Aria

"I don't even know what I'm doing anymore," I sighed as I walked the streets of another unfamiliar city.

I wandered about in the northeastern region of Maine. The cold was blistering as snow fell heavily from the sky. I had spent about three days scouring through different regions of the north, searching for any signs of the red dragons. I could find nothing, nothing at all. It had been a pointless waste of time that I decided to pursue out of impulse. Perhaps I was a tad hasty, but I could not just sit by idly when a direct threat to my family had been issued.

I love my dear family, but they can be a bit... too relaxed most of the time. I do not want to blame them, but all my father had to do was just kill that man in the first place. I knew it would happen one day; the day The Don came back for revenge. Now he has gotten stronger, his powers probably growing by the second. He was a truly dangerous man to grab a hold of that power. If he were to master it, he might even be on the level of Father. I do not know how deep The Don and my father's bond truly runs, but I hope this outcome was worth it for him.

I have not been able to sleep much lately because of this bloody mess. When will they strike again? Who will they target next? How will they approach us? So, I spent most of the last few days just searching and running around without any leads. My anxiety has been dreadful and haunting nightmares of my past still persist. I thought I had them under control. I believed it had gotten better with the help of therapy and medication, but it seems those have their limits as well; especially in these stressful times. I do not want to lose my family again. I'm absolutely frightened even thinking about it. I don't want them to end up like... I need to stop thinking.

Even Cindy and Kai, the people I tried to kill, I find myself concerned for. Perhaps I am becoming softer by the day. That is also something I don't know whether is good or bad; for our survival, at least. They are good chaps and they mean my family no harm. I just find myself blinded by rage at the smallest of things. Although, finding the son of The Don in our ranks, myself being the only one oblivious, did not help matters at all. I know that I can be a lot to handle at times, but I was genuinely hurt that my family withheld so much information from me. I am trying to do better, however, for their sake.

"I might as well head back home," I sighed again deeply as I squeezed my stress ball tightly. My thick coating was still not enough to deal with the onslaught of snow, as my jacket and boots became enveloped in an icy blanket. My face was getting very stiff as well. I could use aura to fight off the cold a bit more, but I prefer not to use it for everything. I am grateful for my powers, but I also have to remind myself that I am still a person.

Although the weather was fairly unreasonable, there were still plenty of people bustling about the snowy city. Perhaps their bones have adjusted to this rigorous weather. I, on the other hand, would prefer someplace warm. Maybe when I retire, I'll move to a tropical location. But, that's to think about for another day.

Before I left on my journey back home, I decided to stop at a tea shop in order to warm up a bit. It looked like a lovely little spot, so I thought I'd try to enjoy some parts of the city while I was there; every place has something to offer. I sat down at a wooden stool counter facing the window, watching the snow continue to pour down like rain. I removed my jacket, gloves, and scarf, and immediately blew hot air onto my frozen hands. I probably looked like a crazy person to the other lovely customers, but I paid them no mind. I just hoped I didn't contract frostbite!

"First time in Maine, darling?" A young server girl approached me with a comforting smile.

"Why, yes it is actually. How do you blokes deal with this weather?" I replied, returning a smile while rubbing my hands together.

"Oh, you get used to it, darling," she said, handing me a decorative menu. "So, what brings you into our small little town?"

"I was... supposed to be meeting an old friend, but it seems like they do not want to see me anymore," I said, evading eye contact.

"Aw, I'm so sorry to hear that, sweety. Well, I hope you find at least some joy in our little old town."

"Oh, the town is lovely, my dear. It is quite the beautiful place, blizzards and all. Could I do the chai latte, perhaps?" I asked, quickly gazing at the menu.

"One chai coming right up, darling," she said, writing my order down on a notepad.

All things considered, it turned out to be quite a relaxing day so far. The city was nice and the people were friendly. I just... could not help but feel uneasy. When was the last time I felt truly at peace? Was I ever at peace? "What would that even feel like," I wondered, as I rested my head on the wooden table. I gazed at the snowy weather through the window with a content, but tired gaze. It was not much, but it was quite relaxing for a moment; to just stare off into space with an empty mind. "This too, is still just a fleeting moment," I muttered, as a strange-looking man sat beside me.

