Melinda

 

The air is thin but it was just enough for us to survive. I have travelled through realms that no human should travel.  Mortals are now an endangered species, to other beings we are like cockroaches just sneaking around to find what we can to survive. Our human bodies are abnormal to others, we contain enough strength to live in other realms other than our home Earth. My companions are Matthew and Kelis, they are the only humans that I know who are still alive. Inside I know there are more of us out there but Matthew doesn't seem to agree. He used to be the most positive person you would ever know but the loss of his family changed him completely.

 

Kelis is my younger sister, we used to have a brother until he was slaughtered along with Matthew's family. Matthew and I are the only ones who would remember them but she was too young. Kelis has a special gift that scares Matthew, but it keeps us safe. She is not like all the other beings or any human, she has magical powers that are used to keep us from being detected. To humans we call people like her witches or wizards, however to other beings people like Kelis are the most dangerous beings alive.

 

We currently live in a realm called Shrift, if you would call it living that is. The realm is the home to the Shape Shifters, they are demonic creatures. They were meant to be the investigators so to speak, testing everything new they find and do anything to make sense of how things work and why they exist.

 

I walked over to a seat in the middle of the room, this realm was similar to ours but we must always change our figures. Kelis also uses her magic to change our faces but not our voices, it drains a lot of her energy but it never seems to crack into her happy young self. Matthew came to sit next to me and sighed, I switched on the television to watch a show that I absolutely hated.

 

It was the documentary channel, which may as well be known as animal planet. The Shape Shifter hosting the show was explaining how dangerous mortals are, more vicious than a strong demon. Matthew placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it gently. "You need to head to the school here to keep an eye on Kelis." I nodded and turned over to Kelis crashed out on the lounge. I smiled down at her but fear ran through me, I looked down to the necklace my grandmother gave me and squeezed it within my palm.

 

"Matt, how long must we run?" I stared into his eyes and he wrapped his arms around me. He rubbed my back and cleared his throat.

 

"This is the only life we have now. It is scary but at least we have each other and still breathing."

 

"We have gone through three realms and have just made it out, Kelis needs to rest and be a young girl." he smiled. "And you need to be a young adult but for now, you need to be an educated teenager. You know that." I nodded and got to my feet switching off the program.

 

I shook Kelis gently and she frowned kicking me away. Matthew walked beside me and took her blanket off. She sat up and began to groan. "Come on sleepy head." I shook her again and she pushed me away. I went into my room that I shared with Kelis and start to find my clothes. Matthew walked into my room and also found some clothes for Kelis,

 

He quickly got dressed into a tuxedo we found in the house. The suit itself adjusted to his body as well as my dress did. He stroke a pose and gave me a seductive look. I began to laugh but Matt stood there without cracking a smile. He raised his brow and shimmied; how can he not break into laughter? Kelis ran in a dress similar to mine, her royal purple dress came below her knees but my navy blue dress fell above my knees.

 

"You guys ready? Kelis remember-" Kelis suddenly cut me off.

 

"Yes Mel, I get it. Find you straight away after school." I smiled and wrapped my arm around her, Matt knelt down to kiss Kelis's cheek. "See you after school Matt."

 

I watched Matthew's face change, his Asian-like brown eyes shifted into feline, sharp, golden eyes. His tanned skin slowly grew black fur and his teeth were sharpened. To everyone around here this look is normal but I sometimes grow fear. Kelis turned to me stroked my cheek, my light brown eyes were the same but my skin grew pink spots and my light tan skin turned bright yellow. I turned to the mirror and sighed. "Pink? Seriously Kelis?"

 

Kelis laughed and held her hand out to Matt and he hi-fived her. "No this is good, remember if you have the same colour all the time you know you will look suspicious." I rolled my eyes and grabbed Kelis's ear. I dragged her out of the door and Matthew kissed my forehead.

 

"See you after." Matt pulled out a piece of hair from my pony tail and I nodded.

 

Kelis pulled out my grip and ran for the front door. I ran after her and she quickly changed her face, she grew a fluffy tail with a dog like face. She quickly ran out our wooden door and I ran out with her slamming the door shut behind me. I tackled her down onto the ground that was covered with roses. The bricks on the road were painted with roses and the sun with in a shape of a seed. We got to our feet, continuing to laugh. A siren was suddenly called and Kelis looked up to me. "It's the princesses!"

 

I followed Kelis behind her and there was a flying carpet that had three women in cloaks surrounded by guards, the locals in the street bowed down and I too did the same. Kelis did the same as I did and waited for the royal sister to disappear to the end of the street. I got to my feet again and brushed the rose petals off my knees. They were heading towards the school, I began to walk along the path and Kelis was by my side.

 

Kelis held my hand and I gripped onto her tight. Once we made our way to the school, we found the students gossiping. "Kelis!" I jumped from the sound of my sister's name. A little boy with rings around his eyes ran to Kelis, she smiled and seemed to have realised who he was. She ran and hugged him. "How was your holidays?" he asked and Kelis groaned. I messed up her hair and she pushed me away.

 

"Could have been better, what about you?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders smiling.

 

"Same as you, did you hear that the princesses are making an announcement?" Kelis and I shook our heads. The boy looked up to me and held out his hand. "Sorry who are you?"

 

"Oh, I'm Kelis's sister Melinda. I'm guessing you’re a friend of hers?" I smiled shaking his hand.

 

"Benny, and I'm her boyfriend." I stopped shaking his hand and squeezed his hand. His eyes widened and I began to glare at him with my smile still placed on my face. He squealed a little and Kelis shook my arm. "I was joking."

 

I let go of his hand leaving it red. He frowned up to me and Kelis tugged onto his arm. They ran off with the other children she met last year. I watched all the students head inside. I could no longer move, my feet were stuck to the floor. It grew quiet quickly, sounds of children's laughter and teenagers gossiping vanished into the building. I watched the wooden doors slowly closing; eventually I began to walk to the doors and stopped it from sealing closed.

 

A young child ran across the hallways, opening and closing more doors. The  lockers were lined up against the wall. Some were decorated with graffiti, and a few had dints and mould. I walked through the school that had the scent of roses. Not really my favourite smell.  Not too far away I could hear a man presenting a speech with an applaud when he stopped. I walked towards the sound and found myself in the school hall.

 

The three women who sat on cushions that were laid on the floor were the princesses, they all looked similar. Kylie was the youngest, she looked human with a blue streak in her lime green hair. She was playing with it while her oldest sister Charlie coughed into the microphone, Charlie covered her mouth and looked embarrassed. Kylie held in laughter and was nudged by the middle child Cassie. They all were in a human form but all of them had a little navy blue highlights in their lime green hair.

 

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, today is the start of a new year for all of us. Most importantly you. My youngest sister Kylie will be joining this school, as her wish is to be an educated woman like you. I wish for all of you to treat her like one of your peers-" Charlie was cut off from everyone's cheers, I folded my arms and stood back. Kylie blushed and looked down to those who worship her.

 

She didn't look like she was confident in her participation to school. Charlie continued with her speech and soon sat down with her sisters. The principal walked onto the stage while applauding. He was in a shape of a bear with tentacles as arms. "Thank you Princess Charlie, and we all welcome you to the school Kylie. Now we also have a few new students as well so I would like all new students in the senior year to stay here, those in the mid-grade follow the path that starts from the door in the back. Then finally the young children follow me to the library, of course everyone else please head to your old roll call rooms. Your old teachers will be there awaiting for you."

 

Everyone got up from their seats and headed towards the places where they were meant to go and I went to take a seat. Charlie and Cassie hugged their younger sister and headed to the exit along with their security guards. Kylie came and sat alone away from all of the gossipers, staring at her and giggling. She then looked towards me and smiled. I waved and leaned back on my chair. A whole crowd surrounded her and began to ask questions. Kylie leaned forward to find me again and smiled again.

Matthew

I finally finished with all of my paper work and now would be a good time for me to just relax. Kelis is probably having a good first day, I am home now and my face has changed making me look like a pig with stripes and floppy ears.  I threw myself onto Mel's favourite lounge and I took off my shoes. There was a knock on my door and I frowned, no one really knows us. I opened up the door and no one was behind it, a platter of cookies were left on the door step. I picked them up and walked towards the road then looked around the street to find a group of young mothers giggling and blushing when I found them.

 

Politely I waved and it only seemed to make them more nervous, I turned to my door and locked it. The cookies smelt beautiful, unfortunately it reminded me a little of Mel and Kel's mother. She used to make cookies for us and I loved them very much. Our mothers would talk to each other so much, they were a little cold hearted to everyone but we loved them. My father died not so far off but Mel's seemed to replace him even though I barely saw him because he was divorced with Mel's mother.

 

We were close back then and now Melinda and Kelis is all I have now. I couldn't protect my family or theirs, so I must try to keep them safe at all times. I sat down and took a small bite from the cookies, I could tell they were freshly baked. The texture was soft and a little chewy, the chocolate chips melted in my mouth as soon as they touched my tongue. It was sweet and I couldn't help but to shove more into my mouth. I sat back down onto the lounge and switched on the channel, it felt like how it was back at home just filled with shape shifters.

 

I flicked through the channels and couldn't find anything to watch. I got up and went to Melinda's room, her room wasn't neat. Her clothes were lying on the floor along with her sneakers. Some of her old clothes were hung on the edge of her bed frame. Her bag was wide open and I decided to have a little snoop. Some CD's were hidden in between her old clothes back on Earth, I took a look at some of the albums. 'Lady Gaga', 'Beyoncé', 'Chris Brown', 'Rihanna' and 'Britney Spears' was place on top of her stack. I never knew she liked them, I continued to look through and found some of the CD's that were coated with more wrapping paper.

 

I took out the stack that was wrapped together and looked at the covers. These were her father's old CD's, he loved his old school and so did she. Normally when you see someone her age you'd expect all the things like the first albums I first saw. 'Earth, Wind and Fire', 'Bee Gees', 'Chaka Khan' and 'Michael Jackson' was their kind of style. I grabbed one of the albums and placed it into a stereo player. It played a song called 'Flashlight' by the Parliament. I smiled to the old school sounds, I shook my head and sat back down.

 

The funky tune set into my system and I started dancing stupid, I turned up the music and I continued dancing around the house. Suddenly I found myself dancing with our family, acting like no one was watching. My brother clicking his fingers to the beat with Melinda's father controlling the music. Melinda sitting beside her father shaking her head as her two siblings embarrassed her with their dance moves. My mother setting out some sausages and bread rolls, and I sat with Melinda as she leaned forward to kiss my cheek.

 

"I hope this never ends." she said to me, I looked back to our families. My brother and her father slowly faded and disappeared. Soon her brother vanished as well as my mother and her cooking. Kelis was left dancing as if her brother was still there, she hugged him tight with a bright smile. I turned back to Melinda laughing and smiling, the face I haven't seen in a long time.

 

"I thought it never would Mel." She looked into my eyes and continued to smile then faded away along with Kelis. I looked down and brushed my hair back then sighed. The next song began to play it was called 'Georgy Porgy' by Toto. Melinda appeared again and wore a dress she wore at her parent's wedding, she held her hand out and I took it. She smiled and hung her arms over my shoulders, I wrapped my arms around her and we swayed side to side.

 

She looked up to me and didn't have the smile she had before, it was like how she was back when she was with our families. "Take her and run." I frowned and she began to cry. "Wake up Matt, she's in trouble."

 

Melinda raised her voice and I woke up, she wasn't here. I walked around the house and turned off the stereo. She's in trouble? Who? Is it Melinda? Or Kelis? I grabbed my shoes and quickly put them on, I sprinted out the door without locking it. The neighbours watched me run along the street. Melinda and Kelis's school wasn't too far ahead, I ran faster and darted to the doors. I ran into the office doors and the office ladies jumped.

 

"I need to see Melinda and Kelis Bay, it is urgent."

