Xalivar

The hellish dark realm ruled by the enigmatic Evoh, lord of the Keli'ser, few can survive this place that are not of his accursed number. A land of endless winter and nightmarish cold, mortals who dare enter this realm are damned to a bitter cold death in only thirty minutes of exposure.
== Kniloty's Flight ==
The wind howls and screams as Kniloty tears through the ash grey skies of Xalivar, desperately clinging to the still form in her arms. She had been given purpose and meaning through the fragile life resting in her arms, and her soul screams in fear of the possibility that as soon as she found meaning, she would have it taken away. So she flies, in spite of her fierce hunger ravaging her body and mind, so she flew over the vast stretches of ice and snow that compose the hellish landscape of Xalivar.
She grimly looks upon Minato's still form, and tries not to let panic grip her. Far ahead, impossibly ahead, looms the High City of Astk'alon, a massive citadel city that houses Evoh's great palace. There, she would deliver her charge to be reborn as one of her own kin. Yet in her arms, Minato has grown transparent even as ice begins to cling to and grow across her form. Veins of blue energy snake across the inner contents of her being, Minato's everything is being withdrawn into her soul, and fusing with the Seed. Her flesh is slowly dying, her innards withering away, and what's left is being siphoned deeper within to form her Core. Yet, if she completes the transformation into a Core too soon, she will begin to devolve as the hunger grows without a means to release it. Her mind, her memories, everything will be consumed as her own soul devours itself into a Shade.
Kniloty slowly makes ground, but it becomes clear that Minato won't survive the cold at this rate. Hissing in frustration, she begins casting spells and wards to extend what time she has left. In due time, she makes her way to the streets of the city and lands, racing through the streets to the towering heights of Astk'alon's palace, weaving through annoyed pedestrians who all the same allow her through, sensing her purpose. Upon finally reaching the gates of the Palace, she climbs the long climb, her breath burns and her limbs ache with hunger fever. Her mind is seared by hunger, but she puts her all into each step forward.
Finally she reaches a chamber with flat circular glowing platforms, and places Minato on one. Her form slowly decomposes into spiritual energy, but not quickly enough. Was everything she suffered through not enough? Was she to lose her sworn master...? No, it would not end like this. Though she knew she was not meant to touch Minato's spirit lest it be damaged, she had to try. She extended her hand to Minato's soul and focused on her, attempting to preserve her, contain the conversion. Suddenly, Minato stablizes, and transforms into a small orb of light. She had done it- -even if just a little, she had Forged Minato into a stable spiritual mass. She would not lose herself.
Weeping with joy, Kniloty collapses as hunger begins to claim her, her body beginning to waste away. Footsteps can be heard behind Kniloty, approaching.
"So this is the one Evoh told me of. You have done well. Here, eat. You've more than earned it for your deeds." A human is presented to Kniloty, and she begins to violently gorge her aching soul upon them.
"Eat well, and then rest. Our Lord will come for her soon." The female voice speaks, then its owner walks away.
=== A Frozen Rebirth ===
Minato slowly feels her consciousness return, though her reconstructed spiritual body she wakes up in is a small blue energy child, though she can feel herself slowly maturing, growing. She can feel Evoh changing her but her vision is too indistinct to perceive anything.
”We feared you lost, but Kniloty made sure you arrived safely. You owe her more than you know.” His voice echoes through her being.
"I'm well aware, Master has always rewarded those under him who do well to indulge them in their desires and requests. So I'll do the same for Kniloty as well as those who choose to be my subordinate in the future.", Minato replies.
"It is a good quality to have, and one that has favored some of my Queens well in their rise to power. Others sought... different means. Regardless, he is not your master anymore, in fact, I daresay in time the roles may be reversed. Your aid is gifting us much, little one. Your former compatriots are being turned, and scores of them have already been whisked away to become Forged. In fact, were it not for you, I could not have captured such fine specimens."
