Prometheus' Orb (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 1)

The serene look on Ashley's nearly made Richard forget the circumstances that led to him bringing her into the school’s infirmary. Covered in a white hospital blanket, her chest steadily rose and fell as she slept soundly with her head laid on a soft pillow. The school was in turmoil. Everyone in the school was as yet shaken from the incident that happened in the cafeteria. Sirens were howling outside, noisy strides repeated in the hallways and Richard had enhanced his hearing to tune in for anyone approaching the infirmary.

Evading the risk of anyone finding out the truth about Ashley, Richard didn’t even consider informing Adrian of what happened even if he could hear him desperately calling for Ashley. Adrian was a Hunter— a Hunter of the supernatural and one who hated the supernatural society with his whole being. If he found Ashley in the state she was now then he would know... he would know what Ashley truly was.

From the moment he met her, Richard knew there was something peculiar about Ashley. Yesterday, when the urge to feed overtook his body, it felt… different. Richard had learned to control his lust for human blood. He hadn’t directly fed from a human for over seven hundred years. But when immediately he got a whiff of Ashley’s blood, his dark instinct took over, moving his body involuntarily towards its prey. Fortunately, he did manage to overcome the bloodlust but lingering in the back of his mind was the question; why did he get such an intense feeling in the first place?

Today, Richard got a disturbing answer to his question. The reason he was desperately drawn to Ashley’s blood was because it was the blood of a human. Earlier in the cafeteria, as he saw Ashley begin to collapse, Richard had hastened towards her and taken her away from the crowd without anyone noticing. However, as she gradually lost consciousness… as her eyelids slowly closed, Richard gazed into them; and everything changed at that moment. His entire body went numb, his brain went blank, unable to process what was right before him.

In Ashley’s eyes, Richard saw something he was once warned about. Something that shook him to his very core.

The blue glow… Ashley had it in her eyes.

The second he laid eyes on that glow Richard’s mind was taken back nine hundred years ago.

“Even after you defeat him, The Chimera will return! One day you’ll gaze upon a mermaid having the blue glow in her eyes and on the Solstice that follows she will be the one who ensures it.”

Those were the words of Talya; the Sea-Witch who fashioned the dagger Richard used to defeat Ethan. Talya was a mermaid with immense magical power and abilities. Only one other thing that surpassed her power; her love for Richard. Using this to his advantage, Richard exploited her to create the dagger and later betrayed her and everyone involved in the ritual. The last time Richard saw Talya was when she was being hauled to Drenagen; an underwater prison where only the worst of lawbreakers spent the remainder of their lives.

As a punishment, she screamed that prophesy at him, her voice tainted with all the hatred and contempt she had within her. Talya did get what she deserved but as justified as Richard’s actions were, he still regretted seeing how hurt she was. Her face was burning with anger and her eyes were red with tears— beseeching him to help her— as the Drenagen Guards took her away. Richard’s heart arched that day. He knew that all the atrocities Talya had committed were all because of her affection towards him. She wanted to see him happy— free of Ethan— and she was prepared to do whatever it took to realize her goal but unfortunately, so was Richard.

These events transpired over nine centuries ago. Aware of Talya’s gift of foresight, Richard paid great heed to her words for almost three centuries and throughout that time he never came across a mermaid with glowing blue eyes; let alone any other creature.

After defeating Ethan a year ago, Richard made sure that no one would ever find his body. Until today, Richard hadn’t thought about Talya’s prophesy and had long forgotten about it.

Richard was still lost in thought when a loud electric sound crackled behind him and a bright blue light filled the room, disappearing almost instantly. He felt the solemn lines on his face disappear and the corners of his mouth rose; for he knew who had graced him with her presence.

“You know,” he said, his gaze still fixed on Ashley. “It is still considered rude to show up unannounced like that.”

The slightly resonant voice that came from behind him said, “Most in Arzyria would consider it an honor when the High Protector appears before them.”

“I would consider it an honor if your presence meant anything but misfortune.”

A soft chuckle shot out of his visitor’s mouth.

“It’s good to see you again, Prince Richard.”

Richard turned. No one alive was left for him to call a friend but the closest he ever had to an ally was Shira; Arzyria’s High Protector. As usual, she was dressed in her golden armor, holding her powerful enchanted weapon; Arshetia; meaning bearer of many weapons. It took the form of a sword for now.

