Half the Demon's Soul (Completed Rough Draft)

Chapter 23

Max:

I open my eyes and see a clear blue sky. Beneath me was the softest grass I have ever felt. I blink a few times before sitting up. Laid out in front of me was a sea of endless fields and blue mountains off in the far distance. "Where am I?" I say aloud. I try to think of how I might've gotten here but the last memory I have is when I was still in the Lizard's castle. "Dexter?!" I look around franticly trying to spot him. "He is not here." Someone said from behind me.

I spin around to see two wolves, one black and one white. I look around them to try and spot whoever had spoken to me. There was no one else. I slowly approach the wolves and crouch down in front of them. "Do you two know who just spoke?" To my surprise they both nodded their heads. "Really? Then do you know where I am?" Same response. "I don't suppose you two can you tell me?" I ask not really expecting an answer.

I jumped back when I heard a voice in my head. "Of course we can."

"Who said that!?" I demanded. The two wolves rose to their feet. "We did." I was shocked and rather confused by this. "H-how?" The wolves began to circle me slowly. "We are you." I watch each of them closely. "What do you mean by that?"

"You will not understand unless we explain much deeper, would you like us to do that?" I hesitantly nod my head. "Just tell me what's going on, and where am I!?"

The wolves both stopped circling and sat down in front of me. "For some reason the seal on your power was loosened and you received too much power. It has happened once before, quite recently in fact, but you do not have a purpose for the power this time. Unfortunately the power you seem to rely on more is your darker half." The black wolf lowered his head. "This has resulted in you losing control to your inner demon." It sits upright once again. "Because you have nothing to use up this power surge, you were forced back into your subconscious."

I shake my head. "But this can't be all in my head... it feels too real." The white wolf nods it's head. "I understand why you might believe that, but if you consider that you are in you're own mind then you will realize that you can make everything around you feel as real as you want it to."

There was some reason in its words, but I still had my droughts. "Than if, let's say, I wanted the grass to be blue and the sky to be green they would be that?" The wolves both nodded their heads. "Close your eyes and wish for it, then look around." I do as they say. When I open my eyes I'm shocked. The grass was blue and above me was a green sky. "Wow. I never thought it would look so... weird." The wolves smile, if you could call it a smile. "Yes indeed, it is weird. But Max, you really need to focus now if you don't want Dexter to-" I jump to my feet. "Oh yeah! Where is he? He was with me not too long ago, where did he wander off to?"

The wolves stood in front of me to block my path. "We have already told you he is not here. Now Max, focus. This is very important." I look down at the wolves. "Max, if you don't regain control then Dexter will die. You will kill him if you don't listen. Now sit." I sit down. "Good. Now we want you to clear your head."

I give them a puzzled look. "But then won't you disappear?" The white shook its head. "We are a true part of you, we can come and go as we please."

I shrug my shoulders. "Whatever you say." I close my eyes. Slowly, I felt the grass recede until there was nothing below me anymore. When I opened my eyes there was nothing but darkness. I began to panic. "Calm down Max." The wolves voice echoed. "This is exactly what you were supposed to do. You are almost done, now we want you to think about Dexter."

"Why him? I thought you just told me to clear my head. You're not pulling my leg, are you."

"Max focus. We're not tricking you. He is the one you are fighting. He is the one you are seeing right now. He is the one that can bring you back. Now think about Dexter. Focus on his breathing, can you hear it?" I listen closely and, just faintly, I could hear breathing. "Yes, I can hear it."

"Good, good. Listen to that. Hear nothing else but his breathing. Listen to it as if nothing else mattered...." The voice started to fade as the sound of Dexter's breathing got louder. It got to the point where there was nothing else. As I stared forward a light began to appear. It was faint, but still there. In the light I started to see someone... no not someone.

I started to see Dexter in that light. He was hurt. Did I do that? From the way he was looking at me I was almost certain. That look of despair that clouded his eyes. I wanted to do something. I don't know what. I just didn't want him to look at me like that. "Dexter...."

Dexter's ears perked. "Max?"

"Yes." I took a step forward and fell. Dexter caught me before I hit the ground. "Are you back to normal now?"

I nodded my head. "I think I am."

Relief washed over Dexter's face. He held me tight, barring his head in my shoulder. "I thought I lost you...."

I stroke his head as his form slips from wolf to boy. "I'm not going anywhere." I feel the tears through my shirt.

Dexter pulled his head up to look at me with fresh tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry...." He said before kissing me. This time I did not pull back, I didn't have the energy to even if I wanted to.