Housepets! Always Save the Day

by fenrirblack18

The second installment of the Housepets! Fight Against the Forces of Evil series. Two months have passed and the pets are still recovering. A stranger comes to the neighborhood and together are able to bring Lisa back from her infinite prison. Rowan reappears only he is known as Revenant and now the team must stop him from obtaining divine power and plunging the world into chaos.

10. Chapter 10: Yang

Housepets! Always Save the Day

Chapter 10: Yang

A "Housepets! Comics" Fan Fiction

Based on the characters by Rick Griffin

By: Fenrir Black

A Message from Rowan

I'm back. So much has happened since the battle with Drasil that I'm still finding it difficult to process it all. Lisa was trapped in the white space for two months, and while everyone tried to move on, Kitsune never gave up on finding her. Meanwhile, this wolf named Nick Powell started having dreams of Lisa among other things. Turns out that he was once human who was turned into a wolf after drinking from a cursed spring or something. Anyway, he was living in a cabin with a cougar named Cody (still not sure about how that worked) while working on his second novel for the Milton Books, the Milton's own publishing house. He was engaged to his agent before he was changed and they may have broken up, I don't know why Lisa needed to go into so much detail about that part. He shows up in Babylon Gardens and together with Kitsune, and a few of the pets get Lisa out of the white space. Nick decides to stay and help them find me. While this is happening, I'm slowly being corrupted by dark magic which, to be honest, is like a blur now and calling myself Revenant. To stop me or Revenant or whatever, Lisa and Kitsune go to heaven to talk to Henry Milton for answers about the four stags and their temples. They even went to see my parents and found out about mine and Dakota's kidnapping when we were kids. They managed to come up with a plan that involved traveling to Peru to find Dain's temple before Revenant. After a lot of riddles and traps, they reached the mana pool, but I/Revenant got there first. Touching the mana opened a gateway into my being which Lisa jumped into in a reckless attempt to find me. After exploring the inner reaches of my mind, soul, and heart, she managed to save me from my existential prison. Unfortunately, that was what Revenant wanted all along. As long as my demonic power was still inside him, he couldn't ascend to divinity, but now that we are separated from one another, he can find Durathror's temple and get the final mana and destroy the world.

Aug 21, 2014
Alexander University

"Yeah, mom. Everything is going great. I love being here," Rowan muttered into the mic of his cell phone. His eyes were red and inching from the crying he had just been doing before his mother called, but he managed to pull himself together so she wouldn't find out. "Everyone is so nice," Rowan lied.

He rubbed his eyes again and leaned back against the wall of the building he was hiding beside. The shadow made the perfect cover so no one would see what he was doing.

"Yeah, I'll remember that," Rowan said. "How is Dakota doing?" He waited for his mother to reply and frowned at what he heard. "Okay, then," he said bitterly. With his free hand, he began rubbing his arm feeling the fresh marks on his skin. "Tell him, I said hello."

He waited again letting his mother talk and give the usual speech about how he needed to take care of himself and be careful. "I know all that mom. I'll be fine." Even as he said it, he was sure his mother could tell he was lying. He did not sound very convincing.

His mother hung up on the other end, and he did the same. After putting the phone back in his pocket, he reached to the piles of papers beside him. The images and words on them only seemed to be mocking him. He crumbled them in his hands, feeling the burning anger coursing through his veins.

"Hey there. I was looking for you," someone said.

Rowan was so startled all the pages slipped from his fingers and spread out on the ground. He turned to see a girl standing over him. She had short blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. Seeing her there made Rowan's heart skip a beat, and it was like there was a tight iron grip on his lungs preventing him from speaking or even breathing.

The girl bent down and gathered a few of the papers before handing them back to Rowan. She sat down next to him and pulled her knees up to her chest. She cocked her head to the side and smiled at him.

"Are you there?" she said waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, yeah. I just wasn't sure. I mean I thought no one could find me here," he said.

"Well, it wasn't easy. I just thought about where someone who wanted to be alone and unseen would disappear too. After searching a few other spots, I was wandering around her when I heard you talking to someone."

Rowans' cheeks burned with embarrassment. How much did she overhear, he wondered?

The girl went on, "I'm sorry about what those guys were saying about your story." There was pity in her voice which generally would make Rowan angry but coming from her, he felt a sense of gratitude.
"I mean, we are in college, but I guess that doesn't mean much to people like them. They're not going to last past freshman year if they act like that."

"It's alright," Rowan said tightening his grip on his papers.
"I mean I realize that the story is not original or anything but that doesn't mean you have to be a total jerk about it. Am I right?" she asked.

Rowan was not sure how he felt about how she was talking about his story but nodded anyway.

She smiled at him, and for a brief moment, she was all Rowan could see. Everything else faded away until it was just the two of them. She spoke again, "You just have to keep working on it and keep learning. I mean you like comics, don't you?"

"Um, yeah. I do. I read them all the time."

"I like comics a little," she said leaning back against the wall. She wrapped her arms around her knees. A breeze blew by and carried her scent into Rowan's nose. He breathed heavily so to take all of it in.

"What kind of comics do you like," she asked looking at him.

"All kinds but there is this one I really like. It's kind of weird but funny at the same time," Rowan said. He considered if he should continue talking or not. He did not want to scare her away with his weird interests. There was a spark of curiosity on her face that told him that he could open up to her. "Do you like animals? Like talking animals?"

"Sure," she said.

"There is this one comic you might like," Rowan said trying to keep his voice steady. "If you want, I can show it to you."

"I would like that," she said and stood up. Rowan followed suit. As they walked towards the dorm building, she turned to him and said, "My name is Lisa Smith by the way."

"I'm Rowan. Rowan Gains."

"It's good to meet you, Rowan," she said looking across the campus she went on. "I have this feeling like this is the start of something truly amazing."

"Yeah, I think it is," Rowan said unable to take his eyes off her.

Nov 17, 2018

Milton Manor, Infirmary

Lisa sat by Rowan's bed just as she had been doing for the last 24 hours.

Rowan was still sleeping peacefully among the rhythmic sounds of beeps coming from the monitors and screens that displayed his heart rate, blood pressure, and other technical things that Lisa didn't understand but nodded along anyway. He was looking a lot better, she thought. Some of the color had returned to his cheeks and breathing was steady. He still hadn't woken up though which scared her. Part of her wanted Kitsune by her side, but he was busy talking with Keene and Lana about what their next step would be. There was one temple left, and they had to find it before Revenant did. Deep down there was another part of her that was glad Kitsune was busy. She felt guilty every time she was around him. Back in the World that Always Was, she told Rowan that she loved him. That was only hours after Kitsune told her that he loved her. Lisa hated being caught between the two of them. It was not her style to be in a love triangle like some sappy romance novel and yet she was. Torn between two boys even if one of those boys was a nine-tailed fox demigod.

Rowan's sudden gasping snapped Lisa out of her trance. He sounded like he was choking for a second then relaxed. Lisa stared at him, her eyes wide and startled but relaxed. Rowan slowly opened his eyes and winced in the mid-afternoon light streaming from the window.

Lisa," he said. His voice was weak and raspy.

"I'm here," she said trying to remain calm. She didn't know what to do. No one told her to alert them if he woke up.

"Water," he whispered.

Lisa stood up and rushed to the bottle of water. Nick had brought her the last time he came to check up on her. She hadn't opened it yet. She undid the cap and held it to Rowan's lips. Slowly, he lapped up water before taking it from her and pouring the entire contents down his throat. When he was done, Lisa took the empty bottle from his hands and placed it on the table beside the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Lisa asked. She wanted to ask him a million other questions, but that one felt more appropriate for the moment.

"I don't know how to describe it," Rowan said closing his eyes again. "It feels like I've been crushed, melted, and then reformed by a hammer and anvil."

"That's an unusual description," Lisa said unable to hide her growing smile. Rowan was back. Her Rowan. She relaxed in her chair and studied him. So many thoughts were firing off in her head like fireworks. She didn't know where to start or what to say. In the end, she decided to ask the one question that had repeatedly popped in her head more than the others.

"How much do you remember?"

Carefully, he sat up in a sitting position. Lisa opened her mouth to object but let him finish. He held his head in his hand for a moment before turning to her. They looked at each other in silence for a moment like they were trying to communicate telepathically. Lisa examined his eyes for a sign that Revenant might still be there inside. She didn't see anything, but there was something else. Purple flakes dotted his blue irises like a kaleidoscope.

"To be honest, I don't remember much or at least not much in detail. It all feels like a fever dream. The last thing I remember with clarity was you blasting Drasil. Then everything filled with light and after that, it's like a hallucination. I can't tell what was real and what wasn't. I don't even know what month it is."

