This was only a game to Anne. It was a game to see just how much pain she could unleash upon the Guardians. The battle with Abby and Anna had barely lasted three minutes and Anna could barely stand and Abby was on the verge of collapsing. Anne stood there, looking at them both.
�Look, are you trying to make me laugh? You call yourselves Guardians?! HA! You can�t even defeat a simple vampire!!� Anne laughed. Anna sneered at Anne.
�You aren�t a normal vampire dammit!� She cried. Anne raised an eyebrow at her in question.
�Me? Not a normal vampire?� She said in shock. �No, I can�t believe it! I never thought I was different!�
�Stop with the joking!� Anna cried. Abby slid the back of her hand across her mouth, wiping away the blood that flowed from the corners of her mouth.
�Too bad you both have to die, I really did like you two. But then again, that was before I became this and found that power makes the world go round.�
�So all you care about is how much power you have?� Abby asked. Anne shifted her gaze to her. �You truly are pathetic, Anne. The Anne we know would never think that power is everything. That Anne was loyal and wouldn�t hurt her friends.�
�You think you can still bring that Anne back, don�t you? You think if you make me remember what we all once had it�ll awaken the Anne you think is merely �asleep� within me. Well, you�re wrong. The Anne you once knew and loved was human. I am vampire. She had feelings, I do not. In the world of darkness, if you have power, you live. The motto is, The strong shall live and the weak shall die. For 500 years I have lived by this motto, doing whatever it took to stay alive. However, even those efforts were futile. I lost my children, I lost my trial. I am here to fulfill a Prophecy and nothing can change that destiny.� Silence fell upon the three.
The other Guardians were not faring well against Katar and Cestus. The two vampresses kept doing double attacks, moving faster than the human eye could see. Yet Katar and Cestus were holding back, inflicting only minimal damage on their targets. After all, Anne wanted the pleasure of ripping the Guardians apart.
�Marina, isn�t there something you can do?� Cass asked, barely dodging an attack. Marina looked at her.
�Like what? Use my twin link to Anne and get her to stop all this? Cass, not even I can do that!� Cass shook her head.
�No, not that. I mean, you have the power of Life. Can�t you do something against these two?� Marina blinked.
�Cass, they�re dead, they�re in your Realm, not mine.� Cass blinked a couple times and realized Marina was right.
�Hey, you,� Liesl said to D. He looked at her. �Why don�t you do something? You�ve got a big ass sword.� His blank expression didn�t change.
�I�m waiting for an opening.� He replied, keeping his eye on Cestus� moves. Cestus grinned wickedly and moved in on D for an attack.
Anne slammed Abby into the ground and stood over her, glaring down at her. Abby opened one eye to look up at Anne.
�You two have bored me. It�s time for you to go bye-bye.� Anne aimed her palm at Abby. An energy bolt shot out from her palm and ripped through Abby�s chest. Abby�s eyes went wide and her breath caught.
�Abby!!!!� Anna screamed. Abby slumped backwards and fell still. Her pale eyes gazed up at the night sky. Abby was dead. Anna cried out in rage and flew at Anne. Anne spun and thrust her arm outwards just as Anna closed in. In Anna�s rage, she had forgotten to use her power. However, that didn�t matter anymore. What mattered was that Anne�s arm had punched through Anna�s chest.
For a brief moment, Anne�s eyes went empty and void. For a brief moment, Anna�s face changed into Tenaka�s. Anne pulled her arm free and let Anna�s limp body slump to the ground, next to Abby. Anne stood there, her head bowed, her fists clenched.
I�m still here, Love. Tenaka cooed, wrapping her arms around Anne�s shoulders, embracing her from behind. Katar and Cestus stopped their attacks and backed off.
I know, Tenaka. I know. Anne whispered in reply. Tenaka�s image faded and Anne snapped her head up to glare at the Guardians. Her eyes were deep blood red and her lips were pulled back into a scowl and revealed her elongated incisors. �Now I take my power to the next level.� Anne said almost in a snarl. Anne let out an inhuman roar that nearly shook the earth itself. The Guardians watched in awe. D narrowed his eyes and would attack soon. He was waiting for the perfect moment to do so.
