The Return to Gravity Falls

by EZB

Mabel and Dipper return to Gravity Falls three years after their life-altering summer vacation spent with their Grunkle Stan, to find that Gravity Falls never stops being, well, weird. As the twins encounter old friends and reconnect with the supernatural inhabitants of Gravity Falls, new dangers lurk just outside of the knowledge of Uncle Stanfords old journals.

55. Fires of Hate: Part 1

"Please, if you could merely lower him to the ground."

Arline Hirsh stood strong, holding the eighteen-year-old magic caster with one arm. She had locked her eyes onto the old man, the blue orbs fiercely glaring at him with intensity unmatched. The twins, Dipper and Mabel, stared at Omir Steindorf, but with wide eyes of shock and confusion. Arline after a moment to consider the request, dropped the man from her clutches. Graupner crumpled to the ground like a broken marionette.

Omir Steindorf smiled gently. "Thank you," he told Arline. Graupner scrambled back to his feet, and rushed over to the side of Omir. Once he did, the older man reached over, and patted dust off of Graupner. "Are you alright?" he asked the Warlock.

Graupner, gulping angrily, pushed the hands away from him. "I'm fine! Stop it, boss," he growled.

Omir sighed, eying Graupner's shoulders and back. "You've gotten dust all over yourself. We're going to have to get you new clothing soon. I know that life hasn't been easy, since you left, but come now, Graupner. Have you learnt nothing on maintain your wardrobe from me?"

Graupner, red in the face, shook as she shouted, "I am fine! Stop coddling me!"

In the same manner a proud parent would to a tired child, Omir chuckled. He turned to the twins and Arline. "Apologies, truly. Graupner has been undergoing quite the trial. It's made him terribly grouchy."

Mabel raised a hand. Omir blinked, chuckled, and pointed to. "Yes, Miss Pines?"

"Hi, me, Mabel the Magnanimous here," Mabel started, and then yelled, "Aren't you dead!?"

Omir chuckled, and held his hands aside. "My fate was greatly exaggerated."

To her brother's dismay, Mabel beamed. "Oh, thank goodness! It was nice to have another boy around here who actually knew how to match colors!"

Omir held a hand to his side, laughing with Mabel. He slapped a hand on Graupner's shoulder, saying, "I know! Poor kid," he said, eying the young Warlock, "Thinks black with black is a fashion choice."

Graupner snarled quietly, "It is."

Dipper yelled, "You died!" The amused laugher died away. Mabel, wincing a little at Dipper's intensity, settled. Omir eyed the boy. Dipper, breathing heavily, reminded them, "I watched you fall into the hole! You… you were falling–"

Omir held up a hand, shaking his head. "A deception, Mister Pines. You see," he explained, "I opened up that hole in the ground."

"What?" Dipper gasped.

"Oh yes," Omir nodded, "I am not so easily taken by mere dirt. That said," he looked slowly over, his eyes hardening as he focused on Graupner, "I am disappointed at someone's reaction. Explosives could have hurt innocent people."

Graupner, resisting the urge to flinch, argued weakly, "No one else would have found it."

Omir shook his head, his nostrils flaring. He looked mildly upset. "We will continue that discussion of what we consider necessary reactions when this is all over."

Dipper called out, hungering for knowledge, "You– you're the person who helped Graupner from the start!"

Omir, turning back to him, nodded. "Oh yes. Graupner and I go way back," he said cheerily, putting an arm around the younger man's shoulders. Graupner scrunched his nose, glaring at Omir.

Arline quietly, but loud enough for them to hear, "So it wasn't Maximillion."

Mabel whipped to her. "Wait, what?" She demanded, looking at the martial artists, "You thought Zander worked with Warlock!?"

Arline, quickly and heatedly, explained, "Well, yeah! I knew that he needed someone rich to be financing him, and there were three targets. The Northwests kept getting the short end of the stick, so it wasn't them. After Steindorf seemed to have killed, it really narrowed down who I thought it could be," she said, and added in an angered mutter, "And some other reasons."

Dipper exclaimed, "But, then, why!?"

Omir repeated, "Why? Why all this deception?"

Dipper, exasperated, shouted, "Yes! You literally helped fund the Business convention! You commissioned the police to find Warlock! You got us to help you find him yourself!"

"Yes, each thing you said is correct," Omir nodded, smirking, "I have been very thorough in my appearances. The art of deception is to completely mask intention. And that, I seem to have very much succeeded, save for Arline's cleverness. Suspecting me was a safe assumption. The rich are often related to such things. That said, that bumbling musician has, I am certain, no real idea what is going on."

"Hey!" Mabel angrily cried out, catching Omir off-guard, "You be nice to him! He's only been sweet to everyone around him!"

At Mabel's insistence, Omir cleared his throat. "You're right, that was rather uncalled of me. I apologize," he said. Graupner scowled, and Omir smiled at him. "See? It's that easy," he told the younger man in black.

"You're letting them boss you around," Graupner seethed, and then pointed angrily at the three, "We should just kill them already!"

The twins gasped, "What!?" And Arlines arms ignited immediately.

Omir held up both his hands, "Now, wait, hold on, everyone, please!" he insisted. His hand was firmly placed on Graupner's arm. "We cannot say such things so easily. Death and life are not to be used as easily as our spells, son."

"Son?" Dipper gasped.

Graupner pulled himself from Omir. "I am not his son," he spat.

Breathing heavily, Omir stated, "Our relationship is a complex one. I suppose, you can say that I am his warden, and he my ward."

"Wait," Dipper spoke up, his fingers numb and his body shaking. "I get it. I think I finally get it." Omir turned his gaze expectantly to Dipper. "This is a corporate take-over scam!"

"Oh?" the older man hummed, scratching his smooth chin.

"Yeah," Dipper stepped forward, a confident grin about him, "You came here with the promise that this town would be the new business center for the Pacific Northwest Region. You said it yourself – 'this town is ripe for the taking', remember? So, you tasked, who else, the Northwests to build the convention. But you deliberately sabotaged the convention, attempting to discredit the Northwests reputation for holding events and conducting business. Then, after all of this, you could take all that they-"

Omir started to laugh. Dipper held his tongue, as the old man shook his head with a warm smile. "Well, Mister Pines, you had an interesting start," Omir cut in, suppressing his withheld laughter, "But no. This has nothing to do with my company."

"But I hadn't finished," Dipper grumbled, "You're looking for something to solidify your claim to the area! Something that will, uh," Dipper stared at Omir, who was still grinning, "That would give... you an edge to control-"

"Already it is also incorrect," Omir shrugged.

"What?" Dipper gasped. "But, uh, then, you've-"

"Oh my gosh, just start explaining already!" Mabel cried out, "I've been dying to figure what the heck-a-doodle has been going on!" The four stared at her as she panted. Mabel glanced at Dipper warningly once more.

"I was just going to guess one more time," Dipper admitted with a pout.

Omir suggested, "I'd be more than happy to explain what is going on," Omir said.

"Really?" Arline glared at him.

"Absolutely."

Graupner sounded like he was choking. He cleared his throat, actually slapping his collar harshly before snapping, "You're just going to tell them-"

"Yes, I am. Now, please, let me speak, son," Omir told him. Silenced yet again, Grauper crossed his arms tightly and glared. Omir faced the three and smiled. "Now... I'll answer some questions now."

Dipper fired away like he was dueling in the wild-west. "Who are you, really?" Dipper asked. "You made it clear you don't care about the wealth of the town, and you were buried back in the junkyard base!"

"We thought you died," Mabel asked, saddened by the memory.

Omir nodded, "Yes. As I said, an effective deception. Dipper," he looked to him, his face cresting down slightly in something akin to an apology, "I know you saw me. I am sorry for the duress I caused. But, to answer bluntly, I am looking for an object I refer to as the Starkissed stone of conservation, and a means to utilize it."

"Damn it," Arline took a step back, her fists balled up.

"Is there a problem," Omir asked her carefully, "Student of the paths?"

"You bet there is," she told him.

"Master, what's up?" Mable asked, taking a cue from her master and stepping further away from Omir, leaving Dipper the closest.

She looked to the twins, but it was Dipper who answered for Mabel, "That's the stone!" he told her, "The heart of the forest."

Omir gasped, amused. "You know of it, do you?" He laughed, "I am impressed! Well, know that I am seeking it. It is crucial in a plan that I have held in my heart for a very, very long time."

"To what," Arline growled, "Rule the world?"

Omir scoffed with displeasure, "Hardly. I have no desire to lead any more than I already must. That, too, is perhaps too much. No, the stone is a key, not to destroy, but to save."

"Save?" Mabel repeated, "You want to save something?"

Omir nodded, adding, "Someone, Miss Pines. It is actually why Graupner was traveling. A bit ago," he explained, again trying to put a comforting hand on the blond man, "Graupner and I got into a disagreement. As my son–"

"-Not son," Graupner snarled, and stepped away.

