(a/n: Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait but here's a long chapter. I hope you enjoy this! Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all his help!)

Ch.3: Sword & Sorcery (Part 2)

"Why are we doing this?" Rick asked gruffly as he, Steven and Gary made their way up the walkway toward the front door of the Maheswaran residence.

"Because, Connie is our friend," Gary reminded the old man politely "And friends always look out for each other."

"Sorry, I should've clarified. Why am I doing this? Can't you guys have done this without me?"

"I suppose, but then you'd have to help Pearl with the laundry."

"Ugh."

It was a warm and sunny afternoon and Rick would rather be somewhere else right now. The mad scientist had been laying out on the beach, sipping beer and listening to some tunes, until Steven dragged him away from his leisurely activities. While he yearned for the comfort of the tranquil beach, Rick decided that the beach could wait. After all, it's been almost a week since anyone last saw Connie.

After they had returned from the Boiling Isles, neither Rick nor Steven had heard a word from the young girl. Both had assumed that Connie was busy with chores and her usual extracurricular activities. However, Steven grew worried when Connie's mom had called them and asked if he had seen her. Rick assured Mrs. Maheswaran that her daughter was fine, though he began to feel uneasy when she told him that Connie was not acting like herself.

At the front door, Steven gave it a gentle knock.

A few moments passed. No answer.

Gary tried, louder this time. Still no answer.

Feeling a mixture of annoyance and worry, Rick stepped up to the door and began pounding on it. He pounded on the door for almost a minute before a click sounded and the door opened a crack. Through the slim opening, half of Connie's face became visible.

"Connie!" Steven said with a smile, only for his warm and cheerful demeanor to change into one of worry and confusion.

The young girl's face was sickly pale, her eyes were dull and had dark circles under them. It looked as though she had gone days without sleep or was very sick.

"S-Steven?" Connie mumbled, her eyes squinted against the brilliant afternoon light. "W-what are you doing here?"

"We came to see you," the half-gem told her with a frown "We…we were worried about you."

"Are you okay?" Gary asked, "You don't look well."

"I-I'm fine" Connie assured them, looking away from the trio for a moment. "Just…just a little tired. That's all."

"Riiight" Rick said, unconvinced "In any case, have you been making progress with that book of yours?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, I've been making some progress…sort of."

"Really?" Steven asked, curious "Did you learn any cool new spells?"

Connie hesitated for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "No. Not really."

"May we come in?" Gary asked politely, "It's awfully hot today and perhaps we can lend you a hand. I've studied my fair share of mystic texts, back before I was in prison."

The young girl opened the door some more and stepped aside. Rick, Steven and Gary entered the house and followed Connie up the stairs. In Connie's room, the trio were confronted by what looked like a disaster zone. Littering the floor was a layer of frantic handwritten notes on notebook paper, scattered about like fallen leaves in autumn. Library books of varying qualities were piled into crooked stacks positioned around the room, some holding plates of uneaten dinner, some an opened book on magic while others held colorful, half-melted scented candles. This academic chaos covering the room made it difficult to move about.

In the center of the room, however, was an island of order. The books and papers surrounded a circle of clean floor which held nothing, save for the titleless black book.

"You've redecorated," Rick observed, jokingly.

Connie sat down on the edge of her bed and rubbed her eyes, her shoulders slumping with defeat. "No matter how long I meditate or what I do to try to get the book to reveal its secrets, all it does is show me a bunch of nonsensical sketches and alien text. I can't make sense of it!"

"Don't worry," Steven assured his friend "I'm sure you'll get it! You're the smartest person I know."

Rick coughed into his hand, causing Steven to grin sheepishly "One of the smartest people that I know."

"I can't," Connie said softly, "I just…can't. Nothing I do is working. Maybe…maybe I'm not cut out for magic."

"Don't say that," Gary said gently, as he carefully knelt down beside Connie. "I think you've got what it takes! You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Your journey has just begun and magic isn't particularly straightforward. Sometimes it takes months, years even, before most mages can master even the basics."

"But I don't have months or years! The exams are in a few days and I haven't mastered anything! Maybe I should just give up."

"Maybe you should," Rick said, picking his way through the mess of papers as he made a circuitous route through the room, eying everything carefully.

Gary gave Rick a look, which caused the scientist to look at the teen and shrug. "What? I'm just saying. It's-it's important to be realistic and know your limits. You don't want to waste years of your life chasing after something for the wrong reasons."

Connie glanced at Rick and nodded slowly.

"Give up or don't, I don't care," the mad scientist continued as he came to a halt by a plate sitting atop a stack of magic books, which held a moldy sandwich "for now, let's continue this little get-together elsewhere, cause this place is on the verge of being a no-go zone."

"I second that," Gary said, rising to his feet. "A bit of time away from this magic stuff may do some good. Who knows, a break may be the thing to give you inspiration and a fresh perspective."

"I don't know-" Connie began, but was cut off by Steven.

"Yeah! Maybe we can go to Beach City Funland or maybe get some ice cream and hang out at the beach!"

The young girl considered her friend's suggestion for a few moments.

"That sounds…fun." Connie said with a smile. Some energy and joy returned to the girl's sickly face. "Alright, let's go!"

"Awesome!" Steven exclaimed as he and Connie left the room.

Gary followed as did Rick, though Rick lingered in the hall outside Connie's room for a long moment. He eyed the black book lying on the floor in the middle of the girl's room. The book looked like an ordinary old book. But the mad scientist could feel that there was something more about it. Something sinister. He closed the door and went to join his companions, unable to shake this uneasy feeling for the rest of the day.


For most of the afternoon, Steven, Rick, Gary, and Connie spent time at Beach City Funland, riding the rides and playing at the arcade before hanging out on the beach. Little by little, Connie looked as though she was returning to her normal self. Eventually, they rounded off the afternoon by returning to Steven's house for a samurai movie marathon, complete with soda and popcorn.

As the film began, Amethyst emerged from her room, and, once she saw what movie they were watching, quickly squeezed onto the already packed couch and stole a fistful of popcorn. It was midway through the film when Pearl appeared on the warp pad. The white gem was carrying a laundry basket full of clean clothes. Setting the basket on the counter, she began to fold clothes and silently observed the film Rick and the others were watching.

At this point in the film, the protagonist, a lone ronin seeking to avenge his fallen master, was surrounded by dozens of swordsmen sent to kill him before he could reach their lord. Some barbs were traded and an ultimatum was given to the ronin: Depart in peace or die. The ronin said nothing and drew his blade in a blur of speed and silver. All was still for a moment before the unfortunate swordsman closest to him split in half and a torrent of blood fountained from his body. An epic sword fight began. Blades were drawn, battlecries sounded and blood was shed.

As the action sequence continued, Pearl snorted and shook her head. Soon she was murmuring "oh please" and "sloppy" before eventually exclaiming "you've got to be kidding me" at the battle's conclusion; the lone ronin slashed the lead swordsman diagonally, causing the upper half of the man's torso to slowly slide away before toppling to the ground as the ronin sheathed his blade.

"What?" Connie asked.

"While the samurai were skilled fighters and have, at times, performed extraordinary feats, this battle was completely unrealistic!"

"Chill, it's just a movie," Amethyst said

"Yeah, it's The Beast's Blade," Rick chimed in. "It's supposed to be unrealistic. It's an homage to classic samurai films."

"Be that as it may," Pearl sniffed, "it gives impressionable people the wrong idea about sword fighting and feudal Japan. I mean, the plot was derivative, the acting left a lot to be desired, and don't get me started on those costumes."

"Save the commentary for your ten-hour Youtube video essay," Rick said, "'cause we're just getting to the good part."

Pearl sighed and continued to fold in silence as the film reached its climax and conclusion. The ronin carved a bloody path of destruction through a bandit-occupied village and into the heart of the renegade lord's fortress. The ronin arrived at the throne room soaked in blood, most of it not his own. The lord, meanwhile, sat across from him, alone and dressed in fine silk and sipping tea. After some verbal sparring and philosophizing on the nature of revenge, the two fought. The battle was well choreographed and both characters injured each other as the fortress burned all around them. In the end, the ronin triumphed by beheading his enemy but ultimately succumbed to his wounds and was engulfed in flames as the fire consumed all.

After a few moments of silence, Pearl spoke. "How melodramatic and the ronin could've easily survived that."

"Really?" Connie asked.

"Of course. His form had improved and his agility gave him an edge but he made some beginner's mistakes."

"Note to self: Never watch movies with sword fights with a sword nerd ever again." Rick grumbled as he took a sip from his flask.

"I'm sorry, but I've met real samurai from the time period portrayed in this film, and it bothers me to see such inaccuracy in regards to both history and physics."

"Could you show us how samurai actually fought?" Steven asked, excited. "Maybe even tell us some cool stories about them?"

"I suppose I could," Pearl said, pondering Steven's request. "Learning about real history and swordsmanship could be beneficial and educational. Alright! I'll do it!"

"Yay!"

"Can I come with you guys?" Connie asked, looking revitalized by the possibility of learning about real samurai and genuine sword fighting.

"Of course!"

After she finished folding the clean clothes, Pearl led Steven and Connie to the warp pad and were gone in a flash.

"Finally!" Rick said with relief after they were gone.

"Connie seems more like herself again," Gary observed.

