Surprise! We're back already! I absolutely knuckled down and grinded this chapter out as fast as I could. And what a grind it was. This shit is over sixteen thousand words and I wrote it in, like, three days! For context, the previous longest chapter is chapter seven at thirteen thousand. Needless to say, my fingers are killing me. But enough of my bitching, onto the angst!

We conclude season two of Witches and Warlocks at over 284,000 words, 88 followers, 70 favorites, and over 25k views. I cannot thank you all enough for your continued support.


Chapter 32: Yield to the Stars

"If I don't stop the Vex, there won't be anything to come back to." - Osiris to Sagira


Belos stood as still as a statue, watching the Abomiton perform its orders with unthinking obedience. Sturme stood just beside him, running some final tests. His mechanical fingers danced over the dials. Belos's lip curled up in disgust as he watched the Vex-Witch do his work. His encounter with the Guardian had sullied his mood considerably. Only the fact that he was about to be finished with this wretched world was keeping him going.

"We are almost ready, my Emperor," Sturme said, "The portal frame is at maximum integrity and all systems are fully operational. Is there anything else you require of me?"

"That will be all here," Belos said, masking his true feelings beneath a veneer of neutrality, "Go and finish overseeing our operations at Blight Industries."

"As you wish," Sturme bowed, "Your great work is nearly complete." He faded in a shimmer of blue light as he teleported across the Isles. Belos sighed and clutched the portal key dangling around his neck. The shadows on the wall began to dance, twisting in the familiar form of the Collector.

"Heh, heh, heh, you nervous?" He laughed, "You've been away for how many years? What if it's changed? What if you've changed? You've gotten so used to eating Palismen that you can barely keep your Human shape anymore!" His form split as Belos lunged at the wall, striking it with a cursed limb. His arm dropped limply to the ground as he tried to recompose himself.

"And considering what you've seen of the Guardian, are you even sure you want to save it anymore?" The Collector continued. Belos glared at him, with the Collector oblivious to his hatred.

"I can't wait to get out of this prison," he cheered, "There are so many games I wanna play. And if we need a third player, you can always make another Grimwalker."

"Not until this one is dealt with."

"Just free me already!" The Collector whined impatiently, "You promised!"

"The Draining Spell must work first, as you promised," Belos countered. The Collector scoffed.

"You need to have more faith in pinky swears."

"Do not worry Collector, your patience will be rewarded," Belos signaled for the Abomiton to stand down and turned to leave the Skull, "After all, the Day of Unity is about to begin."


"Clear?"

Emira looked back, seeing her siblings watching her. She held up a finger, signaling for them to wait, and ducked her head back around the corner. Their parents' factory lay directly ahead, with no signs of security. She gestured for them to move up. Amity fiddled with her communicator nervously, trying to think of something to say to Luz. She just wanted to know that her girlfriend was safe.

"Yes, Edric, we're clear," she said, "Do your thing." Her twin grinned and prepared a fireball.

"Step back and watch the master." He reached back, preparing to torch the factory. In one fell swoop, they would halt the Vex's plans and cripple the Emperor. As Edric prepared to fling the fireball, a silver figure appeared beside him and grabbed his arm. Ignosi stared down at the Witch dispassionately. Its free arm extended and drew a spell circle. Amity's communicator was torn from her grasp as she tried to type on it. Ignosi clutched it tightly, crushing the machine to prevent her from speaking with Luz.

"Your mission was most illogical," it said, "We tire of your interference." Its weapon unfurled and it pointed the barrel at Edrics face. He gulped nervously as it began to hum.

"Children, where did you go?"

Ignosi's weapon powered down as Odalia turned the corner. Her gait stuttered slightly as she saw Ignosi, before putting back on a mask of confidence.

"What are you all doing here?" She questioned.

"Your children were attempting to destroy our facilities," Ignosi stated, not relinquishing its grip on Edric, "Fortunately, I anticipated this possibility and prevented it."

"Mom, you have to listen to us," Amity pleaded, "You can't trust these things. They want to destroy us!" Her mother's gaze snapped to the Sub-Mind, flinching a little as she met its uncomfortable stare.

"Nonsense," she dismissed, "Now, come along. You are all grounded until after the Day of Unity."

"Run along, children," Ignosi commanded, tossing Edric into his twin, "Listen to your mother." Odalia summoned a spirit to whisk them away and turned back to the landing pad, pointedly ignoring the Sub-Mind.

"You should be proud," Ignosi said, causing Odalia to halt in her tracks, "Your work is coming to fruition. Everything that is about to pass, we owe to you."

"I did this for my family," she said, "To secure their prosperity." She began moving again, returning to the landing pad just in time to see Sturme teleport in. He stood up and offered her a nod.

"Is there anything to report?"

"No," she said, "Kikimora will be back soon to pick up her next delivery."

"After the Guardians attempted assassination, we cannot be too careful," Sturme reminded, "We need as many Abomitons on the ground as we can get." As he finished lecturing her, Alador walked up behind Odalia, wringing his wrist nervously.

"But what if the Guardian comes for us?" He asked.

"Do not concern yourself with them," Ignosi said, "Their presence is negligible." Alador nodded uncertainly as Ignosi turned away, consulting its cube.

"Odalia, I'm not so confident about this," Alador whispered.

"It's a bit late to have second thoughts now."

"I know," he hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck, "I just worry about what is waiting for us after the Day of Unity." Odalia was about to speak up before she felt something staring at the back of her head. A quick glance revealed that Ignosi had transfixed her with its optics. Its faceplate remained emotionless, yet she could feel the conveyed implication.

"Remember," she reassured, "We are doing this for the family."


Luz studied her communicator closely, trying to decipher the message within. All around her, the rebels were moving about their business and conducting final preparations. Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out Venator chatting with Katya, no doubt trying to score before the end of the world.

No wait, Venator was holding a gun. She was just showing Katya some of her gear.

"What kind of language is that?" Eda asked, leaning over Luz.

"It's the language of love," she responded, "But it's unfinished. All I could get out was 'Come quick'." King waddled into the room, carrying a crate over his head. He dropped it atop a large table, revealing it to be full of scout uniforms.

"Special delivery," he called. The others dropped what they were doing and gathered around.

"Ooh, disguises," Lilith cheered.

"This is just a trick to get me to wear clothes!" Hooty screeched.

"Is there anything else you need me to do?" King asked Eda eagerly, "Grab some tea? Defeat some baddies? Create some life? I am a Titan after-"

"Totally frightened. Yeah, me too," Eda quickly cut him off before leaning in to whisper in his ear, "Look, I know you wanna help, but we need to keep this stuff a secret for the time being, ok? You may be a Titan, but you're still a little guy." While King looked down in disappointment, Darius joined the others at the table. He placed his hands against the map.

"Alright, let's get this briefing over with." Once he was certain he had gathered the attention of everyone present, he gestured to Raine.

"Alright everyone," they began, "We know that the Day of Unity is set to begin today."

"Which means we have one day until Belos wipes out all life on the Isles in one fell swoop," Darius added, accentuating his point by sweeping several figures off the map.

"Not everyone," Raine corrected, "The spell only targets those with Coven sigils, siphoning magic from them through the Coven heads."

"So what is the plan?" Lilith questioned, "Hide one of you?"

"No, ever since Raine's attempted rebellion, Belos had made sure that we all have replacements," Darius said, "We can't stop the Darining Spell, but we can corrupt it. That's where the Owl Lady comes in." he gestured to Eda, who pointed to herself in surprise.

"How does Eda play into this?" Royal asked. Darius sighed, rubbing his face.

"The curse," he stated, "It corrupts any magic it comes into contact with."

"Oh yeah," she realized, "It messed you two up good." She pointed to Darius and Eberwolf, who was gnawing on one of the figures absently.

"Your memory is flawed, I was perfectly fine," Darius objected.

"Whatever you gotta tell yourself," Royal said, "So, how do you propose we get the second most wanted criminal in the Boiling Isles into the most important place on the planet?"

"You just had to stress the 'second' part of that, didn't you?" Eda pouted. Royal gave her a smug grin.

"Eda will sneak into the tower," Darius began, "And here's how. I'll use some of my Abominations to sneak Eberwolf's flesh-eating beetles into the crowd. In the ensuing panic, Eda will be able to slip by undetected."

"We are not doing that," Paladin deadpanned while Venator was busy petting Eberwolf, neither of them paying attention to the briefing.

"Only a few people would get eaten alive," Darius scoffed, "And only the small ones at that."

"If we must do this, then the safest way is to have Eda tap into the spell by taking someone's place," Raine countered, "My place. Sigil and all." Everyone was a little taken aback by that, looking around while they waited for a further explanation.

"As head Bard, you'd be flanked by both Eberwolf and me," Darius elaborated, "Which will allow us to keep an eye on the others."

"Why are we pretending Edalyn is the only one with a curse here?" Lilith spoke up, "Please, let me do this, as a-'

"No," Eda interrupted, "You haven't had your curse that long. You don't know how it will react. Besides, how could I pass up an opportunity to stick it to Belos one last time? Not only that, but I've got the Raine Whispers looking out for me!"

"Heck yeah, Owl Lady!" Katya cheered. The rest of the Bard joined in while Royal lightly punched her shoulder.

"Don't forget about three heavily-armed Lightbearers."

"About that," Darius said slowly, "We need you to stay in reserve."

"What do you mean?" Royal asked.

"There is no doubt that our sabotage will create a lot of chaos," Darius explained, "It would be the perfect opportunity for the Vex to make their move. We need you three sitting back to stop them before they can make their assault."

"Then hold back one or two," Royal objected, "I'm not letting Eda go at this alone."

"The auditorium where the Day of Unity will occur is massive," Raine said, "You'll be spread thin as it is."

"Don't worry Rustbucket, I'll be fine," Eda assured, "You're not the only one who can take risks."

