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Cold... like the chill of a blizzard.

Dark... like the darkest of nights.

Alone... like exile to an uncharted island.

These feelings had 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 been 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 was 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 was beautiful and loving if she was alive. I was born on the 13th of March and the day was Friday, hmm, you could call that bitter irony. Yes, I was born on the Friday the 13th, 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. They never came for me, so I do not know.

When I was old enough, naturally, I was sent to an orphanage. I was six then. That was the only time I was happy. I had friends who would play with me and the orphanage care taker 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 soon 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 that 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 question him, he would slap me or beat me. He treated me like a slave the moment I step 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 take a well-earned rest, he would whip me with a cane he carries 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, I felt the world had been unfair to me, I was angry, frustrated, and stressed out. 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 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 get is 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 have 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 at 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.

"Enough was enough," the hate engulfed me and I felt a strange sensation crawling through my spine.

"Enough was enough," and my body began to change. The pentagram on my arm glowed blue where the lines scarred my skin. The more I changed the more hateful thoughts swarm into my mind. I wanted the man to pay for what he had done to me; I wanted to take his life! 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 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 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 and looked again into the mirror, the creature was just looking at me, but there wasn't any sudden movement, no pounce no... whatever werewolves do. It just stared at me, just as I stared back.

Then, 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 it bared his teeth. That was when I knew, there weren'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. It was a shock to see myself like this. Yes it felt good having all this strength and power, but I do not want to lose my humanity, I want my skin back!! Then I heard footsteps outside. It was getting closer to my room. I panicked; the thumping of footsteps crawled nearer and nearer. I cannot let anyone see me in this monster, they will freak. My mind raced, thinking of a way out. The door knob turned and as the door opened, my body suddenly changed back. On the door was my "mother" she took a look at me and smirked.

"Well now, what are you doing here, you should be downstairs! Go now or I'll call your father to punish you!" she cried.

I lay silent, still unable to grasp what was going on. I nodded to her and got off the bed, hurrying to do what they want of me. The next few days I did some soul searching. What's happening to me? Why do I have these frightening changes? Yes it felt good when I am in that state, but it wasn't what I want. I do not 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 day, when I was cleaning up and dusting the mansion's library, I found what I needed. "The Book of Lycanthropy", didn't know why my "father" had this book. Careful not to let anyone catch me resting, I took it down from the shelf and flipped through the pages. That was when I saw the pentagram. I read that it was a symbol of a magical occult. Anyone was born with it will have the spirit of a Lycan in their souls. The spirit could take over the body of the person, but the will remains to the owner of the body. People who were born with this symbol will encounter great evil. He cannot be around anyone. They will die in a matter of time. This curse cannot be broken, unless there is great sacrifice from the beholder to keep that person alive. There is also a way to control the changing abilities. It is by focusing the mind to shift into the spirit and focusing the mind to shift back.

I tried what the book had taught me. It wasn't easy at first. I shifted into the wolf but sometimes it would stay and I cannot return to my human form, but it eventually did. After a few months of training - mainly shifting into the wolf form and back again - I could finally control the beast within me. One night, as I gazed at my razor sharp claws and my wolf like face in the mirror, I made a decision... It was time for payback.

At 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 shifted into 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 up lifted 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. Then, the window glass shattered, and a bullet came whizzing through and struck my "father". He opened his eyes wide from the pain and he saw me. The stirring woke my "mother" and she got up and screamed when she saw the blood gushing out of his chest. Then another shattered window and the bullet struck my "mother". Both of them dropped dead in front of me. I fell to the floor. I wanted them dead, yes, but I changed my mind, I didn't want to take a life. Now I see two dead people in front of me. I recovered from the initial shock after a minute and went to the window to see who the sniper was. But I saw nothing, even with my enhanced vision I saw no one. My body trembled. I was frightened. The lead maiden came in and saw me in my human form. She saw the two bodies and screamed, running out of the room and flailing her arms in the air in terror. I do not know when I shifted back, but I do know that I have to get out of here now, before the police arrive. I quickly ran 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 had to run for my life. I didn't stop for anything as I ran through the park opposite 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 buried in the soft grass.

