I made sure that Viltra was behind me, than as I turned I could see the horror that laid infront of me. The being that once was known as chrysalis was no more in it’s place was a large black monster engulfed in smoke desperately trying to keep with it’s shape, with it’s only facial features being it’s two bloodshot eyes, and circular mouth cover with razor sharp teeth. Knowing I didn’t have much time I spoke to Viltra in an attempt to get her safe.
“Find a pwace to hide nao!”
Viltra equally terrified as I was obeys my command as I hear her running probably to some place dark, meanwhile the monster in a fit of blind rage hits the ceiling causing the ground to shake more than ever and pieces of the ceiling to fall to the ground. All the others that were around me were in a disorganized panic, and trying to think of something as fast as I could I give them an order in a desperate attempt to fight off The Beast.
“Fwame Knites twy hittin’ it wiff am fwamethwowew!”
I started to run dodging the pieces of collapsed ceiling falling on me and looking, I saw that one of the Flame Knights had heard me and was approaching the monster than as he started to activate his flamethrower and looked in complete shock and horror as it had no effect.
The only thing it did was alert The Beast, and as it turned screeching and roaring it used one of it’s tentacles to attack the Flame Knight causing him to be completely crush with blood and bits of bone and organs flying everywhere, The Beast spoke.
“sOuL WhErE ArE YoU!”
Under a piece of collapse rubble I rid as The Beast frantically tried looking for me and sometimes attacked Talon Knight unfortunate enough to be seen. Than as I again tried to think of something Zaza and ran to the same place I was hiding, with me being able to recognize her as she had taken off her helmet to throw up I get her attention and speak to her.
“Zaza I nee’ ‘ou to go an’ teww dah othews! Pwease we nu hab that much time!”
Zaza who was still in a state of shock took a few seconds before she started nodding than after running as fast as she could with her being able to escape the chamber unseen. When she had left I couldn’t see much as when the last pieces of the ceiling had collapsed dirt started falling on us, but the one thing I could see the was Viltra hiding in a unlit corner crying her eyes out at the death and destruction. Looking at her and idea had pooped in my head I might not know how to defeat this monster but Viltra is one of them and has insider knowledge. So seeing that the Monster had turned it’s back for a few precious seconds I made a mad dash over to Viltra and began to speak.
“Biwtwa Souw needs to to teww fwuffy wite nao! Do changewings ow Chwysawis hab any obah weakness!”
Viltra was just crying frozen in shock not saying anything, so I decide to speak again this time in a more calm and consequential.
“Biwtwa if ‘ou do not teww souw innocent peopwe am goin’ to die.”
Finally after hearing that snaps out of ehr panic and looks at me speaking.
“Chrysalis once told me something about protecting her heart! Target her heart!”
Hearing this I look at her and speak.
“Fank ou.”
With this newfound knowable I look back at The Beast in a conundrum, despite the fact of it’s heavy injuries molten skin still covered it’s entire body meaning I couldn’t see where it’s heart was. Than my eyes came to a 4 Talon knights, they had all abandoned hiding and were now infront of The Beast and with their swords raised high one of them began to yell at it.
“FIGHT US YOU DARK VILE ABOMINATION, MAY THE MIGHT OF THE ONE ERADICATE YOU!”
The Abomination turned to see the Knights, and with a screech began launching tentacles at them.
Amazingly the Knights were able to hold their ground destroying tentacles after tentacles causing the blood of The Beast to come gushing out every time a tentacles was cut off. And another thing I had noticed was with each time a tentacles was removed the skin on The Beast got tighter and tighter to the point where some parts there was no skin and I could start to see organs. This was it! To defeat this monster it’s tentacles must to cut off to expose the heart. So as I began to leave cover I tried to make my way to Knights but with horror I could see them start being taken out one by one. There bodies mutilated beyond recognition, with their only being one night left who had collapsed with a tentacle coming right at him, I knew there was only one way I could save the Knight and finish this. so getting out of cover I stand right in it’s field of view and shout.
