Huh, that was fast. I just started doing some writing and fell into a groove. Next thing I knew, this chapter was done. This one has been a long time coming, my friends. It's time for Edge of the World. Time for more answers and more drama. Now, three more chapters to go.


Chapter 29: Edict of Extinction

"Kabr fought the Vex alone. But somehow they didn't kill him." -The tale of Kabr the Legionless within the Vault of Glass


"Well," Eda said, not sure how to start, "That was… something else." Amity gently lifted Luz up.

"I'd love to stay," she said, "But I need to get going before my mom realizes I'm gone. I'll see you at school later, Batata." Luz didn't respond and Amity reluctantly left. Once she was gone, Luz looked up.

"I'm ready to talk."


"That was quite the speech, Little Brother," The Outcast mocked, a maniac grin plastered on his face. Royal pushed himself up, glaring at the Nightmare.

"What do you want?"

"You are getting so close," the Nightmare ignored him, "Soon, you shall have the answers you seek."

"Royal, are you in there?" He heard Eda ask, knocking on the door, "Luz said she's ready to talk. I figured you'd want to be present."

"And now the filth is interrupting our brotherly bonding session," Outcast complained, "You call yourself a defender of Humanity, yet allow these aliens to live?"

"Hypocrite," Royal growled, turning away from the Nightmare.

"Did you say something?" Eda asked. Royal looked back, only to see that the apparition had vanished.

"I said I'm on my way."


The assembled members of the Owl House sat around the living room, processing Luz's story. Eda rested her head on her hand, deep in thought. King sat beside her, looking small and scared. Hooty and Lilith weren't far away, with the Witch trying to keep the House Demon calm. Royal sat on the couch, repeatedly tapping on his knee in a rhythmic pattern, producing a dull noise that seemed to rattle the room.

"This is…" Eda began, "It's just a lot to take in."

"We don't have time to take it in," Luz almost shouted, "We have to stop Belos! I- I was part of his plan! I fell for everything!" She began to tear up. Eda signaled to King and Hooty. Instantly, the two Demons embraced the young girl.

"It's genius," Royal muttered, speaking for the first time since Luz had finished, "Using the sigils to weaken the populace of the Isles. A built-in kill-switch."

"How can you say that?" Lilith whispered.

"It's something I could see myself doing," Royal answered, "If things had… played out differently."

"Well, one thing's for sure," Eda tried to get them back on track, "People know when you go rooting around in their head. It's only a matter of time before Belos sends his goons after us. You need to hide."

"No," Royal said bluntly, "We need to fight. We need an army."

"Where are we gonna find an army at this time?" Lilith questioned. Royal began to speak up, preparing to break his promise to Raine. Before he could, Hooty cut him off.

"All this doom and gloom has me feeling so down," he wailed, "It just makes me wanna…" He began to retch before throwing up a large pile of mail, junk, and other assorted items. King let out a cry as he was swept away by a tide of junk.

"Hooty!" Eda complained while King tried to free himself, "Have you been eating all this trash?"

"He's also been eating our mail," King said, finally poking out of the pile and holding an envelope in the air. He opened it, only for a small rock to fall into his waiting claw.

"Dear King Clawathorne," he read, "If you wish to know who you truly are, come to this location and meet our warrior clan." He held out the letter, showing the map printed at the bottom.

"I think they might be my family!"

"Well, that's convenient," Lancer said. Royal narrowed his optics, remembering the Oucast's instructions.

"Too convenient."

"A warrior clan," Luz realized, "That's our army! They could help us stop Belos and it's a chance for King to find out where he came from! I say we take it."

"No," Eda shot her down, "You two need to stay safe while the adults take care of things." The two stared at each other for a moment, having some kind of mental argument that no one toe was privy to.

"I'm actually in favor of this plan," Lilith spoke up.

"Really?" Eda, Luz, and King all asked in unison.

"It wouldn't hurt to check," she reasoned, "Besides, judging by the map, you'd be taken far away from the Isles. Which also means you're far away from Belos."

"Indeed," Royal chimed in, "The best way to survive an attack is to simply not be present."

"But what if something goes wrong?" Eda asked.

"Hooty could accompany them," Lilith provided, "Hootsifer, their safety will be in your hands."

"I will protect them with my life!" He cheered.

"You won't need to," Royal spoke up, "Not on your own. I'm coming with."

"Are you sure?" Eda questioned, "We might need you here."

"You can handle yourself," the Warlock said, "I need you to trust me on this."

"Alright, but there's still the problem of getting there."

"I think I might know someone we can ask," Luz said.

"Yeah, the old Selkidomus crew," King realized, "There's no way Belos would be able to defeat a whole army of me's."

"Such allies would be quite valuable," Lilith said.

"Then we have a plan," Royal stated. Eda sighed.

"Seems like I've been outvoted." Luz and King both hugged her and ran off to pack everything they would need.

"You don't need to worry about anything," Lilith said, trying to calm her sister, "I've already explored that area before. There's nothing there. Whoever sent that note is sending them on a wild 'Luz' chase." The Witch chuckled slightly. Unfortunately, neither Eda nor Royal found the joke all that amusing. Eda collapsed into the couch, buried her face in her hands, and started to cry.

"No, no, no, don't cry," Lilith panicked, "Oh, the joke wasn't that bad, was it?"

"This is so much bigger than I imagine, Lily," Eda choked out, "I thought Luz was just some lost kid. Now, because of me, she's wrapped up in this thing with Belos. It's- it's just not fair. Both her and King are just children. They shouldn't have to deal with this."

"She's right, you know." Royal's fists tightened as Outcast whispered in his ear. While Lilith hugged her sister, Royal turned to glare at the Nightmare. Strangely, no one else seemed to be able to see him.

"Luz doesn't deserve any of this," Outcast continued with false concern, "She's just an innocent child. You could stop this. Just draw your blade and do. Your. Job!" The Nightmare manifested his own glaive and pointed it straight at Eda's neck.


