Kech leaned heavily on Saise as they made their way towards the edge of the clearing. Then, just before they disappeared into the forest, she turned back, yelling, “I’ll bring Kesh back to our village. Then, I’ll be on my way to help.”

“That won’t be necessary—” Vekrem yelled in return, but Saise led Kesh outside the clearing, completely ignoring him. I had no doubt she’d heard, but, from the little time I’d known her, that woman was not going to take no for an answer.

“Lively one that,” Dragon said in the back of my mind. “Could prove to be a strong ally.”

“Or a stronger foe,” I replied. “I mean, if she’s anything like Kesh, those little buggers are fast. I think the only reason I won was that he underestimated me.” Dragon gave a feeling of approval at my conclusion. “You aren’t supposed to agree—”

“Let me get my things packed for the journey,” Vekrem said, with a sudden earnestness, drawing me back. He seemed to have a boyish glow about him, and his upturned smile confirmed what I knew.

He was happy.

Crossing my arms, I asked, “Why are you so glad? From what you’ve told me, the place we’re going is… dangerous?”

“Oh quite!” Vekrem replied, still just as cheery as before. “Likely one of the most dangerous places in the world. But you need to understand—”

“I know, I know. Your research. Types like you are always focused on the big picture.”

“Types… like me?”

“You know, scientists,” I replied. “Intellectuals—those sorts. But hey, you can say I’m on my own sort of quest. So, I'm hoping that by helping you, I’ll learn something that’ll help me.”

Vekrem put his hand to his chin, scratching the skin with a single long fingernail. “And what sort of quest are you on? I thought you couldn’t remember?”

“Oh, I remember this,” I replied. “And it's the dangerous kind of quest.”

Vekrem snapped his finger. “Then we are two of a kind, you and I.”

Looking at his slender and tall appearance, and the two large rat ears on top of his head, I replied, “I’m not so sure about that.”

That seemed to take Vekrem back a step as he asked, “And how so? Humans and Were-Races aren’t so different. After All, as I said before, we are all descended from human kind.”

“But look at you!” I exclaimed. “You have large ears, and long, sharp fingernails… you probably have a tail.” At that, Vekrem went straight as a board, as if I’d just insulted his mother. Kicking myself for offending him, I amended, “Fuck… maybe you’re right. I guess those things don’t matter that much.”

“Right…” Vekrem replied, still clearly hurt by my mention of his differences. His ears twitched back as he added, “Well, enough of that. Let me grab some supplies, and then on to Silverock.”

“Silverock?” I replied, running my hand through my hair.

Vekrem sighed. “You remember this so-called quest, but you don’t remember anything about the world? Yes, Silverock, the home of the Were-Race Rodrent. My people.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” I said, drawing his attention back towards me. “How many different Were-Races are there? I know Rodrent and Chitik, are there any others?”

“Oh yes,” he replied. “Would you like me to name them all?”

I shook my head. “No-no. Just… is there a Lupine based Were-race? Descended from humans and wolves?”

The blood rushed form Vekrem’s face as he went ghost-white. “You speak of the Lycans.”

Smiling, I replied, “I knew it! I knew there would be Werewolves.”

Vekrem looked at me oddly before adding, “They are the most fearsome and feared of the Were-races. They see themselves as the true hybrids—destined to rule this world. They feel all others are insignificant when compared to them. Worse, their leader, Ganvil, is ageless. Immortal. He is the original Lycan who birthed the entire race.”

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“An immortal Lycan. Interesting… And these Lycan, are they a threat.”

“Oh yes,” Vekrem replied. “Their kind has been at war with mine for hundreds of years. Worse, there isn’t any end in sight. But enough time has been wasted. We need to make it through the forest before nightfall. Come, help me carry some of my ingredients.

***

Inside the hut, Vekrem wasted no time as he slipped into a reddish-brown robe that, from my eyes, appeared to be made for battle for some inexplicable reason that I couldn’t place. He then stuffed various types of mushrooms, vials of liquid, parchment and dried herbs into containers, putting them all in two bags and shoving one into my hands.

“You’ll help carry,” he said, giving me a coy grin. “That is, if my bodyguard doesn’t mind.”

