Ok, I'm back from banging my head against a metaphorical (and literal at one point) wall. So, yeah, this chapter took a while. I could give the speel of I'm busy looking for a new job and sorting out college shit or writer's block, am I right? But I'm not gonna do that. This chapter took far too long to write. Hell, it took far too long for me to find the motivation to write it. Remember when I said that we had one more chapter before reaching Thanks to Them?

Yeah, that turned out to be a fucking lie.

I'm an idiot and can't stick to a plan even when I LITERALLY HAVE THE GOD DAMN PLAN ONE TAB OVER! Draft and redraft and reredraft. I hope you all can get some enjoyment out of my suffering. Such is the power of Nagash.


Chapter 37: Enemies at the Gates

"The Light believes you thankless. Nothing more than a soldier asked again and again to do its bidding." -Whispers from the Black Fleet


A pair of Goblins dropped Odalia before Synegorus, the Mind looking down at her with its inscrutable gaze. She reluctantly looked up, her frayed hair hanging in front of her eyes.

"Greetings, Mrs. Blight," Synegorus said with false hospitality, "We have need of your services once more."

"I hardly believe I am in much position to decline," she said, standing up and dusting herself off.

"Indeed, you are not," Synegorus rumbled, "Now, allow me to make an offer that you are incapable of refusing."

"I've heard that sales pitch before," Odalia muttered under her breath.

"Your commentary is unnecessary," Synegorus growled, "Do not speak. Simply obey." Odalia bit her tongue and complied.

"There are two Lightbearers left on this world," the Mind stated, "Two of the enslavers who have eluded our sight. You will find them for us." Odalia opened her mouth to question how she would do that.

"You are wondering how you will do that. Do not worry, you will not have to do much," Synegorus said, "If I may offer you some advice, run."

Odalia was about to question what the Mind meant by that. However, she was cut off when Ignosi placed its hand on the back of her head and knocked her unconscious. As darkness crept in on the Blight matriarch, that last word kept bouncing around her head.


Odalia snapped awake from her sleep, the memory she had witnessed already fading into her eyes, she sat up in her cot. After the Blights had arrived at the Last City, they had been escorted to a private residence. Paladin would speak with them in the morning.

Odalia had not slept well, tossing and turning all night, constantly waking from her rest. Ever since she had arrived on the island, she felt like something was watching her. Leaning over, she sat in her cot, staring blankly at the floor beneath her. Only a few months ago, she had everything; a powerful family, enormous wealth, and the favor of the Isles upper crust. Now she was sleeping in a filthy bundle of sheets and suffering from night terrors because of a horde of mechanical monstrosities. Where had everything gone so wrong?

Wait, she remembered. After that Human had stolen her daughter away at the private sale, and the Golden Guard had strong-armed her. Her eyes narrowed and her posture tensed. As quickly as it had tightened, her pose slackened. She was too tired to think about this right now.

She looked over her shoulder at Alador's cot only to see that it was empty save for a small note. Quickly picking it up, her eyes flicked over it.

I noticed you were still asleep, so I'm going to meet up with Paladin at the town hall on my own. You should join us when you can.

-Alador

Folding the note up, Odalia slipped it into a pocket and stood up. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and her lip curled slightly. She made eye contact with her reflection, noticing a small gathering of red specters that resembled her family standing behind her. Their eyes bored into the back of her head, judging her.

"Leave me alone."


A Hobgoblin lurched backward, trying to avoid the Trapper's spear as the Taken sought to skewer it. The machine fired a quick blast from its weapon, only for the shot to fly wide. The Taken lunged again, impaling the Hobgoblin on its spear and driving it to the ground. Behind it, a few more Taken Trappers finished off their own Vex before standing at attention. More Taken were clustered around them; Trappers, Vex, and other species long since forgotten by the universe.

A similarly large army of Vex stood across from them, aiming their weapons but making no move to attack. The metallic ground beneath them betrayed their location as the newest construct of the Vex, their artificial island. It was nearly perfectly flat, encircled by a low wall that prevented the Boiling Seas from spilling over. Behind the Vex lines, Ignosi regarded the Taken cooly, calculating the best possible option for its situation.

The Collector grinned smugly as he floated above the Taken. The two were playing a wargame, similar to the Human sport known as Chess, though a bit more complex. This game was the reason the Collector had requested a special island, not wanting to contaminate the Isles with his destruction. Games should not mix.

Ignosi contemplated its situation. To say it was disadvantageous would be an understatement. Its inability to predict the Collector's moves had made strategy difficult. Not that it mattered, seeing as how Ignosi had been ordered to allow the Collector to win in order to keep the Vex in his good graces. However, Ignosi's pride would not allow it to throw the match without putting up a fight. In short, it had to lose convincingly while putting up enough of a fight to give the Collector a metaphorical bloody nose. A difficult task for any creature.

Ignosi enjoyed the challenge.

It gave a dismissive flick of its hand, sending a Minotaur flanked by Harpys toward the Collectors forces. The two sides made contact and began to tear each other apart. Ignosi watched the Collector closely, gauging his reaction. He noticed the Collector's grin waver a little as the Vex gained the upper hand. Acting quickly, Ignosi signaled for the Minotaur to relent. It obeyed and was blasted apart as a result. The Collector's confidence returned as Ignosi made a show of its indifference, shrugging in an exaggerated manner.

"Your move, Collector."


Back in the Human Realm, the Hexsquad plus Vee were hanging out in the abandoned shack behind the Noceda's house. The place had been successfully remodeled, now resembling something that people would actually choose to live in. The five of them lounged in the entry room, practicing their Spanish. Luz was off at school.

The Witches had adjusted to the Human Realm rather well, all things considered. There had been a few instances of cultural whiplash, such as the non-boiling rain. Fortunately, they had been able to work past these issues with relatively little trouble.

"Are we doing this right?" Gus wondered, struggling to pronounce the word in front of him.

"Tres tristes tigres comen en tres tristes platos de trigo," Vee recited with practiced fluidity. The tablet in Gus's hands sparked in recognition.

"Perfecto, you're our top student!"

"I was top student once," Amity grumbled, crossing her arms. Her words were accentuated by Flapjack pecking at the wooden floorboards, producing a strange knocking sound.

"He's still doing that, huh?" Gus questioned. Hunter grimaced slightly.

"He won't tell me what he's looking for."

Before they could question it any further, Camilla pushed the front door open. The older woman didn't stop by often, too busy with her job and other responsibilities. She appraised the room with a quick glance.

"Oh I like what you done with the place," she said, stepping further into the room, "No more exposed nails or possum nests. But… this still confuses me." She pointed to the door, where a crudely-drawn face could be seen on the front.

