Part of the Kotamayu series.

The vapor cleared as the reflection was completed. The Mirror had merged with Castalcius, and with it brought a piece of the essense that was the man Krayden.
Castalcius now stood at the ready, with his once docile stone arm now a gauntlet of terror and destruction. From its cracks, moss still grew, and the whole thing quivered with anticipation.
His other hand now clenched into a fist, as he awaited the pain that Krayden knew so well. He waited for his arm to explode and begin feeding the machine.

There was nothing.

Castalcius stared at his hand; and then up to the enemy that stood before him. The moment dragged on forever, as neither side made its move.

It was his rage. It was Krayden's rage that made his weapon work. The rage of losing everything he had worked for in his life. The rage of having nobody, and nothing he could rely on.
Castalcius closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Poor Krayden. Castalcius could never know that kind of pain. On Earth he had been successful, and here in space he'd endured much less than the others. Maybe it was selfish to choose Krayden as a transformation.

Castalcius opened his eyes again, and, ignoring the enemy in front of him, turned to his friend Rael. His calm eyes glistened with a whisper of a tear.
"I think I... made a mistake."

Rael's eyes widened and her lips moved to speak. But for Castalcius, there was nothing but silence; as everything faded into the darkness.