"We just have to hold off the Vex while they do their work," Paladin reassured, "Once they're done, we can evacuate the civilians." Royal grumbled a bit but accepted their terms.

"Good luck and godspeed everyone," Paladin said, "May the Traveler watch over you all."


Luz and King stood on the edge of a balcony, looking down as the rebels finished their final preparations. Their airships were up and running, set to take off soon. Paladin sat on a box, telling a story to Steve, Derwin, and Amber. Off to the side, Venator was showing Katya how her sparrow worked. It all felt deceptively peaceful.

The curtains behind the two parted as Eda walked up beside them. Royal ducked in not long after her, fiddling with his helmet.

"There you are," Eda said, "Look what I've got." She held out Luz's Palisman. It was an egg, colored a vibrant cyan with swirling patterns all around it.

"The outer coat's finally dry," Eda continued, "I thought you'd carve something cute, like a Tarantula. Why an egg?"

"I got to decide what my future looked like when I decided to be a Witch," she said, "I want my Palisman to have the same choice. Until then I'm willing to wait."

"Maybe they'll hatch into a Ghost," Lancer provided, "I'd be more than willing to give some pointers."

"Whatever they end up being, I already love them." Luz coddled the egg and tucked it into her backpack. Eda sighed, leaning against the railing.

"Can you believe I gotta pretend to be a Coven head?" She joked.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Royal asked.

"Well of course I don't want to," Eda answered, "But if it's what I have to do, then I'll do it."

"I wish I could be there," Royal said, placing his helmet against the railing, "Our long-range communication isn't working, since we have no satellites in orbit. So we'll have to resort to Light-powered flares to communicate. If you see that go up, stay away."

"You know, as exciting as the end of the world and an alien invasion sounds, it's not nearly as romantic as going on a covert mission to rescue your girlfriend," Eda said, wiggling her eyebrows at Luz.

"I never said I was gonna-"

"You don't have to," Lancer said, "It's written all over your face. Just tell Amity we say hi, alright?"

"We'll see each other after the Day of Unity," Eda encouraged, "When we succeed."

"If we succeed," King said dejectedly.

"When," Royal stated, "We've overcome worse."

"And we have the advantage," Eda agreed, "We've got King the Titan and Luz the Human, legends in the making!"

"Don't forget Eda the Owl Lady and Royal the Warlock," Luz countered as Eda ruffled her hair.

"Both already legends, each somehow more horrible than the last!" King cheered.

"Look out for each other," Royal ordered, "With a little luck, we'll be back here before the day is out." Raine pushed open the curtain, gesturing to Eda.

"It's time," they said, "Let's get moving." Eda winked at her kids and the Guardian.

"See you on the other side." With that, she slipped out. Raine turned to follow, only for Luz to grab their sleeve.

"Promise me that you'll protect her." Raine seemed a little caught off balance, but quickly recovered and offered Luz a comforting smile.

"I promise."


-]Status Report[-

Pyrikaga ceased its command protocols, allowing its subordinate Wyverns to assume command. The Sub-Mind was gathering its forces to their new exit point. Once the hour came, Ignosi would activate the machine, allowing the Vex to manifest on the Isles. And unlike their previous Conflux, they would not be limited to any one area. They would be able to appear anywhere they wished.

The machine also served a second purpose. So long as it remained active, the Vex would be able to sustain themselves on the power of their own network. They would be quicker, more resilient, and more lethal. Ignosi had fulfilled its purpose well.

-]Force is 78% prepared[-

Synegorus heard Pyrikaga's report, instantly processing the information.

"The Guardians will be present," it said, "Assume nothing. Ensure they are dealt with, personally."

"As you command, my lord," Pyrikaga acknowledged, "Your servants will not fail you."


Luz clung to Royals' back as his sparrow soared over the ground. King rested on her shoulder, holding on tightly. The Warlock carried her through the forest, eventually coming to a stop.

"Alright, here we are," he said. Luz hopped off the sparrow, looking around the area.

"Where are we? I thought you were taking me to Amity?"

"This is as far as I go," he said, "I need to regroup with my Brother and Sister. You'll have your own escort to aid you. Good luck." His engine began to hum and he took off. Luz huffed as she watched him go.

"Escort, I don't need an escort."

"Hear that Gus," Willow's voice reached her ears, "Guess she doesn't want us around."

"Sounds like we should just go home," he replied. Luz turned to her friends and quickly embraced them.

"No, no, of course I want you around," she laughed, "I thought you guys were in hiding after the attack on Hexside?"

"They were," Hunter dropped in from a low-hanging tree branch, having finished his surveillance, "But they overheard Darius telling me to guard you and insisted on tagging along."

"More like he begged us to join because he was afraid of getting recognized," Gus quipped.

"Hunter, are you ready for this?" Luz asked, reaching out to him, "You must be dealing with a lot after learning-"

"That Belos is evil?" He interrupted, speaking a little too loudly to be comfortable, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." He quickly pulled her aside, whispering in her ear.

"Don't you dare mention that… thing around them."

"What thing? That you're a Grimwalker?" Luz asked, "I don't know what you guys went through, but they seem to like you."

"So I should tell them, hmm?" Hunter shot back, "Like how I assume you've told them about Phillip?" Luz flinched, giving Hunter all the answers he needed.

"I heard everything," he said, calming down slightly, "Please, don't tell them."

Luz nodded and Hunter whistled to the others. They set off for Blight Manor. It wasn't a long walk, as they soon found themselves on the edge of the grounds. Impatient, Luz began to step forward. Gus quickly pulled her back and spun a spell circle. He pierced the illusion surrounding the manor. A scout stood not far away from them, maintaining the spell. Willow stepped forward, cracking her knuckles. Luz joined her, drawing a plant glyph. Soon, the scout was trapped in a tangle of vines that brought him to the ground.

"Sorry dude," Hunter apologized as the four ran past. An Abomiton noticed their approach and began to sound the alarm, only for Hunter to decapitate it with his staff. Willow dragged it into the ground, burying the machine. Now that they were alone, Luz stepped closer to the balcony that led to Amity's room. She placed a plant glyph, lifting herself up to the door. Inside, she could hear Amity and the twins talking.

"We can't just sit here," Amity ranted, pacing around her room while holding what remained of her communicator, "We need to do something!"

"We already tried doing something," Emira said, "That's kinda how we ended up here in the first place."

"We can shout as loud as we want," Edric concurred, "But the Vex have mom bent around their creepy fingers."

"Dad would listen, I know he would," Amity said, "I- I just want to know that Luz is safe." Her eyes began to water as she spoke.

"What do you think Luz would say right now?" Emira asked gently.

"Probably something dorky, but also sweet," she answered, wiping her eyes, "Like how I shouldn't give up and that anything is possible. Or that I shouldn't let fear stop me. Because every problem has a solution." While their sister was talking, Emira nudged her brother and gestured to the balcony door where Luz was waiting. The two nodded and discretely slipped away.

"Everything's been so crazy that we've barely had any time to spend together," Amity continued, oblivious to her siblings' departure, "And I am not letting the world end until we finally go on a real date!"

"Wow, you're right," Luz said, a smile plastered on her face, "I would say all that."

"Luz?"

"Sweet Potato!"

The two quickly embraced, with Luz lifting Amity up and spinning her around. The two laughed, just grateful to be together again.

"I'm going to take you out when this is over," Luz swore, "I promise. No monsters, no mysteries, no murderers. Just the most mundane, slice-of-life date you can imagine." Rather than respond verbally, Amity pulled Luz in again. The two locked lips, much to Luz's surprise, embarrassment, and absolute joy. She positively melted into her girlfriends' arms. The two eventually separated to Luz's disappointment.

"Oh. Crikey," she muttered.

"I can't believe I just did that," Amity realized, flustered beyond belief.

"I can't believe I just said that," Luz followed up, "Crickey. How did I even think of that?"

"Luz, the Vex are here, at the manor," Amity remembered, "Is Royal here?"

"He's with the others at the Skull," Luz panicked, "So we have to…?"

"I guess so," Amity nodded, "We've beat them before, we can do it again."

"And this time," Luz said, leading Amity back onto the balcony, "We have backup." She gestured to the others. Gus, Willow, King, and Hunter all waved.


The sky was filled with airships that cut through the clouds. Dozens soared through the air, looking down on the pilgrims below. Raine stood on the deck of one such airship. Steve was before them, scanning the head Bard with a special concealment stone. Once it had the appearance they wanted, it would be able to maintain a permanent illusion over Eda.

Once Steve was finished, Raine noticed a feather flying past them. They snatched it out of the air. Looking across the airship, they saw Eda downing an elixir, feathers retreating into her body. They walked over to her as she leaned on the railing.

"Hey, I know that look," she said, lightly punching him on the shoulder, "I've got it under control, Rainstorm. Unless you're jealous that I'll make a better Coven head than you."

"Are you really sure you want to get a sigil?" Raine asked, "Even if your curse heals, you'll never be able to practice Wild Magic again."

"My curse isn't going anywhere," Eda dismissed casually, "But if I can use it to help, then how could I refuse?"

"We're almost there," Steve called as he approached the two, concealment stone clutched in his hand, "Here you go Eda. It'll keep you hidden under an illusion. But it won't change your voice and those voice modifier spells are forbidden by, you know." He tapped his sigil. Eda nodded and took the stone. It activated, masking her in a puff of blue smoke. Once the smoke cleared, Raine found themself staring into their own face.

"This works a little too well," they murmured.

"I wonder…" Eda began, reaching up and grabbing her head. With a slight tug, she tore it off.

"Hah! It works!" She cheered. Raine stared at their own severed head uncomfortably. Eda put her head back on and turned off the concealment stone as Steve rejoined them. He reached out, a branding glove on his hand.

"Are you ready?" He asked. Eda held out her forearm, a determined look in her eyes.

"One final adventure." As Steve began to brand Eda with the Bard sigil, Darius walked over to Raine, letting a crow phone fly away.

