The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)

Blue electric sparks crackled in front of Richard and this time the one who appeared before Richard was someone he remembered all too well.

“I am glad you’re well, my prince,” Shira uttered and she turned to the girl in black.

“Thank you for giving Ethan my message, Shira,” the girl said.

“It was my pleasure, Kyla,” Shira replied.

When Shira called Kyla by her name Richard remembered. She was the girl he’d seen moving around with a human back when he was in Lideth.

“You mentioned my brother just now,” Richard said. “Are you also one of his allies? Who are you really?”

Kyla took one look at the horde of Life-Eaters that had already arrived and were making their way toward them.

“So these are the Life-Eaters Ethan once told me about,” she said with a small smile across her face. “Hey Shira, hold this for me would you?” Shira grabbed the sword Kyla tossed at her.

“You should be careful with this sword, Kyla,” Shira said.

“Don’t worry… There are only a handful of beings in all the realms capable of unsheathing my sword,” Kyla said. “Now then…”

Richard saw her take one step and in a blink length of time, he felt a tremendous wave of power hit him so hard that he froze.

When his mind returned to reality, Richard’s eyes widened and he was shocked by what he saw in the air.

Nothing.

There was not even a trace of mist in the sky. Nothing of the Life-Eaters remained and standing in front of him was Kyla.

“My mistress is much more than just an ally to Lord Ethan.”

Another Asian girl in her mid-twenties appeared next to Richard. This was the girl that Richard had seen traveling with Kyla in Lideth. She was a Witch.

“What is she?” Richard asked.

“Can’t you tell that she’s a vampire?” Mirai replied.

“No vampire can possess the power she’s just displayed.”

“You are right on that account. Nevertheless, she is one. Concerning her power… I have heard that Lord Ethan once said that if he is hailed as the most beautiful warrior in all creation… Then my mistress is the deadliest.”

“There you are, Mirai,” Kyla called out, waving her hand. “I was worried you’d get lost. The battle between Ethan and Deimos has shaken this island and it will soon be swallowed by the ocean.”

“And did you complete the task Lord Ethan had given you?”

Kyla stretched herself.

“'Keep I eye on him while he’s in Lideth,’ he said. 'Shield the realm from my aura by absorbing some of it’ he said. ‘I will be very grateful’ he said. I swear, that Ethan is a slave driver,” Kyla complained like a child. “In any case, my work here is done.”

“So you were the one spying on us in Lideth,” stated Richard but got no response from her.

“I will have these returned to their home, Kyla,” Shira said as she walked toward Ashley and Samantha. “Richard, it’s time to go. Richard?”

“Tell me why. First, it was Ashley, Allison, then Talya, now Shira, and even you, Kyla. How is it possible that Ethan easily wins people over to his side while I only manage to push them away?”

Kyla retrieved her sword from Shira.

“Richard, the day you find the answer to that question will probably be the day you’ll experience the worst pain of your life,” Kyla said. “So until Ethan deems it right for him to reveal the truth to you, my advice would be to keep an open mind.” Kyla looked past him and at Ashley. “Try to be more like her.”

The ground was vibrating vigorously and wells of fire and brimstone spat out of the earth in the distance. Large tidal waves were coming from every direction and just as Kyla said, this island would soon be swallowed up by the ocean.

Richard felt a warm hand grab her.

“It’s time to leave, Richard,” Shira said, and she turned to Kyla and Mirai. “I will be back for you two.”

“Take your time,” Kyla said. “And Richard, be sure to consider what I said.”

Electricity crackled and a blinding blue light filled Richard’s eyes.

When his vision cleared he found himself staring at his villa in the woods.

“Guys?”

Richard recognized that voice.

“Adrian,” Luke said with a happy smile.

Dressed in dark blue denim jeans, a tight white T-shirt, and a black jacket, Adrian ran to Samantha.

“What happened to her?” he asked Samantha as he helped her carry Ashley.

