FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 1

Pantagram

Winds... the winds were my only companion, weaving over my fur like empty fingers closing around me in a hug, yet reminding me of the painful loneliness of my existence. The sound of waves crashing against the cliffs was soothing though, like a song to entertain me while I recount my life. Sitting atop a light house roof, watching lights swerve by hypnotically from left to right, I laid back instead to see the stars, and the moon smiling down on me, I can finally reflect on my life like a reel of tape.

These feelings have been with me for as long as I can remember . . . and they still are, burning into my flesh, right into my bone.

I have always lived this way, keeping away from prying eyes, avoiding even the slightest touch. That is the only way to save the people around me. I couldn't have friends or families like any other average person. Heck, I don't even think I'm average anymore. Let's just say that I have been unlucky all these years. Anything I touch would be pitifully annihilated, which brings me to hide in the darkest depths of the shadows . . . away from sight, away from contact.

Ever since I was born, I've been burning in hell. My mother died in the process of giving birth to me. She lost too much blood. I have not the slightest memory of her face, but I bet she would be beautiful and loving if she were alive. I was born on the thirteenth of March and the day was Friday--hmm, you could call that bitter irony. Yes, I was born on Friday the thirteenth, and with that, I was born with a pentagram on my arm as a birthmark. I don't have a father--or at least I thought I had no father. He never came for me, so I do not know. I was sent to an orphanage at birth, I could vaguely remember that night when I was left on the doorstep of the orphanage, the silhouette of a man and a smaller figure beside him as they soothe me to sleep before they knocked on the door. Shortly after, I was accepted into the arms of the caretaker who answered, after that, everything was a blur.

When I was six, I felt sanctuary. It was the only time I was happy. I had friends who would play with me and the orphanage caretaker took good care of everyone. I had a best friend; his name was Zedrek. He would share anything with me, and cheer me up when I was sad and likewise. Our bond grew tighter every single day. Just when I thought nothing else could go wrong, Zedrek was adopted. That was the time my hell continued. I told myself it wouldn't be a problem, I had other friends, but that was short lived--because I was adopted.

It was a wealthy man who took me under his wing that day, even wealthier than the common man on earth. He smiled warmly at me in the adoption centre. The fat, stubby man talking as if he was god, saying he would take very good care of me, like I was his own son. But when we got in the car, things became different; he started laying down the rules for me, telling me what to do. If I questioned him, he would slap me or beat me. He treated me like a slave the moment I stepped into the house. I was to clean their mansion, polish the decorative armor that lined the hallway, clean the kitchen, and whenever I was slow or even took a well-earned rest, he would whip me with a cane he carried around. Even when I was sick, I received no mercy.

I grew up in these conditions, hardened by my "foster parents." Damn hypocrites. After six years, all I had was anger, frustration, and hatred towards the world for being unfair to me. It was then I felt the power. You know when a kid reaches puberty, his body changes? Well, one thing is for certain--this was more than puberty. My birthmark would hurt whenever I felt angry, and dreams of a blue wolf would cloud my mind every night and through the days, I felt myself getting stronger, faster. My irises changed color, from sky blue to a bright ember, my blonde hair turned a brilliant sky blue, and my body grew more muscles even though the only exercise I got was cleaning the bastard's mansion. His strokes became less painful, but his voice remained the same. I do not know the reasons, nor do I care, maybe it was something in me, or I had grown accustomed to his beating because it had been going on for the last few years. It became--normal.

When I was sixteen, I had a serious whipping from my "father." He whipped me for reasons unknown, barging in and tortured me just to relieve his anger. It was even more serious than the other beatings I'd received. When he was done with me, I had whip marks around my body, bruises on my head where he'd hit me with a thick wooden stick. After he had had his fill with me, he left my room without the faintest hint of an apology. I stood in there groaning about the pain, soothing my bruises with my shaken arms. It was painful--painful enough to send a boy of my age crying, but I didn't, I refused to be beaten by the pain, refused to surrender to the injustice that had befallen me. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to have power.

The pent-up sorrows in me, built up all these years, couldn't be held in any longer. Enough was enough. Those words repeated like a recorder in my head, I can still feel the hurt I had laying deep in my heart on that day.

"Enough was enough." The hate engulfed me, like a cold embrace and I felt a strange sensation crawling through my spine. I could feel a wave of convulsions along my back and along my fore arms, sprouting turfs upon turfs of blue fur, but in my blind rage, I couldn't see what was happening to me, only the words...

"Enough was enough," the pentagram on my arm glowed blue where the lines scarred my skin. It burned a searing stinging pain I have never felt before. My 'father's' beatings had nothing on this. The more I changed, the more hateful thoughts swarmed into my mind. I wanted the man to pay for what he had done to me; I wanted to take his life! The convulsions over my body was becoming unbearable, my spine was hurting like I had a huge weight pressuring on it. Muscles growing in my body becoming heavier, yet it felt ecstatic. I heard laughter, a coarse, choked laughter ringing in my ears while the convulsions travelled down to my legs. Bones realigning themselves and toughening into steel and sharp black claws protruding from the tips of my fingers and feet. It all felt so painful yet pleasurable at the same time. Then, it all stopped so abruptly that I didn't have the time to grasp my emotions. A tranquil feeling gripped me and I collapsed on the floor.

After an eternity of sleep--actually, it was only about an hour, but it was the best sleep I've ever had in my life--I felt strange, but it was ecstasy to feel this way, it was like a symphony of power raging in my blood. I looked at the mirror in my room and I was terrified. I saw a monster: A great blue furred werewolf staring straight at me. I quickly backed away. I didn't know what was going on in my head--I thought the monster was coming through the mirror to get me. I closed my eyes and waited for the creature to slam on me, but nothing happened. When I finally had the courage to open my eyes, I looked again into the mirror. The creature was just looking at me, but there wasn't any sudden movement, a pounce, and no-- whatever werewolves do. It just stared at me, just as I stared back.

