Ilustración: Hybrid-Kira (2018)

I dont know how many hours passed since I took shelter in the room, but I had no intention of knowing either. My head was as upset as my emotions, and with it my stomach. Excessive stress tends to wreak havoc on my health from time to time, and this was no exception. At least I hoped Iker was a little better, wherever he was right now, although I had a suspicion that he must have sought refuge in the forest, as it seemed to be the only place where no one could disturb him.

I tried to distract my brain with one of the books I could retrieve, one of them temporarily caught my attention.

"Hybrid behavior

vol.2

Social interactions between hybrids and humans"

Marcus .H

As if it were a bad joke, most of the books I had in my possession at that moment were about hybrids, although honestly I could not expect any other type of content in my father's books, hybrids were what had given meaning to his life. But I wanted nothing to do with hybrids right now, at least not for the next thirty minutes. I just wanted to silence my thoughts and be able to get some sleep even though I wasn't sure if it was already night, or if the sun was still high, it was the least important right now.

My head couldn't decide between my feelings of sadness, loneliness, disappointment, disgust or anger ... rather it was a combination of all of them, and it saturated my brain every time I thought about it again. I considered the idea of ​​leaving the room to get some fresh air and clarify my ideas, but that involved interacting with more people, who curiously would start asking me questions, and I was not in the best mood to answer them. Besides, I wasn't sure that the rain had stopped already. This same room that was once a relief after being locked up in my home in the Metropolis, now began to look like this last one little by little; lonely, depressing and silent.

I found some bittersweet comfort in remembering that I kept a photograph of my father with me. I was afraid the water would have spoiled it, but fortunately it had been kept safe in my shirt pocket, which I had left to dry outside for a few hours. I take the delicate, wrinkled photograph in my hands, one of which is bandaged and sore. I retain every inch of that photograph in my memory, as if it were a beautiful memory that never happened. I see my face in him, and it is difficult for me to see his eyes any longer, even if it was only a photograph. My throat couldn't hold back crying any longer, and my eyes finally gave up to let just a couple of tears pass, before everything was as quiet as before.

The silence began to pierce my head with a high pitched beep that only I could hear, and just when my nerves of being alone had calmed down, an unexpected noise shook my heart again. The automatic lock on the door had been activated from the outside.

Surprise steals my breath for a moment, making me jump off the ground, not knowing what had happened. The door then begins to open slowly, pushed by a hybrid with a blank look, eyes turned slightly red by crying, and pale soggy skin, Iker was unrecognizable at the time.

His sudden appearance leaves me speechless, suffocated by the deplorable appearance of my friend. Neither of us says a word in the long minute that Iker made eye contact with me, and then to the ground, alternating for that long minute. Finally Iker kept his gaze down and sighed heavily, raising a small cloud of dust in the process.

- I have come to talk to you ... I need you to accompany me.- He turns his green eyes back to mine, giving me a slight shiver.- There are many things that I want to tell you about.-

The path was silent and full of uncertainty, although at least there was no one waiting in line to get on the elevators. Everyone was already resting, taking shelter from the rain that had finally stopped. There was still a bit of light outside and the sky had cleared, turning orange, and luckily the weather was a little warmer than in the morning.

I let Iker get ahead a few meters in front of me, not because I didn't want to be near him, but to give him space, because it seemed like he really needed it at the time, although from time to time I generated a bit of noise in my walk to that he knew that I was following his same path.

The path was beginning to look a bit familiar to me, we were getting closer to the center of Cilt, and I was able to verify this by looking again at the imposing Stone Podium flanked by the five rock pillars, which I now knew had the five ranks carved into it. the highest of each of these pillars, the rank of Leader being the central pillar. It seemed that this monument was our destination. Iker stepped up onto the podium heavily and stopped in the center of it, keeping his gaze down, and rubbing the surface of his right wheel onto the floor. I just stood there appreciating the place without saying a word, remembering the day I arrived at Cilt on this very place, and missing the buzz of the people a little when they greeted me. Now I could simply hear the air, and the calls of the birds that were preparing to sleep in the treetops.

