Starting off strong for the New Year, here I am again giving y'all another update.
This is the second to last chapter, I was originally going to make the last two chapters into one, but This just seemed a lot better. Plus it would have been ridiculously long. Also a big THANK YOU to everyone who has read and left such amazing messages and reviews. It really means the world to me!
Anyway, I do hope you all enjoy!
Ludwig flapped his wings and with large gusts of wind he put out the fires that remained scattered throughout the town. He then glanced at Erik and Berwald discarding of the last few bodies, or what was left of them. If he knew it would have been this big of a bloodbath he wasn't sure if he would have still volunteered to help.
Lovisa sits by the carriage looking down at Tino who laid unconscious on her lap. She ran her fingers through his blonde hair, humming a healing song. Although she knew her song would do nothing for Tino, their magic was different and unable to heal one another. She glanced over beside her to see Oleo was comatose, rope tied around his hands and around his torso. His foot no longer encased in ice, but the ice made his flesh look raw and burnt. Lovisa smiled.
"Is that the last of it?" Erik asked looking over at Berwald as he covered the last body with dirt then held his hand reciting a spell. The last body sunk into the earth like quicksand and disappeared from view. He looked over at his father and nodded, Erik was about to say something when there was a magical presence he didn't recognize. Erik walked in front of Lovisa without much thought and watched as Rasmus came into view atop of the horse, but there was someone else and already his eyes were shifting slowly.
Berwald tensed slightly and stood ways away from Erik, he knew the magical presence was Mathias. Although it seemed like his father had forgotten.
Lovisa looked up feeling the presence as well but recalled what Oleo had said to her. "Your dear son has been lying to you, Dutchess. Mathias is indeed alive and breathing." She could clearly see Mathias walking behind Rasmus with the rest of what she assumed was Tino's family. She covered her mouth, she knew she had said they knew of him being alive but it was a lie. Something she had said to buy them time, and she turned looking at Berwald. She pressed her hand to her chest and smiled, of course, Berwald didn't kill Mathias. She knew her son better than that, she thought. But why would he lie? Unfortunately, that was his mistake and he was going to have to learn.
Erik huffs out and looks at Rasmus as they got closer, he raised an eyebrow but Rasmus shrugged. He didn't have any more of an idea as to what was going on than he did. Erik turned to Berwald but he was looking at the small group that approached them. He didn't remember Mathias' magic being so strong. Perhaps it had just been a while, but clearly, something was different about him. He just couldn't tell what it was.
Taisto was walking alongside Elo, exhaustion was taking its toll on his body but as they approached the others he recognized Berwald. He paused in his tracks looking for Tino when he saw him lying on Lovisa's lap. "T-Tino!" he shouted quickly and ran right towards him. He ran right past Berwald and Erik who watched him quietly as he fell to his knees when he reached him. He held his face in his hand, "Tino? Tino?" he asked quickly moving some hairs from his face.
"He's simply unconscious," Lovisa said putting her hands over his. "The dark magic was too much for his body and his body is out of balance," she explained.
"But he's okay, yes?" Taisto asked his hands shaking. He could feel his heart racing and his lips wouldn't stop trembling.
"Of course, he just needs rest," she replied and watched as tears fell.
He picked up Tino in his arms and cradled him. "Tino, Tino my precious baby," he whispered running his hands through his hair. "Thank you, thank you so much," he said looking at Lovisa."Thank you for taking care of my baby." He couldn't put it into any other words as he looked back down at Tino who didn't seem to have a single scratch on him.
She smiled feeling her nose burn and shook her head, "I did nothing, sir. Berwald was the one to protect Tino with everything he had." He sat there and all he could do was nod, no words were able to form as he hugged Tino closer and left kisses on his face. She looked away to give him what little privacy she could. She knew well of the love a parent has for their child is unlike any other love out there, and her chest ached as she looked towards her sons. She blinked away tears and reminded herself that everyone was okay.
"Excuse me," Elizabeta said kneeling beside Taisto, she could feel the imbalance in his body even from so far. She could only imagine how the magic affected him if it affected her the way it did. "If his body is out of balance I can help rebalance it for him," she said. "Of course, if you don't mind."
Taisto nodded quickly, "Please, please do what you need to." He moved away a little as she thanked him and she placed one hand on Tino's chest and the other over his forehead. A small light emitted from her hands as she whispered something Taisto couldn't hear nor understand.
Erik looked away from the scene and then refocused on the problem at hand. He glared at Mathias, "What is the meaning of this?" Erik asked turning to Berwald. "You told us you had killed him."
