Mabel lay on her bed, Fenris pressed against her, shaking. She gently stroked his hair. He was the most pure soul she knew. The Ragnarok prophecy was a bunch of bullshit.

"Loki can't make you do anything you don't want to, though, right?" asked Mabel softly.

"I don't know," said Fenris, his voice small. "He's a pro at manipulating people to get what he wants. I mean, he had Arden chained up—she's his hostage. There's a good chance he's offering to trade her for me, if he found out I'm here."

"That's exactly what he's offering."

Mabel and Fenris both jumped, and sat up quickly. They hadn't heard Dipper blip in.

"Shit," muttered Mabel.

Dipper sat on the edge of his old bed, his hands on his furry goat knees. He wore a pained expression.

"It gets worse," he continued. "It was Loki who released the daevas into the Mundane. He released them as a distraction so he could kidnap Arden. Turns out he'd been told that she might know where Fenrir was hiding. It looked like he'd tortured the answer out of her."

"Oh, God," said Mabel. She grabbed Fenris's hand in hers, and squeezed. It was ice cold.

Fenris stared at the floor as he spoke. "So he knows I'm here, then."

Dipper nodded. "Yes—but he still thinks you're in puppy form. Remember, Arden was kidnapped before you took human form. He didn't recognize you, even though he mentioned 'the boy' fighting Nasu, that demon, just now. Speaking of Nasu, Loki released it too."

"But why?" breathed Mabel. "He obviously already knew you were here from Arden—why attack us?"

Fenris frowned, and ran his free hand through his hair, making it stick up in clumps. "Probably to show us what he's capable of—and simply to cause mayhem."

Dipper sighed. "You're right. And...and he said if we didn't release you to him by sundown tomorrow, he was going to let loose some of Nasu's 'big brothers' to wreak havoc on the Gravnemeta."

"Big brothers?" whispered Mabel, going pale. "So Nasu was small?"

Dipper nodded, his eyes weary. "Wendy, Beithe, and Sirona are gathering everyone together to discuss what to do. We're going to meet in an hour at the campsite where I'm building mine and Wendy's cabin."

Fenris glanced up at Dipper, his normally bright blue eyes now a stormy, gray color. "What's to discuss? I have to go with him. Arden's one of you. I'm the odd one out, here. And I can't let my dad release any more of those ancient demons. We were barely able to take out this one."

"Fen, no!" cried Mabel, throwing her arms around him. She pressed her face into his shoulder. "You can't! There has to be another way!"

Fenris looked at his hands, his chin quivering. "I'm sorry, Mabel."

Dipper stood up with a small grunt. "Look, just meet us in an hour. We'll figure everything out then."

"Dipper, please, you can't let him—" began Mabel, looking up at her brother with tears in her eyes.

Dipper cut her off. "Oh, and here." In his hands there suddenly appeared a set of clothes and a pair of combat boots. He shoved them into Fenris's arms. "I had to guess your size, but they should probably fit. You look ridiculous in Soos's old clothes."

Fenris smiled wryly at his best friend. "Gee, thanks."

Dipper nodded and gave Fenris a mock salute, before blipping away.

Fenris stood and tossed the heap of clothes onto Dipper's old bed, before pulling Soos's too-big sweatshirt over his head.

Mabel caught herself staring, then blushed and looked away. "You're not really going to leave me, are you Fen?" she asked softly, her face to the wall. Fenris was quiet—the only noise in the room was the rustle of clothes as he got dressed.

The mattress creaked as he sat back down on the bed, and pulled on the socks and combat boots Dipper had supplied him with. Mabel figured it was safe to turn back around, and the sight that met her broke her heart. Fenris was staring at her, woebegone, silent tears pouring down his cheeks.

"Fen," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

With a sob he launched himself toward her, wrapped his arms around her, and buried his head in her shoulder.

/

An hour later, Fenris blipped himself and Mabel over to the clearing where Dipper and Wendy's cabin would eventually be located. Their eyes were red and puffy, and they clasped hands tightly, as they walked forward and saw that everyone was already there.

Everyone: Puck, Beithe, Dan, Marcus, Sirona, both Stans, Wendy and Dipper, Harold, Soos, Melody, and even Grenda, with Bork riding on her shoulder. They were sitting around the clearing in lawn chairs, chatting amongst themselves. They grew quiet as Mabel and Fenris approached.

"Um, hi," said Mabel, raising her hand at the group and waggling her fingers at them. "If you're all here, who is watching the Gravnemeta?"

