Hey, everybody!
I know it's been a while since the last chapter, but I'm please to now present the final part of 'The Longest Night' arc! The final battle between Mab and the Good Guys is finally here, and I hope you all like it!
The Longest Night - The Final Part
Three plans were put into action in the final forty-odd minutes before midnight.
The first, of course, belonged to Mab. After millennia of waiting for this moment, going over the plan in her mind countless times throughout the years, it was finally happening. All of her patience and hard work were going to pay off. The final preparations were nearly complete, and she had all the ingredients. She was prepared for just about anything, including those who came up with the second plan.
The gargoyles, humans, mutates, and clones at Castle Wyvern had quickly come up with a plan of action, based on Owen's limited information on Mab. Their goal: to stop Mab and save all of her captives, especially Maggie, her unborn child, and Brooklyn and Katana's egg. Once they were sure everyone knew what to do (the clones took a little bit longer), they split into their respective groups and took off into the night, heading for Weisman.
The third plan wasn't expected by anyone, least of all Mab. And it was very last-minute. It involved a formerly-blind author sitting in the sand, his limbs tied together with rope, his hands behind his back. He shifted in his seat, and his fingers felt a sharp piece of plastic or something in the sand behind him. Freezing, he tried his best not to think of or show any excitement, lest Mab stop her preparations and come for him. He nimbly yet carefully managed to extract the piece, now holding it in one hand.
Then, when he was mostly certain that the former faerie queen wouldn't notice, he slowly started to rub the sharp edge against his rope bonds.
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Hunter POV:
11:10 PM
"Why am I crammed in the back," Fang complained. "I should be sittin' in my own seat!"
"Consider it your punishment for abandoning the team earlier," Yama replied coolly, sitting in the cockpit with Hunter, who was piloting the Redemption II copter towards Weisman.
"You're never gonna let me live that down, will ya," the mutate snapped, glowering at the back of the Japanese gargoyle's head. "I came back, didn't I?"
"Regardless whether you left or not, guests get priority when it comes to seating."
"Most of our 'guests' can fly on their own!"
"We can only glide," Angela reminded him, frowning a little.
"And you know we're only here because these are the fastest way to Mab," Lex added, crouching on a seat next to Fu-Dog.
"This would fly a lot faster without Tubby over here takin' up half the seats, I bet," Fang commented, jerking his head towards Broadway.
"Oh really," the gargoyle in question asked, getting to his feet as his eyes glowed with anger. "Why don't you say that to my face, you-"
"Enough," Goliath said sternly, silencing everyone and giving Broadway a harsh look that made him sit back down. "We shouldn't be bickering about this right now. We've got bigger problems to deal with."
"This is the button that opens the back door, right," Yama asked, pointing to one of the buttons on the control panel. "Just one push, and he's outside..."
"Rise above it, Yama," Hunter said, the copter now flying along the coastline, heading north. To her left, another helicopter flew next to the Redemption II. There wasn't enough room for the humans and gargoyles in one vehicle, so a few of the others were flying with Macbeth in his copter.
Technically, all the winged individuals could have made the trip to Weisman on their own power, but it would've taken too long; these two helicopters had powerful engines that could make the trip in a shorter amount of time. And right now, time was of the essence; they had less than fifty minutes to find Mab and stop her before she could perform the Ceremony, as well as rescue the kidnapped children. Everyone knew the plan and what to do, so all they could do now was prepare themselves for the fight ahead.
Hunter was someone who rarely got fazed by anything. She always kept her cool under pressure, few things shocked or threw her off guard, and she led her team with precision and strength. However, while she looked stoic on the outside, her mind was going through some troubling thoughts.
One of these thoughts was the same thought that crossed her mind whenever she went on a mission: what if something goes wrong? Missions could go in a completely different direction due to one little thing throwing a wrench into their plans, and with this mission being so important, the pressure to not screw it up was high. Not to mention that, compared to the other missions she had gone on with the Squad, this group had very little time to come up with a plan and prepare for the fight ahead of them. The former gargoyle hunter liked being prepared before going on a mission, so going in with little preparation worried her. Especially against a threat more serious than they had ever faced.
Then there were the other group members. She knew her own Squad well enough and trusted them to fight well and have her back (though after Fang's stunt earlier, she was less sure about him). However, there were now a sizeable group that she didn't know much about. She did know that they were good fighters, but knowing someone was a good fighter versus knowing how they fought were two completely different things. And some of them, like Brooklyn and Derek, were more emotional since they had loved ones being held captive; the odds of them doing something rash or dangerous was more likely, and she didn't know them well enough to gauge if they would do something like that.
And as for Hunter herself...
This evening had been a crazy rollercoaster of new information and shocking things happening, and she was frankly sick of it. She didn't like sudden things happening, throwing her off and making her lose focus on what was important.
Like Dingo, she thought involuntarily, flinching as she realized the meaning behind the words. Then she became irrationally angry at herself.
"I dinnae have a crush on him," she muttered, glaring out the window.
"What," Yama asked, turning to her with a confused look.
Hunter's cheeks reddened, and she couldn't look the gargoyle in the eye. "...Nothing." Thankfully, the copter's radio beeped at that moment, preventing any more uncomfortable questions. She took the receiver and clicked the button. "Ye ready?"
"Affirmative," Macbeth replied. "You go the long way around, over the ocean. We'll continue ahead by land. Let us know if anything goes wrong."
"Aye, and same for ye. Over and out." Putting down the walkie talkie, she turned the Redemption II to the right, bringing them to fly over the waves of the Atlantic. She turned back to look at the others. "We'll be there in eight minutes."
"Pretty," Burbank said, looking out one of the windows at the moonlight reflecting off the water. Claw nodded in agreement, keeping a good eye on him and Malibu so they wouldn't get up and wander around the helicopter. Derek was with the other clones in Macbeth's copter.
"My legs are fallin' asleep," Fang whined.
"I'll cut them off if you aren't quiet for the rest of the trip," Yama threatened.
"We'll be okay," Angela told Broadway, squeezing his hand. "We'll get through this."
"I know we will," he replied, leaning in and kissing her. Goliath side-eyed the pair with a slight frown, but didn't say anything.
"Let's start putting our earpieces in," Lex suggested, picking up the small box next to him and putting a device in his ear.
"Can we swim soon," Malibu asked.
Heaven help us, the woman prayed, hoping against all odds that this plan didn't fall completely flat on its face.
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King Arthur POV:
11:20 PM
Growing up as a child in England, Arthur Pendragon would have never guessed that his life would take him to amazing, far-off places. Even years later, after he became king, he wasn't expecting to ever find himself on the other side of the world. And especially not in another time. Yet here he now was, trudging through some trees towards a beach to fight an evil faerie queen.
