No one knows how we become a hyslan; two humans gave birth to me, and two hyslan are more than likely to have a human offspring. A hyslan may not know they actually are one for many years; I certainly didn’t find out until after my sixteenth birthday!

We hyslan are unique; even if two hyslan become the same beast, they may have different talents, do different things in there hyslan-form. Most resemble an animal of some sort; tigers, rats, dolphins, birds, the list is endless. Some are lucky – or unlucky – enough to be a mix of two creatures; half-bat, half-monkey for example.

Then there are the Unaturals. We are a rare breed, and are never sure of our forms, our potentials, and sometimes our minds. When I first Changed I nearly became a purely instinctual creature, and even now, every time I Change, the beast within wants to escape, and become the beast without.

Being a hyslan is a blessing, but it is also a curse. If you can keep the balance between man and beast, body and mind, you are truly powerful, and truly blessed.

But if you fall, it is the greatest of all curses…”

* * * * *

I stared at Bobby hard. Four and a half years I had known him, and I had hated him every minute of the way. I couldn’t care less if he was a hyslan and I wasn’t; all that mattered now was I kicked his arse.

“Shoya, back down,” Steve whispered in my ear.

“No,” I growled. “Not this time.”

There was a crowd now; almost the whole of our year was present. Bobby was a good ten metres away, smiling at the cheers of encouragement, smug pride written all over his face. Oh, how good it would be to wipe that smile away!

“Shoya, if he Changes, you’re fucked,” Rob said, holding my hockey stick. I had been using it moments ago for my tech project, and now I was going to have a chance to use it as I had trained to for many years: a weapon.

“Not if I hit him now,” I replied, snatching my stick and stepping forward into the ring of spectators. Many threw insults and threats at me, but I took them, turned them into anger, and from there into strength.

“Ready for the biggest arse-kicking of your life?” Bobby yelled out, also moving forward. His uniform seemed to only just contain his large frame, part muscle, and part fat. Not that I was the slimmest in the year, but I was still fast and agile enough for my purposes.

“Ready to deliver it!” I snarled, and then charged.

I jumped straight at him, bringing the stick down hard on his head, and then ran on past him, taking the back of his knees out in a backhand-sweep. He slumped down to his knees, and I turned back, driving the stick hard into his obscene stomach with a two-handed uppercut.

He took the hit solidly, rolled back and up onto his feet, wheezing but still smiling. His smile became a toothy grin as he instantly went from a human to a brown grizzly bear, too quick for the eye to follow. His Changing meant that his human wounds had healed, and he was back to full strength.

“Oh, shit,” I muttered, and dove to one side as a paw came for my chest. I hit the hard concrete and rolled away as Bobby aimed a kick at my fallen form. I scrambled to my feet and ran at my stick.

I scooped up my stick, and turned to face my foe. We stared at each other; Bobby’s claws raised in defiance, me weaving my stick in an intricate dance. Then, lightning fast, I launched the stick at his head, following quickly.

It hit him squarely on his forehead, and even as it fell I ran forward and jumped, grabbing it in mid-flight and taking a wild swing, hitting him in the back of his head. Bobby roared in rage, and swung at me.

My sides felt as if they were on fire as his claws ripped into them. Crying out in pain I hit the floor hard, and my stick spun off into the crowd. They cheered at my fall, and as I looked at them through tear-stained eyes they cried out even louder as Bobby lifted me up in a giant bear hug.

The pain was so intense I couldn’t even scream. Not that I could have, as my chest was crushed, the air forced out of my lungs and denied re-entry. My eyes saw only darkness, my ears muted, the feeling fading from my limbs.

So this is death, a voice in my head said, cruel and cold, oddly familiar. I could only agree.

But a part of me denied passage into the eternal sleep, and fought back. There was no thought, no sensibility within this side of me. It was a bundle of anger and instinct, purely built for fighting.

Changing may be instantaneous, but the first time felt as if it would stretch on forever. I felt my body grow bigger, stronger, my muscles expanding and my skin trying to keep up. Then the hair sprouted all over my body, covering every square centimetre.

My nails grew longer and turned to giant claws, and a great lump that had grown on my back exploded into giant, bat-like wings, and my spine developed great spikes. My tail seemed to grow endlessly, thick and strong, and my lower jaw jutted forward, growing tusks. I felt the horns fly out the sides of my head, each at least half a metre long. Then the beasts mind attacked.

It was a vast ball of ire, easily crushing my own mind. I knew I was losing it, but I fought back, trying to keep myself in check. But it was hopeless. The hyslan took over.

I looked down at the strange creature holding me, trying to lift me. It seemed oddly like me, brown-furred and clawed. But there were no wings or tails. I considered the strange thing. Was it a friend, a relation of mine? Was it trying to attack me, or merely showing affection?

No! The vicious thing took a swipe at me! Blood oozed out of the scratch on my stomach, and as I stared at it in shock, it barged me. I leapt back, staying airborne with great flaps of my wings. It picked itself up, and tried to jump at me.

Not this time! My tail lashed out at it, knocking it off balance, and I swooped down on it. One swat of my giant claws, and it spun to the floor, out cold. I jumped back in shock when it became a small, pink-skinned creature, one head, two arms and legs, but no fur or claws. Regardless, it was still my enemy. I picked it up and threw it.

The being crashed into a crowd of similar creatures. I finally noticed that they surrounded me, some already running in fear from me. Good! Let them fear me1 I will hunt them all down, kill them all!

One of them stood in front of me as I turned to chose my prey. It was making a noise, but I couldn’t understand it. It could have merely been out of fear for me. I drew my tail back, and lashed out towards it. It saw the move, and it held up something long and thin in defiance.

My own, sentient mind screamed out in defiance, and fought back at the beast within my head. The rational side of me recognised Steve as friend, and I recognised my own hockey stick in his hand. I tried to quell the beast’s fury, trying to convince it Steve was an ally, and the tail stopped in mid-swing.

But the beast was hungry. It wanted flesh. I drew my claws back, ready to strike at this creature, but still puzzled at why I had stopped from hitting it with my tail. No! I screamed at the thing in my head. The paw sailed over Steve’s head safely, and I again tried to stop the thing’s rage – my own rage. The fight is over! I told the beast. Rest now! Rest to fight another day!

Why could I not hurt it? In my rage I decided to dive on it, using my weight to crush it. I descended on it, arms spread wide. It couldn’t escape. I fell to Steve’s feet safely, in human form again. He stumbled down next to me, in shock and concern for my well being. I looked at my side, where the fatal claw-marks were.

Or had been. They were now nothing more than scratches rather than life-threatening wounds, although they were still bleeding a bit and slightly bruised. I stared at the flesh dumbly, my mind trying to comprehend what had just taken place.

“What the hell happened there?” Steve asked, looking at me. My uniform was still as it had been before my Change, hadn’t split at my change in size and shape, not even a hole from the spines down my back.

“I…don’t know,” I said in wonder, looking at my hands. They were the same hands I had lived with for sixteen years and more, but just know they had been giant paws with giant claws at the end of giant forearms.

“You’re a bloody hyslan!” Rob exclaimed, walking up next to me. “When the fuck were you planning on telling us?”

“I didn’t know I was one until today,” I protested, picking myself up off the ground and then helping Steve up. “Honestly. I’m as surprised as you lot are.”

“Like fuck,” Rob replied, looking at me in disgust.

“Oh, shut up Rob!” Steve retorted, handing me my stick. “If was a hyslan and knew about it, don’t you think he would of revealed it to us long ago. Do you remember in the first week of our first year, when Chapman kicked the crap out of him?”

“Shoya, what the hell happened?” Raphael, or Raph for short, asked, walking over to me, the rest of the class following the big German hyslan. Standing behind them probably made them feel safe, so that he could hold me off if I went for them in my hyslan form. But it was a harrowing – and exhausting – experience that I didn’t want to try again soon.

“I don’t know,” I said again, sighing inside at the repetition.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were a beast?” Jara asked me, sweeping jet-black hair out of her dark-brown eyes. She too was a hyslan, but as for what she actually was, no-one knew. She never Changed in daylight.

“I only found out I was one just now,” I said strangely, looking at her a little too intently. Her voice sounded familiar.

“Like fuck,” Rob said again.

“I can believe that,” Raph said thoughtfully. “After all I only found out until last summer. But it wasn’t in a fight or anything so strenuous. I was just walking through the forest one day, and suddenly I had grown in size, developing fur and growing claws.

“Well, at least you know how I feel,” I replied, thankful that I had more than Steve on my side now. Then, as an after-thought, I inquired into how Bobby was.

“Dazed, and scared shit-less,” Jara answered. “An admirable result.”

“Glad you approve,” I said under my breath. Still Jara heard it, and looked at me darkly.

“Bloody amazing, I’d say,” Steve exclaimed.

“I’m tired now. I’m off for a lie-down,” I said wearily, turning towards my boarding house. I ran a hand over my short, silver hair, trying to find the horns, or at least a sign of them. Nothing, not even a bump.

I heard steps, and Raph, Steve and Rob came up to one side of me. Jara came to my other side, and slipped an arm through mine. I pulled my arm away, not in the mood for her little games. She was always flirting with everyone, especially when they had a new toy. I had seen it so many times before, that I wasn’t pulled into her little trap. We walked to the door in silence. When I realised Jara hadn’t yet turned back, I spoke up.

“Jara?” I asked, pronouncing it with a soft ‘j.’

“Yes?”

“You know this is a boy’s house.”

“And?”

“Okay,” I sighed. I wasn’t in the mood for confrontations.

“We thought you might want to talk,” Steve said.

“This is so weird,” I said after a moment’s reflection, stopping with my hand on the doorknob. “Why did my beast flare up so late, wait so long to reveal itself? Have you ever heard of anyone developing so late?”

“No-one later than Raph,” said Rob.

“Exactly. But the scary thing is, is that I nearly lost all control. It’s like that beast was someone else, not really me, that all it wanted to do was kill. Did either of you feel that when you first Changed?”

