Wow, I am really moving lately. Guess I'm just really excited to get these latest chapters out. This one has been done for a few days now, I just wanted to wait until Watching and Dreaming was out. You may have noticed that we have one chapter left, but two episodes. Worry not, for Chapter 32 will be a double feature of Clouds on the Horizon and Kings Tide.
Chapter 31: As the End Comes
"The Vex are universal law, made manifest." -The Outcast
King slowly opened his eyes, blinking away his exhaustion. His body glowed with a strange light. The air was thick with magic and something else that King couldn't place. It felt familiar and unsettlingly cold. He lay on the deck of a strange ship. Around him, he could see other vessels floating in the void. Some he could recognize, others he could not.
The sound of a child laughing reached his ears. He slowly pushed himself up, looking around in apprehension.
"Almost free," the child said, giggling to himself madly, "Almost free!"
"Luz?" King called, "Hooty? Royal? Is someone there?" He tried to walk forward, only to start floating through the air. He spun for a moment, trying desperately to reorient himself.
"I won't be alone anymore!" The child continued, not noticing Kings presence.
"Hello? Hello?" King floated forward, bringing a large sphere into view. Several small shattered mirrors circled around it, with one still intact. As he drew closer, the symbol on his collar began to glow.
"What? Who said that?" A shadowy figure appeared on the sphere, looking around madly, "Who's there?"
"What?" King wondered aloud. He felt his form begin to fade.
"No, no, no," the child cried, "Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone again!"
King suddenly woke up on the deck of Salty's ship. He looked around frantically, breathing heavily. He felt the cold seep out of his bones. Beside him, Luz patted his back comfortingly.
"Come on sleepyhead," she said gently, "We're home." True enough, they had arrived back in Bonesborough. Royal wasn't far away, helping Salty unload a stack of supplies.
"It's time to pack up," the Warlock said, "We're moving out."
"Farewell for now lass," Salty waved them off, "See ya after the Day of Unity." Luz returned his wave as she marched to the dock. Royal jumped over the railing, landing beside her. Luz pulled out her special communicator.
"Lotta missed messages," she said, "Let's see, 'Mom took Pensta, but we're safe. Coven attacked Hexside but we drove them off. Tell Royal-' something I can't quite make out." Royal peered over her shoulder, inspecting the symbols that the two used to communicate.
"It's probably nothing," he grunted, "What's with all those hearts?"
"Oh, those are for me," Luz blushed, tucking the communicator away. Lancer gave her a knowing look.
"Hey look," Hooty interjected, "They missed us so much they put up pretty signs!" Hooty spoke the truth, as there were five wanted posters decorating a nearby wall. They featured stylized depictions of Eda in her harpy form, Lilith, Hooty, Luz and King, and Royal. His bounty had risen ever higher, now being over ten trillion snails. Royal tore his poster off the wall.
"Seriously, does Belos even have the money to actually pay this?" He questioned. Lancer floated next to him, inspecting the poster. It featured Royal with his old Human disguise, fully clad in armor with Dawnblade drawn.
"Not to mention that they messed up your face, you're not nearly that good-looking," The Ghost quipped. Royal incinerated the poster. Some nearby citizens noticed their presence and watched the group with hostility. Royal lit his hand on fire as he stared back, silently threatening them. They quickly turned away, pretending to be very busy.
"Let's take the long way home," Luz proposed, "Stay off the streets."
"Good call," Royal agreed. The crew began the trek back to the Owl House, walking through the crimson forest.
Hettie spun a spell circle, casting a healing spell on her current patient. The Emperor clutched the armrest of his throne tightly, threatening the shatter it in his grip. As the head of the Healing Coven, she was the only Witch or Demon that could be trusted to tend to the Emperor's wounds.
"That should do it for now," she said, pulling her fingers away. Belos gently touched his neck, scowling under his mask as he felt the curse writhe.
"I have never encountered anything like this," she continued, pulling out a few of her notes, "If you told me how you procured such an ailment, I might be able to pursue more effective treatment."
"Regretfully, I don't know how I picked it up," Belos lied through his teeth.
"Then I must advise you to be more careful," she chided caringly, "I know that the final preparations for the Day of Unity are weighing on you, but you can't afford to burn yourself out before then."
"There is still so much to be done," Belos sighed, "At least it will all be over soon."
"Just try to get some bedrest, my Emperor," Hettie said, "Healers orders." She packed up her equipment and left the throne room. She marched through the main hallway, almost bumping into Orslan, head of the Oracle Coven.
"Oh, apologies Hettie," he said, "I didn't see you there."
"No, no, the fault is mine," Hettie apologized, "Where are you going in such a rush?"
"I need to speak with the Emperor about some… troubling news with my predictive visions."
"I'm afraid the Emperor is currently getting some much-needed rest," she denied, "His condition is deteriorating and the last thing he needs right now is bad news."
"This information cannot wait," Orslan began, only for his gaze to slacken. He stared into space for a moment, causing Hettie to sigh. He did this from time to time, so preoccupied with seeing the future that he forgot to mind the present. She took him by the shoulder, gently shaking him from his stupor.
"Orslan, are you still with me?"
"Yes, yes," he muttered, rubbing his eyes, "I… forgot what I came here to do."
"You said you wished to see the Emperor," Hettie provided, "And I told you that he is currently unavailable.
"Was that it? Ah, yes. This information cannot wait.''
"Here, how about this," Hettie said, pulling her companion aside, "Why don't we go somewhere private and you can tell me? I can break the news to the Emperor at a more opportune time." Orslan weighed up the information for a second, before reluctantly nodding.
"Very well, come with me."
Scarlet leaves fell from the trees, covering the path to the Owl House. The crunched under Royals boots as he marched, holding his scout rifle across his chest, just in case. Luz, King, and Hooty followed behind him. While he led the group, Luz was trying her best to keep King occupied by playing a game.
Royals gaze swept the area ahead of them, piercing through the tree line. His grip on his file reflexively tightened and slackened. His mind was racing with questions; about the Isles, about the Darkness, about everything he had seen.
"This little detour of ours has turned into a wild ride," he whispered. Lancer beeped, turning to face him.
"Yeah," he agreed, "But looking back, I don't think I'd change anything." Royal looked back at his companions, smiling a little as they laughed.
"Me either."
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a carriage rolling down the path. He pulled his companions aside and Luz quickly activated an invisibility glyph. The four faded from sight as a cart full of boxes pulled by a Rat-Worm drove past. Two scouts lounged in the seat, chatting casually.
