Wrath

by Jade Royal

  “As long as you’re at my side,” he whispered to her. He turned her in his arms, pressing her flush against his body. He cupped her delicate face.

  “After this fight is done Ashbel, I’m ready to live our lives again. We have two years to make up for.”

  “I’m ready,” Ashbel smiled. “I made you a promise, can you make me one?” she questioned.

  “Of course, little flame.”

  “If you feel burdened at all by whatever may transpire tonight, promise me that you will share that burden with me. Don’t try to take it all on yourself, and don’t think that anything you have to do tonight will turn you into a monster and that I will turn you away.” Kapono kissed her forehead.

  “I promise. As long as I can keep your belly full with my babies,” he winked. Ashbel snorted at him. She pressed a firm kiss to his lips.

  “Let’s go take back Emberdom,” she whispered. When she looked at the Drakaina’s they were all smiling widely but their eyes were steely with determination.

  “Tonight, is the night! We’re taking back Emberdom!” Ashbel shouted. It amped up the women, garnering their excitement.

  Kapono admired the fire in his wife. Despite the fact that she was a woman who most men would find disobedient, Kapono was relieved that she had not changed a bit. He was not sure he could be with a woman who did not give him some kind of pushback. As they took to the road, Kapono strode with pride because Ashbel was at his side.

  He was clothed normally again. His skin finally uncovered and free under the heat of his homeland. The closer they walked into town, the more attention they garnered. With Kapono leading the charge, he was the first thing the townspeople saw. Soon, chatter and gasps began to swirl around.

  “Blazes, he’s back. Kapono’s back!”

  “Look at this tattoo! It’s true! He was cursed with a sin!”

  “What do you think he’s doing back?! Wait, do you think he’s going to challenge King Mage?”

  “After what he’s done, he has no right to come back! And if becomes the king we still very well may be doomed!” It was hard to ignore the whispers. Kapono’s fear of how the people would treat him began to take him over. He knew forgiveness would probably never come, but he also did not know how to handle their scrutiny. Apologies just seemed too simple and pointless for the pain they’ve experienced. Without realizing it, Kapono was hanging his head in an attempt to hide his identity.

  “Do you want me to leave your side for good Kapono?” Ashbel asked him. He looked at her sharply.

  “What a silly question,” he grunted.

  “I didn’t think so. But here you are holding your head down as if you are ashamed. And you know I will not follow a man who feels shame for something out of his control. especially when he’s letting that shame root him into staying weak.” Ashbel locked eyes with him. The vigor in the orange depths boosted his morale. Winking, Ashbel placed her hand under his chin and lifted his head.

  “My king doesn’t hang his head for anyone,” she stated. Kapono couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her. How could he not? Ashbel was of royal blood and a queen because of their marriage but more than that she was a queen because of her dignity, elegance, and perseverance to support the people she cared for. Reminding him to do something as simple as hold his chin up was only what a queen who loved her king would do.

  “Look! Ashbel is with him!” Someone called out from their home as they watched Kapono, Ashbel and the other women continued to walk towards the castle.

  “If she’s going to fight alongside Kapono, then so will I!” A young male dropped his iron masonry tools. He leapt into the street and began walking alongside the women.

  “Me too! Kapono is the only person that can defeat the king and Ashbel was the first to strike out against the king to begin with. I’m going to fight too!”

  Soon, Kapono and Ashbel had males and females of all ages joining their small army to the castle. Whatever reason they had to defeat the king far outweighed anything they felt negatively about Kapono. No matter how they felt about him, with their commitment to this fight, Kapono was going to make sure that this time around he protected every single one of them.

  There was no escape. The thick crowd of townspeople blocked Mage from taking any evasive action. They lingered right outside the castle gates. The only thing Mage could do was walk straight towards them. His royal guards were either wounded, or they would be too afraid to encounter a fight of this caliber.

  “Funny how the tables turn,” Ashbel spoke out.

  “Sire, what do we do?” Nolan asked.

  “Where are the other members of the royal court? They’re the only ones that can back us up,” Mage whispered.

  “They left sire! They took refuge in their own safe homes once the royal guards began returning injured. That’s why the castle has been in such chaos!”

