Katherine wasn't happy with flying again, but Hellboy holds her hand and comforts her as they rode the helicopter towards Pendle Hill. After washing his mouth out...five times...he finally rid of Baba Yaga's foul taste and sighs as he breathes in the minty scent.

Rock music blares from his boombox as he sits with Katherine and Alice. Katherine moves and snuggles against his chest. He happily takes her in his arms and felt his anger melt away. The feeling of her soft touch against his chest made him purr.

With Daimio flying, Alice decided to research about Pendle Hill.

Katherine looks up at Hellboy as he's so deep in thought. She sits up, flipping on of her ear muffs and presses her ear against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat. Hellboy grins and holds her close. The music and his heartbeat drowns out the loud engine and motor of the helicopter. Giving her a soothing sound for the ride.

Alice suddenly exclaims, "This is sick. Do you know what they did to the witches at Pendle Hill? They cut off their tongues, fed them to maggots and buried them alive right there on the spot." She speaks through the mic of her headgear.

Katherine frowns, "Jesus. What did they do to deserve that?"

Hellboy was growing tired of hearing about it the violence against his people. He snatched off his headphones and moves to the end of the helicopter, pulling Katherine with him.

"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet." He scoffs bitterly.

Alice frowns, "What did I say?"

Hellboy grunts and lies back as he occupied two of the seats while Katherine takes the third. He was still bothered with what Baba Yaga told him. The curse she placed on him. What she said about Katherine.

"Hey, Red."

Hellboy looks up at Katherine as she gains his attention.

"Yeah, babe?"

"There's a possibility that I might be the Demon Witch after all." She says.

"What do you mean?" He frowns.

"Alice managed to find more to the story about it. The Demon Witch is actually part of a powerful witch's bloodline and a Demon. Broom doesn't confirm it...but...it makes sense. Which is why I'm considered as 'Queen'. I could carry royal blood. But if I'm a demon...or half...would that make me...evil?"

Hellboy frowns at her question, "Do you feel evil?" He asks

She shakes her head, "No." She sighs, "But it's not Halloween yet."

He reaches out and takes her hand in a gentle grip, "Halloween or not, you're not evil."

She lets out a shuddering breath, "Remember what I said, Hellboy. If anything takes a wrong turn...stop me. Please." Her voice breaks.

Hellboy sits up and cups her face with his human hand, "I'm gonna do everything in my power to make sure you're okay." He says softly and leans to press a kiss on her forehead and holds her close. "I promise." He whispers in her ear.

Katherine couldn't help but worry. The outcome could be too great. She cared about Hellboy and never want anything to happen to him.

"Ridding the world of evil is a dirty business." Daimio scoffs out.

Alice frowns at him, "What's with you and monsters, anyway? One of them touch you funny as a kid? I've been seeing freaky shit my whole life, and if it's taught me anything, it's that hate hides behind the most righteous faces."

"Are you seriously gonna lecture me about faces? Maybe you think I got these scars from shaving." He snorts.

"What happened? I'm not gonna stop asking. You might as well tell me."

Daimio's mind falls deep into the past, "My unit was on a training exercise in Belize. One of the local tribal elders came to us asking for help. Their village was under attack by a man-eater. It would come at night, carry off its prey. Mostly men, but sometimes it was women and children, too." The echoing of his men screaming fills his mind. "Savage. Smart. Totally without remorse. All the while that we were hunting it, in reality, it was hunting us." Thinks back of what that creature looked like when it pounced him. Hearing it roar and himself screaming. "I was the only survivor."

Alice looks at him in sympathy, it explains so much about Daimio's issues with creatures and Hellboy.

"I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, thunder crashes loudly as a storm builds over Pendle Hill. The alarms beeped rapidly as the helicopter shakes from the harsh winds. Daimio and Alice look out ahead and sees the as the clouds begin to rapidly form from above the hill that had a large, dead oak tree at the top. Hellboy and Katherine look up as they hear the thunder crashing from the distance.

"We're coming up on target." Daimio alerts them.

Hellboy and Katherine both get up to head towards the window, to see what Alice and Daimio were seeing. Katherine grunts as the helicopter jolts. She yelps and grabs on to something to stop herself from falling, but Hellboy grabs her quickly with stone arm, holding on to her close and help her walk.

