Touch of Flame

Ares was busy shooting at his opponents, and in the back of his mind, he prepared himself for the inevitable fistfight that would follow once his bullets ran out or if he just didn't shoot fast enough.

He had seen the guards join in the fight and the messengers were also fighting somewhere, and Ares quickly tried to load his gun when it was kicked out of his hand and as he looked up, a punch was coming his way. Ares blocked the attack with his forearm, feeling the impact reverberate through his whole body. He was surprised he could even hold off the punch and a new strength surged through him. Still, he didn't have the strength of a dragon. He knew attacking back would be just as painful if not more for him and as he made a quick counterattack, driving his fists into the attackers stomach, he felt the pain that shot through his arm. He quickly followed with an elbow to the back, sending him to the floor.

But the dragon was quickly up on his feet and Ares with his new found speed found himself dodges punches that would probably break his bones, but having to fight back, he caused himself pain with every fists that threw. The dragon caught one of his attacks and Ares knew he lost that arm but the dragon wanted to cause more damage. He whirled him around and met him with a kick from the other side, sending him flying threw the air and crashing into a shelf.

He lost his breath for a moment, the pain ringing through his ears, He could neither see or hear, and the ground swayed as he forced himself through the abyss of darkness. When his vision came back after the moment of a blackout, he could see the dragon's feet as he walked toward him to finish him off.

Ares could only see the steps coming closer as he still couldn't move his body. The dragon leaned down, grabbed him by the shirt he dragged his body across the floor. Ares discreetly grabbed a piece of glass and hid it in his palm. When the dragon pulled him up, he stabbed him in the eye.

Shocked, the dragon stumbled back without much sound, and Ares made an attempt to get away. The dragon was no angrier than before and ignoring his bleeding eye, he quickly came after him and pushed him down to the ground. Turning him around, he began to hit his fists into Ares's face and despite blocking his face with his arms, the impact caused damage to both his face and arms. Now his own anger came through, the pain fading with the adrenaline that rushed through him and with a growl, he pushed back now landing on top of the dragon. Then something unexpected happened, as if he was possessed for a moment, drove his claws through the dragon's throat, right above the collarbone. Blood spurted out and the dragon was shocked again, knowing he had received a severe injury now, he didn't try to fight back. He pushed him off, rolling away with a hand clasped on the wound. Then he shifted and flew through the large broken windows.

Ares didn't have time to think of what just happened. He knew it was the demon part of him and he knew it was dangerous to expose himself like this, but this was a life-and-death situation. With a bruised body he stumbled across the hall, to find his weapons when another dragon appeared to fight him.

It seemed like his death would come sooner, but somehow he preferred it this way. He wanted to die fighting. He did not want a death that hovered over him like a shadow, but... his heart trembled in his chest.

Nazneen?

His gaze faltered instead of being glued to the threat in front of him, and that was enough to make the dragon launch forward and leave him unprepared. As he instinctively barely took a step back, the dragon pang echoed in the hall, and the dragon that was about to fight him fell to his knees and with another bullet through his head, he was lying on the ground.

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Ares looked up following the sound, and saw Noah standing upstairs and aiming and shooting at any dragon he could find. Eric was also upstairs and kicked a box down the stairs; it flung open and weapons fell out.

Ares tried to quickly make it through the distance while Noah cleared the way for him, shooting any dragon that came toward him, and then he grabbed a normal pistol and the immortalizer. He also picked up a ring with blades that he put through his fingers so his fist would cause more injury in case he needed to use it.

Now, where was Nazneen? He stumbled back into the hall to look around. He couldn't find Nazneen, so he crossed over to the other hall, and there he found her.

Nazneen's head pulsated, and her vision was blurry as she felt hands toss her around while her mind wasn't awake enough to control her body.

"You thought you could just come back and become queen? You should have stayed in your cave." She could hear what they were saying, vaguely. But one word pulled her out. It was the call of her name.

"Nazneen!" Ares's voice reached her through the haze of pain and darkness. Her gaze focused, and she saw him standing in the distance, his face covered in blood and bruises.

He held up his weapons, both hands aiming to fire and she found the strength to twist the arm around her and pull her attacker forward by pinning his hand behind, and a shot landed right in his chest.

Ares didn't miss once, and with every bullet, he fired she finished off the rest, snapping the neck of the last one as he was paralyzed by whatever poison was shot into him.

Ares stumbled forward and asked, "Are you alright?"

She looked him up and down and then at his face in horror. "Are you?"

"I am fine," he breathed.

His leg. He stood strangely, unable to hold himself up, and there was blood seeping from one side of his ribcage. A shiver went down her spine at the danger this situation held for him. He was just a human who recently discovered his other side.

Her jaw clenched, "Come out! I will make them shift, and then you finish them."

He gave her a nod and said, "Shift back as soon as you can."

She understood that the command would affect her too.

She ran over to the other side of the hall and shifted, becoming a threat to every dragon in their human form. They quickly shifted to fight back and she could hear Ares telling the rest not to fight.

Nazneen flew through the broken walls and windows with her attackers following her, and then they began to fight under the night sky. Once she spotted Ares beneath, she fought off those close and flew down. They were right behind her, but she shifted back and landed, trusting that Ares was ready.

He spoke the ancient, "Peras Zenos!" and his command made the dragons stop their hunt and turn to each other. Then a vicious fight broke out.

Roars, the flapping of wings, and the tearing of skin echoed in the quiet night, and the fight looked brutal. Nazneen didn't tear her gaze away, and she watched as they all killed each other.

Once the night fell silent again, Nazneen turned to Ares and the others. She could see that everyone fought fiercely, and her heart sank seeing even little Eric injured. She did not enjoy a fight anymore.

"For those of you who have weapons, stand in your windows ready to fire. The rest of you, help me move these bodies where I need them. The paralyzed ones we should keep alive." She ordered.

She expected Ares to question her, but he didn't. He nodded to his men, and she watched him stumble away.

The head messenger, on the other hand, wanted to know.

"I need to make an announcement." She simply replied.