At least he had some allies by his side: Sir Griff, the Manhattan Clan, some fellow humans, and a few creatures that looked like gargoyles but were called 'mutates,' who were still human but didn't look like it. While it had been a bit confusing at first, arriving in New York City and having Excalibur stolen by a possessed child, the man had always been one to quickly adapt to new circumstances. It had saved his life many times in the past, and he was certain that tonight's mission would be a success despite the low odds and high risks.
"I must thank you again for lending me a sword," King Arthur said to Macbeth. "Your collection of weaponry is most impressive."
"I've got plenty more back home," the Scotsman replied. "But I always keep a few in all of my vehicles in case of an emergency."
"How often does that happen," Griff asked.
"Enough for me to keep a few blades in my motorcycle."
"You have too much fear for someone who's immortal, my friend," Xanatos commented, looking very out of place in his bulky Iron Clan exo-frame as he pushed aside some bushes. "You have to learn to trust other people."
"Says the guy who always has an ulterior motive," Elisa muttered.
"Detective," the millionaire replied with mock hurt. "After all we've been through!"
"How much farther," Brooklyn asked, he and Katana following close behind Macbeth, who was at the front of the group.
"Not much further," Owen replied via communicator, his voice coming in through small devices in their ears. He was back at the castle with Fox and Alex, tracking their movements via Xanatos' suit and tiny devices that flew overhead called 'drones.' The whole setup was fascinating for Arthur. "You'll reach the beach in 100 meters, and then from there, it'll be easy to find Mab."
"How," Katana asked. "If she's so powerful, could she not hide herself from us?"
"Not with her preparing for the Ceremony," the assistant replied. "The preparation and the ritual itself takes a lot of power, though I have no doubt that she'll dedicate some to protect her captives and herself. Which is why us attacking in multiple groups will better our chances of beating her; she only has so much power she can extend during the Ceremony, and if she uses any more to stop multiple attacks from different directions, she'll wear herself down or have to cut the ritual short."
"And these 'drones' will scout the area and let us know where she is and what she might have waiting for us," King Arthur asked, squinting up through the trees to try and catch a glimpse of the small metal devices. "Fascinating!"
"I concur, your Majesty," Sir Griff said. "It seems that every time we think we've caught up with all of this new technology, we find ourselves being thrown for a loop!"
"Aye," Hudson added. "The only device I know how to use is a TV remote!"
"I remember Derek and I taking typing lessons a few years back," Elisa said, walking next to her brother. "I wasn't any good, but Derek was the expert; he can type up to 80 words a minute!"
"Could," the panther mutate replied curtly, staring fixedly ahead. "Can't exactly type with these fingers." His short reply and frown made the detective's smile fade away, and she looked back ahead. It was clear to Arthur that Derek, whose wife was one of Mab's captives, wasn't in the mood to relive happier times.
Soon, the group left the wooded area and found themselves on the beach. To their right, far off in the distance, they could see the lights of New York City. A few miles to their left was the town of Weisman; they were nearly a mile away from the Robbins' mansion.
"Looks like she's on the beach near Jeffrey's house," Fox said over the comms. "Doesn't look like she's seen the drones yet... She's drawing symbols in the sand."
"Any sign of the children," Brooklyn asked.
"I see your egg... It looks unharmed." Brooklyn and Katana both let out relieved sighs. "No sign of Nashville, Maggie, or Amanda. Dingo, Jeffrey, Bronx, and Art are tied up not too far from her. There's a silver ball next to Dingo; that has to be Matrix."
"Where are Maggie and the kids," Derek asked.
"In the Fourth Eye, probably," Owen replied.
"In her eye," Hudson repeated.
"Yes, magic can do a lot of things," the assistant replied blandly. "Not everything, but most things. Including storing individuals in a magical void contained in a marble-sized eyeball."
"How do I turn this thing off," the old gargoyle muttered, fiddling with his earpiece.
"Hunter and her group have landed," Macbeth said, holding a finger to the earpiece in his left ear; he wore two earpieces, with the left one being his contact with the other group. All members in one group could talk to one another, and Owen and Fox could talk to all group members at once, or to one individual if they so chose. "Owen's sent them Mab's location."
"Sending the Iron Clan now," Fox stated. "They'll be there in ten minutes."
"Final preparations, everyone," Xanatos said, putting on his helmet. King Arthur and the others did the same, checking their weapons and armor to make sure that all was in working order.
The calm before the storm, the king thought, tightening the straps of his chest plate. How many times had he been in this situation before? It had been centuries since he had felt this way, knowing that he was about to face an enemy that was stronger and smarter than he. But he had gotten through those battles, and he was certain that he and the others would get through this one. Best to not think about what happens if we fail.
"Everyone pair up and get ready to fly," Macbeth said. "Xanatos, you brought the disks?"
"Are you sure we can do so," Griff asked as the billionaire handed the gargoyles small metal disks that fit in the palm of one hand. "I don't see how these are supposed to help us."
"Skipping the complex science behind this, this'll set of a harmless charge of energy that propels the user into the air," Xanatos explained. "Since you gargoyles can't technically fly, you need to start somewhere higher up in order to glide along wind currents, and these'll help you get to a height to do so. So Owen and I came up with this device a few months back, should any of the Manhattan Clan find themselves stuck somewhere with no nearby buildings."
"How does it work," Hudson asked.
"You'll need these bracelets too." The man handed them metal bracelets with a small button on the side. "You throw the disk onto the ground at your feet, and it releases the pulse that propels you into, and then you press the button on your bracelet to activate a magnetic pull to bring the disk back up to you. You'll have to move fast after you get up there, and if you don't start gliding in time, you'll have to land and try again."
"Ye always have these devices for whatever situation," the older gargoyle said. "And ye have a lot of tech for gargoyles that we know nothing about. Care to explain that?"
Xanatos shrugged, which looked rather comical in his metal gargoyle suit. "I just like to be prepared. And I was going to give this tech to you, when the time was right; Mab just made that time tonight."
"So you all remember the plan," Macbeth said. "Everyone without wings pair up with someone who has them." Everybody did so; Elisa with Derek, King Arthur with Griff, and Macbeth with Hudson. Brooklyn and Xanatos, being skilled with blasters, would fly with their hands free, and there wasn't anyone for Katana to carry. "Now let's get going."
King Arthur sheathed his sword, unable to help but notice how it wasn't Excalibur. Griff grabbed the man by the back of his armor with one hand, holding the disk in the other.
"Ready, Sire," the gargoyle asked.
"Aye," the man replied. "And you?"
"A little nervous, but I'm good to go." He looked down at the disk in his hand. "Let's hope this works."
The British gargoyles threw the disk into the sand. A force like a very powerful and quick wind hit them and pushed them up into the sky. King Arthur couldn't help but gasp as he suddenly found himself twenty-five feet in the air. He heard Sir Griff's wing's unfurl, and they had only fallen a few feet before they were gliding over the beach. The gargoyle hit the button on his bracelet, and the disk flew up into the sky, sticking to the side of the bracelet.