Royal watched the waves bash against the side of the ship. His grip on the rail tightened slightly. Behind him, he was aware of the ships captain walking over to Luz and King, having finished refueling the engine.

"You're doing a lot of work here, Salty," King said, "Where's the crew?"

"Well, I'm no longer working for the Golden Guard," the Demon replied, "So, me crew packed up and move on for greener pastures."

"Land ho!" Luz shouted from the crows nest. Ahead of them, a massive land mass stretched out of the water, nearly scraping the sky. Luz summoned a vine and used it to lower herself to the deck.

"Is that a finger?" Hooty asked from his portable backpack, "We're a long way from the Titan."

"That's because it's not from our Titan," Salty said, "This be an entirely different beastie."

"Time to load up," Royal ordered, preparing their landing craft. As soon as the others boarded, Royal lowered them to the water. They set off, with Salty waving them off.

"Return with a good story, sea squirts," he called, "If ye return at all."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Royal muttered. Eventually, their boat docked on the shores and the four began to climb the finger. Fortunately, a set of stairs had been sculpted into the stone, making for a relatively easy trek. Arriving at the top, they were met with a wall. A small inscription had been left on the stone, with a tiny cutout in the center. Royal traced his hand along the rune, only to pull it back as he felt Dark power snap at his fingers.

"Is anyone here?" Luz called. They were met with silence.

"Maybe we're a bunch of early birds," Hooty provided.

"Or maybe they got sick of waiting," King said, sounding depressed, "That letter was over a month old."

"Somethings not right," Royal muttered while Lancer scanned the Dark rune, "This slot, it's too clean to be natural. Someone cut it out." Luz approached, taking out the rock from King's letter. She noticed that they were almost the exact same size. Sliding the stone into the slot, energy began to spark from the rune. A wave of energy blasted outward, rocking Salty's boat and disturbing the waves. Magical power raced up the finger, causing it to glow brightly. A bolt of lightning shot out of the fingertip, opening a portal in the air. Beams of blue light shot out of it. Luz and Hooty let out a panicked shout as they began to levitate. King and Royal weren't far behind.

The four were sucked into the portal, spinning through nothingness as they were sent across the planet. While the others screamed, Royal was busy trying to figure out where they were going. Unfortunately, neither he nor Lancer was having much luck. Finally, they emerged through another portal and landed on the ground. While they lay in a tangled pile, the stone dropped from the air, hitting Luz on the head.

"Alright, who's not dead," Royal said, untangling himself from the pile and standing up, "Sound off."

"I'm here," King answered.

"Still good," Luz said next.

"Ready for more," Hooty concluded before letting out a panicked cry, "Luz! What happened to your other arm!"

"What do you mean, they're right here," she said, holding out her arms.

"Your other-other arm!"

"I've only ever had the two."

"We can focus on Hooty's poor eyesight later," Royal said, turning around, "For now, we need to find out… where we…" His voice trailed off as he looked out over the landscape around him. A massive Titan skull emerged from the water, gazing at the sky. Shattered bones were scattered around the area. However, one feature drew the Guardians attention. A colossal obsidian pyramid dominated the skyline, seeming to soak in all the light in the sky. It was partially sunken into the water, with strange humanoid figures floating around it. A cold aura of dread hung in the air, sinking into Royals servos. Outcast sauntered in front of him.

"You finally made it," he taunted, "Really kept us waiting."

"Us?" Royal asked, ignoring how the others looked at him in confusion, still unable to see his Nightmare.

"This doesn't look like the Boiling Isles," King said uncertainly.

"That's because it isn't."

The three turned around, seeing a large Demon approaching them. He wore long robes that flowed down and covered his legs. His head was a skull similar to Kings, but with much longer horns and fangs. Thick, black fur could be seen poking through certain parts of his clothes.

"Welcome to the other side of the world," he greeted.

"Uh, hi," King said awkwardly. The Demon looked down at him, his eyes widening as he did.

"By the Huntsman, 'tis King!" He realized, "My name is Tarak, hail and well met."

"Uhh, yeah, 'tis King!"

"King, introduce us," Luz whispered.

"Oh right," he gestured to Luz, "This is Human/friend/sister Luz. Over there is Exo/friend/kinda-father Royal." The Guardian wasn't paying attention to King, busy staring at the pyramid in the water.

"And this is Hooty," King finished, "The… door?"

"Your warrior-ship," Luz said, bowing. Hooty followed suit.

"Did you send the letter?' King asked hopefully, "Are you my-?

"Father? Alas, no. Nor is he here. However, I am the one who sent the letter. And by the sight of you, he was one of us. He passed down that handsome skull of yours, didn't he?" Tarak leaned down, playfully tapping on Kings skull. He stood back up, spreading his arms wide.

"Now, we must celebrate! Everyone will be so happy to meet you!"

"And who is everyone?" Luz asked. Tarak led them to the edge of the platform, where more stairs led down to a bustling village. Tarak swept his arm across the horizon.

"Welcome to Titan Trapper Island!" He announced, "Follow me, I'll give you the tour." He began to walk down the stairs, with King eagerly following. Luz was about to join them before turning back.

"Royal, you coming?"

"Hold up a second," he said, "Tarak. What's that pyramid over there?"

"Ah, the Pyramid of the Great Huntsman," Tarak nodded, "It was once the home of our mighty deity. Now, it is a derelict ruin haunted by vile spirits. Every Trapper must venture into the pyramid as their final test. The worthy return, having conquered their greatest fears. Those who do not are recorded in the Books of Honor." Royal remained silent, staring at the pyramid with apprehension.

"I'm going down there," he declared.

"The pyramid is sacred grounds," Tarak objected, "Only those blessed by the Great Huntsman may enter." He held out a taloned hand, summoning a crystal of blue ice. Royal tensed, feeling Darkness radiating from the Demon. Rather than respond verbally, he held out his own hand, coating it in fire.

"Your power feels strange," Tarak said slowly, "Yet familiar. I suppose you may enter the pyramid."

