"WOW! You really met ALL kinds of monsters?!"
"Yeah." Lisa answers. "And it all began back at this creepy old house called Dead House. Up next was this plant guy that freaked Cory out. I was the next victim, to this stuff called Monster Blood and the giant rats it made."
This is incredible. As Cory drives through Florida in his blue 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid Three-Row SUV, I listen to all of Lisa's stories as I hang in the backseat with Dylan, my parents in the third row. Oh, and Lisa's dog Larry is sitting in between Dylan and I.
Maximum Darkness only whistles in impressment as a shadow on Larry. "There REALLY was another timeline?"
"Yep." Dylan adds. "Back then, you would've had a grandpa. And no half-demon stuff, too."
"Plus, your uncle was this ugly fish man." Mom laughs. I still can't believe they can all hear her.
"Still pretty creepy how she's just rambling on me…" Larry whines.
"You'll get used to it." Dylan says, scratching Larry behind the ears. "I already have. Plus, it's been a while since you saw Wolf."
Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies, mummies, demons, talking animals, aliens, fish people, superheroes, robots, ninjas, unicorns, dragons, and even giant monsters? Wow…
"So…what about this Slappy guy?" I ask. "The big bad guy?"
"Oh, him?" Lisa asks. "Fier brought him back, but I had a bunch of high school kids crush him behind some old bleachers. But he can reform his real body from his ghost form and piss off the Reapers over in the Shadow Realm. Stupid dummy just won't die."
I only laugh. "Dummy…"
"Try not to say that to his face. He hates that." Cory says. "Actually, maybe you can."
"So…what happened?" Mother asks.
"I woke up one night having already transformed." He says. "Thanks to my magic, I retained my humanity. Noticed my fangs in a mirror. And my wings. It was a bit hard to get them out because I was outdoors."
"Moi?" Lisa asks. "Heard some eldritch voices and chanting. Guess all that emotional trauma and mental pain's beginning to make me go cuckoo. Even began seeing creepy tentacles and at one point, I ended up seeing a third eye open right on my…uh…"
"A THIRD eye?! EW! Gross! And…ow?" Bleh. It'll never get out of my mind.
"Oh no. I'm scarred for life." Maximum only says sarcastically.
"Fier's been calling me the Dark Chaos. His most powerful herald." Lisa says. "I might be losing myself faster and faster. Feels like my very soul is being destroyed."
"Well, we just gotta hang in there." Cory says. "We're just about here."
I can see a sign. Fever Swamp. The trees stick up super high as we head towards the town.
"So…you guys had werewolves too?" I ask. "In this Midnight Society group?"
"Yeah. Called themselves the Lunar Pack." Lisa says. "Much like how we had our very own vampires in the Twilight Brood. Pack had Grady as its leader, along with his sister Emily, his buddy Will, along with Brian, Cara, Wolf, and Hannah."
"Wait, isn't Hannah the ghost girl?"
"That's Hannah Fairchild, sweetie." Lucy says. "This is Hannah Stoneman."
We pass a building called Fever Swamp's Market. Dylan told me that Grady worked here. Then we go by another: Cassie's Curiosi-Teas, run by another old friend of his, Cassie O' Rourke.
After a while, Cory parks at a house at the edge of town, just near the swamp. This must be the Tucker house.
Once we get out of the car, Cory heads up to the door of the lodge-like place. It's locked, so he knocks. And when I see the man who opens the door…he seems like an old friend.
Seems like he's in his early 30s or something. He has wavy brown hair and dark eyes.
"Long time no see, Grady." Cory smiles. "At least you're not shirtless like last time."
"You haven't changed at all, Cory." He says, hugging him. "What brings you here?"
"We need some help. When Dracula bit me, it seemed like he transferred the curse of the Ultimate into me. My magic's been holding it back for the past 10 years, but I don't think it's working anymore. Last night I turned into a werewolf with vampire fangs and bat wings. I need to learn how to control this form before I lose myself. Where's Emily?"
"Back with the pack." Grady says, inviting us in. "What's with Lisa?"
Uh oh. She's getting another headache.
"Fier's reaching to her through a wound Drac made. Maybe your shamans can help her resist the corruption."
"How long do you have?"
"About a year. Maybe even less."
That's when I see a dog enter the room. He freezes and eyes me curiously.
"Hey there, Wolfie!" Larry says. "Been a while!"
He only lets out a small bark.
"Of COURSE I'm staying outta trouble! You know me, I'm not a field guy like you!"
"You can understand him?" I ask.
"Duh. We're both dogs."
"Grady, this is Max." Lucy says. "My daughter. Her monster form ended up emerging earlier than normal. Maybe you can help her figure out how to control it."
Another woof from Wolf.
"It can be a girl's name too!" Larry says. "Ever heard of Maximum Ride?"
"Oh right, I keep forgetting." Lisa says. "Do YOU have any kids?"
