Chapter Two: Tanaquan

The Animorphs and I headed to Cassie’s barn shortly after the party ended that night. I’m not really part of the Animorphs, although I throw in a few pointers here and there. They had asked me once to join, to obtain the morphing power and follow them into battle. I said I’d think about it. That was six months ago. Still no answer from me.

I guess I don’t really want to go straight into battle. Or maybe it’s something more. Maybe I’m running from who I am. The queen, the orphan, the fighter, the survivor. I’m all of them, but the only thing from that list that I acknowledge to others and am thankful for is being a survivor. Only the devil knows how close I’ve been from paying him a visit... And that was another thing that bothered me. The only way I had lived was have a child die for me. Which I couldn’t bear to think about too long. Sometimes I could feel him within me, curious about one thing, pouting about another. But I always pushed him deep into the darkest corners of me, not wanting to admit his existence.

The list goes on and on and on. But, of course, there’s that one reason everyone sinces but tries to act as if it weren’t true. See, me and Jake aren’t the best of friends, but not the worst of enemies, either. We could get along, it’s just that... We don’t trust each other. I was always mentally questioning his decision while he was always searching for flaws in my ideas and then voicing them. Which, in some ironic way, helped since we both were so critical about each other that we noticed every tiny flaw in a plan, which ensured our chances at succeeding with the plan. Not that things went perfect in battles, from what I had heard.

It had been nine months since I had been poisoned and saved. Nothing had really come in-between then. The Animorphs went on a few small, unimportant missions like checking out a new Sharing establishment in the middle of town, making sure the mayor wasn’t a Controller, and, you know, saving the world a few times. No biggies. And I hadn’t had anything big happen either.

I guess I had fitted in and obtained a new identity. I had to dye my hair black from time to time and keep it short. That’s pretty much all it took. Strange how space traveling creatures fall for anything. But, now that I think about it, all they are is intergalactic slugs, so maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised.

I had gone to live with Erek, playing my part in society as his out-of-town cousin who’s widowed mom had died of cancer and had come to live with them. I baby-sitted for a couple down the street from Erek’s house and mowed lawns from time to time. Everyone I worked for knew me as Fate King. You know, like some kind of normal kid they talk of being so kind and nice. But I still was having trouble with the fact that I lived with a walking, talking, microwave oven. Kind of. Plus the fact that we lived over doggy heaven. But that didn’t bother me that much. I had picked a puppy out of a litter of half chow, half lab puppies. He looked just like a lab except that his tongue was spotted with black and his fur was the color of a pit bull’s. His name was Qin, after the little boy. Although I was having doubts about the fact that Qin might not want to be remembered as a dog...

I also had reasons to fight that always tickled my conciounse. See, I had grown close to the group. Rachel and I would go shopping together. Sometimes she scared me. A good kind of scared, though. That kind of feeling you get when you know that anytime you’re around this one thing something might happen and that person would jump right into the fight, and knowing you’d join, too. Because they’re your friend.

I came to Cassie when I needed help understanding someone. Sometimes that someone was me. Sometimes it was Erek. Most of the time it was Marco. Cassie and I had drawn close, her peacefulness reminding me of who I used to be, yet annoying me sometimes because it questioned the me that I was now. The me that knew I would most likely have to give anything and everything to save my two peoples. I’d give anything to save Cassie’s hardening soul from this war, but couldn’t. But I wanted to, because she was my friend.

I went to Ax when part of me longed to be at home with my people. Not the people of Earth but Hitine’s people. I would also ask him questions. He would explain to me things I wouldn’t learn until I was in college, listening to my Astronomy professor. Then he told me things that my future Astronomy professor would only start to learn if he survived to the ripe old age of two thousand and twelve. I would join Ax in combat anytime. Because he was my friend.

I went to Tobias to talk about my dreams, my hopes, and my failures. Also about the pain of having to live with total strangers before all of this had happened. He understood me. Like a counselor he opened me up, knocked down my wall of emotionless junk I had built up and surrounded me over the months. Several times I had broken down and cried in front of him. Strange how even a hawk could comfort you without even laying a hand on your shoulder or giving you a hug. I would also sacrifice myself for him. Because he was my friend.

Now here comes the tough part. Jake. Boy, could he tick me off... He always challenged me and pushed me to the limit. He was the latest cause of any of my sorrow. He always made me challenge my authority, stretch my judgment. But... I guess I would stand by his side in battle. He was my... how should I put this... challenger. Teacher. And, by some impossible and hidden fate I, at some point, accepted him as my leader. My commander.

