Welcome back, and I cannot stress this enough, my gamers. I'm probably back sooner than you expected. I have news of stellar and stupendous proportions. It has come to my attention that this fic officially has a TV Tropes page. I am truly honored to have my little story held in such esteem.
Now, onto matters at hand. We're following up the last chapter with Eda's Requiem, a fan favorite. I hope I did it justice.
Chapter 21: Tyranny Becomes Law
"The simulated Vex will use our flesh as hosts for yet more nested universes full of yet more nested copies of us eternally tormented by yet more Vex." -Elisabeth Bray, speaking to her Grandfather Clovis Bray the First
-]Through the space between the dimensions[-
Sarkarae teleported across the Isles. Ignosi was finally permitting it to move out. It would be accompanying some of their Witch allies, as much as it pained Sarkarae to designate them as that. It found the term parasite far more fitting.
It arrived at its destination in an instant, materializing in a dark room where some of the vermin were waiting for it. Drawing to its full height, it acknowledged how they recoiled slightly. There were three in all, two witches and one demon. Sarkarae searched its database for their names, solely so that it could designate them properly.
-]Theoretical: The sight of these organic primitives sullies my visual receptors[-
-]Practical: Watching their atoms break apart should be far more pleasing[-
Its hand subconsciously twitched, shifting slightly to unveil its cannon. It received a mental pulse from Ignosi, warning it not to step out of line.
-]Let me kill them[-
Ignosi instantly shut them down.
-]Remember the objective, you deal with them later[-
=Eliminate Guardian=
\Subnote: Make yourself appear non-threatening
Sarkarae growled, dropping to one knee. Even in this stance, it towered over the Witches.
-]This is beneath me[-
One of the Witches stepped forward. Sarkarae quickly matched their face to a name.
"You are our reinforcements?" Vitimir, head of the Potions Coven asked with a raspy voice. Beside him, Eberwolf snarled in apprehension.
"I have been… sent by… my master," Sarkarae snarled in turn, "I shall… aid you." Mason, head of the Construction Coven, fixed Sarkarae with an appraising look.
"You're quite well built," he complimented.
-]Do not speak to me as an equal scum[-
"Your words are… acknowledged."
"Do you understand the mission?" Vitimir asked impatiently. Sarkarae immediately fixed him with its stare.
"Isolate rebel cell… that has… been threatening… Coven operations… and… eradicate them."
"You mean, arrest them," a new voice said from behind the Vex Sub-Mind. It turned, seeing a new Witch slowly enter the room.
"Darius," Mason greeted, "I thought you were still in the infirmary."
"According to their records, I still am," Darius said nonchalantly, "The Emperor has sent me to join you." Sarkarae could tell that he was lying, not that the Sub-Mind cared in the slightest. Vitimir raised an eyebrow.
"Are you certain you'll be able to keep up?" He asked snidely.
"Your concern is appreciated," Darius sarcastically shot back, "But I assure you, I'll be fine. The Healers are letting me out tomorrow."
"If you are… done," Sarkarae growled, "We still need to… go over the… plan." Vitimir shot Darius one last look before nodding and turning to a nearby table. They did need to be quick, there was an important ceremony happening soon after all.
"Of course. Now, let us begin."
"Let's see," Eda hummed as she looked over her notepad, "Luz needs a new coat, King needs to be checked for fleas, Lily probably needs some clothes of her own, and Tincan needs…" Her mind drifted to Royal. The last time she had seen him, he was still working on the mystery of the Darkness runes, trying to uncover their meaning and origin. He had been obsessed with them as of late, acting all jumpy and twitchy whenever someone interrupted him.
"He needs to be left alone," Eda concluded, "Am I missing anything?" She looked to the side, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror. She grinned a little.
"Oh how you've changed Owl Lady," she said, grabbing a photo of Luz at Grom, "It's been worth it." She pushed open the window slightly and looked down at the front lawn where King and Luz were exercising. The latter sat up as King continued, marking down their progress.
"What's the first thing you're gonna do when you meet your dad, King?" She asked. The Demon finished his rep.
"Well, once we're done training, I'm gonna move out of that closet. Then, I'm gonna ugly cry. Hard."
"Have you told Eda about your decision to-" Luz began to ask, only for King to quickly shush her. The two looked up at Eda's window, where the Witch was listening from out of sight.
I'm not ready to tell her yet. I don't know how she'll react," King explained. Luz nodded in understanding. Within her room, Eda sighed.
"Everyone's leaving, huh? Even King. I guess I'm no substitute for the real thing." She picked up the picture again and cracked open a chest to tuck it away. Her gaze fell upon a lute resting atop a pile of other assorted junk.
"Nothing like a good distraction," she said, grabbing the instrument. She strung a chord, causing a golden aura to ripple across the room. As she continued to play, she noticed several items around her room begin to glow gold and levitate. Gasping, she stopped her song.
"Has my magic returned?" Unfortunately, as soon as she stopped playing, the magic ceased and everything dropped to the ground.
"Of course not, stupid curse."
She heard a loud thud from just down the hall, followed by a loud shout from Royals room. She poked out into the hall just as Royal stepped out of his room, rubbing his head.
"You alright?" She asked.
"Yeah, just started floating for some reason," he answered, looking around in confusion, "Then I got dropped on my head."
"Yeah, that's weird," Eda said awkwardly, slowly slipping back into her room.
Eda sat on the couch, looking through some papers while twirling a pen through her hair. Her scroll floated next to her, quietly playing the news. King and Luz had taken off, borrowing her staff.
"And we're back live at the Emperor's Castle," the announcer said. Eda set her notes down and raised the volume.
"In light of Scooter Craine's retirement, today's ceremony will confirm Raine Whispers as the new head of the Bard Coven." Despite her ill feelings toward the Coven system, Eda still couldn't help but smile a little. Said Witch stepped up to the podium, looking extremely uncomfortable.
"Do I have to be on camera?" They asked. Beside them, Darius face-palmed. He had been dodging Healers all day. If this was where he needed to be to avoid them, then so be it.
"For Titan's sake, just say something," he said. Raine pulled down their hood and turned to face the crowd.
