A/N: Review please. ^_^

Chapter 37

Guntiver kept close to her in case she thought about taking another try at Scourge, but luckily Vector was just coming up to them. "I'll take her."

Guntiver nodded and Vector helped Amy up and began to lead her away. Guntiver could understand her anger at Scourge. Even he did not see why the Lycan wouldn't morn the girl who had been at his side for more moons than Guntiver cared to consider, but he also knew that he needed Scourge to defeat the she Lycan. He couldn't start another feud with him over the incident, no matter how horrible.

"If we're done with the dramatics, I'd like to finish this." Scourge grumbled as his eyes rested on their enemy. She had taken the moment to regain her strength after the last attack. She looked as though she'd prefer a few more minutes of recuperation, but that was a luxury she would not receive. She narrowed her eyes. 'Come at me then.'

The Mystic and the Elemental took their wolf forms once again. Scourge growled as he realized that as they charged forward, Guntiver would reach her first. The werewolf attempted to pounce on the she wolf, but she moved out of the way just in time. He swung around quickly to lash out his paw at her, hoping to draw blood. She narrowed her eyes and with a threatening growl dared him to take another step. Guntiver lunged forward as did Nightshade and the two locked into battle as their paws scarped at one another and their jaws ripped into flesh. Their battle did not last as Scourge barreled into the side of the Lycan knocking her away from Guntiver, who was breathing heavily with a fresh wound to his upper leg.

Nightshade let out a loud bark as she tried to get back to her paws, obviously outraged that Scourge had caught her by surprise. The Mystic ignored her anger as he attempted to hold her down with his front paws while his jaws snapped at her neck, but it was just out of reach as she barely held him at bay with her struggling. Scourge found his chances dashed again when he realized his strength was waning again. Nightshade gave him a giant heave with her muscular hind legs and sent him flying off of her. He landed in a crouched position as he huffed looking up at his enemy who had rolled onto her four paws once more. He took in deeper breaths, he hoped this momentary lapse would give his injuries a moment to heal, but it wasn't enough. He growled at the sting pain of the deep gashes her claws had drug into his chest. 'You know why you struggle to defeat me?' He heard the she wolf's voice in his head. 'Our powers are the same. You are called Mystic, you were given this title because of your supposed strength, you think you're special, that you are unique for this.' She saw Scourge's eyes narrow, she'd hit a nerve. 'Do you know why we are so alike? Because you are my descendent.' Scourge's guarded confusion turned into obvious surprise as his eyes widened. 'Everything special about you came from me.' She growled. 'The pitiful strength that lies with you or any other Mystic is nothing more than the living genes of an ancient pulsing through your blood.' She stomped her paw forward. 'Everything you are you owe to me!'

Scourge let a out a howl of defiance as he charged at her. It couldn't be true! He was special because he worked harder than anyone else to become strong. He devoted his life to becoming what he was, how could she chalk it up to nothing more than the luck of his genes? He tackled her with the strength of a young arrogant warrior. He was bending to his pride as his jaw clenched around her muzzle and face. She yelped and jerked away as blood spilled from the freshly made wounds on her face. She narrowed her eyes, he would pay for that. His eyes were on fire, Scourge felt as though he had her on the ropes as he watched blood trickle down her muzzle. He launched himself forward and landed on her back. He reared his head before sinking his jaws into her neck. He heard her yowls of pain, a bite like this would end any wolf. He knew he'd finally landed a death stroke.

Suddenly Scourge felt a movement beneath him, it couldn't be. How could she still be moving? Nightshade rolled onto her back catching him off guard and freeing herself from his grasp. Scourge got to his paws quickly and turned to see her facing him. Blood oozed from her neck wound, but she did not seem to be affected. 'You are surprised. Perhaps you did not inherit this ability.' She had a sly and evil grin, even for a wolf. 'No matter how many times you rip out my throat, my body produces blood like an ocean makes waves. I will never bleed out.' Scourge couldn't believe it. She would never grow weak from blood attacks? How could she ever die? His attacks could draw more blood than any other wolf, but what good were they if she were immune to the loss of blood? Nightshade sprang at him. Scourge's hopelessness was so staggering that he didn't even fight back. 'Your part in this fight is over.' Her jaws lunged into the side of his exposed neck and punctured deeply into his flesh. When she pulled away she licked her lips which dripped with blood. 'You will die slowly, but such is a befitting death to a disappointment like you.' She grabbed his tail between her teeth and suddenly slung him away, as if knocking trash off the battlefield.

