Merna In a short time, things had progressed rapidly. I was called the queen without a title. It bothered me that so much attention was placed on me, I was only doing what I knew could be done. Yet if this is what they want to say, I will allow them until this battle or war is completed. I have no intention of being their queen. I will pass the title over to Cancer. I just want justice … with a side order of fuck around and find out … and for a drink, a cup of revenge! Jennifer told the group that I could resume training at the sixteenth week mark. With only two weeks remaining, I decided that light duty also included universal travel. Only the Constellation Council knew what my next move was going to be. I wanted no others to know what was about to happen. They were sworn by secrecy and a spell not to utter a word, not even to their other half and bloodlines. This part was the most crucial part of our success! I was not a fool, I was not the only one that was screaming for revenge, and I knew where to go! I stood outside of Iravu's territory! I knew what coming here meant. Of all of the gods and goddesses... of all the realms, religions and pantheons ... Iravu was the most feared, sometimes I wonder who was more terrifying, Chaos or Iravu. For good reason, they both were not crossed! Little was known about Iravu. Any written documents were lost to the sands of time. Anyone who said they were going to visit her, never returned. No one truly knew what lived in her realm! Shrouded in darkness, it was said that no light could survive in her regions. I was here to test out all of the theories to claims of instant death upon arrival. My own conscience... A small little voice in my head told me to leave and get out of there while I still had life in my lungs. I glared at the entryway that I could see clear as day. There was no way I was turning back now! There was growling and hissing all around me, "I came to see Iravu!" I shouted out. There was a burst of malicious laughter, 'Why should we gain you access to my queen?' A rough voice said inside of my head. Taking off the robe that I was wearing, I dropped it to my feet. There I transformed into a sapphire firebird. Just as quickly, I transformed back. Picking up my robe I placed it back on. An unseen female's voice was heard, "Give her entrance!" Echoing around me! Following the black translucent figure, I entered Iravu's homeland. Following a blue-tinted translucent trail, I found Iravu sitting on her throne. To her throne were several steps."It has been a long time ... Iravu!" I spoke to a frowning, possibly irritated queen. Iravu tapped her long nail on the chair, "You seem to know me ... yet I do not know who you are ... What is your name child?" I smiled at her, waiting for everything to click, the memory of a wee child that once wandered onto her land. Yet she continued to wait for my reply. "I was much younger when I travelled here, no more than three feet tall bundle of joy!" Iravu's eyes widened, "You should have never returned child! My children could have killed you!" I began to laugh, "That would have been a terrible thing! I would have given them indigestion followed by a case of explosive diarrhoea." "You have grown a sense of humour since you were a wee little one! I am going to assume you came here for a purpose and not a social call!" Iravu was gliding down the stairs. "I did! Is there a location where we may speak in private? I do not know who is friend or foe!" I said once we were face to face. "I assure you dear child, everyone here is under my control!" Her voice was commanding. I tilted my head slightly to the side, "I would normally agree with that statement ... but considering Parppavar and Mannel are hunting me down ... Chaos has spies that he calls kin ... and no one remembers me at all ... I can only trust a few with the words I speak!" "Follow me!" Iravu led the way! I am not sure where she took me, the appearance of the location shifted with great speed. "Everyone out!" Iravu ordered. "I was not sure but now I am ... how much do you remember Merna?" We were alone in a room that was scattered with pages on the walls, table, ceiling and floor. If I had to guess, this area was used to make decisions. "Short version, once I took the amulet off ... everything!" I informed Iravu. Iravu sat in the largest chair, offering me the one that was across from her. "I told Chaos that he was making a mistake with that medallion. It would do no one justice! The fool believed that he was protecting you, no different than Pirapancam. What I would like to know is ... why was time set back and who did this?" I knew the answer to her inquiry, "Gwydion did this! He was working for Parppavar all along ... at least until he met his demise!" "I should have known, he always wanted to know more and he was always close by." Iravu eyed me up and down, "Do you know how he met his death?"I smiled, "I will not answer that question without my lawyer and the holy bible nearby!" Raising a brow, "There has to be more to your visit than this? You are intelligent and well educated, what brings you here?” "I need to hide set prisoners! Set prisoners have to stay in the darkness until ... the right time!" I answered Iravu's question with a coy grin. "Let me guess ..." Iravu leaned into the table folding her hands, "You need my help!" "Oh!" I started, "There are many places in the universe and realms! But no one is as frightening as you! The best place to hide set prisoners is in a location that no fool would venture!” "Stop flattering me and speak plainly!" Iravu was chuckling. "I plan on letting them free ... the same way I did before. This time, I am keeping many out of the loop. You are