"Yep. Stepping away from a project and taking a break can do real wonders."

"Indeed. However, I'm concerned about that book."

"Why?"

"Magic books are dangerous, especially Grimoires."

"What's so scary about a book?" Amethyst asked as she scooped up another handful of popcorn.

"Normal books can really affect a person. Magic books…even more so. Pick up the wrong magic book, like a Grimoire or a Tome, and it can cause some serious damage."

"What's the difference between Grimoire and a Tome?"

"It's actually quite fascinating, you see-"

"Ugh, shut uuu*urp*uup!" Rick groaned. "No more talking about magic and shit. Let's just watch the next movie."

Gary sighed and got up and changed DVDs. As the trio sat there and started the next samurai film, Rick couldn't shake this feeling that something was amiss.


Days passed and things seemed to have gotten back to normal, with no more mentions of magic and Grimoires. Connie spent more time with Steven and Pearl, learning more about sword fighting and seemingly forgotten about her weird magic book and the entrance exams coming up.

Rick didn't bother to mention it to Connie. She was better off forgetting the whole magic school thing. It was a dead end anyway. However, Rick couldn't shake his uneasiness whenever he thought about that black book. So, one afternoon, he portaled into Connie's room and snatched it. She hid the book well but Rick was good at finding things. He locked it away in his lab and had Gary keep watch over it and run diagnostics. In the meantime, Rick replaced the Grimoire with a duplicate and went about his daily routine.

As the days carried on, Rick noticed how serious Connie appeared to be regarding her sword training. The young girl would arrive every afternoon on the dot, dressed in exercise appropriate clothes and carrying a duffle bag with Rose's sword in it. She'd greet everyone with a polite nod but with Steven, she'd bow her head and give him a very formal greeting, as if he were a king or a feudal lord. At first Rick thought the Grimoire had something to do with it, but Gary assured him that the book was locked up tight and hadn't shown any signs of magical activity.

Pearl appeared to be as serious as her pupil, as she would walk around with her head held high and speak in a formal, serious tone. She, Connie, and Steven would often disappear on the warp pad to train. However, more and more, Steven began to be left out. Recently, the sword master and her apprentice would greet each other silently in the afternoon and leave without so much as a hello and goodbye to Steven or anyone else present. With each passing day, she'd gain cuts and scrapes and had wrapped her hands in bandages.

Today, Rick was beginning to think that both Pearl and Connie were taking things a little too far. Rick was sitting on the couch tuning up a recent creation of his when Connie arrived. He watched as Steven tried to talk to her about something that he seemed concerned about, Pearl arrived and cut him off.

"We have important training today," the white gem said as she stepped onto the warp pad "Come along, Connie."

"Yes, ma'am," Connie said, nodding solemnly and stepping onto the pad.

"But-" Steven said as Pearl let out a smile.

"She's been making great strides, Steven," Pearl reported, as if she were talking about a test subject in an experiment. "She's going to be an asset to you."

"Say what?" Rick said, looking up from his tinkering.

Before either Rick or Steven could speak, the warp pad activated and Pearl and Connie were gone.

"Well that can't be good," Rick said. He looked at Steven, who looked like he didn't know what to do. The door to the Temple Gate opened, revealing Amethyst and Garnet.

"Wow Garnet, that was the funniest thing I've ever heard!" Amethyst chortled.

"Garnet: Master of Comedy," Garnet said with a smile.

The two entered and noticed a very worried looking Steven.

"Yo Steven, why are you standing there all sad like that!" Amethyst demanded.

"Well, Connie is taking sword fighting lessons from Pearl," Steven explained, "and I think it's getting a little too serious."

"How serious?" Garnet asked.

"Well, they're marching around like soldiers and Pearl called Connie an 'asset'," Rick chimed in, setting aside his invention and joined the others by the warp pad. "The only people I've seen act like that are sociopaths, feds, and intergalactic corporate representatives."

"She wants Connie to do all this dangerous stuff for me," Steven added.

Garnet frowned. "That makes sense."

"What do you mean?"

The fusion Gem sat down on the warp pad and met Steven's gaze. "Back during the war, Pearl took pride in risking her destruction for your mother. She put Rose Quartz over everything. Over logic, over consequence, over her own life."

Rick frowned and shook his head. So Pearl is training Connie to be a suicidal bodyguard. Great. A part of him wondered if the book had an influence on Connie and Pearl, but that wasn't possible. Besides, Pearl had never been in contact with the book. Maybe this was just some personal issue influencing Pearl's decisions and actions. Maybe…

Rick's train of thought was interrupted when a violet portal opened up behind him. The mad scientist spun around and drew his gun. Amethyst and Garnet summoned their weapons and got between Steven and the portal. For a long moment, nothing happened. Finally, a trio of figures stumbled through the portal, tumbling to the floor as if the portal had tossed them through. The portal closed.

"Ugh, remind me to never portal ever again after this!" complained one of the figures, a dark skinned man in a black leather jacket and jeans. Strapped to his back were a pair of identical swords.

"That wasn't too bad, kind of reminded me of Six Flags, only less screaming kids and barfing," another figure remarked, a short man who resembled a monk, complete with crimson robes and the tonsure hairstyle.

"Forgive me, but it would appear I may have added too much Void Salt to the concoction" the final figure apologized, a man with salt and pepper hair and a gold trimmed black cloak with a triangular occult symbol emblazoned on his back.

The three men picked themselves off the floor and analyzed their surroundings.

"Where are we? Boca Raton?" the monk asked wryly. "Did we portal into someone's vacation home?"

"Seems like it," the man in the leather jacket said, stretching his limbs. "I can practically smell the ocean from here."

Looking around, the man in the cloak turned and saw the armed Gems and mad scientist. The man looked slightly younger than Rick but older than Steven's dad. The man sported a goatee and dark, serious eyes. The newcomer scowled a little but when his eyes landed on Rick, his expression brightened.

"Richard!" the man declared with a wide smile.

The man's companions turned and grinned at the sight of the scientist.

"It's Rick," Rick said, annoyed. "I've told you that a billion times, Doc. You can call me Rick."

"What's happening buddy?" the man in the leather jacket said, walking over and pulling Rick into a bear hug.

"Not much, Jefferson. And you guys know how I feel about hugs!"

"Aw come on!" the monk in red teased as he joined in on the hug. "It's been so long since we last saw you, you big nerd!" After disengaging from the hug, the three newcomers were ready to shoot the breeze with the scientist but were interrupted by Garnet clearing her throat.

"Rick, aren't you going to introduce us to your…friends" Garnet said in an emotionless voice.

Rick nodded and was about to speak but the man in the cloak raised a hand.

"Allow us." The three newcomers gathered close together and assumed dramatic hero poses.

"Oh God, please not the Triad Formation" Rick grumbled but was largely ignored.

The man in the cloak stretched forth his hand and declared dramatically "We are the Order of the Triad! I am Doctor Byron Orpheus, Necromancer and Master of the Mystic Arts!"

"And I am the Alchemist! Seeker of Truth!" the red monk declared.

"And I am Jefferson Twilight! Blacula Hunter and Bridge Between Worlds!" the man in the leather jacket said, drawing swords.

Amethyst smiled. "Cool."

"Whoa! Are you guys superheroes?" Steven breathed in excitement.

"More like magical adventurers for hire," the Alchemist replied, dropping his pose. "We also sort of DJ weddings and parties."

The other two members of the Triad dropped their dramatic poses as well, Jefferson sheathed his blades.

"Forgive us for not coming when you called," Orpheus said, looking at Rick sadly, "I'm sure our mutual friend Gabriel has informed you what happened?"

"Oh yeah, it's no big deal. I understand" Rick said with a shrug. "Family comes first. How're things with Tatyana?"

"Things could be better," the necromancer sighed "but they've improved some. Still, I'm ashamed that we weren't there. If we were there that night, perhaps we could've rescued our comrade Father Douglas from that horrid demon's influence."

"What night?" Steven asked, confused but Rick pressed on.

"Maybe, maybe not. Best not to think too much about it. So…you guys on an interdimensional road trip or something? Why are you here?"

The Alchemist and Jefferson both looked at Rick like he was crazy.

"What do you mean? You called us." Jefferson said.

"Actually, I called you," said a familiar voice.

Everyone looked and saw Gary and Gabriel standing by the front door.

The white haired wizard smiled at those gathered in the house. "Hey guys!"

"Nice timing," the Alchemist remarked. "Were you guys waiting outside the door for the right moment for a dramatic entrance?"

"You know me, Al, I'm just naturally good at entrances."

"Gabriel," Orpheus said with a smile "It is good to see you again, my friend. Perhaps you could explain as to why you have summoned us on such short notice and with very little information?"

"Because I believe we have a serious problem on our hands," Gary said grimly as he held up a leather satchel with all sorts of runes and symbols etched into it.

"Run that by me again," Al said incredulously. "You seriously followed the creepy porno wizard to his trailer and let him give an innocent girl an unknown magical book!?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Rick began half jokingly.

"I cannot believe you, Richard!" Orpheus scolded the scientist. "How could you be so careless?"

"I thought it was a dud. Come on, we've dealt with thousands of guys like him before. Most of their shit are duds at best and shoddy imitations at worst. Nothing serious."

"Yeah, but there's always a chance that one of them would actually have something dangerous," Jefferson pointed out.

