Burnt air that would nearly make one choke. The smell of sulfur pervaded through the organic funnel known as nostrils. Then there was the impulse of crushing pressure that compressed all around one’s form. This was compounded by the sensation of grime and filth coating every unguarded and guarded  feature.

If only this violent hug of pressurized heat and unbearable stench was accompanied by the rubbery velvet and oily musk that he so acquainted with a firm sole…at least in his fantasies.

That was not the case. As the dust settled.

“Come on Nameless! You can do better than that!”

Despite the ringing in Nameless’s ears, he was able to hear his eldest sister’s strong voice assert itself over to residual exploding debris. The dust clouds diffused through the gravely lot, that was designated as the family’s training ground. The younger brother’s irritated eyes first focused on his eldest sister, Titania, in the distance.

Behind the white line, that marked the periphery of the combat zone used for practice, was a beautiful woman. She was dressed in tight gray tunic and trousers that stretched below the simple hem of the attire. The latter’s end was hidden by the tight rim of the eldest sister’s black boots. Her ashen hair was cut into a short fringe. The terminal ends of the bangs were tinted blue, like an inverse-colored ocean wave. Those wavy tresses, sharp in their contours, framed a sharp face. One that wobbled in abnegation, shaking the lengthy pinna of her ears, at the sight that she was forced to witness. 

There was no doubt that even during this weekend, that Nameless’s oldest sister was the image of a model knight of Longinquus Kingdom. A region that has known peace longer than most other areas. Of course, for Titania that was no excuse for her to moderate the rigor of her training regimen. That effort was obvious by the reason that the supposedly loose-fitting knight uniform…was so snug on the inverse-wave-haired woman. As a twenty-seven-year-old half-elf, she possessed the ageless beauty that seemed bounded to their forms. Regardless of weather and age, but those gentle slopes of feminine allure were interspersed by bulging packs of muscle. Firm bundles that mixed with soft curves in a curvaceous form. An amalgamation of lean and flexible tapestry, fat, and muscle, that only seemed to amplify Titania’s beauty.

Why was Nameless’s beautiful and handsome sister displaying such transparent disapproval? Well…for the umpteenth time, the middle child, and sole son, of the family had not shown any improvement in his combat prowess. In fact, in the eldest sister’s opinion, it seemed like the brother’s ability had regressed. Was it due to a paucity of confidence leading to an erroneous judgement or a swelling of doubt that weighed down his limbs? Titania, a commanding knight of a decorated regiment within the kingdom, was convinced that it was a combination of the two. Although, it was hard to be able to parse out the exact cause of 

“Hey Titania! It’s fine. This is just another learning moment for Spriggan.”

Nameless’s eyes darted towards the source of the other voice. The snarky tinge of the second sister’s words, the second eldest sibling in the family, and his twin, rung like the morning bell in his ears. Unwanted in its arousal of his indolent state. The silent rage that welled up in the young man, as she called him by his unwanted pet name, pumped hormones that alleviated the aching pangs that suffused through his spine. It was this numbing effect that allowed the young man to pick himself off the gravelly floor.

The floor.

Yes. 

Nameless was blown back by the explosive spell of his adversary. In this new position, and with the obfuscating clouds spreading even further, the twin brother was able to better see his twin sister. Frigg standing adjacent to Titania. Her green hair flowed as a long and straight braided bundle down her back. Under the rays of the young sky, the brilliant verdant locks shimmered like a divine pasture woven by the gods. Unlike Titania, Frigg’s ears were not elongated like most elves. This was due to the trio of biological siblings’ parents being an elf and a human. Of the three siblings, only Titania bore the narrowed eyes and long ears that more prejudicial, or how they would like to refer to themselves, traditional, elves…would equate to a symbol of intelligence or wisdom. Not that the eldest sister gave much thought to such baseless notions. She was a knight and physically inclined combatant that focused on merit and skill rather than lineage. 