"Uhh, I am honored to work with Emperor Belos in preparation for the Day of Uni-bee. I mean Uni-ly," they stuttered over their words, panicking, "This is going all wrong, get me out of here!" They ran off the stage as Eda laughed.
"How are you supposed to be the head bard when you have stage fright?' She asked, wiping away a tear. The door swung open and Luz quickly stepped through, holding a backpack at arm's length.
"Hey Eda, you got another pack I could borrow? This one got a little thrown up in."
"Check the closet." Luz nodded and ran off. King entered right as she did, holding his stomach with a pained look on his face. As he took a seat on the couch, Eda called out to her Human apprentice.
"So why are you suddenly so interested in flying?" She asked, "Did you give up on returning to the Human Realm? Cause, you can always stay here a little longer if you need."
"Oh no, I'm still going home," Luz said, having disposed of the bag, "I just keep running into setbacks."
Luz peered under her bed, searching for her only lifeline to the Human Realm. It tried to shrink into the wall as she reached for it.
"Come on, little buddy. You have portal information that I need." She held out a carrot, causing the mouse to perk up its ears.
"You want a carrot? Does baby like carrots?" She goaded. The mouse slowly crept forward. Eventually, Luz was able to coax it into her lap where it happily munched on the carrot.
"There we go, safe and sound. Nothing's gonna happen to you."
Hooty instantly proved her wrong, diving across the room and gulping down the Echo Mouse.
"Fear not, maiden. Hooty, the guardian owl of Ga'Hoot, has protected you once more!"
The House Demon shrank under Luz's glare as she pulled out a glyph.
"Fortunately, I was able to recover the Echo Mouse," she said, "But he's pretty traumatized. I also tried asking Royal about maybe using the Vex Domain to get home, but he just kinda stared at me and I abandoned that idea pretty quick."
"In the meantime, this weekend in the Gland Prix!" King cheered.
"Hexside, Glandus, and St. Epiderm students will race to win honor, glory, and-"
"Fame! The winner also gets a live interview with the Boiling Isles news," King continued, "Do you realize what this means?"
We're going to enter the competition and get King on camera so he can send a message to his dad."
"Oh," Eda blinked, "That's… great."
"But before we do," King said nervously, "There's something I want to talk about. You see, I think it's time for me to le-"
"Leave the talking for later," Eda interrupted, "If you want to win, you need to get to training."
"Yeah, you wanna head back out while your tummy's still empty?" Luz asked. King accepted and the two returned to their practice. Lilith walked downstairs, finally having woken up from her sleep.
"You seem… off."
"I'm fine," Eda said, struggling to hide her face, "I just- I'll be back." She quickly departed, leaving Lilith to stand awkwardly in the living room.
"Was it something I said?" She asked as Royal pushed past her.
"Probably was," he remarked. Lilith rolled her eyes.
"Have you made any progress with the runes?" She questioned.
"Nope."
"Do you need any help?"
"How well do you understand the nature of how Paracausality, willpower, and physics interact?" The Guardian snarked. Lilith huffed, conceding that he didn't want her around.
"Why did you stay?" He asked without warning. Lilith looked at him in confusion, caught off guard by the question.
"What do you mean?"
"The only reason you were staying here is that you needed to lay low," he elaborated, "Eda told me that you could have gone home with your mother. So why didn't you?"
"As much as I would have appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with my parents, I reasoned that I would be more useful here. You are smart enough to set aside your, admittedly deserved, mistrust and acknowledge that I can help you." Royals' expression was unreadable.
"You are useful," he admitted in a forced neutral tone, "In certain, very specific cases. The Vex appear to have imprinted themselves on you, for lack of a better term. The ability to know what actions your enemy is taking has always been a powerful one."
"It sounds like you're almost starting to appreciate having me around," Lilith joked.
"Well, you do keep Hooty occupied." Suddenly, he tilted his head to the side, listening to a private communication.
"I'm needed elsewhere," he said without explanation, "Hooty's in charge while I'm out."
"I just… don't wanna hear him say it," Eda sobbed, resting her head on the bar, "I was finally getting used to having people in the house. Then, whoosh, it's all ripped out from under me." She took a sip of her drink as the bartender listened half-heartedly.
"Sure, I understand," he said, "It's like every time you come in here and I wonder if you'll actually pay for your drinks." Eda didn't respond, continuing to down her apple blood. Her eyes swept across the tavern before being drawn to a nearby struggle. Multiple coven guards had converged around a Witch and were dragging her out of the bar.
"Leave me alone you bastards!" She shouted.
"Worry not citizens," one of the scouts said, "We are helping this wayward Wild Witch find her place in society."
"I don't want to join a Coven you tosser!" She objected as the coven agents dragged her out of the bar. Eda frowned, rising from her seat.
"Put it on my tab," she said, pursuing the struggle. The barkeeper looked down at her half-finished drink and groaned. Outside, Eda walked into the street and planted herself behind the procession.
"Hey, let her go!" She hollered. The guards, along with the other assembled citizens, turned to face her.
"Back off Owl Lady," one said.
"Yeah, no Coven wants a powerless Witch." Eda grinned as he said that, She curled her hand into a fist and punched him in the head so hard that his mask spun around his face. The scout staggered under her blow.
"How's that for powerless?" She mocked. The guard began to draw a spell circle. However, before he could finish, the spell was shattered by a string of music. Everyone's gaze turned to face the source of the tune. In the center of the town square, just beneath the statue of Belos, stood a group of figures wearing bat masks. They all began to play their instruments in unison, sending a wave of magic over the area. Around them, several inanimate objects, along with some of the smaller residents, began to levitate in the air.
As soon as it began, the song ended. One of the group members stepped forward. They carried a violin that was nestled into their neck.
"Citizens of Bonesborough," they cast their voice through the streets, amplifying it with their Bard magic, "Fix your gaze upon the Emperor's lackeys. See how they try to…" Their voice trailed off as their confidence seemed to wane. The violinist turned to one of their companions.
"Do I really have to say this?" They whispered. Eda's eyes narrowed slightly, she recognized that hesitant voice.