A flash of Kohaku, Kimahara, and Shiroyuki laying upon similar circles as the one Minato is being Forged upon goes through her mind. Their bodies are similar to hers, but more developed, Kimahara and Kohaku look as though the transformation has taken root in them, but far from complete.
"Indeed, I may have not even considered taking the boy were it not for your invaluable assistance in making all of this possible. You may consider him your... proper reward for your deeds. Once you have ripened into a true Keli'ser, I will even allow you the honor of helping mold him into his true self. Does that... excite you?"
"Yes it does, you have my gratitude! I just hope I don't change too much of him.", Minato says excitedly.
The moment she says this, she feels something in her shudder, before starting to grow and swell within her and... it feels good. She feels herself growing larger, and she starts to visually 'see' Evoh as he physically shapes her being. His focus and intensity is surreal, she hardly notices the fact he touches her bare form with not a care. Then again, as thoroughly as his will flows through her, she is able to sense his intentions and the currents they travel upon, she and her form are less flesh and more clay to be sculpted, the final state of being he seeks to perfect, her final self, the masterpiece.
She feels a deeper, darker shudder as her inner most desires begin to fester and leak free of her mind's recesses, and she feels a taste of pleasure, only for the lifelong shackles of morality, hesitation, and inhibition to push them down. Evoh however strikes her form with hammer and chisel, and breaks them, her form bubbling and rippling with each blow as he shatters her shell again and again as it struggles to resist. All the while, she feels his power feed and embolden her desires, causing power to flow within her, with every blow the tide of raw desire grows larger and larger, her power swelling like a balloon in time.
Her child like form has started to bloom into an adolescent form, and she feels Evoh begin to more thoroughly explore her being, and even more closely shape her to his will.
Evoh cups her cheeks and lifts her face to look upon him and a small smile spreads on his face. "Good, good, you're becoming clearer, the real Minato is growing within you. Do you feel it? The purity of your soul, your desire, who you truly are? It is like beholding a newly budded flower just starting to open. Are you ready to bloom? There is so much more within you to set free. This is but a taste of the real, beautiful Minato I saw within you."
"I'm ready. I was taught whenever the slightest opportunity presents itself I must always take it, regardless of risks.", Minato says unhesitantly.
He smiles again and pulls her close. “I knew you would make a wonderful Keli’ser. Now then… embrace the abyss of desire and be reborn in the tempest.” He kisses her brow gently, and she feels the final dam of restraint collapse into a flood of newfound desires, released emotion, and untapped potential. Her eyes roll back into her head and she is lost amid the storm within her soul.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Minato awakes, her ears begin ringing as soon as her eyes open. An intense headache throbs and slowly intensifies as her mind unfurls. She makes out a tall woman with rich blue skin akin to ice and deep dark violet hair and eyes wearing a queenly kimono, her head adorned in a majestic icy crown growing from her head.
She shifts her posture to smoke her pipe in one hand, her ample bosom shows through her kimono as it wobbles. The woman regards her with a casual smirk.
”So you are the lass he told me of. You came out well, I can see why you caught our Lord’s eye. Come, behold your new self.” She swishes her hand and Minato sees herself in a icy mirror.
Any attempt to speak is hushed in an instant, the only thing she could think of was… she was beautiful. Evoh had not completely made her into someone else, instead every facet of her old appearance was sculpted and reimagined, it was like the old her was a low definition image, and this new Minato was the one that had lay below the grime, waiting to be polished. 
Her skin is now akin to pure sculpted ice, a grey blue, while her hair is two different shades of blue, her hands and feet now are icy claws and talons, and upon her head is a dragon head over one side that effectively gave her three horns. On one horn her scarf is tie and her tail swishes with her raw emotions, it takes her a while to recover from the sight.
"This...is awesome! I've never had imagined something like this was possible! I even still have my tail!", Minato says excitedly.
She tests out her tail and manipulates it to do different things to see if it still functions the same way it used to.
The woman chuckles as to Minato's shock, her much longer hair shifts in the same ways her tail did as well as her tail responding in kind. However the ringing becomes deafening and the headache searing pain as her mouth begins to water severely, and she struggles to breathe.