"Amazing," the king whispered. The other gargoyles had used their own disks to launch themselves into the air, though it took Hudson a couple tries. Xanatos' suit didn't require air currents to fly, so he simply flew into the sky via miniature rocket propulsions. Once they were all in the air, they headed north, unsure of what lay ahead, but ready to face it.
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Bronx POV:
11:26 PM
Bronx lay on his side in the sand, his legs tied together so he couldn't stand up.
Only he and Gilly had been gagged, which he thought was pretty stupid, since they were the only ones no one else understood. The three humans that were tied up with him, Jeffrey, the Metal Australian, and Sick Teen, were out of view as Bad Woman (she looked like Elijah, but smelled like the magical island of Avalon that he, Goliath, and Elisa went to last year) muttered words and drew stuff in the sand.
It was a little confusing for the gargoyle beast as to what was going on that evening. The night had started out normally, but then the Bad/Good Team and Macbeth showed up, and everyone became worried. They then rushed to Jeffrey's house, and Elijah was there, but he wasn't acting like Elijah, and doing stuff that Elijah wasn't supposed to be able to do. Stuff that was hurting his friends and making him bad. It was only after spending more time around Elijah that Bronx was able to detect the odd, feminine scent hidden beneath the boy's regular scent... It was sickly sweet, unnatural, and reeked of magic. It surrounded him like a haze, seeming to guide his decisions.
No, not guiding him. Controlling him. But the wingless gargoyle was unable to ask any of the others what exactly was going on, and even if they had told him, the majority of what they said would've gone over his head.
Sometimes, Bronx wished that he could understand the others better. Whatever language they spoke, he only knew a few words, the majority of them being commands like 'Come,' 'Attack,' and 'Stay.' He also knew his name, the names of his fellow clan members, and the names of his friends. The gargoyle beast knew a few other words for various objects and places, but the majority of the time, he was unable to understand most of what was being said. It annoyed him, knowing that he could never fully participate in what was being said, but he was grateful that no one else treated him like an idiot or less than because he couldn't speak their language.
Gilly whimpered, expressing her discomfort. This only made Bronx feel worse, as he was reminded of his mate, Boudicca. She was still back on Avalon, and there wasn't a day that went bay that he didn't miss her. While their time on the island had been brief, he felt a deep love for her, and wanted to go back to her someday. However, one had to be called to Avalon, so he waited each day for some sort of sign so he could return and bring Boudicca back with him to Manhattan. Or maybe she would come to him; he had heard that she had showed up with the Mean Magic King, when he had tried to take Alex, but they had no time together before she was taken away.
There was a brief flash of light, and the Bad Woman stood up, a glowing green aura now surrounding her (or was it Elijah's?) hands. Muttering a few more incomprehensible words, she started to walk around the sand in a strange, side-stepping kind of way. The gargoyle beast twisted his head around, trying to keep the magical aura processing Elijah in his sight. However, he misjudged the turn, and he found himself looking towards Metal Mustache Man and Jeffrey. They were still sitting with their hands tied
Bronx's eyes narrowed as he spotted Jeffrey slowly bringing his hands down to his side. How was that possible? Their hands had been tied behind their backs, so he shouldn't have be able to move them. But there the man was, slowly moving his head a few millimeters to the side, perhaps trying to get Metal Mustache Man's attention. However, the man caught sight of the gargoyle beast, his eye widening slightly. Then, unmistakably, he slowly shook his head.
I know that means 'no,' the gargoyle thought. No what? Keep still? Don't make a sound? He figured it'd be best to keep still and quiet for the moment, wondering what Jeffrey's plan could be, as well as how he had managed to free his hands.
Jeffrey continued to sit, staring straight ahead as he had been before, moving his hands behind his back once more. Bronx thought he saw something small and sharp in the man's grasp, but whatever it was, he set it in the sand before slowly sliding it towards Macbeth. The other man didn't seem to notice it, though his head slightly twitched towards Jeffrey.
"What have we here?"
The Bad Lady's sudden statement (whatever it was; Bronx couldn't understand a word of it) made the two men flinch, and Jeffrey quickly put his arms back behind him. However, it became apparent that the villain wasn't looking towards them, but up at the sky. The captured individuals followed her gaze, squinting to see whatever had caught her attention.
At first, all the gargoyle beast could see was the night sky. A few moments later, he spotted small, distant specs flying through the sky. They didn't appear to be gargoyles; their metallic bodies gleamed in the moonlight, and they moved in a straight, unwavering path. Bronx had no idea what they were supposed to be, but right now, they were distracting the villain.
Jeffrey slid whatever was in the sand over to Metal Mustache Man, who had to maneuver his tied hands a little to grab what it was. It looked almost like a knife, and the older human used it to cut through the rope. As soon as his hands were free, he pocketed the object, turning back to the Bad Lady.
Yeah, don't cut the non-humans loose, Bronx thought with some annoyance.
The villain said something else, then raised her hands (well, she raised Elijah's hands), which started to glow green. Pushing her arms forward, two beams of energy shot out towards the flying objects. A few of them exploded, but most seemed to swerve away from the beams, now flying right towards the Bad Lady. She quickly shot more magical lights at them, knocking them aside or destroying them completely. One that was knocked off course turned into a sputtering fireball. One that made its way right towards Bronx.
This can't be good, the gargoyle beast thought, bracing himself to be hit.
But before it did, someone grabbed him and pulled him out of the way. The sand where he had been laying was turned into the crater as the metal object came crashing down, sending up a brief fireball. Twisting around, Bronx was surprised to see Smelly Mutate crouching over him, a grin on his face.
"Cavalry's here," he said, using his claws to cut the bonds binding the wingless gargoyle. Of course, Bronx didn't understand what he said, but he recognized the other individuals that ran out of the shadows. Goliath, Broadway, Angela, Hunter Lady, Sword Gargoyle, the Quiet Mutate, and the clones that looked like Hudson and Broadway. Angela dragged Sick Teen away, probably to protect him from whatever fight was about to take place.
Yes! If they're here, the others can't be far behind! The gargoyle beast looked back at the crater with the tangled remains of the metal thing. He spotted a symbol etched on one of the metal pieces; it was one he recognized, seeing that it was a letter he saw a lot at the skyscraper Castle Wyvern sat on. Xanatos.
However, before he could do anything else, he heard a very loud word that he did know:
"NO!"
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Macbeth POV:
11:31 PM
"Could you have ever imagined us former foes working together," Macbeth asked Hudson as they soared through the night sky, the gargoyle carrying the human as they followed the others towards Mab's location. "Fighting a demented witch that's taken over a child?"
"Not in a thousand years," the aged gargoyle replied. "Ye'd think by this time, I'd have learned to expect the unexpected. I think after this fight, I should officially retire."
"I just might do the same," the Scotsman agreed. "Though then again, I've gone into retirement many times before, but I'm always pulled out of it by something."
