"How much did you overreact with that story," Aili asked as she got into bed, and I smiled.
"Probably a good portion of it," I answered as I left the bathroom, we had called it a night after I had finished the story. "What do you think," I asked as I climbed into the bed with her and clinging to her side
She giggled as my cold hands wrapped around her, "I don't know. It's hard to remember that long ago."
She began tracing the scar at my heart as I spotted the scar at her neck, "We have been lucky," I said as I ran my thumb over it and saw a faint smile cross her lips.
"Yeah, but I fear when this luck is going to run out," she said as her hand went under my shirt and rested on one of my breasts, squeezing it occasionally. "Why do you have to be so horny," I moaned as she chuckled, "not tonight because I'm pretty sure this whole camp doesn't want to hear any of us moaning."
"Fine," Aili said with a pout as she then pushed my shirt over my head, "at least naked cuddles?"
I chuckled as she curled into a ball, most likely to take off her underwear, "Fine," I said as I curled into a similar ball to slide off my leggings and underwear. "But please don't let your horny feelings take over again," I said as I sent a mental message to Tracy. 'Don't come in to wake us up either call us or knock on the door very loudly unless you wanna be faced with an embarrassing situation.'
'You got it, my King,' she replied as I groaned.
"I am so going to get tired of these titles," I said as Aili wrapped her arms around me and our legs intertwined with each other as if we were playing twister.
"Me too," she began with a smirk, "and you're going to be tired of me doing this."
"Doing what," I asked as she grinned
"Be quiet during this," she ordered as I felt my mouth close, and I glared at her, "what? I think this is overdue since I was in a hospital bed for a while."
I sighed through my nose while rolling my eyes and nodding as a signal for her to go ahead. My breath hitched as I felt her hand going inside me as I closed my eyes and started groaning. Truth be told, I did like that she remembered that exception when I forgot about it entirely. I missed her presence and craved this as much as she was, and she had the joy to order my body around, especially as she kissed me.
"You are so going to get payback for that," I said once she let me speak again, and we were making out.
She put her head on my chest and grinned as I panted. My heart was wanting more of her kisses. "Really," she asked with the grin, "how was the ordering?"
"I could think," I began as she resumed kissing me, "but I couldn't speak or anything. Whenever I tried to moan, it turned into a groan because my mouth didn't open," I said before her tongue started exploring my mouth once more.
"I guess that'll help up until the point we know how to soundproof things," she said with a grin once she rested her head on my chest right by the scar and started tracing it once more.
"Yep," I said just as I heard moaning coming from one of the rooms next to us. "I don't think I have to wait to get retribution if they're having their fun," I added with a smirk as my hand found its way inside her.
"I hate you," she said with a moan as I flipped her on her back and started kissing her body.
"But you love me," I said before I kissed her lips, exploring her mouth as my hand moved to cause her to moan. Soon enough, I started thrusting it as I continued to kiss her, but then I felt her stiffen as she gasped and shudder in pleasure. During that, I kissed her beautiful body. I continued thrusting, but as she relaxed, I withdrew my hand as her legs wrapped around my waist.
"That I do," she finally said in between gasps of breath as I fell on my side and her face snuggled into the crook of my neck. "That I do," she murmured before falling asleep in my arms.
"I hope you never die," I whispered as I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "If you ever go missing, I'll go through the ends of the earth to find you," I vowed before I soon followed her into the realm of sleep.
Sadly, there was no peaceful wake-up call or knock on the door as we both expected. Instead, an alarm had the intensity of a dorm hall fire alarm with lights flashing in our room.
"For the love of the gods," Aili muttered as she groaned, "the dorm won't burn down. We're fine."
She was about to turn around and fall back asleep as I noticed the light that was flashing and started sliding my leggings back on. "That's not a fire alarm, dear," I began, "we're not in a dorm. We are currently in a camp that is being under attack. Now get dressed and get your armor on."
I tossed my pendant over my head and pressed it as I felt the armor appear on my body, this time a lot brighter than I last had it on. "Liz, we're going to need you for this," Tracy's voice said through the door as I took the helmet off and walked through.
"What's up," I asked as I closed the door behind me, and I felt the clothes underneath my armor change.
