Hunter looked at Camila anxiously. "Uh, mom? Remember that pile thing we did for Luz?"

"The cuddle pile?"

Hunter nodded. "Well, I think we'll need that. Right now."

"You mean, you and me?"

Hunter shook his head. "I mean, everyone. This one…this one is just so bad. I can't…I'm not even sure how I'm going to make it through. But the cuddle pile will help."

Camila gave a reassuring smile at him. "Then that's what we'll do." Everyone leapt into action, making sure that Hunter got the most cuddled out of all of them. Between the palismen and his family, he'd never been as comfortable in his life. But that wouldn't last, he knew very well.

"It's going to be okay, Hunter," Camila promised. "Whatever happens, I'll be here for you."

"Oh, it's not going to be okay," Hunter said with a shudder. "It is going to be very far from okay. Whatever you can possibly imagine…it is so, so very much worse."

"We'll protect you, Hunter," Willow vowed. "You've got your family now. He can't hurt you anymore."

Hunter grimaced. "That's what you think."

"We can…we don't have to see it if you don't want to," Camila offered. "You can just summarize."

Hunter immediately shook his head. "No. It's going to hurt. It's going to hurt so much. But…I need it. I need to be able to get past this. To move on."

Flapjack landed on his shoulder. I'll help you! I love you, Hunter!

"We love you, Hunter," Luz echoed. Gildersnake nodded his heads in agreement. "I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud you're facing this." She looked over at Camila. "I'm gonna need help too. A lot of it. Not as much as Hunter, but…still a lot."

"You will have it," Camila vowed. "Whatever you need, you will have it."

[Luz slowly opens her eyes and groans. She looks to her left and then sits up, finding herself in a dimly lit corridor.

So this was the Supernatural Museum of History, Camila surmised. Well, the architectural scheme was certainly very much Belos's style, that was for sure. She didn't like the dim lighting, though. Weren't most museums light and airy? Was it good for the paintings, she wondered?

On the walls of both sides, there are multiple huge paintings. Luz then looks to her front and gasps. In front of her, there is a huge painting depicting Emperor Belos holding his staff while looming over her, King, Lilith and Eda in her Owl Beast form.

Camila grimaced. Trust Belos to use the noble art of, well, art as propaganda for his murderous regime. He certainly wasn't the first and he wouldn't be the last. But there was something quite appalling when it was Luz being shown like that. And she wasn't even depicted with any eyes, probably to mark her as subhuman. Or whatever the Isles equivalent of the word was. At least she'd lucked out over Lilith, who'd gotten depicted without eyes or a nose. Belos was probably still steamed about getting punched even after all those centuries.

Below the painting is a plaque which says "TRIUMPH OVER WILD MAGIC". Luz then stands up and moves backwards with a frightened expression on her face.]

Luz: What is this place?

Hunter: You know exactly where we are, human.

[Luz turns around to find Hunter staring at her angrily.]

Hunter: [Furiously.] You got us trapped in the Emperor's mind!

"FUCK!" Camila screamed at the top of her lungs, and then winced. "I am so…"

"No, mom," Vee said firmly. "I am getting a little sick of being treated like a baby. I've heard a lot worse than that before. And that was a very appropriate reaction."

"Yeah, you took the words right out of my mouth," Gus admitted.

Luz: Huh?!

-THEME SONG, but it is cut short and only shows the show's title.-

"I can definitely see why you want to get past this one as soon as possible," Amity said.

[Back to Hunter and Luz inside Belos's mindscape. Luz looks around incredulously.]

Luz: We're in the Emperor's mind? That's bananas!

Hunter: I don't know what those are, and I don't care to.

"So…what are bananas?"

"Oh, they're a kind of fruit," Vee explained. "One of mom's specialties is maduros – fried bananas."

Hunter furrowed his brow. "That makes even less sense than before!" he complained.

"Welcome to the wonderful world of human colloquialisms."

Remember what happened at the Night Market?

[Scene flashes back to earlier at the Night Market.]

Peddler: Teeth! Get your teeth! We got all varieties and qualities!

Camila shuddered. She really did not want to know what people did with those teeth.

[The peddler puts his hand on a person's shoulder.]

Peddler: I even do trades.

[The peddler takes out a pair of pliers as he speaks. The person he puts his hand on turns around, who is revealed to be Hunter in his Golden Guard attire. This catches the peddler by surprise.]

Peddler: Oh, I... mean, why would I trade teeth? That's illegal and unsanitary. But, I mean, if you're interested...

[Hunter notices three hooded, suspicious figures walking nearby.]

Hunter: [Narrating.] I heard whispers of an attempt to invade the Emperor's mind with wild magic. I decided to take the villains out myself.

"Where exactly did you hear that?" Willow wondered.

"I overheard someone talking about it while on patrol," Hunter explained. "In retrospect, I suspect they might have done it deliberately to get me to follow them into Belos's mind and see what he was for myself."

[Hunter follows the three hooded figures into an alley and hides behind a barrel. Although not outright shown, the three figures are implied to be Raine, Darius, and Eberwolf. After Eberwolf finishes drawing some circles on the ground, Raine starts playing their flute, while Darius mixes up some liquid in a test tube he is holding.

"In retrospect, that is so obviously Raine, Darius, and Eberwolf," Luz said. "Eberwolf is head of the Beast Keeping Coven," she added to Camila.

He then puts the test tube on the ground, and transforms his left hand into an Abomination hammer, preparing to break it.]

"So can you transform any of your limbs, Amity?" Camila asked. "Don't feel too bad if you can't. I bet that's some very advanced magic."

"Well, I'm not at limb level yet, but…" She turned one of her fingers into an abomination and stroked Luz's face with it.

Luz blushed furiously. "So mushy…"

"You can say that again," Hunter mumbled.

"Hypocrite."

"Simp!"

Hunter: [Narrating.] But just as I was about to stop them...

[Hunter jumps out from behind the barrel and confronts the trio.]

Hunter: Halt! For crimes [Takes out his mechanical staff.] against the Emperor, you are under arrest!

Hunter laughed. He had no idea how outclassed he was. Not one but three coven heads. The only reason why he was still alive was because they wanted him to be.

[Luz suddenly pops up from below and blocks the screen.]

Everyone stared at her. "Your subconscious is just weird," Gus said.

Luz: Oh, wait! I remember now!

Hunter: Hey!

[The scene behind Luz starts rewinding as she ducks back down. The entire scene rewinds back to some point of time earlier. When it stops, it shows a door with a glass panel, and a sign with the "OPEN" part facing the camera. The scene is taken from inside a building.]

Luz: [Narrating.] Eda took me and King to the Night Market to repair my witch's wool cape. But, we ran into some trouble.

"Would that not be King and I?" Amity, who adored correcting people's grammar, even her girlfriend's, pointed out.

"The King and I and the Catcher in the Rye," Luz sang absentmindedly. "Eisenhower, vaccine…"

Amity snapped her fingers at her. "Luz! You're devolving into gibberish!"

Luz laughed nervously. "Sorry…I'm kind of a mess right now."

Amity nodded. She should have know better than to push Luz now.

[Eda knocks on the glass panel.]

Eda: Hello? Prim? Did you get into the Night Juice again? [Sing-songy.] Hello?

[Scene cuts to Eda and Luz outside the door. King's voice comes up from a walkie-talkie Luz is holding.]

King: Is this thing on? Demon King to Luzura, you copy?

[Luz turns to her left to and calls out to King.]

Luz: Sure do!

[King pops out from a tub filled with skulls.]

"What…never mind, I don't want to know," Camila quickly backtracked. Luz nodded in agreement.

King: [In a low voice.] Use the walkie!

Luz: Oh, uh, right. [Turns around.] 10-4, Demon King. Luzura here with Echo, Delta, Alfa. What's your 20? Over.

King: Uh, oh. Uh... Hable más lento, por favor.

Camila grinned. "You're teaching him Spanish! How sweet!"

