Fate’s Fiery Fist

Jonas Stewart

Benny stood before the flaming throne. He looked around the room into which he had been so swiftly summoned. Flames of all colors flickered upon every surface—the golden tiles making up the mosaic on the floor, the columns of brass emblazoned with the mighty embers, and even the planes of polished bronze of the ceiling. The room’s design seemed to reflect, augment, and amplify the ever-present blaze that suffused the room. The multi-coloured flames seemed alive, moving about and flickering brightly. Only the ground where Benny stood was clear of the great conflagration. The flame surrounded him, but did not scorch him, though he felt that he was truly at their mercy.

He turned his attention to the being which resided over this realm on his mighty throne. He looked up into a face of fire. The inferno he wore; the fire he commanded. Benny peered closer at the blazing visage, squinting in the face of this great force. The face was impossible to see as the fire burned brightest in its presence. The flames dimmed, and Benny was able to see the two great eyes that belonged to this smoldering being. He sought to see intent in those eyes as he had done so many times with others. In the eyes however, he only saw himself, a small green-eyed halfling in large clothes and a fedora. Who was he to appear before such a powerful force? He had nothing to his name, save the clothes on his back and a few coppers left in his pocket. What could he give to show his respect for such a being?

The room shook. The being spoke as if reading Benny’s mind. “Your story.” Those two words contained a weight of authority thatBenny had never before heard. Suddenly, the fires around him started to shift, twist, and transform. He found himself watching the events of the past few days.

Benny stood on one of the many roads in the city of Mosaica , the city where he had lived his whole life. He was helping unload the cart of a merchant in exchange for a few coppers. He carefully set down the last box and wiped sweat from his brown mop of hair. The merchant rose from the seat of his wagon where he was laying. Grumbling, he counted out three coppers into Benny’s hand.

“This is half of what we agreed on,” Benny exclaimed indignantly.

“And it took half the time it should have,” roared the merchant as he slapped Benny across the face.

“Are you punishing me for working hard?”

“No. I’m punishing you for cutting my break short. Now take it or leave it,” and with that, the merchant stomped off into his shop, stroking his elegantly groomed mustache, and leaving the pittance in Benny’s hand.

Benny fumed. He could have put a little into his savings if he had been paid in full. Now, he would be forced to spend all of it on his next meal. He stormed back to his home.

Nash was waiting there for him when he did. The muscular young man claimed to own the small cluster of makeshift shacks where Benny was currently residing. He turned to Benny and grinned in his wolf-like manner.

“You haven’t paid yet, Benny.”

“Yes, I did Nash, and you know it.”

“You’re behind on payments Benny. My protection might expire if you don’t settle your debts soon.”

Benny seized a single copper out of his pocket and thrust it at Nash.

“There you go. Now let me through.”

“Payments have gone up since last time. You still owe me another copper. Now pay up.”

“Two coppers to stay in an alley? That’s outrageous.”

A quick punch knocked Benny off his feet and slammed him against the brick wall that marked the boundary of the shantytown. Benny stood up again.

“You’ll get these over my dead body.” He held up both the coins… and swallowed them.

Nash raged. “Why, you thiev’n son of a grieang goat!”

Nash leaped towards Benny and proceeded to pummel him with his formidable fists. Pain coursed through his body and into his scalp. He started to black out. A bark rang out. In a split second, Benny had rolled behind the massive silhouette that had appeared in the alley. Nash paled and snarled at Benny.

“I’ll get you next time when your dog isn’t around to save you.”

Nash abruptly sprinted down the alley for Japp was soon upon him. Benny walked up to the mighty mastiff and reached up to pet his snout. When he swung himself up onto Japp’s mighty back, a grin covered his face.. He looked down into Japp’s trusting brown eyes.

“Look what I’ve got, Japp.” He displayed three coppers. “I snitched mine back from him when you showed up. Good dog. Let's go home. I have something I need to pick up.”

Benny rode back to his alley. He unlocked and opened an old rotten chest, pulling out a set of very worn but fashionable clothes. Once dressed, he walked out of the alleyway.

“Guard, Japp.”

