Level 4 adapting to the 5deadly forms of martial art and combining it with the wolf beneath
(David POV)
Walking into Lincoln High with Mike chattering beside me and Ella's blue car still causing whiplash stares felt… weird. Like stepping into a movie I hadn't auditioned for. The whispers followed us, sticky and curious. Mike was practically glowing with secondhand fame.
"Dude," he kept saying, nudging me, "you and Ella Zender! This is insane!"
"Just a ride," I mumbled, trying to ignore the knot tightening in my stomach.
A bunch of girls, Tiffany leading the charge with wide eyes, blocked our path. "Ella Zender actually gave you a ride?" she asked, like I'd sprouted a second head.
"She was going this way," I repeated, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Yeah, right," someone scoffed.
Mike grinned. "Maybe she digs our mysterious vibe."
Lucas appeared, his bruised jaw a lovely shade of purple. He glared at me. "Evans. We need to talk." His voice was low, like a হুমকি.
Before I could even tense up, Ella's voice cut through the noise, cold as ice. "Lucas. Leave him alone."
She was out of the car, her blue hair shining. The crowd parted like the Red Sea. Even Lucas looked like he swallowed a bug.
"Ella," he mumbled, "I just…"
"I heard you," she cut him off. "Leave him alone, Lucas. Now."
He hesitated, eyes flicking between me and Ella, then just grunted and walked off, his goons trailing behind.
Ella turned to me, those blue eyes intense. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I said, my voice a little rough. "Thanks."
She just nodded, her gaze lingering a second too long before she turned and walked towards the school. Mike was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Dude! She just totally defended you!"
"I could've handled it," I muttered, even though that wasn't entirely true.
"Maybe," Mike said, grinning. "But still… Ella Zender. Protecting you. This day is officially off the rails."
We walked into school, the stares still burning into my back. But now, there was something else in the air – a question mark hanging over everything.
The day crawled by. History class was a blur of dates and dead guys. My head started to feel weird, a pressure building behind my eyes. It wasn't a headache, more like a… buzzing. A low rumble started in my chest, something animal wanting out. The smells in the classroom – old paper, sweat, something earthy – were suddenly way too strong.
I had to get out.
I bolted, shoving past people, a mumbled 'sorry' lost in the weird roar in my ears. The hallway was a mess of faces, all staring. I just ran, the pull getting stronger, like a magnet dragging me. My fingernails felt sharp, and my bones ached in a way they shouldn't.
Outside, the sky was blue, normal, but I wasn't. I ran towards the woods, the only place that felt… right. The trees swallowed me, the school noise fading. The pressure in my head eased a bit.
Then I saw him. Mark. Leaning against a tree, his eyes knowing, sad.
"David," he said, his voice rough.
"Mark… what's happening?" My breath was coming in gasps.
He looked up at the sky. "The moon, child. Full tonight. Powerful for us."
The full moon. I hadn't even thought about it.
"This might be the last time we talk," Mark said, his voice heavy. "The hunt is coming."
"Hunt? Who?" Fear twisted in my gut.
He shook his head. "You'll find out. But time's gone. You gotta be ready. Control what you are. Fast."
His eyes locked on mine. "The book… it's a start. But you need more. Train. Blend your human skills with the wolf. No one's gonna help you. You're on your own."
He looked at me, a hint of sadness. "Learn everything. Master it all. More than you know might depend on it."
Then he was gone, melting into the trees.
Full moon. Attack coming. No time.
I looked around the woods. My training ground.
Krav Maga first. The stance felt solid. The punches felt heavier, faster. The kicks had a new snap, a raw power. The wolf's strength was there, making everything… more.
But it wasn't just strength. I needed control.
I shifted to Jiu-Jitsu, remembering the moves. Throws felt easier, holds tighter. I could feel the power to control, not just smash.
Then Muay Thai. Knees felt like hammers, elbows like blades, kicks like axes. The wolf's aggression found a brutal way out.
Hours blurred. Sun moved across the sky. Sweat poured. Muscles burned. But I kept going.
Something started to change inside. The wolf's edge softened. It wasn't just a wild surge anymore. It was… part of me. Like learning to handle a beast.
I tried blending the forms. Krav Maga into a Jiu-Jitsu takedown, then Muay Thai strikes. It flowed, instinctual.
Then I remembered Kali. The stick fighting. I found a sturdy branch and started to practice the strikes and blocks I'd seen in the videos. The wolf's speed made my movements lightning-fast, the enhanced strength giving the strikes real impact. The stick became an extension of my arm, a blur of motion.
Next, Jeet Kune Do. The art of no art. I tried to be fluid, adapting, using whatever felt right in the moment. A Krav Maga jab followed by a Kali strike, then a quick Jiu-Jitsu sweep. It was about feeling, about reacting, not just following a set form. The wolf's instincts seemed to guide me here, a primal understanding of movement and flow.
