Botuk stumbled back out of the cave in shock. The distant mirror's glare pressed against his pale face, sweat beading under his hair. He scanned the surroundings, alert for any lingering figures or curious onlookers. Only once certain of their solitude did he raise his voice.

  “Rita, what are you doing here?”

  “How did you find me?”

  “What—”

  Rita joined him in the corridor, exposing her face to the light. Dark voluminous hair framed her smiling face, though her eyes stunned him. Intense. She took one step toward him and he took one step back.

  “Hello?” said Rita. She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not a ghost, you know. I’m here just like you said, hiding.”

  “The question is, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on an adventure now?” she asked, taking another step closer.

  “Rita,” — adventure? — “There were complications, so I’m waiting for the next caravan to arrive.” Should I tell her?

  “I see, so we’re hiding buddies.” She clapped in appreciation. “Like old times, though neither of us are seeking.”

  “I guess…” he said, back bumped against the wall.

  Her eyes glimmered, and he swore he heard a chuckle. “Do you remember Botuk? Back then, when you thought you had the best hiding spot in the world, daring me to find you. Hmph, so smug.” She flashed a mischievous grin. “Your face when I caught you,” — she darted forward, wrapping him in a hug — “like your expression now, so sweet.”

  “The only thing missing is your shriek, like a monster had caught you.” She was definitely chuckling now.

  “Rita, I’ve changed since then. I’m sure you can tell.” He gestured to his skin, but she gave no sign of noticing.

  “Being on the run changes people, but we are together now. Hiding together is safer. We can back each other up.” Her words drifted into his ears as she held him close.

  He grasped her shoulders, easing away from the hug. “Rita, look at me. Look closely. Do you see?”

  “Botuk, we’ve been together as long as we can remember. I can see you’ve grown more handsome than the crying little child you were.” Her eyes scanned him, a playful glint in them. “Do you remember when I hid your toys? You cried and cried. So cute! Though, I must admit, the serious brooding has its own charm.” She leaned in, her hands resting on his chin, tracing his features. “Why? Are you finally making your move? Noticing my curves in all the right places?”

  She continued, “Just ask. Who knows, I might accept. Does the strong acolyte want to possess me?”

  He waited for the smirk, the cackle — the punchline of her joke. But instead, only the curve of her lips met his pleading gaze. She can’t be serious! His thoughts buzzed in confusion. This is not the time. We are hiding for our lives! One misstep and the Overseer will catch us, one distraction and I run out of life. If he could shake some sense into her, he would.

  This is weird! She said nothing about my changes — my skin, my hair. She recognises me because we are close. That’s understandable. But no shock, no questions? He studied her, searching for the source of this unsettling feeling.

  As he gazed at her, trying to make sense of the situation, she seized the moment of his stunned silence and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Aww, don’t grow shy with me. We were so close back then, even now, aren’t we? Side by side. Together. Or is it just a one-sided attraction? I know you want to possess me. Don’t you want me to possess you?”

  Flabbergasted. Astonished. “R—Rita, this is not the time.” He stumbled over his words, then scrambled to shift the conversation. “Anyway, do you remember when I gave you the gem?” His mind raced back to the sacred gem. He knew Inner Fire dwelled within it, and he had hoped it could replace his need to hunt dark creatures, at least for a time. Though he would rather not resort to that. The gem is her ticket out; for me, it’s just a backup.

  “I remember. Do you want to take back your gift?” One arm unwrapped from his neck, then exaggeratedly clutched her chest. She fluttered her lashes, making her eyes wider, fake tears welling in her eyelids. Now this is the Rita I know.

  “No, you can keep it. It’s yours. I just want to know that it’s safely secured. Can I see it?”

  “Of course it’s safe. All your gifts are precious to me. Though I don’t have it on me. It’s in a special, secret place.”

  Hiding it in darkness. Well done. “I see, so you’ve stashed it. Can we make our way there? I need to see it to confirm something.” I feel hunger when I look at every being with Inner Fire. If I’m right, the gem can feed me for days, though I need to measure my appetite to confirm it.

  “You know I can’t. The best hiding spot is in plain sight. It will bring too much attention if I show you.”