Hudson shrugged. "Call it being the burden of the wise old Scot everyone comes to for help and advice."
"Aye, that must be it."
"She's engaged the drones," Xanatos said over the communicators. "Iron Clan, prepare to fly down and engages as well! Everyone else, with me!"
"Hold on," Hudson said, adjusting his grip on the man's shoulders before diving down towards the ground.
Approaching the ground, Macbeth was able to get a good view of the beach. To his right was the ocean, with Long Island Sound in the distance. The left was more beach, and then a road which ran parallel to the shore. Behind them was a forested area, with more open beach ahead. Mab was some 70 or so yards ahead and getting closer, shooting green bolts of energy at the approaching drones and Iron Clan. As they got closer, the Scotsman saw the other group already on the beach, all of them maybe 30 yards behind the villain.
"Watch your feet," Hudson told Macbeth before they landed in the sand. The man stumbled a little, nearly falling forward, but the gargoyle steadied him. Nearby, the others in their group were landing, drawing weapons as they prepared to head towards Mab. Overhead, Xanatos' clan of iron gargoyles were flying around, firing stunning rays at the possessed teenager. The villain managed to avoid most, occasionally bringing up a green, translucent shield to protect herself. The Scot drew his own weapons, two blaster guns set to stun, and Hudson drew his sword.
"Spread out before you close in on her," Owen said over the communicators. "We want her to spread her magic as thin as she can. Once you do so-"
"NO!"
Mab roared the word with rage, blasting back an Iron Clan robot that had gotten too close. She looked at her hand (or rather, Elijah's hand), as if she had been burned. This was no doubt the case, as she then yelled:
"You intend to burn the boy, Xanatos?" She blasted another iron gargoyle machine from the sky. "Don't think I know what you're all planning. Especially you all sneaking up behind me!"
The villain whirled around, throwing her hands up. A large, green, see-through wall appeared, surrounding her in a twenty-yard radius. It also surrounded the gargoyle egg and a small bundle, both of which lay in the sand not far from her. Instantly, Hunter's group ran towards the force field, recoiling as they quickly learned that touching it shocked them.
"Surely you didn't think this would be easy," the witch said, cackling with laughter. Her voice was Elijah's but with a strange edge to it, as if he had a bad cold. "I've waited millennia for this night, and I will not be stopped by a group of mortals and their abominations!"
"Where's Maggie," Derek demanded, running up to the force field and punching it with everything he had. It threw him back into the sand, the fur on his hand smoking from the touch. "What have you done with-"
"She's fine," Mab said, walking over to the small bundle and picking it up. "But your child has to be a thorn in my side, coming early and ruining my plans." She pulled back part of the blanket to reveal a tiny cat creature, who mewled a bit as the night air hit him. "I'll put a thorn in his side. Well, technically his heart. With a sword."
The panther mutate's face went blank, his mouth dropping open with shock as he stared at the child. Macbeth quickly realized that this was Derek's son, the one he and his wife had been expecting. He also remembered Detective Maza telling him about how head-strong and stubborn her brother could be, often rushing into fights without coming up with a clear plan first. The man guessed that they had a few seconds until the mutate snapped and started attacking the force field, so he quickly spoke up.
"Save yourself the trouble of fighting us," Macbeth said aloud, taking a few steps towards the villain. "It will only turn out bad for you if you don't let the children go."
"Brave words," the faerie queen retorted, setting the baby back down in the sand. "Foolish ones, too. Your numbers are not enough to stop me, and you've less than half an hour until I'm at my full strength." The villain flexed her host's fingers. "Once this weak vessel has been replaced with my true body, you all will see the-"
"Enough monologuing," Xanatos said, hitting the two iron gauntlets on his arms together.
The loud clang was quickly drowned out by Mab's scream. She instantly covered her ears, crouching over and wailing with pain as the billionaire hit the two pieces of iron together again. Elisa and Goliath had mentioned earlier doing something similar to Oberon when they fought him on Avalon, and they had come up with this plan to quickly incapacitate the witch. The force field surrounding her fizzled out of existence, and Xanatos continued to clang the iron together..
"Hurry," Hunter cried. "While she's distracted!"
Derek instantly ran forward, picking up his son and running back towards Macbeth and the others. Brooklyn and Katana did the same with the egg, reaching it at the same time. However, they barely got a few steps in before a blast of magic knocked Brooklyn back towards the ocean, the egg flying out of his hands. Katana cried out, jumping up to grab it, but she was blasted out of the way as well. The egg, instead of falling, floated back towards Mab, who had straightened back up.
"Very clever," she said, talking loudly, despite Xanatos' clanging slowly coming to a halt. "This brat was deaf when I met him! Bringing his body back to that state was effortless; I don't need mortal ears to hear you all!" She caressed the egg's surface as the green force field returned. "Plus, what was your plan of getting the others back? Take the babies, but leave the children and mother?"
"Don't worry," Fox said over their earpieces. "We planned for this. Did we manage to rescue anyone?"
"My son," Derek whispered, looking down at the tiny mutate in his arms. "He's so beautiful..."
"Beautiful indeed," Mab agreed, raising her hand towards the child.
"NO," Macbeth cried, pushing Derek out of the way as a green blast of energy shot from the witch's hands. It hit the Scotsman instead, and he cried out in pain as he was sharply yanked towards Mab, flying over the sand and through the force field before landing at her feet. He scrambled to his feet, but didn't get far as the villain grabbed him by the throat. The moment she touched him, his body seemed to seize up and freeze, preventing him from running away.
"Macbeth," someone yelled from the other side of the green wall, but he couldn't tell who.
"NO NO NO!" That had to have been Brooklyn, and there was a sharp zap and a cry of pain as the gargoyle attempted to punch through the force field.
"You've given me an idea, old human," the faerie queen said, grinning evilly at him. "I'll thank you by destroying you last!" She then looked towards the others, raising her voice.
"If you want me to release the human and gargoyle children, the mutate woman and this human back to you, you will return the child to me," she said. "Remember, I still have them someplace you cannot reach, and from where only I can release them!" She threw the old Scotsman to the ground, stepping forcefully on his head, pushing it into the sand. Again, he still couldn't move, no doubt from whatever spell she had cast on him. "Every minute you wait, a new torture I'll bestow upon the mortal here!"
"Shit," someone (either Fang or Dingo) shouted.
"Don't listen to her," Macbeth managed to yell, his face not thankfully in the sand. "I've been tortured before; I can handle it!"
"You've never experienced torture like what she has," Owen warned him.
"Listen to Owen," Mab said, crouching over him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the boy's face, all twisted with hatred, his eyes glowing green. "Just one minute will have you in utter agony, and it will only get worse from there." She leaned forward some more, whispering in his ear. "Come now, Macbeth mac Findlaech. We both know that you are the most intelligent mortal present. Tell them to stop this nonsense."
