The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)
Chapter Thirteen: Aligned Interests

Like the rest of his body, Richard’s eyelids felt heavy. His eyes slowly opened and were met by the brilliant stinging light of the morning sun. He lifted his hand to shield his face and got up from the bed.

A weary and painful sigh came out of his mouth as he stretched his body. Next to the window that led to the balcony was the opaque glass door of the bathroom. Richard walked into the bathroom, took off his clothes and in a few minutes steamy hot water was pouring over his body. This was the closest Richard could ever be to feeling like he was back in the ocean.

Ethan had released one of his seals, Richard thought. When he and Ethan had fought last year something felt off. For one, Ethan never fought the way he did yesterday, and at no point were any of his seals released. Yesterday, Richard’s suspicions were confirmed; Ethan let himself be defeated. He had taken out Arius with only a single blow and Ethan obviously released his seventh seal just as a way of courtesy when fighting Vladimir.

But something else baffled Richard; why was Ethan so interested in this town and also... what did Ashley have to do with it? Ethan had saved Ashley from Vladimir and had even ordered Sara to use her Threshold Technique to shield Ashley and the rest of her friends from his dark aura.

Minutes later, Richard walked out of the bathroom and to his large shiny black wooden wardrobe. He picked out and wore a deep blue T-Shirt, black denim jeans, and white canvas. Looking into the mirror, Richard was about to start combing his hair when it hit him. All this he was doing, grooming himself, making sure he looked presentable... going to school... Why was he doing all this?

Richard remembered the vow he made to himself...

“No matter what I have to do... No matter what I become... I shall never rest until Ethan dies by my hands...”

That’s right, none of all this mattered. All that mattered was Ethan’s destruction. Ashley was someone Ethan needed right? Then the best course of action would be to replace out exactly what he needed from her. If it so happened that it was beneficial to Ethan, Richard would have no choice but to get rid of...

Richard’s arm moved reflexively and punched a hole through the mirror. What was he thinking?! No... Something was definitely wrong with him. How could he even consider it? How? Richard thought as the wound on his hand began to heal. His eyes were glowing orange and his teeth had extended.

“I am sure you just rendered your warranty null and void,” a voice said from behind him.

Richard sighed and calmed himself. The glow in his blue eyes faded and his teeth returned to normal.

“Get out of my head Ethan,” Richard said, turning to face Ethan.

Ethan was on the balcony, seated on one of the silver chairs with his legs crossed on top of the table.

“Out of your head?” Ethan asked, raising one of his brows. “Please brother, don’t blame me for everything little dark thought your mind conjures.”

There was no mockery in Ethan’s tone.

Richard walked to the balcony and sat on the chair on the other side of the table.

“Why are you here?” Richard asked.

“Brother, I believe you’re more than astute to know the answer to that question.”

“Ashley,” Richard said, leaning forward. “What is it that you want with her?”

Ethan smirked. “You are as inquisitive as ever. Nevertheless, my business with the little mermaid isn’t what I came to discuss.”

“Deimos,” Richard instinctively said. Knowing Ethan, he probably knew that Deimos had already contacted Richard.

“I am sure the god of fear has already graced you and Ashley with his presence,” Ethan said. “And I am sure that his goal is to be released from the spirit realm.”

Richard didn’t say anything. Like always, Ethan was already a thousand steps ahead of him.

“Your silence confirms that what I say is true,” said Ethan. “I was once your Guide so let me give you a lesson. In order for Deimos to be freed, there exist only two ways. One is for me to do it personally and the other... well... I am sure Deimos has already made mention of the Spell of Yin and Yang.”

Richard’s knuckles became white as fists formed in both his hands.

“Are you here to show me that you already know how many cards I have to play?” Richard asked.

Ethan dropped his legs from the table and stood up. “Actually I am here to give you a fair warning. The spell of Yin and Yang is one of the most powerful in existence. It is rumored to be the only spell that can turn spirits into flesh. Of course, these are the only rumors I’ve heard. However, I know that despite one’s intention for using it, magic always comes with a price.”

“No price is too steep if it means getting rid of you for good,” Richard said.

Ethan smiled and flashed his white teeth. “What about your little mermaid? Isn’t that a steep enough price?”

The table flew across the balcony when Richard kicked it. He stood up and grabbed Ethan by the collar of his leather coat.

“You touch even one hair on Ashley and I will...”

“You will what?”

Richard’s hands found themselves grasping an empty space when he heard Ethan’s voice behind him. Did he just fall into one of Ethan’s illusions?

“You can’t even protect your own mind from being infiltrated,” Ethan said, walking towards Richard. “And if yesterday proved anything, you have no power to protect anyone; in fact you never had... Just look at Talya.”

It was quiet for a while and all that could be heard was the rustling of the trees that surrounded Richard’s house. Richard felt his mouth curve into a smile.

