1st

Chapter 1


 


 


 

I awoke with a start and pulled myself groggily off the futon. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it’s only two in the morning and moan. There was no going back to sleep after that dream I thought to myself. I look up and see that my guardian is still asleep “Will can’t help himself but sleep,” I mumble. I pull on my shirt and look outside, the moon and all the stars are still shining bright. I walk over to the door of our one room “apartment” as Will calls it but actually it’s more of a hut. A hut in the middle of the woods un-findable by any human means, I shiver at the thought and think back at myself I was once human myself, but not anymore, I can never be a human again.

I open the door and walk outside and think of my journey that brought me to the circumstances I am in now. I light my hands quickly letting the fire engulf them and then extinguish it with a thought. I start to run and let my limbs take over running faster than any machine we can create in this crude world. The only real name I have left that was given to me rolls around my thoughts, Coffin or Loculo as the Romans called it in Latin. Why is it of all the languages of earth that an alien thinks it should bestow me with a Latin name. I pull myself to a stop and think about how long I’ve been running from my destiny as others called it. Ten years. Why is it that I, a child then was chosen for a task that I could not completely till I was older? I was five when I was changed, now I wonder why the whole fate of earth is in my hands, the whole fate of Weyn. A planet much more advanced than earth a planet and so close to earth that it was only several light-years away. I wished I had seen more of it than just Shanene’s memories. I close my eyes for a minute and find the memory and pull it up to my eyes and I see exactly how very alike it is to earth. The only life sustaining planet within several light-years away that we can see it from earth, god dam it.

I look down to see that I’m at my favorite creek bed. The sky brightens quickly and lights up the ground showing my foot prints in the creek. Shock and realization comes to me, we have been found. I sprint as fast as I can back to the hut there were at least fifty different people who must have traveled over the stream.

My head started to pound as my thoughts race to all that can happen to Will. He is my guardian I cannot let him die after all the times he saved us from intended death. He may have moved us away from Elizabeth but he said we will see her soon. My little angelum, Elizabeth, she’s fifteen with long dark hair, very beautiful. I arrive at the hut with a jolt my mind skipping back to the task in hand; I say a word and my eye sight flickers and changes in to something much like heat vision. I scan the hut and see that Will isn’t alone anymore inside it. I turn and rotate to do a scan of the woods and am surprise to find more than my estimate earlier. There is at least a good 25 more people in the woods than I thought, I turn back around and open the door slowly.

Sitting at the table was a women and a girl that looked a little like my darling, Elizabeth. The girl jumped up and ran toward me at a speed that could only match mine,” Ryan, I’ve missed you so much.” She wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my left ear,” I love you.” I knew at that moment this was my Elizabeth and she was now like me, a Weynen. I whispered in to her right ear,” I love you too my sweet angelum.” She leaned back and I went forward and kissed her lips, feeling our bodies pressing tight against each other. Our minds became locked with each other and sharing the events of the past six months. I saw her being changed and all the difficulties it took to find me. She saw me healing after a fight with the Rameons, who killed most of the Weynen and chased us to where we are now. I saw her meet her guardian and almost die at the hands of the Rameons. I felt a tug as we were pulled back to reality by her guardian, Sharon. Sharon brought her hand back and went to punch me in the face after we had separated, but I did the unexpected and hugged her and whispered thank you in her ear. Will stood up and in his deep voice, “This is Ryan, Sharon he is my charge.” Shock rushed over her face as she realized what could have just happened if she had punched me. “I’m so sorry Ryan I did not realize that was you, Elizabeth has told me a lot about you. I thought you were a little taller and you had different color hair when Elizabeth shared one of her memories with me.” She said to me quickly with a smile.

Elizabeth moved closer to me and whispered in my ear, “Is there some where we can go to be alone?” I nodded and headed out the door her hand intertwined in mine. We took off run moving faster than the guards as I now realized could comprehend. We ran faster and faster in minutes we were in a nook in a tree that I had finished hollowing out just that week. She smiled at me and kissed me rushing a memory into my head. It was of her in a clearing with my name written in the dirt and her drawing in fire on the ground in fire spelling I love you Ryan Necrom, don’t forget to kiss me lots we never know when we have to part again. The memory ended and she said, “Well.” I pull her close and lay a kiss on her lips making it long and lingering.

What seems like forever but I know that isn’t, we break apart from the kiss. She curls her hand against my chest as if to push me away, but she stands on her toes and kisses me again I feel her mouth open and take advantage of it. We start to move forward pressing her back against the trees bark. When a cough comes from behind us from outside the knoll, we break the kiss quickly and step out of the tree shyly as if we weren’t doing anything at all; Will and Sharon are standing outside the knoll with a guard behind them. Will gives me a thumbs up and my face reddens and I cock the wild eye grin that says aren’t I amazing. Sharon looks at my face and looks at Elizabeth and realizes what had happened. Her face reddens and starts yelling at me, I stare and smile my most mischievous grin and laugh. Will starts laughing and ends up on the ground. Sharon looks over and kicks him once.

We start walking back to the hut and Elizabeth is holding my hand, much to Sharon’s displeasure. Will looks over at me with a grin on his face, a thought runs through my head like lightening. What if the hut isn’t there when we get back? When I looked at Elizabeth’s memories I didn’t see the stream at all. That’s when I smelt it… smoke and lots of it. Seconds later we heard gunfire and ran in the way we came hurrying to get to some where safe. I took off faster than the rest pulling them along with me as I ran faster and faster. We burst through a field and were shocked by all the Rameons. There had to be at least fifty Rameon in the field, their swords glinting with life as they were pulled from their sheaths. I sprung to life twisting in air as one of their mages threw a fire ball at me. Their purple corrupt magic flew passed me with a sort of ease. I let my hands up with fire and started whipping balls of it at them. Elizabeth wrapped herself in shadows and disappeared to their eyes. One of their knights finally found the courage to charge and was met by Will’s Octouran blade. Octouran blades were the strongest blades on Weyn, made by the Octour tribe.

I rammed my fist into the Rameons neck that had attacked me, crushing his throat and letting him slowly die. I was instantly rushed by many more of them I swung my fist into their face after reinforcing it with my birth element, earth. The rocks moved to my hand resembling metal gauntlets with spikes, my fists became a blur as I felt my mind click into my inner wolf. I felt my body shift as my cloths began to shred. My body settled into its new form as I fell onto my haunches. I jumped up catching a Rameon off guard with my huge balking mass. Within minutes of my shift the Rameons around me were dead. My eyes searched the field frantic for any site of Will or Sharon or my Angel. I spotted Sharon fitting next to Will, their blades singing in unison. My eyes strayed farther away from them and I saw her, she was using her fire to make blades and then whipping them in to the crowd of Rameons that had surrounded her. The flames were splitting into what looked like little throwing stars and would burn straight through them and wither out of existence as they finished off their third target. I ran towards Will and Sharon, at the last moment I leaped and called upon the earth. It raised some of them in to the air ridding them of their balance. I let my paws drop and slowly stabbed some of them leaving gaping wounds on their head. I landed and shifted the earth a little by Will and Sharon to give them the upper hand against the ones they were fighting.

I started running for Elizabeth and with a new ambition, I ran for love. The Rameons were getting closer to her. She screamed out in pain as she was struck by one of their blades. I started running faster and reached for my powers. I flung spears of earth into the mass, killing little. I ran faster pushing myself to my limits.

2: 2
2

Chapter 2


 


 


 


 


 

I ran faster and hit the mass in full force. They scattered on contact and I was soon immersed in the crowd. I started to shift in to my human from my claws swinging wide as I slowly stood ripping a jugular of one of them. The blood sprayed my face as the body fell. I could see Elizabeth in front of me and I was filled with rage as she cried out in pain again. I hit full human and released my powers on them. The earth started to shift and tumble as spikes shot out of the ground. I was instantaneously award with shrieks of pain all around me. I raised the spikes higher and the ground shifted even more. I laughed as I almost fell, the ground in front of me was clear all the way to Elizabeth. I ran to her, my blades fell from my veins and into my hands as the earth obeyed. Weyn’s black diamond greets me from the hilt as it glints in the fire light. I reach her just as they reach their full length.

I grab her hand and pull her with me as I run towards the wooded thicket. I shift my weapon in to my favored scythe as we run and extend it at neck height. For a normal Rameon neck height is usually just over six feet, for a Rameon Elite though it’s usually around six and a half feet. Their head topping off at around seven foot, the blade of the scythe catches an elite and is ripped out of my hand. Luckily my hand catches on the trick handle releasing the elven katana. As the scythe falls away the blade slides out just in time as a Rameon charges us. I rip the blade up slicing through his mail, and going straight through as his body carries him on as my upward thrust continues. The blade exits his skull and the blood slips off it as if it never even happened. I hear Elizabeth gasp and I pull her with me as we enter the thicket.

In retrospect the thicket was not my greatest idea looking back on the ideas I had already. It was the closet to the forest, which just happens to be right next to the thicket. We run in the direction of the forest reaching it in time as shots fire off. It strikes a tree and I’m stricken with anger. A little back story here but enough to get u caught up on all things Rameon and all things Weynen. Weyn was almost dead when the last remaining Weynens came to earth. She gave her last breath for her people to us. Her effect gave us our abilities that we use now to save Earth. We may have been to late to save our planet or the Weyn planet, but I personally will do everything in my power to save this one.

Another shot rung through the air. I leaped toward a thick tree pulling Elizabeth with me. During the end of Weyn, we caught a glimpse of what she could of have been. The lust forests, beautiful oceans, as well as the warring tribes in the south to be at peace and the government ruling with a tolerant hand.