 

"Sir, calm down. We cannot allow you to know their where about unless-" I chucked my wallet at her to show I am their care giver. The lady behind her was in a human form, with a pink streak along her fringe.

 

"What is the emergency?" she asked and I rolled my eyes.

 

"Please I need to see them right now." She frowned and walked into the principal's office. I groaned and ran into the school through the office. Children were playing in the courtyard and I found Kelis skipping on a rope with a young boy. I ran to her and she smiled running towards me. "Kel, where is your sister?"

 

She shrugged her shoulders and looked around the playground. "Last I saw, she was around there." she pointed towards an old oak tree. I leaned down and kissed her head.

 

"Come with me Kel, your sister may be in trouble." She ran with me and I found her alone, Mel was sketching on the back of her book without realising I was there. I grabbed hold of her and she jumped from how rough I held her. She gently rubbed my arms and she turned into her human form. I turned to Kelis, shocked as she stroked our arms. "Kelis, quickly change us back."

 

"Look." she pointed to the students who were all in a human form with a streak or highlights in their hair. "Think it is a new trend." she giggled.

 

Melinda grinned down to her then she brought her attention back to me. She walked closer to me and laid her head on my shoulder. "What happened Matt?" I shook against her, then she wrapped her arms around her. Kelis also did the same.

 

"Nothing, I thought something happened." Mel leaned towards my cheek and now I could feel her kiss. She stayed there for a little longer, then stroked my other cheek.

 

"We are fine Matt."

 

"Come home, please Mel." She laughed and turned to Kelis.

 

"Go play with your mate Kel." Melinda messed her hair and Kelis pushed her away. She then looked up to me for my approval and I nodded. The students around us were watching me make a huge unnecessary situation.

 

"I'll come home today, but tomorrow you can't do this." she held my hand and I nodded again. Melinda turned to pack up her things and we headed towards the office again. The office ladies ran towards us and pulled Melinda away from me.

 

"Stay away from her!"

 

"Hold on, I am sorry about him. I texted him, forgetting I had an appointment today." Melinda walked up to me and punched my shoulder. "I told you that I can have it another day. Didn't have to do it today." The office ladies looked to each other and slowly went back to their desks.

 

"Well mister Bay, please just let us know and we could have notified the teachers on duty." I scratched the back of my head and chuckled. Some of the ladies were winking at me which made me feel a little uncomfortable. "Please sign this."

 

I took the pen and signed my very old signature and wrapped my arm around Melinda's shoulders. "I'm sorry, I just panicked." They all nodded and we walked out of the office then towards the exit of the school. Melinda was shaking her head at me and laughed again. "I was scared okay, I didn't want you hurt."

 

"Look, I appreciate it but I never go without protection. Neither does Kelis."

 

"Yeah well sadly, you are the one who is more of risk to be tortured than the three of us." Melinda backed away from me and frowned. She grew silent and stared at the ground while we walked home. "I'm sorry it is the truth."

 

"Don't have to say it, I know I am not as strong as any of you." I grabbed her hand and pulled her back but she pulled away again. "Back off man."

 

I rolled my eyes, and chocked on my words. Melinda continued to walk home and I threw my arms in the air. "Women." I watched her walk towards the front door and she hesitated to walk inside. She slowly grabbed hold of the door and opened it, Melinda walked inside and suddenly I heard a scream but it wasn't Melinda's.

 

A woman ran out of the house with nothing but underwear, Melinda threw some clothes out of the door and glared at me. "Seriously?"

 

I stood still and couldn't speak, all I could do is make groaning noises and pointed to the woman running and the house then shrugging my shoulders. Melinda raised her brow then shook her head at me again. "Why!" I threw my arms again and massaged my head.

 

"Matthew! Why the hell is my stuff out of my room!"

Proteus

Children ran around me in nothing but shorts, the boys were on all fours tackling each other. I smiled and the youngest was nibbling on my shoes. This is my little nephew. Oddly looked just like me, had all of my features except my nose. His was small like a cherry, but my bridge was big. We both had dirty blond hair and blue eyes, our skin was fair and our strong jaw line were the same as well. He is very young, and couldn't speak yet.

 

There was a knock on the door and it was my mother with my sister carrying ingredients for roasts and salads. I walked over with my cousins and nephew following me. My nephew Zeus ran to my sister Brooklyn, she looked down to her nephew and smile. "How have you been Zeus? I haven't seen you for a while!" she picked him up and nuzzled her nose into his chest. He began to laugh and wave his hands back and forth.

 

My three cousins ran to my mother as she placed her groceries on the bench, Cooper, Sam and Leo hugged her from the behind. I walked away from the group and sat on the lounge. Brooklyn walked into the lounge room and set out a pile of books. I frowned and looked at the titles, I chuckled and shook my head. "Brook, those things are extinct I'm pretty sure."

 

Brooklyn held onto one of the books and showed me the cover. It was called 'The History of Mortalis', then she pointed to the picture with a mortal man on one knee while a mortal woman held onto her face. I couldn't tell if she was scared or happy, he held a box with something bright inside. "It doesn't say what this means, it is interesting don't you think?" I shrugged my shoulders and our mother walked into the room.

 

"Mortalis again Brooklyn?" Brooklyn nodded and showed her mother the same thing she showed me. She scratched her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think we will ever know what it means."

 

"But people from our past knew of this, as if they were there."

 

"It is possible they went to Mortalis, any being could enter there before the gates closed."

 

"Why did they close?"

 

"Actually they are opening them back up again, but it is only to pass through to go to war." Brooklyn looked to me and I nodded.

 

"You're going to war on Mortalis?" Brooklyn looked confused, I shook my head and looked up to my mother for approval. She then nodded her head and I took a deep breath.

 

"Travis is wanting to eliminate all of the realms in Chaos so then we know Anivilac will be peaceful for all eternity." Brooklyn didn't seem to agree with my statement. Travis is our alpha, the one who commands us all. There are only four alpha's in this realm, but the pack has been bigger than ever.

 

I got up and walked outside, Travis was at the end of the field. 'Proteus, you need to come with me.' I heard his voice in my head. I ran over to him and he turned away waiting for me to meet with him. He seemed to be a little troubled. I didn't say anything and waited for him to speak. "I went to Mortalis, it is just like how they are said. Filled with filth and nothing left but corpses rotting into nothing." I hesitated to speak and slowly processed what he said.

 

"Mortalis was said to be like this centuries ago, what is troubling you? This can't be it."

 

"The stories were true, in our home realm we are normal beings. We look just like mortals, here and there. Except their moon is like a beam of energy, much stronger than our moon."

 

"How is that possible?"

 

"Here we can shift into a monster whenever we wish, but over there a full moon forces us. Not even I can control my wrath, no matter how much I try. Proteus, it is dangerous for us all to go without trying to control this power first."

 

"No one has controlled it Travis, if you are going according to the stories past down. We can't be saved from the moon. That was why we were hunted by the mortals, they were a threat. Now that-"

 

"They weren't a threat Proteus, we were the ones who murdered and slaughtered their families. Our own ancestors joined with the realms to destroy the remains of human kind. All because our leaders were told that it was the right thing to do as mortals had too much freedom and found their way into other realms."

 

I shrugged my shoulders and sighed. "Don't underestimate the will of a human, they are stronger and wiser than you may think."

 

"Well they are all dead, it isn't like we will ever know the missing parts of history."

 

"No, there are more out there. If the stories were really true the stubbornness and will of their spirits won't give up there. Yes I believe there are more than what we assume." I watched Travis stare up to the moon and I did the same.

Melinda

I closed my eyes and sat in front of my mirror, I slowly opened them back up and I stroked my cheek looking closely for any changes. Praying that this would work, but nothing changed. I punched the mirror only for me to gain the pain as it stood there without a crack. I fell onto my back and groaned, finding Matthew with his arms folded. "Get out."

 

"You're not a witch Melinda, Kelis is gifted. Just like your brother-"

 

"Get out." He sighed and laid beside me, I stared up to the pink roses blooming in my room. "Pink, why pink?"

 

Matthew chuckled and looked over to me and I faced him. "You're not like them Melinda, you need to be very careful with the risks you make." I nodded and he rubbed my shoulder.

 

"The feeling of being hopeless isn't my thing Matt, Kelis is my sister. I was meant to protect her."

 

"Sometimes you can't do everything for us, you're will is strong but you can be a little unpredictable."

 

I laughed and shook my head. "Isn't that a good thing?"

 

"Not if your intentions are in the wrong."

 

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, then a siren came from out of nowhere. Matthew and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders, we walked towards our front door and the police vehicles sped down the streets. Some approached some of the local folk's houses and dragged them into their cars, Matthew held me close as we watched a hand full of families frightened of the sudden situation. Our neighbour ran over to us and looked back to the police officers. "Do you know what is going on?" she was dressed in a plumbing uniform and she was slender, she also was in a form of a human.

 

It was like it is a new thing, ever since the sisters came into the picture with a local school. "No, we just heard the siren." The neighbour nodded and we all watched the officers run back into their vehicles heading towards the school, followed by school busses half-filled with children. A police officer patrolling the area saw me.

 

"Matt." I gripped harder to his arm. He pulled me behind him and the officer human formed shifted into a large snake. His tail flung towards Matt but wrapped itself around my waist. "Matthew!" I was pulled towards the snake and he covered my mouth. Matthew ran after me as I began to suffocate in the grip of the Shape Shifter. No I can't suffocate, Shape Shifters don't breathe. They are going to find out, I can't pass out! I can't.

Vasuman

I glided through the skies and made my way to the Garden of Eden, behind me were my warriors Tyson and Hadyn. They are very loyal to me, and were the best of my kind. Tyson couldn't glide, instead travelled under the crust of Gaia. We were travelling to the most ancient and prized location in this realm, that I prefer not to enter. 'Eden', all mixed with earth, wind, fire and water in one. It is so precious, we have to be careful with our surroundings. "Vasuman, do you know what is going on?"

 

Hadyn turned to me and I shook my head. "It must be important if we were summoned." He nodded and from the distance I saw three little figures down on land sprinting through the trees and mountains. A large gust pushed us, giving us a little boost into our speed. Hadyn spun around in circles losing control of his gliding skills. I turned back to find three more transparent beings.  Hadyn became a little startled and I rolled my eyes.

 

"Why hello Vasuman, you were called too?" one of the beings slowly appeared in a solid form. "This seems serious." It was Aura, she is the Goddess of the Air. The wisest out of all elementals. She pointed towards the ocean as a tsunami rolled along the land, causing trees to tumble over.

 

"We were all called." I began to worry. Normally it would only be one of us summoned to the garden, but this time all of the gods were called. More mountains began to form beneath us and I watched as Tyson slowly formed some of the mountains into active volcanoes. Aura flew faster and I tried to keep us but she was too fast, Hadyn finally controlled his flight but we were almost there anyway. A large sphere formed around the garden, we all then met at the entrance of the gates to Eden. "Anat, Demeter." I bowed down to the two other Goddesses. Anat is the Goddess of Water, she is in a form of a mermaid. Contained in a bubble filled with water, her two followers was a serpent and the other was an octopus.

 

Demeter wore nothing but a short dress made out of daisies and roses. Ivy was wrapped around her arms and legs with sunflowers formed into a crown. Her followers were in the form of a wolf and the other was a falcon. They all smiled and greeted Hadyn, I waited for Tyson but he was nowhere to be found. Finally he erupted out of nowhere and was in the form of a salamander. "Shall we enter?" Demeter asked and all of us nodded. As soon as we arrived into the garden, all of our powers were taken from us and were now in the form of a Mortal. We found the tree of life and each picked a fruit from the tree. It had the colour of silver, inside was like pure white. It had the texture of a pear but the taste of a mixture of mango and rock melon. I haven't tasted this for a long time, I couldn't wait to eat the fruit. We all knelt down to the tree and bowed our heads. "Our commander, the Tree of Life. You have summoned us all here today, we will all eat from your cherished tree and announce our existence is under your command." Demeter nodded to Aura and then closed her eyes.

