The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Three Signs

Robert bit hard on the inside of his lip as an ache built up in his chest. He lay on his bed, his face buried in his pillow and his hands were folded into fists. Continuously punching the wall close to his bed, he willed himself not to allow any tears to flow from his eyes.

Useless... he thought to himself. I was completely useless.

He had his chance to show Ashley that he could be depended on but in the end, he ended up being the one who needed saving. Had Alzreel not been there, Robert would probably have died. He recalled how he suddenly couldn’t breathe back when he was in Ethan’s manor and how his body felt like it was engulfed in flames. Alzreel had flown him out of that hell, leaving Samantha behind.

That’s right...

“Alzreel? Are you there?” he said, his voice muffled by the pillow he had buried his face in.

Robert felt the mattress sink a little and he heard a soft animalistic growl behind. He slowly turned to his side and was met by the gaze of Alzreel’s three fiery eyes.

“Alzreel, back at that manor,” Robert said. “Why did you only save me? You could have taken Samantha as well so...”

Robert paused when he saw Alzreel tilt her head as if confused by what Robert had said.

“What do you mean Samantha didn’t need saving,” Robert answered. For some reason, he could understand exactly what Alzreel was saying even though she never spoke. It was something that baffled him at first but he was now used to it.

Alzreel looked at Robert and she reminded him of how Samantha was not affected by the spell Ethan had placed in his pocket dimension. She pointed out that the spell only affected humans and that it was activated when the sun rose.

All this Robert understood without Alzreel uttering a single word.

Laying his head on his pillow, Robert stared at the ceiling and thought about what he had just learned.

“So then, does that mean... Samantha isn’t human?” Robert asked, his eyes closed.

He felt four small legs walk on his chest and saw that Alzreel’s body had shrunk to the size of a small puppy. She was pacing over Robert’s body as if lost in thought. After a while, Alzreel stopped and looked at the ceiling. A shocking thought came from her.

“Wait, what do you mean Sam’s soul is different?” Robert asked.

Before he could receive an answer, a blood-red flame suddenly appeared in all three of Alzreel’s eyes, and her face was overshadowed by vicious expressions.

“So Robert possesses a Demon Soul,” a voice said.

A shiver went surged through Robert’s body. Over a year passing still wasn’t enough for him to forget that voice. He hesitantly turned and rose from his bed. Alzreel came down and they both faced her.

“Hey Rob, it's been a while,” Stacy said, waving at him. She was in the living room. Stacy appeared to be just as lively as Robert remembered. She was wearing a plain cream-white T-shirt, black denim jeans, and snicker. Her brown hair was longer than the last time Robert so her but her smile was more menacing.

And she wasn’t alone.

Standing behind her was a girl who looked just about her own age and a dark-skinned woman with black hair and a long black leather coat. Robert estimated her to be around thirty years. Seated on the couch, was a man with white hair wearing a white laboratory coat and another guy in a black shirt and trousers who kept pacing around the room.

Alzreel’s scaly body grew even bigger and she moved in front of Robert.

“Seems like a lot of things have changed in this town haven’t they Rob?” Stacy said.

“How did you get in here?” Robert asked.

“Hmm...” Stacy placed a finger on her chin playfully. “Would believe me if I said ‘Teleportation Magic’?”

“What do you want from me?”

“Sara, child,” the man seated on the couch suddenly. “As amusing as this reunion is, don’t you think we should be getting to business.”

A scary smile crept its way across Stacy’s face. When she tried to move forward, Alzreel dashed in front of her, raised one of her legs, and slashed her claws at her.

But instead of landing a blow, Alzreel halted her attack in mid-air.

“Alzreel?” Robert said in a confused tone when he saw his demon friend face him with a fierce look. Alzreel pounced at him, grabbed him by his shoulders, and pushed him to the ground. Her claws dug slightly into Robert’s shoulders and her eyes were intense with bloodlust. Robert was pinned on the ground without even resisting for he realized something.

“What did you do to her?!” he shouted, turning towards Stacy.

“Me? What did I do?” Stacy replied in a childish tone.

That was when Robert saw the girl who stood behind Stacy. There was neither happiness nor sorrow drawn on her face. She kept staring at the ground but her hand was raised in Robert’s direction; she was the one controlling Alzreel.

“Now Robert, as you can see my friends are getting impatient,” Stacy said. “So now don’t we get down to business?”

“First tell me what you did to Alzreel,” Robert said through his teeth as Alzreel’s claws began piercing through his skin.

Stacy sighed. “Your friend over here is a Demon... And as you know, Demons are summoned beings.” She then pointed in the direction of the girl whose arm was now lowered. “You see my friend here is a witch... well partly one,” Stacy continued. “And I am sure you’re aware these creatures can be controlled right?”

Stacy walked over to Robert’s bed and picked up his phone. The girl controlling Alzreel swallowed as she stared at the blood dripping from his shoulder and she turned away.

Handing over the phone to Robert, Stacy said, “I am sure you know of the Midnight Owls right?”