I reached with my mind and my soul into the earth for her life force. The ground shuddered as if she was shaking her arms like a human would. She sensed my call and said to me, “Little one, what is it you ask from me? I will attempt to help you with your cause but I do not promise much for your soul has been twisted to adhere to your new life.” I told her quickly what I needed to be done and she responded to my request with another shake of the ground. I felt my body tremble as it accepted the new gifts as to say. My mind shuddered and my powers fluttered and then the shift happened. Strength flew into my arms as I was rejuvenated. I go to reach into the now vast power I have at my command for my favored wakizashi blades. I’m instantly greeted with a bow. I go to test the string and an arrow springs from the ground to the bow in seconds. I think to myself as a smile spreads across my face what else can I do now? I look over at Elizabeth to see if she has noticed the shift. She laughs as she claps her hand and I almost am practically shoved off my feet. She grins widely and whips up something that can only be called a wind viper. It resembles a little tornado and looks like something u might see from the movies.

I step out from the tree and spot some Rameons right away. I pull the bow back as an arrow fills the gapping space that was slowly starting to start. I let go of the string and a successful twang sound emanates from it and a nice smack as it hits a Rameon in the chest. Twang, twang and twang as I fire three more shots in rapid succession each one with a nice thud after them. A scream exits my mouth as my wakizashi blades spring from my arms as I call them. Their shape is different to some extent, a longer reach as well as a different grip. The grip was originally white with Weyn’s national rock the black diamond but now it’s an earthen brown like my hair and has earths rock, the mix of emerald and sapphire.

I ran straight for the Rameons ahead of us and my blades whistled through the air carving trough it as to speak. At the last moment I jumped and swung my blade at the first Rameon ahead of me.

A murderous furry drove me as I behead the first, sliced through the second and ripped a hole straight through the chest of the third. The blood splattered on my shirt and I kept moving at the swift pace my body had set for me. The next one meets me with an upward thrust for my chest but I spin around it and strike his leg at the shin, quickly finishing him off with a thrust through his chest.

The next one catches me off guard as I go for a backward slash. His blade reaches just far enough and rips through the soft cloth of my navy blue tee. As my arm goes to strike him in his neck he parries quickly, just enough to keep the blade from coming any farther down. He takes a side step and slashes for my abdomen. My shirt rips again and I strike quickly slashing his leg and then his arm and finishing with a backhanded slash to the next. He parries the backhand and riposte toward my abdomen again. His blade is brought up short by my second wakizashi, which he seemed to have forgotten about during our battle. His grim smirk fades and is replaced with a frown as my other goes towards his neck. His head spins off his body and the spray of blood hits me in the face. I take back off towards the next one pulling a spear with my power from the ground and embed it in his chest. Pulling it out as I run past, I pull my arm and whipping it toward the Rameon in front of Elizabeth.

The spear strikes the man right as I am changing my wakizashis into a katana. The next one, a woman I notice even though they fight better than the men, falls in three moves, an upward thrust, a cut and a counterstrike. She falls valiantly to the ground before crumbling to ash like the rest of them. I look around and I see no more of them to fight. My gaze falls on Elizabeth as a jarring mental spear runs through my mind. I fall to my needs thinking to myself that it’s a Rameon when a voice speaks up to me.

Hello, who is it that I may be speaking to?” Today the voice adds being very female of origin. I speak to the voice quickly thinking it might disappear. “Hello, voice. My name is Ryan. Are you one of us?”

The voice speaks again,”Ryan, what number are you? I am technically number four and my name is Rachel so you can stop thinking of me as the voice. Was it you who made the power shift happen?”

My answer comes quicker this time, “Rachel where are you at? And yes it was me to change the shift. I don’t know what number I am but I do know that I am either 1 or 2. My keeper, Will, doesn’t know which number but I do remember my age at which I was changed.”

Her responses seem to come lightening quick. She says to me, “Ryan, I am currently residing in Las Vegas in the Hard Rock hotel. If you come, hurry we need help, Phillip, John and I so please hurry.” An image from her mind flows into my head of a man pointing a gun at two teenagers, a girl and a guy I notice. The girl has long dirty blond hair in a pony tail with a white shirt on. There’s blood on her hands and her shirt. The boy next to her has dark brown hair, a lot darker than my khaki colored. He’s holding his stomach and clutching it in pain as I see blood flow from it.

The man looks manly Rameon but has some humanoid features mixed into it as well. In my mind I whisper to her, “He won’t die. I’ll save him from it even if he’s on deaths door. I’m in New York, the rural part, so if I shift I might reach there by nightfall.” Bafflement flows through her but she trust me, I can tell. She says yes to me and she’s gone from my head like that.


 

3: 3
3

            We reach the field within twenty minutes of my interstellar phone call as Elizabeth calls it. She may find it funny, but it’s not our powers are growing I can feel it. I spot Will and Sharon where I last left them. There’s a dark shape near Wills left leg and the figure takes off when it spots me. I run toward it willing to greet it as I open my mind. Another presence resides there now other than my consistence it fells alien as I touch it with my mind. I stop confused with this new presence. The darks shape grows becoming larger and larger the closer it gets to me. From twenty feet away and its features become clearer to me. It’s a dog, but its size keeps increasing the closer and closer. It bounds from twenty feet, ten feet remaining its size stops increasing though. It bounds again a shorter one. One bound remains between us; I brace myself for its bound. It jumps into the air and tackles me like I'm nothing.

I brace myself for its humongous jaws to rip through my neck like paper. A snicker runs through my mind from the alien presence. It speaks to me again, its voice young like but deep as well.”Ryan, you are really dumb,” it laughs again and I realize it’s the dog talking. “And I'm not a dog but a Grimhound, and my name is Kylár, your partner in crime from now on out buddy.” Kylár's size shrunk with a single thought in his mind. We were conjoined now his thoughts were open to him and mine to him.

His ears pick up talking from Will and Sharon as they approach us. Elizabeth starts walking from we’re I left her up to meet me. Kylár's hearing picks up words from Will's and Sharon’s conversation.

Sharon: It's naive that they think they can stay together. They’re both meant for different people. I mean god how can he not realize she's a Fire-

Will: Shut up, just because Ryan's a Warrior Wolf doesn't mean they can't last.

Sharon: That is disgusting you’re older than me by two hundred years and you don't see that they won't last. Hybrids aren't allowed you should know that. Anyway a purebred survived the battles and escaped here his wife died giving birth to their son.

Will: How do you know that the boy is even their age? Just because he is doesn't mean he's a Fire..

Sharon: Stop talking they, them might be able to hear us. Let's continue this conversation later.

Will shifts and runs to me as Elizabeth reaches me. She sees my worried expression on my face and reaches for my arm. My expression changes quickly and I think to Kylár, “That was a strange conversation to over here brother of mind.” Kylár looks up from the ground and just nods his head.

Will reaches us quickly but sluggishly as I notice. War Wolves as I guess I am called, can move a lot faster than the pace Will was moving at. He sees me the look I have on my face and I go to ask him what’s wrong and he taps his head. His mind is open to me, and Elizabeth heads toward Sharon with a nod at me.

Will speak first in my mind, “Boy was that a hell of a battle, I swear I feel like a ninety year old man. Your boost gave me what I needed to finish the battle though. I have to say you’re stronger than you think if you can do what you did again. “I go to speak and he raises his hand stopping my thoughts from forming words. “Ryan, I have a lot to tell you too much if you ask me. Boy as you know there’s a time when everyone must face the world, now is your time. I don't have a lot left in me, but I do have enough in me to tell you what you need to know for now. My name is Willain V'xajur, and my parents were Sarea Dravina and Maximus V'xajur.”

 I was born in the year 3004 on Weyn. In earthen years I was born on August 13, 1860, a good date for my parents. Who would be proud to have called you their grandson. Do not allow anyone to call you a half-breed for you will show them all one day what a V'xajur can do. Back to what I was saying now, my parents and I lived in the Octour tribe. My family got by on what we had living in a poor tribe but strong still. Even on Weyn, there was poverty. One day when I was thirteen though a elder stopped by our tribe on his way to the city past our villages. He stopped in front of all the houses on the way to my home. I was inside that day doing as my mother told me, molding a bowl as I remember. There was a knock on our door as I started to get the shape right for the bowl and my mother called out to me to get it. I got up from my stool with a scowl and opened it. The elder, I know now to be the head elder, stood there looking at me and as if he could tell my anger by looking at me. He said three words that would change my life as I knew it.

 'You will do.' he had said to me and took my hand and brought me before my village. He said out loud to everyone in the village, even my Emalia, three houses down from mine. 'I will take this boy from you and make him a man. ‘They all cheered in my village and I thought I was going to be a sacrifice at the time.' He will return ten years from now and take the one he loves as his wife. This boy is destined to help save another boy from death and will in turn help us all be remembered in history of a new world. Some may come through here and say the boy should be killed for what he will do but he will believe what he did was for the right of our kind. This boy will be the hero who will help lead us towards the end of heroes.'

He stared at me and we were gone from the village I will always love. What I am trying to say Ryan is that others will look down on you but if you take my name, none can call you a half-breed. Ryan if you will oblige me and let me calls you son once and for all. Everything will make sense to you in time. “Tears streaked from his eyes as well as my own. I nodded my head to him as consent you becoming Ryan V'xajur of Weyn and Earth.

He reached out his hand and severed our connection. As his hand fell away I felt a shock through my body as if I had made new memories and locked them away instantaneously. He spoke again out loud this time, “Ryan, my son I am 253 years old and have spent more time alive than many should be allowed. You my boy will out pass me in everything. I may have age over you now but you'll out live me trice fold. I just want you to do what you believe to be right. Kylár, your grimhound will help you and live by your side as long as you will live. He's a part of my soul if you haven't notice yet so treat him well son.

 At that moment Sharon and Elizabeth approached us. I looked at Elizabeth’s face and saw the sad expression on it. I stepped towards her and Sharon stepped in front of her. A look of pure furry enveloped my face as I went to step around her.