After some further introductions, Gary got everyone caught up to speed. He explained their trip to the Boiling Isles, which the members of the Triad appeared to be familiar with, and their encounter with Leonard and attaining a Grimoire.

"So what's the story with the book?" Amethyst nodded at the rune-covered leather satchel in Gary's hands, which contained the item in question.

"After long and intensive scanning with our equipment had yielded nothing, I figured that a magical approach would help," Gary explained. "I called Gabe in to analyze it, seeing as he's a wizard and has more knowledge on magical artifacts than I do."

"The book is blank and seems mostly harmless, but I managed to catch a whiff of some really ancient magic that, by my reckoning, predates the Golden Empire."

While Steven and the Gems were confused, Rick and the members of the Triad, however, stiffened and looked bewildered.

"Seriously?" Al said in shock.

"How is this possible?" Orpheus breathed.

"The golden what?" Amethyst asked, frowning in confusion.

"The Golden Empire of Atlantis," Jefferson answered solemnly.

Amethyst blinked. "Whoa, wait…Atlantis is real? And so what if it's old magic? What's the big deal?"

"Oh yes, Atlantis is real…well 'was' would be the operative term," Orpheus explained, his bushy brows knitting together. "The age of a magical item is vital, for the older the item is, the more powerful and dangerous it becomes."

"Magical items have a tendency to break or leak power," Jefferson added. "Most have a lifespan of a few decades to a century before breaking or becoming ordinary inanimate objects, otherwise known as 'duds'. However, if an item is as old as the Golden Empire then that's some serious mojo."

"How old is the Golden Empire?" Steven asked.

"Older than human civilization," Al explained. "They were one of the first, if not the first, empires to arise on Earth. All Earths. For those who are probably still confused…" he looked at Amethyst and then Steven "essentially, they built cities and were a sophisticated society while the rest of the world barely figured out how to hunt with spears."

"The point is," Orpheus spoke up, "an item with magic that predates the fall of Atlantis is a rare and dangerous find. "

"How do you know so much about this?" Garnet asked.

"We've searched for items like this before," Jefferson answered, folding his arms. "Kinda had to stop after very nearly got torn to pieces by a cult of snake men."

"Ah, back when we were young and innocent," Al sighed wistfully.

Orpheus looked to Gabe. "And that is where I come in, I suppose?"

Gabriel nodded. "I needed a second opinion and you may be the only guy I know off hand who could glean the identity of this item. If need be, we're going to need every master mage on deck to burn this thing or banish it. "

The master necromancer nodded. "Very well. Bring out the book."

Gary undid the latches on the satchel and opened the flap. The blond teen slipped on some latex gloves and held it out in front of him, as if he were trying to keep it as far away from him as possible. The master necromancer positioned his hand over the book and closed his eyes and murmured an incantation.

Silence and stillness filled the room. After a few moments, Orpheus's eyes flew open. His face went deathly pale.

"Quickly, put it back in the bag!" he croaked.

Gary complied, grabbing the rune covered bag, shoving the book inside. As the blond teen secured the book in the satchel, Orpheus's legs wobbled and he staggered toward the kitchen counter.

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, concerned.

"My young friend, I'm afraid what we are dealing with…is a Black Book!"

Gabe's eyes widened in horror, as did Al and Jefferson's.

"Well duh, I could've told you that," Amethyst snorted, unaware of the significance of the necromancer's words.

"He's not talking about its appearance, dingus. That's what it's called," Rick said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh. What's a Black Book?"

"A magical item that belongs to an Elder God," Gabe answered grimly. "And not just any Elder God, but a particularly nasty one who likes to collect knowledge and things of interest."

"What's an Elder God?" Steven asked, feeling unsettled.

"Eldritch beings of power. They've existed long before the birth of creation," Orpheus answered, leaning against the counter and trying to regain his strength. "They've waged many a war with the gods - all the gods - for dominance over creation, but have thus far been kept locked in a stalemate. I dare not speak his name for fear of drawing his attention. Fortunately, the creator of the Black Books is known by many other titles. To all practitioners of the mystic arts, he is the Weaver of Fate. To the ancient Atlantians, he is the Lord of the Infinite Tides and Master of the Drowned Library."

"You can call him Squishy the Space Squid for all I care," Rick muttered.

"Kid, if your friend has been reading from a Black Book, then she's a goner." Al lamented.

"Why?"

"The Black Books are the personal creations of this Elder God," Gabe continued. "They're sort of like…fly traps for mages. They lure in those who hunger for power and play on their fears and weaknesses, drawing them deeper into its control. Before they know it, the book has consumed their minds and created another willing pawn to be molded by its creator. Most Black Books, fortunately, were either sent back to their maker or destroyed long ago. Unfortunately, a few managed to stay hidden, floating between dimensions and realms, trying to lure in potential new victims."

"We have to save Connie!" Steven exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He was ready to charge the warp pad and go to his friend's rescue. Fortunately, Rick caught him and managed to get him to slow down.

"Patience, young Mr. Universe," Doctor Orpheus urged, which caused Al to chuckle a little and mutter a humorous remark about Mr. Universe and Arnold Schwarzenegger. "While we must act swiftly, we must also act carefully. First, we must be certain that the book hasn't established a bond yet. Otherwise, should we attempt to banish the book…"

"We'd scatter her charred remains across multiple planes of existence," Al concluded.

"Okay…but how do we know if the book established a bond or whatever?" Amethyst asked.

"A simple incantation, fortunately. However, we'll have to bring the book into close proximity to the person in question."

"And if a bond were established?" Garnet asked in a serious tone.

Orpheus and the others hesitated for a moment before Gabe spoke up.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

After some quick preparations, the group arrived at the Sky Arena. The crumbling gem ruins appeared to be empty and still, though as the group climbed the steps to reach the arena proper, they heard the ringing of metal clashing against metal. Through the archway leading into the arena, the group saw the arena itself was blanketed by thick clouds acting as cover.

"Now what?" Amethyst asked.

"Now, we shall wait," Orpheus instructed. "We shall observe Miss Maheswaran's actions and behavior to see if she has been affected by the book. Once the cloud cover fades, we shall cast the spell…and then we shall have our answer."

The group spread out a little, positioning themselves among the stands around the only exit in the arena, and waited. Steven grew more and more anxious with each clang of metal and shout. Minutes passed and, with a bit of magical encouragement from Orpheus, the cloud cover began to clear. In the arena, Connie was doing battle with a trio of holographic Pearl clones. Each clone acted in harmony, delivering a strike against Connie and blocking the girl's response. Although he feared for his friend's safety, Steven was amazed by how much she's changed. Connie moved with surety and confidence, determination written plainly on her face. Her sword moved with speed and precision, blocking and redirecting her opponent's attack without missing a beat.

"Not bad," Jefferson remarked as he analyzed Connie's sword form and movement. "The kid's a natural." he looked at Rick. "How long has she been sword fighting?"

"Few days…maybe a week?" Rick answered.

Jefferson raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You think it's the book?" Al asked.

The swordsman shrugged.

The group looked on as the duel proceeded. The four combatants fought on, their movements efficient and practiced, as if the whole fight was a well practiced dance routine. Eventually, the Pearl clones managed to have Connie moving backwards, keeping the girl on her guard. Steven held his breath as one of the Pearl's lunged and nearly impaled his friend. However, Connie found an opening and relieved the clone of its sword and hand before piercing its chest. The clone exploded in a burst of light particles.

The other two didn't react to the death of their comrade, though they did intensify their attacks. Connie scowled with effort and managed to match their speed. In a few well timed strokes, Connie disarmed a second clone, literally, and beheaded it.

Worried for his friend, and a little unnerved by the sight of Pearl's doppelgangers being cut to pieces, Steven rushed to Connie's side.

"Connie!" Steven cried.

"Steven?" Connie said in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Connie, I don't want you doing this anymore. Not alone, at least."

"No, Steven. I understand now. Your legacy, your destiny. You're everything! And I? I am nothing. But I can do this for you! I can give you my service!"

"Whoo boy…" Al said in dismay.

"What? No! I don't want you to!"

"Steven…" Connie said in a serious tone "I'm doing this for you!" She forced Steven to duck as another of Pearl's doppelganger's appeared and tried to slice his head off. Connie vaulted over her friend and dispatched the clone with a stroke of her sword.

As the clone exploded into light particles, Connie looked at Steven. "I need to be able to protect you."

"But if you're the one protecting me…" Steven began as he spied another clone appeared, poised and ready to cut a distracted Connie down. The half Gem hurled himself between Connie and the attacking Pearl clone "...then who's the one protecting you!" Steven summoned his shield and stopped the attack just in time. The clone exploded when its sword struck Steven's shield. Connie whirled around, startled by the clone's sudden appearance and disappearance.

"Someday soon we'll be fighting some really bad guys," Steven said, turning to Connie, "and when that day comes, I wanna fight with you. Together."

"Oh Steven…" Connie said, smiling.

"He's right," Orpheus said, appearing behind the two children. "It is noble to fight for one's friend and even to lay down your life for their sake. But you don't have to fight alone when you don't need to."

"It's easier kicking ass if you've got back up," Rick chimed as he approached the group.

Amethyst, Garnet, Gary, and the others joined them as well. Steven smiled and was glad to see his friends there to support Connie. However, he noticed that each of them were looking rather tense.

