An hour later, I begin loading a duffle bag on the bed. The others are readying themselves. Once again, I hear the chatter. I put it out of my mind, even Porter asks if I'm okay. I'm going to end Kai and Tituba. They don't get to live after this.

Not this time.

I hear a knock on the door and nod to it. Eva walks over and opens the door. Lucas enters with a smirk.

"You didn't think I'd miss this, did you?" He says with a devious smirk.

-

I tell the group to wait for me downstairs.

Lucas, of course, doesn't follow my orders. He watches me as I load weapons into the bag. I can feel his presence behind me and I try to ignore him. He moves over and sits on the opposite side of the bed. I can't ignore him anymore.

I notice he's staring ahead.

"You're not supposed to be here." I close the bag, not bothering to look at me. He doesn't answer. I stare at his back, "I know you hear me. Vampire senses and all."

He laughs, "Always witty. Always defiant and strong. It's okay, you know."

"I'm fine."

"You don't have t—"

"I'm fine!" I say angrily. He turns to me and smirks. I swallow a lump in my throat, "Dammit, you're not supposed to be here?"

"You think I'd let you walk into this without someone who truly knows you?"

"How did you know?" I ask.

Lucas sighs, "Witches, of course. Astrid."

"Remind me to flay her."

"That's the spirit!"

"Lucah, why are you here? Really?" I ask angrily. The mention of his true name causes a bewildered look on his face. I restrain myself, "You don't need to be here. I'm not walking into this alone and I'm not afraid."

"When did I become Lucah?"

"The same time I became the Bastion." I stare at him, "I've been trying to fight this anger. I was so afraid of what I could become."

"What changed?" Lucas asks.

"A man, my Father, died to save me after I made the sacrifice. He undid my sacrifice and so long I raged at any and everyone. I was so consumed by it that I had no idea that I was losing control."

"And now?"

"I embrace it."

Lucas looks impressed. I count myself as proud.

"Why are you here, Lucas?"

"You're wrong, you know. I love you. I love you so much that it hurts to not breathe sometimes. When you died, I became a person that you can't love...I dug my own grave. You deserve more than me." Lucas's calm demeanor breaks. He quickly regains it, "But I love you. I always will. I never stopped."

"What am I supposed to say?" I ask, "I made my feelings for you extremely clear. You left. Anything you did while I was dead could be forgiven. Believe me, I've had experience."

"Finn says that you and dog are engaged."

"He's right." I nod.

"Are you happy?" He asks.

I don't hesitate to say, "Yes." And Lucas nods. I chuckle and he stares at me. I pull myself back, "I just—it's just that I wanted you to say this months ago. I wanted everything that came with loving a vampire. I was so stupid."

I sit on the bed and continue to laugh. Lucas sits beside and laughs with me. It takes a minute before reality hits again. I huff, calling his attention to me.

"He makes you happy. It's all I want for you."

I nod, "Can you do me a favor?" I ask.

"Anything." Lucas smirks.

"Help me—"

"Done."

"But then go back. Live your unlife and do some good to offset whatever bad you did. You're an ass but you're also a great undead person."

"Okay," Lucas chuckles, "Enough with the undead jokes."

"We should get going."

"Don't die this time." Lucas jokes.

"That's all I'm saying."

-

We drive miles and miles before we come upon the Domus.

We walk even more miles before coming upon the cave. I take a deep breath. My insides are like liquid. I can feel the magic surging through me. It's as if being so close to the gateway is amplifying my powers. I take a minute to close my eyes and feel the magic course through me. I feel the magic connecting me with the trees and all the wildlife.

I open my eyes and sit the duffle bag on the ground, "Pick your poison." I say to them.

They all step forward and grab weapons, except for the vampires.

"Stay here." I say walking towards the cave. I stop when the group protest. I turn to them, "I go in. It's clear that they want me alone. Beside, all of us in the cavern is going to make me mildly claustrophobic."

"Then what do we do?" Porter asks.

I look past him. Some type of golems are heading our way. I'm not used to seeing something so supernatural and out of place these large, stone golems. I watch as they begin to come out of the brush.

"Offense." I say as I point to the golems.

"Oh—" Porter says.

"Fuck." Eva finishes.

"This is going to be fun." Finn smiles.

"Have at it." I say as I head into the cavern.

It seems as if I'm walking down the rabbit hole. I don't remember the cave being this dark and cold. As I make my way through the cavern, I also notice the carvings on the wall. It seems like forever. I don't know if it's relativity or just a long walk.

I come up on the mouth of the cave. It's as if I walk into a temple and soon the large doors invade my vision. I can see that the large doors are glowing. Tituba is having her hands around in the air. Kai stares at me, a gun to David's head.

"Wards and totems wouldn't help." Tituba says without breaking her gesturing, "I think it was evident from the Compound."