"Paladin and Venator have reached their rally point," he said, "Once Royal regroups with them, they'll divide to their final staging positions." Raine sighed, rubbing the back of their neck.

"I hope they're ready."


Odalia looked up as an airship touched down on the landing pad. The docking ramp lowered and Kikimora made her way down, sipping a drink as she did.

"I hope this shipment is the last," she groaned. Odalia nodded and gestured to the inside of the factory. Kikimora, along with a few scouts, followed the Blight matriarch inside. A nearby bush rustled as the Hexsquad watched from behind it. Gus spun his fingers, putting an illusion of scout uniforms over the six. They set off after Odalia, with Luz holding King back.

"Stay here King, it's safer," she instructed, "If anyone asks, you're guarding the perimeter." He began to object, but Luz pushed on before he could get anything out. Looking down in disappointment, he sat on the ground.

"He's my friend, right?"

King shot up, looking around for the source of the voice. It was the same one he heard whenever he fell asleep.

"He wouldn't lie. He wouldn't. He wouldn't!"

"Who's there?" King asked.

"We spent hundreds of years playing his game!" The voice sounded resentful now, "I have a much greater game to play. Or… or they'll get mad at me." King clutched his head as he backed up, trying to escape the voice. As he backpedaled, he heard something crunch under his foot. Looking down, he saw a discarded bag of snacks. A trail of trash led further into the trees.

Inside the factory, the Hexsquad moved carefully to not draw attention to themselves. They stuck to the outskirts of the factory while Odalia led Kikimora toward a large object, covered by a sheet.

"For the last time," the Demon groaned, "I'm not interested in your dumb gadgets."

"You may wish to reconsider," Odalia said, slipping into her business persona with ease. She snapped her fingers and Sturme stepped out from behind the object. He tore off the sheet, revealing a specially customized Abomiton. It towered over the other Abomitons, with a built-in pilot seat. Its limbs were thick and powerful, Abomination magic and Vex machinery working in tandem. Glowing green lights littered the machine as its silver metal positively glowed in the light. Kikimora dropped her drink as her eyes widened.

"Introducing the Abomitron," Odalia boasted, "With seven hundred snorsepower, two fairy-powered jet packs, built-in Torch Hammers, and cup holders." Kikimora quickly climbed into the pilot seat, clapping gleefully.

"I'm finally taller than everyone!" She laughed maniacally, "It exceeds my wildest imagination!" While she fiddled with the controls, the Hexsquad discretely peered into Aladors' lab. To their disappointment, they couldn't see any signs of life, save for a strange-looking rat.

"This area is off limits."

The five spun around, seeing Odalia glaring at them while Kikimora continued to practice with the Abomitron.

"Follow my lead," Hunter whispered to Luz. He stepped forward, snapping into a salute that Luz failed to mimic properly.

"Mrs. Blight, Kikimora has told us of your products, such assets could be invaluable to the Emperor's Coven."

"Yeah, we are all about invaluable assets," Luz agreed, leaning in front of Hunter.

"Can't get enough of them," Gus added.

"I'm an asset gal myself," Willow concluded.

"Apologies for the trouble," Hunter said, pushing the others away, "We'll get out of your way." As he tried to shoo his friends out of the factory, Kikimora stomped between them and the exit.

"Wait, I know that annoying voice!" She said, narrowing her eyes. Hunter sighed.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

They tried to break for the exit, only to run into dirt-covered Abomiton and a very angry scout.

"Sorry, man," the scout snapped, seizing Hunter and Gus by their collars. Their illusions faded as the Abomiton snatched up the girls. Kikimora cackled as she stomped over.

"Hello there," she greeted with a malicious edge, staring at Hunter the whole time, "Traitor."


King continued to follow the trail of snack bags as they led him away from the factory. He pushed through the foliage, stepping over litter and crumbs as he did. Hearing the sound of mechanical squeaking, he pushed on faster. Eventually, he broke through a bush and found Alador sitting on an old swing set, munching on a bag of Hex Mix. King stepped forward slightly, snapping a twin under his paw. Alador looked up at him, sitting up slightly.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there," he said, "Shouldn't you be with the others?"

"I'm… on break," King lied, "Mind if I join you?" Alador shrugged, gesturing to the swing beside him. With some effort, King scrambled into the seat.

"So, what are you doing out here?" King asked. Alador took in a deep breath.

"Eating some food, getting some rest, browsing through my thoughts, reconsidering my choices, and passing the time."

"Wow," King blinked, "What aren't you doing?"

"Being a good parent, apparently," he muttered, "Sorry, I shouldn't be dumping this all on you."

"No, it's alright. Coven scouts are supposed to help."

"I've… I've just been going through a lot lately," Alador sighed, "Odalia has always been overbearing and controlling, but I did what I could to minimize her worst excesses. Then, we accepted that deal from the Emperor's Coven. She seems so different now. Less coordinated. And the Vex…" He rubbed his face in exhaustion.

"Have you ever found yourself forced to choose between two dangerous options, unsure which one was the right call?" King didn't reply, leaving Alador to kick the dirt beneath his foot.

"I'm unloading a lot right now," he said, "Once the Day of Unity is over, I'm going to make things right and spend more time with my kids."

"What if I told you there won't be anything after the day of Unity?"


Paladin inspected his shotgun, thoroughly checking every component to ensure that it was maintained to acceptable standards. Once he was satisfied, he slung the weapon across his back with a satisfying click. Venator dragged a small stone across one of her knives. There was no doubt that it was already sharpened to perfection, Hunters took great pride in their knives after all. She was just trying to kill the time.

"He should be here soon," Paladin stated. Venator nodded.

"Never thought this would be our grand reunion," she quipped, "And yet, it feels so fitting."

"This world is strange, yet it has a rugged beauty to it." Paladin plucked a flower from the ground, holding it up to his face. The petals fluttered in the wind.

"Well, I'm looking forward to wrapping up," Venator said, reclining against her sparrow, "We have our own lives to get back to." Paladin didn't get a chance to respond as the two heard the sound of another sparrow drawing closer. They turned to face their approaching Brother. Royal slowed to a stop, stepping off his sparrow.

"Are you both ready?" He asked. The two nodded.

"Then let's move to our second positions."

"Brother, wait," Paladin said, placing a hand on Royal's shoulder, "We still have some time before the Draining Spell begins. We've hardly had any time to catch up."

"I've already told you about what I've been doing here," Royal said impatiently.

"And yet, I can't help but feel that we're missing out on something," Venator prodded, "Why do you care so much about these Witches? I'm getting some serious whiplash from when I last saw you." Royal tapped his fingers on the handlebar of his sparrow.

"I suppose you could call it guilt," he admitted, "It's my fault the Vex ended up here. My reckless actions drove away any chance of ending this peacefully. I'm just trying to atone."

"And you have made new friends," Paladin encouraged, "Forged legends that will last for generations." Royal smiled a little under his helmet.

"Yeah, everyone else has been great," he agreed, "When I first met Eda, I damn near put a bullet in her head. Then, a few weeks later, I was tearing apart the Conformatorium to save her. King is just a lost kid trying to find his way in the world. Hooty… I try not to think about too much, but he's not too bad once you get to know him. And I'll be honest, I didn't care much for Lilith for the longest time. But I've learned to let go of my grudges and forgive."

"And then there's the kid," Venator said, "You practically dote over her."

"Luz is…" Royal struggled to find the right words, "Luz is the exemplification of everything I swore to protect, everything I love about Humanity. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her."

"I hate to interrupt," Lancer spoke up, "But we need to get moving. The last ships are touching down." Royal nodded and the three mounted their sparrows. Paladin pulled out a crow phone and called Darius.

"We're all here," he reported, "Moving to second positions."

"Good," the Abomination Witch said on speaker, "Oh, and one more thing Royal."

"Yes?" The three Guardians said at once before looking at each other.

"No, Royal-6," Darius clarified. The three all gestured to each other vaguely, talking over one another. Darius sighed and they could picture him rubbing his face in exhaustion.

"You know what, just forget about it. I won't keep you any longer." He hung up and Royal shrugged, looking at his Brother and Sister.

"I'll see you when this is all over," he said, raising a fist to his chest, "Fight for the living."

The other two mimicked the salute and they all spoke in unison

"Kill for the dead."


Amity slammed her hands against the glowing pink dome that kept her trapped. The rest of the Hexsquad stood behind her. All of their hands had been bound by Abomination goo, leaving them helpless.

"Sturme, is my airship ready?" Kikimora asked, stomping past.

"Indeed," the Vex-Witch said, "And I found a pair of saboteurs." He snapped his mechanical fingers and an Abomiton walked over, carrying Edric and Emira. They struggled in the machine's grasp as it held them before their mother.

"Take care of them," Odalia said, "Lock them in their room. And make sure they stay there this time." The Abomiton marched off obediently.

"Mom, don't you get it? You're helping a Witch Hunter!" Amity shouted, "And the Vex just want to kill us all."

"As if your mother would listen to the words of a child," Sturme scoffed, "It's almost like you're trying to make her look bad."

"She's trying to help you!" Luz shouted. As she did, the air began to crackle with power. A glowing blue light appeared in the air as Ignosi teleported over. It slammed into the ground, rising to inspect its surroundings.

"Ignosi," Amity whispered in fear. Luz glared at the machine.

"You can't trust that thing!" She shouted once more, "Please!"

"The final preparations on the island have been completed. Perfection is at hand," it ignored her, speaking to Sturme.

"You should be honored," Sturme said to the Hexsquad, "The Vex shall lead us to a new age of enlightenment and prosperity." Ignosi's optics remained impassive, yet there was a dangerous aura exuding from it.

"We'll find a way to stop you!" Luz declared, "You won't win!"

"Such noble nonsense," Ignosi stated calmly, "And you are no Guardian. You are just a child."

"Don't talk to my girlfriend like that!" Amity snapped.

