Chapter 10 Birdie

The stupid shell began to shed tears, I allowed them to fall allowing it to vent.

Inside, I remember the brother, now I refused such a person like this prince. Since his parents looked down on me, I will never bow my head for anyone when it came to that again!

If the shell wished, it was already fate then let it but I will reject it!

'As a human I loved a male like you, loved him so much I became obsessed.' My hands clawed at my face tearing skin which almost healed in an instant.

The frozen red shattered into countless shards, transforming with a shimmering grace into a fine, ethereal mist of blood that danced delicately in the air. Below, the souls-once trapped in an eternal freeze and buried deep beneath the icy surface-gathered together to gaze longingly upon the figure of the female monster before them. She possessed no claws or fangs to instil terror in their hearts, yet her presence was formidable. With skin dark as night and hair that loomed large like a storm cloud, haloing her face half of the time.

Presently with her head tilted upwards it exposed the beautiful face of the monster who she sat upon her throne of blood ice. Her cold, piercing eyes surveyed the collection of souls, and her flowing garments shifted fluidly between shades of red and silver, creating an almost hypnotic effect as they flowed around her like the currents of a river of ying and yang; silver forever chasing the red with the twin pupils in the middle.

Her hair was a striking mix of silver, black, and blood red, cascading around her shoulders and glinting in the faint light that permeated the Domain space. The souls below still prostrating themselves trembled an intoxicating blend of fear and joy while they beheld the darkly enchanting creature. The blood that seeped slowly from the monster onto the ice beneath her seemed to call to them, a siren's song that lured them in despite the danger. One brave soul cautiously closer, drawn by an irresistible urge, but in a heartbeat was absorbed into the monster's essence and vanished from view. Like a moth to a flame, more souls dared to approach, yet one by one, they too were swallowed up, leaving behind a few remaining souls, who dared do nothing could only bow and prostrate themselves at a safe distance, paralyzed by both awe and trepidation as they watched the scene unfold before them.

"Males are strange creatures, hard to understand even though they present themselves as fickle."

'Males are easy...'

'Easy to understand...'

'Beauty...'

Allure...'

'Seduction...'

'Men appreciate it all.'

The monstrous figure surveyed those who had fallen to their knees, prostrating themselves before her with a blend of desperation and resignation. Their murmurs filled the air, a low and collective sound that echoed the essence of a legion's prayer, imbued with a deep-rooted regret that seemed to emanate from their very beings. It was a sorrow that felt almost tangible, palpable in the charged atmosphere that surrounded her.

'From your entrance...'

'We were here...'

'Serving, educating...'

Her eyes, a striking yin-yang of vivid red and shimmering silver, shifted towards the assembled souls. Yet, as her crimson lips parted, ready to form words that might spill forth, nothing emerged. Instead, she turned her gaze back to the path ahead, lost in the confines of her present corporeal form, as if the shell she inhabited held her captive in its own mysteries.

Nestled within that shell, the original soul wept, suspended high above among the tumultuous, roiling clouds, feeling an overwhelming sense of fragility and helplessness. It was a testament to the power that this hybrid creature wielded; her lineage, the offspring of two immensely potent progenitors, imbued her with abilities that went far beyond mere mortal comprehension.

These lost souls had, through twists of fate, been inadvertently ensnared by her essence. Her dual nature allowed her to drain the vitality from average souls effortlessly, a cruel gift that rendered her adversaries little more than husks in her wake. Those who dared to stand against her found their spirits wrenched from their bodies, cast adrift and left to aimlessly wander the realms until she would grace them with her presence. In their despair, they learned to embrace silence and obedience, convinced that such behavior might spare them the wrath that befell those who resisted her will, those who had foolishly challenged her and ultimately became her sustenance.

Amidst the throngs bowing low, a select few understood the truth of their situation; they maintained their composure, waiting patiently for the tempest of her anger to pass. Their hearts raced, knowing they would need to bide their time until her attention shifted back to the hapless male lingering outside, the one she had momentarily forgotten. With such a distraction, they could make their exit, slipping away when her focus was drawn elsewhere, leaving behind the heavy atmosphere filled with unspoken fears and the weight of their shared plight.

There was already a feeling of death looming, and a crisis rising, now the master only needed to follow fate so I could take my step back.

A bitter laugh escaped me shaking the once frozen domain, as my focus was fully now on the outside world since the useless original did nothing.

"Master, this one will take their leave." I did wait for him to speak just faded into the darkness.

With a sudden radiant flash, I found myself reappearing in a realm where ancient silver snow blanketed the ground, untouched and unblemished even by the most intense heat radiating from the triple suns hanging high in the sky. "Little shadow, what brings you to this desolate place?" the ethereal voice resonated around me, filled with an otherworldly curiosity.

where I stood, the towering ice before me produced soft clicking sounds as a network of spider web cracks began to form and spread outwards, revealing the silhouette of a figure.

It was a woman of remarkable beauty, her skin as immaculate and pure as freshly fallen snow. She was draped in flowing garments that seemed to be woven from ice itself, glimmering in the unusual light. As a shadow Drakonian, I should fear the silver light but I stood tall unaffected by the form she presented me with, continuing to appreciate her beauty.

Her hair cascaded downwards, resembling a silver curtain that almost brushed against the ground, creating an enchanting spectacle. "I told you..." she whispered, her form dissolving momentarily into a swirling cloud of silver frost that gracefully encircled me. "A being from beyond trapped in a crumbling shell, desperately yearning for freedom..." Her voice was enchanting, flowing like a melodious ripple across a still pond.

Once she solidified again, appearing to my right, she continued with an air of melancholy, "Your life is a tragedy, a punishment for-" but just as she began to explain, her words were abruptly interrupted by a sudden and resounding boom of thunder that echoed through the frigid air. I couldn't help but sneer in irritation, tilting my head back to gaze skyward at the ominous clouds gathering above. And then, in an instant, I vanished again, making my way back to the side of my master, leaving behind the haunting beauty of the frozen realm.

I didn't dwell on her words; she always spoke like this, just as in my past life. Seek the cold, and she will emerge, or perish, and she will sing the song of the dead.

Eventually, she will become a meal, but for now, let the bird fly a bit longer before it enters its cage.