Richard felt his lips pursed into a smile as he said, “Prince Richard huh? You know you are probably the only one who calls me that, Shira... High Protector of Arzyria.”

Shira’s glowing white eyes widened a little as she threw a gaze past Richard.

“You have company?” she said.

“No one important,” Richard said, tilting his head slightly.

Shira first gave him a curious glance and later said, “We have a problem.”

“We always do,” Richard replied. “So... who or what brings you to the Earth Realm?”

“Not here,” Shira said.

In a quick motion, Shira’s right hand was on Richard’s shoulder. An electric sensation coursed through his body and in a blink of an eye Richard found himself surrounded by trees and fresh outdoor air whipped across his face and into his nostrils. Richard’s vision was a bit blurry at first and leaves and dry branches cracked underneath his feet as he staggered. He always felt dizzy after one of Shira’s teleportation.

With an unmatched composure, Shira walked past Richard and a piercing metallic sword rang as she sheathed her sword across her back. It wasn’t long after that Richard began to notice strange features about his surroundings.

Anyone would have thought the ground had been struck by an earthquake or landslide. Rocky spikes protruded from the ground, boulders were all over the place, lying in unnatural positions, some even embedded in trees. Almost everything was covered with brown dust and sword marks were on some trees as well.

Also, mixed in the air was a familiar scent— and it wasn’t Shira’s.

“Shira...” Richard said in a low disturbed voice.

Turning to face him, Shira said, “Yes Richard... Sebastian has returned to the Earth Realm.”

“How’s that possible?” Richard asked. “The magic that created him should prevent him from ever coming back.”

“Not unless he managed to find a witch powerful enough to break that spell. And don’t you mean the magic that created all of you? You are also one of the Ten remember.”

“I was a monster long before that day,” Richard replied, looking at the thick dark streaks of dry blood smeared against a tree. “Anyway,” he continued, “You have obviously had an encounter with him. What does he want?” he asked.

“He seeks to awaken The Chimera,” Shira answered.

Richard felt his almost stop.

“What are you talking about?” His shaking hand scratched through his hair. The thought of his return. Ethan’s terror is brought upon the world and the realms again. The thought of reliving the past fifty thousand years...

“Richard...”

It was then that Richard realized that his fangs and claws had involuntarily extended and his hands were turning red, slowly becoming hotter.

He took in one deep breath and calmed himself.

“The spell placed on the dagger cannot be broken—” Richard’s eyes widened. “Unless...”

Shira only nodded.

“I didn’t want to believe it at first but it seems the elders of Arzyria have been keeping it a secret that Prometheus’ Orb was stolen. Richard, out of the Ten, only you, Talya, Sebastian, and Roagu remain. Sebastian has already taken the lives of the rest and if he manages to get you, he will be able to wield the power of the Orb.”

Everything is happening as Talya foresaw, thought Richard, biting the inside lower lip. Sebastian’s arrival in the Earth realm was no mere coincidence. Times like these often made Richard believe that Ethan had a plan for everything... even his own return. While the spell on the dagger couldn’t be broken by ordinary means, the appearance of Prometheus’ Orb turned the tide on that fact. Richard had never seen the Orb but he had heard the stories. Named after the Titan Prometheus who was said to have stolen fire from Olympus, the Orb was rumored to have the power to absorb... or rather steal any form of magic.

The use of the Orb, however, required a very steep price. In order to activate it, the user had to be the only one of their kind. Richard recalled how his mother had once told him that everything— living or non-living— was uniquely marked with magic. Humans, merpeople, vampires, plants, insects, or even the waters of the ocean each possessed a magical signature that determined everything thing about them.

When Richard was turned he became the first creature to be born of Ethan’s blood. Later, he succeeded in acquiring some of Ethan’s blood and used the same method to create the Ten. If— by some slim chance— Sebastian managed to kill every one of the Ten except himself, then he would exist as the only one in all the realms having that magical signature. With that; his blood would be able to activate the Orb’s power.

“Richard?”

Richard shook his head. He was still sorting out his thoughts when he said, “Leave Sebastian and the Orb to me.”

Shira walked towards him and said, “Richard, all I know are speculative stories of what happened between the Ten nine hundred years ago—”

“And I think it’s best to keep it that way,” Richard replied in a raised voice, cold and without emotion.

“Be that as it may,” Shira said, giving him a stern look. “I’m not leaving you to deal with Sebastian alone. Earth has no High Protector— not since the last one was killed years ago— and even though I am not obligated to help a foreign realm I still remember how you once helped my father and grandfather. Besides, Ethan’s return would spell disaster for many realms.”