“No, no wait!” Luke shouted when Sara came running at Richard with her black sword. Her face was red with fury, flowing with tears and she’d gripped her sword so hard blood was flowing from her figure tips.

“I leave you for one second, darling and you decide to go all samurai on the Fire Demon,” Spencer said as he walked out of Richard’s place. “Then again, the bloke kinda deserves it.”

Spencer walked to Sara and gently held her hands.

“Come now love,” he said to her and managed to calm her down.

Adrian was in disarray. He looked at Richard and the rest, wondering what was going on, even as he carried Ashley in his arms.

“Adrian, we’ll explain everything later but for now… Shira was it?” Samantha said. “If you don’t mind, I would like you to take Ashley and us back home. I honestly want to be as far away from him as possible.”

“I understand,” said Shira. “But bear with it for just a while. Ashley was exposed to very dark and powerful magic. This magic touched her heart and right now we cannot be sure of how it affected her. When she wakes and is fine, you may do as you see fit. But for now, stay here. And if I am being honest, carrying all four of you was a feat even for me. I want to save the little strength I have left for the trip back home with Kyla and Mirai.”

“I understand,” said Samantha. “Thank you and please um… Thank Kyla for saving us back there.”

“I will be sure to do so,” replied Shira.

Walking to Richard, Shira was about to speak but she held whatever words she was about to say.

After she teleported away, Adrian took Ashley into Richard’s house. Richard remained outside for a while he just stared at the stars in the sky. Whispers of the gentle breeze swept through his ears and for a while, he immersed himself in it.

He turned and looked in the direction of the ocean. Even under the moonless sky, the beautiful white foam of the waves glittered underneath the stars. It was a few minutes until dawn and Richard was pondering on what to do next. He could hear Adrian and the rest talking inside. Adrian had laid Ashley on one of the couches and Samantha was telling him everything that had happened. Strangely, Adrian wasn’t throwing himself in a feat of rage like Richard expected he would. Instead, he listened quietly; almost as if what he was hearing didn’t surprise him at all.

Richard was still in the middle of his eavesdropping when a figure suddenly appeared in the woods ahead of him. It was Ethan.

Letting out a weary sigh, Richard walked over to him.

When he entered the woods, Richard saw Ethan walk over to a small opening. Richard followed him. Despite being older than Richard, Ethan physically looked younger than him. Ethan’s hair gracefully followed the direction of the blowing wind. He stood in a perfect poster and showed no sign of fatigue; as if he wasn’t just from fighting a god with the power of the twelve Olympians.

When Richard was closer to him, Ethan spoke.

“Tell me, little brother,” he said. “What do you think is the most fragile thing in all the realms?”

“I have had enough riddles for one day, Ethan. You have never been someone to gloat over a victory so what is it that you want?” Richard asked.

“We’ll save that topic for another day then,” Ethan replied. “To the point then. As you are already aware the spell you subjected the little mermaid to, exposed her heart to very dark magic. While you used the spell to reanimate Deimos, you may have also altered something very important to the little mermaid… Her emotions. I see you’re not surprised to hear this.”

“I knew there would be risks in performing that spell but as I’ve always said… Any willing to risk anything if it means you being destroyed.”

“It is easier to have people see you as a monster, little brother. But that’s not an existence meant for you,”

“And what about you?” Richard asked. “I already know you’re a monster but it turns out you are one with secrets. Why didn’t you tell me Talya wished to be turned into a dark creature?”

“What good would that have done?” asked Ethan, his gaze aimed at the sky whose dark color was slowly morphing into a light blue. “It won’t change the fact that I took away your parents. It won’t bring Vanessa, Spiril, Fridah, Diana, Carla; the girls you once fell in love with and I killed with my hands…”

“Forever reminding me that you will always keep your word and make sure that I am always alone. Do you intend to take away Ashley too?”

