Sooner

He's on PAGE ONE!

Book III Park XIII is up.

I can't believe I'm almost finished....

Book III - Part XIII

Kings Row
Na'rul moaned and wrapped her arms across her belly while trying to get herself moving again. She'd been injured in her crash back to the ground, and the drain on her strength asCiara pulled harder and harder was nauseating. But she wasn't done with her fight yet. She'd tumbled to a stop against a rough grey wall. She glanced around, frantic for escape, shelter, cover... anything that could get her away from these angry and resolute heroes. She frowned. The wall continued around into a "U" shape and was lined with doors and windows. Dwellings?

Nearby, one of the windows was open. It was a narrow gap, but Na'rul was slender. Desperate determination helped her shove her way through the opening. Dingy but heavy curtains hung partly covering the window and she yanked them closed, cowering in the dark shadows. She wrapped her black membranous wings around herself and waited.

The room stank of unwashed clothes and bodies, spoiling food, and a sour burned odor she couldn't identify. Debris littered the floor and covered every surface she could see. Were she more concerned with hygiene than refuge, she would have dived right back out that window.

Within moments, she could hear the heroes as they came closer, searching for her.

"I lost sight of her behind the apartments!" Glacius called.

"Man, she came down faster than a chunk of lead! Did one of you shoot her or something?" Rastafari Man asked.

"I didn't shoot the little blue *****," Witch-Frost said with some heat in her voice. "She was too far away by the time I got free."

Na'rul heard a rustling sound behind her, and a human yawn. Her eyes widened when a large human male - unwashed, unshaven, unkempt - lifted his bulk into a sitting position and peered over the back of the couch in her direction. He blinked, bleary eyed, at her and she lifted one slender blue finger to her lips. "shhhhh..." she whispered. He blinked again, laughed weakly, shook his head, and lay back down.

Her breath shuddered in and out at her narrow escape, but then she heard Glacius speak again. "Zem, Cherished... We've lost sight of her. She might try coming back to your location."

A thin, flat voice still recognizable as Cherished answered, her frustration clear. "No sign of her here, Glacius."

"What's Colleen's status?" Glacius asked, and she thought she could hear anxiety in his question.

"Zem saved her. It was close, but he was able to save her."

Na'rul's eyes widened and ice formed in her gut. She'd failed. Oh... no... she'd failed Ciara. She would have to find her way back, and this time the heroes would be ready for her.

"Screw it." Glacius said suddenly. "If Colleen's stable enough to travel, pack it up and take her to the base. And if she's not stable enough, get her stable enough. The hospital might be better for her recovery, but the base is better for keeping her alive. Nothing - human, devil, or otherwise - is going to get to her there. We'll head back to your location."

At that moment fire and electricity, ice and acid erupted in Na'rul's mind and soul. The bonds that had been in place so long ruptured and fell away. Ciara was dead - she had to be - and Na'rul was free... she was free for the first time in her entire existence. But it hurt so very bad... She bit into the muscles of her own arm to stop herself from screaming, and curled up into the tightest ball she could manage while her body wanted to writhe.

"Move out, Ghosts." Glacius said.

Na'rul fought to remain still and quiet, but the pain was too much for her. She kicked out in a spasm she couldn't control and slammed her foot into a lamp post. It crashed over in a clatter of spilling trash, dishes, and cups. The enormous man napping on the couch rolled over and pushed up to his feet. "Hey!" he bellowed, catching sight of her again. "Who the **** are... no... WHAT the **** are you?"

The pain faded, and with it Ciara's controls on her thoughts, her actions, her abilities. She had no need at all to return to kill the Nation woman. Rather, she had need to put as much distance between herself andConall Cian as possible. Without Ciara to keep him from killing her, she was certain he wouldn't listen to her long enough to save her from his wrath - and she knew his wrath could be terrible.