"Intruder alert," she said with a smirk as I rolled my eyes
"Please don't say this is a prank and your way of waking me up instead of calling me," I said with a groan just as the door opened behind me and Aili stepped out in her armor
"The queen doesn't fight," Maurine's voice said behind us, "she is to come with us to safety."
"Then why is she being trained in combat and magic," I began, "if she isn't supposed to fight, then why was she given a suit of armor that has the symbol and color of a queen?"
"Told you that wouldn't work, honey," Tracy said as I stared her soulmate down, who was decked out in a similar armor as Aili was but with her symbol on it.
She only sighed as she put her helmet on, "All right," she began, "don't let me tell you so if the other gods yell at you for it."
After that, she ducked back into her room just as the dull gold armor appeared on Tracy, "Shall we see who's knocking at our borders?"
"Yes, we shall, my King," she said as I put my helmet on with a groan, "I have to stick with the formalities."
"Just please don't do it when it's just us or when we're in public," I said as I saw her helmet nod up and down.
"You got it," she said as Maurine's door closed, and Aili stood next to me as we made our way to the door.
Once we opened it, Sam was in front of us with a grin, "At least you know what that alarm means," she said as she looked at us. "She's not supposed to be with you," she added as I sighed.
I took off my helmet once more, "That's exactly what Maurine said," I began as I turned to our relationship guard. "But if Aili and I survived two attacks and are going through training together, she will stand by my side."
Sam licked her lips before nodding and stepping off the steps, "We have monsters at the border wishing to talk to you," she began as I descended the staircase. "They don't know that the old King and Queen are dead, so if you could please put your helmet back on, I will disguise you like the old King, so they don't think they're winning."
I nodded before sliding the helmet back on, "What am I supposed to do," I asked Tracy as her appearance changed to one of a man.
"Hear them out," she began, "then when it comes to making your decision tell them that you will converse with the other gods and goddesses in a council."
I stood three inches taller than Aili now as I turned to her and Maurine, "You coming," I asked her as I saw her smile.
She shook her head, "I'm nothing like the old Queen," she began, "I will stand in the shadows with Maurine and the campers in case they attempt to strike you."
I nodded, "You probably don't want to drain her magic," I said, nodding to Sam as I noticed my voice matching Samuel's
"That's right," she said with a grin, "stay safe out there," she said as she retreated to the group of campers running to the borders with pieces of armor on with their pajamas.
I sighed then turned back to Tracy and Sam, "Lead the way," I said as they nodded.
"Make way for the King," Tracy and Sam yelled as armor appeared on her enough to blend in with the campers who parted.
To my luck, it wasn't the spider-human hybrid that I saw last time, but this one was more of a cyclops with lizard-like skin. "It is good to see the King well," it said with a forced smile.
I smirked as Tracy spoke in my head, 'Play it off. Apparently, the former King was cocky when he was in his armor or in the face of death.'
"A simple poisoning won't take me out," I began as I sifted through Samuel's memories to find a name for the monster. "I even made sure to check my coffee for the damned thing before I drank it."
The beast chuckled as I found the name, "Well, it is good that you and your advisor look well enough to fight Samuel," he began. "Where is your wife? Is she as lucky as you were?"
"She is tending to the ones who tested our food," I began, "but trust me that she would be here if the effects of the poison didn't work so quickly, Darn. What is it that you have come here for? I'm sure it isn't a simple chat."
The beast grinned, "No, it's not," he began, "you've always been straight to the point. We want you to surrender," he began. "We heard of the attack in South America, and we want you to surrender control to us without a fight."
'This is where you're going to converse with the council on this,' Tracy said as I saw Aili's armor glint in the sunlight.
"I apologize, but I'm going to need to talk with the council before deciding on this surrender," I began as I heard some of the campers readying their weapons. "You know as well as I do that I cannot decide this kind of thing on the spot without a council," I finished as the monster sneered.
"You are not the King," he said with a sneer as his hand touched the weapon at his waist, and I mimicked him. "The King would have decided without his helmet on," he added as he raised his weapon in the air. "That means we win," he said as his hammer fell right where I would've been if I hadn't dived out of the way.
"Things change, Darn," I began as I took out my sword visions of Samuel fighting going through my mind. "I was chastised for making such an abrupt decision last time, and I do not want to repeat that sort of thing again."