  “Time to face justice! After what you’ve put us through, this serves you right!” a voice from the army behind Kapono shouted out.

  “Might I remind you that man is a criminal!” Mage pointed at Kapono. Footsteps stormed from out of the castle. A sense of relief washed over Mage when he realized it was the royal guards that was rushing to his aide. Without assessing the situation further, they began to shoot fireballs into the small army of people trying to overthrow Mage.

  “On your guard!” Kapono shouted the order, as fireballs erupted into the night sky. Chaos ensued, as people scattered to try and avoid the falling flames. With war cries, they stormed the castle, rushing through the gates to overtake the guards. Kapono pulled Ashbel out of the way before their small army nearly trampled them.

  “I lost sight of Mage!” Ashbel exclaimed. The crowd of commoners and guards fighting obscured her vision.

  “Just stay close to me little flame,” Kapono warned her. He took her hand and hooked her finger in the waist of his pants.

  “Do not let go,” he ordered. Ashbel gave a solid nod. Clinging onto him, Ashbel moved in time with Kapono. He was far more agile than she remembered him being but his two years out in the open on his own must have toned his body. She struggled to keep up slightly, but when he moved too quickly, he would reach back and hold her arm, effectively lifting her to keep up the pace. A guard rushed towards them, a sword with a blade of fire angling down in Kapono’s direction.

  “Watch out!” Ashbel shrieked. Kapono ducked. He quickly yanked Ashbel’s hand from his waist and shoved her onto her behind, making her shit down.

  “Don’t move,” he growled. He turned around in time to block another swing of the blade. Standing at his full height, he completely protected Ashbel from the attack as he stood in front of her. With large talons, Kapono shred the guard’s chest. His skin fell like ribbons as the guard went down.

  Wrath was in his element. The war ensuing around them made the demon laugh and cackle with glee. He was shouting orders to Kapono, telling him how to strike for the most effective way to inflict pain.

  Get Ashbel, Wrath demanded. Kapono turned in time to see another guard trying to grab at Ashbel’s hair. Wrath snarled in anger. Kapono could feel the demon’s emotions as easily as he could feel his own emotions. Wrath’s emotions were always only associated with his wrath. Yet in that moment, Kapono gleaned jealously from Wrath. The demon did not like the idea of Ashbel being touched. Especially her beautiful hair.

  “Just remember you demon, she’s my wife. Not yours,” Kapono grunted, sensing that Wrath was becoming attached to Ashbel.

  At this point, we’re one being Kapono. If she’s yours. Then she’s mine. Now stop that bastard from touching her beautiful hair! Kapono didn’t know how to feel about a demon complimenting his wife in that manner but the demon was right. He couldn’t allow anyone to touch Ashbel.

  Kapono swung a closed fist at the guard’s temple. Ashbel kicked him square between his legs. the guard fell over; grabbing both his head and his family jewels.

  “Come on,” Kapono urged. He took her hand and made her hook her finger in
to the waist of his pants again.

  “There he is!” Ashbel pointed Mage out. He was scaling the far gate, using the fighting to escape without anyone noticing him but the front gates were blocked. The only way he was getting away was jumping the gate at another location. Kapono took a step in that direction when he heard the scream from one of the females fighting on their side. On his left, Firya was being held down by a royal guard. His claws had pierced her neck, drawing blood. Without a second thought, Kapono rushed towards Firya. His speed caused him to be disconnected from Ashbel but he felt the heat of her body right on his tail, trying to keep up.

  Only when he snatched the guard from Firya’s body and tossed him across the castle grounds did Kapono feel Ashbel hold onto him again. Kapono helped Firya to her feet. She was bleeding but she was still able to fight.

  “Damnit!” Kapono cursed. Across the front of the castle, most of the women who had joined in on the fight were being overtaken by the guards. Knowing he couldn’t just leave them to succumb to their attackers, Kapono lunged into action. With Ashbel in tow, Kapono surged through the crowd yanking and pulling royal guards left and right. He fought with his fists and his claws but he badly wanted to use his fire. Thing was, Kapono did not know if he could trust the demon to not try and push Kapono over the edge. That slight thought provided a hesitation that two royal guards used to their advantage. The both of them jumped onto Kapono, using numbers to try and overpower him. Not a moment after they jumped on him, Kapono felt Ashbel’s finger being torn away from his waist. The movement was very abrupt, telling Kapono that she was forcefully taken away from him not that she had simply just let go. Kapono slashed at the two guards trying to weigh him down. He cut the throat of one guard and then clutched and twisted the head of the other guard, snapping it around clean.

