Fast Food Furries Book 1

Chapter 15b: The Beginning

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Combine

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"Pazzeldessivar," I whispered. "The dragon of darkness."

Pazz was an indistinguishable dark form against the stormy sky. A strike of lightning lit her from behind, highlighting her jagged, serpentine silhouette. The two encircled each other like yin and yang, clawing and gnashing ferociously. Thousands of years of animosity emerging in a single battle.

"We need to run," said Ramona.

"We can't leave Sirrat," I said.

"I hate to say it," Jude pointed out, "but we can. He's holding them off for us."

Sirrat was holding his own for now, but he was severely wounded and it was clear his strength was waning.

"Get everyone to safety! I can't leave Sirrat," I clarified.

"Why not?" asked Arlo.

The jets came back around, each shooting another missile. Sirrat lashed out his tail, wrapping it around the tail of one of the helicopters and swinging it like a bat at one of the oncoming missiles. They exploded on impact and the other missile careened around for another pass.

Pazz grabbed Sirrat's face with her claws, giving a tremendous heave and shoving him directly into the missile's path. It exploded against him and he started dropping from the sky as a smoking wreck.

"Because I love him," I said.

We all started running toward where he was projected to land as Pazz hovered high in the sky. Several more helicopters appeared on the horizon, overshadowed by four more F-16s screaming over them. They all seemed to take aim at Pazz, who took a moment to consider the circumstances, then disappeared into the sky as suddenly as she had arrived.

Sirrat plowed into the asphalt, gouging the very earth out of the ground. We found him sputtering and writhing, gushing golden blood.

"Combine," he groaned, "come to me."

I approached him. "I have something to tell you," he said.

"I know," I said.

Sirrat sighed. "I knew it was obvious." He began to shapeshift, this time not into a bird but into a human form I recognized all too well.

"Candy," I sobbed, hugging him. "I thought I had lost you."

"I know," said Sirrat, or rather his human name, Candy. "I'm sorry I did not tell you sooner."

I pulled back. He was still critically injured.

"I wish I could stay, but I am..." he said, "not going to make it. I am sorry if my words earlier seemed harsh. I love you."

"I love you too," I said mournfully. It was surreal and painful to see him again.

"Where is Ned?" he asked.

I waved you over. "Ned," he said. "I have something to tell you as well."

Unbridled worry was displayed on your face. "What is it?"

"The gray child... it is you."

Your mouth moved as if to respond, but you couldn't form any sound. "Your mother, Alba, is the human persona of the dragon Pazzeldessivar. She..." he struggled to catch his breath. "She tried to kill you when I arrived, lest you fulfil the prophecy. The time you spent searching for her, she was entrapped by me. I am sorry—I was not sure how to introduce myself, but it seems my choice was made for me today."