They were not aware of each other as they saw a landscape burned beyond recognition. Everywhere burned. Buildings were crumpled in places. Screams rang in their ears. They stood side by side, holding hands. The bead dangling between them.
Something whipped over their head and Maizie gaped as she saw a dragon flying spewing fire, burning what lied there. A shadowed figure sat upon the large flying creature. At first, they couldn't see who it was but as it banked around, Maizie gasped.
It was Hellboy in all his glory. His stoned hand held a flaming sword aloft over his head. A flame crafted into a crown sat between his sharpened horns. Future Hellboy roared as he claimed victory.
Before either could say a word, their bodies pulled backwards.
Maizie gasped as she was pulled out of her vision. She looked up to meet Hellboy's eerily golden eyes. She stumbled and Hellboy caught her.
"Hellb-" she began before her eyes glazed over white again. They grunted as they were pulled into a vision again. Her back arched.
They stood on grass. The landscape was beautiful. No fire had ravaged the land. They heard laughter and their heads swiveled to the sound. Children ran barefoot. Two of them with mop of black hair and red skin. A younger one chased them, her skin a light blue. One shifted from their red form into pale human skin.
"No fair! No shifting! Dad! He's cheating!"
Hellboy's hand gripped Maizie's tightly.
"Boy!"
Hellboy's voice rang. Their eyes widened as future Hellboy stepped towards them.
"What have I said about cheating?"
The one who shifted rolled his eyes, "Sorry dad. No cheating allowed." He shifted back into his red form, his little tail swishing. The sound of a woman giggling had them turn their heads to see Liz watching the scene.
The scene ended abruptly as Maizie fell to her knees. She struggled to stay conscious. She looked up at Hellboy. The beads were in her hand, and she threw it up. Hellboy caught it.
She whispered, "Remember who you are. Choose the future you want."
The beads burned in his hands, and he opened it to let it drop. It left behind a burned imprint. He looked down at Maizie then up at Rasputin. He raised his arms and gripped his horns. He screamed as he pulled and snapped off the horns, breaking the connection.
"No!" Rasputin yelled.
The last hole clicked, and the lights from the column dissipated. The sky above them cleared up. The moon finished the eclipse and went back white. Hellboy dropped one horn and with one in his hand, he went to Rasputin and stabbed him in the stomach. Rasputin dropped to his knees.
"What have you done?" Rasputin rasped.
Hellboy went to Maizie and helped her up. They both looked at him.
"I chose."
Rasputin let out a small scream of frustration as Hellboy stepped up towards Liz. He leaned over Liz. Maizie spotted one of the belts and picked it up over her shoulder.
"You will never fulfill your destiny. You will never understand the power inside you," Rasputin said.
Hellboy lifted Liz into his arms, "I can live with that."
He stepped down back to Maizie. She gripped Hellboy's jacket for support and together they started walking. Hellboy stopped when he felt something crack under his foot. He lifted it up. A glass eye was smashed.
Rasputin chuckled, "Child…"
Hellboy and Maizie turned to look at him. "Look at what you've done…"
Rasputin's eye socket was empty. Tentacles shifted inside the hold.
"You've killed me-an insignificant man…" He rasped. "But you have brought forth a God."
He opened his robe to reveal more tentacles spilling out of his wound. Maizie's eyes widened. Hellboy barely made a reaction.
"Myers, let's go."
They left the room as Rasputin continued to spew his words. He no longer had an audience.
"Behold, my master, Behemoth. Guardian of thresholds, destroyer of worlds."
The creature broke free from Rasputin's body. Rasputin lie dead on the ground. The woman crawled over to him and laid next to him. The creature rapidly grew before their eyes. A tentacle whipped up into the air and fell on top of them.
Outside of the room, they ran through the corridor until they were a distance away. Hellboy slowed down and Maizie followed. He set Liz down on the ground. Maizie looked at the belt on her shoulder. The timer had been destroyed.
"She destroyed the timer. It's probably useless at this point."
She watched Hellboy lightly graze Liz's chin with a thumb. Her heart clenched. Her friend was gone.
"Hellboy…" Maizie whispered.
Hellboy stood up and turned to her. He threw an arm around her and pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Maizie was confused. He pulled back.
"For what?"
"For showing me a future."
In that moment, she realized he had been there with her. She remembered holding his hand.
"You saw that?"
Hellboy nodded.
"I didn't-I don't-"
Hellboy grabbed her, "It's okay. We'll figure it out when we get back."
"But Liz…how?"
He looked down at her. He shook his head.
"I don't know. But your vision showed me it'll be okay."
Maizie couldn't speak. She was stunned that somehow, he was able to see the future with her. Hellboy squeezed her gently. Maizie looked at Hellboy.
"Keep her safe. No matter what. I'll deal with whatever's back there," Hellboy said, as he took the belt from her.
Maizie cocked an eyebrow, "Alone?"
He shrugged and gave a smile, "How big can it be?"
Then suddenly before Maizie's eyes, a large tentacle came whipping through, wrapped itself around Hellboy and pulled back. She ducked in reflex as Hellboy yelled through the corridor. She straightened up once he disappeared. She took a deep breath then looked down to Liz. She kneeled and felt for a pulse. There were none. While Hellboy dealt with the supposed god, she went about trying to bring Liz back. She pulled her down and started giving her CPR. She heard all the roaring and the clashing and the banging in the background. Hellboy's roaring. Minutes went by as her efforts were in vain.
How can the future come true if Liz is dead?
She sighed as she slowed to a stop. She set her head on Liz's chest. She exhausted her efforts. The noise died down after a large explosion and she sat back up. She put her hands under Liz and set her back against the wall. She could hear Hellboy's running footsteps echoing. She tried for a pulse one last time. Her head ducked just as Hellboy rounded the corner. She met Hellboy's eyes and shook her head.
"She hasn't got a pulse."
Hellboy sighed. Footsteps echoed from the other direction and Manning appeared. Maizie stood up as Hellboy took her spot. She stepped back and met with Manning. Together they stood and watched. Hellboy pulled Liz's chin up and leaned down. He set his head on hers and whispered into her ear. He then pulled back and waited. Maizie almost wanted to cry.
Then Liz took a deep breath. She moaned. Maizie sighed in relief. Somehow…someway…Hellboy brought her friend back. The adrenaline began to fade. She watched as Liz woke up and saw Hellboy. He gave her a smile and he stood up, giving her a hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up to stand. They embraced into a hug.
The aftereffects of the two visions pulled at her. Maizie dropped her shoulders. She watched as they whispered words she couldn't hear. Liz leaned her head back and they kissed. Blue flames rose and enveloped them. Blackness began to rim her eyes until all she could see was them in the fire.
"Manning," Maizie whispered.
Manning turned to her, "Hmm?"
"Catch me."
Manning barely had the chance to process what she said before Maizie blacked out. She fell backwards and Manning caught her. He stood with her in his arms wrapped around her. Her legs limp on the ground. The flames died down as Hellboy and Liz pulled apart. They looked over to Manning. Liz pulled up her wrapping as Hellboy stepped back. She followed him as he went to Manning. He slipped his arms under Maizie and pulled her. Maizie settled into his arms.
He looked over to Liz, "Let's go home."