"Yeah, he still confuses us too," Willow muttered.

"Hola Camilla," Gus waved, "We've been learning Spanish from this scary owl app." The tablet sparked to life again.

"Hoot hoot! Practice every day or I'll feast on your nightmares and scatter your soul across the timestreams!" Gus dropped the tablet, a haunted expression on his face.

"Sounds lovely," Camilla said, "I'm going to pick up Luz from school. Pop quiz. ¿Como se dice eso en español?"

"Oh.. uh." Hunter tried to respond in Spanish, only to trip over his words.

"Voy a recoger a Luz de la escuela," Vee responded flawlessly, missing the quick glance Hunter sent her way.

Camilla applauded slightly, "Muy bueno! Keep it up." She dipped back out, leaving the Hexsquad (plus Vee) to their practice. They mostly sat in silence, interrupted only by Flapjacks tapping. Amity sighed, setting down her tablet.

"You know, maybe we need a break."

"A siesta?" Willow offered, too which Gus quickly agreed.

"We've been here for a while now and we've made no progress on the portal door."

"Well, we did figure out a few designs that didn't work," Hunter commented, "I feel like that's progress. Technically."

"We can't expect Camilla to take care of us forever," Amity ignored him.

"In the meantime, we could do more to help out. Pull more weight around the kitchen," Gus added, "My mustard ravioli will bring tears to her eyes." Vee eyed him warily. The last time the Witches had tried cooking anything, they had produced a meal that would be classified as a biohazard in forty-nine states.

"I can help fix damaged clothes," Hunter said, "My knitting has gotten much better." He looked to the floor, a little downcast. "I hope I can show Darius someday." Willow placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I can always spruce up the Garden."

"Maybe we need to look elsewhere," Amity theorized, "There's a whole Human Realm out there."

"It's… still weird to think about," Hunter muttered, "This place is so strange. And some of the things they've done. The things they can do."

"The things that are going to happen here," Amity said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Let's get back on topic," Willow said, "Eda used to come here all the time. Maybe she left something that can help us behind."

"Yes, that's the spirit," Amity said, standing up and starting to pace the room, "Together, there's no challenge that can hold us ba- Ahhh!" She was rudely interrupted when the floorboard gave out beneath her. Her foot sank up to the knee as she fell forward, faceplanting on the ground.

"Ow," she groaned weakly.

Willow was quick to help her up as Flapjack seemingly danced around the hole Amity's foot had created. Hunter kneeled down beside it as Flapjack chirped loudly. He reached in and felt around for a second. His fingers brushed something small, maybe the size of a scroll. Gingerly wrapping his fingers around it, he slowly fished it out. It was a small wooden box in the shape of a hexagon about as tall as Hunter's palm. As he turned it over, the box opened. A bundle of paper fell out, being deftly caught by Amity. She held it up, unfurling the paper.

"What is that?" Vee questioned. The Hexsquad featuring Vee all studied the paper, trying to decipher the strange symbols that covered it.

"That eye," Amity realized, "It looks like the one on the portal door."

"Are these blueprints?" Willow questioned as Hunter turned to his Palisman.

"Is this what you were looking for?" He asked. The cardinal chirped in confirmation.

"We should tell Luz," Vee instantly spoke up. Amity's face twisted into a complicated expression, something between concern, hope, and contemplation.

"What if it's another dead end?" She argued, "She already feels responsible for all our other failed attempts. I'm not going to build up her hopes just to dash them again."

"Then let's not tell her until we figure it out," Willow offered, "With our buff brains." She accentuated her words by flexing her arm. The others cheered, chanting 'buff brains'. Despite herself, Amity giggled.


Royal sat on the cold stone floor, his back straight as an arrow as he watched the convict on the other side. Edalyn Clawthorne didn't acknowledge his words, remaining hunched over. Royal sighed, already feeling annoyance creeping into his mind. However, he felt something else that he couldn't place, something warmer. He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he flipped through the folder clasped in his hands.

"You were a criminal, yes?" He questioned, already knowing the answer, "Before my arrival."

Eda didn't respond.

"You have no love for the old regime," Royal noted, continuing after a moment's pause, "So why do you fight so hard against us? Have we not done you a favor?" He flipped through the papers, coming upon the more recent reports where a certain excerpt caught his eye. He glanced back up at Eda, noticing that she was now looking at him over her shoulder. Progress.

"You also had an apprentice," he added, "Though she is now under our employ." He spoke evenly, but this information was new to him. "Is that it?" Eda turned around, finally meeting him face to face. She glared at the Guardian with hatred so potent that he swore it would take shape and cut at him any second now. Still, she remained silent.

Feeling his patience grow thin, Royal stood up. The papers dropped to the ground as Arc and Void Light coursed through each of his hands.

"You are testing my patience, Witch," he snapped, "Speak, before you are made to speak." As quickly as the fire had sparked up within him, it was tempered by another emotion. This felt wrong. This whole thing was wrong. Eda didn't break eye contact, holding her mangled hands close to her stomach.

"You killed my sister."

Her voice was low and her words slow. She put great emphasis on each word, letting the venom seep into every syllable. Royal nodded.

"Lilith Clawthorne. A skilled Witch, if the records are to be believed. Though I'm-"

"You're a monster."

Royal was cut off by Eda's jab, falling silent as he stared at her. He tried to retort only to find that he had little to actually say. Eda saw the chink she had found in his armor and pushed further.

"You know it too," she goaded, "Just another barbaric Human, destroying what you don't understand."

She wouldn't say that.

Royal blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected thought. He broke eye contact, turning away from her.

"I believe we are finished here."

He left without giving her a chance to reply, letting the Witches words bounce around his metal skull. They cut deeper than he expected, deeper than he would be willing to admit.


Luz sat in English class, absently listening to her teacher drone on about the book they were reading. She hatred out the window, musing over her forced return to the Human Realm. Her fingers rhythmically tapped on her desk.

"Foes vanquished, he trod the shores of his fatherland, family by his side, finally at peace," he recited, closing the book, "The epic ends with the homecoming of not just a man, but a hero." Luz's fingers stopped as a flash of self-loathing overtook her.

"Hero?" She scoffed, perhaps a bit louder than she intended, "Everywhere he went, people ended up suffering!" Her teacher nodded at her interpretation.

"It does get bleak, but no one said the mission would be easy. And when you take into account the ripple effects of the situation-"

"Who cares about ripple effects!" Luz shouted, standing up at her desk. She could feel the eyes of her classmates watching her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. "He was just a pawn in someone else's game! A-and he was never smart enough to realize it! He let everyone he cared about down! They would all have been better off if he never existed!"

She finished her tirade and began to breathe heavily. Her classmates watched in equal amounts of intrigue, surprise, and confusion. Her teacher's face was neutral.