"Girlfriend?" Odalia realized, "Oh no, that won't do. We'll find you a new girlfriend after the Day of Unity. One that isn't on wanted posters." Amity's face contorted in rage as her magic began to swirl within her. Letting out a furious, rage-filled scream, she tore her restraints apart. Manipulating the goo, she created a spiked gauntlet and began to strike the confines of her prison.

"Really Mittens, you're embarrassing yourself." While Amity continued to whale on the dome, Kikimora walked up behind the Hexsquad, staring down at Hunter.

"I always knew you were rotten to the core," she gloated, "Belos will probably snap you in two when I hand you over. Maybe he'll even make me the new Golden Guard!"

"Leave him alone!" Luz came to his defense, stepping between Kikimora and Hunter.

"I'm surprised you're here Human," Kikimora goaded, "Aren't all your friends at the Day of Unity?" Luz gasped, causing Kikimroa to chuckle menacingly.

"Oh that's right," she said, "The Vex ran countless simulations of your little rebellion. They knew every move you were going to make before you made it."

"A waste of my talents," Ignosi said. Kikimora cackled and turned away. As she did, Luz pulled Gus aside.

"Alright, I have a plan."

As Luz spoke with Gus, Amity reared back for yet another strike while her mother watched unimpressed. She roared as she punched the dome. To her surprise, it shattered like glass.

"How did I do that?" She wondered, gazing at her gauntlet, "Was it the power of believing in myself?"

"No, it was the power of science!" Everyone turned to the source of the new voice. Alador stepped on the landing platform with King right behind him. He held a small remote in his hand and there was a confident smirk on his face.

"But you were doing great, sweetie."

"What are you doing?" Ignosi questioned, its arm began to unfurl, revealing its weapon.

"I'm making the right choice," Alador declared, "Odalia, I'm making an executive decision to terminate our partnership with the Vex." His wife glanced at the Sub-Mind nervously as it stared at Alador.

"Alador, I implore you, think about what you are doing," Sturme pleaded.

"You consider yourself to be intelligent," Alador countered, "Take a step back and analyze the situation. I will not allow the Vex to harm our world."

"The planet will not be harmed," Ignosi stated menacingly, "Only its indigenous lifeforms."

"Wait, what?" Sturme turned to the Typhon, "You told me we would make it perfect?"

"It will be perfect," Ignosi declared, aiming its weapon at Alador, "Without the infestation of organic life."

"No! I won't have any part in this!" Sturme summoned his mythoclast and fired at Ignosi. The shot pierced its form without any effect. Ignosi's form disappeared in a puff of illusion smoke. Sturme looked around in a panic before letting out a pained cry. Ignosi's fist was plunged through his back.

"I am terminating our arrangement," it said, purging Sturme from the Vex Domain. He let out a weak cry as his optics dimmed. Ignosi let the lifeless shell drop to the ground.

"Now," Ignosi turned to the interlopers, "As for you."

"Odalia, please," Alador begged. His wife stepped back, looking away from the Mind. Alador quickly raised a wall of Abomination goo to protect himself, using the tank on his back to supply what he needed. Ignosi's shots slammed into the barrier, blasting pieces of it away. Retaliating, Alador summoned two large arms that struck at the Sub-Mind. It deftly avoided them, teleporting wildly to throw the Witch off.

Kikimora saw her chance and lunged for the Hexsquad. They scattered, with Luz tackling Willow to the ground in a flash of yellow light. Hunter drew Luz's gun and tried to fire at the Abomitrons weak points. She lunged at the boy, an attack he failed to dodge. Hunter struggled as he was clutched in the Abomitrons hand. The others began to attack her, forcing Kikimora to retreat into the factory.

Willow pursued her, riding a sea of vines as her eyes glowed in fury. She prepared to attack Kikimora, only for the Demon to raise Hunter before her. Willow panicked and averted her strike. Kikimora aimed the Abomitrons weapon at Willow, only for Gus to cloak the factory in the illusion of a pitch-black void. Kikimora began to fire with reckless abandon, not concerned with what she may hit. One shot punched through the roof, causing the ceiling to cave in on itself.

Outside, Alador was pushed back by Ignosi's calm, precise attacks. It didn't matter what Alador threw at it, it was already ready. He grunted, pulling back his Abominations. They began to coalesce together, swelling into a massive orb of Abomination goo. It detonated, flooding the landing pad with goo. Ignosi teleported, avoiding the attack and dragging Odalia with it. It stood a short distance away from the landing pad, regarding Alador coldly. It began to march forth, only for King to unleash a sonic boom that slammed into the Sub-Mind.

"Impossible," it said, "I did not anticipate that."

Alador was about to attack once again before Ignosi held Odalia up by her neck as she struggled in its grasp. The two faded as Ignosi teleported across the Isles to a destination unknown. Alador reached out in a futile attempt to save his wife, but she was already gone. Their relationship may be complicated, but that didn't mean he wanted her to suffer at the hands of the Vex. Alador and King quickly turned around and raced into the factory. He arrived just in time for Kikimora to blast a hole in the roof.

"I don't need to deal with all of you!" She screeched, "Not when I have this one!" The jet pack on the back of the Abomitron began to rumble and she took off, carrying Hunter away with her as she flew to the Skull.

"Hah, the jet pack actually works!" Alador cheered before realizing what that meant, "Oh, it actually works." Willow instantly turned, running for the airship. The others followed as she bored the craft, furiously mashing the controls.

"Come on," she snapped, "Why won't you work?"

"Here, let me," Alador offered, taking the controls.

"Shouldn't you stay here to shut down the Abomitons?" Amity asked. Alador smiled, holding up his remote.

"I can do it remotely," he said, "Built-in failsafe. Besides, you need a pilot." He turned to Luz, who was panting heavily.

"By the way, I'm sorry about Odalia. You are always welcome in my house." He placed a hand on her shoulder, only to be met with a puff of illusion smoke. Once it cleared, he saw Hunter standing beside him.

"Ok, now I'm confused."

"It was her idea," Hunter tried to explain, "It all happened so fast." Gus helped him up.

"She wanted to protect you," he explained, "And Eda."

"So that means?" Willow began.

"She's being taken straight to Belos," Amity realized, turning to stare at the Skull in horror.


Ignosi arrived at its destination. Its feet hit the ground and it relinquished Odalia. She fell to the ground, clutching her throat as she gasped in pain. They were at the Vex's base of operations. Shining metal dominated the landscape. The entire structure was rigidly geometric, comprised of strictly defined shapes.

"Your husband will not be able to delay our plans," Ignosi said, summoning a glowing cube that it began to manipulate, "Soon, our work shall be concluded. And we couldn't have done it without you."

Odalia tried to stand up, only for a wave of force to push her down. Sarkarae stomped its way over, towering over the Witch. It glared at her with contempt, extending one of its blades.

"Halt," Ignosi ordered, "This one is still useful to us." Sarkarae let out an animalistic growl as it retracted its weapon. A pair of Goblins approached Odalia, seizing her arms. They dragged her into the depths of the Vex structure.


King found himself back in the strange dimension. He had just wanted to settle down for a slight rest to process everything that had happened. Now, he was listening in as Belos talked with the child in the mirror.

"But you said you'd let me out!" The child complained, "I hate it here!"

"Just a little longer," Belos soothed, "We have to wait until after the Draining Spell."

"You'd better not be fibbing," the child asserted, "You pinky swore!"

"Patience, Collector, you can trust me." Belos faded, breaking off their connection. King scoffed at his words, causing the Collector to look up in surprise.

"Who's there?"

King's eyes snapped open as Willow gently shook him. He was perched in her lap, breathing heavily.

"It's ok King, it's ok," she comforted. King looked around the ship. Amity paced nervously, no doubt worrying about Luz. Gus was inspecting the magical amplifier he had stolen from Graye. Hunter peered over Aladors shoulder, much to the older Witches annoyance. Hunter nudged a lever, only for Alador to swat his hand away.

"I know how to fly a ship."

"Then fly faster!" Amity said frantically, "We're barely even halfway there! Luz could be in trouble!"

"Maybe if I took the wheel…" Hunter began, reaching for the steering wheel. Alador slapped his hand again.

"Very eager to return to Belos, aren't you?"

"At least I never built him an army!" Hunter snapped.

"Watch your tone young man!" Alador let go of the steering wheel as he turned to Hunter. The airship buckled now that it lacked a steady hand to steer it.

"Here's a bright idea," Gus shouted as Alador got the ship under control, "Don't distract the pilot!"

"He started it," Hunter grumbled. The four began to shout at each other while Willow and King watched.

"I can't believe she's going to face Belos alone again," King sighed, "And I'm powerless to help her. We can't even help each other."

Willow looked over to Clover, her Palisman, and nodded. The large bee began to converse with the other Palismen before they split up. Together, they got the attention of their respective Witches, drawing them to a crate of food. It was only then that they realized how hungry they all were.

"Look, we're all exhausted and terrified," Amity said, trying to lower the tension in the airship, "Let's focus on helping Luz instead of fighting each other." Everyone agreed, with Alador allowing Hunter to take the wheel while he sat beside his daughter. He summoned some Abomination goo, using them to coat her hands in purple gloves.

"Just like when I was a kid," she smiled, "Wait, is this why you all call me Mittens?" Alador nodded sheepishly while Clover flew back over to Willow.

There's always a way to help," Willow offered, "You just have to look for the right opportunity."

"Thanks, Willow," King said, feeling exhaustion overtake him again, "I'll remember that."


It was time.

The Day of Unity was set to begin any second now. The denizens of the Isles had gathered in a large stadium, neatly divided into nine sections where all the main Covens were located. Each section had its own separate entrance, though each was free to mingle with each other. A large tower rose from the center of the area, stretching above even the Titan's head.

Royal observed from his secluded perch, watching as Witches and Demons willingly wandered into the slaughterhouse. He was overlooking the Construction, Illusion, and Abomination Coven sections. His sibling were on other sides of the stadium, watching three other sections themselves.

