Melting Ice

Chapter 1: Graduation

World School of Magic is an elite institute for magical creatures to learn to control their powers.

At the end of every term the seniors need to take a theoretical exam, and also demonstrate their skills in the combat trials. Those who clear both exams would be required to either choose a partner or join a guild to begin their journey into Neverland. Those who fail to graduate will be sent back to their native colonies where they can choose to enroll in programs more suitable to them.

Nate, an incubus, got onto the center stage. He had cleared all his papers and now it was time for him to demonstrate his skills. Nate was 5'6 with a sleek build and armed with a small wooden shield.

Standing opposite to him was Drew, an elf. Drew was 6'4 with a muscular body and armed with a bow and arrow.

The referee was a 3 ft tall pixie named Sally.

Sally announced, "We will now begin the first round of the combat trials. Both of you will be marked based on your ability to subdue your opponent. The winner will proceed to second round and get the opportunity to accumulate extra points. The points are not only important for your graduation, but they can also be exchanged for weaponry and other items at the graduates' shop. Are you both ready?"

Drew braced his bow, "Ready."

Nate raised his shield, "Ready."

Sally shouted, "FIGHT!"

Drew let an arrow loose and Nate rolled sideways. Drew fired another arrow, but Nate deflected it with his shield.

Drew smiled, "You're not bad for an incubus."

Nate didn't reply and kept circling around Drew. Drew took out two arrows and nocked them at the same time. Surprisingly, Nate chose that moment to charge in.

Drew released the arrows; Nate deflected one with his shield and the other dug into his left thigh. Nate wobbled but kept charging in. Drew ditched his bow and grabbed an arrow like a dagger.

As the distance closed in Nate swung his shield; Drew backed away and dodged the blow. Nate then proceeded to throw his shield, but the aim was off. Drew watched as the shield swung past him and when he looked back Nate had grabbed him by the waist.

Nate looked up at Drew, "You are mine now."

Drew's knees buckled and blood pumped into his face. Nate pushed him down onto the floor and grabbed both his wrists.

Drew heaved, "Pervert."

Nate smirked, "You call me a pervert but you're the one with an erection."

Drew yelled, "Shut up! That's your fault!"

Drew tried to throw off Nate, but his arms had lost their strength.

Nate got closer and whispered into Drew's ear, "Everyone's watching us."

Drew's nose started bleeding, "I forfeit! I forfeit!"

Nate got up and staggered away from Drew, the arrow still stuck in his thigh.

Sally announced, "Nate the incubus is the winner!"

A few in the crowd squealed with delight. A lot more frowned.

Nate headed to the med bay. A healer tended to his wound and he rested there for an hour before returning to the stadium. It was time for round 2.

His opponent this time was Kathy, a nekomimi. Kathy was 5'3 and armed with retractable claws.

Sally announced, "The instructions are same as before. Are you ready?"

Kathy exposed her claws, "Ready."

Nate took off his shirt, "Ready."

Sally got slightly flustered, "F-fight!"

Kathy pounced and scratched at Nate's bare chest; Nate jumped back but his left leg folded on the landing and he fell on his back.

Kathy got in position to strike again but stopped midway. Nate's blood had tainted her claws and that seemed to make her dizzy.

Nate got back on his feet. Kathy pounced again but her timing was off; Nate sidestepped her attack and grabbed her from behind.

Kathy instinctively shoved Nate onto the floor and jumped away from him. Her face had turned red and her breathing was shallow.

Nate got into a sitting position, "I have already won."

Kathy heaved, "Not yet."

Nate said, "Look at your hand."

Kathy raised her hand. Nate's blood glistened against her skin.

Nate suggested, "Don't you want to lick it?"

Kathy raised her hand and brought it close to her mouth. For a while she struggled but then she licked her hand clean.

Kathy said, "More... I want more."

Nate pointed at the wound on his chest, "It's all for you."

Kathy got down on all fours and slowly approached Nate. She hissed at him a few times but then she started licking his chest.

Nate patted her head and whispered, "It's time to sleep now."

Kathy's eyelids became heavy and she fell asleep on Nate's lap.

Sally's ears had turned red from embarrassment, "Nate is the winner!"

The cheer was louder this time.

Both Nate and Kathy were carried to the med bay. Nate got his chest bandaged and Kathy dosed up on caffeine.

Nate said, "If you hadn't looked at your hand you would have won."

Kathy sighed, "Too late now."

Nate said, "Anyway, nice fight. I need to get going."

