Well, everyone, this is it. The second to last chapter of Silver Snow! It's been a good run, but it's about time to bring things to an end. Sorry about the late release, everyone, and enjoy

Chapter 10: Silver Snow

Arin lay groaning face-first in the cold snow. His head was tender and bruised underneath his fur from Bianca's furious kicking, and his dominator sat triumphantly on his back. Okay, so maybe his teasing had finally gone too far.

"Stupid idiot," Bianca folded her wings. She was still blushing furiously, "You still wanna keep that crap up?"

"I'll let you know after my brain stops rattling in my head." Arin groaned again. He wanted to get up. His face was starting to get numb, but he dare not toss Bianca off of him, lest she start wailing on him again. The wolves hadn't come back to circle after them, which was a miracle in itself, but who knew what may happen if they were to venture out from their hiding spot?

"It's your own fault—" Bianca's voice rattled as the ground beneath her suddenly started to rumble violently, as though someone had taken hold of the earth and given it a good shake. She tried to hold onto Arin, but ended up falling flat in the snow.

"What the—?" Arin rolled up to his knees, his paws supporting his body. Though the world around him was starting to tremble, his attention was more focused on the sky. He was sure that it was still early morning when they had arrived at the Sacred bastion. But now, the sky was going dark, flecking with stars as though the earth's axis had been flopped. The sun was replaced by a bright, silvery moon that was glowing so radiantly that the shadows of the night stretched far and wide. Arin blinked, slapped himself, and then blinked again. The sky was still dark and the moon had become seemingly more radiant since the last time he blinked.

"What's going on…?" Bianca gasped. She hadn't realized that the ground shaking had slowed to an abrupt stop and that she was standing back on her feet. There was a loud crumbling in the distance, loud enough to cause the two to whirl around from about the fallen tree. Their jaws dropped. The Sacred Bastion was rumbling, large chunks of stone and ice raining like snowfall down towards the ground. At first, it looked like the entire towering structure would go slipping off the face of the mountainside. But instead the uppermost portion seemed to be separating from the rest. It lifted higher and higher, shaking loose architectural debris until it was completely detached from the rest of the Sacred Bastion.

"Bianca…" Arin breathed, feeling as though his brain was about ready to fry from al the supernatural shock of the days past. "You don't think Silver and Snow are up there, do you?"

"I don't know…" Bianca felt worry already starting to settle in the pit of her stomach. "Let's hope not…"

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Ophelia was having trouble staying on her paws. The Sacred Bastion's shaking, coupled with having to tow Anna on her back like a pup was making her want to kick something hard in the face. She panted as she rounded the corners of long, stone-patterned hallways, barely dodging fallen parts of the structure and praying that nothing would hit Anna without her notice. Damn Garnet to hell for having such a ridiculously huge lair. He might as well have made it an elongated labyrinth and thrown in a few minotaurs while he was at it.

"What's going on up there..?" Anna's voice rumbled.

"Don't know, but we need to focus on getting out of here." Ophelia stated.

"I hope Silver is okay…"

"If Silver was dead, we would be too." She had meant it to be of comfort, but Ophelia sighed when she saw Anna's dejected look. So the female wolf decided to return her focus to her running. The light at the end of the tunnel was long in coming, but when it did come, she burst out through the entrance and into the vast, snowy courtyard.

"Watch out!" Anna clamped her fangs onto Ophelia's neck and suddenly jerked her sideways; the two wolves rolled onto the ice cold snow just as one of the once towering pillars shattered in the spot they had been standing in. Ophelia spat the slushed snow that caught in her mouth and took to literally dragging Anna back up to her back. The thanks could come later, she decided, as another tall pillar lay waste to the ground. She took Anna far away from the grounds of the Sacred Bastion, only stopping once they were a safe distance away atop a snowy hillside. Ophelia almost tossed Anna off her back, panting with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

"Goddamn, girl, you weight more than you look." She stated through lung-fulls of precious air. Anna ignored it. She was more fixated on the state of the crumbling Sacred Bastion before them. The uppermost portion was drifting off into the now night sky, aiming towards the full, glowing orb orbiting above. There was an eerie sort of beauty to it that sent shivers up her spine. Things were about to get even worse than they already were.

"Please be okay, Silver…"

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It had been easy enough to wish Silver good luck as he left away, but now Kate found herself pacing he floor of her den. A rescue mission wasn't something that was done in the snap of the fingers. She was aware of that, however, she found herself looking up at her den entrance, almost ready to charge to Silver's and Snow's rescue.