“CHWYSAWIS! ‘OU ASKED FO’ ME AN’ NAO SOUW AM HEWE, IF ‘OU WAN’ ME SU BAD WET’S FINISH DIS!”
The tentacle stops Instantly and as I equip a left hoove attachment for Excalibur, I look at The beast as it looks at me and speaks.
“I aM GoInG To mAkE MaKe yOu sUfFeR BeYoNd cOmPrEhEnSiOn, HELL DESTROY YOU!”
And with that a horde of tentacles came my way as I raised my sword.
The first two tentacles I cut down without a problem, so blinded by rage this monster had gotten sloppy. The next few attacks were quite different though, one tentacles was able to scrape my right shoulders causing it to feel like I had been stabbed. Flinching for a second another tentacle was able to get short of a hair of the left side of my body. I kept cutting of tentacles one by one it screaming every time I did and when I was able to get a glimpse I saw it’s skin getting tighter and tighter with less and less of it on the bottom and it’s intestines even started slowly falling out. With all this Chaos it had taken a moment to stop and look at me and as I took much need breath’s, The Beast now finally did something as it started raising itself higher and higher making a tentacle so large there was no chance I could block or cut it. I thought about trying to run but then I saw it with now less than 50% of skin gone the heart was exposed with all of it being a bright white glowing color and pumping beige blood through it large arteries. The Beast looked at me as it spoke unknowing what I was going to do.
“TImE To dIe…”
As the tentacle started racing at me, I ran at it making a quick dash to the right leaving The Abomination in shock, and as I dodged the tentacle The Monster yelled.
“WHaT!”
Now with a clear pathway to the heart I ran faster than I ever ran at my life, leaping with my left hoove and Excalibur in front. I had punctured it’s heart! I felt myself getting covered in blood as The Beast screeched and roared in agony speaking as it tried to grab failing each time.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
As I slowly sliced the heart I could feel the light of it getting brighter and brighter and started to feel a agonizing burning sensation on the left side of my body, The beast speaks again in somber and strange tone.
“THiS WaS My dEsTiNy!”
I could see almost nothing now, only barely seeing the heart collapsing in on itself. And than as it got to the size of a small rock the light faded and there was silence, than a realization came to me. As fast as I could I Used the left side of my body as a shield as the heart exploded sending me flying to the wall feeling intense pain and collapsing on the ground, as I saw The beast shredded into million pieces.
On the ground now I felt my blood coming out of me and felt to weak to get up. Looking around I saw Excalibur… Or what was left of it, now it was only the hilt with a small part of the blade still intact with the rest of it probably disintegrating. And not just that, I felt like something was missing feeling my vision start getting blurry ad the blood not stopping I started to feel lots and lots of footsteps getting closer and closer. There was a 50/50 chance it would either be an army of changelings or Zaza had gotten them but I felt to weak to look in the direction of the footsteps and as they came in the worries were subsided as I heard the familiar voice of Nuit.
“Fuck… "
Than a few seconds later I could hear Zazas voice as she yelled with emotion.
“By The one there he is! Is… Is still alive?!”
I could hear several footsteps start approaching me as I felt Nuit raise my head looking at me with a morbid look and speaking.
There is still eye movement! But get bandages and his family right now! He might not have long left…”
What was going on? I tried speaking to them but my body just felt so… Numb, than with a crowd formed around me I could see my family but their faces they were of pure shock and horror, Merlin who was in front took off his hat and started sobbing and Monica, Willy, Jay as they got here all started sobbing to, I felt so sad why couldn’t I do anything to help? Than everyone started freaking out as they all looked to the left and trying my best I could see the tip of Viltra but before anyone could attack her Zaza spoke.
“Wait! Soul said she wasn’t a threat don’t hurt her!”
It seemed to have calmed them down a bit as Viltra but by surprise to me, she spoke in a serious tone I haven’t heard her speak before.
