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Determination set in early the next day as I decided not to think about anything having to do with my supernatural self. I gave up, I quit, I was free. End of story.
The problem with the end of story part was just there were some loose ends I had to take care of, because Elysian was too stubborn to take care of himself.
It wasn’t long—less than a week—before I found the small dragon pacing on the floor of my bedroom, his eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed, and his arms folded. When I turned on the lights and walked in, Elysian was greeted with my groan.
“What’re you doing here?” I scowled.
“You can’t just quit, Hamilton!” Elysian practically shouted.
“Shut up, would you? And I sure can quit, just like that. There’s no two weeks’ notice in this business, Ely! I can quit. And I did.” I held up my wrist, now blank, as proof. “See?”
“What’s wrong with you? You get a little shaken by an attack and run off scared?”
“I did not run away scared,” I insisted. “I no longer want to fight. I do not believe any of the bull crap you fed me before about that starry kingdom or whatever it was.”
“What about the people who lost their souls?”
“Maybe they deserved it.”
“And maybe they didn’t. What then?”
“I guess it’s their problem now.” I shrugged. “I am not fighting anymore, Elysian. Find someone else to play your games and fight your battles or whatever. I have more important things to worry about than the forces of ‘good and evil.’”
“But what about the city? The world?”
“Let the FBI or some other government operation handle it, all right? The media wants them to, and no one else wants me or Starry Knight to do anything about it. They want us gone, and I’m just trying to fulfill their wish.”
“That has to be the biggest load of baloney your mother ever let into this house!” Elysian yelled. “You’re not doing it for them! You’re doing it for yourself. Admit it!”
“So what if I am?” I didn’t see where Elysian was headed with this. I was my own person. I had an entitlement to make myself happy. This supernatural stuff was messing my life up hugely. And if I didn’t want to continue it that should be my choice; that goofy lizard should be able to understand that.
“So? What do you mean, ‘So what?’” Elysian sputtered, clearly taken aback. “I’ve never heard of such selfishness in all my existence—and I’m an eternal being!”
“You want a medal for it or something?” I spat back. I moved over to the window and opened it up. “Get out of my room, get out of my house, and get out of my life!”
Elysian just stared at me, his reptilian mouth agape. “I suppose you have a choice in this matter,” he finally wheezed out, his anger barely contained. “But you will not escape this. You will lose your powers, and you will suffer the same as the other humans running around. You have just put your family and your friends in danger, all for the sake of yourself.”
“Spare me the lecture,” I replied in a hard voice. “I’ve had enough. I don’t need you, or my supernatural powers! I was fine long before you came, and I’ll be fine long after you’re gone.”
“So be it.” And then Elysian transformed and swooped out the window, his long dragon body disappearing into the city-lit skyline, along with any hesitation I might’ve admitted to having. His farewell echoed through me like a disembodied voice. “Good-bye ... Hamilton.”
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