The Last Hybrid

Ch 2: The Road So Far

"Go get some firewood gargamal" my dad said to me from outside. These makeshift huts were uncomfortable to sleep in, though they did provide good shelter from the elements. Like during the harsh winters or brutal storms. "Okay dad, I'll be in the south end of the camp getting firewood. If I'm not back by sundown, the guards captured me." My dad retorts in a jokingly manner, "Maybe then I'd get some peace and quiet around here." I laugh and ask him "We're still on for training after dinner right?" "Yes gargamal, today will be the advanced techniques. That is, if you can handle it little scales." I sometimes hated when he called me that, it felt demeaning, but other times it didn't bother me as much. Mom used to call me her little scales, so sometimes it felt good to hear it. "Eat my scales dad. I can handle anything you throw at me." I boasted.

I walked out of the hut and into our small camp to see everyone getting ready to help keep this place running. Our camp may not be a big village that had hundreds of people, but our camp sure was busy with people going about their day to help keep this place running. In a camp of 50 people, some were at the blacksmith hut banging away at weapons and armors that needed repairs, some were making all kinds of potions and vials to help the sick mostly. We struggled alot to make this camp work, 5 years of starving, droughts, bandit raids, and traveling. We traveled to alot of different villages and found very little to no survivors.

I walked towards the south end of the village to find firewood to bring home. As I walked through the village, with a small smile on my face, I couldn't help but think about how we've come this far since that day.

After that horrible day occurred, we wandered to other villages looking for support and help. It took us days to walk to the nearby villages. We would have flown, but didn't want to risk being spotted by more soldiers and end up getting killed. The first village we went to was a longtime ally of ours. Their chief was great friends with my dad. We were hoping that his friend would be able to help us recover, but to our surprise, their village ended in the same way ours did. With bodies of hybrids slain and few mutilated, probably from the local wildlife wanting a snack.

We were able to find a few survivors; they were just kids. Kids who had hid in pots that once had water in it but was dumped during the massacre by their parents to hide them in it. They weren't that old, probably around 5-10, super dirty and malnourished with scales missing from each other. Their scales were dark colored due to lack of sunlight hitting them directly. That tells me they didn't leave their home for days, no children should have to suffer and be traumatized like. The rage in my heart subsided for a moment and flooded with nothing but sorrow and sadness.

We prepared ourselves for the fact that we weren't the only targets, that more villages were targeted. After spending a few months traveling, we discovered why all the villages were attack and there were rarely any dragon hybrids left. We found a flyer in the woods that revealed a new law had been passed throughout the 4 kingdoms. "The kingdoms of Vescaria, Aswor, Zoblus, and Ubral have made a law declaring the immediate eradication of all hybrid species effective immediately. Those that are not hybrids but are found aiding any, will be found guilty and executed on the spot. If you have any information on where any could be, report it immediately to your local leaders."

When we read that, we were confused as to how any kingdom could allow such an awful and horrid law. Things haven't always been easy for hybrids and non-hybrids living in coexistence, but to outright ban and execute any was an evil we couldn't fathom. "How could this happen?! Why would anyone allow this?" Came a voice. "You know why, its those dang Vescarians. The other 3 kingdoms are too afraid of them, so they basically let Vescaria get away with alot of crap and go along with their rules to please them." Dad responded to the group. He's not wrong about that, the 4 kingdoms back in the older times were at war with each other for generations. King Avon ruled the Vescarians with a bloody iron fist. He doesn't look like a threat due to his small size, but that's only because he's a teensie. Teensies are naturally tiny creatures that can alter their size using magic, but can only grow to be about 5 ft. He's said to be a smart and powerful teensie, with great power and a sadistic way of thinking. Each kingdom gaining land and losing land, back and forth, back and forth. Until one day, Vescaria coordinated a strike on each of the other kingdoms and cripple them long enough to take over alot of their lands and left them with only half their lands. The 3 other kings, King Aguilar of Aswor, a human, King Kroth of Zoblus, an orc, and King Urir of Ubral, a gargoyle, met with King Avon to discussed a treaty with him and begged him to be spared. No one knows why he agreed to it, but King Avon took pitty on them and created "the treaty of mercy" and ended the longest war ever known.