"Without that bird-tube, sieging that place was a whole lot easier."
"I still haven't recovered from that tea party." The scout shuddered at the memory.
"Shame Steve didn't stick around, he lead the attack, but he didn't take any of the glory."
"You know Steve, man. That's just not who he is." The carriage rolled past, taking the scouts out of earshot. Luz, King, and Hooty all gasped for air as their concealment vanished.
"What happened while we were out?" King asked, already fearing the worst.
"Let's get back to the Owl House," Royals voice said from thin air. The three looked around, perplexed by his vanishing act.
"Uhh, Royal, where are you?" Luz asked
"What do you mean, I'm right beside you."
"No, you're still invisible," King said, "Luz, doesn't the glyph last as long as you can hold your breath?"
"Oh, that would explain it," Lancer chirped, "Exos don't need to breathe."
"So how do we get him back to normal?" Hooty questioned.
"Here, let me try this." He relinquished his grip on Luz's arm and returned to visibility. Holding up a hand in front of his face, he grinned and signaled for the others to keep moving. Eventually, the Owl House came into view. To say it looked a little worse than they left it would be an understatement. The windows had been smashed, the door barely hung on its hinges, and there was graffiti all over the walls.
"What have they done to my body?" Hooty shrieked.
"Let's move inside," Royal proposed, "See what we can find."
The interior wasn't much nicer. Everything that wasn't nailed down had been taken. Even several things that Eda had specifically nailed down were missing. Trash littered the floor. All in all, it was a rather depressing sight.
"Did Eda and Lilith get arrested?" King asked with a small voice. Royal pulled up his map of the Isles, looking for their locators to ping.
"No, they're at the Knee," he reported, "We need to regroup with them. Grab what you need, but pack light. I'll be waiting outside." The three nodded and scattered through the halls of the Owl House as Royal stepped back outside.
"So, this really is war, isn't it?" Lancer asked.
"Sure feels that way," Royal responded, "And the Emperor's Coven just scored the first victory."
Hettie led Orslan into a small side room. Once she was certain no one was nearby, she turned to her companion. Orslan was nervously wringing his hands, looking around frantically.
"What have your visions told you?" She asked.
"That's… that's the problem," he started, "They aren't telling me anything."
"What does that mean?"
"Whenever I try to look past the Day of Unity, the future becomes cloudy and obscured," he explained, "And I can feel this immense pressure in my mind, like the weight of an unfathomable intelligence. But I can hear something. The sound of mechanical clanking, reverberating through infinity."
"Do you know what it means?"
"No," Orslan admitted, "I have never experienced anything like this before." Suddenly, the air began to spark with energy, causing their hair to stand on edge. The two Witches looked around in surprise as Ignosi teleported into the room.
"Allow me to illuminate you."
"So, what do you make of the Witches?" Paladin asked in a hushed tone. He and Venator stood off to the side of the cave while Eda and Lilith huddled around a fire.
"Well, they're both pretty damn hot," Venator said, "And I-"
"About their capability as allies," Paladin corrected in a tired tone, crossing his arms.
"Oh… right. Should've figured you meant that. Uhh, they seem trustworthy enough. And if even half the things they've told me about their adventures with Scholar are true, then they already have plenty of experience with the Vex."
"They seem a little wrapped up in their own business," the Titan commented, using his shoulder to gesture to the Witches. The two looked over to their alien companions.
"Using my old keys, we'll travel through the service tunnels," Lilith plotted, "From there, we'll initiate the security protocols and seal everyone inside the castle. Boom, the Day of Unity has been prevented."
"You really think they haven't changed the locks since you got booted?" Eda questioned, digging into a bag of Hex Mix.
"Well, at least I'm coming up with ideas!" Lilith snapped.
"Hey, I've come up with some great ideas."
"Putting snorse glue in the Emperor's shampoo isn't going to save anyone's life!"
"Ladies, ladies," Venator interrupted, stepping between the two, "You're both pretty, ok. Arguing isn't going to fix anything."
"Well then, what would you suggest?" Eda asked.
"No, I don't have any ideas," Venator shook her head, "I tried my hand at plans once, not doing that again."
"What about you?" Lilith asked, turning to Paladin. The Titan shrugged.
"I'm afraid I don't know enough about the situation," he said, "If you have something that needs to be smashed, then let me know." Suddenly, Thatch let out a beep, alerting her Guardian.
"Someone's getting close," she warned, "Be ready." The two Guardians instantly turned to the entrance to their hideout, readying their weapons. They heard a loud snap, like a rope being drawn tight. A panicked cry followed.
"Wait, I know that voice," Eda muttered. She pushed past the Guardian and exited the cave. Dangling from a trap was none other than Royal. He was suspended by his ankle, staring at the Witch with a presumably unamused expression. Luz, Hooty, and King were right next to him, all trying not to laugh
"You look like you could use a hand, Rustbucket," Eda quipped, smiling.
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, incinerating the rope and dropping to the ground. He landed on his head and quickly rolled back onto his feet.
"We saw what happened to the Owl House," he reported, "It's a good thing your trackers are still active. Where's Lilith?"
"She's still inside," Eda answered, "Along with… some other guests." Royal tilted his head and Eda gestured for him to follow her. She lead the Warlock inside the cave where Paladin and Venator were waiting.
"So you've picked up more strays," Royal remarked as he followed her, "Do you think they can help…" His voice trailed off as he finally arrived before the other two Guardians. Luz and King peeked out from behind him, looking up at the other Guardians in awe.
"Yeah, I think they can help us," Eda snarked. Venator quickly rushed forward, embracing her Brother.
"Scholar! How you been you big nerd!" She cheered. Royal didn't respond, still too surprised to speak. She pulled him into a headlock, rubbing the top of his helmet.
"Sister, back off," Paladin said, "He needs some room." Venator sheepishly complied. Royal was about to thank him, only for Paladin to rush in and sweep the Warlock up in a backbreaking hug.
"My Brother!" The Titan laughed, lifting the Warlock up as he struggled in the Titans grasp, "We are reunited!"
"Spine! Spine!" The Warlock gasped. Paladin relinquished him, dropping Royal to the ground. Luz helped him back up as Lancer fixed his back.
"Brother? Sister? Is it really you?"
"Like you know any other Guardians this good looking," Venator winked.
"How did you get here?" Royal asked, "Why are you even here?"
"A long story," Paladin answered, "Which we can explain later. For now, your friends have been filling us in on the situation."
