<b>"Hybrids... Stories?" </b>Darius asked aloud. He rubbed his hands together in front of the fire. He thought back to what tales he'd been told in his youth, and those he had heard in his journeys.<br/><br/><b>"You're a strange one Raven, most don't like to talk about such things. At least those I've spoken too. But I do know a few." </b>He said after a moment.<br/><br/><b>"When the end came, some ran to the caves, and some ran to the oceans, and some ran to the valleys, and some flew into the sky."</b>He began. He pulled a small broken watch from his pocket, and placed on stump next to them. The small watch had a built in compass, but it spun and spun, like a top, never settling on a single direction. He leaned back as an animal in the distance made a loud night call, a long somber cry that pierced the darkness.<br/><br/><b>"When the sky's grew cold, the land stopped giving up food, the water drew scarce, and the people who didn't flee perished"</b>, Darius said plainly. It was hard to imagine the world before. The ruins of what was were everywhere. Rotting things called cars, large homes that could fit whole villages, large archways, and bridge-ways, and tunnels that seemed to have been grown from metal and stone could be found in the ruins.<br/><br/><b>"Then the giants came, and with them came other creatures that none had ever seen. Then there were those of the mountains, whose skin was thick, their hair course like wire, and whose strength was that of several men."</b>Darius turned aside to pet Watcher, then he continued.<br/><br/><b>"There were other ones too, such as the Harpies of the Bay, winged demons that preyed upon the villages, and stole food and little children to eat when no one was looking. They say that when you look to the sky, on cloudless days, you can see them in the distance, looking for prey."</b>He said this with whimsy, thinking of how ridiculous it sounded. He almost chuckled.<br/><br/><b>"Imagine that, men who could fly and ride the air? I've seen the large metal craft in the city, and old pictures show them in the air... can you imagine seeing a woman fly like a bird?" </b>He said smiling, imagining the freedom it would bring.<br/><br/><b>"Some think them Angels... sent from on high with blessings. And some them demons, come from the nether regions as judgment. Having never met one, I don't rightly know which they may be." </b>Darius said  this stirring the fire once more.<br/><br/><b>"Then the regular folk started changing too... folk called them 'Darkborne'. These were ones who could see in the dark better then any man, and slept during the day. They were more like animals then men, and they were said to be cursed. Those found with the marks were exiled. No longer accepted by their families, these were doomed, and many died by famine and marauders. Some say a few still exist, wandering, or hiding together in small groups... hiding what they are and what they can do to protect themselves from those who fear them."</b>He ended the tales, somberly.<br/><br/><b>"You should sleep, tomorrow comes quickly."</b>Darius directed.