“Please let me help! He is bleeding very badly and will die, but I have a power that could save him!”
Nuit is about to speak but Monica interrupts him, yelling.
“DEN DO IT!”
Viltra ran over to me speaking as she did.
“Don’t worry I won’t let you die!”
Viltra had created a tentacle and slowly started moving it towards me, I could it getting closer to the area where my left shoulder was and started feeling a burning sensation. But something was wrong the tentacle was in a area where it shouldn’t have been, something was missing!
Less than 20 seconds later she had stopped and I could feel the bleeding stop as well and Viltra now covered in my blood came back to them speaking.
“I cauterized the wound! But even I don’t know if he will survive, he lost so much blood!”
Nuit finally speaks as I can see a stretcher.
“Take this ‘Viltra’ into custody and get Soul whatever medical attention you can!”
As they loaded me into the stretcher, my vison was mostly blocked by how blurry things were and my family but I could still see a small portion of the area where they had found me and I could see a long black things covered in bloo… Oh my… Is that my left arm As I felt myself being taken out of the chamber from pure shock, blood loss and exhaustion I closed my eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
When I awoke I was in a bed completely alone looking at the ceiling in a area that I couldn’t recognize at first, than it hit me. This was the Swab hospital where Monica stayed at during the battle with SteedHeart. Than trying to move I felt sharp pain all over my body I was happy I could finally move again but as I removed the blanket reality hit me. My entire Left front leg was completely gone, and not just that looking at the nearby mirror I could see the condition of the left side of my entire body. Burn scars and stiches were all over it, with their being a pretty large burn scar on my lower left check. For a few seconds I looked at myself in horror and sadness than I thought about trying to get up, and seeing where everybody was but it was just to painful, so I speak as loud as possible.
“Hewwo?”
I could now hear voices coming from outside and after a few seconds I saw a puffy medical worker opening the door to only to have a shocked expression than close it again, with me being able to hear a little bit of what they were saying.
“Yes he has awakened!”
Less than a minute later the door opened again but this time it was Torres and Gavin coming up and sitting beside me carrying two boxes, Torres speaks.
“I am so glad you’re alive Soul, we thought you weren’t going to make it.”
Both Gavin and Torres now sat beside me as I speak curious about what happened.
“How wong has Souw been out fo’? What happened to aww dah changewings? an my famiwy whewe am dey?”
This time Gavin is the one to speak.
“For the first question it has been a week since Chrysalises death and for the second question. Surprisingly after Chrysalises death the changeling armies that were in and outside the hive dropped their weapons in surrender than declared their allegiance to Viltra, their new Queen. Now most of the changelings are outside Swab and are being held in makeshift POW camps, as we decide what to do with them. And for the third question they are at the area where you stayed at, I had a servant go and tell you are awake. They should be here very shortly.”
Hearing this I felt a little bit of shock, but also conformation as when I met Viltra and during my fight with Chrysalis I always had the suspicion that Viltra wasn’t just some ordinary changeling and was someone a lot more important, I speak curious about Viltra’s whereabouts.
“Biwtwa what happened to hew?”
Torres is the one to speak this time and sighs as he does.
“We have her in a secure location, guarded with 24/7 supervision.”
With me feeling satisfied with those questions I ask another one this time about the boxes.
“What’s in dah boxes?”
As Gavin put’s a large wooden box on the bed, and Torres gives a brief moment of shock as with our conversation he forget that a box was in his talons. Torres put’s a long wooden box on the bed as Gavin opens the large box speaking to me.
“Since you sacrificed a limb we thought it only fitting we tried to help you in any way so I personally made an order to get you this.”
I could now see it, a wooden prosthetic limb that was painted black and was the same size as my destroyed one. He puts in near me as I speak.
“Fank ‘ou fo’ dis, it means a wot.”
Now it was Torres who spoke, speaking as he open the long wooden box.
“We also thought it necessary to repair you’re sword Excalibur, it was in pretty bad shape but we think our blacksmiths have done an excellent job in repairing it.”
