"Yawn."
A wyrm pup let out a sleepy sigh.
Its stomach was filled with half a soul—one of the six its father had divided among the battalion.
Scratch. Scratch.
Qiren rubbed his head in mild irritation. Ever since he'd allowed the small pup to perch on his neck, she had refused to leave.
His shoulders, apparently, were the perfect place to nap—even after her brothers—or sisters, he wasn't quite sure—had slithered off, well-fed and satisfied.
"What am I going to do with you?" he murmured, walking through a vine-filled tunnel.
A vine lashed out without warning.
He simply released the rope ends in his hands—
The vines coiled around five screaming figures. Their cries echoed in agony as roots speared through eyes, ears, and lungs.
Within seconds, the rose garden accepted the offerings.
Hmm?
The wyrm pup lifted her head, sensing a strange shift in their path.
The rocky ground ahead shimmered with heat—not like the pit where their treats had been. No… this place was hotter.
Ash and scorched tendrils clung to the walls. She watched as vines dragged her father's prey deeper into the tunnels, confusion swelling inside her.
Why are they taking our food?
Father—father—look! Look!
She jolted from her lazy nap, panic flaring.
"There's no need to get so worked up," Qiren soothed, sending his intent telepathically as he spoke. "They're taking food to your auntie, that's all."
!!
Qiren ducked as a vine cracked overhead. "The only downside is they'll attack anyone who tries to reach her."
His eyes sharpened. A dagger flashed into his hand.
"So please—don't come here alone, okay?"
The blade flew, severing a rogue root—wushhh—snap!
Sweat beaded along the pup's tiny body as a dozen more vines struck.
Ahh!
Watch out—
Father!
Oh no—there's more!
Her tiny heart raced, barely able to endure the chaos unfolding before her. She watched as Qiren carved a path through the tunnel, bursting into a small clearing.
Huff. Huff.
The pup panted against his shoulder.
"You're okay, Mei Mei," Qiren murmured, scratching her neck as he stepped into the garden's center.
Mei…? she echoed.
He smiled.
"That's what I've decided to call you—my little Mei Mei."
Qiren lifted her from his shoulders and cradled her in his arms. He plucked a nearby rose, peeling away its petals to reveal the crimson sphere at its core. Opening a skin pouch, he dropped the pit inside.
His gaze drifted across the blooming roses—then settled on Yīnluò's cocoon.
…
Three days later.
Papa is a difficult person to understand—that's what I've learned during breaks between my "shifts."
Every time I see Papa, he pampers me and lets me nap around his neck.This always makes the others jealous, but of course—being his favorite (self-proclaimed)—I enjoy privileges my siblings can only dream of.
He takes me around the nest, even into the dangerous sanctuary, to collect rose berries—red fruits filled with deadly toxins. He plans to weaponize them by drying the skins and crushing the fruit into fine dust.
Because of this, I get to visit the Forbidden Garden, where Dao Fiends are gathered to feed Aunty.
I don't really know why Father feeds her if she always attacks us… but I guess she grows fresh berries for us in return. That's good, since afterward Father needs to process them, and sometimes—
that leads to trips outside.
Why the outside world?
Father built a base he called the Waiting Hollow, where fruit is hung from tree branches to dry before being brought back to the nest and crushed.
And I get to watch him personally.
We sit in the hollow beneath a great tree in the middle of the forest, wait for the paper charms hanging from the roots to glow. When they do—
That's when the real fun begins.
Mei Mei's head snapped up.
Papa—there!
We get to hunt.
A red-skinned juvenile demon fled through the sky, wings beating in frantic, uneven bursts. Its Qi signature wavered wildly—panic shredding its control—as it dove toward the forest below.
Too slow.
Qiren flapped his wings. The world blurred as he and Mei Mei's silhouettes were swallowed by miasma.
They didn't dive.
They shifted.
One instant—sky.
The next—ground.
Heat signatures flared in his vision as reality snapped back into place.
He traced the demon's path like a glowing ribbon through the air.
The creature screamed as its foot clipped a branch, spiraling downward.
"Grgah!!"
Yet even then, a twisted grin crept across its face as it recovered and surged back into flight.
"Azure Needle!"
Qiren struck.
A razor-thin lance of Qi pierced straight through the demon's wings.
The demon hissed, blood spraying. "Damn you!"
Its arm shot out, orange light condensing in its palm. A fireball roared toward Qiren's flank.
"Mystic Compass Strike—East to West!"
A gale erupted, catching the blast midair and hurling it back.
BOOM!
The fireball slammed into its caster, sending the demon skidding across the ground in a violent tumble.
Qiren descended from the small cliff and landed at its feet.
The juvenile crawled toward the lower tree line, fingers digging into the dirt.
Hrk—
Huff—
Ghk—
Its breathing was ragged, chest caving inward from the impact.
Qiren followed one step behind.
Close enough to end it at any moment.
He drew a dagger and flicked his wrist—
The blade whistled past the demon's head and buried itself in the trunk of the tree it was crawling toward.
Thunk.
The demon froze.
Slowly, it turned its head. Wide eyes met Qiren's calm gaze.
It bared its teeth.
With a final, desperate snarl, it lunged for the hollow trunk.
The moment it slipped inside—
It went limp.
Qiren halted.
…Dead?
Did it kill itself?
Or—
He stepped closer and grabbed its shoulder.
The world shattered.
A vision flooded his mind.
The same demon sprinting across a desert of amethyst sand, crystal winds howling as it leapt through another tree amid the storm.
!!!
Qiren blitzed backward, releasing the body.
Crackle.
Crack—crack.
Before his and Mei Mei's eyes, the demon's corpse hardened. Flesh turned to bark. Bone twisted and fused.
In seconds, it became a sculpture of black wood—perfectly fused with the tree it had entered.
Silent.
Still.
…
1987 — Bellmori City, Central Park
Night draped the park in cold rain.
Dim lamplight bled across slick concrete paths, reflecting off puddles scattered between bare trees. Wind rattled wet leaves, and mist clung low to the ground, swallowing benches and playground equipment alike.
A tree near the path groaned.
Its trunk split violently—
CRRRRK—
Something small burst free.
A frightened house cat tumbled out, soaked and shivering.
In its mouth hung a dream catcher, papers tied tightly to its frame. Its paws hit the grass awkwardly as it staggered forward, heart pounding.
It turned back once—
Then ran.
Claws scraped against wet concrete as it bolted down the path, limbs unfamiliar, balance wrong. It skidded, nearly falling, before spotting another cluster of trees ahead.
"Mew."
The cat leapt—
Instinct screamed fly—
Gravity answered.
It hit the ground hard.
The cat hissed, pain shooting through its body as realization struck. It twisted, looking over its back.
No wings.
Gone.
In their place—orange fur and a flicking feline tail.
It stared at its paws.
Claws.
At least… those remained.
With trembling resolve, it climbed the tree. Hooking the dream catcher over a branch, it secured the charm, the papers fluttering softly in the rain.
By touching this Soul Catcher, the wager begins.
If you are not the Contractor, and your flesh, claw, hair, or essence makes contact with this mark—
You have five minutes to successfully escape the Contractor's hunt and fulfill the following conditions.
Terms of the Wager:
From the moment of contact, you must relocate the object to a different tree more than three kilometers from your current position.
Failure Conditions:
If the object is not hung within five minutes,
If it is damaged, altered, or misplaced,
Or if time expires—
Your entire soul structure is forfeit.
Payment Clause:
The soul shall be claimed immediately and transferred in full to the Master of the Contract.