Hunter was in the dungeon of Emperor Belos' castle. The cold, damp stone walls surrounded him as he sat in the dimly lit cell. He got Raine Whispers and the BATTs their freedom, but at the cost of his freedom, his reputation as the Golden Guard was stripped away, along with his uncle's love and respect. He was left to rot in a prison beneath the castle. Hunter had always been one to act, but now he was powerless to do anything but wait and hope for the best. He couldn't help but think about Whispers and if they had made it to the Owl Lady; she, her, and her talking rat may be the Isles' only hope of stopping Skeletor and his Dark Masters.

As Hunter sat in his cell, he couldn't help but reflect on his life before this moment. Did he still have the same goals and dreams as before? Or had they changed after everything he had been through? After everyone that he's met? He also couldn't help but worry about Lil' Rascal. Was his palisman safe without him?

"Hello, little prince." A posh voice spoke, one Hunter unfortunately recognized. Hunter looked up to see Darius Deamonne, Head Witch of the Abomination Coven, standing in front of his cell with an impartial expression. The tall, muscular man looked at him with his bright green eyes.

Eberwolf the Huntsman, Head Witch of the Beast Keeping Coven, was perched on his shoulder. The child-sized, orange-furred bestial biped demon just sat there with indifference and a smug little grin.

It was no secret to anyone in the castle that Darius and Hunter had a mutual dislike for each other. Darius saw Hunter as a privileged teenager who got to where he was solely through connections. He also looked down on Hunter, as he was too eager to follow Belos's orders. "No words for me?" Darius sighed dramatically and shook his head. "Such a shame," he said, clucking his tongue. "I had hoped we could have a civilized conversation." Eberwolf snickered, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light of the dungeon.

Hunter resisted the urge to shudder as he stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. "What do you want?" He growled through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous.

"So, you can speak. Well, Eberwolf and I were checking up on you," Darius said, and Eberwolf growled in confirmation. "I must say, you're looking rather… pathetic."

Hunter scoffed, not buying Darius' attempt at some small talk for a second. He knew that he had to have ulterior motives for being there, and he wasn't about to let his guard down. "I don't need your pity," Hunter's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you want? Here to mock me? You must love knowing that the Golden Guard is a traitor to the Empire."

Darius raised a gloved hand in a placating gesture. "Now, little prince, there's no need to be hostile. I'm not here to mock you or boast about your situation. Well, maybe a bit." He took a step closer. "On the contrary, I knew your predecessor. He was my mentor. One of the strongest witches I've ever known." Hunter noticed Darius's expression soften slightly at the mention of his predecessor, a respected witch. "But you… I say you don't deserve to call yourself the Golden Guard."

Hunter looked Darius straight in the eye. "You're wrong."

Hunter's words piqued Darius' interest, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? And why is that?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, Eberwolf mimicking him.

"Because the Golden Guard symbolizes honor, loyalty, and integrity." Hunter's words were firm and resolute, his conviction clear in his voice. "And the Emperor's Coven willingly works for Skeletor, the very kind of person who seeks to destroy everything the Guard stands for!"

"Skeletor may not be the most trustworthy; I don't trust anyone with such a macabre fashion sense, but our emperor claims that he is an emissary of the Titan, offering us power and protection."

Power and protection? More like manipulation and control. The Emperor's Coven is a tool for Skeletor to use for his gain. "If you believe that, Darius, then you're just as blind a follower of their lies." He refused to accept the notion that serving Skeletor was in any way honorable or worthy of the Golden Guard's legacy.

Darius nodded thoughtfully, and Hunter could sense a shift in the air. It was as if his words had opened up a door that had been closed for a long time. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but Eberwolf and I have duties to attend to." Darius turned away from Hunter. "Until next time, little prince." Hunter watched as Darius walked away with Eberwolf, who was growling something into his fellow coven head's ear.

Hunter knew where his loyalties lay, and he would do whatever it took to protect the honor of the Golden Guard. But would anyone else be brave enough to stand against Skeletor and his Dark Masters? But most importantly to him, he prayed, will he be able to save his uncle from their influence? "Titan, give me strength. And may you give strength to those willing to stand up for what is right."


