I learned from an early age that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we live. Bobby also taught me that life and death are only illusions because we are in a constant state of transformation. Evolution wasn't granted to humans and was rather taken away as they became the bottom of the food chain. Luckily being Nephilim I didn't feel the inferiority like my family but the same couldn't be said for my brother. I always believed wisdom and goodness were twin born, one heart must hold two siblings, never seen apart. But…Ethan wasn't like me at all. That day I finally used my powers effectively I paid a terrible price, Bobby tried to nurture me back to health, but I was bed bound for a whole month. Apparently, Nephilim's bodies were more delicate than superiors because their energy comes from their core whereas superiors receive power from either heaven or hell. Sadly, due to this my body became even skinnier and all my strength training had been wasted, however I wasn't ready to give up yet.
John, "Ria get back to bed this instant your still sick." Ignoring their pleas Ria weakly made her ways outside for some fresh air gulping it down like fresh water. Glancing at the spot where the superior had met his horrific end she sighed, that man had taken a lot away from her including freedom. Bobby followed her outside trying to support her little body. Surprisingly he had shown a strange maternal instinct while attending to Ria almost like she was his own daughter. Feeling guilty about pushing her before her body had matured, he felt responsible for her illness.
Bobby, "I know your frustrated, but you shouldn't push yourself too far." Ria had barely spoke a few sentences since her episode but now her voice was beginning to break free again.
Ria, "Progress is pain didn't you tell me that?" Bobby sighed and sat down beside her watching the swallows leaving for winter. It pained him to see envy in her eyes as Ria watched them go. Some day she hoped to leave the nest and experience the world.
Jane, "Sweetheart, you'll catch cold come back inside." Being overly protective her parents couldn't even grant her this luxury; Ria shook her head resting them on her thin knees. Jane frowned carrying Ethan out with her, he had whined none stop seeing his sister sick.
Ethan," Ria are you feeling better?" Smiling she sat her brother on her knee and began stroking his raven black hair than had grown to his shoulders. Ethan was her world and despite dealing with the painful consequences of her choice she didn't regret it one bit seeing those bright blue eyes.
Ria, "Yes much better. Did you read the book I gave you?" Ethan nodded enthusiastically, it was an easy read about nature and flowers. It detailed medicinal plants to help treat wounds and remedy sickness.
Bobby, "What were you reading yesterday Ria?" She felt caught in a trap because that book was forbidden while she was still bedridden. Knowing she couldn't lie to Bobby she admitted.
Ria, "The one about martial arts you gave me," Jane tutted in disapproval.
Jane, "You never change we give you an inch and you take a mile." Bobby chuckled, that was the young firecracker he knew.
Bobby, "Leave the child alone she's just preparing for when she gets back on her feet. So, Ria what did you learn?" Like a light illuminated inside of her Ria began enthusiastically explaining her finding.
Ria, "I've been studying Tae Kwon Do, it emphasizes blocking techniques and kicking so practitioners would focus strength training on the thighs and calves to deliver adequate kicks. To block whether low high or middle you should cross your hands over and push against the opposing force in order to decrease damage." Bobby's eyes widened impressed, she soaked information in like a cloth nothing slipped past her. Jane was also happy she knew so much; it was also her mother's preferred martial art against superiors.
Jane, "I see so what's your favourite move?" Giving up on scolding her daughter she was intrigued to see if their interests matched. Ria pondered for a while, that was a tough one, but one move stood out for her.
Ria, "It would have to be the axe kick. When your opponent is face down on the floor a quick downward kick to the back of their neck would put them out cold. It's the most efficient finisher." Jane giggled in agreement, that was also her favourite.
Bobby, "We have to get some meat on your bones first little girl. When do you want to start training again?" Ria looked troubled as if considering whether to heal first or push past the pain. Bobby was testing to see if she'd given up but as he expected Ria wasn't done yet.
Ria, "As soon as possible I want to learn quickly before another superior comes along, I can't use my powers safely yet so rather some ways around it than none." John joined them on the grass worried about the sad expression on his daughter's face.
Jane, "I doubt that will happen anytime soon Ria… you never told us how you knew that man…" They all looked at her curiously, Ria forgot that Jane was sharp. Their exchange of words must have raised some suspicion.
Ria, "It was the day I went to the village looking for Adam, I met him in the town square. He tried to kidnap me so he could sell me off thinking I was human when Adam stepped in and saved me. Ever since then he must have had a vendetta against me. I'm sorry I led him here." They all looked on flabbergasted, they had no idea Ria had been in such danger.
John, "It's not your fault sweetheart. Don't blame yourself for what happened, they venture here now and again so your mother and I have to take care of them." Ria smirked, that was code word for murder, but she didn't mind. Survival meant dabbling in such matters.
