February 22, 1408

Opening his eyes, Ray finally woken up, he tried to sit up, but he felt pain coming from his stomach, the memories flash before his eyes, he vividly remembered everything that had happened. He forced himself to sit up.

He look around, checking his surroundings. He was surrounded by trees. He felt his left hand burning for some reason. He inspected it but found nothing wrong with it. He placed his hand on his side, touching the cold ground, he looked up and it was already nighttime. He could barely make out the moon, and the stars because of the trees branching together.

His mind went back to his village, his friends, the villages, his dad, that knight. He lifted his shirt to check his wound, but there was nothing there, not even a scar. As he slightly touch it, it only cause a tiny bit of pain. It’s as if that arrow never pierced him.

{Why did that knight try to kill us? They were supposed to be heroes, people I always look up too. Does Uncle Oliver know? No they couldn't have been knights, maybe they were bandits that took the knights armor for themselves.} Ray thought to himself, but deep down he couldn’t admit what he thought was the truth.

{Is dad really gone? Dammit! I can’t cry now I… I need to find Eda.}

Ignoring the pain, from his stomach, and left hand, Ray forced himself to stand, as he stood he saw an orange light a couple meters away from him. As he slowly started approaching it, he saw it was a fire, he slowly walked towards it, not knowing who was there, when a voice spoke out.

“Look who is finally awake.” A voice he didn’t recognize said it was coming from the direction of the campfire.

Ray stepped into the clearing, and saw the woman who saved them, but she seemed different, as if she aged a couple years. She was sitting down on a tree trunk, and his sister was tending the fire. Much to his disbelief, Eda walked towards Ray, and gave him a hug.

“You’re… you’re ok?” Ray asked, he couldn’t believe she was standing like it was nothing. “Are you still bleeding?” He asked, carefully hugging her back.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me, come on we have to talk to Senya.” Eda stated, she grabbed Ray right arm, and led him to the woman, who motioned them to sit in front of her.

“Alright first thing first, the both of you can address me as Senya, I’m the one who saved you from dying that night.” She said, her voice sounded strained.

Ray tilted his head confused. “I’m sorry, but why do you look different, back in the village you look more younger-”

“It’ll be in your best interest not to finish that sentence.” Senya warned them. Though she had the same blonde hair, it had streaks of silver in it, her face had a couple of wrinkles. “As I was saying, you can call me Senya, now the both of you properly introduce yourself to me.”

Ray was reminded of his past when he met a wealthy person, Senya was almost talking like them, all professional.

“I’m Eda Friede, and this is my brother Ray.”

Ray couldn’t help himself. “Why does your face look younger” Much to Eda horror, Senya let out a smirk, it looked like she was contemplating on hitting Ray.

“Just focus on my face.” Senya said, instead. Her face suddenly was changing, her skin being stretched back, her wrinkles now gone. It’s as she was aging backwards at a fast paced. Soon it was the same face that Ray recognize that saved them.

“Wow! I didn’t know hybrids could do that.” Ray said he seemed to be interested in how she did it.

“Well once you get much stronger, you’ll be able to do it as well.” Senya claimed.

The both of them look at her, with a confused look on their faces.

“What do you mean by that?” Eda asked.

Now Senya was the one who looked at them, as if they were joking, before smirking again, she took a deep breath, before speaking. “Look likes the both of you haven’t noticed, I turn the both of you into hybrids.” Senya casually announced.

Both of them were silently stunned, Ray and Eda looked at each other, unsure what to do, they turned their attention back towards Senya, Eda started screaming at her.

“You! You turn us into man-eating monsters!?” Eda screamed.

“Hybrids don’t eat humans, we can eat regular food, like normal humans, the flesh-eating hybrids are the true monsters that the church speak about, but those are…rare. There is always a chance when a human turns, that they will try to reject the transformation, and in doing so they go mad. They start attacking everything in sight, some have been known to even eat humans. That is where the rumors come froms, as well what the church always spreads about us.” Senya stated.

“So there was a chance that either one of us could have gone mad?” Eda asked.

“Yes, but like I said, they don’t tend to happen. It’s rare to find someone who reject the blood. If either one of you had gone mad right after I injected you, it would have been clear, and I would have killed you before the both of you could cause me any trouble. So count yourself lucky.”

“Well at least we have that going for us, right Eda?” Ray said, sarcastically.

Eda ignored her brother, and asked Senya, “So how are we different from humans since we don’t need to eat them, and we didn’t go mad?”

“Well for starters we have extended life span, we easily outlive other humans, by a hundred or two hundred years if you’re lucky. Well of course they are always the exceptions, but you don’t need to know about him.”

“Huh?” Ray said.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Nothing, forget that part, as I was saying we lived longer than them, also our blood is different. When we use our energy we produce black blood. Except for the newly turned hybrids, like the both of you for example. Since technically you're still in the process of transforming your body is producing that black blood to help you heal your wounds.” Senya revealed.

The both of them looked at their wounds, gently placing a hand on each of the wounds, wondering what was going inside of them.

“So be sure to not let anybody see your blood, as well when you summon your mark, the black blood seems to greatly increase, as the mark spreads across your body, you have to be careful on that particular area. But you don’t need to worry about that any time soon, only the strong are able to summon their marks.”

“Where could I find my mark?” Ray asked.

“Like I said, you have to reach a certain amount of strength to be able to summon it. Like so.” Senya raised her right arm, she pointed to her wrist with her other hand, and suddenly a black like appeared. It was an inch in diameter, it kept spreading until it reached her elbow, as soon as it appeared it started vanishing from her skin. “The always appear where a human was turned into a hybrid. Since I was turn in the wrist my mark always start from that place.”

