Theo looked a bit confused and worried.

"David, are you sure that you and Sarah are going to be okay?"

David nodded.

"We're pretty tough and we need to know how the tribe is doing."

Sarah didn't say anything, but Theo knew she was on board with the idea.

"Will you be okay?", she asked Theo.

Theo smiled.

"Don't worry about me.", he said soothingly, "I got five helpers at my beck and call with a couple more cards in case I find any others. Just be careful and always watch your step."

David and Sarah shared a hug with Theo before waving good-bye and slipping into the shadows of a nearby hall and soon the sound of their feet was heard until it faded. Theo turned to another hall and headed down it to come across some vines on the floor that looked plant-like, but fleshy at the same time.

"Guess I'm getting close.", he thought to himself.

Theo felt a chill as he got further down and soon the chill had grown in intensity the further he went down.

"What is with this cold?", he pondered, "And what was that Star Court clue I dreamed up about?"

As if to answer him, some particles in the air lit up and formed what Theo could describe as yet another riddle.

"Evil takes form and a dice will fall. Hold on to unity or you lose it all.", Theo read before the message disappeared and he headed down the hall again.

Soon, the hall opened into what looked like an open field with something in the distance. After adjusting to the light, Theo saw what looked like a sign with some writing on it. Thinking that it's a step in the right direction, he made his way down to ground level after calling on Quinten to help him down.

"What's the clue this time?", Quinten asked.

Theo told him as they walked towards the sign and Quinten looked thoughtful as Princess (in her human form) and Visitor came out and walked alongside them.

"Evil takes form and a dice will fall.", Quinten repeated, "Maybe some horror has the final dice."

Visitor nodded.

"And I'm betting the other half is the way to beat it.", he telepathically said.

Princess smiled.

"Hey, we got a cyborg and a cave mutant in our ranks. We'll have this dice in no time."

Theo frowned.

"Don't be too sure.", he cautioned, "Overlord may have only obeyed me cause it was a one time thing and Vincent is still pretty crazy about taking my dice to make himself a tyrant."

Princess then sighed and looked defeated.

"Good point."

/

Junior paused as he took a moment to look around.

"What is it?", Hyde asked, "Is Theo okay?"

Junior said nothing, but then Ted sniffed the air.

"We've got company."

Junior tensed as a nearby door rattled and opened to reveal a couple of teenagers in what looked like furs and Hyde looked confused.

"David? Sarah?"

The teens looked equally confused.

"Hyde?", David asked, "What are you doing here with those two?"

Ted frowned.

"Hey, I was almost lunch when my former employer deemed me as something no longer needed okay?"

Sarah observed Junior and looked more confused.

"What's his story?", she asked.

Junior smiled.

"Just the main attraction from the Little Shop of Horrors.", he said proudly, "Originally Mushnick's Flower Shop, but I guess with all the weird disappearances around that area, they started calling it Little Shop of Horrors and the name just stuck."

Hyde got over himself quickly.

"David, have you and Sarah seen Theo?"

David looked a bit worried.

"Why?", he asked.

"Cause he might be in danger and heading towards it.", Junior stated plainly though worry hung in his words too.

Sarah gasped.

"He's back there.", she said pointing in the direction of the door she and David exited, "Don't know what happened after that swarm of whatever those things are chased us."

Hyde looked a bit thoughtful.

"Could Hawkins be some kind of link to all this?"

Junior looked equally thoughtful.

"Could be, but that part cleared out a long time ago. Guess the residents couldn't handle the weird things going on."

David and Sarah looked his way.

"What kind of things?", Sarah asked.

"Would it have anything to do with those humanoids, dogs, and bats that were seen around lately?"

Junior nodded.

"Yeah pretty much."

Hyde looked alarmed.

"Then we need to pick up the pace!"

And after a brief good-bye and good luck, David and Sarah bolted off back towards the part of their realm where their former home was while Junior carried Hyde and Ted through the street until the ruins cleared to reveal an open area with something far off in the distance. They were on the right track.

/

Theo made his way past the sign as he read it.

"Welcome to Hawkins. A Fine Place to Live.", he read or at least could make out due to the sign being mostly faded and covered in those strange vines from before.

Theo had returned Visitor, Quinten and Princess back to their cards before he came in, but then they came out instantly.

"Guys, what are you doing?", Theo asked firmly, "You want to get us caught?"

Quinten looked apologetic.

"Sorry boss, but we're kind of hungry."

"I'm not.", Visitor telepathically said, "I just wanted to be with Theo for a while longer."

Theo rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but we need to go undercover."

Quinten didn't look so worried.

"Don't worry about it. Looks like nobody's lived here in years."

Theo tried to calm down. Quinten did have a point so he could live with some company while he was looking around this part of the realm. Still, the omen of dread came over him again and Visitor looked his way.

"You feel something?"

Then the ground rumbled and shook again making the group buckle.

"Uh-oh.", Quinten said looking pretty freaked out, "That ain't good."

That was when a group of what looked like Russian soldiers came around a corner and were armed. The one in the middle was clearly the leader since he was dressed like a general and looked a bit shocked to see the creatures with Theo before saying something in Russian to the others. The others raised their guns as if to fire and Visitor waved his hand to make the guns fly up just as the soldiers pulled the triggers causing a rain of bullets to go flying off as Theo bolted with his creatures right behind him while the general made a call on a radio.

"Great, now we have Russian psychopaths.", Theo thought as the sound of a tank was heard coming their way, "And now they have a tank!"

He got out his dice box and paused.