A massive projection of Belos appeared over the central tower, his face revealed to his subjects. He had the visage of a caring elderly family member. He spread his arms wide, gesturing as if he wished to embrace his subjects.

Venator spun Malfeasance around on her finger, waiting for the coming assault.

"Children of the Isles," his voice boomed, amplified by magic, "For too long, our world has been home to an insidious pox. A corruption that defies the Titans blessing." He reached toward the sky, where the moon and sun hung beside each other, growing ever closer with each passing second.

Paladin checked the optics on Eyes of Tomorrow, ensuring the weapon would fire true.

"But that changes today! United with the Titan, and with the power of the eclipse, we shall wipe out Wild Magic forever! Paradise awaits!" His subjects began to cheer loudly, professing their love for their emperor. His apparition faded as they continued to holler. Belos stood atop the tower, looking down at his subject with contempt. Six of his Coven heads walked in behind him. Hettie, Orslan, Mason, Adrian, Terra, and Vitimir all moved to their posts, ready to begin.

Royal held Edge of Intent beside him, tapping the back end on the ground to calm his nerves.

"So it begins," he whispered to the winds.

Within the central tower, the rebels made their final preparations. Katya and Derwin, disguised as Coven scouts, watched the entrance. Katya flashed Lilith a thumbs-up to let them know they were clear. Behind Lilith, Eda stretched her back, preparing to take her place at the top.

"Man, those last steps were a pain," she joked. Raine didn't share her lighthearted tone.

"Hey, pay attention," they said worriedly, "The other Coven heads think they're going to become royalty after today. The concealment stone will mask your appearance-"

"But not my voice, I know, I know," Eda said, "I got this Rainstorm. Have a little faith."

"Don't tell me not to worry," they chided. Lilith took her sisters hands.

"If anything goes wrong, then flap your arms and we'll be right there," she ordered, "Or- or…"

"Scream really loud," Hooty offered. Lilith embraced her sister, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just stay safe."

"I'll be fine," she reassured. Darius leaned in, gesturing for Eda to join him.

"It's time."

He, along with Eberwolf, lead her out to the tower. Eda applied her illusion as she exited. The other Coven heads greeted them. Some were warm, others were not.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Belos smirked, "We've decided to change up the seating arrangement slightly." Eda found herself pushed between Terra and Adrian while Darius and Eberwolf were dragged across the circle.

"Do not say a word about my appearance," Adrian hissed as he stood beside Eda, "I will not be taking criticism right now." His hair was ragged and disheveled, a far cry from the flamboyant, orderly man he had been a few days ago.

"Hello, Sprout," Terra greeted, a sadistic smile on her face. Belos raised his staff and drew a glyph in the ground. It took the appearance of a crescent moon over a star, with branches that stretched out to each Coven head.

"Goodbye Boiling Isles," he whispered so that no one could hear him. As the moon began to overlap with the sun, he slammed his staff into the glyph. All across the stadium, every glyph began to light up. The citizens muttered excitedly to each other. As they did, Belos dissolved into the ground, reappearing in the Skull. Flinging off his cloak, he revealed a neat blue coat with clean pants. The outfit of a general. He pulled out the Collectors' mirror as the Dark being appeared on the wall behind him.

"We did it!" He cheered, "It's done! Now you can free me and we can play new games!" Belos smirked, putting on an appearance of false remorse.

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

"Exscuse-a-what now?" The Collector was flabbergasted, "But you promised that you'd use the Titans Blood to free me!"

"And I'm sorry," Belos lied, pulling out the key, "But I just realized that I only have just enough Titans Blood to open the portal."

"But you said we were friends!" The Collector shouted, "We pinky swore!"

"So we did," Belos rolled his eyes. The Collector glared at him as he carried the mirror. He covered it with a blanket, causing the Collector to vanish. As soon as he faded, Kikimora arrived. Her Abomitron flew through the eye of the Skull, landing with a loud thud. A translucent pink orb was clutched in its hand, with an obscured humanoid shape within it.

"My Emperor," Kikimora kneeled, "Congratulations on this momentous day. I come bearing a gift. You have been looking for the Golden Guard and I have him right here. Perhaps this deed is worthy of returning me to my old post? Or… mayhaps… I could become your new right hand?"

"You, as my right hand?" Belos mocked, walking past her, "I'd sooner cut off my own arm."

"B- But, I just want to help," Kikimora offered weakly. Belos turned back to her, cruelty dancing in his lifeless eyes.

"Then go find a hole to die in."

His arm transformed into a massive tangle of cursed flesh that forced the Abomitron and Kikimora out of the room. Her cargo remained dormant on the ground. Belos ignored it, walking over to the edge of the pit.

"I gave you the Draining Spell!" The Collector shouted, his mirror now slightly uncovered, "Taught you magic stronger than anyone on the Isles!"

"Which is exactly why I cannot release you," Belos said casually, "Can't have you teaching that to anyone else. Goodbye." He relinquished his grip on the mirror, letting it slip from his grasp. It fell into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

"Now, as for you." He turned back to Kikimora's prisoner. The containment had faded, revealing Luz, crouched on the ground.

"Of course she would mess up such an easy task," Belos scoffed, 'But it is fortunate that you are here, my fellow Human." She stood up but didn't make any further moves.

"What, no fight left in you?" Belos taunted, "Or did you learn your lesson from last time." Luz looked up, meeting his gaze with a defiant look of her own.

"You wish."

She sprang into action, using an invisibility glyph to slip behind her foe. She reappeared and unleashed a wave of flame at him. He calmly deflected it with his staff, looking more bored and exasperated than anything.

"I see the student still requires one final lesson."


On board the airship, Hunter rolled up his sleeve. He stared at his glowing sigil nervously. Alador met his gaze, his own sigil glowing as well. The stadium was just before them now, but their advance wouldn't be that easy.

"Halt, your airship has been reported as stolen!" Another airship flew beside them, full of Coven scouts and Abomitons. Gus cast an illusion, making the ship appear like a flock of birds. The Abomitons were undeterred, opening fire on the ship. Hunter dashed across the gap, striking the lead scout. He tried to teleport back, only to catch a stray shot from an Abomiton. He fell off the ship with Flapjack taking after him, flying as fast as he could. Before the cardinal could reach his Witch, Willow intercepted him, carrying him back to safety.

"Why did I make those things so powerful?" Alador groaned. Another shot from an Abomiton finally did their ship in and it began to plummet toward the ground.


Atop the tower, Eda checked her branded arm. Her curse bubbled as magic coursed through it, eating away at her flesh. She buried the urge to cry out in pain and tucked her arm behind her. All around her, the Draining Spell began to waver. The Coven heads' sigils dimmed, causing them to look around in confusion.

"What?" Vitimir hissed, "What's going on?"

"It's getting weaker," Hettie noted, confused by the development. Eda suppressed a grin, only for Terra to grab her shoulders.

"It appears our mechanical friends were correct," she gloated, "Adrian, if you would." The head illusionist smirked, drawing a spell circle.

"Gladly, I love a good twist." He dispelled Eda's illusion, leaving the Owl Lady defenseless. Eberwolf acted quickly, swelling into a more muscular form. He snarled at Adrian, lunging at the illusionist. Mason acted quickly, catching Eberwolf with a swing from his hammer.

"Eber, what are you doing?" He questioned, standing between Adrian and the Beast Demon.

"Oh for Titan's sake," Darius groaned as Vitimir moved to encircle his friend. He swelled up into his Abomination form and swiped at Vitimir. Orslan summoned a spirit to restrain Eber while Terra watched smugly, holding Eda back with her vines. Darius cut Vitimirs hat in two as the Potions head ducked. He had always found the hat ridiculous anyways. Vitimir retaliated, breathing a cloud of toxic gas at Darius.

"That's enough!" Hettie shouted. The two stood down, looking over at the head healer. She held a scalpel under Eberwolfs throat.

"Everyone just calm down!" She ordered, "Darius, don't make me do something we'll both regret." Darius relented, returning to his standard form. Vitimir quickly pulled him back in line as Orslan did the same for Eberwolf.

"Did you all really think you would get away with that?" Terra scoffed. A squad of scouts burst out of the door, dragging a captured Raine with them. The other rebels had been tied up and left behind, unable to intervene. Terra pushed Eda to the ground as Raine was put in her place.

"Now, if there are no other distractions, we can resume," Terra said. The Draining Spell picked back up, causing their sigils to begin glowing once again. Terra laughed madly, spreading her arms.

"Hello paradise!"


Inside the Skull, Luz fired a few shots at Belos. The rounds punched through his body with minimal effect. He swung a cursed limb outward, sending Luz flying. She caught herself with a suspension glyph just before she hit the ground.

"You're already combining glyphs?" Belos noticed, "Remarkable. It took me years to get that far. Almost like the Titan himself didn't want me to have it." Luz sent forth a wave of ice that Belos easily shattered. His hand lashed out, catching Luz and grabbing her tightly.

"Though you're still decades behind me in terms of skill."

"Eat dirt Belos!" She snapped. He sighed, pulling her in a little closer.

"It's Phillip," he asserted forcefully, "And despite our differences, I don't want to hurt you, Luz. I can send you home! I have just enough Titans Blood left for one last trip! I don't want to see another Human life destroyed by this place. It's too late for your Guardian, but not for you."

"Oh you're such a hypocrite," Luz spat, "You talk a big game about saving Humanity, but you're barely even Human yourself. Royal is fifty times the hero you'll ever be!"

"Yes, your Guardian is something special, isn't he?" Phillip growled, "Perhaps it's fitting that I will leave him here in a dead world with nothing but the Vex left, picking at the bones of these monsters."

"And what about the Vex?" Luz interrogated, "You hate the Witches, but work with alien war machines?"

"Consider them another failsafe," Phillip offered with a smug smile, "Should anyone slip through the cracks, the Vex will find them and ensure my work is complete."

