Stacie grunted softly as the chains around her wrist pulled tight over her head, glowering at Alice under hooded lids, her toes only just brushing the cold stone floor beneath her. The potion that Calamity and the others had inflicted on her earlier had finally worn off a little while ago, Stacie finally allowed to drift off into an uneasy sleep, but it seemed that not a few minutes later Alice was at her side, roughly shaking her awake and dragging her to her feet. She had tugged the sluggish Stacie behind her as they moved into another, smaller chamber without Khalida roaring at her feet, but that did nothing to dissuade the ball of anxiety in Stacie's stomach.
What did they want from her now? Was it finally time to put an end to all of this bullshit? Stacie just wanted to sleep, to go home, to never be bothered again. She was exhausted, and in pain, and sick to death of seeing of Gail's daughters all the damn time.
"Almost done little Conrad…" Alice hummed, stroking Stacie's cheek and watching in amusement as Stacie sluggishly pulled away from her, "It'll all be over soon."
Stacie said nothing, her eyes following Alice as she gathered supplies from around the chamber they were in, twisting a little in her restraints as she tried to free herself (however futile that attempt might be). No-one was coming for her, she had to get out of this herself, had to fulfil that stupid prophecy and stop Alice from summoning Khalida forward. Stacie had to shoulder this alone and she hated that, she never asked for this, for a prophecy or a destiny, for anything other than a quiet life with the woman she loved. Had that really been too much to ask?
Her eyes widened a little as she saw the blade in Alice's hand, writhing a little harder as Alice stepped towards her, twirling it between her fingers as she surveyed Stacie with a cold grin.
"Oh don't worry…" Alice shrugged a little, "You won't know you're in pain for long Anastasia, you've got a far bigger role to play than that."
"Just leave me alone…" Stacie croaked, cursing herself for the tremble in her voice, "I won't help you."
"You haven't got a choice." Alice raised her eyebrow, running the flat of her blade along the scar that had been left when her magic had ripped from her, "Haven't you realised that by now?"
"There's always a choice." Stacie growled, frustrated and exhausted tears welling in her eyes as she tried to tug herself away from Alice again, "I won't end the world for you. No matter what you do to me, I'm going to fight it."
"It's cute that you think you can." Alice chuckled, turning the blade so that point of it pressed into the base of Stacie's scar, Stacie hissing as she tried to pull away but Alice's arm wrapped around her waist and held her in place, "You're weak Conrad, even if you hadn't been here with us and playing our games, you'd still be far too weak to fight this."
Stacie cried out as the blade dug deeper, slowly reopening the long wound as she tried to writhe out of Alice's tight grip. She wasn't weak, she could fight this, she was supposed to fight this… why couldn't she do that?
Stacie was panting as Alice finally stopped, her chest burning as she looked down at the deep wound now open and bleeding heavily, limp in the chains that had bound her for god only knew how long now. She was so sick of this, why couldn't she just go home? Screw this whole Khalida/apocalypse/spawn of evil deal, if the world was going to end then let it, she didn't care anymore, all she wanted was to return to her family.
"See…" Alice raised her eyebrow as she stalked slowly behind Stacie, "Weak. But you never stood a chance in hell anyway Anastasia, so don't feel bad. It could have been any witch, but the universe chose you, so here we are."
Stacie tried to jerk away as Alice slid a chain loop over her head and around her throat, tightening it as she pulled on it, Stacie choking slightly as the chain forced her head back, leaving the wound on her chest completely exposed as the chain was padlocked into place. She couldn't see what Alice was doing from this angle, no matter how much Stacie strained to, heart starting to beat faster in her chest as she struggled against the bruising chains. There had to be some give, she had to be able to free herself, what kind of damn destiny was this if she couldn't free herself and kick some ass?
"There we go…" Alice sighed happily, dipping her finger into the wound on Stacie's chest and using the blood that now coated her fingers to draw circular symbols on Stacie's tearful cheeks, "My beautiful vessel, all ready for the final stage."
"Screw you." Stacie snarled, trying to summon enough strength to get free, but coming up depressingly short as she sagged a little in the chains, hoping that the defeat she was feeling wouldn't show in her face, "I won't let you get away with this… I won't help you…"
"It's too late." Alice shrugged, "The end is here Anastasia, there's nothing you can do to stop me now…"
Aubrey grunted and writhed in Calamity's grip, trying to kick and punch her way out of this. Her team, her family were still in danger, she had to get back to them, and then they had to end this. She couldn't believe she'd let Calamity get one over on her, that she had let herself become distracted long enough for her to overpower her. God, Jesse… was he okay? That fury had taken such a huge swipe at him, his scream had echoed around that huge cave, she had to get back and make sure he was okay.
