Path of the Berserker

Yo Max,

How are you, bro? I hope you’re doing better than us because things have pretty much gone to shit back here since you left.

Those bird sisters have done a total number on us. They broke up the neighborhood with some stupid new law that prevents Non-Terrans from living in the Native Housing District. Fia kind of saved the day by moving Yu Li, Su Ling and Gui Zu into her parents’ place with her though. That’s going okay I think, but now those damn bitches challenged her to a duel or some crap a month or so from now. Anyway, don’t mention I said any of this when you write Fia. She was trying to not give you stuff to stress about, but I know how you work. I’m not sure if you got any cultivators to hate out there in prison, so I figured I’d give you the low down on those bird bitches so that you can cultivate some rage.

You can thank me for the Frenzy later.

I put Kelsey’s letter down to digest what she had wrote.

“Son of a bitch…” I mumbled, causing a harsh whisper to come from one of the librarians.

I was taking a break from my artwork, midway through my rendition of the flying squid monster. It’d been a little over six weeks now and my artistry had gotten pretty good with Master Eiji’s daily instruction. Between doing that, binging on the histories of the deployment drops, learning mining techniques for the Hell Worlds and spending my afternoons trying to perfect my [Lightning Walk] technique, my days were well spent.

I was able to make three whole steps with the technique now. It was a bit like doing qinggong accept you were jumping off the air itself instead of objects like in parkour. It was mentally taxing though and it took all my concentration to get the timing of my body and my meridians right to ‘kick’ off the air at just the right moment and angle to propel myself through the air and maintain control. I was still at a novice level though, knowing that to truly be effective I’d have to be able to [Lightning Walk] subconsciously while I fought with my other techniques.

At nights I cultivated the Bloodmoon and pushed my limits to the max while skirting the detection of I’xol’ukz. I could last up to six hours now by cycling in and out of my [Soul Shield], which put me in good stead to challenge the final exam.

A few times I had even detected Kelsey again as well, but it seemed mostly random and I couldn’t reproduce the encounters at will. That was why when I received her letter, I dug into it with a fervor, hoping Kelsey might confirm the things I’d sensed. But no way could I have expected her to open with something like this.

What the hell were those damn bird sisters up to?

A new law to separate us?

Kelsey was right though.

Just the thought brought ire to my gut.

Part of me wanted to fly back to Earth right now and knock their damn blocks off, but I had to settle for what Kelsey had written instead. I had to trust they could take care of things while I was away.

I read on.

Now for what I was really writing you about.

A huge demon has appeared in the wild and I think it’s the reincarnation of that Hong Feng guy. The one you killed. Or one of the ones you killed. Anyway, he calls himself I’Xong’Zhang now but it’s not really him I don’t think. At least not fully. He’s a demon for sure with maybe Hong Feng’s memories or something, I guess? He’s totally psycho though and wants to destroy the whole city. So far he hasn’t been able to get through the barrier but I worry he might get strong enough to at some point. Any Berserker tips you can send to help please do. I’ve been cultivating under the Bloodmoon as best I can, but I don’t know if I’ll ever match his strength in time.

I put the letter down again.

I totally wasn’t expecting this.

And thankfully Kelsey had had the sense to write to me in English and not Yee when mentioning all this stuff. I didn’t even know I’xol’ukz had that kind of power to recycle demonic souls.

I read on.

I tried to fight the thing and got my ass kicked. But here is the weird part. I swear I sensed you come to my aid that night. Was that you? Please tell me that was you. I heard your voice and you sort of brought me back from the edge. Write me back to confirm, okay?

If it was you, maybe we can find some way to communicate in real time in the spirit realm or something. Also write back in English, okay? Don’t be a Choon!

Love you,

Kelsey

I sat back perplexed, taking in everything Kelsey had written.

The demon. The bird sisters. The spiritual connection.

It sounded like all hell was breaking loose back home.

Literally.

And I couldn’t do much about it.

The [Odds were Against Us] all in that regard, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t try. With everything that was going on, I needed to get to the Hell Worlds and back faster than ever.

I tore a fresh sheet of paper from my sketch pad and began responding to Kelsey in English. If there was some way for us to communicate through the spiritual realm, we needed to figure it out.

And fast.

* * *

Fia looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

She was wearing nothing but her undergarments and all she could see was belly.

Six months on now and nothing was looking or feeling good.

Anxiety roiled in the pit of her stomach, bad as the morning sickness that seemed to come at any time of the day it felt like, much less mornings.

Even now she felt nauseous. She sighed at herself.

“I’m such a chun,” she muttered. “Why did I let myself get pregnant?”

She knew why of course but it seemed so foolish now.

What should have been a happy and expectant occasion was now looming over her head like a death sentence. And that was due to just the thought of eventually having to tell her parents, much less having to fight the bird sisters in just over a month’s time.

It was enough to make her go weak in the knees and feel like throwing up again.

Even her face was getting incredibly fa—.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Her thoughts left her as a knock came from her door.

Panic flared immediately as she rushed to pull on the oversized robes she had come to wear of late to hide her growing stomach.

“Just a minute!” she called out. “I’m not decent.”