That was strange.

Running a little experiment, I tilted my head to the right and the monster mimicked me, I moved my head closer to the mirror and the wolf did the same, I showed my teeth and he bared his teeth. That was when I knew, there wasn't any monsters in the mirror--that monster was me! I whipped my head to my hands and they were clawed and padded. I looked at my body and I saw powerful muscles bulging under blue fur. I looked at my feet and they were of wolf paws, armed with curved, lethal claws. I was on my toes, and the back part of my leg was elevated off the ground. Then I felt something sweeping behind me, and as I looked, a gasp escaped my mouth. It was a tail, a thick fluffy, furry tail. My clothes had been ripped off, my size had grown bigger and I was taller, eight feet tall in fact. I was feeling like a victim in a thriller; what the hell was happening to me?

I fell to the floor, I remember what a shock see myself like this. Yes it felt good having all this strength and power, but I did not want to lose my humanity, I wanted my skin back!! Then I heard footsteps outside. They were getting closer to my room. I panicked; the thumping of footsteps crawled nearer and nearer. I couldn't let anyone see me in this monster, they would freak. My mind raced, thinking of a way out. The doorknob turned and as the door opened, my body suddenly changed back. At the door was my "mother"; she took a look at me and smirked. I still remember what she said to me while I was stunned there not knowing what the hell happened: "Well now, what are you doing here, you should be downstairs! Go now or I'll call your father to punish you!".

I kept silent and nodded to her and got off the bed, hurrying to do what they wanted of me. The next few days I did some soul searching. What was happening to me? Why was I having these frightening changes? Yes, it felt good when I was in that state, but it wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to be this monster I have no control of --or--so I thought.

In the days to follow, I shifted into the wolf uncontrollably, many a times barely managing to slip my furry ass out of sight. I tried to find out the pattern that triggered this change, but it was fruitless.--I needed to know how to control it--and fast.

One night, when I was asleep, I had a dream of myself running, running until my breath caught in my throat, running until my feet was hurting to the point of crumbling down, but I couldn't stop, because if I did, the blue wolf behind me would tear me to shreds with his sharp claws. I tried to call upon the wolf to help me, but it does not come. Soon enough, the wolf would catch up to me and pin me to the ground. I would look into his eyes, the brilliant ember pools reflecting my blue ones. His teeth bared as it barked ferociously at me. I thought I was done for, thought I would be a meal for this beast when he lowered his muzzle towards my face. From this point on, there wasn't a point in struggling, but instead a closed my eyes and waited for the jaws of death to close in around me... but it never came, instead a wet trail of wolf spit was splattered over my face and when I opened my eyes, the wolf would say "Accept me and I shall give you power!". Then when I wake up from the dream, my hands turned to claws, digitigrades for feet and the muscles over my chest and torso, my limbs, my back... all swelled with strength and covered in a deep blue fur. I could mistake it for midnight black if it weren't for the sole lightbulb - the only light source I had in my room - hanging from the ceiling. I had once again shifted into the monster and would stay that way until my body decides to change back. I had no control over it. Over the next days, this weird dream visits me every night, and everyday I find myself running faster and faster, but the wolf would eventually catch up to me and pin me down. When I wake up and in my wolf form, I was slowly able to will it away. After a few weeks of this, I was actually looking forwards to dream, to enjoy the chase, the exhilaration I felt when dodging the blue wolf... and as the days passed, the monster wolf was gradually becoming friendlier, as if he was a great big dog chasing after it's master.

Finally one day, when the wolf pinned me down in one of my daily dreams, he held me there for a while just looking at me in admiration, then he released me and stood up. I was surprised while I stood up as well in the black voided ground of my dream and as I looked at him I could finally see what he meant saying those words all those time...

That wolf was me! He was my power, and he had taught me how to control him. I stepped forwards and embraced him, feeling the fur against my body and the warmth it gave off. "I accept you, for you are a part of me," I said as he returned the embrace. "I will always be with you," he said, slowly fading away.

When I woke up, I wasn't in my wolf form anymore and when I tried willing it out, I felt my body started convulsing, like a tidal wave was under my skin. The muscles built and my pores sprouted blue fur. A low growl escaped my mouth and my cheeks and nose stretched out. Sharp teeth started replacing my flat ones and the fur on my head grew longer until it dangled along my waist and turned into a darker shade of blue as I panted from the slight discomfort from my body changing and growing and realigning. My clothes were slowly being ripped off and my back stretched wider to accommodate the muscles growing there. After several minutes of this ecstasy, the convulsions slowly tided down, and I was on all fours while I panted the remaining discomfort away. Slowly testing my digitigrade feet, I pushed myself up to stand, looking down at my transformed body, a smile creeping across my muzzle while I gazed at my razor-sharp claws and my wolf-like face in the mirror. An evil thought crept up my mind...

It was time... for payback.

The next night, when it was dark and my "parents" were sound asleep, I took my chance. I got up to their room, and when I reached the door, I called upon the wolf. It felt good, and my claws flexed in anticipation. I opened the door and walked closer to the bed. My "dad" was snoring like a beehive and my "mom" was out like a log. I sneaked closer to the side of their beds and lifted my claws. There was moonlight shining down through the window, illuminating part of the room and part of my uplifted paw as if the moon was telling me that god was watching. That was when I stopped. There were two voices in me.

