pandalover did the first piece of art for the story, so somehow it's only fitting I use another piece for the beginning of the end.

* * *

The headlights of the Mustang flared to life, cutting through the darkness and blinding Ivan. It didn't take long for his vision to recover, and he was able to see the car doors open slowly. The once pug slid out of the driver's side. He was unchanged, but Ivan caught his scent, which had changed. It was a foul odor, like he'd been dead and rotted for weeks. On the other side the Once Iggy slipped out. Its scent was unmistakable, but it was even taller than before--it seemed to unfold once out of the car. It flexed its long fingers, the talons glinting in the light. It looked down on him with a quiet hiss.

Ivan stood his ground, and did something which surprised even him: he bared his teeth at the Once Iggy in a snarl. It blinked once, then twice. As if its brain could not comprehend the snow leopard being brave. Perhaps it expected Ivan to cower.

He was happy to confuse it.

"Fuck me sideways," Scowl said. "We're surroun--hurk!"

Ivan turned around and saw Scowl, his body rigid as the once bear had the cougar by the throat. Like the Once Iggy he was almost unrecognizable as an ursine. Scales of bone surrounded his brow, forearms, chest and shoulders. Scowl was not struggling, and Ivan recalled what the bear's touch did to Tank. Scowl's eyes then rolled back in their sockets, and he went limp. When the once bear released him he crumbled like a rag doll.

Ivan backed away from the bear, pug, and the iguana. He did not wish for Scowl to be hurt, even if the cougar deserved it. Perhaps running would save him. It was him they wanted. Scowl would be left alone. Maybe.

No. While the old habits of running were dangerously instinctive, he would not run. There was a plan and he was going to stay the course.

He stopped his retreat.

He raised his hands in front of him.

The monsters paused, hissing their confusion at him.

"I give up," Ivan said.

The Once Iggy drew itself up to its full height. Did it understand Ivan's words? How intelligent was the Once Iggy? How powerful was Koschei the Deathless and his magic?

"I surrender." This time he spoke in his native tongue. Perhaps they did not understand English. Perhaps they did not understand anything but their master's commands.

Koschei needed him alive. Ivan prayed this also meant unharmed. But what if Koschei could kill him and subsequently resurrect him? He could then command Ivan to give him the egg, and--

The bear lunged forward, grabbing him by the throat. Immediately his neck went numb, and the numbness spread through his body like fire followed by darkness.

* * *

When Ivan came to, it took him a moment to register where he was. Inside the apartment. Back where he started. With Koschei, who stood over him, smirking. Triumphant.

"Now, kitten," Koschei said, "you vill give me my egg."

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