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Fade Into Oblivion

I had started my training and my studies at the Hawk Academy. It felt much like a high school except I was the youngest there and everybody gave me weird looks. The studies there didn't seem that hard to me. I could easily decipher much from the textbooks that they had given us. The books covered all about the basics and the more advanced tactics and such. They talked about how to use the darkness to your advantage, how deception can also be your friend, crafting weapons and items, and even how to handle certain weapons. They were all very interesting and I was learning these subjects easily.

A month had passed since I've been attending the Hawk Academy. I was in the top 10 highest ranking students in the place. Unfortunately, I was still thinking about the beast from before that bit me...when my chest started glowing and my hand had a strange aura around it. I couldn't figure out what it was. As I was sitting in one of my desks while Shadow was giving a lesson, I did nothing but stare at my hand. The bite mark seemed to have faded away, but it was still there. I haven't revealed this information to anybody. It was troubling me so and I couldn't really concentrate as I used to.

I think Shadow actually noticed me being distracted as he one day called me to his office. When I entered, he had a serious look on his face as he told me to sit down. I said nothing as I took a seat in front of his desk.

"It is not wise to hide things from your mentor, son," he said to me as he put his hands together. "You are distracted from something and that distraction is causing you to fall behind in class. It is my job to teach my students and to also watch out for them, so do not think that I wouldn't noticed that something is troubling you. Now, for the sake of both of us, tell me what the matter is. You haven't really been yourself since we have gotten back from the burnt down village in Greenshade Forest."

I sighed as I looked down at the ground. I couldn't really say anything to him because, well, I did not really know the answer myself. I did not want anybody else to worry about me and this was something I needed to solve myself.

"I'm just concerned that I may not be as good as I thought," I lied to him. "Some of this a little bit more difficult to take in. I underestimated these materials and I've just been in deep thought about how to progress further. I didn't want to ask for any help, honestly."

Shadow sat there and stared at me. My lie seemed pretty convincing, but knowing him, he could probably tell it was the most scatterbrained story he had ever heard. Surprising, I saw him nod. He actually bought it.

"You don't need to feel self-conscious about yourself, Guil," he said with a smile. "There is nothing wrong with asking for help once in a while. Plus, it helps build bonds and it lets others know that you can rely on them as well as they can rely on you."

I nodded at him with a straight face. Then, I slowly put my hand on my chest. There was something wrong. I could feel my heart beat slower and slower. All of a sudden, my vision was fading. I remember my eyes rolling to the back of my head and the only thing I heard was Shadow calling my name as I tipped over from my chair. I had fainted and I may have known the reason why.

Everything was a blur. My head was pounding as I had awoken in a hospital bed. This was the third time I had been to the hospital in all of my years growing up and what a messed up childhood I've had. I felt something wet dragging across my left hand and looked over. It was Shang licking at my hand whimpering. He stopped as he saw me rise up a little bit.

"Y-You're awake!" he said with a surprised bark.

"I guess so," I said softly as I rubbed my head. "Oh man, what happened?"

"Shadow brought you in here after you passed out in his office. I think the doctors scanned you, or something. Your chest was glowing and everything and you didn't wake up! You had me worried!"

"I apologize. How long was I out?"

"4 hours at best."

"It's been that long? The day is almost over with and I hardly did any studying. I'm going to fail for sure."

I saw Shang shake his head at me.

"I don't think you'll be doing any studying for a while."

"Why? What makes you say that?"

"I overheard the doctors tell Shadow that you won't be going back to the Hawk Academy until they make an antidote for your infection."

I blinked at that word. Infection? I'm infected?

"With what?" I asked him shocked.

"They didn't say. They just said to be on the lookout for any 'symptoms'."

"What? Symptoms? I don't have the flu or anything."

"Yeah, but it must be something serious that you have. Something that even the doctors hardly know what's going on."

I sighed as I put my hands up to my face. I kept thinking to myself how could this possibly get any worse? It turns out that karma really is a female dog and has her own twisted ways of playing with your luck.

The doctors seemed to have told Shadow and my older siblings to watch out for any heart problems, increased aggression, lack of energy, and, strangely, sharper fangs. They all sounded completely absurd as I felt fine when I left the hospital...or so I thought. It was late that day and my sister had prepared another fabulous feast. We were all chatting and having a good time as I just staring at my food. I would take a bite out of my biscuits here and there, but I seemed...sidetracked. Grazar had noticed this and nudged me with his snout and asked me if I was alright. I just nodded to him and took another bite out of my biscuit. He didn't seem quite convinced as he nudged me again and asked me was I sure.

Suddenly, I just flicked his snout and he gave a light yelp and glared at him.

"I said 'I'm fine', alright?!" I snapped at him. "Now, just back off!" Everybody gasped from that and stared at me. I didn't realize what I had done until a few seconds afterwards and I held my hand up to my mouth. I looked at Grazar who was rubbing his nose. "Oh geez, I-I didn't mean that. I'm sorry about that. I have no idea what came over me."

"It is fine," he said with a light snort. "I'll make sure to ask you less often from now on. Sorry for asking you while you're eating." He had turned to leave the living room. Now I had done it. I think I made him mad.