"He's actually a really good student," Luz said. "With the proper motivation, that is." He'd certainly memorized names for various sweets in lightning quick time.

Luz: Aw, you remembered your lesson. But that wasn't Spanish, buddy. I read you loud and clear! Over.

Eda: Hey, Prim!

[Eda bangs on the glass panel again. Someone finally opens the door.]

Eda: Ah, there you are. [Squats down.] I need more witch's wool. I got a kid with cold shoulders and a knack for gettin' into trouble.

Luz looked around her guiltily. "That could be a different kid she was talking about. It wasn't necessarily me!" Camila just looked at her steadily.

Prim: The shop is closed, Eda. I've... finally decided to join a coven.

[Prim shows Eda and Luz an Oracle Coven sigil on her wrist, much to Eda's dismay.]

While it was certainly disheartening to see Prim with that coven sigil, Camila couldn't say she really blamed her. It was becoming abundantly clear that the only way to participate in society proper in the Boiling Isles was to join a coven.

Prim: Emperor Belos says wild witches celebrate destruction and... pain.

Luz scoffed. If anyone celebrated destruction and pain in the Isles, it was definitely Belos.

"Eda may celebrate destruction sometimes, but I'd hardly say she celebrates pain," Camila said. "Well, at least the pain of the undeserving."

Eda: I mean, I know I can be... abrasive, but-

Prim: He also says that the Titan punishes those who aid wild witches. I can't have you here.

"And by the Titan, he means his flunkies," Willow muttered. Hunter, who had been one of those said flunkies, flushed red with embarrassment. Would he still have Willow's support when all was said and done? Hunter was more of a realist than Luz; he couldn't think of any particular reason why Willow wouldn't keep dating him, especially since she was cool with the whole grimwalker thing. But that didn't prevent him from worrying.

[Prim shuts the door. Luz glances over at Eda, then becomes angry.]

Luz: Well, what does he know?! [Walks towards the door.] Belos is a liar. He just wants [Bangs on the door.] power! And I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he can't speak to the Titan!

"That's probably not a wise thing to say in public," Vee pointed out. "You've gotten dragged away to the Conformatorium for less."

[Everyone around gasps.]

Purple-haired witch: Do you think she's right?

Yellow demon with horns: Don't let the Titan hear you say that. Belos says he can read minds.

Camila scowled. Weren't these people supposed to be scoundrels and rebels, inhabitants of a wretched hive of scum and villainy? While they certainly weren't trustworthy, she hadn't taken them for the type of person to be blindly trusting either. Belos had really done a number on them.

Purple-haired witch: What even is a doughnut?

Luz suddenly smiled. "Oh, it's just the tastiest thing ever! It's fried dough and you can have all sorts of toppings on it, like chocolate glazing, or sugar glazing, or maple glazing."

"It's not especially healthy," Camila pointed out. "But I daresay we could probably make an exception after this episode. I'll go to the store later and buy something."

"You're also gonna want to pick up some eggs too," Hunter said darkly.

"Understood." She gave a warm smile at Hunter. "Hey. Whatever happens, I'm here. It's in the past. It can't hurt you anymore."

"Yes, it can. Not physically, but…"

Camila nodded in understanding. "Yeah. My mistake."

[The crowd disperses. Eda notices people's reaction and calls out to Luz.]

Eda: Hey, I'll be fine. You're the one who needs to be careful.

Luz: But people should know who Belos really is!

Eda: And who is he, really?

[Luz is unable to give an answer.]

Eda: Listen, Belos has been Emperor for 50 years. Everyone is used to this. No one's gonna risk change unless you have proof that he's up to something.

And even then, Camila reflected, most people would probably go along with it anyway, dismissing whatever proof Luz could scrounge up as a lie. It's not as if she was the world's most credible of individuals, what with her being a kid, a human, and the apprentice of the formerly most wanted individual in the Isles.

[Eda notices that Luz is looking dejected.]

Eda: Ah, come on. [Punches Luz's shoulder.] We'll figure something out. But first, let's see if there are any respectable criminals left in this city.

"Isn't that kind of an oxymoron?" Gus pointed out.

[As Eda speaks, she stands up and takes out her Owl Staff from her hair, then walks away while everyone around gives her dirty looks and whisper among themselves. King walks up to Luz.]

Luz: I hate seeing people look at Eda that way. But how can I prove he's actually evil? It feels so obvious, but no one believes me! No one answers my letters! [Groans and scratches her head.] I don't know what to do!

King: No one wants to think they've wasted their life following the wrong person. You just gotta find something big to change their minds.

[King walks away to follow Eda. Luz looks down thoughtfully.]

Luz: King's right. How can I find that something?

[Luz suddenly notices something and gasps. Not far away from her, she sees Hunter running into an alley.]

Luz: [Rolls up her sleeve.] Perfect timing.

"No!" Hunter shouted. "Not perfect timing at all! Very imperfect timing!"

[Scene cuts to Hunter running past a barrel. Luz's head then pops up from behind it. Scene changes again to show Hunter approaching Raine, Darius and Eberwolf while Luz sneaks up on Hunter from behind.]

Hunter: Halt!

[Raine and Darius turn around to look at Hunter. Darius restores his Abomination hammer hand to normal state.]

Hunter: For crimes against the Emperor, you are all under arrest!

Luz: Hunter!

[Luz pounces up on Hunter from behind, causing both of them to crash into the ground.]

Hunter glared at her. Luz just gave an innocent looking grin.

Luz: Hey! [Takes out a pen.] Can I bug you with a few questions?

Hunter: [Sits up.] Human?!

"Sorry, Luz."

"No, it's okay," Luz assured him. "I was being really annoying. And interfering in your job. I mean, true, your job was to be a bad guy, but…"

"You can stop talking now."

[Raine proceeds to start playing their flute and create a smokescreen.]

Hunter: No, no, no! Stop! I forbid you to flee!

"Does…that ever work?" Gus asked. Hunter just scowled at him.

[By the time the smoke disperses, Raine, Darius and Eberwolf are all gone. Hunter groans in frustration, then turns around and takes of his mask.]

Hunter: Human! Do you know what you've just done?!

Luz did now know what she'd just done. If she'd just left things alone, Raine, Eberwolf, and Darius would have been the ones to accompany Hunter into Belos's mind, or even go alone if they could have disabled Hunter. She wouldn't have gotten traumatized. And maybe Hunter wouldn't have gotten as hurt.

[Hunter takes out his staff, but accidentally steps onto something and breaks it, causing it to start glowing. He glances downwards and notices that he had stepped on a neon yellow vial. The liquid flashes brightly.]

Luz: Uh... what's that?

[The circles Luz and Hunter are standing in start flashing brightly, causing them to cry out in shock. The light then wraps them up.

Flapjack gave a mournful chirp. He wished so badly he could have been there to help his Hunter. But his Hunter had to suffer and learn the truth with only his sister by his side.

Scene cuts back to Luz and Hunter in Belos' mindscape. Hunter bursts out laughing.]

Hunter: You want to prove that my uncle is evil? And you thought I would help? [Continues laughing.]

"I mean, in retrospect, that wasn't exactly one of your better decisions, Luz," Amity pointed out gently. "What made you think he'd be willing to help?"

"I thought you'd gotten through to him somehow," Luz said. "I got through to you!"

"I…had less to get past," Amity said. "My mom…well, she never did a very good job of pretending she loved me. Not like Belos."

Hunter shifted uncomfortably. "Can we not talk about this? It's gonna be hard enough to go through this again as it is."

Luz: Well, now that I'm in his mind, I can learn the truth for myself. [Notices something.] Weird though. I've been in Willow's mind once, and it had more, uh, trees.

Hunter: Eh, makes sense. Mindscapes reflect the individual. I've read a lot about this subject.

Hunter missed his books on magic so much. Without any friends, he'd spent almost all of his free time reading. Reading the human encyclopedia wasn't cutting it for him. Nothing could compare to the sheer rush of learning about magic, especially wild magic.

