The shower provided a much-needed jolt of energy and clarity. As she lathered her hair and body, her mind began racing and strategizing. She thought about Yzarluzz's son and the army he was gathering. What were his strengths? His weaknesses? Just as she finished rinsing off, a plan began to take shape.

  She would call for Nex, the Captain of Division 4. He would either have information on the Yzarluzz Hive, which occupied Zeldritzon's Mid-Plane dimension, or he could be used to gather intel on the opposition's forces. KiAera trusted Nex for his speed, stealth, and success in mission execution.

  Because of his species' capabilities, she did not shy away from admitting the lore behind her {Shinobi} Chimera form. It was inspired by and inherited the traits of the Nexbat species, bat-like creatures renowned for their extraordinary speed and elite prowess over the [Sound] attribute.

  If memory served KiAera correctly, Nex had many of his clan members among his ranks. He had bolstered his forces with capable bat-folk since his previous position as Clan Prince of the Nexbats. He had elevated his rank after imprisoning the former Shinobi Queen, his mother Nyx, who had assassinated his late father to achieve her position. Now, Nex himself held the title of Shinobi King.

  Being a triplet with two other siblings, KiAera had accepted the assignments of Division 4's lieutenants, who were Nex's twin siblings, Viz and Rox. In KiAera's mind, they were regarded as very trustworthy. However, she could not say the same about the other members of Nex's clan.

  Nonetheless, there were other members of Division 4 who included creatures similar to the Nexbat—those who excelled in tracking, espionage, silent movement, and infiltration: the Shades and the Beastkin, to name a few, including the recent addition of the Vampires, which raised a brow of suspicion for her.

  KiAera had met the Vampire Duchess and her subjects on a few occasions. So far, they had not caused any problems for her or the denizens of Chimeron. She hoped that such an occurrence would remain that way, as she preferred not to escalate matters. Rox and Loa had been tasked with keeping a close eye on them.

  What was Nex's relationship with the Duchess? Was she perhaps a potential consort? KiAera had never thought of Nex as the romantic type.

  Nex had recently evolved into a Vampire form when that evolutionary path became available to him, as it did for his siblings. However, KiAera confirmed that two of them were not of the bloodsucking or life-force draining types. She chuckled at the thought of them being the fruit-eating bats of vampire kind. Though she couldn't say the same for Nex; he had always been a secretive, tight-lipped, brooding individual. There was much to say about his ego.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Still, KiAera believed the triplets' evolution was due to their recognition of the benefits of a human-like form, which allowed for greater interaction.

  Rox sought to interact better with musical instruments, like her guitar and drums, while Viz enjoyed fiddling with electronic components, which earned him a high position in the CINA (Chimeron Intelligence Network Agency). As for Nex? Who knows. But KiAera did ascertain that monsters in Zeldritzon were known to adopt forms based on their survival benefits, an aesthetic for blending in, and in the siblings' case, it could have stemmed from their admiration for KiAera.

  It was a simple hunch she held regarding their personalities; they wanted to be more "human," like herself. It only made sense, as most monsters of Zeldritzon followed the principles of Convergent Evolution to a "T," with that convergence taking the form of humans.

  With a towel wrapped around her, KiAera stepped out of the shower, her mind still abuzz with ideas.

  There it was: buzz.

  KiAera thought of Chimeron's neighbor, the Voltwasp nation, under the reign of Queen Zesza IX. It was possible that the Voltwasp Queen might know about Yzarluzz III. Not because she and her kin were Voltwasps too, though that was indeed true, but because it had been mentioned offhand in one of their conversations that Zesza had been Yzarluzz III's mate.

  That was how the Voltwasp Prince Wazeke had been conceived, KiAera shuddered. She didn't want to think more about the details, despite how often Zesza bragged about bringing such a rare existence into the world. Their union had been political, a way to strengthen the ties between their nations. However, with Yzarluzz II's son amassing power, it raised more questions than it answered. Would Zesza strike against KiAera and the Chimeron Sanctum?

  She grabbed a fresh outfit, and hastily pulled it on. Emerging from the bathroom, she wiped her face with a towel, only to glance at the chaotic mess around her, a battle site of its own kind.

  The room looked as though it had been assaulted by a starved, caffeine-addled raccoon that had recently discovered the concept of seasoning. Flour coated every surface in a fine, accusatory layer. Eggshells crunched underfoot like brittle confetti. Something unidentifiable clung to the ceiling. On the stove, a pot burbled with sinister enthusiasm, exhaling purple steam that smelled faintly of citrus and regret.

  Xetra stood amidst the wreckage, a wooden spoon in hand, stirring the pot with a triumphant grin. "Ta-da! I made soup!"

  KiAera's face remained deadpan, an expression of pure, unadulterated exasperation. She took a deep breath, her headache returning with a vengeance. "Xetra..."

  "What? It's a specialty from my dimension. Guaranteed to cure whatever ails you. Even cosmic goddess hangovers." Xetra ladled a generous portion into a bowl, a strange, purple concoction with floating green bits.

  KiAera stared at the bowl, then at her shattered kettle, then at Xetra. "You broke my kettle."

  "It was an accident! It slipped!"

  "And you somehow managed to create a biohazard in my kitchen."

  "It's not a biohazard, it's art!" Xetra protested, her wings fluttering indignantly. "Just try it. I promise you'll feel better."

  KiAera sighed, knowing she wouldn't win this argument. First, she was going to clean. Next, she was going to pay Zesza a visit.

  When she turned, a head of ginger-red hair caught her attention. Sitting at the counter was Liozel, slurping up the substance within the bowl with gutso.

  KiAera desperately wanted to know how he was enjoying that abomination masquerading as soup.