FGI 6: The Palace of Frost

Hiro

I’m filled in on the rules about life-lines and the shifter agents we will meet soon. I take a steady breath, realizing that this could get dangerous.

It’s a lot.

As I take everything in, tunnel vision blurs my eyesight. The initial shock has worn off, and now reality is sinking into every part of my rational brain.

I’m led to a room with a glimmering white desk and a large space pod contraption in the middle. I hear the door shut behind me and I take another slow breath, praying I’m not being set up for some secret testing.

I’m also actively praying that I will not wake from a very vivid dream, lying in my gloomy apartment’s tiny twin bed.

“This is real,” I whisper to myself again. It is.

“Hiro, this is your briefing room,” I hear Pierce say behind me. “Please sit.”

I turn and stare at him as I sit in the chair, my skirts flowing around me. “Okay…what do I need to know? Or, is that not what we do in here?”

He smiles at me. “Well, that’s a loaded question, but I will give you as much information as I’m allowed.” Pierce leans against the wall, hands in his pockets, his blue gaze assessing me.

“You’re in a critical position, Hiro. Rarely do my girls get to be engaged to the target—but also draw the most important role.”

I swallow. “I’m engaged to the king?”

Wow.

A king.

“The King of Petra, the target, yes. Now, that does not mean it’s a love match. The other girls are strong players, and they will be hard to beat.”

“So… if I can’t make a love match… I lose?” I can hear the panic in my voice.

“Not precisely, Hiro. If the target has taken a solid liking to someone else, you may strive for a Sweetheart win.

“The main targets are called Darlings, and if they are met with true love’s kiss, then you may fall in love with whoever you desire.” Pierce smiles at me.

“We like everyone to find a happily-ever-after for participating. But keep in mind, you may return home if you’re not a Darling, nothing binding you to a Sweetheart win. No pressure.

“If this is not your thing, you are free to return home.”

“No,” I blurt. “I do not want to come back.”

My cheeks redden.

Only a moron would come back.

He takes a second. “Then you better make sure someone gets that Darling win. Now pay attention. You’re an Aekos, and the Aekos are a dying race and heavily guarded.

“In your position, you are the one that possesses the pure bloodline that can pull the sword from the stone.” He gives me a pointed look. “Does that make sense?”

My eyes widen. “Oh… Ohhhh….”

My pulse jumps to life with excitement.

“Hiro, you will be the most important person living in the world of Lior. It’s quite the role to bear, for it will be a dangerous one.

“You are the only one that can kill Maura, and if she knows this about you, you will be hunted relentlessly. Remember your lifelines. You will need them.”

I swallow, nodding. “Well, they have not encountered me yet,” I say, knowing not many men can fight as well as I can. I will love the challenge—I crave it. It’s like I’m living my real-life fantasy, not some delusion.

This is what I have wanted my whole life.

“That may be true, and most likely that’s why you were chosen for this role, but these missions are highly unpredictable.

“Do not find yourself being overly confident because Fate loves a challenge,” Pierce warns, tilting his head at me, then checking his watch. “Are you ready to meet your Shifter agent who will guide you?”

“Yes,” I breathe.

Pierce touches his ear. “Zoya, I’m ready for Hiro.”

After a couple of minutes, the door opens, and in walks a bizarre creature with the woman named Zoya.

What the…

The shifter agent almost looks Asian but—not. She resembles an anime character come to life, baffling me.

She has large pink irises and short-cropped, hot pink hair. Her bangs are cut short in an A-line style, the hair reaching to the middle of her forehead, giving her a pixie appearance.

Well, except for all the piercings. Nose ring, eyebrow ring, and like ten piercings on each ear— also the tattoo sleeves, from what I can see under her skull t-shirt.

“This is Kyitt Frognob.” Pierce looks down at Kyitt. “An excellent shapeshifter.”

Kyitt looks at me with an expression of pure excitement, almost shaking with it. “WHAT. THE. FREAK. IS. UP!?” She walks up to me and holds her little fist for me to pound. “Sister friend, let’s do this! Let’s get that man meat!” Her voice is high-pitched and slightly adorable—but wrong when she says man meat...

I look at Pierce, not knowing what to say.

“You will get used to her.” Pierce places his hand on Kyitt’s shoulder to stop her from bouncing up and down. “Kyitt.”

She looks up at Pierce. “I’m so excited,” she gets out through her clenched teeth, like she will blast off at any second, face reddening.

“No candy,” Pierce orders then glances at Zoya’s pained expression.

“I already checked her pockets, Pierce,” Zoya says, then walks toward the door with a slight smirk.