"What's going on here?" Pearl exclaimed, appearing from the dwindling cloud cover "We're in the middle of training."

"We're taking a brief intermission and then you can go back to banging swords," Al said with a wave of the hand.

Before Pearl could argue, Gabriel spoke.

"Good to see you again, Connie," Gabe said with a smile. "You're looking well. Excellent sword fighting."

"Thank you, Gabe," Connie said, looking at each of them. "It's been a while since-"

Connie paused, realizing her mistake.

Steven froze. He looked at Connie. "H-How did you know his name?"

She looked at Steven and then let out a heavy sigh.

"Right. We weren't supposed to remember him. That night was erased. Lousy memories…"

"What?"

"Steven," Gabe said to the boy, gesturing to him to join his side. "I'm gonna need you to step away from Connie."

"Why?"

"What's going on?" Pearl asked, confused.

"It would appear that Connie has fallen to the dark side," Rick said grimly, "We're going to have to sever her connection to a seriously dangerous magical book."

Before Steven or Connie could react, glowing violet chains erupted from the ground and ensnared the girl. Gary pulled Steven away as Orpheus made a series of hand gestures and placed his index finger on Connie's forehead. The necromancer chanted in an ancient language but partway through the incantation, the chains exploded. The force of the explosion knocked Orpheus and the others off their feet and sent them tumbling.

Dazed, Steven looked up and saw Connie hovering a few feet above the ground, enveloped in a dark blue aura that writhed like flames. The air behind Connie shimmered and a gruesome figure appeared. Clad in purple and silver robes, the figure was tall and thin and had a smooth, bald head. Instead of a mouth and nose, Steven saw writhing tentacles and narrow slits. The figure's amber eyes burned with power and malevolence.

"Connie…" Steven wheezed, struggling to stand and regain his breath.

"I'm sorry, Steven," Connie apologized, sadness creeping onto her face. "I have to prove myself. To you…to everyone! After all this is done, maybe then you'll take me seriously."

"Wh-What?" Pearl stammered as she struggled to her feet. Looking around, she came face to face with the robed squid creature. Before she could react, the creature waved a claw-like hand and Pearl poofed, becoming a helpless gemstone.

The creature then pocketed the gemstone and rose to its full height.

"How did I do, master?" Connie asked the creature hopefully.

"Good…" the creature spoke, its voice deep and rumbling like thunder. "Very good. Your skills have vastly improved. Very clever of you to switch your Grimoire with a fake, knowing that your friend would try to steal it."

"Damn it!" Rick groaned aloud, cursing himself for not considering the possibility that Connie had planned ahead.

"What now?" Connie asked.

"Now? Now it is time for your…exams." the creature said with a slight pause.

Connie pondered her master's words for a moment before realization struck. "Oh! That's today!"

The creature dipped its head. "Indeed." With a wave of its hand, a dark, shadowy portal opened. It gestured toward the portal. "Let us go now."

The two glided toward the portal, though Connie paused and looked back toward her friends who were picking themselves off the ground.

Connie frowned and Steven noticed that she looked unsure. Maybe she was fighting the book's influence. However, the creature turned its gaze back to her and spoke in a gentle tone.

"Come along now, my apprentice. This is the day you've been training for. You don't want to keep your rivals waiting, do you?"

Connie shook her head and followed the creature into the portal. Amethyst and Garnet launched themselves at the portal to give chase. The portal evaporated just before they could reach it.

"Fuck!" Amethyst yelled.

"Everyone alright?" Garnet asked, returning to check on the others.

"W-What just happened?" Gary asked, dazed and still trying to pick himself off the ground.

"It would seem that young Ms. Maheswaran is further along than the incantation indicated," Orpheus observed as he brushed dust and dirt off his person. "Considering that a Keeper of Secrets has taken her under its wing."

"Does this mean that Connie's…?" Steven began, but couldn't bring himself to finish his question, being horrified at the thought that his friend is gone for good.

"No…not yet at least," Gabe answered grimly. "The book has already taken hold, yes. But she's not gone forever. If we hurry, we can save her before-"

"-before she ends up like that Squidward guy she ran off with," Al finished as he helped Jefferson to his feet.

"She's turning into a squid monster?!" Steven exclaimed.

"Depends on the will of their master. She might end up like him…or worse."

"Worse?!"

"Yeah. Maybe a bird-spider thing. Oooh, maybe a weird crab mutation! Haven't seen one of those in a long time."

"Stop it, you're scaring him." Rick growled at Al.

"Oh…sorry."

"We have to go after them!" Amethyst said urgently.

"No shit," Rick said, dusting himself off.

"But where are they going?" Orpheus asked. "Ordinarily, they'd travel to the realm of their Elder God, the infamous Drowned Library. However, I fear worse things are yet to come. The Keeper mentioned something about an exam and rivals."

"They're heading to the Boiling Isles," the mad scientist said, pulling out his portal gun. "She's going to 'prove herself' by performing at their stupid magic school's entrance exam…"

"Oh God," Orpheus paled, imagining what Rick is inferring. "It makes sense! Not only would the Keeper fulfill young Ms. Maheswaran's desire to win, it would feast upon the mages gathered there! Additionally, it could establish a foothold in a new realm for its master to claim without drawing attention from any of their enemies!"

"Not to mention the blood of the Titan just lying there waiting to be exploited," Al added.

"Meaning?" Gary asked.

"Meaning, we're probably going to be facing down an interdimensional invasion of eldritch abominations, and, if we lose, an unimaginable number of people will die or be enslaved," Jefferson answered bluntly.

"Super," the blond teen said sarcastically.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Amethyst growled. "Let's go!"

Rick was ready to open a portal but Orpheus placed a hand on his arm.

"What?"

"I feel that I must see this Leonard person."

"Why?"

"Firstly, I wish to interrogate him as to why he would give an item as dangerous as a Black Book to an innocent young girl. Secondly, as both a father and a guardian of magic, I wish to give him a piece of my mind."

Noticing the fury brewing in the necromancer's face, Rick nodded.

"S-Sure. I'll hold 'em down for you," the scientist said with a grin.

"Oh this I gotta see," Al said, excited.

"Then it looks like it's up to the rest of us to go after Connie and Pearl," Gary said.

Rick opened two portals and the group went their ways and were gone, hoping they could stop Connie from doing something that can't be undone.


Today was a special day in the Boiling Isles, in more ways than one. Firstly, it was the anniversary of the founding of Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. Long ago, the magical school had conquered its rival, Glandus High, and built its campus upon their bones. Literally. To this day, students and custodians occasionally stumble upon evidence of the epic struggle, including literal bones. Every year, on the day of Glandus's fall and Hexside's ascent, the school marks the occasion with a school fair. The fair is often held on the school's campus where students, their families and the community are invited to take part. Food, games, and other activities took place, where everyone could be at ease before the new semester began.

The second reason why this day is a special day was that it coincided with Hexside's new semester entrance exams. New students hoping to attend Hexside often need to take an exam to measure their magical abilities and which of the nine tracks they're best suited for. Ordinarily, these exams would take place in the school's auditorium in front of a panel of faculty members. However, on top of the anniversary of Hexside, this exam served as a talent show of sorts but also as evidence of the school's abilities and progress. Word is that the Emperor of the Boiling Isles is coming with his Coven and would be watching the proceedings as part of a special inspection tour. After all, they poured significant funding into this institution and they would want to make sure their investment is yielding pleasing results.

Thirdly, and this is the most important reason of all, this was the day that Hexside will witness power unlike anything they've ever seen before.

It was afternoon in the Boiling Isles. The sun blazing high in the cloudless sky, looking down on the lively school campus, which was decked out in the school's colors and banners. Tents and booths dotted the grounds, filled with games and selling food and magically crafted items from local vendors.

Parents interacted with faculty members, students played with friends and family members. There was even an impromptu grudgby match at the edge of the fair, between former students and the current grudgby team.

Closer to the school itself, a stage was set up where the placement exams were taking place. The rows of benches were filled with supportive family members and anxious new students waiting for their turn. In the front row, a trio of senior faculty members sat, among them was the Principal Bump, who had the final say in the exams.

The crowd clapped as the latest student had finished their presentation and gave the audience a bow. As the next student took the stage, Matthias and Luz grew anxious. The two apprentice mages sat in the back row of the audience, waiting to be called up. Already most of the new students had gone up with only a few left.

"Hey guys!" Amity greeted the two as she slid onto the bench next to them. "Have you gone up yet?"

"No, but I have a feeling that our turn's coming up next," Matthias said.

Noticing the worried looks on their faces, Amity smiled at the two.

"Don't worry, you guys are going to do great! Compared to that Slitherbeast, this is a cinch."

"It's not the exam that's got me worried. Well, yeah, it kind of is," Matthias said, tapping his foot nervously, "but I'm just worried about Connie."

"Connie?" Amity frowned. "Did something happen?"

"She didn't show up yet," Luz added.

"Maybe she forgot."

"Maybe," Matthias agreed. "It'd be a real shame if she missed out. She seemed really excited to see the exams."

The trio watched in nervous silence as the student on stage performed a series of illusion spells. By the end of his turn, the stage was filled with illusionary creatures and people, who all faded with a snap of the student's fingers. Just as the student received his applause, a dark, shadowy portal opened behind him.

