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Episode 7: Breathing from the Grave

"Never take anything as an absolute. Anything and everything will always have the chance to be disproven. If you take something as an absolute you run the risk of having the world you built around that absolute truth to crumble when it is destroyed."

Jeffrey Matthews Arnold

From a Speech given at Atlas

Skystorm Tower.

The headquarters of the one of the ExIT Commanders, Gale Winthrop.

As the sun rose away from the horizon, a tremendous roar broke through the silence that ruled the otherwise peaceful morning. Countless confused prisoners - former citizens of Pollenburn - looked up and wondered what monstrosity had come to further torment them. They had already been treated so callously by the very people they believed protected them.

What else was coming their way?

Another roar shook the metal walls of the Tower, upsetting the still waters of the lake. MODD soldiers scrambled to their posts, manning the bastions and turrets that surrounded the tower. Several took to the air, leaping into gunships and other aerial vehicles. Many manned massive beam cannons capable of cutting through mountains while others jumped into tanks that quickly rolled out into the metallic decks that surrounded the Tower.

They had all heard the reports... They had all received the terrible transmission from their comrades in Pollenburn...

A monster had risen up from the earth and was heading their way.

Veterans clutched their weapons tightly across their chests, trying to appear stoic in the face of certain doom. Rookies whimpered softly as they quaked in their boots.

Marcus Willows scowled and stared out the window of his private quarters.

The Branded were multiplying...

From a distance, it appeared like a cloud of flies had surrounded Skystorm Tower...

Another roar shook the surface of the lake followed by an ominous boom.

Boom-boom-boom...

The very earth moved beneath the feet of the ANVIL troops. One trooper dropped his gun and he yelped as he scrambled to snatch it back up. His commanding officer was too scared to say anything and she held the young man's shoulder tightly.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM...

The shaking intensified... the booms growing louder as they grew closer. Waves lapped roughly against the metal platform that Skystorm Tower sat upon, the lake's waters seeing more activity than it had ever seen before.

BOOM!

_BOOM!

BOOM!_

...

Silence.

Everything just fell deathly quiet.

No one dared to breathe...

... not even Marcus.

Then -

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Spears of light shot down from high above them like Heaven itself unleashing its fury. Soldiers screamed and panicked as the beams cut a path right through the vast army, sending their bodies flying against their comrades, scorched and nearly indistinguishable. Gunships lost their tails, wings and cockpits, the flaming shards slamming hard against the Tower's structure.

Before any of the guns could swivel around the point directly upwards a loud, high-pitched wail filled the ears of every soldier. A big, black bullet shot down from the heavens, encased in brilliant, white light.

WHAM!

It buried itself at the very centre of the army, sending a powerful shockwave that threw countless soldiers into the air and clearing the immediate area around it. The light didn't fade... rather it peeled down the middle and unfurled into two, beautiful, symbols that were shaped like white wings. A huge wolf - bigger than any other on the Tower - rose from the crater he had made just barely wearing a pair of shorts, chest bare with glowing symbols piercing through its thick, black and gold fur. Two blades of light hovered in front of his paws while his sapphire-blue eyes glowed with a laser-like intensity that drove several soldiers to drop their weapons and run.

Jacob Reaper let out a deafening roar and charged straight into the midst of the ANVIL troops, swinging his blades around him in a blinding, mesmerising dance of light and swift movements. Whenever he swung his blades, a trail of similar, hovering swords would appear and hurl themselves into the black-clad soldiers.

It took an entire minute before any of the troops could reorganise themselves and level their weapons at the wolf. Their biggest mistake was bringing laser weaponry. As the beams of light erupted from the barrels of their guns, Jacob seized control of the lasers, swinging past himself and throwing them back against the troops.

The laser-fire intensified as the aerial troops joined in the barrage. Kinetic weapons added to the onslaught and Jacob grunted when several bullets embedded themselves into his right arm. His regeneration pushed them back out and healed his wounds but he couldn't afford to waste any energy on regeneration while he had what had to be close to a thousand soldiers on his tail. Sure he could absorb light and refill his energy reserves but that took time.

Time he didn't have.

Thinking fast, he turned all the lasers around him and fused them into one, bending the light to his will and wrapping them around himself in a bright, spherical cocoon of light. He crouched down, letting the barrage of lasers and bullets strike his shield. Bullets would instantly melt while the lasers only added to the strength of his shield. After a few moments, the troops realised they weren't doing any damage.

Perfect.

Light bent to his will as he seized control of his shield and transformed it into sharp, blades of light. A roar rose from his throat. The instant the first note left his muzzle, the blades flung out and unleashed hell on those around him.

"Now, men!"_a commander shouted. _"Use kinetic weaponry! Kill -"

The man never got to finish.

At that moment, the rhythmic booming returned with a vengeance and shook Skystorm Tower.

The metallic ground heaved and balked as Behemoth surged out from beneath the metal platform, tearing right through the hull of the little artificial island in a powerful surge of water. Joanna stood on the Animus' head, clutching onto his horn in her Brand Form just like Jacob.

Unlike either Jacob or Taylor, Joanna didn't gain height. Her green brand did spread all over her body just like the other two and she gained more definition in her body but little else physically. However, she obtained a shuriken that was shaped just like her Brand - four sai merged together at the hilts - and a long trident that she used to command the seas and ground. Her long, crimson tail also gained another eight companion, giving her a perfect array of nine, crimson tails.

Joanna shouted and lifted her trident into the air. The waters surged around the gap she made in the platform, a tremendous torrent erupting around her and crashing down against the soldiers. The still waters of the lake came alive, becoming huge, snaking pillars of liquid that slammed and crashed against the troops. They knocked entire squadrons of gunships out of the air and swept soldiers off their feet and into the waters of the lake.

Behemoth emerged fully from beneath the island, stomping heavily against the metal platform. He lashed out with his tail at the tall wall, ripping it to shreds and sending bodies and metal shards in all directions. The gunships bombarded the titanic Animus with their heavy weaponry but even the most explosive missile made a tiny poof against the rock-hard skin of the Animus.

A figure shot past Joanna and landed heavily on the ground. The three-headed Animus, Cerberus, snapped with its trio of heads and charged at the ANVIL troops. Leo leapt off his Animus, grinning broadly and flexing his knew muscles.

In his Brand Form, Leo gained more muscle than height, looking like a tremendous tank made of flesh, fur and claws. He was incredible wide, brimming with muscles that had to clear more than five hundred pounds. The collar-like Brand which was wrapped around his neck had spread all over his body but focused mainly around his paws and feet, extending outwards to become a pair of large, hovering gloves and clawed boots. The Brand also formed a second pair of arms that sprang from Leo's shoulders that crackled with black lightning.

Several ANVIL troops realised that ranged weaponry was useless and discarded their guns, pulling out electrified staves and blades encased in lasers. They charged at the enormous wolf, shouting wildly. Leo flashed them a grin and dove into the ground. Shadows encased the Tribal like he was merely diving into black water. The soldiers scrambled to a halt as the burst of darkness surged towards them and exploded right before them. Leo seized a few of them in all four of his arms and hurled them at the remaining. Black lightning crackled between his upper arms and he hurled them at the troops, their screams joining the chorus of agony around them.

Cerberus rushed at countless enemies, tearing at them with his fangs. Several tanks stood in his way. They fired their deadly payload and the three-headed dog disappeared in a burst of dust and fire. Before the cloud could clear, three separate dogs erupted from its veil, charging at the tank and tearing through its thick armour with claws and fangs alone. The three dogs quickly reformed in a spiral of shadows to the ferocious Cerberus.

Jacob jumped to his left as a gunship dropped down from above. Spectre tore through the aerial troops with frightening ease. None of them could keep up with the high-speed winged wolf. Just a simple pass ripped the gunships to shreds in the sonic boom that followed. The Animus would shoot beams of light from his muzzle that would cut a swath of destruction through the mosquito-like gunships.

Itching began to envelop Jacob's left arm and he glanced towards the Tower's entrance. Several specially armoured troopers stood there, Seals drawn into their very armour. SWORD troops. Just grunts but troopers capable of using the powerful Seals. Each of them was dressed in the same black armour as the ANVIL troops but theirs always possessed long, billowing capes and enormous, flaring shoulder pads.

The SWORD members lifted their hands or paws towards Jacob, their Seals manifesting in front of them.

Jacob quickly flashed his left bicep at them.

Their Seals shattered like glass.

He was suddenly right in front of them, tearing through their ranks with his light swords. If he could see their eyes, he knew they were shocked to have lost the power of their Seals.

The doors of the Tower were firmly shut. Ripping through them with his powers would take time. Light or Sound was not designed to really combat metal. He needed bigger guns.

"Joanna!"

"On it!"

Behemoth lifted a massive paw.

Jacob ducked.

BOOOM!

The Tower's titanic doors were ripped clean off its hinges.

A grim smile on his face, Jacob charged through the open portal, legs pumping and taking him through the hallways of the tower. There were more troops there but he dispatched them all quickly with a quick flash of light to blind them and a sonic blast that sent them crashing into the walls, making dents the shapes of their bodies.

The prison hold was easily found.

It was always at the bottom.

_Just like the video games,_he thought with a grim chuckle.

The prison always had to be at the bottom. That way, when the captured heroes escaped, they would have a long way to get to the top where the final boss waited for them.

To his surprise, the prison was packed. He had expected Marcus to treat the people of Pollenburn with some dignity considering he did come from Bloomcrest himself. Instead, about three hundred people were packed in together like sardines in a can. The cells used energy panels instead of traditional bars as well so the borders of the cell were big, panels of glimmering blue light where people were forcible placed against like glass made of energy.

"Hang on guys," he said, storming towards the closest cell. "I'm getting you out of there." He hit the 'release' button and the energy barrier faded out of existence. A sigh of relief escaped the prisoners as they tumbled out.

"Someone help me free everyone else!" he barked.

Forget the fact that it was an eight and a half foot wolf with glowing tattoos and wings giving the orders. Right now, they were all the same; trying to escape MODD's treachery. Other prisoners scrambled to free their friends and family. Jacob had no clue how they were going to get them off the island - he guessed that Behemoth might be big enough to carry them all. The last resort was somehow liberating the island from the countless MODD troops.

"Jay!"

Taylor stumbled out of one of the cells, an odd device pressed against his left shoulder. It was the same device Sherry had applied to Winston Boswin. He guessed it was some sort of Brand restraining device. Taylor's paws were also bound together by handcuffs that were tied to shackles around his waist and neck so he couldn't move that much, keeping him from taking off the device.

Jacob seized the device and crushed it in his paw.

The instant it was gone, Taylor's eyes flashed and his Brand glowed fiercely against the back of his right paw. Flames surged from the symbol as his entire body surged outwards, ripping right through the restraints and through his clothing. Jacob had to mentally pinch himself when he saw Taylor's cock erupt from its hiding place, fully erect and ready to be emptied.