But this is too far of a tangent. Enough focus has been given to Titania. It is time for the focus to shift on the 22-year-old sibling that Nameless was decidedly less fond of.

Back to Frigg. 

Her face was also softer than the hardened knight’s handsome face. A cushy marshmallow texture that seemed to continue throughout the rest of the twin sister’s body. What she lacked for in firm muscle, she made up for in sizable assets. A prominent chest, balanced out by a rich rump, that hung off shapely hips. A seductive hourglass that was partially obscured by the blue mage robes, hanging down from her shoulders and down to the middle of her calves.

Of course, such an arousing sight did not bring about such fondness within the brother. He might have been appreciative of her beauty in a platonic deportment. If it weren’t for Frigg’s incessant teasing and mean-spirited nature towards him. Even now, the twin sister’s hands were firmly placed on the swell of her hips, and her face was brimming with a smug energy

“Hey! Spriggan! Eyes on the battlefield!”

The twin sister gave a mirthful chuckle. As she stomped her sandaled feet into the moist grass. The fresh dew sprayed and arced back down to those scrunching toes.

A sight that brought an unwanted tightness to the young man’s heart.

Goddess! Damn it!

Of course, the rearing of his baser proclivities was a transient one. 

Nameless swiftly returned to his natural fuming state. As his twin sister once again called him by the pet name, she gave him when they were children. In the Longinquus Kingdom, it was customary for infants not to be given names when they were born. Rather, their name was given equal importance as their identity. Thus, that defining label would be picked by the child themselves, once they had grown old enough. Of the biological siblings, the precocious twin sister was the first one to pick her name. A name that was known for marriage. Although, she chose the name not out of the conventional sense of the word or out of some childish fantasy of being swept off her feet by a dashing prince.

No. That was not the case.

Titania came to her name second.

Nameless…he still hasn’t…

...

...

Thus, he is called either by that burdensome title or the much more appreciated moniker of “brother” or “son”.

“I don’t believe there would be much utility or gain if brother does so. The outcome is pretty much determined.”

A gentle voice spoke from the opposite side of the battlefield. Thereby, provoking Nameless to turn towards the only one who would speak with such a bored tone in the family. His adopted younger sister. 

Houseki. 

Compared to the oldest three sibling’s creamy complexion, her skin was pale. A stark contrast to the nebulous depth of her ink-dark hair and eyes. The strands of hair were arranged into a tight geometric cut, that reached her chin and arranged itself around the pair of red horns that sat on top of the young woman’s forehead. Houseki was a 21-year-old of oni descent from a far east country. At the tender age of 3 years, she lost her parents while they were on an expedition in a desert region. Fortunately, Nameless’s mother, Morgan, was also on that expedition. 

In search for a priceless artifact.

With the country to far, and immigration too difficult with so little information on Houseki’s heritage and family, the single mother decided to adopt the young female Oni into her own family.

Now, Houseki towered a head over Titania, the tallest of the three oldest siblings. Although, what she had in excess of height...she lacked in terms of natural bulk. Out of the females in the family, the woman of eastern descent had the slenderest figure. Moderate curves that were usually tucked in loose black garbs that she even wore now. A uniform fitting for the reconnaissance and rogue profession that Houseki set her heart on. Despite her height. The oni’s dark irises were brought out by the diligent application of red mascara to the fringes of her eyes.

Houseki’s sandaled feet, the pale complexion of her foot veiled in footwear from her homeland known as tabi, patiently tapped on the floor. The oni angled her arm and dug her hand into a pocket. Then the adopted sister pulled out a container that looked like it contained the salve she would use on her own wounds. 

It warmed Nameless’s heart to see that one of his sisters didn’t make themselves completely reliant on the enchanted gear that Frigg produced. The young man was about to walk over to meet his sister halfway, when he felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Hey bro, here!”

The final sister jovially chirped. 

