Ahiru opened the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out a forgotten relic.
She held the rosary out in front of her, smooth wooden beads and a straight carved cross, given to her by Edel. For protection.
Ahiru rubbed her fingers over the beads before pocketing it.
She could hear them outside, all bickering with each other, fighting about something or another. She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear - still short, but it's length didn't bother her anymore- a small smile graced her face. Six months ago she was all alone, but now…
Now she had so many friends, she had a family.
Ahiru sniffed and turned to walk out of her bedroom. As she walked into her living room, she saw all of them there, well, all but one.
Mytho had been locked away in the ballroom, and hopefully that would hold him, at least until Drosselmeyer was dead and they could go back and free him, she prayed this would save him. She prayed that Drosselmeyer's death would relinquish his hold on Mytho.
The room grew silent as they recognized her presence.
"Um- Th-thank you for coming here." She stuttered, suddenly nervous.
"What's the plan, Ahiru?" Pique asked, still holding the sword of Lohengrin rather awkwardly, swinging it around carelessly.
"Careful with that thing!" Rue jumped out of the way of it's poisonous tip.
Autor sighed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Please, there's history in the making here, can't you play nice for once?"
Rue scowled down at him. "Ahiru, who is this?"
Ahiru smiled, "That's my teacher, he taught me everything I know about witchcraft."
He took the praise well, a smug look on his face.
"Ahiru," Fakir appeared at her side and held her hand. "What will you have us do?"
Ahiru took a shaky breath, meeting the eyes of everyone in the room. She would need all of them for this to work, for this to go smoothly. Her prayers continued as her heart pounded in her chest.
Ahiru stood on the sidewalk, her friends all leaving in opposing directions, Fakir stayed by her side, her hand held tightly in his, her heart pounding. It was all coming to an end. She decided to walk, she didn't want to run or watch Fakir transform again, and she feared she may fall off with one hand on his back and the other holding tightly to a silver sword.
They headed to what remained of the Scent, the den where the pack lived together, the old home of the Lady Gardenia and her husband, Siegfried. The house had not been touched since the fire had been put out and rubble still remained, the blackened ash covered brick and wood, most of the house had collapsed on itself. They just needed to find a way to the basement, to Seigfried, so she could free him.
"Ahiru," Fakir started, the streets vacant, as if every resident of Kinkan knew to stay inside this night, to lock the doors. "I want to tell you something."
She looked up at him, and squeezed his hand, "Okay."
"When I was young, I used to write."
"I remember you-" Realization dawned on her, she had told him about his relations. "Oh."
"I wrote a lot of things, mostly stories about a boy who was able to feed his family during a time when there was barely enough to go around. A boy who saved his family."
"Fakir, you don't have to-"
"When I was a bit older, I still hadn't connected the dots, I didn't realize there was any connection to my stories to what I did in real life." They turned a corner and there it stood, the charred remains of what used to be a home to many. "A man came to power and with him a great war. Our neighbors were taken away, never to be seen again. My father was drafted, and I wrote stories."
They walked up steps and Fakir helped her over the door, broken, easier to jump over than to try and move it.
"We knew what was happening, my mother and I, we knew but there was nothing we could do. What power did a woman and a child possess?" He shook his head. Fakir stopped to lift a fallen beam out of their path. "I wrote a story. A story like I had when I was younger, about my father, how he helped the Jewish people escape from the camps, how he gave them food and water, clothing and shoes. But-" He stopped, grunting as he broke down the door to the basement. He flicked the switch but nothing turned on. He pulled Ahiru close to him. "Be careful, if you fall I'll catch you."
Ahiru dug her fingers into his jacket, not wanting to fall down darkened steps and kill herself on accident before she accomplished anything.
"He did this for years because of what I wrote. But then, the letter came." He paused again and Ahiru nearly fell, trying to take the next step without him. "Dear Mrs. Halima Basilio, we regret to inform you that your husband has been filed as Missing in Action. We send our condolences. We were never able to read past that, it hurt too much to see what else the regime had said."
Ahiru felt the floor beneath her and was relieved that they had made it down the stairs.
Fakir let go and she stayed where she was, she heard him rifle through the drawers of an untouched desk and he pulled out a lighter and flicked it on. She was glad she could see again, but there was a painful expression painted on his face, she had the feeling he had never shared this story with anyone. He held out his hand and she raced to grab it.
"They said he was missing in action, but I knew what had happened. They had executed him, because of what I had done. What I had written." His lighter touched the cloth of the first torch and he pocketed the lighter in favor of the brighter light source. "After that day, I never wrote again. I never picked up a pen. I waited for the day they would come for me, enlist me in the war and then kill me the same way they killed my father, but before I was eighteen the war ended."
Ahiru stood in the center of the cave, Fakir walked around and lit every torch.
