"It's a legit question," she says. "Don't tell me it wasn't something you worried about too."
"To be honest, it hasn't been as bad as you might think," I say. "While this place looks very medieval, it's not. Not when you factor in magic and strong influences from our modern world. They can't replicate everything, but they've made a go of it with some things. And there's a potion I drink once a month that all but eliminates cramps and bloating. If I could bring it back to our world and patent it, I'd be the richest person to ever live."
"That's not so bad then," Pete says. "But… how much longer until you think we can go home?"
"I don’t know." I don’t know when we will defeat Levi. And if we lose, they might never go back. But I don’t have the heart to tell them. "I'm so sorry I pulled you into this. Do you hate me?"
Es sips her drink and laughs. "Darlin', this is the first vacation I've had since I started working when I was thirteen. We are surrounded by eye candy galore and all the food and drink we could want. We're good."
"And I'm getting training I could have never imagined," Pete says, his face lighting up. "Varis is amazing." Then a shadow falls over his eyes, probably remembering the book we borrowed.
"Ha. Yeah. Slave driver, but amazing. Sure."
We spend the rest of the evening hanging out, exploring Dean's realm, and just talking. It feels good to have a semi-normal day with my best friends. I show them the grove of trees Dean took me to and explain their history. Pete, especially, is drawn to the magic of the forest, and convinces us to stay longer. Why not? We need someplace private to do the ritual, and the grove is about as good as it gets. We stay there as the moons rise higher in the sky and everything turns dark, save what we can see by moonlight. The ancient trees cast long shadows against us. It's a haunting scene, one that sends a shiver up my spine.
I start to have second thoughts, but I need an edge to defeat Levi. I must do this.
Yami looks nervous as I place him on the ground in front of me. "We're going to make this happen, okay, buddy? Don't worry, it's going to be fine."
I open the book and read the lines as instructed, then I close my eyes and focus. Something swirls deep within me, like liquid fire in my belly. I tug at it and pull it out, expanding it within me. It warms my bones and blood and pushes out the chill caused by handling the dark tomb.
And as I meditate the way Varis taught me, I feel the string of power that connects me to my dragon. Yami chirps nervously, and I try to sooth him through our connection.
I speak the final incantation.
And when I open my eyes, Yami's form evaporates and a darkness covers the light of the moons, blocking them from sight as a cold wind blows through the grove. Shadows form before me, coalescing into something much darker and larger than I've ever seen of the Midnight Star.
A surge of excitement spreads through my belly as I realize it's working. We did it.
Yami's form materializes into the sparkling midnight of stars, and he screeches loudly into the night, breathing a stream of blue flame across the sky. I reach a hand out to him, a smile on my face at his magnificence, but when he turns to me, it is not the Yami I know and love.
It is a different Yami.
Full of rage and darkness.
Then I feel it.
The shadows spreading through me like a cancer, infecting every part of my body.
The dragon screeches again and shoots more flames as his tail lashes out, hitting an ancient tree and cutting the bark in half.
No.
Pete and Es scramble to my side. "What's he doing?" Es asks.
"I don't know."
Yami roars again. Then turns his attention to us. His raises his talons, larger than a person. And strikes.
I push my friends out of the way and we fall into the grass. "Run!" I scream. "Run!"
We rush out of the grove, and behind us, a shadow loom over the sky.
Yami.
People scream in the streets. They run for cover.
And the dragon descends, breathing flame upon all in his path. He sets buildings on fire. And when I look behind me, I see it.
The grove.
Burning.
How could I have done this? How can I stop it?
"Yami!" I call out to the sky. "Yami, stop. Please. It’s me."
The dragon tilts his head down at my form, and then he strikes. I dodge out of the way.
But Es isn’t fast enough.
Talons graze her shoulder, and she screams in pain and falls to the stone tiles. Pete rushes to her side, blocking her with his body.
Tears fill my eyes. "Yami. This isn’t you."
A gust of wind nearly knocks me down.
And the dragon lands before me. His purple eyes stare deep into my soul. Within them I see time and space and the end of all things. Within them I see death.
What have I done?
What have I unleashed?
Yami…
He lunges for me. To kill. To end.
And then a silver owl crashes into his side, ramming them both into a building. The stone crumbles around them, and the beasts roar and hiss as they fight each other with tooth and claw.