Parker left the portal, half-expecting the planet Zafna to stay the same. That is if Zafna had stayed the same. He gasped in awe at the sight of the pearly white temples, now covered with dirt. The temples' walls were a bit chiseled off in some areas, making the temples look like they had been around for a hundred years or more.
Well, the temples probably were that old by now. He looked down at the thatched houses and the marketplace standing before him. There were so many scarred lions and lionesses here. Hardly anyone was human or even different creatures.
Parker snickered a little in astonishment. So, the scarred lions and lionesses had officially taken over the planet Zafna, or at least this part of this planet.
He looked up as a woman with a thin frame, short straight hair, pale skin that was a little lighter than Parker remember her skin being, and green eyes that sparkled like diamonds walked out of the main temple. This woman, now with grey hairs protruding in her beautiful hair, wore a long-sleeved dark brown tunic, brown pants, and black boots. No. This fair lady couldn't believe the girl he trained, the girl he knew since his time as Maranguan! Or was she?
The woman clapped her hands in excitement upon seeing him. She was clearly impressed with him.
"Well, well, well. Parker Dooley has returned!" the woman smiled, greeting Parker with ease. "I'm Qua'ra. Qua'ra Holdo. I'm sorry. I would greet you sooner, but I'm afraid my husband Gore is dead. Valo Ensi followed after a brutal attack by the Renegade Alliance. My sisters, Melena, Kat'ka, and Zeena, along with my brother Tack, are all that remain of my family." She lowered her head in shame. "My children have grown. I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but I'm still here, young as ever!" She chuckled. "I am still the owner of the Shadow Empire, an empire that I can no longer keep. Surely, you knew that. That's why Aslan sent you here, wasn't it?"
"The rumors said you were evil. They want the Shadow Empire to fall," Parker said, timid and unsure if he could trust her.
"Well Parker, you'll find no enemies here. Only true friends willing to help each other," Qua'ra said, curtly.
Parker looked around the area in confusion. "I see your army grows. What of them?"
"After the last war against the Renegade Alliance, an alliance that is now overrun with the Big Cats, the Shadow Empire falls to ruins, all thanks to the leader of the Land of Talking Animals herself. Her name is Melisandre. She's not what you think she is. She's in league with Aslan. She's good, don't get me wrong, but the new idea the Renegade Alliance has, since rescuing you, is for the Shadow Empire to fall. We know this to be true." Qua'ra said, handing him a red apple that she paid for.
"Why are you telling me this now? Out in the open?" Parker asked, suspicious of her. "Aren't you afraid someone evil might come and destroy this temple?"
"If you want to uncover the truth, I'll let you look at the holorecordings in the War Room. It hasn't changed. It's still the same, but I am not to blame for the Shadow Empire's fall." She sighed. "There's a war spreading between the Big Cats. Some of us have taken measures to see to it that those of us scarred lions and lionesses who are shapeshifters leave the First Age and go rogue, while there is still time."
"And why should I trust you? You might kill me," Parker said, profoundly.
"Parker, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done so. All of this information, that I've told you about, is common knowledge amongst us scarred lions and lionesses. We're your allies. We can help you, if you'll let us," Qua'ra said, keenly. She added, "I'm sorry. Maybe you'll want to eat first. You look famished."
Parker munched on the apple, savoring it. Interesting. The apple was still good. It wasn't poisoned. He looked at Qua'ra, who smiled at him.
"What about all that talk about you being the Empress of this Empire? You seemed desperate to take the throne," Parker said, interested.
"Aren't all cats like that? We're sneaky. We come up with all sorts of wicked things. Some of us need to learn to forgive past wounds," Qua'ra said, curtly. She asked him while bringing him inside the temple. "I wanted to tell you that I was alive, but then those nasty rumors spread about me. This isn't some game and I'm tired of being treated like the bad guy. Since when do lions and lionesses with scars claim to be evil? The broken ones always carry secrets, sometimes admitting to them freely, if they want."
She faced Parker, the second they were in the large war room, with its massive holoterminals and places to sit down and talk. "I didn't start this war between the Big Cats of the Land of Talking Animals. They're responsible for the raids that occurred there before we left during the Second Shapeshifter's Migration. The first migration occurred, right before the First World was destroyed."
"What raids?" Parker asked, confused.
"A female snow leopard, Melisandre, was given the task by Aslan to raid the various kingdoms of the Land of Talking Animals," Qua'ra pulled out a map on the holoterminal, showing the Land of Talking Animals and the snow leopard named Melisandre. "Melisandre won those lands. The realm belongs to her now and to the Big Cats, but there's an issue that needs to be dealt with promptly." She sighed in despair. "So, the Shadow Empire has finally started to fall, with you being here." She shook her head. "I knew the rumors weren't untrue. This is all Melisandre's doing and the Big Cats will continue the rift, until something is done about it! Melisandre's already taken care of Jine's family. They're nothing now. The Shadow Empire is the next to fall!"
"What do you want me to do? I thought you were evil! You sounded desperate!" Parker asked a little convinced by her.
"Not everything is as you seem, but I am not evil. I'll prove it, if you want. For now, stay here. I'll come and find you when you're done," Qua'ra said, leaving the War Room. As she walked out of the room, she murmured aloud. "It's all coming down! How could Melisandre do this? Ahhh!" The doors closed as she screamed.
Parker was left alone.