"We all agreed on the script," one of their companions retorted. The violinist sighed.
"See how they try to mute the music of our hearts," they said reluctantly, "And weaken our magic by forcing Witches in Covens against their wishes."
"Blasphemy!" One of the guards shouted.
"Blasphem-you!" The violinist shouted, striking a chord on their instrument. The music forced the guard back.
"They take your magic," they continued, "They restrict your knowledge. And they do it all under the illusion of unity. Of the greater good. No more! We shall fight for you. For we are the Bards Against the Throne, and we-"
"Are completely surrounded."
True to the guards' word, coven reinforcements had arrived and encircled the four revolutionaries. They raised their staves, crackling with Solar, Arc, and Void energy. As the coven agents began to close ranks, the Bards prepared to defend themselves.
"Look, in the sky!" A bystander shouted.
At their cry, everyone looked up. Eda had to shield her gaze from the bright sun. As she squinted, she realized the sun was getting closer. Her eyebrows shot up as she realized what she was looking at. She turned away just in time as Royal slammed into the ground with a burst of flame. The intensity of the Light temporarily blinded the coven guards and bystanders.
"Quite the mess you lot got yourselves into," he quipped to the Bards, "When I gave you my number, this isn't what I had in mind. But I do appreciate the opportunity to destress." One of the coven guards fired an Arc blast at him, having recovered from his temporary blindness. Royal caught the lightning in his hand and carried it through his body. With a flick of his wrist, he redirected it into the sky.
"Well, you fired the first shot," he grinned. Eda watched as he dove into the guards.
"Never thought I'd pity the Emperor's Coven," she muttered. She quickly moved over to the Bards, whispering to the leader.
"I can get you out discreetly, follow me." She lead them to a small sewer grate and opened it. The Bards slipped underground as Eda looked back at Royal. She was just in time to watch him fling a guard across the square with his bare hands. She winced as he landed. At least Royal seemed to be enjoying himself.
She joined the Bards in the sewer, leading them out of the city. This was a route she had taken before during her criminal escapades, though she hadn't needed to use it in a while. Eventually, they reached the exit.
"Alright, last stop," Eda said as she pushed the grate open, "Everybody out." Once the Bards had dropped onto the ground Eda let the grate fall back into place.
"Little word of advice," she said cheekily, "Next time you try to start some drama, have an escape route ready. You won't always have a Guardian to back you up."
"Thank you," the leader said gratefully, "We'll be sure to take your advice under consideration. Is there any way we can repay you?"
"I have an idea," she rolled the words out smoothly, "How about you let me join your little crew."
"Great," one of the other Bards complained, "Another stowaway." She was shushed by her leader as Eda puffed out her chest.
"I may not have magic, but I am an agent of chaos in my own right."
"I'm certain of that," the leader said. One of their companions was quick to speak up.
"We're not in any position to accept more new members at the moment."
"Oh, is that any way to treat an old friend," Eda said smugly, leaning in closer to the leader, "Raine Whispers?" She flicked the mask off the Bard leader, revealing their face to the world.
"So, the head Witch of the Bard Coven likes to dress up and roleplay as a revolutionary," Eda laughed as Raine blushed.
"Why does everyone keep calling us roleplayers?" They muttered. The rest of the Bards watched in confusion, muttering amongst themselves and casting suspicious glances at the Owl Lady.
"It's alright everyone," Raine assured, "She's an old friend." The remaining Bards lifted their masks. Eda raised an eyebrow as she recognized one of them, but elected not to comment.
"First the Guardian, now her?" One of the Bards questioned, "You've been busy Raine." Before Raine could explain, the air grew warmer around them. Royal soared overhead, landing beside the group with his flaming wings spread wide.
"If you need my assistance for a small skirmish with Coven scouts, then you're in more dire straights than I thought," he said before noticing Eda and tilting his head in greeting.
"Funny seeing you here, Tincan."
"Strange times make for strange bedfellows."
Raine stepped forward, clearing their throat, "I wasn't exactly calling you for your assistance, I'm sure we would've been able to make our way out. I just wanted you to get a first-hand demonstration of our message."
"I see," the Guardian said, "Is that the only reason?"
"I also wished to discuss something else with you," Raine grinned, "A mission. The Emperor's Coven has been stepping up their patrols, rooting out more and more Wild Witches every day. We managed to get some info about a prison transport that's heading out later today."
"Did you know about this Eda?"
"News to me," she replied, "My offer still stands Rainestorm."
"If you're offering, then we'd be glad to have you on board," Raine accepted. Their companions seemed a little less convinced. What could a powerless Witch possibly offer?
Eda rummaged through some of her supplies, searching for a few old maps. Royal, herself, and the BATTs would be regrouping in a few hours to launch their operation. While she continued to browse, Royal sat on the ground with his legs crossed. He slowly dragged a whetstone along the edge of his glaive, producing a sharp scratchy sound.
"Never took you for the revolutionary type," Eda remarked, pulling a few maps aside.
"I'm not," Royal said, continuing to grind, "But they asked for my help. Considering the damage I've done to your world, I at least owe it to them to listen. Besides, I need a good distraction right about now."
"Damage?" Eda scoffed, "Please, without you, the Vex would've already swept over the Isles."
"And without me, they wouldn't even be here in the first place."
"You're being too hard on yourself," Eda comforted, "You've done more good than you realize." Royal didn't respond, but he did stop mindlessly sharpening his blade. Eda turned to look him in the eye. To her surprise, the Guardian was slumped over with his optics dimmed. She lightly pushed him, causing the Exo to tip over and fall to the ground. Instantly, he shot back up.
"I'm awake!"
"You sure you're doing alright?" Eda asked. Royal rubbed his face.
"I'm fine. Just… haven't had much time to power down lately."
"Well I'm ready to go," Eda said as she hoisted her equipment and slung it over her shoulder. Royal pushed himself back to his feet and sent his glaive back to transmat.
"Then let's not keep the good Bards waiting."
The two made their way out front where Luz had just finished another rep. King ran in the background, being chased by Hooty. Luz perked up as the two adults exited.