 

"I Goddess Aura, announce my guardians and my wisdom is under your command." Aura and the other two Elementals bit into the fruit and a light glow formed around them. They once again bowed their heads and placed the remains of the fruit on top of the Tree's roots.

 

"I Goddess Anat, announce my creators and my beauty is under your command." Anat ate from the fruit as well and placed the fruit on the roots, like Aura.

 

"I God Vasuman, announce my warriors and my destruction is under your command." We all did the same and it was Demeter left.

 

"I Goddess Demeter, announce my protectors and my life is under your command." The tree then shined brightly, stinging our eyes with its light. We all stood up and there was voice within the tree.

 

"My servants, we have a terrible crisis on our hands. A siren has been sounded, this siren was never meant to be heard. One of our allies has disturbed the peace we created centuries ago, if this siren has been heard Chaos would surely have heard this." We all looked at each other in shock, Aura covered her mouth in fear and shook her head.

 

"That is impossible, none of our allies would have done this on purpose. It would have only been the werewolves, surely it would have." Demeter cried and we waited for the Tree to speak again.

 

"I unfortunately have another quest for you all, for now Gaia is no longer in your concern. The lives of our people and the werewolves are in danger, we need to seal the doors to Mortalis before any further action is taken." I took a step forward in confusion.

 

"Those gates can only be closed by the blood of a human, we eliminated the remains of the race. We have no other choice." The others knew I was right, they were all filled with fear.

 

"That is why I need one of you to take a living being into Mortalis, Aura this is your quest. Find worthy warriors who can live within the atmosphere of Mortalis, any of our Allies will do and once you have completed your duty come back to Gaia and protect it until you can no longer live. Demeter and Anat collect all of the people in the realm and bring them here. Vasuman, you are very important. Take your best warriors and make sure nothing but werewolf, elemental or angel comes through the crack." We all nodded and bowed down to the Tree of Life. "I wish you luck, we may not be able to see each other if war begins."

 

"That is impossible, none of our allies would have done this on purpose. It would have only been the werewolves, surely it would have." Demeter cried and we waited for the Tree to speak again.

 

"I unfortunately have another quest for you all, for now Gaia is no longer in your concern. The lives of our people and the werewolves are in danger, we need to seal the doors to Mortalis before any further action is taken." I took a step forward in confusion.

 

"Those gates can only be closed by the blood of a human, we eliminated the remains of the race. We have no other choice." The others knew I was right, they were all filled with fear.

 

"That is why I need one of you to take a living being into Mortalis, Aura this is your quest. Find worthy warriors who can live within the atmosphere of Mortalis, any of our Allies will do and once you have completed your duty come back to Gaia and protect it until you can no longer live. Demeter and Anat collect all of the people in the realm and bring them here. Vasuman, you are very important. Take your best warriors and make sure nothing in but werewolf, elemental or angel comes through the crack." We all nodded and bowed down to the Tree of Life. "I wish you luck, we may not be able to see each other if war begins."

Proteus

 

My family sat on the table while my sisters placed plates, knives and forks on the table. Cooper hopped up and down on the seat and I put my hand on his shoulder, shaking my head. "Aunty Kim, how many worlds are there?" Sam asked. I looked over to my mother Kimberly, she smiled while she dished out the food.

 

"There are a few out there Sammy, we only know of a few but who knows there may be more. How many do you know?"

 

"Gaia, Heaven, Sliterum and our home Anivilac." Leo blurted out.

 

"I want to go to Gaia to meet the Goddesses of the Elementals, have you ever met one Aunty Kim?" Sam asked and Kimberly shook her head.

 

"Hey how about Mortalis?" Brooklyn smiled and looked around the table. The young ones scratched their heads, they all looked to Kimberly to explain and she sighed. Once she placed the plates in front of every seat she took a deep breath.

 

"Mortalis is no longer a realm any more, it is a waste land." Brooklyn frowned and waited for her to continue. "There are ten realms we know of, the four we all know. Gaia, Heaven, Sliterum and Anivilac but there are six more. We are all enemies to the five realms but Mortalis was created right in between of our realms, it was like a bridge to walk through to reach the others. The other realms are called Shrift, Hell, Vlory, Limbo and the Abyss. Once we were civil with each other until our commander wanted a treaty, now all of them are signed with either blood or simple promise.

But Mortalis was the treaty, our ancestors placed a piece of their powers onto the world. For example Gaia gave their habitat, Heaven gave bodies mixed with Sliterum's ability to form souls. Then we  gave them evolution. During the time they were Immortal, the first creations were named Adam and Eve. Named after the two higher beings who command our Lord."

 

I looked down to the three boys who have barely eaten, Kimberly stopped and began to eat. "I don't get it, a world with just our realms and now it is a waste land?" Brooklyn tried to seek more information but Kimberly continued to eat.

 

"Not only our realms signed the treaty, the others did as well. Hell brought Chaos into the world, Vlory changed them into mortal which caused them to be able to die. It was like the mortals were their source of food to get stronger which led to addiction, the Shape Shifters cloaked them with the ability to sneak into each realms without anyone noticing. This started to become out of control and the Abyss caused them to be vulnerable, filled with fear and couldn't be controlled." I began to cut into my vegetables and shoved it down my throat, it became very quiet and I didn't realise that everyone was waiting for me to continue.

 

"Mortals are freaks of nature, to them we were strangers but they were the strangers. Soon they learned about us all and as time passed we all visited the Mortals, the only problem was. They were afraid of how different we were, so instead of learning about us, they hunted us."

 

"So they are killers?" Sam asked and I nodded.

 

"We are lucky to be alive today." I smiled and we all continued to eat but Brooklyn seemed a little confused still.

 

"We are lucky to be alive, but we took part in slaughtering families who weren't given the chance to learn more." I threw my plate across the room with the food spilt on the floor. Brooklyn stood up and growled at me, I did the same.

 

"You two stop it!" Kimberly growled and my sisters grabbed the boys and took them to another room. Suddenly the front door swung open and Travis ran in followed by his pack, I looked over and we stood there in silence. Travis walked in without permission and the whole pack followed. My best friend Sunotics stood by my side and he seemed a little nervous, my twin brother Benjamin stood with Travis and then sat at the dining table.

 

He turned to Kimberly then greeted her. "Mother, if we may. Can we please use this room, it is very urgent." she nodded then kissed his forehead. She wrapped her arm around Brooklyn and took themselves out of the room. The last two members entered the room and sat along with Benjamin. Travis sat at the end of the table and Sunotics and I did the same.

 

"We have a visitor, may they enter your home Proteus?" Travis asked.

 

"Of course." The door slightly opened then closed, there was no one to be seen. I waited for them to reveal themselves but Travis looked towards the empty seats. Three wooden chairs were pulled back and the table cloth was scrunched up a little.

 

"Thank you Proteus, we are all pleased to meet you." I squinted to find a young woman who you could barely see, she had dark hair and dark eyes. Her skin was pale and I couldn't tell what her expression was like, the two others were harder to see. It was like three ghosts entered my house.

 

"As I am for you." I looked towards Travis and he smiled.

 

"Please Aura, continue your message." Travis gestured and I frowned. Aura? The Aura? Goddess of Air?

 

"Thank you Travis, we have come to deliver not a message but a quest for a willing warrior of your kind to enter Mortalis." We all looked towards Travis and he seemed a little uneasy. "The gates have been opened by one of our allies, however we do not know who that may be. From this, a siren has alerted all of the realms. Now we all know this gate can only be opened from our side, that means the siren may have triggered a warning to the other realms. Causing them to think we are going for war, this is the opposite of what we want."

 

I watched Travis's reaction and I could hear his heartbeat fastened. "So what is this quest you are offering?" Sunotics asked.

 

"I am not reassured enough to believe that one of your kind will be able to make it through the gates. Your bloodlines are part of the Mortals, meaning you will be able to sneak through each realm. We need a Mortal, to close the gates once again." Aura leaned forward and we all looked at each other.

 

"A Mortal? They are long gone my Goddess, they were all destroyed a long time ago. Beside why a Mortal?" The youngest of the pack rubbed his chin and we all turned to him confused.

 

"The gates are made out of Mortal souls, only Mortal blood can close it." Travis announced, we all nodded and turned back to Aura.

 

"We need a leader, someone the others will listen to. Someone who knows about the other realms and someone to deliver the Mortal." Aura requested and we all agreed with her. Travis sighed and turned to me.

 

"I will deliver the three to you before midnight Aura, for now I would like to discuss this with my pack." Aura and the two invisible Elementals stood up and walked outside.

 

Travis waited for a few minutes after they left and he started growling, I shook my head. "They are shutting our opportunity for us, we can't let this happen to us."

 

"Maybe there is something more to this Travis, it may be safe for the gates to keep closed." Benjamin put in his opinion, Travis leaped across the table and grabbed his throat and slammed him against the wall. Travis flashed his razor sharp teeth at my brother and I got up but Sunotics held me back.

 

"Travis, your plan didn't work let's just fix this problem now." I growled.

 

"No, this can work to our advantage." Travis backed away from Benjamin as tried to catch his breath. "Proteus, I am sending you. Choose your two companions wisely. When you do go past Mortalis, I want you to slaughter the leaders of each realm, along with every Mortal so then the gates will surely never close."

 

We all turned to each other in shock. "Are you going insane Travis, this will cause a bigger war than what you are bargaining for." Sunotics plead, Travis grinned psychotically. He walked over to me and I hesitated to speak, I could no longer look into his eyes. Travis was using his Alpha instincts to cower me away, I bowed down to him and he chuckled. Sunotics tried to pull me up but he did the same to him.

 

"You two will do as I say, I don't want any of you to bring back any Mortals. Wait for us to meet you on the other side."

 

"If you're like this, why not leave it to the other packs. Surely they will go!" Benjamin told him and Travis growled again.

 

"Because the others will do as they're told, instead of eliminating the threat. They think this realm is safe enough. No, there will be a day when those filthy creatures will break through the gates and slaughter our children. I seek eternal peace, and this is the only way. I trust you will do as I say Proteus." I shook on my knees then I finally nodded. "Say It!" He yelled at me.

 

"Yes Alpha!" I yelled back, I looked up to him and he grinned again.

 

"Good."

 

 

 

Matthew

I sat in a wooden chair, nothing but a little ceiling light. Swinging from side to side, like a typical torture room. It was blurry, I could only see a child laid on the floor on the other side of the room. As soon as my vision fixed on the child, I realised it was Kelis. Blood streamed down her head and I tried to get up but realised I was bonded to a chair, suddenly I heard something drop, it came from a window. Shape Shifting teenagers were there holding notebooks and taking down some notes, I heard a door unlock and I saw a man in a lab jacket. He pushed a cart over to me that was holding needles and blades. I tried my best to break from my bonds but it was no use.

 

"Class, this here is what we call a 'Mortal'." He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at the teenagers. Some of the females jumped, as if he was a professional handling a beast. "They are very rare children, this one is like me. He is fully grown like an average adult. I'd say he would be around three thousand years old, we don't know the life span of a Mortal."

 

"Twenty six, thank you very much." The man wiped me with his plastic glove and I watched the teenagers taking down notes.

 

"It talks sir?" one of the students asked and I grinned.

 

"Yes but it has no idea what it is saying, for you class I would like you to name him." the professor walked over to the window and the teenagers talked amongst each other. I frowned and turned back to Kelis, I tried using my feet but they were secured in a heavy container.

 

Names were thrown at the professor, some like Jayden, Koby, Gregory, Dallas, Peter. "Sir, can we see the Mortal?"

