'The Hero of his story.'

The boy started telling me his story.

"I was born to a family of the Monster Fighters. My mom and dad weren't shapeshifters like us, but they were trained to battle them."

I looked at him intensely. He had golden eyes and lip and ear piercings, and I could see a tattoo just above his ripped chest, where the shirt didn't cover his body. He was fascinating.

"They used to work as freelancers and rejected any offer that the affiliate gave them. They were skilled masters of duel."

"The affiliate - did it exist then too? It's quite ancient, I guess." I said.

"Yes, it might be existing way longer than we know. But my parents refused to join the affiliate. So the affiliate retorted to their original methods and captured them using a monster."

"Why did they have to go to such extent?" I asked him, clearly surprised by his words.

"I don't know. I didn't see them after that. I was just a seven year old boy back then. But they left me a book, similar to yours. These books are ancient and rare, and there are only five copies present in the whole world. I have one, and you have the other, which leaves three of them undiscovered. Or maybe someone else already has it."

"So you mean to say, we're the only shapeshifters!?"

"Yes. But the secret lies within the base of the syndicate.

I was left dumbfounded at his statement.

"And what do you mean by that, exactly?"

"It's the syndicate, that controls the affiliate we work for. The secret lies within its base, and nobody else has access to it other than the director. And that's what I'm interested in finding. It's called 'The Treasure of the Transformers.' And that's why I need your help. The help of all the five books. Because all books are different."

It was getting confusing by every passing second, by each word he spoke.

"Then how were you reading my book?"

"It's fascinating, isn't it? Because both of us are shapeshifters, we have access to each other's books. Since you've already unlocked this page, now I can read through it too."

"What do you mean, I've unlocked the page?"

I took a look at the book. I could read through it. Pg 150. Amazing.

"So, coming back to the point, I need you to teach me." He said calmly, staring at me with those golden eyes.

"And why would you need me to do that? You're way ahead of me." I said.

I got up to brew some tea for the both of us.

He sighed and shook his head.

"You just don't understand-"

"And how would I, when you aren't going to explain me the reason?" I replied, getting irritated now.

"It's because we won't be able to accomplish what we want with our own powers. It's a limitation. We need to bring together all five books and their users in order to crack the code."

"That's fine, but what exactly do you want me to teach?"

"How to shapeshift into yourself."

"What does that mean?" His words weren't making any sense to me.

"You transformed of your accord into a being that doesn't exist."

I shook my head in disbelief.

"You mean to say that the creature doesn't exist?"

"No. And it's clear you don't know how to, seeing how astonished you are."

He got up and brushed off his pants.

"I'll get going. Tell me after you figure all of it out with a cool mind."

He gave me a smile.

"By the way, name's Leo."

He turned to me and said, before closing the door shut behind him.