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chapter 29
Mmh... Maybe you'll understand why these chapters took so long. It's becoming delicate xD
”I don’t understand what he’s doing…” Jozie spoke with sincere worries. The same worries she had from the moment he went standing in front of this army, but decupled by now.
The man she had before her eyes was nothing like the Adam she knew. He would have never stepped into a conflict, however revolted he was. He would have never talked back to someone. Let alone this confidently. And above all, he would have never provoked or endangered himself like he did, not in seemingly well-awareness. Ten years, was it all it took to change a man so drastically? He was careless, crazy even. He sounded like someone who sought death as a relief…
As stressful as he was to look at, it had kind of worked so far. The army was hesitant to step in. With destabilizing, agile with words, he quite efficiently set the doubt among an army that surely never faced a man opposing resistance like this. But for how long... As nice of a try it was, words had limits against the most vindictive. Maybe was it why he tried such new approach? Jozie didn’t believe acting like a suffering man would force any sympathy from the enemy. What she didn’t expect though, was him to suddenly act a level higher in the madness.
His last response had broken this role of stoic man straight in his shoes. If it was a trick, she couldn’t get the point of it, maybe trying to buy more time? More time for what, he couldn’t exactly be relying on backup for a rescue… Confuse them more? He had gained some skills in acting too, but that wouldn’t work eternally…
“I think it’s… not voluntary.” The female dragon at her right commented with a voice as worried as hers. “I think it’s really Killian.”
“Killian? Come on, this is a product of his imagination. He may be convincing but he also played that trick on me.” Jozie replied, out of nerves. At this point, she began to have doubts tinting her certitudes. But it wasn’t the moment to add another layer of problems. The situation was already critical.
“Whether you like it or not, it is real. It’s like… they are two in his body.” The dragoness replied, visibly nervous. “And the other one is nasty, vicious, sadistic… terrifying and horrifying. Wasn’t he like this when you knew him?”
“Not even close. He just tended to be violent in words, but that was pure clumsiness most often… ” Jozie honestly let out. “The Adam I know is nice, shy, a bit of a doormat sometimes, complaining often, but certainly not a hero, and assuredly alone in his body. He acts tough but he’s the most insecure guy I met. Never been quite alone in his head but never at this level… Unless he turned schizophrenic for good… I don’t know who I’m watching now, but he’s about to get us wiped at this rhythm…”
As careful as the army was, the more time Adam bought, the more pissed they would be when realizing it was just bluffing. It wouldn’t be the first time in history that humans exterminated a species, or a civilization that hurt their pride.
“I’d also be worried about what he’s going to make us see…”
How could this dragoness be nervous about the show itself rather than the gruesome consequences of it? This army surely wouldn’t content itself with one kill with all these provocations. After Adam, they would go rampant on them, assuredly, undoubtedly. And she was afraid to get her sensibility shocked?
“You’re aware that we’ll be next after him?” Jozie asked her.
“You heard Odin. We are disposable to them. Do you think they waited for your friend to kill us on a regular basis?” The female asked back, like it was trivial. But curiously, she sounded like it cost her to say that, like the painful conclusion to a question she had long struggled with. “At least he tries for us. I came to respect that.”
“Aaaaand you also heard that he said he considered you as uninteresting weaklings, and that he didn’t care about you. Right?” Jozie couldn’t help but point at.
“Yes. Don’t blame yourself, I think everyone else bought it too.” The dragoness replied, with a movement of the chin to design the other dragons standing further behind. How she could believe such, was beyond the woman’s mind. At this point, it was blind faith.
Jozie didn’t comment on that. Either the dragoness was really naïve, either the woman obviously missed something she saw in him. What had he done before she arrived to inspire such trust? It wasn’t like he had been particularly friendly to them from what she could remember witnessing… Adam had barely given them any attention; he had been as cold with them as he was toward the life of the sick lady she carried there.
Poor girl… These men would probably not show compassion for her state, and it was to be assumed that they wouldn’t pass the opportunity to dispose of a woman’s defenseless body. Horrifying and infuriating images went through Jozie’s mind, making her clench her fists. After they’d go over Adam, she knew she’d have no choice but to be next in line.
Vengeance for the death of a friend aside, she simply couldn’t run away if it meant leaving a vulnerable woman to disgusting soldiers looking for fresh meat. Many would probably be surprised of the combativity an educated and proud woman could demonstrate. Based on their look, she could count on their ego to get a temporary advantage.
Lacking a better plan, Jozie watched the scene as well, where Adam, or Killian if she believed the dragoness, rose and seemingly stretched his limbs. If he looked careless formerly, this one was acting like this battlefield was an actual theatre. Either he had an infallible plan, either his mind was broken for good.
“Aaaahhh… Sorry for the wait. I care to make a good first impression. If you don’t mind, I’ll take care of the rest of the conversation. This is too big for the little me to not partake this.”
“Conversation? I think we got past this, don’t you? Give us only one good reason why we shouldn’t kill you?”
“Oh but you definitely should kill me! I mean, look at this… My host had two days, and you already have every single one of these scaly bags watching this and holding their breaths. Give him ten days, he will erect a barrier. Give him a hundred days, the whole place will be weaponized against you. Give him a year, and every single one of you will be his bitches. You quite pissed him off, not to my dislike.
Let’s make this clear. You play tough on weaklings, and when a stronger one comes up to put you back to your place, you come back with an army. It’s admitting your own weakness and your cowardice. And I have the perfect gift to you. A gift worthy of your importance.”
The words could sound respectful by moments, but the tone made it obvious there was something behind it. It was… a little too amused to be sincere. To the point it even was a little condescending, mocking the titles this civilization could pride themselves with. A provocation.
The army knew that the advantage was theirs though, so they naturally heard the voice of their curiosity. It transpired through the question that followed.
“What could you possibly show us that is worthy of interest?”
“I understand your distrust, my host showed too much subtlety. But me? I’m not subtle. I’ll go straight to the point. I’m a man of demonstrations that worth thousand words.” He rose a finger, while the other hand went into the pocket of his black vest. “I got it. You, catch!”
Jozie couldn’t see what he grabbed. For all she knew, the pockets were empty and this was probably another ruse. She had carried this vest throughout kilometers of lands, along with the unconscious lady. If anyone would have been aware of a useful object, it was her. Obviously, she wouldn’t have forgotten a capital element that could reverse the tide in the confrontation she was currently watching. It would have spared her from this cringing, everlasting scene of her old pal’s execution!
But it seemed like he actually got something out. Something too little for her to distinguish at this distance. Carelessly, he threw it like a ball to the last of the four men he defeated so easily. A dark shape. The guy of strange powers was still too devastated by the role he played killing his friend to question it. He grabbed the object, but merely had the time to look at it.
