When your mother collapses you know instantly something is wrong with your father. They are soulmates and soulmates can feel the emotions of the other: no matter how far away.
You instantly called your father but he doesn't answer. Neither does T'Challa. Okoye answers.
"Okoye! What is wrong with my father!"
"He's...he's dead!"
Your heart stops and it appears so does your mother because she gives a pained filled gasp before going limp.
"Momma? Momma? MOMMA!"
You cradle your mother's limp body as you sob.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
You bring your mother with you back to wakanda, disappearing after calming down enough. Servants take her, rushing to bury her.
You walk into the temple and gasps. The place is filled with smoke and there is soot. Your magic swirls and the Priestess, priests, and servants watch in awe. Your magic soothes them and slowly restores the temple.
Your eyes turn black as you feel more of your magic pulse through you. You look at everyone.
"Aunty Eshe."
The woman steps forward.
"Please take three full plants, roots included, and store them."
"Yes High Priestess."
She goes, taking two of the children with her.
"The rest of you: we will carry on. Zuri...my father...would not want us to sit and mourn. We will carry on. Heads held high. We do not let this stop us. We do not."
They cheer.
"Kasim, Dakarai. With me. We must check on the Dark temple."
The two men nod and follow after you. Your magic cause your clothes to change—the men as Well. Your dress is black and you are now barefoot. Your tattoos on your leg shows as well as the one on your sternum.
The men wear an all black suit with a rectangular, purple cloak pinned to their right shoulder. They grin at each other before following you to the dark temple.
The dark temple is for the god Heka. He is the god of magic. Those there bow as you enter, walking inside.
"Is the temple damaged?"
"No my lady," the priest says, bowing.
"Good. Did you store the plants?"
"Yes. Here my lady: I know you would need one."
You smile as you take the pitch black fruit. You pop it in your mouth, swallowing it as you feel it's powers pulse in you.
"Stay hidden. Do not let anyone in who magic doesn't accept."
He nods and you leave.
"Return to the temple Kasim and Dakarai."
They bow and leave, headed to the bast temple. You disappear in a swirl of black smoke.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
You arrive in the Jabari and make your way to the temple. Those there fall to their knees. You walk to the high priest who nods as you bow before him. He picks the gold herb and crushes it, making a juice out of it.
You open your mouth as he pours the juice down your mouth. He is thrown back, as well as others, as your magic combines with the powers of the various herbs and fruit. You stand and turn, eyes black as night and your tattoos glow. The men bow as you walk forward.
A cloak is now attached to your shoulders, a soft fur on the collar. You walk out the temple and look over the village.
"Uthixokazi!"
(Uthixokazi means goddess in Xhosa)
You look at the owner of the voice. He falls to his knees.
"The king!"
You follow the man and is brought to the room where T'Challa lays in the snow with his family around him. Shuri looks at you with hope.
You kneel beside him and your hand glows a soft purple. You touch his forehead as your eyes close.
Ancestral Plain
"It's not your time T'Challa."
T'Challa looks at you and gasps.
"Iniko."
"Yes. I came home. Your mate is worried."
"M'Baku..."
You nod and touch his shoulder.
"How..."
"I had to take my place. Place as the goddess. My mother died in my arms moments after baba died."
"I'm sorry."
You sigh.
"You must come back. Your mother has given you the herb."
"My mother!"
"She is Fine. As is your sister and Nakia. You must wake up. I can't make you."
You disappear and open your eyes. You remove your hand as they all hold their breath before T'Challa bolts up, gasping for air. You move as M'Baku rushes over, kissing his mate's cheek.
You watch, smiling.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
You shoot two of the ships down, allowing T'Challa to walk forward. You follow in a black catsuit. Your hair whips around you. The border tribe charges and you begin to fight.
There is a grace to your movement as you take men out with ease. When the Jabari arrive you smile at M'Baku before following behind T'Challa.
Erik sees you and gasps. You have just kicked a man under a running rhino before you turn to look at Erik. He throws the Dora Milaje off and walks towards you.
You walk forward and he looks at you.
"Impossible. You can't be my mate."
"I say the same."
Erik growls and goes to stab you but you grab his weapon and throws it into the chest of an approaching border tribe warrior.
"Damn. That's hot."
You glare before grabbing the collar and ripping it off. Erik gasps as you knee him in the stomach before giving a knee to his face. He falls to the floor as your hands glow black.
NO! He is your mate!
You jump as Heka speaks to you and you jerk your hands back. T'Challa sees and rushes to you.
"Impossible..."
A few Dora Milaje surround Erik. He looks at you.
"Yield...please..."
Erik nods.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
You look at Erik through the monitor.
"He's my mate."
"What?" Shuri says.
"My soulmate. Heka said so. I was going to kill him...kill him at that moment but I couldn't."
You swallow hard.
"I have to talk to him."
"Wait! Iniko!"
You are gone.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
You enter the room and Erik looks up. You're in an oversized hoodie dress with sneakers. Your hair is loose and reaches mid back. He stands as you walk closer.
"Naye," you whisper.
"I don't..."
"Mate...it means mate. You're my soulmate."
Erik gently grips your waist. He can't bring himself to hurt you. You hug his neck and tiptoe to kiss him softly.
"My naye you are angry."
Erik nods as he presses his forehead to yours.
"I can't...I don't think I can ever understand it but...I want to help you heal."
Erik swallows as you stroke his cheek.
"Will you let me?"
Erik nods as he kisses you again. You giggle as he squeezes your waist.
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
To Be Continued