"Good ol' Cecil has an eye on it for me," said Sirona, beckoning Mabel and Fenris toward two empty lawn chairs. "We have a psychic link. Anything happens, and I can blip over there in half a second."

"Oh," said Mabel, as she sat. "Good." She turned to Fenris. His face was pale, and his features pinched. A lump rose in her throat. "Okay...we're here. So..."

Beithe finished her question."So what are we going to do about Loki? We have some ideas."

Fenris gripped the arms of his lawn chair with white knuckles. "There's nothing to talk about. You all need Arden back—and we can't risk Loki letting more ancient demons through."

"Well, we certainly aren't giving you to Loki, if that's what you have in mind," Beithe said, crossing her arms. A murmur of agreement rippled through the group. Fenris looked up, his eyes wide.

"But-" he began to protest weakly.

"But nothin', kid," interrupted Stanley, his gruff voice warm. "You helped get our Wendy back. It was you who arranged to get Dipper back from the dead when the dingus went and got himself killed. You're his best friend—and you're Mabel's...boyfriend? Puppy? I don't know. Point is, you're family now. We don't give up on family around here."

Fenris could barely talk—his throat felt tight. "But what about Arden? And the demons?" he managed to get out.

It was Harold who spoke this time, quietly, from the back of the group. "If Loki kills Arden, he will have killed the sister of the new king of the Green Realm. I doubt he would be foolish enough to risk it. It would mean all-out war between our realms."

"You haven't actually met my dad, have you?" asked Fenris. "He is chaos incarnate. The mayhem created by war is right in his wheelhouse."

"Fen," muttered Mabel under her breath, as she grabbed his hand. "Stop arguing, please—I don't want them to change their minds!"

Fenris looked at her. "But she's your mentor, Mabel! She's teaching you to fight, to be the protector of the Gravnemeta."

"Look, kiddo," said Puck, standing up with his arms folded over his chest. "We aren't going to just abandon Arden. I've already sent some contacts of mine into the Norse Realm to see if they can find where Loki's holding her. Once they get back to me, we can plan a rescue mission."

"So you all would really risk having to fight off more ancient demons, just to keep me around?" Fenris asked quietly. Everyone nodded.

"You're a good dog, Fenris," said Grenda loudly. Bork, sitting on her shoulder, nodded his head vigorously. "And Loki is a bad god. You belong here, with us."

Mabel squeezed Fenris's hand tightly. He looked at her, and bit his lower lip. She smiled. "You hear that, Fen? You're family. You belong with us—and we're not letting you go without a fight."

Fenris looked away, sniffed, and wiped his eyes with his free hand.

"Okay," said Dipper, with a small grin. "So now that that's out of the way, we need to talk about how we're going to prep the Gravnemeta for a fight."

/

Wendy and the Stans stuck around the campsite with Dipper and Harold after everyone else left. The discussion had run long, and it was twilight.

"So you really intend to come fight with us at the Gravnemeta tomorrow?" Stanley asked Harold. He eyed Harold's mortal physique, and smirked. "You don't bring much to the table, do you?"

Harold stared down his nose at Stan. "I am thousands of years old," he huffed. "There is much I am capable of."

Wendy, sitting in front a campfire that Dipper had conjured, roasting marshmallows, scoffed. "Maybe when you were still a god, Gramps. I saw what my dad did to you. You've still got bruises from it. Can you even block a punch?"

Stan grinned widely.

"Stanley, no," said Ford firmly.

Harold turned to look at Ford. "No, what?"

There was a dull thwack, and Harold's eyes rolled up as he spun around and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Nope," Stan said, grinning at a laughing Wendy as he rubbed his knuckles. "He cannot block a punch. Apparently."

Ford sighed and knelt down to check on Harold. "Congratulations, Stanley, you knocked a defenseless man out cold. Are you proud of yourself?" He stood back up and crossed his arms.

"Absolutely," said Stan proudly, his hands on his hips. "Come on, Poindexter, the guy's a prick. He's a kidnapper and a misogynist. And don't forget, he was sent here as punishment. I'm just doing my part to help out."

Dipper clapped Stan on the shoulder. "On behalf of gods everywhere, I thank you," he said, his tone solemn, but his eyes dancing with laughter.

"Seriously, Ford—don't worry about him," said Wendy, blowing on a marshmallow that had caught fire. "He trapped my mom in a tree and kidnapped me. I personally think he deserves worse than a punch in the face."