"When you told me Drosselmeyer was my great grandfather, it all made sense. His deal infected and poisoned his entire line."
Ahiru came behind him and wrapped her arms around him, rested her head on his back. "I'm so sorry Fakir."
"I can- "
"Fakir no, don't, it's okay."
"Ahiru, if the difference between living and dying is whatever I've been cursed with then-"
Ahiru came around him and held his face in her hands. "I don't want to put you through that again. I won't make you do that."
"I will do whatever it takes for you to win this."
She nodded, it wouldn't come to that. It wouldn't, she wouldn't let it happen, he had protected her for so long, not she was going to protect him.
Ahiru walked back to the center of the cave. "Siegfried!" She called and she heard his mournful howl.
She knelt down on the floor, her palms pressed into the dirt, she pulled out an old rose from her jacket, she crumbled into with her hand and spread it around her. Ahiru looked up and met the eyes of the first werewolf, "It's time to finish what we started."
Pique grabbed Lillie's hand and lead her back to where she knew Edel would be, waiting for Pique to come back. Pique was used to Edel's games to know what she was doing.
Yes, Pique had been told that Edel was going to make her the successor of the Bookmen, but there was more to it than just that. Pique knew about the looks she received from the older members for refusing to go to the burning, when she started to be friends with Ahiru, when she was seen walking out of the wolf den early in the morning.
Edel wanted to test her loyalty.
It was why she held the sword of Lohengrin in her hand now.
Would she use the sword to aid the Bookmen or would she turn her sword against them?
In truth, they were all on the same side; they all wanted Drosselmeyer dead.
Ahiru had a plan, a plan that would put an end to nearly two centuries worth of pain and damage and Pique was going to stand behind her no matter the consequences.
"Pique?" Lillie called, "What are we going to do? Once this is over there'll be no need for the Bookmen."
Pique stopped at looked back at Lillie. Lillie who had lost her parents when she was too young to remember it, a dinner party gone wrong. The Bookmen had taken her in and she was raised by Edel and Ebine, she lived in the restaurant, the Bookmen was all she had ever known, now it was being taken from her.
"I don't know what will happen, but this is what the Bookmen have been fighting for, to put an end to it all." Pique squeezed Lillie's hand. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out tomorrow."
Lillie smiled and nodded. "Okay." She squeezed back.
They walked into an old neighborhood, one of the only residential areas Kinkan had to offer.
They walked around the back and opened the kitchen door. Edel stood in the kitchen, sharpening an axe.
"Ah, Pique, Lillie, I was wondering where you two had run off to." Edel smiled. "We're just about ready to leave."
"We're ready to fight." Pique let go of Lillie's hand. "And die for the Bookmen."
Edel's mask cracked and a look of misplaced pride grew wide on her face. "Good. I have a specific job for you."
"Anything."
Wider and wider, "I want you to kill Mytho Swanhild."
Pique took a shaky breath, "Anything."
"I want you to kill Rue Kuroha."
Pique nodded. Just lie, it'll all be over in the morning and Drosselmeyer would be dead. "Anything."
"I want you to kill Fakir Basilio."
It was wrong, these people were innocent, forced into these roles by forces that were not their own, the Bookmen taught her differently, that they were evil once they turned from human to creature. Pique knew now that wasn't true, it was a lie. "Yes."
"With this sword, I want you to drive it's silver tip into the heart of Ahiru Armia."
"What? Why?"
Edel smiled. Got you. "Ahiru is a witch, she has betrayed us and hopes to give aid to the werewolves and vampires and end us."
A lie, it was all a lie.
"Will you do this, Pique?"
Pique shut her eyes and swallowed. "Yes. Anything for the Bookmen."
Rue watched as Ahiru and Fakir made their way to the club, her job was to find and guard Mytho, he was vulnerable in this state and she wasn't about to let him hurt himself before he turned human again.
Rue stepped into her car, "Ugh!" It still smelled like wet dog. She cursed Fakir as she pulled out from the street and drove back to her manor, Mytho would still be locked in the ballroom and-
Rue slammed her brakes and stepped out of her car. In the skies flew a giant raven. "Mytho, no, why would you be so stupid." Rue started to chase after him before she too transformed into a crow.
"Mytho, stop!" She called out to him, wings beating as fast as they could to reach him. "Mytho, you need to stop."
He didn't and she was forced to continue her chase. Where was he going.
"Mytho, what are you doing?" She flew in front of him making him stop to readjust his course before he flew around her.
He cawed loudly.
"Why won't you listen to me? Stop! Please!" She had a plan and it may have been stupid, but she was desperate. She flew right above him and transformed back into her human body. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he scawed loudly at her and pecked her arms, but Rue held on.
Okay, now how to get him to stop.