"You're a monster!"

Phillip sighed, "I do pity you, Luz. These Demons have corrupted your mind. I suppose that the only honorable thing left to do is put you out of your misery." Crimson light coated the girl as her body slowly began to turn to stone. It started at the soles of her shoes, creeping up at a painfully slow yet agonizingly constant pace. She looked around for a solution, her eyes finally resting on a table across the room. A branding glove sat atop it, tantalizing her with possibilities.

"Wait, wait, wait, you can't- I mean, you do realize how long you've been away from the Human realm, right?" Luz pleaded, "Times have changed. You want to be known as the Emperor of the Witch Hunters."

"Witch. Hunter. General," He stated forcefully.

"Sure, sure, but those aren't a thing anymore. Nobody's going to take you seriously if you just start ranting about the Demon Realm. Not to mention, those clothes. Yikes." Phillip glanced down at his attire. Out of all the attacks Luz had launched at him, that one cut the deepest. He threw her into the table and she quickly snatched up the glove, hiding it behind her back.

"So what, you're offering to be my modern-day guide?"

"I'm not offering anything," Luz said as the stone crept up her chest, "But I do want to make a deal. I can't beat you. I know that. So, instead, I will return to the Human Realm and be your guide. If you spare my friends." Phillip scoffed, rolling his eyes. The petrification crept up her chin as Luz panicked.

"You'll need living proof!" She shouted, "You'd do anything to save Humanity, and I'd do anything to save my friends! Please… Phillip!" The petrification reached the top of her head, beginning to seal her away. Seconds before it could finish, Phillip canceled the spell. The stone receded, allowing Luz to draw in a deep breath of air.

"Fine," Phillip accepted, "You will be my guide." His free hand snaked over to the portal, inserting the key and powering it on.

"Then let's shake on it," Luz said, holding out one hand while the other was clutched behind her back, "Human style." He cocked an eyebrow suspiciously and Luz showed him her other hand. Phillip took her hand and that was when Luz had him.

She grabbed hold of his hand tightly, letting out a gasp as her invisibility glyph faded. The branding glove appeared on her free hand. It activated, burning a sigil into Phillip's arm. He screamed, recoiling as it glowed.

"There, now you have no choice," Luz said, "End the Draining Spell!" Phillip slumped over and remained still, clutching his hand.

"Well! Do it!"

Phillip began to chuckle as his curse overtook him. He drew to his full height, looking down at Luz with amusement.

"I can't."


Back at the tower, the Coven heads watched eagerly as the eclipse began. Their anticipation quickly turned to fear as thick veins began to emerge from their sigils. They all cried out in pain, dropping to their knees.

"What's happening?" Orslan asked. Hettie tried to use a healing spell, only to find that she couldn't access her magic.

"Raine," Terra gasped, "Belos is giving us paradise, right?"

All the Bard had the strength to do was shake their head.


-]Begin[-

That was the only word they needed. Ignosi inspected its cube, completing the final calculations needed. The machine island activated, opening a massive triangular portal in the sky. Unlike other portals to the Vex Domain, this one was perfectly stable. In an instant, Vex began to pour through. A shockwave of force erupted froth, far more powerful than the one from the Conflux.

Any non-Vex being within five miles of the island simply died. No warning, no chance, no escape. Just quick, instantaneous death. Odalia was spared from this fate, shielded by the will of the Vex. As the shockwave raced outward, anyone who hadn't already keeled over because of the Draining Spell was knocked to the ground.

Pyrikaga laughed maniacally as it led its forces. They weren't appearing on the island. Synegorus had a much more appealing target in mind.


"What's going on down there?" Royal questioned, watching the Draining Spell from afar, "Is this part of the plan?"

"I don't think so," Lancer said, unable to make out any details. Suddenly, the two felt the shockwave ripple over them. Gowing blue lights began to appear in the midst of the Witches. Royal watched in horror as Pyrikaga manifested itself in the midst of the Construction Coven.

"For too long has this world been without my presence," it mocked, the weight of its presence crashing down on the Witches. More Vex appeared around the entire stadium. A few of the more healthy Witches tried to run. However, Ignosi was one step ahead of them. A single mental pulse caused the Abomitons lights to change from green to red as they collectively raised a Void barrier. The Witches found themselves trapped with the Vex.

Royal instantly lept into action. He dove off his perch, summoning his sparrow and taking off. He tore through the air, praying that he wouldn't be too late.


King woke up, rubbing his head slightly. Their airship was a wreck but, thanks to Aladors piloting, they all survived. They had crashed at the base of the Skull. The wave of force had rendered the others unconscious.

"What's going on?" King asked no one in particular, "Why wasn't I affected?" The temperature around him dropped as the Darkness shard appeared before him. His eyes widened as Royal's voice flashed through his mind.

I'm paracausal. The Vex can't simulate me, nor can they affect me as they can affect you.

King seized the shard and tried to wake the others up. He shook Amity, only for her to groan in pain and rollover.

"Come on, come on," he pleaded. Suddenly, he had an idea. Drawing in his power, he let out a loud scream. The others woke with a gasp, the pain receding slightly. Alador and Hunter both clutched their sigils as they ate away at them.

"Guys, we need to keep moving," King said, "We're almost there." Amity was the first to force herself up. She saw her dad groaning in pain and quickly moved to comfort him.

"Go," he weakly commanded, "Stop the Emperor. I'll be fine."

"Amity, we have to go," Willow said, propping Hunter up on her shoulder. Amity hugged her dad one last time before the five set off, climbing the Skull.


Pyrikaga gazed down at the Witches beneath it. They tried to pull themselves away in fear, with all nearby eyes fixed on the flaming golem. Sarkarae appeared beside it. After a quick glance, it reached down and grabbed one Witch. It held the struggling organic up to its face plate. With a vicious growl, it crushed the Witch into a bloody pulp. Gore and viscera dripped from its talons as it laughed harshly.

"I like… the way they… pop."

Sarkarae unsheathed its blades and lunged, slicing through hordes of Witches and Demons. Pyrikaga ignited its blade, sending a signal to the Vex army to begin the slaughter. It turned away from Sarkarae and pulled its blade back.

"One step closer to the end of your decadent race." It swung its blade low, cleaving through a dozen Witches instantly. Their corpses sizzled and burned, melting into unrecognizable puddles. It prepared for another swing, only for a burst of Solar Light to slam into its back. Royal flew through the air, raining fire down upon the Vex. The few Witches who could look up watched in awe, feeling the soothing warmth coming from the Guardian. Wherever his Light struck, only Vex were felled, with the denizens of the Isles being spared.

"Guardian," Sarkarae growled. It instantly charged at him, crushing Witches and Demons underfoot. Pyrikaga scoffed, letting the two battle. It turned back to its prey, only to see a bolt of lightning flying through the air. It barely had time to raise its blade as Paladin crashed into it, exploding in Arc Light. The Sub-Mind staggered back as Paladin dropped to the ground. The nearby Witches looked up at the obsidian-colored knight.

"Everyone, stay back!" he shouted, "Leave the Vex to us!"


Luz ran as fast as she could, with Belos hot on her heels. The cursed Emperor lunged at her, narrowly avoiding the portal. Luz tried to calm him, but he wasn't having it. She ran out of the room, leading Belos away from the portal.

"We don't belong here!" He snarled.

"I'm not like you!"

Belos raised a clawed hand, preparing to cut her down. Before he could, a swarm of vines erupted from the ground, tying him down. Luz looked behind her in surprise, seeing her friends standing behind her. Or barely standing, in Hunters' case.

"We got your back," Willow winked.

"You guys are the best!" Luz cheered. Belos broke free from his binds and brought his fist down on Luz. Amity acted quickly, raising a shield made of Abomination goo to protect her. While Willow moved to back her up, Gus took King aside.

"Stay back here buddy, you'll be safe." He ran off before King could object. The ground began to shatter as the two sides battled. Gus lept on his back and use his illusion magic to look into Belos's mind with the help of his magical amplifier. With a savage roar, Belos shook him off and took a swing at Willow, only for Hunter to force himself forward. He teleported Willow to safety, with Belos rounding on him.

"Hunter, why are you doing this?" He asked desperately, his face shifting away from his cursed visage, "I'm only trying to help you."

"N- No, you're lying!" Hunter shouted. Flapjack peered over his shoulder, only to dip back as Belos saw him. His face contorted in rage.

"CALEB!" He slammed down on the bridge, shaking it to its core. King stumbled under the assault, falling down a set of stairs that led into the darkness. Once he reached the bottom, he sat up and rubbed his aching head. All around him were corpses, long since decayed, and nothing more than bones. Shattered golden masks littered the ground.

"Where am I? What is this place?"

"This is where the failures end up," Kikimora spat from beside him. He spun, seeing the Demon sitting in her Abomitron, wallowing in self-pity. She glanced up as the sounds of battle reached them and chuckled.

"It's pointless, you know," she said, "Belos can't drop the Draining Spell. Only the Collector can do that."

"Who is the Collector exactly?" King asked.

"Neither Witch nor Demon, but a Child from the Stars," Kikimora explained, "A Dark entity. Belos would talk with him when he thought no one was listening. But I was there. I was always there."

"Where is he?"

Kikimora didn't respond verbally, instead pointing down the way. King began to walk through the mounds of corpses, climbing over a few of them. Eventually, he came upon a mirror, wrapped in a blanket. King touched the mirror, causing a large shadowy figure to appear on the wall before him. They were turned away from King, with their arms crossed and eyes closed.

"I don't talk to fibbers!" The Collector stated. He warily cracked open a single eye, confused why Belos wasn't before him.

"Wait, who's there? I can feel you, but I can't see you?" He asked. King looked down at himself, noticing that the symbol on his collar was glowing. Hesitantly, he tugged it off.

"Hang on," The Collector said, looking down at King, "You look like that jerk who stuck me in here! Wait, are you his little Titan baby?" The Collector seemed to taste the air and grinned.