"How do you know about that?" I ask cautiously.

Tituba laughs, "Do you think that much magic goes unnoticed? I was devastated when your magical energy died. But it didn't. Your signature was always here. You must remember being here. And then I felt your full power again." She grows quiet, "It's strange that you essentially came from me. To be your ancestor, though I'm not dead. Like your grandmother and father."

Anger rises in my chest and I glare at Kai. Kai clicks the gun and stares at me, "I had to." He says nervously.

"Why?" I ask.

"He murdered my family! Did you think I'd just forget about that? Just forgive him?!" Kai says with hurt and anger obvious. I wonder why I didn't sense it earlier.

"Kai."

"He's the same person. He'll protect you no matter who gets hurt. It's not your fault. It's his!" Kai shouts.

I frown, "That was the Hunters fault. They used you. They caused you to stab me." I reiterate the story. I see his finger on the trigger and reach up to him, "Please, Kai! She's using you."

"We're using each other." Kai frowns, "You're what this is all about. Poor, noble Perry. Sacrificing his life after he's taken so many lives. You are—"

"Walking death, yeah yeah!' I say loudly.

"You're a coward." Kai says angrily, "You chose death over life. You chose darkness over light. People think you're so noble and so strong. Truth is that you're weak. You waver between murders, pious for no particular reason."

"You're so angry."

"Family dying will do that." He hisses.

I laugh, "My grandmother died before I even knew what I was. My brother died. My father died! So do not tell me about loss." I point to Tituba, "She's been manipulating all of us for years. You're not killing him and she's not walking out of here alive."

"I'd believe him." Tituba says quietly.

"I'm sorry, Kai. I truly am. But you're weak." I feel an overwhelming pity for him. He's so angry and hurt and I should have known it. I've been too wrapped up in myself to even consider that he wasn't okay with David. He wasn't okay with anything. I feel he's too far gone but I can't give up on me. I shake my head, "This anger will destroy you. You have to let it go."

"Let..it...go?" He asks.

"It's my job to stop her. You're in my way."

"You going to kill me?" Kai asks.

"No, I'm just not going to save you." I say as I watch as Tituba turns and maneuvers a stalagmite into his stomach. I watch as Kai falls to the ground, the gun still in his hand. I swallow a lump in my throat as Tituba smiles at me. I step forward, "Tituba, your reign of terror ends now."

"Yes, I'm the villain, Perry. I am the puppet master and the true villain of this story. Phoenix did the same. But you love him. You are him." Tituba laughs, "Correction, you're a bit stronger than he was. I'm not your enemy."

I think about what Tituba is saying. Tituba has manipulated a lot of things, but so did Phoenix. I'm basically Phoenix reincarnated. I understand his motives more.

"The world isn't black and white. Magic isn't black and white. Darkness comes from the person and honey, you're the darkest soul in the world. After all, you embraced death. You wanted it. It's why I helped your odious Father."

My eyes narrow on her, "My Father would never take anything from you!"

"If it meant bringing you back, he'd do anything. The one thing I can say about him is that Alan Summers loves his family. He's a lying, death-dealing scumbag."

The cavern rocks under our feet.

"Did I hit a nerve dear?" Tituba asks with a smile, "Release it. You did when you came back. You unleashed the full force of your powers, without restriction. It's what you'll have to do to kill me. Isn't that why you're here? To kill me."

"I don't have to be. You can stop this now."

"Wasn't it you that said I wasn't walking out alive." Tituba asks.

"Perceptive." I say with a smile.

I pull my hand, palm first, and begin chanting. Tituba gestures upward and then towards me, causing stalagmites to fly my way. I raise my other hand, causing the jagged rock to divert, hitting both sides of me. I'm not sure if the spell is working. The power of the door is clouding my senses.

I watch in horror as Tituba gestures downward as the rocks stop just above David.

"I know what you're doing. Stop now or I swear I will make him a coat." Tituba frowns, "Clever little witch. Too bad I'm much older and much wiser than you."

"Yeah, but I'm not alone." I smile.

Lucas appears behind her and runs his hand through Tituba's sternum, pushing her heart out. She gasps as she falls to the ground. I move towards David and shake him awake. As Lucas and I are about to leave the cave, I hear a strange whirring sound and look back to see that the door is creaking open.

I can see light beyond it. I turn to Lucas.

"No. No!" Lucas says angrily, "Leave it. We can handle what comes out."

"Get him out of here." I frown. He stands with David draped over his arm. I glare at him, "NOW!" I bark.

Lucas nods and disappears into the darkness with David. I take a deep breath. As I walk ahead, I begin to feel a familiar warmth envelope me. It reminds me of a place I'd long since forgotten. It calls me as I walk into it. I feel almost free. I can feel the tug at my soul. My first instinct is to let it.

