Beauty In The Beast

by Erik Schubach

  Epilogue

  We had arrived to rescue Belle in the Black Crypt, Mari's final resting place, to find that it was unneeded. Daria had already dispatched the biggest evil our world had ever faced. Styche, the Trickster, was dead. Not just banished to the underworld, but true dead. We had chased the unicorn demon that was Illiya for almost two days as she charged toward London in a rage. She went through trees, boulders, building and cars, anything that got between her and her destination. It was all we could do to make sure no people were harmed in her rampage. Snow told me, “She is going to Belle, Parker.” That gave us hope that Belle yet lived. As we approached London, we had a sinking feeling that we knew where Styche had been heading. We fought a swarm of hybrids that were outside the Black Crypt while Yth'Ical charged through the briar barrier like it was nothing but kindling. But then all at once, the hybrids collapsed and seemed to be going through some sort of seizures as they became human once more. We had all stared at the crypt in disbelief. Did that mean that Styche had been banished? What was going on in the crypt? Yth'Ical slammed into the crypt, over and over, her great horn tearing through the heavy iron doors. I shuddered at that, if she had gone on a killing rampage, I didn't know if we would be able to stop her. Her immense dark power seemed to radiate off of her. In the battle, it seemed like her berserk killing rage doubled the moment Styche took Belle through the portal. She stood still for a moment then snapped her head to the south and simply charged off, bellowing that awful roar of hers that seemed to draw the life out of all who heard it, making her stronger. And now here she was, laying siege to the Black Crypt, seemingly ignoring Rose's briars that were twisting around her, tearing at her flesh as she assaulted the doors. I prayed to whoever was listening that Belle was still alive in there, or we would have to contend with another enraged demon with the strength of Styche. Then with the screeching protest of metal, one of the doors opened, and Belle was there! It was such a wonder to watch her as she tamed the beast. Calling to the young woman inside, and urging her forward with that wonderful feeling of serenity and love that Bell had flowing from her. It had a calming effect on us too. Was the unicorn smaller now? Was Illiya coming back to herself? When Belle led her into the crypt, the unicorn couldn't have been bigger than a small horse. That's when Rose stepped forward and said simply, “Oh.” I smiled at her as she looked sheepish while she held a hand up and the briars and vines spread away from the door making a passageway we could all walk through. The poor woman hadn't thought to do that when Yth'Ical had been thrashing through the poisoned barrier. I felt another warm wave of peace and calm flow out from the crypt and closed my eyes to let that warmth flow over me. My Ella-Marie went first with Snow and Kat at the front. Eve right after. Our heavy hitters always coddled us so much. They acted like we were made of glass. I snorted at myself since in my case, I guess I truly was made of glass. I looked at my hands as the crystal slowly retreated back into flesh. I sighed at the rest as they moved me to the back, they all treated me like I couldn't defend myself. A wink from Robyn told me she saw my frustration but didn't care as she did a little shimmy in front of me. I had to grin. I paled when we entered the Black Crypt to see Mari's body crumpled at the alter. Styche lay against the far wall, unmoving. Black ichor everywhere. Daria was there whimpering by Mari while Belle covered her girl with her cloak. Damn, Belle looked beyond exhausted, and red spots seemed to be fading on her skin as I watched. I ran to Daria and wrapped my arms around her, and she whined and cried into my shoulder. Then I whispered in relief and reprimand, “Don't ever run off on us like that again. I was so scared for you.” She nodded and whined. Then Belle spoke up, her voice hoarse and raw, “She was here, waiting in the shadows for Styche to show. She gave him true death.” She pointed at the greater demon of all our nightmares, laying in a heap, his head at an unnatural angle, his one eye staring blindly into space and his face frozen into one of surprise and confusion. Nicole knelt and picked up Marini's body with Evelyn, and they placed her back in her final resting spot. I may have squawked in surprise at a familiar voice coming from the dark recesses of the crypt, “Well, that worked out nicely.” We