Heroes of the Past and Present

Disclaimer: Do not own Victorious, do not own the video game

A/N:

Chapter 36 (The Last Straw)

Trina entered the Templar Hall with Bethany, Tori, and Sinjin. It was time to inform Meredith about her son, then Trina was going to be able to return home and hopefully deal with Erin Lamont. She had a new lease on life now, a new plan and a new idea. It was still hard for her to know what was best in regards to people like Tori's friends, but she was willing to give more chances with a reasonable amount of watchfulness. Not to mention, both her father and Tori were ever watchful.

Even if she hadn't seen it much in the past, she knew how much they cared. Hell, it was Tori that gave Seth the shiner for making Robbie and Cat break it off with Trina by way of song.

"Sarah's coming soon, right?" Tori looked over her shoulders at the gate, frowning slightly. Sarah hung back a bit to look after her baby, and would be coming by shortly to see how things were going for Orsino and Meredith. "I wonder if Meredith's too lost yet…"

"As long as nothing happens to further increase the growing insanity, sure." She really did hope to be able to change whatever past there was, but she had a growing sensation telling her the inevitable was to come. "At the same time, I'd like to just go home. I'm missing dad too much now, and really would like having my first real date with my boyfriend…" Sinjin smirked and Tori beamed at the two, grinning from ear to ear.

She glanced over her shoulder at the gate and started to wonder if they ought to turn back around. The entrance to the Gallows opened after Lowtown, and for some reason, she felt as though she were to be going that way. "Hey Trina, I have a question." She glanced back at Tori and shrugged as they moving into the hallway with the offices. "Andre told me he likes me and wants to get to know me more. I'm just wondering your thoughts…"

"Really now?" This wasn't a surprise to her, Sinjin told her already of the conversation she had with Andre. "Since when do you need my opinion on who you date, Tori?" Tori put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, frowning as Trina flashed a coy smirk.

"Since you're my sister."

"Can't argue with that logic," Bethany laughed. Tori giggled and Trina rolled her eyes, smiling to cover up her own laugh. She didn't want to upset her sister by telling her she didn't think Andre was right for her, though her opinion may be a tad biased.

"I don't know Tori. I'm thinking it's like this, Andre doesn't have a whole lot of respect and seems to be as much of a ladies guy as Robbie is. I mean, you tell me how many girls he goes through in a single week." Tori flattened her lips and slowly nodded. Heaviness grew in Trina's chest, but she continued, fully wanting to protect her sister from getting hurt. "I think you should also see what Dad has to say about it too. I mean already one of his daughters is starting to date again…" She pointed to Sinjin, and Tori nodded once more. Their dad usually liked to know before the fact too. Sinjin was an odd case, however, since he'd known their father for a while now. Likely, David would want to discuss dating his daughter with Sinjin either way.

"Andre has been one of the ones that did you some damage in the past. So, maybe no dating him until I've gotten to see him around my family a little more? Is that fair?"

"Sure, give it some time and see how he is. Don't just jump in, I don't want to see you be another 'flavor of the week', if you will." Tori let out a sigh and the others stopped walking, pausing outside Meredith's office door. "Think about it first. I mean there was Danny, who tried to mess with me and my best friend, then went on to date you…look how that ended up. Some other guy you dated, Adam, who was a punk. Then you dated that one guy that was going between you and Carly, that girl from Seattle. I don't want you to be hurt again, you don't need the same history with guys that I have."

"Yeah…So I guess you and Sinjin feel strongly that I shouldn't date him right now?"

"That's just our opinion, sure. At the same time, you should do what your heart wants. Don't let everyone else tell you what to do." Tori smiled finally and reached over, taking Trina's hand.

"Thanks sis…I love you."

"Love you too." Bethany looked between the two with a smile and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms.

"You two have a great relationship, I'm glad to see it." They glanced over and Trina felt a split moment of joy rise up inside. Bethany pushed herself from the wall, stepping behind the girls and placing her hands on their shoulders. "Men will come and go, friends drift apart, even parents and extended relatives may fall by the wayside. Sisters, though…siblings are forever. Never forget that. Ever."

