The Beast and The Brain.

He turns faster than I move. One second he is human the next I am met with a snarling animal unlike I have ever seen, a strange mix between panther and wolf, just as I remember from J’s story on the ship so long ago. He’s larger than I expected stands as tall as I do. His paws attack with claws sharper than knives. My skin is as harder than any armor and yet he manages to cut, not deep, but enough. He jumps back and the crowds scatter like bugs disturbed from a nest. I hear J calling my name but it’s lost among the noise and fear. I don’t have time to look for her; this battle will end when one of us is dead. I’m determined for it not to be me.

Wings erupt from my back and I turn into a dragon in a swift unleash of power. Then we meet again, this time I am larger and far stronger. His fur and skin are not protected like my own, he is soft and when my talons come down upon his back and shoulders it splits like thin paper. He snarls and yelps in pain and dives under my body to avoid another attack. His blood splatters across the dry dust and I whip around to face him again. He hasn’t run like I expected, he simply stands breathing heavily just out of my reach. Even as I watched his skin sews itself back together and he exposes his fangs at me and jumps.

It doesn’t take long for me to realize that this fight isn’t going the way I want it to. He’s fast, and stronger than I take him for, smaller yes, but what Grace told me was true. He’s powerful, in a strange way. He dodges my attacks with speed and runs through the trees; I follow after him with a roar and used my wings to propel me forward. But still I cannot catch him, he jumps onto a tree, using is claws to climb, then he jumps onto my back and slashes at the back of my neck. I roll, taking him down with me but I still feel his claws sinking into my neck.

Already I feel my strength leaving me; I wasn’t prepared to fight David. And he has been feeding off of healers for years. His energy will outlast me, just like Grace said. I jump back and shrink slightly in size, hoping to through him off slightly. We stand apart and circle each other, I need to be wise about this fight.

Beyond David there is fire and yelling and sounds of fighting. A civil war has erupted in the cult, and I can only hope that Grace and J are safe, and that the others will prevail.

”Asher.” J’s voice is clear in my mind. “You cannot beat him this way; you will die before you even get the chance.”

”I need your help J, we have to finish him.”

I feel J’s emotion, regret and sorrow fill her, but there is also a resolve. I know what I’m asking her to do, but I know there is no choice. David is beyond convincing. “Come to me, I will do what I can.”

I run from David, and go back to the house where I know where I will find J. I take David by surprise, and I manage to pull away from him, giving me a few seconds head start. I land in the courtyard and J runs out to greet me. David is only seconds behind and J stands next to me as he approaches. He turns back to human in a flash and stands, staring at us.

“What a disgrace you are J. We are flesh and blood, you and I, we should have been bonded. We should have showed this world what we could do together. But no, you ended up with him…”

J places a hand on my leg and I lower my head next to hers. “It’s not disgraceful, you are. You’ve let your anger blind you your entire life. You could never except that humanity is flawed, that people will always have fear.”

“They are weak.”

“We are all human.” I feel J inside my mind, expanding my imagination, expanding my very conciousness. Corners of my mind which were once dark come into light. There is nothing I cannot recall. We have to do this together Asher. I feel J my strength and she feeds my mind.

“You cannot win this battle, I will rise and rise and rise again until you can no longer take your shape. You will lay lifeless on the ground and I will continue to rise. You cannot stop me.” David shows his sharp teeth as his eyes change. I know he is right, fighting him this way is pointless, and I cannot ask J to invade his mind, I will not ask it of her. Instead I use J’s power. I allow it fill my mind and body, as David steps forward I feel the heat that generates in the very core of my body. It has always been there, has always kept me warm and protected but now I see what it truly is, my greatest weapon.

I take breath through my nose and fill my lungs and stomach to the very center. I feel the heat in my belly and when I cannot bear to hold it there, stretch my neck towards David and open my mouth, letting out a roar and erupts with fire.

It pours out of my nostrils and over my tongue but the heat does nothing to hurt me. I feel it erupting from deep inside of my body and spills out of me like liquid fire. J moves back to avoid being burnt and the air shimmers from the heat. Everything is melting around me but still I spew the fire forwards. There is no sound from David, no scream or cry and when I finally shut my mouth and swallow there is nothing left of his body.

The earth is black and burnt and there are places where the mud is boiling from the heat. J steps forward and covers her nose. Tears are streaming down her face and she looks at me, I slip out of my dragon form and turn back into a human. For a moment, there is nothing to say. Then J steps forward and puts her arms around my waist. I pull her close and rest my cheek against her hair and breathe in her scent.

“You did it,” J says.

I shake my head. “No, we did it. Without you I would have never been able to realize my potential. Hell…I breathe fire because of you. But I’m sorry it came at such a price.”

J shakes her head against my chest. “No, never say that. My brother was dead many years ago. He just never realized it.”

“J.”

She pulls back and looks up at me.

“I love you.” I tell her.

She smiles and kisses my lips.

”I love you.

THE END.