“Not really,” Jara replied. “When I first became an U…beast, I was in complete control the whole time. I never once felt any primal urges.” I bit back a retort to that comment, given her usual approach to getting what she wants. I also didn’t miss her slip of the tongue.

“Same here,” Raph put in, looking at Jara in an impish way. He knew just as well how Jara was with men and their primal urges.

“So the thing that attack me wasn’t actually you?” Steve asked.

“Mostly, no. I was able to stop me – it - us from killing you, so I had some control near the end. But what was I? Tail, wings, horns and spines? I don’t know anything like that.”

“You’re an Unatural,” Steve answered. I was silent for a moment, and looked at Jara sideways. She didn’t miss my glance, and feigned confusion.

“Hmm.”

“What’s so ‘hmm,’ Jara?” I asked sweetly. I may be tired, but I was up for a game of my own devising. She seemed to be in deep thought though.

“How many hyslan are in our year?”

“Us three and Bobby,” Raph replied. “Why?”

“Stay with me. How many do we have in the school? In total, staff included.”

“Almost thirty. I’m not sure on the teachers though,” Steve replied.

“Hmm.”

“Jara, what the fuck are you getting at?” Rob asked, opening the door to the house. We walked in behind the irate chike.

“Well, doesn’t it strike any of you that over ten percent of the school…”

“Only six,” I put in. I was proud of my maths, if nothing else.

“Okay. Six percent of the school are hyslan, while the global percentage is one? That’s an awfully large percentage.”

“It is odd,” I replied, as we walked into my cubicle. I leapt up onto my bed, hockey stick still in hand. Jara leapt up as well, which wasn’t too great a surprise.

“Well, I don’t think it’s of any great importance,” Steve said, leaning on my window-ledge, sunlight glinting off his blonde-streaked brown hair. Rob joined him, while Raph whipped out my chair and sat down.

“I agree,” the big lad said. “I think its just chance, no more.”

“Maybe, but it is stretching odds a bit thin,” I answered. “The chances are something like… one in ten to the sixty, I think. Something absurd like that.”

“Are those good odds?” Rob asked. I looked at him dangerously, because he knew damn well they were. He was just playing the fool again.

“They’re big odds,” Jara answered.

“Okay guys, break up the gang-bang,” I said, stifling a yawn. “I really do need that sleep now.”

“What shall we tell Big Al?” Raph asked, referring to our I.T teacher.

“I’m feeling ill and I’ve been bedded down.” At that, I slept.

* * * * *

I woke up about an hour later, still lethargic. I kept my head under the pillow, trying to recapture the sleep, but it was useless. I would have to get up now. I tried to move my legs, but they felt dead, as there was a great weight on them. I threw the pillow off my face, and sat up quickly. I ended up almost kissing Jara.

She brought up a tight-clad foot to my chest, and pushed me back down. She then leant forward and replaced the magazine beneath my pillow. I felt my face start to go red, from the embarrassment of Jara finding the mag that was definitely of adult content, and the excitement of her sitting in my bed. Well, she was almost lying on top of me at this point, but that only made me feel giddier. It was the stuff of dreams.

“Afternoon,” she said, sitting back up at the end of my bed, and getting off my legs.

“You surprised me,” I replied, sitting up again, drawing my legs up in front of me. Under my breath I added, “And a pleasant one at that.”

“Not the best of mags,” she said nonchalantly. “But I suppose it’s good enough.”

“I’ve read better. It gets the job done,” I said calmly, trying to keep a level head. Here was a girl in just a shirt that wasn’t done up properly and a pair of tights, discussing the quality of a mag. I was also a hyslan. I though to myself, I’m either dreaming, or mad.

“Nice dream?” she asked. I then realised she was playing with me, like she usually did. I rose to the challenge, determined to take control.

“Yea, it was okay,” I answered, drawing my legs up closer, hoping it was only a smile on my face that she noticed.

“Have you been sitting here since I was last awake?”

“Yes. Playing, lying, watching.”

“Playing...?” I asked dumbly.

She looked at me in pity, and then pointed at my pillow. I looked at it, then the answer, so blindingly obvious, dawned on me. She meant using the mag. My plane of thought stalled, free-falled, then started again.

“You mean…”

“Yes.”

“On my bed? With me in it?”

“Yes,” Jara answered, not blushing, no outward sign of embarrassment.

“But what if I woke up while you were…” Jara shrugged, causing the shirt to fall off her shoulders, leaving her topless bar the bra that, I decided, was definitely too small for her. I dragged my eyes back to her face, feeling the blush rising up again. I then realised I had lost this little game. She had it all planned out beforehand.

“I’d probably let you join in,” she said, as if it were as innocent as a card game.

“Why?”

“For the fun of it.” I looked hard at her, and in that beautiful but slightly evil face there were no indications of her joking. She was being serious.

“Do you actually have any morals?” I asked. Jara’s reply was to push me back down again, and lean over me. She was right in my face now, and when she next spoke, her lips were brushing with mine, her chest crushing my hand up against her.

“Not if I need something. And right now, I need some attention.” At this, we kissed passionately. We finally broke up, and she climbed down off the bed. I dropped to the floor next to her, silent as usual. I helped her get her clothes on, and what passed between us was passionate and eager, lustful and hungry. It was a relationship built on wanting attention, satisfying each other’s lusts, nothing more. For now.

“Tonight, be ready to learn the ways of the hyslan. Behind the cricket pavilion,” she said, as we held one another.

“After prep?”

“After ten-thirty p.m.”

“Oh,” I thought for a moment, working out how to escape the house that late. If I broke the window blocks off a toilet window…

I kissed her one last time, before answering, “Okay.”

Then, Jara left.

* * * * *

At 8.30pm I went out for football, first, alone. As I walked I mulled over the exchange with Jara almost four hours previously. Something about her unnerved me, and it wasn’t her powers, unknown to everyone except herself. It was what those powers had done to her.

Her midnight-black hair, those deep brown eyes, her pale skin, gave her an almost vampiric look, a dark aura. Also, her way of doing things: she was always using any and all means to get what she wanted, and she even admitted to throwing morality to the wind. My instincts told me to stay away from her, that she was evil.

But she had offered to help me realise my full potential, something that Raph hadn’t yet offered. She was evil, yes, but I was no angel, to be truthful. And I was attracted to her – female advances always caught a guy’s attention, and my hormones were having more of a say in this matter than anything else.

There was no choice; the dark temptress had another soul at her command. And I knew it full damn well.

I approached the pitches, and saw our rivals had already arrived, their yellow tops showing up against the green trees. They were a team made up of the local youths, not a proper football team. As so they had no real football stripe, only whatever yellow clothes they could find.

I walked towards their captain, pulling nervously at the Welsh rugby top. I was a sub, nothing more, but until Steve and the rest of the team arrived, I was the representative of the house team.

“Good evening,” I said to the captain as I neared him, offering my hand.

“And to you,” he replied, shaking my hand with his own. “Where’s Steve?”

“Oh, they’re just getting ready. They’ll be out soon.”

“Cool. Looking forward to this game?” the captain asked, turning to watch his team warm-up.

“It’s the final. Even our rival houses are turning up for this game! It’s the first time the ‘civi’ team has reached the final, so it’s a bit of a novelty. Any supporters for your team?”

“Our parents and friends are on the way.”

“Cool.”

Before long, the rest of our team turned up, and I joined them in the warm-up, practising passes, dribbling and penalties with the best players in our year: my friends. As we practised, the sidelines filled up with schoolchildren and civi’s alike.

As the match grew nearer, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise up, and a strange sensation of being watched came over me. I spun around, much to Joe’s surprise as the ball went straight pass me and landed at his feet.

The opposing goalie was watching me intently, almost hungrily. But, unlike the ravenous stare that Jara had held, this was a wanting for my flesh as food. I felt cold, as if a bitter wind had just sprung up. The civilian goalkeeper looked away with a sudden snap of his neck, and jumped at the ball as if it were prey.

I turned away, and ran over to Steve, shouting to the rest of The Dorm – our collective name - for a team talk. Although unexpected, the bewildered team drew in around Steve and myself.

“What’s up, Shoya?” Nick asked.

“Raph, can a hyslan sense another hyslan?” I asked, ignoring the question.

“Not that I know of, but it could be a talent unique to some beasts,” he replied. “Why?”

“Steve, do you know of any hyslan in the opposing team?”

“No, why?” And answer us this time,” Steve replied, getting impatient. I took in a deep breath.

“I think they’re goalie is a hyslan. And a dangerous one at that.”

“Well done,” a voice came from behind me. I spun around, and saw Jara standing there in her uniform.

“Jara! You surprised me!” I exclaimed.

“Listen, all of you. Shoya is right. That goalie is a beast, and he will have no hesitations in getting into his hyslan form if you anger him. Play as normal, but just be ready. Especially you two hyslans,” Jara finished, glaring at Raph and I to get her point across. Then, with a vote of confidence and good luck, she left the pitch.

“Are you ready?” the referee asked, walking over in his black t-shirt and shorts.

“Yes,” Steve replied.

“Kick-off in one minute,” he said, walking away.

“Okay guys, let’s win this thing!” Dom cried.

“Dom’s right,” Raph shouted. “We have a trophy to claim!”

“Positions!” Steve called out. “Chris, Sandy, Raph, defence! Joe, Dom, midfield! Rob, you and I attacking. Nick, you and Shoya are linesman. When we’re up, you’re coming on!”

“Okay!” I shouted back, giving him a thumbs-up as I ran off to the line.

The whistle blew, and by the second minute Rob had scored. We all cheered him back to the half-way line, before concentrating on the game. As the ball shuttled up and down the pitch I ran with it, shouting encouragements, advice and warnings to my friends.

“Go Rob!” I bellowed, just before he buried the ball in the back of the net a second time. “Yes!” I cried, as he ran back to the home half, screaming happily all the way. I caught the goalie out the corner of my eye launch the ball straight at the ref in a fit of anger.

Rob went on to score another goal, and on the next whistle Steve launched it from the halfway line and directly past the goalie. The opposing team made two goals before half-time, making the score 4-2.

