by Sherry Gist
"How'd you know it was me?"
"I figured that you would come see me soon. How you dealing?"
"Honestly? I miss mom so much that I can still hear her, smell her and feel her. I know that's weird, but I don't know how else to explain it."
"That's alright. I understand what you’re saying. "
They were silent for awhile. Adam leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over chest, and a far away look on his face. Hybrid sat watching his son and knew that he would leave soon. He had the signs. He needed to find himself and his place in this world.
"Adam? Are you alright? "
"Yes and no, dad. I'm thinking of traveling for awhile. I feel like now that mom's gone, I don't know who I am any more. I need to know who I am and where my place truly is."
Hybrid nodded.
" I think I'm going to leave tomorrow. I don't know how long I will be gone, but....."
Hybrid held up a hand, " That's alright son. You don't need to explain yourself to me. Just know that you can always come home. This will always be home for you."
" Thanks dad."
He just nodded. His son was growing up fast.
Alexander woke up to Apollo whimpering and thrashing about. He watched his brother for a moment then crawled to him. He wanted to comfort his twin. He didn't know if he could.
"Apollo?" Alexander said.
Apollo woke with a start. His skin was damp, his cheeks wet with tears, and his body was shaking. Fear, anguish, loss, and guilt collided within him. He was at war with himself. He heard his brother. He turned his head in his direction, but saw nothing because he was within himself. He had to focus on Alex to bring himself back.
"Yeah?" He croaked out.
"Are you alright? "
"No! I will NEVER be alright again! " He croaked out.
Oh no! Alex thought.
"It's my fault! My fault!" He began to yell.
Mags woke to Apollo yelling.
"What's wrong, Apollo?" She asked in a soothing way.
"Its my fault! My fault that your sister/best friend is gone! My fault that Maggie and Adam don't have a Momma anymore! My fault that Uncle is all alone! Mine! Why didn't she just let me die! Why could it not have been me? Why her? Why my Aunt? " the tears streamed quickly and fiercely, "Why did I have to be the dang key that brought back Satan?! Why? Why? Why?!"
She tried to comfort him, but he wouldn't allow her too.
"How can you still love me? I am the reason for her death!" He screamed.
Adam grabbed him suddenly, "Apollo!"
He looked at Adam, tears steaming fiercely down his cheeks. His face contorted with anguish and guilt
"Stop! Your Aunt, my mom, loved you! She wouldn't want you to feel this way!"
"I can't stop! It's the truth! I killed your momma!" Uncontrollable sobs wracked his body. Tears fell like frozen ice down his face.
"You can't keep blaming yourself. " Adam whispered as he pulled a reluctant Apollo in his arms and held on as he fought, screamed, cried and finally accepted what was done. Adam kissed his forehead as he felt Apollo calming, "You know my mom used to do this to us. She always said....."
"That the power of love had a strength all its own." Finished Mags.
Adam exchanged a smile and nod with Mags. "How? How can you love me after what I have done? " Apollo asked weakly.
"Because love is the ultimate way of showing forgiveness." Said Maggie from the doorway.
Everyone looked up to see her standing in the doorway, "She always thought positive or tried too!" Adam nodded, "Yes, she did. She loved you as much as she loved us."
"It's not fair!" Apollo screamed before laying his head on Adams chest.
" You know, my Mom used to say that life isn't fair, but it is what you do with the unfairness of it that determines who we are. Good or bad. Dark or light. Now you have to choose Apollo. What path are you going to take? Are you going to let guilt eat you up or are you going to accept that it happened and find good in it?" Adam asked.
"I don't know yet."
"That's alright. You still have time."
Mags touched Alexander and Apollo's shoulders, her eyes became unfocused, a distant look came across her face. Then she heard, Sherry's voice.
"Tell them about the egg. She will arise from the ashes and never before peace shall reign. It is Adams story now. He must find the egg. It will be his legacy to carry on."
The voice went away and Mags was shaken. She had forgotten that legend. She sat down heavy and looked at her boys.
"Did you hear that?" She asked them.
They shook their heads no.
"What? What did you hear Mags?" Asked Hybrid.
"Sherry. I heard Sherry. " She whispered.
"What? How?" Adam asked.
"I don't know, but she reminded me of an old legend and said...." She looked at Adam, "You have to complete it. It will be your legacy."
"What will?" He asked.
Mags took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"You need to find yourself. There is a legend about an egg. It supposedly has power to bring back someone from the middle world. It says she will arise from the ashes and never before peace will reign. I'm not sure what it means, but your mom told me to tell you. It is your story. You must write it."
There was a long pause and everyone seemed to be digesting this.
"I need to tell you something else." Mags said as she shifted in her seat, " Sherry was pregnant. This baby was unique. She was to be human."
"Human? But how?" Asked Maggie, " Mom was half vampire and half hybrid."
"No. She was hybrid and human."
"How is that possible? " Hybrid asked.
"When Maggie healed her, the vampire part of her became human. That's why it took her so long to heal."
"How do you know?" Asked Maggie.
"She just told me." She turned back to Adam, "Another part of that legend is that only a human/hybrid can find it and bring it safely back. You are human /hybrid Adam."
