The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)

A blue SUV parked by the side of the road— near the large tree underneath which Ashley, Samantha, and Robert had taken refuge. Ashley’s clothes were heavy with rainwater and her snickers were digging into the wet mud. Samantha was shivering in Robert’s arms and neither one had said a word since their ordeal with Ethan.

The car’s backseat opened. Luke and Claire were inside and Luke’s father, Mr. Liam Anderson, was in the driver’s seat. Luke leaned out slightly and gestured his hands, beckoning them to hurry.

Robert and Samantha rose quickly and run towards the car. As they entered, Ashley walked towards the driver’s side.

“Are you alright?!” Mr. Anderson asked, shouting a bit since the crashing rains overpowered most of the sounds in the area.

“I am fine,” Ashley replied, forcing a fake weak smile across her face. “You can go ahead. I will meet you at the Sheriff’s office.”

Mr. Anderson looked like he wanted to protest against Ashley staying behind. He turned his head and gazed at Robert in the backseat. Robert just nodded.

“Alright,” Mr. Anderson said. “But please meet with us later today. There is something important I need to show you.”

When he said that Ashley remembered that yesterday she was supposed to meet him.

Ashley motioned her head agreeably. The engine roared when the car left she walked back into the woods. Her footsteps slowly began to quicken. Water splashed underneath her feet as she started running and eventually, Ashley was moving so fast that everything blurred and the cold wind hit her face. She wanted— needed— to be alone and she was heading in the direction of the one place she felt safe; Destiny Cliff.

She zoomed past a green thicket and arrived at her destination. Her legs gave out; not from tiredness but because of the tightening feeling she felt in her chest. She fell to my knees and pounded a fist against her chest. Ashley’s mouth opened but only a choked scream came out. A hot stinging sensation burnt her eyes but no tears would come out.

I almost lost my friends Ashley thought, recalling how helpless she was back in Ethan’s pocket dimension. Repeatedly, she smashed her fists on the ground until small cracks began to form. Her knuckles became red with blood but she ignored the pain. Ashley’s hands were shaking, resting on the rocky ground and she felt her forehead touch them.

Suddenly, the muscles in her entire body stiffened. Severe light-headedness overtook her and everything around her begin to spin. She tried to move but— like a puppet suddenly released from its strings— she fell, her face hitting the wet hard ground. Ashley’s breaths became short and she could hear her heartbeats echoing in her ears. She slightly raised her head but even her vision was becoming cloudy. Little black dots appeared before her as she lost control over her eyelids and finally... Ashley’s consciousness slipped into the darkness.

...

Some moments later...

A gentle warmth caressed the side of Ashley’s face. Her eyes were still closed but she could see shimmers of red behind her eyelids. She breathed in deeply when she realized that her body was wrapped in the embrace of two familiar arms. They held her tightly— as if she could slip away any moment and leave.

Ashley could hear his breath— feel his heart beating. She shifted my head slightly and properly rested it against his firm chest. He run his fingers through her hair and she slipped her hands around his waist while slowly opening my eyes.

“How long I have been here?” she asked, trying to sink myself further in his arms.

“I found you four hours ago,” Adrian’s voice replied gently. “I wanted to move you but you said you wanted to stay here.”

To stay just like this Ashley thought to herself. To be with him.

“I hope I didn’t say anything weird in my sleep,” she said as a quick cough shot out of my mouth.

“Not really.” Adrian then chuckled. “Your snoring on the other hand... not exactly your finest moment.”

“I never snore,” Ashley fired back, laughing even though her chest hurt a bit.

“I missed you, Adrian. I missed us,” she finally said.

Adrian was quiet for a while. Ashley slowly released her grip from his waist. Still kneeling, she faced him. He looked handsome in his white shirt and blue jeans. However, Ashley saw a profound sadness in his dark eyes and she didn’t have to read his aura to tell that he was in pain.