With a sadistic smile, Killian opened his arms in a theatrical pose and the second after, the already destroyed man exploded in a loud bang. Guts and blood were violently thrown on Killian and the front rows of the startled army. The men protected their faces, when Killian fully welcomed the disgusting rain, not even reacting when his skin got cut in several places by fragments of bones.
And Jozie was just as horrified as everyone around… with the difference that she now understood what was the mysterious object he threw. To these men, judging by their primitive appearances, it probably looked like dark magic. To her, it looked like a simple but genuine grenade! What disturbed her the most, more even than how he could have gotten his hand on such weapon, was how carelessly he took the life of this guy. It wasn’t self-defense this time! This was probably the worst and most drastic change from the Adam she knew… the supposedly same guy that could feel down all day if he accidently stepped on a snail!
“Nothing like a bloodbath in the morning.” Killian joked darkly, his laughter as cringing as nails on a blackboard. “Do I have your attention now? Do you finally understand what kind of man you’re threatening?”
Jozie’s lower jaw dropped a bit. Against these men, this indeed turned out a little dissuasive. The woman doubted that half of the soldiers would even dare stepping in if they were given the order, given their frightened reaction. But still, there would always be enough to not care about the danger. Enough to beat him? The outcome of this confrontation became a bit blurrier.
“What was this?” The enemies’ ruler inquired.
“This? This is only a sample of what I can do. This is my gift to you… Fear.” Killian chuckled darkly. “You play important, you act like you’re invincible. And maybe you are, with normal men. But you made a mistake with me. I am no normal man. I am what lurks in old darkness you forgot to fear. I am the virus trapped in the permafrost, waking up from the dawn of ages to ravage you. And you already lost against me, because you forgot what my kind is capable of. Drop the weapons and turn the heels, because you’re a million year too young to compete with me. And above all, do not even try forcing your rules on me. Because I play no other game than mine, and because you’re not important to me, and because I WAS HERE FIRST, YOU PRIMITIVES!”
The scream resonated in the plain, like freezing the whole scene for a few seconds. It was rather intimidating, not because of the stature of the man standing alone, but because of the madness transpiring from it. As intimidating as it was, Jozie’s first thought was that it didn’t cut all the possibilities for the army. It only provided division between those who still wanted to fight and those who clearly didn’t want to have anything to do with him, enemy or not. However such trick probably wouldn’t work in real life, over men who deployed such means for the occasion.
“As impressive as it was, you can’t take us all down. We can still come at you all at once and end your madness.” Their leader said, predictably thinking of an alternative.
“Yeah, well, about that, there’s something you should know about me. I’m a terribly bad loser, I rarely offer a game I’m not sure to win. I always have an insurance. I could add that I’m not kind, I’m not good, I’m sneaky, but I think you already got the idea. Cherry on top, I love showing important people that they are not so powerful and out of reach, when we take them as the simple humans they are. Just sad and scared little kids full of ego, and compensating by living their fantasy of all-mightiness, at the expenses of the others.” he announced with a tone that sent chills to Jozie’s neck. Killian deviously licked his upper lip and smiled like a dement, like he portrayed a vision that was as delightful as it was assumedly gory. “So here’s the twist!”
Standing with an amused confidence in front of the scared army, Killian offered a nasty smirk and took a deep breath. No one, not even the leader of the army, dared interrupting him after his demonstration.
“I just showed you how destructive a small piece my technology can be. Now imagine that I have a trick, that could obliterate you all at once. And by all, I mean you, the reptiles, and everything on this island that once was my place.” He threw casually, pointing at them with a thumb above his shoulder. “Now the game is the following, try to picture what I’m talking about, try, with your simple minds!
Who knows? Maybe I’m bluffing. Or maybe I found something that will blow you up, deep under this very mountain. Or maybe I had it all along, and this is all my test for you. You can’t be sure, and you’re allowed to doubt. But keep something in mind. My people are probably behind all your myths of creation. My people were about to colonize other planets, and began to harvest the power of the stars themselves. Ask yourself. What kind of nightmares could I fill your sleep with, when I’ll be done with you? What horrors beyond your imagination could I bring back to your puny island?
Try to figure out, little humans. Try to charge. It will be the fitting end, of this ridiculous battle. One last bang. No more humans, no more dragons… Give me just one reason… to send us all to hell.”
“He… isn’t serious, right? There’s nothing below, reassure me.” Jozie asked with terror.
She didn’t believe Adam had a secret weapon all along; there would have been no reason to hide it. But with the explosive he used, and wasn’t supposed to have on him in any possible way, she genuinely feared that there could be a place underground hiding more dangerous weapons. So she turned toward the dragoness at her side. She seemed to have spent time with Adam. if one could give her hope that this was bluff, it was her. But even she wasn’t so confident looking. Just eyeing at the ground between her front paws in nervousness, she didn’t reply right away.
“I don’t know but… we have… stories about something underground… No one ever dared to dig, because it’s said to have the power to destroy the whole island...”
It froze her blood in her veins. She hoped it was pure bluff. But there basically was a fifty percent chances… Either he used a local tale to frighten the most superstitious, or…
“And… Has any of you told him about these stories?” she asked, afraid of the answer.
The two dragons at her sides, only ones that dared staying close to her, looked at each other like they tried to recall. This time, it was the female, Nimera, who replied hesitantly.
“It never came in the discussion… He didn’t hear about well-known places before I told him. And I doubt anyone else here would have told him. I don’t even think Helios or the humans know about it. It’s an old tale, and pretty obscure.”
Now it became too big. With Adam’s legendary bad luck, Jozie had hard time believing in a coincidence. It reduced the possibilities to two options… Either this was pure bluff, as unlikely as it was, or he did discover something below. Wouldn’t these reptiles know then? Lacking more elements, and in intense stress, Jozie had no other choice but to watch.
If he took lives so carelessly… would this whole mountain and what it contained make a difference to him? With a chill, Jozie realized she sincerely didn’t know. A deep worry that was shared by each one of the reptiles around her, but also seemingly by the army. She could sense it. And didn’t like it. Tensions precipitated things…
From the soldiers to their leader, the army was silent. They were boiling to throw the attack, but were stuck in a dead end. Killian knew he was in power now, and gladly twisted the knife into the wound.
“Where I come from, that silence would be the sound of a checkmate. But since I don’t assume you invented a game as noble as chess, I’ll use a more basic metaphor for you to understand. I just put a giant dildo right in your butt.” Killian chuckled, sinisterly and condescendingly mocking them. “That only leaves you two choices then, supreme ruler of my balls. Leave your pride here and save your men’s lives, turn around and go back to playing king with whomever is concerned. Or come and meet a quick end, in illusionary honor that will turn out to be a massive, stupid suicide. And don’t forget, the eradication of your main source of fun. I’m actually curious to see what you’ll choose. Will your wisdom be blessed from the name, ‘Odin’?” he made quote signs as he spoke the name. “And you, nice pets following him… Will you be brave enough to play with me?”