"There's no way we can land on that hill. I'll get us up as close as I can."

Katherine shudders as she feels a dark feeling deep inside her soul. A cold chill rising up her spine when she looks at that hill.

"Nimue is there. I can feel it." She says, making everyone snap their attention to her. Katherine could feel what Nimue wanted it. As if it was her own need. "Her blood. Her blood! That's what she needs to be restored!" She gasps. "When Aurther cut her head off, the legend said it wasn't enough, right? Her body could not die. And that means neither could her blood...so where did it go? Inside the oak tree!" She exclaims.

"How do you know that?" Hellboy frowns at her.

Katherine tries to think of her words, "I don't know. I just...feel it." She shrugs.

Alice looks at Hellboy with a worried look, "If she gets her blood back, she gets her power."

"This is as far as I can get us. We don't have much time!" Daimio says as he lands the helicopter.

As soon as Daimio cuts the engines, everyone rushes out and takes off for Pendle Hill. Racing against time to stop Nimue through the foggy, dark forest.

Panting heavily, the four of them run as fast as they could to reach the top. Hellboy and Daimio were ahead while the girls were behind them.

"Come on, it's almost midnight! Time's running out." Hellboy shouts, urging everyone to pick up the pace.

Panting heavily, Alice was growing tired. Katherine struggles to push away the buring in her lungs and tries to speed, but trips over a branch and slams on the ground.

"OW!" She cries out, making Hellboy skid to a halt. Alice stumbles next to her, bending over as she's heaving in breaths.

Hellboy rushes back to help Katherine, "You okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, just my fucking pride." She grunts as she rubs her head.

Hellboy moves and holds his hand out to help her up, "All right. Let me give you..." Suddenly, a rotten hand bursts from the ground and a corpse of a long dead witch erupts from the ground with a loud screech. "A hand!" He yells and yanks himself out of the grip.

Katherine and Alice both scream and scramble to get away, but everywhere they went, another corpse erupts from the ground. Katherine yells when another pops up right in front of her. She punches the witch in the face and rushes away.

Soon, they were all surrounded, "Won't anything in this country stay buried!" Hellboy yells sarcastically.

Snarling and growling, the witches rush around to fight them, determined to destroy them for Nimue. Hellboy managed to get a few good punches and shoots a few. Daimio looks at his hands, panic sets in as he feels the dark creature inside him begin to rise.

"Not now!" He groans in despair and scrambles to get his syringe. Stabbing himself in the leg once again, keeping the beast chained.

Soon, more witches begin to attack. Katherine yells as she calls her powers and destroys a few. Hellboy gets jumped from behind, but throws the witch over his shoulder, slamming it to the ground and shooting it till it explodes into dust.

Katherine snaps her head up at the hill, hearing the faint chanting of Nimue's voice. It was starting.

"Hellboy! It's almost midnight. She's calling for her blood now!" Katherine yells.

"Go find the Blood Queen. We can handle this. She'll spread her plague if you don't stop her!" Daimio yells as he fires off a few shots.

"There's no time! Go!" Katherine shouts, but Hellboy turns back towards her with worry.

"Kat, I'm not leaving you." He says strongly, worried for his Kitten.

"Go! Stop Nimue!" She shouts over the raging storm clouds above them and the screeching of the witches.

Hellboy hesitantly backs away but turns and races towards the top of the hill.

Daimio grunts in frustration when his gun begins to click, "I'm out. Stay behind me!" He shouts over his shoulder as Alice grips on to his jacket for protection.

"Where the fuck else am I gonna go?" She asks sarcastically.

Hellboy manages to dodge witches left and right and when another was rising from her grave, he kicks her head off like a football.

"Goal!"

Panting heavily, Hellboy didn't stop for nothing. He had to reach the top. As he drew closer, he begins to hear the creatures of the underworld growling and snarling in the distance and Nimue's voice was mixed with it.

"...darkness to celebrate your return." The Gruagach says.

"No more bowing and scraping, my beloveds. That is not what I want. I want an army, long hidden from the eyes of man. I want the forgotten people out of the dark! Those who have lived in dust, who have gnawed on dry bones while dreaming of blood! That is what I want. Give me an army like that and we will make the daytime world weep!" She shouts out and earn several roars of cheers and growls of approval.

