InvaSUn

25

We finally made it into California. It was another 6-hour drive, but we finally made it. I could tell that James was more anxious than everyone in the car. His body was stiff as he gripped onto the watering wheel.

We passed through a city and drove deeper into a very populated suburban neighborhood. It made me so nervous to see so many people here while the Criebeasts were arriving. We had to warn the nearby law enforcement about what was to come.

James pulled into a parking lot of a large hotel and parked near the entrance. I observed it in surprise. "What are we doing here?"

"My parents are supposed to be staying here." James combed his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I haven't seen them in such a long time."

"Then why aren't you going inside to reunite with them?" I frowned.

"I have this strange feeling.." James tensed up and leaned forward. "It's not that I don't want to see them, but something doesn't feel right. It's almost as if my mind is telling me that now isn't the right time to meet with them."

"I have a strange feeling too." Su placed her hand on my shoulder. What were they talking about? I didn't feel anything weird at all. I wanted to reply, but I felt my throat clog up suddenly and I couldn't breathe. I opened the car door and hopped out of it before collapsing onto my knees.

Why couldn't I breathe? I felt like I was drowning underwater. Or like the air around me thinned out. I placed my palms against the pavement, and I felt a weird energy flow through me. My hands started to flicker back and forth with glowing and dimming.

The hotel and parking lot around me disappeared, and I was suddenly dragged back into another vision. The tall woman with long dark brown hair, I assume it was her sister Lu'an, appeared in front of me. She narrowed her glowing eyes and walked forward.

"Those humans are foolish creatures!" She spat. "How dare they disobey my command and break the rules of our treaty!" She paced back and forth. "Tell me, is it true that they even went as far as killing one of your kind?"

I didn't know if the question she asked was directed to me or not. But then I heard a loud shriek from behind me. I turned around and almost crapped my pants.

It was a Cribeast behind me, unlike the ones that could transform, or the ones with spikes on its limbs. It was gigantic, much larger than the ones we encountered. I held my mouth open slightly as I stared at it in fear.

Was this thing their leader? And Su's sister was communicating with it. Maybe she was communicating with it the entire time of my dreams.

Lu'an stomped back over to me and growled. "They even go so far as to kill one of you kind! Who says they won't do it again! I'm going to teach them a lesson. You shall command an army to attack the western region, don't hold back against those bounty hunters." She spat, and the Criebeasts roared in reply.

"What?" Lu'an stopped and narrowed her eyes at it. "One of the bounty hunters I sent used their power to protect your kind?"

The Criebeast made a bunch of grumbling noises. It caught my attention. They were talking about us. "A female..? She used a Royal command?" Lu'an placed a finger under her chin as if she was thinking deeply. "She must be under Su'an's influence." She hummed.

"Change of plans, I guess. Show no mercy to your attackers. They hold no loyalty to our alliance and have refused to help locate Su'An." Oh no! She couldn't do this! All the humans were going to die by her hands if we didn't stop those creatures in time. "As for the female hunter, bring her to me."

"What?" I gasped. "No! You can't!—" I raised my hand out to reach her, but my surroundings changed again and I was back in the parking lot. James was hovering over me, I noticed when my eyesight cleared.