  With the guards off him, Kapono searched the castle grounds desperately. putting his nose to the air, he inhaled deeply.

  “Gotcha,” he snapped, pinpointing her scent. Kapono pushed through the crowd, right on Ashbel’s tail.

  “Nolan you let me go! You scrawny piece of crap!” Ashbel screamed. Kapono was not surprised to hear Ashbel telling off whoever had snatched her up. Finally parting the crowd, Kapono saw the man Ashbel was calling Nolan, dragging Ashbel to the far side of the castle. That was the same spot where Mage had scaled the gate to make his escape.

  Too bad for Nolan, he had grabbed onto a woman who knew how to put up a fight. Ashbel roared, spewing her orange fire from her mouth. Kapono watched with awe as her orange hair burst into flames. She planted her feet firmly and dragged Nolan over her shoulder with an effective hip toss and landed him on his ass in front of her. Kapono jogged towards her. Taking down Nolan made her feel safe until a shadow appeared behind her.

  “Ashbel run away from there!” Kapono screamed. Ashbel heard him but it was still too late. Mage appeared behind Ashbel. Grabbing onto her hair, he tugged her back against his chest and held his sword to her throat. With a sneer, he drew his sword across Ashbel’s throat. Her blood squirted across the courtyard from her neck. Kapono reached his hand out, frozen in place as he watched his wife’s throat being slit. Her eyes locked onto his, still full of vigor and pride.

  I love you. She mouthed the words as Mage dropped her limp body to the ground. In Kapono’s eyes, her body fell in slow motion. Even in a lifeless fall, her body was still graceful. The apricot color of her hair brought light to the grueling war in the dark night. The moment her body hit the ground Kapono’s heart beat so loudly it made his entire body echo. Inside his body, the black mass that was the demon of Wrath began to churn and burn like a rising tornado. Instead of words, all Wrath did was let out a high pitched scream that sounded like something rising from the very depths of hell. Kapono’s heart felt as if it was being squeezed by very two large hands with claws that pierced into his arteries. He fell onto his knees in pain. It wasn’t the pain that was brought to him by refusing to give into his sin. It was the pain of seeing his beloved fall once again. How could he lose her a second time? The realization finally hit home. He clutched his head, screaming just as painfully as Wrath was screaming. The turmoil inside of him raged just like a tornado because it was a combination of not only his anger, but Wrath’s. They were two forces, coming together with one deadly result.

  Unable to control himself any longer. Triggered by his scream, his body erupted into violet flames. After years of being kept away, his flames stormed out of control like a wildfire. He felt himself beginning to lose his edge again, wanting to burn everything around him because of his anger.

  Focus. Capture Mage. Is that not what Ashbel fights for? Wrath spoke vehemently. Kapono jerked his head up. His eyes were the shape of slits, replicating the eyes of the dragon whose blood ran deep in Kapono. They locked in on Mage who was standing over Ashbel with a giddy grin plastered to his face. Suddenly, Kapono’s anger saw no other culprit but Mage. Funny how the very thing he thought would have sent him spiraling out of control was the very thing that honed in his anger. And when he looked at Mage, nothing else mattered but the death of that man.

  Kapono’s skin fluttered. Ripples formed along his arms as purple scales replaced his flesh. Kapono was used to having scales as his skin often changed when he was using his dragon power. Just as it did two years before, Kapono’s change didn’t stop at his scales. He felt his shoulder blades split open. The weight of heavy wings bore down on his back. His legs became misshapen, engorging and changing. Before his eyes, his fingers melded together until they formed a large scaly hand with long curved claws and only four fingers. Agony shredded Kapono’s body and his entire physique began to morph. It was as if his body was being turned inside out. The parts of him that stretched and changed caused him so much pain the darkness that came with unconsciousness began to surround the edges of his vision. His tailbone seemed to erupt, sending Kapono’s body into numbness. Looking behind him, Kapono spotted the violet scaled tail that had burst from his tailbone. Succumbing to the pain, darkness finally captured Kapono. In a second, he was rendered unconscious.