Robert’s eyes opened wide. How did she know? Then he remembered how Stacy could see the future.

“It’s not just the future I see Robert,” Stacy suddenly said, as if reading his mind. “My eyes can also see the happenings of the present and they connect me to the past.” She sat on the floor and gazed at the thick red blood trickling out of Robert’s shoulder. “I can see it all; the thoughts the people have, the reasons for their actions, the outcomes of their decision... Of course, I can’t everyone’s future... These visions just sort of come to me. Like that one did...”

Stacy appeared lost in thought for a while. She shook her head.

“Anyway... So the Midnight Owls... In a few days, you will meet with their leader. During that meeting, I want you to tell him that the girl he searches for is never coming back to him. And also, I want you to give him something...”

Stacy went to the living room and received something from the man who sat on the couch. She came back holding a small shiny dagger with strange symbols engraved on it. Alzreel came off Robert and he sat up, leaning against his bed. Stacy placed the dagger in his hand and said, “Give this to him and he will understand what he needs to do.”

A smile crossed Stacy’s face when Robert quickly pointed the tip of the dagger at her neck.

“I think I have found a better use for it,” Robert said, angrily. “This way Ashley is safe even if I die.”

The dagger was almost touching Stacy’s neck when she said, “How far is your love willing to go for her? You know...”

“Stacy!” the girl behind in the living room exclaimed when Stacy grabbed the blade of the knife and slightly pierced the tip into her neck.

“It’s... alright, Laura,” Stacy grunted in pain. Robert’s arm shook as he watched blood streaming along with Stacy’s fingers and the side of her neck.

“I once drove a blade through my own brother’s neck, just because I wanted to change the fate of the realms. So Robert, are you willing to as far as to kill me just to make sure the realm’s destruction is ensured? By now, even you know that Ashley’s existence is a threat to all the realms. Look at what has been happening in this town... Sebastian, Prometheus’ Orb, The Chimera, Deimos, and for the first time in thousands of years all three of the Dark Trinity met in the same place. What will it take to open your eyes to the truth?”

“What truth? That Ashley will someday bring about the apocalypse” Robert retorted, carefully eying the rest of Stacy’s comrades. Only the girl called Laura seemed to be worried about her. “All Ashley has done is protect this town and her friends. I can’t believe that you are the same person who once stood up for Ashley. You guys loved each other like sisters and...”

Robert immediately stopped talking when he saw the expressions on Stacy’s face go blank. Her eyes turned white like a white cloudy substance was filling them. She turned her head in Robert’s direction but it was she wasn’t looking at him.

“She’s gone in a trance, doctor,” Laura said, running to Stacy.

“Let her be,” said the man seated on the couch and Laura stopped by the door.

Stacy held Robert’s hand. It was a gentle touch almost as if she was trying to console him.

“The love you have for Ashley is great, Robert,” Stacy said, and Robert was shocked when he saw tears following out of her eyes. “It’s unfortunate that she will one day be one of your greatest enemies. And on that day... You will join those who seek to save the realms... Those who will seek to destroy her; in fact, you will lead them. But beware... For you will not only have to face her. You will also be against her soon greatest ally... The Chimera.”

Anger burnt inside Robert.

“I don’t know much about magic but perhaps your fortune-telling is kinda defective cause there is no way in hell that I would make an enemy out of Ashley... Let alone try to destroy her,” he said through his teeth. “And what’s this about her allying with Ethan? She wants him dead, that’s why she’s helping to set Deimos free from the spirit realm.”

He said all this but deep down he was afraid. So far, everything he’d heard about Stacy was true. Many of her visions had already come to pass so what was to stop this one from...

No, he thought to himself. No matter what happens, he would always love Ashley.

“Seeing is believing isn’t it Robert?” Stacy said. “Well then... Three signs shall come your way. First, Ashley shall give her heart to The Chimera. Second, she will willingly ask for and accept his mark. And finally...”

“Stacy,” Laura ran to Stacy when she saw her body shaking. Stacy appeared to be in pain and Laura knelt next to her, embracing Stacy in her arms.

“It’s alright,” Laura said. “You don’t have to say more.”

Stacy looked at Robert. With tears flowing out of her eyes, she said, “The final sign... With The Chimera by her side, Ashley will be the reason you will lose someone very dear to you. I have always believed the future can change, but the visions I have seen have all come to pass.”

Laura helped support Stacy as she stood.

“Robert...” Stacy was breathing heavily. “Do your best to prevent all this. Also...”

Before Stacy could finish, Robert heard the window behind him shutter. Laura reflexively raised her hand and red tendrils came out of her fingers and the black arrow that was coming in Stacy’s direction. It took a while but Robert realized the red tendril was actually Laura’s own blood.

A person dressed in black leather clothing suddenly jumped into the room through the window.

“Robert, get down!”

That voice...

The arrow exploded causing a bright white flash, together with smoke to engulf the room. Robert’s ears were ringing and he couldn’t stop coughing. He saw the person who had come to save him receive a kick in the abdomen from Laura. The kick was so powerful it sent the masked figure flying across the room.

