The Beast and The Brain.

It was not a short walk. They led me to the worst part of town, and half of me wondered if it was a trap. Maybe they would just rob me and leave me to die. Then again, I wasn’t really worried about them attacking me. After all, I was a Beast.

The long walk also didn’t help the fact that I was anxious. I was ready to sprint down the streets, but the men were taking their time around the crowds of people. It was starting to dim outside. The clouds looked as though it would storm again soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were hit with another storm. Whether I liked it or not I might be forced to remain in this town for a while longer. I pushed my thoughts aside. My mind was reeling and I needed to focus. How would I face J? I wished that I had brought my sword now. I had my knife, my fists, and my power but a sword would help me more.

“There.” He said pointing down a dingy street. I saw a sign swinging above a tavern door. It was a picture of a barrel and chicken on top. The name was to worn to read.

“A tavern?” I asked curiously.

The man nodded, but made no move to go closer, “She’s been cheating everyone of their money. She’s loud, she has a smart mouth, and everyone wants her gone. Whenever someone stands up to her they go screwy. I tried to, and I woke up on the street in the middle of the city with no money and not a clue as to how I got there. She’s been causing trouble of all sorts, this area hasn’t had any business because of it either. Only the locals come around. Get rid of her, and I’ll personally make you a hero.”

“I agree to that.” One of the other men said nodding, “Good luck.”

“You aren’t coming?” I asked them.

They shook their heads, “We won’t step inside again until she’s gone.” I looked at them and then shrugged.

“Miss the entertainment then, I don’t care.” I stepped into the street. With each step that I took. My heart beat faster and louder. Nothing around me mattered. I focused on the door of the tavern. Before I got too close, I formed a barrier on my mind. Which was easy considering what I was about to do. My mind wasn’t wandering around. I stepped up to the door and took a deep breath. Focus Asher. You’ve waited for this moment, you’ve planned for this, do it.

I kicked the door open. It didn’t break but it made a very loud noise when it smashed against the wall. To my surprise, the tavern was slightly crowded. I had expected it to be completely empty from the mens description. I also noticed, however, that most of the people looked poor. They probably didn’t have anywhere else to go.

All eyes in the room turned towards me. One look at me and they all shuffled back and made room. They created a clear line to a person who was sitting at the corner of the bar. Her back was turned to me, and it seemed that she didn’t even take notice to the noise. Everyone watched me silently I took a step into the tavern just inside the door.

“I don’t see my glass being filled!” She demanded at the barkeeper. She was sitting slouched in her stool. She leaned on the bar. Dirty mugs surround her. The barkeeper stared at me. “I said pour!” The man winced and then walked over to fill the mug, as if in a daze. Once the mug was full, he blinked a few times and then glared. Clearly, he hadn’t actually wanted to give any more ale to her.

I ignored everyone’s intense gazes. My breathing was uneven. Despite my desire for this moment, I could hardly believe I was here. It was happening. I had finally found her. “Turn around and face me J!” I yelled. People turned and looked at J then back to me. Their eye darted, they didn’t want to miss a thing.

The room was dead silent. The cool air drifted into the stuffy room, but no one made a move to close it. The only sound came from the fire and the wind. Slowly and unsteadily, J turned in her stool. She rubbed her eyes with one hand and took a sip of her drink then looked at me again. “What do you want?” She asked.

I was shocked to say the least. She wasn’t looking for exits, she wasn’t instantly fighting, she met my hard gaze with a calm expression and a soft voice. It almost sounded sad, almost. “Stand up and fight me J.” I said and unsheathed my knife. She left her mug on the bar and stood up. She took a moment to find her balance. Something was going off in the back of my head. Something wasn’t right. My brain was trying to warm me about something but I pushed it aside and focused on my mental barrier.

Then I felt the pressure from her power; it was very strong, but out completely of control. I instinctively through up my hands, dropping my knife in the process and took a step back, into the street. J followed, she advanced quickly on me, but she was off. The movements weren’t like J. They weren’t fluid and graceful, they were unsteady and slow.

I focused on my anger and hate, and instantly the pressure of the mental attack was less grueling. As J and I stood in the street facing each other, the people from the tavern and even some from the surrounding area gathered to watch. They were cheering for me. “Take her down!” Clearly, J was not very popular.

I ran at her, expecting her to pull a knife, anything. She didn’t. All of my weight went into my punch and it connected with her temple. She slumped to the ground, semi-conscious. The cheers died down instantly, and things went silent again. My heart was pounding and the adrenaline surged.

“Well that was disappointing.” One man said, others murmured their agreements and slowly they all went back inside until it was just J and me in the street. I found my knife in the doorway. I clutched onto it and walked back to J. She was laying in the frozen street, blood trickled down the side of her face. I grabbed onto her collar and lifted her close. I held the blade to her throat. My breath was fast, and my heart was out of control. Yet still I hesitated. She was real. The blood that dripped onto my hand, her warm body, she was real. J was actually here before me. It wasn’t a trick of the mind. It wasn’t some illusion. I had a knife to J’s throat.

Her eyes flickered to mine; it was the first time in a long time that I looked her in the eyes. “What are you waiting for?” She asked, “Do it.” She was still awake. Yet she didn’t struggle. She didn’t fight. There wasn’t even a mental probe.

I tightened my grip and pushed the blade harder, but for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I hated her so much. I felt it inside of my veins. It was waiting to pounce, but I still couldn’t kill her. Then it hit me. Something that Kegan had explained to me.

If someone like J or I drank too much it could be very dangerous for everyone. For some the beer makes it so their power is hard to control, it can drive them mad until the effects wear off. For some it makes it so the power hardly works at all, and then for others it makes it so their powers increase, but it uses so much energy that the person is unconscious within ten minutes.

J was drunk. She was drunk. I let go of her in disgust. She fell unconscious as she hit the ground. I stood up and stared at her. I growl escaped my lips and rumbled my chest. I let some fowl words flow from my tongue. “You aren’t even worth my time.” I told her unconscious form, “Look at you. You didn’t even give me a fight.” I said, “You owe me that much J. You owe me a fight. I didn’t come all this way to have you beat in one pathetic punch.” I sheathed my knife and pulled J across my shoulders. I walked. I had to use some of my power, and by the time I reached the stable where I had boarded my horse I was exhausted. I constantly had to weave through the large crowds; the festival was in full swing.

I found an Inn that was right next door to the stable. It didn’t take me long to barter. I used my power to intimidate him, and finally we settled on a price. I paid. J was still across my shoulders as he took me up to my room and handed me the key. I dropped J onto the bed. She was out cold. The wound I had inflicted had stopped bleeding and the blood was dry and stuck her hair together in clumps. Dirt plastered the side of her face.

For a moment, I simply stared at her. J ruined everything. I had imagined finding her. I had played out different scenarios in my head thousands of time. I thought about different ways we would fight, my Beast power against her Brain power. Yet J had managed to ruin this as well. All I wanted was to finish her off and feel satisfied. I couldn’t even do that now, not with her completely drunk. There was no honor, and glory in defeating a drunken woman. Even one like J. I promised myself that I would wait until she sobered up, and then we would fight fairly. Then I would kill her. Until then, I found rope and tied her hands, just in case. I close the door behind me, locked it, and then went downstairs to get some food. I would need all the energy I could consume.