300 years old. I wasn’t sure if it was any good, but she made a big deal of it and I played the game to seem impressed.

I also had to block my nose as that weird sea-side aroma presented itself again. The first time I thought it was some kind of fluke, but now I was definitely sure it was coming from the princess herself. It made me sick to my stomach to think where it might be emanating from, but it fit the bill of pure disgust when it came to my thoughts about her.

“I was forced to take anyone they put forward,” Lunalah said, sounding disgusted. “It is no wonder they have nearly bankrupted the entire planet with their incompetence.”

I simply nodded, not knowing what to say.

Thankfully one of the chefs intervened and asked me what I wanted. Between Kelsey’s pizza earlier and the dead fish smell assaulting my nose, I didn’t have much of an appetite, but I ordered some spicy and aromatic noodles to help combat the smell.

Lunalah laughed. “So quaint. I must educate you in the ways of finer culture, Iron Bull. There is far more to cuisine than noodles.”

I merely smiled at her backhanded insult as she began to go on about the exquisite dishes she had ordered. When they came out, they turned out to be anything but appetizing to me. Weird foods even for Yee culture, with most of them being made from parts of exotic animals imported from off world.

I got the distinct sense she was trying to impress me or something and although it was doing the opposite, I played along like it was all riveting to me, even when the stuff tasted like complete shit.

“We should discuss more about your visit to my mother,” she said once dinner was winding down. “You must show decorum always. She is intolerant of slackness. I do not know what means she has found for you to achieve royal status, but it is of the highest priority. Higher even than my trial.”

“Higher than your trial?”

She grinned and rubbed her hand along my forearm. “I have faith in your martial abilities, Iron Bull. I have no question that you will defeat whoever my elder sister sends after me, but gaining your royal title is far more important to our… future plans.”

The way she paused and rubbed my forearm when she said it, sent nausea to my stomach.

If only you knew what my true future plans were for you, you bitch, I thought.

But outwardly I patted her hand that was atop mine. “I’m glad you were able to find a way.”

“It was not solely me, I must admit,” she said. “My mother, as the 43rd Empress, holds much influence within the Lower Courts.”

“Do you know why she wants to meet with me?”

“It could mean only one thing,” she said with another smile. “She has asked for a private audience because I believe she means to test you, Iron Bull. And in this test, you must not fail.”

I had no idea what testing meant, but if Lunalah was any indication, I imagined having to sit through another stuffy dinner like this but only twenty times worse. Still, it was my ticket to gaining the status I needed to officially rule over the Earth and I had to do whatever it took to make it all happen.

“Are you familiar with the Inner Core Worlds?” she asked and then scoffed haughtily as if it were a ridiculous question. “What am I saying? Of course you are not. You were born on that pathetic, Qi-less rock on the edges of the fringe.” She then rolled her eyes. “I still resent my birthright of inheriting such a world, to be honest. You are truly the only thing that has made it worthwhile. Here, let me share with you the basics of true Yee society. You must not seem so… ‘common’ when you meet my mother. Understood?”

I repressed another glare as she held her hand out for me to take it. I honestly felt like chopping it off. Flirting with the princess had another unwelcome outcome, I’d found. She was becoming far too familiar with me now and sharing her open disgust for my planet was one of her favorite pass times. Like everything in her life, nothing was ever good enough.

Spoiled bitch, I thought.

“Come,” she said again. “Take my hand. We shall commune within the spiritual realm. I will show you all you need to know within my inner world.”

Oh crap, I thought.

Fia had made rules about no sex, and that was just fine with me, but this was intimacy on a level I hadn’t anticipated. Still, I was in too deep to back out now. I swallowed my dignity and took her hand, then as she closed her eyes, I sensed a connection form between us. It disgusted my soul but I pressed on. I opened my third eye within the spiritual realm and feared what might happen if I’xol’ukz decided to seek me out, but thankfully we were already deep in space and far away from any Bloodmoons.

I entered my consciousness into the red-hued spectral body of the Struggler and when I opened my spiritual eyes, I found myself within a massive throne room that was adorned with ivory pillars and green tapestries, trimmed with gold. It felt like I was in a cathedral, but overhead there was no roof to be had. Instead, there was a brilliant green sky with a huge golden sun.

In the middle of the cathedral was a massive throne the size of a monument and upon it sat the spectral form of Princess Lunalah. It was the image I had first come to know her by, a thirty-foot-tall giantess with flawless features, flowing white robes and golden hair that radiated with a light of its own. Behind her hovered six huge jade crystals that pulsed with power and all about the throne room I saw smaller versions of the same.

Lunalah smiled at me from atop her throne with a smug confidence that only being at the center of one’s very own universe could produce.

