Hey all! I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all for your patience. I know it's been a while since I last updated, so I hope this longer chapter makes up for it. We're nearing the end of the fic as there are only a couple of chapters left plus a short epilogue. I hope to have them posted over the next two months. Thanks again to everyone who stayed with the story. Any comment or feedback is welcomed. Thanks.
~The Wandering Piney
Warning: The chapter contained violent imagery and major character death(s).
Thorn groaned upon reaching the flicking barrier of the treasure room. She applied pressure to the puncture wound in her shoulder, which continued to bleed at an alarming pace. She stumbled through the barrier and grasped the edge of the wall to keep her balance.
"Thorn! You did it!"
She barely had time to react to Dusk and Luna's calls before Dusk ran and hugged her.
Thorn weakly smiled. "It's goo-ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Dusk, she's hurt," Luna said.
Dusk released Thorn from her embrace and then gasped when she saw Thorn's wound. "Jeeze, that's a lot of blood."
"Is it that ba…ugh," Thorn stammered as her vision blurred. She stumbled, but Dusk and Luna caught her before she fell.
"Oh, god, Thorn, you lost so much blood!" Luna cried. "We need to get you to a hospital!"
Thorn merely groaned as she fought the urge to pass out, though her pounding headache, fading vision, and complete reliance on Dusk and Luna to stand made it difficult.
"She won't make it to a hospital if we don't stop the bleeding now!" a male voice called out. "Bring her over here!"
Thorn weakly turned her head and caught a glimpse of Brian waving her, Luna, and Dusk over to a large table that Ray was pushing random items off while Fred placed some towels, netting, and whatever other soft material he could find to make some bedding. Stay awake! Her eyes became heavy.
Thorn blinked. Or at least that's what she told herself. She was halfway to the makeshift bed the guys made. Fred was gone, and Brian was running toward her. Her feet dragged across the floor as Dusk and Luna carried her.
"Stay awake, Thorn!"
Her head pounded, and her vision returned though it was blurry and distorted. She was facing the ceiling, and something soft was against her back. She saw the outline of a man pressing down on her shoulder. "I need another rag!" he shouted. Brian? Ray?
"Fuck! Where's Fred with the fucking first aid kit?"
Dusk.
Thorn tried to reach for her, but she could only lift her fingers. Someone with manicured fingernails gripped her hand as darkness overtook her.
"Stay with us, Thorn!"
"I thought you said this was a first aid kit?" Thorn heard what sounded like stones rattling against metal. "What the hell are we supposed to do with these!?"
"The box says it's a first aid kit, and there's a sign saying it's for medical emergencies."
"I dunno how a bunch of stone tablets are gonna help, but if we don't do something, she's not gonna make it."
"Fuck!"
Stone…tablets?
It was hard to think between the garbled shouts of her concerned friends and the blurry darkness that threatened to consume her. Stone tablets…
"Give me the rag!"
The pressure on her shoulder increased.
"She's still bleeding!"
"I know!"
There was a soft clunk followed by feet shuffling. Another figure leaned over her, this one female.
Stone tablets…stone tablets…. Wait! I know…ugh.
"Fuck! We're losing her!"
"Please hold on, Sally."
St…ay. Aw…ake. The silhouettes blurred together, and the light from the ceiling became intense while splotches of darkness danced in her line of sight. Te..ll them…a..bout…tabl…
For barely a second, Thorn managed to lift a trembling finger and point to where she heard the clunk.
Nothing happened.
Ugh…I…can't.
"Hold up! Dusk, don't these tables look like the ones George used to heal Thorn back at the Fallen's temple?"
"Uh, I don't know. Hmm. Maybe?"
"Good enough for me."
"What are you doing?" a third person asked.
"Just place the tablets on Thorn."
Thorn saw several silhouettes move over her, though the shapes swirled into one blurry mass as she felt herself drifting into darkness,
Tha…nk… you…Lu,,.naAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Thorn screamed as the world became clear. An external source of magic washed over her, followed by an immense pain that radiated across her body. She flailed her arms and legs, and Ray and Brian had to hold her down to keep her from injuring herself or someone else. The lights flickered, and books, beakers, and other objects shook before violently tossing themselves from the shelves.
"Hang in there, Thorn! It's working!" Luna cried.
Thorn screamed. She gripped the makeshift bedding so tightly that her nails dug through the material. The pain intensified around the puncture in her shoulder and around her lower left abdomen. She violently thrashed about, almost throwing Brian and Ray from her despite their combined weight.
"FUCK! Thorn screamed as tears fell down her face.
"We need to stop this!" Luna shouted as she reached for one of the tablets, which now glowed red.
"No!" Thorn shouted between painful cries. "It's working!"
Her shoulder shifted and jerked before snapping back into position. Bone reformed. Arteries, veins, and nerves reconnected. The puncture closed, tissues and skin grew over it, and soon enough, it was as if the cloaked figure had never stabbed Thorn.
Thorn shouted as the magic worked its way down her body. Her headache dissipated. Cuts and bruises vanished. Thorn lurched upward, screaming as the pain intensified around her lower left abdomen. It felt like her hip was on fire, but the pain soon subsided after several seconds. The magic flowed down her legs, healing some more cuts and bruises. The tablets then shattered, and just as quickly as the pain overwhelmed her, it vanished. Thorn fell backward, panting and drenched in sweat.
"Thorn, are you okay?" Luna asked.
Thorn gently tapped her shoulder and found no wound. "Yeah, but I can use a nap," she replied between short breaths.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Luna sighed. "We were all so worried about you."
Thorn gave an exhausted smile, and she sat up. "Thanks. I'm just glad everyone is okay." She paused to rest and collect her thoughts. "Um," she began as she looked at everyone surrounding her. "Thanks for taking care of me when I came back. I thought for sure I would die from my wounds."
"We should be thanking you since you saved all our asses back there," Ray stated.
"Yeah, Thorn, you were so badass!" Dusk cheered while punching the air. "Like, when the monster thought it got you, but, then, you cut its fucking head off!"
Thorn blushed and laughed a bit from Dusk's excitement.
"You did great out there, Thorn," Fred said. "Thanks for saving us. I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm impressed, Thorn. You were amazing out there and seeing a witch in action was a remarkable sight," Brian said with a smile. "But seriously, thank you, Thorn."