"Macbeth," Owen said. "It's a trick! Whatever she say-" But he didn't hear the rest of it, as his earpiece was plucked from his ear.
"My love," the villain whispered, but was it really the villain? The voice was different. Lighter, and much kinder. Plus, with a distinct Scottish accent. It sounded like...
"Look at me, my love." Macbeth felt a hand turn his face up, and he gasped when he saw a grey-haired woman in a dress crouching over him, a smile on her face.
"Gru... Gruoch," he whispered, longing to reach up and touch her face. "It's... It's you..."
"Yes, my love," his wife replied, smiling down at him. "I've missed ye so much!"
"And I you." He tried to sit up, but was unable to. Why was he laying down again? Where was he? He couldn't remember, but if his wife was here, he must be in Scotland. "My love, how is our son? I-"
"Shh..." She put a finger to his lips. "I have something important to tell ye."
"What?"
She leaned down again, bringing her head to his ear. The Scot closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her hair, which was sickly sweet and-
Sweet, the man thought, a frown coming onto his face. Too sweet. And not what she washed her hair with.
His eyes widened with realization, right as the illusion fell away.
"Took you long enough," Mab rasped in his ear, a clawed hand grabbing his face.
It was as if the witch had dipped her hand in acid before pressing it to his face. The excruciating pain, coupled with the truth that he had not seen his wife, made the man howl with pain, unable to pull away from the faerie's grasp. Faintly, he heard more yelling, and the sound of a few more zaps as the others tried to unsuccessfully break through the force field. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she let him go, leaving him twitching in the sand. At least he was able to move again.
"I work pretty quickly, don't I," Mab asked, chuckling a little as she looked down at Macbeth. "And don't think you won't be caught off guard if I try that again; I'll be sure to make sure you don't remember." She straightened up, an evil grin twisting Elijah's face. "I wonder if you'll react the same way each time..."
"Enough of these games," Goliath demanded, eyes glowing with rage. "Release him!"
"Not until I get what I want," the villain replied. "You weren't paying attention earlier, were you? I'll only release him if and when you-" She paused, frowning a little. "Dammit, I've been among humans for too long; I'm starting to think like one! Why am I bargaining with you mortals when I can just..."
Grabbing Macbeth by the back of his collar, the evil faerie tossed him through the force field, sending him flying several yards before landing painfully in the sand. Then, with another wave of her hand, the baby flew from Derek's arms and into hers before anyone could react. The mutate roared angrily at this, and ran at the force field, pounding on it with both fists without a care that he was being stung.
"That's better," the witch said, cradling the baby mutate in her arms. "I keep forgetting I hold the ultimate power here, not you all!" She sighed, setting the baby down next to the egg. "Well, I really should get started with the Ceremony. And to keep you all occupied..."
Raising her hands, Mab muttered some words under her breath, a green aura seeping from her fingertips and spreading out from where she stood. It washed over Macbeth and the others surrounding them like a haze. A few seconds later, it faded, with no visible effect being immediately apparent to anyone. Smirking at them, the evil faerie queen turned back to the symbols she had drawn in the sand, waving her hands over them.
"AAAUGH!" It was Angela. Everyone quickly turned to her, unsure of what was happening at first. Then Macbeth noticed a hand-like appendage made of sand sticking out of the sand, holding her leg and trying to pull her under.
"Watch it," Elisa yelled, aiming a blaster Xanatos had given her at the hand and shooting it apart. The severed end of the tendril waved around for a few seconds before disappearing, sinking back beneath the sand. However, a few yards away, a new arm shot out, quickly followed by a torso, head, another arm, and legs. It was a large, humanoid figure made entirely of sand, standing eight feet tall as it looked down at the heroes with a featureless face. And all around them, more limbs were appearing as more golems crawled out of the ground, slowly advancing towards them.
"I think that settles it," Hudson muttered, lifting his sword. "I'm definitely retiring after this."
"One way or the other," Macbeth agreed, the two of them yelling as they charged into battle.
[][][]
Nashville POV:
?:?
"We can't just sit here," Nashville burst out, turning back to Amanda and the others trapped in the Eye. "We have to stop Mab and save Elijah! We have to get out of here!"
"Pipe down, child," a gargoyle spirit snapped. "There's no way out!"
"You said that other guy got out," the young gargoyle protested. "And Amanda saw him; he made it out alive!"
"Stop yelling so loud," the teenaged girl said, consoling Maggie, who was softly crying into her shoulder. "But yes. Matisse?" She turned to the middle-aged spirit. "You said that you stabbed the ground with a bed pole, and Art vanished?"
"Yes," the man replied. "But the bed disappeared along with him, and we don't have anything else to use."
Nashville frowned at that, becoming silent as he tried to think of something. Suddenly, it came to him.
"My kodachi!" He reached for his hip. "It came here with me, and-" He paused, looking down with horror as he realized his sword was gone. "What the-"
"No doubt she got rid of it," another gargoyle spirit said, a fearful expression on her face. "She knew we could have used it against her, so she took it!"
"We can't just give up," the young gargoyle protested, trying not to freak out but failing miserably. He needed to get out of there, and find and help his family. His mother, father, and younger sibling were probably all in danger, and he needed to help them. "We gotta think of something!" He looked at his hands. "What about claws?"
"Because scratching the ground's gonna hurt her," another spirit said sarcastically. The young gargoyle made to stomp his foot. "That won't work either!"
"Amanda, you gotta help me," Nashville pleaded, kneeling next to the girl. "C'mon; you're super smart and stuff! Elijah says you are-"
"I'm not smart," she snapped angrily, forgetting her earlier request and raising her voice. However, she quickly realized what she said and her cheeks flushed red, and she turned back to the mutate. "I just... I don't want to hear about Elijah right now, if that's okay. There's a lot going on, and... I can't think of anything."
The young gargoyle stood back up and frowned at her, wondering what was going on. Mab had spoken to her earlier, and had touched her head for a few moments. After that, Amanda had seemed... different. More distant, with a worried expression on her face that had not changed since Mab had left. Nashville wondered what Mab did to her, and hoped that she wouldn't turn bad like Elijah did.
"Gone," Maggie whispered, sitting up and wiping some tears from her eyes. "He's gone... I-Isaac... My baby..."
"We'll get him back," Nashville promised her.
"How," a spirit asked. "You'd need something that would really hurt her."
Amanda suddenly gasped. "Wait! I think I might have-" She checked her pockets. "Shoot! I thought I brought my pepper spray with me!"
"That probably would've worked," the young gargoyle agreed. "It sure would've have shocked her right out of-" He broke off, his eyes widening with shock and excitement. "MAGGIE!"
All eyes turned to the lioness mutate, who was still drying the last of her tears. She looked up at everyone, a miserable expression on her face.
"You've got electricity powers," Nashville explained, crouching down to her level. "You can shoot lighting out of your hands and stuff! Shoot some into the ground to hurt her!"