The door burst open and the three heroes shoved their way into the room. They blinked in the dim light, their eyes adjusting too slowly. The man lumbered forward to challenge the new invaders into his home, andNa'rul took advantage of the distraction on everyone's part to rip herself a portal - away from there. All three heroes fired a last salvo at her and she dove through, dodging ice, radiation, and pure white power as the portal closed behind her. And she was free.

Ciara's Prison
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?!" Caryn yelled. "Is there something wrong with your brain? What are you thinking?"

Caryn and Cerise stood in front of Conall, glaring furiously at each other. Caryn held Cerise's right wrist in her right hand. Cerise's body was twisted at the waist to face Caryn.

"Let go!" Cerise yelled back angrily. "What's wrong with YOU?" She yanked her wrist free from her sister and rubbed at it.

"You were not seriously thinking about letting him go, were you?"

Cerise cocked her head at Caryn, her eyes angry and narrow. "What would you suggest we do instead?"

"Kill the evil ******!" Caryn yelled back. "We'll never have a better chance."

"NO!" Cerise answered, raising the volume even higher. She took a protective stance in front of Conall and glared at the rest of the room.

"Cerise..." Cyd started.

"No! We are not even going to discuss killing him. No way."

"Do you have any idea what he's capable of?" Caryn asked. "The things he's done...."

"It is true," Conall broke in. "I have done terrible things under Ciara's control. But that is over now."

Ben took a step forward and placed his hand on Caryn's shoulder. "It's horrible to be under someone else's control. You can't blame him for things he did when she controlled him."

Caryn whipped her head around to Ben, but she bit back whatever it was she'd been planning to say at the look in his eyes. "It's not the same, Ben," she finally said.

"Caryn, Cyd... " Cerise urged. "He's been on our side all along. He's helped us -"

"He lied to us, misled us about who he was -" Caryn challenged.

"Would you have listened, sisters, if I'd come to you wearing this face?" Conall asked.

"He got me out of that Carnie house-"

"Because it benefited him to do so!"

"He helped us get here, Caryn!"

"He nearly got us killed! No.. he DID get you killed. He DID KILL you, Cerise, and we almost didn't get you back! He KILLED you!"

Cerise glanced over her shoulder at Conall. "He didn't want to." she said quietly.

Caryn threw up her hands. "BECAUSE HE NEEDED YOU ALIVE!" she screamed. "Not because he cares about you, or wanted to protect you, or had any regard for you! He didn't want to kill you because HE didn't want to lose!"

"Ok ok ok...." Cydney broke in. "Settle down. Both of you. Screaming at each other isn't accomplishing anything." She studied Conall where he stood before them. He stood straighter now that Ciara was dead, but he was still chained and still obviously injured and in pain. "Were you under compulsion when you nearly killed our mother?" she asked finally.

Conall met her gaze and nodded. "I was, but sisters... she wanted Colleen dead. I twisted her words and did not kill her. I could have, and it would have been easier and better for me if I had. I had no choice about hurting her, but I made the choice to spare her life."

Cydney cocked her head, anxiety twisting in her gut. She didn't know what she wanted the answer to her next question to be. "Were you under her compulsion when you tortured Keely... andAhren?"

Conall's did not even flick to Ahren. He held Cydney's eyes. "I have been under her control for centuries...." he paused for a deep breath. "But, no... it was not her will that I do those things."

Cydney shook her head and started to speak, but then Ahren stepped forward. "Cydney... what happened in the past between he and I... is between he and I. Keely is gone and I doubt she would care anymore what became of him. And I..." he shook his head. "I'm not that man anymore. Whatever decision you make, leave me - and things that happened betweenConall and I - out of it." All three sisters stared at him in complete shock. "I did a lot of research on Ciara, and I learned a lot about Conall along the way. It's a tough decision. He's done so much harm - centuries of evil. And if you release him and he continues that path... how much of that evil will you own, knowing you could have stopped it? But,Cyd... he's a victim here too. He didn't chose Ciara . If you kill him -" Cerise uttered a protest and he held up a hand. "-IF you kill him, are you going to wonder for the rest of your life if you punished him for things over which he had no control or, worse, for acts he has yet to commit? Do you have the stomach to murder a... being when he's completely helpless to fight back?" He shook his head. "In the end, it has to be you three who decide his fate. Just consider very carefully which path you chose."

