Time comes and goes – but for the World called Kien, time is both fleeting and endless. For Myka, it was tedious. Yes, she was the all powerful nine-tail fox. Yes, she was beautiful. Yes, she has many riches and lands of the world. But power, beauty, and riches amount to nothing when one is bored. The soul with Myka for once experience loneliness without knowing what it was. Instead, reason it to be boredom. But who can blame her for such reasoning? She had always been alone – therefore, had not understood the different between being alone and being lonely.

In the current world, Myka find herself having wait for main characters to grow was tortuous. What's more she had played her role as an elder – as a master, teaching the main characters to become stronger. But the more time passes, the more she realized how long it would take for them to be at her level. Why is strength so important? Don't forget that in Kien, only the strongest lives. This also applies in terms of mating partners. While not all Qui masters have pure bodies, it was rare for them to have intercourse. Because their bodies have divinity powers, any bodily act will impact their live source. If their partner does not have equal power, such act will lead the weaker body to drain the energy of the stronger one. This is why in the realm of Kien, the Qui masters would often mate with each other to maintain balance. Naturally, the current Myka was not interest in any of the Qui masters.

But facts cannot change, the nine-tails fox had lived for thousands of years. In terms of strength, only a handful of Qui master could compare – the water dragon was one of them. For a mere disciple to catch up to the powerful nine-tails fox, would take that individual precisely thousands of years. But by that time, her time would be up and she would become ash carried away by the wind. The soul within Myka understood the true cycle of Qui beings – only death brings new beginning. When the disciple is as strong as the master, it means the master time has ended. The cycle is as simple as that.

What does this mean? It means Myka's character – her role, never played any part to the story because the story truly begins when the nine-tails fox had long turned into ash. By that time, the protagonist truly becomes a Qui master and leading characters of the world begin their torrent love affairs. Understanding the plot of the story, Myka smirked. Was she the type to play a non-existence role? While she was a lazy individual, she wasn't the sort to live by standard rules. The stricter the rules, the more she would rebel. That was her nature.

"Master, your coffee is ready."

While the nine-tails fox was pondering how to break the rules of the current world, her head disciple came bearing her favorite drink. Sitting up and transforming to her human form, Myka casually took the cup and sip it with a smile. None of her disciples understood why the woman likes to drink something so black and dark, but then again, none of them ever tasted the drink call "coffee". If not for their master, they didn't even know such an ominous looking drink existed.

"Where is Nilo?" Myka asked while she lean back against the chair with the warm cup of coffee in hand.

Because Myka have shown obvious favoritism for Nilo for the years, her other disciples were not surprised by her question. Instead, they report Nilo's whereabouts as if it was common occurrence.

"He's in the Phe plant water field." Her head disciple replied.

"With the water dragon disciples." Myka smile was unreadable as her eyes gazed off into the distance.

"Master..." The head disciple was reluctant to speak at first but then continued. "Is it wise for us to keep letting the water dragon disciples come into your territory? It's been years... we have learned how to harvest the Phe plants. We no longer need them."

The disciple had spoken the truth. It's long been unnecessary for the water dragon's disciples to come to the nine-tails fox territory. Myka's disciples had learned the proper method to harvest the Phe plants. Alexis, in returned, had learned how to properly brew the plum blossom tea.

"Call Nilo here." Myka remain aloof to the head disciple concerns. "And bring his friends along."

The nine-tails fox disciples quickly followed her order. Moments later, Myka had finished her cup of coffee while three figures appeared at the doorway. With an elbow prompt on the arm chair, Myka leaned her cheek against her fist while smiling. Soon two tall, lean muscular young men and one petite lovely young woman stood before her. Her eyes went from the young woman before the two handsome men. There was no clear difference between the two men – only that one had a black slash around his waist, while the other wore white. Myka openly admired the handsome men from head to toe without a care that both of them are scowling at her.

"Pervert." Nilo muttered under his breath as he was the first to look away.

"Nilo!" The head disciple instantly reprimanded.

Myka laughed softly and waved at her head disciple to step back.

"Master, how can you let him talk to you that way?" The head disciple couldn't take how indulging his master was toward a rude brat.

"Now-now. Your pretty face will get stuck like that if you scowl so much." Myka looked at her head disciple who immediately blushed and lowered his head.

Myka laughed inside at the gullible disciples of hers while turning to see one deeply sullen face.

"Nilo, come here." Myka ignored the one with the deeply sullen face while smiling at his twin. "Hurry up or no teaching magic tricks for a year."

Nilo could only obey at such threats. When he was close enough, Myka had him sit next to her on the large chair and rested her head on Nilo's shoulder like a longtime lover. If not for Nilo constantly telling Alexis and Cyde how much he hated the nine-tails fox, the two would not believe that such an act was innocent. But then again, they witness just how flirtatious the fox was over the years. And it just gets worst as the years pass.

"I'm not a pillow." Nilo said calmly enough though he was angry.

"I didn't say you were." Myka smiled as she continued to look at Cyde and Alexis.

"Then why is your head on my shoulder?" Nilo asked coolly.

"Why can't my head be on your shoulder?" Myka asked back playfully. "Nilo, be good and let your master rest her head. If you anger her, who knows what she'll do next. Maybe turn you to a pillow."

And because he was no match for her in terms of strength or words, he angrily sat still.

"Now..." Myka smiles was serene and unreadable as she looked at Cyde and Alexis. "You two can go back. It's no longer necessary for you to come harvest the Phe plants. And I've already reached the end of my bargain with your master."

Alexis and Cyde was both surprised but did not show it on their face. They hadn't thought the fox would let them go so easily. Even their master had warned them the tricky fox would try to keep them as free labor despite her people already knowing how to harvest the Phe plants. And because the water dragon didn't want to deal with the fox trickery, he let her continue to use his disciples. If she doesn't touch his bottom line, he would let it be. Alexis – on the other hand, was happy to be able to go to the fox territory as it means she's able to be with her childhood friends. Nilo, Cyde, and Alexis can be together to train and study without fear. They don't have to hide or sneak out at risk of being caught. Now that the fox is telling them they're no longer welcome, Alexis understood that her master will not want them close to the fox or her people. She feared that the twin brothers would again risk danger to train and study together.

"You're kicking my brother and friend out just like that?" Nilo fist his hands against his knees as he controlled his anger.

"What are you saying Nilo?" Myka continued to lay her head on the young man's stiff shoulder. "Your master is being generous as to let them go back to focus on their training with their master."

"You_" Nilo forced himself not to shout.

"The decuplet trial will begin at the end of the year." Myka ignored Nilo outburst while looking at Cyde and Alexis with a warm smile. "It's important that you all survive this trial... I cannot save you if you're not strong enough."

The fox words were obscured but the three leading characters could not help but feel that her words were guidance.

"Master is correct." The head disciple spoke out in warning as every disciple had to go through the decuplet trial every ten years. "Master has been kind to let you play around for too long. Go back and focus on your training. You as well Nilo."

No longer wanting to speak to or look at the sullen dark eyes, Myka transform into a fox and laid her head within Nilo's lap. With that, Alexis and Cyde turn to leave, either one noticing the clear fox eyes looking on after them as they disappeared.