Thorn nodded. "Thanks, guys." She yawned and laid back down. "Is there a blanket somewhere? I need to rest a bit."
"I thought I saw a medical blanket by the first aid kit," Fred answered. "I can go get it for you."
"That'd be great, thanks, Fred," Thorn replied with a nod.
"I can see if I could find something to use as a pillow," Ray began. "I'm sure that'd be more comfortable than nets."
"I appreciate that Ray, thanks," Thorn said.
The two men took off, leaving Thorn with Luna, Dusk, and Brian. While lying on her makeshift bed, Thorn noticed a kettle on a burner next to the workbench and recalled seeing some herbs nearby. She turned to Dusk and Luna.
"Hey, could one of you two brew me some tea?" Thorn asked. "I saw some herbs on the shelf over there."
"Sure," Dusk replied as she headed over to the workbench. "I wonder if they have any coffee. I could use a cup."
With Dusk busy with the tea, only Luna and Brian remained at Thorn's side.
"You feeling better?" Luna asked.
"A bit," Thorn admitted. "Though I'll be better after some tea and rest."
"That's good," Brian said. He gestured toward Thorn's shoulder. "Though it looks like those tablets didn't fully heal you."
Thorn raised an eyebrow before looking at her shoulder. The sleeve of her crop top had been torn in her fight and showed a portion of the Fallen's mark. Thorn rolled up what was left of the sleeve, revealing the rest of the mark.
"This is the mark the Fallen left on me," Thorn explained with a sigh. "It's how that creature followed me to the Regal Hotel. I kinda hoped the tablets would heal it or that once the creature died, it'd go away, but I guess not."
Brian grimaced and took a step away from Thorn, though his gaze remained fixated on the mark.
Thorn rolled her sleeve back down. "Sorry if that made you uncomfortable."
"Hmm? Oh, it's fine," Brian stated, smiling, and he returned to his original spot. "That mark gave me some bad vibes, which given what the Fallen did to you, seems accurate."
"Yeah, I don't like looking at it," Thorn said.
"Agreed. That symbol creeps me out," Luna added. "It's like the Fallen is watching us."
"Maybe it is?" Brian suggested.
"I sure hope it isn't," Thorn said, glancing back at her shoulder.
"If only we could get rid of it," Luna lamented.
"Maybe there's something here that can remove it," Brian said as he briefly looked around the room.
Thorn lowered her head. "I doubt it," she sighed.
"It wouldn't hurt to look around while you rest," Luna said. "And it's not like we can go anywhere until you're better."
"I guess," Thorn yawned. She was silent for a few seconds. "Maybe start with that witch physiology book."
Thorn and Luna both looked at the bookshelf where they found the book on witch physiology. Thorn noticed that the book was not on the top of the shelf and that there was a large pile of books on the floor, which was likely made when they were searching for a way to restore the barrier.
"Uh, yeah, if I can find it in that mess," Luna sighed as she started walking over to the book pile.
"You need help searching?" Brian asked Luna.
"Thanks, but I should be able to find it," Luna replied. She turned to Thorn. "Just take it easy, okay?"
"I will. Thanks, Luna," Thorn said.
Luna nodded and headed off to the pile of books, leaving her with Brian. Thorn glanced at her shoulder and frowned. Why won't it go away?
"Hey, don't worry about it too much. I think you'll get rid of it soon," Brian said with an assuring smile.
"And why do you think that?" Thorn asked, not exactly liking the odds of removing the mark.
"I don't know. Maybe I'm just an optimist," Brian said with a grin.
Thorn chuckled. "An optimist? You? I don't take you for an optimist."
"Well, I did find definitive proof of the supernatural magic my father claimed to exist after years of searching, so things have been going well for me," Brian replied with a grin. "Plus, I witnessed a badass and skilled witch kill a real monster."
Thorn laughed. "Pfft. That was luck, not skill."
"Don't sell yourself short; you showed a lot of skill out there."
"I wouldn't call running away and hiding a skill."
"You mean tactically retreating to recover and counterattack?" Brian laughed. "But seriously, you tricked the monster into catching you and leaving itself vulnerable to a telekinetic attack."
Thorn sat up. "That was desperation! I didn't actually think it'd work, and that stab still almost killed me."
"Nah," Brian said, shaking his head. "That was an impressive display of confidence, composure, and cleverness."
Thorn smirked. "Is that so?"
Brian leaned against the workbench. "While in a combat situation, you remained composed enough to improvise a trap that the monster couldn't anticipate. While it was risky, you were confident with your ability to accurately redirect the monster's stingers so that it non-fatally stabbed you, ensuring it had no means of defending against the knife." Brian smirked. "Confidence, composure, and cleverness. All in one badass witch."
Thorn smiled and brushed her bangs aside. "Well, when you put it that way…"
"There's no other way of putting it," Brian assured her.
Thorn smiled and again brushed her bangs aside.
"And that was with no training," Brian said. He motioned toward the rest of the treasure room, his grin growing wider. "With all these resources, imagine what you could be capable of with some training and studying." He turned back to Thorn. "Think of all the wonderful things you could accomplish. The people you could help. All at your fingertips."
Thorn's eyes widened in excitement, and her imagination ran wild with stories of witches performing fantastic magical feats of healing and protection. With just a fraction of that skill, I could help people with my magic. I could defend Dusk and Luna from whatever else the Fallen throws at us. She turned to Brian. "You're right. I could help so many people. I just need to practice my magic."
Brian smiled. "If you're up for it sometime, once we're out of here, we could find some safe and controlled place to conduct some experiments with your magic."
Thorn playfully raised her eyebrow. "Hmm. I don't know. My schedule is filled for the next several months due to our tour. I've got concerts, interviews, fundraisers, and all sorts of celebrity stuff; I'll barely have time to practice my magic. Plus, we'll be out of the northeast by the end of the week."
"Then let me know where you'll be, and I'll meet you there," Brian coolly replied. "I'm sure we could find time to study your magic; after all, you managed to fit catching a ghost, finding the fabled treasure of the Regal Hotel, and defeating a supernatural monster into your oh-so-busy schedule."
Thorn chuckled. "If I'm free but on the other side of the country, you'd travel there to study my magic?"
"It'd be unprofessional of me not to," Brian replied. "I'd be a poor paranormal investigator if I didn't follow up with a genuine, supernatural witch."
