Chapter 9

Late into the night while everyone sleeps, Hybreed remains wide awake, keeping watch over the town. Lunar light illuminates the town, which is nearly dark after the candles in the streetlamps have burned out. All the homes and buildings are pitch black. On this night, even the crickets and insects in the woods are quiet. Something doesn't seem right, but rather off and that is when Hybreed notices it - a woman in a white gown appearing around the corner in the middle of the street. Hybreed comes out from the woods to approach her but stops when the woman turns around to reveal her horribly disfigured burned face. It's the same woman that was executed after being wrongfully accused of witchcraft! Hybreed can sense that her body is possessed by Enchantress.

Enchantress: You can't save her.

Her voice sounding almost like a gust of wind as Hybreed looks into her pitch black eyes. Her body movement appears as if every bone is broken as they crack with each step she takes.

Hybreed: You want a sacrifice? Is that what this is about? Then, take me. But, you leave her be.

Enchantress: A deal is a deal. She broke that promise, and now I claim her. For the sake of your lineage, don't attempt to stop me or your entire village will die.

Hybreed: What?

Enchantress: How else do you think there has been peace between your tribe and the humans? If you keep protecting her, I will have your whole tribe hunted down and slaughtered.

Hybreed: Why should I believe you? You are a liar and a deceiver!

Enchantress: It is not wise to dare and challenge me, young Hybreed. You may think you are strong, but you are not stronger than me. It is useless to fight it. Let me have her and you and your pathetic tribe can live on. You have my word, young prince.

Hybreed made a promise that he would not let anything happen to Katherine, but at the same time, he can't let his family die. Not like this and not this young. Yet Katherine is young, and she too does not deserve to die. Hybreed looks at the horribly burned woman and stands his ground.

Hybreed: If you want her, then you will have to go through me.

Enchantress: So unwise.

In a single swipe, Hybreed is lifted off the ground and thrown with brute force into one of the buildings. Hybreed leaps through the shattered window and charges her, but Enchantress catches him and flings him a few yards away, sending him crashing through the courthouse. Angered, Hybreed recovers quickly and runs from the damaged building to run along the rooftops then leaps and tackles Enchantress to the ground. The chaos awakens the townspeople as Hybreed attempts to slash at her. However, he is thrown off and as Hybreed attempts to attack, he is caught again by Enchantress. She grabs him by the throat and tries to choke him to death. But he is able to break free and pushes her into the woods using his own brute force. Recovering, Hybreed runs after her. All the townspeople can hear is the sound of Hybreed roaring in pain and trees crashing and snapping from the fight until Enchantress is thrown out of the woods. Enchantress stands to her feet and when she turns around, she is revealed to have taken the form of Katherine. However, she has the same black eyes and now displays razor sharp teeth! She attacks one of the men by biting into his neck and tearing off a large chunk of flesh! Hybreed comes charging out of the woods, but Enchantress lifts him up and throws him back. As she turns back to face the people, they become instantly terrified of her appearance. She displays her teeth at them, blood dripping from her mouth.

Enchantress: Find Katherine Connors. She is a witch. Kill her like all the others! Do this and I will spare your home.

The people obey her command while Hybreed, unable to move, can't help but to watch helplessly as two men drag Katherine out of her home. Her hands are bound behind her back with shackles, and she is escorted to what remains of the courthouse. There, she is trialed for witchcraft with many witnesses declaring they saw her bite into a man's neck and kill him. Guilty of being a witch, she is sentenced to execution via being burned at the stake. The mob follows them where Katherine is tied to the post while gasoline is being poured at her feet and on her. The mob begins chanting "witch" at her until Gregory suddenly arrives and steps in to defend her.

Gregory Nance: What the hell is wrong with you people? Have you not learned from your past mistakes? Of slaughtering innocent people?

Town citizen #1: She killed a man! We all saw it!

Town citizen #2: We watch her bite into his neck and kill him!

Town citizen #3: He bled to death right in front of us!

Gregory looks at Katherine as she looks back to him, the gas dripping down her hair.

Gregory Nance: I don't believe you. There is no blood on her mouth!

The people look at her and they all see Katherine in the same form as the Enchantress was.

Town citizen #4: She's a witch! Burn her now!

