The Hybrid Queen of All

The Elders

Margaret's POV

Margaret rushed down the darkly lit corridors. Making a few left and right turns before she stopped at a brick wall. Reaching out she ran her fingers along the bricks until she felt the slight carving of one of the bricks. Gently pressing the brick moved forward letting out a loud groan. Dropping her hand, she watched the wall begin to shift slowly opening revealing a set of stone stairs.

Walking forward she stopped just passed the brick door. Turning she reached out pulling a sconce out of the wall the flame flickered from it bringing much needed light to guide her down the steps. The farther she descended the steps the colder it became. The air all around her damp with a faint odour of dirt. Her heels clicked on the stone steps echoing off the walls.

Reaching the bottom of the steps she now stood in a large room surrounded by stone walls and more sconces dimly lighting the room. Just a head sat two large wooden doors. Each door had symbols carved into them that almost seemed to glow on closer inspection.

Not wasting anymore time, she headed straight to the doors, grabbing onto the handle of one she tugged it open. The door groaned in protest slowly opening to reveal another room.

Walking inside she slid her sconce onto the wall before heading to the center of the room where a large oak table sat. The edges of the table had identical symbols carved into it, and they too seemed to have a light glow to them on closer inspection. A counsel of four sat at the table their faces hidden by their hoods keeping their identities secret.

“Elders I am sorry to disturb you, but trouble is coming.” Margaret knelt before them bowing her head in respect.

“What trouble is coming?” One of the Elders asked.

“The old one.” Margaret stood up. “She has risen.”

The elders began frantically whispering to one another no longer paying any attention to Margaret.

“Elders?” Margaret asked stepping forward.

“Thank you for telling us, Margaret.” One of the elders spoke their hood turning towards her.

“Talia has already left to warn the Queen. We need to get the best warriors and.”

“We will deal with the old one.” One of the elders cut Margaret off standing up from his seat.

“But.” Margaret began to protest; she knew how strong the old one was. They would need all the help they could get to bring her down.

“But nothing. You cannot do it again Margaret you are older now and not as strong. You are no longer immortal. We are still strong, and we will put her down for good this time.” The one elder pointed out.

Margaret knew she would be of no use to them this time, but that didn’t mean there weren’t other capable warriors ready to act. Why have their people train from an early age if not to give them the chance to fight and protect their world.

“What shall I do then?” Margaret asked.

“Get the others into the bunkers to stay safe we cannot risk the last of our people being wiped out by that monster.” The elder said still standing from his seat. “Now you may go Margaret. Please keep us updated on when Talia gets to the Queen.”

“Of course. Far well and be safe.” Margaret bowed her head to them before turning on her heels quickly exiting out of the room.

Malik's POV

“Should we have told her?” The one Elder asked turning to the one still standing.

“Malik.” He said in a stern voice. “She cannot help us this time she is too weak. It is safer for her to stay with the others in the bunker.”

“But Jeramiah.” The third elder spoke up her hood turned toward the other two.

“NO! This is not up for discussion I am the oldest of us three and I have spoken.” Jeramiah shouted slamming his fist down on the table cracking the wood under his weight.

“Celest?” Malik groaned leaning over to look at the third elder.

“I agree with Jeramiah. She was a formidable warrior in her day, but she chose to stop shifting to allow herself to age. She is of no use to us in this fight.” Celest said.

Celest's POV

She wasn’t sure if it was really the best plan to leave Margaret in the dark, but she couldn’t risk her dying because she wanted to help put the old one down. Margaret has always been loyal to them never questioning their decision. She couldn’t allow her to die in battle, no she would stay with the other safe in the bunkers until they had finally put the old one down for good.

“Fine.” Malik snapped stepping back causing his chair to swing back falling to the stone floor with a loud bang that echoed through the room. He didn’t look back at the other to but instead stormed out of the room.

Celest shot up from her seat about to go after him when Jeramiah grabbed onto her arm stopping her in her tracks.

“Leave him.” Jeramiah growled. “He will be fine; he just needs time to cool down.” Jeramiah’s grip on Celest’s arm lessened.

“What if he is right Jeramiah?” Celest asked turning toward Jeramiah.

“He is not.” Jeramiah turned toward Celest resting his hands on her shoulders. “We will put that monster down and this time it will be for good.” Jeramiah said gently squeezing her shoulders.

“I hope you are right.” Celest wasn’t so sure he was right.

