Armageddon

“Remove yourself from my person or I’ll break your fingers,” she hissed. Everything about him seemed to falter. His mouth hung slightly, and he hesitantly pulled himself back. “Let’s get one thing straight, Michael. I will never marry you, nor will I ever lead an army against the kind people of the world. I have met incredible beings out here, generally thoughtful and extremely generous. Gentlefolk.” She stood up, dusting off her pants. “I will deliver you home, and then I’m going to go home myself. Do you understand? I renounce your obligation to me; I am ending our engagement.” She turned on her heel and walked downstream a. Something colorful caught her attention and she focused in on a bush with small red berries hanging off the thin stems. “I found some raspberries; we can eat these.” Tia knelt before the bush, reaching a hand into the thicket.

A familiar Tooth Fairy suddenly jumped into her outstretched palm. It took everything in her power to not show any emotion. Using her other hand, she began to pluck the berries and roll them into her palm. The small fruit gathered around his tiny claws and he surveyed the Human male carefully. As softly as he could he whispered, “Milady, King Vlad lives. I have searched for you for many hours, I will report your safety to him now. He will come and rescue you.” He turned and disappeared from the darkness whence he came. She pulled her hands out of the brush, holding the berries to her heart.

King Vlad. Vlad was appointed King. Staring in shock she didn’t notice as Michael kneeled next to her. He grabbed a few berries himself and studied them. “How far do we have to go?” He asked. She jumped, realizing how close he was for the first time.

“Ooh, um. It’s just another day’s walk down stream. If I recall, this is the stream that carries the mountain water into Bear Lake.”

He looked downstream; the curvature of the land leading deeper into the mountain passes. “So home is just beyond that ridge?”

She nodded, eating a few of the berries. “That’s right.”

“Good.” He grabbed her by the hair with one hand and forced her down with the other. She screamed in surprise as he twisted her hands behind her back. She shoved him off, surprised at just how weak he was compared to her. He stumbled back, catching himself before landing in the mud.

“What do you think you are doing?” She demanded, kicking a vine he had dropped to the side.

“You’ve gone mad!” He shouted, jumping at her again. She dodged easily, spinning around behind him. “You’ve fallen for that monster, haven’t you?! You’re sick!” Though the words were sharp, they were without accusation- he was speaking to her as if she were crazy. “I will deliver you to your father and we’ll get you help; it will all be okay.” She dodged him again, unable to find a response to him.

“How in the hell did you manage to win my hand in marriage?” She demanded, jumping out of his reach. His face was red, and a vein was protruding from his forehead. His anger seemed to be seething off him. She dodged him once more, her foot slipping in the mud. She fell into the water with a gasp. It wasn’t deep enough for her to go under, but she choked on a good amount of it as the air escaped her lungs. Disorientated, she struggled to get up. Michael leaped on her, lifting a rock out of the water. His eyes were cold.

“I hope this doesn’t kill you.” He brought the rock down on her skull.

The pain was excruciating. She cried out, black spots dancing in her vision. He lifted the rock again, holding her down in the water. She scratched at his arms, drawing blood. He gasped and jerked his grip on her. The water clouded her sight and she gurgled a scream, the taste of blood filling her mouth. She was abruptly released from his hold, and with his weight no longer pressing her down, she sat up, crawling onto her hands and knees. Blood sprayed the ground as she coughed and gagged. Her hand shakily touched the side of her head, and the sharp pain that ran down her spine forced a cry out of her lips. Gingerly she looked up into the tormented face of Vladimir.

His sight was locked onto her, his expression mirroring the mixed emotions plaguing his heart. His black cloak was still forming out of the darkness, the folds of the fabric falling around his feet. He held Michael by the throat, dragging the Human next to him, choking him painfully, slowly. His eyes bulged out of his head, his fingers scraping at Vlad.

“Drop him,” Tia choked, her dizzy gaze unable to rest on one thing for long. She sagged to the ground, noticing the little black Imp next to her. Malone chittered as he looked her over, something sad about those green eyes that were too large for his head.

Michael fell to the ground, violently coughing himself and rolling away from Vlad. Vladimir dropped to his knees before her, his hands fluttering over her. He seemed at a loss completely. His voice failed him, and a single tear fell down his pale cheek. She grabbed his wrist, willing herself to meet his gaze.

“It’s okay, I’m okay.” She tried a smile, but it felt strained.

“Oh Tia,” he cried, cupping her face in his hands.

“I’m so happy you’re alive. I was scared,” she whispered. Her vision darkened. He shook his head, but her gaze focused on the male behind him. She opened her mouth to scream, but Michael attacked faster. With a large branch held in his grip, he smashed it against Vlad’s head. Vlad let out a strangled noise before collapsing to the ground next to Tia. She cried in terror, grabbing at the Fae Wolf.

Michael came up next to her, pulling her away from the stunned wolf of a man. He grabbed her by the hair, yanking her down the river. Vlad grunted, grabbing at the dirt. His skin began to turn to black, his eyes glossing over in complete darkness. “You are coming with me,” Michael yelled at Tia, dragging her through the water. “We’ll get you help, rest assured.”

“Let me go!” She wailed, disoriented still.

“Tiana!” Vlad choked, standing on his hands and knees, the darkness swirling around him. His form began to change shape then, and the sound of bones breaking cracked through the air. Michael watched in horror as his human form twisted, dissolved, shifted until one last arch of his back changed him into the wolf that he was.

Several more horns stuck out of his fur than before, all the way down his shoulder blades, and fire ignited around his heels. He seemed nearly twice as large as he had been just hours before. The water around him bubbled and began to pull back as if the fire were burning it away. He stepped forward, the water hissing and steaming away from his paws. He stumbled and fell into the mud, growling in frustration. The water around him turned red as it continued to bubble and hiss.