"I figured your hunger would set in quickly." She speaks with amusement, and snaps her fingers as two humans are teleported before Minato, she but has to scratch the male's neck and the merest trickle of blood to ooze, and Minato flings herself upon the man, fangs sinking into his flesh. She gorges and gorges herself, reduced to pure, raw, animalistic intent as she sucks him dry of body and soul. His form slowly withers and wrinkles as she consumes him farther than even Yelizveta did Kniloty. When the haze clears, she sits upon a dead wrinkled corpse.
The woman eyes Minato with a pleased expression. "Voracious too." She notes that Minato trembles, as though fed, but not sated, the lust to feed still strong. She pushes the human female close to Minato, and a sweet, delicious scent wafts into Minato's nose, and every cell in her body begs her to bite, to consume the sweet nectar of her soul.
"Drink deep, live prey for newborns is rarer than you think. Enjoy your taste of ambrosia while you can." The woman grins.
Minato sinks her fangs into the female as she did with the male and begins drinking.
While the male had tasted good, it didn't please the tongue. However, the female tastes greater than she could have imagined, both blood and soul tastes sweeter than honey and sugar, and it sends her into a second frenzy, the female turns paler and paler, choking out as she becomes snow white in complexion, and even her hair turns white, before the frenzy subsides and Minato brims with energy, and sees that her skin has a faint rosy blush where the light shines on her skin. The taste haunts her tongue, her lips, and were she not stuffed beyond her ability to eat further, she would likely have gave into her desire to devour the female utterly.
The woman smiles as Minato's senses finally fully return to her. "You truly were born to be Keli'ser, some mortals still cling to some vestiges of hesitation and morals, but it was second nature, was it not? With that aside, we have much to do and discuss."
She straightens, and becomes more serious. "I am the Fourth Winter Queen of Roses, Astrid Duskfawn. Of all of the female Keli'ser of the realm of Xalivar, I am ranked fourth. Lord Evoh has decreed that I shall be your caretaker as you walk your first steps as a Keli'ser, to guide you on the start of your new life. Henceforth, I am your Master, and you are my protégé, and you will address me as such with the respect I am owed. Listen and learn, and do as I have asked, and I may yet do more than teach you left foot from right foot, but become your mentor who would be invested and dedicated to nurturing you not as a newborn, but a future Queen capable of shaping this realm's course. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am. I look forward to learn more about this new life I've chosen to take.", Minato replies.
”Very well. First, take these clothes that Evoh measured you for and I put together. You will find its material and colors were chosen with your scarf in mind.”
Astrid gives her a kimono designed to her body’s specifications, Muji sandals, and a sash that completes her kimono with a dragon head situated at its front.
”Come, try them on. Your modesty will likely have lessened, but you will doubtless wish for the street rats to not have the pleasure of your bare flesh. Then we might speak of Vassals, the Bonded, and our society at large. That, and your mister is likely on your mind.”
Minato changes into the clothes given to her, and checks herself in the mirror.
She finds that the clothes fit her snugly, not an inch feels the slightest out of place or inhibiting.
"Onto the subject of Vassals and Bonded. Keli'ser are beings of self driven interests and desires first and foremost, and rarely can be trusted to put them second to those they claim fealty to. Those few whom we allow autonomy as servants we refer to as Vassals. You, in this instance, are my Vassal, as I entrust you with the ability to make your own decisions, the better that you might learn and the more genuine a bond of master and vassal be forged. The one called Kniloty I would also refer to as a Vassal as she serves you of her own volition and by all rights you lack any ability to Bond her, with such difference in strength as you have between you.