"It's the middle of November," Lisa said. She paused. "I guess I should bring you up to speed."

Lisa began telling him about everything that had happened over the last few months including the events that transpired while she was trapped in the white space. Everything from his disappearance after the battle in Tartarus, Nick showing up in the neighborhood, her rescue, and the search for the temples.

"Where is Nick?" Rowan asked when she was done with the recap. "I feel like I should thank him for taking care of you."

He smiled slightly at her, and she felt a pang on her heart as the guilt began to sprout again. She dropped her gaze. "He's somewhere in the mansion. He's been staying in your room."

"Speaking of which," Rowan said scanning the room. "Where exactly are we?"

"We're in the Milton's mansion. This is the infirmary."

Rowan gave her a confused look. "The Milton's have their own infirmary?"

"Yeah, apparently Duke and Simon get injured. A lot." She laughed slightly. She felt him reach for her hand, his fingers curling around her own. She stopped laughing and stared at him.

"I missed that. The sound of you laughing. I missed you," he said. Lisa opened her mouth to respond, but he kept going. "I'm so sorry for everything I did to you."

"That wasn't your fault. You were being corrupted by demonic and dark magic. It could have been much worse."

Rowan shook his head. "I'm not talking about that. I mean before all of this. I shouldn't have told you I loved you the way I did. I shouldn't have tried to force you to say it back to me. I'm definitely sorry for tasing you."

Lisa let out a breath that was haft laugher and half annoyance. "That was so long ago, and so many things have happened that I actually forgot about that. I think after everything we've been through, we can put those unpleasant events behind us."

"What about my parents or Dakota?" Rowan asked sounding panicked all of a sudden.

Lisa bit her lip looking unsure of what to tell him. "Kitsune and I actually spoke to your parents last month."

Rowan studied her face for a moment as if trying to understand why she looked so distraught. Then it hit him. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the mattress letting his head rest against the pillow. "They told you then. They told you everything."

Lisa let a tear roll down her face before quickly wiping it away. "Yeah, they did. Oh god, Rowan. Why didn't you ever me about what happened to you? I could have helped you. I would have been there."

"No, you couldn't have," he said. "What happened to me is not something anyone could have helped me with. After Dakota was taken away, I decided to put it behind me and never mention it again. I still have nightmares, but that's it."

"Your power?" Lisa asked.

Rowan shuddered. "It's something else I tried to forget about. After I got back home, I was repeatedly struck with fevers and sickness. I could see my eyes glowing, and it was like something was looking through them at me. It took years before it went away. I could never explain what happened to me, so I decided it was the trauma causing hallucinations."

"It was real though. But I'm here now, and we can deal with it together," Lisa said leaning forward again.

"Tell me about the prophecy."

Lisa was caught off guard for a moment then recited it from memory, "Light the way to lover's arms. From the shadows of forgiveness, there will be no harm. Feelings born from across the reaches of time and space will guide the way through the empty place. Scorn comes from the words left unsaid. The dreams and truths emerge from the queen's head. The heir will speak to the father's pride. The atlas of the stars will then be your guide. Four havens of stone, fire, ice, and wind. The magic lost will be the final end. Heart in hand she will illuminate a past hidden. Only to discover the secret of darkness kept forbidden. One becomes two, two becomes one. Only the knight can finish what has begun. The wolf will howl with his last breath. A hero's sacrifice will spare the heavens' death."

"Do you know what it means?" Rowan asked.

"We were able to decipher some of it, but the last few lines haven't happened yet," she said solemnly.

"I understand," he said.

He looked at her, and for a moment Lisa was sure his eyes changed to violet. "Did you mean what you said?"

"What did I say?" she asked nervously. In the back of her mind, she was panicking about what he was about to ask her. "I've said a lot recently, so you're going to have to be more specific."

"When you told me that you wanted to go home," he said. "You didn't mean here, did you. You were talking about our world."

Lisa nodded. There was no point in denying it.

"Did you mean it though? What about you and Kitsune?"

Lisa winced at the name. She hoped that he secretly wasn't listening to them or anything creepy like that. She was sure that wasn't his style, but she knew that demigods were strange creatures that had different rules from mortals.

"I haven't told him. But yes. I did mean it. After what happened to you," she paused trying to find the right words to explain the hurricane of feelings raging inside her. "After I thought you were gone, I was lost. Then I saw everything you had been through as a kid, and how this world was affecting you and me, I knew we couldn't stay here. Kitsune was there with me, but it wasn't the same. When I made King human, and he told me you were dead, I lost it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rowan shouted, sitting straight up. "Back up. You made King human again?"

"It's a long story," Lisa said. Rowan raised an eyebrow and Lisa was suddenly having déjà vu. "Fine. I'll tell you what happened too. Maybe I should write it down and save myself some time."

Lisa explained how Nick and King met Donna and Kyle. Rowan didn't know who they were, so she had to explain that part starting with how Rockstar met Kyle at school.

"The cubs are in high school now?" Rowan asked. "I really did miss a lot."

Lisa continued with how King and Nick met with Donna who explained her relationship with Joel. How Kyle showed up after hearing most of it and flipped out on King. Then on Halloween, Lisa somehow used her leftover goddess power to change reality so that King was never transformed into a dog and the consequences that followed. She explained that she and Joel went around the neighborhood and discovered how things had changed. How Kitsune showed up and told her that in that reality Rowan had died to stop Drasil only to have Revenant show up and nearly kill King.

"Long story short it was a huge mess," Lisa said when she finished her story. "That is another reason why I think we should leave." She placed her hands in her lap. "I feel like since we've been here, all we've done is causing trouble. The first thing we do is out King to Bill, and then Drasil happened."

Rowan reached over and placed his hand on her arm. His touch was cold but still familiar. "Hey, Drasil was planning his escape for years remember. That had nothing to do with us. We showed up, and he changed it, but he was always planning to use King for his escape."

"Kitsune could have stopped him easily if it wasn't for us," Lisa explained. "Us being her distracted him and Drasil came dangerously close to escaping."

"And you stopped him."

Lisa shook her head. "And look what's happened because of that. Revenant is loose somewhere trying to destroy the world, and you can't say that us being here didn't cause that."

Rowan was silent. Lisa continued, "I almost ruined King's life, again. The pets have been put in more danger than they usually are. And Kitsune…" She sighed before crossing her arms against her chest. Rowan removed his hand from her arm. "I think coming here was a mistake."

"I don't think so," Rowan said simply. Lisa shot him a frustrated look which he ignored. "From what you've told me, we've done a lot of good. King didn't even know about Kyle, but now they are trying to be a family."

"If it wasn't for us, then King may not have found out about him, and they could have lived in blissful ignorance."

"How is that better?" Rowan asked. "Isn't it better that they know about each other?"

"You weren't there. I saw King bleeding out. I thought he was going to die. All I could think about was how it was my fault."

"Everything worked out in the end," Rowan said calmly. "Just like with Drasil. If it wasn't for us, there is no guarantee that he would have been contained. Thanks to you he's gone for good."

"At what cost?" Lisa asked unable to hide the quiet horror in her voice. "Between what happened to you and me. We lost so much."

"I'm here now," Rowan said. "You're here now. Everyone is alive."

"For now," Lisa said standing up. "Once we stop Revenant then I think we should go home and stay there this time."

Rowan held her gaze, his eyes cold and hard as steel. "Is that what you really want?"

"I'm not sure. But I think it's what for best."

"Okay then," Rowan said. "What are we going to do in the meantime. Like you said Revenant is out there somewhere. I don't know where he is or anything like that if you were wondering."

"No, I wasn't thinking that," Lisa lied. Truthfully, she and Kitsune hoped that the connection between Rowan and Revenant could help them track the fourth temple or at least Revenants current location. "I'm going to check on Kitsune and see what progress he's made."

She began walking out the room when Rowan called to her, "If you see Nick, can you tell him to come to talk to me. I want to meet him in person considering how much help he's been to everyone."

Lisa stopped at the door. She looked back at him and smiled, "Sure. I'll send him here then come check on you." She opened the door and stepped out, carefully closing it behind her before walking down the hall.

Milton Manor, Nick's Bedroom

"You broke up with Becky!" Cody shouted from the other end of the phone. Nick moved his phone away from his ringing ears. He cursed his extra sensitive hearing. "What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?"

Nick collapsed on the bed before placing the phone back to his ear. "I didn't, we didn't. Ugh, we haven't technically broken up yet. I just implied that we should."