  His brows furrowed, frowning. Plain sight? “You didn’t hide it in darkness?”

  She put on a blank expression, then laughed. “Good one!” Her eyes locked with his as her finger playfully traced circles on his chest. “Getting a girl to laugh before confession. Who taught you that?”

  “Be serious.” He grabbed her wrists, meeting her sultry smile with his intense stare. “Which dark crevice did you hide it in? Is it the same old hiding spot as the toys, the one near my personal cave?”

  She left her wrists in his hold, no struggle as she crept her face closer to his. “Don’t be silly,” she said, wafting her fragrant breath to his face. “No one, not even you, fit as you are, enters the darkness. And I would rather you hold my waist rather than my wrists.” She winked. “Though I like this possessive side of you. Ready to let me possess you?” Their lips hovered close. “Say it and I’ll move even closer.”

  Any closer and I’ll give you a headbutt. Botuk now felt annoyed. His next words slipped out in a strained whisper. “Rita,” he huffed. “No more games. You brought me through the darkness when we escaped from the lower caverns — from the Overseer. After that, I gave you the gem. Now, tell me. Which dark crevice, or cave, or whatever, did you hide it in? Did you bury it or something?”

  Her eyes clouded over, brows drawn, and her mouth opened yet didn’t speak. I can’t believe it. Does she… what? She knows this. I mean… She has to know.

  Why is this so strange? She didn’t notice my obvious changes. Then there’s this off-putting seduction, from my friend — no, my sister — no less. And now she remembers nothing about what she did to rescue me. Is this even Rita? Keeping hold of her wrists, he nudged her back, his gaze examining every part of the person before him. Her irises are dilating, her skin glowing more than normal, and her robes clung tighter to her body. Is this an actual change, or am I just imagining things?

  He shifted his grip to above her elbows and gave a light shake. “Rita, or whomever you are, I’ll give you one last chance. Describe in detail the time you rescued me. From the crystal gate to me giving you the gem. As much detail as you can remember.”

  Now she struggled, glancing around, avoiding his gaze. “Sure, sure! Hey Botuk, can you let go? It hurts.” She faced the ground, then looked up at him with big, pleading eyes. A slight frown tugged at her lips as she made herself seem smaller.

  But his grip only tightened, his expression darkening. “Details. Now.”

  “Sure… It was hard. You — no, we — ran through the darkness. It was scary, but you pulled me through.” She sobbed. “Botuk, don’t you love me? We’ve been together for years. I’m scared. I’m yours; you can possess me. I just want to be equal… to possess you. Please say yes.”

  “Liar! Who are you?!”

  “I’m Rita, your Rita. Please believe me. Say you believe me.”

  “You’re lying! What have you done to her? What have you done?!” He shouted the last few words, uncaring of anyone who might be listening.

  “No, I’m her! I swear I’m her! It’s just... everything’s so blurry! My memories, they’re all jumbled! I’m hurt. Everything in my mind is fuzzy.” She pleaded. “Please, help me.”

  Anger surged through him, his face flushing with heat. If he could, steam would have billowed from his nose with each exhale. Botuk’s grip shifted to her neck. With his acolyte-level strength, he lifted the impostor’s body off the ground, threatening strangulation. His skin shifted to ochre, then gold, radiating with power. From the glow, a shadow of a strangled girl emerged on the back wall, her hands gripping his, struggling to break free.

  “Answer!” A strange voice rang out, cold and deep. His Inner Fire merged with his vocal cords, pushing heated air outward, causing his captive’s hair to whip around. In his fury, he had unknowingly tapped into his power. He stared at the aberration before him — the familiar figure of his friend, now turning purple from the choke. Her scratching hands struggled futilely against his skin, while her legs kicked and writhed, desperate to break free.

  He squeezed harder. The girl and her shadow behind her went berserk, twisting and crying out to no avail. He loosened his grip just enough to let her take a single breath.

  “Please,” she gasped.

  But his patience thinned. The final squeeze crushed her neck. Yet from the act, an alien voice rang.

