~ Chapter Forty-Nine ~

The Death Curse

Avalon's once luscious greenery and rolling hills were now burned vegetation and filled with smoke from all the smoldering fires. The ground was painted with blood from the fallen soldiers of Hel, leaving some bodies from the Asgardian and Avalonian armies. But, Rose shot past the terrible scenery towards an even more terrible scene.

Elisa, Xanatos, Kai, Griff, Staghart, Bronx, Boudicca, Ophelia, King Arthur, and Gabriel were surrounding Hudson and Coco; and by now, many of the uninjured Asgardians, Third Race, the New Olympians, and clans from Ishimura and Avalon were surrounding them, as well.

Rose landed on the ground so hard, dust kicked up, and when she ran towards the group, a terrible howling cry suddenly stopped her in her tracks and her breath caught in her throat.

Staghart was howling and sobbing over Coco's body, his claws desperately trying to staunch the flowing blood coming out from her open neck wound. Across the way, Elisa was gently caressing her hand over Hudson's face with tears streaming down her face.

Rose vaguely heard Goliath, Brooklyn, and the others landing behind her as she took off sprinting towards Coco and Hudson.

Pushing through the bystanders of clan members and Third Race beings, Rose froze for a second and got a closer look at them both. Hudson's head was resting in Elisa's lap, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow.

Coco's tan-skin was so pale she was unrecognizable, her eyes were shut, and there was no sign of life from her at all. A remarkable amount of blood was still flowing out from the divet bite in her neck.

Staghart was holding her in his arms and was in hysterics. His usual calm and gentle demeanor had been broken by grief. Griff had collapsed to his knees, with silent tears rolling down his bird-like beak.

The seconds of evaluating the scene felt like minutes had passed. Both Coco and Hudson were in mortal danger, but she could only heal them one at a time.

Elisa caught her eye for a few seconds, and the pain in them was so great, it was already as if Hudson was...

"Save her!" Staghart suddenly cried out, his voice shaking so badly they came in pauses; his face was twisted up in unbearable anguish. "Please, Rose! SAVE HER!"

Without another thought, Rose launched herself to her knees at his and Coco's side, placed her hands upon her bloody neck, and within a matter of seconds, bright red healing magic was flowing from her hands, arms, chest, and entire being into Coco's.

Rose wasn't sure how much time had passed as she forced her magic to pulse into Coco- healing her wholly. But, suddenly, Coco's heart and life-force began pulling away from her power.

Fading away.

Gritting her teeth, Rose pulled harder on each component, Coco's soul and life, while healing her wounds, and it was like a giant tug-of-war. A surgery of piecing and stitching things together.

Come on, Coco. Stay with me. Don't give up.

Rose pushed harder on her magic, giving more of it to her, willing her body and soul to re-connect. After a few more pain-staking seconds, Rose finally felt Coco's body and soul connect. Then- a strong heartbeat filled her ears and pulsed in her magic.

Gotcha.

Blowing out a breath, Rose opened her eyes and willed her magic to fade.

Coco remained motionless in Staghart's arms, but her neck had healed. It didn't look like she was injured, but her blood, which was pooled on the ground around them and soaked in Rose's hands, was the only evidence that she had been hurt.

"Is she-?" Staghart paused, looked down at her face, and wiped some blood off her skin. "Rose, is she-?"

"I felt her heart beating in my magic," Rose whispered, placing two fingers on the side of her wrist, "and I feel a pulse." She then placed her other hand on Coco's chest, felt her heart beating, and saw her chest rising and falling. She looked up into Staghart's anguished face and smiled. "She's alive."

"Are you sure?" Griff suddenly asked. He had been kneeling in silence, with his head bowed as if he had been praying.

"I am sure."

"Then, why isn't she waking up?" Staghart asked quietly, trying to gain his composure.

"Sometimes it takes a few minutes for them to come back after a traumatic experience."

Rose shut her eyes again, placed a hand upon her chest, and forced herself to connect with Coco's mind and soul, sending small amounts of electricity to jolt her awake.

Coco, it's time to wake up. Your friends need you.

