Julius took a step back, then another, stopping when his heel crunched on a twig from their meager pile of firewood. He could feel the heat of the flames at his back, begging for a taste of his robes, but his eyes remained transfixed on the monster approaching him from the shadows. Kanna, not a monster, he tried to convince himself, but fear had a tight hold on his rationality.
And he had never been a fearful sort. There was nothing in Jugdral that could scare him when he ruled the entire Grannvalean Empire with the Cult of Loptous - arguably the most terrifying, twisted beings in all of Jugdral - at his side. Kanna did not scare him either, and as long as he told himself that it was that hyperactive little girl in this beastâs body, he could keep the tremble from his voice and hands.
Another blinding light before he could speak forced him to shut his eyes despite all of his effort to keep them open (was she going to attack? he couldnât let down his guard), but her voice - less distorted now - urged him to look again.
âYouâre only part dragon⌠and can do this?â he asked, no amount of posturing capable of hiding the amazement in his voice. It was Kanna who stood before him again now, albeit disfigured, and Julius approached with no little hesitance, eyes held by the horns from her forehead.
âIs this common here?â
âUh-huh!â Kanna replied, grinning in triumph, the joy on her face gleaming far brighter than even the full moon that hung in the sky above them. Though the girl was quite capable for her age and able to complete a multitude of tasks with skill, there was nothing she was more proud of than her ability to transform into a dragon. It was a power unique to her father and herself, a capability that others could only dream of being able to do. With a dull light, the horns on her head seemed to evaporate into the air like water, only leaving behind a mere few bubbles in its place.
âNope! Only me and my Papa can do it! He said that itâs something really special.â She explained, the expression of pride slowly fading from her features. With a tinge of anxiety, she wrung her hands together with a thoughtful expression.
âItâs kinda spooky too,â She admitted with sincerity, âwithout my dragonstone, I canât control what I do. The first time I ever transformed, my head began to pound, like someone had hit me. Then, all I could hear was a really loud roaring. It was so loud! Then I donât really remember much after that...but when I woke up again, I just felt...like I did something bad.â
âBut, Iâm not afraid anymore,â She added quickly, her anxiety fading as quickly as it had surfaced, ââcause I can control it now and be a super strong dragon!â