Three: The Warning

Monitum

Ejiro quickened his pace, slamming himself into her harder and faster. Sa'na's screams had become reduced to utter silence. Her body was slack and emotionless, her mind, trapped in a far off corner of her mind as she relived her childhood memories. He held her up, too far caught up in his impending orgasm, to care that she was given him no satisfactory cries.

Sa'na held on to her amulet tightly.

Salvation...

The word bounced around in her head like a ball. She felt like she was reaching out to it. Trying to catch it. Then she heard it. A small voice. Soft and gentle, it carried to her even above the sound of Ejiro's grunting and the sound of wet flesh hitting each other.

Speak the words in your heart...

In her heart? What words? Her mind was blank. Her body was broken. And her heart? Did she even have one? Sa'na didn't know anymore.

'Speak child...'

The voice came again. More urgent this time. Speak what exactly? She opened her mouth anyways.

"Vu Aeth,

I Resh

Mi gaheem vella bios."

The words tumbled out from her mouth from somewhere she didn't know. A calming feeling came over her and her mind sharpened. What was going on? The pain came back but she felt stronger.

"Jo Jaru,

Gorken mi drvenen blautch."

Her blood heated up and unknowingly, her eyes switched to flaming amber. W8th each thrust, her anger grew and Ejiro soon began to feel the heat coming from her. The air began moving swiftly as though there was a storm brewing inside the small room.

He pulled out of her in shock and slight fear.

"Wetin be this?" he asked her turning her around. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was hurried. Sweat broke out on her skin. "No be you I dey talk to?" he demanded.

"Vo Aese,

Mi blava sin'blane."

Mist started to form around them. It rose from the ground and swirled in the air. Ejiro's eyes widened in panic and he gulped. Hastily, he tried putting on his clothes as fast as he could. Sa'na's body life Ted off the ground slightly as her eyes closed again. Her blood sang with vengeance as power coursed through her veins.

"By the gods..." Ejiro stuttered in fear. He abandoned trying to get himself in order and made for the door. It opened then slammed back in place. He whipped around in fear and looked at the girl he'd just been raping. His body was numb and his heart beat faster than the hooves of horses at a race. He swallowed nervously.

The wind reached a crescendo, knocking things off shelves and messing the room up so badly. The air was thick and moist. So much so, that, Ejiro was sure if he opened his mouth, it would condense inside. A faint glow caught his attention and he noticed the amulet. It floated off her body and caught what little light they had in the room. A thought quickly flashed in his head and he moved into action.

Pushing against the wind and debris swirling around her, he reached for the chain and tried to yank it off. He screamed in pain at the searing heat that came off it. Clutching his wounded palm, he looked at the angry, red burns to see an engraving of a dragon and some symbols.

His attempt seemed to yank Sa'na back to reality and her eyes opened. Half naked and pissed, she growled at him. His eyes snapped to hers in fear. Her canines grew out and her skin paled even further, revealing her halfling nature even more.

"You still dare to want to steal from me something else?" she growled lowly. Her hair whipped around furiously making her seem glorious in her fury. Despite how terrifying she seemed at the moment, Ejiro couldn't deny how beautiful she was even then. Arousal snaked through him and fought for control with fear, in his body.

He swallowed.

"N-no."

"And you also dare to lie?" Her voice showed her incredulity though hr face showed utter fury. He sank to his knees as she approached.

"P-p-please," he begged pitifully. She chuckled darkly.

"Now you beg?" She seemed to disappear and reappear in front of him in an instant. "Now you grovel?" she whispered in his face. She smiled. Cold and evil. Bringing one finger up, she traced it up his neck to his chin and brought tilted his head up. His skin singed as her finger touched him. Steam visibly rose of her body. The smell of burning flesh entered his nose as sweat dripped down his face. "Oh you poor, foolish human," she chuckled again. "I will teach you a lesson." Her eyes flared with hatred and malice as her slight smile turned into a toothy grin, her canines on full display. "One that has been long in its coming."

******

Taria Andiras watched the sun as it made its way across the sky. Her magic swarmed around her, restless begging for release. Footsteps behind her caught her attention.

"Andiras."

She turned around to face her father. Lord Salivar Andiras was every bit a soldier. Clawing his way up the ranks of the Erminian army from a simple footman to Chief Magus of the Royal House of Aberdeen, he wore his title with the air of a man had worked for all he had and deserved al, he had. A perfectionist in all he did, he expected no less from his first child and only daughter. He was a wonderful father, but he let her know her duties.

And that included the utmost formality at work. She stood at attention.

"Commander," she replied with a curt nod. Salivar's face was impassive as he studied his daughter's own. Her stance was respectful but alert. Good.

