"Are you sure he's this way?" Hellboy looked over to his childhood friend.
Sunist's forehead was creased in concentration. "I'm sure."
It had been so sudden, she almost didn't recognize it, but it was there. She could feel Nuada, his presence, like he was right next to her. She could feel where he was-- a magical place kept secret for hundreds of years, yet hidden in plain sight. Then things got a bit fuzzy and her own surroundings started to interfere. She focused, though, and the closer they got, the stronger her senses became again. Nuada was scared, she could tell, or perhaps frustrated, but she kept that part to herself. There was no reason to worry Nuala anymore than necessary.
"There," the princess whispered. The group paused and looked around the area. Fragments of stone spotted the rolling hills, a few half-sturdy structures leaned against each other off to the side. Nuala's yellow eyes were fixated on another, lone building in better shape than the rest, though still fragile-looking. The grass seemed to thin around that building and a sort of force was pushing her away gently. She could feel it now, as well-- her brother was inside that place.
"Let's go," Hellboy said, slinging the Samaritan over his shoulder casually.
"Wait," Liz said, gripping the demon's arm. "Look." She motioned to the guardian statues, wary of their presence.
"What?" he asked, shrugging it off. "They're stone, it's no big deal." As he said this, he ventured closer to the building, eyeing up the guardians. His arrogance getting the best of him, he stopped to stand in front of one, turning to face the group. "See? Just a big pile of pretty rock. Well, maybe not pretty..."
"Um, I wouldn't..."
Abe's warning was too late as the statue's eyes flashed red and the giant creature came to life, cracking sluggishly as it stood upright, nearly doubling its height.
"Oh..." Hellboy looked up at the creature, a sort of child-like amazement adorning his features. "Shit."
Sunist took a step back as the hammer-wielding monster brought its weapon down toward her friend. She held out her hands and closed her eyes, struggling to concentrate. "Druantia, goddess of protection, hear my plea. Give shelter to him!" She opened her eyes to watch as the huge, stone hammer stopped inches away from Hellboy's ducked head, striking a forcefield. The creature stumbled with the impact and she heard her demonic friend shout a quick thanks before pursuing his enemy.
Slightly relieved, she smiled faintly and looked back toward the building. Her eyes widened slightly and a single word was whispered. "Nuada."
Upon catching Sunist's gaze, the prince quickly ducked back into the temple, hoping against all odds (and reason) that she wouldn't follow. He heard her call his name again and gave a soft growl as he tore through the short series of passageways leading to the main chamber.
Paying no mind to the stone creatures on either side of the temple entrance, slowly awakening, Sunist dashed for the opening. She heard a whoosh of flame and knew Liz was joining her boyfriend in the fight. In a low voice, she murmured a protection spell for Abe and Nuala, who weren't the most capable of fighters. Praying that they would all be okay, she followed a trail she didn't know she knew, concentrating on Nuada's presence.
After a short time of running, frantic to catch the prince before it was too later, Sunist burst into the main chamber and skidded to a halt. She took in the surroundings and couldn't help the small shiver that ran down her spine. The air in there was heavy-- she had noticed it getting thicker as she neared the room-- and she knew it must be from the magical protection of the ring. Sure enough, as her eyes laid to rest in the center of the room, she found Nuada standing at the pedestal.
The prince grazed the tips of his fingers over the smooth stone of the ring, jerking around when he heard soft footsteps approaching. "Sunist."
"Is this really what you wanted?" she asked, searching his eyes for any sign of an answer.
Nuada kept her gaze for a moment longer before dropping his eyes back to the ring. "It was," he said, "but now..."
"Now?" she asked, stepping up next to him.
"Don't touch it," he warned, grasping her hand, which had been nearing the ring. "It's dangerous."
"It's powerful," she whispered, "too powerful. It has to be stopped."
"There's no stopping it, not now." Nuada shook his head and stepped away from the pedestal, pulling Sunist with him. "You all must leave here immediately."
"No," the brunette said stubbornly, standing her ground. "If we don't stop this, then everything will be..."
"What don't you understand about the word 'impossible'?" Nuada demanded, restraining from getting too upset. He could never understand how someone could be so naive and think that there was an answer to everything.
