When we all returned to the tomb, I was immediately confronted by a not-so-happy snake.
Lloyd's disappointment of losing doubled when we had returned, and his cries filled the background as Skales confronted me, his eyes sharp with distain. It didn't help that he was already pissed after an argument with the General about the staff and I had to give props to Slithera for putting his 2nd in his place.
"You were supposed to protect the general!" he hissed. "Not lose the staff!"
I huffed. "I was low on energy. I haven't eaten real food in weeks, and I got thrown into this right as I got here from my long journey from the realm I came from, so I apologize if I was a little rusty."
Skales groaned in frustration. "Aren't you an assassin? Shouldn't you be better at these things?
"I'm also 10."
"I bet you've never even killed before," Skales bickered.
"Actually, quite the opposite," I spat back.
Skales crossed his arms. "I think you're lying. You're lucky I don't report you of treason."
"I am because if you did, I'd have to tell the general about you hypnotizing one of the Ninja without his permission."
The snake narrowed his eyes in thought. I had him cornered. He had nothing.
"Fine. We'll work together then, as long as no secrets are shared to the tribe." Skales slithered.
"Deal."
_______________________________
Darkness. It was back. I blinked my eyes open and I stared into a black abyss, one I was beginning to grow familiar to. I turned to see an old man standing with his bamboo hat crooked on his head and I gasped.
"Lizabeth?" Wu asked when he saw me, stepping forwards.
I nodded and I looked over to my left to see the haunting white wolf and her dead eyes staring at the two of us.
"What is this about?" Wu asked the wolf. "Why are we here?"
"Let me show you."
The white wolf raised its giant paw as its undead eyes fixated on the ground where a lily grew from the black floor.
The symbol of life.
The wolf circled it and soon more lilies were growing to make a total of five, each a different shade of color, possibly representing one of the ninja. The white lily became frosted over but was still beautiful.
Zane. Her mind whispered. Wu noticed this too.
But then, a red Lycoris Radiata flower grew and it shifted into a giant snake as fire surrounded Wu, me, and the flowers.
The symbol of death.
Then the large fire snake plummeted down to the ground and a rush of heat touched my skin and when the fire cleared, the lilies were burned. All but one. The one in white and frosted over.
Wu's eyes widened larger than mine, he seemed to know much more than I did. And then the wolf appeared in front of the lily and sat down, disappearing with the abyss with Wu along with it.
I woke up with a gasp, back to the bitter tomb of the Hypnobri and groaned as my head spun with how fast I sat up. I rubbed my eyes and scented a presence next to me. It was Lloyd, his eyes in a panic as he looked at me.
"Liz! Are you ok?" he asked, fearfully. "You were moving a lot and you looked like you were scared."
I felt my gaze soften and I sighed. "It's ok," I told him, "It was just a nightmare."
"If you insist," Lloyd said, leaving my side to walk around with the snakes.
I sighed again, standing up onto my feet, looking around for the way to get out of the tomb, I needed some fresh air.
My legs slowly started feeling less jelly as I walked to the top on a staircase outlining the sides of the tomb. Once I was able to reach the top, I pushed my hands into the snow to pull myself out and for once, it wasn't snowing vigorously and I was starting to grow fond of the white phenomenon.
I decided to sit in the snow, my tail covering my legs and I took in the sharpness of the air into my lungs. Suddenly, the sound of wings softly flapping in the air brought my attention to the sky. There, a dark purple falcon with blue eyes glided in the wind and landed softly in the snow before me. My eyes widened. It was the falcon that found me last time.
Except last time, the falcon carried nothing, and this time, the falcon did. A white frosted lily rested in his beak and the falcon gazed into my eyes. Why did it have the same lily that represented Zane? Unless the white wolf was trying to tell Wu and I something, I was clueless. I realized that this falcon must be connected to Zane which means I knows for sure that this falcon would give my message to Zane again if I told it to. I knew this was true, somehow.