"Well, I'm glad the material inspired such emotion from you, Ms. Noceda."

Luz went about the rest of her day in almost complete silence. Everything came and went, just another miserable school day in the Human Realm, aside from the preparations people were making for the upcoming annual Halloween festival. Hexside had really spoiled her as far as schooling went. Once the day ended, she slid into the passenger seat of her Moms' car, continuing to wallow in her own misery.

"Do you think this is ok?" Camilla asked, holding up some of the groceries she had picked up on the way, "Buying food for Demons is so hard. Would… would they prefer blood?"

Luz noticed something on the road ahead of them, "Mom."

"Ay, I'm sorry. I'm just saying that if we need to find a way, we'll find a way."

"No, Mom, look out!"

Her mother glanced at the road and quickly slammed on the brakes. Their car screeched to a stop before a police officer who held a single hand out before herself. Ahead of them, a second officer was comforting a mother and her young daughter. Not far away, their car had been completely overturned. The front hood had been crumpled up like it had been rammed into a brick wall.

"It just came out of nowhere," the mother said to the second officer, "I didn't get a good look, but it must've been a deer."

"No Mommy, it was a monster," her daughter insisted, only to be ignored. Camilla flipped her turn signal and navigated around the scene while Luz watched the destruction before her.


Vee sat at the kitchen table, working on some schoolwork. She was taking online classes until the next school year when she would try to enroll in high school. The shapeshifter had adopted a new identity now that Luz was back. With some illusion help from Gus to forge a few documents, Camilla had a new daughter. Now, she was living a normal life in the Human Realm. Luz's return had shaken things up, but not too bad. Fortunately, she got along well with Luz's friends.

There was a knock at the doorway and Vee's grip on her pencil tightened. She got along well with most of Luz's friends. She looked up, seeing Hunter standing at the entrance. The boy had recently adopted a new haircut, courtesy of Willow. It didn't matter to Vee, she just wanted him to leave her alone. The two had been awkwardly dancing around each other for the entirety of the Witches' stay, with Hunter trying to catch her alone so he could talk to her while Vee did her best to avoid that.

"Is this a bad time?" Hunter asked. Vee eyed him warily, beginning to gather up her things.

"As a matter of fact, it is." She stood up to leave.

"Look, I'm sorry about what Belos did to you… to your kind," he quickly offered, "If I knew, I would've-"

"Done what?" Vee cut him off, "You would've done nothing! You were nothing but his little lapdog." Hunter's fists tightened at her words. She had clearly struck a nerve there. She pushed past him, leaving the Witch alone.

"You're right."

Vee stopped as he said that, turning back slightly. The boy seemed angry, but not at her.

"I wasn't able to see what kind of person Belos was until it was almost too late," he admitted, "But… that's not what I've been wanting to talk about." Vee raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. Taking her silence as an invitation, he continued.

"I just wanted to know what it's like," he said, "Being something he… created. How do you reconcile that?" Vee furrowed her brow, more confused than offended.

"I don't know what you mean," she offered, "I never really thought about it. I just am."

Hunter's mouth tightened into a thin line and he nodded, "Thanks." His face told her that she hadn't said what he wanted to hear.

"Good luck with your homework," he mumbled, turning and leaving. Vee watched him go before shrugging and returning to the table. She could use the luck, Human history was complicated.


"So the Isles are completely conquered by the Vex?"

Alador nodded at Paladin's question, having just finished his debriefing. The Titan rapped his fingers on the table as he turned to face Darius.

"There it is. Vindication. The Isles are too dangerous to risk any kind of excursion. Especially with both my Brother and Sister currently being MIA."

"And yet, my scouts were able to find people who were left behind," Darius argued, "Even if they are less than desirable." He sneered in Aladors direction, causing the Witch to clench his fists angrily.

"Easy for you to speak when you've been living easy here in your safe haven," he spat, "While I had to crawl through what was left of our home!"

"A home you played no small hand in destroying!" Darius growled, "Or has it slipped your mind how you aided the Vex?" Steve placed a hand on his shoulder, gesturing for the two to calm down.

"If you are quite finished, then there are other matters to be discussed," Paladin spoke up, "Such as your rampant insubordination."

"You should've seen me while I was working for Belos."

"Do you not grasp the gravity of the situation? Your little endeavor has put the lives of everyone here at risk! What if the Vex had followed you? What if they know where we are? They could start knocking on our door any second now! Everyone's lives could be in danger!"

Paladin quieted down as the door opened and Odalia stepped through uncertainly. Everyone turned to look at her. She had taken the time to clean herself up a bit finding new clothes that weren't torn and tying her hair up into her usual bun.

"Good, you're finally here," Paladin greeted, gesturing for her to join the group. She stood next to Alador, pointedly not making eye contact.

"Now, your husband has already told me about how you had been abducted by the Vex," Paladin said, his tone making it clear that he knew about far more than that, "However, what neither of us understand is how you ended up here?"

"I… I don't know," she said, "Everything after the Day of Unity and before reuniting with Alador is blank." Paladin and Darius shared a look at that. Breaking from it, the Titan looked out the window over the rest of the Last City. A feeling of dread had settled over the room.

"We should move on," Alador offered, "Are our children here?"

"No," Darius said, surprisingly free of condescension, "A shame, your youngest is a natural with Abomination magic."

"You've been keeping an eye on Mittens?"

"I keep an eye on all promising Abomination Witches," Darius shrugged, "I just hope she doesn't turn out a hack like you." The two began to dissolve into another argument, leaving Paladin to hang his head. He counted to three before looking up and making eye contact with Odalia.

"Are they usually like this?"

"No, they seem far tamer than usual."

The Titan grimaced before turning as Lancer flew into the room. The Ghost stopped by him and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and pulled his helmet out of transmat.

"I'm needed elsewhere," he said, "Just, go do something productive."


Hunter narrowed his eyes as he fed more fabric to the sewing machine. The needle bobbed up and down, cleanly stabbing through the cloth over and over. He didn't look up as Gus walked downstairs, chatting lightly with Camilla. Gus commented that he was going to bed, causing Hunter's focus to slip for just a second. The needle jabbed through his finger, causing him to recoil and let out a slight cry of pain.

"Dude, you alright? That sounded painful."

"I'm fine," Hunter assured, nursing the finger, "I trained in the Emperor's Coven, I can handle a little pain." He winced as he agitated the wound. Gus wrapped a band-aid around it.

"Look like it went clean through."

"It's fine," Hunter asserted, "Besides, it's all worth it for this." He nodded to the sewing machine. "I don't even think Darius can make stitches this clean. Oh, look at what I made." He held up his current project. It was a black shirt with wolves all over the front.

