Chapter 22-
People ran in all directions, falling by the undead, some even rising back up to hunt the living once again. No one was safe from this hell, not children, not women, not the elderly…no one. The Order members who hadn't fought their way to the park, tried as best they could to help those injured and prevent others from rising, even if it meant decapitating the corpse. Those who could stand, and not scared beyond their wildest dreams where ushered into a small circle, the Order members surrounding them, fighting off the advancing undead. In another part of the city, just outside the park, Draven, Rone and Maki where briefing Van Helsing and Anna on what they where to expect.
"Now…it seems everything is coming from the center of the park, though the strange thing is, its dead center." Draven said, explaining, when Maki butted in with a quick comment seeing Anna and Van Helsing's looks.
"That'd be the center of the city for all you new comers out there…" Her voice was just as quiet as a whisper, but still rang over the madness just before them.
"Exactly…we don't know how…but we've had some strange reports coming…"
"Expect the worst in there…one civilian claimed that the lake was guarded by monsters of stone, most likely gargoyles." Rone said, brushing a lock of blazing red hair away from her face.
"But these modern weapons are useless against them." Anna said, glancing at her gun with slight disgust.
"Leave that to me." Rone said, rolling up the sleeves of her red summer biker jacket. "I can level these guys in one sweep."
"Don't get cocky, Rone. We have no clue how many of these things there are… Anyway, we'll go in with as many of our people as we can get, and try and get to the center, they just keep coming, we need to turn off the tap, so to spea-" At that moment three very frightened figures dropped off of the roof of the gazebo, one had a bloodied shoulder and the others sported cuts all over. Maki and Rone both drew their weapons and stopped.
"What are you kids doing out here? You should be inside." Maki said, eyeing the three with a fierce gaze.
"Well, we'd like to, but the church has kind of been invaded by a mass of undead freaks!" Libby yelled, holding her arm, which draw Rone to her side.
"What!" Van Helsing, Anna, Maki, Rone and Draven said, in unison and very much surprised.
"They just broke it down and flowed in like a river of the dammed!" Kevin said, glaring just has fiercely right back at Maki.
"Explain you three." Draven said.
"Its alright, they are with us…why they aren't with any other hunters…I don't know." Anna said, as Rone, tried to look at Libby's arm that was caked with blood, a gash could be seen. Rone unwrapped something from her hand and tied it around Libby's arm.
"That'll do for now…" She mumbled.
"They told us to run to the park…we wouldn't be alive if a really young guy hadn't saved us…he died for us…" James said, looking back at Libby, to see if she was ok.
"Fine. Well, it looks like you're helping out with this…you can't really stay and hide, this place will be over run with the undead when this is threw." Draven said, standing up and tilting his head.
Kate burst out of the threes and landed hard, looking up she growled lowly and threateningly, Corbett was stranding several hundred yards from where she was, and he was smirking.
"That's it, Kate, let the beast out!" He laughed manically, walking over to a rock and withdrawing the Hourglass. "As for this, well…" He wound up and threw it with all his might over the masses of undead, Kate's eyes went wide and she bolted for it, but just as soon as she turned, well, lets just say, she turned right into his fist. Stumbling back and clutching her jaw she growled and her eyes blazed. A loud and upsetting roaring came from behind the pair, as Valken and Alice burst forth, Alice jumped from the gypsy prince's werewolf-ish back and made a grab for the Hourglass, colliding with a number of undead, taking limbs and heads with her. Valken, meanwhile tore them apart with ease.
"Heh…" Was all that escaped Kate's lips as her eyes once again blazed and she roared such a beastly and guttural roar that it was not possible for her to be human. Her blazed red then purple as that same black fire poured off of her body and into the air, this time, unchecked by Van Helsing's angelic light. The flames reacted all in all, around three feet, but something about them was different…there was a white veil around the edge of the flames. Her hair flew about in the wind and her clothes ruffled and grass swirled up around her as the full force of this transformation took effect, and she let loose an earth shattering roar of pain and defiance.
"What the hell?" Rone said, tilting her head.
"Huh?" James said, reaching for his weapon.
"No…its…silent…" Maki said, standing, with the others.
At that moment a roar, Kate's roar to be exact broke the silence and all hell once again broke loose across the city, as undead fell and rose just as fast as they could fall. But this time, those left on the streets where merely backup, protecting who they could where they could, as the full force of the Order was massed around the park, waiting, for something…anything…that said go.
"Good a time as any!" Draven said, standing, pulling out a whistle and he blew into it and several others picked it up. "To the center!" He pulled out a sword and pistol and charged, fearlessly though it was in his eyes.
Corbett staggered back.
"How…no! It is impossible!" He yelled as elegant black and white-feathered wings unfolded before him and with them stood Kate, her eyes blazing with black fire along with her body.
"Nothing is impossible, my dear friend, nothing!" She roared and slammed her fists into his stomach, sending him up several inches and at her feet. Yet, he was smiling, though fear and hatred burned within that smile as he swung his leg out and then up and propelled himself up with his arms, knowing he'd only hit air as Kate was too fast.