Black demon wings sprouted from Anne�s back. A black kimono-like outfit replaced her clothes. Anne now glared at the Guardians with pure black eyes. She no longer had pupils or irises or white, her eyes were completely black. Her incisors had shrunk back to their normal size.
�Now, I will face Earth and Air.�
�Mother, don�t do this! This isn�t you!!� Morgan cried out. Anne turned her gaze upon him. Her face flickered in and out, being replaced by Ceres�. Morgan�s eyes widened slightly.
�Foolish boy, your foolish mother is mine now!� Ceres said, momentarily replacing Anne. �You wait your turn to die.� Unable to hold on any longer, Ceres melted back into Anne. Heather and Liesl looked at each other, then at Abby and Anna, then back to Anne. They stepped forward with confidence that was beginning to wane, but only slightly.
Kashya just looked at her mother. Never before had she seen such utter hatred and cruelty on her mother�s face. Kashya thought had she seen that more often, she might have liked her mother more. Kashya shook her head to rid herself of that thought. Nothing could�ve made her like her mother more.
Katar and Cestus again stepped forward to keep the other Guardians occupied. Heather and Liesl stepped into a battle they knew they couldn�t win, but would try nevertheless. They knew it was hopeless to try and bring the old Anne back, for her mind was being possessed by a demon that would not let go of it, even in death.
Even as Anne fought, she could feel herself dying, slipping further and further away from herself. Anne knew Ceres� power was growing and enveloping her. Anne pushed the thought away, she had other things to focus on at the moment.
�We will kill you, Anne. The Guardians will always defeat evil, even if the evil is one of us.� Heather said. Anne grinned cruelly.
�You just don�t get it yet, do you? I�m a whole hell of a lot more powerful than all of you put together. All of you are going to die at my hands. Can�t you feel how my power grows by the second?� Anne exclaimed, her voice growing in anger. It also radiated the power that was coursing through her veins.
The very earth itself seemed to shake with each movement Anne made. Heather and Liesl couldn�t stand up to the power Anne had. Both of them took brutal hits. Heather was slumped to her knees, bleeding from cuts and wounds all over her body. She could barely hold her head up anymore. Liesl was on all fours, on the brink of collapsing and laying there until she died.
�And so I bestow upon you your final rest as you meet your mortality!!� Anne exclaimed and fired two energy beams. One ripped through Heather�s chest, the other ripped through Liesl. Both girls� eyes went wide as their breath caught. After a moment, both fell numbly to the ground, losing the battle for survival. Anne lowered her arms to her sides and watched as Katar and Cestus played with the others.
Suddenly, D leapt forward, thrusting his sword outwards to catch Cestus as she passed. Cestus� eyes flew wide, but she couldn�t stop herself. D�s sword sunk into her heart and out her back. Katar stopped and pulled back, looking at her sister in horror.
�Cestus!!� Katar cried. D pulled his sword out of Cestus and stepped back. Cestus collapsed to her knees and started to fall backwards, but was caught up in her sister�s arms. Katar held Cestus tightly. �Don�t leave me,� Katar breathed, tears welling up in her eyes. Cestus smiled faintly and rested her hand against Katar�s cheek.
�I�ll never leave you, my love.� Cestus whispered. Katar bent down and kissed Cestus deeply, a tear falling down her cheek. Katar pulled back after a few moments. Cestus smiled softly.
�I love you,� Katar whispered. Cestus� smile grew. Her hand then slipped from Katar�s cheek and fell to the ground. Cestus� eyes closed and she fell limp in Katar�s arms. Tears flooded Katar�s cheeks and she held Cestus closely and tightly, burying her face against Cestus� chest.
Without an afterthought, D lunged forward and slid his sword through Katar�s back and through her heart. Katar�s crying stopped and a smile graced her face. She lifted her head and looked at Anne. Her eyes shifted to the image of Tenaka standing at Anne�s side.
�Goodbye, mother,� Katar whispered. She then looked at Cestus one last time. �I�m coming, my love.� She whispered. Katar slumped to the ground, still holding onto Cestus, even in death.
Now, my love, get rid of the vampire hunter. Tenaka cooed, brushing her lips against Anne�s neck, a finger trailing across Anne�s chest. Anne closed her eyes a moment, loving the feeling Tenaka gave her. Anne�s eyes opened and she focused her gaze on D, who stood with his sword in hand.
