CONTENT NOTICE: This chapter contains violence with fantasy magic, brief bloodshed, drug trafficking, toxic relationships, domestic disputes and allusions to substance abuse.
"THE LAST GRIMWALKER"
CHAPTER THREE: TROUBLE AT THE CLUB
Of all the neighborhoods in the Right Arm, Humerus Hills was by and large the wealthiest. Some of the Isles' most affluent denizens lived here, including the famous Blight clan. But as evening came, the exclusive district was infiltrated by a clandestine interloper...
Of course, Hunter knew his way around the Hills. He had been there before, for the purpose of securing all Blight Industries' Abomaton soldiers for the Emperor. Just like back then, he was wearing a mask, albeit one far less distinct. He had a black cloth wrapped around his nose and mouth, and the hood of his leather jacket hid his long, blond hair as he crept from house to house.
Eventually Hunter reached a sizable mansion, which was blocked off from visitors by iron gates. However, he had no problem getting past them, thanks to his innate teleportation abilities. A couple of guards were patrolling the yard, but getting past them was the easiest stealth mission he'd done in months. He scaled the building with impressive agility, and landed on one of the balconies. Just as he was about to sneak through the sliding glass door, the scroll in his pocket buzzed, catching him off guard. Hunter frantically pulled out his scroll, and took a quick peek at the message he'd received.
Hello_Willow: About to go to Gravesfield w/ Gus and Amity. U coming? :)
Hunter froze. He'd forgotten all about the Gravesfield getaway his buddies were planning. While he wanted nothing more than to hang out in the Human Realm with his most cherished friends, he had a duty to uphold, and a conspiracy to uncover. Before he could think of an adequate response, a voice shouted out from behind him.
"FREEZE!"
Hunter turned his head, and saw a short, bespectacled woman with bob-cut burgundy hair pointing a spell circle at him. This wealthy woman was Pinta Riegel, a member of the VitiCo board of directors, and she was not happy.
"Put up your hands and remove your mask! NOW!" Pinta demanded. Not wanting to die, Hunter did as she asked, and unmasked himself. Of course, she recognized the young man immediately, and her attitude towards him turned on a dime.
"Golden Guard!" The aristocrat exclaimed, making Hunter wince. Try as he might to abandon that awful identity, some people still saw him as naught but the Emperor's scion. "Why in Titan's name are you sneaking around like a thief? You could've just rang the doorbell."
"I need to know where Boscha is."
"Hold on! Are you asking her out? You'd be perfect for her! That Glandus girl she's dating is nothing but trouble."
The thought of being romantically involved with the bully who tormented his friends made Hunter sick to his stomach. Appalled by such an awful idea, he tried to voice his concerns, but Pinta rudely cut him off.
"She's at that awful new nightclub in Latissa. Now go rescue her, before it's too—"
"ARE YOU SNITCHING ON HER? NOT COOL!"
That was Boscha's other mother, the three-eyed, pink-haired Trypticha. Unlike her shorter wife, she had a laissez-faire attitude to raising her daughter, except when she wanted to join in on the fun. Trypticha often asked to tag along on her daughter's hangouts, but got the same answer from her each and every time.
"I'm looking out for Boscha's safety, unlike you." Pinta snapped back.
"You wanted her to join the Emperor's Coven!"
"So did you!"
"You're just mad Boscha loves me more than you." The squabble between mothers turned into a full-on screaming match, complete with expletives that would make a pro grudgby coach blush. As they kept arguing, Hunter excused himself and dashed away. Funnily enough, the trip to Humerus Hills had broadened his horizons. While he sure as hell didn't like Boscha, now he knew where she got her attitude from...
Life in New Hexside was an orderly chaos. Sure, the once-civilized academy was one of the few places safe from the Collector's spies, but that didn't make it a sanctuary. Gangs of crazed kindergarteners roved the halls, carnivorous orchids prowled in the darkness, and the internal politics of the student council ensured nothing important got done. The apocalypse was a high-stress environment, but lucky for Celine, she had a release.
Every night, the moon demon retreated to the solitude of the Oracle Homeroom, which was covered in chalkboards that graphed the immense intricacies of clairvoyance. Here, all the oracles would consult their crystal balls, hoping to see the Collector's downfall. However, Celine wasn't here to see the future, but the person closest to her.
"Mom, are you there?"
"Yes, love." Pictured on the orb was her mother, Lunelai. She was a tall and slender woman, whose horns were curved at a narrower angle than her daughter's. She had on a tattered robe, and her single eye was violet in color.
Justice Crescentine was one of the few adults not to be locked away in the Archive House, thanks to the efforts of her child. After Head Witch Graye's forces were repelled, Celine warned her of the Day of Unity's diabolical true purpose. After some convincing from Principal Bump, Lunelai abandoned her pilgrimage to the Skull, and took shelter in a remote bunker. Although the compound hid her from the Collector's spies, her daughter could only be contacted via crystal ball...
"How was your day?" Lunelai inquired.
"It was okay, I guess. I went foraging in the woods with Viney and Matt."
