It was different this time. 

The darkness wasn't as dark as before. There was no ocean where she felt like drowning, no strange voices she couldn't place. She was being carried by black flames, the contours of the Phoenix clearly visible, guiding her. Azura smiled as she saw the black flames twist around her and enter her body through the wound she had inflicted upon herself. It didn't hurt as she watched the edges of her skin grow closer and entwining together with the flames acting as if it glued the wound shut. This was a death chosen by herself with a purpose and everything in her body felt it. She was aware of what had transpired, aware that she would need to wake up but now she just reveled at the sight of Phoenix and how it cradled her in its flaming wings like a mother would a child. 

Azura reached up with her hand to touch the side of its head in a gentle manner as if it was the most precious thing she had ever seen. As the Phoenix leaned into her touch Azura couldn't help but smile at the serenity of the feeling that coursed through her veins. Despite it all being so peaceful, she knew she had to leave. She could not stay like this forever... Not yet at least.

"I'll see you soon." Her voice a mere whisper as she closed her eyes when the Phoenix lowered its head to touch hers.

*

Azura coughed and breathed willed the cold air into her lungs with a deep breath. It was raspy at first but she recovered, steadying her breathing first before she opened her eyes and turned her head around. Someone had placed her on her back and had drawn the knife out of her body. Azura stared at the red thick liquid that lay around her and covered her clothes. Slowly she moved her hands to her chest, feeling the place where the knife had torn through her clothes and had pierced her skin. It was sticky with blood but the wound itself was closed and there was no pain.

She rolled over to her hands and knees and surprised gasps and shouts formed around her. Azura couldn't help but smile at the sounds and she reached deep down within herself to grab the power of her soul to unleash it out again. As soon as she felt it pouring out of her she pushed herself to her feet, feeling more invigorated than ever. Without even needing to see the effects she knew she had won. Her plan had worked.

Moving in an antagonizing slow pace, she turned to face Marric and the two guards who still had Kilian and Zahair on their knees. Aside from Marric, she could see insecurity and disbelief etched on all their faces. Marric only seemed furious as he was struggling with the power radiating from her body. 

She lifted her hand and pointed at the two snow leopard shifters on their knees. "Release them," She commanded.

Her voice did not sound like her own as she had made the command as powerful as she could. Her determined eyes locked with those of the guards and she saw the fear in them as they tried to comprehend what was happening. She noticed the struggle as Marric yelled at them to not listen but the more Azura stared at them, the more she felt their dedication to her grow. The one holding Zahair was the first to let go and he stepped back quickly followed by the other guard who could no longer resist her demand.

"Fools!" Marric snapped and had managed to free himself of Azura's control as he lunged for the guards, grabbed one of their knives and stabbed them both before they could even react. Marric stared at the two bodies slumped down before him while somewhere in the crowd a scream and sobs could be heard. 

Azura stared in shock at the display of power before her but managed to not show any emotion on her face. Her blood turned to ice as she looked down at the two lifeless bodies of the guards before turning her attention to Marric who was staring right at her. Killian and Zahair had managed to get away from him and now stood between the other people who had gathered. Everyone's eyes rested on Marric, some watched him in disbelief at what he had done, others just showed pure fear. 

"This is what happens to people who disrespect me!" He opened his arms and slowly made a complete circle while shouting at the people. "Am I not the one who has kept us safe all these years? Who made sure our borders would not shrink? I kept our bloodline pure, wanted to make sure our borders would expand so that our kind won't go extinct and yet, now you all suddenly give in to her?! Well, if that's the case, I've got nothing left to lose, do I? But as long as I am still here, I still am your leader!"

"I'm not here to challenge your leadership." Seeing him throw all his morals overboard regarding his leadership, Azura tried calming him by softening her voice and not attacking him directly. He was unpredictable, the most dangerous state was he could be in. "I ask you again. All I want is something to cure Lucas of that drug you gave him."

She had not expected him to move so fast but it just took him a few steps to stand right in front of her. She stiffened and hissed at him in response as he towered over her.

"Really? Is that all you want? Are you that selfish to only think about what you want?" He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "What about killing me? What about me telling everyone what I've been doing? Don't they deserve the truth? Don't they deserve to know what happened to their loved ones which went missing over the past twenty-five years?"

When she remained silent, the same stoic and determined look on her face, his lip twitched upwards a bit on one side. She tried her best to not let him get to her, but he was and he knew it. 

