"Rheynoak, dear. Open up. I have a surprise visitor for you."

Pounding knocks ricocheted on the wooden door of the tribe leader's bedroom. Opening his eyes with a groan. Rheynoak sighed and managed to wake himself up. A stinging pain from his jaw alerted him and his hands immediately flew to the deep scars caused by Empress Misa's double-edged sword.

The knocks and the shrilling voice ricocheted in his room but he didn't pay much attention to it. Instead, he got up and went over to his bathroom where he splashed water on his face and rinsed his mouth. The tangy taste of copper suffocated his mouth and his eyes were still bloodshot red.

His fingers ran along the ear to jaw scar. It was deep and jagged with splits of skin flaking off the longer he looked. He would have expected for it to heal by now but guessing by the scarring injury, she must have coated the edge of her sword with white ash.

Simply leaving the wound to heal itself, he exited out of the bathroom and grabbed a coat from a nearby hook to cover what was left of his dignity. With a tired sigh, he opened the door to reveal Irene.

"What do you want?" he asked in a gruff voice, standing aside so that she could enter. With a sly smile, she entered without a word. He was about to close the door when a hand stopped the door halfway.

A confused look crossed the tribe leader's face as a tall, hooded figure walked through his bedroom. The figure was dressed in black and the large hood it wore covered a majority of its face. The only skin he could make out was its hands which were decorated in black ink.

"What is this about?" Rheynoak demanded, slamming the door shut. Irene turned around with a deceitful smile. "Not even a good morning? What happened to your manners?" she questioned, letting herself wander around his room. "I must say, this is very bland for a tribe leader. I was expecting a trophy case for the number of women you have slept with."

A growl escaped Rheynoak's lips, his eyes watching with disgust as she settled on his bed. "What do you want?" he asked, this time a bit more impatient. Irene got up from his bed and approached the dark figure in his room.

"Surely, you remember Rashnov, Head Tribe Leader of the Western tribes." The dark shadow lifted off his hoodie to reveal a pair of silver eyes and a snarl. Rheynoak stumbled back as she Head Tribe leader took off the hideous cloak and stood in front of him with a mighty stature.

His dark skin was covered in tattoos, the ink only sparing his face. "Nice to see you have conducted yourself with authority, Rheynoak," he said with obvious sarcasm in his words. Rheynoak was absolutely lost, only bowing his head out of respect. "I didn't know you were paying a visit, Rashnov."

"I wasn't planning to until Irene here contacted me and informed me of the sadistic acts you have been keeping from the rest of the western tribes. I must say Rheynoak, I am very ashamed of you." Rashnov stared him down with a look of disapproval.

The tribe leader sighed, running his fingers through his tousled hair. "I did what I could. I put myself in danger to make sure that Onyx and Alesandria were safe. In a moment of weakness, my guard fell down and I don't know how to make it up but it was never my intention."

"This issue goes beyond Onyx and Alesandria" Rashnov stated as he wandered around his room. "Yes, you made the poor decisions that led to Onyx and Alesandria fleeing but you also let two powerful beings slip right past you."

He turned around again and met Rheynoak's eyes with a gaze filled with pure anguish. "How could you let go of Venix and Lucien as well? Loosing two powerful beings was bad enough but four? Rheynoak, if you are trying to start a war, no need to bother trying. You have succeeded."

"Venix and Lucien's story is complicated. In any case, they both made the choice to leave."

"But you let them make that choice. You didn't show any kind of authority. Simply let them walk past you" Rashnov cut him off before he could finish. "I must say. You bring dishonor to your tribe and your family name. Your father would be very disappointed in you."

The mentioning of his father perked Rheynoak's attention and he could do nothing but defend his actions. "But, I did everything he asked me to."

"I'm sure he never wished for Onyx and Alesandria to run away with our sworn enemies or for Venix and Lucien to frolick to an unknown land. He asked you to keep them safe and you failed him. Even in death, your father is still weeping tears at your disgraceful job as a leader."