I stared at the falcon, it trembling under my gaze. A Moonblood's gaze was powerful. It can disarm one's mind, depending on how strong they are mentally, and can throw them off. The Moonbloods have lots of powers we don't understand, and this was one of them. Some believe it was for when the Ninja Hunters tried to drive out the Moonbloods to disarm them so the Moonbloods could get a second shot. But no one knew for sure. It was definitely awkward when I first started training to use it, but once mastered, I felt unstoppable, like no one could stand in my way.
"Tell Zane that we're making a tree-house in the Wildwood forest." I told it in dragon.
The falcon flapped it's wings and took off to where I assumed was the Ninja's monastery and a shook my head in confusion. What was a falcon doing out here anyways?
"Liz!" Lloyd called, breaking my thoughts.
I looked over towards Lloyd who was climbing out of the tomb, his hands red from the cold. "You were going to teach me some fighting moves!"
I sighed. Damn, forgot about that. "Right, lets get to it then," I said, heading over to the entrance of the tomb, following Lloyd down the steps.
"Lets go, Lizzy! I can call you Lizzy right?"
"No-"
"Ok, Lizzy!"
Lloyd practically skipped down back into the tomb and i huffed at the new nickname. I decided to try to not think about the upcoming plan I had for the snakes and just focus on Lloyd. Once we found a clear and open area, I unsheathed my daggers, dropping them to the ground.
"Ok, Lloyd. I'm going to teach you some Jujitsu."
"Ooo! That sounds cool!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Yes it its cool, when you learn how to do it."
I then bent my knees and when Lloyd copied, I shot him a grin.
"Now, I'm going to try to grab your hair. I've noticed the Ninja like to go for your hood and your head area so I'm going to teach you how to get out of it, no matter how big they are."
Lloyd nodded enthusiastically as he took in the information.
"We'll start with you grabbing my hair, ok?"
Lloyd nodded again and walked towards me and grabbed the back of my head, sloppily because of the hat I had put back on when we got back from the village.
I went to show him the move but Lloyd's arm just fell out of the way. Not the way it was supposed to happen.
"Lloyd, you need to grab on tighter," I said.
"It's hard to get a grip with your hat on," Lloyd stated. "Maybe it would be better if-"
"No," I barked, sternly. "Try again."
But when Lloyd did, it had the same ending. His hand couldn't get a good enough grip for the size of his hands without hurting my ears or my head. I was well aware I could just take my hat off but I hated my ears. I didn't fit in, I'm only ever a target, a threat. The last thing I need is to loose a friend. Not again.
Liz groaned in frustration. She needed someone with bigger and stronger hands. On the other side of the tomb, I spotted Boa, one of the higher trained fighters in the tribe and waved. "Boa! Come here for a moment!"
Boa, the young Hypnobri, turned her head at the sound of my call.
I then waited as she walked towards us, standing by my side with a curious look. "Yes, master?"
"Please... don't call me master," I said, embarrassed. Back home, the Moonbloods lived in packs together. There were four packs, each known for something unique they did and each had their own Alpha. There even used to be a Great Alpha, true blooded Moonbloods with a direct line to Moonwatcher herself. But they hid due to their powerful blood and abilities from being in direct lineage to Moon, Fern, and Wyah himself and deemed it too dangerous for them to be recognized, so they died out and we haven't had one since.
Boa looked at me like I was crazy. "But... I'm supposed to call you that," she said, shocked.
Guess I'll have to learn their culture a bit more.
I huffed. "Fine, but don't call me Master. Call me... Anur. It's how you say Alpha or Master in Lunarian."
Boa's scaley face brightened and nodded her head. "Yes, Anur."
Still weird.
I nodded to the snake with a forced smile and informed her on the task. "Ok, Boa. All I need you to do is grab the back of my head," I ordered. "Just try to avoid my ears."
Boa did as she was told and took her large hand and softly, but firmly, grabbed the back of my head, just how I wanted it.
I turned over to Lloyd, making sure I still had his attention and started my teaching. "Ready, adren?" I asked.
Lloyd hesitated before answering. "Oh!" he recalled. " Yes, athro!"
I smiled. Some of the two words, I taught him of Lunarian. "Student" and "Teacher" seemed easy enough to remember for a start.
