by Kyle Shultz
The three of us crept around the crates to where Jekyll and Hyde were talking. They were so absorbed in their conversation that they failed to notice they were not alone.
“You understand, don’t you?” said Jekyll, as if speaking to a child. The timid demeanor he had displayed when Melody and I first met him was gone, replaced by arrogance. “It’s like I’ve told you all along. This is the only way.”
Hyde’s massive shoulders were slumped, and tears stood in his eyes. “It’s your fault!” he shouted. “It’s all your fault I’m this way! If I hadn’t taken your potions, my magic would still be weak, like it was when I was a kid!”
“Yes,” said Jekyll. “So weak that the Darklings never sought you out. Never took you to Warrengate to hone your abilities. You were worthless to them. But you didn’t want it that way, did you? That was why you came to me. You’d heard I was experimenting with a method of amplifying magic.” He poked Hyde in the chest. “Your decision, my friend. And one you made with your eyes wide open. I even warned you that it all might go wrong.”
“Not like this,” Hyde snarled, flinching away from Jekyll like a wounded animal. “You never told me it would be like this. The anger. The…the killing.” He looked down at his hands as if they belonged to a stranger. “You never told me I’d become a monster.”
“Because I didn’t know what would happen,” argued Jekyll. “I was in uncharted territory with these experiments. But now I have a way to make everything right. All you have to do is agree.”
“I don’t want to be you!” Hyde roared. “I don’t want to lose myself!”
A hard, cruel edge crept into Jekyll’s smile. “Would it be any great loss?” He gestured to the younger man. “Look at you. A powerful man who can’t control his power. A criminal. A murderer. A monster, as you so aptly put it.” He chuckled. “You were nothing before you came to me, and now you’re far worse than that. Why bother holding onto your life? To your identity? They’re meaningless. Worthless. But if you give yourself over to the power of the Janus Elixir, then at least the few fragments of you that are useful will serve some purpose. Your strength and your magic will be governed by my intellect.”
“But what about my soul?” said Hyde, in a choked voice.
Jekyll laughed. “Your soul? You haven’t got one. Though, in fairness, no one really does. We sentient beings flatter ourselves that we’re something more than a collection of atoms blown this way and that by elemental forces of the universe, such as magic. The myth of the soul is used to make people think they have some intrinsic value which can never be stripped away. But love, happiness, kindness, all those things that are supposed to spring from the soul—they don’t matter. They’re just chemistry.” He tapped his head. “The only thing that matters is the mind. That’s what gives a person value, makes them superior.” He stepped closer to Hyde, a greedy look in his eyes. “I deserve your magic far more than you do, you pathetic lout.”
A tear trickled down Hyde’s cheek and fell to the floor.
“So,” said Jekyll, in a softer tone. “Do you agree?”
“Stop!” I shouted, before Hyde could answer. “Get away from him, Hyde, he’s lying to you.”
Jekyll betrayed no irritation at the sudden arrival of guests. “Eavesdropping, eh?”
“Oh, it’s bad form, I know,” said James. “But it was such a fascinating conversation.”
“How long were you listening?” Jekyll demanded.
“Long enough to get an idea of precisely how you intend to manipulate this poor man.” I glowered at the doctor. “Which means I know how to dismantle your arguments.”
“Get back from me, please!” Hyde held up his hands, and magic flickered around them. “I don’t want to hurt you!”
“No,” said Melody, “you don’t. Which proves that everything Jekyll said about you is wrong. You do have a soul, and you’re not worthless.”
“But...I killed people,” said Hyde.
“We know that,” I said. “And it’s something you’ll have to answer for. But I don’t believe you meant to do it.” I pointed to Jekyll. “The doctor here knew exactly what he was doing to you all along. He fanned the flame of your powers into an inferno with his experiments, knowing that you’d do whatever he asked in order to gain control of it. He drove you mad for his own ends. He’s more responsible for those deaths than you are.”