Ford sighed. "Heathens, all of you."

Dipper chuckled and trotted up to Ford, pulling his Grunkle's trench coat open, revealing the small arsenal that Ford kept on him at all times.

"Ha! You're one to talk. You like a fight as much as the rest of us—you're just a more technologically advanced heathen."

"OOOH!" cried Stan, pointing at his brother. "You just got called out by the goat boy!"

Ford tried to look grumpy, but the corners of his mouth twitching upward gave him away. He pulled his coat shut, and looked down at the still unconscious Harold.

"If he doesn't have magic and he can't fight, he's just going to be a liability tomorrow," he said, scratching his chin. "He'll probably end up getting himself killed."

"Eh, I doubt anyone would mourn his loss," said Stan, shrugging.

"Ugh," said Wendy. "My mom might, actually. She said that a long time ago he used to be a good guy. She was going to let him crash on our sofa, but the rest of us vetoed that idea."

Dipper nodded toward Ford's coat. "Give him one of your weapons, then," he suggested. "Something easy to use. Not a gun, though. I don't want Harold to end up shooting one of us."

Ford pouted. "But I need them."

"All of them?" asked Stan. "Come on, Sixer. I know you have extra fingers, but you only have two hands."

Ford sighed and opened his coat, trying to decide which weapon he could part with that Harold might be able to actually use. He gripped the handle of a long, thin sword, and pulled it out, handing it to Dipper.

"Give him this," Ford said. "It's an electrified katana. That button there turns on the current. Warn him that once it's turned on he must not touch the metal part of the sword."

"Remind him to touch the metal part, got it," said Dipper, nodding.

"No, not to touch the metal part," said Ford.

Dipper grinned at him. "Fine, have it your way," he said.

Ford rolled his eyes and glanced at the sky. "It's getting late. I need to get back to my lab and make some modifications to some of my weapons before tomorrow."

Stan yawned. "And while he does his nerd thing, I need to sleep. See you kids, and I guess him," he said, nudging Harold with his foot, "tomorrow morning."

Dipper and Wendy waved as the Stans headed back into the woods. Wendy then turned to Dipper, and put her arms around his neck. She sighed, and kissed him. Her lips were slightly sticky, and tasted like marshmallows.

"I should go, too," Wendy said, her mouth against his. "My dad'll send out a search party if I'm not home soon."

Dipper kissed her again, a lingering kiss that made her knees weak. "Are you sure you have to go?"

Harold groaned a few feet away, slowly sitting up and rubbing his jaw. Wendy raised an eyebrow at Dipper.

"Well, now I definitely do," she said. She kissed him swiftly once more.

"Goodnight Wen," whispered Dipper.

"Goodnight, dork."

/

The deep velvet twilight ushered away the last light of the day, and Mabel and Fenris lay side by side on the roof of the Mystery Shack, watching the stars come out.

Fenris chuckled, and pointed up. "That cluster of stars looks exactly like the mark on Dipper's forehead."

Mabel giggled. "Well, it would. That's where he gets his nickname—because his birthmark looks just like the big dipper."

"Nickname?" Fenris asked, confused. "I thought Dipper was his real name."

"Nope," said Mabel. She clasped her hands behind her head, and scooted a little closer to Fenris. "His real name is Mason."

"Mason?"

"Yup."

"I prefer Dipper," said Fenris.

"Ha," laughed Mabel. "So does he. I used to be jealous of him, when we were little. I wanted a nickname too. I hated my name."

"What did you want to be called?" asked Fenris, curious. He leaned up on his elbow so he could look at her.

Mabel flashed him a grin. "Sparkle Kitty Meow Meow Sassypants."

Fenris arched an eyebrow and tried not to laugh. "Oh. Well… that's a… nice nickname."

Mabel blew a raspberry. "Are you kidding? It's awful! I'm glad it didn't stick."

Fenris smiled. "Your real name is beautiful, anyway." He reached out and touched her cheek. "Just like you."

The blood rushed to Mabel's face. She flapped a hand at Fenris. "Pshh. You flatterer."

Fenris took her hand and held it to his lips, as he looked at her from under his eyelashes, and said softly, "Is it still considered flattery if it's true?"

"Uh," said Mabel, unable to look away from Fenris's intense gaze. The heat of his breath on her hand sent chills up her spine. Her heart was pounding, and she was lightheaded. She felt like her brain was short-circuiting. "Uh," she said again dumbly.

Fenris gave Mabel a rakish smile and let her hand go. "You okay?"