"Kate, calm down…" Winston had a crick in his neck from watching Kate walk back and forth. Eve was asleep next to him. Though she was almost fully recovered, she was still fatigued and needed a lot of sleep. "Your pacing isn't going to make anything different."

"I know, I know, but still…" Kate mumbled. She took a seat by the wall, only to take up pacing again. "I should have gone with him—took a team with us to make sure they got back safely."

"Bring them back safely? Do you think that would really be the case, Kate?" Winston asked.

"I don't know…" Kate trailed off.

"Uhm…hey...someone—or everyone, everyone is good too…" Humphrey rose to a standing position. He didn't turn around, nor did his head turn away from his gaze towards the sky. "The sun was out a few moments ago, right? I haven't turned into a senile old wolf yet, have I?"

"What are you talking about?" Kate snapped a little out of frustration, but knew Humphrey would understand. She walked over to the mouth of the den. It wasn't just Humphrey, but every wolf in the pack was out in the open, staring up at the sky. A cannon of uncertain murmurs littered the air among them. Kate sighed and glanced up at the sky. The darkness damn near struck her dumb—it had been so bright outside a few minutes ago. She couldn't quite make it out, but something—an island, maybe?—was floating right in front of the moon, littering shards of dark debris down from above.

"What's going on here…?"

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All he could do was die. Silver didn't flinch. He didn't bother to close his eyes or raise his head to see his death coming to him. He sat waiting; felt the air of the wooden spear being parted; felt the point of which was prime to bore through his head; to bring a painless, instant death. Silver was sorry he couldn't stop Garnet. He was so sorry he earned love from his pack. He was so sorry he fell so deeply in love with Snow, because ultimately, it was his love that killed her. And now, it was time to join her.

There was a bright flash of light and Silver was falling fast. Downward towards what he thought was the floor at first, but he never hit anything, just kept falling. The world around him became so bright that it hurt his eyes and he slammed them shut tight. Was this what death truly felt like…? An all-encompassing light that burned away not only the darkness, but everything else in sight as well…?

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Silver sat at the bank of the vast lake of his home village. But something about it—about everything—was different. It wasn't barren like it should have been. The crater in the earth was filled with cool, sparkling water. Fish jumped and flopped lively from the surface, splashing back down and flecking Silver's cheek with water. There was no ash; there were no burns or torn and scarred land around him. Instead, the grass grew lush and wild. The trees reached up high from the ground and the leaves swayed in the soft breeze warm and inviting. Silver felt different too. He leaned forward over the lake and gazed at his reflection. What was given back to him was himself, but as a pup. He tilted his head and so did the reflection. He brought his paw up to his face and his reflection slowly stroked his small muzzle.

Silver was so busy trying to verify his puppy body that he didn't notice the burning coming from his left wrist until it was hot enough to make him wince. Snow's bracelet was white hot on his arm like coals. It was too much to even bare. He quickly snatched it off; tossed the burning beads out carelessly to the lake. They hit the water—but did not break the surface. Instead, the water rippled underneath them, slow in singular file at first, but gradually becoming greater until the water was filled with dancing rings. The beads cracked, shattered, and released millions of threads of wispy light up into the air. The midnight pup watched the wisps twist and twirl above in an eerie, lithe dance, then slowly land back to the surface of the lake. They rose up, taking subtle ambiguous shapes at first, before becoming something that made Silver intake sharply.

The lake was littered with souls, translucent figures of the pack he had loved so much; the pack that Garnet had killed. Among them, he could also make out the guardians; the infant spirits who had been robbed from their thrones, looking at puppy Silver with what looked almost like both regret and relief. And in front of them all, his grandfather stood, smiling proudly next to his mate.

Silver followed his first instinct: to walk out on the water surface and join his family and kin. But the moment he leaned out onto the lake, he tipped over and splashed down. The midnight pup sputtered and scrambled back onto the shore, shaking his fur dry.

"Always the ambitious pup. If I'm not mistaken, it started a lot of fights back then too." The old wolf's voice was safe and warm as he let out a chuckle.

"Why can't I reach you?" Silver asked.

"Because it's not time for you to reach me." The old wolf responded simply.

The young Silver tilted his head. "I don't understand."

The old wolf reached down and grasped a shard of what was left of Snow's bracelet. He coddled it in his palm, cold and lifeless. "Silver," He spoke, "What did I tell you about this, a gift from the heart?"

"I remember. To give it to someone I couldn't live without."

"And do you know why?" His grandfather hadn't meant fro the question to be answered, nor was Silver obliged to answer it. The old wolf took a seat and draped his arm about his mate's shoulder. She smiled warmly. "When one finds true love, it becomes a light. This light is all-consuming and shines as a beacon. This bracelet is a beacon for lost souls, guided by love's strong connection, be it theirs or another's. The light—your light—has gathered everyone here before you…"

Silver looked around. Obviously not everyone, for his beloved Snow was nowhere to be seen. His ears fell to the sides.

