TGLE: A Grimm Fate

V4 CH12: The Golden Blood

Darla strikes her sickle downwards at Garn. Her eyes filled with rage and fatigue. Her arsenal halved, her attacks slower and weaker. Garn steps to the side and slams his fist into Darla's stomach and sends her flying a dozen feet away.

Darla groans out in pain as she hits the ground clutching her stomach. "A better world." She sighs in pain and winces through one of her eyes. "Is it really that hard to fight for? Why don't you kids see that?"

Garn slowly walks towards Darla. "We do see it. We all want it, but the way you went about it was flawed." Garn stops at Darla's side. "Kidnapping children, intentionally drawing in Grimm. Wanting to execute those who opposed you. It never would have worked."

Darla screams and swings her sickle wildly at Garn. He doesn't react in time as the blade slashes across his chest. Garn stumbles backwards as Darla glares him down. She rises to her feet and paces forward readying another swing.

Garn catches her wrist and punches the sickle free of her grasp. The weapon clatters to the ground as Darla is disarmed in surprise. The fight with Sid took a lot out of her. Garn throws her into the building and she slumps to the ground with her aura barely beginning to flicker.

Darla pushes herself up the wall. "Amelia was my closest friend." Darla says weakly. Slowly accepting her reality coming to a sudden change. "She was ruthless in her pursuit of peace. I only wished to carry her torch."

Garn picks up Darla's sickle. "That torch is now extinguished. You can walk away, Darla. You and Ian both. Leave while you can."

Darla shakes her head no. "Amelia would never abandon her dreams. I promised her." Darla fades into the darkness of the wall. Garn watches closely as Darla ejects out of the top floor's shadow.

As Darla flies downwards at Garn, Garn's ignited fists begin to glow white around around the garnet red. Garn uppercuts the descending the Darla in the chest. A ripple of wind and golden aura shattering sends Darla flying upwards into the air.

Garn watches as Darla's body goes limp as she ascends up over the building and falls back down. Garn swings the sickle as Darla falls down beside him. Creating a large gash across Darla's back as she hits the ground.

Darla groans in pain as she looks up to Garn. "You'll never be free of me." She says weakily. "Finish the job while you can."

Lucy at this time rounds the building to see Garn standing over Darla. "What's happening?"

Garn shakes his head but doesn't take his eyes off Darla. "It would be so easy, Lucy. To kill her right now."

Lucy takes a step forward a little worried about Garn. "That's not our way. We don't kill." She tries to soothe her brother, but his stance remains unchanged. "Let them rot in prison for their crimes. For what they did to you."

Garn keeps his eyes on Darla. "Yes. They threatened my life, Lucy. It's only fair I do what they couldn't. I'll kill Darla and Ian will truly be defeated. He will lose everything."

Darla laughs as her skin begins to pale. "End me, Garn. Send me to the afterlife. Let me walk the gardens with Amelia in that better world of ours."

Garn turns the sickle in a dagger and raises it up high in both hands. Lucy freezes not knowing what to do. "Garn, don't." She says softly. Garn begins to shake as he stands over Darla. Hesitating to make the strike.

Darla stares at her own weapon dripping with her blood. How close her end seemed to be by her own weapon. It seemed fitting to her and she closes her eyes. "If I wake up." She says. "I'll kill you both."

Two Days Later

The members of Teagle are awaken by the sound of roaring airships over Mt. Glenn. Turq is the first outside to wave down one of the many airships deployed. The ships begin to descend all over and one of them lands in the streets outside the temporary shelter.

The overwhelming sense of joy floods Turq's emotions as the doors open up to reveal Professor Ozpin. He steps out and walks up to Turq. At this time, Lucy, Garn, and Emma have made their way outside to join Turq.

Ozpin observes everyone and Ozpin himself looked as if he had a rough week. "Students." He says. "How glad I am to see you all still standing. Care to return home."

The tears of joy hit everyone there as they look at the airship. None of them capable of saying a word. Ozpin steps up and places a hand on Turq's shoulder. "Raina told us everything. You all endured an impossible situation. That alone is something to behold. I am sorry for not finding you all sooner."

Turq nods unable to say anything. Lucy steps up to Ozpin and looks him in the eye. "Believe me, sir. What went down these last few days was important to us all. I can safely say we all grew in someway. I'm ready to return to the dorms. To home, sir."

Ozpin nods and leads them aboard. Lucy brings up Beryl and a medical team extracts her onto their own ship. Before liftoff the team looks out the windows to see Sid boarding the ship right beside Beryl. Ian in cuffs being led aboard the third ship.

The airship begins to lift up and fly away over the forest. Passed the walls of Mt. Glenn and in a matter of seconds the horrors of Mt. Glenn was behind them.

Turq clutches the staff tightly in his hands.