Nick moved the phone away just in time before Cody began shouting at him again. "That doesn't make it any better!" More quietly he went on, "You love each other. I know these last few years were hard for you both, but I thought you two would find a way to make it work."

"How could we make it work?" Nick growled. "I've barely seen her these last few years."

"Whose fault is that?" Cody asked.

"I don't know the universe, the gods, magic," Nick said silently. Out loud he said, "No one's fault but this is what it is. I can't be with her like this." He gestured at his half-naked body. He was only wearing pants at the moment exposing his furry chest for the world to see.

There was a banging sound from Cody's end, and he went on. "If you tried then you could make it work. What about that ECP thing, you were telling me about. I still think you could get an apartment together if you wanted to somewhere in the city where she works. Someplace that allows pets."

"We've been over this. I doubt I could even pass for a pet and I don't want to live like that," Nick said firmly. "Living together like this would only be awkward and sow resentment in our relationship. The only reason it's lasted this long is that we've been apart. We can be together but what's the point if we can't even kiss?"

"First, gross. TMI. I don't need to know what you two do together when you're alone." Cody said followed by another banging sound like metal clashing against metal. "And isn't being together at all better than nothing?"

Nick knew the cougar had a point but still couldn't bring himself to hurt Becky any more than he already had. She deserved to move on. They both did.

"Hey, quiet down. Don't touch that," Cody muttered on the other end. Nick's ears perked up, and he focused on the background noise of the phone call. It sounded like there were other voices. Nick thought it was just the television, but now he was sure it was something else.

Anger flared up in his chest, and he asked, "Cody, did you invite ferals over to the cabin? Again?"

"What? No, I would never do that after last time," he said. Nick could hear him hiss something to whoever or whatever was there with him.

Nick pinched his forehead. "Cody, if I get home and find any fur that isn't yours or mine, so help me I will kill you," he said in his most threatening growl.

"Speaking of which, when are you coming back. You've been gone for almost three months. I miss you."

Nick ignored the obvious attempt at changing the subject. "The book is finished. I'm staying to help deal with a crisis that needs my attention." Nick hadn't gone into too much detail with Cody about Revenant or his attempt to turn every animal in the world into bloodthirsty beasts. That wasn't something you just casually mention. "Once this is taken care of I'll come home. I'm going to stick around to the deadline. Becky is supposed to stop by here in a few weeks so we can talk."

"You mean formally break up," Cody said not attempting to hide the anger in his voice. "Dude, you're my best friend. I don't want to see you throw your happiness away. Isn't there something you can do to break the curse. What about that fox god you were telling me about? Can't he do anything?"

"I don't think he's capable of doing that and if he is, he's made no attempt to do it," Nick said. Revenant's offer crept into his mind like a poisonous spider. He said he would break Nick's curse if he helped him get the last mana pool. Nick was not sure what he had to do, but it didn't matter. He would not betray his friends just for a brief moment of happiness with Becky before the world fell apart.

The was another banging sound louder this time. Nick scrambled off the bed and opened his mouth to yell when a loud knocking came at his door. "I got to go," Nick said. "I'll be back in a few weeks. Try not to destroy anything else."

Nick ended the call before Cody could get off one of his snarky replies. He tossed the phone back on his bed before walking to the door. He opened it to reveal Lisa on the other side. She looked uncomfortable standing there like she had something she wanted to say, but the words were lodged in her throat. Nick could sense that whatever was going on it was not about him so why was she there when she hadn't left Rowan's side for an entire day.

"Hey, Rowan," her voice trailed off as she pointed down the hallway toward the infirmary. "Rowan wanted to talk to you."

"Really?" Nick asked suddenly confused. He hadn't had a chance to talk to the infamous Rowan. Every time he went into the infirmary to check on Lisa, he would always get strange vides from the sleeping man. Seeing him made Rowan hear Revenant's voice in his head. "Why does he want to see me?"

"Well, you did help save him from Revenant, so I think it is to say thank you not to mention I have been telling him all about you," she said with a dangerous smirk.

Nick tried to return the smile but found he couldn't do it. He was not in the mood. There was too much going on with him to exchange pleasantries.

"Don't worry, it's only been the good things," she said, but Nick could tell her heart wasn't in it either.

Part of him knew this would happen. With Rowan back, the hole in her life Nick had been filling the last few months no longer needed him. All the more reason for him to leave, Nick thought. He was an outsider again. A third wheel. An extra in a story that was coming to an end.

"I'll go see what he wants," Nick said, He walked past her without a word. Her gaze burned into his back, but he ignored it. Lisa was the closest thing he had to a real friend besides Cody. She got him in a way that no one else did. She was also an outsider among the rest of the pets. He was always thankful for her company and respected her opinion on certain matters.

Nick mindlessly walked into the infirmary without bothering to knock first. To his surprise, Rowan was sitting up in his bed. His back was turned to Nick as he stood out the window seemingly obvious to the wolf's presence. Seeing him fill Nick with a molten surge of emotions from anger to hatred. Revenant's words echoed again, "I can give you what you want more than anything. I can make you human again."

Rowan turned to him, and for a moment, Nick felt a growl rise up in his throat, but he kept it down. This guy was not Revenant. He was just an injured person. The eyes weren't even the same.

"It's good to meet you, Nick," Rowan said politely.

Nick nodded but said nothing. The fur on the back of his neck stood up at the sound of his voice. It was the same as his but different at the same time. More human.

"Can you take a seat?" Rowan nodded at the empty chair by his bed. Nick obeyed unsure about where this was going. When he was seated, he crossed his arms over his bare chest, and Rowan continued. "There is something I need from you."

"This should be good," Nick thought to himself. He arched an eyebrow at Rowan and waited.

"I need a favor. Something that only you can do," he said his eye narrowing. "I'll understand if you refuse to do this, but this is also what is best for Lisa."

Nick twisted uncomfortably in his seat. He furrowed his brow, and his body tensed, so he was ready to leave at any moment.

"I know you two have gotten close since you've been here," Rowan said. Nick started to protest, but Rowan interrupted him before the first syllable left his lips. "Not that way. I know you have a fiancé. I mean to say you've become good friends."

Nick frowned at him. He wasn't wrong. "I realized something important. Something about myself that I've been trying to keep buried for a long time. That is why I know you'll do the right thing. For her sake."

"What it is then?" Nick asked getting impatient.

A thousand different ideas of what Rowan could want flew through his head ranging from simple to complex to just gross. He was sure he was ready for anything. When Rowan told him what he needed him to do, Nick was definitely not prepared for it.

Milton Manor, Keene's/Lana's Office

"Are you sure that is where the temple is located."

Lisa paused in front of the office door. Kitsune was the one who just spoke. Leaning forward she gently pressed her ear to the wood and listened to Keene's response.

"That is what my father believed. It was in his notes, and it makes sense from what you've told us. East and surrounded by water. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact location, and it is a large body of water."

"That won't matter," Kitsune said, "Once Revenant uses his powers, I will be able to sense it and his location. The time for secrecy and sneaking around is passed. Once he makes his move, we will have to charge in after him."

Lisa walked into the room. Keene and Lana were by the large desk that once belonged to Henry Milton while Kitsune was standing next to one of the large bookcases that lined the wall of the office. The fox turned to Lisa as she stepped over the threshold but didn't look surprised by her appearance. He gave her a slight smile but no other sign that he was glad she was there.

"We know where Durathror's temple is?" Lisa glared at them questioningly. "Where is it?"

"The Black Sea according to my father's notes," Keene informed her. He was sitting in his large leather chair with several old looking documents placed in front of him. Lisa walked closer to get a closer look. She had seen Henry Milton's notes before but never could quite understand what the man was trying to say. Luckily, Keene understood his adopted father better than anyone else.

"When are we going?" Lisa asked turning back to Kitsune.

"That is a good question," he said. His red eyes met hers and Lisa could feel her heart beat faster her chest. She broke his eyes and focused on the necklace hanging from his neck. The yin-yang that he sometimes wore along with his usual purple jacket and a red shirt. "The problem seems to be that Durathror has kept his temple well hidden from everyone. He was always the least fun of the four and the most paranoid. Revenant will most likely turn the Black Sea inside out to find it. Once he makes his move, I'll take us all there. After that, the plan is to split into two groups."

Kitsune pointed to the corner of the room, and for the first time, Lisa noticed that there were more pets in the office. Peanut, Max, Grape, Sabrina, and Tarot were all seated listening intensely as Kitsune explained the plan. He went on, "Team A will be me, you if you're up to it, and Nick. Our job will be to hold off Revenant while Team B," Kitsune gestured back towards the others will dispose of the mana."

