Alright, are we good? Yeah, we're good. The site was being finicky for a few days, so I couldn't really check up on the story. Seem's like it's wrapped up now. We'll be doing a little skip-jump in episodes and going straight to Hollow Mind.


Chapter 27: Truth is so Bitter

"The life in the Garden called out a question. The Vex are the answer." -Warlock Vanguard Ikora Rey


Royal's sparrow raced over the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust in his wake. He expertly piloted the craft through the trees. The sun hung low overhead, bathing the Isles in shadow. Eventually, he arrived at the old BATT headquarters. He pulled back on the brakes and stopped his vehicle. His boots hit the ground with a thud. Pulling out his hand cannon, he slowly pushed open the entrance. The base was empty and dark, showing signs of having been abandoned for a while now. Royal lit his hand on fire, casting light around the room.

"Nothing," he said to the empty space, "Are you certain you can't find their trackers?"

"Here, let me check," Lancer replied sarcastically, "Oh wow, nothing. Just like the last fifty times I looked."

"So the Bards are MIA and, if Eda's report is correct, Raine is being mind controlled," Royal grimaced, "We're running out of allies."

"Not to mention that we still don't know where the Vex are set up," Lancer continued, "And the Day of Unity is less than a month out." Royal sighed, holstering his revolver as he left the base.

"Wonderful, just wonderful."


The sun was setting, but Bonesborough was far from quiet. The Night Market had come out, ready to sell all manner of wares, some undoubtedly less than legal. Every shopkeeper had to tread lightly and abuse certain legislative loopholes. They technically acted within the bounds of the law, but only barely.

Hunter pushed through the Night Market, quickly shouldering through the crowd. He had caught wind of a plot against the Emperor and, as his most trusted lieutenant, he would be there to stop it. He roughly shoved past a tooth salesman offering a trade, having little time to deal with such an unsanitary crime.

His gaze followed a trio of hooded figures as they slipped into a dark alleyway. Narrowing his eyes, he set off after them. Crouching behind a few conveniently placed barrels, he observed as the shortest of the trio drew an elaborate spell circle on the ground. As they finished, one of their companions began to play a low tune on their flute. The final one drew out a vial of strange liquid and set it in the middle of the circle. Changing their fist into a mallet made of Abomination goo, they prepared to smash it into pieces.

Before they could, Hunter moved into action. He leaped out from behind his hiding spot and landed in the middle of the circle. Drawing his staff, he aimed it at the Abomination Witch. The others tensed in shock, preparing to defend themselves, only for the mallet-wielder to throw out a hand, gesturing for them to stand down.

"Halt! For crimes against the Emperor, you are all under arrest!" He shouted. Before any of them could respond, something crashed into his back, knocking him to the ground. He heard the sound of glass shattering, someone talking, and, much to his confusion, a pen clicking. He tried to reorient himself, only for a blinding light to flood his vision. Then, a feeling of weightlessness. And everything was dark.


Eda reached up to the door before her and tapped her knuckles against it. A sign on the other side of the door clearly marked the shop as being open, yet there weren't any lights inside. Edda tried to peer through the window while Luz waited behind her, with King hiding somewhere nearby. The three were currently in the Night Market to get Luz's cloak repaired.

"Prim, are you in there?" Eda asked through the door, "Did you already break into the night juice?" While the Witch tried to bargain with the door, Luz heard a voice spark to life over one of the handheld radios she had liberated from Eda's collection.

"Demon King to Luzura, come in Luzura. Do you copy?"

"Loud and clear Demon King," Luz replied, "How are things on your end?"

"When I helped you set these things up, I didn't expect you to use them as toys," Royal's voice came over the feed, "But I suppose that's on me. Should've been ready for that."

"Sorry about that Sunspot," Luz apologized, "We'll be responsible."

"For the last time, can we go with something other than 'Sunspot'? Preferably something not Titan-related?" He stopped for a moment and Luz could practically see him rubbing his faceplate in exhaustion, "Just please get off this line, I need to keep the comms clear while I'm on my search."

Luz and King obliged, switching their radios to another channel.

"What's the status of the Hotel Victor Tango?" King asked, reciting some of the phonetics Royal had taught them. Luz turned back to Eda as she continued knocking on the door.

"Still working on it," she reported. Eda reared back to knock again with considerably more force. Before she could assault the object of her frustration, it was pulled open by the resident inside.

"Ah, there you are," Eda said, squatting down to the shopkeeper's height, "I need more Witches Wool. I have an apprentice who's been training with blades and she doesn't quite have the dexterity down yet. Luz blushed a little and looked away, tucking her hands into Eda's old sports jacket she had been borrowing in the meantime.

"The shop is closed, Eda," Prim said in a hushed tone, "You can't be seen around here anymore. I've… I've finally decided to join a Coven."

"What?" Eda was caught off guard by that one.

"Belos said Wild Witches cause only chaos and havoc," Prim continued, looking around to ensure no one was watching, "And you've been keeping company with a wanted murderer."

"I know I can be abrasive," Eda tried to defend herself and her friend, "And the Leadhead isn't the friendliest, but-"

"It's not just that," Prim interrupted, "He said that the Titan punishes those who aid Wild Witches. I'm sorry Eda, but you need to leave."

"Well, what does he know!" Luz practically shouted, having been listening in the whole time, "Belos is a liar! He just wants power! And I'd bet some serious Glimmer that he can't even talk to the Titan!" Unfortunately, Luz's volume had drawn the attention of quite a few bystanders.

"Is she telling the truth?"

"Don't say that! Belos said the Titan can read your mind."

"What even is Glimmer?"

Eda backed away from the door and pulled Luz aside while the crowd continued to mutter amongst themselves. Prim closed her door, with an audible click telegraphing that it had been locked as well.

"Hey, kid, it'll be fine," Eda reasoned, pulling Luz away from the crowd. King jumped out a stray barrel and joined them on the side of the road.

"But people should know who Belos really is!" Luz argued.

"And who is he really?" Eda prodded. Much to her own disappointment, Luz found herself unable to answer.

"Listen, Emperor Belos has been in charge for fifty years," she reasoned, "Everyone's gotten used to it. No one will risk change unless you can provide them with absolutes."