Hearing those words now and the ones she said to him earlier, it opened his eyes with how he sees her. Nimue was pure evil and had to be stopped.

Suddenly, he hears what Nimue hears. A twig snapping.

Nimue smirks as she looks over her shoulder, "Well, don't just cower there like mice. Step forth." She scoffs.

Soon three women dressed in hooded black cloaks walk slowly out from behind the oak tree. One blonde woman was carrying a black crown made of thorns.

"Ah. Dear sisters. How kind of you to grace me with your presence after hiding all these years."

All three women hesitantly walk closer, Hellboy could see the fear in their eyes. Hell, he could smell it. They were terrified of Nimue.

"Please, Nimue, for me and my sisters, have mercy." The blonde witch whimpers.

Nimue slowly lifts a hand, closing it very slowly into my a tight fist. At the same time, the two witches behind the blonde begin to crumble. The tighter her fist became, the worst the witches became. Blood poured through their eyes, ears, and mouth as Nimue continues to slowly kill them. Hellboy grimaces at the sound of their screaming and the bones crunching.

"Ganeida, did you show me mercy? When Arthur cut me to pieces and buried me alive, where was your mercy then?" Nimue grits her teeth.

So that is Ganeida. The witch who betrayed Nimue. Hellboy understood that Nimue craved for revenge against those who betrayed her, but he can't let her bring her plague in this world.

After the witches stopped screaming, all there was left was a crumbled mess of bodies and Ganeida whimpers and bows, begging Nimue, "Don't, I beg you!"

Nimue scoffs and snatches the crown out of her grip, "Look at you. Groveling like an animal." Nimue kneels in front of Ganeida, "Don't worry, Ganeida, I won't kill you." Ganeida gasps, "But you must do something for me first to prove your newfound loyalty. Take Hellboy to the one who can show him his destiny." She states as she straightens.

'To hell with this!' Hellboy has heard enough. Lifting his gun, he takes the shot and hits Nimue right in the face. One of her eyes flapped out of her socket as a gapping hole exposes inside of her face, blood dripping from the wound.

"Oh, sorry! Did I interrupt?" Hellboy shouts out, breaking his sarcastic voice through the loud storm.

The Gruagach growls, "Hellboy, you bastard!"

The creatures who all joined the welcoming of Nimue stopped cheering as they see their new queen injured by Hellboy. In fear, they all ran to escape. Except for three who got caught up in the moment. When they finally noticed everyone was gone and Nimue was injured, they screech in fear and run away.

Groaning, Nimue begins to heal and Hellboy wasn't done with her.

"I hope I'm not late to the party!" Hellboy shouts and tries to fire again but Nimue lifts her hand and squeezes it into a fist, making Hellboy scream in pain, dropping his gun in the process.

Katherine snaps her head up as she hears the echoing of Hellboy's scream of pain.

Hellboy rushes to stop Nimue but with a thrust of her hand, she sends him flying backwards. Hellboy groans in pain as he lies on the dirt.

As her eye slithers back into her face, completely healed from the gunshot wound, Nimue smirks at Hellboy.

"On the contrary, you've arrived just in time."

Katherine gasps as she hears it again, "Hellboy." Something inside her begins to grow with rage. Her eyes start to glow as she sees red before her.

Alice and Daimio we're both swarmed with the zombie witches.

"There's too many." Alice yelps and Daimio gets jumped.

Alice managed to fight as best as she could, but like she's said, she's not a soldier.

"Get off him!"

"Behind you!" Daimio shouts.

Alice turns fast and punches the witch as hard as she could. With the power of her punch, she knocked the soul out of it... literally.

Alice gasps and look at her hands in shock. Suddenly, she turns fast when Daimio is pilled up with two witches. She punches one, knocking it's soul out while Daimio shoots the other.

With Alice's help, he gets to his feet, looking at her in shock.

"Where'd you learn how to do that?" He asks.

"I don't know. Ever since the fairies took me, I've been able to do some weird shit. Stay behind me." Alice says

Throwing her words back at her, "Where else am I gonna go? Get us out of here!"

