ᵗʰᵃˡᵃˢˢᵒᵖʰⁱˡᵉ

🪼⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

[ no more monster hunting! ]

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛.

Your fingers wrapped around his arm, and you pulled him closer to yourself. You frantically tapped his cheek with my palm, but his eyes made no movement of opening. Feeling the burning in your lungs, you burst upwards, quickly inhaling deeply once you surfaced. 

It was incredibly difficult as you barely managed to keep Jacob up from the water. You padded over to Red's fin, and with as much strength as you could muster, you heaved him onto the slippery appendage. 

You scrambled next to him, patting his cheek yet again as you called for him, "Jacob... Jacob! Jacob, wake up, you idiot!" Tears began to cascade down your cheeks when he didn't answer. "God, you're such a fool."

You pressed your hands to his chest, and began performing the medical procedure for his heart, pumping your hands in swift motions, desperate for his golden eyes to open. Then, you leaned down, pressing your lips to his as you breathed in air and re-did the sequence. You began to pant, your arms getting exhausted. 

You placed your lips against his again, exhaling another round of air, but as you leaned away to continue, Jacob's hand suddenly shot up, grasping your neck in a gentle hold as he kissed you. Your eyes widened as you gasped, but you soon melted into his touch. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pulled him even closer, relishing the feeling of a proper kiss from Jacob Holland. 

He pulled back, to catch his breath, but kept that same soft hold on your neck. "You... You saved me," he whispered, and together, you both began to chuckle, foreheads pressed together. 

"Who else was gonna save you?" you asked, fingers gracing over his cheeks, neck and shoulders. 

"Well, I can think of a few, but I'm glad it was you," he smiled. You shoved him back a bit, shaking your head with a fond smirk. "Why-... Why did you come back?" he asked, thumb grazing your cheek as he stared into your E/C eyes.

"I had to... I had to because I couldn't let you die," you sniffed, the tears lightly blurring your vision. The next words felt like sweet sugar coating your tongue. "Because I love you."

Jacob felt his heart burst, beating erratically with the overwhelming feeling he could only identify as love. Though, this was nothing he hadn't felt for a long time. The sound of your voice uttering those words made him softly smile, as he kissed you deeply. 

Maisie, unbeknown to the phenomenon she had been waiting on for weeks now, rapidly sliced through the rope. She flinched back with a gasp, as Sarah stepped forward. 

The woman stood, her sword out in display as she stared down at the girl. Her face softened ever so slightly. "I should have given you a bigger knife." Rearing her arm back, she forced it down, cutting cleanly through the thick rope.

Suddenly, Red began to shift with a growl, and Maisie tumbled. Just as Crow went to stab her, he fell, falling down the divot. Sarah and Maisie shared a look, before they jumped into the water.

The crew of the Inevitable shouted in fear as Red roared, her crimson body looming over the ship. They immediately leaped over the railing, and into the water below. 

Red let out a loud growl as her eyelids drooped close again, the poison still coursing through her veins. She stumbled to the side, her large body crashing through one of the castle towers. The Inevitable, which was in her way, sunk down below her.

The king and queen gasped as she fell again, and they looked over the balcony, letting out a frightened exhale when her eye opened, revealing the menacing yellow of her iris's. 

With might, Red growled as she regained her footing, standing to her full height. The queen scowled, quickly looking around to her soldiers. "The hunters brought the beast to the very heart of our kingdom!"

"For your queen, for all that is good, strike it down!" the king commanded, pointing his chubby finger at Red.

"Cannoneers! Take position!" the General ordered, unsheathing her sword and holding it out. The soldiers headed her call, and soon enough, dozens upon dozens of men and women rolled out the canons, propping and setting them up. 

But the poison overwhelmed Red again as she collapsed, the water riveting in waves around her as her head smashed through the docking path. The villagers screamed as they scrambled away as she stood again, shaking the debris off. 

"Prepare to fire!"

Crow grunted as he emerged from the water, crawling through the rubble to the royal statue, showcasing the king and queen of old, with the first hunter in the center, all three holding up the ceremonial lance. 

Red rumbled with anger when she saw the castle, and the royal balcony. She submerged, teeth bared, her horn piercing the water. 

The king and queen gasped in fear, as they spun around, running into the castle. They pushed anyone who was in their way, not caring for the lives of their devoted soldiers. "Out of our ways, you fools!"

Crow ripped the spear from the statue, turning and holding it close as Red coursed her head through the stone. He jumped off the side with a groan, barely escaping the wreckage. He yelled out as the floor below fractured, his body flying forward, and the lance slipping from his hold. He turned on his back, to stare at Red, whose growls seem to vibrate the very earth below. Her hatred-filled gaze on him, for she remembered him. Very clearly. Lunging down, her mouth wide open-

"STOP!" Crow shook with terror as he lowered his arm, astonished to find Maisie, standing in front of Red, who glared down at her. She growled softly, and her gaze softened at the girl. The entire kingdom watched in bewilderment as the Red Bluster heeded the call of this girl. Red hissed, and Maisie continued, "If you do this, it never ends." She growled again in retaliation, as if questioning her.