"And I can feel the Deep radiating from your body. Oh, this is too much fun. Hey, wanna play hide and seek?"

"Please, Mr. Collector, we need your help to stop the Draining Spell," King began, only for the Collector to blow a raspberry.

"Ugh, mister? You're so boring."

"Well, you know what's more fun than hide and seek?" King asked, suddenly having an idea, "A game called 'The Owl House'."

"Ooh, that sounds fun, how do you play?"

"I can show you," King offered, "But we'd need a lot of players. Like, a whole island full of them. But, shucks, the Draining Spell is killing them all. Guess we can't play after all." He started to walk away, only for the Collector to appear before him.

"Wait, wait, wait, if you're a Titan, then you can let me out," he said, "I can stop the spell and then we can play together."

"You'd do that?"

"Wait, you're not tricking me like Phillip, are you?" The Collector asked, suddenly very suspicious.

"What, me?" King placed a paw over his heart, "I would never. Pinky swear." The Collector grinned, gesturing for King to come closer. The ground rumbled as Belos roared.

"So how do I let you out?' King asked, "Do you need my blood, or…"

"No, nothing like that," the Collector said deviously, "Just follow my lead." He retreated into his mirror, with nothing but his pinky showing. King tapped the mirror with his claw, gasping as something reached out and grabbed it. King felt power unlike anything he'd ever known wash over him. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pulled back and freed the Collector.


Minotaurs were often considered to be the muscle of Vex grunts. Durable, dangerous, and determined, they could tear Guardians apart with their bare hands. One such Minotaur was putting itself to work. It lifted a Witch up by their head and squeezed, crushing their skull. Dropping them, it fired its Torch Hammer. A few more Witches were blasted to pieces. All around it, lesser Vex forms fired into the crowd. A few Coven scouts tried to fight back, only for their staves to do nothing as Ignosi remotely powered them down. The Witches had incorporated Vex technology into everything and now, they were regretting it.

The Minotaur looked down at a prone Witch that was trying to crawl away from it. It raised a foot to crush them. Their eyes widened as it descended. Before it made impact, a laser of Void energy slammed into the Minotair, overloading its shields and tearing it apart. The Witches and Vex turned as Venator dropped into the crowd.

"Welcome to the Boiling Isles," she greeted the Vex, moving the Witches behind her, "I'll be your tour guide today. First up on the schedule; pain!" She threw a pair of grenades into the Vex, causing them to detonate.

"Everyone fall back!" Venator shouted, "Move to the exit!"

"The exits are blocked!" One Witch objected. Venator pulled back her Shadowshot and unleashed a volley that soared into the Abomitons. They crumbled under the assault, opening the way.

"Get out of here!" She ordered, "Spread the word as much as you can!" The Witches obliged, turning and fleeing as quickly as their weakened bodies could. Venator drew her knives and turned back to the Vex horde as they regrouped.

"Alright, let's dance!"


Atop the spire, the Coven heads were struggling to regain their footing. Raine crawled over to Eda as the curse threatened to devour her. They grabbed her branded arm, feeling the curse writhe under her skin. The two made eye contact and Raine offered a reassuring smile.

"I promised a very special kid that I would protect you," they managed to say. With a grunt of exertion, they tore her arm off and flung it away. The limb dissolved into dust, freeing Eda from the Draining Spell. Raine collapsed as Eda cried out.


The fight against Belos was not going well. The Hexsquad had been pushed back and now had nowhere else to run. Belos reared back, preparing to end them. As his blade descended, the air suddenly grew thick and heavy. Something reached out, stopping the attack in its tracks.

A small figure stood between the Hexsquad and Belos. He was wearing strange, dark-blue clothes and his skin was a mix of blue and orange. White hair could be seen under his cap. Most prominently, a mischievous grin was plastered across his face.

"Whatcha playin'?" The Collector asked. Belos slowly backed up as the Collector turned to him, still clutching his limb.

"Collector, you're free," he said uneasily, "Just as promised."

"As promised?" The Collector scoffed, "I recall someone dropping me down a pit. But don't worry, I'm not mad. Hey, wanna play tag?" He spun his finger, drawing Belos in uncomfortably close.

"I'm it."

He tapped Belos on the head, sending the cursed emperor flying across the room. He slammed into the wall above the portal. His body fell apart into a puddle of goo. The Collector giggled a little before turning to the Hexsquad.

"You guys look fun, wanna play as well?" He began to reach out, only for King to run between them.

"Woah, Collector, buddy, ease up there," he said.

"King!" The Collector cheered.

"Remember what I said?" King asked, "If you want to play Owl House, then you gotta help all my friends outside." He looked back at the others and winked, "Isn't that right?"

"Oh, yeah, the Owl House," Luz realized, "I love that game."

"The memories last a lifetime," Amity agreed.

"I play it every day," Willow added.

"I play it every hour!" Gus tacked on. All Hunter could produce was a pathetic, pained squeak.

"I'll explain the rules later," King said, "But first, we need to get all the players."

The Collector walked forward, with everyone else parting to let him through. He looked down at the people below, watching as they were butchered by the Vex. His gaze turned up to the eclipse. A lone finger lazily traced through the air as he pointed at the moon. With a dismissive flick, he moved it away, ending the eclipse. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight, with Luz and King sharing a worried look.

"There, problem solved," the Collector said nonchalantly. The sigil of Hunters' wrist stopped glowing, finally ending his pain.

"What about the Vex?" Willow asked uneasily. The Collectors' gaze snapped to her, a wide grin on his face. She flinched at his gaze as Hunter reflexively moved a little closer to her.

"Good idea!" The Collector said, "They can play too! And If we're gonna play Owl House, we're gonna need an Owl House!" He spread his arms and began to levitate. All around them, the Skull began to crumble as the Collector tore it apart with his Dark powers. He laughed giddily as he did.


On the other side of the planet, the Collectors pyramid began to activate. Glowing orange lights appeared along the vessel as it lifted out of the water. Waves battered against the shore as the Titan Trappers watched in awe. Bill climbed atop Tarak's shoulder in the town center, his arm still wrapped in bandages.

"Trappers! To the hunt!"


Royal ducked under a swing from Sarkarae, firing Sleeper Simulant into the Sub-Minds face. To his horror, the Typhon cackled as it instantly reformed. Beside him, Paladin was pushed back by Pyrikaga. The two Brothers stood back-to-back as the Typhons closed in.

Suddenly, a wave of Dark power swept over the arena. The Sub-Minds staggered under the assault.

"Brother, regroup with Venator," Royal said quickly, "Take everyone to this location. They'll be safe there." Lancer transmitted a set of coordinates to Thatch as the Vex began to recover.

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you!" Royal shouted, pushing his Brother back, "I just have one more stop to make." He looked up at the top of the spire and Paladin nodded.

"Don't take too long." With that, he turned and ran off as the two Typhons prepared themselves.

"All on your own Guardian?" Pyrikaga taunted, "You're just a little candle flame compared to my inferno."

"You… cannot… win," Sarkarae declared.

"I'm not going to let that stop me," Royal said, drawing his Dawnblade, "I'll take you all on!" He leaped into the air, swinging his blade at Sarkarae. A wave of flame crashed into it, pushing it back. Pyrikaga swung its blade down, only for Royal to fly around it. Before the fight could get much further, another wave of Darkness crashed over the Sub-Minds. The two were stolen away by the Collector for unknown reasons. Royal raised an eyebrow but didn't question it, instead turning to fly up to the top of the spire.

Back on the ground, Paladin and Venator were helping to escort the civilians out. One Hydra got a bright idea and it directed the Vex to fire on the arch above the entryway. It exploded, raining stones down upon the fleeing Witches. One such Witch tripped over their feet, looking up in a panic. They closed their eyes, waiting for the end. When it didn't come, they opened their eyes. Paladin stood above them, holding up the collapsing archway with his bare hands.

"Rise, friend," he ordered, "You will not fall this day!" Venator leaped overhead, flinging a swarm of Solar knives into the Vex, causing them to explode.

"Don't stop on our account!" She shouted, blasting away with Malfeasance. Paladin discarded the stone safely and pulled out his rocket launcher. A quick lock-on led to a volley of explosives soaring into the Vex lines. As Paladin watched the civilians flee, he couldn't help but flash back to the spaceport from his own time.

Shaking his mind to clear his thoughts, he quickly threw up a barrier, shielding the Witches as they continued to run. Venator dipped back to lead them out while Paladin covered their escape.

"For those we cherish," he muttered, "We shall die in glory."


Inside the Skull, everything was falling apart. The ground was shattering and falling apart underfoot. The portal remained active.

"Come on!" Willow shouted, leading the others toward the portal, "We have to get out of here!" The six began to run for the portal as it buckled under the Collectors' power. As they pushed forward, Amity noticed that Luz wasn't with them. Turning, she saw the girl trying to hold the silver frame together using her plant glyphs.

"Luz, what are you doing?"

"I'm not going to leave everyone!" She shouted, focusing on trying to hold the portal together. As Hunter ran closer to the portal, a small chunk of Belos's splattered form dripped onto his shoulder. Gus gestured for them to jump through, leaving Amity, Luz, and King in the Demon Realm. They shouted for their friends to join them.

"I have to help the others," Luz pleaded, "I'll get back to you, I promise." The Collector turned around, noticing what was happening. He spun his finger, pulling King toward himself. Luz reached out and bragged hold of his, desperately trying to keep him with her.

"King, you promised you'd play with me," the Collector demanded. Luz's grip on her little brother's hand began to slacken as the Collector overpowered her.

"Luz, I'm sorry," King said, "But it's my turn to keep you safe."

"No, no, King, we have to stay together!" Luz objected, tears in her eyes.

