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,
Zixin shakes his head in amusement, “You’re supposed to be their saviour? This is just sad.” In a split second, he’s in front of me, and now I know his scent. What’s so strange is that I feel as though I’ve smelt it before. He smells like katsura and ginseng and I can taste it on my tongue. I go to throw a punch, but before I can even lift my arm he has his hand around my neck and is pining me to a tree. He leans in, his nose skimming along my jawline and I feel my muscles locking up. My vision becomes tunnelled, bile is rising up my throat and flashes of that night are replaying in my mind. I can feel him on my skin, and it’s like bugs crawling across my flesh. I’m trying to will my body to move, but it won’t listen to me. It’s like that night all over again, only this time it’s not serpentine crippling me, it’s my own mind. “You see? You can’t fight me. Just give in, it would be so much better if you did,” he leans in, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear, and I have to sw
I managed to run around and heal the remaining Tian wolves but looking around I can see there were many wolves and nagatas I didn’t get to in time. Seeing their bodies scattered around sends a sharp pain through my heart. I feel as though I failed them. Chris walks up behind me, once again wrapping me in his arms. “You did all you could. Everyone else is alive thanks to you, don’t be so hard on yourself,” he gently tells me. I look up at him sadly, “I was really hoping we wouldn’t lose anyone.” His face softens as he pulls me closer, “I know, honey. It’s never easy.” Chris and I work with everyone else to help gather the bodies of the dead. Everyone was working together, mutolupus and nagata alike. Jianyu, however, saw to his father’s body himself. No one wanted to touch Zixin’s body, which surprised me. I guess I expected someone among these people to have been a supporter, but it seems his people really weren’t big fans of his. Once all the bodies are laid out, Qiang and Nuo mak
When everything is set up and the bonfire is burning big and bright people took turns lighting incense including Chris and myself. People got up and spoke about those they had lost and even though I didn’t know these people, hearing their friends and family speak about them with so much love made me feel as though I’d known them my whole life. I know we’re supposed to celebrate and honour life, but I can’t help but feel sad and shed tears as I listen to people speak. It just makes me sad that one minute a person can be there bringing joy into your life and then in an instant they’re gone. I never really got to mourn my parents or give them the funerals they deserved. I don’t even know what became of their bodies and that thought pains me deeply. “Mei?” I look up to see Qiang looking down at me gently. “Hmm?” “I think it would mean a lot to them if you said a few words,” he says softly. I look at him with uncertainty, “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.” “You saved them and took a