"You can keep squirming bitch, but you're not going anywhere." Calamity sneered, Aubrey feeling magic start to wrap tightly around her.
"Fuck off." Aubrey grunted, still trying to get away from her even as the magic tightened sharply, starting to crush her ribs a little, "I'm going to kick your ass!"
"Sure you are." Calamity chuckled, "Just like Stacie did huh? I've had so much fun with your little bitch y'know? I feel like we've really bonded while she's been here…"
Aubrey could feel her anger swelling inside her, still kicking however sluggishly it might be now with Calamity's magic smothering her. She knew she was trying to get under her skin, to taunt and torture her a little bit before dragging her off to whatever horror they had planned for her. Aubrey knew she shouldn't rise to it, but this was Stacie, how could she pretend like this wasn't affecting her?
"She cries for you in her sleep, it's so pathetic…" Calamity taunted her, Aubrey grunting and snarling as she struggled harder and harder, "Every time I had a little snack it was always 'Bree… save me Bree… help me Bree…' ugh when I tell you that got old fast…"
Aubrey's rage sat like a ball in her chest, smothering her more than any of Calamity's magic possibly could. She was going to tear her apart, she was going to rip the heart out of her with her bare hands, how dare she have hurt Stacie so badly, and how dare she seem to think it was so amusing.
Aubrey jerked her head back, connecting it hard with Calamity's nose and getting a massive sense of satisfaction as she heard her nose break, Calamity's grip on her releasing along with her magic, Aubrey tumbling to the ground with a soft grunt. She was back on her feet in a second, fist swinging into Calamity's face as she didn't give her a chance to get back up again. Her blades had been dropped when Calamity grabbed her, but Aubrey still had her fists, pummelling the vampire hybrid as every ounce of anger, fear, and sadness that she had felt in the last few days poured out of her in a tidal wave.
Calamity managed to push Aubrey off her, beleaguered and disorientated as she staggered to her feet, but her smirk no less evil as her hands balled into fists, magic wrapping around them as Aubrey stood her ground, lip curled angrily as she shook with the force of her rage.
"Strike a nerve did I?" Calamity sneered, "Don't like hearing that I made your little girlfriend my bitch huh?"
Aubrey shot forward like a flash, Calamity ready for her this time as her magically enhanced fists drove into Aubrey's chest and sending her flying back into the wall behind her with a sharp cry, crumpling to the ground but pushing up again immediately. No way in hell was she letting this asshole have one over on her again. This ended now, this was personal, it was about her family, about the fact that Calamity herself had hurt each and every one of them so badly. She was going to kill her in the most painful way she could manage and it still wouldn't be enough.
Aubrey launched herself at Calamity again, an almost primal growl in her throat as she tried to tear into her, but with the magic she had wrapped around her fists, Calamity was impossibly strong and overpowered her in an instant, driving one into her ribs and another into her face. Aubrey grunted as she fell to the ground again, arms raised to try and defend her head. Calamity rained down a series of cripplingly painful punches , a sharp kick to her ribs causing Aubrey's arms to jolt away from her head, leaving her vulnerable and unprotected as Calamity's fist collided hard with her jaw.
"You keep getting lucky bitch." Calamity sneered, gripping the front of Aubrey's t-shirt as she landed punch after punch to her face, Aubrey quickly growing woozy and disorientated as she tried to pull away from her, "You got lucky when you took down my mom, you got lucky that we couldn't kill you, you got lucky that you've gotten this far at all…"
She let go of Aubrey, watching as she crumpled into a heap with a soft groan, arms shaking as she tried to push herself up again, but feeling the weight of her injuries start to cripple her, biting back a whimper as pain radiated through her face and ribs.
"Well guess what little hero?" Calamity smirked, kicking Aubrey again hard in her ribs, revelling in the groan of pain that escaped her lips, "It looks like your luck just ran out."
Aubrey's face was bruised and swollen, body too weak to move. She looked up at Calamity and spat blood in her face, "Go fuck yourself."