"Kill him, why are you hesitating, he whipped you for no reason and beat you when you were slow," said my demon side.

"No, don't, you know this is wrong, the guilt of it will kill you, do you want to throw away your life just like that?" said my angel side.

My claws lay extended in the air, not knowing what to do. The sound of shattering glass rang in my ears and a flashing black projectile came whizzing through and struck my "father." He opened his eyes wide from the pain and the first thing he saw was me with my claws extended in the air while a black, burning arrow was sticking out of his head. His toxic stare was burning holes into me while his skin slowly turned ebony black spreading from the wound the arrow made. He was frantically squirming in the bed while I was stunned from the unexplainable scene before me. The stirring woke my "mother," and she got up and screamed when she saw his husband being turned into a black corpse.

I fell to the floor, horror struck. I didn't know what was happening, for all I know, they were being murdered. Another shattered window and another one of those projectiles struck my "mother" square in the throat and what happened to my "father" was then happening to her. Her scream was silenced by gurgles and her skin slowly faded into darkness. Her squirming weakening to the point of stand still. Then...

Silence.

I sat there shivering, hackles and fur on end while I tried to process what had happened, but found no resolution, I told myself that this wasn't happening, lying to myself even though the fact was right in front of my eyes, two black skinned bodies with arrows sticking out from their head and throat. No... I wanted them to pay for what they had done to me, but not like this... not like this!

I moved over to the window, shivering, I opened it and peered outside...

Nothing, and even with my enhanced vision I saw no one. My body trembled more and as I saw myself in the mirror, I saw a monster looking right back at me. I closed my eyes immediately, denying that form, that existence. No... this wasn't what I wanted, please... turn back... turn back!

A loud shriek jostled me. It was the lead maiden and she saw me in my human form. Quickly as I can, I sprinted towards her, and in her panic she flinched away from me and gave me an exit out of the room. I have to get out of here now. It was only a matter of time before she called the police and got me arrested. I sprinted to my room and picked up a few things: clothes, a torchlight, some matches, and my savings which I stole whenever they weren't looking, it was a decent amount. I packed them all into a bag and quickly ran out of the mansion.

The wind through my hair would please me if I hadn't needed to run for my life. I didn't stop for anything as I ran through the park away from the mansion. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I didn't care. I ran and ran till I couldn't breathe, till my legs gave way and crumbled to the ground, and my head was buried in the soft grass.

I was angry--angry at myself for thinking of payback. Now I had nothing, no home, no warmth, and nothing to fall back on. I shifted into my wolf form and howled into the moon. I felt tears stream down my cheeks. All the pain, all the sorrow I have been through. I howled from my heart, as if by doing so all the pain and sorrow would go away with the echo in the wind. Eventually, I collapsed on the ground and slept through the night as the fatigue ate at my flesh.

The next day, I made my way downtown, trying to find something to eat. I passed by an electronics store with a crowd of people peering into the television screens on display. Curiously, I stopped and watched. The news was on.

"The CEO of Black Wing Enterprises Guilmore Jones was shot dead along with his wife by a sniper this morning. Two bullet wounds that were found in the victims' head were suspected to be the cause of death. According to the lead maiden of the Jones household, the adopted son of the family known as Zephyr Crestfallen was caught at the scene of the crime and had fled the scene immediately. Police urge the public to keep a look out for this suspect and call immediately if they saw anyone resembling this person,"

Bullet to the head? They were arrows! How did they become bullet wounds?

Then to my horror, the television screens flashed my picture. This takes the cake! Now I have the whole city looking for me! I've got to hide and find a place to settle in. In my daze I did not notice the crowd of people in front of me had turned their heads and were looking intently at me. Oh... no.

Some were taking advances towards me, some took out their phones. This was my cue to get the crap out of there!

I dashed away as fast as I could. I didn't know how I could have reserves to still move like that. Maybe the adrenaline was in my system, or the wolf had lent its power to me subconsciously again, I don't know, all I know is if I stop, I would most probably be captured. People were chasing after me, a small mob shouting and screaming for me to stop behind me. I took a left into an alley, then a right and a right again, then a left. I was sprinting all over the place. Eventually, the noises behind me slowly faded away, but I dared not stop to catch my breath. Now that it was silent again, it was easier for me to think.

So let's recap. I had no friends, no one to relate to, no one to help me. This was not bolding too well with me. The pressure upon my shoulders weighed heavier--I needed to escape.

I need a place to hide. Anywhere would do. Running like this was getting me no where. In my confused state, I wasn't really looking at where I was going that I tripped over a manhole cover, resulting in me falling flat on the ground. Groaning at the pain, I tried to push myself up, but the strength in my arms betrayed me. I knew I hadn't been eating; even before this I was given only water and dry biscuits. On top of that, after I ran away from the mansion, all I did was running away.

I was hungry and weak, my eyes grew heavy and the last thing I saw was a pair of booted feet walking towards me. I was going to be taken, but I had no strength left to struggle...

All that is left...

Is Darkness.

****

"Where am I?" I squinted my eyes, as a blinding light blasted me. I raised a hand to shadow my face from the piercing glare.

"You are in my sanctuary," I heard the voice. It was low and powerful. Almost like a growl.

I looked around. I was in a room, well a half room. I heard the constant sound of water, but I couldn't tell where I was. The only light was from a lamp that was hanging on the ceiling.

"Erm--thanks," I uttered.

"You passed out on one of the man hole covers, you were dangerously malnourished," he came into view and I saw my savior.

