The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)
Chapter Thirty-Four: Leap Of Trust

As a soft breeze gently touched her face, Ashley slowly lifted her eyelids. She squinted a little as her vision cleared and thought of asking Ethan how long she’d been asleep. However, it only dawned on her that Ethan wasn’t around when she felt the back of her head resting on the wall of the cave. She turned to her left and saw Ethan leaning on the frame of the cave’s entrance. It looked bright outside, with changing colors of light.

Standing up, Ashley realized that she no longer felt the piercing cold she experienced before she slept and her body was incredibly light. She took in a deep breath, stretched her arms, and walked to Ethan. When she arrived, her eyes flew open as her gaze involuntarily shifted towards the sky.

It was like gazing upon a river filled with waters of many vibrant colors. Streams of light flew into the distance like shooting stars. She’d seen a Soul Stream earlier when they were in the desert but now she was staring at a multitude of them and as a whole, it look like a slow-flowing river.

“I could stare at this forever,” Ashley said. She looked at Ethan hoping he would indulge her in a conversation but his eyes were fixed on the sky; lost in thought. Letting out a quiet sigh, Ashley focused on the Soul Streams. Probably thousands, if not millions of souls were now leaving the Underworld. Ashley wondered where each soul would end up. She smiled and chuckled a little when she suddenly remembered her grandmother who’d always tell her stories about heaven, hell, the afterlife, and reincarnation.

When this is over I should probably visit, grandma grumpy, Ashley thought and accidentally let out a chuckle. Ashley faced Ethan and saw him looking at her. His gaze was firm, his face held no emotion, yet his eyes appeared to be studying her.

“Sorry,” she apologized while biting the inside of her lips to suppress her laughter. “I just thought about something funny.”

“It’s a new day in this part of the Underworld so its tormenting effects should be at their minimum right now,” Ethan stated. “As the day progresses you might find it hard to contemplate on happy thoughts... So enjoy them while you still can.”

Ethan walked out of the cave and looked at the castle in the far distance. Ashley noticed him folding his right hand into a fist. His eyes narrowed slightly yet his expressions remained composed.

Moving towards him, Ashley asked, “Is everything alright?”

Before Ethan answered, Ashley, observed that the black veins on his skin had disappeared, leaving only the glowing red crack-like marks on the side of his face. Someone back on earth had put a spell on him that was ripping his soul apart but still, he remained alive because he was tethered to Ashley.

When Ashley saw that Ethan wasn’t answering her, she walked closer.

“That’s close enough, little mermaid,” she heard him say. He drew in a long breath and said, “We should be on our way.”

Hearing Ethan push her away, Ashley felt a lump form in her throat. Just yesterday, he had carried her in his arms, taken upon himself the pain she would have suffered in this purgatory, and even let her rest beside him. But today, he was cold, distant and it was like he didn’t even want to talk to her.

Ashley’s eyes began to burn and sting as she willfully held back her tears. She followed Ethan at a small distance behind him; for that time she didn’t feel like being near him.

The two of them walked for hours and no words were spoken by either one. They reached a narrow path that was on the edge of a tall mountain. Ashley looked down and could only see an infinite black void. She also noticed that their destination, Hades Palace, was much nearer than she when she saw it yesterday. Actually, it appeared to be only a few hours away as opposed to the previous day when Ashley was sure she thought it would take them at least a few days to arrive.

Without even realizing it, Ashley found herself asking Ethan if her mind was playing tricks on her. However, when Ethan kept on walking and neglected to answer her. Ashley gnashed her teeth in frustration and decided she’d had enough. She quickened her pace and began to catch up with him. But, Ashley was so clouded and overwhelmed with emotion that she didn’t notice how close the edge of the path was. Her right foot missed a step and her entire body lost balance and she fell over. She threw a quick glance at where Ethan was and saw that he wasn’t even looking back at her. Suddenly, she heard a loud sound and her body fell on a large rock that had protruded out of the mountain’s edge. Her heart was racing and her breaths were quick. Ethan had used his earth manipulation abilities to shoot out the rock she was resting on. He came to her and extended his hand to help her up. But Ashley instead, jumped from the rock and landed behind him.

“I don’t need your help,” she said, her tone carrying obvious anger with it.

“You appear to be upset with me,” Ethan commented. “Was I wrong to save you just now?”

“I am the one who’s upset?!” Ashley shouted, chuckling defiantly. “You are the one who’s been ignoring me since we left the cave. I don’t know what it is I did wrong but clearly, something is causing you to push me away.”

