The Raven Part 6: End of the World

Chapter 13

Zoey peeled through the streets of Metropolis. She'd taken everything she could cram into a duffle bag from Jason's stash; everything except an oozie and a high caliber handgun. The Uzi and duffle bag sat in the passenger seat, but the handgun was in a holster on her hip. She was pushing the old squad car to its limits as she whipped around corners and curves towards Blackridge Manor. So far, she'd been fortunate not to have drawn attention to herself. The other cars on the road were all heading in the same direction as her, and all of them were running hot.

She'd lost visual before Jason had blown the building, but she knew that she'd have to take the back way to get to the others. She was safer in the car for the time being, and she couldn't afford to waste any ammunition. They were going to need all the firepower they could get if they were going to make it through this in one piece. "Hold on, Sam," she mumbled to herself, "I'm coming for you."

She rounded a corner and saw her. Goth's terrifying silhouette hovered in the sky above. Her wings gave her the appearance of an angel of death looming over the horizon. She wondered why she was just hovering there. Then it hit her. She was watching the others struggle beneath her. Her standpoint was both literal and metaphorical; she honestly thought the others were beneath her. Zoey snarled at her self-righteous attitude. She couldn't stand the woman. The way she carried herself, her high and mighty attitude, and her blatant misuse and disrespect of BDSM made her sick. She was single-handedly destroying and pervading all the progress her lifestyle had made!

"Jason, where is everybody?!" she asked through the comms.

"Hedge maze around back," he replied, "Swing around the back if you can, and get Casey out of here. Let her take it, and let me know when you get here. They're nearing the back doors to the house, but I think Goth is going to make a move before they can get there. I don't know what she's waiting for, but she's barely moved since taking to the damn skies."

"She's watching then squirm," Zoey spat bitterly as she pushed the pedal down, "It's a disgusting powerplay that serves no other purpose than to amuse her. She's counting on them getting their hopes up before swooping in to crush them."

"Of fucking course that's what it is," he sighed in disgust, "Just get around to the back where the mausoleum is. I'm almost out of ammo for my rifle, and the two of us can rejoin the others for a final stand. If there is a God, let's pray he's merciful on us in this shit show."

"On my way," Zoey said as she pushed the engine to its limit.

—------------------

Beth and the others raced through the maze as they neared the end of it. They were close, but Goth still hadn't made her move against them just yet. Beyond sending her fanatical followers after them and taunting them, they hadn't seen a trace of the monster. It didn't sit right with any of them. The closer they got to the back doors, the more dread seemed to set in. They'd managed to fend off the men and women that got in their way, but their resources were running low. Sally and Sam scavenged whatever they could get their hands on, but there was only so much they could carry.

Kait pushed another woman off of her blade and wiped some sweat from her brow, "How much further?!"

"Nearly there," Beth replied, cutting another young man down, "We just have to follow this path straight, and we'll be at the fountains around back. Once we're there, it's just getting up the stairs and through the doors."

"Then what?" Sally asked, "What are we supposed to do then?! Jake and Pam should have been back by now!"

"We fight," Havoc said simply, "Did any of you truly expect to survive this battle?"

"I'd fucking hoped to!" Sally exclaimed before sighing, "But no, you don't dance with the devil and expect to walk away sunshine and fucking rainbows."

"We die on our terms," Kait said, "If we fall, then we fall fighting."

"Love the optimism," Sam scoffed, "I see the fountains!"

Indeed, there in the distance were the stone fountains of Blackridge Manor. Statues of birds jutted out of the water alongside woman holding a shield and scales. The marker of justice and Jake's family crest was carved into the stone. Whatever hope the five of them felt was quickly crushed as a pool of inky darkness formed in front of the fountains. The silhouette of their tormentor slowly rose out of the darkness. Her wings were furled in around her as she ascended from the bubbling pit. She stood before them, and her wings stretched out as she stretched out her arms. She took a sharp inhale and let out a guttural laugh. Razor sharp claws stretched out, and a gown of smokey darkness covered her waistline. That sickening crown covered her eyes, but the red slits could still be seen peeking through the small holes. The stench of rot and decay wafted past them and caused them all to gag.