A wide grin was plastered on her caramel countenance. She wasn’t adopted like Houseki. Rather, during that very expedition for the priceless artifact, when Nameless’s mother met Houseki and her parents…she found someone else that enchanted her heart. After the passing of their father and her first husband...

...

...

A dusty man of average temperament and ash-like hair broken by a fuzzy set of ears. One that matched a furry cat’s tail that bounced behind his back with a vitality that belied his years. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was those trials and affirmation of their bond that crafted something true between them. That led to an intimate congress under the desert night. 

Thus, a new Nameless infant was left to gestate in the elven mother. The days before the tragic incident that robbed the lives of Houseki’s parents and Morgan’s newfound partner.

Nahla chose her name because it honored the memory of her father. 

Who she was told she bore a strong resemblance to. A visage that was rarely without a dimpled smile, and a short figure that bore an abundant softness. The 18-year-old didn’t have the athletic physique of Titania, the full-bodied figure of Frigg, or the slender slopes of Houseki. Rather, the black cat-eared and tailed had a pleasantly plump and ordinary body. A calming sight for the brother, who had a rather unassuming figure of his own. The young cat girl was unsuitably dressed in a night gown this early morning practice...and nothing else.

“Thanks Nahla.”

Nameless patted the top of the cat girl’s head, as the latter offered one of Frigg’s enchanted relics to the former. Regularly the brother would have taken the enchanted treatment with much more consternation. However, there was little that the youngest half-sister could do that would make Nameless mad. Well…it was a little vexing to see her toes laid out bare on the fields of their manor. Not even a semblance of foot covering was adorned on the brown slabs of meat. A flit of Nameless’s eyes confirmed that plenty of dust and grass had collected between those bulbous toes.

Curse this affliction of mine.

“Hmm! Brother what is wrong? Your breathing has changed a little? Are your injuries deeper than they look?”

The cat girl’s adenoidal voice, a nasal scratch that was oddly pleasant to the ears, reached the brother’s ears. He merely shook his head and waved off such a suggestion. However, it was those words that corralled the other sisters over to the young man’s and Nahla’s location.

The strict eldest sister Titania, whose scrutinizing and imposing attitude towards her only brother was an act out of tough love. As she only wanted the best for her family. In a society that may have stabilized, but there were enough gaps, selfish opportunists, and different views that could be taken advantage of to displace vulnerable individuals. The last thing she wanted was for Nameless to be one of them. I mean…who has heard of someone being Nameless for twenty-two whole years.

The overbearing twin sister Frigg, whose taunting comport was usually reserved just for her twin. In truth, she commonly takes up the role of a doting maternal figure when their own mother was absent. A maternal figure that was supporting to Titania, kind and considerate to Houseki and Nahla, but borderline belittling towards Nameless. Perhaps she didn’t like him...or there was something else underneath that taunting exterior

The calculating adopted sister Houseki, whose composed and calm conduct to her brother conveyed a shared understanding of exclusion. That she was more than happy to try and support her brother and was willing to accept his support in turn. As individuals who have growing pains fitting into society. If only the distance between the two of them shortened even further. Presently, her usually pale complexion was tinged red. As she was left a little flustered while pocketing the salve that she brought out. 

“Hmph! Honestly! What are you thinking offering that salve Houseki? My charms work much faster than those old remedies.”

Frigg cocked her head toward Houseki. The siblings, now all standing together, having now formed a semi-circle.

“Yea, but just because an innovation facilitates a process, doesn’t mean we should forget about the efforts needed for the base work. What if we find ourselves in a situation where your charms don’t work or, Goddess forbid, are to our detriment.”

Unlike Nameless, who felt his skin boil for his younger sister being lectured by Frigg, Houseki maintained her composure and calmly responded with a logical answer. 

Frigg did not have a rebuttal. Or, if she did, then it was interrupted by Nahla’s intervening statements.