With that brief command, he started off to the road where he had worked for the merchant. He arrived in a few minutes. Ducking into an alley, he pulled from his pocket a piece of broken mirror and looked into it. He recalled the face of the 10-year-old child of the late Mayor. Slowly, he watched as his features shifted and rearranged into the piggish eyes, dirty blond hair, and wrinkled nose—Benny suspected it was wrinkled because of a perpetual show of dissatisfaction—of the child. He remembered the first time that he had used his gift. He had pondered its origin for many days and nights until he came to the conclusion that it must have been inherited from a parent. He had never known his parents. He had decided that one of them was a changeling, a race with the ability to change appearance at will. They had no true form and, as such, could only borrow from others. Benny was not like this. He was born a halfling and always defaulted to his halfling form. He figured that one of his parents was a changeling and one was a halfling. This would explain the many inconsistencies in his abilities compared to other changelings. He could not remain in another’s form for very long, he couldn’t grow his size beyond four and a half feet and, for some strange reason, he could not grow facial hair. As such, he could mostly just shapeshift into children and other halflings. As his transformation completed, Benny smiled; the merchant was in for a nasty surprise.

On his way out of the alleyway, he slipped on a piece of paper. He cursed, realizing that it was an old arrest warrant for the Mayor’s assassin. That assassination had caused quite a scare for him, since the murder was supposed to be a Changeling. Normally, Changelings were distrusted simply for the paranoia that they caused. After all, you could never be sure who you were talking to when a changeling was around. Benny didn’t even blame them for this. It seemed a reasonable response considering the Changelings own potential for evil. However, he was angry about the Anti-Changeling act. That act allowed any watch officer and even some trusted members of the public to capture any suspected changeling. They were supposed to be given a fair trial but in reality the changelings were never seen again. Benny was forced to flee several districts of the city before he had finally escaped the Watch. He was innocent, of course, but they didn’t know that and were more prone to engaging first and asking questions later. Benny had been even more careful about his shifting after the incident.

He ripped up the paper and walked into the merchant’s store - a bakery that catered to the rich. The fine marble tiles and gilded counters were proof of that. All the better. He was going to enjoy this. As he approached the counter, the merchant looked down and saw the richest, most influential child in the city. The merchant smoothed his ample mustache, straightened his jacket, and differentially began to speak.. In the presence of a supposed superior, he became an entirely different man compared to the slovenly miser who refused Benny half his coppers only a short time before. “Little Monsieur, what can assist you with? Please give me this opportunity to help such a wealthy patron… I mean such a handsome young gentleman. If you desire anything, merely name it, and it will be provided for your excellency.” Benny grinned inwardly. This was fun.

“Give me your most expensive items,” Benny curtly replied.

“Why, most certainly your excellency. You need merely speak and the renowned Poifar will act.”

Benny sat at the largest table and watched as the merchant gathered pastries. The merchant began lavishing pastries upon an ornate plate. Benny grinned again. This was going to be very fun indeed. There were a great many patrons in the shop at that hour, and all were waiting for the little gentleman’s order to be filled. He grinned even wider as the tray was set before him, the pastries arranged in the shape of a lion, the symbol of the Watch. Seizing the nearest pastry, he took a bite, filling his mouth with its rich and bitter flavor. He spat it out onto the merchant.

“What garbage is this?” Benny yelled. “I don’t know about you, but we feed stuff like this to the animals at my house. Are you trying to poison me? Are trying to disrespect me because my father isn’t with us anymore?”

Benny swept the dish off the table. It shattered when it hit the ground. He stood up and ground his foot into the remains of the pastries and fine china. The face of the merchant grew red with anger. He quickly composed himself and stroked his mustache even more furiously.

“I am sorry, most wonderful patron. I did not mean to disrespect you or your most illustrious father, may he rest in peace. I merely sought to serve you to the best of my ability. Allow me to make it up to you in some way.”

The crowd looked on with disgust at this grown man groveling on the ground before this child - until they realized who the child was. They quickly vacated the shop, most leaving without paying for the pastries that they had been eating which were suddenly and obviously unfit for human consumption.

Benny now stood alone with the groveling man.

“Now that you think of it… my birthday party is in a week.”

“And you would like me to cater to such a great host of high-bred little gentlemen. It would be an honor.”

“No. You have done enough already. I do not wish to poison my guests as well. However, you may be able to help me in a great way. It is a costume party. I need a mustache for my costume, but I have not been able to find one that suits me. Now I have. Your mustache is needed for my higher purpose. Donate it.”

Dismay fell upon the merchant’s face.

“Surely… not this, young sir.” He lovingly stroked it.