"But Royal could just-"

"Just what? Overthrow Belos? People are already scared of him, the last thing we want is them thinking he's here to destroy their entire way of life." Luz looked down at the ground at Eda's words, realizing the flaws in her plan.

"Oh come on," Eda said, lightly punching Luz on the shoulder, "We'll figure something out. Wonderbot and I have been poking around. But first, let's go see if there are any respectable criminals left in this city." She walked off, pushing further into the Night Market. As she strode through the street, people gave her a wide berth, glaring at her with revulsion. Eda either didn't notice or was doing a very good job at ignoring it.

"How are we supposed to prove that Belos is evil?" Luz wondered while King came up behind her.

"No one wants to think they wasted their life by following the wrong person," he said, "You just gotta find something big to convince them all." He quickly scampered off to rejoin Eda, leaving Luz alone in the street. She scratched her chin, pondering what to do. Suddenly, a quick burst of motion caught her eye. Looking over, she saw the Golden Guard slip into an alleyway. Grinning, Luz set after him, an idea forming in her mind.

She followed the Guard, staying out of sight until she had the perfect time to strike. He was watching a group of hooded individuals prepare a spell circle, though for what purpose, Luz didn't know. The Guard pounced, preparing to arrest the hooded figures. Seeing her opportunity, Luz also jumped forward, landing directly atop the Guards back. He fell to the ground with a thud. The sound of broken glass reached her ears, but she paid it little mind. Pulling out a pen and paper, she clicked it.

"Hey, can I pick your brain with a few questions?"

The Guard didn't respond, likely still disoriented from being impacted by a hundred-pound girl. Before he could gather his bearings, a bright flash of light flooded the alleyway. The hooded figures retreated as Luz felt magic flow through her body.


Alador fiddled with a chunk of Vex technology, trying to uncover its secrets. He had been informed that it was called a Torch Hammer and he was very interested in finding out just how literal that name was. Ignosi stood nearby, running innumerable calculations. The Sub-Mind held a glowing cube made of energy before itself. Sturme had departed for the night, going to oversee some other matters. Alador did not exactly appreciate being left alone with the Vex. Something about it set him on edge.

His mind drifted away from his work as he reflected on the recent events of the Bonesborough Brawl. His daughter has defied his instructions to attend the Emperor's Coven recruitment event, instead wanting to follow in his footsteps. At first, he wasn't pleased. However, after the two did some talking, he had come away from the experience with a revelation. He was a terrible father.

"You have remained inactive for 12.3076009 seconds," Ignosi dictated, "This is far longer than any other pause you have experienced. Explain."

"Sorry," he said quickly, "I got distracted."

"Irrational. You never get distracted from your work." Alador looked around the workshop, trying to think of an explanation. For some reason, he knew not to tell the truth. Something in his mind was dissuading him from it. Fortunately, the arrival of his wife took Ignosi's focus off him.

"Odalia," Ignosi greeted in its usual perfectly neutral tone, "How are our current production numbers?"

"Like you don't already know," she said, sounding absolutely exhausted. Alador glanced at Ignosi as the Sub-Mind remained even and measured. It nodded and turned back to its cube, pondering whatever secrets it held. Odalia walked beside her husband, pretending to be interested in whatever he was working on. Alador's fingers absently danced across the machine before falling still.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked quietly. Odalia seemed surprised by the question. She nervously glanced at Ignosi and offer a half-hearted grin.

"Of course, just tired is all," she said, trying and failing to put on her usual confident visage, "There's just so much to be done and the Day of Unity is growing ever closer."

"Right," Alador said, tapping the Torch Hammer with his fingers, "Of course, I just figured I would ask." Odalia looked like she wanted to speak up. However, Ignosi's head slowly turned to stare into her eyes with its blazing optical lenses. Her breath hitched and she quickly looked away.

"I'm fine," she said forcefully, "I won't bother you any longer." She left as quickly as she had arrived, entirely forgetting why she had been here in the first place. Alador watched her go for a painfully long moment

"It would be appreciated if you would return to your work," Ignosi said again, leaving no room for argument. Alador glanced at it nervously before complying.


Luz's eyes fluttered open and she groaned, forcing herself up into a sitting position. She looked around groggily, unable to make out any specific details of her surroundings. Rising to her feet, her vision began to return in full. Looking around, she found herself in a long hallway. Massive portraits hung from the walls, with elaborate pictures painted on them. Luz glanced at the nearest picture. An inscription beneath it labeled it as 'The Triumph Over Wild Magic'. It displayed a recreation of Belos casting a spell, pushing back Eda as the Owl Beast, King, Lilith, Royal, and herself.

"What is this place?"

"Oh you know exactly where we are, Human," a venomous voice said from behind her. Luz spun, catching sight of a very angry-looking Hunter.

"You just got us trapped inside the Emperor's mind!"

Luz gasped, "What! No, that's bananas!"

"I don't know what those are," Hunter dismissed, "Nor do I care to learn. Now, what were you doing interrupting my mission? This had better be a good excuse or I swear, not even your Guardian will be able to save you from-"

"I wanted to ask you some questions so I can prove Belos is evil!" Luz said quickly. Hunter's expression morphed into one of confusion.

"I'm sorry, what? You want to prove that my uncle is evil and you thought I would just help you?"

"That's the gist, yeah," Luz nodded before looking around, "Though now that I think about it, I am in his mind. I can find the proof I need myself. I've been in a few mindscapes. Though Willow's was more foresty. And Royal's was a lot less clean."

"That makes sense," Hunter said, placing a hand on his chin, "Mindscapes are a reflection of the individual they belong to. I've read a lot about the subject." His attention was captured by another painting hanging on the wall.

"Hey, this is when Emperor Belos promoted me to Golden Guard and gave me my staff," he said, nostalgia laced in his voice, "You know, I was the youngest scout ever to be given the honor. I never did find out what happened to my predecessor though. Hey, why does Darius look so sad?" Luz looked around while Hunter reminisced on the past, looking for anything incriminating. She couldn't see very far down the hall, as the shadow blocked her gaze. Suddenly, the sound of a child crying reached her ears. Following the sound, she came up on the form of a glowing purple child, lying curled up on the ground. Their face was hidden by a rough replica of Belos' mask, though Luz could tell they were distressed. The child noticed Luz and instantly stood up in fear.