And Marco. Marco, Marco, Marco. I came to him when I wanted to be mentally put to the test. To have my morals questioned, my war tactics strengthened. I also went to him when I knew I needed to cry, when I knew I needed someone to hold me, and when I- when I needed someone to comfort me. To care for me. To love me. I am very different from Marco. I am also very close to him. I’d rip my heart out for him. I’d sacrifice my soul for him. And, strange enough, I knew he’d do the same for me. He was... He was so much more than a debater. So much more than a friend.

But sometimes Marco mistakes himself as my father. My protector from all dangers. Like right now.

“I’m fine, Marco,” I said in a sing-song voice as I saw the intense look that covered his features, his eyes focused on the ground. His head snapped up and he smiled at me.

“Of course you’re fine,” he paused momentarily before continuing. The way he had said it. I felt my cheeks flare. I wasn’t quite sure in the dim light that comes right before darkness after the sun exits the horizon if he were blushing, either, but the moment of silence told of some held back feeling that he was trying to hide from me. “It’s just that- you know... Most guys don’t have to worry about their friends being carried off by aliens.” I couldn’t help but notice how he emphasized the word “friends”.

I chuckled quietly. “Marco,” I had learned to say his name fluidly and gracefully when I was being affectionate. “Someday I will have to face what you fear. But you have no idea how much it scares me.” He looked up at me, a deep look in his eyes.

“So that’s why you’re avoiding the subject of becoming part of the team. You’re afraid to face your enemies.” His words rang clear and true through my ears. He almost sounded angry. I hesitated before deciding that Marco would understand once I told him.

“Marco, when I was attacked,” I cursed myself for the shaking in my voice, but continued. “I just let it happen. I let my childish curiosity engulf me. And I wasn’t cautious at all. I know I’ve learned from that, but,” I paused, trying to sort out my feelings. Marco glanced into my eyes, probing me to continue. “But I’m afraid I’m still a child. That I’m not the leader my people need, that I need time. But my people need me now, and I’m not ready.” There. It was out.

My eyes had been focused to the ground, a childish habit I had obtained when I was nervous. I glanced up to see Marco’s reaction. To my surprise, he had been watching me the whole time. Our eyes caught for a moment. He reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently. I could see the unsureness of what to do next creep into his face. Marco wasn’t known to show his feeling and this was new for him. I squeezed his hand lightly, just enough to show that I appreciated his presence.

I looked up. Cassie’s barn was just starting to come into view. I opened my mouth to comment on how Jake was going to be pissed that we were late when I heard a scream. Not a human scream, but that of an animal. Before I could react, Marco’s hand was ripped from mine as he was flung to the ground.

“Marco!” I cried out. The creature that pinned him on his back looked up at me. It was a cougar. A cougar of crystal. A thick snarl curled from its lips. It retracted its claws, shoving one pair into Marco’s shoulder while the other pair pierced his chest.

A wave of rage riveted through my body. I sprung towards the cat. I saw the fear in its eyes as it saw me. What it saw was no longer human...

Chapter Three: Marco

I woke up in Cassie’s barn, concerned faces looking down on me. I had a burning pain in my shoulder and chest and could hardly move.

“Marco, just don’t move. You’ll just hurt yourself more. Everything’s going to be okay.” Cassie said. She was over concerned, worried that I’d do something irrational. There was something I was missing.

“Tanaquan!” I bolted up, but slowly sank back down as the pain took over my body. “Where is she?” I asked looking to Cassie. Cassie merely turned away. I looked to Jake, his eyes avoided mine at first but then he finally gave in.

“She wasn’t there. It looks as if there was a fight. We searched everywhere for her and couldn’t find her.” Jake said plainly.

I didn’t know what to say. I was worried. Actually I was terrified for her, but I knew she could take care of herself. She’d show up soon enough. Yeah, everything would be okay. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

I woke up early the next morning as Cassie shook me. “You need to get home, Marco. We set up a sleep over to cover you missing but your dad wants you home by eight. It’s seven thirty. You might want to get going.”

Everything felt like a dream. I pushed myself up painfully and started to morph my osprey. I quickly said goodbye to Cassie as I left the barn. I dropped by Erek’s house on the way home.

< Hey, Erek, you in their? > I asked as I landed on a tree outside of his house. I saw him come to the window and push it open. He looked concerned.

