Chapter 998: Insistence For Survival
His heart skipped a beat as his blood froze.
The last time he lost control, even if it wasn't White's fault, he became nigh feral and could have been a danger to those around him. Hearing Shegror, a being with much more power than White Death could muster, ask him to relinquish control triggered fear inside him.
Instantly, Alex un-melded with the dragon, afraid it might try to force itself through if he said no, and reverted back to his human form.
Shegror's panic surged through their connection like a tidal wave, a wave of fear that engulfed Alex, and a panicked gaze transpired on his face, a sight that didn't escape his opponent.
In an instant, the kobold's flaming wings materialized behind its back, and it lunged forward with a thunderous clap, appearing right before Alex, sword swinging out with a blood lust that surpassed everything it had shown up to now.
Alex was barely able to parry in time, pushing back the dragon's feelings inside him with a fierce determination, as he focused back on the fight.
'Why did you break our meld?!' Shegror asked, feeling a whiplash from being pushed out.
Alex was too busy to listen to her words, as he was suddenly forced into a fencing trade that he was ill-equipped for, and he ignored her.
'White! You're up!' he mentally shouted.
His hair started turning white as his muscles rippled with a feral strength that wasn't there until a moment ago. Fur grew on his hands and cheeks as his canines suddenly pushed past his lip, making him look like a beast in human form.
Kicking the kobold in the stomach at an angle it wasn't expecting, Alex managed to buy himself a few seconds, in which a booming howl left his lips, shaking the air with beastly might.
Alex knew that although he could pull more of White's strength into his body than with Shegror, her inherent power was vastly superior to the wolf's. Transitioning to this soul companion would make him weaker, even if only marginally.
But the difference was shown plain as day, as the up-to-now passively defending kobold seized the offensive. Even with the bit of time Alex bought himself, he was already faced with his opponent again.
His previous struggle to penetrate his foe's defence became a struggle to even go on the offensive. Locked in a defensive battle against his choice, Alex started to feel pressured.
It didn't help that Shegror kept harrying him inside his mind.
'Let me back in, Alexander! You are going to get yourself killed at this pace!'
He tried ignoring her, but her voice was pressing into his mind with ferocity. The seconds ticked by, and by the time he started taking hits from the kobold, Shegror was almost howling in his head.
'LET ME IN! I REFUSE TO DIE LIKE THIS!'
'SHUT UP!' Alex shouted back at her, trying to push her out.
'If you keep fighting like this, you are going to get us all killed, your friends included! Stop being stubborn and let me back in. At least with my strength, you'll be able to push back this damned imitation of a dragon's chosen!'
Alex didn't want to hear her arguments. Her insistence made him fear even more that she would force herself into control, which was the last thing he wanted.
'I can't trust you, Shegror. Do you think I would let you back into my mind after you asked me to relinquish control of my body to you? You must be out of your mind if you think I'll let that happen.'
There was a pause in Shegror's harassing before her voice came back calmer
'I'm not trying to take your body, young master. I'm trying to make sure we survive. I have no interest in living in this world devoid of magic. You can stay conscious the entire time and kick me out at any point in time. But if you refuse to let me in, you will die, along with all of us in here.'
Knocking the kobold's sword away for the umpteenth time in the last thirty seconds, Alex had to admit she wasn't entirely wrong.
He was constantly getting pushed back, playing tag with the monster before him, who seemed to be enjoying his role as a hunter. This was not a winning fight.
Even if the kobold suddenly slipped up and an opening appeared, Alex wasn't sure he could muster the strength to end this in one hit with White's power levels.
White Death was strong, yes. But the amount of power he could pull from him on this side of the veil was far from the power he could get from him in New Eden. And it was proving to be lacking in this particular instance.
'I hate to admit this, Master. But the dragon is right,' White's voice came to him. 'You side with her? Even though it means admitting you are weaker than her? I thought you had more pride than this, White,' Alex replied, feeling disappointed.
'I know my limits, Master. I've been trying my hardest to give you more power. But something is holding it back. If she says she can bring out more, and our survival is in the balance, then isn't it wiser to let her try?'
'Don't worry, papa. If she tries anything weird, I'll drive her out myself,' Luna's voice chimed
in.
Alex couldn't pull out Luna's power too much, but he knew she could overpower Shegror. If she promised him safety, he could at least trust her.
Clicking his tongue mentally, Alex bit the bullet.
As the kobold attacked once more, feeling like he was about to exhaust his human opponent and strike the killing blow, Alex lowered his sword, leaning into the strike.
'Finally, he gives up,' the kobold thought to himself.
But, along with the feeling of his sword sinking into the human, he saw a massive hair- covered fist coming at his face from his left side. And he wouldn't be able to lift his shield in
time.
At the cost of taking a blow, Alex concentrated all his strength into a right hook, slamming his fist into the kobold's face with all his might, groaning through the pain of the sword slashing
into his left arm.
*Wham!*
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