“So we will have something like that, once we get stronger?” Ray wanted to confirm.

“Wait? You said you injected us, you really injected your blood into us?” Eda asked, she look like she wanted to vomit.

“Relax, it's not how you think, I did use my blood, but I injected you on your neck, and I injected Ray on the back of his left hand, I had brought a syringe with me.” Senya explained.

Ray felt his left hand, the burning sensation was still there. {Is that why I woke up, it was burning?}

“So why did you inject me in the neck, and Ray in the hand?” Eda asked.

“Well from the both of you, you were the one closer to death, luckily for Ray the arrow that the knight shot at him missed his vitals organs, so I injected you in the neck because that is where the blood will travel the fastest, after all the veins in the neck are bigger than the ones on the arms.” Senya told them.

“So how would she be able to know she summoned her mark, it's not like she can her neck?” Ray questioned.

“You’ll know when you do. Also since the both of you are hybrids, you can become stronger faster than the knights, and regenerate any harm that comes to your body. Though you can still die if you get your head chopped off, or get your heart destroyed. They are also dying of old age, but I doubt you have to worry about that. I only heard about it, I have never seen a hybrid who was that lucky, or will see-”

“So now we have to live the rest of our lives in fear, always running from the knights!” Ray suddenly said, he imagined his life of a peaceful one being destroyed.

Senya stood up, and hit Ray on top of his head. “Be quiet, I don’t want you to interrupt me, and I’m not that far that you have to raise your voice.”

Ray looked at the ground massaging his head, Senya sighed and sat back on the tree trunk. “I did the only thing that I could do to save your life, if the both of you have any objections to that, I will gladly correct that mistake.” Senya warned.

They both look at the ground, knowing better than to argue against someone who could easily kill them.

“I will explain everything, but listen without interrupting me. Save your question until I am done talking, understood?”

The both of them nodded their heads, and turn their focus towards her, making sure not to miss anything.

“It’s been three days since I saved you. When a hybrid starts to turn the body usually take three days for the blood to get adjusted, and a few more days until the transformation is complete, but like I said if your body accepts it.” She mumble the last part.

The both of them continue to nod their heads.

“Your village is gone, those knights who attacked decided to burn everything to the ground, from what I know they were similar attacks on the other lower outskirts villages. I’m pretty sure the church is already planning on rewriting what happen during these attacks. Like for example,” Senya turned around and grabbed something that was behind her, and handed each of them a piece of paper.

“This is!” Ray read the paper, it was one he read about last year, it was parchment paper, the church only uses it when sending out emergency news. They both continue reading the paper, refreshing their memories. It detailed how one of the lowest outskirt villages Ecrin was overrun with hybrids. The hybrids killed everyone, until the knights that were stationed nearby managed to kill all of the evil hybrids. The hybrids didn’t leave any survivors.

“Wait, what does this paper have to do with our village, this happened last year?” Eda asked.

“Well we believe this is where that newly assigned crazy pope got this idea. We don’t know for sure who was the one who ordered those knights in that village to pull back, but after they did, it didn’t take long for the village to be destroyed like your guy’s village.” Senya told them.

“No! It couldn't be the knights, it had to be bandits that took their armor.” Ray tried to say.

“If it did, don’t you think they would have been news about it, it's been almost two weeks since they left your village, they just wanted to make sure no one knew what they were planning.” Senya said, with such confidence they almost believed her.

They couldn’t believe their ears, Eda was the one shaking with anger, she wanted to find those responsible and make them pay. Ray still couldn’t believe the people he once thought were heroes could do such a thing.

“Do you know why they did this?” Ray asked.

“That doesn't matter, Ray!'' Eda interrupted him. “Whatever reason they have, I won’t ever forgive them, they destroyed our village, killed our friends, even dad. They need to pay.” Eda brutely stated.

Ray put his hand on Eda’s shoulder, an effort to calm her down, but he could still see the anger in her eyes. Deep down he started questioning if he actually made the right choice.

“I am not sure if there were any other survivors, those knights killed anyone they met. Right now according to the map we are in the forest of Stonehill. I had to take the two of you far away from the village, so you’ll be able to start on your mission. Any questions so far?” Senya added.

Eda was about to ask a question, but Ray quickly put up his hand.

“Yes, Ray?” Senya asked, ignoring what Eda was about to say.

“What do you plan to do with Eda?”

“Oh, right the deal was between us right?” Senya tried to confirm. Ray vigorously nodded his head. “Well she is free do whatever she wants; My deal was with you only.”

“Wait, what the hell are you two talking about, before we do anything we need to find our Uncle Oliver, and tell him what happen!” Eda quickly said. “If he knows what truly happened he can help us get those who were responsible.”

“Frankly I do not care what you do, but I will order your brother from now on, whatever I say he will obey.” Senya coldly stated.

Eda turned to Ray, but Ray was already looking at the ground again, he couldn’t meet her gaze. “Ray! Ray, look at me, what did you do!?”

“I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have saved us unless I promised her my life. I’m sorry Eda, but it was the only way the both of us could survive.” Ray tried to explain himself.

“He’s right.” Senya intervened. “He exchanged his life to save yours, I holded up my end of the deal, and I will make sure he does too. If he tries to run, or do anything stupid such as disobeying me, I’ll be sure to kill him, or you. That was our deal, right Ray.”

“Yes.” Ray mumbled.

“Ok then,” Eda stood up, and stared right into Senya's eyes. “Make a deal with me.”