A tale of Humans and Hybrids

Chapter 20

Phil and Techno were sitting on the small porch that the bird usually uses as a landing pad, drinking tea. Techno was constantly tapping against his mug and looks around whenever he hears the tiniest sound. It reminded Phil of how he acted when he first met him after he got banned from the human villages.

"Relax... if something would be happening the crows would have already alarmed us." The human only nodded and stared down at his mug. "It's just... this stupid feeling won't go away..." "And you really have no idea what's causing it?" He stared into his mug, wincing a bit when the weird voices got louder to the point where it started to hurt.

Danger! Get up! Get a weapon! Kill! Blood! Protect family! E! Blood for the blood god!

'Blood for the blood god...' He had heard that phrase before during a revolution... just as something to yell when you want to spill blood. But why would these voices scream it at him? Is it really... "Techno?" "Mmm?" "I asked if you were alright... you just stared off into space." "Oh... sorry... just got lost in thoughts." Phil put his mug down and fully turned to his friend. There was obviously something wrong, he had seen the pained expression on his face a few seconds ago. "There's something you're not telling me..."

Techno looked down, trying not to make eye contact. He had his mind set on not telling Phil about the voices. After he had seen people getting locked up or even killed for 'insanity' when talking about voices or demons in their head, he can't risk suffering the same fate. What if his new family, his friend, will push him away for it? Call him insane too? Then he would be completely alone again...

A month ago he wouldn't have been bothered by it. He had lived by himself for almost all his life. But now... now he has experienced what it's like to live with other people and he doesn't want to lose this. He enjoys this life a lot more than his past one and its only been one month.

"Techno... you know you can talk to me, right? It's okay... I'm here for you." The human played with his mug. "I don't want to lose this..." "What makes you think you will?" "I watched other people lose everything they have..." He didn't even want to look up to see his reaction. Why is he even talking about this? He didn't want to talk about the voices.

"Alright... I won't push you to talk about it... but I'm here once you feel comfortable, okay? It might help you feel better." The human just nodded and shifted a bit closer to his friend, allowing him to wrap a wing around him. He feels so much younger... so much smaller now. It's still weird to show so much emotion around others or even just when he's by himself.

A crow came speeding towards them, shrieking at them. Phil's body immediately tensed up and the warm wing around Techno leaves to settle back on his friends back. "What's wrong? What is it saying?" "Intruders. Humans are crossing the bridge." Phil jumps up and hurries into the house, retrieving his sword and his armor before coming back out.

"We have to get the others, come on!" The bird grabbed on to Techno and flew up to the pub. Once up, he shrieked loudly, letting it echo around the sanctuary. Techno could immediately see movement on the ground, seeing the other hybrids scramble out of their homes and towards the pub.

Techno was shaking, the voices still screaming at him to get a weapon. To fight. How did humans manage to cross? The guardians are supposed to keep them safe. No one should be able to get inside. "Techno! Techno snap out of it!" Phil is shaking him, trying to get him to focus. "We have to get ready! I need you focused!" He could only nod when his friend dragged him inside.

It only took a few moments for all the hybrids to enter the large room. Phil only uses this emergency call when he'll is about to break lose, so everyone knows that they need every second they can get. That's also the reason why all of them already wear armor and have their weapons with them.

"What's going on Phil?" The Elytrian hopped on the counter so he could see everyone clearly. "The guardians are dead. Humans are crossing the bridge as we speak. Niki saw it all happen and barely managed to escape, according to the crow she sent back to me." "Humans are getting in?!" "How many?!" "What are we gonna do?!" Techno watched the hybrids nervously look at each other. They can deal with a few humans. But if all the guardians are dead, they are dealing with an army.

"Everyone shut up! Panic won't get us anywhere! We need to prepare for them! I say we barricade ourselves up here and destroy the ladder. That way they can't get up. Ranboo and Wilbur, you will gather as many arrows as you guys can and pile them up here. I'll go and get the extra boys I have back in my house. The others stay up here and use whatever materials you have on you to make a small wall around the pub where we can hide from their shots."

Without a question, the hybrids got to work. Wilbur and Ranboo exited the pub and got to work on gathering every single arrow they could find, while Phil flew to his home to get the bows. Techno helped the rest of the hybrids to build a wall around the pub. Jack provided everyone with a bucket of lava and some fire resistance potions. "If it comes down to it, we just dump it on their heads!"

Techno held the potion in his hands and watched the orange liquid swirl around. "Jack, do you have a brewing stand up here? And potion stuff?" "Yeah, I got some in the attic. Why?" "I can make us more potions. A lot more. I just need access to my Enderchest." The blaze grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up to the attic. A brewing stand and two double chests were located in a small side room, together with a cauldron full of water. The hybrid placed an Enderchest in the free corner and looked at Techno.

"Thank you... for wanting to help us." "They want me just as dead as you." "But that still doesn't mean you would willingly fight them. They are your kind... I don't know how much it would hurt me to have to fight another Blazeborn." Techno spotted his reflection in the water, seeing the golden crown on his head and the bone mask on his face... and the glittering emerald earring dangling from his right ear. And for some reason... he liked this image of himself much more than his past one. It felt more real... more like himself.

He looked back to Jack, standing straighter, more confident. This is who he was. And he was not gonna let biology determine who he is or what side he's supposed to be on.

"No... I'm not one of them. Not anymore. And I never want to be it again. If they dare to hurt one of you, I will hurt dozens of them in return."

He will fight for his family. And nothing is gonna stop him from that.