Trina gave Tori's hand a squeeze and nodded to Bethany, "We may have our moments, but I don't think I could ever forget that." Tori hugged her tight and held on with an ironclad grip. Sinjin and Bethany watched with mixtures of pride and amusement until Trina finally managed to pry her sister loose. Tori had been excessively clingy since she woke up, but truly she wasn't surprised. "I guess I forgot how much my sis needed me growing up…" More than anyone else, they needed one another. Like Trina had been when Tori and Sinjin were hit, Tori had been terrified for her when she was unconscious.

"All right enough sentimental stuff," Tori cleared her throat and started adjusting the robe Bethany had given to her to blend in with the time. "We should catch Meredith now." A guard stepped out of Meredith's office and stopped for a moment until Sinjin informed them they were there for the woman.

"She stepped out," The guard replied much to their surprise, "You may catch her, she left about a minute ago."

With that, they made haste towards the gate leading out of the Gallows and towards Lowtown where they found Meredith and Orsino at the entrance. They froze in place and Trina watched in horror as Orsino stood over Meredith, having attacked her out in the open. "What is going on here?!" She exclaimed, rushing to Meredith's side. She started to pull the woman up, seeing an enraged and wild look in her eyes. Whatever was going on was feeding into the madness already in her through that strange idol from the deep roads.

"All I did was tell him you were out looking for our son." Orsino crossed his arms and Trina narrowed her eyes. Meredith was out of breath and looked as ready to kill as Orsino did. She wasn't sure if she could diffuse this bomb. "He started attacking me, saying I was not to speak of the child…People will know, Orsino."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," he growled. "Can you imagine the scandal that would break if people discovered I had a child with the knight commander?" Trina had to wonder if this person was an ancestor of one of her exes, he reminded her of them to great expenses, though she was certain he didn't have any other descendents.

"It doesn't matter anyway," She muttered. The two looked over at her, beckoning for her to clarify. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Meredith, I didn't want to have to tell you like this…Zander did have Sarah, we rescued her, but it was at great cost. Almost everyone on our side nearly died and Zander…didn't survive the fight…"

"What!" Meredith's eyes widened and she slowly fell to her knees, clutching her hand to her chest. Orsino was stunned, but his lips were slowly beginning to form a cocky smirk as Meredith wept for the son she would never hold. "I-It can't-I don't want…" Her hand flew to her mouth and she wept bitterly. Trina's heart broke at the sight and she moved her hand up, patting Meredith on the back.

"I'm so sorry…Look, he was planning on killing both of you. I don't know if he could be talked out of it, we tried but he was adamant." The woman buckled over, holding her arms around her waist as Orsino began to chuckle. Trina felt a rush of anger run through her as she shot him a glare.

"I shouldn't be surprised," the man snarled. Trina sneered, believing she herself should not be surprised that Orsino was acting as an asshole in this moment. How could he not even care about his own son's life? "At least that problem is dealt with, now we just need to deal with your problem…You still wish to expose my secrets?"

Meredith let out a wild scream, her eyes burning with rage, "You asshole!" The woman broke from Trina and rose up, throwing a heavy fist for Orsino. The man only slithered back and removed his staff from his back, swinging it in an arc and slamming it against Meredith's head. Tori gasped out and Trina froze in shock as Meredith staggered back, bleeding from the blow. "Y-You…"

"As if it should come to a shock to you that I would strike you down. All you care about is eliminating blood mages and removing me from my position. That being said, I think it's clear which of us is better fit for command in this town…and it is not you."

Trina clenched her eyes as she recalled vivid memories of Michael and another ex, Ross, throwing her around. She stumbled backwards, unable to respond and help Meredith out. The only thing that pulled her out from the frightening images was hearing Sarah's voice. When she opened her eyes, Sarah was there with all of her companions, and Meredith was saying something about the Grand Cleric. Both Orsino and Meredith were trying to convince Sarah that they were right, only Sarah was already briefed about the situation.

"Sorry Orsino," Sarah helped Trina to her feet and glared at the First Enchanter. "You can't sway me to your side, not after the treatment you've given to Meredith. Crazy as she has become, I can't stand with someone who threw away his child like trash."

"What?!" Orsino cried out in rage and immediately turned to Meredith. "You told her!"

"She already knew." Meredith felt her jawbone and groaned as Orsino huffed at her. "I'm putting a stop to you, I'm going to Elthina…" Trina was sure Elthina would and could help, after all, she was Meredith's closest friend and confidant.