"Silver, everything that's happened to you has lead up to this moment because it was meant to. You are the only one who could potentially stop Garnet. It has been and always would have to be you. Garnet…" The wolf placed his paw to his chest where his heart was, "Is the true reason you could never become whole again. His darkness is too strong because it's completely covering his love. There is no love or happiness within him anymore…"

"But I'm not strong enough." Silver said, dejected. "I failed…I even lost Snow…she lost her life because I wasn't strong enough!" He slammed his paw on the ground. "I mean, seriously—who the hell am I kidding? From the moment I walked in, he was wiping the floor with me!"

"…." The elder wolf closed his eyes. "Everyone here has been drawn to the light from the bracelet. Everyone here wants to help you, because they love you, or feel that they have…have wronged you in some way." At this, he, his mate, and the other guardians gazed at the ground for a moment. Certainly Silver had felt wronged about being separated from his other half, but his grudge had never gone below the surface like Garnet's had done. "There is much love and much regret before you, but we all stand united here because in some way or form, we believe that it's you who has to end this." At this, the old wolf, his mate, and everyone else parted down the middle. Silver stared; had to swear to himself he wasn't just seeing things. His heart felt as though it had been inactive the entire time. But now, it was rattling against his ribcage excitedly.

She floated down from the back atop the surface of the water. She wasn't supported by anything, and so her body was dipped halfway beneath the wet barrier. She too had been reduced to the stature of a puppy, but the snowy white wolf was unmistakable.

"Snow!" Silver leapt into the water, but this time, he too only submerged halfway down into it. He couldn't tell if he was swimming or running, but he didn't care. The midnight wolf made his way to Snow, splashing and flailing, until he had her wrapped in his arms and pressed firm against his body. He could hear her breathing; feel her warm breath against his chest. It was as if she were merely sleeping. Silver smiled wide and buried his face in her headfur. He took in her scent, her feel—everything about her like it needed to be burned into his senses. It took him a moment to notice, but Snow's arm and leg were bare, devoid of any marks from him or Garnet.

"Her marks…"

"They're all gone. Garnet's will over her was overpowered by the light of your conviction—the fact that you couldn't live without her. And your markings have disappeared because you will need all of your strength for what's about to happen next." The old wolf sighed, "There is no certainty you'll win, Silver. Even after all this, Garnet is still more than capable of destroying you."

"…But he won't." Silver's grip on Snow tightened. When he raised his head, strength shone vibrantly in his eyes. "Because I refuse to have a world without Snow in it. I haven't completely broken my promise to her yet. I won't—I can't let that happen."

The old wolf smiled, like a father who was watching his son grow up before his own eyes. He gave a strong, pleased nod. "Then we all leave everything in your very capable paws, Silver."

"Right, but first, there was one thing I didn't understand." Silver's eyes returned to the side of Snow's leg—the side that bore his mark before. "Snow had my mark on her, but I don't remember putting it there. Garnet said that I had done it when she and I were pups…"

The old wolf did not answer immediately. He brought his paw to the back of his neck, rubbing the fur till it stood on end. He looked back to the guardian spirits, and they all returned the same uncertain look right back at him. Silver frowned. They knew.

"Silver…" The older wolf started, "Some things are just best left unsaid…"

"But—"

But before he could say anything or even bring his paw up in protest, the world around him started to dissipate. More and more ambiguous it became, wrapping both away and around Silver. And then, the nothingness returned.

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Snow took in a very sharp breath. It felt like she had been drowning and now was finally getting all the precious air she needed. She coughed. Her lungs burned like crazy. She couldn't remember much; she remembered falling into the overpowering darkness like sleep, only to be bathed in a light so bright that it stung her body. And now, she was on solid ground again. Snow sat up and opened her eyes. The world around her came into slow focus, but quickly made her feel as though she were dreaming. The light that had been stinging her eyes was not gone. It was beside her, blaring luminously enough to make her wince and look away. Garnet (she jumped at the sight of his gargantuan form) was standing a good distance away from her, scowling evilly at the bright light next to her. Snow's ears shot up in realization and she quickly whipped her head around the Valley of Kings. She couldn't find Silver, and that damned light was making it to where she had to back away just to squint her eyes enough to see. She could make out a few rather large wooden splinters on the ground and felt her head spin—what the hell went on between her momentary lapse?

