The Laboratory

Ever since Three-Eyes found himself in a near-death experience, his life has certainly changed. Whether it was for the worse or better, he could not tell.

In that time, he had set a new record of meeting the boss barely a day after being initiated into the job, directly helped the family heads with the mysterious vigilante by uncovering his memories, and on top of that, was now Griffin's new lab assistant. A job position described by the scientist himself as 'a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity.'

Griffin's ever stoic demeanor did not help with how he phrased those words.

So, now, here he was. Ranting away at the Norman for what felt like hours. It was his lunch break, after all and he had nothing better to do.

"I'm just saying, a 'thank you' every now and then would be appreciated, you know?" Three-Eyes rambled away, "I know it's barely been a week, but, still, I can't help but feel underappreciated, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," the elf responded, writing away on a checkerboard as though he wasn't actually interested, "but, don't worry, you'll get used to it."

The triclop's ears perked up, "really?"

"No. That's just something I always tell myself to keep me sane."

The triclops furrowed a brow at this before sighing, "I dunno, maybe I'm just a bit too entitled," he said with an exhausted exhale, "maybe he's just bad at socializing, you know?"

The elf just shrugged, "maybe."

Three-Eyes continued ranting away, "I think the only reason I'm even complaining is cause it just reminds me of my niece, Boscha," he then threw up his arms in frustration, "the amount of hard work I do to get money to spend on birthday gifts for her and she doesn't even say 'thanks!'"

The triclops then rubbed his brow, simultaneously rubbing his third-eye, "I swear, it's my sister. Always babying and spoiling her."

Norman continued writing away, "sorry to hear about that." He said, genuinely meaning it, despite not looking like he did.

Three-Eyes dismissed him with a gesture, "eh, it's nothing," he said, "it's annoying, but they're still family and I love them."

The doors to Griffin's laboratory then suddenly opened, revealing the scientist's coat covered in more blood than usual. Frozen in confusion and fear, the triclops and elf watched as the witch walked past them both and towards another part of the building. After a second or so, the sounds of a door opening could be heard. A few more seconds passed and the sounds of said door being closed was heard. When he returned, he was holding a crate in his hands that had its hinges covered in ice.

He walked past the two again, but not before stopping and greeting both his assistants, "good afternoon, gentlemen," he said, nodding at both of them, before walking past them and towards his lab again, slamming the doors shut.

Three-Eyes sighed, "organ damage," he muttered, "I hate cleaning up that mess."

The Beaches

This was the worst scam he's ever done.

Tibbles looked at the myriad of junk that was assembled before him, pissed off at the fact that he could barely make a single Snail off any of it. Especially those damn Good Witch Azura books. He had assumed the suckers of the Boiling Isles would easily fall head over heels for that garbage excuse of literature, but he had severely underestimated how smart they actually were.

Only one customer has bought those accursed novels.

One. Bloody. Customer.

"Ugh," he sighed, leaning back on his pile of junk that he was sitting on like a throne. He looked to see his assistants Mattholomule and Tinella entering his cave of wonders with concerned looks on their faces.

"Um… Boss," Matt said, concern in his voice, "there's a guy out there looking for you."

"And he wooks weawwy scawy!" Tinella added, irritating the imp to no end.

Tibbles was frankly too tired to even respond verbally, so he just jumped off his junk throne and headed to the entrance with a huff. He looked over the cliffside and widened his eyes upon seeing just who was waiting for him.

The figure was an ogre that was at least eight and a half feet tall, with ashy gray skin and black eyes with red irises. He wore brown chitin armor with faulds made of a brown reptilian hide, with a shoulder pad made of the upper skull of a wyvern and the lower skull of some other predator with tusks covering his mouth like a face plate. Topping off his armor was a necklace and belt that was adorned with the skulls and teeth of countless creatures that he has no doubt killed himself.

Tibbles gulped, before composing himself and putting on a facade of joy, "Tyran!" He exclaimed, climbing down the cliffside's custom stairs that were conjured by Matt, "how have you been, buddy?"

The ogre did not respond to the swine demon, only slightly growling with every breath as the swine demon's tiny form rushed to him.

"If this is about payment, I promise you I have it all under control!" Tibbles said in a way that reeked of false assurance, "just need to sort some things out and-"

Tyran then pulled a sword from his back and slammed it on the ground next to the pig demon, the impact kicking up sand in the air as Tibbles screamed in fear.

Back at the cave, Mattholomule and Tinella recoiled in fear at this sight. They watched as the behemoth dragged the edge of the sword across the sand back towards him and planted it on the ground, allowing them to see the weapon in its entirety. The sword was massive, around the size of the average witch, only seeming normal thanks to the ogre's height. It seemed less a sword and more a hunk of raw iron that was crudely formed into the shape of one.

Tyran spoke up, his voice gravelly and growling, "where is it?" he asked Tibbles, with the imp only shaking in his hooves, stammering. The ogre growled, "WHERE IS THE MONEY!?"

Tibbles jumped back at his sudden voice raising and yelped before forcing out his answer, "y-you-you can't threaten my life!" He said with a shaky breath, "I'm under protection!"

"So long as you pay your debt," the ogre retorted with a snarl, "one that Lady Wilkes had noticed you haven't done for quite some time."

