The Monster Within

I stood against the very thing I sought to destroy. Whether this ends peacefully or not I would rather die than see the effect of these empty promises and broken laws. I stood tall by my friends who were the only things keeping me from breaking down. If I got through this fight, then I would live another day knowing that I'm trying to do something good in the world.

King readied his sickly green magic, while everyone else took out their technological weapons; I braced myself for the fight. I wouldn't lose, because if I did then the world would easily burn at their feet, they would become harsher dictators than the world has ever known.

I stood against our oppressors with scars from their chains, and a broken soul. My friends didn't know that one way or another this would be the hardest fight we've had to face.

They didn't know that I was tied to their chains by blood.

The commander of the enemy shouted commands, and so the fight began. "FOR IONIA!" My friends shouted, and then we charged.

We were at a disadvantage in the fading light and scattered rocks and stone hidden in the tall grass.

I ran straight for the commander, nearly tripping from the uneven ground. I dodged a knife, then tried to punch her, but she grabbed my hand and quickly overpowered me. I called my power to the surface, and my skin became hot and flushed until the commander was forced to let me go. I screeched when water was dumped on me from behind, and after that the commander restrained me with my back against her chest. I shivered in the cold water, trying to generate heat. It had soaked through my clothes and this was seeming to be much more serious than wet socks.

"Shit," I said to no one in particular. If I was caught this easily, then they were prepared. Someone had briefed them on our behavior. "Fall back!" I commanded in such a cold, bone-chilling tone that my friends immediately obliged. I closed my eyes and whispered a prayer to the gods to allow my friends to go free.

"Put up the field," the commander ordered. I twisted my way around just in time to see the invisible barrier be put up by a few soldiers. It was iridescent and reflected the grays and greens, the consistency of water until it snapped into a solid and was tinted. My friends scrambled to break it, but it was no use. I will always remember their shouting as they realize that I've been captured. They rammed into the shield and used every trick they knew, but they wouldn't be able to break it. Not until they wanted it to be broken. The only hope for my friends was that I was still alive. Anyone else would have been killed on the spot. We had already lost so many.

The commander forced me to turn away from them, and partly dragged me further away from my friends. The rest of her soldiers lined up neatly in two rows, then they waited. I knew this was going to happen eventually, but why did it have to happen so soon?

A strong intimidating man appeared then in a flurry of snow. I attempted to burn the general with my magic, to get away from that man who I desperately didn't want to see, but the water had screwed up any excess heat I was trying to feel for. The man with a monster under his skin that he kept so well kept that you would forget it's there.

The general forced me to my knees in front of this man, holding a blade to the spot where my neck meets my shoulders.

"There's no need for that, general," the man said, "Austra and I were just going to have a nice conversation."

"But sir-"

"Put down the blade, please." Even though I was staring at the ground I knew that his eyes were kind, like a gentle grandfather scolding his granddaughter.

"Austra, I'm not sure why you insist working against me is the best path for you," he said when the blade was sheathed with a schiiiickk.

"Because I can't help but see the monster underneath your skin, waiting to bring the world to ruins." I shifted on the ground, holding back the burning tears yet I made no move to get up.

"It was your destiny to work with me side by side." He knelt to the ground, still towering over me.

"I won't be like you," I spat, he harshly grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. His hands were covered in a layer of frost that melted off when he touched my skin.

"Your mother should have taught you better." He spoke dismissively, as if my mother truly had meant nothing to him.

"My mother taught me to never trust the monsters."

"Then you are denying the truth!" I winced at the sheer volume of his voice, "Your monsters are your own, they are not mine," he continued, "you cannot help what I have gifted you."

There was the sound of shattered glass and confetti rained down, and with it, my hope of leaving without any casualties

"I told you to retreat!" I shouted, tugging myself out of the grip and lunging to disarm the soldiers around me. I glanced at their leader. The man disappeared into a cascade of snow. The one who was supposed to be a prince, a king, a savior. The man who was responsible for my life yet used it like a pawn. My Father.

"Shit, Austra! Are you okay?" King was the first to break his rank. Two hands grabbed me and yanked me back towards their get-away vehicle.

"King!" The tone of my voice was alarming and made my throat hurt like something was clawing at it. "Let go of me!" I thrashed and fought, tried to dry off, but all I succeeded in was whipping water everywhere and slowing everyone down.

I built up energy. I felt the magic in my veins, but I was looking for something stronger, something deeper. Something...buried. I dove into the magic, searching and searching. I couldn't get caught, not again. It would be so much worse this time, that I knew, so this time I was going to unleash the monster and hope for the love of the gods that I could do this in time.

___

The water rose over my head, red with blood and as cold as ice. I struggled under the water, forcing myself to swim but the cold shock was too much for me to handle. Wasn't I supposed to be doing something?

Water swirled around me and I caught glimpses of something orange before it became completely visible in the tinted water. It was a rather large, seemingly healthy dog-like creature but it held sovereignty that a mere dog wouldn't. Its legs were splattered with black that faded into shades of orange that rivaled the beauty of a tiger. Its stomach and chest were white but tinted a pronounced red. Its tail was dark, the same color as its legs, and fluffed up like a raccoon. Its face was small, but matched that of a coyote with a small black nose at the end of a red-stained snout, piercing eyes tinted with orange, and large cat-ears that stood attentive on top of its head.

I recognized the creature as some sort of fox.

It moved its paws as if it were walking, and used its large strong tail to move in circles around me. It barked once, then gestured with its head. I reached for the fox quite carefully so I wouldn't startle it. I grasped onto its warm fur in this freezing environment. I was surprised that neither of us had drowned yet.

"You're just a little fox, aren't you?" I touched his face and the dark scenery flickered to a bloody red. "No, your..." I muttered, trailing off. This is what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to find this fox, but it didn't make sense.

Something began to smell foul, like wood and burnt food. A large blue fire erupted and the water drained away. I coughed and choked up water and bits of blood. That couldn't be good. I trembled next to the fox, taking comfort in the heat of the fire.

"Why did I need to find you?" I asked the fox. The fox's bark echoed across the plains. It dragged me onto its back, where I eventually fell into a deep slumber.

___

I woke up on the battlefield covered in blood. The sun seared my eyes. I reached my arm up and tried to grasp the sun. My hand was wet with blood and teeth marks. What have I done? I groaned and tried to sit up. My friends were gone.

King's armor was in a pile on the ground, while Luna's waterskin was a meer inches away from my hand.

I groaned and heaved and pulled myself into a sitting position, automatically scanning for threats. Stray tears dripped down my cheeks. I had no idea what happened, but I could take a guess: I no longer had friends.