"It looks great," Gus complimented, "You know… you've been smiling a lot more since we arrived here."

"It's not that I don't want to return," Hunter quickly said, "I just need a way to pass the time."

"No, it's good that you're happy. One of us ought to be." Gus paused, weighing up his words. "What was it like being in the Coven for so long?"

"Trained a lot. Studied a lot. I wasn't really allowed to be around the other scouts. But the weekends were nice. I got to leave the castle for missions."

"Do you miss it?"

"I miss knowing what- who I was."

"I miss my dad." Hunter smiled gingerly, gripping Gus by the shoulder to offer the younger Witch some support.

"We'll find a way back," he reassured, "We have to."

"Oh Titan, that's a line from a book I found," Gus said, quickly growing more chipper, "Cosmic Frontier. Found it buried down here a while back. It's a story that takes place in the stars."

"Why would anyone want to go up there?" Hunter asked, genuinely confused. Gus shrugged.

"Humans are ambitious. But it's a story about people who are trying to go home, just like us."

"Uh-huh." Hunter wasn't sure what to say to that.

"We got Captain Avery, Security Officer Quando, and Chief Engineer O'Bailey who's hiding as a clone from the enemy planet," Gus listed, purposely letting a little more information slide in certain places. Hunter's eyes widened slightly.

"What happens to him- uhh, to them?"

"I guess you'll just have to find out," Gus said smugly, pulling out the first volume.

Upstairs, Camilla sat in her bed, looking over a list of food for the children. She yawned, fighting off exhaustion.

"So they don't hate garlic like vampires," she noted, "But they aren't entirely against eating eyeballs. Gus told me I could get some apple blood from the… apple butcher. Until I find one of those, food coloring will have to do." Her eyelids drooped down as darkness crept in on her. She leaned back in her bed, resting for just a second.

Sleep claimed her as she surrendered to her exhaustion. She drifted through dreams before finding herself sitting on a park bench. Before her was a young Luz, likely only seven years old. She ran up to a group of kids around her age, holding out some snake skin.

"Look what I found," she called eagerly. The other kids recoiled in disgust.

"Don't bring that dead thing over here," one of them objected. Luz shook her head, her smile not fading.

"It's not dead. This is the skin of a Garter Snake, they shed their pajamas when they grow. This means there's one nearby and it got bigger!" The other kids screamed at that. Camilla watched from her seat, chuckling slightly at her daughter's display. The other parents were less amused.

"Ugh. So unhygienic," another mother scoffed, "You'd think she was raised by wolves." Camilla whirled to face the woman.

"Hey, I'll have you know that wolves make for great caretakers!" Camilla shouted only for the dream to shift. She found herself in a school auditorium, watching a play. Luz stepped on stage and began to ham up her performance.

"O happy dagger, give me death!" She pulled out a plastic knife and mimed stabbing it into her stomach. She dragged the tool across her gut, cutting her dress and causing sausage links to spill out. Camilla laughed, applauding her daughter.

"Her dad taught her that one."

"Gross," a nearby parent retched, "Now everything is going to smell like meat."

"She's such a tryhard," another commented. Camilla turned on them, ready to give them a piece of her mind, only for the dream to change once more. She was in the office of Luz's principal.

"Grief can manifest in many ways," he lectured, "Like how Luz has been acting out for attention."

"Losing Manny has been difficult for us," Camilla tried to explain, "But Luz has always done things differently." The principal placed his hands together contemplatively.

"Didn't you say you were bullied in high school, Mrs. Noceda?"

"Yes, but-"

"Luz hasn't made any friends, her grades are inconsistent, and I heard that she brought a live snake to school." He reached into his desk and pulled out a pamphlet. "Take this, it might help her." Camilla accepted the offering and looked it over.

"Reality Check Summer Camp?"

"You don't want Luz to struggle like you did, do you?"

Before Camilla could answer, the dream faded. Slowly blinking herself awake, she looked around groggily. Her eyes got caught on Luz standing in the doorway with her egg Palisman tucked under her arm.

"Luz? What time is it?"

"Why aren't you mad at me?" The question caught her off guard. She sighed, gesturing for her daughter to come closer.

"Oh, baby. I've been terrified, sure. But, believe it or not, I don understand what it is like to want to run away."

"I'm so sorry," Luz said, slouching down in her seat.

"But the point is, you're home now and everything's alright."

"But it's not," Luz objected, "And I don't know if everyone else is alright. Eda, Royal, King, Lilith. I wanted you to meet them so badly. But I keep messing up."

"Hey, it's ok," Camilla said, pulling her daughter into a hug, "Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is that you learn from them." Luz smiled a little as the words rang in her head, reminding her of Royals' own words on failure.

"Can I sleep here tonight?" She asked. Camilla smiled a gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Give my Palisman a kiss too," she goaded. Camilla complied and the two fell asleep, resting peacefully, if only for one night.


Venator slinked back into her hideout, leaning on the cave wall for support. She tore off her helmet and flung it across the room. As she stomped further into the cave, Blip appeared behind her.

"So close," she hissed, "I was so damn close!"

"What exactly happened back there?" Blip asked, "You practically dove right into that attack." Venator backed into the cave wall and slumped down. Her arms rested on her knees and her glowing orange optics stared blankly into space. Across the cave, her Nightmare offered a cheeky wave.

"It's… her," Venator said. It still hurt to think about her, let alone say her name. Blip didn't reply but Venator knew he understood what she meant. Her Ghost floated up beside her and the two sat in silence for a while.

"Alright," she said, rubbing one of her optics, "New plan. You got anything?"

"Well, I do have something. While you were- Wasting our time! -preoccupied, I was keeping an eye on the Vex's movements."

"Must be difficult, considering you only the one," Venator tried to quip. Blip stared at her, causing the Hunter to shrink.

"Yeah, that wasn't my best."

"Moving on, the Vex have been- Retreating like the cowards they are! We must pursue and rip them apart, atom by atom! -relocating their forces. Vex from all across the Isles have been withdrawing to an unknown location, except for one instance." He projected a map of the Isles before Venator, highlighting a certain area near Bonesborough.

"A high concentration of Vex forces remain around Hexside," he said, "For reasons I cannot ascertain."

"There must be something there that they want," Venator realized, "And if the Vex want it, we don't want them to have it."


The night had come and gone and Vee with backup dancers the Hexsquad were busy scouring Gravesfield. Hunter had elected to remain at home to work on his Halloween costume. So far, they hadn't found any leads to their newest clue. Now, they found themselves outside the Gravesfield Historical Society, the same one Vee had been held hostage at not long ago. After making sure the Basilisk was ready for this, the five entered the building, ready to defend themselves. What they weren't expecting to find was a person around their age sitting behind the desk and reading a small book. Lowering the book, Masha revealed their confused face.