“Yes, now hand it over. I must be gone.”

Reluctantly, the merchant sliced off his fine mustache. He mournfully handed it over.

“Thank you, good man. Now get me a drink of water. I must wash that horrible taste out of my mouth.”

Once the merchant had turned to enter the kitchen, Benny gathered up the remains of the half-eaten, deserted food on the tables around him. Stuffing them into his jacket, he looked longingly at the ones behind the counter but didn’t take them. That would be stealing. That wasn’t right. Food that was going to be thrown out anyway was fine. The fresh stuff wasn’t. At least this would feed him for a day or so. He snatched part of the ripped up warrant and a piece of charcoal out of his pocket. When the Merchant returned, all he found was an empty room, crumbs, and a slip of paper. It read… “Karma.”

Benny stood in the alleyway next to the shop, shaking with uncontrollable laughter. He knew the trick was risky and that he might not be able to take the form of that young noble again for fear of being recognized, but the trick was worth it. The merchant got what he deserved. Benny was merely the agent of such a great catastrophe.

He gazed out into the streets beyond. He watched great men pass by. He watched poor men pass by. This was Mosaica , the City of a Million Faces, and he, Benny, had them all. He held the piece of glass to his face and watched as his features melted back into their normal shape.

He lowered the glass to see a shocked expression staring accusingly at him. He saw the gold and black uniform of the Watch. The shock in those features quickly contorted into a visage of hatred.. The robed uniform was pushed back and a hammer drawn. Just like the last time. Benny saw the irate Watch Officer pull back and swing. He ducked. The hammer rose up and came crashing down. Benny was always a nimble one, but now, before the onslaught of blows, he could not dodge a single one. He was slammed into the wall for the second time that day.

He rose quickly, feeling the massive bruises in his side. He ran up to the back of the alley. A barrier of brick and mortar stood between him and his freedom. A dagger spun through the air and impaled his fine clothing, a few centimeters from his neck. Benny desperately shrugged off his cloak and swung himself up on the dagger, over the wall, and onto the other side. He found himself in a schoolyard full of children of about his height. Shaken, Benny rapidly shifted his features into those of a child that he had seen many days ago. He mingled with crowd of children, appearing to be one of them in his fine clothing.

The Watch Officer hurdled the wall. His eyes urgently scanned the courtyard. The children clapped and peered up at the Watch Officer who gallantly protected their city. “Form ranks,” he barked, and the children hastened to comply with his brief, curt command. Benny watched as he examined each child in turn. He arrived at Benny. He bent over and peered deep into Benny’s eyes. He saw nothing there, just the earnest gaze of a schoolchild trying to please a

revered elder. He moved on.

After he had gone through all the ranks, he whipped around and grabbed the child next to him. The young girl screamed. Her teacher ran outside and demanded that her student be let go at once. The Watch Guard ignored her. “Do you want this child to die, Changeling? Do you want her blood on your hands? Choose now…or she will suffer the consequences.”

Benny turned and ran. The Watch Officer ran after him. He spun out of the courtyard, feeling a mighty blow slicing the air behind him. He heard a low snarling voice behind him. “Stop in the name of the law. You are under arrest for suspicious circumstances. If you continue, you will be guilty of resisting arrest and given a two-year sentence. Stop in the name of the law”

“I didn’t do anything. You were the one who assaulted the child.”

“If you weren’t guilty, then why are you resisting arrest?”

“Because you have a hammer, and you are swinging it at me.”

“That's what they all say. I’m afraid that we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”

Benny ducked as another knife whistled past his head. He dashed away at a break-neck pace. He was tiring. He had short legs and could not keep running this way forever. He must find shelter. The innumerable crowds of the Great Square would provide the sanctuary he needed

Another serrated knife spun through the air, this time ripping off the shoulder of his jacket. Benny dashed through an alley to his left, avoiding the throngs of people that were beginning to congregate around the chase.

He saw the Great Square in front of him. Just a few more yards. Suddenly, black enveloped his vision.

Benny’s head swam, he heard a knife clatter to the ground behind him. He stumbled and rushed on.

