The small kingdom of Wakanda, even with all of the good it's done, has its fair share of enemies. Some have stolen from the kingdom, and some wish to steal the kingdom itself. A man by the moniker of Killmonger wishes to sit upon the throne of the A...
Proceeding their new marriage, Erik must now take the heart-shaped herb in order to have the powers of the Black Panther. He makes sure that Zhara is right by his side as he lies in the sand. He holds her hand close to his chest, reminding himself that he needs to add a ring to her finger.
" Allow the heart-shaped herb to give you the powers of the Black Panther and take you to the Ancestral Plane," The shaman says as she gives Erik the drink that makes his veins turn a deep purple and makes his body shake.
His eyes close as he gets buried in the orange sand, sending him deeper and deeper into a trance as his mind transports to a different plane entirely.
" Thank you," Zhara smiles over to the shaman as she still holds onto his hand.
The shaman nods as all others step away, but still, remains close by in case anything happens to their new king.
Zhara's hand clutches that of her husband, breathing deeply as she too comes to close her eyes. She only intends to calm herself and recite some words of mindfulness for Erik... but she never intended to reach the Ancestral Plane with him.
The sky is painted blue and purple, with stars shining so bright they're nearly blinding as they twinkle. It's so familiar as if she's seen it before.
And in her mind, she finds herself to be inside of a small apartment, but then her head turns to see a father and son. She sees Erik, but she sees him as the child he once was.
" What did you find?" N'Jobu asks.
" Your home," Erik responds.
" I gave you a key, hoping you may see it one day. The sunsets there are the most beautiful in the world. But I fear you still may not be welcome."
" Why?"
" They will say you are lost."
" But I'm right here."
" No tears for me?" N'Jobu sighs after a moment of silence.
" Everybody dies," Erik shrugs, " It's just life around here."
" Well, look at what I have done. I should have taken you back long ago. Instead, we are both abandoned here."
" Well, maybe your home is the one that's lost. That's why they can't find us."
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The ancestral plane fades from Zhara's eyes as both she and Erik gasp and open their eyes. Erik stands up panting as if he's out for blood. He drops Zhara's hand as he looks around the room for any sign of danger.
" Erik, Erik, hey," Zhara says as she steps in front of him to catch his attention, " Breathe, breathe. It's okay."
Even after all she's seen him do, she still sees the good in him. He's unrecognizable... but she still sees the humanity behind his eyes. She knows what in his heart is good. It has to be. As Erik looks down into her eyes, he feels his heart calm and his breathing slow. Over his shoulder, Zhara seems someone emerging from the shadows. For a singular moment, she locks eyes with Nakia... but she doesn't question it. Instead, she wraps her arms around Erik, embracing him as if to ensure that he doesn't dare to look behind him.