“Hey! Come on! I think that both Houseki’s DIY kits and Frigg’s magical tools are wonderful. I wouldn’t mind having both in my satchel for when I go to my Paladin exam in a couple months.”

Nahla lifted her bare foot up. Exposing her sole to the siblings as she rubbed the rough surface. Its natural brown color was stained by the impression that the ground left on it. Nameless could easily discern the unyielding quality of the rough skin of the underside of his cat girl sister’s foot. A resilient sole that built up tough layer of calloused skin from walking unprotected during most of her life. 

The brother shook his head and tried to banish any sinister thoughts from his head.

Man…I really need to get out of the manor more often.

The brother’s thoughts were interrupted as he felt the firm embrace of his opponent. The woman’s arms wrapped around his body and her front merged with his back. Their body heat shared by the conduit formed by their skin being just a couple barriers of tarnished fabric from touching.

“Hmm! Maybe it would do you some good to get out for a little bit Namie!”

Nameless’s ageless mother said. Probably the most beautiful woman in the family, aged like fine wine...but her son would never admit that. Especially, verbally. What do you take him for? 

A pervert?

Nameless was unsure where Frigg and he got their green locks. Maybe it was their father’s natural hair color before his scalp degraded, but the young man’s mother had a head full of sharp white hair. The long locks positively glowed as they trailed down her back. That unworldly hair matched her physical appearance. Her peachy skin was positively shining, as if frosted by snow during this mid-summer day. Curves with enough mass that they jiggled, but not within the constraints of her refined dress. Garb that she wore and prevented from getting harmed...as she still had her duties as the kingdom’s court mage. The only thing missing were her white flats, which she substituted for white stirrups that wrapped around the fleshy insteps of her soles.

Morgan stood a head shorter than her son. In terms of height, it went from Houseki, Nameless, Titania, Morgan, Frigg, and then the young Nahla. The young man turned around and saw his mother’s blue eyes searching into his own. Concern and love were in pooling out of her gaze. For the young man barely put up a fight against the mother’s conjured golems. What mother wouldn’t want to protect their son after he was trounced so hard by her barely woven spells and incantations. Although, that wasn’t that surprising. Considering that Morgan was probably one of the three strongest Mages in the kingdom.

“Thanks Mom. Maybe I’ll do that. Just…could you lay off on reading my mind.”

Nameless statement earned a typical motherly cock of the elf woman’s head. Her expression saying all that she needed to say without any words or telepathy needed. 

You’re still questioning your mother at this age.

Sometimes, Nameless wished that his mother was a little bit more understanding about her son trying to pave his own way in life. Albeit, in a much more off-the-beaten path sort of way. Although, that might be a tall order to ask.

Especially since there was some history to still unpack...

...

...

After all, aside from Titania, Nameless didn’t think that any of his siblings knew how old their mother was. At the very least she was old enough to know the value of a life, and not too old to forget about it.

“I’m being serious mister. How do you think I feel when I go to the court? What am I supposed to say? That my daughters are doing alright. Advancing in their careers and passions while babysitting their cleric brother.”

There it was. The caveat. A small part of that story

At a young age, when the twins were both Nameless and so was their older sister, who tried to act as a second pillar of the house, the two children tried to pave their own path. One that would support the oldest who was impassioned to continue in her past father’s footsteps as a knight. Nameless took up on support magic that focused on healing, while his twin sister took up enchanting magic. During those tender years, Nameless felt a sense of superiority, as the field of study he chose yielded benefits for their oldest sister quite rapidly.

Especially since the combat and magic style their half-elf sister adopted was one that self-augmented her strength. As a result, the twin sister’s beginner enhancement spells barely affected the oldest sister.

That didn’t stay true for the years to come...

...

...

“No worries, Mother, I’m certain that with one of the modulating charms that I’ve crafted will be able to open up a new path for our dear brother.”

Nameless fought down an involuntary cough upon his twin sister’s words. 

“Yea. Yea. Maybe this charm won’t leave me in the toilet for the entire day.”

