Bleh… the second little part is really sickly sweet, but neccasary. Just fair warning to you. -sweatdrop-

NOTE: I was having a lot of problems uploading and saving this chapter for some reason, so if there are any errors or sentences that look weird that I haven't caught, it'd be awesome if you could tell me.

GGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOO VOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTEEEEEEEE!

Only four people have voted! Come on guys! We're almost done with this story and I'll need something else to occupy my time during the summer!

Lydia paced the length of the tiny room, wringing her hands as she tried to think over every possible outcome, everything that could go wrong. In her mind she went from person to person, slowly making their way up to where the shadow would see and sense the power…

So many things could go so horribly wrong, but it was their only chance. She had to get inside the shadow's mind, to Betel's side with Eris and the baby.

But what if they couldn't separate her heart and the baby from Ahriman and Eris? What if Tobias got hold of them somehow? What if they were absorbed? What if-

Her panicky pacing was interrupted by a long, low wail from the goddess as she twisted on the mattress, clutching her stomach. "Dammit…"

Lydia glared at the blonde as she crossed the floor to lay her hand over the woman's stomach.

Baby Geuse feel silent and still, content under the presence of Lydia's hand. Swallowing her disgust, she settled more comfortably against the side of the bed and let her eyes close. Don't worry little one, soon we'll be back with daddy. There was a tiny brush against her hand, and a small smile found its way onto her face. Goodnight little one.

She was walking through complete darkness, only able to see herself. Her pale skin seemed to glow, keeping the shadows at bay as she let her feet take her further into the darkness.

And then, quite suddenly she was surrounded by three other bodies, all standing in a circle around her.

There was a ragged old man, his long blonde hair hanging in filthy, matted curtains around his twisted face. There was Ahriman, his chin against his chest, slowly sinking into the darkness. It was up to his ankles, and still licking up the sides of his calves.

And then there was Betelgeuse.

His eyes were open, staring dejectedly at the floor as the shadows slowly licked their way up his arm. He was gone to about his elbows. "Beej!" Lydia crossed the floor and dropped to her knees, cupping his face. "Betelgeuse!"

Betel blinked, and slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. She watched the emotions roll through him: despair, uncertainty, disbelief, despair again, and then confusion. "L… Lydia?"

Lydia smiled, leaning forward to kiss his forehead, his cheeks, and finally his lips. "Come on Beej, you can't give up." She insisted. "You have to keep fighting…"

Betel smiled weakly and pulled a hand free of the shadows to cup her cheek. "There ain't any point anymore more Babes. Yer gone. Eris has the kid…"

Lydia sighed and moved closer, pulling his head against her chest as she stroked his hair. "There's hope Beej. We have a plan, we're coming tomorrow, but you have to keep fighting or we'll have no chance."

"But Babes…" his hand covered hers, holding it against his cheek. "I been tryin' ta find ya, and I can't. Ya left… How can I know this ain't just my wishful thinkin'?" He murmured.

Lydia pulled back and kissed his forehead. "Because I would never leave you if I could help it. Now get up bug-breath!" She grinned back at the half-hearted leer that colored his face. "Kick their spectral asses."

"Lydia!" Lydia groaned, ignoring the hand on her shoulder as it shook her. "Lydia wake up! We 'ave found Be-a-tal-juice!"

The Goth blinked, staring groggily at the ground as the hand shook her again. "Huh?"

"'E is 'iding by ze Fountain of Souls."

Lydia shook her head as she sat up straighter, frowning up at Jacques. "Still asleep, whadja say?"

Jacques slipped his hand into hers and pulled her up onto her feet. "'E is 'iding by ze fountain of souls. We 'ave four hours left."

Eris shifted on the bed, glaring as hard as she could through the haze of pain. "Four hours until you all are destroyed. Ahriman will get control."

Lydia shot the goddess a filthy look. "I don't think so bitch, he's already being absorbed. Beej and Tobias are too powerful for him."

Jacques hooked his hands around Eris, and hauled her up into a sitting position. She groaned but let him pull her to her feet and steer her from the room. "Vince wants us at ze castle Lydia, so we can make ze final game plan."

Betel let Lydia's hand fall from his face, watching as she faded away once more.

She was gone. It had been a dream… it was the only way to explain it. He felt rage boil in the pit of his stomach. His Babes was gone… gone forever.

His eyes flashed, taking on that dangerous blue tint to the iris and the glowing jet black around it. She'd told him not to give in, to fight these bastards. And yet here he was, letting them absorb him and use his power and body to destroy the Neitherworld and Outer World.

With a snarl he ripped his hands free of the shadows and began to pull his way free.

The world grew slowly darker as it turned further away from the suns, and the Neitherworldian army gathered for the second time on the Plains of Dread.

Lydia shivered in the overcoat, but not from the cold. She was frightened, uncertain…

Nick's arm came to wrap around her, and for once Lydia didn't feel any confusion in the gesture. He was her friend now, the protector of her child. She let her cheek fall to his shoulder. "What if we can't get to him?" She murmured.

Nick tightened the one-armed hug. "Sweetheart, I've seen you do a lot of nearly impossible things. I know you can do this."

Amelia appeared on her other side, clenching something tightly in her hand. "We've got your back Lydia." She squeezed her hand tighter around whatever was in her hand, and shut her eyes as tightly as she could. Nick and Lydia watched as she suddenly opened her hand, and armor began to blossom from nonspace up her arms. Lydia watched, shocked as she realized the armor was bone, and was slowly growing up the length of her arms, across her chest. It appeared on her legs, sliding up over her shin bones and knees. Some milky substance seemed to slosh through the air around her head before covering her head around her ponytail, forming a hollow skull.