Coco's eyes fluttered open, and with a deep groan, she came to. Rose opened her eyes, pulled away from her, and smiled in relief.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Staghart cried out, and Griff was instantly there, placing his claws on Coco.

"Coco? Hey, Luv. Can you hear us?"

Coco moaned again, moved her head, then looked up at Griff and Staghart and looked confused.

"Amp…? Griff? Wha'... wha' is goin' on?"

"A Draugr attacked you," Staghart whispered, taking her claw in his. "Rose just barely healed you and brought you back to us."

Griff then let out a soft sob, took her other claw, and pressed it to his lips. "Oh, Coco girl. I can't believe we nearly lost you."

"Yeh can't get rid of me… that easily," she said weakly with a smile, paused to grimace, then relaxed in Staghart's arms. She then turned to look at Griff. "Wait. Wha' 'appened to the demon bastard? Did I rip its bloody 'ead off?"

Griff smiled at her. "No, darling. Rose and her small band of clan killed Lord Demetrius with Excalibur. When he died, all of the creatures died with his magic."

"So, does tha' mean… that we won?" Coco asked him, her eyebrows rising and her husks grinning out of her mouth in a giant smile.

Griff nodded, and his mouth trembled. "Yes, but almost at great costs. You nearly gave your life to this war."

"It would 'ave been worth it," Coco whispered.

"No, because a life without you, Coco, is like a world without happiness," Staghart added. "And we couldn't imagine living in such a world."

Coco smiled gently at him, raised her claw, and rested it on his face.

"Oh, Amp, Griff. Yeh, big blubberin' beasts. Come 'ere."

Heaving herself up, she wrapped her arms tightly around Staghart's neck, pulling Griff into her arms, and hugged them both. "My boys… thank yeh for caring for ol' Coco."

Staghart looked past her shoulder at Rose, his eyes swimming with tears, and smiled at her, mouthing, 'thank you.'

Rose smiled, nodded, then stood and turned to look at everyone around her. The Ishimura, Avalon, and Third Race beings celebrated at Coco's joyous return and healing. She then looked over at the New Olympians and surveyed them quickly. A mighty-looking man with long white hair, white eyes, and white feathered wings smiled and nodded his head at her.

Boreas, the New Olympians leader, looked a great deal like her, and his wings, though a different color, mirrored her own.

Rose smiled back at him, noting that she wanted to speak to him later.

Suddenly, a horrible sensation filled her chest and heart, and her eyes instantly went to the small group outside of the celebrating gargoyles and creatures, and slowly, the celebrations faded from her mind. The feelings of horror grew stronger.

Brooklyn, Broadway, Lexington, Elisa, Akira, Xanatos, Bronx, Angela, and Goliath were kneeling next to a motionless Hudson, crying. Bronx was whining, and Demona was even standing nearby with her head hung low.

Rose's heart seemed to stop, and she knew what happened. "No!" she gasped before taking off into a sprint.

Brooklyn turned just in time and caught her around the chest- holding her back. His eyes were slightly puffy from crying.

"Rose…"

"No, no, NO!" she cried out, fighting against his hold. "Let me go… I can… HUDSON!"

The celebrating clans and creatures suddenly hushed and turned to look at them. Their eyes grew wide at the scene of silent grieving around the old soldier.

"Rose, he's gone," Brooklyn whispered huskily in her ear, holding onto her tightly. "It's too late. He's gone."

"NO!" Rose screamed, tears streaming down her face now. "I REFUSE to believe that he's- HUDSON!"

Ripping herself out of his arms, Rose ran over and knelt by Hudson's side. His face was peaceful, and he looked as if he were just sleeping.

Panting and gasping, she wanted to wake him up because there was no way he was dead. Placing her bloody hands upon his chest, she shut her eyes and instantly dove deep into Hudson's body and soul with her magic, healing, and searching for him.

"Rose…" Brooklyn said softly, but she ignored him, kept her eyes closed, and focused her magic on Hudson. Then, a tingling shot through her hands, and her soul-bond turned on right as her mate's deep voice echoed through her head.

