~O~

IX

The man helped Adella climb up a rock.

"There we are," he said, once she was on suitable ground. "Right, so..."

He glanced down and spotted a set of tracks. Tilting his head curiously, he knelt down and ran his fingers over them. Adella watched him for a few moments in silence before she spoke.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Hm, you said they were passing here, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Adella said, hopefully.

"No one's come through this part of the woods in some time. This has to be them."

Adella sighed in relief. "Oh! Merciful Gods, that's wonderful to hear!"

The pair made their way through the woods and Adella cupped her mouth, calling for Eileen and Henryk. The man did the same and all they could hear were the sounds of birds and other animals. Fortunately, nothing very threatening seemed drawn to their calls.

They abandoned you, Adella. Just accept it.

Adella moaned softly, leaned against a nearby tree and slowly slumped to the ground. The man stared at her and shook his head.

"Hey, what are you doing sitting on the ground?" he asked, "We should keep moving."

"They abandoned me..." Adella quietly wept in her hands. "It's true, they left me alone."

The man tilted his head. "What? How do you know?"

"I-I don't, but they're not here," Adella rubbed her eyes with two hands and sniffled. "I see that it's true. I've been left to die here. I should have known."

The man sighed, shook his head and sat down beside her. "I don't know about that. We can't stop looking, right? I know you got those whispers in your head, telling you lies and such. You can't listen to them, you hear?"

Adella blinked, staring at him in surprise. "You know?"

"Heh, I know a daft one when I see her," he remarked. "Bloody Church Saints know a thing or two about seeing ghosts. I seen it with me own eyes once in me life. Trick is not to let it take you down. Find an anchor."

"Anchor." Adella frowned thoughtfully.

"Right. Like, something to keep you sane."

Adella sniffled, wiped her nose on her robe sleeve and smiled at him, feeling a little better. That certainly made enough sense to her. "What's your name?" she asked. "I... Forgive me, I never asked."

"Izzy."

"Adella."

"Well, nice to meet you, Adella." Izzy said, with a smile. He slapped his thighs once and rose. "Alright, enough of this dreary sort of talk. What do you say we keep looking for your friends, yeah?"

A small laugh. "Yeah."

Meanwhile, Eileen and Henryk had continued through the woods and almost made it to the edge before Eileen froze where she stood. She quickly looked over her shoulder with a start and Henryk glanced back at her when he noticed she was no longer following him.

"Eileen?" he said. "What is it?"

She was rushing back through the woods now and Henryk made an effort to keep up with her. Adella continued to call her name from somewhere and it spurred her on to find the nun. She KNEW it was her. She couldn't believe she was actually alive.

"Adella!" she shouted.

Adella reacted with a startled gasp and she looked around sharply in the direction of the older woman's voice. Izzy turned his head toward it as well.

"Am I right when I ask if that's her?" he asked her.

Adella grinned happily and nodded, rushing toward Eileen's voice. Izzy followed behind her and they continued calling one another.

Rushing over roots, ducking beneath branches and leaping over bushes; the two women finally ran into one another in a full-on embrace that knocked Eileen over to the ground. They were so happy to see one another, it was almost embarrassing.

Henryk and Izzy finally caught up with the two and watched as Eileen removed her mask to kiss Adella frantically. The nun was certainly responsive in the same way.

"Love..." Eileen shuddered, "My love..."

Adella laughed, overjoyed. "I found you. They told me you'd abandoned me, but I knew it was a lie."

"They?"

Adella hesitantly reached up with one finger and tapped her temple, saying nothing more. Eileen understood and cupped the back of her neck, kissing her again.

"I'm happy to see you well. Who brought you back to us?" she asked.

Adella sat up and helped Eileen stand. The three looked toward Izzy and he suddenly seemed tense now, regarding Eileen with a mixture of awe and shock.

"Ah, I see you're like me," he mused, with a chuckle.

Eileen scowled now. "You're afflicted."

"Well, I suppose it takes a Beast to know one, eh?" Izzy laughed.

Adella looked stunned by this confession and Izzy regarded her now.

"I'm amazed you didn't catch on sooner. But you probably had more on your mind. Like getting back to your cradle-robber."

Eileen visibly tensed and glared at him with a show of her teeth.

Henryk reached for his ax and Adella raised one hand. "No, Henryk. He hasn't harmed me." she told him. She regarded Izzy with unease for the moment. "I was captured and taken by Huntsmen. A doctor wanted to use my blood, but Izzy came and saved my life."

Eileen regarded Izzy suspiciously. "You saved her. Why?"

