I was falling.

I don't know why or when or how, but I was falling.

And I was falling fast.

Too fast to grasp the world around me. Too fast to think straight. Too fast to do anything but try and reach out to get a hold of something—anything—only to find there was nothing there for me to grab.

I could only be sure of one thing.

That I was falling.

Flashes of pain bolted through my head like hot white lightning. I sat up. Nothing made sense. My body didn't feel like my own. I rose to my feet. I walked to the nearest window.

The sound of claws clicking against tile. The smell of blood. My own? I couldn't tell.

Despite the unfamiliarity I displayed in this new form, I walked with grace. With elegance. I knew I was a predator not to be messed with, and I showed it proudly.

This isn't who I am.

This is apart of me.

Something whipped around behind me as I walked. I glanced over my shoulder. A tail. My body was as beautiful as a painting. I was one of nature's most wonderful creations.

I didn't like how low my head was to the ground.

But I did like the surge of power coursing in my claws.

I approached the mirror. I stared at the creature looking back at me. A dragon. Flawlessly built. Scales like the night sky. A set of wings unrivaled by any other creature. Two glowing gray eyes alight with knowledge and power. A smile of sharp fangs.

Snap out of this. I have to snap out of this.

I was losing control, fast. I couldn't grab onto anything because there wasn't anything to grab onto.

I wanted to cringe in absolute disgust at the creature staring back at me in the glass. It was horrible.

An abomination.

My ears flicked, picking up a distant noise. Talking. Voices. I thought I recognized them at first, but the feeling wore away like a forgettable dream just escaping as your eyes popped open.

I brought my wings close to my body. I started off in the direction of the noises. I could almost understand them.

No, no, no! No, please!

A noise sounded from the windowsill. My head darted up. I looked in that direction. I bared my fangs. My body tensed up. I readied myself to pounce at any moment.

A creature rose into the air. It was tiny and gray and very noisy. It made the same sounds again and again. It was extremely annoying.

Amica? Amica, you have to get away from me!

I couldn't understand the creature, but I did know one thing. It was prey. I was a predator. I flexed my claws. I twisted them so the light could shine and reflect off of them.

It came towards me, making its noises relentlessly. I didn't think about it. I launched out of the air and lunged for it. It barely dodged my grasp.

I fell back to the ground and swept my tail back and forth against the ground. The noises again. The voices. They were compelling. Far more interesting than such a puny creature like this.

I snapped my jaws shut in its direction and turned, following the noises.

I couldn't fight against it. I was little more than an unwanted guest looking onwards in my own body. I had no control. I protested against every action, every step.

What good did it do?

I begged and cried and whined, but nothing happened.

There was another presence, pushing down on my own. We struggled for control, but it really wasn't a contest.

It had me beat.

I couldn't do anything against it, no matter how hard I tried.

The only thing I could do was watch.

Watch and wait and pray to the stars above that I won't hurt anybody.

The voices were getting louder. My claws were itching. I spread my wings in anticipation. I stalked down the hallways, picking up on every noise.

A blast of wind touched my face. Something so natural and so relieving. I raised my head to take it in and followed the source.

An open window.

I slid out and took flight. Grateful for the opportunity and the space.

I danced and plunged through the sky, following the voices. This wind is what I lived for. I'm a creature built for speed, a creature built for grace. A creature built for the sky.

This was my domain.

I landed on a tree branch. It swung underneath my weight, but it held steady. I bared my fangs for show.

The voices were on the ground a couple hundred wings-beats in front of me. I stared at them, watching their movements. Watching and studying. Waiting.

No, please! Please, please, ple—

I shook my head, chasing away the inside thoughts that weren't my own.

I picked out each of them, observing their movements. My tail wrapped around the branch to keep it from flicking the leaves in the excitement thrumming through my perfectly built body.

A disturbance. The screams of a bird.

One of the creatures shot up to its feet. It spun around, eyes filled with the horrified realization of startled prey. It saw me. It drew its sword and hissed something foreign yet somewhat familiar.

Blood roared in my ears.

The hunt was on.