"Hopefully it will go better this time," Sabrina said. "So far our luck has not been great when dealing with this kind of crisis."

"And whose fault was that?" Tarot said glaring at Kitsune who flatly ignored her. Lisa knew Tarot was referring to the incident with Pete's temple. The Pomeranian's gaze shifted to Keene who was staring at the papers on his desk.

"This time it will have to work," Kitsune said. His tone made Lisa uncomfortable. She was still not used to him acting like this. He was scared. Revenant told them that Kitsune was not used to not being in control. Part of her wanted to walk over and wrap her arms around his neck, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Lisa walked over to Kitsune and whispered in his ear, "Are you sure we want to bring them? I mean, they almost died in Dain's temple. I don't want anything to happen to them. Can't you dispose of the mana?"

Kitsune's shoulders slumped down. "I admit it is dangerous, but they are determined to help. Not to mention, yes, I could get rid of the mana myself, but there is no possible way both you and Nick can hold against Revenant with his powers."

"Don't worry about us, Lisa." She turned to see that Peanut had stood up. "We have to do this. It isn't about you guys anymore. It never was. This affects all of us."

"He's right," Grape said, "We are in this together. We all fought Drasil together, and we can do this as well."

Max agreed to take his place beside Grape. Sabrina and Tarot looked more uncertain but said nothing.

"If this show of unity is over," Keene said causing Lisa to frown. "There are a few more things we need to get over since Revenant can strike at any moment." He pressed a button on the desk, and a second later Jeeves walked in carrying a large bag. He set in down on the table before walking out without a word.

Keene opened the bag and pulled out several hats and what looked like props from a stage play. Carefully he placed each one on the desk and turned his attention back to the others.

"From what I was told, the last temple trip was less than ideal. So I went ahead and planned a careful strategy along with Tarot and Sabrina."

Tarot walked over to the desk and picked up a knight's helmet. "We decided that we are going to tweak the rules of the temple slightly to work to our advantage. Normally the rules of the temple follow standard roleplaying rules but since imagination is key to this process, we decided to take advantage of it." She tossed the helmet to Peanut along with a wooden shield and sword. The sword had engraving on it as well as the shield. "Peanut is going to be our knight. We won't have to worry about traps or puzzles this time since Kitsune is going to be with us and this time is not going to make us play some game." Kitsune sighed, his gaze sharpening. Tarot went on handing other hats and props to the others. "This is a dangerous mission, so we are playing this straight. Grape is going to be the healer this time. Max is going to be a barbarian." She handed Grape an olive crown along with a metal wand and Max a helmet similar to Lester's and a large plastic ax."

"What about you two," Max asked as Sabrina put on her witch hat and Tarot placed her mask on her face. "Why do you both get to remain the same each time."

"Hon, please. We know what we are doing," Sabrina told him. "We have a lot more experience with this kind of stuff."

"What about Nick and me?" Lisa asked looking at the remaining props.

"Nick has already decreed that he is sticking with his wolf-walker class and we wanted you to decide for yourself," Kitsune said.

"I'm going use the paper bag from Peru," Lisa said crossing her arms. "I know where it is, and I know how to use it."

"That's what I figured," Tarot said with a slight smile. "You have the knowledge to back up the power, so we have nothing to worry about."
"We trust you," Sabrina said.

Lisa's chest warmed at the thought her friends putting their fates in her hands. She appreciated that they had so much faith in her, but that also made her nervous. She was there during the fight with Drasil until the very end, and all she did in the last temple was dive head first into the mana.

"You're right," Lisa said. "Together we can do this."

"Don't think you're going to do this without me," a voice said behind them. Lisa turned to see Rowan leading in the doorway. He was dressed in clean clothes, but his hair was a mess like he just got of bed which in this case was what happened.

"Rowan!" Lisa cried. "What are you doing out of bed. You need to get more rest."

Rowan shook his head. "I'm going. Revenant is part of me. You need me to stop him. I know what he is capable of not to mention I am just as strong a fighter as the rest of you. I was the one who was able to keep Drasil at bay for as long as we did."

"Rowan," Kitsune said calmly. "That all is true, but you are in no condition to do was relieved that he was taking her side. "But I agree that we could use more help. Even I am not entirely sure what Revenant is capable of at this point. If anyone has a chance of stopping him, it would be his other half."

Lisa stared at Kitsune with an expression of shock and anger. His paw grabbed hold of the necklace which made Lisa wonder what was going through the fox's mind.

"I can't believe you agree with this insanity," Lisa told him. To Rowan, she said, "Rowan, you suffered a lot over the last few months, and you will need more than just one day of rest before doing something this dangerous and crazy." He gave her a small smile, the corner of his mouth curling upward. Lisa was not impressed. He was breathing heavily like the mere act of standing was draining him. He still had not eaten anything since who knows when. The closer she looked at him, the worse he appeared.

"This is happening Lisa," Rowan said keeping his voice reasonable. "I am going with you because it is the only way to stop him."

Lisa turned from Rowan to Kitsune before giving up. With an exasperated sigh, she shook her hands in front her like she was trying to strangle the air. She was defeated, and she knew it. "At least try to get some rest and something to eat in the meantime. We don't when Revenant will strike so we have some time to prepare."

"Actually, we don't," Rowan muttered darkly. "I could sense Revenant for a brief moment. It felt like a fire burning behind my eyes. He used his powers again, and for a moment I could feel his presence."

"He's right," Kitsune said snapping to attention. "I can sense him as well. I know where he is, and it's not good. We need to go right now."

Lisa went into full panic mode but restrained herself for the sake of the others. The pets began putting on hats and grabbing weapons. Keene whispered to Lana about a fallout shelter being set up which Lisa ignored. "I'll go fetch Nick. We have a water temple to crash."

"I guess we'll need to bring Iron Boots," Peanut joked.

Everyone in the room glared at him.

Milton Manor, Nick's Bedroom

Nick's mind was buzzing with what he was just told. He was not sure how he made it back to his room. His legs felt weak, and his head was groggy. How could Rowan tell him that or ask him to do something so horrendous? He wasn't that kind of guy no matter how he looked at the moment.

Shaking his head, he pulled out open a dresser drawer and pulled out a t-shirt. He suddenly did not want to feel so exposed.

"And here I liked the shirtless look."

Nick pulled down the shirt and stared wide-eyed at his mirror. Instead of his reflection was the image of the last person he wanted to see. Revenant stared at him through the glass with a wicked grin spread across his face. The swirling golden eyes narrowed and appraising.

"What? How? Why?" Nick tried to finish a thought, but he was stricken with confusion and uncertainty. His brain screamed for him to cry for help or leave the room to find the others, but his body would not obey.

"I guess you can call it a kink of mine. The shirtless thing works for you. Shows off the abs," Revenant said.

Nick felt sickened by the villain's words. He did not want to put on a show for that monster. Quickly he pulled his arms through the sleeves and pulled the shirt down as far as it would go."

"What do you want because I can't imagine you would appear just to ogle me?" Nick growled.

"I'll make this quick since I know we are both busy men. Right now, I'm sure your friends are plotting against me and will be here soon. I need an answer about what we spoke about before. Are you willing to help me or not?"

Nick knew this was coming and already had an answer for him. "I will never help you."

Revenant arched an eyebrow but did not look surprised. Nick went on to say, "Why would I even help you destroy the world I live in. It never made sense, to begin with. Even if you did make me human and I could spend my last few moments with Becky what would she think if she found out I sold out literally everyone just for myself. So you can take your offer and shove it…"

"I am willing to give you more," Revenant said interrupting Nick. "I realize at the time my offer was not ideal, so I'm here to rectify it." His hand appeared through the glass like it was made of water. Nick's ears flattened against his head as he watched the hand edge closer to where he was standing. It wasn't empty either. Sitting on Revenant's palm was a large golden bracelet engraved with various images.

"What is this?" Nick asked avoiding the hand and the bracelet.

"I'm sure Lisa has told you about it. How she used this very bracelet to travel between worlds. I am giving it to you free of charge. Go on take it."

Nick was sure this was a trap, but his curiosity got the better of him. He picked it up, and the hand jerked back through the mirror. "What am I supposed to do with it?

"Leave," Revenant answered. "Leave this world with your beloved before pandemonium strikes. I am offering you your humanity, your love, and a new chance at a new life."

Nick shivered. The bracelet suddenly felt much colder to him. His mouth fell open as he looked up at Revenant. "What?"