Rose, my love, it's too late. He's gone. Hudson is dead.

No! I refuse to accept that. Help me save him.

Rose gritted her teeth and kept searching. Brooklyn stayed silent for a few seconds, then his voice said, babe, it's impossible.

I am the Goddess of Death, and I say his time is NOT over.

There was a slight pause again, and when Brooklyn spoke, his voice was quiet and cautious. But neither can you stop the inevitable, my love.

There was truth in that, but yet, that wasn't the case with Hudson. Rose couldn't explain it, but somehow, she could now sense all souls around her without looking into their eyes. She could feel life and death around her, the very pulsing of the Earth and all of its creatures.

She could feel the balance of it all, and in the old soldier lying in front of her was no exception. Hudson wasn't entirely gone. He was still connected to his body somehow; she just had to find him and bring him home, as Brooklyn did once for her.

Rose grit her teeth and gave more of her healing power into Hudson's body and soul, willing him to return, the same time she pushed the poison out of his veins. But this time, she would need a lot more strength than she needed with Coco.

Brooklyn, I know I can save him. He's not entirely gone. Help me bring him back. Give me strength! Please!

Their bond went silent, and she wasn't sure if he would help her or not, nor did she cut off focus from trying to heal Hudson either, when suddenly, Brooklyn's claws touched her shoulders, and he kneeled behind her. His body was warm, perfect, and meshed perfectly with hers as their souls became one.

With eyes closed and her fully focused on her magic and bringing Hudson back, Brooklyn's strength encompassed her and gave an even greater light and strength.

Rose felt like she was looking through new eyes as she looked with her magic and senses. Then- it was like she just became one with her magic, and Brooklyn was the other half of it. The reason she could see with new eyes.

Suddenly, Rose became one with herself, him, their magic, and soul-bond, and the world was no longer a tangible thing around them but an infinite space where only souls existed. She could feel Brooklyn in this world, his love for her, his strength, and endurance; it was like fuel to fire, his strength meshed perfectly with her magic.

Together, with one mind, one soul, and one goal- they searched this internal universe for him- healing his body as they went. It was like they were two lights searching the dark tunnels for a way out, for another soul like theirs.

Then, they finally saw it-

A light.

A small, tiny, little wisp of life was in the middle of the darkness.

Hudson's life.

Come home, Hudson. Your time is not yet up…

Rose offered her hand to the soul, letting it choose for itself. For a moment, she thought it was going to refuse, but then it came with them. Together, she, Brooklyn, and Hudson all surfaced from the dark world.

Rose's magic faded, and she came out of her out-of-body experience, leaving her body trembling. Lying behind her, Brooklyn held her by the waist and had fallen onto his forearms, also trembling slightly.

Blinking herself back to reality, she looked at everyone's shocked faces, and even Demona had stepped closer to see for herself what had been done.

Rose turned and looked at Brooklyn, needing to know if he experienced everything she had. His eyes were wide, a bit disconcerted, but slowly she reached out a trembling hand and took his claw, gripping it tightly.

"What was that?" He breathed. "That was like…"

"It was like when you pulled me out of that in-between stage when Kevin shot me, and I died," Rose whispered. "We did the same thing for Hudson…because-"

"You are the Goddess of Death," Brooklyn finished for her, and she nodded. She couldn't explain it, but he felt what she had felt. The power wasn't an evil thing, despite the ominous name. It was a sacred, delicate title to hold and a considerable responsibility.

One she wasn't sure she wanted.

They continued to stare at each other, both wholly amazed at the out-of-body experience they both shared when someone groaned behind them and moved.

"Hudson!" Goliath exclaimed, and gasps of amazement erupted from the clan. Rose and Brooklyn turned around and crawled over to his side, relief flooding both of them.

Hudson was breathing again, his body healed of the poison, and deep below his chest, Rose heard the steady and robust beating of his heart. Tears welled up in her eyes and instantly fell down her face.

Hudson groaned deeply as Broadway and Goliath helped him sit up. "Jalapeña, do I have a headache."

Smiles and small laughs of relief exited the Clan, and Rose smiled at him.

"How are you feeling?"