all prepared to defend as two figures walked out of the shadows and we all relaxed and my Ella-Marie growled out, “Fuckin' Grimm brothers.” It was written in the body language of most of my companions that they wished to strike out at the men, but all froze at the sound of a little girl's voice, “Scales, you have overstepped and will have to pay for your willful disregard for the rules.” I turned to see a slip of a girl, looking so very cold, sitting next to Mari, kicking her feet lazily as they hung over the edge of the altar. I asked, “Isla?” She smiled and scrunched her head to her shoulders so very cutely, and I stepped up to the ghostly child and engulfed her in a hug. Most of us Avatars could see, hear, and sometimes touch the little girl from Hypoc, who had lost her life so very tragically all those long years ago. I released her, and her smile threatened to split her face, and she looked to have a bit of color back. Some of us could share our warmth with the poor urchin child who had died in the snow, ignored by her own people. That heat was a gift we were all happy to give her. The others who could see her greeted her and then she got a serious look on her young face that was so beyond her apparent age. It reminded me that she was hundreds of years older than I was. I chuckled, hell I was the youngest person here. She looked over at the brothers and said, “You have broken so very many rules. I could not cover for you any longer, and the Elders require you before them for judgment.” Then she looked so very sad and apologetic. “Did you truly believe they would not notice your lack of action with ensuring Styche's last doorway remained open? Or your blatant disregard for balance when you hid others away from them and informed Daria where Styche would be?” She was now running her hands through Daria's fur, petting and scratching her like she was a dog and Daria's patient smile told us how much she liked the girl to allow that sort of treatment. Jacob snapped back, “You know they have rigged the game as much as we do. It just took us too long to figure out their manipulation and put other plans in action. They are in breach of the agreement as much as we are, and we are desperately trying to save the realm of man from their biased judgment. It is a different balance we must strike as is our duty as the Scales.” The young one looked so very sad and so very tired as she shrugged and said, “That is not for us to say. They are the Elders, those who came before. It is a dangerous game you play with them, and it falls upon me to lead you from this plane to them for your transgressions. Why did you make me have to do this?” She looked utterly defeated as she stared at them with pleading eyes. She almost whispered, “The balance is so far skewed to the good now, that the balance may never again be restored. The fate of man is sealed with these actions brothers, do you not see this? Either these women are forfeit, or the final judgment will be levied.” She whispered in the whine of the child she appeared, “They are my friends, and I don't wish to see them fall like Maireni did. She was nice to me and look at what your meddling did.” Wilhelm stepped in front of Jacob and spoke with more authority than I have ever heard from him. “That is neither for you nor us to say.” He smirked. “It falls upon the new Scales to determine how to return it all to balance.” Jacob's smug smirk eclipsed his brother's as Isla looked at them in confusion and asked, “What do you mean the new Scales?” Jacob sounded quite full of himself as he almost sang out, “Oh, the rules are quite clear about this. It was the main rule when we first plead for the Elders to stay their hand and not wipe out the mortal realm to begin again. The Scales would keep the balance in exchange for time. So there must ALWAYS be Scales in the mortal realm to facilitate that.” Wilhelm grinned and continued for him, “So with us being recalled to stand in front to the tribunal of Elders, new Scales must stand in our stead.” I was getting scared of all this talk about us being forfeit and the Elders wanting to wipe out our world. Was it really just the Grimm brothers who had fought for us all these eons? As understanding of the scope and repercussions of everything they d
