Aphmau the Hybrid

Chapter 7: Darkness

           Garroth's POV

         Laurance made a small patrol to look for the newcomers. It was made up with Dante, Dale, Laurance, and me. We were using a bloodhound Kiki had to track them. We made our way to a cave with no talk, the silence only broken by the dog's rapid pants and sniffs.

        Laurance was about to jump into the cave, but I stopped him. He looked at me, somewhat angry. "We need a plan. If they really have Aphmau it will do us no good to just rush in and get ourselves locked up as well." I whisper in his ear as not to alert the caves inhabitance.

         We all form a line of most experienced to least which went Dale, me, Laurance, then Dante. We slowly edge forward until we can't see the entrance we used to get in. Dante was about to say something when I heard something.

          I made a sound for silence and motioned them to listen and follow me. I walk toward the sound until I could make out words. "I'm worried about Jin." One that had bandages around his stomach said to a guy who was definitely outside our region. "I's does toos Sky." He replied sadly. Another person walks in with a look that resembled misery.

         He walked to the fire without looking at his companions and grabbed the pot of, what I assumed was stew, and pored it into a bowl. He didn't say anything after that. He just walked off. "Aww." Dante murmurs in pity. I turn to snap at him, but was bowled over by the one called 'Sky'.

          "Who are you?" He snarls at me, his two friends rendering the patrol unhelpful. I swing at him before he could get both of my hands, barely catching his jaw.  It jerks him off me so I could jump to my feet. "We are no threat." I say in the most soothing voice I could manage. "We have orders to make sure you don't have a missing person here." He keeps his position tense, but nods to his friends for them to back off.

           "We don't have anyone." He says to me, "But we could help you look if you like, just tell us who they are and what they look like."

          "Thank you for your generosity." I tell him as I straighten out of my defensive pose, "She is called Aphmau, she has black hair, hazel eyes, and was last seen wearing a purple shirt with black gloves and a jacket."

            "What is her full name?" A new one asks me, "We need to make sure its her if we find her."

            "Good point." I say to him. Lord Aphmau told me her full name so that I would tell her mine, but made me swear I wouldn't tell. I never break my word, but this is an emergency. "She goes by her middle name, but her real name is Jessica. Aphmau. Oddison."

            Ross's POV

           The world slows down for me. I see the guy's eyes widen along with mine as the pieces of the puzzle drift together. The familiar feeling with the Lord, the kindness she showed, and above all, the dragon attack. She was always curious and with no one to tell her no of COURSE she would come to spy. The last realization hit me like a sledgehammer.

             She said she wasn't coming back.

            She left! It was hard enough trying to find her, and now with her hating us and trying to not let us find her it will be impossible. Hold on. She HATES us. She... she doesn't want to be with us any more. I sink to my knees, oblivious to those around me.

           It wasn't it. Oh no the fates of the Underworld had to make sure I knew what I had done. What WE had done. What even her brother did. WE are the ones who made her hate us. WE are the ones who drove her away. We, even though we didn't know, drove her away from the happiness she found with the village of Phoenix Drop.

          We have all spent our lives walking around with the thought of 'We are better than our parents.' But are we? We, Sky, Barney, Jin, even me, attacked a innocent being with pure rage and no evidence to gain that hate. If we were truly better than our parents we wouldn't have attacked that dragon. If we were better than our parents, we wouldn't have hurt the wyverns. If we were better, we would still have Jess. Sweet lovable Jess.

            That thought is what crushes me. Tears flood down my cheeks and darkness, reacting to my weakness, reaches for me. The sensible part of my mind tells me no, but I am too far gone to go back. It wraps itself around me like a cocoon and carries me to a place I told myself I would never go. The place I hated, but so desperately wanted. My home.

            I am clothed in armor, pure black. As black as the broadsword that is on my back. I get up, the blistering heat burning away my tears, leaving a stinging sensation behind. I raise my head and look into the eyes of the devil, the eyes of hate, the eyes

                                                                            Of my father.

A/N There you go! Sorry about not updating yesterday it was my Birthday and I didn't have the time. I will try to update this weekend but I have a soccer tournament that I have to play in which will take up most of my time. Thanks, until next time!