Chapter 35

An Acolyte's Will

"What the hell is this?" I asked turning to my fear stricken brother as we were both interrupted by Cinder laughing maniaclly. Turning to the amber eyed woman who thirst was filled with the situation at hand. The Massive Black Dragon roared once again as I held my ears from the massive noise.

"THIS? This is the Alpha Grimm dear, the most powerful of the Grimm available on this earth. Taking on the fear of man's worst nightmare. A massive dragon. You can try to defeat it together. But you will fail! BECAUSE I CONTROL IT! YOU WILL BOTH DIE!" She screamed as she looked defiantly at us. Murasaki ran up next to me as well as Natalie next to Caine. It would be the 4 of us against that damn creature. I needed to find a way to beat it. Somehow.

"YOU WILL ALL...Ah...ahhh..." She stopped yelling as we all stared as a blade pierced Cinder's chest. She looked down at the black bloody blade. Behind the dark woman was the corrupted Yang who leaned in to Cinder's left ear.

"You will control none of us human. No one ever will." Yang said in a slightly malfested voice before throwing the corpse of Cinder to the side. Cleaning her blade arm of the disgusting woman's blood.

"Are you Yang?" I asked sheathing my gunblade behing my back. "Yang" laughed as she took a deeper look at me. Almost in a way examining my soul.

"I am merely controlling her as a Vessel. If I so desired, I would let it go for another." Yang responded as Murasaki snapped.

"THEN LET HER GO YOU BASTARD! You obviously don't need her do you? YOU'RE JUST TOYING WITH US!" Murasaki yelled drawing his sword as Yang laughed.

"You are attached with this human. I can tell. If she means that much to you. I then propose a wager. If you can defeat me in combat, killing me. Then my influence will break over this human. Restoring her to previous state. Unharmed of course." The demon chuckled as Murasaki tightened his grip on his sword.

"And assuming your true form is that dragon, correct?" He asked.

"Precisely" She responded.

"And if we lose?" I asked as the demon turned to me with a cracked smile.

"Then I shall keep her, and destroy Vale along with it. The choice is yours." The creature turned its back before disappearing before us as the harsh reality struck us harder than a bullet. Caine turned to me and nodded.

"I guess we don't have a choice. Do we?" Caine asked as I gave an acknowledgment nod.

"No we don't." Natalie responded as it struck me. I had one final thing to do. One final amend to my past.

"Natalie, can I talk to you? In private?" I asked her as she smiled.

"Yea of course." Natalie said.

"Brother we don't have the time." Caine invoked.

"Well make the time, its important." I snapped back to him before walking a few meters with Natalie to a small opening.

"What is it you wanted to talk about Gabriel." She asked me as I took a deep breath. I didn't want to say it. Gods know I didn't. But I had come too far to stop. I had to tell her.

"Gabriel?" Natalie asked with a concerned tone as I looked at her finally.

"Natalie, this...this will be the last...conversation we ever have." I said with a soft tone as it dumbstuck Natalie. Like she didn't want to believe it.

"What are you talking about Gabriel? I'm right here. I'm not leaving." She nervously chuckled.

"No, you aren't leaving. I am Natalie." I said as her eyes began to swell up from forming tears.

"NO! No you aren't! You can't leave me! PLEASE GABRIEL! DON'T LEAVE ME!" She was crying now, begging me to stay.

"I have to go Natalie. This is goodbye." I said as she was now full on crying, punching me in the chest softly from guilt.

"WHY GOD DAMN IT? WHY? Tell me please!" She yelled gripping me in a tight hug. Like a child begging for her parent to never leave. I completed the embrace, rubbing her hair as she cried heavily into my shoulder.

"Because I have to kill that beast, to save you. To save this city, and to save the only family I have left. Including you." I said softly placing my hand on her abdomen. She looked up at me pissed with tears streaming down her face.

"And you can't do that alive?! Is that it huh?!" She demanded to know.

"My name is heresy to this world. I never expected to live when I came here. And my brother and I have a score to settle. I'm sorry." I apologized as she continued to cry.

"Sorry? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" She replied.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't meet you sooner. Fell in love with you, and got to know who you really were. Out of all the events of my entire life. Most of it bad. You were the one good thing that came out of it. I thank you for that. I care for you Natalie too much to let you continue. Not with a child. I love you Natalie. Please understand why I am doing this. I am not doing this because I hate you. No, its because it is for you." I said with an honest to god smile on my face. She looked up at me before giving me a deep kiss. One which I held for the longest time. As I began to cry I heard a call for my name over by my brother. I let go of the kiss giving one last embrace to the woman I loved. She kept crying as she held me tight one last time.

"Please Gabriel, stay strong sweetheart. I love you too. Now...now go." She let go of me, feeling my skin leave her's for the last time of our lives. It was the hardest thing in the world to say goodbye to someone you cared about. But to someone you loved, who you knew that you were never going to see again. It was the hardest thing to do in my life. Natalie...I'm sorry I did this to you. That I let this happen. But in order to save Vale, to save you, to save Sara. I have to give my life. As one man who has long passed from this world. The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few. Even if history did not truly remember my name. I would. Not of dishonor. But of true faith, to the very end.

Goodbye...Natalie

I will always love you...to the very end.