The young man barked as he glowered at his twin sister. 

Then the pair of green-haired siblings exchanged squinted eyes. Houseki’s comforting palm rested on Frigg’s shoulder, and Titania’s firm grip was placed on Nameless’s arm. The mother merely stepped away, her stirrup clad feet scraped against the gravel, kicking up dust. A small cloud that fell back down to the floor and away from her modest and womanly figure.

“My word. I think that I’ll sleep the day away if there was a morning where you two didn’t fought.”

Morgan tutted.

“Frigg be considerate to your brother. I know that you are still name projecting him. And Nameless, please try and figure out what you want to do. Everyone else is moving forward. Why are you having so much difficulty?”

Morgan cocked her hips and rubbed her jawline. As if she was waiting for someone to answer the rhetorical question.

“Okay Mom. I guess that I’ll go out of the manor for a bit.”

Nameless sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. Frigg crossed her arms. The young woman was not compelled to offer a response, but she didn’t deny what her mother said. Frigg did give her brother a questioning side eye.

“Yes. Please. Fresh air. Exploration. Your father and I did plenty of that when we were your age. It will be good for you. Just don’t be gone for too long if you do leave this stuffy mansion…a week.”

Morgan’s face twisted as she punctuated her statement with a ruminative option. The elf still questioning if that was an appropriate time range to allow her 22-year-old son to leave home for a short trot. Maybe slay a dragon or five.

Estimating will never not be hard for an elf.

“Anyway. I have a meeting to attend to at the main court right now. What are you doing today Titania dear?”

Morgan stretched her arms behind her back. Her black dress shifting with her changing gait. 

“I’m actually going to be leaving for rounds with my regiment in about an hour.”

The inverse wave-haired knight said as she brought her closed fist up to her mouth. She turned to face her sisters.

“I guess that means that we’ll be leaving the home to you three.”

Houseki shrugged her shoulders. Frigg shifted her attention to her next project. Meanwhile Nahla’s eyes glimmered with excitement.

“Does that mean we’re in charge? That we can go to the basement and—“

Morgan had already begun to dust herself off and begin to walk away. Before she turned towards her youngest daughter.

“Not the room in the left.”

The mother raised a pointed finger.

“Aww…but mom. I won’t touch anything in there. I just want to see. Besides, what if something in there is broken?”

Nahla huffed and crossed her arms. The curios cat girl’s tail wagged furiously as she squeezed her own body tightly and kicked up some dust. A trial for the brother who realized that he might have been cooperating up in the house too long. As his heart skipped a beat again.

“It’s fine. Gloriana makes a weekly round in the area. The golem would have reported to me if there were any disturbances to be found.”

Morgan dismissed Nahla’s nonsensical argument. The cat girl’s curiosity was an understandable one. Since that portion of the house was sealed up a during their youth. It was an enchanting mystery. Unfortunately, Nahla’s argument held little sway. After all, everyone in the house was already familiar with Gloriana. A golem that was a spitting image of their own mother. Except that her cream complexion, white hair, blue eyes, and black dress were replaced by a silver coating and a maid’s dress. Of course, if there was a disturbance in the house, the robotic maid would have either taken care of it or reported  it to their mother. Like the dutiful  and magically mechanical servant she was.

“Uhh! But I saw some bugs in my room earlier. I had to stomp them into a paste before they could scurry away. Are you sure that Gloriana isn’t malfunctioning?”

Nahla puffed out her cheeks and drummed her toes through the grass. The clenching digits pulled invisible strings. Intangible and nonexistent pulleys that nearly dragged Nameless’s famished imagination to those calloused wrinkles. 