"Mytho, please, turn back." She kissed the back of his head but he still didn't answer, only cawing roughly.
He started his descent and when he landed she was surprised to find herself in front of the restaurant the Bookmen used as a front for their operations. "Why are we here?"
She didn't let go and just wrapped her legs around his waist.
He struggled to open the door, and Rue covered her nose, the stench of garlic heavy and making her lightheaded.
It was dark and empty, it had been a long time since anyone had occupied the space. "Mytho, let's leave this place. Why would Drosselmeyer make you come here?"
He made his way to the back and tried to open a door with feathers, that only angered him as he couldn't and kicked down the door instead. Mytho fell to his hands and knees searching the floor for something.
"Is Drosselmeyer forcing you to do this? Resist! I know you can." She stroked the feathers near his eyes. "Every time you fought my blood and turned human, every time you refused to let the demon blood to overtake you, you resisted him. Resist him now. Please."
He cawed in triumph and used his beak to pry off a piece of floorboard revealing a box.
"Mytho, what is that. Don't touch it!"
Mytho picked up the box gingerly in his beak before he threw it onto the floor next to him and the contents spilled out. Silver leeched onto the floor and two blackened, rotting hands rolled out.
"No." She shook her head, she never thought she'd see those hands again. "Mytho, no! Don't take them to him!" She jumped off his back to grab the hands, burning herself on the silver that still coated the floorboards. Rue screeched but held the hands to her chest, now Mytho saw her as his target, he would do anything to get the hands from her.
She was off like a shot. She was faster than Mytho, his snapping beak and the shrieks that escaped him never catching up with her.
Rue had to get to Wasser Castle, she needed to help Ahiru fight Drosselmeyer and the Bookmen, but she couldn't run to Drosselmeyer holding his lost prized possession.
Her thoughts slowed her and she felt Mytho tackle her down to the ground.
She dropped his hands.
Autor looked around at the esteemed Wasser Castle, a historic site blocked off from the public because of what demons lived inside of it.
"That's strange."
"What is?" Femio asked, glued to Autor's side, jumping at every creak.
"No one's here, where are all the vampires? I expected him to have even the tiniest bit of protection." Autor found the door Rue had described that would lead down to where Drosselmeyer hid with ease. The light of a glowing fire and it's heat hitting his face. "It's too easy, where have they all gone?"
There was a cruel laugh and Autor stood face to flame with Drosselmeyer. "My children?"
"Drosselmeyer." Autor stood in awe. "The Lady Gardenia's work is more magnificent than I could have ever imagined."
"A glorified cage that I will soon break free from, I can feel her now-" He paused, "She's releasing Siegfried and soon I will step out of flame and once again be all-powerful!"
"She's going to kill you where you stand!" Autor yelled back.
"Everything is going accord to my plan." He laughed cruelly, "How marvelous!"
"What plan?" Autor seemed doubtful, there was no way Drosselmeyer could know, he was just trying to scare them.
"It was so simple, once I knew who she was, my plan for freedom started to form! All my characters into place, and once my hands rejoin my flesh, there will be nothing she can do to stop me!"
"Her plan will work."
"When her plan before did little more than trap me?" He chuckled. "I will win, I have all the power in the world! No one can even come close!"
"Drosselmeyer." Autor hoped he could stall him, even for a bit. "What was your plan?"
"You wish to know?" He chuckled, "I can see myself in you, young, hungry for more than this world has to offer. I'll tell, but only because I'll kill you once I'm free."
Autor dug into his pocket and held onto the rosary Ahiru gave him, enchanted by her with a protection spell. Femio moved around behind him, his collection of crystals vast, placed correctly would create a shield, Drosselmeyer would be able to break it, but it would give Ahiru enough time to get there.
"-Once she fell in love with Mytho I knew she would be mine, that she would do anything to protect him, even die!"
"But you're wrong." Autor accused, "She doesn't love Mytho, she loves Fakir."
The fire grew hot, the flames grew higher, "Don't be ridiculous, my plan was perfect. She is destined to fall in love with Mytho."
"No she's not, that would be like her falling in love with her grandson."
"What do you mean?"
Autor crossed his arms, "Mytho is the direct descendant of Tutu and Siegfried."
The flames hit the ceiling, "WHAT?"
Autor smirked, "Ahiru is in love with Fakir."
"Oh, so her heart still belongs to another?"
Uh-oh.
Drosselmeyer laughed, "Well, well, well, it looks like my plan worked either way! Thank you, for confirming my doubts."
"You're plan will fail."
"Will it?" He took a deep breath and the fire started to recede and a body started to form, he stepped out of the fire, his eyes wild and a more than insane expression scrawled over the entirety of his face. "I would shake your hand but-" He waved a stump. "I'm afraid I don't have my hands just yet."
"What do you mean just yet?"
