True Darkness

chapter 8 Goodbyes

\\Longest chapter since it'll end it all//
Wirt was a wreck. He had to confront the Beast yet again. And he didn't want to. He had to do what was right. He didn't want to do it, he was scared, he was so close to refusing. But there was a feeling deep down that told him he should. That didn't mean he wasn't terrified. He can't even talk to his love interest, let alone the beast. Greg walked downstairs with Wirt to the front door of the house Mentally preparing himself even though it definitely didn't help.
"Are you ready Wirt?" Greg asked.
"No. But I gotta go anyway." Wirt replied as he put his hand on the gold doorknob and went out into the night.
Standing outside on the wet grass, Wirt screamed,"BEAST! YOU COULD HURT ME. YOU COULD MESS WITH MY HEAD. BUT YOU MESS WITH BEATRICE THERE'S A PROBLEM."
Everything went dark all Wirt saw was the glowing eyes of the beast. A shiver rand down Wirt's spine. He wasn't cut out for this. He should've never made that decision he should've just excepted fate. He shouldn't have came out there to challenge the beast again, he should've accepted fate and lived the rest of eternity with this representation of home. It's not like he could go to his real home anyway. He could never leave the woods.
"Excuse me?" The Beast boomed.
"I-" Wirt stuttered.
He cleared his throat. "I want you to let my friend go."
"Do you really want to give up all this for her. I know you didn't want to do this, challenge me. So I'm going to give you one more chance. You could grab that axe and try to put up a fight but you will fail."
Wirt looked at the axe nervously. He was going to have to fight? This was the one thing he couldn't do and the Beast knew it.
"Or you could stay here."
Wirt's heart skipped a beat what was he supposed to do, he can't fight. There's no way he could win.
A little voice seemed to whisper in his ear "come on Wirt you can do this. I believe in you."
This seemed to lift his spirits, it made him feel stronger. He finally built up the courage to grab the axe. "I- I'll fight you!" Wirt stuttered.
The Beast laughed as Wirt ran up to him axe at the ready. He swung the axe but the Beast dodged his attack and Wirt almost fell over. He swung the axe again and again. Trying with as much force as he could. There yelling in the distance Wirt couldn't quite make it out but the beast turned around. Wirt ran at full speed and struck the axe straight through his back. The Beast let out an unholy shriek sharp thorn like branches pierced out of his body stabbing Wirt in the chest. Wirt fell to the ground and the beast turned into dust. The axe hit the ground with a thump as Wirt tried to get up but he was hurt pretty bad His chest was bleeding. He let out a cry for help but he knew there was nobody. He fainted as the world around him began to shatter to pieces.
                            **********
The branches loosened around Beatrice as Wirt fell to the ground. "B- Beatrice." He mumbled.
"Wirt is it really you?" She ran over to him.
"I saved you," he smiled.
"Wirt are you ok?" Beatrice said checking for injuries.
She noticed he was bleeding... oil?
"Wirt no." Beatrice teared up.
"I'm fine."
"Let me help you." She said as she lifted him up and carried him and sat him up on a nearby tree.
Wirt groaned with pain. Beatrice ripped a piece of her dress to clean the wound. Wirt felt extremely drowsy but he was able to stay awake since Beatrice forced him to tell her everything.
"Wirt, you did that for me?" Beatrice said.
"Yeah, your my friend you're Greg's friend. I had to do what's right for him. Where is Greg? Did he get home alright?"
"He's at my house. He, he didn't want to go home without you."
"I can't leave. There is physically no way for me to leave." He said
"Ill go get him to say goodbye" Beatrice finally said. "You stay here. You're too weak to walk all that way."
"Alright." Wirt whispered.
While waiting for Beatrice to come back Wirt kind of walked around the area and found a small pond. He sat in front of it and saw his reflection for the first time. his glossy white eyes the long antlers. He stepped back in shock. He was a monster. A demon living inside of him.
He felt like crying. What if Greg was afraid of him? Why didn't Beatrice say anything?
He sat down thinking until he heard Beatrice call for him in the distance.
Wirt kind of his behind the tree afraid to scare Greg.
"Wirt!" Greg ran over to Wirt and gave him a tight hug as if he never wanted to let go. And he probably didn't.
"You really can't come home?" Greg said with a bit of disappointment.
Wirt sensed this and it hurt him. "Greg, I'll be home but in your heart. I will never stop thinking about you." Wirt said seeing Greg start to cry. Wirt wiped the tears away from Greg's face.
"I'm going to miss you Wirt. You're the best big brother I could ever have"
Wirt managed a tearful smile. Trying hard not to cry.
"Goodbye Wirt." He said walking down the path.
Wirt was trying really hard to stay strong.
"Beatrice, you can't stay with me. I sense the Beast's presence inside of me. It terrifies me. I don't want to end up hurting you."
"Wirt trust me I can handle it you know me."
"I know you're strong. But the beast is literally death himself he could kill you. I don't want to lose you, that's why you have to stay away."
Beatrice knew this. But she didn't want Wirt to be alone he lost his brother, his family, everything. And she could tell this is harder on him than it is to her.
Wirt seemed to read her mind. "I know you're worried about me but I'll be ok."
"But-" she looked into his eyes.
"I'll be ok" he said.
"Someday,"
"I'll be ok."
"But for now we go astray."
"Some day I'll see you again."
"But for now we say goodbye."
She kissed him on the cheek and walked home. Once Beatrice was out of sight Wirt walked back over to the pond and let it all out crying until he fell asleep at the tree where he sat.