CHAPTER 43: THE END

The dark figure was cunning. Yes, even in its weakened state, it knew that Suzanne and her friends were no match for it. It had been plunged with the ancient dagger; but alas, the dagger was not as powerful as the one Vlad had yielded.

It rose from the ground once more, looming over them the remaining strands of mist swirled voraciously around it, much to Suzanne’s horror. Through its veil of darkness, it could see Suzanne’s eyes widen in disbelief, as confusion glided across her face. From behind, the golden-haired woman crept up, ready to strike. Her reflexes were tremendous and her moves instantaneous but without the dagger, she was no match for it.

It raised its hands and with an invisible force, it dragged the woman towards before she could even counter herself. She was savagely pulled into the enemy’s hand and it crushed her by the shoulder before flinging her across the foyer and crashing into the staircase.

“Do you truly think you can defeat the Dark Lord’s messenger?”

It gestured towards Vlad’s sister, who laid unmoving, “Even their kind is no match for me.”

“You’re evil,” one of the twins spat out.

The figure chuckled, causing the remaining lights in the foyer to flicker, “You have no idea.” It turned its attention to the twins and spoke quietly into the minds, conjuring images of blood and death. The twins cowered and trembled under its gaze.

Suzanne saw what was happening and quietly waved her wand, weaving a glowing thread around her wrist, before letting it float towards the mist. The golden thread stealthily latched onto the tail of the mist.



The sounds of the twins’ beating heart thundered through the dark figure’s hearing, making it hungry for their flesh. It wanted to rip them apart and devour their limbs, but that would have to wait. The rewards of the flesh would come later. For too long the Dark Lord had waited, and now the time of apocalypse had come.

The figure headed for Suzanne even as the man with the broken arm tried to stop it, but he was no threat, not in his pathetic condition. It turned its attention towards Suzanne and her human companion and advanced towards her. Now, it would finally unleash hell on earth through this woman.

Sensing what the figure was about to do, Suzanne quickly retreated into her circle, raising her wand, enforcing her own barrier.

“You are nothing but child’s play,” the being hissed and unleashed a hurricane of the remaining mist, lashing it out at Suzanne.  

But try as it might, the mist could not get to Suzanne for all three spirits, the phoenix, the lion and the snake drove forward, attacking it from all sides.

***

*Shit! Shit! Shit! What do I do now?*

Things were not going according to plan, Tom thought as he watched the ancient spirits attacking the remaining mist.

*The dagger!*

They had another dagger, Suzanne’s dagger. The twins were too far away for him to get the dagger, and blonde hair sapphire eyed ‘superwoman’ was still lying unconscious underneath the rubbles of the ruined staircase.

Frantically he inched towards Suzanne as she struggled to contain the portal. He would stab the dark figure himself.

The beings of the deep were trying to tear their way out. Suzanne could smell the stink of decay coming from the portal as the opening grew wider. It did not take a rocket scientist to know what would happen if the opening of the portal were to go out of control.

*The devil himself will come.*

That was a ‘no can do.’ She turned to Tom slightly and realized what he was about to do.

*My dear Tom …. my foolish Tom.*

He would not survive this. Outside her barrier, the dark figure moved even nearer towards them.

*It’s probably going to rip my throat and suck me dry,* she thought wryly as she tucked her dagger behind her right hand, smearing it with her blood.

The ancient spirits were going head to head with the mist, but they would not be able to take it down in time before the dark being reached her. With one hand, she shoved Tom out of her circle, sending a wave of confusion throughout everyone, the enemy included.

“Suzanne!” Tom shouted. It finally dawned upon him what she was planning to do.

The moment of distraction was exactly what she needed. Suzanne placed a foot out of the barrier and grabbed hold of the dark figure, pulling it towards the centre of the circle with herself.

Her skin scorched at the touch of the dark being. She felt like her whole body was on fire. It was agonizingly painful but she held her grip.

“Run!” she yelled at Tom, but he wouldn’t budge. She had to send for her phoenix to drag him away, kicking and fighting, screaming to be left alone.

*I’m sorry Tom. Find yourself a better woman.*

She thought of Hendricks’ and Thomas’ final moment. Did they face their end with courage? Because she was sure as hell scared to death at what she was about to do.

*But make sure she’s not as good in bed as I am.*

She stared at the faceless figure, it reeked of death. The circle was her domain, within the circle, she was stronger and faster. Within the circle, she called the shots. Within the circle, she would finally overpower the demonic being and send it back to the sorry place that it crawled out from.

*I love you, Tom.*

“You stink,” she said and with that, she embraced the dark being, feeling her body burn as stabbed the being in the back before pulling them both into the portal. Perhaps, she was just as brave as the Hendricks and Thoms after all. Perhaps this was not the worst way to die.

*Goodbye.*