25

"Any word?"

Kane glanced up when Tigress appeared in the doorway to his room, setting aside the scroll he had just received. "No, my brother says we must be patient. He is just as anxious as we are, but he suggests we exercise caution."

"How much more cautious can we be?" Tigress wondered.

Kane, as if reading her thoughts, offered a small smile. "Soon there will be one more confrontation, then, everything will be decided."

Tigress nodded, hoping it would be decided in their favor.

***

"This is getting monotonous, how many places could they be?"

Ember spared a glance at her sister, her own face echoing the impatience. "Apparently, many. Paul should have been a bit more specific."

Freye nodded, spitting venomously on a rose bush, feeling a touch of satisfaction as it withered.

Every place linked with either 'Taker, Kane or the two white witches turned nothing up. Everything was abandoned or didn't exist. Paul had been trying to locate 'Taker under one of his many false names, only to meet dead ends every which way.

"Well," Freye consulted the list in her hand, toying with her black clover idly. "There's a couple more places left, let's check them out before heading home."

"All right. We leave as soon as the sun sets."

***

'Taker was aware that Fallon was avoiding him. He wasn't all that surprised by it, though it did irritate him somewhat. He knew she was having trouble accepting the fact that she had feelings for him that extended beyond their current situation. He also knew he had to banish his annoyance due to the fact that she had been confused since coming back from their trip in the illusion, unsure if she loved him or Stephen.

He had no confusion himself, he knew exactly who she was. Fallon was everything he had wanted in a woman, though there was the good versus evil thing between them. He knew in time it would eventually work itself out, providing Fallon didn't prove him wrong and go flighty.

'Taker was walking back towards the house, coming off his evening security stroll when he heard Fallon cursing. He looked at the house, his breath catching when he seen Fallon had activated one of her defense mechanisms, a golden orb surrounded the house, preventing unwanted dark entities from entering, including him.

Next he saw the reason behind Fallon's actions. Freye and Ember were hovering just beyond the globe, hurling columns of dark energy at the house, intent on destroying it and Fallon as well.

He instantly took to the air, not needing their brand of magick to fly, conjuring his own green energy in his palms, throwing it at the invaders with all his might.

Ember turned in time to see it coming and managed to toss up a shield, barely maintaining it under the assault of continuous rage that fueled the Undertaker's attack.

He glimpsed Fallon in a window, her mouth moving frantically, apparently trying to stabilize the protective orb before going on the offensive. She had yet to see him.

"Distract him." Ember commanded her sister, using his own energy as a shield for her movements.

Freye nodded, casting a small illusion spell that replicated a smoky image of her, looking Ember from a distance.

Ember bared her teeth, dodging behind the house, soaring soundlessly until she had circled behind the Undertaker, her eyes glinting viciously as she aimed her fatal attack.

Fallon felt as if she hadn't one ounce of magick left in her after securing the orb, wondering for the umpteenth time where 'Taker was off too. She smoothed back her curls, preparing to leave the house and do battle. On the front porch, at the edge of leaving the orb, she halted, spotting Ember standing behind 'Taker, conjuring a mass of crackling purple and black energy.

"'Taker!" She shouted, diving from the safety of the globe.

He halted in his attack on Freye, his eyes turning onto her, relief flaring throughout his body only to be replaced with an expression of surprise and pain, frozen there as he toppled to the grass.

Ember started cackling, joined by her sister, both howling in triumph, paying no mind to the grief stricken woman before them.

Fallon kneeled besides 'Taker lifeless body, somehow managing to roll the dead weight over, shaking his shoulders. "Wake up." She whispered urgently. "Please, wake up."

No sign of life flickered, nothing to give her hope.

"Oh no," Fallon cradled his head against her chest, rocking back and forth. "No." She tossed her head back, high pitched keening emerging from her slight frame.

"She's powerless." Ember stated, her face a mask of cold satisfaction. "Without him or her sister, she's got no power."

"Fallon."

Fallon managed to stare at the black clad demon calling her name, her tears blurring her vision.

Freye smiled wickedly, enjoying this. "We'll be back to finish you off presently, first we're going to deal with your pathetic sister."