"You can go to Lisa's world or someplace different. Take whatever you need and start over where nothing that happens here can affect you. Leave this world to burn. Why would you want to stay anyway?" Revenant spoke slowly letting each word drip from his tongue like acid. "Your parents abandoned you as soon as you were turned into a wolf. Your cougar friend is nothing but trouble for you. Your friends here, eh, what have they done for you. Once you're finished here, you'll never see any of them again. You're not a part of this. You're a writer. You can take your book and publish it again. You can do better."

Nick was breathless as Revenant spoke. He could feel the words he was saying coil around his heart, squeezing it tighter until Nick felt like it was going to stop completely. Everything he said was true. What did he owe any of these people? He would miss Cody, but the feral was just a housemate because he was lonely. If he had Becky with him, what would he need a pet for? Becky would never have to know. They could be together someplace safe. That's all that mattered, wasn't it?

Nick's phone buzzed and interrupted his trance. He turned and saw Becky's face and name light up the screen. Her smile dispersed the fog that had been surrounding his brain like the sun breaking through the clouds. He could see everything more clearly than before. He would protect her no matter what, but she wasn't the only thing that mattered to him anymore.

"No, I won't betray them just for myself," Nick murmured and smiled at the mirror. "I will stop you from destroying this world. No matter what happens I will not become a monster."

Revenant said nothing only shot Nick a deadly glare before disappearing. The image in the mirror was replaced with Nick's wolfish one. His dark fur, teeth, pointed ears, and claws suddenly didn't seem like a curse anymore. Nick's brows lifted in amazement of how he felt. For the first time, he was glad to be cursed because it was because of that he met the others. He would do anything for them just like any one of his other friends. The buzzing behind him stopped.

Nick picked up the phone and was about to call Becky back when there was a loud banging on his door. "Nick! Nick, we have to go now!" Lisa shouted and banged on the door another three times. "Get ready and grab your bag from yesterday. We need you."

"I'm coming," Nick shouted back. He waited as Lisa's footsteps hurried away. Carefully he placed the bracelet on the dresser in front of him. Holding up his phone, he took a picture of it and sent it Becky along with a long explanation of what to do with it if anything happened to him. After sending photo and message, he typed the words, "I'm sorry," before hitting send. He tossed the phone on the bed and pulled out the paper bag from the day before. Without looking back, Nick was out of the room and closed the door behind him. The phone buzzed again, and a message from Becky appeared on the screen.

The Black Sea, Durathror's Temple

True to his word as soon as the team was gathered in Keene's office, Kitsune snapped his fingers, and they were all instantly transported to the middle of a large body of water. Lisa squinted her eyes in the bright sunlight. The smell of salt filled the air, and there was nothing around them but dark blue water. She looked down and saw they were standing on a stone floor that looked like it had been baking in the sun for centuries. A large stone square that appeared to be hovering above the surface of the water.

"Where are we?" Rowan asked. He was using a long sword for support so to keep from falling over.

Atop his head was a paper bag with the words, "Anime hero" written on it in black sharpie. Lisa could feel her own bag on top of her head. It did not feel as awkward as it did before now that she knew what to expect. The others were dressed and ready to go. Max swung his ax around a few times as if trying to get the feel of it.

"This is the top of the temple," Kitsune explained. He walked to the center of the platform. Lisa followed him and together walked up to a large circle with the image of a large deer engraved into it. She had seen similar images before, but this one was different. Durathror looked more dignified than the others. Around his long antlers were eight bright stars.

"This is it," Kitsune said. "There is no going back. I need to warn you that because Revenant is still part human and due to Durathror's own magic, my power will be considerably weakened. I can fight, but I can't kill him." He looked at them, specifically Rowan and Nick. "That will be up to you to take care of him for good."

Without waiting for a response, he held out his paw, and a small ball of foxfire appeared. It launched itself from Kitsune's fingers and splintered in mid-air before the embers struck each of the eight stars. They each glowed brightly before the circle turned on its own. It sunk into the stone floor before sliding out of view.

Kitsune smiled at Lisa one last time before jumping into the darkness. Lisa looked back at Rowan who was watching intensely. He glanced at Nick who was looking back at him. They nodded to each other like they were conveying some secret message. Lisa wanted to ask about that but instead jumped in after Kitsune.

The fall was horrific. She screamed all the way down before crashing into a large pool of ice-cold water. Flashing back to Dain's temple, Lisa was sure she was going to die again. But a steady hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to dry land. She looked up and saw Kitsune standing over her. Standing up, she realized she was back to wearing her previous outfit, a short-skirt and colorful uniform with a glowing gem on her chest. Her hair was long again and had the same blue steak down to the tip.

A splashing behind them alerted them to the other's arrival. Nick was the first to emerge from the water wearing his leather armor and pants. His fur seemed even more ragged than in the previous temple. Rowan popped up next wearing a long red and black robe that Lisa recognized from Tartarus. The pets looked the same when they emerged from the water only that their weapons were suddenly much more lethal than before. Lisa could feel power radiated from each of them which meant that whatever Keene and Tarot did to them was working.

"Revenant is already here and ahead of us. I can take us to the mana pool, so we need to be prepared for a fight," Kitsune said. The rest of them nodded. Rowan drew his sword from his sheath and Nick raised his claws in a lethal pose.

Kitsune snapped his fingers and the next thing Lisa knew they were standing directly between Revenant and the mana pool. She twisted her next and saw the pool behind them. It was placed similarly to the one in Pete's temple with white columns surrounding it, but the difference was it this pool was surrounded by water pouring from two gigantic statues of stags standing beside it. They were almost as tall as the ceiling and wore nothing but animal skin pants. In their hands was a large bird and snake that looked distressingly familiar to Lisa. The water poured from the snake's and bird's open mouths.

"Did I ever mention that Durathror hated Pete and Dragon more than anyone else?" Kitsune whispered to her when he caught her staring at the statues.

"Well, isn't this a surprise or it would be if it weren't completely predictable," Revenant said.

"No time to waste," Lisa shouted. She pointed to the mana and screamed, "Guys, get rid of the mana! We'll keep him busy."

Without missing a beat, Peanut, Tarot, Max, Sabrina, and Grape charged to the water. They jumped over the moat, and each landed gracefully on the other side. It was as if they had rehearsed it a hundred times. Sabrina and Tarot each took a side opposite of the mana pool. Tarot nodded to Sabrina and together they began chanting an incantation that Lisa could not understand. A black hole appeared in the space above the mana just as Lisa remembered from the comic. Max stood by Sabrina with his ax raised towards Revenant and Peanut did the same with Tarot. Grape stood on the edge of stone platform, so she was directly in front of the mana pool. Her wand was raised so she could perform any healing for the pets or Lisa and others.

Lisa was overjoyed with seeing them like that. They were the same troublemakers she used to read about anymore. They were grown up and saving the world. She turned to Revenant, and her hands began to glow with her own power. It was time to finish this once and for all.

Nick and Rowan stood beside her forming a wall between Revenant and the pets. Kitsune's tails straightened out, and multi-colored fireballs appeared at the tips of his tails. His entire body glowed, and he grew twice his average size.

If Revenant was scared or even impressed by their show of power and resistance, he did not show it. Instead, he slowly scanned each of them before chuckling to himself. "This is the best this world can offer. This is the best you can offer. A demigod whose powers are practically useless. A wolf who rather stay an animal than betray his so-called friends."

Nick growled but did not move from his spot. Revenant continued, "You should be proud of him. He decided he would rather die a savage creature than betray you guys and run away to another world be with his one true love."

They all looked at him. Nick glanced down at the floor, his anger was gone, and instead, he looked defeated.

"Nick," Lisa whispered. "Why didn't you leave?" Part of her was glad he didn't betray them but would have understood if he did. Becky meant more to Nick than anything, and he still gave her up to help them.

"Then there is the half-dead wannabe hero." Lisa glanced at Rowan and saw that he was breathing harder than before. His eyes were half closed and worse his entire body seemed to be shaking. "If you haven't figured it out yet, he's dying." Lisa focused on Revenant. He was looking right at her. "That's what happens when part of yourself has been torn away. I should thank you for that by the way, Lisa. Once I claim my ultimate power, Rowan will be dead for good this time. That's if he survives even to see it."

"That's enough!" Lisa shouted. The idea that Rowan was dying before their eyes scared her more than she wanted to admit. She knew that he was not doing well, but Revenant was sucking away what little life he had left like a parasite. "Tell me this, Revenant. Why are you doing this? Why do you want to destroy this world? Before I could understand because of what happened to me, but you and Rowan are separated now. So, what is there to gain from hurting so many people and animals."

"I want to watch the world burn," Revenant said.

"What?" Lisa stared in disbelief. "That's all. You want to watch everyone die and suffer because you enjoy it."