Before she could respond, a far-off shout was heard and growing louder by the second. The pair watched as Hellboy came sliding down the passage, finally stopping as he smacked against the barrier protecting the pedestal. He groaned and stood up, rubbing the back of his head. He gave the inanimate object a glare before looking to his childhood friend. "How do we destroy it?"
"I don't know," she murmured. "Perhaps Abe could..."
"We don't have time for that," the demon told her, motioning upward. Their heads turned to look through a broken piece of ceiling where the guardians were gathered around, peering through at him. "You can break that seal with magic, can't you?"
"I might be able to, but I don't know at all the incantation or-"
"Take a guess."
"That's dangerous!"
Hellboy grabbed the young woman and darted out of the way as a large chunk of stone came hurdling down where they were standing. Nuada jumped to the side as well as the boulder hit the pedestal and crumbled into gravel. Hellboy gave her a look, as if to say this wasn't much safer.
"Alright, alright," she grumbled. "Don't need to give me that look."
As she approached the pedestal, Nuada grabbed her arm. "Use the Elemental Release spell."
"That spell," she whispered. "I don't know if I can..."
"You can." The two locked eyes for a moment before the female finally nodded and stood back toward the entrance way, extending her arms.
"Arianrhod, goddess of wind; Bel, goddess of fire; Cerridwen, goddess of earth; and Llyr, god of water. Hear my prayers, answer my call. Burn away all that stands in my path, destroy that which prohibits me." Her eyes shutting tightly, Sunist's arms became engulfed in a fiery blaze. Her palms spread open wide as she continued the incantation. "Don, goddess of control, guide my will through my fingertips. Give me your strength!" A soft gasp and a violent shudder went through Sunist's body as the flames shot out from the palms of her hands, steam rising from the pillars as water burrowed through them. Fire-engulfed vines wrapped around the pedestal as a strong gust of wind expanded the flames to engulf the magical item.
Closing her hands tightly, her fingernails cutting into her skin, the brunette's eyes opened wide. "Release!"
With her hands snapping open again, a large surge of blue energy rocketed down the pillars of flames, electrifying the vines and water. As Sunist's energy struck the pedestal, the opposing forces exploded, knocking the sorceress back into a crumbling wall.
"Sunist!" Hellboy raced toward his friend, dodging falling chunks of stone. He reached her and, finding that she had been rendered unconscious, scooped her up into his arms. "Let's go!" he shouted, looking over his shoulder for Nuada.
The prince was staring, wide-eyed, at the pedestal, which was shining a bright green through the flame and crackling energy. Suddenly, the ring, embedded deep in the stone, cracked and violent tremors shook the building. Nuada vaguely heard Hellboy calling his name, and the next thing he knew, he was being drug through the passageways to the safer world outside.
"Red!" Liz raced to meet the group, followed quickly by Abe and Nuala. The brunette was handed off to Nuada as Liz attached herself to her boyfriend.
"Will she be alright?" Abe asked, looking down worriedly as the blonde laid her on the ground.
"She just hit her head," Nuada told him, keeping his yellow eyes trained on the woman's pale face. A deep, groaning sound caught the group's attention and they turned to watch as the building collapsed in upon itself, the giant guardians crumbling to dust.
"Is it over?" Abe asked, timidly, one arm hooked securely around Nuala's waist.
"Yeah," Hellboy sighed, turning his attention to the one that put them all in their current mess. "You, ya son of a bitch."
"Red..." Sunist stepped in front of the blonde defensively. Nuada watched silently from behind the brunette, his face expressionless as ever.
"He nearly destroyed the world, and you're gonna let him off without getting the crap beat out of him? I don't think so."
"I understand, but you can't just-"
"No." The prince's voice cut Sunist off as he stepped forward. "He's right, I put you all in danger. However," he looked to Hellboy, "he knows, deep down, that what I would have done wouldn't have been all that bad."
The demon gave a soft growl. "Don't talk like you know me."
"Come on," Liz said, grabbing his hand. "Let's just be happy we're not all dead and go home."
"Excellent idea, Liz," Abe agreed. Next to him, Nuala nodded.
"Why aren't you all more upset about this?" When receiving no response other than a handful of 'what did you expect?' looks, he hung his head in defeat. With Liz on one arm, he led the party home.
Worst ending ever. I'm so cheap. The next chapter is sort of a follow-up, even though it takes place immediately following them arriving home. It's my lame way of including the required smut scene. I'm awful. Read on~