"You're not Jacob," Vee noted awkwardly. Masha laughed.

"And we can all thank Godess for that. He got fired after he kept trying to add exhibits." Masha pointed to a cardboard cutout of a strange alien creature with impressively long legs.

"I work here part-time now," Masha continued, "Say, have we met?" They leaned in closer to Vee. "You seem familiar."

"Nope, just moved in," Vee quickly said, sweating slightly, "Just got one of those faces, you know? But just the one! The normal amount of faces."

"What a coincidence, me too," Masha said with good humor, "Let me know if you need a tour guide sometimes."

"We're actually here to ask about an old puzzle," Amity spoke up, "Think you can help?" She held out their find, which Masha accepted eagerly.

"Ooh, a rebus. They've dug up a bunch of these in Old Gravesfield."

"This is a rebus?" Gus asked. Masha nodded.

"Yeah, it's like a riddle with pictures that mean certain words." They pointed to one of the symbols, an ear next to the letter H. "What do you think this means?"

"Cut off an ear!" Gus shrieked, pulling down his beanie.

"Not likely, see the H next to it? It likely means 'hear' or 'here'. Maybe someone is waiting for someone?" Before Masha could elaborate, the phone on the desk began to ring. They quickly picked it up, leaving the Hexsquad and Vee, valiant defenders of the multiverse, to themselves.

"If this is a portal door, then what are these?" Amity questioned, "A ribbon and tanning a hide?"

"The ribbon is tied," Willow noted.

"Next to a hand with a cut," Gus added. Amity did a double take.

"You don't think it means…"

"Tie-tans blood," Gus finished, rubbing his chin in thought. Suddenly, the three Witches gasped.

"Titans Blood!" They said in unison. Vee blinked in surprise.

"Can you all read each other's minds or something?"

"No," Amity said, "But this might be a map to Titans Blood!"

"We gotta tell Luz," Willow asserted.

"I agree." Amity looked at a poster for the Haunted Hayride, a special event being held in Gravesfield to celebrate Halloween.

"And I know the perfect time to tell her."


Back at the Nocedas house, Hunter was panicking. His costume had come along well, turns out he had a gift for cosplay, who'd have thought? That wasn't the issue. What was the problem was him finding a familiar blop of murky green mush. A cursory touch hadn't revealed much, but it had been enough to confirm his suspicions. Belos was with them in the Human Realm.

Now, he sat on the couch in the basement, nervously bouncing his foot up and down. His mind was racing with possibilities, each worse than the last. Flapjack was beside him on the backrest. Hunter turned to him with an accusing glare.

"Did you know about this? That he was here? I can tell you're hiding something!" Flapjack just chirped in response, causing Hunter to look down.

"Sorry, I shouldn't take this out on you. I'm just scared." He heard a vehicle approaching, likely Camilla and Luz coming home from the clinic. Flapjack chirped once more and Hunter turned to him.

"Don't worry, if he is here, I'll keep you safe." He made his way upstairs and greeted the Nocedas as they entered. As Camilla made her way inside, Luz quickly pulled Hunter aside.

"I found something," she muttered. Hunter blinked, slightly caught off guard.

"So did I," he said, "You first."

"While I was at the clinic, I tapped a fire glyph and it kinda activated. Just a bit of heat."

"I thought your glyphs didn't work in the Human Realm?"

"They don't," Luz asserted, "Or at least, they shouldn't. What did you find?" Hunter took a deep breath and looked her in the eye.

"Belos."

Once he was finished explaining everything, the two found themselves outside of the old shack they had renovated. Since this was where Hunter had found the muck, this was the most logical place to check. Hunter had a rake clutched in his hands, his bandaged finger starting to throb. The two were wearing masks, Hunter's being an owl and Luz's being a horned skull.

"Are you sure you saw him?" Luz asked, "I thought the Collector destroyed Belos."

"Yeah, I saw him," Hunter reaffirmed. His hands began to shake, a motion that didn't go unnoticed.

"We can wait for the others if you want," Luz offered, only for Hunter to quickly shake his head.

"No. We have to take care of this now." Luz nodded, hoisting a baseball bat. She counted down on her fingers before pushing the door open. The two stormed it with their impromptu weapons held at the ready.

"Alright Belos, what's about to happen should be relatively painless if you just do what we say," Hunter threatened.

"Yeah, so just come on out you… big idiot!" Luz added. Hunter gave her a look.

"Hey, you put me on the spot."

The rest of the shack was silent, causing the two to lower their weapons slightly.

"There's nothing here. I guess it was all in my head," Hunter said, slightly relieved.

"Can't blame you for being a little paranoid," Luz offered.

"Yeah, I just want to make sure everyone's safe."

"I do too," Luz smiled, "And that includes you. You're family now." Hunter nodded, tearing up slightly before suggesting they head back. Luz agreed and the two left the shack. They returned to see the rest of their friends sitting in the living room, riffling through a couple of boxes full of fabric and other similar items.

"Luz," Amity looked up, "We're designing our costumes for the Haunted Hayride."

"Guess what I've got planned," Gus said eagerly, holding up his half-finished costume, "I'm gonna be Captain Avery." He turned to Hunter. "And you're gonna be-"

"Chief Engineer O'Bailey," he gasped.

"How do you two know about Cosmic Frontier?" Camilla asked, tugging at her collar slightly.

"From all the books in your basement," Guss answered, not noticing her unease.

"It's funny how things just show up in basements," Camilla said with a forced laugh, "Without you hiding or putting them there." She eyed the children anxiously.

"Cool, Humans freak out just like us," Gus commented, oblivious to the subtext.

"It'll be a nice opportunity to pick up on some Human traditions," Willow said, inserting a set of vampire teeth into her mouth.

"And I thought we could take some inspiration from The Good Witch Azura 3: The Betrayanning." Amity offered, "I can be the Hecate to your Azura."

"That sounds great!" Luz pulled her girlfriend into a hug. As the two embraced, Luz's expression fell, remembering the plot of the movie. Villainous Lucy had betrayed Azura and Hecate by aiding their sworn enemy. The two heroines had cast her out, proclaiming that they would never forgive her.


The Collector watched with glee as the Guardian spun his blade overhead, splitting a Minotaur in half. He instantly pulled back, avoiding a shot from a Hydra. He pulled his weapon back and flung it like a spear. The blade sailed between its shields and punched through the Hydras faceplate. The machine exploded as more Vex closed in on the dead Guardian. Reaching out, another weapon materialized from the ground. Gripping it tightly, he spun, cleaving through the Golbins.