Feeling a burning sensation in his heart, Rheynoak sat on his bed in defeat. He buried his face in his hands. "What else is there for me to do? Everything I have worked for is gone. There is nothing left for me." His voice cracked at the last few words and he could feel his throat closing up.

"Cheer up, Rheynoak. You'll find another Siphon to sleep with soon" Irene said in a poor effort comfort him. He shot her a dirty look before directing his gaze towards the ground once more. "You can lead the attack on the Inner Circle" Rashnov, proposed, pulling up a chair and sitting directly in front of the tribe leader.

"What do you mean?" Rheynoak asked. "Well, Irene also made it clear that Heather is in complete control of Alesandria's mind and that she has been transferring information for several days now. I see this as a perfect way to redeem yourself, seek revenge on the Inner Circle and perhaps win Onyx back."

"I am not sure about that last part," Rheynoak said with little hope in his voice. "Our last encounter wasn't a positive one, to say the least."

"Then forget her" Rashnov pushed, leaning towards the tribe leader. "She is but a mere Siphon who has lost her way. We'll get her back soon. In the meantime, we need to assemble the tribes together. I want to launch this plan into action within the next few days but I can't do that unless you are committed to it."

"Even if I did agree to it, how are we going to assemble all of the desert tribes within the next few days? That will take at least a month to do so and that is only under the assumption that they will all agree to it."

Rashnov glared, crossing his hands over his chest. "We don't need all of them right now. I can assemble the western desert tribes. The rest can accumulate over time. Besides, I only need several of my men and your best warriors to attack the Inner Circle barrier. We will reserve the army for the finale."

"I'm not sure," Rheynoak said after a moment or two. "It's a risky plan."

"Luckily for me, I don't seek your approval. Only your awareness." Rashnov gave him a gentle smile before getting up from his chair. "Irene, find whatever hole Heather crawled into and tell her to meet us at the dining hall. Rheynoak and I have some plan to discuss."

"Of course. I will leave you to it" she replied with a bow. She passed a subtle smile to the distressed tribe leader before sauntering out of the room. "She's quite an easy one" Rashnov commented when her footsteps were too far for her to hear them.

"If you say so" Rheynoak grumbled back, running a hand down his scarred and stubbly cheek. Rashnov caught sight of the injury and eyed it with narrowed eyes. "Who inflicted that upon you?" he asked as his fingers grazed upon the deep infliction.

"Misa and her poisoned double-edged sword" was all the tribe leader could say as he walked over to the balcony windows and pulled the curtains apart. Dull sunlight spilled into the room as he caught sight of the dead tribal grounds.

"She was here?" he asked as Rheynoak opened the balcony doors for some fresh air. He nodded, chewing on his lips. "Along with Draco and Seron. They fought me until they dragged Alesandria out of the tribe, leaving me with nothing. Not even my dignity."

"This cannot be looked past. They crossed their boundaries and for that, they shall pay with their lives." Rashnov joined Rheynoak by the balcony doors, leaning upon them as he stared out to the desert grounds. It was a complete mess with blood coloring the copper sands and huts torn to pieces. Several tribe members walked with blood smeared on their skin and scars blistering their arms and face.

"I have failed my father so miserably. All his hard work and legacy up in flames because of me, his bastard son. If he could, he would rise out of his grave and slaughter me" Rheynoak said, taking a deep breath. Rashnov nodded, having nothing to say but, "at least you're not fooling yourself."

He offered a less than friendly slap on his sore back before returning his gaze back to the ruined tribe. "I have nothing to offer but my tribe and my war skills so I'll help you in the first attack" he announced, not making eye contact with Rashnov. "I'm not sure about the next ones but if it destroys Draco or redeems myself in my father's eyes, I will do so."

"What about Onyx?" Rashnov said, sliding his steely gaze over in a suspicious manner. "Weren't you involved with her? Rumors said that you two were destined to be mates. I don't need you freezing when you see her with Draco." Another painful realization of his sad reality hit him and the tribe leader leaned his head against the cold railing of the circular balcony.