He was a stout man with sharp ember eyes, just like me, and rather spiky hair. His body was jam packed with muscles which was emphasized by the sleeveless he wore that revealed his defined arms, along with khaki pants for a rugged match. I guessed he was in his forties. Both his arms were bound with leather bracers and I could clearly see the pentagram on his right shoulder. His arms were carrying a tray of food.

"Your arm. You have the same birthmark as me. You have the curse, too?" I asked cautiously. I saw a cringe out of the corner of my eye when I said that.

"Yes,--I have the... curse----if you wanna call it that." He approached me and stared me in the eyes. I remembered that he didn't seem too happy about what I had asked. "Tell me kid, what's your name?" he asked in his low voice, almost soothing.

"It's Crestfallen, Zephyr Crestfallen," I was slightly intimidated by this monster of a man, but I was stupidly courageous at the time, even during my childhood years. Still now that I think about it, it might not have been a good idea, letting him know my name... what with the whole city looking for me and all.

"Well Zephyr," he grunted. "Eat-- you will need it if you are to survive," he said and turned around. He sat from across me, the light unable to reach him but his gleaming ember eyes pierced the shadows, watching me.

I picked up some bread from the tray and chewed on it, staring at back at the huge shadowy form. I was thankful to finally have something in my stomach, but his eyes were making me uncomfortable, as if he could see right through me, my thoughts, my soul.

It was then that he closed his eyes, as if he heard what was in my mind. I took this opportunity to look around. It was dark, but there were sounds of water around me. I realized I was in the sewers.

"May I know your name?" I asked, softly, testing to see if he was sleeping.

He grunted as he gently opened his eyes, the ember pools gazing back. "Zack," That was all that came from him.

"Have you been living here alone?" I tried to establish a conversation. I was feeling a little awkward with him looking at me like that.

"Yeah," he answered, briefly which made the situation a whole lot more awkward.

I chewed more of the food from the tray and as more of the taste of bread danced on my tongue, I found myself wolfing down everything presented to me. I sighed contently when I was done, feeling the full stomach settling in. It's been a while since I felt a full stomach that I smiled stupidly at myself and a tear streamed down my eye. I cannot contain this overwhelming emotion, although I was in a place full of dirt and unfit for life, somehow, I felt safe. For once in my miserable life, I felt safe.

Looking at me wiping the tears away from my eyes, I could feel a calmer energy coming from the man, like he was happy he retrieved me when I have fainted before. "You should rest, you've been through a lot," he said, standing up and walking towards me and taking the glass from the tray and disappeared further into the darkness. That one sentence zapped me. The tone of his voice... it was as if he knew... everything...

As I was thinking, he had returned to me with a fresh glass of water, his gaze on mine while he placed the glass on the tray in my lap.

This wasn't good... he knew something and at the time, I was confused and exhausted that I didn't know right from wrong, but the gut feeling at the time was telling me something was off... it was telling me to escape!

I stopped dead in my tracks when a growl escaped the man's lips, glaring at me. Those eyes shot at me as if he had heard every word that came out of my mind. Quickly, I got down from the bed and moved cautiously towards----

Wait... where the hell am I?

"I really should go, there are people out there trying to lock my ass up, or worst yet, kill me, and I do not want to trouble you," I stuttered as he stood up from his chair and paced slowly towards me, his posture ready to pounce.

"Sure, if you know the way out," he returned. Moving ever slowly towards me like a lion stalking its prey.

"Can you show me the way?" I asked taking a step back.

"I could... but your wounds aren't healed yet, I cannot let you leave until you're well." he took a step forward.

"You can't do that, let me out now!" I snapped back, but that little shot of courage betrayed me in an instant.

A dark mass of black fur pounced on me as a set of wild ember eyes encompassed my vision. He was a terrifying black wolf. If I thought he was muscular before, he was way more muscular now. His claws were flexed upon my chest and the sharp ends were piercing the surface of my skin when he pinned me to the bed. His body was identical to mine, only a whole lot bigger. He was a head taller than me, and his teeth were menacing.

"Please let me out," I said as calmly as I could manage. Thinking back, I really should give myself a pat on the back for my confidence. His ember eyes stared into mine. His eyes,--even if they looked menacing, especially when he was so close, were wrapped in a hint of kindness as well.

"Listen here kid, there is no reason for you to fear me. Look at me, I am the same as you! You are my kin as much as I am yours! I did not save you for nothing. I saved you because I do not want to see a person die without a fight. I will not allow you to go out and get your ass killed just because you were framed for a crime you didn't commit," he said. "Yes kid, I know what happened to you, I know full well you didn't kill anyone. You are too good a guy to ever do a thing like that. So stay and regain your strength, and after you have done so, you are free to do as you wish." His stern demeanor disappeared after he released me from his razor-sharp claws. He grunted a little before he turned his back on me, transforming back to a smaller form in the shadows.

After that, I just stood there, trying to absorb what had happened. So many questions flashed through my mind all at once. For one, I had never expected this man to stop me from leaving until I was well enough to do so. My past experiences had vanquished all traces of hope and love I had for the world that I have accepted the fact that they are a myth. I sat back on my bed, and lay down, looking at that luminous light above me briefly, then closing them to have a feel of its warmth radiate through me. "How do you know so much about me?" I asked while lying there in that comfortable light.

"I have the ability to know about a person even more than he knows himself, akin to what you may call mind reading. Like you, I am condemned to live alone, but I never gave up. I would fight and defend myself whenever there was trouble. That is why I saved you, you remind me of myself," said Zack as he continued with his workout.

"Glad I made your day," I said sarcastically. He just grunted.

"Now sleep, there won't be anyone disturbing you."

****

Cling... Ching... Cling-Ching... Ching...

