That night, after they had both eaten, Alaris took Belladonna to a nearby river, where a burning incense was placed on a leaf pad to float away.
“It is to let go of the past and begin anew,” he has explained.
It was something that helped Belladonna even though she hadn't known she needed it.
Her heart felt lighter and with a more positive perspective, she left the river bank.
The Belarion Rebellion and the rest of the Cave had fully returned now.
Shortly after, Belladonna and Alaris started trying to create the army. They were once again under an open sky. Nyka watched from a distance, just like every one of the dragon people had been advised to do. Her father was right next to her, he wasn't supposed to be here. He was still injured from the torture he had received from the White King’s warriors that had captured him but he was terrified that if he as much took a step from her, the Heir would seize her and kill her.
“What do I do?” Belladonna asked, trying to shake off the pressure of feeling everyone's eyes on her.
They were waiting with bated breath to see them create something.
“Wait. I must create a body.” Then he looked at the crowd and pointed at Xida. “You, come here.”
She did.
He told her to stand in a way that her shadow reflected fully on the ground.
“Only seven can be created from one shadow,” he said to Belladonna, then his wings unleashed from behind him. His eyes remained that mismatched color even though she expected them to change to those of his dragon; black smoke emitted from his fingers, and from Xida’s shadow emerged a black humanoid figure. It reminded her of the time he pulled her into a memory and replaced the invisible people she couldn't see with humanoid figures. This, too, had no face, and soon it was standing right next to Xida.
“Give it life, Nightshade, or it will die.”
The humanoid went on one knee, like it was in pain. Dying, already?
Belladonna stretched out her hand quickly, doing as Alaris had done but nothing was working.
The second knee of the humanoid figure hit the ground.
“Channel to the Bearer!” That was definitely Ny'ka.
Quickly, Belladonna thought of the Bearer: she channeled.
White smoke shot out of her hands immediately, draining her. Alaris was behind her, ensuring that she wouldn't fall, but he ensured not to touch her, it might break her focus.
It only lasted a moment but it felt like it had taken everything she had.
Xida's shadow stood up - alive.
Belladonna staggered back, and Alaris held her as he tossed a sword to the shadow, which it caught seamlessly, the sword blackening to fit the Shadow's color.
Everyone gasped in surprise, trying to speak quietly amongst one another only to result in loud murmurs.
“Careful, Belladonna. The first time is always a bit of a task.”
“Have you done this before?” she asked, her breath shaky. She gave it life. SHE had given it LIFE!
“Yes, twice with my own shadow. They died.”
“I am well, you can let me go.”
He said nothing to her, and didn't let her go either. “Command it, Xida.”
“Hand me your sword,” Xida said to the shadow but it didn't budge.
“Hand me your sword,” Alaris said and the shadow gave it to him, then he returned it to the shadow, who took it back and fell on a knee.
The murmuring increased. This was nothing like they had ever seen before.
“Savior! Savior! Savior!”
Alaris held up a fist and they became quiet.
“They are shadow warriors. Only seven of them can be created from the shadow of each of you. They will have your skills and none of your emotions; they will seek to protect you because your death would be the death of all your shadow warriors. However, my orders will be their priority. If you are to betray us, they will kill you. You cannot hide from them, after all, your shadow.”
Alaris snapped his fingers and Xida's shadow warrior sank back into the ground, where her shadow was.
There was silence as they all took the information in.
A shadow that could kill them was definitely something for them to think about.
“We need the shadow warriors. The White King now knows where we are,” he declared to them, “ they will come for us. It might be tonight, tomorrow morning, the day after, or even the next moon. We don't know when, but what is certain is that they will come, and when they do, WE SHALL BE READY!”
They yelled in support.
“For us! For House Zoter! For freedom!”
“FOR FREEDOM!”
____
____
[LYCANS’ REALM]
When Aniya woke up again, she was in her bed and Oana was in her room, holding Arlo and shoving him into Aniya's face excitedly.
“Look! He is back!” She said, then she pulled him away and placed him on the floor where he started walking off. “Look at those little feet.”
“What are you doing in my room?” She tried to rub off the sleep from her eyes. She certainly hated the little sunlight seeping in from the window. “It is so early.”
“Ikrus let me in. He asked me to help you with Arlo because he was already awake and you weren't. I bathed for him, clothed him, then fed him. He was so happy.” Swiftly she moved, pulling Arlo away from a case he was about to pull over his head. “This room must be redesigned to accommodate our little baby. I’m going to be a great mother.”
Aniya smiled.
Oana had really changed from how she used to be. Those psychotic days of hers, Aniya shivered as she remembered suffering from her back and forth with terrible decisions.
Now she was here, in a golden silk dress, her hair in a beat ponytail, and a smile plastered to her face.
She was glad they were over.
“How was your night with Eldrick?” Aniya asked as she got out of bed.
Immediately, Oana apologized for how the Wuri Festival had gone.
“I was so terrified when I heard. I don't know why I got so drunk. I stayed away from the strong ones.” She said, puzzled.
“Maybe Eldrick wanted you to get drunk, so he made it happen.”
“He would never do that,” she said with so much conviction that Aniya had to give up on her plan of making Oana see that he didn't love her as she hoped.
She gave up and went into the bathroom.
This was none of her concern after all.
While she had her bath and dressed, Oana spoke to her with her back turned, guiding Arlo from hurting himself. She spoke about how she hadn't been able to confess to him and how she would tell him everything on his return from the Hunt.
“I am certain he will return and he will win. He is the next best warrior we have after my brother.”
It was at this moment that Aniya decided that she would have to speak to Eldrick about it once he returned from his Hunt. He was the one in the best position to talk to her about this.
“By the Moon, we will get married!” She declared and Aniya sighed.
She certainly had to interfere in this nonsense or Aniya would be a psycho again, she feared.
“Aniya, there is something I must tell you.”