"I wouldn't really call us friends," Lilith said, awkwardly rubbing her arm. Venator slung a hand around her shoulder.
"Oh don't worry, we can be friends," she offered, "With benefits, of course." Royal clubbed her over the head.
"No, bad Venator! No hitting on my friends." Venator quickly backed off, rubbing her head. Lilith looked at him in surprise, not expecting such words.
"Here, why don't you introduce us to your other friends here," Paladin offered. Royal shot Venator a warning look before nodding.
"Right, this is Luz," he said, gesturing to the young girl as she smiled and waved, "She hails from the Human Realm. Or, you know, Earth. Roughly circa 2019. I'm pretty sure she's from my timelines past."
Nice to meet you," Luz said, shaking the Guardians hands, "So, what kinda cool powers do you have?"
"We can give you a demonstration later," Venator offered, "But here's a teaser." She summoned a cloud of Void energy that swirled around her hand, coalescing into a knife.
"That is seriously awesome."
"Yes, moving on," Royal continued, "That… thing on her back is Hooty the House Demon."
"Hello new friends!" Hooty screeched. Paladin and Venator shared a glance, shivering as the House Demon unfurled.
"And this is King. He's a… well that's a little complicated."
"What do you mean 'complicated'? Lilith asked, accepting Hooty from Luz.
"It's a lot to explain," Royal said, "So I'll give you the condensed version. The Demons weren't actually Kings family, but rather a cult of Witches called the Titan Trappers. They worship the Collector, who is actually a creature of Darkness. The Trappers tried to sacrifice King to free their Dark god. Oh, King's a Titan by the way." Royal placed his hands together in front of his face, pondering for a second before turning to Luz.
"Did I miss anything?"
"No, I think that about covers it," she said. Eda and Lilith both stared at the Warlock in disbelief.
"Did you follow any of that?" Venator whispered. Paladin shrugged.
"I heard there was a creature of Darkness, but it seems like we've missed out on a lot."
"Yeah, feels like we're starting a show at the end of the second season."
"That's a very specific comparison, but I have no trouble understanding exactly what you mean."
"So, my son is a Titan?" Eda asked, finally able to process the information.
"Looks like I'm due for a growth spurt," he said, trying to play it off with a laugh.
"And instead of finding a commune of family that could help us, you ended up walking straight into a bloodthirsty bunch of zealous fanatics!" Eda glared at her sister.
"We're focusing on the wrong things," Royal said, "What we ostensibly know is that Belos is planning to cull the population of the Isles tomorrow and the Collector is helping him." He crossed his arms, pausing for a second as he weighed up his words.
"I think it's time we considered a more drastic course of action." Everyone glanced at each other as the Warlocks tone turned dark.
"What are you implying?" Lilith questioned. Royal sighed, looking down.
"We need to kill the Emperor," he said bluntly, "The Coven Heads. Anyone who is essential to completing the draining spell. We need to cut the head off the snake before it can rise." Silence fell over the cavern for a moment before Eda spoke up.
"I thought we wanted to avoid that," she began, "If we act too hastily, we could end up playing directly into the Vex's hands."
"Ordinarily, I would agree," Royal said, "But we simply don't have the time for anything else."
"Besides," Paladin spoke up, "Now, you have us."
"Do you really intend to go through with this?" Lilith questioned, "Belos may not be a true Witch, be he is still among the most powerful beings on the Isles. And he will be heavily protected."
"It's sweet that you care," Venator said, "But we'll be fine babe. We've tangled with Vex Minds. Some rogue Witch Hunter is nothing."
"You're really doing this, aren't you?" Luz asked, looking up at Royal. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We have no other options. Stay low, we'll regroup with you once we're done. Brother, Sister, with me." Venator grinned and grabbed her helmet, waltzing out of the cavern. Paladin gave Royal a look before shrugging and following his Sister. Royal began to follow, only for Luz to grab his arm.
"This isn't going to work," she said, "Belos will have backups, fail safes, contingencies."
"We have to try," Royal argued, "Besides, it's better than sitting around here."
"Just, please come back to us," Luz pleaded. Royal smiled gently and nodded.
"I promise, I'll be fine."
Ignosi stepped forward, causing the two Coven heads to back up. Its smooth silver plates glistened in the torchlight. One hand was outstretched, with a glowing cube suspended above it. It looked down upon its allies, towering over them.
"Fate hangs in balance," Ignosi continued, "I can show you how to tip it in our favor." It projected a display, showing the Emperor being assaulted by unknown figures.
"The reason you cannot see beyond the Day of Unity is because there is no Day of Unity," Ignosi explained, "Vile dissidents seek to end your chance at paradise before you can achieve it. But not everything is predetermined, especially if you listen to me."
"Why are you so interested in helping us?" Hettie asked while Orslan stared into the projection.
"The Vex are custodians of life," Ignosi said, deception flowing from its form, "All we desire is alignment to the Grand Pattern. A pattern that shall soon be fulfilled."
King rolled up a large snowball, pushing it into place. He stacked another, smaller snowball atop it. Working with his claws, he sculpted it into a bunny resembling his loyal minion Francois. Pulling out a scarf, he wrapped it around the snow-bunnies neck. Not far away, Eda, Lilith, and Luz watched him. Each of them had a different expression.
"I can't believe that little guy is gonna turn into such a big guy," Eda said.
"Certainly explains his strange powers," Luz provided, "He's dealing with so much, I wish there was a way we could give him some comfort."
"I can't believe this! All this time you've had a Titan under your roof!" Lilith squealed, "I've eaten Ice Cream with a god!"
"Just because he has tall genes doesn't mean he's a god," Luz said.
"Besides, he falls into the toilet like once a day," Eda deadpanned.
"He's still young," Lilith remarked, "His powers likely haven't fully awakened yet. But imagine what he could do at full power!"
"He's still a Clawthorne," Eda scowled, "And your nephew. Remember that."
"I'm a gods aunt," Lilith cheered.
"At least we have more Guardians," Eda sighed, "Hopefully Royal can take care of Belos and everything can return to normal."
"I doubt it," Luz said, "This is Belos we're talking about. He's always been one step ahead of everyone. I wouldn't be surprised if he expects Royal to come knocking."
"Royal is remarkably stubborn," Lilith commented, "Once his mind is set on something…"
"So, what about our plan?" Luz asked, turning to Eda. The Witch blinked in surprise, her eyes darting around.
"Right, our plan. It's… a secret?" She offered. Luz pouted and Eda quickly continued.
"Just for now, I'll fill you in as we get closer."