- This is a special place for many, Tyler ... hybrids like old Ciro say that this was the place where Darius defeated Neyzan the first time, the leader of the Vortex ... and they have made this monument in his honor.- Iker breaks the silence with his subdued voice, but that could be easily heard by the peculiar acoustics of the Stone Podium. -... Although hybrids like me know it for being the place where you leave your mark on one of those pillars when finally belonging to a rank.- Iker approaches to one of the pillars, precisely the one that represented the rank of Hunter, and rests his nose on the rough surface of the stone column, stroking it affectionately. - The pillars were not always like this, they were perfectly smooth in the past... each one the marks you see, was made by a person, human or hybrid, who was first integrated into that rank.-

So I went back a few meters to appreciate those details, all the pillars were full of big and small imperfections in the stone from which they were made, all except the pillar of the leaders, which was still incredibly intact with only four marks on its surface . Now I understood, this was a type of initiation. Of all the pillars, the one with the most marks was the Hunter rank, which reached halfway up the structure, almost five meters above our heads.

- And I suppose that yours is in that pillar over there ... the pillar of the Warriors.- This pillar was different, because in addition to having considerably fewer marks on it, the same material was seen to be lighter and of a stone less old than others.-

- No. Actually, mine is here ... along with Aaron's. - Iker remained leaning on the pillar of the Hunters, as if he were paying his respects to this monument. I was not sure if Iker was touching these marks at that precise moment, since they were practically the same, and extremely difficult to distinguish between them.-

- You ... both of you, were Hunters? - I pass my hand with respect for the rest of the marks that were around Iker's.- I would never have known if you had not told me ... you no longer use the tattoo on your skin.-

- It is because I have it removed.- Iker responds with regret in his voice, at the same time that he drops his body on the cold floor of the Stone Podium.- Tyler ... there are many things that you do not know about me ... but boy, I think that that's the only thing you know, heh ... - His momentary smile fades again, being invaded by his own melancholy. - But ... as Tori said, you have the right to know.-

- You don't have to, Iker-

- No ... it is necessary.- The birdsong distracts him for a few seconds, hypnotized by its beauty. - ... He would have loved to hear the sound of the birds one last time ... - Iker comes out of his own trance when he sees me again, I had sat next to him without looking him in the eye, just keeping him company.-... It is necessary.-

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It was very difficult to choose a moment in Iker's life in which to begin the story, but, inside him, he knew that no matter where it began, Tyler would listen to it from beginning to end.

It was autumn, one very similar to all the autumns Cilt has witnessed in it's short, but significant existence. A cloudy and rainy fall eight years ago.

Iker like many other hybrids had been rescued by Marcus Hopper from being sold by traffickers, and the safest place around the Metropolis was without a doubt the newly founded neutral city of Cilt. Young Darius hosted hundreds of hybrids in his newly acquired territory, and cared for them along with the rest of his most loyal followers. Marcus was in charge of taking care of many of them, teaching them a little about the sciences, and giving them the affection and attention that no one else had offered them in their life, but among all of them, Iker was special.

While most hybrids stopped frequenting Marcus once they grew up, Iker never separated from him, it could be said that he more than anyone else had found a father figure in Marcus, and the solitary scientist saw in Iker a reflection of his son, Tyler, who had to stay the E.M. for reasons that the young Iker did not understand at the time, but did everything he could so that his human father did not feel melancholy about it.

Time passed, the city and its population grew, and the anonymity Cilt enjoyed at first began to fade, making it a frequent target for Vortex, and poachers who were less and less afraid to cross Cilt's borders. It was necessary to have brave hybrids and humans that fought against these dangers, and protected the most vulnerable population.

Clearly, Iker volunteered at his first opportunity.

The brave volunteers were called "Hunters" and were the first of their kind. The rank system was barely yet to be implemented, and they would be the first to receive formal training from Darius himself. The number of young humans and hybrids that enrolled had exceeded everyone's expectations, so it was decided to divide them into squads, and assign each human a hybrid companion with whom they would have to live together all the time, so the selection of said companion was very important. Novice Hunters were given a few days to get to know each other and choose their companion, but Iker couldn't find anyone, the little time he spent interacting with other people besides Marcus was beginning to be a clear disadvantage for him. Apparently fate was kind to him at the time, because just when he believed he would be the only hybrid Hunter without a human companion, he appeared.

A quiet, shy, and extremely absent-minded boy. His complexion was slender and his skin was so white that it made the veins in his hands show, from a distance it could be said that he looked a little ill, but his warm brown eyes and black hair gave vitality to his face. It was no surprise to anyone that he and Iker finally ended up as comrades, as there was simply no other option for either of them.

