Burning Desire

12. Transformation

"Again!" Tomas yelled, making his assistant Grace flinch. He then pressed the button on the console behind the one-way glass that showed my cell on the other side.

I winced from the pain wearing the same clothes as the day I was brought in. The red shirt was completely destroyed, only leaving a couple shreds covered in sweat, barely hanging together. My khakis were intact until you got to the knees, then there were numerous holes and shreds eventually trailing off reaching my dirty sneakers. The only thing completely intact was my guitar necklace, which was my prized possession besides my red and black guitar, of course. It lay in the cell with me, but in the far corner, so I wouldn't destroy it. Then, before you knew it, a monstrous seven foot man stood where I was. It had glowing red eyes, hulking muscles, and horns on it's forehead. The chains that held me in the cell were now gone since Tomas had plans that needed my hands free. He was nearing the completion of his plan that he had been trying to achieve for what seemed like an eternity.

"Beast, open the portal!" Tomas yelled to the new me. He had given me the nickname of "The Beast" through an intercom that was placed in my cell.

Without hesitation, "The Beast" dug its claws into the ground, forming a portal of blood red within seconds. I tried to stop myself, but it was like I was in the passenger seat and someone hijacked my body, using it for their own selfish evil needs. I felt helpless. In an instant, "The Beast" jumped into the portal, landing on searing hot red gravel ground with lava pits all around. Screams were echoing throughout each corner. No place here had any silence or peace...only pain...indescribable pain.

"So you're finally here," a menacing voice said as the beast turned around to see another creature like himself, but he was covered in darkness. He had an eerie presence to him, and topping off the creepy meter, he had devilish red and black wings jetting out of his back.

"Levi, I'm glad you've come to see me first, but after all you have no control over yourself do you?" The man in all black said to me while placing an arm over my shoulder.

"G-g-g-get a-a-away!" I managed to overcome my new persona enough to say, but The Beast just shook me off again in seconds.

"Well, as I was saying, you're one of us now. Don't try to fight it. It's like quicksand to you mortals; the more you fight it, the quicker you get sucked in. I would keep you here if I had it in my power, but your ability to travel between dimensions cannot be interfered with, not even by me," the man said with darkness wrapping all around him.

"Oh, I almost forgot, stay away from your friends if you have any sense at all. Our kind love to spread destruction and chaos in our wake, but I don't blame you if you do happen to kill them. After all, it's what we do. I know you'll make the right choice after you can comprehend how to control this ability I have given you to open portals to the dimension you wish to visit," the man said, leaving more questions and doubt in my mind with every word he spoke.

"Now go back, I'm tired of talking to you mortal! I already do that more than I like when I visit your world...talking to all kinds of imbeciles to widen my armies," the man said, walking me back to the portal I entered through. Stepping back in, I jumped back into my familiar cell, making The Beast land with a resounding thud. Then, I transformed back to my normal scrawny, sweaty, and worn-out self as Tomas watched, cheering at his success from the other side of the glass. I sat there, panting from the tiring transformation and from the shock of what I experienced. Close by was my guitar. Not knowing what to do. I grabbed my guitar, looking for anything to comfort me.

As if by cue, Jodi appeared in front of me, not knowing what I had just done. While Tomas was distracted with his celebration, she ran over to me, grabbing my arm. Then we vanished into thin air as I held dearly onto my guitar.