Mabel nodded. Her whole body tingled.

"You're shivering," observed Fenris. "It is kind of cold. We should get you inside."

He sat all the way up and offered her a hand. Mabel took it and sat up as well, but instead of standing, she threw her arms around Fenris's neck and pressed her face into his shoulder. His body was giving off warmth like a space heater. He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close against him. Not satisfied, Mabel climbed into his lap, and wrapped her legs around his torso. She was shaking, but it wasn't because she was cold.

Fenris gripped Mabel tightly, and held his face against her neck. He could feel her pulse pounding. He realized he was shaking too. He'd known he'd loved Mabel before he took human form, but he hadn't expected the whole-body feeling that now seemed to take over. He felt a need for physical closeness with her in a way that he hadn't previously. In puppy form, he'd wanted to cuddle her, to provide her comfort and companionship in a completely innocent way. Now, his human body was prompting him to do things because he needed them—things that definitely didn't seem innocent.

Fenris let out a shuddering breath, and hesitantly pressed his mouth against Mabel's neck, feeling the beat of her heart through his lips. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Mabel, and pulled away quickly. Mabel made a small noise, and twined her fingers through his hair, pulling his head back toward her.

He pressed his mouth against her pulse point much less hesitantly this time, and his scalp tingled as Mabel gripped his hair more tightly. She lifted her chin, exposing more of her neck. Fenris sighed and breathed in her scent, detecting a musky note that he'd never noticed before.

"Mabel," he said softly, his mouth still pressed against her neck.

"Hmm?"

Fenris pulled back so that he could look at Mabel's face. Her eyes were closed, her thick eyelashes dark against her flushed cheeks, and her lips were slightly parted. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever encountered.

"Please be careful tomorrow," he whispered. "I—I can't lose you."

Mabel's parted lips were too inviting. He tilted his face toward hers, and moved one of his hands to the back of her head. Their faces were so close that their warm breath mingled. Fenris pressed his lips against hers. Mabel sighed, and leaned into the kiss.

Fenris's kiss was slow and lingering, somehow gentle and intense at the same time. By the time he pulled away, Mabel was left breathless. She opened her eyes, and felt like she was melting from the intensity of Fenris's gaze.

Fenris touched Mabel's cheek, then leaned back in, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Mabel," he breathed, the words hot against her skin.

"I love you, too, Fen," she whispered.

He smiled, and kissed her again.

/

As the sun rose above the treetops, a flurry of activity was already underway at the Gravnemeta. Beithe and Wendy were pointing out trees around the edge of the clearing that were okay for Dan and Marcus to chop down and use to build a barricade, to try and keep the demons from escaping into the Mundane. Puck had raised a henge of large standing stones, as one complaint everyone involved in the battle against Nasu had brought forth was that the Gravnemeta was a wide open space—there was no cover.

"Not my best work, but it'll do," said Puck, standing back and surveying the circle of enormous stones.

"What, have you built a henge before?" asked Ford, popping his head up from the hole in the ground that he and Stan were digging for use as a pit trap.

Puck grinned. "My best one is still standing, and it baffles people to this day. Stonehenge."

"Wait, you created Stonehenge?" asked Ford, incredulous.

Stan poked him with the handle of his shovel. "Hey Poindexter, you can dig and listen at the same time, you know."

Ford grumbled, but returned to digging as Puck proudly explained that he'd created Stonehenge as a joke, specifically because he wanted to confuse people.

"And it's still working, even to this day!" he ended, clapping his hands. "Probably the oldest practical joke in existence."

Ford peered back over the top of the hole, like an excited gopher. "Fascinating," he said.

"Ford. Dig," fussed Stan from behind him.

"We got food, dudes!" Soos called out, as he and Melody carried large picnic baskets in from the edge of the clearing.

"Whoop," said Stan as he quickly hoisted himself out of the hole and made a beeline for the picnic baskets.

"I thought you said we had to dig nonstop, Stanley," called Ford, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, well, that was before breakfast got here," said Stanley, his voice muffled by the croissant stuffed in his mouth.

Ford climbed out of the hole and wiped his hands on his pants, before also heading toward the food.

"Where are Fenris and Mabel?" he asked, looking around.

"Aw, they were still in bed," said Soos, as he poured coffee into a paper cup from a thermos, and handed the steaming beverage to Ford. "We figured we'd let the poor kids sleep in. They've had a rough go of it lately."