“You’re doing well guys,” I shouted happily to my exhausted teammates as I ran over to them. Nick joined us from the sideline with a few water bottles.

“Thanks,” Steve replied. “You are all playing brilliantly, but don’t let it slide in this second half. Chris, Sandy, swap with Nick and Shoya. You’re doing a good job, but you’re knackered – take five.”

“Cool,” Sandy replied, taking his red vest off and walking over to the sidelines, Chris going to the opposite flank. After a few minutes, we lined up ready for the second half, the yellows starting with the ball. Their striker broke through our lines, down the left wing: my spot.

I ran at the striker, and he made to go to my left. He wouldn’t make such an easily-predictable move, surely? My instincts told me to be ready to go to the right. I neared the striker, and got ready to bounce off my left foot.

I was right! He made a sudden move to his left, just as I slid to my right. I took the ball off him, and got up at a dead run. I tried to pass to the attackers on my team, but they were blocked off. Yet the wing was free.

I ran as hard as I could, dodging the only defender, and found myself in the area. The goalie was on my left, at an angle. He would take the ball off me in another stride. I had only one chance.

With a cry of defiance I kicked the ball hard, and I saw it go into the net. I collided with the goalie, but that didn’t matter - I had scored! I rolled to my feet, only to be greeted by a fist to the chest. As I bent over double, an elbow hit my back, knocking me to the ground. I looked up to see the enraged keeper towering over me, a dangerous fire in his eyes.

“Oy, you bastard!” I heard Sandy shout. “Leave ‘im alone!” I looked round and saw Sandy running over to the keeper and I. The goalie smiled, and turned to him. Sandy’s mask of fury became a face of dread as the keeper turned into a giant, slavering wolf. It growled, and jumped at Sandy. I cried out at the injustice of it all as I heard the impact of the two bodies.

I jumped up and barged the wolf-hyslan before it could get a chance to get its claws into Sandy. I felt my alter-ego surge up within me, but I pushed it down. I couldn’t afford to change, not after what had happened earlier. I couldn’t afford to lose control.

I rolled away from the wolf and got to my feet, this time anticipating a swipe to my head that would have ripped it off my neck. Suddenly an eight-foot brown bear came roaring in, colliding with the wolf and sending it flying.

I went over to check on Sandy, and except for a general feeling of pain he was okay. I turned back to see Raph was getting into more trouble than he could handle. The wolf was simply too quick and agile for the lumbering grizzly-hyslan. Again my beast tried to break free.

“Change!” I heard Jara cry. I spun to face her, my teeth gritted in an attempt to stop the transformation. “Change!” she cried again. “Help him. The wolf is too strong for Raph or myself alone. Change, or Raph will die!”

I turned back to the combatants, still fighting the Unatural inside me. I put my head down, charged forward, and let the beast take over…

I slammed into the four-legged creature; something inside me saying it was my enemy. Was it? I asked that voice. Yes! it replied It attacked you first.

It attacked me first? It will soon regret that it did! With a roar I charged the grey creature again, my mighty horns slamming into its sides. As it started to get up again I smashed my forearm down hard, driving it into the ground.

But it got up again! It tried to leap up onto my back, but it yelped as it hit my spines. I spun around, knocking it with my tail, and then standing on it.

That’s it! I cried to my bestial nature, as the wolf squirmed beneath my feet, before lying still. Amazingly, it stopped, and I Changed back effortlessly. I dropped to my knees, panting with the exhaustion and effort, and barely noticing the guy turning back to his human form, only just conscious.

Raph and Steve were the first to arrive, Raph once again human, followed by the rest of the teams, and then the supporters. One woman, almost hysterical, was shouting and screaming, pointing fingers. But it was all I could do to stay awake, let alone decipher what she was saying.

I shakily got to my feet, and tried to walk away. Stumbling down the gap the crowd had made, I concentrated solely on putting one foot in front of the other. I fell to my hands and knees, and stayed there, panting.

I felt a hand under each arm, and then I was moving again. I looked groggily to one side, and then to the other, trying to make out what Raph and Steve was saying. But my eyes were growing dim, and I could no longer feel my legs.

On the brink of consciousness I heard a voice, loud and clear despite my muffled ears, a voice that sounded familiar. You’ll feel better after a rest. Trust me. I’ll see you later.

Then, darkness descended.

* * * * *

This time I was expecting Jara to be at my feet when I woke up, partly because of what had happened the last time I had Changed, and because I could feel another hyslan presence in my bed. My head, amazingly, was clear, and I felt as if I had slept for days. But I checked my watch, my head still under the duvet, and it wasn’t even past eleven p.m.

Groaning, I pulled the cover off, and Jara was indeed there, this time dressed in a black tracksuit, looking like a shadow pressed up against the end of my bed. I waved at her, but otherwise I laid still. Surely she didn’t expect me to go out now? She led down next to me, and whispered in my ear.

“Hurry up, I’ll meet you by the cricket pavilion in ten minutes.” She kissed me, and then leapt off my bed. I saw my curtain swish aside, but I never heard the door open. It was the only way you could leave the dorm, unless you broke a window open.

I hit the floor hard, and nearly yelped when I stood on a pin I had dropped on the floor during prep. I hobbled out to my side locker, and got my blue tracksuit bottoms out. I pulled them on, and went back into my cubicle to dig out my black T-shirt. Over the top of it all I wore a black heavy fleece.

I managed to reach the toilets without being seen by the other fifty-odd boys in the house, and it only took me two attempts to ram the window blocks off the frame. I clambered out into the cool summer night, and set off towards the cricket pavilion, on the other side of the school.

The night was traditionally the time of thieves and assassins, keeping to the cover of darkness in order to carry out their missions. I didn’t fall into either of those categories, however I enjoyed the feeling of flitting from shadow to shadow, avoiding security lights and other houses, passing unseen and unheard. There was a sense of power, of superiority, that while the world huddled in fear of the night, I was out there, watching, waiting. ‘Shadow-running,’ a friend of mine once called it, and the name stuck.

I reached the pavilion without getting caught; my heart racing and senses keen from the adrenal surge of disobeying the curfew. I did a full circuit of the squat building, searching an all the dark corners for Jara. But I couldn’t see her.

Then I remembered a snatch of conversation, how some hyslan could feel the presence of others, and my uncanny guess at the goalie’s true nature, and Jara being in my bed just now. I relaxed, closed my eyes, and let my instincts take over.

My eyes snapped open again in surprise and disbelief. I could sense her, but my intuition told me she was in this dark corner. There was nothing here but darkness and shadows.

Darkness and shadows…a visage of Jara in her black tracksuit…that evil aura…as my hands passed through the darkness they felt cold, as if touched by death…and, if it were possible, the darkness was a deeper shade, a bit too dark.

“Jara?” I asked, stepping back. The darkness swarmed around, black motes like dust consolidating in the deepest recesses. A shadowy figure formed, feminine for sure, but wrong in some small way.

The big changes were easy to spot. There were wings, small and bat-like, seemingly too small to support the figure in flight, peaking far above the head but going no lower than the waist. A thin, whip-like tail, a good metre long, snaked out and around the waist. Otherwise, the figure in front seemed to be Jara.

She stepped forward into the faint illumination of the moon, and I stepped back again, now in fear. There seemed to be a web of dark tattoos covering her arms and legs, and she had a more feminine figure, almost perfect to my eyes. Even her clothes had changed to nothing more than a tight sports top and shorts.

I felt like my head was fogged up, as if something was blocking my vision from within, slowing my thoughts and tugging at my feelings. Then I felt the beasts mind attack the presence, and I saw clearly, as if from an outside vantage point. Jara was reading my mind, finding what I perceived as the perfect female, and altering herself to that shape. I shook my head, and the last of the mist rolled out of my mind.

“Pure evil,” a voice in my head said, one I recognised as my own. My instincts were speaking, once a quiet whisper and now a loud cry as I had discovered my true nature. As she smiled slightly to reveal small, needle-like fangs, it continued. “The embodiment of dark lies, unholy pleasures, eternal subservience, and endless agony. If the Devil had a daughter, she would be the mother. Don’t mess with her!”

“Jara?” I asked again. She nodded, still with that slight smile, unnerving me. “What are you?”

“The same as you,” she replied. Her voice was quiet, hissing, and I was half-expecting a forked tongue to dart out. “An Unatural.”

“But…you’re different to me.”

“I know. That’s the trademark of the Unatural; no two are ever the same.” Jara walked forward and offered me her hand. I went to take it, and then recoiled as I touched the cold flesh, colder than ice, making my skin crawl.

“I see,” she hissed. “Well, the touch isn’t necessary. It was just for the personnel effect. Just follow me.” She set off into the darkness, towards the wooded area at the perimeter, behind the tennis courts. I was puzzled for a moment, then smiled as I dismissed the thought – the back of the courts was the traditional lovemaking spot in the school. That wouldn’t be why she dragged me here at this time of night, when we could have got away with it in the day.

“I’m surprised,” she said as I ran up alongside her. “It takes a lot out of a hyslan to Change more than once in a day, and a newly-discovered hyslan is often unconscious for nearly a day after their first time.”

“That’s nice to know,” I replied, before asking in a sarcastic tone of voice, “Does this mean I’m special then? The chosen one, maybe?”

“Trust me, you are not the chosen one. I can hold my form for days on end, Change as often as I need to without tiring. You are just more advanced than the average hyslan, or stronger-willed. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“And about this way of the hyslan…” I began.

“Wait,” she snapped, and I obliged. We rounded the tennis courts, and went into the wooded area beyond. It wasn’t much, just a few metres at its widest point, but it went around the whole school perimeter. Jara led me into a clear patch just wide enough for the two of us to stand in.

“I was hoping you’d be able to change for tonight’s exercise,” Jara began, leaping up to sit on a sturdy low-hanging branch, “but I very much doubt you could handle a third Change in a day. So tonight will just be a bit of talking.

“As you must surely know, hyslan do not confirm with the laws of physics. Do you honestly believe there is enough mass in your body to be re-arranged into your beast? Do you seriously think that I could become the darkness whilst obeying the rules?

