Even amongst the massive, musclebound ursu, Hund is a giant. Standing above five metres tall, he is impossible to miss. Impossible to keep your eyes off. He is a terrifying existence when his attention is elsewhere. So, to have his gaze squarely on me, hand on blade, and stepping forward with such menacing intent, is nothing short of soul-shaking.

He doesn’t even need his presence to drive a chill through my body.

That’s the strangest thing about all this; despite his aggressive actions, he keeps his presence in a tight grip. I’m not sure what his reasoning, but if he’d frozen me with his presence from the start, I never would have been able to kill the chairman.

Despite my success, Hund still comes for me. The way he treated the chairman, I was sure I was right. I was sure he was seeing someone else when he looked at the former military commissar. The mental chains should have loosened when I killed him… unless I was mistaken.

Wait, does he not know the man is dead?

I shout, to make Hund turn to the burning corpse behind him, but no sound escapes me. Much of my throat was torn out with Hund’s attack, and I can no longer speak.

My flames point to the unmoving corpse, only for Hund to ignore them. In desperation, I push my flames over him while I carry myself away. I hardly expect to burn him, but to see my white flames slide off his fur without effect is demoralising. Even after all this time, I’m nothing before him.

My physical flame carries my crippled form away. But not fast enough. Hund’s casual steps close the distance. Each breath he takes shakes the surrounding air. I shiver as he sheathes his sword, obviously knowing he won’t need it to beat me after the damage I’ve already taken.

I knew the risks coming into this. There was always the chance I wouldn’t be able to change his mind and he would be aggressive. I only took the risk because it was the only feasible option I had. What else could I have done? Should I have prioritised my safety and never come, at the expense of my friends’ lives?

Hund crouches over me, reaching both hands down to crush me. Now more than ever, I realise just how massive he is. His hands alone are as large as my bird body.

This isn’t how I’m going to go out. I refuse!

With no strength to fight back and my flames already swirling around him to no effect, I do the only thing I can. I let free my presence, instinctively intensifying the pressure over Hund as far as I can push it.

Hund doesn’t even react.

I flinch as his hands wrap around me, gripping me close and ready to crush me. Only… the pain doesn’t come. He doesn’t collapse his massive hands around me. In fact, his hands lift me with remarkable gentleness, considering his strength.

I look up at the giant as he lifts me to chest height.

“How long must you recover?” he asks, his voice quaking through my body.

I collapse in his grip. All the tension leaves my body at once. Was it really so hard for him to give me an indication he wasn’t trying to murder me?

His face remains impassive, and I can’t help but want to burn his fur off… if that were even possible. “A…” I clear my throat as it reconstructs itself. “A few minutes.”

He nods, looking toward the continae rising high over the other buildings in the city. “Good. Help me, once more.”

Hund doesn’t even send a glance back toward the burning corpse of the former chairman. “Sure,” I say. “That’s why I’m here, Hund.”

His eyes fall back on me as my wings finally start regrowing. The massive ursu doesn’t speak for a moment, just stares with that emotionless gaze. “Call me Tore.”

“What? Tore?”

He walks toward the towering building and I belatedly notice the many eyes watching us, awed. “I dislike the name.”

“Oh, sure. Tore.” I’m stuck in his hands for now, literally, at least until I regrow my wings. Why doesn’t Hund like his name? There must be a reason. As I peer up to ask, I think better of it.

Tore walks in silence, and I get the impression he doesn’t take part in casual conversation often.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“So, what is it you need help with?”

His eyes drop to mine as he walks, each ursu in the street stopping to stare as he passes. “You have overcome your desire.”

I can’t tell if it’s a question or a statement, but I nod regardless. “Again, thank you. I couldn’t have done it without your help back then.”

He shakes his head slowly, as if careful not to make any rapid motions. “No. It is your achievement. One to elude me for a century.”

It is a horrid thought that he’s been trapped for such an incomprehensible length of time as a slave to his desire. “What is yours, anyway?”

“I’m loyal to the Chairman. The original was a great man.”

“So, you’re free now?” I ask. He’s not attacking anymore so he must be, but what is it he needs help with?

“No. With the chairman dead, a commissar only need claim the position for themselves.” He stops in the open space before the continae. “I need you to kill them.”

“And that will free you?” My wings have grown back, so I don’t need to be held anymore. I jump from his hands and hover before his head.

Tore drops his arms as he eyes me again. “No, but it will give me time.” He points a finger to the curved top of the continae. “Top three floors. The commissars are there.”