“Fia, it’s me!” a familiar and welcome voice called back through the door.

Praise the heavens, Fia thought.

It was Yu Li.

Fia still cautiously opened the door, making certain Yu Li was alone before she slipped her inside.

“I’ve got them for you,” Yu Li said with the widest grin on her face.

“Wonderful! Thank you!”

Yu Li quickly unwrapped the parcel she had tucked under her arm, removing the brown packing paper and revealing three sets of robes inside. Yu Li picked one up to present it to her. It perfectly matched her clan’s motif of black with silver trim.

Fia had asked Yu Li to secretly purchase her larger robes, but these ones seemed strange indeed. The craftmanship alone seemed odd and for some reason she couldn’t tell if the robes were too large or perhaps too small. She felt the material and they too felt somewhat odd to the touch. Not silk like she was used too, but something coarser, almost like burlap in some parts.

“What sort of robes are these, Yu Li?”

“You’ll see,” Yu Li said with another grin. “Try one on. It will amaze you.”

Warily, Fia undressed to her undergarments again while Yu Li continued to grin at her almost mischievously.

“Yu Li, what are these robes, seriously?”

“Will you just get them on?”

Fia rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

She pulled on the new robes which felt altogether too heavy and uncomfortable at the same time. She pulled the sash about her waist and felt the robes tighten around her enormous belly.

“Well, they fit I suppose,” Fia said. “But what’s so special about them?”

Yu Li smiled and nodded towards the mirror. “Have a look.”

Fia did so cautiously and when she saw herself, she nearly let out a scream.

Gone was the tummy altogether, the robes seeming to look as tight fitting as a swimming garment. She didn’t understand what she was seeing. But something else was off. Her bust and belly seemed to have swapped places.

“Yu Li! What have these robes done to me?”

“They’ve done nothing to you,” Yu Li said, looking at her from behind through the mirror. “They’ve simply changed your proportions to trick the eye and take the focus off your stomach.”

“And put them on my breasts? I look like a harlot!”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Yu Li said.

“What are these robes, Yu Li?”

“They are mummer’s robes,” Yu Li said. “I had Jian Yi special order them for me from the next province. No one will know.”

“Mummer’s robes?”

“Yes, mummers use them all the time to play different characters. Even a man can dress in this robe and appear as a woman.”

Fia stepped back to admire herself in the mirror again with new eyes. “Mummer’s robes. How do they work?”

“There are wards lined within the fabric that can trick the eye and change the proportions of one’s body. You can still feel your tummy, but others will only notice your bust.”

Fia wasn’t certain she liked the trade off, but what choice did she have?

“For the record,” Yu Li said. “I think you look fabulous. Max will probably love it.”

Fia rolled her eyes again. “I’m sure he will.”

There was another knock at the door.

Both women paused.

“Are you expecting someone else?” Yu Li asked.

“Certainly not at my bedroom.” Another wave of panic took hold. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for people to see her like this. “Answer for me please!”

Fia ran and hid in the privy while Yu Li answered the door.

She heard Ju Gong’s voice. “Ah! Mistress, Yu Li. I assume Lady Fia is within?”

“Yes, in the privy.”

“Can you inform her that Mistress Kel Zhi has come to visit. She needs to speak with her on what seems quite an urgent matter.”

Urgent?

Fia’s mind conjured up all kinds of mishaps that could be taking place in the city below.

“Send her up!” Fia called out. “Thank you, Ju Gong!”

“Will do, madam!”

Once he had left, Fia re-emerged. “What do you think it is?”

Yu Li shrugged. “Must be very important for her to come all the way up here.”

A few moments later a knock came at the door and when Yu Li opened it, Kel Zhi burst inside. She was sweating profusely, like she’d just run the entire way. And knowing Kel Zhi she probably did. But that wasn’t what struck Fia the most.

In her hands were several sheets of paper that she waved in the air as she approached her aggressively.

“Damnit, Fia!” she shouted. “You’re freaking pregnant?”

The floor fell out from under her and she thanked the stars that Ju Gong hadn’t accompanied Kel Zhi to her room. Yu Li immediately slammed the door closed behind her, looking white as a ghost.

“How did you know?” Yu Li suddenly asked. “Does she look that bad in the robes?”

“What?” Kel Zhi said, staring oddly at Fia now. “Something seems off for sure, but no it it’s not that. You don’t even look pregnant.” She then shook the papers again. “But that doesn’t mean you aren’t! Max just wrote me and told me that you are!”

“Max wrote to you?” Fia asked.

“Yeah. What the hell, Fia? You’ve been hiding this?”

Shame and embarrassment flushed her face red. “It’s…”

“It’s the curve ball,” Yu Li spoke for her. “This was what Max was speaking of in his last letter.”

“Yeah, no shit it’s a curve ball,” Kel Zhi said. “This is crazy, Fia! How are you supposed to fight the bird sisters like this?”

She sighed. “I don’t know. I try not to think about it.”

“Maybe it’s time you tell everyone the truth now, Fia,” Yu Li said. “Your parents at least.”