Thorn leaned back, smiling. "Well, I guess…"
A sudden shout interrupted Thorn, causing her to sit back up. She and Brian both faced the source of the shout.
Ray trembled, pointing at something on the other side of the barrier. "Guys, we have a problem."
Thorn's heart sank. No. Please no. Despite her exhaustion, Thorn climbed off the workbench and headed to Ray with Brian. Dusk, Luna, and Fred quickly joined them, and they collectively gasped in horror.
"That's impossible!" Luna cried.
Thorn felt sick to her stomach. No. No. She could do nothing but watch in terror as the cloaked figure's body convulsed on the floor, its limbs haphazardly flailing. One of the secondary appendages stabbed the floor. With a sudden tug, the creature's body lurched upward until it sat upright.
The group stepped backward, gasping as the creature's body grew. Its arms and legs lengthened while additional muscle bulked the creature up to the point where it dwarfed any human. The charred skin began to peel and flake off, revealing thicker skin. One arm blindly patted the ground, and after a few moments, its fingers felt its burnt head and grabbed it. With a wet crunch, it stuck its head back onto its neck. Its head jerked left and then right with a sickening snap. The charred skin peeled off, and the creature emitted a low growl.
Thorn nearly jumped when the creature opened its eyes. Those yellow eyes glared at her with such a malice-filled gaze that it made her skin crawl. The creature hissed as it took a few steps toward the barrier, and Thorn rushed to the front of the group, her hands enveloped in magical, green energy.
The creature suddenly stopped. It leaned forward, bearing a toothy grin, and laughed.
"What's it doing?" Fred asked.
The creature remained where it stood, still glaring at Thorn. Without breaking eye contact with her, the creature raised its hand and pointed at Luna. It then pointed at Dusk, then Fred, then Brian, and then finally Ray. It brought its hand to its neck and made a slashing motion across it.
Thorn gritted her tenth and clenched her fist, her magic glowing brighter.
The creature's grin grew wider. It pointed at Thorn and then at its eye. It again pointed at the rest of the group before making the same slashing motion across its neck.
Thorn shouted and fired a bolt of green lightning at the creature, much to the surprise and displeasure of her group. But instead of striking the monster, it hit the barrier, causing the barrier to crack and flicker.
WARNING! SHIELD LEVEL DROPPED TO TWENTY-NINE PERCENT! CONTINUED ASSAULT ON THE SHIELD WITH MAGIC WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE FAILURE! REQUESTING MAGE SUPPORT!
"Damnit, Thorn!" Dusk shouted. "You almost broke the shield!"
"AGH!" Thorn grunted, and she pulled her hair in frustration.
"Hey, relax," Brian said, patting Thorn's shoulder. "It's trying to play mind games with you. Don't let it get into your head."
"He's right," Luna added. "It's trying to get you to break the barrier."
Thorn lowered her arms, but the glow of her magic remained. She glared back at the creature. It raised a wretched claw and beckoned Thorn to leave the treasure room. Thorn grimaced. Ignore its taunting. Stay inside this room; it can't hurt us here.
After a minute or so, the creature frowned. It walked over to the labyrinth of boxes and furniture. With a single swift motion, it lifted and then tossed a massive dresser at the barrier. The dresser hurled through the air at an incredible speed, and the group shouted and screamed as it effortlessly passed through the flickering defense of the room.
"No!" Thorn shouted as she raised her hands. A bubble of green energy formed around the group just seconds before the dresser hit them. The dresser struck Thorn's barrier and shattered.
"Why the hell did that dresser go through?" Ray shouted in confusion as Thorn dismissed her energy shield.
"Maybe the barrier only stops supernatural forces," Fred suggested. "And that's why that thing didn't go after us once it revived itself."
Thorn lowered her head and sighed, glancing at the remains of the dresser. "But it can still hurt us." She looked back at the monster. It grinned, baring its sharp teeth, and motioned for Thorn to exit the room. Her magic brightened. "I'm going out. The rest of you fix the barrier or find something that can permanently kill this thing."
"Absolutely not!" Luna shouted. "You almost died last time when you were healthy, and you still haven't recovered from the last fight."
"I don't have a choice," Thorn somberly replied. "It'll keep throwing stuff at us while we search for a way to restore the barrier, and I can't keep blocking it forever."
"What if we hide on the sides of the room?" Dusk countered. "We could wait it out. Wait for Gus to report us missing, or Daphne to report Fred missing. The cops come looking for us, they spot the Mystery Machine, and they rescue us."
Thorn shook her head. "Who knows how long that will take? The barrier could fail before that. And even if all that happens quickly, that monster would kill anyone who comes down here, and I won't let anyone else die here." Nobody argued against her. "I'm the only one who can stop it, at least temporarily." Thorn left the group and approached the entrance to the basement. She looked back at her friends. "Find something to kill this fucker." Despite her sore and aching body, she faced the monster and stepped through the flickering barrier.
"You want an encore? Fine, I'll give you another show!" Thorn shouted as she approached the monster with her arms raised and her hands enveloped in magic.
The creature smirked, and its yellow eyes widened in evil excitement. But rather than attack, it crouched. The two appendages suddenly straightened out and swelled. The flesh cracked and tore, and two pairs of gigantic, iridescent, insect-like wings emerged.
"You've got to be kidding me," Thorn groaned.
The creature hissed. The wings flapped with such a force that the basement vibrated, creating a deafening buzz that drowned out all other noise.
Thorn fired a green lightning bolt at the monster, but to her horror, the creature vanished right before her eyes.
SWOOSH!
Thorn didn't get a chance to scream. The creature reappeared right next to her before her lightning even hit the ground. A sharp pain struck her side, and a powerful force knocked her off her feet. She hurled through the air, dazed from the attack. Her body turned, and before she careened into a pile of boxes, the creature suddenly appeared before her. She screamed as the creature's fist made contact with her face, sending her flying back in the direction she came.
How is it that fast!?
SWOOSH!
The creature was above her, and it slashed her stomach. Thorn screamed, but it came out as a wheeze. She smashed into the ground, cracking it.
"Ugh," she groaned as she attempted to sit up, but the creature's foot pushed her back down. Thorn glanced at some rubble and raised a trembling hand. The rubble began to levitate, but then everything went black as the creature grabbed her head. The monster muffled her cries as it picked her up and effortlessly threw her into the air.