"Word has come in about disturbance in the west. I'm sending you and your team out to check it out." Taria nodded. He opened his hand and a sealed scroll appeared in his palm. "In this scrol is all the information you'll need about your mission, the people on your team and their bios and our contact in the area." He turned around after she took the scroll from him. She put it in her back pocket and followed him. "The rest of your team will be getting their briefings right now as well. I expect this mission to be clean as usual. In, out. Quick and sharp. No unnecessary delays." He turned sharply and went down a corridor. He walked for a few seconds before stopping at the door to his office.

His hand paused on the handle of the door. "That will be all Andiras," he said. Taria stopped and saluted before briskly walking away. A hand on her shoulder stopped her. Salivar pulled his little girl into his arms. "Don't do nothing stupid child." He kissed the top of her head. "Come back home safe okay? And don't hesitate to scry for me if things go south."

Taria chuckled and nodded.

"Don't get soft on me old man," she said. The commander chuckled.

"Who're you calling old lass?" he asked playfully. "Off with you now." He slapped her upside the head and laughed at her expression. They studied each other for a few moments then, Taria smiled faintly.

"Bye father," she said then turned and walked away.

******

Kaiven Del'or watched the girl as she tortured the bastard. Normally, he would intervene, but the bastard deserved what he was getting. Plus, he was a god. They weren't allowed to meddle in mortal affairs indiscriminately.

Not that anyone would blame or could stop him.

He'd let her have her fun before stepping in.

*****

The throne room grew silent as she walked up to her throne. Her skin glowed beautifully and her dark eyes captured and ensnared the gaze of all in the huge room. As she ascended the steps, her armor glinted in the candle light that lit up the room. The king's eyes glowed with pride as his daughter approached his throne. She knelt down in homage.

"Princess Sha'ron. First of my loins, how did your adventure fare?" the monarch asked with steel in his voice, betraying none of the elation he felt at his daughter's return.

"Very well my king," she replied. She stood and motioned to her servants behind her. They brought in bags laden with things she had brought back from her travels. With a nod from her, they proceeded to pour empty the sacs of their contents and collective gasps were heard all around the room. Her mother covered her mout( with her hands when she saw what caused the gasps.

"My child, What is this?" the Queen asked.

"It is as you see dear mother." Sha'ron walked down the steps and towards one of the still very fresh heads. She yanked it up by the horns and held it above her heads for all to see. "The stories were true. The godbeasts have returned. Somewhere to the south. Between Sardinia and Iriduin, I'm the deserts of Ada."

She turned round so all could see the head of the beast.

"The Oracles warned us. And we did not heed. I alone, braved the peril to prove the truth of their words and alas, I have lost many good and faithful knights. That, my lords, is but a taste of the darkness that shadows our horizon. The war with Iriduin and Sardinia and the elves and orcs must be ended. It is but a foolish game." She threw the head down and it made a sickening sound as it landed on the floor. It skidded on the floor, leaving a trail of dark, red blood, before bouncing of the bottom step.

Silence filled the throne room.

"How do we know this is an actual godbeast?" a lord asked skeptically. "No one has seen them in over a century." Hums of agreement echoed around the room. The king and queen watched their daughter carefully saying nothing. They knew her well enough to know she wouldn't say something like this on a whim. Everyone knew how opposed to the war she was, but she'd never done anything actively to stop it. She was selfish and the only reason she was against the war was because she felt it was taking an unnecessary amount of resources. She feared for the financial state of the kingdom when her reign came. If it wouldn't, she wouldn't have given it two thoughts.

But if there was anything they knew, Sha'ron was no liar.

Sha'ron's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and her lips curled in a snarl. "You lot are fools," she stated boldly.

Selfish and tactless... The queen gasped in horror. "Mind your tongue child!" Her mother commanded coldly. The king chuckled.

Sha'ron ignored her mother's words and raised her hand, silencing the room. She turned round as she looked round the room. "You want proof?" she asked. The hall held its breath. Her statements were indeed bold and this question even bolder. She had not just accused them of disobedience to the gods, she just supposedly had proof of the evidence to support her claim. Thus endangering the Capital. But nevertheless, no one could say he or she wasn't interested in seein a live godbeast.

"Bring it in!" she commanded while gazing deeply into her father's eyes. "Today you shall see the error of your ways."

A shuffling sound was heard along with grunting as six knights struggled with a huge moving sac. A cage was brought in and placed infront of the sac. "Forgive the crude presentation, but we discovered the we had but one chance to cage the beast. I wished you see it unchained for but a moment before I put it in its cage."

The cage was opened right at the mouth of the sac. The knights looked up to their lady, spells at the ready. They awaited her command.

"Release it."