Willow and Gus followed Trap Jaw and Evil-Lyn through the forest, hiding behind an illusion in front of the castle. Willow couldn't help but be reminded of their last field trip and the terrible memories it brought back. The friends glanced at each other nervously, wondering what danger lay ahead. Gus checked his scroll; he sent two messages to Luz about their whereabouts—one illusory message and one penstagram text.

"I sent Luz the message on what we're up to," Gus told Willow. "I just hope she gets it."

"She will," Willow assured him, having faith in their mutual human friend.

"Are you sure trying to rescue the Golden Guard is worth it? He's Belos's right-hand man and threatened Luz's life."

"It's not just about the Golden Guard," she said. "It's about learning who this Skeletor and his Dark Masters are and what he wants with the Isles. Who knows what he could be planning if he has control of the Emperor's Coven?" Especially if the Golden Guard himself… Hunter, his name was Hunter… was willing to stand against Emperor Belos, apparently his uncle, because of Skeletor. "We can't just sit back and let him take over without a fight. Besides, Luz would do the same."

Gus nodded, understanding her point. "You're right. Even if it's risky, we have to try." They knew the high stakes but were willing to risk everything to protect their home and friends. "Which reminds me, do you have a plan on how we get in there? It's not like we can walk through the front door."

Willow furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment. "If Luz were here, she'd probably suggest we disguise ourselves and blend in with the crowd." The two friends began to brainstorm and map out their next steps.

Then Gus got an idea. "What if we create a distraction? We could cause a commotion and draw their attention away from us. We could slip through a back entrance while they're all distracted."

"What if they have the back entrance heavily guarded because of the distraction?" Willow reasoned.

Gus furrowed his brow, considering Willow's point. "You're right."

Then it hit Willow. "If we can't enter from the front or the back, why not try going under?"

Gus looked at her incredulously. "Under? What do you mean?"

Willow's eyes lit up as she explained her idea. "A tunnel system or secret passage could lead into the underground building. We'll have to do some digging to find it."

Gus slowly nodded, admiring her quick thinking. "That could work. But wouldn't that draw their attention, too?"

"Not unless they have a distraction, courtesy of a convincing illusion from a skilled illusionist," Willow replied with a mischievous grin.

Gus couldn't help but smile at her compliment. "Okay," he said, feeling a surge of confidence and ready to tackle any challenge ahead. "And I have the perfect distraction in mind." Gus traced a cyan spell circle, and in a puff of smoke, a near-identical illusion of Eda appeared before them. Gus continued looping his pointer fingers around the process to maintain the illusion.

"Look, it's me! I'm Eda, the Owl Lady! I'm walking all foxy-like and loitering near the castle!" The illusion said.

Aside from the robotic way it spoke, Willow couldn't help but be in awe of how the illusion of Eda moved and sounded like the real thing. "Wow, Gus, you've outdone yourself this time," she said, impressed. Gus grinned with satisfaction as he continued to maintain the illusion. "You start distracting; I'll start digging."

Gus nodded and commanded the Eda illusion to strut to the front of the castle. Willow focused on tapping into her magic and feeling the energy flow through her bile sac into the rest of her body. Her eyes began to glow a bright shade of green. The ground shook slightly as roots and vines burst through the soil, creating a clear path for the hole. Willow began to dig, using her powers to quickly move dirt out of the way. Gus worked on maintaining the Eda illusion.

"Hey, look! It's Eda, the Owl Lady!" The teens heard a guard shout.

"And she's walking all foxy-like and loitering near the castle!" They heard another guard shout. "Get her!"

Willow dug faster, and Gus' hands shook as he concentrated on the illusion. Suddenly, Willow could feel the dirt about to give way. "Let's go!" She said, commanding a vine to quickly wrap around her and Gus, lowering them safely into the underground passage. Once they were safely inside, Willow took a deep breath, calling upon the power of the plants around her, and focused that energy on the vines as they began to twist and weave together, forming a thick barrier that covered the hole completely. "We made it."

"Here, I'll get us some light," Gus said as a floating ball of light manifested before him, illuminating the dark tunnel.

Willow smiled. "I see Luz's teaching you more about glyphs."

Gus beamed with pride. "Yeah, she's a great teacher."

