Storm Hawks Volume III: The Reckoning (Gargoyle AU)

Chapter Fifteen - The Final Battle

Immediately after killing Cyclonis, the Dark Ace turned to the Storm Hawks. A wicked smile soon falls on his face. 

Dark Ace: Finally. No more distractions. Just you and I, Aerrow.

Aerrow: So this was your plan all along, Dark Ace? 

Dark Ace: Cyclonis's ambitions were doomed to fail from the very start. She thought she could control me. As you can see, that arrogance proved to be her downfall.

Aerrow: You will pay for your crimes, Dark Ace!

Dark Ace: You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment, Aerrow. 

Aerrow: Why wait? 

Dark Ace: Because I would not entertain any distractions. Not from Cyclonis. Not from that little detective. And especially not from the Wizard. Life's hardest choices are the ones that force you question your own moral code. My choices lead me here, standing against the those once I called brothers. Do I have any regrets? Do I feel shame for my actions? No. Not at all. These choices I made were mine to make and I have no regrets. History may brand me traitor, rebel, cutthroat and murderer. But in the end, it doesn't matter how history remembers me. History is written by the victors. When all is said and done, history will judge me however it wishes. It will not matter to me. What matters is that I made my own choices. What matters is that I followed my own code.

Aerrow: Your treachery ends here, Dark Ace!

As Aerrow said this, there was silence for a moment. The silence was soon broken by laughter. Dark Ace looked to the skies and laughed. 

Dark Ace: Do you remember that day, Aerrow? The day I betrayed you all?

Aerrow: Aye. That memory never left me. 

Dark Ace: If we're being honest, I'm glad I didn't kill you. I'm glad that the Humans didn't reduce you to rubble. All these centuries of waiting....it's all about to pay off. Let us settle this, Aerrow! Once and for all! No more distractions! No more plots! No more schemes! No more pawns! Just you and I, here and now!

As Dark Ace challenged Aerrow to one on one combat, Aerrow turned to both his fellow Gargoyles and to Starling. They were all ready to fight alongside Aerrow. But Aerrow gestured them to stand back.

Piper: Aerrow....

Aerrow: This is my battle, Piper. I must face Dark Ace alone. I must defeat him once and for all. 

Radarr got off his shoulders as Aerrow readied his claws. Despite wanting to help Aerrow, the other Storm Hawks and Starling respected Aerrow's wishes and stayed back. With that, Aerrow fought against Dark Ace. Aerrow unleashed his fury upon the Gargoyle that had betrayed his clan all those centuries ago. The fight was brutal as the two held nothing back. The two mortal enemies hacked and slash at one another while the others simply watched. The two Gargoyles fought with everything they had, landing several devastating strikes on one another. Dark Ace soon gained the upper hand on Aerrow and held him by the throat. 

Dark Ace: Look into my eyes, Aerrow! I want you to look at the Gargoyle who will kill you! But before you die, I'm going to break you! I'm going to kill all those you love, one by one. And only when you are broken in every sense of the world will I kill you! My hate for you kept me going. Killing you became my sole reason to keep going. I rose from my ruin....from my darkness to find myself....greater.....greater than I ever was before. Now I shall end this..... end all of this once and for all! NOW I WILL FIND PEACE WITH YOUR DEATH! PREPARE YOURSELF AERROW! FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE!

Aerrow: From the moment I was born, I made a vow. From the moment I was born onto the Earth, I vowed to protect humanity from the evils that threaten it. Even if I must walk a long and lonely road filled with hardship, my spirit shall not waiver! As long as I still draw breath, I shall not stop! That is the vow I took! A vow that you have forsaken for your own foul ambitions! Unlike you, I honor my vows with deep conviction! I will honor my vows until my final breath!

Summoning his strength, Aerrow broke through Dark Ace's hold and began attacking him. The duel was fierce and brutal. Aerrow fought to keep his family safe while Dark Ace fought for vengeance. Aerrow and Dark Ace continued to fight for what seemed like an eternity. The effects of the fight began to wear them both down. Dark Ace charged for an attack. As he did, Aerrow ducked the attack and dealt a fatal laceration on Dark Ace's chest. He then fell on one knee, but Aerrow caught him before he could fall to the ground and held him.

Dark Ace: No....no....this can't be it.....this can't be the end.....after all this....it can't be the end.....

Aerrow: Look at you Ace....look at how far you've fallen....

Dark Ace: This can't be....I.....I must have....my vengeance......you.....must die......

Aerrow: I take no pleasure in this Ace. In one time, you were a hero. You were the greatest of our kind. The greatest of Gargoyles. But then your pride led you down this path. Despite everything you've done....despite what you've done to my father...my friends....my loved ones....I hold no hatred or malice towards you.....

Dark Ace looked upon his hated rival with anger and sorrow in his eyes. He reached for Aerrow's hands to choke him, but he lacked the strength to do so. In that moment, Dark Ace knew that he failed to do the one thing he set out to do: kill Aerrow.

Dark Ace: Damn you.....Aerrow.....

In his final breath, Dark Ace remained bitter and spiteful towards Aerrow. He succumbed to his wounds, finally ending the centuries long rivalry. As Aerrow slowly got up, the rest of the Storm Hawks and Starling rushed to Aerrow. 

Piper: Aerrow!

Aerrow: I am alright, Piper. 

Starling: We did it. We actually did it. Cyclonis's death is gonna send shockwaves.

Finn: The good kind or the bad kind?

Starling: No idea....

Aerrow: It...it won't be long until the Sun rises. I will take Dark Ace's body into the outskirts and burn him. He won't trouble us no more.

Finn: You want us to come with? Dark Ace gave you quite the beating.

Aerrow: No....this is something I have to do by myself.....

Piper: Are you sure Aerrow?

Aerrow: Yes. Take the Detective back to our home. I will be there shortly. 

With that, Piper and the rest of the Storm Hawks took Starling back to their haven while Aerrow took Dark Ace's body to the outskirts where he burned it on a pyre. As the fire engulfed the pyre and Dark Ace's body, Aerrow paid his respect to the Gargoyle he once admired. As the pyre burned, Aerrow turned to see the Sun beginning to rise. Wasting no time, Aerrow rushed back to his home just in time to get in be turned to stone in the safety of his home. In that moment, the threat of Cyclonis and Dark Ace was over.