Lukas glared at Erik and Rasmus, although he was relieved to see Tino alright something had told him that these were the people who wanted Mathias dead, unfortunately, he was right. "I didn't kill him," Berwald replied without looking at his father. He was looking at the small group of people around Mathias. Elo stood there confused looking at him and pulling Emil close, the two Ravens had shifted standing a few feet away from them all watching in silence. "I locked away his magic two years ago. Since then we've been traveling around as to not be detected."
"I don't believe this," Rasmus growled out and glared right at Mathias. "What did you do? Bribe him? Berwald would never go and break family tradition, especially for the likes of you!"
"I did it because killing him would have been wrong," Berwald said and turned towards his brother. "He is family if he has the crest or not."
Erik sighed and shook his head crossing his arms. "I agree the tradition is outdated, but we can't just let this happen because you had a weakness with your morals." He turned to Berwald as their eyes met, "I taught you better than that. We have a tradition to uphold, more importantly, we have to show we are worthy of this crest."
"Thank you," Mathias said looking at Berwald, "I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble and making you distant from your family. But I wasn't sure how much longer we could have kept this up," he chuckled a little and looked at Erik. "I understand what this could mean for Berwald if he is found out about going back on his word. If those are the rules, then I fully accept my fate."
"Are you serious?" Lukas whispered looking at Mathias with wide eyes. Lukas felt the panic well up in his chest,"You can't just accept that!" he shouted and gripped Mathias' sleeve. "You can't-you can't!" his voice broke and faltered and then gripped his sleeve with his other hand. Mathias turned to him and he pressed his lips together smiling, but Lukas could see right through it.
Mathias placed a hand on his head gingerly. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "But the rules are rules."
"This is ridiculous," Berwald said. "We can't just kill him because of an old tradition. It isn't right." He didn't care about his status as a Duke, or what others viewed him as. He was not going to kill Mathias, nor let him be killed, no matter what it could mean for him.
"I agree," Elo said stepping forward as they turned towards him. "I don't understand what is going on, but clearly he is your family. Blood or not, family is family."
Taisto looked at Lovisa, "Isn't there anything you can say or do?" he asked hearing Lukas shouting at Mathias for being stupid. It was as if he could hear his nephew's heartbreaking with each word he screamed. He gripped his pants looking at Lovisa as she shook her head.
"I'm afraid not," she said softly.
Rasmus' eyebrow twitched, "Will you quiet down? You sound like a yapping dog that never hushes!" he growled towards Lukas. "You have no right to say anything, this matter has absolutely no relevance to you."
"It does because unlike you I care about Mathias," Lukas snapped back. "Someone who is willing to kill their own family for something as ridiculous as your tradition has no right to tell others how to feel!"
Rasmus took a step towards him, "You insolent pea-"
"Don't move another inch," Mathias said glaring at Rasmus. He pulled Lukas towards him and the dark purple aura was starting to faintly show itself. "I will comply with whatever you want, but do not hurt a single hair on his body. Understood?" Lukas felt how tense Mathias was and he looked up at him. What was he doing? Why would he just let this happen? He gripped Mathias' shirt pressing his head into his chest, why couldn't he just listen to him?
"We have a suggestion," Gilbert said having heard enough of what seemed like pointless arguing. "It could be great for all of us."
"Well spit it out," Rasmus spat with his jaw hurting the longer he and Mathias kept eye contact.
"If you let Mathias live, he could live in the Black Forest with the rest of us, his magic is still powerful and if you let him go anywhere else he would obviously be recognized," Ludwig said staring at Erik. "Nobody would know about him in the Forest, he was living with Duke Berwald and nobody realized who he was."
Erik was silent and glanced over at Mathias. He knew overall that Mathias would be completely safe under the cover of the Forest, but he knew they were after something else. The threat of cutting down the Forest also meant a threat to their home, why else would they suggest this middle ground?
Elizabeta listened intently, this was it. This was the fate of her home. She lowered her eyelids, even if things went wrong she would fight tooth and nail for her home. She was not going to submit easily. Beneath her hands, she could see Tino twitch, first his eyes then his hand. She removed her hands with the light fading from them, "Tino?" she called out gently.
Why was it so dark? Tino groaned as little specks of light began to show up and then he slowly opened his eyes, the light flooding his vision and he squinted uncomfortably raising his hand over his face. He blinked a few times seeing silhouettes of a few people and when his vision adjusted he saw two women and a man. Who were they?
"How are you feeling?" the woman with long brown hair asked leaning over him. Who was she? She was so close but her voice sounded like it echoed in his ears. He lowered his hand and stared at the three of them. He didn't speak but instead wondered why his body felt so light. As if he was floating in air rather lying where he was.
