Connor Returns

At the Barrier was Crane, Guilt and Barron, they had started compiling and finding little information on proving Elliot innocence but no reasonable evidence has been found

"You still haven't found him" Crane asked

"No, Crane, we actually thought he was in the rabbit since he has such ability but unluckily, he wasn't"

"What has Evelyn got to say?" Barron asked Crane

"She has nothing to tell also" Crane said "but for now, if he isn't still found, then I trust he wouldn't be found by other reapers, we should focus on proving his innocence"

"Have you thought of checking on Katherine" Guilt said

"Katherine? How's she involved in this"

"Elliot had said he was framed by having his watch clock tampered with, Katherine is in charge of the time here at the barrier and at the land of the dead"

"What are you then trying to say" Barron asked

"I'm saying we should watch Katherine, maybe she's involved in this mess, she's the only one who could tamper with anyone's clock and I believe she's the right person we can get answers from"

"That's right. I never thought of that" Crane said

"Katherine you said?" Barron asked to confirm

"Yeah"

"I think there's a problem there then"

"What's it?"

"Katherine has been missing for sometime now"

"What!" Crane exclaimed "and nobody told me until now"

"She left without anyone's notice" Barron said

"On a vacation?"

"No, not a vacation, she fled"

"I guess she knew we'll get to know she's involved in this"

"Well, she's just got herself in a bigger trouble..... Gather everyone at the hall, I'm making an announcement and putting a bounty on her head" Crane said

At another room, Dylan and someone were discussing

"I haven't found him yet" Dylan said

"You have to unless you don't want your reward"

"How am I to be assured that you can grant me what you promised knowing you aren't in a position that can carry out that" Dylan said

"I can talk to Crane about it. I and crane are close, you know"

"And what ate you planning on doing to him, Elliot"

"Send him to Oblivion"

"You can't do that without the all Hawnets knowing"

"I can"

"And you think Crane wouldn't find out, put in mind that Elliot is his favourite"

"I don't care, he is threatening my position and I need to get him out of the way"

"I'm going this cause I need his position, that's all"

"Sure..." The person smirked "you're also doing this cause if I get a better position as a Hawnet, I can give you more privileges"

In the Decron's mansion, at the Barrier, it looked nothing less to a deserted building. The tall mansion had cracked walls, dirty floors, corners having cobwebs with no single soul around, the windows seemed like they would fall off when they creaked as the wind blower. Suddenly, in this quiet mansion, a scream was heard

"Aaargh!!!" the voice screamed, sounding familiar. It was coming from the exact room of Hazel and Xavier at the Living world

"Curse you Hazel!!" She said again, it was a girl sitting in the scattered and torn bed with a mirror in her hands, her brown hair covered her face and from the space between her hair, one could see that she had brown eyes.

In the mirror was Hazel and Xavier, both seemed happy as they talked

"Curse you!!" She shouted one more time before throwing the mirror to smash the wall causing it to shatter. She then slowly raised her head so her face could be seen. The girl looked just like Hazel, only that she wasn't well kept

"I'm coming for what's mine Hazel and I'll take everything away from you" she said grinning mischievously "see you soon"

Two days had passed since Xavier told Hazel about Connor's return and they were now preparing to go to the church

"Hurry up rabbit" Xavier said as Hazel stepped out of the bathroom, he brought her closer and pecked her lightly on the lips. Their deal had expired and Xavier had gotten his right back "I hope Connor will have an explanation to these nightmares"

"I hope so too"

She took a deep breath before going to change while Xavier told Lucas to get the carriage ready. He then headed to the dining to have breakfast while Hazel joined later on. They reached the church to see Connor waiting already

"Good day Milord" Connor said before turning to Hazel "Nice to see you again Hazel" and she responded with a smile

"I learnt you just came back from Poetwyth" Xavier said

"Yeah, I went on a shirt vacation" he smiled

"Vacation? But you had said you had problems with the dark witches as they were after you at that time" Hazel pointed

"I said so..... Oh....yes ...I ..uh..I ran... But let's forget all about that" he shuttered

"Yeah...."

"We came here for something Connor" Xavier said walking into the church, straight to the inner room and sat, waiting for hazel and Connor to also make their way there

"What do you want to talk about" Connor asked

"Hazel has been having some strange nightmares" Xavier started "and its been disturbing"

"What kind of dream" Connor asked and Xavier turned to Hazel to explain and she did

"That's strange, really strange" Connor commented

"Do you have any idea who the masked man is and the person impersonating me"

"I got no idea... For now"

"Can't you use your spells and potions" Hazel suggested

"Potions?" Connor asked sounding confused

"Yeah, the ones at the room"

"Which room?"

"The secret room... You're starting to act weird Connor" Hazel pointed suspiciously

"Don't mind me..... Uhm.... How about we go there and try it" Connor suggested and Hazel gave him a long look before saying that she had forgotten the key to the room back at the mansion, promising to bring it the next time she comes

Outside the church was Damien. He had followed them because the whole thing about Connor returning was suspicious to him, he promised himself to keep an eye on Connor

Back at the mansion, Hazel left to see her dad while Xavier attended to other matters

"I'm sorry dad, its been long since we last spoke, it's just that, there are much things in my head right now"

"I'm not angry at all, instead I've been getting familiar with the mansion"

"That's good"

"So what's bothering you?"

