Bloody Dawn - MCD AU [REWRITE PENDING]

Twenty-Six - The Calm After a Storm

Coughing, Aphmau fell backwards through the portal, landing on her butt just as Katelyn destroyed the portal frame.

"What about Levin?!" Nicole asked angrily.

Aphmau shivered. Tears were falling, but she was hardly aware. Curled up, she pushed Katelyn away with one of her wings.

"Levin is... Levin is..." Aphmau managed to sob just before a cloudburst of tears. Wrapping her wings around herself, Aphmau's shoulders heaved as she tried to deal with the trauma of watching Levin's innards become outtards.

Nicole was suddenly silent. Zane looked down at his feet, a small growl escaping his throat.

Aphmau, now sobbing intensely, stood up and ran off. Katelyn followed, but Nicole stopped her. "She just needs some space. We can't do everything."

Katelyn nodded. Everyone lowered their heads in respect for Levin.

It was going to be a long, bloody hell.
+=+=+=+=+
"Why?! WHY?!"

It was raining. Zane, alone in a clearing, cried as he beat the ground because that's not cliche at all.

"Just... fucking why?" Zane's shoulders heaved, tears stream down his face. It rained harder, because the author doesn't know any other way to portray such emotion without cliche.

Zane wasn't crying for Levin.

He was crying for Garroth.

He was crying for what Garroth had become-Garroth, who Zane once looked up to, Garroth, who comforted Zane and helped him cope with sadness, Garroth...

Had become a monster.

Zane sat there, on the couch, curled into a ball. He was crying.

Garroth, little, seven-year-old Garroth (fangirl screams), entered the room. He sat down on the couch next to Zane (first person to draw fanart and show me gets ice creams-but don't forget, they're children and they're demons!).

"Chin up, baby brother. Now tell me, what's made you so upset?" Garroth said, curling up right next to Zane.

Zane relaxed. He looked up at Garroth. "Lauwance was mean. He said I'd never account to nothing, that I was just another useless spawn."

Garroth smiled, and lovingly hugged his little brother (again, FANART gets you TREATS), gently petting the little nugget.

"Yeah, well, you and I know that's not true. Somehow, I can sense a bright flame burning inside you, Zane. Laurance is an idiot. We both know that."

Zane somehow managed to smile. He gulped. Garroth leaned down and helped Zane readjust his scarf (I imagine Zane wearing a scarf when he's a kid, then a bandana, then a mask. Don't know why tho).

Together, the two brothers sat on the couch, holding each other for comfort.

Zane stopped. Sitting, he reached into his bag. He pulled out his scarf.

I wish Garroth hadn't left.

Hadn't changed.

"I wish..." Zane started, but he knew it was useless. Growling, he spread his wings. Just as he was about to take off, however, the rain stopped.

For one, hopeful moment, sunlight slipped between the clouds.

Then the merciless clouds blocked it again, and the day turned dark.

As Zane flew, all he could see was red. All he wanted to do was beat something, he was that frustrated.

But for now, he had to fly. He had to build up the strength of his wings. Then...

Then he could fight Garroth.

And if it came to it, kill him.
+=+=+=+=+
Garroth's claws were covered in blood. His face... was a monstrosity...

Laughing maniacally, Garroth advanced upon Aphmau, who buttscooted backwards, right into a frozen spiderweb.

Garroth disappeared, engulfed in shadow. Aphmau, frightened, turned around and found herself face to face with... Ivy?

Except Ivy was a spider. Or, well, it had a spider's body, but Ivy's face. Then her face mutated into a more spider-like image (FANART PLEASE).

Aphmau shuddered herself awake. Trembling, and curled into a fetal position, she looked around.

It was okay. She was still in the dark cave she had barricaded herself in. She was okay.

Afraid, Aphmau sung herself a song, to cheer herself up.

Start Song

Somehow, singing the song really helped.

.....

"Aphmau...?" Aaron's shadow appeared at the mouth of the cave that Aphmau had holed up in. He wanted to help her, to tell her it would all be okay, but to be honest-Aaron had no idea about the pain Aphmau was going through.

Aphmau sat up. "What do you want?"

Aaron sat down. "You have a beautiful singing voice. Did you know that?"

Aphmau blushed, but it was too dark for Aaron to see. He continued.

"Okay... How do I say this? Hmm... Whelp, I'm just going to be honest. I have no idea what you're going through. But that won't stop me from trying to console you. You should know that."

Aphmau smiled. "Aww, Aaron, that's really sweet. But... what can you do? You can't change the past. You can't right all wrongs. And it's not like killing Garroth will fix everything. Two wrongs don't make a right."

Aaron scooted over next to Aphmau. "We still do the best we can. When everything's been knocked to the floor, we pick up the pieces, and rebuild as best we can. We may not be able to stop the pain, but that doesn't mean we have to wallow in our own self-pity."

Aphmau leaned on Aaron, wrapping her wings around him. "Well, even if you didn't know what to say, you still consoled me. Thanks."

Together, in that dark cave, the pair hugged, comforting one another.
+=+=+=+=+
"Ah, you're finally here. Report."

"The takeover of the Aether may not have gone as planned, but it was successful."

"Ah, yes. Do you have it? Lemme see."

"Uhh... no. I managed to kill the prince, but... well... it wasn't there. I'm sorry, sir."

"And the princess? Did you kill her, too?"

"The princess? What princess?"

"Garroth, Garroth. Don't you dare lie to me. Welp, Imma just guess you didn't kill her. Which begs the question as to why you let her live? You and I both know-that monologue there was unnecessary. Oh, could it be-could it be that you ACTUALLY thought you could keep her all to yourself? My, my."

"Ahh, no! It wasn't that! I swear!"

"Alright, I'll believe you. But I won't forget. Besides, I have a special task in mind... one that'll ultimately prove where your loyalties really lie."

"Of course I'll do it! Anything! Just name it!"

The person talking to Garroth leaned forwards, their face hitting the light as they smiled an evil, toothy grin.

"I'll need you to kill Princess Aphmau..."

"And your brother, Zane Ro'Meave."

Garroth turned white with horror for just a moment, he calmed himself.

Looking downwards, his eyes all anime-style hidden in shadow, he smiled a small, weak grin.

"Of course."