"I think you've gone far enough," Goth laughed as she rolled her neck, "This has all been very entertaining, but all games must come to an end. Before I end your worthless lives, tell me where Jake and Pamela have run off to."

"Fuck off!" Beth yelled as she charged ahead of everyone with her sword by her hip.

Fury overtook Beth as soon as she laid eyes on Goth and her monstrous figure. She could feel the energy from her sword coursing through her as she picked up speed. She all but disappeared for an instant before appearing behind Goth with her sword pointed down. She spun the blade and turned around in time to see streaks of blue energy begin to emerge on Goth's body. "Annoying little whore," Goth seethed as the streaks turned to cuts, "You'll have to do better than that!"

Just as quickly as they appeared, they were overcome with a thick black sludge that stopped any bleeding. Goth raised her hand, and a portal appeared in front of it. She plunged her arm into it, and her claw shot out of the ground at Beth's feet. Beth let out a startled cry as it dug into her ankle and began to pull her into the abyss. Thinking quickly, she sliced at her wrist and removed the offending appendage. Goth screamed in surprise and pain as her arm returned to her side. Her scream faded into a sinister laugh as she held out her arm and more of the thick sludge took the shape of a new hand. Beth cursed under her breath as Goth continued to laugh.

"Is that really your best?!" she mocked, "You're truly lost and pathetic without your beloved mistress!"

"She's not your only opponent, you arrogant cow!" Kait yelled as she charged forward and slashed at her back.

Goth growled as she lurched forward from the blow, but she spun around to latch onto Kait's throat. She lifted her up and brought her to face to face with her. Goth opened her mouth and let a smog of fetid decay waft out as she spoke, "The would-be Goddess and self-proclaimed conqueror. Your pride kept you from joining me, and now it will be your undoing!"

Kait grimaced as she felt the claws begin to dig into her throat. She threw her legs back before attempting to plant her feet into Goth's chest to free herself. She may as well have been kicking the statue in the distance. Goth cackled before she cried out again from a surprise attack from Beth. "Let her go, you lunatic!" she yelled as she unleashed a barrage of slices.

It was just enough for Kait to slip out of her grip, and she dropped down before taking off to put some distance between them. Goth whirled on Beth to try to strike her down, but a hail of bullets dug into her back. She hissed as she quickly struck Beth with her right hand, and turned to see who was attacking her. Sam and Sally stood their ground until Goth's evil glare landed on them. "Go to Hell, you ugly cunt!" Sally yelled, trying to remain brave and bold in the face of terror.

"Hit the deck!" Sam screamed as Goth's body surged forward.

"Don't try to run from me, you lowly little mortals!" Goth screamed as she closed the gap and tried to drive her claw into Sam's chest.

Sam ducked just in time to avoid certain death. "Over here!" Havoc roared as she threw her body weight into Goth's side and knocked her back, "Let's see how well you do against five."

"Nuisances, all of you!" Goth growled, "I'll skewer every last one of you, peel the skin from your flesh, and make you watch while I feed your corpses to my slaves!"

She raised her hands to prepare a spell, but Havoc locked onto her wrists before she could begin. A struggle ensued as Havoc tried to wrestle with the mad titan. Havoc threw her knee into Goth's stomach, and forced her to double over. Seizing the opportunity, Havoc let go of one wrist and drove her fist into Goth's jaw. It caused the Goddess to stumble back, and Kait rushed in to race up and over Havoc's back. She plunged her sword into Goth's chest and twisted the blade before kicking off to distance herself. Beth raced around and cut the backs of her knees hidden by her smokey gown, but before Goth fell, her wings flapped and took her into the air beyond their reach.

Sally and Sam returned to their feet, and fired what was left of their clips into Goth's body. A shriek of anger and pain filled the air as a bolt of lightning cut through and illuminated the skies. "Havoc, throw me!" Beth ordered, moving closer to Havoc to prepare for an aerial assault.

She didn't need to be told twice, and Havoc quickly scooped Beth up and launched her at Goth. Her sword glowed as she sliced through Goth before falling back to the ground. She rolled as she landed and quickly turned to see what damage had been done. Goth appeared frozen in the air, but she seemed otherwise unphased by her attack. "Damn this overpowered bitch!" Kait growled as she looked up, "Are we even hurting her at all?!"