Revenant smiled coldly at her. "I am the Yang to Rowan's Yin. The embodiment of darkness in this world. To be honest, what did you expect when you separated us from each other." He took a step forward and spoke in a reasonable voice, "Let me ask you something, what do you think will happen to Rowan if you kill me?"

Lisa understood what he was asking. She wished she didn't. She wanted him to be lying but deep down knew it was the truth. You couldn't just destroy one without destroying the other. In the corner of her eyes, she could see Rowan's calm expression. He knew the cost and had excepted it. The problem was, she couldn't.

"Rowan," she said. Before she could blink Rowan charged at Revenant with his sword raised.

Purple fire wrapped itself around the blade just as he brought it down on Revenant's head. Rowan's strike was blocked by Revenant's own weapon. A sword made entirely of golden and black fire. In his other hand, a second sword appeared.

The others took that as their cue to strike. Nick ran at Revenant ready to tear him apart with his long claws while Kitsune launched himself skyward before unleashing several fireballs at the monster's head. Lisa knew she should be helping, but her body was frozen. She couldn't bring herself to hurt Revenant if it meant Rowan would die.

Inside her chest, she could feel her heart breaking as the realization washed over her in waves of despair. They all knew what it would take to defeat him and were willing to pay the cost. But none of them told her. They knew she couldn't do it. They were right.

Several explosions filled Lisa's vision. Smoke snaked around them as Kitsune and others stepped back to admire their handy work. Revenant stood in the same place completely unharmed. His golden eyes bored into each of them as if trying to decide who to kill first. The swords in his hands disappeared and instead was replaced with a dark glowing light that spread around his entire body. He was lifted into the air and hovered in front of them all. His eyes glowed brighter than before like two searchlights cutting through the darkness of a moonless night.

"Let me show you my power. The power that comes from three of the four stags," his deep voice echoed around the chamber giving it a more oppressive feel. "If you think you can stall me long enough for those beasts to dry the mana well then let me show you how wrong you are."

Above Revenant's head, dozens of flaming swords appeared. With one wave of his hands, they sailed over Lisa and the others and headed directly to each of the pets.

"Watch out!" Lisa screamed, and for the first time, her legs obeyed her command, propelling her towards them.

Grape stood there watching the swords coming towards them but showed no fear. Instead, she raised her wand and cried, "Grand Protection."

A giant barrier of purple light appeared around them and the mana pool. Each of the swords struck the barrier, but it did not break. The purple smirked at Revenant whose face twisted in rage.

"Piercing Arrow Raid," he said. In his hands, two long stone javelins appeared. He threw them both simultaneously. They flew towards the barrier and Lisa expected the same thing to happen as before. Unfortunately, this time, the javelins broke through the barrier and headed directly towards Tarot and Sabrina who were helpless to stop them. Peanut and Max moved to stop them. Peanut raised his shield, and the javelin broke on impact. Max swung his ax with perfect timing, splitting the javelin in two. The broken pieces clattered harmlessly on the floor by their feet.

Something dark flashed across Revenant's eyes. He was annoyed which meant it was time to strike back. The pets could take care of themselves, Lisa decided. It was her turn to fight. All they had to do was keep Revenant away from the mana. She would worry about Rowan later.

A powerful force spread through Lisa's body from the tips of her fingers to the soles of her feet. In her hand, she imagined a long sky-blue sword and just like that it appeared. In was engraved with golden runes that felt strangely familiar to her. She felt the same type of power as she did when she defeated Drasil and now it was time to do it again.

"Starlight Aria," she struck Revenant with the tip of her sword and faster than anyone could follow landed ten consecutive hits on his body leaving glowing marks on his coat resembling stars.

"There it is," Revenant said. "Show me your power, Lisa Smith. The power of the girl who killed a god!" He waved his hand unleashing a giant wave of black and red fire.

Kitsune jumped in front of the fire just as Lisa's backed away. He clapped his paws together, and a giant fox made entirely of fire appeared around him. The image of Susanoo flashed in Lisa's mind.

"Howling Hunter," Nick said and slammed his fist into Revenant's back launching him upward through the air. Nick jumped up and landed two lethal looking swipes against Revenant's chest sending him crashing down to the ground.

"Tectonic Catastrophe," Revenant said and planted both hands on the floor. The entire temple shook vigorously. Cracks spread through the walls and the floor. From where Revenant lied, a gigantic fissure spread through the stone, emitting intense heat. To Lisa's horror, terrible molten spikes erupted from the fissure and moved towards her and the others.

"Move!" Lisa shouted and jumped out of the way as the spikes neared her. Each one was larger than the one before it. The entire temple threatened to collapse around them. Images of them drowning as the Black Sea poured around them flashed through Lisa's mind. The heat from the hot stone blurred her vision and clouded her mind, but she managed to keep her cool and stay focused on Revenant.

Kitsune moved to intercept the spikes. He grew three times his size and blasted the spikes with a surge of foxfire. The flames denigrated the spikes, but the damage was done. Chunks of the temple began to fall around them. It was only a matter of time before the entire structure became unstable.

Revenant stood up and brushed himself off. Golden energy sparked at his fingertips. "I have the power of gods. Let me show you the full extent of what I have gained."

Black wind swirled around him, lifting his body into the air. Fire spread around his body and was carried into the swirling storm. The dust and bits of stone that were carried by the wind merged and combined into large lethal projectiles that were heated by the fire until they turned to molten rocks. "Black Storm."

Revenant unleashed his monstrous creation, and it spread outward from his body and throughout the entire temple. Lisa slashed the incoming stones with her sword, but her body began tiring almost instantly. The fire was harder to dodge due to the severe wind swirling around her. She felt like her body was being cooked in an oven as millions of tiny knives devoured her flesh. A large stone sailed directly towards her head, and she raised her sword to protect her, but she was too slow. She closed her eyes, ready for the end but it never came. When she opened them again, she found herself surrounded by a barrier of multi-colored light.

Lisa turned towards Kitsune who was in a state of pure focus. His paws were spread out, and his red eyes glowed with divine power. He was protecting not only her but Nick from the storm. The large wolf looked equally surprised by what was going on.

"Rowan, do it," Kitsune roared through his gritted teeth.

Across the room, Rowans stood there with his sword spinning in his hand. Purple fire spread from the sword turning it into a flaming buzz saw. "Ultimate Onslaught," he cried before jumping into the air. He held out his spinning sword and pointed it directly at Revenant. The other man turned unable to hide his surprise as Rowan struck him directly. The sound of screaming filled the temple as well as the sound of hundreds of repeated explosions.

Revenant flew backward, slamming into the far wall of the temple where he crumbled to the floor. Rowan landed roughly as well. His sword flew out of his hand and skidded across the floor. Exhausted, Rowan collapsed.

"Rowan," Lisa cried and ran over to him as the barrier disappeared. She knelt beside him and tried to pick him up, but he pushed her away.

"I'm fine. That attack is just extremely hard to pull off. I need a healer," he told her between ragged breaths.

Lisa faced towards Grape and was about to call her over to help when the sound of heavy footsteps interrupted her.

"That is enough," Revenant bellowed. They all faced him as he continued walking towards them. His cloak was in tattered revealing his injured body. He was breathing hard, and Lisa could tell why. His entire chest was burned, and chunks of skin had been torn away by Rowan's attack. "This is all your fault. This time I will take care of you once and for all."

Black energy burned through the air as Revenant launched himself forward. Lisa drew Rowan closer to her body to protect him, but Revenant flew past them. She watched in horror as Revenant struck against Kitsune's chest with his outstretched hand. Kitsune let loose an unearthly shriek as red and black lightning flared from where Revenant had struck.

Without thinking, Lisa ran towards them. With her sword raised, she felt a new surge of energy course through her. Her vision was filled with a bright light as she swung her weapon. "Heaven's Serenade."

Rays of golden light exploded from her sword and cut through the air towards Revenant. He let go of Kitsune who instantly collapsed. Revenant continued to fly through the air, but the golden light followed him wherever he went until they struck him filling the temple with blinding light.

"Kitsune. Kitsune." Lisa cried as she tried to shake him awake. He cracked an eye and looked at her. His fur was singed black where Revenant struck. "Are you alright? Please, talk to me."

Kitsune smiled at her revealing his gleaming white teeth. "That really hurt," was all he managed to get out before breaking into a coughing fit. "I think he really got me. I don't know how but I can't feel part of my body."

"Kitsune, please. You'll be alright. You have to be. You're the Great Kitsune. You're a god and my friend." She pressed her head into his side letting his warm fur brush against her face. Her voice was breaking. "I love you."