The boy's name was Aaron, just "Aaron". He refused to mention his last names every time he was asked, although that was no problem for Iker, who like all other hybrids had only one name, so at least it would be easier to remember. In the short time they had to get to know each other thoroughly, Iker knew that Aaron had not really applied to be a Hunter, but to be a Medic, he had escaped from his house located in extensive wheat crops that have belonged to his family for a long time, decades, since Aaron did not plan to spend the rest of his life being a farmer. His greatest desire was to study biology, or rather, he wanted to study hybrids, but that should always be disguised as "Biology" towards his parents, because if they realized that their youngest son wanted to study these beasts, his parents would have had a heart attack.

His parents always refused Aaron's "absurd" fantasy, but he was ready to fulfill his dream, so one night he left his home to go to the great European Metropolis, but on the way a horrible Vortex attacked him, making him change course and passing out in his escape attempt. At the time, he didn't know what happened, but apparently Cilt hybrids found him and brought him there. Aaron was so fascinated with Cilt in the few days of his stay that he decided to stay.

At first Iker was doubtful how long it would take his new partner to get fed up with training and surrender, so that he could enlist in the Medic rank and be able to fulfill the dream that so much work took him to pursue, but days, weeks, and months passed, and Aaron never abandoned the Hunters' hard training. Although of course, Iker would not bother to remind him, because he found a lot of peace in that boy, and the last thing he wanted was to be alone again. The training was hard, Darius taught them all the combat techniques he had learned from his mother, a reckless illegal fighter who earned the respect of everyone for being the deadliest of all in her glory days, because despite her little size she managed to kill hybrids twice her size, such feats earned her the nickname "The Untamed". But many knew her simply as Zenda, the teacher. Between mother and son they managed to train the first and most powerful Hunter squadrons that Cilt has ever remembered.

Due to his skinny and weak body, Aaron broke a couple of bones during training, as well as countless sprains and minor injuries, while Iker only once suffered a muscle strain in the abdomen. It was a long time that they both had to keep each other company in the hospital, but all those injuries sooner or later made Aaron strong, making him as skillful and fierce in battle as his hybrid partner, who had also attracted the attention of Zenda for his perseverance, but above all, his brutality in combat, something that even Iker himself did not expect of himself, there was much more strength inside him than everyone thought.

Confident of their power, the pair challenged Darius in a friendly bout on the last day of training in order to demonstrate that they were worthy to lead one of the squads, to which Darius accepted without hesitation. They were clearly defeated like the rest of the couples who participated for the leadership, but they were the only ones who managed to maintain a fight of several minutes with the powerful Darius. No other couple showed a bond as strong as Iker and Aaron, and that very union was the source of their power, and Darius recognized it. They were naive, a little arrogant and childish ... but extremely loyal and strong. He was genuinely impressed with those two.

Graduation day finally came, and the five squads who managed to complete the training under the tutelage of Darius and Zenda were lining up to make their mark on the majestic stone pillar of the Hunters, one of only four pillars that existed at that time, the rank of Warrior was not yet implemented, as it was not a necessary rank. Iker and Aaron were named Captains of Squad 3, they would be responsible for the good work of the five couples who would proudly follow their orders.

Time passed very slowly for many of the Hunters once their labors had begun. Many said that Leader Darius's training had been excessive, as the missions to which the Hunters were to provide their services were limited to reconnaissance of unexplored areas, and occasionally patrolling some important point such as the dam. It seemed that the danger from the Vortexes and the poachers had vanished just when Cilt had trained it's elite Hunters, but that did not discourage Iker and Aaron.

Being captains was a huge responsibility, but it also had its advantages. They both enjoyed exploring the forest and the ruins of cities accompanied by each other. The experiences they accumulated together in their adventures brought them closer and closer, until they consolidated as a couple, one like few that had been seen in Cilt so far. When Aaron was indisposed to carry out some mission, Iker stayed to take care of him, since the young man used to get very sick. Although that didn't happen the other way around, the few times Iker was unable to report to work, Aaron continued his duties, although that seemed to be of little importance to their relationship. Iker loved him more than anything in the world.

