Aria's POV
I struggled against my restraints, just watching the fight from afar.
Looking over at Zip, he had his ears down and wouldn't look at me.
"Zip!" I hissed, and he flinched, still avoiding my gaze.
I can't believe it. I can't believe he worked with Xander the entire time.
I can't believe Alastor was right, or how stupid I was.
All of this is my fault.
"Zip, please honey let me go!" I begged him, and he shook his head no. I sighed heavily, and finally got an arm free, reaching down to tilt his head up to look in my eyes.
"Are you scared of him?" I asked the creature, who nodded, his bright white eyes clearly showing fear.
I nodded, "I am too...but I can help get both of us free...Alastor is going to help too, and then we'll get you out of this, how's that sound?" I asked, and Zip's eyes widened.
He cooed softly and slowly loosened his hold. I could finally get some movement in my limbs and then he let go of me completely, hopping into my lap instead.
I sighed, petting him gently.
It's not his fault...
He's obviously just terrified...
"Can you get me up there? I need to go help him..."
Zip nodded, and suddenly I felt light headed as he teleported us up to the top of the rock that Alastor and Xander were standing on.
I noticed Xander was restrained by something invisible, his entire body having a soft red glow around it. Alastor had one hand up, holding him, and the other hand held a necklace.
The soft green glow at the center of the necklace was mesmerizing, my eyes being drawn to it.
Then I looked at Alastor, and we locked eyes.
I broke into a smile and ran up to him, wrapping my arms around him tightly.
My nose buried into his chest and I took a deep breath, missing this scent that makes me feel safe.
"Hello, my love..." he said softly, and I pulled away, looking over him for injuries.
"You're not hurt are you?" I asked him worriedly, and he shook his head. Then he slowly got on his knees, his hand twitching as he fought against Xander's attempts to break the spell.
He winced slightly, but kept up a smile, handing me the necklace in his hands before he cupped my cheek.
"I love you," he said softly, and I leaned into his touch, "I need you to do me a favor..."
I furrowed my brows as he closed my fist around the necklace, squeezing my hand.
"Shatter this...and then head back down to the ground and open a doorway home with this," he said, pulling a card from his inner coat pocket.
I looked down at the necklace, and then back to him.
"You're coming too, right?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.
He gave me a sad smile, and glanced to Xander.
"I have to make sure he stays up here...once you break his talisman, his shadows will reclaim his body..."
I looked at him with wide eyes, and shook my head.
"N-no, I'm not going to do that...there's another way, you always find another way..." I begged him, my voice cracking slightly.
He just smiled and rubbed my cheek with his thumb, shaking his head.
Letting me know that this is the only way...and this is how it's going to be.
So, I pursed my lips, and threw the necklace on the ground before stomping into it, shattering it.
There was a moment where all I could do was stare at Alastor, tears brimming in my eyes. Then he furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at the broken necklace.
"Why didn't that..." his words fell off when Xander started laughing, quietly at first.
Then the laughter rose in volume until he was cackling, gaining both Alastor's and my full attention.
"You—you really think—!" He could barely speak he was laughing so hard, and he shook his head, "you really think I'd be foolish enough to keep something so precious around my neck after you sent in a spy?"
I saw Alastor visibly tense up, his eyes widening. He still had Xander restrained with his magic, but I could see shadows crawling up the rocks around us.
Xander's smile was nothing short of wicked as he narrowed his gaze on Alastor.
"I seriously thought you were smarter than that~" he purred, and then suddenly there was a sharp, burning pain through my chest.
My eyes widened and everything felt slow. The area in my chest that the pain had come from went numb, but I felt as if my insides were boiling.
Alastor turned to me and gained a look of pure horror.
"No..." he gasped.
I looked down and blood dripped from my lips as I brought my hands up to the metal staff that was attached to a heavenly blade that was protruding through my chest.
Raising my eyes again, I suddenly felt absolutely terrified. I began to choke on blood, and reached towards Alastor.