They stood facing one another and Kate smirked, bolted forward and jumped, bringing her knee to his face, but he caught it with ease and threw her forward, thus, beginning the battle.
Knights of the Holy Order, fought through the ranks of the undead, falling as many as they could, before they, themselves, fell to the undead. Slowly, they made their way to the center, Anna and Van Helsing, along with the teens in the front, taking the brunt of the battle. But, as Anna and James observed, they being closest to Van Helsing, something was wrong, he was getting slower and looked as though he was in pain and the closer they got to the middle, the more obvious it was that something was not right. As with Van Helsing, something was not right with the undead, their ranks falling fast and harder, as though they where simply dropping out of exsistance, a feat most certainly not done of their own. Slowly one by one they dropped and then, it started, first in the distance, a sickly colored light, then it swept through the undead ranks until the ones closest to Van Helsing, whom was now doubled in pain, where alive with the sickly light as it burst forth and turned them to nothing more than ash upon the wind.
"Gabriel!" Anna dropped to her beloved's side and made to move his face into sight, but her would not let her, there seemed to be the purest of lights emanating from his eyes, casting onto the ground.
He shuddered and threw himself back with a loud and horrible scream, as the pure white light burst from his mouth, eyes and even his hands. It swirled around him as he threw himself from one side to the next, his shoulders being pulled every which way and as he was lifted into the air, hair blowing each way and clothing rippling in the wind, the purest of white feathered wings withdrew themselves out of Van Helsing's back and spread as his body was nothing more than white light. He gazed around at his fellow warriors, blazing eyes resting for a mere moment upon Anna, the fire seemed to cool for but a moment as his green eyes shown through but the next, it was covered yet again by the white light and as though seized by an unknown force he took flight toward the center.
Kate's P.O.V-
I staggered back, blood dripped from my gaping wounds, a moment ago I had been winning this struggled, but now, that the undead had dropped and the lake glowed with the same sickly color that engulfed the undead closest to us, it seemed that Corbett had grown stronger with their sacrifice, no longer could my blows do any damage and even, I myself, felt weaker, but yet, the blood that ran from my gaping wounds where not just received, but from before the undead fell, could it be that I somehow dealt out blows but absorbed the damage like it was a simple flick? Corbett's laughter rang out above the chaos, that disgusting laughter that dripped in arrogance; this was however for the hell beast short lived as suddenly the purest white light covered Corbett and I, his laughter turned to screams and then a sickening crunch echoed out, seemingly above the rest. What had harmed him in a way I could not! Curious to know I squinted against the dying but still bright light, to see a figure bathed in it, turning toward me. I gasped with realization that it was Gabriel!
His eyes seemed to tone down to their former green at my battered image, but in that moment of lapsed vigilance Corbett had gotten back up only to bring his claws down upon Gabriel and blood erupted and shown harshly out against the white light; pain etched his face and he looked pleadingly to me and was in a blink gone, far above Corbett, engaging him in combat, but…he seemed to loose his endurance for wounds.
I had lost my power to inflict damage…but in return…I had gained immunity from attack. Gabriel had lost his ability to block…but gained extraordinary attack power and a cool new white angelic form.
I saw him pass me a pleading look as Corbett sliced at him once again.
No attack…all defense. No defense all attack…A warrior is nothing without his shield!
In that flash of realization, I shot up like a rocket and froze, in between Corbett and Gabriel, and by the looks of it not a moment too soon as Corbett's claws, which rested in my clapped hands, were about to cut right through Gabriel jugular.
Normal P.O.V-
While the battle above now raged on with Van Helsing serving as the sword and Kate as the shield the stunned Knights and teens watched on. Blow by blow Corbett worked his way to the ground, still a manic smile imprinted upon his face, as he propelled himself back a ways and landed, as gracefully as he could. Van Helsing and Kate landed just opposite him, determination written on their faces.
"Your time, fools, is at hand!" Screamed Corbett; Kate and Van Helsing tensed, ready for another block and blow. "I am the key! The only one whose blood shall bring him back! BRING MY FATHER VLADISLAUS DRAGUILA BACK FROM HELL!" He roared swiftly bringing his hand to his chest, above his heart, barely pausing a moment before driving it into his chest and out just as quickly; and with him, he brought his heart, still and dead. Corbett choked up a fair amount of blood as he exerted to crush the heart and with a sickening squelch that echoed over the quiet land, it oozed what blood was left over his hand and down his arm. Still with the manic smile plastered to his face he slumped to the bloodied ground, still oozing and all fell silent.
"What the hell was- " Kate was cut off, the ground had begun to violently shake and the water of the lake bubbled and steam rose from its surfaces and it evaporated into the air and out of the now jutting ground rose a pillaring and all to familiar formation. The gate made from the bones of the damned, the gate to hell. It roared with flames as a dark and ominous figure draw out, burnt flesh and harsh and pitched screams issued forth from the gate, even the bones themselves began to scream. Confident and smug looking as ever Dracula stepped out of the gate and grasped the two fold of his jacket and pulled them, soot and flames puffed off of him and skin regrew, as did hair, smiling slightly he tucked one bit of hair behind his ear and looked without care to his son, the vary whom had sacrificed eternity to bring him back, then his eyes rose to Van Helsing and blazed with anger.
