The sky was not falling but the ground sure was shaking as the giant of a man stomped the ground with his foot. Facing him was without question the biggest and strangest mongoose Arnel had ever seen. The mongoose was totally green in color with black stripes crisscrossing its body. On all fours, it was as high as Arnel’s knees. When standing on its two hind legs however it was tall enough to reach his shoulders.

The man in front of the mongoose showed no fear though, taking small threatening steps towards the giant creature. He was clearly trying to provoke the mongoose to attack and the mongoose knows it. The creature kept an eye on the other two humans in the clearing. One was a lanky young man who was standing to the right, looking to flank the mongoose while the other was a woman who was standing behind the two men. All three humans were unarmed but looked eager for battle.

The big human stomped his foot once again but the mongoose was having none of it. It snorted at the human in front of it in such a way that indicate to everyone it knew what the man was trying to do and was in no mood of falling for it. It seems that the Great Spell changed not just the mongoose’s size and appearance; it also changed the creature’s intelligence.

“Smart animal”

The man in front of the mongoose murmured before dashing forward. Arnel guessed he was tired of waiting. With a speed that belies his size, the big man rush forward raising his right arm overhead. Arnel watched in amazement as a hammer came down. As the man swung his arm downwards, the arm changed into the shape of a war hammer. The sound it made when it struck the ground proved to Arnel that the hand war hammer had some weight to it. Perhaps that was why it missed.

The mongoose had skipped to the left of the onrushing man and immediately attacked. The man raised his left arm and changed it to defend against the attack. Arnel saw the arm turned into a large round shield with a three spikes in the center. The mongoose slammed into the shield and jumped away from it bloody. The other two humans took this chance to attack.

The woman threw her hands forward and a cone of flames flew from them. The mongoose evaded the fire but the woman maintained the cone and the flames followed the mongoose. The mongoose dodged again but this time the dodge push it in front of a blur. It was the lanky man and with movement too quick for a human, he kicked the mongoose. Arnel saw lines of air around the leg that made the kick. It was as if the air itself was making the kick more powerful. The attack wasn’t unintelligent. The mongoose landed right in front of the man with the changing arms. The man placed his foot on the mongoose and raised his arm once again. The mongoose released poisonous green air from its body, showing Arnel why the Kin had named it The Poison Mongoose. It was too late. The arm came down with a sickening crack. Just like that, it was over. The test was done. The Alpha walked towards the three humans and Arnel followed. He was more than a little curious.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I am the Alpha. Welcome to the Great Kar Forest!”

The three humans bowed slightly to the Werewolf leader and the lanky human stepped forward. “Thank you for your greetings Alpha. I hoped we had proved ourselves with the little display.”

“Ha! As if there was any doubt of your prowess. The three of you are mutants created by the Red Creator itself. Everyone in the Kin knows full well the power of it.” The laugh of the Alpha was infectious and the three humans visibly relaxed.

“Perhaps an introduction is in order. I am Ransford, a wind user.” The lanky man smiled and introduced himself first. He raised his palm upwards and Arnel saw a small twister on it. It lasted for just a moment but it was enough to prove the mutant’s point. “Behind me is Meadow, a fire user, and Jeffery the Buster, who is an earth user.”

At their introduction, flames erupted around Meadow’s hands and Jeffery changed his arms into the shape of hammers. Arnel was wondering why he choose the shape of hammers when he noticed that all three mutants were looking at Arnel in anticipation. Left with little choice in the matter, he stepped forward and half-wondered if the showing of powers was a way of greeting among the mutants.

“I am Arnel, the first mutant created by the Creator. My powers are…well, it may be easier to just show you.”

His face twisted and a moment later, a new face, bearded and hawk-like, was looking at his follow mutants. Arnel loosened his control and his face changed, and changed, and changed, and changed. He then gathered the power within his body and pushed the power to his face. His control returned and his true original face, that of an old scarred veteran, returned. The three mutants looked at him in surprise. The woman was the first to recover.

“Wait, that’s it? You can change your face. It’s all. Can’t you do anything else?”

“What are you talking about woman? That’s a great power.”

“Changing the shape of his face?” The woman was incredulous. “What good is that?”

“No, Jeffery is correct. It’s a great power.” Ransford nodded at Arnel in approval. “All the mutants made by our Creator have combat and elemental powers. He is different. His powers is more…utility. Spying, infiltration, maybe even assassination; this power can help get him get into anywhere.”

The woman’s mouth formed an O while Arnel was more than a little uncomfortable with Ransford’s explanation. He’s not wrong but Arnel had no intention of using his blessing to kill anyone. A blessing from the Creator is more than just that. Ransford just smiled and continued.

“I had heard from the Demons that the creatures created by the Creators were different in many ways. You had different powers but knowing something is different from seeing it. It is amazing.”

Sensing Arnel’s mood, the Alpha took this moment to interject himself back into the conversation. “Hahaha! You seem nothing yet. Come on, let’s take a tour and then we can get down to business.”

Ransford stopped the Alpha. “About that. We’re sorry but we haven’t been told why you requested for us. Hellmight was very vague on the matter, only willing to say the Kin needed mutants who can passed for normal humans. Why do the Kin need us mutants?”

“Oh, that’s due to Arnel here.”

“Him?” Arnel was finding the woman increasing annoying.

“Yes,” the Alpha replied. “Arnel here was a senior Guardsman in the city. He knows the ins and outs of the city and with his powers, he can slip in easily. The problem is that the rest of us can’t.”

“Infiltration.” Ransford nodded his understanding but he really didn’t. Arnel enlightened him.

“And sabotage. We are going to make sure the doors of Yachium are wide open for the Kin.”