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The sun was already low in the horizon when he reached the familiar white residence.

Brian waited in anticipation to meet his former classmate, Mae. This would be their first meeting in six years after graduation. He wanted to surprise her; his memory of her home served him well. He traveled hundreds of miles, just to see her again.

With orange tulips and chocolates in his hands, a black coupe parked on the street and he saw her familiar figure. Mae didn’t change; everything about her was the same.

Her face lighted up when she saw him. “Brian!” she exclaimed, not entirely knowing what to say.

The passenger door opened, a small boy came out and looked at them. Brian’s heart felt light at the presence of the child who bore the same eyes and shape of his handsome face.

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Like a burst of energy, Genu shifted into a monstrous black bear and with one strike, the cage was destroyed. He broke his brother’s chain like it was ceramic. Olin shifted into a lion and they both rampaged out of the palace.

As soon as they were in a clearing, Genu shifted into a falcon and Olin into a hawk. They flew into the heart of the forest where the thick canopies of oak and acacia sheltered them from their bewildered pursuers.

“What has happened to me?” asked Genu in his human form.

“It is the witchcraft of the high priest, brother,” Olin said. “I took the Alexandrite because I know that was the only way to drive you out of the palace. Its mysterious powers enhanced the spell on you,” he continued.

“We have to seek vengeance,” Genu said.

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“Dragon!” cried the men as they hurried to arm their heavy artillery. The arrows didn’t harm Genu’s heavy-duty skin.

He secured the unconscious intruder in his claws as he leaped into the air, leaving the useless pursuit of the men below. At last the Alexandrite was recovered, the pride of his people.

He landed in their city and returned the stone to the chief. The intruder was placed in a cage and was chained with an alloy of rare earth metals, majority of which were the Lanthanoids, the only material known to suppress shifting.

“You are lucky, the chief let you live this time,” Genu said.

“Genu?” pleaded the intruder. “Don’t you recognize your own brother, it is I, Olin?”

The words struck Genu like a dagger and a lightning of memories flooded him. He was taken aback with disbelief.