"Pam once told me that she could hide wounds and pain with magic," Beth replied, "We might not be doing much, but every little bit is gonna help us."

A series of gunshots rang out in the distance as two more figures joined their ranks. Jason landed beside them with Zoey on her back. A large duffle bag was slung across her shoulder. "Zoey!" Sam exclaimed, rushing over to her, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I'm not letting you die alone, hon," Zoey said, dropping the bag and unzipping it.

"Apparently, sticking to a plan went out the window when shit hit the fan," Jason grumbled, "Grab those clips, grenades, and elixirs and pass them out, Zoey!"

"Already on it, Jay," Zoey replied as she fished out the supplies and passed them out, "These should buy us some time until Jake and Pam get back."

"Whether they come or not, we've got to stand our ground here," Jason said, "Kait, where's your sword?"

As if on cue, the blade in question cut through the air and landed in the grass. "Insolent little worms!" Goth screamed from above as she raised her arms and conjured a ball of energy, "Fitting that you should all die together. I'll pull your souls from the abyss, and make toys of you all!"

"Goddamnit, Beth, shoot the center of that thing!" Jason yelled, "Grab the rifle in the bag, and aim for the center mass! We have to cause a chain reaction before that thing hits the ground!"

"On it," Beth said, grabbing the rifle and ignoring the pressure as she lined up her shot.

"The rest of you, fan out and get ready!" Jason ordered, "The elixirs run the risk of overloading your body, so for the love of fuck, don't take them unless you don't have a choice! Kait, grab the pyramid bottle from the bag and coat your sword in it. It's a fast acting poison that should slow her down long enough for us to stand a chance. I've got no idea how her metabolism works in that form, but I doubt it'll be enough to finish her."

Beth ignored the commotion around her as everyone grabbed what they could and got into position. Goth released the ball she'd been holding, and it slowly began to descend towards them. Beth could see a swirling vortex within it through the scope, and she assumed that was where she was supposed to shoot. She fired the semiautomatic rifle into it. The bullet flashed a strange shade of green as it cut through the air, and burrowed into the sphere. Not satisfied with one, Beth fired another two bullets into the orb's center. The swirling mass of darkness began to glow and swell as the second bullet cut through it. A climatic shockwave erupted from it just before it imploded on itself. The winds produced destroyed several of the hedge walls, and knocked everyone to the ground.

Beth felt a large mass cover her as she hit the ground, and she wondered if maybe she'd been buried in the shrubbery. The foul and familiar odor from Havoc told her otherwise, though. The hulking woman had thrown herself over her to shield her from any damage. The moment dragged on for what felt like an eternity before Havoc got off of her. She took the hand offered and got back to her feet. A quick glance around the area revealed more collateral damage. Jake was going to be pissed when he saw his back yard. Dust and smoke filled the air and obscured everyone's vision, but they held their breath as they waited to see if Goth survived the backlash.

"You wretched little cretins!" Goth's voice called out through the haze, "Why won't you just lie down and accept your fates?! You're merely prolonging the inevitable!"

"Jesus fuck, what does it take to kill this bitch?!" Sam asked, reloading her handgun, "Do we gotta drop a building on this nutjob?!"

"Did someone say nutnob?!" a familiar and chipper voice called out as a figure leapt through the dust, "Dun, da, da, dun~! Footgirl!"

"Great, more fucking crazy," Jason grumbled as Alexis landed beside them, "I thought you were dead?"

"Before or after the grenade?" Alexis asked, seemingly forgetting the dire situation, "I thought about it, but I was like, 'nah, can't kill Footgirl that easily'."

A hand shot out of the dust and latched onto Alexis' throat. Goth's arm pulled her back as her wings flapped and blew away the smoke and debris. She held her up and smiled at her, "This feels familiar, doesn't it, Alexis? This time, my former disciple won't save you."

"Get…bent…you fat cunt," Alexis wheezed and giggled, "Call that…choking? Harder, you fucking pussy!"