"Your Grom date? How romantic."
"It was one time, Mom." Celine groused. "We almost got caught by a star-thing, but Viney's griffin saved our butts. It was crazy." She wistfully remarked. Although she was smiling, Lunelai knew her daughter wasn't happy.
"Are you okay?"
"Nothing's wrong, mom. I'm totally fine here."
"I'm an empath. I know you're not okay. Now tell me what happened."
Celine fell quiet for the longest time, then began weeping into the oversized sleeves of her frayed uniform. "It's never gonna end! I tried to see the future, and guess what I saw? NOTHING! We're all gonna be stuck in school while that creepy star kid uses everyone as toys forever!" The one-eyed demon continued crying, until her mother spoke up.
"I feel your pain, Celine. I tried doing that too, but it didn't work. It's difficult for even expert oracles to predict such world-changing events."
"S-so?" Celine sniffled.
"The future isn't set in stone. One day, this madness will end, and we'll all live happily ever after. Until then, stay strong, my love, and hope for the future."
"Thanks, Mom. You always know what to say."
"Goodnight, Moonbeam. I'll talk to you tomorrow. And remember, I will always love you..."
"Love you too, Mom..."
Celine sat in the same seat she did every night in New Hexside, where she watched old video chats with her mother on her crystal ball. The unsolved mystery of her disappearance made the poor girl a nervous wreck. Lunelai was able to call her during the apocalypse. What was keeping her from doing so now?
She had her theories, of course. Being the presiding judge of the Bonesborough Trials meant Lunelai made some powerful enemies; Kikimora, Odalia and a handful of the deposed Coven Heads, to name a few. Her train of thought kept racing down its treacherous tracks, until it was halted by the arrival of a familiar face.
"Celine? What are you doing here?" asked Mattholomule, who leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed together in an effort to look cool.
"Viney asked me over. I guess she invited you, too."
"Well, where is she?" Matt's question was answered when part of the wall was opened up by their pony-tailed host. Viney gestured for her classmates to follow her, and they did as told. Once they reached the Secret Room of Secrets, they all sat down in a circle on the floor.
"I take it you know why I've brought you here." Viney spoke, her palisman curled up in her lap.
"Pretty much." Matt retorted, when a certain wooden blue jay fluttered over to his elephantine familiar and nipped at his trunk, thinking it was a worm. Schnoz retaliated by loudly trumpeting, scaring her away.
"That's Hunter's palisman!" Celine inquired. "What's she doing here?"
"Hunter went out looking for Boscha. Apparently she's a Venom dealer, and she gets a 'special ingredient' from those witches we fought. And they've got something to do with our missing loved ones."
"Oh..." The oracle was only worried further by Viney's explanation. She knew about the addictive properties of Titan's Venom; her mother had sentenced plenty of its dealers to prison in her judicial career. There's no way she could've gotten hooked on the stuff! There had to be another explanation.
"So, we're gonna help him find Boscha and get some answers out of her."
"Is anyone else gonna help us?"
"I texted Luz, but she never responded." Viney replied.
"Well, of course she didn't." Matt commented. Scrolls don't get service in the Human Realm. Besides, she and her buddies already saved the Isles. Now, it's my time to shine." He boasted, earning glares from the girls—and even his palisman. "I mean ours."
"You're just jealous Gus is leading the H.A.S. again." Celine retorted, as she gestured to a poster for the club. Lo and behold, Augustus Porter was front and center. The Human Appreciation Society exploded in popularity after a certain human helped save the Boiling Isles. Gus, having been to the Human Realm himself, was unanimously re-elected as President.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Cut it out, you guys!" Viney snapped, shutting the bickering teens up. "Now, do either of you have any idea where Boscha could be?"
"Check her Penstagram." Matt answered. "She posts, like, every ten minutes."
Viney did as her fellow dual-tracker said, and looked up Boscha's Penstagram page. The first thing she saw was a picture of the grudgby star in a nightclub with three other teens, followed by another, and another. The next image she saw displayed the name of the building; Club Cauldron.
"Let's go, guys. We've got a witch to catch..."
As for Hunter, he was already flying to Latissa to carry out his mission. Because he didn't want his beloved Waffles to get involved, he had to take an alternative method of transport. Said vehicle was a crowded shuttle airship provided by the Blight Foundation's public transit division. As he gazed upon the scenery beneath him, Hunter used the airship's complementary crow phone to break the bad news to his best friend.
"Hey, Willow..."
"Hunter! We've been trying to reach you, what's going on?"
"It's nothing. I was just busy at the moment." The blonde let out a pained sigh, and continued talking. "I won't be able to go to Gravesfield with you. Something really important popped up at the last minute."
"Oh. Do you need any help?"
"No, I'm fine. It's hard to explain, but it's gonna work out."
"Well, good luck!"
"Thanks." Hunter quavered, dull pangs of guilt tugging at his heartstrings. "Don't worry about me, though, I'll be okay. Just have fun. And tell the Nocedas I said hi." Hunter then hung up the phone, which roosted back in its perch.