Ethan stood quiet for a while. He gave Richard his word that whenever Richard thought of moving on, he would be there to take away any happiness Richard had any hope of acquiring. He was already doing that right here in Ravenhill.

“Little brother,” Ethan finally said. “Those consumed by hatred— regardless of how justified— will always end up depriving themselves of any happiness. We should all face the consequences of our actions. Should you lose the friends you acquired here, you would only have yourself to blame.”

Richard clenched his jaw and his hand curled into a fist.

However, he took in a deep breath and calmed himself. There was something important he wished to know.

“You were able to fight a god possessing the power of the twelve Olympians,” Richard stated. “Yet, when I fought you on that cliff a year ago, you didn’t even release any of your seals. Tell me, Ethan, did you purposefully let me defeat you that day?”

“And if I did?” Ethan asked.

“That’s all I need to know for now,” Richard answered. He was quiet for a while and then he asked, “So, how exactly will Ashley’s emotions change?”

Ethan’s sharp eyes studied Richard.

“Ying and Yang, brother. What was positive will become negative. What was good, bad… What was love could become hate. The spell can change one or many things about her and that’s why I want to propose a truce between us.”

“A truce?” Richard almost chuckled saying that.

“The little mermaid is still of use to me and while I have reached an agreement with her, I can’t have you constantly trying to destroy me.”

Richard’s restraint reached his limit. He grabbed Ethan by his collar and looked him in the eye.

“I would like to set one record straight, Chimera,” Richard said. “I would rather watch the whole realms burn than ever align myself with you.” Richard pushed Ethan away and began to walk back into the woods.

“What if I take away the curse that prevents you from going back into the ocean?!” Ethan suddenly shouted.

Caught off guard, Richard stopped. He felt his heart beating hard against his chest. Ethan never lied and he wasn’t lying about this. No… Richard turned and looked at Ethan. For the first time, Richard saw something in Ethan’s eyes that he never thought he would see. Ethan wasn’t just serious about taking away Richard’s curse but he was also desperate.

Ashley, stop!

Richard quickly turned and dashed into the woods when he heard Samantha call for Ashley. As he blurred past the trees, Richard could feel Ashley’s aura and suddenly he felt a heavy weight in his chest. He’d just told Ethan that he would sacrifice anything and anyone just to get his revenge but hearing Ashley’s heartbeat in the distance, catching her scent in the air… All Richard wanted was to hold her and to once again feel her embrace.

However, when he arrived at his manor he witness a terrible sight. Adrian and Luke were trying to hold Ashley to the ground. She pushed both of them aside and stood. Her claws and fangs had extended and she was breathing heavily.

“Ashley, please calm down,” Samantha pleaded as tears flooded her eyes.

“Where is he?” Ashley said in a low voice. “I know he is around here somewhere. Ethan is the one I want.”

Pure rage was in Ashley’s eyes and Richard could only stare in disbelief. Ethan had said that Ashley’s emotions would change and from the looks of it she was looking for Ethan. If it was rage and hate that was in her heart right now then it meant that the emotion that was altered was…

“Step aside, Richard,” said Ashley, pulling Richard back to reality. “I don’t want to fight you but if you try and stop me, I will.”

It can’t be, Richard thought as he gazed into Ashley’s glowing blue eyes. You can’t truly feel that way about him. I refuse to believe that.

Richard spread his arms, leaving the area across his chest unguarded.

“What are you doing, Richard?” Ashley asked.

“If you want to get to Ethan then you will have to kill—“

“Ashley, no!” Claire shouted.

Blood splashed out of Richard’s chest when Ashley plunged her hand through it. She grabbed his heart inside and was about to pull it out when Ethan appeared next to her and grabbed her hand.

“That’s quite enough, little mermaid,” he said.

“Ethan,” Ashley spoke and her eyes widened.