-]Interesting[-

Across the gameboard, Ignosi watched curiously. Its optics traced the Guardian, observing every detail. It sent the information back to Synegorus. There was no doubt that the Mind would want to know about this. It watched dispassionately as its last Goblin collapsed to the ground, falling apart.

Elsewhere, Pyrikaga marched before its assembled forces. The legions of Vex stood at the ready. The Torchbearer raised its sword to the sky.

"We have our target," it growled, "We await instruction."

"Go. Scour the island. Leave no signs of the infestation."

Pyrikaga looked in the direction of the Guardian's refuge. The Typhon began to teleport away, with its forces following close behind.


October 31st had arrived and all of Gravesfield had been turned into one large Halloween attraction. Decorations could be seen in every house on every street. The town center had been completely remade. A large tractor was carrying townsfolk through the city on the Haunted Hayride.

Camilla pulled up to the town center and slowed to a stop. The side door to her van opened and the Hexsquad, minus Vee for once, piled out. While the others moved forward, Luz hung back to speak with her Mom.

"Make sure to help Vee with the Trick-or-Treaters," she said, "You know they can be… demanding."

"Are you alright Mija? You don't look so good."

"I was just so excited for this, I couldn't sleep."

While the Humans were chatting, the Witches had gathered into their own huddle, conversing among themselves.

"We'll keep the puzzle a secret until the time is right," Amity said. The others were quick to agree. However, Hunter's attention was captured by a quick flash of motion in the corner of his eye. He glanced at the dark woods. The shadows seemed to creep in on him as Belos's droning laugh drowned out his mind.

"Did you hear that?" He whispered to his Palisman. Flapjack chirped in concern.

"Hey, it's ok," Hunter reassured, "It's probably just in my head again. Why don't you nestle down." The cardinal chirped once more and dove into his shirt. With that finished, Hunter rejoined the conversation as Luz walked over.

"We're gonna have the best night," Amity cheered, wrapping one of her arms around her girlfriends, "And we may have a surprise for you later."

"Yeah, me too," Luz said, decidedly less enthusiastic. No one really seemed to catch on, too enthralled by the town around them. The five walked through town, drinking in the ambiance. There was a small play going on; a recreation of a Witch trial from Gravesfields past.

Moving on, the group arrived at the Haunted Hayride and bought their tickets. As they took a seat, Masha stepped up to the front of the carriage.

"I hope you're all prepared for a truly scary ride," they greeted, dressed in a stereotypical Witch costume.

"Make us cry! Make us cry!" Gus and Willow chanted.

"Because there's nothing scarier than knowledge!"

"Boo, just lie to me," Gus objected.

"Let me tell you the eeriest unsolved mystery of Gravesfield," Masha said as the ride began, "The tale of the Wittebane brothers." Amity shared a nervous glance with Hunter and Luz, confirming that they were all thinking the same thing.

"The year is 1613," Masha began, shining a flashlight on their face to add to the ambiance," Two orphaned brothers arrive in Gravesfield. Their names are Phillip and Caleb. Caleb did his best to take care of his younger brother. They tried to fit in with this town, and its unsavory practices. They became witch-hunters!" As the ride went on, decorations and prop displays recreated the story around them. It was all very impressive, but the Hexsquad wasn't paying much attention to the theatrics.

"Local lore suggests that the Brothers Wittebane met a real witch from another world! Her name was Evelyn. And the older brother was spirited away. She dazzled him with magic and visions of a strange yet beautiful place. They used a secret code to travel between worlds. Philip set off to save his brother and bring the witch to justice. But neither was ever seen again! Maybe Philip saved Caleb, and they went on to lead peaceful lives. Or maybe he's still chasing his brother, caught in a cycle of horror and strife!"

The Hexsquad collectively gasped, fear plastered on their face. Masha turned off their flashlight, not thinking much of their terror.

"Sounds to me like big bro got a hot Witch girlfriend and little bro got upset. But that's just me." The ride came to an end and the passengers spilled out, still stricken by what they had heard. As they walked off, Hunter heard another laugh echoing from the shadowy forest. As he looked between the trees, he saw a bipedal figure dash through the woods. He quickly grabbed Luz by her wrist and dragged her around the tractor, abandoning the rest of the Hexsquad.

"It's him," he panicked, "He's here! I saw him this time. It's not just in my head. You believe me, right?"

"Well, how can you be sure?" Luz asked, "What would he be doing here?"

"Titans Blood," Hunter realized. At Luz's confused expression, he elaborated. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but that secret code Masha mentioned, we found it. It's a rebus. Amity thinks it leads to Titans Blood."

"Why didn't anyone tell me this?"

"You and your Mom have done so much for us," Hunter explained, "We wanted to do something for you."

"That's so… sweet," Luz said uneasily, "We need to find the Titans Blood first, just to make sure. I don't wanna freak anyone out." She turned aside and muttered to herself. "Why would he even want it?"

"You don't believe me," Hunter accused, "Fine, I'll prove it. Flapjack, go get the rebus." The cardinal chirped uncertainly, causing Hunter to glare at him.

"I said get the rebus!" He ordered, his voice taking on a menacing snarl. Flapjack chirped once more and flew off as Luz took Hunter by the shoulder.

"What the hell was that?"

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me," Hunter apologized, clutching his head. Flapjack soon returned with the rebus and dropped it into Hunter's hands, with Amity being none the wiser. The two set off into the woods, with Hunter pushing faster than Luz could keep up.

"He's getting away!" The boy called, diving through the brambles, "Come on!"

"Hunter, wait up!" Luz pleaded to no avail. Unfortunately, the boy vanished into the undergrowth, leaving Luz alone in the darkness. She fell to a stop, looking frantically in every direction.

"Think. Think. Hunter is following the rebus to Titans Blood. But how can I find the blood without the rebus?" As she pondered, her mind drifted back to her earlier experimentation with her glyphs, how the fire glyph had partially activated. Acting on a hunch, she pulled a light glyph from her pocket and tapped it.

To her surprise, the glyph activated. The corners of the paper curled inward, folding in on themselves. A ball o flight, no larger than Luz's iris, drifted lazily in the night sky. She watched it float away, and a realization formed in her mind.

"Glyphs are powered by the magic of the Isles. Magic which comes from the Titan itself! The glyphs will get stronger the closer I am to the Titans Blood." She activated another glyph and set off, following the trail they left behind.


Back at the Nocedas house, Camilla tucked a slumbering Vee into the couch. Picking up Luz's laptop, she carried it across the living room, only to stumble on a discarded baseball bat. She caught herself before she could fall, but Luz's laptop swung open, revealing an audio diary she had recorded. Curiosity overtaking her, Camilla sat down at the kitchen table and pressed play. A younger version of Luz appeared on screen, surrounded by moving boxes.

