Darcia appeared as everyone reached to the top and not only was he there; he was also a dark-purple wolf. Somehow, he managed to turn himself into a wolf.

"What lies ahead is a Paradise for wolves. There cannot be any humans in the Paradise." Daria said.

At thst point Blue was furious and everyone knew why. She is furious with the fact that Darcia had killed Oyaji...even Esmeralda furious too.

"You...you killed Oyaji!" Blue shouted. With that said, Esmeralda stood in front of Cheza as everyone else was standing guard in front of them.

"Cheza...come with me...together we can open up Paradise...we can accomplish our goals...with you by my side..." Daria said.

"Don't you dare go near her..." Kiba growled before he turned into his wolf form and he and Darcia started to attack each other. "Hige! Tsume!...take care of Cheza, Blue, and Esmeralda!"

As they continued to fight, Darcia somehow made the first move to make Kiba bleed first as Kiba fell to the ground. Darcia started to head towards their directions as Esmeralda covered Cheza from harm and Blue attacked Darcia in her wolf form. Esmeralda saw that Blue couldn't hold on much against Darcia as he slammed Blue to the ground. Esmeralda tried to help Blue but Hige pushed her aside and told her to stay with Cheza. Darcia held his jaw out towards Blue's neck in which Esmeralda knew what we going to happen next.

"No! Don't!" Esmeralda's screams didn't seem to help as Darcia bit Blue's neck.

Seeing the horror caused Cheza to cry and it caused a huge effect to Hige. He attacked Darcia in his wolf form with such anger that not even a single scratch could harm him. Darcia just laughed and soon, he took a big bite at Hige as he fell to the ground.

Esmeralda couldn't take in the horror because as soon as Darcia headed towards her direction, she quickly pushed Cheza aside and attacked him in her wolf form.

Darcia started to laugh at her. "Fool, you are not even close to my strength. Now be gone." He grabbed her tail and threw her aside as she took an impact on an iced rock.

"Esmeralda!" Tsume shouted as he headed towards Darcia but then Darcia just pushed Tsume aside as he too made an impact on the rock.

Esmeralda saw Darcia grabbed Cheza in his mouth as if she was bait. "Cheza!" Kiba shouted.

"Goodbye…wolves." Darcia said before running off with Cheza in his mouth and Kiba followed him.

Esmeralda quickly got up and ran to Tsume's side to help him up. "Are you alright?" He asked her.

Esmeralda nodded. "Yes, I am. We need to go after them!" She started to chase after Kiba and Darcia but then she found Hige and Blue laying on the ground which delayed her chase.

She quickly ran to their side to check on them. Hige was still alive and is in horrible condition but Blue...Blue was already dead...she was covered with blood and her face looked so peaceful.

"Esmeralda...go after...them..." Hige breathed out.

"what about you?" Tsume asked.

Hige smiled. "Heh...there's no point...just kill me..."

Esmeralda's eyes widen as she shouted, "No! We're not gonna kill you!"

"Please! Just kill me...it's better off than suffering this pain...I want to be at peace with Blue...please..."

Esmeralda didn't know what to do but Tsume just lightly pushed her aside as he took the final move and 'killed' Hige with his bare teeth.

She held in her tears as she saw the scene. 'Two more of my friends have died...I just want all of us to go to Paradise...' She thought to herself.

"Esmeralda...let's go! Kiba's waiting!" Tsume said, snapping her out of her trance.

"R-right." Tsume grabbed her hand as they quickly went after Kiba and caught up to him after a couple of minutes.

Once Esmeralda and Tsume caught up to them, Darcia was already in a position to kill Kiba but then Tsume pushed Darcia aside as Esmeralda quickly ran to Cheza's aide. Cheza was covered in blood. Her skin was withering as she slowly tries to get up.

"Cheza...what are you doing..." Esmeralda asked.

"Take me up there...it's where Paradise is..." Cheza said as she pointed up to where she wants to go.

"But..."

"Please..."

Esmealda quickly shut her mouth and helped her get to the very top of the mountain. She looked behind her and saw that Kiba was heading towards them with Darcia and Tsume fighting each other.

'I really hope that something bad won't happen to Tsume.' She thought in her head.

Once Esmeralda and Cheza have reached to the top of the mountain, there was a huge gap that might've been at least 200 feet down. She stared at Cheza seeing what she is going to do next.

"Cheza...where's the entrance?" Esmeralda asked as she gently put Cheza down.

Cheza pointed down. "Down here...Rio...thank you..."

"What..."

Cheza quickly kissed her cheek as she took a step and fell to the bottom of the gap. Esmeralda's reactions were delayed as she saw her fall down. She didn't know what she was doing so she tried to jump with her but Kiba grabbed her hand to prevent her from doing so.

"You stay here and help Tsume, I'll go after her. If this is our last time seeing each other, then i thank you for coming..." Kiba said before he went down after Cheza.

After realizing what was going on, Esmeralda quickly headed back to where Darcia and Tsume was and she sneaked up on Darcia and attacked him.

Darcia chuckled at her. "Well, aren't you just a stupid wolf."

"I rather die as a wolf than a coward!" Esmeralda shouted before she started to attack Darcia as he blocked them or ended up attacking her. Tsume comes along to attack too so then it was two on one.