He shook the thought out of his head.

"We've got to get everyone out of here," he said, looking up at the much taller Taylor. "Where are the others?"

Kerry and Max were right behind Taylor. Shana, Darren and Sherry were missing however. Jacob wondered if Shana and Darren were still at the hospital and figured that MODD would probably have left them to die since they were unconscious. A sick feeling entered his stomach as he realised a lot of people must have been left at the hospital to die.

"What's the escape plan?" Taylor growled, his voice much deeper - and sexier - than before.

"Get everyone out, shoot and pray for the best."

"Hell no!"

Both Branded spun...

... towards Max.

The bronze-scaled dragon stormed up to them, looking so miniscule in comparison. Despite his size - and portly physique - he possessed a fierce dark brown eyes. "You listen to me," the reptile snarled, lifting a clawed finger. "You've been nothing but trouble to Pollenburn, MODD and to us for the entire time! You've done nothing but make things worse! I am not following you a step further! Anything you touch turns to shit!

"None of you" - he made a sweeping gesture at the other Pollenburn citizens who were turning to pour out of the prison but stopped - "should follow him! This man is Jacob Reaper! The notorious criminal!"

"Most of the stuff Jacob has been accused of is just bullshit," Taylor growled, looming over Max. "He's been used as propaganda to make us followed MODD. Why the hell would you want to remain loyal to MODD after all that it's done to you!?"

"Because all that MODD is doing is reacting to what this" - he jabbed Jacob's chest - "bastard is doing! You think any of this would have happened if he wasn't here!? Look what he's done to you! He's made you a monster! A freak!"

Taylor bristled and looked about ready to attack but Jacob restrained him with a firm paw to the chest.

"You know what?" he grumbled. "You're perfectly right. Everything I do does turn to shit. That's why I'm here trying to fix it instead of running off like I usually do." He glared directly into Max's eyes. He never expected the dragon to be really that loyal to him. They had no connections whatsoever and they barely spoke to one another. All that anger he had felt must have come not from a betrayal he might have felt over realising the truth about MODD but rather anger that Jacob was ruining his blissful existence in MODD.

"I'm not expecting you to think I'm a saint," Jacob continued calmly. "I'm far from it." He turned towards the rest of the crowd. "Anyone here is free to stay. I'm not going to drag you kicking or screaming away from this place." His eyes turned back towards Max. "Your choice."

"I'm staying!" Max shouted. "MODD is fair! I can get a trial and it can be proved that I'm a loyal, MODD employee on a harmless vacation! I even have a testimony against many of the traitors in the corporation."

Jacob scoffed a little bitterly and turned his back towards the dragon. "Fine. Just pray they don't use you as a scapegoat to blame this whole fiasco on. People get tired of blaming me, you know. They're not even sure I exist anymore. You... You'll be in MODD's hands. You'll be solid evidence."

He could see the chill that ran down Max's spine but he had no time to try and convince the reptile to come with them. Sherry and Gale were probably out of commission and being restrained in their private quarters. Getting the civilians out to Behemoth was top priority. Saving Sherry and Gale would be next.

The crowd stormed out of the prison. No one stayed with Max.

A bit of a crushing reality but Jacob had to admire the dragon's loyalty... or blindness. Whichever the case, he pushed the dragon out of his mind as the noise of battle picked up again. Explosions rocked the Tower and cracks had started appearing on the ground.

A little girl tumbled and wailed as civilians nearly trampled her. Jacob scooped her up in his arms. For a second, she looked terribly frightened then he found her parents and handed her back to them. Her eyes filled with tears and she began crying. The parents thanked him and ran off.

Jacob and Taylor made it to the front of the crowd and scanned the battlefield. Behemoth was keeping the soldiers from the entrance while Spectre and Cerberus were on the offensive, beating down the troops with ease.

"Joanna! We got them!"

The nine-tailed fox turned from where she stood on Behemoth and gave them a thumps up. On some silent command, Behemoth manoeuvred his tail to sit right next to the stairs leading to the Tower.

"Go!" Jacob shouted, pushing the closest person towards the tail. "Don't worry, he only bites people who are real jackasses." It didn't help that the guy he pushed was a donkey. "No offense..."

The man ignored him and hurried up Behemoth. Apparently, fear of MODD overruled fear of a titanic, alien beast. Taylor was ushering people up Behemoth's tail from behind while Jacob was guiding them from the front. Despite the large number of people, there was enough room on the titanic Animus' back to support all of them.

As the last person got on, Kerry stopped beside Jacob and looked at the destruction caused by the attack. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she glanced away, particularly away from Jacob.

"What about Gale and Sherry?" she asked softly.

Jacob exchanged glances with Taylor.

"Get on Behemoth," Jacob said. "We'll save them."

Kerry instantly threw her arms around Taylor, purposefully ignored Jacob. "Be careful... and bring them back safely..."

"No amount of care will save them."

The trio pulled away, turning back towards the Tower.

A kangaroo dressed in the black and gold of a MODD officer under Gale stood about fifty metres away, hefting a large, scimitar nearly as wide as his arm and as long as he was tall. The marsupial wasvery solidly built and his brown eyes were filled with both anger and frustration.

"Shit... Marcus Willows..." Taylor muttered. "Jay... We gotta be careful... This guy took down Sherry and she is one hell of a fighter!"

Jacob pushed Kerry towards Behemoth. "Kerry... Go..." His eyes never left Marcus.

She remained rooted in position like Marcus was some eighteen-wheeler speeding towards her and she was the poor animal caught in its headlights.

"You have caused more trouble than you are worth, Jacob Reaper," Marcus said in a low voice. "Here I was trying to keep Gale from betraying the people who have taken care of him and given him a future beyond being a poor farmer boy and then you and Sherry decide to come in and put dangerous ideas in his head!"

Jacob froze and so did Kerry... They were both staring at Marcus in shock. After having heard that Marcus had attacked Sherry and captured the others, Jacob merely assumed that the officer and Gale's personal guard was doing it under orders. Perhaps he was just like Max who was loyal to MODD is some weird, twisted way. But he never thought that Marcus was actually instrumental in keeping Gale in the dark or that his loyalty extended to admiration.

"You know where the Seals come from!" Jacob snarled. "How can you condone the use of people's lives to make MODD more powerful!?"

Marcus swung his blade, a huge gust of wind sweeping past them and knocking Kerry to her feet. "Because MODD is the only thing holding Mortaelis together!"

Taylor swung his paws at Joanna. "Go! We'll take care of Kerry! Get the hell out of here!"

Joanna threw them a worried look but on some unspoken command, Behemoth began moving away.

"After the Seal War, Mortaelis was broken and shattered," Marcus sneered, his long ears flattening against his back. "MODD became the glue that fixed our fragmented world. So the price of a constant stability is the lives of a few people that no one will ever miss. Isn't it an honour that a dying father can empower their sons and daughters by becoming their Seal? Isn't there some assurance in realising that the power of your loved ones will forever be by your side?"

"You can't use people like that!" Kerry shouted.

Marcus scoffed and embedded his scimitar into the ground, striking a cocky pose. "You're assuming that the souls in the Seal are being tormented to death. Who's to say that they're not in some land of eternal bliss? That their happiness is what fuels the Seals?"

Wait...

Jacob thought back to the dream-like Bloomcrest where he had met Danny Winthrop... Possibilities flooded his head... Possibilities of that world actually being real... Like, somehow, he had managed to look into a Seal... Gale's Seal.

What if... What if that's the world created for Danny by the Seal...?

He didn't seem happy... He was just playing a game of eternal hide and seek...

Is that so bad...?

"It's not just the truth about what the Seals are!" Taylor shouted, flames gathering around his fists. His burning chakrams appeared in his paws. "It's about the way you bastards are going about creating them! Bloomcrest is a prime example! You're tricking people into becoming Seals!"

Marcus laughed darkly and lifted his sword again. "Idiot. You're blaming us for what that crooked monster, Winston Boswin did. He gave him the Eternal Seal, told him what to do with it. We never told him how he should go about it. He tricked his wife. Not us. It was his wife's lust for vengeance that created the Pollenburn Plague and this created the other three Seals and Boswin's. We were really meant to let those Seals go to waste?

"We just made do with what we had and did what we could to honour the memory of those people that died because of the Plague. I lost my own family in the Plague. Do you honestly think I don't miss them every day!?"

The marsupial lowered his head slightly, lifting his free paw towards his chest. "Every day, I mourn their loss and what happened to them because of Boswin's greed." Then he straightened, eyes burning straight into Jacob. "But I take comfort in the fact that I could honour their memory by using their strength to rebuild Bloomcrest and make the world a better place!"

He lashed out with his sword again. This time, the gust of wind drove Jacob and Taylor a few steps back. "It's ignorant, hard-headed, judgmental fools like you two that assume MODD is bad just because they have power! You don't look beneath the surface and judge the entire corporation for what one man did!"

Taylor took a step forward. "You don't know what Balthazar did to Jacob!"

"What is one life compared to the possibility that we could create Seals without the risk of creating more Unsealed!?" Marcus countered. "We have thousands - millions - of Seals in store that can never be used again because they won't synchronise with anyone! Think what the power of the Brands could do! We would have infinite power sources, control the weather, prevent famine, cure diseases more easily and stop natural disasters! We could even spread across the galaxy!

"And you think this one pup is worth denying Mortaelis all that!?"

...

Am I worth it...?

A brilliant future for everyone else... and I'm being selfish... thinking just about myself...

"A future built on death, even if it's a sacrifice, isn't a future worth having!" Taylor shouted, making slashing gestures in air. "We all deserve a future! Not just some!"

Jacob looked up at the cougar... His heart warmed by the feline's words.

Yeah... Not sure I deserve a future after all I've done... but I'm going to make sure I earn it.

Scoffing loudly, Marcus gripped his massive scimitar in both paws. "Fine. Then you can say 'goodbye' to your futures!"

The kangaroo swung his blade, sending a tremendous continuous blast of wind that hurled Taylor clean off his feet. Jacob instantly lunged at Kerry and wrapped his body around her, protecting her from the battering winds. She screamed loudly but that quickly turned to a gasp as Marcus embedded his scimitar into the ground.

_Huge_spikes of rock shot out from the ground despite the island floating in the middle of the lake.

One such spike shot towards Jacob, slamming straight into his chest and hitting him with such force that he was hurled high into the air. He kept Kerry in his grasp, keeping her safe against his chest as he was flung over the artificial island and the lake's water by the storm of Marcus' attack. He tried to spread his wings and try to change directions but the winds merely hurled him further out.

"Spectre!" he shouted.

No reply...

Oh shit...