In the Great Square, the Watch Officer turned around scanning the crowd for his quarry until his eyes rested upon a well-dressed child without a sleeve. He grabbed this child with a wicked smile, but was caught off-guard as he looked into the face of a child he didn’t recognize. The child’s father, an extremely fat man with the most impressive mustachioed face, rushed out and slapped the Watch Officer. “What are you doing with my son?” he demanded. “If you want trouble, I’ll give you trouble.” Furious, he slapped the Watch Officer repeatedly. The Watch Officer, befuddled by the child he didn’t recognize and the irate father, staggered away, clutching his hammer and cradling a wounded head.

The father smiled as he bent down and unstrapped two boxes from under his feet. He conspiratorially looked down at the child and slyly handed him a copper. The child stared in amazement as his father changed into a boy of his height. “Just keep your mouth shut, ok. That’s what the copper’s for.”

Swiftly, Benny slipped out of the Great Square, thanking the fates for his luck and the merchant’s mustache.

Benny walked calmly into an alley, but his mind was a whirl of chaotic thoughts. That was too close. Benny knew that they would come for him now. He knew that he couldn’t hide forever. He had to flee this district like he had fled all the others. . It was different this time. This officer was ruthless; Benny knew that he would stop at nothing to catch his quarry. Benny had narrowly escaped being captured and taken away to the dark cells from which no changeling ever returned. He could not be taken there. Benny started sprinting back to his home.

Meanwhile, the Watch Officer stood in a black and gold building. A lion towered above everything in the room. This was the building of ultimate justice. The innocent depended upon it. The guilty trembled in its mighty presence. Kendrik was merely a herald and delivery of its magnificence. He was ushered into a side room, a room where his superior waited for him. He sat in a gold-colored velvet chair and gazed across the black desk, gilded at the corners. An agreeable face waited on the other end.

“I hear that you’ve had some action today, Kendrik.”

“Yes, I have. That's my job—To protect the weak, uphold the innocent, and smite the unjust. That is our motto, is it not?”

“It is, and no one could accuse you of neglecting your mandate, , Kendrik, but however…the methods you use, are…unsatisfactory.”

Kendrik had sensed that the man was about to say ‘illegal.’ He bristled at this obvious accusation.

“I had every right to arrest that changeling. He was engaging in suspicious activities. He ran when I told him to stop. He was breaking the law.”

“I have no objection to your actions, Kendrik. Your methods are the problem. I have twenty eyewitness reports that you held a child hostage. This is not an act becoming of a Watch Officer. You cannot endanger lives over a resisted arrest.”

“The changeling would have harmed the children. It was better for me to flush him out.”

“What of the second child in the marketplace? You cannot arrest people for no reason. Besides, your previous search had shown that the changeling in question could disguise himself beyond your recognition. I see the father gave you… a talking to.”

Kendrik rubbed his head where the father had seen fit to give him a thrashing.

“May I have men to flush out this threat to the city.?I understand that the Anti-Shifter squad is on furlough. Could I re-form them?”

“No. Kendrik, you must understand. Resisting arrest and suspicious circumstances are not grounds for a search party. The Anti-Changeling act is now over, you can’t just do that anymore.”

“But he was a changeling. Possibly the one who murdered our beloved Mayor.”

“I understand that you have a past with that race of shifters, but I can’t spare any resources right now. The Archon Case is still open and we haven’t caught the serial killer from the Caramor series. You are dismissed for the week, Kendrik. You may come back on dawn of the 7th day of the 6th month.”

“May I pursue on my own?” asked Kendrik, carefully concealing his rage.

“No. You have no legal authority beyond your Watch Position and you will not have that until you come back.”

Kendrik started towards the door.

“And, Kendrik.”

“Yes.”

“Stay out of trouble. Think about your family. What would they do if you lost your job?”

Kendrik stormed out of the office in a wave of rage. He fumed as he walked out of the building. He had always hated the Captain. He let rules and regulations get in the way of pure justice. Justice must happen no matter what. He heard the Captain’s last words echo through his mind, “What would your family do if you lost your job?” He was right. If Kendrik pursued and was discovered, he would most definitely be without a job. Was it worth it? Revenge for all of those years ago, was it worth it? That fateful night—both his parents were killed, with no one to mourn them but Kendrik. Rage burned in his heart against any and all Changelings. He would stop at nothing to make sure that they got what they deserved—Death for all of them. That would be true justice, an unwavering verdict, carried out to the ultimate end. It was his life’s work, even of greater importance than his family. He must proceed. He knew exactly where to go for that.