She shook her head. “Not until after the trial. I’m the only one who can represent the family. I can’t give them any more stress than I already have. Plus…I just don’t want to disappoint my father again.”

“Probably should have thought about that before,” Kel Zhi said sardonically.

“Kel Zhi!” Yu Li chided her.

“What?”

Fia sighed. “It’s alright. I deserve it. I was thinking with my heart not my head. But it’s too late to turn back now.”

“What about Kelsey fighting for you?” Yu Li said. “I’m sure she could fare well against the sisters.”

Kel Zhi’s eyes widened. “Me? Well sure. I dunno if I could beat all three but I’ll give it a shot.”

“No,” Fia said, shaking her head. “I appreciate it Kel Zhi, but you’re not the proper rank. You’ve just entered the Iron Bracket and they are all Gold. And besides that, the writ is written specifically in my name. The bird sisters would not agree to the settlement match without it.”

Yu Li frowned. “I worry for you, Fia. Can you even fight in this condition? What about the baby?”

“I have no choice. Perhaps these mummer’s robes will help.”

“So what has Max said?” Yu Li asked, reaching for the papers in Kel Zhi’s hands. “Is everything alright?”

“Don’t bother,” Kel Zhi said, handing them to her. “It’s all in English.”

“Really? Max can write in English still? Let me see!”

As she opened one of the papers, Kel Zhi’s eyes suddenly grew wide.

“No wait! Don’t look at that one!”

Yu Li and Fia looked at Kel Zhi perplexed as Yu Li held up a blank page. “What? There’s nothing on it.”

“What?” Kel Zhi said, sounding surprised. “You two don’t see anything?”

Fia looked again at the blank page. “See what?”

Kel Zhi then laughed. “Nevermind. I must have gotten the pages mixed up.”

“So what is he saying?” Fia asked, as Yu Li handed the odd looking Terran script to her.

“A lot of stuff about his advancement. He’s hoping to do his final exam soon and then he’s off to the Hell Worlds.”

Fia’s heart suddenly jumped. “What? Already?”

“I thought the time frame was three years,” Yu Li said.

Kel Zhi merely shrugged. “You know, Max. Where there’s a will there’s a way. He said no way is Fia having that baby without him being here.”

Fias’s throat tightened as tears filled her eyes.

The heavens had answered her prayers yet again.

“This is wonderful news!” Yu Li shouted. “Max will be home soon to sort all this mess out.”

“Don’t go celebrating just yet,” Kel Zhi said. “The toughest part is yet to come, but don’t worry I’ll be helping him all the way.”

“Helping him?” Fia asked. “How?”

Kel Zhi suddenly blushed and grinned. “You know. Prayers. Moral support. All that.”

Fia laughed. “Yes, of course. We all will.”

“This still doesn’t solve the issue with you fighting the bird sisters, does it?” Yu Li asked. “Max won’t be home that quickly, will he?”

Kel Zhi shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe?”

A new resolve filled her, as Fia once again looked at herself in the mirror.

Gone were the self-deprecating thoughts and emotions.

Her love had achieved the impossible for her and she would do the same.

“There is no issue,” Fia said confidently. “I beat those stupid girls when I was twelve. And with these robes, I can easily do it when I’m pregnant.”

“You sure?” Yu Li asked, looking uncertain.

“I’ve got this,” Fia said. “The bird sisters won’t know what hit them.”

* * *

As Kelsey departed the Dong family estate, she couldn’t help but reflect on what Fia had said. Although she had spoken with confidence, Kelsey had sensed the sliver of fear in Fia’s heart. She was still taking a risk, but had the courage now to do what needed to be done.

She wished she could help in some way.

But her own limitations were preventing her there.

Which meant she had to put her energies towards the next best thing.

Helping Max and dealing with the demon that would destroy the whole city if she let it.

Kelsey stopped briefly to read the last part of Max’s letter again.

I can sense you when I’m out under the Bloodmoon so maybe that’s the connection. I have a date for my final exam where I need to be under the influence for a whole night. Go under the Bloodmoon and spirit walk within your Struggler on that same date. Maybe we can find one another. If we can make this work, I’ll be able to help support you to kill that demon bastard Hong Feng 2.0.

Oh! And be sure to show no one that picture, okay?

It will make them go insane.

But you can look at it briefly to strengthen your spiritual cultivation.

Kelsey had nearly forgotten about that. She glanced about to ensure no one was around and quickly opened the ‘blank’ paper for another look herself. Instantly a sense of terror and dread filled her soul as the image of the squid monster stared back at her, the creature seeming to come alive on the page. She quickly closed it again, breathing heavily.

If these were the types of creatures Max would have to face on the Hell Worlds, then he had a hard road ahead indeed. She dared not tell Fia or Yu Li though. It was enough for them to know that Max was making the struggle to get back home early.

But if they had any idea of the reality of his Struggle.

It truly would drive them insane.

Kelsey took one last look at the date.

It would be three days from now.

Just enough time to sure up things in the city and then race back home to the bunker to try and connect to max under the Bloodmoon without that demon showing up for her and with Venja as a safety net.

“Hang in there, Max,” Kelsey whispered. “Your little sis is gonna come find you.”