The tunnel was long and winding, but they could easily navigate through the darkness with Willow's connection to nature and Gus and his glyphs by her side. Then Willow began to feel a sense of unease. It was like the air grew thicker, and she could taste a bitter flavor on her tongue.

Gus noticed her discomfort. "Are you okay?"

Willow shook her head. "I don't know what it is. We must be getting close to the castle."

"How can you tell?"

"Something feels wrong. A poison is here. It's seeping into the ground and wants to spread across the Isles... To spread… Havoc." The teens quickened their pace, hoping to find Hunter and leave the castle before this feeling became too much for Willow to bear.


Hunter realized that no one had spoken to him except Darius and Eberwolf as he sat in the corner of his lonely cell. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. A part of him… the loyal nephew of Emperor Belos… longed to return to everyday life as the Golden Guard. It remains to be seen whether he made the right choice, but Hunter is determined to see it through. He knows he cannot back out from this until Skeletor is stopped, or it will be impossible for him to return home. There was no more room for self-pity; he had to escape.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and a vine busted out of the wall. "What in the heck!" Hunter exclaimed as he jumped up from his spot on the floor. He had never seen anything like it before. Was this a sign from the Titan? The real Titan? Or was this Skeletor's doing? Or was Snapdragon trying to intimidate him like she enjoys doing with other prisoners? The vine retracted, and two teens exited from the newly created hole in the wall.

One was a shorter-than-average, plus-sized, and stocky girl with light skin, olive green eyes, and short, neat, dark navy-blue hair with a few loose strands. She also wore round gold-framed glasses and a Hexside student uniform for the plant track. The other was a young boy, noticeably shorter than the girl, with brown skin, dark blue eyes, and dark brown hair. He also wore a Hexside student uniform, but he was for the illusion track.

"Hi, I'm Willow, and this is Gus, and we're here to rescue you," the plus-sized girl said with a smile—Hunter admittedly found cute.

Hunter's heart raced as he heard the words. Could it be true? Were these two here to rescue him? He cautiously stepped forward, eyeing Willow and Gus warily. "Rescue me?" He repeated, still trying to figure it out. "Did Whispers send you? Is the Owl Lady with you?"

Willow shook her head. "No, Hunter. We came here on our own."

Hunter's eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?" he demanded, raising his hands defensively.

Willow held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "We heard it from Evil-Lyn and Trap Jaw. We overheard everything when they were talking to Skeletor and Belos."

"Hey, Willow, I'm not trying to rush you, but how about we tell him everything after we leave?" Gus suggested.

Suddenly, the group heard footsteps in the distance. "Guards are on their way," Hunter said. "Anywhere is better than here."

Willow nodded in agreement, and she and Gus went through the hole they made, with Hunter following behind. They could hear the guards' footsteps getting closer. With her magic, Willow summons more vines to close the entrance and exit. They continued on their escape route until they finally reached the safety of the forest outside the castle walls.

Breathing heavily, Gus said, "Okay, now we can tell you everything." They sat down on a nearby log and began to explain everything that had happened. In turn, Hunter told them everything leading up to Skeletor and Belos imprisoning him.

"So, this Skeletor came out of nowhere claiming to be the Titan's emissary, and he has Belos, your uncle, under some spell." Willow recapped what Hunter told her and Gus.

"He calls it Havoc." Hunter clarified. "He used it to cure Uncle of his affliction, but he's… he's not the same. And Skeletor's plans don't stop with the Isles. He plans to spread Havoc to all worlds and will do it using all the Demon Realm's resources."

"Then you freed Coven Head Whispers and the BATTs," Gus added.

Hunter nodded. "And if they haven't gotten caught, they should be with the Owl Lady."

"Then the next stop is the Owl House," Willow said.

A yellow bee flew out behind Willow, and a blue chameleon came out behind Gus, surprising Hunter. "You two have palismen?" He asked.

Willow chuckled and replied, "Yeah, we got them during Palisman Adoption Day. They've been with us ever since."

"They weren't the ones you tried to kidnap, by the way," Gus said, folding his arms.

"Ah, so Luz told you about that." Hunter rubbed the back of his head shamefully. "It was a mistake, but I've learned my lesson, and I hope to make amends for that one day."

