Prologue
As the evening sun fell below the horizon, showering the land in a golden light, a baby Kuindelian was born. His born cries filling the room with its candace and warmed his mothers wounded heart. Abrianna Malkyor gazed upon the little infant, which stared at her with the nostalgic cobalt eyes that had belong to her late husband, Rorek Malkyor, and found herself smiling for the first time since his passing. This child would finally warm up the icy world that her soul had become over the past 7 months. He would blow away the ice and shed sunlight on her life once again. The baby Human sniffled before finding her breast and beginning to feed, growing stronger. The mother brushed her fingers through the baby's small tufts of moonless night black hair and proceeded to hum the lullaby that was sung to her through childhood by her own mother. As the tiny Kuindelian fed he moaned slightly in content, bringing yet another smile to Abrianna's lips. The child's hair was a moonless black and his eyes were a gorgeous cobalt blue, which was very rare in Human and Akuma society. An exotic treasure indeed, but also a premonition of sadness and pain.
“Abri, I came as soon as I heard.” the nervous words escaped her brother as he entered the hospital room. Shortly after the passing of Abrianna's husband, the leader of the Akuma, her brother, Caelan Strouger, had appointed himself as her caretaker while she was with child. For which, she felt eternally grateful to him. As he walked over to her and her new born a forced smile tugged on his lips and he kneeled to examine his tiny nephew. As he looked over him a serious expression creased his forehead.
“He has the traits.” he stated running a hand over the babies hair, as if checking that it were not just an illusion.
“I know. Aren't they breathtaking.” the mother breathed rubbing the velvety skin of her son's back.
“You understand what this means, Abrianna.” her brother told her placing his hand over hers.
“It may not be. Sometimes a Human child is born looking like this. I have to wait for the test results to come back” she replied staring at her son adoringly, but also in great sorrow. Caelan brushed a piece of his sisters hair soothingly before turning his attention back to his sister's son.
“What will be his name, sis.” he asked her in a softer tone. She glanced back up at her loving brother's viridescent eyes.
“His name will be Daegan, after father.” Abrianna informed her brother with a joyful tone in her voice. Caelan couldn't hold back the joy he also felt at the mention of his father. He was a strong soldier that saved many people, including his family. He was unable to be here for his daughters birthing because of the war that was breaking out between the Akuma and Humans, but his daughter knew that she had his undying support and was praying for his safe return back home.
“It's a very good name.” her brother complimented before petting his nephew on the head gently. Daegan stopped feeding and was breathing gently with sleep. He cuddled into the radiating warmth of his mother and she kissed her baby on the head as a goodnight.
“He looks so much like Rorek.” Abrianna sighed leaning her back on the wall in fatigue. Caelan watched in worry at his sister, but she just smiled.
“Don't worry, Brother, I am happy.” she assured him taking his hand. He nodded and squeezed her hand back in support. Just as he was about to stand the rooms door opened and a nurse walked in carrying a clipboard and pen.
“Mrs. Malkyor, how are you feeling?” she asked in a caring voice.
“Just tired.” Abrianna answered with an assuring smile. Caelan could see something in the nurse's eyes that told him bad news was arriving. He only prayed that it wasn't what he thought.
“We have finished the tests and your baby is in 100% health.” the women told them jubilantly. Abrianna sighed in relief gazing down at her son as he slept and her brother couldn't help but smile along with the mother.
“As for your question.” she continued less pleased, “It's too soon to tell if your son is more Akuma or Human. Sometimes a child can have the blood of both Akuma and Human, but he may not be change into a Akuma. The only sure way to tell is if the child's Akuma blood overlaps the Human and they transform.” The brother and sister stared into each other's grieving eyes, but said nothing. Each knew that no matter what they would love this child more then anything, even if nobody else did.
“Thank you for your help.” Caelan nodded to the nurse. She slightly bowed in welcome before leaving the family alone. As she exited she thought of how much the family was going to go through with a child like that.
Daegan growled in pain as the fire spread through his veins. The pain from his blood fighting with itself was the most painful thing he had ever experienced in his 13 years. It felt as if he were being bathed in boiling oil, with no way out. The harvest moon's light showered down at him, as if witnessing his pain. As Daegan's uncle Caelan shackled his nephews wrists to the wall and great sorrow filled his stare. He could not remember how many countless times he'd prayed to the gods that this boy would not have to endure such agony, but his prayers were not answered. All he could do was watch and comfort his crying sister as her son became the beast that the village would detest. Caelan stepped back from his nephew, as a pair of sharp carcass ripping fangs grew into his mouth. With each painful cry that came from his nephew his heart would break more and more. There was nothing he could do for his sister's son, no matter how much he wanted to. He could here the muffled sobs of his sister behind the room's door and he knew he must leave and comfort her, but he could not bring himself to leave Daegan when he was going through such pain and fear. Like how he did when Daegan was little and had nightmares, he would stay in the room until his nephew fell asleep.