Hudson groaned again but took a deep breath, and his good eye found hers. "I am old, achy, and need a very, very long nap, but I should be just fine until the dawn comes." He smiled, reached out, and took her hands in his claws. "I don't know why yeh would bother bringin' back such an old beast back from the dead, Rose. I was content leavin' this world as a soldier. But-" he paused, and Rose smiled tenderly.

"But, your time hasn't come yet," she added quietly, "you and I both know this, Hudson. I wasn't going to let you eternally rest just yet. If you're tired, then take a nap."

Hudson laughed, nodded, and squeezed Rose's hands. He wasn't going to admit it, but he was grateful and relieved to be still alive.

Just as they all were.

Behind Rose, Brooklyn wrapped his arms around her chest, kissed her hair and neck, and she felt his tears falling down her skin as he held her.

"We did it," he whispered, kissing her hair again. "I don't know how… but we did it, Rose! I… you…" he stopped, then turned her face to look into his, and his gaze was intense and passionate. "I mean, you did it, my love. I'm sorry for not believing in you. I promise that I'll never second-guess or question you again. I trust you, my love, and I love you."

Rose smiled gently at him and leaned into him. "I love you too, but you were right, we did this, and I couldn't have achieved it without your strength. It would appear that we have a lot more to learn about each other and our bond now that I'm a Third Race being and the Goddess of Death."

Brooklyn nodded and snorted lightly. "Yeah, it would appear so."

Rose turned to face Hudson again, reached her hands forward, and touched his wrist, feeling for his pulse. The clan was staring at her with astonishment, and Goliath came over and grasped onto her shoulders.

"He lives because of you. How? How did you bring him back?"

"Hudson was in a half-alive, half-dead state of being," Rose said, "the same one I was once when Kevin shot me back at the Eyrie Building all those months ago. I was able to find his soul and bring him back."

When Goliath raised his eye bone at her, she chuckled nervously.

"Um, it's hard to explain, but my magic and senses have changed slightly since being a Fae, and I guess, Goddess of Death. I can now feel the pulsing of life all around me."

When everyone looked confused, she shut her eyes and tried to explain better.

"I can feel the grass beneath this fiery rubble trying to push up and bring life again, I can feel the wild-life in the forests coming out of hiding…" she paused then looked at Goliath and smiled, "and I felt Hudson's soul in the mix of all life, still. He was trying to hang onto his body and was nearby, even if he had just barely died. So, I brought him back with my magic with Brooklyn's strength from our soul-bond." She smiled over at her mate, reached out, and squeezed his claw. "We both brought him back home."

Goliath's face was frozen in shock at her explanation, and nobody said a word for a few seconds.

"Um," Elisa said, breaking the silence, "care to explain that all again?"

Rose smiled as the rest of the Clan chuckled. She wasn't sure how else to explain it since she didn't know anything about these new powers or sensitivities, but she would try.

"Um… well…"

"It is called the Limbo Effect."

Rose, Brooklyn, Goliath, and the others turned to face the newcomer's deep and silky voice. In a flash of green light, Anubis reappeared and was walking towards them, his glowing red eyes on Rose.

"Anubis," Rose greeted, actually relieved to see him. "You know how I brought Hudson back?"

Anubis's jackal head nodded. "It is a rare thing to explore, as the one with powers, such as yourself, would have to have and be close enough to the dying person to achieve it. Souls remain in a limbo stage, called the Limbo Effect, as their bodies enter the final, active dying stages. It takes a mere couple of minutes after the heart stops before the brain loses all oxygen. Then, those souls go to the Mortal Underworld to either pass on or remain. However, most eventually pass on when they realize that their time to pass on has come."

"I've never been able to bring people back from the dead before," Rose confided in him. "Brooklyn has once when Kevin shot me, but he reached into our soul-bond and pulled me back. My soul linked onto his."