id sank in, I suddenly didn't feel as much animosity toward the frustrating brothers anymore. And it sounded as if they were going to pay for the crime of doing nothing more than helping us to ensure our world survived. They were... sacrificing themselves. I saw the others coming to the same realization as concern started creasing their brows when they looked at the two men who may likely pay the ultimate sacrifice for the world we love. Isla still looked sad as she shook her head. “Be that as it may when the Elders send the new Scales, they will have to deal with the unpleasantness of balancing the scales or forfeiting the mortal realm and starting over again. Jacob chuckled and smiled fondly at Isla. “My dear Isla, who said the Elders assigned who would take up the mantle of the Scales? That will be our last chance of saving their realm, we will move our final pieces and hope they will understand what needs to be done.” The girl looked up at him in confusion, then slowly, she began to smile as she understood the cryptic message he was giving her. He held his hand out like a father would to a young daughter, Wilhelm held his out too, and she stepped between them and took their hands. They turned back to look at us and Jacob said sadly, “Ladies, it has been an honor. We hope that in time you will understand, and not think ill of us. Goodbye.” We just stood in stunned incomprehension as they started walking into the shadowed depths of the crypt. Wilhelm called back his voice fading like a memory as they faded from view, “Breaking the rules one last time will not alter our judgment, so we leave you with this. The Elders are coming, and you cannot stand against them alone. Goodbye Avatars, it has been an honor.” Then they were gone. I blinked into the emptiness. We all jumped when Maireni Damaschin, the prior Red Hood, and our lost friend, suddenly sat up pulling in a huge, gasping breath. I stood in stunned silence with the others, then Daria was on her feet, melting from her wolf form into her naked human form, running to Mari's side. She engulfed her into a hug and bawled into the confused looking woman's shoulder. Mari looked around, and her eyes landed on the body of Styche, and she smiled the grin we knew and loved, the grin of the apex predator of the Red Hood. She asked us as she stroked Daria's hair and shushed her, “What is happening?” I covered my mouth as tears streamed down my face I said in a hoarse, raw voice as I squelched my own sobs as I stepped up to her to place a hand on her shoulder, “You were dead.” The others did the same, almost like some solemn communion. We all had to touch her to reassure ourselves we weren't dreaming. Mari was alive! She said in that familiar cocky tone we all loved, “Well apparently, I got better.” We all shared nervous chuckles then she narrowed her eyes and looked around, her eyes wide. She whispered, “What is that?” Daria stopped crying and looked up too, and she whispered back, “I don’t know, the world feels... out of whack.” They took another look around then shared a knowing nod with each other as if they had figured out the secrets of the universe. Then I got it... I whispered in disbelief... “The Scales.” Daria nodded in her own disbelief. Oh god. The fucking Grimm brothers had one last trick up their sleeve. She pulled back and locked eyes with Mari and said, “They made us the Scales in their absence, a final 'fuck you' to the Elders.” Then they were kissing, and my heart melted all over again. I sobbed silently as Ella-Marie came over to hold me shush me as I watched the two women share their love with one another. I never thought I would see Daria smile again. When they broke the kiss to gasp for air, Mari cocked her head like a wolf and looked at her girl who had pined and mourned for her all these long months, and asked, “Full moon?” Dari paused and pulled back and looked at her hand and said in wonder, “No.” Then she melted into her wolf form and looked at herself, then just like that she melted into Daria again. “I, I can control the change now.” We all smiled at her as she looked around. Then Ella gave a wolf whistle and cocked a salacious eyebrow at Daria. I chastised at the same instant I heard Marie chastising her in my head, “Ella!” She grinned toothily, “What? She's a right fit bird. And naked as a bloody jay.” Evelyn stepped past my obviously pervy girl, and gave her the stink eye as she pulled the red cloak off her back and wrapped it around Daria, who thanked her then shot a wink to Mari who chuckled. Mari growled like a wolf playfully at Ella who just grinned back until I slapped her shoulder. Then my girl hugged me to her in amusement, and offered, “I've eyes for no one else, love.” We took a moment to catch Mari up on the events which occurred after... well, after her... demise. Up to what had just occurred with the Scales. She nodded and exchanged a look with Daria and said, “We can feel it. We can feel the