One day, after a monotonous week patrolling the Cilt perimeter, both captains had the idea of ​​taking their squad to a place that they used to frequent on their days off; a not too fast river hidden by dense trees that gave a little privacy to that beautiful place, it was summer again and that place would be perfect to cool off and spend a pleasant time among the whole squad 3. They left at dawn when the sun was barely beginning to clear the skies, Darius and the other Leaders would not notice the absence of the squad since they planned to return at dusk, just before the meeting of captains in the Council Dome, a meeting that was held weekly to evaluate the work the ranks had performed all of that week. Those meetings were boring, but necessary, so Iker would remain especially alert to the time of return.

The path that was completely normal for Iker and Aaron, was a great challenge for the rest of their squad, it was clear that they had not kept fit in all the time they had been formally Hunters, because according to them, there was no point training for such simple tasks. Between groans and muscle aches, they had finally reached the precious place, it was a very personal gift from the captains to their squad, and they soon began to enjoy it.

Some of them went directly to cool off in the river, others took longer to adjust to the cold water. Others like Iker preferred to see the others play in the water while resting in the shade of a tree. Aaron sometimes flaunted his talent for swimming, so some of his squad mates challenged him to swim against the current in the turbulent part of the river, but that feat was too ambitious even for someone like him. He ended up being rescued by Iker, who feared for his health in the face of such an effort. After lovingly dragging him into the shadow in which he lay, Iker set out to take a nap, as did Aaron. The human boy used to sleep inside Iker, leaning his back directly on the left door, fully trusting that his partner would not open the door during his break. Iker trusted his and his beloved one safety, in the hands of his distracted squad.

But something woke him up.

A familiar sound like a high-pitched buzzing brushed past his cheek, the power with which the buzzing sounded through the air alerting him, it took him a few seconds to sharpen his sight again, but when the image was clear again, his face was filled with fright , as well as the rest of the squad.

An arrow had embedded in the chest of one of his companions. The impact, unnoticed and accurate, did not give him time to even scream, the young man did not make a single noise before dropping into the river, being swept away by the current.

Iker did not react to the desperate screams of his squad, who in their panic, did not know what to do. Terror made them completely forget their training, which in itself they no longer practiced. One of them started running towards a clearing in the forest, and the rest followed, unaware that they were only running towards a deadly trap. One by one, victims of another pair of attackers waited patiently in the clearing, dropping deadly double-pointed arrows at anything that moved. They were poachers, and were only interested in hybrids, it didn't matter if they had to kill humans in the process.

Iker was still motionless, panic paralyzed him, and it was difficult for him to breathe. Until the sound of a crossbow charging charges him out of his trance, but unfortunately his reflexes were slow. A thick arrow pierced his left door from side to side, encasing him in pain. But it was the same pain that aroused his brutality, the same brutality that Zenda had once recognized in Iker, but never thought of teaching him to control. Blind with rage and pain, he lunged at the first human-shaped shadow he saw in the bushes, grabbed him by the legs, and after breaking his bones with his bite, threw him toward the river. A second shadow was beginning to run among the trees, and just as he turned to fire his crossbow at the furious hybrid that followed, it had already lifted it several meters into the air with its colossal force, breaking its spine as it fell. Iker raised it a second time with his nose, crushing the ribs of the unfortunate human against a tree, but the human, in a last attempt to survive, pointed his crossbow at Iker's left eye, but unfortunately his arrow came out crooked, making a large wound in Iker's lower eyelid, keeping his eye intact. The human died within seconds after his last shot.

His instincts did not allow him to stop, not even to check if any of his companions were still alive. Iker entered the thicket of the forest as soon as he had the chance. His temporary blindness worsened, since one of his eyes, although intact, had been completely covered in blood, unusable. He collided a few times with some trees, but each meter that moved away from the horrible scene seemed to gradually regain the notion of time and control over himself. His wounds had not hurt as much as they did at that moment, he was beginning to become aware of what had happened, of the wounds he brought with him, and what he left behind. But his pain was nothing compared to the terrible revelation he would soon realize as he remembered the place where his lover had fallen asleep.

Aaron had been pierced by the same arrow that lay side by side at Iker's door, having pierced his stomach, with nothing to do to save what little life he had left, having gone into shock from the deadly pain.

Iker's only hope was to run, run as fast as he could to get back to Cilt, so that Aaron had a chance. For every drop of blood Iker lost running, Aaron lost two. The constant movement of the arrow through his body simply accelerated his death. There was no point in running, and they both knew it.

Iker's injuries slowly began to slow his pace, making Aaron's agony a little less painful, as there was almost no blood to lose. Soon, Iker succumbed to his own pain, and he dropped his body to the ground, shattered at the thought of losing the person he loved the most.

