The Morningstar Brigade

Chapter 52

XXXXXII

URIEL

Day Seven. Six Days Remain.

Ruined Chapel, Asylum

"Ok, so, two quick questions," Uriel muttered as Jonathan helped him to his feet, "First of all, you still haven't explained how you can use Dawn."

Jonathan's expression tightened as Daken head jerked upwards. He cursed under his breath and trained his hand on Daken once again. A low crackle filled the air as energy gathered on his fingtertip. "Not really a question. And that story is going to have to wait."

Uriel could barely focus his vision, still shell-shocked by Jonathan's opening blast. "Alright, question number two then: Has everyone completely lost their minds?" he shouted, fighting desparately to keep his balance.

"What the hell happened in here, Uriel?" Kat demanded, walking over to Uriel. "You and Daken were supposed to come relieve me and Jonathan an hour ago." She tightened her grip on her weapons as she glanced over at the seething Daken. "And what's wrong with him? It's like he's... possessed."

"It's the Bloodmoon," Jonathan answered quickly, still supporting Uriel as they backed away. "He's over-exposed himself and now his mind doesn't have any ability to restrain his impulses. Every single one of his negative emotions is being magnified to an unthinkable degree, and now there's no barrier between those thoughts and his actions. He's out of control."

"Shut up, you self-righteous prick! I'm not out of control, you're out of control! I'll beat the ass out of you too!" Daken snarled, his veins pulsing bright red as he took a step towards Uriel.

Kat blinked. "He's going to beat the ass... out of you? Was that the Bloodmoon talking?" she asked, turning back to Jonathan.

Jonathan shrugged. "I think so. His smacktalk is usually at least a little more coherent than that," he said with a nervous chuckle, leaning Uriel up against a wall. Placing a hand on the underside of his right wrist to steady it as he moved, Jonathan stepped between Uriel and the quickly approaching Daken.

"Get out of my way," Daken demanded, his fist shaking with barely restrained power power.

Jonathan shook his head. "Not a chance. I made you a promise that I wouldn't let you hurt anyone and I'm going to keep it. I don't know if you can even really understand what I'm saying, but I won't let this thing that you've fought for so long win."

A jagged grin tore across Daken's face. "So, what? You're going to blow my head off with that little peashooter of yours?" He shook his head and sighed disappointedly. "Don't make me laugh."

"Daken, pal, it's time to wake up. We've got a plan, remember? It doesn't involve bodies," he hissed. "I swear to Morningstar, if you try to lay one hand on Uriel, I will fire. I'll hate myself, but I will," Jonathan said, his carefully aimed hand shaking ever so slightly.

"Please," Daken scoffed, advancing closer and closer to Jonathan until their noses were pressed against each other's. "You're a coward. You've always been a coward. You let everyone think you're so kind and virtuous, but that's bull. You're just a pathetic little kid who's too terrified to find out what happens if he steps out of line." Daken shoved his forehead against Jonathan's and pressed the pair of flaming fingers to the side of his own skull. "You don't do the right thing because you're good; you do it because you're scared to death," he spat. "So, I guess that just leaves one last question: Are you scared enough of me to pull the trigger?"

Jonathan's eyes bore into Daken's with a hard stare. "Bloodmoon or not, I have never been afraid of you."

"Then let's find out what you've-"