RETURN OF THE HYBRID (Book III)

Chapter 21

***Old fort, winter of 2016 One year after Zeli's defeat***

Though late Shamla and Lydia finally arrived. Grace and Debbie had placed them in the middle of one large enchanted circle. Freedom at last. Not what they expected but it was better than lying lifeless, not being able to feel hot or cold in some strange land in control of a lunatic

"Welcome back to the land of the living" Debbie said happily.

"Thank you Debbie you made it!” Lydia said happily, she had not seen Grace standing by, “Grace?"

"Lydia" she said looking on.

For long they knew Grace as their enemy. Now she was their savior it was hard to wrap their heads around it even though she had proved otherwise. If Grace wanted them dead she would have as well killed them in their one year long slumber. Dropped their bodies in the middle of nowhere. Drowned them the same way Aubrey did to Leon.

"Thank you Grace" Shamla said happily, “so we are bound to this circles for the rest of our lives or what?"

"We are going to find a way" Debbie said.

"How can I help?" Grace asked.

"Fetch as many books and magic stuff as you can from Ariella's castle we need to find a way, where is Don?" Lydia asked.

The expression on Grace's face changed. She was so happy that they were back that she didn't plan on what to tell them if they asked questions, the hard questions. They remembered Don having to leave them for his own safety so as to prevent Zeli from possessing him.

"We haven't seen him since then, James has been trying but he just disappeared"

"Grief" Debbie said.

"Have you tried a location spell?" Asked Shamla.

"We tried besides there are not as many witches around the three towns as they were last time, the few who are there don't even know this spells"

"We can find him as soon as we get out of this damn prison, we escaped one to get into one" Debbie said.

"What's the deal with those rings anyway?" Grace asked.

"In here nothing supernatural can get to us, that includes Zeli, who is scared out of his own mind"

At the mention of Zeli Grace became uncomfortable a little bit. During their last encounter they were a team or some kind of a revolution that wanted to get rid of every other supernatural and rule the world on their own. It was among the many reasons no one believed her apart from having Ariella's knife and coming back from the dead with an insatiable thirst to kill anyone that had crossed her and they had crossed her uncountable times. Death was a reason too. Death changed people, she was not an exception.

"Why is he scared?" Grace asked clearing her throat.

She was looking uneasy. She walked to the coffee machine and came back with three mugs of steaming hot coffee for the girls.

"Well apparently Leon travelled back in time, it turns out our spell that defeated Zeli created a worm hole" Debbie said.

"He is in the year 1823, looking for the sword of fire and ice, the only weapon that can kill Zeli" added Lydia.

"And he might be succeeding, he send Ariella to oversee"

Grace was confused with the time travelling part as much as they were. And there was something else. She was team Amelia when they send him and Ariella to a decade of captivity in the magic prison. And if history had taught her something, it was that Leon Lindloff never forgot. She saw to what extent he was willing to go just to get his revenge on Aubrey and her family.

"So he will be back?"

"Yeah, don't worry maybe he won't kill anyone that crossed him in the past" Shamla said.

Lydia pricked her secretly. She was worsening the situation.

"Well, I hope he doesn't find me here am not happy about my past either"

"Come on we will put on a good fight for you, get us those books and ingredients please" Lydia said.

Debbie looked at her. Was Lydia joking about it because last time she checked once Leon decided something there was nothing that could stop him. Leon stopped when Leon wanted to stop nothing less. But as they say, one hopes for the best and expects the worst.

“Okay here I go, make yourselves comfortable” she said.

On turning around the look on their faces reminded her there was nothing comfortable

********

King Rhodes palace was abandoned. The guards were dead and it was dead quiet. Only a bunch of skeletons could be seen walking around the compound. Inside the king’s chambers, Ariella was lying in her magic circle, passed out with blood in her chest area. Dahlia and Helen were lying on their bellies, a pool of blood around them. Their hearts were also on the ground closer to Alcott's head. Poor Alcott died with his eyes open. He was super scared. Leon was lying close to Ariella with his right hand in his ribcage.

The only form of life around was birds. Eagles were chopping meat of dead bodies of soldiers. Aliya's transport and communication eagle was there too looking around for its mistress. Another form of life was Don the horse. Leon had tied him in the grass just in front of the palace. He was busy enjoying the grass from the fountain.

***Leon's subconscious***

Nothing was coming in his mind. It was blank. He could stop his heart as long as he wanted but the results would have been the same. Ariella was still winning because then he would still not have Rhodes blood not to mention that of other kings. Then Herman came up. He was the king’s advisor he knew a lot.

"You know I can hear you" Ariella said.

"I didn't know that, the mind link? I thought that was a wolf thing?"

"You're a hybrid damn it, so you are still losing aren't you?" He could imagine Ariella grinning.

"Not for long, am going to wake up and leave, next time I see you I will kill you" Leon said.

"Come on we both know you can kill me, we are connected" she said.

Even though he couldn't see her he could guess she was smiling broadly. The two were competing in a battle of wits.

"Okay I guess I will find another way"

"Not before I do and kill you first, I created you but...."

Leon restarted his heart.

********

He got up quickly in super speed and grabbed Ariella's neck. When she opened her eyes Leon was inside the circle with his hands around her neck. She was scared. The fear was real, from her head throughout every party of her body. A cold pit in her stomach, her heartbeat elated. She struggling to keep her composure. Just when she thought she knew his limits and capabilities it turned out she did not.