 

"No not this one, but its child you can. It is currently unconscious, it is laying right here. I will warn you though, we don't know what it is capable of when it wakes up. So I suggest you give it some distance if it wakes up." The professor gestures the guards so then they could walk into the room. Some of the young boys began poking Kelis in her sleep.

 

"Leave her alone!" I yelled at them, the girls jumped and they all began to clap.

 

"Hey Mortal, is that your name?" one of the students snapped his fingers. "Is-That-Your-Name?"

 

"No, it is not my name. Why? Is Shape Shifter your name?" I snarled and they all began to laugh, some took down more notes. "My name is Matthew, now leave her alone."

 

They all nodded in interest and one of the students grabbed a needle and stabbed it into my leg. I flinched and groaned as she began to inject purple ooze into me. They began to study me as I started to hallucinate, the room turned into the field. I was no longer in a chair and instead I sat on a tree stump, Melinda and Kelis were picking Dandelions from the field. The sky was dark but I could see every detail of the field and the girls clearly. Kelis ran towards me and wrapped her arms around me. "Are you okay Matt?" I clung onto her and kissed her forehead.

 

I couldn't feel her, it was like a dream. "I'm fine, are you Kelis?" I asked and she nodded. She snuggled against me and hid her face on my chest. I looked out to the field again, Melinda walked towards us but she was followed by a wave of water. It surrounded her and rose to the sky. "Melinda!"

 

"Take her and run!" I got up and began to run towards her. Suddenly the water crashed down onto her and I got hit by the impact. Kelis grabbed hold of my hand and surrounded us with a shield, I was still dazed. As if that was the only thing that I could feel. Melinda's screams echoed in my head. "Wake up Matt! She is in trouble!"

 

I woke up to find myself back in the room surrounded by students, they were still taking down notes. The professor strapped down Kelis to a chair on the other side of the room still unconscious. He also injected the same substance into her, I tried to break through the bonds but still nothing. I felt so helpless, Kelis sat there and I couldn't do anything to help her. One of the students plucked a piece of hair off my head and I tried to shout but something filled my mouth, it didn't feel dry. It was more as if I had a mouthful of jelly and almost choking on the substance.

 

My efforts of spitting it out didn't help either, instead it grew bigger inside my mouth. Kelis finally woke up but she was delusional, she began to scream for her brother and Melinda. The last name she called was me, she began to cry and sobbed. She couldn't see anyone, suddenly she stopped screaming and began to talk to an invisible figure we couldn't see. Her eyes changed colour as well as her body.

 

"Ok everyone, it is time for you to leave." I jumped to the sound of a woman's voice, I couldn't turn my head to see who it was but it sounded so familiar.

 

"My Princesses, please we need more study." the professor pleaded and coward away, the princesses walked into my sight. She had brown hair with a black streak along her fringe, her hair fell to her hips and she had a slender figure. I glared at her and then she pull out the substance in my mouth piece by piece.

 

"I want them both caged up together, also out of their bonds." the professor nodded and the princess began to walk away.

 

"Wait! Wait, the other girl! Where is she?"  the princess came back and took off the brace holding my neck. She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

 

"She will be waiting for you." I nodded, she also did the same then turned back to Kelis. The princess wore a gown that fell to the floor and her pale skin did not go with the lime green shawl hanging from her shoulders. "She looks just like her, how amazing you humans. You can actually see who is your kin, however you look nothing like them."

 

"They aren't my blood, but they are the only family I have got." she smirked and walked towards the exit.

 

"Professor, if I see them with a single scratch when I visit. The blame is on you." he bowed and excused his class. They all groaned while they exited the room, the professor waited for everyone to leave and once again injected me with the purple drug.

Vasuman

 

The entrance to the gate of the mortal world war, it was ajar. I saw a hand print on our side, it was in the shape of a human. That cannot be possible, unless if a human was hiding on this side all this time. We would have found this out though, everything in each realm are reported to each other. Closest to this human like print is a werewolf, could it be? Hadyn grabbed my shoulder and I turned to him to find five werewolves walking towards us, I recognised the alpha. He seemed confident, is he going through the gate with his pack left without their alpha? His right hand is here as well, he doesn't strike me to be in second in charge of a pack.

 

I looked around to find Aura, but it seems she headed straight back to our realm. My warriors surrounded the small pack and watched their every move as they approached me. I held up my hand that was wrapped with a string of fire, they all backed away slowly. The alpha grinned and his pack bowed down to me, he is very snobby to not bow down to me. Every alpha I have met have responded respectfully to me, as soon as they all stood straight I folded my arms.

 

"Vasuman, my name is Travis. The Alpha of my pack, the members of my pack here are Proteus, Sunotics, Brooklyn and Kimberly. We have responded to one of your ally's request, only my right hand Proteus, Sunotics and Brooklyn will enter through the gate that is under your protection." He turned to his right hand and he didn't seem too confident in his alpha, that is very strange. A right hand never questions or second guesses their alpha, what is this puppy hiding? Proteus stepped forward with Sunotics and Brooklyn. Sunotics is young, he looked around the same age as Proteus. Quite tall if I am guessing his age correctly, I looked down to Brooklyn. She looked more excited than confident in her situation.

 

I pointed to her and gestured for her to come closer, she did immediately and I saw Proteus and Kimberly keep a close eye on her. "You're not a warrior, you seem too young to pass through here." her eyes widened and then she shook her head.

 

"I am perfectly suited for this quest, I know more about mortals than anyone in my pack. I know what they like and what kind of habitat they like."

 

I chuckled and she quickly shut her mouth, I could see she wanted to question why this was my response. "Mortals aren't the same Brooklyn, in fact they are more like werewolves. Except they can be quite unpredictable, which makes them very strong. Especially to hide in different realms."

 

"You're suggesting they aren't living in Mortalis?" she asked and I looked towards the pack waiting for my answer.

 

"They wouldn't have survived in Mortalis, I believe there could be rare beings in other realms. What is the mortal's word for it? Witches or wizards. Warlocks and gypsies." I stroked my chin and Brooklyn's jaw dropped.

 

"They are only in the books though? Aren't they?" she turned to the pack and they had a blank expression. Like they have never heard of this, I was about to reach down to her, but Proteus took a step further. Brooklyn held out her hand to Proteus to stop him from coming any further. I dropped my hand and walked towards Proteus.

 

"You a cousin? Friend?"

 

"Brother." he cut me off and I nodded, then looked to who I assumed was their mother. She seemed nervous, I walked towards her and she began to shake.

 

"Do you have any others to send through the gate Travis, chances of losing two children may leave her heartbroken." Travis rubbed Kimberly's shoulder and Brooklyn grabbed her hand, Kimberly wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and kissed her forehead.

 

"No, Brooklyn knows more than anyone of this pack. I understand this is dangerous, but this is her choice." Kimberly looked down to Brooklyn and then she grinned. Brooklyn smiled and stood in front of me.

 

"This is not like a book Brooklyn, you may never see your pack or family again." she nodded and walked towards Proteus. She stood beside him and he grabbed her arm to pull her behind him. I looked down to the ground and sighed, I finally turned towards the gate and placed my hand against the gate flowing with souls. My barrier blocking the remaining of the entrance opened slightly.

 

Brooklyn turned to her mother again and hugged her tightly, Sunotics did the same to his alpha. I could see the two were in fear, however Proteus kept his eye on me. It looked like he was trying to tell me something, I tilted my head slightly. He went to Travis and he hugged him, he looked towards me over his shoulder then to Travis. He backed away from his alpha without making eye contact.

 

The pack said their goodbyes and headed towards the gate. Brooklyn quickly held Proteus's hand and she looked up to me. "Good luck, I hope to see you three in the future together." Proteus nodded and pulled Brooklyn closer, we all touched the gap and suddenly they all cried in pain. Bright lights escaped from their eyes, their souls soon found their way out of their bodies and seeped through the crack. Once the light was gone I took my hand away from the gate.

 

Their bodies fell to the floor and Kimberly ran to Proteus and Brooklyn, a flame was flared in front of her. Hadyn and Tyson stood in the way and Travis stood in front of them. "Disturbing their bodies can force them back, I'm sorry Kimberly but you must leave now."

 

"This is the way you are going to bring them back here?" she asked and my warriors turned to me.

 

"No, unfortunately we don't know how we can bring a werewolf back. Only humans and our beings." Hadyn told her and she cried in Travis's arms. I watched Travis's expression but it didn't change. Why wasn't he worried about this situation?

 

"Come Kimberly, we need to get home." Travis pulled her away from the empty bodies of her children. Hadyn, Tyson and the rest of my warriors left a path for Travis and Kimberly into the darkness leading to their realm. "I trust we will be meeting again?"

 

He looked over his shoulder and grinned, I nodded and he took Kimberly with him into the darkness. Hadyn and Tyson came by my side and saw my expression.  "I don't trust him Vasuman." Tyson said.

 

"Neither do I,  his right hand doesn't seem to either."

 

"That isn't a good sign." Hadyn scratched his head and I nodded. All of my warriors sat with each other and kept an eye on the gate, it wasn't dark like normal. The amount of fire elementals lit up the eternal darkness.

 

"Hadyn. Tyson. I must ask for a favour."

 

"Favour?" they both said in unison, they looked at each other and back to me.

 

"You two I trust more than the Goddesses, I need one of you to keep an eye on that alpha."

 

"Like approach him?" Tyson asked and I shook my head.

 

"This must be a secret, only between us."

 

"So spying?" Tyson asked. I rolled my eyes and Hadyn took a step to the side.

 

"Yes Tyson, spying. I need you to spy on him." I glared at him and Tyson looked to the sky as if he was trying to process what I asked of him. "Hadyn?"

 

"I'm on it Vasuman, I'll head soon. So then he doesn't know he is being followed." I smiled and laid my hand on his wing.

 

"Get yourself ready Hadyn, I will wish you luck."

 

"Don't need luck, you can count on me."

 

"I sure hope so." he smiled and flew amongst the warriors, I turned to Tyson and he suddenly snapped his fingers. I frowned and he smiled then quickly turned confused.

 

"Spying who?" I sighed and patted his head.

 

"You're strong Tyson, but you have the brain of a flower." he frowned and continued to look confused. I walked away from him and knew he was processing my statement too.

 

"Flowers don't have brains though Vasuman!" He called out.

 

"I know!" I replied, I turned to see his reaction but he was still confused. "You are the greatest dim-witted  Elemental that I have ever met, I swear."

Matthew

 

 

I woke up again and found myself on a stack of hay, I rubbed my eyes and rolled onto my back. The room only had one dim light that was on the other side of the room, I looked over the hay stack and the floor was covered with straws of hay. Something moved beside me and then it moaned, it sounded like Kelis. I reached towards her and I heard chains jingle as I moved my arm, I found myself chained against the wall. "Matt? What's going on?"

 

Kelis called from the other side of the room. I saw her wide awake and afraid, she was shaking. Her leg was chained up against the wall. I turned to the person next to me and then she began to hiss, I jumped and fell off the hay stack. The person crawled out of the corner and tried to reach me with her long nails. "Woah, what the hell!" I crawled further back and she backed away hissing at me. Kelis   ran to me and was restrained. I looked around the room to find cameras. I turned to Kelis and she glared at the woman, the woman began to cry in pain. "Kelis stop!" I called to her but it was like she couldn't hear me.

 

Doors opened and guards ran in with sticks, they hit the woman with the sticks making and electric shock sound. I continued to try and Kelis's attention, when the men continued to beat her she stopped and was consumed in fear again. Although I'm worried for her, I'm also relieved. I turned to the unconscious woman and the soldiers pointed their sticks at me, I didn't move and kept my focus on the woman. "Stand up human." I ignored them as they continued to order me, I suddenly had an electric sensation along my spine. My body twitched and squirmed underneath the stick and the guard chuckled. I rolled over to Kelis and shook my head, she frowned and began to scream at them.