SWOOSH!
Thorn opened her eyes and gasped as the creature flew above her. She crossed her arms. "Bar-AHH!"
The creature punched her before she could finish her spell, sending her spiraling downward to the floor.
SWOOSH!
The monster was below her and slashed her with an upward strike, sending her higher into the air.
SWOOSH!
It slashed her from the left.
SWOOSH!
From the right.
SWOOSH!
Above.
SWOOSH!
Below. Right.
SWOOSH!
From everywhere at once. She couldn't see the monster. All she could do was scream in pain from every invisible slash that kept her suspended in the air while her own blood showered upon her. I can't see it, let alone fight it. She cried. Tears blew off her face and became lost in the spray of blood. I never stood a chance….
"This is fucking useless!" Dusk shouted as she threw a book to the floor.
"Keep looking!" Luna yelled, pulling her hair, and pushing aside another useless book.
Dusk kicked the bookshelf, knocking over several books.
"Will you cut that out and keep looking," Luna groaned as she looked over a manuscript.
"No!" Dusk snapped. She stormed off to the entrance of the treasure room, ignoring Luna's pleas for her to return.
Dusk reached the flickering barrier and peered through it. She gasped in horror. Thorn was barely recognizable through the bloody spray, though through the buzzing, Dusk heard her friend's cries. The creature, which appeared as nothing more than a blur, continued to slice and punch Thorn, keeping her airborne.
"Fuck!" Dusk turned away, gritting her teeth, and fighting back tears. She's not gonna make it. I need to help her now! She ran past the group and reached the weapons wall. Firearms of several calibers lined the wall, and while she assumed there were more effective options, Dusk grabbed the only firearm she was familiar with: a bolt-action hunting rifle. With clumsy hands, she struggled to pull the bolt back.
"Dusk! What the hell are you doing?" Luna shouted as she and Fred ran over to Dusk.
"I'm trying to save my friend," Dusk muttered, finally getting the bolt to slide back.
"This isn't a good idea," Fred cautioned.
"It's better than looking for a book that may not exist," Dusk grumbled without looking up from the rifle. She grabbed a bullet, though when she tried to insert it into the chamber, she dropped it.
"Do you even know how to shoot a gun?" Luna asked, grabbing the rifle.
Dusk pulled the rifle away. "Yeah, in the summer, when my brother and I were young, our dad would take us to our grandparent's cabin in Maine, and one of the things he'd taught us over the years was how to shoot a rifle."
Luna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "And when was the last time you shot a gun?"
Dusk shrugged. "Ten years ago?"
"You're not going out there," Luna bluntly stated, and she stood in front of Dusk, blocking her.
Dusk said nothing. She grabbed another bullet. This one got into the chamber.
"Dusk, you shouldn't go out there; not without a plan," Fred said.
"I have a plan," Dusk replied, sliding the bolt closed. "Shoot the fucker, and save Thorn." She grabbed some extra bullets and stuffed them into her pocket. "Kim, move."
"No, I won't let you leave," Luna said, her voice cracking as she spoke. "It's bad enough that Thorn is out there, and I can't stand to see another friend get hurt."
Dusk grimaced. "That thing is kicking her ass! She won't last much longer without our help!"
"Blondie's right," a sudden, deep voice said. "Your friend ain't gonna make it."
Dusk, Luna, and Fred turned to see Ray walking toward them. He passed them and reached the gun wall. He looked over his options for a few seconds before he retrieved a large shotgun from the wall.
"As much as I don't want to go out there, our current course of action has failed," Ray said as he loaded the shotgun with several shells. "Our only option now is to help Thorn fight that monster. If we're lucky, we can incapacitate it long enough to escape the hotel."
Dusk grinned. "Yes! Somebody understands!" She turned to Luna, and her grin faded. "If you want to keep wasting time, fine, but I'm going to save our friend!" With a heavy sigh, she turned to Ray. "Let's go, Ray."
Ray nodded, and the two pushed past Luna and Fred and approached the barrier.
"Jane…"
Dusk sighed. "Sorry, Kim, but I made up my mind."
She and Ray ran to the edge of the barrier. Her grip on the rifle tightened upon hearing Thorn's cries. I'm coming for you, Thorn.
"You ready?" Ray asked.
Dusk gulped. "Yeah," Dusk replied, raising the rifle.
"You're going to get killed the second you step past the barrier."
Dusk flinched and nearly fired the rifle. She and Ray faced the newcomer. Brian stood before them holding some empty glass bottles.
"What do you want?" Ray grunted.
Brian didn't so much as glance at Ray and instead focused on Dusk.
"Are you gonna help us?" Dusk asked. "If not, go waste time with Luna and Fred."
Brian crossed his arms and gave Dusk a stern look. "I'm warning you that if you leave this room, the monster will kill you."
Dusk raised the rifle. "I have this for protection."
"You expect to shoot the monster with that?" Brian frowned. "Okay. Aim at the monster. Get a clear shot at it before you leave."
Dusk shot a confused glance at Ray, who shrugged his shoulders in response. Dusk turned and raised the rifle, taking aim through the iron sighs…and then lowered the rifle as she came to the horrible realization that she couldn't see the monster.
"Shit," she muttered, and she turned to Brian in defeat.
"Exactly," Brian said. "That thing is moving too quickly to see, let alone shoot." He sighed. "If you went out, it'd kill both of you before Thorn hit the ground." He looked Dusk in the eye. "And you'd have died for nothing."
Dusk dropped the rifle and lowered her head. Fuck, he's right. I can't save Thorn this way. AGH! Why am I so stupid? She kicked the rifle. "What are we supposed to do about Thorn? We can't let her die!"
"We won't," Brian assured her. He raised the glass bottles. "I have a plan, but I need everyone's help with it."
"What are bottles gonna do?" Ray asked.
"I'll explain at the workbench," Brian bluntly answered before he started running toward the workbench. "Hurry! We need to act quickly!"
Dusk grunted but ran after Brian with Ray following close behind. Luna and Fred were still looking over some documents.
"Clear the workbench!" Brian shouted.
Slightly confused, Fred and Luna did as asked and threw Thorn's makeshift bed to the floor. Brian placed the bottles on the table. He then ran to the nearby shelves and grabbed several bottles and beakers filled with different contents.