"Don't let go of me," he told Kerry.

She locked gazes with him. A faint whimper escaped her as she curled against his chest and shut her eyes.

They hurtled towards the lake's waters.

Jacob held her tightly.

He closed his eyes.

Splash!

*****

Flowers again...

Jacob half-expected Zack to turn up but he wasn't even really sure where he was on the field anymore. The black rock was gone and he was just on the field of endless flowers with a white sky and nothing in the distance.

This time, he made sure to check that he wasn't standing on a flower patch arranged like a bullseye.

He wasn't.

"Look who I found!"

Zack appeared, one arm around Danny who was grinning broadly.

Jacob's heart broke the instant he saw that chimp that looked so much like Gale... This world of flowers was like a paradise to Danny... A world where he could exist peacefully, forever searching for his little brother... He wanted to tell Danny the truth... but was it worth it?

Could he shatter this peaceful existence and doom Danny to an eternity of loneliness?

Not even the old, villainous Jacob Reaper could do that...

"Hey..." he said weakly, waving a little.

"You look troubled," Danny said, inclining his head to the side. "Is something the matter?"

"I..." He glanced over at Zack. The odd angel was smiling at him. "I was just wondering... How long have you been searching for your brother?"

The chimp shrugged. "Not sure. But I he and I made a promise. If it starts getting dark, we'll meet each other at the rock."

"The rock?"

Danny grinned at Jacob brightly. "Sorry! It's a secret! He'll know what I'm talking about."

"Right..." He stepped over to Danny and had to bend his knees a little so that he as at eyelevel with the chimp. "Listen... if I see your brother... was there anything you wanted me to tell him?"

There was a second where Danny looked like he was trouble with the thought then he clicked his fingers. He dug into the pockets of his dirty jeans and handed Jacob a small trinket hanging on a silver chain. It looked like a small flower preserved in some amber. "Can you give this to him? To make up for all the birthdays I've missed."

Jacob regarded the trinket... It looked quite beautiful... and no doubt possessed great sentimental value.

Wait a second...

He glanced back at Danny who had pulled away from Zack and was bolting back down the flowery fields, waving back at them.

"I gotta go keep looking for Gale! See you guys later!"

"Wait -!"

Zack's paw on his shoulder stopped him. "Let him go."

Jacob turned towards the angel. "Does he know...?"

The white-furred angel shrugged and smiled. He wrapped an arm around Jacob's shoulder and guided him across the flowery fields. "Maybe... You can never get into another person's mind. Not even angels can do that."

Jacob glanced backwards to where Danny had vanished. "I could have sworn..." It tugged at his heart that the possibility Danny might know he's stuck in this place... with no chance of ever seeing his brother or ending the endless nightmare. Another thought interrupted his misery. "Hey, if Gale's Seal is made up of different souls anchored to Danny's essence, why aren't there any others here?"

"They're here. You're just not looking hard enough." Zack pointed downwards.

It was the first time Jacob had looked closely at the flowers beneath his feet.

"Oh god -!"

There was a body resting in the flowers beneath him, almost completely consumed by the beautiful flora. He didn't want to look at it but he could see all the thorny vines shooting from every orifice... It made him sick. Then he realised that there was another body lying directly in front of him... and another to his left... and behind him...

They were everywhere....

Jacob choked back his lunch. Thankfully, there was a break in the flowers. Some train tracks and he jumped straight onto them to get as far away from the flowers as he could.

"This place is a nightmare..." he muttered, shaking uncontrollably. "I... I have to break this Seal... I have to free everyone here..."

Zack beamed at him. "And there lies the true power of your Brand, Jake."

"What?" he asked, fighting the sickness in his stomach. "Your Brand is a powerful device, Jake. It will be the undoing of all Seals... and the salvation of all existence. It's a key. Breaking Seals is just the first step to the power of your Brand. Trust yourself. Erase all doubt and listen to your heart just like the others have been doing with their Brands. Do this... and you will realise just why MODD wants your Brand so badly."

Jacob swallowed the bile in his throat and nodded, offering Zack a shaky smile. "Thanks... So... How are you going to wake me up this time? I don't see a golf club and I'm_definitely_ not standing on a bullseye this time."

Zack's grin grew broader. "All I can say is 'All aboard'."

"Huh?"

He heard a loud horn from his left...

... he turned...

... and remembered he was standing on a set of train tracks.

Oh...

A train ran him over.

****

His lungs sloshed with water as he sucked in some air. Coughing followed and Jacob rolled to his side, spluttering the water out of his muzzle. The water in his eyes felt hot and he didn't think they were from the lake. His vision cleared quickly as his regeneration started taking over again and repairing the damage he had suffered from the fall.

Kerry was no longer in his grasp and he glanced frantically around. She was a short distance away, holding herself tightly in her soaking clothes and staring off into the distant Skystorm Tower.

Jacob wasn't sure what happened after they were thrown wildly around but he knew he had to get back to everyone else. He had to make sure Taylor was alright. Taylor, Leonardo and Joanna...

Hearing his coughing, Kerry turned to him and slowly hobbled over, her left leg seemed to have a limp. He was back to his normal form but being in his fur and metal-cloth pants left him feeling cold and dirty especially with the ash sticking to his fur.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"Fine," he grumbled, propping himself up on his paws and knees. He noticed that there was something in his right paw. It was that charm Danny had given him. There was a second where he was scared... a second where he was heartbroken and then another second were grim determination filled him. Determination stuck with him.

"Where did you get that?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said, rising to his feet and scanning his surroundings. They were close to the Bloomcrest Ruins.

"Jake!"

He glanced to his right where Spectre - in miniature form - came zooming towards him.

Where have you been? Why didn't you answer when I called?

"I was busy getting bombarded by missiles, lasers and Seals. When I lost you, I had to shift back so I could track you."

You can't track me in your Animus form?

"No. Only in this form."

Huh... Never knew...

"Did you see something?" Kerry asked.

"Yeah. My Animus which is invisible to anyone else when he acts as my little subconscious shoulder angel who tells me to burn things."

"Smooth."

Where are the others?

"Joanna has taken the civilians back to Pollenburn. Leo and Taylor are looking for you. Summon me so I can bring you back to them."

"Before I forget," Kerry said, reaching into the pocket of her wet jeans. She took out a broken pocket watch. "Is this yours?"

Jacob went rigid and nodded stiffly. "Yeah... Thanks..."

Kerry handed it to him. "Sorry... I think it got broken in the fall..."

"It was broken a long time before that."

Puzzlement crossed her features. "What?"

Jacob flipped open the pocket watch, gazing at the broken clock face and the words, 'One day we shall all die' etched on the opposite face. A headache was quickly making its way through him again but he ignored it, knowing it was just another one of the ingrained mechanisms that Balthazar had used to ensure he would never realise the truth.

"This watch was a birthday gift from my dad... I think... It was my ninth birthday..."

"Tenth, actually."

"Sorry, tenth," he corrected, a small smile crossing his features at the memory. "My dad was supposed to give me some 'words of advice' that I would carry with me throughout my whole life. My mom expected something infinitely wise like 'Always keep hoping' or 'Never give up'. Instead, my dad told me, 'One day we shall all die'."

Kerry looked both horrified and amused at the same time. Her lips were twitching into a smile but her eyes were wide in shock. "Why would he say that?"

"I don't really know..." Jacob shut the watch and stuffed it into his pockets along with Danny's charm. "But those words stuck with me especially when he died."

He recalled that day when he was set to leave Albert's place. The ex-SWORD soldier had taught him all he could and things were getting a little... tense between them. Jacob opted to leave and that started a terrible chain where if and when Jacob got too close to people, he would leave abruptly. He scratched his father's words into the watch that had been broken when his father had died. He wasn't sure how it broke but he found it during his escape from Balthazar's clutches.

One day we shall all die...

A loud roaring filled the air and all three of them looked upwards as several jets sped overhead. No doubt the pilots had seen them. Jacob cursed and grabbed Kerry's hand, bolting towards the Bloomcrest Ruins. If he could find a usable door, he could escape and return to Pollenburn. Getting on Spectre was a bad idea. Spectre was a lot slower with passengers.

A bigger target too.

"Hey! I'm not fat!"

Jacob ignored his Animus, his legs pumping across the ashen planes. He wasn't sure how long it would take for ANVIL or Marcus to catch up with him but he knew he didn't have the time to ponder the possibilities of negotiation. He had removed his gloves when he had transformed since they only got in the way of his Brand Form so he was essentially unarmed. Shifting back into his Brand Form was certainly an option...

... but then he imagined Marcus charging in at the show of power and wiping the floor with him...

And with Kerry there...

"Ow!"

Kerry stumbled behind him. She lay on the ground, clutching her ankle.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "Just... go on without me... I'm useless anyway..."

Oh great... she's one of those_people..._

"Damn straight you are," he grumbled, bending over and scooping her up in his arms. "You're useless so make yourself useful." He started running again, picking up speed. His sneakers made loud squishing sounds as every step squeezed out more and more of the water they had absorbed while collecting the ash that was all around them.

"I'm just not as strong as you or the others..." Kerry sobbed softly. "I'm just a girl from a small town... All of this is over my head..."

Jacob entered the burned suburbs of Bloomcrest. To his horror, there were no doors. The suburban area of Bloomcrest was merely a graveyard for the skeletons of homes. Burned lumber and scorched bricks were the only thing adorning the area.

"Don't worry," he said between heavy breaths as he hurried towards the city proper. Distant thump-thump-thumps told him several gunships were closing in. "When this is all over, you can go back to being whoever you were. No one needs to know what happened here."

Kerry shook her head and buried her face against his chest. "You don't understand, Jacob... I can never leave Taylor or Joanna... I know they're going with you... but I also know I can never be as strong as they are... I feel like you're taking my friends away from me..."

He winced a little as he entered the urban part of Bloomcrest. Again, there were no doors but the gunships were quickly closing in. Seeing no other option, he dove into a nearby building and set Kerry down against the wall of the cleaned out building, ducking down low. They both fell silent as the gunships soared high above.

"I'm not stealing anyone," he whispered, as the sound of the gunships faded. "They decided to come with me."

"I know that," Kerry answered. "It's their choice... But I'm afraid of being left behind... They're going to be heroes... They're going to change the world. And me? I'm just going to be that girl who was friends with them but stayed behind to watch from the sidelines."

Jacob glanced out the broken window of the building - it was an office building at one point - and ducked back inside as he saw several ANVIL soldiers charging down the streets. Thankfully, they weren't looking into the buildings... yet.

"You can support us. Christy is. She's going to be our official costume designer."

Kerry chuckled bitterly and shook her head. "I don't have any particular talents like Christy... I like stargazing and occult studies."

Jacob bent one ear. "'Occult studies'?"

