The Clan of Outcasts (Seasons 1 and 2)

Part 17: "Potential"

Edri looked down at her body. "Um, why can't I move?"

Korsan shifted into Justin's line of sight and nodded solemnly. Justin released Edri.

The young healer immediately crouched at Velora's side. "She barely has any life left. I hope I'm not too late!" She splayed her right hand, watching the skin turn blue all the way up her arm. Through a rip in the shoulder of her blouse, everyone could see the glowing blue light around her shoulder.

"Here goes," said Edri resolutely, and pressed her hand firmly on Velora's chest.

The young woman cried out in pain almost immediately. Her wounds knit so quickly, it almost looked like the blue hand absorbed the wounds as a sponge absorbs water. Still, Velora screamed, and her limbs thrashed of their own accord.

"Edri!" Justin warned. "It's done, you don't need to go further!"

"No!" Edri retorted. "Not yet! I need to—"

Velora heaved one deep, rasping breath, and the next sound to issue from her mouth was distinctly a wolf howl. Justin and Korsan together yanked Edri away as Velora's body began writhing and changing. Grey fur sprouted from her skin, and her arms and legs shortened while her nose lengthened and her chin all but vanished. When the growling and snarling ceased, Velora the woman was gone, and a large, grey alpha wolf stood amid the tatters of her clothes.

Before anyone had quite recovered enough to say anything, a black cloud slipped in through a nearby window, and as everyone watched, it solidified into a pair of black-gloved hands, which clapped slowly as the rest of a body appeared in thin air: a black-robed man, clean-shaven with straight dark hair and glinting eyes. He finished applauding and laughed.

"Well done!" He crowed, pointing to the wolf. "Now that was brilliant!"

Justin gaped. "You're the one I needed to warn everyone about!" He pointed at the stranger. "You're Jade's brother!"

"The shadow?" Korsan gasped.

The man smiled and gave a flourishing bow. "One and the same! My name is Troy, though I must say I am not the shadow, mind you, just a Shadow—for there are many shadows in this realm, wouldn't you agree, Sir Mage?"

Damaris peered at him from behind Aurelle. "What happened to your chest?" He pointed to the very distinct rip in Troy's tunic, on the right side and very distinctly stained with blood.

Troy waved a hand. "Only a minor setback, I assure you it was well intended. Not everyone likes what I can give them."

Aurelle didn't like the feeling this man gave her. "What do you mean, what you can give?" She demanded.

Troy only grinned wider. "I see you've acclimated to your upgrades nicely, my dear—though the same cannot be said for your friend, there." He winked at Damaris, walking toward them purposefully. "I'll bet you are the one responsible for this throne room, eh?"

Aurelle prepared to stop or divert him if he got too close, but a moment later, he had passed right through them as easily as one of her illusions.

He stopped and gasped as Erlis roared at him. "Ah, and there's my prize! My dear, you selfless thing! I've been searching everywhere for you!"

Erlis the dragon snarled at him and breathed fire in his face, but Troy only waved it away like a puff of smoke. "Now, let's not have that!"

Korsan dove between them. "You will not touch her!" He said, brandishing his staff as the talisman flared.