Alice turns as she sees Katherine standing still, doing nothing, then a half a dozen witches rush to swarm around her.

"Katherine, watch out!"

With a yell, Katherine jumps into the air and thrusts a glowing fist down onto the ground. Sending a power firey wave around her. The witches all screamed and tried to run, but the fire from Katherine's power consumed them all.

"Watch out!" Daimio grabs Alice and covers her body in protection. He braces himself to feel the painful flames, but when they hit, he felt nothing.

Nimue turns quickly and gasp at the sight of the power wave explode throughout the forest. Soon, the surprise slowly becomes fascination.

Panting heavily, Katherine slowly looks up as the rage leaves her. She straightens her pose as she rises to her feet. Turning, she faces Daimio and Alice. Daimio holds his gun up at her, cautious with what she was going to do next.

"Kat?" Alice calls.

"Stay back." Daimio warns her.

Katherine calls her breathing and feels her powers fleeting. Her eyes dimed back to her normal color.

"I'm ok. You?" Katherine sighs out.

Daimio lowers his gun, but still eyes her.

"We're okay."

Katherine gives them both a worried look, "But Hellboy's not." She says and takes off running towards Pendle Hill, fearing for Hellboy's life.

"Kat!" "Kat, wait!" Daimio and Alice shouts behind her, but she couldn't stop, she had to protect Hellboy.

Nimue uses her powers again and forces Hellboy to fly backwards, hitting the ground in pain.

Gruagach laughs in triumph as he watches his greatest enemy get his ass kicked.

"Not so fucking funny now, eh? My Queen, restore me now! Let me finish him!" He begs her.

"Not just yet." Nimue states.

Frowning at her, "But you swore...Ow!" Gruagach cries out when she backhands him hard across the face.

"Mind your tongue, pig." She demands and turns to open a large portal.

Hellboy grunts as he struggles to get up to stop them

"Get in." She commands.

Hellboy finally gets to his feet, stumbling towards them.

"Hey. Where do you think you're going?"

Nimue turns back to him, "To give birth to a new world!" She grins.

"Yeah, by killing a lot of innocent people!" He tries to stop her again, but uses her powers, making him kneel in pain.

"Why do you fight for those who hate and fear you? All I wanted was revenge, until I saw you. You can usher in the apocalypse. Out of the ashes, a new Eden will emerge. Leave these frail, pathetic humans behind. Be my king. And be revered for who you really are. We belong together, you and I." She says her sweet seductions to him.

"We do! But it's not gonna work, you know, 'cause I'm a Capricorn and you're fucking nuts!" He yells and kneels over in pain again

"A demon sleeps inside you, and I will waken it." She says determinedly.

Katherine pants as she reaches the top of the hill, seeing him withering in pain on the ground.

"Hellboy! Hellboy!" She rushed towards him.

Breaking a thorn from her crown, Nimue throws it and hits Katherine in the throat.

Katherine gasps in pain, gagging as she clutches her throat and stumbles backwards to the ground.

Hellboy's eyes widen in terror and he looks up at Nimue in shock.

"Even if I have to take away everything and everyone you've ever loved." Nimue snarls and storms into the portal, disappearing from them all as Alice and Daimio rush up the hill.

Hellboy rushes to Katherine's side, "I got you, babe. I'm here." He says softly.

Daimio draws his gun to shoot Nimue, but she was gone. Growling in frustration, he turns to glare at Hellboy, "Congratulations, the Blood Queen has all her powers now." He scoffs.

Alice rushes to Katherine's side as she withers and whimpers in pain. The poison of the thorn seeps rapidly through Katherine's body. Forming black veins through her skin. Around the thorn, her skin grew infected. Red and disformed from the poison.

"We got to get it out of her." Alice states.

Suddenly, Ganeida rushes out of the shadows, "Don't touch it! It'll only make it spread faster." She warns.

Katherine, suddenly, arches in pain as red steam-like energy seeps from her pores.

"Jesus Christ!" Alice exclaims.

Katherine yells in agony. Everyone watches in shock as waves of fiery steam and flames roll through Katherine's body. Even Ganeida was in shock.

"Her powers are fighting the poison. I don't think she's winning." Alice says.