Well, my body is back in perfect shape, so there’s no need to wait around here. I take to the air, blasting toward the highest floors of the building. With Hund’s… no, Tore’s permission, I don’t have to hold back.

The upper half of the continae is engulfed in an inferno before I even crash inside. Everything burns, but these commissars are all military men; they have greater enhancement than the rest of their kind. I wonder if they were this strong before they had all those resources fall into their laps at the end of the war with Henosis?

Regardless of how they gained their enhancement, it is no obstacle to my new flame. A swirling inferno encases the building so they cannot escape while I chase down each and burn through them directly. None have the same defence as either the chairman or the warden, so their bodies immolate and add to my strength one after the other.

The strength I gain from them is minimal, but I’m not about to deny what resources I can take from them. These men and women have all been a massive pain in the pact nations’ side, but I can’t say I truly hate any of them. If not for them, I wouldn’t have met Leal and helped her dad.

Actually, these ursu are the ones that started those camps and put Leal in such a situation that she was desperate enough to plead my help. Yeah, fuck them.

A few throw themselves out the side of the building, trying to escape, but my flames cling to them and I simply chase them down, ending their existence before they can hit the ground.

Tore watches on, along with hundreds of ursu. Many show confusion at the central pillar of their city burning and their strongest doing nothing to stop it.

It is almost too easy to clear out the rest of the council. Once the last of them are gone, I extinguish the flame swirling through the air. The entire dome is gone. I won’t admit it when they ask, but I could have easily avoided burning the building. The heavy concentration of rare metals that decorated the exterior of the dome is just too good to pass up such an opportunity. Gold and silver truly have an unbeatable taste. Too bad there wasn’t any platinum in there too.

As I fly to Tore’s side, I consider changing back to my normal form. Tore is with me; I hardly have to worry about being attacked by the congregating ursu. But even then, I’d rather not rely entirely on the old ursu.

Without a word, Tore passes me, approaching the continae as the ursu continue to evacuate. He walks through the open front. The ceiling is surprisingly high enough that he doesn’t even need to bend over. The fur of his ears scrape against the ceiling as if designed with his height in mind.

After a minute, where the last of the ursu escape the building, Tore finally acts. He balls a fist and punches the central support pillar. In an instant, the air fills with dust and debris. The tower falls slower than I would expect. Another explosive impact quakes from within the dust cloud. Tore, with unimaginable control, directs the collapse of the continae, tearing it down floor by floor.

I hover amongst the thousands of ursu, watching the destruction of the symbol of their nation by their greatest hero. The intent behind his actions eludes me, but I’m certain it is important to him.

The pounding of levels being demolished stops. Through the cloud of dust, Tore makes his way out of the remains of the continae. He stops before the many ursu and casts his gaze over them. The giant lets out a breath and closes his eyes, tilting his head to the sky.

He stands there before his people, and in return, they wait in silence. Through the entire city, the only sound to be heard is the wind whistling between buildings.

“The council is finished!” Tore thunders, his voice impossible to miss anywhere in the city. “My friend’s memory, desecrated for the last time. His corrupted governance shall never see our people mistreated again.”

Tore lowers his gaze to the enraptured ursu, his eyes almost glowing with the dense energy held within. “I am your new leader.”

It is clear his words leave the ursu stunned. They treat him as a hero of legend, so when the first cheers start coming in, I’m not surprised it becomes contagious. Soon, everyone is celebrating. They laugh or cry at this mighty warrior taking the reins of their nation after suffering at the hands of negligent or totalitarian leaders.

But even as they all celebrate this obviously incredible change, none dare approach Tore.

His powerful, looming figure a daunting prospect for any of the unenhanced to dare come near. Tore’s eyes linger on all those before him. Face as emotionless as ever, but it is clear he cares for them. It only makes the separation between them sad.

I really hope I’m not pushing boundaries here. I fly over to him and land on his shoulder, trying to give him some comfort. A brief glance my way is the only reaction I get before he returns to watching his people. I do not know if I’ve actually helped at all, but he hasn’t told me to leave, so I get comfortable.

Tore may not have paid me much attention, but the ursu around us certainly do. As I’m in my burning falcon form, it’s hard to say if they even recognise me as an áed. They’re probably just jealous that I actually have the confidence to approach this horrifyingly strong ursu.

I’m glad things have worked out here, but I still need to get Tore to help defend us all from Kalma. Whether he can compete, we’ll have to see.