4: 4
4

 

Explanations are sometimes hard and others not. Like for a example, telling your son or daughters how babies are born. You have a choice you could tell them and they will find out later that you lied to them. Or you could tell them nothing and let them find out as they get older. Or my personal favorite tells them the truth and let them walk around and know that their parents haven't lied to them.

My explanation was brief and to the point or I thought it was till everyone started to question my plans.

Sharon: Ryan that is ridiculous, what your saying is both implausible and idiotic. They could be Rameons, how would you even know if what they told you was the truth. Or it is a trap and you would have us all captured and killed slowly.

Pure triumph enveloped her face as pure rage came over mine. Will was the next one to speak. Will: The boy is right though Sharon, I think your insolence has made you forgot our races' true intentions for this planet. It is to save it, even at the cost of our lives. Ryan,” he said looking towards me. “You must go on ahead if the situation seemed as dire as you explained it, one of us must get there quickly before they are taken and killed slowly like Sharon said. You must go ahead on your own as I said earlier I am an old man. Just remember our motto.” I spoke it without meaning to, “To admit defeat is to succumb to death itself, therefore if you believe you aren't dead then you aren't.”

I stepped to the side and got ready to change in to my wolf. I took my shirt off; my prominent tattoo of the Octour tribe shone brightly in the approaching light of the sun as well did my star shaped birthmark. I was shocked when Elizabeth touches my arm lightly. I looked over at her and saw the sullen expression on her face and went to ask what was wrong when she shushed me

“Ryan,” she said her voice soft and tender as if she was telling a little kid their dog had died. “I'm breaking up with you, we just aren't meant to be, this is my destiny. Sharon and I must find another we have found out about.” Tears streaked through her eyes as she looked up at me. Her views had changed of me I knew in an instant. She goes to speak again to me and I shush her just like everyone else had been doing to me. Pure rage fueled me as I took my pants off. I reached towards the ground the dirt and rocks flew to my hand. Soon I had enough rock slash dirt material to make it a bag. I quickly made a bag and stuffed my clothes in there.

I reached into the space in time where I kept my weapons and dropped the bag in there as I had been taught by Will. Kylár looked up to me and he grew in size rapidly. I looked at Elizabeth and said, “Good bye and May it not be the final good bye.” I reached up and passed all my love for her into her hair it glowed with all the feelings the dark color drained away and was replaced with blond before it returned to its natural color.

The muscles in my back rippled as I hunched my shoulders and took off in a jog. My hands went down and I was soon running on fours. Hairs grew at an amazingly fast. Traveling up my arms to my stomach and then to my legs. My feet shrunk to paws, while my arms shrunk and formed massive thighs. Soon my back end was cover in hair and a tail had grown in. The hair and shift flowed up my body soon reaching my neck. I felt my ears shift to points and become cover in thick dense brown hair. My jaw popped out of socket next shifting to a muzzle as my whole face seemed to elongate. By the time i had reached the end of the field I had completely shifted.

 On my hind legs would tower over a normal human at twelve feet and one inch. Taller than most Weyn Warrior Wolves as Will tells me over and over again. Kylár's mind flowed neatly in mind connected as we should be, running together as brothers as we should be. A thought flows from his mind to mine, “Quod erit dux.” he says to me. I translate it in my head knowing what the Latin meaning is. 'A leader is what you will become.'

Hours later after running through the hills and valley sand flat lands of America, we see the lights of Vegas as clear as day in the darkness. A mile ahead is the city border for Las Vegas. Kylár thinks to me, “You may want to shift now; you running down the streets of Vegas naked will scare people.” Ha-ha, I replied back to him as my muscles begin to quiver and reshape themselves to my human form. I love my wolf form better than my human one for how graceful I feel when I’m in it. There is nothing on this Earth that can make me feel the way I do when I’m wolfed.

My shift ends and my human body stands shivering in the cold, my boxers keep me from being completely nude. I reach into my space in time and pull my bag from it. I pull the strings open and reach my hand into the bag finding my shirt and shorts in it. I reached into it farther and grasped the thing Will gave me when we first meet. I pull it out and think to myself, ‘I might as well wear it now instead of letting it sit here and rust. Intricate symbols cover the medallion some in Octouran, I notice for the first time. I pull the chain around my neck and let the medallion settle on my chest. The moon shines on it with an intense furry as if it’s alive. My shaggy khaki colored hair falls in front of my eyes and I whip my head around knocking it out of the way.

Kylár sets off in a lit jog and I jog after him. The city soon becomes brighter and brighter. Within two minutes we were in the city. One of my many wallets and ids sat in my pocket. I soon had a cab and we were there, The Hard Rock Casino. I gave the cabbie a forty and got out after Kylár; I stood up and looked at the hotel well knowing what waited for me there.

My skin seemed to change and next thing I knew my body was gone. I reached in my bag which was as well as camouflaged by my powers I figured and pulled out my iPod. I looked down to see if I could find Kylár, he as well was gone. His mind enveloped mine and our heads became one.  I took a step forward and he followed by my right leg. We opened the doors and swerve between crowds of people, we soon reached the elevator and got in pushing a button slyly to our floor. Two people, a man and women, discussed politics. Two classy dressed girls talked about visiting their dad for the weekend. The two girls got off and another couple stepped on to our elevator. Another floor up and the doors opened, everyone looked at the door expecting someone to step.  We stepped out with a snicker and were gone before the elevator even left the floor.

 As soon as we stepped out of the elevator we were running down the hallway frantic and panicky. My palms sweated as I continued to run, Kylár kept my pace as we ran faster and faster. My blades dropped to my hands, and the twin wakizashis comfort me. My tremble stops and the sweat is wicked from my hands, leaving a small trail of water on the floor.

The door plain as it was I knew behind it, it held wonders and new things to me. I kicked the door and it flew off its hinges hitting the guy with the gun. I willed myself to become visible and my body slowly faded into view, Kylár near my feet became visible faster as he pounced on the man’s chest. His massed increased drastically and he was soon around four feet tall to where his back reaches. His head gave him the height of four feet five inches. His jaw was opened and foam and spittle came out as he snarled at the man his teeth barred and quite large and sharp at that.

As I scanned the room I saw John sitting there bleeding, his shirt off and a gnarly gash was on his stomach. My body went into a trace like trance as I walked over to him. My legs moved on there on accord moving me closer and closer to him. A mirror sits over the couch he’s leaned up against and my reflection stares back at me. My eyes mist over and the gold of my lupine eyes take over, but it’s different this time. My eyes have no pupil except for a narrow slit of black and my iris is gone and gold replace it.

I squat down and my hands move over John’s wound, golden light emanate from my hands and encase his wound. The light grows too intense and I have to close my eyes, it’s still going though. I feel the light slowly fade as the heat it generates lessens and I open my eyes just as a retching pain of nausea hits me full on. I cry out in pain, but my hands don’t move at all. The late fades and John’s gash is not there anymore.

Soft tender tanned skins resides there, Rachel walks out of what I believe is the bathroom, tears stream down her face. They stop, as she sees John wobble and stand up. Her eyes wander from him to me with my torn shirt, my muscled legs and my non-tanned arms. My pale skin color seems to strike questions in her mind. Her eyes continue and soon rest on Kylár sitting tall on the man with the gun staring him down at this time I do believe probably more questions arrive in her mind. Her facial expression changes and a relaxed and joyful look comes over here face. “Ryan,” I say reaching a hand up towards John. He takes it and pulls me up so I stand beside them.

Rachel wraps her arms around John’s waist and hugs him. They soon exit there embrace and stare at me. Rachel comes closer to me and hugs me and whispers in my ear, “Thanks, Ryan I don’t know what I would do without him.” I chuckle and exit our hug and speak my voice coming out of my mouth like gravel on a newly paved road.

“We would kill every single last one of those God damn bastards, Rachel. For to kill one of us in my eyes is to set a certain murderous furry from the rest of us, that’s the truth if you ask me. After all we are all that each other have left considering what has happened to all of us.” John stares in awe at me as a noise comes from the closet. Rachel smacks her forehead and heads towards the door and opens it as fast as possible. Phillip, I guess falls through the open gap and a laugh escapes John and me.

John pulls me aside as Rachel starts on the bounds Phillip is in. Kylár sees this and nods as if he knows what is going on. John speaks quickly as we head into the bedroom of the hotel room. “Ryan, your eyes, when you were healing me they were almost completely golden. What the hell was that? I’ve only heard of that being done with, you umm know with the Elders. It’s not normal for us to be able to do that yet bro.” John says.

I laugh and say to him, “We aren’t normal bro no one is, but we are supposed to be the strongest out of our entire race that was from before us. Anyways I became what we are when I was five dude it’s not like new abilities are freaky to me. It just means another way to save our half race to me anyways.”

I walk out of the room with a sly smile on my lips. “We must be going now, my guardian is going to be here soon.” I say quickly the words escaping my mouth as if there liquid. Phillip is the one to speak up next, “Well Ryan, I guess we must be going to the MacCarren Airport. That will be the one he comes in on I believe.”

                                       **************

About thirty minutes later after taking an elevator to the parking garage and driving two cars to the airport, a Black Mustang and a black Subaru, we sat in the parking lot of the airport. John allowed me to drive the mustang, it being his and all. The large airport sat there in all its glory. I felt like I was being watched by it as I watched it back.

5: 5
5

The MacCarren airport is quite large with a total of 2800 acres, with the artwork of artists like Tony Milici. We walked through the doors of it and slowly headed out on our way. Splitting into two groups we headed out in different directions. Phillip threw a fit when John and Rachel start to walk off in the same. So in the end Rachel and I headed off towards a clothing store on the second story.