Stacy, who was near Robert, came to him.

Though his ears were still ringing he heard her say, “Do what we told you and your demon friend will be returned to you unharmed... After a while maybe... One of our comrades needs a demon by his side.”

Stacy was about to leave when she said, “Oh... And please don’t tell anyone about our little encounter.”

Together with the rest of her friends, Stacy went into the living room. Alzreel followed them and she didn’t even look back when Robert tried calling for her.

“Alzr...”

Robert tried to scream but was choking on smoke. His vision slowly blurred and his body suddenly began to lose strength. The wounds that Alzreel had left on both of Robert’s shoulders were burning and he collapsed on the ground. The last thing he saw was a fiery red portal open in the living room. Stacy, the rest of her group, and Alzreel walked into it, and eventually, Robert’s body lost all its strength and everything went black.

Robert...

“Robert... Wake up,”

Slowly opening his eyes Robert’s eyes were greeted by a familiar face.

“Deborah?” Robert said. Deborah’s small brown eyes gazed intensely into Robert’s.

She let out a sigh of relief and said, “Good you’re alright.”

“So it was you earlier... The one who shot that arrow into the room.”

Deborah nodded.

“Sorry, I did make it in time to save your friend,” she said, staring at the mess of the room.

“What were you even doing here?” Robert asked, trying to get up. It was at that moment he realized that he was sleeping on the bed and that his upper body wasn’t clothed.

“You should count yourself lucky,” Deborah said. “Not many poisoned with a Demon’s venom can survive as you did.”

Robert looked at both his shoulders. The wounds that Alzreel had left in him were almost completely closed.

“Stacy said I have something called a ‘Demon Soul’,” Robert stated. “Any idea what that means?”

Deborah shook her head.

“There are many things about the supernatural world that even we the Hunters don’t know about.” She chuckled and looked at the ceiling. “I mean just until recently, I only thought the Chimera was a myth and now I stay in the same town he does. And that’s why I was on my way here...”

Deborah stood up, a weary sigh coming out of her mouth.

“I think will be leaving the country for a while. The Captains will be having a meeting with the only Grandmaster alive and the direction the Hunters will take will be decided in that meeting. My work here is done so...”

“Don’t tell me you came to say goodbye to me?” Robert asked, in a teasing voice.

Looking away, Deborah said, “Don’t get any weird ideas, kid? I only wanted to come and warn you about the dangers of having a Demon around you. But I am sure you already witnessed it.”

“Demons can be controlled,” Robert said.

“But I have to admit,” Deborah said, looking at Robert. “Not saying goodbye to the most annoying person I have met in this town would have been regrettable. Um... What are you doing?”

Robert got up from the bed and he knelt before Deborah.

“Hey, dude... What are you doing?” she asked in a confused voice.

“I know this is too much to ask... But...” Robert looked into Deborah’s eyes. “Please, train me... So that I can be strong enough to get my friend back.”

“Whoa, whoa...Just a sec dude,” Deborah said, raising her arms slightly. “First off, I am not even supposed to be talking to you about the Hunters and you asking me to help you bring back a Demon that nearly killed you...”

“Please...” Robert interrupted. “I only ask that you train me. I may not have any ties to the Hunters but I want to protect my friends.”

A smile crossed Deborah’s face.

“You kind of remind me of Slayer... Max,” Deborah said.“Despite being a Hunter, he always said the supernatural fascinated him. During one of our missions, he actually protected a newly turned vampire from one of the Captains. If it wasn’t for our own Captain Pearce, he would have lost his head for what he did.”

“Fine then,” Deborah said, sighing. “I will teach you what I know... But this remains only between us.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Robert said with a smile and he stood.

Deborah sighed again.

“Looks like I won’t get to enjoy my vacation after all... Well, my pupil, there is something troubling we need to discuss.”

“You also noticed too, didn’t you?” Robert replied.“Putting Stacy aside, I am pretty sure most of her friends were dark creatures. I don’t how I know this but... The atmosphere around them wasn’t at all normal.”

“And that begs the question,” Deborah added. “If they were dark creatures...”

“Then how the hell did they enter this house without someone inviting them in,” Robert finished. “I don’t know how all this stuff works but my brother, Harry, placed this house under my name. That means dark creatures can’t enter this house if I don’t invite them in. right?”

“True,” agreed Deborah. “Unless you are a dark creature...”

Deborah’s eyes were serious.

“No I am not,” Robert replied, his voice reciprocating the same intensity in her eyes. “But perhaps at something to do with this ‘Demon Soul’ that Stacy mentioned... I don’t know what that means but perhaps it would be a good place to start from.”

Robert saw the dagger Stacy had given him lying on the floor. It was still covered with her blood.

“What’s that for?” Deborah asked, sitting on Robert’s bed.

Robert picked it up and said, “A message I have to deliver,” he said.

...

Thank you so much for reading this far.