"So we moved. Mom said it was because 'the house wasn't pretty enough' but I know it's because there's a better hospital for Dad here. And, let's be honest, this house isn't much prettier."

The recording ended and Camilla selected the next one. Luz appeared again, looking like she had just finished crying.

"I think this might be the worst week ever," she said, wiping away a tear, "But Dad left me this book." She held up a copy of the first Azura book. "I can't wait to read it." The feed cut slightly and Luz reappeared, looking considerably happier.

"I loved it! I loved it! I loved it!"

The recording ended and the next one began. Luz held a sword over her head.

"Check out what I got at the convention," she boasted, giving it a few experimental swings, "I'm gonna cut my hair with it." The feed cut again and when Luz returned, her hair was in tatters.

"That was a bad idea!"

That recording ended as well and Camilla instantly started up the next one. Luz was now much older, looking like she had before the beginning of summer. She slouched into her chair.

"Mom saw my report card. 'Mija, if you just applied yourself.' But I am applying myself. My baseball stitches are so small, they're practically invisible. And I can read and write Witchtongue in five different dialects. Also, I can sit so perfectly still that woodland creatures come and sit on me." As if to accentuate her point, a spider drooped from the ceiling, coming to a rest in her hair. Luz didn't seem to mind.

"But I guess none of this is gonna matter on the SATs. It's been really rough for Mom since the funeral. So, I'm gonna wow my teacher's face off with this book report! Mom, you won't have to worry about me ever again."

The final recording started up. The date revealed that this one had been created not that long ago. Luz gave the camera a depressed glance.

"Dear Diary, all I ever wanted was to be good at something, to be around people who also liked that something. And when I found the Demon Realm, I-I thought, 'Wow, I found it. I can learn magic. I can be a witch. I-I won't be the dummy in the principal's office anymore!' But I messed up too much and put everyone in danger. Mama says I need to learn from my mistakes. So, I know what I have to do now… On Halloween, after the Hayride, I'm telling everyone that I'm going to be staying in the Human Realm. Permanently."

Camilla's eyes widened in shock. She quickly shook Vee awake and got in the car. She had to stop her daughter from making a huge mistake.


Royal walked back to the surface of the Conformatorium, pondering what he had learned from Eda. More specifically, pondering why his mind seemed to be rebelling against his perceived reality. Everything he knew told her that she was an enemy. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to regard her as such.

"Brother, wait up!"

Royal stopped and turned around, seeing Champion rush to catch up with him. The elder Guardian stopped before him.

"You walk fast," he said, "Come on, the latest raid on the insurrectionists was a success and a new batch of prisoners are being brought in."

"And this concerns me because?"

"Well, I thought you would've been interested," Champion shrugged, "Considering that it's your apprentice who led the raid." Royal tilted his head slightly, he had been constantly hearing about this eponymous apprentice, yet he hadn't been able to find out anything about them. Champion gestured for the Warlock to follow him.

The two walked to the front of the prison and looked outward. There, a small group of coven scouts lead a procession of prison transports toward the compound. Riding in the lead transport was a figure wearing purple robes with light green accents. An amethyst mask covered their face. Noticing the Guardians, they stopped the processions and hopped off their transport.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here sir," they said, bowing to the two. Champion nodded as Royal furrowed his brow. Their voice sounded familiar, but it was hard to make out through the mask.

"My Brother here was just conducting some interrogations," he said, "How successful was your raid?"

"We managed to root out most of their forces," they reported, "Those who escaped are so few that I doubt they'll be poking their heads out again."

"Good, one less loose end," Champion said, "I'll ensure the prisoners get sent where they belong." With that, he walked off, leaving Royal and the masked figure alone.

"Ah, it's good to be back," they said, stretching slightly, "How have things been at the castle while I was out?"

"Quiet," Royal said cautiously, "You don't need to keep your mask on now that you're back." They nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, wearing it all the time gets stuffy anyway." They reached up and slipped a few fingers under their mask. With minimal effort, they tugged it off, revealing a familiar face. Royal felt a spike of emotion drive itself through his mind.

Luz?


Luz pushed through the foliage and finally emerged on the edge of a small lake. An island sat at the center of the water, covered with tombstones and with a large archway in the center. Hunter stood before the arch, facing away from Luz. Activating an ice glyph, she created a bridge that crossed over the water.

"Hunter, are you ok?" She called, "Did you see Belos?"

"No," he replied calmly, "Just my imagination playing tricks on me. Here, why don't you find the Titans Blood while I look for my Palisman? Little guy got spooked and ran off."

"Good idea," Luz said, turning away from her friend, "All this Belos talk has me on edge. I hate to ruin Amity's surprise. I really appreciate all that you've done for me. You guys are great friends."

"Have you found the blood yet?"

"No, give me a second." Luz looked behind a tombstone and was met by the cowering form of Flapjack. The cardinal let out a quiet chirp.

"Flapjack? Why do you look so scared?"

"Luz." Hunter's voice came from behind her, highly distorted. She quickly spun around, seeing her friend covered in vile, rotten flesh. His eyes glowed a bright, violent blue.

"Didn't you use an ice glyph to get over here?" He interrogated as horns sprouted from his skull, "Your magic is working." The sound of her friends calling for her emerged from the forest.

"You survived," Luz said, backing up slightly as Belos, possessing Hunter's body, stalked closer.

"Of course I did," he replied smugly, "Once again, thank you for everything you've done to help me, Luz. But I don't need you anymore." His hand morphed into a twisted mass of green sinew and claws. He swung at Luz, narrowly missing as she dived to the side. Her hat and wig fell off as she recovered. His hand plunged into the ground, where his talons curled around a small vile. He held the small sample of Titans Blood triumphantly overhead.

"Finally, I found you."

"Why do you want the Titans Blood?" Luz questioned.

"I don't," he shrugged, "I just want you to not have it. My work is done and the Vex are no doubt finishing off whatever is left. So this has no further reason to exist." He prepared to throw the vial to the ground, only for Luz to quickly speak up.

"Wait, how do you know the Vex could have succeeded?"

Belos froze as her words hit him. He raised a solitary eyebrow, almost mockingly.

"You aren't seriously implying your Guardian could defeat all of them by himself, are you?"

"But there's not just Royal," Luz said quickly, warily eyeing the vial as one of her hands slowly drifted to her pocket, "There are two more. And they had a plan to defeat the Vex. They probably already saved everyone." Belos scowled as he weighed up her words.

