The sun beat down on Nao-Zai. Him, along with two other creatures with snake heads and hairy legs of a bear, crouched under one of the arches holding one of the sky bridges up. They emerged from the underground tunnels from Shencai connecting to a sewer network underneath Dansarun a few hours ago and now, they're only looking to enter the Imperial City without anyone noticing.

Nao-Zai rubbed his arms, feeling strange without the comfort of his arm guard. In fact, in just a simple but scratchy overcoat with wide sleeves reaching his thighs, he felt widely exposed. His dark trousers tucked into white socks tied with a twine to keep his flat-soled shoes to his feet was just an awkward fashion statement he wouldn't want to try again. He missed his boots.

One of the snake people, or the pu-gurye, nodded at him, its frills unfurling with the rising tension. Nao-Zai remembered his name to be Ka-Ji, the soldier Gang Sen had introduced to him a few hours ago. Ka-Ji wasn't much of a talker. Nao-Zai could understand that though. Imagine having a long forked tongue curled at the base of one's mouth. It wasn't a pleasant experience if they had to unfurl it every time they spoke.

After exchanging quick nods, they tore through the road, keeping their hats over their faces and their weapons concealed underneath the tails of their overcoats.

On foot, the streets of the Imperial City seemed wider and more winding. Nao-Zai had lost the entire layout of the city after a few turns but the snake creatures tramped past shops and houses like they owned the place. A few gods dressed in simple layers who polished wood or rolled fish cake dough from the side of the road paid them no mind. Perhaps people dressed like pipers were common around here even if they had snake heads and furry feet? Maybe?

After a few more hours and with the sun setting, they reached the lip of the final wall encircling the five tall pagodas where the council of the gods ruling over Dansarun lived. As planned, Nao-Zai slammed the butt of his sword against a guard's neck and watched him crumple to the ground like a pile of stones. The other snake people did the same thing on the other guard. Being gods, the guards would wake up sooner or later so Nao-Zai dropped a sack of powdered blue jasmine leaves beside them.

After discussing it with Kai-Se one night after the trade summit, the prince agreed that the blue jasmine was in fact a narcotic and large amounts of the tea could lead to addiction and other nasty side effects. That's also where he learned that the leaves, when pounded to powder and inhaled through either steam or as was, would have a stronger effect and often lasted longer.

Kai-Se had chuckled upon revealing that information to him. "It's strange that Dansarun would want a direct trade with Xuijae with blue jasmine tea," he said. "It would earn them a good amount of money since it would surely get our people to be addicted to it."

Then, he took one look at Nao-Zai and shook his head. "I only drank one cup of the tea Governor Hanse offered," he said. "I actually enjoyed it because my thoughts quietened for a whole day after that. But, don't worry. I won't get addicted."

Nao-Zai could only hope the prince wasn't kidding.

They passed the gate and soon, they were inside. Nao-Zai craned his neck to look for any lookouts from the sky bridges. Gang-Sen's scouts were right in saying this particular time of the day has less guards on patrol.

The creatures with him clicked their forked tongues to get his attention and with a brief nod, peeled away from him, leaving him on his own. Nao-Zai rounded the first of the towers and went straight towards where Gang-Sen told him where the prison cells were. Please let Kai-Se be there. Please let Kai-Se be there.

When he was near the eastern tower, the air to his left shone and An-Ri popped into existence. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, gripping his arm and digging her claw-like nails into his flesh. "I told you to go home!"

Nao-Zai frowned. "Not without Kai-Se."

An-Ri clicked her tongue. "You humans and your unbelievably large heads," she said. "Do you know what you've done? You've walked yourself into a trap along with those pu-gurye friends you took with you as soon as you entered the city. Now, we're all under Nishi's magic web and there's no going out until he dispells it."

"Not even you?"

The spirit's eyes flashed. "Why do you think I could take a form outside Shaoryeong?" she said. "My magic is tied to Kai-Se. If he is affected by something, I am too, as long as magic is concerned."

"Tell me, how does one get a spirit protector like you?" Nao-Zai said.

An-Ri turned to the central tower. "Don't even think about it if you want to live," she said. "Summoning a spirit is no simple feat."

Before Nao-Zai could respond to that, An-Ri floated behind him and gripped his collar. "I'd bring you to where Kai-Se was being kept mostly because I couldn't reach him from where they're keeping him," she said, her voice almost a melody in Nao-Zai's ears. "Break a door or a window. Anything. I'd handle it from there. Take Kai-Se and run. I'll try to break Nishi's web on the way. That should enable you to get out of Dansarun and flee to Shencai."

Then, she shot towards the sky and Nao-Zai left his stomach on the ground.

They touched down on the balcony of a specific floor on the central tower and Nao-Zai's legs turned to jelly. He gasped for air as he leaned against the balustrade which unfortunately gave him a view of high up from the ground they were. His stomach churned. "Okay," he raised a finger in An-Ri's face. "Warn me next time?"

The spirit answered by bringing out three of her white, furry tails. "Kai-Se's over there."

She tramped towards the shut door leading to what's supposed to be a wide hall inside and knelt against the thin parchment separating her and the prince. "Kai?" she called. "You there?"

"Yeah!" Kai-Se's hearty voice rang from the other side, albeit a little breathy. Was he running laps around the room? "Just...trying to make...a dent."

An-Ri sighed. "Don't bother," she said. "Nao-Zai's going to take care of it."

Silence reigned on the other side that Nao-Zai thought something had happened to Kai-Se for a second. Then, a strangled laugh slipped through. "You're kidding, right?" he asked.

Nao-Zai pushed past An-Ri and drew his sword. "Nah," he said, surprising the voice on the other side into silence. "I'm here."

He thrust the sword towards the door when something silver flashed across his periphery. "Look out!" he yelled as he ducked, an arrow embedding into one of the red pillars holding the floor up. He whipped to see Gansai, the god of war, stalking towards them with his bow drawn and another arrow nocked against it.

"Guess I'm right when I say I smell flies," he smiled, his large teeth enough to ground a cattle to bits. Or so it seemed.

An-Ri dropped into a stance, flexing her fingers and letting her nails stretch into fox-like claws. Oh, so she really has claws. "Free Kai-Se," she hissed. "I'll hold him off."

Nao-Zai didn't need to be told twice. He dug his sword into the door just as a flash of magic erupted from the inside and An-Ri slammed into the god of war.

Kai-Se stumbled through. "Nao-Zai!" He looked at the blur of movements that were Gansai and An-Ri clashing. "We have to save her!"

Nao-Zai yanked his sword from the door and lowered himself to a stance. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll handle it."

Then, before the prince could protest, a blur of white whizzed past them. "An-Ri!" the prince screamed, running towards the fallen spirit who crashed against a pillar and sank to the floor. Nao-Zai faced Gansai who was advancing towards them without batting an eye.

The last thing he heard before he raised his sword and lunged towards the war god was Kai-Se's strangled "Wait!". After that, all he heard were his own screams and the sound of metal screeching against metal.