That was what I heard as I slept, the curiosity coaxing me up. It was dark, except for the light that illuminated half the room, but I could see and hear just fine, even in the darkness. I looked to my left and I saw Zack slashing a metal post with a sword. He was in his wolf form, and now that he wasn't up close to me, I was able to see his form in more detail. His attire was entirely different, wearing nothing except for a brief-like loincloth to cover his groin. His arms were bound by metal bracers and his legs by metal ankle bands. I don't know where he got that metal post, as I remembered none when I first woke up in this sewer. That aside, I was more interested in his constant slashing against the metal. He was slicing the fancy sword with fluid motions and jumping around with an athletic grace, his sword clanging against the metal, as if the sword were a part of his arm. It was beautiful, almost like an art or a graceful dance. Then, with a final slash accompanied by a loud roar, the metal post was divided in two.

He stood up straight from his stance and panted. It was quite a workout. His black furred back was facing me and his right arm was holding the sword, which floated in his hands as his heart pulsed. He gulped and turned to face me.

"Good to see you awake kid," he said blankly.

"Yeah," I absent mindedly replied.

"'Yeah'? Don't you have anything else to say?" he jibed as he turned towards the post and picked up the half that had toppled down from his slicing, expecting me to say something else, like thanks or something. How would I know? I don't read minds.

He huffed a little when he heard me while placing the half on top of the other half and held it there in place. He closed his eyes and the crack that separated the two halves mended itself as if it had never been damaged. I was dumbfounded when I saw it.

"How'd you do that?" I asked, completely averting his previous question.

"It's my ability," apparently allowing me to change the subject. "I can control metal. Every Lycan has a power, which means _you_will have to search within yourself and find your own power," said Zack.

"How do I do that?"

Zack looked over at me with a twitch in his ear as if I had spoken something that was too farfetched. Now that I think about it, it pretty much was.

"Let's start some simple fighting techniques before we venture into that," he suggested.

"Erm--sure," I was especially keen on learning some moves, and I was happy to have Zack teach me some survival skills, but I was even keener on earning myself some powers.

"First, take off your clothes, if you are to learn how to fight, your movements must not be limited," he said.

I looked down on my clothes and frowned. I was especially not accepting the idea of stripping into the cold, but I took his advice anyway. I took off all my clothes, accept my underwear mind you, and looked over at him. Oddly enough, I did not feel cold. Zack walked over to me with his sword. "Shift to your wolf form, I want to know what you look like," he said. The sword shone in his hands and disappeared. I did not bother to ask him how he did that, but I think he could hear me already.

"When you can control an element, keeping something like that in elemental form is easy. Now shift," he said casually.

I did as I was told and shifted into my wolf form. He took a look at me and grunted in satisfaction. "Good, you are capable of shifting without a problem, one thing less to teach you. Now extend your arm,"

"Why?" I asked skeptically.

"Just do it," he said annoyed.

Again, I did as I was told. Then, in a sudden move, he grasped my wrist painfully in his hand. I winced a little - his grip was like a vice. "I am going to give you something. You will feel some minor pain, endure it," he instructed, but I was doubtful, and the rough handling on my wrist wasn't clearing any doubts I had, either.

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked nervously, as if he was going to turn me inside out from the way he looked at me.

"You're not afraid of a little pain are you? If you can't endure this, then I assure you, you will not survive out there," said Zack.

I didn't know what he was talking about at the time, hell thinking back, I'd hope I'll never know, but I nodded anyway and he closed his eyes and focused. Soon there was a tingling sensation on my hand, like a slight heat was brushing against my blue fur. It wasn't anywhere painful, but uncomfortable as a gold bracer cuffed my right wrist in a flash of light. Then he went to my left and did the same and then to both my ankles. Once he was done, he bent down in front of me and held my hip with a vice-like grip and a gold belt bound around my waist with patterns of flames waving all around. Even my underwear took the pattern of black tiger stripes with a red background. The bracers had different motifs in them; most of them were motifs of fire. Once he was done, I felt a little heavy because of the added weight on my hands and legs, not to mention the gold belt over my waist, but it was nothing compared to the heavy clothing I was wearing before. Oddly, other than the slight tingling feeling, I felt no pain whatsoever.

"Is that it?" I mocked, but I wished I hadn't.

He gave me a faint smile and gripped my right arm. He closed his eyes and immediately I felt the searing pain hit me. It was like knives carving into my flesh, but it was much more intense. I gritted my teeth and my left eye closed instinctively from the pain, but I could see viscious deep orange lines stretching out from Zacks hand, curving and bending intricately and working its way up towards my shoulders.

When he was done, he released my upper arm. I grunted heavily and knelt down on all fours grasping my aching right hand to soothe the pain. After a while, the pain subsided and I gasped a mouthful of fresh air to signal my relief. When I released my right arm, I saw lines that formed motifs of fire. They were glowing much like their shapes suggests--pulsing like a light from glowing flames.

"It seems I found your element, and it's fire," said Zack as he looked down on my glowing runes. He walked closer to me and picked up my left arm. He held me firmly in a head lock, not suffocating, more like it was meant to hold me in place so I wouldn't thrash around too much as I was forced to stand with my back on his chest. "We're not done yet," He said. I whimpered loudly - much like a little cub - as the pain continued.

I endured the torture as best I could as he continued to carve the motifs on my body. Yes, he did not only carve my arm, he carved my deep blue furred chest and my back too. Though I couldn't really see what he did to my back, I did know all the motives he carved took on the shape of fire. I was released when the black wolf carved the last motive on my back and I was flat out on the floor in an instant, panting as the pain slowly subsided, albeit sequentially from my body.