'No!' A loud voice pounded in Nightshade's head. Before she could react she felt a weight on her flank. Guntiver had driven his fangs deep to the bone of her hip. His rage consumed him as he began to tear at her flesh. She yanked from his claws losing clumps of fur as she did so. She snarled at him and the two leapt forward falling to the ground in mass of raging claws and growls.

It was dark, he could hear the struggle of his own voice as he tried to breath. Scourge began to open his eyes and his vision was blurry, he lay on his side as blood oozed from the wound on his neck. He could feel the unending pain of his body trying to heal the death blow, but with his depleted strength and the severity of the wound, he knew there was no hope of that. 'This is it...this is how I die...?' He heard his own voice echo in his mind. 'At the paws of senile old fool...?' He heard himself choking on air and blood. 'What does it matter...whatever really mattered...?' His vision began to clear, and he realized he was laying on his side, and he was in his human form once again. His sight drifted to something several yards away, as he stared he realized it was Aurora's body, it had not moved since she'd died in his defense. "Aurora...Your vow was wasted on me..." His eyes were barely open now. What had he just said? It sounded as if he cared about the echidna's fate. No, how could that be, he never once shared even a moment with her...had he? His mind suddenly flooded with her memory. She'd been by his side for more moons than he could remember. She'd fought for him and killed for him. His eyes seem to deepen. "You never were right for this kind of life..." He struggled to speak, even though she could no longer hear him. "You killed for me...even though you hated it..." He could see, in his mind's eye, her gentle smiling face. "And you always smiled...no matter what I made you do..." He closed his eyes as her image burned into his mind. "I never acknowledge it...but I knew how you felt..." How could he not of known. Her blue eyes had always been full of love. "I never wanted to be chained...not by the Legion, not by wolves, by loyalty, by friendship or love." His eyes opened and was surrounded by the dark night and the scent of blood. "But I was chained...by something inside me...my pride..." He felt a pain that went deeper than that of his fatal neck wound. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes once more. "What would say now...?"

He searched his memories of the pink echidna, as if something she'd said in the past would ease his passing. But instead he heard her voice echo in his head and he saw her smiling face fading into darkness. 'Scourge, you are the best there ever was. No one will ever defeat you.'

Guntiver dug his claws deep into the she wolf's exposed belly as she fought to break away from him. When she finally managed to escape his claws, she rolled away and onto her side, gasping for breath. Her blood could easily regenerate, but her strength was another story. She'd used so much of it on Scourge already. Guntiver's eyes were glowing with rage. He could of never imagined he would feel such anger for the death of Scourge. His elemental powers stirred with a great unrest. He dug deep within himself and he transformed into his ascended form. The blue lighting pulsed around his feet and neck. His hollow eyes now sharp with resolve. His power was not like before, he was focusing it. His body began to light up as if he were made of pure energy. The lighting surrounding his body suddenly uncoiled from his paws and neck, and jumped into a forming ball just before him. The blue ball of pure light energy was growing bigger and as it did he took a step forward ready to annihilate his target.

"Guntiver no!" The Elemental's eyes widened as he saw who stood between him and the female. It was Lavin.

'Get out of the way elder.' Guntiver's telepathic voice was slightly distorted from his new found power.

"I can't do that." Lavin said as he looked down at the she wolf who was glaring at him as if his help was unwelcomed.

'Do you not realize all that she had done!? She 's a murder, even after saving her life she'd kill you in cold blood!' He growled.

"Even so...I can't let you do this." His eyes were as gentle and sorrowful as one had ever seen them.

'Why?' Guntiver snarled.

Lavin looked back to Guntiver. "Because...she's my sister."

'Liar!' Nightshade's sharp voice echoed through every listening mind. 'I no longer have a brother!' She growled. 'My entire clan was murdered an eternity ago. My mother, father, and all my siblings were killed in cold blood by the humans!'

"No, they weren't." Lavin turned slightly so his body was angled towards her. "I survived." His eyes were heavy with guilt and pain. "Night it's me Lavin, don't you remember me...your brother?"

'You're lying! The Council said you were all dead! The humans took my brother for his pelt!' She glared at him. 'If my brother was alive he would of come for me.'

"I'm sorry..." He wanted to move toward her, but knew it would only anger her further. "The Council...they told me they had to kill you to stop your rampage." His eyes were watering. "I never imagined they had taken you prisoner." His voice was tender with regret. "If I had known...Night I would of fought claw and fang to find you...I would of come for you."

'No!' Nightshade found strength in her body once more, fueled by pain and sorrow. She lunged forward and pinned the old Lycan to the ground. Guntiver growled, but there was nothing he could do. His blast would be to powerful and he would ended up killing Lavin along with her. 'You dare to stain my precious brother's memory with your lies. I'll kill you!'

