Sion
When I shifted into my lycan form it was easy…natural. My lycan always stood in the light, we ran in the sun, I knew the feeling of that beast. I understood it… it was me.
Shifting into this… this new foreign form… was anything but simple. I didn’t have control over it as my body began to change. I didn’t recognize this; it was as if its cold fingers gripped into me.
Pain.
Agony.
Sorrow.
Doubt.
Darkness.
Cold.
Unfeeling.
Hurt.
Loneliness.
Regret…
In waves it beat against me, as a shadow it encircled me. Like razor blades it cut into me bleeding out the light inside of me. The air was no longer fresh… it was thick and musty. Magma was rippling through my veins, and I fell to my knees. The world clouded over as the brightness receded.
Volcanic pressure raced through me, washing away my light. The sound of my bones cra.cking echoed in the air. I threw my head back and screamed as the agony usurped me. The quake of pain swarmed over me as the snapping continued. The tightness gripped my chest as I struggled for air against my straining throat walls.
I gasped in the stagnant environment that failed to bring me fresh oxygen. Whiteness consumed my knuckles, as the unrelenting torturous pain assaulted me. I swallowed down the scream that wanted to escape as a loud POPPING sound was heard.
I collapsed on the ground as the biting pain finally subsided. I squeezed my fingers together and my eyes widened. I had fingers! I glanced at my short black hair covering my arms and pushed up. I sat up on my knees and my heart stopped.
The world was gray. There was no sun. The grass was black, the sky was dark, and the trees were withered. It was death. Everything looked like death. Where was I?
I lifted my hand up to touch my face. My head was in the shape of my lycan but… nothing else was familiar.
I slowly stood up, the earth seeming farther away, as the monster I became stood erect. I stared at my clawed fingers and then looked over my body. I had on black chained shorts. I was shirtless and under the thin layer of black fur my abdominal muscles protruded.
I lifted my gaze over to see Reapus was standing there quietly observing me.
“What have—” I stopped and gasped. I spoke. I didn’t mind link… I spoke in a voice I didn’t recognize. It was a low gruffer voice… one of a beast. A shadow crept inside of me trying to snuff out the rest of my light.
No. Whatever this new power was… I was still in charge. I wasn’t going to be taken over.
A flicker of light began to spark inside of me. At the same time, the wind began to swirl around me, as I began to reclaim myself. I wouldn’t allow this to completely take over who I was. Black smoke swirled menacingly and through it the colors of the world flickered in and out.
Flashes of light erupted in the sky as lightning began to illuminate the world. The swirling smoke rapidly swam around me encompassing me in a funnel. Darkness hissed around me and bounced off my skin. The shadows seemed to groan around me as the light inside of me grew.
What started out as a flickering light was now burning bright. The glow reached my skin making the shadows hiss away. The darkness rampaged wildly around me like a tornado and I was in its eye. I felt like it was trying to swallow me up. I could feel a force pulling me back.
Something grabbed hold of me. A possessive strong pink energy wrapped around me like a rope. The gentle warmth caressed my skin as a smile reached my face. The bond may have cra.cked but it was still there.
Was she near? How was her energy reaching me? I was no longer being pulled down but up. I focused on the light, my angel. I concentrated on what used to be there… the bond. This was when the sunlight kissed my body.
It was so simple… Clover was my light. She was the one who could keep the darkness away. As I thought about her, I felt my body shifting and changing. Fingers were now paws, the fur was shaggier, I became slightly shorter and could still stand. This time… I looked less human and more lycan. I imagine this was the form of a lupine.
Then everything imploded. The light. The dark. It all went inside of me.
The grass was green again. The sky was blue, the river was full of life and on the move.
“Well… I’ll be damned. The moon bit.ch was right.”
I heard Reapus say as I panted, trying to catch my breath. I went to ask him something but this time I could only growl. In this form I couldn’t speak.
“I bet you are full of questions.” Reapus was analyzing me curiously, as if he was waiting on something. I could feel her light, but I couldn’t see her. It was like her energy came to me, knowing I needed it.
“Sion, you have accomplished… what shouldn’t be able to be done. You can now exist in both realms. The one of the living and of the dead. You will stand as Anubis in the spirit realm and among the living you will be a lupine.”
I growled at him, baring my teeth. You were going to keep me in the spirit realm?!
“I was under good authority that you would be able to exist in both realms… though I haven’t seen it happen for those who aren’t gods. It wasn’t worth worrying you about… you didn’t have a choice anyways. Either you would or you wouldn’t.” I watched as his lips curled upwards. “Of course, I see you had some help…” He cleared his throat and looked in the distance. “We will discuss that later. For now, let’s see what you can do. Can you do your job effectively here? It would be easier on the other side. In time, you should be able to master moving between the two realms seamlessly. That is, of course, if you…” He shook his head and took in a sharp breath of air. “Over there is a grudgeful spirit.”
I was angry but I kept it all hidden inside of me. I didn’t like the idea that I had just been played with. I was told I could live again and be with Clover. Now, it turns out that was only true if I managed to exist in both realms. I needed to know more. I died and this is now my price to pay.
I turned and stared at the gray looking child. As I did, the world around the kid began to flicker. In the realm of the living, it looked like a child but in the dark spirit realm it was a shadowy monster. A sense of ill will and resentment began to wash through me.
“You feel it Sion? The malice being projected. This child drowned in the river. He refused to journey with me so that he could see his mother once again. He waited for them to pay their respects… they never came. And this is what he turned into. A spirit that tries to drown anyone who goes for a swim.”
