The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)
Chapter Thirty-Three: My Favorite Character

Whatever was happening back on Earth it had stopped now, Ashley hoped. She nuzzled her palm against her stinging left cheek. The claw marks had almost completely healed. Ethan leaned next to a huge grey rock. Unable to see his face, Ashley walked up to him.

“Ethan, are you alright?” Ashley asked.

She could hear him almost struggling to breathe, but he turned and said, “Nothing I can’t handle little mermaid.” He used his thumb to rub off the steaks of red blood from his left cheek. “There is a river nearby,” he said. “You need to clean the bloodstains from your face and hands. Blood attracts the creatures of this realm.”

Ethan walked to her. Ashley slightly squinted her eyes when Ethan raised his hand. He held her cheek and began rubbing off some of Ashley’s blood with his palm. His hand was warm and gentle, and Ashley couldn’t help but stare into his eyes. They were as dark as midnight. Ashley remembered how terrifying his eyes were when she first met him. She recalled how deadly they looked when he fought Vladimir. But now both his eyes held only mysteries.

Gently holding her right hand, Ethan smeared some of her blood on his black T-shirt.

“What are you doing?” Ashley asked.

“Some creatures may have already smelled your blood. It won’t be long before they replace us.” Ethan pointed at a narrow and foggy path that was in between two thick forests. “Follow this path and whatever you see or hear, do not stray away from it. When you come across a river, thoroughly wash the remaining blood off your body.”

“And what about you?” Ashley asked.

“I will lead the creatures away from here,” answered Ethan. “And one more thing... do not look back and answer anyone or anything that calls for you.”

“Wait but---”

Before Ashley could finish her sentence, Ethan gathered a gust of wind around him and took off into the sky.

It was unbearably quiet when Ethan left. Ashley turned towards the path Ethan mentioned and proceeded in that direction. As she approached the thick grey fog she suddenly heard loud roars in the sky and saw three large winged creatures flying in the direction Ethan went.

Ethan will be alright, she thought to herself. If anything, it was the creatures that were in danger. Ashley walked into the fog and remembered Ethan’s instructions.

“Don’t stray from the path, don’t look behind, and don’t answer anyone or anything that calls for you,” Ashley muttered, chuckling as she tried replicating Ethan’s accent. She placed her hands in the pockets of the dusty black coat she wore and went further along the path. Her vision was only limited to a few meters, so she heightened her sight and could now see much further.

Ashley walked for several minutes, hearing nothing other than the sounds of her own boots thumping on the ground. There a point when she thought she saw a shadowy figure inside the dense dark forest, but it turned out only to be her own. The fog was also becoming much thicker and even her heightened vision become useless against it.

Only able to see at about an arm’s length of distance, Ashley kept her eyes focused on the ground and made sure that she was still on the path. Her heart leaped when she almost walked into the forest.

“Phew, that was close,” she uttered, letting out a sigh of relief. “This isn’t working. There has to be some way to navigate through this forget.” There was no one else to talk to, so Ashley kept her little adventure interesting by talking to herself. “Maybe I could... Nah that wouldn’t work.”

“We could go through the forest”

Ashley’s body froze, and she felt her muscles go numb. It was right behind her, she thought. She could feel its icy breath kissing the back of her neck and the shadow it cast on her made her shiver in fear.

Don’t look back, don’t answer anything, Ashley reminded herself. Shaking to the bone, Ashley willed her feet to move. The creature behind her had spoken using her sister Leah’s voice, yet in its aura was the complete opposite. The aura it emanated was cold, vile, and filled with so much malice it made Ashley’s skin crawly.

“Come on Ash,” it said, this time using Alex’s voice. “Just look at me.”

Ashley dared not look. Instead, she raised her hand slowly, and the fog cleared. Earlier she’d thought that if this fog comprised water then she could control it; she was right.

“Your power is as impressive as always”

The creatures spoke using Richard’s voice, but Ashley walked forward along the path. Her body was shaking and she could still hear the creature’s animalistic growls behind her. It was so close that she wondered why it couldn’t do anything to her. She remembered something Ethan had said to Vladimir. No power was absolute and rules bound everything. This creature could probably only hurt those who turned back to face it or answered it when it spoke to them.

About an hour passed and the fog slowly lifted. Throughout this time, the creature had tried its best to sway her to look or speak to it. It tried using different voices of the people she knew and at some point even spoke with a voice of a child calling for help.

But Ashley had it figured out. It couldn’t speak with different voices. It merely materialized words that Ashley had already heard people say to her; some of which she had forgotten.

