Page 54 of Demons In My Head: Exposing the Exiled
"JASPER!"
At the last possible moment, recognition flashed in those ancient eyes. The dragon's wings snapped open with a crack like thunder, and he pulled up sharply, the wind from his passage nearly knocking us off our feet. His massive form wheeled overhead before landing on the wider ledge above us with surprising grace for a creature his size.
I laughed, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me. "Still love the dramatic entrance, I see."
"You know this dragon?" Palmer demanded, her voice shaking slightly as she pressed against my side.
"Know him?" I grinned, already moving toward the path that would take us up to the ledge. "I used to get drunk with him. Come on!"
I grabbed Palmer's hand and pulled her along, scrambling up the rocky incline. When we reached the top, the dragon had already begun his transformation. Black scales melted away like smoke, revealing dark skin and familiar features I hadn't seen in far too long.
"Jasper," the naked man said, his voice rough with disuse and his eyes wild as he scanned my face. "How the fuck are you…here?Alive?! I thought I was hallucinating when I caught your scent."
"Technically, ghosts don't have a scent," I replied, unable to keep the smile off my face. "But it's good to see you too, Malik."
“I’m sorry,ghost?” He shook his head in confusion. “I probably should be more shocked, but the amount of weird shit going on around here lately is making that difficult. And I want to hear more about it, but holy shit, it’s great to see you!”
"Yeah," I said softly. "I know. It's a long story, but damn. This is crazy."
He shook his head in awe, his golden eyes bright with emotion, then noticed Palmer standing awkwardly to the side. "And who's this?"
"Palmer Vale," she said, stepping forward with more confidence than most would show after nearly being eaten by a dragon. I couldn’t help but smile as I noticed her keeping her gaze solely on his face. Public nakedness was fairly normal in Besmet, but not so much in her world.
Malik's grin was as wide as I remembered, his golden eyes glinting with amusement as he looked Palmer over. "Well, well, Jasper, you finally managed to find a pretty girl willing to put up with your ass, huh?"
Palmer's eyebrows shot up, but she smirked. "Trust me, it wasn't easy. He's got more baggage than any ghost should reasonably have."
Malik laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed off the rocky cliffs. "I bet. This one always did have a knack for trouble." He clapped me on the back, his hand passing through my spectral form with a shiver of cold. "That,” he said, pointing at the spot his whole hand had just slid through, “is fucking wild! But seriously, what the hell are you two doing in Besmet? This place isn't exactly a vacation spot, especially today."
I sobered quickly, the weight of our mission settling back onto my shoulders. "We're looking for my brothers, but why did you say that, especially today? What's happening?"
Malik's expression darkened. "You showed up in the middle of a warzone, Jasper. It's another long story, one we don't have time for. The simple answer is: there's a battle happening right now. At the castle. Unjust executions were scheduled and Asrael—"
Palmer stepped forward, her voice steady and determined. "Asrael is here? Now? In Besmet? Have you seen Ashland? Or Misha? Or—"
Malik held out his hand. "Yes. They're all here. And it was because of those boys that my people and I were freed. I was sent out to scout the surroundings, but I need to get back to help."
"We're coming with you," Palmer announced, already making sure her weapons were secured.
My old friend glanced at me from the corner of his eye, and I nodded. "If that's okay with you, of course."
"Right, that's what I meant, too," Palmer added, still laser-focused on her weapons.
Malik grinned. "More than okay, we'll take all the help we can get. Asrael's day has been coming, and today is that day. Fair warning, it's gonna be risky."
"We can handle risky," I said, meeting his gaze steadily. "We didn't come all this way to back down now."
Malik studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But we need to move fast. Asrael's been on a rampage, and I don't want our allies to be down a dragon when he decides to unleash his full power."
As if on cue, a distant explosion echoed through the valley, the sound of battle a grim reminder of what awaited us. Malik's form began shifting, black scales rippling across his skin as he transformed back into his dragon form.
"Climb on," he said, his voice already deepening into a growl. "I'll get you to the palace as fast as I can."
Palmer and I exchanged a glance, then scrambled onto Malik's back, settling between the ridges of his scales. I wrapped my arms around Palmer, holding her close as Malik launched into the air, his powerful wings carrying us higher and higher.
The wind whipped around us, the sulfuric scent of Besmet stinging my spectral senses. Below, the landscape was a twisted mess of rock and fire, a stark reminder of the horrors this place had witnessed. And yet, there was a strange beauty to it, a wild and untamed energy that pulsed through the very air.
"This is insane," Palmer shouted over the wind, her voice laced with a mix of fear and exhilaration.