  The intensity of scents around him seemed to snap Kapono back to life. His sense of smell was always excellent, but this was different. Not only could he smell the slickness of the sweat and mingling scents of the bodies behind him; Kapono could smell the earth down to a single blade of grass.

  Ashbel. Kapono jumped up from the ground. He froze immediately. Something was different. His body. He felt incredibly heavy and suddenly the wings that were too heavy for his body before now felt perfect on his back. The ground beneath him seemed so far down. Kapono inhaled and when he exhaled the only thing that came out was heavy steam and purple sparks. Kapono turned his neck and looked behind him. The immense body of a violet dragon filled the courtyard of the castle. Kapono looked down. He lifted a giant foot. Even his vision had increased to an impeccable level. Kapono wasn’t sure why this had happened or how it was even possible but there he stood. A full fledge dragon. Dragon shifters had slowly gone extinct until the only thing that was left were beings who were able to harness to power of dragons because of blood.

  Still there? Kapono spoke with ease but his words didn’t leave the mouth of the dragon, instead it was spoken internally like mind speak. Wrath responded promptly.

  Still here. And so is that bastard. Now you’re this big bad dragon get the man who hurt my girl, Wrath snapped.

  She’s not yours, Kapono grunted. On the ground, Ashbel’s body seemed so far away. Still standing next to her, Mage was staring up at Kapono in horror. He was reaching for the gate, trying to grab at it to stabilize himself. The shock of it all would have made him fall on his ass.

  “Impossible,” Mage gasped. Kapono snorted. The steam from his large nostrils pushed Mage over like a gust of wind.

  “No!” Mage realized his find was beyond a winning fight. He screamed in horror, turning and leaping over the gate. His fire would do nothing to a real dragon. He was doomed.

  Seeing Mage run triggered Kap
ono’s fighting senses. With grace, Kapono spread his massive wings. In a clean swoop, Kapono rose to the air shakily. Flying for the first time was obvious, but Kapono was locked onto his target. Mage wasn’t going to escape him. He was going to receive his due punishment.

  It only took two flaps of the large wings on his back to propel Kapono forward. Even though he was in a new body that weighed almost a thousand pounds, Kapono felt natural. He hovered over Mage in an instant. When he landed, Kapono’s new body shook the earth. Kapono used his large hand to stomp on Mage. His body felt so tiny and insignificant under Kapono’s weight. He pierced Mage’s back with his curved claw and picked the man up. Mage screamed with agony, blood gushing down his body. Kapono held him in the air, staring at him through his new dragon eyes.

  “Please! Don’t! She—I—” Mage couldn’t even form a proper sentence. Instead of the pain from the claw pierced in his back, Mage was shaking from ripe fear. Kapono snorted and blew steam in Mage’s face as the stench of piss irritated Kapono’s newly keen senses. The man was so afraid he had wet his own pants. Kapono could only shake his large head. Not sparing Mage’s life, Kapono squeezed his hand around Mage’s body. the sound of bones crushing was melodic to anger pulsing inside of Kapono’s body.

  A rib bone dislodged from its place in Mage’s body from the pressure Kapono applied. It struck Mage’s heart, piercing clean through the organ. Healing or not; it was nothing Mage could survive. As he bled internally, the last thing Mage would see was a giant of a beast. In retrospect Mage realized he had caused this on himself. If he hadn’t felt the burning need to inflict pain on Ashbel, he wouldn’t be facing the graceful purple dragon who was going to be responsible for Mage’s demise. In the end it had all been for naught. Ashbel pain would only be momentary and Mage’s death would be everlasting. Opening a mouth full of sharp teeth and canines, a ball of violet flame began to burn at the back of the dragon’s throat. The luminosity of the light that the flame brought was serene and peaceful. The heat warmed Mage’s face like a comforting force. It was the perfect deception of peace before the flames consumed his entire body and fed hungrily until there was nothing left.