As we walked into the shady store a pain runs through my gut. As I looked at the floor a powder covered my foot touching my leg. I stood and walked on acting as if nothing was wrong with me as the pain increased. Kylár, whimpers in my mind whispering, “Aconite.” The word repeats and sounds through my head. Rachel brings me a shirt and holds it to my torso; the mirror in front of me shows it says Zombie Apocalypse. I laugh and go to speak but my stomach makes me retch and dry heave. Rachel grabs my arm tenderly like a mother would with a child as three men in coats walk in to the store.

I see them with my eyes and Kylár screams at me to get out of there. I ignore him knowing that he’s right and we should leave. I straighten myself out and stand tall; I grab the shirt and head toward the counter. The men stand there and look at me as I walk toward the counter. I toss the shirt on the counter and ask how much to the cashier. Rachel walks up at that moment with two pairs of pants in her arm several hooded sweat shirts, and a couple shirts. She tosses them on the counter with the shirt and the cashier rings us up. I whip out several twenties and lay them down on the counter as Rachel stuffs the clothes in my bag.

My pain in my gut continues to get stronger and stronger as I continue to walk toward the door. Aconite sounds through my mind again and I know what it is, Wolfs Bane. I collapse to the floor and puke, Rachel rushes to my side as the coated people step toward me. Rameons, I note in my mind and stand up quickly my speed sends an astonished gasp from the cashier.

I grab the closet coated person and throw him across the store. He smashes into a coat rack sending a grunt noise through the store. His brethren, have blades out by the time I turn around to face them. A rushing pain goes through my stomach. I look down and a blade sticks out of my stomach. I reach my hands down and feel the blood as the sword is ripped out. Screams reverberate the air as my hands become claws and my shirt is ripped to pieces as my muscles contract and react to the blade. My claws rip toward the Rameon closets to me and I rip his throat out. Blood spurts my chest from his wound. The blood makes me look gruesome. I notice from the mirror across the counter. With my brown khaki colored fur coming from my arms and my claws out in mid-formation.

 Another blade reaches a shallow cut across my midsection, I had forgotten about the third one. I turn to face him and something goes on his face, a look of revere. My vision flips and I fall to floor and black out of the nightmare I was in. Right before I black out I see a shape, dark black fur sprits from the shape and I rejoice in knowing Will is here.

                                              **************

A girl stands in a clearing of woods, somewhere in Canada. She says the words again and feels them take effect. Hoping to see her long dead mother, instead a boy appears. His hair is the color of khaki. His skin has certain pallor to it and his eyes are the lightest blue in the history of blue. His eyes are dilated and they seem lupine like mine do when I shift.

                                                    ***************

The blackness fades and a girl stands in front of me. Her eyes are a watery blue, and she is a startling blond. She looks at me with a confused look and I realize I’m shirtless still. The blood on my chest has crusted over and brown stains of where the blood sat on my chest. I shrug and walk around but find myself anchored to the spot. She reaches out and touches my solid chest. She whips her hand back when she touches me. “What?” I say to her as if it isn’t obviously that I am real.

She stammers, and says, “Who are you?” I laugh and pull her into the circle that holds me. “Defiantly not who you think I am.” I whisper in her ear,” Ryan V’xajur, at your service for now, and you are who exactly?”

                                    ***************

 His voice has a small tune in it as if he’s hoping for something. I stare at him and think about his various questions. His name is something I’ve heard of before from Stephanie. Something about her ex-boyfriend’s father being on Earth and raising another like me.  I speak to him after taking in the sit of his chest again, “Well Ryan V’xajur, my name is Amy and don’t take kindly to strangers pulling me into my own soul circle. So umm, what is with your eyes?”

He spoke and I couldn’t help but wander his chest with my eyes, his muscles were well defined and his stomach showed rock hard abs under the stains, “Well Amy, I’m Weynen…” He stops his sentence at that when I gasp. It explains all the gore on his chest and the small scars that cross his arms. He speaks again as I notice a similar tattoo I have on my chest as well, “Well, that makes my theory right. Hmm, well I must be going now; Will was there when I left. Though I will find you Amy, don’t forget me.” He ends there and I say the word and he’s gone.

                                   ***************

Blackness engulfs me again, pain reaches my stomach and a voice calls out. A prophecy it says to me, it's voice becomes louder in my head to where it feels as if it's shouting and it starts...

“Seven will be born human on Earth,

They shall rise and be triumph over the enemy,

Seven for the reason, so simple that it is,

The prophecy shall rule all but one till the day,

The first shall fall wrongly first but be righted,

The second will allow the true to take lead,

All will play their part,

To be the end of heroes.”

The voice's prophecy reverberates in my mind and Amy as well. The girl was strange but in a great way. When she reacted to touching me, a spark when through me… It felt as if I was finally alive, and everything before it was a just dead living.

 Light filled my eyes, and I awoke to Will standing over me. His shirt is bloody and tears fall from his eyes. It’s as if he thinks I’m dead, I go to reach up and touch him but my arm feels like sludge and won’t budge from where it lays next to my side. I go to speak and no sound comes out and I start to panic. Kylár awakes from where he lays near my feet, feeling my panic he barks at Will. Did he forget how to talk I think to myself? My words come out of his mouth and Will screams.

Kylár laughs for the first time and it’s a squeaky little thing but it’s still a laugh. The door to the room open’s and John and Rachael rush in, Phillip stands behind them with a kitchen knife hoisted back looking as if he’s about ready to throw it. I manage to move my head an inch to the side and see Phillip drop the knife to the floor.

As I attempt to move my arm again the sludge like feeling seems to relax and my arm moves upward at a slow pace but still the same.  I go to speak again and at first nothing happens and then a mumble of words come out of my mouth sounding like this, “Heyguysiamsorryiblackedoutitwastheaconite.” They looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. I repeated myself slowly this time and the words came out clear and more understandable.

They all said ah and laughed before Phillip noticed my eyes. He brought a mirror to my face and once again my eyes where golden with slits. He leaned closer to my ear and asks me, “How many times has this happened to you Ryan?” I whispered back to him twice and shock over took him. Will soon ushers everybody out of the room for me to change. I slide my feet off the bed and sit up my chest has a few new scars and some bruises but nothing that won’t finish healing within today.

I stand up and pull my bag from where it sits at the end of the bed.  The cloths Rachael and I bought for me sit there in my bag. I pull out the shirt and a pair of faded jeans out of the bag and drop it in space, not before I grab my knife strap though. I pull the shirt over my head and touch the medallion on my neck on accidently. A cold shock goes through me and I fell as if I’m transported back to the meadow.

Amy paces back and forth not able to see me this time. A woman sits on a rock across from where Amy paces. “It should have worked,” Amy says,” Why did it call him to me though?” She stares at the woman as if awaiting a answer, but none comes her way. Her pace across the meadow seems to increase and I notice something bouncing on her chest that is not cleavage. A silver medallion hangs down from her neck, one that seems to match mine. I gasp at it and Amy notices it. She calls out to the woods and a grimhound comes bounding out of them. “Aileen,” She says to the hound and it answers by nuzzling her hand. Amy smiles and Aileen looks in my direction, right at me to be exact. “Hi Ryan,” Amy says softly.

I’m back in the room, in seconds of the visit. The medallions connect us I know that now as I brush my hand softly against it. Why though is what I want to know as I pull on my pants? Aileen is Kylár’s counterpart I think to myself, does that makes Amy and I… I’m not sure I hear Kylár say to me from where he sits on the bed.

With my knife holder strapped to my side and a knife in it I head out of the bedroom with a small smirk on my face. My own confidence radiants through me, as I feel as if I can find love again. I stand in the living room of the house they must’ve broken in with my body. It’s time for a briefing I know that now and I speak to them.

6: 6
6

"I don't advise sticking your head out the window Ryan, after all Rachel is driving. Ow why did you hit me so hard?" John says with a smug smile. He speaks again as Rachel accelerates the mustang, "You should really see a doctor about those wolf urges you get." he snickers at that comment and Rachel punches him again.

So where are we going again Ryan?" Rachel asks me as she floors the gas again. Canada I think to myself, where she is. Toronto to be exact, mind bogglingly as Kylár says to me every time it's brought up which is about every two minutes now that I think about it. Perfect place to raise a wolf and keep her safe. Kylár joins me in my mind and brings up Aileen and Amy up again. He likes her I know that for sure, even seeing her image from my mind is enough for him.

"Hey Ryan," John shouts at me just as his partner flies through the window. EveRest Eagles is what John and Rachel claim they are. It's new to me but not new to Will. So are the others of course, the Foxes and the Ground-Dragons. A special species according to what I was told. The youngest out of the shifters, and the wolves being the oldest lucky me I guess. "Who do you think would win a fight, the ground-dragons or you wolves?"

Wolves" I say it's simple to me; the wolves would work together under the lead of the alpha and take it down with ease. "Ok, now who would win between you and the foxes? “John looks puzzled when he hears my question and Rachel is the next to speak.

Ryan, we are scouts not fighters or warriors or even leaders. So we would probably lose no matter what, unless of course a wolf was there." I nod my head in agreement as the information starts to settle in.

Kylár nods hid head at me, as I finally understand the saying that Will spoke a lot, "Tinker, tailor, solider, sailor." The tailor keeps everyone together, while the tinker is the brain, making the sailor the advisor. The solider is self-explanatory I guess. So the eagles are the sailors and the foxes are the solider. What am I though?

I turn to the window and stare out it and repeat the saying that Will taught me, " I am Ryan V'xajur. I'm a warrior and a protector of mankind. I may not be the people’s choice but I will be their champion and hero. I am not... Alone in my quest." I look over at John and Rachel and look back out the window. I reach under my shirt and grasp my medallion, after that I'm gone...