To that provocation, Odin surprisingly… smiled again. Amusedly, even. While most of his men around were drowning in silent panic, questioning their place here, the leader seemed to take joy in this. It was like he didn’t care about his men at all, like all he cared about was the lonely hot-head imposing his marks to an army. His expression was creepy, for it was similar to Killian’s.
“You are aware this is useless? We won’t leave you in peace after you openly declared war on humanity.” The ruler spoke, not hiding his satisfaction. His sidekick, who had been quiet and nervous all along, began to show signs of relief as well. “We cannot let you live.”
“Then stop talking and come get some. I think I’ll enjoy killing a few before blowing us all.” Killian replied on the same provocative tone. “If you all fight like your fallen comrades, I bet I can take down fifty of you! So who’s to come first?!’
“We will prefer more precautious way, in respect for your… dangerousness” Odin dropped with disdain.
In last resort, there was always a way to shut a loud mouth for good, without getting too closely involved. And many cultures, as primitive as they were, had figured out the value of long-range attacks. A way that was surely less thrilling than brutally slaughtering with a blade, but effective to minimize the losses, especially in this strange hostage situation…
Anticipating the signal, an unordered arrow took flight from somewhere in the ranks. But in a steady move, not even that fast, Killian moved out of the trajectory and his right hand closed on the projectile, caught in flight. The only result was a dark, amused laughter.
“You’re so predictable...” Killian threw at them, casually dropping the arrow to the ground. Or at least it seemed, because it planted straight. He then went grabbing the two swords that still lay on the blood-stained grass. “One arrow won’t do the trick! Come on! See bigger! Use your power and importance to waste resources foolishly! Unleash hell, and let us all see that behind the cruel ruler is a ridicule child making a tantrum for one guy who bothered his pussy friend!”
Was he openly calling for death now?! Rage boiled in Jozie, to the point she clenched her fists and jaws. He had managed to confuse them, maybe he could have hoped to avoid the battle if he had played smarter! They were scared, impressed by his demonstration! Why did he have to keep provoking them?!
Odin rose a hand, and in the back rows, many men rose bow-like weapons over their head. The situation was so dramatic that Jozie didn’t pay attention to the large shadow cast over them, focused on the countless arrows that took flight. The sky was soon full of projectiles, forming a wall no living could have escaped.
Killian, unimpressed, held his ground with a wide smile, rising his swords like he welcomed death as an old opponent… “You’re really not playful… So let’s end the game… Come at…”
There was an earthquake suddenly interrupting the speech. And from above, a gigantic body landed between Killian and the army. Shielding the mad man, a hard, white rampart received all the deadly projectiles that hit the thick scales and bumped to fall pathetically on the ground. The massive body turned its face to the pile of what had to be a less that toothpicks for it.
“What a shame… I really hoped I’d get the acupuncture session I’ve been waiting for so long…” the immense white dragon with broken horns spoke in disappointment, looking at Killian with a strange expression, then at the army.
Out of words and in search for answers, Jozie looked at the far smaller reptiles at her side and behind her, still relatively big compared to her. Their lower jaws were dropped, clearly meaning that even to them, this was exceptional. The good side was their expression, more amazed than scared. It was a sign that this creature wasn’t perceived as a threat to them. But to the army…
Such an oversized reptile could probably wipe all the rows in one swing of his tail. And the same thought was readable on the behavior of the men, fidgeting on place like nervous rabbits. Many of them were looking at their leader, like in hope that he’d order the retreat. Showing impressive self-control, Odin stood still, not showing his fear in front of his men. But his eyes were fixed on the massive dragon who looked specifically at him.
“It’s been a long while, Odin. But it’s fortunate you are here, I…”
“Soldiers, it’s a battle we can’t win today!” The ruler immediately yelled at his men, and turned to walk in the opposite direction, from when they all came.
The men of the army had a brief moment of hesitation, but began to follow their ruler, quite hastly for some. Most of them looked relieved, but Jozie noticed something disturbing… If it was sheer fear of the massive reptile, they would have run away. But they walked away. Big difference, heavy of sense. They didn’t expect a surprise attack from it, which meant this creature was familiar to them too. Familiar, but shunned, seemingly. Whatever could be the reason.
“He never wants to listen… but one day he’ll still have to hear it…” the white, gigantic dragon dropped in a loud sigh.
“You want a medal for that?!” Killian shouted at the attention of the giant creature, visibly not minding the size difference and pointing his sword accusingly. If he had been careless to the point to face a wall of arrows… It was enough to convince Jozie to step in. Getting squished under the paw of this creature wouldn’t be a preferable end, and she had enough anyway! “Nobody asked you anything, you big dumb bag of scales! I was expecting…”
“Your thankfulness warms my old heart.” The giant beast laughed and lowered its head to his level, not caring that he cut the small human in the middle of his sentence. It impressively towered Killian, who ironically, looked more pissed than impressed. “What’s the matter? You wanted to annoy the humans, I wanted to make sure you little bag of meat survived this. I just did what I wanted, because I could. You got to impress them and still get to live. Does that sound wrong to you, devil?”
The words were provocative, but the manner the giant beast spoke them held nothing hostile. It was like he took the threatening attitude of this small human as a worthy distraction.
Jozie hurried her steps when she saw Killian hesitate. From where she was, she couldn’t see his face. After such display of violence, she feared he might react on an impulse again… It wouldn’t take much to the huge dragon to end his madness. She was too relieved to see the army leave to let Adam or Killian ruin this little hope to give him a piece of her mind!
“Like it would have been difficult for me to survive. Why do you want me alive anyway?” Killian replied, in a tone that clearly wasn’t as amused as when he had the lead.
“Because when you grow old, eventually, you get too tired to hate and then you begin to understand. I do not hate you anymore, devil. I see how you are a necessary bad on this island.” Strangely, the massive muzzle torn into a smile. “I may be the only one, but I see how… important you are.”
“You… darn bastard!” he suddenly screamed furiously, rising the sword over his head.
“Enough talking, devil. It’s over now.” The gigantic dragon blew. And the effect was instant.
Jozie reached him just in time. Not to stop his attack, rather to frankly catch him! Like he suddenly fell unconscious, his body simply stopped carrying him, and it was only thanks to her reflexes that he didn’t reach the ground. He did fell unconscious! Just like that?! What happened?!
Suddenly remembering she was only a meter away from the giant muzzle of the white dragon, the woman looked up, a bit scared. But it didn’t seem hostile. And it took her a global angle to notice that he smiled kindlier at her than at Killian.
“He should be good in a few minutes… I forgot, do we already know each other or not, young human?”