[Hunter suddenly notices something and gasps. He walks towards it.]

Hunter: Whoa, look at this memory!

[Scene cuts to a painting depicting Belos guiding people away from a burning town. Hunter and Luz approach it.]

Camila rolled her eyes. Knowing Belos, he'd probably set the town on fire himself just to make him look like a hero. It was interesting, though. His mask wasn't covering most of his head like the one he had in the present. She wondered why. And again, the common people weren't depicted with eyes or noses. There was definitely a reason for that. It was not a coincidence.

Hunter: You know, unfettered wild magic wiped out our family. Everyone knew too much and got themselves hurt.

Hunter let out a wild, loud scream of anger. It was an anger directed at not just Belos, but also himself for being dumb enough to fall for everything and not question it.

"It's all right, mijo," Camila said gently, rocking him back and forth. "Your mami's got you."

That's why Belos took in the survivors, and dedicated his life to making the Coven System! [Runs towards another painting.] It's why he's so well-liked!

"I am so stupid," he lamented. "So weak…"

"No, Hunter," Camila said firmly. "You are not stupid. You are a remarkably intelligent young man. And to overcome sixteen years of conditioning like this…that takes more strength than I can possibly even imagine."

[Hunter stops next to a painting depicting people happily reaching out their hands towards Belos, who is holding a glowing floating orb with his left hand.]

There was something about the paintings, Camila realized, that reminded her of how indigenous populations in colonized regions were depicted by the colonizers. The stench of paternalism was all over it.

Hunter: Our sigils protect us from ourselves, and make the Titan happy.

"Yeah, the Titan…was kind of annoyed by this point," Luz snarked.

[Hunter notices another painting to his left and gasps, then walks towards it.]

Hunter: Oh! This is when I inherited my staff!

Hunter winced. He had seemed so happy then. It was a horrible thing to watch. He had chirpily served the will of a genocidal zealot. "You're better now," Willow whispered, knowing instantly what thoughts were running through his mind. "You're not like that anymore.

You know, I'm the youngest scout to become Golden Guard. I, uh, never found out what happened to the previous one.

"Yeah…should have asked some more questions there," Hunter muttered.

[Scene cuts to Luz looking at Hunter with a uneasy expression on her face.]

Hunter: Huh, why does Darius look so sad here?

Because he knew what happened to the previous Golden Guard, Hunter realized. And he knew it would happen again. So why didn't he try to stop it? Why didn't Darius try to warn him? To spirit him away from the palace? Was he that resigned to Hunter's fate? Or did he just think his rebel work was too important to risk for one man? For a child who was zealously devoted to a monster?

[Luz starts looking around and notices the painting she first saw when she woke up. She walks up to it, and touches the part where Owl Beast Eda is drawn at with a glum look on her face. Suddenly, she hears the sound of a child crying. She follows the sound, and finds a child figure with a wooden mask similar to Belos's sitting behind a pillar sobbing.

Camila felt a chill run through her. This child gave her the creeps and by the look on Luz's face, that was the correct reaction. Gildersnake wrapped itself around Luz, sensing his symbiont's distress.

He notices Luz and immediately stands up, frightened by her presence.]

Luz: [Hesitantly.] Belos?

Hunter: Belos?

[Luz and Hunter both speak out at the same time, much to Luz's surprise. The child figure turns around and runs away.]

Luz: Huh?

[Luz turns around and notices a dark figure resembling Belos approaching them.]

Vee let out a squeak of fright. She remembered the few times when she'd seen Belos in the flesh. His magic had felt wrong, cold and greasy. Not that she would have dared try to suck up his magic. Even death would have been a mercy compared to what would have happened if she tried.

Hunter: Emperor, you're here! We [Kneels down.] beg for your assistance to return to the physical world, so that I may capture your enemies! And so [Looks back at Luz annoyedly.] she can ruin someone else's day.

"Aw, you didn't want to capture me!" Luz said. "You liked me! Admit it!"

"That's…ridiculous," Hunter lied. "You just…weren't worth the empire's resources to capture. Plus, Eda would have tried to break you out of prison, we could have lost valuable assets…it was just more efficient to let you go."

"Sure, Hunter. Sure."

[The dark figure stops in front of Hunter. The child figure emerges from behind it and shakes his head and hands at the duo desperately. Luz looks at him with a puzzled expression when suddenly, the dark figure roars and starts transforming, revealing multiple glowing eyes on its body while also screeching.]

Everyone screamed in horror. Amity held onto Luz like she was holding on for dear life. "Oh my Titan!" she screamed. "Oh, Titan, Luz, does it get worse than this?"

"So much worse," Luz muttered. "So, so very much worse."

Luz: Hunter! Watch out!

[Luz rushes to the front of Hunter and takes out some fire glyphs from her pocket, then slaps on it.

"Thanks, Luz," Hunter said.

"I got your back, big bro," Luz said with finger guns.

This creates an explosion with blasts strong enough to send everyone flying backwards. Luz and Hunter roll on the floor then crash through a wall, falling down a dark void. Luz takes out a hover glyph from her pocket, grabs onto Hunter, then activates it before they hit the ground.

"Hey, what do you know?" Luz said. "It works!"

They manage to come to a halt near the ground, but the paper then disintegrates, causing them to crash into the ground face-first. The duo sit up, as Luz rubs her head in pain.]

Hunter: Where are we now?

[Luz looks up to see the hole they came through just now disappears.]

Luz: We must be in the Emperor's real mind.

[The duo stands up and finds themselves in a strange place filled with dead trees. Some paintings can be seen on the tree trunks.]

"So much for not as many trees," Luz said.

Hunter: What do you mean the Emperor's real mind? [Looks upwards.] That gallery-

Luz: Was made of all the lies he tells. He's not who you think he is.

[Hunter notices an abandoned palisman on the ground and picks it up. The palisman then disintegrates in his hand, causing it to tremble. Hunter clutches his hand, then stands up.]

Hunter shuddered as memories of all the palismen he indirectly killed flitted through him. All those people dead because of him.

Hunter: We're probably being punished because [Points at Luz.] you provoked his inner self.

"Or maybe he's evil and I'm an idiot for believing any of this!" Hunter screamed.

"Hey," Willow said, making him meet her eyes. "Don't talk about my boyfriend like that, Hunter." Hunter managed to muster a weak grin.

Luz: Well, his inner self had a thousand glowing eyeballs!

Hunter: [Mockingly.] Oh, no! Eyeballs! You're so easy to scare.

Camila laughed. He obviously hadn't seen Luz watch any horror movies. Luz was almost completely immune to them.

[Luz looks at Hunter with an irritated expression on her face. Eda's voice suddenly comes out from Luz's walkie-talkie.]

"How does that even work in there?" Camila wondered.

"Magic," Luz responded with jazz hands to hide the fact she didn't know.

Eda: Boo!

Hunter: [Startled.] Ah!

[Luz takes out her walkie-talkie.]

Eda: Luz, where are you? Oh, wait. Hey, blondie, your friend wants to talk to you.

Hunter: Uh...

[Flapjack's chirp comes out from Luz's walkie-talkie. Hunter immediately grabs it from Luz's hand.]

Hunter: Flapjack! Are you okay? Have they hurt you?

Look at you, Flapjack said fondly. So nice and sweet. I made a good choice.

[Luz snatches the walkie-talkie from Hunter's hands.]

Luz: Give me that! So, Eda. We may kinda sorta be trapped in, uh... the Emperor's mind.

Eda: [Gasps.] How in the world did you- No, we don't have time for that. Has the Inner Belos spotted you yet?

Luz: Yes, but we were able to get away... with help. Can there be two inner selves?

Eda: No. But I have heard of strong emotions materializing. Just stay safe. If you're devoured in his mindscape-

Hunter: We'll be trapped! [Luz turns back to look at him pacing back and forth looking worried.] Dragged down into his subconscious forever.

Camila shuddered at the very thought. Even being in Hooty's subconscious would probably be better than being stuck in Belos's mind forever, and that was saying something.