A silence stretched out. All eyes were on Cyd, but she was studying Conall. The cavernous room was utterly still until Conall shifted, trying to ease his discomfort, and the chains holding him rattled. As if that noise broke a dam, Caryn and Cerise both began chattering at her, arguing their points.

Cyd shook her head and lifted her hands in the air. "ENOUGH!" she bellowed. "There's a difference between the good guys and the bad guys - or at least, there should be - and this.. this right here is it." She lifted her chin. "We're not killing him."

Caryn immediately jumped in, "What gives YOU the right to make that decision!?" while Cerise turned with a happy smile back to Conall.

"We're leaving him. Cerise! Let's go."

"What?" Cerise gasped. "But... NO! Cyd, no... we can't just leave him here like this... that's... that's almost worse than killing him."

Cyd shook her head. "I am not going to stand by while we murder a helpless victim. That's not going to happen. I am also not going to be responsible for the harm he could do if we release him. What choice does that leave us?

"What if he gets loose, Cyd?" Caryn asked.

Ahren sighed and spoke again. "I'd rather fight him tomorrow, on equal terms, for things he has done than butcher him here and now for what we fear he may do if he ever escapes his chains."

Cyd shook her head, and finally her sisters could see how hard the decision was for her as well. "Let's go." she said quietly and firmly.

Cydney turned her back on Conall and started walking away. Ahren nodded once and followed after. Cerise and Caryn stood frozen, staring at each other until Ben turned away as well. Caryn waited, watching her youngest sister until finally Cerise turned away and started walking afterCyd, head down, not bothering to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks.

It was Caryn who looked back at Conall. The enormous demon hung in his chains, slumped in pain and defeat. His head drooped forward with his chin nearly on his chest. As if he felt her eyes on him, he rotated his head on his neck until their eyes met. Fire flared in his eyes, and even though he said not a word, Caryn knew he was promising that he would never, ever forget that they left him there.

There's only one guy and 13 votes between our Frog and the first page.

And more voting!

Lil Yeti?

You wanna join up with my team? To make up for our failure to get out of the gate last time?

I'll jump in on this, I think.

I'll start a team list here:
1. Me (RSFer)
2. Major T (RSFer)
3. Elric (RSFer)
4. Rasta (RSFer)
5. Witch-Frost (RSFer)
6. MI Abrahms
7. Lil Yeti
8. EricHough


And that's team!

I'll start playin around with who's playin what and come up with a plan.

Did someone say "Daily Voting?"

Book III Part XII is up.

Book III - Part XII

Ciara's Prison
At the sight of one single red-headed human girl, Conall rose up from the deepest depth of hopelessness and defeat to the heights of fierce and bitter joy. Excruciatrix... somehow, his little imp had managed to find a way to bring Cerise back. Conall swore to himself he would find a way to reward his imp for her service. Loyalty was not often found among demons, but she had come to aid him without his even calling for her and she had found a way to restore Cerise to life and thereby turn disaster around. He would see to it that she knew he appreciated and valued her loyalty.

Na'rul, on the other hand... when this was done, when their *****-mistress was dead and he was free again - he would track that devil down and he would make her pay. Perhaps a year of torment for every day he'd spent in Ciara's service? That still might not be enough. Well, first he would find the blue skinned harlot, then he would beat her as close to death as he could without ending her, then he would decide how best to make her suffer for his ruined existence. Then he smiled. Punishing Na'rul and rewarding Trix could easily be solved by one action: give Na'rul to Trix. Instruct Trix that she must not kill Na'rul, and leave the manipulative devil in Trix's care until the imp became bored with her. And then Conall could take over.