“And thus, because of our unreal existence, we have unreal powers. Most hyslan only have rudimentary training in these skills, what they pick up naturally. Some are lucky enough, like me, to learn all of these abilities accidentally, while others are taught how to use theirs, like you will be.

“As yet, you have only found one of your skills – sensing other hyslan – but over then next week or so you will undoubtedly find out your other talents. I will help you practise the major talents, once you yourself master the lesser ones.”

“Any idea on what these talents could be?” I asked, half-mockingly. It was still unbelievable that I was a hyslan, and instead that this was all an unreal dream that I was soon to wake from.

“No. That is something that you will have to discover yourself,” she said, melding into the night before my eyes. I stood there for a moment, then I realised the night’s lessons. I turned, and quietly ran back to the house.

* * * * *

I woke up the next morning, and smiled. It had been a very intense dream, with romance, action, and some half-brained idea that I was a powerful hyslan. The very thought of it was laughable! But it had been a very pleasant dream.

I leapt out of bed, and realised that I was in my blue tracksuit bottoms and black t-shirt rather than my nightclothes. I yelped as I stood on a single pin, but when I lifted my foot I saw two pinpricks, one already healing over.

“Oh. Crap,” I said thoughtfully, still looking at my foot. I then walked, quite calmly, to Sandy’s cubicle. I noticed that his wash-kit, uniform, towel and nightclothes had all gone, as well as his backpack. All the indications that he had gone to the san. I wondered over to Steve’s cubicle, in a daze.

“Steve?” I said, still trying to keep my cool despite the butterflies in my stomach. He was sitting at his desk, furiously working through an essay.

“Yea, Shoya?” he responded, looking up at me and placing his pen down.

“Where’s Sandy?” Steve looked at me incredulously, as if I was an idiot.

“In the san, maybe?” he said sarcastically. “Do you not remember the fight last night, on the football pitch?”

“Yea, I do,” I replied faintly. “I was just checking it wasn’t all a dream.”

“Well, it wasn’t. You’re a hyslan, Shoya. Welcome to the new world.”

* * * * *

News travels quickly around a boarding school, and news such as a newly discovered hyslan spreads like wildfire. There hadn’t been much chance the previous day for people to speak to me, what with lessons, prep and the football match.

But breakfast meant there were plenty of opportunities for people to see me. For the fifteen minutes I was in the dining hall I was bombarded with questions, congratulations, accusations and queries. I left as soon as I could break free of the believers and doubters that crowded me, not bothering with food after all.

I skipped chapel that morning – I didn’t want to be so open to observations and criticisms – but there was no way I could miss lessons. At least my first period, P.E, wasn’t far from the house. We had water polo this week, training for the upcoming match, and although I wasn’t on the team I was allowed to play anyway.

I entered the changing room, shrugging off my dressing gown and towel, to be met by a set of stares off my classmates. I smiled to them and gave a little wave before making for the swimming pool. But a few of them blocked my way, some fearfully, some fearlessly.

“What’s up guys?” I asked innocently.

“What’s all this bullshit about you being a hyslan?” Scott, a tall lanky teen, blurted out, arms crossed in defiance. “According to half the year you’re some weird bear-bat thing.”

“They’re called Unaturals,” Ben replied, similar in appearance but not in outlook to Scott. “And it’s true! I saw him launch Bobby a good ten metres.”

“Rubbish!” Matt, a well built boy my size, argued. “Shoya would have been ripped apart by Bobby, in human or hyslan form!”

“Well, it was the other way round,” Ben answered. “I told you already: Shoya fought Bobby’s hyslan, then became his own and kicked the crap out of him before going mad and trying to get us all.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about this before?” Marc, an athletic, agile friend of mine asked. “I mean, if we knew you were a hyslan a lot earlier, or you had Changed to prove it to us long ago, it would have saved you a hell of a lot of trouble in the long run.”

“Because I only found out yesterday about my true nature,” I responded.

“Bullshit!” Scott replied, and launched a punch, hitting me squarely in the chest. I staggered backwards, and I felt the beast inside try to break free, to make Scott pay for his insolence. But I didn’t want to fight Scott as yet, so I fought to contain the rage.

As Scott came at me again I spun round and kicked him in the face. I felt my foot connect, and I finished my spin, ready to take what was coming my way. I steeled myself for the worse.

But the furious retaliation never came. Scott held his jaw, grimacing in pain, blood trickling out the side. He stepped back, out of my way, and put his towel over his shoulders. He left the changing room, presumably back to his own house to clean his wounds and nurse his pride.

“Nice kick,” Marc said off-hand. “Now, water-polo?” Nodding dumbly, I followed him into the pool area. It wasn’t a very impressive pool – just a big concrete hole in the ground – but it served its purpose.

I dove in and joined in the rest of the team with their warm-up swim. All the time I was expecting Miss Dobbin to ask where Scott was. Then I’d have to explain to her the whole story, and undoubtedly she’d misunderstand, and I’d get into so much trouble…

“Shoya!” I heard Miss Dobbin shout over the noise of the team warming up. I swore lightly, flipped over, and swum to where Miss Dobbin sat on the poolside.

“Yes?” I asked, my heart sinking. Doubtless she’s found out about Scott. Here comes the tirade of shouting and screaming and punishments.

“I’ve noticed Scott isn’t here today.”

“Yes, miss.” I wonder how long it is before I’m explaining to the headmaster what had happened. Fifteen minutes?

“I’m wondering…could you take his place?”

“Pardon?” I asked incredulously, looking up at my teacher in shock.

“In the ‘polo team. Could you stand in for him until he turns up?”

“Err… yea, okay,” I replied, slightly dazed. After being geared up for a right ear-blasting, it turned out all she wanted was for me to actually play water polo. I backstroked out to the other players as Miss Dobbin told them what had happened to the line-up.

I swum over to the right wing, back at the goal; I was playing a defender again. The rest of the team, mainly guys from the Dorm, took up their places. The whistle blew, and it was game on!

I treaded water, watching Steve and Rob power up the pool, swimming in and out of the other players, passing all the way. Steve swam straight up to the goalmouth, and when Rob passed the ball Steve slammed it into the net.

After intercepting the other teams pass they tried the same tactic again, and succeeded. In the next start, however, Matt and Marc knew what was coming, and decided to swim with the ball rather than passing it, neatly avoiding Steve and Rob.

They swam down the wings, weaving in and out of the other players, finally only leaving myself between them and the goal. I struck out towards Matt, ready to steal the ball.

As I got closer he noticed my determined pace, and he stopped and lifted the ball up, ready to pass to Marc. I changed my course slightly, and got ready to launch myself out of the water. Matt released the ball, and I soared.

The jump seemed almost unreal. Everyone and everything seemed to slow down, the ball travelling sloth-like through the air, shedding water lazily. I was able to think at my usual pace, and despite the sedateness of my surroundings I still seemed to move at some speed. As I got closer, I was able to move myself and aim my interception more accurately. Then I realised the interception could become a shot.

With all my might I slammed at the ball with my fist, and it idly changed direction. Then, time flooded back in, and it was hammering towards the goal. I never saw it hit the net; I was too busy hitting the water. Hard.

It stung like hell as I fell stomach-first onto the waters surface, knocking the air from my lungs. I floated up slowly, hanging like a crippled submarine, in too much pain to move, and strangely more exhausted then expected. As I hung there, the thought arrived in my head that what had just happened wasn’t just a result of my own perspective. I had actually slowed down time!

Energy burst into my body, and I came up for breath. I treaded water, gasping for air, and it was a few moments before I realised all was silent. I looked around, and once again I was the focus of everyone’s attention.

I looked back, puzzled. Then I saw where the ball had gone, there was now a great hole in the net, and the wall behind it had a numbered of cracked and smashed tiles. The ball, or at least the remains, sat among a pile of shattered ceramics.

* * * * *

“That was cool!” Steve exclaimed as we walked back to the house.

“It was as if you were moving like lightning,” Rob added. “You were fucking fast!”

“And if I didn’t know better, I’d say you weren’t expecting the result,” said Raph slyly.

“I wasn’t,” I replied. “I just jumped for the ball, and time seemed to slow down in mid-air. I don’t know what happened, or if I did it, or what?”

“I’d lay bets on it being a result of your hyslan emerging,” Steve hypothesised. “I know some hyslans develop such powers, but to the point where you can slow time down? That is a bit over the edge of belief.”

“Your strength I can understand,” Raph said thoughtfully. “I know I can have a burst of strength like that know and again, and I’m sure I’m capable of more. But I just don’t know how to access those powers.”

“Can you do that time thing again?” Rob asked eagerly.

“No, Rob,” I replied as we stepped into the house.

“C’mon! Show us it wasn’t a fluke!”

“Rob, I’m bloody knackered already!”

“Alright Shoya! Jesus, just chill.”

“Look, we’re all tired,” Steve intervened as we walked into the dorm. “Water-polo is a tiring sport as it is, so I think we should all just calm down and relax. The next lesson isn’t for…”

“Shh!” I hissed. Little alarms bells were going off in my head, and I stopped Raph as he went to go past me. Rob and Steve stopped at the entrance to their cubicles.

“What…” Rob began, but I looked around at him coldly and he fell silent. I closed my eyes, and concentrated. I felt Raph’s hyslan beside me, now feeling its size in terms of power. Raph wasn’t too strong, but the unknown presence in the dorm was vast, so vast it was starting to obscure my other five senses.

I snapped out of my trance, and I silently made my way down the dorm. The feeling originated from my own cubicle, and I stealthily approached the closed curtain. I stood there for a moment, heart pounding, and then ripped my curtain down and leapt into my cubicle, arms raised ready to fight.

I relaxed as I saw Jara sitting in my chair, reading my copy of ‘Lord of the Flies.’ I sighed, and she looked up at me, expression neutral. She set the book down, and stood up. I looked down on her – she was a head shorter than I – but I still felt weak at the knees, afraid of the power she wielded.

“Nice display,” she whispered. “I’ll see you again tonight.”

“Shoya?” Raph called out.