Ashley slowly let go of Richard’s heart and pulled out her hand. Richard fell on one knee and coughed as the tear in his chest healed. He looked at Ashley who was staring intensely at Ethan. Her hands shook as she retracted her claws and her sharp fangs returned to their normal size. She moved closer to him and Ethan kept her eyes focused on her every movement; preparing himself for any attack.

However, what came next was something even that even the Chimera couldn’t have expected.

Without giving Ethan a chance to react, Ashley threw her arms around him, hugged him and what followed next made everyone stare in shock. Ashley pressed her lips against Ethan’s and kissed him. Her eyes were closed and Ethan’s were wide open. Tightening her embrace, Ashley slowly pulled away from the kiss.

“They told me you fought Deimos,” she said to Ethan. Tears were beginning to flow out of her eyes. “I thought you were badly hurt and that’s why I desperately needed to make sure you were okay. If something happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to live, Ethan.” Ashley was about to go in for another kiss but Ethan gently pressed his finger upon her lips.

“Not in front of the children,” he said.

The wound in Richard’s chest completely healed and he was about to dash towards both of them but halted when raised his left hand behind Ashley and stopped him.

“You’re right,” Ashley said with a cheerful smile. “I can’t believe I was so worried. And I am sorry for hurting Richard. He tried to stop me and I just wanted to see you.” Ashley began to sob like a child and Ethan wiped her tears.

“It’s quite alright, little mermaid,” he said. “What matters is neither one of you is hurt. Now then...”

Ethan chanted some words in a language unknown to Richard. Ashley fell into Ethan’s arms and went to sleep. Ethan had cast a sleeping spell on her.

Samantha ran to them and held her friend.

“What’s happening to her?” she asked Ethan.

“This is an unexpected turn of events,” Ethan said. “I was certain the spell would alter her most powerful emotion and…”

“And that emotion turned out to be her hatred for you,” Richard said with a proud smile. Honestly, he was expecting Ashley to wake up either hating anyone of her friends or family because he was sure that the love she felt for them was stronger than any emotion she harbored. But this was even better, thought Richard. Deep down, Ashley despised Ethan and that’s why she ended up loving him after she just woke up.

Fortune was on his side and Richard decided to make the most of this situation.

“I will consider your offer for a truce,” Richard said to Ethan.

“And why the sudden interest?” Ethan asked.

“Let’s just say you now hold the cards necessary for a deal,” Richard answered.

A smirk appeared across Ethan’s face.

“And here I thought only humans were amusing,” he said.

He cast another spell but this time a black spiral of flames appeared on the ground. Richard had seen this before; back when they were fighting the Dark Trinity. A creature with a humanoid figure appeared out of the black flames. He was dressed in black clothes, had a thin but long tail with a sharp tip and his skin was whitish-grey with black markings across his scarred face. The scars looked like a combination of claw and burn marks and Richard had a good idea who gave them to him.

“Dymora,” Ethan said to the creature.

The Dymora knelt on one knee. “Yes, my lord.”

“Carry the little mermaid to the manor,” said Ethan.

The Dymora directed his black eyes toward Ashley.

Richard and Adrian quickly stepped in.

“Wait, no one said anything about you taking Ashley away,” said Adrian.

Ethan looked at Adrian and then at Richard.

“Brother, remember when I asked you what the fragile thing in all the realms is… Well, right at this moment, it so happens that the little mermaid’s heart is the answer to that question. If she wakes up and finds me gone, she will do just about anything to get to me. She almost killed your brother so what makes you think she wouldn’t do the same to the rest of her friends; worse, her family.”

“We will restrain her,” Richard stated. “She won’t harm anyone.”

“And what about herself?” Ethan said. “As I said, right now she believes that she’s desperately in love with me and her heart will give out the moment she realizes she can’t be anywhere close to me.”

“Did you know this would happen?” Samantha asked Ethan as she let the Dymora carry Ashley in his hands.

“I knew that exposing her to the dark magic of the spell would affect her heart… but not in this way.”

Samantha walked over to Adrian and rested her hand on his shoulder.

