Feras kicked wildly. His arms cut through the water in deep, powerful strokes. Ajin was just behind him. Siras didn't bother trying to race the two werewolves. He told the others that he was too dense for the water, but everybody knew he couldn't swim. It was the one thing that Feras wouldn't let him forget.

Siras looked on as Ajin kicked faster. Feras began to slow. Ajin overtook him easily, and stood with his arms raised in victory.

"Someday I will beat you, Ajin. I almost had you this time." Feras grinned.
"You tire too quickly, Feras. You will need more than muscle to beat me!" Ajin laughed.

Siras stood in disgust.

"He gave up."

Feras' and Ajin's smiles faded. Siras pointed at his brother angrily.

"Once you saw how fast he was, you gave up entirely. You have no right to even speak after such a performance."
"Siras, please-" Ajin stepped forward.
"There's nothing I despise more than a werewolf using his weaknesses as an excuse for failure."

Feras' eyes were downcast and he trembled with rage, yet he silently endured his brother's abuse. Siras let his words sink in, and he turned his back on the two. Ajin put his hand on Feras' shoulder to comfort him.

"Yesterday's victory went to his head. Don't let him-"

Ajin's hand was slapped away as Feras stepped out of the water and followed his brother. Ajin shook his head and sat down at the edge of the water. Siras was too cruel. He could see that Feras was injured by his brother's words, yet there was nothing he could say to him. In a way, Ajin felt bad for him, but in the back of his mind he knew that Siras was right. Feras was weak, no matter how much he tried to make up for it with his physical strength.

Ajin's head turned quickly as he heard a distant cry. He jumped up and ran towards the sound, only to find his screaming older sister running towards him.

"What's wrong, Rei!? What's happening!?"

Rei collapsed in her younger brother's arms. Her nails were covered in bits of flesh, and her clothes were drenched with the blood of humans. Ajin could smell the blood of werewolves too. He immediately knew what was happening even without his sister's hysterical cries. Ajin held her by the shoulders, and shook her.

"Rei!! Listen closely!"

Rei's screams died down to choking sobs, but she looked into her brother's eyes and nodded.

"Stay here by the lake, and wait for me! Do you understand? If you see any humans, run and hide from them. I will come back to find you!"

Rei gripped her brother tightly in protest.

"No no no... don't go!!" She sobbed.

Ajin pulled away from his sister. He had to go and fight. It was his duty as an adult of the village.

Ajin kissed his sister on the forehead and left her sobbing quietly by herself.

-------------------------------------

The humans tore through the village, torching each home they came across. Leyon watched in terror as women and children ran out of their burning homes, only to be brutally slaughtered by the enemy. The men of the village were too busy protecting their families to even think about gathering as one to overrun the humans. Leyon was used to seeing some of his own kind fall on the battlefield, but even the great warrior was shaken by the brutality he was witnessing.

He had to do something. He had to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

Leyon rushed towards the onslaught. He brought his nails forward and ripped open two humans' throats. Swords came from out of nowhere, as he hurled himself into another group of humans setting fire to Ajin's home. One slash cleaved a man's face in two. Another left a man writhing in the dirt with his leg cut off at the knee.

Several werewolves came to his aid, and drove their nails through a few more men. Leyon looked around in terror. There were too many. He turned in time to see a sword coming in a downward chop. Without thinking, he slapped his hands together around the blade, and snapped the metal in half. He then buried the broken piece into the man's face.

The chain of a mace wrapped itself around his thumbnail and nearly tore it off. Leyon pulled, and the human pulled back. Leyon gripped the chain with his free hand and pulled hard. The man lurched forward and lost his grip. Leyon slammed his foot into the man's chest with such force, his legs lifted off the ground and he landed nearby three angry werewolf men.

As Leyon fumbled with the tangled mace, he felt something smash the back of his head. His knees buckled as he felt the shock of the blow travel down his spine. He touched the back of his head, and felt something sticky. He smelled his own blood. Something was standing over him, ready to deliver the final blow. He tried to stand, but the screams around him only confused him, and he fell over again.

"Leyon!!" He heard somebody cry.

It was Lavi. She lept onto the back of the man standing over him, and repeatedly stabbed the back of his head. He managed to throw her off, but as he staggered about, already dazed from the holes in his skull, he was easily impaled by several werewolf men.

"Are you all right!?" She yelled into his ear as she knelt by him.
"We are losing this battle." Leyon rasped.

Lavi looked around herself, and saw that they were indeed slowly losing. The sheer size of the invading army along with the confusion amongst the village ultimately led to their first defeat in over five-hundred years.

As Leyon stood in disbelief, a human stepped forward. He wasn't particularly large, but he wasn't small either. Leyon immediately knew that he was the commander of this army. His first impulse was to grab him by the throat and crush his windpipe and then split him open for all the humans to see, but he realized for the first time that he was in no position to do so.

The human made a short bow, always keeping his eyes trained on Leyon.

"I'll let you and yer kind live if ya come peacefully, werewolf." He said simply.

Leyon gritted his teeth, and nodded.


"If I may, I would like to know the name of the man who attacks us."
"Name's Sir Isaac. Now, please come with us."



to be continued....