“Yea?” I replied, spinning around to face my cubicle entrance.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, walking into my line of sight just as I heard a faint swishing noise behind me. I turned back to see Jara had disappeared.

“I felt something in here, another hyslan. But…it’s gone now. There was nothing here,” I answered, slightly guilty at having to keep Raph from the truth. Why was I protecting her? Everyone knew she was a hyslan.

They just didn’t know what she was capable of.

“I think you were just a bit high from the rush, nothing more,” Raph said, relaxing his own battle-stance. “Your imagination, maybe?”

“Yea, probably,” I replied, unconvincingly.

* * * * *

“How did you do it?” I asked Jara as I walked into the clearing. I felt her presence all around, and stood there impatiently as she became a physical body again. She walked out of the shadows, and I saw the black lightning tattoos on her legs condense and retreat as she became more real.

“How did you know I was here?” she hissed.

“You first.”

“Very well. It’s one of the powers I have. Teleportation, shadow-shifting, and a few other minor things. How did you know I was here? Yesterday you had to stop and concentrate, and just now you did it instantly, and in the dorm earlier.”

“Maybe…because in the dorm I had the adrenaline rush still going, and now I’m pissed off because you made me look like a dick after your little disappearing trick. Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again!”

My mind barely registered her move, and before I knew it I was looking up at her from the floor. A dark fire burnt in her eyes, and her bat-like wings were fully spread. I noticed that her claws had extended further, and her voice chilled my bones. “Don’t ever speak to me like that again!”

I leapt off the ground, fuelled with rage, and was slightly joyous as I noticed Jara slow down, nearly stopping as I flew overhead. As I landed I spun round and kicked out, allowing time to return. Jara was sent flying towards a tree. Amazingly, she was able to get her legs round and jump straight back at me off the tree, and I barely had enough time to move out the way. Three of her talons dug into my right arm, and they felt like white-hot knives as they carved deep wounds, three perfect scratch marks.

My hyslan sense screamed out against the evil that was in those wounds, seeping like poison through my blood. I felt as if Jara’s malevolence was trying to infect me like a disease. But I stoutly refused to bend to her darkness, and fought back. The dark cloud that had been invading my mind disappeared as I retaliated.

“No!” I screamed in defiance, and launch a punch at Jara. All my fury, all the pain, combined with the hyslan-given strength, launched her off her feet, and she crumpled up against a tree. I advanced, and then stepped back as she reverted to her human form.

“Very good,” she said gently. “In the space of thirty hours you have progressed further than most hyslan do in their whole life. You have the potential to become very formidable indeed, given the appropriate training.”

“You mean…that was a test?” I asked dubiously of her retreating form.

“Of course,” she called out over her shoulder as she disappeared into the night. “Everything is!”

I stood in the clearing, looking at the spot that she had occupied in mild shock. I growled in frustration, and in my anger I lashed out at the nearest tree. Then I growled in pain as it scrapped the skin off my knuckles.

* * * * *

“Shoya, are you coming?” Steve called down the dorm.

“Yea, give us a moment!” I called back, hoping out of my cubicle, trying to put my shoe on.

“C’mon man! The match starts in fifteen minutes, and I need to warm up!”

“Go on to the pool, I’ll catch you there in a sec,” I replied, putting my other shoe on. It was a new day, the day of the polo match, and although Scott was playing Steve preferred that I be there in case of hyslan trouble.

I burst through the door to the outside world and ran over to the swimming hall, sorting out my tie and collar. I ran through the door to the pool itself, slipped up, and landed heavily, sliding towards the pool. I reached forward, grabbed a diving block, and pushed off it, stopping my momentum.

As I got off the floor, nursing my injured pride, Steve walked over me, laughing all the way. “I knew you were eager to play,” he said, “But not that eager!”

“Thanks,” I said darkly, retreating to the back wall. “Now, where are our opposition?”

“Getting changed in the girls room.”

“When they come out, I’ll check,” I said, before going up to the crowded balcony. I made my way past the bustling, cheering throng of supporters from both our school and the rival team’s. Surprisingly, few people made a comment about my near swim.

As the opposing team trooped out into the pool area, I relaxed and concentrated. I could feel the hyslans from our school – although few were here – and of course Mr Crisp, our P.E. teacher, but none of the opposition seemed to be a hyslan.

Except for one! my mind cried out, just as I began to pull myself out of my trance. There! The youngest player, an undiscovered beast, the voice insisted. I concentrated hard, and then I finally found him; a small, skinny lad of no more than thirteen.

“He must be good to get into the under-sixteen’s,” I mused as I went back down to see Steve. He saw me walking down the stairs, and swum over to the poolside. I knelt down next to him.

“One hyslan, young brown-haired lad,” I said, pointing at the child. “But he doesn’t know it yet, so not to worry.”

“You sure?” Steve asked, concerned. “Coz I don’t want my team ripped apart by a rampaging newly-found hyslan. Remember what happened your first time?”

“Okay,” I sighed, knowing what he was going to ask. “I’ll stick around.”

“Cheers, mate. I’ll make it up to you sometime.” At that, Steve pushed off the wall and swam out to join the rest of his team.

“You already did, Steve,” I said to myself. “You just didn’t realise it.” I clambered back up to the balcony, and got a good view of the pool – exactly halfway along it’s length.

Water polo, like most sports in my view, wasn’t exactly the best of all spectator sports. But Steve, Rob, and the rest of the team may need me, and although I doubted it, that was reason enough for me to stay. So I dutifully stayed and cheered the game on.

* * * * *

The undiscovered hyslan interested me greatly. He was a very competent swimmer, nipping and weaving in and out of our defence almost too fast to follow, jumping up high to retrieve a ball, or diving beneath the other players. The score, however, stayed fairly even, for even he couldn’t make up for his team’s abysmal effort. Steve and Rob continued to swim spheres around the other team, who doggedly tried again and again to score.

I looked at my watch, and smiled as I noticed the time to be nearing the matches end. It seemed as if I wasn’t this time round, which I was thankful for. Changing for a third time in three days would take a lot out of me.

Then I heard the scream. I spun round, and down below I saw a dark form in the water below, nearly three metres long and distinctly shark-like. I saw it approach the surface, mouth open wide, aiming for Scott. My hyslan sense told me what the boy had become was an intensely powerful form, maybe too strong for me. I had to use everything I knew to my advantage.

I leapt over the bar, and slowed time down as I descended. I twisted around in mid-air so my feet landed on the sharks slowly opening mouth. As I neared the shark, I concentrated on my strength increasing. It would take it’s toll later, but now wasn’t a time to be concerned.

I hit the beast’s head, ramming it to the bottom of the pool. I leapt back up, still in slow time, flipped over so that I would go in headfirst, and let time return as my beast took over.

Fight it, the voice in my head demanded. It attacked your allies. Defeat it, or it will otherwise defeat you. I slipped into the water, letting it flow over my folded wings and lowered spines, and even as my giant legs were breaking the surface I had reached the bottom, and the crazed creature as well. I took a swipe at it, but the water resisted me, and what was surely a mighty blow became a mere scrape.

My opponent swum off before I could make another attempt, so I curled up and then straightened out the right way up. My head and upper body were above the water as my clawed feet found a sturdy stance.

It swum past me, aiming for the creatures the voice claimed were my friends. I wouldn’t allow them to come to harm, so my tail snaked through the water and grabbed at the creature. As I pulled it back through the water it turned and thrashed around.

As I pulled it past, it clamped onto my leg, and tore a chunk off. My howl of rage shook the building around me, and I cracked the creature over the head. But again the water cushioned my blow, and it was saved from the worst of it.

You’re at the disadvantage, my mind’s voice warned me. Get out of the water, our friends are safe now. Indeed, the small pink ones had escaped the water, and only a few remained overhead. I jumped out of the water, and hovered just above the surface, ready to swoop in on my prey.

The thing jumped up after me, and its jaw closed hard on my left arm. I howled again, and swatted the thing with my free arm. My claws tore at it, leaving great wounds down it’s flank. I dove down, back into the water, and crushed it against the bottom.

Panting, exhausted, I broke the water’s surface, pulling the dazed boy with me. I heard three splashes, and saw Steve, Rob and Raph paddling out to help me. Raph and Steve took the other hyslan, while Rob helped me to swim to the edge.

I was helped out of the pool by an array of hands, and I led there, recovering from the exertion. Figures dashed by, some from our school, others from the opposing school. I noticed, through the haze of exhaustion, that only my friends dared to approach me. It brought a smile to my lips.

Finally I sat up, and took off my waterlogged tie and shoes, pouring water out of the latter. I was handed a towel, with which I dried off my hair before wrapping it around my shoulders. I got up, and walked over to my foe

“How is he?” I asked.

“Barely conscious, but I think its more from the exhilaration and shock,” Ms Dobbin replied. “You?”

“Fine thanks, miss,” I answered. “Tired, but nothing more.”

“I suggest you go get some rest, then. Go and rest.”

“Yes, miss,” I said, leaving the building. I pushed through the crowd outside the pool, and walked back to the house. This time Jara wasn’t in my cubicle as I shrugged off the remainder of my soaked uniform, and went for a shower.

As I stood in the shower, the hot water washing away my lethargy, I reflected upon the past few days, how drastically my life had changed. There were no more taunting and name-calling, no more lonely, boring days and nights. I had already fought three other hyslan, not including the scrap with Jara, my sort-of girlfriend. Things were turning out reasonably well. I smiled at my newfound fortune.

But I knew exactly how this scenario played out: I’d been through it too many times before. Things always started out very well and good, but then something went monumentally wrong. Would it happen this time? No, I refused to lose this time.

Not this time. This time, I’d pull through.

* * * * *

The wind whistled past my ears, and as I went down the next hill I felt the bike try to take off the ground. I kept it in contact with the floor, and aimed it at the last drop-off. I bombed across the field, barely controlling my vehicle.

The drop-off was steeper than I remembered, and I launched off the lip, flying through the air on my red mountain bike, the world silent except for the winds whisperings. I hit the ground hard, and the bike bounced on its suspension, creaking and groaning as I carried on across the field.