"Mm, what's this around your neck?" Goth mused, tightening her grip, "It would seem that my beloved Raven has learned from his Goddess. Some minor modifications, pathetic as they may be, but still such a clever boy. It seems the lot of you are sporting my lovely accessories! This will make things much simpler. Foolishness, I'll send you all out with quite a bang!"

"No!" Beth screamed, "Don't do it, you fucking maniac!"

"What's the matter, Elizabeth?" Goth laughed, "Is someone afraid of being alone again? Abandoned by your lover, your friend, and surrounding yourself with the trash and filth of my city, don't tell me you've grown attached!"

"I fucking knew these stupid things would get us killed!" Kait shrieked, glaring at Beth, "I don't give a shit what happens, you stop this fucking monster! Break her, bring her down, and make her suffer!"

"Say goodbye, Elizabeth!" Goth cheered as she threw Alexis at her and fired a small orb of energy.

Beth could only watch as the orb flew through the air before splitting apart. In the blink of an eye, seven orbs entered the collars. The lights began to flash and beep, and everyone braced for their deaths. Goth cackled as she waited and watched everyone's reaction. The beeping reached a climax before they all stopped at once. Everyone held their breath as they waited for someone's head to explode. "Uhm, what's going on?" Sam asked after a moment.

"Awe man," Alexis whined, "Getting my head exploded seemed like such a cool and romantic way to die."

"Romantic, really?" Sally asked, "Did you eat lead paint chips when you were a kid?"

"What the hell is the meaning of this?!" Goth demanded, "What did you do?!"

Beth let out a chuckle as she replied, "I didn't do anything, you self-righteous freak. Those collars were never actually armed with explosives. Jake's not like you, he's nothing like you. He's not a monster!"

"You mean to tell me I've been wearing this heavy hunk of junk for nothing?!" Kait demanded as the collar unfastened itself and fell from her neck, "I am going to kill you three if we survive this!"

"Let it go, Kait," Jason sighed, "It was a smart move on Jake's part. It ensured we'd work together, and it forced us to move past our differences."

"How utterly infuriating and cowardly," Goth seethed, "No matter, it seems I'll simply have to dispose of you all by hand. Let's begin, shall we?!"

"Shit, here we go again!" Sally yelled.

"Everyone, fan out!" Jason barked.

"There's no point in running, worms!" Goth mocked, "You can't possibly hope to win!"

"Jesus, someone shut this moron up!" Alexis exclaimed, "Come on, Kitty-Cat, let's knock this thundercunt down a few pegs!"

"Fuck on your own time!" Kait yelled, "We've got more important things to do!"

"I can multi-task, thank you," Alexis replied, "Although Pammy is, like, super possessive. Not really sure how I feel about getting punished by her either. On the one hand-"

"Alexis, shut up!" Beth cut her off, "Bigger problems right now!"

"Huh? Oh yeah!" Alexis said.

Goth began to spin as she prepared an energy volley in her hands. She fired them before anyone could dare to move in, and everyone was once again forced back on the defensive. Havoc raced over to thr duffle bag on the ground, and scooped it up for herself without anyone noticing. Sally, Sam, Zoey, and Beth dodged and fired everything they had at Goth in hopes of stopping her. A torrent of wild energy shot out as the bullets dug into her mutated flesh. Beams of darkness shot out of her, and the others were just barely able to avoid getting struck with one. Kait kept her shield raised to deflect the continued assault, and Jason stayed close behind her.

Alexis let out a mad laugh as she plucked a handful of grenades from the ground and pulled their pins. She lobbed them around Goth while keeping her distance. A symphony of explosions filled the air as the others kept their hail of gunfire coming down. "You're all doomed!" Goth chided, "Even as we speak, my followers are closing in around you! Even if you can withstand me, they will tear you to shreds and bring your remains to me!"

Kait, Beth, and Alexis moved in from three separate sides once the explosions had finally finished. Alexis ran in and pounced on Goth's back. She unleashed a flurry of punches that seemed to only irritate the Goddess, but Kait and Beth formed a tandem blade attack from separate sides. A series of successive swings from the two of them, and a final dash took them to the other's position. Goth howled as blood finally began to pool up from the copious wounds she'd been receiving. They were actually wearing her down! The first flicker of hope hit their group before another wave of dread set in. Goth pushed her hands down and sent out a shockwave that pushed them back and sent Alexis flying.