Crow glanced to the side of metal scraping against rock, and looked up, finding you and Jacob. He lifted the spear, whilst holding your hand with his free one as we walked over to Maisie. The girl beamed, already seeming to know your confession, before turning serious again.

Red growled softly, slightly backing up at the weapon. Jacob looked down at Maisie, and nodded, before looking back at Red. 

He raised the spear up, holding it high. "NO MORE MONSTER HUNTING!" he yelled out, before slamming the lance down on his knee. You let out a relieved exhale when it snapped in half. He dropped the shattered weapon away, and softly entwined your fingers again as you shared a small smile. 

Red blinked, and you swore she too smiled. Slowly, she lowered her head to the three of you. Together, you stepped atop, and she raised her head again. 

The kingdom watched in amazement, the queen murmuring, "Impossible."

Red rumbled when she came eye-to-eye with the royals, and you glared at them. Jacob, whose hand was resting against Maisie's back, looked down at her. "You did good, kid."

She glanced up at you both, "I ain't done." Jacob held a look of confusion, whilst you nodded at the girl. As she walked off, her fingers weaved through Jacob's as he held it out, not wanting to let her go. Maisie ventured to the tip, overlooking the citizens of Whiterock and lifted her red book. "Our books, our history, is a lie!" The crowd gasped, looking around in shock. "I don't believe the beasts ever threatened our shores. It was just a story. A story told by them!"

The queen gasped when she pointed at her and the king, who sputtered, "What?"

Maisie walked forward, staring at the royals. "For generations, they've taught us to hate the beasts, and sent the hunters out to destroy them. And the beasts learned to fear us and hate us, and they fought back!"

"Who are you to malign your king and queen with such falsehood?" the king questioned. "You have no right to speak!"

"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT!" she screamed back. You watched as she softly fumed, holding on to her bag strap. "I come from a long line of hunters that died your great death! Your kingdom was paid for with their blood, and their blood!"

"ENOUGH!" the queen snapped, enraged. "General, give the command!" She looked back and forth from the royals and the young girl, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword.

Maisie turned back to the villagers. "This war was started by the kings and queen what come before. And with every lie, their empire grew. Now this lot stands on the same perch and tells the same lies." Her lip trembled slightly. "For their greed."

The king clenched his jaw, spinning to the woman. "General!"

"Let it end," Maisie pleaded. "Let it end!"

"... Listen to her!" a child yelled from the crowd. 

"Let the beast go!" another woman shouted, and soon, the citizens exclaimed in agreement. The queen grumbled, her eyes wide. 

"Listen to the child!"

You and Jacob watched the crowd, before turning around to Maisie, your faces morphing into ones of shock at the compliance. She looked back at you both, "Now I'm done."

The three of you embraced as she raced towards you both, you and Jacob holding the girl especially close. "Alright, Red," Jacob uttered, placing his hand on her hide. "We best go."

For her answer, she twisted in the water, away from the castle, and the king screamed, "What are you doing?"

"FIRE! YOUR QUEEN DEMANDS IT!" the queen shrieked.

The villagers shouted in disagreement, and the Sergeant uneasily looked to the woman beside him. "General, shouldn't we... fire?"

She sheathed her sword. "My brother was on the Monarch, Sergeant." She turned her glare to the royals. The king and queen's pale faces twisted with fear as they ran off into the castle. "And I want to know how this war started."

The gates opened for Red, and you closed your eyes, resting your cheek against Jacob's shoulder. He placed a kiss against your temple, and Maisie watched the exchange, before her eyes darted down to where his hand was gently rubbing his thigh. 

"That hurt, didn't it?" she asked.

"You have no idea," he muttered, glancing down at her before smiling and pulling her closer. He rubbed a hand on her shoulder.

"I see you finally confessed," she beamed when he wrapped an arm around me. "Though, I'm guessing that Y/N confessed first."

"You'd have guessed right," you smirked, pressing a swift kiss to Jacob's jaw. 

"You plotters," he grumbled causing both you and Maisie to laugh.

From the docks, Captain Crow watched as Red left, his son on the back with the woman of his dreams and the young girl he loved. He held his sword in his palm, staring down at it, before dropping it. 

Two lives were saved that day. One man and one beast. And with that, the world began to change. 

No ship would ever sail the Dregmorr again. And the mysteries beyond would remain undisturbed. 

Maisie stepped out from the humble cottage, lighting up as she walked across the small pier in front of your shared home. 

You glanced up with a smile, Jacob grinning beside you as she sat down. Blue sat on your leg, squealing with delight at the sight of Maisie. He plopped down on her lap, and she patted his squishy head. Jacob pressed a kiss to your shoulder, and you turned your head to him, sharing a loving smile.

I don't think about it much though. Red is safe, and I have everything I need right here. 

In the vast, unknown ocean, the unmistakable horn of Red surfaced, the sun glinting off of it.

I'm going to live a great life.