'I really am sorry' Aloin thought as his body floated effortlessly in an ethereal sea of golden light, 'but I suppose I really am Drasnian to the core' He smiled sadly to himself as he slowly began to spin into an upright position. In front of him lay the revolving form of his small summon, as still and silent as the grave. He reached out a hand carefully taking hold of her, before glancing around at the shapeless expanse that surrounded him. The atmosphere was stifling, too many memories seemingly chocking and twisting the comforting light into something far more malevolent. He sighed. This place wasn't real anyway, just a tool to do something that he'd once had no qualms with. Slowly he closed his hand tightly against the warm body in his hand. It immediately sprung into life, clawing and scratching at his hand as it tried to escape his grasp. There was a crunch as bones broke beneath his fingers. He let his arms drop, swinging loosely at his sides. On his skin the golden marks of his contract flashed out, squirming as if in pain before shattering completely. In their place rose a black and red seal that flashed darkly against the golden light. The contract was broken. Slowly, as if urged on by the appearance of a brother, other seals began to appear, covering his body in a rippling sea of black and red. Once more he raised his arm, the body of kiki was gone, replaced by a pulsing orb that seemed to almost beat in time with his heart. He placed it gingerly against his chest as his other arm stretched out to the side in preparation. He swung, his memories spinning out into the world around him like water leaking through cloth. That same swing time and time again. That same timeless world, that same broken contract. His hand slammed into the pulsating orb, driving it into his body through sheer force of will. It was slow, inching through his skin as everything around him began to disintegrate like taut strings severed one by one. He could feel it fighting against him, trying to push its way out. And somewhere, far beyond hearing, came the small pleading voice of one already broken.
***
Gasping for breath Aloin re-entered the flame scarred room. The man still stood before him, almost frozen as time slowly wound its way back to normal. And yet it was different. He could see deeper, something above sight or hearing, a black veined aura that burned like a flame around the man. He could sense himself changing too, his body knitting itself together as pure magic washed through his system, bones extending, tiny hairs forcing themselves out through his pale skin. He grinned manically, his lips drawing back to reveal sharpened points. He'd fused with kiki, forcing her into it against her will. The only thing left to do know was make it worth it.

He sprang from the ground, his lithe body passing beneath the burning hand and up under the mans vision. The eyes seemed to freeze, as if in shock, before they began to frantically follow the boys movements. Aloin bit down hard, sinking his new teeth deep into the mans neck as he screamed in pain. He spun, dropping back to the floor and scrambling towards his discarded spear, as the man lashed out instinctively at where the boy had been. Aloin felt his clawed hands grip the cold metal, swinging it up defensively as his eyes searched for exits. There was a moment, filled only by the husky breath of the man as he clasped at his bleeding wound.

“You're a ****ing harmonizer” he spat, his body shaking almost uncontrollably as his eyes narrowed in pure hatred “You even hurt Arlane, if I hadn't been playing around this wouldn't have...” he stopped suddenly, rivulets of fire beginning to flow dangerously over his body “but I'm still stronger than you aren't I?” he said smirking to himself as the flames began to coil into an ever smaller point. “tell me” he whispered softly “Do you like explosions?”