He shifted, trying to find any position to ease the strain on his injured body. Ciara had made sure he was still injured enough that just being chained in place was painful. His whole body ached, but his left shoulder was the worst. With his arms pulled overhead, the tension on his injured shoulder was profoundly uncomfortable and only promised to get worse. He had some slack, but not enough to ease that pressure. At least his joy at watching the battle distracted him from the worst of the discomfort.

It was like a flock of mockingbirds trying to chase off a hawk. The sisters and Ciara flew fast and high about the vaulted room, while Ahren kept Ciara's tempter inflamed. The human man, Benjamin, stayed firmly on the ground, but his glowing spirits chased Ciara around as well, and Conall could see that Ben was using his magic to weaken Ciara. For every blow, every kick, every cut Ciara suffered from the sisters, Conall let out a roar of approval. The Beast was weakening, slowly, and with each injury she took another step on the road to her death, even though she fought every moment against it.

Ciara had had centuries to improve on her lair, and it appeared she had. Even weakened by the breaking of the pact, Conall could see she still drew magic into herself from the lair. The more she fought, the more she drew. But as the battle wore on, the power was mysteriously fading away. And as her supply of magic began to fail, she began drawing on her ties to Conall. And just like that, he saw his victory being stolen from him again. What good did it do him for Ciara to die, if she drained him until he died first?

Kings Row
Na'rul was holding her own against the heroes, though it was a near thing. Only her willingness to recklessly throw away the lives of her demon pets was keeping her in the fight. The woman, Witch-Frost, battered at Na'rul with ice, snow, sleet, frigid winds. The green-clad man, Rastafari Man, had settled some sort of curse on her and between the cold and the green curse she felt she could barely move, fight, or even stand. All the while, the one shimmering with power - Glacius - battled past her demons time and again to strike at her.

All she wanted to do was flee, but she began to suspect that wasn't going to be possible. These heroes didn't seem inclined to let her retreat, but she was desperate to find a chance to talk to Conall, to explain. Things weren't as Ciara had lead him to believe. She had to let him know, but first she had to win free of these humans.

She sent another wave of demons to crash into the heroes, battling the nausea and weakness Rastafari Man was inflicting on her, and trying to remember what it felt like to be warm. She became more and more certain she was going to fall to these heroes, and she expected that they would kill her when she did.

And then the tide of battle turned. Her demon prince managed to capture Witch-Frost in a solid block of ice. Freed of the ice sorceress's onslaught, Na'rul focused her demons on Glacius while she turned her attention to Rastafari Man. She lashed at the hero with her magical whip, driving him back step by step.

She finally had enough space to run, and she took it. She darted into the sky, fleeing away, leaving her demons behind to hold off the heroes. She began to laugh with delight as she glanced behind her. Rastafari Man was running and jumping determinedly, but he was unable to fly to keep up. Glacius won free of the demons and was giving chase, but even if he could fly faster than she, she had a tremendous lead. Witch-Frost was just shaking off the ice. She glared angrily at the escaping devil, then lifted into the air herself.

Na'rul fled, her escape clear before her, until Ciara started drawing power from her. Na'rul screamed a furious denial. She flapped her wings frantically, and turned down into a dive to gain speed, but the drain was too strong and too sudden. She plummeted down and when she tried to turn toward the skies again, tried to turn her downward acceleration into lift up into the skies, she simply lacked the power. Instead she crashed into the asphalt and cement of Kings Row and tumbled to a stop against a brick wall.

Ciara's Prison
Conall overcame his weakness and cheered when Cydney grabbed Ciara and spun her around towards her sisters. Cerise slashed at Ciara, but the demon wriggled free. Ahren charged in and grabbed at Ciara's ankle but the demon moved too fast. She darted up to the ceiling, staying out of reach until she recovered her breath. The sisters fought on tirelessly, buoyed up by their stored of magical energy, but Ciara was still a potent enemy. When they closed on her, she dodged away from them and dropped down to the stone floor. She landed near Conall and darted around behind the stone pillar before taking to wing again. Conall twisted around, trying to see, and winced when that put even more pressure on his wounded shoulder. But still he craned his head for the view.

