He slips from under the bridge, and within seconds, the slashing of swords and fired gunpowder conduct an awful symphony.
One Final Petal
Belle
Rounds of thunder are roaring like ferocious lions, and lightning is dancing across the skies. Pained screams and moaning are only feet away, and I can still hear swinging swords and gunfire in the castle.
“I think we may need to get comfortable staying the night here,” Sola whispers, rocking back and forth. “We’ll find out who won in the morning, I guess…”
I sigh. “What happens to your family if Gabriel doesn’t win?”
“I’ll have to learn to live without ever seeing them come to life again.” She buries her head against her knees, sobbing softly.
I shake my head and look out from under the bridge. I know better than to ask her to come with me, so I slip from under the covering and follow the sounds of gunfire.
Pressing my back against the stone walls, I pick up a sword from a dead soldier’s belt and slowly make my way inside the castle.
Every piece of furniture lies overturned and destroyed, and the staircase ahead is crumbling piece by piece.
Gabriel’s soldiers are completely oblivious to my presence, focusing instead on fighting a swarm of metal statues that are striking on Beast’s behalf.
Getting on my knees, I crawl down a dimly lit corridor in search of Gabriel.
It’s still not too late to fix this…
When I reach the end of the hall, I find myself facing a broken staircase, so I grip the railing and start to climb.
I’m halfway up the steps when something hard and hot lands next to my foot.
Stunned by the shot, I turn around and wield my sword.
“Izzie?” My jaw drops as she struggles to reload a rifle. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Preventing you from getting in the way of what’s mine.” She glares at me. “Get the fuck out of the castle now and I won’t kill you.”
“You truly are an evil bitch…”
“Start walking away now, Belle.”
“Being a princess means that much to you?” I ask. “You’d be willing to kill your own sister?”
“A sister who hardly anyone even knows about,” She scoffs, inserting the gunpowder the wrong way. “There’s never been a record of you, and you know that.”
“Izzie—”
“And all these years of your life,” she says, aiming the barrel at my chest, “you’ve never done one thing to make Father consider writing you into the records. You’ve insisted on being difficult and regardless of what happens tonight, I refuse to—”
Sola hits her from behind with a rock, sending her to the ground.
“Run, Belle!” She screams, and I immediately resume climbing the stairs.
I take them all the way to the top, stopping to check rooms each time I hear a noise, but it’s never Gabriel and Beast.
Just random objects and soldiers fighting each other.
When I make it to the top level, I look down and see Izzie regaining consciousness.
Not wanting to waste time, I step outside into the rain.
Standing right in front of me is a wilting rose trapped under glass, with only one rose petal left.
I’m too late…
Before I can make a left, I hear Gabriel grunting around the corner on my right.
“Did you really think I would let you win?” A deep voice says, growling. “You’ve lost your fucking mind….”
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” Gabriel’s voice follows. “We’ve both been hurt by this fucking curse, Charlie.”
“One of us has been more hurt than the other…” Charlie hisses. “Look at me, and look at you.”
I round the corner, watching Beast glare at Gabriel with murder in his eyes. Unlike Gabriel’s alternate form, Beast doesn’t stand on two feet; He towers over everything on all fours, and his eyes don’t hold any warmth, only anger.
Gabriel holds up his hands in a slight surrender, a final plea.
“I don’t want to kill you, Charlie. I just want my life back.”Beast steps closer, and then he stops. “Okay…I’ll hear you out.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Fuck no.” He raises his furry fist and punches Gabriel in the face.”
He stumbles backward, falling onto the landing several feet below. Beast grabs onto the edge of a tower before jumping down to join him.
“Stop!” I yell. “Please don’t kill him!”
Without thinking, I rush down the stone steps—fully intending to get in the way.
“Don’t take this personally,” Beast says, standing over him with a stone. “I can’t live like this anymore… Goodbye, Gabriel.”
Gabriel suddenly kicks Beast in the legs, temporarily sending him backwards.
“Fuck you, Charlie.” Gabriel stands to his feet. “This was never personal. It was both our faults.”
“It was your fucking fault!”
Gabriel swings his fist against Beast’s head, but it doesn’t make an impact. He returns the blow with ease.
I move closer, balancing my weight as the rain falls harder.
I watch in horror as they trade bloody blows, feeling my heart drop with every step I take.