"Hey Eda," she called, "King still needs to talk to you."
"Maybe later," Eda quickly deflected.
"Oh, alright. Maybe at the Gland Prix?"
"I'll be there," Eda assured, "I promise." She quickly turned away from Luz and walked off with Royal following closely.
"What was that about?" He questioned. Eda sighed.
"I'm just not ready for him to leave yet."
"You don't know that's what he's doing."
"What else could it be Royal? He's looking for his dad, for his real family. Everyone's leaving. King's gonna find his real family. Luz is going to have to go home eventually. Even you are looking to get back to your own time." Royal remained silent for a moment as the two walked. Eventually, he turned back to Eda.
"I've spoken with other Guardians, far longer lived than I," he began, "We are in a unique position to observe the lives of others. Most Guardians have lost people they care about. We are so efficient at dealing death, yet are so unprepared to deal with the consequences of loss ourselves."
"I'm not ready to let go," Eda said weakly. Royal placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No one ever is."
The two arrived at the BATTs secret base and were quickly ushered in. After a few quick greetings, they gathered around a large table. Eda dropped a few of her bundled-up maps on the table and spread them out.
"There you have it," she said, "Homemade maps of every nook and cranny in the city. Haven't used these in a hot minute."
Raine nodded gratefully, "Here's the situation; Emperor Belos wants every Wild Witch rounded up before the Day of Unity."
"He's trying to concentrate as much magic as possible," Derwin added, "We just don't know why."
"Control," Royal said grimly, "Power. Why else?"
"You speak like you've seen this before," Raine prompted.
"I've read many tomes on Human history," Royal elaborated, "The more things change, the more they stay the same. Even us Lightbearers are not immune to Human nature."
"Right, well we need to focus on helping those he's captured," Raine said, dragging the conversation back on topic, "The next raids take place here, here, and here." They pointed to several spots on the map which Derwin placed markers on.
"All of these at the same time?" Katya questioned, "We're already stretched thin as it is."
"Don't worry about that kids," Eda boasted, "Mama has a plan."
"You're not our mom!" Amber objected.
Sarkarae twitched as it ran simulations of the entire Isles. Witches and Demons went about their lives within the artificial world the Sub-Mind had created, all none the wiser. It ignored most of them, focusing instead on the most relevant ones. The Emperor's Coven had intentionally leaked some intelligence to draw the rebel cell out so that they could gain a better understanding of their forces. From there, they would use that information to calculate their next move.
The coven heads had been gone for a while now. They had left to attend a ceremony promoting a new Witch to their ranks. Sarkarae cared not for their internal politics, so long as they did not hamper its directive. It did appreciate the calm stillness now that they had left.
It parsed through the simulation as the mission began. The rebels attacked the convoys, overpowering the guards. The resistance from the Coven guards was unimpressive, but not unexpected. Sarkarae wound the simulation back and ran it again. The rebels achieved the same result, though their tactics were slightly altered this time.
The Sub-Mind continued to simulate the encounter over and over hundreds of times. To the outside world, it was mere seconds. To the Sub-Mind, it was years of simulated battles. All these repeated tests were essential. With the Guardian as a wild card, the Vex had to account for every other possibility.
Sarkarae's external sensors hummed as someone entered the chamber it was currently occupying. It cataloged Darius and Eberwolf's presence without moving to acknowledge them, pretending that it was simply offline.
"Look at it," Darius scowled, "A wretched thinking machine. Just like Alador's bastardized creations." Eberwolf regarded his companion curiously, prompting Darius to continue.
"You were there when the Emperor showed us that vision. I saw these machines, their unending legions. I don't know what they are, but I do know that they are not to be trusted. Belos is a fool if he thinks he can control them." Eberwolf nodded in agreement.
-]Analysis: These two organics may be secret double agents[-
-]Theoretical: They pose as a potentially destabilizing factor[-
-]Practical: Instability from within will make our primary directive far easier to accomplish[-
"I don't know what Belos is thinking, working with these Vex," Darius continued to rant, "But he is toying with a power far beyond his understanding." Sarkarae chuckled within its mind, Darius wasn't wrong about that. The Witch reached out and knocked on Sarkarae's leg, producing a sharp ringing sound.
-]It dares to touch my form[-
-]Theoretical: This organic filth has disgraced the form my master bestowed me with[-
-]Practical: I shall tear off his skin and grind his bones into dust[-
"We may have to step things up," Darius mumbled, oblivious to Sarkarae's rage, "We're running out of time."
-]How right you are, vermin[-
Amber peered around a pillar, watching as three coven guards escorted a few Wild Witches into their prison transport. She waited until the prisoners were loaded up before pulling out her flute and playing a soothing tune. The three coven guards slumped to the ground, fast asleep. Amber quickly opened the transport back up, gesturing for the Wild Witches to follow her.
Elsewhere, Derwin and Katya stood atop a small archway, playing their instruments to lure out their targets. Leaping off their perch, they ran as a few coven scouts gave chase. The captain remained behind, watching his surrounding with alert eyes. Unbeknownst to him, Raine crept up from behind. They strummed their violin, enchanting the captain's cloak to twist around his head. While the captain struggled, Raine freed the prisoners, leading them away.
Down another street, the coven guards lead their convoy toward the Conformatorium. Watching from a nearby rooftop, Royal cracked his mechanical digits and stepped off the roof. He landed before the carts and ignited his hands. The guards blanched and backed away as Royal began slowly walking towards them. As he drew closer, they turned and ran, not wanting to draw the ire of the Guardian. Eda took the chance to slip in behind him. Royal tore the door off its hinges and Eda lead the Wild Witches away to safety.
The BATTs, along with Royal and Eda, regrouped at their secret base. Everyone was tired. It was late and they had been rather active.
"Did everything go according to plan?" Eda asked, receiving a series of affirmations from the BATTs.
"It all went off without a hitch," Derwin yawned, "Smooth as can be."
"Too smooth," Royal muttered, "Something feels off about this."
"You're just being paranoid," Eda said, "Accept a little good fortune. My plan was foolproof."