"Don't need any." Grady says. "The pack's the only family I'll ever need."
"Heard you've been going around as the local lore keeper during the day." Dylan says. "Always telling people the stories but not saying they're real."
"Just laying low here. And as the 'hermit', I've got signs for people to stay out of the swamp."
"So…you're a werewolf, right?" I ask. "When do I get to see the others? And…how did you get bitten?"
"Oh…that's my favorite story." Grady smirks. "Cory and Lisa were with me that day. I'll tell you once you all settle in. We leave for the Burrow when night falls. That way you'll get to see MY family."
"Right." Dina smirks. "Because you don't have friends."
"Calling them friends doesn't exactly justify the bond. You're part of it too, you know."
I sit by the log fire. I feel like I'm in a hunter's cabin. The good way.
"It all began back when my dad had us move here." Grady began. "To study the effects of a swamp environment on some deer. Little did I know that I'd get my very own encounter with the local wildlife myself. And it all started with this good boy right here…"
He only pats Wolf, who wags his tail. He continues the story, and I'm only reminded of how my Mom told hers to me. It's even in a similar style.
Not once did I get bored. Suddenly…being a freak isn't so bad after all…
…
The old house in the middle of the swamp is packed with all kinds of wolf people. Full-grown, teens, even kids. Some even look like adorable little wolf children! I gotta admit, Grady looks cool as a werewolf. And Cory's magic is holding back his transformation. He's still himself.
"It's alright, they're with me." Grady reassures his pack before turning to another, keeping watch. "I take it there were successful hunts, Emily?"
"Yep." She says. "Thankfully no unwanted intruders either."
"Wait, she was turned too?" Lisa asked. "When did this happen?"
"About a few months ago." Grady answered.
"So…you just scare humans away and DON'T maul them to death?" I ask. "Well, that explains the lack of bodies. At least…the lack of HUMAN bodies…"
Another werewolf approached. Female, I think. She bowed before Grady the alpha.
"Mini Me found someone." She said, "Brought her here for safety. And there's someone else waiting for you."
"Are they human, Cara?" He asks. "You know how Luke and Toby get about unwanted visitors like those."
"Well, Will and Hannah DID break them up. The other Cara will explain. As for the other one…well, see for yourself."
We enter the Burrow and…WOAH! It's huge! It's like a massive lobby! People in both human and werewolf forms are roaming about. And I see a girl with a prosthetic left arm…and a man in a leather jacket and fedora sharpening a weapon!
"Abe!" Cory gasps. The man only looks up.
"Well…talk about an unexpected reunion." He says. "How's home?"
"Safe, thanks to me. But…what are YOU doing here?!"
"The werewolves here have a territorial dispute. I'm here to settle that. And keep wannabe and amatur hunters from sticking their noses where they don't belong. Blake here's just learning that one of her pals comes from such a family."
"Woah." I notice. "Uh, sorry if this is a touchy subject, but…how'd you lose your arm?"
"Never had one. Born with only this one." She holds up her right arm. "Still a wiz at Lore Hunt, though."
"Awwww…." Maximum moans. "I was hoping she lost it from a monster attack or getting it cut off…"
"Sssh!"
"So…you must be a Shadow Demon." Abe says. "New breed, too. Like this Horror called Irk."
Huh?
"He knows stuff." Lisa smirks. "And he would, since he's a Van Helsing."
"Wait, as in…the monster hunter?!"
"Only go after the evil ones." He says. "My family's a defender of the natural and supernatural alike. Just ten years ago I stopped the ultimate evil and secured seven Moonstones. But a few weeks ago, one of them, the orange Beast Stone, was stolen. I'm busy, so I'm having my Hunting Party search for it."
"That's the werewolf one." Will recognizes. "The one the Wendigo used to revive the Wolf Man."
"Really?! There's cryptids too?!"
"Yep." Mom says. "It's pretty cool. Plus, there's even manticores."
"Back in the Mystic Realm. Apparently this is Blake's first time knowing about the monster world. But aliens and demons seem to be a bit too much for her."
"So…" Cory states. "Back during THAT night…I think Dracula bit ME, too. As the Ultimate."
Van Helsing pauses with his weapon maintenance and looks at Cory. And his eyes begin to glow.
"And you're starting to transform NOW?"
"Hey, I didn't know! My magic was holding it back for all these years, but its ability to do so is fading!"
"Hmmm…" Van Helsing reclines back. "I got an idea on how to cure it. But I'll need all seven Moonstones. And so far, I've been bumped back down to…six…"
He eyes Lisa, his eyes glowing again.
"Crap, you too?"
"Yeah. Turns out I've got a loooooot of trauma built up. So much that Fier's trying to break and corrupt me."
"Well, guess I can still kill two birds with one stone."
Suddenly, there's a howl. A howl of warning. Van Helsing freezes. And he begins to…sense something…
"That's Emily." Hannah realizes. "She's picked something up."
