Randy dragged Howard with Heidi, Elsa and Phantasma all the way back to the Gracey Manor. The group was tired and the shopping that they were carrying needed to get to the fridge ASAP. Phantasma knocked on the door as she was the only one that had any freedom with her limbs.
Gothetta opened the door, greeting their timely arrival.
"Hi guys. Good eve-" Gothetta began greeting, but she then saw the state they were all in. "What the heck happened to you guys?! Quickly, come inside! What happened? Are you alright?"
"We may have gotten in some trouble on our way over." Randy replied as they all entered the living room.
The other students and Lady Kryptina quickly arrived at the living room after hearing all the noise that was being caused.
"What happened?" Lady Kryptina asked, floating down to the living room. "Are you children alright?"
"Were you guys mugged, hit by a truck or something?" Oskar asked.
"You guys really think we'd get mugged or hit by a truck? Come on, apart from you guys we are the scariest things in the night." Phanty replied as Heidi and Elsa gave the shopping to the chef. "Although that would've been prefered to some of us."
Randy dropped Howard on the couch, fixing up his hoodie in the process. He didn't want to involve them but there was a good chance that they knew who they were dealing with and the best way to keep them safe was to tell them.
"Well, there was this strange witch that wanted to go off with the powers of the Sorcerer's Orbs. We managed to chase her off, but we are pretty sure that she'll be back." Randy explained. "I know that this is asking for a lot, but I was hoping that you would tell me if you've heard her name. She calls herself Revolta." He added as Gothetta looked over his injuries.
"She looks a lot like a lady that was mixed with a frog and a spider." Phanty added.
"Red eyes, four arms, green skin like that of a toad's. Does that mean anything to you guys?" Heidi asked.
The vampires all wondered if they had heard the name before.
"Sorry, I can't say that we know of anyone named like that." Oskar replied.
"Indeed, if such a witch existed then the monster community would be made aware of such things." Leechy added.
"I'm sorry Randy, the name doesn't sound familiar. If she is a witch from this time, we would've heard about her by now. The description does help but we know as much as you do." Gothetta said, putting some band aids on his arms and face.
Lady Kryptina tapped her finger on her chin, wondering why the name of the witch like that didn't sound familiar. The kids were right, if that witch was a recent one, then she would've heard of her. She recalled one of her old mentors mentioning someone by a similar name, but it couldn't be the same woman, could it? Just then, she thought of something.
"Mr. Cunningham, by any chance, did this Revolta sound at all like a woman from this time or much older?" Lady Kryptina asked.
"What?" Randy asked.
Lady Kryptina sighed. She probably needed to explain herself better.
"I mean did she look at things in awe or in confusion. Understood your lingo? Made strange remarks on how things are going and not like they were supposed to?" Lady Kryptina asked.
Howard groaned, getting up from the couch.
"Don't tell me we're dealing with a witch from the past of something." Howard begged. "Time travel is way too complicated this close to the beginning of a new school year."
"A time traveling witch?" Elsa asked.
"I do not know of a current witch by the name Revolta, but I remember reading about a witch by that name during my time as a student." Lady Kryptina explained.
Howard couldn't help but think about what Lady Kryptina looked like when she was a student. He at first thought that she looked like a cavewoman vampire, then thought that she dressed as a Renaissance lady given her usual attire. All in all he was sure that she looked sexy in that sense.
Lady Kryptina in a way sensed this and glared at Howard.
Howard flinched and jumped behind Randy, hoping the vampire lady would not attack him.
"You think it could be the same Revolta?" Randy asked.
"Like I said, it is a far-fetched possibility. But from what I remember, Revolta disappeared many centuries ago. If the witch you fought is the same witch, then we must find out what happened." Lady Kryptina said.
"You wouldn't happen to have a copy of what you read all those cen-, I mean, years ago with you, by any chance?" Heidi asked.
Heidi knew better than to incur the wrath of the vampire lady by bringing up her age.
"Sadly, I do not, but I might be able to pull up some information from my colleagues back home. I think young Gothetta's mother wrote a paper on the witchcraft of the old religions, maybe she would be someone to 'look up'." Lady Kryptina commented, causing Gothetta to dig her nails into Randy's arm at the mention of her mother.
