Jason Steele Eats Humans

My family kills people.

That's how it is.

Because that's what we are.

If we don't kill them.

If we don't eat them.

Eventually we will die.

But I can't accept that.

"Jason?" My mom said, as I helped her wash the dishes.

"Yeah?"

"How's school."

"Good."

"Are you sure? You've been missing a lot of your assignments recently."

Shit.

I forgot, I accidentally used my parent's email the day I made my campus account. This was back when I was eighteen.

"Ah. Well, maybe a little bit unwell, but nothing too major."

My mom set down the plate.

"You know I do not approve of the way you live your life."

I clenched my fist.

"Like you would understand my reasons, mom. What's wrong with wanting to live life as a person? You brought me here, didn't you? You let me go to school, didn't you? Dad let me hang out with these people and make friends. You both encouraged it."

My mom growled under her breath. A low, fierce, growling only something our kind could make.

"Do not mistake freedom with whatever you are doing now. In the end, you are what you are. You're not like them. Your father and I let you live your life because we understand the loneliness of living your life surrounded by humans. But eventually, you will have to give in. It is your biological need."

"I don't need this." I replied, as I ran up the steps.

"Jason!" My mom called out to me.

I panted, as I tried to get up the steps, but I ran out of breath.

My friend, Ronnie, had told me that my kind could survive till the age of twenty eight without consuming human flesh.

That was what I believed in, but he never mentioned the side effects that could happen before that.

One such side effect was my heavily reduced stamina.

It felt like I had asthma, whenever I exerted myself, my heart would feel like it was operating on overdrive. No matter how many times I went on a run, I would always be too lightheaded and dizzy to continue after fifteen minutes. Could it be I was just unfit? Maybe if I was human.

I went up the steps slowly, as I heard the door creak to my sister's room.

"Hey wimp." My sister said, as I noticed a human skull on her bed. She was nibbling at the ear. Her demonic form in plain view. She was only about five feet tall, but she was five feet of black shiny skin, spikes protruding from her back, her hair, black and wild and spiky going down her back and seating around her shoulders. Her bloodred eyes and demonic horns curling to the front of her jaws as she munched on the flesh. In the light of her room, her black, smoky aura and remnants of her demonic dark speed still in full view, making numerous mirages on her bed as if she had just used her speed to capture that poor guy that was now her late night snack.

I nearly fell on my back.

"HAHA! Pussy! What a sorry excuse for an older brother!" My sister jeered at me, as I stumbled out of the way to my room.

Allison "Ally" Steele, by the way. Aged twenty.

Ally, like me, was born looking like a human, but over time, she unlocked her demonic transformation at the age of thirteen when she was bullied by her classmates. I found it unacceptable that day when I found out my lil sis was being bullied and wanted to step in, and I actually was about to. Hiding in the trees, watching my sister get beat up by the mean girls.

But the moment I emerged, my dad appeared out of nowhere, in his demonic form; a hulking monster with bull like horns and flaming orange eye trails similar to a minotaur, slammed me into the ground. He told me that the physical bullying was what my sister needed.

And he was right. Because the moment my sister was pushed into oncoming traffic, the horror activated her defense mechanism.

And I watched my sister undergo her transformation for the first time, her hair turning wild and spiky, growing longer until it reached her waist, her demonic face complimented by fangs and curly horns similar to a goat, as she snarled at her bullies and killed them with her claws. All that training from dad, all that martial arts, suddenly awakening through a series of savage yet structured claw swipes. She then ate their corpses in front of me.

Mom and Dad were completely fine with the fact that their daughter had committed murder. They had a family friend act as the lawyer and chalk the whole thing up to a wild animal attack, obviously bullshitted, of course. But we then had her transferred to another school, where my sister would kidnap classmates and eat them.

By the time I got to my room, I collapsed on the bed.

Drama always made me feel nauseous. And every night was always drama when Mom or Dad mentioned about my lifestyle.

Every day I felt weaker and more unstable.

I knew that.

I just didn't know how it ended between the two of us. So talking to you... it made me hesitate a bit, you know?

My heart hurt as I clenched my teeth.

I heard my phone vibrate, as I rushed to it.

Was it her? I had finally mustered the courage to send her a text, but nope.

I made a disappointed face.

Yo. Jace. Wanna VC tonight?

"Ronnie..." I grumbled, as I opened my FacePage and hit him up.

"Bro... you look like shit." Ronnie said, as he chuckled.

"Shut up, dude." I replied, as I cracked open a soda and drank it.

"Bro did you ask her out already?"

"No, Ronnie. I didn't."

"DUDE. Seriously? It's your last year, hell, it's your last month in this degree. Once you graduate you're gonna be working a white collar job. Your love life is gonna be over."

"Thanks, Ronnie for being real supportive."

"I'm just trying to help you out man. It worked for me. I asked Jill out and now we're dating. On the last day of class too."

Easy for him to say. They were both living next door. She happened to be new to town. Everything was set up for them. But for me... she was already popular. Always was.

I rolled my eyes, as I glanced at the cheese sandwich I bought from the convenience store.

I took it out of the wrapper and munched on it.

It tasted terrible.

Like all foods. I always had to force it into my stomach.

But it was this... or...

I remembered watching my Dad cut apart the bodies of victims had had caught on his way home from work, extracting the meat for dinner.

A wave of nausea washed over me.

"Ronnie, you gonna help me for my final exam? It's coming up real soon."

"Ah, nah I can't bro. I have to hang out with my girlfriend."

"..."

"Bro I can't just ignore my girlfriend. That's not how relationships work."

"You said we would study together. You know I'm struggling real bad with class."

"Then just read the lecture slides."

"Dude! I've been doing that since-"

Connection Cut.

I stared at the frozen picture of Ronnie picking his nose.

"Daaaaaaaad! The connection went out! Go kill the landlord's wife or something!" I heard my sister shout from next door.

"Ally! We talked about this! Killing is for food only!" My dad bellowed from the top floor.

I sighed, as I went back and checked my phone.

Elaine had never messaged me back.

After all that talk on that last day of class about she never spoke to me because she was just unsure how it had "ended between us". So I forced the narrative that I was okay with it and that there was nothing bad between us. When I had friended her on FacePage, she had replied.

But now...

It was back on the ghost train.

I should have moved on from her, but it's hard to explain. When I have so much history with her over the past three years.

The phone vibrated again, as I checked it.

Voice call? Your internet sucks right. Ronnie texted me.

I pretended to growl at the phone screen. Pretending my demonic form was unlocked, which obviously it wasn't. Thank god.

"Yo. What's up shithead." Ronnie's voice boomed from my headphones.

"What do you want, shithead." I replied.

Banter was funny.

"Bro, I was at the library, and I found another book on the Anakals."

"What is your obsession with my- those things anyway?"

"What's there not to be obsessed with, Jace? Dark warriors. Ancient demonic beasts who fought like warriors but battled with a rage filled style. Their armor. The fact that each one has a special ability. The weapons could be different. Dude, lemme turn on my camera."

Ronnie turned on his webcam and showed me a page from the book.

"This one, it's wielding a giant waraxe! And his armor, a huge black arm guard. And his eyes, just red and bloodlusted. It's just so badass. The whole dark warrior theme."

My eye twitched in annoyance.

"Bro, also, I was studying up on their biology. You know Anakals are actually born human? That's insane. It's only through some kind of major trauma do their powers awaken."

"Oh wow. Great to know." I grumbled.

"If an Anakal doesn't awaken their transformation, they actually die. Damn. That's intense. Makes me think. Are Anakals basically like ancient demonic Spartans? Bloodlusted monsters from hell bred for battle?"

Not exactly...

We're people too. It's just... we need to eat humans to live. Properly, that is.

"I actually made a mistake. They don't die right away." Ronnie said, as he continued flipping the pages.

"They actually wither away. Crazy isn't it? They lose their strength every day they don't eat human meat. Nausea. Pain. Cramps. Emotional instability. Mental instability. If it isn't the physical pain, it's the emotional pain that eventually forces them to unlock it. That's insane bro. Must have been like something they evolved to get, so they would transform no matter what."

I was silent for a few seconds.

"You're staring at your messages, aren't you."

"No."

"Cap to the max, Jace."

"Shut up."

That night, Elaine never responded to my texts. Normally, this would have been an aw man, what a bummer moment. Maybe a guy would be depressed that their crush literally aired them. That's a normal thing.

But it wasn't for me, really.

I couldn't tell if I was just ultra sensitive, or if it was the aftereffects of denying my Anakal blood.

I was becoming more and more emotional each day. And it really messed with my mental health.

I went down the steps to the living room. Mom had already packed things up.

I opened the door, and went outside.

Maybe fresh air would take my mind off things with Elaine.

I walked down the street in the night sky. I wished my special Anakal ability was to know what Elaine was feeling. Did she find me creepy? Was she uninterested in me?

I just... couldn't tell.

All those times she was so friendly to me, was it all an act?

My mind continued shifting from one negative thought to another, then finally.

Well Jace. Looks like we're the only single guys out of the whole squad.

I remembered Ronnie putting an arm around me.

It was always a joke we had. Well, it was a joke that he always made.

And I was always okay with it because it seemed like I wasn't alone.

But ever since Ronnie had started dating, it was like I didn't exist to him.

He stopped cracking those jokes and as if never acknowledging the fact that he even made them in the first place.

Why was it so easy for Ronnie? And so hard for me?

She didn't even know I was an Anakal.