"Lies," he screamed as he swung his hammer back at me, which I deflected with my sword. "You're not ready for this fight, new King," he growled with a sneer, "give up while you can."
'Your original body and voice have been returned to you. Just do your best to get out of this without hurting Darn,' Tracy's voice said in my head. I'll help if you need it, she added as I looked at the monster's stance while keeping his hammer from my head.
"I don't think I will," I said as I kicked his feet out from under him, "since you drew your weapon first and struck the King first, let this takedown be your answer," I said as he fell to the ground and I pointed my sword at his neck. "We will not go down so easily," I added as I imagine my face being visible.
Darn's eyes widened as he looked at me, "You're one part of the first soulmates," he said in awe as a smile tugged at my lips before I willed my face to be covered once more. "You will not win, Liz Layzer," he said with a growl before disappearing from my sights.
Before I put my sword away, I scanned the horizon as something in my gut didn't feel right. "Don't take your helmets or armor off," I ordered, "do we have archers in the trees?"
"We don't have any archers, my King," Hanni's voice answered, "we have fire throwers, but no archers, all of them died in the last war."
I sighed, "Stu, Flinn," I began, "you ready to put out some fires?"
"Yes, we are," Flinn answered with a smirk as his son appeared next to him, decked out in the same bronze armor as the rest of the camp.
"Have your fire throwers aim for that tree line. I believe we're going to have some angry tree-folk if we don't get to extinguishing it fast enough," I said just as people lined up and started throwing fireballs as Stu and Flinn disappeared and reappeared at the treeline that I pointed to
"I don't think many tree-folk are going to be happy either way," Sam's voice said as she came up behind me with Aili coming to my left.
"It's either this or have the chance of campers dying," I said as she nodded after throwing another fireball.
"I don't think there'll be a need for a council meeting for this sort of thing," a voice said from behind.
"Yes, there will be," Liliane's voice answered.
"The goddess of wisdom is correct," I began as I turned around, sliding my helmet off. "We all should discuss what happened and what our next move should be considering Darn attacked me first, and they know that Samuel and Mariam did not survive their attack."
"Then what should the camp do, your majesty," Dal asked, coming up to me
I licked my lips as I thought, "There are cabin counselors here correct," I asked, and he nodded. "Do you have war councils," I asked as he shook his head, "how did you manage the last war?"
"We just went by prophecies with the occasional border attack," he answered as I started thinking.
"You need to have a war council," I began as my hand rested on the hilt of my weapon. "You need to establish who'll be leading the campers in this war," I paused, "you will need backup plans in case your leaders are indisposed. Also, make a plan to have a border patrol," I paused as I looked at the smoke rising from the trees and monsters scurrying from them. "You may not be as lucky as the last war," I finished with my order before he nodding and started galloping to the cabin.
Soon I saw the campers disperse as Liliane looked at me and smiled, "Thank you, my King, I will see you in the throne room."
Before I asked her how I could get there, she disappeared, and I sighed, "Just imagine the throne room when you were in there last and put some power into it," Sam's voice answered my unasked question.
"Thanks, Sam," I said with a smile as I felt fingers go through mine as I closed my hands. "Everything's going to be okay, my dear," I said as I pictured the throne room, "change what you're going to say to me inside our heads, so no one picks up on it."
'I'm scared,' Aili said in my head as I pushed power into the intended destination. I soon found myself back in the middle of the throne room just like last time, only not throwing up with her.
'So am I, my dear,' I began as I looked at the throne across from me. 'I'm only going on a whim right now, so just bear with me.'
I squeezed her hand as we looked at the six-foot thrones, "How in the world do we get up here," Aili asked for me as Neal chuckled in his chair.
"Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in that chair, and you'll be that height," Liliane said as Neal busted out laughing. "You are never helpful," she said with a groan as I chuckled, closing my eyes and doing as she told.
"How am I supposed to help," he said between gasps of breath
"He is the god of trickery. After all, he's supposed to find a lot funny," I said as I walked up to the throne with my eyes still closed
"Are you imagining it as I told you to," Liliane asked as I smiled and willed power into the image
"Yes," I said as I opened my eyes once I felt myself growing as I walked to the throne. I then turned to Aili as I finished growing, "You coming, my dear," I asked with a grin as her jaw dropped
She shook her head then smiled as I sat down in my seat, "Yes, I am," she said as my smile disappeared and pain shot up through my body
"What is this pain," I grunted as Aili sat down next to me
"That's the throne getting used to you," Liliane's voice said as I groaned in pain. "It senses that you found your soulmate, and since you're King, it wants you to take her hand but not in a quick marriage. You haven't been crowned yet, so it's going to be a little painful right now," she said just as Aili screamed in pain. It was next to impossible to move through the pain as I moved my hand to find hers.