“Have you guys found her yet?” He asked quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was seeing him talk to a bird.

I felt myself go cold inside, my hopes crushed. < Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing. > I said with a dry laugh.

Erek became more concerned. “No, not anything yet. The Yeerks aren’t making any sign that they have her captured, but they’re also not showing signs to get ready for a direct invasion.”

< So she’s not dead and she’s not a Controller. Atleast that’s good news. > I said with a sigh. Erek nodded in agreement.

“Hey, Erek, who you talkin to?” Someone asked from behind me. I bolted and flew straight into the air, glancing back to make sure Erek was doing okay. He was talking to a six year old boy that lived down the street in a nonchalant fashion. I recognized the boy as one of the kids Tana used to baby-sit. Used to.

I made my way home. I got there a little late, but my dad was still asleep, ignoring his radio alarm clock as it went off at top blast. I can’t remember the song, but I know it made me think of her. I made my way upstairs, human now, and went into my room. I fell quietly onto my bed, asleep instantly. Maybe she would show up when I woke up.

She never did.

In fact, the days slid by, the weeks trudged on painfully slow, and the months separated us from eachother. I started school again in August and got out for Christmas break. She never showed up. I was still hopeful, but on the verge of just accepting she was gone. But after all this time no attack came. If she were dead, wouldn’t the attack have come by now?

Chapter Four: Tanaquan

I woke up, a pounding pain beating within my skull. I was laying down on cold metal. I tried to regain my wits for a second. I had been walking home from a party. With Marco. We talked. We held hands. That’s when it suddenly came back to me in a flash. I sat up quickly, only to hit my head on a low metal bar above me. I turned my head from side to side, trying to figure out where I was.

I was in a small, dark room. But not only that, I was within a long narrow cage. I couldn’t move reasonably and couldn’t turn around or sit up. As I lay there I tried to think about something else so that the panic that was threatening me would take over me.

I had attacked the one who had attacked Marco. I remember the flash as I flew at him, the fear in his eyes, and the power and strength I suddenly had. When I pinned him to the ground my hands were paws of crystal, almost invisible stripes of light blue covered me. I wasn’t quite sure what I was, but I deffinently wasn’t human anymore.

I had slashed a pretty good hole in him before the other one arrived. I remember my adversary beneath me, bellowing in pain, struggling to rip me off of him as I slammed my claws over and over, deeper and deeper into him. Then I remember the large creature flying at my side. I had snarled in surprise. It had been a large wolf, and I had little time to react as it charged me. This one was much harder to battle and had eventually pinned me down, growling an inch from my face. That’s when the first bit of fear started to get through to me. I don’t remember much after that except that I was forced onto my stomach and felt a hard blow across my face. Then everything went dark, and I was here, stuck in a cage.

I heard voices. I aimed my hearing in the voices’ direction and, to my surprise, heard them clearly on the other side of thick, metal doors.

“Why won’t you let us kill her yet, Bisw? That was our orders. To capture and kill her as soon as possible. Now the rebellion force is hot on our trail. They know we have her, and they are going to do their best to take us down.” A voice of a young woman wined.

“If we can get the answers from her we could find the Andalite Bandits and calm the Yeerks doubts before we kill them as they start the invasion and take everything as our own.” I recognized the voice of the boy who had attacked me nine months earlier. He must be Bisw.

It was only then that I noticed the boy in the back of my mind, translating every alien word. Qin’s mind within me was analyzing words that would be impossible for me to understand under normal circumstances. I silently thanked his soul and courage in me as I heard the doors open to the room I was in.

Light flooded the area, falling across my face as well. I squinted as the bright light filled my dilated pupils, but relaxed immediately as they adjusted in a split second to the light.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my dear friend, the ghost, coming back to haunt me,” Bisw smirked as he looked down at my defenseless body. I sneered in uncontained hate, then screamed at him. The scream was more like a roar of a large cat and Bisw stepped back, surprised. “There’s no way you could become any one of your creatures in such a small cell. You did catch us by surprise with your transformation earlier. You must have really cared for that human to bring up that much strength to change without training. I respect your feelings, your Lowness,” he said with a sneer.

He swiftly leaned over and opened the end of the cage where my head was at. I struggled as he painfully pulled my head into his grasp. I suddenly thought of the time he had poured the poison in my ear and had watched from a distance as I screamed in agony.