�Now, dhampir, it�s time for you to meet your end.� D�s eyes narrowed.
�You�re wrong, Anne. It is you who will meet your end.� He said, not moving. Anne crossed her arms, looking at him questioningly.
�Oh really? And why do you say that?�
�Evil always loses.�
�Oh so now I�m evil and I lose? I�d like to see what you say when that sword of yours is sticking through your chest.� Anne flew at D, her wings spread wide. D stood his ground and waited until the last moment. He struck out with his sword, but Anne was no longer there. D looked up and saw Anne coming down towards him.
D leapt out of the way of the energy blast. He landed in a squat and watched as Anne hung in the air, looking at him. He wondered what she would do next. Of course, she was a vampire and all vampires were predictable, but this vampire was different from any other vampire he had faced. For this one was the Guardian of Darkness. Of all the Guardians, it was the Guardian of Darkness that he had most feared being born. The Guardian of Darkness was the most easily corrupted Guardian, for her power tended to control her more often than she controlled it.
Then again, that aspect of her power was only because her ancestor, Ceres, couldn�t control her power of Darkness. Through all these centuries that people awaited the birth of the Guardians, D had waited, wondering if one day he would have to dispose of the Darkness Guardian. Here he was, finding himself in a fight with the only thing he truly feared, and truly hated, in the entire world.
No matter how D moved or attacked, it seemed Anne knew what he would do before he did it. She met him at every dodge, at every thrust of his sword. Anne once again hung in the air. D looked up at her and decided on a direct approach. He leapt high into the air and held his sword at the ready. Anne grinned evilly and swung her wing out at him. It turned hard like a shield. D�s eyes widened and the wing hit him, sending him reeling towards the ground. He hit the ground back first and rolled a couple feet, ending up on his stomach. His sword clattered out of his hand. Anne grinned and laughed as she hovered closer to the ground.
�Is that the best you can do, dhampir? You may be half-human, but you are also half-vampire. That means you have the urge to abide by my call, but your resolve is strong. No matter what, no one can deny their vampiric nature forever. Now is when you�ll give in to yours!!� Anne outstretched her arms and enveloped D in a shockwave on energy. D cried out. He had gotten up to his knees and now he was being forced back down onto all fours. �Just give in! You can�t hold out against me forever!!� Anne exclaimed in a demonic voice. Anne increased the amount of energy and power she put into it. D cried out even louder. His head flew back. His eyes were pure white, his mouth was open and his incisors began to grow longer.
After another burst of energy, D�s eyes turned red and his fangs were fully-grown. He let out a roar. Anne stopped the flow of energy, but knew D was still somewhat in control of himself and would attack her.
�Too bad it�s your turn to die.� Anne said. D fell forward on all fours, trying to suppress his vampiric side, but it wasn�t working. Now that the vampire in him was in the forefront, it wanted to heed Anne�s siren call more than ever. Anne used telekinesis to pick up D�s sword and thrust it through his heart. He fell forward to the ground. After a few moments, his eyes returned to their normal color and his fangs retracted. After another moment, his eyes closed and the hunter became the hunted.
Anne stood there, looking down at the corpses of Katar, Cestus and D. She then directed her attention to the remaining group. Morgan was looking at Anne as if he had never seen her before.
�Why are you looking at me like that?� She demanded of Morgan.
�This isn�t you, mother.� He breathed. Anne snorted.
�Then you do not know me for what I truly am.� Anne�s Guardian form melted away. Her wings shrank back into her back. Her face suddenly went blank. She grabbed her head and collapsed to her knees. �What�s happening to me?� She asked, pinching her eyes shut. She felt as if her mind was being ripped apart from itself.
�Mother!� Morgan exclaimed and ran to her side. He gently rested his hands on her shoulders. Her head was lowered so he couldn�t see her face. �Mother, what�s wrong?� He pleaded. Anne leaned against him, still holding her head.