“Bodyguard, eh?” I replied, shouldering the bag. “Sounds like I should be charging you.”

Vekrem wasted no time on ceremony as he romped out the door of the hut, walking the path to exit the clearing. I followed him, closing the door gently behind me, and when I turned, he motioned with his hand, “Come on. Or did you forget something?”

I smiled, trudging ahead on the path behind him, lifting the soft dirt into the air as a cool breeze carried it in swirling tendrils away from us.

“No,” I said. “Just thinking about something else.”

“Remembering something?”

I shook my head no—there was nothing to remember, but I didn’t want to tell him that. Not yet anyways. I couldn’t be sure how he’d treat a traveler from another world.

“Pity,” he replied. “But there is something I am thinking about as well. I would be reminisce if I didn’t stop to do one thing first. It’s on the way, don’t you worry. We won't waste much more time.” He turned, walking the path and leaving the clearing back into the woods, but before he did, I swear I saw the soft glisten of a tear on his cheek.

I ran to catch up, putting my arm around my new friend's shoulder. Leaving a place you’ve known for a long time was hard—or so I imagined. If I ever had such a place, I’m sure that it would’ve weighed heavily on me. I just wanted to remind him. Remind him that, despite him leaving his home—

He was not alone.

“So,” I said, ruffling his shoulder. “What cool thing do you want to show me? I’ll be honest, this place… its been fucking crazy.”

Vekrem shot me a sidelong glance at my curse, but he merely turned his head, looking towards the ground, his ears folding backwards. I removed my arm, and we went on quietly.

I didn't need to wait long to find my answer.

Vekrem pushed back some thick brush, the bright-green leaves rustled against my skin as I walked through the foliage which bounced back as if we’d never been. There, in the middle of the denseness of the forest, was a running stream of softly glowing water. The spray of droplets danced in my eyes as it glanced off the corners of rocks at the edge of the stream. I strode towards it with wonder in my eyes.

“Wow,” I said, for nothing I could say in that moment would reflect how I felt staring down at the beauty of the world.

Dragon, clearly able to see what I did, rumbled contently in the back of my head—not unlike a cat curling on a warm blanket for warmth.

Vekrem seemed to disagree with my sentiments, instead, wordlessly, following the stream down a fill, until the stream became a small pond. There, I saw what was upsetting him.

Like a glowing beacon, two bright mushrooms sat against a headstone with light carving engraved in the front. I tried, but I failed to read the words—they were too worn from the passage of time.

But there could only be one reason for a headstone in a secluded place in the forest. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I asked, “Who was it?”

Vekrem shrugged me aside, staring at the headstone with piercing eyes. “My mother,” he replied, his words laced with a coldness that I’d not heard from him before.

I let my hand slip. “And what happened to her?”

He squeezed his hand so tight that veins rippled in his forearm, and I was surprised by how strong the alchemist appeared. “The rot…”

Then, suddenly, everything made sense. His compassion for a perceived enemy. The reason he was so adamant about finding the cure. Looking back at the headstone, I realized, It was all… for her.

“I’m sure it wasn’t your fault. Her death—”

“It was!” Vekrem’s words were so harsh, so tainted with violence that I almost lost my footing as I stepped back from him, my heart leaping into my chest as a cold sweat ran down my forehead. He breathed heavily, but then looked at his own bunched up hands, realizing what he’d done, he opened them. “I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I replied, but not daring to step forward. “Living is a fucked up thing. It leaves you with scars—wounds that will never heal—no matter how strong you are. Believe me, I know.”

Vekrem grunted in approval, but that look he gave me told me he suspected the lie I let him believe. The lie that said I can’t remember. But, despite that, he let it go, adding, “You know, you’re full of surprises.” Stepping closer to the grave, he knelled, placing his hand on the stone. “Can you… give me some time?”

I nodded wordlessly, stepping away, and walking upstream to stare down at the brightly colored amphibian life that thrived there. I heard the soft sobbing of a broken man on the wind, but I pretended it was just the waves of the water. The chirp of birds. The croaks of frogs.

Pretending everything was alright… that was something I was truly an expert in.