by Brandon Chen
The boy rushed over to one of them and pressed his fingers to their neck, feeling for a pulse. The person was asleep, as were the rest of the unconscious individuals in the room. Yuri slapped several of them, trying to force them to wake up, but they did not stir. What’s going on here? Are they in a coma?
Yuri gritted his teeth, noticing that Asmund was not amongst the sea of unmoving bodies. There’s no time. I need to find Asmund! He dashed up the stairs, making his way to Asmund’s room, where he hoped he would find his friend. Throwing open the door to the room, he was relieved to find Asmund unconscious on the floor. At least he was alive.
Yuri rushed to the noble’s side, shaking him roughly. “Asmund, come on! You need to get up, we’re running out of time! Otherwise—”
“My, my,” an unfamiliar voice called out. Yuri glanced over his shoulder and saw a swirling black mist drifting before the door. “A gallant friend has come to his poor friend’s rescue. How valiant of you.” Stepping from the haze of darkness was a bald man, wearing an ebony cloak that coiled around his body. A small, diamond tattoo gleamed upon his forehead, matching the color of his violet eyes.
The man held a flower that was on fire. The stranger admired the flower’s beauty, watching the flickering flames that danced upon its ruby petals. “I assume that since you’ve come here, you know of Beo. Did you know that he had such a prized possession?” he said, smiling.
“Who are you?” Yuri demanded, slowly rising to his feet. He unsheathed his sword and whirled it through the air, preparing to battle the mysterious man. But the stranger did not budge. Rather, he continued to gaze with awe at the beautiful flower, unfazed by Yuri’s brandished silver blade.
“This is a Phoenix Heart, and it is extremely rare, only found in the northern mountains of Escalon, where the frigid temperatures turn men into statues of ice,” the man spoke on, spinning the plant by its stem. “By eating this flower, a werewolf can regain their rationality. They won’t be like the other slobbering beasts that are out there in the Lower District. Instead, a werewolf could become like Faelen, intelligent. Incredible, isn’t it?”
Yuri’s eyes widened at the mention of Faelen. They know each other?
“Beo must’ve kept this flower for himself just in case he ever did become infected. How selfish of him,” the man said with a light chuckle. He turned his attention to Yuri and smiled, as if they were reunited old friends. “But you, you’re altruistic, aren’t you? After all, instead of running off to the docks like the rest of these fleeing pigs, you’re here to save a friend.”
“Tell me who you are and what you want,” Yuri repeated.
“I’m Junko,” the man said, bowing his head slightly. “I am a user of dark magic, and the temporary leader of an organization known as the Bounts. We intend to conquer the continent of Escalon. Satisfied?” He twirled the flower in his hand and snapped his fingers. “I don’t want or need anything else for now. I’m quite satisfied with how things are going.”
Yuri turned and saw that Asmund was beginning to stir, groaning as he leaned forward, his eyes squinted as if he had been sleeping for days. The man had undone whatever magical spell he had placed on the people of the mansion! He glanced back to Junko and saw that the man was now standing outside of the doorway, peering down the stairway. The cloaked stranger turned his head and gave Yuri a small smile. “But I cannot speak for the beast.”
Yuri watched as the man exploded into a cloud of black smoke, vanishing. The door to the mansion slammed open and terrified screams echoed from downstairs, followed by anguished cries of dolor. The beast? “Faelen,” he grumbled under his breath. He tapped Asmund. “Can you run?”
“Y-Yeah … what’s going on?” Asmund asked, pushing himself to his feet. “Why’s everyone—” His eyes suddenly bulged with fear as he stared at the doorway behind Yuri. He raised a trembling finger. “It’s the werewolf!” he cried out in fear, tears gleaming in his eyes.
Yuri spun around and saw that Faelen was charging straight at him, his fur coated in blood. He grunted as he instinctively threw himself out of the way, rolling to his feet across the room. Glancing back, he was shocked.
Faelen had sunk his teeth into Asmund’s neck. The boy’s body was completely limp, his eyes wide with confusion as he gawked at his friend. His body trembled, his face blanching white. “Yuri … I-I feel a bit … weird. Am I—” The werewolf tore his head away from the noble, causing the boy to crumple to the floor. The beast grinned at Yuri nefariously.