Omir chuckled. "Oh, you," he said, and stayed to himself for the time, facing the twins and Arline, "I tasked him to aid my quest. You see, we both believed differently about his ability. I believed that such powers and responsibilities were too much for someone so young. To my surprise, Graupner took to it magnificently!"

Graupner turned on him, and yelled, spit flying from his face, "You cursed me! I had to do it, or else you wouldn't remove it!"

As Omir withered at the shouts, Dipper thought. He said, before Omir could say something apologetic, "That's why he's always looking in pain when he talks!"

Omir sighed. "Yes, an overaction on my part," he admitted, nervously adjusting his tie. "You see, Graupner had gotten himself in trouble with the law, again," he groaned, "And I was frankly getting tired of spending money to bail him out. So, after a heated discourse between us, I decided that it would do him good to understand the importance of concision and thought before speaking."

Graupner stepped up to Omir, veins in his face twitching. "I… feel pain… opening my mouth and saying anything!"

Omir nodded solemnly. "Yes. I know, my son. I am truly-"

Graupner shouted, "I am not your son! You're my boss!"

Omir leaned back, but continued, "-Sorry for what I did. Still!" he then cheerfully looked to the others, "Look at his ability! He came to the right town! He found the right clues! What took me decades to uncover, he did so in a matter of years!"

Dipper angrily mused, glaring at the Warlock, "You honestly could have done worse. Graupner is horrible."

Omir cleared his throat, and looked between them. "Now, now, I know there was some questionable choices my ward has done, but Dipper, please consider," Omir asked of him, "Water under the bridge! We can move on. Now," he cleared his throat. The look between Graupner and Dipper looked anything but amicable. Omir asked, "Where was I?"

Mabel easily answered, "Your master plan!"

"Ah, yes!" Omir grinned at Mabel, "Thank you, my dear."

"Anytime," Mabel beamed.

Omir continued his explanation. "You see, I must save someone. Not destroy, or ruin, or dominate, but restore. My entire quest, for as long as I can remember, has been to undo a great tragedy that happened long, long ago. I must use magic to do so. But there is not enough magic in our day and age. I need the old worlds magic. See, not even with my wellspring, which, speaking humbly, is formidable, would I have enough to complete my task."

Arline honed in on that, "Is that so?" she asked, "Formidable magic?"

Dipper asked, "Old world magic?"

"Ah," Omir mused the question, "That is a fair point. Most people don't know about that anymore. Well, I'm certain you three know that there is more to this world than just the schemes and projections of science," he started, "more to the universe. It is more complicated, more mysterious, and unpredictable than what a formula or a million equations can possibly predict."

Dipper argued, "I don't know about a million equations."

"There is magic in this universe," Omir continued, "More magic than anyone realizes- maybe more than even I realize," he added, glancing above him in quick thought. "But as many things, there was once much, much more than there is now."

"Wait, what?" Dipper asked, "There was once more magic? Then today?"

The old man nodded. "Yes. The stories and tales of past magicians, wizards, magic-users of the world – they are not just fairy tales. They all existed."

"We know," Mabel said as she frowned, "We've met a lot of magical animal and people."

"I'm certain you have," Omir warranted, "But the numbers of today pale in comparison to those that once were."

Dipper gasped, his fingers tingling. "I get it!" he cried out, and pointed to him, "You're trying to do something with the decline of magic in our universe!" He heaved with excitement, having rushed out his words in a hurry. Omir stared at him; soft disappointment etched in his furrowed brow. "No?" Dipper asked.

"Would you stop interrupting!?" Mabel told him.

Omir waved a hand, trying to assuage them. "No, no, the reason I tell you this is because something caused the depletion in Magic to happen. These sorts of things don't just fade out – and the amount of magic missing from our region of the universe in comparison to the rest of the universe is constant, and staggering," he paused, and held out his own hand, where a small orb of perfect white light suddenly appeared in his palm. He shifted it side to side, and it flowed and ebbed like a droplet of water. "Such tricks like this used to be for fun. If I did this in front of someone today, they start asking where the wires all are. Once, people of my study would ask how long it took me to visualize the epicenter of the Arcana. Honestly, it's a Miracle that people believe in magic at all these years."

Arline scoffed. "A miracle. Is that what you call terrorizing innocent people while putting their lives in danger?" Arline asked. Omir flicked his eyes to her from the orb in his hand, and he grasped the ball of light, snuffing it out. His eyes burned with a deep-rooted conviction, and he continued.

"I have been looking for a stone from the last Great Council of Mages, lost and hidden from the world for the past six hundred years. It holds power of the old world of magic, the power that will allow me to complete this long, awaited task. I," Omir puffed out his chest, and looked above with great pride, "Am the last true member of this council. A stand alone, solely with the right to its claim. And now, I have finally found it."

"Wait, wait, wait," Mabel held out her hands, "You have magic. You're... super-duper old, and it's taken you this long to find a rock?" she asked, "One we found by accident?"

"I- wait," Omir gasped and looked to her, "You... what?"

"We found it," Mabel declared again, crossing her arms, "By accident."

Omir stared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly as his eyes focused in and out on her. He glanced to Dipper, who shrugged, and the he looked to Arline, who continued to glare at him. "You..." Omir closed his eyes and put a hand to his face, and sighed deeply. As he massaged his jaws, he muttered, "As I thought, it was a ward. Clever man."

"Ward?" Dipper asked.

Omir stopped massaging his face and looked to him. "I had long suspected that a ward was placed on this stone, to keep it hidden. You see, for the longest time, I personally searched for it. There were many places it could be, some more obvious than others. Across the globe I spanned. After many, long decades, I began to wonder if a reverse-finding spell had been placed on it?"

"A reverse what?" Mabel asked.

Dipper gasped. "That's incredible! Then, we just seriously lucked out!" he said. Arline and Mabel turned to him, their eyebrows raised. "What? I did a lot of research on magic, remember?"

"Dipper," Mabel quietly said, putting a hand on her brother, "Please, just once. Talk like we have no idea what magic theory is, or nerd stuff."

"What's a finding spell?" Arline asked, her tone more interested in answers than his explanations.

Dipper quickly stated, "A spell which allows the caster to always find the item if they look for it," Dipper said, and he looked to Omir, "Which means if someone reversed it, as long as someone looked for it, they could never find it."

Omir smiled brightly. "Yes, correct!" Omir applauded him, "Very astute, Dipper! I tell you, it's been a pain realizing that."

Dipper, shaking away the growing pride that ballooned inside him, spoke. "But then, if you've been actively looking for it," Dipper began, "How did you find it at all? If the ward was working, then as long as you tried to find it, you couldn't have."

"Bit of genius on Graupner's part, actually," Omir grinned at his 'ward', who looked like the blond personification of poison. Omir explained, "A region around the stone would be impossible to detect within a large-scanning searching spell. But! But the stone has been radiating magical aura for a long time. These woods are simply flooded with Arcane energy. If we made a powerful enough spell to scan the entire lands of Gravity falls, we only needed to look for where the magic failed. It was a hole in the magic, so to speak. Looking for the hole of Arcana made it easy, once we knew where to look."

"Hole in the fog," Graupner simplified to Dipper, his voice low with distaste.

As Dipper drank and processed the information, Mabel asked quietly, "So, its old-world magic? And that means… what?"

Graupner cackled, eager to answer something he clearly considered simple. "That stone is the most powerful magical conduit in our world!"

"Now," Omir continued, looking to the twins, "The one you've found, that I've been looking for-" Omir started.

"That I was looking for," Graupner stated bitterly. Omir turned to him, an eye raised. Graupner, after a moment, pouted. "Fine. Whatever," Graupner growled.

"Graupner, my son-"

"I am not your son!"

Omir sighed, but added, "You did do as I ask. When this is all over, I am removing that horrible curse I gave you." To that, the Warlock grinned, his eagerness like a twisted mockery of a true smile.

Arline, who had been quite listening, called out, "If that's the case, why wouldn't you just, I don't know, ask someone?!" Arline roared. Omir again looked to her, and his placid smile wavered.

Mabel pointed at Graupner and Omir, looking upset as well, "Yeah! What's with all the attacks on us, and the town?!" Mabel seconded her master, and Dipper nodded in agreement.

Omir chuckled, readjusting his tie. His eyes flicked from them to Graupner, and he explained, "I will admit that, uh, I took a very hands-off approach until recently. Graupner's tactics were, well, not honed. He was, perhaps more destructive than I would have preferred."

Graupner rounded on him, causing Omir to lean back slightly. "I was getting results!"

Omir rolled his eyes, and said, "I would hardly called getting arrested results."

"You helped them do that!" Graupner shouted.

"All to better solidify myself as a worried, philanthropic old coot," he chuckled, "No one could possibly suspect me if I helped arrest you, and then spent my time searching for you." Graupner let out an exasperated roar, and crossed his arms in a very angry pout. Omir smirked, "See? He's very tired," he told the three watching.