"Really?" asked Sirona. She had just blipped into the clearing, Cecil draped over her shoulders. "I'm surprised. Knowing how seriously Mabel takes her duty as Protector of the Gravnemeta, I figured she'd have been the first one here this morning."

Melody shrugged and looked pointedly at Sirona. "I guess we just wanted to give them the chance to act like normal teenagers for once."

"Oh..." said Sirona, her eyebrows raised. "Okay."

Stan peered suspiciously at Melody. "Did you just wink?" he asked. "Ford, I think Melody just wunk. Melody, why did you wink?"

Melody blinked at Stan innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Stan frowned at Melody with narrowed eyes, then grabbed a donut from the box she was setting out, and shuffled away, grumbling as he stuffed his face.

A short while later Grenda arrived, and began helping the Stans dig pit traps. Bork had stayed home—he was worried he'd just get under foot.

Around noon Dipper blipped to the clearing with Harold in tow.

"Sorry I'm so late. I had something to take care of… then I had to find Harold here, because he thought he didn't need to wait on me, and got lost trying to find the Gravnemeta."

Harold scowled. "I would have gotten here eventually," he muttered.

Dipper ignored his grandfather-in-law, and surveyed the clearing, whistling. "Impressive," he said, nodding. He made finger guns at Puck. "Nice henge."

Puck bowed with a flourish.

"Where's Mabel and Fenris?" Dipper asked, glancing around the clearing once more.

"We let them sleep in," said Melody, as Stan grumbled in the background.

Fully an hour later, Fenris finally blipped into the Gravnemeta, holding Mabel's hand. When they noticed everyone looking at them, they unclasped their hands and stepped apart, red-faced. Mabel's armor and glaive were tucked under her arm, and she sat them at the base of a tree.

"Good morning, sleepyheads," said Stan. "Nice of you to join us."

"Sorry," said Mabel, looking at her feet. "I, uh, forgot to set an alarm." She took a deep breath and looked up. "What still needs done?"

"Fenris can either help dig pit traps with Grenda and our Grunkles," said Dipper, "or he can help Dan and Marcus set up the barricade. And I think Sirona needed your help, Mabel."

Fenris looked into the nearby pit, from which Stanley glowered at him, and decided he would best be put to use helping set up the barricade. Mabel made her way toward Sirona.

"Hey there, chickadee," said Sirona brightly. Cecil slithered up to Mabel and flicked his tongue at her, then looked at Sirona, who laughed.

Mabel frowned. "What's funny?"

Sirona waved a hand at her. "Never you mind. Now, I know Arden had been training you in battlefield tactics. I need you to tell me where I should set up the healing springs."

For the next couple hours, Mabel walked the clearing with Sirona, pointing out the best spots to locate the "health stations." That had been Dipper's idea, based on the health kits in certain video games. The springs would be inconspicuous, and would re-energize and heal (at least temporarily) anyone who knelt and splashed the water on their face or took a drink.

Finally Soos and Melody showed back up with an early dinner, and everyone took a break to eat. They were all proud of their day's work. The Gravnemeta was transformed, and now they would have much more of a tactical advantage in the event of an attack. The pit traps were covered with a glamour of Puck's doing, that looked only slightly different from the surrounding ground. After they ate, Mabel led everyone around the Gravnemeta, pointing out all the traps and health stations.

Fenris noticed the sun beginning to sink lower in the sky, and tried to ignore the feeling of dread that began to gnaw at his insides. Mabel saw him trembling, and took his hand.

"I'm scared," he said low. "I don't want you, or anyone else hurt on account of me."

Mabel led him by the hand to a shadowed area under one of the large stones of the henge. She hugged him tightly, and breathed in his earthy scent.

"We'll be okay, Fen," she said softly. "We are so much more prepared for a fight now, and everyone is pitching in to help. Remember, we're doing this because you are a part of our family now. We love you." She bit her lower lip and smiled at him. "I love you."

Fenris took a deep breath and nodded, then leaned in to press his lips against hers.

"Fenris?" called Beithe, from very nearby. He sprang back from Mabel, and they both attempted to look casual as she walked up to them.

"Sweetie, you need to leave soon," she said, ignoring their flaming cheeks. "And Mabel, you should get your armor on. It'll be sundown soon."

They both nodded, and made their way back to where Mabel had sat down her armor and glaive. Fenris helpd her lace up the various pieces of armor, and then stood back, staring at her in awe.

"You look like a warrior princess," he said, reaching out to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. He swallowed, and looked at the sky. The sun would sink below the horizon soon. "Do I really have to go?"