"She's so sweet." Hunter thought to himself. Here he was making up the vaguest excuses to why he couldn't make it to the Human Realm, and Willow was such a good sport about it. She seemed so excited about it, too. Flaking on those plans was just another thread in his tangled web of white lies.
"I don't deserve her..."
The shuttle soon landed in the terminal, and Hunter exited it with all the other passengers. All in all, it was a much smoother flight than his last trip to Latissa, but he still preferred staves to airships. Still, he was willing to put up with the pitfalls of public transit to protect his precious palisman.
Once Hunter left the terminal, he came across a variety of vendors selling all sorts of different goods. Among their wares were spicy demon wings, antique obsidian weaponry, and Harpy Eda dolls with "vole-eating action." However, his attention was caught by a stall that sold concealment stones. Without his Sentinel regalia, he needed a way to conceal his identity, and a charm like that was just what he needed...
True to its name, Club Cauldron was a melting pot for witches and demons from all walks of life. The only thing keeping it from bubbling over was its security, who chose who got in and who didn't. Tonight, it was patrolled by a big, beefy bouncer from the Beast Keeping Coven, along with his pair of guard chupacabras. His shift was going quite smoothly, until he was approached by a young stranger with blue eyes, spiky red hair, and a clear, unblemished face.
"Name?" The bouncer inquired.
"Esau."
"You ain't on the list, Esau. Now get moving."
The boy let out a sigh, and reached into his jacket. "I didn't wanna have to do this..." Immediately alarmed, the bouncer drew a spell circle, and his chupacabras growled ferociously. Thankfully, all he did was remove his concealment stone, revealing his true face to the now-shocked guard.
"It's you! My apologies, sir. Go right ahead!"
Hunter then re-activated his disguise, and entered the building. Just as he went inside, his fellow Hexolios landed near the nightclub. Celine arrived first thanks to her speedy staff, followed by Viney and Matt.
"Titan, you're fast! Could you at least have slowed down?" Matt griped.
"Nope."
The trio headed to the back of the long, winding line, which went all the way down the street. From uphill, they could see a witch being chased away by the guard's fierce chupacabras.
"THE V.I.P. LINE IS FOR V.I.P.S ONLY!" The bouncer shouted as he shook his fist.
"This is gonna take all night!" complained Viney, who was in no mood to wait. Waffles, who was roosting on her shoulder, squawked in agreement.
"Don't worry, I've got an idea." Matt slyly remarked, as he pulled three concealment stones from his pocket.
"Next!" The bouncer barked, awaiting the next patrons he'd have the displeasure of dealing with. To his shock, the latest customers in the VIP line were none other than Luz Noceda, Gus Porter and Willow Park!
"No. Freaking. Way! You're the witches who saved all our lives! You guys can come in for free! FOREVER!" He excitedly gushed, until he realized someone important was missing. "Wait, where's Amity?
"She's got the common mold. I just got better, that's why my voice sounds weird." replied Viney, who was doing her best impression of Luz. Thankfully, it had the bouncer fooled.
"Oh, thank Titan! I was worried you two broke up. I'd have to leave the Lumity Coven!" The doorman pulled up his shirt, revealing a tattoo on his belly depicting the human witch dancing with her cotton candy-haired goddess. Beneath it was a label that read "LUMITY 4EVER!"
Weirded out beyond all belief, Matt and Celine, who were disguised as Gus and Willow respectively, entered the club without saying the word. Viney followed after them, but not before giving the guard's chupacabras some well-deserved head pats.
Once they were inside, the teens deactivated their disguises, and were greeted by a plethora of stimulating sights and sounds. Blaring techno music was played by a couple of bards with complex magical instruments. Flashing lights and colors were cast upon the dome-shaped ceiling by illusionists, as throngs of witches and demons gyrated on the dance floor in ways forbidden at Hexside's social events.
"Alright, let's split up. Waffles and I will go this way, you two go that way." Before either Matt or Celine could object, Viney headed into the crowd, leaving the one-time dates alone with each other.
"Heh, reminds me of Grom." Matt awkwardly laughed, whilst Celine just rolled her eye.
Hunter treaded carefully through the club, discreetly glancing around for any sign of Boscha. Alas, it was difficult for him to focus on the task at hand in such an overwhelming environment. Club Cauldron was nothing like the stale gatherings he'd attended at the castle, where the loudest sounds around were the Coven Heads' bickering. The ear-piercing music, the pungent odor of sweat, and the clustering crowds became too much for him to handle.
Overcome by sensory overload, Hunter covered his ears and took off, inadvertently pushing through other people until he reached an open supply closet. He stumbled to the floor, fists clenched and breaths ragged. His panic only intensified when he saw somebody walking towards him. Thankfully, said person was a familiar friend of his.
"You okay, dude?" Viney asked. Her disguised teammate said nothing in response, but his expression spoke a thousand words. "I guess not. Can't blame you, it's a madhouse out there."