I leapt down from the tree and landed with grace. I bared my fangs, the sign that I accepted its challenge.

I waited. For it strike first or for it to show weakness. I was the predator. I could easily win this fight. I could easily squash this creature like a berry underneath my foot. There was no need for me to rush the inevitable.

The creature waited, then, it faltered.

I lunged.

Lafayette stared at me with a look of unfamiliarity in his eyes. With a look of horror in his eyes.

His sword was raised, pointed at my chest.

And this time I knew it wasn't play.

"Lafayette!" I wanted to scream, but nothing escaped my mouth except for a low, threatening growl. "Lafayette, please! It's me!"

I don't know what I was expecting.

I gave it one last try to change back. To be Peritum again. To be anything more than just a horrid animal. It took everything I had, and nothing worked.

I lunged forwards.

The creature was fast, but I was faster. I was the predator. It was the prey.

Instinct kicked in, and I let myself go to the natural sensation. I leapt over the creature and let my wings unfurl to catch the air. I landed behind it and went to rake my claws across its back, but it was gone before I had the chance. It appeared a few feet away, rising up out of the ground.

"Lafayette!" I heard one of the creatures yell.

The creature in front of me didn't flinch, didn't stop. "I am kind of busy at the moment, Angelica," it returned sharply. I could practically see the thoughts and emotions playing across its face. Fear was the most prominent one, and it only added to the exhilaration.

"You have to stop! You're going to hurt him!"

"It!? What about me?"

The creature ignored its companion's cries of protest as it rushed forwards, its weapon raised and pointed straight towards me. I spread my wings and shot forwards to it, jaws open and snapping for its neck.

But before I could reach it, something slammed into my side and sent me staggering. I spun, readying myself for my new opponent.

The others charged forwards before I had the chance.

I couldn't fight them all at once. I was dodging and weaving between them, avoiding each blow but unable to land my own. They outnumbered me. That shouldn't have been a problem, but it was a problem. I danced between their blades, but there was Something else pulling at me.

Something less natural.

And although I could ignore it for now, I knew it wouldn't be long before the Something tore down my defenses and took me apart, shred by shred.

I landed a blow, a staggering, dangerous blow on the second creature that had attacked me earlier. My claws slashed across its neck, drawing red pricks of blood up from the dark skin. It slid backwards, away from me, and I went to advance on it.

But a roar ripped from my mouth as one of their weapons, burning and sharp, buried itself in my side like a parasite. The stench of blood filled the air. My blood.

I fell backwards as pain washed through my scales.

Pain. Screaming and blinding.

It wasn't the pain of being stabbed. Though that hurt on its own, this was much worse.

This was the pain of being stabbed with a knife freshly taken out of the forge, burning hotter and brighter than any star.

The roar didn't sound like it belonged to me, but whose else could it have been?

I had never seen my friends look at me with such utter hatred in their eyes. With ferocity, with the regard that I was a slithering, putrid monster.

The pain was all I could use to ground myself. To remind me I was still there.

That I hadn't escaped yet.

They were closing in on me. I didn't panic.

Instead, my jaw felt open, and a stream of electricity forced itself out. A bolt of lightning slashed through the air, and the creatures stepped out of the way just in time.

I had no time to celebrate my newfound weapon as I whirled around to face another one of the creatures.

I stopped in my tracks.

Alexander didn't recognize me. He wanted nothing but to hurt me. To kill me. To get this over with.

Was I really any more than just a disturbance to them? To him?

His sword was raised, pointed at me. He didn't hesitate. He struck for my chest, but somehow, I found control in the brief barrage of the other presence and forced myself upwards into the sky. Just in time to escape the thrust of his sword.

My wings pulled the air around me as I climbed higher and higher.

I had to escape.

"Lafayette," I heard one of the creatures say from down below. "Let it go."

"It hurt Hercules!" the creature snapped back.

"Aww, you do care," another one said, though it sounded strained.

In the sky, I spun and faced them, watching as four large pillars of white stone shot up from the ground to where it was level with my head. All of the creatures were standing on them, most of them readying their weapons.

