Dyani – the name of the boy who was raised in the ways of the Elders. He is the smartest of our clan even though he is so very young. He's only my age, no more than eleven winters.

The Elders of our village said that he would always be unique. His power levels are amazing; none of our kind has ever seen the likes of it before. And he is also very small. For a boy of eleven winters you would think he would grow more but he hasn't. He is small even though we are not. His hair is as dark as the sky on a winter's night and ours tend to be brighter. And his eyes are this very weird shade of green. Like emerald colored velvet.

On some days one of his eyes will be completely black. He always stays silent on those days. Not that he isn't silent any other days it's just that normally he says more than 40 words to people. But not those days.

You're probably wondering why he was raised in the way of the Elders though he seems nothing like us and though none of us kids were raised that way either. He was always special to our clan. The Elders say there has never been one like him – EVER!! You have to be very special to be taken and train every day like he is. Or shall I say was. He's completely finished his training and I haven't even started yet!! It's okay though, I'm not jealous of him. He has enough people in our clan for that.

I'm his best friend, Elyrian. I seriously hate my name, it sounds so old fashioned but Dyani likes it well enough.

We are a race of dragon/vampire hybrids. A long time ago though the Elders tell us, before the humans arrived, there were many of us. We were spread out across the land and lived in harmony with the other beings of the forest. After the humans arrived our numbers started to dwindle as we were hunted for game and sport. At one time my great grandmother could remember there being as many as 2,000,000 of us!

But now we are less than 7,000.

It's not so bad though! You get used to seeing pretty much the same faces in our clan. We are just one of many though. There are only 350 of us living together in our small patch of forest. We tend to keep to ourselves.

I can see my friend Dyani leaving from the Head Elder's hut. And as always he's dressed perfectly. Honestly how does he do that?

I wonder what news I am to be told today.

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Elyrian moved from his place on the fallen and rotted log and made his way over to Dyani. Dyani was staring at the ground, being more silent than usual. This was saying a whole lot.

'Must be some really bad news.' Elyrian thought to himself.

"Hey Dyani. What's wrong? You're not even attempting to talk today."

Dyani just sighed and fingered the letter that was sitting in his pocket. Elyrian noticed and looked interested. "Hey what's in your pocket Dyani? Was it something the Head Elder gave you?"

He saw Dyani nod once.

"Well then. Tell me what is it? Why aren't you talking? At least not as much as usual anyways."

Dyani just pulled out the letter and handed it to Elyrian. He took it and looked confused. On the front it was addressed to,

The Kalian Woods.

Elyrian looked up at Dyani who was still staring towards the ground.

"What is this Dy?"

"Just read it." Said Dyani softly.

Elyrian still looked confused but pulled the letter out of the envelope and began to read it.

After he was done he stared at Dyani. "This doesn't mean what I think it does….does it?"

Dyani's shoulders were shaking. Elyrian dropped the letter and went over to hug his friend when he moved away. One glance at his face said it all. The sorrow Elyrian saw there made his heart wanna break.

"Don't Dyani. Maybe … they made a mistake or something…"

"There IS no mistake!! I'm nothing but a dirty, good for nothing, human! They all the right to hate me so!"

"Dyani no!"

But Elyrian's shouts fell on deaf ears. Dyani snatched his letter off the ground and ran back towards his house. Leaving his friend standing there with nothing but a sad look on his face.

And the envelope that the letter was encased in was on the ground next to the fallen log.

With Headmistress McGonagall's signature on it.

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Dyani ran all the way to his house, ignoring all the stares he was getting from the grown ups and the laughter he was getting from the kids. Onward and onward he ran until he was safe in his house, back pressed against the door. He slid down to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees, beginning to cry. Why did all the bad things seem to happen to him?

His mother was staring at him. She was at her place at the table, mending one of his shirts. Her little daughter was sitting next to her, playing with one of her dolls. When Dyani came in though she looked up and stared at him confusedly.

"Mommy? What's wrong with Dy?"

"There's nothing wrong with me!!" Dyani screamed. He tried pressing himself further against the door but he could get no closer.

Nahimana sent her daughter into her room with her toys and moved closer to her son. She knew better then to rush up on him. That would only make him angrier and then she would never find out what happened.

"Dyani, my son. Won't you come to your mother and tell her the news the Head Elder wanted you for?"

Dyani peered up from his spot on the ground and just stared at his so called mother. He felt his heart breaking. He didn't know what to do. He got up and threw the letter at his mother. It drifted to the floor and as it did he saw his mother's eyes go wide. He saw the sadness flash through them and knew that what the letter said was true.

"You lied to me!!" He screamed. He tried to run to his room but his mother caught him and they both stumbled to the floor. But they both didn't feel the pain of ground because they were too busy clinging to each other, one crying in pain and the other in sorrow.

"How come you never told me mother?" Dyani asked through his tears.

His mother just stroked his hair. "I had hoped this day would never come. I wanted you to stay with me forever."

Dyani just cried harder and clung to his mother. He had no idea what was in store for him. All he knew was that things were going to change.

And not for the better.

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