The bells chimed. Elwyn's throughts drifted back to this place. He had found it more difficult to focus over the past few weeks. Few had come for their business since his father had died. He wondered if they no longer trausted him? Or were they trying to give him time to mourn? Having business to keep his mind busy would be better for him then all this time that allowed his brain to wallow.

Setting aside his vials, he went out front to meet their visitor. He was a large human. He was gruff and unkempt.

"What is a little lady like you doing alone in the woods?" he asked.

Elwyn ignored the man's error and answered "This is a healer's hut. We are happy to provide you with any services you may require."

"Is that so?"

The man took 2 quick strides, closing the distance between himself and Elwyn. The man was much larger and heavier, easily knocking Elwyn to the ground. Pushing up on the man's chest and struggling to breath, Elwyn felt panic wash over him. What was he suppose to do? What did this man want? Where was Togar? The last question echoed in his mind. Reaching out, he sought the comfort of Togar's thoughts, but he found it difficult to focus and feared that Togar had gone to far to be contacted.

The man ran his hand down Elwyn's stomach and cupped his groin.

"What the fuck?" the man snarled when he did not find what he had been expecting.

He drew a short blade from his belt and thrust it into Elwyn's side. The pain lanced through him and cleared the panic from his mind. He gathered his thoughts and began to mutter the words of his attack. The man clamped his hand around Elwyn's throat and squeezed tightly. Struggling to remain calm, he continued to say the words in his mind. This is what he had been practicing for. Had he been wrong to toss the sword away?

Togar's long claws dug into the man's shoulder and easily wrenched him up. Elwyn clasped his hands to his throat and wheezed. Through watering eyes, he saw the men fighting. The man had thrown a punch and connected with Togar's chin.

"No," Elwyn croaked. He could see where this was heading. Staggering to his feet, he put himself between the 2 men. "Don't kill him," he said, pushing his hands against Togar's chest. The man behind him rewarded his efforts with another thrust of his knife. This time it sunk deeply between his ribs and caused his chest to spasm. He couldn't breath. But rather then terror, it was rage that rose up inside him. His hands dropped to his sides and he moaned, feeling something coming loose inside him.

Everything that had been white and golden now became black and grey. Inchor oozed over his skin. Eyes glazed black and smoke rose from the corners. Twisting hands grew claws. His jaw extended and fangs stretched themselves out. Growling gutterally, he turned to the man who dared to attack him. Had he not been proctecting him? Was he not being forgiving? Long fingers easily wrapped completely around the man's neck and the claws sunk. Lifting him from the ground, Elwyn blasted the man with all the rage, hurt and terror he had ever known in his life time. He showed to him all the suffering of his visions and let this man feel the torment they brought. Elwyn tossed him to the ground and loomed over him, screaming inarticulately.

The man screamed and held a hand to the wound on his throat. Blood oozed between his fingers. Urine darkened his pants. He tried to push himself backwards from the vile creature before him, but found that all the strength had drained from his limbs. Togar stepped between them. It was his turn to place his hands to bar the violence.

"Don't do this," he whispered.

Togar reached up and gripped the beast's lower jaw with both hands and jerked it down so that their eyes met.

"Come back to me," Togar hoped that all the love he felt for this boy was carried in his words.

Roaring, the beast grabbed Togar by the shoulders and raised him up so that they were still eye to eye despite the beast stretching itself to its full height. Expecting a blow, Togar stiffened. He was unable to keep himself from flinching when the beast flicked out his tongue and licked him across the cheek. Shuddering, it set Togar down while giving a final scream.

Then as quickly as the beast had come, it receeded. Elwyn lay quivering in the dirt. He was still coated with grey slime, but the skin beneath had returned to white. When his eyes fluttered open weakly, they revealed blue. Togar went to aid him up, but Elwyn waved him off. He crawled over to the man that was now cowering at the base of the ornamental tree. Elwyn's touch was gentle as he drew the man's hand from his neck. The wound there was not as bad as he'd feared. With a few soft words and little circles along the injured skin, he had fixed the damage.

"You would do well to leave here," Togar said.

The man rose onto wobbling legs and staggered from their home. When Togar returned his gaze to the boy, he found him crumpled onto the ground and unconscious. He went to him and checked his wounds. But there were none to be found. All that remained were 2 thin pink lines. This had not been the work of the beast. Rather it was more evidence of the boy's growing power. Would the beast's power grow with time as well?

Leaving the boy for a time, he went into the hut. Once there, he allowed himself to weep and tremble. This days event mingled and knotted with those of the past and together created a deep ache. Fear. It consumed him. Sinking to his knees and covering his face, he gave into it completely. Eliate, who had been named so well. They had believed that it had been his rage that had called forth this creature. Now the boy had found it.

He picked up supplies and dried his eyes. Taking a few breaths, he steadied himself. He did not want the boy to see his distress. What was happening to him was bad enough. Knowing that his master was afraid would help nothing. But it hadn't mattered. Elwyn was still in slumber. Togar stripped off the foul clothing and wiped off as much of the muck as possible. It smelled of death and rot. He lifted the boy from the ground and carried him to the river where he washed him. The clothing would be more difficult to save, but he knew what they meant to the boy. As soon as Elwyn was safely in bed, Togar went to work in an effort to salvage the leather.