I looked back at Crow who raised his hand, a smile on his face. The same smile he had in the room the night he killed Natasha's mom.
Blade was sprinting, ready to attack Crow.
I'm sorry James. But you can't die.
I turned around and saw Blade lunging from the ground. When he was about to jump over me, I raised my hand. I don't know how I did it, but I moved my hand and Blade flew several meters away. Landing on the ground.
Everybody looked at me in shock, and as if someone had pushed play, everything moved faster than ever. Crow waved his hands around, creating flames. They swirled around him, looking like waves on the water, but instead of harmless water, it was deadly fire.
Crow pushed forward with his hands, sending the high flames towards the...packhouse.
Oh no.
I gasped and looked in shock as the flames moved faster than I could run. I saw them reach the house but they were stopped, unable to get through. Natasha had put up a barrier.
The fire laid itself like a blanket across the force field, pushing it in. A smile grew on my face when I realized that they weren't going to burn down the house.
But just then, as it seems to happen a lot, my smile dropped. I saw the fire igniting the grass from underneath the shield. It was making its way in from underneath. That shouldn't be possible.
I looked around trying to find Natasha, and when my eyes locked with hers, I saw that I wasn't the only one finding this odd. She shook her head. Her eyes were wide in disbelief.
Crow was focused on the fire. I had to do something.
'Are you ready?'
Ready for what? Who is this?'
'Are you ready to show them who you truly are?'
Xena?
'Yes'
I'm ready
It felt as though my body was on fire from the inside. Every bone in my body broke and was dislocated. The screams coming out sounded nothing like my own.
This was unlike any pain I had ever felt before. I felt myself grow. I felt my bones extend and my head shift from side to side.
I heard that this process could take a long time, but as if Xena sensed the hurry, I had shifted.
I looked down at my paws and saw that they weren't white, they were silver. The sun shining on them made them glisten.
I looked around and everybody was staring in shock.
They look so small
'They aren't, I'm just very big.'
Let's go
Xena took off and ran towards the packhouse. She was moving so quickly and graciously and I couldn't believe what was happening.
Xena, the barrier!
'I think it's time you learned who you are too. Once we're through, it's up to you'
She said and jumped off the ground and right into the barrier. I was prepared to be hit by a wall, but Xena flew through the barrier, shattering it into pieces. As I had in my dream.
The barrier being shattered however didn't only mean that we got through, it meant that the fire did too.
I shifted back as soon as Xena's paws landed on the ground. I looked up and saw the fire circling the house, clinging to the walls.
Rage and fear for the people inside the house washed over me and I reached down to take the syringe. Only to realize that I was naked. I didn't have it.
'Out with your arms, Avery. Embrace your powers'
I stretched my arms and relaxed as much as I could. I felt a surge of power radiating from inside, bubbling up like a volcano ready to erupt. A light started to surround me and my hair was blowing across my face.
I looked at Crow. His eyes were, for the first time, wide and I could see a small sliver of fear in them. He was shocked and he couldn't mask it.
I used my hands and called for the fire. I called for the flames to obey me. I circled my hands, collecting the flames like a tornado. I searched the masses looking for him, for James. I saw Blade's eyes looking at me.
"Bring me my pants, there is a syringe in it. I need it." I said quietly. Blade ran towards my clothes and picked them up with his teeth, making his way to me as fast as he could.
Crow was busy trying to take control of the fire, and he was almost succeeding. I clenched my jaw, feeling drained already, and tried to stay focused.
Blade came up in front of me and shifted. James took out the syringe and held it up.
"Avery, what is your plan?" He growled.
"Do you trust me?" I asked him. His eyes searched mine for a second before he nodded his head.
"Then I need you to put the syringe down and move away." I said in a whisper. I didn't have much energy left. And James must have noticed. He placed the syringe down and moved to the side.
I made eye contact with Crow, knowing that after I let go, I would only have seconds before the house emerged in flames.
I gathered the last of my energy and rippled the tornado, before releasing my hands and bending down to take the syringe. Crow re-gained power over the fire and it started surrounding the house.
I took the syringe and removed the cap, looking at James one last time. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was starting to know what I was doing.