"This is growing irksome," she seethed as she held her hands up, "Allow me to show you a new trick I've learned!"

A strange red light flickered in her palms as she stood perfectly still. Beth, Kait, and Havoc attempted to close in and strike her, but something kept them at bay. An invisible wall of some sort kept them from landing any decisive blows. The others watched as the bodies of Goth's own soldiers began to rise into the air. Their bodies were encased an a strange glow, but it remained for only a few seconds. They turned into a ghastly smoke before screaming could be heard throughout the air. Beth's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. She'd seen Dorothy do the same thing with the Well. She was drawing in their souls to strengthen herself!

"Everyone get back!" she screamed.

"No," Havoc said, shoving Beth away and grabbing the bottles from the bag, "You and the others keep your distance. Leave this one to me."

"What are you doing?!" Beth demanded as Havoc pulled her mask off and began to drink the bottles, "That'll kill you!"

"Then it'll be my atonement," Havoc said as she proceeded to down the contents of the vials, "Go, now! Catch your breath while you can, reload, and be ready to handle what's left of her."

"Havoc," Beth started before sighing, "You dumb lumix! Kill that cunt!"

Goth chuckled darkly as the souls of the dead filled her being, "I see we have a volunteer. Very well, Heather dear, allow me to show you true strength."

Havoc didn't respond as the elixirs pumped their way through her body. Her muscles expanded further, and the fabric of her suit began to tear. Her body swelled and her breathing became slightly labored as various chemicals surged and mixed with her blood. She groaned before letting out a roar that shook the air around them. Her matted and unwashed hair fluttered in the wind, and her pale skin took on a strange iridescent green glow. Her body was exposed, but she looked ready for war. She panted as she regained control of her body. Goth stood by looking confident and waiting for the first strike. Havoc growled as she lunged forward and landed a surprise punch to Goth's midsection that caused her to double over.

Goth recovered quickly, though, and her clawed hand shot out and forced the behemoth back with a blast of telepathic energy. With her newfound strength, Havoc managed to keep from getting sent flying. Goth was given just enough room to recover and launch a counterattack. She brought her arms up in an X shape before slashing down. Twin tendrils of darkness shot out at Havoc, but the titan merely crossed her arms and took the attack. She charged forward and attempted to throw a kick to Goth's chest, but Goth easily avoided it and slashed Havoc's back. A thick oozing wound formed on Havoc's back, but she whirled around and latched into Goth's hair. She pulled her down and hit her with a vicious uppercut that caused the Goddess to backward.

Goth growled as she coiled her claws into a ball to distort time around the two of them. Havoc was slowed just enough for her to glide around her and fire a beam of violet energy into her chest. The beam cut through Havoc's body, but pain was irrelevant to her in her current state. All she could feel was a rush of adrenaline that surged through her. What should have staggered her only spurred her on deeper into a frenzy. The pocket of distortion broke, and Havoc charged forward with a furious combination of heavy handed strikes. Goth was caught by surprise by the flurry of blows that knocked her back. Havoc refused to let up, and she refused to give the villain a moment to breathe.

"Holy shit," Sally said, "She might just pull this off."

"Not likely," Jason sighed, "Those elixirs all at once like that will kill her before she can finish her. Worse, Goth hasn't even begun to get serious."

"Stupid fucking twat," Beth growled, "She's committing suicide!"

"She's buying us time," Kait countered, "More than that, Havoc is doing something I've never seen her do."

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"She's fighting for someone besides herself," Alexis answered, her tone surprisingly lucid, "She might be an idiot, but this is the first time she's fought for others rather than for her own amusement."

"We can't waste this time," Zoey said, grabbing what she could scavenge from the fallen, "We've got to get ready in case she fails. We're the only thing left to stand against Goth and her insanity."

Havoc continued her battering of Goth's mutated flesh. She could feel her body beginning to shut down with every second that passed by. Her strength and speed had increased, but the cost was higher than she expected. Her body was burning up, but it didn't matter. She'd seen good in Jake, Beth, and Pam, and that was enough for her. She'd meant what she'd told Jake, and if she died, then she would die defending what he and those other idiots stood for: hope for people like her. Goth was the antithesis of everything they stood for, and if she won then everything would fall into ruin. She couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't. So, she pushed through the pain and torment that her body was in.