"Shit." Van Helsing cusses. "Hunters…"
"Language, there are kids here!" Dina hisses as the hunter stands up.
"Get everyone inside." He orders. "I'll handle this."
He grabs a sword and a shotgun and opens the door to head outside. I rush to a nearby window to watch what happens next.
Just how will he ward off the werewolf hunters?
…
VAN HELSING
I load my shotgun and cock it, then sheathe my gun-sword as I holster my ranged weapon and pull up my bandana to cover my mouth and nose. I step outside into the misty swamp, slamming the door shut beside me.
That's then the hunters arrive. Armed with a lot of expensive silver. Spray, bullets, nets, chains, even weapons. Judging by their faces, they weren't expecting me.
There's even some werewolves of their own: Several, with glowing orange eyes, silver claws, and silver fangs. They've mutated. To become a threat to other werewolves.
And that's when another man steps forward. He's got the same appearance as me, but a bit darker and rugged.
Holy shit…I know that face…
"You…" I curl my fists in anger as the man eyes me.
"Abraham Van Helsing The Second." He says. "Of COURSE you would be here, defending these beasts."
"Kraver Von Grimm." I state. "My father's old apprentice. If you want to kill every single one of the monsters, then why do you resort to using werewolves as hunting dogs?"
"A means to an end. They will die when their purpose is fulfilled. And this is a leash that they CANNOT be broken free of."
That's when I see what's in his hand. The Beast Stone!
"Of course." I piece it together. "There's only one man besides me and my father that knows the security of our family mansion like the back of our hand. You. You resort to stealing a dangerous artifact to have your way?"
"Never again should we suffer another Eternal Night." He says. "What if someone even stronger than Dracula arrived to destroy us all?"
"That won't happen. And your friends must be wondering how the hell I know you." I replied. "See, as Monster Hunters, we have a duty to defend the natural AND the supernatural. You don't know who you're following. I'll let you know that some monsters don't exactly live up to their name. They're sentient, capable of feeling emotion, and even being human. Like us. Something the traitor here failed to understand. How the mighty have fallen."
"The mercy your family offers will be your undoing, Abraham." Kraver says. "Now stand aside, or you will die WITH the dogs."
"Oh? You may have led them here, but do they know about the…others?"
"Others?" Lily's dad asks. "What others?"
I only summon forth living copies of various other monsters. Vampires, ghosts, dragons, aliens, demons, mummies, even zombies. This makes several hunters scream in fear.
"DON'T be fooled!" Kraver roars. "They are mere facades!"
"You guys are way in over your heads for this!" I say. "And there was only one thing you were right about, Von Grimm. To kill a monster, you must become a monster."
I make the copies vanish and whip out my shotgun, aiming at his head.
"Congratulations. Your transformation is complete."
And then, I pull the trigger.
BANG!
The bullet whizzed through the air, only to be blocked by a forcefield!
"Did you think I never picked up a trick or two of yours?" He asks. "Your family practices sorcery as well. And I've caught onto your…latest invention…"
He then takes out an old and cracked amulet. My eyes widened at this.
That amulet…it's the same one that my ancestor Abraham Van Helsing used during his battle with Dracula!
"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!" I roared.
"Capture the humans. Kill any beast you see." Kraver orders his men. "Van Helsing is mine."
He inserts the Beast Stone inside the amulet and then, he recites something.
"For the thrill of the hunt, the night is mine to command!"
And then, he roars as the orange energy begins to surround him. And soon, he's donned in orange werewolf-like armor! Shit! That's a Moonstone Armor! Far more powerful than Monster Armor! And that's the Werewolf Moonstone Armor!
This is why I plan ahead.
"Just you TRY to kill me." I say. "That'll only happen when I have a successor in blood!"
I take out my own amulet, then insert the Creation Stone inside.
"For the gift of life, the storm is mine to command!"
The green lightning surrounds me, and I don the Living Moonstone Armor, a dark green to match Kraver's orange. It looks unstable thanks to the amulet's condition.
He only has Shredder-like blades extending from the gauntlets. I only follow suit, conjuring Wolverine-style claws.
"The crazy part?" I say. "In another life, we could've been brothers."
"Enough of this. By defending these animals, you are a traitor to all humanity!"
Kraver roars as he charges forth! I follow suit, firing the gun implants in the armor's wrists. He blocks and parries them with his claws before mine clashes with them, sparks beginning to fly!
We're evenly matched in sheer brutality and combat skills. It's like we're Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando. Brothers with a broken bond. I catch a leg and try to break it. Kraver roars before I throw him into a tree, but he rolls aside when I try to drive my claws into his skull, hitting the bark instead.
The only ones we're focused on is each other. The hunters and mind-controlled wolves only head for the Burrow. Okay, fellas. Now's your time to shine…
…
LISA
The Burrow is compromised. Instantly, we spring into action.
