บท 37: Narrator: Part Seven.
It is that time once again for us to go into the perspective of uncle Koda for some key information to our story. I know his angle is difficult during many moments but they are just as important as my mother's story line, especially in this chapter. This is going to be one of my most crucial story telling's yet, so please keep all of this noted throughout the rest of my mother's point of view.
So previously, uncle Koda took in a rebel to the Hunters and she was branded. He proved himself to be an official member of the Hunters but he will still be on watch, of course. As we all know, the Hunters will use anyone as their pawns and threaten people to get their way; so we know uncle Koda is not getting out of this any time soon.
Koda's POV:
Sneaking out a night twice a week was never an issue for me in the past. I've been doing some form of this since Ellie has dissapeared, so I've been capable of handling it. Now, I'm accustomed to being out at midnight to fulfill my duties as a Hunter, as well as having to meet the men's requests for conferences at night. Finally though, I believe it is getting on my nerves.
The issue is how I'm now on edge every time I have to meet with the Hunters. Of course I've always been nervous around them, but after they discovered I'd tried to smuggle my sister into Elyria without their knowledge my precautions have risen.
I've come to terms with being the middle man and the dangers of lying to the Hunters and my family. They have no idea I slip out sometimes or risk my life for their benifits. I just hate I'm getting accused of being shady, when in reality I'm protecting my family.
They have been questioning me this whole time about my past. Those awfully disturbing moments of my life are memories I'd like to never relive through story telling. At this point, I might take those years to my grave and never mention anything of it. Just getting to know the Hunters and manipulate them to tell me information was awful enough, even using spells and potions I'd had to learn as preparation took even longer. Not being any type of witch I had many limitations and was making deals behind the counters at shops so I could get what I needed.
These past few days my objective, as many other men working their job outside the main building, is to track down the stray women that'd escaped; more specifically Lynn, Estelle, and my sister. Most of these men were sent around Earth to track them down, where Estelle and Lynn would most likely be. Thankfully I've bought myself more time by sending those men on a breadcrumb trail that will take a week or two.
Secondly, thanks to my dumb ass who thought on impulse one night and betrayed them by attempting to sneak my sister to Elyria, the head Hunter also sent two of his smartest men to Province in search for their star Elenor. Of course they don't know I outsmarted those two men quicker than the other few. These two were such a piece of cake that I've set a trap for them that will sent them to their death.
Still, this doesn't mean that I'm not overly cautious when I'm out in Province, but I do know that the Hunters are not going to send more men to Elyria, simply because they don't have the men to do it. Thanks to me with a handful of men down and the Hunters behind on troops, my plan with Leddy may be able to follow through.
We set an agreement, not telling the others, that after her and Abe have their meeting with the Councils about their intel on the missing werewolf pack, she and hopefully Abe will come raid the Hunters building with me. Her plan is to tell the Councils she and Abe ran into a much deeper operation than they initially thought.
After Leddy and Abe have their meeting with these Guard or who ever sent them on their mission in the first place word will spread through our hierarchy. The Elders will be informed first and if the five of them agree, they will notify the Councils. Since the Hunters have forced werewolves to do their dirty work the endangerment of our kind being exposed to human-kind skyrockets.
My friends will be speaking with the Elyrian Elders, but with another type of creature involved the Werewolf Elders will have to be included. This makes me believe that the Councils will decide how to handle the Hunters. With such backup, we can surround the Hunters and without a doubt they could be taken into custody. Our only hinderance is the fact that the men have stationed themselves on Earth, where the Councils and Elders do not go.
It is possible it will take Abe and Leddy up to a week to arrive back to Province, so I now have all the weight on my shoulders trying to keep things at bay until they arrive back from their duties.
Recently on nights where I have to go to Earth for my meeting, like tonight, I've become angry on my travels. I am required to go, but I'd rather go live a normal life. I'm sick of being a spy, not only because it's dangerous but cause it's tiring. It's not that my motivation isn't high, it's just that everything is all up to me. I'm protecting my family while trying to solve our dire family problems as well on my own.
I find myself stepping up onto the curb outside the portal to Earth, my daze has gone and my eyes are no longer glazed over with duty. I'm caught off guard by the voices in my head, ill willed thoughts about me from behind. As I spin around, ready for defense, I know this will be an abnormal encounter. When my eyes land on a hooded figure I find a man I've recently begun to despise.
He shows me a dagger in his coat but I already know he's not going to use it just yet, he doesn't want a scene in such a busy city. Normally I'd ignore such a threat knowing he's not going to trick me, but in this case he draws me in.
He thinks he is so smart and devious, similar to the head Hunter. I can deal with this, but he knows something about me that he shouldn't.