�It feels like my mind is being ripped apart.� She whispered. Morgan wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She let go of her head and she smiled devilishly. Her eyes opened and they were now bronze. �Goodbye, Morgan,� She said. Her fist then plunged through his heart. He gasped. She pulled her fist out and pushed him back. He gazed at her blankly for a moment before falling lifeless onto his back. Kashya just stared at her brother�s lifeless body, then looked up at her mother, who seemed to not be her mother anymore.
�Anne! What are you doing?!� Marina exclaimed. Anne stood up and just looked at Marina. When she blinked, her eyes turned back to brown and she shook her head.
�What the hell is happening to me?� Anne asked again. Anne cried out in pain as two black feathered wings erupted from her back. However, the screaming only continued as more than just the wings came out of Anne�s back.
The remaining Guardians and Kashya could only look on in awed horror. What they were witnessing was the rebirth of the original Guardian of Darkness. Ceres herself was finally strong enough to detatch from Anne. And in doing that, Ceres would kill Anne.
It only took a few more moments of agonizing screams before Anne finally fell silent. She wavered on her feet. Ceres stood behind her, smiling evilly.
�Thank you, Anne, for letting me to be reborn. Now, go to your rest.� Ceres said.
�Tenaka,� Anne whispered and then pitched forward. However, she was caught before she hit the ground. Tenaka picked Anne up in her arms, smiling softly at her.
�Come now, Love, let us rest together.� Tenaka cooed. A faint smile graced Anne�s face and her eyes closed. Anne�s body fell limply to the ground, her spirit still in Tenaka�s arms. Tenaka turned and took them both into infinity.
With Anne dead, Caitlin felt the void open in her chest. She sagged slightly as she felt herself beginning to die. Cassandra cast a worried look at Caitlin, knowing she�d soon lose Caitlin. Marina glared harshly at Ceres.
�You were inside my sister all along. You fed off of her strength and energy. You knew separating from her would kill her. Now I�ll kill you!!!� Marina exclaimed, gripping her staff tightly in her hands. Ceres� eyes narrowed in curiosity.
�You know, Life Guardian, there is a part of me residing in you as well. Of course it is the other half of me. I am only half of me, but I can do so much more damage than any of you put together. And with your Light Guardian dying, you really stand no chance.�
�You BITCH!!!!� Marina exclaimed and started to fly at Ceres, but Cassandra quickly wrapped her arms around Marina�s waist, pulling her back and holding her in place.
�No Marina! Don�t do this!!� Cassandra exclaimed. Ceres just smirked and extended her hand towards Caitlin. She fired a bolt of black energy that ripped through Caitlin�s chest.
�Say goodbye to the Light Guardian.� Caitlin�s eyes went wide. She then sunk to her knees and fell lifeless to the ground. Cassandra let go of Marina and spun towards Caitlin, but it was too late, she was all ready dead.
�Caitlin!!!� Cassandra screamed. Ceres� laughter rang out. She stretched her arms towards the sky. Black bolts of lightning reigned down from the clouds of eternal night.
�Now, I will end everything. I will fulfill the final prophecy. The First has returned and will become the last.� Ceres� gold eyes began to glow and the lightning turned into energy and began ripping the Earth apart.
Marina sunk to her knees. She looked at Anne�s body. She gently stroked the woman�s hair. A soft, sad smile turned the corners of Marina�s mouth as she gazed at her sister�s face, which still carried the smile it had before she had died.
�Soon, my sister, we�ll be together.� Marina said softly. She felt arms wrap around her middle. Marina turned her head and received a kiss from Cassandra.
�This is the end. Let�s share it together.� Cassandra whispered. Marina leaned back against Cassandra.
The Earth blew apart. The Earth was followed by the solar system. The energy spread throughout the universe until there was nothing left. Ceres smiled as she floated in the void.
�And so, it has come full circle. I have lived my destiny.� She said softly. She closed her eyes and she, too, faded to black.
Then, in the infinite darkness, a small light appeared. The light grew bigger and the outline of a girl could be seen. Her eyes were sad as she looked at what had once been the universe.
�So ends one saga. I now return life and the new saga begins. And so this is the way of the universe. When one universe dies or is destroyed, the new one begins.� The Spirit Guardian spoke. She had been the only one to not be reborn. Her light spread throughout the void until the new saga began. She smiled softly and then drifted into slumber again until it was time to be reborn.
~The End