A group of curious bystanders gathered around the closet to gawk at the scene, which Viney knew was the last thing he needed. "Move along!" She snapped. Viney then shut the door, cutting out some of the harsh cacophony, then sat on the floor, careful to give the boy some much-needed space.
While Viney didn't recognize her fellow Entrail, Waffles immediately saw through her master's disguise. She flitted to Hunter's lap, and curled up against him to calm him down. Without any protest, Hunter gently placed a hand on his palisman, and quietly caressed her for the next few minutes.
"Oh, Titan..." Hunter shakily muttered under his breath.
"You got sensory issues?" Viney inquired.
"Huh?"
"It's nothing to be ashamed of. My cousin's got 'em, too. So, I came up with these to help her." The healer cast a small spell circle, summoning a pair of enchanted earplugs and a similarly charmed nasal strip. "They should take the edge off the noises and smells." Hunter applied the magic-imbued sensory aids, and true to his friend's word, they mitigated the disturbances to a manageable level.
"Better?"
"Better. Thanks, Viney." Hunter replied, only realizing his slip-up at the last second.
"No probl—wait, how do you know my name?"
Before Hunter could think of a credible excuse, Waffles grabbed his concealment stone with her beak, and yanked it off, revealing his true identity.
"Hunter? There you are! Waffles told us you were looking for Boscha."
"Us?"
"Matt and Celine are here, too. I'll bring you to them. C'mon!" Viney got back up and opened the closet door, and Hunter followed her outside, but not before reactivating his concealment stone. He was surprised and quite distraught by his palisman's disobedience, but as for now, he had a mission to complete.
As Hunter trailed Viney through the nightclub, his attention was caught by the attraction that gave Club Cauldron its namesake. It was a pit in the center of the club, with a ring-shaped cage where witches and demons would duel for glory and snails.
Hunter and Viney recognized both participants in the ongoing match. One was Professor Abromaham Hermonculus, Hexside's abominations professor, while the other was Eberwolf the Huntsman, Head Witch of the Beast Keeping Coven. Since the former nearly shut down the Entrails out of his petty grudge against Willow, it wasn't hard to guess who the teens were rooting for.
Hermonculus's abomination mount swung wildly at the hairy huntsman, but they boldly jumped into the gut of the gooey golem, then burst out of its head, their fangs and claws razor-sharp and at the ready. With a savage swipe, Eber knocked the diminutive professor off his construct, winning the match.
The spectators cheered for Eberwolf's victory, Hunter and Viney included. Eber sniffed the air around them, and upon picking up the familiar scent of the former Golden Guard, they waved to him with a toothy grin. Hunter awkwardly waved back, as Viney walked away from the battle pit. However, she mistakenly bumped into another clubgoer.
"Sorry, about tha—" The dual-track witch went silent when the girl she encountered turned around. It was Boscha, but she wasn't alone. At her side was a trio of unfamiliar teenagers; a freckled girl whose aquamarine hair boasted blue roots, a dark-skinned boy with spiky gray hair, and a yellow-skinned demon with claws and a long, pointed tail.
Hexside's former queen bee wasn't at all displeased to run into Viney. If anything, she seemed delighted, if the smile on her face was anything to go by.
"Hey, Griffin-Girl. Here for the good stuff?"
Meanwhile, Matt and Celine were searching a much calmer part of the club, secluded from most of the noises and lights. Judging by the games of chance at every corner, it appeared to be a gambling den. Among them were Hexes Hold 'Em, Blackmajack, and a variety of living slot machines that spat out snails from their toothy maws.
The casino overlooked the fighting pit below. Spectators sat on chairs and couches, and placed bets on the battles as they watched them from the windows. Having been in a few duels at school, Celine's interest was caught by the striking spectacle.
"Yeah! Kick that stupid slime-slinger's butt!" The moon demon cheered.
"Stay focused, we have to find Boscha." Matt reprimanded, as he took Celine by the sleeve and dragged her away from the show. Alas, he too fell prey to the casino's distractions; sitting atop one of the game tables was a hefty pile of snails. Drawn to the money, Matt sauntered closer, until he saw a short-statured, piglike demon sitting at said table.
"Get down!" Matt hid behind a large potted plant, and dragged Celine down with him. Judging by his behavior, it was clear to the oracle he'd been haunted by a ghost from his past.
"Who was that?"
"An old business partner. I may have run a few scams with him, until Steve may have made me quit."
"Why do you keep saying 'may have'?" Celine riposted. Matt peeked behind the pot, and watched as a roulette wheel spun around. It landed on the witch Tibbles was playing against, and zapped him with a miniature lightning bolt, causing the pig to cackle cacophonously.
"He may have had a point."
"Come one, come all, and join me in a game of Sorceroulette!" Tibbles called out to the patrons of the gambling den. "To sweeten this round, I'm throwing in a tank of Dr. Tibbles' Terrific Tonic!" He heaved a glass jug of yellow-green liquid—adorned with a picture of him dressed as a doctor—into the betting pot. Although he advertised it as a 'health tonic,' Matt and Celine weren't fooled. One was the brother of a BIRD, while the other was the daughter of a judge.