“U...uncle....hurts...hurts so much.” Daegan cried reaching out a clawed hand to his uncle. Caelan resisted the parental urge to grasp onto that hand that reached out for his help, but once again a sharp pain hit his chest. Daegan fell to his hands and knees before another shrilling scream ripped from his throat. His muscles, bones and blood were all rearranging themselves to fit his true form, an Akuma. An incredibly painful process for a halfling such as Daegan. All the grieving uncle could do was hope that his nephew would be alright after such a strain on his body and mind. Daegan's cries of torture became snarls and growls of an animal and his body covered with thick gorgeous onyx fur, shining in the moonlight. Such beautiful beasts, Akuma, but also deadly and bloodthirsty. Unable to control their hunger for flesh and blood, they would let themselves loose in the wild, away from the cities if possible, and devour helpless and ferocious animals alike. Unfortunately, some may not care and change in towns, letting humans feel their fangs as well, but Caelan would not let his nephew take a human life, he would protect the child from the fate of a killer. As Daegan's muzzle snapped into place before a pair of bird-like resplendent wings grew from his back. One last whimper filled the air, before the room went eerily silent. Daegan stared up at his uncle with the same Cobalt eyes that Caelan had grown so fond of over the years. Caelan thought that his nephew did look just like his father in this form. Rorek had been widely known for his graceful beauty when hunting. A rare colored beast that appears once every 1000 years in Pastor society. Daegan's moonless night fur and cobalt eyes was a symbol of power and prestige among the Akuma, a dangerous situation for a halfling like him. Daegan just looked at his uncle until a low growl trembled from his throat.
“Sorry Daegan.” Caelan apologized before turning and leaving the room and his Akuma nephew. As he exited the room, closing the wooden door behind him, Abrianna gazed at her brother with eyes shining from tears.
“Is he okay?” she asked her brother with shaking hands.
“He's fine. We just have to wait until morning now.” he told his beloved sister before moving a piece of her shining bronze hair from her amber eyes. As she took a calming breath the sounds of Daegan struggling against the shackles broke the silence. His growls ripped through the air causing Abrianna to tremble even more. It was not fear of her son, the beast, behind that door, but the fear of what her baby was going through at the moment. The hunger and the pain, which would drive any normal man crazy.
“I don't know what to do for him.” she cried burying her face into her brother's black sheep wool shirt. Caelan held his sister in comfort as she cried for her child. He also knew that she wanted her late husband, who would have surely known what to do in this situation. Caelan may not be the boy's father, but he would protect him, he vowed to this the moment he found out his sister was with child. Daegan would face many hardships in his life, but he would always watch out for his family no matter what. Daegan will live a good life, even if it costs him his own.
Dagael Malkyor looked out his castle window at the valley below. A few of his guards were preparing for the hunt, as were many of the townsfolk. The harvest moon was the most powerful lunar phase time of the year, for which the Akuma people have a giant feast and hunt. It was also the mating time for all mature Akuma. Though Dagael had no desire for such a thing at this time. Ever since his brother ran off and had a child with a human, all sense of wanting a partner vanished from both his heart and mind. Rorek's death was also a crushing blow to his mind. It had never accured to him before that his powerful brother could be defeated so easily. As if his death wasn't bad enough he actually had a child with the human women. A halfling, such a disgrace to the purebred royal Malkyor family. Though he had heard from guards that he had sent to spy on his...nephew that the child resembled his brother, which meant he must have the traits. It was inconceivable the a mere halfling, who maybe more Human than Akuma, would be one of the grand blacks. Dagael rubbed his eyes in frustration as a guard walked into the room and bowed respectively to the alpha.
“Alpha Dagael, we have just heard back from the spies keeping an eye on your nephew.”
“And?” he asked impatiently.
“It is reported that he did transform this Harvest Moon.” The omega announced seriously. Dagael lifted his gaze to the man in interest. So Daegan was more Akuma, this complicated things.
“Tell them to keep me updated. You're dismissed.” The alpha commanded before the beta bowed once again and left the room. This was not a simple matter, whether he didn't like it or not, Daegan was his brother's only offspring. This was something that couldn't not be altered. That child had responsibility that Rorek had passed on, a great responsibility. Whether the elders would allow a half blood to take this over was another story. A boy that wasn't even of maturing age yet, could never do what needed to be done, but Dagael felt that it would have been Rorek's dying wish for his son to be treasured and nurtured. He would help the boy, but not until he was of maturing age, and only a little. After all, even it was his brothers kid, he was still only a halfling.
