[[authors note: how is there not fanfiction for shek'zeer? gosh her and the mantid are so interesting to me, so i figured i might as well write the first one! this has a ton of headcanons in it, but not much is really known about her before the sha so i improvised? i dont know, this is also the first ff i've had the balls to publish/complete, so reviews are super appreciated uvu]]
The mantid empire was well structured and simple; an Empress would rule for however long she happened to live, and another would take her place. Empress Shek'zeer, being newly titled as ruler, was instated at an early age to the empire, as the preceding empress was, tragically, murdered by one of the mantid themselves.
However, the mantid adored their new Empress; she was considerate, yet still strong enough to lead the Empire. Her Imperial Vizier, Zor'lok, found himself falling for her as well. He, although, was rather ashamed; a Vizier falling for his Empress was absurd! However, the previous Grand Empresses were generally not one to have deep emotions towards, sure the people loved their empress, but it was like a responsibility, they felt as though they were in debt. Naturally, Zor'lok hid his feelings and the Empress took his complete devotion as a sign of high respect.
As time went on, an indescribable feeling slowly began to unnerve Shek'zeer.
An odd feeling it was, nausea mingling with paranoia was the best way to describe it. This feeling practically tore at her soul, trying to devour it. At the stage this had progressed, it was impossible for her to rest or think straight. She felt as though her control over the empire fell farther and farther from reach, and she had no way to grab it. Everywhere she looked, all she saw were traitors, liars, deceivers. The fate of the previous Empress completely terrified Shek'zeer. What if the Empress failed the mantid or her people lost faith in her? Along with this distrust, she was horrified that her people, the Empress as well, might be killed by surrounding entities. Eventually, she shut off all contact with any outsiders.
Her fear evolved rather drastically over time. A blackish white mixture of colour ate its way up her tarsus, her wings and her forearms as well. To match, her fear owned a voice; cunning and dark, constantly invading her thoughts. It mocked, "How will you protect your people, Empress…" "You are frail, and the people have taken notice," "Do you hear them? They plot, scheme…" The voice eventually evolved into a figure that which she saw in her nightmares; a towering horror of black and white, embellished in crimsons and violets. The nightmares were consistent; she was devoured by the corruption, overthrown by her people, brutally killed and so forth.
The only one she had no suspicions of was her Vizier, Zor'lok. His loyalty to her never faltered even for a second, and it gave her comfort. However, the Sha invaded her thoughts more recently, saying things such as "Your Vizier loses faith in you with each passing day, lies to you constantly, and you take no action?" She tried to dismiss the voice yet it only persisted.
More recently, she had fallen victim to one of the worst incarnations of the nightmares.
Shek'zeer awoke in complete darkness. Completely terrified, she called out to the void. Silence answered. Anxiety and paranoia ate at her mind yet again. She ran through the darkness, calling for someone. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Sha corrupting her came into sight, and she halted. He watched her amusingly and grinned. "My, my, Empress, where is your beloved Grand Vizier?" he laughed. She, ironically, had no fear of him or his looming form anymore and rather watched him, troubled. "Please don't tell me that my Vizier has abandoned me as well…"
He smirked nefariously. "Of course he has, Empress. He's left you, forsaken you; just as the rest have."
Shek'zeer's eyes saddened, and she shook her head. "You deceive; Zor'lok would never abandon his Empress!" At least, this was what she had hoped. Perhaps her Vizier had gone, but he was her voice, and without her voice, how could she inspire her people?
"Now, now, for what reason would I deceive you?" he cackled mentally at the irony. "Besides, why would your beloved Vizier stay with you? You've become incredibly weak; the empire is slipping from your grasp. It was only a matter of time…"
"No… you're mistaken," she responded, the hope in her voice long gone.
The Sha grinned even larger than usual, oh, how he found pleasure in this! Instituting apprehension and despair into the weak gave him great joy, especially to such vulnerable creatures as the mantid. The monstrous horror continued his reign of distress over her mind. "I cautioned you, Empress, they were going to leave you…" He paused, and then grinned, "However, you can trust me, Empress; for I have not abandoned you"
She awoke not too long after. This nightmare in particular had her incredibly distraught, and she, hesitatingly, resolved to consult her Vizier himself.