Here she was, I thought. A mock goddess on an imaginary throne, begging to be worshipped and adored by all.

Or so was the vibe I was getting from her anyway.

But if she was expecting me as the red-hued Struggler to acquiesce and kowtow, she was in for a rude awakening. I looked about the place with a staunch visage of [Indifference] instead.

“Cute,” I said flatly.

“Cute? Is that all?” She jerked her head back as if offended. “I have spent well over three decades furnishing my Inner World. It is a domain fit for a princess, don’t you think?”

I wasn’t sure if she was bragging to try to make me jealous or tempting me with her yet unseen charms. Either way I wasn’t impressed. Although I was curious as to how she populated her domain. I still had to do the same for my own to reach the next realm.

It made me wonder just how close Lunalah was to breaking through to the Lesser Deity Realm herself. She had to be right on the cusp, after all these years. And giving more consideration to the form of her sacred soul, it made perfect sense that the refection of her true self would be a giant, flawless version of…herself.

What an egomaniac, I thought, but outwardly I asked a question to move things along.

“So what is it you wished to show me?”

“This,” she said and with a wave of her hand a spectral image of a solar system formed within the great empty expanse of the chamber. At the center was a massive golden sun, that actually looked much too large for how close the other planets were to it. I counted five of them in all and as they slowly circled the sun each of them had a distinctive hue. Yellow, green, blue, white and red.

“This is the center of the empire,” Lunalah said. “The Lower Courts of the Inner Core Worlds. The place you are now headed to. The sun you see at the center is not a star, but the edge of a portal to the celestial realm that my father created millennia ago. Few who make the ascension, ever return. It is because they are too quickly caught up in the affairs of the next realm, or so my father once told me. But he is one of the few celestials who sacrifice great power to return to the mortal realm to care for his empire. It is why he will always be revered as the Great Soul Emperor.”

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I nodded as I looked up at the golden star and could only imagine that somewhere inside there was Threja. Following her great path I hoped. Killing whatever god she was after. Perhaps she had killed him or her already.

But then what? I thought.

Before I could give it further consideration, Lunalah spun the spectral image and focused on the planets. “The Blue world is Genisha, the home of the elixir barons. The frozen world of Luxor is the white planet where all tournaments and trials take place. It is the equivalent of the highest stadium in the empire. The red planet is Ri Ben, the smithing world for which you are destined.”

I was enthralled by all the new insights but immediately thought of Blue Rose. Did her family actually control the entire planet, I wondered? If so, Hein’s reaction to how rich she was truly made sense now. And damn. An entire planet as a stadium?

“The last two are far more important,” Lunalah said. “The yellow planet is the golden city of Yee Guo. It is the true core of the empire. The doorstep to the celestial realm and the hub of all things. It is where all Omni gates converge and where you will find the grand archives. It is also the seat of the High Council and where our preliminary trial will be held.”

She then pointed to the green world. “The final world is just as important. Here is the true home of the lower courts. The paradise world of Scalia where I was raised. It is where the true heart of Yee high society lay. All Empress mothers reside here and attend court.”

I kind of balked at that. “So the Emperor keeps them there? Like as prisoners? Like a harem?”

Her eyes flashed with sudden anger. “Certainly not! And how dare you accuse my father of such! This planet is the seat of the entire world! You should feel privileged to set foot upon it to meet with my mother. Even I, as an Imperial Princess, require an invitation to even return.”

“Sorry, meant no disrespect,” I said nonchalantly to diffuse her anger. “I only meant I thought the Empresses would have worlds of their own, you know?”

Lunalah snorted. “That is our job to do as royal princesses. We run the empire for and on behalf of our great father. His wives are kept safe where they belong in court. Trust me, there are many things they must do and conduct that even to this day I do not fully understand. But you will see when you reach there. Feel privileged, Iron Bull. Even I was not granted an invitation to join you.”

A pause lingered and a sudden sadness entered her eyes.

In that moment she looked like a lost little girl to me.

Perhaps wondering why it was that her very own mother wanted to see me but not her.

Even I didn’t know the reason.

But there was a lot I could guess.

As the silence dragged out I pushed to change the subject.

“So are these all created from artifacts?” I asked, pointing to the jade crystals suspended in midair, hanging throughout the throne room. They pulsed with the same power as the jade crystals hovering behind her back. If I could sense Qi, the spiritual plane I was now in had to be producing it as thick as the Dark Frenzy I felt on the Bloodmoon.

“They are,” she said and then lifting off her throne, she disbursed the spectral image of the Inner Core Worlds and drew all the smaller crystals towards her and began to comment on each one. Like an excited homeowner, showing off her property or something.