Mabel nodded. "We all agreed yesterday—it's safest for you to hole up at the Mystery Shack. Your dad doesn't know you've taken human form yet, and we'd like to avoid him finding out if at all possible."

Someone cleared their throat behind Mabel and Fenris, and they turned, startled to see the entire group watching them.

"Sorry, Fenris, but you need to go now," said Dipper.

Fenris nodded, and attempted a smile. "Thank you all for—" The words caught in his throat.

Dipper grinned. "Bro, we're family. It ain't no thang."

Wendy snorted and elbowed Dipper. "Did you really just?"

Fenris took a deep breath and then suddenly pounced on Mabel, giving her one last tight hug. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

And then he blipped away—but not to the Mystery Shack. He couldn't bring himself to go so far from the battle, where all his friends were risking their lives on his account. He blipped to about fifty yards from the Gravnemeta, at most.

That way, if Mabel needed him, he'd be close by.

/

As the sun finally sank below the horizon, everyone moved to the positions that Mabel had assigned them, based on their fighting ability.

Soos, Melody, and Marcus were all armed with high-tech rocket axes from Ford's arsenal, while Harold gripped the electrified katana. They were positioned right up against the barricade.

Dan, Stan, and Ford were a bit further in, spaced out around the outer ring of the henge. Dan had forgone a rocket axe, preferring to use his own. Stan wielded his giant crossbow, armed with both electrified bolts, and cryo bolts that Ford had created. Ford, of course, had a trench coat full of weaponry at his disposal.

Wendy, Sirona, Cecil, and Grenda were positioned inside the outer ring of the henge. Wendy had her nature magic at her disposal, but she also chose to wield a small throwing axe. Sirona had a slingshot and a basket of sharp pebbles. Cecil had nothing but himself. Grenda held her maul at the ready, excited to try the rocket attachment that Ford had rigged to it on an actual creature. The rocket, when ignited, propelled her swing, making the impact much more forceful. She'd tried it earlier in the day, pounding a watermelon to pulp. It had been very satisfying.

At the inner ring of the henge, surrounding the giant oak itself, were Dipper, Mabel, Beithe, and Puck. The only one armed was Mabel, her wickedly sharp glaive held in one hand, its base planted against the ground. The rest were going to rely on their magic.

The sun was fully down. Minutes ticked by. Everyone was tense, prepared to be attacked at any moment.

Finally, Loki's smarmy baritone echoed throughout the Gravnemeta.

"Aw, did you guys decorate just for moi? I love the henge. Puck's work, right? He always was good with henges."

Everyone's eyes darted around the clearing. Loki's voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. Mabel caught a flash of movement at the edge of her vision, up in the branches of the oak. She coughed to get Dipper, Puck, and Beithe's attention, and discretely pointed up at the branches overhead.

"So where's my boy?" Loki asked. "I know he's been here recently. I can smell him."

"He ran away," said Dipper. "You know how dogs be."

"He's not a dog," spat Loki. "He is Fenrir, the Great Wolf, destroyer of worlds."

"That's funny," said Puck, shrugging. "You almost sound proud of your crotch-spawn. Sorry to say, though—he sure looked like a puppy dog to me. Cute widdle guy."

"How about you show us Arden, before we discuss the puppy any more?" suggested Beithe. "You said you would trade her for him. Where is she?"

Loki's laugh had a hard edge to it. "Nope, that's not how it works, princess. I call the shots here. Now do as I say, and bring me my son."

Mabel scoffed, and looked to her brother. "Why, I do believe he's trying to tell us what to do on our turf."

Dipper shook his head. "The nerve," he said dramatically.

Puck looked up into the branches of the tree, and met Loki's eyes. "How's about you come on down here, and settle this situation, trickster to trickster." He paused, and glanced at Dipper, before looking back up. "To trickster."

Loki laughed, and dropped gracelessly down onto one of the lower branches of the oak, where he sat and began swinging his legs. He produced a large bucket of popcorn, and shoved a handful in his mouth, before shaking his head.

"Nah. I think I'd rather unleash some ancient evil, and watch as it slaughters the mortals that you were stupid enough to bring here to fight. I mean, really?" He shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth, chewed it noisily, and swallowed, before nodding his head and smiling.

"Boom."

