The Shadow Lycan's Rebirth

Chapter One

Under the brightly lit night sky, a young man in tattered clothes lay drenched in the middle of the streets of Rutledge, Newhaven.

A voice called out to him from the dark abyss whilst he lay dazed in the rain, "Hey. Hey! Are you alright sir?"

The voice was gentle and warm, it was the voice of a woman.

He managed to stutter out an answer, "I'm…Umm… I don't know"

She gazed at him, confused and unsure of how to proceed but she knew she could never bring herself to leave him there, shelterless and wet, "Well I don't know what you're doing out here, but I can't just leave you in the rain. Do you live in Otuthra or Newhaven, or maybe there's someone I can call to come get you? Maybe your parents?"

"Otuthra? Newhaven? I don't…know where I live nor who you could call" said the man.

"How does one forget their lodgings?" She thought to herself.

He seemed confused and lost, almost like a child but his manly well defined physic hinted at anything but that. He looked to be about 17 years old.

He got up from where he lay and slowly approached the woman.

"I can't seem to get a hold of my thoughts…I..I...can't…remember"

Burdened by pity and a sense of responsibility, the woman offered the man shelter in her cottage for the night and he accepted.

The journey to her cottage was filled with absolute silence. She didn't want to overstep or agitate him by asking questions and he didn't have much to say considering his predicament.

After supper, she finally built up the courage to start a conversation, "Um, sooo… Do you have a name?"

He remained silent and just stared into the palm of his hand.

"Wow, not even a name. Guess we'll have to get you one for the time being. How about Ezra?" asked the woman.

"The name 'Ezra' is fine. I assume I am to ask for yours now" said Ezra.

"My name is Meredith Fulworth. I am Newhaven's only tailor" said Meredith.

She extended an arm to him and he shook it, "Now that we're acquainted, would you mind telling me how you ended up face down in the middle of the street?" asked Meredith.

He got up and paced around the room for a while and then said, "I would like to know too, but every time I try to recall I get this sharp pain at the back of my head"

They ended up talking the night away. Meredith tried her best to jog Ezra's memories by referencing the town and recent events but nothing came to him and in turn, he helped her clean up the dishes.

A little past midnight, Ezra's slumber was ended abruptly by a nightmare. He woke up shaking and drenched with sweat. In the dream, he stood in a dark void and was engulfed by it, unable to move or speak. All he could do was gaze into the nothingness. It was like drowning.

After a few minutes, he got a hold of himself and was about to return to sleep when he heard a loud crashing noise from downstairs. He leaped out of bed and crept down the stairs. In a corner of the common room, a burly man stood firm, grabbing Meredith by the throat. He was about 6'5 and had a scruffy beard.

When the man saw Ezra, he turned to him and said, "Oh so you're the trash she picked off the streets huh?"

"Leave him alone Vanda, he has nothing to do with this!" screamed Meridith as the lower half of her body dangled in mid-air.

Vanda turned back to Meredith, "You're quite wrong hot legs. He too is currently inhabiting the home that YOU are late on rent on. So when I'm done with you, I'll see if he can cough up my money!"

Ezra searched around the room with his eyes till he found a fire poker. He took hold of it and turned to Vanda, "Leave her alone now! Or else!"

"Oh wow, we have a Knight of the Lights order here. I'm shivering in my boots. Are you gonna poke me with your big stick?"

Meredith took advantage of his lapse in concentration and bit the hand on her neck. He flinched and slapped her across the room, into the glassware.

Filled with rage towards Vanda, Ezra rushed across the room and slammed the rod right across Vanda's neck. He staggered a bit but quickly recovered and burst towards Ezra, held him by his neck, and tossed him through the window, into the street.

"I think you need some fresh air!" shouted Vanda.

Ezra got up sluggishly and tried to go in for another swing but the momentum of the fire poker caused him to trip after Vanda dodged the strike. While his opponent was down, Vanda picked up a glass shard from the window debris and plunged it into Ezra's back causing him to fall to the ground in pain. Blood gushed profusely from the wound, staining his clothes and the ground beneath him.

Before Vanda could move his body, people started pouring into the streets, trying to find the cause of the racket.

"Now you know to mind your f*****g business, you bastard!" Vanda said after spitting on him.

Anger pulsed through Ezra's body. He was so angry he could almost taste it. He couldn't take it anymore. The rage consumed his mind and took control.

Whispers flew from ear to ear, the sharp pains in his head intensified, and his vision became blurry. In his moment of rage, a fragment of a memory came to him. He could see a woman with white hair crying sorrowfully over his dead body. This fragment coupled with his intense anger brought about the awakening. At first, it was just a tingling sensation all over his body, like needles pricking his skin. But then the pain began, a searing pain that felt like his bones were being torn apart from the inside out.

He rolled on the ground, his body writhing in agony as the transformation took hold. Pitch-black fur sprouted from his skin, and his fingers elongated into claws. He could feel his teeth growing, sharp and jagged, and his nose and mouth shifted into a snout. It was complete, Ezra had turned into a beast; a Shadow Lycan. Only his anger and primal urges were guiding him now.

He lunged towards Vanda and thrust his large clawed hand through his throat, ripping it open. After which he carried Vanda's carcass and threw him across the street into a pub. The townspeople screamed and ran in fear of him. Some tried to alert the Knights of the Lights order; the King's guard, while others just took their children and ran. Even Meredith couldn't hide her fear. She was truly terrified and ran with the rest of the townspeople.

It didn't take long before the Knights arrived. Other than Vanda, only buildings and stalls had seen Ezra's wrath. The Knights tried to restrain him but their efforts were futile. Even when they resorted to eliminating the threat, their swords weren't enough to slay the beast.

After eradicating the first wave of Knights that had come for him, he rushed towards the magic barrier the Knights had placed around the survivors. As he was about to reach the townspeople and commence a m******e, another Lycan with silver-colored fur emerged from the forest and rammed Ezra into a building. This unknown Lycan charged toward Ezra, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his fur. Ezra was just as determined, his sleek body moving with lightning-fast speed as he lunged forward with his teeth bared.

The two Lycans collided in a frenzied clash, their powerful jaws locked in a fierce struggle. The silver Lycan used his strength to try and overpower him, but Ezra was too quick for him, dodging and weaving out of his grasp.

The townspeople watched from a distance, their eyes wide with fear as they waited for an opportunity to escape. The silver Lycan let out a growl of frustration as Ezra nimbly sidestepped his attacks, his claws slicing through the air.

Ezra was relentless, his attacks coming faster and faster as he tried to claw the silver Lycan. But the silver Lycan was a formidable opponent, his powerful muscles refusing to give in.

The two Lycans fought on, their claws and teeth flashing in the moonlight. Finally, the silver Lycan saw his opportunity and lunged forward, sinking his teeth into Ezra's shoulder. He let out a howl of pain, but he didn't give up.

Just when it seemed like the fight would never end, the silver Lycan raised his claws to the moon and absorbed its light into them. In a swift strike, he plunged his moon-powered claws into Ezra's ribs, the pain was immense. This pushed Ezra to his threshold causing him to pass out and return to normal. The silver Lycan wasted no time. He took hold of Ezra's unconscious body and dragged him into the forest from which he emerged, leaving the once vibrant town of Rutledge in ruins.