imbalance, and it is calling out for us to fix it. To let evil into the world to make it right, but I think... I think that we can do something the brothers could not. I am resisting it... because I am of this realm not that of the Elders.” Daria nodded her agreement. Daria stiffened and looked up as if she could see through the roof of the crypt. “The Elders see the imbalance though it is smaller than when the Scales were here... oh because we are no longer considered part of the balance. They will act soon unless we can hide us of all from their view.” Mari nodded. “There is so much information flowing, I can see everything. We can... wait, there are places they cannot see.” Her head snapped over to Snow. “Perchta's gardens are in a realm beyond this. We can hide out until the Elders come for the realm of man if the natural balance cannot be attained when we leave this realm.” Snow shook her head sadly. “I am only a shadow of Perchta, and there are great gaps in my... her memories. I do not know the way.” Gretta turned her eyes to Belle. “But can't you use Belle like the brothers did?” Mari squinted her eyes like she was sifting through volumes of information in front of them and shook her head. “In time I'm sure we could, once we understand our capabilities, but I do know we don't need Belle, nor the prayer book which Robyn holds. Perchta can guide us.” Daria smiled and nodded her agreement. Snow started to shake her head as she reiterated, “I don't remember how to...” Dari smiled softly at her. “But if your Perchta aspect had access to a piece of herself from before her sacrifice to save you, she could remember herself.” I could almost feel the rage as Illiya growled like a lion, her voice low and her eyes were blazing red, caustic smoke billowing from them, “You will not sacrifice my love to go the the gardens!” Daria chuckled. “She isn't the only one who holds a pure feather from Perchta.” We all furrowed our brows in confusion, then I got it when Robyn almost squeaked in embarrassment. She said quickly, “Is that all that is needed?” She knelt in front of Snow and held her quiver out to her like an offering to the gods. I knew in her mind it was, well offering to her Goddess at least. When Snow looked at her in confusion, Robyn looked up timidly and then pulled back the rim of the quiver, exposing dozens of white glowing feathers which lined it. She had once told us it was lined with the feathers of Perchta, which gave her an endless supply of those amazing arrows. Gretta gasped as the light of the feather lit her face. She stared at them in longing and amazement. Her hand was visibly shaking as she reached out and plucked one. She was immediately engulfed in a blinding white light, leaving her in her Perchta form. But this was different. She felt... looked... no, WAS different. She was powerful before, but what radiated off of her now made me want to take a knee and cry at the beauty of the light radiating off of her. She took a deep breath like Mari had when she woke up. Then her smile bloomed, it was as if nature itself hooded its eyes at the sight. This was not Gretta Snow. I knew that I was looking upon the real nature goddess, Perchta at that moment. She turned, and her eyes landed on Rachel, and I saw nothing but love in her eyes. She stepped to the scared looking wolf woman and cupped her cheeks. She whispered, “We love you so much our young wolfing... my Gretta and me.” She gave her the gentlest kiss on the lips, and a single tear rolled down Rachel's cheek. The woman stood tall, her white antlers almost scraping the ceiling of the crypt as she cocked her head and said, “I remember now. All of it. I am myself again, though I share my existence with Gretta since my physical form is long past.” She looked around and said to us all, “We can lead you to my gardens now. There is so much to prepare. I can feel the Elders,
they will soon march upon the mortal world and lay waste to the realm of man. We need to find the others.” The newly minted Scales nodded sagely with her. Oh God, were we going to have three people speaking in riddles now? I sobered, and what of Snow? Almost as if she heard my thought, she turned back toward me, and with no fanfare whatsoever, Gretta Snow was standing in her place. But she was different. She had her white hair, but the antlers and other aspects of the nature goddess she had been losing herself into were no longer there. Rachel asked hopefully, “Snow?” Gretta nodded and cocked her head. “This is odd. We are both here, but I'm me again, not the blend I was becoming.” She turned to Ella-Marie. “This must be how