"The main one is this nightmare I have been having a lot lately"

"What's it about"

"Well, there's a masked man who's voce seemed familiar yo me but I can't just point it out, and he was trying to protect me against Xavier"

"Against Xavier?"

"Yeah"

"Was Xavier trying to hurt you?"

"Yeah, but I didn't realise it on time until he killed me"

"Xavier would never do that, you know right"

"I know but I'm trying to find who the masked man is, he sounds really familiar and its like something is just obstructing my memory when I'm getting to recognise where I've heard the voice before"

"Then I think it's best if you just leave it and don't stress yourself"

"Really?"

"Yeah, he has a reason for hiding behind a mask, so just let it be and don't stress yourself"

"I'm going to find it out" she said determined while Lionel just sighed

A SWITCHER

That night, Hazel expected to have the same dream, but luckily, she didn't. Xavier who usually stays awake to console her anytime she wakes, noticed that it was past the hour she normally did have that dream and also slept

The next day, Hazel woke up earlier than Xavier but that was just for a while

"Wakey wakey" Xavier teased

"I should be telling you that, you just woke up now"

"Yeah... no nightmares today?"

"Nah, I'm surprised"

"That's good but it may come back "

"I hope it doesn't"

Two days past, and one time during breakfast, for the first time in a while, Lionel joined them which made Hazel happy. The weather that morning was cold cause the rain had fell the night before, so the skies were still grey. Dorin was the first yo notice the off thing on Lionel

"The weather is cold so why are there traces of sweat on your face" Dorin said referring to Lionel

"Its my dad's nature. His body is naturally like that no matter the weather" Hazel answered as she had also noticed it but it has always been like that even when they were still at Bougreve

"Sounds very weird"

"That's how he is. I knew him like that since I was little" Hazel defended

"Your dad's sick" Dorin mocked

"No he's not"

"You better ask your dad what's wrong with him, look, I don't have interest in humans but I've never heard of such before"

Hazel ignored Dorin as she continued with her food but Xavier had his eyes on Lionel, maybe he was actually sick and is keeping it from Hazel, but if he wasn't and it was just a natural thing as Hazel said earlier, then it could only mean one thing.

After breakfast, when Hazel tried talking yo her dad actually worried if what Dorin had said earlier about him being sick, Lionel just shut her out and refused opening his room door. Later on, she went back to meet Xavier at the room

"Is he really sick?" Hazel asked

"I'll call he doctor to check on him but for now just let him be"

"Why wouldn't he want to tell me he's sick then?"

"Maybe he has a reason and we haven't concluded if he's sick"

"Then what makes him sweat. I never actually thought of it since I've always noticed it since I was a kid but now Dorin said so, its not a common think about a human"

"Maybe its how his body is"

Some minutes later, the doctor arrived and Hazel led Jim to Lionel's room which was still locked from the inside

"Dad please, open up, I've called the doctor to see you"

"I don't need a doctor" Lionel replied from inside

"Dad please, you're getting me scared, why don't you want to see a doctor?"

"That's because I don't need one"

"But you're always sweaty, its not normal"

"I've been like this since you were little Hazel, if I was sick, won't I be dead by now?"

"But its not normal as I said" she said again to which Lionel didn't answer for some time

"Could you tell the doctor to leave" he said after some time "please" he added

"Okay....... But will you tell me what's wrong?"

"I'll try"

She left the door side with the doctor leaving the mansion and her going to meet Xavier

"He isn't sick" She said

"The doctor confirmed so?"

"No, he said so, himself"

"So what's wrong with him then?"

"He said he's going to try explain it to me so I'm heading to his room now, would you come also?"

"Its better if you hear what he's going to tell you alone"

"Why"

"I have a feeling you won't like what he's about to say"

"Why say so?"

"I just have this feeling but don't let it disturb you, go meet him, I'll be here if you need me"

"Hmmn"

Has went back to Lionel's room, she knocked and this time, he opened up and let her in. She went to the bed and sat next to him

"So what's wrong dad?"

"——"

"You promised to tell"

"Hazel" he took a deep breath before saying again "please listen and believe whatever I'm about saying first before you make a conclusion and if you can forgive me"

Hazel have him a look before she assured him she will

"I'm your dad" he stated out of the blue

"I know" she said with it coming out more like a question

"But I'm not your mum's lover"

"Uhhh......I don't get you dad"

"Your mum's lover is Lionel. I'm Morgan"

"Dad, what are you saying? It doesn't makes sense. How can you be Morgan or whatever you just said? Your Lionel, Lionel Harlow"

"That's it. Hazel. I'm Morgan" he said firmly this time. "You might have known how your mum and Lionel met"

"Mum and you. You're Lionel"

"I told you at first, you have to believe what I'm about saying"

"How then is it possible that you're my dad and not mum's lover. Mum's lover was Lionel Harlow and you are him" Hazel said confused

"I was about explaining that. Lionel was betrothed to a woman before he met your mum, he fell for Vivian and left the woman. His parents were not happy with that and accused your mum of being a witch that seduced their son. Ashley was the name of the woman he was meant to get married to and she was also angry, when she got yo find out that Lionel planned in eloping with Vivian, she killed Lionel"

"He was killed?"