"Hold on, which dice was it again?", he asked himself as he went down the ones in the box, "Transfiguration, Explosions, Mutation, Summoning, Restoration-"

He paused and then took out the twelve-sided dice.

"Concealment!"

He had just rolled it and it landed on a 10 making the group vanish just as a tank rolled out, aimed their way, paused for a moment and drove on unaware that the group had ducked into a nearby alley and were moving on themselves.

/

Hyde gripped Junior's vine as the plant carried him and Ted towards what they could guess was what looked like yet another town, but the trio knew better.

"You sure this is the right place?", he asked cautiously, "It's very dull looking."

"The perfect place to blend in.", Ted stated, "Who would suggest evil hiding in a place like this?"

Junior said nothing, but then an idea came to mind.

"Guys, if there is going to be some trouble, we'll need reinforcements."

Hyde snapped his fingers as he noticed a pay phone not far off. After Junior came up to it, he let Hyde down so Hyde could pick it up and suddenly put it back.

"I forgot we have to pay for this thing's use.", he sighed.

Ted then sniffed the air and pointed towards a nearby store. Junior let him down and after he picked the lock, went inside to what looked like an office building, but fortunately the phones all worked though they looked unused for a long time. Soon, they were making calls to all over the realm and people were answering.

"We're in the old Hawkins place. Gather everyone you know, get some weapons and head over immediately!", they would say.

Even though most didn't take the news well, there were some who said they would. After what felt like a couple hours of making calls, the trio put their phones down for the final time.

"Well, it looks like the whole realm is coming here.", Hyde huffed before looking curious, "Hey, you guys hear rumbling?"

Junior looked outside and then looked their way a bit shocked.

"I think we've been hijacked cause there is some really angry looking mugs on their way and I don't think it's the welcome wagon."

Ted sniffed the air and looked a bit scared.

"Gunpowder, aggression, and way too much whisky.", he cautioned, "Not good."

Junior bolted for the back and managed to grab Hyde and Ted on the way just before the door busted down and some soldiers started coming in with large firearms.

"Halt!", one called out, "In the name of-"

"We don't halt you big dumb apes!", Ted declared as Junior broke through the back wall and was outside yet again.

Junior continued to speed down the street while Hyde looked hopeful.

"You think our message got through?"

"I hope so.", Junior said looking upward, "We need all the help we can get. For Theo's sake."

/

Far outside the part of the realm, Dr. Stillman and Ben were driving with a crowd of people from Sierra Vista driving several other vehicles behind her. Ben however was in the back looking like he was about to lose a family member.

"I can't believe the people from that town actually came to help.", Dr. Stillman commented, "Wonder why they did."

"Just keep driving.", Ben said with tears in his eyes, "Dad's in trouble!"

Dr. Stillman looked his way confused.

"You sure?", she asked.

"He told me.", Ben answered, "Even from far away, he's still able to hear me."

Dr. McCann pulled up near Dr. Stillman looking both annoyed and firm.

"I still think that phone call was a prank. Even if we're having to fight off these…demonic..humanoid…things!"

Dr. Stillman looked his way just as firm.

"Michael, for once in your life could you not be such a jerk?!", she snapped, "Theo's in danger and we're going to help him."

Dr. McCann recalled that one time when the "visitor" had told him about and calmed down a bit, but not much. Before he could talk, the cars screeched to a halt as a group of people wearing faded and worn clothes with some homemade spears in their hands.

"Hey, what gives?", one called out who looked like an elder.

"We're on our way to the old Hawkins place.", Dr. Stillman explained.

The elder looked a bit more at ease.

"We're heading there too. Some weird weather started showing up along with these really ugly monsters."

"Us too.", Dr. McCann stated, "And we just got a call from someone to head over there asap."

One of the younger members of the crowd of people looked interested.

"Can we get a lift?"

Just then, a police squad showed up with Detective Grillo and Stephanie in the lead car drove up and parked alongside the cars that Dr. Stillman and Dr. McCann had.

"We got room.", Detective Grillo stated.

Thor who had come along as well barked twice.

/

Theo hurried down the street. His creatures had returned to their cards and he thought he had gotten away from the soldiers far enough.

"Whew, that was close."

"You think you've gotten away?"

Theo felt his nerve freeze. There was that voice again and it didn't sound scared.

"You've only brought the dice to me."

Theo tried to steel his nerve.

"I'll never give up anything."

That was when a large light flashed on him and the sound of guns cocking. Theo's eyes barely adjusted to see soldiers like the ones from before only they had what looked like some of those dog creatures with them on chained leashes.

"Hand over the box Theo.", the general stated firmly, "Or be shot on the spot."

Theo tossed the box away just in time for one soldier to fire a grenade which dispersed a gas that made Theo sneeze and fall to the ground unconscious. The dice box bounced a couple times in the alley before the cards fell out and all five creatures materialized. Quinten and Princess saw the soldiers take Theo into a car and drive off while Overlord and Visitor kept Vincent from giving them away.

"They got Theo.", Quinten said a bit worried.

"Hey, we'll get him back.", Visitor said telepathically.

Vincent looked annoyed.

"I'm not.", he said, "Not while I have-"

"If you do, those soldiers will cause Theo severe suffering."

Vincent looked outraged.

"Nobody causes Theo pain before me!", he declared, "I'm in!"

Overlord looked amused as he claimed the dice box.

"Of course you are.", he said.

Quinten and Princess turned to the other three.

"Okay twisted creatures, it's time to officially begin a rescue mission!"

Visitor nodded and put a hand out. One by one, the rest did the same.

"For Theo!", they all said in unification.