Goth opened her eyes after another fist connected with her jaw. She smirked as one of her claws shot out and plunged into Havoc's forearm. She swatted the other away with ease, and rammed her clawed hand into Havoc's chest. Havoc grunted and coughed as blood rolled out of her mouth and down her chin. Goth chuckled as she lifted her up, "Whatever is the matter, Heather?" she asked as she brought Havoc close to her face, "You seem to be slowing down."

Havoc reared her head back and slammed her forehead into Goth's, "Still strong enough to withstand you, you freak."

"Why do you peons continue to resist?!" Goth growled as she dug her claws deeper into Havoc's flesh, "What is it that makes you fools think you can win?!"

Havoc summoned everything she had, and grabbed Goth's clawed hand with her free hand. She forced her arm down and broke her arm. She dropped to the ground as Goth cried out and retracted her hand, "Because we're still human," she panted, "This is what it means to be a human. This is what you've given up. For all your power, you're nothing more than a puppet on someone else's strings!"

Goth snarled as she held up her good arm and sent a large ball of red and gold energy flying into Havoc. Her body was engulfed in the energy, and the scream that filled the air shook every member of the resistance to their core. "Keep your humanity, you sniveling weakling," Goth growled as her arm began to mend itself, "I am eternal, and now you are nothing. You're all scum beneath my boots, nothing more."

Beth's body shook as the screams of her fallen friend died down. Alexis looked over at her and stepped back, "Uh, guys? I think somethings happening here that's either gonna be real bad or really awesome."

"Huh?" Jason asked, looking over at Beth to see her body trembling and glowing, "Beth? Whatever you're thinking-"

"She destroys everything, everyone," Beth growled as a light erupted from her body, "Not anymore, I won't let her get away with it! I'll kill you!"

"Fuck me, what now?!" Sally asked as Beth's body was engulfed in a strange blue light.

It died down quickly, and everyone stared as the grass around her caught fire. Her sword was covered in a brilliant white fire, and her body was surrounded by a shell of opaque armor that covered her from head to toe. She stepped forward, and the ground under her boot was engulfed in flames. She raised her arm and screamed at Goth, “This ends now!”

“It seems that someone still hasn’t learned their lesson,” Goth laughed as she turned to Beth, “You can dress up all you want, little girl, you’re nothing compared to me.”

“Shut up!” Beth screamed as she disappeared and appeared in front of Goth with her blade inches from her face.

Goth had just barely managed to react in time to keep the edge of the glowing sword from digging into her flesh. “Don’t get cocky, whore,” she growled as she threw Beth back with a blast of energy.

Beth rode the wave of energy as she was forced backward, but the armor that covered her absorbed the power. Her sword began to glow brighter, and a furious slash sent the energy hurtling back at Goth. Goth’s eyes widened behind her crown, and she turned to the side as the slash destroyed what was left of the hedges behind her. She turned back just as Beth was on her and swinging faster than her eyes could follow. She winced as she felt the heat of her spirit sword cut into her flesh, and she created a barrier around herself so she could phase away from her attacker. She narrowed her eyes at her as she quietly admitted that she may have underestimated her opponent.

“Very well,” she growled, “If a fight is truly what you wish, then a fight you shall have, Elizabeth. This time, your whore of a mistress won’t save you!”

“Stop talking!” Beth roared as she charged forward faster than should have been humanly possible.

Goth managed to parry her swings with her claws, but every blow came with more and more force. She frowned as she split herself into three versions of herself. Her power diverted amongst them, she attempted to swarm Beth from different angles. Beth ducked under a claw, spun out of the way of a beam of energy, and released a spinning surge of fury that dispelled Goth’s copies and pushed her back. She tucked her sword by her hip out of instinct, and charged forward with every intention of finishing her long time adversary. She swung her sword at an upward angle that Goth dodged, but Beth spun the blade and brought it back down into her shoulder. The sword connected, and Goth let out a scream of rage that knocked Beth back.