Chapter 5
He looked stunned. He felt his soul stirring. He knew he was different, but now he knew why. Yet he had power and strength. He was confused.
He looked up when his dad touched his shoulder, "Your mom is a wonderfully strong woman. You should be proud to have some of her finer side. She is truly extraordinary. "
"I'm not ashamed, Dad. I'm awed that she was able to birth me in her human form and love me beyond measure."
There was a moment of silence.
Hybrid tried to digest this all and kept wondering why she never told him. She didn't keep secrets. She was his open book. If she knew she was pregnant, why would she sacrifice herself so selfishly? Did she know?
"Dad?" Adam called his name. He saw his confusion and knew he was doubting mom. Adam couldn't have that. "Dad, you know if she knew, she would have never done that. You know that, right dad?" Hybrid looked at Adam. His heart soared with the love he had for his son and to know that he would get to have his own story made him so very proud. He wouldn't question himself anymore and he'd have his faith in himself. His Adam needed this so he'd support it.
"I don't think she would have son."
Adam shook his head and smiled.
"When do we leave to find this egg?" Asked Maggie.
"You don't Maggie. " Mags said.
"But...."
"It's for Adam. You have fulfilled your destiny. It is time for Adam to fulfill his." Said Hybrid.
The following day, Adam left. He headed east. He didn't know where he was going or exactly why, but he knew he had a mission. He left his sword with his dad for safe keeping even though Maggie insisted that he take it. He knew he had to do this alone.
He said a little prayer before leaving and asked his mom to guide and protect him, to give him wisdom, lend him strength when necessary and to always love him.
The days were long and the nights seemed to fly by. Winter turned to spring. He climbed a nearby hill and stood still. The view
before him took his breath away. He had never seen anything like it.
The land was green and lush. Everything seemed so vibrant. The greens were darker, the purples brighter, and the sky a lot bluer. The smell of lavender filled the air. A light drizzle began and sent a small chill in the air. It cooled his body.
He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and took a deep breath then released it slowly, letting his shoulders droop a little. The smell reminded him of home. He smiled when he thought of home. Mom used to smell of lavender late at night. She said it helped her sleep and it seemed to calm dad. His smile grew when he remembered how they were together.
He continued walking as images of his mom and dad flashed through his mind. Dad always seemed to make mom laugh or smile. She always seemed to keep dad calm and level. They were the perfect yin and yang to each other. Sometimes, they'd have funny little arguments, but then one of them would make a face at the other or just give the other something to laugh about. It was so nice to have a family like his.
He wasn't watching where he was going because his mind was on home. He didn't see the ground dip until it was too late. He wasn't prepared so he didn't levitate until the end. His feet barely touching the ground, he controlled his breathing, his heart rate, and his body. He had half transformed, his heart about to beat out of chest, and his breathing was as if he'd ran for miles at top speed.
Once he was normalized, he lowered himself to the floor of the hole he had fallen in. He looked around. It was an empty cave. He decided to explore it and see where it lead him.
Hybrid paced back and forth. The cave was getting too small. He needed to run! He left without a word to anyone. Once outside, he transformed and ran like the hounds of hell were at his heels. The wind through his hair eased the beast a little, but not enough. He needed more! Faster and faster he ran. He ran until his lungs ached, until his stomach growled, and a hunger like no other consumed him.
He came upon a couple. The hunger was too strong, he couldn't hold it back. He attacked them. He practically ripped their throats out. It wasn't enough! His mind screamed.
Chapter 6
He needed more. He didn't know what, but he needed something. He felt himself snap apart. He knew he was lost and couldn't fight himself to get it back. He stood on a hillside and screamed and howled with all his might. He screamed for the one thing that he'd lost, his wife.
"TWIIIIILIIIIIIGHTTTTT!"
With that, Hybrid was lost. Twilight watched as the pain took her under. There connection was broken. He was gone! With tears streaming, she walks home. Her heart is heavy with her loss. She hopes to find some love at home. As she nears the house, she sees Apollo outside. He is watching as an animal struggles to escape from a trap. He usually runs to it and releases it. Now, he's just sitting there. There is no mercy, no tenderness, no tears in his eyes. He was empty. More tears. More heaviness.
"Apollo? Please! Don't let him suffer!" She screams. Nothing. Not a flicker. Not a blink. No sign of mercy.
He gets up, turns away and leaves the animal to suffer. A pain fills her. Tears fall freely. She heads inside almost afraid of what she will find.
Inside, she finds Maggie and her husband. They are arguing.
"You can do it Maggie! I know you can!"
"No. No, I can't!"
"You have a dozen times. You still can. I have faith in you."
"That's not enough!" She screams, "I need Mom!" She runs from the room.
"I wish she were still here. We're falling apart! " He says as he rushes after her.
The pain grows. More tears. They burn a trail down her cheeks. She goes in search of Mags.
Mags is sitting by the lake. A blank look on her face. She is withdrawn and shut down. Nothing. No emotion flows from her. Usually she's so full of some kind of emotion. Anger. Love. Protectiveness. Joy. Peace. Something. Nothing came from her.