"She can shoot lightening from her hands," Matisse asked, he and the other spirits looking at one another with surprise. "How is that possible?"
"I dunno, some science thing," the gargoyle replied. "Anyway, Maggie, you've gotta-"
"She just had a baby," Amanda reminded him, frowning a little. "She's too tired to stand, much less electrocute a witch! Besides, we don't even know if she can still-"
The teenager's statement was cut off by a low cackling sound. They turned to find Maggie holding up her hand, a few tendrils of electricity running along her fingers. However, she soon gasped, falling back towards Amanda, who caught her before she could hit the ground.
"So tired," the mutate muttered. "Sorry... I'll be better in a bit, I think."
"So I guess that idea's out," a spirit muttered.
"No," Nashville said, shaking his head. "She's gotta do it; she's our only hope!"
"Nashville," Amanda started to say.
"No, Amanda," he snapped, glaring at her. "I'm not gonna sit here, too scared to even try and escape! I don't know everything Mab said to you, but that shouldn't give you a reason to give up!" He paused, noticing the girl's hurt expression. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have gotten mad. But right now, Maggie's our best shot at getting out of here!" He hesitated. "I... I'm part of the reason this all is happening."
"Boy," Matisse questioned.
"I saw Elijah," he explained. "Or Mab; I dunno who it was then. Before all this. I was threatened into not saying anything." He shook his head sadly. "Maybe if I had said something sooner... The adults could've stopped her."
Amanda put a hand on his shoulder, a kind smile returning to her face for the first time that night.
"None of this is your fault," she assured him. "You were scared, and rightfully so; who knows what Ma- she would've done if you had said something before."
"It is not your fault, child," Matisse agreed, walking over to him. "Mab is a powerful individual, and she has a way of instilling fear and dread in even the most courageous of warriors."
Nashville nodded, starting to feel a little better. "Thanks. I really appreciate it." He stood back up. "We'll come up with another plan, then-"
"No."
Everyone turned back to Maggie, who no longer had tears on her face. She looked at everyone with a determined expression.
"I'll do it," she said, slowly starting to get to her feet. "Nashville's right; it's the only way."
"Maggie," Amanda gasped, quickly taking her arm.
"You really should rest," the spirit who had helped deliver her baby earlier agreed. "If you strain yourself too much-"
"I don't care," the mutate interrupted, brushing the teenager for support as she finally stood up. "I'm... I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get my son back. Besides, we don't have any other ideas." She noticed Amanda's worried expression. "I'll be fine; I'm already feeling much better." She flexed her hands, standing on her own. "I guess Derek was right about us mutates healing fast.
Everyone else exchanged worried looks, but no one said. She was right, and right now, time was of the essence.
"Okay," Nashville said, nodding to Maggie. "But if you get too tired or can't do it, let us know; we don't want you to hurt yourself."
"I will." The lioness mutate turned to Matisse. "Where should I...?"
"Anywhere on the ground worked," the spirit replied. "And Amanda and Nashville, you should each take her arm. Art was the only one who stabbed the ground, and he got taken, so if you're perhaps touching her..."
"I get it," Amanda agreed. "Mab may only take out the person hurting her, so we need to be as close as possible."
The trio of living beings made their way a small distance from the group of spirits. Maggie crouched down, the children on either side of her, each keeping a firm grip on her shoulders.
"Do you think we'll get electrocuted too," Nashville suddenly realized.
"Don't go saying that now," Amanda said, shooting him an annoyed glance.
"You should be fine," the mutate assured them. "I can channel my electricity through just my hands, so you'll be fine." She looked up at the spirits, especially the ones that had helped her deliver Isaac. "Thank you all... I don't know how we can repay you."
"Give that witch hell for us," a spirit said, which earned him a few cheers as well as a few worried gasps.
"Just save your families and friends," Matisse told them, smiling a little. "Win against Mab... That will be enough for us."
Maggie nodded, looking first at Amanda, then at Nashville. "Ready?"
"Ready," Amanda agreed. Nashville nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Ready."
[][][]
Jeffrey POV:
11:46 PM
Jeffrey had woken up in nights past, memories of war fresh in his mind. After he had been injured in Vietnam, he had hoped to never fight again. He wanted to create things and inspire others to do good, and he was able to do so with his writing. But here he was now, on a different battlefield, fighting for the one person in the world that he cared for the most.
The sand golems, initially being slow after crawling out of the beach, soon proved to be fast and dangerous foes. They ran around, trying to restrain the good guys and bury them partway in the sand. They were also incredibly strong, one of them punching a hole clean through an Iron Clan gargoyle, and another backhanding Claw and sending him flying into the ocean. Only the clones seemed unfazed by all the chaos, roaring and repeatedly attacking golem after golem. All throughout the battle, Mab stood in the middle of her force field bubble, muttering incantations as the sand around her glowed. The only person they didn't go for was Art, whom Angela had taken back to the Robbins house to get him away from the fighting.
Despite having no desire to fight, Jeffrey wished that he could do more than run away. Everyone else was taking on a sand golem, firing blasters at them, cutting them down with swords, or shocking them apart. But they always returned, crawling out of the beach. The author had no idea how he would even begin to fight one of the creatures, especially at his age, but he felt awful, taking Yama away from helping the others so he could protect him.
"Get back," the Japanese gargoyle shouted, standing in front of the man as a golem lurched towards him. Eyes glowing, Yama leaped up and cut its head clean off, then driving his sword to the hilt through its chest. The thing crumpled back into sand, the gargoyle landing next to where it had stood.
"You should go," the gargoyle informed him. "If you get far away enough, they might stop coming after you."
"Not without Elijah," Jeffrey protested.
"I had a feeling you'd say that," Yama replied, jumping out of the way as a sandy hand tried to drag him under.
"DAMMIT," Dingo snapped, blasters out and shooting at a golem approaching him and the silver ball that was Matrix (who was still under Mab's control, it seemed). "I forgot how bad it was, not having armor!"
Hunter jumped up behind the sand golem, landing on its back. Aiming her blaster right at its head, she quickly brought it down, landing nimbly in front of the Australian.
"Try to get over it," she ordered, giving him a look that lingered for a second too long. Then, they both turned away, going off to fight other abominations.
"Gilly," Jeffrey cried, finally spotting his dog running through the chaos, closely flanked by Bronx and Fu-Dog. The gargoyle beasts were protecting the service dog, growling and biting at any golem that tried to grab her. The man ran forward when the German Sheppard got close enough, quickly picking her up and carrying her back towards the road.
"Good girl," he whispered, setting her back down and hugging her. Gilly whimpered in reply, nuzzling his face.
"Again, I would encourage you to leave," Yama yelled, stabbing another golem that had rushed towards Bronx and Fu-Dog. "It is not safe for you here!"
