Hybrid: The Mark

The Departed

Dedicated to christina243056 ElhamFuad and Summercub2 for supporting me and giving me the inspiration to vanquish my writer's block.

The unnerving mayhem had stilled.
Silence flooded the forest, levitating around.

Mayvarch had lost twenty souls to the war against the Hybrids.

The beings were called out at the common lair of Mayvarch for the cremation of their lost ones, the very next day. With the presence of the other clans as well.

Sirah looked herself in the mirror as she combed her hair. Her eyes seemed to gleam at her reflection. For the very first time.

Her fingers shivered with euphoria as she draped her black cape over her black gown. The beings were supposed to respect the dead by wearing their clan colors.

She didn't hesitate to ignore the ritual.

The shivering didn't stop.
Her face stretched into a smile.

It was a new day for her.
The start of a new life.

She grabbed her knife and put it inside her hunting belt.

There was nobody to stop her. Nobody to stop her from believing that she earned her freedom.

Upon reaching the lair, the families of the departed were made to stand in front of the cremated bodies covered with the forest floor.

Sirah hid behind the crowd as the families made their way to the front.

She didn't want to see the lifeless corpse of the man she never considered to be her father.

It would only make her more happy.

Her eyes roamed around the crowd wearing their respective clan colors. She was the only one to wear black.

Black was considered disrespectful towards the deceased. But since everyone had their faces masked by their capes, nobody glanced at her.

Her choices made her feel ardent.
Strong.

The gentle breeze swayed her hair. She could smell the pine in the air. The sudden cries of the families geared her focus.

The Orators, Andervain and Matthew held bowls filled with the sacred soil of Mayvarch to bury the dead. Everyone silently watched as Fereinia sprinkled the soil on top of the buried, muttering words that weren't audible.

The cries got louder when they lowered the dead, deep inside losing their link to the present world and bonding their lost lives to the parallel world down under. The kin of the lost ran their fingers over the soil hoping to catch any faded memories they could get as the soil absorbed their fallen tears.

"It is - " Andervain choked as he stood up to commemorate the departed. He drew in a long breath and started over.
" -The beings who served their life to Mayvarch's existence won't be ignored. They sacrificed themselves and pledged their own life to the oath. Their efforts shall not get wasted. "

"We must not stand defeated. We came so far because they helped us and made us believe that we can prove our existence." The strong voice of Fereinia echoed, contrasting against the atmosphere around.

The words dawned over Sirah as she watched the leaves rustle against the breeze. Her eyes glancing at every tree surrounding them.

Rapid gusts of breeze weaved through the bushes at the back.
Her head snapped at the swift breeze which rustled the bush beside her.

Her eyebrows knitted together at the familiarity.

She looked around to see nothing. The silent murmurs of the clans filling the air.
Sirah gently stepped back.

She walked inside the maze of trees, her eyes attempting to catch the glance of a blurred silhouette as it intertwined between the trees beside her.

Her pace increased according to the velocity of the silhouette.

The shadows bouncing between the bushes.

She seized her knife as soon as it flashed beside her.

Her head snapped when she felt the familiar gust of wind on her face.

She thrust her knife at the rapid silhouette in front of her eyes.

Warmth spread across her skin as he held her hand to halt her aim, the tip of the knife inches away from his forehead.

"You'll have to do better than that to beat a Hybrid. "