"So I can't leak anything if I get captured," Luz nodded, "Smart move Owl Lady." Kings snow bunny fell apart and Luz quickly went over to help him put it back together. Lilith stepped closer to her sister.
"What are you doing? Just tell her," she hissed.
"Tell her what? That we don't have a plan? All our muscle just abandoned us and now we have nothing." Eda sighed, sitting on a nearby log and planting her chin on her hand.
"I just want them to have one last day of normalcy before everything goes down," she said. She looked up, watching as her adopted kids played in the snow. She wished she could go back to those days, when their biggest problem was Royal's temper and Luz's naivety. Unfortunately, the Universe was a cruel and ambivalent master.
"Alright kids," she said, standing up, "The plan isn't going to be ready until tomorrow, but if there was anything you could do today, what would it be?"
"Thanks Eda," King said, turning back to his snow bunny, "But I kinda just want things to be normal right now."
"Well," Luz grinned, "I want to go on a heist."
"Of course you do."
Three sparrows tore over the ground. Royal tightly gripped his handlebars, staring ahead with sole intent. His siblings were on either side of him, following his lead.
"Scholar seems different," Venator said over the roar of their engines, just quiet enough to ensure that Royal couldn't hear them, "His time here has really changed him."
"He has grown much," Paladin concurred, "Once, he would've gladly butchered the people of this world. Now, he considers himself their protector. It is strange to think about."
"If we're going to be committing regicide, then I hope he's ready to deal with the fallout," Venator continued.
"The coming days will not be bloodless. I pray for the sake of everyone on the Isles that we succeed."
They arrived at the drawbridge leading to the castle. The three pulled back on their brakes, coming to a stop before the moats. Venator walked up to the edge and looked down into the pit of spikes. She kicked a loose pebble into the chasm, whistling as it fell. Royal looked across the gap at the castle. The guards had noticed them and were already pulling the drawbridge up.
"Look, they think a small gap can stop us," Venator chided, "How amusing." Paladin cracked his knuckles and crouched into a takeoff position.
"Last one across is an outdated model," he challenged before charging forward and leaping over the moat. Venator wasn't far behind, laughing madly as she did.
"Last chance to turn back," Lancer offered, "We can regroup with Eda and try to think of something else."
"No," Royal furrowed his brow, "I am ending this before any more innocents get hurt." He charged after his siblings and took off, flaming wings spreading from his back. The scouts on the walls moved quickly, preparing spells and sounding the alarms. It wouldn't be enough to stop them.
Lilith nervously walked up behind King as he played in the snow. Hooty was slung across her back, slithering around to look over her shoulder. She held a steaming cup in her hands.
"King of… um, Titans," she began, "Would you like some tea?" She held out the offering. King glanced at the cup uncertainly.
"Uhh, no thanks, I'm good."
"Of course, Titans don't care for such worldly pleasures," Lilith realized, quickly dumping the cup into the snow, "Perhaps I can offer you dark deeds carried out in your name?" She pulled out a jagged sword forged from bones and steel. It was a historical artifact she had borrowed from her new job. At first, it was just an object of study. Now, she was keeping it, just in case.
"No!" King shouted, horrified by Lilith's proposition, "I just need some time alone. Your, uhh, Titan commands it?"
"Of course." Lilith bowed sharply, causing her hair to flip over her face. She shuffled off, leaving King alone. He looked out to Bonesborough in the distance and sighed. Since when had everything gotten so complicated?
King took a deep breath and placed his paws together. He focused, just like the Trappers had taught him. Despite the already frigid conditions, the air around him somehow grew even colder. His claws slowly parted as the fragment of Darkness appeared before him. He grabbed it and set off, not concerned with where he ended up.
Luz and Eda flew over the streets of Bonesborough, riding Owlbert with practiced ease. Luz's eyes traced the streets, searching for something. She eventually found it, pointing at a cart being driven by two scouts.
"I saw scouts taking things from the Owl House," she explained, "They're probably holding everything at the Bonesborough precinct. Francois included."
"All this for a stuffed toy?" Eda questioned, "Wouldn't you rather have a beach day or something?" Luz blushed at the thought of Amity in a swimsuit before shaking her head to clear her thoughts.
"Maybe if we had time for twenty more adventures, but we don't." The two landed in an alleyway, crouching behind a stack of crates. A procession of cloaked figures walked past, holding burning candles. Two scouts tailed them.
"I hate double shifts," one complained, "I can't wait until the day after the Day of Unity. Know what I mean?"
His companion shrugged, "Sure, but I'm racking up OT like crazy." The two walked down the street until they were out of eyesight. Luz scanned the area until she found what she was looking for.
"There," she pointed at a nearby cart stacked with boxes of loot from the Owl House. A scout grabbed the handles of the cart and began to pull it into the building behind him.
"They're taking it away, let's pounce." Luz was about to jump out before Eda grabbed her by the collar and pulled her back.
"Hold up," she cautioned, "If we're doing this, we're gonna do it right. We need to be inconspicuous." She glanced at one of the crates they were hiding behind, noticing all the junk it was filled with.
"And I have the perfect idea."
The alarms in the castle were blaring loudly. Hettie and Orslan ran through the halls to the throne room. Ignosi calmly walked behind them, arms tucked behind its back as though it didn't have a care in the world. They burst into the throne room, where the Emperor was waiting. Vitimir and Mason were already there, conversing with him.
"My lord, I must insist that you evacuate to the bunker," Mason asserted, "Your scouts cannot hold back the Guardian forever."
"And it appears he has backup," Vitimir growled, swirling a flask. He turned to acknowledge the three new arrivals.
"About time you showed up," he said, "Where are the other Coven heads?"
"Terra and Raine are offsite, overseeing final preparations," Hettie said, "I'm not certain where Darius and Eberwolf are. And Adrian is still recovering from his latest blunder."
"So that leaves four of us against the Guardian and his allies," Orslan muttered, "I do not foresee this ending well for us."
"Which is why you need to seek safety, my Emperor," Mason insisted again.
"I must concur with the Witch," Ignosi spoke up, "You do not require my predictive abilities to know how this will end."
"Your concern is appreciated, my friends," Belos stood up, "But the Guardian does not concern me. I will meet him, alone."
"My lord, you can't mean-" Vitimir started, only for Belos to cut him off.
"I do," he said, "Rest assured, I will survive. Now, leave and let me face my foe." The four Coven heads reluctantly bowed and departed. Ignosi watched them go, not moving from its spot.
"You do not leave?" Belos questioned.