"A-Alastor..." I whimpered, but before he could grab me the blade was ripped from my chest, and my legs gave out.
I fell back over the edge of the rock.
Watching as his form reaching out to me slowly got smaller and smaller.
Alastor's POV
I watched her fall, and right before she hit the ground my shadow curled up under her and caught her.
Looking out, I saw the "battlefield" littered with the remains of my shadows. His were far less decimated, crawling around Aria and my shadow like lions.
My throat felt tight and my hands started to tremble before I turned my now sunken black eyes towards the cackling idiot behind me.
His shadow was holding a holy spear, now stained with Aria's blood.
The shadow gave me a haunting smile, circling his master. I noticed at the center of its chest was a dull green glow right where it's heart would be.
So that's where it is...
Xander, with the simple snap of his fingers, broke my spell. His restraints shattered and I felt my hold on him disappear.
Lowering my hand, I begrudgingly moved away from the edge of the rock, breathing heavily as my vision spotted black.
Xander chuckled darkly and took the spear from his shadow, looking it over before he licked the blood off the blade.
Raising his eyebrows he hummed, "damn, I get it now...she tastes awfully sweet," he said, grinning at me.
I tried to get to him, but this time he had other plans.
He waved his hand and my arms and legs got restrained. I yanked against them, but looking down I saw small shadow creatures holding me down.
They laughed and dug their claws into my skin, making me wince and grunt in pain before I looked back to Xander.
He tsk'd and twirled the blade in his hands, slowly stalking towards me.
I desperately tried to stand, but could barely get up onto one knee as I used all of my strength to pull against the restraints he had me held with.
He sighed, finally in front of me before he knelt down in front of me and tilted his head.
"Its been fun...but I guess fun's over," he said, almost sadly, "don't worry," he purred as his smile widened.
I snapped and growled at him, my eyes flickering rapidly as tar spilled from the sockets, dripping off my face like tears.
"I'll keep up your reputation for you..." he finished, raising the spear and positioning it at my chest.
Again he tsk'd and looked me in the eyes, putting one hand on my shoulder to keep me somewhat still.
"Just think...had you simply done what I did and succumbed fully to the darkness, we wouldn't have ever had to fight...maybe even been friends!" He chuckled, and shrugged, "but I guess I'm getting the last laugh."
"Goodbye, Alastor."
He pulled the spear back and I accepted my fate...maybe my Aria will be waiting for me, wherever we go next...
Maybe...
Then all of a sudden, a little shadow shot up from the floor and wrapped itself around Xanders face, making him stumble back and drop the spear.
"What the fuck!" He yelled confusedly, trying to pull the shadow from his face.
The little shadow turned towards me, and I saw it was the same one that had been holding Aria.
I thought she simply got away from it...did it let her go?
With Xander's focus being shifted to this new predicament he's in, I could finally pull free from the shadows that were holding me down.
"Get off me of me, you stupid creature!" Xander growled, finally tearing the small shadow from his face.
Holding it like a cat in front of him, he snarled and then threw it into the nearest wall, making an indent before the little thing slowly fell to the ground below, motionless.
However, that allowed me time to grab the spear, growling as he turned to face me.
Looking at the spear in my hand, he scoffed and held his arms out.
"Yea, go ahead. See what happens," he huffed confidently, and I raised an eyebrow, keeping my eyes narrowed as I looked at him.
Then my gaze shifted to his shadow that was hiding out in the distance, and the soft glow at the center of its chest.
Lifting the spear, I aimed and launched it towards the shadow, too fast for Xander to react and tell it to move.
"No, wait—!" He cried, trying to intercept the spear, but it was too late.
It went straight through the shadow, shattering the talisman situated in its chest.
Xander gasped and choked, his hand flying up to his own chest before he stumbled onto one knee, trying to keep himself up.
His once confident look shifted to fear, and he looked up to me as I slowly approached him.
"Like I said..." I growled, "checkmate."