The light suddenly dispersed and Snow felt an involuntary gasp escape her lips. There Silver stood, tall and strong, but something about him was different. Maybe it was his physical appearance. White fur wrapped around his arms and thighs in almost rune-like markings. Two pairs of wings, one white and one black, flexed strong from his back and the midnight wolf was clad in silvery armor on his paws and left shoulder. A black scarf, tattered at the ends, was wrapped around his neck and the symbol of the crossed sun and moon that was on the flag beneath the throne was pinned to the side. Yeah, maybe it was his physical appearance. Or maybe it was the power that was radiating off of him. Whatever it was, Snow found herself both gawking and blushing.

"Silver…" Garnet breathed, "Still holding onto that last ray of hope..? you still think that there's a chance you can beat me, even after all the power I've obtained?"

Silver said nothing.

"Always ever the optimist. You were always like that; always gave me that look of sheer defiance just like the last time. Well let me tell you something, sibling of mine." Garnet stamped his paw on the ground, so hard that the world around them shuddered. "I've planned my entire life to lead up to this single moment. Everything I have; everything I am comes down to this and I'll be damned if I let you take victory from me!"

The words were the last. The time for talk was over, and with a mighty roar, Garnet willed the water to rise up out of their banks, spiral into what looked like spears, and chucked them straight at Silver. The midnight wolf was as calm as a cucumber, and before Snow could say anything, he had snatched her off her feet as the weapons splattered harshly into the ground. He was moving fast—much faster than usual. Snow clung to his fur tight as Silver weaved and danced through raging trees that spat out thorns; roaring waters that reached at him like long, raspy hands; flames that cracked the ground the moment they hit. Garnet gave a frustrated snarl and let out a mighty howl; the trees, wind, fire, and water all converged towards Silver from all sides, stopping the midnight wolf in his tracks. Snow screamed his name loudly, hiding her face into her beloved's fur. And then, they were suddenly spiraling through the air, Silver barreling through the elements like a rotating bullet up into the air. In his paws, flames of darkness wrapped in a spiraling wind of light gathered, and Snow was forced to hold on tight as he suddenly dove for Garnet.

"Wraaahhh!" The massive wolf roared and the water had once again become a weapon fro him. Silver remained unnerved, bouncing Snow high into the air as one sharp wisp of water shot between them, and practically tearing the on-coming others in a roar of the bright winds and dark flames he had gathered. In his mouth, the hilt of a sword materialized. The blade slowly grew, silver and shining like a mirror reflecting the moonlight; the moment Snow landed back onto Silver's back, the blade and Garnet's claws clashed. Despite his lack of size, Silver was hovering impossibly in the air, holding strong against the claws like an overwhelming force of nature. Sparks of light and dark; wind and flames; pure energy surged wildly around the Valley of Kings. Pillars were shattered, the thrones were splintered, and the land became battle-torn. Snow felt sick. The movements were too fast and too wild for her comfort, but all she could do was cling to Silver and pray she didn't fall off.

It was Garnet who sent Silver's sword spiraling up into the air, forcibly back-handing the smaller wolf with such vicious furiousity that he cannoned towards the ground. Obvious to his upper hand, Garnet roared a wave of flames from his mouth.

"Silver!" Snow squeaked—and the flames pass right over them. She blinked, looking around frantically for the impossible feat. Silver's body was ablaze in the aura of blackened flames and luminous winds, repelling the fire in every direction from them. Amazed wasn't really the word for how she felt watching him, a force in himself desperately fighting for the sake of her safety. She blushed and though the carnage was abounding around her, she felt safe in the wake of her beloved. Which was why Snow protested when Silver landed and let her down.

"Stay here," And then, he was off again, at first at a mundane sprint around the side. He deftly jumped and caught his spiraling sword in his mouth—as though he knew were and when it would fall—and the moment his feet touched the ground, he was a blur of black fur again. Silver's body became enshrouded in a aura of darkness and light, speeding around towards his brother, who was already striking out against him. Claw and sword clashed and clanged in loud, deadly chimes throughout the air. The two wolves were like two forces, wildly dancing, powerfully exchanging, moving to a beat of power that was unfathomable even with the naked eye. Was this how it was when Silver and Garnet fought on level ground? Cataclysmic power that would have torn the earth to ribbons had they still been on it? Snow could only stand back as a bystander to something someone could only ever experience once in their lifetime.