I was angry, angry of myself for thinking of payback. Now I had nothing, no home, no warmth and nothing to fall back down 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 these pain and sorrow would go away with the echo in the wind. Eventually, I collapsed on the floor and slept through the night as the fatigue ate at my flesh.

The next day, I walked down town, trying to find something to eat. I passed by an electronics shop and I saw my face on a range of television screens. I stopped and watch as the news played. Then there was a price below me. I was wanted; there was a bounty on my head. This takes the cake! Now I'm wanted for a crime I didn't commit. Soon there will be a lot of people looking for me, all determined to bring me to justice. I've got to hide and find a place to settle in.

I started to run. Getting into the alley, away from sight, I stopped to catch my breath. I started thinking hard, trying to find a way to survive through this level. I had no friends, no one to relate to, no one to help me. I was desperate. The pressure upon my shoulders weighed heavier... I need to escape.

I continued to run for my life while thinking of a way out. No matter how I try, I see no light at the end of this tunnel. In my confusion, I tripped over a manhole cover and fell flat on the floor. That was when I felt my reserves go low. I noticed 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, I was only running. I felt hungry and weak, then...

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. Be happy I even saved you," 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 cannot 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 low on nutrients. I gave you some juices," he came into view and I saw my savior.

He was a stout man. He had sharp ember eyes, just like me and his hair was rather spiky. His body was jam packed with muscles. He was wearing a sleeveless, which further defined his powerful muscles along with khaki pants for a rugged match. I guessed he was in his twenties. Both his arms were bound with leather bracers and I can clearly see the pentagram on his 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.

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

"It's Crestfallen, Zephyr Crestfallen," I said nervously.

"Well Zephyr. Eat... it will replenish your energy and you need it if you are to survive," He said and turned around. He picked up some weights that were lying around on the floor and started to train.

I picked up some bread from the tray and chewed on it. I was thankful to finally have something in my stomach. I looked around. It was dark, but there were sounds of water around me. I realized I was in the sewers. Although sewers are dirty places and unfit for life, somehow, I felt safe. For once in my miserable life, I felt safe.

"May I know your name?" I asked.

He grunted as he slowly left the weight down from his hands. "Zack," was all that came from him. He drank some water from a bottle near him and resumed his lifting.

"Have you been living here alone?" I tried to establish a conversation.

"Yea," He replied. Grunting as he approached the apex of his lift.

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 feverishly on everything presented to me. I sighed contently as the feeling of a full stomach settled in.

"You should rest, shifting could take a lot out of a person," he said.

This was when I realized... being weak and helpless like I am now, I was grateful that he was nursing me back to health. Then it dawned to me that I had a bounty on my head... those bastards are sure to come if I stay static in one place.

I should leave... as a way to say my thanks to him, I cannot allow him to die under my curse or captured by those damned cops. I stopped dead in my tracks as a growl escaped the man's lips, glaring at me. Those eyes shot at me as if he 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 came here without knowing how to get out!

"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 dropped his weights and paced slowly towards me, his posture ready to pounce.

"Sure, if you know the way out," he returned.

"Can you show me the way?" I asked.

"No, you will not leave this place until I say so,".

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

He growled and shifted. He bends his knees and pounced on me. 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. 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 whimpered. "I don't want you to get in trouble because of me,"

His ember eyes stared into mine, his eyes... even if it looked menacing, especially since he was so close, were wrapped in a hint of kindness as well.

"Listen here kid, there is no reason for you to fear that I will get into any trouble your little head could think of. Look at me, I am well capable of handling any trouble. 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, after you have done so I will allow you to do whatever 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 and walked over to his weights and sat down on the bench, looking at me with his ember eyes.

My eyes were wide. So many questions flashed through my mind all at once. I was surprised. I had never expected this man to stop me from leaving until I was well enough to do so. I sat back on my bed, and lay down.

"How do you know so much about me? Can you read my mind?" I asked nervously.

He shifted back to his human form. "As a matter of fact, yes, I have the ability to know about a person even more than he knows himself. Like you I am condemned to live alone, but I never gave up, I would fight, and defend myself whenever there is 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,"

I took his advice and lay back on my head. I closed my eyes and I was once again engulfed in darkness.