But wait, who was he? "Tino?" the man asked. Was that his name? He curled his fingers touching what seemed like dirt underneath him when his fingers brushed together. There was something cold on his finger and he paused. He brought his hand up to see the gold band on his finger and he slowly ran his other fingers over it, what was this?
A wedding ring, he told himself. Why did he have a wedding ring on? He was married. To who? He laid there staring at the gold ring with light bouncing off of it and he could hear the people call what he thought was his name.
That still didn't answer his question though, who was he married to? Berwald. The sound echoed in his mind a few times, it sounded familiar and the name brought warmth to his chest. He paused his finger right over the ring and memories came flooding back.
Tino sat up quickly and Elizabeta barely managed to pull back or they would have collided heads. "Tino you shouldn't move so quickly!" she said placing her hands on his shoulders...
"B-Berwald! Where is he?" he asked looking at her and gripped her arms. "Where is he?"
"Relax," she said and pulled his hands away gently closing her hands over his. "He's alright, he's actually right over there." She moved aside slightly and sure enough, Berwald stood there with his back towards them.
"Berwald!" Tino called out. Berwald turned around hearing his name and looked over to see Tino sitting up looking at him with wide lavender eyes. Tino's lips trembled and his nose stung with tears springing forth. He stood up rushing towards Berwald despite his body screaming at him not to move.
"Tino you shouldn't move!" Taisto said quickly trying to grab a hold of his son, but Elizabeta placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and she smiled shaking her head and he watched as Tino ran towards Berwald.
Berwald moved quickly and caught Tino just as he stumbled forward and into his arms. Tino was shaking and he looked up at Berwald seeing the cuts that were etched into his skin. He reached up and his lips parted with tears spilling down his cheeks. His fingers lingered over the cuts, but he hesitated to touch them. Berwald took his hand and kissed his palm, "I'm fine," he murmured softly.
Tino's body shuttered hearing him speak and he pressed his face to his chest. He gripped fist full of his clothing and sniffled. Berwald stood there looking down at Tino and patting his head gently, why was he so worried? Clearly he was fine, but either way, it made his chest feel warm as he wrapped his arms around his waist hugging him tighter. He leaned down kissing Tino's cheek gently. Tino pulled away slightly just so he could kiss Berwald with their lips clashing against one another. He wrapped his arms around Berwald, his fingers curling themselves into his hair and he pressed himself as close to other as possible.
"Oh my," Lovisa chuckled and covered her mouth slightly. Her son clearly did not know how to handle straightforward affection as he watched him stumble over his own words once they pulled away from each other. That's when she heard a small groan beside her and she turned to see Oleo coming around. Her smile quickly disappeared and she glared at him.
Taisto smiled watching his son, he was happy, and as a father, that's all he could ever ask for. He too had heard the small groan and looked over seeing Oleo raise his head looking around in a daze. He clenched his jaw with his hand turning into a fist, He wondered why they had even let him lived, if it were up to him he would have skinned the man alive hanging him by his testicles. But, it wasn't, unfortunately.
Oleo winced and hissed feeling the pain from his foot. When he opened his eyes he could see that his foot looked mostly like burnt flesh and nothing else. He cringed and attempted to move but realized that his hands had been tied behind him. He furrowed his eyebrows looking around for something to escape only to see Taisto, Lovisa, and Elizabeta all glaring at him. He scowled at them, "What-"
Lovisa held up a finger to his mouth, "Speak another word and I will personally encase your entire body in ice. Am I understood?" The tip of her finger burned against his lips and he quickly pulled away but ended up on his back.
Tino glanced back hearing the small commotion and he tensed slightly seeing him. He gripped Berwald's clothes a little tighter and Berwald huffed out glaring at Oleo. "He won't do anything don't worry," Erik said and Tino looked over at him. "If he moves anymore he'll be ripped to pieces in a matter of seconds."
Lukas tensed hearing that, but he didn't move away from Mathias. He decided if they were going to try and kill Mathias they were going to have to go through him. He wasn't going to let this happen; he wasn't going to accept it. "Lukas?" Tino called out and he glanced over quickly trying to wipe the tears that had managed to escape.
He furrowed his eyebrows and that's when Tino realized the atmosphere. Yet, there was something more as he looked from one person to another. When his eyes landed on Mathias something was different about him, he couldn't tell what it was, but he just felt different. "Lukas are you okay?" Tino asked.
"No," he said and pulled away from Mathias slightly looking at Tino. "They want to kill Mathias for no reason," he said and tried not to let his voice break again.
"It's part of a tradition," Erik corrected him and his mouth twitched.
