Carina's eyes went wide in horror, and then narrowed angrily as she clenched her fists. "You…You monster! You actually took their souls!"
Auberon laughed, "But of course I did. They did what they were suppose to, so their usefulness to me was over. Their lives are expendable, just like everyone else's. Besides, I'm surprised that you actually cared. They were witches, and you're a hunter. So it's expected of you to kill any witch that you come across. Or was I misinformed when you and your partner were in Italy?"
"That was then, and this is now. We don't go by the old methods any more, we haven't for a few years! The hunters in Italy do the same as the hunters here in Japan, hunt and capture. The objectives have changed since you've escaped us back there!" Carina shot back at him, her eyes were burning with anger.
"So then, you're not going to kill me? You're just going to do the new hunt and capture? But can you honestly believe that you'll be able to contain me in some kind of facility, and study me and my powers from behind some protective glass?" Auberon taunted in a arrogant tone.
The fire raged on as Carina shook her head as she kept her eyes on him. "No, in your case, I'm more than willing to make an exception."
Robin looked over towards her friend. She could see that something happened to Carina that changed her from how she use to be back when they were partners. Carina's eyes went from showing warmth and caring, to cold and unforgiving within a heart beat. Robin sighed as she frowned deeply, she wasn't sure what made her friend change so quickly. But then she saw that the talisman she was wearing around her neck, it was somehow effecting Carina, and it wasn't for the best. It was turning her, "Carina! It's the talisman, it's doing something to you! Destroy it!"
The same time the talisman was acting up, the witch's idol started as well. The idol floated way up towards the ceiling, while the talisman floated off of Carina's neck and joined with the idol.
Amon, Karasuma, Sakaki, and Carina looked up towards the idol. They knew that this was something that should have been prevented. "No…" Carina said in disbelief.
Auberon laughed evilly as he floated up towards them. "Oh yes! It has begun! The world is shaping into my image. All of the souls that I want, will be mine! The buildings will decay, and every aspect of water will dry up, leaving the lands dry and barren. Everything that was once alive will be petrified, and will be cast into a permanent stillness." Outside, everyone and everything that had a soul was leaving its vessel and flying towards Auberon to be absorbed into him. All the humans were dropping one by one, the demons were disintegrating, and the half demons were catching on fire and then exploding into tiny bits. The only ones which were not being effected were the ones that were inside the STNJ. It was only because Auberon willed it to be, for now.
'No this isn't right! It can't end like this! There has to be something that can change things!' Carina thought in desperation. 'I can't, no I won't let it end, not like this!'
Amon got up and upholstered his gun, "If we're going to do something it has to be now before those souls are absorbed!"
"He's right, if we don't, then we'll be next and then there will be no one left!" Karasuma agreed as she too followed Amon's lead.
Robin got up and stared directly at Auberon, "You've went too far! You shouldn't have taken lives of the innocent. You had no right."
"In this world, you should know by now that there is no such thing as an innocent." Auberon replied, "Besides, I'm too powerful for any of you to stop me, but you're more than welcome to try."
'What can I do? Please, tell me what I must do to stop this from happening. I don't want people to lose their souls or lives to this monstrosity. Please, give me a sign, anything, so I'd know what to do.' Carina pleaded as she looked over at Robin and the other hunters. Then she looked over at Sakaki as he still was trying to keep Michel alive the best he could. As the others and Robin were fighting against Auberon, something inside awakened. She knew right then and there of what she had to do. Even though Carina felt fear constricting her heart, the good memories that she once had came back and gave her the courage to do what had to be done.
'It's now or never.' Carina thought as she leaped up into the air and headed straight for the idol and the talisman. As soon as she grasped them, immense pain surged through her mind, body and soul. The hue around the idol and talisman started to change color.
Michel opened his eyes when he heard Carina scream in pain and looked towards her. "Carina…"
"Mi…Michel…I love you….Don't forget me…" Carina replied as she and the two items were engulfed. They exploded inside and then separated, Carina landed on the floor clutching the talisman, and the idol was scattered into tiny pieces.
Auberon's eyes went wide to his horror. All of his planning was destroyed. He looked over towards the window and the souls that were taken were going back to where they belong. Everything started to slowly go back to the way they were. Auberon yelled loudly, clutching his hands as his body shook with rage. "I don't believe it…Everything I worked for is gone! All gone, and it was all because of her!" Auberon whipped around and glared at her with extreme prejudice.
"Demonio, move away from her…Now." Robin warned, her eyes flickered, and a fire circle was formed around him. Auberon turned around and saw that Robin was staring at him with no expression on her face or in her eyes. "You blame everyone else for the life you had, instead of looking inside of yourself to try and see that it wasn't their fault, but it was yours. You and you alone are responsible for your own life; and now, you'll be able to embrace that darkness you cherish so much."
The fire circle that was around Auberon started to get smaller and smaller. His arms and legs caught on fire. Then it didn't take long for his whole body to be encased by flames, then with one quick motion he was extinguished, and the only thing that lingered was his cry of defeat.
Epilogue…..
A few days later, things were starting to slowly get back to the way things were at the STNJ. Amon was upstairs briefing the latest hunt they were on. Sakaki and Karasuma were talking among themselves. Doujima was arriving late as usual, and Robin was over at Harry's.
"You've been staring at your espresso for almost an hour." Harry stated as he was cleaning one of the glasses.
"Huh, oh sorry, I guess I just have a lot on my mind." Robin replied apologetically as she looked up towards him.
"Understandable, even with everything going back to what one believes to be normal, I'm guessing you still feel like it isn't over. But the demon that you and your friend Carina have been chasing in Italy is finally gone for good." Harry said as he put the glass away.
Robin nodded, "Yes, I guess there will always be a part of me that will feel like that demon is still around."
Harry nodded and then pushed a bag towards her. Robin frowned in slight confusion. "What's this?"
"Just a little something for you to bring back." Harry replied with a small smile. "But a word of advice, try to leave the past where it belongs. Because if you don't, then you'll be forever haunted."
"Thanks Harry…" Robin said as she got up and grabbed the bag while she got up and walked out.
In the infirmary, the nurse finished redressing Michel's bandages that were on his neck and arms and then left. He got up from his bed and walked over and sat down next to Carina's. He took her hand into his and sighed. She's been in a coma ever since that night Auberon was finally destroyed. "Carina, please, open your eyes. You don't have to say anything, just give me a sign. Anything, a small squeeze, a bat of an eye, please Carina wake up." Michel pleaded quietly as he continued to just be by her side.
Time passed, and he still didn't budge from his position. Michel looked out the window and saw a full moon, he stared out at it and wished with all of his heart and soul that Carina would come back to him.
"Mi…Michel…" Carina said quietly as she was finally coming around.
"Carina!" Michel exclaimed as he wiped the corners of his eyes and then turned around to face her.
"Michel…" Carina started to say.
"Shhh…Don't talk, you're still recovering from what happened. Ever since that night, you've been in a coma. Things are slowly coming back to normal, well, depending of one's definition of normal for around here. Before you ask, yes, that demon is gone for good. When you did what you did, I heard you say that you love me, and you asked me not to forget you." Michel replied as he stopped for a short time and then continued. "I love you too, and there's no way that I'll ever forget someone like you, Carina."
Carina smiled at him, "Infine ho trovato dove appartengo, io appartengo con voi."
Michel frowned a little in slight confusion. "Carina, um, what did you just say?"
Carina laughed a little, "I said, I finally found where i belong, I belong with you.."
In the door way, Robin smiled at the two. She didn't say a word, just watched them for a little while, and then she nodded and decided to leave the two alone and walked away.