"That's Titan's Venom!" Celine gasped.
"We gotta get it off the streets." replied Matt.
"How?"
"Easy. I'll win it off him."
"If you gamble like you dance, you're in big trouble."
"Whatever." Matt used his concealment stone to change his appearance, giving him a purple mullet, a thick, bushy beard to match, and a horn that poked out from the right side of his forehead. He reviewed his new look in the camera of his scroll, and nodded in approval. Then, he glanced back at Celine, who was consulting her crystal ball.
"You don't gotta ponder the orb, Celine. I've got—"
"No chance of winning. Zero percent." She starkly replied, much to her friend's chagrin. "Nobody does. The pig rigged it so he always wins."
"Of course he did." Matt groaned, when an idea suddenly came to him. "Hey, what if you even the odds? And by even, I mean help me win."
"You want me to cheat?"
"For a good reason!"
"But what if we get caught?"
"We won't! Look, if you're so worried, just ask your magic ball what'll happen. Now if you excuse me, I've got a game to win." Matt then haughtily headed towards the Sorceroulette table, eager to taste the sweetness of victory. Celine, however, was as nervous as could be.
"But I can't see my future..."
"The 'good' stuff?"
Viney still couldn't believe it. Boscha Riegel, queen bee and former star captain of the Hexside Banshees, was a Venom dealer. Then again, she hadn't seen the girl since New Hexside dissolved.
"Yeah, real good!" The yellow demon exclaimed.
"It's got a secret ingredient that'll blow your mind." The slender boy added.
"These are my new friends, Angmar, Gavin, and this here's Bria." Boscha spoke, her arm around the freckled girl's torso. "I'm her awesome girlfriend."
"How come we've never met?" Viney inquired. She had no idea who Boscha's new entourage was, but Hunter sure as hell did. He saw those spiteful bullies when he braved Gus's visions. He later learned from his friend that they were galdorstone thieves; such stones were one of the ingredients used to create grimwalkers. He had no clue if a galdorstone was still in his body, but he instinctively covered his chest, anyways.
"Of course you don't, I go to Glandus now. Hexside is so last semester. Right, babe?" Bria nodded half-heartedly, as she was mainly focused on Viney's red-haired comrade.
"Who's your friend? I gotta say, he's a real heartthrob!" Bria flirted, making poor Hunter even more uncomfortable. Jealous, Boscha tightly squeezed her girlfriend's sigil-branded wrist, causing her to wince.
"So, where'd you get the potions?"
"What are you, a BIRD?" Gavin snapped.
"It doesn't matter where they came from, these potions are the bomb!" added Angmar.
"Just ask your buddy, Jerbo. He couldn't get enough of 'em." Boscha remarked, arousing Viney's anger. "He was supposed to meet me here tonight. Guess he's not as loyal as I thought."
If Viney was mad before, now she was seething with rage. Hunter was nearly as angry; Boscha hadn't changed one bit since he last saw her, but that was to be expected. She was mentored by Kikimora, for Titan's sake.
Boscha reached into her satchel, and pulled out a bottle of Titan's Venom. "This is all I got left, so it's gonna cost extr—" Before the triclops could finish her sentence, Viney tackled her off the railing.
"VINEY!" Hunter cried.
"The Venom!" exclaimed Bria.
Boscha summoned her staff to stabilize her descent, and kicked Viney off of her. The brunette landed in the ring with a loud thud, and her foe loomed over her, an arrogant grin on her face. Bria, Gavin and Angmar all leapt into the ring as well, and surrounded their downed opponent.
"Now you've done it." Boscha snarled.
"You're in for a world of pain!" Bria exclaimed, in a chillingly cheerful tone, no less. Before the bullies could beat Viney up, Hunter jumped into the pit with his staff in hand, and knocked them back with an arcing wave of energy. While they were down, he helped Viney up, and she rejuvenated herself with a healing spell.
"You ready for this?" Viney asked her ally, who nodded affirmatively.
"Entrails stick together."
A brawl erupted in the battle pit, causing the crowd to roar with excitement, as the announcer's voice boomed over the nightclub's speaker system.
"Dear Titan, those teenagers are fighting! PLACE YOUR BETS!"
Gavin and Angmar were the first to attack. The former summoned an abomination golem that charged towards Hunter, and the latter cast thorny vines at the same target. Hunter dodged a punch from the purple construct, but found himself ensnared in Angmar's tendrils. However, he easily teleported out of them, and unsheathed the sword of Esau, which he used to hack those wicked weeds to pieces.
The boys launched goo and roots at their opponent, but he avoided them with a series of swift dashes, then sent Angmar reeling with a powerful kick. Gavin's golem ran towards him with its fists balled, but Hunter wasn't afraid. With sword and staff, he charged towards the abomination, eager to show his foes who's boss.
As for Viney, she was being ganged up on by Boscha and Bria. The former cast a flurry of fireballs the healer's way, but she dispelled them by spinning her staff in a circle. Bria reached into her pocket, pulled out a strength-enhancing power glyph, and slapped it over her coven brand. She let out a yell and leapt towards Viney, who dodged out of the way. The construction witch ended up punching one of the cage bars, bending it out of shape; the impact of the hit caused the whole ring to vibrate.