"Belos?" She asked in confusion. She heard Hunter ask the same thing from behind her. The child ran off as she turned around. A massive figure approached Hunter. Large, twisted horns emerged from their head and their entire body seemed to be wrapped in the night sky. It looked like a strange version of Belos, albeit one that was practically swollen with magic.

"My Emperor," Hunter instantly kneeled, "I beg your assistance to depart from your mind and return to the physical world so that I may bring your foes before you." He turned to glare at Luz, "And so she can go bother someone else."

While Hunter was busy prostrating himself, Luz noticed the purple child from before emerge from behind the Inner Belos. He frantically shook his head no, cutting a hand across his kneck. The Inner Belos began to growl as its body became covered by glowing blue eyes. It transformed and screeched loudly. Luz quickly dove in front of Hunter, activating a quick barrage of flame glyphs that temporarily stunned the Inner Belos. The explosion rocked the Mindscape, sending the two teenagers flying. They slammed into the wall and tore straight through it, plunging into darkness. Luz pulled out a hover glyph, one of her newer discoveries, and pulled Hunter close. She activated it just in time, stopping their freefall milliseconds before they became little more than crimson stains on the ground. They hovered above the ground for a second before the glyph's power faded, unceremoniously dropping them to the ground.

"Where are we? Hunter asked, rubbing his head. Luz looked up, seeing the hole she had punched in the Emperor's mind patch itself up.

"We must be in the Emperor's real mind."

"What do you mean by that?" Hunter asked indignantly, pushing himself back to his feet, "That gallery-"

"Was all lies!" Luz asserted, "He's not who you think he is."

"But he's definitely who you think he is?" Hunter snapped before noticing a dead Palisman lying on the ground. He gingerly reached out to the corpse, only for it to disintegrate at his touch. His hand tightened into a fist as he stood back up. Looking around, he noted that they were in a strange twisted forest, filled with undecipherable images.

"We're probably being punished because you provoked his inner self."

"Well his inner self had a thousand glowing eyeballs!" Luz shouted.

"Oh no, eyeballs," Hunter mocked, "You're so easy to scare." Luz's radio sparked to life, causing the Witch to jump in surprise. Eda's voice came over the line, punching through the static.

"Luz, are you there? Are you alright?" She asked frantically.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, "And the Golden Guard is with me."

"Oh, Blondie, your friend here wants to talk to you." Hunter's expression twisted in confusion once more at those words. A series of chirps answered the question he hadn't asked.

"Flapjack!" He shouted, seizing the radio from Luz, much to her annoyance, "Are you ok? Have they hurt you?" Luz snatched it back from the Witch, blowing a raspberry at him.

"So, Eda, we might be trapped inside the Emperor's Mind," she said uncertainly.

"You're what!" Royal's voice shouted back at her. She flinched in surprise.

"Yeah, got Rustbucket on the line once we realized you were missing," Eda explained, "I'm not even gonna ask how you ended up in Belos' brain. Have you made contact with his inner self?"

"Yeah, but we managed to slip away. Though there was something weird. He had two inner selves."

"You said there were like, seven of me running around my head," Royal noted, "Still having trouble wrapping my mind around that."

"Well, those were all your older lives," Luz said, "I don't think Belos has undergone a reset. And these inner selves were very different and they didn't look to be on good terms."

"It's possible that it's just a strong emotion materializing," Lancer spoke up, "I'm doing as much research on the topic as I can right now and I've found a few theories. Just try to avoid contact. If you get devoured while you're in there-"

"Then we're never getting out," Hunter finished, "I told you, I've read about this stuff."

"Way to steal my thunder kid," Lancer grumbled.

"Who even is this?"

"Don't worry Luz, we'll get you out!" King spoke up.

"Right, we're already working on a solution right now," Eda confirmed, "King and I need to get back to the Owl House. In the meantime, I already sent Lily a message, she's flying through our books fast enough to make the Tincan blush."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Royal remarked. Luz would've noted how he didn't sound as grumpy as he usually did when Lilith was brought up if she wasn't way more focused on the current situation.

"I'm not far from the Owl House," the Warlock continued, "Shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes, ten if I break a few road-safety laws and don't accidentally splatter some hapless schmuck."

"Sounds good," Eda said, "Just stay safe Luz, we'll get you out soon."

"Copy that Eda," Luz said before Hunter swiped the radio once again.

"I'll be home soon Flapjack, stay safe," he promised before whispering into the radio, "I love you." That comment was met with a collective aww from three of the four other people on the radio. He grumbled, killing the feed and tossing the radio back to Luz. Before she could speak up, the sound of rustling leaves broke the silence. The purple child from before emerged from the bush. He cautiously approached Luz, who knelt and offered a welcoming hand. Suddenly, the mindscape shook with an imposing roar, causing the child to panic and run to Luz for safety.

"Thanks for helping us before," she said gratefully, "You're not as scary as your inner self. If strong emotions can take from, maybe he's the Emperor's… sense of guilt or something?"

"What would the Emperor have to be guilty about?" Hunter challenged, "It must be his sense of childhood innocence and pure intentions."

"Well, whichever he is, I think he can help us stay safe," Luz said, ruffling the childs hair, "And maybe show us who the real Belos is." The child nodded and grabbed Luz's arm, trying to lead her into the forest. The mindscape shook again, propelling the impromptu duo onward. The child lead them onward before arriving at a memory painting. He pointed to it before jumping in. Luz prepared to follow, only for Hunter to place a hand on her shoulder.

"You're just going to invade his memories?" The Guard was shocked, "That's sacrilege!" The mindscape rumbled once more, with the roar sounding much closer now. Luz seized Hunter by the arm.

"It's also a way to survive," she said, dragging him into the memory.


Eda touched down on the ground, hopping off her staff and rushing inside. King and Flapjack were right on her tail as she threw open the door. Inside, Lilith was waiting for them, numerous discarded books around her.

"Hooty, I need you to lock down the house," Eda ordered, rushing through the living room, "Windows shut, curtains drawn, absolutely zero distractions! King, grab a book and start browsing." While she instructed the others, she was also moving around the room, grabbing ingredients and tools the entire time. She set her collection on the table, looking at it with a stern gaze.

"This is gonna be tricky without magic," she muttered, "Any luck on your end sis?"