Memories may be forgotten but never lost

Ethan had used that phrase twice already, and he was right, Ashley thought with a smile. She looked up to the sky. Grey and black clouds covered it and for a second worried about Ethan.

Shaking her head, she chuckled. He probably was alright.

Ashley’s ear caught the sound of running water. The river, she thought. It was still a distance from her, but at least now she was almost at the end of the path. The fog completely lifted, and Ashley could see the river up ahead.

Ashley quickened her pace and was about to stop running when she saw something move in the shadows of the forest. The sickening aura she’d been sensing disappeared. Whatever was in the forest scared away the creature that had been following her.

Not wanting to replace out what this new terror was, Ashley dashed for the river. A piercing screech came from the forest, and a creature with two large wings flew above the trees. Ashley had no time to grasp its features, and she kept running. Suddenly, her body involuntarily moved to her left and dodged a projectile of slimy red liquid. There was something dangerous about that liquid, she thought.

Ashley’s heart was racing, and her breathing quickened. She tilted her head slightly when another pile of red liquid almost hit her head. The creature flew past her and landed on the ground in front of Ashley. But this didn’t stop Ashley. With as much strength as she could muster, Ashley zoomed past it so fast that it did not have time to react.

The river, she thought. If she could only get to the river. A loud flapping sound came from behind her. A moist scent entered her nose as she approached the running water. She instinctively dove to her right and avoided the sharp claws of the beast. The creature flew into the sky and started coming at her.

When she reached the shore covered over by stones and rocks, Ashley felt something hit her back. Her body flew over the shore and into the running water. She quickly stood and black muddy water drenched her body and clothes. She was on the shallow side of the river and the creature was walking on the shore; coming towards her.

Apart from its two wings, it also had two large muscular legs and its head resembled a bat. It had thick grey scales and sharp silver teeth in its enormous mouth. Every breath it took in came out as a cloud of smoke and Ashley noticed the slimy red liquid dripping from its nose.

Ashley controlled some water into her hand and conjured an Ice Sword. Her body was shaking, both from cold and fatigue. She tried her best to control her breathing and kept her eyes focused on the beast.

The creature reclined its head backward and its neck puffed up. Ashley moved with lightning-quick reflexes and dodged the liquid aimed at her. The liquid made a sizzling sound when it touched the water, giving Ashley more reason to want to avoid it. Ashley closed the distance between her and the creature. She swung her sword — aiming for the beast’s neck — but it flapped its wings and pushed her backward.

Thrown off-balance, Ashley saw it fire the liquid at her. Quickly, Ashley turned her sword into liquid water and formed a watery shield over her face. She blocked most of the liquid, but some landed on her shoulder. Gritting her teeth, she threw herself into the water. Her left shoulder was burning and suddenly her entire left arm went numb.

The creature walked over her and pressed one foot over her abdomen and the other over her right hand. Ashley couldn’t move. The creature bent its head towards her and its neck puffed up. It was going to spit the acid-like liquid at her again, Ashley thought. She kept her eyes open and refused to accept that she would die here. The creature opened its mouth; ready to attack. Ashley didn’t know what to do, but the words she heard next shocked her.

“We are one with the water... Or did you already forget that”

Suddenly, Ashley was standing. She didn’t know how she moved. Cold and hot waves were flowing through her body; waves of power she’d never experienced.

“Now... how about we end this?” she said. It was Ashley’s lips moving, it was her voice, yet she didn’t feel like the one speaking. She turned to face the creature. Her lips curved into a smile. The creature looked at her and its eyes widened. Suddenly, two arms grew out of the side of its chest and its entire body grew much larger. Ashley’s body trembled with excitement.

The creature came at her and when it was close, it slashed one of its hands at her. Ashley dodged, jumped into the air, twisted her body, and caught the creature by its shoulder. Like an acrobat, she balanced herself with one hand holding the creature and her feet in the air. Ashley controlled water in her other hand and turned it into an Ice Sword. She gripped the hilt and drove the tip of the sword toward the creature’s head. Just as she hoped, the creature raised its arms and defends its head.

No, Ashley thought, even as her smile grew wider. Not this again, not her...

Ashley’s body was no longer in control of her body; she’d taken over. Ashley felt her claws dig into the creature’s back; forcing it to kneel in the water.

“How I missed this feeling?” whoever was possessing Ashely said. “Rejoice monster... You will die by my very own Water Element Master original technique... My Piercing Embrace.”