“I may not have power,” he said. Richard walked closer to Ethan and looked him in the eye. “You have all the power, don’t you Chimera? But all it brings is death to those around you or have you already forgotten Lenora?”

Richard knew he had hit a nerve when he saw Ethan narrow his eyes. “Oh, that’s right,” Richard continued. “You have always blamed me for Lenora’s death but the truth is; if you had never met her in the first place she might have lived a blossoming long life.”

“One unavoidable truth in this world is that all humans die... some more tragically than others. Lenora’s death was my fault and I have accepted that. There is a reason we are called dark creatures, brother. Bringing death is a part of us. Destined only to destroy, we can never experience things such as hope, happiness, love... You, on one the other hand... for millennia, you have tried to fit in as one with the living. However, you will realize soon enough that the worst kind of dark creature is the one who denies his very nature, and by the time you do...”

Ethan never finished that sentence. With a sigh, he turned his back and looked at the cliff on the other side of the ocean.

“I hear it is now called Destiny Cliff,” said Ethan as he walked toward the edge of the balcony. He jumped and gracefully landed on the ground below. Before disappearing into the woods Ethan looked back and said, “Oh, and by the way... a sacrifice has to be made in order to cast the Spell of Yin and Yang... the heart of a living person has to be offered. And not just any heart brother.”

Richard was ready to retort to anything Ethan said but he found that anything he tried to say got stuck on his throat. A sacrifice... Deimos didn’t have enough time to give the details of the spell yesterday but Richard doubted that he would have added that part.

Eventually, Ethan vanished into the woods. Moments later, Richard heard footsteps approaching him.

“The Chimera’s cunning nature never ceases to amaze me,” Talya said as she walked and stood next to Richard. Even Richard admitted that she looked spectacular in her black leather jacket, black jeans, and white top.

“Is it true?” Richard asked. “The Spell of Yin and Yang... Does it really require a sacrifice? Deimos told us to tell you the words ‘Yin and Yang’ and said that you would understand what they meant.”

Turning to him, Talya spoke saying, “Richard. You once told me that in order to defeat Ethan you were willing to do anything. You finally have a chance and yet you hesitate... tell me it’s not because of the half-breed.”

Richard walked back into the house and left the bedroom.

“Richard, Richard stop.”

Talya grabbed his hand and they both stopped walking. Richard’s chest rose and fell rapidly as air filled and left his lungs. He still faced forward, failing to meet Talya’s gaze.

“Richard, it is because of this very hesitation that Ethan walks the earth again,” said Talya, tightening her grip on Ethan’s hand. “Had you gotten rid of the half-breed the moment you realized what she was, we both wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

Pulling his hand away from Talya, Richard said, “You still the same hypocritical witch you’ve always been. You talk of Ethan’s return as if it is something you played no part in.”

Richard grabbed Talya by her neck. “Perhaps you should be the first to die.”

Talya’s lips curled into a half-smile. “Yes,” she hissed. “This is the Richard I know; the Richard I fell in love with.” Her hands caressed Richard’s cheeks and she brought her lips closer to his.

Richard tilted his head and looked the other way. “Whatever we shared was destroyed the moment you decided to take the lives of thousands of innocent people.”

Talya frowned. “I did that for you Richard but it seems you’ll never appreciate anything I do for you. Your heart may belong to the half-breed now but I guess I will wait and see just how long it remains that way.”

Richard suddenly heard his phone vibrating on the couch in the living room. Followed by Talya, he went downstairs and saw that he had received a message from Ashley.

It read:

Hey, Mr. Anderson says he wants to speak to us after school,

probably to talk about yesterday.

Will you be able to make it to the police station?

Richard replied and typed:

I am sorry Ashley.

There is something I have to look into.

Seconds later, Ashley sent the text:

Does it involve Ethan?

Richard was about to type something when his phone suddenly displayed the ‘critical battery level’ warning and shut down. He sighed and threw his phone back on the couch.

“Boy, this girl really has you smitten, hasn’t she? Come on then,” Talya said, walking towards the door. Cold air blew into the house when Talya opened the door.

“Where are we going?” Richard asked.

“As much as I want you to suffer, I would rather see Ethan gotten rid of for good. The only reason I wanted him back was so he could free me from Drenagen. So, Richard... It seems our interests are aligned yet again, why don’t we go replace a way to use your little girlfriend’s heart without killing her?”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Richard bluntly retorted with a smile, suppressing the urge to add the word ‘yet’ at the end of his sentence.

The two of them walked out of the house and deep a feeling of nostalgia surged through Richard’s body as he recalled the last time he and Talya shared a common goal. Just like back then, Richard and Talya were finally joining forces to fight a common enemy.

...

As the dark duo joins forces to replace out what happens when Ashley decides to stop dancing to Ethan’s strings and takes the fight to him in the next chapter.

Happy reading and don’t forget to comment and vote.