Bobby, "Who the hell is Adam?" They all startled hearing his hostile tone. Ria wasn't usually afraid to answer questions, but this has locked up her throat.
Ria, "Um…he was a Nephilim I heard about…I just went looking for some answers." Bobby spun Ria around harshly, he looked furious.
Bobby, "You must never talk to other people about yourself it's dangerous Ria, what if he'd recognized you!" Ria cocked her head…what did he mean by that? Jane and John also caught onto his slip of the tongue.
Jane, "What do you mean father? She's just another Nephilim, what is there to recognize." Ria looked deeply into her grandfathers' eyes and gasped in realization. So, he knew all along…
Ria, "You know who we are don't you?" Bobby's body drooped, basically conforming their suspicion. How could he keep this from them? Jane stood up enraged.
Jane, "You must be kidding, I don't understand you at all. Did you come here knowing full well they were his children and played ignorance!" Bobby stood up defensively, it dawned on him that Ria also knew of her true birth parents meaning John and Jane had lied to him.
Bobby, "I didn't know until Ria collapsed, I saw her birthmark." John joined in on the dispute.
John, "It doesn't matter are you trying to earn her trust so you can kill her later, what's your plan?" Ria pushed Ethan behind her seeing this was getting heated. What Ria couldn't understand is Bobby had been kinder to her since finding her birthmark, did that mean he was afraid or actually accepted her.
Bobby, "It's the opposite, I don't want to harm Ria. I want to prove that it doesn't matter who people are born from they can still be kind. Do you honestly believe I would kill her after spending all this time training her?"
Ria, "You're not afraid of me?" She asked wearily finding this discovery unbelievable, he still wanted to train her despite being the spawn of Satan. Bobby smiled at her softly.
Bobby, "Not even a little. Ria you risked your life for your family I could never hate you either so stop being so afraid of what people think. You are you and he is him, remember that." Jane wasn't so easily swayed and stepped in-front of her children.
Jane, "Lucifer has been at the top of your list for my whole life and your telling me with his children standing before you, you aren't here to harm them. I'm not falling for it!" John joined her in protecting them. Ria peaked through their arms to see a painful expression on her grandfather's face. She couldn't stand to see him like that so stepped in.
Ria, "If grandfather really wanted to kill me, he would have done while I was still bedridden, wouldn't that of been the easiest way to do it. Mother…Father I believe him." Ria stood by his side confidently, Bobby smiled at her lovingly he had made the right choice choosing this child.
Ethan, "I'm with Ria I like grandfather." Ethan was just following his sister, but Bobby appreciated it anyway. Jane and John looked at eachother conflicted knowing their daughter was usually spot on with intuition.
Jane, "S-Swear to god you won't hurt them." Bobby ruffled his grandchildren's hair before putting his hand firmly over his heart.
Bobby, "I swear to god I will never hurt them as long as I live." It was a rare sincerity that made Jane's heart flutter, her father never showed affection towards anyone, but Ria had changed his heart for the better.
After the truth had been set free amongst my family, things began changing. Ethan evolved from a shy child to an outgoing young man, sometimes he would even join in my training. Bobby doted on us like his own children gradually distinguishing his cold heart. Jane and John would spend more time clearing the area so we could stay safe in our home, every time they returned, I would ask in detail how they had slayed the vicious superiors for reference. I wanted to become like my grandfather so badly I would follow his every move. Then came the day after I'd fully recovered, I could go to the village with him. It was safe to say our outing was very interesting.
Bobby, "Are you sure you don't want to come along Ethan, we won't be gone for too long?" Still unsure on the outside world Ethan refined himself to the garden only but his sister wished for a larger world.
Ethan, "No thank you, I want to stay with mother." Ria smiled and waved as she hopped into Bobby's red 1967 Chevy and drove away the wind blowing through her white hair. It was her second time in the village but this time she held no fear in her heart knowing the best hunter in the north was by her side.
Bobby, "Are you nervous?" he asked worriedly, Ria responded with a shake of the head watching people look on at a rare sight, cars were sparse among humans as their privileges were removed by superior law many years ago but Bobby fought tradition harder than he did them.
Ria, "Can I get a new book while were here grandfather." He chuckled at her enthusiasm.
Bobby, "Of course, what are you after?" Ria put her feet up on the windscreen analysing what would benefit her at this age. Fighting was all she had read about and she fancied a change of pace.
Ria, "What about a book containing information on the Grand Superiors like my father, perhaps their weak spots would be included." Bobby looked at her in surprise, it was the first time Ria had mentioned her true father independently.
Bobby, "Trust me I've tried to find that very book for years, it doesn't exist. Think about it, if such a thing existed, I would have killed that bastard years ago." Ria looked at him in concern, sometimes she wondered about the vendetta Bobby had against him. Lucifer was at the top of his list for more reasons than one.
