Cute But Psycho

Chapter 15

Sam saw his opportunity and seized it. He stepped forward, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Rose! You don't have to do this! You can be free of this curse!" Rose paused for a moment, her sword held aloft, the arcane symbols etched into the blade glinting in the dim light. She turned her gaze toward Sam, her expression unreadable. "What do you know of freedom?" she growled. "I have known nothing but pain and suffering since the day I was cursed."

"But you can choose," Sam persisted. "You can choose to destroy the artifact that binds you. You can be free." Rose's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer. "You are mistaken, boy," she hissed. "I am bound to this sword as surely as it is bound to the artifact. To destroy one is to destroy the other. And I will not allow that to happen."

With that, she launched herself at them once more, her sword a blur of silver in the darkness. Dean and Sam fought desperately to defend themselves, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they struggled to keep up with her relentless assault. They managed to land a few blows of their own, but each time, Rose easily deflected them, her movements growing more and more fluid and graceful as the battle wore on.

As they fought, they could feel the power of the artifact pulsing through the air, as if it were alive and hungry for the blood that was soon to be spilled. The ground shook beneath their feet, and the air crackled with energy. They could sense that the battle was taking its toll on Rose as well, her movements becoming more erratic and her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Dean saw his opportunity and lunged forward, aiming a desperate blow at Rose's unguarded side. His sword connected with a resounding clang, sending a shockwave through them both. Rose stumbled back, her grip on the sword loosening for just a moment. Seizing the chance, Sam leapt forward, his sword raised high as he brought it down with all his strength upon the blade that was the source of Rose's curse.

The impact sent a shower of sparks flying through the air, and for a moment, everything went still. Sam felt the weight of the sword in his hand, and he knew that he had struck true. As the dust settled, he looked up at Rose, her eyes wide with disbelief and horror. She had been defeated.

With a final, agonized groan, Rose crumpled to the ground, her sword clattering to the stone floor beside her. For a long moment, the only sound was the pounding of their hearts in their ears. Then, slowly, Rose lifted her head, gazing at the broken remains of the sword with a mixture of sorrow and relief. "You have freed me, Sam Winchester," she whispered. "And for that, I thank you."

Dean, his own sword still pointed threateningly at Rose, glanced at Sam. He could see the exhaustion in his brother's face, the strain of the battle etched into his features. "Are you sure that's wise, Sammy?" he asked, his voice edged with concern. "She's been cursed for a long time. Who's to say she won't go psycho again?"