"There is no cure, Azura. The only way to stop this is to kill him. Lucas will try to kill you every time he sees you," Marric smiled sweetly as he gently wiped some strands of hair out of her face. "You know, I was conflicted about seeing you return here in one piece. It means I still can't have that beautiful, powerful soul of yours but also, thank you for confirming ancient souls can have nine lives. It's a thing of true beauty seeing someone come back to life."

Azura slapped his hand away and staggered back. She hated him, and her hate was consuming her, coiling inside her, twisting around her mind, blinding everything else. If there was no cure, she could do whatever she wanted now that she knew she controlled the rest. A wicked smile formed on her lips as his words replayed in her head over and over.

"Kill him you say?" Coldness seeped through her voice, a dark undertone was clearly present as she let the rage slowly consume her. "That's the only way?"

Marric seemed a little taken aback by her strange reaction. He looked her over from top to bottom but composed himself straight after. He turned to the crowd that had gathered around them, most too scared to meet his eyes as he gazed over them.

"You heard correct. I've spent all these years working on that drug to make anyone comply with me and he is the first one with who it actually worked. Do you really think I've had time and interest to find the drug that would counteract that?! Are you really that stupid?!" He returned his gaze to her, his cold harsh blue eyes piercing hers. "Dear Azura, I still need you to die. I still need that soul of yours. Now that I know you can come back to life, either I'll kill you myself for the remaining number of times or I'll damage your body so bad that you won't even be able to resurrect."

Wait.

The Phoenix's voice echoed in her head while Marric casually took his shirt off. Azura noticed the small subtle nod he gave to someone else and the Phoenix made its presence inside her grow as if it knew what was coming. Two pairs of strong arms grabbed her from behind by surprise while Marric stepped closer to her again cupping her face in his.

Not yet.

As the anger and rage raced through her body, she let it while the Phoenix started thriving on it.

"You never told me how you were able to kill four of my men so easily. I'll guess I'll find out right now won't I?" He let go of her face and delivered a punch to her stomach making her double over as the arms let her go. Azura fell to the ground, clutching her stomach as pain seared through her.

Use the pain. Let it feed me. Let it make you stronger.

She listened. She felt the pain surge through her like the power of the Phoenix. Without warning, Marric kicked her in the ribs making her fall down on her back, face up to the sky. Azura coughed as she started laughing almost diabolically. Marric took one step back as she slowly sat back up clutching her ribs. She stared straight ahead at first but suddenly snapped her head towards him. Red eyes glowed dangerously as she held his gaze so intense Marric's lips twitched in confusion.

Fight. You'll know when to let me out.

"You pack quite a punch, Marric. But you just made the biggest mistake of your life." Azura chuckled as she slowly got back up on her feet. She brushed the snow off her arms and out of her hair as if nothing had happened. "You shouldn't have challenged an ancient soul. You of all people should know better. We are the strongest. I am the strongest, you said so yourself."

She lunged for him, more to test him than to actually hurt him. Her fist connected with his jaw but he eased in with the blow, seeing it coming. He took a firm hold on her wrist as she hit him and with a swift movement he sidestepped making her lose her balance. He turned in such a manner he was able to pin her arm on her back and with his other hand, he grabbed her by the waist pressing her back firmly against his chest. If he had been doubting about her shift in demeanor, those doubts were now gone as he easily held her tight.

"Surely you don't believe a girl like you could beat me like this." His lips were almost touching her ear as she struggled against him. His voice a sneer and she could feel the spit leaving his mouth and landing on her ear. "Why don't we make this a fair battle. There's no use in fighting in human skin when we both are more skilled shifted."

He released her and gave her a powerful kick in the back making Azura stumble forward. The grin on her face betrayed how she really felt about it. He was right where she wanted him and he had no idea.

Marric walked away, wiping a little trickle of blood from his lip where Azura had hit him. The people watching made way for him as he walked away from the village to a free clearing edge off by a steep cliff going down on one side and the village on the other. He wasted no time tossing some of his clothes to the side, exposing his big muscled chest before shifting. He didn't even bother to take off everything, tearing his pants to shreds as he dropped to hands and knees and let the animal within take over.

Azura still smirked as she walked into the clearing as well and watched the big blue-eyed snow leopard. He was pacing around impatiently as Azura calmly stripped out of her clothes.

"Dear Marric, I hereby challenge you for control of Scire village and all snow leopards involved. Just remember, I warned you. If you accept and not surrender, you're making a deathly mistake."