“I didn’t have candy,” Kyitt whispers, then grins at me, giving me the rock on hand with her tongue out.

“I’m sure you didn’t, Kyitt, just reminding you,” Pierce says calmly, then glances at me. “Kyitt is a quick thinker and very intelligent, bringing home a few wins back in her day. She took a brief break from FGI to be the lead singer in her rock band—”

“Screeching Skeletons,” Kyitt blurts, then looks miserable, eyes becoming round.

“We broke up—too much drugs and sex. My guitar player is now bumping uglies with my drummer’s mom…so two of my band members are in jail for a while.” She looks at Pierce, sadness in her gaze. “I dislike Mama.”

Pierce sighs, patting her shoulder. “Kyitt, maybe it’s a good thing to take a break for a while.”

“…I’m sorry,” I murmur, not knowing what to say to that.

What an odd little creature.

He leans down to her and whispers, but I can still hear, “Kyitt, try not to be so crude, okay?” Pierce stands and crosses his arms over his chest, pinching the bridge of his nose as if seeking divine help.

“Anyway, Kyitt is now back with us, and I believe you two will make a great team. I will leave you guys together to pick out your three wishes quickly—we are running late. Kyitt, answer any questions Hiro might have.”

Three wishes.

Insane.

Kyitt sits on the table in front of me with a thick book suddenly in her hands. “Okay, sister friend! We are going DOMINAAAATE!” She used some death metal voice, making me tense.

That was terrifying.

I force a smile, my heart thudding. “Three wishes?”

She looks at me, her wide pink gaze intense. “Did they tell you I’m smart?”

“Um,” I say carefully. “Are you?”

“Sister, let me tell you. This world is so DOPE. Like, karate-fighting crazy-ass shit. You need to pick a fighting style,” she says and flips through pages frantically.

“So, Grand Masters here use Sheka-Bo, which is the most advanced fighting technique. And only Aekos are known to use this talent.”

“Sheka-Bo?”

Interesting.

“It will give any man a raging HARD-ON if you can master that.” She looks at me, eyes sparkling. I need to get used to her surprise death metal voice.

“It’s really all about the hard-on. Hard-ons don’t lie,” she holds up a finger, “and they don’t play games. Did the Warden tell you about your position? Sister, you got such a cool position.”

“Warden?”

“Pierce.”

“Oh, a bit,” I say, looking at all the rips in her jeans, held together by clothespins.

She leans in close, looking severe. “Soooo, all of your life, you have been hidden at a monk sanctuary. You know, they kept you hidden from that crazy bitch with the mirror. Your brother is the King of freaking Xilleth.”

She gives me a look like that is so cool. “Xilleth and Petra hate each other—so a bargain was struck. YOU. You are a princess aaaaand an Aekos, sooo to settle the bad blood, King Tedros wants you as a peace offering!”

I take a minute to process this. “Do they know I can pull the sword out of the stone?”

“No,” Kyitt says and eyes me, excitement radiating off of her. “Sister friend, if they did, they would not give you to Petra. I mean, you are pretty bitchin’ important.

“But, everyone thinks it’s a male who will have the power, not a female.” She rolls her eyes. “Typical, am I right?”

I nod—so much to understand. I’m starting to get nervous for the first time, my body humming. “What could give it away? I mean, how can they tell? I don’t want them to break off the engagement.”

“I’m not sure.” Kyitt pauses, running a tattooed hand through her pink hair. “Well, having pure blood will make you even better at Sheka-Bo.

“And your eye color is a sign, but no one knows this is a pure bloodline sign, thankfully. I think it’s like yellowy-green eyes—can’t remember.”

I nod. “This is… a lot!”

So much excitement and nerves are coursing through me.

“Okay, two more wishes, sister!” She looks at me, eyeing me from head to toe. “You are gone to make the man’s pee-pee harrrrd.” She giggles in her high-pitched voice. “You are bangin’ hot, sister friend.”

I laugh, loving her excited smile. “Please don’t call a man’s penis a pee-pee,” I get out. “What else can I have?”

“Do you want to change anything physical?” Kyitt asks. “MONSTER boobs?!”

I love my boobs. Not too big to where they get in the way and not too small—a healthy handful. “How many talents can I have?”

“In this world, two combat talents.”

“Okay, give me another talent.”

“The Ken bow? It’s a bitch to master, but super deadly.”

My eyes widen. “Yes! I love the bow!”

Being a Master at both will be unreal.

“Now, come on, pick something a man would like.” Kyitt raises her brows.

I give her a dry look, poking her side. “I’m not picking being a Master at blow jobs.”