Growling loudly, Hellboy snaps to his feet and rushes to grab Ganeida by her throat, holding her up in the air as her feet dangled.

"You got three seconds to make this right!" He yells.

Gagging at his tight grip, Ganeida struggles to speak, "I can't."

"Three." Hellboy warns.

"Nimue's power is too strong." Ganeida gags.

"Two." Hellboy growls and tightens his grip.

"There is one who can help you from the Old World." Ganeida struggles out.

Loosening his grip, Hellboy sets her down but doesn't let go, "Where?"

Daimio looks at him in disbelief, "You're not seriously gonna listen to her! She could be leading us straight into a trap!" He shouts.

Hellboy let's Ganeida go and turns towards Katherine, she was growing worse by the second. He couldn't lose her. Not another whom he cares about.

"You can save your friend." Ganeida says.

With a soft grunt, he reaches and picks her up, carrying her in his arms gently, "We don't have a choice." He glares at Daimio and turns towards Ganeida. "Tell me where to find this person."

"Go to Black Fin. High atop the cliffs there's an old goat path hidden in the rocks. The way is treacherous, but you must follow it until you can go no further. There, you'll find a passage into the bowels of the Earth, in a cave. The one you seek is there. Merlin the Wise. Wizard to kings, and king of fools. Cursed to live forever buried in a hole for allowing Arthur to betray the truce. Look for his symbol. The Triple Celtic Spiral." Ganeida states.

Without saying anything, Hellboy turns and runs.

Alice and Daimio rush to follow, but Alice looks over her shoulder, "Thank you."

Hellboy didn't let go of Katherine throughout the quest. He couldn't. Hearing her whimper in pain and watching her body continuously wither in his arms, it was killing him. Her power still struggles to heal her. He strokes her sweaty hair and clammy skin, she was growing cold. They were running out of time.

"This is it. Black Fin. The entrance the witch said is far." Daimio says as he lands the helicopter and quickly shuts it off.

"We've got to hurry." Alice says.

The sun has fully risen by the time they reached the path Ganeida warned them of and it was worse than they thought, but Hellboy didn't care. Katherine's weak groans forced him to keep going.

It took them some time to find what they were looking for. The grave that held Merlin's cursed body.

Hellboy gently placed Katherine down and rushes towards the crypt that carried the triple spiral. With a mighty pull from his stone hand, he rips the top off and there he was. Merlin. Covered with dusts, webs, ages of time preserved his weak body.

Merlin slowly opens his eyes, thinking Death has finally come for him.

"Have you finally come to claim my soul?" He asks with hope in his voice.

"That's the other guy." Hellboy scoffs and reaches down to yank him to his feet, "Come on! My friend's been poisoned, and we were told that you can help!" He says urgently.

Disappointed that it wasn't his time again, but Merlin moves to see if he could help. He gasps at the sight of the woman who lies on the ground. Her neck carried a poisonous thorn that sent black veins all over her body.

"I have seen this before. This is Nimue's work." Merlin gasps as he kneels and gently touches the woman's clammy skin.

Groaning weakly, Katherine arches again as her powers roll through her again.

Merlin gasps, "The Queen of Chaos. The prophecy has started. Are you sure you want me to save this woman? Knowing she carries the power to destroy our worlds?"

Hellboy glares at him and grabs him by his cloak, "Save her or Death won't be able to identify you when he finally comes for you." He snarls.

Merlin eyes the creature, seeing who he truly was and, knowing the prophecy well...just maybe...

"Very well. May whatever consequences that will fall on you be the right choice. But, you cannot underestimate this witch, Nimue. She is evil incarnate. There's still a chance if we act quickly. But you must promise me something in return. That you will do whatever is necessary to destroy Nimue, no matter the cost." Merlin states.

Hellboy gives him a serious look, "I can damn well guarantee it." He lets him go.

Merlin reaches and grips on the thorn, pulling it out of Katherine's body as he chants a spell on a foreign language.

Katherine groans and screams in pain as the thorn turns into a worm-like parasite. Merlin pulls and pulls, not giving up. Hellboy holds Katherine down, trying to keep her still as Merlin helps her.