Her green eyes glimmered with mirth. "Would you believe that I'm an avid follower of witchcraft and ancient pagan legends?"

For some reason, Jacob found that fascinating and sat down right beside her. "Get out..."

"No, really," she laughed softly but wincing as the pain of her ankle returned. "Really. It's something that's always fascinated me. You know, witches, warlocks, faeries... unicorns..."

"I saw a unicorn once."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I made it. He was a jackass of an ANVIL sergeant. I stuck my sword in his forehead. He became a dickhead."

She nudged him slightly, a smile crossing her features. "That's not what I meant..."

"I know." He inclined his head to the side. It wasn't the best time to be talking about her but he guessed that they had time to kill while the MODD soldiers were scouring the city. They dropped their voices as the soldiers marched by. "So what got you interested in the occult?"

Kerry's eyes got this glassy look on them and Jacob was worried she was about to lose consciousness. "I lived a very... religious life... My parents are very avid followers of their faith..."

Oh... So you probably won't approve of me sleeping with Taylor...

... or Leo...

Gah!

He had never thought about it before but when he started kissing Leo and the young Tribal became Branded because of their kiss, he felt something there... There was something between him and Taylor as well but it was different. Not at all unpleasant but... different. When he was with Taylor, his heart pounded in his chest and he endeavoured to please the cougar. With Leo, his heart blossomed and some primal part of him lunged into activity.

They appealed to two different parts of him.

Taylor appealed to his intelligent, romantic side.

Leo appealed to his bestial, simple side.

Both he wanted in a way.

But when there were things stopping him...

Firstly, Taylor didn't seem ready for a boyfriend and was still coming to terms with his sexuality, something that put a damper on Jacob's libido and emotions. Jacob was never one to really hide things - if he wanted to kill someone, he would often do it at the first sensible opportunity that presented it. Thus, if he was falling for Taylor, he wasn't scared to announce it to the world if asked.... But Taylor seemed to want to keep their relationship - as scant as it was - a secret. He wasn't even sure if they had something. Not once during their short time together had Taylor actually said he loved Jacob... not even_'really like_'...

When it came to Leo, however, the Tribal was a very touchy-feely, hormonal puppy that thought about nothing but sex. No doubt if given the chance, the guy would hump anything that crossed his paths. Jacob wasn't even sure if the guy was homosexual or the fact that he let other guys stuff their dicks up his ass or drank other men's semen was just part of his culture. He was the polar opposite of Taylor but there was so much about him Jacob didn't understand or know. Was it even considered proper for an alpha of his people to take a male as their boyfriend? Did his people even have boyfriends!?

Then there was the idea that kissing was what caused Branding...

But I never kissed Joanna...

"Maybe it's not the kiss... but the connections your forge...?"

Jacob shook the thoughts out of his head. The last thing he needed right now was to be choosing between two guys who were both appealing in their own way.

"So... You parents were really religious," Jacob said. "I'm guessing you went in the opposite direction?"

"Not at first," Kerry admitted, a faint smile on her face. "I actually wanted to be a nun."

He imagined her in the black and white garments of a nun and actually found that believable. Considering how she so vehemently tried to get everyone to become vegetarians, he could see her running around the country with a ruler, whacking people's hands and telling them not to blaspheme against the gods when all they said was 'OMG'. With her figure, it was not surprising really.

All nuns were surprisingly curvaceous.

"I studied all the theology and legends surrounding religion," she continued. "Not just the Ascensionists but other religions too. I got really fascinated in the ancient legends and went into more... pagan beliefs. When I went to college, outside of my parents' grasp, I moved in with a very interesting roommate... She was a Pentamist."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up.

Pentamists were worshipers of the Five Fallen Angels that the Ascensionists blamed for all mortal sins. Their symbol was a five pointed star encased in a pentagon. The 'Pentagram' they claimed. Most of them were dark, brooding males and females who purposefully drank other people's blood, offered sacrifices to their 'gods' and performed all sorts of acts of debauchery like having orgies and pretending they were vampires.

Those were the modern Pentamists, however.

In ancient times, the real Pentamists were supposed to be witches, warlocks and all sorts of dark followers of the Five Fallen Angels.

"That must've been... Interesting..." Jacob murmured.

"It was," Kerry answered with a snigger. "I got into some pretty bad things... I did drugs, offered blood... wore black and eyeliner all the time... I was a Pentamists in every sense of the word..."

"I tried drugs and alcohol at one point," Jacob said, scratching the side of his cheek thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, I have unnatural regeneration and all of that stuff barely affects me. Any damage is repaired almost instantly so even if I take the worse drug out there, I'll only be high for about a minute, come down the next and be back to normal the one after that... Except for anaesthetics, for some reason. They make me drunk."

She chuckled softly. "Well... I wasn't so lucky... I got really sick and had to have an operation to replace my liver."

He winced. Liver replacement surgery was severe at best. Using powerful Seals, any part of the body could either be replaced or repaired. If Kerry needed her liver replaced and not repaired, that meant there was extensive damage done to her body... and it was also fairly expensive.

"My parents paid for everything and I got a big berating for everything that happened," she said with sad smile. "They threatened to disown me... From that day on, I went on the straight and narrow... Until today..."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up and he smirked. "Oh I get it... You're a good girl aren't you?" He leaned over to her, his nose almost touching hers. The doe back away slightly, her big green eyes wide in both fear and fascination. "But deep down, you're naughty. I bet, right now, you're just loving the idea of going around the world, causing mischief and mayhem for all of MODD with this big, bad wolf."

Kerry rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Please. I don't like big men like you. Trust me, I'm the only girl out of five siblings. I've had enough testosterone, thanks. And I've walked the path of righteousness for far too long. Plus, I've been to as darkest place possible."

"Have you murdered? Have you killed little children? Have you stolen, plundered and blown up stuff?"

"Firstly, all your 'murders' were just you assaulting guys from MODD who were after you. Secondly, those 'little children' you killed were these creepy kids that never grew old, feasted on the flesh of others and were possible the most evil thins in creation.I think that doctor called them 'human' or something.

"Oh, and the stealing, plundering and explosions are either out of self defence or survival."

Shut up.

"No," she answered, smiling back at him. "But I know those were all necessary."

Crap... Busted.

It was her turn to lean over to him, driving him back and causing him to flatten his ears against his head and for his tail to tuck between his legs. For some reason, a doe was threatening to a wolf twice her size.

"I can see it in your eyes, Jacob," she said calmly. "I've seen people who like doing all those things. I've seen murderers and serial killers. My major is Criminal Sciences. Part of that was work placement in the crime lab where I met a few madmen. Their eyes are like movies. You can see them constantly replaying the events in their eyes and you can see they want to do it again.

"With you, I can see you think sadistic thoughts but I can see in your heart that they're just a reflex. Something you use to mask what you really feel and what you really are inside." She poked his chest, making him squirm a little. "Deep down, you're just a kind, loving puppy who just wants everything and everyone happy again. You believe you've lost your opportunity at happiness so now, you're trying to make sure everyone else is happy."

"I -"

"Don't deny that's what you've been doing," she said, jabbing his chest again with a grin. "I've seen your file as well, Jacob. But unlike everyone else, I've paid attention to the things people say about you and not what MODD says." She leaned back smiling softly. "You've been around, haven't you?"

Jacob averted his gaze. "Yeah..."

Kerry glanced around the destruction around them and smiled. "You know... Everyone finds happiness in their own way... But people like you and me... We find happiness with other people. Our worlds have been reduced to ash just like Bloomcrest... But deep beneath the ash, there's a little seed that's going to use the nourishment from the ash to bloom and grow into a might tree.

"From the ashes, something will rise."

We are sort of the same... aren't we...?

Both of them had sunk low... very low...

And both of them had risen from the ashes when there was nothing but desolation all around... The only difference is that Kerry blossomed into a beautiful flower while Jacob rose to become a harbinger of destruction that reduced other places to ash.

"The thing is..." he whispered. "I'm not sure what came out of the ashes was such a good thing... You honestly think that what I'm doing is good?"

She smiled at him. "The world isn't just black and white, Jacob, it isn't just good or bad either. Think of the farmers here. They have to destroy the previous year's crops to make new ones. They have to kill animals to feed the starving."

He winced, thinking about the same analogy that Winston Boswin used. "Please don't compare to me to that pig... As much as appreciate the effort and the fact that you are right in a way, I like to think I'm nothing like Winston..."

Kerry laughed and patted his shoulders comfortingly. "Then think about Shana. You're a lot like her and Gale but you take it a step further. You see the something wrong and you sweep in to correct it. Shana saw Gale suffering and she took him under her wing and helped him get back to his feet just like what Gale is doing for you. You did the same for all those people. They were suffering in their own way and you came in and helped them back up... even if the way you did it did cause a lot of collateral damage."

That was an analogy Jacob could live with.

With a smile, he turned to Kerry, wrapping a paw around her hand. "Thanks Kerry..."

"No, thank you," she answered, rising to her feet. "We both learned something here... I can't be afraid... I'm not as strong as you or the others... But talking things through with you made me realise that I don't have to be." She smiled at him, her brilliant beam brightening the darkened, abandoned office. "I'm a lot like you... you fell down... but then got back up and was stronger for it. I just have to be like that too."

Jacob rose to his feet and was struck by the mental image of a flower blossoming from beneath the ashes of the Ashlands. He remembered seeing the patches of green beneath the ash when he and Spectre flew over the black planes... Suddenly, Gale's dream didn't seem so impossible anymore...

Then he remembered...

Gale and Sherry!

"Dang! I forgot!" he cried. "I've still got to save Gale and Sherry!"

Kerry smiled and grasped his hand. "Well come on then! Let's go save them!"

He was about to protest but remembered that Kerry had her own strength... and she wasn't limping anymore.

"Hey... Wasn't your ankle broken?"

She looked a little puzzled as she tested out her ankle. "Huh... Guess it wasn't as bad as I thought..."

BANG!

An entire wall broke down. Several ANVIL troops were revealed through the gap.

"Run!" Jacob shouted, sweeping up Kerry in his arms and diving back through the broken doorway. Lasers and bullets sped all around them. Jacob grimaced as many bit into his flesh and his regeneration began kicking in.

He sped through the streets of Bloomcrest, having to make multiple detours as MODD troops had barricaded several side streets. Every time he would try to escape through an alleyway, he'd come across a MODD barricade.

Damn it!

"Jake! They're leading you!"

What!?

"They've blocked all other routes and they're leading you to a -"

... a trap.

Jacob ended up right next to the Flower Memorial...

Where countless gunships and MODD troops came pouring into the circular expanse where the memorial stood. They were completely surrounded and Jacob was unarmed. Shifting into his Brand Form was an option but he also had Kerry to look after. He wasn't sure if summoning Spectre would help either...

