Huxian was deep in thought over the issue of Silverwing, whom he hadn't seen since their adventure. He was resting on the jade plate at the peak of the mountain, enjoying its cool, mystical feeling. Its surface, which was covered in runes he couldn't understand, had a mystical charm to it. It mesmerized him and helped him focus. Just like it did in his dreams, where he painted talismans.

He was also thinking about Lei Jiang. The guilt he felt every time he saw the small mouse was unbearable. He knew he'd done wrong, but he wasn't sure what to do about it.

The sound of flapping wings awoke him from his stupor. Is it Silverwing? he thought. No. Silverwing flaps much faster than that.

The sound came every few breaths. And as the sound drew closer, the wind generated became increasingly difficult to bear.

A large brown owl landed near the jade plate where Huxian lay. It looked at him with its head twisted sideways. Huxian could tell at a glance that he would be unable to resist if it decided to eat him. "Are you the monarch?" he asked fearfully.

"Correct," the owl said. It hopped over and took a few sniffs at Huxian, who was too petrified to move. "You smell of humans," the monarch said. "Do you have a relationship with the humans? This is a very important matter, so answer truthfully."

Shit, he's caught me, Huxian thought. "So what if I do?" he cried. "It's not like I'd be the first beast to have a human as a friend." He held his ground against the overwhelming pressure, using every fiber of his Godbeast being to fight against it.

The owl snorted coldly. "How dare you talk to your superior this way." The monarch's pressure intensified, forcing Huxian down to his belly. Huxian bared his teeth but could do nothing to fight it.

"If you're going to eat me, just do it already," Huxian said through gritted teeth.

"Eat you?" the monarch asked. The pressure that had borne down on Huxian suddenly vanished. "Yes, eating you would be a very good course of action. Your delicious Godbeast blood would provide me the greatest nourishment."

Huxian gulped. He saw the owl walking toward him with its two large talons. He felt their sharpness despite their distance. He closed his eyes and awaited his inevitable demise. Instead, a fresh breeze buffeted his body.

Huxian opened his eyes and realized the owl was no longer there. The monarch had left as quickly as he had come. He left Huxian with his guilt and sorrow on the mountaintop.

He also left him with a new emotion: fear.