I... told you I read about this stuff.

"Nerd," Luz said, sticking out her tongue at her brother. Hunter just held his head up high in the most dignified manner he could think of.

King: Well, we're gonna get you out! We'll make a return spell as fast as we can!

Eda: Just don't lose the walkie-talkie. It's our only connection to you.

Luz: You got it, Owl Lady. Over and out.

Hunter: Wait!

[Hunter snatches the walkie-talkie from Luz's hand.]

Hunter: I'll be home soon, Flapjack. Stay safe.

[Flapjack chirps.]

I was perfectly fine! Flapjack assured him. They were nice. Owlbert gave me tips on how to outsmart Eda if I needed to.

"I want to hear those tips later."

Hunter: [Whispers.] I love you. Over and out.

"Aw," everyone said at once. Hunter blushed.

"You're so sweet, Hunter," Willow said. She knew she'd made the right choice for her boyfriend. You could tell a lot about a person by how they treated their palisman, and Hunter clearly adored his more than anything in the world.

[Flapjack chirps.]

Eda and King: Aww!

[Hunter ends the transmission and throws the walkie-talkie back to a grinning Luz. Suddenly, they hear sounds of leaves rustling.]

Hunter and Luz: Huh?

[They look towards the source of sound and see the child figure from before emerging from behind a tree.]

Luz: It's you! Kid Belos!

Hunter: What?

[Luz walks towards Kid Belos and kneels down to talk to him.]

Luz: Thank you for helping us before. You don't seem as scary as your inner self.

"DON'T TRUST HIM, LUZ!" Luz screamed at her younger self.

[Suddenly, from somewhere above, Inner Belos screeches, which surprises Luz and Kid Belos. He covers his ears, then runs towards Luz and grabs her arm.]

Luz: If strong emotions can take form, maybe he's the Emperor's... I don't know, sense of guilt?

Hunter: [Laughs.] What? Belos has never done anything worthy of feeling guilt.

Hunter was actually on the right track in a sense. It couldn't have been Belos's sense of guilt because he'd never done anything he thought he should feel guilty for.

It's obviously his... uh, sense of innocence. His pure intentions!

"Okay, even I didn't believe that," Hunter admitted. "But I had to say something! Because…because if he felt guilty for doing what he did…for hurting me, then why…"

"Why did he still do it?" Camila finished. Hunter nodded.

Luz: Well, [Whispers back at Kid Belos.] whichever it is, I think he can help us stay safe. [Whispers to Kid Belos.] And maybe you can show us who Belos really is.

"Why did you even think that would work?" Gus wondered. "Why would Belos's inner self assist you in taking him down?"

"Because I'm a dumbass, okay, Gus?!" Luz snapped at him. "Is that what you want to hear?" She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just…this is hard on me, okay? Can you just go easy on me?" Gus nodded.

[Kid Belos nods.]

Hunter: What was that?

[From somewhere above, Inner Belos screeches again. Kid Belos grabs Luz's arm and drags her away.]

Luz: No time! Let's go, go, go!

[Hunter runs after the duo. Kid Belos leads Luz to a painting and jumps through it. Luz prepares to follow suit.]

Hunter: Wait! You're just gonna invade his memories? That's sacrilege!

Camila shuddered. This was going to be so incredibly bad.

[Somewhere above, Inner Belos screeches again.]

Luz: It's a way to survive!

[Luz grabs Hunter's arm and drags him towards the painting. Both fall into the painting together. Luz and Hunter fall out of the painting Luz previously pulled them into. Kid Belos appears out of thin air in front of them, and runs away while laughing.

Luz grimaced. Belos was such a sadistic bastard that it wasn't enough to just kill them. No, he had to rub their noses in the sheer depth of his evil first. And, like idiots, Luz and Hunter had just blindly followed him, just because he looked like a kid.

The duo follows him to an area depicting one of Belos' memories - which takes place during Deadwardian Era somewhere in Bonesborough. Multiple townspeople have gathered in front of an empty platform. Kid Belos vanishes as he approaches the crowd, while Luz and Hunter run towards the platform and stop in front of it.]

Male townsperson: He says he can talk to the Titan.

Female townsperson: The Titan's dead, how is that possible?

[Belos steps onto the platform, the townspeople gasp.]

Belos: Fellow citizens, we are born into chaos. [Bows down.] Our lives anger the Titan. My own family has been hurt by the darkness of wild magic.

Camila gulped. The way Belos was talking reminded her of the pastor of the church her parents had made her go to as a child. Father Sanchez had been very big on lecturing about hell and the various reasons why they would most likely go there, including, it would seem, just existing.

[As he's speaking, a past version of his artificial magic staff sparks and smoke comes out of it, obscuring everything around him, he starts to twirl his staff, clearing the smoke, and 9 differently colored lights shine from it.]

Belos: I've been shown the healing light, it shines in nine hues!

[The townspeople gasp in delight.]

Gus scoffed. Seriously? He could do better illusions than this in his sleep. Maybe he should try to conquer the Isles himself if this was the best the people had to offer. He could do a better job than Belos, that was for sure.

Hunter: [Nudges Luz.] See? He's always been helping people.

[Explosions suddenly start to go off everywhere around Belos.]

Belos: The wild witches! They have found me, run!

"Somehow, I doubt there are really any wild witches," Vee said. Hunter nodded.

[Scene cuts to Luz and Hunter running to an alleyway nearby, and sees another part of Belos' memory where he is standing in front of a previous Golden Guard scolding him.]

Belos: You incompetent fool! You nearly took my head off with that blast.

Hunter cringed. That was his own face underneath that mask. Another variant of him, hopelessly beguiled by Belos's lies. And like all the other grimwalkers, Belos had disposed of him eventually and barely even thought about it afterwards.

Previous guard: I'm sorry, Lord Belos!

Belos: I'm off to the next town.

Previous guard: Uh, what about... the rest of these?

[He takes off a blanket revealing various boxes of unused explosives.]

Belos: Put on a bigger show.

Camila was not surprised to learn the whole thing had been a false flag operation. Dictators did that sort of thing all the time. Yet she was pretty sure this wasn't anywhere close to the worst of it.

[Hunters face turns to a mix of shock and realization. The previous Golden Guard ignites the fuse, then follows Belos into a building. Kid Belos then appears, picks up a bag filled with what sounds to be glass bottles, and jumps through another painting. Luz and Hunter follow suit, and lands outside the memory.]

Luz: Belos was lying! Wild witches weren't attacking him. How could you help someone like that? [Points to Hunter.]

Hunter: That was... probably a... special technique to get people to listen to his message. It's... It's for the greater good.

Hunter couldn't bear to look anyone in the eyes. He'd been so, so blind. Even with the evidence staring him in the face, he'd thought Belos was doing the right thing, that they were all serving the will of the Titan.

"Hunter, mijo," Camila said. "Could you look at me, please?" Hunter shook his head. "Okay. That's okay. I just want you to understand that this is not your fault. Belos…he had you brainwashed, conditioned for goodness knows how long. So many people never break free of such things. It has nothing to do with how smart you are. It's simply human – er, witch nature to want to believe the best of the ones you love."

"It doesn't matter," Hunter said bitterly. "I should have known better."

[Luz looks angrily at Hunter for a second before the inner Belos starts to creep out of a memory, reaching towards Luz.]

Luz: Ah! He found us!

[Kid Belos laughs and jumps into another memory; Luz and Hunter follow him in. This memory takes place at the top of the Knee, where Belos is standing in front of a group of nine witches and demons. Kid Belos jumps up and grabs a loose rope hanging off one of them before running away.]

Hunter: What's the kid doing?

Luz: Shh!

[Belos gestures towards a burning city in front of the crowd.]

"He burned that city to the ground, didn't he?" Amity said. Luz nodded.

Belos: Look at what wild magic has done to your city. Now imagine what it's doing to you. A city can rise from the ashes, but a soul...

