Collin squinted in the bright spotlight, blushing as he felt everyone's eyes move toward him.  He coughed awkwardly, unsure what to say. 

“A Shared Soul?” a woman murmured fearfully. “Surely they don’t mean-?”

“That's impossible!” another yelled with outrage. 

“That boy couldn’t be bonded! It doesn't even look like he has an ounce of magic in him.” a man said sternly. 

A wave of confusion and concern spread through the crowd. 

Just then Collin felt a hand grip his shoulder, bringing him back to his senses. 

“We should go,” Kace whispered. 

Collin nodded, gulping. 

“I heard that,” Melody said in a sing-song voice. “Unfortunately you won't be going anywhere.”

“How did she-?” Kace began. 

“My powers don’t only allow me to produce songs of deafening frequency, but also to hear the subtlest sounds as well.” Melody giggled. Her voice was like a dessert that was too sweet. 

“And I’m able to move soundwaves, amplifying them into projectiles,” Ampleer explained. “On our own, our powers can’t do much. But together, we create a deadly harmony.”

Melody let out a high note while Ampleer sent it flying up toward the ceiling. The sound rippled into a translucent wave, tearing through the top of the tent. The audience began to scream, flooding out of the exit. 

“What a shame,” Melody pouted. “We blow the roof off this place and the audience bails.”

“We still have our VIPs,” her brother said, glaring toward Collin and the others. 

Animus leaped up from behind Ampleer, taking the form of the same lion as before. They pinned him beneath their heavy, clawed paws and snarled against the back of his neck. Breven unsheathed his sword and swung it toward Melody. 

“Run!” Animus roared, peering up at Collin. 

Kace grabbed Collin’s hand, pulling him through the exit and out into the field

“Wait-” Collin protested, pulling back his hand. “We have to help!”

“Do you know who they are?” Kace snapped, gesturing back toward the tent. “If you think the Knights are bad, then those two are even worse,” he explained. “They work for King Unasus. When they show up, it means that he really wants someone dead. And that person right now is you. So we have to leave, now.”

“...But if they are as bad as you say then that means they could kill Animus and Breven!” Collin cried. 

“They can handle themselves! Now here,” Kace said, extending his hand. “I have enough magic to teleport you somewhere safe.”

Collin backed away, shaking his head. 

“No,” Collin said firmly. 

“Ooh, wrong choice,” Melody hummed behind him. She grabbed Collin by the scruff of his neck, slamming his face into the ground with a powerful swing. Collin could hear as Kace ran toward him, only to be overpowered by Ampleer. He blinked open his eyes to find Animus and Breven lying unconscious behind of him.

A steady stream of blood was flowing from Animus’s forehead.

Gara stood above Breven, licking at his wounded arm that still clung limply to his sword.

“No…” Collin wheezed. 

Melody stepped onto his back, twisting her heel into the skin.

“Poor little Shared Soul…” she taunted. “You had nothing to do with this. If you hadn’t made a deal with that dragon, you would be back in your village living a mundane life. But we can’t have the truth coming out.”

“Truth…about what?” Collin groaned. 

“Unfortunately for you-” Melody began, unsheathing a dagger from her pocket and spinning it up into the air. “-you’ll never get to know.” she sneered, catching the dagger by the handle.

A golden explosion burst from Collin’s figure, sending Melody flying several feet away. She crashed into Ampleer, sending them both rolling across the ground. 

As the dust and smoke cleared, Kace could make out Collin getting to his feet.

“Collin-” Kace said happily. 

But the figure that turned toward him was not Collin. Two tightly curved horns sprouted out from the sides of his head and twisted around his face. A pair of wings, black with orange webbing, had burst from the shoulders. He snarled, revealing a row of sharpened teeth. 

“Don’t you know who I am?” he asked in a deep, powerful voice. “My name is Razarith Ironhide!”