He suspected the fight was winding down. Ciara would not be able to escape now, she was trapped in the fight till the end. He also suspected that before the end came, she would drain the last of his power from him, and most likely his life with it. At least he would die knowing that ***** was finished.

Ciara was distracted, focusing on Cydney, when Ahren slammed into her from above. He wrestled with her until Cyd and Caryn managed to get a grip on her, and even Ben's Grandfather grabbed at her. The sisters were trying to hold Ciara still so that Cerise could drive her magical blades into the demon's chest, but Ciara still had the strength and toughness to wrench free once more. The sisters gave chase back down to the floor, running on foot, trying to get their hands on her. Cydney grabbed Ciara's right wrist and stood tough when Ciara retaliated by dragging the claws of her right hand across Cyd's face. Caryn powered in and grabbed Ciara's left wrist. The sisters pulled away and back on Ciara's arms, opening up her chest and creating the best target possible. Cerise struck again, but Ciara pushed off the floor, dodging madly, and Cerise's blades went wide again.

Caryn planted her feet on the floor. "Cyd! The pillar!" Cyd and Caryn dragged Ciara, screaming, twisting and fighting every step, until her back slammed into the stone next to Conall. Caryn stood just to Conall's right, pulling Ciara's arm across his body. "Now, Cerise, now!"

The glowing red blades slashed in, and Ciara lunged upwards again. The blades skittered off the stone and Ciara's wings and tail battered at Conall as she fought to get free. The sisters dragged her down again and again, and each time she frantically pulled herself away just before Cerise could finish her.

Conall reached up. He could almost grab hold of her thick black hair with his right hand as she lifted away. Almost.... but he pulled taut against the chains and the strain the pull put on his left shoulder was so sharp. He reached farther until brought up again by the pain.

"I'm losing my grip!" Caryn cried out.

"Hold on, Caryn, hold on!" Cyd answered. "Don't let go!"

"I'm trying, dammit!" Caryn snapped back.

As if in slow motion, Conall could see Caryn's grip slipping. Blood coated all the combatants, and Ciara's skin was slick with it. Caryn's fingers were sliding slowly off Ciara's wrist. Conall's life was slipping away as Ciara pulled his power for the strength to fight free. There was no more time for Conall. When Ciara's hand slipped free of Caryn, she leapt into the air again, dragging Cyd along. Caryn reached frantically for another grip, and Conall lunged for Ciara. He grit his teeth and ignored the flesh in his left shoulder ripping and tearing. He roared with the pain when that shoulder dislocated with a fiery tear and an audible pop, but he grabbed a thick fistful of Ciara's hair in his right hand. With all his remaining strength, he yanked her back down to the ground. The thin membrane of her wings caught on his horns and he tossed his head savagely, tearing her wings to bloody shreds as she slammed back down. Her body pressed back into his as Caryn regained her grip and the sisters pulled back on Ciara's arms. With a savagery new even to him, Conall clamped his wickedly sharp carnivore's teeth on the side of Ciara's neck and bit down, holding her in place with his teeth sinking into the strap muscles of her neck.

"Conall!" she screamed. "Conall, no! Rele-"

Conall pulled his teeth from her neck just long enough to reposition and clamp down again, this time right on her throat, biting down with all his force to stop her from ordering him to let go. He felt the pressure on his body increase when Cyd and Caryn pulled back on Ciara's arms, dragging her back into the pillar, while Ahren and Ben dove in to hold her feet in place.

Conall's burning eyes rolled up to Cerise's. His little friend Cerise, glowing with all the power of her clan, stood ready. Her red hair was pulled back in its customary ponytails, but it was mussed with strands falling free and her bangs in disarray. The tear across her leather top, the tear caused by his own claws, marred her costume, but the battle damage made her appear more heroic. She was smeared with blood and smudged with dirt. At that moment, she wasn't merely a pretty girl, she was beautiful, powerful, deadly. Her face settled into a determined expression, her green eyes glinted with determination. She raised her blades, glowing and shimmering with her power, into a ready position and struck. And he saw when she adjusted the angle of her blow so as to miss him.