Anubis nodded. "Yes, your soul held onto the only living thing it was connected to since your body had died." He stopped walking and stared down at her. "It is a rare thing, what you two have. Your soul-bond has never been seen in any living creature, both mortal and immortal, since the time of All-Father Aesir and his Queen, Asynja, the All-Mother of Light Magic. They must be looking down upon you two and intertwined your destinies together. It is unheard of that Brooklyn, having little to no magic in his blood-line, can channel yours when you two are connected, but not impossible."

Rose nodded.

"So," Anubis continued, "back to the Limbo Effect. Since Constance and Hudson were not yet completely dead, it is plausible to bring them back from the Limbo Stage. However, it is impossible to bring souls back once they have passed on, except under special circumstances, such as right now."

Rose narrowed her eyebrows at him. "What special circumstances?"

Anubis ignored her question and suddenly held out an arm, gesturing towards the horizon. "You'll see. You've proven to me that your power is ready to harness souls between worlds, and now, it is time."

"Time?" Rose repeated blankly, turning to look at Brooklyn, who looked just as confused as she did. "Time for what?"

Anubis turned to her. "It's time to fulfill your destiny and end this prophecy."

Rose's heart jumped and looked at Brooklyn, Lexington, Angela, Akira, and Broadway in fear. She had killed Lord Demetrius, Hela was dead, and the war was over.

What else could he be talking about?

Instantly racking her brains, Rose thought back on the last verses of the prophecy, which referred to bringing balance to the world and someone giving their all to do so.

Hadn't she already done that?

Suddenly, her senses picked up something terrible and unnatural from deep within the ground.

A power- so strong, evil, full of death and darkness, rose from the depths of the Earth and was coming towards all life, quickly and mercilessly.

Rose slowly stood, her eyes on the horizon as Anubis's was, and every part of her was frozen in horror.

Brooklyn followed her gaze but blinked in confusion.

"Rose?" When she didn't answer, he stood up, walked over, and gently took her hand. "Babe?" But she still didn't tear her gaze away from the horizon.

"What is it?" he whispered. "What's wrong?"

When she still wouldn't answer him, he narrowed his eye bones and turned his gaze towards the horizon as well. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Rose's eyes were wide with terror.

Just then, the Earth gave a sickening lurch, and Rose could feel the curse rising towards the surface.

The vegetation died upon its touch, and from far away, the creatures in the Earth scampered away to flee its power, as did the land animals.

Bronx and Boudicca suddenly yelped, as if in pain, and began pacing the ground as if they also wanted to flee but didn't know where to go. The Earth continued to vibrant under their feet. All of the Clans, including those from the Avalonian Castle, had begun to emerge and looked to the horizon.

"Something… terrible is coming," Akira whispered, her extra-sensitive instincts picking up on the horrors that Anubis and Rose already had known were coming. She held her head in panic.

"Akira?" Lexington asked, grabbing onto her. "Akira! What's wrong, my love?"

"It's terrible… horrible..." she whispered almost as if in a daze, "and it's coming for us."

Lexington gripped her arms, looking terrified. "Babe, what is?"

"It's already here," Rose breathed, clenching Brooklyn's claw, backing up and wanting to run. She wanted to portal them all out of there, but like the pacing and freaked out gargoyle beasts, there was nowhere to go.

"What is?" Brooklyn asked her nervously. "Rose, what is happening?"

Rose opened and shut her mouth, about to tell him- when a roar and explosion, more significant than anything they've ever heard before, suddenly blasted out from the volcano.

Various clan members gasped, screamed, and watched in horror. Rose, however, continued to stare at Brooklyn and saw the purple hue of magic reflect off his red skin, making it a more maroon color. The whites of his eyes shone with its power. Brooklyn jumped backward at what he was seeing, tightened his grip on her, and his jaw hung open.

"What is that?" he yelled above the distant roaring, his eyes wide with terror. "ROSE, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

Rose stared at him blankly, then finally whispered, "It's the Death Curse. Someone has activated the death curse!"

Her answer seemed to carry through the air, despite the distant roaring. The Clans stared at each other in horror, confusion, and fear.

Brooklyn froze, his eyes wide with horror, and his claws slowly dropped from her arms. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, Rose jumped into action and ran over to Anubis.

"How can we stop it? Anubis, how can I stop this curse?"