Outside, the hooded figures from the Night Market crept up through the treelines. They watched as metal sheets slammed shut over the windows and doors. The one wearing glasses began to push forward, only for the broad one to grab their shoulder.

"Oh hey, your buddy's trapped too right?" Hooty said from the door, "The angry blonde kid?" Flapjack chirped in confirmation as the broad figure began to lunge forward, only to be halted by their glasses-wearing companion. The three heard something rustle in the bushes near them. They spun around, ready to defend themselves. Before they could, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, seizing the short one and holding them by their collar. The other two heard a mechanical click, the sound of a revolver's hammer being pulled back.

"You have five seconds to reveal yourselves before this one gets their brains splattered on the ground," Royal threatened, pressing his Fatebringer against the head of his hostage, "Who sent you!"

"Royal, easy, we're here to help!"

The Warlock blinked in confusion, "Raine?" They nodded, pulling back their hood. The head of the Bard Coven gestured for Royal to stay calm. He slowly lowered his revolver, letting go of his hostage. Beside him, Darius pulled back his hood, only for Royal to instantly aim at him as well.

"No, he's with me!"

"What is going on?" Royal questioned, rubbing the side of his helmet in confusion, "First Luz gets trapped in the Emperor's Mind, now you're spying on the Owl House?"

"We're not spying, we're trying to help," Raine explained as Eberwolf also revealed himself.

"Eda told me you were under some kind of mind control," Royal countered, "And these guys were Belos' top stooges or something."

"I'm not and they're not," Raine said, "If you would just calm down, I'll explain everything." Royal finally relented, holstering his weapon.

"Alright, fine, this should be interesting."

"Darius and Eberwolf have been double agents the entire time," Raine explained, "They've been trying to uncover the secrets of the Day of Unity for months now. And I'm not under any kind of influence, they just think I am."

"Then why did you fight against Eda when she tried to help you at the Coven Day Parade?"

"I needed to keep up appearances," Raine said before looking down, "And I don't want her getting hurt. That's the same reason we didn't contact you."

"You were afraid I'd get hurt?" Royal was perplexed by that.

"No, Raine just suspected that you would drag the Owl Lady into this as well," Darius remarked, "For the record, I thought we should bring you up to speed, since you're probably the single most powerful being on the Isles, bar none."

"I guess now we have no choice," Raine sighed, "You have to promise me that you won't get her involved."

"Alright."

"I know that you're a close-knit group and you've fought together-"

"I already agreed," Royal deadpanned. Raine stumbled over their words, looking back up at the Guardian in confusion.

"Really?"

"Of course. I know you care about her a lot. Hell, I do too," he gestured to the Owl House, still completely locked down, "I care about every single person inside that house. You know more about this situation than me. If you think this is the right call, then I'll heed your judgment."

"That's surprisingly reasonable," Darius commented.

"Besides, I get to blame you when Eda inevitably does find out," Royal concluded.

"Of course," Darius muttered, "So, if the Guardian is on board, then I think it's time we considered the Burning Ember contingency." Raine tried to signal for their partner to stop while Royal cocked an eyebrow, looking at Darius with an inquisitive eye.

"And that is?"

"We've gotten a lead on where Belos has been producing his hybrid Vex technology," Darius said, ignoring Raine's hand gestures, "He's hired some private contractors. So we figured we'd point you in the right direction and watch the fireworks. Maybe even just let you kill Belos while you're at it. Then, both our problems are solved."

"That is… quite the ill-conceived plan," Royal shot down, "I can't just depose the current ruler, not unless you're capable of swiftly setting a new government in place. If you don't, anarchy will descend on the Isles and the Vex will capitalize."

"And the Vex production?" Raine asked.

"Well, I'm not inherently opposed to a little domestic terrorism," the Guardian said coyly, "But I don't know if I could justify torching some random, innocent-"

"It's Blight Industries," Darius interrupted. Royal raised an eyebrow again.

"Well why didn't you say so."

"Then you're in?" Raine asked.

"Lancer, what do you think?" Royal asked, pulling out his Ghost. The Coven Heads all looked at him in shock.

"I didn't know you had a Palisman," Raine said. The Ghost beeped at him.

"I'm a Ghost bud, way better than some old Palisman."

"Raine, this is Lancer," Royal quickly introduced, "I'll give a proper introduction later. What do you think our best course of action is?"

"Well, realistically, I don't see what we could do to help Luz in her current situation," the Ghost said, "And any chance to strike at the Vex is one worth taking."

"Then it's settled," Darius spoke up, "You go do your thing and we'll stay on the inside."

"Sounds like a plan," Royal agreed, mounting his sparrow. Lancer quickly turned to Raine with a knowing sparkle in his optic.

"Can you hurry up and ask Eda out already?"

While Raine sputtered in shock, Lancer faded back into transmat and Royal gunned the engine of his sparrow, taking off into the night.


Luz and Hunter fell out of the painting, landing on the ground with a thud. The child giggled at them before turning and running off, continuing to laugh all the way. Pushing herself up, Luz pursued him, with Hunter not far behind. The two were led into a small town, clearly from the Deadwardian Era based on the architecture. A small crowd of townspeople had gathered before a stage, mumbling amongst themselves. The child moved through the crowd, vanishing from sight. They ignored Luz and Hunter as the two approached, unable to see them.

"He says he can talk to the Titan," one Witch said to another.

"The Titan's dead," she scoffed. Before they could continue, a man wearing heavy, white robes walked onto the stage. Luz's eyes widened as she stared at his mask. It looked like a sloppy version of the Emperor's mask, hand-carved from wood.

"Fellow citizens," he said, projecting his voice around the town square, "We are born into chaos. Our lives anger the Titan. My own family has been hurt by the darkness of Wild Magic. But I have been shown the healing light. It shines in nine bright hues." He raised his staff, a crude and ramshackle version of his current one, and spun it through the air. It left behind nine glowing orbs, each radiating a different color. Hunter watched on with a smile, enthralled by the demonstration.

"I told you, he's helping people," he said, nudging Luz. She began to retort, only for an explosion to go off behind Belos. The uncrowned Emperor ducked, looking around in panic.

"The Wild Witches, they've found me!" He shouted, "Flee for your lives." The crowd scattered as Belos fled into a distant alleyway. Unaffected by the explosions, Luz and Hunter followed him. They arrived to see Belos lecturing another person wearing a rather familiar mask.