Calamity wiped the blood from her face with her thumb, a dangerous grin crossing her face as she grabbed Aubrey by her hair, slamming her face into the ground. Aubrey cried out as she died, hanging limply in Calamity's grip as she fought off unconsciousness, trying to ignore the pain she was in and get up again. She had to find Stacie, she had to rescue her, they'd come so far, she couldn't stop now… she couldn't fail her now.
"I've had just about enough of you Posen, you know that?" Calamity growled, "Alice claims that she needs you, but I can't imagine someone so pathetic could possibly be that important. I'll tell her it was an accident, she'll buy that. You're never going to see that little bitch of a girlfriend ever again, but don't worry… I'll take such good care of her after the world ends, I'll make her my little pet."
Aubrey's lip curled as she tried to sluggishly pull herself out of Calamity's grip. She couldn't let her do that to Stacie, she had to rescue her from them before they hurt her anymore. There was no-one else here, she had to do this on her own, she had to pull herself together, she-
Calamity grunted as a weight collided with her, Aubrey crumpling again, breathing shallow as she winced and tried in vain to get up again. She didn't know what was happening, but Aubrey had to make sure Calamity didn't go back and hurt Stacie anymore. Her head lifted heavily, trying to focus her gaze on where she could see Calamity tussling with… someone. God her head hurt, who was that?
"Bree?"
A gentle hand stroked her cheek, brushing her hair from her face as Aubrey winced heavily, gaze dragging upwards to find Chloe looking at her, eyes full of concern. Aubrey frowned a little as she looked over to Calamity again. Beca. That made sense, of course it was Beca.
"Bree are you okay?"
"Mhm." Aubrey nodded, grimacing as she immediately regretted it, the action making her head throb sharply, "M'fine."
Beca grunted as she hit the ground about a foot from Calamity, scrambling to her feet as she put herself between her and Aubrey, Chloe joining her, the two of them stood shoulder to shoulder in order to make sure that Calamity couldn't hurt Aubrey anymore.
"Oh good." Calamity sneered, "The wonder twins… I only need one of you, so which of you do I get to kill in front of the other?"
Chloe and Beca didn't rise to it, stood firm as Aubrey slumped onto the floor. They were here, she didn't have to get up so quickly now, she could just take a minute to pull herself together. Then she could get up and help Beca and Chloe… she just needed a minute…
Calamity got bored of waiting, surging forward into Beca but she was waiting for her, meeting her head on and driving her fist into her ribs and tossing her to the ground. She leapt on top of her, trying to pin Calamity as she reached to pull a stake from her belt. Calamity managed to flip her before she could grab it however, pinning Beca to the ground by her throat and snatching the stake from her hand.
"Looks like you're numbers up huh Mitchell?" Calamity grinned nastily, waving a hand at Chloe who had started to rush forward, sending her flying into the cave wall with a cry as Beca struggled furiously, the point of the stake resting over her heart, her arms pinned under Calamity's knees, "It's been a truly pathetic two hundred and twenty six years, at least you'll be put out of your misery now."
Beca snarled as she twisted under Calamity, watching the stake rise above her, biting her bottom lip as she bucked furiously, trying to get Calamity off her. The stake arched towards her, Beca making one more attempt to throw Calamity from her. Shockingly, it worked, Calamity tumbling off her as Beca felt a rush of relief roll through her. It was as she rolled and pushed herself to her feet to meet Calamity head on again that she realised it wasn't her that had thrown Calamity off, it was Aubrey.
She had somehow staggered to her feet, throwing herself into Calamity, finding strength from… somewhere as she drove the stake Calamity once held deep into her chest, over and over, grunting with the force of every blow. Calamity had to die, Aubrey had to protect Stacie, had to protect Beca and Chloe, had to stop her hurting anyone else ever again.
"Aubrey…" Beca gently but insistently pulled Aubrey off Calamity, Chloe joining them as she shook her head to clear the last of the dizziness from it, "You did it. She's gone, the bitch is dead. It's okay."
Aubrey glowered at Calamity as she let Beca drag her off her, watching her for any sign that Calamity was faking it as she slumped against her.
"We need to get you out of here…" Chloe frowned softly, brushing Aubrey's hair from her face again, "She really did a number on you."
"No." Aubrey grunted softly, "Stacie… we have to find her…"
"Chlo and I can do that." Beca shook her head, "Dude you're a mess, we need to get you some help."