The confusion in Hyde’s eyes slowly shifted to determination. He gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists. “You,” he boomed at Jekyll. “I was right all along! You made me into this!”
Jekyll remained unperturbed. “Perhaps I did,” he said with a shrug. “Perhaps everything Mr. Blackfire says is correct.” He raised an index finger. “But may I draw your attention to one point he briefly touched on—about you having to answer for your crimes? I wonder who you’ll be answering to?”
James looked at me. “Not the police, surely. They can’t handle someone like him, can they?”
“No,” I agreed, “not the police.”
“Can’t you just...help him escape, then?” said James. “I mean, if there’s nobody to deal with him, then...”
“You’re forgetting about the Council of Scions, pirate-boy,” said Jekyll. “It’s their role to govern the use of magic, after all.”
“But they’re evil!” said James. “Why would they care about people getting killed?”
“I don’t think they care about that as much as they do about someone being too powerful for them to control,” said Melody.
“But they haven’t come after me,” Hyde protested.
“No,” I said gravely. “Not yet.”
“Don’t you understand, Hyde?” Jekyll sneered. “It’s not as if Mr. Blackfire ever intended to let you go free. Oh, no. Now that he fully understands what you are, and that you can’t be stopped, he either intends to hand you over to the Council’s judgment...or to destroy you himself.”
Hyde turned to me with a wild, hunted expression. “Is that true?”
“Of course not!” cried James. “Mr. Blackfire would never do that! He’s a good man! Or dragon, or whatever!”
“James,” said Melody softly, “hush.”
The boy looked at her, and I saw the truth dawning in his eyes. The truth Melody already knew.
Jekyll was right.
“I’m sorry, Hyde,” I said. “But I don’t have any other choice.”
“And there it is,” Jekyll crowed. “The law of the jungle, the stark and bloody reality at the heart of this random, soulless universe. Kill or be killed. No justice, no compassion, no happy endings.” He took a vial of purple liquid from the pocket of his coat and held it out to Hyde. “They’ll never stop coming for you until you’re dead—and along the way, even more innocent people will get caught in the crossfire. There is no other way. Take the elixir, Mr. Hyde...and choose your own fate.”
Hyde remained as still as a statue for a moment. Then he reached for the Janus Elixir.
“No!” I cried. “Don’t do it, Hyde; it’s not worth it!”
With an angry snarl, Hyde flung out his hand toward us. Bolts of red lightning blasted us against the crates behind us, nearly knocking them all over.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Hyde rumbled. “You were going to betray me.”
James grabbed my arm and helped me to my feet. “You all right? Still holding up?”
“Yes,” I said, wincing a little. “I’m fine. Plan B is still on track.”
“Glad to hear you’ve got one,” said Melody, “because it looks as if we’re going to need it.”
We all watched in horror as Hyde gulped down the contents of the bottle. Meanwhile, Jekyll produced another bottle of the violet liquid and drank it himself. Purple smoke began to swirl around both him and Hyde.
“Finally,” said Jekyll, from within the cloud.
Hyde’s massive silhouette was still visible. He was hunched over in pain and clutched his head. “No,” he bellowed, “no, this doesn’t feel right! P
lease, make it stop! I’ve changed my mind!”
Jekyll’s laughter echoed through the warehouse. “Too late, my friend.” The smoke congealed into purple tentacles that encircled both men, cocooning them so that they were no longer visible.
“No!” Hyde shouted. His head and shoulders emerged from the smoke as he made a last, desperate attempt to crawl away and escape the dark ritual. He reached for me with a trembling hand. “Blackfire, help me! Please!”
I gripped his hand and pulled with all my strength, but my efforts were in vain. The tentacles tore him free from my grasp and dragged Hyde back into the whirlwind of magic. He gave a final scream of terror, and was gone. Lost forever.
A few seconds later, the smoke cleared to reveal an altered Dr. Jekyll. He had the same face, but his frame was taller and more muscular, and red light sparked from his hands. His clothes remained mostly intact, though they had been stretched and torn by the transformation. He looked down at himself with satisfaction.