I stand in front of about three hundred school children. Kylár stands near my leg and starts to growl as a man walks up to the stage I'm standing on. " Get off the stage kid," his voice sounds gruff and gravelly like he eats glass and rocks for breakfast. His body is of medium built and shows evidence of him working out as his muscles bulge.

No" I shout but its not my voice that comes out. Its a tenor voice one I haven't heard sense I lost my brother. I turn around and see him, Jasper Malick the second, At 16 he stands about five' ten, medium built. In his hands a small flame appears it wavers but soon takes over his whole body. The man gasps and Jasper shouts to the crowd. "We won't be pushed back or held down, are voice will be heard. We want true freedom. We want peace on Earth and most of all we want Eco-technology."

The crowd roars back in approval of his demands and his fire flickers out. A small snake like creature with four legs sits near his foot. 'A ground dragon Ryan that's what it is,' Kylár says to me. We leave at that very moment as I touch my medallion.

Gasping, I re-enter my body in a quaint little booth. A waitress stands near the head of the table and says to me again, "What will you have honey?" Her voice has a thick French accent and I know at that moment we were in Canada.

I respond kindly and pick up the menu, " Well I will have a burger with fries, a Pepsi and today's special please and thank you." She smiles at my manners and moves on to John and Rachel. They ramble off their orders and move a little closer.

The waitress speaks again directing her words to me, "We don't get many tourists up here no more sense the gold rush. So may I find out what you teens are doing up here with out a adult?"

I speak first, "Well ma'am, were all eighteen so therefore you have no right to question us about our ages and a simple request?"

What's that," she says her teeth in a snarl look.

Can you make our orders to go?" I smile deviously showing my own set of extremely sharp teeth. She turns around and walks away quickly.

Ryan, what the hale were you thinking?" Rachel says to me as John high fives me. She slaps John across the face and he cringes despite being tall and heavier than her.

Well she was prying and I don't like people who pry into our personal business much, right Kylár." Kylár sticks his head up and nods to a slight degree.

That is no reason to be that mean and you no that. I want you to go and apologize!"

I stand up and say, "Fine, Rachel." I head towards the waitress, who's standing next to her co-worker. My ears prick up as I hear snatches of their conversation, "Yeah, and the boy with the brown hair is like so creepy. Will you take my order please Brie?" The brown hair woman I take as Brie, “Fine, but I get what ever tip they leave. By the way is that not the boy you were talking about?" "Yeah it is now shush. “I finally arrive at were their standing and clear my throat.

"Miss, I would like to apologize for my rude behavior, it's just that my girlfriend left me and I've been feeling depressed. Yes I know that’s no reason but will you please forgive me?" I say to her. I smile as she nods her head; my teeth are human and not canine this time.

I head back towards the table and pick Kylár up in my arms and walk down the aisle of the diner. We reach the table and I throw my wallet at John's head. He must of heard it whistling through the air, I think to Kylár. As we watch John open the wallet and pull out several bills. He turns his head arm and whips the wallet back at me. A inch before it hits my face I snatch it out of the air and put it back in my pocket.

I turn to where the waitresses were standing to see if they noticed the quick reflexes. Their in a hushed rapid conversation and haven't seemed to notice. I move on from them and look around the diner. A little boy sits in a corner booth with his family and stares at me with his mouth open. I raise a finger to my lips and his mouth closes.

I walk out of the diner at that moment knowing I now have another secret. Rachel's mind brushes against mine when I reach the car. I lower my defenses to a slight bit and allow her to speak. "Where are you to going?" she asks us and I respond with a image of a park Kylár saw a mile away. "Go stretch your legs, we will be safe for now. “Her voice is full of confidence and radiates unseen power of foresight.

Kylár hops out of my arms and takes off in the direction of the park. I run after him laughing at my slow pace. I could probably run a mile in a couple of seconds, but not in public. Kylár spots a girl ahead of us and sends me a image of her. She’s tall maybe 6'1 or 5'11 somewhere around there. A brunette in jogging clothes. Her hood is up and she must have music playing.

Kylár rejoins me at my pace so to seem normal. I pop my own headphones in and hit play. Twist and shout comes on from the Beatles as we make the bend the girl was on. Right as we clear the corner, I run right smack into her. My music’s volume must have been changed on me for it to happen with out me hearing her footfalls.

Her hood comes off and I gasp, falling backwards and hitting the side walk. She pops out her headphones and offers me a hand up. Apologies stream out of her mouth as I take my headphones out. I look up and she sees my face. "Ryan is that you? It's been so long sense I last saw you." Elizabeth's best friend stands in front of me, Lily McNeally.

Words' cannot describe the shock I'm in. Out of all the people from my past, which isn't a lot, she was the one I thought I wouldn't see the most. I speak and Kylár rubs against my leg, almost as eager as I am for this gathering to be done. "Hi Lily how have you been?" My head blurs as our conversation continues for another minute and a half. I make up a reason to leave and walk on towards the park.

Life is stranger than one can think," Kylár says into my mind as we continue on towards the park. Lily McNeally is one of Earths few "Fair Born." Lily was a great friend to me at the time I actually was allowed into the cities with Will. She introduced me to Elizabeth and showed me the wonders of technology. She had her own destiny though a quite large one in fact, being that she's a fifteen hundred year old witch.

I consider all off earth's supernatural creatures to be "Fair Born" for they all carry magic blood. Einstein, Galileo, Archimedes, Hercules and many others where "Fair Born." Will schooled me in all I should know about Earth's history, especially the earthen shifters who depend on the Moon's cycles.

The old review of Will's history lesson must have taken longer to review than I thought it would as I stand in front of the park. Trees, a lot of them pine, are everywhere. A small path leads through the park. I take a quick detour off the beaten trail and strip my clothes off. My bag materializes in face as I ready myself for my shift.

7: 7
7

My bones change position in my body flowing fluidly to where they would be if I was a wolf. Fur begins to sprout from my arms as my hands change and my palm becomes a leathery pads. My spine shutters as my tall grows in and I become full wolf. Kylár increases his size to some extent to his normal length and then almost a half to match me as I take off running.

My medallion seemed to have been made for my wolf more than my human form. It sits snug like a collar around my next buzzing like a bee. It doesn't move when I jump or bound or even leap. Kylár joins me at my side as we run through the park with vigor and elegance. Worries of my mind seem to dissipate and the freedom of running makes time pass faster and faster.

A seemingly large eagle passes over our head as It brushes against my mind. It's John, in form falling with his partner of mind. Rachel passes over next, soaring with John and their partners. Guardians of the sky, almost free of all ties the land has over them.

My legs soon become tired and I bring my self to shift. My body straightens itself as I go from walking on four feet to walking on two. Kylár runs ahead to scout as I gather my thoughts to bring my bag in front of me. It floats in front of me as if conjured by a sorcerer. I pull out my shorts from earlier and pull them on. My iPod buzzes and I pull it out. The time reads 7:11 a whole four hours sense I started running in the beginning.

Kylár trots up to me like a dog with Will behind him. Will shifts and his fur retracts and he becomes human again. His loincloth hangs loosely from his hips, strange as it is when ever I shift I can never retain my cloths and the just become shreds. I turn away as he changes into cloths. I pull out one of my shirts and throw it own as well.

I reach out with my mind towards the sky and instantaneously I find Rachel, John as well as Phillip all flying in the sky. I relay a message I had first given to Kylár earlier and tell them that I'm not running anymore. As I turn around something whistles near my left ear and I reach out expertly and grab the item.

In my hand is a wooden katana the edges blunt, meant for training. I swing the sword up to test the weight. Three illusionary Rameons' stand in front of me with flintlock pistols and large sabers. They maybe from Will's imagination but the images can still hurt me.

The first one thrust at me with his saber, while the second one fires his pistol off at me, and at the same time the third one swings his saber in a deadly arch towards my neck. I sidestep the thrust parry the swing and stop the bullet in the air with my mind crumbling it to dust in a second. I swing my sword low towards their knees and thrust upwardly toward the pistol in the second ones hand.

The force of the blow knocks the weapon out of his hand and into the woods. The first one favors his left leg I notice as he takes another swing at me. The third attempts to get behind me and strike my back. I back step the swing and whip my blade fast enough that a deadly whistle goes through the air. The blade strikes third in the neck with enough force to decapitate him.

I turn quickly and hop backwards just in the knick of time as another blade strikes where I was just standing. In the next three moves I disarm number two, lose my weapon to number one, and bash number ones head with a punch dagger. I drop the dagger and turn to the second one.

His fist hits me across the face, the ring on his hand draws blood and I go down. I roll to the left as I notice the others watching my progress. The man charges me and I side step him. I lift my leg up and kick him in his butt knocking him to the ground. I pounce on him throwing punches at his face before I even land.

One of his fists hit me in the stomach and the air in my lungs leaves me. I gasp and he strikes again punching my face drawing blood again. I draw my self into the fetal position as he rolls over. His roll begins to stop and I use the dying momentum to kick him in the gut.

With both feet the kick sends him flying into a bush. I roll on to my feet and brace myself for his next attack. It comes when he attempts to charge me again. Thinking quickly, three inched spikes raise from the ground, thirteen in total. Using all the mental force I have I throw them at him.

His body is flung back backwards from the force of it into a tree. The spikes continue to go though. I walk towards the tree and look behind it. The spikes all sit about a inch or two out of the bark of the tree. Will walks out heading towards the others with the wooden katana in his hands. He stabs it into the ground calling a break with the movement of his features. I walk towards the others and sit down on the ground.

Rachel hands me a Styrofoam container, I open it and take several bites of the burger. Adrenaline continues to flow with in me, sweat falls from my head and on to my lap. My bag appears before me and I grab a hand towel out of it and drop my iPod into it. The bag disappears and I wipe the sweat from my brow.