Suddenly, multiple sharp spikes shot out of the water and impaled the creature from all sides. The creature couldn’t even scream, for some of the water spikes had pierced its neck. Its dark blood splattered everywhere as it fell into the water with a splash.

Ashley dropped her legs into the water and pulled her claws from the beast’s neck. She was smiling and laughed hysterically. Ashley wasn’t herself, she thought. It was like being in a dream where she couldn’t control her body. No... not a dream... A nightmare. She could feel the excitement she was feeling; the rush and adrenaline of defeating her enemy still coursed through her and yet she had no control over it.

“Just as we are one with the water, I am you and you are me,” Ashley heard herself say. “Where there is darkness, there is light and light cannot exist without the darkness. Look...”

Ashley looked up into the sky and saw three creatures of the same species as the one she’d just killed.

“Do you think it’s out of hatred that they attack us?” Ashley asked. “Or maybe perhaps pure instinct?”

Water began rising, covering both her hands and feet.

“Why don’t you leave this to me?” Ashley said to herself and slowly her consciousness slipped away, making way for the dark power that was taking over her body.

...

Sometime later...

Ashley did not know how long she was out. As she slowly regained consciousness, she realized that her body was resting on someone’s back. She immediately recognized the long, silky dark hair and black clothes of the person carrying her. Giving her a piggyback ride was something she didn’t expect Ethan to do, and yet here she was.

Ashley rested her back on his firm back and closed her eyes.

“You’re awake, little mermaid,” Ethan stated.

“Not yet,” Ashley said in a small choked voice. “Because I can’t think of a reality where Ethan Thane would carry me like this. Let me rest for a while and maybe this dream will be over.”

A chilly breeze passed her and a shiver run through her body. Her body was still wet and her clothes were sticking to her skin. She realized she wasn’t wearing her coat and tightly clang to Ethan as a strong wind blew towards them.

“We are in a place of perdition,” Ethan said. “Here hunger, thirst, and pain increase tenfold; as you may have already noticed—”

Ethan staggered a bit and stopped moving. His muscles were stiff, and he gently controlled his breathing.

“Ethan?”

Ashley didn’t notice it at first, but she finally saw glowing red cracks around his neck and they were creeping up to his face. She quickly came down from his back and run in front of him.

“Ethan, what happened to you?” she asked.

“I told you,” Ethan said. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Wait... you mean you have been like this since we left the desert?”

Ethan looked away. If there was one thing she admired about him, it was that he couldn’t bring himself to tell a lie, but he had an irritating way of leaving out some truth.

“At least tell me what happening to you?” said Ashley.

Looking at her he said, “It’s none of your concern.” He was about to leave but Ashley ran in front of him.

“Well, I am making it my concern. And unless you wish to drag me all the to Hade’s Palace, I am not moving from this spot.”

Ashley genuinely feared that he’d simply knock her out and carry her, but he said, “You’re quite persistent, aren’t you? Very well. Let’s just say that someone placed a spell that disintegrates my soul. But since I am tethered to you, I cannot be totally destroyed.”

“Did Talya do this to you?” she asked

“I doubt that the Sea-Witch even knows such a spell exists.”

“So your soul was being ripped apart, and you used yourself as a distraction for me to escape?” It surprised Ashley that her voice rose.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, little mermaid,” Ethan said. “All I did was act according to what was logical. Though granted, I underestimated the extent of your hidden abilities... Or should I rather say, your true hidden nature.”

“What do you know about it?” asked Ashley.

“I know that a while ago you were powerful enough to stand against four Stignali; a feat that even the Demi-gods couldn’t accomplish. Didn’t I already tell you, little mermaid? There is a fire within you. Many creatures have already sensed the power you displayed earlier and—”

Beastly screeches echoed throughout the sky. The creatures Ethan was talking about were near.

“Look,” Ashley said, pointing at a cave that was underneath a large rock mountain. “We can stay there. Both of us are in no condition to fight.”

Ethan looked as if he was about to protest, but he gazed up at the castle that was still very far away and then looked at her. He began walking towards the cave, and Ashley followed behind. It was fairly dark inside, so Ashley amplified her sight. The cave was enormous, both in width and height. It went further in, but Ethan sat on the ground near close to the entrance. Ashley sat on the other side of the cave and rested her back against the wall. She immediately pulled her back from the cold rock.

I guess comfort is too much to ask for; she thought with a frown.