"Good. Now, when someone has their hand grabbing you from behind, you grab their wrist like this and pull it to your head as hard as you can. Then, you take your elbow and bend over their arm like this and you put all the weight you can on their arm and put your weight on their elbow as you bring it down in front of you as you twist the wrist, causing them to let go. There, you're in control and you can easily break their arm."
"Please don't," Boa whispered, nervously.
"I won't," I laughed, releasing the snake. "You're free to go."
"Whoa!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Now, you try it on me."
I grabbed the back of Lloyd's head and threaded my fingers in his blond hair, locking them in place. "Ok, just try to remember what you need to do without my help."
Lloyd took a while to get it down before being able to master it but he was a fast learner and was very close at getting me in the position to where I was no longer in control. I then taught Lloyd a few more moves and practiced them over and over until I was sure he could remember them in battle, with the help of Boa again of course. However, our training session was cut short when Slithera approached with his booming voice echoing throughout the tomb.
"Lizabeth and Lloyd, we need a plan in order to get back at the Ninja and we need to hear one quick."
Hypnobri started gathering around the group to hear the plan, speaking before Lloyd could try.
"We have a plan," she declared.
Lloyd shoved my side lightly. "We do?" he whispered.
I ignored him and looked over all the snakes, my plan ready to be put into motion. "A tree-house," I continued. "We'd build it in the dense forest where no one can find us."
"And why should we trust you?" Skales challenge from the crowd.
I stared the 2nd down in the eyes, him locked under my gaze, the power Moon gave us long ago working in my favor, though he tried not to show it. I could feel his blood pressure drop as I continued to stare. He's lucky he didn't faint, most of the week Sunbloods do.
"Because I'm your Anur, and whatever I say goes," I growled, offering the small reminder of their agreement he seemed to easily forget.
I looked away from the snake and back towards the crowd as he collected himself and I turned to address Slithera.
"General, can we make this happen?"
Slithera smiled. "I believe we can make it work, Anur."
_____________________________________
I was definitely getting a little too used to being called Anur. Who needed crazy hidden powers when you were the Anur of the snakes? Actually, I still wanted those powers but a little taste of leadership didn't hurt. Who didn't like power? It's power! And when I was done with the Ninja, I'd have even more power. It was starting to do something to me and I wasn't one hundred percent sure I wanted myself to go down this path.
I can't get too used to it, there's no way that Alpha Wildwood would even think about picking me to be his successor. He already has a Beta who doesn't like me or my family when mom mated and married a Sunblood. Let alone the fact that they'd banish me if they found out I was a Ninja Hunter of all things. Since Liz wasn't a pure Moonblood, she could never be Alpha. In a perfect world maybe but not this one. Not with the Ninja Hunter in me running through my veins. A part of myself that will never change. The Elder Alpha's would see right through me with the Alpha Crystal searching through my soul if I ever got that close.
I shook my head, no reason to worry about that now. The plan so far was coming along quite well. It had been a few days and the treehouse was already quite tall and had a good amount of traps in place, upon Lloyd's request. I was setting on the edge of one of the platforms, quite high in the air, swinging my legs in the soft breeze blowing through the thick forest. I watched up above as the falcon I talked to swarmed above before retreating back to the Ninja, assuming it wanted to find where the treehouse I spoke of was located. My ears twitched under my purple hat, hiding a part of myself that was pointless, but it was the only thing I could control. I mentally kicked myself for being so insecure but I couldn't risk losing Lloyd.
I jumped a little when Lloyd rounded the corner. Not only is the hat hiding my ears but also muffling my hearing. I didn't really think that part through much. Lloyd had a pep in his step as he made his way towards me, obviously happy about all the progress.
"Hey, Lizzy!" he said.
I snorted at the name. "I told you not to call me that."
Lloyd ignored me again and sat next to me with a wide grin. "This was a great idea!" he exclaimed. I nodded in response.
"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, noticing my quietness.
I shrugged. "Nothing much. Just thinking."
"Oh, ok."
The soft breeze continued to flow past us as we sat in peaceful silence.
"What's the forest called where you're from?" Lloyd asked.
"We call it Rovar," I answered. "We love the forests. I've missed it and my pack."
Lloyd swung his feet in time with mine as we stared out towards the trees.