I fight through the hallucinations and don my Monster Armor as Lissandra. Cory does the same. Meanwhile, Blake has a plan: Disguising herself as one of the werewolves and luring as many hunters as she can away. Crazy, but effective. I've been known to take risks as well.
I follow Cory, Lucy, Dina, Max, and Grady as all the wolves rush from the Borrow. There, the hunters are waiting.
"You…you don't want to do this…" Max says.
"Get away from them, kid!" A hunter says. "Those beasts are dangerous!"
"Well…not as dangerous as I am…"
And suddenly, she lets Maximum Darkness take over! She transforms and laughs before charging!
"AAAH! M-Monster! Fire!"
The hunters fire their weapons in a panic, but Max easily disarms one and punches one hard into a tree!
"Stop! Don't kill them!" I hear Max yell.
"He's still alive, aren't they?"
We end up battling more hunters ourselves, shortly revealing our troll and dragon forms. The werewolf hunters weren't expecting this. They only go after WEREWOLVES, not bats, lizards, Shadow Demons, trolls, and dragons!
"W…What ARE these things?!" Another yells.
"H-He said they weren't real!" A third says.
"Does THIS feel real?"
Maximum Darkness breaks a rifle before crushing a can of silver spray. Meanwhile, the werewolves begin fighting the more feral wolves with the orange eyes!
Some even go after Blake. She must've been expecting to lure only the HUMAN hunters away! And a feral claw ends up slicing off her arm!
Thankfully, it's her prosthetic arm. But the werewolf smells right through the disguise…
Only for Maximum Darkness to easily possess the werewolf. That ends up doing something. The eyes begin to flicker wildly, the werewolf clutching its head as Blake makes a run for it.
Finally, the werewolf roars. The lesser silver werewolves suddenly freeze from the howl, and then the orange lights in their eyes fade away as well! Instantly, they turn on the humans!
Cory is the first to act, defending the hunters and buying them time to scramble out of there. Meanwhile, Maximum Darkness flies out of the werewolf alpha, tumbling to the ground.
"Okay…I might have made things a bit worse…"
Lucy and Dina free the last of the caged and trapped werewolves, but the alpha only turns to us. And it growls.
"Humans…"
"Oh no…" Larry gulped.
"Friend of yours?" Grady asks as Wolf growls back.
"T…T…That's Fenrir." My dog whimpers. "Wolf and I faced him with the Midnight Society's pets and talking animals."
"Is he a natural-born werewolf or turned?"
"Turned. But before he was a werewolf…he was a WOLF wolf."
"Woah…" I gasp. "That's new."
"I…smell your weakness." Fenrir growls. "There is no cage, no leash, that can contain me. Those of you who retain your humanity are WEAK. My pack will rip yours to pieces…"
"Never." Grady snarls. "I'll die before I lose my family."
At this, Wolf's ears perk up. He's…afraid.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Larry gasps. "That's suicide! Fenrir once tore a White Wolf to SHREDS! He's far more dangerous than even the Wolf Man! You have no idea what he can do!"
"Yeah…I know."
And suddenly, the alpha charged and rushed at Fenrir! The beast leaped to meet Grady, slashing across his chest! Grady falls to the ground, roars, and rushes into the woods! And Fenrir gives chase!
Wolf yelps and races after him, with Larry following.
"WAIT!" He cries. "Wolf! Wolf, he's gonna kill you!"
I can tell Grady wants to help. But pained howls grab our attention. Fenrir's pack is attacking Grady's, and with their silver fangs and claws, so many innocent people will die!
"Argh, dammit!" He curses. "We gotta save them! COME ON!"
We rush towards the pack as the battle escalates into the forest. And as I rush up with swords at the ready, I see the Burror, now completely vacant, go up in flames…
…
VAN HELSING
At least we were never blood. That way, I'll feel good about spilling his…
Our blades clash once again before Kraver kicks me into the Burrow! I crash into the wall before he steps inside. And he looks around, defacing my family name as long as he wears that amulet and armor!
"Where are they?" He asked.
"Your hound slipped his leash." I retorted. "Might as well put him down after I put YOU down. What did my father ever do to you?!"
"He tried to make me weak! Do you fail to see it, 'brother'?! There will always be monsters, and mankind will always be in danger! I fight to defend them all, and eradicate all of our evil and nightmares!"
"He found you orphaned. Raised you alongside me! We spent our YOUTH together! And THIS is how you repay the favor?! I thought you said we were NEVER brothers. Well…I'M the big brother now."
I ready my claws as I get back up.
"You must've failed to realize that the most dangerous of monsters take human form…"
He doesn't listen. We charge again, our claws locked in a clash! If he fights dirty, so do I. I knee him on the groin before matching his mercilessness with mine. He doesn't beg or plead. We're like two hungry wolves, fighting to survive. If we starve, we die. And those that are wild…do not share.
