As the last guest finished up their speech for the newlyweds, Becky made her way over to the podium, thanking them before taking the mic. "I'd like to thank everyone again for coming all this way to celebrate and for all your kind words." She said, the crowd applauding. It was clear Becky had been crying through most of the speeches, her cheeks stained red. All the words of advice, stories, and general wishes for a bright future warmed her heart with joy for her next chapter in life with Dave. Her mother stood beside her, comforting her daughter as she continued,
"I would like to end the night with a special speech for my husband Dave by a man who has truly changed his life for the better and has been a close mentor to Dave since college. Balthazar, if you're ready." She announced. The audience applauded once more as the man in question stood up, his posture reserved as he made his way to the podium. Dave was shocked, Balthazar typically did his best to keep himself out of the public eye or any social interactions that weren't necessary.
Balthazar stood in front of the podium, to most, he seemed relaxed but if you looked closely you could see the tension in his shoulders, the smile was more of a reaction of nerves than a true smile. It has been a long time since Balthazar has had to speak to a crowd. Yet, to even his own disbelief, as he began his speech, the nerves disappeared. He became more comfortable in his words, only struggling to keep himself composed emotionally as he talked about how much Dave has accomplished. Even Dave wasn't able to keep a few tears from spilling after hearing his mentor speak about him with such pride and gratification of having Dave as his apprentice.
"As I close off with my final words, if there is one thing I want Dave to take away from all my old man garble is…" The crowd laughed at his light joke, not noticing his once confident tone faltering as he looked up from the podium feeling a strong and dark magical presence hit him. His eyes scanned the crowd, locking on a bright jeweled cane top, Horvath. The man in question stood in the back of all the tables, gone unnoticed by anyone but Balthazar. That dreadful smirk curled on his lips as he gave an insincere wave as if they were old pals.
Balthazar cleared his throat, the crowd becoming confused by his sudden pause. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin Dave's wedding by addressing Horvath which would surely turn into a battle soon after. He gathered his thoughts, he needed to finish.
"One thing I want Dave to take away is that even when you see the dark on the horizon, you are never without light when you stay true to yourself." He finished, the crowd giving a standing applause as he hurried off the stage and gave the mic back to Becky. He was unable to focus on what Becky started to say, keeping his eyes locked with Horvath who ushered him over. His breath was ragged, two years of searching and finding nothing only for him to appear right under their noses, at Dave's wedding no less. Horvath was one for dramatics but this was low, even for him. He needed to get Horvath away from the guests, he wouldn't allow Horvath to ruin Dave's one night of normalcy.
"Balthazar?" He heard Becky call out. He turned, seeing her alongside Dave and Veronica catch up with him. They could tell something was wrong but had yet to see the severity of the situation. As Veronica neared she felt the wave of dark magic wave over her, snapping her attention towards where Horvath stood. Balthazar could feel it once more, Horvath likely using a spell to cover his presence but it was wavering. Dave and Becky follow her gaze, Becky turning sheet white while Dave looked physically sick. Dave turned towards Balthazar, reaching into his pocket to grab his ring,
"What is he doing here?" He asked, his voice tense.
"I don't know why but I suggest you put that away unless you want everyone here involved," Balthazar commanded, any hint of his typical soft demeanor gone. Dave nodded, putting it back.
"I'll guide the guests away from here. Please, stay safe." Becky said, giving Dave a quick kiss with worried eyes. Dave nodded, squeezing her hand before she ran off to the podium announcing there was a chance of a short drizzle and that they could take cover in the main building till it passed.
"No Becky? Don't tell me I came all the way here and can't congratulate the bride?" Horvath taunted as the three approached. Dave scowled, he knew Horvath was just trying to get a reaction out of him but it was working.
"What are you doing here Horvath?" Balthazar demanded, cutting to the chase. Veronica stood by his side, this being the first time she's seen Horvvath in the flesh in centuries. They had chased the rumors and leads of him still lurking around but nothing ever came of it. She had slightly hoped she'd never have to face him ever again after what he did against Merlin, the actions she had to take because of his selfishness yet there he stood as if nothing had happened.
"I'm simply here to congratulate the newlyweds, it's not every day a man is able to obtain the love of the woman he cares for most." He jabbed, Veronica's shoulders tense, stepping closer to Balthazar. Dave is still on edge, he wants nothing more than to assure Becky and everyone else made it in safely. It never could be 'a simple congratulations' when it was coming from a man who nearly wiped out all of mankind.
"A letter would have sufficed," Balthazar stated
Horvath scoffed out a laugh, "Is it too much for me to want to see how the esteemed Merlinian has grown? It's been years since we've last caught up Dave, how are things holding up? It seems you have a lot on your shoulders. Poor Dave, it must be difficult to balance everything between being the Prime Merlinian, a son, a devoted husband. You have a lot on your plate, Dave, I wonder how long will it take until you let one slip through the cracks?-" Before he could continue, Dave stops him,
"Enough, what do you want out of this?" Dave asks, his patience thinning. His hand unconsciously toys with the dragon ring in his pocket which didn't go unnoticed by the man in front of him.