And there it was again. That pseudo-religious rhetoric. Belos was copying the efforts of the preachers from wherever he had come from, Camila realized. All for his own twisted grab for power. He may have talked big, but there was nothing original about him.

[Belos shakes his head slowly. The crowd becomes uneasy and murmurs among themselves.]

Horned witch: [Gasps.] What does that mean?

Green-eyed witch: Wait, what?

Belos: I can make your magic pure again, as the Titan intended!

"Don't!" Luz screamed at them. "Don't trust him! Please!" But, of course, her pleas fell on deaf ears. This was set in stone. It had already happened long ago.

[A previous Golden Guard, presumably a different one from the last, appears next to Belos, a yellow glow emitting from his finger. The crowd extends their arms outwards, and the previous guard uses his finger to brand a coven sigil onto each of them, representing all nine covens.]

"He just, what, chose them at random?" Gus said. It reminded him of how Adrian had just chosen a random coven to try to bind his own magic.

"It really didn't matter," Luz said caustically. "You'll see…"

Belos: Welcome, to your new covens!

[The horned witch looks down at the sigil branded onto her wrist. Suddenly, lines start to come out of it, spreading throughout her entire body as she exclaims in pain and panic.]

Everyone watched the screen with pure horror. Except for Camila and Vee, they'd all heard about the draining spell and seen its effect on Hunter, but it was somehow worse to see it happening on the screen right now. And for Camila and Vee, it was so very much worse than that.

Her eyes glow, and the scene cuts to the other eight group members with the same effect as they all drop one by one to the ground, becoming unconscious. The previous guard kneels down next to the horned witch and checks her pulse.]

Previous guard: They're... still alive.

Belos: Then we still have some work to do. Gather the Palismen.

Camila let out a squeak of horror. She wanted to speak, but she found herself unable to. This was the reason everyone was so traumatized. This was why they were so appalled and disgusted by the coven system, by the sigils, by the very empire itself. The sigils' true purpose was to kill every last person in the Isles. Belos wasn't out to rule. He was out to commit genocide. He must have wanted to absorb everyone's lifeforce, everyone's magic, so he could become a god and then conquer the Human Realm. It was the only explanation that made sense.

"You know…there was a part of me that still didn't want to believe it," Amity said quietly. "I thought, maybe the Collector had twisted his mind. But…he was always pure evil, wasn't he?" Luz and Hunter nodded.

[The previous guard brings two staffs to Belos, who snatches one of the Palisman off its staff and crushes it before walking away. The horned witch gasps softly and the previous guard turns around to look at her writhing in pain before he walks away. The camera moves to Luz and Hunter standing behind her. Luz looks horrified while Hunter has a tense expression on his face. Luz then looks at him in concern. Scene changes to a view from above showing Hunter and Luz looking down at the crowd. A strong gust of wind blows past, bringing along some snow which then obscures the view. ]

[Scene cuts to outside the memory. Kid Belos jumps out of the painting while laughing. Hunter then comes out from it and runs off. Luz emerges from the painting shortly after.]

Luz: You can't deny it now. Belos is trying to hurt people!

Hunter: He was just... perfecting sigil magic! Besides, maybe, he's remembering things wrong. Who knows how mindscapes work?

Hunter glared at everyone defiantly. "Well? Isn't anyone gonna say something? Aren't you gonna tell me what an idiot I am? I'd seen the proof for my own eyes, and I still didn't believe it!"

"Never, Hunter," Camila said fervently. "I have nothing but respect for you. I cannot imagine how horrifying this was to see. I cannot imagine the courage it took to realize that the man you loved more than anyone was a monster. I…I can't say I would have been able to do it in your shoes. At least we've seen the worst of it."

"Um…about that," Luz said with a nervous laugh. "We kind of haven't. It gets…so, so very much worse."

[Hunter notices Kid Belos emerging from behind a tree while laughing.]

Luz: I thought you did!

Hunter: [Angrily.] Well, maybe I'm an idiot!

"Or maybe, you're just a good person deep down, Hunter," Camila suggested. "A person who is loyal to the people he loves. A person who did not deserve anything that happened to you. A person I love with all my heart."

"That's where you're wrong," Hunter said bitterly. "I'm not even a person."

"What do you mean by that?" Camila asked, but Hunter couldn't bear to say another word.

[To Kid Belos.] You! Get back here!

[Hunter rushes towards Kid Belos, but before he can catch him, Kid Belos suddenly stops and turns around. The sound of Inner Belos screeching is then heard from behind Hunter, prompting him to turn around.]

Luz: Huh?

[Luz turns around and sees a tall and lanky skeletal Inner Belos approaching her and Hunter.]

Everyone screamed in horror, even those who remembered what Belos looked like on the Day of Unity. "Oh my God, that thing is hideous!" Camila said. "He makes Hooty look normal!"

[It then screeches at the duo, causing them to scream in fear and immediately start running away before it can catch them. They follow Kid Belos to another painting, but Hunter suddenly hesitates and stops. He turns around to look at the Inner Belos, who is growling and slowly approaching him, causing him to retreat in fear.]

Luz: Hunter!

[Hunter looks back at Luz. She extends her hand towards him, and after hesitating for a bit, he grabs her hand. Luz then drags him into another memory of Belos'. Part of Inner Belos' skull comes through the painting, sniffs around, then leaves. Both Luz and Hunter let out a sigh of relief. Kid Belos pushes Luz's arm away, then runs forward to pick up empty glass bottles from the ground and put them into his sack. Not far away, Luz is shocked to see the portal she destroyed before has been restored.]

Luz: [Gasps.] He's got the portal?! [To Hunter.] Did you know about this?

Hunter: Of course. I helped rebuild it.

Hunter bowed his head in shame. "Hey, if you hadn't rebuilt it, I'd have never found my way home to my mom," Luz pointed out. "You did me a real solid in the end."

"Yeah…but Gus, Amity, and Willow wouldn't be trapped here," Hunter pointed out.

"Hey! Ridiculous self-flagellation is my thing, not yours! Get your own gig!"

Belos: I can hear you.

[Luz and Hunter appear surprised at what Belos just said. Not far away, he walks towards the portal, but then stops and looks back. From somewhere behind Luz and Hunter, someone starts laughing maniacally, prompting them to turn around and look up at a tree behind them. A pair of glowing eyes then appear from the darkness within the tree branches.]

"The Collector," Gus whispered. Camila peered at the screen. So this was the creature who had killed Belos and stopped the draining spell. She had expected something more…corporeal.

Eyes: You caught me.

[A strange shadow in an abstract form emerges from behind a tree branch.]

Shadow: To you, who stray so far from home. To me, who's trapped beneath these bones. Let's slash and rend and crush and bruise! Let's curse the land in nine bright hues!

Hunter furrowed his brow. "Uh…that's not what he said, Luz." He downloaded the proper memory into the mirror.

We'll play forever, me and you, when you paint the land in nine bright hues!

Luz shuddered. "Oh my gosh, he messed with my memories again. This is so disturbing. How do I know anything I remember is even right?"

"Well, every memory we share has aligned so far," Gus pointed out.

[As they speak, the shadow moves around the room and transforms into multiple abstract picture forms. Eventually, after reaching the portal, the shadow transforms to depict nine people lifting up their hands in a worshipping position. They then transform again to depict a screaming Titan and people being shattered into pieces. After that, they revert to their original form and start cackling.]

Belos: What can I do for you, Collector?

[The Collector moves towards a statue and lies down between its arms.]

The Collector: I'm bored! Is the Draining Spell ready yet? I wanna play and see everything go all...

[The Collector transforms themselves to wrap around the statue and then screams, eventually shattering into multiple pieces.]

Camila's eyes widened. Why, the Collector was just a child! Or at least had the mentality of one. He probably didn't have the mental capacity to truly understand what Belos was going to do to people, or at least the significance of it. To him, the people of the Boiling Isles were just toys. Well, Camila was going to have to teach him otherwise. She'd weathered Luz's temper tantrums. How much harder could showing the Collector some discipline be? Between that and giving him the love that monster had no doubt denied him for centuries, the Isles were practically saved already.