“I am Celest. Please trust me.” He said moving his hands from her shoulders and into her hood so he could run his fingers through her hair.

“Okay.” Celest let out a sigh her shoulders relaxing.

“Thank you.” Jeremiah said stepping forward closing the distance between them.

Jeremiah's POV

Wrapping his arms around her he pulled her into a tight hug. Leaning forward his hood met hers casting them both into darkness his lips gently pressing down on hers.

Slowly moving her arms around his waist, she let out a groan returning his kiss. They hadn’t always gotten along, but what couple did you know who had been together for centuries do not have a disagreement every now and then.

Jeramiah knew they could do it, they had centuries to perfect their plan for if she had ever come back. He wasn’t going to let that monster reign over this world again, it had barely survived Leonidas’s rule it would not survive hers.

He knew that she would be headed for Lilith, she was the Queen now and a formidable opponent. She would go after her to take her power and regain her throne. Her bloodlust for power would be her down fall making her completely blind to them and what was to come.

Now all they had to do was to get to Lilith and warn her of what was to come. She was the key to the worlds survival and to putting that monster back in her grave permanently. Lilith was their last hope.

Malik's POV

“This is a suicide mission. They are going to get us all killed.” Malik stormed into his room.

How could they be so reckless. Yes, Lilith was strong and could possibly be the strongest being they have ever seen, but she was not ready for what was coming. The old one was not like anything she had ever faced.

They didn’t have enough time to prepare her for the battle she was walking into. Why hadn’t they revealed themselves to her sooner. Malik had wanted to go to Lilith when she had first killed Leonidas, but Jeramiah had said it was too risky.

What risk where they taking? Malik was starting to think that Jeramiah was only saying no to his ideas because he wanted to be the one to make all the decisions. He might be older than Malik, but that didn’t mean he knew all.

Pacing around his room Malik knew he had to do something. He couldn’t sit back again and let others fight their battles. What was the point of this counsel if they were going to just sit around and not actually do anything?

No, Malik was going to do something. He was going to take a stand; it was time they stepped in and help. He would go to Lilith and try to prepare her for what’s to come. It was a long shot, but he had to at least try.

If Celest and Jeramiah wanted to sit back and watch the outcome so, be it, but Malik wasn’t going to do that again. He couldn’t watch another die at that monsters’ hands. He needed to at least try.

Moving his hands, he began to chant until his mirror started to ripple. Walking toward the mirror he reached out.

“Take me to Lilith.” Malik commanded his fingers gently touching the rippling mirror.

Stepping through the mirror it instantly shifted back to solid Malik no longer in his room.

Celest's POV

“Malik?” Celest called slowly opening the door. “Malik?” She called out again.

Walking into the room to find it empty. Looking at the mirror she could see the faint glow of the symbols on the edge of the mirror fading away. She knew then that he was gone. She couldn’t blame him for going, she herself wanted to step in this time.

Turning on her heels she quickly exited from Maliks room heading back to her own. She knew she should tell Jeramiah, but she couldn’t, not yet. She didn’t think Jeramiah was making the right decision this time and wanted to give Malik a head start before Jeramiah went after him.

Maybe this time would be different. With Malik’s guidance maybe Lilith would be the one to finally destroy that monster. The ancients had spoken of a prophecy, the one to kill the old one. The true ruler of our kind. The prophecy called this chosen one the Queen of all. She would bring back the balance of light and dark and bring about peace to all.

Could Lilith be the one the ancients had seen so many centuries ago? Celest wasn’t sure until she had heard Lilith had killed Leonidas. She was the chosen one Celest knew it, but without proper guidance she would die like all the others who had tried to kill the old one.

The only one who had survived was Margaret, and she had only put the old one into an eternal slumber. They knew the old one wasn’t dead, but they allowed Margaret to believe she had killed her. She couldn’t let her know that the old one was still alive.

Maybe they should have been honest with her, that may have kept her from choosing to stop shifting to allow herself to age and one day die. Though how could they take that choice from her, she had been one of their best warriors and after that battle they couldn’t make her keep fighting. She was tired of the fight, and longed to start a family of her own, to have children.

Celest didn’t agree with Jeramiah’s plan, but she did agree that keeping Margaret in the dark about the truth of the old one was the right thing to do. They couldn’t risk her going off and trying to fight that monster because this time she would die if she tried to fight her.