"Gift from Niehest?" Lydia chuckled.

Amelia's eyes gleamed mischievously as a bone appeared in her hand and began to grow a long silver blade. "Yeah… Hell yes look at this thing!" Amelia gave it an experimental twirl and jab, driven by some instinct or instruction that seemed to come from the sword itself. "This is incredible…"

Lydia felt a low growl in Nick's chest and turned her head to look up at his face. The neon yellow in his eyes seemed to glow even brighter as he watched Amelia test the sword out. Lydia chuckled. "Careful Amelia, I don't think that armor would last long if you don't stop teasing Nick."

Nick coughed, his face bright red as he looked away, but Amelia chuckled. "Hah, he could try. I feel bad-ass in this get up."

"Howdy Miss Lydia."

Lydia pulled herself free of Nick's embrace as they turned to watched the once again giant Poopsie gallop towards them, skidding to a halt as Monster waved from his back. "Vince says we got us two more minutes till midnight."

Lydia grimaced as she crossed the stone ground and climbed up onto Poopsie's leg as he lay down. She accepted Monster's hand as she felt Nick boost her up, and settled onto the saddle beside him. "Alright… Monstress has Eris?"

"Yes ma'am. Ya set back there?"

"Yeah." Lydia gripped his shoulder, glaring out across the plains as the entire line of ghosts seemed to tense. "Hey Monster?"

"Yes?"

She squeezed his shoulder gently. "Thank you, for everything."

Monster chuckled. "Yer welcome Miss Lyd-"

"THERE IT IS!"

The shadow burst from the plains, throwing dirt and stone in every direction as it twisted into the air, clawing at the sky as it pulled itself free of the fountain. The shadow screamed again, and froze.

Vince and Niehest appeared side-by-side in front of the line. Vince raised his hand, glowering at the shadow. "Wait…" He called. "Wait until he attacks first, then move."

The shadow seemed paralyzed, unsure of what to do. There was a massive meal of power in front of it… but that meal could fight back…

The shadow howled and launched itself at the army, the thousands of tendrils snaking through the air.

The ghosts leapt into action, and Lydia watched as friend and stranger alike threw themselves through the void and appeared around the monster, hacking, slashing and tossing spells and curses.

Poopsie shot forward like a bullet, weaving in and out of the battle. Poopette suddenly appeared by their side, yapping wildly as one of the shadows smashed into the stone between her and her mate. Monster pulled his gun and blew a smoking hole through the shadow. The monster screamed and swiped at Poopsie's legs. "JACQUES!"

Lydia threw her arms around Jacques as he appeared beside her, pulling the Goth off Poopsie as he spun and sank his teeth into the shadow. Checking to make sure Ginger had the unconscious Eris in her arms now, Lydia closed her eyes as Jacques sent them through the void. They reappeared above the battle, dropping through the air as another shadow shot towards them. "'Old on Lydia!"

He swung her onto his back and jumped through the void again, reappearing next to Ginger.

The monster swiped at them again, but they were still too far away.

"Nick!"

Lydia felt herself pulled from Jacques as the shadow slid over the skeleton. "JACQUES!" One bony hand broke free of the shadow, clawing at the air but it sank into the smog before anyone could grab him.

Lydia was frozen in shock as she watched the oily shadow bulge and shake before becoming smooth and liquid again as it shot at some bird-looking ghoul.

"Lydia, we can't worry about him now!" Nick called. "He'd want you to pay attention Lydia!"

The Goth took a deep breath and nodded, clinging to his back as he sprinted across some invisible platform. Niehest appeared beside them, Amelia on his tail as he carried Eris bridal-style.

"Amelia!" Lydia called. "Get Beej's attention!"

Amelia kicked off the platform, leaping into the air above their heads and swung her bone-and-silver sword as hard as she could. It flew through the air and buried itself to the hilt in the shadow's forehead.

The screech that tore from its mouth was strong enough to shatter a breather's eardrums, and Lydia flet Nick stumble as they reached the creature.

But it worked.

The arm came shooting towards them, thick enough to swallow the entire group as Niehest and Nick dropped their passengers, and disappeared with Amelia through the void. Lydia latched onto Eris' wrist, holding on for dear life as the shadow covered them, wrapping them in its deadly embrace.

Lydia grit her teeth, pulling Eris closer to her as they rolled through the darkness, pushed this way and that by the thousands of souls fighting within the shadow.

And then they were free.

Lydia felt as though she were rushing through cool water, and felt her head break the surface as she rose into the shadow's mind.

That was when the agonizing pain hit her like a semi-truck.

SUUUUUUPER SHORT CHAPTER, sorry.

But I didn't upload yesterday, whatever the update thing says (I got it up at like, 11:30 on Thursday) so I thought I would put this little part up now.

God I really suck at action scenes. =|

Ah well.

Prats 'R' Us: Hah! Eighteen? -.-. I'll be nineteen on the nineteenth. (- Golden Birthday for Jordash). Anyway, thanks, glad you like and still relieved I have so far escaped the frying pan. =D.

BlackRose-FlowerofDeath: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed. Personally, I've only seen part of the movie, as it grossed me the hell out. /.

Dontgotaclue88: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed.