Over half of the barrier now had begun to turn a mix of orange and red, dark energy hands and arms stretching on and on as it began to crack apart even more. White steam blew out from the cracks with an aura of red. Aura skulls could be seen flying out crying, many moaning, many exploding. Below the various Hive agents stood continuing to focus on the Curse as they continued to break down the barrier.

All stood by, some appearing more lost in concentration than others. Shadow turned his head, letting his eyes wander towards Dustin, “We’re going to have company by the feel of it.”

“Which company is that?”

“Elise has just arrived at Vulfax’s HQ. I suspect she is there to defeat Azala and rally the clan against us.”

“Ha, let her. She can’t hope to accomplish a damn thing,” came laughter from Xander.

“I wouldn’t be so certain Xander, remember she’s come a long ways in only a matter of weeks,” Chrom replied, his head turning, “You should know better than to underestimate someone.”

“Yeah yeah, I know Chromwell.”

“Hmph, calling me Chromwell. Your tone is undesirable.”

A couple pairs of eyes looked to them though that was the extent as many more focused on the barrier. Slowly all looked back, all except for one set, “My my those two get on my nerves.”

“Let it go Segador,” Cortez murmured.

“Enough everyone, focus on the Curse, we’re nearly done.”

“Copy that, Lord Leon.”

Flames crackled in the cavern of Vulfax, Elise before Azala with eyes alit by the flame within her heart. Flameful eyes, fierce and darting, simply darting to eyes of an abyss of eternal darkness. Azala stood with arms at his side as Elise stood with her hand on the butt of the hilt of her sword. Her facial expression serious, her eyes locked, murmurs drifting around both.

Britt moved forward, arms away from his side, “Elise, please, I-”

“No Britt, I’m having this out with him right now for the sake of the clan.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that, for the sake of the clan? From my perspective you are simply an outcast who abandoned us and has now returned with hostile intent. Speak of your peace girl for we only see destruction.”

“Yes, abandoned a mission that was supposed to get me killed by someone who abandoned the clan long ago, Dharkanian.”

Azala’s eyes narrowed as murmurs turned to shouts of opposition towards Elise. Britt looked around as did Vulper and Rusty, the three confused judging by their expressions. Atop the ledge Phil looked down to Elise, then to Azala. Elise stepped forward, “I know the truth Azala. I know about how you tried to kill Vulper and myself because we risked undoing what you sought fit for Vulfax.”

“Listen to this girl,” came a chuckle.

“This idiot is loco.”

“I say we-”

“Silence!” Elise spat.

Everyone fell silent at once, some who had been approaching her taking to step back. Her free hand clenched into a fist, that arm quivering with rage as her eyes shut. Her head moved down as her teeth gritted. Seconds passed as she slowly looked back up with open eyes, the emerald of her eyes bright.

“You planned the attack on Stark Pack with Dustin, just so Vulper and I would die. At the same time you’d have a reason to act more vicious to outside clans due to our failed plan to take out the pack. This would let you grab more power for yourself and only yourself.”

“So you’ve gathered the truth have you? Heh heh, but what does it matter. Vulfax is protected so long as they submit.”

“Why not tell them why the clan is losing hunting land and being restricted? It isn’t because of the humans, it’s because Dustin has commanded you to restrict Vulfax to benefit his clan. Dustin’s allies have been transferring resources from this area to feed a growing army of other Zaherian, Vampires, Drachen, and anyone else loyal to his network. How would everyone feel if they knew they were going to be bombed because of the standings with that enemy that gives no care in the world about Vulfax, an enemy you work with and allow to go through what was once Vulfaxian territory?”

Murmurs rose again as Phil turned fully to Azala, “Sire? What is she talking about? I thought-”

“Silence Phillip. The girl is simply rambling nonsense at this point.”

“Am I though? You’re working with Dustin who in turn is working with an enemy that threatens the entire world. The world government, enemy to Dustin’s bosses, want to bombard this entire area just to wipe us out because they fear what you’re going to do. Azala is about to drag the clan into a war they can’t win just so he can retain power.”

“That’s a lie, there’s no way,” came a comment from the side.

“Azala has lead us for generations, there’s no way he would do that to the clan.”

“Elise is talking nonsense, take her!”

Several rushed at Elise immediately. Her eyes darted around at which point a white glow appeared surrounding her left fist. At once she flung it forward, unleashing a bright bolt of Light Energy straight at Azala. The attack startled those rushing her, all stopping and watching as it traveled at their leader.

“Lord Azala!”

Azala blinked and quickly flung his own fist forward with a grunt, unleashing an energy bullet of his own, a bullet devoid of color. The two attacks impacted and exploded in front of Azala, the smoke quickly drifting around him as darkness continued to glow around his fist. His teeth gritted and showed, a snarl leaving him. Eyes shifted from Elise’s fist to Azala’s, shouts of shock quickly roaring out.

“Magic?”

“What were those lights?”

“What I possess is a gift from those who stand against Dustin and his comrades, the gift of Light Energy from The Tribe. What you’ve just witnessed is Dark Energy from Dustin’s people known as The Hive. Let that be proof enough for you all,” Elise growled.

“You damn- worthless brat!” Azala spat, looking around as shouts continued.

“That power is like Elise’s isn’t it?”

“Wait, does that mean that-”

“Elise is telling the truth? Azala is a traitor?”

“It can’t be-”

Two individuals quickly leaped from the crowd behind Elise, their arms bulking up with fur appearing. Howls and snarls left the two as Elise turned around, the howls then only to become yelps as she did so. Both went flying off and crashing into the walls of the cavern as two new individuals shot down in front of Elise.

“Hey, those two are Stark Pack!” came a shocked yell.

“David and Milly?”