"While searching for something to fix the barrier, I overheard Dusk saying we need to help Thorn fight this monster," Brian explained. He glanced at Dusk, though he still addressed the group. "And I agree with her." He grabbed the last container and carried an armful of miscellaneous containers back to the group and plopped them onto the workbench. "Fortunately, this place is well-stocked with stuff we can use to fight the monster, which is where this all comes in."
Dusk glanced at the various bottles and beakers. She half-expected to see magic potions, but as she read the labels, she frowned. Baking Soda. Turpentine. Isopropyl Alcohol. Acetone. Polystyrene Beads.
Luna's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious."
"I am," Brian replied.
"I don't get it. How's this shit gonna help us?" Dusk asked with mild frustration.
"This thing doesn't like fire, so we're gonna fight it with fire," Brian said.
"How?" Dusk asked again.
"He's making Molotovs," Luna explained.
Dusk smirked as thoughts of lighting the monster on fire and saving Thorn filled her head. "Wicked."
"But isn't this thing still too fast for us?" Ray said. "I get setting a fire, but wouldn't it still kill us before we even threw a bottle?"
Brian sighed and nodded. "Yes. We'd need to somehow either trick it or slow it down."
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Luna asked.
"I don't know yet," Brian meekly replied.
The group collectively sighed and grunted, but Dusk noticed Fred looking away from the group.
"Whatcha find, Fred?" Dusk asked.
"I think I know how to slow it down," he said, never once shifting his gaze from whatever he was looking at. He left the group and approached the weapons wall. He grabbed the Smith-Merkel Rocket Net from the rack. "I'll need some time to charge the battery and load the net, but the net's spread should be able to catch the monster and snare its wings."
"That's perfect!" Brian cheered.
"But there's still a chance I could miss, or the monster reacts to me before I can fire the net," Fred replied with a frown.
The group once again became silent as the plan fell apart. The creature's supernatural speed made any attempt at catching or attacking it doomed to fail.
"If only we could get it to stay still for a few seconds," Dusk muttered.
"Maybe we don't have to do anything," Luna mumbled.
"What?" Dusk exclaimed, and the rest of the group looked bewildered.
"There's going to be one moment where it stands still," Luna said, her voice trembling. She swallowed. "When it's ready to kill Thorn."
Dusk gasped, and the guys all had somber expressions.
"There has to be another way," Dusk pleaded.
Luna shook her head. "If the monster wanted to kill Thorn, it would've done so already." She sighed, and her eyes teared up. "Everything it had done to Thorn was to make her suffer; its beatings, taunting, and what it's doing to her now is all to torture her." Luna paused to calm herself. "Only when it finally decides to kill Thorn will it stop, and given its past behavior, it'll probably be a slow and up-close death, but one that is stationary."
"And when it goes to kill her, we strike," Brian concluded.
Luna nodded and wiped her eyes. "Yeah."
Chills went down Dusk's spine as she came to a horrible conclusion. "We only get one shot."
Luna nodded. "And if we miss or aren't ready…"
"We're fucked," Dusk finished. She gasped. "Fuck! That thing could kill her at any second! It could be happening right now!"
"Fuck, she's right!" Brian shouted. "Ray! Luna! Help me with the Molotovs. Fred, get that fucking rocket net set up!" he barked. "Dusk, you go watch-"
Dusk didn't need Brian to tell her to check on Thorn. She had already left the group before Brian gave his first order. Behind her, she heard people running and bottles clattering. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long for them to finish their tasks.
Dusk skidded to a halt and almost passed the barrier. She grimaced. "Thorn's not doing well." While Thorn was still getting slashed in the air, her cries had died down. "She's not going to make it."
She darted back to the workbench. "How many Molotovs do we have?"
"We barely made one," Luna stated as she slid the one completed Molotov to the side.
Dusk grunted as Brian and Ray worked on two additional Molotovs. She looked at Fred. He hastily attached a massive metal net to a long cable. "Are you almost done with the net?"
"I need some more time," Fred quickly answered.
Dusk groaned "Damnit! This is taking too-"
CRASH!
"No!" Dusk shouted. Without thinking, she grabbed the completed Molotov and a lighter from the workbench.
"Dusk! Wait! Don't go!"
The angry and concerned shouts from her friends fell on deaf ears. Dusk reached the barrier and shouted. Tears welled in her eyes, and her face reddened in rage. Thorn lay in a small crater, her body bloodied and mangled, her whimpers being the only sign of life. The creature stood over Thorn with its back facing Dusk; she could only imagine the sinister look in its eyes as it looked over Thorn.
Dusk grimaced. She ran through the barrier, flicking on the lighter. With a trembling hand, she held the flame to the cloth sticking from the bottle. She got closer to Thorn and the monster. Light! Damnit! The small flame caught the fuse, and the fire crawled up the cloth. She came to a stop and threw the Molotov.
The creature turned its head and smiled. It flapped its wings and hovered in the air before flying to the other side of the Thorn. The Molotov harmlessly passed the creature and crashed into some boxes, setting them on fire.
Dusk gasped. I…missed. She gritted her teeth and grunted. I fucking missed! Dusk glanced at her beaten friend and then at the monster. "Fuck you!" she shouted as she drew her knife and charged the monster.
"AHHH!"
The knife clattered on the cement floor as Dusk's feet left the ground less than a foot from where she started running. Clutching both her wrists with a single hand, the creature effortlessly lifted her into the air. Dusk frantically kicked her legs, but the creature held her far from its body. It squeezed her wrist, and Dusk cried.
The creature's toothy grin widened. Much to her shock, the creature didn't kill her right there and then. Instead, it turned and carried Dusk to Thorn. It held Dusk over her friend.
"Thorn," Dusk whimpered between pained cries as she looked down at her beaten and bloodied friend lying in a crater.
Thorn's head slightly turned.
"Jane…"
Dusk's eyes widened. "Sally…"
Rubble shifted as Thorn slowly raised her trembling arm. She grunted and groaned with each fraction of an inch she raised her arm. Sparks of green energy flickered around her fingers and grew in intensity with each strained grunt.
"Sally!"
A small bolt of lightning fired from Thorn's index finger and struck the monster's feet. The monster growled and stumbled back, but it still held Dusk. It quickly recovered its footing, and with a loud growl, it stomped on Thorn's stomach, causing her to lurch upward and spit up blood.