"Aili," I began as I came up with an idea, "put your arm on the armrest of the throne and stick it straight out in my direction."
It felt like I was being electrocuted in this chair as I did the same thing, "I can't move," she said, which made me open my eyes.
What I saw made me angry, "What the hell is this," I began as I moved through the pain and grabbed her arm, which was wrapped in the vines from the outdoor marriage setting. Her arms were pinned behind her back while I couldn't move my feet. I gritted my teeth as I looked at her. Her mouth was covered when I asked this question, but she was able to nod, "Do you trust me?"
Once she answered, I yanked her arm free from the vines before threading my fingers through hers. After that, the pain worsened as I heard Aili screamed through her muffle and the vines trailing down our arms. "You have to claim her," Liliane yelled as if she was reading from one of the scrolls in her chair. "The thrones don't see the bond of marriage between you two, so they're trying to kill you."
I mumbled some curses about wishing I knew this beforehand but sigh, "Full name," I asked as I grimaced in pain.
"Yes," she answered as another shock went through my body
"I, Liz Cathleen Layzer," I began screaming as another jolt of pain went through my body, "hereby claim Allison Christine Ransom as my Queen."
Suddenly, the pain went away along with the vines, but I felt my body change as I relaxed from the pain that went away. I squeezed Aili's hand as I breathed a sigh of relief, "Liz," Aili's voice said as I opened my eyes to find myself looking at the ceiling with something on my head.
"Everything's all right, Aili," I said as I pushed myself up with one hand as she was clinging to my other
"You're looks changed," she said as I turned to look at her
With how many times my heart has skipped any beats in the last twenty-four hours, I'm surprised that I haven't had a heart attack. "So, did yours," I said as I looked to see her clothes hugging her skinny but athletic frame. She radiated beauty as her face looked like it had makeup on it, but I knew that she didn't since she woke up the same time I did.
Someone cleared their voice, "I hope all is well, my King," Tracy said, bringing me back to the present, "it is time for you to pick up your domain."
I looked down at the lightning bolt at my feet, "I just pick this up," I asked as I looked at Tracy, who grew with Maurine to match our height.
"Yes," she began with a stiff nod, "that way you are declared King, and the meeting can start," I sighed as I leaned over to pick it up. "There is one thing, though," she added as I looked at her, my hand an inch from the lightning bolt that Samuel held moments before he died.
"What," I said after she let that branch off.
"Everyone but the Queen and your advisor have to be out of the room for this," she began. "There are some things that you are to go through that may hurt the other gods and goddesses other than Aili and me."
I looked around to see the throne room empty, "If there's anyone in the throne room other than Aili and the two advisors, please leave," I said, then turned to Maurine. "You can wait outside the doors if you wish. I will do nothing to hurt Tracy. She is only doing this to help me."
Maurine nodded before bowing to Aili and me and walking out of the throne room. I stood up from the throne and knelt to pick up the weapon, "This is the last warning. The new King is about to pick her element. Please stay away from the throne room until further notice," Tracy's and Aili's voices said as my hand inched closer to the weapon.
When no other sound was made, I closed the gap between my hand and the lightning bolt. I gasped as the pain knocked me off my feet, and I flew into my throne. "What is going on," I grunted as I noticed the bolt still in my hand.
"The lightning is trying to take your life force," Tracy began as if reciting it from her memory. "You are not a born goddess, so it's trying to see if you're worthy by putting up a fight."
I closed my eyes as I felt the arches of lightning go throughout my body, "You couldn't tell me this beforehand," I grumbled as I heard Aili get off her throne.
"Sadly no," Tracy's voice answered as I opened the gates to my well of power.
"Out of all the things that could've possibly killed me in my life," I began as I opened my eyes once more to see the arches of lightning going around the room. "This will not be one of them," I yelled as I tightened my grip on the lightning bolt and forced the energy out of my body as darkness seeped into my vision.