Torres raises the sword high with Excalibur now having an obvious cut off point from the original part of the sword and the slightly darker repaired part. Than after showing me it Torres put’s Excalibur beside me and looking at the hallway my family began to appear and as they turned the corner Jay was the first to point me out and ran as fast as they could arriving in the room with Merlin speaking first.
“Oh Souw Mewwin am su gwad ‘ou am otay’, she huwted 'ou su bad!”
Torres moved slight out of the way as Merlin got beside me, gibing me a hug as I tried to to my best to give one back with my right arm. Monica approached me with her being right next to Merlin and she to started giving me a hug with her speaking while trying not to cry.
“Nebah again! Nu mowe suicide missions, nu mowe fighting! Monica awmost thought she wost 'ou!”
finally I spoke as Gavin moved out of the way for Willy and Jay who approached me by the left side of the bed.
“It’s su gud to see 'ou aww, am sowwy ‘ou had to see me wike that. Souw was hopin’ to teww ‘ou when we wewe back on dah aiw ship buh Monica am wite nu mowe of these adbentuwes. Dey hab done us su much hawm, an’ to be honest Souw thinks wiff my bwoken body fwuffy couwdn’t eben fite if souw wanted to.”
Slowly every single member of my family excluding Monica (She already agreed) nodded and watching I felt all the horror and sadness that I had experienced from this war and my damaged body start to wash away as I laid down in peace.
I spent the next few day’s reconnecting with my family trying to improve my and their spirits, and relearning how to walk. To be honest wearing the prosthetic felt very uncomfortable and trying to walk one way down the hall to another made me feel exhausted but still not everything was bad as I felt myself getting stronger by the day with me being able to walk further and further. there was also a growing question about the Changelings they couldn’t be kept in POW camps forever and asking Torres if I could go see and thank Viltra he denied stating that they were still busy asking her questions and testing her and that if I had come it would have been a distraction. Than finally the question of the Changelings would be answered as the governing Chicago body members Torres, Lance, and Gavin invited me and several others to attend a conference to discuss the changelings. 2 day’s after the announcement everyone had arrived to Swab with me walking out of the Swab hospital for the first time and I hugged my family goodbye as me and Monica (She wasn’t invited but still wanted to help me walk) walked to the Talon HQ where the council would decide.
As we walked I noticed that the weather had started to improve, the worst of winter was now over and guessing by how warm it was I felt exited for a very nice spring and summer! Also as we walked I noticed something about Monica, her face was happy but in kind of a strange way? Feeling like something was wrong I speak.
“Hon ‘ou wook a wittwe stwange, am somethin’ wwong?”
Monica’s face got a little more serious as she sighed and spoke.
“'Souw do 'ou wemembah when we got back Dah Gawd-”
Monica suddenly stops speaking and moving as we had arrived at the HQ, I was about to ask Monica to continue speaking but she spoke first giving a smile.
“go in an’ nu wowwy! Monica wiww teww 'ou once ‘ou weabe nu wan’ 'ou to be wate!”
Smiling back at her we kiss and as I begin heading up the stairs than Monica speaks again.
“Awso make suwe to teww them when we wiww be weabing!”
I turn back to nod to her than turning back I head in.
The conference would be held in the GrandMaster office and once I got their I sat seeing all the people invited with most I didn’t recognize but the few I did being Torres, Lance, Gavin, Nuit and Sipp. Than finally Torres gives a signal to us that it was time to look at him as he speaks.
"Thank you all for coming. If we are going to discuss the fate of Changelings I thought it only appropriate to bring in their Queen herself, meet Viltra. There were gasps and whispers across the room as we could see Viltra being let in by two heavily armor Flame Knights than being sat down. Lance shouts
“TOWWES AM ‘OU CWAZY, SHE AM GOIN’ TO KIWW US AWW!”
Torres looks at Lance speaking in a harsh tone.
