Sure enough, the first day Wukong came home, he brought me some peaches. He was really glum about it too, but I cheered him up by telling him they were the best peaches I’ve ever tasted.

And they were. The things were positively packed with chi. It was like an energy boost with every bite. I sent one back to the island so we could try and grow them, but apparently the reason they were so chi-dense was that they were grown in heaven.

My research into the barrier hit a wall. The most I could confirm was that the bubble definitely originated from the Jade Palace. But without going in there, I couldn’t do anything more. And trying to sneak in there was a death sentence. Guards at every corner, dozens of defensive treasures. Even with invisibility, I wasn’t confident I could get in and out unscathed.

So I had to put an end to the bubble research and instead focused on learning more about the technology and spells available in heaven. Whatever I found, I sent back home. They had a whole building devoted to storing books that anyone could just walk in and read. Wild.

We were still settling in when Wukong showed up at the front door one day with a wild look in his eyes.

He slammed the door of my study open, and rushed in. “Yue, I think I really fucked up.”

I stared at him for a moment before sighing. This was bound to happen sooner or later. “Who did you kill, and do we have to run?”

“Oh, I didn’t kill anyone.” He paused and thought about it for a moment. “Yet.”

“Let me get these papers together and we can go. Tell me what happened on the way.”

We were out of the mansion and through the gates of heaven with a couple of souvenirs Wukong stole within minutes. A couple of carafes of wine, a bottle of “immortality pills” which just looked like pills packed with an insane amount of chi, and a peach for me. I snacked on it while Wukong told me about his latest idiotic escapade.

Apparently, a bunch of female humans showed up to pick peaches for a big peach festival neither of us we’re invited to. They naturally, do not find many peaches. Apparently, the emperor didn’t expect Wukong to eat them all like the gluttonous monkey he was. Seemed like that was more on him than Wukong. Wukong heard about the party, knocked out the humans, impersonated someone who was invited, stole a bunch of wine, got super drunk, tried to get home but ended up in another guy’s house, ate like five bottles of pills, then sobered up and realized that he made several mistakes. So he searched for another pill bottle and got it for me so I wouldn’t be mad. He also stole more wine for the monkeys back home cause he said it was really good. And after all that, he finally came home to me and we booked it.

“And that’s it?” We were quickly approaching Flower-Fruit Mountain when Wukong finished his story and I asked if that was all.

“Yeah. That’s it. Oh wait, the peaches, wine, and pills are all supposed to make you immortal. Does that make me, uh, one, two, three… six times immortal now?”

“Well, you probably have about double the chi from when we first went into heaven, so…” I also had a lot more chi. Unlike the wasteful heaven immortals that just let the chi dissipate when they left, I managed to keep all the chi I gained from inside the bubble. I was a lot more durable and strong now. Still nowhere near Wukong’s level, but I could handle myself with the average heaven immortal now.

He puffed up. “And you said I had a lot of chi to begin with right?”

“Before, you had enough chi to level a continent. Now you probably have enough chi to destroy the world. If you knew anything other than the most basic chi manipulation. Which you don’t.”

“Ha! I’m immortal six times over now.” Wukong puffed up with pride. Cute.

I giggled as he continued to preen himself, and turned my attention back to the pills. I could eat them myself, but they’d be far more useful to the research division. A way to store chi.

Honestly, the first application I could think of for this wasn’t as a medicinal pill, but as a battery. So far formations had to be fueled directly, but if we could store chi in pills, we could save it and store it for when we really needed it. It would likely be too late for the coming war, but studying this could get us a lot closer to the technology and weapons from my old world.

I put the pill back in the bottle. It would be useful, that’s for sure. As for the wine, it was likely packed with chi because of heaven’s chi-dense environment. I’d give a little to the research division to be sure, but we likely couldn’t replicate it without understanding the bubble.

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We arrived back to the island and I switched back to queen mode. I explained the situation to the generals, and began Plan A Siege Defense again, but this time I had a much better idea of what was going to be thrown at us.

Heavenly King Li Jing would likely be mobilized, along with Nezha and a few other generals, the same as last time. However, it likely wouldn’t end with a peaceful resolution this time. We already spurned heaven too many times. It will come to a battle.

Luckily, we had about 40,000 monkeys this time, in addition to whatever Wukong would be able to muster from the brotherhood. With the addition of new traps and tricks developed during the years we lived in heaven.

I felt like this was something we could win.

It didn’t take long for heaven to set up camp in the same place as last time. Our allies had doubled, and I was using the same plan with them as the first time. Sorry, but my priority was protecting my monkeys.