Jeffrey was seriously considering this, looking out at the mayhem that was taking place on the beach. How no one had driven by, seen the fighting, and called the police was beyond his understanding. But he took one look at his nephew, who was trapped in the middle of it all, in the eye of this storm. Everyone else saw Mab when they looked at the teenager, and they were right, as the witch was currently in control. But he still saw Elijah, trapped and being controlled for some nefarious purpose. Jeffrey had left his own step-brother and family when they needed him; he would not make the same mistake again.
"Bronx," he said, catching the gargoyle beast's attention. "Don't let Gilly follow me." The gargoyle cocked his head to the side, no doubt wondering what he meant. The man then looked down at the German Sheppard, scratching her behind the ear. "I'll come back, I promise." Standing up, the author turned towards the center of the battle, spotting his nephew in the middle of the force field, a swirling glow of magic starting to surround him.
"No," Yama yelled, noticing the look on his face. "Do not-"
But it was no use; Jeffrey had already started running across the beach, intent on rescuing Elijah.
[][][]
Elijah POV:
11:49 PM
Elijah felt like he was floating.
He could see everything through his eyes, feel the wind hitting his skin, and smell the ocean. He couldn't hear, but that wasn't new to him. However, despite being able to perceive the world around him, he was not in control of his own limbs. Mab was.
The teenager saw his hands in front of him, glowing with magic as muttered words came out of his mouth. But he wasn't saying the words, and he wasn't moving his hands over the strange symbols that covered the sand around where he stood. It was all Mab's doing; he was just a backseat passenger in this plan of hers, unable to do anything but watch.
I have to do something, he thought, straining to move a limb, a hand, a finger. Even just a little bit; enough to show that he still had some control.
None of that, now, Mab spoke in his head, no doubt sensing his intentions. It's time for the fun part!
Elijah felt his body walk over towards the two babies, and Excalibur laying next to them. He saw himself picking up the sword with one hand, using the other to make the infant mutate float over towards a section of sand covered in runes.
NO, the teenager cried, but nothing came from his mouth. NO NO NO!
Silence, or his death will be much worse, the evil faerie snapped. I have to- Ugh. Another one trying to help.
His body turned around, and Elijah, had he been able to gasp, would've done so when he saw who it was. It was his Uncle Jeffrey, running past sand golems and clones and gargoyles, heading straight towards him. He carried no weapon, and it was only because of the Manhattan Clan and the others fighting off the monsters that he was able to get close.
Foolish human, Mab muttered, turning away from him and back towards Derek and Maggie's baby. I've got no time to deal with him; the Ceremony is nearing its apex!
The teenager could only watch with horror as Mab made his body kneel over the child, who had started to cry, from what he could see. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Derek screaming and crying, fighting with all he had against a sand golem that was pulling him back from the magical force field. Elijah then saw his hands tighten on the hilt of the sword, saw its tip being aimed at the baby's heart.
NO, Elijah screamed again.
As if in response to his thought, a furious pain suddenly arced through his body. He screamed, but he also heard Mab screaming, and saw the sword fly out of her grasp as she fell backwards. His body seized up, his limbs trembling as pain raced through his body. What was going on? Was this part of the Ceremony?
THE EYE! He felt his hand shaking madly as he reached for his pocket, and smelled something like burned hair. Above him, the force field flickered in and out of existence.
Her magic, the teenager thought. Whatever's happening is weakening her! If I could only move-
Mab made his hand close on the Eye in his pocket, and there was bright flash of light. The pain suddenly vanished, and Elijah felt the sand shift next to him. He turned his head around-
I turned my head, he thought, grinning a little. And I grinned, too!
Amanda, Nashville, and Maggie lay in the sand next to him in a crumpled heap, slowly untangling themselves and getting to their feet. Amanda caught sight of him, a fearful expression on her face. She gave an inaudible scream, scrambling away from him.
"No, it's m-me," he started to say, but then someone roughly grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him back. Twisting out of their grasp and turning around, he saw that it was his uncle, who was speaking very fast. Too fast for him to catch every word.
"Elijah... get out of... Eye... give it to... destroy it!"
The teenager noticed the sword Excalibur in his uncle's hand; he must have picked it up after Mab had dropped it. Looking around, he saw that both the magical barrier and the sand golems were gone. From what he could tell, no one was seriously injured, and they were all making their way towards him.
"G-G-Go," he stammered, trying to push his uncle away. "Be-Before she comes b-ba-"
Too late, Mab snarled, and Elijah screamed as he was suddenly forced to his feet. His right hand, the one holding the Eye, made to grab the sword, but he held it back, feeling like he was fighting some invisible force that wanted to pull it forward.
Your efforts are futile, boy, the witch demanded. That shock may have been a surprise, but I'M still in charge!
"Elijah," his uncle was saying, holding out his free hand to him. He was asking for something, but what? What could he-?
His eyes turned to the Eye.
DON'T GIVE IT TO HIM, Mab shouted in both his mind and through his mouth, sounding almost desperate. IT WILL KILL HIM IF YOU DO! The hand not holding the Eye swung upwards, and the magical force field reappeared, separating him and Uncle Jeffrey from the others before swinging back towards the man.
"Elijah." His uncle mouthed the word a few more times. And then these ones: "Trust me."
"W-What if she's right," Elijah stammered, a few tears welling in his eyes. It was getting harder to hold his hand back, and he felt like his arm would rip in half if he kept trying. "What if it k-kills you? Wh-What if she takes over-"
"It won't," he could have sworn he saw his uncle say. "It must... handed over Willoughby."
Willingly, the teenager realized.
Enough, boy, Mab snapped, growing louder in his mind's eye. I will make both of your miserable, worthless existence HELL if you keep fighting me! I will NOT be beaten by a stupid, mortal child!
Elijah's hand shook so much that it was like a blur. He could see his uncle's open palm underneath the hand, waiting for him to drop the Eye into it. Mustering the last of his strength, he said: "Destroy it."
And dropped the Eye.
[][][]
11:53 PM
The Eye seemed to fall in slow motion, leaving Elijah Robbins' hand, and falling into Jeffrey Robbins' open palm.
Mab screamed in his mind, making Elijah's hand close in an attempt to catch the Eye.
The man's hand closed around it, and he flinched as its power suddenly coursed through him.
He saw the others running towards him, the force field now gone, but they would not reach him in time. He needed to destroy the Eye now. His eyes fell on the sword...
Jeffrey Robbins saw the sword in his hand, dropping it in to the sand.
Holding it down with his free hand, he raised the hand with the Eye in it above the blade.
He looked at his nephew, who had fallen to his knees.
He looked at Amanda, Nashville, and Maggie, the latter with the baby mutate and gargoyle egg in their arms. They turned and ran towards the others.
He looked at his reflection in the blade, seeing the determined look on his face. And the green glow in his eyes.
Elisa was the one who first remembered what Owen had said about the possible danger of destroying the Eye, and she opened her mouth to warn the author. But it was too late.