Viney retaliated by firing a round of blue-tinted bolts at her foes, but Bria summoned a wall of stone that rose from the ground, and pushed it towards her. Viney avoided the sliding construct with an agile combat roll, and it hit the cage bars and shattered into rubble.
However, Boscha lifted the debris into the air with a telekinetic spell, and hurled the chunks of stone Viney's way. She managed to deflect most of the rubble with her staff, but one of the stones nicked her forearm. It tore through her jacket, and left a bleeding gash on her flesh.
Boscha smirked, but the furious beast keeper drew a large circle, summoning Puddles. The griffin let out an ear-splitting squawk, and reared up on its hind legs. Now, the battle was becoming even more exciting...
Meanwhile in the casino, Tibbles was nearly ready for the next round of Sorceroulette. Contrary to what the name may suggest, this Demon Realm casino game had more in common with "spin the bottle" than it did with regular roulette. Of course, said "bottle" was a mystically empowered Tesla coil that would strike whoever it landed on with bolts of lightning.
"Remember, last one standing wins the pot!" The shifty swine spoke, just as Matt Tholomule approached the gaming table, magic staff in hand.
"Deal me in." Matt boomed in the deepest tone he could utter. He sat in the last unoccupied seat, next to a hairy, bearded witch, a two-eyed brain encased in gelatinous green goo, and a minuscule, moth-like bug demon. The disguised Hexside student took a handful of snails from his pocket and confidently placed them in the pot. His competitors all laughed uproariously, but Tibbles wasn't amused.
"Is this a joke? You'll have to bet a lot more if you want to play."
"That's all I got."
"What about your palisman?" Tibbles inquired. Matt's eyes went wide, and a knot formed in his stomach as the other players leered at him. Matt twisted his elephantine familiar off the staff and placed him on the gaming table. Irked by his master's antics, Schnoz trumpeted discordantly.
"Shh! I know what I'm doing." He retorted, then leaned in close to his displeased palisman. "I love you." He whispered, quiet as a mouse. Now convinced his owner had a plan, Schnoz reverted to his inanimate wooden form, and Matt set him atop the betting pot.
As Tibbles spun the playing wheel round and round, Celine lay hidden behind a nearby plant, her crystal ball in hand. She was using said orb to command an invisible spirit, who loomed over the playing table. The electric coil landed on the shaggy witch, and zapped him so hard it caused his long hair and bushy beard to stand on end.
The next round, the coil rapidly rotated, losing speed with each revolution, until it slowly moved towards Matt. However, Celine's hidden phantom nudged the wheel towards the slime demon sitting next to him. Again, it launched a bolt of lightning at its target, causing her viscous body to melt into a puddle.
Already suspicious, Tibbles gave the wheel another whirl. Unbeknownst to the participants, he was controlling the outcome of every round with a tiny remote hidden in his pocket. Everyone but him was guaranteed to lose, and this time, Matt would be in for a shock.
The business end of the Sorceroulette wheel landed right on Matt, but his guardian spirit quickly pushed it towards the moth demon. The ensuing zap launched him across the room, and his body went up in smoke.
"I'm okay..." The bug weakly sputtered. However, he had been sitting in the exact opposite direction as Mr. Tholomule. The jig was up.
"You cheated!" Tibbles angrily accused.
"Oh yeah? Prove it." Matt retorted, haughty as ever. Alas, his sarcastic request was immediately fulfilled by a security guard, who was holding a struggling Celine by her hoodie.
"She's got a crystal ball." The guard spoke, when the oracle used said sphere to summon a shrouded spirit, who gave her captor an atomic wedgie. While the guard was distracted, Celine broke free of his grasp, and started to flee.
"Let's go!"
Before Matt could make his getaway, Tibbles summoned a magic chain that shackled itself to the boy's ankle. The piglike con artist then cast a spell that dispelled the concealment stone's illusion, revealing his fellow cheater's true face.
"Well, if it isn't little Matty Tholomule! You still owe me for that Azura fiasco, and that palisman of yours should pay it off nicely!"
"I wouldn't do that."
"Nonsense! Now come to Tibbles!" The suid swindler singsonged as he reached for the wooden totem. Just as his grubby grippers were about to seize the palisman, he sprang to life and wrapped his trunk around Tibbles's arm. Then, the pint-sized pachyderm slammed the pig against the table several times, sending snails flying off the table. Even the Venom tankard fell off, and shattered when it hit the floor.
"He's a bit touchy." Matt remarked, a grin clear on his face. To add injury to insult, Schnoz used his proboscis to spin the Sorceroulette wheel, and made sure it landed on Tibbles. The conniving con artist received the same treatment he gave all his competitors, which was absolutely electrifying. After being lit up with lightning, his stunned body emitted a surprisingly savory scent.
"What's that delicious aroma?" The shaggy witch wondered, as he rose to his feet.