"You incompetent fool!" Belos snapped, "You nearly took my head off with that blast!"

"My apologies, Lord Belos," his companion repented. Luz let out a gasp as she heard his voice. It sounded exactly like Hunter. Beside her, the Witch watched on in confusion.

"We must move on to the next town," Belos said, "We are leaving."

"What about the rest of these?" The not-Hunter asked, pulling a sheet off a stack of explosives. Belos turned back to his companion, glaring at him with glowing eyes.

"Put on a bigger show."

The other Witch began to light the fuse. As he did, the child phased through a nearby wall, carrying a sack that sounded as though it was full of glass. The child gestured to them before jumping through another painting. Not seeing any other option, Luz and Hunter followed.

They arrived back in Belos' mindscape, left to ponder what they had seen. The child had already vanished again, nowhere to be seen.

"Belos was lying!" Luz said, turning to Hunter, "He wasn't being attacked by Wild Witches! How can you help someone like that?"

"It was probably just a special technique to get people to listen to him," Hunter defended, "It's… it's for the greater good." Luz glared at him, frustrated by the Guard's stubbornness. She wanted to speak up again but was cut off when the arm of the Inner Belos reached out of a memory. The limb snatched at Luz, trying to grab hold of her jacket.

"He found us!" She shouted, jumping away from the grasping limb. The child let out a strange laugh and jumped into another memory as the Inner Belos dragged himself out. Not seeing any other option, Hunter and Luz followed.

The two arrived on a snow-swept mountain, just behind a small crowd of Witches and Demons. Off in the distance, they could see a town burning to ash. Smoke billowed into the air, choking the evening sky. Belos strode before the assembled citizens, hanging his head in false sorrow. As he did, the child ran through the crowd, snatching rope and other items from the crowd.

"What's the kid doing?" Hunter inquired, only for Luz to shush him as Belos began to speak.

"Look what Wild Magic has done to your city," he despaired, casting his hand to the smoldering ruins, "Now imagine what it can do to you. A city can rise from the ashes, but a soul…" His voice hung on the air, letting the implication settle into the minds of his audience.

"I can make your magic pure," Belos resumed, "Just as the Titan intended." His companion appeared again, though their uniform was slightly different. He wore a special glove with a glowing fingertip. The citizens offered their wrists and the Guard tapped them, planting sigils on their arms. They shivered as their magic became sealed away, restrained by the seals.

"Welcome to your new Covens," Belos welcomed graciously. Suddenly, glowing veins began to grow from the Coven seals, stretching across their bodies. Luz covered her mouth in horror as the citizens began to scream as their flesh writhed in agony. The magic mangled their limbs as they dropped to the ground. The Guard hesitantly approached one unconscious Witch, feeling her pulse.

"They're… still alive," he said vacantly. Belos watched with a dispassionate look.

"Then we still have work to do. Grab their Palismen." After a moment of hesitation, the Guard obeyed. Luz looked at Hunter, only to see a look of disgust on his face. The child reappeared once again, exiting the memory. Tugging on his sleeve, Luz led Hunter out as well.

"You can't deny that Belos is trying to hurt people," she said. Hunter shook his head, a hollow look in his eyes.

"No! He's just trying to perfect sigil magic," he rationalized, "Besides, maybe he's remembering things wrong. Who knows how mindscapes work?"

"I thought you did!"

"Well maybe I'm an idiot!"

Their argument was interrupted by the child giggling madly. Hunter shouted at him, charging closer to the kid, with Luz not far behind. As they arrived, they heard a loud screech from behind them. The Inner Belos pushed through the trees, now little more than a beast of twisted, rotten flesh. Bits of decaying skin hung loosely from his frame. His eyes focused in on the intruders and he let out an unearthly scream. The child grabbed their arms and lead them toward another memory as the Inner Belos began to charge. They escaped just in time, slipping away from its gnarled claws.

Luz readied herself as quickly as she could, noticing that the child had already vanished again. Looking around the room, she noticed that she was in the Emperor's Palace. In the center of the room sat the portal, its frame rebuilt with Vex technology. Belos stood nearby the portal, working on something. Luz hid behind a pillar, turning to her unwilling partner.

"Did you know about this?" She asked Hunter as he slowly stood up.

"Of course," he whispered, "I helped rebuild it."

"I can hear you."

Belos' voice sent a chill down their spine. Memories weren't supposed to be able to interact with anything outside their own contents. As Luz and Hunter held their breath, they heard another participant.

"Caught me," a childish voice laughed. The shadows on the wall bent into the shape of a small, flat figure. They spun around on the walls, forming images by bending the light around them.

"To you, who strays so far from home. To me, who's trapped beneath these bones. We'll play forever, me and you. When you paint the realm in nine bright hues!"

"And what can I do for you, Collector?" Belos asked with a slight grin. Luz gasped as the Collector lounged in the arms of a statue.

"I'm bored," he complained, "Is the draining spell ready yet? I wanna see everything go all…" Rather than continue, the Collector instead changed his shape once again. He appeared as a large pyramid. A large ring of power radiated around him, forming cracks on the walls.

"It's been so long since I've been able to play the game," the Collector continued, "I hope they're not mad at me."

"Worry not Collector, the Day of Unity is almost at hand," Belos comforted, though the warmth in his voice didn't reach his eyes, "Then, you will be able to play as much as you want."

"Found, empowered, returned, aggrieved. We'll have our revenge on… ugh, unity is so hard to rhyme," the Collector groaned. A newcomer to the memory pushed past Luz. To her surprise, it was Hunter, just not the one currently standing beside her.

"I know you didn't want me going to Eclipse Lake," the Past-Hunter apologized, kneeling before Belos, "But if I hadn't I wouldn't have gotten this." He held out the portal key. Belos turned, caught sight of the key, and instantly snatched it out of Hunter's hand. He held it up to his eye, noticing how it was cracked and leaking.

"Some of the Titan's Blood did spill," Past-Hunter said nervously, "But, if you'd let me-"

"Leave. Now." Belos' words were brief, but powerful. Past-Hunter instantly clammed up and made himself scarce. The Collector spiraled around Belos while he stared at the key.

