I don’t actually know how fast, strong or capable this new form is but I’m sure it’s better. And it feels so good to be almost humanoid now! I’m obviously still a monster but it’s nice to have the familiar movement. Also I can punch now, fun.

  This plan is honestly quite risky. I might die, first off. Another thing that could happen is my distraction doesn’t work and my new followers die. Both options are disastrous but proper planning should prevent them.

  I trust James to handle the evacuation so that just leaves me to hold up my end of the deal. What's the best way to distract them? Should I just go around sneaking around and slaughtering them? Hmm, it’d frighten them. But would it really distract them? No, sneaking around won’t work. Maybe I should kill a few queens? Yeah!

  I’d be weakening their leadership and scaring them. I’ll probably be able to find some information on where the broodmothers are. They’re important for my plan of creating a skink empire. With me as the emperor!

  It just feels right. Emperor Aya! Lord of the mud flats and the lake! I’ll add some more titles once I think of them. Alright, good plan. Commit causal regicide and take revenge while also staying alive and stealing two ginormous queens. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

  I smirk and look outside. It’s stopped snowing by now, so it should be fine to go out and explore. I gotta get used to my body before going back to the city. I think I’ll visit my old palace. I didn’t get to actually live in it for very long but it was still nice to have a home. It’ll be good to go back to the mudflats. I need time to develop and grow my nation. And I wanna visit my kids grave. I gotta make sure no one’s messed with it. Then I’m coming back and taking everything, every last city state.

  A foolproof plan! I’m so good at planning. I should make a title about that. A good thought. Now, it’s time to storm a castle. I turned towards James who was standing over a map drawn in the dirt. He had a serious expression on his face and I was once again reminded that he was no longer a child. What a horrible thought! My baby isn’t a baby anymore.

  No! He’s still my son, no matter how old he is. Also he’s still only a few weeks old. Even my new body is way older than he is. I walked up to him and said. “Alright, I’m gonna go visit the castle, I’ll be back soon.”

  He nodded and said. “Please be safe my queen.” I smiled and said. “Of course I’ll be safe!” He nodded and as I turned and walked away I heard him talking quietly to a nearby windlaw.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

  Before I even knew what was going on around a hundred bruisers and windclaws rushed over to me. I stared at them for a few seconds before yelling. “Get out of here! I’ll be back soon! You guys should be getting ready to leave!”

  A windclaw walked up to me and said. “Prince James told us to go with you because you might need help and to secure the area after. He said we’ll use it as a staging point as long as you can hold it.”

  I frowned and narrowed my eyes at them. “Hmm, fine.” What do I care if they come with me? I won’t be letting them do any of the fighting anyway. I wonder how my magic works? Will I get to blast stuff with fire? Or maybe I’ll get to see the future? I’m pretty sure that's what a seer does. Ooh! Maybe I can fly!

  I tried jumping as high as I could, which honestly was pretty high. Unfortunately I still completed the second half of my leap, the descent. After face planting in front of my entire army I sheepishly got up and sprinted outside towards the castle.

  The small force of a hundred followed me as I smiled and sprinted. At first it was awkward running in this form as I initially tried running on two legs. But the true speed of my new body was only unlocked when I ran on all fours.

  My powerful front arms propelled me forward as my legs stabilized me and helped me kick off the ground. I quickly outpaced the group following me and let out a whoop of joy. Such freedom! I saw a small ravine in front of me as I was running. It was around twenty feet long. It was only a fifty foot or so drop so I decided to try it.

  I flung myself forward, clearing the ravine and landing a couple dozen feet on the other side. Such power! I love my body! It took me two hours to reach the castle but it would take my guards an additional three, I think.

  That gave me ample time to slaughter the traitors! I smiled and looked over the area around the castle. There were around a hundred bruisers all outside of the castle. Most were simply chilling in the burrows my people had dug.

  Perhaps they thought they could make this a new city. Unfrotunlly for them, I’m petty as fuck. I hopped down the slope and the second I had a clear area I sprinted forward. I grabbed a large nearby rock and when I was within fifty feet of the closest bruiser I launched myself at him.

  He let out a small squeal of horror before being cut off by my body slamming into his. I got up, shook myself, and then slammed the rock into his skull a couple times. While I did this my tails went to work. They were incredibly long and seemed to be the same as my tail from the previous evolution. Except this time I had nine. And four limbs!

  I stabbed my tails into the unprotected bellies of the bruisers while leaping from bruiser to bruiser, slamming my rock into their skull. I thought I would feel bad, killing my old followers. But honestly it just felt good.

  “Die you traitorous scum! That's what you get for being poor and a traitor!” I spat on a nearby corpse and ripped the head off. I hurled the head at a nearby bruiser who was attempting to flee and fortunately my throw struck true.

  I walked forward and slammed all nine of my tails into the now very dead bruiser. I tossed the corpse and turned towards the castle, a small smile on my face. “I love my new body! And killing people who helped get my kids killed. All of you get to die! You’re welcome!