"Vizier!" she called.
Zor'lok immediately flew to Shek'zeer and landed, kneeling in front of her. "Yes, my Empress?"
"Come, I wish to discuss a matter with you;" Her generally calming voice broke, heavy with the pain of fear, yet she concealed this as best as she could. She turned and walked to her abode.
Zor'lok nodded and followed after her. He, too, had noticed the corruption in his Empress, and worried for her. This was something he could not express to her directly, as he felt it was not his place to do so; however it troubled him for the longest time. Zor'lok, although, felt many things he could not express directly towards her. She was the only light to him, and meant more than words could express. He saw the people's trust disappearing, yet the Vizier always trusted, admired, and loved the Empress. It hurt him to see her like this, but what could he do? Some time ago, he overheard the Klaxxi talk of disposing of her, and it nearly pushed him off the edge. What traitors to their Empress! However, he could not disagree either; perhaps Shek'zeer was too far lost in her madness to be saved.
Once they arrived in the Empress' chamber, the vizier started, "My Empress, what would you request of me?" Bitter silence invaded the room for a moment, and Shek'zeer finally responded,
"Zor'lok… to what degree do the people detest their Empress?"
Her Vizier was aghast, primarily because the Empress had never referred to him as anything other than 'Vizier'. Secondly, the fact that she would ask such a thing distressed him greatly. "Why, Empress, your people honor; rather, cherish you! We mantid would be wayward without our Empress' blessed light to guide us!" He could not tell her people's true feelings, only his own. "And, my Empress, if you do not mind me asking, why would you make such an absurd claim?"
Oddly enough, this response angered the Empress. The voice unforgivingly reentered her thoughts, "Empress! You would allow your subjects to deceive you in such a manner? Do not be gullible, the mantid have lost all devotion to you!" Shek'zeer's mandible twitched irritably; of course her Vizier was lying! The Sha used her moment of weakness to his advantage and consumed her willpower completely. The Empress turned to face Zor'lok and advanced towards him. "Falsifier! Traitor! Vizier, why do you lie to your Empress!?"
Zor'lok drew back a bit, suddenly terrified. "Oh, dear Empress, I would never lie to you-"
Upon reaching him, she seized his neck and effortlessly lifted him, crushing his vocals. "You lie yet again, all of you are liars!" her voice was changed from before; it was now far more enraged and vindictive. "I know my people; I know how mad they think I've gone! But, it's them! They've all abandoned their duty to their Empress!" she glared bitterly at him. "And you, Vizier," her claw weakened and released its grasp on Zor'lok. He fell to the floor, wheezing and gasping.
Without hesitation, she continued, still fuming with rage. "I want you to give a message to my people. Tell them that from now all who are not loyal to their Empress' will shall be disposed of; and that no one shall be allowed to leave or access the empire. "She stared at her Vizier, "Go!" The Empress walked away from him, leaving the Vizier on the ground without waiting for a response.
Zor'lok was appalled. Given no time to think, he scampered onto his tarsus and flew to the Mantid.
When he arrived, he begun to announce (and somewhat painfully due to his nearly broken neck), "People of the Empire," he tensed, unwilling to continue. "It is unfortunate that I must remind you that we, mantid, exist only to provide for and protect our Empress! She gives us being, and we repay in verve, in adoration, and fortification! No longer shall the spawn of distrust infect the empire! Those who do not swear their lives to her will shall be executed, and none shall abscond from their responsibility to serve her. Without her blessed light, we have no sanctum, and without sanctum, we have no being." He took multiple breathes between his speech, and commanded the guards to block the exits.
The Vizier, without waiting for the people's response, hastily flew to his abode. Most of the adoration and love for his empress had vanished, and was replaced with a great fear. If he failed her, he was good as dead, however he still held to a slight sliver of hope that his Empress was not completely gone.
All the while the Sha laughed madly to himself. "Such feeble creatures; they fall one after another."