“Is everyone suddenly fucking magical?!” Kait asked as she watched the exchange, “Fuck me, if we survive this, there is no way I’m going back to trying to take over this city. Between her damn guns, that attitude, her psycho girlfriend, and now whatever this is, count me out.”

“I cannot believe how much has changed,” Sally sighed before looking at Jason, “Do you think she stands a chance?”

“No idea,” he replied, “This is uncharted territory for everyone here, and I don’t think Goth was expecting anything like this.”

“She’s still drawing power from the souls of the fuckers we killed,” Alexis remarked, “Unless Beth can land the deciding blow soon, she’s going to end up like Havoc.”

“I can’t get a shot lined up on Goth,” Sam said, having been trying to get the villain in her sights, “Beth has her moving all over the place, and I don’t want to risk shooting her. Nevermind the fact that it could spell her death, I really don’t want her pissed at me right now.”

“All we can do is wait,” Jason sighed, “I hate waiting, and I hate being sidelined.”

“Kick her ass, Beth!” Sally cheered, stepping forward, “Finish this for all of our sakes!”

“Guys, we’ve got company,” Zoey said, gesturing to the dozens of fanatics that were charging at them.

“I am sick of this shit!” Kait roared as she brandished her sword and stepped out in front of everyone, “Come get some, you dumb bastards!”

What was left of the resistance became locked in an all out war to keep Goth’s followers off of Beth while she fought. The masses fell quickly, but with each death, Goth found a resurgence of power. Meanwhile, Beth fought on without a clue. Her body and mind acted of their own accord, and for once, Goth was truly regretting letting her live for as long as she had. Goth let a blast of dark energy fly from her palms, but Beth managed to deflect it at point blank range with a simple slash of her blade. Goth snarled at her. Beth’s offense was just as strong as her defense, and it seemed there was no way around either. She just had to stay on her feet long enough and avoid that damned sword.

Beth could feel herself losing control to the spirit of the sword within her, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was revenge. She’d seen too many people suffer and die at the hands of the monster before her, and she was through letting her get away with it. Anger, pain, and regret had given birth to a new form of rage within her that fueled her every attack. She could practically see what Goth was planning before she acted, but everytime she came close to ending the demon, Goth would manage to catch or evade her sword. Finally, Goth was able to drive her claw into Beth’s shoulder and stop her, but Beth pushed herself forward and hit her with a roundhouse kick. She could feel Goth’s toxic power infecting her, but what did her life matter now? As long as Goth was dead, she could rest peacefully.

“Insufferable little child!” Goth screamed as she recoiled from the kick to the face, “You think you’ve beaten me?! You are nothing, you are all nothing compared to me! I will show you the power of a Goddess and her wrath!”

Beth rushed forward while Goth screamed, but to her surprise, her attack was stopped short. She had swung her sword, but her arm was suddenly frozen in place. She tried to pull it free, but she couldn’t despite her best efforts. “What the hell?!” she exclaimed.

“Did you forget that I control the Well, little one?” Goth laughed, “I don’t need to be in Hell to utilize its powers, not anymore. The souls of the dead, the souls of my followers who pledged themselves to me, are mine to command. All you’ve done is prolong your worthless lives! Don’t worry, Elizabeth, I’ll make sure to bring you back to life. You will be the new instrument of my will. I see now that I underestimated you, but given time, we can break that defiant spirit of yours. Perhaps watching while I fuck you mistress into submission will help remind you who your betters are!”

Goth rose into the air, and a vortex of green and red began to swirl upward and around her. Beth screamed as she shattered whatever had been holding her in place, but Goth was already beyond her reach. “Get back down here and face me!” she yelled up at her.

“Allow me to demonstrate my superiority, children,” Goth chided as she raised her arms.

Columns of fire and darkness began to erupt from the ground around them, and many of her own followers were destroyed in the calamity that she unleashed. What was left of the resistance managed to avoid the geysers of fire and death, but only just barely. Beth’s armor was battered as one of those columns exploded beneath her. Her body took in as much of the power as possible, but she was knocked up into the air. Goth grinned as she rushed forward and snatched her out of the air. She cackled as she slowly brought her claw to Beth’s helmet to shatter it. She stopped suddenly as the air shifted and the sky turned an eerie red.