Izzy chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "A favor for a favor, I suppose." he explained. "Alright, so I saved the nun to help meself. You'd do the same if Hunters were after your bloody backside all the time. I thought if I helped her, you'd help me."

Adella looked disappointed, but certainly not surprised; Izzy turned his head in her direction. "Sorry about it, love. When you're like me, you have to take your opportunities when they're handed to you."

"What do you want?" Henryk asked.

Izzy smiled. "Your word that you'll keep those mad Hunters from me."

"We're not here to be your protection," Eileen snapped, "We have other matters to attend to. Your concerns are not our problem."

They started to depart - Eileen retrieved her mask and fit it over her face - and Adella glanced over her shoulder briefly at Izzy before she looked up at Eileen.

"Please," she told her, "He saved my life. It seems ill of us to simply abandon him in such a state."

"He did it for himself."

"I would not have been able to find you if not for him." Adella argued gently. "I understand he did it for himself, but if you had been him, wouldn't you?"

Eileen hesitated for a moment. She sighed now, tilted her head up before looking at Adella. "What are we expected to do, then?"

"He could help us. Find the Bloody Crow, perhaps?"

"No, this is MY score to settle."

Adella clutched her tightly now.

Eileen felt the grip on her and looked down. She ignored the look on Henryk's face and the shake of his head from Izzy. "It's inevitable, Adella. You understand."

"I do..."

She didn't.

Henryk wandered ahead and looked beyond them toward the Grand Cathedral. He could make out the conversation only a little as he spotted the familiar shape of the man they hunted for - the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst. He was there and now was their chance.

He spoke his next words gravely. The other two stared at him, read the look on his face and somehow, they already knew before he had spoken.

"It's him. He's here." he said.

O

Making their way toward the church had proven far more difficult than the trio had believed. A group of Huntsmen and other crazed madmen had pursued them, snarling and slavering. Izzy had followed them and panted breathlessly. Eileen turned her head in his direction as they ran.

"What are you still doing here?" she spat.

"Bloody hell, I aim to see this through to the end!" Izzy told her, with a laugh of glee. "Plus, I'm fixing to take a shot at those church-thumping fools for some time now!"

He whirled with a grunt and his entire body swelled. The others watched in shock as he began to transform; a crackle of electricity burst around him in wild ribbons.

Adella watched in shock as thick, dark grey fur shot up from his skin, covering him entirely. Dark red spikes in his back crackled and his eyes flashed bright red. He resembled what could have only been a Darkbeast. Henryk froze, clutching his ax.

"Irreverent Izzy!" he exclaimed, in a stunned whisper.

"The very same!" the Beast snarled, with a deep, gleeful laugh in his massive throat. "Come on then! Let's rip up some of these sick puppies!"

"Henryk?" Eileen wasn't sure how to handle this situation.

He looked over his shoulder, held up his ax and chuckled. "Finish this, Eileen." he told her, "Don't worry about me. We'll hold them off."

Eileen only hesitated for a moment before she looked at Adella. "Hurry."

The sounds of Henryk's gun firing, Izzy's screeching and ax cleaving through flesh echoed behind them. Adella watched as Henryk's form disappeared out of view when they fled up the flight of stairs leading them to the church. Izzy cackled, claws flashing through the air.

"Die! Die, die!" he shouted, "You call ME a beast? A Beast!?"

Adella and Eileen made their way to the top of the Cathedral where they found a figure kneeling before the altar. The shape wore Crowfeather attire, a peculiar mask of Cainhurst's knights and armor beneath the coat. The figure took a deep breath and a smile was in his voice.

"You're here at last." he said. "I had wondered how long it would take."

Adella felt a clenching in Eileen's wrist and she soothingly rubbed it to calm her. The Hunter turned her head in her direction and nodded once before she spoke to the Crow. Yes, she would stay focused.

"It ends tonight, Bloody Crow of Cainhurst. Blood-addled Hunter. You've taken innocent lives. You've shed enough blood." she promised.

The Crow chuckled and turned fully to face her. He watched as Eileen gently ushered Adella out of the way to give them room to fight. The Crow turned his head toward Adella and a malicious chuckle escaped him; she withered beneath his scrutiny.

"A nun of the Healing Church. I haven't taken my share of them recently. Thank you for the offering."

Eileen's fists closed around the handle of her sword, resisting to rend him to bloody pieces. The blade separated into two parts with a loud, metallic screech. The Crow drew out his weapon, a long curled blade; it was an infamous weapon of Cainhurst.

The moon was shining through the stained windows of the church. Blood red.

"Come then. Let us end it!" Eileen shouted.

