Antonio marched into Arthur's office. He slammed the door opened. Arthur jumped from his desk and Lukas nearly dropped a potion. Antonio looked between them, getting more beast like by the second. Arthur put his hands up and approached him.
"Where's Vlad?" Antonio growled.
"What happened?" Lukas asked.
"Where the fuck is he?" Antonio asked again.
"Right here." Vlad said coming in. "What's wrong."
"Lovino was sexually assaulted by a ghost." Antonio nearly yelled. "Vlad, I'm done waiting. You need to get these assholes out of my castle, tonight."
"I can't do that." Vlad said calmly. "To do that now would put me and them at risk."
"You know what?" Antonio said. "I don't care. My family, is at risk. I have almost been killed twice in my bed, my husband in the bath, my brother down the steps. My unborn child is at risk! I'm so fucking done. My husband was raped, my child is in danger."
"I..." Vlad started. "Ok."
"Wait, really?" Lukas asked. "What risk are we at...?"
"Being killed." Vlad said and started gathering up his supplies. "But I suppose we've been at risk this whole time, so why wait. We've moved on most of the minor spirits.. I was hoping to do this with as few variables as possible but Antonio's right. If we keep waiting for the perfect time one of them will die."
"What do we need to do?" Antonio asked.
"I need you, Lovino and Dimas in the main all after sunset. Tell everyone else to go right to bed. The farther they are the less at risk they are. You will need that comb of Lovino's in case the Queen turns into a Lich on the spot... And you must be willing to apologize for killing. Even if it was in self defence. This will help them all move on."
"Yes, ok. We'll be ready."
000
Antonio, Lovino and Dimas stood in the foyer a ring of salt around them. 7 Red candles were placed around the circle and were all lit. Vlad, Lukas and Arthur all stood in front holding red candles. Vlad gave a heavy sigh.
"The salt is your protection." Vlad said. "Do not step outside the circle. Let's get this done." He closed his eyes and opened them, and they lit up red.
"Spirits, I call you forth to face your past and move on from this world. I call your name for it's power will bind your will and draw you forth, Sadiq!" At the top of the stairs the ghost of Sadiq appeared, pale and billowing he stared Vladimir down. "Sadiq, as my power as guardian of the dead, I unbind you from the queen!" Sadiq screamed and came down the steps his form changing, before stopping just before Vladimir. He was no longer pale, but rather how he looked in life. But something was off... He almost looked like a painting...
"You are free from her clutches." Vladimir said. Sadiq took off his hat, mask and scarf and let them turn to dust. His face was scarred not only from Dimas, but from the killing blow Lovino had made. "Your soul must make peace with it's killer." Vladimir turned to Lovino.
"I'm sorry." Lovino said. "I'm sorry you had to die, but I knew you would never stop coming. I needed to protect my lover." Lovino said to him. "I'm sorry it had to end that way."
"Oh Lovino." His voice was soft, and he smiled. For the first time, Sadiq really smiled. "I always knew one of us was going to kill the other. You simply played your part in the horror that was our love story. You chose the wolf over the hunter, so I had to go. I forgive you, and will always, always love you."
"Move on spirit, Sadiq." Vladimir yelled.
Sadiq smiled and slowly his body turned to dust. Arthur's candle, went out.
"I call the next spirit forward. I call your name for it's power will bind your will and draw you forth Ivan!" Ivan formed at the top of the stairs, his hat low on his face and his scarf pulled up high. He was just as ghostly as Sadiq had been. He laughed.
"Hah..." It echoed off the walls.
"First, I use my power as guardian to unbind you from the would be lich who controls you!" He yelled "Come forth and face your maker!" He yelled again. Ivan came down the stairs, the pale and white melting off him. He looked like he had in the Prison, cocky and playful... But no longer sinister. He pulled his hat off and his scarf down. His face and neck were torn away, his jaw almost hanging off.
"Ivan." Dimas said "You weren't my kill."
"No I wasn't." Ivan said perfectly despite his jaw.
"You were destined to be killed by my brother. But you had to die to protect him and the ones I love. So. I'm sorry for that."
"It's fine." Ivan said pulling his scarf back up. "It was a good death. A nice fight with a sinner, only to be ripped to sheds... Couldn't have asked for a better way to go." He laughed "Hah. Well, perhaps we will meet in hell Dimas. Maybe we'll even be cellmates in our damnation."
"Move on spirit, Ivan." Vladimir said.
Ivan waved goodbye as he turned to dust, his laugh echo as he did. Lukas' candle went out.
"Spirit, I call you forth. I do not know your name for it is lost to us all. But I ask to make a deal." He said "I have what you need. To be a Lich." A horrifying Skeletal figure appeared before them. She wore a long dress, decayed by the years and covered in cobwebs. "Free the soul to which you are using to gain access to the king! And you shall have what you seek."
Maria, flew from the queen and gave a scream before she turned to how she was in life. Young and beautiful. She looked to Antonio and Dimas, tears in her eyes. Then she saw Lovino's rounded tummy. She smiled.
"A baby girl." She said. "Name her well." And she vanished into light.
The queen cackled looking into Lovino, before turning to Vlad.
"Give it to me. Guardian."
"As Guardian of the dead. Witch, I give you permission to be a Lich. Now and forever." She cackled loudly and went up in flames. All the candles went out.
"Wow..." Antonio breathed. "Is it over...?"
"For now." Vlad said. "She isn't done yet. I could tell. You won't see her for some time. I will stay until she does."
"When will she be back?" Lovino asked.
"Who knows. A few weeks at least." Vlad said. "A year? You will know when she returns... She likes the fanfair."
"What do we do in the mean time?" Dimas asked.
"Live. Be happy. It's almost over. The next part is both the easiest and the hardest. Enjoy now. It might be all we have."