 

The guards ignored Kelis and continued to electrocute me. "Stop it!" Kelis cried but the guards continued with their entertainment.

 

"Look away Kelis." I told her and she began to cry, she reached for me and I smiled. "Close your eyes and cover your ears." I was shocked again and Kelis did as she was told. I heard her cry and I tried to fight back only to be beaten and shocked again.

 

It felt like hours but I'm sure it was only a few minutes, as soon as they were no longer amused they walked out of the room laughing. I could barely speak or move, I didn't want to move a muscle. Kelis continued to cry against the hay stack, I tried wriggling over to her but it only gave me more pain. "Mummy. Daddy. Help." I heard her cry.

 

I worried more, she doesn't know of the death of our families. I closed my eyes and then Melinda's face popped into my head. Melinda? Where is she? "Kelis, was Melinda here before I woke up?" Kelis turned and ran to me but she was restrained again. She sighed and shook her head. I looked down and rolled onto my back. The chains wrapped around my leg dug into my calf muscle, making it numb and slowly change colour. I reached out to Kelis and she did the same. We could barely touch each other, the only thing we could hold onto was our finger tips.

 

Although it wasn't much it still gave me relief, I looked over to Kelis and she tried to make herself comfortable. She looked tired, as was I. I tried to sleep but my worries and stress overwhelmed me. How the hell are we going to escape from this? I sure hope Melinda is safe where ever she is.

 

Kelis fell straight into her little slumber and I closed my eyes awaiting for my mind and body to sooth me while I fall asleep.

Melinda

 

"Take her and run!" I screamed while awaking from a dream. Suddenly I was in a strange room, the walls and ceiling were covered with mirrors and I laid on top of a steel table. I sat up slowly in extreme pain darting through my body and straight to my head. The pain slowly became subtle and I could now roll myself off the table. I fell straight to the floor and my arm suddenly took over the pain. Once I hit the floor, I could feel something stuck in my right wrist. I bit my tongue to keep me from screaming. When I turned to see what it was, my blood dripped from the wires. It is so deep in my arm and was so thick that I could feel it trailing up to the back of my neck.

 

My head suddenly began to burn as if it was on fire, I couldn't help but scream. It gave me that slight relief but as my throat became dry, I could no longer scream. There was nothing to help me. I grabbed my head and rolled myself back on the steel table. The mirrors above me showed my face slowly being disfigured. The right side of my face looked like as if it were slowly burnt off. I brought myself to try and feel if it were real, I touched my cheek that no longer had skin. My tears stung my temple and bits of my hair began to shed.

 

Hours went by and the pain didn't leave, I have laid here but had no more strength to do anything about it. Attempts to sleep were impossible, as soon as I try the wire electrocute me. The monster in the mirror did not over take my left side, it was as if I triggered something by pulling against the wires.

 

A door swung open and behind it was a feline figure wearing a leather jacket and four others followed behind her holding trays of tools. She forced me to look at her in the eye, her eyes were glowing green and her fur on her head flowed down to her shoulders. "You screwed up my testing tubes!" She slurred her words and looked towards the others. They passed over different surgery tools and she began to operate on my left shoulder.

 

I could feel the scalpel opening me up but it didn't match the pain in my head. Instead it worked as a distraction from the torture. "Lady Charlie, here is the next serum." I looked towards the creature covered in scales. He had the face of an eel but fins replacing his ears. He gave her a vile that was filled with bright orange goo, she shoved a long tube up my left wrist and once it reach my shoulder she tugged on it to go faster.

 

Never mind my head anymore, I could no longer breathe and then I slowly began to become dizzy. Why couldn't I have felt this before, as a few minutes went by my body couldn't take it anymore. "Lady Charlie, she is falling asleep!" the eel face sounded alarmed.

 

"Let her, we will know when she wakes up next time."

Proteus

 

The stories were true, this is a complete wasteland. No signs of life, even if there were. They are probably just hanging onto the edge from falling into death. Brooklyn possessed a human that looked similar to her wolf form, she had dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Brown eyes and had olive skin. Sunotics became taller than his normal form. His long dark hair was the same shade as his wolf fur, his eyes are hazel and had a long beard. As soon as Brooklyn saw his facial feature she laughed, he kept whipping his long locks back but only ended back on his face.

 

I had blue eyes with dirty blond hair that was also long, my beard also was the same length as Sunotics. Seemed like the first owner of Brooklyn's body actually knew how to groom themselves. We lost some of our senses as a Werewolf, my sense of sight dimmed dramatically as well as my smell. However I am not sure whether it is because there is nothing around but sand that kept blowing into our eyes.

 

The bodies had supply of food and water but only enough to last a night. Judging from my extreme need for them meant I have been holding back for a long time. Brooklyn looked healthy though, lucky. Brooklyn looked confused and scratched her head. "I can't change." I watched as she tried to shift into a werewolf, only to leave her looking like she was chucking a fit.

 

Sunotics patted her on the head and shook his head. "Earth may be dying but we still can't use our strength freely." I nodded and looked up to the sky.

 

"Hey Brooklyn, wasn't the sky meant to be well.. Blue?" I asked, it had an endless brown colour and the clouds were dark. My mouth is dry and my skin began to peel.

 

"That was before the war, I expected a little green or something. It was meant to look like our realm except with more buildings. And mortals." Sunotics continued to walk, Brooklyn and I followed behind him. The sand filled our boots that we found from a group of dead mortals who hid under small buildings. They didn’t look like they were there for long either.

 

Days go by and we continue with no food or water, I always check the moon in case if we change. No use though, the damn dust in the sky blurs the moonlight. I am not even sure if we can shift with or without the full moon. Only time can tell.

 

Brooklyn doesn't look the best, without any supplies to start us off it left us weak. I laid down against a boulder and Sunotics did the same, Brooklyn licked her dry lips and wiped her sweat from her forehead. As I slowly tried to sleep, she quickly shook me. I sat up in a snap, to find Brooklyn holding her hands up. A man held a weapon that pointed straight at us, he also had others with him.

 

Sunotics did the same and I stepped forward. "Halt!" I growled at the mortal standing before me. "You three don't look so well. State your name." the mortal placed his blade on my neck, I flinched and he took it as fear. There was something really unbearable about this weapon.

 

Silver? Surely he doesn't know. Brooklyn stepped forward and tried to pull a smile. Instead she shook, it made her look more vulnerable. The mortal didn't move his blade from me, instead he glanced at her then back to me. The rest of the herd of mortals concentrated on Brooklyn and Sunotics. "My name is Brooklyn, this is my brother Proteus and friend Sunotics." I growled at her, how easily she could just give our names away.

 

I knew we shouldn't have taken her with us. Brooklyn straightened her back and the human approached her. Another human aimed a gun to my face and I held in anger. Even if I could shift into my wolf form it may leave Brooklyn in great danger. "Pleased to meet you Brooklyn, I am Harris and this is my crew. Picking up survivors, but before we can consider you. I must apologise but we must test you."

 

"We don't want to be a part of whatever it is you want us to be a part of." A tall human rammed the stock of his rifle against the back of my head. I growled at him and he tilted his head down to me and went to grab something out of his pocket but Harris placed his hand on the tall human's shoulder.

 

"I am sorry, my brother can be a little protective." Brooklyn tried to explain my behaviour, it only aggravated me more. As if she was the older sister, typical her though.

 

Harris chuckled and held up his hand then pointed to the ground. The rest of the human flock pointed their weapons down, two humans however did not respond and kept aiming at Sunotics and I. "Well you aren't going to survive out here without food or water. Unless of course-" He stopped talking and walked towards me, he began stroking his blade and kissed the hilt. In a swift move he grabbed the back of my head and forced me to look down to the blade that was coated in silver. "you are one of the immortals. We never know with the dark ones anymore, since the sun has been covered you might be blood suckers."

 

I saw my reflection and I saw a hint of glow in my eyes, I quickly closed my eyes and took a deep breathe. Obviously the wolf inside me will still give me away, even this unbearable anger was controlling me. "If you must, you can test me." I didn't look him in the eye but his grip loosened.

 

"How brave." Harris finally took his hand off me and waved over another human. He didn't look like a warrior though, he held bags filled with things that all I could think of could contain things that would harm creatures other than humans.

 

"Why would I need to be brave if there is nothing to be afraid of?" I smirked, he grinned and kept staring at me in the eye.

 

"William, you first." Harris nudged the tall man and he smiled down at me. He grabbed an army knife and plunged it into my arm. I bit my tongue, my eyes widened and dug my fingers into the ground.

 

"You said it was a test!" I heard Brooklyn call out.

 

"See Brooklyn, we needed to check if he would flinch. If not we know he is definitely possessed by a Shadow Keeper or Spirit. Now that blade if actually only carved Silver, so this will give him extraordinary pain. He will shift slightly without even wanting to. Meaning he would be a Werewolf or Shape Shifter-" He kept going about the responses of tests. 

 

I held it in all I could, the silver continued to sting and burn my arm from the inside. They began to wipe wet cloths against my wound and press different symbols against my skin. I had a sudden urge to howl but closed my eyes to prevent me from being revealed. These humans are going to die, Sunotics and I can take them on. Unfortunately their weapons are strong against us. I smiled once the test came to a close. Harris waved over the same human who held the bags filled with the weapons.

 

"Levi, pack it up." the human stumbled down to the weapons and packed them all in his bag. Harris tilted his head to me and reached out his hand, I hesitated for a few seconds and stared at his hand. I grabbed onto his hand and he helped me up onto my feet. He patted my back and smiled then he looked over my shoulder.

 

I turned to find him staring at my sister and the other humans grabbed her arms and forced her to fall to her needs. Sunotics was held back and I attempted to attack but Harris held me back. Even though I have so much strength somehow this human could restrain me. That isn't possible, unless if I am still weak from the silver. "I took your bloody test! She is fine!" I growled.

 

"You did take the test but she needs to as well. You cannot test one person and assume the rest are human, surely you'd know that." I stopped moving and he finally let me go, Brooklyn is going to give us away just by the first test. She won't even be able to restrain herself.

 

Another voice was heard and the humans looked at each other in shock. They took their hands off Brooklyn and ran to Levi. Levi grabbed out a little box that had buttons on the side and something shiny and long coming out of the top. The voice spoke again but it wasn't clear at all, you could only hear a few words. "Help ------ code black! I ----- black! ----- no weapons ----- through ----- main gate! All crews report ------ city!" A sudden crash was heard and screams echoed through the box. Sunotics helped up Brooklyn and I quickly checked up on her.

 

"We have to go now." Levi announced, the group began to run over a hill and Levi stopped for a little and turned to us. "I am going behind what I always say, but we could really use all the help what we can get. Harris will allow you to have food, water and shelter."

 

"You will go behind your leader's back just for us to help?" Sunotics frowned.

 

"My family is there, if we ever need back up we could use some werewolves." We all took a step back and glared at him. "You don't hide very well, but I know werewolves reaction. You hid yourself very well but you can't control what your body does." He pointed to my arm and it was already healed, only a slight sting was left. Levi bit onto his long sleeved shirt and grabbed a knife. He cut into my arm and I growled at him.

 

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked.

 

"You can't be patched up with no evidence you were cut. Well stabbed." Blood began to drip and he wrapped his piece of clothing around my arm. He held out his hand to Sunotics and Brooklyn. "I need you both to do this."

 

They looked towards me and I nodded, Brooklyn held out her hand and she flinched. Once he was finished she smiled and for some reason said thank you. Sunotics was next and he kept his eye on me. "Levi what are you doing?" Harris called and saw Levi patching up Sunotics's arm. He smiled and waved us over. Once we climbed over the hill Harris patted Brooklyn's shoulder and grinned. "He went easy on you didn't he?" Brooklyn giggled and shrugged her shoulders.