Randy felt that reaction, making him aware that Gothetta's mother was a subject that she didn't want to bring up.
"Thank you, Lady Kryptina. If it is alright with you, we'll stay here and gather information to be ready next time." Heidi said. "We promise not to make any problems for you."
"It is the least I can do. This is your home and you've been good friends to us, we will help you as best as we can." Lady Kryptina said, leaving to make the phone call.
Randy, Howard, Heidi, Phanty and Elsa decided to find whatever they could about witchcraft and how to defeat it from the Gracey Manor's library. They were led there by Gothetta and the other vampire students.
The room was as old as the manor itself, maybe even older. It had enough cobwebs and dust to make a quill big enough to use as a rain tarp. But the library had the biggest collection of ancient books on the occult, ghosts, goblins, vampires, werewolves, the undead, and everything in between. The book shelves were made out of a dark ash oak; there was a large dark brown table and two chairs with green pillows on them set by the fireplace. On top of the fireplace there was a large portrait of the owner and founder of the Gracey Manor with his family. The picture was the only sight of normalcy within the many books on the supernatural and the paranormal that inhabited the old library.
"You think there might be something here?" Howard asked. "We're more likely to find a nest of spiders here."
"We've spent a lot of time here over the last few weeks as part of our summer assignment." Oskar explained. "If you look for anything that resembles the occult, it'll be here."
"Then let's split up and find whatever we can. If it has anything to do with witchcraft then it could be a good idea to understand." Randy said.
The group split up to tackle different parts of the library. Heidi and Elsa searched through the upper right side of the library, looking for anything that had to do with magic. Phantasma helped Klot to find information on the lower right side, keeping the little vampire from getting hurt. Oskar and Leechy pulled out book after book that had anything to do with the occult. Howard was stuck with Ashley quickly flipping through the pages of the few books that he thought were useful, which were very little.
"Hey, easy there buddy. You almost blew me off my urn." Ashley said.
"Calm down dude. I'm doing all the work while you are stuck there looking smug." Howard remarked.
"At least I wouldn't have skipped on the page of sexy witches of European legend." Ashley smirked.
"What?! Where?!" Howard asked as he frantically looked over the books for a clear shot at the hot witches. "Is it about how to find them? Go on dates with them? What do they like to wear?"
Ashley suppressed the urge to laugh at the way Howard went over each book like a researcher, looking for something that he had just made up.
Randy and Gothetta were looking at the books next to the fireplace. They were only having so much luck. They'd found books on ancient pagan gods from all over the world that were strong in witchcraft, a book on how to find and face witches, but the information was very dated, and one in which it told of stories surrounding witches. The information that they had found was somewhat useful, but there was little-to-no knowledge on the particular witch that they were looking for.
Randy looked at a book, but it was written in a foreign language. He turned to Gothetta, in hopes of her being able to translate what was written. But he saw that she was distracted, she slowly flipped the page of the book that she was reading. Randy could only guess that it had to do with her mother and their relationship.
"Gothetta, is everything alright?" Randy asked, tapping her shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm just having a good time reading this page." Gothetta shrugged off, pointing to the book.
"I bet, you've been reading it for a good ten minutes. Is everything alright?" Randy asked. "I've seen you clear out half of a book in just that long. Wanna talk about it?"
"Oh, no, no, I'm doing great. Just got a bit distracted, that's all." Gothetta replied. "Was there something that you needed, or did you want to switch books?"
Randy gave his girlfriend a raised eyebrow. He could tell that she was avoiding the subject to the best of her ability.
"Alright, fine." Gothetta sighed. "My mom can be a bit of an… elitist in a way. Her name is Carmila Gothetticus, and remember those shows about aristocrats and their high lives?"
"Yeah, I dozed off a couple of times, though. But I remember most of it." Randy replied.
"Well, that was and still is her life. My mother is a woman that likes the finer things. Fine art, fine food, fine men, and sees her position as one of great pride."
"At least she's proud of you, right?"
"Not really, at least not like your mom is when she talks about you…She had me after a fling with another vampire. She raised me as a single mother, until she dumped me at the school the first chance she got." Gothetta said, with anger in her tone. "When I asked her why she did that she said something along the lines of 'no kid is going to interfere with my freedom'. Since then I promised myself not to follow in her footsteps."