“Soon you will truly understand pain. Watch powerlessly as you lose your friend,” Faelen said, stepping to the side. “And then realize your insignificance in this cruel world.”
Yuri’s lips were quivering as he began to slowly move towards his friend. “Asmund? Are you—”
“Get away!” Asmund yelled suddenly, wrapping his arms around himself, gasping heavily. He glanced at Yuri, his eyes already a beastly red. Tears streaked down his cheeks as he bit his lower lip. “Something’s happening, I feel so angry. I can’t … control myself. Please … run!” he growled, suddenly letting out an agonizing scream as excruciating pain erupted throughout his body. He roared, his head abruptly snapping backward. His spine began to lengthen, twisting and elongating until the boy had stretched to seven feet in height. Dark brown fur sprouted from his skin as his hands turned into sharpened claws. His nose lengthened into a snout while his ears morphed into those similar to a dog. Baring his dagger-like fangs, Asmund now towered over Yuri as a werewolf, an untamed monster.
Yuri staggered backward towards the doorway, his hands quavering. He hesitated, waiting to see if Asmund would recognize him.
The beast let out a bellowing roar and shot forward with a burst of speed, dragging his claws across the wall, shredding off the wallpaper. The creature’s sharpened nails tore through the air at Yuri’s throat but he had already thrown himself backward, scrambling away.
Asmund leapt forward and swatted Yuri with the back of his hand, sending the boy tumbling down the stairway to the lower floor. The beast let out a victorious howl as he leapt from the second floor, descending upon Yuri, about to squash his former friend.
Yuri winced in pain, his head spinning. He caught a brief glimpse of the giant werewolf crashing down upon him. Yelping, he rolled away at the last moment, bumping into the corpse of one of Asmund’s slaughtered maids. His eyes widened when he realized that Faelen had already massacred everyone in the manor. The carnage was nauseating, but Yuri knew that he didn’t have time to feel sick. He had to escape from Asmund before he too became a corpse.
Asmund swiped his claws at his friend just as Yuri flipped over the maid’s cadaver, ripping the woman’s body apart with a single slash. The beast gnarred and continued forward, drool running down his jaw.
“Asmund, it’s me!” Yuri exclaimed, staggering to his feet. “Your friend—”
The werewolf did not heed Yuri’s words and stabbed his claws into Yuri’s stomach, sinking his sharp nails into the boy’s flesh. The young man gasped in agony as he was lifted into the air and slammed heavily into the ground, the wind forced from his lungs. Unbearable pain exploded through his diaphragm and tears twinkled in his eyes as he stared up in shock at the transformed noble that now towered over him. “P-Please … don’t do this,” Yuri gasped, wincing at the burning sensation that ripped through his stomach as Asmund’s claws dug deeper into his diaphragm.
Asmund looked at him for a long second before snapping downward, sinking his fangs into Yuri’s shoulder. The boy’s eyes widened at the insufferable pain that detonated throughout his body. It felt like his entire body was on fire. He gasped, barely able to choke out any noise from his quavering lips. I’m going to die here if I don’t—
Yuri wrapped his hands tightly around the grip of his sword, knowing what he had to do in order to survive. He closed his eyes, thrusting his silver blade into Asmund’s gut. The beast looked at the injured boy with wide eyes, groaning. The lethal wound began to smolder, sending wisps
of smoke into the air. Asmund choked painfully, sputtering some blood onto Yuri’s chest. The beast’s lips then curved into what might’ve been a smile before he rolled off the injured boy.
The entire house was silent except for the arduous pants of Yuri, who stared blankly at the ceiling. His shoulder and diaphragm ached, and to the boy’s horror, he watched as the wounds on his body began to close until they were no more than light scars on his skin. I’ve … been bitten. He pressed the back of his hand to his moist eyes, beginning to sob quietly to himself. Tonight, I’ve lost everything … my family, my best friend, my home, my city, and now … my humanity.
Faelen watched the boy from the second floor, snarling with satisfaction at Yuri’s despair. He leapt to the ground floor, landing heavily beside the exhausted boy’s body. “Worry not, boy. I’ll put an end to your misery, so that you’re not forced to become the nightmare that you fear. Consider this mercy.” The beast raised his claws into the air, licking his lips as he prepared to execute Yuri.