one of the few I can trust!" I spoke my truth. "It is in your favour that I have always loved the neruppu paravai all of the paravai actually!" I could tell Iravu was thinking. "This idea of yours is dangerous ..." She motioned with her hand, "Wandering around freely could get you killed!" She stood up from her chair. "In good conscious I can not allow you to wander around by yourself" Huffing out loud I was about to object when a female rushed into the space. One of the thousand personalities Iravu had jumped out of her mouth, "Ime what is the meaning of your intrusion? I ordered everyone out!" Iravu was pissed off. Ime's eyes were glued on me, "Oh no! This can not be happening!" I shook my head knowing the energy pull. It was the same with Chaos and Ashur. "I ... sorry my queen but ... I ..." Ime stuttered. I was huffing and puffing! "What were the fates thinking by giving you my granddaughter three generations down the line!" Iravu's attention bounced from me to her granddaughter. "A third mate?!" I could not tell if I was asked a question or if it was a statement. Ime strolled closer to me as I froze like a statue. I could not speak, or move as everything in my mind spun with disarray. "My queen, if she has more than one mate, surely that means she is very powerful." Ime glared at me with what I thought was yearning. "I can barely remember to eat, how the frick am I to handle three … three mates!" "It is fated! Many go their whole existence never meeting their other half, I must have done something correct to be gifted such a treasure." Ime touched my face gently with love and care. As I glared into the eyes of Ime my mind slipped to Chaos and Ashur. A single tear rolled down my face, "The pain!" Ime wiped the tear away with the palm of her finger. "Ime?" Iravu gained both of our attention, "Merna and I have work that needs to be done. This reunion will have to wait!" Looking at me, “the bond between Chaos and Ashur is strained, why?” I gave Iravu the short version of what is going on. Massaging my chest, I gave myself a mental shake to overcome the shock of another mate bond. "I can get things completed fast if I work alone!" "I am not a fool! I will not allow you to roam around freely without protection. And now that I know you are my favourite granddaughter's mate, I will make sure of your protection further." I wanted to dispute this, but I also was logical. I knew the dangers. At this point, I was not fully in the right state of mind. I also have not fully healed from Tizqar’s attack. I resigned to compliance, "Fine! But I do not want any questions as to why I am doing this or that. How I do things ... it does not make sense but it works and that is all I care about!" Iravu glared at me with glowing red eyes, "How cute you thought you had a choice when there never was a choice to begin with!" I raised a brow, "I guess this is why individuals find you ... intimidating, frightening and overpowering!" I squared my shoulders, "If I did not need a place for the recruitment to be placed ... I would have challenged your authority!" Iravu started to belly laugh, "This is why I love the neruppu paravai! But I have to ask, do you know completely what you are?” "She is ...?" Ime did not finish her sentence. "Yes, my beloved granddaughter, Merna is a neruppu paravai ... But not just ... Merna is one of the last of the Phoenixs." Iravu lifted my chin, "I wish I knew who your parents were! How much they must miss you!" She inhaled, "Ime ... get your brother Ihel! Merna has work to be completed!" Ime was about to rush out of the area when my watch alarm started to go off. Turning off the beeping, "I set a time to let me know when I need to get back to my house. I am still in the physical world and have work that needs to be done there." I glanced over at my new mate. "I need four earth hours to complete everything! Then I will be back here!" Iravu nodded her head once, "That will give Ime and Ihel enough time to get things finished. Ime?"Ime brought her attention to her grandmother, "Yes my queen!" "I should not have to tell you to keep what happened here to yourself!" Iravu raised a brow. "Even the mate bond?" Ime seemed disheartened about that. "Most of all that! Eyes and ears are everywhere! While Merna is gone, I will be making sure my security is higher than ever! No one messes with my family," Iravu locked her eyes on me. "And you Merna are family!" A wicked grin crossed her face, "It has been such a long time since I tasted the plunders of war!" I waited for Ime to begin before I said the last thing to Iravu. “I am not the last Phoenix … I have found twenty six others exactly like myself.” Iravu sat in her seat. Thinking she just stared at me. “What is to come is going to be devastating! You have to prepare yourself … and most of all, every single phoenix has to be accounted for at all times. If Parppavar gets a hold of you, she will increase in power that Chaos and I will struggle with. This does not mean you are all powerful …” “I know what this means! Alone we are weak, as a group we are a handful if we so wish it.” I paused for a second wondering if I should continue to speak or not, “I have terrible dreams of the past. Each side was equally matched … everything was destroyed. It claimed the life of many on both sides.” “That would be your ancestry warning the price that we all will pay if … this gets out of hand!” “I will make sure that every move I make is worth the price that we all will pay. This is not about me and the others that want revenge … this is about justice, rewriting the wrong that was bestowed on all of us!” “Go you are running out of time! I will make sure Ime and Ihel are ready when you get back here!”