A screeching roar split the night, as a tear opened in the air above the henge, and three beasts dropped to the ground, flailing. They looked similar to the demon Mabel had slain only yesterday, with thin, gray skin covering awkward, hyena-like bodies, metallic scaled lizard tails, and gnashing silver teeth—but they were each at least twice the size of Nasu.

Loki grinned like the Cheshire cat, and clapped his hands.

/

Mabel looked to Dipper. "Are you ready to Rumble?" she shouted over the roaring of the demons. Dipper grinned and nodded. He conjured a hand-held video game, turned it on, and pressed the buttons in a certain order. This is what he'd been busy doing earlier in the day—figuring out how to make Rumble McSkirmish portable, so they could bring him out only where and when they needed him. They needed him here and now.

The 8-bit character appeared, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Rumble, some bad monsters are trying to kill my friends. Will you help us?" Dipper asked.

Rumble frowned, as he continued to bounce. "You lied to me once before. How do I know you are not lying to me now?"

"Look!" cried Dipper, pointing toward the rampaging beasts. Wendy and Beithe were each attempting to wrap one in vines, having to stop and cut them loose whenever the black rot neared their hands. Puck was doing the moonwalk, attempting to lure one of the demons into following him, so that it would fall into one of the pit traps. Harold, Dan and Marcus ran at one of the monsters, screaming and waving their weapons, only to be knocked back. Soos and Melody helped them limp over to a health station. They splashed their faces, then the three of them stood straight, bellowed, and ran back into the fray. Sirona and Stan stood back to back, each attempting to shoot their preferred projectiles down the gaping maws of the demons whenever they roared. Grenda's rocket powered maul had become a bit much for her to handle, and she was screaming at it to stop as it crushed one of the standing stones to dust like a jackhammer. Ford was yelling at her to hit a certain button and turn the rocket off, but she couldn't hear him over the blows of maul against stone.

It was absolute chaos. Manic giggling echoed down from the tree above them.

"They are bad monsters," said Rumble, nodding his head. "I will help you."

"Thank you!" cried Dipper. "My sister will tell you which one to attack, and when. Whatever you do, don't hit any of the people fighting. They're the good guys." With that he rushed into the battle, intent on helping Beithe and Wendy.

Rumble turned to Mabel. "What are my orders?"

Mabel pointed out which demon she wanted him to go after, shouting directions to her friends to focus on the others. She climbed up onto one of the standing stones, so she could survey the battlefield, to better direct the fighting.

Fenris heard everything. The roar of the demons as they fell into the Mundane had made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He wanted to be able to see what was happening, but he knew that if he could see into the clearing, there was a good chance that Loki could see him. He had to trust that his friends knew what they were doing.

He heard Mabel calling out orders, and made a mental note to tell her how proud of her he was when this was all over. He also planned to swallow his pride long enough to thank Arden for training Mabel so well. He didn't like the stuck-up goddess, but what she had taught Mabel was keeping Mabel safe.

Fenris grinned. It sounded like the battle was going in their favor. He heard cheering, and knew they had killed at least one of the demons.

Then his heart sank. He heard Mabel screaming. She wasn't shouting orders. She was shrieking in terror, and struggling, by the sound of it. Then the screaming stopped abruptly. Fenris didn't think—he ran back toward the Gravnemeta. He peered out from behind a tree, intent to size up the situation before running onto the battlefield.

One of the demons lay dead, one was being pummeled by a large, strange man made up of brightly-colored blocks, and most of the rest of the group were trying to fight off the third, led by Puck, who was lighting firecrackers and throwing them into its mouth. Dipper, Wendy, and Beithe were ignoring everything. They stood beneath the giant oak, and were staring up into its branches.

"Let her go!" cried Dipper, trying to climb the trunk of the tree. He hit it in frustration. He couldn't climb a tree with hooves.

Wendy and Beithe were snaking vines up the tree toward Loki, who was standing on a branch and smirking, holding Mabel's limp form over his shoulder.

"Ah-ah-ah," Loki chided the goddesses. "You want me to drop your friend, here? Because I will!"

Wendy and Beithe quickly withdrew their vines.

"That's what I thought," said Loki, smugly. Then he turned his face up, and called out loudly. "OH FENRIR!? FENNY-POO? I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE! I HAVE SOMEONE I CAN TELL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU—SERIOUSLY, WHAT HAVE YOU TWO BEEN UP TO? YOUR SCENT IS ALL OVER HER! I'M WARNING YOU—IF YOU DON'T COME OUT RIGHT NOW, I SWEAR I WILL GUT HER!"