"But if I find it first I will kill you" she said inhaling sharply with anger.

"You scared, that's rare"

The guards surrounded Leon and Ariella. It was useless. They could get in the circle but not as faster as he could snap her neck and send them to sleep again.

"Am not scared of you" Ariella assured.

Leon smiled still holding her neck.

"You should be, you see I have never had chance to look closely at you" He said loosening his grip.

She cleared her throat readjusting her cloak.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing but beautiful evil, see you around Ariella and better find a way to break the connection I would love to kill you" Leon said trying to walk out of the circle.

He couldn't. He turned around to look at Ariella.

"I bet we will see" she said.

Leon walked around the ring trying to find a way out. Ariella was withholding laughter. None of them knew how he got in there in the first place. Its purpose was to prevent any supernatural from getting in there. He was a supernatural special or no special he was not supposed to be in there.

"Do you by any chance know how I can get out of here?"

"No you are not supposed to be in here in the first place"

"Okay"

They were like lovers who were mad at each other. Leon then tried the super speed and he got out. Ariella took a sigh of relief for the time being. The magic prison had changed him for the worse. He was faster and stronger, she could feel his strength. And anger too. He was also eager about something. She didn't know what but she felt it too and it could have been advantageous to her if she did know it.

"One favor though" Leon said at the doorway.

He looked around at the skeletons of the undead that were looking at him. He felt it, of course most of them had no eyes, less flesh, and others had sockets only.

"Anything for you handsome" flirted Ariella.

"Don't send this bones after me again they are very annoying"

"You are the shadow of death they are just little shadows in your shadow"

"Please don't" he said and left in super speed.

Of course she was going to send them after him. If possible she wanted to raise more ghosts. And when Leon left he also realized something. Back in the normal timeline she was out of lives. But back in time she was not. Even if he killed her she was just going to come back.

"Burn down the whole village until you find Lord Herman! Go!" She ordered.

***Johannes and Gaia at King Lloyd's***

Baxter was already in. He dressed them and accorded then a waiting room. The king was in some high profile meeting with his advisors on matters of war and his succession. The room was brick walled. Algae was growing all over making it look green. A makeshift chandelier of candles was providing lighting for the night. There was music and dance, beer and wine, people were talking in groups. Johannes and Gaia were seated in a VIP area.

"This is good" Gaia said.

"What? Be specific there is a lot of good stuff here, women, wine and food, entertainment too" Johannes said relaxing on the leather coach.

He was sand witched between two damsels. They were feeding him grapes with wine and meat. At the door there were guards and local musicians were entertaining them with song and dance. The kind of care they were receiving was that of important guests.

"Food and wine, as for women... You can't have enough can't you?" She asked.

"You have no idea how bad it is to be skinny, weak and without pieces of gold and silver. You don't get any women"

"The only reason you didn't have women back then is because you didn't look"

"Ooh really, would you make love to a man without any of those?"

"Of course I would"

"So after..."

"Don't push it!"

Johannes burst into laughter. She was fun alto hang around. And he was starting to realize how much prince Adonis changed his life. He still found it hard to believe that he was actually enjoying life in a rival kingdom. Drinking their wine and kissing their women. Another thing was his power. He could defend himself, stand up to bullies and all other kind of social misfits just for fun. The bad part was drinking human blood but he was getting used to it.

"The king will see you!" General Baxter announced followed by the royal butler.

Gaia was the first one to get up. She was not enjoying herself as much as Johannes was. In her mind she was trying to calculate a plan B of their initial plan failed. She was not going to leave him there. They came together they had to leave together. As a team.

"Sorry ladies we will pick up from here" Johannes said readjusting his fine linen.

He had his sword around his waist. His long beard was well trimmed by the sides then tied with a golden ring. His sandals were leather. Made from the crocodile skin, they shined as he walked.

They found King Lloyd drinking wine in one of the numerous rooms. Johannes was still carrying his wine skin. General Baxter and the butler left the king with his visitors.

"Pleasure to meet you, my most trusted general tells me you have a weapon than can wipe out Clivestone kingdom in a matter of minutes"

Johannes almost choked at the irony of the statement.

"He speaks right you majesty" Gaia said getting closer to him.

Just like most kings of his time he could not resist women. Gaia started touching him all over. The king dropped his drink and started kissing her around the neck region.

"Your friend..."

"Don't worry about him your majesty let's make you happy this is how we do business" she said starting to undress.

The king sat on the chair. Johannes kept a close eye on her. That was not part of the plan. She turned around and stared at him. Almost naked, before she sat on the king. He buried his face in her breasts. Johannes snapped his neck.

"You couldn't let him try even once?"

"Not when I can't" Johannes said cutting his wrist with a small pen knife.

She dressed up and cut the other wrist. The poor king was going to die by exsanguination.

"Done let's go!" Johannes said dragging her outside.

When they opened the door the entire army was waiting for them. Johannes and Gaia froze. Baxter was smiling in their faces.

"Shithole took us for fools"

"Kill them!" Baxter ordered.

Whoever said don't hide a hyena was not born yet and they were right. Once a mole always a mole, Baxter was commanding the king’s armies to seize them. He could already see his reign as king.