And this entire time, my heart continued hurting. Fresh air didn't do anything for it.

If I had revealed to everybody that I was a monster, at least there would have been a reason to be rejected. Honestly.

But even as a human, I wasn't accepted.

Imagine what would happen if they knew.

"Help me... help..." A voice startled me in the darkness, as I stood still.

Some middle aged man, sprawled on the ground. He was missing a leg.

I threw up in my mouth.

"Young man... please... please help me..."

I heard a low growling.

The bellowing grumble which had to belong to a very large beast.

No.

Not a beast.

"Dad?" I said, casually, but stopped.

Wait.

That couldn't be Dad. He was at home.

He only went out on hunts after work.

A large beast emerged from the bushes. He had four horns and had very ancient black armor cladding his body. His arms looked like they were equipped with very large blades.

"Oh? What's this?" The Anakal grumbled.

This Anakal was not my father.

I stumbled back in surprise, as the Anakal picked up the man and licked his lips.

"Fear. I love it when prey is afraid. They release such succulent juices when I bite down."

The man let loose blood curdling cries.

"NO! NO PLEASE! DON'T! I BE-"

CHOMP.

The man's body went slack as the Anakal chomped down on the man's head in front of me. I held back a scream, frozen in terror, as I watched the bigger Anakal finish off eating the prey.

Then he turned to me.

"Another human? No. You..."

I managed to get a few gasps from my panicked breathing.

"Y- Yeah... I'm an Anakal too. I'm one of you. I uh... I didn't think there would be more of us."

The Anakal tilted his head.

"Is that so?"

"Y- Yes?"

The Anakal suddenly smiled sinisterly, and rushed forward, impaling me with one of his arm blades.

Pain exploded in my body as I vomited blood, my eyes wide in surprise, and disbelief.

"Idiot boy. Are you sure you are an Anakal? Did your father not teach you anything about how we live?"

"Wha- Why..." My voice left me.

Everything felt surreal.

Was I...

Was I really...

I looked down at the massive arm blade that had sprouted from my t-shirt.

It hurt so much. I felt like throwing up and passing out.

But my adrenaline was keeping me awake.

The Anakal lifted me into the air as I began kicking my feet. Terror paralyzing me.

"You are trespassing on my territory. BOY." The Anakal sneered.

No...

I forgot what Dad had told me. When I had asked him why we never saw others of our kind. Why we were always surrounded by humans but never other Anakals.

Son. In time you will understand. But in time, I also wish that you never encounter another. For we are an extremely territorial species.

I had dismissed his advice. I always dismissed Mom and Dad's advice. Because I thought I wouldn't ever run into another of my kind. After all. I was always surrounded by humans. I might as well live as one.

But now...

I closed my eyes. I was losing consciousness.

"Why do you not transform, little Anakal? Or are you too petrified by an Alpha?" The Anakal chuckled, flinging me around as I screamed in agony.

I slammed into the ground, cracking the pavement as I felt a jolt run across my my body.

I couldn't move.

The dark figure of the towering Anakal, with his dark aura and mirage bending dark speed in full view. His arm blades, sprouting from his elbows and running down his arms elegantly. Covered in my blood.

I needed to transform. Otherwise I would die.

I had to.

It's only through some kind of major trauma do their powers awaken.

I was about to fricking die! Was that not enough trauma?!

Ally only needed physical bullying to unlock hers.

Why...

I clenched my teeth and roared at the sky, trying to summon some inside power. But there was nothing.

The Anakal tilted his head.

"Can you not transform, boy?"

My eyes widened, as the Anakal picked me up by the neck, laughing sinisterly.

"Do you know what our tribe calls Anakals like you? Strays. Because you are stray little boys who don't know any better than to trespass on alpha territory. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I'm not so nice. Maybe you were born unlucky that you ended up tussling with someone like me. I'm going to enjoy picking you apart."

Why...

As a twenty five year old...

"I asked her out first. She said yes, we both like each other." Ronnie told me.

This was the night he had dismissed my request to study together.

Ronnie had been dating from day one behind my back.

It was so easy for him. He didn't even know her for a month and they started dating.

Why was it so easy for everyone else.

Whether it's too find someone who loved them.

Or to achieve their goals.

Why is it so easy for them...

I screamed in agony as the Anakal broke my arm.

But I wasn't transforming.

Why is it so easy for them...

The Anakal dropped me face first into the cement and stomped on the back of my head.

...but so hard for me?

Tears leaked down from the sides of my cheeks.

Why can't I...

Succeed too?

"RRRRGHHHHAAAAAAHH!!!" I screamed, trying to force my transformation.

Ally was able to transform at 13.

Dad was able to transform from one duel with another Anakal when he was 15.

Mom was able to transform, a prodigy at the age of 8.

I was the odd one out.

And I knew why.

I had lied when I said I wanted to live a human life.

And reject my Anakal side.

The truth was...

The truth was I believed I didn't have what it took to be an Anakal. To be those dark warriors in folklore.

An Anakal who hasn't unlocked their demon form is only allowed to consume human meat once they are 18 years of age due to developing organs. During this time, they are expected to unlock their transformation early to begin feeding on human flesh, which is the only way one could feast without getting sick.

When I was 8, my Mom let me play alone to see if I could transform. I stuck a fork into the power socket and nearly got electrocuted to death. I didn't transform.

When I was 15, several hoodlums pulled me into an alleyway and beat the shit out of me so they could be initiated into a gang. I never transformed.

My parents were hopeful.

At 16. At 17.

But I continued failing and letting them down.

And when I hit 18, I gave up. I straight up told them I couldn't do it. I had watched Ally transform at 13, when I, at 18, couldn't do it.

My Mom told me to eat the flesh she had prepared, since I was now of age to eat it, but I refused.

She had slapped me that day when I told her I would live my life a human.

And I continued this lifestyle, for seven years.

My body would wither away.

Getting weaker.

My mental health, my physical health, both would get worse over the years.

But I didn't care.

No point.

I would always be a failure.

But now...

The Anakal stopped tormenting me as I stared at the distance. My blood making a mess on the pavement and the nearby trees.

My lower lip quivering.

Please...

I'm... I'm about to die.

Please...

I need to transform.

I'm sorry for saying I wasn't interested in the Anakal way of life.

Please...

I'm so sorry for being a failure but...

I need to transform... please let me transform.

"I've had my fun. Enjoy the afterlife, kid." The Anakal said, as he raised his armblade.

"Orion. That is enough." A familiar voice said, as I heard a clash. Orion skidded backwards as a large minotaur like beast stood before me, blocking him off.

"Zion. Is this your offspring?"

"Do not call me that. My name is Henry Steele to these people, and to my son."

"Once an Alpha Anakal. Always an Alpha Anakal, Zion. Your child was trespassing on MY TERRITORY. Did you teach this Anakal failure nothing of our ways?!"

Orion charged again, but Dad swung his sword, clashing with the other Alpha Anakal with frightening speed and force.

"Keep your hands away from my SON!" Dad growled, as the two Anakals exchanged sword and arm blade slashes.

I tried to crawl away, but I was losing too much blood.

Orion tried to slash from the side, but Dad dodged and launched a kick, roaring in defiance.

Dad then turned to me.

"Son, feast on the body. You're in critical condition!"

"I..." I gasped, as I stared at the decapitated corpse of the human being who was begging me for help. It was like I could still hear his voice.

I couldn't eat that thing... I...

"JASON STEELE." Dad growled from his ancient Anakal form, as I jumped.

"No one can help you, unless you choose to help yourself! Do you wish to live? Or do you wish to die? That choice is yours alone!"

I closed my eyes, as I crawled to the body. My inner Anakal senses drawing me closer to the mangled flesh. Overriding my nausea.

It looked good.

I wanted it.

I needed it.

I had to eat it.

My body craved it.

I grabbed the flesh and hovered my mouth over it, but suddenly, I heard a devastating crunch. I turned around, in disbelief. As I watched Orion impale my father with one of his arm blades.

"DAD!" I screamed, but Dad roared, his body charging up.

"Foolish Orion. You lecture me about teaching my son, yet here you are, not learning your lesson from the last time we fought!"

Orion struggled, as the energy continued building up.

"Your damn Unleashed Rage ability! Let go of me!"

Dad grabbed Orion and yelled, as a massive orange explosion of rage was unleashed from his body, decimating Orion and sending him hurtling into a bunch of trees. Knocking him out unconscious.

I was losing consciousness, as my Dad, still in his demonic Anakal form, knelt down and pressed his hand on my chest, healing me. I could tell he already knew I wimped out of eating the corpse and decided to heal me himself.

"I can... walk..." I muttered.

"No, you cannot." Dad picked me up, as we made our way back home.

Our walk back was silent and awkward.

"Am I getting a lecture when I get back?"

"We're going to have a talk now."

My heart skipped a beat.

"I... I'm sorry! I mean it. I forgot about the whole territory thing. I... I..."

"Territory aside. I am very disappointed in you."

My heart sunk.

Of course I was just a disappointment to Dad. If even my little sister was stronger than me.

"I tried to transform. But I failed. But... even when I was younger, I always failed. I failed and failed."

"That isn't the reason why I am disappointed, Jason."

"Why then? Since Day One, I've always disappointed everyone in this family... and I never know what I can do about it."

"Jason, you are a twenty five year old man. You are a full adult. Yet you still are so reliant on us."

I paused, as Dad continued holding me in his Anakal form.