Ria, "Grandfather, did Lucifer hurt you in some way?" Bobby gripped the steering wheel tightly as if recalling something.
Bobby, "Yes…he hurt me very deeply. What about you, why do you want him dead so badly?" Ria remembered those soulless red eyes looking down upon her and gritted her teeth.
Ria, "Lucifer killed my mother and rejected Ethan. If it wasn't for Jane Ethan wouldn't have survived and I would be living among the beings I hate most. Now it's your turn." Exchanging painful memories was a strange way of bonding but Bobby took her intuition on board and decided to confide in her.
Bobby, "Jane doesn't know about this so you must swear to keep it a secret." Ria lifted her pinkie finger and gave him a serious nod; she was good at keeping secrets when it counted.
Ria, "I pinkie swear, you can trust me." Bobby grinned and wrapped his pinkie finger around her before shaking on it. This was a story he had never told anyone. Taking a deep breath, he relieved his troubles.
Bobby, "When Jane was a year old, she had an older brother named Sam who was five years older. Just like myself we began training at that time and he was an amazing little learner. Sam was my only son; he was just like me brown fair hair with grey white eyes. When I looked at him it was like looking in the mirror, he was so strong. Sadly, he wasn't strong enough…" Ria watched his eyes fill with tears and felt guilty for asking about such a painful memory, even she could tell where this tale was going.
Bobby, "One day I was out hunting a superior that had been selling humans on the black market, I was only gone for four hours maybe so I didn't leave them for too long, but I still left them. When I returned home my wife and Jane were safely tucked up in bed, but Sam was gone. I grabbed my night light and went searching for him hoping he was just waiting for me outside but when I got there…there was your father with a smile on His face holding my sons' lifeless body in his arms." Ria gasped putting her hand over her mouth. Bobby was gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white.
Bobby, "It turns out Sam had snuck out to the main road waiting for me to come back when Lucifer drove by catching his eye. He tried to take Sam for slavery, but he put up a fight just like I taught him, but he was no match for that monster…so he broke his neck and left him in the field. Ever since then I swore revenge on him for what he did to my son. I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do." Ria felt undeniable sorry for her grandfather but also discovered something while listening. Bobby was hell bent on killing her father and what better way to do it than with his own child. Meaning Bobby was training Ria to help him with his vendetta.
Ria, "I'm really sorry about your son…I-I…want to help you. I want him dead too." Bobby smiled at her sad little face and playfully ruffled her hair, so even she could show such an expression.
Bobby, "I know you do. Thankyou." Ria felt happy being praised but sickly at the same time wondering if that was why Bobby had spared her.
Ria, "Grandfather, is that why your training me?" he turned to see a troubled smile, Ria never really showed her insecurity but now she looked like she was about to cry.
Bobby, "Huh? What do you mean?" Ria shuffled uncomfortable in her seat; would he take offence if she asked him?
Ria, "I mean are you training me so you can get revenge on my father?" Bobby suddenly pressed on the brakes jerking them forward then turned to face her. Ria was scared to look at him in-case he was disappointed in her.
Bobby, "Ria, I never once thought of using you to fulfil my own vendetta. I'm training you so you can defend yourself if Lucifer ever finds you. You want to protect Ethan, right?" Ria nodded her head still avoiding his grey eyes. Bobby sighed at her hopelessly.
Bobby, "I can understand why you would think that, but I promised your mother I would never harm you. That means not throwing you into the deep end before you can swim, do you understand?" Ria plucked up the courage to look at him and was surprised to see a calm smile which was very rare.
Ria, "I promise when I'm older I'll help you kill him. Pinkie swears." Yet again was the cross of little fingers and sincere eyes, she hated the fact her grandfather was hurting because of her father but in a way so was Ria. They agreed and arrived in the village, Bobby took her hand and led her to the nearby bookstore. It was like a paradise for Ria, there was enough books to keep her busy for years.
Bobby, "If you see any you like just tell me but don't go too far." Too excited to respond she nodded and ran off while Bobby began talking to the old clerk like old friends. There were long corridors of shelves and magazines from before the superiors were in power. Before long she was lost in a world of knowledge peeking eagerly at the martial art section. A book about karate caught her eye so she skimmed through to see if there were any interesting moves she hadn't heard of. The minute her eyes hit the page she was set on getting this book but then her conscience spoke up reminding her of Ethan. Sighing she put her book back and wandered over to the nature section.
Ethan's favourite type were insects and plants so she pondered with her finger tapping her chin which one would be the easiest for him to read. As she landed on a local wildlife book happily, she reached for it when a hand crossed her path, Ria startled seeing how florescent his skin was. As she looked up, she was met with striking silver hair and aquamarine eyes. They both gasped and jumped back realizing they had met before.
Ria, "Adam?"
Adam, "It's you…the little Nephilim from before!"