I aimed at the group of fifth form – my year – by the outdoor range. As I grew closer I was slowly able to work out what they were playing: British Bulldog, Dorm style. I skidded to a halt, leaving a rut in the field behind me.

“James!” I cried to my dorm-mate, and as he looked over at me Steve tackled him to the ground. “Oops. Sorry!”

“Dick,” he said half-heartedly as he walked over to me. “You lost me the round.”

“As if you could win,” I replied, dumping my bike by the wooded area. “Who’s in this game?”

“Everyone, boys and girls.”

“All sixty-four of us?”

“Uh-huh.” I looked at the year playing happily in the summer sun like little children. It seemed so pitiful now, considering we’d started the GCSE course with nearly ninety people. Twenty-five students expelled or withdrawn in eighteen months. I sighed at the thought.

“I’m in for the next round,” I said, smiling at James.

“You?” he asked incredulously. “You’ve never played in your life!”

“I bet you I’ll win,” I answered, and went over to the start of The Gully, a deep trench nearly ten metres wide and thirty metres long. The rest of the year assembled, all but Raph, the last winner. I took my place, ready to begin the onslaught.

“Pick three, remember,” Rob called out to my left.

“You’re my first choice, then!” Raph shouted back, and Rob swore lightly as he walked out to join Raph, followed by Matt and Scott. Raph then took up position beside.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” he said, getting ready for the game to begin.

“Bet you never expected me to dive into a swimming pool and kick hyslan arse either,” I responded. Raph shrugged his shoulders and nodded in agreement.

“Shoya, you’re first runner,” Scott called out. The whole year fell silent as usual, and I nonchalantly stepped out in front of the horde of sixteen-year-olds. I hadn’t used my hyslan-given powers since the previous day, so I was ready to use them now.

The rules of the game were simple; the nominated person had to run out, and when they called ‘Bulldog’ the rest of the players could also run. If you reached the other end without being floored by any means, you could make the next run. If not, you were also in the middle.

I walked calmly down the Gully, approaching Scott, Matt and Rob. As I drew closer, I heard the murmurs of the rest of my year as they wondered why I hadn’t called. There were now only metres between the three boys and I, nearly halfway down the Gully. I stopped, smiled, then feinted to my left, calling ‘Bulldog.’

I switched to the other direction easily, ran up the near-vertical wall, then jumped over Matt’s head. I stumbled on my landing, but recovered it and ran for home, slightly startled at my near ‘death.’

Only three people were caught on the first round, but by the end of the third round it was evens, thirty-two per side. But that was sure to change, as Marc had inadvertently broken the only real rule of the game; no leaving the Gully.

The penalty was ‘The Gauntlet,’ which was running the length of the Gully, twice, alone. No one had ever pulled it off before, and Marc certainly didn’t have a chance. I looked away, and in a few swift seconds Raph was called upon to run.

I clawed my way up the slope after the eighth run, exhausted. I got up and looked down at the Gully, watching as the last of the year fell to the catchers. Just as I was about to begin my victory dance, however, I saw Jara appear from amongst the catchers and neatly jump up next to me.

“Good game,” she said lightly. I glared at her, still not forgiving her for the fight the other night. She looked unfazed, and took it for a challenge. “I win, we fight.”

“I win, we talk,” I replied grimly.

“Agreed. You’re up.” Indeed, it was my name they were calling. I turned to the crowd of catchers, took a few steps back and started running. I hit the Gully at full sprint, crying ‘Bulldog’ as I hit the line.

I spun past the first two girls, and handed off a couple of guys. I weaved in and out of the catchers, and in the confusion they ended up tackling one another. I broke through their lines and left the catchers behind, running level with Jara. We reached the home line together, and turned back to our opposition.

“And again,” Jara said airily as she was called upon. Yelling ‘Bulldog,’ she went straight for the edge of the Gully.

“Oh, really,” I said under my breath, and ran on the opposite edge. It was a daring move; step to the left, and I fell to the catchers; to the right, and I’d have to run the gauntlet against sixty-two people.

I nimbly avoided the multitude of tacklers and trippers, taking a few solid hits to my calves and running faster. Halfway along I sneaked a glance at Jara, and grimaced as I noticed she was still in.

I leapt over the home-line, rolling as I hit the floor and jumping back up to my feet. Jara stumbled over and landed at my feet, but was instantly sprung back up. I didn’t even wait for the call this time; I just ran, shouting all the way, ‘Bulldog, bulldog, bulldog!’

I knocked the first three boys flat, then slowed time long enough to zip past a few more. I barged more of the year away, but to reach the end I would have to go past a four-deep line of catchers. Gritting my teeth, I ran harder.

I slowed time, and placed my hands on the first guy’s shoulders. Using him as my starting block I flipped over his head, pushing off his shoulders to gain the extra height. In mid-flight I noticed Jara slowly re-materialising in the middle of the crowd.

I smiled evilly, twisted in the air, and aimed to land next to the half-formed hyslan of darkness. I landed, and let time flow by just long enough for the nearby fifth-form to notice I was there.

Time slowed again as I leapt out of the pile-on, hopping on the backs of my would-be catchers. I then allowed time to crash in like a mighty wave as I left the crowd behind me, and I fled for home for the final time.

As I staggered over the line, I turned to see Jara claw her way out from under the ruck, quite defiantly down and out of the game. I slumped to the floor, high from the rush of winning, tired from the social use of my gifts, and happy at how it had turned out.

A shadow fell across my face, and I looked up to see Jara’s frowning face. I almost laughed at the look on her evil features, but instead I just waved and said simply, “We talk.”

“Come,” she said coolly, before spinning on her heel and stalking away. I sat up, and noticed that the rest of the year was dispersing. I went to retrieve my bike, and pedalled after Jara, still joyous at my victory. It somehow made up for her embarrassing me the other day.

We stopped well within the wooded area border of the school, and in the dying daylight we sat on opposite logs. I leant back against the tree behind me, while Jara was perched on the edge of hers, obviously tense, and upset at her defeat.

“One question,” she said sharply after a moment’s silence.

“Only one?”

“Yes.”

I though about this, knowing that this one question had to be chosen carefully. Big thoughts bustled in and out of my mental scope, all of them important and necessary. Then one question just slid into place, and stopped the mad rush of thoughts. I smiled as I thought through the question.

“Who are we?” I said bluntly.

“Pardon?”

“Who are we? Where do we come from, why are we the way we are, our place in the world, hierarchy, et cetera.”

“That’s more than one question.”

“No, it’s not. It is one question that encompasses all these ideas.”

“You sneaky bastard.”

I shrugged. “I learn from the best.”

“Very well. The history of the hyslan is unclear – we have only human records to go by. In the early times, the time of Egyptians and Greeks, we were revered as emissaries of their gods. After all, a dog-hyslan would be very much like Anubis, for example.

“The Romans had a better-defined, but still religiously-orientated, view. They saw us as normal children, gifted by the gods, Aries in particular. Hyslans were trained as the Empire’s ‘strike-force,’ their elites, but still treated almost equal to the Emperor.

“The Anglo-Saxons and Vikings took on a similar view, but come the Dark Ages the humans in England had forgotten what a vital role we had played in their past. Soon we were hunted down as witches and were-creatures, burnt at the stake or drowned, decapitated or killed in the chase.

“It wasn’t until the age of Queen Victoria that we were finally seen for what we are; gifted humans, nothing more. Not emissaries or god-blessed or devil-cursed, but mere mortals with talents.

“Now, as you can see, we live normal enough lives. We are, in general, treated no differently than the humans around us, with the same choices and trials in life. Obviously we play a slightly different role in the Armed Forces to the usual servicemen and women, but that is to be expected.

“Why are we they way we are? No one knows for sure. The physics are all wrong when hyslan get involved. How can I hide as darkness and still obey the laws? Because to me they don’t apply. That’s all we really know; that we are above the laws of the universe.

“And hierarchy? There is no real hierarchy. Except of course Apollo.” Jara spat the name, and I could have sworn that her fangs became forked and the dark lightning ran across her body. It was as if she had undergone a partial charge.

“Apollo?” I asked, slightly scared of her.

“Yes,” she hissed. “Apollo.” She got up, and started pacing around.

“Apollo is a very powerful, very mysterious figure. He defies everything; biology, chemistry, physics, even time itself. He has been around for centuries, hidden away in his lairs around the world.

“His control of time makes your power seem like child’s play. He can speed time up, slow it down, stop it altogether. He can even reverse time. He can’t go into the future – after all, it hasn’t yet happened – but he can go back with ease, for it has already been.

“His defiance means he never seems to age, but grows wiser nether-the-less. He has never been defeated, despite many challenges throughout time. He has offered the person who defeats him the chance to take one trip through their own time here on Earth, one chance to change their lives, but he’s never been more specific than that.”

Jara’s tirade ended, and she slumped down next to me, seemingly tired. She led her head on my shoulder, and I put an arm around her, pulling her close to me. When she started to get closer, I initially repelled her advances.

Why, a dark voice in my head asked of me, are you resisting? She wants you, she needs you, and you want her as well, don’t you?

My right arm throbbed as the voice spoke, the voice that I was sure wasn’t mine. Yet it was so trustworthy, so honest, how could I refuse? My hyslan sense screamed out, telling me it was lying, but I ignored that feeling. If the thought was in my head, surely it was mine?

I was so confused, so tied up in circles, that when Jara next advanced on me, I accepted, if only to stop the war inside my head…

* * * * *

“Thus began my fall from grace. How could I, caught up in the passion of the moment, have related the deadly scratch marks on my arm to the dark thoughts in my head, and the way Jara had got into my head that first time at the pavilion?

She invaded my head, bewildered me, and took advantage of my vulnerable position. I see it as rape, not of the body for in part I too wanted her, but of the mind. Since then I have obeyed senses, never doubting them for they know more than I do. They are the true voices of my mind, unsullied by my pre-conceived ideas of the world around me, what should happen, how people should act. They are the voices of my inner mind.

The antics of the night poisoned me for the following day, and that poison resulted in my flight from Jara’s darkness. In a sense I should actually be thankful, for the following day also resulted in the ultimate symbiosis of beast and boy, the Unatural and I.