I dodge more claw strikes and counter with fatal blows. Only one of us is walking out of this swamp alive!
Kraver only headbutts me and throws me into a wall, and I grunt in pain as I slam into a wall, losing my claws once I drop to the ground. He starts towards me, but a few lit candles fall to the ground…
And soon, the fire begins to spread. Kraver stops when he sees a wall of fire separate us. I only get back up, the monster durability making sure I'm okay. At least the helmet blocks me from coughing up the smoke.
"Well then." I snarl. "I guess we'll both perish here."
"On that one thing…" Kraver adds. "We agree…"
We only stare at each other through the flames. The whole place will be coming down soon. If that's what it takes to clear my family's name…so be it.
Finally, through the hellish flames, Kraver leaps and roars! I shatter his claws with just two punches, forcing him into an unarmed state.
We trade blows and try to beat each other to death. His resolve is revenge. Mine is justice. That can be the same thing at times.
I nearly break an arm and throw him into a fireplace, slamming his face in it over and over again. When he tries to resist, I kick in the armor's supernatural strength, then pin him in!
Kraver screams and roars in pain as he forces me off, the helmet on fire! He manages to put it out with a few fast punches, the wind blowing them out.
"You don't deserve to wield that amulet." I say. "If the stone's power doesn't kill you…I will."
"Do I look like I fear death?"
"No. Not yet…"
I conjure a sword and strike! Kraver dons another set of claws to block and counter, but I kick him onto a table to smash it to pieces! He handsprings back up, and I change my sword into a machete and swing it! He dodges, delivering an elbow to my back!
I swing my blade again, and he dodges it. A downward slice also misses, hitting the floor! He tries to kick me, but I grab his leg and flip him, sending him into a corner!
We charge again, and in our clash, I throw him into a series of windows and run alongside, shattering them against him before tossing him outside! After all…what am I thinking? This isn't where my family line ends!
I rush out of the Burrow as the building is engulfed in an inferno! Kraven fires a crossbow, which I deflect with my gun-sword before returning fire with bullets. Those old hunter weapons won't work anymore. But he can stay in the past where he belongs.
We charge at each other once more, blades and bullets swinging and flying as our duel continues into the deep dark forests of the swamp…
…
GRADY
I slide back across the ground, panting heavily. I can taste blood, but I have no idea if it's Fenrir's or mine. He only growls at me, the surroundings evident of our battle having raged throughout the swamp and woods.
"You know this place…" He senses. "It is a grave. Was. In another life. Now…it will be a grave once again. YOUR grave."
"You've always been what you used to be." I say. "You're a lone wolf. Meanwhile, My family's the strongest pack there ever is. And they've made ME stronger too."
If he kills me…they'll all be next to die. I can't let that happen…
"Now…you will become my prey. For I am the apex predator!"
We charge at each other once again, colliding in mid-air! I feel Fenrir bite down on a shoulder when we land, so I wound his back with my claws before throwing him off into a tree.
I lunge at him again, but he flips up and tackles me upon jumping down! We continue to tussle, but Fenrir keeps lashing out with savage strikes, and I hear myself howl in pain once he digs deep into my back, then bite me before throwing me, leaving me to hold onto a cliffside with a claw. Dangling over a pit of quicksand.
"What's the matter boy, does it hurt?!" Fenrir taunts. "Must be hard, being so…HUMAN!"
I leap back up once he walks over, another vicious claw swipe making him lose his right eye! Fenrir roars in pain at this as I slide to a halt behind me.
"The strength of the family is far stronger than any pack." I say. "There's no primal instinct alive that can replace that."
Roaring like mad, a berserk Fenrir charges! I grab a nearby rock and slam it across his face before kicking him off the cliff! Fenrir roars like mad before he falls into the pit.
"Ha! Let's see you get out of that!"
About five seconds later, I did. Fenrir lands on the land just nearby, panting and growling. With an angry growl, he roars at me and leaps at the cliff! I only leap over the quicksand and end up right where, in the other timeline, Will met his fate.
Funny how fate works…
Fenrir lunges at me, and I slash at his face to scar and wound him. I bite and maul at him savagely, but he manages to bite my left arm and tear off a good chunk! He kicks me back, and I fall with my face near the quicksand.
Fenrir growls. No more humanity left in him. There was never any in him to begin with.
I fake being still. But he's heading over to make sure. And before he can strike, that's when I do. I grab his neck and throat before slamming him to the ground, biting into his flesh. I rip out another chunk, an eye for an eye, but all that seems to do is piss him off.
We end up tumbling down another slope, clawing, biting, and raging. I bite his ankle, but he manages to wound my ear.
Once we hit the ground, I feel the pain pulse through my body. Damn…that's it then, huh?
Once I get up, Fenrir lashes out again, slashing a claw against my face before swiping both across my chest. We continue roaring and wounding each other, but I feel myself getting weaker.
But there's something that drives me. Keeps me going forward.
