Chapter Seven- Cursed

Mahad stood before the first tomb and chanted the spell that would reveal the traps before him. Such a spell had been beyond his power, but he had studied it nonetheless. Now, he felt no spell was beyond him, especially the ones used by his students. He sent Illusion Magician in after casting his spell and closed his eyes. He looked down at the traps and spied the one his student had added: The basic Freeze Trap. Simple, but effective and easily broken. He opened his eyes and strode around the traps, but broke the Freeze Trap. He took the rarest and most beautiful jewels and jewelry as well as some money before leaving, springing the traps as he did so.

He laughed darkly as he savored his triumph. He loved tomb robbing! With his knowledge of tombs and being in charge of them, he could rob them as he pleased and no one would suspect him. Even if someone did, they won't catch me as I am too powerful to be caught. Mahad was aware that he was thinking arrogant thoughts, but he felt they were true. He then turned his attention to the next tomb. Mana had done this one and he wondered what his top student had done. He cast the reveal spell and sent his monster in. He was impressed to find the rope-binding curse. Very nice, Mana, but easily broken with my skill level. Once again, he avoided the traps, broke Mana's curse, stole what he wanted, and sprung the traps as he left. Again he reflected on the placement of the curses. The first one was around the center while Mana's was near the end. I taught them well. I have stressed that no two traps are always in the same place. Some are better at the entrance while others work better at the center or near the end.

He turned to the third one and found a trip trap near the entrance and easily broke that one as well before robbing the tomb and springing the traps in that one too. He grinned smugly as he stood before the last one, Tyce's tomb. The first and third tombs contained basic curses but placement was the cause of the exhaustion of those two spell casters. Mana's tiredness was a combination of placement and level of the curse's strength. Tyce's exhaustion was exactly like Mana's and Mahad was curious as to what Tyce had done. He chanted the reveal spell and Illusion Magician flew in. Mahad looked through its eyes and frowned. He couldn't see Tyce's curse anywhere. A concealed trap. Oh, very good Tyce. Clearly I will need to be careful. He called is monster back before carefully eyeing the area around him. He could have used his shapeshifting power to fly over the ground but he wanted to spring the traps as he left. Also, simple human curiosity prompted him to transverse the area on foot.

Then, as he took another step several feet from the entrance, a stone sunk down under his foot. He quickly stepped back but not quick enough as the stone he had stepped backwards onto sank also and an electric shock raced up his body. He cried out and fled the tomb. He panted as he stood by his three bags of loot. What was that? That was no simple shock trap, something happened. He stared at the tomb and an unexplainable fear was felt. I'll try again another time. He gathered his loot and took off for Bakura's place.

Bakura heard firm footsteps that were nonetheless light: The footfall of a tomb robber. Mahad came into the room with three bags and a preoccupied expression that caught Bakura's attention. "Mahad? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I successfully broke and robbed three tombs as you can see. But with the last one, I think I got hit with the trap Tyce had set in that one. It was concealed so I didn't know where it was or what it was. I still don't know. An electric shock raced up my body and once I was out, I felt an unexplainable fear while looking at the tomb. I'll try again at another time." Mahad flopped down and leaned back against some cushions.

Bakura went over to Mahad, concerned as his boyfriend seemed pale. He felt Mahad's forehead and said, "I think you should stay here and rest. You feel a bit clammy and yet warm at the same time."

"I didn't want to say it, but I really don't feel well. I'll stay and rest." His eyes closed and he fell into a fitful sleep with Bakura watching over him with concern. What kind of curse did that student cast? If it kills Mahad, I'll kill that Tyce." Bakura scowled as he pictured Tyce's death in a variety of ways.

Mahad slept on and off, accepting water from Bakura whenever he woke before falling back asleep. Bakura monitored Mahad's skin temperature. It had felt hot early on and began administering water every time Mahad awoke. It seemed to help as he became cooler. It was nearly dark when Mahad awoke and sat up, his eyes clear and alert. "Mahad," Bakura said with relief. "You seem better."

"I feel better," he admitted. "I guess I just needed some rest and water."

"Mahad, it's getting dark. Please stay. I have plenty of food and water."

Mahad nodded. "I'll stay. Do you have any meat?"

"I do. I'll just start a fire and cook it."

"That's not necessary. Raw is fine."

"Raw!?" Bakura looked at Mahad with shock. "Really? That doesn't seem safe, to be honest."

Mahad was about to answer when a howl emerged from his mouth. He then began to pant hard and when he looked at Bakura, he had the intense gold eyes of a wolf. His clothes faded into his skin as dark brown fur grew all over his body, his hair becoming fur as well. He gave a whine as his spine curved to force him to his hands and knees. His body enlarged and his muscles did as well. He gained the muzzle, ears, tail, legs, and paws of a wolf before he howled again and then snarled when he saw what he had become.

"Mahad?" Bakura asked cautiously.

"Tyce cast the werewolf curse," Mahad snarled.

"I'm guessing that's bad."

"Not exactly," Mahad replied, feeling calmer. "I will change into a wolf every night and back to human every morning. I will be able to turn others on the full moon and this curse will make me act vicious and brutal whenever I engage in some criminal act at night."

"I see, but why would Tyce cast this particular curse? The tomb robber escapes with the curse inside him."

"Ah, but if the person isn't as dark and evil as we are, they would succumb to the wolf within and be reduced to a simple wolf in body, voice, and mind every night but still able to curse others. Their human selves would be less criminal as a result. So, his curse would reduce the number of tomb robbers."

"Yes, that would make sense though there would be a lot of wolves every night."

"Granted, but as I'm a werewolf and a magician, I can sense whether a wolf is cursed or not and if I find one, I'll just kill them. Of course, the cursed ones could end up killed by ordinary wolves."

"Killing the cursed ones would be part of your curse as it would make you act vicious."

"Indeed." Mahad then yawned and stretched out his forelegs, making the extended claws seem longer. "I think I'll go back to sleep."

"Not hungry anymore?"

Mahad sat straight up then. "Actually, I am. I burned a lot of energy with my change and need to replenish it." Bakura left and then returned with a bowl of water and a hunk of raw meat. He put both down and stepped away as Mahad went over, laid down, and tore hungrily into the meat, lapping up water in-between bites.

Bakura took the opportunity to truly admire Mahad's form. He was big for a wolf but from a distance, no one would look twice at him. His muscles were corded and added to his large appearance. His fur was an unusual color for a wolf, a tip off that he wasn't a real wolf. His ears were long, his muzzle was strong, and his tail was full. Claws extended past his paws and Bakura knew they could do serious damage. Mahad paused in his meal and looked at Bakura with gold eyes that were intense and evil but also full of human cunning.

"Yes, Bakura?"

"I was just thinking that you look good this way. No one would think of messing with you."

Mahad gave a dark chuckle. "No, I don't think anyone would. Now, with this being caused by a curse, my shapeshifting power won't work at night, however, I can use an illusion spell to conceal my appearance though I would leave paw prints if I walk in the sand." He swallowed the last of his meal. "Bakura, open up the bags and check out what I took."

Bakura did so and the greed and joy on his face made Mahad beam with pleasure. His tall wagged as Bakura exclaimed over the rare jewelry and treasures. He then began to tell Bakura about his three successful thefts and felt proud of his accomplishments. The werewolf curse notwithstanding, he was a good tomb robber and he knew perfectly well what he was going to do in the morning: He was going to go back to the last tomb and rob it. He would avoid the traps, take what he wanted, and escape without springing the traps. I will not be denied.