 

"Still hurts really bad." she continued to smile and followed the group. William stood in front of a huge thing that seemed to have four wheels on the bottom. "You have a car? Thought they run on petrol. You still able to get all of that?"

 

"Actually it is a van and it runs on energy, basically it is running off the sun but since the sun isn't showing to good we have to be careful." Levi held up his hand and Harris nodded. William opened it up like a door and Brooklyn didn't hesitate to dive into the back seat. Sunotics and I followed and Levi went through the back entrance where the rest of the group were.

 

The 'van' began to move and Harris called out to Levi to give Sunotics, Brooklyn and I weapons. He passed us over guns and gave Brooklyn daggers. Brooklyn suddenly became worried, she has never fought in her life. She is always into her books but nothing else. The voice from the box started making sounds again. "Hello, anyone there over?" Levi asked and there was no more sound. "Hello, this is Levi. We are heading your way over."

 

"Hello Levi." A chilling female voice echoed through the voice box. "we can't wait to meet you." Levi shook and William snatched off his hands.

 

"Who is this over?" William and the rest of the group stayed quiet.

 

"Lilith." she suddenly made a hissing sound and someone was screaming in the background.

 

"Vampire! Vampires!"

 

No more voices came from the box and the group sat in silence, only leaving Sunotics, Brooklyn and I with our heads down. I slightly turned my head to Sunotics and Brooklyn who gripped onto their weapons tight with a large grin spread across their faces.

Vasuman

 

The view of the Earth from Gaia looks like it is rotting to the core, I can't remember how long I have seen the world from here. I mean I have passed through the gate to fight there but it used to be the only planet that was both bright and colourful. During the night it would light up with white and yellow colours. Earth always caused a problem for everyone. I stand outside of the Garden of Eden, Earth looks like a brown sphere that spins close to the Sun. "Vasuman, I have a report." I turned to find Tyson bowing down to me. He got up straight to his feet in a second and by the look of his expression, he seemed concerned. "Lady Anat, has sent her maiden Nerina over to Anivilac to watch over Hadyn."

 

"What? Why would she be sending over another Elemental. The more Elementals there are, the more they'd would be noticed." I growled and closed my fists. Rings of fire blazed around my body and I stormed over to the closest lake. As I assumed, Anat was swimming in the water along with her slimy, eight-legged hand maiden. "Anat!" She turned to me and pushed herself out of the clear blue lake.

 

"Dear brother, what is the matter?" she reached out to touch my hand and only to be scolded. "Calm down."

 

I growled louder and all I could think of is to rip her head off. Anat was never the serious person, she was more like Demeter. Acting like nothing is wrong except Demeter acts more like a child than a lady. "Don't you see, those werewolves aren't like us! They are only loyal to themselves and once they think there is a threat, they will attack!"

 

"So you send one of your own Elemental and by the way is one of your closest and best warriors. I send a hand maiden and you are worried she will cause them to attack us?" She laughed and I was lost for words. Anat was right, but her hand maiden wouldn't be able to protect herself in case if something did happen.

 

"I sent my closest warrior because I trust him more than all of my other followers!" someone coughed beside me and Tyson folded his arms. "You're good too, it's not what I meant."

 

Anat laughed and continued to watch her water Elementals swim together as if they were dancing. Mixtures of fish, frogs and turtles. "My sister has aided the packs before in Anivilac, she will be fine." Naida tried to reassure me.

 

"You need to stop thinking these are the peaceful times! Now is not the time to assume all of the realms are good with us. Now you need to grow up Anat and understand that everyone is no longer safe." I tried to plea but she was too absorbed in her performing Elementals.

 

Anat began twirling her fingers in the air causing the water to form a whirlpool, some Elementals swimming and some hiding on land swam and dived right into the pool. Tyson got pushed by one of the water elementals and threw up his arms. "Shouldn't you be, I don't know. Watching the gate anyway Vasuman? Or did you leave one of your other closest warriors to watch it for you?"

 

"I don't need anyone to do my duties, they know their duty. So must you Anat, you are a god not an Elemental anymore." she rolled her eyes and began to swim towards the whirlpool. All of the Elementals who entered didn't return. She probably had set a portal back into the ocean.

 

"I'll see you soon Vasuman, send someone to notify me when you hear anything about Nerina ok." I growled at her and before she dived into the pool she formed a large bubble filled with water and threw it in my direction.

 

I quickly moved aside but it collided with Tyson, he was thrown back and steam formed around his body. "Seriously?" he yelled at her then threw his fist, Anat's hand maiden Naida formed another bubble but not as big as Anat's then threw it at Tyson. He tried moving as fast as me but only for the bubble to push him sideways.

 

Naida giggled before she finally left. "You don't speak to a god like that Tyson, you know this." I walked over to the wet slimy Salamander and he held out his hand. He was soaked. I went to take his hand but pulled away before he could grab on.

 

"Ha, Ha, very funny." he continued to hold out his hand.

 

"Yes, it is." I laughed and walked away from Tyson. Once he eventually got to his feet, he finally caught up to me. His skin continued to let off steam. I went back to the gates of Eden and Tyson began to huff and puff.

 

He fell to the ground and rolled onto his back. "Surely they'd be fine Vasuman, Nerina isn't a stupid Elemental." I screamed and began punching trees. They all fell from the rings of flames formed around my hands. I need to hit something, how stupid could Anat honestly be? I kept punching but I couldn't hit anything, I haven't felt this much anger in a while.

 

I kept going for a long time, I couldn't tell. Minutes? Hours? Whenever I stopped for a second, I turned to find Tyson sitting down and watching me release my anger. I finally stopped and Tyson no longer watched me and instead had someone or something catch his eye. I turned to find all different Elementals gathered around away from me. Aura and her two followers flew over the still standing trees and had their heads down.

 

Demeter also came and placed her hand on my shoulder but I tried pulling away even though I was burning her. "Where is Anat?" Demeter asked and a bubble flew over the trees and I saw Anat and Naida confused. I looked to the Elementals as they made a pathway.

 

Further through the aisle of Elementals, wings were spread  from one side to the other of the Elemental walls. I looked closer to find Hadyn, carrying a body. Hadyn looked up to see us four gods and our followers beside us. I turned to see Anat covering her mouth but Naida continued to look confused. As Hadyn came closer, I finally heard Naida sob. A large serpent was lying in his arm, blue blood continued to flow down the serpent's tail. Once Hadyn reached us, he lied the serpent down before us. Naida emerged from the bubble and fell down to her companion.

 

Naida and Nerina were like sisters, both powerful and graceful. "Who did this!" Naida screamed, her tentacles wrapped around Nerina and pulled her closer. "Who did this!" she screamed louder and he looked towards me, I nodded in approval.

 

"The Werewolves." he  announced. I looked back towards the Elementals behind him began to talk amongst themselves.

 

Aura stepped towards me as if I knew what was happening. "Our people know what is going on, Werewolves are not meant to be part of the Order!" I snarled but she lifted her hand and turned to the people of Gaia.

 

"Please, this obviously is a mistake. The Werewolves have been loyal to us since the dawn of time." Aura smiled to the Elementals but none of them took her kindness. Nerina was the maiden who took care of all the Elementals, if it were Hadyn he is just another warrior to them. Nerina is peaceful and kind, was I mean.

 

They all screamed at Aura, Anat came forward but looked down. "The Werewolves are like children, they only needed to learn. It is fine to make mistakes between us, we will have disagreements." Everyone stood in silence and Aura smiled back to me. "But they crossed the wrong god!"

 

Aura's smile fell quickly and turned back to Anat, Demeter ran to Anat's side and frowned "Anat, no. We get you are angry, but this is-"

 

"No Demeter! Nerina cared for those wolves and here you defend them after what just happened?" Anat's blue eyes shined bright and her bubble began to warp as a trident formed in her hand. "The wolves made a mistake! So let's give them a lesson!"

 

The Elementals cheered and Naida cheered along with them. "You are now making a great mistake, your kind will be no more if you choose this path Anat!" Aura yelled at her but she ignored her.

 

Anat grinned and I tried to reach through her bubble but it only hurt me. "Anat, your people are not warriors."

 

"No they aren't but yours are." I frowned and shook my head.

 

"Their place is to protect the gate-"

 

"Wrong, it is their place to protect Gaia and its people." I looked towards Aura and Demeter, I now understood their feelings. Anat's emotions as a water god is overcoming her. "Now isn't the time to protect everyone Vasuman, now you need to fight the beasts who crossed us."

Proteus

I have looked out the window for hours and it is still desert, and no sign of blood suckers. The night is slightly cold but the human group shivered under their breaths. Brooklyn snuggled up to me for warmth and Sunotics had his back up straight, staring out the window on high alert. Levi and the others kept trying to keep contact through the box but all you could hear was something sizzling. Harris however kept looking at me, I tried my best not to make eye contact. "How is your cut?" he asked, I nodded. "Want me to take a look?"

 

I shook my head and leaned back, he reached towards my arm anyway and a hand took hold of my shoulder. "Don't disturb the cut Harris." I turned to Levi looking over to Harris.

 

"It may need treatment-"

 

"No, the stitches weren't properly sown on." Levi tried to reassure him but Harris frowned.

 

"You have done stitches thousands of times, and how did you do it so fast?"

 

"They kept moving about, I guess they haven't felt a needle before and that is also why they aren't sown properly. So don't do anything to it." Harris leaned back into his seat.

 

"By the way Proteus, you never told us what you three were doing out in the open?". Harris asked, I couldn’t blow our cover. I need to make a lie up fast. Brooklyn went to speak but I made sure she didn’t get the chance to blab anything out to give us away.

 

"Why would we tell you we hardly know you?" Harris smirked and just looked out the window.

 

William suddenly hit the brakes and the car skidded to a stop "What the hell?" I shouted, Brooklyn and Sunotics jolted. Both looking towards Harris and William.

 

"William, why did you stop?" Harris turned over to William.

 

"Harris, look." we all looked outside to find bodies lying on the floor

 

"We are close, keep going William. Everyone else keep an eye out to find the Vampires." Harris then looked towards Sunotics, Brooklyn and I, "You three will fight with us, if any of you three get out of line I will kill you."

 

Sunotics grind and laughed "Don’t worry about us we can handle ourselves"

 

We suddenly heard screams further along the road, I could see buildings not too far from where we were. "VAMPIERS! VAMPIERS!".

 

Harris grabbed his gun and hit the roof. "William step on it!" I sat there and did nothing but Sunotics and Brooklyn seemed very excited they both started talking to each other about how many vampires they will kill and how they will do it.

 

I looked around at the rest of Harris's group and every one of them look terrified even Harris looks a bit raddled. I looked outside again and the buildings have become much taller, and for as far as I can see there are bodies lying all over the floor. Each body looks drained with theirs necks slashed open  I think to myself these are typical vampires they are very sloppy killers, can't blame them since they are controlled by Lilith

 

As we get closer to where Harris is taking us all we can see around us is tall buildings. We have none of this in Anivilac. I look to Sunotics and Brooklyn who both seem amazed by the new surroundings.

 

I don’t see why this is nice it's just big buildings everywhere, where is all the open space and where would the water go.

 

"We are almost their" Harris said.

 

The box started sizzling again but a voice broke the sizzling sound " Harris, Harris are you their? The base is under attack we need you". Harris quickly picked up strange thing attached to the box and spoke into. "This is Harris, we are on our way just hold on" Harris put it down on the box and looked at everyone " Everybody be careful out there and kill them all". Everyone looked at Harris and agreed so did Sunotics and Brooklyn.

 

In the distance we started seeing gunfire and vampires in the air. Harris told William to stop the car and the whole group jumped out. Sunotics and Brooklyn followed behind Levi and I walked behind everyone not caring. "Everyone break out and help kill every last one of these vampires."