The applause faded as a hooded figure stepped out of the portal. The figure was as tall as the student and the rest of their features was shrouded by the hood and voluminous cloak they wore. The figure stepped up beside the new student, carrying a tall stave topped by a jagged blue crystal.

The audience and the student watched in silent confusion as the figure raised a hand.

"Mages and inhabitants of the Boiling Isles!" the figure spoke in a loud voice. The voice was young and feminine and sounded very familiar to Matthias.

"H-hey, you can't be up here!" the new student squeaked. "I'm in the middle of my act!"

Without looking at the student, the hooded figure made a flicking gesture at the boy and the boy went flying off the stage. The audience murmured and gasped, surprised by the act. Some were concerned while others were convinced that this was still part of the boy's illusions.

"Heed my words, ye mages!" the hooded one intoned once more. "You have been misled! You follow the words of a charlatan, a liar, and a murderer! Your so-called Emperor is nothing more than a parasite who seeks to fulfill his selfish desires! I come on behalf of the God of Magic! He is the Weaver of Fate, the Scholar of the Unknown and Master of the Drowned Library!"

Nobody said anything. Everyone watched as the crystal of the hooded stranger's stave glowed. The stranger lifted the stave and said in a tone of finality. "I have come to liberate you. Now…be FREE!"

When the word "free" left her lips, the stranger brought down the stave on the stage. There was a thunderous crack and a dozen shadowy portals opened all around her and all sorts of horrific monsters came pouring out.

The crowd "oohed" and "ahhhed" - until the monsters leapt onto the audience. Awes turned into screams as the monsters seized the nearby students, their tentacles and fingers curling around them, and tossed into their multiple mouths.

Chaos ensued as panic and fear seized the audience and as more abominations, each larger and more horrific than the last, emerged from the portals. People fled before the onslaught of the monsters. Some were petrified and dazed, while others fought back. Principal Bump and the other teachers fought back. They managed to rescue some of the students and knock down a few of the invaders, until the horde of monsters turned their attention onto them.

Matthias grabbed Luz and Amity and pulled them along, hoping to escape.

"Seize them all!" a booming voice thundered, causing the young apprentice's bones to rattle. "Let none escape!"

Matthias stole a glance over his shoulder and immediately wished he hadn't. Behind the hooded figure was a tall, thin creature adorned in robes of purple and silver. The figure's face was more squid than man and had eyes that chilled Matthias to the bone. He vaguely recalled seeing sketches of a similar looking figure in a book once. Maybe it was the same? The apprentice's memory was foggy but all he needed to remember was that it was nothing but bad news.

"Let go!" Luz cried, trying to wrench her arm free from Matthias's grip. "We have to help Principal Bump and the others!"

"There's nothing we can do for them!" Matthias croaked as he searched for an exit through the chaos of fleeing students and attacking monsters. "We gotta get out of here!"

"But what about Edric and Emira?"

"Look out!" Amity yelped as Matthias whipped his head around. A huge, dog-like creature with a flytrap face lunged at them. Fortunately, Matthias raised his hands and a mystical barrier appeared. The flytrap dog didn't relent though. The creature snarled and bit and clawed at the barrier, slobber dribbled down the construct like water.

Matthias scowled and poured more energy into the barrier, but he could feel it cracking under the weight and force of the monstrosity.

In the corner of his eye, the apprentice noticed a crab-like creature nearby. The creature saw the occupied young mage and chittered excitedly before charging at him, snapping its pincers threateningly. Amity jumped between the newcomer and Matthias and conjured up her abomination. The mass of purple and black goop emerged from the ground and delivered a powerful uppercut to the creature, sending it flying backward.

With that creature dealt with, Amity turned to help Matthias but a pair of tentacled spider-like horrors attacked her abomination and began tearing it apart. Before the flytrap dog could shatter the barrier, a tangle of vines emerged from the ground and ensnared the creature before hurling it into its spider-like comrades and into a burning booth nearby.

"Way to go Willow!" Luz cheered.

Matthias looked and saw the plant mage poking her head out from behind the counter of a game stall. Beside her was Gus, her friend and fellow student currently in the illusion track.

Gus frantically waved them over. Matthias, Luz and Amity rushed over and took cover with their friends behind the counter.

"What in the name of the Titan is going on?" Willow asked hoarsely.

"Monsters…portals…" Amity breathed, trying to process what had just occurred while catching her breath.

"What are we going to do? Those things are all over the place!" Gus whispered.

"If we can make it to the woods, we can-" Matthias's words died as the air began to hum and buzz with energy. The ground beneath the five students quaked, as if something immense and solid had struck. Soon the afternoon sky began to dim.

Matthias peaked over the counter and his heart stopped.

"What's going on?" Luz asked.

"Looks like escaping is going to be a little more…difficult," Matthias breathed.

Luz, Amity, Gus and Willow peaked over the counter and saw, to their dismay, a barrier of blue energy descend from the sky like a glass dome. The ground quaked once more as the barrier touched down, encasing the entire school, campus, faculty and all, sealing them inside with the invading monsters.

Matthias was glad that Connie wasn't here. He didn't want her to get stuck in this mess.


Rick led Dr. Orpheus and Al through the woods toward Leonard's trailer. He had intended to open the portal right in the middle of the dirty old bastard's home but was frustrated to see that they ended up a distance north, deep in the woods. It figures that he'd have anti-portal measures in place. Probably didn't want the cops to catch him with his pants down. Then again, it was probably a good thing that they, or anybody really, wouldn't catch him with his pants down. He'd probably enjoy it.

Rick stopped, as did his companions.

"What is it?" Al asked, growing tense.

"It would appear that we're not alone," Orpheus said, eyes narrowing.

"Of all the people who'd I assume would show up, I didn't expect it to be you," a familiar voice called out from among the trees.

"Aw, shit" Rick grumbled, "the fuzz."

Ahead of them, the bushes rustled and the air shimmered before Holly the druid appeared. The former adventurer wasn't alone. A trio of other figures appeared behind her and two more appeared behind Rick and the others, all of them clad in white and looking none too friendly.

"So, what brings you three to this neck of the woods?" Holly asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hoping to score some Pixie Dust from somebody? Maybe procure a stolen talisman?"

"As it so happens, madam," Orpheus spoke in an even tone, "we're here to have some…words with a certain disgraced wizard who has gotten a young child mixed up in dangerous magic."

Holly frowned. "What sort of magic?"

"Dangerous, duh!" Al snorted.

"A Grimoire," Rick said, "At least, we thought it was. Turns out to be a Black Book."

This caused Holly's eyes to widen and her fellow wardens to tense up.

"Seriously?" the plain looking woman asked, shocked. "B-But those are just legends!"

"Apparently not."

Holly scowled and considered their words for a moment before motioning them to follow. "Come. We'll go and deal with this tiresome wizard together."

Rick and the others resumed their journey, this time accompanied by at least a dozen wardens, who emerged from the shadows and encircled them.

"You should've come to me," Holly said to Rick, expression serious. "It's dangerous to be meddling in back alley deals and bootleg items."

"Sorry, but authorities, magical and otherwise, don't really like me all too much," Rick said.

"Maybe, but I can tell you that Leonard is dangerous."

"How so?" Orpheus asked.

"He's a gifted wizard, though a bit unorthodox. He was kicked out of the Emperor's service for his…habits."

"Not the master of his domain," Al muttered.

"During his departure, he stole some valuable items and information. We've hunted him for years but he's always stayed one step ahead. During that time, we've heard all sorts of disturbing rumors: unusual experiments, kidnapping, consorting with…entities. But nothing solid."

"Until now," Rick said.

Holly nodded. "A few days ago, we managed to pick up a trail. Some witnesses spied him lurking about an antique shop before portaling to this region. It took some doing, having to carve our way through layers of warding spells, but we finally managed to zero in on his location."

"Could've come to me and saved you the trouble."

"Sorry, but renegades, mundane or otherwise, don't really like me that much."

A few moments later, the group arrived on the edge of the clearing. Leonard's trailer was right where Rick had last seen it. All was still and quiet and there didn't appear to be any movement in the trailer itself. After a brief discussion of strategy, Holly decided to storm the place with Rick, Orpheus and Al. Holly ordered her subordinates to establish a perimeter near the trailer. Once they were in position, they struck.

With a spell from Orpheus, the trailer's door was ripped off its hinges and thrown aside as Orpheus was the first to enter the abode.

"Leonard! Come out you foul villain!" Orpheus thundered, hands glowing with arcane energy "You have much to answer for!"

"Easy there, Dracula," Rick said, strolling into the trailer, "I don't think he's here."

"Ugh, what a slob," Al grimaced, using a hankie to cover his nose and mouth.

"I've seen sewers cleaner than this," Holly agreed.

Rick scanned the interior. The inside of the trailer looked worse than before. While it was a mess before, it was an organized mess. Now, it looked as though a tornado ripped through the trailer. Various items lay scattered about, cabinets left open and empty. The mad scientist tried using his cybernetic implant to scan for clues but got nothing but a disturbing amount of questionable splotches and stains. The air inside was musty and reeked of something rotten.

The four picked their way through the trailer, hoping to find some clues or indications to Leonard's location.