“Wh-what are you talking about?” Jozie mumbled, in intense stress
“Mmh… surely not, judging by your face… Ah, here you are…”
Jozie turn the head as he noticed a newcomer and saw the dragoness from earlier joining. After all she had been going through in less than a day, this wasn’t the most off putting. But being surrounded by these reptiles wasn’t exactly comfortable for the woman, especially with an unconscious Adam in her arms.
“Old one, why did you come? You need to save your forces…” the female asked in a worried tone. The massive white dragon looked in good shape, was his state supposed to be a concern as well?
“My time hasn’t come yet, don’t worry angel. I just did what I had to do. And also, to talk with hero. Now that his heart, his body and soul are reunited, maybe his spirit will awake as well.”
In the way that was spoken, Jozie wondered if it had a cryptic sense she should get. Maybe this creature was their leader? Patriarch? Wise elder? But a glance at the smaller dragoness was enough to tell that she was as puzzled, and even embarrassed-looking. No way for her to figure out what was truly happening here, but anyway, she began to feel movements in her arms.
In a groan, Adam lifted a hand to rub his face, and opened an eye in a groan. Obviously upset, he got up slowly by himself.
“What’s with blackouts and blood? What happened this time?” he asked in a grumble, like any of this was somehow a simple annoyance.
“I’ll leave this painful task for your friends, hero. I must shorten my presence.” The big dragon answered, cutting Jozie who boiled to scold him like he deserved. Adam, if it was him, had a jolt like he only noticed the presence of the enormous talking beast right in front of him. “I won’t be here next time.”
Next time? One was already plenty! But Adam stared into the big pair of eyes, and he had this expression when he understood something others didn’t. He visibly was destabilized. And immensely guilty in his expression.
“I’m sorry… I screwed up…”
“No, no, that’s not what I’m speaking about. What’s done is done. But their fear won’t hold them for long…” The massive white dragon replied in a soft tone. “And you have to find your thing before they come back, because my presence around here will worsen things faster.”
Okay, he clearly spoke about the army. This part made sense. Fear only worked for a time, even in the worst tyrannies. With so much noise and damages, Jozie also feared he might soon become a target to those who sought challenge. This peace was the calm before the storm.
As for the rest of the speech, Adam spoke the same question she had in mind.
“My thing? What are you talking about? I’ll go fetch it right away, but you have to tell me what it is and where I can find it. If it can even the chances, we have no time for riddles. Please, Old one, try to be more specific…”
“I… I’m sorry I forgot how you used to call it. I think you find it in the treasure room. I don’t know exactly where, but I know you will find it. You have to get it before they stop fearing you again. Just… hurry up, ok? Can you do that for me?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Alright. Don’t worry hero. It will get better. I promise.”
The giant dragon took a few steps back on these cryptic words, which rapidly translated in a hundred meters. And Jozie understood why he took such precaution when a violent wind forced her to protect her face. A massive creature like this one, she couldn’t imagine the force it took for its wings to lift him in the air. And yet, slowly, he flew away toward another mountain in the distance.
“Are we going to talk about all this?” Jozie spoke calmly, yet boiling on the inside.
“Because of me, he burnt more of his last forces. I basically shortened his life expectancy.” Adam said with a sheepish tone. “Jozie, what happened?”
She boiled to explode on him, but this urging feeling began to crumble. Even with all the changes in his personality and capabilities, Jozie couldn’t remain convince this was a game to him either. Or if it was… he didn’t have fun playing it.
“You threatened them, provoked them, blackmailed them, insulted them. And you made a guy literally explode in front of their eyes...You really don’t remember that?!” She spoke carefully, to test and watch his reactions.
“Explode? Whom? How would I do that?” he asked with a mix of astonishment and horror on his face. His eyes quickly met with the low half of a burnt body, only piece still intact.
“You tell me… You’re the one who hid fucking grenades in the pockets of his vest!”
“I didn’t put anything in the pockets, I just took the vest… see?” he said, emptying the pockets before her. Beside what looked like a strange model of phone she never saw and keys, he quickly got the inner fabric out.
“Well you, or your psycho alter ego, threatened to trigger a giant bomb just under our feet! So this was Killian I presume?”
“You know better than me. I only learnt about his existence through the witnesses... The last thing I remember is looking at everyone behind me, thinking that I had to do anything I could to stop these bastards to go further… I was ready to kill as much as I had to and then… blackout.”
“During your absence, this freak almost had you killed.”
“This isn’t important. He could have gotten everyone else killed.”
“Not important?! Adam, again, do you hear yourself?! No wonder why the white dragon called you hero!” Jozie let her mind out, mentally exhausted by the stress he caused her.
“No, that’s low!”
“But you know you deserve it! You just walked to an army, with absolutely no plan, and you only owe your life to the intervention of an unexpected beast!” She kept on her accusation. So be it. He had made her watch too much for her to contain it. “And for what?! To enter a conflict that wasn’t yours and declare war?! That’s the kind of stupid things heroes do, and you know exactly why you and me consider it stupid!”
“Because the hero lies six feet under, while the warrior lives to fight another day. I know. But I’m sick of being a warrior who suffers continuously in fights that don’t matter. I’m sick of staying nicely in my place and let people weaker than me dictates rules I don’t agree with. That doesn’t make me a hero. That just makes me a troublemaker. As for me, Jozie, you have no right to lecture me on my decisions.” Adam grumbled coldly but angrily. Yet almost instantly, he also had this little mimic of when he spoke too fast. At least one element that hadn’t changed.
“What… is this supposed to mean?” Jozie asked, containing her nerves as much as she could.
To that, Adam just looked into her eyes. A stare carrying a cold anger like she never saw before.
“You’re married, with two kids. You moved away, completely forgot me over time, and I have personally moved on as you can see. Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have to take some time alone to think.”
“If you think you’re getting away with…”
“Jozie! …I need to take some time alone.” He cut her off in a tone she recognized all too well.
Instinctively, and discretely, she looked down as he stared at her stoically. His hand was trembling, rather violently. A quick glance at the dragoness made her doubt she had noticed. Nervous, she was focused on the humans’ faces.
Jozie knew all too well what it meant. The frustration was beyond reason, but this, was a good opportunity to remind him what kind of friend she was. The kind able to swallow back her pride and anger, to simply nod in silence and watch him walk away when he couldn’t speak.
She did this, and it wasn’t easy. But the only reason she managed to, like every time, was because her torment was very little, compared to what he was about to live. There were times she thought it was a trick to avoid her. But then… for having witnessed it, it was a fight she plainly trusted him with… What’s more, he’d listen better after his crisis.
“You know only I ever had the shoulders to be your friend.” She still couldn’t help but let slip.
“Yeah? Well one of these days, I’ll tell you about the woman who had the nerves to be my wife…”
Mmh... Maybe you'll understand why these chapters took so long. It's becoming delicate xD
”I don’t understand what he’s doing…” Jozie spoke with sincere worries. The same worries she had from the moment he went standing in front of this army, but decupled by now.