"What do I want? what I wanted was taken from me a long time ago! You took everything from me." He seethes, his casual demeanor gone, eyes snapping from Dave to Balthazar. His cane glowed subtly, "I will stop at nothing to make you go through the same suffering as I have for centuries until you feel the pain of losing someone dear to you." his glare landing onto Veronica.
"You better have a good balancing act Dave, or you're not going to notice what you're missing before it's too late." He finishes, lifting his hand to reveal the dragon ring that was in Dave's pocket seconds earlier. Dave could feel his heart drop to his core, how? He pulled out what he was fidgeting in his pocket, just an old bulky ring. To Dave's slight relief, Horvath tossed the ring back, Dave fumbling to catch it in time.
Balthazar strode in front of Dave, ring on as Veronica cast a few protection sigils onto Dave. Balthazar was used to having Horvath focus his goals around his demise, it made Horvath predictable and easier to keep him from harming others that weren't involved. Balthazar didn't have a lot that Horvath could use against him, even if he were to go after Dave or Veronica to get to him they at least could fight back. But Dave? There was too much at stake, too many variables in the approaches Horvath could take.
Horvath smirked, he had struck a chord through all of them. He adjusted his coat, reaching into it to pull out a small square box wrapped with a large bow. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the gift. He tossed it at Dave's feet, "It was lovely to catch up again Dave, we should do this again soon." He said, striking his cane on the ground twice to make his leave,
"Oh, by the way, you should check up on that young girl you seemed to upset earlier. She was rushing off in tears, I hope she's alright." Horvath advised in false concern, his entire figure bursting into flames alongside the gift. From the ashes of the box, a raven rose from the flames. It gave a sharp caw towards Dave, causing him to flinch back. It flutters its wings aggressively before flying off into the night sky. Balthazar watched grimily as it disappeared into the night, this was a declaration against them all.
Time seemed to slow down for Dave, his senses dulling. A young girl crying? Who… his eyes widened, his heart panged hard against his ribs, threatening to burst. He could hear Balthazar speak to him but the words came out muffled and garbled. Where did she go? How long had it been since anyone saw her?
"Dave!" Balthazar barked, grabbing Dave's shoulders roughly. Dave snapped out of his state for a moment, moving his lips to tell Balthazar they needed to find Marty but nothing was coherent. Dave tried to pull away from Balthazar, he needed to get to Becky, she would know if Marty made it in with the other guests. Balthazar kept his grip firm,
"Dave, you need to breathe, panicking is only going to make this more difficult." He said, not taking his eyes off Dave as he took a deep breath for Dave to copy. Dave nodded, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to calm his shaking form and erratic breathing.
Dave couldn't remember the last time he had a panic attack this bad. He was good under pressure when it came to himself, even when Becky was being held hostage by Horvath he was able to keep calm to save her. In those situations, he could take action to save her/himself. Even if it was small, he had some control over how they would play out. Being in the dark though rattled him to his core. He didn't know what scene he would find when they found Marty, if she was alright or missing or d- he didn't even want to think of that being a possibility.
"We need to find Marty." He was finally able to say. Balthazar and Veronica looked at each other, finally clicking to what Horvath was referring to. Before any more could be said, Dave pulled from Balthazar's hold, quickly putting the ring on as he rushed towards the main venue. Balthazar and Veronica followed suit, Balthazar casting a spell to alert him of any magical presence nearby which would inform him if Horvath was still lurking and/or where Marty might be.
"Dave, you're ok!" Becky said, rushing over and embracing him in a hug. She pulled back, looking at Dave in concern when she felt his rough breathing. "Is everything alright?"
"Have you seen Marty?" Dave asked, turning his attention to scan the crowd but it was too dense to know if she was amongst them. Becky could feel the tension through them all, had Horvath done something to her?
"No, I haven't. I know you said to give her space but when I didn't see her come in with everyone I asked your parents but they hadn't seen her either." Becky said, scoffing. "They didn't even seem too bothered or concerned, saying she'd appear eventually." She muttered. Her eyes narrowed in concern, brows lowering as Dave's hands began to shake, his face paling.
"Did Horvath?..." She trailed off, hoping she was misinterpreting the situation.
"I- I don't know." Dave admitted, "I don't know where she is or if that's who Horvath was talking about but I need to find her." Becky squeezed Dave's hand,
"We'll find her, I'm sure she's ok" She reassured, "Why don't we check outside, has anyone checked the maze yet?" Dave shakes his head.
Becky and Dave rushed through the maze, the cool breeze of the night air washing over them but it does little to calm their nerves. Balthazar and Veronica close behind them, giving Dave space not wanting to make the situation feel tenser than it already was. Balthazar's spell had confirmed some magical presence in the center of the maze though it was difficult to decipher if it was her or a magical artifact due to a strong unknown presence surrounding the area. To the relief of the group though, this presence likely wasn't Horvath's doing but it also made it difficult to tell if he had/was in the maze until they got close to the source.