"But if you came to change his actions later," Dipper pointed out, "There were still three times that you and him both did stuff that could have killed people!"

Omir frowned, and looked up, perhaps counting something. "I think you are mis-counting. There were four plans that I approved of."

"Four?" The twins repeated.

"Oh yes," Omir nodded, his warm demeanor fading. He stood tall again, his business demeanor spreading into his body like a different persona. "I approved of the Vicous Vinous experimentation, which was quite a successful run."

"You approved of that?" Mabel asked, her big heart breaking.

Omir wasn't done, "I approved of the mountain exploration, and the capture of a Monstrous Nightmare-"

Mabel whined, "And the dragon!?"

"– and the use of Jackson Fulbrow–"

Dipper growled, "Dude, really!?"

"–and I," Omir held his tongue for a moment, frowning to himself, "I cast the spell that created the storm to fell the phoenix."

Dipper and Mabel reared. "What?!" they yelled.

"How could you!?" Mabel shouted.

Dipper roared, "That was more important to Jace and Jess than you could possibly believe! And you did that to, what, scare people out of town! What the hell is the matter with you!? All of those things ruined lives, or almost ruined lives!"

Graupner snickered, and eyed Omir. He seemed tense, his brow furrowed. The older man gave the twin's reactions a real read. Graupner spoke up, "I guess I wasn't so bad, after all?" he said, wincing afterwards.

"Shut up," Dipper shot at him.

"Make me, kid," Graupner leered.

Omir, his voice tense and uneven, demanded of Graupner, "Quiet."

At that, Gruapner gasped. He took a step away, and insisted to Omir, "See? I could have just demolished the town! It would be quick and easy, and then everyone would have been gone! We don't need to be hiding in the shadows, like rats! We're better than those people, and–"

Omir spun on his heel, red in the face, as he yelled at Graupner, "We hide in the shadows because there are opinions like that!"

Graupner stumbled back. He looked stunned, afraid. His eyes were wide as he beheld a tall, powerful mage. Graupner turned away, trembling. Omir, still visibly angry but recoiling from his outburst, looked to the three. His eyes shimmered.

"I want you to know," he told them with a heavy voice, "That I have never wanted to hurt a soul. Truly. I, however, know that I cannot make people leave. These people here, in this town, are wonderfully stubborn," he then chuckled, "I quite admire their tenacity. They are a simple, often kind people. It's the kind of town I'd consider retiring to, really."

Arline growled, "What is with people saying that?"

"The reason I do this?" Omir asked, looking at the twins and Arline, "Is I have to make such racket with the town, and the monsters within its forests, that the townsfolk will want to leave on their own accord. I worry for interference. I worry more for what the creation of this spell will do to the town, and any living in it."

Mabel almost spasmed at his reasoning. "The heck? Did you really not just try asking them to leave?" Mabel demanded.

He shook his head. "Imagine the world as it is. People have their beliefs. Their codes. Laws. Structure. Then, imagine the entire populace within the world, all at once, realizing that magic has returned. That it was real. Some of us have powers, some do not. Some can control their new found gifts, others cannot. This reaction could be… devastating. The world could literally crumble. Chaos would fall onto the world," Omir stated, "Which is why people like myself need to frighten away the dumb, little people like those in Gravity Falls."

"Hey! You be nice to those people!" Mabel shouted at him.

Dipper, however, shrugged, "I mean, he's not wrong. Most of them probably couldn't do the SATs."

"Indeed," Omir agreed with Dipper, trying to ignore Mabel's indignant huffs, "While harsh, I stand by my worry. This town, should they discover the stone and my attempts to locating it, could try taking it for their own. They could try stopping me, in fear of the unknown. They could begin asking I give them the powers I hold. That, last bit," Omir chuckled, "Is not so far-fetched. Teaching people is actually quite pleasant. But, regardless – I needed this town to be evacuated, or abandoned. My mission," he restated, "is far too important for a small, backwater town to stand in my way."

Dipper shouted, "This isn't just a town! These are people's homes!"

Mabel yelled, "Yeah! Whole lives have begun and ended in this here! Robot makers and candy-shop owners and librarians! Other jobs, too!"

Omir half-heartedly nodded. "Yes, yes, I know. That said, quality over quantity," Omir wiggled a finger before him, "they may have lives, but their homes will be simple to replace. Move to another town in Oregon. Why, I'd be even willing to pay for the entire town to be re-built once I am done here. But first, I must finishing brining back the one who will change everything."

"The what?" Dipper asked.

"The who?" Mabel asked.

Omir took his time after their questions. He looked around, staring at the tall earthen walls and spiraling walkway that would lead to the tunnels high above. After a moment, he sighed and shook his head. "That's as much as I can tell you."

"What?" the twins gasped.

Arline told him firmly, "You don't get to decide that."

Omir clearly thought otherwise. "Actually, I do. Just as I decide this," he stepped forward and opened his arms wide, his warm demeaner returning, "To make this a lot less stressful on everyone and offer you a chance: help me."

"You're kidding me," Arline said, lowering her arms.

"You're joking," Graupner gasped.

"I'm not," Omir shook his head.

"They're our enemies!" Graupner shouted. "They keep getting in our way! My way!" he roared. Dipper and Mabel watched as Omir slowly turned to his apprentice, eying the outburst of Graupner. The Warlock snapped, "And you're going to ask them to help!?"

Omir said, "Yes."

"Why?!"

Omir simply suggested, "Because why make an enemy when you can make a friend?"

"That's stupid!" Graupner spat.

Omir walked over to him, a scolding tone adopted. "And tell me- how has fighting them been going for you!?" he inquired. "How much progress on my mission was stalled because you couldn't look past your previous encounters with them!? You had a chance to reconcile with them! What did you do instead?!"

Graupner swallowed, staring at his master. "I almost had them. How was I supposed to know a Tulpa would form into a ghost?" Graupner whined.

Omir closed his eyes and groaned. "These excuses become you," Omir bitterly said, and turned back to the twins, but not before calling over his shoulder, "How many weeks ago could the seeker-spell been reversed if I hadn't had to cover for you and play pretend while you were in jail!?"

Graupner said nothing, instead glaring at Dipper and Mabel, a seething rage and hate deep in his vision. Mabel frowned, pondering the offer. Dipper scowled back at Graupner.

"Now, as for the future," Omir suggested, "I think you all brought up good points. I admit, I had no prior knowledge of people who had constant experiences with the paranatural and extranormal."

Dipper frowned. "Uh, don't you mean Paranormal and… what was that last one?"

"I meant what I said," Omir smiled. He elaborated, "And what is better, there is a small community of those who know what I do: magic is real!" he approached them eagerly. Arline took a loud step forward, her eyes burning at Omir. Sensing her defensive posture, Omir stalled. He called to them, "If it was one person, I would never have considered this. But, you three, your great-uncle, your friends – don't you see? You can be the change for this town that can allow me to do this without hurting anyone!"

Dipper looked to Mabel, and she to him. There was, at minimum, intense hesitancy. Anyone who, sadly or otherwise, destroyed the phoenix wasn't someone they just wanted to help. Yet, this was a first for them. He had told them almost everything, save for who he was going to 'restore'. This was the point most evil-doers and monsters then told the twins that they had to die for their knowledge. Instead, the billionaire was offering them an alliance?

"I dunno," Mabel grumbled. At Omir's shock, she explained, "Look, Mister Steindorf, I like you. You dress snazzy, and you seem to care about what you do, even if I think it's mean and stupid."

Omir winced, "Ooh. Fair points, however."

Dipper added, "Same. I don't want to help someone who is going to justify violence for the sake of saving someone. Someone who you won't talk about."

Omir jostled his head side-to-side. "Yes, another point. What about this," he offered them, "I tell you who it is if you say you'll help me? And, for Mabel," he said with a wink.

"Too soon, bub," Mabel pointed at him, "We're not buddies again, yet."

He cleared his throat, and said, "I swear that, should you and your comrades agree to aid me, I will not suggest any acts of violence. We will instead seek to convince and coerce people to leave the town for week or month, and then I shall pay for all reparations, prior and forthcoming. How does that sound?" he suggested.

The twins both let out a strong breath. That wasn't a deal they were used to getting. Monsters and beasties often just thrashed and broke more and more around them as their desires were constrained. Omir Steindorf seemed to… want to actually help? The twins, no look between them needed, began to huddle. Dipper quietly told his sister, "Okay, so, I don't want to like his idea, but if it means we can keep an eye on the both of them, and stop it if we find out it's all bad… I mean… thoughts?" he asked his sister.

She shrugged. "I wanna know where he gets ties from," she told her brother.

Omir called out, "They're commissioned. I can send you the website for the person I order from. They're exceedingly talented." The twins turned to him, frowning. Perhaps realizing his eavesdropping, Omir cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. The twins went back to their huddle.

