"So…" Willow began as she and Gus made their way out of Hexside, "I'm assuming we're gonna go check on Luz?"

"Against my better judgement," Gus replied, "Yeah, we probably should. I still have no clue what's going on the portal and that big guy… what was his name again? Vincent?"

"Vulkan."

"Hephaestus." Gus insisted, "Point is, we don't have any idea what happened after Amity went to the Emperor's Palace. I'm a little freaked out by everything that's going on – and also by the fact they didn't feel the need to cancel school after half of Bonesborough was destroyed – so it's our responsibility to make sure our friends are okay!"

"What's with all the bravado?" Willow asked Gus, raising a suspicious eyebrow, "You said that like some cheesy side character in a poorly written crackfic."

"What?" Gus incredulously asked, "I just care about my friends is all! I'm trying to do the right thing here!"

"Is this related to that blowup you had back at the Owl House?" Willow asked, "Is it another witch-puberty thing?"

"Hey, it's not my fault puberty gave me such broad shoulders and a silky smooth…"

"Stop." Willow interrupted, "Not another word until we get to the Owl House."

The two strolled their way through Bonesborough, but an encroaching sense of dread filled their minds as they grew nearer to the Owl House. Luz could handle herself – her spat with Belos more than proved that – but Belos wasn't exactly on par with some rampaging super-soldier from another dimension. Nope, definitely nothing like Belos. So many things were changing, and the duo could only imagine what sort of situation they'd stumble upon once they reached Luz.

What they certainly weren't expecting, however, was to run into a very-much-alive Vulkan – accompanied by another armored giant of a man – deep in the woods that separated the Owl House from Bonesborough Proper. Gus and Willow instinctively darted behind a nearby tree.

"He's alive?" Willow nervously asked, "How?"

"And there's two of them?" Gus barely managed to spit out, "And it looks like they're heading to the Owl House! We can't just let them go there!"

"What the heck are we gonna do about it?" Willow rhetorically asked, "Apparently getting impaled in the chest isn't even enough to kill…"

Willow was interrupted by a sudden burst of violet light. Once the flash had subsided, the duo saw the massive frame of that second giant that was accompanying Vulkan. Though shorter than him, the metallic wings emerging from this one's back added a new level of intimidation to him.

"Why are you hiding?" he dryly asked.

"Why?" Willow asked, somehow managing to hold a belligerent tone, "Your friend over their almost killed us yesterday! And, I mean, well, just look at you two! Who wouldn't hide?"

"Your comments, while hurtful, are fair." the giant groaned, "Vulkan! These two… non-Aeldari…" he paused and scratched his chin before addressing the duo, "I'm sorry, what are you two, exactly?"

"Witches." the two answered in unison.

"No, like, your species."

"Witches." Willow replied, "Sorta like humans; except for the pointy ears, fangs, and magic bile sac attached to our hearts."

"Not super haughty and arrogant?"

"Well, I guess that depends on the witch…" Gus said, "But as a whole, no."

"No weird kinky-torture?"

"Ew." Willow winced.

"No dinosaurs with giant guns?"

"That's a thing?!" Gus asked as a joyful light filled his eyes.

"Hm." the giant hummed in a newly optimistic tone, "Basically mutants. I'm pleasantly surprised Vulkan's assessment was so on point. Anyway, Vulkan! There's two witches over here that claim to know you!"

Willow and Gus froze as loud crunching and tearing noises filled the air. The tree the were using as cover was completely uprooted by Vulkan, who promptly tossed it behind him. The duo whipped around and cowered at the site of the big, way-too-friendly giant.

"Ohoho, hello friends of Luz!" Vulkan bellowed, "I apologize our last meeting ended so grimly. My friend Corvus here has advised I remain five feet away from you at all times so as to avoid future accidents!"

"I like Corvus." Gus whispered to Willow.

"Dohohoho, I like him as well!" Vulkan guffawed, "But we have little time for pleasantries. Corvus and I must get to this 'Owl House' your friend Luz resides in. Your Emperor Belos fled to this place, and we have been on the hunt for him since."

"Wait, what?" Willow gasped.

"There is… a lot of explaining we need to do." Corvus began, "But for the sake of our mission and your friends, it's imperative we reach Belos right away. Can you take us to him?"

"This way!" Gus exclaimed, already dashing towards Eda's residence.

"Gus! You can't just… ugh…" Willow grunted as she and the two Primarchs made haste to follow him.

Willow was somewhat surprised the two giants needed their help. They were incredibly close to the Owl House, and after a few short moments of sprinting through the trees, they found themselves staring at the house from the edge of the woods. Nothing about the site raised any cause for alarm, though Willow and Gus were a little perplexed about the large, buff, and shirtless man sulking in the front yard.

