Given the situation, it a miracle that Ashley's mind still had enough clarity to recognize that voice. She used her hands to lift her upper body. She was kneeling when she faced him. Black coat, black trousers, a dark grey T-shirt. He had a bearded face, silky short dark hair and a huge build. It was the man Ashley had met at Coley's Diner two days ago.
The man stretched out his hand as if to help Ashley but something he clearly didn't expect happened.
Ashley eyes must have been deceiving her. She watched the man— if he even was human— move at a speed impossible for Ashley to follow and dodged an arrow that had flow at him.
"I have no business with you people," he said, staring past Ashley.
Ashley turned her head and looked back. She couldn't fully see but a figure wearing black leather was approaching her fast.
The figure unsheathed a Japanese sword from their back; a sword with a blade as mid-night. He swung it at the man who had grabbed Ashley. The man in a black coat dodged the sword effortlessly and leaped into the air; jumping at a distance as high as a tall tree. He landed some meters away from Ashley and the person in black; who for the moment appeared to be protecting Ashley.
"I thought Hunters were supposed to be smart," the man said. "You clearly have no idea what you up against."
Hunters
Ashley stared at her savior. She could only see their face and those sharp eyes were fixed on the man in front of them. The person helped Ashley stand. Even their hands were covered in leather gloves. Apart from a sword, this person also carried a knife sheathed across their thigh and what Ashley could have sworn was a wooden stake was sheathed on their arm.
The masked figure ran towards the man. Ashley stared in awe as the two fought. The man's movements were unnaturally graceful and he dodged and blocked many of the masked person's attacks with ease. The masked figure, however, was also a great fighter. They launched a kick at the man, who caught it but suddenly, the man pushed the figure's leg to his right; just enough time for him to dodge the object that had shot out of the masked person's boots. The bearded man then attacked with a kick that connected with the masked person's abdomen— sending them flying some meters away.
Without thinking twice, Ashley ran in the direction of the masked person. They already stood up by the time Ashley reached them.
"Are you alright?" Ashley asked, keeping an eye on the bearded man as well. As confused as she was about all this, Ashley was certain about who to trust for me.
The masked person grabbed her by her shoulder and gestured her head towards the woods; beckoning Ashley to run.
"I am not leaving you here alone," Ashley protested.
The person narrowed her eyes and titled her head.
"Yes, I may not be able to fight but there is no universe where I'd leave someone that's saved my life to fight on her own and—"
Wait. What was she saying? Her? And how in the world did Ashley get what the person was trying to say when she had just tilted her head.
Ashley looked carefully at the person. Her eyes had filled with tears, pleading with Ashley to leave. Only one person that Ashley knew of could display such clear and sincere emotions with only a few gestures.
"Sara," Ashley whispered.
A cold chill runs through Ashley's back and she involuntarily grabbed Sara and pulled her towards her; in time to save her from the sharp rock that shot out of the ground on which she had stood.
Ashley turned to the direction the rock had come from. A watery chill ran down her spine and her heart leaped and began to beat wildly when she saw the man. His eyes were glowing, his canines had extended— resembling those of an animal, his nails were now claws and three large rocks floating in the air— controlled by man.
"All I need is the girl, Hunter," the man said.
Sara took picked up her sword and stood in a defensive stance in front of Ashley. She walked a few steps forward, turned at Ashley, and nodded; telling Ashley to stay where was. Facing the man, Sara pointed her sword at him.
"Have it your way."
The man projected all three rocks at Sara. Incredible would have been an understatement if the word was used to describe Sara at that moment. The girl dodged the first two rocks by throwing herself in the air, defecting the smaller one with a kick and somersaulting above the larger one. The third would have passed below Sara too but Ashley saw the man smirk and close his arm into a fist.
And that's when it happened
Everything around Ashley— the cool gentle wind, the dancing wave of the ocean, the swaying grass— were all slowing down. It took a while for Ashley to realize that it wasn't the things around her that had slowed down; she was moving faster than she'd ever thought possible. When the man had clenched his fist, Ashley saw the rock underneath Sara exploded; firing sharp shards in her direction. Ashley's body had automatically reacted; running towards Sara. She grabbed Sara in mid-air and immediately her feet touched the ground, she dashed away from the incoming shards of rock.
Sara's eyes widened when she looked at Ashley.
Something within Ashley changed; rather, something she had suppressed for so long— a part she had denied for so long— had finally been awoken. Though it was night, the things around her were highlighted by radiant colors as her eyes began to catch even the smallest amount of light. She could hear Sara's heartbeat rising, her muscles tightening, and the quiet sobs that she tried to withhold. Ashley could even sense her friend's aura. 'Auras never betray'. Ashley was unsure where she had heard those words but she believed them, for Sara's aura told Ashley that her friend knew of her true identity; what she truly was.