“So,” he said, fixing his gaze on me, “Mr. Hyde is dead; long live Dr. Jekyll. I wonder what I’ll do next?” His smile widened. “I already have a few ideas.”
Chapter 16
Goodbye
“Suddenly,” said Melody, “I find myself even more interested in this Plan B you mentioned. Does it involve running?”
“I’m afraid not,” said James.
She glanced at me. “You came up with better plans back when I was your assistant.”
“Trust me,” I told her.
“Tall order.”
“Do it anyway.”
“I trust you.” She repeated the phrase like a mantra, as if she were trying to convince herself. “I trust you.”
“How invigorating,” Jekyll purred. “There’s really nothing like absorbing the essence of another human being to improve one’s health. I highly recommend it.”
“Well, you’re the doctor,” I said. “Not sure if your elixir will take off as the new miracle drug, though.”
“Oh, I don’t intend to distribute it to the general public,” said Jekyll. “However, I will consider applications on a case-by-case basis for those who want to become a part of the little group I’m building.”
“Group...” Melody’s jaw fell as she realized the full implications of what he was saying. “You mean you’re planning on doing this to more people?”
“Of course,” said Jekyll, seemingly surprised by the question. “Why would I stop at being just two people? Why not give myself even more power?” He removed another bottle of the Janus Elixir from his pocket. “It only takes a tiny portion of the god’s brain to make a full dose of this potion. It will be a long time before I run out.”
“Mr. Hyde,” James called out. “If you’re still in there...maybe you could help us?”
Jekyll snickered. “Don’t bother, boy. Oh, there’s still a piece of his mind buried deep within me somewhere.” He winced briefly. “Just enough to create a constant screaming noise in the back of my head. But it will fade in time. Especially as I continue to absorb more people.”
“You won’t be doing that again,” I said. “This ends now, tonight.”
Jekyll’s smile became even more sinister. “On the contrary, I think it will only be a minute or so before I do it again.”
He waved his hand, and red light flashed around Melody, levitating her off the ground. Her head bent back at a painful angle as she struggled, and she let out a scream of pain.
“Let her go!” I shouted.
“I will...for the right price,” said Jekyll. “Hyde’s powers are exhilarating, but yours, Blackfire...I can’t imagine what it will be like to have yours.”
“No!” cried Melody through gritted teeth. “Malcolm, don’t—ugh—” Her mouth clamped shut, and she fought in vain to open it.
“Shhhh,” said Jekyll, putting a finger to his lips. “We have a bargain to strike.” He turned back to me. “Her life for yours. Nice and simple. Although, if you feel I’m offering too little, I can give you a better deal.” He raised his other hand, and James rose up in the air alongside Melody, kicking wildly and crying out in anger and pain. “Two lives instead of one.”
“All right!” I boomed. “All right. I’ll give you what you want, just let them go!”
“Done.” Jekyll lowered his hands, and Melody and James instantly dropped to the floor. “But if either of them try to interfere with the procedure, I’ll have to kill them.”
“Stay back,” I warned, as I stepped toward Jekyll.
“Don’t you dare!” Melody grabbed my wrist, but I pulled away from her.
“James,” I said, “hold her back, please.”
James took hold of her arms before she could protest. “I’m really sorry about this, Melody.”
“Not half as sorry as you’re going to be!” Melody grappled with him, but he continued to block her from getting to me.
“Here,” said Jekyll, ignoring the fracas unfolding behind me. “Drink this down, and we can get started.”
Without hesitation, I took the bottle and drained it.
“NO!” Melody screamed…but the deed was already done.
Chapter 17
Melody
No, it’s not real, he’s not gone, this can’t be happening...
“Excellent,” purred Jekyll, as the smoke cleared. “Yes. This is going to be marvelous.” He flexed his fingers and gave a long, contented sigh. This time, his appearance had not changed, but something was different about his manner. Melody thought he seemed even crueler and more arrogant now.