The man lashes forward, pulling back my sleeve, but I know his moves before he even does them, making me ahead of the fight as usual. I push him off the curb of the street, "Just tell me what you want, I have somewhere to be."
He grins, "You wouldn't want me saying your darkest secret out loud in the middle of Province, would you?"
My stomach drops, understanding quickly that he is not bluffing. He knows that I am a member of the Hunters because he has ties with them. Did they seriously go around telling everybody of my betrayal?
"How do you know about it?"
"I have friends."
"Not very good ones." I scoff.
He takes a step forward, getting in my face like I did to him last night, "You don't have your silly vampire friend to protect you, huh? You better follow me to an empty alley right now."
I don't make time to argue, knowing this is more serious then he led out to be in the beginning. I nod and gesture for him to lead the way.
We go down to the end of the street, finding an empty corner behind a building, "I'm just curious, are you the person that has been stalking my sister?"
The man is aghast, "No, I have not. I'm not interested in her."
"Alright, so tell me how you know about me."
"It was just small talk between a friend and I, that's all. It was just an entire coincidence that you know my daughter."
"Estelle?"
"Yes, and I am going to take her from you."
Within a second his thoughts weigh me down, bringing this deep heaviness upon me. I have failed her. I won't be able to get out of this one. I have to do everything he says or he will rat me out to the Hunters.
"You are just doing this to get what you want, Estelle. That's all you want?"
"Yes, I could care less about everything else. So you will give me my daughter back or I will spread the word that you are a dirty little rat, a spy."
I'm defeated.
I knew Finn had intentions to trick one of us to let Estelle come with him. Originally he wanted to convince her but she was not interested from the moment she saw his face. The sweet girl was so fearful of him that I told myself there was no way I'd let him take her, she can make her own decisions.
Now, I regret not communicating with my family, but I have come too deep in this to loose it all now. I have to be quiet for everyone's safety.
Finn looks at me with dead seriousness, "I know who you are, you can't hide it."
I pull up my sleeve showing him the symbol on my arm where I was branded recently. I wear the brand with horror and secrecy.
"When would you like her?"
"As soon as possible."
After our quick conversation I leave to meet the Hunters, unsure what to think about my agreement with Finn. Giving up Estelle to him is going to break me, but also getting ratted out and having my family killed is not the option to risk.
Hopefully I can find some intel on the man and use it against him before it's too late.
We agree that after I come back to Elyria tonight that I will talk Estelle into a walk on the beach, tomorrow evening. Something secret so my family doesn't know we're gone. Finn will meet us there, I'll hand her to him and walk away.
Halfway to my meeting place, I sense the thoughts of somebody nearby. At first I listen, hoping nobody is plotting against me and planning to jump me, but after some time I know that's not their intentions at all. This person is telling themselves they have to find someone before it's too late.
Who could be searching for somebody in the woods?
I stop in my tracks, knowing they will come into sight eventually. Cautiously I peer around but see no human-like creatures at all. I catch sight of Earthen squirrels, a rabbit and birds. Nothing out of the ordinary.
I decide to continue on my way, but once I stumble over a log and cause a ruckus a voice from my left makes me freeze once more.
"I've been looking for you, Koda."
My stomach drops when I see it, a rabbit coming my way, his aura lets me know he is not Earthen. I hear his thoughts, human thoughts.
For the second time today I'm entirely distraught, this time not with defeat but confusion and wonder. I stare down at the white creature, part of his fur is browned from dirt and mud. He looks normal, but his mind is not rabbit. What is he? I can't speak.
"Koda, right?"
I nod, letting my mouth fall open but I can't form a single word.
"Lets cut to the chase Koda, you already know who I am because you can read my mind, so I don't really need to explain right?"
Right away I'm overwhelmed, hearing thoughts, memories, experiences of this creatures. He's thinking about his life, being born into a hybrid. Elyrian-vampire-dark witch. He is a relative of mine, born before my time. He was adopted and told about his family and now is coming to reveal himself to us, hoping to get turned back from rabbit to hybrid-Elyrian.
"There's no way this is possible..." I mean, he could be purposely thinking these elaborate thoughts just to make me believe this, he could be sick, he could think this is actually reality.
"Yes it is, time travel."
"It doesn't exist."
But on the other hand how would he know my name? How could he know about my family members? How could he know that my Elyrian power is mind reading when I've kept the power my secret?
"I've come to tell you something, this is urgent."
I gesture for him to continue.
"I think my purpose in my life is to altar the future, something is going to happen that shouldn't and you need to stop it. The Hunters are going to kill Jane."
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