"Tradition?" Tino repeated and wondered if that is what Oleo was talking about.
"It's ridiculous!" Lukas shouted and turned to Tino. "Tell them they can't Tino! Please!"
"It's not up to anyone else!" Erik snapped at him with his teeth already becoming sharper than normal. Lukas flinched and Mathias held him close once more staring at Erik unaffected by his outburst. "I've had enough of your disrespect, this matter is not up to you or anybody else!" He closed his eyes for a second taking a deep breath, his teeth shifted back to normal as he looked back at Lukas. "This crest appears when we learn how to shift and are able to control the beast inside of us. They are the very symbol of our family and I will not allow you to disrespect it any longer."
"Then..then just let him live in the Black Forest like they said earlier," Lukas said although his voice had faltered. Mathias squeezed him slightly to hush him, it was only going to make things worse.
Tino listened quietly with Berwald having pulled him slightly away from Erik, but he was still trying to figure out what was different about Mathias. He squinted his eyes and then there was a shift in his vision, everything seemed to have gone into black and white and he blinked a few times not understanding. However, he could see a faint soft pink light around Lukas, but an extremely dark purple-black color surrounding Mathias. When he looked around he could see a soft pink glow around Emil, but nothing around Elo. He frowned what was he seeing? "We would be more than happy to help your family," Ludwig spoke and Tino turned to them. Around them was a soft black and silver shadow around them. He turned to Berwald to ask what was going on, but he too was in black and white surrounded by the same purple-black color. He took a step back and realized he was seeing their magic.
Berwald called his name but Tino looked around to see the same shadow of color around Rasmus and Erik as well. He parted his lips, but then the shadows began to move, they altered to take the form of the large wolf-like beast These shadows seemed much smaller than what the others actually shifted into, but the shadows stared at him. It was as if they were completely separate beings, and the one beside Berwald stared at him intently, then looked beyond him. Tino turned to look back at Mathias, sure enough, the shadow around him had also taken the shape of a large wolf. It stood there staring at him then turned towards Mathias rubbing its head against his shoulder.
Elizabeta covered her mouth with a small smile, "It appears he's discovered something new," she said softly. Lovisa glanced over at her curiously. "He is using the power of sight," Elizabeta said quietly, "He is seeing beyond what there is to see."
"How do you know?" Lovisa asked staring at Tino and it looked like he was just looking back and forth confused between the two groups.
"The change in his eyes," she replied. "Although he does need to be careful, using magic so soon could hurt him."
"He has a beast," Tino said interrupting whatever was being said. He didn't hear anything at all but turned towards Erik with the large wolf curled beside his feet. "He has a beast, just like the rest of you." A thick silence filled the air and Berwald looked down at Tino, that's when he realized the lovely lavender eyes had changed to silver, he could hardly see his pupil at all. "I can see all of them, your wolves," he said softly. "Mathias has one just like the rest of you."
Erik turned to Mathias and scowled, "Are you hiding it from us?"
"Of course not," Mathias replied. "Why would I do something like that?"
Tino stared at them a little longer and then the colors faded and when he blinked again everything went back to normal. He held his head and stumbled back a little with Berwald once again catching him before he fell. "You shouldn't have used magic so soon," he said.
"I-I"m sorry," Tino whispered, "I didn't know I was using magic," he whispered.
"Did you do what you have to?" Rasmus asked looking at Mathias. Mathias didn't respond and looked away instead.
"How many souls did you have?" Erik asked.
"Souls?" Lukas repeated looking at Mathias who stayed quiet.
Lovisa sighed and stood up from where she was and walked towards them. "In order to harness the beast one must give 1000 souls of beast or man. These souls are required in order to shift, once that happens the user must maintain the bloodlust of the beast or they risk losing their sanity and turning completely into a beast." She stopped just beside Tino looking at him to make sure he was okay and then turned to look at Mathias and Lukas, "How many souls did you get, Mathias?"
"I'm not a monster," Mathias said.
"How many?" Erik growled.
"I need one more," Mathias replied with his eyes closed. "I just couldn't go through with it."
"One?" Rasmus repeated. "Are you kidding me? You needed just one more soul?" he snapped.
"You don't understand," Mathias growled.
"Then, by all means, explain," Rasmus said exasperatedly.
"I don't want to be a monster!" Mathias snapped back. "I don't want to have to constantly crave bloodshed in order to keep my own sanity. I won't do it!"
"You're willing to lose your life over one meaningless soul?" Rasmus growled. "You're being childish!"