"Many thanks," Royal said stiffly, "Luz, go with King. Watch out for him. This place… Not all is as it seems."

"You got it," she said, giving him a salute. He lightly ruffled her hair before walking to the edge of the platform.

"Of course, you'll need a boat to get over there," Tarak said, only for Royal to pull out his sparrow and take off, soaring over the waves.

"Or you could do that," Tarak muttered, "Oh well, I'm sure he'll be fine. Now, let's get on with the tour." Tarak led them down the stairs and into the village. All around them, King-like Demons were going about their lives. Some of them stopped to watch the procession, whispering amongst themselves. A few could be seen training in formation, wielding blades and more of that strange ice in unison.

"Look at them go," King said in awe. Tarak nodded proudly.

"We are Titan Trappers," he explained, "Under oath to protect the world from giant monsters of death and destruction. But, uh, most of us haven't seen a live one in a long time."

"Aren't Titans all extinct?" Luz asked as Tarak led them into a large building. She let out a surprised gasp as she saw a massive skeleton suspended in the room, with a spiral staircase around it.

"Not all of them," Tarak answered, "The Grand Huntsman says that one remains, so we sharpen our spears until the vile creature rears its head. Then, we shall begin our final hunt!" More Titan Trappers began to join the tour group.

"And now, dear King, you can join us and become a Titan Trapper yourself!" Tarak declared. The other Trappers began to cheer.

"Oh my gosh, King," Luz kneeled down beside her adopted brother, "That's amazing! We don't know about any Titans, but the world could sure use your help."

"That's right," King concurred, "It's a lot to explain right now, but could you- I mean, we help the people of the Boiling Isles?"

"Any enemy of yours is an enemy of ours!" One of the Trappers in the crowd cheered. The others took up the call, raising their weapons and chanting for blood. They lifted King above the crowd and carried him off, cheering all the way. Luz was about to follow before Tarak pulled her aside.

"We can make no promises as of yet," he said, "For that, you must beseech our elder, the wisest Trapper of them all… Bill!" He gestured up the stairs, into the foreboding darkness above.

"Is that short for something?" Luz asked.

"Nope," Tarak shrugged, "Just Bill. He's so cool. He actually met our god, the Grand Huntsman! And he's like, totally my best friend."

"Luz!" King shouted, running back into the room, "Look what they gave me!" He held out a small, black fragment. Luz felt the air around her chill she looked at it.

"What is that?" She asked.

"I don't know," King responded, "But apparently it's how the Trappers do their weird ice magic." He fiddled with the small triangle for a moment while Luz thought.

"Here, why don't Hooty and I go meet with the elder while you learn all about being a Titan Trapper," she proposed. Kings eyes lit up with excitement.

"This is a dream come true!"

"Just be careful," she instructed.

"I will," he promised, before running off to rejoin the other Trappers. Hooty slithered out of his backpack.

"Are you sure we should let him run off on his own?" He asked, "Royal did tell you to keep an eye on him."

"He'll be fine," she eased, "He's with his family. They'll look after him." She turned to begin walking up the stairs with Tarak. As she did, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

"Thank you, Luz," a familiar voice maliciously whispered in her ear. She let out a shocked cry, whipping around to try and locate the disturbance.

"Are you alright?" Tarak asked.

"Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hooty questioned. Luz shivered, rubbing her arms to try and warm herself.

"There was a voice," she tried to explain.

"Oh those are normal here," Tarak said cheerily, "Part of the trials of becoming a Trapper. What you hear are projections of the Pyramid of the Great Huntsman, meant to test your strength of will. Now, come! We must see Bill!" He began to march up the stairs while Luz looked around uncertainly.

"I hope Royal's doing alright," she whispered before following the Trapper. As she did, a dark specter manifested behind her, watching the Humans ascent through his horned mask.


"This is a bad idea," Lancer stated bluntly. Royal stood at the entrance to the pyramid, gazing into its shadowy depths. He felt the Darkness permeating the very air. His scout rifle panned the area as Lancer projected a beam of light into its depths.

"We're no strangers to bad ideas," Royal replied. He slowly began to step forward, carefully checking his corners and watching for any threats.

"We should just get out of here," the Ghost said, "The Trappers are obviously worshiping a creature of Darkness. I say we cut our losses, find the others, and get out of here."

"No, not when we're so close," Royal muttered. He stopped at a massive door that was sealed shut. Slinging his rifle across his back, he placed his hands against it. Pouring his Light into his fingertips, he tried to force it open. The door remained unresponsive.

"Oh no, it's locked," Lancer said, "Guess no one's home. Let's just slip out, wouldn't want to be rude." As soon as he finished, Royal knocked on the door. It began to open, rumbling as it did. Unseen lights powered on, allowing the Warlock and his Ghost to see the interior. Just behind the door, Outcast was waiting for them.

"Welcome, Brother," the Outcast greeted, "You have found the final piece to the puzzle. Now, step forward and receive your enlightenment." He beckoned the two inside, drifting away into the pyramid. Royal and Lancer shared a glance before following him.

The pyramid was forged entirely of black stone. Strange monoliths dominated the halls. Floating icons comprised of incomprehensible geometry hung in the air. Royal could feel his synapses sparking in pain as they struggled to comprehend the space around him. He saw the statues of many strange creatures, though whether they were icons or victims, he didn't know.

"Where are you leading us?" He asked. The Nightmare turned to face him.

"To the source."

"The source of what?"

"Everything," Outcast said, "Myself and the other Nightmares. The Darkness infesting this world. Even Belos' draining spell. All of it can be traced here." He turned back around and opened another door. Royal entered, seeing a long hallway lined with yet more statues. However, these ones were more complex, showcasing artistic renditions of events rather than individual figures. He stopped before the first one, showing a battle between colossal figures, with a smaller one in the center.

Royal reached out to the statue. His fingers grazed against it and his optics instantly widened. He felt the Darkness flow through him, just like it had back in Kings tower. He stepped back and fell to his knees. As his vision faded, he looked up to see the Outcast sitting on the base of the statue, watching with amusement.

