LUNAR CURSE

The moon hung low in the nocturnal sky and spilled its light, pale as ghostly shrouds, over a dense forest-somber with shadows cast deep upon the ground beneath. Somewhere deep within, one storm brewed-albeit not of nature-but one that stirred within the very soul of man. For so many years now, the town of Greywood had whispered terrorizing tales of the beast that prowled the night. An animal neither altogether, nor quite man, but Twisted, damned.

The whispers circled one figure above all: Adrian Marlowe, a quiet man who was both a mystery and an easy target for suspicion due to his solitary nature. He lived on the outskirts of town, in a small, weather-beaten cabin nestled at the edge of the forest. People avoided him, but Adrian preferred it that way. He knew what he was, and he knew the danger he posed.

He felt it now, the beast stirring just beneath the skin. His muscles ached, his skin burned, and the beating of his heart in his ears was like the pounding of war drums. The signs were always the same: the heightened senses, the boiling rage just below the surface, the gnawing hunger that no amount of food could satisfy.

Adrian bunched his hands together and shut his eyes, his breathing slow and deep. He knew how to keep it locked in, hold the beast at bay, but a full moon was different. The change would happen, and with each surrender to the wolf, a little voice inside questioned whether he would find his way back.

It was the first time it had happened, and Adrian was just a boy then. He remembered the confusion, the terror as his body twisted and contorted, bones snapping and reshaping themselves into something monstrous. He remembered the blood-his hands stained with it, though he couldn't recall what or who he had harmed.

His parents had kept him hidden afterward, afraid of what their son had turned into. They had searched for answers from doctors, priests, and any who would listen, but no one could explain his condition. In the end, they had gone to a recluse who lived deep in the woods, said to know everything about the forces of nature, including the supernatural.

The hermit had but glanced at Adrian and pronounced his fate: the mark of the beast, a curse traced through blood. The words of the hermit were in riddles, warning of a darkness inside Adrian that would devour him unless he learned to control it.

Over the years, Adrian had done his best to heed the hermit's advice. He studied the old texts, practiced rituals of self-control, and kept others at arm's length to keep them safe. But no amount of preparation would ever change what he was.

Now, with the moonlight streaming in through the cracks in the cabin walls, Adrian could feel the beast claw its way to the surface. His breathing was coming in ragged gasps, and sweat was dripping from his brow. Grinding his teeth in an attempt to fight it off, but it was pointless.

It came first as a slow change: his fingers extended to claw-like shapes; his teeth sharpened to fangs. The colors around him faded to gray while the world sharpened in his suddenly hypersensitive vision. One tide of agonizing torture after another, and yet Adrian refrained from uttering a word. He was used to pain, learned how to sustain it-to be overpowered.

When it was over, he was on all fours, his large frame covered in dark, matted fur. His heart pounded against his chest as his ears pricked at every little sound. The beast had taken over now, but buried beneath the feral instincts, a man was there, clinging to that thread of humanity.

Adrian burst through the cabin door, powerful legs launching him into the forest. The trees blurred in his running; cool night air whipped against his face. The beast relished the freedom, the raw power surging through its veins. Yet Adrian fought for the control to steer it away from the primeval urges threatening to overwhelm him.

The trees were alive with movement, nocturnal creatures scurrying away from the predator as it passed. Adrian's senses came alive with all of it: the rustling of leaves, the musky scent of prey, the distant howl of another wolf. He came to an abrupt stop, ears perked up as he heard the sound of voices.

Humans.

The beast growled, its instincts screaming for blood. Adrian's claws dug into the earth as he fought for control, forcing the beast to retreat. He could not let that happen again, not like before.

The voices grew louder, and soon the source came into view: a group of hunters, their torches casting flickering shadows on the forest floor. They were armed with rifles and crossbows, their faces grim as they scanned the darkness.

"They say the beast is near," one of them said, his voice laced with fear.

Another scoffed. "Just a wolf. We've dealt with worse."

Adrian watched from the shadows, his yellow eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. The beast wanted to attack, to tear them apart, but Adrian held it back. He knew these men; they were townsfolk, people he had grown up with. People he had to protect from himself.

But then, the unexpected happened. A second howl sliced through the night, this one closer and far more menacing. The hunters froze, their torches shaking in their hands.

"It's not alone," one of them whispered.

Adrian's heart sank. Another beast. He had always suspected there were others like him, but he had never encountered one. Now, it seemed, his worst fear had come true.

And then, the other beast emerged into the light. Its body, much bigger and stronger even than Adrian, had eyes glowing bright red, with snarls that moved his flesh to shiver. There was something far from another cursed soul; it was far darker, far more dangerous.

The hunters reacted immediately, raising their weapons and firing. The beast roared in fury, the bullets barely slowing it down. It lunged at them, its claws rending flesh and bone with an ease that terrified.

Adrian hesitated, torn between the beast within him and the man who couldn't stand by while others were slaughtered. Finally, he made his choice.

Adrian flung himself at the creature with a deafening roar, his large body tussling with it in a blur of fur and claws. The two beasts grappled with each other, snarling into the woods in a dogfight, which makes them fight for dominance.

The hunters stood and watched, dumbfounded, their weapons useless against the power of the creatures before them.

He fought with all his might, but the other beast was pitiless. The strength it possessed was unlike anything he had ever felt; its movements inspired by pure malice. And it slowly dawned on Adrian that this creature wasn't just cursed, it was corrupted-humanity long gone.

The fight continued, the ground of the forest a mess of splintered trees and blood. Adrian's mind raced as he struggled to outmaneuver his opponent. He needed to end this, but he couldn't kill it without succumbing fully to the beast within him.

Until finally, he saw his opening. Summoning every last vestige of strength, Adrian launched himself at the creature, claws deep in its throat. The corrupted beast let out one last guttural snarl, collapsing to the ground.

Adrian stumbled backward, chest heaving, as he struggled to regain control. The hunters approached him with caution, a mix of awe and fear in their faces.

What. what are you?" one of them asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian didn't answer. He couldn't. The beast within him was still there, still clawing at the edges of his mind, and he knew he couldn't stay. Without a word, he turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving the hunters to grapple with what they had witnessed.

As the first light of dawn cut through treetops, Adrian came onto the edge of a secluded clearing; he fell on his knees, the transformation going into reverse as the beast receded. The pain was just as strong, and his body had convulsions as it turned back into his human form.

When it was done, Adrian collapsed to the earth, spent and covered in blood. He stared upwards at the sky, the burden of his curse weighing upon him. The monster inside was still for the moment, but he knew that wouldn't last.

He would continue to fight, as always. But a part of him was afraid of that one day, the monster would win.