Dipper, lowering his voice further, whispered, "Look, Mabes, if you have a problem with it, you should tell me."

"Huh?" she whispered back, "Why?"

Dipper looked over his shoulder. Omir Steindorf was very occupied checking the sleeves of his coat. Dipper told Mabel with a breath, "Because they have knowledge that could help Wendy."

Mabel's eyes widened and sparkled. She then frowned, and looked around. "You said that Mister Cardinal told you about the book? That stinky-face over there had it?" she said, eying Graupner. Dipper nodded, and Mabel scrunched her face up, clearly uncertain. "I dunno, Dipper. Making deals with people seems to backfire a lot for us."

Before they could continue their quiet debate, Omir Steindorf called out, "Listen, I understand if you are hesitant to accept my proposal towards working together." The twins looked out from their private conference to eye him. Once he had their attention, he smiled, and added, "Just take your time and consider-"

"No."

Arline had been the one to declare it. She stood rigid, her eyes burning, fists clenched tightly. The twins looked between her and Omir, who had slumped slightly at her response.

"Why?" he asked her quietly.

Arline studied him. It was like she was scanning his very being, looking for weaknesses like a hawk. Finally, she said, "We should know the person you're helping before we join. And," Arline added, narrowing her eyes at him, "I want to know how old you really are."

Omir pursed his lips. "Ah," he muttered.

"Tell me," she pointed at him, "Are you… are you the original Warlock?"

Her eyes wide, Mabel asked Arline, "Master? What are you asking?"

Arline, her eyes darkening, stated, "There was a man before Graupner Kinley who used the title as 'The Warlock'. I was told by my master," as Arline said this, Omir's eyes fell to the floor, "And that man was, as far as I know, Omir Steindorf… Senior."

Omir flicked his eyes back to Arline. There was something of a danger in those eyes of his. He carefully watched and listened to Arline. She seemed to be radiating heat off her, like she was some sort of furnace. With a voice like the grave, Omir asked Arline, "Is… that what you want to know, Miss Arline?"

She bared her teeth. She snapped out, "You said decades! You were looking for a long, long time! And… and you said you were part of the original council! That means…" she was breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. She steadied herself, but her eyes shimmered as she asked, "Are you actually the same person as Omir Steindorf senior?"

Graupner laughed. He laughed with such a terrible, cackling, evil joy that Arline flinched. Mabel recoiled, and Dipper scowled. The current-day Warlock looked to Omir. He said, "See? You've got fans. Not so much different from me, after all."

Quiet, precise, Omir said, "It is exactly because of my failures that I try to correct your behaviors."

Omir reached up to his face. With his fingers running across his skin, he dragged them across his scalp and down his face. The age fell away like scraps of paper mâché. Dipper gasped and Mabel cooed as, in a matter of moments, Omir Steindorf transformed from a man in his late fifties or early sixties, to a sharp-jawed man in his late twenties. He was, to put it bluntly, a beautiful man.

Mabel whined, "Oh no, he's hot!"

Shaking his hand as if it had touched flame, the youth-restored Omir Steindorf sighed. "Well, the illusion is gone," he told Arline, "There never was an Omir Steindorf junior. Nor was there a senior. I have had many names. But the person you wanted, indeed was-"

Arline screamed, "YOU!"

Omir took a step back. So did the twins, as well as Graupner. Arline yelled into the air, tears in her eyes, as she gave a man a look that, by all rights, should have killed him. Licks of flame were born and died off Arline, as embers and ashes radiated off of her. The air boiled around her, and finally, she ran out of air to scream with.

With such a proclamation unmatched by any statement made before, Arline told the man who stood before her, "I will never work for you! I will never help you! You fought my master, and you ruined my LIFE!"

Dipper refused to get closer to the burning woman. Mabel, braver or stupider, rushed in front of Arline, her hands out. "What is going on, master?! Why are you acting like that suddenly? He was honest!"

Catching her breath, Arline wiped at her face. It was stained with her tears and ashes alike. She shook her head constantly. To Mabel, she said, "Mabel, I can't work with him. I'll never help that man."

Omir frowned. "As I thought," he sighed, "Those on the path often are unflinching in their disdain for magic."

Dipper turned to Omir at that. "What?"

Omir sighed. "Oh yes. Their old master, a being who I had known for a very long time, was quite insistent that magic be feared and disdained. I imagine that is why, now knowing who I am," Omir added sadly, "She refuses to capitulate."

"No!" Arline hissed, struggling for breath.

Omir frowned further, looking to the twins, seeking an answer they may held. When they said nothing, just as lost as him, he looked back to Arline. "Then… why?"

Arline told him with severe finality, "You killed my family."

All eyes fell onto Omir. Mabel held a hand to her mouth. Graupner, not as upset, stilled looked stunned at that. Dipper, watching Omir recoil at the accusation, demanded, "What!? You did what?!"

Omir was quick to retort, "I most certainly have not!" he cried out. "I have not personally dealt, or met anyone named Arline in my life! I remember any, and all, names I have had to do awful things to!"

Arline bitterly chuckled. "Arline Hirsch is the name my master gifted me to keep me safe, in case people wanted to know more about where I came from. My family name was Hartman, you monster."

Omir went pale. He sucked in air, as his eyes looked around suddenly. That name meant something to him. He looked up and down Arline, and barely was able to say, "Oh, oh no," he said, shaking his head, "You're his daughter. You lived." He then turned to Graupner. The look he gave Graupner, with wide, horrified eyes, made the Warlock wince, and step away. Omir turned to Arline, his lip trembling. "You're… being honest, aren't you?"

Mabel, still in front of her master, stepped closer to her. "Master?" she asked. Arline seemed not to hear Mabel. She was so locked onto Omir that no other stimuli could possibly shake her from him.

Dipper took a shot. "Arline!" he shouted. That shook her. She wiped at her eyes, and turned to him. "He killed your family?"

She nodded. "Responsible for it. My dad," she explained, "Got dirt on the Steindorf and Co. Found out a lot about their practices, practices that couldn't be correct. He thought he could blow the whistle on them, but then it turned out-"

"To be magic," Omir completed for Arline, his own eyes shimmering. "Yes. I remember him. He was a fine man-"

"Don't you dare talk about him like that," Arline warned.

"-with a moral compass fine as anyone could have wanted. You see," he explained to the twins, "One he found out that I had been using magic, he came to speak to me." To that, Arline, as well as the twins, looked shocked. Omir nodded, and continued, "We spoke for an entire evening. Clever man. We could not come to a clear decision about how to approach the impasse. He wanted to come clean to the world with what he found, and I needed him to stay silent. Babbling about magical practices in a corporate world is one thing, evidence is another."

Omir took a deep breath. "And this is where I made a horrible mistake. I had hired a man, who's name, I believe, was Alberta. I told him, very clearly, to take care of the family."

Mabel closed her eyes, and shook her head. "You really did-"

"No!" Omir cried out, "I wanted him to send them money! To bribe them into silence! I was going to give that family millions of dollars, the chance to live anywhere! Anywhere!" he swore, "And that man took what I said and twisted it into some sort of crime-lord order!"

Graupner frowned. "Alberta? Like, as in Alberta Jef-" to his question, Omir nodded to him. Graupner smiled. "I'll remember that. Not worried to get his hands dirty."

Omir looked as if he was about to shout at Graupner. He held his tongue, something stalling his reprimand. He closed his mouth, and swallowed. He turned to Arline, who looked both ill and beyond furious. Her veins bulged and she slumped while she stood. Omir told her, "I… tried to take responsibility for what I had done. I admit that I never knew that you survived."

"How did you try to take responsibility?" she snarled.

Omir looked back to Graupner and then to her. He chewed on his lip. Looking to the twins, he said, "I will explain everything. You are all owned answers. But I need to know," he said, "If you're going to help me or not."

Dipper was lost. How did he feel about Omir Steindorf, or whatever he should be called? He wasn't sure. The man had done so much, and tried so hard to make amends. The knowledge that he had practically ruined Arline's life was so much to take in. This was much for his fifteen-year-old mind, and he had dealt with reality-warping demons before. He turned to his sister, and was surprised.

Her brow was furrowed, and she looked at Omir steadily. "Mister Steindorf," she said, "If you won't be honest with us up front and tell us what is going on, then I think we shouldn't work together."

"Yeah!" Dipper cried out, "What she said."

Arline snickered. Eyeing Omir, she told him, "You heard them. Deals off until you work with us, not the other way around."

The young man who was older than he seemed tensed. His stare hardened. That had, clearly, not been the answer he looked for. Graupner sneered, eying his master with a sadistic glee. Omir rose to his fullest height. He took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped at his eyes. Stuffing back away, he cleared his voice. "Very well," he declared.

The three readied themselves. This man, this master to Graupner would surely be a hard battle. But they, together, had beaten so much before him. Even with Graupner at his side, Omir clearly stood no chance. This was it, the fight to finish this.