Dusk cried as she watched the monster repeatedly stomp on Thorn. Sally, I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry for being rash and stupid. Dusk lowered her head. I'm sorry you have to watch me die.
As if reading Dusk's mind, the monster stopped its beating. It glanced at the beaten and broken witch before shifting its focus to Dusk. With a malice-filled hiss, it raised Dusk over Thorn, ensuring both girls could see each other. Then with its free hand, it clenched Dusk's throat, causing Dusk to violently kick and struggle against the monster. It squeezed, and Dusk let out a garbled yelp that the creature quickly silenced. She couldn't scream, and her kicking and hitting weakened; tears fell down her face, and her friend became blurred.
Sally-
WHOOSH!
The monster screamed as fire erupted around its legs and rapidly crawled up the monster's body. Dusk gasped and took in as much air as she could as the monster tossed her. She hit the ground hard and rolled onto her back. She glanced at her friend. "Thorn?"
BANG!
The shotgun blast broke the silence. The creature staggered backward, screaming as it desperately tried to smother the fire.
BANG!
The second shot sent the monster tumbling into the burning boxes. It tried getting up, but a third shot kept it down.
"Dusk, are you okay?"
Before she could answer, Luna and Brian sat her up while Ray appeared behind them wielding a shotgun which he aimed at the monster.
"Uh, yeah," Dusk groaned. She noticed that Luna had the box of healing tablets while Brian had an unlit Molotov.
"Thank goodness you're okay," Luna said with a massive sigh of relief. "But what the hell were you thinking running off like that!"
Dusk's eyes widened, and she scrambled to her feet. "Thorn!" she exclaimed, pointing at her injured friend. "She needs help!"
The group's focus shifted to Thorn, who remained in the crater. Without hesitation, Dusk, Luna, and Brian ran to Thorn while Ray provided cover for them.
"Holy shit! She's in terrible condition!" Brian shouted.
"Get the tablets on her now!" Luna cried.
Thorn lay motionless in the creator with her arms and legs sprawled out and bent at unnatural angles. Deep lacerations covered her entire body, and there was enough blood that it became difficult to distinguish her blood-covered body from her red crop top. If it wasn't for Thorn's wheezing, Dusk would've thought she was dead.
"We can't move her," Brian grunted. "She's too injured."
"Fuck! We have to heal her here!" Dusk shouted.
"Will these even work on her in this condition?" Luna panicked.
"They have to," Dusk pleaded.
The three of them placed the remaining tablets onto Thorn.
"Okay, let's activate them," Brian said once the last tablet was in position.
They began pressing the tablets, and soon Thorn was enveloped in the tablet's healing glow. Thorn's body shook, and then she screamed. Dusk and Brian grabbed Thorn's arms and legs to prevent her from hitting one of them or injuring herself further.
"Hang in there, Thorn; you're gonna be okay," Dusk assured her friend.
BANG!
Dusk flinched from the shotgun blast and the inhuman shriek that followed it.
BANG!
"This thing isn't staying down!" Ray shouted.
Dusk gasped upon seeing the monster rise from the fire. Ray fired a third time, and the creature staggered but remained standing.
"Damnit," Brian muttered as the creature began approaching them. "Luna, hold Thorn down."
Luna quickly took Brian's place while he grabbed his last Molotov. He lit the fuse, and the fire rapidly crawled up the rag. With a grunt, he hurled the Molotov at the monster. The creature snarled and stumbled to the left.
Shit! It's going to miss! Dusk realized. "Ray, shoot the Molotov!" she shouted.
Ray stumbled as he adjusted his aim, and he fired. The bottle shattered midair, and the liquid concoction met the flames. A fiery spray rained down on the monster causing it to let out an agonizing shriek and frantically swat at its burning body.
"Why won't this thing die!" Ray shouted as he shot the creature, knocking it down. With the creature down, he began reloading the shotgun. "Better hope it stays down for a while!"
Dusk's attention shifted to her injured friend. Many of Thorn's lacerations on the upper half of her body had healed, though there were still plenty of injuries remaining. Dusk glanced at the creature and flinched. The monster slowly rose to its feet, glaring at the group. The creature flapped its wings, and while its wings were still damaged, they beat fast enough that the fire began to extinguish.
"Ray, hurry up," Luna stuttered.
"I'm trying," he grunted, and a shotgun shell fell to the floor.
Brian grimaced and reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a pistol and repeatedly fired at the monster. Despite hitting his target, the creature didn't flinch from the shots. Despite the remaining flames on its body, the monster hissed and charged at the group.
"EVERYONE! GET DOWN!"
Without thinking, Dusk and the group dropped to the floor.
KA-BOOM!
The scent of gunpowder lingered throughout the basement, and Dusk slowly raised her head. Much to her surprise, she saw the monster entangled in a massive, metal net. The creature clawed and struggled against the net, but with each desperate movement, it tore its wings. Dusk sighed, and some relief washed over her knowing that the creature couldn't fly anymore. She noticed a long cable attached to the net and smiled when she saw the other side of the cable.
"Wicked job, Fred!" Dusk cheered as she scrambled to her feet.
Fred lowered the Smith-Merkel Rocket. "I'm not done yet."
He hit a switch on the rocket, and the cable and net lit up from a brilliant electric bolt that illuminated the basement in a fierce blue glow. The creature let out an ear-piercing shriek as tens of thousands of volts of electricity shocked the creature; small billows of smoke rose from its body.
"Take that, you piece of shit!" Dusk shouted at the monster before she turned her attention back to Thorn.
"She's still not fully healed," Luna lamented.
Thorn was still screaming and shaking, though not enough to where she needed to be held down. While most of her surface-level wounds had healed, the tablets remained active.
"She must have internal injuries," Luna concluded with a sigh.
"How long is gonna take to heal her?" Dusk asked.
"Hopefully soon, because we have a problem," Brian suddenly stated as he reloaded the handgun.
The light of the electricity dimmed, and an angry growl startled Dusk. Her focus immediately shifted to the monster, who glared at Fred. It fought through the ever-diminishing voltage as it turned to face Fred. It took a few steps closer to him.
"Fred, what's happening?" Dusk called out to him.