"Your mother and I never gave up on you, Jason. We were always hoping you would unlock your form. Your mother always wondered what your form would be. She was a dragonoid claw type. I was a taurus sword type. Your sister was a frenzy claw type. Orion, the Anakal you met, was a wolverine arm blade type. We were always waiting. No matter how many times you tried. We were always supportive."

Dad sighed.

"But what made us disappointed, was the fact that you gave up. Just because your little sister transformed before you did. The littlest thing made you give up and reject who you were. That hurt your mother a lot. And it hurt me a lot too. And from there, you refused to heed our advice. All those studies we gave you on Anakal martial arts. You would only learn the minimal and play videogames instead. And now you almost got yourself killed because you forgot one of the most important lessons we gave you about Anakal territory. Even if you never unlock your Anakal form, Jason, I will always love you, and so will your mother. Because you are our son. But what we cannot tolerate, is you throwing your life away by not listening to us. We cannot tolerate that at all."

Elaine

I sat next to Ronnie in class.

"Bro, check out this Anakal."

I looked over, and nearly gasped out loud.

"Orion the Ripper. Bro. That's insane. Says here according to legend, he was one of the Ancient Alpha Anakals. One of the warrior types who battled the Knights of the First Light. Insane dude. In combat ability he was one of the fiercest Anakals in existence."

He was fierce all right.

Lol.

But while I ignored most of what Mom and Dad taught me, I did remember a lot of it. Not once did they mention the Alpha Anakal.

"Ronnie, what's an Alpha Anakal exactly?"

"Huh? Oh... well, actually I have no idea. I'm guessing Anakals are like, divided into different kinds. After all, they are tribe based. The Alpha Anakal Tribe, basically are the elites. They're kinda like the frontline soldiers in their war against the Knights."

That I remembered.

In the olden days, back before humans pretty much made up most of the world, Anakals and the Knights were at war.

The reason they were called Knights of the First Light, was, well, they were basically the First Light's knights. I know. Shocker.

The First Light was the progenitor of the angels. That's all we knew. The angels in heaven then had some big celestial conflict with Lucifer and whatnot, and whatever angels that had fallen to earth became demons. It would then be angels vs. demons.

And since it was a war, there would inevitably be casualties on both sides.

Fallen demons would inhabit a physical form on earth. These would later become Anakals.

As for the angels...

They would inhabit their physical forms... and be known as the Knights, Knights who still acknowledged their origins from the First Light.

Bound to mortality, both factions would need to incorporate a human body, and can only access their power through their respective transformations.

I knew (well now I did) that Anakals were still around, but I had no idea if the Knights were. Dad had once told me that their presence would only be around should there be a major divine conflict or event. So usually I didn't have to worry.

"Anyway. Yeah. Scary shit. Orion the Ripper. There's also Sariel the Reaper. She's hot. Also she's one of the deadliest Alphas in history."

Ronnie showed me a page of an Anakal who had a very curvaceous body, she was wielding a massive scythe.

I stared at him.

"You know you're getting a hard-on for a monster, right?"

"Hey. I'm a simple man. Look at that."

I lost concentration, as I found myself staring at Elaine, who was chatting with her friends.

"Bro, if you're not gonna make a move, she's gonna be taken, you know."

"I know."

"Why do you even like her in the first place? It's pretty obvious your feelings aren't doing your health any justice."

Why did I like her so much?

She wasn't the most attractive.

She wasn't the smartest.

She wasn't the most skilled in our class.

But that wasn't it.

I liked her because she was a ray of sunshine.

She was kind to everyone.

Every time she was around it lifted me up.

To the point where if she was ever sad I would do everything in my power to make her happy again or at least be there for her.

I wanted that.

My family.

What I was.

We were darkness.

We were mortalized demons.

Anakals.

I wanted her light to reach me, and whenever she said hi to me and we did things together, my day always felt brighter. I felt happy.

That was the kind of life I wanted.

A life with her where I wouldn't go through the darkness of my heritage.

Truth be told, when I first met her, I actually found her annoying.

And the first thing that came to mind was, there would be absolutely no way I would fall for her.

She was always optimistic, and I didn't like that. As a pessimist.

But over time, she began to influence me more and more.

Every little thing she did made her a direct contrast to me.

And when she went out of her way to help me with schoolwork, when I was the only one in our project group struggling, the way she was so patient with me and everything...

You could say she grew on me.

But I guess the converse wasn't true.

And on the last day of class, I wanted to keep in touch with her, but she ended up ghosting me out of the blue.

Instead of moving on, I dedicated my next two years to try to become more optimistic, to learn to pretend everything was okay and to put on a fake smile.

I recognized my lack of resolve, so I thought if I could keep trying for this potential relationship it would work.

And here I was today.

The chances dwindling down.

It kind of feels like I've become in too deep to give up now. It's the history that keeps me wanting to be with her, I guess.

Class ended, and I wanted to talk to Elaine, but some bald dude began striking conversation with her.

I left the lecture hall and walked down the street back home.

Defeat.

Also, Ronnie had ditched me for his girlfriend again. So I had to study for my final exam all on my own again. I had barely passed the midterms, with a 50%. If I failed this final, it was game over for me.

Suddenly my phone vibrated.

"Hm?" I asked, as I pulled out my device and popped open FacePage.

My heart began beating faster.

Elaine had responded to my text.

Hey. Thanks for the birthday wishes. I appreciate it.

I paused.

Was that...

A win?

She sounded so uninterested...

I went out of my way to send her that text, and even attached a card and everything. With everything that I figured she liked.

My heart sank.

No way...

After all that buildup...

Suddenly, my body went on high alert. What was that feeling?

All the hairs on my body stood on end, as if my senses had been dialed to eleven.

I never felt like this before.

I turned around to the source of that tingling in the back of my head, and watched as the sun deck of a house started to collapse. An old woman was right underneath. My eyes went wide.

And before I knew it, my body had reacted on its own, blasting forward with speed I never knew before.

I blinked, and found myself between the grandma and the collapsing deck.

I had stopped it from falling with one hand.

The grandma raised her eyebrows.

"What a strong young lad! Thank you!"

"I... uh..."

"Now what was I doing again?" The grandma muttered, as she hobbled outside as if completely oblivious to the fact that her house had literally just collapsed and almost killed her.

I stared at my hand, which was still holding up the debris.

What...

How...

I pushed the debris out of the way with my newfound superhuman strength and stared at my hands.

"Did I do this...?" My voice left me.

I turned back to the grandma.

"Hey... I think you should probably call the cops or something. Your house almost collapsed!"

"Ah... yes. That certainly is quite important. Thank you young lad!"

I walked away awkwardly, waving the granny goodbye, as I made my way to my house.

I began to run, faster and faster, until my legs began to create mirages. Seemingly warping space around me like a black hole as a black trail and black aura covered me. I rushed to the house and swung open the door.

My powers had unlocked.

"MOM!" I shouted, as I found Ally munching on a human thigh sandwich.

"Ugh. It's you." Ally grumbled, as she chomped down on the flesh.

"Where's Mom? I have something important to tell her."

"Can I take a message?"

"Wow, Ally. Seriously?"

"Unless it's you transformed, no one cares."

I clenched my fists.

If I could exhibit Anakal strength and its dark speed. I had to have unlocked my transformation. I had to.

I summoned as much power from inside, well, if I had any to begin with.

But nothing.

"HAHAHA! WHAT A LOSER!" Ally pointed at me and began laughing.

"It's not funny! I unlocked my super strength and dark speed. That counts for something! It's a good start."

Ally raised an eyebrow, as she got off her chair and went up to me.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then dodge."

"Dodge wha-"

Ally pushed me with incredible force as I smashed through the window and crashed into the lawn outside. Thank god we had high fences and everybody in the neighborhood spent their days indoors.

"Everybody has super strength and dark speed. That's like... literally the prerequisite for a pre-teen Anakal. It's not something to brag about, loser."

I got to my feet and gritted my teeth.

"Oh, so we're gonna fight then?"

Ally laughed.

"I don't even need my transformation to kick your ass, Jacy."

I stepped forward and tried to grab Ally, but she zipped away with her own dark speed. I tried to chase her down, but Ally was way more skilled than me, then launched an uppercut at my chest, throwing me into the air.

"Nice powers, Jace."

Ally kicked me as I slammed into the ground. I tried to swing, but Ally caught my strike then back kicked me as I skidded.

Ally then rushed forward and punched me with a vicious combo as I fell to my knees.

"Rip. What a let down." Ally chuckled, as she crossed her arms.

I wiped my bloodied nose, as I felt something inside me boil.

Suddenly, my calves flexed, and I jolted to her position before she could even react. Ally's eyes went wide.

"Did you get faster-"

I reeled my fist back, but before I could swing, my fist was intercepted by a familiar dragon wing.

"What in the world are you two doing?!" Mom exclaimed, as she picked Ally up with one arm and grabbed my ear with her other hand.

"Mooooommmm! It's not what it looks like! I swear!" Ally began kicking, but Mom literally did not care.

"Because of you two fighting, now I have to call someone to fix the window. This will be taken out of your allowance, Ally."

"WHAT?!" Ally shrieked.

"Did you believe I would think it would be Jason who would have the strength to do this? Just because your big brother is weaker than you does not give you an excuse to bully or harass him, Allison Steele. Unacceptable."

Ally was sentenced to a week grounding in her room. Which she obviously wasn't too thrilled about.

But the moment Ally went up the steps and we heard the slam of the door to her room, my mom turned to me.