"I believe Mytho is bringing me my gift."
Autor clenched his teeth, "Where are the other vampires? Why didn't they stop us?"
"I'm afraid my children were proven unloyal."
"What does that mean?" But dread filled his heart.
"I can't have another Rue on my hands," He chuckled, "I need only the most loyal to fight at my side, or none at all."
"What have you done?"
Drosselmeyer gestured with a wave of his arm to the other side of the basement were a pile of several bodies. "Once Rue comes home, I'm afraid she'll join them."
"You- you killed them all."
"Not all of them." Behind him stood perhaps a grand total of eleven. "I can't be betrayed in this time of delicacy."
Autor tightened his grip on the rosary. Hurry, Ahiru.
Ahiru fell back, but Fakir was there to catch her.
From the wall, Siegfried materialized. "Thank you, Ahiru. But, I am afraid we must hurry, at my freedom Drosselmeyer has also found his. Ride on my back until you're strength has returned."
Ahiru nodded and handed Fakir the sword as he helped her stand before lifting her onto the giant wolf's back.
"Fakir."
Fakir knelt before Siegfried.
"You have helped me lead my pack to the end of all this heartbreak, I am forever grateful." Siegfried nudged Fakir's head with his muzzle. "Let us hurry."
Siegfried, with Ahiru mounted on his back, sprinted out of the basement and into the night.
"Fakir, look!" Ahiru pointed to the sky. "It's Mytho."
Fakir looked up, and nodded, "He's heading to Wasser Castle."
"Let us hurry."
"Right!" Ahiru nodded as Siegfried bounded down the abandoned streets of Kinkan. Siegfried howled and she heard the howl being returned, he was calling the pack to him.
Siegfried jumped over a chain link fence before he made his entrance into the castle, his claws scratching against the floor.
"Where is everyone?" Ahiru voiced her concern, she thought the Bookmen would be here by now, and at the very least some vampires would be prowling around.
There was a scream and a door opening and shutting. They ran towards the sound and saw Femio and Autor trying to keep the door closed.
"Ahiru! Drosselmeyer is going to use Fakir against you!"
"What?" She looked down at Fakir, still standing next to her and Siegfried.
"His plan was to get you to fall in love with Mytho than use his transformation against you, but I told him-"
"You told him what?" Fakir stalked forward, looming over the two.
"I told him she didn't love Mytho, that she loves you."
"Idiot!"
"You don't think I realize that now?"
Fakir growled before he joined their forces to keep the door shut.
"Open the door." Siegfried commanded, "The Bookmen have come."
Fakir, Autor and Femio backed away from the door and it was kicked off its hinges.
Ahiru recognized a few of the vampires that poured out of the basement, the men that attacked her and Fakir, for one.
Ahiru heard shouting come from outside and the pounding of hands and weapons against the front door.
The vampires poured out in front of her, but it was less than Ahiru expected.
Ahiru sat up straight as the steps creaked and moaned, there was one more to step out of that room.
"Drosselmeyer."
He chuckled and bowed to her. "Ahiru! It is an honor to finally meet you."
The front door broke down and she heard the shouts of the Bookmen as they invaded the castle.
"Ah!" Drosselmeyer chuckled, "Just in time!"
The vampires snarled before they raced forward in an attack on the Bookmen.
Ahiru slipped off Siegfried's back. He nodded a thank you before he pounced on Drosselmeyer.
"Fakir," She called reaching for his hand. "Fakir, if you're in danger, you have to leave."
His face furrowed, "What? No, I'm not going to leave you."
"He's going to use you against me!"
Fakir shook his head, "No, he won't have a chance."
There was a shrill caw and their heads snapped to the door as Mytho flew in, something in his mouth.
Rue raced in after him, but she was too late.
Mytho dropped the hands before Drosselmeyer. Mytho dropped on Siegfried and attacked him, giving Drosselmeyer enough time to let his hands reattach themselves.
"Ah, alas!"
Ahiru snatched Fakir's hand. "I'm safe, but you're not."
Fakir leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers. He tilted his head and placed a kiss on her lips. "If I fight, you'll win."
"No, I'll lose you."
He squeezed her hand before running off with the sword of Siegfried held high.
She created a flame in her hand, a small, warm pink flame that danced on her palm, and sent it after him.
"Craft the spell in fire;
Craft it well; weave it higher
Weave it now of shining flame,
None shall come to hurt or maim
None shall pass this fiery wall
None shall pass, no, none at-"
She stopped when she was kicked in the spine, throwing her to ground. She looked up at a woman who held an axe aloft over her head.
"Die, you witch devil!"
The axe swung down and Ahiru did her best to move out of its path. She held up her hands in surrender, "I'm trying to help you!"