Fallon barely heard a word they said, comprehending that they were now after Tigress. She didn't know where Tigress and Kane were though 'Taker did. 'Taker…

"Please, don't leave me." She whispered, gently pushing his black hair from his face. "Wake up, you're not dead, not yet." Fallon whimpered, beginning to rock back and forth again, fighting the urge to wail. "Some of my life resides in you now, I live yet, so you must too." She said softly, lowering her head to kiss his still pliant lips.

Freye and Ember were too far away to see the white light that lit up the sky, bathing everything in it's brilliance and causing several people to fall to their knees, certain a miracle had just happened.

At the center of the sphere were two people locked in a lover's embrace, their arms wound tightly around each other, the white light emanating from them, though they were oblivious to it.

They parted as the light started to fade, quickly dimming until it was gone.

'Taker stared down at Fallon, tenderness etched clearly over his face. His brilliant green eyes shining fiercely with new life and resolve.

Fallon sobbed openly on his chest for a moment before straightening up and staring at him, her mouth a grim line. "They've gone for Kane and Tigress."

"Then we should leave."

***

"Kane, do you feel that?"

Kane looked down at Tigress, a frown visible under his hair. "The wind has died."

"Not that, it feels like… everything is dead." Tigress said, that being the best way she could describe what she was feeling. "Like nothing breathes anymore."

Mideon came running, out of breath from the gate. "They're coming!" He panted. "Two black figures from the east!"

Kane and Tigress ran out into the yard, staring up into the sky.

Sure enough Freye and Ember, hardly more than two dots, yet growing larger with each passing second, were on their way. Their cackling could be heard loud and clear though.

"Kane, we're coming for you!"

"Damn!" Tigress cursed, quickly calling the four corners to her aid, begging in both English and the Old Tongue for their assistance.

Kane could only stand ready, hulking down in a pose that showed he clearly expected to be attacked from above. He barely noticed when Mideon and Viscera crossed into the protection circle that Tigress was casting, shiver as they stepped over the fine gold line.

Tigress slumped to the ground, her strength spent, now exhausted though the circle was complete. It would hold. For now.

***

"Kill them!" Freye screamed, swooping from the sky, concentrating all her hatred into jets of purple blasts, aiming at the four huddled in a pathetic little protection sphere.

Ember joined her sister eagerly, looking like an oversized bird of prey as she attacked.

"Tigress, unless you get up, we're very likely to die." Mideon urged, shaking her shoulders urgently.

Kane snarled, pushing the smaller man aside. "Leave her! She's not the strength!"

Tigress raised her head weakly. "Fallon." She whispered.

"What?" Kane lowered his head.

"Fallon. She comes."

Kane looked around wildly, not seeing anyone besides their attackers. Groaning, he glanced back down at Tigress, half worried half relieved that she had passed out.

"Come out Kane, come out and play with your cousins!" Ember taunted, hovering just out of reach. "That weakling can't protect you for much longer! You might as well face your destiny."

Freye alighted on the other side of the orb, opposite her sister. "With every second that passes, she loses life, it's her own life force sustaining that pathetic little shield you're all hiding under. It's draining her, you're costing her life Kane."

Startled, Kane took a second to study Tigress, noting how her skin was slowly growing white, her expression becoming tranquil, one he had seen before on those on the brink of crossing over.

"No!" He shouted, rage coursing through him in fiery hot bursts. "Not like this!"

Ember and Freye cackled gleefully when Kane stepped from the sphere, almost doubling over with laughter.

"Fool! You've sealed your doom as well as hers!" Freye pointed a long finger at him, condemning him.

The rage bubbled over, physical paining him as if someone had doused him in molten lava, finally venting through his palms, flames shooting from them uncontrollably.

Fire, Kane's worst enemy and biggest fear. He cried out, panicking and stumbling over his own feet.

With this accident came a surprise victory. Ember was caught right in the middle of a torrent of flames.

A mixture of fear and surprise was the last thing anyone saw on her face before the walls of fire engulfed her, only her shrieks of agony could be heard.

Freye stared incredulously, finally turning her confused gaze onto Kane when he stood up, understanding that he was in no danger. "You…" Her words died off as she physically lunged at him, attempting to wrap her hands around his throat.

Surprised, Kane toppled backwards once more, fending off the attack.