I turned my head and bit into his arm as hard a I could. I had a good grip with my teeth and you have no idea how disgusted, yet satisfied, I was as my teeth met eachother in his arm and blood filled my mouth. He ripped my jaws from his arm, making me rip out the piece of muscle I had bitten into. I spit it out with disgust.

He grimaced a little but held back his pain. His voice shook as he spoke. “Bad move, my queen. Very bad move.” He gripped my head in a position I knew all-too-well. Flash! One of my ancestors, part of me, was in the middle of a battle in a war. An enemy attacked my, her, our daughter. We spun around and gripped his head, twisting it with a snap and watching as he fell to the ground, dead. Flash! That was the same position Bisw had me in now. I closed my eyes in dreaded anticipation.

Suddenly someone fell from above. A girl of about sixteen knocked Bisw to the floor, knocking him out. He fell on top of me and I had to struggle to pull away from his weight. The girl who had been with him was suddenly on all fours, moving gracefully side ways like a cat, watching the girl who had just fallen from above. The girl emmitated her behavior with more grace than even her.

“You should have never betrayed us, Herpe.” The girl said quietly to the other girl who continuously looked as if she were going to complain.

Suddenly the girl who had saved me launched forward into Herpe, forcing her to the wall and giving her head one quick slam into the metal before Herpe fell to the ground, uncontious.

I looked up cautiously at the girl, cowering behind the motionless body of Bisw in front of me. To my utter astonishment, the girl in front of me bowed on one knee. “Your Highness, I suggest you follow me, your humble servant, Vimer, to Commander Tarshel’s ship, which has been connected to this ship and is now waiting your arrival,” she glanced up curiously, waiting to see my reaction.

“Then let’s do it!” I said in as confident a voice I could handle. Vimer stood with a satisfied smile and motioned me to follow her. She ran quickly out the door and into the empty hall. I followed her through many halls in a confusing padern before we reached the ship. Vimer ushered me inside quickly.

Once I was inside I caught the eye of about seventeen people with shimmering hair. There were people from what looked like six year olds to seventy-three year olds. They all bowed on one knee in perfect rhythm, as if they had been preparing this bow for a while. They all stood up at the same time and looked at me expectantly.

“It is your decision when to lift off.” A middle aged man said. His uniform confirmed my suspicion that he was captain of the ship.

“Go ahead and lift off.” I said carefully, trying to sound strong and authoritive. He nodded then looked confused.

“Where should we go, your Highness?” He asked me.

Bewilderment spread through me. To Earth, of course. “Earth.” That’s all I said. The look in the captain’s eyes told me something was wrong.

“There are too many enemy ships positioned above Earth at this time. We would be shot down before we entered the atmosphere of Earth, your Highness.” My heart sunk, but still their eyes questioned mine for an answer. I guess I won’t be seeing the Animorphs anytime soon, I thought, trying to make the words sound humorous in my mind, but failing terribly.

“Your Highness?” Vimer asked, worry riding in her voice. I looked up at her, then smiled, knowing what would be best.

“Go to your home base,” I said, reading Qin within me. “On your main planet, Hitine.”

Chapter Five: Marco

One year later...

“Marco, watch out!” My dad yelled from the seat beside me as I drove through the busy traffic of five o’clock rush hour. I swerved sharply to avoid the car that had just pulled in front of me and narrowly missed the car to my side.

My dad was having a heart attack. He couldn’t understand why I had even been allowed my driver’s license. I was a good driver. Honestly! I just wasn’t ready for rush hour traffic. It seemed such a revelation when I got my driver’s license. I had always joked about wanting to live long enough to legally drive, and here I was, swerving through lines of cars as my dad hypervinalated next to me.

Tanaquan was rarely on my mind these days. I pushed her aside, trying to hide all the mixed emotions that flew at me when I remembered her face, which was slowly fading from my memory. Her voice, her eyes, how tall she was... It was all fading away. And I didn’t want it too, but I was accepting it as it happened more and more. But the one thing that wouldn’t dull from what I remembered of her was her heart and personality. I can still hear our conversation the last time I had seen her.

But that doesn’t matter now. Because as soon as I pulled into the driveway of my house and turned off the car I bolted inside. I had to get ready for the date I had tonight. I was going on a blind date that my friend, Sean, had set up for me. And I was ecstatic. We were going to go to a drive in movie.