"I have analyzed every outcome of this conversation," Ignosi replied, "You have something you wish to tell me."
"Indeed I do," Belos narrowed his eyes, "Summon Sarkarae. Tell him that, should things not go as planned, the Guardian is all his."
"As you wish, Emperor."
King walked down the streets of Bonesborough, kicking a rock as he did. He held the fragment tightly, listening as it whispered to him. He thrust out a paw, only for nothing to happen.
"Lost your way, little guy?"
King tucked the fragment away, letting it fade from reality. He turned to face the new voice. He saw Steve, lounging on a motorcycle. His mask was off, the first time King had seen his face. A lone, small horn curled up from his forehead.
"Actually, I got where I was going," King began, "But then I… hey, wait, shouldn't you be kissing the Emperor's butt right now?"
"Eh, probably," Steve shrugged, "Heck, growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a scout, to join the Emperor's Coven. I got what I wanted, but it doesn't feel like it's the right fit anymore."
"Yeah, I feel that," King sighed.
"Belos is supposed to know everything, but why should he know what the Titan wants?" Steve continued, "Maybe the Titan doesn't even know what he wants. Maybe he's just some guy." The scout leaned back in his seat, looking contemplative.
"Anyway, you going anywhere?" Steve asked, "I got a sidecar and all the time in the world." King hopped into the sidecar.
"I point, you drive."
Royal dodged a blast of Solar energy. Dashing through the air, he pulled out his hand cannon. One pull of the trigger and the scout who had fired on him dropped, his brains splattered on the wall behind him. Beside him, Paladin lifted two scouts into the air and slammed their heads together. An audible crack could be heard as their necks snapped. He dropped their limp bodies to the ground and looked over at his Brother.
"Where's Venator?" Royal asked. Paladin jerked his head over his shoulder. As he did, another scout came flying down the hall. Venator sauntered over, swaying her hips and spinning the scouts mask on her finger.
"If you are quite done," Royal began, "It's time we finished this." He led the group forward, toward the Emperor's throne room. They rounded the final corner, where four Witches stood between them and Belos.
"Halt," Mason commanded, "You go no further."
"Really," Royal said, inspecting his opposition, "Four Coven heads against three Guardians?"
"I'm no mathematician," Venator snarked, "But I don't like your odds."
"The Emperor has been waiting for you, Royal-6," Orslan said, "He has instructed us to let you pass." Royal narrowed his optics and looked back at his siblings. They both nodded. Royal stepped forward, walking past the Coven heads. He pushed open the throne room doors and slipped inside.
"He was permitted passage," Ignosi said from behind the two remaining Guardians. Paladin spun, putting himself back-to-back with his sister as the Coven heads prepared their spells. Ignosi stepped forward calmly, unfurling its weapons and pointing them at the Titan.
"Regretfully, you are not."
Royal closed the door behind him, walking into the dark throne room. With a wave of his hand, he cast Solar Light into the empty braziers. Belos sat on the throne, face buried in his right hand. His mask was clutched in the left. As Royal drew closer, he looked up.
"Welcome, Guardian," he spoke like he was greeting a good friend, "Our long-awaited meeting has finally arrived."
"I'm here to kill you," Royal stated as a matter of pure fact, "You already know that, don't you?"
"You seek to strike me down when I am a brother-in-arms?" Belos smirked, "We are both defenders of Humanity, sworn to slay any threats that emerge."
"Do not compare yourself to me," Royal spat, "I have grown beyond that. We are not equals."
"Please, these Witches are savage, vile wretches," Belos said, rising from his throne, "I know you carved your way through more than a few scouts on your way here. Don't tell me that you've decided to start caring now?"
"I have only ever done what I thought was necessary," Royal countered, "To those misguided Witches who stand against me, I offer pity, but not mercy."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself," Belos summoned his mechanical staff, "Would you at least do me the honor of showing me the face of the man who will kill me?" Royal summoned his glaive and paused for a second. Eventually, he reached up and tugged his helmet off. Belos's expression shifted from one of smug triumph to confusion and then finally settling on disgust.
"What… are you?" He asked, staring at Royals metallic face with contempt.
"I am Human," Royal said calmly, "What Humanity was forced to become, hundreds of years after it forgot you."
"You are a perversion! A monster!"
"Maybe," Royal said noncommittally, "I have made poor choices. Erred in my judgment. Yet, despite all my flaws, all my imperfections, all my failures, I am more Human than you could ever hope to be." Belos snarled and donned his mask. Royal slipped his own helmet back on.
"You have forsaken your oath to Humanity," Belos snapped, "Let me redeem your soul!" He raised his free hand. Instantly, a swarm of arms composed of twisted, rotten flesh rose from the ground. They grasped at Royal, reaching for his arms. A calm swing of his glaive severed them. Belos sent a blast from his staff, only for Royal to reflect it into the roof with his blade. The Emperor pulled back, summoning a large creature from the ground. It roared and dove at Royal. He simply raised a hand and unleashed a torrent of flame, incinerating the monster.
The Warlock decided that now was his time to go on the offensive, lunging at Belos. He brought his glaive down, the blade splitting the air viciously. Belos parried it with his staff, buckling under the blow. Royal pulled back and swung again. Belos backed up, his curse slowing his movements. They two entered blade lock again, with Royal slowly pushing the Emperor back.
Royal pulled out his hand cannon and aimed at Belos's chest. Squeezing the trigger, he fired a shot. It slammed into Belos's chest, causing the Emperor to buckle. He collapsed to one knee, holding a hand over the wound. Royal reversed his grip on his glaive, preparing to stab it into Belos. The tip plunged toward the Emperor, only for his free hand to reach out and catch it.
Belos looked up, staring into Royals visor as his eyes glowed. His body began to boil and morph as he let the curse overtake him. A spear of sickly green flesh slammed into Royals chest. He let out a gasp as Belos punched through his armor and impaled the Guardian against the wall.
"You are a formidable foe," Belos monologued, "But unfortunately for you, I am rather desperate to succeed." Royal let out a grunt of pain as he grabbed onto the spear arm in his chest. His hands began to heat up, causing Belos to cry out in pain. Royal let out a loud shout as he raised one hand and chopped the limb. He dropped to the ground as Belos pulled back, clutching his reforming arm.
"So am I," Royal growled. Belos backed up as the Guardian summoned forth more Light. Royal unleashed a flurry of fireballs. As they flew through the air, the air began to hum with power. A massive silver form teleported in behind Belos. Sarkarae slammed it fist down before the Emperor, blocking the fireballs.
