Hellbound With You

Inside the house, while Abi was treating Zeres’ wound, Alex was staring at Abigail with curiosity and wonder in his eyes.

”Abigail…” he called to get her attention. ”May I ask you something?”

”Hmm? Of course.”

Alex hesitated. ”Are you really just… just a human?”

Zeres looked up at Alex at his question while Abi paused, as if she was thinking about how to respond.

”I mean… I know you are the Keeper of the black dragon but…” Alex tried to explain but he couldn’t continue what he wanted to say because he was worried that his words might hurt her.

But Abigail just smiled and her kind eyes told him she didn’t mind his words.

”Are you talking about the mist?” she asked and Alex nodded.

Zeres sat up in his chair, suddenly alert and paying close attention. He was just as equally curious as Alex was about it.

”Hmm… how should I explain it. Firstly… yes, I am just a human, Alexander,” she started, grinning at them. ”I am not a fairy or a witch or a vampire or a halfling like you guys. The mist is Lexus’ power. Actually, I don’t really know how or why but since I became the new keeper of dragons, the mist always appears every time I am in danger,” she continued.

Her face then turned sad and regretful. ”Back when my family and I were travelling to a different city, a day into our journey, we were attacked by assassins. I really didn’t know what was happening but when I saw my family getting attacked, I closed my eyes and yelled at the assassins to stop. I don’t know what happened but once I opened my eyes again, the assassins were dead. Ever since then, whenever I was in danger, the mist came to save me. I had no control over it but over time, since I have been living here with Lexus, I have learned to control it by commanding it the way I command Lexus.”

Young Alex and Zeres were speechless. They didn’t know that this young human girl also had this kind of deadly power. That was pretty darn impressive! Being able to command an element like that was just incredible to them, especially because they, as a half witch and a half vampire, were lacking in many aspects that their full blooded counterparts were naturally blessed with.

”Do...” Alex peered at Abigail, ”all dragon keepers have this power?”

Abigail shook her head.

The two halflings glanced at each other again because they found this extremely unbelievable. This was definitely new information to them. They had heard many tales of the former dragon keepers and people boasted about how strong they were but they were only strong because they had a dragon to protect them. They themselves were only human and had human capabilities. None of the former dragon keepers had ever had power like this because if they did, they would certainly have heard about it. Another solid proof was the fact that the last dragon keeper was murdered. If he had had this kind of power, he wouldn’t have been able to be killed so easily like that. He would have died of old age.

”No, I don’t think so. My mother said she had never seen or heard anything like it before. What was happening to me was very strange. They had no idea what was happening and why it seemed to happen to me. Not long after, I was brought here by my family. They told me that I needed to learn how to survive on my own and that was how I would become a great dragon keeper. So I stayed here and learned to live on my own.”

Alex creased his brows. For some reason, he felt sad for Abigail. From her story, he thought that the reason why she was left to fend for herself in these mountains alone was because her family must have feared her powers. They must have been frightened for their lives especially because Abigail had no control over her power. It seemed this girl wasn’t cast out because she was weak and useless and hated like him, she might have been cast out because her family felt she was dangerous.

”But since I have met and come to know Lexus, I believe this is his power. The mist in his home is exactly the same as the mist that appears when I’m in danger. The mist in his home also listens to me,” Abigail continued, unaware of Alex’s thoughts about her past.

”Could it be that the bl-, uhm, Lexus adores you and that’s why he gave you such a powerful tool…” Alex mumbled and Abigail’s face brightened.

”You think so, too? That’s what I like to think. Lexus has been a very great companion to me over the last few years. I would have been very lonely without him.”

A small silence fell among the group as they all processed her words. She must have been very lonely being here all by herself. Luckily, she had Lexus here to keep her company.

The silence didn’t last long as Zeres’ curiosity got the better of him. ”But does that mist really appear just when your life is in danger? Does it not appear beforehand?” Zeres asked.

Abigail shook her head. ”Nope. I tried it to summon it before. I thought I could use it to catch some fish in the river but the mist just won’t appear, sadly.” Abigail sounded so dejected, as if someone had taken her favourite toy away from her.

Young Alex and Zeres were speechless once again. She wanted to use that deadly power to catch fish?! They were at a loss for words.

But then, as they looked at her, they couldn’t believe that this little rabbit who looked so harmless was actually the most dangerous creature they had ever met in their lives. She was someone more fearsome than the vampire king or the dragon itself! She was someone nobody could kill!

”Done,” she exclaimed when she was finally finished treating Zeres’ wound. She then moved towards Alex. ”Your turn, Alexander.”

Abi treated Alex’s arm while Zeres sat there, watching them.

”At least I no longer need to worry about this vampire being a threat,” he suddenly said, raising a brow as he looked at Alex. ”And by the way, I think you need to go back home, vampire prince. I heard your king is looking for you.”