After a while, Darcia managed to hold Esmeralda onto the ground as he was about to rip her neck off but then Tsume saved her. Darcia grabbed Tsume and slammed him a couple of times onto a huge rock. After that, Darcia ran past Tsume and bite his whole side.

Esmeralda gasped as she couldn't believe to what she saw as Tsume just lied on the ground, not moving. "Tsume!"

Darcia stood over her and said, "He'll be dead soon…he can never go to Paradise...it was fun while it last...You're very lucky that I decided to let you live." She watches Darcia jump down the gap in which he is heading towards Kiba and Cheza.

Esmeralda quickly stood up on her feet and ran over to Tsume. She fell on her knees as she watches him breathe heavily. "Tsume…"

Tsume opened his eyes and stared at her. "You should follow him…if you don't…you'll miss…the gate to Paradise…" He wheezed out.

"I'm not leaving your side. Not until the very end." She said.

"Esmeralda…"

A small wind picked up, blowing Esmeralda's hair out of her eyes, revealing her scared eye to Tsume. She gazed at the deep gash in his side and thigh. She knew that she couldn't prevent the inevitable. Tears began to build up in her eyes.

"Esmeralda, don't cry…please…" Tsume said, wiping the tear that escaped from her eyes. She brought her hand and placed it on top of his hand, holding it to her face.

"I can't help but cry…just like before…all of my friends have died, and not the one person who is important to me and made a great impact in my life is dying before my eyes. Tell me, Tsume, how can I not cry?" She asked, her eyes locked with his eyes.

"Esmeralda, do you remember back then…you asked me about my scar on my chest. This is the mark of my sin." Esmeralda's eyes widen as he continued, "I abandoned my friends to be killed and…ran away. And then…I was thrown out of my pack. I didn't…need any…friends and…there was nothing…I believed in…I betrayed those…around me…Until I met…you and…the guys…I wanted…take you to…Paradise…with me…I wouldn't be here…if it wasn't for…you…"

Still looking into his eyes, Esmeralda knew that she was running out of time. They were starting to slowly glaze over. She let her hand drop, coming to rest on his chest which was barely rising, his heartbeat slowing underneath her palm.

"Esmeralda…promise me something…"

"Anything…"

"Promise…we'll meet again…in Paradise…"

She nodded sadly, tears still trailing down her face. She leaned into him and kissed him softly on the lips, which he returned with unspoken love and affection. "I promise." She whispered.

His eyes were clouding faster, he told her to leave. She obeyed, unwillingly, and ran off in the direction Kiba, Cheza, and Darica went; her tears blurring her vision.

Tsume watched her leave, slowly slipping down the boulder he was leaning against. 'Damn my pride…Keep your promise, Esmeralda. I love you…'

A lone howl pierced through the air; the howl had sadness and regret. Esmeralda jumped down into the gap, her heart wrenching at the sound.

'Damn you…Damn you, Darica!' Esmeralda ran towards the place where Darica stood over Kiba who was heavily injured, lunging at his neck.

Catching Darica off guard, Esmeralda managed to clamp tightly to his neck. But it was in vain. He quickly flung her over him; she swiftly regained her composure, despite the small injuries she received from her last fight with him. They both lunged, attacking each other mid-air, blood splattering the white snow. Sliding rom the impact of landing, both Esmeralda and Darica stood at an attack stance. Suddenly, Esmeralda collapsed.

"Esmeralda!" Kiba cried out.

Darica turned his attention to Cheza and stalked off after her. Kiba slowly made his way over to Esmeralda in wolf form and began to nudge her.

"Esmeralda…no…" He looked at the deep gash on her neck; he knew she wasn't going to make it.

"Kiba…I made…a promise…" Her breaths were started to become shallower by the second. Kiba looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"A…promise…that…I'll keep…no…matter..w…what." She coughed out.

"Then we'll all meet again…" He replied.

"In Paradise." Finally, she let the darkness take her away.

'Light…?' Blinking the blinding light away that shined through her eyelids, Esmeralda slowly opened her eyes to see a beautiful green meadow that spread as far as the eyes could see. Standing in front of her was a man that she couldn't make out any detail of him. The sun managed to have him in a complete shadow.

She slowly started to stand up as the man said, "I see you've kept your promise."

She smiled at him and said, "I never go back on my word. Especially to the ones that are very precious to me."

He smiled back at her. "And I'm glad for that. There's nothing to hide…so let it go."

Those words were all it took for Esmeralda to run up to Tsume's open arms and embrace each other tightly. "I miss you, Esmeralda." He whispered in her ear.

"And I miss you, Tsume."

"I didn't get to tell you this…but…I love you, Esmeralda."

She looked up and said, "I love you too, Tsume." He softly kissed her on the lips.

"Hey you guys!" A voice shouted.

Both Esmeralda and Tsume looked over a small hill and saw Hige waving his arms and grinning. Next to him was Toboe who was waving his arms while jumping up and down.

"Tsume! Esmeralda! You're here!" Toboe shouted.

Standing behind them was Blue, Cher, Hubb, Oyaji, Kiba, and Cheza; all smiling happily.

"Let's all go to Paradise…together." Cheza said.

"Like we all promised." Kiba added.

Tsume and Esmeralda nodded before setting off towards them. 'This is exactly what I want for Paradise...this is all too real...as if it was just a...'