"You three may go," Omir sighed and held his hands in his pockets.

A pause followed his words. Silence followed, and the three stared at the dark-skinned man, in shock.

"What?" Arline asked.

Omir shrugged. "You may go," he said, his voice dull and bored. As they remained, rooted to the ground, he shook his head. "Am I being unclear?" he asked.

"You're just going-" Mabel started.

"To let us go?" Dipper finished.

"I see no reason not to," Omir explained, "I've already reversed the ward on the stone, and really there is nothing more that is needed to be said here. So, off you go," he said and nodded to the spiraling walkway.

"No attack?" Dipper asked. The CEO shook his head.

"No 'Now that you know our secret, you must die' mumbo-jumbo?" Mabel asked.

Omir scoffed. "How would knowing anything I've just told you hamper me in any way?" he asked. "Go ahead, start telling the world that I'm an ancient wizard. I'm sure people will believe you," he sarcastically said with a chuckle. "If anything, it might actually make my company get more publicity. Without evidence, you're a bunch of conspiracy theorists."

"Don't gotta be rude about it," Mable huffed.

Omir rewarded a small nod of his head. "Fair. Apologies. Well, as you were – on your way. I have to pick up the mess you all have made before I finish what I came here for," he said. The twins glanced to Arline, who hadn't budged. As the air buzzed with tension, he asked, "What are you waiting for?"

"We're not going anywhere without you two," Arline told him.

Omir tilted his head. "I thought you said–"

Arline laughed- a strange laugh the twins had not heard her do before. It was bitter- hateful. "You think after what you've done to my family, to me, to this town, and them," she indicated to the twins with a nudge of her head, "That I'm just going to let you walk away!?"

"I hope, for all our sakes, that you do," Omir worriedly said, eying her.

"Well, guess again," Arline snarled, "You're coming with us to the cops, and then you're confessing to everything to someone until they lock you up for what you've done!"

"Oh dear," Omir rolled his eyes, "Look, not that I don't believe you conviction, Miss Hartman," Omir Steindorf admitted to her with a quick lived grin, "I've worked extensively with the police force in this town. They are easily the most incompetent I've ever seen. I could just tell them not to arrest me and they wouldn't. Not that arresting me would really amount to anything," he admitted. Seeing her seething before him, he rubbed his neck. "How about this, instead, we reconsider cooperation, and I can begin to tell you even more. Miss Hartman, there is so much you don't know yet, and I feel as I must–"

Arline's response shook the twins to the core. She screamed and was engulfed in a dangerously hot red flame. Head to toe, she roared in a six-foot-tall immolation that heated the bottom of the pit and tossed dark, stark shadows around. Graupner gasped and stepped back, holding a hand to his eyes as the twins did. Omir merely watched; his stare un-wavered.

The fires died, and Arline's fire subsided to balls of flame in her hands.

"Don't toy with me," she ordered, "I am so, so, not ready to hear you of all people tell me what I can and can't do. I challenge you," she declared, "To a duel."

"Oh!" Mabel cried out, hollering for her master, "Throw him down, Master!"

"Wait," Dipper rushed to Arline' side. She moved her ear towards Dipper, and he spoke, "Arline, I get that we shouldn't trust him, and we should try to stop him at what he's doing, right? But a duel? Let's just go, and tell everyone else what they're up to, so we can stop them later!"

Mabel hummed. "Yeah," Mabel quietly agreed, "Master, I'm all for watching you drop-kick the person who killed your father, and he should be prepared to totally die," she added, "But we do kinda have a mission, right? We should go make sure everyone on the surface is okay!"

Arline's lips twitched. Her eyes were glued on Omir. She shook her head. "Sorry, guys," she told them, "I have to do this."

"What?!" Dipper cried, "Arline, c'mon, this isn't going to help us get anywhere. If they plan on getting the stone, we can-"

"Dipper," Arline cut in, her voice monitored to be as level and calm as possible. It was very artificial. The twins could easily tell how shaken up she was. She told them with a sad smile, "I can't help myself. I've wanted this since my master told me what had happened to my family, and who was responsible."

Mable began, "But-"

"Mabel," Arline looked to her, breaking away from Omir, "I am fire. I burn. I can't just… not do this. It's not my nature."

Arline then stepped forward, approaching Omir. Dipper cried out, "But we need to think, not just attack!"

The martial artists said nothing else. She marched up to the rejuvenated looking man, and came within a foot of him. Omir stood still, his eyes locked onto her. He had not budged with the fires, nor had he flinched when she spoke to him with her passionate hate. He was a statue of thought contemplating his next move.

She asked him, "Well? Do you surrender, or do you duel?"

Omir took in a slow breath, and as he exhaled, calmly spoke. "Very well. I agree. Graupner," Omir said, and glanced to Graupner, "You may go."

"Thanks-" Graupner sneered.

Arline was quicker. With a bellowing cry driven by fury and passion, she tossed a fireball right at the wall nearby Graupner. It exploded, tossing dirt and rock into the air, most of it splashing against Graupner's face. As he winced and stepped back, he and his master stared at Arline.

"Neither of you go," she told them.

Omir rolled his eyes. "You could at least let me keep my schedule slightly intact, Miss Hartman," Omir scolded her with a disapproving shake of his head.

"I don't know if you've forgotten, Steindorf, if that's your real name," Arline sneered at him, "But we're enemies."

"No," Omir shook his head slowly, "I most certainly have not."

"Yeah right," Graupner grumbled.

"Arline," Omir held up a hand, his voice firm but delicate. "Please consider your actions. I can understand your anger for what I had to do in the past regarding your family, but you must let Graupner go. There is more affected you here than you realize."

Arline leered. "No can do. Twins," Arline called over her shoulder, "Watch Graupner. Make sure he doesn't go anywhere.

"Right!" the two said, and rushed to block both of the ramps spiraling upwards.

Omir eyed the twins as they repositioned. "Come now, please don't involve them," Omir grumbled, "I don't need any more pain, or worse, on my conscious."

"Right. You say after sending a fifty-foot-tall plant monster into a town," Arline reminded him.

"And breaking shops!" Mabel cried out, "That's so rude!"

Omir looked rushed. He rolled his shoulders, stretching them. "Well, if you seek a fight so badly," Omir relinquished. He held a hand back to Graupner. "Stand back, son."

"I'm not your – I want to watch this!" Graupner cried out, "I've got to see you just kill her, and-"

Omir turned and glared at his apprentice. "You've forgotten your place. Back. Up. Now."

The cold words washed over and engulfed Graupner. For the first time since coming to the mines, the twins saw true terror in Graupner's eyes. He stumbled back, holding onto something in his robes as he retreated. Watching the apprentice retreat, Omir was satisfied once the man was against the wall.

"Okay, Arline Hartman – ah, you know," he paused, and flinched at his own doing, "Shall I call you that? Would you prefer Hirsch? I don't want to offend you," he admitted, to the burning, furious eyes of Arline, and he quietly added, "Well, anymore than I constantly do, it seems. Ahem. I will fight you."

Arline scoffed. "Hirsch," she told him, and then added, "Sure. You magic-users are so good at that, aren't you?" and she took her stance.

"You have this, master!" Mabel cheered.

"Try to keep him alive!" Dipper said, "For more questions later!"

Omir chuckled at the twins, shaking his head. As he did, he took out two gloves from his well-groomed suit and applied them. "You've got to admire kids," he said to Arline, "Never discouraged, even in the face of danger."

"They know what's up," Arline told him, tightening her fists.

"Perhaps," Omir nodded solemnly, "Perhaps they do. At least in the moment. The future, however," he said, reaching a hand into his sleeve, "Is what we make of it."

He then slowly drew out his hand, now holding a white stick. More and more he pulled out from his sleeve until he had pulled out an entire pure-white quarterstaff. It was as tall as he was. The staff, as the twins could see it, had no wooden notches or dents in it, and the material was impossible to determine. It was just a long, white staff, lacking any defining features aside from its stark brightness.

"Well, now that that's out," Omir said, giving it a gentle tap onto the ground. It echoed like wood, a rattle that flew high above everyone's heads and struck the ceiling gently.

Arline stated, "If that is all you're going to use against me–"

Omir chuckled. "Well, I'm not quite done," he said kindly to her.

With a volume surprising them all, he then roared. Before Arline could react, he took both hands and gripped the staff, and slammed it into the ground with a mighty jab. Earth split and shattered with his stab. He held the staff into the earth, and then he pushed again.

The circle the five stood in shuddered, and lowered by a half foot. The twins and Graupner struggled to stay upright, even though Arline remained standing.

Omir told them, "Let's take this fight a bit deeper into the earth," as he shoved his staff further in.

