Chapter 22 DARIUS

Panic washed over me like a hurricane. My breath was long and heavy if you could call them that. A bitter taste like aloe vera was in my mouth. I blinked to check if it was real. Did … Ephiria…? No, she is alive. I wanted to hope but reality gave me a blow to my gut too hard to ignore. I turned to my right. Ella wasn't handling it any better. I had shattered her to pieces. She was on her knees. She gave off a shaken face instead of her usually composed one. Sobs escaped her.

She mumbled in a tone too low to hear. I forced the word, "What" out of my glued-shut mouth. She repeated herself, "Stop. Stop the ship now. We're going back.". Lira responded ignoring the order, "I'm sorry. I can't." Ella rose to her feet. I could sense the chaos emitting out of her. Her gaze turned to that of a mother whose tolerance was running out, "I said stop." The ship hit the brakes. Lira didn't look like she had done it.

Lira said, "Are you stupid? You'll kill us all." She increased the thrusters. Ella warned, "Oh no you don't." Her eyes darted to the ground. The ship descended. Lira put up a fight. We won't achieve anything if we continue like this. None of them seemed like they were going to back down and death wasn't going to wait for us to hug and reconcile. I needed to do something. Ephiria and Carter can survive. I believe they can. I have seen Ephiria take down armies and Carter just defeated a titan. I believe God will guide them to safety. So, as much as it hurt, I took Lira's side.

Ella wasn't going to listen to logic so I decided to do what parents do when their 5-year-old child asks them, "Mom, Dad, where do babies come from?" – lie. This was a horrible thing that punctured my heart to do to my friend but when situations get tough, difficult choices have to be made. I pushed as much assurance and confidence into the words, "They're alive." Ella stopped, "What?" I repeated, "Yes, they are. I can sense their mystic scent." A sparkle of joy erupted in her eyes. She examined me – looking for nervous body language but Alfonso had taught me well about hiding some emotions. Focus on the "some".

She said, "I'll take it for now." She directed the ship to ascend. With their combined efforts, we reached the top in no time. We surfaced in a coastal town. There was a beach of rough sand stretching around the shores. Rugged cliffs bordered the town. Towering cypress swayed gently in the coastal breeze, their contorted forms sculpted by centuries of exposure to the elements. Victorian and saltbox-style houses lined the narrow streets with their colorful facades adorned with blooming flowers and white picket fences.

As Lira dropped us off on the shore, my guts churned. Something was here but I just couldn't see it. Lira turned back into a small orb. I picked it up and placed it in my pocket. Ella asked, "How do we find the sanctuary?" I couldn't tell her I had no idea but my expression gave it away. She continued, "Lira used the drive to bring us here. The sanctuary is here but where. I can't see it anywhere. To think, they would cut us a break." I said, "And what. Build the sanctuary palace and design it with neon signs saying, hi everybody this is the sanctuary."

Ella said, "Of course, not. Could we ask a resident? Maybe they can tell us something." I said, "The veil kills that privilege." Ella said with a wolfish grin, "Who said a town can't have a hybrid? Try using that hound nose of yours." I said, "Let's try, princess." I closed my eyes. I focused my glow on my nose. I smell …fish, salt, people, and flowers, there it is. The mystic scent. The aroma of freshly baked pastries and sweets combined with the smell of roses and freshly made coffee. Imagine that but 20 times better. I see why mostri love it. It is appealing and overwhelming. I could sense some coming from us but I could also smell a trail leading into town. I said, "I've got a trail. Let's go."

We pushed through the crowded streets of tourists. We made multiple turns until we reached an orphanage. It was sturdy and big like a mansion. Its exterior was painted in muted shades of blue, which seemed to reflect the longing of the orphans inside. Tall windows with wooden frames plastered over the house. The title "MRS HILDA'S HOME FOR THE GIFTED UNFORTUNATE" was stenciled into the front of the house. The weirdest part about the orphanage was the steel bar fence coated in small crystals of what seemed to be salt. I smelt it. Yes, definitely salt. Kids were playing in the grassy compound. I almost wanted to live here.