His vision returned and the Warlock forced himself up. He was in an unfamiliar location, one made of pale stone that was marked with impact craters. A massive planet dominated the sky. To his shock, he realized that he was on the moon of the Demon Realm. He could see the Traveler, hanging above the Boiling Seas. The sound of a child sobbing reached his audio receptors, drawing his attention. Not far away, a familiar blue and orange kid sat on the ground with his head tucked into his knees. Royal cautiously moved closer and reached out to touch them, only for his hand to pass right through the child like he was made of smoke.

"I thought you were supposed to be intelligent," Outcast derided, "This is a memory. You cannot interact with it in any way. You cannot modify its contents, nor manipulate its outcome. What you see is what happened, as it happened."

"Why have you led me here?"

"So you can get your answers," Outcast said, gesturing to the child, "Just watch." Royal turned back to the sobbing child. After a few seconds, the vacuum of space around the child began to ripple and distort. Fractures began to appear in the air before the child. They stood up in fear, floating slightly in the air. A strange voice could be heard emanating from the cracks, speaking with two tones.

"You have suffered great tragedy, child from the stars," they said, "We have felt your loss. Your pain. Your suffering. Hear our words and suffer no longer." Outcast sneered at the voice, not that Royal noticed.

"Who are you?" The child asked, wiping away tears.

"We are the end of suffering," the voices answered, "Now, tell us of your pain, so we may take it away."

"It was the Titans," the child spat bitterly, "I just wanted to play with them. But they tried to hurt me. Then, the others came to save me. And-" His breath hitched as he began to sob again. He pointed at the Traveler, still hovering in the lower atmosphere.

"The Sphere gave the Titans power," he continued, "And they… killed them all. Now, I am the last. All alone."

"Such is the way of the Sky," the voices said, "In the Sky, there is only pain. In the Sky, there is only weakness. In the Sky, there is only death. Salvation lies in the Deep. For in the Deep, there is only tranquility. In the Deep, there is only strength. In the Deep, there is only life." As the voices spoke, flowers began to bloom across the surface of the moon. Royal noted how they appeared the exact same as the flowers he saw in the field of his dreams.

"You said you can take away my pain," the child sniffed, "How?"

"Join us, and we shall show you."

"Alright," the child accepted, beginning to float above the ground, "I will join you." The vision began to crumble away and Royal found himself thrown back into the pyramid. Landing on his back, he breathed heavily.

"What are you trying to show me?" He interrogated the Outcast.

"There are still more answers to be sought," Outcast said coyly, "All you need to do is keep going." He swept his hand down the hall, where more statues were waiting. Royal and Lancer shared another look.

"We've seen enough," he said, "I'm going to get the others. Then, we are leaving."

"I never took you for a coward," Outcast taunted, "And I thought I was a fairly good judge of character. But I suppose your time fraternizing with these aliens has made you soft."

"Your dramatics are useless," Royal deadpanned, turning to walk out of the hall.

"So I take it you don't want to learn about the Draining Spell?" Royal froze in his tracks.

"That's right," Outcast goaded, "If you want to save these vermin you call friends, then you must find the answers you seek within here."

"Fine," Royal snapped, "What's next?" Outcast pointed to another statue and Royal rolled his optics.

"Let's get this over with." He reached out for the next statue and was dragged into another vision. He found himself within another pyramid, where the child was waiting anxiously. Royal and the Outcast watched, waiting for something to arrive. Suddenly, the wall began to fold in on itself and the child snapped to attention. A tall, slender figure entered the room, one Royal recognized.

"You are the one I was sent to meet?" The tall figure asked, dwarfing the child who looked up nervously.

"Y-yes," he stuttered, "I was told you would train me in the ways of the Deep."

"Hmm," the figure pondered, "If that is my master's wish, then so be it. Tell me, child, what is your name?"

"I never really had one," the child said, "We were always just called Collectors."

"Then you are the Collector," the tall one said impatiently, causing the Collector to flinch. Royal let out a shocked gasp, not that anyone save Outcast could hear him. Outcast, for his part, simply fixed Royal with a smug grin.

"And what should I call you?" He asked meekly.

"I am Rhulk, the First Disciple. The Last of Lubrae. Bane of the Leviathan. Proud servant of the Witness," Rhulks six eyes seemed to stare through the Collector as he spoke, "And I shall be your instructor."

"If I'm being called the Collector, does that mean I get to call you the Lubraen?" The Collector asked without thinking, only to instantly realized they may have overstepped. Rhulk bent over the Collector, causing him to step back meekly. The massive alien let out a strange rumbling noise that seemed to be coming from his chest. Royal realized that it was laughter.

"Perhaps this will be more amusing than I thought."

The memory ended once again, casting Royal back to the present. He was ready for it this time, landing on his feet.

"The Collector is a creature of Darkness," he instantly said. Lancer spun his shell in surprise.

"And he's helping Belos prepare the Draining Spell," Royal continued, "Why are you showing me this?"

"Make no mistake, Little Brother," Outcast said viciously, "I hold no love for these creatures. You have been beckoned here by the Darkness, I am simply an unwilling guide."

"What do you mean 'unwilling'?" Royal questioned.

"Nightmares are spawns of the Dark, but we are given shape by your mind," Outcast explained, sounding exasperated, "The real Outcast was no friend of the Darkness. He is simply the shape your fear takes."

"So you are my deepest fears?" Royal asked, "My worst terror?"

"No, no, no," Outcast said mirthfully, "I am not your worst fear. I am what you are destined to become. Every failure, every mistake, every error. To put it succinctly…" He flew up closer to Royal, until their faces were almost touching.

"I am your every fear!"


Tarak led Luz and Hooty to the top of the stairs and down a long hall. He stopped outside a large ornate door.

"I must take my leave," he said, gesturing to the door, "Tell Bill I said hello." He retreated down the hallway and vanished from sight. Luz turned to the door and, after a moment's hesitation, pushed it open. Inside was an incredibly dusty room, filled with all manner of assorted trinkets and curios.