"Yeah! You were amazing!" Amber cheered. The rest of the BATTs echoed the sentiment. Eda smiled slightly, taking a seat next to Raine.
"You've gotten so strong," she complimented, "It's incredible. But I do wonder; how did you become head Bard with your stage fright?"
"I'm just that good," Raine joked, "What about you? Still know any Bard spells?"
"You know how the curse is, it messes with my magic," she said, watching Royal try to keep Amber from jumping atop him to celebrate. Titan help them all that girl had way too much energy.
"I didn't realize the Owl Lady was one to make excuses," Raine prodded. Eda blushed, grabbing a lute Raine summoned for her.
"Alright, you asked for this."
She began to gently pluck at the strings at the lute, playing a calming, beautiful melody. The rest of the BATTs stopped pestering Royal as they all turned to watch. Around the room, several objects began to glow gold and lift off the ground. Royal shouted in surprise as he began to float. Eda continued to play, her face growing more strained as the curse took over. The floating objects began to become black and twisted, rotting away as the curse corrupted them. Royal patted his legs, trying to burn the rot off with his Light.
Eda stopped playing, letting the magic fade. The floating objects dropped to the ground. Royal landed with a loud thud as the BATTs laughed. Raine touched their earring, noticing that it had nearly disintegrated.
"Welp, that was that," Eda said with forced cheer, "I'll leave the performances to the professionals." She helped Royal back to his feet and turned to leave.
"We'll be in touch," she said while the Guardian rubbed his helmet, "If you need us, you know where to find us."
"Does this mean you're joining us?" Katya asked Royal.
"I guess it does," he said, "Just… please keep Amber away from me."
"Bye Mama Eda!" Amber shouted, waving them off. The two walked through the dark forest. Lancer finally emerged from transmat, having elected to stay hidden from the BATTs until Royal wanted him.
"So, you seem to have some history with Whispers," The Ghost goaded. Eda glared at him.
"What are you getting at?"
"Look, unlike Royal here, I am a people person," Lancer said innocently. Royal nodded in agreement with his Ghost as Eda continued to fix him with a dangerous glare.
"Don't you get testy with me Lightbulb," she threatened.
"I saw the way you were eyeing them," he continued as Eda growled, "I bet you wanna pluck their strings if you know what I-" He was cut off by Eda smacking him out of the air.
"Wanna finish that thought?" She prompted.
"On second thought, I need to be literally anywhere else right now," the Ghost said, slipping away. Royal crossed his arms as he fixed Eda with an unimpressed looked. At least she thought that was the intended vibe. She couldn't tell through the helmet.
"Sorry," she muttered.
"Just don't shake the Lightbulb again."
It was the day of the Gland Prix and the atmosphere in the stands was electric. Witches and Demons had gathered to watch students from three separate schools compete. It was a time to settle scores and forge glory. Eda pushed through the crowd, with Lilith and Royal in tow. He had changed out of his usual robes into something more inconspicuous. The Guardian looked around, nodding approvingly.
"Feels like it's Iron Banner season," he said with nostalgia laced in his voice, "The tests of valor. The feats of strength. The feeling of camaraderie. All we're missing is a grumpy old Lightbearer to tell us about the Dark Ages."
"Seems you're filling that role," Lilith offered. Royal paused for a second as he pondered what she said before shrugging.
"I guess so."
"Eda! You made it!" The three looked over, seeing Luz running over to them with King perched on her shoulders.
"Of course I made it," Eda said while Lillith and Royal exchanged greetings.
"I, uh, I have something I want to tell you," King said nervously.
"If it's so important then we can talk about it after the race when you win," Eda deflected. King reluctantly accepted as the announcer stepped up to the stage.
"Welcome, everyone, to the Gland Prix!" Henson Landiger shouted, "The race will begin shortly, so everyone who isn't racing should make their way to the stands."
The three wished Luz and King good luck and made their way to the top of the stands, where a series of magic screens were set up to track the racers' progress.
"Contestants will fly down the right arm of Cubital Valley," Landiger explained as the route displayed itself on-screen, "They will use speed, cunning, and magic to race to the checkpoint, then double back to the finish line. The winners get their names etched on the Cup of Ephemeral Glory." He gestured to a podium with a trophy made of gnarled flesh. The trophy writhed as it spoke.
"All victory is fleeting," it declared.
"And they will also receive an interview broadcast all over the Isles!" Landiger continued, "Now, we're ready to begin." The racers all got into position, mounting their staves eagerly.
"On your marks."
Luz gripped Owlbert with a white-knuckled grip.
"Get set."
She rolled her head around on her neck, cracking the joint.
"GO!"
In an instant, the racers were off, flying into the distance. As soon as they did, Royal dipped to the side, listening to something from his Ghost. Eda continued to watch the race. A nearby Witch leaned over to her.
"Oh it's so exciting," she gushed, "Which one's yours?" Before Eda could answer, Royal tugged on her shoulder.
"Raine sent me a call," he whispered as the Witch turned back to the race, "They've picked up a new lead. I can handle this if you want to stay."
"No, it'll be fine," Eda said, standing up, "Lily, stay here, Rustbucket and I need to take care of something real quick." Lilith seemed curious but didn't question her sister. Together, the Owl Lady and the Warlock slipped away. While they walked, Royal slipped Eda an auto rifle.
"Remember your training."
Eventually, they made it to the coordinates Raine had provided them. The BATTs were waiting near a broken bridge in the forest. They had their masks equipped and instruments drawn.
"This the spot?" Royal questioned.
"It should be," Raine said uncertainly, "Something feels off." Royal was about to speak up before he tensed.
"What is it?" Katya asked.
"My sixth sense just went off," he muttered, looking around suspiciously and drawing his glaive.
"Sixth sense?" Derwin questioned.
"It kicks in whenever he thinks someone is about to blow him up," Eda explained, adopting a similar stance.
"MOVE!" He shouted, leaping aside and tackling Katya and Amber. Eda obeyed instantly. Not even a second later, a potion smashed into the ground near them. The magical ingredients mixed on the chemical level, producing an explosion that shook the nearby trees.