"Jeez, you weren't kidding. The man had shit taste," Al remarked, picking a couple of DVD cases off of the floor. "Look at this stuff! Avengers 3: Infinity Whore, Star Whores: The Rise of Skywanker, and-hey!"

"What?" Rick looked up from the stack of papers he was thumbing through.

Al held up a thin paperback book. "One of the ten banned Magic Treehouse books! I've been searching for these."

"Which one is it?"

"Nachos with Narcos," Al read and showed Rick the cover, which featured the series' young protagonists having nachos with a drug lord in a white suit as a firing squad were executing a man in front of them.

Rick whistled. "That'll be worth some money."

"Hopefully, though I heard appraisers had declared Breakfast with Bundy as the most valuable of the collection."

"I believe you're thinking of Dinner with Dahmer," Orpheus suggested. "Or was it Hiking with Hitler?"

"Uh, guys," Holly spoke up.

The three men looked and saw the warden standing by the water bed, looking down at what looked like a lump hidden beneath the blankets. The trio joined Holly and saw, to their frustration and disgust, Leonard. The wrinkly old wizard looked like a raisin…more so than usual. His skin and flesh was shriveled and dry looking, clinging to his bones, though his clothes hung loose on his skeletal body. The wizard's eyes were gone and his jaw hung open, as if he died screaming, though out of fear it was to be debated since the man's hand was tucked under his waistband of his boxers.

"It seems we weren't the only ones who had it out for Leonard." Orpheus observed.

"Yeah, but who?" Al asked.

"Take your pick," Holly shrugged. "The man had a habit of making enemies."

"Alright Doc, work your magic." Rick said, elbowing Orpheus.

"Very well."

The necromancer placed his hands on Leonard's head and his chest, murmuring in an ancient language. Orpheus closed his eyes and a few moments passed before they opened again. A puzzled look appeared on his face.

"Strange."

"Huh?"

"It would seem that Leonard's soul is gone."

Holly, Rick, and Al frowned.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" Rick asked.

"I mean gone, it's not here. Not a trace. I can't sense anything from his corpse nor in the aether. Its as if it never existed or-or-"

"Or someone claimed it." Holly concluded grimly.

Orpheus nodded.

"So we're back to square one," Rick sighed.

"Not entirely," Orpheus said, moving his hands away from the corpse. He pushed Leonard's corpse aside and began digging through the pile of pillows until he withdrew a DVD case. On the cover was a man in a leather jacket, looking determined and carrying a futuristic gun.

Orpheus inspected the DVD case and handed it to Rick. "I sense very faint traces of residual energy. Perhaps something left behind by Leonard or his killer."

Al looked at the DVD case in Rick's hands and snorted. "Cyberspunk 2069?"

"I know, right?" Orpheus said with a shrug. "That is quite a terrible pun."

"I heard this was worse than the game!"

Rick opened the case and found only a disc. With no other choice or leads, Rick popped it into the DVD player. The video began in the middle as two men clad in leather arrived at a futuristic computer terminal. The protagonist, the man from the cover, looked at his comrade, a man with long black hair and aviator sunglasses. Electronic music thrummed in the background.

"What now, Johnny?" the protagonist asked.

"Now, Samurai," said the man in sunglasses, whose name, according to the subtitles, was Johnny Silverdong. "Now, it's time to jack me off."

"Ha ha, you mean jack you in, right?" the protagonist, named D, laughed nervously, holding up a USB cable and gesturing to the computer terminal.

"...No." Johnny said stoically as he began to unzip his pants.

Static filled the screen before the movie could proceed. When the static cleared, Leonard was all that remained on the screen. The elderly wizard looked haggard and older than before. He was sitting on his waterbed, hunched over and wheezing. Despite his weary appearance, the old man had a serious look fixed on his face.

"Hey, I was watching that!" Al whined.

"Shh!" Holly hissed as Leonard began to speak.

"If you're watching this, it looks like He caught up to me. Shocker, right? Who would've thought? Guess they were right…can't outrun an Elder God forever."

Leonard sighed and continued. "So…I had a Black Book-"

"Old news," Rick belched.

"-and, to make a long story short, I fucked up. I tried making a deal with the old god connected to it, and then I bailed on the deal. I made things worse by running, getting innocent people thrown in my way in hopes of appeasing the bastard, but it just slowed it down. Eventually, I decided to try to stop running and tried to make another bargain by offering another vessel. However-"

Leonard suddenly ducked as his trailer shook with a mighty roar in the background, with someone yelling at him in an unknown language that sent shivers up their spines.

"-as I just learned by now, making another deal doesn't cancel out the old one. So, yeah, in about a few minutes, I'm about to suffer a fate worse than death, and this time, I can't run anymore."

"Come on, get to the point already," Al said, waving a hand.

"Although that bastard's got me, I'm not beaten yet. I still have an ace up my sleeve that can save Connie and really put the screws on the Elder God."

Rick and the others listened carefully as Leonard explained his plan.


Steven emerged from the portal and saw that they weren't on Earth anymore. The sky was a dark shade of purple with sickly yellow clouds smeared across the horizon. Towering orange trees surrounded the rescue party, swaying gently in a warm breeze. Although everything appeared calm and peaceful, Steven couldn't help but feel worry. His friend was in the thrall of some eldritch being, driven by an insatiable need to win and could be hurting innocent people. On top of all that, everyone around him was armed and could potentially get hurt as well. Or worse.

"Which way?" Gary asked Steven, after everyone had prepared.

"I-I don't know…" the half-gem said bashfully. "I've never been to this Hexside place."

"I don't think we'll be having trouble finding this magic school of yours," Jefferson remarked, staring off toward the western horizon.

"What makes you say that?" Amethyst asked.

Jefferson nodded and everyone followed his gaze. In the distance, looming high above the trees, was an immense dome of blue mystical energy. The party gazed in shock.

"It's already begun," Gabe breathed in horror.

"Let's go!" Amethyst cried as she took off running toward the dome. Garnet, Steven, and the others hurried after.

Just as they neared the edge of the woods, Gabe grabbed Amethyst by the collar and directed the others to stop and to keep low. As Amethyst struggled to free herself from the pale wizard's grasp, Gabe made a shushing motion and pointed toward the dome. Steven followed Gabe's finger and felt his stomach turn.

In the clearing between the dome and the forest, dozens of horrific creatures lay in waiting. Steven had seen strange looking aliens before during his trip into space with Rick, but these creatures made those aliens look normal in comparison. If he were to describe them, Steven would say they looked like an assortment of animals and aliens crudely mashed together in bizarre combinations. The collection of monsters were scattered about the clearing, pacing back and forth or laying flatly against the grassy ground, as if they were waiting for the rescue party to emerge.

"Come on! We can take these guys!" Amethyst hissed.

"Maybe…" Gabe murmured, "or maybe this is exactly what they want us to think."

"Huh?"

"Meaning that there could be some Gaping Maws or Flesh Tearers buried under the ground, just waiting to gobble up any dumbass who comes charging in without thinking," Jefferson answered grimly.

"Speaking of dumbasses," Gary said, pointing to their left.

Everyone looked and saw two dozen figures in white charging down the dirt road that led up to the dome. At their head was a short, masked figure in golden armor and a matching white cloak. The monstrosities guarding the dome turned their attention toward the oncoming wave of white. Some of the white cloaked figures conjured up constructs of purple gunk, while others pulled flasks of glowing liquid from bandoliers full of bottles.

"Who are they?" Amethyst asked.

"The Emperor's Coven," Gabe answered. "Some skilled mages among them, however…"

"They're going to get butchered," Jefferson put it bluntly.

As they neared the monsters, the leader in the golden mask brandished a stave and unleashed a volley of golden energy bolts.

The bolts rained down on the creatures, hitting some while others bounced off the ground and ricocheted into nearby monsters. The bolts sizzled and hissed against gray flesh but didn't have any noticeable effect other than rousing them to battle.

In moments, the wave of white crashed against the horde of gray monstrosities. One of the lead mage's was sent flying by a punch from a monster that looked like an enormous, eyeless slab of flesh. Two more were suddenly pulled underground, their screams cut off by a loud, sickening crunch. Although they lost a few of their number, the mages of the Emperor's Coven put up a decent fight. Some mages hurled bottles of potions onto nearby monsters, which turned them into heaps of shrieking, melting meat and bone. Vines and roots erupted from the ground, hoisting what looked like a blob with a giant maw full of razor sharp teeth and crushed it, causing dark liquid to rain down on the combatants below.

Steven struggled to watch as the two sides fought, the injuries inflicted and the screams. But he forced himself to look on and hope that the mages prevail. However, as the battle dragged on, the mages slowly dwindled in number as more monsters emerged from the dome.

"We got to do something," Steven said.

Gabe and Jefferson looked on. Whether they heard Steven, he wasn't sure. However, when another mage fell, Gabe let out a sigh.

"Fuck it," he said and stepped out into the clearing.

Jefferson joined him and the rest followed.

Steven focused hard and conjured up his mother's shield.

With a grunt in an ancient language, Gabriel hurled a massive lightning bolt at the monsters. The bolt sheared through two and sent several others flying. Gary tapped on his silver wristband and a plasma rifle formed in his hands. Now armed, the blond laid down a couple volleys on the monsters closest to the beleaguered mages. Jefferson, Amethyst, and Garnet charged the enemy. Together, the trio carved a path of destruction through the monsters, slicing off limbs and heads and crushing skulls. A few monsters circled around the attackers and tried to get at Gary and Gabriel, who were laying down cover fire. However, Steven managed to entrap them in a large bubble and sent them rolling into their comrades.