"Hello?" Luz called, only to be met with silence. She walked through the room, looking around with great interest.

"Jeez, this guys hoarding could give Eda a run for her Snails."

"Tarak, is that you?" A distant voice called from another room. Luz instantly ran over, pushing through piles of relics. She emerged into another room where a diminutive Trapper with a lit candle on his head sat in a large chair. A long horn (the speaking kind, not the organic kind) was placed near his ear. Clutched in his talons was a book, The Last Titan: A Study of the Boiling Isles by one Flora D'splora.

"I told you to stop rummaging through my stuff!" The Trapper shouted indignantly, not looking over his book. Luz cleared her throat.

"Tarak's not here," she said, "It's just us. My name is-"

"What's that?" Bill questioned, leaning closer to the Human, "Speak up! You barge in like an angry Titan, only to whisper like the wind!" Luz moved closer to the horn, practically sticking her head inside it.

"Greetings, o mighty Bill," she proclaimed, her voice reverberating through the horn into the Demons ear, "This lowly traveler seeks your aid to-"

"Oh for the love of-" Bill snapped, pushing the horn aside, "Tarak sent you, didn't he?"

"He said you were the wisest of the Titan Trappers," Luz explained, "And also his friend. And also hi."

"Of course he does," Bill groaned, leaning back in his chair, "Alright, do you have something you want or are you content to keep wasting my time?"

"I'm here to ask if you could lend us your mighty warriors," Luz began, "You see, Emperor Belos has-"

"Ha! That upstart from the carcass kingdom!" Bill scoffed, cutting Luz off for the third time. She was starting to get annoyed, but kept it hidden to not upset the leader of the Trappers.

"Belos is small picking's," Bill continued, "I've got battle scars older than his reign." He lifted up his shirt, revealing one such scar.

"Please, Mr. Bill, a lot of people are in danger and they don't even realize it," Luz pleaded.

"Yeah, Belos is straight-up evil," Hooty chimed in.

"Don't worry, we'll help," Bill said. Luz and Hootys expressions brightened.

"But if you think Belos is evil, then you've never seen a live Titan," he muttered, looking around wildly, "The children out there haven't either." He stared out the window behind him, looking down on the crowd celebrating with King.

"They don't know a thing about their ravenous appetites, or their terrible cries! Even their babies act like little monarchs. I saw the last living Titan before it disappeared. Its hateful roar blew out my eardrums. How did it go, you ask? Weh!"

"So Titans act like monarchs, love to eat, and say weh?" Luz prodded, realization beginning to dawn on her.

"The Huntsman wants us to find the last one," Bill explained, "Only a Titans power can free him from prison. But alas, we have been unable to find them."

"And who is the Great Huntsman exactly?" Luz questioned.

"He is the scourge of the Titans!" Bill boasted, "The mightiest child of the stars! But you may know him by another title. The Collector."

"The Collector is your god?" Luz asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, that's what I just said," Bill snapped, "Now, we wear our disguises to honor our fallen god and mock our most hated foes!"

"Wait, disguises?"

"Yep," Bill said proudly, "It was my idea." He tugged off one of his gloves, revealing a standard hand with five fingers.

"You gotta look like a Titan to trap one," he rationalized, slipping the glove back on, "But if I ever find that missing Titan, I'll tear him limb from limb and mount his head with pride as we free the Great Huntsman! Then, we can finally go from Titan Trappers to Titan Slayers!" While Luz grappled with the implications of what Bill had just said, the Trapper gestured out of the window, down to where King was still celebrating.

"Say, who's your friend's tailor? He looks so real!"

"This has all been super cool," Luz said quickly, "But I gotta go check up on one of my friends."

"You're little friend down there? He seems to be doing fine."

"No, my other friend," Luz was starting to panic now, "He went over to the pyramid."

"WHAT! An outsider trespassing in the Pyramid of the Great Huntsman! This is heresy of the highest order!"

"It's ok, he's also blessed by the Great Huntsman," Luz lied, "You guys have your… super cool ice powers, he has fire. Anyway, I gotta go!" She turned and darted out while Bill watched her suspiciously. He stroked his chin as he returned to his chair. The sounds of the celebration below began to reach him, a testament to how loud they were. One sound above all stood out to him.

"Weh!"

Bill's eyes widened.


Royal entered another memory, appearing in a long hallway with a podium at one end. Rhulk stood just to the side while the Collector kneeled before the stand. More cracks in the fabric of reality hung above the podium. A few smaller cracks could be seen on the sides of the room. Were this not a memory, Royal would have been slain by the sheer weight of Darkness bearing down on him.

"You have done well," the voices said again, "Your training is complete. Now, take the gift of the Deep."

"Of course, my Witness," the Collector said, barely containing his excitement, "I am honored to play the greatest game." Rhulk stepped forward, holding out his long, twisted weapon. Gently, he tapped the edge of the blade on each of the Collectors shoulders.

"Rise, Disciple of the Witness," he commanded. The Collector obliged, standing up with a large smile on his face.

"So the Star Child is finally one of us," a new voice sneered from the side, "Oh I can't wait to taste the fear he spreads."

"Let us see if this one is up to the task," another said. Royal recognized this one from the archives, having heard the tale of the Taken King many times.

"I leave you this relic," the first newcomer said, "Use it to summon forth the Nightmares of your foes. Drink deep of their dread."

"And I gift to you the power to Take," Oryx said, "May it serve you as it has served me." A few other voices that Royal didn't recognize chimed in, offering their own gifts to their newest comrade. Eventually, they finished and their fractures faded. Soon, only Rhulk and the Collector were left, with their master looking down upon them.

"You know what must be done, Disciple." With that, the Witness departed.

"Oh I'm so excited," the Collector cheered, spinning through the air happily, "Finally, I get to play forever and ever and ever."

"Remember, my pupil, your duty is to serve the abyss," Rhulk cautioned, "Do not let yourself get distracted. You may have your fun with the worlds you come across, but all lesser games must eventually come to an end." The Collector looked down in disappointment.

