-------

Even while using one the magical pathways connecting the planets of a single plane, travel between worlds took some time. That was especially true if the path they took was one that didn’t see frequent traffic, as the more often traversed pathways developed and became more efficient. Some ships had the power to travel between worlds almost instantly, but even those ships usually required a mage of at least eighth rank to power that fast travel. Even better if the mage had talents in spatial magic. Or they required a special type of attunement to the target world, which was almost as rare.

The yacht they were currently on didn’t have a mage like that, and even if they had, the trip would leave the mage exhausted, so they wouldn’t have used that method. They were not in a hurry anyway, as a large purpose of this whole trip was to keep Karna away from the Magocracy. Not that most of the group was fully aware of that fact. While luxurious and quite sizeable, the yacht was still small enough to provide limited opportunities for entertainment. Serious sparring was off-limits as bursts of too powerful energy could disturb their travel. As students in search of power, they all had the option of cultivating and meditating to pass the time, but they were still young and relatively easily bored. There was only so much cultivation they could do continuously without the drudgery getting to them.

“What’s the most interesting spell you’ve ever used?” Mayumi asked mostly to pass time as the two were walking towards the common areas from the cabin they shared.

“Huh. That’s a difficult question. There are many to choose from, but the one that first comes to mind is a spell that used the power of sound. It has many names and countless ways to use it, but one name I’ve heard used is the Song of Khali.” Karna tapped her chin in thought. “It’s a way to infuse your voice with emotions and feelings, which then forces them on the ones listening. It can be used to cause pain, drive someone insane, or even bring someone happiness or pleasure. It’s a versatile ability. It’s also very different from normal spellcasting.” The two of them reached their destination and walked into the room that was already occupied by the other people on board.

“I heard you have skills when it comes to music. Maybe you could demonstrate?” Mayumi asked Karna in the form of a suggestion.

“Where’d you hear that?” Karna asked, a little surprised. She hadn’t spent that much time playing instruments in this life.

"Well, you mentioned it during one of the stories you told me," Mayumi replied, She wanted to point out that it was one of those times where they talked about their previous lives, but as they were in the company of others, that was not possible.

"You were also playing an instrument when I first saw you. As I recall, you were dueling one of the court bards musically. And winning.” Cendirion pointed out.

"I'm surprised you remember that," Karna muttered quietly.

“What was that?” The Prince asked, having not heard her words.

“Nothing. Well, sure, I can play. Just keep in mind that you asked for it.” Karna gave a wry smile. “It can be done in a very subtle way since music often evokes emotion and this is just an extension of that, but many people find it quite disconcerting to have emotions forced on them, no matter how benign.”

Karna conjured up a bow and a large stringed instrument out of what looked like nothing but light and mana. When she started playing, her mouth kept moving, though no sound came out. Yet at the same time, the sounds produced by her instrument seemed to be impossible to have been created by a single instrument, not to mention a stringed instrument in the first place. There was also a sort of female voice that seemed to be half singing and half chanting.

The song itself started of hauntingly and gave them a profoundly uncomfortable feeling, then they suddenly felt like a calm before a storm, and like they were all standing before a choice that was the most pivotal in their entire lives, and they were filled with the almost certain knowledge that whatever they decided, the result would not be happiness and rainbows. Finally, they felt a tangible feeling of gut-wrenching loss, as if someone had just taken something important from them, a result of their 'choice'.

“That was…” Mayumi managed to say. “I was expecting you to play something happy.”

“Sometimes life isn’t filled with purely pleasant things. Besides, I wanted to show you the results of the magic in a way that wasn’t just making you feel pleasant. Messing with magic like this can be dangerous, and shouldn’t be just fun and games. I went easy on you. That feeling of loss? That could be amplified a thousand times, causing the listener to have a complete breakdown. That said, I could play something a bit happier to make up for it.” Karna leaned towards Mayumi to whisper in her ear. “Besides, the most common positive use for this spell is a sexual one, and I don’t think you wanted me to display that on you in front of everyone.” She was only partly teasing, mainly the part where she’d do that to Mayumi.

-----

“Hah! Read ‘em and weep!” Anaire shouted in victory and splayed her cards on the table before sweeping the spirit stones off the table and into her bag. Games were another way for the people on the ship to pass time.

“Dammit! I was so sure I had you this time.” Shaheera cursed while Miralen just looked resigned.