As I practiced a Muay Thai roundhouse, I focused that inner power, that wild energy. I growled, a focused sound. My shin hit a tree, and the bark exploded, a deep crack running through the wood.
That wasn't just strength. That was something else. Channeling the wolf's power through the forms.
Level 4. The wildness was still there, the power huge, but I could control it. The wolf form hadn't died, but it was under wraps, its power ready when I needed it.
Exhausted but wired, I stood in the silent woods. Full moon tonight. Unknown threat. But I felt… ready. Level 5, the giant blue werewolf, felt far off, but I'd taken a step. And I wouldn't stop.
The woods was no longer just a place of fear. It was my training ground. And as the sun started to dip below the trees, I kept practicing, the sounds of my training echoing through the quiet.
Fast forward
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows down Eldridge Street as Mike and I started our walk towards Sal's. The air was thick with the usual city sounds – the rumble of a distant bus, the chatter of neighbors on their stoops, the faint wail of a siren. My muscles still ached from the hours of relentless training in the woods, a satisfying kind of soreness that spoke of progress. The full moon was still hours away, but the underlying hum of energy within me was a constant reminder of its impending power.
Mike, as usual, was a whirlwind of nervous energy beside me, his steps a little too quick, his hands gesturing wildly as he recounted some convoluted plotline from a sci-fi movie I'd only half-listened to before my abrupt exit from school.
"Dude, seriously, what was that back at school?" he finally asked, his usual enthusiasm tinged with genuine curiosity. He'd tried to follow me when I'd bolted, a bewildered look on his face, but I'd been moving too fast, driven by an instinct he couldn't possibly understand.
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just… wasn't feeling too great. Needed some air."
He gave me a skeptical look, the kind he usually reserved for particularly unbelievable movie twists. "Felt more like you were trying to break the sound barrier. One minute you're there, the next – poof! Gone. Like a ninja."
"Just needed some space," I repeated, keeping my gaze fixed on the cracked sidewalk ahead. I wasn't ready to tell him anything, not about the wolf, not about Mark's warning. It all felt too raw, too unbelievable for words.
"Well, you missed Mrs. Johanson's epic meltdown about the missing Civil War diorama," Mike continued, easily sidetracked. "Apparently, little Timmy Henderson decided to reenact the Battle of Gettysburg with actual firecrackers. It was… chaotic."
I managed a small smile. Leave it to Timmy.
As we rounded the corner onto Elm Street, the familiar neon glow of Sal's Diner came into view, a beacon of greasy comfort. The aroma of frying onions and stale coffee wafted out, making my stomach rumble despite the lingering adrenaline from my training.
"Oh, hey!" Mike suddenly exclaimed, pulling out his phone. "Just got a mass text. Alicia's throwing a birthday bash tonight! Seven PM. 'Everyone from school is invited!'" He looked up, his eyes wide. "Dude, we gotta go!"
The thought of a party, of being surrounded by a crowd of people, made me instinctively recoil. The heightened senses, the unpredictable nature of the full moon… it felt like a recipe for disaster.
"I don't know, Mike," I said, trying to sound casual. "We've got work. And I'm still not feeling completely…"
"Come on, man!" Mike protested, grabbing my arm and practically dragging me forward. "It's Alicia! Everyone's gonna be there. It'll be epic! Plus…" He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Maybe Ella will be there."
That name hung in the air between us, a silent pull. I tried to ignore the flicker of… something that stirred within me at the thought of seeing her again. The way her blue eyes had looked at me, the unexpected defense… it was confusing, unsettling.
"We have work," I repeated, more firmly this time. "Sal needs us."
"We can hustle! We'll ask him if we can leave a little early. Six-thirty, tops. That gives us just enough time to grab Ruth and head over." Mike was already formulating a plan, his enthusiasm infectious.
We pushed through the diner's door, the bell above jingling a familiar tune. Sal, a mountain of a man with perpetually grease-stained apron, was wiping down the counter, his brow furrowed in his usual state of mild annoyance. The usual lunchtime rush had died down, leaving a scattering of customers nursing lukewarm coffee and reading newspapers.
"Hey, Sal," Mike called out, already heading behind the counter to grab his apron.
"You're late," Sal grumbled, not even looking up. "Again, Miller."
"Technically, Evans and I are right on time," Mike chirped, dodging a swat from Sal's dishcloth. "And good news! Alicia's having a birthday party tonight. The whole school's invited!"
Sal finally looked up, his gaze settling on me. "Party, huh? You going, Evans?"
I hesitated. "Maybe. We still have our shift."