And she charged with a fierce shout.

Adella could only watch helplessly as the combatants fought.

Blades clashed together, blows were dealt. Eileen and the Crow moved swiftly and quickly; it was like watching a dance being performed. Adella's heart raced at the sight of it; the glory of a Hunter's fight.

She caught his arm when he thrust his sword out at her, but the Crow was quick; he took his free arm, wrapped it around her shoulders and smacked his head into hers. Eileen didn't release him and flipped the man onto his back, but he recovered with a kick to her head.

Eileen dislodged him now, stepping back as he jumped to his feet; his blade sliced through the air and she leaned her head back, narrowly avoiding having the weapon take her mask clean off.

"You fight swiftly for an old Hunter," he said, chuckling in mockery. "Such a pity your dear family did not have the skill as you did."

Eileen uttered a harsh snarl under her breath. The Beast wanted out.

"Eileen! Don't listen to him!" Adella cried, desperately. "He wants to distract you!"

The Crow laughed with pleasure, parrying a swing of Eileen's sword. He kicked her in the ribs, sending her stumbling. She attempted to evade a swing of his blade, but he quickly drew out a pistol and fired. A shot of the gun ripped itself through Eileen's shoulder.

Adella cried out on fright, slapping a hand over her mouth.

Eileen was still moving, despite the bullet having shot through her. She didn't stop. She snarled out in fury, swinging her swords. The Crow performed a graceful spin, evading her before kicking her hard in the stomach. The Hunter came down with a thick, wet groan of agony.

"Now now, this isn't the Hunter I know." he said. "Such rage. Such hate!"

Eileen started to stand, but the Crow kicked her across the face, sending her falling once more. Adella gave a frantic cry.

"Stop it!" she shouted.

The Crow stared at her. Adella withered, not knowing fully why. He wore a mask, so she couldn't see his face. But for some reason, she suddenly felt stripped bare.

"Oh, don't worry. I haven't forgotten you, little nun." he assured her with a cold, malicious chuckle. "When Eileen is nothing more than a bloody sheathe for my blade, you will be next."

He turned to Eileen, kicked her once more in the face. Her mask was sent falling to the floor and his boot came down upon it, shattering it to splinters.

O

Izzy had been lying in a pool of his blood, exhausted from fighting several of the Huntsmen. Henryk leaned against the stairs, wiping his ax on the tattered robes of a dead, Scourge-ridden man. He glanced toward the dying Beast with a small, weak smile.

"Well, never thought I'd see the day I'd fight beside Beasts." he remarked.

Izzy's massive sides heaved. "Never thought I'd see the day Hunters would embrace me."

Henryk chuckled a little. "Well, things have changed these past several days." he agreed. He leaned back on the stairs and sighed, closing his eyes. "We should rest for a while..."

"Yeah...for a while, eh?" Izzy gurgled, fresh rivers of blood pouring from his jaws. His glowing red eyes began to dim. "For a little while..."

Finally, a sick, final sigh escaped him and he was still. Henryk watched the corpse of the Beast and after a moment, shut his eyes.

How wonderously strange that he'd feel sympathy for this creature.

Meanwhile, the Crow stalked around Eileen, speaking to her as she struggled to rise. "For so long, the Hunters were revered for their worth. But look at you now; you are nothing more but a decrepit memory of a lost village plundered by my appetites. And all that will remain from this is me, to trample across your corpse."

He raised his sword level to her throat and just as he held it high, Eileen started to laugh. She crouched there on the floor, grinning and laughing softly. The sound confused both Adella and the Crow. He lowered his sword slightly, giving her a chuckle of his own.

"Really?" he said. "Finally lost it, have we?"

"No..." Eileen rasped, spitting blood from her mouth once. "It's just..." She looked up at him, her eyes glowing that frightening, beastly blue. "You're such a fool."

The Crow made a surprised sound, backing away once.

"And we're both going to die tonight." Eileen promised.

She rose now, face soaked with her own blood. She gave Adella a look of apology and mouthed "forgive me, love". Adella nodded her head once, knowing that Eileen merely hesitated only to see what she would feel of it. But this had to be done. It had to end.

"Do it." she said.

The Crow could only watch as Eileen stared at the blood moon. Her face suddenly looked feral in the faint glow; streaks of blood, teeth suddenly sharper and eyes glowing.

"You were right about one thing, Bloody Crow of Cainhurst." she said. Her voice began to deepen horrifically into that Beastly tone; fur began to sprout around her neck. "I should have embraced my inner Beast a long time ago."