The two rose up and quickly turned to Elise, nodding. The three then looked back up to Azala, “David and Milly failed Stark Pack and were ordered to be executed by Dustin’s superiors for knowing too much. Let that be another blow to Azala’s credit. And as I said, his activities are going to bring destruction down upon all of Vulfax.”

“Damn it all, I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance. Holly wouldn’t have known a damn thing if I had shifted the blame.”

“How could you work with them and betray all of Vulfax? Dustin couldn’t have persuaded you that much and I doubt Shadow could have gotten to you.”

“That would be, my doing,” a voice replied, dark and echoing.

A grunt was heard alongside the sound of ripping and liquid spilling. Phil stumbled forward, a pike exiting through his chest. Shouts of shock filled the room at once, Elise’s eyes growing wide and shaky as Phil fell forward off the ledge, revealing behind him none other than-

“Alto?”

Alto stood in place of Phil wearing The Hive’s robes. At once the dark blue hair of Alto turned black and his eyes began to change color, becoming amber quickly, “Actually you can call me Toby, now that my role as a spy is done.”

“Wha-what? No, it can’t be,” Elise murmured.

“In truth Elise, there’s so much you’ve yet to fully comprehend,” he called out as others moved out from behind both him and Azala, all wearing armor painted black with the red star patterned across. Following suit came Winston and his three.

“What is this?”

“What? Startled by my appearance? Ah, now I bet I know what you’re thinking next. Hoping that I’ll say I am brainwashed and acting against my will? Sorry to say Elise but I am of my own accord at the moment.”

“No, this can’t be real. Not you, anyone but you!”

“Again I am sorry to say but I am of my own accord. You see, I acted as a spy for both Dustin and Shadow this entire time. I studied the various Earthly Supernatural organizations on orders from Lord Shadow and acted as liaison between him and Dustin for the longest of times, helping to find new blood to recruit into our arms.”

“But why?”

“Because like Winston I’ve come to accept what this world truly is. A dark pit of Hell with no qualities of redemption! Do you know how many wars these humans have started all on their own? How many lives they take for their own selfish gain? It’s the same with any human and any entity born to this accursed world.”

“I asked you why, not for a speech!”

“Why? You think your life was crap Elise, try living on the streets without any powers at all like Winston, homeless and starving. Try living in an orphanage where they abused you in every way imaginable like I was! Winston, his team, and myself, we were nothing until Lord Shadow approached us. He granted us strength, he gave us a purpose. He told us to make contact with Dustin, he told us to find others for the Hive. He told us we would change this world for the better.”

“Orphanage? No, you were born to the Pack of-”

“A cover up for my opportunity to gather information. Truth of the matter is that I used you and many others to collect data on suitable candidates, and then I collected data on you in particular once Azala and the rest grew concerned by the thought of Holly using you as a spy. I knew from your words ages ago that Holly Bell was of The Tribe’s Royal Bloodline, so I used your name to join up and collect data.”

“You’re the traitor that they’re after then, you’re the one who helped invade that base in Switzerland!”

“Heh, guilty as charged, yes. I provided data on the facility; though Lord Shadow saw to the rest. Holly eventually came to suspect me on that regard, which is why I had Winston kidnap me to get me out. I couldn’t have just walked out due to a certain seal Holly put on me that would have prevented my escape. I fulfilled my mission rather well and helped Shadow even find the temple.”

“No, then if-”

“Correct. You’re part of the reason why all of this happened. Your connection to Holly was the key that enabled us to act so quickly. Because of you I joined up making her think I had nothing. Like a fool she accepted me right in and over the next few years I collected what I needed, while also doing a few other assignments. And now, here we are.”

“My fault you say,” she murmured looking down, a bit of blood dripping from her palm as her nails dug into her hand.

A few tears dripped down as she looked back up, glaring at all who stood atop the ledge, “Then it is my job to take you all down. You’re definitely not the boy I knew for so many years, you’re as much of a traitor as Azala is!”

Azala laughed as Toby smirked, the rest breaking into laughter at the same time.

“You truly think you can stop all of us on your own? Vulfax bows down to Azala loyally, your fate is in our hands.”

“Toby, I say we have a little fun with Elise. The rest of my clan can hang back, right? Actually all of you hang back as well, I want to squash this fruit my damn self.”

“Heh, so be it. Lord Shadow won’t really care either way.”

“Hey, I thought he might have wanted her alive?” Winston chuckled.

“Perhaps Winston, perhaps. We’ll just have to tell him capture was not possible and that she lost control of her own power. The girl knew too much to begin with. I figured it would comfort her to know the whole story before she died,” Toby chuckled, looking down at Elise.

“I’ve stood alone for many years, taken serious blows to my heart. I’ll get over this one just the same you dastard,” Elise spat.

“Then by all means, bring it on.”

Azala rose up and quickly jumped forward, dropping like a rock. The ground beneath him shattered as he landed, rock flying up and cracks flying out. Elise quickly unsheathed her sword and held it in her left hand, extending it taking a defensive stance. Her left side stepped forward as her right stepped back, the right arm brought back ready to fly forward with a punch as white energy grafted around it.

Azala’s right arm reached behind him and pulled out a large weapon, an ax the size of an adult man with a cleaver the size of a semi tire. Down it swung, blasting through the ground in front of Azala, then back up to prop on his shoulder. A smirk spread as all eyes shifted around, many worried looks among the crowd to their lefts and rights. Vulper slowly stepped forward with a look of horror on his face, “No-”

Rusty looked left and right, his face puzzled while beside him Britt stood motionless with a blank expression. Azala stepped forward with an echoing laugh, “Mwahahahahaaa! How I have waited, oh how I have waited to take you down you arrogant child. For so long you’ve been a thorn in my side. Now you shall die!”