Jeffrey Robbins slammed the Fourth Eye of Mab down on the flat edge of Excalibur's blade, and-
[][][]
Elijah POV:
11:57 AM
Elijah slowly opened his eyes, feeling like he had been hit by a bus.
The first thing he saw was the sky; he could see some of the stars, though the clouds covered up a good portion of them. He could see part of the moon from behind the cloud, shining down on him.
The teenager suddenly flinched, quickly sitting up as he felt something cold touch the small of his back. Looking down, he saw that he was laying part of the way in the ocean, which continued to lap against the shore. He winced, his limbs aching. His clothes, including his choir shirt, had burn marks and holes in them. He also had a few cuts and burns along his arms and legs, and, as he felt his cheek, his face.
"Uncle Jeffrey," he muttered hoarsely, whimpering a little as he pushed himself to his feet. Stumbling a little, he turned back towards the beach, freezing at the sight in front of him.
A large crater sat a few yards in front of him, drawing his full attention. It had to have been about twenty yards in diameter, and maybe twelve feet deep. It had definitely not been there before, and he racked his brains as he tried to remember...
Elijah remembered the moment he had let go of the Eye. Mab had screamed, the force of it nearly tearing his mind apart. He saw his uncle catch it, flinching the moment it touched his skin. He then saw his uncle raising it up and bringing it down on... On a what? What had it been?
"Sword." The teenager spotted it laying in the cater, not too far from him. He staggered forward, sliding down the sand slope towards the weapon. He was going to touch it, but he noticed it was still smoking, and he figured it would be burning hot to the touch. His eyes continued forward, looking for the center of the crater.
There had been a bright flash of green light. He thought he had seen a few faces in it. Some human, some gargoyle. Then, he felt like he had been flying.
"Uncle Jeffrey," he mumbled, crawling towards the center of the crater. That bright light had to have been an explosion, which was how this giant hole had gotten here. But where was everyone? Where was his uncle? "Uncle... Uncle Jeffrey."
The boy reached the center of the pit. The sand there was blackened by the heat, and was hot to the touch. But he pressed on, looking around for some sign of the author and finding nothing. Where was he?
In the sand, Elijah realized. He's probably buried in the sand. Maybe all of them are! He started to dig through the sand, pushing it aside as he searched for his uncle. As he became more awake, his work became more frantic, scooping handful after handful of sand and tossing it behind him.
A shadow suddenly fell over him, and he looked up to find Hudson there. The teenager almost cried with relief.
"Hudson," he croaked, turning back to the sand. "You gotta help me... Uncle Jeffrey's down here..." He clawed through the sand. "We gotta... We gotta help him."
The boy felt a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off. It returned a few second later, and he shrugged it off again. The third time, he turned towards the aged gargoyle with a furious expression.
"HELP ME," the teenager screamed, angry tears in his eyes. "WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE?! WHAT-" He spotted a few of the other gargoyles, their human allies, and the mutates standing at the edge of the crater, looking down at him. All of them looked a little worse for wear, their clothes either burned or torn, and all with sullen expressions on their faces. A few of them were injured. Hudson put a hand on his shoulder again, and the boy knocked it away.
"Help me, PLEASE," Elijah begged, looking up at everyone. "My uncle's down there! We gotta save him!" He looked down at the sand. "He saved me! He saved me, and now I have to save him!"
He reached for the sand again, but another hand closed over his, this one human. Looking around, he saw Amanda kneeling there, a sad, tired expression on her face. She had a few cuts and bruises as well, and the ends of her hair had been singed. Feeling a sudden rush of emotion, the boy hugged her.
"You're alive," he gasped, hugging her tightly. "Amanda, I'm so sorry about all this! I didn't mean for it to-"
The girl gently pulled out of his hug, shaking her head. There were tears in her eyes. Shakily, she lifted her hands, signing three words:
"He's gone, Elijah."
The boy's breath caught in his throat, and he stared at her with a mixture of horror and disbelief. Then, he shook his head.
"N-No," he muttered, turning back to the sand. "No, he's not g-gone... He's still here, st-still here with me." He dug his hands back into the sand, but they were now shaking a little. "J-Just help me look for-" Amanda tried to grab his hand again. "No, I'm not leaving! Help me-" Hudson's hand was back on his shoulder. "Cut it out! We gotta save him! We-"
The gargoyle forcefully picked Elijah up, hugging him from behind so he couldn't move his arms. The teenager screamed and struggled against the grip, trying to get back to the sand.
"Let me GO," he demanded, trying to push Hudson's arms off of him. "WHY AREN'T YOU HELPING ME?! UNCLE JEFFREY'S YOUR BEST FRIEND! YOU'RE JUST GONNA LET HIM DIE?!"
Amanda got up and walked in front of the boy, signing something to him. But he didn't want to hear it. Why wouldn't they just help him?! His uncle was probably hurt, trapped just beneath the surface of the sand. They had to rescue him!
"LET ME GO," the teenager cried, finally wriggling out of the aged gargoyle's grasp. He angrily turned on Hudson, shoving him back. "You MONSTER! You're gonna let him die?! After everything he's done for you?!" The gargoyle simply stared at him with a mixture of shock and hurt, looking like he had been stabbed in the back.
Elijah turned back to the sand, falling to his knees and resuming his digging. He threw back a few handfuls and then stopped, his vision becoming blurry with tears. The bits of sand in his hands trickled from between his fingers, falling back to the ground. A wave of grief and sorrow came over him, and he finally accepted the truth.
His uncle wasn't underneath the sand. His uncle wasn't laying injured somewhere; the others surely would've taken him there if that had been the case. That flash of light had been an explosion, and his uncle had been at the very center of it.
Jeffrey Robbins was gone.
The tears started to pour, and a few choked sobs escaped the boy's mouth. He hugged his arms together, bending over the sand so the tears wet the beach. Someone put a hand on his shoulder, and this time he didn't pull away, instead leaning into their embrace. Though his nose was stuffy, he recognized the smell of concrete and old leather, and sensed a shadow cover him; no doubt Hudson wrapping him in his wings. Another hand (Amanda's, no doubt) touched his free shoulder, and he reached up and grasped it, clutching it life a lifeline.
Though he didn't hear it, Elisa's wristwatch started to beep, signaling midnight.
What a chapter... It's one of my longest I've ever written (not sure if it's the longest, though). And of course, we say goodbye to a beloved character, Jeffrey Robbins.
The next chapter cover the aftermath of 'The Longest Night,' and how Elijah and some of the others cope and/or react to Jeffrey's death and Mab's attack. There WILL be an epilogue chapter after that, and after that, a note about the sequel to this story. I plan to post the next chapter by the end of April/early May, and the epilogue and sequel note by the end of May.
Until then, I hope you all have a great day and weekend ahead! Stay safe, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
-aggiefrogger