"Damn..." he cursed, letting Kerry down. "Dunno if this'll help," he whispered to her, "but you're my hostage, okay?"

She shook her head, pressing a fist against her chest. "No, Jacob. We're in this together. You and I are the same and we'll die the same."

He grinned and shook his head. "Girl, you've got a death wish or something. But you know what...?" He winked at her, his Brand glowing against his arm. "If we die here, we can at least haunt them in the afterlife!"

At that same moment, a bright, sky-blue glow erupted from Kerry's chest just beneath where her fist was resting. Jacob gawked as he stepped back, the glow intensifying and nearly becoming blinding. The MODD troops froze in shock. Kerry slowly pulled her hand away from her chest, a sphere made sky-blue crystal resting in her palm. Beneath her shirt, there glowed a brilliant Brand that looked like a hexagonal crystal arrayed by wings that looked like several spears or arrows.

Whoa...

Now I know_I didn't kiss her..._

"Then it might be the connections you make after all..."

Jacob was the same as Kerry... Both of them rose from the destruction... and both of them sought happiness from the joy they brought others... They lived in a darkened world... but they shone amidst the shadows... Just like Zack said... They were wrapped in darkness but the light was bursting out... Like stars in the night sky.

The sphere of crystal shot into the sky, zooming high above them and exploding into a brilliant burst of shining ice far bigger than multiple houses. A shimmering image shifted deep within the crystal before -

SMASH!

The ice shattered and an enormous beast landed right behind Kerry, freezing the very ground where the ten foot creature stood. The distinct lupine creature had fur that was an icy blue, his strong, muscular physique encased in sapphire and white armour. A billowing, shimmering cape hung around his shoulders while a long scarf with a feather-like texture hovering around his shoulders like a pair of wings. His bright, green eyes were a match for Kerry's. A quiver of spears that burned with an eerie, icy-blue flame was pressed against his back, peeking out from underneath the cape. In his left hand, he held a massive crossbow armed with arrows as long as a bus.

"Polaris..." Kerry whispered.

"Jacob!"

Gotcha!

Jacob wrapped his right paw against his Brand, pulling out the sphere of light from the magical symbol and throwing it high into the sky where it disappeared against the skies. Before the MODD soldiers could start firing, Spectre shot down from the skies and tore through the airborne foes. Polaris flicked up his crossbow and fired rapidly into the midst of the troops, icy arrows slamming into the tanks and platoons of soldiers. Each one exploded in a flare of ice crystals and glimmering stars.

"Polaris..." Kerry whispered again, this time brighter and with her eyes wide in joy. She saw something in her Animus. The massive, bipedal wolf bent down and nuzzled her tenderly before immediately flinging around and throwing a spear from his quiver. The instant the icy spear hit the ground, those eerie blue flames flared out and washed over the MODD soldiers. Where the flames passed, only ice remained, freezing the troops where they stood.

Within a minute, the Bloomcrest Ruins had fallen silent.

Spectre landed beside Jacob, gawking at the newly formed Animus. Polaris knelt on one knee in front of Kerry, bowing his head like he was some valiant knight bowing to his queen. Kerry looked both shocked... and happy at the same time. A tear rolled down her cheeks as she clutched her chest where her Brand still glowed brightly.

Before Jacob could say anything, the ground shook violently.

Thunder crashed loudly and the sky darkened ominously. Thick, black clouds swept in from nowhere, gathering directly above Skystorm Tower. The winds picked up violently, kicking up a lot of ash. Black gales swept towards Skystorm Tower where they all joined into a single, spinning vortex that encased the Tower completely, hiding it from view. Lightning crackled between the bands of winds, thunderous roars sweeping across all of Pollenburn.

Jacob's only thought was 'Gale and Sherry'.

"Spectre, take Kerry back to the others."

"What!?" his Animus protested. "Where are you going!?"

He ran towards a nearby, intact doorway. "To save my friends!"

Interlude: No Wind Too Strong

"Loyalty is a funny thing. We can spend our entire lives secure in a certain thought or clinging onto a certain thought, ideal, organisation or person. However, the ties that bind us to that which we are loyal to can easily be shattered by a single concept: love."

Miss N. Ewe

An excerpt from a radio segment, 'Relationships and Ewe'

The world was crazy.

That was the simplest reason I could think of to explain what was happening.

I had sat by as Winston Boswin explained the source of the Seals. I didn't believe him. The bastard was just trying to unnerve people and enraged Gale Winthrop. Seriously, MODD would never do that.

It was just absurd!

Using people to make Seals!?

That was something video game designers wrote in to give their audience a terrible shock and make players want to beat up the antagonist.

It wasn't real!

What infuriated me more than anything was the fact that Gale actually believed Boswin and ran off like a chicken!

I won't say that I didn't want to see Boswin slaughtered like an insolent piglet by Jacob Reaper and Sherry Stormrock. The fat pig deserved it. I was horrified when he killed his own daughters and treated them like crops. If I wasn't so scared, I swear I would've gone up there myself and killed him myself.

But what really infuriated me was that everyone seemed to forget that this was Jacob Reaper we were talking about and everyone was fawning over him like he was some goddamn angel sent from the heavens!

He's a criminal people!

I stood a few metres shaking from head to toe, still partially buried in the snow as Sherry Stormrock actually spoke to Jacob like he was one of them! That demon-wolf was in no way a hero or a saviour.

"Thank you for your aid, Reaper," Sherry said. "I'm sure Gale has some explaining to do as to why you and he are working side by side but I have it in good faith that he is doing what he thinks is best and I only want what is best for him."

She nodded towards Winston's body which broke another hovering gurney. I noted that there were several Anti-Seal devices on the fat pig's body. It was pretty standard issue Anti-Seal devices. Most ANVIL and MODD troops had them. They weren't that effective against Unsealed but against people who abused Seals, they were the perfect weapon.

"I'm no doubt expected to have solid copies of the Brands and Seals that Boswin used..." Sherry said with a grim smile. "But I see no reason that it might have become 'lost in transition'."

I couldn't believe what she was saying!

Is this branch of ExIT so corrupt that they were going to dispose of MODD property like that!?

The only thing that kept me from reporting Gale when I heard of his plot to depose Balthazar Palmers was the fact that he was an ExIT Commander. I'm just a lowly worker. I wasn't a big-shot office guy like I told the others. Just a number cruncher. But I was still a loyal MODD employee.

"Thanks..." Reaper murmured.

"A lot of people had to die needlessly for this..." Sherry said, reaching for her chest. "Knowing where my Seal comes from is a terrible burden... One that I live with every day."

"Wait... So you know?"

I was a little surprised myself. Did Sherry Stormrock actually believe the bullshit that was being spouted from that fat pig!?

She couldn't fall into the same trap as Gale!

But... she wasn't there when Winston lied to Gale...

"Officially, no,"Sherry said with a grim snort. "It's one of the better secrets that MODD keeps from its own employees. Marcus and I know. I am not sure who else does but I do know that Gale doesn't know."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Reaper growled.

"Gale is very fragile, Reaper," she said softly. "So much so that a realisation like this would surely break apart his mental state. I'm not sure what kind of information Boswin gave him but I had hoped to tell him the truth once he restored Pollenburn to the glory Bloomcrest enjoyed. It would have been an appropriate time."

Reaper looked about ready to attack just like the damn lunatic that he was. An infectious lunatic.

Seriously, he fucks Taylor Yates and the cougar gets some freaky mark on him that makes him a nine and a half foot monster with muscles galore! Not only were they gay but his semen actually infects other people... Geez... It's like some crazy thing from some weird yiffy fantasy story where cumming in a guy changes them into some super, macho hunk of man.

Not that I've ever read any of that stuff!

I wouldn't dare! I'm straight!

"Max? Are you alright?"

I turned to where Kerry stood beside me. She looked worried. And she was hot... yeah... I like girls. And Kerry is hot.

I like bewbies...

"I'm fine," I growled, turning back towards the others. I wasn't in the speaking mood.

"What did you mean by 'officially'?" Taylor asked.

Sherry let out a bitter laugh. "I had to find out for myself. One thing about working for MODD, never trust anyone. Not even MODD."

That did it.

These people were nuts.

They were not real MODD employees. They were just scavengers looking for more power and blaming MODD when the stuff in their lives screwed them over.

I decided to stop listening.

All of this was bullshit.

When this all ended, I was going to head straight to MODD - to Balthazar Palmers - and tell him exactly what was happening here. Sherry would get arrested and probably demoted so low she'd be my secretary and that was pretty damn low.

And Reaper?

He'd get executed like he deserved.

Why don't we take this inside?" Sherry said. "You all best come along."

I walked stiffly after the others. I was going to get as much information as I could from these people. The more information I got, the better. Hopefully, I'd get promoted and I'd finally have something to tell my parents without having the lie.

We entered the ruined farmhouse. I was a little surprised to find that dining table practically unscathed. Jacob turned it right-side up, his massive muscles bunching from the effort. I tore my gaze away from him with a scowl and picked up one of the chairs. I was a little embarrassed that I couldn't actually bend down that far to pick it up.

I was overweight. There's no denying that.

I'm a fat, lazy dragon. I tried going to gym but I just didn't have the drive or the conviction to go on a regular basis. So, I packed on the calories and got fat. Not that I really cared. I was successful. I had an apartment, had a cool Holographic Projector and while I hated my job, I was a hard worker. So much so that MODD actually forced me to take this holiday.

A holiday that turned to hell...

I sighed softly as I sat down with the others.

Sherry explained the truth about what happened to Bloomcrest. I was only half listening. I took the holographic screens she handed us but didn't look at them. I just kept staring at Jacob Reaper, hating him from where I sat. He had turned this holiday - not really a holiday I would've picked - into a nightmare. Okay, I'll admit that it might have been a joke on the part of my co-workers to send me to a farm to 'work off the calories' but it was a welcome reprieve from those jackasses.

But Reaper...

Grrr... Just thinking of him made my blood boil and my heart race. I wanted nothing more than to strangle him... Too bad he's probably break my neck first.

I shook the thoughts from my head and focused on Sherry again. She was talking about the Plague now...

"Infection was not standard..." she said. "It's like there was something controlling the Plague... I don't know what but the Plague was beyond normal... all other things considered. I think MODD realised this as well and that's why they Purged Bloomcrest. Whatever the Plague really was... MODD was afraid it would continue spreading."

I heard a soft creaking sound and noticed it was Reaper tearing into the table with his claws. As if realising I was staring, the wolf pulled them from the wood. I took grim satisfaction at the idea that I might be getting to him.

"There have been other Purges..." Reaper murmured.

I blinked and froze... For once, the homicidal wolf with odd colours was actually right.

There were other Purges.

Suddenly, I was very attentive.