"That was not cool, bro," I heard Varin say. I felt bad enough and now to be ridiculed by Varin of all people.

"You're not helping, Varin..." I said back to him in an even harsher tone as I clutched my chest again. I quickly got up from my chair and left the room as well as they all looked at each other. I had followed Grazar outside where I saw him just sitting there in front of the door.

"What?" he asked not looking at me. "You come to scold me for standing here?"

I shook my head at him.

"No, I... I want to properly apologize to you," I said to him as apologetic as I could be while still clutching my chest. "It was uncalled for and I have no idea why that happened." I was now talking to him between coughs. I felt my heart beating slowly again. Was I about to pass out again?

"If you're really sorry, then you'll do something for me."

I looked up at him as I saw he was looking at me from the corner of his eye. Then, I saw he was smirking lightly. What was that dragon up to now?

"Okay, what do you want me to do?"

He turned to face me as he lowered his head to me.

"You can start by rubbing my nose. That hurt, you know? A nose is one of the most sensitive parts a dragon has. If I lose this, another one won't grow back."

I tried to laugh but I couldn't. I continued holding my chest as I used my other free hand to rub his nose. With a smile he said, "Now I forgive you." I smiled back at him and then I fell over on the ground. I was having trouble breathing and clutched my chest even harder. I don't think that was helping one bit.

"Guil! Are you alright?!"

I looked up at him as he asked that rhetorical question. I just shook my head at him as my sudden heart attack subsided. I sighed in relief as the pain was over, for now.

He reached down and picked me up. "Let's get you to bed so you can rest."

I looked up at him once again and nodded my head. He took me back inside and took me to my room and laid me on my bed.

I didn't wake up until the late afternoon the next day. I did not have any energy when I tried to move out of bed. Well, I tried to get out of bed but I ended up falling out of it and hit the ground hard. I let out a large grunt of pain as my head and back hit the floor. Damn, what a day to have your energy drained...and it was a Saturday. I wanted to train today but I guess that was not an option now.

I heard footsteps outside my room as I saw Gull peek his snout in and saw me on the floor.

"Little brother, you cannot start your day on the floor," he said pleasantly but hiding some sarcasm in his voice.

"Oh, I know," I replied in a sarcastic tone of my own. "I'm just enjoying the cold floor pressed against my cheek. Now, can you please help me up?"

"Why can't you get up?"

"I just can't. I can't feel my body and it's not really responding the way I want it to."

"Oh dear... Could it be what the doctors have said to look out for?" Gull muttered to himself.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing," he replied quickly as he trotted in and picked me up off the ground and set me up on my feet. My legs felt wobbly as I almost lost my balance again. I felt like I had gotten up from a wheelchair after my legs were operated on. I tried walking a few steps and I nearly fell over again. Luckily, Gull was there to help me stand. Then, something odd happened, as everything else odd has happened in this story. Gull's eyes nearly came out of his eye sockets when he looked at me.

"What?! What is it?" I asked in a curious tone.

"Y-Your teeth! I have never seen them so sharp before. It's as if...they're getting bigger!"

I gave him a dumb look. What was he on about this time? I know my teeth are sharp because I'm part dragon and part wolf but he didn't have to exaggerate. He sensed that I didn't really believe him as he turned my body so that I was facing the mirror that was in my room. I opened my mouth and I nearly shut them back as I soon did see that they were indeed sharper than usual. I even reached a finger up to my mouth to poke at my new larger teeth and it unexpectedly hurt.

Something was happening to me and what was scaring me was I didn't know what it was. I looked over at Gull and he could see that I was scared. He reached his paw over and pulled me to him in a hug.

"Do not fear, my brother," he said as he held me. "Whatever is happening to you, we will get through it. The doctors are doing everything they can to get you that antidote before anything happens."

I wanted to believe him but if he was right then all we could do was hope.

Throughout the day I continued to feel weird and have the same signs that the doctors had said. Only this time I couldn't control the tantrums I have having as if puberty was playing a trick on me. I could not control the volumes of my voices whenever I talk and it was just disturbing. For example, I had volunteered to be a taste tester for my sister for a while. She had me taste many wonderful ingredients and when I tried to tell her that they were awesome, all of a sudden, I said it didn't appeal to me. I was getting angry at these random mood swings that I was having because of that stupid beast biting me. That's not all that was wrong. My energy seems to come and go randomly and it was driving me nuts. One minute I would be trying to do some push-ups, the next thing that happens is my energy gets zapped and I fall on the floor. I would suddenly have my strength back and I could resume doing my push-ups. Today is just not my day. It's like I spilt some salt or something or I broke a mirror or a black cat crossed my path, even though I never actually believed in luck.

Then, that evening, the strangest event happened. I was taking a walk through the village when I felt my body really burn up. My whole body was in pain as I clutched my sides. I could actually feel my teeth get even sharper as I looked at my skin. It was turning black. That same black aura from a month before was surrounding me once again and my chest was glowing. Everybody had gathered around me to see if I was okay but I tried to shoo them away for I did not know what was going on. I think I was undergoing some weird transformation. The last thing I remembered was my whole body being enveloped in a black sphere...then everything went dark. It was quiet. There was nothing around me as I couldn't see anything. What was happening to me? I felt like I was...falling into darkness.