Keeping his gaze at the entrance, Ethan sat on a small rock that was protruding out of the ground. Ashley was about to ask him if he could use his Fire Demon abilities to start a fire but held that thought when she remembered that the whole point of them being here was to avoid detection. She brought both her knees near her chest and hugged her legs. She couldn’t stop her body from shaking and her teeth were gnashing against each other. Her mouth felt dry and her stomach empty. She buried her head between her thighs and closed her eyes. Perhaps if she slept, she would at least forget the cold.

She heard footsteps approaching her and a moment later a wave of warmth heat her body. It was like being close to a fire, yet this wasn’t one. She slowly lifted her head and saw Ethan sitting next to her.

“The cold, hunger, and thirst will not kill you in this part of the Underworld,” he said. “Still, we can’t have your soul broken when you return.”

Ashley stretched her legs, narrowed her eyes, and gazed at Ethan.

“I can’t just seem to figure you out, Ethan,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “Sometimes you are a monster, sometimes a gentleman. You always do the most unexpected things and I replace that intriguing but also scary.”

“The fear of the unknown has plagued all creatures — living or dark — since the beginning of time.”

“But what if that fear of the unknown turns into something else?” Ashley asked. “Curiosity maybe.”

Ethan turned to face her. “In my experience, three things might happen if you do that. The first would be that you were indeed correct to be afraid and hopefully, it wouldn’t be too late for you by then. It may also turn out that what scared you wasn’t worth your time. And as for the third... Well, if you’re lucky, conquering your fear may allow you to discover some of the most beautiful things creation offers.”

“You mean like how you found, Lenora,” said Ashley. She then asked, “Ethan, why didn’t you tell me the reason you killed her?”

“It wasn’t relevant. Lenora died by my hands and that is the truth you sort.” Ethan leaned against the wall.

Ashley remembered that he was in pain and that his soul was being torn apart. Yet, he didn’t even have an expression that could hint at such.

“But the Dhalla said she did it in order to save yours and her people, right?” Ashley spoke. “You both probably had no other choice.”

“If it's light you seek in me, then I am afraid you will be disappointed, little mermaid,” Ethan said.

“But—”

Ashley’s body suddenly became paralyzed, and her vision blurred. She fell over to her side and her head rested on Ethan’s shoulder.

“You shouldn’t push yourself too much, little mermaid,” she heard Ethan say. “Your body right now is experiencing intense hunger and thirst.”

Noticing that her throat was dry and tried to speak, but only a whisper came out of her mouth.

“But I don’t feel any pain,” Ashley said.

“As long as I am here, you won’t”

“What do you mean...”

Ashley’s eyes widened. Apart from the glowing red cracks on the side of his face, black veins had formed across his arms.

“The Tormentor’s Touch,” she said. “Claudia once told me about it. A Tormentor can either inflict pain or absorb it from others. Is this why I can’t feel anything right now?”

“The effects should only last for a day, so rest. We’ll continue our journey when the next Soul Stream appears. By then, the effects of this part of the Underworld would have worn off.”

“You are already hurting so much yet you’re still concerned for my well-being,” Ashley said.

“Your soul would break if you felt a fraction of what this place do you... As I said, we can’t have you broken when you return.”

“And you? Are you used to pain? Can’t you break?” Ashley asked. Placing her head in a more comfortable position on Ethan’s shoulder.

“If pain is an art that can be mastered, then I supposed it would be the only one with no true master. You can endure different kinds of pain, but not all of them. That said, I don’t think there is anything left in me that isn’t already broken, little mermaid,” he said.

“I doubt that,” said Ashley, struggling to keep her eyelids open. “The Ethan I knew from my mother’s stories was anything but broken. Of course, now that I know part of his actual story, I think there is more to him than meets the eye.”

“There were are many stories about me out there,” said Ethan. “However, I have to admit I am curious about what image the stories you heard painted into your young innocent mind.”

There was no fire in the cave, yet with her eyes closed, Ashley wished one was there. However, the warmth Ethan was projecting at her made it all the easier to imagine.

“My mother told me many stories about you,” she said. “But perhaps my favorite was the one about the time a horde of Shadow Spectres invaded Rathzoria.” Ashley’s voice was becoming lower, but she still continued. “The kingdom of Rathzoria was facing its greatest foe yet; the Shadow Spectres. It was a scourge from the deepest and darkest parts of the Dark Trenches. No one knew what caused them to leave their domain, but they were sure of the fate it would bring on them; death. Death awaited the kingdom. The Shadows had the kingdom surrounded, and they forced the mighty king Magnus to use Rathzoria’s greatest weapon.”