"The rocket wasn't fully charged!" Fred cried as is frantically tried messing with some buttons and dials on the launcher.
"Fred! Drop the rocket!" Luna screamed.
The cable became untaught. With a flick of the cable, the monster managed to bound Fred's hands with the cable's slack. Panicking, Fred let go of the rocket launcher, but it was too late. The monster yanked the cable, pulling Fred into the air and sending him hurtling toward the creature. His final, terror-filled shouts were abruptly silenced by the creature's punch. The cable snapped, and the force of the impact launched Fred into the wall. There was a gut-wrenching smack, and Fred crumpled to the floor.
Dusk's heart nearly skipped a beat. "FRED!"
Fred remained motionless as blood began to pool around him.
Brian and Ray shouted and unleashed a volley of gunfire on the monster, but Dusk barely noticed it. She was fixated on Fred, paralyzed by the morbid sight before her. Part of her wanted to fight the monster and get revenge, but another part of her still couldn't accept that someone she was friends with perished.
Someone tugged Dusk's sleeve. "Dusk."
Jostled from her thoughts, Dusk turned. "Luna."
Luna was in tears and could barely stand. "He's gone…"
Dusk winced. "I…uh…" There wasn't anything she could say or do about Fred. "What do we do now?"
"I don't know," Luna whimpered.
"WATCH OUT!"
Neither Hex Girl had a chance to react. Something heavy smacked into Dusk's back, and she went down. Dusk groaned, mildly dazed from hitting her head on the floor. As her vision cleared, she noticed bits of wood laying around. Grunting, she crawled forward and came across Brian's handgun. Without thinking, she grabbed the handgun. Dusk stood up, her back aching as she rose. She powered through the pain and assessed her surroundings. Ray was picking up his shotgun, and Thorn remained in her previous condition.
Where's Luna?
A pained cry from behind made Dusk flinch. "Luna!"
She turned around and saw Brian trying to help Luna stand. Luna's ankle was slightly bent and swollen. Dusk ran to them. "What happened?"
"The monster threw a bunch of stuff at us, and while running away, something hit Luna. She tripped and broke or sprained her ankle," Brian explained.
Luna cried when she attempted to stand on her foot and would've fallen if Brian hadn't caught her. "I can't walk!" she sobbed.
A growl startled the group, and Dusk gasped as the monster approached them. Without thought of her safety, Dusk ran in front of Luna and Brian and raised the handgun at the monster.
"Run…"
Dusk looked back and nearly dropped the gun.
"Get out of here…" Thorn muttered, through clenched teeth. Still shaking from the healing, Thorn slowly sat up, glaring at the monster.
Dusk tried to speak, but her words came out as a scared gasp as she looked at Thorn. She had never seen such anger in her friend's eyes before. It reminded Dusk of looking into the yellow eyes of the monster. And for the first time in her life, Thorn terrified Dusk.
"Brian, walk Luna to the barrier," Thorn ordered, her gaze never leaving the monster. "Dusk and Ray, cover them."
Brian nodded, and he and Luna slowly hobbled toward the safety of the treasure room. Ray scrambled to take his position. As Dusk backed away from Thorn, she couldn't help but watch several tablets shatter. Thorn fired a bolt of green lightning at the monster and then collapsed, grunting from the pain.
Thorn's attack only staggered the monster, and it quickly recovered. It glared at her for a moment before turning its attention to the rest of the group. It smirked at the sight of Luna struggling to walk with Brian.
Dusk raised the handgun and aimed at the monster. While the net prevented it from flying, it still charged at them. Her heart pounded against her chest as she squeezed the trigger. The pop of the gun and the bit of recoil startled her. She fired again. The creature staggered. Ray fired the shotgun. The monster stumbled.
How close are they? Dusk glanced at Luna and Brian. Ugh, not close enough! She looked back at the creature. Ray fired, and the creature lurched backward. Dusk fired and hit the creature as it reoriented itself. The monster slowed. Yes! She looked back at Luna and Brian. Yes! They're gonna make it! We just gotta give them a little more time.
Dusk and Ray backed up a bit, firing at the creature to slow it down. The monster hissed with each shot, its yellow eyes filling with annoyance and hate. But Dusk and Ray continued to shoot the monster, staggering it, and buying Luna and Brian more time. But despite the hits, the creature continued its charge.
"We made it! Get back!"
Dusk smiled upon seeing Luna and Brian safely behind the barrier.
"Go!" Ray shouted as he fired at the monster.
Dusk's smile grew, overjoyed by the fact Luna escaped the monster. But in the corner of her eye, she glimpsed something unsettling that made her hesitate. Tilting its head back, the monster opened its mouth, and the lower jaw split in two.
No…
Ray let out a blood-curdling scream when the acid hit him. His body steamed; his face dissolved into a disgusting cesspool of flesh, cartilage, and blood. His screams ended, and he fell forward. His body hit the ground with a wet splat, his entire upper body nothing more than a bloody puddle.
Dusk only made it a few steps before the searing pain struck the left side of her body. She screamed from the unbearable pain. The burning worsened; she could hear her skin bubble and blister. Get to Luna. Keep going. She lost sensation in parts of her arm and chest. Keep going. The burning spread across the left side of her face, and soon her vision in her left eye blurred before going out completely. Keep going. She couldn't feel the left side of her face and had difficulty hearing. Keep going. Her arm fell limp, and chunks of semi-liquefied flesh slid off it with every step. Keep…going. She struggled to breathe, and her heart seemed like it would burst from her chest at any moment. Al…most the…
She reached out to the blue barrier and stumbled through as the last of her strength left her.
"I can't go any farther," Luna groaned, doing her best to endure the pain in her foot.
She and Brian stopped a few feet past the protective blue barrier.
"We made it! Get back!" Brian shouted to Dusk and Ray before returning his attention to Luna. "How's your foot?"
Luna put weight on her ankle, and after a few seconds, she could no longer endure the pain and raised her leg. "I think it's twisted," she muttered. She leaned against the wall, wincing from the pain.
"I'll try to find some ice," Brian said.
Luna nodded, but before Brian could go, they both flinched upon hearing several screams. Human screams.
"Dusk!" she gasped.
She couldn't see much from her position, and her twisted ankle prevented her from moving. She let out a frustrated sigh. Damnit!
Brian grabbed the hunting rifle Dusk had tossed. He raised it. "Something's coming."
