The Dragon's Scale [COMPLETE]

4.5 || To Protect a Life

A small moment passed in which Josh worried Mara had lost consciousness, leaving him to fight on his own. But then she stirred, and he turned his focus back on Darren.

Josh leapt to his feet and charged as Mara used a shelf to help her stand up. Darren's eyes flicked to Josh a moment too late. He reached Darren and delivered a punch to his jaw. A spark lit in Josh as Darren jerked back from the hit, and he quickly shot forward a few more. Collar bone, stomach, sternum, all making contact and eliciting grunts.

On his next punch, though, Darren stepped in. He circled Josh's arm with his own, spun around, and flung Josh. Mara yelped and jumped over Josh as he rolled across the ground.

Anger burned deep in Josh's chest as he staggered back up. He was getting really tired of being sent to the ground. He needed to help, but as he turned to see Mara ducking past attacks and retaliating with her own, he didn't know how he could. Her movements made it clear—she knew what she was doing. He did not, and he risked getting used as a human shield again if he ran in while she was there.

Close combat isn't really Mara's thing, but she's still holding back, the voice said, a momentary distraction from Josh's frustration. I saw her energy earlier. She isn't able to release the possession, and she won't kill an innocent person.

Josh twitched, though he didn't know if it was from annoyance at the voice or the urge to rush in. Great pep talk, Voice. Really inspired.

Will you just let me talk? the voice grumbled back. She can't release the possession, but there's a way you can.

What? Josh straightened to his full height, his eyes widening. Why didn't you say so earlier? Tell me!

I tried to, but you got distracted.

A sudden blur dragged Josh away from the conversation once more. Mara had knelt on the floor and swung out her leg. It collided with Darren's, and the possessed boy collapsed to the ground.

Unless she has it handled, Josh said as she cocked an arm back. The ice fell away from it, but a faint blue light remained around her hand. Her punch made contact, but a moment later, she ducked away from Darren. Both hopped to their feet, but neither moved.

Darren met Mara's gaze for a moment, then he smirked for the first time since finding them. "Looks like it's my win." With that, he raised his hand and lazily pointed Mara's dagger in her direction. At some point during the scuffle, he'd managed to steal it.

She shifted into a lower stance, her face a mask of calm even as her blue eyes darted between Darren and the blade. "You can't win with a single blade."

His smirk only grew. "Depends what you consider winning." He flipped the dagger in his grasp, but he didn't rush forward. He didn't try to throw it. He didn't try to attack with it at all.

Instead, he placed the edge against his neck.

"Stop!" The word burst from Josh, and it felt like his heart would follow any moment.

Darren snorted. "Sure, I'll stop. If you walk forward alone and let me put this dagger in your neck instead."

His words seemed to ricochet in Josh's mind, something that was there yet refused to process. This couldn't be happening. He looked at Mara, hoping she would be more certain, that she would have the perfect solution to this.

She stood, as rigid and frozen as ice.

"So, what do you choose?" Every word almost sounded like a laugh. They struck nails into Josh's skull, trying to get the insanity of the situation to stick. "Who takes the dagger? This boy? Or you two? The choice is yours, oh great warriors of light," he said, the last word a mixture between a chuckle and snarl.