Royal rolled with his tackle, springing back to his feet and swapping back to his usual robes. Another potion was lobbed through the air, only for him to shoot it down with his glaive.
"Show yourself, coward!" He shouted while the rest of the BATTs reoriented themselves. A nearby boulder cracked and shattered as a short Witch stepped out. Another potion landed beside him. Instead of exploding, this one produced a large smokescreen. Once it faded, a gangly Witch stood in place, glaring at the Guardian from beneath a large-brimmed hat. A loud growl sounded from Royal's right. A small beast with orange fur charged in, coming to a stop and fixing the BATTs with a sly grin. Finally, a spiral of Abomination goo rose into the air. It bent into shape, manifesting as a familiar dark-skinned Witch.
"You again," Royal grimaced, "Was the first beating not enough?"
"As much as I would love a rematch, I'm not here for you," Darius replied.
"That's Mason, Vitimir, Eberwolf, and Darius," Raine muttered, "Heads of the Construction, Potions, Beast Keeping, and Abomination Covens."
"Four coven heads to deal with little old us?" Amber gloated.
"More likely it's so they can deal with him," Derwin gestured to Royal. The Guardian spun his glaive around, pointing it in the coven head's direction.
"Four of you versus six of us," he taunted, "Here, I'll make this fair and fight all of you alone."
"Like Darius said," Vitimir growled, "We're not here for you." He stepped aside as a blue light appeared in the air. Royal took a step back in shock as the light grew in size. A large Vex form teleported behind the Witches, landing on one knee and looking at the ground.
"We have someone else who is very excited to meet you," Mason said as the Vex stood up, letting its blades extend.
"The Ravager… of Legions… arrives. And the Universe… falls silent."
"Still think you can do this alone," Darius smirked.
"Alright, change of plans," Royal grunted while the BATTs stared at the Sub-Mind in fear, "Leave the silver bastard to me." Sarkarae dragged its blades against each other, producing a painful scraping sound.
"Don't. Hold. Back."
Royal charged forward and the Vex moved to meet him. The coven heads began their attack as well. Eda fired a warning shot at Vitimir, only for Mason to raise a protective wall between them. Darius shifted into his Abomination form and spun through the air, striking at the BATTs. While the Bards defended themselves with sonic barriers, Eberwolf transformed into a larger, more bulky form and charged them from behind. Amber flung him away with a musical blast.
"Bad doggie!"
Royal slowly pulled Sarkarae away from the others. The Sub-Mind's attacks were ludicrously fast and fluid. It lashed at the Guardian with the frenzy of a maniac. Its limbs spun and twisted as its blades carved through the air. Royal took a two-handed grip on his glaive and parried a strike. He groaned under the strain as he was forced down to one knee.
"So, I take it you're Pyrikaga's younger brother," Royal quipped, "What's your gimmick?"
"I shall cleanse this reality of every organism!" It roared, its previous ragged pauses having faded now that it had an outlet for its anger, "Like rot does life settle on the cosmos!"
It's off-hand folded back and transformed into a gun. It pointed the weapon directly at Royal's chest and fired. His eyes widened as the beam slammed into him, pushing him back. He roared in pain as the beam tore him apart on the molecular level.
"Lightbearers are a stain on the Universe," Sarkarae growled, "But you will still be a respectable foe." Royal closed his eyes and focused through the pain. He vanished, reappearing above the Sub-Mind and flinging a ball of unstable Void energy into the Ravager. He landed and laid down a healing rift. A concentrated orb of Void power floated next to him as he raised his rocket launcher. He fired the heavy weapon into Sarkarae's chest. The Void Soul instantly surged into action, latching itself onto the Sub-Mind and leeching off it. While Royal reloaded his weapon, Sarkarae brought its fist down toward the Guardian.
Not far off, Raine played a quick song, sending strength to their legs. They leaped over another potion from Vitimir, landing behind his colleague-turned-foe. The head of Potions turned, pulling down his mask and spraying acidic fog in Raine's direction. Darius and Eberwolf continued to hound the other BATTs. They were putting up an admirable fight, but they wouldn't be able to last forever. Eda continued to take potshots at Mason, who raised more barriers to protect himself.
Growing tired of Eda's gunfire, he plunged his fists into the ground and pulled the stone over his body. In an instant, he was covered head to toe in armor. Eda's bullets bounced off harmlessly as he charged her, assisting his sprint by molding the ground beneath himself. Raine saw that she was vulnerable and quickly sent a sonic wave toward Mason that shattered his armor and sent to short Witch flying. Unfortunately, Vitmir capitalized on their momentary distraction, splashing Raine with another potion. They cried out as they felt their strength slip away.
"Weakness potion," Vitimir gloated, dangling another vial in front of Raine's masked face, "Never leave home without it."
Eda attempted to save her friend with a spray of bullets, only for Vitmir to spit out another acidic cloud from his mouth. The bullets disintegrated into nothingness before reaching their target. Eda reloaded, preparing to fire again when a stone pillar shot out of the ground, striking the rifle out of her hand. Before she could retaliate, stones crept up over her leg, locking her in place. With two rebels down, Mason and Vitimir turned to the remaining BATTs.
Royal continued to dodge Sarkarae's attacks, oblivious to the other's predicament. He threw two vortex grenades into its chest, momentarily halting the Sub-Mind. It staggered, calculating a new vector of attack. It traced a circle through the air and reality instantly obeyed. Three Abominations, not much larger than Royal, coalesced into being. Unlike the usual purple goo that Abominations were made of, these were colored a bright white and crackled with electricity.
One of the Radiolaria golems smashed its fists into the ground, with Royal only narrowly dodging its blows. Another raised its fist and sent a high-powered stream of Mind Fluid into the Warlock, sending him flying. Royal cursed his lack of sleep, he could feel exhaustion slowing his reflexes. Sarkarae stepped back, allowing its minions to engage the Guardian while it repaired itself.
