It felt like a nightmare.

Seeing Cage being tortured by someone he thought was a friend, her inability to do anything for fear that she'd lose control of her magic again and doom them all... Why couldn't Jazz see reason? Why did he insist on tearing her and Cage apart when he knew they couldn't survive without each other?

Yes, she'd hurt the people he loved, but it hadn't been on purpose. And still, he pushed.

It's him that needs to go. Join his friends.

No. She wouldn't.

He's hurting Cage. He's hurting you both.

He was. She should do something about it. But he had his sword out, and even if half of his attention was on keeping Cage in place, Kat knew she couldn't take him. Jazz was too good of a swordsman and would disarm her in the blink of an eye.

You have the power to stop this. Why aren't you doing anything?

Jazz would see reason. He had to. He wouldn't really hurt Cage, or her. He was their friend. He was just in pain. Grieving. Over something I've done.

But it was hard to keep thinking that when he was obviously causing Cage a lot of pain, when he insisted that both she and Leila left the ship.

Leila. What if it all came down to her? Trouble seemed to be following Kat around ever since she'd rescued the girl. What if...?

Leila was always by your side. Encouraged you. This isn't fair to her.

Nothing felt fair. Especially not the magic burning underneath her skin, begging to be let out and punish. Destroy. She wouldn't let it out. She wouldn't hurt anyone else.

Oh yes, you will.

Before she knew it, she was standing, flames burning between her fingers. Her mouth was saying words she'd never even considered before, and her body felt as if it had pushed her out. There was someone else in there. The voices. The voices had finally beaten her after laying dormant for so long, after making her believe she had defeated them.

"You will all burn."

The words had left her mouth, filled with hatred, directed at the people she loved. Jazz had released Cage, she could see that. The two of them were glancing at her wearily, rightfully cautious.

"Kat, no one has to get hurt," Cage said, lifting his hands. He didn't even look at Jazz, had no ill will towards the man who'd just tortured him. His weary gaze was on her.

Even when Jazz deserved to burn.

"Oh, I beg to differ." 

No!

Fire shot towards Jazz. He put up a magical shield, holding his hands out. But the fool had used magic before, he'd drained his resources. Sweat dripped down the sides of his face.

"Kat, no!"

She pulled against the hold of the voices as hard as she could and stopped the flames. For a moment, she was back inside her body, panting, feeling the sting of the magic. Tears flowed down her cheeks from the effort.

"What's happening to me?" Her voice was barely there, choked by terror and shame.

Cage stepped forward, his arms open to hold her, offer her solace from the madness.

"Stop. Stay back."

A new voice joined the party and Cage froze in mid-step, once again confined by magic. Cecile walked towards them, her stormy eyes on Kat, her dress flowing like grey clouds behind her.

"What is going on here?" she demanded.

"Let me go, Cecile!" Cage said, his tone low and deadly.

Surprisingly, she complied, approaching their group like a prowling feline. The scrutiny of her gaze had the magic flaring inside Kat again, pushing her to the brim of her very existence. The fairy was the cause for all this. Their curses, their misery, the rage she felt inside her now, giving power to the voices.

"Who are you?" the fairy asked. "How did you get in there?"

It was a good question, but the consequences were dire. Her consciousness felt pushed to the side once again as the magic took over, burning her from the inside out.

"Oh, you poor fool, Cecile," her mouth said. "You thought your games could change the fate of this world?"

Cecile narrowed her eyes some more, taking a step forward. Kat raised her hands, her mouth stretching into a grin.

No. No! You can't attack a fairy! Cecile would smite them into oblivion.

But her body wouldn't listen. Like in a nightmare, fire sprouted from her open palms, heading for the fairy. She didn't make a move to dodge and the flames struck her head-on. They didn't seem to do any damage to her, to Kat's relief, but whatever crazy force had taken over her body seemed to feel otherwise, because the force of her attack increased.

Cecile winced. It was subtle, but it was there. 

Kat's ears began to ring. This couldn't be happening. Whatever was controlling her could not be stronger than a fairy. What if it turned its malevolent attention towards her friends next? Towards Cage?

Now, that's not a bad idea. The voice was ruthless.

No, please don't!

But one of her hands moved to her right, taking aim at Jazz again. He wasn't paying attention to her, but rather Cecile, so the flames hit him head-on.

Kat could no longer breathe. She couldn't see, her vision turning red, couldn't think. It felt like her heartbeat was echoing in an empty cave while everything around her danced in shapes and sounds she couldn't understand.

A pair of arms wrapped around her body and hoisted her up. Like in a bad dream, she could feel the dull ache of burns, growing in intensity with every second.

Cage. Cage had grabbed her and she was burning him alive, his pain reflecting on her due to their magical bond. She was killing him.

Good. Maybe this way you will have the strength to do what needs to be done. Burn the world.

No!

Burn down the world!

The pain inside her intensified as if she was the one burning alive. She wouldn't hurt Cage any longer. She'd rather die.

She would not burn down the world. She. Would. Not!

Her body floated out of his hold, into thin air, as if she weighed nothing.

The magic inside her twisted and turned as she struggled to gain control of it to morph it, to destroy the flames. Lost in her own mind, she could see nothing but fire, engulfing everything around her, threatening to burn her very soul. But she wouldn't give up that easily, she wouldn't let the voices win. 

They still clawed at her, demanding control, asking for blood and singed flesh. As much as she pushed, they pushed back, and they battle seemed to drift into space and time. There was nothing now, just her two sides fighting over control of her frail, human body. Why did a part of her wish to destroy everything she loved? Was someone else really in there? It couldn't be. It was just her.

Just. Her.

So, with everything she had, she focused on killing the flames, dousing them in water, replacing them with something else. 

The flames became blueish, their consistency changing into that of flowing liquid. Yes, water was harmless, water she could work with. Control it and have it bring life and not death. Once the cool liquid flowed between her fingers, she could breathe again.

But it only lasted for a moment before the water morphed into the sharpest ice and exploded into a million tiny shards.

🌟🌟🌟

It continues to be intense! This is a sort of interlude to show you Kat's side of this dilemma. Of course, this is far from over and is ice really that much better than fire?

Good news is, I finished writing the story (Yay!) so there will be weekly updates from now on. Just  4 chapters left!

I really hope you're enjoying the story. All thoughts are appreciated!