"Yeah and that was when I came in"

"Are you his twin? And I don't get how this relates with you abnormally sweating"

"I'm not his twin Hazel........ And I'm not human to start with"

"....."

"But I'm your dad, Lionel died before I and Vivian eloped" he said desperately seeing her not reacting

"....."

"Please say something Hazel"

"What are you then, a witch? A vampire? A demon? What the hell are you!"

"I'm a switcher"

"And what's that?"

"I have no soul, so I just move from a vessel to another and until that vessel expires, I stay there"

"....."

"That's why I sweat all the time. As a switcher, we are cold but when in a body, we react and cause us to be abnormally hot, so we sweat"

"...."

"Hazel, you have to believe me, I'm not Lionel"

"You're not my dad"

"I'm your Dad, I'm the one who took care of you since you were born, you never knew Lionel, it was Morgan from the start, me. I'm just in Lionel's body"

"——"

"I was actually working for the dark witches when we were at Bougreve"

"What!!"

"I was one of the people looking for how to get Xavier but when I realised that my daughter was a white witch with purifying ability, just the perfect sacrifice the dark witches needed for their last sacrifice...."

"——"

".... I knew staying with you was risky cause there were some days, they do visit the house. I didn't want a situation where they would come and sense you, so I decided to move to Poetwyth"

"Wait! Weren't you abducted?"

"No, I wasn't. I just left"

"Oh my!!" She said holding her head with her hands "so everything was a lie"

"I'm so sorry for not telling you this, I felt that you would hate me if I did"

"Did mum know this? That you were a switcher!? That you weren't the person she loved!!? That's you're not Lionel!!!?" Hazel said with her tone increasing at every question

"I loved your mum, even more than Lionel would"

"I asked a question!"

"No she didn't" he said with his head slightly bowed, Hazel didn't say anything for a while, clearly thinking of something

"But you said, you worked for the dark witches, mum was one of them"

"Your mum never attended their meetings after we eloped so she didn't see me with them. She didn't want to follow their ways any longer"

"——"

"Hazel, I loved you as I moved your mum. So much"

"——"

"I'm sorry"

"Excuse me" she stood to leave

"I know you're angry with me, I would leave if you don't want me any longer, the body I'm in just have a few years to live and after that, I'll leave"

"Why did you posses Lionel's body"

"I loved your mum and I didn't want her to feel lonely after Lionel death which thankfully, she didn't know of and I'm grateful I was privileged to gain from the situation and love her"

"You don't regret what you did?"

"No, I don't.... And I'm also the m-m.."

"The what?"

"The masked man in your dreams....I sense something dangerous coming Hazel and there's another switcher close to you, he's the person that impersonated Xavier in your dreams, Xa...." He didn't finish his statement as Hazel had banged his door and left in anger. Lio- well, Morgan bowed his head in sorrow as he sat on the bed.

Hazel made her way to the garden, she wanted to be alone, Xavier saw her from his window and just let her be. Hazel sat there recalling all Morgan had said

'I'm a switcher'

'I'm Morgan not Lionel'

'I worker for the dark witches'

All these echoed in her thoughts, all this while, she's been leaving with a strange creature known as a switcher. What was she expecting, hell, she fell in love with a demon so this wasn't too surprising. Her mum never knew of this, he's also the masked man in her dreams and he mentioned something about something dangerous coming, he also works for the witches, was that why they knew about him early and wanted to use him as a way to get to her? She was there thinking till she slept off.

When she woke up, she found herself at the room and Xavier was at the sofa, he noticed she was awake and came closer

"Your awake. I can't believe you slept at the garden"

"I did?... Well, I did, I was lost in thoughts"

"What did he tell you?"

"——"

"He's a switcher right?" He said after he saw she wasn't saying anything

"You knew?"

"I've been noticing him, he behaved like a human but there were still some slight difference, but I also saw he meant no harm so I didn't push it"

"Oh....He's Morgan not Lionel and Lionel was already dead before he even eloped with my mum and would you believe that my mum never knew about this?"

"Its best she didn't know, maybe she would have left him a long time ago and you wouldn't have experienced fatherly love"

"——"

"He's still your dad, you know"

"He's also the masked man in my dream"

"Wait, what!"

"He said so"

"And whose the person trying to impersonate me"

"He says its another switcher close to me, he would want to destroy me and the person used your face in my dream"

"That's all?"

"I didn't stay to hear the rest"

"Why?"

"I felt so... I don't know the right word to use"

"You should forgive him, he had his reasons"

"I know"

"I'll be going out, I'll be back later"

"Okay" she said and Xavier planted a kiss son her temple before he left