Chapter Two- Speculations
"Bastion?" Syrus said softly as they laid in their dorm. "Where did you find those other formulas?"
"A book I checked out of the library. It is full of theorems I can study and possibly counter as well as equations to memorize, and formulas to examine and test. I found an intriguing alchemical formula that I wrote down."
"Yeah?" Jaden asked. "Know what it does?"
"Yes. It claims that if one brews it and drinks it on the full moon, then he or she becomes a werewolf."
"It does?" Syrus said, a slight note of interest in his voice.
"It does. You interested in being one, Sy?"
"No, but I saw a book in the library on werewolves. I looked at the Table of Contents and there was a chapter on different types of werewolves."
"Intriguing. I may choose to read that book."
"Bastion…would you actually make and drink this formula?" asked Jaden.
"I am not certain. I will read up on werewolves and make a decision based on the facts."
"Of course." Jaden then yawned. "Well, night everyone." Jaden laid back and was instantly asleep. Bastion was impressed with how easily Jaden fell asleep, considering that he slept in class. Bastion laid down, shut his eyes, and soon asleep as well. He awoke in the morning after having dreams of formulas, a full moon, and a wolf howling. One would think their dreams were signs of being a werewolf but Bastion was more level-headed than that. He had said he would look at the facts before rendering a decision and that's what he was going to do.
When classes ended for the day, he went to the library and looked up books on werewolves. He then skimmed the table of contents until he found the book that Syrus had mentioned. He made copies of the chapter before heading back to his dorm to put it back together. Once that was done, he pulled out the papers and began to read.
The chapter did deal with different types of werewolves but not in the way he thought. It said that depending on what month one became a werewolf, a set of magic powers would be bestowed on them. The looks, powers, and personality were provided for each wolf and Bastion was impressed with what he was reading.
It's well-known that werewolves would have enhanced senses, speed, and strength in both forms but it appears that the time of the transformation gives the person certain powers. It is January right now. If I drank the formula on this month's full moon, I would become an ice wolf. I am impressed with what ice wolves can do. That ability to summon and freeze water and fracture ice with diamond hard claws. Some people can stop themselves from changing by consuming a good deal of hot food and drinks. Naturally, one needs to consume cold foods and drinks when wanting to change. The change from human to wolf is a slow, controlled one.
Bastion grabbed the book on formulas and flipped to the werewolf formula. It required it to be brewed one to two weeks before the full moon. I have enough time to make it. I can gather the ingredients from the students' ingredients cupboard. He felt a thrill in his heart at becoming a werewolf and an ice one at that. He had made his decision to go ahead with it and also decided not to tell anyone about it. He would tell his friends that he was either undecided or that he chose not to do it.
He read over the ingredients again and knew he could get them easily. The only one he could not get right away was moonlight. He would need to drink the formula once the light of the full moon shined on the formula as well as drink it in the moonlight. That was understandable. Moonlight aside, he would need to gather everything tomorrow and start on it so he would have the week he needed to make it.
He was able to get the ingredients without being noticed and put them on his table along with test tubes, beakers, burners, and protective equipment. He measured out the first two ingredients and mixed them together. He set up the next part so he would be able to add it after the two days of necessary waiting.
"Did you look at the book?" Syrus asked the day after he started the formula.
"I did. The chapter you mentioned actually spoke of the type of werewolf one would become based on the month. For example, January results in ice wolves."
"Ice wolves?" Hassleberry asked.
Bastion nodded. "They are able to summon water and freeze it with their diamond-hard claws as well as fracture ice and yet the claws are flexible enough to provide traction on icy surfaces or function as skates."
"So, they could ice-skate whenever they're wolves." Jaden grinned at the image.
"It would seem so. The book also spoke of a slow, controlled change to wolf form as well as being able to stop or invoke the change voluntarily. Consumption of lots of hot food and drinks halts the change while cold ones invokes the change. I imagine a balance would allow the change to occur naturally."
"Are you going to be an ice wolf?" Syrus said. "I mean, you told us a lot about them."
"No, I don't think so. I was merely curious about the types of werewolves. It was a fascinating chapter to read but I can say with confidence that I will not be a werewolf."
"That's cool," Jaden said. "Could you tell us about the other types?"
"Well, February produces storm wolves. My reading says that touching one gives you an electric shock and they are faster than normal werewolves. October produces more aggressive wolves due to Halloween while December has the opposite effect due to Christmas. However, if a year has thirteen full moons and December is the blue moon month then the werewolves would be aggressive instead of docile."
"Too bad for those born in October and December," Syrus remarked. "No special powers."
"So it seems," Bastion said. "There were mentions of fur and eye color for each month. Storm wolves would have bluish-purple fur and red or purple eyes. Ice wolves would have long thick gray or white fur and gray or dark blue eyes."
"Oh, so it'd make sense to hide somewhere so no one would see ya and attack as you could look unusual," Hassleberry said.
"Of course, this is all speculation," Bastion said. None of us plan to become a werewolf."
"Yeah. Speculation," Syrus said. "Hey, think one would have the senses and speed of a wolf while in human form?"
"I have no doubt of that," Jaden piped up. "And maybe able to talk in wolf form. That would be cool."
"I wouldn't mind having extra stamina," Bastion mused aloud. "I'd be able to study longer."
"Uh, I'd rather not have that," Jaden said, prompting his friends to laugh gently.
"What about a craving for meat, especially raw meat?" Hassleberry suggested.
Syrus turned slightly green. "Ugh. No way."
Bastion turned the conversation to other possibilities while wondering what abilities he would gain as a werewolf, in addition to the ones he already knew about. Well, in a week, I will find out.