“Adrian, we can trust Ethan with her,” she said. “I know this is hard for you to do but at least try and trust me.”

“So we just place her life in the Chimera’s hands?” Adrian said. He turned his gaze back at Ethan. “What if he uses that as leverage against us?”

“You misunderstand, Hunter,” Ethan responded and walked over to the Dymora. “If it wasn’t for the little mermaid, I probably would have been destroyed while I was still in the Underworld. I owe her... And I intend to repay that debt by taking care of her until the effects of the spell wear off.”

“Will they?” Richard asked.

“For everyone’s sake, let’s hope they do, little brother.”

Ethan and the Dymora began to walk towards the woods but before he left, Ethan took one last glance at all of them.

“Richard,” he said. “Talya stole Deimos’ power of the Twelve Olympians during our battle. Any idea of what she might be planning on using it for?”

“Like you, Talya only speaks in riddles,” Richard replied. “However, she did mention that she would spread the news of Ashley’s existence across the realms. She also mentioned that she needed to do that to draw the attention of someone.”

“Interesting,” Ethan said, and this time he began to address all of them. “Most of you I have justifiable reasons to hate me but if you are to stand a chance against the storm that’s about to come then an alliance between us will be necessary. So I extend the offer of a truce I gave my brother to all of you. What we are all facing now is a consequence of our own actions and holding one another at fault will only worsen your current situation.”

After those words, Ethan and the Dymora carried Ashley into the dark woods and Richard watched until they vanished from his sight.

The sky was almost turning light blue and the rays of the rising sun were beginning to light up the area.

Adrian was the first person to say something.

“I know you guys have a lot to say, both to me and to Richard,” he said to Luke, Claire, and Samantha. “But for now, let’s rest. As much as I—” Adrian slapped his forehead. “Sara, we should check up on her and Spencer.”

Luke, Claire, and Adrian run back into Richard’s villa but Samantha remained.

“Sam, aren’t you coming?” Claire asked.

“I’ll be there soon,” Samantha replied.

When the others left, Samantha came and stood next to Richard.

“Sara and Spencer were the first people who tried to stop Ashley,” she said to him. “She snapped Spencer’s neck but since he’s a vampire he should be alright. Sara was also knocked out but her wound wasn’t too fatal.”

“Whatever you want to say just say it, Samantha,” Richard coldly uttered.

“Looks like you still haven’t grown a consciousness,” she said. “Then I will be quick. I want to stay as far away from Ashley as possible. I saw the look you had in your eyes when you found out she had fallen in love with Ethan. You realized that it meant her original hatred for him was turned into love and you plan on exploiting that hatred when she returns to normal.”

“Samantha, I care for Ashley,” Richard said. “But I admit that knowing Ashley still hates the Chimera was somehow relieving. Of all her emotions, it is the most powerful and it will be the key to what I plan on doing.”

Richard was surprised to see Samantha laugh.

“Do you really think that that’s what the spell of Ying and Yang does?” she said. “Well, that was the rumor I spread so I guess I can’t blame you.”

“What are you talking about?” Richard said. Then he realized something from the way Samantha was acting.

“You are not Samantha, are you?”

“Oh, I am Samantha,” she replied. “And I’m also so much more. But that’s a topic for another time. The hold I have over this young mind is slowly fleeting.”

“What do you know about the spell?” Richard asked.

“Everything, dear Richard,” Samantha replied, tilting her head slightly. “After all, I was the one who created it.”

Richard’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

“Time is not with me right now so I will get to the point,” she commented. “The spell I created doesn’t alter any emotions. It only serves one purpose. For the one it’s being cast upon, it turns flesh into spirit or spirit into flesh. And for the one who sacrifices their heart; it reveals to them their darkest desire. Richard, you managed to find a way to use Ashley’s heart without killing her. Her darkest desire was revealed to her heart and when you returned it to her, that desire was manifested into the Ashley we saw just now.”