Hellboy, Daimio, and Alice watch in horror as parasite struggles to stay attached, but Merlin was too strong. With a final yank, Merlin throws the parasite away and Katherine arches up with a shout, coughing as the pain was fading and she could breathe. The black veins and infection faded as soon as that...thing was extracted from her.

The black parasite squeaks as it slithers away. Daimio and Alice watch in concern.

"Should we be worried about where that's going?" Daimio frowns.

Suddenly, a fiery energy ball is shot and makes the parasite explode with a yelp.

Panting, Katherine drops her hand weakly and turns to Daimio, "Not any-fucking-more." She coughs again and feels Hellboy cup her cheek, gently turning her to look at him.

"Bloody hell, I know that bitch felt that." Alice exclaims.

"Hey." Hellboy says softly, relieved she was alive.

Smiling softly, "Hey." She whispers.

"Welcome back." Hellboy says and kisses her forehead, hugging her tightly in his arms. "I thought I lost you." He whispers in her ear.

Katherine holds on to him tightly, sighing softly, "Didn't know you cared, Elmo." She giggles as he snorts.

Merlin continues to eye them both and Katherine could feel it. She frowns and looks to see another man with them. A very dirty looking man.

"Who's the new guy?" She asks.

Hellboy scoffs, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

All of the sudden, Merlin turns to Daimio and Alice, with a single touch on their heads, they passed out on the ground.

"Hey, hey! Why did you do that?" Hellboy exclaims.

Katherine scrambles to get away, avoiding getting touched, but Merlin made no effort.

"Let your friends rest. They'll be fine. What comes next is for you. Both of you. Come." Merlin says and gets to his feet, leading them to the other side of the cave.

Hellboy helps Katherine to her feet and holds her close. She was still weak and held on to him for support.

"Hellboy, your story whispered itself into my ear and I realized fate had something else in store for us both." Merlin says as he moves towards the cavern floor and picks up a human skull.

Hellboy frowns, "Okay."

Merlin walks back towards them, facing them both with hope, "Tell me, are there still tales of King Arthur in your time? How he drew the sword from the stone?" He asks.

Hellboy and Katherine both nod, "Books, legends, all about him and his knights." She says.

"Uh, yeah. Movies, too. He's a regular pop culture phenom." Hellboy says.

"Give me your hand." Merlin tells Hellboy. When he takes it, he cuts Hellboy's palm. Hellboy winces in pain and turns his hand, spilling his blood in the skull, "People believe that Arthur's lineage died with him, but it's not true. The bloodline continued when Arthur had a daughter and that daughter had a daughter, and so on. Ending with Sarah Bethany Hughes. She used to fly to the Sabbath on the back of a demon in the shape of a goat. And on Walpurgis Night, 1574, she married that demon. That very night she was taken down to hell, where she delivered a son, Anung un Rama."

Hellboy flinches at that, remembering what Ruiz said to him.

"That last part, I've heard that before. What is that?" He asks.

"It's you... Anung un Rama. Destroyer of all things. The title you were given on the day you were born." Merlin states.

Hellboy felt his heart was clutched in a tight grip. Ruiz was telling him his true name. The name his real father gave him. Katherine gasps softly.

"So, my mother was human." He sighs out.

"And so are you. At least in part. Son of Arthur, last of the royal lineage." Merlin states and lifts his fingers which were coated in Hellboy's blood, "Blood of his blood. Destined to be king of man." Merlin moves towards a small spring that was covered with a fog.

Hellboy stood in shock, finally...someone finally told him who and what he was. But...was it true? Katherine looks up at Hellboy in shock.

"And you...Queen of Chaos." Katherine snaps her head towards Merlin. "Daughter of Astaroth." Merlin turns towards her, "Or should I call him by his human name, Roth Hemlock. The name his mother gave him."

Katherine frowns at him, "What are you talking about? My father was human."

"No, dear child. Your father was one of the great dukes of hell, passed down all the way from Vaplua, the duke of the 36 legions of hell." Merlin states.

Katherine frowns, "So...I'm...am I..." She couldn't ask, she was too afraid.

"You're half human and half demon. Like Hellboy. But, unlike Hellboy, your parents represented human-like beings than demotic." Merlin says.

"Then you know what the prophecy says...about what happens on my birthday." She says.

