Fastball o/` The Way o/`

[Ginrai]

"'One of such'?  You mean a friend of the wolves?  I guess that would make sense, since a wolf helped me out in Albany when some dark, unknown entity was trying to capture me."

[Brian]

"The wolves do not take orders to protect, not even from the Warriors of Dream," Ezmereth notes, pointing a hand towards Victor.  The vampire lazilly pulls a large stone dagger from his shirt, and hands it to Ezmereth.

The old man takes the dagger from the vampire, and presents it towards Ginrai, hilt first.  "Wolves protect their own," he explains.  "Take this, if you wish to truly awaken your heritage."

[Rezantis]

"I'm certain that was the same one, despite what Shade said . . ."  Rez mutters irritably (and quietly).

[Ginrai]

"Bound to happen sooner or later.  I wonder if this will turn out to be something like in 'Wolf's Rain'," Ginrai says as he takes the dagger from Ezmereth.

[Brian]

Ginrai:  You feel a bit funny, and unbalance yourself.  You have no idea where that knife went, but catch yourself on all four limbs pretty easily.  Other than that ... and the fact that for some reason, you feel like you want to stay in the position you are, everything is good.  In fact, you can see, hear, and ... hmm ... smell better than ever before.

Everyone else:  Ginrai has just vanished, to be replaced with a pretty goodly-sized wolf.  It's gray, big, got shaggy fur, big, and seems pretty content about where it is, in addition to being big.

[Rezantis]

Rez manages to pick his jaw up off the floor.

"Well.  That was surprising.  You in there, Gin?"

[Dracos]

"Gin, Bark once if you are patronized.  Bark twice if you have a clue how to change yourself back."

Dracos

[Ginrai]

Opening his mouth and checking if he can talk in this form, Ginrai says, "So much for normalacy.  And Drac, remember that wolves have very sharp teeth."

Turning to Ezmereth, he asks, "So, how will I be able to change myself back?"

[Brian]

Everything you said felt like speech to you, but to judge by everyone else's blank expressions, you just barked a whole lot.  "Just drop the knife," Ezmereth advises.  "You'll get the hang of it after a while."

[Ginrai]

Realizing that he was still, somehow, holding onto the knife, Ginrai lets go of it.

[Brian]

Ginrai: Concentrating, it's like you've got an extra hand just to hang onto the knife ... when you open that hand to drop the knife, it falls to the ground, and you collapse face-first into the sand.  This shape-shifting may take time to get used to.

"From now," Ezmereth explains, "just concentrate on the image of the wolf while holding the knife.  You'll find you can make yourself much smaller, if you need to, and eventually, you  may not even need the knife to change."

[Rezantis]

"Hmm.  So, who did we all used to be?  Or whatnot.  I'm sorta curious."

[Brian]

"Pieces of the land ... the ancestor spirits, and the stuff that was left from before the land was made," Ezmereth explains.  "When it was time for Man to be born, some pieces of this were mixed in with the firstborn.  When one dies ... ones fragments are like water cast into a river.  When it is drawn to make a new spirit, sometimes parts of older selves join the mix."  He shrugs.  "Not all move on to the Eternal Hunting Ground.  Some are cast back, to try again."

Victor nods slowly, setting his pipe down and considering this.

[Dracos]

"Hmmm...Gawain or the Green Man.  One of those most likely for me.  Either that or a tale older still that I recall not at all.  Which is in many ways likely.  Rezantis, a... knight of old for Apollo or the Oracle?  Ginrai is a wolf.  The others I know not, but there is the obvious curiousity of how each of us would know Victor from the past.  Unless it's several lives or something completely untold.  The latter seems likely though as I take it this Contest is not something heard in mortal ears or relayed in story, no matter it's importance or grandeur."

Dracos ponders, "Ezmereth, what can you tell us of Gibraltar?  Every other point in there I am well aware of being tied with myths of old, but Gibraltar does not ring any bells.  What lies or lied there in the past to give it such significance in Shade's dreams?"

Dracos

[Brian]

"Oh, it has," Ezmereth says quietly.  "And this will be the fourth time the Contest has come about in the memory of Man.  "Who you were is not as important as who you choose to become, however."

"If you're thinking we've met before, specifically, as we are now, we haven't," Victor clarifies.  "Consider it that in addition to the people you are today, you are also ... archetypes.  Templates.  There have been those like you in the past ... and there will be again.  And so, we've met, even if you don't remember it."

"And for the last, you name the spot where the Guardian Spirit of Earth lies dreaming," Ezmereth adds, his eyes closing as he nods to himself.

Victor shifts a bit, and says, "Why don't you sit down, relax?  I get the idea we may be here for a while."