“Alright,” Richard gave in. “Just be careful.”

Richard slightly squinted his eyes as a brilliant blue glow caused by Shira’s teleportation filled the area. His vision cleared and an intense silence dawned upon the woods. Sitting on the ground, with his back rested a tree, Richard glanced at the pure blue sky above.

It had only been a year, he thought. He spent a year planning how he would live a life— if he could even call it one— free of Ethan. He had it all figured out; spend time in Ravenhill and perhaps after a few years leave for another city or country. Though he knew he would have to make friends in order to blend in, Richard could have never anticipated meeting someone like Ashley. She was the one variable he never considered and now he had no idea of what he was going to do.

Richard clenched his jaw and pounded his fist into the ground. Though daggered and lying miles underneath the ocean, Ethan had yet again found another way to bring havoc to his life.

A thought of Ashley crossed Richard’s mind.

“...she will be the one who ensures it.”

So Ashley would somehow bring about the return of Ethan. But how? Richard thought.

He chuckled as a dark grin formed across his face.

“Over my dead body is anyone going to bring Ethan back,” he whispered.

“I can’t help but see the irony in all that… Seeing as you are already dead.”

Richard’s eyes flew open and he was on his feet in a blink’s length of time.

He froze when he turned behind and saw an ebony-skinned woman. Both her hands had long, black chains dangling like loose strings and she was wearing damp clothes that were almost sticking to her body. Light bounced off the water that ran down her shiny black hair as she walked towards him.

“T-T... Talya...?”

Richard’s voice was shaking.

“It's good to see you too, my love,” Talya said, a smile forming on the side of her cheek.

Richard shook his head.

“No you can’t be here,” he said.

“Of course, I’m not.”

Richard staggered back when he saw Talya standing right in front of him.

“How can I be here Richard?” Talya asked, tears filling her brown eyes. “You had me sent to Drenagen, you had me sent to that prison after you betrayed me... after you betrayed all of us.”

Talya tilted her head and the chains that bound her hands clanked as she rested her palm on Richard’s cheek. Though wet, her hand felt so warm that Richard couldn’t fight the urge to close his eyes.

“But I never stopped loving you, Richard,” she said in the same soothing tone Richard once enjoyed hearing. “I may not be able to fully use my magic because of these chains but I can use the little power I have to see you like this.”

“Talya I—”

“Shh...”

Talya placed a finger on Richard’s lips and wrapped her hands around his waist.

“Don’t you miss the time we were together Richard?” she asked, tightening her hug.

“I—”

It was like a blindfold suddenly being unfolded from his mind. He pushed Talya away when he realized what was going on.

“Richard, what’s wrong?”

“Who are you?” Richard asked, his voice vibrating with anger. He could feel it. Someone was in his mind and whoever it was, they’d used Talya’s image to lower Richard’s psychic defenses.

A smile formed on Talya’s face and her body slowly began to appear less solid, turning transparent until she finally disappeared.

With his heart racing and his breathing deepening, Richard sent a surge of power through the woods, trying to sense anyone or anything that could have followed him. Apart from the forest critters, Richard couldn’t detect anyone. Whoever or whatever infiltrated his mind was long gone.

Richard didn’t know what it was they wanted from him. His psychic guards were now up but he could feel that something was wrong. A memory, an idea, or a thought could have been accessed.

He began to walk back to school. As if Shira’s news about Sebastian wasn’t disconcerting enough, Richard had to also deal with the fact that someone out there had entered his mind and who knew what they wanted.

Only thirty days remained until the solstice and already events were unfolding just the way Talya said they would. Richard needed to find a way to avert the prophecy.

Ashley is the key he thought. Richard had to find out how Ashley was related to all this. She was a mermaid living among humans. Like him, she had managed to blend in with them for God knows how long. Sebastian... Ashley... Both are involved in Ethan’s return and both are in the same place. It was no coincidence.

However, what bothered Richard the most was Sebastian’s plan. The was no way Sebastian could kill Talya and seeing that Roagu was in a realm that even Richard couldn’t reach, how was Sebastian planning on activating Prometheus’ Orb?

Realizing that he hadn’t fed, Richard stopped and decided to head for his villa instead. With his speed, he would be there in a matter of seconds, an amount of time he felt he had to come up with a plan.

***

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