As they turn a corner, Dave bumps hard into somebody who stumbles back. He could feel the dread lift off his shoulders at the sight of who was in front of him, Marty. "Hey, watch it" she snapped, though her expression didn't match, eyes bouncing around the others who were behind Dave, frowning. At first, she thought Dave and Becky were there for some time alone but that explanation went out as soon as her eyes locked with the two older strangers behind them. They all seemed relieved seeing her, were they looking for her? She could feel her cheeks fluster red, hoping that wasn't the case. Were her parents looking for her too? She'd never hear the end of it if they were.
Marty takes a step back, shocked as Dave embraces her in a tight hug. Her body tensed, not returning the hug, what is up with Dave? He let go after what felt like forever, placing his arms gently on her shoulders and scanning her to make sure she wasn't hurt. "I'm glad you're ok." He says.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Marty snapped back, this was getting awkward. She didn't even know the majority of the people watching them intensely. Dave clenched his jaw at her attitude, yep she's alright.
"Let's just not wander off for hours without telling anyone where you are again." He said, patting her shoulder with a faint smile that was a mixture between relief and annoyance. Of course Horvath didn't do anything, he was one for theatrics. He'd rather you be present for his big scheme than to do it behind your back. It was a bluff to get to Dave and it worked. This would've been a lot easier had Marty not run off. He was just glad she hadn't gotten hurt.
Though this wasn't how Marty read his expression, "Whatever 'Dad', maybe don't get a venue with a maze if you don't want people in it." She scoffed, purposefully bumping shoulders with Dave as she stormed off. Dave realized too late how rude that came out. This really was going to be a rough start to their summer together.
Marty glanced at the others, momentarily forgetting they were also there. Her once annoyed stride turned into a more meek shuffle around them. She didn't like how much attention was on her right now. Balthazar's gaze followed her form as she passed. He could barely sense the magic coming off the wisteria. Wisteria was known to shroud magical presences which was likely why it was hard for him to sense what was at the center of the maze. Had he not been intently paying attention, he likely would've missed it but there was a magic essence residing on the flowers. Unfortunately, the wisteria's nature made it impossible to tell if it was Horvath's or not.
"Who gave you the flower crown?" Balthazar asked. The others looked at him confused, not noticing it until now. She stopped as she contemplated her answer,
"A friend made it for me in the garden." She says, before walking off, not explaining further.
a pregnant pause falling over them as she left their line of sight. "You don't think?" Dave began, not wanting to speak it into fruition but Balthazar shook his head,
"Likely not considering she's unscathed. My guess is that he hasn't realized you two are related or else this would've turned out far differently but that won't last for long." He turned towards Dave, "With Horvath's declaration, we'll have to prepare for his next move and with your sister staying this summer, it's only a matter of time before he discovers your relation with her."
"We can protect her, add a few more sigils around my apartment. It would take a long time for Horvath to get through them, even longer if he didn't want us to notice." Dave started, knowing what Balthazar was suggesting,
"You can't keep her locked away there all summer-" Balthazar argued back, before Dave could retort Veronica voices her concerns,
"I know this choice is a difficult one to make but I have to agree with Balthazar this time. Horvath made it clear he isn't only after revenge against us but you as well. We don't know how far Horvath will go to get to you. Shouldn't we at least let her know of the danger she might face so she's prepared?" Veronica suggested. Dave stood there contemplating their other options before sighing, she was right,
"I think we at least need to know what Horvath's aim is here first; we still have time before our relationship is discovered. Would we even have a ring for her to practice magic with?" He asked. No response was given, confirming his suspicion, "Knowing Marty, the moment she learns about magic, she's going to get herself in over her head whether or not she can use it yet. Remember when I was just learning magic? I wasn't even looking for trouble and it still found me." he said, remembering the David Stone situation,
"Horvath has already displayed he has a few new tricks up his sleeves," He continued, showing his ring to emphasize his point, "Her being aware of magic is just going to put a bigger target on her back so the less she has to know the better. Can we at least wait until she has the ability to use magic to protect herself?" He finished. He didn't want to get Marty tied into this mess but they were right, it was ignorant to think Horvath wouldn't get her involved eventually.
Balthazar thought about it for a moment, while it wasn't ideal, it was a start. "Veronica and I can start searching for one, it shouldn't be too difficult." Veronica agreed, "If it comes down to it, we might need to make one but that would take too much time that we don't have." He said.
"Thank you," Dave said, relieved. He brought Becky into a side hug, emotionally exhausted from the night's 'lively' event. Becky smiled, wrapping her arm around his as well.
"Well, let's not let Horvath ruin the rest of the night, shall we?" Becky suggested, turning towards Dave and giving him a soft peck on his cheek. This likely would be their last night of normalcy before Horvath's revenge would begin.