The man she had before her eyes was nothing like the Adam she knew. He would have never stepped into a conflict, however revolted he was. He would have never talked back to someone. Let alone this confidently. And above all, he would have never provoked or endangered himself like he did, not in seemingly well-awareness. Ten years, was it all it took to change a man so drastically? He was careless, crazy even. He sounded like someone who sought death as a relief…
As stressful as he was to look at, it had kind of worked so far. The army was hesitant to step in. With destabilizing, agile with words, he quite efficiently set the doubt among an army that surely never faced a man opposing resistance like this. But for how long... As nice of a try it was, words had limits against the most vindictive. Maybe was it why he tried such new approach? Jozie didn’t believe acting like a suffering man would force any sympathy from the enemy. What she didn’t expect though, was him to suddenly act a level higher in the madness.
His last response had broken this role of stoic man straight in his shoes. If it was a trick, she couldn’t get the point of it, maybe trying to buy more time? More time for what, he couldn’t exactly be relying on backup for a rescue… Confuse them more? He had gained some skills in acting too, but that wouldn’t work eternally…
“I think it’s… not voluntary.” The female dragon at her right commented with a voice as worried as hers. “I think it’s really Killian.”
“Killian? Come on, this is a product of his imagination. He may be convincing but he also played that trick on me.” Jozie replied, out of nerves. At this point, she began to have doubts tinting her certitudes. But it wasn’t the moment to add another layer of problems. The situation was already critical.
“Whether you like it or not, it is real. It’s like… they are two in his body.” The dragoness replied, visibly nervous. “And the other one is nasty, vicious, sadistic… terrifying and horrifying. Wasn’t he like this when you knew him?”
“Not even close. He just tended to be violent in words, but that was pure clumsiness most often… ” Jozie honestly let out. “The Adam I know is nice, shy, a bit of a doormat sometimes, complaining often, but certainly not a hero, and assuredly alone in his body. He acts tough but he’s the most insecure guy I met. Never been quite alone in his head but never at this level… Unless he turned schizophrenic for good… I don’t know who I’m watching now, but he’s about to get us wiped at this rhythm…”
As careful as the army was, the more time Adam bought, the more pissed they would be when realizing it was just bluffing. It wouldn’t be the first time in history that humans exterminated a species, or a civilization that hurt their pride.
“I’d also be worried about what he’s going to make us see…”
How could this dragoness be nervous about the show itself rather than the gruesome consequences of it? This army surely wouldn’t content itself with one kill with all these provocations. After Adam, they would go rampant on them, assuredly, undoubtedly. And she was afraid to get her sensibility shocked?
“You’re aware that we’ll be next after him?” Jozie asked her.
“You heard Odin. We are disposable to them. Do you think they waited for your friend to kill us on a regular basis?” The female asked back, like it was trivial. But curiously, she sounded like it cost her to say that, like the painful conclusion to a question she had long struggled with. “At least he tries for us. I came to respect that.”
“Aaaaand you also heard that he said he considered you as uninteresting weaklings, and that he didn’t care about you. Right?” Jozie couldn’t help but point at.
“Yes. Don’t blame yourself, I think everyone else bought it too.” The dragoness replied, with a movement of the chin to design the other dragons standing further behind. How she could believe such, was beyond the woman’s mind. At this point, it was blind faith.
Jozie didn’t comment on that. Either the dragoness was really naïve, either the woman obviously missed something she saw in him. What had he done before she arrived to inspire such trust? It wasn’t like he had been particularly friendly to them from what she could remember witnessing… Adam had barely given them any attention; he had been as cold with them as he was toward the life of the sick lady she carried there.
Poor girl… These men would probably not show compassion for her state, and it was to be assumed that they wouldn’t pass the opportunity to dispose of a woman’s defenseless body. Horrifying and infuriating images went through Jozie’s mind, making her clench her fists. After they’d go over Adam, she knew she’d have no choice but to be next in line.
Vengeance for the death of a friend aside, she simply couldn’t run away if it meant leaving a vulnerable woman to disgusting soldiers looking for fresh meat. Many would probably be surprised of the combativity an educated and proud woman could demonstrate. Based on their look, she could count on their ego to get a temporary advantage.
Lacking a better plan, Jozie watched the scene as well, where Adam, or Killian if she believed the dragoness, rose and seemingly stretched his limbs. If he looked careless formerly, this one was acting like this battlefield was an actual theatre. Either he had an infallible plan, either his mind was broken for good.
“Aaaahhh… Sorry for the wait. I care to make a good first impression. If you don’t mind, I’ll take care of the rest of the conversation. This is too big for the little me to not partake this.”
“Conversation? I think we got past this, don’t you? Give us only one good reason why we shouldn’t kill you?”
“Oh but you definitely should kill me! I mean, look at this… My host had two days, and you already have every single one of these scaly bags watching this and holding their breaths. Give him ten days, he will erect a barrier. Give him a hundred days, the whole place will be weaponized against you. Give him a year, and every single one of you will be his bitches. You quite pissed him off, not to my dislike.
Let’s make this clear. You play tough on weaklings, and when a stronger one comes up to put you back to your place, you come back with an army. It’s admitting your own weakness and your cowardice. And I have the perfect gift to you. A gift worthy of your importance.”
The words could sound respectful by moments, but the tone made it obvious there was something behind it. It was… a little too amused to be sincere. To the point it even was a little condescending, mocking the titles this civilization could pride themselves with. A provocation.
The army knew that the advantage was theirs though, so they naturally heard the voice of their curiosity. It transpired through the question that followed.
“What could you possibly show us that is worthy of interest?”
“I understand your distrust, my host showed too much subtlety. But me? I’m not subtle. I’ll go straight to the point. I’m a man of demonstrations that worth thousand words.” He rose a finger, while the other hand went into the pocket of his black vest. “I got it. You, catch!”
Jozie couldn’t see what he grabbed. For all she knew, the pockets were empty and this was probably another ruse. She had carried this vest throughout kilometers of lands, along with the unconscious lady. If anyone would have been aware of a useful object, it was her. Obviously, she wouldn’t have forgotten a capital element that could reverse the tide in the confrontation she was currently watching. It would have spared her from this cringing, everlasting scene of her old pal’s execution!
But it seemed like he actually got something out. Something too little for her to distinguish at this distance. Carelessly, he threw it like a ball to the last of the four men he defeated so easily. A dark shape. The guy of strange powers was still too devastated by the role he played killing his friend to question it. He grabbed the object, but merely had the time to look at it.
With a sadistic smile, Killian opened his arms in a theatrical pose and the second after, the already destroyed man exploded in a loud bang. Guts and blood were violently thrown on Killian and the front rows of the startled army. The men protected their faces, when Killian fully welcomed the disgusting rain, not even reacting when his skin got cut in several places by fragments of bones.