“However, this was no ordinary weapon. It was the merman known only by the name, Ethan. It is said a single Shadow Spectre had the strength of a dozen mermen and that day Ethan stood against ten thousand of them without a shred of fear in his eyes. With his superior magical abilities, he placed a barrier around the kingdom — hindering them from entering — and fought the shadow vermin for three days and three nights. When it was all over, the king’s men found Ethan lying on the ocean floor.” Ashley opened her eyes just enough to see Ethan’s face. “The king had ordered some of his men to replace Ethan, but when they did they carried him away from the kingdom and threw him into the endless darkness of the Dark Trenches. They returned and reported to the king that Ethan had died and scavenger creatures ate his body. As proof of his death, they presented to the king Ethan’s coat, which he always wore.”

“It is said that the king lamented for days and his little merboy, Richard Thane, who was only five, couldn’t accept anything to eat and always looked outside his window, hoping for Ethan to return.” Ashley’s lips curved into a small smile. “And one day, Prince Richard’s hope came true. Ethan swam into the kingdom and presented himself before King Magnus. When asked what happened, Ethan told the king of everything. Furious with his men, King Magnus ordered their immediate execution. However, Ethan — who had demanded no reward for his previous accomplishments — only asked that the lives of those who wanted him dead be spared. The little prince Richard swam into the great hall and threw himself at Ethan and they say that he forced Ethan to make a promise to him that day.”

Ashley’s consciousness was slipping away. “You had the heart to spare those who wronged you. You saved them, but just because you couldn’t transform into your merman form... Just because you differed from them, they still tried to kill you.”

“Fear of the unknown, little mermaid,” Ethan said.

“I guess that's what they felt towards me too.”

“What do you mean?”

Ashley drew in a warm breath. “I wasn’t born in Ravenhill,” she said. “Before my mom and I moved there, we lived in a small town called Millstead, which is about an hour's drive from Ravenhill. As I grew up, I discovered I wasn’t very good at making friends and everything became even worse when strange things started happening around me. I could see and hear things that no one could. Sometimes bottles of water would explode in shops when I got too emotional and let’s just say that everything added up with me being alone most of the time. But one day, I was being teased by some kids my age and one of them pushed me. I hit my head, and that’s the last thing I remember. When I woke up, four kids were in the hospital and I was the culprit who put them there. After that day, most of the children in the town were told by their parents to stay away from me. One night, some grownups visited my mom. I don’t know what they talked about but the next day, we left Millstead and moved to Ravenhill. I blamed no one for hating me; their fear was justified. But where moments when I wondered how my life would have been if —”

“They had simply accepted you,” Ethan finished.

Chuckling at the fact that Ethan, of all people, had just finished her sentence, Ashley said, “Of course, you would know. We are almost the same. Maybe not in every way, but we both know how it feels like to be alone.”

“You’re right, little mermaid. However, unlike me, you have never truly been alone. The world around only made you feel that way — and maybe sometimes it still does. With that said, I would like to point out that the story about me you were told as a child contains two errors.”

“This should be interesting to hear,” Ashley whispered, and her eyes closed.

“First, Richard was three years old, not five, when the Shadow Spectres attacked Rathzoria. And second, it wasn’t ten thousand that attacked but a hundred thousand.”

Slowly drifting into sleep, Ashley laughed and said, “So you were paying attention to my mumblings? Has anyone ever told you that you're a good listner?”

“So much so that I have grown weary of hearing it.”

“Then... How about I tell you something... something you’ve never heard someone say to you...”

“Interesting... and what might that be, little mermaid?” Ethan asked.

With the little strength she could muster, Ashley said, “Whether people call you a villain or a hero... You have always been my favorite character.”

“The allure of the darkness is exciting, little mermaid,” Ethan responded. “But you should be careful which darkness you choose to embrace.”

Ashley wanted to keep talking to him, but now even her mouth couldn’t move. Every part of her body went numb and her mind gave in to the darkness surrounding her. It’s all right, she thought. Ashley was in the safest hands and even in the Underworld, she was going to get a good rest. She thought about what Ethan had said and smiled. Now she understood why Sebastian was so loyal to Ethan; why he gave up his life just to awaken the guy all the realms knew as a monster.

Dangerous, honorable, intriguing, deadly... Ashley didn’t know what it was but something drew her to Ethan. The more she learned about him, the more she realized just how little about him she knew. Ethan was an endless abyss of mysteries that Ashley wanted to solve, but for now, all she could do was rest in the embrace of his warmth.

...

I would like to thank you guys for reading this far

We are almost at the end of the journey and I hope you will enjoy the events that are about to unfold.