"Trust me," he said in a weak voice. "Nothing I can say or do will bring her back and that is a fact. I just have to accept it and move on" he said, finally realizing the fault he had played in driving Onyx away.

How could he let his pride control him and push away the woman he loves?

How could he let his relationship with Onyx end up in a fiery inferno?

All these questions turned in his head, only making his thoughts a confused mess. Rubbing the scar on his cheek, Rheynoak left Rashnov on the balcony to get ready for the day.

Just like every other day, he would shower, get dressed, and force a smile on his lips that hid the dejection lingering underneath.

"Good, use the shadows to help you transform!"

The sound of Orion's voice in the distances bought Onyx back to reality as she finally became aware of her surroundings. Looking up, she saw the blurred outline of Azura coming at her with full force. Her kind eyes glowed like rusty gold rings and she bore her sharpened fangs for the Siphon to see.

With quick reflexes, Onyx did a backward flip and launched herself into the air. The sensation of flying tickled her senses as she moved her hands in a circular pattern. The shadows surrounding the training arena parted and grew darker as it camflouged her figure into thin air.

Onyx could feel her body suspend in the air as her body bent backward in an attempt to be in tune with the Black Magru magic inside of her. Slowly, she began to imagine herself in the body of a slender tundra wolf.

She could envision her arms and legs sprouting white fur and her hand becoming dark talons as the pure intensity of the magic ran through her veins. Her eyes became the color of sapphires outlined with an emerald ring as sharp fangs crowed the front row of her mouth.

"Onyx, you're doing it! Keep concentrating!" Voices blended together in her mind as she caught sight of her legs morph into strong hind paws. The ground seemed to welcome her with open arms as Azura's paws reached out to strangle her throat.

Just as Onyx's body touched the hard surface of the ground, her Siphon magic overtook whatever Magruc magic was running through her veins and she crashed on to the ground in pain with a heavy black wolf on her back.

"Concentration, Onyx. That's all your lacking." An anonymous voice spoke to her as the black wolf leaped off her back and morphed back into the tall figure of Azrua. Her black curls tumbled down her back as her fangs and talons retreated back into her skin although her large, black wings remained intact.

"It's hard" she admitted as she gathered herself up. Bruises covered her arms as she rested her hands on her knees. "Every time I feel like I've got it, my siphon magic conflicts with my transformation and I fall down again."

"Siphon magic is strong, you have to remember that" Orion reminded her as he tossed her a water bottle. "You can't suppress the magic but you can definitely balance it with your other magic. With Black Magrus, their magic is less about the intensity of it and more about how fluid each transformation is. Sure, you can memorize every witch spell in Asxairo and perfect your blood, light, and dark magic powers but if you can't transform with fluidness, it won't work."

Onyx sighed as she gulped down half the water in the bottle. A heavy sighed rose from her chest as she threw the bottle back on the ground. She looked up at the dark sky that was streaked with the lightest presence of sunlight. Everyone else was asleep but Azura had awoken her to start her training early.

She was probably regretting that decision now.

"This is hopeless" Onyx breathed, sitting down on the grass. "I don't know if I can endure this any longer."

"Well, you have to" Azura encouraged, taking a seat next to her. "Listen, I know how hard it is balancing Magru powers with other magic but it's not impossible. It just takes time and patience."

"Easy for you to say, Azura. You're a warrior. Your powers are far more superior than mine" Onyx argued, leaning back on the grass. "I'm just a mere siphon."

"You would be surprised at how long it took Azura to perfect her powers" Orion commented, sitting down across from them. He passed a look over to the warrior. "Can I tell her the story?" he asked.

"As long as Falcon never hears about it, we're good." A small smile tugged at Orion's lips. "Only him you're worried about? What about the others?"

"As far as I know, the others are not my mate so I show no concern" she replied back with a fair smile. Orion shook his head in defeat before turning back to Onyx. "A couple centuries ago, before Azura concentrated more on her Nightdweller powers, she was a full-fledged Black Magru witch. The best one in Varien."