If he was but a vile gnat underneath those brown mountains, of his cute youngest sister…,what would he do. At such a small size and under literal stratum of hardened foot dermatome. What would have been a sensitive underside of an appendage, would instead be a flexing tool of muscular destruction. There probably wouldn’t even be any fluffiness or laxity to that rolling rubber of her sole and toes. Endless skin, clouded by an earthy pungency of the detritus that it would be caked with, that is hard as concrete. Squeezing the bug’s little frame as it popped quicker than a grape. All the while, Nahla’s face, so far up in the heavens would not even register the extinguished life. She would just ground her firm and dirty sole a couple times for good measure. With a predatory grin plastered on the young woman’s face.

Or what if Nameless was propelled by the clapping slam of that smug twin’s sandals. Only to fall back to the gaps between those monoliths of rubbery flesh. Clenching and unclenching. Just like Frigg, those bulldozing demons would bully the little bugs cowering body. Reeling from the pain of the forced somersault, Nameless would be helpless to escape from the underside of the toes’ arches. Their flattening of that curved underbelly of rubbery flesh would drench the miniscule twin in the grass dew and gunk that marinated between those divots of rank flesh. 

It couldn’t be worse than the disastrous might of the biome created by the tight space of Houseki’s tabi socks. So claustrophobic and suffocating. To be trapped within those thick and insulating layers of cotton and sewn. Forced to engulf the mephitic atmosphere as the hours of Houseki’s pumping legs carried her towering body. Each precisely placed step of the sure-footed oni would reduce Nameless from a tattoo to a greasy smear between the folds of foul foot flesh. A hellish demise that would only be exacerbated by the invariable erasure of Nameless’s existence. Just how many flexes of fascia-covered sinew and popping joints would it take for the complete extirpation of the bug’s existence to reach completion.

Or even the drenched cavern of Titania’s boot, packed to the brim with a muggy swamp and a meaty beast with five-heads. An alien world that might just consume the existence of anything that was so small to get trapped in there. Even at her ordinary size, Nameless was certain that he was helpless against the excellent knight in any form of combat or competition. What chance would he have under the blazing heat, world-crushing pressure, and torrential flood ushered by the wrinkled canopy of powerful meat. A simple twitch of Titania’s tendons may be all that is necessary to merge Nameless’s body as a permanent fixture. An instantaneous loss within the airless space of the knight’s black boots.

Would it even compare to the flats or stirrups that the ageless mother wore? Would those footwears also show a lack of wear and tear, or would they be ravaged by the annihilating might of an elf’s unrelenting youth and vitality. Would it be worse for the young man to be obliterated by his mother unknowingly or to be mistaken as an insect? Years upon years of wrinkled waves impressing upon him with their pungent experience...or even a compendium of spells that the grand mage could leverage against the little bug. If his mother had such a malicious side to her. It was possible. The short encounters that Nameless had with his elf relatives did not completely detract from biases of their self-perceived superiority. Then that little bug...just how easy for it to be smushed and then merged with the wrinkled world of the motherly elf’s sole. 

Forever entombed.

In any of those spaces. Under the heavy steps of his family...if Nameless were the size of a bug.

Nope. Nope. Don’t think about that. There is something else that I should focus on.

There was something more important on Nameless’s mind. The contents of the sealed corridor that was on his mind.

Mom and Titania are going to be out…it has to be today. I have to go into the basement today.

For the young man had become privy to some knowledge recently.

“Nameless.”

The brother felt his knight of a sister pat his back. A firm force that nearly sent him stumbling.

“Yea. What is it Titania?”

Nameless apprehensively asked. It didn’t help that Houseki was preemptively offering a consoling smile and Nahla opened her mouth into an “O” shape as they walked off. Frigg was further ahead. Her vision focused on the invention that she was probably trying to make and sell in the upcoming market.

“We should talk a little bit before I head out today.”

Thus, the young man was left in the company of his rough and tough oldest sister.

Just…great…

This was just another ordinary day for a fortunate family. A family of an elf mother, a half-elf older sister, twin half-elves who did not bear even a single physical elf trait, an oni, and a cat girl.

Unbeknownst to any of them…there household was about to be cut one short. One really short.