Ella called out, "Hello, is Mrs. Hilda around?" One of the kids turned to us and then went inside. I smelt more of the mystic scent but it was barely a whiff. Each of the kids had it. Oh my God. This isn't just an orphanage for the "gifted" – it is for hybrids. I whispered to Ella, "They are all hybrids." She said, "What!" I reassured her, "It is an Xmen orphanage but now with hybrids." She asked, "Is Mrs. Hilda collecting them specifically? Is she a mostri? If so, we have to rescue these kinds before a grandma witch gets the pot ready." I said, "We need more proof before we jump to conclusions."

Ella's worries were justified. Was it a coincidence? No, it probably wasn't. Hybrid lives are way too cruel to leave us with those. I put my hand in my pocket and got hold of my cube just in case.

An old woman, maybe in her late 50s, whom I assumed was Mrs. Hilda came out. She was African with rich chocolate brown skin. Her grey hair was tied up in a bun. Her eyes were the most astounding color of them all. They were light brown with little strides of green mixing in. She was wearing a dark green dress and a bronze bracelet. The bracelet was ingrained with a symbol that was two swords facing opposite directions. Their hilts were connected. At the base of one were gold coins while at the base of the other were gravestones. The symbol looked familiar but from where. The one with gold coins was sharp and glowing while the one with gravestones was blunt with cracks and rust. She gave a warm smile. Her gaze was different. It was cold and examining as if a scientist observing his lab rats. She knew what we were but we didn't know what she was. This was bad. To make it worse, she had no mystic scent.

She spoke behind the bars, "Good afternoon." We replied in unison, "Good afternoon." She asked, "Say, aren't you a tad too young to adopt a child?" Ella corrected, "We're not here to adopt, sorry. We're here to interview you about the area for a school project. You know the system these days." She said, "Well then, come in…" I said, "I am Darius and she is Ella." She opened the gate. We entered. The interior of the house was painted grey and green. The bulbs were newly fixed to the ceilings. The curtains laid open. She led us into an office. It was a bland one. Just a desk with two chairs adjacent to it. The desk had basic office supplies on it like some documents and a tin of pens.

She said, "Sit" We obliged. I said, "Is there anything strange going on in this town like the hum or sudden earthquakes or death of animals that can't be explained." She said, "None that I know of. So, are you writing a paranormal report?" Ella replied, "Yes, I told him it was a bad idea but he wouldn't listen." I said, "Um. I think we should get to the point here." She said, "That is." I said, "We know you are not human." She laughed, "That's absurd. Should I check you into the nearest psychiatric hospital?" I said, "I know you can sense that neither are we at least not fully." Her smile turned into a glare. Ella said, "We're with the enigma faction." Her gaze had a mixture of panic and fear. She stood up abruptly, "I am not going back so if you are here to bring me in, I advise you to leave or face the consequences." Ella said, "We can't leave. We need you…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a pen was heading for her neck. She t-pushed it aside. The pencil cracked the floor as if it weighed a ton. Hilda held her hands wide. She emitted orange energy. I felt it overcome me like heat from a fireplace. I felt like a leech was sucking my energy out. I activated my cube but by then I was on the floor. My vision blurred. My muscles stiffened. I felt like I was having body weakness from an ailment. Ella retaliated by t-throwing our chairs at her. She just tapped them to the side with her thumbs. The chairs fell to the side. Something told me whoever played with her thumb war, had to take a visit to the hospital. I gripped my spear with the little strength I had and readied myself for a thrust. My conscience tagged on me saying, "Assaulting an old lady wasn't on the to-do list." Well, only a fool stands by as they die when they have the power to do something.

I used my glow to verse hers but she was just too strong. I managed to stand up. She said, "Oh no you don't." She activated her bracelet. It melted and turned into a gleaming steel curved blade that resembled a crescent moon with a leather hilt adorned with ornate designs. It was a khopesh. I thrust but she countered. She kicked the table. Ella t-pushed it to the side. In a second, the blade was on my neck. How was she this fast? I said, "Stop. We aren't here for you. We're here for the sanctuary." She stared at me with pity, "If you are here for that, you might as well be digging your grave."