“That’s not possible?” Richard said, shaking his head. “You are lying.”

It can’t be, Richard thought. I can’t—

“Richard… hey, Richard,”

Richard pulled away from his thoughts when Samantha held him by his shoulder.

“Richard, what’s wrong?” she asked. “And where is Ashley? I remember her suddenly attacking Sara and Spencer. I tried to stop and she pushed so hard against the wall that I was unconscious for a while.”

It was just like when Talya summoned a demon back in Ethan’s manor. Back then, something or someone had possessed Samantha’s body. It had only happened a few hours ago so Richard clearly remember that she had called herself Aria and had demonstrated incredible power.

‘I have a message for the Chimera. Tell him his search is finally over and that Aria grows more impatient with each passing second. Fate has been twisted and soon the Chimera will feel my wrath and the humans he cares for so dearly will share his suffering.’

Those were Aria’s words.

“Hey, Samantha,” Richard said. “Ethan was right. For now, we need to put our differences aside. If not for everyone else, let’s at least do it for Ashley. Adrian and the rest are inside. They will explain everything that transpired while you were unconscious.”

Samantha was still confused as to how she found herself standing with Richard. She’d probably been possessed by Aria since the time Ashley knocked her out.”

“For Ashley then,” Samantha said and she walked inside the house.

Richard could now feel the sun’s heat hitting the left side of his face. It had completely risen and as he watched the glitters of light on the ocean in the distance, thought about what Samantha had said… well… what Aria had said.

The spell of Ying and Yang revealed the darkest desire of the one being sacrificed. Ashley’s darkest desire was to be with Ethan. Richard chuckled. It was so ridiculous that Richard didn’t even what to consider the possibility of it being true.

Still, he couldn’t refute what was right before him. Whoever Aria was, she was someone with incredible power. The magic she demonstrated in Ethan’s manor was one that Richard had never witnessed in his entire life.

Maybe, he thought as he gazed upon the ocean’s water as they mirrored the sun’s red color. If he accepted Ethan’s offer for a truce then his curse would be removed. He would be able to return to the ocean. He would be able to return home and more importantly… If he was somehow able to exploit Samantha’s power…

He would finally be to acquire the one weapon in all the realms that was capable of putting an end to the Chimera.

It won’t matter how Ashley feels about you, Ethan, Richard thought as he walked into his house. She will be the one I will use to end you… permanently this time.

However, he— and everyone else— would soon find out the dark truth behind Ashley and once that truth was revealed, the balance of the realms would be shaken. Beings from all around the realms would soon come to put an end to the one considered to be the Child of Destruction. And on the day that Richard discovers how she and Ethan were connected, he— together with many of Ashley’s allies— would turn against her and wish that she’d been killed when they all had a chance.

War was coming and Ashley would soon find herself fighting a battle that would not only determine her fate… but the fate of the entire Earth Realm.

...

We are finally at the end of this book but like many things in life... An ending of one thing usually means the beginning of another.

Ethan Thane, The Chimera, has defeated the god, Deimos. Ashley is under the influence of a powerful spell that makes her believe she’s in love with Ethan. Richard is planning on exploiting the truce between him and Ethan to acquire a weapon that could possibly destroy his brother once and for all. Talya has shown her true colors and betrayed Richard. She now proceeds to spread the word of Ashley’s existence around the realms; calling her the Child of Destruction. Samantha is starting to show a side of her that even she didn’t know existed; who is Aria and why does she hate Ethan? Robert has received three prophesies from Stacy; prophecies meant to serve as a warning about the destruction Ashley will bring to the realms. Stacy too has aligned herself with some powerful creatures and she remains hellbent on making sure Ashley meets her end.

This book has answered many questions but has also raised many others.

Find out what fate has installed for Ashley and her friend in my next upcoming book:

THE HIGH PROTECTOR (LEGENDS OF THE DARK CREATURES BOOK 3)