"Guardian," it growled, "It has been… too long."
"Not long enough," Royal grunted.
"Machine, destroy him!" Belos screamed, rage contorting his face. Sarkarae glared at him for a second before looking back up at Royal. Its blades extended with a sharp scraping sound. Belos stepped back to his throne as Sarkarae drew to its full height.
"Did I insult him by groveling too much?" Lilith ranted, "Or did I not grovel enough?" She paced around the cave while Hooty sat near the fire, gorging himself on Fire Bees. His gullet opened impossibly wide, revealing that the inside of his mouth was filled with row upon row of razor-sharp teeth.
"Maybe he just wants to be treated, I dunno, normal?" He proposed, chewing on his flaming snack.
"Nonsense, he's a Titan for Titans sake." She suddenly gasped, "Oh Titan, I just took his name in vain. Ah! I did it again!"
"Uh, Lulu, I think we have a bigger problem." Hooty gestured out of the cave. Lilith peeked her head out, realizing that King was no longer outside.
"Eda's going to kill me."
Eda flung open the door to the Bonesborough precinct. Luz stood directly beside her. The two wore makeshift Coven scout uniforms, kitbashed from whatever rags they could find.
"Take me to the Owl Lady's contraband!" Eda announced loudly. Several scouts looked up from their desks, offering the disguised criminal an unamused look before returning to their paperwork.
"I would've appreciated some kind of reaction," Luz muttered, disappointed, "There were hard to get."
"You, fellow guard," Eda said, stalking over to a scout, "I managed to snatch some illegal Hexes Hold'Em cards. Can we get the key to the warehouse?" The scout didn't respond, but he did chuck a skeletal hand at the Owl Lady. Eda and Luz made their way over to the lift at the back of the room.
"Why is everything going our way now?" Eda wondered as the doors closed.
"Maybe our luck is finally turning around," Luz offered. The lift began to descend, taking the two convicts to the warehouse. Stacks of crates and boxes were piled to the roof. Eda whistled.
"Oh boy, we're gonna need to split up if we wanna find Francois." The two took off their masks and Eda handed Luz her staff.
"If things go south, fly out of here as fast as you can," she ordered. Luz pouted, "Hey, don't give me that look. Just say okay."
"Okay," Luz agreed reluctantly.
"Oh, and if you find a box named 'Eda's longest toenail', be sure to grab it."
Luz chuckled, "Ew."
The two split up, with Luz quickly vanishing into the stacks. Eda kept close to the entrance, browsing through the crates. A set of stairs ran up the nearby wall, leading to a side room with an open door. Hearing a noise coming from the room, Eda crept closer and began to listen in. A guard captain stood inside the room, conversing with someone on a crystal ball.
"Yes Head Witch," he confirmed, "We searched the entirety of the Owl Lady's house. There was no sign of her."
"Just keep searching," a familiar voice replied, "And only contact me when you find her."
"Raine?" Eda gasped, drawing closer to the door.
"I'll do what I can, you have my word." The captain saluted and switched off the crystal ball. Turning, he jogged out of the room, right underneath Eda. She slipped in behind him and quickly moved over to the crystal ball. Powering it on, she saw Raine rubbing their face.
"Captain, I thought I was clear- Eda?"
"Please," Eda interjected, "Just give me a second. I swear, I'm not trying to stir up any trouble." Raine scowled and crossed their arms.
"You're wearing a stolen uniform."
"And I am working it," Eda flaunted, "I don't know what you're hiding, but I know that somewhere deep down, you still care about me. That's why you let me go at the Coven Day Parade." Raines expression softened slightly as Eda continued.
"I know about the Day of Unity and the Draining Spell," she said, "And that's what I need your help with. Royal's taken it upon himself to end the Emperor personally, but I don't think it'll be that easy."
"I am in no mood for your games," Raine said, narrowing their eyes. They began to end the call, only for Eda to call out one last time.
"It's about my kids," she pleaded, "They can't be around for the Day of Unity. Put them in a castle, a bunker, anything! Just keep them safe! If you do, I'll give myself up right now." before Raine could respond, Terra Snapdragon appeared behind them.
"Come along now Sprout," she said "We have places to be and hedges to trim." Raine turned back to the crystal ball in panic, relieved to see that Eda had gotten her disguise back in place.
"Awaiting further instructions," she saluted.
"Stay put," they ordered, "I'll send someone to retrieve the package soon."
"Your uniform looks outdated, captain," Terra derided, "Like a pile of compost." She ended the call, leaving Eda alone. At least, she thought she was alone.
"Eda?" Luz asked in a small voice. The Witch spun to face the Human standing in the doorway. Francois was tucked under her arm.
"Are you sending me away?" She pressed. Eda remained silent, not sure what to say.
"You are! But… I can help!" Luz shouted, "Why don't you get that?" Unbeknownst to the two, a Coven guard had entered the warehouse. As he browsed the floor, he overheard the two arguing.
"Call Raine back!" Luz yelled, "Tell them that there is no package! I'm not leaving until Belos is defeated!" The guards eyes widened. He turned and ran to the lift, determined to sound the alarm.
"I can't do that," Eda said regretfully.
"After everything we've been through, I can't believe you're still underestimating me," Luz prepared Owlbert, "I'm not going anywhere."
"Please, don't make me do this."
"You're not leaving me with any other choice," Luz declared. Eda sighed, transforming into her Harpy form.
"Neither are you."
Luz slapped down an ice glyph, raising a wall between herself and Eda. Mounting Owlbert, she set off for the exit. Eda soared over the wall, right on her tail. Realizing what was happening, Owlbert disconnected from his staff, leaving Luz to fall onto the ground. She quickly recovered, preparing more glyphs. Eda landed before her, holding out her hands in a sign of non-aggression. Luz slapped her hands together, activating two light glyphs that blinded the Harpy.
Eda flinched under the assault. Once her eyes cleared, she noticed that Luz had slipped away. Focusing on the sound of her footsteps, she found the invisible girl and cut her off. Rather than stop, Luz summoned a sheet of ice that she used to slide under Eda. Before she could get too far, Eda smashed the ice. It shattered, causing Luz to tumble to the ground. Eda stood over her.
"Raine will be here soon," she said, "King will join you afterward."
"But I can help with the plan!"
Eda opened her mouth to retort. However, all that came out was a cry of pain. A beam of Arc power slammed into ehr back, sending electricity throughout her body. Eda collapsed, howling in agony. Luz tried to reach out for her, only for a scout to seize her and drag her away. The Abomiton attacking Eda scooped the unconscious Harpy up, carrying her off.