"Oooooh, you were made," the Collector taunted, "I thought you were gonna go all waaaaaaahhhhhh on that kid." He accentuated his point by shifting into a mass of swarming tentacles, waving them madly through the air in a violent fashion. Beos took in a deep breath and tucked the key away.

"Not as long as he stays on the right path," he said calmly, "I say, 'the Titan has big plans for you', and he does whatever I need. Unlike the previous attempts."

"I'm starting to think you make those things just to destroy them," the Collector snickered, "Admit it, you have fun with it."

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


"Eda," Royal said over his radio, "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear Tincan, what's your ETA?"

"About that, my return may be delayed. Some unexpected factors have come up."

"What is it?" Lilith chimed in.

"Minor Vex activity. I'm going to take care of it on my way," Royal reported, "Stay where you are, this shouldn't take me long." The two Witches confirmed and Royal closed the line. He pulled back on the brakes of his sparrow, stopping just before Blight Manor.

"So what's the plan?' Lancer asked, "Kick open the front door and threaten Odalia again? That'd be fun."

"Agreed, but I have a better idea. Do you have Amity's number?"

"Oh, you crafty little devil you," the Ghost said, "Sending her a message right now."

The Warlock stepped off his sparrow, letting it fade away as he waited outside the front entrance. Eventually, he heard the sound of the front lock clicking. The youngest Blight stepped outside, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion.

"Royal? What are you doing here at this hour?" She asked.

"Long story," he said, "I need to see your father. I have reason to believe that Blight Industries has been roped into the Emperor's dealings with the Vex." That woke Amity up.

"Are you sure?"

"I have it on good authority," the Guardian confirmed, "I can't share everything, but I need to put a stop to it and I need your help."

"I can't believe my parents would… actually no I can definitely believe my mom would work with the Vex."

"If we can't convince them to stand down, then I will be left with no choice but to raze their research." Amity nodded, gesturing for the Guardian to follow her.

"Follow me, knowing my dad, he's likely still awake."

Amity brought the Warlock through Blight Manor, eventually pushing open the door to Alador's underground workshop.

"Mittens? Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked. He stood up to approach her, only to back up in fear as he saw the Guardian behind her.

"Behind you!" He shouted, lunging for the Torch Hammer. He aimed it at the Guardian, only for Royal to Blink past the young Witch before him and grab Alador's wrists before he could do anything rash.

"Easy," Royal said calmingly, "I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"Dad, it's ok. He's a friend."

"Wait, you know him?"

"Look, we don't have time to explain everything," Royal said, "Hell, I don't even think I have time to explain why I don't have time to explain. Now, I'm going to let go of your hands. Just put the gun down and let me talk." Alador nodded and Royal released him. The Witch set his weapon aside on the table.

"There, we're all good," Royal gestured to the Blights, "Now, I assume you're familiar with the Vex?" Alador nodded hesitantly, causing Royal to grimace.

"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. You, your family, and even the Emperor are all being used by the Vex. I don't know what they've offered you, but it's a lie. All they want is for all of us to be either killed or assimilated."

"Why should I believe you?" Alador questioned, "The Vex have done nothing but aid us. Sure, they can be a little unsettling, but they haven't killed anyone, unlike you." Royal groaned slightly, tightening his grip on the air in frustration.

"Alright, I'll give you the quick version. My name is Royal-6. I'm from the Human Realm in the distant future. Everything has gone to shit and I was raised from the dead to wield the Light. The Vex are but one of a few different species trying to kill Humanity. I was trapped in their Domain for years before ending up here. Any questions?"

"Like I'd believe that-" Alador's voice died in his throat as Royal tore off his helmet. He stared at the Exo's metallic face, his jaw hanging limp.

"Believe me now?"

"I thought you said you were Human."

"I am," Royal asserted, growing frustrated.

"But you're a machine."

"Yeah, weirded me out too," Amity commented as her dad reached out to poke Royal's face.

"Mind of a man, body of a machine," Royal snapped, batting Alador's hand aside, "If you won't believe me, maybe you'll believe your daughter."

"She has nothing to do with this," Alador said, glancing at Amity, "Unless… you dragged her into it!"

"It wasn't his fault dad," Amity said, "A while ago, me, Ed, and Em ran into some Vex at the Knee. It was Royal, along with Eda and Luz, who saved us. And not long ago, I was at Eclipse Lake, trying to find Titan's Blood to help with Luz's portal. There were more Vex there. That thing, Sarkarae, tried to kill us."

"I don't understand, why would they try to help us?"

"It's likely that they're attempting to infiltrate and subvert the Isles," Royal offered, "Which just makes this even more pressing. You have to shut down your operations, now."

"I can't just stop," Alador argued, "Ignosi will expect answers. Answers I can't provide."

"Ignosi?" Royal asked, tilting his head.

"A Vex that has been aiding me in my research," Alador explained, "It said it was a Sub-Mind, called itself 'Wisdom Unbound'." Royal cursed, turning to the wall and staring into space as he weighed up what Alador told him.

"A Sub-Mind, like Sarkarae?" Amity asked. Royal nodded in confirmation.

"It must be an agent of Synegorus meant to infiltrate the Isles," Royal reasoned, "That complicates matters. In that case, continue to play along and gather as much information as you can. I'll remain in contact through Amity."

"I haven't agreed to anything," Alador said. Royal slammed his fist down on the table.

"What choice do you have?" He practically shouted, "You pride yourself as an intelligent creature! Take a step back and analyze the situation!" Alador didn't respond, still staring at the Guardian uneasily. Royal sighed.

"Sorry about that," he muttered, "But I need to go. I trust that you'll make the right choice." He turned to the young Blight beside him.

"Sorry I woke you up. And be sure to swing by the Owl House sometime soon, I have a feeling that Luz is going to need your company." With that, he departed, leaving the Blight Manor.


The child poked his head out of the memory, looking around the mindscape with an inquisitive gaze. Once he was satisfied, he jumped out. Luz and Hunter were right behind him.

"It sounds to me like Belos wants to wipe out all life in the Demon realm," Luz said, "And the sigils are going to help him do that." Hunter didn't respond, walking away with a pained look on his face. As he did, the child set his bag on the ground and began unloading all the items he had grabbed.