  “Stop!” An impossible command came from his captive. Warmth and sweetness blended into a melody. Sounds of distant whispers accompanied the fragrance of fresh fruit. Dual timbre, one soft and seductive, the other shrill, harsh, authoritative. A voice, not Rita’s, exited out the crushed chords. “Halt your violence, you impertinent beast!”

  The weight of authority pressed down on him, a sharp pain searing behind his brow. It loosened his grip, forcing him to release the speaking creature. He blinked, disoriented, but the words came easily now. “Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. And you, manipulative beast… who are you?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She hissed, revealing both teeth and tongue, a display that only seemed to enhance her allure. "I am your greatest love!" she purred, her voice dripping with certainty. "And you, from all your desires, love me!"

  The words lingered in his mind, echoing as his vision of the creature blurred into a mirage. Her form shifted, becoming the most beautiful woman he had ever seen — tall, seductive, bathed in an ethereal haze. But when he tried to focus on her features, her face, her breast, they dissolved into nothing but an indistinct blur. The contrast shattered his fantasies, snapping him back to reality, the mirage fading and leaving only Rita’s familiar form before him.

  “No! Love me. You desire me. You want to possess me, you want me to possess you! Say the words!” It shrieked, dripping with both command and seduction.

  The words tugged at him, urging compliance, but he resisted. Anger flared, igniting the Inner Fire in his vocal cords, flowing the blaze to his mind, fortifying him against the creature’s commands. Now lucid, Botuk charged, tackling the creature to the ground. Fist after fist flew, but each landed effortlessly in her palm, as the face — Rita’s face — twisted into a scowl.

  “Halt!” the creature commanded, and for a moment, he stilled — just long enough for her to shove him off, sending him crashing into the wall with a painful thud.

  He rebounded, bouncing off the wall and launching himself into another charge. But the creature’s next words froze him in place.

  “Stay your hand, beast, or you condemn your friend to an eternity under my wings.” Light from the mirror and from him shone on Rita’s form. One shadow, a girl, the other, thin and twisted with bony wings.

  “What do you want? Release her now or I’ll smash your wings to dust!” His light flared against the walls, as if gold itself lined the cavern. Yet he dared not take a single step closer, wary of the creature’s threat.

  Rita’s face smiled, mocking him, daring him to step closer, but he resisted. “Your friend still lingers here. In me. Her soul cradled by my own. At my mercy.” For a fleeting moment, the seductive face flickered — scared and hurt, losing the alien mien and turning human — into Rita. Then gone. “Do you enjoy it?” the creature purred. “Her soul being squeezed. I savour a taste, but sometimes the squeals amuse me more.”

  She’s still in there! His eyes narrowed. The shadows on the wall sharpened as he glowed a shade brighter.

  Her face smirked at his anger. “Do you desire her return?” she asked, fingers twining through her hair. “Then let us strike a bargain. I shall release this young girl from my possession, and in return, you shall become my next host. Your life for hers. Host for host.”

  He had no information, no leverage, and dealing with neither invited trouble. “I have no reason to believe anything you say. What stops you from killing her after possessing me? Or rather, what stops you from possessing both of us?” Come on, talk.

  “So the beast has brains. I delight that my new host has such attractive qualities. But I fear you are in no position to bargain. I know of your plight. Your life wanes every second.”

  Then what does it want with a dying man like me? He smiled. “I think I can bargain. I have something you want — myself. You need me to agree, don’t you? To not resist possession. So you lie and seduce, telling your victims what they want to hear. Is that how you tricked Rita?”

  “So crude to call this one’s guile as trickery. I offer what she desires and in return I take what I desire.” She looked into his eyes. “You desire your friend’s freedom, your injuries healed. I offer you a fair exchange. Allow the possession and I will free her, then as your body becomes my own, I will heal you.”

  “Again,” he paused. “I have no trust in your words,” he said, buying time to think. Once Rita is free, I can fight against the possession. But that would mean throwing away the chance to get healed. If that offer is even true. Should I threaten to end my life if Rita is not immediately free? It clearly wants my body, damaged as it is. A fight into submission? No, did I even damage her with my attacks? His thoughts buzzed.

  “Give me a reason to believe you. Heal me, then I’ll agree,” he said.