Nightshade lifted her giant paw up, knowing a single blow could end the old one, but her stroke never came. The she Lycan had been hit square in heart with the same form of energy blast she had killed Aurora with. Blood poured from the gapping whole in her chest and it trickled from her jaws as well. 'Who...dares...?' Her voice croaked.

Standing only a few feet away was Scourge. He struggled for breath as he went down to his knees. "I get my powers from you right?" He coughed up blood. "So don't look so surprised that I could mimic your precious energy attack." His words were staggering and forced, he couldn't stand it much longer. "Your body may make blood, but not without a functioning heart." He clenched his teeth. "And if your healing powers are anything like mine," His voice was spiteful with the same tone she'd used when she had insulted their similarities. "You won't heal quickly enough to survive that..." He collapse forward.

"I don't believe it." Vector said blankly. He realized then that Rouge and Amy were heading onto the battlefield. He turned to Tails. "Stay with Sonic." The fox nodded as Vector quickly ran after the two females.

Guntiver stared at his enemy, she was dying; there was no mistaking that. His bristled fur lay flat and the death sphere before him vanished back into him and to the earth. His wolf form began to fade as well. He couldn't maintain it now. He was making his way over to Scourge. He knelt down and flipped the green hedgehog over gently. "Scourge." Guntiver knew that there was no healer that could save Scourge, even with Scourge's abilities to regenerate, Nightshades attack had been too deep. Guntiver struggled to understand how he had even manage the unnaturally powerful attack Scourge had just used, what had driven him to such an act?

Scourge looked up at Guntiver. "I don't have the strength to move anymore but...I want to see her face..." Guntiver realized that Scourge was talking about Aurora. He nodded and picked up the Lycan's battered body. He walked the few yards to where Aurora was laying, and gently placed him down beside her. Scourge used what little strength he had left to turn his head and look into Aurora's face. "We've been together all this time...so I will die here beside you." He struggled through more pain than ever as his hand crossed the few inches that lie between them until he was grasping hers. "If possible...I want to go to the same place you are going too..." He gripped her hand gently. "I promise...to love you there." A soft wind moved across the field and over their bodies, and Scourge's eyes finally closed for the very last time.

The on looking wolves and human could scarcely believe it. Two of the most powerful among the elite ranks of the Lycan and werewolf worlds were gone. Guntiver began to realize that he would never again face Scourge in battle. It was to this Lycan, who had fought so mercilessly to kill him, he now forever owed his life. For a brief moment Guntiver's wondered if Scourge had been such a worthy enemy, what kind of ally would of made if only things had been different. What fate would of befallen the beautiful echidna at his side if Scourge had been a different Lycan? Guntiver shook the thoughts away. He knew more than anyone, that Scourge had been exactly the Lycan he was meant to be. It was because of Scourge's pride, determination, and even his lack of mercy that had made him into the only Lycan that could of brought down the ancient she wolf. Even in all of his evil and all his hatred, Scourge had not been completely heartless in his final moments. Guntiver knew that it was because of Aurora that Scourge had not allowed himself to die until proving Aurora's words, that he was the best there ever was. Perhaps in the end it had always been Aurora's unshakable loyalty and love that had driven the Mystic or at least that was what Guntiver would like to believe, but he would never know for sure. He could only resign himself to hopeful speculation.

"We should burry them." Rouge said softly from behind Guntiver. Even she, a Lycan who had seen more than her fair share of death, was teary eyed at Scourge and Aurora's death.

"Yes..." Guntiver's voice was feeble with exhaustion. "It is the right thing to do...We should burry them together, it's what they would of wanted."

'You should dig a hole for yourselves while you're at it.' Guntiver's eyes suddenly widened as he jerked around quickly. The Lycan, she was laying there on her side still bleeding and dying. 'I have met my death at his hands, but not quickly enough. I will not die alone.' The tattered fur on her pelt began to rustle as wind surrounded her body. She was calling up another energy blast, but this was not like before. Guntiver could smell it in the air, this attack would be unstoppable. 'You know,' She saw the look in his eye. 'You can't stop me now, and you can't run. You're all going to die!'

Guntiver stood motionless as he saw Vector and Rouge turn to their wolf forms and attempted to attack Nightshade, but it was in vain. The energy she had already assemble had created a barrier and was only growing stronger as she summoned more and more energy for her final death bomb. Guntiver began to feel limp, had everything up until now been a waist? Even with all that had been sacrificed were they all going to die anyway? He began to feel himself drown in hopelessness, when suddenly a hand on his shoulder pulled him from his own despair. "Guntiver, get the others and get away from here." The oaken wolf realized that it was Lavin standing there. Lavin took his hand from the wolf's shoulder. "Everything will be okay." He was looking now at his sister. "Leave her to me."