I was awoken by the sound of metal clashing metal. I opened my eyes and gazed around. It was as dark as always except for the light that illuminated half the room, but I could see and hear where the sounds were coming from. I looked to my left and I saw Zack slamming a metal dummy with a sword. He was in his wolf form, and his attire was entirely different. He was wearing nothing, only a brief-like loincloth to cover his extremities. His arms were bound by metal bracers and his legs by metal ankle bands. I don't know how he got a metal dummy but I was more interested in his constant slashing against the metal. He was slicing the fancy sword with fluid motions and jumping around in an athletic grace where his sword clangs against the metal, as if the sword was a part of his arm. It was beautiful, almost like an art. Then with a final slash induced with a loud roar, the metal dummy was divided in two.

He stood up straight from his stance and panted. It was quite a workout. His muscular black 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, thanks for your care," I replied.

"Don't mention it," he said as he turned towards the dummy and picked up the half that had toppled down from his slicing. He placed the half on top of the other half and held it there in place. He closed his eyes and concentrated, soon the crack that separated the two halves mended itself as if it had never been damaged.

"How'd you do that?" I asked.

"It's my ability, I could control metal. Every Lycan have a power which means you would have to search within yourself and find your own power," said Zack.

"How do I do that?"

"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 me some powers.

"Firstly, take off your clothes, they are weighing you down, and 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 striping 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 do not feel cold. Zack walked over to me with his sword. "Shift to your wolf form, I want to know how 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?"

"Just do it," He said.

Again I did as I was told. He grasped my wrist painfully, his grip was like a vice. "I am going to give you something. You will feel some minor pain, but whatever you do, don't fight it but endure it," the rough handling of my wrist triggered me to doubt him.

"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 did not know what he was talking about at the time, but I nodded anyway and he closed his eyes and concentrated. Soon I felt a tingling sensation on my hand, like a slight heat was brushing against my blue fur. A flash of light and a gold bracer cuffed my right wrist. 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. 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 enough, other than the slight tingling feeling, I felt no pain what so ever.

"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 shut my eyes tight. I looked away as the pain seared on.

After what seemed like an eternity, he released my upper arm and I knelt down on all fours grasping my aching right hand to sooth 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 form motifs of fire. They were glowing much like their shapes suggests - pulsing like a light from the fire.

"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 and held me firmly in a head lock, not suffocating, more like it was meant to hold me in place so I wouldn't trash around too much as I was forced to stand with my back on his chest. "We're not done yet," I whimpered as the pain continued.

I endured the torture as best I can as he continued to carve the motifs on my body. Yes, he did not only carve my arm, he carved my white furred chest and my back too. Though I can't really see what he did to my back, I did know all the motives he carved took on the shape of fire. When he was done, he released me and I was flat out on the floor in an instant, panting as the pain slowly subsided, albeit sequentially from my body.

Zack walked towards me . His shadow loomed over me as he looked down at my squinting face, arms crossed over his chest.

"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.

I switched back to my human self and amazingly the heavy gold that cuffed my body disappeared into thin air... But the tattoos or runes remain.

"There... those gold bracers and ankle bands as well as the belt are armor for your wolf form. 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 guess it will do.

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

"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 flattens 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 lead the hilt of the blade towards me. I took the hilt and placed it close to my face. It was a beautiful weapon. The blade resembles 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 motives on the metallic blade changed in a blaze as I wielded it, the blunt half glowing bright orange as if it was searing iron over a blacksmith's anvil. The hilt of the sword resembling a wolf's head was made such a way that the mouth was biting down on the blade angrily as if holding the blade up even if it means cutting it's muzzle in half, and 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 the blade 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 a 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. "This thing is too bulky; People will notice me carrying it right away,"

"For now, yes, you will have to carry it around with you, but once you've mastered your element, keeping that sword 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 absorb everything he taught me. At first, even at this slow speed, I couldn't keep up, but I gradually managed. Swinging a sword wasn'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.

"That's it for today, rest up... we will continue tomorrow," said Zack as he transformed back to his human self.

I was all sweaty. My fur was wet and I was panting from the exercise I was given, but I was glad, glad that I had a mentor to teach me to survive in this god forsaken place. I found some clean water in the water main as I reverted back to my human form and I quickly washed myself before resting. 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 was a byproduct of my transformation and my sharp face littered with spots of dirt. I smiled to myself... maybe things were looking up again.