"We all make mistakes," Willow said understandingly.

"Just don't do something like that again," added Gus, his expression stern.

"I know," Hunter replied, his voice low. The bee palisman flew over and nestled in Hunter's hair as they talked. "Uh, what is she doing?" Hunter asked.

"It looks like Clover likes you." Willow giggled.

"And Emmiline, too," Gus added, pointing at the chameleon palisman now latched onto Hunter's leg.

"I guess I have some new friends," Hunter said, patting his hair gently to avoid disturbing Clover, whose gentle purring, paired with Emmiline's playful antics, despite his initial confusion, brought comfort. It was a rare moment of peace in the otherwise chaotic life of the teenage witch. Hunter guessed that Clover and Emmiline were friends of Lil' Rascal, as they seemed to have a special connection with him.

Hunter suddenly stood and looked around. "Hunter?" Willow asked.

"We're not alone." The former Golden Guard pointed to the surrounding woods. Gus and Willow followed his finger and heard rustling in the bushes.

"I don't see anyone."

"I think that's the point," Gus said as he traced a spell circle, bursting into a wave. As the wave subsided, two people suddenly manifested from thin air.

"Impossible. No one should be able to dispel my illusions." One of them spoke. He was a relatively tall and thin witch with light skin, cornflower eyes, thick eyebrows, and curled dark turquoise hair. He wore a light blue, tan-fur vest over a teal jumpsuit with gold details and soft blue shoes. He also had a long, dark teal tail with a tan fur tuft at the end.

His companion was a tall, sturdy woman with pale skin. A light blue patch on her face covered her eyes, and she had a white hood covering most of her head. Her robe consisted of a soft blue top banded with a Healing Coven patch, and this blue appears on the sides of her navy-blue robe. She also had white-clawed gloves on her hands and a dark shade of lipstick.

Hunter recognized and identified them as "Coven Heads Adrian Graye Vernworth and Hettie Cutburn." Willow and Gus stood by his side, ready to fight.

"Well, well, well." Hettie Cutburn spoke, her voice laced with malice. "What do we have here? A little band of rebels?"

"Come now, Golden Guard—oh, I meant former Golden Guard," Adrian Graye addressed Hunter. "Did you honestly believe you would escape without our emperor noticing? Nothing gets past him."

Hunter held his ground, refusing to show any fear. Adrian Graye Vernworth and Hettie Cutburn were notorious Coven Heads known for their ruthless tactics and thirst for power. He knew that while he, Willow, and Gus had outnumbered, the Coven Heads had them outmatched. Still, Willow and Gus stood by his side, their palismen turning into staves as their eyes locked on the two figures before them.

"Children," Adrian Graye said about Willow and Gus. "This does not concern either of you. Go play in the woods or whatever you do these days unless you—and your families—wish to face the consequences for freeing a criminal."

"I should've guessed you two would follow Lord Boneheads' plan." Hunter spat.

"Emperor Belos' Day of Unity may have promised us paradise, but Skeletor promises us something more."

"Then you're both idiots if you think he's telling the truth."

"Come with us back to your cell, Hunter," Hettie said as she brandished her surgical knife. "Don't make us kill your friends. Gutting people is my least favorite thing to do."

"You're not going to hurt anyone!" Willow shouted as she lifted her hands and used her plant magic. Vines and thorns overgrew around Hettie and Adrian Graye, only for them to disappear in a cloud of smoke.

"It was another illusion," Gus said. "They can be anywhere."

A shine from the woods catches Hunter's attention as a knife is thrown in their direction, straight for Willow! "Look out!" He shouts, his instincts kicking in to push the girl out of the way. They barely dodge the blade as it sticks into a tree trunk behind them. "That was close." Hunter breathed heavily.

Willow looks up at him, still in shock from the near miss. "You saved me. Thank you."

Hunter blushes and then nods, still catching his breath. "Of course."

They then hear Gus scream, and when they turn to look, they see Hettie emerging from thin air and lifting the boy off the ground while holding a knife to his throat. "Did you know it only takes seconds for the body to die of blood loss once the jugular is severed?" Hettie asked in a mix between educating and threatening. "No sudden movements from either of you."