“You’re mistaken on both accounts, little mermaid,” said Ethan, his voice as calm as always. “I am not upset with you and you’ve done nothing warranting any anger from me.”

“Then why are you suddenly so cold to me, Ethan?” replied Ashley.

“My attitude and most of my thoughts towards you have been the same since we met,” Ethan pointed out, moving closer to her

“And what thoughts are those exactly,” Ashley said with a furious voice and narrowed eyebrows. “What exactly do you think of me?”

Shockingly, Ashley found her hands curling into a fist as she waited for Ethan’s response. Her heart was racing and she bit her lower lip to stop it from trembling.

Ethan let out a sigh and said, “Is what I think about you really important?”

Shaking her head in disappointment, Ashley replied, “You know what... Keep your thoughts to yourself.”

She walked past Ethan and began following the path.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ethan called from behind.

Ashley kept walking as she replied. “Hades Palace. The faster we get there the quicker it will be to leave this place.”

“Take one more step and time will move so fast back on earth that your body will be nothing but dust when you return.”

Ashley stopped immediately Ethan finished that sentence. She looked forward and slowly retreated away. The path appeared to be normal but even she could sense something different about what lay beyond the fog covering it.

She heard Ethan’s footsteps approaching her and stubbornly held a frown on her face.

“It is clear that the rift developing between us isn’t going to be of any help to our purpose here,” stated Ethan as he stood beside her. “If knowing what I think about you will help set your mind at ease then I will gladly oblige.”

Placing her hands in the pockets of the coat she wore, Ashley looked at Ethan. His eyes were as sharp as ever, studying her. Ashley couldn’t tell what he was thinking but found her hands shaking in her pockets.

“I am listening,” Ashley said in as blunt a tone as she could muster.

“As I said earlier, most of my thoughts about you have been the same as the time we first met,” Ethan said and walked closer to her. “You’re by far one of the most reckless living creatures I have come to know. While emotion appears to drive your actions you always think things through which is why I am sure you agreeing to come here wasn’t just so you could find out about your father.”

“And what other reason could there be?” Ashley asked, stepping back a little when Ethan was less than an arm’s length from her.

“That’s just the thing, little mermaid,” Ethan said. “You are also very unpredictable and almost unreadable. I do have a few guesses about why you wanted to come here with me but I will indulge myself with the suspense.”

“Is that all? That’s the Ashley that exists in your mind,” asked Ashley.

Ashley’s body involuntarily leaped into the air and a sharp rocky spike shot out from where she previously stood.

“What hell Ethan!” she exclaimed after landing.

Ethan moved closer to her and Ashley dropped into a defensive stance.

“Unpredictable, cunning, manipulative, determined, drawn to darkness, and carrying a willpower that I haven’t seen in quite a while,” Ethan said. “You have a raging fire within you that you fear and yet, greatly depend upon. You’re afraid of hurting those you care about and that fear will hinder you from realizing your potential, little mermaid.”

“You said something similar when we first met,” Ashley commented. “This ‘fire’ you have been talking about... does it have anything to do with how I fought the Stignali yesterday?”

“Time is not with us little mermaid. So how about we make another deal? When we return, I will tell you everything you want to know about your hidden abilities.”

“So you’re not angry with me or anything?” Ashley asked.

“No, little mermaid,” answered Ethan. “If I seemed cold towards you earlier it is only because something else weighs on my mind.”

Ethan walked towards the edge of the path and stared down.

“Below is the shortest way to Hade’s Palace,” he said. “Jumping into this abyss at this exact point will have us reach our destination in seconds...”

“But there is a catch isn’t there?” said Ashley.

“As with all shortcuts, yes.”

Ashley walked towards Ethan and stood next to him. “Does it have anything to do with what has been on your mind all day?”

For a while, Ethan didn’t answer. He stood there silent, intensely looking at the endless black void below. Suddenly, his midnight-colored eyes met with Ashley’s, and then asked something she never expected him to say.

“Have you ever trusted somebody wholeheartedly with your life, little mermaid?”

Gathering her thoughts together, Ashley replied, “My mom, my sister, all my friends... I trust them all. And I may not be sure whether or not it’s one hundred percent but... I strangely feel like I can trust you, Ethan.”

“Is that so,” said Ethan. “Have you ever heard of Persephone?”

“Wasn’t she, according to Greek mythology, the girl Hades abducted and took as his wife?” Ashley asked. She remembered listening to Luke and Claire talking about it once.