"I was the only one in Varien" Azura corrected, shaking her head. "I ran away from home at a pretty young age and settled in Varien after a few encounters with the wrong people."

"Where did you live originally?" Onyx asked.

"Durvalieon. It was the only Inner Circle Kingdom with a thriving population in witches. However, my parents died and I was forced to live in captivity for a few years in a mortal prison. One day, I caught word that a couple of sailors were traveling around the Inner Circle so I secretly boarded their ship and slept with the cargo until they crashed at the border. I made my escape and here I am today."

A hint of sadness lingered in her last words but her kind eyes said otherwise. "Anyways, she could do it all with her magic. She had perfected her transformation and was able to bend all three elements that a Black Magru should bend. She was practically a Goddess in everyone's' eyes."

"So what happened?" Onyx asked.

"Well, Varien was caught in a war with one of the mortal kingdoms. Azura decided that it was time to focus on her Nightdweller powers. However, balancing those two powers were proven to be harder and she was struck during the war."

"Some imbecile mortal decided he wanted to clip my wings and sell them at a market" Azura explained, shaking her head. "I was already weak enough since I did not have much practice with my wings but he decided to add insult to injury and wounded me with a white ash dagger. I nearly died and when the war was over, I basically crawled to the border of Cyreix for help. I met Draco there and he took me in as one of his own. He and Orion trained me into the warrior I am today and ever since then, I have been able to live in peace with those two powers."

"How long did it take you to balance those powers?" Onyx asked. Azura pondered on her question, gnawing on her lips as she thought of a reasonable answer. "A couple decades. It was one of the most painful things I went through. I bruised myself and failed many times just like you but over time, I gained control."

"I don't know" Onyx whispered after a minute or two. "I thought this would be easier. I was one of the best warriors when I lived in the desert tribes."

"Because you only trained physically" Orion informed her. "Someone with your powers needs a great deal of mental training and that is what we are trying to do with you. It's tough and painful and you might want to die every now and then but I promise it's rewarding in the end."

"And I you'll get the hang of it, Onyx. Believe it or not, you are improving greatly and you should be able to control at least half of your powers in the next couple of weeks. As soon as you gain control of your Black Magru and Silostria powers, everything else will fall into place. You've already perfect your ShadowReaper powers. It's only uphill from here."

Onyx slid her eyes between the two magical beings that set next to her. "Promise?" she asked.

Azura nodded, swinging an arm over her shoulder. "If I'm wrong, you have every right to punch Orion. He's responsible for waking me up this early."

Orion protested but Azura didn't bother listening. She helped Onyx up and brushed a few grass strands off of her shirt. "I'll make you a deal. If you can complete this transformation, we'll take a few hours off to eat breakfast."

"And what if I don't?" she asked.

"Then I hope you have stamina" Orion commented, stretching his arms.

Onyx sighed but nodded. She waited until Orion charged at her with full force to attack. Together, the two participated in a violent dance filled with jabs and blows to each other's skin. Orion moved with fluid movements and little hesitation, knowing exactly where to hit her.

The siphon held her breath and wiped the saliva from her mouth as Orion aimed a kick at her ribs. He managed to scrape a bit of her skin but she launched herself into the air to escape any further harassment. She landed on the grass with preciseness just as Azura attacked her with her magic.

A stream of white magic made its way towards her and it was only her quick instincts that allowed her to use her shadow powers to create a shield that bounced the magic right back to its owner. She could hear Azura's pained cry then angry growl as she charged at her with lightning speed.

Her slim figure soared through the air with her mighty wings and the glow of her angry eyes pierced through the darkness. Onyx moved quickly with her hands, making a fortress of shadows as Azura managed to slip through. The two engaged in a playful chase with the warrior constantly attacking her while the Siphon managed to camouflage herself through the darkness.

The sky was no longer welcoming, instead covered by a blanket of black magic as Onyx grew her shadow fortress to the heavens. Orion's voice could be heard in the distance but she tuned him out, focusing all her energy on the beast in front of her.