Seeing an opening and reinvigorated by the arrival of help, the golden mage and his comrades renewed their efforts, summoning more abominations and vines and unleashing more magic bolts. Soon the monstrosities were dead or sent squealing back to the safety of the dome.

A grim silence fell on the clearing. The once tranquil peace was littered with dead and the anguished moans of fallen mages and monsters. Although they survived, nobody celebrated. Lives have been lost and there was still much to be done.

As Steven aided Gabe in healing the survivors, the mage in the golden mask, who was sitting on the ground nearby, bowed his head to the pale wizard.

"Thank you…" the mage in the golden mask said wearily, the voice sounding young and masculine. He looked around at the rest of the rescue party from Earth. "...all of you. On behalf of the Emperor's Coven and Emperor Belos himself, I thank you."

"Don't mention it," Gary said, switching out the burnt out battery pack on his rifle for a fresh one.

"Just make sure you don't something so suicidally stupid again, got it?" Jefferson said.

"Suicidally stupid?" the masked mage said in surprise. "This is just a small part of the Emperor's masterful strategy, his wisdom will see us through any trial."

"Ours is not to reason why; ours is but to do and die," Gabriel murmured with disdain.

"What strategy?" Gary asked. "And what are you guys doing here anyway?"

The masked mage took a deep breath and explained as Gabe began tending to his injuries. "Emperor Belos was supposed to have attended Hexside's entrance exams as part of a special inspection. However, the Emperor had other matters to attend to and had sent a representative in his stead. When that representative didn't return, and when we heard troubling news of-of" he gestured to the dome "...this, we feared the worst. So, after some reconnaissance, the Emperor has launched a rescue mission."

"And how was needlessly dying outside the dome going to help?" Jefferson asked.

"We were going to punch a hole in the dome and infiltrate it," The masked mage sniffed, "just as the rest of the Emperor's forces distracted these foul beasts at other key points around the dome. We…we didn't anticipate the level of resistance here, at what we originally assumed was its most vulnerable point."

He turned his head to Gabe and then to the others from Earth. "What about you? Why are you here?"

"We're here to save a friend," Steven answered firmly.

The masked mage tilted his head. "I guess we have something in common. How 'bout we work together? We could use some help and I'm sure the Emperor will reward you handsomely."

Before anyone could answer, above the silence, Steven and the others could hear the distant boom and crash of what he assumed was thunder. Judging from the mages and their reactions, it would seem that the distractions carried out by their comrades had just begun.

"Sure, but once inside, you'll follow our lead," Gabe said sternly.

"No arguments here," the masked guard said, "I just want to get everyone out of here alive and in one piece."

Gabe nodded. Once everyone was healed and ready to go, Gabe led the rescuers to the dome. The dome hummed softly and crackled and rippled when Amethyst struck it with her whip. The pale wizard raised his hands, murmured a long incantation in a strange language as he thrusted his hands into the shimmering blue surface of the barrier. With some effort, he moved his hands and created a small opening. Seeing how much strain Gabe was under, everyone dived in quickly, as did the pale wizard and the opening snapped shut.

The moment the opening shut, Steven felt like they had stepped inside another world. The world was bathed in a soft blue light, as if they were underwater. The air was cool and smelled like rotting fish and seawater. The masked mage pointed them in the direction of where they needed to go and Gabe took point.

Moving quickly and carefully, the would-be rescuers neared the campus proper. Positioned in the center of the dome was Hexside. The pale stone structure looked like a castle, with its lattice windows, pillars, towers, domes and turrets. Steven smiled a little, the sight reminded him of a book Connie described to him, a book about kids attending a wizarding school. He wished that his friend was there, knowing that she would've been squealing with delight and geeking out about the campus. But now…

Steven noticed some movement on the roofs and towers of the school, horrific shapes lurking about. While the grounds seemed devoid of enemies and friends, the building itself seemed to have more activity. Here and there, through the darkened windows, the boy saw shapes moving and brief flashes of lights.

As they got closer, an eerie and unsettled feeling began to creep up the boy's spine. On the grounds around the building was what looked like the ruins of a fair. Tents and booths, some destroyed, others still barely standing, scattered about like trash and covered in slime and algae.

"So far so good," Amethyst murmured as the group picked their way through the ruined fair.

"Hopefully your friends can make a very big distraction," Jefferson whispered to the masked mage. "Or else this is going to be a short and unpleasant trip."

"Don't worry about it," the masked mage assured the swordsman.

"I don't see any bodies," one of the white cloaked mages observed as he peered through the opening of a nearby barnacle covered tent.

"They've probably been taken," Gabe theorized.

"Taken?" asked another.

"To be sacrificed,"

"Sacrificed?" the golden masked mage squeaked. "Why? What for?"

"Long story," Gabe murmured as he crouched down.

The others followed suit as they came to a halt behind a line of overturned picnic tables and food carts. On the other side was the rear entrance to the school and it looked to be guarded. Flanking the doors were a pair of tall fish-like creatures. Of all the monstrosities they've encountered so far, these two looked to be the most…normal. The two stood tall and were lean and muscled. Both wore matching dark, scaled armor and were only armed with long, sharp claws. Their heads resembled anglerfish, though their eyes were bulbous and only one of the guards had a luminescent ray-fin on their brow.

"You are one ugly motherfucker…" Jefferson murmured, quoting a certain Austrian-American action movie star.

"What are they?" the golden masked mage breathed in disgust.

"Lurkers," Gabe answered. "While those things outside the dome act as cannon fodder and lower tier guards, these guys are the real deal. They're smarter and meaner and won't go down easy."

"Yeah, but…" Gary hefted his plasma rifle and pressed a button on the side. A scope popped up and he peered through it. "I suppose a sudden infusion of white hot plasma should fix that."

Jefferson placed a hand on the rifle and pushed it down. Gary looked at him questioningly but the swordsman nodded to their left, toward the forested hills behind the school. For a moment there appeared to be nothing but silence and a dark forest, partially illuminated by the light of the dome. But then Steven and the others saw shadows emerging from the trees and made their way toward the school. The would-be rescuers ducked as low as they could as the shadows got closer. Peering through a gap between the overturned tables and food carts, Steven saw that the shadows were in fact a group. The group was composed of four fish-headed lurkers and their leader, a hovering creature with a large, bulbous head. The creature resembled the thing that took Connie: pale, squid tentacles instead of a mouth, smoldering amber eyes. However, this squid thing's head was larger and more bulbous and its robes were tattered rags compared to the Keeper's purple and silver finery.

The contingent marched up to the side entrance, dragging with them nets holding a familiar looking woman and her furry little companion, who was trying to gnaw his way through the rope.

"Isn't that…?" the mage in the golden mask muttered under his breath.

"Release me!" the furry little creature squeaked angrily, "or you shall suffer the wrath of the King of Demons!"

"Give it a rest, King," Edalyn Clawthorne sighed. "There's no way you can break that net."

"I can break this net!"

"No you can't."

"Grrrraaaaaaaahhhhh!" the furry little creature screamed with effort as he tried to tear through the net with his claws. After a few moments, King gave up, slumping over and breathing heavily.

Steven looked to Gabe and the others who were readying themselves to act. Gabe was gesturing to Gary and making hand signs and nodding toward the bulbous headed creature in the lead.

The contingent arrived at the doors. The two Lurkers on guard straightened up and lowered their heads in respect toward the hovering creature. The creature made some grunts and squealing sounds and the two guards looked at the captives in the nets. They tilted their heads and one of them began licking its puffy lips, its sharp needle-like teeth dripping with saliva.

"Oh, you don't want to eat me, I'll just give you indigestion," Eda chuckled nervously. "Besides…" she pretended to gnaw on her own arm. "...no meat. Very boney."

"Indeed," the bulbous headed squid rumbled. "Your flesh would provide meager sustenance. Your magic, however…" The creature gestured and the two Lurkers stepped aside and the doors swung open "...would make a fine meal for my master."

As the squid creature turned to enter the school, Gabe and Gary acted.

The pale wizard suddenly appeared in the midst of the fish-headed warriors and grabbed hold of King and Eda. Before the Lurkers could react, Gabe, King, and Eda were gone. The moment the three had vanished, Gary lobbed a small silver ball into their midst. The moment the ball struck the sidewalk under them, the ball shattered and a miniature black hole appeared.

In an instant, the Lurkers and the bulbous headed squid were sucked into the hole, but not before they resisted. The Lurkers seized on anything they could grab hold, one even tried using one of his comrade's as a shield but their efforts were in vain. The floating squid creature lasted slightly longer. The creature lashed itself to one of the doors and began growling an incantation, but was interrupted when the door was torn off its hinges. Steven watched as the hovering creature's body stretched and spaghettified before getting pulled into the black hole like an ant being sucked down a drain. Once the creatures were gone, the black hole vanished, rendering the world still and quiet again.

Amethyst broke the silence by jumping up and pumping her fist. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" She paused and looked toward Gary "...uh that wasn't the thing that took Pearl, was it?"

