Chapter 67

Samira
“I’m sorry we’re meeting like this; I know Samira feels the same! I’m Isabelle.” She was taller than us both by her head and shoulders. “Bryson look at her; she’s Adorable.”
Bryson grunted. “She isn’t a pup.” He said firmly.
She hugged a little harder, hugging her one more time before she whispered in Willow’s ear. “Don’t worry. We have a plan.”
“It’s why we aren’t down there.” Said Bryson.
I was glad to know that... I was glad she said it loud enough for me to hear too.
We both stood to see better, while the God of Justice adjusted the size of the chair to be a mighty throne… It took him a few tries to do it, but when he did, his mate sat in his lap. The couple looked like a living statue, one that looked down on their children in stoic sadness.

-----Tyson-----
Kaizen was leaner than I remember… but I was too…
The roaring crowd of eighty thousand mortals was nearly deafening, yet I thought… I thought there would be a lot less smiles…
We stood in the center of the arena, while I glanced briefly at my mate and parents…. They seemed neutral, though… I knew better. I could see father’s disappointment that I would go through with this, but it must be done, and done *right*.
I saw the pleading eyes of the victims…. Some didn’t want this, but there were quite a few who did… They wanted *something* to show for the loss of their mate…. The mortals cannot challenge us, so it is up to the demigods to police the demigods.
They must know that there is no one above the Realm King’s law…
They must see that as the Second of the Realm King, that I am loyal to the crown and my people, not bloodline…. This is a responsibility I do not want.
“I don’t want to do this.” I said extending my claws. “But I will.” I said it low enough that no one would hear this kindness….
“Liar.” He bitterly scoffed. I ignored. All this is his fucking fault, and he has the nerve to be angry.
“Everyone.” I boomed and the crowd quieted. “My brother wishes trial by combat…. So I must list his crimes…. For 25 counts of murder, 2 counts of aggravated abscondence, and 25 counts of said murders being on the Harvest Moon, the Night of Peace,…And killing Lupe, the 14th Seat, his mate, and his pups-” He cut me off.
“They threatened the Crown! Your life specifically!” He yelled; there were Boo’s. “I even sent you their confession. They weren’t being tortured or anything. They were so *Proud* too. And those wolves threatened my mate!” He yelled.
“You waste your breath.”
“Fight Me you Damn Dirty-” I cut him off this time. I’d had *enough*.
“I must condemn you!” I pointed. “Should you lose, I will kill you.” I said firmly. “Plead your case, that I may consider if my ruling is fair.”
“I *already* pleaded my case.” He scoffed. “You *KNOW* your ruling is neither just nor fair.” He boomed as an Alpha… one who knew what responsibility tasted like. “I did what I did to protect my mate. Had they not broken the law… Had they just detained her, I would have come home, been told they had humans in intake, and I would have ruled they be shipped to Horizon Prison… but kept my mate. To be fair, turning them wouldn’t have been a bad idea either, but I Can’t because they were already partially eaten when I got there.”
Kaizen lost his form with his frustrations, and I shifted as well…
We were equals, down to the flicker of our flames… Even they were in sync… It was like looking in a mirror. We even scent the same….
But genetically we *are* the same person… We are true identical twins…. There is no difference in anything other than opinions…
[Had you come for a trial, I might have been able to pardon you.] I growled.
[You and I Both know that is a lie. By Blood and Fangs, I challenge trial by combat.]
Kaizen saw the faces of those he wronged…. All 20 of the remaining mates who lost their one for eternity… Where their mates went, they cannot follow. The realms of the Moon Goddess and Horned One are separate.
He shook his head, and got into a ramming position. I believe he promised he wouldn’t deliver the first blow, so I initiated this…
All this part was *my* fault… Had I not been so stubborn….
I already lamented my actions.
The clack of our impact was probably felt, as quite a bit of dirt below our feet blew away. I immediately clawed him to get this over with. I missed, only getting an arm… Our powers don’t work on each other, yet I’d done a bit of damage the thickness of a thumb. Blood gushed from the nearly instantly healing wound….
I could feel what I’d done to him as if we were still connected…
It was excruciating…
He got my left flank, and I held my scream. He flayed enough off me that the skin flapped painfully, exposing the muscle underneath.
We both healed instantly, however this will make it more difficult….
The crowd roared… The sea of smiling faces and people waving money…. It weighed on me to see them so gleefully betting who’d kill who and how….
It made me wonder why was I even doing this….
[They do not even mourn, yet we tear each other apart.] Kaizen noticed too….
I could see Samira and the human screaming for us to stop. I could not hear my dove over the excited multitudes… Our parents honored our wishes by looking neutral. They neither cheered nor lamented…
But I could see father’s growing dissatisfaction. He was genuinely disappointed in me, something I’d never experienced…. Not until now.
[Look at Me!] I snarled. I don’t know if he noticed me looking too, but I wouldn’t remain distracted….We circled with our heads low, and the air was thick with our bloodlust.
He was no longer my brother, and this is why I was King… I … I was given this position to uphold the law, because I know my siblings won’t…
We but heads with our full force, and the shockwave could be felt underfoot. It shook the stone, even making some of the loose sediment on top of the closed arena doors loosen, and fall…
When had we gotten this strong?
[For my mate’s sake you’ll get what you’re asking for.] Kaizen said charging me again.
We reared on hind legs… but I could not push him down…
Frustration made me froth.
It is *my* fault we weigh the same… Had I taken souls and meat like my body is meant to… I’d be at least 40 pounds more… All of that was the muscle I lost. I was the largest, but it seemed now we might all weigh the same.
We circled in a trot before charging again. Our horns made the sound of billiard balls, crashing into each other, our fangs ripped meat off bones, and He got me by the left leg. Kaizen shook hard enough to break it, but I healed nearly instantly.
We danced on back legs, clawing and gnashing teeth… That leg was still tender, but I had no choice but to give everything I had….
A bolt of red lightning had me seeing stars if only for a split second. It gave him the small distraction he needed to clamp down with all the might he had, and shake my neck. If not for me dislocating his shoulder, I’d have lost. Both of us shook each other like rags for a second, but it didn’t last.
The pain forced us to let go. The combination of feeling our own wounds, and the wounds we made on each other take a toll….
The crowd roared, though I could tell it was starting to die down…
[Hell’s flames nor Royal Blood’s bite works on either of us!] I growled, snapping at him, missing, but my claws didn’t.
I slashed at his throat, something that would have killed anyone else, but we do not die so easily. He bled profusely, but still managed to heal the deep gash.
All our bloodshed made mud under our feet, but that did not stop us. Our paws danced in the slosh-pit, but the crowd seemed to lose their bloodlust… I don’t think they understood what they came to see…
I don’t Think they knew how much more would have to be shed to outright kill one of us. They stopped being so enthusiastic about the blood sport… and That Said Something coming from a crowd of shifters. It became silent … and they became horrified.