John stands up and walks to the katana and heaves it out of the ground. He twirls it around at first and then starts going through a series of complex swings and thrust. I hand the Styrofoam container over to Will and he begins to eat. After eating the burger my arms seem to weigh less and my legs don't feel like sludge. Rachel tosses me a bottle of water and I drink it quickly eager to start another sparring session. Will's duffel bag lays on the ground near him and I begin to pick through it. Two wooden throwing knives catch my eye as well as a wooden training sword. I grab the items determined to train with all three items.

John sees me and exchanges some words, "No powers, just the wood." I nod my head and put the knives into my holders. We both take up a stance and begin to circle each other. John's hands hold the blade tight and with experience. Calluses, I had not noticed before on his hands stand out to me.

He strikes first lunging with the blade outstretch toward my abdomen he serves the weapon up and I'm forced to back step. I thrust my blade towards his chest but fake it his blade is near his chest ready to block the hit that was suppose to be there but isn't. My blade cracks across his back not full strengthen but enough to leave a bruise.

He cries out and I falter, he knocks my legs out and steps on my sword hand. With his blade lowered towards my neck. I snatch one of the knives in the holster and lash out at his legs. He steps backwards but relieves my hand. I grab my other knife and jump up. We begin to circle again a snarl on his face. John's well train but not trained enough," Kylár thinks in my head.

I roll my arm back ready to throw one of the knives, but in instead run up a tree. Jumping from branch to branch stealthily. John slowly enters a crouch and searches the ground with his hand for my sword while still watching the trees. I watched him from my newest branch and was about to jump when a snap entered the clearing. I looked down and noticed a crack in the branch.

Snap! The branch goes as I jump through the air my sword hits my nose making it bleed. The ground comes faster than one would think and I hit it hard. I hear one of the smallest noise I have ever heard before. I look at my side and touch it ever so slowly. Its sticky and wet, which can only mean I'm bleeding. I jump up quickly as John's blade hits where I was laying, only to have my knee give out on me.

John looks at me large smirk on his face, which fades quickly as he sees the blood. I launch my self at him, surprise flows over his face as one of my knifes rests on his throat. "Dead," I say painful through gritted teeth. I stand up pushing most of my weight on my injured foot.

Everyone rushes towards us as we both stand again. I rip my shirt off and see a large gash across my ribs. John looks over and walks over to me. "I'll heal it if you want?" he says to me. I shake my head and Will tosses me a bottle of rubbing alcohol with a white shirt. I rip the shirt to long bandages. The wound goes from the third rib down from the start of the armpit and down till the second to last rib. The wound at it's widest is a inch and a half.

Rachel comes over and asks me the same question as John and I again shake my head, as my mouth is full of bandages. Kylár walks up and lifts his head and opens his mouth. I drop the bandages into his mouth and open the rubbing alcohol. With the cap off I empty the rest of the bottle on the wound. Kylár spits the bandages into my hand and I wrap the wound in them.

Will must have retrieved the weapons as he walks up with the duffel. "We do not heal everything when we train we take are most gruesome wound as long as it isn't broken bones and let our blood heal us and not rely on our special powers." Phillip nods his head with consent. If I have to I'll heal if I go into battle I think.

My nose has stopped its bleeding I notice when I pull out my iPod when going for a new shirt. I grab one as well as a bottle of water. The bottle floats from my hand. A bowl sits at my feet after all ready being created from earth. The plastic casing of the water evaporates filling the bowl with water. My other shirt shits casted out on the ground a couple of inches away from me. I grab it and rip the sleeve off it.

Using the sleeve as a rag I dip it in the water and start to clean the blood off my face. As I proceed with the washing another presence enters the clearing. I look towards where it's mind says its standing and see Amy. Ghost like she watches me watch her. I bring the rag to my face and clean off the rest off the blood.

"Time to go everyone," I say to the group. "Time to find you and the others Amy." I whisper to her ghost like form as I walk by it. John takes up the lead and we head toward the car. All of us needing a nice rest.

We head back into the quaint little town and book several motel rooms. John shares the room with us and takes the second bed. Will takes the first and I curl up near the door knowing in my mind Kylár's' doing the same thing. I know some where here, Amy waits for me and Aileen waits for Kylár.

8: 8
8

The highway stares at me as I drive, determined to see her in real life. I look down at the console and accelerate again watching the needle leave 100 and go to 120. John sleeps in the back with Rachel while Will and Phillip try to navigate. They seem to think I don't know what exits and routes to take. I'm a wolf for goodness sake, I know exactly which way to go at every time. My path for once stands clear to me.

Kylár's head is out the window, like a dogs usually would. He's not sticking it out for enjoyment though. He's watching the car that's been tailing us for the last hour. I look in the review mirror and see the black SUV still behind us. Will's noticed it but told me to keep driving for now and not to attack. He may have told me to behave as well but then again I wasn't paying attention.

Kylár's bark gets my attention and I look back. The SUV is closer than before. I look forward again and reach into my pocket and pullet out a jack. I twist the metal with my mind and it forms a circle. I put the circle on my middle finger and small spikes form on it. Now I'm armed, I think to Kylár he nods his head in agreement and strikes up a conversation with Will. I can hear their conversation in my mind but I stay out of it.

Up ahead I see a sign for a rest stop and I get ready to take the exit. We pull off the highway and off onto the small stretch to the rest stop. The SUV sticks behind us the whole way, whether their enemies or allies I don't care. We pull into a parking spot and I exit the car, barely even waiting for the engine to shut off.

The SUV stops in a spot behind the mustang. The cars hood is the first thing I see when I throw my first punch. The ring obeys my every thought and whim and a slim punch dagger leaves a small hole in the hood, but hits the gas line. As I pull my hand out the dagger contracts back to a ring and the first guy gets out of the vehicle.

He looks about twenty, but I know looks can be deceiving. The guy pulls out a pistol and brings it up to aim at me. "We don't want any trouble boy. We just want to know what the hale you and your friends are doing on are side of the border." he says to me the gun aimed at my chest. Will must be out of the car as I hear him yell to the guy.

Four more men get out of the SUV and each one of them armed. I can't help but smile, thinking to Kylár this is going to be easy. One of them reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wallet. He drops one end of it and tosses me the wallet.

It lands on the hood of the car and I look down to read what it says. There’s a badge on it and a name. Officer Bruno of the Canadian supernatural watch. John walks up to me and lays a hand on my shoulder. He sees the badge and laughs, I laugh as well. The guys in front of us give us a weird look and I toss the wallet back.

The ring contorts again and a thin dreamlike gladuis forms. The handle of the blade fits snug in my hand as I stab it into the ground. Phillip walks up next to me and starts speaking in French. I walk away determined to find a bathroom and a Pepsi.

When I get back from the rest stop it seems all conflict has been resolved. Will stands next to Phillip and tells a joke and they all break out laughing. A overwhelming urge comes to me and I lay down on the mustang. I pop my shirt off and lay it under my back. The medallion thrums and I touch it eager to enter a trance. Darkness I see before I come around...

A girl in black sits in front of a fifty-inch plasma, ps3 paddle in her hand and a knife sticking out of the floor board in front of her. A women outside screams out the girl's name, Evelyn. Evelyn stands up and pauses her game. She picks up the knife and opens the door of the room. Light floods in and I can finally see. A small bed sits in the corner of the room, a dresser at the end of it. A blue been bag chair sits in front of the TV and a book sits next to it. Other than these occupants the rooms bare.

A blond haired women walks into the room screaming at the girl again and again. “Have you done your homework yet Evelyn? Have you even bathed? The last time I saw you, you were wearing the same clothes as your wearing now."

Well Karen, maybe it's because all I have are five same colored sets of clothes, though this is the same set you saw me in last and it's starting to stink. So will you wash it for me?" The girl starts to pull off the shirt but Karen walks out of the room. Evelyn shuts the door and hits the light switch she turns around and sees me.

Who are you?" she says to me the knife in her hand gripped with vigor.

My names Ryan V'xajur or you can call me Ryan Malick or just Ryan." a ground-dragon crawls out from under the bed and sniffs me. It goes back under the bed and pulls out a green been bag chair and curls up in it.

So does that mean your Jasper's brother?" the mention of his name sends a thrill through me and I nod my head. "Well, your suppose to be dead according to Jasper so who are you really?"

Kylár forms near my feet and walks toward the dragon. His presence seems to have conformed that I'm Jasper's brother as Evelyn sits down. "Evelyn it's ok I thought Jasper was dead to before I saw him."

Eve, you can call me Eve Jasper does."

When did you last see Jasper, Eve?"

Last night why? Why are you like that? Solid yet wavering." her voice stammers out the last bit. As my brother comes through the only window in the room. His mind partner goes through first and then he follows. He walks up to her and settles down on the other side of the been bag. He looks at Eve and then for the first time in years he looks at me.

Kylár grows in size to his normal size and sits next to my leg. "Hi brother," I manage to say through gritted teeth. Jasper stares at me long and thoughtfully, questions appear in his eyes and he stands again. He reaches out to touch me but his hand goes through me. I feel my eyebrows raise as I question my form.

Jasper goes to speak as a sharp pain enters my side. I scream out in pain and he disappears along with Eve and the room. Darkness surrounds me the only comfort I have is Kylár's presence in my mind.

I Jolt up from my position on top of the car, Kylár's body warm against mine. A wooden training sword lays on top of my chest. I look around to see Rachel hoping around like a bunny on her feet a wooden sword in hand. Will's bag sits near the edge of the car and I slide off the hood. I look through it and find a bow. The end's of the bow are sharp but blunt, a quiver of arrows lay next to it.

I pull the quiver around my next, resting it on my back and nock a arrow. The sword I slide into my waistline and pull the bow's string back and release. Rachel blocks the first arrow and our battle begins. She charges me with the sword at her side. She stops just short of me and thrusts upward. I block the blow with bow but get caught unaware by her fist.