"M'fine." Aubrey gritted her teeth, shaky hands reaching for a healing potion in her belt, struggling to uncork it, "Not going anywhere."
"Bree…" Chloe sighed softly, taking it from her as Aubrey glared at her a little, "You can't go on like this, the potion isn't going to be enough."
"It will." Aubrey's eyes started to well with frustrated tears, "I have to find her… I can't leave now. The things that bitch was saying, I have to go and rescue her."
Beca and Chloe exchanged a look, Chloe's shoulders sagging a little as she uncorked the potion and handed it back to Aubrey.
"Okay." Chloe nodded, "We'll see how much this helps and work from there."
Aubrey sniffed softly, wincing as the act of swallowing made her bruised and swollen face throb. The sooner the potion kicked in the better, Aubrey was sick of not being able to help Stacie, of feeling so damn powerless to stop other people from hurting her. She could the feel the potion slowly spreading across her injuries, slowly healing them. It wasn't fast enough, why wasn't it-
Aubrey gasped sharply as she fell forwards, away from Beca onto her hands and knees. It was the same excruciating pain from before, that had blossomed out of nowhere when Stacie's magic had been stolen from her. Oh no… Stacie…
Chloe and Beca watched as Aubrey's body glowed brightly, looks of fear and concern exchanged between them as Chloe quickly moved to try and soothe her again. Aubrey was panting and sobbing, trying to catch her breath as she clutched at her chest where the scar rested. Why was this happening again? What were they doing to her, why were they hurting Stacie more? But even as the pain spread through her, Aubrey could feel her broken ribs fusing back together, feel her bruises fade, feel her wounds close. What was happening?
"Bree? Bree what is it, are you okay?!" Chloe stroked her back, biting her bottom lip a little as she looked at her oldest friend with worry.
"Stacie…" Aubrey gasped, the light fading as the pain dissuaded, Chloe and Beca looking at the now fully healed Aubrey in disbelief, "I can feel her again…"
"What?"
Stacie watched as Alice circled her, fear gripping her as she tried to free herself even though there was no strength left in her body. The chain around her throat was tight and heavy, making it difficult for her to breath as she whimpered softly. Why was this happening? Why had the stupid universe picked her, clearly she wasn't cut out for this, clearly she wasn't the witch to stop an immortal deity. The prophecy had called for her and Iz, it was everything Stacie had feared since the day her sister had died… without her, she wasn't strong enough to carry on, she wasn't anything if she didn't have Iz by her side.
"Brace yourself little Conrad, this is going to hurt like hell…" Alice smirked, Stacie's eyes finding the silver canister suspended above her.
It glowed as she tugged at the chains around her, starting to tilt towards the open wound on her chest, Stacie biting her lip as she tried to twist out of the way of it. What the hell was in that thing? Whatever it was, Stacie knew that she didn't want it anywhere near her, she had to get away from it.
"All that good magic we've acquired…" Alice hummed, watching the fear in Stacie's face with amusement, "Ready for the vessel to hold it, waiting for Khalida to snack on before she destroys everything and everyone you've ever loved. Once she has a taste for good magic, she'll destroy every trace of it that exists in this pathetic realm and the rest, but don't worry. You and I can spend eternity together once she's emptied you of everything that makes you interesting, my little pet…"
"No." Stacie shook her head bitterly, still trying to twist herself free, "You can't do this…"
"Oh I think I can…" Alice grinned, watching with rapt fascination as the first drops of glowing, glittering yellow liquid leaked from the container, "Besides, you're getting your magic back, isn't that what you wanted?"
As the first drops of stolen magic hit her open wound, Stacie's back arched and she screamed in agony, feeling it burn through her. This wasn't her magic, it didn't belong to her and her body knew it. Maybe her own was in here somewhere, but every drop that wasn't was like someone had poured flames straight into her bloodstream. Her body was consumed in a white hot glow, Stacie's screams now silent as light seemed to fire from her open mouth, her eyes, from every fingertip, her body in a state of frozen animation as the stream of magic continued to pour into her.
This was too much magic for one person to hold, she wasn't meant for this kind of power and now she was drowning under it. Stacie couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, couldn't see anything but brilliant white, no longer aware of anything but the agonizing swirling fire of magic inside her. She wanted this to end, she wanted all this pain to stop, if this was what it meant, what it cost to have her magic back or save the world, then it wasn't worth it. It felt like every sinew and muscle and done was over extending, on the verge of snapping as silent tears poured down her cheeks.