The blades sank into Ciara's chest, biting into her red skin, first the right, then the left. The demon stiffened, and her body writhed in furious denial she couldn't express past his teeth. Cerise plunged the blades to their hilts into Ciara's chest, and Conall felt the left blade just skid by the skin of his own chest. Ciara fought for life furiously, her body twisting and writhing, small strangled noises escaping past his teeth. Her wings extended to their fullest, her tail lashed. Her clawed fingers opened wide and snapped closed, and her head tossed in tiny arcs back and forth. Conall felt his own heart began to slow as she ruthlessly pulled the last of his strength from him. He tried, but he could no longer keep his teeth clenched in her flesh. He hung in his chains, weak and dying, while Ciara struggled against him and began to scream, loud, harsh, furious screams echoing throughout the stone halls of her prison.

"Cerise...." he whispered. "Finish her... quickly..."

Her bright green eyes met his, her expression unreadable. If she held off just another few moments, he'd be gone. Did she know that? Still holding his eyes, she nodded slightly. Cerise pulled her blades free and struck again, and this time Ciara's body stiffened, jerked once, twice... and then slumped. She crumpled to the ground and her shredded and bloody black wings folded over her body like a shroud.

All was still and quiet. The Heroes waited, frozen, unable to believe that it was over. They looked at each other, looked at the ancient demon as her blood ran out onto the floor. And then all eyes snapped to Conall as he flung back his head and screamed.

The bonds and compulsions had been in place so for long that when they broke it was like ripping an old bandage off a wound, like pulling a nail from a punctured foot, or releasing the pressure on a horribly inflamed swelling. That it was a good pain, a freeing pain, did nothing at all to stop it from being very real pain. And so he screamed.

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Part XI is up.

Book III Part XI

Ciara's Prison
Ahren launched into a brief report of how Ben had brought Cerise back, but he was interrupted by Ciara's bellowing.

"The blood ó Floinn has thinned over the years, I see!" Ciara sneered, her voice carrying clearly through the hallways. "You will die whether you face me as a warrior or I hunt you like a rabbit!"

"You'd better answer her," Ben muttered. "You don't want her coming for you before we're ready."

Cyd glanced at Ben, but she was too stunned to even hear his words. Her eyes went back to Cerise. "I saw you die..." she whispered.

Cerise ducked her eyes, and then glanced back up. She was unusually subdued, but Cyd thought that was understandable given what she'd been through. Cyd reached out and pulled Cerise into a tight embrace, fighting back tears of relief.

Ciara bellowed again, "Do not dishonor your name, daughter ó Floinn. Come back and face me. It will be ten times worse for you if you make me hunt you."

Ahren put a hand on Cyd's shoulder. "Tell her you're instructing your soul on how to find the path to the afterlife. You will return to the fight when you're sure it can find its way." Three pairs of bright green eyes turned to him with matching quizzical expressions. "I've been doing some reading. It's a Celtic thing. Just tell her. It will sound right to her and it should buy you a few minutes."

Cyd let her voice tremble, not difficult given her near overwhelming relief. "Ciara, I want to be sure my soul can find its way to the afterlife. Please give me a few minutes. I'll come back out and we'll finish this when I'm sure it knows the way."

Silence stretched out, then the demon chuckled. "Take your time, then. It is a long path from here to your otherworld, instruct it well. I don't want your soul, human, I want your magic."

"How did-" Cyd started, then cut herself off. The details were unimportant. "Cerise.... you dont' look well. Are you ready for this?"

"She doesn't have her magic," Caryn explained.

"I can see it... it's out there." Cerise whispered. "I know it will come to me when I call, but she will know when I do. We thought... .best to wait till we were all together again and ready."