Gregory then draws his sword and makes his way to Katherine only to be stopped by multiple men when he gets stabbed in the gut by the town's butcher. He gets stabbed three more times and gutted as his intestines fall to the ground. He falls to his knees as one of the men picks up the sword off the ground and impales Gregory in the chest with it to finish him off as Katherine screams in agony, witnessing her lover's murder. As this happens, Hybreed manages to climb to his feet despite being in extreme pain. He leaps onto the roof of a house to witness several mob members light Katherine ablaze with several torches. He watches helplessly and in horror as she screams in agonizing pain. The flames start to consume her and all Hybreed can do is watch as the residents taunt her. Katherine looks down at the people that she once saw as friends now having betrayed her. The very last thing she does while looking at everyone is chant something in an unknown language. The flames surround her and then fully devour her like a predator. She screams into the night sky for something to deliver her and set her free. She is engulfed in roaring flames and the people are walking away when the flames suddenly retreat and disappear. The ropes restraining her are released and Katherine's eyes suddenly open to reveal a death black color along with her hair. Her entire body and figure changes as her skin becomes pale white, her eyes and hair are death black, her body covered in a black gown-like attire and her nails have grown to be razor sharp, yet she remains so beautiful. She has now fully evolved into Hekate, the goddess of life, death, regeneration, and magic. The townspeople are horrified to see her standing before them. Most begin to run for their homes only for Hekate to kill them with a bolt of lightning. She then looks down at Gregory's mutilated corpse.

Hekate: Oh, my love. What have they done to you?

Hekate places her hand on Gregory's head, closes her eyes and whispers a spell that begins to transform him into a viking-like demonic being and he awakens, covered in a full, indestructible metallic body armor, a demonic-like helmet and armed with a flaming sword and axe and now his eyes glow a hellish red as he lets out an angry roar!

Hekate: They have betrayed us, my love. Now, they shall be punished. You will now be known as Barbatos. Slay them all.

In an instant, Barbatos takes his sword and kills a dozen of the townspeople while Hekate begins to set the town ablaze and slaughters others. Not able to stand by any longer, Hybreed intervenes when a man is impaled with Barbatos' sword! He spots Hybreed and tries to kill him. However, Hybreed moves out of the way as Barbatos continues to swipe at him with his sword. Hybreed is able to dodge him as Barbatos whacks another man out of the way with his axe. Hybreed hides in one of the homes, but Barbatos destroys it and searches for him. Able to escape and managing to make Barbatos slam the sword down, giving him the chance to jump up and slam his fists into his face, knocking him down.

Hybreed: Katherine!

Upon hearing this name, Hekate becomes enraged!

Hekate: Who dares to say that name?

Hybreed stands there as the flames roar around him, destroying the town as Hekate glares at him with her evil black eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Hybreed stands his ground when the Enchantress appears behind him in her true form. Not wanting to fight, Hybreed has no other choice as he begins to transform. Once fully turned, Hybreed roars in anger as Hekate begins firing spear-like weapons at him, but Hybreed is able to knock them away and dodge them as Hekate uses her power to try to stop him, but Hybreed shows to be more powerful in wolf form and is able to break free and attacks her. Hybreed pins her down and slashes her face up with his claws when one of Hekate's spears impales him! Roaring in pain and agony, Hybreed rips it out as the wound heals quickly. He throws it back at her, but she swipes it away like a fly then impales Hybreed with two more that pin him to the ground and walks over to him as Barbatos stands over him. Hekate kneels over Hybreed as he struggles to free himself only to get impaled through the gut with a third spear.

Hekate: You are pathetic. I am not who you think I am and I never will be. She is dead and she is never coming back. I could rip you apart right now, but I won't. I want you to remember this and all the things I did. I want you to remember your failures. You could not save Katherine and you could not save these people. If you get in my way again, I will not hesitate to kill you and your entire tribe.

Pinned and unable to move, Hybreed watches as Hekate and Barbatos teleport away when Enchantress walks over to him and releases the spears from his body. Standing to his feet, all he does is look at her, his eyes burning with rage, but nothing he can do now will change what has happened. Katherine is no more, becoming Hekate and the entire town destroyed by her and Gregory's rage. Hybreed stands there looking at the destruction and the bodies that lay on the ground. Men, women and children, all slaughtered and massacred because of their sins and Hekate is their consequences. Enraged, Hybreed roars as Enchantress smirks, her goal achieved.