"You are unnatural!" She lifted her axe again and took another swing. Ahiru closed her eyes but was never hit. Her eyes opened to see Pique blocking the axe with her sword.
"She's mine to kill. Handle the vampires!"
The woman snarled but left.
"Ahiru, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine, but that woman, Pique?" Ahiru stopped because Pique had shut her eyes, she looked like she was sleeping.
Pique dropped her sword and the clothing she wore, jeans, a button down shirt were replaced with a ball gown.
Ahiru stepped away from her and she realized she was somewhere else.
Classical music swelled, her head snapped over to Autor sitting at a piano playing a gentle melody. Around her was a room filled with warm light, tall open windows, and a ball.
Dancers floated around her, the fighting over.
She looked down at herself and found herself still in her own clothing.
"My, my my, it seems you've found a way to evade my control."
Ahiru looked over at Drosselmeyer adjusting a white glove. Before him was a stand and a book held open for him, a quill in one hand.
"I can do whatever I please."
Fakir stepped up to her, and he had changed as well, gone were the fashion of today with etire she only saw in period pieces. Gloved hands lifted hers and grabbed her waist and he pulled her into a waltz.
"Fakir." She called out to him, but he was one of the dreamers. "Fakir, stop! What did you do?"
"Isn't this what you wanted? To put to an end the fighting?"
"No, I-"
"Didn't you want a happy ending for everyone you love?"
She shook her head, "Not like this."
Rue and Mytho danced past her, Mytho was human once more and he held Rue tenderly, she rested her head on his heart, a ballgown of red and gold surrounding her like a cloud.
Pique and Lillie spun around the room, dresses of blue and seafoam, Femio leaned against the piano, a flute of champagne in his hand as Autor played haunting melodies.
Ahiru looked up again at Fakir and tried to pull away from him. "They're not happy like this! They're just your puppets now!"
She ripped herself out of his grip but was caught by Mytho, he held her gently but he still didn't let her go.
Ahiru looked over to Drosselmeyer laughing as she struggled to escape.
Mytho passed her off to Rue.
"Rue! Break out of this! I know you can." Ahiru begged.
"Tsk tsk, you'll never reach them that way! No one can break my spell."
Spell. Spell, he was a witch, this was all just a spell!
How did she break a spell? Salt?
"It's a shame I can't control you, your death would be so much more ecstatic if it was with my own words!"
Words, she'd have to use her own words. It was simple something so simple it rest on the tip of her tongue.
"I can see the cogs in your head turning," Ahiru was passed to Pique. "Trying to figure out your next step. It's hilarious! I should keep you here! Just to watch you struggle for forever! But, perhaps not."
He wrote furiously inside his book and Ahiru was able to break out of the hold Pique had on her. Ahiru ran towards him, she just had to get to him, remember the words and break the spell. She screamed as Siegfried snapped his teeth at her, but she leapt out of the way.
"Ahiru, you must hurry and destroy him."
"How were you able to break through!"
"As water meets fire, this spell is come undone-" Siegfried yelped as Rue threw him across the room.
Which had changed again and Ahiru found herself surrounded by cogs. "A clock?"
A memory pulled at the back of her mind, something Rue had told her a long time ago. Being chased in an empty house, being stopped in front of a grandfather clock, the last of her belongings. All around her, friends and foes stood on the edges of giant cogs.
"As water meets fire, this spell is come undone-?" She growled, "And then what!"
"You'll never escape your fate, Ahiru. To do at my hands." He raised a fisted glove, "What a beautiful tragedy you have given me, my Lady."
"Ahiru!" Autor called, "As water meets fire, this spell is now broken!" Autor closed his eyes again and the spell that he had broken had taken hold again.
"What's the rest?" She cried. If she couldn't break the spell then-
"Behind you!"
Ahiru looked over at Rue, who had broken free but for a moment to warn Ahiru. She looked over her shoulder at Fakir, the sword of Lohengrin in his hands.
"Fakir, no!"
He swung the sword at her and she was just able to dodge it.
Drosselmeyer growled and shook the hand that held his quill, "My, my, how are they all breaking out of my control?"
Something shined into her eye and she caught a glimpse of the sword of Siegfried, all she had to do was grab it-
Fakir slashed down at her, his movements growing quicker and wildier.
Her hand reached for the sword and she was able to block Fakir's sword.
"As water meets fire, this spell is come undone." She held the sword with uncertainty, only able to block Fakir's advances. "As water meets fire, this spell is now broken,
As water meets fire, you are free.
Blessings to the earth, so mote it be."
The world around her fell, the cogs slipping off and those around her raining down.
Ahiru found herself back in the foyer of Wasser Castle, the fallen around her blinking and shaking their heads, waking finally.
She smiled and laughed in relief, but her eyes went back to Fakir.
Drosselmeyer's hold still had not relinquished, but Fakir had woken up nonetheless.