Cyd was stunned by the bravery it must have taken to wander these halls powerless, when power was there waiting for her. But she didn't let it show. They had a job to do. "Ok then." Cyd opened her hand and stared down at the ring. She glanced up at Ahren, letting her eyes express her thanks, then placed the ring on the middle finger of her right hand. She felt the magic stir, reaching out to her, and then settle itself in place as if it knew it were home. She reached out her hands for her sisters. "Let's finish this."

"Wait wait...." Cerise said. "You have to understand about Conall-"

"Understand what?" Caryn broke in. "Can he get free? Do we have to worry about him, too?"

"No, listen. He really is on our side. He hates Ciara, he wants her dead. She has some sort of control over him, but if he could get free, maybe he could help us."

"No." Cyd shook her head. "No way. We do not need that problem added on." Cerise opened her mouth to protest, but Cyd went on. "You've never seen him in a fight. We can't take the risk of him getting free."

"Cyd... He IS Rory." Cerise pleaded.

"I KNEW it!" Caryn hissed. "Well.. I didn't know THAT, but I knew 'Rory' was no good!"

"He was my friend," Cerise said sadly. "He helped -"

"No, Cerise, No!" Caryn interrupted. "He manipulated you. He helped you only because it served his-"

"Enough!" Cyd jumped in. "Cerise, we can't take the risk. He's too big a variable."

Neither of her sisters seemed inclined to continue the argument, though Cerise looked even more sad.

"Ok." Cyd put her hand out in front of her. Solemnly, Ahren placed his hand atop hers. Ben followed, then Caryn and Cerise. Cyd placed her other hand, the one wearing the ring, on top. "Ahren, you've been as good a friend as I could have ever hoped for, and to my sisters as well. If there were any one person I would have picked to be here with us, it would be you." Ahren nodded as Cyd went on "Ben, I can never thank you enough for Cerise's life. But when this is over, when we're out of here, I'm sure going to try. Your help has given us back the chance to win this. Caryn, Cerise.... This..... this is what we were born for. This moment. That ***** has pushed this family around long enough. For ourselves, for our mother Colleen, for our father Daniel, for our family back through the centuries, we are ending this. Right now."

She stood, her cape falling down in a wave behind her, and pulled her hood back up. "Cerise, be ready to call your magic back, we need you strong."

The last time she had climbed atop that crest of stone, she'd thought she was going to her death. Now, she was going to victory. She glared down at The Beast, Ciara Banenighe. Cyd stood tall, strong and confident. Defiance and fury blazed in her eyes. "I'm ready." she said simply.

"I am well past ready, human. Let's end this."

Cyd answered with a teeth baring smile. She snapped her hands out and down to her sides and her sisters slapped their palms against hers in unison, climbing up to stand with her. The Sisters ó Floinn stood together, three strong and united, facing the demon they'd been born to fight. Cerise reached out her free hand to the magic swirling frantically about the ceiling and it darted to her. Instantly she straightened and smiled, glowing with her reclaimed power.

"NOOOOO!" Ciara roared. "NOOO! You're dead!"

Conall began to laugh, his whole body shook with a deep satisfied chuckle rising through the huge stone room and filling it like billowing smoke from a roaring fire.

"The only one dying today is you, Ciara!" Cerise cried out. As if they'd rehearsed it, Cerise and Caryn snapped their free hands down and out, mimicking Cyd's gesture. Ahren took Cerise's hand and Ben took Caryn's. The five of them stood together. And then Cyd activated the ring.

Magical chaos erupted. The invisible barrier holding Ciara captive suddenly became opaque, a shimmering red-gold web of of magic, contracting rapidly down around them then rupturing like an overfull balloon. The magic tried to flow into the the two remaining cabochon spheres, but they were weak and frail and they shattered, sending shards shooting wildly through the room. Magic, so much that it was visible even to Ahren, began to pour into the room, filling the space, splashing and flowing wildly. The air was filled with a sharp scent and a feeling of wild power. Ciara reached for it, screaming with fury as the power denied her and poured itself into the Sisters ó Floinn. The power of the entire clan had come home to them.