"How do you feel, Jason?"

"What?"

"Your powers have partially awakened, yes?"

I stared at her.

"How did..."

Mom put a hand to her ear.

"Do you not remember your own mom's abilities?"

Superhearing. Right. I forgot.

I sat down on the couch next to Mom.

"Was it from last night?"

I scratched my head.

"I... I don't think so? When Orion attacked me, I tried to awaken my powers but it didn't work."

Mom regarded me intently.

"Our transformations usually manifest from intense turmoil. And it will always manifest the entire way through."

"What does a partial manifestation mean?"

My mom crossed her legs.

"Was it Elaine?"

My ears went red.

"Mom!"

Mom laughed.

"Jason... you do know I raised you since you were just this small."

My mom made a tiny gesture.

"Ever since you started to learn to talk and walk, I've taken care of you. Do you really think I don't know how you tick?"

I sighed, as I pulled out my phone.

"I... I don't know. Anymore."

My mom leaned in and took a look at the texts.

"Aww, you wished her happy birthday, that's so sweet of you."

"That's the thing... after everything we had been through. She had been so nice to me all those years ago, helping me unconditionally. She was always so kind and optimistic and nice. So... to see her text me like that..."

"It seems out of character for her." My mom deduced.

I leaned back in the couch.

"What will you do now, Jason?" Mom asked.

"I don't know."

"Are you going to give up on her?"

"No."

My mom laid her hand on mine.

"You should try giving her flowers."

"Does that work?"

"Doesn't hurt to try. It worked on me with your father."

I got up from the couch. A rush of motivation coursing through me.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Your welcome, honey."

The next day, I went to the florist and bought a ton of flowers.

"Who's the lucky girl?" The old lady behind the register said.

"A beam of sunshine. Hopefully." I replied with a smile.

You could say I was the happiest demon boy ever to stroll down the campus.

A bunch of people were giving me strange looks, but I tended to get tunnel vision when it came to things like this.

All that was going through my mind was Elaine.

"Bro. That's corny." Ronnie said, as he stared at the flowers in my hand.

"I'm gonna give it to her."

"Please don't do that."

"Why not?"

Ronnie looked disappointed, but you could say I was naïve. As stupid as a dude who had never really experienced love would be, as I went up to her and gave her the gift.

"Thanks." Elaine said.

We stood awkwardly for a few minutes.

Did...

Did I mess it up somehow?

"Am I making this awkward?" I asked.

Elaine scowled.

My heart stopped.

Elaine never scowls.

Elaine was always... she was always polite and kind... this wasn't Elaine...

Memories of our time together filled my head in that split second.

From the first day she had introduced herself.

She was always so kind to me. Even when I pushed her away with my pretend cold exterior, she always checked up on me and was so friendly.

She put up with it, every single time.

Hey Jace! I remembered her waving at me.

Why would I just ignore you? You are an amazing, beautiful person. Smile a bit, Jason!

Jason, you're not awkward, don't say that. I appreciate you in this world.

All those times.

Every single time...

"Jason, I wasn't expecting you to give me this much." Elaine said, coldly.

I stared at her in complete disbelief, as Elaine handed the flowers back to me. I took a step back.

She didn't even say goodbye, as she turned around and left.

I stood awkwardly on campus with a bunch of people looking at me uncomfortably.

I turned around to find Ronnie, but Ronnie had already left. His arm was around his girlfriend, Jill, as they walked off and left me all alone.

I arrived home to be greeted by Dad and Ally.

"Ummm, what are you guys doing here?"

"We're going on a hunt. You are coming along, Jason." Dad said.

I stared at him.

"Me? I don't even have my transformation."

"But you have partially manifested. It's time to take what you have learned to practice."

"Oh... nah, I don't really feel like going. Rough day tod-"

Suddenly, my Dad transformed, getting larger and larger until he was seven feet tall in his minotaur like form.

"Non-negotiable."

Hunting humans was disgusting.

My sister obviously enjoyed it. Chasing them down in her feral beast like form, slashing and cutting wildly while Dad slashed and cut humans who were trying to escape in the woods.

"The beasts of the wood are especially hostile to our kind. The humans are easy to capture, but the beasts who remain hidden from their sight are much more combat proficient." Dad said, as we regrouped near a pond.

Ally was munching on her "finds".

"You're not supposed to eat your prey right away. You're supposed to save some for the rest of us so Mom can prepare it." I grumbled.

Ally glanced at me.

"You're one to talk."

Keeping up with them as a human felt so out of place. Considering both of them were in their demonic forms. I felt pretty left out. But regardless, I still aided in their hunts.

"NO! NO PLEASE!" A man begged, as he stumbled away from my Dad.

My Dad said nothing, as he approached him.

"Barricade." His deep voice grumbled.

I sighed as I stood in front of the man.

"Oh god! Another human! Please, please run. We need to get out of here!" The man panted.

I felt like I was gonna be sick.

I looked away.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Do you have a death wish or something? I'm not crazy, I swear, there's some sinister... devil with a big sword behind me! You have to-"

I lifted my fist, looking at the man. My face pale.

This was wrong.

This was so very wrong.

"S- Sorry. I'm so sorry..." I whispered.

"Sorry? What do you mean sorr-"

I smashed my fist against the side of a tree, as the whole trunk toppled over onto the man, pinning him to the ground.

"No... NO!!!" The man screamed at me as I put my hands to my ears, closing my eyes and walking away.

I could still hear the footsteps of my Dad as he approached the man and the squelch of the man's head being decapitated.

My Dad approached me, as my sister leapt from tree trunk after tree trunk with a head of another victim in her mouth.

"Good work, Jason. Slowly but surely. You will begin to understand that this is necessary for our survival."

I gritted my teeth.

"But Jacy didn't even do anything. All he did was use the Anakal strength to knock over trees to make barricades. He never killed once." Ally joked.

Dad shot her a glare.

"Er I mean good job Jason! Even if you are the weakest link in this operation."

"Everyone learns at their own pace. I am proud of you, Jas-"

Dad was suddenly cut off, by a low grumbling sound. It definitely didn't sound like an Anakal.

"Was that one of the beasts you warned us about, Dad?" I asked.

Dad put a hand between us and the source of the sound.

"No. This... this is no wood beast."

Leaves began to russle.

"Jacy, we need to get out of here. Let Dad handle that thing." Ally said.

"What do you mean? If all three of us are here, we can-"

Suddenly, the beast leapt before any of us, even Dad could react, as it pounced on me.

My eyes went wide as I looked it dead center. It looked like a werewolf, but on rabies or something.

It was barking wildly and trying to bite down on me, but I brought my arm up and blocked his bite. My blood was frozen.

"Dad! It's on Jason! It's on Jacy!" Ally said, as she leapt at the beast, her claws reeled back, but the beast snarled and turned around, using its head to knock her into a tree.

Then it pounced, overwhelming my sister.

I had never encountered a monster that was strong enough to overwhelm an Anakal before, but before I could do anything, Dad swung his sword, cutting the creature in two.

Ally and I ran out of the woods with our dark speeds, Ally bounding from one trunk to another in her impish demon form while I leapt from the rocks and boulders with my Anakal enhanced human form, until the two of us made out the outline of a road.

"Keep going, Jason!" Ally urged me.

"But Dad!"

"Dad can handle himself. If you had been on hunts with us more often, you would understand how strong he is. Not like you care."

We continued running, as we heard the sounds of growling and more of those strange beasts behind us.

"More of them?!" I said.

Ally turned around and snarled, slashing with her claws and severing two trees, cutting the werewolves off.

We finally got to the road, the two of us panting, our dark speeds creating silhouettes and dark mist off our bodies.

"The hell are those things?!" I exclaimed.

Ally gritted her fangs.

"Battlehounds."

"What?"

Ally gave me an annoyed expression.

"I don't know if I should even bother giving you an explanation, considering you don't even care about Anakals."

"Hey!"

"Am I wrong?! Huh? Because you think being a human is 'so much better' than being a human eating Anakal like us? Why did Dad even bring you along? Just because you unlocked like, the bare essentials to be considered an Anakal? What is even the point of telling you any of this if you're just gonna ignore it?"

"I won't ignore it. Not this time. Now that I know my life is on the line."

"But once this hunt is over, you're just going to go back to your normal life. It's just going to be a one time thing. Right? So you can go back to simping for a girl who doesn't even care about you. And trying to fit in with your circle of friends who are all going to abandon you one day."

"Don't you dare pretend you know what it's like, Ally."

I faced off against my sister, who began snarling. Her monstrous eyes glowing a red light.

"You're a failure of a big brother. It's an insult to even say that the two of us are related. Uncle Bradley said the same thing. If it was Uncle Bradley, you would have been disowned and thrown to the other Anakals to be slain alive for being such a disgrace."

"That's the damn problem with you people. You Anakals." I retorted, shoving my finger in her face.

"I'd rather be a human, because at least they understand morals. Everything Mom and Dad did has been to force my transformation! But the more I lived with the humans, the more I realize the way they do things works better. Everything is based off of trust and morality. Not just mere survival. This isn't the old ages where it's survival of the fittest! We live in a civilization. What kind of human parents would let their daughter get physically bullied and nearly killed by a car just so they could 'grow up'?! That's messed up."

"It's messed up for them, Jason. Because it's them. We're not them. Jesus, Jacy, why can't you understand that?! We're not like the humans! We are Anakals. This is how we live our life! This is how we do things!"