A small warmth spread through Lisa's fingers like an ember from a dying fire. She opened her eyes and watched as golden sparks spread from her hands and danced across Kitsune's body. One by one they disappeared into his flesh, and from the sparks, light spread until Kitsune's entire body was shimmering with divine energy. He opened his eyes, and they glowed like a burning inferno. His nine tails spread out each looking more beautiful and fuller than ever before. Slowly he stood up on all fours, never before looking as much as the creature of myth then he did at that moment. He turned his head toward Lisa and laughed. It was still him, Lisa realized. She grabbed his furry head and kissed his muzzle while letting her hands stroke his chin.

Lisa felt someone watching them. When she turned around, she saw Rowan staring at them. But he didn't look upset or angry. He smiled at them, but Lisa could only see the sadness in his eyes. A tear ran down his face as he whispered, "Take of him." Even with the sounds of destruction around them, she could still hear his voice as if he was right next to her.

To Revenant he said, "It's time to end this."

Revenant was hovering in the air as he watched the events unfold. His face twisted into a demonic rage. "You think you can defeat me so easily. I am about to transcend to divinity and become the most powerful being in this or any other universe. You really think I can be stopped so easily."

"Actually, I think we can," Kitsune smirked. He turned his head to the pets and the mana pool.

With everything that had happened, Lisa had completely forgotten about the others. Revenant looked over as well. His eyes widened in horror at what was happening.

"That's all of it," Tarot shouted as the last of the mana disappeared into the void. She broke the spell and fell down in exhaustion. Sabrina did the same on the other side. The pets did it. They won.

"NO!" Revenant howled. "I'll destroy all of you." Red lightning discharged from every part of his body tearing through what remained of the temple.

"It's over now," Rowan said calmly. "Nick, now."

"Howling Hunter,' Nick called. Lisa looked up to see Nick soaring directly at Revenant while his back was turned. In his grip was Rowan's sword pointed outward. As he flew, a light blue fire spread around him forming the shape of a ferocious wolf charging across the room. An earsplitting howl erupted as the wolf struck Revenant. The two flew towards the ground where they left a massive indent on impact.

Nick moved away as soon as he recovered from the massive attack. Rowan did not waste any time with his next move. He spread his arms outward, and purple chains of fire erupted from his chest. Each one wrapped around Revenant's arms and legs as he tried to stand.

"No, no. I won't let you do this," Revenant screamed, but he was helpless. The chains retracted towards Rowan dragging Revenant with them. He screamed one last time as he was forced back into Rowan's body.

Lisa watched this unfold with a mix of shock and fear about what would happen next. Rowan fell to one knee and clutched his chest. Across his body, purple lines spread through his skin like cracks on a porcelain doll. He turned to her, and his eyes were glowing purple and black like Revenant's. Lisa couldn't believe what she was seeing. She felt Kitsune's arms wrap around her body as if holding her back.

Tears flowed down Rowan's face as he smiled at her. "Lisa. Forgive me," he whispered.

A long blade pierced through Rowan's chest. Time seemed to slow to a halt as Lisa watched Rowan fall forward. Nick let go of the hilt of the sword and stepped back away from Rowan's body.

"Nooooo!" Lisa screamed. She broke away from Kitsune and ran to Rowan. Tears blurred her vision as she fell to her knees beside him. "Rowan. Rowan." To Nick, she cried, "Why did you do that?"

Nick stood there unable to respond. Rowan was the one who answered. "Because I told him too."

"What?" Lisa asked. She lifted Rowan into her arms. His body was so heavy, but she couldn't let go. Her body shook as she spoke again, "Why would you do this?"

Rowan gave a harsh cough before relaxing. "It was the only way to destroy Revenant for good. I had to die with him. I needed to know that you were safe. That you were happy. I asked Nick to do it back at the manor. I couldn't let you know because if you did you would stop us. This was the only way."

"No, you can't die," Lisa said in her weakest voice. Her heart felt like it was splitting in two. "Kitsune, please do something."

Kitsune walked over but shook his head. "There is nothing I can do. My power doesn't work on him. He is too far gone now.

"It's okay," Rowan said. His voice grew shallower, trailing off into a whisper. "I know you love each other. That is all I needed. To know that you are happy." He paused and said, "We did good here. Never forget that."

"I need you here," Lisa said and bent closer. Her hair fell away brushing against Rowan's face. "I just got you back. I'm sorry for everything. I do love Kitsune. But I love you too."

"I know," Rowan said closing his eyes. With one final breath, he said, "That's all I ever wanted."

His head tilted to the side, and he was gone.

Lisa felt like something inside her had died as she sat there with Rowan's body tight in her arms. She couldn't breathe. Rowan's final words echoed in her ears as his peaceful expression stared back at her. The temple broke around them, but it sounded like it was miles away. Even Kitsune's voice was out of reach. Lisa felt someone pull her to her feet and she was helpless to stop them. The pets ran over to them as the water exploded from the walls and ceiling.

Lisa screamed as Rowan's body was torn from her grip. Blinded by rage and hatred she fought the others, but it was useless. Kitsune's arms wrapped around her and in a flash of light, everything was gone.

The Gates of Heaven

Rowan stood before the golden gates unable to believe his eyes. Lisa told him that she and Kitsune had visited heaven a few weeks back, but she couldn't do it justice. All the exhaustion and pain he felt back at the temple had disappeared entirely. He was back to wearing his normal clothes again, but they were cleaner and fresher than he thought was possible.

Not sure of what to do, Rowan stood there motionless until the gates opened up. For a second, Rowan could see the other side and it just like he imagined it would be from what he saw in the comic. A dark figure stepped out just as the gates closed again. When the light of heaven disappeared completely, Rowan was able to get a good look at who had come to greet him.

He was a tall thin man with skin the color of storm clouds. Gray but not dark or threatening. Around his entire body was a long pure black cloak with no markings or any kind of adornment. His eyes were almost entirely black except for two golden pupils in the center. He did not smile or make any kind of emotion at all. He looked like he could not feel any kind of emotion as he stood over Rowan.

"Where's Cerberus?" Rowan asked looking around for the massive three-headed dog.

"Hm, I do not believe I have ever been asked that question before," the stranger said. His voice was like smooth caramel. It made Rowan want to melt right there and follow the man no matter where he took him. "I usually get questions like 'Where am I' or 'Who are you?'"

"I know where I am," Rowan said. "But I don't know who you are?"

"I am Thanatos," the man said. From his back, two giant jet-black wings appeared.

"Wait, I know that name. You're the god of death," Rowan said. Thanatos stood motionless and said nothing. "I don't understand. Why are you here and not Cerberus?"

A flash of annoyance crossed the god's face, but it disappeared almost instantly leaving the same expressionless appearance as before. "Cerberus is in charge of guiding animals to the afterlife. Human souls are under my jurisdiction. That is why I am here and not the dog."

"That makes sense," Rowan said. "I guess this is it then. I'm ready for paradise."

"That is why I am here," Thanatos said. He raised his hand, and a piece of pure black paper appeared in it. "You are a special case, Rowan Gains. I have come to offer you a choice."

Rowan was taken aback. He had never heard of something like this happening. The image of Kitsune offering Joel his choice to remain human or a dog popped in his head, but Joel wasn't dead at the time. "What kind of choice?"

"You have two options," Thanatos said flatly. "You can return to the world of the living or continue your present journey into heaven." He paused to let that information sink in before continuing. "I have to warn you about this. If you decide to return to the living world, you will suffer greater hardships and pain than ever before. If you decide to remain here in heaven, you will only know peace and happiness as is your reward for what you have done for the mortal realm."

"Wow," Rowan said rolling his eyes. "You make it sound so tempting."

"There is more. If you choose to return to the living world, there is the possibility that you will obtain what you desire the most. That is something that not even heaven can offer."

Rowan froze. What he desired most of all? He turned his head to see the long golden staircase behind him. What he desired most of all was back there.

Thanatos stared at him for a few seconds before asking, "What is your choice?"

December 7, 2018

Milton Manor

Becky pulled up to the entrance of the Milton Manor unsure of what to expect. She had spent the last few hours going through the different things she could say or do to prevent what was about to happen. The last few weeks had been rough for her. Ever since Nick told her that they might have to break up, she had been distraught. Deep down, she knew that they were fooling themselves to keep up their masquerade of an engagement. The thought of breaking up because of something as absurd as a curse always seemed ridiculous. Then he sends her a long-winded text message about a magic ring that could take her to another dimension if things went south and another text that only said, "I'm sorry." That sent her into a tailspin especially when he didn't pick up his phone for the longest time. Once he did, he explained what had been going on. At first, she didn't believe him, but the more he talked, the harder the truth was to ignore.