He tackles me, but I get him off and break his left arm. In response, he grabs my right arm and rips it right off!
"You won't kill the wives!" I roar after knocking him back. "You won't kill the children! And you won't kill everything we love! Today, I will take your heart before you can take any more!"
The animal roars and charges, but with my remaining arm, I swipe so hard his clawed hand comes off, and I bite him hard down on the snout! Fenrir roars in sheer rage as I grab him by the neck.
"THIS….IS FOR…MY FAMILY!"
With a primal roar, I snap his neck and rip the head off! The blood spurts everywhere. The trees. The dirt. Even on me. I only pant heavily, wincing from the wounds.
I climb back up to the quicksand pit, then I toss the head and body, the corpse of Fenrir, inside. And I collapse as I watch it sink…
Dammit…my…my wounds…my injuries! They're too severe…not even the shamans can heal me. That is…if I make it back in time. Which…isn't gonna happen.
That's when I hear it. A loud whimper. And a familiar figure runs to my side. I only smile.
"You've…been a good boy…Wolf." I say weakly. "It's okay…buddy. Are…are they safe?"
He doesn't seem to be in the mood to answer. My dog, my best friend, is beginning to cry. I may not hear him speak…but I know what he's trying to say.
"I did…what I had to. To protect…them all. Emily…Will…Cara…Hannah…even Blake."
Hannah…that name…
"I won't…be gone, Wolf. I…I won't leave you." I say. "I'll…find her. She'll teach me…to be like her…and I'll come back. Reborn. But…we all have to go there…someday."
I can feel it coming. One thing. One last thing I can still do. Before nothingness takes hold.
"Wolf…you've cared…greatly…for the family…more greatly…than even…I did. You're…more human…than any of us. You…must lead…them…now. If we…never meet again…I'll give you…this. To…remember me…by…"
I lift my head up…and Wolf yelps once my teeth gently bite down on his neck. His eyes go wide at what I just did.
He doesn't even need to look at the full moon. The change is already beginning to happen. Albeit slowly.
"Goodbye…Wolf." I smile with tears in my eyes. "I'm sorry…this had…to happen. But…I'll…always…be…ready…to…hunt…"
That's it. I've run out of energy to speak. I only close my eyes, ready to enter the Shadow Realm.
The last thing I hear is Wolf lifting his head to the sky, letting out a mourning howl…
…
CORY
Just like that, the orange-eyed werewolves suddenly drop to the ground. Their alpha must be dead. Because when they wake back up, that light is gone. And the silver fades from their teeth and fangs.
Good. They seem to be coming back to their senses. I check back on the werewolves. Last I heard from them, this seems to be one of their dad's old hunting grounds. Blake comes back with Lily and Cara, her prosthetic arm now toast and wrecked. Nothing but pieces now.
"I'm so sorry, Blake." She's saying. "I had no idea the werewolves were so…like us. And Cara being one of them? Well…I guess my days as a hunter are over."
"Well, what matters is that we made it." Blake replies. "I wasn't sure we would."
"Yeah. At least it was your robot arm that was ripped off and torn to pieces." The other Cara adds. "Good strategizing, Lore Hunter. Tell your friend Eden that I said thanks."
"You know? I probably won't. But thank you. I'm sorry about The Burrow, though."
"It's just a building." Toby only says.
"We're safe." Cara adds. "That's what matters."
"Oh!" Blake realizes, taking the skin pelt she's wearing off. "You should have this back too."
"You should keep it." Toby only says. "It's part of you now."
Oh…right. That's Wolf Skin…
"Honorary werewolf? I like it."
Aaand Blake doesn't realize it yet. The werewolves only howl.
"Wait…" I realize. "Where's Grady?! And Van Helsing?!"
"Mr. Tucker?" Blake asks. "I…I don't know…!"
"Wolf ran after Grady into the woods!" Larry said. "I came back because I lost Wolf! And I'm hearing some kind of fight in the forest!"
"Oh no…"
Instantly, I turn tail and race off into the woods. I run as fast as I can. And I pray to God that I'm not-.
…too late.
No…
Before my eyes is a crying Wolf. Laying down next to the body of his best friend.
Grady. Grady's dead…
I don't see Fenrir anywhere. Did he kill him and run away? Or did Grady sacrifice himself to kill him?
My mind flashes. Back. Back to when Grady got bitten by Will. Back in the old timeline. I…He was one of my closest friends. I didn't want to lose him back then. I…I have now…
And seeing a poor dog cry…may be worse than seeing a dog die.
I'm too stunned. Saddened. Shaken. Scarred. Scared. To speak. To cry. To move. To do anything.
I feel a tear roll down my face and drop to the ground. And from the corner of my eye…I notice something's wrong.
That's not a tear…
That's blood. I'm crying blood…
I…I can't move…I…I feel…only…
Wolf suddenly perks up and notices me. His face goes wide with fear.
