"Enraging your enemies to throw them off is almost always a good idea. But there are some enemies you should never use that tactic against." This lesson from Brogan was one that David had almost completely forgotten about.
For David, playing off an enemy's emotions had become almost a habit. In the clearing below, stood one of the few enemies that Brogan had warned against enraging.
A werewolf.
Most werewolves, especially younger or newly turned werewolves, had less control over their transformations. They needed a strong emotional impulse to transform. And David had provided Edmund with exactly what he needed.
Edmund now stood another half meter taller, he was covered in a thick golden fur. His hands were now larger, and tipped by long ivory claws.
The reason for the bare feet was revealed, Edmund now stood on a pair of wolf like legs, the claws digging into the ground.
The handsome face, golden hair, and beard were gone, now a wolf like head angrily glared up at the tree, the eyes the same bright green color.
The breastplate and armor he wore had shifted to accommodate his changing body, the many straps allowing it adjust. The emblem on Edmunds breastplate was a twin of the wolfs head on top of his shoulders.
His blades now sheathed at his back, Edmund dropped to the ground with an angry growl and dropped to all fours. He bounded forward, sending clumps of soil and leaves flying in all directions.
'Good thing I didn't run'
David thought to himself, seeing Edmund's speed, there was no way he would've been able to get away, especially if others in clan could transform in the same way.
"No way." David let out a sigh of amazement, almost forgetting he was in battle. Edmund couldn't be doing what he thought he was going to.
The golden werewolf below him didn't even slow down while running right at the tree David was in, instead he sped up.
Then, he leapt into the air, his momentum carrying him forward, and he landed against the tree, his claws digging into the bark, and started climbing upwards.
'I can't come across a normal enemy, can I?' David almost laughed out loud, at this distance, he could see the enormous fangs that were packed inside Edmund's mouth, and the drool that dripped down his jaws.
But what Edmund didn't know, was that David was no ordinary opponent either. Most people would have either been frozen in fear, or tried to run.
Instead, David stepped out of the hollow, letting himself fall, plummeting down towards Edmund, a grin on his face.
"Deal with this, doggy!" Now that Edmund had transformed, David could infuriate him as much as he liked, the more he pushed his buttons, the more he would lean towards the wolfish instincts rather than his human rationality.
More than half the way up the trunk, Edmund paused, was this idiotic stranger suicidal? He had just jumped out toward his waiting jaws.
Flying through the air, David summoned a tentacle in Edmund's blind spot, out of the back of his leg. His attack was only a mana empowered one, for now, activating a Crescent Moon Slash wasn't possible for him in a split second.
Seeing his prey falling right towards him, Edmund launched himself upwards, his jaws open, he would crush this insolent fool's head between his jaws.
An instant before the two collided, the tentacle behind David snapped out, whipping against the tree, pushing him away from the side of the trunk, and just far enough that he would fall behind Edmund, instead of into him.
Snap
Edmund's jaws snapped shut, he expected to feel bone crunching between them, and a final scream of pain. But there was nothing.
At the same time, David swung out with his sword, intending to cut of Edmund's head. But David was in mid air, without any leverage, even his mana enhanced sword would only be so powerful.
"Tch." David said in annoyance, falling past Edmund, his sword had been further blunted by Edmund's thick fur, and enhanced defenses of a werewolf.
"Aghhhhhh!" Edmund let out a cry of pain, he could feel a burning sensation the back of his neck, he had been wounded.
Even though Edmund was emotional, he wasn't an idiot, he immediately clicked on to what had happened. He looked down behind him, seeing David falling through the air.
"Grrrr." Edmund growled, loosening his grip on the bark of the tree and sliding down to the ground.
"How did you do that?" Edmund spoke in a strange, growling and strangled voice, speaking with a wolf's head wasn't easy. Even amongst the other clans, he didn't know of anyone who could freely navigate in the air, without any visible signs.
David didn't answer, the tables had been turned, Edmund had revealed his cards, but David had used some unknown ability to wound him.
Now cautious, Edmund circled around the clearing, blood stained his right shoulder and dripped onto his armor, but even now, the flow was slowing.
Opposite him, circled David, half of his face covered with a cloth, only his dark eyes were visible from under the deep hood of his cloak. He stepped lightly, the tip of his straight sword angled up at Edmund's head.
'Now that's just unfair. His speed has increased, his defense has improved, and he's got more ways to attack.' David thought to himself.
'Oh wait.' David chuckled internally, thinking about his own advantages, and even better, his were invisible.
"What clan are you from?" Again, Edmund asked, he was starting to get nervous, clearly, the stranger facing him was used to fighting, and his abilities were a mystery, maybe he was from a powerful clan.
"What's up doggy? You losing your nerve?" David taunted the growling Edmund. He could Edmund was losing his nerve.
"I'll tear you in two, fool!" Edmund growled, lowering himself closer to the ground. In truth, he wanted to call for help, he'd never been in a situation before where the enemy hadn't been scared of his status, or vastly weaker than him.
"Why don't you run back to your owner?" A slight glow had started to surround David's sword, and it didn't go unnoticed by Edmund.
There was only an angry growl in response. Edmund's arms started to glow with a golden light, and there was a soft crackling noise.
The glow from David's sword had spread to his body, shining like the moon. It shrouded him completely, his steps becoming even lighter, it looked as though like he was floating above the ground.
Edmund's fur was now standing on end, golden strands of electricity crackling all over his hands and arms.
Initially, the electricity moved freely around his arms, but it gradually shifted, becoming more concentrated around his hands.
However, David didn't want to give Edmund a chance to complete his technique, he ran forward, his sword raised high up in the air, the white glow radiating from him.
The crackles grew louder, and the electricity shifted, forming around Edmund's hands. His hands were now covered in a thick layer of electricity, with long shining claws of electricity at the tip.
The two of them charged at each other, one a shadowy figure shrouded in moonlight, the other a shining golden wolf, both aiming to take the others life.