And Jozie was just as horrified as everyone around… with the difference that she now understood what was the mysterious object he threw. To these men, judging by their primitive appearances, it probably looked like dark magic. To her, it looked like a simple but genuine grenade! What disturbed her the most, more even than how he could have gotten his hand on such weapon, was how carelessly he took the life of this guy. It wasn’t self-defense this time! This was probably the worst and most drastic change from the Adam she knew… the supposedly same guy that could feel down all day if he accidently stepped on a snail!
“Nothing like a bloodbath in the morning.” Killian joked darkly, his laughter as cringing as nails on a blackboard. “Do I have your attention now? Do you finally understand what kind of man you’re threatening?”
Jozie’s lower jaw dropped a bit. Against these men, this indeed turned out a little dissuasive. The woman doubted that half of the soldiers would even dare stepping in if they were given the order, given their frightened reaction. But still, there would always be enough to not care about the danger. Enough to beat him? The outcome of this confrontation became a bit blurrier.
“What was this?” The enemies’ ruler inquired.
“This? This is only a sample of what I can do. This is my gift to you… Fear.” Killian chuckled darkly. “You play important, you act like you’re invincible. And maybe you are, with normal men. But you made a mistake with me. I am no normal man. I am what lurks in old darkness you forgot to fear. I am the virus trapped in the permafrost, waking up from the dawn of ages to ravage you. And you already lost against me, because you forgot what my kind is capable of. Drop the weapons and turn the heels, because you’re a million year too young to compete with me. And above all, do not even try forcing your rules on me. Because I play no other game than mine, and because you’re not important to me, and because I WAS HERE FIRST, YOU PRIMITIVES!”
The scream resonated in the plain, like freezing the whole scene for a few seconds. It was rather intimidating, not because of the stature of the man standing alone, but because of the madness transpiring from it. As intimidating as it was, Jozie’s first thought was that it didn’t cut all the possibilities for the army. It only provided division between those who still wanted to fight and those who clearly didn’t want to have anything to do with him, enemy or not. However such trick probably wouldn’t work in real life, over men who deployed such means for the occasion.
“As impressive as it was, you can’t take us all down. We can still come at you all at once and end your madness.” Their leader said, predictably thinking of an alternative.
“Yeah, well, about that, there’s something you should know about me. I’m a terribly bad loser, I rarely offer a game I’m not sure to win. I always have an insurance. I could add that I’m not kind, I’m not good, I’m sneaky, but I think you already got the idea. Cherry on top, I love showing important people that they are not so powerful and out of reach, when we take them as the simple humans they are. Just sad and scared little kids full of ego, and compensating by living their fantasy of all-mightiness, at the expenses of the others.” he announced with a tone that sent chills to Jozie’s neck. Killian deviously licked his upper lip and smiled like a dement, like he portrayed a vision that was as delightful as it was assumedly gory. “So here’s the twist!”
Standing with an amused confidence in front of the scared army, Killian offered a nasty smirk and took a deep breath. No one, not even the leader of the army, dared interrupting him after his demonstration.
“I just showed you how destructive a small piece my technology can be. Now imagine that I have a trick, that could obliterate you all at once. And by all, I mean you, the reptiles, and everything on this island that once was my place.” He threw casually, pointing at them with a thumb above his shoulder. “Now the game is the following, try to picture what I’m talking about, try, with your simple minds!
Who knows? Maybe I’m bluffing. Or maybe I found something that will blow you up, deep under this very mountain. Or maybe I had it all along, and this is all my test for you. You can’t be sure, and you’re allowed to doubt. But keep something in mind. My people are probably behind all your myths of creation. My people were about to colonize other planets, and began to harvest the power of the stars themselves. Ask yourself. What kind of nightmares could I fill your sleep with, when I’ll be done with you? What horrors beyond your imagination could I bring back to your puny island?
Try to figure out, little humans. Try to charge. It will be the fitting end, of this ridiculous battle. One last bang. No more humans, no more dragons… Give me just one reason… to send us all to hell.”
“He… isn’t serious, right? There’s nothing below, reassure me.” Jozie asked with terror.
She didn’t believe Adam had a secret weapon all along; there would have been no reason to hide it. But with the explosive he used, and wasn’t supposed to have on him in any possible way, she genuinely feared that there could be a place underground hiding more dangerous weapons. So she turned toward the dragoness at her side. She seemed to have spent time with Adam. if one could give her hope that this was bluff, it was her. But even she wasn’t so confident looking. Just eyeing at the ground between her front paws in nervousness, she didn’t reply right away.
“I don’t know but… we have… stories about something underground… No one ever dared to dig, because it’s said to have the power to destroy the whole island...”
It froze her blood in her veins. She hoped it was pure bluff. But there basically was a fifty percent chances… Either he used a local tale to frighten the most superstitious, or…
“And… Has any of you told him about these stories?” she asked, afraid of the answer.
The two dragons at her sides, only ones that dared staying close to her, looked at each other like they tried to recall. This time, it was the female, Nimera, who replied hesitantly.
“It never came in the discussion… He didn’t hear about well-known places before I told him. And I doubt anyone else here would have told him. I don’t even think Helios or the humans know about it. It’s an old tale, and pretty obscure.”
Now it became too big. With Adam’s legendary bad luck, Jozie had hard time believing in a coincidence. It reduced the possibilities to two options… Either this was pure bluff, as unlikely as it was, or he did discover something below. Wouldn’t these reptiles know then? Lacking more elements, and in intense stress, Jozie had no other choice but to watch.
If he took lives so carelessly… would this whole mountain and what it contained make a difference to him? With a chill, Jozie realized she sincerely didn’t know. A deep worry that was shared by each one of the reptiles around her, but also seemingly by the army. She could sense it. And didn’t like it. Tensions precipitated things…
From the soldiers to their leader, the army was silent. They were boiling to throw the attack, but were stuck in a dead end. Killian knew he was in power now, and gladly twisted the knife into the wound.
“Where I come from, that silence would be the sound of a checkmate. But since I don’t assume you invented a game as noble as chess, I’ll use a more basic metaphor for you to understand. I just put a giant dildo right in your butt.” Killian chuckled, sinisterly and condescendingly mocking them. “That only leaves you two choices then, supreme ruler of my balls. Leave your pride here and save your men’s lives, turn around and go back to playing king with whomever is concerned. Or come and meet a quick end, in illusionary honor that will turn out to be a massive, stupid suicide. And don’t forget, the eradication of your main source of fun. I’m actually curious to see what you’ll choose. Will your wisdom be blessed from the name, ‘Odin’?” he made quote signs as he spoke the name. “And you, nice pets following him… Will you be brave enough to play with me?”
