The Dwergi came at Justice from every angle and she fought back gallantly. She managed to get a glimpse of the great face of the clock tower outside. Ding-dong- ding went the first toll of midnight and Justice saw the dark gray clouds part to reveal the harvest moon. For an instant she looked down to see that Scion had grabbed the Count. Scion was beginning to crush him in his mighty grasp.
A mace slammed into the side of Justice's head and she heard ringing in her ears. She struggled to stay standing and she took one of her pistols out of it's holster. Her vision blurred, but amazingly she managed to hit her targets. Ding-dong-ding went the second toll of midnight. You must hurry, Scion. Three more tolls and Dracula can put you under his spell.
The second toll of midnight gave the Count renewed strength and he began to change back into the evil being. Once back into his bat state, the Count pulled himself out of Scion's tight hold. Only three more tolls and this rebellious werewolf will be mine for all eternity, Dracula thought to himself. The creature kicked Scion and began to fly up towards Justice. Scion saw where the Count was headed and he leaped after him.
Justice saw Dracula coming for her and she got out the stake that she had used to kill his beloved bride. But, the Count flew right past her and kept heading upward. Justice saw Scion following close behind the hell beast and he was soon right next to the Count. Ding-dong-ding went the third toll of midnight. Dracula was almost to the large window where he hoped to escape, when Scion grabbed the Count's ankle and pulled him down then slammed him into one of the stone columns. Soon they were falling and still battling it out as they fell.
Justice watched the two creatures fighting in mid air and she was momentarily distracted. Unexpectedly, a Dwergi came up from behind Justice and grabbed her sword from it's sheath. She turned around, but the Dwergi was too fast for her and then sword pierced Justice's abdomen. She fell to her knees, hands covering the wound. Things went dark and this time she did not fight the night. Ding-dong-ding went the fourth toll of midnight.
The Count began to laugh evilly and then his eyes shifted to where Justice now kneeled. A cruel smile came to his face and Scion looked at him.
"So, the last of the Valerious family has fallen," he said. As they fell by the middle bridge, Scion saw the Dwergi that held the bloody sword and then he saw Justice slump backwards. NO!!! It cannot be!!! his mind screamed. Full of rage and pure fury Scion clamped his large K-9's down on Dracula's throat. The vampire clawed at Scion's face, but he didn't let go of his throat. Scion began to taste ash in his mouth and the vampire began to catch fire. He let go of the Count's throat just as the once great vampire began to disintegrate. He managed to take hold of the rope that held the lower bridge up and he pulled himself over it. Scion looked down and watched the vampire's bones fall to the floor and break into a million pieces. Count Dracula was dead, defeated by that which he controlled for so long. He looked up at the bridge above him and jumped up to it. The Dwergi who had stabbed Justice was nothing more than dust now, with their master's demise it also brought theirs.
Justice lay on her back and he noticed that one of her hands was covered in blood. He ran over to her and propped up her head with his gigantic paw. She was barely breathing and she began to feel cold to Scion.
"Justice? Justice, can you hear me?" he asked desperately, searching for a sign that might say that she was all right. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him but when she tried to speak blood came out the side of her mouth. He removed her hand from the wound and saw that it was serious…too serious for him to heal. She managed to clear her throat.
"What of the Count?" she asked weakly.
"He's dead, Justice…I killed him…we've saved your great family," Scion said fighting back tears. Justice could hear the sadness in his voice. She took her hand and put it on his jet-black muzzle.
"Do not be sad for me, Scion…I am going to join my family…I am going home."
"No…Justice, you're place is here with me…I am your family now," Scion said looking into her eyes. Her eyes were starting to fade and he saw that he was losing her. She closed her eyes.
"Justice? Justice, stay with me here…please," he said and a tear ran down his muzzle. He picked her up and then let out a howl of pure despair and sorrow. Ding-dong-ding went the fifth toll of midnight.
"There is one way I could save you," he whispered to himself. He took her arm and opened his mouth. He tried to bite down as gently as he could on her arm and her flesh tasted sweet. Her warm blood filled his mouth.
Justice woke up back at the campsite where Scion and her had set up before she had been taken away by Mariskay. But wait, the stab wound that the Dwergi gave me, I should be… She tried sitting up but the pain in her abdomen was still intense. But how? She asked herself. She noticed that her right arm had been bandaged up in some of Scion's tunic. Justice unwrapped the bandage and saw the bite mark. Stunned, she ran her hand over it and sure enough it wasn't a dream. Justice had never been afraid to die until she had met Scion…until he gave her something to live for, the best thing to live for…love.
managed to crawl over to him. He opened his eyes and tears still flowed from them.
"Scion, what's wrong?" He didn't answer her, he just kept whining softly. She put a hand on his head and began to pet him.
"We've won, what is there to be sad about?"
"So much suffering was involved to get to this point…to get to this…freedom I suppose." She nodded in agreement with him, but she also knew that with pain came great sacrifice. Justice stood up and then turned to look at him.
"Why don't you go ahead and morph back into your human state…I have a feeling that we aren't going to need you as a werewolf for our journey home."
"Home?"
"Yes, home. To our home."
"You would choose a life with me?" he asked surprised.
"Scion, I would rather spend one life time with one than to live alone in this world for the rest of my days." Scion's mouth dropped in shock. No one had ever loved him before…at least not like this. He got up and returned her sincere look. He simply nodded and then went back into the forest. She once again heard noise come from the woods and soon out walked Scion dressed in his usual garb. He untied the horses in silence and then walked them over to her. She took Selene's reigns and he took Galafrim's.
When he looked into her eyes he saw something different in them, something that hadn't been there before he bit her…they had no fear in them. She began walking and he grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. She turned around to look deep into the silver pools of his eyes and he did the same in hers. He leaned in and kissed her passionately and then they parted just looking at one another for some time before mounting their horses.
"So, where do you desire to go now, my dear? We have all eternity to travel anywhere you wish to go." She looked at him and smiled widely. He knew what she was thinking.