Kendrik entered the Tavern of the Bloodied Wolf. He walked up to the bartender, a man with yellow teeth, a sharp eye, and a vicious expression, and began to speak.

“I’m starting the hunt tonight. Tell my wife that I won’t be home till late.”

“The child’n being v’ry disappoint’d, Kendrik Changeling-Slayer.”

“You know there is no other way.”

“Ey, there is the only w’y. The path o’ blo’d. Follow it to yer last breath.”

He handed Kendrik an amulet.

“This’ll guide ’e. The inner wolf’ll do the rest. The pack will follow”

Kendric stepped out of the tavern. The chase was on. The hunt had been renewed. The prey was waiting. Kendrik howled and dashed down the street.

Benny stood panting in the alley that he called home. He quickly gathered up his meager belongings, grabbed his small savings, and mounted Japp.

“It's time to move on, Japp. We’re on the run again.”

He fed Japp a scrap of fine pastry and took one for himself. He knew that this was the way he must live, the way his kind were fated to live. He started Japp at a trot, and they began the next phase of their endless journey.

Night fell while Benny and Japp were traveling through the center of the city. Benny looked up at the sky. The moon was full. The stars twinkled down at them. No matter where he went, the stars were the same; the same stories being played out again and again, dancing and unfolding across a stage of milky darkness. The star of misfortune caught his eye, its red gleam growing steadily brighter. Uneasily, Benny turned around. A breath of wind? An animal? Benny could not see far in such darkness. He turned and shouted a challenge. A shadow in an alley moved. Benny turned towards it.

“Do you not remember me?”

The words came as a snarl behind his back. Benny jumped back and spun about to face this unknown beast. What he saw was beyond the horror of even his nightmares.

A biped shape loomed over him, its form hidden and distorted by the black cloak it wore. It tossed this back in contempt, letting it slide to the ground. What Benny saw was almost too horrible for words. The thing was covered from head to toe with gray fur. Claws grew out of its hands. Teeth jutted out from every angle. Its face was mostly covered by a mask, crimson and gold. Benny could see its yellow eyes. Beastial instinct ruled this thing. The claws and teeth were stained red. A wolf’s head amulet glowed red at its neck. It threw back its head and howled. Other beasts circled around, each throwing off its cloak and howling in turn. The sound was horrific, almost as horrific as the beasts themselves. The sound penetrated Benny’s mind, rent his soul, and tore through his heart. Benny turned frantically as more of these things surrounded him.

“Do you not remember me, Changeling? Know that I am the killer of your kind. I am the slayer of Changelings. I feast on flesh. I deal out justice, I let no more be harmed by your kind . I am Kendrik Gothomfree, Officer of the Watch. I am Kendrik Wolfspath, follower of the Wolf God. I am Kendrik the husband, Kendrik the father. I am Kendrik the dealer of justice, and without my protection this city would fall. I am Kendrik, the sworn enemy of all Changelings. Hear my name and TREMBLE.”

Benny kicked Japp in the side, urging him onward. With a mighty leap, Japp cleared the circle of beasts. Japp’s claws scraped the cobblestones as he changed directions and tumbled through another alley. The beasts followed behind, tearing through the streets, muscles rippling, claws straining. Sparks lept from where claws met the street, revealing the hellish nightmare that followed. Benny urged Japp onward as the wave of beasts tore towards them, crawling on top of one another in their haste to kill and feast. They grew closer, teeth nipping Japp’s paws. He turned again. For a moment, it seemed as if the pack would have difficulty making the sharp turn, but they just flooded ever closer.

Japp was tiring quickly. He knew that he would not have enough strength to escape the onslaught. With one final burst of strength, he threw Benny on the nearest roof.

Benny rose from his tumble and watched as his friend fought off the hoard of the hideous beasts. Benny watched as his friend was slowly torn apart by gnashing teeth. He watched as the beasts feasted on the flesh of his only friend. Kendrik laughed,

“If this is what we do to a mere beast, what will we do to you? Run. Hide. We will be waiting for you at every turn. Your beast’s sacrifice will not protect you for long.”

Benny turned and ran through the rain.

Tears ran down his face. His constant companion, his only friend, his protector, gone. What would he do? Why continue? What was there to live for? Japp had died for him. He must not let that go to waste. He would live as long as he could.

Benny set his jaw. He hadn’t gotten this far by being weak. He would be strong to the end, strong for his friend. Benny selected the spot for his final stand.