She hops backwards out of my range before I can strike. She's fast I'll give her that and sly but not enough. She steps forward and slashes at me. I step out of her range with the blade and slide under the blade. I nick her knees before I stand again. Twirling the bow about like a staff I motion to John for him to join us.

I toss him the sword and he snatches it out of the air. Rachel begins to circle me while John does the same. The earth underneath me is solid and firm. A small layer of dust like soil lays on top though to my advantage. Rachel strikes and then John, both of them strike at me from opposite sides. I back step and flip forward. Using my momentum from the flip I grab the blades and yank towards me.

Both of them stumble and Rachel falls. They both recover quickly though and begin flanking me again. The bow lays on the ground several meters behind me. A idea occurs in my head as I pull up the layer of dirt. It begins to swirl around me blocking their view of me. Using the earth below me, I form a pole of earth about six feet high. The pole sinks back into the ground and I step on the top of it. The top hits the ground and like it was spring-loaded it shoots me into the air over my cloud of dust and dirt and right to the bow.

The cloud dissipates and Rachel and John look befuddled. Until my arrow hits John in the leg and he screeches. He jumps into the air and back flips and turns facing me. Rachel hears his screech and turns as my arrow flies towards her. Seconds before it would hit she jumps flowing from human to bird, the air flies helplessly away from her in the other direction.

John pounces on me attempting to get the bow out of my hands. He throws a punch at me and hits me square on the jaw. My mind hits complete overdrive and I shove him off me using telekinesis. Rachel comes at me, her talons going for my face. I whip the bow up but feel a blow to my ribs. John has his sword in hand ready to swing again.

My mind answers all my questions that have been stirring in my mind as everything goes in slow mo to my senses. My chest convulses and my muscle and sinew ripples. I feel my legs tense and spring into action. In my heighten half wolf state my jump sends me farther up into the air than earlier. My body twists to avoid Rachel's talons and spins to avoid John's sword.

Time seems to speed up and I land rolling to take most of the impact away. Forty feet away stands John and hovers in the air Rachel. I look to the side of me and see Will, Phillip and the Canadians. I look toward Rachel ready to end this fight. Seeing concern in John's I rush towards them roaring. The roar puts them off balance while I bound towards them. Reaching and shifting my clawed hands out I grab both Rachel and john by the necks and bring them to the ground. Panting I say the one word that seems right at the time, "Dead."

9: 9
9

I let go of their necks and stand my torso ripples and my chest and head regains it's human look. One of the Canadians starts to clap but Will shushes him. My bag forms in the air in front of me and I grab towel. Wiping it against my fore arms and my chest i head towards Will after placing the bow and quiver into the bag.

My shirt laws on the hood of the mustang still and I grab it, pulling it over my head as I reach Will and the others. "Bravo kid, I haven't seen moves like that sense I met a elf. That elf couldn't even pull off most of the stuff I saw you and those two do."

The man that spoke has a long crispy white beard and is bald. He reaches his hand out to me as John and Rachel join me. I take it and begin to shake hands with him. The strength he puts behind it shows years of training in martial arts and many other earthen forms of technique. I apply more force to the shake and disbelieve flows over the man's face as my force increases. I hear something crack and I let go of his hand.

Throwing a cocky front about I say to him, "No elf or fair born can match my physical prowess. After all the mighty Willain V'xajur, trained me." a look of smugness comes over my face. A person's perception of you can real pertain to how they act around you and usually leads them to underestimating you depending on how you act.

I walk away and go to the car anxious to be on the move again. John and Rachel follow me, both of them seem eager to be out on the move as well. I may have thrown on a smug act but I am not at all happy how things are going today. Kylár speaks into my head quick and soft, "Will wants you to work on your lock picking." I look down at my feet for Kylár and see him snuggled up sleeping like usually. My mind calls forth my bag and I pull out my many different master locks, and go to town.

There is about forty locks each one with a different combination and different key. The first ten take me a couple of minutes, before they sit in a neat pile on my lap. The locks make almost like a chain, each one is hooked to its predecessor till the end of the now thirty. The dial flows in my hand turning back and forth. My ears listen for the click of the right number and soon my mind is inversed into the task at hand. After all the locks are finished I start crafting keys. Using the dirt on my soles of my feet I manage to make five different keys.

I look up to see Rachel and John doing a similar task as well but different for their unique powers. I turn my head back down and pick up a lock and key. The key goes into the lock and I probe the inside of the lock. As my m,ind makes mental notes of the crevasses of the lock dirt from the key fills in them. When I'm satisfied with my work I turn the key. To my satisfaction it clicks and open.

39 locks to go," I whisper under my breath. Will's explained this part of the exorcise to me many times. The probing of the lock helps me understand the making of it and allowing me to create smaller more complicated items that may be useful in battle. In other words as I always put it, my ability to concentrate and use earth for my will becomes easier.

I repeat the process over and over till all the locks are hooked together again. All five keys sit in my palm and a idea forms in my mind. The keys dissipate and leave a handful of dirt in my hand. The dirt moves and begins to make a spider like webbing on my palm. The dirt stiffens and begins to expand at a tremendous rate upwards. When the dirt stops moving a replica of a rose sits in my hand. The stem has a greenish brown color, the brown being more dominant in the situation.

The color of the rose is the most dramatic, little waves of red cover the petals making it seem there are more petals. The red covers up most of the brown but at most places you can see resentment of it. John looks over at me and sees my masterpiece of nature. He taps Rachel's arm and she looks ups. The rose seems to be living I notice as I spread my mind towards it.

Further exploration of the rose leads me to discover another mind in the car with us. I look towards its presence as I feel it fade away. Left in its wake is a series of numbers I recognize as a Canadian cell phone number. I pull my own phone out and turn it on. Though Will doesn't believe we should have cell phones he does realize the necessity of one.

I take a picture of the rose and type in the number and hit send. Rachel takes the flower from my hand and heads outside to plant it, I figure out. My phone buzzes in my pocket as Rachel finishes planting it. I pull it out and do my extremely complicated lock of 70 numbers. My fingers move quickly unlocking it and viewing my message that waits. It reads...

"It's sweet of you to send me that

Picture. I enjoyed watching you

Make that rose. Ig that means

I have to send you a picture :)

Amy"

My phone buzzes before i have a chance to respond to the message and a picture shows up. Amy's face looks at me. She’s holding Aileen in her arms and their both looking up into the phones camera. They both seem to be wet I determine from the hair and fur both being matted down. Another message awaits me at the bottom of the screen saying, "Don't message me back, Stephanie will freak."

I take the number and add it to my contacts. The picture I set as my background. Looking closely at it I notice something I didn't before. For one the picture was taken using telekinesis and for two, Amy is in a bikini. Kylár hops onto my lap and chuckles in my mind. Us being connected allows even our most intimate thoughts to be heard by each other.

It sucks on some levels I think to myself. I hear the door to the car open as Rachel gets back in. Will and Phillip gets in as well. Will takes the keys from John and starts up the car. Staring at the rose as another rose pops up and then another till they seem to form a shape. As we drive away I watch the young Canadian walk over to the roses looking at it through his eyes I see what I have made it say.

"V'xajur Roses" I laugh out loud and everyone turns to look at me. Quizzical looks on theirs faces make me feel shunned. I turn my face to the window and stare out of it again. I lock my phone and slide it into my pocket. Taking a sweatshirt from my bag I pull it on and settle in for Kylár's third favorite activity. The first two being fighting and hunting. Which makes the third sleeping.

My phone vibrating in my pocket and Kylár asking if I'm going to answer that wakes me up. Pulling it out on the screen shows ten text messages from Amy in the past five minutes. Unlocking the screen I read the first message. "Wru," looking at the screen takes me out of my slumber. Looking in front of me I see Phillip driving while Will sleeps in the passenger seat. Rachel and John are snuggled up together a blanket thrown over their twisted bodies. Looking outside the window I see a exit sign.

Opening her second text I see what it says, "Ryan, u awake?" The third reads just plain old Ryan with a question mark while the forth reads, "i can feel you getting closer to my location." the fifth one really catches my attention as I read it. "I think u getting closer to me is making my powers stronger. Stephanie had me do some training with her and I annihilated her with moves I've never had."

I respond to her saying, "what do you mean by moves you never had?" looking out the window I see its dark out and I ask Phillip a question, "What time is it?" His head nods towards the radio. Reading the clock on it I see it says 6:15. My phone buzzes as Kylár attempts to engage in a conversation with one of the eagles above. Looking at the screen I see a message with a video link attached to it. The message reads watch me. Pulling my phone up to my face and turning it sideways I hit play.

Amy's blond hair shows up on the screen as the video feed moves. Stephanie stands at the back of a clearing facing the phone. The phone moves and Amy steps toward Stephanie. Looking at the bottom of the screen I see it says Live and then they start.

Stephi stares at me with determination to beat the living pulp at me. Stephanie may be the earth name she took on but I still call her Stephi. She twirls her staff and I can't help but twirl my own. Charging forward Stephi swings her staff in a deadly arch. Ducking underneath it I let my instincts take over. My hands move forward striking Stephi in the stomach with the palm of my hand. My staff hits her ribs and we disengaged.

Knowing that Ryan's watching I feel as if I should show off a little. Twirling my staff faster and faster I slowly advance toward Stephi. She charges again this time more cautious. Faking left with my own weapon I strike right hitting her exposed arm. A whistle like noise enters the air as I propel myself into the air. Flipping over Stephi as her weapon comes crashing down on where I was. Bring my staff up I wrap it around her neck and whisper dead in her ear.