“You’re ten years too early to try and swindle me with cards Leonid boy!” Anaire bragged and strutted a bit. “I’ve been playing my brothers for years and I’ve never lost against them. And they’re experts in such things.”

“Fine. I must concede to your superior skill.” Shaheera admitted reluctantly.

“That makes four of you then. Mayumi and Sieg already surrendered yesterday, now you’re being put in your place.” Anaire cheered and danced a little victory dance. “Now that just leaves Karna and the two teachers. Too bad the boy called Travan went home before I could take his money.”

Travan had decided that taking the news he’d heard from the Queen back to his relatives was more important. There was no guarantee that he’d survive if he traveled with the group, nor were there any assurances about how long the trip would take. He couldn’t with good conscience put off his trip home for what could potentially be years. "Good luck with that," Miralen muttered, knowing the elven princess was likely up for a rude awakening.

“How about it Karna?” Anaire called out to the other side of the room where Karna lounged on a comfortable divan, reading a book.

"I don't really play those types of games," Karna replied calmly, while not looking up from her book.

“What? Scared to lose?” Anaire taunted. She’d grown more familiar with the students present, though many of them were still quite mysterious in her eyes, Karna especially.

“No, the opposite actually. I don’t want to take the money of my acquaintances since there’s no challenge in the game. I don’t mind playing games in general or fleecing random people, but supposedly friendly games with money wagers will only leave others feeling bad. And there’s no point in these types of games without wagers as the tension would be gone.” Karna explained.

“So what I’m hearing is that you would play if there was a wager other than money or spirit stones.” Anaire grinned, not prepared to give up the chance.

“Well, that would depend on the wager. I wouldn’t agree to just anything. It needs to be fair, something that’s worth playing for with at least some seriousness, and something that both parties wouldn’t mind if they lost. I’m not really interested in forcing you to do something you’d absolutely hate after all.” Karna countered confidently.

“Oho! Mighty confident, aren’t we? Fine. How about a massage? Not just a shoulder massage either, but a proper full-body massage with scented oils and everything.” Anaire decided to throw in something that would be fun and also rewarding. Besides, getting a massage from the attractive girl could be quite fun.

“Do you have skill as a masseuse?” Karna asked with a small smile.

“I’ll have you know that I’m an excellent masseuse, though you’ll never find out, will you!” Anaire declared boldly.

-----

“How?!” Anaire cried out with a devastated voice. She’d been so confident in her victory!

“What can I say? Heart of the cards, I suppose.” Karna smiled graciously. “I’ll be expecting my massage tonight.”

“Wait! Again!” The princess asked desperately.

"You need to learn when you're defeated, princess," Karna said sternly. "If you can't, then you'll land in hot water one day, making wagers that you can't pay. Let this be a lesson to you."

Anaire knew Karna was right. It galled her to admit it, but this was indeed an important lesson. She had seen her brothers feeling the same thing she was feeling now, and knew how dangerous that desperation could be. She had fleeced her brothers enough times to know. It was hard to be on the receiving end though. The bitter medicine tasted just as bad when she had to drink it. ”Fine.” She managed to admit with gritted teeth. “I will take this lesson to heart.”

-----

"Undress and get on the table, please. You washed up like I asked, right?" Anaire ordered Karna. They were using the cabin Anaire had all to herself due to being Cendirion’s sister. The yacht had several cabins and a fair bit of space, but it still wasn’t so big that the cabins could be all that large aside from the common areas. Karna noted that the princess had cleared out most of the objects inside the cabin, and the room was dominated by a large padded massage table with several soft towels spread on it for added comfort.

“Of course. A thorough but relaxing bath with hot water to loosen the muscles." Karna replied and allowed the large robe she was wearing to fall on the floor before getting on the massage table with her front towards the soft surface of the table.

“Ah. I was expecting you to wear your underwear.” Anaire commented with a surprised squeak in her voice. She was somewhat unused to how comfortable Karna was with her nudity. She couldn’t help but marvel at the other girl’s form, half in envy and half in appreciation.

“Why bother? They’ll get in the way.” Karna retorted while getting into a relaxing position on the table, with her hands under her head, and her long hair hanging down by the side of the table in a long thick braid.

"Why indeed," Anaire mumbled. She too shucked off most of the inhibiting clothing, knowing they'd only be in the way and get dirty. Then she got on the table on her knees as well, straddling the back of Karna's thighs. "I'll be using scented oils made exclusively by the masseuses in the royal palace. It’s very relaxing and smells nice and not too heavy.” She explained while reaching to a nearby table with a small handful of bottles with a golden colored thick substance inside.