Malcolm, my Malcolm, gone, trapped inside that...creature...no. No, I won’t stand for this.
She wrenched free from James’ grasp. “Let him go!” she shouted at Jekyll. “Bring him back!”
“I’m afraid that’s quite impossible,” said Jekyll.
“Liar!” Melody clenched her fists. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Jekyll. You don’t know what I’m capable of!”
I don’t care. I’ll reveal who I truly am. I’ll tell Malcolm everything if I can only get him back.
“You?” Jekyll snorted in amusement. “You haven’t got anything to fight me with. You’re not even a Charmblood, for pity’s sake. Just an ordinary human.”
Oh, you really shouldn’t have said that.
A humorless smile tugged at the corners of Melody’s mouth. “As a matter of fact, I’m not—”
“Never mind,” Jekyll interrupted. “Neither of you is of any interest to me. It’s time I explored the full potential of my new dragon powers.” He closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, and exhaled.
With decidedly unremarkable results.
What?
James frowned. “Er...was that you trying to breathe fire? ‘Cos it didn’t work.”
“Shut up,” Jekyll snapped. “I just need a moment to collect myself, that’s all.” He spread his arms with a dramatic flourish.
Nothing happened.
“And that was you trying to turn yourself into a dragon, right?” Melody guessed.
“I know what I’m doing!” Jekyll snarled. He shut his eyes again. “I now call upon my dragon self! I surrender my body to the transforming power of the Dragonflame!”
Idiot. But what’s going on?
“That’s not how Malcolm does it,” said Melody. “He doesn’t make a speech. He just...goes kaboom.”
“Dragon!” Jekyll bellowed at the top of his lungs. “Come to me, dragon!”
“Your wish is my command,” said a thundering voice from outside.
Then a large section of the roof was suddenly torn away, sending sheets of rain pouring into the warehouse.
A dragon’s roar echoed across Talesend.
Chapter 18
Hello
I swooped down through the hole I’d made and alighted on the floor—fully dragon, and fully alive.
“Malcolm!” Melody cried, overjoyed.
Jekyll’s face had gone white as chalk. “B-b-but-but how...that’s impossible! I
absorbed you!”
“No,” I said, “you didn’t. You only thought you did.”
“What?”
“I took a page out of your book,” I explained. “I called on Victor Frankenstein for a little help. You know how he makes those homunculi of himself? Well, he was kind enough to create one for me—after I threatened to eat him, that is.”
“It was—you mean—”
I grinned. “Precisely. You got a small taste of my mind, but nothing more than that. I’m still here, and still completely myself.”
Jekyll stared in disbelief for a few seconds, then his expression changed to one of fury. “It makes no difference! I’ve still got Hyde’s powers: I can still kill you all!”
“Actually, you can’t,” I said. “Because that wasn’t just any homunculus you ate. It was one we’d dosed with hydra blood, provided by James here. It didn’t hurt the homunculus, given that it wasn’t alive to begin with. I’m not quite sure what it will do with something as complicated as you.”
Jekyll gasped and clutched at his stomach, his complexion even more pallid than before. A trickle of blood oozed from his nose.
“Victor theorized that it would either kill you outright, or just set you back a bit, since you’ve absorbed a second life in addition to your own,” I explained. “Personally, I’m hoping for the former option.”
“Insects!” Jekyll screamed.
“Oh, yes, that’s always the way, isn’t it?” I shook my head. “Come up with some heinous plan, get defeated, start calling people insects. Never fails. Try something new.” I shifted back into human form and stepped over to Melody, who had moved under one of the undamaged sections of the roof to get out of the rain. “You can congratulate me on my brilliance whenever you like,” I told her in an undertone.
She slapped me hard across the face.
I glared at her with fire in my eyes—literally. “Did you just slap a dragon?”
“Yes,” she snarled, breathing heavily.