Belos: You'll have your fun on the Day of Unity.

[As he speaks, Belos turns around and walks away from the portal. The Collector appears on the door.]

The Collector: Betrayed, beguiled, alone, deceived! We'll have our revenge on... Ugh, "unity" is so hard to rhyme.

Luz unwillingly nodded in commiseration. There was a reason she had stopped her poetic efforts back in the day. She just didn't have the sort of mind that could rhyme easily.

[Luz and Hunter are bewildered by everything they have witnessed. Luz looks back and Hunter, and he can only shrug. Suddenly, a projection of Hunter from the past runs through Hunter, much to the duo's surprise. Hunter then clutches his chest in shock. Scene cuts to past Hunter going up stairs towards Belos, who is standing in front of the portal.]

Past Hunter: I- I know you didn't want me going to Eclipse Lake. But if I hadn't, [Takes out the portal key.] I wouldn't have found this!

[Belos immediately snatches the key away from Hunter's hand. He then holds up the key to take a closer look, and sees some Titan's Blood leaking out of it.]

Past Hunter: Some... of the Titan blood did spill, but- but if you let me explain then-

Belos: [Sternly.] Leave. Now.

Camila clenched her fists. That asshole couldn't even be bothered to pretend to show gratitude, could he?

[Past Hunter looks up at Belos sadly. Scene cuts to Belos standing in front of the portal as the sound of Past Hunter's footsteps becomes further away. Eventually, the sound of door closing can be heard. The Collector then emerges from behind the portal.]

The Collector: Ooh, you were maaaaad. I thought you were gonna go all... [The Collector transforms into an image depicting Belos with multiple tentacles, then scream and wave the tentacles around.] ...on that kid.

Belos: Not as long as he stays in the right path. I say, "The Titan has big plans for you," and he does what he's told. Unlike the previous attempts.

Camila's mouth dropped open in shock. She knew it was going to be bad, but she didn't know it would be this bad. She didn't think Hunter would see, with his own eyes, Belos admitting that he never loved him.

Hunter was silent for five seconds before he burst into tears. "I'm sorry," he said between tears. "I just…I'm such an idiot…"

No! Not an idiot! A good boy! Flapjack said urgently.

Camila held out her arms and Hunter desperately sank into one of her hugs. "I just wanted him to love me…" he sobbed. "I tried so hard to make him happy! For so many years, I…I wasted so much time…"

"Mijo," Camila said strongly. "My son. Hunter Noceda. I love you." Hunter nodded, unable to bring himself to speak. "I love you so, so much. You don't need him anymore. You have me. I'll always love you, no matter what happens."

"You have all of us too, Hunter," Willow promised him. "You're not alone anymore. You'll never be alone anymore."

Hunter felt just hollow and empty inside, like the tears had carved out a piece of him. Was that the piece of him that still craved Belos's affection? He hoped not, because if it was, then why did he still feel so bad? "I…this is so hard," he whispered. "But you all make it easier."

"He can never hurt you again," Camila reminded him. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

The Collector: I'm starting to think you make those things just to destroy them. You have fun with it. Admit it! [Cackles.]

Camila frowned. What on earth was the Collector talking about? Luz squeezed Hunter's hand, meanwhile, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

[Cut to Hunter and Luz. Luz has a sad expression on her face while Hunter looks shocked.]

Belos: Of course I don't, Collector. It hurts every time he chooses to betray me.

Amity scoffed. Of course Belos would only focus on his own pain, not caring about what others feel.

[Luz turns around to look at Hunter.]

[Scene cuts to outside the memory. Kid Belos jumps out from the painting and runs off. Luz comes out, then helps Hunter out of the painting.]

Luz: Sounds like he wants to wipe out all life in the Demon Realm. And the sigils help him do that.

[As Luz speaks, Hunter walks away with a pained expression on his face while she follows him behind. Not far away from them, Kid Belos puts down some objects on the ground.]

Luz: Hunter, um, listen. You don't need to return to the castle. You can stay at the Owl House if you want. I'm sure Eda would be cool with it once we... tell her what we... heard. [Expression becomes distraught.]

[Luz notices something in front of her and Hunter and becomes horrified. It is another part of Belos' memories, except this one has multiple broken Golden Guard masks on the ground. There are also some paintings on the trees depicting what happened to the previous Golden Guards.]

Camila let out a scream of horror. How many Golden Guards had Belos killed? How many of them had been as young as Hunter? Had they been younger than him?

[Luz suddenly hears something cracking and gasps, turning towards the source of sound. Behind her, Kid Belos is standing in a circle made out of rope and surrounded by multiple arrows and bottles of liquids. He breaks a Golden Guard mask in half and throws it into the fire.]

Luz: Hey! Stop that!

[As she speaks, Luz runs towards Kid Belos and drags him away from the fire. Hunter then proceeds to stomp out the fire.]

Luz: Why would he do that?

[Something floats past Hunter's foot, and he gets into a defensive posture. Multiple strands of this unknown substance float towards the rope circle, then form into Inner Belos, who proceeds to start screeching loudly. Luz and Hunter look at it in shock as it stomps on the ground. Its body appears to be made of dozens of small, screaming, animal-like figures.]

"Inner Belos": Get away from him! Danger! Danger! Run!

Luz: [Shocked.] Are those... Palismen...?!

Hunter flinched. So many palismen. All dead because of him. And worse, their spirits couldn't even rest, unlike the other people he'd killed in the service of a madman.

"Hey, it's okay," Luz whispered. "It's not –"

"NO! It is not okay!" Hunter snapped. "Nothing's ever going to be okay again, Luz!"

Hunter: [Realization.] We weren't running from the Inner Belos. He was with us, the whole time. [Looks back at Kid Belos.]

[Behind the duo, Kid Belos is facing away from them and crying, but this soon turns into a maniacal laughter as he takes out a wooden sword and strikes the rope on the ground, transferring some sort of energy into the circle where the Palismen figure is at. This activates it and launches the bottles onto the figure. The rope then tightens around the figure, causing it to crash to the ground. Luz and Hunter turn around to look at Kid Belos, who proceeds to transform himself into Adult Inner Belos.]

Inner Belos: Hello, Hunter. Hello, Luz.

"Please tell me you're gonna kick his ass, Luz," Camila begged. Luz shook her head morosely.

[Scene changes to show Luz and Hunter looking at Inner Belos angrily.]

Inner Belos: Ah. I was finally able to catch it. [Walks towards the figure.] This thing's been a thorn in my side for years. All these weepy Palismen souls...

[Inner Belos puts his hand on the figure, causing the figure to start turning into dust.]

"NO!" Gus screamed in horror. All those palismen, all gone.

Inner Belos: Their voices constantly nagging me. [Grabs a bird Palisman from the pile.] Vile. But without them, I wouldn't be able to do this.

[Inner Belos transforms his left arm into some sort of goo and squeezes the Palisman.]

Flapjack shuddered in fear. "It's okay," Hunter whispered at him. "It'll be okay. He can't hurt you. He's gone. He can't hurt you."

[Hunter's face is filled with shock and horror as Inner Belos proceeds to destroy the Palisman in front of him, causing him to wince.]

Inner Belos: Ah... [Turns around.] I'm feeling better already. [To Hunter.] Thank you for distracting it.

Hunter: [On the verge of crying.] What did you do to the other guards...? To our family?! It wasn't wild magic, was it?

[Inner Belos' face turns cold.]

Inner Belos: [Flicks Hunter's hair.] What a shame.

No, no, no, no, Hunter thought frantically. Don't say it, don't say it! They'll hate me, they'll think I'm a freak, don't say it! I'll do anything, just don't say it!

[Tears start forming in Hunter's eyes.]

Inner Belos: [Exhales.] Out of all the Grimwalkers, you looked the most like him.