"Smells like Papa's cooking!" The slime demon added. The gamblers—and even the security guard—surrounded Tibbles, whilst hungrily licking their chops.
"Oh, poop."
As the ravenous clubgoers chased Tibbles around the casino, Matt summoned a stone pickaxe, and used it to break his shackle. He retrieved his plucky palisman, and even swiped a handful of snails.
"Well, that went better than expected."
"Look!" Celine exclaimed, as she pointed to the window overlooking the cage match. Down there, Viney and an unfamiliar red-haired boy were in the heat of battle with an easily identifiable enemy. "It's Boscha! But who are those guys?"
While Celine had no clue who Boscha's buddies were, Matt was unfortunate enough to have been their lackey, until that fateful trip to the Looking Glass Ruins. If he knew one thing about Glandus students, it was that their scores were never settled.
"Oh, no..."
Back in the battle pit, Hunter, Viney and Puddles were still locked in combat with Boscha and her ilk. The angry griffin swiped at Boscha with her talons, but the agile athlete evaded the animal's attacks. However, one wrong step caused the violet-haired girl to falter and hit the floor.
Just as Puddles was about to strike, a series of stone pillars jutted from the ground, and a large slab was levitated atop them, caging the griffin inside. This convenient construction spell came from Bria, who blew her girlfriend a kiss. However, Boscha ignored her display of affection, and continued fighting Viney.
"What, no 'thank you?'"
Hunter used his innate magical abilities to zip around the cage, easily avoiding attacks from Gavin's golem. He used his staff to fire a volley of energy blasts at the construct, staggering it. Gavin lunged at him whilst wielding a sword made from abomination matter, but Hunter blocked the blow with his own blade.
"You can't outmaneuver me." The ex-Golden Guard warned.
"Nah, I'm just distracting you. Now, dude!"
On his friend's mark, Angmar called forth a monstrous plant creature, which rose from the ground and entangled Hunter in its sinewy tendrils. While he struggled to break free, Gavin controlled a slimy tentacle that pried the boy's staff from his grasp.
"Nice staff. I think I'll take it." Gavin mused, when Waffles bit his finger. The abomination witch let out a yelp, and the jay flew up to escape him. "Stupid bird!" As Gavin shook his fist at the mischievous palisman, Hunter tried teleporting out of his restraints, but his stamina was too drained for him to successfully do so.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Get him!" Gavin commanded his construct to lumber towards Hunter, and it raised its powerful arms up. Before the slimy creature could crush Hunter, a purple phantom swooped down and raked it with her claws. The Glandus teens all looked to the spirit's source, and saw Matt and Celine standing over the pit, their magic staves readied. Even the announcer was surprised to see them.
"Hey, I remember him! He's the kid who made his head huge at Covention!"
"Seriously? That's how you know me?!" Matt griped.
"Come on!" Celine and Matt then leapt into the ring, ready for action. The former made a break for Gavin, leaving Matt to face off with Bria. As they entered the fray, Angmar looked back at Hunter, who was still writhing in the carnivorous plant's tentacles.
"Now, where were we?" Angmar remarked. Using his sword, Hunter sawed through his bonds as fast as he could, as the creature pulled him closer to its toothy maw. Once his hands were finally free, Hunter cast a fire spell, lighting the creature ablaze.
The giant plant dropped him to the floor, and shrieked as its tendrils writhed. Once the flames touched its combustible chlorophyll, it was all over. The ensuing explosion launched Angmar across the ring; when the demon hit the floor, he was down for the count. Personally, Hunter felt their fight was child's play; He often sparred with a plant witch way out of Angmar's league...
Celine's apparition clashed against her opponent's abomination. Neither one back downed; the mystical beings were locked in a standstill! However, the tides were turned when the golem landed a powerful punch on the phantom, causing it to dissipate into fog.
"Abomination, seize her!"
The creature did as its master commanded, but Celine used her artificial staff to fire a powerful ray of red-tinted energy, which vaporized the construct's entire head. The abomination fell to its knees, and melted into a purple puddle of ooze. Before Gavin could cast another spell, Celine teleported towards him and struck him with her staff, sending him to the floor.
On the other side of the ring, Bria lobbed chunks of stone at Matt's many illusion copies, who taunted her as they skittered around.
"So, you and Boscha, huh? She ever call you 'Amity' when you're making—OOF!" In the midst of his teasing, the real Matt was hit in the gut by one of Bria's rocks.
"Really, Matty? Illusions? That Hexside wimp made you weak." Bria scoffed. Matt mustered a stone pillar and sent it sliding towards her, but she reduced it to rubble with a single punch. "Sorry, weaker."
Bria charged towards her former stooge, eager to knock his lights out before a live audience. However, Matt thought fast and cast a spell circle around his right arm, tripling its size. He then threw a punch at Bria with his newly-enlarged arm, knocking her across the ring. She hit the bars with a resounding clang and slumped to the floor, a pained groan escaping her lips.
