Shagin are an all-female race who practice powerful magic. The Guardian of the Three Realms declared Shagin enemies of humanity and attempted to exterminate them. Kari was born right before the Shagin Purge. Her mother — Eanna — fled with Kari and the other Shagin survivors to the island of Mystikos.

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Upon coming of age, Kari was discovered to be the new Bearer of the Seed. As she wielded the Shagin curse, they banished her to live on the mainland. She sought to find her birth father in the nation of Xiang. After four years, she had yet to find him.

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She befriended a young girl named Suying, and they relied on each other to survive becoming like sisters. Kari supported the two of them by singing and working in a teahouse. She used her magic to enchant her voice and heighten the emotional reaction listeners had to her songs. She became very popular.

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Cai Ren, High Chancellor of Xiang, led a group of guards to the teahouse to conscript Suying into the imperial harem. His true motive was to manipulate Kari to join the harem, as he feared she was too popular with the locals to force her. Kari’s desire to protect her friend caused her to fall into Cai Ren’s trap.

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The imperial brothers — joint emperors — were ruthless. They used their power to enhance their lives and brutally punished any who crossed them. Through the ordeal in the harem, Suying clove to their new life as it was better than struggling to survive. Kari tried to convince her friend to escape with her, but to no avail.

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Kari befriended a young woman named Ina. Kari — who had evaded the emperors’ carnal demands — sacrificed herself to protect Ina from certain execution. Kari, wanting to end the emperors’ tyranny, confronted Cai Ren along with Ina. Cai Ren revealed his schemes for attempting to usurp the throne and end the reign of the Tian brothers.

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Together, they plotted their course of action. Kari would serve as the dividing wedge and create a schism between the two brothers. Each brother was a mighty warrior and together, they were unstoppable, but apart, they could be defeated.

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Eventually, Kari was joined by Ronin, her half-brother. He served as her bodyguard. Suying knew Kari was plotting something and didn’t want her new life taken away. She attempted to reveal the truth of Kari’s Shagin heritage. A scuffle between them resulted in Suying being killed by the imperial guards. Kari watched in horror, unable to save her sister.

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When the group sprung their plot, however, it failed. An assassin betrayed Kari upon discovering her Shagin identity. Ronin and their allies were captured and tortured.

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Kari fled from the elder brother, Baoshun. She pled with Jiaorong — the younger brother and the stronger of the two — to protect her. Jiaorong, believing Baoshun to have plotted against him, killed Baoshun. Jiaorong asked Kari to marry him and become his empress.

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Following the wedding and coronation, Kari revealed her ploy and challenged Jiaorong to a duel for the throne. Jiaorong accepted the challenge, and Ina served as Kari’s second. Kari won and was crowned Empress Regnant Xiaoxiannu of Xiang.

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Now the entire world knew Shagin were still alive, and that one sits upon the throne of Xiang.