Aeliyas dashed forward, her arm outstretched as she shot a magic bolt at Garyth. She aimed at his arm and it succeeded in hitting him, burning the fabric of his tunic and marking the skin beneath. The wizard grimaced, and the hand choking Gialan loosened. Gialan dropped to the ground heavily, gasping for air, but wasted no time in teleporting to Aeliyas’ side.

Garyth sneered and summoned another plethora of magic blades. Pelos groaned and raised the shield again. It did not take long before Pelos’ shield faltered against Garyth’s relentless magical assault, and Aeliyas quickly cast a shield over Gialan, but lacked the range and control to extend the shield over to the guardians and Pelos.

<--<< >>-->

Jason held back a cry as he was injured faster than he could blink by the sharp magical blades. They pierced his arms and legs and grazed his side, scorching the clothes and the skin beneath.

How pathetic you are.

It was his voice, yet it wasn’t his thought.

I’ll show you how it’s done, the voice in Jason’s head said coldly.

In an instant, Jason felt himself lose all control of his own body. It felt like he had been thrown back in his mind, unable to do anything but watch and hear as his body moved and a different, colder voice spoke.

Golden tendrils of smoke emanated from him as he took a step, then another.

He inspected his hand for a moment, then muttered, “This body is frail and weak. I could have done much better.”

He casually clenched his fist and his fingers twisted and lengthened into sharp claws in a dull golden colour. Internally, Jason flinched and gritted his teeth as a burning pain shot through the fingers that had transformed. His body showed none of that reaction.

He did the same for his other hand and then slouched over slightly, his shoulder blades twitching, then large wings erupted from his back. They were not beautiful feathery wings like the ones of fabled archangels, but leathery bat-like wings with sharp claws at each joint. The muscle was coated in glittering golden scales, much like dragons of old.

Jason cried out soundlessly as the wings ripped through his back.

Who are you?! What are you doing to me?! Jason exclaimed in his mind.

“I am you. You are me. We are Jason Kainley-Bladesworn,” He answered, “I am making us stronger. You have not made good use of our abilities.”

Jason wanted to refute his words, but he couldn't. He was right. Jason had not realised so quickly that the druid's powers were also his to wield. Nor had Jason considered shape shifting parts of himself to make himself better suited for battle. Or perhaps he'd been subconsciously suppressing that thought as if he'd known it would hurt like he was being torn apart. Jason wasn't sure if he was a coward or stupid.

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“You're both,” His other self answered without missing a beat.

With those words, Jason's other self launched himself up into the air with a flying leapt and flap of his powerful wings. It would appear that he was quite adept at flying, though Jason knew that he had not ever flown. And he was no bird—Jason didn't know how to flap his wings and fly.

Jason steadied himself in the air and raised his sword in his two clawed hands, then dived at Garyth. While his other self led the way, Jason was subject to all of the new sensations in his stomach as he was quickly thrown upwards and then into a dive all while unable to do anything but watch as the ground hurtled closer.

Oh sweet Pelos, have mercy! Jason yelped.

“Shut it, weakling,” His other self snapped coldly.

His blade crashed heavily into Garyth's magical barrier and cracks spread rapidly through it, then with a loud crash, the barrier splintered and broke. Jason fell through, his sword continuing towards the wizard.

Garyth turned abruptly, his eyes widening a fraction as Jason broke through the barrier. He blocked the blade with his hand, stopping Jason in his tracks. Garyth's hand closed around the blade and he squeezed. watching with a smile as the blade strained, then cracked. His other hand whipped out and grabbed Jason by the collar.

“That was a good sword!” Jason seethed, letting the useless hilt fall to the ground as his clawed hands grabbed at Garyth's arm that was holding him up. His wings flapped uselessly, creating nothing but a breeze that ruffled the wizard’s white hair. Garyth scowled and materialised a large spectral hand that grabbed onto Jason's wings, pinning them in place.

“Wings? What does a mere whelp like you need wings for?!” Garyth sneered, releasing his grip on Jason's collar as his magical hand effortlessly held Jason aloft by his wings.

Garyth peered at Jason for a moment, his expression blank, then crushed his wings with the magical hand. There was a sickening crunch and the delicate bones snapped.

Jason cried as pain once again engulfed him. His body exhibited none of that reaction though, dangling listlessly by limp wings.

Garyth’s magical hand lifted Jason high in the air and slammed him down on the ground, then hoisted him up again and repeated his action. Jason's body broke more and more upon each impact. Soon, the ground beneath him was slick with blood and cracked from the repeated hits.

Jason had gone into something of a semi-conscious state to cope with the agonising pain that was his whole existence. Even his other self had begun to realise that he had overestimated his own abilities. As Garyth’s merciless beating broke bones, Jason's other self retracted the transformations and shrank the claws and wings in an attempt to grow scales over his vital organs. By retracting the wings, he was released from Garyth's grip and fell heavily to the floor, where he lay motionlessly. Jason was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Garyth stepped closer to Jason, his magical hand approaching his crumpled body.

<--<< >>-->

“STOP!”

A massive burst of power shot through the area, stopping everyone in their tracks. A dark fog descended over the entire domed area contained by Garyth's barrier, centred on Lirya.

Her eyes, tinged blue, were sparking and tendrils of lightning danced around her whole body. But unlike the time she awakened her power, Lirya was conscious.

The power suppression bracelet lay in pieces at her feet and Garyth's magic binding her mouth shut had broken the moment her magic exploded and destroyed the suppressing bracelet.

“I-I respect what you've taught me, Maste- Garyth,” Lirya said, “But you lied to me. And I can't let you hurt Jason.”