Zack's shadow loomed over me as he looked down at my squinting face, arms crossed over his chest. He waited patiently until I my groans died down.

"If you're done moaning your agony, I suggest you get up," said Zack.

"Okay," I struggled momentarily just to stand on my own two feet, groaning a little from the aches on my skin.

"Now, transform back to your human form," he commanded.

Switching back like he told me to, the heavy gold that cuffed around my wrist, ankles and waist was slowly absorbed back into the runes.--Leaving my body marked by those runes.

"There--those gold bracers and ankle bands, as well as the belt, are armor for your wolf form and they are etched into your runes. They hold some of my power and will very well protect you. They will only appear in your wolf form; in your human form, they will camouflage your body according to what you want in your head, clothes, trinkets--anything" said Zack.

"Erm, thanks," was all I could say. I wouldn't call it armor though, but I guessed it would do.

"Don't worry. With your strength, speed, and regenerative abilities, you won't need much armor," he explained, answering the doubts in my head.

"Besides, a true Lycan doesn't need armor!" he slammed his chest once with his fist, showing his regality.

"Now, one more gift for you," said Zack.

He clenched his fist and slowly released it. In his hands I saw an intense light shining brightly. Slowly, the light stretched itself longer and longer, and then flattened itself. Once it was done, the light faded, revealing a sword in his arms. Zack held the sharp end of the blade carefully with his hands and pointed the hilt of the blade towards me. Taking a firm grip of the handle, I brought it closer to me for a more detailed look. It was a beautiful weapon. The blade resembled a sabre, the edge of it as straight as a steel bar and the tip curved towards the blunt side of the blade to make a cleaving edge. The motifs on the metallic blade changed in a blaze as I wielded it, the blunt half glowing bright orange as if it were searing iron over a blacksmith's anvil. The hilt of the sword, resembling a wolf's head, was made in such a way that the mouth was biting down on the blade angrily as if holding the blade up, even if it meant cutting its muzzle in half. As a finishing touch, there was another curved crescent-shaped blade extending from the bottom jaw of the wolf towards the end of the handle, made to protect my fingers from being chopped off. The blade wasn't really heavy, just the right comfortable weight. I swung it around, and immediately felt like it was a part of my hand, and the magical blade emitted a shadowing flare with each stroke I made.

"Feels good doesn't it?" asked Zack as he saw the smile on my face.

"You're giving this to me?" I asked.

"What, you think I simply make a sword just to show off? It takes energy to that, you know." he smirked.

I gave a smile to that remark. "There is one problem though... it's too attention grabbing, I can't walk around town with it can I?"

"For now, there isn't much choice but to carry it around with you, but once you've mastered your element, keeping that sword hidden won't be a problem. Now, let's get you started on training. Switch back to your wolf form," said Zack.

He conjured another sword from his hand and took his battle stance while I shifted hastily. "Look at me and follow what I do."

I nodded in reply and followed his stance. Then, he swung his sword front and back. I felt him going slow, making sure I absorbed everything he taught me. At first, even at this slow speed, I couldn't keep up, but I gradually managed. Swinging a sword isn't easy, even the slightest of mistakes can get you injured. For hours I followed him, and every time I made a mistake, he would patiently correct me. That, for me, was unexpected, but things had been unexpected since the day I got my powers. Finally, with a final move, we stopped.

A clang resounded from my sword as I fell heavily onto the damp cold floor in exhaustion. My master looked back at me in dismay, adding a shake of his head in disagreement to my current state. "We've a long way to go before you're ready," he mumbled. At the time, I was too exhausted to pay any attention to him let alone understand what gibberish was coming out of his muzzle.

"That's it for today, rest up--we will continue tomorrow," said Zack as he transformed back to his human self, turning his back on me and walking towards the entrance to our hideout. "I'm heading out for a while to get some supplies, if you need to escape, there is a secret tunnel underneath the bed that will lead you out to the surface, hopefully you wouldn't have to use it, I'll be back in a while," I nodded, thinking he was referring to my current situation. With that, my guardian slipped himself through the hole in the wall and I was left with the silence of the sewers.

I was irked with disgust when I felt all the filth sticking to my body. My fur was wet, and I was still panting from the workout I was given, but I was glad--glad that I had a mentor to teach me to survive in this godforsaken place. I looked around the place looking for a tap of some sort to wash up, I know that being in the sewers, it was futile, but that didn't hinder me from looking, and it seems it paid off. There was a pipe that I guess was used to drain rain water, and it looks like Zack made a make shift filter out of stones and cloth and sand and below the filter there was a bucket collecting those waters. I went over to the contraption and tested the water. It was clean enough to drink. I smiled as I reverted back to my human form, and quickly washed myself. I looked into the reflection on the water, noticing my scrawny image distorted by little ripples from leaky pipes. My blue shoulder-length hair that grew despite my knowledge, the ember eyes that were a byproduct of my transformation and my sharp face littered with spots of dirt. I smiled to myself----maybe things were looking up again.

Wiping myself up with a towel I found, I lay on my bed and stared as ripples of light danced along the ceiling, coaxing me to sleep. My eyes closed slowly, and I felt my brain slowly numb. Soon, I was consumed in the darkness of comfortable sleep.

***

A stinging pain stirred my dreams, a painful burning sensation on my right arm as if I was being branded by a blistering hot iron. The song of steel and battle cries sang within the darkness of my sleep.

"Zephyr..."

I know that voice----

"Zephyr!!"

The voice was more urgent as I floated back into consciousness.

"Zephyr!! Wake up!!"