“Goddess, not just ‘girl’, little mermaid,” Ethan replied. “And there is more to the story than what most know. After Zeus tricked him into ruling the Underworld, Hades became very cautious of the ones around him; needless to say, he trusted no one. During the divine war, countless lives were lost and the Earth realm was on the brink of destruction. In the midst of that war, Demeter, the goddess of the harvest and soon-to-be mother of Persephone, pleaded with the king of the Underworld to raise an army of the dead to defend the human race and in return, she promised she would convince Zeus to give Hades a place in Olympus. Hades did as Demeter asked but after the war, he never heard from her. But because of his act, Hade was trapped in the Underworld for a thousand years.”

“All magic comes with a price,” Ashley commented. “I guess it also applies to gods.”

“Indeed. And after the millennium had passed, Hades heard that Demeter and Zeus were blessed with a daughter. Fury drove him to do what he did and he considered it his right after Demeter’s failure to keep her end of their deal.”

“Some stories say he actually forced himself on Persephone,” Ashley stated. “Is that true?”

“Of all the gods, Hades was probably the most vicious. But at the same time, he was perhaps the most honorable. He committed many atrocities but he never stooped so low.”

“Sounds like you knew him personally,” Ashley said. Ethan rarely praised people and for him to speak of Hades that way, he must have known him.

“I was neither friend nor enemy of any of the gods and goddesses. But I did occasionally find myself roaming the depths of this place and Hades and his queen Persephone took an interest in me.”

Ashley chuckled. “Of course they did.” She paused and when she saw no reaction from Ethan, she asked, “So I think I remember what happened next in this story. When Persephone was taken, Demeter sought the help of heroes to save her but after they failed she went and pleaded with Zeus but was too late. Persephone had already been tricked into eating a pomegranate seed by Hades and she was forever bound to the Underworld. Of course, later they found a way to have her spend half a year in the Underworld and the other half with her mother.”

“Tricking Persephone was the one act that Hades regretted his entire life,” Ethan added. “Persephone once told me that she had eaten that seed on the day she truly accepted and confessed her feelings to him. She still continued to love him; especially after what he did next... And it has everything to do with where we are headed.”

Ethan stretched his hand towards Ashley. “Earlier you said you trusted me, little mermaid. But would you trust me with your life— even for just this one time?”

With a smile across her face, Ashley slowly reached for Ethan’s hand but stopped it right before it touched his.

She then said, “I now understand what has been bothering you since we left the cave. Perhaps, the main question you’re struggling to find an answer to is... Are you willing to trust me with your life?”

“It seems you’re still as vigilant as ever, little mermaid,” said Ethan. “Trust is a very dangerous thing to give. The extent to which I trust you is uncertain even to me but I can say this... I trust that you will always do the right thing even under the direst of circumstances. You have honor within you little mermaid; one that’s hard to come by.”

Gently holding Ethan’s hand, Ashley replied, “Well, Ethan... That’s enough for me.”

“Little mermaid I have to warn you... Once we enter into this void there is no turning back.”

Ashley walked to the edge of the cliff face and stared at the pitch-black depths below. She turned to look at Ethan, smiled, and began walking back toward the edge.

“You don’t even know what’s down there,” Ethan commented.

“It’s the best way out of here right?” Ashley replied. “Besides, you said you would see to it that I get back home safely and you strike me as someone who never goes back on his word. So...” Ashley spread her arms wide. “I am gonna take a leap of trust.”

After a long deep breath, Ashley closed her eyes and leaped off the edge of the cliff. Strong winds hit her back as she fell and her hair viciously whipped across her face. She suddenly remembered some of the last words Alex had told her.

“You can always trust Ethan.”

A smile formed across her face.

I guess I have always known that she thought.

Everything came to a halt and Ashley felt as if she was floating in the air. She calmly drew in a breath through her mouth and opened her eyes. Surprisingly, she was standing but below her was nothing black a thick cloud of black mist. She heard a sigh come from behind her.

“Did I mention that you are also full of surprises?” she heard Ethan say.

“I didn’t worry you, did I?” Ashley asked, her lip twisting into a sly smirk.

“Actually your course of action, however symbolic it must have been for you, just made revaluate my claim about your astuteness.”

“Huh?” Ashley frowned.

Sighing again, Ethan said, “Do you even know that we are now in the Void of Absolute Truth?”

“The what now?”

