It had all started a long while ago. He had seen a norn, with a mohawk and blue eyes, arguing with Sammy over a toy. Sammy got carried away, and had begun hitting the other norn. The norn tried to get away from Sammy, but was at the end of the pier.

Then James saw something incredible. Suddenly, before his very eyes, the norn fell to the ground. When he stood back up, his skin was all green, his eyes a burning red, and he had grown enormous claws and fangs. The norn--if it still even was a norn--pounded on Sammy, until he stopped moving. He then hurried away. Afterwards, James had brought food over to Sammy, to help him recover.

Ever since then, James had been keeping track of the mysterious norn. Every so often, James would find him. Sometimes he would transform, sometimes not. It usually seemed to happen when he became enraged.

James had taken it upon himself to follow this norn, to minimize the chaos the norn would cause, and to warn others when possible. It was a long, tireless journey, and he could not imagine where it would all end up.

Bill was walking along, minding his own business, when he saw his friend Sally talking to Bruce (the bully of Albia so far as Bill was concerned). Bill picked up a full pot of honey and went over to them.

Bill stood in front of them, on a long platform high in the trees. He dropped the honey in front of Sally. Bruce promptly picked it up and shamelessly drank the whole thing.

"Come norn," Bill said, wanting Sally to walk towards him.

She started to do so, when Bruce gave her a slap. She turned around. "Stop!" She hit him back, then continued towards Bill.

Bruce slapped her again. "No!" Bill said. His genetics made him a very peaceful sort when he was normal, so he was unable to do anything to Bruce. Bruce slapped her again, sending her to the ground. Bill became angry. "Stop!"

Bruce punched Bill once, then went back to Sally and hit her yet again. Down below in the carrot patch, James was watching them. He could see anything in Albia, as all the norns could. But for the time being, Bill was the focus of his attention.

Bill's eyes started glowing. James knew what was about to happen. Again.

Bill went down on the ground, even as Bruce was hitting him. He shook. His skin turned green. He then stood up as the monster--the grendel!

The grendel hit Bruce. Hard. Bruce stepped back from him. But Bill stepped forward, and punched him. Bruce suddenly remembered that this had happened before, and he ran off.

Bill usually gave chase, but not this time. His grendel eyes were on Sally, and James became scared for her life.

But then James saw something amazing, something unexpected. The grendel walked to the left, found a carrot, and brought it over to where Sally was now sleeping. He then found an herb and dropped it in front of her. He picked up the empty honey pot, and hurried away.

So maybe the grendel was completely bad after all, James' simplistic norn mind wondered. Perhaps the rage was only directed at those who made him angry, not towards innocent norns like Sally. Maybe he was only trying to help, in his own bizarre way.

How did Bill do it? Was it at will or involuntary? Did he realize what he was doing? These questions James could not answer. He only knew he had to keep watching; he had to seek out the truth.

Of course, Bill knew that he did not have a choice in the matter. He didn't want it to happen. It just did. How could his usual calm nature get so turned around? How could he separate himself from this--this thing? Was death the only way out? Bill did not know. Full honey jar in hand, he stood at the submarine bay, waiting for his ride to isolation, and safety.