Each day that we’ve gotten closer to this war I’ve become more and more anxious to the point of actually becoming sick. Chris couldn’t sit back and watch anymore so he put his grievances aside and asked that an irshiust be near me at all times to help keep my anxiety at a more manageable level. It’s actually worked, though now I feel like I’m being babysat. I’ve asked them about this calming effect they have. They explained it’s not something they can control, that it works much like pheromones do. I asked if it works on each other, and they told me no, which is a shame. I wish I had that power and could use it on myself, that would be nice. Then it would at least be one thing I don’t need other people for. It’s not that I hate that I need help… okay, I do sometimes. It’s just... I am some special being created by a God, born to be an Empress and save my people and yet here I am needing babysitters to manage my panic attacks. Some hero. Chris has gone off to do some training with Am
One minute I’m managing to be neck and neck in a fight with Amelia – both of us partially shifted – the next my knees are giving out and I’m shifting back as DEFCON one level fear hits me like an avalanche. This isn’t like anything I’ve felt from Mei before, this isn’t like her normal panic attacks or even what I felt in the woods that night. This is terror in its purest form and it’s hitting her like a tsunami.“Chris, are you alright? What happened?” Amelia asks in a worried voice, kneeling beside me.“Something is happening to Mei,” I say in a breathless voice as I manage to get to my feet and sprint off following the pull to Mei as Amelia follows, keeping up.'Whoever has hurt Sweet One, we’re killing them, no questions asked,' Axel snarls.I find myself at the front of the packhouse, Mei on all fours puking her guts out, and the Alpha’s sister in a panic trying to comfort her. I race over kneeling in front of Mei grabbing her shoulders. Her skin is icy cold to the touch - far mor
Chris and I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. I guess the bright side about not knowing when war is coming is that you’re not constantly worrying about it, which means you can actually sleep and rest. Today is the day we go to Longsang and the energy around the packhouse is like there is a dark cloud hanging over it. All night Chris and I just watched each other. We didn’t speak. Words weren’t needed. We just stared at each other and took comfort in being together. Chances are we’re going to lose a lot of people and that thought hurts me deeply, but the thought of losing Chris… Setia said the future isn’t written in stone, so I know that just because Oshmin told me I would have children and what their destiny is, doesn’t mean it will happen. I could die and then that future would never come true. A million things could happen, and that uncertainty has Chris and me on edge. We haven’t talked about it; we don’t need to. But I know he’ll fight hard to stay alive for me and I will d
We proceed to walk through the portal until we come face to face with the wall of a mountain. I take a deep breath remembering this mountain from when I first arrived at Longsang. It’s not really there, it’s just an illusion. As the others talk amongst themselves, I detach myself from Chris and walk over to the mountain. Slowly I reach my hand out and to my amazement, my hand passes right through until I can’t see it. It looks like my arm got chopped off. I pull my hand back and sure enough, it’s still attached to me. “A barrier and an illusion spell in one. Not hard to do, but the size of it is most impressive,” says Arthwin as he comes to stand beside me. “How does this work? I mean, if it answers to me, how do I let everyone pass through?” “It’s simple. You tell it to. Just say, I, Empress insert name, grant whoever, entrance into Longsang,” he says with a shrug. “Do I have to say everyone’s names?” “No, you can simply say ‘all those standing before me’ or something to that ef
It doesn’t take us long to reach the palace. I can feel panic rising up inside me, but I try to keep my mind focused on the task at hand. I don’t pretend I’m not scared. I don’t pretend standing here doesn’t remind me of what happened inside its walls. I feel all of it, but I won’t be ruled by it. This is my life, and no one gets to decide what I do with it but me. We’re not even standing there a full minute when I hear sounds approaching us from inside the palace and all around us. Qiang, Nuo and I hear them before the others do. The sound of slithering. Suddenly we’re completely surrounded by shifted nagata. Chris automatically moves closer to me. This would probably be a good time to feel intimidated but instead, I feel in awe. To see each of them standing tall in their half snake forms, their bright green reptilian eyes looking at us and all their different scales; I don’t fear them, I feel pride. Yes, right now we are the enemy, and they are here to try and kill us, but these are
Axel and I didn’t have to think. When we saw the son of a bitch shift and go after Mei, our shift was automatic. We didn’t question if we could do it, we trusted each other and felt in total sync. All we wanted was to keep that bastard away from Mei at all costs. It was the most intense shift I’ve ever experienced. It didn’t hurt, and I didn’t even feel that normal searing pain. It felt like being hit with power, unlike anything I’ve ever felt. In everyday life, I’m aware of Axel, but we know we are two individual beings sharing one form.This is something else.We’re not two beings anymore, we’re one. We’re not Chris or Axel but someone who is the perfect combination of us both. One shared body, one shared mind and one shared spirit, and right now we’re ready to smash some skulls.At a speed we’ve never had before, we moved in front of Mei and caught the motherfucker coming for her by the wrists. All I want to do is rip him apart, but I admit I’m feeling amused seeing his shock.“Wha
We follow Nuo into the palace, weaving down corridors before entering a large, two-levelled throne room, with two large royal seats up on a large platform. A throne room should feel inviting, maybe even opulent, but this feels more like where you come to receive sentencing before being sent to the gallows.Nuo slithers to the centre of the room opening a large trap door, “The dungeons are down here,” she informs us.A see a blur of something just as the trap door snaps back shut with a loud slam. I look and see a young woman, who, for lack of a better word, looks like utter shit. Her hair appears as though she’s been yanking it out at the roots, mascara is streaking her face, her skin is sickly pale, and her eyes are glowing a reptilian green.“Shi…” Nuo breathes looking the woman over with shock. The woman begins shouting something in Mandarin before launching herself at Nuo. Nuo dodges her and wraps her tail around the woman to restrain her. “I’ll handle her, go, and get as many han
Leaving Chris alone to fend off a nagata, and not just any nagata, but the Emperor’s General – which is like the Gamma among the nagata – went against all my instincts. I know how superior nagata are to a mutolupus, but I could also feel the power radiating off Chris. I’ve never felt so much power come from him before. I had to trust that he’d be okay and that he could handle this on his own and remind myself that if he does get hurt, I can heal him. I’m starting to feel a little tired from running around healing everyone. Healing people isn’t draining, it’s just that the injuries are mounting faster than I can get to them and it doesn’t help that I have to fend off attacks as I’m doing this, which is slowing me down. My Empress Spirit – as Chris now calls it – is coming in useful. It’s subduing people without me having to lay a hand on them or give them an order that will conflict with the order Zixin gave them. That’s the other struggle, trying to find where he’s hiding. Honestly,