Tale Of The Empress

When Katania had calmed down she stepped back, through puffy red eyes she stared at the figure in front of her.

The figure was transparent, but solid, she could touch it. Her hair was transparent as well but it felt like silk when she held the strands.

As far as she was concerned, she was real, and...she looked just like her.

"Empress?" she asked, her voice plaintive.

Katania was sure but not sure after all.

The figure gazed into her eyes, complex emotions swam in them, Katania could tell there was a story hidden behind that complicated gaze.

"Let's go to our room, I'll tell you everything," she said softly.

Katania nodded, her mind centered around one word, "Our," she thought happily, "Yes, let's return to our room," her heart swelled.

Inside their room Katania bathed, Empress laid upon the bed making an effort to order her thoughts. The story she had to impart held great significance, both to her own future and Katania's.

When Katania exited the bath she wore a clean white robe, a thick towel wrapped around her thick curls. She laid on the bed beside her sister, her head resting on her stomach and closed her eyes.

After they were comfortable Empress began to comb her fingers through Katania's tresses as she told her tale.

"In a world much larger than this one, there exists a race of powerful beings. This race in your tongue are named Dragons, I was one such being long, long ago." 

Katania was shocked, "Empress you were a Dragon?" She asked in a raised voice.

"Shh shh," she hushed her.

Katania lowered her voice, "You were a Dragon?" She repeated her question.

Empress nodded.

"Not only was I a Dragon, I was their Queen, and the Dragon closest to becoming a God."

Hearing this Katania was stunned, but she remained silent, all would be told in time.

"On our world, the planet was unstable, volcanoes would erupt constantly, and great claw length sized pieces of hail would fall from the sky.

The planet was angry with us but no Dragon had the strength to calm its rage. On the day when I began to ascend, My husband betrayed me, his jealousy was such that he could not bear to see me fly higher than him." Empress sounded extremely sad as she said this. "He interrupted my ascension when I was at my most vulnerable. He plunged his claws laced in a draconic poison deep into my chest, he bit at my neck and raped my dying body before spitting my own blood into my face. As my soul faded from the world I witnessed him in his madness as he cloaked me in the fires from his belly, the greatest sign of disrespect." Transparent tears fell from her eyes as she fell silent.

A rage unlike any other she had ever known began to mount within Katania's heart. She was angry, revenge, she wanted revenge for her Empress. She was so enraged tears fell from her eyes, she wiped them away furiously. She opened her mouth ready to declare divine retribution on the bastard who had defiled her sister.

However Empress stopped her with a calming hand as she shook her head, "There will be a time for anger, we shall seek justice, but never vengeance, there lies the path that...you may never return from…" she paused, then with a sigh, she continued her story.

"After my death I was resurrected in your mother's womb, for reasons...I do not know, but you my dearest sister, were dying, unable to breathe with your umbilical cord knotted tightly around your neck. I found myself presented with two options, allow you to die and assume your life, or possess you and bide my time until I could achieve a true resurrection."

Once again Katania was shocked, this was the first she'd heard of this, "I was supposed to die?" 

Empress gave her a small nod, "Then I suppose I should thank you for saving my life," she smiled at her beloved sister, their bond deepening.

But Empress simply shook her head, "After being murdered in such a horrible way I could not bear to turn a blind eye to another's life, in fact, gaining you as a sister has been far more valuable to me than a stolen life would have been." She smiled dotingly at her.

"Then, Empress? What do we do now?"

A mischievous smile cracked on her transparent face, "Now, you continue to cultivate, this Empress still has no body of her own and cannot cultivate, don't you go feeling like you're that bitch just because you've reached a mere heaven realm!" She giggled as she started tickling her.

Katania shrieked, laughing she said, "I give, I give!" But Empress did not relent, "Foolish girl, do you know your wrongs?" She continued to tickle her.

"I was wrong, I was wrong! I promise to properly cultivate!" she screamed, Empress laughed delightedly as she stopped tickling her.

Katania's cheeks were puffy as she stared angrily at Empress, "You made me pee!" She accused.

Empress laughed at that, "It wasn't that bad!" She grinned. Katania pouted, "When you get a new body, I'll return this favor to you," she swore.

Causing Empress to laugh again before she collapsed on the bed happily, Katania returned to the bathroom to bathe a second time as Empress slept.