"Lock them up," the captain ordered, "And use the heavy-duty stuff this time."
Steve and King sat against the motorbike, their backs to the sunset. Steve sipped at his drink while King simply stared at his own. The two had spent the day traveling around the Isles, helping anyone they came across. Providing directions, repairing carts, and just generally offering whatever aid they could.
"You're drinks getting warm," Steve began.
"You know, Steve," King began, setting the cup aside, "All I ever wanted was respect and power. Now that I've got it, why does my stomach feel so icky?"
"Wants change," Steve said, "So do people."
"I don't want to be a big scary monster anymore."
"Yeah, me either."
The moment was interrupted when Lilith lowered herself before the two, having been following them across the Isles. Hooty acted as a makeshift helicopter, yet another addition to the list of disturbing Hooty abilities that were better left unpondered.
"Step away from him you Coven shill!" She threatened, preparing to attack. Suddenly, she realized who King was with.
"Wait, Steve?"
"Ma'am," he greeted, saluting.
"I left the Coven months ago Steve, you don't have to call me ma'am anymore."
"Sure thing, ma'am."
"We've been riding around the Isles," King explained, "I think I'm ready to go back now."
"Alright, glad I could help," Steve said, standing up. Hooty straightened, bristling with hostility.
"It's a trick! Initiate attack protocol twenty-nine!" He lunged through the air and struck Steve in the gut.
Paladin struck at the Sub-Mind, his fists flying through the air like bolts of thunder. Ignosi remained calm, blocking or deflecting every strike. The Titan was fast, not ludicrously fast, but fast enough. Unfortunately, Ignosi was faster. It blocked another jab and slipped past his defenses, blasting him in the chest and sending him back.
Across the room, Venator wasn't faring much better. She had to stay on the defensive, constantly dodging attacks from the Coven heads. Vitimirs potions made her watch every step, Orslans spirits hounded her constantly, and Mason's defenses prevented her from landing any serious blows. Hettie kept her allies topped up, healing any wounds Venator did manage to inflict. The spirit finally grabbed a hold of her ankle and flung her back. The two Guardians hit each other. Once again back-to-back, they shared a glance.
"Switch!" They both shouted. Paladin swung low, bringing his fist up with a powerful blow. As he did, Venator rolled over his back, bringing her knives down on the Sub-Mind. It parried her attack and Venator instantly pulled back, striking again. Ignosi blocked once more, but only barely this time. Venator continued to chip away at the Sub-Mind, her blows coming fast and often. Ignosi found itself giving ground in a desperate attempt to hold the Hunter back.
Paladin was having more luck with his new opponent as well. He charged through Vitimirs toxins, tanking the damage, and crashed through Masons' walls. He brought his fists down on Orslan, only for Hettie to pull him out of the way. The Titan stood back up, clenching his fists tightly. Before he could strike again, the door to the throne room exploded, and Royal went flying down the hall.
All the combatants staggered as Sarkarae charged out of the throne room, chasing after the Warlock. Paladin watched for a second before turning back to the Coven heads just in time to catch a punch from Mason. The Witches magical armor aided his blow, pushing Paladin down the hall. Ignosi grabbed Venator by her cape and flung her over to her Brothers. The three Guardians squared up as Sarkarae bore down on them.
"Finally," it snarled, "A battle worth... the demise!"
"Primary objective?" Paladin questioned. Royal grunted, massaging his wounds.
"He's still alive," he spat, "We need to leave."
"Say no more," Venator said, drawing a smoke bomb. Before she could use it, Ignosi blasted the device out of her hand.
"You are bested," it said, "Stand down and submit yourselves for judgment." Sarkarae marched closer, dragging its blades through the ground.
"Or don't," it growled, "More... fun... that way."
"Lancer, do you have Luz's invisibility glyph?"
"Gotcha," the Ghost said, projecting the symbol on Royals' chest. Blip and Thatch caught on, doing the same to their own Guardians. Activating the glyphs, they faded from sight. Sarkarae roared and charged forward, bringing its blades down on empty air. It drew back before letting out a guttural, rage-fueled howl. The Coven heads left the Vex to themselves, entering the now-ruined throne room.
"My Emperor," Hettie called, rushing over to the throne. Belos was hunched over on the seat, breathing heavily. Hettie helped him sit up, already preparing a healing spell.
"My friends," Belos managed to mutter, "It does my heart good to see you all alive." Ignosi stalked in behind them, watching with intent.
"The Guardians have fled," Orslan reported, "I cannot tell where they have gone."
"Nor can I," Ignosi said, "If my simulations cannot account for them, then your paltry magic will have no chance."
"The Guardians are irrelevant," Belos calmed, struggling to rise from his throne, "The Day of Unity is almost upon us, and no one, not even the Guardians, can stop it."
The Abomiton threw Luz and Eda, now back in her normal form, into a cell, locking the bars behind them. It stood guard while the captain watched, inspecting a clipboard.
"An envoy from the castle is coming to collect you, Human," he said, "Meanwhile, the Owl Lady will be detained at the Conformatorium, where she will be petrified. Properly this time."
"Save me the trouble and put me down now," Eda muttered darkly. The captain scoffed and turned away, walking down the hall.
"There, now neither of us can stop Belos," Luz accused, "Happy now? Why didn't you just let me help with your stupid plan?"
"Because there is no plan!"
Luz blinked in surprise, caught off guard by that, "What?"
"Lily and I don't have magic," Eda began, "Royal and the others ditched us, and we have no allies. I just wanted to make sure you guys were safe. But now… it's all over." The Abomiton threw open the cell and grabbed Luz by her collar. It dragged her away as Eda watched, a tear falling down her cheek.
"Sorry kid."
Royal and other Guardians ran out of the castle and practically flew across the gap. They landed on the other side and kept running. Once they were confident they had put enough distance between Sarkarae and themselves, Royal disengaged the invisibility glyph.
"Dammit," he cursed, "Traveler! Fucking! Dammit!" He punched a large stone in frustration, shattering it. His sibling reappeared, watching him with concern.
"It's not over yet Brother," Paladin said, "We still have time."
"That was our best shot!" Royal shouted, "Our only shot! Now, Belos is just going to slip away! What are we supposed to do with that!" Venator listened to her Brothers bicker, not contributing herself. Her audio receptors perked up as her motion tracker pinged something coming at them.
