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

With a grunt, Adrian landed from the top of the wall. Emery’s feet touched the ground next to him. Stealth and infiltration were skills taught to all Hunters. Hunters fought all kinds of supernaturals from Vampires, Werewolves to even Demons. Most, if not all, were superior to humans in terms of strength, speed, sight, and agility. Hunters were trained to fight in the dark, match the speed of these creatures, and most of all; Hunters were trained on how to destroy these creatures.

“Sir, where do we go from here?” Emery asked.

“This way,” Adrian replied.

Oregon State Hospital

It was one of the best hospitals in Salem and little did it know about the power one of its patients possessed. The place was huge. Adrian remembered his father giving him a bit of history about the place but he couldn’t remember all the details of the conservation.

Brick by brick, this place held so many memories. It was the place where Ashley would be taken whenever...

“Captain, stop,” Emery said, holding Adrian by his hand.

A guard was coming their way.

Adrian and Emery quietly hid behind a dark corner and waited until the guard was gone.

“You seem... distracted Captain,” Emery said. The Hunters' uniform only allowed their eyes to be seen and Adrian could see the worry in Emery’s eyes. It wasn’t a Lieutenant worried for her Captain... they were the eyes of a friend worried for another.

“I’m fine, Emery,” Adrian said.

“This is the second time you’ve called me by my first name Captain,” Emery replied, chuckling a bit. “Remember the first time.”

“You would have been killed,” Adrian replied, smiling underneath his mask.

“Sir, with all due respect... I am seven years older than you are and of more experience... I would have handled it.”

“As your encounter with Dominic attested,”

“Attested really? Even I don’t use that word. Besides, Dominic compelled me...”

"Charmed you is what I would call it.”

Emery frowned, “Well, I am glad you were there Captain... Wait, what’s this?”

Adrian looked below and saw a piece of paper under his boot. It was well-folded and had a name written on it in black ink.

Adrian

Adrian picked it up.

“It’s for you,” Emery said. It sounded more of a question than a statement.

Adrian didn’t say anything as he unfolded the paper.

Though it was dark, Adrian could still make out the words written on it.

Hi Adrian,

It’s Stacy. You are reading this standing in a dark corner with your Lieutenant Emery Hughes. You are reading this after a guard just past you a few minutes ago. You are reading this because you wanted to see me about my brother, Jacob, and you are reading this because Alex has been killed.

Everything is happening exactly the way I saw it, Adrian. I may be wearing a strait jacket. I may be confined within the walls of this hospital but I assure you; my sight is unbound. I see the past, the present, and the future.

You don’t need to come to see me... in fact, you won’t.

Adrian, I don’t see everything. I only ever see glimpses; fragments of different points in time and this is what I would tell you even if you had come to see me.

Ashley Morgan needs to die. Her existence will only bring the end to us, the end to this world, and the end to all the realms. She will be the key in awakening a great evil... an ancient evil... born out of the fires of hell themselves and by those flames, all the realms will burn.

I know for a fact that you are still reading this. I know you still don’t believe me. You think the future is uncertain. I believe so too Adrian. That is why I am trying to prevent it. But to prove that I am telling the truth, here is what will happen. In exactly twenty-three days, when the full moon is next to the brightest star, you will know. You will know that I am right. These are my very last words to you, Adrian. The next time we ever going to talk... Well, let’s just say things are going to be very different, for both of us.

I don’t hate Ashley; I am not responsible for what my brother is doing to her, to you, or to the town. When you meet him, tell him that I am sorry for what I did to him... that I am sorry for what he has become. Jacob’s end is coming soon. He will die by your hands, Adrian. I have no right to ask this but when the time comes, please grant him a quick death. He doesn’t deserve it after everything he has done but he didn’t ask to become what he is and neither did you. This is just a cruel fate we all have to bear.

Adrian, whatever you do twenty-three days from now will determine the fate of the realms. My hope is that you will do something you won’t regret later. I know you never liked me much but I have to admit... I did quite like the thought of you and Ashley together and I am glad you two are now dating. I really didn’t want it to be you Adrian but if the world and the rest of the realms are to survive... you must be the one... the one to kill Ashley. I wish there was another way.

With much sadness,

Stacy.

PS: Alex’s body has been found. I know that you two weren’t close but you did care for her. You care for everyone Adrian. All I can say is that Alex didn’t feel any pain when Jacob got to her and Adrian... It’s alright to feel hurt right now... it’s all right to be afraid. That at least proves you are still human.

Tears began to fill Adrian’s eyes. The letter he read was soaked in dried-up tears... Stacy’s tears.

Emotions he was trying to bury all night began to whirl up inside him. Alex’s death, Ashley being in danger, the fate of the town, everything Stacy had just written... all these hit him all at once.

He gripped the letter and his hand shivered uncontrollably.

“Captain,” Emery asked.

Adrian’s eyes were now burning hot and tears streamed down. He couldn’t protect Alex he thought. He couldn’t protect anyone.

“Adrian...”

A lump had formed in his throat, making it difficult for him to even speak.

Adrian looked at his lieutenant. Her eyes had also involuntarily started tearing. She pulled him to her and hugged him. It was a warm hug. Both of their leather uniforms creaked as each tightly held the other.

At that moment, he was not a captain. He was not a Hunter... He was just a seventeen-year-old kid who didn’t know what he was going to do.

...

Thanks for reading.

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