"Yeah, about that, Sal," Mike interjected smoothly. "Any chance we could wrap up a little early tonight? Say, six-thirty? It's a pretty big deal for Alicia."
Sal grunted, wiping his hands on his apron. He considered us for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Six-thirty? You two better bust your butts. No slacking. And if it gets busy, you stay till the work's done. Got it?"
"Got it!" Mike said instantly, already grabbing a stack of menus.
I nodded in agreement, a small sense of relief washing over me. A party… it was the last thing I felt like dealing with, but Mike's enthusiasm was hard to resist, and the thought of seeing Ella again… it was a complicated pull.
The next couple of hours were a blur of taking orders, flipping burgers, and refilling coffee cups. The diner slowly filled up again with the early dinner crowd, a mix of regulars and tired commuters. I moved on autopilot, the practiced routine a familiar comfort. But beneath the surface, the anticipation of the full moon and the memory of Mark's warning simmered.
By six-fifteen, we had managed to clear the last of the dinner rush. Sal, surprisingly, was true to his word.
"Alright, you two. Get going," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "But don't be late tomorrow."
"Thanks, Sal!" Mike called out, already peeling off his apron.
I followed suit, a strange mix of reluctance and anticipation churning within me. A party. Tonight. Under the full moon. What could possibly go wrong?
We hurried back towards our neighborhood, the sky now painted in hues of orange and purple as the sun began its descent. Mike chattered excitedly about the party, speculating about who would be there, what the music would be like.
"We gotta grab Ruth!" he said, as we reached our building. "She's been talking about Alicia's birthday for weeks!"
We found Ruth in our small apartment, bouncing on the worn sofa, a half-finished drawing clutched in her hand. Her eyes lit up when she heard about the party.
"Can I go? Please? Alicia promised cake!"
"Of course, you can go, squirt," I said, ruffling her hair. "Just gotta get ready."
"Mike's dad's gonna drive us," Mike announced, already heading for the door. "His old station wagon's a beast, but it gets the job done."
The drive to Alicia's house, which was in a slightly more upscale neighborhood than ours, was filled with Ruth's excited chatter and Mike's slightly off-key singing along to the radio. I sat in the back, the city lights blurring past the window, a sense of unease settling over me. The moon was starting to peek over the horizon, a pale disc in the darkening sky. The energy within me was intensifying, a low thrumming that vibrated in my bones.
Alicia's house was already buzzing with activity. Music spilled out into the street, and the sounds of laughter and excited voices filled the air. Mike parked his dad's behemoth of a car down the block, and we joined the stream of teenagers heading towards the brightly lit house.
The party was exactly what you'd expect – loud music, awkward dancing, and a table laden with pizza and sugary snacks. Ruth immediately disappeared into the crowd, her small figure swallowed by the throng of teenagers. Mike, ever the social butterfly, was already deep in conversation with a group of classmates.
I found myself lingering near the edge of the party, feeling out of place and increasingly uncomfortable. The full moon was higher now, its silvery light bathing the scene in an ethereal glow. My senses were on high alert, the music too loud, the smells too intense, the energy of the crowd almost overwhelming. The wolf within was stirring, a restless presence demanding to be acknowledged.
I was just about to suggest to Mike that we take Ruth home when the music suddenly shifted, a hush falling over a small section of the crowd near the entrance. Every head turned.
And then she appeared.
Ella stood in the doorway, framed by the warm light spilling from inside the house. Her blue hair seemed to catch the moonlight, shimmering like spun silver. She wore a simple white dress that flowed around her like a cloud, making her look almost… angelic. Her eyes, a startling shade of blue in the soft light, scanned the room, and for a fleeting moment, they met mine.
The breath caught in my throat. Whatever awkwardness or unease I had been feeling vanished, replaced by a sudden, intense awareness. It was like the rest of the world had faded away, leaving only her, bathed in moonlight, an ethereal vision in the chaotic energy of the party.
This was going to be a long night.
The sight of Ella in the doorway had stolen my breath. It was like time had stopped, the loud music and chattering voices fading into a muted background hum. She looked… otherworldly, the moonlight clinging to her blue hair and white dress. For that brief moment, it was just her and me, a silent connection across the crowded room.
Then, a voice, laced with malice and a familiar sneer, shattered the fragile stillness.
"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. Evans."
Lucas. He pushed his way through the small crowd that had gathered around Ella, his eyes fixed on me with a burning hatred. Jacob and Joe flanked him, their expressions mirroring his animosity. The purple bruise on Lucas's jaw was a stark reminder of our last, unseen encounter.
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my expression neutral. The full moon's energy was thrumming beneath my skin, making it harder to maintain a calm facade. Lucas's presence was like a spark near dry tinder.