There was a roar from Garnet as another solid slash of Silver's sword caught the wolf's side, leaving a burning cut that would probably never close. Both wolves were covered in cuts, blood flecking the ground around them till they couldn't help but step in it every now and then. Silver gasped and brought his wings over his body; a wave of fire crashed down into his body, sending the midnight wolf sliding back into Snow. She caught him, but they both took a spill to the ground. Silver was panting, but so was Garnet. They stared daggers at each other, mortal enemies destined to kill the other no matter what. Silver sucked his fangs. The whole time he had been trying to get close to Garnet, the massive wolf fought to repel him back as frantically as he could, even if that meant taking a hit. And Silver knew why. Damage from a distance would be deflected or dodged; damage to the skin and body would only tire the two of them out even more. Garnet needed to take a direct hit to the inside, just like Ein had taken. And it would have to be now. The look of steel resolve was clear in both their eyes. This would be the final blow. There was a long, very still silence as the two wolves stood unmoving, unspeaking, unblinking. The land around them had gone dead, as if it were holding it's breath and waiting for one of them to make a move.

And then, Silver kicked off the ground in a flash. His body whirled through the air like a bullet of blazing light and darkness, claws outreached and poised straight for Garnet's forehead. At the same time, Garnet twisted the water and fire, sending it in a roaring spiral from around his body—aimed right towards Snow. The snowy white wolf froze, eyes wide in horror, body awaiting death like a deer in a pair of headlights.

"Snow!" Silver heaved his body as far to the side as he could. The midnight wolf propelled in front of Snow; the flames and water collided into his body; and before he could even move through the billowing cloud of steam, wooden tendrils—too many for him to count—moved in sharp droves across Silver. The midnight wolf let out a blood-curdling scream as they spears lifted him upwards off the ground. Some stabbed into his shoulders and thighs; some brushed against him hard enough to leave bleeding cuts in his skin. They slammed Silver into one of the thrones, pinning him to it in an almost ironic sitting position. Blood ran in sickening trails down the tendrils, splattering onto the seat and stone landing.

"Ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Garnet roared in giddy, twisted laughter.

"No…" Snow breathed.

"Yes!" Garnet exclaimed, "See that you are just like them—a force who thought he was mighty, but now a weakling before me! You were never meant to defeat me; the day they tore us apart was the day everyone's fate was sealed, including yours. Did you honestly think you could change anything; snatch away the justice I have waited so long to serve? You fool! You have always been and only ever will be the part of me I should have gotten rid of a long time ago."

It took a moment for Snow to snap out of her stupor. She could no longer sit there and gaze upon Silver, helpless to move out of the chair, too dazed from the hit and loss of blood to fight the temporarily dizziness. She had sat by the sidelines the entire fight as a helpless spectator. Silver was always risking himself for her, and now it was her turn. Snow looked around for something—anything—that would be useful to her. Snow's answer came in the form of something simple; something she had noticed the moment she had woken up. One of the large, sword-like wooden splinters stuck out amongst the other smaller ones like a sore thumb—no, more like a last-minute beacon of hope. Snow didn't have time to think, grasping the spear in her mouth.

"Die, Silver!" The wind around Garnet became concentrated and sharp, launching straight towards Silver. Silver's ears rung, one of his eyes wincing open, looking into the face of death for a second time and loathing every moment of it. So this is what his grandfather had mentioned; that even through it all, he was still not strong enough to take on such an ambitious wolf who overthrew the other guardian spirits. He was going to die.

"Silver!" Snow put all her power into swinging her muzzle, so much that after the wooden shard flew form her mouth, she crashed forward to the ground. It made a sickening whistle through the air, flying further than Snow would've thought possible. And it landed right into Garnet's left eye.

"Wraaugghhh!" The giant wolf staggered, slamming his eye shut, and the wind that was headed for Silver's head instead caught the upper corner of his ear; it cute the skin effortlessly and sliced the corner of the throne like a knife cleaving through butter. It was short, but it was all the moment he needed. With every last ounce of effort, strength, and power he could possibly muster, Silver's body became ablaze with roaring black flames and wildly whipping winds of light. He tore from the throne as fast and as hard as he could, his paw outstretched and his claws poised for his brother's head again. Garnet was so busy yanking the weapon out of his now bleeding eye that when he saw Silver coming, he frantically caused another rain of wooden tendrils to fire haphazardly at the midnight wolf. He wasn't prepared to lose. He wasn't going to let Silver end a reign that hadn't even started yet. No, he would skewer him before he left that happen. But Silver didn't stop coming. He charged through the weapons, getting cuts on his cheeks, shoulders, sides, and even his wings. He couldn't stop; there were no more chances—the end had to be now. So he sucked up the pain, flying towards Garnet like a shooting star; Garnet roared, frantically throwing everything he had at Silver.

"Silllllvvverrrrrr!"

"Garrrrnneeetttt!"

BOOM!