And before the blackness takes hold, I hear the dog actually speak as it holds out a paw.
Once my humanity fades, Wolf only yells "NO!"...
…
VAN HELSING
I'm not sure how long we've been fighting like this. Kraver's been pushing me to my absolute limits. I've been using every single weapon, every single spell, EVERYTHING in my arsenal. Even WITH badass edgy music blasting to keep me in the fight, I think I'm starting to lose it. I may be just in my 30s, but I might be getting old…
"Your skills are waning, Abraham." Kraver growls. "You will be the first to die…"
"You dumbass." I pant. "Don't you sense it? The hunters? Those pets of yours? They're gone now. You're all alone."
"I need only myself to rid the world of every last ONE of those monstrosities! I'm doing humanity a favor by ridding them all of the very monsters that they hate and want DEAD!"
"No. You've lost everything, and you see that you have nothing left to live for. You blame it all on the monsters that took it all from you. You'll never rest until you kill every single one. You've abandoned the Hunter's Code. And you've dug a thousand million graves. All but one. The first monster that's gonna die here…is you…"
We charge and clash again, using nothing but our bare fists. He even FIGHTS like a monster, slamming me against a tree before I knee him in the face. Each blow feels like an explosion. Every single one that I deal and take. And they get more and more powerful. I feel my armor start to crack. And his, too.
We're exhausting our magic to its limits. At this rate…we'll be tiring ourselves out. We won't have the energy to kill each other…Dammit…I haven't been hit this hard since fighting Dracula!
Eventually, we both throw a heavy punch, moving our head to dodge. But we don't dodge the SECOND heavy punch we deal right to our guts.
I stagger back, falling to one knee. I'm gasping and coughing for breath. Kraver is much the same. But he tries to harness all his rage to power through as he pushes himself upwards to get back up.
It can only do so much. Once he stands up, he ends up falling onto his back.
"No…!" He coughs. "This…cannot…be!"
I force myself up and head over, readying a crossbow and aiming an arrow to his head. He's always been so stubborn. He never thinks things through. He never thinks about tomorrow. He always focuses on today. He lives in the moment.
Kinda like how I used to live. He's me if I never got humbled from my pride. A dark reflection.
Now…it's time to bury the past.
"Kraver Von Grimm…" I say. "The Hunter's Code states that one must not harm innocent beings, human or monster alike. Too bad for you…you've never been innocent. Normally I'd feel bad and hate kicking a guy when he's down on his luck. But…with you I don't give a damn. Besides…I don't feel bad about this at all. You've killed hundreds of innocent supernatural beings and tainted my family's name and legacy while doing so. Those were OUR weapons and OUR technology that you used. It's gonna take me YEARS to repair all that damage. So don't expect any mercy…"
Suddenly, Kraver kicks my leg with a yell! I scream in pain as I hear something break. Then I collapse, panting and groaning in pain. Dammit! I did it again! That's it…no more wise-cracks when there's an opening! Guess I still have some pride left after all…
And it's gonna get me killed…
My magic's exhausted. I don't have enough energy to cast a healing spell! Kraver only gets back up, standing over me like he's a damn god.
"It is YOU who is weak. I will remake your bloodline as one to be feared. As Humanity's TRUE defender against the night! There is only one species meant to rule the world, and that species must be HUMANS!"
He moves to crush my head with a single superhuman stomp…
"GRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"
And a large figure leaos from the trees! It growls like mad once it lands. It spreads its large black wings wide, baring its fangs.
What…Dracula…? Wait…no…that's…a werewolf?!
"What?!"
Kraver turns to the mysterious monster. And that's when I realize what this is.
The Ultimate. Every single monster rolled into one. Mashed together like a horror hybrid. An amalgamation of an abomination.
"A vampire werewolf hybrid?!" He asks. "No matter. I know your weakness, beast!"
He casts a powerful spell that mimics the sun's light! But whereas any vampire would burn away, and any werewolf would change back…
The Ultimate remains.
"WHAT?! That's…impossible!"
Angrily, Kraver fires a silver bullet right to the Ultimate's head. And it bounces off.
"No! NO! Die, you monster!"
He fires a wooden stake right to the heart. The wood only splinters upon contact with the skin. That's when I see anger and panic in Kraver. He hurls every weakness he's got. Garlic. Holy Crosses. And all the damn silver he's got.
None of it works on the Ultimate. It's just that. The ultimate monster.
It HAS no weaknesses.
"Die! DIE! DIE, DAMMIT!" He cries, firing silver bullet after silver bullet as it moves towards him, Kraver cranking up the daylight spell to its maximum limits. "WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!"
It only snarls like a mad dog. Kraver fires all his guns and magic, unleashing everything he still has at the Ultimate! And when the dust settles once he runs out of ammo and energy…it doesn't even flinch.
"No…this…this can't be happening…!" He stammers. "What…what ARE you?!"
