Daniel

He was alarmed when Cassie fled the battle. Two remained to distract the beast, Kenta grappling and hiding from jaws in his mess of hair while Lea peppered the beast with carambole shots from above.

He was surprised when Cassie and Paul kissed. Daniel hadn’t known they were an item. Then he considered this might be a ‘magic’ thing, like when Rana kissed him—gave him CPR.

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He was startled when Cassie flapped away from Paul as if the candle boy would explode.

But what happened next shocked him to the core.

Pain contorted Paul’s face and body in unbelievable ways as the candle flame on his head expanded and brightened. This fire wasn’t burning paraffin or olive oil; its fuel was something far more primal and powerful. The growing bonfire kept the same candle flame shape as it scaled. Wax cascaded down Paul’s face and neck in rivers, the flame shifting colors as heat spiked.

The fire reached a critical point and turned white. Paul’s wick burned like a pyrotechnic fuse as the flame found the center of his being and blossomed. The white rose of fire dwarfed the beast and melted rock. Its heart was too bright to look upon, but everyone, even the beast, stopped to see what was coming.