When the magical storm was over, the sisters glowed with sparkles of red power. Ahren and Ben, still holding their hands, had even absorbed some of it. The five of them stared down at the demon like Angels of Justice. And the demon... the demon had a moment to realize she was free. She could flee and find someplace new to rebuild. She was no longer bound here in that prison. She could escape... all she had to do was turn her back on that beautiful, glorious power. The intention to do so was clear on her face as she turned away but then Ahren called out to her, "Washerwoman! The Black Crone! You know that's what they called you? The Washerwoman?"

Ciara turned back, rage in her eyes. "No one has dared call me that for centuries...." she growled.

"After we kill you, I'll write your history - how you were imprisoned for centuries by three human girls, and then killed by another three. That's what I'm going to title it. "The Washerwoman's Defeat."

"Run Ciara," Conall sneered. "Run like the bully you are, the coward you are. And then it will be you hunted and killed like a rabbit!"

"I am no one's rabbit," she growled. "And you, human, will die for calling me that!"

Ciara lifted into flight and flung herself at Ahren. And the battle was on.

Even with the binding spell broken, Ciara was terrifyingly powerful. Her first blow on Ahren knocked him back on his heels and he staggered a few steps before getting set back on his feet. He proceeded to chatter away at Ciara, inflaming her temper more and more. "It appears you're having some trouble taming your wolf there, Washerwoman," he commented, dancing back and away from the sisters.

"Shut your fool mouth, human, about things too mighty for you to understand!" she bellowed and hammered at Ahren again.

Behind her, Cyd, Caryn, and Cerise flared into brilliant light, each of them surrounded by a shimmering corona of red light, sparkling and shining. Cyd lifted high into the air and swooped down on Ciara, while Caryn threw herself at the demon with an impressive flying kick, and Cerise leapt and twirled, her glowing magical blades shining even more brightly than ever. And behind them, Ben called out the spirits of his ancestors and reached down deep into the earth. He tossed the same energy he'd used to bring Cerise back to life at Ciara, only this time, it was used to hurt.

Ciara bellowed a furious protest. Those able to see magic saw that there was still more, and this time it was going to Ciara. Her strength grew. The heroes settled themselves in for a long, difficult fight.

---

Trix was entranced by the little figurine of the red carved imp, but she needed to keep moving. She needed to put even more distance between herself and Ciara. She turned back towards the door when the magical barriers surrounding the place swept through the room. Trix shrieked with totally unfeigned alarm and cowered on the floor, but then she realized... the sisters were fulfilling their prophecy. The pact was broken, and Trix, along with Conall, might be free of Ciara after all. She laughed with delight, too far away from the magical fireworks to see them, but she could feel them - the entire stone structure rumbled and roared with the power.

And then, the figurine still clutched in her tiny hand began to glow with magic. In fact, every artifact in the room began to glow and thrum. Trix dropped the figurine and darted back behind the tapestries. When she dared to glance back out, her eyes narrowed. Tremendous magic was being drawn from the items in the room, and she was quite certain she knew where it was going.

Her prize, the delicate figurine, lay broken on the floor. She pouted - she had coveted that one for her own - until she noted that it no longer glowed. It no longer generated power for the demoness.

A smile crooked the corner of Trix's mouth, then spread into a delighted grin. She emerged into sight again. She was forbidden to use magic to aid Conall. But it would not require any magic to destroy this room. With shrill giggles and squeals of pure delight, Trix wrought havoc in that room, and one by one centuries old and priceless magical antiquities were ruined. If they were brittle, they crashed to the floor. If they were flammable, they burned to ash. She grabbed up delicate cloaks and hoods and tore them to shreds. She squashed flat delicate metal filigree and scroll work items, smashed mirrors, poured out phylacteries and scattered their contents. She squealed with delight at the destruction, for with each item destroyed, Ciara Banenighe weakened.