I got ready quickly and rushed towards the door. “Bye dad!” I yelped quickly as I went through the front door. I could barely hear his faint response from inside. I jumped into my mess of a car and started the engine with a few seconds of effort and left, running over a trash can on my way out. I laughed. Some things never change.

I picked up my date and was pleasantly surprised at her beauty. She had long red hair and a beautiful yet exotic figure. I smiled at her as she sat down in the seat beside me.

“Hi,” I said, putting on my charm the best I could. “I’m Marco.”

She turned to look at me. Her eyes were lavender with a pinch of blue. But something bothered me as she looked at me. It was like she was sizing me up. Like I was an enemy.

“Hi, Marco, I’m Herpe.” She said with a silky voice. But still there was that pinch of hate within her words.

I tried to push back my paranoia. “Well, we have an hour before the movie starts. Do you want to go grab a bite to eat?”

“No. I’ve eaten already. But why don’t we go down to the beach for a while. I love to listen to the surf.” I smiled in an agreeable reaction, but couldn’t help but notice that the words held no emotion. Like she were reading from a script.

The beach was about five minutes away from her house and as we got out of the car I noticed a lone figure out on the beach, staring in our direction. I looked around nervously. Something was wrong with this picture.

“Ah! It’s Bisw. Come on, Marco. You two must meet.” Herpe said with a dangerous grin. This time it wasn’t an act. I stayed at my car door, going through my option of what to do.

Bisw, as she called him, made his way over toward us. He walked gently up to Herpe and kissed her passionately. The warning signs that flashed in my head finally registered and I opened the door to my car and quickly sat down in the driver’s seat, reaching for my keys. I heard a thump on the roof of my car and felt myself being lifted by the collar of my shirt through the open door.

I let out a yelp as I was lifted higher and looked into the eyes of the boy. He had lifted me without effort and suddenly I had a bad feeling that somehow my past had caught up with me. Herpe joined his side, puling off the wig that she had been wearing. Shining strands of hair fell across her face.

My eyes widened in recognition. One of Tanaquan’s people. She smiled at my reaction. “Long time no see, huh, Marco?” And with that a flash of light engulfed the scene and a crystal cougar joined Bisw on the hood of my car. The creature who had attacked me a year earlier.

“See, we lost Tanaquan quite quickly and were demoted. We just recently relinquished our spots, which were ripped away from us when Tanaquan was taken from us. Once we got our permission to return to earth back we thought, hey, why not find the rat that Tanaquan so lovingly protected. And that would be you.” Bisw smiled down at me as if this were all a game.

I suddenly felt myself flung through the air and painfully hit pavement, darkness engulfing me as I heard the laughs of my enemies above me.

Chapter Six: Tanaquan

I looked around my surroundings as Vimer and I pushed our way quietly through the middle of a forest. I hadn’t been here in what seemed like forever. I was back on Earth. After reaching Hitine the training had begun. I had learned many things fast. And I had matured even faster. I had been in so many battles, making so many sacrifices... Now that I was back on Earth, I could feel how much pain my heart had experienced in longing for this home. I missed Earth. And now I was starting to remember people I missed greatly.

We had landed a few hours ago in a part of forest that I scarcely recognized. It wasn’t too far from Ax and Tobias’s territory. But they wouldn’t have seen my troop land. Our cloaking devices were without flaw and even now, as our troop sang and celebrated the landing, the cloaking device hid us from anyone’s eyes or ears. At least that’s what I thought at the time.

We had sentries keeping careful watch just in case something went wrong. Most of the people in my group were warriors. But some were families with children and infants. Protection was needed and anything out of place was noted and investigated till it was either declared unharmful or eliminated. Which is why Vimer and I were out here. One of our sentries on the outer most border of our camp hadn’t reported in. He was only five minutes late, but you have to understand something about Hitine’s people. They are very persice and the fact that Uyn, the sentry, hadn’t reported in was out of place. And must be taken care of.

~Tana, something is wrong,~ Vimer said voicelessly, using the way our minds were linked as a silent advantage. Vimer and I were very close. She was like a big sister to me. I would do anything for her, because she was my friend. Vimer paused before continuing. ~No birds sing, no animals move. There is the fear of a predator in the air. And the feeling of death seems to crush at me.~

I didn’t answer at first. I was worried. Vimer was very good with assuming things and being right. I trusted her instinct much more than mine. ~He should be coming up soon,~ I thought quietly to her. She nodded her agreement.