It really was the end. This was it, this was all there was, just this all-consuming, white hot, crippling agony that came with the endless stream of stolen magic being poured into her. All thoughts of fear, of the danger she was in, of her family, of Aubrey were driven from her, nothing remaining but the desperate need for this to be over. Stacie became an object in that moment, a living, pain riddled, sentient object, crammed full of something that didn't belong to her and left to store it until Alice needed it.
And then… the pain suddenly eased, Stacie's vision started to clear a little, remaining blurred as she felt the chains around her throat and wrists give way, falling to her knees as she panted and sobbed, consumed by the magic inside her still as she tried to figure out what was happening. Why had Alice released the chains, what was going on?
A pair of hands cupped her face, Stacie's vision still unfocused as her head was lifted to look at the person in front of her. She might not be able to see properly, but Stacie knew that blonde hair and those hazel eyes anywhere…
"A-Aubrey?" Stacie croaked, throat rough as sandpaper as Aubrey's face slowly became clearer and clearer.
"Hey baby…" Aubrey's voice was thick as she brushed the tears from Stacie's cheeks with her thumbs, "I'm here. You're okay."
Stacie let out a sob, crumpling into Aubrey's arms as she held her tightly, trembling in the wake of all the trauma she had just been through, with the exhaustion of the last few moments of sheer agony, with the relief of knowing that Aubrey was actually here. She was here, she was holding her, she had rescued her from the horrors that Alice had been ready to subject her to… it was over, at least for the moment, Stacie's ordeal was over.
"I was so mad at you…" Aubrey mumbled into her hair, tears running down her own cheeks as she held Stacie as tight as she dared, "For sacrificing yourself for your mom, for using your magic on us like that, for abandoning me like that but… I don't care about all of that anymore. I love you so much, I'm so glad that I can hold you and kiss you and talk to you again… I am never ever letting you go again, do you hear me?"
Stacie simply nodded against her shoulder, sobbing heavily as she gripped the front of Aubrey's shirt between her fingers, trying to ground herself in reality, in anything other than the swirling mass inside her. Because right now, it didn't matter; it didn't matter that Alice was trying to raise Khalida, it didn't matter that there was an apocalypse looming, it didn't matter that Stacie had been so badly hurt or that she didn't know where Alice's sisters were. All that mattered was that Aubrey was here, she was right here, everything would be okay now because Aubrey had come to rescue her.
"I'm sorry…" Stacie choked out through her tears, burying her face into Aubrey's neck, "I- I was coming home, I swear I was, I- I never meant-"
"Shhh…" Aubrey kissed the crown of her head, gently rocking Stacie against her, "It's okay, none of that matters now. I've got you Stace."
"I love you." Stacie wept, "I love you, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Bree…"
"You have nothing to apologise for." Aubrey shook her head, sniffing softly as she stroked Stacie's hair, "Nothing at all. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again Stace, I promise, I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."
Stacie lifted her head, letting her forehead rest against Aubrey's, tears still flooding her cheeks as she lifted her bruised and exhausted arms to rest on either side of her neck.
"All that matters is you came…" Stacie whispered, "You came to get me."
"Always." Aubrey smiled softly, gently pressing her lips against Stacie's, "I will always come and find you."
"Hey…"
Stacie lifted her head, finding Beca and Chloe smiling warmly at her, tears in their eyes too as they moved to join her and Aubrey on the ground.
"Becs and I found someone you might want to see." Chloe grinned.
Stacie gasped in delight as excited whistling chimed around them, watching Hunter zip from Chloe's shoulder and around in circles before settling back onto Stacie's. She was sobbing again as Hunter whistled more, Aubrey's grin stretching from ear to ear as she watched them.
"Where did you find him?!"
"In the chamber next door in this little box thing." Beca shrugged, "Figured you'd need him back to kick some ass. Turns out you're kinda the lynch pin of this whole apocalypse preventing thing…"
"Thank you." Stacie mumbled, wiping furiously at her cheeks, "I'm sorry. For y'know… drugging you."
"Eh." Chloe waved her hand dismissively, "We get it, you did what you felt like you had to. No grudges here."