Clashing metal awoke me like an alarm clock. I jolted up immediately and looked to my right as I saw Zack in his wolf form brandishing his sword around and avoiding blows from----creatures, or at least that's what I thought they were back then.

Their skins were different shades of red. They had black stripes all over their bodies and spiked tails. Strong muscles adorned their bodies, from their arms all the way to their toes. They wore nothing except brown rags around their waists and metal bracers around their clawed hands and digitigrades for feet. Their faces were horrendous; they had horns on their heads and sharp tusks protruded from their bottom jaws, and their huge swords were clashing against Zack's defenses.

"What is going on?" I asked my mouth wide open. The pain on my right hand finally caught my attention and as I glanced over at it, it looked as if lava was circling along the lines of the star.

"Not really a good time to explain Zeph," he cried, nimbly avoiding a fatal strike from one of those creatures.

"Right," I said as I got out of my bed and shifted, wincing a bit from the burn I felt from the mark, but it was manageable. I leaped up high in the air, simultaneously conjuring my sword from the flame element and sliced the creature's body in half from head to toe. I landed swiftly after that as I readied myself for another attack.

"Fire Raze!" My sword was engulfed in an aura of fire. I jumped and spiraled simultaneously as a trail of flames flowed out of my sword and burnt the creatures.

"Metal Storm!" Zack shouted as he stomped the floor with his black foot as pillars of metal poles jutted out from the ground and pierced through every monster in the sewers. A loud shrieking resonated off the walls of the sewers as the creature's body slowly decayed into a flurry of dust.

We panted in our stance as we regained our breath. I looked at Zack with a face full of questions. He, knowing what I was thinking, answered.

"Demons, nasty bastards," he said as he shifted back to human form.

"Demons? They exist?" my jaw dropped.

"Damn right they exist," said Zack as he kicked the pile of dust on the floor.

"Why'd they attack us?" I asked as I shifted back myself.

"They are attracted to our energy; they need to maximize their power boundaries," said Zack.

"Power boundaries?" I asked and tilted my head like a confused dog.

"Demon's powers have boundaries. When their boundaries are narrow, their powers are weak, but when they absorb our energy, their boundaries greatly widen, and their powers will manifest into something more devastating," said Zack.

"Great, I have the police at my tail by day and demons by night; what a great life I have," I said sarcastically.

"Don't worry though, with the mark, you will know when they are coming. It will burn when there's a demon around the vicinity, the more painful it is the closer they are, but when they are in view, the mark will shine white and the pain will gradually subside,"

I briefly remember my pentagram glowing white when I was cutting down my first demon. So that's the deal...

As Zack saw me deep in thought, he gave me a smirk and hooked his arms around my neck. "You are well capable of handling yourself now. I have taught you everything I know this past decade. It is time," he said mysteriously.

"Time for what?"

"It is time for you, to take over my duty."

"Duty?" I asked questioningly.

"Yes. A duty that has been passed down from generations of Lycans, and now I pass it down to you," he said as he pressed his left hand to the pentagram on his right shoulder.

He closed his eyes and a brilliant light shone through the crevices of his hand. The light spread all over his body as he shifted into the black wolf. The light crept onto every part of his body until he was all white and ethereal. He released his shoulder and looked up into my eyes.

"This is my true form, the form in which only the purest of energies illuminate in my body. This energy in me will be yours. The down side is that I will have to say good bye to you. After you receive this energy, my will will be lost inside of you," said Zack.

"No--not again, I will not take that----not if it costs you your life," I said as my emotions started to race.

"Take it Zephyr, this is the reason I saved you that day. You are the next heir to this duty," said Zack.

"What duty, Zack?!" I retaliated. I was furious; he was crazy! How can I take something that could kill a life, let alone his?

"To save this world from the demons. Please understand Zephyr--I am getting old, my senses are not what they used to be. Even the powers of the masters before me cannot make up for it. I need you to take on this duty for me----for the good of all things and for the sake of our loved ones."

"What loved ones? I don't even know anyone who was good to me. They all treated me like dirt, accept you, you are the only one who stands out from the rest, you took care of me like my own father and taught me everything like my own master. I am not ready to lose you." Tears were fighting to burst out of my eyes, but I kept them at bay.

Zack gave a frown. "Listen to me Zephyr," he said in as gentle a voice as he could muster as he knelt down and placed a firm grip on my shoulder. "This is my destiny. It is my destiny to pass on this duty to another--to you. All the training I gave you was to prepare you for this moment. You might think it is unfair, believe me I often do, but this duty is more important than anything life can throw at you. That is why I must give you all my energies to help you survive, I cannot always be there to help you."

"No, I refuse to take your powers!! Keep them," I said angrily.

"Zephyr, you don't have a choice," Zack snapped as he took hold of my wrist. "I'm sorry," he said as his bright body surged and a great power rushed through my hand. I was forcefully transformed into my wolf form as I winced at the pain. I gasped in discomfort as the wave of power filled me. There was a loud howling in my ears, amplified in every second as my only friend and family faded away----as Zack slowly faded away.

As I forced my eyes open, Zack was smiling at me----that smile, I will never forget it, he was--happy. That was the first time I saw him smile so happily, my gaze was locked on his face as I agonizingly witnessed, him - his last unforgettable smile, his entire being, his existence - fading away until nothing was left,

I dropped knees first to the ground. The wave of power was overwhelming, like a tsunami crushing against me. It was painful, like a bomb was in me, about to explode. I fell forward, sure to hit the ground if I hadn't brought my hands out to support me. Teeth bared and eyes tightly closed as I focused the pain away. My sight blurred as I fought out the pain, but in my mind, I was conscious about everything, every painful detail as a tear escaped my eye.