"Well I disagree! I get to choose how to live my life, and I choose Ronnie and Elaine." I shouted.

"AAAAAUGH! You damn wuss! Maybe I should rearrange your face, since Mom isn't around to-"

A voice suddenly cut Ally off.

"Elaine? How do you know that name."

We spun around, as Ally stood in front of me, snarling.

The man in front of us was bald, but he was wearing white and blue robes. In his hand was an elegant sword. And his eyes were glowing white.

"You're shitting me!" Ally growled.

"You damn Anakals. Your very existence is a bane to humankind." The man said.

And I recognized him.

Roger.

Roger from class.

Roger raised an eyebrow as he looked at me.

"Wait a minute. Aren't you... that creep who keeps bugging Elaine?"

My voice left me.

"I..."

Roger's face contorted in rage.

"Are you shitting me? Of course the creep in class had to be one of those damn goblins."

Ally marched forward, her spiky hair becoming more aggressive as her claws were outstretched.

"Call us that racial slur again, and I'll make sure you never call us anything at all. You stupid Apprentice Knight."

Roger readied his sword.

"I don't have time for you, Allison the Slicer. I wanna make sure Elaine is safe from this creep. From the first day I always wanted to beat him up for bothering her. But there was never a good enough reason. All I could do was listen to her rant about this creepy guy who would try to hit on her randomly on FacePage. But now I have one."

All this time.

All this time Roger was talking.

My heart was beating like crazy. I clenched my fist so hard blood leaked down the cracks of my fingers.

This entire time...

Elaine thought I was being a creep?

This entire time...

All I wanted to do was tell her how I felt. I didn't mean to...

"Jason! Dodge!" Ally shouted, as she pushed me out of the way, inches before Roger could cut me in half with his sword.

Ally grabbed me by the collar.

"If you're going to be such a wimp, then get out of my way and let me fight!" Ally said, as she launched a series of slashes at Roger, who dodged fluidly and retaliated with sword swipes. The two of them. Knight and Anakal. Were equally matched.

I wanted to help.

I couldn't wimp out, but...

For some reason, my body wasn't acting. The shock that had rippled through my body that Roger had inflicted on me. I had known Elaine for years. She had meant so much to me for so long. All those years...

Those feelings weren't reciprocated, in fact, it was the opposite.

Ally slashed at Roger's face, as she began to have the upper hand, but suddenly, Roger shouted.

"HOUNDS."

Seven Battlehounds emerged from the woods, circling Ally, as Roger ran for it.

Ally growled, as she knelt down and braced herself.

"Ally!" I shouted, but Ally shook her head.

"Go after Roger. These Battlehounds are under the command of an Apprentice Knight. I can take them. But Roger is getting away."

I turned to Roger, who leapt down the side of the cliff and skidded down the slope.

I ran down the slope with my dark speed, making chase, until Roger and I were face to face on an abandoned courtyard. It was raining. I slowly took off my jacket, the rain soaking my T-shirt.

"Jason Steele, right?" Roger asked, as he pointed the tip of his sword to me.

"I so want to carve open your face right now."

I clenched my fists.

"Please. I don't want to fight. I..."

"Don't give me that shit. You disgusting Anakal. STAY AWAY FROM ELAINE."

Roger rushed forward and slashed with his sword. I leaned back, but despite my dark speed, the sword still grazed my chest and left behind a line of red. I suddenly felt light headed, as if the sword had sucked my soul as well.

I stumbled back as Roger delivered a devastating kick at my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I flew into the air and slammed into the side of a rail, bending it.

I fell on my face, blood leaking from my nose and mixing with the rainwater on the road.

"Why... you guys... I get that you need to eat human meat to live. But why do you have to go to the extent of getting a human body and trying to pretend to be one of us. To pretend to be us, to even try to blend in. It's disgusting. It's a god damn insult. Especially when the end goal of all that pretend is to kill us."

I struggled to my feet.

"There... there was never any ill intention to try to pretend... I swear..."

"YOU SWEAR?! ON WHAT GOD, YOU DEMON?!" Roger roared, as he rushed in and slashed with his sword. I dove out of the way and ripped out a stop sign and tried to block another slash, but the sign ended up being severed in half.

Roger slashed at me again and caught my leg, then punched me in the face so hard I smashed into a stone wall.

I felt like passing out.

Just when I got my powers too...

I was getting my ass kicked.

"You will never. Ever. Fit in with us. Jason." Roger sneered, as he rushed forward and kneed me in the stomach. My eyes went wide as I fell on my knees.

"Get this through to your head. Anakal."

Roger stepped on my head and slammed my face into the concrete.

"Elaine will never love you. She hates you."

I coughed, my lips dragging across the wet and spiky road.

"You're... you're wrong... Elaine... she said I mattered. Those years ago... she was there for me... she was sweet... like... an angel..."

"SHUT. UP."

I tried to get to my feet again, as Roger glared at me.

"Maybe your goblin ass can't figure it out. But there's something called putting up an act. Why do you think exactly, Elaine would just so happen to be nice to a freak like you?"

I paused, as Roger lowered his sword.

"God. Even for an Anakal. You're such a pathetic loser. What even is that face?"

Roger rushed forward and kicked me into the curb, cracking it, as he tried to strike down, but I used both ends of the stop sign and stopped his sword midswing, gritting my teeth.

"She was... in my group, in my project group! She... she..." I tried my best to explain. Everything I had to cling onto that ideal girl I had in my mind.

"If it hadn't been for peer evaluations, Jason, she would have gotten the hell out of that group quick. Your very existence is a god damn burden for her. Also."

Roger overwhelmed me and slashed at me again. But with my dark speed, I was keeping his damage minimal by only letting him to graze me in non lethal places. But the injuries were starting to slow me down.

All I wanted to do was...

Fit in with the humans...

My mind flashed back to my memories with Ronnie and the boys. Ronnie. Derek. Norman. We were...

We were friends who had each others backs.

Then there was Elaine.

She was so kind to me.

If life ever gets too hard for you, I'll be here! Like a cheerleader!

But...

Roger slammed me in the face.

Was it true...?

I tried to retaliate with the two stop sign ends, but the martial arts I had learned from Mom and Dad... they just weren't manifesting.

Roger struck me over and over again, my head whipping side to side from the impact in the rain.

Was what Mom said true?

Was it just never going to work, from the start?

I couldn't fit in with the Anakals...

And now...

I couldn't...

Roger kicked me in the bottom of the chin as I soared into the air, landing on my back as I stared at the sky.

The rain pouring on my face.

The empty...

Merciless...

Grey clouds.

Norman and Derek... both left the squad, after they started dating their girlfriends.

For the longest time it was just Ronnie and I.

And Ronnie always made the joke that we would be bros.

Because we were the only single guys left.

But now... Ronnie had got a girlfriend.

And he left me all alone.

That day when Elaine had rejected me so coldly, Ronnie had left me.

The image of the completely shattered.

No.

I was... lying to myself this entire time, huh.

I was lying to myself that the humans would accept me.

Tears ran down my cheeks.

And now...

Roger tried to stab me, but I dashed out of the way, slamming into the side of the wall.

By spending my time with the humans for so long and rejecting myself. Refusing to eat human meat. I have become too weak to even defend myself from an Apprentice Knight.

I breathed heavily, as Roger approached me menacingly.

No.

I couldn't let it end like this.

I had to live.

Mom was waiting for me back home.

Dad was fighting whatever that thing was for us.

Ally was fighting too.

Even if Ronnie never cared about me.

Even if Elaine always hated me.

My family... would always be there for me. I can't let it end like this. I had to become strong too.

I will...

Roger zipped in and tried to slash at me again, but I stopped his strike with the two pieces of metal.

I growled, as from the reflection of his irises, I could see my eyes turn red. A surge of strength went through me as I launched the Knight across the road.

I walked menacingly forward, my dark speed engulfing my human body in a black aura.

"I will become strong. For my tribe." I snarled.

Roger clenched his teeth, his eyes wide.

"DAMN. FREAK." Roger roared, as he slashed again, the two of us clashed wildly.

"I'm heading home! In one piece!" I yelled, as I slammed Roger so hard in the head the stop sign end bent in half. The Apprentice Knight soared back, slamming into the rail as I leapt into the air, slashing wildly, when suddenly, a flash of light appeared.

"Wha-"

My two stop sign swords exploded into fragments as I screamed in pain, falling on my back.

"That's enough. Roger Fung."

A tall man with long blonde hair approached us. He carried himself in a way that was so dangerously calm and elegant, I was frozen in terror.

"Master Rei. I can stop him. I need to. For Elain-"

"What did I tell you about putting your human life in the duty of a Knight's? Do you think this is what it means to be a protector of the First Light?"

"No, Master."

Rei regarded me.

"Jason Steele. Son of Zion the Blade and Troia the Fury. From what our records have on you, you have yet to have unlocked your Anakal form?"

I didn't answer him.

I didn't need to know.

Having struggled so hard against Roger.

Rei would kill me instantly if he wanted to.

Rei noticed me trembling.

"Why are you afraid, incomplete Anakal?"

"You're... a Knight of the First Light right? You're.. gonna kill me."

"I kill those I wish should be killed. It appears you are an Anakal who has rejected his nature, and is forcing himself to live with humankind."

I couldn't answer.

"You are interesting. An Anakal who refuses to consume the flesh of the mortals in this world. I will not kill you, because you lack killing intent, unlike your father."

My heart stopped.

"What... what did you just say?"

