I nodded at the girl as she spoke, leaning on her staff for support. Had this been any other day, I would have made a more concious effort to get her to the tower... but this was no any other day. "I got it. They won't lay a finger on them." I told her. As she left, the flames began to dance around my head again before moving back to their owner, who had moved to stand by my side. I nodded to him, and that familiar black haze enveloped him, billowing out around him like shadows come to life while they expanded. When they disappeared, a tall black horse looking creature stood in its place. Its spine was raised, the skin around it pulled tight giving it a skeletal look as the rib bones popped out, exposed and pure white. It knelt for me to climb on, and the instant I had my arms wrapped around its neck, it was off in a massive burst of speed. This was easily Vajra's fastest form; he could do many things, run at tremendous speeds while maintaining perfect control, run over harsh terrain with ease... even run on water to a certain extent. The moment hoof met with liquid, I released my tight hold. We were making a b-line for the lead ship, and I would need to be prepared for what came next. "Vajra, steady." I called to the horse as he weaved around the ice they had begun throwing at us, completely distracted by the appearance of this new enemy. The ships that had been combatting them before my arrival began to retreat now, which was probably a good thing. 

Vajra managed to keep a steady pace while I began channeling. If the skeletal horse wasn't enough to strike fear into any of my opponents on that ship, then the flames billowing down my body would be. "I'm losing my footing." Vajra warned, his voice deeper than before, more demonic sounding than it had been. We weren't even half way there yet. "If you let me-"

"No." I cut him off before he even voiced his suggestion. I knew what it was, and I would not allow it... not yet. "Throw me." I suggested. the instant I suggested it, I felt him falter, then leap, throwing me off his back directly toward the ship like a missile, but he under-shot it. Instead of landing on the deck I was flying into the side of the ship. I intensified the fire surrounding me and raised my arms to cover my head just before I impacted with the wood, smashing through it and nearly through the other side. The fire surrounding me impacted just before exploding outward, razing everything underneath the deck, charring everything and completely destroying the goods they had stowed here. I stood shakily as soldiers began to run down the stairs, and I briefly wondered what Vajra had done after he threw me. My question was answered as a resounding crash sounded behind me. The wolf stood and trotted to my side, baring his teeth at the enemy. "They have a spirit." he spoke as flames began to collect at my feet. "What is it?" the men charged and I sent the fire outward with enough force to slam them into the far wall. "A gigantic squid." I paused, staring at him for a moment. I heard the ship begin to shudder and shake as I slashed through the soldiers with ease. These naval units clearly were not trained in hand to hand, they fell like flies, it was too easy. 

We moved the the deck above, and I was greeted by two massive appendages, one gripping the mast and the other raising upward. "It's going to strike." Vajra warned as the soldiers around me ran, paying me no mind as they dived into the water where it was presumably safer for them than this doomed ship. "What are you going to do?" the massive arm began its sweeping motion downward, and I let out a sigh. The barrier I kept up crumbled in an instant as I met eyes with the wolf, the blue flames dancing in his eyes as I spoke; "Kludde." 

The instant the name left my mouth, the change had begun. The blue flame tinted, returning to the purple it had been before, then finally to a deep burgundy as the massive arm slammed down into the wood, just beside us. I felt a lifting sensation in my chest, then everything went black. 

[From this point forward I'm using third person POV.]

Chunks of wood flung themselves into the air, the mast snapped in half and the deck had been reduced to nothing but rubble as the pair stood in silence. The light in Leon's eyes had vanished for a moment as Kludde's form became apparent. There was no black mist, now shroud or cover to disguise the metamorphasis that took place, only the deep cracking and snapping of bones and rattling of chains as the dark wolf began to change, the flesh bubbling outward as its form expanded. All was silent for a long second before a deep rumbling howl echo'd out from the wreckage that was the ship throughout the entire city. The entire place shook with the intensity as chunks of rock fell from the roof, plunking into the water as the demon Kludde emerged. The blue flame was gone, only the red remained in the gigantic form of this abomination. It stood on its hind legs, its head thrown back as it howled. The sound stopped abruptly then, and the creature seemed to have disappeared, shimmering into nothingness as Leon stood, not unchanged himself. 

The brown in his eyes was gone now and the orange had resurfaced, no longer dimmed by the bright blue of Vajra's flame. The irises practically glowed as the fire surfaced again, seemingly seeping out of the ground. He ran then, toward the back end of the ship where the others still floated. The soldiers on board had stopped fighting for the briefest of moments to watch as he launched himself off the railing, his body flying out over the water before landing on one of the other ships. The flames trailed after him like a protective cloak, landing with him as the soldiers snapped out of their trance and moved in to attack, only to be thrown back by the flames that intensified and spread across the wooden deck. The ship began to burn while Leon removed his weapon from its holster and began to fight. 

Enemies fell easily and quickly, their blades seeming to move right past him as he dodged, weaved and sliced through the ranks. The first ship had barely anybody on board, but this one was different. It was crawling with soldiers, each of whom came at him, surrounding him, trying to gain some form of advantage only to be ran through, sliced, beheaded or otherwise disposed of as the ship began to burn brighter. "WHERE IS HE?!" Leon shouted as the soldiers began to back off, clearly outmatched. The rage the young man exuded was almost as tangible as the flames, and four times as intense as he advanced slowly now. "Where is your commander?" 

"Well aren't you quite the interesting subject." One of the tentacles had returned, carrying with it a man, who stood easily atop them with a smirk on his face. "I suppose this is why they call you 'demon', is it not?" 

"You suppose correctly." Leon answered as the man was set down. "And where did your dog go?" he asked, looking around them for the beast. "Run away with his tail tucked? Did he know how hopeless this fight will be for you?" he taunted as he unsheathed his own weapon, a short sword it would seem, but its appearance was much different. The blade was separated into different sections, and the moment he unsheathed it, it fell to the floor like a whip. "You like? It's a blade whip." he swung the weapon, straightening it out as it compacted, coming together like a standard sword. "But really, where is your mutt?" he asked again as Leon readied his own weapon. "Behind you." he replied. The air shimmered, and the wolf reappeared, smaller this time but its form no less intimidating. The soldiers began to run, and Kludde stood, rocking back and forth, swaying side to side as the sound of clinking chains greeted their ears along with the quiet, steady chanting of its name. The commander leaped away, making a sizable distance between himself and Kludde. "Very interesting." he said, his voice almost gleeful.