"Look, Hunter, I don't think you should return to the castle," Luz comforted, "You can come back to the Owl House with me. I'm sure Eda would be cool with it once we tell her what we..." Her voice faded as she caught up with Hunter. The two stood before a particularly thick part of the forest, filled with thick, gnarled roots. There were bodies bound by the roots. Broken corpses wearing uniforms very similar to the one Hunter had on. Some were little more than decaying skeletons, long since wasted away by the ravages of time. Others were more recent, with bloodied skin, torn flesh, and ruptured organs still visible.

Luz covered her mouth, trying to fight the urge to vomit in disgust at the display before her. She turned away, yet couldn't get the image out of her mind. Behind her, she saw the child standing in a circle of rope with a raging fire in the middle. He grabbed the mask of one deceased Golden Guard and snapped it in half before throwing it into the crackling crimson flames.

"What are you doing?" Luz asked, dragging the child away as the fires roared higher. Hunter acted quickly, stomping out the flames. Something slid past his foot, a small amorphous glob of rotten green matter. More clumps swarmed past him, coalescing into the Inner Belos. It stomped the ground, letting out an unholy screech. Luz and Hunter watched in horror as its skin stretched. The faces of animals pressed against it, trying to push out.

"Get away from him," it spoke with a thousand impossibly pained voices, "Danger. Danger."

"Are those… Palismen?" Luz asked in horror.

"We weren't running from the Inner Belos," Hunter realized, spinning around to face the purple child, "He was with us the whole time!" The child was facing away from the monster, crying into his hands. However, the tears soon turned to laughter. He pulled out a wooden sword and struck the rope beside him. The rope tightened around the beast, dragging it to the ground. Luz and Hunter backed away from the Inner Belos as he stood up, growing into his adult form.

"Hello Hunter, hello Luz," he greeted with false cheer. His gaze sent a bolt of ice down their spines.

"Oh I've finally been able to catch it," he said, striding over to the bound beast, "It's been a thorn in my side for so long. All those howling Palisman souls." He raised his wooden sword as the weapon transformed into a more traditional steel blade with intricate golden etching. He brought it down on the beast, severing its head. The Palisman amalgamation faded into dust as Belos let out a relieved sigh.

"Their voices constantly nagging me," he continued, "Now, all I hear is beautiful silence. Thank you for distracting it for me." Hunter stepped forward cautiously, tears in his eyes.

"What did you do to the other Guards? To our family?" He asked accusingly, "It wasn't Wild Magic, was it?" Belos' face morphed into an upset frown.

"A shame," he flicked Hunters hair, "Out of all the Grimwalkers, you looked the most like him."

"What…?" Hunter was cut off when the ground began to swallow him. As he sank, Luz called out to him. She tore off her jacket and flung it toward the Witch, too busy to care about its contents spilling out. He grabbed hold as Luz tried to drag him out. Alas, Belos overpowered them, dragging Hunter beneath the ground, and taking Luz's jacket and most of her glyphs with him. Luz knelt on the ground, feebling clawing at the ground as though she could physically dig through the Emperor's Mind.

"I really expected him to last longer than the others," Belos commented, as though he was talking about a disappointing boxing match. As though he hadn't just murdered his nephew. Luz let out an angered scream and drew her revolver. She pulled the trigger and the gun let out a sharp bang. Belos twisted his form around the bullets, dodging them easily. Luz didn't care, continuing to empty her magazine. The gun clicked empty multiple times as she continued to mash the trigger.

"Are you finished?" Belos asked in a bored tone.

"I'm going to tell everyone about the Day of Unity, that you've been lying about the Titan for years!" She yelled.

"Yes, I'm sure you will," he said, "To be truthful, this has all gone on far longer than I would have liked. But no one ever said that being a Witch Hunter was easy work."

"Witch… Hunter? All this time, they've been helping a Witch Hunter? How could they be tricked so easily?"

"Oh don't be too hard on them," Belos chided, "After all, you're really not much better." He flicked his wrist, replaying a memory.

"His pretty words should make good kindling," came the voice of Red Fang from the memory. Luz looked at it in horror.

"Hey! That doesn't belong to you!" Her voice shouted back. Belos flicked his wrist again, dismissing the memory and pulling up another one. Luz could do little but watch on as Belos replayed herself showing Phillip the light glyph. More memories began to play, drowning Luz under the weight of her own mistake. Phillip's voice echoed louder than the rest, as though Belos was goating at her.

"I just need to live long enough to see this through."

"No, no, no!" Luz shouted, collapsing to her knees as she covered her ears, "You're just Belos!"

"Please, we've known each other for so long. You can call me by my real name," Belos goaded.

"You're Phillip Whittibane, aren't you?" Past-Luz said before Belos silenced the memory. Luz felt her arms fall limp as she stared at the display, feeling her world crashing down around her.


Eda let out a loud curse as her latest concoction let out a burst of smoke. Leaning over it, she waved away the cloud.

"Lily, the Agenstone didn't work," she said, "We need something more potent."

"I'm searching," her sister replied, "But I don't know what else we have."

"We don't have time for this!" Eda shouted. A knock on the door interrupted her ranting. Hooty snaked over.

"Inopportune distraction, huh? I'll take care of it." Eda waved him off as King sat beside her.

"Eda, it's gonna be ok, right? He asked in a small voice. Eda found herself unable to reply. Fortunately, she was saved by the door swinging open. Royal stepped through, quickly locating Eda and jogging over to her.

"I found our solution," he said, holding up a potion vial filled with glowing liquid.

"The teleportation potion to enter the mindscape?" Eda gasped, "How did you find this."

"Stopped by Morton while I was out," Royal lied, "Fortunately, he had one in stock."

"We still need a power source," she said, "Do you think you can do it?"

"Light and Magic don't mix," he said, "We need something else." King shot up and raced off, quickly returning with Amity's glove, still drenched in Titan's Blood.

"But that's the last Titan's Blood that she has," Eda said only for Royal to seize it.

"What does it matter if she's trapped in there unable to use it?" Eda grimaced before grabbing her radio and activating it.

"Kid, you in there? We're pulling you two out!"


Alador felt the hair on his neck stand on edge as Ignosi returned. He let out a sigh of relief that the Guardian was already long gone. The Sub-Mind appeared beside him, calmly striding over to its workstation.

"This unit detected the Guardians presence on this compound," it said evenly. Alador blanched, but didn't look up."

"He was just here to see Amity," he said, trying to stay calm, "Since she's dating the Hum- Luz."