Rei unsheathed his sword, which, to my horror, was dripping with blood.

"Former Alpha Anakal Zion. Eliminated for trying to kill my Battlehound."

I clenched my teeth, as my hands wrapped around at another road sign.

Rei raised an eyebrow, as I ripped it out of the ground.

What was I doing?

I was not going to stand a chance against a full fledged Knight.

But...

"Are you not afraid, Jason?" Rei asked.

I snarled as I ripped the steel in half, until I was dual wielding both ends.

"I don't fuckin care. You killed my dad." I growled, as I charged.

The Shredder

I roared crazily, slashing wildly and desperately at Rei, who dodged and weaved with little to no effort at all.

"Does it anger you that your father has been slain?"

"DIE!" I screamed, slashing as hard as I could at Rei's location, only to have the pole decimate the concrete instead.

"When a creature is angered, it is when I believe their true nature manifests. No matter how much you deny who you are, you are still..."

Rei knocked the pole out of my hand and jabbed at my ribcage. I froze in pain.

"... a bloodlusted little goblin."

I dropped my other pole and clutched my side.

"Ack... kah... gah..." I gasped, trying to stay awake. The pain was atrocious.

Rei kicked me in the chest as I slammed through the railing, splitting it open and tumbling down the slope and crashing into a creek.

"The world is the way it is. We cannot change it. Knights are destined to slay Anakals. Anakals are destined to eat humans. That is how it is. I killed your father. And soon, your sister, Allison the Slicer, will also be slain shortly."

My eyes widened as I roared in rage.

"RAAAAAAAH!"

I spun around and swung with all my might, but Rei leapt into the air, landing on my fist, leaning in and studying me.

"As we speak. We have already extracted information from your dying sister on your lair's whereabouts. Your mother, Troia the Fury, has now joined your father in the afterlife."

"Heartless fuck! I'll kill you!" I yelled, only to have Rei kick me in the chest.

I smashed into a tree, as my vision turned blurry.

I...

I wasn't strong enough.

They were going to take my family away.

And I wasn't strong enough... to do anything about it.

I stared at Rei, who was walking to my position with his glowing sword.

"The reason I am telling you all this, is because I still see potential in you, Jason Steele. You are not like your family. You even went to the extent of rebelling against your own mother and denying your Anakal nature to live amongst the humans. If you are still redeemable, I shall take you under my wing. I will raise you myself. And prove to the other Knights of the First Light that there does an Anakal that deserves salvation."

I closed my eyes, tears running down my cheeks.

No...

If I had just...

If I had trained.

If I had just FUCKING trained!

I could have helped Dad escape. With Ally. I could have escaped with them. We could have returned home. And fought by Mom's side.

The four of us.

Awakened Anakals, as single force to repel them. But because we were all separated...

Dad died.

Ally died.

And now Mom died too.

I was so delusional... I tried to fit in... I tried to believe these people would accept me.

I was so ignorant.

I ignored Mom and Dad and Ally.

They were all trying so hard to bring me back to them in their own way, because it was them who appreciated me and cared. Only them in this world.

But I was so ungrateful, and delusional, and... and... brainwashed into believing...

Elaine handing the flowers back to me flashed in my mind.

Because of the foolish mistakes I made...

My family was killed.

Rei grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to the edge of the cliff, setting me down.

"Tell me, Jason Steele. Do you choose salvation?"

I glared at him.

I failed...

Everybody.

Now I have no one to go home to.

"If I refuse... what will you do." I muttered.

"Then you will have to die." Rei said, bluntly.

I looked at Roger, who was expressionless.

The piece of shit was probably enjoying this.

After all, with me gone...

Elaine wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

No one would have to suffer with a creep like me gone.

I looked at Rei again.

I tried my best.

I gave it my all.

But because I chose to not train...

Hell...

Even if I did... I would still be a failure wouldn't I?

Why did I abandon my way of life in the first place? It was because I couldn't transform. No matter what I did. No matter what kind of trauma or fight or flight scenario I was in. No matter what kind of danger I was thrust in, I just couldn't transform and awaken my Anakal form.

I was a failure from Day One.

So even if I continued training...

The result would have been the same.

My family would die because of me.

I would be all alone.

The result would have been the same.

If that is the case...

I closed my eyes.

"It's fine. Rei." I said.

"What?" Rei said, startled.

"You don't have to kill me." I said, my voice laced in defeat, as I turned around, staring at the endless void of the abyss. Such a long jump.

How cliché.

"I'll do it myself." My voice broke, as I leapt off the cliff, falling to my death.

Many things were going through my mind.

This was it.

There was no going back. I was going to die. I was accelerating, accelerating.

And now I was at terminal velocity.

Falling to my death.

LIVE.

?

Who was...

LIVE. JASON. LIVE.

I clutched my chest.

"What's there to live for?!" I screamed at the wind. My voice drowned by its howl.

I...

I had nothing to live for.

I...

Just let me die... please.

I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

I CAN'T DIE.

"But... but why?! Why?! What is the reason?!"

I WANT TO LIVE.

My chest began burning, as I felt myself clutching at anything possible.

Anything.

I WANT.

"TO..."

LIVE.

"ANOTHER DAY." I shouted, as I suddenly realized that voice... was my own.

That's right...

I WANT TO LIVE. SO I CAN FIGHT BACK.

I want to fight back.

I've been dealt too many bad hands.

It's not fair.

I glared at my body.

I want to...

I need to...

Even if I failed my family.

I was still the only one left alive.

If I died now so pathetically... what would they think?

I...

I want to...

I turned to the rocky side. It was too far away. I needed something. Anything.

I reached out my hand.

Let me grab onto it.

Let me latch on.

"LET ME LIVE. I WANT TO LIVE. LET ME FUCKING LIVE!" I screamed, as a burning sensation erupted from the palm of my hands, turning them pitch black, black mist spreading from my hands and taking shape into two scythes.

"LIVE!" I roared, as I slammed the two scythes against the rock, slowing down the fall. My body scraped and ripped through the branches of the trees until I smashed into the ground, blood exploding from my body.

I breathed heavily, glaring at the darkness of the night forest.

I was alive.

I picked myself up, struggling forward. My two dark scythes dragging across the ground and creating red sparks. My bloody human body staggering forward as I made my way to the road, walking forward. And forward. And forward.

I heard several beasts all around me, as several wood beasts emerged from the wood.

Snarling. And growling.

But I wasn't scared.

I wanted to live.

I had to live.

"GRRRRRRR...." I seethed, foam leaking from my mouth, as one beast leapt at me. I slashed with technique that I only ever once seen in my studies. Never having reenacted it out in person. Never having performed it in real life.

Until now.

The giant beast split apart in a shower of blood, as I glared at the other beasts wildly.

"RARRRRR!" I roared, and charged, slaughtering every living thing I saw in sight.

I stumbled forward, cutting the beasts until everything was a bloody mess.

I breathed heavily in the night sky.

"Live.... LIVE." I snarled, as I knelt down and staggered to the corpse.

The blood and mangled flesh. It wasn't human flesh. Mom and Dad never told me anything about what would happen if an Anakal consumed wood beast flesh. But I didn't have a choice. My body was craving nutrients. I hadn't eaten anything at all. I was covered in injuries. I was going to die.

"I need to survive..." I muttered, as I opened my mouth, chomping down on the wood beast flesh. Biting and tearing like a vicious animal.

The meat tasted...

Good.

I needed to eat more.

I devoured the whole corpse and turned to the rest of the beast, eating and devouring.

But the more I ate, the less it hit me.

I was becoming more and more deranged.

I wanted to eat more.

I wanted to kill more.

I wanted to kill.

And kill and kill.

I wanted to shred them all.

And so, I spent the whole night traversing the forest, killing everything I saw.

From wood beasts.

To wildlife.

To bugs.

And eating them hungrily.

The more I killed.

The more honed my technique with my dark scythes became.

The stronger I became.

It was as if my many years of not consuming human flesh had made me so weak... but once I started eating again, my body was reacting.

It was replenishing.

And become whole once more.

By daybreak, I made it out of the forest.

I hadn't encountered a single human being, until I found a truck driver. He looked like an old grampa.

The gramps raised an eyebrow as he stopped in front of me. My scythes disappeared. I contemplated killing him.

"Kid, you look like you're in real bad shape. Need a lift?"

I nodded and hopped into the shotgun seat as I looked at him.

If it was a chance to feed on a human, now was it.

But just as I was about to make a move, the gramps spoke.

"Must have been through one hell of a night. You're safe now, kid. Let's get you someplace warm, okay?"

I hesitated, my fangs retracting back into my mouth. What game was fate playing? Why would you send someone like him in my life after everything that had happened?

How could you make me question myself at a time like this?

"You okay there kiddo? It's okay now."

I sat back in my seat as the man kept driving.

"Where to?" The gramps asked.

If fate wanted to play with my life once more, then there was one last test I had to make.

That would decide what I would do moving forward.

"Do you know where the Polystate University is?" I asked.

"Yes, I have a daughter who studies there."

"Take me to Woodlands Residence."

We continued driving, as the man regarded me.

"Got a name?"

"Jason."

"The name's Jack. Jack Henshaw."

I didn't answer, as Jack continued driving.

"Would you rather I take you to the police station? You're... really roughed up."

"It's fine. We can go after I have handled something."

"Alright then, Jason. As long as you don't try anything real fishy!"