“You should have at least allowed me to finish Persephone and Hade’s story. You see after Hades tricked Persephone into eating the seed from the Underworld, he vowed never to lie to her, and to prove it the two of them merged their power to create this place. The Void of Absolute Truth was created so that no secrets could exist between them. Once in here, each one has to ask the other three questions and they have to answer truthfully. Also, the one asking the questions has to truly speak what is in their heart.”

“And what happens if the other lies?” Ashley asked.

“Any lie would doom both of them, trapping their souls in this place,” replied Ethan. “The black mist you see under you is a culmination of all the souls that have ever tried entering the Hades’ Treasury through this place.”

“Hades’ Treasury? Is that where you are going?” Ashley asked.

The glowing red marks began spreading across Ethan’s face. Ashley could see him clenching his fists.

“So how do we start?” Ashley quickly asked. She suddenly wanted both of them to leave the Underworld as soon as possible.

Ethan walked to her. “The first requirement is a physical link between the two individuals willing to enter this place; so that whatever happens to one is reciprocated to the other.”

“That’s why you linked us,” spoke Ashley. “It had nothing to do with securing your safety while you were here. Okay, then what comes next?”

Ethan walked a short distance away from Ashley and began to look around the void.

“What are you looking for?” asked Ashley. All she could see was the infinite darkness surrounding them.”

When she saw that Ethan’s eyes were closed she refrained from asking him anything else.

“Come over here, little mermaid,” she heard him say.

Moving towards him, Ashley noticed that the red cracks on the side of his face were spreading all the way to his hand.

“As long as am tethered to you, I will be fine,” Ethan said.

Thinking about all the pain he must have been experiencing made Ashley curl her hand into a fist. Ethan had said Talya couldn’t have placed the spell on him and since no one could enter Ethan’s pocket dimension without his permission it meant that...

Realization hit Ashley like a large boulder.

“It appears you’ve come to the same conclusion I have,” said Ethan.

“But that’s impossible,” Ashley said. “She isn’t supernatural— she can’t be.”

“The effects of my pocket dimension didn’t seem to affect her even when the spell activated.”

“But I have known Samantha my whole life,” said Ashley. “She’s never shown any sign of having any powers.”

“But if I am right... Then I have known her long before that,” Ethan responded.

Ashley walked and stood in front of Ethan.

“What do you mean?” she asked, staring into his narrow dark eyes. “Why exactly are we here?”

“To get some answers,” Ethan replied.

He then said something in a language Ashley couldn’t understand. A warm sensation coursed through Ashley’s body and suddenly the mist began to gather and formed a long staircase that led to a black emptiness.

“You can ask me whatever questions you which to have the answer to,” said Ethan. “The first person to step on the staircase asks the first question.”

Ashley breathed in deeply and walked over the first few steps until she found that she couldn’t lift her feet off the step she stood on. She turned back and looked at Ethan. There was a bit of hesitance within her as she thought about what to say; for she didn’t want to ask something that Ethan may have not known the answer to.

“You can speak normally, little mermaid,” Ethan said. “The moment you ask me something you truly wish to know is when I will be able to climb these stairs.”

“I see,” she said. “So um... How about we start with the person you are looking for... Who are they?”

“Before I became a Chimera, she was someone who saved my life. All I wish to do is return the favor.”

Ethan walked up the stairs and passed the one where Ashley stood.

After climbing a few steps away from Ashley, he stopped moving.

“I would like to know about your relationship with my brother,” Ethan said,

Ashley was caught by surprise by his words.

“Richard and I have a complicated relationship,” Ashley said but found she couldn't lift her legs when she tried to move.

“You can only move once I am satisfied with your answer, little mermaid,” Ethan said.

With a smile, Ashley replied, “Then how ’bout this? I like him... a lot. For a long time, I felt like I was all alone and when I met Richard, I don’t know, I just felt a deep connection between us.”

“One of being amongst one of your own people,” Ethan finished. “But then what about the Hunter?”

Ashley’s heart skipped a beat but quickly collected herself. “Adrian is the guy I love; the guy I want to be with. He’s been there for me when I was at my lowest and for a while, I forgot that. I neglected his feelings, I kept secrets from him, and well... I feel he deserves better.”

“Sound like your love for him is out of obligation,” Ethan said.

Without even realizing it, Ashley had already walked past Ethan and stood on the stairs about him.

“Are you saying I don’t love him?” she asked him in an angry voice.

Ethan remained composed. “Love manifests itself in my ways,” he said. “Some claim to love out of fear of being alone, some out of greed, others lust, and sometimes obsession can be mistaken for love. It is true love that’s the hardest to come by. You say you love the Hunter and also have feelings for my brother. According to what I have gathered, there is a harsh enmity between them; at some point, you must know you’ll have to hurt one of them to be with the other.”