"Oh?" A grin broke Drosselmeyer's face, "Apparently you are more susceptible to my magic!"
"Ahiru, run." Fakir warned her as he lifted his sword high above his head. "For God's sake, listen to me for once and run!"
Ahiru scampered away as she heard the sword drive into into wooden floorboards, just barely missing her. The next swing was much closer, the sharp sound of shredding fabric filling her senses. She peered over her shoulder, afraid of what she would find; Fakir struggled to keep his eyes open, the power of Drosselmeyer's magic too strong for him to resist. She tripped over herself and barely had enough time to create a shield as he hammered away.
"Enough of this!" Drosselmeyer held out his arms, "Swords are only the toys of humans, and you're more than a human, aren't you Fakir?" Ahiru heard a cruel laugh and the scratch of pen on paper.
Fakir dropped his sword and it clattered too loudly on the floor. Fakir fell to his knees before her, she watched the disturbing transformation, somehow worse now that it was forced upon him. He howled out in pain.
"I can't stop it." He told her, his face growing horribly into that of a wolf.
Ahiru fists her hands. "No." She swallowed hard, she sat on her knees and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck.
"Stop. Get away."
She felt hands reach up to her waist, he began to squeeze, the tips of sharp claws pressing into her sides. Ahiru shut her eyes tight and held onto him tighter.
Fakir cried out and ripped himself away from her. He did his best to pull himself away, but Drosselmeyer wouldn't have it, in the swift quick movements of the quil, Fakir let out a low growl and pounced at her.
Ahiru let her arms out in front of her but when she wasn't tackled by him, she put her arms down and saw him, frozen in the air as if someone had pressed pause. She looked around her and it was as if time had stopped for all except for her and Drosselmeyer.
The book stand in front of Drosselmeyer changed into a table. He sits down gingerly and waves to a chair left empty for her.
"Please, take a seat."
Ahiru wanted to reject him, but unsure of the punishment, she stands and takes the seat offered. "Um, thank you."
"Have some tea. Enjoy my first meal after one-hundred and fifty years with me."
A steaming cup of tea appeared before her. "Why?"
"As I said, it has been one hundred and fifty years since the last I ate, I am famished!"
"No, I mean why did you stop, Fakir was about to kill me, you would have won."
Drosselmeyer stirred something into his cup. "That wouldn't be very fun, now would it?"
Ahiru looked over her shoulder. "So then, what did you do?"
"I stopped time, and since you are protected against my powers, you'll have to join me."
Ahiru placed her hands on the cups. "What is your plan?"
"Ah, and let you get an upper hand?" He laughed, "Unlikely! Besides, I already revealed everything to your little witch friend. And he gave me some very good information." A grin splits his face as he gazes over at Fakir. "My grandson, is he not?"
"Why? Why do you continue to fight? Why not just stop? I don't want to kill you."
Drosselmeyer's eyes widened, "Kill me! You could never."
"I have to. To save everyone."
"No, and I'll tell you why." He slammed down the cup of tea. "Because this is much more fun!" He took a deep breath, "I can smell him now, my great grandson." He gwuaffed, "How stupendous! My own family has found me once again." He wiped at his eye. "The family reunion I've always wanted."
"Please, give up."
"No."
Ahiru pursed her lips, "Drosselmeyer, even if you kill me today, I will return. The Lady Gardenia will never rest until you are stopped."
"Then stop me." He stood and walked around the table. "Stop me! I beg of you!" He stood behind her and laughed, "You will never be strong enough to put an end to my great works. Never. I have the power of all night on my side. I am the Devil's chosen advocate."
"I can kill you, and not even the Devil will have the power to bring you back. You kill me, the magic of Lady Gardenia will just be reborn, again and again until you're stopped."
"And who's to say I can't do the same?"
Ahiru scowled at him. "You sold your soul, you can't take that back."
"I can do whatever I want! Whatever I please! Whatever I write will be so, whatever I will will come to pass! You are so pitiful, Lady Tutu," He pouted. "How could you ever hope to stop me?"
"Ahiru."
It was soft and she barely heard it, but her name surrounded her.
Drosselmeyer laughed horribly.
Ahiru stand from the table as Fakir once again gains control, his body his once more, the sounds vile all the same, but as Ahiru races back to him, he becomes a man.
"Fakir!" She calls out, her hands reaching for his face. "Fakir, you're free. Fakir?"
There was something in his eyes. Shame? "There's only one way for me to help you."
"No. No, no, Fakir, don't." She shakes her head vigorously, she wanted so horribly to keep him safe, to keep him from having to resort on using his gift. His curse. Terrible pain wrought with the powers he begged her to use now.
Fakir glances over at the sword he had let go, and picks it up. "Protect me."
