Prometheus' Orb (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 1)

Chapter Sixteen: The Orb, The Ten and The Chimera

Ashley felt like acid was rising to her throat. Richard was as quiet as everyone else in the room.

"Nine hundred years ago," Richard said. "With the help of a Sea-Witch, I found a way to defeat Ethan... but one thing I learned even from Ethan himself is that there is always a price to pay when it came to magic."

"S-Sacrifice... you mean you had to take ten lives," Ashley said, her voice trembling a bit.

"Nine to be exact," Richard replied.

His face... Ashley may have felt shame from his aura but Richard's face was expressionless. He had just said there was no other way but Ashley was willing to listen to what he had to say.

Ashley turned to Sara. Of course, she isn't shocked, Ashley thought. Sara was a Hunter and who knows how many creatures she had killed. The more time Ashley spent with Richard, Sara, Claudia and Shira the more she realized that death was something that was somewhat normal to them. Claudia was a Vampire and Richard a Fire Demon... Dark creatures that had to die in order to become what they were.

The angry sound of rain hitting the roof and trees outside filled the room. Richard slid the window to his right and stretched out his right hands into the rain. Ashley then saw a thick vapor rising from his hand. At first, she didn't know why but that was before she saw the painful expression on Richard's face and heard his muffled grunts.

Ashley dashed to him and pulled him away from the window.

The burn marks on Richard's right hand began to heal and the red color faded.

Richard was breathing heavily when Ashley asked, "What was that?"

"Killing me and turning me into a monster wasn't enough for Ethan," Richard said, his hand tightening into a fist. "He cursed me never to return to my home. For you, natural water... filled with earth's very own magic... If even a drop were to touch your skin you would immediately transform into your merform..."

Raising his hand, Richard said, "But for me... this is what happens... Ashley, I have done a lot of abhorring things ever since Ethan made me into what I am but..."

Richard stopped talking when Ashley hugged him. Her hands slowly wrapped themselves around his neck and she could feel his warm breath.

"Richard, I am sorry for judging you... I didn't mean to..."

"Ashley... I..."

Richard pulled away from her hug, held her by her shoulders and said, "Ashley... Everything I did, I did out of vengeance and..."

Ashley just smiled and Richard's mouth almost dropped. She could now see it in his eyes and feel it in his aura. Regret...

"So how did you actually defeat Ethan," Ashley finally asked.

"Talya... the sea-witch... she came to me with a dagger."

"It wasn't just any dagger," Shira said. "At least not according to my grandfather..."

"Glati, your great grandfather, was a great Arzyrian and so was his son, Althari," Richard said. "They were the ones who made the dagger."

"What was so special about this dagger?" Ashley asked.

"The blade itself was just as ordinary as any but its power lay within its hilt," Richard replied. "Glati and Shira's grandfather placed ten Ethren Stones on the hilt."

"Ethren Stones?"

Ashley could not hide the confusion in her voice.

"Ethren Stones can only be found in a realm I'd rather not mention," Shira said. "They are some of the rarest stones in all the realms. They have the ability to store magic."