"Rasmus," Lovisa says looking over at her son. "I understand your frustration, but clearly you don't see the good that's come out of all of this." Rasmus furrowed his eyebrows and Lovisa turned looking at the two of them. "If Mathias had gone through with it, then he would have never met him," she said motioning toward Lukas. "Clearly the two care about one another."
Lukas stood frozen staring up at Mathias. 1000 souls, he's killed almost a 1000 people or animals. But he just needed one more soul and he would become a beast. A monster. "What's your name?" Lovisa asked walking towards Lukas.
"Lukas…" he replied in a whisper and Mathias had looked back at him. He reached out to touch Lukas but Lukas was quick to step back letting go of his clothes.
"Lukas," Lovisa smiled noticing how he backed away from Mathias. "May I ask you a question?" Lukas turned to her and nodded. "Has Mathias ever done anything to prove that he may want to hurt you?"
"Of course not," Lukas quickly answered. "He..he would never hurt me."
She smiled, "I understand that taking in this information is hard, and it may be difficult to digest. But, as you said yourself, he's never done anything to want to hurt you. For your sake and for his, please don't think any less of my dear nephew."
Lukas stared silently at her, think any less of him? He slowly turned toward Mathias who stepped toward him carefully. "Lukas," he said quietly extending his hand towards him. Lukas stared at it. How much blood was on his hands? How many men, women, children had he killed? "Lukas, please," he could hear Mathias say.
Mathias felt the lump in his throat grow. Was this the end? Did Lukas really see him as a monster now? The pain his chest kept growing and then Lukas placed his hand on his. "I'm sorry," Lukas whispered. "I know you'd never hurt me," he continued and looked up at Mathias. Mathias smiled softly pulling Lukas by his hand and hugged him tightly.
Lovisa closed her eyes relieved, to say the least, then turned to Erik and Rasmus, "It seems to me as far as we're concerned Mathias Køhler-Oxenstierna is dead. Don't you agree?" she asked looking towards Erik.
Erik sighed and turned away from Mathias, "Agreed." She turned toward Rasmus who also agreed looking away from Mathias as well. "Wonderful," she said, then turned slightly toward Mathias. "Unfortunately, my dear nephew," she said softly with her icy eyes piercing through him. "If we are ever to meet in a public space where more people could possibly recognize you we will have no choice but to kill you. Understood?"
Mathias swallowed the lump in his throat, but nods. She smiles briefly before turning and walking towards Erik. Erik rubbed the back of his neck, "I suppose since you'll be living in the Black Forest and the mansion is also located in the Black Forest then it would be pointless to start tearing it down."
Elizabeta stood up quickly a large smile on her face as she turned toward Gilbert and Ludwig. They seemed surprised and stared at the Duke a little longer, "Th-Thank you!" Elizabeta said walking towards him. "Thank you so much!"
Erik looked over at her. "Thank you," he said and she stared at him turning her head to the side slightly. "You and your friends here have helped us tremendously. I ask that you please continue to watch over my son and his wife." Erik bowed towards her, as did Lovisa and Elizabeta felt her face heat up.
"Of course," she said softly and bowed towards them as well. She then quickly turned to Ludwig and Gilbert before running towards them and embracing them. They did it. Their home was safe! "Everyone is going to be so thrilled!" Elizabeta whispered hugging the other two tightly.
Ludwig nodded in agreement and looked at the Oxesternia's, perhaps he had misjudged them after all. "Does this mean you're finally going to propose to him?" he heard Gilbert say and his face heated up.
Elizabeta pulled away with a wide smile, "I'm sure now that we know our home is safe it would be safe enough for you to do just that."
Ludwig pulled away, "Alright I'm done," he muttered.
"Aw come on," Gilbert and Elizabeta laughed.
Oleo scoffed at the whole scene, "Some heart you all have," he muttered. Everyone turned to him as he glared over the small crowd. "This still doesn't change the fact that you're all nothing but monsters." Tino clenched his jaw as Oleo smiled sadistically towards him, "Soon, Tino, soon," he said. Before he could say anything else he was punched right in the face. Tino jumped up not expecting that and Taisto was shaking his hand.
"About time you shut your damn mouth," he muttered and spat on him.
Tino chuckled softly, but he leaned heavily against Berwald. His head still pounding from having using magic so soon. "He won't do anything," Berwald muttered as Tino looked up at him. He picked Tino up effortlessly. "I promise." Tino stared at him and rested his head on his shoulder closing his eyes softly relaxing in his arms.
"I know," Tino whispered.
There you have it, the next chapter hopefully will come out before the end of this month. Again, thank you so much to everyone who has supported me and I'll be sure to be giving special shout-outs in my next chapter. Also, as always, please leave a review on what you did or didn't like. Would be greatly appreciated, thank you!