“Quiet down Lance, or I will have you removed! She may be a changeling but she was the one who saved Soul’s life and if it wasn’t for him we would all be dead!”
Lance pouts as he obeys and finally Torres sits and Gavin goes up to speak.
“Ok the first question in deciding the Changeling fate. Are they free willed sentient creatures?”
There were now debates going on all around with a verdict ultimately being set that they were sentient but the question of free will murky with the main counter argument being that all the changelings showed 0 disloyalty fighting for Chrysalis. Still undecided Gavin speaks looking at Viltra.
“Viltra I want you to answer this question, are you’re people free willed?”
Viltra looks a little overwhelmed with all of us now looking at her but finally speaks.
“When my mother Chrysalis was in charge we were ordered to have no contact with the outside world, she told us that she was a god saying things that filled the Changelings minds with hatred.”
The answer seemed to appease Gavin as everyone started talking again, than after a few more minutes Gavin speaks this time looking at Viltra.
“Viltra it is known you are a young Changeling Queen, when you get older how would we know that you wouldn’t turn out like Chrysalis?”
There is a little bit of fear in Viltra’s eyes as this question felt a lot more serious and lots of people gave her mean looks, she speaks.
“I would never! Chrysalis she spent most of her life in confinement, it turned her soul bitter and hateful. but I have no hate in my body, I wish for peace and coexistence between all!”
There as now even more speaking with some not trusting Viltra that much and others even throwing around a TH word… Total Extermination as the hours passed most of the questions were pretty simple with it just telling Viltra about the crimes committed by the Changelings or asking questions about Changeling culture and biology. Finally as it was now midday Gavin spoke of one last thing the council must do to decide the ultimate fate of the changelings.
“There will now be a vote! With now two factions beings prominent you have the following choices. Changeling extermination or Chicago exile. Before voting if anyone wants to speak for both factions do it now.”
Lance almost instantly raises his hoof and Gavin with a nod allows him to stand up and he began to speak.
“Bwothews an’ sistews! nu ‘ou weawize something, yes Biwtwa may seem aww nice an’ peacefuw buh, what am goin’ to happen if anothah queen takes obew! When these Changewings hab wepwoduced enough to hab an unstoppabwe awmy! Wemembah that an’ of am babbehs as 'ou bote…”
A lot of people listened to that speech and started whispering to themselves and seeing Viltra start hyperventilating and nobody speaking for the Exile side, and even though personally I wouldn’t have chosen exile myself I still stand up and get everyone’s attention as I speak.
“Attention ebewyone! Souw knows I’be been quiet fo’ most of dis confewence buh stiww souw wouwd wike to say somethin’. When Biwtwa sabed fwuffy, Souw fewt I gained a new pewspectibe on changewings, yes dey may hab done howwibwe things an’ dah commandews shouwd be punished, buh if we wewe to kiww them aww, we wouwd be nu bettah den Chwysawis! Su Souw says dey shouwd be giben a chance at wedemption an may Biwtwa guide them to a bettah futuwe!”
Lance looks at me with a bit of rage as many listen than head to the ballot box as they vote. Once the voting was finished several servants began counting the votes and we all held our breaths, than finally the votes were all counted and results read by a servant.
"By this election the council had made a decision! By a slim margin of 4 votes, it is herby that the fate of Viltra and the changelings… Is exile! There is a gasp all over the room, and as Viltra after hearing this calms down. Lance after a few seconds starts to storm out heading back to The Garden screaming as he does.
After all of that Torres had told me that the airship was set up and would be leaving at night so with time left to spare I agreed to help Torres for the rest of the day, it was mostly leading Changelings to the edge of Swab where around 20 wagons were being set up with food, water and other essentials that were found in the Hive. And after all the wagons were ready we started untying them and strangely the Changelings seemed rather calm and some even asked for forgiveness saying they saw the errors in their ways or denied fighting for Chrysalis at all. Finally once everything was set with around 1000 changelings all ready to move out, Viltra their Queen was freed and right before heading to the wagon at the front I came to her and spoke.