He backed away, his confident tone shaking in horror. "What? That's not possible!"

Eileen removed her coat, let out a monstrous groan as her body began to swell. The Crow was frozen in place, watching as her hands lengthened into long, dangerous claws. The sick, wet sounds of bones shifting filled the cathedral, groans of effort and snarls. Her face cracked, split and elongated into a muzzle filled with razor teeth and she glowered down at her enemy, giving out a deep, frightening roar.

Her shadow cast itself over the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst, blanketing him almost in darkness. He stepped back and let out a laugh as she stalked toward him.

"Ah! Haha!" he shouted, "The Crow Beast! I should have known! Look at you!"

Eileen's features darkened with a hiss.

The Bloody Crow raised his sword, turned it, then plunged it straight through his abdomen. Adella watched the sight in shock as the sword he held glowed with bright red, dancing flames. Blood weaponry. Such was the way of the Cainhurst warriors.

The glow made Eileen's Beastly features looked twice as frightening. She stared at him, showing her fangs in an eerie snarl.

Finally, she charged with a roar.

O

The sight of Eileen in her monstrous Beast form should have given Adella hope that the Crow would be bested. Somehow, he was keeping up with her charges, slashes of her claws and kicks of her feet. The Crow's transformed blade slashed her side, but her claws slashed a hideous gash across his arm.

He was pushed on by the lust of violence, the spray of blood.

Eileen crouched on all fours, arched her back and the fur at her spine hardened into sharp spikes. She hissed and the fur launched itself at the Crow. He flipped backwards several times, avoiding the attack. One managed to pierce his thigh and he stumbled, glancing down with a hiss of pain.

Adella looked toward Eileen as the Crow was distracted. "I...had no idea you could do that."

Given Eileen's look, clearly she hadn't either.

"So..." the Crow straightened with a grunt. He yanked the spike from his thigh and tossed it to the floor. "You have a few tricks up your sleeve after all. But you should know that I've brought down Beasts much bigger than you and I live to revel in the massacre!"

He charged for her, swinging his blood-drenched sword. Eileen jumped back and seized one of his arm with one monstrous hand. She slammed him roughly to the ground and he grunted sharply in pain. His sword dislodged itself from his hands and clattered to the floor beside Eileen.

Eileen raised her claws overhead, face full of promise. One blow and it would be finished.

The Crow hissed out and twisted his legs, catching the sword quickly. He flipped back, taking the weapon with him and catching it with his free hand before plunging it into Eileen's shoulder.

Her eyes snapped wide in pain and she released him. She reached out with her claws, but the Crow swung his blade up, slicing through her flesh and tearing her arm clean off at the elbow.

The agonized scream that echoed from Eileen's jaws was enough to rattle the windows of the church. Adella watched the sight in horror, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Eileen!" Adella cried, desperately.

Eileen collapsed in a pool of her own blood, panting roughly through her large nostrils. The Crow stepped up to her, smiling in his voice. She was shuddering in pain, great form wracked with terrible spasms. The smell of Scourge-infected blood clouded the air.

"You know, I consider this an honor, Eileen the Crow." he told her, panting heavily behind his mask. "You have been quite the enemy. I will miss you."

Eileen chuckled deeply. Finally, she slapped her good arm down into the puddle of her own blood. It was the first that Adella had heard her speak in this form and it sounded chilling.

"Me too." she snarled.

Suddenly, in an abrupt burst of strength, her jaws clamped down around the Crow's body. He screamed in agony, his sword falling from his hands. Eileen's teeth clamped down harder, her eyes wild and ferocious in all the way a Beast was wont to look.

Adella could only watch as blood sprayed - Eileen's and the Crow's - and her teeth sliced through his body like paper. Finally, when it was over, his half-shredded body fell to the floor in a sickening splat.

Eileen stared down at the body for a moment, panting through her mouth. Blood poured from her teeth and jaws in rivers. She seemed to be struggling with something. Her eyes were bloodshot, almost feral.

"Eileen..." Adella's voice sounded so small in the church.

The Beast looked at her now, grunting heavily. She sounded sick, like those who were only days before being consumed by the Scourge. After a weak grunt, she slowly began to revert back to her human form.

Adella quickly rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around her, despite the horrid mess of blood and gore.

"Adella..." Eileen barely managed her name.

Adella's shaking hands moved to the bloodied stump where Eileen's arm once was. "Oh, Gods..." she moaned, "Your arm... Oh Gods, no..."

Eileen's face looked different this time. She looked like someone trapped between human and Beast. Unlike the Patients, she had a more human look in her appearance. Perhaps she couldn't change back any further. Perhaps this truly was the end.