Aaron comforted his lover with sweet words, the last words to come out of his weakened lungs.

Iker listened attentively, knowing he would never hear his voice again.

Aaron made him promise not to take revenge.

Iker did not reply.

...

Aaron took his last breath, wrapped in the warmth of his loyal hybrid mate.

Iker walked for hours, carrying the body of his loved one inside him. He had lost so much blood on the way that his wounds no longer ached, and the cold was no longer as blunt as before, he was beginning to die. The only thing that kept him going was the desire to give Aaron a decent burial on Cilt. He had shed so many tears that he could only sob audibly on his way, a return trip that seemed to never reach its destination. The sky turned dark, and Iker kept pace with his eyes closed. There was no point in trying to follow the path home, since it was very likely that he would not even be able to get there.

Iker's senses might already be failing, but it was inevitable to feel that someone else had been following him for a few minutes now, silently and cautiously. He couldn't afford to stop to look at who was following him, fearing that once he did he would not be able to get back on his path, he simply looked sideways, but it was clear that his follower was staying out of his line of sight.

A pale shadow had been drawn to the trail of blood Iker had left seven kilometers behind, and he set about following the dying hybrid until it finally succumbed to its wounds. There was no point wasting energy on a hybrid that was almost dead. Although Iker was not his target, the predator's keen nose could detect human blood, there was a dead human inside the McLaren, and that was what he was after. The icy eyes of the white beast did not blink for a second.

That was the slowest and most terrifying chase that Iker had ever experienced, he knew that he completely depended on not stopping walking, it was necessary to stay calm if he did not want to warn his attacker who was clearly a Vortex, the most fearsome of all after the dreadful Neyzan. His most loyal follower, a bloodthirsty and cruel murderer who enjoyed the suffering of his victims; Dheera, the White Terror. A Lykan Hypersport whose skin no longer showed much of its original white color, as it was covered with deep scars.

The Lykan seemed to have gotten tired of waiting, approached Iker and began to bite his door hard, while he could do nothing other than shout, roar, or make any other noise that could alert some hybrid or pious person to help him. But nobody came. The Vortex with unusual calm began to search for a way to reach the human, but Iker moved whenever Dheera seemed to find a weak spot. It was a deadly dance to keep the Vortex from taking the last thing that kept Iker alive.

Seeing that Iker would no longer be a danger for his injuries, Dheera took advantage of his strength and overturned Iker effortlessly, leaving him vulnerable. Dheera could have killed him at the time, but did not. He went to Iker's left side, took the part of the arrow that had been left out, and abruptly pulled it, causing Iker to bleed again, causing him to open the door in pain, and that was all Dheera was looking for. He made sure Iker never closed his door again, and took the human lying inside him, ruthlessly plucking him from the arrow that had killed him, securing him with his powerful bite.

Dheera started to leave, as silent as he arrived, but not before giving an expressionless look to Iker, who was still belly-up and almost dead, and who somehow managed to get a last couple of tears out of his tired eyes, seeing Aaron one last time.

The Lykan disappeared into the mist, taking the human with him.

Iker gave up, and closed his eyes. There was nothing to be alive for at that moment. He only wished that Dheera had been pious, and would have ended his life at that moment. But that never happened.

It had been two weeks since the tracking team was able to find Iker in the early morning following his accident, and Iker was just beginning to open his eyes again. His wounds were almost completely closed, but the surgery to remove the arrowhead of his door was not possible due to the risk of losing the little blood he had left. Physically, Iker was recovering, but his soul was broken, and his heart completely empty, which made him stay several more months in the medical bay for his mental recovery.

Despite Marcus's efforts to make Iker speak, Iker did not answer him, his gaze was lost in limbo for a few hours, and he collapsed in tears from time to time. He couldn't believe that his life partner was gone forever.

Eleven black ribbons were tied with respect to the Hunters' pillar, honoring the eleven fallen from Squad 3. Iker had been the sole survivor.

The heinous incident did not bring charges against Iker, as he had been the victim of an attack by poachers. Darius himself came to stay with Iker for weeks to keep him company and take charge of his recovery, as well as trying to get him to talk a little more, but his attempts were in vain, the young hybrid was broken inside. Broken, and desirous of revenge.

