The Queen's Wrath

I'm back. The words kept repeating in my head as I walked through the portal. It's been months, a year maybe, since we started the preparations. I totally lost track of time. I've been so busy trying to master Ivana's power, my power. I've always wondered how I would feel when I get back and see everyone. I walked through the portal full of excitement. The view on the other side did not disappoint. Soldiers were already there, well-prepared. Good for them. I slowly walked to the front, displaying my power to the humans by having my roots spurt from the ground. As I was making my grand entrance, I scanned the sea of soldiers ahead. The three of them were there, my former best friends. Ris looked shocked and scared. Mike looked just as flabbergasted and something else...sadness, perhaps. Dan, he looked confused, but more than that, he looked enraged. Understandable. They must feel betrayed. Not that I blame them. I looked at the ruins of the village I once called home. How very nostalgic!

Nobody uttered a word. It was quiet except for the whispered snarls of the demons beside me. They were as anxious as the humans. It was the first they've encountered humans after all. "What is the meaning of this, Erika?" It was the commander who broke the silence.

"I'm sorry. It seems you have mistaken me for someone else", I answered.

"Rik? Is it really you? I knew you were alive but they didn't believe me", Mike said as he slowly moved forward.

"Of course not. Now as I look at her, she's not Erika. She's a monster", the commander answered.

"The commander's right. I am not her. I am Veera, Queen of Thorns and Monarch of the Monere. We have come to declare war against the humans." Most of the soldiers gasped.

"Rik, you're kidding right? You don't know how relieved I am to see you."

"Erika is dead, and you're all going to die too." I watched as the expression on Mike's face reflected his shattering heart.

"Why are you doing this?" For the first time, Ris spoke. Her voice was shaking but she showed no fear.

"Because you all deserved it. For years I watched as my monsters were killed."

"They were a threat, just like what you are now", Dan said, the warning evident in his voice.

"They were no threat. They were confused, they were lost, but you didn't even try to tame them. You didn't even try to communicate with them!" I lost composure and my spiky vines sprang from the ground. "You all enjoyed killing my monere for fun, now we're going to have so much fun killing all of you." A cheer erupted from the demons. "Since I was once one of you, I'll give you a warning. You are no match for us. This place will be your grave. Don't worry. All the other humans will be next." As I said that, trees grew from the ground - huge, black, spiky trees with dead leaves. A couple of soldiers couldn't run away in time, and were caught by their vines and swallowed, absorbed, by the trees. And the war began.

Some of the demons charged and the humans defended themselves. I stood there watching the battle. The other lords were standing close to me. "Not yet", Lord Brutus commanded the others just as they were about to join the chaos. "The queen needs not to dirty her hands. Our men will take care of everything", Lord Silva said. "Now where is the fun in that?" I smiled at him then back to the fray. "Kill every human here. But those people I spoke with earlier are mine to eliminate."