Again we take stances across from each other and we begin again. This time I strike first, throwing my staff like a spear but faster. My mind begins to work and my favorite weapons appear in front of me. Grabbing my sparring daggers I run toward Stephi. She must have picked up my staff I realize as it comes flying toward me. My daggers drop from my hands and my muscles begin to move.

As the staff flies over my head I watch with interest as Stephi begins her shift. It's slower than mine but still fast enough to only take a couple seconds. My legs begin to tense up as she finishes, jumping at her my hands begin to shift back and I pummel her with my human fists. Unaware she cries out in pain before retreating from me. My hands shift back to the dark blue fur the covers my whole body. Fur is something I can never figure out. Why some of our colors are so diverse. Stephi's fur is white and spotted.

My mind switches back to fight and I pounce again. Knocking Stephi down, I attack her with my claws. Slashing back and forth my claws make the air whistle. Yowling out in pain I know Stephi has submitted to me. Turning around I begin to walk to Aileen only to stop when a scent catches me. The wind is blowing down wind so the human scent I caught is to the north of us. My concentration falters and my phone drops out of the air. It almost hits the ground but Stephi must of caught it. Hovering above the ground, the camera now facing downward. Shifting my hand I hit the stop ending Ryan's feed.

The feed ends and a wave of discomfort come over me. Watching her fight makes me feel confident, knowing that shes my equal and possibly better than me sends a thrill through me. A worthy opponent and a worthy adversary. Thinking to Kylár I say, "I want to know who's stronger.. I wonder if it's her." he snickers at my last comment. Feeling my strength grow the more miles we cover invigorates me.

If I could run by myself to her it wouldn't take more than a hour or two possibly. Looking over at John and Rachel I can't help but wonder if we'll be like that. Hearing my stomach growl and not feeling like talking I reach out with my mind and enter Phillips mind. Which is unlike any I have ever been in...

10: Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten

Phillip's mind... such a strange place," Kylár thinks to me. Agreeing with him my mental avatar continues on farther into his head. Thoughts and phrases go flying by Kylár and me. Snatching one out of the air Kylár brings it to me. "Read this," he says to me, picking it up in my hands I read.

" Ryan is truly incredible, his physical prowess is amazing. I truly believe he could be one of them. One of the inner tribes of Weyn. Seeing his tattoos on his chest both Of them surprised me. Unless Will has ink from Weyn the boy is clearly not completely human. Even less with the tattoos does he even know that he wasn't born all the way..."

The thought zooms out of my hand before I can finish reading, I cant help but be confused. Not wanting to be in Philip's mind any longer I scream his name. His avatar appears seconds after. The avatar is clearly Philip at a younger age. The avatar's face seems angered by my presence. "What is it Ryan?" "I want to stop for food I'm hungry again." "Fine but wake the others this time."

Exiting his mind with Kylár I automatically feel better knowing that I know some more information about myself, whether or not if it’s good or not I don't know. Waking the others quickly we pull over at a rest stop. Not wanting greasy fast food I start striping clothes off. Hearing Rachel explain to the civilians that she and the others are bringing me to the best mental hospital in the state. Hearing John's laughter at her explanation makes me burst out in laughter as well.

Hitting the woods my body shifts and my shorts rip to pieces. I can't help but feel kind of sad for Will and the clothing bill he must deal with every month. Running is the only thing that makes me feel free. My worries have always been simple and small when I run. Like whether or not if I turn left I'll alert the deer I'm tracking. I feel a little like a simpleton. But I can never truly run for my problems are always there at the back of my head.

There's a greater picture out there and I happen to stare a leading role in it. Every thing is changing and I can't help but think is it changing for the better or the worst. I'm a teenager fighting against odds that don't seem fair. Then again I don't play fair either so that helps. Once a long time ago a man asked me if I wanted to be important. I had said yes like every little child and person on this planet. God knows that if I had a chance now I would have said no. Everything is so perplexing.

A scent catches my snout before I can continue sorting my thoughts out. Hoping over down trees and dead branches I begin stalking my prey. its a pack of mule deer, one of them a older female seems to be wounded on her left fore leg. Kylár who had been so quiet before this moment becomes aflutter. The scent of the deer is close maybe a mile away.

Their not the only scent I smell though, a small pack of wolves track them just as well. Though Kylár and I are faster, we do sometimes hunt with other wolves. Running with a pack even a small one like the one that tracks the deer is still a great experience.

Finding the wolves is easy enough for us that it takes only a couple of seconds, being accepted and able to work with them however is a little bit harder. First their alpha is a little intimidated by our size but begins to slowly agree. The wolves in the pack seem to be hungry and exhausted. Kylár still being young to the hunt compared to the pack leader.

We run as a unit and hunt as a unit even though we barely know each other. At first my size may make it seem like I would be clumsy but I run with pure grace. We soon find the mule deer and begin splitting into groups. Each group of wolves has a particular goal in mind. To divide the weak and elderly from the strong is my groups goal. Kylár having a different group links his mind with me completely.

The attack starts and Kylár's group rushes down the hill that the deer graze on. The deer takeoff heading straight for my groups direction when my bones twitch. A dart sticks in my side and my shift to human almost begins. Forcing it back my group takes off with out me. The dart makes me wobble as its effects start to work. My body fights it off quickly and I run to the others quickly gathering the strength in my legs read to pounce on one of the deer. Spring into the air as another dart flies at me hitting the dirt useless. My jaw opens to revealing what my maw has in abundance.

My teeth rip into the deer’s neck cutting its jugular and leaving it lying on the ground. Smiling, I take off again when I see a hunter walk out of the woods with a dart gun on me. Kylár has sneaked up on the man. Howling the man turns as Kylár pounces. The man hits the ground and is knocked out of conscience. Kylár drags him into the bush he emerged from and covers his scent with his own.

Laughing in my head I hear him say to me, "this man is going to need a shower." The entail onslaught of the deer has come to the end. Heading back to my own kill. I make note of how many deer that where fell. Four of the deer lay dead wolves feasting on each one. Ripping the leg off my own kill I begin my leave. Kylár rips through the fur of my kill and rips out one of the back straps. He follows me as we exit the hillside. Before we take off in a run to cook the food the alpha presents him to me. "Good Hunt." he howls at me and Kylár takes off.

Will's scent fills my nostrils as we head in his direction. Rachel and the others accompany him. Their not that far and are easy to find in my wolf form. Kylár stays by my side are minds still linked to perform maximum comfort. We move as one body, our paws move at the same moment. John's legs come in view ahead of me and I shift.

My bag forms in front of my face as soon as I stand up; pulling open the strings I grab a pair of shorts and pull them on. Hitting john on the head with the hoof of the leg as I walk out of the woods. Kylár trots next to me with the back strap in his mouth. Logs encircle a small fire pit. The fire is in circled by a tire on which a grill sits on. A frying pan with butter on it sits on top of the grill.

Pulling my knife from the holster on my calf I begin to skin the leg. Moving quick I cut the meat from the leg and slice it into smaller pieces. Tossing the steak looking pieces into the frying pan. Kylár being civilized and all drop the back straps on my lap. Cutting the meat into bite sized pieces; I toss it in as well. Will stands up and walks to the office of the rest stop.

Patting my pockets I find the bottle I'm looking for. Pulling it out I uncap the lid and drench the meat in the sauce. John stares at me with newfound excitement. Rachel converses with Phillip about Canadian politics as the food cooks.

John's mouth opens as he begins to talk, "So uh how long is this going to take to cook Ryan? I hope not to long, it smells delicious. Where did you learn to cook like this?" I can't help but smile at his question.

John I learned to cook from Native Americans. Will had us stay with them for years on end. Learning their culture and different ways of cooking." pulling my bag from the air near my feet I take out my wampum belt. He stares at it for a little bit before pulling out his phone.

He taps on the screen and hands his phone to me. A picture of a women and John has been brought up. "This is Mylene, she was my guardian. She was taken a month before I meant Rachel." tears fall from his eyes, " I had told her I wanted to move again before she was taken. She had said no because she still thought we were safe. I never told her I shifted in front of a video camera. She was taken when I was out with some friends. I know she’s still alive but I don't know where she is..." he wipes a tear from his face and looks down.

Looking back up he says to me, " I will kill every one of them is they hurt her." the look of pure rage that I've been know to show is on his face. He calms instantly as Will shows up with a bag of marshmallows.

Staring into the fire I flare it up, the flames engulf the pan and then retreat back to under the pan. The meat sits there cooked to perfection and ready to be eaten. Will hands out bowls to everyone and we take a share of the meat. Kylár puts his bowl on my lap and I fill it up with the bite-sized pieces. I see Rachel and John doing the same with their companions.

Setting the bowl down I tear into my own food. My thoughts whirl around my head as I come to full terms of John's story. It’s sad and I instantly know that Mylene isn't dead. No not at all they would use her to bait John. The faster we find Amy the faster we can begin the search for Mylene and eventually all the others.

They won't harm a hair on her head until we give them a reason to. A reflect on Rameon politics comes up in my head. The levels of the military operation are easy to understand. The have the foot soldiers on the very bottom. The elites follow them and then the few mages they might have. Then you get into the commanding officers and then it simply leads up two more steps. The various nobles who the tyrant leader of the race has put in control of some parts of the military. The last position is the tyrant or king second in command. Quite simple to understand if you ask me.

Stabbing a fork down in to my bowl, I gobble up the last piece of the delicious tasting venison. Looking up at the others I see only one other person finished eating. Phillip stares back at me, his eyes seem to be tearing me apart as if I was a puzzle and he was trying to solve it.

Such a character, that man," Kylár says in my mind. Our minds now are barely connected. Agreeing with him, I just shake my head. I feel as if I'm playing chess but I can only see half the board. The pieces around me are moving to fast than I can see and always calculating ten or twenty moves ahead of my simple six moves.