There was an explosion so fierce that it threw Snow back into the only body of water that had not been usurped by Garnet. Everything in the Valley of Kings shuddered; the thrones broke apart; the trees toppled over; and even the stars seemed ashamed by the carnage that wrecked their land. Snow clung frantically to the side of the bank. Pools of water dumped on her from the rocking river, threatening to pull her down under. How many times was she going to fight for air today, anyway? A thin cloud of smoke and debris hovered thick, billing wildly from where the two wolves had faced off. Shockwaves of power still rattled the land, threatening to tear it completely asunder. It took a very long moment for the world to calm down from its fit. What little bit of it that was left standing was now struggling to do so by the skin of its teeth. The cloud of smoke slowly began to clear, and as dripping wet Snow crawled out of the water, she could make out the two figures.

Silver was unmoving in the air, almost like he was frozen in time. His paw was still outstretched and his fangs were clenched. Blood trickled down his neck, down the tip of a tendril that was poking where his adam's apple was. Snow gasped and clasped her paws over her mouth. So even after all that; even after both her effort and Silver's, it still came to this? Snow felt like she was going to be sick. Her ears fell down at the sides of her head. The rest of the debris cleared away and Garnet appeared to be frozen in time as well. Silver's claws were jammed against his head, trickles of blood running down the front of his face. The two of them stood there, frozen without so much as a breath. Snow didn't even know what to do. She didn't dare to move towards them; to try and reach Silver. All she could do, once again, was sit and stare.

It was Silver who moved first. His body twitched and pain—in addition to all the other cuts he had received—shocked his neck. The wooden spear hadn't pushed through enough to kill him; just enough to graze the skin into bleeding. A fragment of a second more and things would have truly ended for him. He gazed at Garnet, who was still starring wild-eyed at him. Silver's claws weren't deep enough to break the cranium, but then, they didn't have to be. At the moment of contact, Silver had thrown every ounce of his power at Garnet through his claws; created a speedy gale that was so fine and so fast that it couldn't be seen; that it bypassed the skin and attacked the inside instead. Garnet's body trembled. Blood from cuts unseen flecked the air in small, sharp crescents, disappearing before even hitting the ground. His legs trembled and he looked at Silver with so much hate that the midnight wolf felt it burning through his body, right to his soul. But there was something else there too. Something soft and unforeseen. Was it regret? Or maybe sadness…?

"Y-You…" Garnet spoke, but his breath cracked. His mouth was moving, but the words just weren't forming. Instead, something invaded Silver's head; took over the images in his mind with no resistance from him whatsoever. For just a moment—soft and fleeting—Silver could see a pup that looked like himself at first, but quickly turned out to be Garnet instead. The world around Garnet was bright, almost too bright to see clearly. Another pup walked up to his side and Silver gawked. Her resemblance to Kate was almost as close as Snow's resemblance to Lily. Except this pup had a deal more headfur, of which was kept in a spiky ponytail climbing up the back of her head. She placed a paw on puppy Garnet's shoulder and Silver could hear his voice; hear him whisper just one word.

"Aurora…"

There was another explosion, the force of which shot Silver backwards. As he tumbled across the ground, his armor shattered; his scarf unraveled; and his markings vanished off of his body. He slid to a slow stop on the invisible floor. He was dizzy. He was groggy and could barely feel the strength to get up off the ground. So he lay there, listening to his brother let out a blood-curdling howl. His yell shook the room again. His fur became bright like the silvery moon above, trembling with the world around him. And then, Garnet's form shrunk. Seven colored lights leapt from his body one by one, each resulting in a more diminished Garnet and swirling around the top of the room. The moment they were all orbiting the air around him, they dispersed across the sky, vanishing like multi-colored shooting stars. Garnet's body slumped forward and the light sizzled away from his body. Like Silver, he was panting hard, but he was loosing blood fast. His eyes were dilated, and his muscles were failing. He was pretty much dead on his feet—and yet, he was still standing. Garnet's chest heaved, but he slowly made his way towards Silver.

"N-not…finished…" He coughed, literally dragging himself across the floor. Snow watched in awe and a great deal of fear, that even after all that, Garnet could still find it in him to walk and even talk to a degree. Was his goal really so important that he would not—could not—die? Silver's body ached all over. Every move warranted unwanted spasms of pain all over his body. He was tired and completely spent. And yet, there he was, gasping for air as he lifted up to his paws. His legs were wobbling and his vision blurred in and out. But he walked forward slowly. The two wolves were more so fighting to breathe than to get to each other.