“This one was a gift from my father on my 8th birthyear, after reaching the Foundation Realm. This one was a tribute from a visiting elder princess when I was 16. I can’t recall which one it was. It pains me now to think how impressed I was with her at the time.” Lunalah then scowled at the pea-sized crystal as she showed it to me. “Cheap old, bitch. This wasn’t worth anything.”

As she went on and on, I began to get bored as hell. Each crystal was accompanied by some quick anecdote about the person who gave it to her and whether she respected them or not. Most times not. But I noted two other common themes when it came to her artifacts. One, they were all ‘gifts’ of some kind, meaning she didn’t ‘earn’ any of them and two, they were all jade.

It made me wonder about something else.

“So exactly what aspect are you, princess?” I said, eager to break the monotony of her soliloquy. “Are you… Earth?”

Her eyes flashed open in shock, like I had just revealed some dirty little secret.

“My aspect is not so common as that,” she said, sounding insulted. “It is the base yes, but we are a unique offshoot. No different than your lightning technique is to fire. Would you not consider yourself greater than those Fire Birds heathen you stem from?”

I noted her change in countenance.

She was pissed.

I cultivated her sweet anger and shrugged. “I guess. Who is ‘we’?”

She harrumphed. “My clan, of course. The Yee clan. We practice the Way of the Precious Stone Technique. We trifle not with mud and clay like those other muck dwellers. Our aspects are far more refined. Our technique is what gives us dominion over all other clans! It is why my father is the Soul Emperor!”

I jerked back as she shouted, surprised by her sudden change in mood.

Her voice thundered throughout the domain and the sky turned dark.

She must have noticed it too and then quickly smiled, making the golden sunshine reappear as she rushed to put her mask back on again.

“But yes,” she said, composing herself. “Each precious stone can replicate the affinity of other aspects. Were I a garnet or ruby practitioner, for example, I would be able to perform all your paltry fire techniques flawlessly. And if you are gifted enough, you can master even more than one stone. I was one as such, of course, but I decided to use my giftedness to focus and deepen my aspect rather than diversify. It is why I am a Jade practitioner and not merely a malachite or peridot. And one day I will reach even Emerald. But this is what makes the Yee clan superior in every way. My father is a master of all stones and all aspects. It is why no one could ever defeat him. And why no one ever will.”

I held my countenance neutral with [Indifference] but inwardly I laughed out loud. Even trying to regain my trust, she could not help but insult me and praise herself along the way. But it was a great insight into the true power of the ruling clan. It made sense why no one messed with the Emperor or his Divine Princess daughters.

Could they truly become masters of all arts?

Shit, I thought. If I ever fought the princess, I had no idea what techniques she could pull out of her ass by being both Earth and Wood aspect I would presume. And her focusing on just one stone would make her all the more powerful.

It was a reminder that ranks and realms were one thing, but all techniques were not created equal. Even at eight years old at a Foundation Realm, she probably could have trounced every Core Realm cultivator she came across. I suppose it was no different than me really.

The power of the Berserker Arts was at least a realm higher when it came to my true powers. Unfortunately, I could only cut loose when there was no audience. The Yee clan on the other hand could demonstrate their power at any time or occasion.

And likely did.

“But enough about me,” Lunalah said, scattering the jade artifacts with a wave of her hand. She then descended from her throne and shrunk herself down to a more normal size as she approached me. “I want to learn more about you.”

She then narrowed her eyes at me with a hungry smile.

“I’d relish being inside your inner world someday.”

As the lemonade poured on, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted.

One second pissed off and insulting me and the next trying to get me between her legs?

I huffed out a laugh. “I doubt you’ll be able to handle it.”

Bitch, I wanted to add.

But I was being truthful. Just the imagery of the Cursed Star would probably be enough to send her feeble mind into madness alone, and right now I would relish that. I thought about all she had done. Orchestrating the murder of Fia and my child and now she had the brazen nerve to try and bed me? My blood started to boil as my Flame and Frenzy surged. Thoughts of seeing her suffer and scream in agony like those Bird sisters filled my mind and had me itching to bust out [Furious Flames of the Father].

Lunalah, however, clearly took what I’d said as a form of flirting judging by the lemonade still gushing from her soul. It made me all the more disgusted and infuriated inside, but the Struggler held it all together with [Indifference].

“I’d like to try,” she said, leering at me. “In fact…there are many things we can…try within this realm. Try…before they become a reality?”

I had flashbacks to that pedo-girl propositioning me the same way, and I wanted nothing more than to punch her freaking teeth in. It was laughable, demeaning and insulting all at the same time. The demon in me wanted out and to be done with the damn charade. Just tear Lunalah apart from the inside into all that was left was [Barren Ground].