Her good hand looked inhuman. The nails were longer, far more solid and sharp.

"Help me up, Adella..." Eileen breathed. "Take me outside."

Adella slipped an arm around Eileen's waist, carrying the bloodied, broken Hunter toward the doors.

They took a seat, Adella draping her cloak over Eileen's shaking form. Her eyes occasionally fluttered shut. Her body swayed and Adella held her close. Tears filled her eyes and Eileen just smiled, exhaustion in her voice.

"It's done..." she said, softly.

Adella held her tighter. "It is."

"Thank you, Adella."

"For what?"

"For..." Eileen's eyes fluttered again and she raised one long-nailed hand to the missing place where her arm should be.

Adella caught her as she fell sideways. She gently stroked her hair and they watched as the sun slowly started rising. Eileen laughed weakly. In the dim light, her blue eyes now looked pitch black.

The eyes of a Beast.

"No more Dreams for me," she said. "This is my last chance."

Adella was starting to cry and the sound captured Eileen's attention. She somehow managed to lift her head and raise her good hand to the nun's cheek.

"Oh...don't cry, love..." she said, with a small laugh.

"It's not fair!" Adella moaned, "You told me... We were going to leave here together!"

"I know..."

Eileen tugged a little, urging her closer for a kiss. The last thing she wanted to feel was her lips. The nun granted her that; her kiss was desperate, silently saying her final goodbye to her lover. Eileen parted then, sighing heavily.

"Ahh, my eyes grow heavy..." she mumbled.

She watched the sun rise and smiled. Her teeth were no longer flat, but sharp like her Beast form.

"Mm, here with the one I love at the end..." she said, her voice growing quieter. "I couldn't have asked for a better way to die..."

Adella closed her eyes, biting back a hysterical sob.

The sounds of her sobs reached the great Amygdala perched on a church spire nearby. She inclined her great head toward it, listening to them for the longest time.

"It's not fair... none of it is..."

Eileen gave a final sigh, stilling in her arms. Adella looked down at her and she wasn't able to stop the anguished cry that burst from her. She held Eileen tightly to her, downright sobbing into her lover's hair.

It wasn't fair.

None of it was fair.

She looked down at the sight of the knife Eileen had given her still on her belt. Reaching down, she took it and her thumb rubbed the blade. Immediately, she had begun to bleed.

It was sharp.

Good.

Henryk was slowly making his way up the vast flight of stairs before he noticed the condition of Adella and Eileen. He saw the Hunter lying dead and he groaned with anguish, but took little time to mourn when he saw Adella leveling the knife with her heart.

"Adella, no!" he shouted, rushing up to stop her. "Don't do it!"

He tripped a few times, but recovered quickly as he rushed with all his strength to stop the nun. Amygdala observed the sight from her perch, almond-shaped head following his movement.

Humans are such unusual creations.

Adella shoved the blade through her chest in a single, swift move. It took only a few seconds; a strange look crossed her face, one of peace followed, and then a final choke escaped her lips.

The Amygdala watched as Henryk made his way up the stairway.

She watched as he saw the two lovers lying dead beside each other. Their hands were barely connected, only joined by a slight touch of their fingers.

She watched as he collapsed to his knees, breaking down into sorrowful weeping.

Yes indeed.

Humans were unusual creations to the Great Ones.

To sacrifice one's own life for the sake of joining another in dead.

Henryk fell to his knees, clutching Eileen's tattered robes once before he wept in his hands.

Immediately, he looked up at the sight of Amygdala appearing on the peak of the Grand Cathedral. He stumbled back with a shout and the enormous figure reached out with one long, six-fingered hand to caress the dead women only once, like a mother would her child.

Their fiends...their children... Curse not the blossom that grows among the grave.

Henryk watched the sight, awestruck. He glanced down at Eileen and Adella's lifeless forms for a moment as Amygdala scooped them up in one hand. Her other hand reached down and she raised a single finger above them, just as it had begun to glow with soft, shimmering blue light.

Let them find their dream.

O

The farm was calm.

Adella sat on the porch that early morning, rocking back and forth on the wooden chair. The stalks of golden wheat stretched as far as she could see. A gentle wind ruffled the beautiful field. She smiled, brightening when she saw a horse approach with Eileen.

The Hunter smiled and waved at her, wearing farm clothes and carrying a freshly killed boar on the back of the horse. She stepped down, made her way up to the porch where she was greeted by the other woman. They embraced one another and shared a kiss.

Eileen put an arm around her shoulders and the pair made their way inside the house.