 

The group split into two and both went in separate ways, Harris took William and the rest of the group and the other group were Levi, Sunotics, Brooklyn and myself. Once I could no longer see the other group, gunshots and screams of those bloodsuckers were heard. I stood there watching the bloodsuckers and humans fight while keeping a close eye on Sunotics and Brooklyn.
 

Levi took out the weapons from his bag that he always kept with him, throwing darts and little balls that exploded beaming light into the darkness. A few of those bloodsuckers approached us and began swiping their claws towards Brooklyn. I stepped in and growled at the undead freak. It hissed and showed it's fangs, I smirked and grabbed it by the throat and drilled it through the ground. Brooklyn shot her weapon towards me and I turned to find another bloodsucker behind me.

 

"Use your damn gun Proteus." she smiled and ran towards Levi. I shrugged my shoulders and ran with them. They ran towards the buildings and many bodies were piled on one another. Blood dripping down and creating a pond around them, many humans ran past us.

 

"Head towards the main entrance everyone now!" Levi repeated over and over. He threw more darts and balls in all directions, it didn't effect Brooklyn, Sunotics and I. It was just hard to see through the piercing white light. I saw Levi looking in all directions, as if he were trying to find someone.

 

He headed straight towards a tall building and we all followed him, many humans were running through it. It was more of an effort to run through the crowd than to even kill those freaks. Brooklyn and Sunotics were trying to be polite and pass through without harming them, I couldn't help but to throw them away from my path. They continued to run into me, they obviously are too scared on those weak bloodsuckers than us. Honestly? They are the weakest out of all the beings that exist, even humans can take them down. Can't they?

 

We finally made it through and found five bloodsuckers feast on multiple humans. Their skin were pale and slowly decaying to the bone, wings were spread to the roof and their hair were frizzy and clumped up into nots. They didn't seem to take notice but one. Levi was the first to run towards them armed with blades poking out from his wrists and two wooden stakes that impaled the freak straight through the heart. Brooklyn and Sunotics shot the a few others, I took notice of the bullets. It was like no matter where you shot the bullet automatically drove itself towards the hearts.

 

Levi continued to stake them and on the corner of my eye, I noticed one trying to sneak towards me. It made an evil grin and charged toward me. I quickly turned towards it and lifted my hand, it ran straight through my hand and I grasped onto its heart. Our expressions exchanged, as it decayed into ash. The heart I just held turned into dust and I wiped against the wall in disgust. Levi nodded towards me and I did the same. He really does surprise me, Harris says he isn't a warrior. If this isn't a warrior then what is he?

 

We continued to follow and kill more, it became more fun than a mission for Brooklyn, Sunotics and I but Levi seemed to continue looking for something or someone. Once we reached closer to the top of the building we heard more screams. Some on the same floor as us but more on top. "I won't be able to reach them in time. I know those screams." Levi turned to us, that was a sudden change. A man who seemed like killing was just natural to him then to a little childish human, panicking for help.

 

"We've got these ones, you stay here." Sunotics told Levi and looked towards me. I nodded and Levi looked me in the eye.

 

"I am counting on you, please." he begged, I grinned and nodded again. It seemed to reach his approval, Brooklyn followed him and we ran upstairs. Once I reached to the next floor I stood still.

 

Sunotics ran ahead then stopped looking towards me, he frowned and ran back to me. "What are you doing?" he asked.

 

"This is the humans' battle, not ours. We just need to blend in, our mission was to take a soul." I growled at him and then he shook his head.

 

"Not now it isn't." I was in shock, Sunotics never spoke to me like that. He ignored my statement and began slaughtering them, he wasn't fast enough to kill them all in time though. A human reached towards me for help and I folded my arms. A bloodsucker grabbed him from the behind and ripped his throat out. I heard footsteps running up the stairs, I quickly ripped the bloodsucker's head off from its shoulders. Levi ran towards the human who just had his throat ripped open, some humans survived from Sunotics' help.

 

I walked to Levi and knelt down to him. "Levi, I-"

 

"No." Levi cut me off and I waited for him to speak again. "You tried your best, thank you." He cried and held onto the old man, the human had similar features of Levi. Blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Levi had a chubby face though, the dead human had more of a bold feature.

 

"This one important to you?" Brooklyn asked, I looked up to Brooklyn and shook my head.

 

"Are you kidding me Brook?" I shook my head again.

 

"He is my father, can you three lead everyone to the entrance. I will meet you there soon." Levi kept his head down and continued to cry. The humans went before us and I looked up to Sunotics. He kept frowning at me and Brooklyn noticed the tension.

 

As we climbed down the tall building, Brooklyn seemed to pity the dead humans. "What is it Sunotics, spit it out. Jealous you got no thank you?" I laughed and he smiled.

 

"Confused that you no longer have a heart after Levi helping us, the least we could do was to help him."

 

"A lot of attitude coming from you Sunotics, I am surprised you feel that way with beings we barely know about."

 

"Next time you choose to be the arsehole, do it when innocent lives aren't being taken away." I rammed him against the wall and the humans stopped and looked up to us. Brooklyn ran up and tried pulling me away.

 

"Stop it Proteus! We are friends here!" Brooklyn yelled and punched my shoulder but I didn't budge. 

 

"You aren't the right hand, you remember that." I growled at Sunotics, he never showed fear only ignorance. I took my hands off him and stepped back.

Matthew

 Kelis is gone, I can't find her after I was taken in for an experiment. Wires and machinery were being inserted into my body, I couldn't find the will to try and pass out. Chemicals and needles were continuously stabbed into my chest, filled with purple substances. The mad professor smirked and took note on each of my reactions, my body was covered with my own blood and replaced with this purple liquid. I screamed over and over as the Shifters pressed hot metal against my wounds to stop me from bleeding.

 

"So, Matthew. How do you feel?" the professor chuckled and I kept my head down, he took a few steps towards me and plunged a scalpel in my shoulder. My head flew backwards and I screamed. "So pain I take it? Strange before you kept saying 'where is Kelis', 'where is Melinda'. Now you only scream." He grabbed the scalpel from my shoulder and twisted it, I clenched my teeth and glared at the freak.

 

The doors behind the professor opened and a female and male Shape Shifter entered, the female wore a lab coat and the other was dressed as a soldier. Armed with guns and a switch blade in the pocket. She approached the desk beside the professor and slipped on gloves. "Hello human, what are his results?" she turned to the professor and he quickly went through his folder filled with charts and tables.

 

"Subject one isn't reacting the same as two, number two seems to be rejecting the serum than to adapt to it." The professor looked disappointed, the woman reached to touch my face but I looked away. She didn't touch me, instead she went to the professor and folded her arms. "My lady, please forgive me for asking but that human may be the one-"

 

She held up her hand and shook her head. "That human, does not deserve this treatment. She is too young to understand what her parents have done." I frowned and looked to the female.

 

"Kelis?" The lady turned and smiled.

 

"Your child is safe for now."

 

"No, she is the other girl's sister." I explained, the lady folded her arms and nodded.

 

"You have guts to come into our realm and try to destroy our way of life, plus bringing a young child. Don't worry, she may be useful for the princesses and queen. She is the reason how you stayed here so long anyway." I tried to speak but something prevented me from speaking. She walked towards me and wiped some of the blood and sweat from my neck.

 

I kept my eyes on her and she sighed. Another Shape Shifter ran through the door, before he could take another step, the soldier grabbed hold of the male Shifter's neck and rammed him against the wall and aimed his gun at his head. "My lady!" the male cried out. The female Shifter approached him and nodded to the soldier, he instantly stepped away from the Shifter and pointed his gun to the floor. "The gate has been breached, Vampires have made their way through the gate and have humans on their trail from a retreat."

 

"Those dim witted Vampires! Is Lilith with them?" the female asked and the little Shifter nodded. "What are they honestly trying to do, if those bloody Vamps kill one human near the gate anyone is free to enter our realms!"

 

"What would you like me to do my lady?"

 

"Split up the princesses immediately!" the female turned to the professor and the rest of the Shifters were in panic. Why is this so frightening? They are Shifters and can turn into anything. "Do this quick." she ordered the professor nodded and the three shifters went towards the exit. I am so confused, they weren't afraid of us but this group? At least I know one thing that hopefully Kelis and Melinda have just heard. We aren't alone. I just pray these people are on our side.

 

The professor frowned and tilted his head. "You are smiling." I only realised how happy I was. Knowing there is a chance his head could be torn from his body, it will be me to do it. First Melinda's and Kelis's safety. I guess all I can do is stay and wait, hoping their fears will come true. Please happen.

 

Vasuman

 

Anat assigned all of the water elementals to train for battle, she hasn't spoken to any of the Goddesses or me. The Wind, Earth and Fire elementals won't take part in any of the war. Naida is delusional from her loss, she is controlled by her anger. I have watched over Anat and she is no warrior, over in different realms our powers are weakened. It won't work. "Vasuman." I turned to find Aura and she pointed towards the Garden of Eden. "I don't know what to do but to ask."

 

I nodded and I followed behind Aura, Demeter joined us and we didn't speak the whole way to the gate. We told our followers to stay behind and go inside, the Tree of Life was slowly dying. How can it be dying? It is made of purity and life! We all rushed to the tree and placed our hands on the tree only to be pushed back. "What has happened?" Demeter asked Aura. Even though Aura was the one with all the answers, this is the first time she couldn't see what to do. Her mind is connected to the Tree of Life, is it truly dying? The bark of the tree looked as if it were burnt, the leaves of the tree turned black and the fruit had mould that covered the entire fruit.

 

"Could it be Anat?" I asked, Aura frowned and shook her head.

 

"A God has went rogue like this before, there is something more." Aura went to touch the tree again and the roots dug its way out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Aura. The branches reached out to Demeter and strangled her, I ran to the Godesses to help them but the ground itself split beneath my feet. I fell in and the ground put itself back together around my body, my head was the only part of me that was kept free. My will to control my powers stopped working, I felt drained.

 

Aura began to scream and Demeter was hung be the branches, we screamed and from the corner of my eye Anat entered the Garden in her human form using her legs with Naida and the rest of our maidens and right hands. Aura's and my elementals were dragged in by Demeter's and Aura's followers. "Anat! What is going on?" I yelled at her but she ignored us. Naida held onto a pouch that held fruit that looked bright and the smell was strong. I couldn't make out the smell but it was the most beautiful thing I smelt. As if it were tempting me to reach out for a taste.

 

What kind of fruit could possibly make someone feel? She took one out from Naida's pouch and took a small bite. The juice dripped  down her jaw and then she looked down to me and grinned. She fell to the ground in pain and branches laid Demeter on the ground. In a swift movement, Naida grabbed onto four more of the same fruit with her tentacles and hovered the fruit close to Aura, Demeter and my mouth. I watched as Naida squeezed the fruit, allowing the juice to fall into Demeter's mouth. Demeter quickly sat up and tried to chuck up whatever she had in her mouth, Aura instantly dug into the fruit without question and I kept my mouth closed.

 

"You dare to betray you Goddesses and God?" I yelled at them and they shook their heads.

 

"They won't be when this is done." Naida shoved the fruit into my mouth and covered my lips, I began to choke as a bit of the juice went down my throat. At first it was the best thing I could possibly taste but a sudden burn filled my body, like acid filling my body and running out. Naida removed her tentacle and I spat out my fruit, I screamed and watched the rest force my warriors to eat it. Tyson and Hadyn tried to reach me. They all fell in pain and I watched Anat, it was as if her soul escaped her body. A faint blue smoke formed a bubble, Demeter had smoke escape her too but it was like a lime green and it inserted itself inside the bubble. Aura had her head hung back and her white smoke that escaped wrapped itself around the bubble. I waited for my turn and it wasn't like smoke, more like a spear. This wasn't my soul, it was my powers as a God. What is happening?