The parley tent was set up. And like last time We went with Ma to meet the enemy.

This time, they were waiting for us. Li Jing sat at the table and Nezha and another general I haven’t seen before sat in the back. I took my seat next to Wukong, as Ma stood behind us.

Li Jing grimaced at us. “We have come to discuss terms of surrender.”

I nodded. “A wise decision. We will accept an immediate withdrawal of troops from the island, along with an official truce.”

His face turned red. He set down his cup of tea. “No, we are here to discuss your surrender. All we want is Sun Wukong to pay for his crimes in heaven.”

“Okay, but how exactly would you have him pay for his crimes? Perhaps we could come to a monetary settlement.”

He snorted. “Only death would be enough to pay for his insults. And I doubt monkeys would have much wealth to offer.”

No negotiations. The same as last time. “Then I fear we cannot come to an agreement. We shall let the coming battle decide.”

I stood up, closely followed by Wukong. I turned to leave.

Li Jing said something while our backs were turned. “Fine. It won’t be difficult to kill a bunch of monkeys anyway.”

I whipped back around. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? “Excuse me?”

He looked down on me somehow from where he was sitting. “Look, I’m not sure what kind of shoddy plan you have, but we are heaven’s elite. This war is almost an insult. The only worthy warrior among you is Sun Wukong.”

A low growl ripped through the air. Not from me. From Ma. Everyone in the tent took a breath as he stared daggers at Li Jing.

Years of planning and work. Of training. Of experimenting. He’d learn soon enough. Our efforts would speak for us. But I just couldn’t let his insult go without one of my own.

I turned back around and stared down at him, remaining calm. “You will not kill one monkey during this war. That is my promise to you. I doubt you’ll be able to say the same by the time we’re finished.”

I turned back to leave with Wukong, but he had his own teeth bared. “If I didn’t know you to be a coward I’d challenge you here and now. But if you take one step onto the battlefield, know that I will find you and I will kill you.”

Li Jing was turning a peculiar shade of green as we exited the tent. Wukong summoned Nimbus and we went back home to prepare for battle.

Once we got back, I set the plan in motion. Once their troops left camp, our field teams will set fire to their food supplies and equipment. Then they’d circle teams for harassment every night so their troops didn’t get rest.

The battlefield would be the valleys leading to the mountain, and possibly the air space above. It was all trapped to the moon and back, with the main portion of our allies stationed in the meat grinder to stall troops so we could kill as many as possible without risking our own.

The majority of forces were stationed inside the mountain. About ten thousand were the support division focused on supplies and the activation of formations and traps. Another ten thousand were healers, ready and waiting in medical bays to treat troops.

The last twenty-thousand were ground troops stationed at entrances and strategic points in the mountain. They were prepared to move out into the battlefield if necessary, but hopefully our allies could stall heaven long enough for them to give up the battle.

Every inch Heaven wanted they’d have to pay in blood. While we sat back and conserved our strength.

As I predicted, the celestial army approached early the next day, at dawn.

I straightened out Wukong’s armor. “Remember to retreat if it gets to be too much for you.”

“Yue, it’s me. I’ll be fine.”

I took a deep shuddering breath. This was happening. We were really at war with heaven and Wukong was about to engage the enemy.

“Just be careful. Please. I know you think you’re invincible, but you’re not. Use the bracelet if you need to. You remember how to use it right?”

Wukong gripped my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “Yue. Everything will be okay. I’m strong. You can count on me. I’ll come back.”

“Wukong, I told you I don’t believe in strength. Don’t be strong. Be smart. Run and live to fight another day if you need to.”

He gave me a hug. “I will if I need to Yue. But don’t worry about me. Just focus on your own battle. The generals and monkeys need you to lead them, while I inspire them from the front. Don’t let that bastard Li Jing claim one of ours, and prove he’s a moron who knows nothing about war.”

We kissed, sweet but far too brief. I sent him away and he flew out of the entrance.

I just sent my husband away to a war he might die in. I was left feeling empty. Like I was preparing for grief that hasn’t arrived.

I turned back, and went to the entrance of the palace. Once I was through, I nodded to Liu and he activated the defensive formation on the entrance. Only someone as strong as Wukong could break it.

Once it was done, Liu followed me to the war room. Inside sat Beng. Ma and Ba wanted to be on the battlefield to prove their capabilities. Ba was leading the guerilla groups and Ma would stand with Wukong on the front lines.

In the center of the room was a table with a hologram of the island. It showed the position of our troops and the celestials in real-time.

Time for the battle to begin.