Hunter extricated himself from the cuddle pile and ran out of the room. He couldn't face her. He couldn't face her hatred. He ran up the staircase in a blind panic and made it halfway to the door to the house when abomination goop covered it. He went for the nearest window, but Amity covered it too.

"Let me out!" he screamed. "LET ME OUT!"

"I'm sorry, Hunter," Camila said, truly, genuinely sorry. "But if you leave in this state, you're likely to hurt yourself, and that, I cannot allow." She looked him in the eyes. "Honey, it doesn't matter what a grimwalker is. I'll still love you. You know that."

"Yeah, you can tell her," Willow encouraged him. Luz nodded. "She won't care. You know that."

Hunter took a deep breath. "It's…I'm a clone. I'm not real. I'm just a copy of his brother Caleb. Like all the Golden Guards before me."

"Hmm," Camila said, her expression impenetrable. She moved her hand near his face and he flinched, waiting for the blow. Then she poked him on the nose. "Boop!"

"What…what's happening right now?" Hunter said, utterly confused.

"Well, you seem pretty real to me, Hunter," Camila concluded. "You want my diagnosis as a medical professional?" Hunter nodded slowly. "You, young man, are a perfectly real sentient being who deserves so much better than that pendejo Belos. My treatment plan involves plenty of hugs and kisses, so you'd better be ready for them!"

"I…I don't think…"

Camila waved her hands. "Later, naturally. I completely understand why you don't want that right now." She held out her hand. "So, Hunter Noceda, shall we continue our feature presentation?"

"I don't know what that is, but…yeah. Okay." He followed them all back downstairs. Everyone returned to their original positions in the cuddle pile. But they made sure to cuddle Hunter even tighter.

Hunter: [Confused and scared.] What...?

[Hunter suddenly begins getting dragged down into the ground.]

Luz: Hunter!

[Luz takes off her jacket and tosses it towards Hunter for him to grab on, but he still gets dragged downwards.]

Luz: No, no, no!

[Luz grabs onto her jacket trying to pull Hunter out, but she gets dragged towards him instead.]

Luz: You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. Just... hang on! Just...

[Despite Luz's best efforts, Hunter still gets sucked into the ground along with her jacket. She falls towards the ground and lands on her knees and elbows.]

"He'll be fine," Luz assured everyone. They all looked at her skeptically. "I mean, he survived that," she corrected herself.

Inner Belos: I was really expecting him to last longer than the others.

"Last…longer than the others?!" Camila shouted. "That means they were all younger than you, Hunter?"

"Uh, no, not necessarily," Hunter pointed out. "Not every Golden Guard, you know, was the Golden Guard their whole life. Most of the time, they started out as ordinary scouts. I did. He's just saying, usually they last shorter as the Golden Guard than me. But, yeah, he probably killed kids too."

Camila clenched her breaths and swore continuously under her breath.

[Luz turns towards Inner Belos angrily, with tears forming in her eyes.]

Luz: I'm gonna tell everyone about the Day of Unity, that you've been lying about the Titan for years!

"They wouldn't have believed you," Hunter said bitterly. "Heck, the only reason they believed me was because they saw the coven's brutality firsthand."

Inner Belos: Yes, this has gone on longer than I'd have liked. But... no one ever said being a witch hunter was easy.

Camila felt dizzy and then she was suddenly on the floor. Oh, God, she'd fainted. Wow. That had never happened before. "I…I'm fine," she said, highly unconvincingly.

But she was not fine. Belos was a witch hunter. The genocide wasn't the means, it was the end. This religious egomaniac had spent centuries blending in amongst his prey, letting them tighten the chains around themselves that would eventually choke them all out. Camila could not understand it at all. She could not understand what it took to sustain such terrifying levels of hatred for longer than any human had ever lived. What sort of a person could interact with thousands of innocent people, with children, and see them as just vermin to be exterminated?

No wonder the people in the paintings in the mindscape didn't have eyes. The eyes were the windows to the soul, and Belos didn't think his subjects had souls.

"Mrs. Noceda?" Gus said, his voice quiet. "I don't understand. I thought…I thought humans didn't believe in witches or magic."

Oh, boy. How was she supposed to explain true evil to a twelve year old? She could barely comprehend it herself! "Long ago, people did believe in those things," Camila said. "Well, some of them did. To others, it was just another way to hurt and destroy people who are different. In his time, in this place, many people were accused of witchcraft. It was a mass hysteria. But none of them were truly witches. Just humans who were different. People who didn't fit in."

"Like me," Luz said, her voice whisper quiet.

Camila sighed. "Yes. Like you. Belos is…at the end of the day, he is no different from the bullies who menaced you at school in a way, Luz. He's just a pathetic failure of a man who, as his inner self suggests, never grew up. Who still clung to the truth he'd learned as a child – that witches are evil – and never even considered he could be wrong."

"I still don't understand, though," Gus said. "If he hates witches, then why use magic to rule? Why use magic to clone his brother? What…what made him like this? Why does he hate us so much?"

"Why did he hurt me?" Hunter demanded.

Camila shook her head. "Mijo, truth be told…I don't have an answer. And I'm glad none of you can understand. Belos is evil to a level I can't even conceive of. No, it's a good thing we can't understand what it means to be that evil. We're not meant to."

Luz: [Incredulously.] Witch... hunter? So all this time, people have been mindlessly helping a witch hunter? How could they be tricked so easily?

Inner Belos: I wouldn't be so judgmental, if I were you.

[Inner Belos proceeds to summon a picture frame from the ground behind Luz. It then shows the moment when Red Fang tries to burn Philip Wittebane's journal.]

"It's okay," Camila said and squeezed Luz's hand tightly. "Remember, we don't blame you, Luz. We love you."

Luz took a couple deep breaths. "Okay…okay, I got this."

Red Fang: His pretty little words should make pretty good kindling.

[Luz is appalled by what she is seeing and pants heavily, mouth agape.]

"You're a good person, Luz," Amity reminded her. "You've brought so much joy and hope to our lives."

Past Luz: That doesn't belong to you.

Luz: No. No, no, no.

"We love you so much, Luz," Vee said. Luz tried her best to keep her breathing steady and gave a weak thumbs up. "We're here for you no matter what."

[Scene cuts back to the picture frame showing the moment when Luz taught Philip how to use a light glyph.]

Philip: Astounding!

[Scene changes to show the moment when Philip, Luz and Lilith are inside the Titan's head. Philip winces in pain and kneels down, holding onto his knee.]

Past Luz: It's okay, we can help!

"You didn't make him do any of this," Gus pointed out. "You didn't make him into a monster. He did that to himself."

[Scene changes to show the moment when the trio are inside the cave.]

Past Luz: I know you want to get home, but nothing is worth hurting people!

"I owe you everything I have, Luz," Hunter told her. "Everything I have today, it's because you believed in me. And because you did, I have a mom who loves me, and a palisman I adore, and a girlfriend who cares so much about me, and a best friend who'll do anything for me. Oh, and Amity." Amity glared at him.

[Scene changes to show the moment when Philip summons the Collector after wiping his hand on the mirror he found in the cave.]

Past Philip/Belos: I just need to live long enough to see this through.

"You are not a sucker," Willow said firmly. "You're practically a saint, Luz. He's the evil one. He hurt all those people. Not you."

[Luz is in complete denial about this.]

Luz: No, no, no! You're Belos! You're just Belos!

Camila wished with all her heart she could reach back in time and comfort the girl on the screen. But she couldn't, so she settled for hugging her tightly in the present as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I got you, baby," she whispered. "I got you. Mami's here."

[As she speaks, Luz breaks down in tears and grabs onto her hair, then drops to her knees.]

"He's just a selfish waste of space," Vee said. "Belos doesn't even deserve to breath the same air as you. My wonderful sister."

Inner Belos: Please, do me a kindness, and call me by my real name.

Luz: [Weakly.] I... can't.

[Scene cuts to the picture frame showing the moment when Luz and Lilith approach Philip.]