He thought a lot about the last words of his lover, his last wish was that Iker did not take revenge... But how to heed that request? How to suppress his low instincts? Why stay still, when there was something he could do to distribute the justice that Darius dared not exercise?

Iker regained his health, though he would now have to get used to the huge scar on his left eye which he scraped over and over on the walls and in the trees until he bled again, causing it to never heal properly, gaining its massive and irregular size. He also clung to that arrowhead that so much refused to be removed. He still didn't speak much to Marcus, although he did have multiple talks with the council about the events that killed his entire squad. Despite this, Marcus never stopped showing his fatherly love to Iker, despite the fact that he sometimes rejected him. His mental recovery had ended with lower-than-expected results, but everyone hoped that the young hybrid would regain his shine in time on his own. He had to do it someday. Although he did not work as a Hunter, Iker had the right to continue wearing his tattoo on his skin, reminding him of what he used to be.

One winter afternoon it happened. One of the new Hunter squadrons had also been attacked by poachers, Iker could tell that they were the same hunters by the filthy double-headed arrows that had seriously wounded the hybrids, and that they were only used by that group in specific. He kept track of what the survivors were saying; the area, the place, the time, the clothes they wore, their weapons. His doubts were less and less, it was really the same group of poachers. The time had finally come.

Iker was not seen again the next morning.

It could have been a long time since Iker had moved more than was necessary for his recovery, but he never lost his strength, fueled by his rage and the cruel desire for revenge. He ventured into the forest in search of the poachers who had taken everything he loved from him. He was never more determined to finish what they had started.

His vision was blurred, because in addition to the fury that made his eyes lose their sharpness, several tears ran silently on his cheeks, because he knew that there was no turning back. That he might not be welcome back on Cilt if anyone knew what he was about to do, and would be known to everyone as a murderer. Aaron's last words echoed once more in his mind.

At least like this, Iker could die in peace, once the time came.

Or so the young hybrid thought, blinded by his love and rage.

It was an icy snowy winter night when Iker found the poachers' camp, it was not difficult to find them, stupid humans always light bonfires in the night to warm up. He slipped silently into the undergrowth, waiting for the right moment to attack, watching from a distance as those hunters rejoiced at their most recent acquisition, a formidable hybrid belonging to the Vortex alliance that had had the same cruel fate as his companions. Humans killed any hybrid that crossed their path.

They all went to sleep, leaving the fire burning. They were all too tired and too self-confident to assign someone to stand guard. Iker entered the camp, sickened by the entire shipments of hybrid bones and skins that would go directly to the black market, along with fang necklaces hanging outside the tents. His fury had been invoked again. Silently he began to set fire to the tents, and one by one, he killed every human who panicked from it's burns. Iker was so brutal and swift that he only received a few scratches in exchange for being able to satisfy his bloodlust, which was not satisfied until the last of them, the youngest and most naive, was shattered by his jaws. With what little his eyes could see at that moment, he managed to see a few human shadows run away from the burning camp, but that didn't matter. It was done, and he felt peaceful for a moment. Just for a brief moment.

Once the camp had been burned to ashes, Iker was able to witness the slaughter he had produced. He counted twenty bodies, not counting those possibly already burned or hidden in the ashes and snow. His mission was over... but Iker was not happy. His heart was just as empty as it had been when he left Cilt's safety, his home, but at least he was trying to convince himself that it had brought him and Aaron, peace.

After washing his wounds and stripping the ash in a nearby stream, Iker set out to return to Cilt. He was trying to create a credible excuse for everyone to explain his new wounds and his sudden disappearance, his return was silent but free of tears and feelings, he just didn't feel anything anymore, but he was willing to live with the decision he had made that night.

It was not necessary for Iker to even reach Cilt for them to notice his return, as several pairs of Hunters were already looking for him on the outskirts of the city. Upon finding him, they escorted him directly to the Council Dome. Confused, Iker thought that the Leaders and Marcus simply wanted to know the reason for his disappearance, and he was ready to say that he tried to chase away a daring Vortex that had entered the periphery... but that was not the case.

Inside, the four Leaders stared in horror at Iker, all but Marcus, who seemed to refuse to think that his beloved Iker had become a murderer. Next to them, a young girl was sitting in a chair, frightened to simply see Iker enter the Dome, this was a young rookie Hunter named Adara.