"Hello Gabriel." In barley half a blink he was upon the two and the battle had begun anew.
From below Velkan watched, calculatingly, his eyes stuck to Dracula like glue, the very man who had condemned him to this hell as a werewolf.
"Velkan! We have to do something!" Alice's voice, shrilly rang out, her eyes, too glued upon the two, though more or less Kate. "Velkan?"
He turned his head to one side, and then followed their path once again and waited.
Kate darted in between Van Helsing and Dracula, stopping a kick, but much to her surprise he turned it right around and she found herself flying through the air, no more like tumbling, pain surged through her and she caught a glimpse of Dracula sinking his fangs into Van Helsing, then him falling through the air.
GABRIEL! Her mind screamed and she caught herself and darted back at Dracula, who merely turned and in a blur of motion she, to, was falling limply and desperately trying to stop and get at the man who killed Van Helsing.
"Anna! What do we do!" Libby yelped, clutching her weapon tightly, clearly wanting to help.
"No…" She whispered, as concern crossed her face as did sadness, and laid a hand on Libby's shoulder.
"What? Why?" James and Kevin both nearly yelled. "They'll die!"
"Trust me." Anna said firmly, giving them a most firm look, but worry lay beneath it.
Dracula touched ground as Kate hit it, forcefully and lay unmoving, but his attention was not for her, no it was for Van Helsing.
"Now…Gabriel…I shall finally have my revenge." He said coldly walking forward, smirking and knowing that this murder would be the start of something big and, oh look, it was public.
He stooped and grabbed hold of Van Helsing's jacket, lifting him up, but even before the final blow was delivered a huge brown furred werewolf knocked into him at full speed and stood on top as they skidded over the ground, its muzzle buried in Dracula's neck. Rain beat down around the two and the werewolf, backed off and turned toward Kate, who was meters away and stalked, on fours toward her, slowly and with purpose, but no sooner had it gone a few footsteps the gate roared to life and the ground shook violently, so much so that it began to crack and pulled Dracula's writhing body back down into hell, skin, muscle then spirit, and all that was left when it all closed was a pile of muddy ash.
Though, the werewolf was Valken, the modern Knights of the Holy Order did not know that and they drew weapons. Valken turned to face them, a low growl escaping his bestial throat; then a second later several gunshots rang out and in a blur of motion and a scream from Alice, Anna, James, Kevin and Libby to stop, it was clear that Valken was unharmed, his savior? Kate. She stood looking stunned, arms thrown out to cover as much of his body, which was huddled down against her, as possible, in front of him. Several bullet holes spurted blood as her wings shrank back into her back and the black fire died completely out. She turned a sick shade of white and looked, disbelievingly down at the bleeding holes before dropping to the ground in a heap.
"You idiots, that was Velkan!" Alice screamed, pushing her way out of the crowd, joined by Libby, James, Kevin and Kate's parents. Anna drove right to Van Helsing.
Mr. Hartford scooped up his daughter, tears in his eyes and carried her back, Ms. Hartford called for a hospital and Kevin sat, on his knees shaking, Libby no longer holding in a sob let a long groan loose and James simply sat numbed, Kate had not been moving. Alice gazed at Valken, who knew, what Kate had did and looked up at the rain, before letting out a great howl, which turned to a yelled of pain as he changed back slowly and regretfully, falling to a ball on the ground, wet and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.
Days Later-
Gabriel Van Helsing stood, looking very nervous just outside of Kate's room, it was her first day back from the hospital, the doctors had been astounded at the speed in which she recovered, but Van Helsing knew in his heart that God had granted her this speed in healing, for her selfless protection of himself and others…
He sighed and leaned against the wall, fingering something in his pocket, the box, he had gotten, given back to him by a Knight, who had found it in the park while doing a memory modification tour of the city. You see, it was a big thing, that battle and now a days people just won't take, demons from hell as an answer…so with the help of local witches and wizards, memories where modified to think that a freak hurricane had hit. The door creaked open and a very sore looking Kate poked her head out of the door and smiled.
"Hey Gabe. Did you ask her yet?" Kate smirked and then grinned at his surprised face.
"How did you!"
"Simple." She tapped her head and smiled, mysteriously.
"But…oh forget it." He sighed looking over his sunglasses at his once shield
Kate laughed and then winced, it still hurt a tad to laugh. "So, why are you waiting outside of my room like a lost pup?"
"Errr…well…" He for the first time ever, he stumbled for words.
"Don't know how to ask?"
"No! I know how to ask…" He said indigently and drew himself up, making Kate laugh again, holding her sides.
"'Course ya do." She grinned as his face fell.
"No…how do I? I never asked anyone this before." He simply stated.
"And I have! Just say it, hunter!" Kate said, throwing her hands up but promptly bringing them back down again.
Van Helsing nodded and walked away, but before reaching the stairs he paused and smiled.
"By the way, you go back to school tomorrow." He smirked at Kate's astonished face and disappeared down the steps as she yelled about the unfairness of it all, having just got back from the hospital and such.
A/N: Next chapter is the last, folks!