Remembering how she confessed her feelings to Adrian, Ashley asked Ethan, “Then how do I know if my love is true?”

“It's the most complicated emotion I know of,” Ethan answered. “But I think the first step you can take is by first being true to who and what you are. If you cannot love and embrace your true nature, how do you expect to do the same for someone else?”

Ashley rested her palm on her face and looked up. “Man, you’re really something Ethan,” she said. “Three earth days ago I would have taken any chance I got to destroy you but now I am taking advice from you.”

“Advice can come from anywhere, little mermaid,” replied Ethan. “Even from your worst enemy.”

“And are we enemies?” Ashley asked.

“Only time can answer that. But for now...” Ethan began to walk up the flight of stairs. “I suppose we are closer to being... allies. There is something I have been meaning to find out; I once sense that you willingly sought—”

“Three times,” Ashley interjected.

“I beg your pardon.”

“You once said that I have sought the sting of death before. You were right; I have tried to end my life three times. The only one I have ever told this is my little sister, Leah. The cliff which we now call Destiny Cliff is where I tried for the third time last year and I don’t know how I survived. I lost most of my memory of what happened before that incident but I clearly remember why I was on that cliff.” Ashley walked up the stairs. “I had given up on myself and I couldn’t take the pain anymore.”

When she’d passed Ethan, she asked him, “Do you believe in prophecy?”

“Whether true or not, prophecy is a double-edged sword capable of bringing good blessings or great harm.”

“Stacy, someone who was once very dear to me once said that the realms would one day be destroyed because of me. So she tried to kill me but her brother Jacob intervened and ended up dead instead. Stacy was locked up in an asylum but she recently escaped and who knows where she is or what she is planning. Richard told me of Talya’s prophesy that predicted I would be the reason you’d awaken and well... here you are.”

Ethan walked up the stairs and Ashley realized that she’d asked all her three questions. “You are right. I am here because your blood activated Prometheus’ Orb. But I am also here because your Arzyrian friend chose to save her child. And I stand here because Sebastian chose to search for the Orb. Even Richard and all your friends did in one way or another play a part in my awakening. You are not the only reason I am here little mermaid.”

“For someone who claims to be the bringer of darkness, you have an odd way of seeing the bright side of things,” Ashley said with a smile. “So Ethan. What final question do you wish to ask me?”

“You once asked me to release Richard from the spell that binds him to the land, why?” Ethan asked.

“It’s simple,” Ashley said. “I just want him to be free. You mentioned that someone has to be true to themselves right? How can Richard experience true happiness if he is been denied the one place he can be his true self?”

Ashley climbed the stairs and stood in front of Ethan.

“I know that we have used up all the questions we have to answer truthfully, but there is something else I need to ask,” Ashley said as the black mist began to rise.

The mist cleared and Ashley found herself standing in a large hallway. Beautiful lit candles hang on the silver chandeliers above— casting an ambient orange light— and the air was cooler in that place. The walls of the hallway were lined with golden ornaments and the floor was so shiny Ashley could see her reflection.

She redirected her eyes from the beauty of the room and back to Ethan.

“Ethan...Why did you curse Richard like that? Did you really blame him for what his parents did?”

She was afraid Ethan wouldn’t respond but he looked at her and said, “Remember what I once said to you little mermaid; sometimes we may hurt the ones we love in order to protect them.”

“And what are you protecting Richard from?”

It happened so fast that even Ashley had no time to react. Ethan had moved with lightning-quick reflexes and covered her mouth and nose with his right hand. There was a series of explosions and thick black mist began to engulf the hallway.

“Quickly, close your eyes!” Ethan shouted and Ashley did so without hesitation.

She could hear Ethan coughing. His hand covering her nose and mouth was shaking but he still held a firm grip. Ashley felt the need to breathe in but Ethan held her firmly and she felt a gust of air blowing towards her. Ethan let go of her and Ashley sucked in a deep breath.

She looked behind and her eyes widened when she saw Ethan coughing out red blood and the glowing red veins spreading all over his body now. She ran to him.

“Ethan, what happening to you?” she asked in a worried tone.

Ethan struggled to speak but he suddenly moved again and this time shielded Ashley from an arrow that was aimed in her direction. The black tip of the arrow had pieced Ethan through his back and was sticking out of his chest.

“And here I thought the Chimera would put up more of a challenge,” a voice said.