To die again.

The memories of before my eyes, images of my friends fly across my memory. My memory lands on Peyton's image. It's her. It's the hope she inspires in me that makes me raise my hand to the doorway. I can see the door budging, slowly closing. I can't understand what I need to do to close the door.

"Death." A voice croaks. I look over and see Kai clutching his stomach, "It needs a life."

I stare back the door. My worst fears envelope, not unlike the light. I again pull my hand up and the door closes significantly. As I'm closing the door, I feel the door draining my magic and my life force. The light is so blinding that I can only feel the demons that come out of it. I feel the darkness. An audible sigh escapes me as I feel my life draining into the door.

"Thank you." The voice says as the light disappears.

My hands drop to my sides, palms open. I feel as if the door is throwing the energy back at me. It's siphoning magic through itself and back into me. I feel the power nearly take me off my feet. I'm shocked when I feel someone take both of my hands. I look to my left and see David. I look to my right to see Lucas.

"I thought I told you—"

"You don't tell us what to do." Lucas snaps, "We were never going to leave you. I had to bring Fido here back to health."

"I don't think I can do this."

"Don't be stupid, idiot." Lucas says with a frown, "You can't wuss out now. Tituba took a lot of things from you. Take...them...back."

I can feel a range of emotions that frankly would have crippled me before and all of them are empowering now. I can feel the intensity of each of them. The door is almost closed but I can't seem to budge it.

"Death." Kai repeats.

I think on his words. I tighten my grip as David heads towards him. I know one chant that can possible close the door. It's an old Latin spell called the 'Gatekeeper's lullaby". I've only seen it once in my family's grimoire. Somehow, I remember every word. I strengthen my grip on the two men. And begin to chant.

"Avatars of magic, angels of light and demons of the dark, I call up on you. Close the portal. I call upon the powers of all, the powers innumerable. Close this breach."

I repeat it and I grow stronger with each time I chant. Each time, I can feel my friends' life force siphoning through me. I can feel their every move, their every pain and their every joy. I can briefly see through each of their eyes. The power launches out of my hand and slams against the door. It's almost closed.

"Death." Kai points to Lucas.

I stare over at him. He's baffled. A look of calm reaches his face after contemplation. He looks to me.

"Maybe this is why I'm drawn to you. I knew my destiny and yours were intertwined." He says softly.

"No. You're not—"

"Once I'm in, close it. Seal it. Tear it down." Lucas frowns. He nods to David and David grabs me into a bearhug as I struggle to free myself. He walks toward the light, his skin peeling and burning off. He looks back, his face chipping away, as if he were burning. He smiles, "See ya around, Sabrina."

He moves through the door, into the light and I scream out. David releases me and I recoil from his grasp. I turn my attention to the doorway and I lift my hands in the air, gesturing violently as it slams shut. I realize something.

I can't feel it anymore.

The magic is gone. I sink to my knees, spent and in anguish. I begin to wonder if that's what I looked like sacrificing myself. I stare at the doorway, anger building inside me. I hear a rumble that only grows louder.

David tugs at me, "We have to go. Hate me if you want, but save it for a time when this creepy ass cave isn't falling down around us!" He says pulling me to my feet.

"Perry." I hear Kai croak.

I stop and turn to him. I can almost assure malice runs across my face. David stares at me, wondering what I'll do.

I turn and run away, leaving him. David and I are running so fast but just barely avoiding the caving ceiling. I know David's holding back because of me and I tell him to run faster. He ignores me and pushes me to run. As I'm running, David shouts at me to move and pushes me out of the way as a large rock falls on him. The path in front of us crumbles as I push the boulder off of David. I grab his head and cradle it in my shoulder.

I know this is the end and I won't leave him here.

I look up to see the ceiling buckling overhead. Just when I think we're dead, a burst of golden light explode sin front of us and Charlotte appears, gripping both of us. I feel a tugging as we disappear from the cave and reappear outside the cave just as the cave collapses in an explosive end. Charlotte staggers back and Eva catches her.

I raise myself on my elbows, staring at the destroyed cave entrance. I hear the shuffling of feet and soon my friends are at my side. I tell them I'm fine and to check David and Charlotte.

"Where's Lucas?" Finn's voice asks.

"I...don't know." I say gingerly. I look to Finn, who expression is grave. My eyes find Parker and Jason trying to resuscitate David. I push myself to my feet, past Finn who is staring at absentmindedly at the cave entrance. I look down at them, "What's happening?"

"He's not breathing." Porter says calmly.

"Port!" I say moving towards him. Parker grabs me. I struggle, "Let me go! Not him, not now!" I say elbowing Parker. I push Porter away from him and beat his chest. I'm not letting him go. I press my lips to his, blowing air into him. I feel a bit of static electricity as he gasps and bolts up.