"I don't want you to do this."
Fakir stood, the sword of Lohengrin in his hand, with the tip, he cut his palm and blood trinkles onto the floor.
"What are you doing?" Drosselmeyer walks away from the table, approaching Fakir.
Ahiru stands guard, casting a spell, a wall of flames surround him, Drosselmeyer falters in his steps. There's an anger in his eye that fills her with fear and dread, oh the things that bad man can do, but she believes in Fakir more than she fears Drosselmeyer.
Ahiru looks over her shoulder at the mess of words Fakir traces on the floor, sticking his finger into the cut like a quill into an inkwell. She doesn't have time to read what he writes as she puts her focus on Drosselmeyer, weary of the fire.
He cackles. "He used his own blood to write a story. My, my, perhaps you are more like me than I originally thought. Perhaps we can make this a good thing, we can help each other, the vampires and wolves coming together at last to take over-!"
Drosselmeyer cried out in pain and Ahiru looked back at him. "What have you done?" His face fell from humor and he looked frightened. He held his hands in front of his face as white gloves were filled and saturated with blood. "No!" He cried out as his hands fell from his wrists.
He bent down to try and place them back onto his wrists, but unlike before, they would not rejoin his skin.
"What have you done?" Drosselmeyer called out, outraged.
Fakir rose, his palm still dripping and the sword held tightly in his hand. "Ahiru, it is your fate to end his miserable life." He threw her the sword and she caught it in her hand. Wind blew, and she looked around herself, there were shouts and the sounds of axes hitting wood, metal clashing against metal.
With Drosselmeyer out of power, time continued. Ahiru's friends surrounded her, Rue, Pique and Lillie, Author and Femio, she was not alone, she would never be alone again. She held the sword before her and then down at Drosselmeyer. His time had come.
Siegfried limbered over to stand beside her. "It is time for us to fix the mistakes of our past, my beating heart."
Ahiru nodded, she closed her eyes and felt the night fading. She looked down at the sword in her hand, knowing now what she had to do.
Vampires were smart, in Wasser Castle, there were no windows, no place the sun could enter, but that would have to change, she turned to Siegfried and told him. "Let's take him out for a walk."
He nodded once and let out a howl, and they came to stand by his side, six, seven, eight, large and hopefully strong enough.
Ahiru nodded, then she turned to Drosselmeyer. "Drosselmeyer, in the name of Lady Gardenia Schwan, I hereby order your execution on the grounds that you have taken the lives of many, tortured and maimed, took innocent humans and turned them into vampires against their will. I tried to reason with you, to ask you to step down, but against better judgement, you persisted and therefore, I will take your life with these hands, and your reign shall end.
She took a deep breath and pointed her sword at Drosselmeyer. Over her head, the wolves launched themselves at Drosselmeyer. Siegfried growled, opened his jaws and grabbed the collar of Drosselmeyer's cloak as the wolves broke through the wall, bleaching the room in sunlight. Ahiru jumped in front of Rue to guard her from the sun as it's brilliant light filled the room.
There was a loud caw, amd Mytho came up behind her. He nodded to her and held out his wings, he would protect Rue.
Ahiru stepped around him, the sword heavy in her hand, but she tightened her grip, Fakir came to stand next to each other and they stepped out into the early morning light.
"No!" Drosselmeyer cried, the wolves circled him, leaving no room for him to escape, but he was weak, his hands were gone, the sunlight taking its toll on him. Siegfried kept one paw on Drosselmeyer's chest and as Ahiru and Fakir came towards him, Siegfried stepped away.
"I cannot die, I will live forever, I write the world into submission! I will-!"
"No." Ahiru stopped him. "You have lived too long, you have taken too many lives, please, stop." She handed Fakir the sword. "Stab his heart and cut off his head."
"Gladly." Fakir stepped up to his great grandfather, and as he plunged the sword into Drosselmeyer's heart, Siegfried severed his head with his great teeth.
Ahiru turned away, but in the corner of her eye she saw his body crumple into ash.
All that was left was a pile of dust that blew away with the wind. Ahiru bent down and picked up his brown leather cap, wildly colored feathers blew in the wind and she felt peace in her heart for the first time in her life.
Siegfried howled and the pack howled with him in triumph.
Ahiru ran back into the house to find Rue, still guarded by Mytho. "Rue, are you alright?"
Rue took a deep breath and gave an unsteady giggle, "My heart is beating again. Mytho!"
Ahiru laughed at the excitement Rue showed, she peckered Mytho with kisses along his beak.
Siegfried nudged her shoulder with his nose. She reached up and pet his muzzle. She smiled and whispered, "Thank you."
"Ahiru, it is time for me to depart as well. I have lived for far too long." Siegfried turned to fetch his own sword, tossed to the side in the midst of battle, and placed it in her hands. "Stab my heart with pure silver and I shall be at peace."