"I wonder what the others would say if they could see me now," he said.

"I am certain they would be most proud," Rhulk said, "I know that I am. Now, where will you go first?" The Collector grinned with a vicious gleam in his eyes.

"Oh, I have an idea."

Royal returned to reality and looked over to Outcast.

"One more," he said, "You're doing well." The Warlock gazed up at the last statue, this one featuring the Collector with the pyramid behind him waging battle against the Titans. Taking in a deep breath, he entered.

He arrived in the Isles, but definitely not as he knew them. He stood on the edge of the pyramid as it hovered over the Boiling Seas. Numerous Titans lay in the waters, bearing fresh wounds that caused them to leak glowing blue blood. A few others tried to fight against the Collector, but they were losing fast. Overhead, Royal could see the Travelers form growing distant. More pyramids gave chase, leaving the Collectors as the sole pyramid to battle the Titans.

"Slash and rend and crush and bruise," the Collector chanted loudly, summoning spirals of Resonant power to obliterate a Titan, "The time has come to pay your dues!" The final few Titans unleashed powerful roars that sent shockwaves through the air. Royal would have been flung off the pyramid if he had physical presence. The Collector didn't flinch under the assault. As he raised his hands, one Titan flung something at him. A golem, just like the one from Kings island, slammed into the Collector. It clawed at his face, cutting flesh and causing the Collector to bleed starlight. Enraged, the newly crowned Disciple flung the creature off. More began to fall upon him, raining from the sky and dragging him to the ground. The Collector unleashed another blast of Resonant energy, flinging the golems back. However, they were quick to stand up and, just as they had to Royal, turned the Collectors power back on him.

The Collector buckled under the assault and the golems pounced on him. They grabbed his limbs, holding him in place. As they tied him down, the remaining Titans struck down his ship, causing it to sink into the waters below. One Titan limped over to where the Collector was pinned, the planet seemed to shake underneath his every step. It raised a single claw and traced a spell circle through the air. The Collector screamed in anger and fear as its form began to fade into light that was sucked into a portal the Titan had summoned.

Eventually, the Collectors cries faded and he vanished. Multiple small mirrors hovered in the air. The Titan scooped them up, holding them gently.

"Perhaps, with time, he will mature," the colossal Demon rumbled, rattling Royal to his core. As soon as the Demon finished, the memory faded, casting Royal back to reality once more.


"Behold, our armory!" Tarak announced as he swept open the door. Inside the room, weapons covered the walls, stacked to the ceiling. Swords, axes, maces, spears, lances, crossbows, you name it.

"Woah, all sorts of things that I shouldn't touch," King said eagerly, rubbing his claws together.

"Aye, for now," Tarak agreed, "But perhaps, when you're older, I could show you how to dismember your enemies."

"You would do that?" King asked in awe. Tarak nodded, and King suddenly had an idea.

"Do you think you could tell me what this means?" He held out his collar, displaying the symbol he had etched into it. Tarak leaned in close, stroking his chin as he thought.

"I'm not sure," he admitted, "But perhaps, we will be able to discover it together. I assume your father was lost in a hunt of yore. But a Titan Trapper is never alone. I'm just happy to see he passed this down to you." He lightly knocked on Kings skull, much to the Demons elation.

"Can I ask a favor?" King asked, holding back tears of joy, "It might sound a little silly, but… can we play catch?" He held up a ball, which Tarak accepted.

"For you? Anything," he said, "But first, we will need some equipment. I believe it's in the back."

"I'll get it!" King cheered, running to get what he needed. As he did, a crow-phone cawed from behind Tarak. Grabbing it, he opened the line.

"Tarak, I need to tell you something important," Bill said in hurried whispers, "That child. He is a Titan!"

"Hah! Bill, your age has not dulled your wit," Tarak laughed.

"I'm being serious," Bill stressed, "Use your head for once and think about it. His costume is far too real to be a costume. We have found the last Titan. Now, we shall finally free our lord." Bill killed the connection and the crow flew off, leaving Tarak to his shock.

"Is something wrong?" King asked, returning with a pair of gloves.

"I'm afraid our game must wait," Tarak said uncertainly, "The time has come to… uhh… celebrate your induction to the ranks of the Titan Trappers." He swiftly departed, leaving King to throw his gloves aside and follow.


Royal finished filling Lancer in on everything he had seen while Outcast watched with a bored expression.

"Are you finished?" He asked, "There is still one answer left."

"I thought that was all the memories," Royal objected.

"It was," Outcast shrugged, "But the pyramid beckons you onward, deeming you worthy of its gifts." He drifted to the end of the hallway, where a colossal statue dominated the scene. It had the appearance of a humanoid female with its arms outstretched. The entire figure was draped in cloth, concealing their features.

"Go forth," Outcast spat, "Accept its corruption." Royal reached out to the statue, feeling an icy chill creep up his arm. He pulled back in shock, observing as frost hung in the air around him.

"This is the power the Titan Trappers wield," he whispered.

"Thank you for stating the obvious," Outcast snarked, "Now, the pyramid offers you this boon. Will you accept it?" Royal pondered for a moment, feeling how the chill settled deep into his body. His mind flashed with images from the memories he had witnessed.

"No," he said, "This power is evil. I will never accept a gift from the Darkness."

"And here I thought you would crumble and give in," Outcast said with almost begrudging respect.

"I'm stronger than you think," Royal scoffed, "Stronger than you could ever be."

"You think yourself a stronger man than me?" Outcast snapped, "You will fail. Just as I failed. Just as we are all doomed to fail. Royal-6, in every timeline, is a failure!"

"I will be greater than you," Royal declared, turning away from the Nightmare. The Outcast's face was twisted in rage.

"You claim to be stronger than myself, yet you allow aliens to live," Outcast growled, "I'm ashamed to share a name with you."

"It's called empathy," Royal stated plainly, "Something you sacrificed to the Vex."

"Empathy?" Outcast laughed, "Is this a joke? You're supposed to be a killer! So go prove it!"