"Sherry I wish you were here. I don't know how long I can keep from hating. I feel nothing. Losing you destroyed me. I never knew that losing your sister/bff would make you so numb. I can't function!
Twilight's tears grew and grew until the pain was almost unbearable. She barely managed to stumble away.
Suddenly, a pain so intense hits her. She thought that she was dying. Then a shadow moved towards her. It stood tall as she fell to the ground.
"Your family will be mine before long Twilight and you won't be able to stop it." A sinister laugh came before the image of the Devil stood before her. It was the last thing she saw and heard before total darkness.
Adam spotted a small light coming from up ahead. He moved in that direction. A small dimly lit room came into focus. In the middle of it was an alter of some kind. In the middle of the alter was a medium sized egg. It was an off white color and had small misshaped spots.
He was drawn to it. As he approached, he noticed something wrapped around the alter. It was huge! He kept movihng closer and then he realized what it was. A huge dragon! Well, te skeleton of one. Bigger than the one that he and his sister fought. This must be the mother of all dragons.
In her prime, she must have been amazing. I wonder what her color was? He thought to himself. His thoughts drifted to Happy Dragon for a moment. He shook it off. He had to get the egg. He needed to see if this was the one.
'How would he know?' He wondered.
He reached for the egg and the skeleton moved. He stepped back ready to fight and transform at a moments notice. He kept watching it as it moved and shaped itself into a protective stance before the alter. A sudden light blinded him for a moment.
When he was able to see, there before him stood the most beautiful blue dragon. Her eyes a soft caramel. Her tummy a lovely shade of off white. She was indeed gorgeous. He just stared at her.
The dragon tilted her head to the side. She smelled human/hybrid. She was amazed to see him still standing. Most trembled in fear. He didn't. He was either brave or foolish. He stared in awe at her and she thought that amusing.
"Why have you come?" She asked.
"I'm looking for an egg. I don't know what it looks like or exactly what it does. All I'm told is that there is a legend that says something about her arising from the ashes and never before peace covering the land."
She watched as he said this and saw the pain he's going through. He's lost someone good in his life. Someone who meant so much that it's turning him hard not to have them around.
"Whom did u lose, boy?"
"Mom." He whispered.
"Ahhh! She was the glue that held you together, the one to encourage even."
“Yes. She held us together and then she was suddenly gone.”
“What happened to her?”
“She gave herself for us. She made herself the sacrifice that kept us safe as did Happy Dragon.”
“Who was he?”
“He was mine and my sisters dragon. He sacrificed himself too.”
"You blame him for your momma?"
"No! I blame Damien and all his evil! If he wasn't so evil, I'd have Happy Dragon and Momma!" He screamed.
She watched him then she said, "Sit young man. You need to hear a story. If your heart is still hard at the end then you shall parish like all those before you." As she said this, she moved her tail to show the pile of bones.
Adam nodded. He sat nearby and listened as she told the story of the egg and it's power to heal. What they were told was nothing compared to what would happen.
When she was done, she looked at him. Really looked. She saw the goodness. He was lost. Looking for himself when all he had to do was look deep down. She decided to give him something that she's never done for another, she's going to give him a piece of herself and the egg.
"Adam, look up." She said to the boy/man in front of her.
He looked up at her and smiled. He felt an inner calm wash over him, felt a pressure at his back, an instant sting in his left arm as the tip of her tail pierced him, and his eyes widened when her face moved closer to his and her mouth opened. Fire wash
ed over him, but did not burn.
She gave him peace, pulled him close, pierced him with her tail so that the blood would help him survive the energy exchange. She saw his eyes widen, but saw no fear and that made her glad to know she chose wisely. She sent fire licking over him and let her energy flow from her to him. With her energy, he had more speed, greater strength, and quicker reflexes. He'd also be able to tell good from evil.
Chapter 7
When the exchange was over, she released him. He sagged against her slightly. She placed him on the alter next to the egg and watched as the egg absorbed his blood. It healed his wound and gave off a small glow. He didn't see this because he was drained and tired.
"Rest Adam for the battle has just begun for you." She whispered as she curled up around him and the egg to protect them as they slept.
When they wake-up, she would vanish for good. Her life will be left to dust. The egg will carry her essence and her power. She will live on through Adam and the egg. Her eyes closed and her spirit drifted around the room protecting it as she released her last breath and to ashes she went.
Adam woke up and ash surrounded him and the egg. She was gone. He felt it, but he saw a power wrapped around the room and smiled. It was her. He knew it without having to see her. He heard a small hum and turned toward the egg. He saw a soft green glow coming from it. It throbbed like a heartbeat. He hesitated for a split second, then wrapped his hands around it. A flash of an ancient time flashed through him then the image of his Mom. She was curled in a fetal position and a dark evil stood over her. Her face was streaked with tears of fire and her heart seemed broken.
He yanked his hands away quickly, "Mom." He whispered.
She was trapped and in danger. He needed to help her. She needed this egg.He reached for the egg again and another image hit him. She was standing now, blood at the corner of her mouth, her breathing ragged, her chest heaved with each breath, and she looked angry.
The dark evil spoke, "You have to let them go. They are mine. You can't protect them anymore."