Ahiru looked down at the sword, two swan's on it's hilt, her own necklace placed between their beaks, it was a beautiful sword, crafted with care. She didn't want to see it's beauty tarnished with death.
"I would like to join my family in heaven."
Ahiru shook her head. "I can't."
"You must."
Fakir came up behind her and wrapped his hands around hers. "Together."
Ahiru swallowed and closed her eyes, allowing Fakir to drive the sword into Siegfried's heart.
When she opened her eyes Siegfried laid on the floor, his eyes closed and heart bleeding onto the floor.
At the sight, Ahiru felt her heart beating too quickly, she felt something leave her, pulled out straight from her heart and before her stood a ghost, a woman dressed well, she looked as if she was made of light, a pink light that glowed softly. "Tutu."
The ghost smiled and looked to the left of Ahiru. She followed Tutu's gaze as Rue lead Mytho back to them, still covered in feathers.
Tutu stepped forward and placed her hands on his beak, magic leaked from her hands, and a light pink light washed over him, plucking him of his feathers and he was a man once more. She smiled and he did too, she embraced him and he held onto her tightly but she began to fade. The light dimming after him and soon he held nothing.
"Ahiru?" Mytho asked, searching for her eyes. "Is it over?"
Ahiru looked around her, there were no more wolves, there were no more vampires, only humans. She smiled, her world was right again, where supernatural creatures were just for storybooks and movies. "Yes, it's over."
"No!" Edel stepped out from the crowd and approached them. "No, it's not over! Everyone in this room deserves to die!"
"Edel, enough." Fakir stepped in front of Ahiru, his palm still bleeding, a sign he was no longer anything more than a human. "You have to stop this."
She shook her head. "No! You are all evil! The world needs to be rid of you!"
"Drosselmeyer is dead." Fakir guestured back to the hat still on the floor. "There is nothing left for you to do. It's over."
She shook her head, "No, no! I- Uzura, she-"
"She wouldn't want to see you like this." Fakir stepped forward until he was in front of Edel. "Look, I'm human now." He held out his hand. "There's no need for the Bookmen any longer."
Tears formed in Edel's eyes before they tumbled over. "Uzura."
"Is gone."
She huffed, the axe slipping out of loose fingers.
He put his hands on her shoulders. "Let her go, let her rest."
"You killed her." Edel seemed to recall and her grip tightened.
"Fakir." Ahiru breathed, she started to run towards him but she was too late. Edel raised the axe and planted it into his chest. "No!"
The Bookmen pulled Edel away, horror and shame on their faces all at the same time. What had happened to their esteemed leader?
"Fakir!" Ahiru called, falling to her knees next to him, an axe sticking out of his chest.
"Don't move it."
Ahiru felt tears poured hotly over her lashes. "Fakir, I told you to go home."
"Shh." He raised his hand, placing it on her cheek, still slick with blood but she didn't care. "It's alright."
"No." She shook her head. "Tutu's- Tutu's magic left me. I-I can't-"
"I love you, Ahiru."
Tears racked her body and she held onto his hand, she could hear Edel screaming behind her. "You're- you're supposed to stay by my side."
Autor came to kneel beside her, kneeling just above Fakir's head, and Femio came to kneel at Fakir's other side.
"Ahiru." Autor spoke gently, "We can save him."
"P-please? Please, Autor. I- I can't save him anymore."
Together, Autor and Femio took hold of the axe and lifted it out of Fakir's chest, he groaned and blood started to pour onto his shirt.
Autor grabbed Ahiru's hand and placed it over the gash, wet and warm with blood, her eyes never left his.
Autor placed a hand over hers and Femio joined them, they both chanted a spell of healing and Ahiru tried to say it with them but the words lost to the sobs that left her mouth instead. "-call on the earth to undo-."
Fakir's hand started to feel limp against her cheek and his eyes started to flutter close.
"No! Fakir, no, don't close your eyes."
"Ahiru." He sighed, his head tilting to look at her.
"By the powers of wind, by the powers of air.
I heal your injury with great care."
"Ahiru-"
She sucked in air, trying to do more than just cry. "I call on the earth to undo,
The pain that you have to go through." Her lip trembled as her fingers brushed his hair away from his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips. "By the powers of wind,
By the power of air,
We heal your injury with great care."
She felt magic moving around, deep within her soul and heart, her own magic, unearthed with Tutu gone. Soft yellow light filled her vision.
"No medical attention required, here
I heal your injury whether your far or near."
She choked on her tears, her throat dry from all her effort.
"So on this night in this hour."
Ahiru bent down and placed her forehead on Fakirs, his thumb stroking away at tears, he had closed his eyes and his lips moved silently.
"I heal your wound with my own power."