She had witnessed the massacre when it happened, and was able to flee in time before Iker could mistake her for another poacher. Adara gave her testimony between sobs, having never witnessed anything so horrible. Iker had no choice but to take responsibility for his actions, declaring himself guilty. Marcus pleaded for mercy for Iker, but none of the Leaders seemed interested in listening, their final judgment was over.

Iker was exiled from Cilt, forced to wear the Vortex mark on his skin, and was stripped of his Hunter rank. He had lost his dignity and home the same day, and he was not allowed to approach Cilt's periphery so that he could see Marcus even if he wanted to. Now he was completely alone.

He lived for several years convinced that what he had done had been fair, that if it were not for him, those poachers would have continued killing hybrids along with the humans who dared to defend them. Despite having the Vortex mark on his skin, he never considered the idea of ​​joining that side despite the countless times that these hybrids offered him a place among their troops, promising to belong to a clan that would protect him, and in which he would never go hungry. His Leaders may have been the ones who had exiled him, but he never stopped being loyal to them, because inside him, he knew that what he had done was a heinous crime, and the Leaders could not afford to have such a dangerous hybrid among them.

Sooner or later, Iker began to feel too much guilt and regret for what he had done, learned that it would never bring him peace, and that his place was in Cilt, offering his life to protect those who lived there if necessary, he was willing to do anything to return ... but no Vortex had ever made it back to Cilt, ever.

He tried many times, tried to request an audience with the Leaders, but every time he was detected by another Hunter, they subdued him and made him return. Iker never defended himself against them. Years passed, and Iker kept trying to apologize to the Leaders, until one rainy summer night Darius was the one who would chase Iker off for the last time... but it wasn't the case. Darius could now be a tough and hardened Leader, but never cruel. He looked into Iker's eyes, expressionless, seeing again in him the broken promise of one of his most faithful soldiers. He took strength in his words so that they did not tremble, and tell him that he would be given a second chance. He turned around, and walked back to Cilt, while Iker followed, confused but excited to be able to return home.

His return had conditions, both for him and for many other ex-Vortexes who were granted forgiveness. Cilt was in need of soldiers, and the new rank of Warrior would be the only one they could have in their life on Cilt, having their entry to many places prohibited including the Hunter's village and the Cilt laboratory, and having the obligation to carry out the most dangerous tasks of all, risking his life in the process if necessary.

A new opportunity had been offered for Iker, and although things were never the same, he was able to meet again with Marcus, and he was able to pay for his mistakes being a Warrior.

After all, killing was the only good thing he knew how to do now.

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Throughout the entire story Iker had remained calm, not even the memory of Aaron made him shed tears again. It looked like he had cried enough for today. But I had not realized the exact moment when the feeling could be with me.

Everything was silent, the birds felt quiet and the air was cold again, because it had been a few minutes since the sun had gone down.

I just couldn't believe it, but at the same time, all the pieces finally fit together. Like my father at the time, I refused to believe that a hybrid like him had been the cause of such a slaughter. An uncomfortable chill ran through my body, because in addition to the climate that was not very favorable, the atmosphere was tense. Iker seemed somewhat uncomfortable when he saw that there was no reaction from me, he sighed, while his eyes became moist again

- Now that you know it all... you are free to do whatever you want, Ty.- Realizing that I was not looking at him at the time, he prefers to keep his eyes down.- You were the last person I wanted to know this, in this way, but it wouldn't be fair for you to keep calling me a friend without even knowing who I really am... You don't have to stay with me if you don't want to ... You know? I would understand. -A lump had formed in my throat, and I knew that as soon as I began to speak to him, I would burst into tears like him. -... Please say something.-

- I ... I don't know what to say.- I cover my left hand, which was still bandaged, since it started to hurt a little from the cold, remembering the moment when I had hurt myself with the arrowhead that Iker continues to carry with him as a reminder of that horrible day. - ... I really don't know.-

- I don't blame you, it's a horrible story after all ... I really don't understand why the Leaders chose me for this, to protect you.- I turned to see Iker, who forced a smile on his face as new tears ran down his cheeks, filled with regret and shame, a painful mix of feelings to see in him. - Heh... I really don't even know why Darius granted me forgiveness. Being such a dangerous hybrid, why would they trust me with your life? If I only serve to kill.-

