Whatever was going on, the dark clouds encircling the both of them were acting as a cage. Gold liquid was still dripping down its neck, but now more profusely as numerous blades began to twitch, as if being wedged further into the creature’s flesh. Amrielle’s mother was right, this creature hurt, possibly dying. At the realization of this, a series of tears ran down his young cheeks.

I have to kill it. I have to. But I don’t want to.

And if I don’t, it’ll kill me.

I don’t want to die, but I don’t want to kill.

I don’t--

The dragon looked up, and hissed, before roaring at the storm that surrounded them cackled as red lightning flashed about. They hovered in the air for what seemed like an eternity, neither budging, but both waiting. They gazes locked on each other—Amrielle, the youth protected by a towering column of water, and a dragon possessed by a dark storm. With a whip of flash, the dragon lunged forward propelled by its pain and its rage. Amrielle gasped, before arching his back to dodge the incoming strike and then respond with a well-placed kick to the creature’s chest. Using the seawater combined with the lightning at his fingertips, the blast that resounded came like a cannon shot, causing the dragon to be launched aback, the dark clouds dissipating as a lance of red lightning shot at the watery shell containing Amrielle. Darting a quick defense, Amrielle shifted his stance and water tendril flattened into a shield to absorb the blow.

Kra-kow!

Even with the watery shield, the force alone was enough to jar Amrielle, rattling his bones and popping his ears. He winced, and strove to push back at the lance. He gritted his teeth, annoyed at just how insanely driven this fucking lightning was to fucking kill him!

I have to shake this thing off, he thought, but it’s not stopping.

Quick as a snake, the storm dragon snapped at him, chomping down on several tendrils that rose to cover his flank. Amrielle swore, and with his concentration shattered, the lance broke through his defense and shot forth to nucleus wherein he was centered.

No!

Using its tail, the dragon smashed against the towering column causing several thousand gallons to collapse. The uneven shift in weight as a result made the column buckle under its own weight. Amrielle looked down in shock.

“What? But how?”, he questioned, “that shouldn’t be possible.”

That’s because the dragon is the same as you my son, answered the voice. It is a living embodiment of the both natural world and the celestial one. It is your other half, a portion of existence that carries with it the soul of the aspect it is charged with.

“Charge? But what is it’s charge?”

It isn’t a question of what, but of who.

“Then who is it?”

Nothing.

Then.

Is it not obvious my son?

But—

Die.

What?

The words were so small, a simple command hushed in a whispered tone so soft Amrielle would never have noticed it before. Unless it was a voice that he was all too familiar with.

And yet the reality was that for some unfathomable reason.

He was.

Then it happened.

Pain.

A sudden burning sensation that started at the sacrum, right at the base of his spine. Amrielle looked at his arms. A black oily substance was creeping its way the inside of his body. It felt like acid, slithering through his veins, and corroding his flesh. The feeling was undescribable, even worse than being clawed.

Shhhhhrrriiiiiiinggggggg!!!!

The dragon’s left paw had swiped him across the stomach, breaking through his water shield and slicing a deep set of gashes into his abdomen. He winced, biting the inside of his cheek hard as his nerves were sent on overdrive. But that didn’t help, not even a bit. His skin sizzled as the black sludge oozed out the scars, rotting away his flesh as it dripped downward across his naked body, corroding everyhtign it touched. Amrielle felt a tingle, and then this new voice whispered in his ear.

Don’t you want a release from this pain? This agony?

“The pain”, Amrielle gasped, “it’s unbearable.”

Don’t you want this to end? I know you do. Just look at yourself.

I…

My son, don’t listen to it, don’t give in!

But mom, I—

I know it hurts, but you must pull through. You can do it, I believe in you.

Mom, I—

Lies!

The storm took an even more sinister turn for the worst as a distortion, a tear in space, ripped open directly above Amrielle and the dragon. Without hesitation, it began slashing at the both of them with bolts of red and black lightning. A hideous stench wafted from the tear, and hands stretched out in a menacing glare, snapped and snaked, grabbing at anything within reach. One arm lunged at Amrielle, who dodged it, only to wince as the venomous coursing through his veins burned like hell. Instead, the hand grabbed at the water shielding him, only grip droplets. A screech of pain rang in his ear, and he saw the dragon choke on its own blood as a bolt struck it in the neck, causing a gaping hole to appear where flesh skin should’ve been.

Another flash and split second later bolt shot down on Amrielle’s protective bubble. The surge of energy that radiated as current of electricity zigzagged across the surface of the bubble made his skin crawl, before the pain of the venom reached a new level.

Do you feel it? The fear of death seeping into your soul?

At this, Amrielle’s vision flickered, and before long he found himself gasping for air as his throat constricted and tightened from the sludgy liquid choking him.

Remember your place, remember that you’re nothing but a demon!