“Adrian? What’s wrong?”

“Do you really miss us?” he said, almost whispering. “After what I said to you... what I almost did to you?”

Adrian was referring to the time he pointed his crossbow at her. She was trying to protect Richard from him and even thinking about the rage Ashley had seen in Adrian’s eye back then made her skin crawl.

Ashley held both of his warm hands and rested them across her cheek.

“I was worried you’d never want to see me again,” she said.

“I wanted to see you, Ashley,” he responded. “In fact, I did come to see you. After the battle with Sebastian I um—” Adrian almost choked on his words and tears were filling his eyes. “They Hunters— they told me that before kidnapping you, Sebastian had attacked my home and my parents they...”

The sorrow in Adrian’s voice caused a lump to form in Ashley’s throat.

“Oh Adrian no... please don’t say it,” Ashley said, cupping her hand over her mouth.

“They must have fought bravely,” he said, nodding his head as if trying to convince himself. “They died both honorable deaths. When I found out, all I wanted was to see you... I needed to see you. But I came I saw you and Richard that night.”

Adrian looked away from her and pulled his hands away. Ashley’s mouth was trembling. She felt ashamed to reach out to hug him. All this time, while she was happily living in a fantasy, Adrian was suffering alone.

Ashley didn’t know what to say. But she realized that she needed to wake up. This was the real world, not a fairy tale. In this world the people you trusted the most betrayed you; she was thinking about Shira. They kept secrets from you; Robert and Richard appeared in her mind. And in this real world, there existed monsters who killed the people they claimed to have loved; monsters like Ethan.

“Adrian— Adrian please look at me,” Ashley cried. With wet eyes, Adrian looked at her. “I am so sorry Adrian. I— I don’t even know what to say.”

A sweet but sorrowful smile curled its way around his face. He held her left cheek and wiped off her tears with his thumb.

“I understand Ashley,” he said. “You have finally found where you belong. It’s something you once searched for. I am the one who should be sorry for not accepting it sooner.” He held her hands softly and Ashley’s heart almost melted when a wide smile appeared on his face. “Ashley, you are now part of a whole new and big world...” He paused. “You deserve to be with someone who can show it to you. And I know that person isn’t me. Richard—”

“But I love you!”

The words just came out.

Adrian’s eyes widened and his lips parted slightly.

“Adrian, it is you I love,” she repeated, this time softer. She moved closer until there was no space between them. Adrian was frozen like a statue so she was the one who held the back of his head and slowly drew his lips closer to hers. In the blissful moment when their lips met, Ashley closed her eyes and chose to forget everything that was worrying her. Adrian held her by her cheeks and kissed her hard.

He pulled away slightly.

“I love you, Ashley Morgan,” he said, his voice almost as gentle as his lips. Hearing those words sent an exhilarating thrill through her body. “Ashley, I have wanted to say this for a long time and I thought I would never have the chance.”

“Better late than never right?” Ashley whispered back and she kissed him again.

They locked in a sweet embrace for minutes. Ashley’s head was rested against Adrian’s chest and he had his head leaned on the top of her. Neither one of them wanted to let go of the other.

“I know this might sound a bit of a cliché but I really wish time would stop right now,” Ashley said, a private embarrassed smile forming across her face.

“Well... there is this technique we Hunters can do to stop time,” Adrian commented.

Ashley quickly tilted her head up to face him. “Really!”

Adrian laughed, shook his head, and said, “No.”

“Adrian,” Ashley frowned and nudged him in the stomach.

A happy sigh came out of Adrian’s mouth as he walked toward the edge of the cliff. He sat with his legs hanging in the air and Ashley joined him, placing her head on his shoulder.

“Ashley, there is something you need to know” Adrian suddenly said, his voice shaky. “After I found out what happened to my parents, I lost it. I began hunting and killing any supernatural creatures I came across and eventually, I discovered that a Demon has been lurking near Robert.”