"Nope," Jefferson said as he approached the spot where the blackhole once was. "That was a Seeker. Think of it as a Keeper in training. Not nearly as powerful, but still tough as hell and knows a lot about dangerous magic. Kinda surprised to see one here. They usually keep back and tend to the Drowned Library or go sucking the brains out of the head of some dumbass wizard who struck a bargain with the big boss."

"It means we're running out of time," Gabe said, appearing next to Jefferson with Eda and King.

Jefferson jumped a little and lightly chided his friend for startling him.

"W-What kind of magic was that?" the golden mage stammered, pointing to where black hole was and then toward Gary. "H-how…where did they go?"

"That was a miniature black hole," Gary explained, "made by a friend of mine and kept within a special container. I was hoping to save it for something more dangerous, but Gabriel explained to me how dangerous that Seeker thing was and I figured, why not? And as to where they went, well, those guys were torn apart, stripped down to their subatomic components and…" he trailed off as he noticed the golden mage and the rest of the members of the Emperor's Coven staring at him. "...and they're gone. Poof!" Gary made a small flourish with his hands, like a stage magician after performing a trick.

The golden mage merely stared while his comrades murmured in amazement and confusion.

"I could've handled that myself!" King sniffed, pouting a little.

"Sure you could, sport," Gabe said with a nod.

"Miss Clawthorne? What are you doing here?" Steven asked Eda.

"Well, it was getting late in the day and when I didn't hear from Luz and Matty, I got a little worried. Then I found this dome and I figured something went wrong. While those dorks from the Emperor's Coven-"

"Hey!" the golden mage whined.

"-kept those freaky monsters busy, I figured I could sneak in and find my wayward wards."

Eda frowned. "I almost got in, but that squid guy and his fish pals grabbed us. I…I hope they're alright."

"Don't worry," Gabe assured her "They're still alive, for now. They need them alive."

Eda smiled a little and, after looking Gabriel up and down, asked, "So…what're you doing after all this?"

"Focus!" King snapped, stomping his foot. "My subjects are in danger and we still have an enemy to destroy!"

"Right! Sorry." Eda turned and began marching away. "This way everybody!"

"Where are you going?" the golden mage asked, gesturing to the open doorway "We already have a way in!"

"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Eda replied, not looking back.

Gabriel shared a look with Jefferson and the two followed, as did Garnet, Amethyst and Steven. The golden mage hesitated for a moment, but when a shrill, inhuman scream tore through the stillness, he and his companions hurried after the others.

Steven kept close to Garnet as Eda led the rescue party down the tunnel.

The Owl Lady had led the group to a nearby flower garden with a row of statues and, after twisting the nose of a crooked faced witch, revealed a set of stairs leading to a passageway. The passage was narrow and musty but it was more preferable to the horde of monsters that thundered by overhead after they had closed the entrance behind them.

"How much further?" complained one of the golden mage's companions.

"We're almost there," Eda promised.

"Where does this tunnel lead?" Gary asked.

"The tunnel should lead us to a safe place hidden within the school where, hopefully, we can find survivors. If not, then we can use it to sneak around this seafood nightmare and cause trouble."

"And where is this 'safe place'?" the golden mage asked.

Eda smiled. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Eventually, they came to a door at the end of the lengthy passage. Eda moved to open it but Gabe had her wait and moved his way to the front.

"Just in case they're already waiting for us," Gabe said.

"Such a gentleman," Eda cooed.

Gabriel gently pushed the door open and soft orange light filtered in through the opening, along with soft chattering voices.

"...to get out of here!" whispered one voice.

"How!?" hissed a second. "Those monsters are everywhere!"

"Well we can't stay here," reasoned a third. "I barely made it out of the cafeteria alive and we're running out of food."

"We can't just abandon Luz and the others!"

Gabe opened the door further, revealing a spacious chamber filled with doors, windows and bookcases with a ramp spiraling high up through numerous levels with more doors and windows. In front of them, huddled around a collection of candles and light orbs, were a group of four students and what looked like a dog wearing glasses. All of them wore matching uniforms, including the dog-like creature, though their sleeves and leggings differed in color. Each of them looked tired and at their wits end.

Gabe emerged carefully, so as not to startle the students. The others followed and none of the chattering students seemed to notice their presence.

"What would Luz do if it was one of us that was captured!" asked one of the frightened students, a young dark skinned boy. "What if it was Jerbo or-or Barcus!"

One of the students, a brown haired girl with bangs, sighed. "She'd try to rescue us."

"But how?!" a lanky boy with a pointed nose asked. "How are we going to help? Their boss beat Principal Bump like he was nothing and those fish monsters outnumber us a hundred to one!"

"Sounds like you're in a real pickle." Eda said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

The students jumped in surprise and stumbled to hide or put up a defense. However, once they saw Eda and, after a nod of approval from the dog creature, they all relaxed.

"Miss Clawthorne!" cried a girl with glasses.

"Again, Willow, I told you that you can call me Eda."

"Sorry."

"That's okay. I'm glad to see that you and Gus are alright."

"What is this place?" Steven asked, looking around the doors and windows littering the chamber.

"Looks like a mini nexus," Gabe observed, "with portals and passages that lead, I'm guessing, to other parts of the school?"

"Got it in one!" Eda smiled. "Welcome to the Secret Room of Shortcuts!"

"Are you here to rescue us?" asked the brown haired girl "Does this mean the monsters are gone?"

"Not yet," Jefferson answered "But if you give us the rundown on what happened, we might be able to speed things along."

After some introductions, the girl named Willow explained what had happened. The entrance exams occurred like normal and Willow and Gus were there to show support for Luz and her new friend. But then some hooded figure appeared, shouting about a god of magic and then everything descended into chaos as the school was invaded by monsters.

"Principal Bump and the other teachers slowed them down but then that dome trapped us all inside." Willow sighed glumly. "They captured the teachers, the students, and their families."

"What happened to Luz and Matthias?" Eda asked.

Willow shrugged "We got separated. We were trying to find a way out and Luz told us about this place and we were on our way here when…when…"

"...when we were spotted by a floating squid monster," Gus added. "Luz went one way and we went the other and…"

Gus trailed off as well. Viney, the brown haired girl, concluded "And we managed to pull these two inside. We were in here, taking a break from detention, just as everything went crazy. Every now and then we'd sneak out to try and find some food and anyone else who managed to escape. But we might be the only ones left."

Silence filled the room for a moment. After a few moments, Gabriel smiled.

"Well, you don't have to worry about anything. We're here now. We're going to fix this."

"Hopefully," Jefferson muttered.

"Yeah, we already took care of one freaky floating squid." Eda said. "If all goes as planned, we'll all be home for dinner."

"Do you guys have a plan?" asked Viney, shocked.

"Kind of," Gabriel said, "but for now, we need to know where the enemy is keeping their captives."

Willow, Gus and the other students thought for a moment.

"I…I don't know." Willow said.

"Kind of hard to keep track of enemy movements when we're running for our lives," Gus added.

"It'd have to be a big space," Gabe explained, "somewhere big enough to keep all the captives in one place."

"Well, that would rule out this floor and all the upper floors," Jerbo said "I-I think I saw them drag Mr. Hornwood down stairs…maybe the auditorium?"

"Good place to start," Gabe nodded.

"But what about the fish monsters?" Willow asked.

"We can divide into teams," Gary suggested. "We'll need two teams to run interference and distract the guards, drawing them away from the auditorium. The third team will then move in to mop up the rest and rescue the captives."

"But wouldn't they just summon more monsters?" Gus asked.

"For now, most of their forces are being pinned down by the Emperor's Coven," the golden mage explained.

"And they can't risk summoning reinforcements," Gabriel added, "not unless they wish to draw the attention of their enemies."

"Sounds like a plan," Eda observed with a grin.

"But what about Connie?" Steven asked. "She's still with that Keeper guy and she's not acting like her usual self?"

Gary reached into his pocket and withdrew a small glass vial filled with glowing light-blue liquid. "Venom of the Vortian Dream Serpent: said to work on even magical beings. We'll tranquilize her and by the time she wakes up, this whole nightmare will blow over."

Steven nodded, though the young boy was still clearly worried.

After some discussion, everyone was assigned into groups. Eda would lead King, Willow, Gus and the other students and they'd be helping the golden mage and his comrades in drawing out any Lurkers remaining in the building. Using the doors of the Secret Room of Shortcuts, they'll appear at different points of the school's campus and lead the Lurkers on a wild goose chase. They would lead them away from the auditorium and would use any other shortcuts to stay a step ahead and keep the Lurkers guessing. Meanwhile, Gary, Steven, and the rest of the rescue party from Earth would make their way toward the auditorium and liberate the captives and stop the ritual.

"No matter what happens," Gabe told everyone as they gathered around their respective doors. "Don't get caught. They won't kill you. But, if we fail, then…let's just say death's probably more preferable."

Eda's lips tightened into a line while Gus and the others turned pale with fear.

Everyone took a deep breath and Gabe counted down.

"3…2…1…go!"

Everyone opened their doors at once, only for each team to be greeted by a contingent of Lurkers. Before anyone could react, one of the lurkers pulled out a glass jar full of glittering black powder and hurled it into the room. The moment the jar shattered against the stone floor, everything was engulfed in darkness and everyone quickly lost consciousness.


End of Chapter 3


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(a/n: I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you later!)