On the ground, the number of beasts grew by the second. They circled around the building on which Benny was now standing. Benny started to climb even higher. He would stand and look death in the eye. There was nothing else to do. There was nothing he could do. Benny reached the top. He stood, slipping on the slick surface. Lightning struck the building next to Benny, its sudden glow revealing the hordes scrambling up to devour their prey. Benny set his jaw and pulled a knife from his boot, the very one that was hurled at him by Kendrik only the day before. He lowered the brim of his hat. He prepared himself for his last stand.

A massive beast leaped onto the roof landing on all fours. It stood, the lightning revealing its cold, blood-hungry eyes. Rain poured down on the faces of a vicious beast and a desperate halfing.

“I see that you have courage. It will do you no good. Have you not wondered about that day, the day when this all began? Have you not wondered why I am set to destroy your kind? My parents were killed by a Changeling. There was no public outcry, just a small boy mourning the death of the only people who had ever loved him. I grew, as did my hatred and desire for vengeance. I found a group of others who shared my hatred when I joined the Order of the Wolf. I quickly rose through the ranks, and I was selected for a task that would change Mosaica forever. I killed the Mayor. In doing so, I sparked a public outcry which swelled our ranks and allowed my fellow Wolves and I to move about freely completing the good work of keeping this city safe. It was necessary for a few men to die to create the conditions necessary to put an end to your kind once and for all. So, this is where it all began. The place where your troubles began. And this is the place where you will meet your end.”

Kendrik dove at Benny. Benny sidestepped the attack and met it with a blow of his own. Kendrik merely laughed, the cold glow of lightning illuminating his cruel snarl, his wet fur, his bloody teeth, his blood-hungry eyes. Benny stood on that rooftop, thought of Japp, and prepared to honor his friend’s death with a fight to his last breath.. Benny circled his opponent. Lightning struck. Benny caught a glimpse of the hoard below him. The echo of thunder rang out, the resounding sound of a true trumpeter heralding impending doom, for indeed, doom was certain.

The howls rose, giving voice to a rage unheard of by any mortal. The hunt was nearing its close and Benny prayed that its end was not the same as his. Benny thought that would be his last vision, the lightning racing down towards him, silhouetted against a polar backdrop dotted with the finest stars. Benny prepared himself for the strike as the bolt split above him. He gazed up and saw a dome of blueish energy which now spanned the air above him. The bolt cracked and divided, striking the earth all around. Fire began to rage. Igniting the building, the flame rose in a colossal conflagration of heat, an immense inferno of flames, a symbol of power. Terror was thick in the air, but there was also beauty in the flames. Benny stood for a moment, mesmerized by that beauty. Suddenly, he snapped back into the moment to see . Kendrik snarling with disgust as he looked down upon his shocked hoards as they were rapidly dispersed by the flames.

“I do not need the cowards to complete our mission. I will win this last battle, alone.”

Kendrik dove towards Benny, knocking the knife out of his hand.

“That feeble weapon won’t help you now. Face me and know that there is no hope.”

From the very depths of his being, Benny felt despair. He could not conquer this foe.

The fire raged around them, throwing itself at the wall of the roof of the Mayor’s home where the participants of the battle stood.

Suddenly, Benny heard a great voice speak out of the flames.

“Hear me well, little one. I am the flame, and I am one with the flame. I can offer you protection if you so wish it, but you must make the leap, the leap of faith. It is not an easy thing to do. Do you see the destruction that I cause? You can not lightly leap into the arms of such a great power. I have destroyed civilizations. I am the righteous flame, the good and beautiful fire. I will not harm you, but it is you who must decide whether I can be trusted. I can give you a better life and save the one you have now. You need only take that step of faith. Leap.”

Kendrik lunged again. Benny spun out of the way. Kendrik dove. His teeth sank into Benny’s back. Pain ripped through Benny’s small body. He stumbled back under Kendrik’s hateful gaze and gnashing teeth. Benny had no choice.With his last bit of strength, he stepped backwards into the fire.

Benny watched as the fires around him melted away. He looked up at the stoic being.

“There you have it. That's my story. I’m a nobody, born from a line of nobodies. We don’t have anything, not even names or faces to live with. Why did you save me?”

The flames melted back on the being of fire. He finally spoke, each word resounding like thunder.

“I am the good and righteous fire. I must help those who are in need. If it were not so, , I would cease to be. It is who I am.”