We moved quietly forward to the clearing where Uyn should have been. He was there. In a since. Vimer grimaced as she saw him. He lay on the ground, his eyes rolled back into his head.

~The poison.~ Vimer said dryly. I looked at him. Yes, she was right. And this was more than a coincidence.

“Bisw!” I sneered in hatred. I heard someone drop down behind us. There was a flash as Vimer and I spun around. Let me explain our shifting of bodies. We have little choice of what we become. We can only become one creature from either land, water, or sky. We have no choice what that creature was. Our DNA chooses for us. Luckily for Vimer and me we both had very powerful creatures in each category.

Behind us stood the crystal cougar. Herpe. And beside her, in his natural form, was Bisw. An all too familiar boy lay in his hands. There was a bright flash as Vimer and I became our creatures as if on que. I felt the power within me well up and saw Herpe shrink back a bit in fear. I had a very beautiful crystal white tiger form. Vimer was an unnaturally large crystal cobra.

She sat back on her coils, opened her hood, and voiced her threat in a deep hiss. Bisw merely smiled and brought a knife to Marco’s throat. Vimer didn’t react and continued her threat. I saw the blade press into Marco’s neck a little deeper. A small stream of blood dripped from the cut. Marco didn’t react. He was uncontious.

~Vimer, stop,~ I said quietly, trembling slightly from the emotions that were wailing up inside of me. Vimer stopped hissing and turned her head towards me questioningly. ~He is my friend.~ Vimer looked confused as it took her a while to realize I was speaking of the boy in Bisw’s arms. She lowered her hood.

“Ah. That’s better.” Bisw said as he saw what was taking place. He brought the knife a little farther from Marco’s throat. “Now. Back to your original forms.” Both Vimer and I hesitated. “Now.” He again pressed the blade heavily into Marco’s throat. Vimer and I were human with one flash. He smiled evilly and I realized our mistake.

“Vimer! Prepare!” That was all I had time to say before Herpe was almost on Vimer and Bisw was putting more pressure on Marco’s throat. He was going to kill him.

I concentrated on the knife and suddenly it was no longer in Bisw hands but flying toward a tree. Bisw dropped Marco in rage and launched himself at me. I scarcely noted that Vimer and Herpe were in deadly combat before I was launched into my own battle with the one person I had dreamed of defeating since the first time I had met him. Both times. One year and nine months ago and also when I was technically in complete leadership over my people. Back when I was Yatik.

The fight was intense. A year ago I would have been dead within seconds, but now, with my training and experience, I was a worthy adversary. And I was winning. I held one fist in front of my face to protect myself and the other went over my head, making me resemble a scorpion. Vimer took down Herpe before the battle between Bisw and me was done. She didn’t react. She knew this was my fight. Instead she went by Marco’s side and started to care for him. I punched Bisw one last time before he went down. Blood ran from his nose and mouth and he looked up at me with total hatred a terror. He heard Vimer cooing and trying to wake Marco.

He flew at them with the scream of a maniac. Vimer looked up expectantly at me, knowing what I must do. I closed my eyes in concentration and barely even registered Herpe’s words as she woke and saw what I would do. “Bisw! Stop! Please, your Highness! No!” She cried out in panic for her love. But it was too late. He had already condemned himself.

I pictured Bisw in the air, heading in a different direction towards a different object. When I opened my eyes I saw Bisw dead, impaled in a tree. The tree I had thrown him into with my mind. I felt sick and my brain automatically took in the scene. I would remember it forever. Herpe ran to the tree Bisw was located in. “No! No! This can’t be happening! Noooo!” She screamed in tears now. I turned away. Vimer merely nodded her head in acknowledgment that I did the right thing.

I turned around, holding back my emotions and walked towards the hysterical Herpe. She looked up at me as I approached her and sneered, hate, pain, and suffering submerging in her eyes.

I began to talk to her. “Herpe, come with me. You are now under judgment of the people for treason-”

“Why, you-” She pulled out a dracon beam. But I knew all too well it wasn’t going to be aimed at me.

“Herpe! Please!”

She looked up at me in total hatred and grim commitment. “I’ll be seeing you in hell, Princess.” The light of a dracon beam lit up the scenery for a split second before I smelled the burning of flesh. I turned away from Herpe’s body, not wanting to see what I knew all too well was there. Instead I focused my attention on Marco’s uncontious form, ignoring the look of worry on Vimer’s face. I had no need for her pity.