"Come on, Onyx. Show me what you've got." Azura lunged at her, talons out and teeth sharpened as she locked her eyes on the meaty flesh of her neck. Onyx managed to strike her in her left arm with her magic but it wasn't enough to stop her from preying on her.

Heart pulsing in her chest, Onyx launched herself in the air with the full intentions of escaping the warrior but that was far from what happened. Her head became dizzy and the stars in the sky blurred into nothing. She could feel the pores of her skin tighten and her muscles tighten underneath.

A horrid pain split through her body as fur sprouted once more and her eyes became the color of glaciers. She looked around, only catching sight of Azura's terrifying gaze before her whole body bent backward and became intuned with her Magru magic.

As much as her Siphon magic forced its way into the transformation, Onyx squeezed her eyes shut and forgot about it. She pushed it to the far depths of her mind and held it there until she no longer felt the pain in her body. Everything was quiet and slow before a gust of wind knocked into her body and awakened her senses.

Her feet hit the ground and attacked Azura with sheer force. A growl escaped her lips as she pinned the warrior to the ground and bore her sharpened fangs. A terrified look crossed the warrior's face and Onyx finally got a glance at what she looked like in her reflecting eyes.

Instead of seeing her rustic eyes and long hair, she saw a white and black wolf with glacier eyes and terrifying teeth. She attempted to scream to all that came out was a growl. Azura tried to move but Onyx crushed her hand underneath her giant paws.

"Don't move" she attempted to say but it only came out as a menacing growl.

"Dear God, Onyx. You did it " Orion exclaimed as he made his way over, out of breath and sweaty. He reached out to pet her furry head, a smirk on her face. "Wait until the others see you. If you didn't terrify them then, they'll surely run away now."

Draco was well aware of how tough it would be to train Onyx and Alesandria. However, he never anticipated to nearly lose his life.

The emperor sat in the palace infirmary with his hand wrapped in healing bandages and blood coating his clothes. During his training session with Alesandria, a tundra wolf somehow made its way into the palace and had attacked him.

At least that the story he would be telling anyone who asked.

The truth was that the tundra wolf was really Onyx. She had finally gained control of her shifting powers and meant to attack him in a hug but didn't take into account just how sharp her teeth were. A few torn pieces of skin and the maids had wheeled him into the palace infirmary.

A knock sounded on the door, making the emperor jump. "Come in" he hesitantly allowed. The door opened to reveal Onyx with wet hair and a sorry expression on her face. Right behind her were Alesandria and Orion.

"We bought you some soup," Orion said, holding up a glass bowl filled with vegetables and stock. Draco smiled as he closed the door behind him. Onyx immediately sat down next to him and enveloped him in a hug. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to attack you" she breathed, pulling away.

Draco saw the look of sorrow in her rustic gold eyes and smiled. "At least you're improving," he said, using his good hand to cup her wet face. He brushed a strand of wet hair behind her ear and she pulled away, swatting his hand in a playful manner.

"Yes, Onyx. Keep on abusing me" he teased, blowing on the swatted hand. She rolled her eyes but smiled, resting a hand on his shoulder. "In all honesty, I was just trying to show you how much I have improved."

"Trust me. I believe you" he replied back. Orion set the soup on a silver plate and handed the emperor a spoon. "I prepared it," he said, watching as the emperor took a spoonful into his mouth. "It's not poisoned is it?" he asked playfully.

Orion rolled his eyes but patted Onyx on the arm. "You're not the only one she tried to maul today. Azura left briefly because Onyx's paw crushed the bones in her hand." Draco's eyes widened as he passed a terrified look over to the siphon.

A blush coated Onyx's cheeks as she passed Orion a stern look. "Make me feel worse, why don't you?" she whispered underneath her breath. Draco shook his head and pushed the soup aside. "Alesandria has been improving as well. Her Siphon powers are under control. The physical aspect of training doesn't seem to phase her."