"What is it like in your realm?" he asked. "Do you have a family?"
"I had a family," I answered. "My mother was amazing. At least that's what my siblings said. After Dad died she went nuts. Lost her mind. No one knows why. My siblings raised me until my brother was kicked out and sent to some place far away. Then my sister was next and then I was all alone. So I left before she could throw me out to where ever they went. I miss my sister the most."
"That's sad," Lloyd whispered.
"It is. But my pack helped me when I needed it."
I looked over at Lloyd who was sitting in pity. A pity I didn't know he had.
"My realm is amazing though. Obviously, we have a cool language we used to use created by Moonwatcher, the first of the Moonbloods. But as Sunbloods and other Ninja Hunters came to live in Molotoke, the language lost it's touch. We still use it for code and to talk behind people's backs."
"That's cool!"
"I know right? We also do this thing every full moon where our Alpha's and the packs come together for a peaceful gathering to chat and catch up! It's also the one night of the month when the rare few can talk to their loved ones in the Departed Realm."
"The Departed Realm? Do you ever see Queen Crystal?"
"I never have but she shows up to the people who have used a stone reserved only for a select few that makes it possible, designed by the queen herself! After the gathering, we have a Nattlys Grau which means 'Moonlight Hunt' and we hunt as one."
"Are all Moonbloods assassins?" Lloyd asked excitedly.
"Not quite. Most of us are though. We're selected as very young children and usually, if your parents are assassins, you're an assassin. It also depends on the pack you're birthed in."
"You're realm sounds really cool!"
"What's your story?" I asked with a tilt of my head.
"Well, I have a dad! But he's gone and was banished to the Underworld and I want to be just like him!"
"What about your mom?"
"Well she abandoned me at Darkley's school for Bad Boys when I was really young and never came back."
To my surprise, my blood boiled. "Why would she do that?"
"I don't know," Lloyd said, his face slowly falling.
"Anur."
I turned over my shoulder, Lloyd still in view to see Boa standing with her hands behind her back and Skales standing on her right. "Skales would like a word with you."
The hell does he want this time?
I turned back to Lloyd and patted his arm. "I'm sure she had a good reason. She probably loved you very much."
I then planted my hands down to stand up before Lloyd could respond and I made my way passed Boa, following Skales around the corner.
The snake looked pissed as they moved to a more private area where no one could hear them.
"What do you want this time?" I asked, annoyed.
"Cole. I know the Ninja will find this place, one way or another. And I'm going to use him against the Ninja."
I flicked my tail, keeping my face steady at the thought of Cole being in control of this tyrant. "I know. I don't know why you needed to tell me?"
"Because I wanted to hear your oh so brilliant plan to make this happen."
I frowned. I knew I needed to save Cole from his wicked plan, but how? That's when it hit me.
"What if we used me?"
Skales flicked his tongue. "I'm listening."
"Use me, and you won't have to worry about my loyalty and you'll have an assassin and a Moonblood fighting those Ninja!"
Skales pondered the idea for a moment, not having much of a choice because if he said no, there's a high possibility I would tattle on him. "Fine, we'll do it if we have to."
I nodded.
"What about your little eye trick though? Won't it stop me from hypnotizing you?"
"Not if I let my guard down."
"Everyone works while you slack." General Slithera turned the corner with a frustrated expression on his scaley face. "Pardon me, Anur."
I bowed to the General in thanks and walked away, I'd like to hear what Skales had to say to that. Staying close by, I perked my ears as the drama begun.
"But General," he said, hushed. "Why are we putting all this energy in for a treehouse? Snakes don't belong in trees."
"I am your General!" Slithera hissed with anger. "As my 2nd in command, I expect more from you! You will respect Anur Lizabeth and Master Lloyd and do as I say! Now, get to work."
"Yes," Skales said with a bow. "General."
"Everyone!" shouted a voice.
Lloyd ran around the corner in panic and over towards me and Skales. "The Ninja! They've found us!"
Well that was quick.
I was ready and when I looked to Skales, I saw he was ready too. I looked into his deep red eyes, relaxed my eyes, and the plan was on it's way. I just really hoped this would work.