As the thought steeped everything else besides her demise ceased to matter.

To hell with her, I thought.

To hell with her and her obnoxious clan superiority.

Just kill her and be done with her now!

“Iron Bull?” she said.

The pulse of Fear and shock that came from her as her eyes trembled with uncertainty snapped me out of my rage induced trance. I realized I was seething at her.

Shit, I thought as the Struggler regained control.

Such a damn chun. I’d nearly blown it and thrown everything away.

I focused on my mission, collecting my thoughts. I had to play this off somehow.

I thought of the only thing that would fit.

I converted my scowl of anger into a look of lust and lunged towards her pressing my spectral lips into hers. She responded with a gasp of surprise and an eruption of lemonade. She kissed me back hungrily and it took all my wherewith all to stomach it.

“Oh yes!” she panted. “Yes, take me. I’ve wanted this so much.”

Her words sickened me and suddenly my charade was taking on true feelings. I kissed her more aggressively but what she took for passion was fueled instead by anger and hate. I ground my lips into hers, biting at them and wanting to tear them right off.

The dumb bitch was going crazy for it. It made my blood boil for her to even think she deserved me. To think that she could so easily have me. Like that was some real possibility. She clawed hungrily at my spectral body, squeezing my arms and chest.

“You’re so perfect in this form. I can’t wait to have you in the flesh, but here will have to do for now.”

You presumptuous bitch, I thought.

I felt like clocking her and then following up with a roundhouse kick to send her flying, but I used my [Struggler’s Resolve] to merely push her away instead.

“No princess,” I said. “This is not right, what we do.”

“What?!” she shouted. “Yes it is! I must have you!”

“No!” I shouted more forcefully with [Fear the Flame] and she jerked back with both shock and more lemonade. “Not like this. It cheapens what we have between us.” I then scowled at her. “You are no common whore like the hundreds of women I’ve bed before.”

Okay, it was an exaggeration, but the alpha male mystique was working to keep her engaged.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “We must not allow our physical yearnings to overcome us, even in this private realm. How would I ever face your mother with a heart of pure intent knowing I had committed this disgraceful deed to devalue your worth.”

I was making bullshit up on the fly, but it sounded good. Plus, it would hopefully feed into that massive ego of hers. “As much as I desire you princess, I must earn you. And I can only do that by fulfilling whatever your mother has planned for me.”

She was still breathing heavily and looked like she wanted to jump my bones again, but finally she nodded. “Yes. Yes, you are right, of course. I let my inner nature get the better of me.”

“We both did, I suppose.” I smiled, holding back the urge to just slap her for being such a gullible idiot. As if anyone could truly love a person like her. “We must practice discipline, especially in front of others. I would not put if past your spiteful sisters to see something ill befall our relationship if it were none too soon. Certainly, they would try to interfere with me becoming a Duke, so that I wouldn’t be able to wed you.”

Lunalah nodded furiously. “Yes. That Ul’vera especially will take offense. She wanted to marry you off to one of her lowly granddaughters. Can you imagine?”

I actually could, given how jacked up her entire family seemed to be, but I simply shook my head to agree with her. “And you are so much better than your sisters.”

Lunalah smiled, taking my words of sarcasm truthfully.

“Let’s do this properly, princess,” I said taking her hand. “One step at a time. First let me fight for your honor in the courts. I will be your defender and then once I am a Duke, I shall become your husband.”

The light that lit up in her eyes was both sad and laughable at the same time.

Normally I would feel bad about lying to someone’s face, but in this case it was different. Fia was right. This dumb, obnoxious bitch would deserve everything that was coming to her in the end. I just had to keep playing it smart until I held all the cards.

And becoming strong enough to face a maniacal cultivator like her who could wield two aspects was now one of them. As we phased back into the physical world, I gave her hand another ‘loving’ squeeze before I stood from the table.

“We should make the rest of our journey with just as much dignity,” I said, gesturing to the chefs. “Eyes are always watching.”

She cleared her throat, still looking flustered from our brief interlude in the spiritual realm, but eventually she nodded. “Well said, Marshal Iron Bull. I will leave you to chamber with your retainers on the lower decks. We shall keep things officially cordial from here on.”

I sighed inwardly with relief at hearing that.

But I had to press the charade once more.

“All save for in our private letters,” I said and gave her a wink that had her pissing lemonade again.

With that I turned and left the aft deck, solidifying my mystique as the unattainable object of her greatest desire in her mind. Or so I hoped. I rushed to the servant’s quarters on the lower decks and as soon as I found the head, violently emptied my stomach of all the vile crap I had ingested for the night.