"MODD wouldn't bother to capitalise the word 'Purge' if it was just something that occurred every now and then... It's been too frequent... If we assume that in each of those moments..."

"The Eternal Seal was used..." Sherry finished. Instantly, she grimaced and flung her tablet at the wall, shattering it. The holographic panel in my paw vanished. "Damnit! I can't believe I never realised this before!"

"Tell me what happened after the Plague was Purged?"

Sherry was shaking in anger. She told us all about what happened after the Purge. How the people were scanned to make sure that they weren't infected. I guessed that she was in Bloomcrest to meet her fiancé when the plague hit. I will admit that I sympathised with her. Everyone deserved their happiness and what should have been a holiday that would have ended up with being with her soul mate turned into a nightmare.

Just like my holiday.

The girls went to comfort her but I stayed in my seat, glaring at Reaper.

Couldn't he see that he was doing exactly the same thing to us?

Okay, I'll allow that not all people in MODD are perfect. I've stolen office supplies before and I may have left vindictive memos on people's desks but seriously, this was insane! He was ruining our lives!

This MODD branch was corrupt if only because of Sherry. She told Marcus the 'truth' and that made him an enemy as well. Gale was the only one that was innocent.

I vowed that I'd set him straight too.

"How'd you cope...?" Reaper asked.

What was there to cope with!?

It was all a lie!

A lie that she told herself to blame MODD for something that clearly was not true! She was masking her own incompetence and sadness by blaming the big man! It's what every person did. They couldn't accept the blame so they blamed the next guy on the pecking order!

"Not very well, I'll admit," she said with a chuckle. "I sank low. Very low. I was quite harsh to both Gale and Marcus, whipping them constantly and I probably gave them a bruise or two that will never heal... But there's just something about Gale... His determination to do good things... to do things for others... I asked him once why he was so eager to help people. My argument was simply that no matter how you help people, given the chance, they'll turn on you and use you for their own needs."

"Do you know what Gale said?"

"Tell me."

I tried not to roll my eyes.

What could Gale say to convince her that she was wrong?

"He told me he wanted to be just like the winds... The winds always move forward, never crossing the same place twice in the same way or passing it as the same kind of breeze. He will never forget where he's been, the pain, the suffering and the agony he has suffered... but he will always move forward because if he ever stopped, just like the winds, he'll perish.

"He wants to be just like the winds... always bringing the breath of fresh air those that are suffering need and being there to lift their wings and raise them into the skies to be free..."

...

I didn't know what to think...

All my life, I've been the underdog in my family. I have a big family. Youngest in a litter of nine. Smallest, fattest and least successful. My parents always favoured my oldest brother who's a big shot corporate manager on some competing corporation to MODD. More than anything, I wanted to prove that I was better than him.

And being like the winds...?

I didn't have very big wings and because of my weight I couldn't fly...

More than anything, I wanted someone to be the wind beneath my wings...

Why couldn't there be someone like Gale out there for me?

"Gale is truly a wonderful person," Sherry said softly. "He brings in so much light to the world. Despite what happened to him he can still stand strong and move forward. I admire that strength and when I realised this, I have tried to emulate that."

Then Sherry said that made by blood boil again.

"Listen... I have contacts with the Rebels. I'm not sure how far you will go to pursue a vendetta against Balthazar but if you ever meet a Rebel, simply tell them that 'the library doors are open' and they will trust you... sort of. You may have to prove yourself but the Rebels might have a good idea on how to bring down MODD."

I couldn't believe it!

This was gold!

Sherry Stormrock had allies with the rebels and she just gave me their secret password!

This would be worth millions to MODD!

I would get promoted beyond my wildest dreams!

There was the wind beneath my wings.

"Be wary however. MODD and the Rebels pose two extremes. One completely dependent on Seals and the other completely repulsed by the Seals. The reason I have been hesitant to aid them is that I'm thinking about Mortaelis as a whole. Going cold turkey on anything will drive the world to bedlam."

"Uh... Lieutenant!"

I turned towards the door where a young arctic fox stood, barred by Taylor's 'Animus'.

"Prometheus!" Taylor shouted. "Let him through!"

The Animus obeyed quietly and the fox scrambled up to Sherry, handing her another tablet. "This just came in ma'am."

Sherry's expression instantly darkened.

"What is it?" Kerry asked.

"Jacob... all of you..." she whispered softly. "Run."

Before I could ask what was happening Jacob's winged wolf suddenly lunged and leapt into the air, seizing the homicidal wolf in its muzzle and shooting towards the sky. Joanna lunged after him and clung onto his leg desperately as they flew off into the distance.

I wanted to tell them to get back here and call them cowards.

But I didn't have it in me...

The ground beneath me shook and suddenly, lasers and bullets filled the air. Sherry pushed me behind her as she drew her weird shard-sword and stood in front of Prometheus. Huge spikes of rock shot into the air and raced towards us. Sherry lashed out with her blade, sending bright, yellow bolts of lightning slamming into those shards, shattering them instantly.

"Marcus!" she roared. "What are you doing!?"

She didn't get a reply as her own troops fired at her.

Finally!

Justice!

I grinned grimly even Prometheus was forced to defend itself bullets, lasers and explosive shells peppered him.

Something high in the sky caught my attention... It was an enormous blade of light.

"Look out!" I shouted.

It was meant for the MODD troops - not Sherry - but even she saw it.

The sword struck the ground...

... and everything went white.

****

The next thing I knew, I was cramped right next to some ass who was screaming and pounding against a transparent wall of bluish-light. I wasn't a genius - hell, my grades in high school were average at best - but even I realised that I was in a MODD containment cell and all that screaming wasn't going to do anyone any good.

I remained calm, though.

When my trail came around, I could easily prove that I was not part of whatever it is that Jacob Reaper and Sherry Stormrock were involved in. Gale could attest to that. I kept calm and just waited.

MODD couldn't keep us imprisoned here.

We had rights.

The bastard slamming his fist against the barrier wasn't helping, though.

"For the love of God!" I shouted, leaping to my feet and yanking the guy off the barrier. "No one is going to hear you so just shut the fuck up!

"You shut the fuck up!" the guy countered, shoving me roughly.

All the frustration over the past few days built up and just exploded. I had remained silent for so long because I thought Gale knew what was best... but when he left, I knew everything I had seen and heard was wrong... All of it was bad for MODD. I had remained silent for long enough.

A roar ripped through my throat and I lunged at the guy, slamming him hard against the barrier. I was just about to tear out his throat when strong hands seized my shoulders and yanked me away.

"You're a fucking psycho!" the man - a Pomeranian - shouted.

"I'm a psycho!?" I yelled. "I'm a psycho!? The only psycho here is Jacob Reaper! That bastard ruined our lives! If it weren't for him, we'd all be living peacefully right now in our own homes!"

"That's not true."

I flung around angrily.

Of course Taylor had to be in the same cell as me.

"Jacob is a strong, honourable wolf. All the stuff that's been said about him is a lie!"

I folded my arms across my chest. Given my girth, it really wasn't much. "You would know. You've slept with him after all."

The cougar went rigid. "Wh - What!? What are you talking about?"

I'll admit, I enjoyed watching the cat squirm.

"That wolf howls pretty loudly when he's got his dick up your ass."

Everyone in the cell instantly try to pull away from Taylor despite the fact that there was already so little space. Even his friends, Kerry and Christy were forced away though I think it was more from the fact that they were forced by the crowd than real repulsion. It didn't matter.

I had him.

But Taylor quickly regained his courage. "How would you know, huh? You been watching to guys screwing each other, Max?"

Damn... the tables turned.

I was grateful for my bronze scales since no one could see me blush. I'm not going to admit that I was a little turned on when I caught Jacob and Taylor doing it in the orchard. The first they did it, they were so loud that the sound of their lovemaking stopped me from getting any sleep. At least I think I didn't sleep. If I did, my dreams were filled with images of them making love and it disgusted me...

... I think.

I woke up with a hard-on but that didn't mean anything.

I thought they'd be at it again the next night so I opted for a walk.

Too bad I ended up walking right into them in the orchard.

It was horrifying and disgusting but I couldn't look away.

I was that mad.

They were both abominations, Reaper especially.

"Don't have to," I growled back. "It's pretty obvious you and him are boyfriends."

"We're not boyfriends."

The way he said it was so resolute... so firm... I had no reason to doubt him. But I knew what I saw.

Taylor Yates was a fag.

Before the cougar could counter, a loud boom filled the cell.

We all fell silent as the entire structure shook and I was thrown hard against the wall. I grimaced when someone squashed my tail and wings. I tried to shove them off but I didn't have that much upper body strength and it felt like there were about fifty people on me. I felt the cold barrier behind him, pressing up against my back and compressing me against the other prisoners.

I tried to shout but I just got a muzzle full of fur.

Thankfully, the barrier faded a second later and I was instead squashed against the cold, hard metallic floor.

I heard a roar then someone speak.

"We've got to get everyone out of here."

Not him... Anyone but him.

"Where are the others?" Jacob Reaper demanded, just as the crowd got off me. I staggered to my feet, standing up next to the gargantuan Taylor Yates. Both Reaper and Taylor had shifted into their 'Brand Forms' as they called them.

I had spied on them during their training session, trying to scope out their powers.

It was purely a mission for gathering intelligence. Nothing else!

Maybe I had a bit of envy on how Taylor could go from this so-an-so hunk to a hot stud to an enormous athlete because of sex.

"What's the escape plan?" Taylor asked

"Get everyone out," Reaper replied, "shoot and pray for the best."

I couldn't believe it! Reaper was practically leading us all to our deaths, to defying MODD and everyone was just going along with it! Everyone! Countless farmers and citizens of Pollenburn were hurrying to leave the cells or hanging around to stare at Reaper like he's some messiah!

He's leading you to your death's people!

"Hell no!" I shouted.

Both Reaper and Taylor spun towards me.

They were way bigger than me and Reaper... Well... he was huge. They could easily crush me in their paws but I remained firm.

"You listen to me," I snarled, lifting a clawed finger at them. "You've been nothing but trouble to Pollenburn, MODD and to us for the entire time! You've done nothing but make things worse! I am not following you a step further! Anything you touch turns to shit!

"None of you" - I swept my arm at the other Pollenburn citizens - "should follow him! This man is Jacob Reaper! The notorious criminal!"

"Most of the stuff Jacob has been accused of is just bullshit," Taylor growled, looming over me. I felt my knees go weak but I somehow managed to remain standing. "He's been used as propaganda to make us followed MODD. Why the hell would you want to remain loyal to MODD after all that it's done to you!?"

"Because all that MODD is doing is reacting to what this" - I jabbed Jacob's chest... wow, his chest was firm - "bastard is doing! You think any of this would have happened if he wasn't here!? Look what he's done to you! He's made you a monster! A freak!"