"That's fine by me," Karna replied in a muffled voice as her face was against the soft towels of the table, and she allowed her body to relax completely.

With a small flourish, Anaire dropped a large dollop of the thick liquid on Karna’s shoulders. From experience, she knew it would leave behind a very nice and attractive glistening layer, while also allowing her hands to smoothly glide over skin. Then she slowly started spreading the oil, before allowing her thumbs and palms to dig into the soft flesh of Karna’s shoulders. As she massaged the knots away, Anaire couldn’t help but marvel at the feel of Karna’s skin and the flesh below. The skin was silky smooth and without a single blemish, while the flesh felt like an impossible combination of soft and hard. While relaxed, Karna’s flesh felt pleasantly pliable under her fingers, but she could sense the hardness in the muscles below. Hardness that hinted at the power within. She was quite sure Karna could rip someone’s head off without breaking a sweat despite how she looked.

Slowly she moved her hands to massage Karna's neck and scalp, eliciting a relaxed and pleased moan from the girl below her. Slowly her hands allowed Karna to release all the piled-up stress and fatigue. Her massage started to move down to Karna's arms and back, before reaching the waist and rear, making sure every muscle group was taken care of and tended to. Anaire was definitely envious of the way Karna’s body transitioned from a perfect narrow waist to hips that were rounded but not too wide, and the way Karna’s tight, perky, and round buttocks gave the girl shapeliness without being excessive. While massaging Karna’s rump, she managed to elicit small moans that were getting definitely more erotic sounding than those before, and she knew she’d quickly have to move on, or the nature of this massage would change.

While still straddling Karna's legs, she turned around and focused on the long and smooth legs, bringing the tension down a bit. Perhaps prompted and encouraged by the tone that the massage had almost taken, Anaire managed to ask. “May I ask, did you really sleep with my brother?” Her tone was careful and even a bit faint despite the obvious bluntness.

Karna gave a small sigh. The massage had been going so well until this point. “Have you heard the saying, gentlemen don’t kiss and tell? Well, ladies shouldn’t either. It would be quite hypocritical of us to get angry about the guys bragging about their conquests, and then turn around and do something similar.”

“You’re…not wrong. Still…” Anaire wanted a confirmation. She needed to know for some reason. She felt that the knowledge would unlock something inside her, something she’d been clinging to for a long time, but was now ready to start letting go. But for that to happen, she had to be sure.

"If you must know, the answer is yes," Karna admitted finally.

“Why him?” Anaire asked quickly before her courage failed.

“I didn’t even know who he was until we met at the party that ended up with the arrest of the vampires. That was kind of the whole point of the masked festival. He was simply the one that came along at the right moment.” Karna explained, feeling a bit odd about the whole discussion. She didn’t have a problem discussing such subjects and had already had a similar conversation with others, but talking to the princess about it seemed a bit odd.

“What was it like?” Anaire asked the final question that managed to get a raised eyebrow from Karna.

“Are you asking in general, or about your brother specifically? Because if it’s the latter, then I’m most certainly not going to answer.” Karna drew the conversational line. Oh, she’d gone there too. She just didn’t want to encourage it.

“Turn around.” Anaire gave up on her questioning. Karna obliged, and as she turned around, Anaire somehow felt defeated as a woman as her eyes fell on the other girl’s bosom. “That’s just plain unfair.” She voiced the same complaint other girls of similar age had.

Karna was just about to retort with a joke, but she suddenly sensed something approaching rapidly. "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" She shouted with magic carrying her voice as she grabbed her robe with one hand and Anaire with the other. Mere seconds later everyone on the yacht felt as if they were on a boat that had suddenly been hit in the side by a ginormous wave. Everyone inside tumbled around and those that had not heeded the warning were thrown around as the whole yacht was tossed about like a leaf in a storm.

Karna could feel more than she heard the elven princess screaming in panic right next to her as they, along with everyone on the yacht, were subjected to spatial forces that were in heavy flux. Karna could sense a spatial rift forming and suddenly the two girls were no longer on the ship. They were falling down from the sky towards a yellowy-brown ground that seemed to be made up entirely of sand. As they plummeted towards the ground, Karna could see some debris falling down around them, but she couldn’t sense anyone living among the debris. On the other hand, the amount of debris was very small as well, consisting of the things inside Anaire’s cabin and not much else.

With her hand still around the elf princess’ wrist, she pulled the girl closer and called out. “Stop panicking and look around you! Can you cast a spell that would allow flight or a softer landing?”

