The Embryos new cloths

They both looked at each other in silence, until Bill took a seat. " I would not concern myself, Wolf Cursed are not wolves. We terrify normal wolves; they will flee now that we're back in our human form."

Manley looked at the wolves, but none of them seem scared. He thought of speaking to them. "Wait, the hell!" Manley realized that the wolves were added to his animal companion group, but he didn't add them. "Hey Bill, this beast that we turn into, is it a different creature or are we dealing with a split personality situation."

"The beast and man are one in the same, we are the same in body and spirit. The shaman that made me as I am, said the beast is our minds way of dealing with the change. Longer we live with the curse, what was fractured will become whole again."

Manley didn't like the implication that his mind was fractured. "Bill, those wolves are female and not scared. Tell me your beast is a ladies' man!"

Bill looked over at Manley, shrugged and went back to trying to start the fire. "I am a married…I was…I am not, so the beast is much the same. Your fixation on sex must extend to your beast."

"Was that a joke? Also, if you had a skill that allowed you to talk to animals and you became an animal, you would share my concern." Manley looked around for his bag.

"If you believe yourself capable of speaking with animals, then it would explain your presence in the forest. I will no longer be concerned that friends will come looking for you."

"Bill, I am going to need some indication from you when you tell a joke. Hey, how did you turn into a wolf at will?" asked Manley.

Bill stood to walk over to his tent, then stopped. "Simple, I took a knife to my leg." He continued on his way without looking in Manley's direction.

"Fuck, this is going to hurt." Manley found his bag, searched through it but he brought no weapons with him. "Hey, Bill, let me borrow that knife real quick."

"What for? Know if you do what I think you will, that the beast may become violent. If we fight, I have things I would not want to lose."

"Bill, if we fight, I will win easily and you live in the woods, I will get you some new dirt and sticks." Manley reached his hand out for the knife, but Bill pulled it back then punched him in the face. Bill then placed the knife in his still outstretched hand and pat him on the back as he walked away.

Manley slowly dropped the knife, walked up to Bill who was now standing there with his arms cross.

"What are you going to do?" Bill stood there, hair in a ponytail, brown shirt, and jeans. He thought the boy needed to learn some manners. A forty-two-year-old man, taking smack from a child, a large child but still a child. He did his best to keep the beasts blood lust in check, but the boy was testing his nerves.

Manley said nothing, he wasn't even angry, he tripped, Bill snorted but he got back up and kept walking. As he got close to the man, he shot out his hand and released the dirt he picked up. Bill covered his face; Manley kicked him on the side of his head. As Bill recovered from the kick and stopped himself from falling, Manley then kicked his legs out from under him. Bill fell on his back but continued the momentum into a backwards roll, he got to his feet only to get tackled by Manley.

Down on the ground. Manley in a mounted position, was punching Bill repeatedly in the face with both hands. Bill did his best to block and throw the boy off him.

Critical Strike X9

Bills body started shifting and Manley kept punching. The wolf that was Bill, snaps its jaws at Manley's face, he back off to avoid it. The wolf was still trapped in Bills cloths, it grabbed the shirt with its teeth, and ripped it to shreds but the pants restricted its movement still. Manley seize the opportunity to jump and stomp on the wolf's leg, still in Bill's jeans.

The wolf yelped, flipped over, and ran out of the pants. It limped on three legs for five seconds then stood confidently on all four. Snarling it charged at Manley who was running away. The wolf jumped, as Manley dived for the ground. He escaped the charge, only to turn around and have the wolf barreling after him again.

Manley stuffed something in his pocket, grabbed the head, then kneed the wolf in the lower jaw but the weight of the creature still took him to the ground. Manley tried his best to keep the wolf from biting him by forcing its lower jaw up with his left hand. Reaching into his pocket with his right hand, Manley then stabbed the wolf in the throat with the knife he picked up in his dive earlier.

The wolf that was Bill had a small knife in its throat and was bleeding. Manley released the wolf's head only to get bitten. His right hand reached over to stop the bleeding on his left hand. The beast backed away trying to get the knife out of its throat. Manley could feel his anger trying to overwhelm him and he resisted.