  The creature frowned in contemplation, her eyes darting from him to his shadow and back again. “And what, pray tell, is my guarantee that you will not abscond once healed?”

  “You would still have her. I won’t leave until she’s safe.”

  “Sentiment varies with circumstance, or coated in lies. Prove to me you still love her. Kiss her lips.” The monster made Rita’s lips pursed in anticipation.

  He stood steadfast. “No, this is the new deal. Take it or I’ll walk away.”

  She chuckled, amused. Their voices echoed through the cavern walls. Though they stood at a dead end, he remained stunned that none had interrupted their heated confrontation. She must have isolated us.

  “Very well, you bargain fiercely. Yet, I shall not heal you, but teach you the way of healing. Until the bargain is fulfilled, you must labour for it.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Then follow me.” She left the mirror’s light back into the cave, sashaying her hips in invitation.

  With caution for traps, Botuk hesitated, but as Rita’s figure moved further into the cave, he reluctantly followed. The cave seemed far larger than any private dwelling should be. Each wall, carved smooth, met another at perfect right angles. And at the far end of the rectangular chamber stood her figure.

  “Enlighten me, young Blessed. What do you know of Inner Fire?”

  Is she serious? He queried the lithe form, only answering when she offered no further explanation. “Inner Fire is an energy in every living being. Most have very little and those without die. Powerful acolytes and monsters have flames that dwarf others and can manipulate the energy to exert strength in the world.” And after a few seconds of silence. “That’s all I know.”

  “Ignorant, as all the Blessed are. Inner Fire is not but energy, it is life itself. We — let’s call us Wielders — generate the flames as we breathe, eat, and age. With our will, we shape the fire to our bidding, yet at the cost of our own lives.” Both hands stretched downward in a claw, grasping at the air. From the cave floor, stone rose, halting only when it met her hands. The summoner examined the rectangular obelisk before taking a seat. “Life wanes with every use. And to replenish what is lost, we hunt — our own kind, though at times, humans as well.”

  “Yet, you are not a Wielder. You are Blessed,” she said, crossing her legs. “A human, granted a fragment of power by an unimaginably mighty being. Your Inner Fire does not grow with age, but remains as flickers of flame, unless further gifted by your patron.” She eyed him from head to toe. “But from your deeds, it seems the members of your faith disapprove of your continued ascension. And so, this pitiful form has come to me.” Again, her sultry gaze swept over him.

  Not appreciating the ogling, he cleared his throat. “Get to the point. Healing?”

  “Yes… healing. As a Blessed, you have the option to plead with your patron. Yet, given the nature of your patron, rituals and formalities must precede the prayers. Then, should they show mercy, your plight will be resolved.” More stone rose beneath her, forming a backrest for her chair. She leaned back in repose, one hand patting her thighs, beckoning him to sit.

  In defiance, Botuk remained standing, his expression radiating annoyance. “And if we rule out pleading?”

  She chuckled, dismissing the spurred invitation. “There is always pleading. Look at you now; are you not pleading for my aid? Though most would beg upon their knees.” She gestured toward the ground. “If you would assume the position.”

  “No.”

  “I do love a chase. But now, you border on insolence.” Her confident expression flickered into terror, then back — a silent threat. “Now, come before me.”

  Reluctantly, he trudged into attention before her, but refused to kneel.

  Satisfied with his partial submission, her finger tapped just above his navel, then withdrew, leaving behind a trail of embers that streamed from his body and gathered between her palms.

  His face, already pale, drained further as worry set in over the draining of his life force. He tensed to flee, but a raised hand stopped him.

  “An Illusion,” she said. “Feel inward, sense your inner flame.”

  He did, finding nothing. So, Inner Fire can also make illusions. But what are its limits?

  “None, no limits to this power,” she said, smiling at his shock. “Your face reveals everything and your questions, unsophisticated.” The illusory embers swirled and merged, forming a vivid image of his Inner Fire and the membrane containing it. At the bottom, no larger than a pinprick, lay his injury.