- Don't say that, Iker.-

- But it's true! - Desperate, Iker raises his voice, but it was not anger that came out of him, but a deep sorrow that soon made him cry again.- I only serve to kill and everyone knows that... they just let me come back because I can kill the Vortex... And I'm afraid, Ty ... I'm afraid that I will do the same thing again, or that I could hurt you ... again.- Iker's broken voice makes him keep silent, until he calms down a bit. - You are my only friend, the only one who does not see in me the murderer that I am... but that is my fault. I should never have pretended to be someone I am not. And that's why you should not be near me.-

- Iker... listen.- I sit in front of him, looking at his eyes full of anguish.- You may have hidden things from me, very important things, and you are right to say that it was not the right thing... - Iker looks down, in a deep sorrow. - But I want you to think of something Iker ... If you were really as dangerous as you think you are, why would the Leaders let you be with me, and why they themselves never said anything about your past? -

- I don't know... they may have forgotten who I am, or what I did.-

- You and I know that is not true, Iker.- I answer seriously looking into his eyes, although my voice was beginning to break equally.- You are more than you were before, and they know it... I know it .- The tears that escape me make Iker pay attention to my face.-... I know that you are more than just a murderer, I know that you have learned from your mistakes and yes, what you did was terrible... but you did it for him. You did it because you loved him. And if I ever were to love someone with that same strength... I swear I would have done the same.-

Iker is silent, ceasing his crying, while I had turned aside to dry my tears. Something in my words made him reflect, he did not know if it was the fact that he felt a little sorry for me, or more simply, that someone was finally showing him empathy, to which he was not sure what to answer. He just stares at the ground thoughtfully. But little by little I could notice an evolution in his gesture, he was beginning to calm down a little

- ... Do you really believe that? - A spark of hope shows in his distressed voice.- I mean... Do you really think that they trust me? The leaders?-

- I not only think it, I know it is true.- I extend my healthy hand to his face, touching his cheek, being soaked by the trail that his tears had left, Iker closes his eyes when he feels it.- And even if it wasn't like that, that It is the least of it, because I trust you... You are also my only friend. I will not let this affect our friendship, I promise you.- Those words manage to bring other tears to Iker, because he was really sensitive, but at least they were tears of relief.- You can rest easy Iker ... your secret is safe with me.-

I wiped his tears once more with the sleeves of my shirt, causing them to be soaked and the cold air to begin to freeze my arms, but it was something that I could bear as long as Iker calmed down little by little, it was really worth it spending a few more minutes with him in the same place we were. We stared at the sky, silently appreciating how it was beginning to get dark. It wasn't until the cold made me shiver a little and Iker worried that I wouldn't get sick that we got up off the ground.

Iker said goodbye with affection and respect to the stone pillar of the Hunters, and we took our way back to the room. He collapsed on the carpeted floor as soon as we got there and it didn't take him long to fall asleep, it had been a long day for him, but at least he had managed to sleep in peace after the emotionally draining talk we'd had before. I kept him company, supporting my back outside his left door, thinking that one day, Aaron was exactly on the other side of that same door. That had taken my sleep away, as well as thousands of other thoughts.

Now it made sense why Saemus, and especially Adara, had such a revulsion towards the hybrid Warriors, as most of them like Iker were ex-Vortex. Adara had witnessed firsthand the brutality of which a hybrid was capable, and it was natural that she did not want to be near Iker, despite the fact that he had been redeemed a long time ago. Likewise, the comments of that hybrid named Ankor, who I suspected that they were also an ex-Vortex, were now clear. It was obvious that my father had had a lot of influence so that the Leaders accepted the return of Iker, and many hybrids did not see that very well, because there seemed to be a favoritism for the hybrids that Marcus considered "special". After all, Iker was like his own son in my absence.

I wanted to pretend tranquility towards Iker to make him feel good, to not break his heart anymore, but the truth is that despite the fact that my mind was already clear about the reason for things, and all my doubts were finally resolved, my feelings were still in conflict, as much as the moment I heard about Aaron.

My vision of Iker had changed dramatically, and it pained me to think about it. I didn't want him to lose the only person he had trusted a little in so many years of loneliness and false friends. Because just as he perceived that I saw him, not as a murderer, but as a trustful hybrid, I also felt the same in his company. With him I was not only the son of Marcus Hopper... no, for him I had already earned my name. For him, Tyler Hopper was already someone; a friend, almost a brother, and that was all that mattered to him.

This will be a long night, but at least Iker was at peace. And that was the only thing that mattered at the time. He more than anyone deserved a quiet night.

Hybrid-Kira (2020)