Turning back, Ashley saw a cloaked figure coming in her direction. The person slashed his sword at her. She quickly pushed Ethan aside and bent her waist to dodge. Another attack came at her but Ashley grabbed the figure’s hand and landed a punch in his chest. After a successful uppercut on their chin, Ashley twisted her body and connected a roundhouse kick on the side of their face.

The figure’s face was revealed to be a man, probably in his thirties. He looked at Ashley with narrowed eyes and angry lines across his face. Ashley’s skin crawled when she saw that his hands were nothing but a white bone with lumps of shredded flesh; as if he had been mauled by a wild animal. His face was morphing into that of a wrinkled old man and his eyes looked as dry as desert sand.

“I will not fail my mistress!” he shouted and came at her with his sword. Ashley was about to attack but Ethan suddenly appeared in front of her and the one attacking pieced Ethan through his sword

“Tell me something,” Ethan said, his face not showing a hit of being in pain. “Did your Silvia Drathvir put you up to this?”

The man’s eyes widened and he let go of his sword when Ethan grabbed it and casually pulled it out of his chest.

“How can you survive even after swallowing all the Death Venom that filled this place earlier? How are you still alive after my black arrow and sword stabbed you?”

“You are a Hunter,” Ashley stated, walking next to Ethan.

“And I serve the great Grandmaster Silvia Drathvir,” the man stated.

“The woman’s still about her manipulative ways I see,” Ethan commented. “Sacrificing the lives of others to achieve her selfish desires.”

“Sacrifice? No,” the man said with his lips shaking. “My mistress said she’d come for me after I defeated the Chimera. She said she’d bring me home with honor.”

“And she had you rig this place with explosives to release a venom she surely knew wouldn’t kill me?” Ethan said. “Your life was doomed the moment you came into this place with your physical body.”

“But then why would she send one of her own on a suicide mission?” Ashley asked.

Suddenly, a loud roar reverberated throughout the hallway and it came with a gust of wind that blew the Hunter away and slammed him into a marble pillar; rendering him unconscious. Ashley and Ethan held their ground and when the roar subsided Ashley asked.

“What was that?” she asked, her ears still ringing.

“Ever heard the stories of the hound of Hades?” replied Ethan.

“Yeah, um... Cerberus right?”

“And that’s who’s heading right for us.” Ethan reached for his pocket and his eyes widened when he pulled out a vial with a glowing yellow fluid and another one, from his other pocket, that was broken.

“What’s that?” Ashley asked.

“Each vial was meant to be taken by us in order to leave this place,” Ethan answered.

“When I pushed you earlier I must have cracked one of them... But this means...”

“Only one of us can leave,” Ethan completed.

Another roar came and this time Ashley could hear loud thumping that caused dust and sand to shake off the wall of the hallway.

Her hands involuntarily moved when she saw a vial coming her way. She grabbed it in mid-air and looked at Ethan. He was staring at where the roar came from.

“Drink that,” he said. “Even though the Death Venom won’t kill me, I won’t be in the state to defend us both. A whole fill of that vial once drunk will return you home and the physical link between us will also be broken.”

“But that will mean Talya and Richard will have nothing stopping them from killing you.”

“A situation that can’t be avoided, yes,” replied Ethan.

Ashley heard a loud blast coming from the end of the hallway. “I once tried to kill you. How can you be sure that I will not help them?”

Still facing the end of the hallway, Ethan said in a calm voice, “When you jumped into the Void of Absolute Truth you said you were taking a leap of trust. Consider me doing the same.” Ethan looked at her and his dark eyes had never looked more beautiful. “I am trusting you, little mermaid.”

Taking in a deep breath, Ashley drank the contents of the vial. Her body shivered as if in a state of ecstasy as a cool chill run through her body. Controlling her breathing, Ashley looked at Ethan and asked, “You tethered both of us with a physical link as we danced didn’t you? I have been meaning to ask you something... How did it feel, dancing with me?”

A small half-smile formed across Ethan’s face.

“I have danced with goddesses, elves, vampires, spirits, and just about any creature you can imagine. But a dance with a creature who happens to be the only one of her kind can only ignite one feeling...” He paused and said, “Little Mermaid, that dance was the only one of its kind.”

Ashley watched her hands begin to fade and her eyelids involuntarily began to close. At that moment she felt two things; comfort and fear. Comfort because she now knew that Ethan, the Chimera that everyone feared was not as lost to the darkness as he made himself appear, and at the same time she felt great fear concerning the decision she had made and what she was about to do once she returned back on Earth.

...

The final battle is so close

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