"But, Lavin..." Guntiver didn't understand how Lavin could even entertain the idea that he was strong enough to do anything about Nightshade.

"Just trust me." Lavin reassured him. "I'll descend the blast's power, but I won't be able to end it completely. I should be able to give you and the others enough time to get to a safe distance." He turned to Guntiver one more time. "She's my sister. I have to stay with her. I can't let her die alone again." He began to walk forward his eyes resting on Nightshade once more. It was obvious that Lavin was being torment by the guilt of believing his sister had once died alone, and he could not bear it a second time.

Guntiver quickly grabbed Rouge by the front paw. "We have to get out of here. You and Vector go get Tails and Sonic, we have to move him fast. I'll get Amy." He saw Rouge look at Lavin and then back at him, Guntiver only shook his head. Rouge gave the old Lycan one last stare before letting out a howl to signal Vector, once at her side the two bounded away towards Sonic and Tails. Guntiver turned quickly to find Amy, she was just getting up from kneeling by Aurora and Scourge. He had thought he'd seen her holding something in her hand, but he didn't have to worry about it. "Amy come on we have to go." He said quickly.

Amy was about to follow him when she noticed Lavin. "Wait, we have to get Lavin." She said as she changed direction toward the old Lycan.

"No." Guntiver took her arm gently, but when he met her eyes he lost his strength. "He...He's not coming with us."

"No...it can't be." she shook her head. "We can't leave him!" She pulled away from him and began to run breathlessly after the elder. "Lavin!" She yelled. "Lavin, no! We can't leave you behind like this!"

Lavin stopped only a yard or two away from his sister as he turned to meet Amy. He had a soft familiar smile on his face. "I was afraid I might not get to say farewell to you."

She was breathing heavily as she shook her head. "Lavin, you-you can't leave us. Please, we need you." She whimpered. "Your wiser than any of us, we need you...we can't lose another friend..." She said with steamy tears in her eyes. She suddenly lunged forward hugging the Lycan.

He placed a comforting hand on top of her head. "It is better that the old should die so that the young can live." He smiled soft heartily at the young hedgehog who looked to the side unable to imagine never seeing him again. "My time has come to an end, and I am going to join my family now. My place is here, by my sister's side. But you still have a part to play in this life. Never forget the lessons you have learned here Wolf's Maiden." He began to move away and he could feel her grip fall from him. "And Amy," She suddenly looked up hearing him say her true name. "You should know that when you speak with Sonic about me, always remember that I forgave him and called him friend. Please remember that." He bowed his head. "Goodbye my young friend." he turned away for the last time.

Amy watched as something happened, something that she'd never seen since knowing him. Lavin turned into a wolf. A solid white wolf was standing before her now. Amy knew that he was not white, because he was the strongest, like a Mystic or an Elemental, but his pelt was a rare white that came only to a Lycan that lived long enough for time alone to turn every hair on his pelt white with age. He stepped forward and into the barrier, he struggled to force through it, anyone could see that it caused him more pain than one could imagine, but he passed through it all the same. Once inside he laid down with his head resting on his sister's back.

"Amy we have to go, now!" Guntiver grabbed her arm again and was pulling her away. Only after a few moments did she begin to run with him.

Lavin could see his sister's anger as she growled. He only soothed her with a gentle nuzzle. 'Night, this may hurt a little, but bear with it.' His body began to glow with a bright light. It was slowly over taking her dark energy. She yowled in pain as she began to change. Her body was finally reverting back to its human form. As this power overtook hers he began to lose his wolf form as well. 'Now I know why I have lived so long.' His thoughts were overflowing like water from a broken dam. 'I thought my never ending life was punishment for not saving my family.' He gritted his teeth as he felt another wave of energy. 'But now I understand, it wasn't a punishment, it was a second chance. I was meant to find you again Night. I was meant to be with you now I promise you'll never be alone again.'

Nightshade slowly opened her eyes, and she realized that she was being held by a familiar hedgehog. Lavin had purged her of the centuries of pain and rage that had poisoned her for so long. Now she was no longer the strongest ancient, she was no more than the young Lycan she had been before the loss of her family and clan. "Lavin...I've been so lonely..." She said as her eyes began to water.

"I know." He soothed as the seething power that still engulfed them began to overtake their physical bodies. "I'm here now." They were slowly turning into shimmering crystals of dust. Lavin held Night closer to him. "We're going home."