The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

10.1 || An Impossible Promise

JOSH GRASPED THE woman's shoulder and wrenched her away from him. She dug her nails into his neck, but he got her far enough off him to kick. She hopped out of range, not stopping until she put about fifty feet between them.

"Is that how you should treat a lady?" the possessed woman asked.

Josh raised his blade. "Doesn't matter when you're not a lady. Now get out of that woman before we have to do this the hard way." Even as he spoke, sweat built on his palms. He tightened his grip on the sword.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "So you know what I'm doing? I knew that word would spread fast, but I didn't think someone so..." She looked him up and down, a smirk playing on her lips. "So young in their bond would recognize it when they saw it."

"Not my first showdown with you cowards," he said. And as she didn't show any desire to do this the easy way, he channeled energy to his shield arm.

"Strategic, not cowardly. Like how you're slowly putting energy into your hand. A failed attempt to try to hide what you're doing, but strategic."

Josh gritted his teeth and directed his palm at the woman. The pent up energy exploded out as a large beam. Maybe he couldn't figure out his element, but he had gotten light blasts down.

To your left!

He glanced over as Boomer's voice sounded in his mind. The woman knelt on the ground just out of the beam's range, her hand enveloped by black energy. It condensed into a ball she flung at him. Josh canceled out the blast and jerked his shield between him and the energy ball. He winced, the impact stinging his arm.

Thanks, Josh said as he lowered the shield. I didn't notice her dodge.

Maybe try to get closer? Boomer suggested.

Was just thinking that. This would have been way easier if he had blasted her instead of flinging her away, but hindsight didn't change the present.

The woman stood. Her eyebrows creased, and although her dragonic eyes were directed his way, she only seemed to half see him.

Her loss if she underestimates me, Josh thought. He charged forward, focusing light toward his hand once more. He wouldn't miss a second time—

A roar seemed to explode from the forest itself, followed by crashing trees. Josh jerked to a stop, tremors working their way up his legs. He didn't know which caused the tremors—the earth's shaking or that roar. The sound still sawed through him, grating against his bones as it replayed over and over in his head.

Josh... Josh, you need to... Boomer stuttered to a stop, terror coming through the bond in waves.

Josh's insides were a storm of unease as he glanced in the direction he'd heard the sound. Birds screeched and fled into the air, something he should do, but his legs remained frozen.

Boomer, why are you so afraid? Josh asked. What is it?

There was a tug at his gut, originating from somewhere deep within him. Darkness danced along the edges of his vision.

No, not darkness. His eyes widened, itching and burning from what he saw. But it couldn't possibly be there. Nothing was burning to produce smoke.

It's a... a...

Another roar ripped through the forest. Much closer this time. Too close. Josh's head spun as Boomer's fear flooded his senses, then a sharp yank at his gut—

No. No. No, this couldn't be happening.

But even through the smoke, he couldn't deny what he saw. Two familiar lumps sprawled out on the ground. Still. So sickeningly still. Not a wing twitch or a chest rise.