But I can never forgive Jara for the death of my good friend; the one who stopped my first Change from being my last; who stood by me from the first day we walked through the school gates to the last day we left; in who I could trust fully.

For how could I forgive myself for the death of Steven Hunt?”

* * * * *

I woke up with the sunlight piercing my eyelids. I groaned groggily, and rolled over to put my head under my pillow. When I noticed that my pillow was my trousers, and my bed the floor of the woods, I woke up fully.

I leapt up, and saw Jara lying next to where I had been, her uniform folded up as a pillow, her slender figure dressed only in her underwear. I furiously dressed myself, trying to make sense of what had transpired, trying to see through the haze of confusion.

What had made me want her so much last night? I rubbed at my chilled arms, and grimaced as I caught the scratches. I burst out of the copse, noting the time on the clock tower to be 6.45 a.m. I retrieved my bike, and pedalled hard, hoping none of the teachers would notice me out so early in the morning.

I reached the house safely, and snuck in without being noticed. As I sat in my cubicle, my thoughts sped by, almost too fast to follow. Is she mothering my child? Did I really want her? Was she really in my head? What would our child be like? How should we act around one another?

I didn’t have the answers, not yet at least. Except for one. I took my shirt off, and looked at the claw marks on my arm. For a start they were still there, whereas all my other injuries in both human and hyslan form had regenerated the next time I had Changed.

Secondly, they were midnight-black, almost with a life of their own. I wasn’t too sure whether or not I was right, but I guessed that they had something to do with the suspected neuronic link I shared with her.

Well what was done was done. I now had to live with the consequences of my actions. I disrobed, got my towel, and went for a long hot shower to wash away the doubts and confusion.

* * * * *

As soon as I heard the click-click of studs on concrete I knew there was trouble. My hyslan shouted at me at the same time Steve called down the dorm to me. I slipped on a pair of trainers, and ran out of the dorm.

“What’s up?” I asked. Steve was in his maroon rugby top and blue shorts, caked in mud. His face was one of urgency.

“Rugby trouble. The opposition, Kings Canterbury, are kicking up a real stink. They’ve brought nearly a hundred supporters, and they aren’t agreeing with the ref’s decisions.”

“Fights?” I asked, for Kings Canterbury, or ‘KC’ for short, was well known for starting fights. As I strode out the door I looked at the time on the clock tower, seeming bright red against the dark stormy sky.

“Three. Both George and Oli have been wheeled off, as well as Sandy.”

“It’s not even the end of the first half yet!”

“I know. Hurry! The spectators are ready to rumble, and I don’t think we could hold out against them.”

“Get as many hyslan as you can. Bobby, Jara, the sixth form. Tell them to get there pronto! I’ll see you up there.”

I ran off towards to the pitch, and as I got closer I could hear the whistles blowing and the crowd booing. Even without my instincts telling me I knew the school was in big shit. I could sense three hyslan that were not our own, and as I ran I slowed time just a little bit, just to get me there that little bit sooner.

I reached the sidelines just as one of the KC team did a high tackle on Raph, wrapping his arms around the big man’s neck and dragging him to the ground. The whistle blew, much to the crowd’s obvious disappointment, and I felt very insecure surrounded by the hissing supporters.

As I stood there and watched, the game got worse and worse. There were no more injuries, but our team was slowly getting battered. As half time drew nearer I saw Steve with an entourage of hyslan run up the sidelines.

“Eleven of you in total, including Raph and yourself,” he said, smiling slightly. “Good chances.”

“There’s only three of them,” I replied, “but one feels hugely powerful, too powerful for any one of us. Where’s Jara?”

“No-one’s seen her all day. Why?”

Shit. There was no time to find her. “We need someone as powerful as her to combat this monster,” I answered. As I watched the game I saw Rob getting crunched by KC’s two props. Rob got back up again, and by his stance it was obvious he was going to start a fight.

“Shit, no,” Steve murmured. “This is it. It’s going to start now.”

“I know. The big rumble,” I answered, taking off my blazer and tie, noticing the first drops of rain had begun to fall.

When Rob threw the first punch, it was like the opening of Pandora’s box: absolute chaos. The spectators rushed onto the pitch, heading mainly for Rob. But any of our school was a target for their rage. I slowed time desperately, and rushed out to Rob, barging him well out of the way of the crowd.

I turned to face the horde, and let time back in just a little, so the extended slow-time period wouldn’t be so taxing, but still slow enough for me to dodge the worst of the blows. I ducked, jumped and weaved in and out of the bewildering array of fists and feet, kicks and punches. When I retaliated, I used my hyslan strength to bolster my own attacks, flooring three people to a single blow.

I knew I would soon tire, so the next guy to rush me was the focus for my flip. I jumped up, landed on his shoulders, and vaulted over the heads of the crowd. I barely made the leap, knocking down a few KC members as I landed. Time flooded back in, and I found myself surrounded by familiar faces. A few of our hyslan had already Changed; a cat, a fox and a lion, all holding a good number of our opponents at bay.

“Shoya!” I heard Raph call. I spun round and saw him go down under a pile of humans, more humans than he could comfortably handle alone.

“Raph!” I cried back. I ran at the swarm of people, slowing time down as I jumped again. My kick slammed into the chest of one boy, and a fury of fists dropped a further two. I allowed time to return just as the pile of humans exploded, and Raph emerged, Changed.

The bear-hyslan and I fought around one another, creating a clear space wherever we went. Many humans used us as a port in the storm, and when Bobby arrived it seemed as if we had a chance.

My instincts warned me of the danger long before the first KC hyslan – another fox – appeared. It landed in front of me, growling, and for a moment we stood and stared. I noticed the pump at my feet, and in another slowing of time I picked it up and struck out at it. But I was only able to get in one more hit before I was crushed under its weight.

As I lay there, pinned, I though to myself that this was it, the end of it all, buried under the manky fur. But the weight was swiftly removed, and I nodded to Bobby as he leapt overhead to tear into the fox. I spun up to my feet and lashed out at the humans with my weapon, but within a few strikes it snapped, and I had to revert to using my bruised fists.

I heard a roar behind me, one so powerful that everyone turned to face it. There, almost three metres high, under a heavy carapace, was the enormous presence I had sensed. A bug-hyslan. I looked around for Jara, hoping that she would be there to combat the titanic creature. But her distinctive aura couldn’t be felt, and there were no dark shadows flying around.

That meant there was only one thing that could face this creature down. As I saw two of our hyslan allies easily swept aside, I knew what I had to do. Another period of slowed time allowed me to spring at the hyslan, and in mid-flight I committed myself to the task ahead. One thing I noticed before the hyslan’s mind took over was that even in the slow period Changing was still instantaneous.

My enemy was as big as I was, heavily armoured and, if looks were anything to go by, very strong. But the small ones, my friends, were threatened by it, and I could not let them come to harm!

My claws tore at the beast, but every swipe was turned aside by its back. In return I felt it deliver a heavy blow to my stomach, launching me high into the sky. In mid-flight I spread my wings and hovered above my prey.

I dived at it, knocking it down as my horns crashed into its back. As it lay on the floor I kicked out hard, but unbelievably fast it got back up, and aimed a series of strong punches to my chest.

As I fell back I lashed out with my tail, dropping it to the floor. At the same time we got back up, and both our punches connected. We staggered back, but this time I was the quicker to return to the fight, lashing out with fists, tail and feet.

Something attacked me from behind, swiping my legs out from under me. As I again fell I rolled to one side, narrowly avoiding the next blow that would have crushed my head. I saw behind me a long, scaled creature with two evil fangs, and as I span away again something inside of me stirred…

With some effort I Changed back and ran for the rugby posts. I would need to slow time in order to defeat the towering snake-hyslan, and as yet I couldn’t do that in my hyslan form. I leapt up at the up and grabbed at the bar, used all my hyslan strength to yank it down, and dropped to the ground. As the oversized snake approached I slowed time, wielding a metal staff that was just the right size for me.

Unfortunately the snake-hyslan could also work in slow time, and as the rest of the world fought at half-rate the hyslan struck out at full speed. I rapidly parried all the blows, knowing just one hit from those deadly fangs would see me out of action. Slowing time further I launched my own frenzied assault, but even then the speedy beast avoided most of blows. Some hits did slam home, however, knocking off scales and badly bruising it.

But I couldn’t keep it up. One fang sliced down, and as I dove away it ripped into my back, feeling like fire. I lost control of time, and another fang pierced my hand. I slumped to my knees, the poison taking affect on both my mind and the hyslan’s. I couldn’t find the strength to Change, to heal the wounds, and as I knelt there, looking up at the victorious beast, I felt a presence in my head.

Dark. Evil. Vicious. It wanted blood, wanted me to punish the hyslan that had wounded me. They weren’t my thoughts, nor my beast’s, and I felt my right arm begin to throb. I fought back against it, but with so much poison, so much exhaustion, I couldn’t muster the resistance…

Finally! I am in his mind, controlling him, using him. You can feel me, can’t you, Shoya? How easy it is to persuade a male. In nearly three millennia it has never failed, for men are so easily persuaded by sexual advances. Wouldn’t you agree, Shoya?

Watch! Did you know you could already slow time in your hyslan form? But of course not. Now watch, and see how easily I rip this snake apart. Watch as it falls, turns to human, writhe in agony and fear. He won’t die – at least, not yet!

Ah, yes. The stag beetle hyslan. I’ve seen a lot worse. Now, you slow time down like this, and just tear away at his underside. Feel the life force of the thing drip through your claws; look at those eyes full of terror. It is a good feeling, is it not? I always thought so.

Aww, he’s human now! I was hoping to play a bit more with him. Ah well, just makes it easier to kill him, really. I hope it doesn’t come to that, that you will come round to my side before then. But if not? Well, I’ve taken many a life before.

Now, who’s this running at us? A plucky KC human? No. It’s Steve…

“Steve,” I growled. I was still in my bestial form, but I had control. For the moment, anyway. I didn’t have long though.