An exhilarating rush of power came upon Ashley. It was a feeling she had forgotten but now she couldn't deny it.
"Sara, stand back, "Ashley said. As she talked, Ashley realized that her canines had lengthened. She looked at her hands; her fingers had extended into sharp claws. They were also a few scales that had formed on the skin of her arms.
For a long time, Ashley had convinced herself that this part of her never existed. It took seeing someone in danger— a dear friend she loved and care for— in order to awaken this side of her and now, she was going to use this power to protect her friend.
"Impossible," the man said.
Ashley dashed at him. She took him by surprise and landed a well-executed punch on his right cheek. The man flew a few meters away. He landed near the water and a sudden urge came upon Ashley.
Raising her hand, Ashley controlled a pool of water, the size, and weight of a large rock; pulling it out of the ocean. She concentrated, curled her fingers, and molded the water into the shape of a sharp icicle. She flung her arm forward and fired the icicle towards the man. The man punched his fist through the ground and a boulder came out, blocking him from the water. The water crashed and pierced through the rock causing the man to quickly dive to his right.
Ashley moved back when a rocky spike came at her from the ground.
"Now I understand," the man said.
Even with her newly gained abilities, Ashley couldn't have matched the man's speed. He was so fast that it was like he had disappeared, and in less than a second he had his huge hands around Sara's neck.
"One wrong move and your friend loses her head."
She breathed in slowly. Her claws and teeth retracted and her vision normalized. Ashley stood and watched as the man's grip on Sara tightened.
"Wait!" Ashley shouted. "What do you want?"
"What I seek is not for myself," the man said. "And you may be the key to it."
"Whatever it is you want from me... I will only give it to you if you let my friend go."
The man smiled.
"Seems like you are in luck little one," he said.
The man let go of Sara, ran into the woods, and disappeared.
That's when Ashley saw him. He was a blur, running past her without even staring at her. He stopped some distance behind her and stared intensely into the woods; probably searching for the man that had fled.
Richard
That word was upon her lips but it just couldn't come out. Richard stood right in front of her; his eyes closed, concentrating hard and Ashley supposed that he was trying to sense the man's aura. A sigh escaped Richard's mouth and when he opened his eyes, Ashley's opened even wider. His irises glowed orange and his teeth were even sharper than those the man had; and they began to retract to their normal size.
She could sense it from him as well; darkness— Ancient darkness..
Sara drew out her sword but Ashley ran in front of Richard and said, "No..."
She looked at Richard and continued, "He is with us."
Richard patted Ashley's shoulder and with a smile, he said, "She knows. She's just making sure I am in the right state of mind."
Like her, Richard's animalistic face also reverted to that of a normal human. His eyes looked at Ashley curiously and held his chin.
"Water Element huh?" he said. "It's been some time since I witnessed an Awakening."
"And what are you again?" she said, smiling.
Sara walked to them and took off her mask.
"And what do we have here," Ashley said. She was surprised but she wasn't afraid. For a long time she had always believed that she wasn't normal and she had always tried her best to suppress this part of her.
Sara made some hand signs.
"Yes Sara," Richard was the one who answered. "That indeed was Sebastian."
"Um, remind me again how you guys know enough," Ashley asked, feeling a bit out of the loop.
Richard smiled at Ashley.
"It's a long story," he said. "But I am more interested in knowing about you, Ashley?"
"Well, it has been a long night... For all of us," Ashley said. "So why don't we talk tomorrow?"
Sara's hands moved again.
"I don't think Sebastian will be bothering Ashley or any of us tonight," Richard replied.
Ashley smiled. Fear lingered within her yes but she wasn't surprised when her power awakened. All along she knew that she was different and for a long time, she always felt like she was alone. But now, she knew that wasn't the case. Even though an earth-merman was after her, even if she had just discovered that one of her friends was something called a Hunter and even if Richard wasn't human Ashley still managed to smile because for the first time in a long time...
I am not alone.
But in the midst of it all, Sara looked at Ashley, her face red and eyes were overflowing with tears; tears of both joy and sorrow.
"Sara, what's wrong?"
Ashley saw Sara lose her strength and she sat on the ground, crying. Her hand was cupped against her mouth.
"Sara, please... tell me," Ashley pleaded, kneeling down to Sara and holding her by her shoulder.
Sara looked at Ashley and her hand trembled as she waved some hand signs.
Alex
That was all the hand signs said and it was enough to convey what Sara was trying to say. Ashley gently hugged her friend. Her eyes began to burn hot as tears streamed down her cheek. She bit down hard on her lower lip and held in a scream. The person Ashley looked up to. The one she wanted to become. The one who inspired her to become who she was. The light that had shone upon her in her time of darkness.
At that moment and on that day Ashley was faced with a truth she refused to accept...
Alex was gone.