Hours later, Amneris – now properly dressed – found herself standing at the arched entrance to Voliabyi. Colt, Carmin, and Dan were standing by her side, the four exchanging glances before passing through the gates.

Voliabyi – also known as the Lava Falls – was the most volcanic region of Lyriumia and home to the City of Fire. It was filled with volcanoes, rivers of lava, lavafalls, and, unfortunately, a wide variety of toxic fumes. Those who lived there were immune to the deadly effects, but visitors required a special shield which could be found at the arched entrance.

Everything within this region was stained black and grey with a red-orange glow washing over the stone. Amneris glanced over the edge of the stone bridge the four were crossing – the main way in and out of Voliabyi. Several hundred feet below was what one could call a ‘lava rapids.’ The heat could be felt from on the bridge.

Colt came up beside her, following her gaze. “That is . . . a rather large drop.”

“This is nothing compared to some of the drops in the actual city,” Carmin laughed, her wings flaring with the motion. “The city is practically made of the stuff.”

“A shit load of rock and lava,” Dan agreed, wandering ahead with his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans. Why he was wearing jeans in this heat was beyond Amneris, but she had decided to not call attention to the matter.

Colt went after him, the pair walking ahead. “Are there lava falls within the city?” A nod. “Cool.”

Carmin looped her arm with Amneris’ as they went after the two men in front of them. “Glad to see our boys getting along.”

“Yeah, it is good,” she agreed. “Wait, what do you mean ‘our’ boys?”

Carmin winked, avoiding the question. She pulled Amneris to a stop suddenly, brushing her hair behind her diamond-and-sapphire crown before giving her a satisfied look. Amneris rolled her eyes at the motion, linking their arms once again. They did not call Carmin the mother of the group for no reason.

“So,” Carmin stared, “Tell me how it went.”

“How what went?”

“You and Colt! I want the details!”

Amneris felt her cheeks flush but dismissed it as the heat. “We were just talking –”

“About what?”

‘About things that are none of your business.”

“Aww.”

“Anyway, we were talking and then he kissed me. Nothing to it.”

Carmin gave her a disappointed look.

“What, you were expecting some grand romantic gesture?” She placed her hand over her heart and imitated Dan’s voice: “Oh, Carmin, I could never live without you! You are the only woman I could ever love! I would rather die than be without you!”

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Carmin whacked the back of her head at the same time Dan shot her a vulgar gesture from over his shoulder. The two women laughed.

“I was thinking he would make more of a scene.”

“You can’t have everything, Car.” She stretched her free arm above her head. “Remind me again why I’m here.”

“You need to convince people that you’re not going to bring about the end of the multiverse.” The Dragonoid woman frowned. “I have no idea why someone would start rumours like that, but I am wondering if they are trying to rally followers from here for Tara.”

“I mean, they’re not entirely wrong about the me destroying the multiverse thing.”

Carmin hit her again, this time lightly. “Bad Amnsy!”

“Sorry, mum.”

Once again, the pair laughed. Dan and Colt gave them confused looks before continuing, starting a conversation Amneris could not make out. She did hear the word ‘chess’ in it somewhere, making her wonder if Dan would be about to lose his title of Reigning Chess King. Sadly, that would have to be a thought for another day. Right now, she had rumours to put to rest. Preferably without killing whoever had started them.

The sooner she could wrap this up the better. She was quite eager to go back to bed and sleep off her now slightly dulled headache. Sadly, knowing her luck, this would take all day. Or so she thought. The leader of the mock rebellion was standing on one of the stone pillars in town, a small crowd gathered around them.

“Our Queen is not who she says she is!” came to loud male voice bellowing from the top of the pillar. Flying beings were hovering around him, some holding signs saying ‘join the darkness’. There were others who seemed to be there out of curiosity, though that was short lived. Others flew straight past.

“She will bring about the end of all days!” another voice, this time female, joined from within the crowd on the ground. “She is a murderer!”

“That’s hardly news.”

Amneris did not realise she had been heard until everyone stared at her. A moment later, majority of people in the crowd had taken a knee in a sign of respect. Some of those who had been flying joined the kneeling crowd on the ground. Very few remained standing or flying. They were the ones she was after.

“You don’t have to do that,” she told the people on there knees. When none stood, she sighed.

Amneris picked her way through the crowd, a few heads raising to follow her movements. Carmin, Dan, and Colt stayed close behind her. She stopped at the base of the pillar and looked up.

“This would be a lot easier if you would come down from there,” she called, cupping her hands around her mouth to make her voice louder.

The man on the pillar laughed. “Why don’t you come up here and make me, phony Queen.”

“Okay, but you asked me to!”

Using her power, Amneris took flight. She grasped the man from behind, going higher and higher. The city was now a dot below her. She dropped the man. He smirked, attempting to spread his wings before realising she had bound them with her power. He could do nothing but freefall. Amneris hovered, shading her eyes as she looked down at the falling man.

Dan’s voice came through her mind. Alright, you’ve had your fun. Go catch him.

Killjoy, she sent back.

She shot downwards, overtaking the man in a matter of seconds before catching him and lowering him gently to the ground where Dan and Colt took hold of his arms. “Anyone else? Amneris asked. No one said a word. “Okay, I think we’re done here.”

She turned on her heel, beginning to walk away when a small had grasped on of her fingers. She looked down, seeing a little girl standing with a scared expression. “Were you really going to hurt that man?” the girl asked nervously.

Amneris gave her a soft smile, kneeling down and placing a hand on the girl’s head. “Of course not. I was just giving him a bit of a scare.” She took the girl’s hands in her own. “I wasn’t really going to hurt him. Promise.”

The girl grinned, hugging the Queen before running back to who Amneris presumed were her parents.

Carmin came up beside her, linking their arms once again and whispered, “But, seriously, were you going to let him fall.”

Amneris gave her friend a confused look before saying with a very serious voice, “Of course I was, but I wasn’t going to tell a kid that.”

“So, you do have a soul?”

“Ha fucking ha.”