To that provocation, Odin surprisingly… smiled again. Amusedly, even. While most of his men around were drowning in silent panic, questioning their place here, the leader seemed to take joy in this. It was like he didn’t care about his men at all, like all he cared about was the lonely hot-head imposing his marks to an army. His expression was creepy, for it was similar to Killian’s.
“You are aware this is useless? We won’t leave you in peace after you openly declared war on humanity.” The ruler spoke, not hiding his satisfaction. His sidekick, who had been quiet and nervous all along, began to show signs of relief as well. “We cannot let you live.”
“Then stop talking and come get some. I think I’ll enjoy killing a few before blowing us all.” Killian replied on the same provocative tone. “If you all fight like your fallen comrades, I bet I can take down fifty of you! So who’s to come first?!’
“We will prefer more precautious way, in respect for your… dangerousness” Odin dropped with disdain.
In last resort, there was always a way to shut a loud mouth for good, without getting too closely involved. And many cultures, as primitive as they were, had figured out the value of long-range attacks. A way that was surely less thrilling than brutally slaughtering with a blade, but effective to minimize the losses, especially in this strange hostage situation…
Anticipating the signal, an unordered arrow took flight from somewhere in the ranks. But in a steady move, not even that fast, Killian moved out of the trajectory and his right hand closed on the projectile, caught in flight. The only result was a dark, amused laughter.
“You’re so predictable...” Killian threw at them, casually dropping the arrow to the ground. Or at least it seemed, because it planted straight. He then went grabbing the two swords that still lay on the blood-stained grass. “One arrow won’t do the trick! Come on! See bigger! Use your power and importance to waste resources foolishly! Unleash hell, and let us all see that behind the cruel ruler is a ridicule child making a tantrum for one guy who bothered his pussy friend!”
Was he openly calling for death now?! Rage boiled in Jozie, to the point she clenched her fists and jaws. He had managed to confuse them, maybe he could have hoped to avoid the battle if he had played smarter! They were scared, impressed by his demonstration! Why did he have to keep provoking them?!
Odin rose a hand, and in the back rows, many men rose bow-like weapons over their head. The situation was so dramatic that Jozie didn’t pay attention to the large shadow cast over them, focused on the countless arrows that took flight. The sky was soon full of projectiles, forming a wall no living could have escaped.
Killian, unimpressed, held his ground with a wide smile, rising his swords like he welcomed death as an old opponent… “You’re really not playful… So let’s end the game… Come at…”
There was an earthquake suddenly interrupting the speech. And from above, a gigantic body landed between Killian and the army. Shielding the mad man, a hard, white rampart received all the deadly projectiles that hit the thick scales and bumped to fall pathetically on the ground. The massive body turned its face to the pile of what had to be a less that toothpicks for it.
“What a shame… I really hoped I’d get the acupuncture session I’ve been waiting for so long…” the immense white dragon with broken horns spoke in disappointment, looking at Killian with a strange expression, then at the army.
Out of words and in search for answers, Jozie looked at the far smaller reptiles at her side and behind her, still relatively big compared to her. Their lower jaws were dropped, clearly meaning that even to them, this was exceptional. The good side was their expression, more amazed than scared. It was a sign that this creature wasn’t perceived as a threat to them. But to the army…
Such an oversized reptile could probably wipe all the rows in one swing of his tail. And the same thought was readable on the behavior of the men, fidgeting on place like nervous rabbits. Many of them were looking at their leader, like in hope that he’d order the retreat. Showing impressive self-control, Odin stood still, not showing his fear in front of his men. But his eyes were fixed on the massive dragon who looked specifically at him.
“It’s been a long while, Odin. But it’s fortunate you are here, I…”
“Soldiers, it’s a battle we can’t win today!” The ruler immediately yelled at his men, and turned to walk in the opposite direction, from when they all came.
The men of the army had a brief moment of hesitation, but began to follow their ruler, quite hastly for some. Most of them looked relieved, but Jozie noticed something disturbing… If it was sheer fear of the massive reptile, they would have run away. But they walked away. Big difference, heavy of sense. They didn’t expect a surprise attack from it, which meant this creature was familiar to them too. Familiar, but shunned, seemingly. Whatever could be the reason.
“He never wants to listen… but one day he’ll still have to hear it…” the white, gigantic dragon dropped in a loud sigh.
“You want a medal for that?!” Killian shouted at the attention of the giant creature, visibly not minding the size difference and pointing his sword accusingly. If he had been careless to the point to face a wall of arrows… It was enough to convince Jozie to step in. Getting squished under the paw of this creature wouldn’t be a preferable end, and she had enough anyway! “Nobody asked you anything, you big dumb bag of scales! I was expecting…”
“Your thankfulness warms my old heart.” The giant beast laughed and lowered its head to his level, not caring that he cut the small human in the middle of his sentence. It impressively towered Killian, who ironically, looked more pissed than impressed. “What’s the matter? You wanted to annoy the humans, I wanted to make sure you little bag of meat survived this. I just did what I wanted, because I could. You got to impress them and still get to live. Does that sound wrong to you, devil?”
The words were provocative, but the manner the giant beast spoke them held nothing hostile. It was like he took the threatening attitude of this small human as a worthy distraction.
Jozie hurried her steps when she saw Killian hesitate. From where she was, she couldn’t see his face. After such display of violence, she feared he might react on an impulse again… It wouldn’t take much to the huge dragon to end his madness. She was too relieved to see the army leave to let Adam or Killian ruin this little hope to give him a piece of her mind!
“Like it would have been difficult for me to survive. Why do you want me alive anyway?” Killian replied, in a tone that clearly wasn’t as amused as when he had the lead.
“Because when you grow old, eventually, you get too tired to hate and then you begin to understand. I do not hate you anymore, devil. I see how you are a necessary bad on this island.” Strangely, the massive muzzle torn into a smile. “I may be the only one, but I see how… important you are.”
“You… darn bastard!” he suddenly screamed furiously, rising the sword over his head.
“Enough talking, devil. It’s over now.” The gigantic dragon blew. And the effect was instant.
Jozie reached him just in time. Not to stop his attack, rather to frankly catch him! Like he suddenly fell unconscious, his body simply stopped carrying him, and it was only thanks to her reflexes that he didn’t reach the ground. He did fell unconscious! Just like that?! What happened?!
Suddenly remembering she was only a meter away from the giant muzzle of the white dragon, the woman looked up, a bit scared. But it didn’t seem hostile. And it took her a global angle to notice that he smiled kindlier at her than at Killian.
“He should be good in a few minutes… I forgot, do we already know each other or not, young human?”
“Wh-what are you talking about?” Jozie mumbled, in intense stress
“Mmh… surely not, judging by your face… Ah, here you are…”
Jozie turn the head as he noticed a newcomer and saw the dragoness from earlier joining. After all she had been going through in less than a day, this wasn’t the most off putting. But being surrounded by these reptiles wasn’t exactly comfortable for the woman, especially with an unconscious Adam in her arms.