“I also found out that just recently,” Ashley said. “But it looks like it has been protecting him.”

“And he has been protecting it as well. Ashley, I attacked my best friend just to satisfy my rage. If Emery hadn’t been there, I don’t what I would have done.”

Ashley held Adrian’s hand and interlocked their fingers.

“At least no one was hurt,” she said. “Adrian, so many things are messed up right now and I know that I cannot do it without you.”

“The Chimera?”

“Ethan says he has a plan for me. It’s all because of what I am. My unique magical signature he calls it.”

“Ethan? Is that the Chimera’s name?”

“Not only that,” Ashley said, raising her head from his shoulder. “His full name is Ethan Thane. He’s Richard’s brother.”

Adrian chuckled. “Seems like the Fire-Demon is just full of surprises. So where exactly is Richard?”

It was then that Ashley remember that Richard was the target of Adrian’s Al-Sayd Al-Kabeer; his Grand Hunt.

She held both her hands together and kept staring at the waves below the cliff.

“Don’t worry Ash,” Adrian said, breaking the silence between them. “I just want to speak to him. I need to ask him something.”

“I really don’t know where he is, Adrian,” Ashley replied. “The last time I heard from him was yesterday when he sent me a text saying that there was something he needed to look into.”

“I see,” Adrian replied.

“What did you want to ask him?”

“Well, I don’t know if you are already aware... The whole reason I wanted to destroy Richard was that I thought he was the one who killed my uncle.”

Ashley’s heart almost left her. Did he find out the truth? She thought. Did he find out that Sara— not Richard— was the one who killed his uncle? A year ago, Richard, with the help of the Hunters, fought and defeated Ethan, sealing him in eternal sleep. But the rest of the Hunters— including Adrian’s uncle— turned on Richard and attacked him; all of them under the influence of dark power. Sara was the only one who fought beside him and she was the one who took down Adrian’s uncle.

“Anyway,” Adrian continued, jogging Ashley back to reality. “I know for a fact that my uncle was killed by a Fire Demon. His body, along with those of the Hunters who fought with him that day, had been fatally burnt... Richard was the only Fire Demon with them; at least that is what I thought. But now I know they were all fighting the Chimera and he is part Fire-Demon, isn’t he?”

“You think Ethan was the one who killed the Hunters?” Ashley asked as both relief and fear took over her. She was relieved that Adrian didn’t know about Sara but was worried that his next target would be Ethan; someone no one stood a chance against.

“To be honest, I don’t know what to believe right now,” answered Adrian, looking towards the ocean. “That’s why I want to talk to Richard.” He turned towards her. “Or maybe he’s already told you the truth behind what happened that day.”

Ashley bit the inside of her lips. “No,” she replied. “I mean... I know that he teamed up with the Hunters to fight Ethan but I don’t know all the details of what happened.” Ashley hated herself for this but she had to lie to him. Adrian had been through enough already and if he found out that Ashley and her friends knew the truth all this while... and even if he did find it in his heart to forgive her, Hunter’s punishment for those who killed their own was death. Ashley had to protect Sara.

“Do you think Richard was the one who did it?” Adrian asked.

“No. That much I am sure Adrian,” Ashley replied. This time she wasn’t lying.

“So then it was the Chimera.”

“Adrian please don’t do anything rush against Ethan. I have seen what he can do and...”

“Don’t worry Ash,” Adrian replied with a smile. “The Chimera single-handedly killed five of the Grandmasters. Grandmaster Silvia is the only one who remains and she has called all Hunters to the headquarters in London.”

“So you will be leaving again,” Ashley said, her voice filled with sadness.

Adrian wrapped his arms around her. “It’s just for a few days. I will be back before the school dance.”

“The school dance huh? Well, then you better find a date soon.” Ashley smiled.

“Hmmm... I am sure someone will turn up,” said Adrian, playing with a strand of her hair.

They both stood.