With that, I laid 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.

"Zephyr!! Wake Up!!" I know that voice... and as I realized who it belonged to, I opened my eyes.

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 what I thought it was back then.

Their skins were different shades of red. They had black stripes all over their bodies and spiked tails. They are very muscular, from the arms all the way to their toes. They wore nothing except a brown rag around their waist and metal braces 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.

"Ask later, help me now!!" he cried, nimbly avoiding a fatal strike from one of those creatures.

"Right," I said as I got out of my bed and shifted. 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 before the creatures disintegrated in a smoke 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.

"Demons? They exist?" my jaw dropped

"Damn right they exist," said Zack.

"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 widens, 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.

Zack 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 the past six years, and it is time for you to take over my duty,"

"Duty?" I asked questioningly.

"Yeah, 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 shoulders 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 would 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 cost 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?

"The duty to save this world from the demons... 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 that stand 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 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 can muster as he knelt down and placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "This is my destiny. It is my destiny to carry on this duty to another... to you. 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 it," 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... as Zack slowly faded. My face was scrunched up the whole time. Only when I forced my eyes open did I see Zack smile at me... that smile, I will never forget it, he was... happy. That was the only time I saw him smile so naturally, My gaze was locked on his face as I agonizingly witnessed his disappearance 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. My teeth were 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 what happened. Zack... was gone, forever.

"Damn it Zack... How can he do something so stupid," I whispered under the pain, sure of the nightmares before this would continue to haunt me. "STUPID IDIOT, HOW COULD YOU!!" I roared as I slammed the ground with the hammer of my fist. I didn't know my strength as my newly acquired powers activated. The whole ground sprouted poles of metal, but fire engulfed every pole.

I did not care what just happened as the sorrow of losing the closest person I have overwhelmed all other emotions. I slowly sat back on my knees and my arms lay hanging loosely from the joints. My head was low as the pain slowly faded.

I felt... nothing, I felt emotionless as my heart broke into uncountable pieces. I stood there like a dummy... unable to move, unable to speak. Looking blankly into space like a mind crippled creature.

As I was lost in my sorrow, dark shadows started appear all around me. Dark voids of unreachable depths tore into my reality and the demons appeared once again. I still stood there , surrounded like a trapped animal... without fear, without courage... nothing...

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

"Yeah... let's dig in," said another.

At that remark, I shot them a menacing glare... as if my looks could slice through their skulls. The tattoos on my body started glowing; it has never done that before. 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 this insignificant bastard.

"Get out of my sight," I said blankly.

"Naw... we want you, you tasty little morsel," they started to attack me.

Before they managed to take a step, I casted a spell on the ground that trapped them where they stand

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

"This is a fire trap," I said as I lazily stood up on my feet. "Time to send you back to where you belong, Hell's Gate!!"

The runes on my body glow brighter orange as the ground cracked and flames gushed out of the grooves. It burned all the demons in the room and incinerated them in the intense flames. I hear the cries of their pain before they turned to dust. It was by far the worst sound I'd ever heard, so terrible, my eardrums almost cracked. After all the demons were nothing more than ash, I fell back to my knees... my vision blurred and I blacked out...

"Hey kid, how're you doing?"

As my consciousness was lost in the dark, I heard this voice calling out for me. So warm and pleasant, I felt like my mom was calling out to me, but I know 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 in front of me, Zack was standing up proud and arms crossed in all his glory. "You're not dead?"

"Shut up, I am speaking to you in your dreams," said Zack as I noticed my surroundings.

It 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 yet 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.

"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 wanna help you do it, 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.

"How am I going to stand up against millions of demons with only my own wits, huh Zack?" I contorted and feeling something boiling in my gut... it must be my rage.

"I saw what you did with a hundred, and it was cake to you. I don't think millions will be a problem," said Zack calmly, contrasting to 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 close person I have," I pleaded, giving up on the tough guy act.

"I know, but you have to get over this, the power I gave you was to save you, both of us have the curse, I 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 and my emotions were jumbled up like a mess of knots.

"I'm sorry I have to do this Zeph, I see no other way, but remember this... I will always be in here," said Zack as he pointed towards my chest where my heart was beating.

"I will never forget you," I gripped his palm. Then, again, that smile was 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...