Past Luz: You're Philip Wittebane, aren't you?

[Scene changes to show the moment after Luz taught Philip how to use a light glyph.]

Past Luz: [To Lilith, excitedly.] I can't believe I taught Philip something new!

[Scene changes to show the moment when Luz and Lilith are in front of the double door inside the head of the Titan.]

Past Luz: I'll go talk to Philip.

[Scene changes to show the moment when Luz looks at Philip hesitantly after reading what he wrote in his journal.]

Past Luz: [Hesitantly.] Philip, why did you bring us here?

[As the scene is playing, Luz raises her head and looks up at Inner Belos with a morose expression on her face, blocking the view of the picture frame. Luz backs up from Inner Belos and trips over, not knowing that she has dropped her walkie-talkie. Just then, Eda's voice rings out from the walkie-talkie.]

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Kid, you there? We're getting you two out.

Luz let out a gasp. She'd gotten so deep into the memories, into her self-loathing, that she'd nearly forgotten that the Demon Realm wasn't just a place of darkness and trauma. There were good people there. There were good things that had happened to her there, and hearing the voice of the person who'd been responsible for so many of those things brought a smile to her face.

Inner Belos: It does feel good to hear another human say that name. I had to change it when Philip was run out of too many towns.

[As he speaks, he slowly walks towards Luz who backs up with a frightened expression on her face. She then accidentally falls backwards and rolls down a slope.]

Inner Belos: I told you once before, Luzura.

[Luz stands up as Inner Belos approaches her.]

Inner Belos: Perhaps... [Morphs into Philip.]

Inner Philip: ...we were destined to meet. [walks away]

Camila spat at the screen. "Don't you talk about destiny. You think you know what God's will is? You don't know anything, you bastard!" It made her feel dirty to think this monster thought he was worshipping the same god she'd once believed in, that Manny had always believed in until he was called before him.

Luz: And what about Hunter? What's a Grimwalker?

[Philip morphs back into Inner Belos.]

Inner Belos: He's... a better version of an old friend.

"No," Camila said sharply and so abruptly that Hunter jumped a little. "You are so much more than that. You're not his brother. You're your own unique person. Hunter Noceda. My wonderful son."

"Thanks, mom," Hunter said with a watery smile.

But, thanks to you, I'll have to make another one.

"Did he…he didn't get around to doing that, did he?" Hunter demanded. Everyone shrugged. They had no clue. "Well…if he did, we'll deal with that when we get back."

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] She's not answering! Luz? Luz!

Luz: But... why? Why go through all this?

Inner Belos: [Grabs a Golden Guard mask and holds it triumphantly.] I'll do anything to save humanity from evil.

"The only thing humanity needs to be saved from," Camila said, her voice a hiss, "is people like you."

Luz: [Slowly shakes her head.] No.

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Luz, we're gonna start the countdown. Are you ready?

Luz: You're evil.

Inner Belos: Can't reason with crazy.

Camila inhaled sharply. No wonder Luz had a panic attack when she'd heard herself saying those words during the episode with the grudgby match.

[He throws his arm, which has morphed into a pickaxe, towards Luz. She covers herself with her arms and screams in fright, when suddenly, a barricade of vines and an ice pillar shield her and block Inner Belos's attack.]

Camila clutched her heart, which was felt like it was beating a million miles an hour. Despite the evidence to the contrary sitting beside her, she'd thought for a second she was actually going to have to watch her daughter die before her eyes.

[When Luz opens her eyes, she is shocked to find the barricade, and the arm-pickaxe has barely passed above her head. Scene then pans to Hunter, who is revealed to have summoned the vines and ice pillars and is grabbing onto a thorn.]

"YEAH!" Willow shouted. "Look at you, using plants just like a pro!"

"Oh, I'm not anywhere on your level, captain," Hunter said bashfully.

"I bet you could be with practice," Willow said. "I bet you could do just about anything you put your mind to."

Hunter: Luz!

[Hunter turns around with one hand grabbing onto the thorn along with Eda's letterman jacket, and the other one holding onto some glyphs, with a few of them falling to the ground.]

"I guess wild magic's not so bad after all, is it?" Luz said. Hunter shook his head.

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Five...

[Luz grabs a fire glyph from the floor as she and Hunter run towards the walkie-talkie.]

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Four...

[Luz summons a whirlwind of fire from the fire glyph to create a hole in the barricade which she and Hunter pass through.]

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Three...

[The whirlwind of fire damages and destroys Inner Belos's arm-pickaxe as he retracts his arm in pain. Luz and Hunter run past him.]

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] Two...

[Hunter and Inner Belos stare at each other for the last time as Hunter is pulled away by Luz.]

Eda: [From the walkie-talkie.] One!

[Luz and Hunter reach the walkie-talkie as Luz makes a dive for it.]

Luz: Eda, now, please, now!

[A burst of light envelopes Luz and Hunter. Luz and Hunter emerge in the living room of the Owl House in a puff of smoke.]

"They had to use the last of the Titan's Blood to power the spell," Luz informed them.

[Cut to King, Eda, Flapjack and Hooty looking down at them as King and Hooty attempt to approach the duo.]

Eda: [Blocks King and Hooty.] Don't crowd them. [To Luz and Hunter.] Are you two okay?

[Luz sits up and gives the gang a blank stare. As Hunter sits up, Flapjack immediately flies to him, pecks his head and chirps repeatedly.]

Hunter: [Gasps.] He knows. He... he knows we were in there. I can't... I can't go back!

[Hunter starts panicking and hyperventilating.]

"We got you," Camila said, squeezing Hunter's hand tightly. "You're gonna be okay."

Eda: [Alarmed.] Kid, breathe.

[She offers her hand to Hunter, but he fearfully backs away. He then looks down at his cloak and immediately takes if off, throwing it to the ground. Scene cuts to outside the house. The door is burst open as Hunter runs away tearfully. Luz attempts to chase after him but then stops.]

"I'm sorry I ran," Hunter said.

"Oh, sweetie, you don't need to apologize for anything," Camila said. "My God, I can't imagine what it's like to experience trauma like that. Just…did you have somewhere safe to go?"

"Kinda."

Luz: Hunter!

[Flapjack chirps and flies after him. King, Eda and Hooty then come out of the house, looking worried.]

King: What the heck happened in there?

Eda: Luz, what did you see?

[Luz's expression worsens as she looks back towards the others regretfully, tears forming in her eyes.]

"Yeah, that's it," Luz decided. "I'm not showing that conversation. We're done now."

"Perfectly understandable," Camila assured her. "Well…"

What was she supposed to say to all this? She'd known Luz and Hunter would be traumatized, but trauma barely even seemed to describe what they had experienced. Hell, Camila was pretty sure she herself was traumatized by seeing all that now, and she had just seen it secondhand.

"You're just both so strong," she said eventually. "I'm so proud of you both. My precious, wonderful children. Oh, I can't imagine how you must be feeling…to come face to face with such evil. But I promise you, you're safe now. He's gone. It's over."

Hunter wiped a tear away from his eyes. "Thank you so much, mom. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you."

Camila straightened up. "We're getting rid of that statue. And I have a plan to do it. How do you feel about busting out your acting chops again, Vee?"

Vee gave a vicious grin. If Camila was getting at what she thought she was, she was very much in favor of this plan. "I think I'd love to."

Luz nodded. "All right, so the next episode is –"

"Going to have to wait," Camila said, her tone indicating she would hear no argument. "We're taking at least another day before we move on. And in the meantime, I'm gonna make you all some empanadas. We all deserve that. Hunter, you can help if you want." Hunter nodded eagerly.

"I can handle it," Luz argued, not very convincingly.

"I can't," Camila shot back. "My God, Luz, you nearly died in there! Two of my three children nearly died at the hands of the worst monster I can think of! I need time to process all this. Don't push me." She wrapped her hands around Luz. "I love you so much, lucecita. We're gonna get through this. I promise you that."