“I better get going. Emery might get worried,” Adrian said.

“Wait.”

Ashley landed a quick kiss on his lips and said, “Adrian, I promise to always be by your side from now on. No matter what.”

A small smile lit up Adrian’s face. He kissed her gently and they just stared at each other.

“Oh, isn’t that Mila?” Adrian said, pointing and looking to his right.

Ashley followed where his eyes faced and indeed saw Mila. She looked beautiful; wearing a bright white bikini-type swimsuit with yellow stripes. Mila’s long hair was almost glowing in the sun’s light as she walked along the beach.

“Why don’t we go say... hi...?”

When she turned, Adrian was already gone.

Show off Ashley thought with a smile as she recalled that Hunters were masters at stealth.

She walked to the edge of the cliff and jumped. Her snickers touched the top of a rock and she leaped into the air. She bounced off the rocky walls of the cliff and executed a diagonal launch towards the swallow part of the ocean. Ashley’s feet sunk into the water without making a loud sound and she began walking towards Mila; who was facing away from her.

“Hey Mila”

“Ah!” Mila started and her emerald green eyes widened with shock. “Captain? Wh—” Mila’s gaze went passed Ashley. “Where did you come from?”

“If I told you I jumped over that cliff just to see you, would you believe me?” Ashley said with a smile.

Mila smiled and shook her head, “Alex always said you were a strange one, Captain.”

“Really?” Ashley replied in a soft voice. “I’m afraid to imagine what other things she said about me. But I would love to know.”

“I could tell you all about it,” Mila replied. “How ’bout you drop by my house sometime? It is been a while since you visited. And I know it is not my place to ask but has everything been alright? You have been M.I.A during some practice sessions.”

Ashley felt an ache in her heart. She saw the same worried look in Mila as she always did in her late sister, Alex.

“I have been tied up with something I thought I could handle alone,” Ashley responded. “But now, I promise you will be seeing more of me.”

Mila stretched her hands high in the air and breathed in and out deeply.

“So, what are you doing here?” Ashley asked.

“I have decided to be practicing my swimming techniques here every weekend,” Mila replied, wearing a determined look on her face.

“The waves are quite harsh on this side of the beach you know.”

“That’s exactly why I chose this place. You know, people expect me to somehow ‘carry on’ the legacy Alex left but I have made up my mind to shape my own path and form my own legacy.” She folded a fist and held it towards the blue sky. “You hear that sis!” Mila exclaimed as tears formed in her eyes. “I will make you proud by surpassing you.”

Mila started sobbing and Ashley did her best to hold back her own tears. She walked over to Mila and held the small girl in her arms.

“Surpassing Alex huh?” Ashley said. “I don’t think that’s going to be easy.”

“I know she was great but I will do my best.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Ashley held Mila by her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “What I was about to say was I plan on surpassing Alex first.”

Mila let out a choked laugh and flashed her bright teeth. “Then that makes us rivals.”

“Rivals... What are we, anime characters?”

“I thought you loved anime,” Mila stated.

“I outgrew it.”

Ashley stared at the glittering waters. “So, ‘my rival’, why don’t I teach you a few some of my very own special swimming techniques before I head off?”

Mila’s green eyes were almost dancing with elation. “Yes, Captain. I see you’re taking your promise to me seriously.”

Yes, she thought. Not only Mila but Ashley was also going to keep the promise she made to Adrian. She hated herself for the lie she told him and prayed in her heart that she did the right thing a hoped that it was the last time she would ever lie to him like that.

Ashley noticed Mila staring at her curiously.

“What?” she asked.

“I am just wondering how it’s possible you have a smile that seems happy and also sad.”

As Ashley gazed towards the horizon, only five words came out of her mouth.

“Two promises and a lie.”

...

“The worst thing about being lied to is knowing that you’re not worth being told the truth”

Do you think Ashley did the right thing by lying to Adrian?