"Please don't take offense, sir. But... you do realize there are plenty of open seats available, right? Was sitting right next to me really necessary?" I asked hesitantly. I did not want to cause a scene, but I was not in the mood for conversation with a strange man. And, what a strange man he was, I noticed immediately. He had a wild, unkept hair protruding through a strange hood he was wearing. His frame was massive and visible fangs were coming from his mouth. The strangest feature he had, was an almost comically large snout, like that of a beast. I can't say I've seen someone like him before. He was no ogre, and certainly not human or elf. Although I was in a sour mood, curiosity struck me; wariness as well.

"Sorry about that, girl," he spoke in a very gruff tone. There was also a hint of sadness in his brutish voice. "It's just... been such a struggle, you know?"

"Um, yes? Life is very hard, my dear. But, I want to be alone and enjoy my tea now, so could you please sit somewhere else?"

"Ever since I got here, I haven't been able to find a challenge. Everyone's so weak here, dammit!" he yelled, banging his hairy fists loudly on the table. "I was promised a challenge, exotic treasures, beautiful women, and great booze. Everything is shit here, though! The liquor's trash, the ladies are ugly, and the treasures ain't shit. On top of all that, there wasn't a damn warrior In sight worth challenging; until I stumbled on you, little lady. Normally, I can sense a strong power from miles away, but I didn't notice yours until I got real close to you; reminds me of those damn elves. Tell me, how do you hide your power like that? Can all the warriors here do that?"

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My aura should be concealed right now. How did he...

"Just who in the hell are you? And where exactly did you come from? Answer me, now," I demanded, quickly standing from my seat while holding the hilt of my sword.

"How about you let me finish," he said, staring directly at me with his sharp eyes.

My hand was lightly trembling as I held my sword tightly. My heart was pounding furiously as anxiety struck my entire body. I could not sense an aura coming from this beast, but at the same time, his presence was... deeply disturbing.

"I wandered for so long, just waiting to erupt. I thought about destroying a city or two. Maybe then, a strong warrior would show up to stop me. That would be too easy though. The hunt is always worth it after all," he continued with a sinister smile. "My name is Fenrir. I come from a land quite different compared to this one. The reasons I came here are the ones I stated earlier. So, can we skip the talking already? I'm fuckin' ready for a good fight," he said, his bestial eyes reddening gradually.

Wariness was the right call. That beast was a mad one. "What are you on about? Who sent you here? And how can you detect my aura?"

"Eh, I forgot. All you fuckers look the same. That aura shit is for the elves; I got no use for that. I just smelled the blood on ya. You've seen your fair share of battles I take it. But, enough talking, let's fight!" he screamed wildly, shattering the wooden table with his fists.

He towered over me by at least three feet, his massive, wolf-like features becoming ever apparent. I did not scare easily, but a deep fear started to settle within me. I also liked a good challenge, however, the situation I found myself in warranted no such excitement for a good fight. There were civilians all around me that needed protection. I did not want any of them to get hurt in crossfire. Even so, why did I still find myself with a slight smile on my face?

The people in the tea shop finally noticed the beast beside me after his outburst. They quickly became fearful and headed for the exit. Some looked on in astonishment and curiosity, bringing out their phones to take pictures of the wild beast. As the ringing bell of the door kept dinging from the people leaving in droves, I prepared for battle and widened my stance.

If there's any way to avoid this battle, I would very much like to know. Otherwise, I don't think I'll be able to protect these people.

"And if I refuse?" I asked, a slight sweat building on my forehead.

"Hmm," Fenrir replied, rubbing his hand on his cheek. "Guess I'll just have to start fucking shit up until you stop me, then."

Before I even had time to react to his statement, I was met with a fierce strike on my face. The force was so vicious, it sent me flying across the shop, my body ripping straight through the store's counter and destroying it. I barely had time to coat a light aura shield around my body. Even with the aura's protection, the right side of my face was severely damaged. It instantly became swollen and numb as blood oozed from my cheek. I lost a tooth as well and felt jolts of pain throughout my entire body.

"Damn, not bad, girl. Most people would've been just a splatter of blood after that blow. Maybe it was worth coming here after all," he grinned.

This is not good.

