GodKiller

Ch.3 Kill Your Demons

***MEDUSA***

Listening to Amina made me realize exactly what I had. And exactly what I had to lose. She had molded me into something I never thought I'd be. Strong.

"Amina, how did you get to be so wise?" I dared to ask her.

I watched as her eyes grew distant. Old memories rewinding and replaying through her mind. I could see her soft features conforming to the many emotions that skated across her face.

"I'm a royal shifter. Likely the last of them. I was an Elite in the Pride's army. A natural assassin. I trained day in and day out and became the best of the best. I took my duties to heart as we guarded something very precious." She paused, her eyes slightly misting.

"Treasure?" I couldn't help but ask.

She smiled softly and downcast her eyes.

"No. Something far more valuable to our people. We had many enemies. Many thought we valiently guarded some coveted treasure. But some things are worth more than any gold."

I watched her carefully, gently prodded her on to continue with my silence. She studied me for a moment.

" Blood. Seeing as the Mighty Pride's have fallen, and I trust you... We guarded an ancient Bloodline. Royals from this bloodline were born blessed. They carried gifts we called Relics. And only my Pride had any decendents left. Other Prides and even other shifter species sought the power of the gifted. If crossed, the Relics were passed to the offspring, regardless if their blood was pure or not. I was top tier. Until I fell. And I fell hard."

I could see the haunted look in her eyes, and it was all to familiar. She had helped me so much, gave me so much all while carrying demons of her own.

"I got cocky. Truly believed I was the best of the best. I took post one night and all seemed as it should. Until I met the Shade."

"Shade?"

"Yes. A shifter race so rare now it's fable extinct. But they're are a few still out there. They're a species of cat mercenaries. They can shadow step between realms. I was guarding our Pride Mother. She was giving birth. I can still hear the cub's first cries. I remember closing my eyes and thinking it was one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard. It was suddenly followed by sharp screams and panic. I burst into the room only to find the mid wives slain and two Shades. One held a knife to our Pride Mother's neck and the other cradled her newborn cub."

"Oh my goodness. What happened?!?"

Amina looked so full of pain and rage it scared me. I held my breath.

"I lept into action of course. I was able to successfully kill the Shade with the cub, but I wasn't fast enough to save her mother. The other Shade drug the dagger across her throat and shadow stepped faster than I could react. I foolishly thought I had a shot at saving her too and believing the Shades had fled, I placed the cub in a bassinet and quickly went to access the damage. As I was tending to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding..."

Amina's breathing became heavy, her eyes watering. It was like she was seeing and reliving these moments.

"I could clearly see the mother was a lost cause. Her eyes glazed as I reached her and I gently closed her lids. Before I could turn around and retrieve the cub, a Shade shadow stepped in and snatched her away. I managed to wound it. I guess it couldn't shadow step after that because it began to run. I trailed it through the walls of our home and out into the woods. I screamed for backup, demanded all able to come and fight. As I found myself further and further from our compound I was terrified I'd fail the cub too. I cornered the Shade up against a small outcrop of trees. It was a dead end as they grew to closely to escape."