MENTAL DEFENSE BASIC LV5 Gained

The wolf managed to get the knife out by shaking its head, splattering blood in the process. The blood loss did not slow it down as it charged Manley who was distracted with dealing with his emotions. As Manley was being charge, he leaped out of the way at the last minute and started taking off the cloths he recently put on. As soon as he was naked, he pulled back the mana that was preventing his transformation.

Manley now in wolf form, still had his mind but could not move properly as the other beast tackled him. He tried biting, but his reactions were slow and the other wolf clamped on to his snout. The pain of the bite and the other wolf constant head movements caused him to lose his struggle with the beast inside him.

MENTAL DEFENSE BASIC LV6 Gained

The wolf seized control over Manley's transformed body, which was in pain and continued the fight. It was able to overpower and get the other creature still clamped to its snout on its back. The wolf vigorously shook its head and neck until the other beast let go of its muzzle. It then clamped on to its neck and applied pressure. The beast that was Bill whimpered and surrendered.

Bill woke up naked and, on the ground, he rubbed his throat as he got up. He looked around spotting a giant wolf sleeping next to a smaller wolf in his tent. "Ha, to the winner go the spoils." The giant wolf turned to face him and something in him felt fear, he averted his gaze, and the giant wolf went back to its business as two other normal wolves lay nearby.

Bill felt free, the constant aggression assailing his mind had abated. He felt at peace, for the first in a long time. He just wanted to savor this moment because he didn't know how long it would last.

Bill spotted his bloody knife next to him and picked it up before walking away. He grabbed his pack, with his pack in one hand and his knife in the other, he strolled down to the stream. Bill first filled his water skins, after washing his hands down stream, washed himself, dry off and got dressed.

After getting back to his campsite, Bill went back to the fire, he picked up some firewood on the way and stacked it in the corner. He then got some smoked meat to snack on, he didn't want to bother with a fresh kill at the moment. At that moment, when Bill was at peace and calming his mind.

"Fucking shit, ahhhhh…" Manley who just regained his human form, was fuming.

TRAIT Gained

Blood Lust Gained

Blood Lust Heighten Aggression

Bill could feel the anger coming of him in waves. "How? You should not be that far along."

"What, far? What are you talking about? I don't have time for your shit," said Manley.

"We must speak to the shaman," said Bill. Manley approached him quickly and aggressively, Bill prepared for a fight.

Manley reached passed Bill and picked up his knife. "Oh yeah, well I am busy." Manley then stabbed himself in the leg. "Shit, that hurt." He pulled out the blade, blood welled up and started flowing from the wound. The pain triggered the intense emotions that come before the change and Manley both embraced and fought the feeling.

MENTAL DEFENSE BASIC LV7 Gained

Manley was able to maintain control, but he didn't transform, the knife wound closed up instead. He wiped the blood away to revealed undamaged skin below. Manley took the knife and stabbed himself again. His leg rippled and the wound was gone, out of frustration he stabbed himself several times in succession.

"What are you doing? The shaman can aid you; you must listen. Don't lose yourself in the madness, nothing good can come of it. Trust me boy," said Bill.

Manley ignored Bill, after punching several wholes in his own leg, he could feel the indescribable emotion welling up in him. He relished and resisted the feeling, but it felt like holding back a smile. He was fighting something that was a part of him. His mind raged, as if a million voices shouted soundlessly in his mind at once, he could feel them so strongly that he could almost hear the rumble. Then it was over, silent, peaceful but his rage, his blood lust was still there, just underneath the surface. He felt both agitated and at peace.

MENTAL DEFENSE ADVANCE LV1 Gained

MAGIC SKILL Gained

SHIFT LV1 Gained

Bill looked at the boy as he paused in his self-mutilation, and just stood there. "You sane boy?"

Manley slowly turned around, then looked at the knife in his hands. "I am fine, here." He tossed the knife over to Bill who caught it. "I have to—"

"You need to see the shaman," said Bill.

"Who?"

"A madman that…well it doesn't matter, what is important is that he knows more about this curse. Something is different about you; he may have answers."

Manley was now in control of the curse, but he was curious. "Hmm…okay, I just need to take a bath first."