“Why me? There are many in the city I live in who need help more than I do. Why did you choose me?

“I chose one who would accept my help, one who would trust when all hope had given out. You are that person.”

“I have one favor that I want to ask of you.”

“What is that, little one?”

“I wish to know what happens next.”

“Then I will show you.”

The flames swirled again and another scene played out before them. The flames showed the Watch Office. In it, two men were arguing. One wore the uniform of a High Watch Officer, the other wore common clothes and a wolf’s head amulet. The former spoke.

“I warned you Kendrik. I told you this would happen. I gave you advice, I gave you guidance, and still…still you have failed. What will your family do now, Kendrik? What will they do when they discover that their father is a murderer?”

“I never did anything that was wrong. I dealt out justice, and I protected the people of this city. I rid it of a curse, a scourge. I brought a menace to justice.”

“We have laws for that, Kendrik,” the Officer’s voice rose to a bellow. The flames seemed to rise with his anger. “You of all people should know that. There are ways for criminals to be brought to justice. That is why we exist. The Watch is here to bring people to justice. We protect. We don’t form groups of vigilante murderers. We don’t deal in black magic to kill even more ruthlessly. We don’t murder.”

“I never murdered anyone. I killed to protect.”

“You killed for vengeance, Kendrik. You slayed for revenge. That’s forty years, Kendrik. You are going to have to serve them all.”

The flames stirred again, this time showing a group of changelings coming out of jail for the first time in years. A man stood smiling as he ushered them out, announcing in a loud voice that they had been freed on account of extreme bias in their prosecutor.

They laughed as they looked at the sun, that great ball of fire in the sky.

The flames flickered as the scene shifted yet once again. It showed a family. They were broken. A father had been taken from them. A husband was taken from them, not by the Watch, not by the court, but by the monster that he had become. The warmth of a lone flame lit the room, providing comfort to the grieving family,. The flames into which Benny was peering dissipated. The being looked down at him with a smile.

“These things I have shown you. Now it is you who must decide what to do with them.”

Benny’s head spun. What would he do now? Where would he go? What would he do about his loss?

“What is it that you want to do most?”

Benny grinned.

“I want to eat a mountain of chocolate cake.”

The being roared in laughter. The fires around him seemed to shake with him.

“I have no doubts about that, little one.” He suddenly grew serious. “What is your motivation? What would you do with your life?”

Benny grew quiet, his mind pouring over a thousand possibilities.

“I want to help others. I wish to keep people from going through the ordeal that I did.”

“That is a wise choice. It shows your age beyond years. I will help you. You shall learn the Way of the Fire. You shall be a comforting candle in the dark. You shall be a raging inferno to the ones who would hurt others. But before I grant you this boon, answer me this. What makes you different from Kendik? He also thought he was acting rightly. He could be merciful to those he thought deserved mercy. He could be deadly to those who threatened his idea of peace. Why would you be any different?”

Benny sat down. He started to protest but then he realized the validity of the question. What would make him different? What would keep him from going down the same path of hatred and revenge against those who had hurt him?

“You would stop me, sir.”

The being laughed once again.

“You are discerning, little one. You speak the truth. If you went down that path, you would find that all of your might would be stripped from you in an instant. However, that is not a good enough reason by itself. Why wouldn’t you follow the Way of Vengeance, the Way of the Wolf?

Benny searched his mind, soul, and heart. He knew that he must give an answer. He knew he must give a good answer. Benny racked his mind trying to find a clever reply, ransacked his soul for an honest reply, and shook his heart for a convincing reply. He discovered the truth.

“You can’t know for certain.. You must trust, just like I trusted you to get here. You realize that I do desire vengeance. I am only a man. I will work to quell it. . I will try with all my heart, all my soul, and with all my mind. You will help me, because I can’t do it alone. I know you will.”

Booming peals of laughter filled the flaming room.

“You have audacity, little one. You have courage, you have hope, and now you have my trust. I will help you. Sometimes you will not recognize my help, , sometimes you will, but I will be there every step of the way, helping you.”

The fires spun and swirled, intertwining into a beautiful dance. They flew through the room and were absorbed into Benny. The power was exhilarating. The fire filled him, the flames fed him, the inferno ignited his passion anew.

“Now go forth, my noble servant. Go forth, and aid the suffering, help the hurting, and give grace to all men. Go.”