The cunning young witch then reverted his arm to its regular size. Bodily enlargement was a branch of magic Matt had experimented with before. Only recently, however, did he realize illusion magic was the key that turned a joke of a spell into a truly formidable ability. Matt then noticed Bria had dropped a few power glyphs, so he discreetly stashed them in his pocket.
Viney and Boscha continued to square off, the former hot on the offensive. She fired fist-shaped energy constructs at her three-eyed opponent, who blocked them with a barrier spell.
"I'll make you pay for what you did to Jerbo."
"All I did was give him what he wanted." Boscha retorted. "That's what friends do."
Enraged, Viney jumped up, and used her staff to launch a bright ball of blue energy Boscha's way. The Venom dealer deflected it by spinning her own staff, but in doing so, left herself wide open for retaliation. Viney let loose and punched her square in her third eye, sending her reeling.
Boscha looked around at her surroundings, her vision partially obscured by that last punch. Her Glandus buddies were all incapacitated, whilst her opponents had her surrounded. Even Puddles was freed from her makeshift cage by a telekinetic spell, courtesy of Hunter.
Cornered, Boscha reached into her satchel, and threw an explosive potion at the ceiling, blasting a hole through the nightclub's roof. While the patrons clamored, she took to her staff and flew out the hole she had made. Not wanting to fail his mission, Hunter called for Waffles, and gave chase to the bully.
"After her!" Viney exclaimed, when a viscous violet tendril wrapped around her ankle. Lo and behold, the Glandus trio was back with a vengeance.
"Ready for round two?" Bria boasted. However, Matt noticed a familiar figure approaching the ring, and a devilish smirk crept over his face.
"No, but he is."
A certain hairy Head Witch leapt into the cage, with a horde of flesh-eating beetles in tow. They let out a vicious growl, causing the crowd to cheer loudly.
"Uh oh! Looks like Eberwolf's back for seconds!"
As Eber pounced at the three terrified bullies, Viney, Matt and Celine all soared to the skies to help out their fellow Hexolio...
In the airspace over Latissa, Hunter was in hot pursuit of his three-eyed target. In order to get him off her tail, Boscha lobbed potions filled with noxious gas at her chaser. Hunter avoided the first two, but the last one burst in front of him. Sickened by the fumes, Hunter dove downwards as he coughed and hacked.
"Screw off, half-a-witch!"
Half-a-witch. That wounding insult made his blood boil, especially since it came from Boscha's mouth. She'd always call Willow by that demeaning nickname, even though his Captain was more of a witch than she'd ever be. This time, he'd make sure Boscha ate her words.
Fueled by fury, Hunter ascended once more, dashing rapidly as he parkoured from building to building. Once he had caught up to Boscha, he teleported towards her, and elbow-checked her off her staff.
The Venom dealer screamed as she plummeted towards the ground, but Hunter zipped downwards and seized her. He slowed their descent by thrusting his sword into the wall of a nearby building, causing sparks to fly wildly from his blade. Once they hit the ground, Hunter pinned his quarry against the wall.
"You're coming with m—OOF!" Before he could finish his sentence, Boscha kneed the poor guy square in the groin, then shoved him to the ground. While he was down, Boscha made a break for it, but was zapped with a bolt of energy from above. Exhaustion overcame her, and she soon keeled over, knocked out cold. The spell that downed her came from Viney, who landed in the alley on Puddles, with Matt and Celine in tow.
"What was that?" Celine wondered.
"Anesthesia spell." Viney gladly answered. "Thanks, Hunter. Couldn't have done it without you."
"Wait, that's Hunter?" Matt asked, clearly surprised.
"We need to take her to the BIRDs."
"There's not enough evidence." said Celine.
"She'll get off scot-free as always." added Matt.
"Then where will she go?"
"Where she belongs. Detention." Viney replied. "We'll keep you posted." She put Boscha and her palisman on Puddles's back, and tied them to the griffin with fortified beast keeper's rope. She then mounted her loyal pet, and ascended into the starry sky.
"See you soon, Hunter." The moon demon then took off on Hunter's old staff. Matt awkwardly saluted the disguised grimwalker, then followed suit, leaving Hunter alone in the alleyway.
Was tonight's mission a success? Hunter wasn't sure. While he managed to track and capture Boscha, he hadn't gotten any answers about her affiliation with those hostile witches; not yet, anyways.
It was late at night when Hunter returned to the Deamonne abode. Once he landed on the roof, his palisman changed from staff to live form, and perched on his shoulder. That reminded him; the whole reason the other Hexside students came to the club was because Waffles flew the coop, against her master's wishes.
"I told you to stay home, Waffles. But you didn't! My friends could've gotten hurt back there, and so could you!" Hunter sternly reprimanded his familiar, as he slowly opened his bedroom window. He quietly crept back inside, as Waffles cawed in protest. "We need to have a serious talk about obedience."
"Funny, I was going to say the same thing."
When Hunter heard that voice, his heart skipped a beat. He slowly turned around, and saw Darius sitting on his bed, clothed in a silky lavender bathrobe. An upset expression was clear on his guardian's face, and his arms were crossed. Hunter knew one thing for sure; he was in big trouble...