I said nothing, as we finally reached the destination. The ride was several hours, and before I knew it, the sky was dark again. Jack and I talked a bit. I told him a huge lie, about how I ran away from home and ended up being attacked by animals, all of my belongings were taken from me. I was going to go to my friend's place to tell him I was okay and then report to the police station since my family would probably be looking for me.

"I'm getting off."

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"Yes. Please wait in the truck." I said, as I made my way to the residence, putting on a jacket that hid my bloodied and torn T-shirt that Jack gave me.

I regarded the door. It was locked. I waited for other students to leave the building and I used this opportunity to sneak past and enter the residence, entering the elevator.

I opened the janitor's room and then climbed out of the window, summoning my twin scythes in the dark night, using them like climbing axes and climbing until I was right outside Ronnie's room.

I slipped through and stood in his room. My body and scythes concealed in the darkness.

The sounds of Ronnie's footsteps as I could hear him approaching with Mom's super hearing, now inherited by me.

This wasn't the first time where I came close to confessing what I was to my friend. There were many times I felt like telling him, because I trusted he would keep it a secret and that he would accept me if I explained myself.

And many times I almost believed him.

"Anakals are sure cool, bro." Ronnie said, as he flipped through a bunch of websites on the library computer. I was hunched over next to him.

"I guess."

"What? You think they're not?"

"They're killers though. They kill humans."

"But that's what they're supposed to do to survive. I respect that."

I paused that day.

"What if... I was like, an Anakal? Would you still respect it?"

"Hell yeah dude! Like I said, we're bros."

Ronnie had held out a fist.

"I'll be here for you dude. And I bet you Elaine would too once you two hit it off."

Thunder boomed as the flashback disappeared. And the door opened.

Ronnie stood, frozen in shock, as he stared at me. My dark silhouette and scythes from the window of the pattering rain.

Lightning crackled and illuminated my figure.

"Jason...? What the hell dude? What's going on? What happened?"

I regarded him coldly.

"Ronnie... I... I need to ask you something."

Ronnie was taking shaky breaths.

"Dude. You're... I think you need help. I'll call the poli-"

"No." I cut him off, as I sliced with my scythe, precisely severing his phone in half.

Ronnie stared at my scythes.

"How did you do that?"

"Ronnie... I..." I said, as I fought the urge within me.

The urge to feed.

I grabbed my throat, falling to one knee.

The more I ate.

The more hungry I became.

My body was now expecting sustenance, and I hadn't eaten anything during that entire truck ride with Jack.

"Jason!" Ronnie exclaimed, as he took one step but stopped.

"What... please tell me what's going on dude. You're messed up. You're really really messed up bro."

"Anakals... they... they were something you admired... right..."

Ronnie stared at me.

"Why are you- why are you bringing them up now? Where did you even get those grim reaper scythes anyway? What happened to you? Look. I'm sorry about what happened with Elaine, but ultimately it's none of my business."

I slowly got to my feet, snarling until I was face to face with the only person I had left.

"Jason... don't tell me... this entire time... you were-"

"The last time... I asked you what you would do if I was an Anakal... you told me you would respect me. Is that still true?"

"Bro, please don't... you're being really weird right now."

I breathed heavily, as I collapsed, crashing through the desk.

Waves of nausea rolled over me.

"Ronnie..." I muttered.

Ronnie slowly inched to the other side of the room. His hands up.

"What do you want from me?" He asked, shakily.

I regarded him, fighting the urge.

"I want to know..."

"Know what?"

"If being human... this entire time, was worth it."

Ronnie's face was struck with terror.

"Wha... what...?!"

I struggled to my feet, knocking over all of his things, and propping my body up against my scythe.

"This entire time... I rejected what I was. I couldn't fit in with the Anakals. So I decided to choose the humans. But... even under the guise of one. You guys never knew. But even so... no one accepted me. Elaine found me irritating. Derek and Norman left me. You are..."

I raised my finger, darkness rolling off of it. Pointing at Ronnie's heart.

My voice cracked as emotion laced my throat.

"You are the only thing I have left that's keeping me human."

Ronnie took a deep breath. Then smiled.

"Badass."

"Huh?"

Ronnie put his hands down and walked up to me.

"You're a badass."

A wave of emotion rolled over me, as Ronnie laughed.

"I have a god damn Anakal for a friend, bro. What more can I ask for?"

I stared at him.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Why would I? We're bros, are we not?"

My scepters slowly dissipated into black smoke.

"Every Anakal has a weapon of their own. But I never imagined you would have frickin scythes bro. Holy shit. That's as hardcore as it gets. You're like... a Shredder. Jason the Shredder. Holy shit! I came up with your Anakal name!"

I managed a small laugh. So did Ronnie.

We continued laughing as eventually we started chuckling and snickering like idiots in the room.

Like so long ago.

No one had to worry about looking stupid.

None of that.

It was just two bros laughing like idiots in the middle of the night.

The more I laughed with Ronnie, the less my hunger plagued me.

I became less and less hungry.

And soon it was as if the whole thing was just a big nightmare.

And it was just Ronnie and I goofing around.

Just like old times.

I wiped my eyes.

"I'm so glad I still have you in my life. I'm... really glad. I'm really grateful dude." I said.

"Don't mention it."

Ronnie's phone vibrated as he took it out, answering.

"Yeah. Yeah yeah. Gimme a moment."

He signaled me as he left the room, mouthing

"Be right back."

I nodded and watched him leave the room.

The rain pitter pattering on the window in the night sky. I was curled up on the ground, fighting the urge within me to devour him alive.

It felt like I was being crushed by my instincts. But I had to keep it together. For Ronnie's sake.

Now that I knew Ronnie was still on my side.

He was all I had to cling on to humanity.

He was all I had left.

"Urkk... Tch... Aaaah..." I seethed, clawing at myself.

"Jason... you look like you're in a lot of pain." A girl's voice appeared in front of me.

I looked up in shock to see Elaine sitting on the bed, her eyes full of concern.

"Jason... are you alright?"

A gasp escaped me.

"E- Elaine..."

I reached out, but the moment I blinked, the hallucination of Elaine disappeared, leaving behind Ronnie's wall.

I fell to the ground, curled up.

"Grrrrraaaaaaah...." I muttered.

I was in too much pain.

I needed flesh.

I needed it so bad.

I breathed heavily, as I got to my feet.

Fight it.

Fight it, Jason, fight it for Ronnie's sake.

I took a step forward, when suddenly, a bright light appeared behind me.

I stopped, as I slowly turned around, to see a bright spotlight aimed right at me.

"There he is!" A voice said from inside the helicopter.

"Light him up!"

My eyes went wide as I summoned my two scepters, blocking the barrage of bullets.

I snarled and retaliated with a swing, which sliced the front of the helicopter right off, revealing the two humans.

I ran forward to kill them, but suddenly, I noticed the flashing of red and blue from the bottom floor outside of the residence.

Numerous cops in body armor, aiming their guns at me. Numerous spotlights aimed at me, and even more lasers aimed at my forehead.

"What is the meaning of this..." I muttered, as I turned around to see Ronnie trying to sneak out of the unit.

The absolute disbelief in my voice was impossible to hide.

"Ron- Ronnie...?" I croaked.

Ronnie stared at me.

"Jason... I..."

I stared in horror as the phone he was holding on to clattered to the ground.

And on the screen said the words.

"911 - EMERGENCY CALL IN PROGRESS."

"Why..." I muttered.

Ronnie shook his head quickly. His eyes so wide and dilated it almost looked unnatural.

"Jace... we were... never that close bro."

A tear ran down my cheek.

"How could you say that? I trusted you..." I whispered.

A barrage of bullets bombarded me in the back as I screamed in pain, falling on my face, as the door busted open, numerous cops and SWAT soldiers swarmed the room, surrounding me.

"RONNIE, HOW COULD YOU?!" I screamed. The cops began beating me down, trying to tase me. But the electricity, although excruciating, was not knocking me out. As the sheer well of emotions and betrayal was overwhelming my body.

I reached out my hand, as I continued getting beat down by the numerous officers. It didn't matter.

What kind of Anakal strength or powers I had awakened.

These guys were all soldiers, they were all military.

I shouldn't...

I reached out desperately for Ronnie.

"Please come back... please don't leave me Ronnie... please..." I sobbed, as Ronnie was escorted out by numerous soldiers, as the ones on me began peppering my body with bullets.

I yelled in agony, my eyes closed shut.

"No... NO!" I roared, the rage and hurt inside me exploding into a powerful burst of energy similar to Dad's special ability. The guards instantly vaporized into a red mist.

I got to my feet, eyeing the cops murderously.

"The Shredder has defeated our task force. Secondary and Tertiary Units Engaging." The cops said, as they stepped forward, but I swung my scythe viciously, cutting them all in half.

I breathed heavily, stomping forward, as more and more soldiers tried to overwhelm me with sheer firepower and numbers, but none of their bullets were landing as I swung and spun my two scythes with lightning fast speed, deflecting all the bullets and tasers as I unleashed a devastating flurry of slashes that left behind a starburst of blood and entrails.

I continued slaughtering, left and right until I left the unit.

I breathed heavily, my heightened senses picking up the scent of Ronnie. He was descending down the stairs, escorted by fourteen soldiers.

"RONNIE" I roared, as I ran forward, but suddenly, two soldiers appeared in front of me with a very large gun. They fired, launching a rocket at my chest which exploded. The windows of the nearby unit doors shattered as I slammed into the side of the elevator, completely warping the doors. I fell forward and collapsed on the ground, coughing from the smoke.