“What?” he asked, slowing down in front of me.

“Help. Me.”

“Pardon?”

“Jara. In. My. Head.”

No! You will bend to my will! I have broken many a male before, and you are no different! No stronger! My mind is too strong, too experienced, for you weak, puny, pathetic mind! You will soon crack!

“She’s trying. To take. My mind,” I panted, exhausted by the battle between her will and my own. I dared to hope that Steve would save me, as he had the first time, only five days ago.

Save you? Nothing will save you now! Even your hyslan mind obeys me Two to one, Shoya. You’re the mathematician – are those good odds?

“How?” Steve asked, bewildered.

“Just try!” I seethed, fighting to find the balance, to save myself. If only I could Change…

No! His mere presence is saving you. I can’t believe it! Very well. I was hoping that it wouldn’t come to it, but a death I in order. You will kill him.

“No!” I roared, and the fighting stopped momentarily. Steve took a step back in fear as I clutched at my head, trying to shake the voices away. The fighting moved away and resumed.

Very well. If you won’t…

It will kill you, the new voice said. Kill him!

But why, I argued back. The other one always said it was my friend, as were all the other little ones.

That voice lied, the new one said. Do as I say!

No! the old voice cried. If you kill him, we both die! He is our ally!

Stop talking, I reply, getting angry. Both of you, leave me be!

I can’t, the old voice said. I’m you. I can never leave. But killing the one before you will kill us, or drive us both mad!

I will be here for you, the new voice cut in soothingly. I will save you from the madness.

Leave! Leave me alone! There must be a way to stop them, to end the war. It all lies on this little one before me. If I kill it, the voices will leave. I drew my claws back…

Yes!

Noooooo!

I looked at the claws that poked out of Steve’s back. His eyes locked with mine, the fire inside slowly fading. He stumbled forward as I withdrew my claws, tried to speak, but only coughing up blood. He slumped to his knees as I looked dumbly at my blood-soaked claws, then back at his eyes again

Then I understood what he was trying to say, and before the light in him died forever, I realized what he wanted to know: why? Why did you do this? Why does it end this way? Why could you not stop it from happening?

Why?

Steve’s body hit the ground, splattering blood and mud over all the nearby combatants. As the rain began to fall harder, people stopped fighting as they noticed the lifeless corpse. Rain mixed with blood, staining the ground around the body, the red patch growing with each passing moment. I stood there, forearms hanging, wings drooped, spines down.

Raph, in his human form, walked over to look at the corpse, knelt down, and saw the five puncture wounds, and looked at my bloody talons. His eyes held mine, asking the same question. Why? Why, why, why?

“I’m sorry,” I said feebly. Raph stood up, his eyes bright with anger. Other hyslan gathered around me, some human, some beast, looking at me with deadly gazes, all baying for blood. My blood.

“Murderer,” Raph said quietly, harshly, piercing the air like a knife.

I took to the sky, slowing time, rotating in my ascent as I avoided the leaping forms of my former friends as they tried to follow me. I didn’t fly far, touching down just outside the school grounds, and in an instant Changed and hid away,

There was no way I could clear my name – after all, how could I prove my theory? Instead, I needed to go back once more, retrieve some equipment, and flee.

For a hyslan, the price of murder is death.

* * * * *

I clambered over the great metal fence, keeping out of the light as much as possible. I hit the ground softly, rolled to my feet, and started running. The grounds were crawling with guards and hyslan alike, all searching for one person; me.

Staying in the shadows, slowing time when I did have to enter the light, I stealthily made my way around the site. As I finally got to my house, I slowed my run to a walk, and went into the next stage.

It was half eleven at night, meaning everyone was in bed – not necessarily asleep however. I made my way round to the toilet block, avoiding the security lights, and clambered through the unblocked window. I ran through the house, slowing time to reduce my chances of getting caught, but thankfully no one was around. But exhaustion was slowly creeping up on me, and by the time I’d reached the dorm I knew I could hold back time no more.

“But why did he do it?” Joe was asking as I walked in. “I mean, he had control over his beast before, so it wasn’t as if it was in a primal rage.”

“I reckon he wanted to do it all along,” Chris answered as I crept into my cubicle. With a sense of relief I noticed it was still in one piece.

“And how the hell did you arrive at that conclusion?” James challenged him. “Shoya and Steve always got on well together.”

“Yea,” Rob put in. “Ever since first year the two have been, like, best mates. You know that as well as we do.”

“Maybe he just went mad with trying to control two personalities,” Nick said thoughtfully. “I’ve heard about such cases. They become blood-crazed phantoms of the night – your traditional werewolf.”

“Oh, how right you are,” I muttered under my breath as I packed my water bottle in my backpack, ensuring that it wouldn’t leak. “Three minds were fighting for supremacy in one head, and I nearly lost.”

“Who’s rustling around in his cubicle?” Dom asked. My heart stopped, and I grabbed my phone and watch before sneaking out of my cubicle.

“Someone’s in the dorm who shouldn’t be,” Joe said slowly as I crept past his cubicle. I reached the door, ready to leave. But instead I stopped and turned back to face the dorm. As I stood there all my remaining friends – Dom, Rob, Joe, Chris, James, Nick, Raph – stepped out into the dorm and stood there, shocked.

I met each of their gazes, some terrified, some angry, some perplexed. I didn’t have time to explain to them what happened, why it happened, and what I intended to do. I didn’t have enough time. I looked at Raph last of all, hoping, willing that he would understand, that his hyslan would understand my hyslan.

I held his gaze for a split-second, but in that time I felt as if I’d told him everything, and he had heard it all, and forgiven me. I knew that it wasn’t my hyslan powers, but there was some beastly effect occurring. I smiled slightly, sadly, for his power was developing through my mistake. He nodded slightly to me, and I did the same. He knew now what I had to do.

“I’m sorry,” I said silently, but in the quiet dorm it was almost a shout. Then I kicked back, hard, smashing the door well off its frame, sending it flying. I turned and ran, hitting the door with my hyslan strength and launching it into the darkness. Swiftly and silently, I followed it into the shadows…

* * * * *

“Stop him, Raph!” Chris cried as they watched Shoya’s retreating back.

“No,” he replied, thoughtful. He knew what he had just felt wasn’t a dream or wishful thinking; his hyslan power had emerged, and his animal spirit had spoken with the Unatural inside Shoya. He knew everything, from Jara to Apollo, from Steve to Raph himself. He knew all.

“Are you mad?” Chris exclaimed, walking over to him. “He’s going to kill someone, just like he killed Steve!”

Raph lost it. He picked Chris up by the throat, and held him up high before throwing him against the nearby fire exit. “He won’t!” Raph roared.

“And how would you know?” James asked, making sure he spoke in a non-challenging tone to the enraged hyslan.

“Because Shoya spoke to me, or my mind, or something like that. Steve was an accident, brought about by a struggle no-one could have seen or heard.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Chris said, getting off the floor.

“Think about it!” Joe cried, understanding dawning on him. “Why would he return, and risk getting caught, just to say he’s sorry for something he wouldn’t be sorry for. Where’s the sense in that? If he wanted to kill us he could have. After all, he had time to back his bag.”

“So, what do think he’s going to do?” Nick asked, looking at Raph. But before he could reply, Dom spoke up, looking thoughtfully at the shattered wooden frame.

“I know. He’s going to redeem himself.”

* * * * *

Shoya ran across the parade square, and slid down the muddy slope at the end. He got back up to his feet, and ran on to the fence, thankful the rain had finally stopped and he could see where he was going. It was still sheer luck that he hadn’t been caught by a patrol yet.

He dove to the floor, hands first, sensing Jara swoop down on him. He went up to a handstand as she came within range, and kicked her to the ground before flipping back upright. Before she could get up into the air again he slammed into her, kicking and punching as hard as he could. No hyslan strength, just pure aggression. Jara eventually pushed him away, and they faced each other.

“You bitch!” Shoya exclaimed venomously. “You got in my head!”

“And?” she hissed, claws raised ready.

“I trusted you! I damn well believed that you were on my side! But you went and fucked it all. You fucking bitch! Why?”

“You really, honestly believe that I am a little girl? Fool! I have done this so many times that I have lost count. And with every mind I claim I become stronger. And one day I will be strong enough!”

“To do what?”

“You’re not stupid, Shoya. You know the answer already.”

A snatch of conversation ran through Shoya’s mind:

“Apollo…he has never been defeated…offered the person who defeats him one chance to change their lives…”

“But what would you change?” he asked.

“Him. My brother. With him always looking over my shoulder, defeating me, I can never become as powerful as I could be.”

“Not unless I get to him first,” he answered, Changing in mid-sentence.

“You? Shoya Leshar, I got in your mind once, and I’ll do it again!” The claws marks on Shoya’s arm glowed briefly, then faded away again. Jara looked bewildered, surprised that, for the first time ever, she had failed in her task.

“What...?” she began.

“In killing Steve I merged with my beast, became my beast, fortifying my mind, making me so much more powerful than you could imagine. Jara, I will beat you one day, but that day will not be today!”

He leapt to the skies, and flew off into the distance. Jara Changed back into her human form, for her wings were not powerful enough to chase him in the skies. She had other ways of tracking him down, skills she had learnt from over the years.

She grimaced, and cursed in a tongue long dead. Yet again Shoya had defied her, defeated her. Once at the pavilion, the first time she tried to take his mind. That night, where in human form he had fought better than any hyslan she had ever faced, closer to defeating her than any other beast. The bulldog game was more than a simple child’s sport, for it had shown her how resourceful and skilful he was with his talents, a lot more than she had feared. And now, she couldn’t even attack him from within.

She was angry. She had beguiled pharaohs and kings and emperors, and now she faced ruin from a little boy, a mere child. She refused to believe that she would lose out to someone so weak, yet at the same time so strong.

“No,” she whispered. “I can still feel you, still hear your thoughts. You’re running blind now, running scared, and you know it. And you know I know that too. You know I will hunt you down, that I will kill you. No matter where you run, I will always follow. You will never reach Apollo, for you will be dead first.”

With a determined face, Jara vanished into the night.