The circle of flat rock howled and roared against the rest of the rock and stone. They were descending and plummeting deeper into the rocky depths upon a solid disk of earth. Magic forces cut away roughly at the walls around them, leaving divots and uneven surfaces above them. No longer were they connected to the two spiraling up walkways. They were in the deep pit of rock and dirt with no direct way out. Light grew fainter and fainter, leaving them in light shadow, with exception of Arline's balls of fire.

Finally, the Sorcerer lifted his staff and the descent ended. It was entirely unscathed, as opposed to the rock bits it had crushed. With a gentle twirl, Omir freed it of any remaining dust, and bright it next to him, holding it in his hand.

"Well now," he said, looking up, "That seems far enough from town."

"The town?" Arline snapped, "You moved us deeper into the ground to avoid hurting the town?!"

"Naturally," Omir nodded, "I've been saying the whole time – I'm not here to hurt or kill anyone. Otherwise I would have sent the golem to the town with the task to destroy lives, not buildings. Should our battle here escalate to a more, well, dire level," he added with a nervous smile, "I would not want to risk a cave-in."

"Fine by me," Arline agreed.

"Well," Omir gently tapped the sides of his staff with his fingers, "Let's get this going."

"Oh, by all means, you first," Arline told the CEO. "Experience should serve you, right?"

"Ladies first," he retorted.

Graupner, hungry for violence, screamed out, "Just kill her already!"

Omir turned to speak to his apprentice. As she had always been fast, Arline dived forward, faster than Mabel or Dipper had ever seen her move.

Omir told Graupner, "I will not rush such a thing," as Arline jumped, screamed, and pushed out with her ball of fire still in her hand.

Omir Steindorf lifted an end of the staff before him with one hand. It met with Arline's fireball and the fire ruptured. The condensed energy exploded around them, bathing the stone with smoke and steam. Arline landed before Omir, her hand extended.

He had only just turned to her, and smile on his face, but a new look in his eye.

"I'm glad you took the initiative," Omir admitted, the look of excitement in his eyes, "Now we can see how mighty the pathswoman is."

"Good, don't be afraid to punch a girl!" Arline said, and then threw the second punch.

The man ducked down, and leapt aside, having the woman miss. Yet the martial artist of fire would not allow him to get far- she followed in haste.

The heels of Arline's boots began to heat, and with one swipe, Arline swiped at Omir's face with a strong kick- engulfed in flame. She only struck air, as he again backed off, letting her strikes miss again and again.

"Yeah! Get 'em, get 'em!" Mabel cheered, grinning at Arline's magnificent display of power.

It was what Mabel had wanted to see for years. The woman, her teacher, her master, and one of her best friends, going full-out power and attack mode. Mabel had always wondered what it was like to see someone with such training and power undergo such a fight, and she had not waited in vain. Arline's attacks were so fast and powerful- the air around her rippled with the heat from her fire. Yet her master was unaffected by the effects of the flame. Mabel saw a future version of herself in the fight there- a bold and powerful woman who will not stop for any evil.

Dipper was silent, and watched in awe. However, his focus was less on Arline. He had had seen her battle with Mabel many times. No, his focus was directed onto Omir.

This man, unknowably old, battled against a woman in her prime. Again, and again, he avoided her attacks. He continued to hold that pearly white staff in his hand, keeping it to the side through all of it. Dipper watched as best he could- his eyes straining for the blur-like movements the two combatants shared. He couldn't believe the power Arline had, but something bugged him.

He realized that Omir was watching just as intently as Dipper was. He wasn't distracted, worried, or even panicked. The entire time he retreated and watched the woman slash and punch and kick, he just studied her.

Was he not worried? Arline was throwing fire around without a second thought, and he kept on dodging. Dipper felt this was a familiar situation. He had been through something like this once. No, more than once, as he thought about it.

Then it clicked. Omir was testing her.

After dodging two of the fireballs from Arline, Omir stepped backwards, and planted his feet firmly into the ground. Arline came after him, her next attack readied- a third and more powerful fireball. Just as she wound the pitch, he ducked down and around her. It was a blisteringly fast move.

Mabel's cheering died away instantly. Omir had been between her and the fireball. Mabel was in the way of the flaming strike.

Just as Mabel dived away from the coming attack, Arline reached out with her hand and yelled. Just as her fingers clenched down on nothing, the ball of fire dove away and slammed into a distant section of rock, away from Mabel. The blast, as the twins studied, would not have probably left Mabel standing, or conscious. Arline had moved the fire with only her mind, a feat that stunned both of them.

"Good," Omir said, now across the circle of earth, "Now that was impressive. I was wondering how capable your control over the source energy was. I'm seriously impressed surprised."

"Can it," Arline told him as she turned and faced him, "You deliberately endangered Mabel."

"Did I?" Omir asked, a smug smirk worn, "Now who's to blame here, really? The man who everyone knew wished for compliance and cooperation, or the one who decided to start throwing balls of fire?"

"Shut up!" Arline dived again, and as she had before, lit her braces ablaze.

"That's more like it," Omir smiled.

The woman had changed her form of combat. No longer did her attacks become balls of condensed fired waiting to explode upon impact. She now held her fingers tight- clawing at the man with sharp edges of fire. However, just as before, she found her opponent avoiding her rather than confronting her.

To that, she chased harder. Faster.

"How can someone even do that?!" Dipper gasped as he watched the two dived around one another. Like water and oil however, Omir constantly moved around Arline.

"Come on!" Arline roared after Omir stepped behind her and put his back to hers. She scowled. "Would you just-" she turned, and he stepped to avoid her, remaining back-to-back, "Stop it-" she spun stepped away and turned, but he had turned away. Arline leapt forward, and finally found her target again, now not matching her movements. "That's not funny!"

Omir chuckled, "It's a little funny."

"What's the matter with you!?" she shouted at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We're in a duel, in case you forgot! You aren't trying to fight back!" Arline shouted at him. "I've heard of ego's during a fight, but this is stupid! You're just being an ass!"

Omir chuckled, his dark eyes peering at her as they had been the entire fight so far. "I needed to see if you hadn't mastered the art of the ever-burning fire first," he said to her. Arline's eyes widened, her mouth falling open. Omir smirked to himself, "And, as it would seem, you had."

Arline stammered, "How... how did you-"

"Come now, Miss Hirsh," Omir Steindorf said with a shake of his head, "I'm all about knowing my enemy. I knew plenty about your master before he perished," he said, his grin faltering.

"What?!" The twins gasped and turned to Arline. Her form and appearance were unchanged. Her master had... died?

"If you were so interested in knowing your enemy, you'd know that before he died," Arline said through a mean leer, "He gave me the title Rising Phoenix."

Omir whistled and nodded. "Impressive title. So far, well earned. I'm shocked you haven't burned out all your stamina by controlling the fire against your body."

"So then," she stated, holding her fists up, "You afraid to hit a woman?"

"Don't be coy," he said, adjusting his tie, "You're still holding back too." Arline lowered her hands just by an inch as she stared at him. Omir pointed at her, "Aha, you see? I could tell. You're not trying to hurt me still."

"Kill, actually," Arline shrugged.

"Fair enough," Omir nodded, and held his empty hand to his bald head, "I'll remind you who it is you're dealing with. Recall, Miss Hirsch, that I've been around for much, much longer than you. Don't hold back, if you please," he said, his eyes sparkling.

Mabel whined, "Oh dang, why do they all have to be pretty and evil?" as she stared at Omir.

Arline's eyes flickered with the flames around her hands. "So, you want the real heat?" she said, and clenched her teeth. From all along her body, steam began to rise off her clothes and skin.

Dipper and Mabel watched as the steam grew higher into the air, but no flames emerged. "What... are you doing?" Mabel whispered as she watched her master stand still as more steam emanated from her.

Omir however whistled. "You know, I was wondering why he gave you such an impressive title. You do have a new trick I've never seen before," he chuckled and gave his staff a quick twirl.

Arline closed her eyes, the steam rising off her body in billowing waves. Her hair jostled as streams of heated air caused a current around her. She stood perfectly still, and then, in a flash, she opened her eyes. She only had two words to say.

"Don't blink."

The she was gone, and onto him. Omir, for the first time since the fight, took the staff and held it before him, blocking her punch. The impact was a sheer blast of heat. No fire, no smoke- just pure, invisible heat.

Now Omir was finally invested into the fight. Using his pearly white staff to block punch and kick alike, he spun in counter to her. She dodged his own mild retaliations, and replied in kind.

Dipper and Mabel stared along with Graupner. The bottom of the pit was nearing eighty degrees now, a forty-degree difference from ten minutes ago when they had first arrived. The energy residing around them, in the form of two fighting individuals, was scary.

Arline made a strong kick out at his chest. Rather than block, Omir had stepped aside and made to sweep her standing leg from under her. Her counter? Jump in midair and spin. Still in motion, she then made as if to kick at his head. Omir raised his staff to block this time.

As it would have seemed, his mistake.