"What the hell are we dealing with, Espinoza..." One of the cops muttered.

"Fucker survived an RPG point blank!"

I snarled, slashing my scythes and ripped the carpet up, flinging it in their face as I ran forward and spun midair, delivering a tornado slash with sliced the two cops in half.

I landed on the ground like a ninja, and ran to the stairwell, ignoring the stairs and jumping down all the stories, landing on the ground with a massive

BOOM.

"Ronnie... RONNIE!" I screamed, kicking open the door only to be greeted with hundreds upon hundreds of armed military personnel. Dozens of cop cars. Tanks. Helicopters.

All with their weapons aimed at me.

I breathed heavily, my eyes wide, my two scythes, one in each hand, pulsating with a murderous black mist. My body, bloody, ripped apart from the numerous bullet wounds and RPG blasts, but emitting the demonic dark energy of the Anakals and the light bending effects of the Anakal dark speed.

Could I kill... this entire platoon of soldiers on my own?

I didn't even have my transformation... but it didn't matter.

None of it mattered anymore.

I needed to kill them.

If I didn't kill them, I would die.

And I had to live.

For Mom and Dad and Ally.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" I roared, charging forward and engaging the military with everything I had, zipping around with my overwhelming speed, slashing with my overwhelming strength, dodging with my overwhelming speed.

The Anakals were dark warriors, from the olden times, were at war with the Knights of the First Light.

No human.

No matter how armed, how many of them.

Could defeat an Anakal.

I growled, slashing upward and sending a tank flying into a helicopter, unleashing a devastating explosion.

I turned around and blocked an onslaught of machine gun fire, then retaliated with several scythe slashes, severing the barrels in two and causing them to explode upon fire.

I grabbed one of the soldiers by the neck and lifted her into the air. I bared my fangs at her as she struggled, her face white in terror.

I snarled and threw her at a helicopter, the sheer force of the throw and momentum of the body knocking the aerial vehicle off course as it slammed into the other helicopters like a domino effect, lighting the sky orange with chaos.

I breathed hard, taking several bullets to the chest. But it seemed the more damage I took, the stronger I was getting.

More and more rage was building up in my body, and soon, I didn't even need to deflect the bullets with my weapons.

They were no longer capable of harming me.

I growled, and continued my massacre, until I was surrounded by a neutralized force. Everybody was screaming, students, residents, professors, staff, everyone. Military running from me, as I breathed into the sky.

I staggered to Ronnie's location, my scythes scraping the ground and releasing black sparks.

I could see the group of soldiers trying to protect him, and watched as they charged me with a futile last ditch effort. But there was no hope for them.

I was inevitable, as I slashed and cut, shredding them until it was just Ronnie and I in the abandoned tunnel that linked the train to the campus.

We were silent, looking at each other.

Thunder boomed. I lowered my scythes.

"Ronnie."

Ronnie clenched his teeth, shaking uncontrollably, but I didn't care. I had to make sure. Because I was still unable to accept the dark reality.

"There is still... hope. Hope for me to believe that... I can still fit in with humanity. Because right now, if you choose to throw me away and leave me alone, that will mean that even mankind has forsaken me." I said.

Ronnie shook his head, as he slowly brought up a handgun that one of the officers had given to him.

"Jace... I'm sorry."

I watched him pull the trigger. I didn't even dodge.

BANG.

The bullet hit me right in the skull, but bounced off, as black mist steamed from my body. I began to grow, taller and taller, until I was at least six foot five. My skin turning darker and darker, my eyes, initially red at the irises, now pure demonic red like my family's, streaming with tears, which ran down my armored black monstrous cheekbones and dripped down my chin, peppering the ground.

I choked back sobs, feeling my body explosively transform. The emotion...

The emotion of having my absolute last ditch attempt to cling onto... anything that could accept me... gone.

Black rock like spikes ripped from my back, and my hair became spikier and spikier, arcing up my head in the form of a widow's peak.

The shadow of my body that had completely engulfed Ronnie becoming more and more muscular, my upper body becoming wider and more developed.

From the puddles on the ground, I could make out samurai arm guards forming around my shoulders, and a black demonic warrior sash around my waist, complete with a cloth which ran down my midsection. My quads had gotten bigger, cladded with black armor, and my hands had become talons, as my entire look was completed with a dark misty aura of my dark speed and my two demonic scythes, which were trimmed with gold.

"A dark cursed Reaper Samurai type Anakal..." Ronnie's voice trailed away, as I approached him. Each footstep from my warboots crushing the ground.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Ronnie looked at the towering transformed version of me, as I wrapped my hand around his neck. I opened my mouth, my fangs in full view.

"Of all the Anakals I've read and seen..."

I lifted Ronnie until he was inches away from my mouth. His scent was overwhelming.

It was so good.

My stomach growled viciously.

As my mouth watered violently.

My snarling and my growling in my transformed state no longer suppressed.

Ronnie closed his eyes.

"You...are the greatest. Jason the Shredder."

CHOMP.

I left the tunnel, still in my transformation, until I approached the truck.

Jack watched as I approached him, towering over the vehicle.

I was waiting for him to shoot me in the head like Ronnie did, but Jack simply looked at me.

"You won't fit in the truck like that, kid."

I opened my fangs, but only incoherent grunting came out.

I put a hand on my throat as Jack laughed.

"You must still be getting used to your transformation. Just relax."

I relaxed, as I eased out of it. Jack unlocked the door and let me in.

"You know what I am." I said.

Jack nodded.

"I do. Why did you think my first instinct wasn't to just abandon you in the forest that day? Or to call the cops?"

I paused.

"What happens now?"

Jack regarded me.

"The Knights will come after you. And since you're now without territory, and have gone public with your identity as an Anakal, many other ancient races will too."

I shifted in my seat.

"I don't have anywhere to go." I admitted.

"That's fine. We're going to be headed to my safehouse."

"Safehouse?"

Jack backed out from the chaos and destruction. His truck had been concealed in the debris, and the only way I was able to track his location down was through his body heat signature from my enhanced senses.

"It isn't safe for a Stray Anakal like you. We'll take you to the safehouse and have you initiated in a temporary tribe for now. Although the tribe won't be an Anakal one, it should be sufficient to erase your signature. Right now, you probably stick out like a flare."

I hesitated.

"You mentioned a tribe... does that mean I'm no longer part of my old one? Also... who are you? You showed up out of the blue and picked me up, knowing what I was. I don't know if I can trust you. But if you're against me too, I'll kill you."

The old man sighed as he made a turn.

"You've already survived two hells. One when I picked you up, and the other when you singlehandedly slaughtered the entire military forces and your best friend. Do you really want to experience yet a third one?"

"I don't know if I can trust you."

"You don't need to. But the truth is, I came here to recruit your father, Zion the Blade to our cause."

I blinked.

"My Dad?"

"Yes. Your father... is one of the rare Anakals who chose seclusion over domination. Unlike his fellow Alpha Anakals. I wanted to come to get your on our side. But... to know that they got here first. I'm sorry, kid."

"What were you trying to do?"

"The Knights of the First Light... really. They're trying to kill my daughter."

The silhouettes of the street lights as the truck zoomed past them made unusual patterns on the interior of the vehicle.

"Your daughter..."

We continued driving until we entered a tunnel. The lights were flashing at a faster speed.

"I watched Zion from a distance. And from Zion, I was able to watch you live your life. I know your experience with mankind thus far has been horrible... I just wish you have one last shred of trust for us. Because while we couldn't recruit Zion the Blade, we have his son, Jason the Shredder. To help protect my daughter. That is all I need."

"And if I refuse?"

"There is nothing we can do. We will continue to fend them off ourselves."

I was silent for a few minutes. The truck continued bumping on the road as we were reaching an abandoned alleyway. We got out.

"Why are the Knights after your daughter? As far as I know, you seem human. Unless your wife was..."

"No. My wife is human too. But my daughter's fiancee... was an Anakal."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What did you just say?"

Jack took off his hat as he hobbled down the steps of an old house.

"Yes. My son in law was an Anakal, but he was slain by Rei, an Elite Knight of the First Light along with my wife. My daughter's unborn child, is a half Anakal, and if such a child is born to the world, the Knights cannot accept its existence. So they have been relentlessly hunting both child and mother ever since. And without Evane to protect his human wife and family, we are in desperate need for a protector."

Jack opened the door and stepped in, but I stood outside.

A child of a human and an Anakal? Wouldn't that make the child a hybrid?

I was barely able to hold my own against Roger.

And Rei completely overwhelmed me.

But then again, I hadn't even awakened my transformation at the time. But if Jack was going to the extent of recruiting Dad, he needed some serious firepower.

And I was still new to my form.

Jack turned around.

"Not up to the offer, Jason?"

"I've... never protected anything before. And if you're looking for my Dad... I don't know if I have what it takes to be like him. He's an Alpha Anakal after all. Well, an ex Alpha."

Jack smiled.

"No. But I see potential in you. And I'm sure your father did too. If you come with us, maybe we can help awaken it and you can see for yourself, your purpose in life. But once you turn your back, you will be hunted. And you will fall into despair believing no one will accept you. When right here, the offer is on the table."

The rain was soaking me from head to toe.

Jack held out his hand.

"Last chance, kid! Come on in. We have stew!"

I managed a small smirk.

I didn't trust him.

Not in the slightest.

But...

I was willing to give him, no.

I was willing to give humanity one more chance.

I took his hand.

"I'll be in your care, gramps."