Taylor bristled and looked about ready to attack me but Jacob restrained him with a firm paw to the chest.

"You know what?" Reaper grumbled. "You're perfectly right. Everything I do does turn to shit. That's why I'm here trying to fix it instead of running off like I usually do."

He glared directly into my eyes. I never realised just how stunning his sapphire-blue eyes were... When he was in that powerful form of his, they were practically glowing. It was like I could see into his very soul and what I saw wasn't that bad... Misguided and nothing I'd want to follow because I'd wind up dead right alongside him... but it wasn't bad.

"I'm not expecting you to think I'm a saint," Jacob continued, his voice calm. "I'm far from it." He turned towards the rest of the crowd. "Anyone here is free to stay. I'm not going to drag you kicking or screaming away from this place." His eyes turned back towards me. "Your choice."

It damn well was my choice.

I was going to stay. I was going to stay true to my values!

And I guess... I guess I admired Jacob for doing the same thing.

"I'm staying!" I shouted, stomping my foot to make a point. "MODD is fair! I can get a trial and it can be proved that I'm a loyal, MODD employee on a harmless vacation! I even have a testimony against many of the traitors in the corporation."

Jacob scoffed a little bitterly and turned his back towards me. "Fine. Just pray they don't use you as a scapegoat to blame this whole fiasco on. People get tired of blaming me, you know. They're not even sure I exist anymore. You... You'll be in MODD's hands. You'll be solid evidence."

He was being cynical and bitter, I could hear it in his voice.

Let him believe what he wanted to believe.

He had his values and I had mine.

I watched them all leave and returned to my cell, sitting quietly on the ground with my arms crossed. Explosions and small quakes shook the cell occasionally but I ignored them all. When MODD came back, gave me a fair trial and gave me the highest honour they could bestow, I'd be the one laughing last.

The whole cell shook violently and I was hurled against the wall, crying out loudly as my left wing snapped painfully. Tears filled my eyes. I wasn't used to pain. I was a safe, unexciting guy. Extreme sports were like the Plague to me and the most thrilling thing I've ever done is watch instant popcorn cook in the oven. The most pain I've ever had was getting a paper cut!

Having my wing broken... It reduced me to a baby again...

I heard footsteps and someone come over me.

"What's this? Some idiot that decided to stay or was he left behind because he's such a whining baby?"

I glanced up, seeing the two MODD soldiers looming over me.

"Thank god..." I murmured, staggering to my feet. "I'm... I'm a MODD employee... I'm nothing like the bastards that you had in here... See?" I offered, smiling weakly. "I even stayed..."

The two soldiers exchanged glances.

I could see the grins behind their masks.

The one on the left kneed me right in the gut, sending fresh waves of pain through my body and causing me to double over in agony. I couldn't speak or cry out in protest as they grabbed my hair and dragged me across the ground. My vision blurred and I think I slipped in and out of consciousness because one second my stomach was growling in protest over being kneed and the next, I was lying face flat on the floor, my entire torso on fire and my own knees feeling like they had been shattered into a million bits.

I heard someone speak... But I wasn't sure who it was... I slowly twisted my head so I could see...

I was in some sort of... throne room... Most headquarters of MODD had such throne rooms especially if they housed powerful leaders like Gale. I wasn't sure if it was just a 'stroke of the ego' thing or some big design plan but I always dreamed of sitting on one of those thrones...

The speaker was a big kangaroo. Beside him knelt Sherry Stormrock. She was battered and bloody. On that throne sat Gale Winthrop, the chimpanzee's eyes firmly shut but he was obviously away... just thinking.

"Gale, listen to me," the kangaroo said - I guessed he was Marcus Willows because of how he was dressed. "You can still salvage your reputation and standing with MODD. All you need to do is capture the Branded and accept that your Seal was created from a big mistake caused by Winston Boswin. Yes, it may be created by the souls of others - of friends and family - but I have a Seal that was built in the same way!

"I've accepted that and I'm trying not to let their sacrifices go to waste as I use my Seal to better Mortaelis."

He was right of course. Even if I had a Seal and even if I learned the truth - not that it was the truth - I would still use my power to help Mortaelis.

"What is better for Mortaelis?" Gale asked darkly.

I flinched.

That... I wasn't sure how to answer.

"What do you mean?" Marcus asked, confusion clearly in his voice.

"Marcus," Gale whispered, slowly opening his eyes. I could've sworn his eyes were dark brown... But they were now a blazing gold. "Do you really think that Mortaelis will be better when it is built on a foundation of lies? If the truth about the origins of the Seals was revealed to everyone from the very beginning, don't you think the world would be a better place?

"Sure people wouldn't offer themselves up to become Seals so often but people who wish to continue to be of service to the world could become Seals. MODD wouldn't have to go around people's backs, turning people into Seals against their will and we wouldn't have problems like the Pollenburn Plague or the Purge.

"A world built on lies is not a world worth living in."

"Gale -"

Gale Winthrop slowly stood up, his golden eyes blazing as they scanned everyone in the room. They fell on me and I shivered. This was not the same Gale that had visited Shana's farm...

"Everything that I am," Gale said ominously. I could hear winds starting to pick up and thunder rolling somewhere outside the tower. "Everything that I will be means nothing if it is built on deceit. You can't build a future on a foundation of lies!"

The entire tower began shaking wildly and I began whimpering. The soldiers ignored me.

"Gale!" Marcus shouted. "What are you doing!?"

"I am going to wipe this world clean of all lies!" Gale shouted, tremendous winds pouring out from his body and blowing all of us across the room. Marcus and Sherry managed to stand their ground but myself and the two soldiers that had restrained me were hurled back against the wall. "My life was nothing but a lie... From the moment that Plague hit, I was wrapped in a big lie! I will rectify that! I'll destroy everything that I have become, everything that I have built and start fresh!

"This time, I know what I have to do."

"Don't do this, Gale!" Sherry shouted, staggering to her feet. She was still retrained by a pair of handcuffs and an Anti-Seal device but she still found the strength to get to her feet. "What happened to being like the winds!? Just move on!"

"I am going to be like the winds!" Gale roared.

The storm outside tore the roof right off the tower. I screamed as rain pelted me hard, lightning crashing around me and debris from the shattered tower flew around me in a whirlwind of chaos and devastation.

"I am going to be the storm that wipes Mortaelis clean of all lies!" Gale shouted. "Our world is filled with MODD's lies! Pollenburn is nothing more than a skeleton built on those lies! I will destroy everything that MODD has touched so that we can all start anew!"

"That's crazy!"

I didn't even realise I had spoken.

"Crazy?" Gale laughed bitterly, his eyes wide and mad. "MODD is crazy if they ever believed that they can hide this from anyone and not have retribution! Now they'll face my storm! A storm that will lift every man, woman and child into the air, free of MODD! And I'll start with Pollenburn!"

Sherry staggered up towards Gale. "No Gale! You can't! You're not like this! This isn't what you meant when you wanted to be like the winds!"

"Who are you to tell me what I did and did not mean!?" Gale roared, his eyes mad with rage and grief. "You were one of those that lied to me! You kept this secret from me and let me build a world from the suffering of my own brother!"

"But -"

"You can die with the rest of them!"

I felt strong arms wrap around me and it took me a while to realise they weren't from the soldiers or anyone who should have been in the room.

It was from Jacob Reaper.

I would have protested, kicked and screamed but right now, I was scared as hell.

One of the Elemental Lords just went nuts!

Sherry spun around and her eyes said everything. She gave a brave smile... I wasn't sure if she was smiling at me, Jacob or Marcus...

"Take care of him..." she whispered.

Then a massive gale of wind hit her, consuming her in a black vortex. There was a sickening squishing and splatting sound that made my stomach churn. I was grateful when I was forced to turn around and flee through the massive double doors leading into Gale's throne room. Jacob Reaper practically threw me into an elevator and pushed the down button.

It took me a whole three seconds before I realised that I was clutching onto Jacob like a scared child. But I didn't want to let go. What I saw in there... It scared me shitless. I never knew anyone could be so powerful but there was Gale... and he just ripped Sherry Stormrock apart with a single thought! There was also a storm around the Tower... a storm that would grow to destroy everything in its path...

... all caused by Gale.

I was scared...

The elevator suddenly jarred to a halt and I heard Reaper cry out in pain.

I glanced up and saw his eyes shut in agony. There was blood pouring down between his legs and when I looked around his body, I saw the huge metal spike that had jutted out from the elevator walls and embedded itself into his back.

Some part of me thought it was justice finally come to claim him... but then I realised he was probably my only way out of this place.

"No!" I shouted. "You can't die now! Get me out of here first, then die!"

Reaper smirked and reached over his shoulders, snapping the spike in two. "At least you got your priorities straight..." He pulled the spike out and cursed loudly. "Damnit... There's a shard lodged in my back..."

That must've hurt like hell but he ignored it and grabbed the elevator doors. His massive muscles bunched and clenched as he prised the doors open. We were almost at a floor so it was easy to just slip down into the opened doorway. The entire Tower shook again.

The ground beneath me buckled and collapsed.

"No!" I cried as I dropped -

... and stopped.

Reaper had my wrist tightly in his grip and with a grunt, he pulled me back onto stable grounds. I couldn't thank him... Not after what he did...

"Let's go..." he muttered, hobbling forward. I guessed that the shard in his back was close to his right leg since that was the side that was limping. "I gotta get this spike out of me... Is there a clinic or something around here...?"

I remembered that most MODD structures should have an emergency clinic somewhere...

"There is... Follow me."

Really, I had no idea where I was going but I needed to keep moving. I had to keep my thoughts away from the fact that I had just seen the last person I expected to go crazy and against MODD do exactly that! Gale seemed so strong... so hopeful... and now...

I grimaced as - miraculously - we found the clinic. It was abandoned, of course. The storm was probably strong enough that it drove everyone out of the Tower. Jacob hobbled in after me and sat down on one of the gurneys. He grunted as he reached into the wound which wasn't healing to my surprise. I had seen him heal his wounds quickly. What was wrong this time?

"Damnit..." he muttered. "It's in deep." His eyes locked with mine.

"Oh no..." I began, backing away.

"Look, you don't like me, fair enough. But I'm your only chance of getting out of this place alive. Just do me a favour and pull that thing out of me, will you?"

This had to be the ultimate totally-non-gay but really-gay experience I would ever have. Jacob Reaper was asking me to stick my finger in him, probe around and fish out a bit of metal... Right...

But... he was right. I couldn't leave him here... not when he was my meat shield.

"Fine..." I growled, stalking over. I pressed him onto the gurney and reached into the wound.

"Argh!"

I pulled away at his cry. "You want this thing out or not!?"

"Isn't there some anaesthetic somewhere?"

"Quit being a baby!"