Arline fooled him, reached out with her hand, and grasped the center of the staff. Omir had a split second to realize what had happened; she had caught a hold of his weapon in midair. Wrenching it aside, she screamed as she punched into his chest with all her might.

The resulting impact echoed around the room. The thud of fist against chest reverberated like a loud groan.

She had finally made her mark. Arline's feet landed against the ground, and she looked up. Her eyes widened, and then she stepped back in shock.

"That was incredible," Omir said, entirely unchanged.

"What the hell?" Arline gasped, "that should have hurt, at least a little!"

"Yes, I would have been quite harmed by that," he said, adjusting his tie absentmindedly, "But I've since learned how to maintain safety ward spells on my body at all times. I certainly will be-" he gasped and coughed, "-ow. Yes, as I thought. I'll be feeling that for some time."

Shaking herself from her stupor, Arline lowered herself into her stance. "Well, then I just have to hit you harder, and more times," Arline declared.

"I'm sure you will. Reversing how the fire-style of the paths works was genius," he commended her, massaging his chest. "Turning all that excess energy and internalizing it made you a brutal fighter. Fast, precise, quick-to-react and think! So clever. But now you have no fire to throw at me. Hm. An interesting trade off. I wonder how your body deals with such thermal stresses."

Either his words had gotten to her, or she had just had enough time to stop and think. She ran at him again with the same lightning-fast speed.

Omir grinned. "You've grown a little cocky," he said, and he spun his staff, and approached her.

With merely a few steps from Omir, the fight shifted. Arline, the constant aggressor and chaser of the two, found herself now matched. Omir danced around her as she did, but now he would exchange a deliberate step away with a swing of his quarterstaff.

She made to block one strike, hold an arm closer to her as her armbrace held up against the impact. To her shock, she was lifted off her feet.

"Arline!" Mabel roared before Dipper.

Arline flew towards the wall. Her feet struck the side and she landed. She leapt back to the ground. Still upright, she balanced herself, and checked her arm. It moved, but she visibly trembled.

Arline had been harmed. "How the-" but she saw danger coming.

Omir was now the aggressor. He lunged at her with similar speeds, and before she realized, he had leapt, and prepped a baseball-bat like swing over his shoulder. Arline ducked just in time, his staff carving out a clear line where he had just swung. With another short spin of his staff, he turned it against his own body and thrust it like a spear. Arline dived aside again.

"You're not actually that powerful," Arline growled as she stepped away from him, "It's more of your spells you keep active on you."

"I am my spells, young lady," Omir sneered at her.

"They better serve you well!" she yelled and ran at him again.

Mabel shouted, "Be careful!"

As the two began their dance of death around one another, a low chuckle caught Mabel's attention. Graupner was watching the fight, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

"What's so funny about this?!" Mabel demanded of him.

"All of it, everything," he said off-handedly. "Look at her, just struggling to keep up with him," he indicated with an almost limp hand.

"She's going to beat him, and bring you two back to the police station," Arline told him.

"Really?" he asked her. In his hand, a plume of black flame erupted, catching Mabel off guard. "I think we'll be fine."

"If you don't come with us, you're in for worse," Dipper called, having seen Mabel and Graupner talk to one another.

"Oh, really? Going to threaten me all the way from there, tough guy?" Graupner said, his voice dripping with venom.

"I don't know if you remember, but I said I'd be waiting for you," Dipper said to Graupner with a bite of his own. "Now you've got nowhere to go."

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots," Graupner cackled, "what are you going to do? Bleed some more on me?"

"Don't you talk to my brother that way!" Mabel shouted, and rushed forward at Graupner, who spun to her, his eyes wide with fear. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated her actually taking to attacking.

Like a terrible arrow, the staff flew out and stabbed deep into the earth between Mabel and Graupner. Mabel slid to a halt, gasping at the sudden attack. The twins and the Warlock turned, and found Omir turning back to the fight.

"You three stay back, for now," he told them as he ducked under Arline, and stepped aside. Graupner grinned and reached for the staff. "Graupner, No!" Omir roared, causing Graupner to actually yell and step away from the white pole.

Arline reminded him as she punched out at him, "You're without your neat-o toy!"

"And your point?" he asked her, stepping away as he held his hands behind his back.

"So, you're mine!" she roared and again slashed out.

His hand whipped out, and he muttered under his breath so fast it could have been gibberish. From the center of his hand, one of the small balls of light appeared. Like a missile, it soared at Arline. Too fast for her to react to, she felt it cross up her arm and over her shoulder. She leapt back, and checked her arm. It was bleeding along the side.

When she looked back, realizing that the small orbs of light could carve into her, she felt a cold shiver run through her steaming body. He had six more now floating around him, orbiting him mindlessly.

Omir gladly said, "Catch," as he pushed his hand out.

Two more of the orbs soared out, and she dive-rolled out of the way. Checking next to her, she yelled and leapt up. The two sent to hit her were now following her. She ran forward and at the controller. He smiled and pointed his finger at her, and the other four darted towards her.

She changed course just for one to barely scratch her back. Baring her teeth and hissing, she continued to run, avoiding the now five balls of light.

"That's cheating!" Mabel shouted.

Graupner barked, "Really? How is that cheating? You have your body, your training, don't you? Well," he grinned and looked at her over the staff, still deeply imbedded into the rock, "We weaponize our minds."

Dipper had heard their talk, and looked over to Arline. Desperately fleeing from five balls of destructive force, Dipper couldn't help but wonder how dead he would have been if he had been out there. He saw the blood trickling down Arline's arm and hitting the ground, making his own scar twinge.

His eyes focused on the balls of light. They flew so effortlessly after her. Was there really such power to be had in magic in times like this? If he had studied, and practiced that, could he be other there, trying his own version of such a spell?

Arline's focus shot suddenly to Omir. Running away, and avoiding the energy-based attacks, she suddenly diverted and ran at him again. The five balls of light soared after her diligently, but her pace was faster. She ran harder and faster until she was onto him.

All he had to do was lifted his hand and mutter more words under his breath. A bright flash of light engulfed Arline, and she stumbled back, stunned from the flash of light.

"Sorry," Omir sighed, shaking his head.

One by one, the five balls of light struck Arline's back. Splatter of blood splattered to the ground, one after another, as five small holes were made into Arline's back.

Mabel held onto the side of the wall, her mouth open and her eyes wide. "N-no," she muttered, watching as Arline, her head hanging from her shoulders limply, struggled to stand. "M-master," Mabel called to her. The woman made no reply, slowly reaching over and trying to find something to hold onto- in this case, Omir Steindorfs shoulders. "ARLINE!" Mabel roared.

"I'm sorry, Mabel, Dipper," Omir turned to them, looking to the tearing up Mabel and the shocked Dipper, "This is the way of those who choose to fight. This life is dangerous. She, like her master, will end up-"

WHAM.

Omir gasped and fell backwards, holding his face. Arline had grasped his shoulders, and with a mighty roar, she slammed her forehead into his face. Unprepared and shocked, the man had taken the entire hit to his nose and fallen backwards. Blood splattered from his nose, into the air.

"End up like this!" Arline shouted, still with blood dripping from her back. She lifted her hands above her head, and formed one fireball that spun until it was a perfect sphere. Omir lowered his hands from his face just in time to see Arline bellow and throw the fireball.

The resulting explosion knocked the twins and Graupner off their feet. Smoke, fire, and ashes from rock and stone flew past them all as the slowly pushed themselves up against the rock. The last fireball she had thrown had been that of the same time she had used on the Golem on the surface- strong enough to be compared to a tank shot.

From the smoke, Arline stepped out. Battered, worn, but alive and grinning. Graupner, by the staff, gulped and looked to her, his eyes shaking with fear. Mabel sighed and slid against the wall as Dipper hollered.

"You did it!" Dipper shouted.

"And you're not too, too, too badly hurt," Mabel smiled as Arline stepped away from the drifting smoke.

"Well, I need some cover up on the back, but not much else aside from that," she shrugged. She then turned to Graupner, who was looking past her. "Now, what to do about-"

Arline's last word, 'Graupner' was mixed with a scream. Another ball of light shot clear through her shoulder, erupting out past her with a splash of crimson. With the shock of the attack, Mabel and Dipper couldn't scream. They could only watch as Arline fell to the ground, holding her shoulder and yelling.

From past the smoke, the voice of Omir stated, "As I said, you will end up hurt."

The smoke and remaining fire began to clear from around them, and Omir came into view. He was perfectly fine. Not a single scratch had been laid onto him. The only difference to before Arline's attack was a small bruise forming on his nose.

"Sneak attack. Smart. Very unexpected for someone who follows the paths of flame and ash," Omir said. He sounded pleasant, but his eyes shone with a malice. He extended his hand. An invisible force began to pull at Arline. Dragged across the ground, leaving a small trail of blood in her wake, she was dragged towards Omir. He said, that warm voice slowly going cold, "But in the end, the difference is knowledge and training. I've had many more years than you, I'm afraid," he said to her, as she began to float upwards by the ankle. "In the end, that's what determines who the victor really is. Experience… and skill."