So why not take care of it? I mentally growled at him.
“Because that is not my job. I don’t collect the vengeful spirits. I only take the willing.” He turned and looked at me. “Dealing with the rest is your job.”
So, what am I supposed to do?
“That is up to you. You can either destroy him or save him IF you can…”
Destroy him? You mean obliterate his soul? No… he was just a child. He was—
“He isn’t anymore. He has killed and will kill again. You can see the beast beyond the child.”
I leaned forward so that I was on all fours instead of two feet. It still felt more natural this way. Plus, I would be faster. I eyed up the child and shook my head. How can I save him?
“IF. That is an if. You’ll have to beat the spirit to submission. Make him let go of his grudge. If he refuses, you have no choice but to destroy it or it will destroy you. And if it succeeds, it will eat your soul.”
I know the safest option would be for me to catch it off guard and kill it. That isn’t who I was though. The child was innocent and became corrupt. I wouldn’t feel right unless I did everything I could. I took a few steps towards the child and then heard Reapus’ voice.
“Oh, and Sion…”
I turned and looked at him.
“You’ll need to use that dark power you are fearing.”
His voice dropped and he looked at me with a stone face expression.
Another trick?
“None of it was ever a trick and neither is this. You can’t win without it. Sion… I didn’t kill you. Remember that. I gave you a chance to live again.” His voice was hard and bitter as he spat those words out. “You stand here because of me.”
I am under no one’s command but my own! I growled at him, and a faint smile reached his lips.
“That isn’t true though… is it?” I watched as his lips curled up more. “You are under HER command…”
Always…
Did he think that would upset me? I will openly admit it. For her, I will do anything. I don’t care who thinks it is wrong for an alpha to submit to his mate. I love her above all.
“I’m glad there is someone who can put you on a leash.” There was more in his tone than I cared to explore. It seemed that there was a weight there… another burden.
I turned away from Reapus and walked towards the kid. I needed to end this as fast as I could so I could get to Clover. I was still worried about her. Was she okay? What happened when she was taken? Did she meet up with the others?
As I approached, the child lifted his head. The little boys’ eyes connected with mine. At the same time, the world flickered, and I could see the red eyes of his beast. A guttural growl crept from the boy.
The child stood to face me. It knew. The body of the child morphed in and out between beast and child.
“I forgot to mention…” I heard Reapus yell. “No soul collector has ever been able to purify a tainted spirit.”
I know it was a warning for me to just destroy the spirit. If no one has done it before, then I would just have to be the first. I felt the energy building up inside of me, answering the threat that was growing. I took a threatening step forward and the grudgeful spirit froze. It looked like it was contemplating its next move.
At least… that is what I thought. Suddenly it lashed out. Its body whipped energy in the shape of a claw towards me. I managed to roll out of the way and back to my feet. The darkness inside of me began to seep out. Wisps of darkness protruded from me in response to the attack. As if it was insulted.
I dug my feet in the ground and sprinted towards the spirit. Like talons, the energy around me slashed at the monster. My own claws met with him. Upon impact, cold dread crept inside of me. The spirit’s feelings beginning to project into me. The dark energy began to wrap around the spirit, strangling the life out of him. It was trying to eradicate his existence.
I jumped back. This wasn’t what I wanted to do. I had to bring him back.
“Don’t retreat, Sion! The spirit must know there is no chance of winning. Only then will it relent and if not, you must destroy it.” Reapus yelled urgently.
This was just a child who lost his life unfairly. He was emotionally wounded and probably scared. He didn’t want to be this way. How could I get him to concede without killing him? If only there was a way to hold him within my grasp without him fighting back.
The grudgeful spirit wasted no time and quickly slammed into me. Its energy pinned me down as its body hovered over me. I didn’t want to obliterate his spirit, but I couldn’t lose either. I had to get back to Clover. As I thought about her, the sweet light of hers greeted me. Only the energy was stronger… it was near. It began to push the spirit away from my body and I felt her presence getting closer.
“Stop.” The sweetest voice in the world growled out. A pink cloud surrounded me, as it chained the spirit in its place. The spirit could no longer move. The pink cords acted like puppet strings attaching to every part of the spirit.
It was completely immobilized and, driven by instincts, I walked towards it. I kept my eyes locked with it as I came closer. The feelings coming from the spirit began to change. The malice started to fade and, in its place, sadness and pain. The monster flickered with the child still within. The grudge began to diminish as well as the monster.
The black wisps crawled around the pink ribbons that held the child in place. His eyes met with mine and I felt his humanity. The black energy swarmed around the child as if it was removing the impurities. A serene energy filled my insides as the swarming energy stopped. The child now looked normal.
“Thank you.” The boy said and the ropes around him fell. Reapus walked over quietly, with his outstretched hand. The boy reached out for him, the moment he touched Reapus’ hand, a white light glowed around him. As the light faded, so did the child.
I turned my head, to search for her. The voice of my angel, who had also helped save the boy’s spirit. Without her power, he wouldn’t have held still like that. In this new state of mine, I could see Clover’s energy. For there to be so much of it, she had to be close. My eyes scanned in the distance and there she was.
Standing there quietly watching me was my sun. Her blue pools met with mine and I watched as they began to well up with unshed tears. Was she afraid of me now? Disgusted with me now that I looked like this?
Suddenly, she ran towards me, as the tears began to flow from her eyes.
“SION!”