Hunter and Willow were shocked at the sudden turn of events. The latter's eyes glowed green with rage. Hunter stepped forward. "I'll return to the castle with you if you let them go! I don't even know them!" He tried to diffuse the tense situation before something terrible happened.

"Tempting offer." Adrian Graye's voice spoke. Hunter gasped as his chest was kicked and stomped to the ground. Willow's arm was grabbed and held as the Coven Head appeared before them with a branding glove with the Abomination sigil. "But we can't allow them to leave with such great power."

"No! Don't do this!" Hunter could only watch as Adrian Graye prepared to brand and lock away Willow's innate plant magic, and she could not prevent it without Hettie killing Gus. "Stop it!"

Eberwolf suddenly attacked the Head Witch of the Illusion Coven, pouncing and latching onto his

face just as Adrian Graye was about to brand Willow. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. "Eberwolf?" Hunter said upon seeing one coven head attacking the other, swiping his claws at the illusionist, who screamed in pain until he went silent and stopped moving. Hunter and Willow were frozen in shock at what had happened to Adrian Graye. Eberwolf stood triumphantly over his defeated, alive but scarred and bloody opponent.

A grunt from Hettie grabbed the teen's attention, and he turned around to see an abomination's hand grabbing and wrestling her knife away from Gus's neck. She is then pulled into the air, dropping her hostage, as Darius, in his abomination form, manifests from the ground up, towering over her. "Darius?" Hunter gasped.

"Nothing's really below you, is it, Cutburn?" Darius said, followed by repeatedly slamming Hettie onto the ground until she was unconscious.

"Gus!" Willow shouted as she ran over to hug her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Willow," Gus assured. "Thank you."

"Did you think you could get away with this?" Darius questioned Willow and Gus. "Do you have any idea what Coven Heads are capable of?"

Willow's eyes blazed with determination as she stood her ground, ready to defend herself and her friend. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned vines from the earth to attack the Abomination Coven Head. The vines twisted and turned, aiming to halt his threats toward her and Gus. But in a split second, Darius transformed his right arm into a scythe. With a swift movement, he sliced through the vegetation quickly. "Hold on, we're..."

Desperate, Willow focuses her energy and willpower, commanding the vines to wrap tightly around her and Gus like a cocoon but thicker and stronger than before. But Darius sliced it open quickly, too. "Will you stop that?"

Darius raises his abomination blade, looking ready to strike Willow. She trembled with fear but refused to leave Gus, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the attack while shielding her friend with her body. "NO!" Hunter screamed as he rushed forward and put himself between Darius and the two teens. "If you want to kill them, you'll have to kill me first!"

Darius looked at Hunter with disbelief. "You... befriended them? And you're willing to die to protect them?" He raised his scythe arm. Expecting an attack, Hunter shut his eyes and recoiled in fear, expecting it to be the end. But instead of striking, Darius transformed his hand back to normal and patted the blonde's head. "I'm impressed. I had you all wrong."

"Huh?" "What?" "Excuse me?" Hunter, Willow, and Gus all spoke simultaneously in confusion.

"You're what? Sixteen? It's about time you made connections outside the castle." Darius said to Hunter, and Eberwolf barked in agreement as he joined the taller man. "I was going to help the three of you escape."

"Wait, what? We thought you were trying to attack us," Gus said, still in disbelief.

"The plant girl attacked me with her vines after I saved you. I'm sorry if my actions seemed... aggressive." Darius then looked back at Hunter. "You told me the Golden Guard symbolizes honor, loyalty, and integrity. It's easier to say you uphold those values than to do so. But after what I've seen you do, magic or not, I think you've made your predecessors proud, Hunter."

Hunter found Darius's words unexpected; having always seen the Abomination Coven Head as someone to prove wrong, he now saw him in a new light. Hunter couldn't help but feel a newfound respect for the Coven Head. "Thank you, Darius."

"Come, we must flee before scouts come searching." Darius and Eberwolf led the way through the forest. Hunter looked back at Willow and Gus, who regained their composure and joined the blonde in following the Coven Heads... well, former Coven Heads after Belos—or worse, Skeletor—learns of this.


I hope you all enjoyed the sixth chapter. Feedback is appreciated: Please favorite, follow, and leave a review.