That was when another werewolf sprung through the mansion’s front door and tackled Faelen, sending the two beasts rolling across the foyer. The two monsters slashed at each other wildly with their claws, each attempting to claim the other’s life.
Faelen’s eyes narrowed when he recognized his opponent. “Beo.”
Yuri leaned forward slowly, staring at the newcomer in surprise. The werewolf looked similar to Asmund, with the same color fur and facial features. Beo was … a werewolf?
Beo stared at Asmund’s corpse, his eyes gleaming with grief. He then bared his fangs at Faelen, unleashing an enraged roar that shook the entire manor. “Yuri, run!” Beo ordered, planting his feet into the ground as he prepared to battle Faelen.
“Oh, my!” Junko’s voice echoed through the foyer as a black mist surged through the upper floors. The cloaked man materialized at the top of the stairway, grinning at Beo. “You’re a werewolf? Well, that’s a surprise. It would seem that I’ve been tricked! After all, who would expect a werewolf to despise his own kind so much? Faelen, you never mentioned that he was a werewolf.”
“I’m as surprised as you are,” Faelen grumbled. “His scent is that of a human, not a werewolf. I thought I was the last of my kind.”
Junko still held the Phoenix Heart in his hand and raised an eyebrow. “It seems that you’re tame, meaning that you’ve already eaten a flower in the past. Then who was this for?” he asked, twirling the flower.
“My son,” Beo snarled, glancing at Yuri from the corner of his eye. “What are you still doing here? I’ll fend them off. You need to run!”
“But I—”
“It doesn’t matter,” Beo said, flashing his sharpened claws as he shot forward towards Junko and Faelen. “Live on and return one day to reclaim this city!” he boomed, sinking his teeth into Faelen’s shoulder. The beast let out a ferocious howl as he tackled Beo, the two werewolves rolling on the floor as they hacked at each other with their claws.
Yuri, trembling at the ferocious battle, stole a final glance at Asmund’s corpse, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. He swallowed hard and nodded to himself, scrambling towards the door. I have to get out of here!
Junko burst into a cloud of black smoke, surging across the foyer. The man appeared at Yuri’s side, a wicked grin on his face as he reached for the boy’s throat. Then his eyes widened with surprise as Beo grabbed him by the ankle. “You’re that fast—” He was interrupted as the werewolf hurled the Bount straight through a wall, sending the cloaked man tumbling into the next room.
Yuri dashed off, glancing back at his best friend’s father, who bravely stood against two formidable opponents. But the man-beast did not seem fazed, and didn’t quiver as a terrified man would. It seemed that he had nothing left to lose.
Faelen clenched his jaw tightly, drool dripping down his chin onto the bloodstained floor as he trudged forward towards Beo, ready to tear the noble to shreds. Scrapes, gashes, and bloody wounds covered his body from his brief exchange with Beo.
Junko stepped through the hole in the broken wall, brushing some dust off his shoulder. His violet eyes gleamed and his smile was gone. Magic circled around his body, its color a combination of dark-purple infused with black, forming a misty cloud that surrounded the cloaked man. “Getting in our way is pointless. You’re hopelessly outmatched,” he declared.
Beo swallowed hard, his eyes flitting between his two opponents. He knew that the battle was hopeless, but he had to buy time for Yuri to escape. After all, it was the least that he could do after trying to kill the boy … his son’s best friend. Exhaling, the werewolf crossed his arms before his face, as if bracing himself for an oncoming storm. “I know. But the two of you are responsible for the destruction of this city and the infection of my son. What kind of a father would I be if I simply let you mongrels walk away unpunished?” he growled, smirking at Faelen’s injured body. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done here.”
***
Senna bit his lower lip, scanning the docks for any sight of Yuri. He was on the deck of the last boat in the harbor and had somehow managed to convince the captain that they were to wait for one last individual. But he knew that they couldn’t stay here long.