"What do you mean by that?" Lancer questioned. Outcast grinned.

"You might want to go check up on your little friends," he mocked. The Nightmare faded, laughing vehemently all the way.


King stood atop a large stone stage. Multiple other Trappers lined the path up to him, tapping their spears against the ground in a rhythmic pattern. Two more Trappers lay a cloak around Kings shoulders while another painted a symbol on his forehead.

"You guys don't have to go all out like this," King said awkwardly, "I'm fine with a small ceremony, just some friends and family."

"Your presence is very special to us," Tarak said, trying to hide the guilt he felt, "Now, we can release the Grand Huntsman from his prison." Tarak grabbed a torch and ignited it. The crackling fire was soothing to King in a way he couldn't explain.

"In the ashes of your old life, your destiny awaits," he instructed, offering the torch to King, "Carry this torch to the tablet and set it aflame." Not far away was a small podium with a shattered blue mirror on it. King slowly approached it, hearing laughter in the back of his mind.

"Did you guys hear that?" He asked, fear beginning to creep into his bones.

"The connection is made," Tarak said, "Now, to begin the ritual."

"You're taking too long," Bill snapped, rushing forward and covering Kings head with a cloth, "Do not worry child, we are almost done." He drew a dagger from his robes and held it above King, preparing to plunge it into his flesh, spilling his precious lifeblood.

"Then we can play catch, right?"

Bill's dagger hung in the air, remaining perfectly still. Tarak cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Did you pull a muscle, Bill?"

"I can't move," the elder forced out, pulling on his knife as hard as he could. Rather stubbornly, it remained in the air. Suddenly, an unseen force lifted him into the air and flung him aside. He crashed into the crowd of other Trappers with a pained cry.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" King asked. A large ball of light appeared above his head, causing the Titan Trappers to gasp. The invisible hand plucked King by the scruff of his neck and carried him away, eliciting a surprised shout from the Demon.

"Is this the power of a Titan?" Tarak wondered.

"No you idiot," Bill snapped, "It's that girl and her detestable House Demon. Find them!"

Elsewhere, Luz finally stopped holding her breath. As her lungs greedily drank in the air, the invisibility glyph faded, revealing Hooty carrying King back to her.

"King!" She shouted, "I'm so glad you're alright."

"What are you talking about? We were just about to play catch!" King yelled, angry and confused.

"Hey, Luz just saved your life!" Hooty retaliated.

"Why would these guys hurt me?" King asked, "They get me! They know what it's like to be left behind!"

"King, if this is about your dad-" Luz began.

"It's not just about him," King sniffed, "It's also about you. Eventually, you'll go back to the Human Realm. I just… wanted to prepare for a world without you."

"But they won't help you King, you're not one of them," Luz tried to explain.

"Then what am I?"

"You're… a Titan, King." The Demons eyes widened at those words. Before he could process it, the Trappers found them.

"Hark!" Tarak shouted, "Tis the wretched spawn of-"

"Cease your pontificating!" Bill screeched, "Seize him!" Tarak summoned forth his powers of Darkness and raised massive ice crystals that surrounded King, Luz, and Hooty. Bill began to creep closer, the knife still clutched in his hand.

"Come on, little devil spawn," he goaded, "This is going to hurt a lot." He reached out to grab King. As he did, everyone felt the air grow hot around them. The sun seemed to grow brighter and more oppressive. Looking at the sky, a massive fireball tore through the sky. Royal dove through the air, landing between King and Bill. As he touched down, his Dawnblade cleaved through Bills arm, severing the hand from its resting place. The Trapper recoiled, howling in pain and clutching the cauterized stump.

"I don't know what's going on here," Royal said as he slowly stood up. Murderous intent radiated from the Guardian as his entire body roared with flames, "But I do know this." He thrust his Dawnblade forward, pointing it at the Titan Trappers.

"YOU DO NOT TOUCH HIM!"

"KILL THEM ALL!" Bill ordered. The Trappers prepared their Dark powers and blades, charging the Guardian. King stared up at the Guardian, feeling the warmth of his Solar Light deep within his soul.

"Luz, get everyone back to the portal!" Royal commanded.

"But what about-"

"That is an order!" He barked, raising his blade with the tip pointed toward the ground. Luz didn't stop to argue, picking up King and running. Royal held his sword above him as the Trappers drew closer.

"SHOW ME WHAT PASSES FOR FURY AMONGST YOUR WRETCHED KIND!" He plunged the sword into the ground, releasing a massive column of flame that erupted outward. The closest Trappers were instantly incinerated. Everyone else was flung back, their robes and fur smoldering.

"My name is Royal-6," he spat, lifting off the ground as he did, "Guardian of Humanity. Warrior of the Light. Protector of the Isles. You have attempted to slay the ones I love. I shall show restraint and be merciful, this one time. But test me again, come after my family again, and you shall find that my mercy has limits." A swirling tornado of fire raged underneath him as he glared at the Trappers.

"We swear," Tarak pleaded, "We shall leave you in peace." Royal lowered himself back to the ground, not relinquishing his grip on his sword.

"Vermin," he hissed, before turning and taking after his companions. They were anxiously waiting for him at the portal. Luz called out as he arrived.

"Royal, what happened? We saw the fire and-"

"It's fine," he said, "Just get us out of here." Luz obliged, opening the portal once again. The four were sucked up into the vortex and whisked away. Before Royal faded, he summoned a flurry of Arc Light. Lightning rained down on the platform, destroying it beyond repair.

The group arrived back at the finger, landing in a tangled pile. Royal pushed himself up as quickly as he could, checking to ensure no one was missing. He knelt down, helping to untangle the others. Everyone looked down at King in concern. He simply walked over to Luz and hugged her leg.

"I wanna go home," he said, struggling to hold back tears. Royal sighed, turning to Lancer.

"I hate this planet."


Back on the ship, King sat on the railing. He looked over the Boiling Seas, staring blankly at the Titan as it lay motionless in the water. He raised a paw to wave at it, only to give up halfway through.

