Secrets Revealed

'What a strange dream... I feel like I'm floating. I feel wind in my face. I feel powerful. I can feel an overwhelming amount of rage and yet, I feel at peace. What a strange dream.'

All of a sudden I see images covered in a blood red tint flash before my eyes one after another. I think I can make out claws tearing open flesh, but I'm not entirely sure and then it's all over. I see nothing but darkness. 

I am choking and I open my eyes wide sitting up spewing water. I am sitting naked in a river. "Where are my clothes?" I ask. I look down to see myself covered in blood and I can taste blood and hair. I can feel something between my teeth. I wash myself off in the river and when I'm done I turn around to see a large trail of huge globs of dark bloody flesh and fur that appears to be melted leading right to me. "What the hell happened? Where did this mess come from?" I ask myself. I take a closer look and almost vomit. It smells rancid! I walk into the forest to find a deer carcass ripped to shreds. This is the most horrible sight I have ever seen aside from the globs of flesh back there. I study the carcass and find that there is just enough material to make myself a small cloak. I tie it around my waist and make my way back to town. I'm not very far from the city, but I am about a mile out. On my way back I spot a bandit camp. 

I need to be careful around here, but they have clothes. They might even have food. How can I think of food right now? I'm just so hungry. I stalk up closer and spot a short sword leaning against a stump. I can only see about three bandits. I hope they are similar to fighting goblins. I sneak over to the one that is by the camp fire. The others are asleep in their tents. I hurry and swing the sword at the bandits neck from behind and his head falls to the ground. One of the other bandits rolls over and I almost think she is waking up. Thankfully she doesn't. I sneak over to the female bandit and place the sword over her neck. With one hand on the handle and the other hand on the other end of the blade I press down with all my might in one quick fashion and her head goes rolling. I can feel the other end of the blade cutting deep into my hand. I wince in pain, but try to remain quiet. There is only one bandit left. I attempt to do the same, but the moment my blade hovers over his neck he wakes up and sees me. He grabs his sword and swats my sword away. 

"What the hell?" He says in anger. He looks around to see is friends headless. He goes into a rage and looks right at me. "You will pay for this!" He screams at me. He ruses to me and swings his sword. Strangely I see him moving kind of slow. I can see his sword heading right towards my head and I duck out of the way and kick him back. He lands on his back, but quickly gets up. He runs at me and once again I feel like I have all the time in the world to react. He isn't moving like a sloth, but he is moving slower than he should be for what he is doing. He jumps in the air and again swings his sword. I swing my sword right at his waist cutting him in half. He just falls to the ground motionless. I go to the first guy I killed and take off his clothes. I put them on an look at my hand. It's bloody, but there is no wound. "What the hell am I?" I ask. I already know, but I don't want to admit it. 

I make it back to Rorikstead to see the city empty. I walk through town, but I can't see anyone. Finally I see Ra' Tuul running up to me. "Where have you been? You need to get to the Inn right now and lock the door!" He yells sounding afraid. 

"What's going on? I went for a walk and got into a fight with a bandit. I won and took his clothes since mine were cut up." I say only being half honest. 

"There is a werewolf on the loose! Get to the Inn!" He ordered and then he ran back to his house and slammed the door. 

I walk over to the Inn and walk in. I see Calvin, but no one else. I walk over to Calvin who sits at one of the tables. I sit across from him. "Calvin? Are you ok?" I ask. 

Calvin looks up and I see that he has been crying. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." He says. 

This confused me. "Why are you sorry? Can you tell me what happened? I remember feeling intense pain, but then nothing." I ask. 

He wipes his tears and looks at me for a moment. "I will tell you the whole truth. I was walking by when I heard you screaming for help. I ran in to see you turning. I have never heard of someone turning for the first time after a bite years ago, but here we are. I had hoped you would be spared the curse. I didn't want you to live through the same thing I once did." He said starting to cry again. "I'm sorry." He says again.

I starred at him for a few minutes. What did he just say? I started to ask, but he continues.

"I used to be a werewolf. I lied to you. The reason I have always felt responsible for you is because I am the one who killed your family and bit you." He says. 

This revelation hit me hard. He did this to me? He took my family from me? I can't even remember them, but because of him I have to live with this? I have to be a monster? I think for a moment and realize I can't be angry with him. I lost control myself. I need to know what happened.

"Why." I ask calmly. 

"Please understand. I didn't mean to. I went deep into the forest so I wouldn't hurt anyone, but I misjudged. I didn't know that was the location your family chose to camp at. When I turned back and saw the bodies and you laying there with a bite mark I knew what had happened. I watched you for weeks and you never showed any signs of turning. I thought you had been blessed by the gods and was protected. Then today happened. I guess it was only dormant in you all these years. I now understand why you as a Breton can't use magic though." He says. 

"Wait... I can't use magic because I'm a werewolf? Why the hell is that?" I ask.

"You did have magic, but after the bite your magic changed. The same thing happened to me when I first turned. After what I did to you though I looked far and wide for a cure. I thought I had it under control, but after that day I learned I was wrong. I finally found one, but it was a long and painful process. I managed to gain my magic back though. The magic in you changed and now maintains your body. It gives you strength and heightens your senses. You're stronger and faster now. I will train you how to manage it if you will let me." He explains. 

I think for a moment. "Did I hurt anyone." I ask. 

"You didn't kill anyone. The wolf did injure a woman though. Claire is in the church right now seeking medical help. The wolf didn't bite her thankfully. It just flung her against a wall. Nobody knows it was you. When the wolf busted out of here everyone went into a panic and went into their homes. You probably shouldn't stay here though. It won't be long before they figure it out." He explains. I think about everything he had said to me. I take one thing from all this. On one hand, I am stronger and faster than any normal man. On the other I can't control my transformations. He never learned to, but maybe I can. If I can't though, then I will be a monster. However if there is a cure then I want it. 

"I will leave. I want you to tell me what the cure is and I will set out." I say. He looks at me for a moment. 

"I will help you. If you want the cure, then that's what we will do. It is a long journey and when we get there you will need to know one thing before you go through with it. It is excruciating and you will want to die just to end it." He explains. 

"That's how I felt before I blacked out! That can't be much worse." I say.

"I understand, but it is. The cure is that amount of pain times ten. Knowing this if you still want to go through with it then I will help you. It is a long journey though so I will travel with you and train you in the meantime how to manage it so you don't turn in a city full of people." He explains. 

I nod and go get my things. I don't have very much, but I do have the short sword I bought from Ra' Tuul plus the short sword I took from the bandit. I grab up all my gold. Over the period of me killing goblins and collecting iron plus what I took from the bandits, I have five hundred worth of gold coins. I tie the bags of gold to my belt and sheath both my swords and put my hunters bow on my back with the string over shoulder. Calvin and I set out in the black of night so no one sees us leave and I take one look back. "Goodbye, I'm sorry." I say before walking away for what I think will be forever.