Merlin sighs and nods, "Yes. The witching hour has always been the most powerful source for all creatures and wizards. It's when both worlds open for us and magic is at its brightest."

"What IS going to happen to me though? Am I...do I become evil...or..." Her voice shakes.

Merlin places a gentle hand on her shoulder, "We all, at the start of our birth, are given a choice. The choice of who you are...is up to you and you alone." He says and places his hand over her heart, studying her and nods, "Your heart is pure. But remember...the choice is not just up to you. It's up to your true King." He says as he looks at Hellboy.

Hellboy flinches at him, again the pressure of the choice between the True Queen and the False Queen, "I get it. I have to choose between the True Queen and the False, but it's obvious who I'm going to choose." He scoffs.

Merlin shakes his head, "If only the choice was that easy, Hellboy. Your human side wants her, but what of the other?"

Hellboy frowns at him, "The other?"

"The demon inside you." Merlin states and moves towards the end of the spring and kneels drawl a pentagram in Hellboy's blood. "Your demon and your heritage are your greatest strengths, Hellboy, which is why I know you are the only one who can do what must be done." As soon as he finishes the pentagram, Katherine and Hellboy watch something begin ro rise from the enchanted waters.

There before them, the heavens light shinning down on it, was Excalibur. The sword of King Arthur.

"Excalibur, the one weapon that can stand against Nimue." Merlin says.

Katherine gasps at the sight, "It's beautiful." She says softly as she eyes the vibrant steel. It almost looked like it was vibrating as it lied buried in the stone.

"Ah, looks bigger in the cartoon." Hellboy says.

"Only a true descendant of Arthur can wield it. It is your birthright, Hellboy, your destiny. This is how you will destroy the Blood Queen." Merlin states and gestures him to go towards the sword,

Walking into the water, Hellboy eyes the sword as he draws closer towards it. He reaches and grips the sword handle and gasps as a vision stabs his brain. What he saw...was a hellish nightmare. He could feel the beast inside him stirring. Feel the dark urge in the depths of his soul. His sight darkens as a vision of the future clouds his mind.

He sees himself riding the back of a big black dragon, carrying Excalibur in his hand. Only difference was that Excalibur became a flaming sword in his hand. He watches himself hold it with a wicked grin as he flew over the burning world. The cities have fallen and humanity was dying. As he led the dragon lower, it's tail dragging through a crowd of humans, screaming in terror. He loved it. Running off the dragon's back, Hellboy jumps from the air and lands in the middle of sea of suffering humans. Everyone screamed and ran as he sliced his way through the crowd. Blood, guts, and body parts flew in every direction he went.

Hellboy gasps softly and lets go of the sword. Still hearing the echoing of the screams.

"No! You gave me your word!" Merlin shouts at him.

"Hellboy, what are you doing?" Katherine exclaims.

"Take the sword before it's too late! Take it! Take it now!" Merlin shouts.

But he couldn't. He knew what would happen if he took the sword. He couldn't risk it. Before his eyes, Excalibur disappears.

"You fool! I used the last of my magic to bring Excalibur here."Merlin says as he begins to crumble to the ground, rotting before Katherine's eyes, "Now the sword has returned to Arthur, the only man worthy of it. You could've stopped her. At least I won't be here to watch the world wither and die." Merlin's voice fades as he finally turns to dust.

Katherine whimpers and backs away, watching beautiful blue butterfly flies from his skull and takes off in flight.

Hellboy slowly turns back and walks out of the water, carrying a deep, disturbed look.

"Red, why didn't you take the sword?" Katherine asks.

Hellboy lets out a shuddering sigh, "It showed me what will happen if I take the sword. If I took it, it will awaken this..." He places a hand over chest. "...this demon inside me. I could feel the evil it carried. It wants nothing but destruction. And...I think he will choose her. Cause they want the same thing. If I take the sword, Nimue will get what she wants."

Fear fills Katherine's heart, she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't lose him to Nimue.

Lifting a hand to his cheek, she runs her thumb over his beard, watching him sigh at her touch, "We'll find another way. There has to be."

Hellboy sighs heavily and leans down to press his head against hers, worried for her...his Kitten. He already lost one woman he loved. His heart can't lose another.