It seemed that the reminder she had given was enough for Anaire to gather some of her wits, as she managed to look around her, still somewhat panicking. This was the first time the girl had been thrown into a situation like this, so a little panic was to be expected, despite all her previous training. “Yes, but not at the moment!” She managed to shout out through the wind blasting into their faces from their rapid fall. Luckily they were still relatively high in the air. The girl’s panic was stopping her from casting spells that should’ve been second nature to her. Not an uncommon reaction, though one she would need to get over if she wanted to continue her travels some day. The fact that the girl could recognize her inability was a step in the right direction.

With understanding, Karna was suddenly surrounded by magical formations, as she cast a flying spell on both of them. Even with the spell, it took some maneuvering before they managed to slow down their descent, as Anaire wasn’t used to the flight spell, and their fall had reached the kind of velocity that would’ve only resulted in a wet smear on the ground had they crashed. Anaire was shaking and trembling as they finally managed to land on the sandy dunes among the apparent desert.

Karna looked towards the sky and could see a very bright and glaring sun glaring down on them, and she could reasonably deduce that it was quite likely this entire world was a rather arid one, if not entirely made up of desert. She still couldn’t sense any living beings around them, but judging by what she had felt when the rift had formed, it seemed unlikely that the others had ended up somewhere on this world. “Hopefully the others had a better landing than we did." She muttered. She wasn't too worried about her own group, assuming they had been conscious, as they could all manage to at least float even if full-on flight wasn't in the cards.

“W-where are we? What happened?” Anaire shakily asked two rather reasonable questions.

Karna was fairly sure they were still on the Higher Planes simply because the spirit power around them had that quality, and because the spatial rift had not been large enough for travel between the levels of planes. "I'm not sure about the where, but I do know we were hit by a spatial disturbance mid-transit," Karna replied while pulling on the silky robe she still had in her other hand. Even if it didn't make much of a difference, she felt a little less vulnerable now that she wasn't standing around in her birthday suit.

“What? I’ve never heard of such things happening while traveling on the spatial pathways! Maybe if you’re trying to shift through entirely uncharted space, but…” Anaire had actually studied the basics of dimensional travel.

“I don’t think that disturbance was something natural. I can’t say anything certain, but if I were to make a guess, it’s one of the first waves caused by the Expansion. If that’s the case, then this time the Expansion is going to be a big one.” Karna speculated.

She had a much better idea about how this universe worked than most others. She had reached the Divine planes in her previous lives after all. She knew that since the entire universe was built upon a complex magical formation, any changes and new worlds created had to follow the dictates of what that formation allowed. Sometimes these so-called Expansions were minor, with only a few new worlds created to make the formation stronger. However, sometimes the formation made a much bigger change as they reached a saturation point, and that could result in entire new planes being created at once.

“What about the others? What about my brother?!” Anaire asked, with her panic slowly returning.

“I can’t say for sure. I’m guessing that some of them might have ended up here as well, but that doesn’t mean everybody arrived on this world. In fact, I’m fairly certain most didn’t. Accidents like these can have very wild results. I hope everyone is fine, but…” Karna had no way to tell at the moment. There was another problem that she didn’t want to mention just yet. The Scourges were always looking for an opportunity to send their forces to the more lightly defended parts of the universe, and spatial disturbances like these could crack that door open just enough to allow some forces to slip through.

"What do we do now?" Anaire asked, realizing that Karna seemed much better at making decisions at this very moment.

“In the longer term? We’ll have to find our friends and a way home. Luckily I have enough supplies with me to feed an army. Right now? I suggest we change our clothing and find some civilization, if there is any to be found here, or at least shelter. As much as I like this robe, it's not exactly the appropriate attire for trekking in the desert. I don't cherish the idea of sand getting…well, into the same places you were just massaging. And your attire isn't much better." Karna commented, looking judgingly at Anaire’s lack of clothing, which consisted mostly of simple shorts and a top.

“I…took off my spatial ring for the massage," Anaire admitted reluctantly. She couldn't sense the ring anywhere in the vicinity, and with her connection with the magical object that meant it likely ended up somewhere rather far away, or was destroyed

“Well, luckily I packed plenty of clothing. Although…” She looked judgingly at the much smaller girl. “It’s not going to fit all that well.”

“Don’t remind me!” Anaire shouted out, and somehow even in the middle of this managed to feel defeated as a woman for the second time.