The Bonded now, are Keli'ser bound by formal oaths and sigils. Those with Bonded and Vassal relationships develop a unique crest that makes them known as Masters. To be clear though, you can be both a Master and Bonded at the same time. Most Keli'ser make Bonds rather than allow Vassalship to be invoked, as relationships on trust are rare among us, and I am among the few who rarely employ means of Bonds for my direct servants. Under the terms of a Bond, you must abide by the terms to the letter and usually, the spirit of it as well. You will be physically halted from violating them, and in some cases, if the Bond is draconian enough and the Master strong enough, a Bond can strip one of free will."
Astrid folds her arms. "An unfortunately common place practice among the destitute and meager of us in both Highborne and Marred society. One which I will be disappointed if my pupils fail to see the short sightedness of. Hear me, girl. Only use a Bond if you cannot be certain of a Keli'ser's benevolence. And on that note: beware the smiling, innocent Keli'ser, the lamb that cuddles up to you."
Astrid strokes her long gentle horns that flow from her temples like an old man would his beard.
"Many a fool has trusted the snake's guise of innocence. Many a corpse hath been flung off the side of the High Cities for their trouble. Trust deeds, and only place absolute trust in those whose deeds have been prove time and time again loyal and selfless."
"Of course that goes without saying, though not like I have much of a choice since I lack Master Kohaku's eyes which would allow me to easily see through such guise without trouble.", Minato says.
Astrid fingers the tip of her horn. "Any questions so far?" She breathes out, several smoke rings bellow out soon after.
"Nope, I think I'm good for now. Thank you ma'am.", Minato replies.
Minato soon hears the female start to cry out in pain as her chest begins glowing, and her veins begin to pop out against her skin, a blue light begins to shine in her eyes, it is clear that she is beginning to turn.
”I brought all that up as both the corpse and the woman will become Keli’ser, but weaker and requiring more time investment before they will come into their own compared to mortals you will hunt later in life. Still, most Keli’ser would kill to have three loyal followers this early in their lives, as it can take years before an average newborn acquires a following. The question remains: will you keep them?”
"I don't see why not, it's good to always have extra set of hands.", Minato says.
The female slowly begins to transform into a mass of blue light that boils and ripples, violently swelling in tandem with her rapidly beating heart. Her cries of pain becomes shrill, then muddled into gurgles, and Astrid seems confused.
”This isn’t how most transformations take place… what is this?” 
The rippling continues and intensifies until she barely holds a human shape, before her being seems to erupt in blue fire, blazing bright and lighting up the room. Finally her spiritual mass contracts and grows more dense, Minato is able to perceive that the female’s soul had exploded from a mundane, dull glow to a roaring blaze of power, her being has become more than several times more powerful, more so than Minato would have thought. 
Finally, the female fully regains a humanoid form, slowly growing flesh over her soul’s frame, sharing Minato’s skin tone if not a bit lighter, hair unfurls from her head in white and blue curls reaching to her shins, her ears have become pointed, and she is now only a head shorter than Minato. As her body further develops, she begins to resemble Minato more and more, growing a long whip like tail, and three horns, one straight and two curled grow from her head, and as she howls in pain one final time, Minato sees beautiful fangs slide out of her gums.
Minato realizes quickly that what she had created was no mere Keli’ser, it was the very first of her own progeny, the female resembles her greatly now both body and her soul.
”…So this is Lord Evoh’s Blessing he granted you…” Astrid murmurs.
"Blessing?", Minato asks.
Astrid narrows her eyes at the newborn Keli'ser. "Aye, Blessing. Evoh creates all of us unique and based on his interpretations of our beings. While he works, it is not improbable he will hide secrets within the soul, waiting to be uncovered, especially if he works longer and with more interest. One can have multiple Blessings, some great, some small. You appear to have a far greater gift for creating Borne Keli'ser, by my reckoning. If a Keli'ser of your same strength attempted to create a Borne like this, they'd find it all but impossible.
However this is achieved, is less clear to me, but it causes a unique and potent reaction in the victim, somehow creating higher quality Borne. You may yet have a unique advantage... Well then, what is her name?" Astrid asks, as the Keli'ser looks up at Minato blankly. Minato's gaze seems to cause it contentedness however, as its tail lightly swishes in response.