Once it gets close, he swings a sword. It shatters. Then an ax. It breaks.
He conjures forth every weapon the armor allows his imagination to form. Chainsaws, spears, canes, clubs, maces, even claws! They all shatter against the Ultimate's form.
Kraver only looks at the Ultimate…and then…it's then that he realizes.
"You…" He growls. "You did this…"
With one last roar of rage, he throws the hardest punch he can at the Ultimate…
And his fist breaks!
Kraver Von Grimm screams and roars in pain as he holds his broken hand.
"NO!" He screams in denial and grief.
And then, when his fear and sorrow and rage is at its peak…when he can't fight back anymore…when he's backed into that corner…
The Ultimate roars and lunges.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
That's his last words. The Ultimate begins to rip and tear him to shreds, eating and mauling him alive. Eventually, it gets too grotesque and I'm forced to look away, lest I vomit. I haven't seen anything so disgusting since I tracked down a Skinwalker!
Eventually, Kraver's screams of pain and repeats of his last words die out. Dear God…there's nothing left of him. No head, no shoulders…hell, not even BONES and skin!
The armor's destroyed. Only a bloody stain remains. The amulet's shattered to pieces, but already the Beast Stone begins to reform. Even in death, Kraver defaces my family's legacy. That was my ancestor's amulet. A family heirloom.
Suddenly, the Ultimate turns to me. It wants dessert. And once I sense it's magic…
"No…"
The Ultimate roars and charges right for me! I channel all my remaining magic into one last spell in order to save my skin.
"CORY, STOP!"
I cast it. The Ultimate freezes in mid-air, its head thrashing about and biting like mad! The spell wasn't complete…
"Cory, please listen to me…" I say, dematerializing my helmet. "Look at me. You're better than this, I know you are. I chose to train you for a reason. You've saved this world far more times than I have. You're not gonna let some creepy ancient curse kill your soul and humanity like this. Your will's stronger than that. It wasn't just your magic holding it back. It was your willpower. The reason you powered through all these nightmares…IS your humanity."
The Ultimate only roars and snaps, and I draw a hand back before he can bite it off.
"Following your human instincts has never failed you!" I say. "Not yet! Remember! Remember who you are! You are NOT a monster! You are a hunter! Not a murderer!"
The Ultimate begins to struggle. And then, it lets out a roar of pain before it begins changing back.
Finally, Cory Waldhorn falls to the ground. He coughs and gasps for breath before he coughs even harder and violently. He looks at his hands…and realizes that he killed someone.
"Yeah, that was brutal. Even for him." I say. "But Kraver deserved to die…"
"I…I'm sorry." Cory says. "I…lost myself. That guy…Kraver…he wasn't the only one…"
"What?"
"Fenrir's dead too. Kraver's 'pet' werewolf."
"Oh yeah. I caught wind of him too." He's the one who was originally a wolf, if I'm right.
"And…and Grady. He…he died protecting the pack. Sacrificed himself to kill the beast."
I say nothing. I've dealt with death before. I only make allies with those I know can easily survive something such as this. But that doesn't ensure that they emerge from every single battle alive.
Hell, I got into battle knowing that it might be me that bites the dust. The fear keeps me fighting. It's worked so far.
Well…at least he's with Hannah. Maybe there's still a chance…
"So…" I ask. "Who's the new alpha?"
"That…would be me."
That's when another figure steps from the forest clearing. Another werewolf. It has gray fur, a black nose, and long hair. Hold on…those yellow eyes…
"Wait…WOLF?!" Cory gasps. "Y-You're…h-how…"
"It is all…so sudden." He replies. "Grady was…like a brother. A father, even. The best man I had ever known. He…passed his power onto me in his dying moments. I can…speak now. And walk upright. And think and understand even MORE now. I am…smarter. I am…capable of…so many human things."
"So…what do we call you now?" I ask. "You're not a wolf OR a dog anymore. And…Werewolf doesn't roll off the tongue…"
"A new form…a new name…" Wolf looks at his claws. His hands. "As the new Alpha of the Lunar Pack…of the Fever Swamp Family…I believe Vandal will suffice."
"Woah…" Cory says. "That's WAY cooler than Wolf."
"This is too big to be kept a secret." Vandal says. "Emily will be devastated, like I have. Along with Will, Hannah, Cara…maybe Blake."
"Hannah…" That's when I realized something. "Do you think…she could make him…?"
"Of course…" Cory realizes. "Oh, and Abe? You'll need THIS for that Ultimate Cure."
He hands me the Beast Stone. I take it, knowing that finally, I have the complete set again.
"Grady gave his all to ensure his family would survive." I say. "You came here to control your forms, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well…you'll have all day tomorrow to do just that. We'll be heading back home when night falls again."
"Okay…" Cory says. "I've…kinda been through Hell tonight. It couldn't hurt to just forget about that. He'd WANT me to move on, after all. How bad could it get…?"