"Hey, umm, dad," he began. He heard the sound of clanking boots behind him and turned to see Royal carrying some crates across the deck.

"Hey, Royal." The Guardian stopped, looking over at King and setting his cargo down.

"Yeah, what is it bud?"

"Do you… wanna play catch sometime?" Royal seemed a little caught off guard by the question but quickly recovered.

"Of course, whenever you want."


Steve led a contingent of troops through the forest. Peering over a bush, he saw their target directly ahead of him. The Owl House was dormant, all the lights were off, and the curtains were drawn shut. He signaled for the rest of the Coven scouts to spread out and encircle the building. He pulled out a crow and held it to his ear.

"Ma'am," he reported hesitantly, "We have arrived at the Owl House. We have them surrounded."

"Very good," Kikimora replied, "Move in and capture the insurrectionists."

"Yes ma'am," he said before reluctantly signaling for his troops to begin their assault.

"For the Emperor."


Bum bum bum. Dramatic music. So yeah, there's my take on the Collectors backstory for this crossover. I hope it was worth the wait. Stasis was not going to be a thing at first, but I got inspired by some of the reviews and I thought it would be an interesting addition. Much like the BARDs, I'm not quite finished with the Titan Trappers. Expect them to show up more later on.

ToasterRoaster: He really was the best of us all.

Thatnewguy11: The reunion should be soon, so be sure to stay tuned.

OMAC001: I tried not to make it come across like Royal was trying to overshadow Luz, rather just teach her an important lesson. But yeah, Outcast and Belos have some parallels to their story that are actually entirely coincidental.

dangerdeek22: I've been leaning more heavily on the "Royal is basically Luz's adopted dad" angle. That's one of the main reasons I wish I could've covered Reaching Out. But again, I just didn't have much of value to add besides that. I'll probably do more with it later on. Also damn, that was an obscure reference. Nice catch. It's a shame that Death of Hope got canceled. The texture work, the atmosphere, the intrigue. It was perfect, down to the minute details. I'm glad people are liking Outcast. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to properly convey his story in a single chapter.

GodzillaMaster: It's been fun leaving little hints about the others being Royals while also giving them their own defined character. And, since I don't know when else I'll get to talk about it, there's actually a fun little joke behind Venator batting for the home team. The male versions of Royal are all so aggressively straight that his female counterparts circle around to being lesbian.

Todays short was initially meant to drop last chapter, but that obviously didn't happen. So, here you go.


Amity stepped up to ring, flexing her Abomination gauntlets. Her opponent stood across from her, doing some last minute stretches. Luz and the twins were right behind her, cheering her on. All they were waiting for was the announcer.

Said announcer made their presence known, stepping up to the ring with a microphone in hand. There were a massive figure, wrapped in gleaming silver armor. Purple fabric hung from his chestplate. A large plume stood proudly atop his helmet, with a thin glowing line stretching down the middle.

"Welcome, friends," he said, his voice booming with strength, "To the Trials of Saint-14." Everyone looked around awkwardly, wondering if they were at the wrong spot while the announcer chuckled to himself.

"I jest, I jest," he laughed, "Welcome to the Bonesborough Brawl. I was informed by a little man named Landiger that I need to provide some commentary. I accept this challenge." he held out his arms, gesturing to each of the Witches in the arena.

"In this corner, we have Scab the All-Knowing," he declared. Amity's opponent summoned an Oracle spirit.

"And in this corner, we have… the Mighty Mittens? Really? Oh well, I suppose they cannot all be winners." Amity slammed her Abomination gauntlets together with a confident smirk.

"It's one versus one," Saint continued, "Witch versus Witch. Magic versus Magic! I cannot wait to see how you fight! So I won't. Begin!" With that, the two instantly set to the fight. Scab instantly unleashed their spirit. The summon tore toward Amity, only for her to strike it in the face, pushing it aside. The specter doubled back on her, swiping with its claws.

"Gepetto, record this!" Saint shouted as the two clashed. Amity pushed back against the spirit, summoning an Abomination fist from the ground to strike the spirit in the gut.

"Yes, break them!" Saint shouted, only to remember himself, "My apologies, I get excited."

Scab didn't let that challenge go unanswered, summoning more spirits to aid them. Amity responded in kind, raising a small army of mini-Abominations. The two forces clashed while the crowd watched eagerly.

"What is this? A tie?" Saint asked incredulously, "No, no, no. No ties." Amity raised her fist and pummeled the ground. Spikes made of Abomination goo shot out of the ground around Scab with each strike. Saint clapped, laughing with joy.

"Titan! Honorary Titan! It does not matter, you are amazing!"

Gritting her teeth, Amity pushed toward her opponent. She swung her gauntlets through the air while Scab dodged. The Oracle Witch struggled to keep up with Amitys flurry of blows. Eventually, she found an opening. She punched Scab in the gut, causing them to keel over. Anther punch to the side of their head knocked them down. She raised a fist and held it over the collapsed Witch, waiting while the crowd counted down.

"And they are finished!" Saint roared, "Victory to the Mighty Mittens! I shall gather the children, they would love to watch you win some more!" Amity raised her fists triumphantly as one of Scabs companions helped them to their feet.

"You have won this match," Saint boasted, "You stand proud like a… winner of matches! We must wrestle sometime, it will be good fun." He turned to Amitys defeat opponent.

"Come friend," he said graciously, "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, wipe the shame off yourself, and try again. They say a baby bird must fall from the nest before it can fly. I do not like this… but it is a good metaphor." He leaned over to Amity, whispering in her ear.

"You know, when you hold bird, you must be very gentle. Do not squeeze. Bird is not like gun. I will show you later, with sack of grain." He turned back to the crowd, preparing to announce the next match. Amity hopped off the stage where her team was waiting for her.

"Do you think we should tell Royal there's another Guardian on the Isles?' Amity asked. Luz shrugged.

"I don't think it matters," she dismissed, "These bits are non-canon anyways."

"What does non-canon mean?"