"How bout...Quill?", Minato says.
”Quill…?” The female repeats, blinking slowly. Her tail slowly swishes. “Quill. …I am Quill.” As the female begins to accept the idea of a name, awareness seems to bloom within her eyes.
Quill turns her head to one side. “Momma?” She says, looking at Minato, and opens her mouth to show her fangs.
Astrid chuckles and tosses a large blue crystal, which Quill bites and appears to be suckling the energy out of and the crystal slowly shrinks.
Meanwhile, the male’s corpse begins to glow from within, until silently beginning to undergo the same transformation. As his form takes shape, his skin turns slate grey, while his eyes turns the same color as Minato’s. His hair grows out long, shaggy, and white. Three horns grow from his head, a single straight one from his brow and two antler like horns on his side. He grows large and muscular, growing two heads taller than Minato. His tail is far more larger and thick than Minato, his claws and talons far mightier as well.
He stands straight and looks directly into Minato’s eyes, silently awaiting something.
"Your name will be...Whil.", Minato says to the male Keli'ser.
Whil does nothing but slowly blink, and wordlessly picks Minato up in a princess carry. He looks her in the eyes and says, "Mother."
Astrid chuckles. "The fledglings have imprinted I see. Give him one as well." Astrid tosses Minato another of the crystals.
Minato blushes at being called 'mother', but nonetheless gives Whil the crystal.
"Here, eat up."
He bites into the crystal and it slowly shrinks as he consumes the energy. He then silently blinks.
Astrid looks at Minato. “Those are Soul Gems, and they serve as currency in Xalivar as there are little else that have such value in the realm. Your mortal wealth means naught here, it might as well be refuse. Soul Gems are your staple food, and your means of gathering respect and loyalty. Gems buy men, weapons, a place to live, pleasures… Being poor means not only do you have less quality of life, but food as well. Mortals are exhaustive to hunt and only work as food for small groups and well off Queens and Kings.
In order to thrive, you must find your own means of amassing food.” Astrid hands Minato a large bag that jingles.
”This is your starting provisions and allowance. I won’t give you another- -ration and spend wisely, understood?”
"Yes, how do I acquire Soul Gems?", Minato asks.
”I will cover that at a later date. For now, we have an appointment with our Lord. Your present is waiting for you.” Astrid looks at Quill and Whil and snaps her fingers, Whil gains a suit of armor with a simple shirt and pants while Quill gains slippers and a long blue dress that shows a bit of her bust, revealing a sigil printed on her flesh.
”Let us be off.”
Minato follows Astrid, very excited as she knows what the latter means by 'present'.
Astrid leads her to a chamber where Evoh is supervising the transformation of several individuals, one appears to be a woman who has almost completely succumbed, her mind broken and moaning in pleasure as she is being altered to such an extent the others can no longer recognize her as Yatifa. The others include a partially transformed Kimahara and Kohaku, and a fiercely resisting Shiroyuki. Evoh looks at them and gestures for Minato to join his side.
Minato walks up to him and stands, not too close but not too far.
”Very good of you to join me. Now, reach out with your mind, and begin to plant the seeds of your desires within him. Fill his thoughts with what you desire him to become, choke out that which you want to die within him. I shall nurture those desires until he crumbles and is reborn in our desired image.” Evoh instructs Minato.
Minato closes her eyes and concentrates, focusing on her desires.
She can hear Kohaku cry out in pain as his being begins to be corrupted faster than he was expecting, and it takes him a while to understand that another person has begun twisting his mind, but in his haste to block the spread of the new corruption, Evoh’s begins spreading faster, and soon his mind is splintered between two fronts, and Minato starts to see him grow larger, the horns that were previously stubs are now growing, and she can see his skin changing and becoming that of the surreal form of the Keli’ser. His teeth are now lengthening into his new fangs. At the same time, Kimahara feels her corruption accelerate in tandem with her brother’s, starting to physically change as well.
As her mind begins to fray and her body begins to change into a Keli’ser, the start of an icy crown begins to grow out of her head.