“Old one, why did you come? You need to save your forces…” the female asked in a worried tone. The massive white dragon looked in good shape, was his state supposed to be a concern as well?
“My time hasn’t come yet, don’t worry angel. I just did what I had to do. And also, to talk with hero. Now that his heart, his body and soul are reunited, maybe his spirit will awake as well.”
In the way that was spoken, Jozie wondered if it had a cryptic sense she should get. Maybe this creature was their leader? Patriarch? Wise elder? But a glance at the smaller dragoness was enough to tell that she was as puzzled, and even embarrassed-looking. No way for her to figure out what was truly happening here, but anyway, she began to feel movements in her arms.
In a groan, Adam lifted a hand to rub his face, and opened an eye in a groan. Obviously upset, he got up slowly by himself.
“What’s with blackouts and blood? What happened this time?” he asked in a grumble, like any of this was somehow a simple annoyance.
“I’ll leave this painful task for your friends, hero. I must shorten my presence.” The big dragon answered, cutting Jozie who boiled to scold him like he deserved. Adam, if it was him, had a jolt like he only noticed the presence of the enormous talking beast right in front of him. “I won’t be here next time.”
Next time? One was already plenty! But Adam stared into the big pair of eyes, and he had this expression when he understood something others didn’t. He visibly was destabilized. And immensely guilty in his expression.
“I’m sorry… I screwed up…”
“No, no, that’s not what I’m speaking about. What’s done is done. But their fear won’t hold them for long…” The massive white dragon replied in a soft tone. “And you have to find your thing before they come back, because my presence around here will worsen things faster.”
Okay, he clearly spoke about the army. This part made sense. Fear only worked for a time, even in the worst tyrannies. With so much noise and damages, Jozie also feared he might soon become a target to those who sought challenge. This peace was the calm before the storm.
As for the rest of the speech, Adam spoke the same question she had in mind.
“My thing? What are you talking about? I’ll go fetch it right away, but you have to tell me what it is and where I can find it. If it can even the chances, we have no time for riddles. Please, Old one, try to be more specific…”
“I… I’m sorry I forgot how you used to call it. I think you find it in the treasure room. I don’t know exactly where, but I know you will find it. You have to get it before they stop fearing you again. Just… hurry up, ok? Can you do that for me?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Alright. Don’t worry hero. It will get better. I promise.”
The giant dragon took a few steps back on these cryptic words, which rapidly translated in a hundred meters. And Jozie understood why he took such precaution when a violent wind forced her to protect her face. A massive creature like this one, she couldn’t imagine the force it took for its wings to lift him in the air. And yet, slowly, he flew away toward another mountain in the distance.
“Are we going to talk about all this?” Jozie spoke calmly, yet boiling on the inside.
“Because of me, he burnt more of his last forces. I basically shortened his life expectancy.” Adam said with a sheepish tone. “Jozie, what happened?”
She boiled to explode on him, but this urging feeling began to crumble. Even with all the changes in his personality and capabilities, Jozie couldn’t remain convince this was a game to him either. Or if it was… he didn’t have fun playing it.
“You threatened them, provoked them, blackmailed them, insulted them. And you made a guy literally explode in front of their eyes...You really don’t remember that?!” She spoke carefully, to test and watch his reactions.
“Explode? Whom? How would I do that?” he asked with a mix of astonishment and horror on his face. His eyes quickly met with the low half of a burnt body, only piece still intact.
“You tell me… You’re the one who hid fucking grenades in the pockets of his vest!”
“I didn’t put anything in the pockets, I just took the vest… see?” he said, emptying the pockets before her. Beside what looked like a strange model of phone she never saw and keys, he quickly got the inner fabric out.
“Well you, or your psycho alter ego, threatened to trigger a giant bomb just under our feet! So this was Killian I presume?”
“You know better than me. I only learnt about his existence through the witnesses... The last thing I remember is looking at everyone behind me, thinking that I had to do anything I could to stop these bastards to go further… I was ready to kill as much as I had to and then… blackout.”
“During your absence, this freak almost had you killed.”
“This isn’t important. He could have gotten everyone else killed.”
“Not important?! Adam, again, do you hear yourself?! No wonder why the white dragon called you hero!” Jozie let her mind out, mentally exhausted by the stress he caused her.
“No, that’s low!”
“But you know you deserve it! You just walked to an army, with absolutely no plan, and you only owe your life to the intervention of an unexpected beast!” She kept on her accusation. So be it. He had made her watch too much for her to contain it. “And for what?! To enter a conflict that wasn’t yours and declare war?! That’s the kind of stupid things heroes do, and you know exactly why you and me consider it stupid!”
“Because the hero lies six feet under, while the warrior lives to fight another day. I know. But I’m sick of being a warrior who suffers continuously in fights that don’t matter. I’m sick of staying nicely in my place and let people weaker than me dictates rules I don’t agree with. That doesn’t make me a hero. That just makes me a troublemaker. As for me, Jozie, you have no right to lecture me on my decisions.” Adam grumbled coldly but angrily. Yet almost instantly, he also had this little mimic of when he spoke too fast. At least one element that hadn’t changed.
“What… is this supposed to mean?” Jozie asked, containing her nerves as much as she could.
To that, Adam just looked into her eyes. A stare carrying a cold anger like she never saw before.
“You’re married, with two kids. You moved away, completely forgot me over time, and I have personally moved on as you can see. Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have to take some time alone to think.”
“If you think you’re getting away with…”
“Jozie! …I need to take some time alone.” He cut her off in a tone she recognized all too well.
Instinctively, and discretely, she looked down as he stared at her stoically. His hand was trembling, rather violently. A quick glance at the dragoness made her doubt she had noticed. Nervous, she was focused on the humans’ faces.
Jozie knew all too well what it meant. The frustration was beyond reason, but this, was a good opportunity to remind him what kind of friend she was. The kind able to swallow back her pride and anger, to simply nod in silence and watch him walk away when he couldn’t speak.
She did this, and it wasn’t easy. But the only reason she managed to, like every time, was because her torment was very little, compared to what he was about to live. There were times she thought it was a trick to avoid her. But then… for having witnessed it, it was a fight she plainly trusted him with… What’s more, he’d listen better after his crisis.
“You know only I ever had the shoulders to be your friend.” She still couldn’t help but let slip.
“Yeah? Well one of these days, I’ll tell you about the woman who had the nerves to be my wife…”
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Multiple characters
Size 50 x 50px
Listed in Folders
Is the mountain... a misile silo? a nuclear misile silo? perhaps a military base? maaan, things are going to get gud!
hehe, so in order... too small, more powerful than that, more important than that^^ All powers, aren't raw power ;)
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