“Super flexible!” she yells, eyes wide. “Dudes love that, trust me.”

“No,” I say and tap my chin. “What about horse riding? Do they have horses?”

“Sister, you’re gonna freak! They ride gigantic polar bears and black wolves. No horses in this world—just weird beasts!”

Amazing.

I think, wanting to give myself the best chance. “What about intuition? Like being able to sense danger and that sort of thing? If I’m going to be hunted like crazy, that might come in handy.”

“Nice. Okay, let me see...” She flips through her book, and after a few minutes, yells, “Awareness/intuition! Rock on, sister!” She turns and waves her hands like a lunatic.

“PIERCE!” She yells in her death metal voice. Kyitt turns toward me. “They’re always late, so I’m letting him know we’re done.”

“He’s watching us?”

As if on cue, Pierce opens the door and claps his hands. “Hiro! Into the pod!”

“Into the pod?” I repeat, standing.

He claps his hands, and the machine in the middle of the room comes to life with pink and blue lights. “Step right inside, please.” Pierce nods toward it. “Don’t worry. This is completely safe.”

Right.

I walk into it and look out the small window, hearing the door pressurize shut.

“Okay, Hiro!” I hear Pierce’s voice. “First wish?”~

“Uh—Master at Sheka-Bo.”

“Great, that is similar to karate but with long swords.” I hear him say.

That’s good to know!

I’m excited.

“Next?”

“Uh—the Ken Bow,” I say, wondering how in the hell they will just make me a badass in this thing. Does it zap me?

“Perfect. Last wish?”

“Awareness. Intuition,” I get out.

“That will come in handy, wonderful.” He says. “Now, relax. This will only take a moment.”~

I find my inner calm—exhaling.

Calm.

I remember shrieking with the white light. It left me dazed, my body humming and tingling.

“Holy shit!” I breathe. “That hurt!”

The door opens, and I stumble out, Pierce grabbing me. “You will be fine. Walk it off.”

I’m breathing hard, looking at my hands in awe.

“I know so much…” I trail off, seeing so many fighting movements flashing through my mind’s eye. “Wow.”

“Sister friend! Look in the mirror!”

I look in the mirror to my left.

My skin is radiant—my EYE COLOR!

“What did you do to me!”

Pierce chuckles. “FGI airbrushing—and being a pureblood has changed your eye color.” His blue gaze traces over my face. “Now, Hiro, for the last step. Your royal Aekos dress that I designed all last week. Spin in a circle.”

This is unreal.

I start to spin and feel my body tingle even more.

White light.

I gasp again, looking down at myself, then feel my hair. “Ahhh!” I look in the mirror. “Are you kidding me!?”

“Sister friend! You look bitchin’!”

I stand in the most beautiful golden and red gown I have ever seen. The corset is tight with oriental designs, and the glorious golden and red coat shimmers and sparkles, ending in black fur at the bottom.

I can tell this elaborate coat is very warm, lined with some very insulating material.

I open the coat to see a sexy gown with slits on either side clear up to my hip. My thigh-high fur boots are lightweight and impressive. My eyes widen.

“This is stunning!” I feel like I’m wearing a real-life cosplay outfit! “Won’t I freeze in this!?”

Pierce gives me a look. “No, they put on a natural lotion that repels cold, amazing stuff. All the plant life and trees contain the same elements and don’t freeze,” Pierce says, placing his hands in his pockets.

“Something I’m thankful for, letting my design team do more creative pieces.”

“Wow,” I breathe, then feel my hair.

It’s up in an elaborate, oriental configuration, glimmering with golden jewels and long dangling gems. The headdress is stunning, making me feel like royalty from the Ming Dynasty.

“Kyitt,” Pierce says. “you are her ladies maid—shapeshift into a nondescript Gaelin.”

“Rock and ROLL!” I gasp, seeing her now look like a plain young woman with short silver hair. She wears warm clothing with fur, but nothing outstanding.

Kyitt looks in the mirror and laughs, pointing at herself. “Look at me! I look so BORING!”

Pierce touches his ear. “Kyitt will be briefed, and we all monitor every agent,” he says to me. “She will guide you.” Then, “Extraction is ready!”

My heart dips.

Exhale.

He is talking to someone as he turns his head to the left. “It would be weird if we were on time, right?” he smiles, looking dashing. “Countdown, please.”

“Oh, wow, I just got really nervous,” I get out, and see plain Kyitt clap.

“IN 5!”

I suck in a breath.

“4!”

Breathe.

“3!”

This is happening...

“...2!”

Before I can think anything, my vision goes black.

Sweet blackness.