"Acknowledged," Ignosi replied. Alador released a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Unbeknownst to him, Ignosi was already running simulations on the past few hours, looking through the past. To its frustration, it could not ascertain where the Guardian had been.


"Kid, you in there? We're pulling you two out!" The radio sparked from the floor, not that Luz was in the right mind to hear it.

"Oh, it feels good to hear another Human use that name again. I had to change it when Phillip was run out of too many towns," Belos gloated while Luz continued to sit on the ground, utterly crushed. Belos stalked closer to her, causing Luz to quickly back up, practically crawling away.

"As I told you before, Luzura," he continued, condescension dripping from his voice, "We were destined to meet."

"And what about Hunter? What's a Grimwalker?"

"He's… a better version of an old friend. And now, thanks to you, I have to make another one."

"She's not answering," Eda said from the discarded radio.

"Luz, are you in there?" Royal called, "I swear, If anything has happened to you, I'll tear you out of the Emperor's mind with my bare hands!"

"But why, why do this?" She asked Belos.

"I'll do anything to save Humanity from evil," he said, grabbing a mask from the ground, "Just like your Guardian."

"Luz, we're starting the countdown," Royal said, "Please, say that you heard that. Say something!"

"Don't compare yourself to him!" Luz shouted, "You're the evil here."

Belos shrugged, "Can't reason with crazy." His hand transformed into a massive pick and he swung at Luz. She tried to block with her arms, screaming in fear. However, the pain never arrived. Cautiously cracking open one eye, she saw Belos' arm caught up in a tangle of ice and vines.

"Luz!"

She looked to the source of the cry, shocked to see Hunter rushing toward her with her glyphs in one hand and jacket in the other.

"Five," Eda said from the walkie. Luz grabbed a fire glyph as she ran to Hunter.

"Four." She summoned a whirlwind of fire that engulfed Belos, causing him to roar in pain.

"Three." Luz and Hunter raced past the smoldering form of Inner Belos.

"Two." Belos glared at them in fury as they lunged for the radio.

"One." Luz seized the radio and activated it.

"Eda please, get us out!" A burst of light enveloped the two, dragging them out of the mindscape. The Inner Belos scowled as he watched them leave. The two landed in the living room of the Owl House, breathing heavily. King began to push forward, only for Eda to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Easy," she cautioned, "Don't crowd them." Flapjack circled above Hunter before landing next to him. He chirped in the Witches ear, causing him to shoot up.

"He… he knows," Hunter panicked, looking at each of the Owl House residents fearfully, "I-I can't go back." Before any of them could stop him, he turned and tore through the room, pushing the door open and fleeing into the night. Royal was about to pursue him but stopped himself as he heard Luz sob. He knelt beside her, helping the girl sit up. She looked around frantically, still not certain she was safe. Royal took off his helmet and set it on the ground.

"Kid, what did you see in there?"


You know, I wish I could've touched on Reaching Out, but I just have so little of value I could add to it. So instead, character development happens in the background. Yaaaaaay. Oh well, it is what it is.

Now, Lightfall's honeymoon period is over. It's been about two weeks since it dropped and I've had some time to think about it. My initial impressions are mostly unchanged. The story was bleh, the campaign was good, and everything else is about what one would expect. The new Vexcalibur mission was a blast. It's probably my new favorite glaive. That combat loop is so much fun. Friendship ended with Edge of intent, Vexcalibur is now my best friend.

Now, onto the Imperial Land Tank in the room. Root of Nightmares. It was my first day one experience and it was a blast. Figuring out the mechanics on contest was great fun. Even if my team got our shit rocked by Nezarec for hours (to the point where we didn't even finish), I'm proud of our performance. I want to get a few more clears under my belt before I really cast judgment as to the quality of the raid. But it's definitely easy. Way too easy. People should not be killing bosses with Rat King on contest. People should not be two-manning encounters on day one.

But that's enough of my bullshit. It's still a fun raid. Next chapter will be an original one. We've learned about how Paladin and Venator ended up in the Vex Domain, but do you know who we haven't learned about? That's right. Expect quite a few answers and revelations next chapter. Looking forward to it. Until then, toodles.

GodzillaMaster: That's about 85% correct. There's still a little bit of information you're missing there, but all will be revealed soon.

OMAC001: That was actually Shadebinders, which is the Warlock Stasis subclass. Honest mistake.

mysticalex: All in good time. And I'm glad you enjoyed the cameo from Lord Saladin. I'll be sure to take breaks if I need.

Guest: Thanks, please see a therapist :)

Thatnewguy11: I might have another idea for the Drifter, but I don't know if I can fit Aksula.

SolarisHez: And so he returns. I rather liked Nezarec, aside from the stupid tracking void attack. Fuck that move.

And now for something completely different.


"Welcome to the first official Good Witch Azura book club!" Luz greeted, raising her fist into the air. She looked around the mostly empty classroom while Amity clapped eagerly. Her shoulders slumped slightly.

"What's wrong?" Amity asked, moving to comfort her girlfriend.

"I just, kinda hoped there would be more people here," she admitted, taking a seat.

"Don't worry about that, we can still have fun by ourselves," Amity comforted. Luz smiled, only for her attention to be stolen by a knock at the door. Pulling it open, she was shocked by who she saw.

"Royal, what are you doing here?"

"This is the spot for the Azura book club, right?" He asked, tucking his hands behind his back.

"Did you finally read them?" Luz asked with sparkles in her eyes. Royal rubbed the back of his helmet awkwardly.

"Well… yes," he said, "Wasn't really my thing. More of a sci-fi guy." Luz's expression fell and Royal quickly course-corrected.

"But I'm not the one here to join," he continued, "Lancer, come on out." The Ghost materialized beside his Guardian, looking very embarrassed to be there.

"Awww, little buddy," Luz cooed, "Did you read the Good Witch Azura?"

"Yes," he admitted, "I knew you liked it, but I wasn't expecting it to be that good! I mean, the descriptive prose, the intricate characterization, the impossibly convoluted magic system, it's all so perfect!" The three instantly set into conversation while Royal pushed past them, taking a seat and pulling out a book of his own. His optics slid over the top of the pages, watching as Luz, Amity, and Lancer enjoyed themselves. His mouth turned upward into a slight smile.