Alesandria smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ears. "Well, I have a great trainer" she complimented, earning a nod from Draco. "She's not wrong," he said. "In any case, I'm very proud of you two. It takes centuries for some of the greatest demi-hybrids and hybrids to have control of their powers and you two seem to be defining those odds."

"Do we get a prize?" Alesandria asked, a curious glint in her eyes. "I can invite your family over and they can have lunch with us, Alesandria" Draco offered. "And as of you Onyx, I can take you on a tour on Elsavior since you have a taste for the finer arts."

"What about me? I deserve a medal" Orion commented.

"We'll find you a mate" Draco commented, earning a sneer from his friend. The four of them chatted in quiet whispers, trading training tactics and going forward with battle skills. A few minutes into their conversation, a frantic knock pounded on the door.

A small maid poked her head through the door, her blue doe eyes filled with worry. "Forgive me, emperor but we have received word that the Desert Tribes have declared war on the Inner Circle. Each kingdom has been sent a war-note." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a rolled piece of paper.

The emperor's face fell as he got up and took the letter from her hands. He unraveled and read it in silence for a few minutes before crumbling it and tossing the note on the floor. "I need to leave to make sure the borders are secure," he said promptly.

"I'm coming with you," Onyx said, rising up from her position on the bed. Draco shook his head as he exited the infirmary. "Absolutely not. I'm not risking your life for the sake of mine. Just stay here with Orion until Alesandria's family arrives. They should keep you company whileI'm out at the border."

"Do you not trust me, Draco?" Onyx said as she followed him to his chambers. Alesandria and Orion kept a close trail on her heel as she frantically pleaded with the emperor. "I can help you. My powers are growing stronger."

"Not strong enough Onyx. Forget about it" he said, opening the door to his room. The Siphon followed him, taking in a deep breath. "Draco, you can't go out there all alone. You'll be torn to pieces!"

"I won't be alone. The other rulers will be there to help me" he said, reaching inside his closet for a clean shirt and cloak. "I will not risk your life in the presence of the desert tribes. You'll stay with Alesandria until everything is safe."

"But Draco-"

"Onyx, I am not having this conversation with you" he pressed, changing out of his black tank top to a grey t-shirt. He tied his cloak around his shoulders and exited the room. "Orion, you will wait until Alesandria's family has arrived and promptly drop them off at Yongui's house. It's the farthest away from the barrier."

"Do you want me to alert the others to meet at the barrier?" he asked.

"Only alert Castrin and Sahara. The rest can take care of Onyx and Alesandria" the emperor explained, taking a deep breath. He made his way down to the main entrance of the palace to the front courtyard the overlooked the mountains of Elsavior.

"We can help you Draco" Alesandria chimed in, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Onyx and I are strong enough to handle whatever lies at the barrier." The emperor turned around and silently brushed her hand off his shoulder. "I appreciate your bravery but if anything happens to you two, I will never forgive myself. I'll let you know if I need any backup."

A look of disappointment crossed Alesandria's face but she sternly nodded. The emperor passed a look over to Onyx who looked past his gaze over to the mountains where the barrier started. "Just contact us if you need any help" she whispered, turning around and making her way back to the palace.

As aggravated as he was to watch her leave, Draco paid no attention and turned his gaze back to Orion. "I'm counting on you, Orion. Keep them safe and meet me at the barrier. Not a minute too late."

"I won't let you down Draco," he said as the emperor's wings sprang free from his back and curled above him.

"For everyone's sake, I hope you don't" Draco replied back before winnowing from the courtyard and soaring into the sky. 

A/N: And that is the end of Chapter Twenty Seven!

It's only downhill from here! Lots of war and blood and death and betrayal and a tiny bit of romance!

Sounds like paradise to me! *evil laugh*

Love you guys! I'll try not to kill everyone!

Are you guys enjoying the books and series so far? I want to hear your honest opinion!

I am sorry if this chapter is crappy. I will edit it later but I wanted to put something out for you guys so apologies if it's not my best work.

So tell me what you guys thought of this chapter.

Any NEW Ships you like?

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Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May