"Fine! Next time you have a metal shard stuck in your back, I'll pull it out of you without any pain killers!"

I suppose he had a point...

Sighing, is scrounged around the clinic hastily. I was eager to get out of this place. The storm was raging wildly and shaking everything. I found a bottle of anaesthetic but right beside it was a bottle of some deadly poison. I considered the safety hazards of having the two right next to each other but a new idea hit me.

Did I really need Jacob?

I mean... I could poison him right now...

He was just lying on the gurney, face down. If I stabbed him with a needle full of anaesthetic... he would never know... Right?

I grabbed a bottle and a spare needle and extracted some of the fluids. I pressed my palm around the wound to keep him still and inserted the needle, pumping the solution into him.

"Tell me when it starts getting numb..."

Jacob waited a few seconds before nodding. "Yeah... I don't feel it anymore."

I decided to let him live...

I'm a fat, lazy dragon. If I made it out of this Tower it'd only be as a corpse. I still needed Jacob Reaper... and that, in no way, should be taken as some gay innuendo. The fact of the matter was... I was willing to admit that Reaper wasn't that bad... I wasn't blind.

I could see the things he did for us... He fought gravely for Shana against the Boswins... I don't necessarily approve of what he did in the past... but I guess if he was willing to atone for them, that was fine. I didn't like that he was going up against MODD...

... but really, he wasn't a bad guy.

I mean... he did save me from Gale...

And he did get me out of that cell...

Doesn't mean I'm in love with him or anything!

I'm straight, damn it!

I reached into the wound and pulled out the spike. It was actually pretty large, about as big as my thumb. I threw it aside and watched in a bit of amazement as his wound began to heal. But it was slower than before. I guessed he didn't have much energy left.

"How're you feeling?" I asked.

He let out a weird, contently rumbling. His eyes were firmly shut. "Hmmm... good... really good..."

"Great. Can we get out of here now?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes, a goofy smile on his face. "What's the rush? We should stay a while."

I shook my head in shock. "What the hell are you talking about!? The whole place is collapsing around us! We're gonna die!"

He sighed really heavily and sat up. I noticed he was swaying a little... and his eyes were a little droopy. "Fine," he groaned in slurred tones. "Let's get out of here so I can screw Tayl and Leo..." He let out a childish giggle. "I want threesome!"

Man, he's so gay...

Reaper tried to get up by instantly stumbled, crashing into me face first.

"What the hell!?" I cried, trying to pull him back up but it was like he was drunk! I just jammed him full of a local anaesthetic! That shouldn't make him drunk!

... right...?

"Wow... You're hot..."

I froze.

"Wh - What?!"

Jacob was completely out of his mind as he pushed me onto the ground, grinning wildly like an idiot. Our lips collided and he was savagely assaulting my tonsils. I pushed him away but he was far strong than I was and he dove straight back in.

Then his tongue - his long, hot, slippery tongue - brushed against the roof of my muzzle... and I was instantly lost. This was my first kiss... I was a virgin. No one wanted a fat dragon like me. But suddenly, to have this amazing, sexy wolf call me 'hot' and kiss me so passionately... I didn't care who he was... This kiss...

... it was something else.

I completely lost myself, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders and pulling his half-naked body towards me. I tentatively reached out with my tongue, exploring his muzzle. I felt the slipperiness of his own tongue and the hard ridges of his muzzle... I just couldn't believe that I was kissing someone this passionately... and it was another man!

His paws reached around me, removing my clothes slowly and lovingly. The instantly my scales brushed against his hard, muscled chest I felt my dick rise to salute his godly body. Suddenly, all those dreams I had that instant I heard him and Taylor in bed came back with a fury. I remembered each of them...

The first night... My own moans mixed with theirs as I imagined myself amongst their hard, furry bodies.

The second night, when I caught them out in the orchard, I dreamed that it was me that Jacob was ploughing that huge foot-long dick into...

The third night... I imagined that Jacob had Branded me... That he had pumped that almighty seed into my body and given me the godly body that Taylor not possessed.

Jacob pulled away, blinking a little in surprise. I could see a degree of clarity in his eyes. Whatever had happened to his system, it was quickly wearing off. But his kiss left me in a drunken stupor. I was drunk on him...

I wanted him!

I pulled him back, our muzzles meshing into one and this time, I was the one doing the diving for his throat. His paws wrapped around me and when I felt him seize my gut, I felt a bit of shame and fear fill me. Was he going to pull away? He was strong, muscular and absolutely perfect... How could he stand an obese fatass like me.

But then he started reaching behind me, gently caressing my multiple wounds. Where his paws touched, I felt a radiating warmth fill me. It was like the instant his paws touched me, some great and divine energy flooded into me, causing my blood to boil. All the pain from my injuries was lost in that warmth and suddenly, I was caught in a deep, sexual haze from our naked bodies pressed against one another.

He pulled away from our kiss, his eyes clearer now. "Wha...?"

"Oh god Jacob..." I moaned, feeling his thick dick pressing up against my gut. "Don't stop..."

"I -"

I didn't give him a chance to get another word in as I pulled him against my neck. I took in his crisp, clear, scent that reminded me of crystals. My entire body was on fire, fire that was seeping right out of Jacob. But it was strangely addictive. I wanted more of it. The heat was causing the blood in my veins to bubble and boil. I could almost feel them melting the fat away.

That energy surged through me suddenly and I let out a tremendous moan as I held Jacob tightly against me chest. He was struggling to break free but for some reason I could hold him down. When I looked down at him, I gawked as my arms had ballooned out into firm, masses of muscle. I never had muscle! If I did, it was fat conveniently shaped like muscle!

But there was no denying this!

My arms were packed with hard muscle! I had biceps.

I could only gawk as my entire body became overloaded with that energy and I groaned in absolute pleasure. My bones cracked and stretched. There were moments of pain as they snapped but then there was infinite pleasure as that energy filled the gaps and stretched my body. Veins pumped all over my body, quivering with each of my rapid heartbeats. My pecs - which had been manboobs not too long ago - hardened and took on a definite square shape. Shoulders that had one merged seamlessly with my neck broadened, thickened and took on a nice, rounded shape.

The huge gut that I was so ashamed of bubbled out of existed, all the fat seemingly burning into pure muscle that was distributed all over my body and fuelled my growth all the more. A huge set of what had to be ten, strong abdominal muscles pushed out just beneath my abdomen just as my thighs firmed up into thick, juicy slabs of meat. My legs stretched further than they had ever before. It all felt like I was shedding my skin, tearing off my past life and accepting a new, more powerful body.

Over my bronze scales, bright, metallic purple runes etched themselves. I realised they were the same symbols that the other Branded wore!

Jacob had somehow Branded!

But from what?

Just a kiss!?

Then all the energy and pleasure in my body erupted like a volcano. I threw my head back and let out a tremendous roar that rivalled the storm outside. I had to sit up as the pressure in my entire body built up and surged from three places. The first two were from my wings. My broken left wing seemed to shatter and reform as two, proud webbed wings that even my older brother would be envious of. My right wing did the same!

Suddenly, I had four huge webbed wings big enough not only to carry my gargantuan muscular weight but probably another guy of the similar build!

The third place the pressure erupted from was my cock.

A proud, fourteen inch member stood proudly out of my draconic slid, spraying my seed everywhere as the pleasure from my transformation just became too much. I splattered a stunned Jacob Reaper with my cum, the now much smaller wolf looking so stunned that it was priceless.

A slight, light-headed sensation hit me but that only lasted for a second. I felt more cum churn in my huge balls and suddenly, I wanted to jack off again, to spray my cum everywhere! I was halfway to reaching for my cock when -

"Max! Stop!"

Reaper's voice broke me out of my cock-fancy...

I wasn't gay...

"Whu...?" I rumbled. That was not my voice. It was deeper, more sensual... more masculine. I loved it.

"We need to get out of here," Jacob said, scrambling to his feet. He slipped a little on my cum and I chuckled deeply. "Can you get up?"

I nodded and rose to me feet.

He head banged hard against the ceiling.

That was impossible! I had to be more than ten feet tall!

Ten feet tall and brimming with awesome muscles!

I couldn't help but flex, admiring my new, bicep. The fact that the Brand was etched across my bronze scales was a major turn on. Tattoos turn me on. I always wanted to get one but... well... I was always too timid.

Now though...

"Max! Stop admiring yourself and get a move on!"

I nodded and barely managed to squeeze through the doorway. Thank god it was a double door because I could never have fit through a single door. I lumbered behind Jacob as he headed down the hallways that had much higher ceilings than anywhere else in the Tower. I wasn't really sure where we were going. My erection wasn't going down and it was getting harder and harder to resist its pull.

"Hey you! Stop!"

I flung around.

Marcus Willows stood there with a large group of MODD troops. All of them looked bloody and beaten. Several were holding up their unconscious comrades.

"I see you infected another innocent soul, Reaper," Marcus growled.

That was right... I was Branded now...

I could be seen as a traitor to MODD!

I lifted my hands in surrender. "No, I -"

"We don't have time for this!" Jacob roared. "Gale is going to kill us! We have to get out of this Tower now!"

Marcus grimaced, glancing at his troops. "Fine, Reaper... But the instant we're out..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm dead."

The ground shook beneath our feet and the pristine, metal floors buckled abruptly, breaking in two before immediately lifting into the air, taking us with them. Several of the MODD troops plummeted to their death and I barely managed to cling onto the floor as it tilted to the right and was torn away from the rest of the Tower. I screamed when I saw the entire Tower had been ripped to shreds by a gargantuan storm... a storm we were part of!

A brilliant light erupted from somewhere behind me and at first, I thought it was Reaper summoning his 'Animus' but then I realised he was clinging on to the platform right next to me. I glanced over my shoulder where a bright, metallic purple orb hovered right behind me. The orb's form suddenly became encased in beautiful, angelic, purple light that grew and spread into the stunning silhouette of an female dragon with feathered wings, her entire form encased in that purple light.

A single name entered my mind.

"Eden..."

She was my Animus...

Eden flew away a few metres before huge wires and metal plates erupted from all over her body, encasing her in thick, metallic armour. The armour kept building and building, stacking upon each other until she was nearly as big as a bus, bristling with weaponry and with ramparts like a real castle. Yet she still kept building herself.

I gawked as my Animus transformed into an enormous, metallic golem, standing firmly against the storm and completely unaffected by the winds that lashed out at us. Eden lifted a single hand, forming platform that had to be as big as a house right beneath me. I jumped down onto her hand, Reaper beside me. She quickly lashed out, with her other hand, catching the MODD troops she could and guiding us towards her chest where a pair of iron doors rested.

We scrambled inside, free from the storm.

I felt Eden move... We were getting out of the storm...

...I just couldn't help but grin...

My Animus was awesome.