"I'm so happy I had you as a big sister." He closed his eyes and let out the mightiest weh of his life. The sonic wave sent Luz flying back into Amity, with both of them tumbling through the portal. The door swung shut behind them as they landed on the grass. Rain was pouring from the sky, drenching the kids instantly. Luz pushed herself up and threw the door open again, only to reveal nothing as it opened to the abandoned house it belonged to. The others could only stare in shock, with Gus breaking down and beginning to cry.

Back in the Demon Realm, King watched as the portal collapsed. He tried to wave goodbye, only to feel himself get dragged through the air. The Collector took him by his arms and spun him around.

"Free! Free! Free!" He cheered, pulling King with him through the sky which was filled with shattered stones and cartoonish stars.

"And now," he said, looking down on the Isles, "The true game can begin."


Royal arrived at the top of the spire, landing with a small burst of flame. He instantly ran over to Eda as she cradled Raine gently.

"They're all still weak," she said, stroking Raine's hair as they grasped her hand feebly. Royal summoned forth his Solar Light, offering Darius a healing orb. While the Abomination head stood up, Royal began to bark orders.

"Get the others out of here," he commanded, "Paladin and Venator are leading the citizens to a safe location." Darius nodded and instantly scooped up Eberwolf. He led a few of the other Coven heads downstairs as Royal turned to Eda.

"Can you stand?" He asked. She began to nod, only to notice something in the air. She pointed to the sky and Royal turned to watch as the Collector carried King through the air. She looked down at Raine, who offered her a weak smile.

"Go get 'em."

Eda grinned and transformed into her Harpy form, causing Raine to blush madly. Royal drew his Dawnblade and helped her to her full height.

"Together?"

"Together."

The two took off, soaring through the air, weaving around floating stones and explosive projectiles. As Eda drew closer, she felt the Owl Beast writhe inside her. She collapsed to her knees on one floating stone, trying to keep control of her curse. Reaching into her mane, she pulled out the last bit of elixir she had left. Before she could drink it, a hand grabbed her by the wrist.

"Hey, you look fun," the Collector said, "Wanna play?" Eda growled as the curse fully overtook her. The Collector snapped his fingers, teleporting her away.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun," he cheered, clapping his hands. His celebration was interrupted by a burst of Solar Light as Royal dove at him, swinging his Dawnblade.

"Give her back!" He screamed as King watched from a stone not far away. Royal's entire body was engulfed in flame, with the Solar power practically falling off him like liquid. The Collector snapped his fingers and a small crescent moon symbol flew through the air. It latched onto Royals' head, causing the Guardian to scream in pain. He clawed at the symbol as it burned into him.

"Wait, you're the Lightbearer!" The Collector realized, "Oh this is the best day!" He watched eagerly as Royal tore the symbol of his helmet, glaring at the Collector with murderous intent. He held out his Dawnblade in one hand and glaive in the other. Spinning, he swung them in unison. The Collector floated out of reach. With a raise of his hand, he unleashed a burst of resonant energy that blasted Royal back. His helmet was knocked clean off his head, falling down to the ground below. Royal quickly recovered, firing at the Collector with his glaive. The Star Child easily dodged, only for Royal to leap in with a stab.

The Collector flicked at Royal, sending a stone flying into the Exo. He was driven back, quickly recovering at attacking again. The two continued like this for some time, continuing their back and forth. However, Royal found himself slowly being worn down. The Collector saw his opening and grinned madly. Another blast of resonant energy sent Royals' glaive spinning away, clattering to the ground behind the two. The Collector continued to lay into Royal. His armor hung in tatters. Royal was flung back, landing near his glaive. He lifted his head, his jaw now hanging loosely from one joint.

"Lancer," he groaned weakly, his voice synthesizer heavily damaged, "Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you!"

"That… is an order!" He clutched his Ghost as tightly as he could and flung him away, sparing him from being killed. The Ghost landed in a pile of rubble, falling dormant from the impact. Royal began to crawl away from the Collector, dragging his torn body over the ground.

"Are you running?" The Collector asked, sitting in the air above the Warlock, "Your Great Sphere wouldn't like that. You're supposed to stand your ground and fight." Royal ignored him, continuing to crawl. The Collector looked over, seeing Royals' glaive directly in the Guardians' path. He grinned, flying over to the weapon.

"Oh, you're going for this?" he picked the weapon up and instantly flew into Royals' face. With a sweep of his hand, he flung Royal against the wall. He groaned in pain as the Collector flew closer.

"Here, I'll give it back to you." The Collector stabbed Royal in the chest with his own weapon, grinding it in and causing Royal to howl. The Collector grabbed Royal by one of his fins, staring into his flickering optics.

"This game has come to an end," he whispered, "And you… have lost." He pulled the trigger, firing a blast through Royals' chest. The Guardian slumped over as he died. King watched from above through wide eyes.


Camilla stood at the oven in the kitchen, mixing a pot of boiling ingredients for dinner. Vee was behind her, setting the table. Camilla glanced at her iPad, reading an article about a girl who had apparently been transported to a world populated by sapient frogs. Who would ever believe such a ridiculous story?

Camilla glanced up at a picture of her daughter, remembering where she was, and sighed. There was nothing in this world she wouldn't give to see her daughter again.

The sound of the doorbell ringing drew her attention away. Vee began to move for it, shifting back into her Luz disguise, only for Camilla to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll get it." The Basilisk smiled and Camilla set off down the hall. Once she reached the door, she pulled it open and gasped. Standing in the door frame was her daughter, with four others that Camilla didn't recognize standing beside her. They all looked terrible, with torn clothes and scratched skin. Hunter had his arm around Gus's shoulder, trying to console the young boy. Willow held her arm uncertainly. Amity had her hands folded in front of her, trying her best to make a good first impression to her girlfriend's mother. Luz smiled weakly at her mom, spreading her arms.

"Hey Mom, I'm back."


And so it ends. Season two of Witches and Warlocks has concluded. I hope it was worth the wait. Do not expect season three for a while. Now, as I did with season one, I want to take the time for a little self-review.

Also, real quick. I have something I wanted to just point out. Do you know how the show left a little message if you took the first letter of each episode and put them together? Yeah, I've been doing that too.

General Plot

I believe this season to be a step up from season 1. I could feel an improvement in my writing skills and looking back at the earliest chapters just makes me cringe. It is painful to reread them. As I've mentioned before, there are a few episodes I skipped over that I wish I could have covered. But, I've already explained why I didn't.

The overall story felt a lot more tightly tuned this time. I didn't set up any threads that ultimately got abandoned. I got to build up and unveil some neat mysteries. Overall, big fun.

Characters

Now for the juicy part. I think I handled most of the characters well, but I have a few I want to touch on.

Royal: I think this was a big step up compared to how inconsistent he was last season. I got to dig more into his psyche and his past. And writing Venator and Paladin has given me a chance to flesh him out more in ways that just wouldn't be possible otherwise. Him basically adopting Luz was one of my personal favorite developments. I'm just a sucker for good father/daughter dynamics.

The Vex: I'm going to lump all the Vex characters together because I don't want to repeat myself too much. They're all kind of flat in characterization, but that's by design. They're not people, they're machines who are barely simulating personalities. They all have their gimmicks; Pyrikaga likes fire, Sarkarae is a bloodthirsty maniac, Ignosi is a Reddit atheist, and Synegorus is logically cruel. I've talked about how Synegorus's name was derived from the Greek word for 'advocate'. The others got similar treatment.

-Pyrikaga is derived from Pyrkagiá, the Greek word for Conflagration.

-Sarkarae is derived from Sárka, the Greek word for Flesh.

-Ignosi is derived from ignósi, the Greek word for Knowledge.

All of these were taken from Google Translate, so they're probably super wrong.

Sturme: I kinda gave up on this guy honestly. I had some more things I was gonna do with him, but it wasn't really that interesting and he drew attention away from more relevant stuff. So yeah, now he's dead. RIP bozo.

Odalia: Writing about how the Vex just completely destroyed Odalia mentally was good fun. I am a petty and vindictive god. Something to note is that the Odalia from the show has been, for all intents and purposes, dead since her debut episode. What we have left is a panicked shell of a Witch who has had all her control swiped out from under her feet.

Overall Thoughts

As I said, I think this season was a massive improvement. The dialogue was tighter, the plot threads were neater, and the characters were more consistent. Can't wait for season three.

Thatnewguy11: If the last chapter was a step into the deep end, this one was a running cannonball. Royal is really starting to fall apart, both mentally and now physically.

GodzillaMaster: I don't wanna spoil anything, but just look at how I've characterized the Collector and then look at the rating of the story.

ToasterRoaster: My favorite part of Watching and Dreaming was either the reveal of King's Dad or Titan-Luz. That shit was baller. 10/10 design.

hornig3: They got about that bad. The Collector has some plans for the Vex, but I'll save that for season three.

OMAC001: I really enjoyed getting to write the dialogue between Royal and Belos. The two have more differences than similarities, but they're still closer than either would like to admit.

musizlover2008: The fallen shall be forever remembered as our finest. If there was anyone worthy of becoming a Guardian, it was Luz.


The Collector had to hide. That was all he knew and that was all he needed to know. He had thought he would be able to play his games freely, but the Guardians had other ideas. The Collector crawled under a pile of rubble, peeking out through a crack as Paladin stomped past.

"Come on out Dark-spawn," the Titan called, holding an auto rifle loosely, "I promise you this won't hurt."

"Us," Venator corrected, skipping beside her Brother, "It won't hurt us." She grinned madly as she clutched her sniper rifle. Royal walked behind the two, holding a scout at the ready.

"Royal, you're not really gonna turn the Collector into a gun, are you?" Lancer asked. The Warlock instantly nodded.

"Yeah, into a sidearm. Why?"

The Collector let out a soft eep, withdrawing from his observation slit and praying the Guardians didn't find him. Eda stood nearby, supporting Raine on her shoulder. The two watched the three Royals with concern.

"Man, Guardians are weird."


Witches and Warlocks shall return. Sometime. I dunno when.