"Heh, so what were you saying about 'broad shoulders' back at Hexside?" Willow teased.

"Shut up…" Gus grunted, angrily crossing his arms, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Hey guys!" Hooty shouted, quickly extending himself from the Owl House's front door to invade everybody's space, "Boy, you guys sure missed a lot! Amity showed up with this weird guy and…"

Hooty paused and stared at Corvus. His eyes measured his large, metallic wings and the taloned gauntlets on his armor. A visible anger filled Hooty's eyes, and his feathers suddenly stood on edge as a loud hiss escaped his gullet.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Hooty screeched, "This is my territory!"

The bird tube shot at Corvus and smashed into his skull, toppling the Primarch to the ground.

"Ugh…" Corvus groaned, "I just remembered how to stand again. Please don't do that."

Corvus tried to get back on his feet, but Hooty repeatedly slammed against the Primarch's chest, keeping him pinned to the ground.

"This is my house; do you hear me? I'm top bird!" Hooty screamed.

"Vulkan, I know you said these demons are not Tzeentchian in origin…" Corvus grunted between thrashings, "But I'd really appreciate it if you let me murder this one."

"Hooty!" Willow cried, "That dude isn't a bird, those wings are just part of his outfit! Let him go!"

"What?" Hooty asked, abruptly ceasing his mindless violence, "Oh… oh! I'm sorry, I just get extra defensive when I think my territory's getting threatened."

Vulkan helped his brother up, before Hooty extended himself inches from Corvus' face.

"But I'll still be watching you." Hooty growled, "Hoot hooty hoot!"

With that, the demon snapped back to his place within the Owl House's front door.

"I don't like him." Corvus bluntly said.

"Yeah, you're far from alone in that." Willow groaned, "But can we address the sad buff guy?"

"Is that him?" Corvus asked, turning to Vulkan.

"I have no doubts, brother." Vulkan answered, growing serious in tone, "Children, behold your Emperor Belos."

"That's Belos?" an astounded Willow gasped, her eyes combing over his bronze skin and overly-muscular physique, "Why is Belos such a DILF?"

"The one you call Belos is a refugee from our dimension." Corvus explained, "A powerful sorcerer who betrayed our kind for the dark gods."

"I can hear you guys, you know." Belos meekly sighed.

"Good." Corvus continued, "His real name is Ahzek Ahriman. He practices dangerous magic and now flees to your realm in an attempt to shirk his own responsibilities. He also has a very dumb face."

"Corvus!" Vulkan interjected, "You are far too harsh. You see, tiny mutants, our realm – and most other dimensions – are tethered to a dimension of unimaginable pain and evil known as The Warp. Your dimension provides a rare exception, and so Ahzek travelled here in an attempt to transfer such protection to Luz's – and by extension our – dimension."

"I mean," Gus pondered, "That sort of makes sense. Could you give me a little more info?"

"Dohohoho, I would love to!" Vulkan began, "But unfortunately, I must be cautious lest Games Workshop slaps all of us with a big fat copyright strike!"

"We can discuss the pitfalls of late-stage capitalism later!" Willow interjected, "Right now I think we should focus on whatever the heck is going on with Belos… I mean Ahzek!"

The group nodded in agreement before making their way towards Ahzek. The dejected sorcerer made no attempt to move or even look at them, and simply stared at the ground.

"So, uh… what now?" Corvus asked, unsure of how to proceed.

"Hm…" Ahzek sighed, "I'm sorry I'm not more engaged. I had a bit of a… ugh, what are the kids calling it… 'bruh moment' last night. Your friends are inside."

"Luz!" Willow and Gus shouted as they burst through the front door of the Owl House.

"As for you two," Ahzek began, raising his eyes to meet Corvus and Vulkan, "The door to our realm isn't stable. Luz was contacted by an entity there that I believe to be Tzeentch."

"For obvious reasons," Corvus began, "I am compelled to ask why you would relay such information to us."

"I hate Tzeentch!" Ahzek suddenly shouted, slamming his fists on the ground, "I went through this whole damn shtick last night! Everything I have done since that damned heresy has been to subvert him! But that mollusk bastard is always 17 steps ahead of me!"

"What's with all this shouting?" a feminine voice boomed from within the Owl House. A moment later Lilith emerged, her bagged eyes showing clear exasperation.

"I had to get up before sunrise after that damned Belos…"

Lilith paused. At first from shock, seeing the still-living Vulkan towering before her. Her gaze quickly shifted, however, upon noticing the giant at his side. The tall, well-built giant with piercing eyes and flowing locks of ebony.

"My apologies, we did not mean to disturb you." He said in a deep, brooding voice.

"Oh Titan, why is this one so hot?" Lilith thought to herself.