Just as the thought came to mind, Trina recalled her father's devastating stories. She looked to Sinjin, who was already sweating and eyeing the Chantry in the distance. Anders stepped forward, saying something about how Elthina would not be able to help. Trina heard Sinjin curse under his breath and Meredith's eyes widened in horror as Sarah questioned what the hell Anders was talking about.

In that moment, much to the horror of everyone nearby, an explosion tore through the sky. Trina studied the mushroom cloud as her heart shattered into pieces and Sebastian fell to his knees. "I removed the chance of compromise," Anders began, "Because there can be no compromise." Sinjin shouted at Anders, screaming that he'd killed all the innocents. At this point, whatever sanity had been in Meredith's eyes was gone, she'd become crazed, just as Mr. Vega's stories had always gone.

"Enough!" Meredith cried out, trembling with great force. "I officially invoke the right of annulment." Orsino cursed her, saying that she couldn't do something so drastic. What this was, was an order to purge the Circle of the mages. They would all die for what Anders had done. "The Grand Cleric is dead, slain by magic…"

Trina saw who was to blame here, however. It was not Meredith, not Anders, not the mages, but Orsino. From day one, being pregnant with Orsino's baby brought Meredith nothing but hell. Her view of mages was due to him, her treatment of mages was due to him. Now the war was finally going to break out.

As the fighting began to rage on, Bethany pulled Trina, Tori, and the friends along with her and was trying to convince them to head to the portal and get home. Trina wasn't ready, she wanted to be sure to help her ancestor fight. She knew she couldn't change the tide of battle, but at the very least, she could do something.

Defeated, Bethany had no choice but to take her to the place where Orsino was hiding out while Tori and her friends would wait at the portal. When they arrived, Orsino was glaring down Sarah, Meredith, and the ancestors. "You want blood magic," Orsino scathed, "I'll give you blood magic!" Just then, he slit his arm with a knife, sacrificing his own blood for a ritual involving the dead bodies around him.

Everyone readied their weapons as Orsino began to laugh. The bodies on the ground moved around him, embracing him in a tomb of flesh. His voice started to deepen and curses left his lips as he repeatedly enthused over how enjoyable it would be to destroy every person there.

Thinking fast on a desire to protect those around her, Trina removed the pistol and aimed it at Orsino. He was halfway through his transformation when he turned towards her and locked eyes with her. Sweat poured down her body as her finger trembled over the trigger. "Stand down, Orsino…" She narrowed her eyes as the demon began his approach. "Stand down, you don't have to do this. Don't fight." He raised a fist at her, bringing back the memory of Michael. With a loud scream, she pulled the trigger and fired off an explosion that startled all around them.

Orsino staggered back. His transformation ceased, leaving only his lower body as a grey and bloated monstrosity. His bald forehead held a bullet hole with blood streaming down the side of his face. Trina shuddered in disgust as Orsino crumpled to the ground. She didn't want to have to pull the trigger, she would have preferred Orsino be arrested, but it was one of those times where there likely wasn't another alternative available .

Meredith narrowed her eyes, stepping away from the fray, "That is done." The woman sheathed her blade and looked to Bethany. "Champion, there is still the matter of this mage…" Sarah raised an eyebrow and Trina winced as Bethany quickly looked towards her sister. This was the moment Trina feared, but yet the inspirational moment she always enjoyed hearing of her father's tales. The moment Meredith ordered Sarah to kill her own sister and Sarah's refusal to do so.

"That's where I draw the line," Sarah moved in front of Bethany and narrowed her eyes. "No harm comes to my sister." Meredith scowled and turned away quickly, ordering Sarah to meet her in the courtyard where the final dramatic fight would take place.

Trina knew how the ending would come and opted not to watch as Meredith accused Sarah and the Templar Captain of being influenced by magic. Meredith used the powers given to her blade by the idol from the deep roads to call the statues in the Gallows to action.

It was a long and grueling battle, but eventually Sarah won out. As Meredith tried to make a final attempt to strike, the insanity from the idol became too much for her. It was as if cursed by the very same magic that struck Sarah unconscious. Meredith turned to stone and crumbled upon being touched by a templar. All the Templars bowed before Sarah and the other ancestors. The only one not there was Anders, who had been executed by Sarah for his crime.

Now that the fight was over, it would be time to start heading home and time to take out Erin Lamont. Assuming she could be found and stopped. For now, all that mattered to Trina was that her ancestor was safe, and so were her sister and sister's friends.

As far as the past goes, all is safe. Now there's one last thing for the group to deal with.