"Gothetta, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Randy apologized.
"I didn't want you to know. The last thing I want is for her to know that I'm dating someone, and if she finds out that you're human she'll do everything in her power to either drive you away or match me up with some other 'fit vampire'." Gothetta explained. "I don't do it because of you or my friends, but because I'm dead set on being better than her."
"Well, I do not know her. But I can safely say that you are nothing like her. You are better." Randy said, kissing her cheek.
Gothetta blushed at her boyfriend's actions and words. She saw in him all that she wanted in a man. Someone that would make her happy, care for her and be by her side. She might've gotten a few extra women by her side, but she didn't mind. She would find a way to make it work with him by her side.
"So, what part do you need help with?" Gothetta asked.
"Oh, right. This book appears to be in another language, I think it's Eastern European." Randy replied, showing his girlfriend the book.
Gothetta picked the book and quickly read through it, spotting a few points that could be of use to the next battle against Revolta. She read that the book pointed out that witches of old drew their powers from the earth and the dark forces of other dimensions. This also meant that they were drawn to objects of similar energies and places all the same. Gothetta surmised that it was probably how Revolta found and connected to the Sorcerer's Orbs.
"According to this book, ancient witches crafted objects with dark energies from dark dimensions. However, the use of these energies made them dependent on them. If they are separated from them for a long period of time, without getting energy from another object, they'll turn to dust." Gothetta explained.
"That's useful, but she has regained some power from the orbs. So there is a good chance that she'll go back to them to stop herself from being turned to dust." Randy pointed out. "But we still need some information on her and how she fights."
"I think we got something!" Phanty called out, with Klot holding up a book.
The book was covered in old leather and had the crest of a large Great Danish hound. It looked as old as the rest of the library, with its pages yellowed by time and kept together by the cobwebs and the circulation of air into the room. It was titled "Myths from the Old Country and the Old World", and it had been written by someone by the name of Sha'a Gi.
Klot flipped the pages until he reached one that showed many drawn pictures of witches, including one that looked very familiar.
"That one looks like Revolta." Randy said, pointing to the book.
"Randy, you're not supposed to touch books that old. You could damage it." Gothetta said, making Randy pull back his finger.
"What does it say?" Heidi asked.
"It says that back in the old days, there was a balance between humans and the creatures of the night. The humans would keep to their cities and respect the creatures, while the creatures of the night would not declare war upon the humans and their home without good reason. But one witch saw this as an insult." Oskar read. "She thought that the creatures of the night, the monsters, sorcerers, ghouls and goblins should be the ones to rule over what she believed were the weaker species."
"Let me guess, her name was Revolta." Howard asked, holding up Ashley in his hands.
"Got it in one, Howy." Phanty replied.
"What happened to her?" Randy asked.
"According to the book, the other creatures of the night paid her no mind at first but that only made her more decisive with her plan. She was preparing a powerful spell that would cover the sun, giving the creatures of the night the advantage as long as she was the one to rule above all of them. But she disappeared before she could make good on her goal." Oskar finished.
"That's it? Nothing more?" Randy asked.
"Talk about leaving on a cliffhanger." Howard commented.
"At least we know who we're dealing with." Elsa pointed out.
Far from the Gracey Manor, there was the large dumping site that McFist had been commissioned to make, so that he could dump all his broken equipment and chemicals. After all, every single broken robo-ape, death machine, busted invention and faulty product had to go somewhere. Mountains of scrap metal and robot parts towered in the dump, rusting away until someone found anything of use amongst the pieces. And amongst the broken pieces, Revolta scavenged for the piece that she needed for her revenge.
"I cannot believe how much garbage humans can produce. There is more steel here than any armory I've ever seen." Revolta pointed out, tossing an empty can of soda behind her. "But the piece I seek must be here. If I had my wand I could easily bring it out with a thought. But I must keep the power I have for as long as possible."
Revolta could sense the item that she was looking for. It was amongst all these broken pieces of junk, she could feel it calling to her. She pulled out a large severed head of a robo-ape, causing a lot of loose pieces to fall down around her. She covered her face from all the dust that flew up. She grunted, swatting away the dust. Her eyes landed on the piece before her. She reached out and pulled it out. Revolta held in her two right hands a large robotic arm.