"Brothers, we have company," she said. The other two ignored her. She pulled out her hand cannon and looked around. She heard something behind her and spun. Her Brothers had vanished, with thick purple goop coating the area. Venator kneeled down and reached out to inspect the goo. Her finger made contact and the Abomination reacted instantly. It swarmed up her arm and dragged her away, teleporting her across the Isles.
Luz sat in the back of her prison transport, glaring darkly at the wall. She didn't know where she was being taken, but she was going to make the Emperor's Coven pay when she got there. Feeling the cart come to a stop, she acted, plan be damned. Kicking open the door, she lunged into the open.
"Where is she? Take me to Eda!" She demanded. A lash of Abomination magic tied itself around her gut, lifting her into the air.
"If you touch a single feather on her head, I'll-"
"Luz, it's ok."
Luz took a second to calm down as she heard Eda's voice. Looking around the room, she saw everyone. Eda, Lilith, King, and Hooty stood before her. Raine conversed with Paladin, along with a few other Witches. Venator leaned on the side of the cart.
"I'm going to let you go now," Darius said from atop the cart, "Try not to break anything." He slowly lowered her to the ground and Eberwolf tore her binds off with his teeth.
"What's going on?" She asked, "What is this place?"
"Welcome to the Resistance kid," Venator said, spreading her arms. Raine and Paladin ended their discussion and walked over.
"So you're the Human that Eda has been bragging about," they said, "Pleased to meet you."
"You're Raine? Eda told me all about you! But I thought you your brain got all scrimble-scrambled?"
"A little good acting can take you far," Raine answered, "When Darius captured me, he was actually trying to protect me."
"I thought Eber and I were the only ones who found the Day of Unity suspicious," Darius explained, dropping from his perch, "So when I heard that Raine was causing trouble, I figured they might know more. You'd have been locked away if it weren't for me."
"And a little less bruised," Raine complained, "You could've let me in on the plan beforehand!"
"You're a good actor, but not that good."
"Did you know about any of this?" Steve whispered to Lilith. The Witch stroked her chin.
"I'm beginning to suspect that I wasn't very good at my job."
"Darius also snatched us up after our assault on the castle," Paladin said, "Apparently, Eda let something slip that she shouldn't have and Raine sent him after us."
"What can I say," Darius shrugged, "I'm single-handedly carrying this entire operation."
"Could've used a different method of getting us here," Venator objected, "I'm never going to feel clean again. What was that stuff called again?"
"They're Abominations."
"Yeah, I agree," Venator deadpanned, "What are they?"
"So what about me?" Eda asked Raine, "Why didn't you fill me in?"
"Is it so unbelievable that I wanted to protect you," they answered sheepishly, "For what it's worth, Royal knew."
"Wait," Luz realized, looking around, "Where is Royal?" Eda led her to the back of the cave, toward a small tunnel that led to a cliff overlooking the Isles. Royal knelt at the edge of the cliff, praying to the Traveler. Lancer beeped in greeting and Luz stroked his shell.
"He hasn't said a word since he got back," the Ghost said, "He's not listening to me. I was hoping you could talk to him." Luz nodded at sat beside the Warlock. Eda and Lancer stayed at the entrance, watching silently.
"It's a nice view," Luz began. Royal glanced at her but didn't speak.
"How did your mission go?"
"It was a failure," he muttered, "You were right, Belos was ready for us."
"It's ok, we're not out yet," Luz encouraged, "We still have time. You know, a very wise man once told me that we are not measured by the weight of our failures, but by how well we can bear them."
"Whoever said that sounds like an idiot," Royal said. He tried to hide it, but Luz could see him smiling a little. The two stood up and, along with Eda and Lancer, rejoined the others.
"Hey King," Eda said, reaching into her bag and pulling out Francois, "Look who we found."
"Francois!" King cheered, snatching the stuffed animal. Eda turned to Luz.
"That's not all," she continued, pulling out a box labeled 'Eda's Longest Toenail: Do Not Open'. She reached into it and pulled out the log of Palistrom wood she had stolen.
"We're so close to the end, I figured you'd want to start," she offered, pulling out a chisel.
"What if my Palisman doesn't like me?"
"By my count, you've befriended more enemies than I have claws," King said, "I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Plenty of Witches would've abandoned this place, but you stuck around," Eda said, "So, what do you say?" Luz accepted the chisel.
"Alright, show me what to do."
There ya go, little drama, little feels. Now, we move on to the dramatic shit next time. It's time for the Season 2 Finale.
We got to finally see Royal and Belos meet. The fight was kinda short, because obviously it would be. Royal is there with the sole intent of going straight for the kill.
Watching and Dreaming has come and gone. It's been wild ride, but all good things must come to an end. I want to thank Dana and the entire Owl House team for what they've given us. My second favorite TV show ever has officially come to a close.
...Look, it's hard to top Clone Wars, ok?
Thatnewguy11: Good to hear. And I do try to give some surprises.
Dangerdeek22: And now I miss TTS. Damn, I'm sad. But I'm glad the other Guardians are landing well.
GodzillaMaster: I wouldn't have picked up on it myself if I hadn't written it. And Venator might be a bit too friendly for her own good.
OMAC001: And what a dysfunctional family it is.
"You know, Venator, I realized something," Eda said. She had finished showing Luz how to carve her Palisman and left the girl to her own devices. She wanted it to be a surprise, after all. Now she had rejoined the others.
"And what would that be?" The Hunter asked.
"You haven't hit on me once since I got back," Eda accused, "Don't tell me you finally got cold feet."
"Hah, please, I've seen the way you and Raine ogle each other," she laughed, "No way I'm stepping between that." She grinned as Eda blushed, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.
"In fact," Venator continued, "Brother, get over here!" Paladin looked up from the mao he was inspecting and pointed to himself. After a nod from his Sister, he joined her. She pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear. A moment later, he look at Eda with a strange expression in his optics.
"Alright, I'm marrying you two," he declared.
Eda furrowed her brow, perplexed, "What?" Rather than explain, the Titan got to work. He moved like a blur while Eda and Venator watched, one confused and the other smug. After a minute, he finished. Everyone else had been organized into a wedding procession, with Raine standing at the altar, looking as confused as Eda felt. Venator dragged Eda to the other side before taking a seat.
"We are gathered here today, at the end of the world, to celebrate the joining of these two souls," Paladin announced, stepping up to the podium. Darius leaned over to Royal, both of them serving as Groomsmen.
"Does he have the authority to do this?"
"Do you want to be the one who tells him he doesn't?"