This was a fight I could not win, I knew that much from that interaction alone. I could not flee, either; he was much faster than me. My only choice was to fight, and he made that abundantly clear, as I slowly rose to my feet, grimacing in pain. I rose, and then I finally realized something. I was so preoccupied with my own wounds, that I did not even notice the young server girl had been crushed beneath me. Her body was... flattened, completely unrecognizable, my clothing painted with her blood. The only thing I did notice was the name tag on the left side of the poor girl's uniform.

"Emily... I'm so very sorry," I briefly shut my eyes, acknowledging the life that was just robbed.

I may have been a hypocrite, being a killer myself, after all. I had seen my fair share of bloodshed and corpses, whether by me or others. I could say for certain that she did not deserve to die. I should have thought about that more often; about the lives I had taken as well.

"My bad for the cheap shot. I was just so riled up, I couldn't think straight. Tell you what, you can have a free hit on me. Give me everything ya got!" Fenrir said, his arms spread wide open.

I just stood still for a moment, giving a sharp glare aimed directly at the beast, as I stopped the bleeding from my wounds with aura. "Fine, I accept," I said, drawing my sword from its sheath.

I have to kill him with one blow. I must put my life on the line, and give all of the aura I possess into this attack. If this does not kill him... I'm not sure what will happen.

As the remaining customers fled the shop in panic, I gathered all of the aura I could muster and transferred it to my blade. Every single morsel of power that I could conjure formed around my sword, which emitted an intense, radiant light that would blind the average person. I continued to charge my attack for as long as I could, until my body was completely drained. I would not leave this battle to chance.

"Wow, now that's just beautiful," he said, staring directly at the light as if he was mesmerized. "Yeah, it was definitely worth coming here."

"Just die, you damn beast."

I fired my attack in almost an instant, emitting a powerful beam from the tip of my sword. It was a direct hit, exactly like the beast had promised. As my attack continued, Fenrir struggled to contain the blast. He grimaced and his breathing became heavier as he tried to push the blades away; it was futile.

"Separate."

The beams split off and attacked him from all angles. Multiple sharp rays continued to rain down on him until he was finally overwhelmed. He fell to the ground and my attack completely encompassed his body.

The damage became uncontrollable, as I had no choice but to give my all with that attack. The building was completely destroyed as well as the surrounding areas. A large field of smoke and debris stretched on for quite a distance, mixing in with the intense snow that was gradually increasing. That was all I could see at least, as I dropped down to my knees in exhaustion. My aura was completely drained, but I managed to barely survive. I was very dizzy and everything around me looked like a blur as I heard the sounds of sirens in the distance. Then, I heard the sound of clapping, as my blurry vision focused on the large stature approaching me. I had failed.

"Now that was something special. Thank you for showing me that," the beast said enthusiastically. Parts of his clothing were destroyed and he had burn marks all over his body. His breathing was slightly ragged, but he still stood firmly, waiting for more action. "That attack was crazy. I seriously thought I was a goner for a second. You truly are strong, girl. What is your name?"

"Aria," I said with a raspy voice. I could not comprehend much at that point; I was just struggling to maintain proper breathing. "I have no strength left. You have won. Just kill me and spare the people of this town."

I closed my eyes and accepted my fate, as I shed tears and hung my head down in defeat.

Aria, Ben, Father... I am sorry.

"Kill you?" he asked with a baffled voice. "You're the only damn challenge I've had so far. Get stronger and fight me again. Then, I'll kill you when you can actually stand on your feet!"

"I don't wish to fight any longer. I just want peace. Just look at all this destruction our little fight caused. I'm nothing more than a wild beast myself. I lost control of my power and caused so much damage. I do not want-"

"Aw, just shut the fuck up already!" he yelled over me. "Getting all sappy just because you lost a fight and a few people died. You're a warrior, right? Take some pride in your strength, Aria. We will meet again, you can count on that."

The beast named Fenrir who came in like a hurricane, quickly disappeared into the midst of snowy debris and smoke. Where exactly he came from, I still did not know. I did know that it was surely a sign of more destruction to come; much more.

My body completely shut down, as I fell on my face into a blanket of snow. I could no longer feel the cold or much of anything at all, really. But, before my eyes completely went black, the sight of a stuffed teddy bear tainted with blood and lying right beside me, sent a faint shiver through my spine.