My jaws fell open, and I brought a lightning strike up to my mouth, when one of them surged forwards. It held up its hands.

"Thomas! It's me, Angelica! You have to stop this!" Its voice was barely audible above the screaming of the wind.

Something inside of me bubbled up to the surface to meet its call.

She was reaching out for me, eyes wide with a desperation that I never thought Angelica could have.

She cried, "come on! You can fix this! You can change back! I know you can!"

No! I shook my head, trying to force the thoughts away from me. How could I understand it?

It didn't matter of course.

I snarled at it as a warning, but it didn't stop.

Aaron stood level with her, hands clenched into fists and his eyes closed. Was he keeping the others back?

"Thomas!" he called, his voice joining hers. He still didn't open his eyes.

I found Alexander. He was standing on the same pillar as the other two. He was staring at me, panting for his breath. He wasn't an idiot. He knew what had happened. He reached out a hand.

I took control.

I was falling.

I came crashing down through the sky, hurtling towards the ground at miles a second. Instinct hurried me to open my wings, but for some reason, I couldn't feel my body and I couldn't feel my wings.

I panicked for a second, thinking I was dead. The thought burned through my skin. I wanted to cry.

I'm never going to see Alexander again, I thought to myself.

But, I didn't have to worry. The possibility that I was dead was chased away moments later as I slammed into the hard ground. My landing created a crater a few yards deep.

I couldn't grasp what had happened to me for a second. I stared up at the blue sky splotched with clouds, and all I could think about was how that sky looked identical to the kind of sky that was perfect for a picnic.

What a beautiful sky to die under.

If only.

Finally, I found the will to sit up. I did a once over of my body. I was bleeding in multiple places, I was sore, and my head pounded. I was exhausted. More exhausted than I had ever been before in my life. Something wrapped around my back, and upon further inspection, I found a cloak that looked very similar to my scales.

But the most prominent feeling was horror. Horror at what I had done, at what I had become. Horror at my friends seeing me as a monster. Horror at hurting them.

The urge to cry was overwhelming.

The sound of footsteps running up to the crater I had made. Yelling. Begging. Running.

"Lafayette!" Was that Aaron? "Lafayette, you can't hurt him!"

"It's a monster, Aaron."

"No! You have to listen, it's—"

"Enough!" It was Washington who had said that. He sounded tired. "Lafayette, please make this quick."

Aaron protested. Which was something I've never heard him do before out loud. Especially to General Washington.

I buried my face in my hands and waited, listening only to the rapid frenzy of my heart.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Suddenly, I felt the tip of a sword press to my back. I stiffened. I lowered my hands and stared at the ground.

"Lafayette!" exclaimed Angelica's voice from behind me.

Something inside of me snapped, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing. A low, humorless sound.

I glanced over my shoulder and smiled at Lafayette.

Horror.

Horror.

Horror.

That's all there is anymore.

His sword came clattering to the ground.

I turned my body to face him, and he took a few steps away from me. "Thomas," he said in a breathy whisper. Horror in his eyes. Horror in his voice.

"What are you waiting for?" I intended for it to come out as a bark, something to prove that I wasn't weak, but my voice was low, sad. "Can we... can we just get this over with?" Even talking was far too difficult.

"Thomas!" Angelica cried, and she was in the crater standing next to Lafayette. She reached a hand out to me, and something feral deep inside me snapped.

"Get away from me." I lunged out to grab the fallen sword and pressed it against my neck, staring at them.

I couldn't stand the horror.

The steel tip of the blade burned against my neck, but in the moment, I didn't care. I just wanted this over with. I wanted to let go. I didn't want to fall anymore.

I just wanted to land.

I swallowed. I shook. I faltered. I couldn't breathe.

The sword came clanging to the ground.

I searched for the energy around me, and although I felt like I would die if I somehow managed to get one more spell in, I pulled it around me once more. And I was in the library towering above the ground below.

I ducked underneath the desk and held my breath until my lungs thought they might burst. My back pressed against the wall, my knees drawn tight to my body, my wings wrapped around me as a last desperate search for a comfort that just wasn't there.