"S-Silver—!" Garnet tried to lunge; to bring his claw to Silver's face, but his body slumped down against Silver's shoulder, finally giving under his weight. Silver sighed and looked down to the now defeated Garnet. He wasn't at all what he had appeared to be before. The strong-willed monster now looked weak and broken, unable to stand on his own paws. To look at him now would have belied Garnet to be considered a serious anything, let alone a threat.

To see Silver moving again—to see that he wasn't dead, but alive and still breathing—was enough to snatch Snow out of her shock. Her ears perked up and she smiled wide, her tail wagging. It was all over now. The two of them could go home together, marry each other, have as many pups as she could possibly give (okay, the last one was a stretch. Snow's eyes lit up as she began to plan and relish in the future events. Without another word, Snow took to running towards him. Silver turned his gaze to her. His honest silver eyes were married to exhaustion and he looked like he was about ready to drop. But still, he smiled weakly to her, relieved that it was finally over.

"Let's go hom—"

The sound wasn't really loud at all, but it echoed sickeningly all the same. It was the sound of tearing flesh and a few moments later, a shocked-looking Silver felt a sharp pain suddenly stinging in his chest. Snow stopped in her tracks, eyes wide and trembling with horror. Her mouth hung open, but only dry air came in place of words that couldn't' describe the abrupt fear that overtook her. Silver slowly gazed down. Garnet was looking at him with a dark, breathless grin, the blood from his wound still slicking his muzzle. His paw was pressed against Silver's chest and his claws were buried beyond the flesh. The midnight wolf froze, unable to move, unable to comprehend. And it was starting to get hot. A raging heat seemed to be building from Garnet's claws. It spread inside Silver, mild at first, but becoming hotter and hotter until he couldn't stand it anymore. The flames blazed within him, and the moment he let out a pained yell, spits of fire erupted from Silver's mouth, showing the floor in smoldering cinders.

"S-see you in the next life…brother…" Garnet breathed, and then slumped to the ground motionless. Silver's eyes were still wide and trembling. It hurt to breath. Blood slipped from the corner of his mouth, a clear sign of internal damage. He painstakingly moved back enough for Garnet's claws to fall from him to the ground. But the damage was done. His vision was failing fast, making the world spin in vertigo around him. Silver's muscles were quickly losing what little strength they had. He slowly turned his gaze to Snow. Her paws were pressed so hard to her muzzle that she could have damn near eaten them. It wasn't real, she told herself. She tried to put herself back into their future; a future with Silver and their pups. But the imagery was fading fast, slipping through her fingers no matter how hard she tried to hold on. Silver looked Snow directly in the eyes. They were so warm, so full of undying love for her and she felt them drawing her in, slowly making her step forward. It was as if they were conversing with each other through unspoken words, in a time that moved slower around them.

I'm so sorry, Silver's eyes flickered.

No, don't say that! Don't…everything is going to be fine, Snow's eyes pleaded.

I love you…you know that, right?

Of course I do! Silver! Don't do this!

Snow…

Silver, don't you die on me, goddammit!

"Snow…" Silver's voice didn't sound, but his lips moved the syllables of her name, rolling them around the same way they had done when they first met. And then, Snow saw the lights from Silver's eyes fade. His body stood tall and very proud for a few moments, then slumped down to the ground with a thud.

The Valley of Kings suddenly became distorted, as though without its two star players, it couldn't no longer support itself. The world wobbled and became rippled, like the disturbed surface of the lake. Trees and rivers melted into each other as the petals of the flowers fluttered into nothingness. The stars fell like diamonds in the sky, twilight and darkness melding into one while the sky twisted in upon itself. The silvery moon faded into the nothingness, and the world had returned to Garnet's throne room. But now, the sun was shining bright from the clear blue sky, and gravity was torturing the room. Parts of the ceiling fell as the interior rumbled. The pillars cracked or collapsed on themselves and the floor was beginning to split. There was a cascading to the left, leaving the room tilted and deducing that the entire structure that was once floating majestically was now falling.

"Silver…." Snow breathed, her voice breaking. A part of the stone ceiling fell with a shattering crash next to her, but she didn't care. All she could do was keep her eyes transfixed on the fallen midnight wolf. "Silver….Silver!" Snow sprinted over to him, sliding down on the broken marble floor. She shook him, nudging him with her muzzle. He wasn't dead. He would wake up like he always did, stronger than ever. He wasn't dead. She kissed his cheek and shook him again.

"Wake up…"

He wasn't dead. She slapped his muzzle and it remained motionless. He wasn't dead.

"Silver, time to get up…" Snow nuzzled his ear, "We have to go and get married, remember…?"

He wasn't dead. Snow shook him with enough force to roll him over on his back.