"I've already told you how," Anubis answered, not looking at her. "You need to go to Hel, talk to the curse, and ask it what it wants. What its price will be to stop the curse and reverse its damage. It is an unnatural way of dying, and it is throwing the world out of balance, but you are the only one who can stop it now. With Lord Demetrius and Hela dead, your blood is all that is left connected to it."

Rose was panting out of sheer panic, adrenaline, and anger now. She still had so many questions, so many doubts, but time was officially up.

Turning to face the terrified clans, she looked at her family and met their fearful gazes. All were looking to her to know what to do.

"It's the death curse!" She yelled above the deep rumbling of the volcano, and when Lexington puzzlingly looked at the orbed staff that Demetrius held, she added, "not that one- the actual curse in the Cauldron of Life back in Hel, but, I don't know how it's been activated! Everyone who was a part of Demetrius's armies is dead!"

She paused, racked her brains, then suddenly looked over at the only person who had lived in Hel, knew its powers, and handled the actual brewing of the curse itself.

The only person who was now her last hope.

"I don't understand!" Rose yelled, running up to Demona. "Has the curse been activated because we killed Demetrius and threw off-balance between the different magicks?"

"No, I don't think so," Demona replied, looking just as confused as her. "I handled the curse for all these months. You, Demetrius, and Hela are the only ones who could activate and deactivate it… unless…" she stopped and suddenly looked horrified.

"Unless what?" Rose yelled.

Demona looked at her with an inscrutable expression. "Unless Demetrius had a back-up plan and gave someone the orders to activate the curse on his behalf, in case of an early demise."

"Who?" Rose demanded. "Who is left in Hel and has the powers to do such a thing?"

Demona didn't answer immediately, and both lost focus when Elisa suddenly clutched her stomach, cried out in shock, and stumbled backward.

"Elisa?" Goliath asked, reaching his claw out to her. "My love, what is it? What's wrong?"

Elisa froze, slowly looked up at him with her mouth hanging open in shock, and reached out a hand to him, but then-

Her body suddenly went limp and crumbled to the ground in a pile of ash.

Nobody said a word and couldn't believe what just happened.

"Elisa?" Goliath whispered, his face frozen in complete shock and horror. But, there was nothing there. Nothing in that pile of ash, except for a shiny golden thing. Stumbling over, Goliath leaned down and picked it up.

It was her police badge-

"ELISA!" Goliath sobbed uncontrollably and turned around as if searching for her. "ELISA! ELISA! ELISA!"

His roars were heart-wrenching, but Rose couldn't seem to hear anything except the terrible, creeping feeling of Death itself arriving upon the land.

Backing up, she clenched her head and could feel the lives around her being sucked away with the curse, like the invisible angel of death stealing their souls away in a sickening feast.

"Goliath?" Hudson suddenly said, looking unsure and shocked as he held his stomach in pain. Horror washed over Goliath instantly, and he held out a claw to him.

"Hold on, Hudson! Steady… don't…!"

"I'm…"

Without warning, Hudson froze, entered stone sleep before those stone shards disappeared into a pile of ash.

Then-

Chaos ensued.

Screams erupted from the Asgardians, Gargoyles, New Olympians, and Third Race beings as random bodies turned into giant ash clouds and piles.

"No, NO, ABIGAIL, NO!"

Rose turned around, reached out to grab onto Brooklyn's claw, and watched in horror as Abel fell to his knees before an ash pile. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she had to look away from the devastating scene and hold onto Brooklyn. Praying that he wasn't the curse's next victim.

The sounds of death filled her ears, and she wished she could tune them out.

One-by-one, Rose felt their souls leaving the world and suddenly heard the rise of deafening screams from the mortal world in her ears and head as the curse took them.

The humans were dying by the thousands in mere seconds, and their screams sounded like she was stuck in a roaring whirlwind.

"Rose?"

A familiar voice pulled her from the horrifying sounds.

Rose's eyes widened upon seeing Ilana walking up to her, her eyes large and terrified and holding onto her stomach.

"No… Ilana," Rose sobbed, ran up, and hugged her tightly.