"We're just glad you're okay Stace." Beca nodded, gently punching her shoulder, "It's been weird without you."
"Is mom okay?" Stacie's throat was still burning, but that was nothing in the grand scheme of things.
"Yeah." Aubrey brushed Stacie's hair from her face, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, "She's mad at you for not getting out yourself, but I'm sure she'll have forgotten about it by now."
"Stace…" Chloe frowned a little, watching her friend carefully, "You… you're glowing. Like, actually glowing…"
Stacie looked down at her hands, realising that Chloe was right. She was glowing, what the hell… it was then that she felt the magic that had been poured into her starting to swell again, gasping sharply as it burned through her. This was a hell of a lot of magic, far more than she could possibly wield safely, but Stacie didn't know how to rid herself of it.
"Are you okay?!" Aubrey's brow had knotted together with worry again, biting her lip as Stacie looked up from her hands, nodding softly.
"Yeah." She mumbled, "Yeah it's… it's just a lot of magic that's all. Did you guys stop Alice and her sisters? Are they still trying to raise Khalida?"
"Calamity, Charity, and Veracity are dead." Beca's jaw clenched a little, "But we haven't seen Alice since we got here."
"Dammit…" Stacie shook her head, "She'll still try and raise her, that arrogant bitch isn't going to let anything get in her way, even if she destroys every realm in existence she won't care, as long as she destroys this one."
"So what do you need us to do?" Chloe jutted her chin out, grinning at Stacie as her eyes filled with grateful tears.
"You- you guys are going to help me?" Stacie whispered, feeling Aubrey's arms wrap around her waist again.
"Of course." Beca frowned, a smirk tugging at her lips, "Did you really think we came all this way to rescue you, only to turn around and say, 'yeah good luck with the apocalypse Stace, see you later'?"
"I guess not." Stacie chuckled tearfully, leaning back into Aubrey a little, "If this experience has taught me anything, it's that I don't ever want to face evil without you guys ever again. I can't do this on my own, I'm not- I love you guys y'know?"
"We love you too." Chloe beamed, reaching out and squeezing Stacie's hand as a tear slid down her cheek, "You're never alone Stacie, I promise. We've always got your back."
"Okay…" Stacie swallowed thickly, brushing furiously at her cheeks before starting to slowly try and pull herself to her feet, wincing as the magic inside her continued to burn through her but ignoring it as best she could, "We need to go to the cave where Khalida's still trapped, Alice will be there. The sooner we take her out, the better."
"Are you sure you're okay to fight?" Aubrey frowned, helping Stacie up as her heart sank at the idea that she was putting herself in more danger. She wanted to take Stacie away from all of this, not lead her into more danger.
"I have to." Stacie shrugged a little, a grin tugging at her lips, "It's kind of my destiny Bree. I'll be okay, might as well harness all this magic while I have it huh?"
"Okay." Aubrey nodded, interlacing her fingers with Stacie's, "I don't like it, but I get it. Let's end this."
"Bree…" Stacie turned to face her, cupping her cheeks in her hands, expression serious, "Listen to me. No matter what happens, no matter how much it might look like I'm struggling, you cannot channel this amount of magic. I can barely handle it, and I'm the witch, it will burn you alive, you have to promise me."
"I-" Aubrey wanted to argue with her, wanted to her absolutely not, she would channel her magic if that's what was needed, but seeing the amount of fear in Stacie's eyes, the turmoil that knitted her eyebrows together, she knew that Stacie needed this, "O-okay. I won't."
Stacie smiled gratefully, running her hands through her hair as she nodded a little, "Okay… okay we um… we just have to take out Alice, we can do that. I mean you guys took out the rest of them, so this will be easy right?"
"Right." Chloe nodded firmly, "Not to brag, but I've killed two of them, I'm getting kinda good at it."
Stacie giggled softly, quickly wrapping her arms around Chloe who hugged her tightly back, "I missed you Beale…"
"I missed you too." Chloe sighed softly, tears on her cheeks, "Don't go running off on us like that again, okay?"
"I promise." Stacie nodded, pulling back before she pulled Beca into an equally tight embrace, Beca grumbling half-heartedly but returning the hug anyway, "Don't act like you hate it Mitchell… we all know you're kind of soft really."