Kathy said, "Good luck."

Nate said his thanks and went back to the stadium. It was time for round 3.

His opponent this time was Lily, a snow woman. Lily was 5'8 and unarmed.

Sally asked, "Are you ready?"

Lily stood straight, "Ready."

Nate followed her example, "Ready."

Nate started into Lily's blue eyes and Lily gazed into Nate's brown eyes.

Nate walked up to Lily and offered his hand. Lily took it.

Lily's face started turning red and she started sweating. Nate on the other hand turned purple and collapsed.

Sally announced, "Lily is the winner!"

Nate was carried to the med bay and rest of the 7 rounds were carried out while he was asleep.

When Nate woke up, he found his friends Ally and Haru by his side.

Haru said, "Congrats! You graduated!"

Ally squealed, "All of us did!"

Nate smiled and then asked, "How far did Lily go?"

Ally said, "Lily is really strong. She went up to round 7."

Haru said, "Guess who won."

Nate grinned, "Obviously Ally."

Ally said, "What do you mean by obviously? It was really hard to win!"

Haru said, "But you are a vampire, so everyone was expecting you to win."

Ally pouted, "You are a mighty werewolf and you didn't even make it to the finals."

Haru growled.

Nate interjected, "Calm down now. We all graduated. That's all that matters."

Ally said, "That's true. By the way have you found a partner yet? Or are you going to join a guild?"

Nate said, "I don't have a partner so I will have to join a guild."

Haru said, "Why don't the two of us pair up?"

Ally said, "Hey mister, I already asked you to pair up with me."

Haru groaned, "But you will make me carry you on my back."

Ally giggled, "Why else would anyone pair up with you?"

The door opened and Lily entered the room.

Nate said, "Oh... Hi."

Lily said, "Hello. How are you doing?"

Nate said, "I am fine. I will get discharged in a few hours."

Lily said, "Ah that's good. I am actually here because I wanted to ask you something."

Nate said, "Sure."

Lily said, "Have you found a partner yet?"

Nate said, "No. You?"

Lily said, "Me neither."

Ally grabbed Haru and left the room.

Lily offered her hand and Nate took it. Lily's face turned red and so did Nate's.

Chapter 2: Ice Kingdom

Nate and Lily paired up to travel the Neverland together. Neverland is a supercontinent on Earth that consists of Ice Kingdom in the north, Firelands in the south and Oasis that runs in between.

Lily asked, "Is there any place in particular that you want to visit?"

Nate said, "Not really. I will go wherever you want to go."

Lily crossed arms with Nate, "Then how about Ice Kingdom?"

Nate kissed Lily on the cheek, "Sure."

Nate and Lily were currently at the World School of Magic. The World School of Magic along with the several colonies were located on Earth's moon. To get to Neverland- Nate and Lily were waiting in queue to use a one-way portal.

Soon it was their turn, and they entered a dome shaped container. Once the container's entrance was sealed it started spinning at a somewhat fast pace. Nate and Lily struggled to maintain their footing but eventually fell down and surprisingly found themselves on Earth.

Lily said, "That was wicked!"

Nate said, "Wow... It took us straight to Ice Kingdom."

Nate and Lily walked around hand in hand. They both were equipped with a navigation watch which directed them to the nearest vacant lodge.

Lily said, "This is ours now."

Nate said, "Yeah. But when we leave Ice Kingdom our ownership will dissolve."

Lily stared at Nate.

Nate asked, "What happened?"

Lily countered, "Why would we leave?"

Nate said, "Huh? Won't we visit other places?"

Lily said, "I am a snow woman. I can't visit Firelands."

Nate said, "Yes but we can still visit Oasis."

Lily said, "We could. But when we get there you would want to go to Firelands so you would ditch me and partner up with someone else. Here in Ice Kingdom on the other hand I am at my most powerful. No one would dare to steal you from me."

Nate backed away slightly, "What are you talking about, Lily? I won't leave you."

Lily got closer, "Really? You, an incubus, won't ditch me?"

Nate said, "Lily, I love you."

Lily said, "I love you too. And that's why you're going to stay here with me. Forever."

Nate was horrified.

Lily said, "You don't have to look so depressed. I'm only taking away your freedom not your happiness."

Nate said, "Aren't they the same thing?"

Lily said, "I am all you need to be happy."

Nate said, "I will happily stay here with you, Lily. But why don't you trust me?"

Lily said, "I saw your fight with Kathy. Did you feel good when she licked your chest? They even sent you two to med bay together. Maybe you did something even more exciting."