"I was honestly hoping she wouldn't find out about that," the pig demon muttered to the side which earned a glare from the ogre, "listen, Tyran, I've been trying to pay my debt, but outside circumstances have prevented me from doing so!"

Tyran narrowed his eyes at that statement, not having any of his BS. He then dragged his embedded sword forward, kicking up sand with it and pointed towards the cave with the heap of metal, "Yet you have enough spare time to build a room devoted to junk."

"One witch's junk is another witch's treasure!" Tibbles responded with an awkward chuckle that didn't amuse the hunter at all, "but I've been trying to sell it so I can make back the money I owe Wilkes!"

Tyran snarled, "clearly, you've been succeeding," he snarked.

Tibbles twirled his fingers awkwardly, "listen, Tyran, I promise you, I'll get Wilkes her money!"

"What good is the promise of a scammer?"

Tibbles fell on his tiny knees and pleaded with the hunter, "just give me a chance! I'll pay it by tomorrow! I swear on my life!"

Beneath his boney face plate, Tyran smirked, "best be careful with your words, imp."

The swine's pupils shrunk as he realized what he meant. He gulped as the ogre flashed his sword to emphasize his next words, "you have until the end of the day," he then sheathed the sword on his back with a huff, "or I'll be having roast pig and use your bones as toothpicks."

The hunter then rose up and turned from the terrified imp, walking away with a growl.

Tibbles realized he had found himself in a world of shit. He then headed back towards his cave where his frightened assistants awaited him. He put on his confident demeanor back on and clapped his hands together, "so…" He said, looking to both Mattholmule and Tinella, who just had frightened expressions on their faces, "any of you willing to sacrifice some of your pay money to help me?"

Both assistants gave sharp breaths, turned to each other and then back to him.

"I just remembered I had lunch scheduled with my brother," Mattholmule said, a hand behind the back of his head, "like… in five minutes."

He then rushed out of the cave without a second of hesitation. Tibbles gulped before turning to Tinella, "Tinella, my friend-"

"No way!" the big nosed demon interrupted, "I wiww not have my hawd eawned money taken away fwom me wike this!"

She then pushed the pig demon out of her way and ran out of the cave, faster than a speeding arrow. Tibbles growled, "Cowards!" He yelled, getting up from the stone floor beneath him.

"Whatever!" he said in a huff, "I don't need them! I can do this all by myself!"

Emperor's Palace

Belos had a fist raised up against his chin in a slouch, an uncharacteristically physical sign of his sheer boredom that was occurring right now.

Kikimora was busy listing off the recent reports from the week, her droning voice adding to the monotony of it all. Belos grumbled silently, adjusting his body as the imp spoke on.

"The Construction Coven has seen a fifteen percent increase in members joining, while the Beast Keeping Coven has seen a twenty percent increase,"

Belos nodded, motioning her to continue on.

"In other news, more and more of the criminal underworld have been turning up dead thanks to the efforts of the mysterious vigilante…" she then shuffled through some papers she was holding, before darkly adding, "... as well as much of own forces."

She then held out a wanted poster that displayed a stylized figure in a red cloak with glowing green eyes, its arms exposed and showing nasty claws that were engulfed in a green flame.

'WANTED: HELLSPAWN. REWARD: 500,000,000

The strange figure seemed to get Belos' attention. He straightened his posture and raised a hand which beckoned his underling, "may I see that?" He asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

The imp nodded and headed forwards towards him with an outstretched hand, handing him the poster, "we've been making several copies already and plan to send them out to all districts," she said as the masked ruler observed the poster with an ever curious glare for a second or two.

Beneath his mask, his eyes widened as a realization hit him like a truck.

Kikimora was rather curious as to why Belos was looking so intently at a piece of paper, "is something the matter, My Lord?"

Belos was knocked out of his trance and looked towards the imp, "nothing," he responded, handing back the poster towards her, "but seeing how this… individual has amassed quite the reputation, I recommend our patrols stay on high alert in their search for them."

The imp nodded, "understood, My Liege."

Belos adjusted his robes and stood upwards with a slow poise, "now, Kikimora, if you don't mind," he then moved his hand in a dismissive gesture, "I wish to be left alone."

The imp only nodded and turned away, leaving the throne room, the massive doors to it echoing across the chambers.

Belos then outstretched a gooey fist, slamming one of the pillars on the wall.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down as his arm retracted and turned back into its regular form as he pondered to himself what a Hellspawn could be doing here.

Has it already been a century since the last one showed?

No. It's only been half that since he's established his great empire. Then surely, there was another reason for this sudden appearance.

'But what could it be?' he thought for a few seconds before his mind suddenly drifted towards a certain event.

The Day of Unity!

He clenched a fist at the very thought that the wretched Malebolgia knew about his plan. He was so close to achieving his goals. So close to ridding this world of those vile witches. If that Hellspawn ever finds out, it'll be the end of centuries worth of planning!

He took another sharp inhale, calming himself down again as he stopped thinking about the hypotheticals.

'No matter,' he thought to himself, 'by the time the event rolls out, the Hellspawn will be dealt with and out of the picture.'

He then flourished his cape to no one as he turned around and headed towards his private chambers. The Hellspawn will be dealt with and whatever plan the overlords of Hell have for the Boiling Isles will be ruined.

And Caleb's death will be avenged.