you feel all the time.” Ella smirked and offered, “Eh, you'll get used to it.” Then she winked at Rachel. “The odd threesomes are fun too.” I barked out, “Ella!” Then I backhanded her gut as Marie scolded her in French in my head. I blushed profusely as my now decidedly perverted girl hugged me to her. I punched her in the gut lightly, and she just smiled and hugged me tighter. I was going to die of embarrassment right then and there, wasn't I? I whispered inside my head, where only my girl could hear me, “Marie, Ella isn't allowed in our bed next time.” Ella-Marie crinkled her nose at me. She was too cute for her own good at times. Then everyone's amusement at my embarrassment faded quickly when Mari's head snapped up like she was looking into the heavens and she whispered, “We need to go now, while their attention is still on Jacob and Wilhelm. They are stalling for us.” Daria nodded, her eyes far away too, then she looked at Gretta. Snow nodded and her eyes filled with wispy white fog as she took Rachel's hand and said to us all, “Follow me.” We all followed, moving two by two behind them, walking into the darkness of the crypt. The light flickered through the trees as we traveled. Wait, what? The trees? I looked around, we were in a shifting world of sunlight streaming through the trees on a path that seemed to twist and turn on its own. This was what Belle had described to us. Could Perchta's gardens be reached from anywhere? Ella-Marie looked around in amazement and squeezed my hand and joked with me as we followed the group around a corner into what looked like a hedge. “I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.” No sooner had she uttered the comment, then the ground seemed to shift under our feet, and we stumbled onto the path in the hedges. The group was nowhere to be seen. I looked back to where Belle and Illiya had been following us, and they were nowhere to be seen either. I called out, starting to panic, “Ladies? Hello? Where did everyone go?” There was no answer, Ella called out, “Hello? Where are you sodding wankers?” We were met with silence. Well, not complete silence. We could hear distant shouting and clanging of steel on steel far away. There was a battle raging somewhere in the hedge maze. Ella-Marie tightened her grip on my hand, and we started running through the twisting and turning maze toward the sound. Then all at once, we burst out of the hedge and onto the top of a hill overlooking a sea of people and creatures below us, engaged in mortal combat. The colors here seemed too bold and bright, and the field below too green, the sky too blue. We stutter-stepped to a halt to look at the violence below. Then I glanced back, and the maze was nowhere to be seen. I gasped out, “Ella-Marie!” She looked back too and hesitated. She'd never admit to being just as frightened as I was. We were alone, God knew where, and had no way of finding the others now. We looked back down into the chaotic battle below, and a tornado slowly spiraled up to the darkening clouds which were swiftly gathering in that too blue sky. It tore through the battle, bodies in dark armor were tossed around like rag dolls as it moved, leaving the odd assortment of strange looking people and creatures untouched. I swallowed when I realized the tornado was heading right toward us on a deliberate path. We started to look around for shelter on the hilltop when we saw a figure being ejected from the tornado high in the sky. It fell toward us, flipping gracefully then impacting the hilltop thirty yards from us. I covered my ears at the explosion of sound as the ground cratered, and granite cracked. I heard the tinkling of debris as it struck us and ricocheted off, our skin turning to hardened crystal to protect us. The dust cleared, and it revealed there, in the middle of the crater, a crouching woman in emerald green armor, powerful green electricity crackling around her. Energy which seemed to be burning the very air around her. I could taste it like I could taste other magics, being a sensitive, and it felt as overwhelming as anything Perchta could bring to bear. But this was like nothing I had ever come in contact with before. The tall brunette stood, her hair flowing back in some unseen breeze. She raised her eyes which were crackling with that same power, her hands cupping, gathering great balls of that kinetic magic. Her voice boomed out with such force it threatened to knock us over while I stared at the ruby slippers which adorned her feet, “You dare threaten my people foul demons? Oz is under my protection!” I blinked in surprise... Oz? The End