"You idiot! Wake up! W-wake up! Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!" Snow slammed her fists down on him, then let her face collapse into his fur. The room around her was crumbling, but it was nothing compared to how broken her heart was now. The tears were rolling from her cheeks uncontrollably now and she sobbed. She sobbed hard into Silver's fur, gripping clumpfuls in her paws. Her ears fell lifelessly at the sides of her head and debris was flecking into her headfur. But she didn't care. It hadn't crossed Snow's mind that Silver could leave her. He always seemed so strong, so invincible. And now, reality was making a punching bag out of her heart. So she lay there, sobbing into his fur till the tears refused to come out anymore. The debris was falling faster now, to the point where it was getting Silver's fur messy. Snow wasn't sure what it was, but something told her to move, now. She rubbed her paw on her cheek, then crawled under Silver's body. He was still slightly warm, but very motionless as his wings tickled her sides. There was no rush in her walk. She solemnly paced away, just as a large amount of the ceiling came crashing down over Garnet's body. Snow kept her movement slow and mindless, as if her feet were willing her to move and her brain had completely shut off. The room around her wailed as it cracked and split and broke into lots of fragmented sections. But she kept walking.

Snow wandered the long corridors, traversed down the winding steps and twisting rooms of the Sacred Bastion. When a way was blocked off by wreckage, Snow would mindlessly wander another route around it. She came to a point where she found Koda. The wolf was slumped against the wall, half hidden under an array of large boulders. The spot where Garnet's marking had been was scorched and it was hard to tell what killed him first. Snow should have felt pity for him, but she couldn't. Her emotions had gone completely numb. So she gave Koda a passing glance and decided to move on.

Snow walked beyond the threshold and out onto a landing. The part had been ripped from the Sacred Bastion when it lifted into the air, leaving it exposed to the outside. The world seemed so small from up above. The island structure was heading down so fast that the wind was whipping Snow's headfur in every direction. So this was the end of the line. Nothing to do now but wait, crash, and die. Snow should have been scared, but she wasn't. In a dark sense, she was slightly comforted. Just as much as he couldn't live without her, she couldn't live without Silver. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind on her cheek, and set Silver down. Death would soon take her too.

The feathers of Silver's wings were tickling her more now, more than the wind should have. When it got to the point of bothering her, Snow opened her eyes. Silver's wings were falling apart from his dead, motionless body, but were clinging to Snow's fur unnaturally. They clustered around her paws, arms, and hips, until the last had fluttered from Silver's back. And then, she was suddenly being hoisted off the edge of the landing. She wanted to scream, to yell out in fear, but Silver's death had stolen that too. Instead, Snow felt Silver's feathers act like a large, strong hand slowly lowering her down from the sky. Her eyes never left the fallen midnight wolf, who was laying on the floor as she drifted further and further away. The more she floated, the more Silver's body became diminished in her vision, until all she could see was the crumbling floating structure hovering over the snow-capped mountain tops. The ruffling black and white plumage lowered Snow through a thinning layer of trees, and when she looked down, she could see Arin and Bianca below. At first, they looked dismayed to see the snowy white wolf floating down on feathers like some sort of angel. But the day had been filled with so much unbelievable mayhem that they were waving their arms at her in welcome and relief instead of freaking out. Snow didn't respond, landing on the cold ground. The moment she touched down, Silver's feathers vanished into the wind without a trace.

"Snow! You're alright!" Arin jumped at her. She didn't' look at him, but he didn't seem to notice. "Geeze, Snow, we were really worried sick about you!"

"Yeah, but I guess everything worked out okay and Silver brought you back safe." Bianca chirped, then looked around. "Speaking of which, where is Silver?"

"Probably back giving Garnet the boot." Arin imitated a kick too hard and slipped in the snow. Snow said nothing. Her eyes were transfixed to the crumbling structure falling from the sky. Arin and Bianca looked at her. They could easily tell now that something was very wrong. Snow looked broken, like someone who had lost everything. Her eyes were puffy from crying and the liveliness was gone. Bianca and Arin looked at her worriedly for a moment, then turned silent as they looked up to watch what she was seeing. The floating structure had finally crashed down on top of the mountain. It shattered like glass into millions of strewn pieces. The mountain rumbled and snow shook in dangerous droves from it for a moment. It hadn't taken long for Arin and Bianca to at least understand Silver was on that floating island. What they didn't know was that he had been dead long before it even crashed. While Arin and Bianca felt sadness begin to overtake them, Snow found that she had more tears left to shed.

Tears for a fallen hero…

Tears for a lost love…

Tears for her world…


It's not quite done yet, only one more chapter to go. Tune into the exciting conclusion of Silver Snow, everyone!