Zack--was gone, forever.

"Damn it, Zack--How could you do something so stupid?" I whispered under the pain and a sense of certainty that the nightmares I had before would return to haunt me. "How could you!!" I roared as I slammed the ground with the hammer of my fists. The sound of piercing metal echoed through the sewers. The area around me sprouted poles of metal, but fire engulfed every pole like Zack's powers had mixed with mine.

I slowly sat back on my knees, and my arms lay hanging loosely from their joints.

"Zack..." I sighed, my head was low as the pain slowly faded.

If you would ask me what I was feeling at the time, honestly... I felt... nothing. I was emotionless as my heart broke into uncountable pieces. I stood there motionless----unable to move, unable to speak. Looking blankly into space like a statue in a graveyard.

As I was lost in my sorrow, dark shadows started to appear all around me. Dark voids of unreachable depths tore into my reality and several demons appeared once again looking like the ones I slew moments before everything changed. I still stood there, surrounded like a trapped animal accepting its fate--without fear, without courage--nothing.

"Haha--look at'em. Food sitting there and not even struggling," the deep grinding voice of one of them said, but I paid no heed.

The other demon's mouth was watering as he advanced. "He smells... Delicious...," said another, his voice was high pitched and coarse.

I shot them a menacing glare, as if my looks could slice through their skulls. I wasn't particularly interested in killing them, but . . .

"Hmm, he has some decent sized gonads to stare like that," said the one before and I only growled at him.

"Disappear," I said blankly and it triggered them to growl and charge at me, coming closer and closer.

They pounced...

They stopped...

They growled...

They feared...

"Wha . . . what is this?" they cried in despair.

I lazily stood up on my feet, staring them once again in the eyes with the depth of my glare carrying more weight now. The runes on my body pulsed, building their fear like the cloak of a grim reaper in the eyes of a sinful dead.

"This is a fire trap," I said as the glow of my spell pulsed below them. "Anything caught in that pentagram will not be able to escape," The demons were shivering now... they sure as hell didn't expect this.

"Wha... what are you going to do to us," they quivered.

"I didn't want this... why must you exist... if you hadn't... he would be... he would be," I growled, the anger building into hatred... the rage pulling me into an abyss.

"M... mercy!!" they begged, but I hadn't registered their words... they were as good as the wind... hollow, empty, meaningless...

"Go back to where you belong--Hell's Gate!!"

The runes on my body glowed brighter orange as the ground cracked. Huge pyres of flames gushed out of the grooves and burned all the demons in the room, incinerating them in the intense flames; their cries of pain echoing in my ears while they burned to dust. It was by far the worst sound I'd ever heard, so terrible, my eardrums almost cracked.

Staring at the piles of ash blown away by the flowing air of the sewers, I fell back to my knees, that power I unleashed took all my reserves away. The image before me blurred... and I blacked out.

"Hey kid, how're you doing?"

As my consciousness fell in the dark, I heard this voice calling out to me. So warm and pleasant, it felt like my mom was calling out to me, but I knew that wasn't the case. My mother was long gone--besides that, the voice was too harsh and deep to belong to a female.

"Wake up Zeph," the voice thundered again. That voice. . . .

"Zack?" I opened my eyes and looked in front of me. Low and behold, Zack was standing up proud and his arms crossed in all his glory.

"You're not dead?"

Zack looked at me with half lidded eyes as he gave me a hard smack on the head, and as I turned from the impact, I noticed my surroundings.

I felt like I was in space. I saw the blinking white lights spark in front of me and an endless void around me, like some kind of bottomless pit, but I was not falling. I was floating like a bubble--so was Zack. There were red splashes and misty blue clouds swirling in a distance.

"I am speaking to you in your dreams, idiot" said Zack. "What have I told you about asking stupid questions?"

"Must be tired out of your wits aren't ya?" said Zack as he flashed a toothy grin.

"You idiot!! Why did you do that?" I yelled furiously, stumbling over the floor towards him hastily so I could strangle him. He just smiled and avoided my weakened arms.

"Let's just say it was time for you to take over my job," said Zack. I fell back on the floor in defeat.

"Take it back, I want to take up this duty with you! Not do it alone, damn it," I flashed a raging glow.

"No can do kid, you are going to do it with your own hard wits, like I did. I can't help you anyway, it is the way of our kind," said Zack.

"That's a stupid way, Zack! How am I going to stand up against millions of demons with only my own wits, huh Zack?" I contorted and felt something boiling in my gut--it must be my rage.

"I saw what you did with those demons just now, and it was cake to you. I don't think millions will be a problem," said Zack calmly, contrasting my furious emotions.

I sighed as my rage was extinguished altogether. "Come on Zack, please, I don't want to lose you, you are the only family I have," I pleaded, giving up on the tough-guy act.

His posture softened, his expression softened, he came closer to me as he felt my pain, my despair. "I know, Zeph, I know what you are feeling now... more than you think. But you have to get over this, the power I gave you was to save you. Both of us have the curse, It will eventually kill you. Giving you those powers was the only way," said Zack as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked down on the endless emptiness below me as thoughts circulate around my mind like a merry-go-round. I growled a little, feeling my emotions jumbled up in a mess of knots.

"I'm sorry I have to do this Zeph, I see no other way," he placed his other hand on my shoulder. "But remember this--I will always be in here," he pointed towards where my heart was beating.

"I will never forget you," I gripped his palm and closed my eyes as the tears streamed through my blue fur. Raising my head promptly after, that warm smile was once again drawn on his face as he slowly faded away into the stars.

I will never forget that expression--It will be forever burned in my memories.

"You will never be alone..."