Chapter Three- Transformation

"Shouldn't you have me arrested?" Hamed asked. "I mean, attacking a priest is a crime, isn't it?"

"It is and I should but I can't seem to bring myself to do it. I don't understand. I should turn us both in as the sacred court was sent out to find were-creatures."

"You won't because wolves are social creatures and are protective of their own kind. That same sense is part of our kind as werewolves."

"Yes," he said in soft realization. "Yes, that explains why I can't arrest you. Hamed, you said being immortal keeps me healthy. What exactly does that mean?"

"Any terminal diseases you had will vanish and no illness can touch you. It will also bring your body to full health. Any pains or aches will disappear and never return."

Aknadin didn't allow the joy of this revelation to show on his face. His body would be perfectly healthy forever and his aches and pains would never bother him again. "Will tonight hurt?"

"Of course. You're becoming a wolf and your human half and wolf half must join together. Every change after that is painless and it takes your will to invoke the change." Hamed looked up at the sky. "I need to return to my pack. The alpha will want to hear if I bit and who it was. Farewell, Priest Aknadin and good luck."

"Goodbye," he said as the young-looking child left before he left the alley to continue the search, only his heart wasn't really into it. His world view had changed and it would remain so. I will have to leave at some point as I won't age and can only die by silver impaling my heart. I can fake my death around the time that Siamun dies. I will then leave to offer my services elsewhere.

"Master Aknadin!" came Mahad's voice from behind and he turned to see excitement on his face. "I found a good were-creature."

"Oh?" Aknadin asked with interest.

Mahad nodded. "A man confessed that he can become a falcon but only in daytime. He offered to help us by seeing criminal activity from the sky. I said that the offer was tempting but not necessary."

"What made him admit his condition?"

Mahad smiled in amusement. "I was alone when a falcon swooped down and landed on the ground before it spoke to me and spread his wings in a kind of bow. He then changed back to a man and explained himself. He had overheard Seto and I discussing our search while he was in the air above us and wanted to assure me that he wasn't a threat."

"That's good to hear. Tell me, Mahad: What were-creatures would you consider to be a risk, plain and simple?"

"Predatory ones, particularly wolves. Werewolves are a risk as they tend to bite humans into more werewolves. If we were to encounter one, he or she would be judged and sentenced in the harshest manner allowed."

"Of course. But suppose one simply wishes to live in peace and not harm anyone. What then?"

"Well, yes, a benign werewolf would be nice, but the odds of that are slim. Werewolves are, for lack of a better term, monsters."

"Yes. They are monsters and the shadow monsters in them are equally so." The two men separated to continue the search until the entire city had been covered. None of the others had found any were-creatures but two more criminals were caught. Mahad spoke of the were-falcon and the others were impressed with his discovery.

Aknadin subtly checked his arm as they headed inside. He was momentarily surprised to see no sign of the bite mark before he remembered that his immortality made him immune to injuries. I can't be hurt and I can't die unless I'm impaled in the heart with silver. Hmm…I wonder if I can touch silver. I need to know. Once in the palace, he headed for the treasury and stared around until he spotted a piece of jewelry to test his curiosity: A jade stone in a silver setting and on a silver chain. He reached toward it, a finger extended toward the chain. He touched the chain and immediately yanked it back when he felt a mild burning on his finger. He put his finger to his mouth before pulling it out to see his fingertip red with an apparent burn mark. Okay. I get burned it I touch silver and, in hindsight, I should have known. Hamed did say I was immune to injuries except for silver. Aknadin shook his hand slightly as he left the room and decided to get something to eat.

He got meat, cheese, and fruit with some beer. It was as he chewed the beef that he saw the burn fade away. His brow furrowed as he ate. I have the weaknesses, advantages, and immortality of a werewolf and yet I haven't transformed. But that will change soon. He finished his food and glanced out a window as he passed one before going to his room. The criminals they had caught would be judged in the morning. He watched the sky glow with a sunset and started to have thoughts of killing himself; an action he should have done when he had returned to the palace. I can't do that now. By the time I reach the treasury, I will have already changed. Tomorrow, after the trials, I will admit that I was bitten and ask to be killed. I will express regret that I did not do so before. He saw the sky turn black with night.

He gasped as a burning swept over him. He moaned softly as he fell to his knees and doubled over. He felt his spine curve and he planted his hands on the floor. He lowered his eye to his hands to see his nails grow out into claws and his fingers shrink away so that he had paws, the claws concealed within. He groaned as he felt his feet also form paws.

Gray fur sprouted on his forepaws and spread up his arms that were lengthening and stiffening into legs. The fur swept over his entire body that was reshaping into a canine's torso. He then gasped again as he heard a crunching, popping sound before realizing that his back paws were planted firmly on the floor: The sounds had been his legs bending into wolf shaped legs.

He felt his ears stretch while his nose and jaws pushed out into a muzzle of sharp teeth. He gave a whine as a tail grew out, his muscles grew a little bigger, and his senses sharpened before it was all over.

He blinked before shaking himself out. Gods, that was awful. Well, I won't be changing into a wolf again as I die tomorrow. He stared around the room and blinked at how clearer and brighter the room was now. Whoa. I can see much better than before. Incredible.

He walked around the room to get a feel for his legs before he easily leaped into bed. I am stronger and I move quickly and easily. He sat on the bed, closed his eye, and he heard the sounds outside his room. He tilted his head as the sounds were clearer than they normally would be. He was also hearing sounds he never would have heard. My hearing is equally impressive.

He straightened his head and then lifted his nose to breathe in. He paused and inhaled again. He smelled the smells he detected on a normal basis, but they were clearer, sharper, and stronger than before. He had also picked up scents he never noticed before and he sat there as he tried to figure them out. This is amazing. My nose is sensitive enough to pick up a variety of scents. Indeed, all of my senses are sharper than before and will be this way in the morning…until I die tomorrow.

He opened his gold wolf eye and stared ahead, thinking. He had been given a wondrous gift that others would see as a curse and unnatural. Indeed, his training told him to confess and die while his newly-awakened instincts balked at his training. This is a gift and a curse, the former more than the latter. My training could help me resist the full moon tendencies. That is why I was chosen. Yes, I will not confess; instead I will hide it. Aknadin curled up and fell asleep.