Weeks passed without much communication from him. She figured it was because the deadline was approaching. He would be leaving the Milton's mansion and returning to the cabin in the woods. She wanted to say something that would help him, but there was nothing she could do. Nick had grown close to the people of Babylon Gardens since he had come to stay with them. Part of her regretted coming at all. Who was she now to interrupt the life he had built for himself there? Especially if they were going to break up.

Getting out of her car, Becky pulled out her phone and called Nick. After one ring, he picked up and asked, "You're here?"

Taking a deep breath, Becky tried to keep her composure and said, "I'm here. Where are you?"

"I'm heading towards the door now. Just come on inside." He paused, and she could hear the sound of footsteps echoing around the marble floors through the phone. "I have a surprise for you."

Becky ended the call and looked around. The large driveway was full of different cars of sizes and shapes. She knew that the Milton's were eccentric billionaires, but they were ferrets so they couldn't drive all these cars. She walked up the stairs and towards the large doors before turned the handle. The door creaked open revealing a grand foyer complete with marble statues and portraits of each of the ferrets.

As Becky took everything in she heard a voice coming down the hallway. "There you are," Nick said. "I missed you more than you know."

"Well, whose fault is that?" Becky said turning towards the voice, a slight smile spreading across her face. She stopped dead when she saw him standing there in front of her. Her eyes widened as tears began to form in her eyes. Nick was dressed in an elegant tuxedo and one hand in his pocket. Becky felt like her heart was going to explode as she stared at him. Nick was fully human.

"Oh my god," Becky murmured, pressing her hands over her face. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. "Nick, I don't believe it."

"I wanted to surprise you." He held out his hand and said, "Now, how about a kiss for old times' sake."

Becky flung herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his, breathing in his scent and tasting his flesh in her mouth. When they were done, she broke away but did not let go of him as if he would disappear if she did.

"I don't understand," she said pressing her free hand against his face. His skin was smooth with not a single trace of hair. "How did this happen?"

"Kitsune did it. He said it was my reward for helping save the world. But that is not the only reward I got," he said. Taking her hand, he pulled her down a long hallway until they reached a large glass door. On the other side, Becky could see an Olympic size pool lined with topiaries and statues. Everywhere she looked people were running around setting up chairs and tables. A large flowering arch stood at the far end of the property with a long white carpet leading to another door.

"Nick, what is going on?" Becky asked moving away from the door. The next thing she knew, Nick was kneeling on one knee beside her.

"Rebecca Goulding. Will you marry me? Right here? Right now?"

"Yes," she said almost instantly.

"She said yes," Nick called out.

That was Lisa's cue. She stepped out from her hiding place and walked over to the couple. She had never seen Becky in person, only in the pictures Nick had shown her.

"Becky, this is Lisa Smith," Nick said gesturing at Lisa as she walked over. "If you don't mind, she is going to be your maid of honor."

"It's good to meet you," Lisa said and held out her hand. Becky took it gently and shook it.

"It's good to meet you as well," Becky said. "Nick has told me a bit about you. Thank you for taking care of him all this time."

"It was nothing. I think he did more for me then I did for him," Lisa said giving Nick a quick wink. "Speaking of which, I need to start taking care of you. You can't get married in that outfit."

Becky looked down at her turtleneck and jeans. "I guess I can't, but this is really sudden. If I knew any of this would happen, well, honestly I don't know what I would do."

"Don't worry," Nick interjected. "We've spent the last few weeks preparing for this."

"You knew I would say yes?" Becky asked patting him in the chest.

Nick shrugged. "What can I say. It as animal instinct."

Both Lisa and Becky rolled their eyes. "Anyway, you need to get outside and help. I have no idea where Cody is. He vanished half an hour ago, and no one has seen him since."

"Cody's here?" Becky asked as if she was unsure how she felt about that.

"He's my best man," Nick told her. "Or I should say best cat? Best friend? Either way, he's here and going to be in the ceremony."

"Don't worry about anything," Lisa told her. "We took the liberty of inviting quite a few guests."

"Your parents. My parents. Our friends. A lot of people came," Nick told her.

"Well, I guess I can't keep them waiting," Becky said without flinching.

Lisa was surprised by how well the other woman was handling the situation. She figured after so many years of uncertainty and waiting, she was ready for just about anything. That was exactly what she was going to get.

"Let's go. You still need to see your dress," Lisa said and grabbed Becky's arm. Together they walked down to one of the larger rooms where an entire staff of hair and makeup stylists were waiting.

It was a blur of powders, sprays, and yelling after that. Lisa was groomed to perfection before putting on her bridesmaid's dress, a simple teal gown. Becky's friends were there with them since they were also going to be a part of the ceremony. Lisa was impressed by Nick's knowledge of the wedding planning they had done before the curse. One of the first things, they did was have Cody come over with a copy of the notebook Nick kept at the cabin. After that, it was a long series of phone calls and planning with a lot of help from Keene who was paying for the whole thing.

It was the least he could do for all Nick's hard work with the book which was already sent to the editor and for his work saving them all. She was thankful for what he was doing. He had changed a lot over the years.

After they were all ready, Lisa led the procession down the aisle. Flowers in hand, she walked beside Cody, who she had gotten to know quite well over the last few weeks. He was dressed in a tux as well but without the pants. In fact, all the animals there at the ceremony were pantsless which Lisa would have no other way. Of course, there was one exception. Kitsune was seated in the front row in his fox form. He was wearing a full suit and tie as per Lisa's recommendation. She smiled at him as she took her place and he winked back. Next to him were Nick's parents who looked overjoyed at the thought that their son was not only human again but finally getting married.

The next few rows were filled with the pets from the neighborhood. They wanted to come as their usual semi-naked selves like at King's wedding, but Lisa put her foot down. She admitted they cleaned up nicely. Peanut struggled with is tie and Grape slapped his paw away. Tarot and Sabrina were whispering to one another while Max was talking with Rockstar who was sitting with the rest of the wolves in the row behind them. The rest of the rows were filled with Rowan's family and friends. Most of which was unsure of why the wedding was full of animals. Nick's curse was a closely regarded secret, and everyone agreed it should remain that way.

The music changed, and everyone stood up. Becky walked down the aisle with her long dress flowing behind her. As she walked, light snow began to fall from the sky mixing with the already snow-covered lawn of the Milton's residence. Lisa could not help but smile at Nick who was watching the love of his life walk towards them.

When Becky reached the altar, all eyes were on who was doing the ceremony. Keene stood before them in his suit and tie and cleared his throat. Lisa couldn't help feel uncertain about having him perform the ceremony, but he insisted on doing it as part of the agreement that he would pay for everything and host the wedding at the mansion.

After the vows were said and the rings exchanged, Keene said, "You may kiss the bride."

Nick and Becky kissed, having finally accomplished what they had wanted to do for so long. As Lisa stood there, she felt a sharp pain in her heart as she felt part of herself was missing.

After the ceremony was finished and the reception was underway, Lisa found herself on the dance floor with her arms wrapped around Kitsune's chest. All eyes were on the happy couple swaying back and forth across the stage as Taylor Swift played over the speakers.
Lisa laid her head on Kitsune's shoulder and relaxed. She had not felt so happy or at peace in a long time. Kitsune's arms were wrapped around her as he led her around.

"Lisa, with everything that has been going on I haven't had a chance to ask," Kitsune said. He pulled away from her and stared directly in her eyes. She stared back and saw he was serious about whatever he was about to ask about.

"I know things have been a bit hectic. Planning a wedding is a lot of work," Lisa told him.

"I know. I wanted to give you a bit of space after what happened at the temple. I figured a distraction like this; a happy occasion was just what you needed." Kitsune's mouth hardened like whatever he was about to say was difficult. "This must have been hard for you. These last few weeks and I wanted to make sure you're doing alright."

Lisa sighed. She appreciated that Kitsune was worried about her. She loved him for caring so much about her well-being. "I'm doing fine. I mean it was hard to wrap my head around at first. But this is for the best." She turned to Nick and Becky who were exchanging yet another kiss. "I'm going to miss, Nick. He is still my friend but not having him so close is going to take some getting used to. Even if we haven't known each other for that long, it feels longer somehow."

Kitsune gave her a concerned look. "I wasn't referring to Nick," he said. "How are you doing with Rowan's death?"

Lisa cocked her head to the side and chuckled slightly. Her eyes glazed over, and she asked, "Who's Rowan?"

End Book 2