Luna heard shuffling outside the barrier. The person continued their slow but steady shuffle toward the barrier. Why aren't they running? Dusk and Ray should be running here. Luna's eyes widened in terror. Unless….
"Kim…"
Luna yelped. Her heart skipped a beat upon seeing her friend. She ran toward her. Her ankle throbbed in protest, sending a sharp pain up her leg and threatening to trip her, but Luna didn't care. She ran and reached Dusk just as the drummer collapsed against the wall.
"Dusk!" Luna cried, cradling her friend in her arms.
Dusk's left arm hung limp against her burnt body, the skin and muscle dissolved into a bloody paste, and bits of blackened bone were visible around her shoulder. The upper half of her torso was burnt and bleeding while what was left of her jacket and shirt melted into her burnt skin. The left side of her face was just as burnt and bloody as her torso. Her eye was swollen shut, and blood steadily dripped from the corner of her eye like tears.
"Kim…" Dusk whimpered. Her chest slowly rose and fell with each labored breath.
Luna held Dusk's good hand. "I'm here Jane," Luna sobbed.
Dusk gripped Luna's hand. "Are…you, okay?"
Luna wiped some of her tears and sniffled. "Yeah."
"Good," Dusk weakly whimpered between wheezes. Her lips curled into a slight smile. "I did what I wanted to do." She coughed up specks of blood.
"Jane…" Luna wanted to say something meaningful, something impactful, but her uncontrollable sobs made it impossible to say anything complex.
An explosion shook the room, and flashes of red and green lights emanated from the basement. Luna heard the monster's inhuman shrieks, followed by concrete shattering, but her attention never left her weakening friend.
Dusk's slight smile widened. "That's Thorn, isn't it?"
Luna nodded and then again wiped her tears.
"She's kicking its ass, right?"
Luna struggled to smile. "Yeah, she is."
A large piece of furniture crashed right outside the barrier, and neither Hex Girl cared.
Dusk rested her head against Luna's chest. "Wicked." Her smile faded.
"Jane! No! Please keep talking! You're going to be okay!" Luna cried as she placed her hand on the right side of Dusk's face.
"Kim…" Dusk's lips barely moved, and her grip on Luna's hand weakened.
"Jane…keep talking!"
A single tear fell from Dusk's good eye.
"I'm scared."
Luna sobbed. "I'm scared too, but it's going to be okay."
"Kim…"
"Yes, Jane?"
Dusk's gaze drifted.
"Please don't leave me."
Luna squeezed Dusk's hand. "I won't," she promised.
Dusk trembled. Her breathing slowed.
"Kim…Are you there?"
"I'm here, Jane. I'm here."
Dusk's chest rose once and then fell with a final breath.
"Jane!"
Dusk's trembling stopped, and her grip on Luna's hand fell away.
"Jane! Please don't go!" Luna pleaded. She hugged her friend tightly. "I won't break my promise to you."
Luna cried. That was all she could do. Cry until there were no more tears to shed and her heart hurt less than her ankle.
"Dusk, I don't know what Thorn and I will do without you," Luna cried. She gently caressed Dusk's cheek and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "We need you. I need you."
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Luna," Brian consoled, his own eyes teary. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could've done more to stop this."
"She's gone," Luna cried. "She's gone."
"I know," Brian stammered.
Luna happened to glance past Brian and at the remains of the cultists. Or more accurately, at the 'Why' one cultist scribbled in blood beneath the mural of their god. She felt the anger and confusion they surely felt before their demise.
"Why did you send us here? Why did you let this happen to us? Why did Dusk have to go!" she shouted into the emptiness of the temple. She sobbed at looked back at Dusk. "Why you, Dusk? Why?"
Brian sighed. "I can only imagine how you're feeling right now, and I can't give you answers no matter how much I wish I could." He paused and let out another sigh. "But right now, you need to let her go."
Luna grimaced. "I can't. I promised I wouldn't leave her."
A massive explosion rocked the room, causing the barrier to flicker. A dresser flew through the barrier and crashed close behind them.
"Luna, you need to say goodbye to her," Brian said. "It's not safe here anymore."
"I can't," Luna said, shaking her head.
A chair crashed into the ground a few feet in front of her.
"We're going to die here if we don't move," Brian said with his voice raised.
Luna simply sobbed and shook her head.
Brian had to duck to avoid getting hit by another chair. "Luna, do you think this is what Dusk would've wanted? Getting killed by a piece of furniture instead of fighting back or figuring out a way to escape? You know she'd call you an idiot for staying here."
Luna's sobs lessened in intensity.
"The last thing you want to do is let her death be in vain, so come on!"
Luna looked at Dusk and ran her fingers through her friend's hair. I can't do that to you. She slowly nodded. "Okay. Let me lay her to rest first."
"Make it quick," Brian said with a sense of urgency as a nightstand crashed next to him.
She raised a trembling hand to Dusk's face. "Bad dreams… sister Dusk," she sobbed as she closed Dusk's good eye. She rested Dusk against the wall and then with one final cry, let go of her friend. Goodbye, Jane.
She slowly rose, crying as she turned away from Dusk. She reached for Brian's hand.
"Let's g-"
His eyes widened with a sense of urgency, and he grabbed Luna, pulling her behind him. Luna gasped, unsure of what was happening until she heard something smack into Brian, knocking them both down.
Luna grumbled and slowly pushed herself up, causing wooden splinters to fall off her. "Brian, what happened? Are you okay?"
No answer.
"Brian? Hey, Brian?"
He remained motionless on the floor and covered by several large pieces of wood, including the sharp corner of a broken dresser.
Luna shook his shoulder. "Brian, please answer me."
She yelped as a small pool of blood formed around his head.
"No, no, no. Please no," Luna stammered.
He was gone, just like Dusk.
Luna sobbed. For all the mistrust she had for him, all the times she accused him of being against them, he still gave his life to protect her. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. It was all she could say, and she knew it wasn't enough. He'd never know how sorry she was. That was her new burden and one she'd never find relief from.
"They're all gone," she mumbled. She shuddered. A relentless darkness gnawed at her heart and mind. Luna wrapped her around herself as if to catch her fleeing hope. "I still have Thorn."
But a pain-ridden scream shattered her heart, and the last of her hope promptly left her.
"THORN!