Page 53 of The Void

“I created Fa Li out of boredom. Malik and I needed a toy.” She smiled, then scowled. “While I was off creating and destroying worlds with Moros, Malik went and fell in love with the creature. By the time I came back, they had offspring. They had created so many that they had almost filled my great city with their filthy spawn. That was the day I forbid any of my pure creatures from procreating. When I went to destroy Fa Li, somehow she and Malik together were stronger than even I was and overpowered me. In the process Malik was killed just before Fa Li locked me out of my precious city and put me in this prison. That is, until your dog finally released me.” She motioned to Lucas.

Mia glanced at him. “Love is a powerful weapon.”

Feng glared at Mia. “It’s foolishness,” Feng hissed. “Soon, I’ll destroy you and every single one of Malik and Fa’s spawn. I’ll hunt them down in every realm they inhabit and wipe them from being.”

“Don’t you love Moros?” Mia asked.

Feng laughed. “He is a great lover. One that will get me the power I seek. Once he consumes all the worlds in every realm, I can share in it.”

“Such a shame,” Mia said, standing up slowly, fighting the invisible hold Feng had on her.

“How is this possible?” Feng cried out. “How are you stronger than I am?”

“Love.” Mia smiled as she looked at Lucas. Then with a flick of her hand, he was free from Feng’s hold as well.

When Mia turned back to Feng, the sword appeared in her hands. The same sword she’d set down moments ago on the table just inside their room back in the city.

“Stop!” Feng screamed as Mia held the sword to Feng’s neck.

“Why should I?” Mia asked. “You’ve just admitted that you plan on destroying everything.”

“We will build it back. We’ll eventually need playthings,” Feng said with a slight shrug. Then she smiled. “You cannot destroy me. You are good. Besides, if you do, you’ll lose everything. Your powers, the ability to travel between your worlds, even your man.”

“I won’t lose everything.” Mia smiled at Lucas, then turned back to Feng. “But I’m not going to destroy you.” Feng’s eyebrows shot up. “I think Fa Li had the right idea.”

Mia lifted the sword high over her head but instead of striking out against Feng, she held it over her. A fireball of gold flames rose from its tip, shooting high into the sky.

Feng screamed. “No! I won’t go back. I won’t be imprisoned again.”

“You will. Maybe a few more millennia of being in your golden prison will make you see the light,” Mia said.

The second Mia pointed the sword at Feng, the bolt of fire rushed toward her and engulfed her and the remains of the golden statue. Then Mia tossed the sword into the fireball. A bright flashing light filled the entire cavern and, seconds later, the room was thrust into darkness.

Lucas fumbled and almost fell before the light finally returned to normal.

“What just happened?” he asked, moving over to Mia, who was standing in front of the golden statue of Feng, holding the sword in her hands once more.

“I just sent my great-great…”—she shrugged—“whatever she was back into the prison that Fa Li made long ago.”

“You couldn’t kill her?” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

She shook her head. “Even if she wasn’t telling the truth about me losing my powers, I couldn’t do it.” She sighed and rested her head back. “There’s always tomorrow, but for now, I just want to go back to our room, shower, and lie down in your arms.” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips. “Then, tomorrow, we go home.”

He smiled and held onto her. “I like the sound of that.” He wanted to spend a lifetime holding her. But the truth was, he knew that once they returned, there was still a war that needed to be fought.

They still needed to defeat Moros once and for all. And to do so, they would have to find Pandora and Elpis. Thankfully, now Mia at least knew what they looked like.

They were both pretty sure that is what they had meant when they’d told her that she would know them. Mia would recognize the physical forms they’d chosen to show her.

Then Mia winced and leaned back from him. “Oh god.” She groaned as she rolled her eyes. “You’re going to meet my parents.”

Chapter Fifteen

Mia allowed the tears to flow down her cheeks as the image of her parents and grandparents holding Lei in their arms blurred.

“Are you okay?” Lucas said, coming up behind her.

She nodded, not trusting her voice.