"Shut up." Beca grunted, hiding her tearful face in Stacie's shoulder, "Just tell us what your plan is Conrad, I want a nap…"
"I don't really have a plan as such…" Stacie shrugged as she pulled away from Beca, "But all this magic… if I can fire it into the pit, pour all of it out into Khalida then maybe, maybe that'll be enough to destroy her for good. That leaves you guys to handle Alice."
"We can do that." Aubrey nodded, moving close to Stacie again, feeling this deep and innate need to be near her at all times, not wanting her out of her sight for even a second, "We've got you."
"Alright." Stacie mused, "Then let's do this…"
The four of them pulled tightly together as they headed down a tunnel to the left, Stacie almost certain it was the same one that she had been dragged through earlier. Sweat was starting to bead on her forehead as Stacie's hands trembled, the magic within her starting to burn her hands so ferociously it was a wonder she didn't crumple to the ground in agony. But there were important things right now, she had to stop an apocalypse first, she could worry about her hands later.
Vampire Hunters Incorporated rounded a corner, Stacie holding her hand out to halt them in their tracks as she heard soft chanting floating towards them. Alice.
"Ready?" She whispered, heart swelling a little as she saw how ready they were. Her family had come for her, and while Stacie didn't have the energy right now to process that and save the world, she had no doubt that it would truly hit home when they were finally out of these damn caves.
"I am ready, thank you so much for asking…"
Heads spun around to find Alice suddenly stood behind them, no time to react before she waved her hand and the four of them flew through the air, each landing around the pit that Khalida was beginning to roar and thrash in with a grunt. It was as a turquoise barrier sprung up around each of them that realisation hit them; they'd walked right into the trap that Alice had left for them.
"Now then… you didn't think I'd be stupid enough to rely on my sisters to bring you all to me, did you?" Alice raised an eyebrow at her captives, grinning cruelly as blue tendrils snaked out with the barriers and dragged them all to their feet, coiled tightly around everyone's wrists, ankles and throat.
"No, I knew I had to be prepared for some kin of sickening reunion and whatever pointless ideas of hope that you had of defeating me, and so I did." Alice shrugged, "And now… you're all going to help me raise Khalida from her resting place, isn't that nice? One last team building exercise before the end of the world, how quaint."
Beca gasped sharply as the tendrils holding her pulsed, feeling the energy rapidly start to leave her body as it begun to almost shrivel under the tight and heavy weight of them. What the hell? What was happening to her? She cried out as she felt bones begin to snap, able to see Chloe struggling furiously to get to her before the same pulsating started around her, causing tears to suddenly well in her eyes.
"That's right my love." Alice purred into the pit, watching her captives with glee as a shriek left Aubrey's lips at the way the tendril snapped her arm, "Feed up, get nice and strong… I'm saving you the best morsal until last."
Alice eyed Stacie who was struggling desperately, trying to get free so she could rescue them from this. It was all her fault, they had come to rescue her, how could she have been so reckless, she'd not only put herself in danger, but she'd doomed them all. She had to get free and help them, this couldn't happen to them, not after all this. Stacie was so close to stopping Alice resurrecting Khalida, she had magic again, why couldn't she help them.
"Are you ready to say goodbye Anastasia?" Alice sneered, Stacie able to do nothing but watch as Beca, Chloe, and Aubrey got weaker and weaker, their pained cries echoing around the chamber they were in, Khalida roaring and swirling as she approached the edge of the pit she had been imprisoned in, "The grand finale is here, and your little friends aren't going to live to see it… it's a shame really, when they played such a vital role in making it happen."
"Let them go!" Stacie roared, tears burning her eyes as she tugged harder and harder at the tendrils holding her, "Let them GO!"
"But they're such a vital part of the plan…" Alice pouted a little, "The vampire hunter with a soulmate connection so strong she can channel her partner's magic. Not one, but two vampires with their souls intact. I only actually needed one of them, but just think how strong she'll be when she's released!"
Stacie was still fighting furiously as she watched her family scream and writhe in agony as Khalida continued to drain the life from all of them. She was so sick of being helpless, sick of having this huge burden on her shoulders and not being able to relieve it. She had to stop this, she had to put an end to Alice and her plan before-
The cave around them rumbled furiously, Stacie watching in horror as Khalida shot from the pit that she had once been imprisoned in, Alice stood in front of the swirling, roaring, twisting smoke, letting it envelope her. Stacie could see Aubrey starting to sag, head lolling, knowing that she was running out of time to save them. It had to be now.
Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, Stacie put all her energy into grappling with the magic swarming inside her, eyes glowing brightly as Hunter whistled loudly. This ended right here, Alice had given her all of this magic, she was damn well going to use it. Stacie flexed her fingers outwards, the tendrils splitting and releasing her, the turquoise barrier shattering as she dropped onto all fours.
Alice spun around, the smoke wrapped around her as she grinned toothily at her, "Oh you've still got a fight in you, have you?" She rasped, eyes flooded with nothing but purple as Khalida joined with her, "Well at least you're making my first outing in millennia interesting…"
"I'm going to stop you." Stacie growled, "Not just banish you to a pit, but erase you from existence. Now let. Them. Go."
"Make me." Alice spat, Stacie smirking dangerously.
"Gladly."
She flexed her fingers outwards again, Alice watching and barely hiding her disbelief as Stacie shattered all three turquoise barriers, the tendrils evaporating and letting Beca, Chloe and Aubrey collapse to the floor. Stacie had no idea if they were still alive, but they would have to wait. Now they were out of immediate danger, she had to stop Alice before she did anything else.
"The prophesised one…" Alice snarled, "You really are insufferable aren't you?"
"Oh I'm your worst nightmare." Stacie shook her head a little, "Iz might be gone, but I'm still going to kick your ass."
Hunter whistled sharply, buzzing furiously as he sat on one of Stacie's flexed hands, Stacie raising her eyebrow at him, "Huh… looks like I've even got her magic too. Scared yet?"
"You're no match for me." Alice's lip curled, "But you are welcome to try, a little play time before I rip your realm apart."
Alice's hands fired towards Stacie, Stacie matching the action as their magical energies collided mid-air. Stacie grunted as she dug her heels into the ground to keep her stable, struggling to push against Alice's magic as her hands seemed to spontaneously burst into flame. She cried out but continued pushing, pouring every ounce of magic out of her, determined to push Alice back into the pit behind her. If she could just overpower her, if she could get her good magic to subsume Alice's bad then she could end this. It was all on her, she had to stop this, this was her damn prophecy…
But her knees were going weak, hands in so much pain, the combined magic of Alice and Khalida so powerful that Stacie could feel it winning. Dammit, she couldn't win, Stacie was supposed to stop her, this was on her shoulders now, she had to end this. Stacie gasped as she felt the burning magic ease, looking to her left to find a pale and sweating Aubrey doing exactly what he promised her she wouldn't; she was channelling the magic, stood there with all this light pouring from her hands, and as much as Stacie wanted to be angry at her for breaking her promise, it was working. Aubrey was helping her, and it was starting to push Alice back.
"You're not… doing this alone." Aubrey grunted, "Just because Iz is gone… doesn't mean there aren't people to fulfil her role."
Stacie's knees were still weak, about to crumple as she felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her waist, a shoulder shoring her up. She glanced over her shoulder to find Beca smirking at her, exhaustion in every line in her face as she nodded back towards Alice.
"I got you Conrad. You just worry about finishing that bitch off."
As she turned her head back to Alice, she saw Chloe doing the same thing to Aubrey, ensuring that she stayed on her feet long enough to stop this. Her heart swelled at this, determination returning anew as her family stood around her. They were okay, but more importantly, they hadn't left her to carry this on her own. Stacie could do this, not because It was her destiny or whatever, but because she had her family.
"It's over Alice." Stacie growled, the four of them stood firm as the cave shook furiously around them with the force of the magic swirling around them, "You're done. Say hello to your mom for us when you get to hell."
With that, and one final, furious push that caused the magic to scorch up her arms, Stacie drove the last of the expendable magic into Alice, watching in triumph as she shrieked in surprise, footing slipping as she fell head first into the abyss behind her. Khalida went with her, screeching and roaring as the light of the good magic that Stacie had fired into her tore the shadow apart, ensuring that there was no chance in hell that anyone could ever raise her again.
There was a second of triumphant relief, they had won, they had finally put a stop to the work of Gail's daughters. It was over. But then, the cave shook harder, debris and rock pieces starting to fall around them, Stacie going limp in Beca's grip as she passed out from exhaustion and the trauma of the last few days. Beca threw Chloe a desperate look as the cave began to collapse inwards on top of them, Chloe holding Aubrey tightly as she too had lost consciousness after all that magic.
They had to get out of here.