  “Beautiful. So much potential. Delicious.” She caressed the illusory flames, but frowned as her gaze fell below. “Yet marred. By a weak creature, no less.” Her finger hovered over the injury, as if to plug the hole. “Injuries to the source are deadly for mature Wielders and Blessed. Lucky for you, in the path of ascension, you are but a child. Your source-vessel is like wet clay, malleable in its infancy. The path ahead may be treacherous, but at the start, your foundation is still fluid. Healing will come naturally as you grow in strength. And once your foundation solidifies, the membrane will harden, sealing the wound and pushing you into the realm of higher beings.”

  Higher beings? Foundation? Do nothing and I’ll heal. Is that this creature’s wisdom? Disbelief crossed his face.

  “You mock your betters, but you know nothing of this world. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Healing will come. Your priority is to grow your Inner Fire and, with it, your source-vessel. From the intensity of your source-flame, you must have stumbled across the method — though with little gain. Unsurprising for such unfocused creatures.”

  Botuk felt lost in the flurry of information. Questions swirled, some unspoken yet answered. Now, however, it began to feel familiar. “Is that the method? Fill the container — no, vessel — to the brim. That will save me?”

  “The source-vessel stretches to accommodate the overflow, enlarging your Inner Fire and granting you more time before your life fully wanes. Whether it will save you, though, that is up to you.” She stood, extending her hand to caress his face. “Do you trust my words? Because our bargain is complete.”

  He tried to pull her hand away, but her limbs felt immovable. “The bargain is to heal me. I’m not healed.”

  “With time, your wounds are irrelevant. You were never injured, therefore you are healed.”

  “Again, with the trickery, a deal is a deal. Plus, what you’ve given me are merely words. No proof of effectiveness.”

  “Nonsense. You know my words are true. How many days between hunts? Three? Four? Far more than when you first began, yet you still question me?”

  “Even your words describe my efforts as gaining little. ‘Unsurprising for such unfocused creatures,’ you said. I’ve tested my method, and it’s failed. Yours, though? Still unproven. I need a chance to test it.”

  If Rita’s face could be ugly, it was now. The monster’s features morphed as it cycled through emotions, ending in a blank stare. “Then test my methods. But until the bargain is complete, your friend's body and soul will remain mine.” She waved him off.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something? Explain your method clearly. Or are you just going to keep playing these games?”

  A flash of human emotion passed over her face before a huff of air escaped her nostrils. “Once you consume the source-flame, will your Inner Fire to push and stretch the source-vessel. Do not hesitate, or the excess flame will dissipate. Stay focused, do not get lost in the pleasure.” Settling back into her seat, she added, “Go on then. Test away!”

  Never had he been glad to be in the darkness, away from that... creature. I never did get her to explain what she was. She’s obsessed with possession, I know that much — and she has Rita. He tensed, bringing a sharp cry from below.

  In Botuk’s grip, a black serpent-like creature wriggled.. Its head smashed under massive stones while he held its tail. Or at least, it had been. The tapered tail split in two, and from the seam, sharp teeth emerged. This creature had transformed its tail into a head, and its head into a tail beneath the rubble. Since the battle began, it had switched as it pleased, but with one end now crushed, he thought this might be its last.

  The serpent’s head snapped its jaws at him, its maw the size of his torso, dripping black drool. The creature spanned such that he could never encircle its girth with his arms. Its size brought both weight and explosive speed, making its danger rival that of the hulking monster.

  Yet with its tail pinned, its attack range remained limited. He stood just beyond its reach, poking at the head with his makeshift spear. Each stab drew a cry as the mindless creature endured more fatal wounds, thumping the ground with its final, failed lunge.

  With practiced accuracy, he drove his spear into its mouth, exposing a bioluminescent uvula. This revealed the reason for the prolonged battle. The source of its inner flame dangled in its head, shifting back and forth at will. He swallowed the source, testing the method the possessing creature had taught him.

  Flames surged into his source-vessel, stretching the membrane to its limits. A sharp pain followed, catching him by surprise. She didn’t tell me it would be painful. But as the sensation faded, he felt empowered. Stronger. Faster. Long-lived — if only a few hours longer.

  Though as he relished his newfound strength and the confirmation of the creature’s teachings, a sinister thought crept in.

  That creature has the knowledge I seek, ways to grow stronger. How can I manipulate her, extract as much benefit for myself, and still free Rita?