 

My spear drove itself inside the bubble which made it burst and some of my spear bounced back. Some of the smoke also went back to the Goddesses but it also went towards our maidens and right hands. We all screamed in unison, I used all my strength to push myself out of the ground and it suddenly separated. I looked towards the tree but it didn't move, then I looked to my warriors. Hadyn held out his hand and I watched as his wings wrapped around his body like armour made out of stone and rock. His feathers fell to the ground and he had a body of a human. Tyson grew taller and gained human like features, he grew dark hair and his big goggle eyes shrunk into sharp lizard like eyes. His reptile skin shed and grew steal like arms. Tyson then was covered with armour made out of steel.

 

Naida's eight arms bonded together and formed a body, her head shrunk into a human like head with purple hair falling down to her hips and her eyes turned pink. Jorck's wings grew larger and his orange feathers changed to a shade of yellow. He grew a body and had yellow shaggy hair. Mitica's wolf like body shifted into a human like a werewolf changing into a human, his hair stayed white but his eyes changed blue. Ermir and Esen formed solid bodies, Ermir turned fully black leaving black smoke whenever he moved. Esen however became white and she glowed bright.

 

Anat finally stood up and smiled, she walked towards our followers waiting for a response. "Now bow down to your Goddess." Anat held out her arms but they didn't respond. Screams echoed behind the gates of the Garden, the seven new Elementals turned to the screams and I followed behind them. Once we stood outside the Garden the other two Goddesses joined us, Anat looked confused as most of our once loyal followers shifted and changed into something similar to our seven maidens and hands. As the Elementals looked up to the new seven, Naida rose her hand and a beam of purple shot into the sky like a laser. Eventually the rest did the same, beams of lightning, ice, laser, darkness and light shot into the air and the Elementals cheered for the new Elementals. Hadyn and Tyson looked back at me in confusion.

 

I turned to Anat and she suddenly began to apologise. "What did you do?" I grabbed onto her shoulders and shook her back and forth.

 

"She went to the Tree of Knowledge." Demeter stepped forward and tried to hide tears. "We ate from the Tree of Knowledge."

 

"Why in the world would you do this?" Aura glared at Anat, she looked down and shrugged her shoulders. "We are no longer the God and Goddesses of Gaia, at least not just us." We turned to the not just Elementals but now Gods and Goddesses. Naida went towards Anat and Anat quickly put a smile on her face.

 

"You did it Anat, now we can take down those dogs." Anat nodded and began to walk towards Naida.

 

"We'll do it together." Jorck and Mitica said in unison. The five excluding Hadyn and Tyson stood beside me, the others glared at them.

 

"These are only mere Gods like us, but we are stronger. Don't you see how we can build an army?" Naida reached towards them but they both denied her.

 

"Why would we need an army for a war that isn't coming, you will start the war." Aura yelled and Naida laughed.

 

"War has already begun, first we need the advantage between the realms." Naida explained.

 

"Peace is the only way we can do this, if we spread this violence all our Elementals will be corrupted. We create not destroy." I tried to reason.

 

"See that sounds funny from a Fire God, aren't you the reason for destruction?" Naida laughed again and Demeter placed her hand on Anat.

 

"Please Anat." Demeter tried to pull her into a hug. Anat took a step away and folded her arms. "So this is it? Really?"

 

Naida, Jorck, Mitica, Ermir, Esen and Anat took hold of each other's hands. Anat looked into my eyes in sadness and reached out to me. "Help us." she begged. I shook my head and she sighed. A bolt of lightning zapped from the sky, hitting Jorck and he flew into the sky in the speed of light. Mitica's body melted to the ground and he suddenly disappeared, Esen and Ermir vanished with the wind and Naida waited for Anat. She waved goodbye and a tsunami rolled towards us, Hadyn raised his fist and the ground formed shelter around us all but Naida and Anat. My fire lit the darkness inside the shelter. Suddenly we felt a large crash with some of the shelter falling apart slowly. Demeter placed her hand against the walls of the shelter, forming roots that filled the holes and cracks.

Proteus

Once again we are on the road chasing after creatures that are pretty fun to kill. Starting to get a little more boring after every group we come across, Brooklyn was left behind with Sunotics along with the young teenagers. Levi has never left my side even during battle, always keeping in check if my werewolf form is staying hidden. It annoyed me a little but it is better than being with the team leader. Harris was partnered with our driver William, two others named Reece and Erin were paired up too. Being with Levi forced me to fight against the blood suckers. As much as I loved it, the more I wondered why I continued to do so. We are so far from their main base and here I am fighting with the humans.

 

Levi however isn't the same, the rest were clean with their kills but he turned very sloppy. He sliced open their throats and hacked into their limbs when you could just murder them faster. Levi dripped with blood sucker's own blood, he didn't seem fazed either. I felt like I was protecting him more than helping, when he sets sight on one he won't keep in mind of his surroundings.

 

As we continued along the track behind Harris and William, Levi dragged his feet against the desert sand. "Levi, we are slowing down." this was the first time I have ever spoken to him since we left the base. He glared at me and I couldn't help but to feel sorry about him. "Look about-"

 

"He is dead Proteus." he quickly said, he then looked back down to the sand. "I have nothing left you hear."

 

Levi walked faster and I sighed. It is my job to kill these humans, make sure none get through. Kill all the leaders, that is what I must do. Brooklyn is becoming too attached to the humans and Sunotics thinks Travis is going psychotic. I do agree with Sunotics and besides these humans are an endangered species, if that city is all there is of humans left. Plus half were slaughtered while being attacked, Travis said to make sure none get back to the gates, maybe we could be with them as an advantage. They think everything other than human are enemies, all but Levi.

 

I could see some bloodsuckers ahead, I charged forward. Running past the rest of the group, Harris managed to keep up with me. I looked towards him but he didn't glace back towards me, he runs faster than an average human surely. He pressed forward and now I tried to keep up, the bloodsuckers tried to run faster but we staked them before they could go any faster. Once we finished them off Harris grabbed me on the throat and ripped the cloth around my arm off. The wound that was previously there, healed up and was only left with dry blood. His eyes glowed in different colours, from red, blue then purple. Those aren't werewolf eyes, nor blood sucker's. Shape Shifter?

 

"What are you Proteus, if that is even your name?" Harris squeezed harder against my throat but I was wondering what exactly he is. Shape Shifters are loyal to their kind, they wouldn't even consider other beings lives. Levi ran in between us and pressed his hands against our chests, pushing us back. I growled and my eyes gave me away, Levi shook his head at me and dropped his hands. "You brought a werewolf into our base? Werewolves?" Harris grabbed onto the box that he always held.

 

Before he could speak into it, Levi kicked him back causing him to drop his box. Levi quickly bent down and grabbed onto the box. "I brought them because they could help us, these are the beings of Order not Chaos Harris."

 

My back stiffened and I kept my eyes on Harris. "Order and Chaos are the same Levi, Shifters, Demons, Angels, Elementals, Vampires, Werewolves. They are all the same!" His eyes continued to flash different colours. "They killed our families, they destroyed our world. Why am I trying to explain? Those Vampires killed your father!"

 

Levi went to speak but while we were in a middle of a fight, bloodsuckers surrounded us. William, Erin and Reece also were within the circle. We gripped onto our weapons and Levi looked down to his bag, a little silver diamond flashed red. "We are close to the Chaos gate!" He announced to the crew, we all came closer together. I sensed a large power, I looked over the large army of bloodsuckers. It was a gate, moulded with flesh and bone. Human corpses literally is the Gate of Chaos. The rest of the crew put glasses on and saw the gate slightly open, the skulls were stuck against the sides and the rest of the gate continued to move. The limbs were still moving and people continued to scream in pain. Barb wire tied each body to each other and hooks kept them in place.

 

The blood suckers ran towards us but Levi had the first that came towards us, Reece, Erin and William ran into the army and I stood by Harris. Some charged at him but he lifted up his hand and the bloodsuckers fell to the ground in pain. His eyes flashed red and they all chocked on their own blood. Their eyes rolled back and their bodies turned into dust, Levi grabbed my arm and pulled me with the rest of the crew. Harris screamed as a flash of light escaped his hands. The same amount of light Levi had in those bombs. All of the bloodsuckers fell to the ground and turned into the dust, we looked back to the gate and a siren came from the other side.

 

"We better leave Harris." William told him, Harris nodded and we all began to run the other way. We were so far from the vehicles, we need to get there faster. More bloodsuckers chased after us, along with some other beings. They took form in different things, now these are Shape Shifters. The crew continued to throw bombs but they only affected the blood suckers. Levi began to run sideways, grabbing guns from his pockets. He shot bullets which hit the Shifters, each hit made them fall as their bodies melted and left them in smoke. I looked more closely to realise those bullets were made from Silver. We continued to run, Harris and Levi were slowing down. Soon we made it to the vehicles with Harris and Levi way behind, I quickly got in but the rest of the crew stopped.

 

"What are you doing? We need to leave!" I yelled, William grabbed a bag that was placed in the front seat.

 

"If we leave now, they will only follow us back to the base." Reece told me, I looked up to the sky and it was becoming dark. The sun that hid in the sky was slowly fading away. I grabbed a pistol and found the trigger, as soon as I pulled it back it collided with a Shifter running towards me. I smiled and began to rip Shifters and Bloodsuckers into pieces. Harris dropped his hands and stumbled forward, Levi grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him back onto his feet. In the distance it seemed like the gate wouldn't stop flooding with creatures, Harris looked to his crew.

 

William, Erin and Reece aimed their guns to the army, Levi held out his daggers and Harris held onto a smaller gun and held his fist in the air. We charged straight into the army, we were instantly surrounded. I roared in rage as I shredded each one into pieces. I was suddenly alone, I could hear Reece and Erin scream in pain. Harris's beam of light began to dim and no more bombs were thrown. Is this honestly it for us? For me? If I can't execute my mission these beasts will, but if I allow this they won't just go to the base but Brooklyn and Sunotics.

 

I heard a sudden snap, my leg broke forward and I turned to find the creature to blame. They weren't even close. My arm swung itself back behind my back, just enough to dislocate itself. I screamed in pain as I fell to my knees, my body moved by itself. What is going on? My body threw itself back and forth as my bones and muscles shifted into something else. I looked up to the sky to find the dust slightly parting. The full moon's rays beamed down on me, I suddenly howled. Slowly I stood onto my feet.

 

My claws were much longer and sharper, my vision changed. Every beast were different colours, I growled and leaped towards the closest bloodsucker. I bit down onto the freak but my entire mouth was the size of its head. Howls were heard from behind us, I turned to find two werewolves sprinting towards us. One was smaller than the other, they ran in and started to rip into the army. More cars followed behind them, humans all ran out of their cars and joined us. We were still outnumbered but we were able to make some retreat, bodies of both monster and mortal fell to the ground. I found Harris but I couldn't help but to attack him, I heard a cry and found Levi charging towards me.

 

"No Proteus!" he grabbed onto my neck and pulled me back. I fell on top of him and I turned my attention onto the other humans. Levi ran into my sight and I closed my eyes. Every instinct told me to rip him apart, I growled at him and once I opened my eyes a blood sucker ran towards me. The taller werewolf bit onto its head and tore it from his shoulders.

 

"Come Proteus." the werewolf looked me in the eyes and barked, his lips never moved. "Proteus move!"

 

It sounded like Sunotics, I followed him as they began to retreat. The Gate of Chaos was now wide open, the bodies of the fallen humans were dragged towards it as they slowly moulded with the others. Their eyes opened in shock and jaws stretched down. "This is not good." I turned to find the little brown werewolf.

 

"For us?"

 

The taller black wolf snarled at the retreating creatures, I could hear him laugh but all the came from his mouth was a howl. "For them." I watched the brown werewolf sprint to the gate with the other beside it. The rest of the humans followed and all who remained were Harris and Levi. The urge came over me again, I shook my head and ran with the humans and werewolves.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.04.2016

Alle Rechte vorbehalten