Aili's P.O.V
"Liz," I screamed as the look in her eyes went distant. I then turned to Tracy, "can I help her?"
Tracy's mouth was open in awe as she snapped out of her stupor, "Give it a few more minutes," she began. "From what I'm seeing from the memories of Samuel's advisor is that once she takes control of the lightning, the arches will then go into the people that are in the room that is closest to her."
"And that's you and me," I said as she nodded as I watched her gaze darken and grit her teeth even though I didn't know what she was going through. I imagined it wasn't anything pleasant. Her breasts grew back to what they were after the makeover, but she had more of a skinnier, athletic body, as I did. Her hair looked almost golden blonde in the light of everything, and her distant eyes were a sharp blue. Suddenly, I had the feeling of doing something. A memory of Mariam doing the same thing flashed through my vision. "Liz," I began as I walked in front of her throne, and she snapped her head to me. "I will follow you and love you," I said as I knelt in front of her on one knee as if I was a soldier. "You will win this battle just as you will win this war," I said as I bowed my head in her honor.
"I love you too," Liz's voice grunted, I didn't move when I heard her scream in more power and anger, but my heart broke to hear it. Even though I itched to check my wrist to see her name on my wrist, I didn't because I started feeling the pain that she was. It was a dull throb going throughout my body. I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. I continued to bow my head as a white light enveloped the room. Suddenly I watched as an arch went straight into my chest. I fell back into the doors of the room.
'It is now your time to fight her power, prove you are her Queen,' Mariam's voice said in my head as my body screamed in a similar pain that I heard Tracy scream through. I opened my eyes to see Liz standing in the middle of the room with her eyes as white as the lightning. I was on all fours at the door. 'You are supposed to be the one to approach her and bring her back.'
"Who will come and face me," Liz yelled as I fought the lightning
'I will distract her for now, fight the lightning,' Tracy's voice said in my mind as I closed my eyes and pictured the lightning traveling up my legs. 'Just tell me when you're ready,' she added as I heard her running up to my girlfriend.
Something pulled in my gut as I pushed the power out of my body. Soon I felt the energy leave my body as my own power took over. My power seemed calmer than hers, but it still seemed enough to do damage if I ever needed it. 'I'm ready,' I said as I made it to my feet and walked to Liz, whose back was facing me. "My King," I began as I thread my fingers through hers, "our strengths have been proven, it is time for you to sheath, your weapons, rest, and we'll talk."
I felt her grip tighten as she looked at me with lightning-filled eyes, "But she attacked me," she growled as I looked at Tracy, who was in a corner.
"She was proving her strength as your advisor while I proved my strength as your queen," I said as I squeezed her hand, and Tracy knelt.
"I am here to serve you, my King," she said as Liz's head snapped in the advisor's direction.
"Why don't I feel a bond in you if you're my queen," she asked as she looked at me. "there is supposed to be a marital bond for you to be my queen."
"Times are tough as of now," I began, "we had just started dating about a month or two ago. You have risen to the throne with the death of the former King, Samuel. The project has named me to be your soulmate, but we have not yet gotten to the bond of marriage, but we will get to it soon," her body relaxed as I stepped back and knelt once more. "Until then, I will stand by you as your unmarried Queen," I finished as I bowed my head.
The light died down as my heart started beating in fear, "I think that's called a consort," Liz's voice said, less forceful. My head shot up to see her eyes back to the sharp blue that looked like the sky. "Hey there," she said with a grin as I squealed and ran into her arms.
"I knew you'd fight it," I said as she chuckled, wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Through everything I've been through do you think that I'd break that promise to you," she asked as I burrowed my face into her neck.
"Nope," I said with a giggle as I heard Tracy sigh in relief, "what kind of state was that? It seemed kind of like the Avatar State," I said as I lifted my head to look at her advisor.
"That's what it's like," she began, "all the Kings of the past fight alongside her if she is angry enough to fight someone," Tracy paused to catch her breath. "What we just did was to prove to her that we will get her out at the right time," she finished as I nodded.
"That's what Mariam was saying," I said as I looked around the room, "we made quite the mess, didn't we?"
"Yeah," Liz said with a nervous chuckle, "but we'll get to that later. We have a meeting that we need to begin."