Melusine’s eyes were closed in meditation, as the effects of whatever overlooked their battle was still a raw wound in her Spirit that was slowly fading with her practice.

Her meditation usually involves her placing her Spirit inside her Territory, and flying through the endless rows of Green Bamboo, and flowing brooks filled with sparkling water.

Her Territory had no sun or moon, but was still lit, as an ever present glow brushed across it, the water from the brooks connected to form a flowing river that disappeared into nothingness at the edge of her Territory.

Her Territory contained only the Green Bamboo and Sparkling Waters, but it was among the most suitable Territory for one of her bloodline and her bloodline ability only enhanced the efficacy of her Territory, and for the case of Melusine, the combined effect of her bloodline abilities and her Territory created an effect greater than the sum of it parts.

A Territory is the next Realm where a Dominator grew closer to the source of their bloodline, and began tapping into the Realms of their Progenitor.

Being so close to the source of her bloodline nourished and calmed her Spirit, and with this, she would be able to cleanse every source of foreign influence from her Spirit.

Melusine only entered such deep meditation outside the forests of her home because Lyosos was there beside her. For she was vulnerable when she placed all her Spirit inside her Territory because her perception of the outside world was severely reduced.

Yet, even in the deep meditation state she was in, she could still hear the screams, like buzzing flies at the edge of her hearing that grew more annoying with every second.

Her Spirit shook as she discarded the distraction, but it was persistent, and with an annoyed groan, she commanded her Spirit to rise above her Territory and into her body where she soon awoke.

Even before she opened her eyes she knew something was wrong, for Lyosos was not beside her. She frowned and suddenly, like a flood, screams entered her ears and she was fully awake.

Melusine unconsciously placed her veil over her face to disguise her features, while she quickly ran through her defenses and weapons, as she primed her spells, and began agitating the powers of her Territory.

As a descendant of Bacchus and walking on the Path of the Wanderer, the power of the forest flowed through her veins, and her bloodline was Aspected towards summoning. The title bestowed on Dominators like her was : Forest Witch.

Her bloodline sent a call throughout her Territory, and the Endless Bamboos began to combine into Green Bamboo Soldiers.

A hundred Green Bamboo became a single Bamboo Soldier with the abilities at the Legendary State, it may not seem like much, but the fields of green bamboo were endless, and the only limit to the amount of green bamboo she could summon was her Spirit.

At the Spirit Territory Realm she was not a good matchup against her equals whose bloodline were more focused on strength or energy-based attacks, but it did not mean she was helpless among them, yet against those of lesser power levels, she was an insurmountable force of nature.

Melusine on her own, given enough time, could overrun an entire Minor World! She could summon a hundred thousand Legendary Bamboo Soldiers before her Spirit runs out, and after she recovers, continue summoning. Technically, if she did not destroy her Spirit with endless summoning, she could summon an infinite amount of Green Bamboo Soldiers.

Her abilities were not supposed to be this dangerous, but the summoning ability she received at the Legendary, Rift and Incarnation State combined to create a Forbidden class of power.

Melusine was powerful enough now, but if she could grow into the next Realm, which was the Incandescent Realm, her Green Bamboo Soldiers would be upgraded to Black Bamboo Soldiers which were at the Rift State.

Her Territory abilities showed the true difference between each great Circle. As Dominators, were becoming closer to gods. Another power of a Territory was creating a shield between the Dominator and the Outside world, and depending on the level and the type of your Territory, the protection it affords to you would differ in scope and power.

The gap between each cycle was total and to all common knowledge, no first Circle Dominator could ever compete with a second Circle Dominator.

Well, the universe had never met Rowan, but it was soon about to.

If she had used this Territory Ability against the beasts in the last confrontation she could have easily swept through all of them and no matter how strong the Incarnation State golden beast was to be, an unending army of Green Bamboo Soldiers would wear it down to nothing in no time.

As the Green Bamboo began combining to create an Army, she pushed open the tent expecting bloodshed, and she saw it, but not how she was expecting it.

Except for a few Dominators, maybe a hundred or so who managed to hold themselves with sheer force of will, the rest of the Legendaries were dead, or killing themselves or each other.

Lyosos and the rest of the Incarnation and Rift State Dominators were going around breaking arms, and subduing the rest who were clearly not in a normal state of mind as most of them were screaming so loudly they began explosives vomiting blood, their eyes were wide open but was covered in Nightmare.

Her eyes caught that of Lyosos across the field and they both knew that this was happening because of that presence they had felt, and the chill in Melusine’s heart nearly froze solid with panic.

Perhaps the Legendary Dominators might not have been able to sense or even understand what happened that day, but a part of their Spirit must have touched the gaze of whatever watched them, and they had no shields over their Spirit.

Their souls must have been scrapped to pieces by touching that presence but as they had no means of understanding the damages inflicted on them, it was only at the death of their soul that awareness was born.

The result was the madness happening before her. Melusine wanted to release the soothing water from her Territory; it would salve the mental state of these suffering Dominators, but Lyosos must have known about her intentions, for he shook his head to tell her not to.

Every Legendary here was already dead. They were just not aware of it yet.

Melusine sighed and shook her head, rolling up her sleeves, she flew down to assist in the subjugation of those that were now mad. It was impossible to watch these soldiers kill themselves like mindless beast, at least they should make their passing a bit more comfortable.

The screams they let out were chilling, and their words were worse, “It’s eating my soul! It’s eating my soul!”

Everyone of the dying men and women screaming that their souls were being eaten.

®

“Close the door, you fool. Have you gathered everything I asked of you.” Augustus Tiberius barked at the man who entered his office.

“Yes, my lord. I have secured the passes for all of us. The Captain of the Merigold (An Empire Spaceship.) gives us two hours before it leaves.”

“Good, ready your men, in an hour meet me by the docks, I don’t have to tell you to be discreet, don’t I?”

“Of course General.”

“Don’t ever call me that from this moment.”

“Yes sir.”

“Get going, we are losing time.”

As the man bowed and left, Augustus took his time and tapped on his table before standing up and began to prepare himself.

He had expected drastic measures when he confessed about his participation in an Organization like the Order of the Broken Eye to his family. With the wealth of his confession, he had the least thought he would be spared from death.