Archers and soldiers with pistols were on the deck, ready to fire at any werewolves that appeared. But so far, there was only silence. That was … until Senna spotted Yuri in the distance, sprinting towards them. The boy was running from the castle’s back entrance, clearly exhausted. Behind him were dozens of werewolves that hungrily rushed in the direction of the boat. However, their eyes weren’t on Yuri; they were focused on the people on the ship.
Senna watched as his men fired at the werewolves around Yuri, but the knight observantly noticed that the beasts were purposely not attacking the boy, who was now limping towards the ship. Instead, they scurried past him, charging towards the docks. “Take off,” the warrior commanded to the captain of the ship, his voice loud and full of authority.
“But the boy—” the captain began.
“Obey my orders!” Senna shouted and the captain nodded quickly as the ship prepared to take off. By the time Yuri finally stumbled onto the docks, the boat had already drifted from shore. Dozens of werewolves lay dead around him and the boy trembled.
Yuri was clutching his shoulder, gasping as he collapsed to his knees. His eyes were filled with despair. “Senna!” he yelled, panting as he felt scorching heat radiating throughout his body. It was as if all of his blood had been replaced with burning lava. “You’re leaving me?”
The knight stood on the quarterdeck, watching the boy pitifully from behind the wooden railing of the ship. He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Yuri, his expression devoid of emotion as he gazed down at the boy. The gun clicked as the knight pulled back the hammer with his thumb. “You’re not human anymore, are you?”
Yuri’s eyes widened. He extended one of his hands to Senna with a pleading gaze. But his irises had already started to turn red, the eyes of a werewolf. “Senna, stop! I—”
There was a final bang that shattered the night as a lead bullet smashed into Yuri’s chest, spraying his blood on the wooden docks. The boy’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body swaying back and then forward. Then he was falling off the platform and into the water, where he was swallowed by darkness.
Becoming a Beast
Yuri gasped, clutching his aching chest. He leaned forward, finding himself engulfed in blackness. Breathing heavily, he waited for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the dark. He recalled his last memory before he’d passed out. Senna had shot him.
The boy reached up and touched his face, which was somehow still human. Frowning, he skimmed his hand over his heart, where he had been shot, feeling the skin. The wound was gone, but such fast recovery would only be possible if he was a werewolf … and Asmund had bitten him. How was he still in control of himself? Was he still human? No, if he were he would’ve bled out long ago.
As his eyes slowly adap
ted to the dark, he began to make out shapes in the gloomy area. There were bars to his right. To his left was a pile of hay that was supposed to be a makeshift bed of sorts. So, he was jailed then, surrounded by walls of dark stone.
Yuri’s eyes narrowed when he spotted another man sitting on the ground across the cell, leaning his back against the wall, watching the boy. He licked his lips nervously. “Hello?”
“Good, you’re awake.”
“Archerus?”
“Yep.”
Yuri let out a sigh of relief, tapping his head back against the wall behind him. “Thank the gods. Where are we?”
“The royal jail. You were lucky that I had just arrived at the docks when you fell into the water. I saved you from drowning, but then Faelen arrived and had us thrown in here. Currently, he is reluctant to kill other werewolves, since he is so unused to seeing other members of his race. But who knows how long his affinity to other werewolves will last,” Archerus murmured. He smirked at Yuri’s surprised look. “Yes, I’m a werewolf too. I went home to find that one of the damned beasts had already murdered my wife. Unfortunately, the monster ended up infecting me as well. I didn’t have any silver on me, so my chances of escaping that situation unscathed were very slim.”
Yuri lowered his head. “I’m sorry,” he murmured quietly.
“Everyone lost loved ones tonight,” Archerus said, slowly pushing himself to his feet. He cracked his neck and turned to look at the iron bars that trapped them in the cell. “Now we have to focus on escaping Horux before Faelen changes his mind and decides to execute us. Since we’ve become werewolves, we have enhanced strength, meaning that there’s no way that a cell like this can hold us,” he said, tapping the iron bars with his index finger. “That probably means that he’s taken defensive measures to make sure that we can’t escape. I expect that there are dozens of werewolves surrounding the palace. Not to mention that as soon as we alert one of them, they’ll start howling like a pack of hounds. Faelen will come running in while we’re off battling a horde of werewolves and wouldn’t have any trouble finishing us off.