Nate said looking flustered, "No not at all!"

Lily said, "Am I supposed to just take your word for it?"

Nate said, "Lily, c'mon! You are treating me like a criminal. And if you really thought that I hooked up with Kathy then you wouldn't have asked me to be your partner."

Lily said, "That's true. But I still can't allow other people to get intimate with you."

Nate said, "It won't happen! I only did those things because I had to!"

Lily said, "You say that but the only reason you want to go to Oasis is to participate in the contests. Are you saying you won't use seduction on your opponents?"

Nate gulped, "Well, I will have to. That's my one and only skill."

Lily said, "I won't allow it. You can only use your powers on me and me alone."

Nate said, "Fine, I won't participate in any contests. But we could still go to watch them!"

Lily said, "Yes, we could. But I have just shown you my ugly side. It's now even more likely that you will try to change your partner and leave me in the dust."

Nate groaned and put his face in his hands. A few minutes passed in silence before Nate regained his composure.

Nate said calmly, "Tell me what I need to do to gain your complete trust."

Lily said, "Have a child with me."

Nate blinked, "Huh? But we just graduated!"

Lily said, "Your choice."

Nate sighed and entered the lodge. Lily followed.

Nate snuggled on the couch and said, "You can take the bed."

Lily stared at Nate in disbelief, "Seriously?"

Nate closed his eyes. Too tired to come up with a response.

Chapter 3: Epoch 2

Nate woke up and found next to him Ally and Haru.

Ally said, "How did we get here?"

Haru said, "Huh? What just happened?"

Nate said, "Aren't we in the school's medic room?"

Lily burst into the room and Ally got deja vu.

Lily yelled, "Why are we here? What did you do?"

Nate shrugged, "I didn't do anything."

Lily said, "Don't lie! You wanted to get away from me that's why you did this!"

Nate frowned, "I don't even know what this is. Calm down."

Lily sat down on the bed and sighed.

Haru asked, "Things not going well between you two?"

Ally bumped his shoulder, "That comes later, dummy. First we need to find out what's happened."

All four of them walked outside the med bay. Lily kept glancing at Nate while he pretended to not notice it.

Haru whispered to Ally, "What do you think happened?"

Ally said, "I think we came back in time."

Haru said, "No, I was asking about what happened between those two."

Ally scowled, "We came back in time and you're more interested in a lover's quarrel?"

Haru groaned.

They met up with other people and asked for answers but no one knew any more than them.

Nate said, "So we came back in time and we don't know how or why. Now what do we do?"

Lily said, "Let's go to Neverland. Like we did before."

Nate said, "Uh I don't feel like going to Ice Kingdom anymore."

Lily said, "I know that. My plan failed because of whatever the fuck just happened. So, this time let's go to Oasis."

Nate said, "So you trust me now?"

Lily shrugged, "I don't have any other choice."

Haru intervened, "What plan are you talking about?"

Lily looked uncomfortable so Ally smacked Haru on the head.

Haru exclaimed, "Ow! What was that for?"

Ally said, "Leave them alone. And we should go to Neverland too. No one here knows anything, we might learn something on Earth."

Ally and Haru left first.

Nate said, "You don't have to worry, ok? I will never leave you."

Lily felt warmer and her skin got misty.

Nate grabbed Lily's hand and once again they entered the portal to Neverland.

Chapter 4: Oasis

Nate woke up in a hibernation pod. He freed himself from the wires taped to his body.

Nate clutched his head and yelled, "My head's gonna burst!"

A drone drove up to Nate, "Nathaniel Adams, we've reached Oasis. Please vacate the spaceship and report to Command Center."

The drone handed Nate a pill for his headache. After the pain subsided Nate recollected his memories. He was part of the group that had been sent to colonize KOI-7923.01, renamed Oasis.

While his body was frozen his consciousness was interacting with a simulated reality. The purpose of this simulation was to pair-up the members of the group for mating purposes.

The simulation consists of multiple epochs. Those who feel they made the wrong choice will be given another shot at choosing a partner. If their choice remains the same, they will exit the program and stay in stasis till they reach their destination.

Most importantly, the simulation is experimental, and the parties involved need not adhere to the results.

Nate looked around at the room. A few of them were still waking up, many had already left.

Nate vacated the ship and reported to the Command Center. There he received his MO and keys to his new allotment.

Nate entered his new home and Lily was there waiting for him.

Lily said, "Don't sleep on the couch this time."

Nate laughed.