Omir threw his hand aside, and Arline whirled through the air. She slammed into the wall with a sickening thud. He twisted his arm, and she turned, and when he threw his arm aside, she flew again, this time sticking another wall. Three, four, five times, Arline was tossed around the walls of the deep pit like a ragdoll.

Finally, after seven throws, Arline landed nearby Graupner. Mabel watched, tears streaming down her face as Graupner lifted a foot, and stomped down, aiming for her neck.

He only struck dirt. Arline was back on her feet. Despite the severe injuries all around her, she uppercut Graupner as she rose past his stomp. The hit was of such speed and ferocity, blood spray past him as he spun into the air and he fell, screaming as he covered his eye.

Arline however was not done. She reached out for the staff, wrenched it from it's hole, and charged with it.

Her swing met a dismal end. Omir, shaking his head side to side slowly, snapped out with an arm and struck her in the same wound his orb had cut through her. She stumbled, and her grip failed her. No sooner had the staff fall from her fingertips than Omir caught it in mid-air, and swung.

Her arm bent and cracked as loud as her own fireballs. Arline let out a ear-splitting scream.

"NO!" Mabel screamed and ran forward. Arline stumbled back, one arm broken, and one shoulder shot. Omir advanced. Mabel slid in between the two of them. "No! This is over!" Mabel shouted at the two of them.

"Mabel, stand aside," Omir calmly said.

Arriving a second after his sister, Dipper slid before Omir. He rose his fists up, but trembled. This was not a fight he wanted to be in, but like hell would Mabel step into danger without him. Omir noticed the twins, ready to fight. A single orb flew to Omir's side, ready for action. Omir did not, however, step forward.

"You stay back too," Omir told him, ignoring Dipper's arrival. "Now, Mabel–"

Mabel shouted and ran past Dipper. With a mighty, thoroughly powerful strike, she punched at him. Her fist struck his mid-section. It did nothing to him. He never even so much as flinched. "Miss Pines, stop," he quietly said.

"You've hurt her enough!" Mabel screamed, throwing another punch.

Behind Dipper, Arline groaned, and coughed. "Mabel, get out of his way," she muttered.

As Dipper and Mabel spun, they saw Arline. Her face, bruised, covered in sweat, ash, and freckles of blood, was losing focus. She told them, almost dreamlike, "I am fire. I burn. I'm. Not. Done."

Mabel roared, "Shut up!"

Arline flinched. Omir looked down to the woman before him.

Breathing heavily, tears in her eyes, she screamed, "So, what, you just get to throw yourself to him because he did something awful!? What about Me!?" she demanded, and then pointed to her brother. "What about Dipper!? He hasn't even learned everything I have, and you keep telling him he's so quick to catch up! How can he if you go and get yourself killed!?"

Before Mabel and Dipper, the old man, who looked young and sad, spoke. "Dipper, Mabel, please. I told you I–"

Dipper yelled, "Don't want to hurt anyone!? Don't lie!"

Graupner cackled, massaging his throat, "End it, boss! We got 'em!"

Omir, hearing Dipper loud and clear, tensed his jaw. "Dipper, I have been a liar, many times. I am not lying right now."

"Then why are you still trying to fight her!?" Dipper asked, indicating the severely wounded woman behind him. "You can leave, can't you!? We can't stop you! Why are you still trying to hurt her if you have what you want!?"

Graupner yelled, "C'mon, what are you waiting for! Kill them!"

The words echoing through the deep pit might have been Gruapner's, but Since Dipper had spoken, Omir seemed stunned. He stared at the teenager, even as Mabel tried pushing Omir away. After a moment, he stepped back, and Mabel let up, taking a stance by her brother. Omir looked around. His eyes took in the splatters of blood, the ash around him, the scars in the earth. He looked to the twins, his eyes drinking in their defiance. In his eyes was a shadow of a doubt.

Omir turned to look at Graupner. Graupner again shouted for him to attack. The ancient wizard, in some sort of deeper thought, shook his head. "I… am not… a bad man," he quietly said. He looked to Arline.

She was still standing. There was red all over one side of her body. That she was standing, her eyes fixated on him, was a miracle, or an accomplishment of her unending stamina. Either way, Steindorf took a long, heavy sigh.

Omir told them, as he straightened himself up, "You're right. This can end now," he told them, a stern voice instead of his warm one. He was back to business. "However, you need to stand out of my way for now on, and I do mean stay out."

Arline spat on the ground. "Like hell I'll let you do this to anyone who thinks you're being a bastard."

"Then," Omir raised his hand. The six orbs appeared, orbiting around him. They were slow, but made steady arcs around the tall man's hand.

Mabel stumbled back to her brother. "No, no, please," Mabel begged him. "Please don't!"

The Sorcerer's eyes weren't cold and empty as he had expected. They shone with emotion, even as he raised his hand further, and the orbs rotated faster.

Dipper wanted to rush forward, to do something, anything. He had seen the damage Arline had taken, and knew that if he tried attacking, he was one less obstacle in the Sorcerers way. They were powerless, now. Dipper and Mabel watched as the orb's grew faster and faster. They flew like birds around a nest. The light seemed to remind her of life, and Arline cracked open one of her eyelids, staring up at Omir.

"I have spent too much, lost someone too important," he told them, "To stop now. I do not want to hurt you, nor anyone, but I will have her restored." With a grimace, he looked to Arline. "Send your master my regards, and apologies."

She snorted. "Not dead," Arline mumbled.

Omir blinked, and looked to her carefully. "What?"

"Not. Dead." Arline managed to cough, and her focus hardened on him. "I'm the one messed up here, you shouldn't have trouble hearing-"

"I heard you," he repeated, "What do you mean? Are you taunting me?" he chuckled, "I must admit, you're being rather optimistic despite being about to die-"

"I'm saying he's alive," Arline sighed.

"The Guardsman died years ago!" Omir shouted. Arline chuckled, and shook her head. Omir glared at her, and then his eyes shot wide. He must have realized something. "Oh. Ohh. This wasn't a moment of passion, like I thought, was it!?" Omir shouted. Hearing more of Arline's laughter drove him to a fury. He yelled, "You were told to come here! He instructed you! My gods, after all these years – he can't leave well enough alone!"

Graupner loudly groaned, "Who cares if some other old man is alive, da- err – boss!? Let's just kill them already and go!"

Omir did not move. He looked livid. His eyes twitched as he looked around, and he muttered to himself. "He was always the tricky one. Deceitful. I should have known he would be willing to lay in wait until I made my move, only to then thwart it again! Not this time, not today!"

Graupner Kinley, tired of waiting, shouted, "Fine, I'll do it then!" and he reached for the white staff.

A brisk rush of sound as sharp as a whistle cracked past the rush of light. Before Graupner could touch the staff, something stabbed into the ground, landing between the Warlock and his intended weapon. It was a sharp rod or spear, nearly six feet long and perfectly black. It hummed a deep, low resonance. It had been stabbed into the earth like a massive, oversized arrow.

As all but Graupner, who's eyes bugged out at the weapon that appeared before him, followed the path the projectile had taken. Their heads craned up. Atop the ledge of the pit, stood a figure, cloaked in shadow.

Omir wiped off grit and sweat from his face. "Well. Speak of the devil, and he shall cometh," Omir joked.

The twins followed Omir's gaze, and found someone they had seen before. It was a figure in a long, black cloak with a hood over its head. Staring down at them, the person studied them all, the face entirely hidden by the shadow of the hood.

"Well," Omir suddenly laughed and lifted his staff to rest on his shoulders, "here's someone I never thought I'd see again. Hello again, Guardsman."

"Hello again, Warlock," the Guardsman said, that deep and impenetrable voice echoing effortlessly through the darkness, which seemed to permeate around the figure like a second cloak. Slowly, it reached up and removed the hood and cape, revealing an elaborate trench-coat of black and red, and a strange steel-grey mask with no facial features but for two black, slit-like eyes and cheekbones.

"Good to see you again, my old friend," the Guardsman said.

Omir's gaze, cheery at first, darkened. He smiled with the same sort of darkness behind his eyes. "And here I always thought we'd never speak to one another again," Omir chuckled.

Dipper gulped as he and Mabel slowly approached Arline. "We are sooo over our heads right now," he told Mabel, who rapidly nodded.

---

Yeah. So. Go ahead and wrap your head around all of that. You have a week to figure out as much as you can before I update again, and you see where I am leading you all.

Any bets on my dangerous message from last episode?

For those of you who didn't know, someone dies this episode.

Until next week.

-EZB

---

PS- shoutout to my bud, EquestrianIdiot2.0 for using Jace and Jess (the harpies) in his adaptation of 30 Days of Night in a Gravity Falls setting. I don't want to spoil anything that happens but OUCH and MANY SADS. :'(