And I did something I hadn't done since I was a child.

I sobbed.

It had been five or ten minutes before I heard footsteps down the hall and a soft voice call my name. I covered my mouth with my hand and closed my eyes, trying to slow my breathing so it wasn't so audible.

Angelica stepped into the room, leaving the door open behind her.

I forced myself to be quiet, like a child who believes a monster is hiding underneath their bed. Where making any noise at all means that it's over.

"Thomas?" she repeated, and I had never heard her so soft before. It didn't suit her. "I... I know you're in here. So you might as well just come out."

I stayed quiet, breathing hot air into my hand.

"The others are really worried about you."

I'm sure. After I tried to rip them into shreds. I'm sure they're worried about me.

"Alexander is really really worried. He's acting like... well, a lunatic... right now." Her words came with a laugh, but it sounded like anything but.

I pressed myself closer into the wall, trying to get as far away from her as possible. As soon as she left me alone, I would have to get away. And I would have to stay away.

Angelica was quiet for a long time until finally, I heard footsteps recede, and then the door close. I peeked out, and she was gone.

Letting go of my face, I slipped out from underneath the desk and slowly approached the window, forcing myself through the pain and the exhaustion. My hands rested on the railing, burning from the steel. I took in a deep breath of the air and unfolded my wings.

Something wrapped around my arms and pulled me back. I spun to see Angelica, sitting on top of the desk I had been hiding under.

I didn't understand.

I didn't understand anything.

I fell to my knees, but I didn't cry. She walked over to me, and the ropes around my hands were gone. Angelica sat down and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

I nodded miserably, feeling anything but alright.

"Here, I'll—"

"No!" I snapped, pushing her hand away from me. "I don't need your help!"

Her gaze turned into a sharp glare. "That kind of pigeon-headed stubbornness is exactly what got you into this mess in the first place! Now shut up and let me help you, you fucking idiot!"

My eyes welled up with tears again, and I nodded and looked away. "I'm so sorry," I said after a while. I could feel her energy. It wasn't enough.

"It's not your fault."

The door slammed against the wall.

I looked up.

Alexander was standing in the doorway, panting to catch his breath. He stiffened, staring at me with something unrecognizable in his gaze. Then, he rushed over to where I was sitting and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Thomas." His breathing hitched as he buried his head into my neck.

"Can you get off of him for a second so I can heal him, please?" Angelica asked, though her tone wasn't as harsh as her words were.

I felt Alexander furiously shake his head, only hugging me tighter.

"It's alright," I murmured to him, finally remembering what to do and hugging him back. "I'm alright."

He drew away from me and brought a hand to his eyes. His shirt was dotted with blood, and I only relaxed when I realized it wasn't his—it was mine.

"Is Hercules okay?" I asked.

Angelica nodded. "He's fine. You only grazed him, really."

"What about you?" Alex pressed, sitting on his knees. He reached for my hand and held it firmly, staring down up at me with wide, desperate eyes. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice not to break. I stared down at his hand and tried to keep my breathing controlled.

"There's no way you're feeling okay."

"Remember when I told you that I was dying? When I was stabbed and almost died? Yeah, this is like that. But somehow three times worse." Alexander's hand tightened around me, and I smiled at him. "But I'll live."

"Okay, Thomas?" Angelica said after a while. "I'm... I'm going to cast Som—"

"No. No. No. No. No," I said, while Alexander responded at the same time with, "Please don't."

"Thomas, please. You need to rest."

Alexander moved so he was sitting behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist. I could feel his chest heave, like he was sighing. "I don't want to lose him."

"Well, if you would let me do my damn job, you won't!"

"I can't—I have to—"

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."

"Thomas," Alexander said softly. I felt his lips against my neck, and I finally couldn't fight anymore.

"Fine. Do it. I don't care." I leaned back into his arms and titled my head back so I could look up at Alex. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay," he said, his voice breaking.

Everything around me faded slowly, and I felt like I was falling again. I was becoming increasingly familiar with the feeling.

Far too familiar.