Royal slowed himself by dragging his glaive through the ground. He looked up just in time to see one of the golems bearing down on him. He rolled out of the way, blasting it with his grenade launcher. The Abomination fell apart, only to instantly reform itself. Royal cursed and backed up, continuing to fend off the Abominations strikes as he did. Eventually, his back pressed up against a tree. He ducked beneath one punch only to instantly catch another. A back-handed blow knocked him to all fours. A vicious stomp caused him to collapse. The three Abominations continued to beat him to death.
Royal curled his fingers, drawing his power inward before letting it all burst out around him. Void Light flowed over the area, pushing the golems back. As they reoriented themselves, Royal floated above the ground as energy coursed over his body.
"That's it," he threatened with a low tone, "I am done with you. Cease your existence." Void energy exploded around him, disintegrating one of the Abominations. The other two attempted to close in, only for Royal to Blink behind them and let out another burst. With the three golems defeated, he dropped back to the ground, stumbling slightly. He looked up to glare at Sarkarae only for his optics to widen in pain. He looked down at his gut, seeing two razor-sharp blades protruding through it. Sarkarae lifted him from behind before swiftly pulling the blades out, letting Royal drop to the ground. The Guardian attempted to stand back up, forcing himself onto his hands and knees. Sarkarae nodded approvingly.
"Beaten," it growled, "But never broken." Royal pushed himself up to one knee, struggling to rise further. The Sub-Mind goaded him on, gesturing with one hand. However, Royal felt his limbs give out and he remained kneeling.
"You're not fighting back," Sarkarae snarled, pacing around the Guardian. Rage bubbled within it as he didn't respond. Sarkarae roared, delivering a mighty backhand that sent the Warlock into the air.
"WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT!" It screamed again, kicking Royal through a tree. He groaned in pain, unable to stand back up. Lancer was working to repair his body as fast as he could, but he wasn't working fast enough. Eventually, Sarkarae grew tired of Royals' unresponsive state. It grabbed him by the legs and chest, holding the Guardian over itself. With a savage, mechanical roar, it tore Royal in half. Letting out a dismissive grunt, it threw the two halves to the ground.
Across the forest, Eda could hear the Sub-Mind's scream. She cursed, trying to chip away at the stone binding around her leg. The rest of the BATTs were surrounded, with coven heads closing in on all sides.
"Bring it on!" Amber challenged. Her companions didn't look so bold.
Eda continued trying to free herself. The stone finally began to chip under her hands. A small chunk broke off. Seizing it, she began to crack the cast apart. As she pulled her leg free, Vitimir turned away from the other BATTs.
"Where do you think you're going?" He taunted. Eda quickly snatched up her rifle and pointed it at the Witch. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Raine getting back on their feet. They gestured to her, signaling for her to wait.
"Belos is making a big mistake," she said, "The Day of Unity isn't about paradise. It's about control."
"Like I'd believe the words of a Wild Witch," he spat. He threw two potions at Eda's feet. The liquids mixed, producing a raging wildfire that quickly surrounded the Owl Lady. Vitimir raised another vial as Raine pulled out their violin.
"This is one of my newest concoctions," he said menacingly, "I'll be honest, even I don't know what it will do to you."
Before he could throw it, Raine strung their instrument. A wave of sonic magic struck Vitimir in the back, knocking him down and smothering the wildfire. They ran over to Eda, standing beside her as Darius lashed the other BATTs with bind made of Abomination goo. With a flick of his wrist, they were teleported away. Raine summoned Eda's lute and held it out to her.
"You know what we need to do."
"But… my curse," she objected weakly. Raine looked at her with iron determination in their eyes.
"Exactly."
Realization dawned on Eda and she accepted the Lute as Mason donned more stone armor. The coven heads charged as the two began to play. The coven heads halted as the music struck them. Its beautiful tones forced them back, corrupting their magic. Darius's Abomination form, Eberwolf's enhanced beast strength, and Mason's stone armor all smoked with cursed power.
Sarkarae growled as its form became coated in cursed magic. It staggered back as Royal's body was reknit by Lancer. The Guardian's corpse glowed as it began to levitate. Sarkarae fell to one knee and let out a guttural scream as Royal's body began to corrode as well.
The coven heads weren't faring much better. Eda and Raine continued to play their rhapsody as the world decayed around them. Eda felt her curse eating away at her body. Raine wasn't faring much better.
"You know," they managed to say through the pain, "We may not survive this."
"But it'll stop the Emperor, right?" Eda asked. Raine nodded.
"Then we keep playing," Eda said defiantly. As she played with renewed vigor, she lifted off the ground. Her hair flew through the air, causing a small slip of paper to fall out. Raine plucked it out of the air. It was a photo of Eda, along with Luz, King, and Royal. The four were celebrating after Grom, smiles plastered over their faces.
"Wait, Eda, do you have kids?" Eda struck the wrong chord in shock, ending the song.
"They're not mine-mine," she struggled, "It doesn't matter, they both have real families to get back to." She attempted to start up the song again but Raine made her instrument vanish.
"Eda, they need you," they pleaded. Behind the Bard, the coven heads were standing back up, no longer affected by Eda's curse. Darius lashed out at them and tangled Raine in an Abomination lash. He began to pull them in, only for Eda to grab their hand.
"No, I'm not letting go!"
"We'll find another way to stop Belos," Raine promised, "Together." They let go of Eda's hand, slipping through her grasp.
Not far away, Sarkarae and Royal were both struggling back to their feet. Royal began to gather his power while the Sub-Mind readied its blades.
"If I die," it snarled, "I die with honor."
Royal didn't respond, simply pulling back his arm and charging a Nova Bomb. With one last grunt of exertion, he flung it at the Vex form. Sarkarae howled as its form shattered. Despite everything, it managed to barely hold itself together.
"I'll… be… back," it vowed, teleporting away before the Guardian could destroy it. Royal pushed himself forward, moving to regroup with the BATTs. He arrived just as Darius sent Raine away with his Abomination magic. The Witch turned to Eda, preparing to do the same. Royal summoned a healing grenade and pushed it into his chest. He leaped forward as Darius lashed out at Eda. He brought down his glaive, severing the limb. Darius growled in pain, pulling it back.
"If you still want that rematch," Royal spat out, "Then I'm right here." Despite his threat, he wasn't sure he would be able to hold up against three coven heads. Fortunately, they bought his bluff.