"Having a good time, Evans?" Lucas continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Enjoying the party? Bet you didn't expect to see me here, did you?"
I remained silent, my gaze steady. There was no point in engaging. Anything I said would only escalate things. The level four control over the wolf was a fragile thing under the full moon's pull, a constant effort of will.
Lucas took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "You think you're so tough, don't you? Showing off that freak strength of yours." He gestured to his still-tender jaw. "You got lucky last time. Caught me off guard."
Jacob and Joe chuckled, their eyes flicking between Lucas and me with anticipation. The surrounding partygoers were starting to notice the tension, their conversations dying down, their attention drawn to the brewing confrontation.
"Tonight's a different story," Lucas hissed, taking another step, invading my personal space. "Tonight, you're gonna learn some respect."
Before I could react, before my carefully maintained control could even register the incoming threat, Lucas's fist shot out, connecting hard with my jaw. A sharp pain jolted through me, and the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth.
I stumbled back slightly, but I didn't retaliate. I kept my hands at my sides, my gaze unwavering. Let him get it out of his system. Provoking him further would only make things worse, especially with the full moon's influence.
Lucas, emboldened by my lack of response, threw another punch, this one catching me on the cheek. The crowd around us was silent now, a circle of uneasy onlookers.
Suddenly, Ella's voice, sharp and clear, cut through the tense atmosphere. "Lucas! Stop it!"
She had moved from the doorway, her eyes blazing with anger as she stepped between us. Her protective stance surprised me.
Lucas scoffed. "Stay out of this, Zender. This is between me and the freak."
"He hasn't done anything to you here," Ella retorted, her voice rising. "Just leave him alone."
Lucas ignored her, his focus solely on me. He lunged forward again, but this time, before his fist could connect, I instinctively shoved him back, a surge of controlled strength pushing him away from Ella.
He stumbled, regaining his balance, his eyes now wide with fury. He saw the trickle of blood running down my chin. A predatory grin spread across his face, his composure finally cracking.
"Blood," he hissed, his voice taking on a deeper, more guttural tone. His eyes flickered, a crimson red replacing the normal human white. His teeth elongated, sharpening into visible fangs. Jacob and Joe mirrored his transformation, their eyes glowing red, their teeth bared.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The party atmosphere had vanished, replaced by a palpable fear. Ella's eyes widened in shock and dawning horror.
"What… what are they?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Vampires," I said, my own voice low and steady, the forced calm a stark contrast to the turmoil within me. The full moon's pull was intensifying, but the level four control was holding, the wolf's rage a contained inferno.
Ella cried out as Lucas and his goons lunged towards me, their movements unnaturally fast. The fight was on, and the fragile peace I had managed to maintain was about to shatter.
But something unexpected happened. As Lucas reached for me, his hand brushing against my bloodied jaw, a wave of pure, raw fury washed over me. It wasn't the wolf taking over; it was something else, something deeper.
My dyed black hair began to shimmer, the dark pigment receding, replaced by a vibrant, glowing blue. A low hum emanated from me, the air around me crackling with energy.
At the same moment, Ella gasped, her own blue hair beginning to glow with the same intense light. Her feet lifted off the ground, and she floated upwards, her blue eyes widening, now radiating a brilliant, otherworldly luminescence.
The change wasn't just visual. The air around us crackled, the hum intensifying into a high-pitched whine. A wave of pure energy pulsed outwards from both Ella and me, slamming into the surrounding partygoers with incredible force. People screamed as they were thrown backwards, colliding with walls and furniture.
Lucas and his goons were caught in the blast, their vampire speed and strength no match for the raw power emanating from us. They were sent hurtling across the room, crashing into the snack table with a shower of pizza and soda.
Then, the light intensified, bathing the entire scene in an blinding, electric blue. The air shimmered, and a swirling vortex of energy began to form in the center of the room, a tear in the fabric of reality. A portal.
Two figures stepped out of the swirling blue light. A man with sharp, intense eyes and a woman with an equally determined gaze. They moved with a swift, purposeful stride, their attention immediately locking onto Ella and me.
Before anyone could react, before I could even fully comprehend what was happening, tendrils of blue energy shot out from the portal, wrapping around Ella, Lucas, his goons, and me. We were lifted off the ground, weightless and helpless, as the figures pulled us towards the swirling vortex.
Screams and shouts erupted around us, the chaos of the party now amplified by sheer terror. The last thing I saw before the blue light swallowed us whole was Alicia, her face a mask of utter shock and disbelief, as the portal pulsed and then vanished, leaving behind only the lingering scent of ozone and the stunned silence of a party abruptly interrupted.
The world dissolved into a swirling vortex of blue, and then… nothing.
Tbc
Please I need engagement guys