Drelix

Ithought I knew what rage was. I thought I had prepared myself for this moment.

I had not.

I don't even stop myself from shifting into the beast which I do not wish to control. This was a sacred place, but it is no more, not when it has been polluted by the creatures who dare to play like gods with all of the galaxy.

The Alajaz's neck breaks like a twig, and I fling the useless thing aside. Draxx is growling, but I ignore him. The shrine is nothing, this planet should have been everything, and I want to burn it all down in one huge flame.

A clawed hand stabs through one of my shifted necks, and I have no option but to pay attention to my general. Fully shifted, he nearly matches my form in size and intimidation.

"We must rid this place of the Alajaz," I growl at him. "To ensure their ambitions are naught and no other species meets the same fate as ours."

"I would agree, warrior," Draxx replies. "Only this area, this part of the planet, is scheduled for destruction in any event."

"What?" My need to kill, to maim, to destroy everything is tempered. "Which part?"

"All of it." Draxx has returned to his biped form, given he has my attention. "We obtained a quantum booster from your friend on Trefa and have upgraded the cannons. They are on auto."

"Then take them off auto!" I snarl. "I will have my revenge for my family."

"Only Draco can give the command," Draxx says. "We need to leave."

Ice clamps around my chest. "We need to get to my mate. The Alajaz will know what is going on, and they will take her in order to get me to comply."

I burst out of the shrine only to find my worst fears. There has to be an entire legion of Alajaz, along with more pulsar cannons than I care to count.

"Correct, Sarkarnii." One of them steps forward. "We will find your mate and you will do what we ask, or she will die."

"You don't want her dead," I reply. "But I want to end you." Each of my heads releases a flame, one which goes on for some considerable time amongst pulsar fire, many bolts hitting me but not stopping my aim.

Total destruction. Because that's all these creatures deserve. They have to suffer the same fate as my family did, as all Sarkarnii did. They have to feel as I do, empty inside…

Only I am not empty. Not anymore. I have my heartsfire.

As if in a dream, I hear her voice, high above me, calling out my name. Or perhaps it is my ancestors, my family. They call to me, through her.

"Fucking hell, Drelix, will you get out of the line of fire!"

I look up to see her, riding in Draco's shifted claws, as a cohort of warriors descends on the shrine, flame searing the oxygen from the atmosphere.

Not that Alajaz need oxygen, but they can't survive such an onslaught.

Potentially, neither can I. I'd take to the air to join my heartsfire, but my wings are too badly damaged to be able to take off. Instead I concentrate on searing as much of the shrine, of the Alajaz, as I can.

They will all die, of that, I am sure.

"Drelix."

Her voice is soft. Crystal stands before me, next to the elderly Oykig priest, his robes fluttering in the breeze caused by all the fire.

"Heartsfire." I smile at her because I don't want her to know how badly hurt I am.

Before she can speak, I let out more flame, destroy more of the temple and my ultimate enemies.

"Drelix, it is your choice, but if you don't stop, you won't survive," she says, her voice somehow loud over the din of destruction. "I need you."

The eruption of anger within me, of finding those responsible for the destruction of my planet, of my fellow Sarkarnii, is there, but the sound of her voice flows through me like a river dousing the flame.

What is revenge?

What is destruction?

What if all I'm doing is what the Alajaz did to us and countless other species?

"Stop!" I roar out with all three heads.

The flame ceases.

The sound ceases.

"This ends here and now," I bellow. "The Alajaz will surrender to the Sarkarnii and their fate. Because fate determines what we are and where we end."

I stagger a little as I look around at my friends, warriors all. Draco gently places Crystal on her feet and nods at me.

"Do you surrender?" he asks what remains of the Alajaz. "I have little time for mercy, so be quick in your reply."

One of them steps forward. "We do not surrender. Not to Sarkarnii, not to anyone," it says.

"So be it." Draco looks over at me as my legs give way and I crash to the ground. "Your reign is at an end." He intones at the Alajaz.

Crystal is running and running towards me, reaching me as my vision starts to dim.

"You did everything you could," she says, clutching at my heavy hide, her face wet against it.

"It was you, my Crystal," I rasp, finding breathing difficult. "It was always you, my heartsfire, my heart. My whole. All of my life led me here to this moment. The moment I found my heart was not hollow but filled by fate and given to you."

A searing light burns into my brain as everything goes white.