"We have what we came for," Mason reasoned, holding Vitimir's unconscious body with one arm, "We should leave." Darius frowned but accepted his proposal. He teleported the four away, leaving Eda and Royal alone. The Guardian dropped a healing rift next to the Witch before collapsing to the ground. The two sat in silence for a moment, basking in the Light.
"We should get back to the race," Royal said, standing back up. He held out a hand for Eda which she hesitantly accepted. He began to leave, using his glaive as a crutch. Eda looked back at the battlefield one last time before she joined him.
Fortunately, they made it back just in time. Standing off to the side, they saw Luz neck and neck with another student, streaking toward the finish line. At the last second, Luz managed to pull ahead, soaring over the finish line.
"And there you have it folks, Luz over Ukula!" Landiger announced. Eda clapped while Royal nodded with a grin on his face.
"For fifth place."
"Wait, what?" Royal questioned. Luz jogged over to them, King perched on her shoulder, looking rather worse for wear. Luz wasn't much better, covered in leaves and branches.
"What happened to you two," Eda asked, "You were flying like the wind."
"We were winning for a while," Luz said, clearly disappointed, "But then… well, King's tummy acted up."
"Oh yeah," Eda nodded, "That sounds bad."
"Then we crashed." Eda winced while Royal quickly grabbed Luz, looking her over.
"Ah, no, Royal I'm fine! You can let go!" She pleaded. Royal relented and Luz gave him a once-over as Lilith joined the group.
"You don't look too good yourself," she quipped.
"I'll tell you about it later."
"Well, I'll just go throw my message in the trash," King sighed, "Right where it belongs."
"No," Eda caught him by the shoulder, "This isn't over." She summoned her scroll and pointed the camera at King.
"Are you sure about this?" He asked.
"Trust me."
"Alright, here goes nothing," he took a deep breath, "Hi, Dad. If you're out there watching this then I want to introduce myself. I like cheesy foods and conquering kingdoms. Though I haven't conquered any of my own yet. But maybe you have, and we can compare notes. I'd love to meet you. We could do parent-kid stuff, toss a ball, burn some cookies, or catch me going on weird websites or something. Also, I found a symbol in the tower I hatched in. Maybe you can teach me to read it. I live with my favorite human and a cranky old witch." Eda smiled at that letting out a joking 'Hey'.
"But cranky or not, she's the one who raised me," he continued, "Which is why I am legally changing my name to King Clawthorne! Surprise, Eda! Now we're connected for life, and there's nothing you can do about it!" He held out a stack of papers with a pen.
"Wait," Eda was taken aback, "Is this what you wanted to tell me?"
"And if you sign right here, it'll be official." Eda covered her mouth, not trusting herself to speak as she began to tear up.
Darius paced around the cell while Eberwolf watched the feed on his scroll. The Abomination master rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.
"Would you please turn that off! We're supposed to be torturing Raine, not me!" He shouted. Eberwolf responded by turning up the volume.
"Why are you like this?"
While the two bickered, Raine let out a low whistle. Their binds loosened with their captors being completely unaware. Eventually, they managed to free themselves and made a run for it. Before they could make it very far, they were snatched up by a silver-clad Abomination.
"Leaving so soon," the annoying voice of Kikimora taunted.
"I told you we didn't need any help," Darius scoffed.
"Emperor Belos was rather upset to learn that you had your hands in the recent rebel activity," Kikimora ignored him.
"So what happens?" Raine asked, "Send me off to be petrified?"
"No… it would be far too much of a hassle to find a replacement," Kikimora said. Suddenly, Raine's coven sigil began to twist, morphing into vines that circled around the Bard.
"The Emperor needs you alive and well for the Day of Unity," she said with malicious cheer, "Until then, night-night."
And that's that. Don't worry, I'm not quite done with the BATTs yet. Writing the fight between Sarkarae and Royal, was way too much fun. I wanted it to be the most individually imposing of the Typhons. Sarkarae would have been able to perma-kill Royal if it weren't for Eda's intervention. By-the-by, how do y'all like the little quote's I'm sticking at the beginning of each chapter? I'm trying my best to take each quote and tie it in with what the chapter is about.
Next up is Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Hooty's Door, so I hope you're all excited for that.
GodzillaMaster: Again, please don't shake the Lightbulb.
OMAC001: No comment aside from stay tuned.
ToasterRoaster: believe me, I am looking forward to writing it.
mysticalex: I'll be getting to a confrontation between the two, though I'm still unsure if it will be a fight proper.
"I can't believe he's doing this."
"How much more can he take?"
"I've seen a lot of crazy things over the last few months, but this… this takes the cake."
Royal pushed open the door to his room, mildly frustrated that he had been disturbed from his research. He walked downstairs to the ever-occupied living room where Luz, Gus, Willow, and Amity were all gathered around Lancer.
"What's going on down here?"
The four kids jumped in shock while Lancer spun in greeting. He raised a metallic eyebrow while they turned to face him.
"Hey Royal," Luz started, "We're just trying to see what Lancer can and can't transmat."
"Really?"
"Yup," she confirmed, "We've already gotten through quite a lot."
"The couch? Yes," Willow provided.
"Eda's framed wanted poster? Quite easily," Gus continued.
"Living beings? Nope." Amity was next.
"Hooty? We couldn't coax Lancer out of the closet." Now Luz.
"One of Luz's activated light glyphs? Surprisingly yes," Willow concluded. Royal nodded as he listened.
"What's next?" Gus asked. Amity pulled up their list.
"King's half-eaten sandwich," she provided. Luz held up a plate, offering it to Lancer. The Ghost shrunk away.
"You keep that thing away from me!" He shouted, startling Luz and causing her to nearly drop the plate.
"Oh yeah," Royal said, "First rule of transmat: Never teleport bread."
"What? Why?" Amity asked.
"Bread monster," Lancer whispered in a horrified voice. Royal closed his eyes and nodded in solidarity.
"Bread monster?" Willow prodded.
"The death toll was catastrophic," Royal said, bowing his head and placing his hand over where his heart would be.
