1 Night of the encounter (2/2)

The creature started shrinking in size and it's lion shaped body started to change into that of a human male.

”Let her go...”

Said the brown-haired young lad who used to look like a beast not too long ago. Before he seemed like he could take on three elephants at the same time without a scratch, but now he had arms and legs so thin that it would be a miracle if he could even pick up a sword to defend himself.

”Now aren't you just full of surprises? I was expecting a guy with at least a few more muscles, but you look like you could by dragged by the wind at any moment.”

”Let... Her... Go...”

”Yeah... No... The second i do that you turn into that thing again and play with me like a used toy. I rather talk while hiding behind this very comfortable meat shield.”

”Talk... With you...?”

”Yeap, talk. I have about twenty different questions about you right now but returning to my first topic, why are you terrorizing this village?”

The silence lingered for a few seconds, only the noise of the fire could be heard. The warriors and villagers wouldn't dare to move afraid of angering the animal or putting the lady in danger.

”There is a spirit that lingers in this place... Every night it comes out to take a life and drag it to it's lair to feed on it. It dragged my cousin, my friend and my lover... It tried to drag me too one time, but i managed to escape.”

Marceus kept listening in quiet. Suddenly many of his questions started to make sense.

”This spirit... Only you can see it?”

”...Yes... But i need to stay as a creature to touch it...”

”So those weren't random attacks... You were after the spirit this whole time?”

”I go after where he goes... He tries to hide but i always manage to find him.”

”That would explain your rampages and why you never harmed anyone... But why you never tried to communicate with us or the villagers?”

”The spirit has a memory curse... Once the sun rises everyone will forget any kind of information related to him. In a couple hours you won't even remember this conversation.”

”...”

Marceus gestured with his hand to his teammates release the hostages. The young thin man looked at the villagers and noticed something in their hands, even the scared lady.

”Are those... knifes...?”

”We were planning to make you think the villagers trusted you and have them stab you in the heart if you tried to protect them. They were never in any danger.”

”...A knife wouldn't kill me...”

Marceus threw his knife at the lad who grabbed it with one hand.

”My knifes would...”

While holding the knife the thin man could feel it... There was power on that sharp object... He changed his finger into a beast form and tried to stab it, and to his shock, blood came out. His heart almost stopped. The entire village was holding knifes like that? One mistake and he could actually die this time. Cold sweat started to drop from his face.

”Say kid... When was the last time you ever felt like something could hurt you?”

”You... You could have killed me at anytime...?”

”Not really... I have these amazing blades but i still can't match your speed. It's only been a year since i received this power after all...”

”Power...?”

”Didn't i tell you? You are not the only one who can change your body.”

Marceus removed the armor on his left arm a revealed his bare skin. His hand started to stretch and lose color and what was once human skin now was a reflective material. Everything below his elbow was now a massive blade with the same energy from the knifes the man was holding.

”What's you name kid?”

”... Daren...”

Daren answered with a complex expression.

”Nice to meet you Daren. I'm Marceus, the living weapon. There is nothing in this world that my blades cannot cut and i was tasked to protect this village. Now... How about we go get your spirit?”