“Am sowwy that am bein’ exiwed, Souw hopes dah pwace ‘ou am goin’ am peacefuw.”
Viltra hearing this runs at me and gives me a hug with me giving one back. And after that she looks at me with a piece of paper than at me and speaks.
“Thank you Soul… Thank you for saving my life! Torres gave me this saying that it will lead to a place that was empty of any intelligent life, a place they saw in their airship I think I heard him call it by the name, Springfield, Illinois? Goodbye Soul, I will make sure we honor you’re act of mercy forever!”
And with that we wave goodbye and Viltra was off heading to the front of the wagon, and less than a minute later the wagons started moving with the Changelings beginning their long journey to Springfield"
with it now dusk I started to walk back to the airship with Torres and as we got close he spoke in serious tone.
“Soul I know you’re not going to like hearing this but I felt like Lance made some good points.”
I speak with me being a little shocked.
“what, how!”
Torres gives some context.
“You see Soul they very well could come back with an army. And it’s not just that, with Lance being the son of Sarina there’s no question he is about to be made the leader of The Garden and with The garden’s resources we need find a compromise with him… So I made some concessions after the council. Don’t get upset though, noting is going to happen to Viltra or the traveling Changelings with her. But Flame Knight program will be expanded to it’s technology developed, and we will be expanding Chicago’s border outside of the main city, to set up fortifications and settlements.”
I say nothing as I am in complete shock hearing this and as I get to to the ramp Torres speaks to me for the last time.
"Soul just to let you know after we deliver you and you’re family back to Green Roof we probably won’t be coming back so if this is it, goodbye and have a good life.
Torres salutes me than turns around and heads into the crowd.
Entering the airship I was told all of our belongings were already loaded in and once heading to the bunk where we would we staying in I enter I see everyone chilling, with only Monica missing and Jay reading a book to Merlin and Willy. Noticing me Merlin gives a wave then just as I was about to find a place to sit Jay looks up from his book speaking to me.
“Hey Soul, Monica asked me to tell you that she wanted to speak with you alone and was at the back of the airship. It was pretty weird though she was breathing a lot, and had one of her hooves in her robe. I starting to feel worried.”
Hearing this I leave the bunk and start heading to the back of the airship and once I get there the place is empty with only her standing by the rails looking into the night sky. As I started approaching her she looked at me and sighed speaking instantly.
“Gud am hewe! Am 100% cewtain nao!”
I speak getting worried.
“What’s happenin’ Monica!”
She speaks as she starts removing her robe and leather armor.
“Wemembah aftah we got back fwom Dah Gawden, an’ we got… Intimate. Weww Monica thinks… Ugh Souw just wook fo’ youwsewf!”
I looked at Monica, she looked bigger in her tummy region and started developing… breasts. She looks at me speaking with a growing smile as she begins to cry.
"Souw, Monica think am pwegnant!"
Hearing this I smile and begin to sobbing as both off us hug, and as we both embrace each other I hold Monica close. Knowing that right now was the happiest moment of my entire life. Fin
[Meanwhile at Green Roof]
“Isn’t it gwowious!”
Benezi said now wearing a proper crown and wearing high class clothing, and as all the most influential people in Green Roof overlooked it. The plans for the city Green Roof 2.0 she called it,
the plan would quadruple the land area of the city making Green Roof look so mighty it would even give Seaside and Stablelot a run for their money! Benezi sat looking glorious than out of nowhere an interruption!
“Um miss, how am we goin’ to pay fo’ aww of dis?”
Benezi thought for a moment before speaking completely stumped.
“Ugh… Dammit”
Well a journey that was… Of course by my words from the previous finale this is the last full 9 part chapter. Because after I take a short break I will be wrapping up Last Hope with it only being a few parts. I would like to thank you for reading my story! And of course constructive criticism is appreciated, may you have a good day!