A bubble of white-hot rage formed in Fenris's stomach. The heat spread throughout his body, like his veins ran with lava. He felt like he was going to spontaneously combust. He heard a strange crackling noise, and realized the grass at his feet was smoldering. He looked down at his trembling hands. They were glowing red from within. Flames suddenly leapt from his fingertips.

"I am destruction," he whispered fiercely. He smiled malevolently up at Loki, and strode boldly from hiding.

The demon that the block man had been fighting had finally destroyed its foe, and saw Fenris walking through the clearing alone—a prime target. It shrieked, and ran at him. Fenris spared the beast a casual glance as he continued toward the oak. He thrust his hand out to the side that the demon was running at him from, and with a flick of his wrist, he effortlessly launched a high-velocity fireball at it, which tore through the beast and exploded. The demon's body parts rained down around him as he continued walking forward.

He glanced in the opposite direction, to his friends struggling to take down the last demon.

"MOVE," he bellowed. His voice was harsh and almost unrecognizable. His friends scattered, and he launched a second fireball, dispatching the last demon with the same ease that he had the first.

Loki peered down, and squinted. He sniffed the air, and his eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Fenrir? I didn't know you could take human form. Hot damn!" He turned his head toward Mabel's limp form on his shoulder. "Then that must mean she's—oh, this is too good," he said, giggling. "Fenny-poo's in loooove," he sang.

Fenris stopped at the base of the oak. The grass under his feet smoldered. Dipper, Wendy, and Beithe all stared at him in shock. They had to take several steps back, due to the waves of heat rolling off of him.

"Let. Her. Go." Fenris said, glaring at his father, his eyes flashing red.

"Okay!" said Loki cheerfully. He shrugged Mabel off his shoulder, and she fell from the oak, her limp body hitting several large branches with sickening thwacks on the way down.

Fenris screamed. He ran for Mabel, but he wasn't close enough to catch her before she hit the ground. Luckily Dipper was quick enough to conjure a large air-filled cushion beneath her. She landed with a thud, her limbs splayed out like a rag doll's.

Something inside Fenris snapped. He leapt for the tree trunk, his now flaming hands and feet burning gouges into the bark as he climbed at impossible speed toward Loki.

"Hey, I only did what you asked," said Loki, chuckling nervously as Fenris pulled himself up onto the branch supporting his father.

Fenris growled low. He crouched down, then launched himself at Loki, grabbing his father by the throat. He could feel the flames from his fingers searing the flesh of Loki's neck. Loki's eyes wild, he grabbed at Fenris's hands, then hissed, as his fingers were scorched. He tried to back away, and his foot slipped. The shift of weight caused both father and son to lose their balance on the branch, and they fell, Fenris still holding fast to Loki's throat.

Fenris hit his head against a branch as he fell, and he felt his grip on Loki's throat loosen. Loki crowed in triumph, and just before Fenris hit the ground, he heard the flap of wings. His father had shape-shifted into a bird. He was going to get away.

The impact stunned Fenris. Then he remembered that Mabel had fallen, too. A surge of heat filled his chest, and he climbed out of the crater he'd caused when he landed, and stumbled over to where Mabel lay, still splayed out on the air cushion. It felt like forever, but barely more than a minute had passed since she fell. His friends were still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

A sob caught in Fenris's throat. He wanted to pick Mabel up and cradle her to his chest, but he didn't know how to "turn off" his newfound power. If he touched her, he'd surely burn her. Once again he was staring down at her pale, bloodied form, unable to do anything for her.

"Somebody help her!" he screamed, his voice raw.

It was like a spell was broken and everyone snapped out of their daze at once. Ford and Sirona rushed forward to Mabel, skirting a wide path around the sweltering pocket of air that enveloped Fenris. Everyone's voices sounded muffled and distorted to him, like they were under water. He was able to make out Sirona yelling at someone sharply: "No, don't move her! Her neck might be broken!"

Fenris closed his eyes, and clenched his fists. He bit his lower lip until it bled, and tried to slow his panicked breathing. Mabel had to be okay. He loved her. She loved him. She had to be okay.

Fenris's eyes flew back open as he heard wings flapping overhead, and the faint rustle of leaves as a bird landed at the top of the giant oak. He stared up at the large, black bird, who confirmed his suspicions by cocking its head to the side and cawing loudly.

White-hot hatred flared behind Fenris's eyes, and he aimed a fireball at the bird. The bird dodged the flames, and cackled as it flew away.

Fenris glared after Loki. His father was going to pay.