“What now?!” Jason demanded as he looked up.

A bolt of red lightning cut through the sky, and a rift opened between their world and the next. The bolt crashed into the ground in front of them, and Pam stood with her fists clenched and knuckles white. Jake stood beside her and rolled his neck as he looked around. “Jake?” Sam asked.

“What the hell has been going on?” Jake asked.

“Took your sweet fucking time, didn’t you?” Kait asked.

“Argue later!” Pam snapped, her eyes locking onto Goth holding her beloved and screaming at her, “Rebecca! Tell your followers to stand down, and surrender now! This is your one chance!”

“Pamela, just in time to watch as I break your little pet,” Goth grinned, “I’ll deal with your insubordination later. Don’t make demands of this world’s new God!”

Pam looked at Jake and nodded, “Do it.”

“Do what?” Jason asked.

Jake didn’t respond verbally, and instead raised one arm into the air before swiftly bringing it back down. The rift in the sky swelled as countless demons began to pour out of it. “Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me!” Sally exclaimed, “This is what you two brought back?!”

“They serve him,” Pam replied, “Focus your efforts on Rebecca, and get inside the manor. She is sure to retreat sooner rather than later once she realizes what we have.”

“What about you?” Zoey asked.

“I am going to get my girlfriend,” Pam said, as her body began to take on the strange glow from earlier.

Goth watched as an army of demons poured from the rift between worlds, and cursed as she realized what Jake and Pam had done. They’d gone to her old master for help. She was too wounded and exhausted to withstand another assault from Pam, Beth, Jake, the demons, and the others. She was contemplating her next move when Pam appeared in front of her. Thinking quickly, she hurled Beth at Pam knowing that she would save her pet before attacking her. Just as planned, Pam caught Beth and Goth seized the opportunity to disappear, but not before firing another volley of attacks at everyone to keep them from pursuing her.

Pam dropped to the ground and held Beth in her arms. She shook her head as she channeled some of her power into healing Beth’s wounds. “You pushed yourself too hard, Kitten,” she mumbled.

“You took too long,” Beth countered, “She killed Havoc. I had to do something.”

Screams and growls filled the air as the demonic armies of Hell found and slaughtered any of Goth’s followers. “Are you out of your mind?” Jason asked, marching up to Jake, “We just got rid of a demonic invasion, and you two decide to bring more?!”

“They follow his commands, and they will return to their dimension once this is over,” Pam said, “By the look of things, you all needed the help. All that matters now is defeating Rebecca.”

Jake had watched as Goth disappeared into the upper floor of his old home. He ignored the others as he stepped forward. He shouldered Jason as he passed, “I’m going after Rebecca,” he said, “I need the rest of you to retake control of the manor, and I need you to make sure nobody follows me.”

“Jake, what if she takes control of you again?” Alexis asked, “I can’t lose you again, none of us can.”

“I’ll kill myself before I let that happen,” he replied, Ashley appearing beside him, “It won’t come to that, though. This ends tonight. This is all because of me, so it has to be me who finishes it. Stand your ground, and work together one last time. That’s all I am asking of you all.”

“We can do that,” Beth said, getting back to her feet, “We’ve come this far together, so let’s stick it out a little longer. We can do this, we can win if we work together.”

“Save your cliches, Beth,” Kait scoffed, “I’m with you, and so is everyone else. Fighting side by side heroes, what is my life coming to?”

“Think of it as fighting for survival,” Pam pointed out, “Let’s end this, and then we can figure out the semantics of it all.”

“Jake,” Jason called out, “Are you sure you can handle her? I know the power she has over you.”

“I’m through being controlled by her,” Jake replied, “She dies tonight, and my city will be free from her once and for all. Now, let’s move!”

So, the heroes made their final advance on Blackridge Manor. The demons continued to swarm the city, and carnage rained down around them. Their war had turned into a bloodbath, but such was the price they had to pay for a chance at victory. Their window of opportunity was closing, though. Jake knew that it wouldn’t be long before Rebecca managed to restore her strength, and so he led the charge into his own home. His best friends and old rivals at his side and back, the prepared for the final confrontation between the Goth Goddess and them.