”Now then, the seeds quicken and all you need do is wait. But why not give him a good bye kiss? Maybe even gift him a taste of your soul to ‘help’ him along?” Evoh grins.
Minato does as he says without hesitation.
She feels resistance, but only for a moment as she feels his mind begin to crumble in a storm of lust, hatred, and a desire to destroy those who would raise their hand against the one who would give him everything his darkened heart desires. Minato feels him kiss her back and she can feel the last vestiges of his old self collapse as he embraces her, slowly beginning to turn into pure spiritual energy, which begins to solidify into an ice like form. Evoh dismisses Minato from the circle as Kohaku curls into a fetal position, his soul’s heartbeat marks the beginning of his Keli’ser rebirth.
Kimahara too begins to undergo a similar metamorphosis in response to her twin’s downfall, and Evoh looks at the three newborns slowly being completed with a smile.
”Oh how magnificent they shall become…” He looks upon Minato with the same smile.
”Your luscious gifts provided thus far are equal payment for these gifts I received due to your work. From here, expect no more gifts until you have earned the prestige of becoming a Queen. I expect you to strive for your ambitions and use my gracious gifts to their fullest. Now then…” He leans down and kisses her forehead.
”With the three having succumbed, my -full- attention may shift to lovely Shiroyuki. She might have held on a while longer, but she will find that her will is weak compared to my generous attention and care. I have broken greater souls for thousands of years… the Queen of Darkaria will soon be born.” Evoh dismisses her and turns to Shiroyuki.
Minato then turns to leave.
Astrid is there to walk her out, and as they exit the doors, Astrid gives Minato a teasing look. "Sooo... did it feel good?"
"Yes, better than I ever imagined.", Minato says with a blissful look on her face.
"Good good, now come, we have much to do." Astrid smiles and guides her down the halls of the palace.
Inside the chamber...
The Keli'ser that was once Yatifa moans in pleasure as her horns fully grow out and her fangs slid out of her gums, panting as the last vestiges of her old self are swept away. So thoroughly changed was she that she had a hard time remembering much about herself or her name. Evoh slowly grins as he admires the beautiful new being that had been born in her place. Unlike the thin, petite Yatifa, the Keli'ser has a large womanly chest and wide hips, two large wings and a long demon tail. Her horns grow long and curved, her hair bellowing down her bare form. The pale torchlight reflects off her light blue skin and her snow white hair while her claws and talons struggle to find purchase on the smooth floor.
Evoh walks up to her and extends his hand, and she smiles and accepts it, pulling her up and holding her close.
"You've become beautiful, exceptionally so. Your heart is free of its burdens, burgeoning with newfound purpose and will. In both body and soul, you have been remade utterly. There is no need for you to cling to what was any longer. Release your grip on the past... embrace the new you, and become... Oralie Opaline." Evoh says softly to the Keli'ser, and the last vestiges of her bright blue eyes darken into deep dark blue, filled with a crueler, darker soul.
"I am... Oralie... Hee hee hee...! I love it..." She then clings to Evoh.
"Master, I... I want..." Evoh nods, and cups her cheeks and plants his lips on hers, the rune on her head glows as from her head grows the crown of a Lily, and once more light consumes her form, albeit briefly. When it clears, she has grown the crown marking her as a Winter Queen of Lilies, and as Evoh removes his lips, she cups his cheeks and returns to him a deep, passionate kiss. He allows it for a moment, before gently releasing himself.
"Good girl, but we have important work to do. With your blessing, descend upon your homeland and claim in my name what is rightfully yours." Evoh commands, and Oralie giggles with a smile.
"But of course... my heart belongs to you... and soon Lysen's will belong to me..." Evoh nods with her answer and waves his hand over her, adorning her in a suit of armor and clothes befitting her new identity. With a ripple of shadow, she disappears, leaving Evoh alone with Shiroyuki and the transforming twins.
"Work will be consuming my waking hours I fear..."