The arm looked busted, but with enough strength to crush a skull with ease. The fingers were blocky and much larger than the palm of a normal man. It had electric spikes on the forearm like those of a taser. This was the arm that once belonged to Frankenstein's Monster, built according to the orders of McFist with the brain of a demented and psychotic mad scientist.
This would be the first monster in Revolta's new armada of darkness.
"Even after so long a time being gone from this world, I can still feel the power that coursed through this arm." Revolta said.
Just then the sound of sirens caught the attention of Revolta. She turned around to see two robo-apes with two junkyard dogs with them.
"Halt! You are trespassing in McFist Industries Private Property!" Robo-Ape 1 said.
"Drop the arm or we will be forced to sic Butch and Fluffy on you!" Robo-Ape 2 added, gesturing to the two dogs they had.
The two junkyard dogs barked at Revolta, trying to intimidate her.
Revolta merely sneered at the dogs before scoffing at the two robo-apes.
"I care not for you foolish golems of metal. I have what I came for." Revolta said, wishing she could bend the robo-apes to her will, but she needed to conserve her magic for what she needed to do.
Revolta spotted an old vacuum cleaner next to her. She grabbed the handle, sending some magic into it. She grinned, turning on the instrument. She stepped on top of it before blasting off into the sky, leaving a cloud of dark green smoke behind her. She held on to the Monster's arm tightly as she let out a maniacal cackle from the bottom of her dark soul.
"I have the first of my ingredients, but now I must make haste. I must grab hold of the second item I can find here." Revolta said.
She flew through the sky towards her next destination, the Norrisville Museum of Natural History. Revolta landed in front of the museum, breaking the glass before her. She made her way to the Egyptian Wing. It was a gamble going at this speed with such limited power, but she needed to make due. She crashed the doors open, leaving a swampy cloud under her. She spotted the sarcophagus that she was looking for, right next to a second sarcophagus.
Both sarcophagi were open, showing the two mummies side by side.
"Finally. Time for the old princess to have her revenge." Revolta said, using the arm of Frankenstine's Monster to smash into the sarcophagi.
Revolta then looked at the two sarcophagi with confusion. She had knocked over the tags and was now confused as to which mummy was the one that she wanted. She looked over at the two ancient caskets hoping to find a clear difference between them, but they were both similar enough to make it hard to tell the two apart.
"Would it have killed the Egyptians to write the names of their dead or something?" Revolta cursed.
"I heard voices, this way!"
Revolta cursed under her breath. She had no time to deal with these meddlers. She reached out and pulled out a necklace tied with a pink bow. Just as the security guards entered the Egyptian Wing, the ancient witch flew out of the museum with her bounty in tow. As she flew through the night air back to her hideout. She could already feel what the world would be like once she got her team of monsters on her side. Revolta landed in front of the cave that she had decided to turn into her base of operations. She placed the items that she had obtained next to a large cauldron. She panted out of using up some of her magic. But she needed to get her monsters here and ready to follow her orders, and she would need to use up a good chunk of her magic to get the remaining two.
"I hate this weakness. If I had my wand then I'd be able to turn every human and obstacle in my path into nothing more than a mere insect. But I'm no longer wasting time. Now, let us go for our third member, the vampire princess has slept long enough." Revolta said as she looked into her cauldron to see a figure appearing in the green waters.
The reflection showed a young woman inside a glass coffin. She had flawless light purple skin akin to the sky in the middle of a full moon night, lips as red as blood, and pale purple hair with a light pinkish front that ran past her hips. She wore a dark purple dress that clung to her well developed body like a second skin, covering most of her body but her hands, head and the deep, wide neck that showed off her cleavage.
"Soon you shall be mine and the King Of Vampires will come back too." Revolta cackled.
Within the depths of the Ninjanomicon, Rosalyn was reading a book next to the fireplace of her little house. She had gotten used to this new life, with the only thing missing was a glass of blood... or wine. Wine would also work. She then felt a cold icy hand placed on her back, causing her to drop her book and stand up straight. Her eyes opened wide, knowing what had just happened.
"I must warn Randy." Rosalyn said.