"You've got to stop this," Ilana whispered in her ear. "Promise me that you'll fix this…"

Rose hugged her tighter. "I'll try, I'll try."

"It took Ella."

"I…"

Rose suddenly felt a terrible blackness sucking Ilana's soul away. Before she could say anything more, her body suddenly disappeared in her arms, and ash fell to her feet instead.

Staring down at the dust, Rose staggered backward in horror, her mouth open in a silent, horrified scream- one that didn't leave her mouth.

Brooklyn instantly caught her in his arms, turned her into his chest, and held her close.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It's all going to be-"

But he stopped and couldn't lie to her. Instead, he shut his eyes and held her tighter to him, but nothing he was doing was quieting the noise in Rose's mind. It was roaring louder and louder in her head until she couldn't take it anymore.

Holding hands to her ears, all Rose could do was scream and fall onto her knees.

Brooklyn sank to his knees right next to her, sobbing and holding her- but she could barely hear his desperate yells above the roaring of the entire world dying. Shutting her eyes and forcing herself to drown them out, she fell forward on her hands, trembling, gasping, and was about to vomit.

"ROSE!" Brooklyn roared, forcing her to look into his face, shaking her. "BABY, DON'T GO! DON'T-"

"I HAVE TO STOP THIS!" Rose screamed, grabbing onto his beaked face, forcing herself to focus. "We need to go to Hel, NOW!"

Brooklyn opened his mouth in shock, realizing that she wasn't dying, but before he could speak, she instantly ripped out of his arms and half-crawled back over to Demona.

From out of the corner of her eye, Bronx, Boudicca, had met their demise, as had Kai, Coco, Staghart, Turquesa, Yama, and Ophelia. Their mates were roaring and screaming for them, and every passing second, more bodies were crumbling into dust piles.

Nearby, howling Manticores were falling into piles of dust, and with one horrified exchange, her Manticore beast stared into her eyes, blinked goodbye, then crumbled into a large pile of dust.

Rose grabbed her hair, half-sobbing, half-screaming out in pain, and blindly shot herself over to Demona, who looked to be in shock. She grabbed onto her arms and shook her.

"The curse!" Rose screamed. "Tell me how to stop it! You are the only one who knows how! Demona, please!"

Demona's pain and terror-filled eyes locked onto hers. She opened her mouth to speak when suddenly Goliath's roar filled the air.

"No, no, no! ANGELA! ANGELA! NOOOOO!"

Demona cried out in real pain and looked past Rose's shoulder as Goliath dove after his daughter, who had crumbled to the ground in a dust pile.

"MY DAUGHTER!" Demona shrieked, but Rose whipped around and grabbed onto her face, screaming inches into it.

"DEMONA! HOW DO I STOP THIS?"

Demona blinked her tears away, and every breath and word came out in a sob and pain-filled cry. "S-someone has had to a-activated the curse! S-someone with Demetrius's p-power…"

"WHO?" Rose screamed. "If it wasn't you, it wasn't me… then it…" she froze and realized she hadn't seen one of her greatest enemies in quite some time. She then whipped around and stared at Brooklyn, Akira, and Lexington's panic and grief-stricken faces. "Where- where is Kevin?"

They blinked in confusion and looked at each other. Rose looked between them in angry desperation and held her hands out.

"WHERE IS KEVIN?"

"H- he portaled and disappeared when we cornered him on the cliff after he knocked you out," Lexington answered, his voice shaking in terror. "We- we haven't seen him since."

That was enough for her.

Rose locked eyes with Brooklyn, and the answer was clear.

Kevin had activated the curse; she just knew it. He was also the only one who had part of Hela and Demetrius's power when they resurrected him and had a 'purpose' that they kept him alive for.

It all made sense now.

Holding her hand out, she magically willed the orbed staff from Lexington's grip and Excalibur from the ground, where Broadway had dropped it when Angela met her demise. Brooklyn was instantly by her side, held his claw out, and grabbed its handle from mid-air.

Akira and Lexington ran over right as Rose wordlessly created a portal into Hel, taking them and Demona with her in an explosion of red power.