"Perhaps you are right," he mused, "Then, I suppose I do need this after all. If only to ensure my work is complete. Once again, Luz, I must thank you for your help." He drew back to strike her. Luz preempted him, slapping down an ice glyph. A spike of ice shot out of the ground, striking Belos's hand and causing him to drop the vial. It rolled to the bottom of the island, stopping just before the waterline. Belos turned to glare at her only to duck back as Luz drew her revolver on him. Belos stared at her cautiously before his expression morphed into a twisted smile.

"You don't have the gall," he goaded, "So afraid to hurt your friend." Luz gripped the weapon before aiming it upward and firing into the air. Instantly, she could hear her friends again, closer this time.

"This way!" She could hear Amity call. The four Witches, along with Vee and Camilla, arrived at the edge of the lake. Her mother had a bat slung over her back, likely an impromptu weapon.

"You see, this is why you're so useful Luz," Belos taunted as he began to circle her, projecting his voice across the lake, "You're so desperate to help people that you even helped me meet the Collector."

Luz glanced behind herself, seeing Amity's confused expression.

"I didn't mean to," she tried to defend herself, "I thought I was doing something good!"

"But you did do something good," Belos said, "I thought that this one was another lost cause." He gestured to Hunter's body. "Because of you, we can finish our work. As Witch Hunters." His head whipped to face Luz's friends where they were crossing the bridge.

"Starting with them."

His arm transformed into a long lash of sickly muscle. He whipped it into the ice, causing the bridge to shatter. The Witches took flight on their staves as Camilla and Vee quickly swam to shore. Gus circled overhead, summoning several illusions to confuse Belos.

"Hey, remember me!"

Belos snarled and lunged at him, only for Willow to catch his arm with a tangle of vines. Amity joined her, mixing what little Abomination goo she had with the mud at her feet. Manipulating the mixture, she managed to tie Belos's other arm down. Luz took the opening to wrap her arms around him.

"I know you can hear me, Hunter!" She pleaded, "Fight him off!" Unfortunately, due to the impurity of Amity's mixture, Belos managed to break free of his binds. With one arm now free, he tore the vines wrapped around his other arm to shreds. Now free, he flung Luz across the island into her friends. Flapjack chirped angrily, pecking at Belos's horns. The Witch Hunter snarled and grabbed the Palisman out of the air.

"That's right, you wouldn't want me hurting your precious Palisman, would you?" He taunted while Flapjack squirmed in terror, "But then again, I don't care what you want." His fingers sharpened into talons and he squeezed down on Flapjack. His claws dug into the magical bird, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Goodbye, Evelyn."

Flapjack began to bleed a glowing green vitae which Belos drank in, drawing strength from the magical lifeblood. Flapjack managed to break free from the distracted monster and flew over Luz, collapsing in her hands.

"Flapjack! You'll be alright," she reassured, tears clouding her vision. Belos watched her with bemusement before curling over. He looked back up, his eyes no longer glowing as Hunter reasserted control.

"You know what I'd like, Belos?" He asked with a pained voice, "I'd like to leave the Emperor's Coven and never step foot in that throne room again." He took a heavy step forward, closer to the water line.

"I'd like to study Wild Magic and learn how to carve Palismen." He fell to his knees in his struggle, crawling to the Titans Blood.

"I'd like to attend Hexside as a regular student and play Flyer Derby with my friends." His fingers curled around the vial and he hefted it over his head.

"But most of all," he spat, "I'd like to make sure you never hurt anyone again!" With a pained scream, he flung the vial into the water and fell to the ground. Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, Belos regained control.

"No!" He howled, diving into the waters after the Titans Blood. He plunged through the murky water, desperately reaching out for the vial. He seized it, only to lose consciousness and fall deeper into the water.

"Hunter!" Luz called, reaching out for him. Camilla pushed her down and dove into the water. She swam after him, wrapping her arms under his, and carried him back to the surface, struggling the entire way. Once they resurfaced, Willow quickly helped to drag him out of the water. Everyone gathered around him as he lay on the ground, dying.

As Hunter breathed his last, the sickly green flesh flowed off him. Belos coalesced before his foes, glaring down at Hunter with contempt. He held the vial of Titans Blood in his hand tightly.

"Caleb, why must you always choose to stab me in the back?"

"You betrayed him first!" Luz shouted. Belos snarled before turning from them and raising his fist overhead. He smashed the vial against the zenith of the arch. The glowing blue blood flowed down the side of the arch, moving in unnatural ways. The arch began to light up as magical energy swirled within it, creating a portal that led back to the Demon Realm. Belos turned back one last time, making eye contact with Luz.

"This is for the good of your soul," he growled, "You'll thank me later." With that, he turned and left.

"That's the Belos you've been fighting?" Camilla muttered.

"Guys, Hunter's not breathing!" Willow shouted. Camilla quickly whipped her gaze back around.

"Vee! Call an ambulance!"

"Do Human doctors know about possession?" Willow begged with tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm not getting cell reception," Vee said, holding her phone up to her ear. While everyone else was panicking, Flapjack crawled atop his Witch. The Palisman bled onto Hunter. His green essence sank into Hunter's skin, causing the Witch to glow. Flapjack closed his eyes, fading away and dissolving into spheres of light. As Flapjack vanished from the world, Hunter's breath returned. He shot awake with a gasp, clutching the spot on his chest where Flapjack had been resting.

"Guys?" He asked weakly, "Is everyone ok?"

"Actually, Flapjack-" Gus began, only for Hunter to cut him off.

"Don't. I already know."

"Sit up slowly baby," Camilla instructed, holding a hand against Hunter's back as she guided him up, "Are you in pain anywhere?"

"No," Hunter said, "I'm alright."

He was lying and everyone knew it.

"Luz, what did Belos mean when he said you helped him meet the Collector?" Amity questioned, "That was another lie, right?"

"No, it was…" Luz sighed, "It was true. If it weren't for me, the Day of Unity would never have happened. I set everything in motion. I'm sorry."

"Why did you keep this from us?"

"I thought you would all hate me for it," Luz answered, "Which is why I've made a decision. I think it would be a good idea if I-"

"Took your mama to the Demon Realm," Camilla interrupted with a determined fire in her eyes.

"What?" Before Luz could question any further, Amity pulled her into a hug.

"I could never hate you, Batata."

"I've seen what you're up against," Camilla said, "And if what you've said is true, it's only going to get worse from here. There's no way I'm going to let you do this alone."

"Me either," Vee spoke up, "Witch Hunters, alien robots, Dark gods. You're gonna need all the help you can get." Luz sniffed, tearing up slightly, before pulling her mother and adopted sister into another hug. The rest of her friends joined in.

"Not to ruin the moment, but I don't think that portal is going to stay open much longer," Gus spoke up.

"Then we better get going," Hunter declared, determination all over his body. Willow stood up beside him.

"For Flapjack."


Paladin stepped into the entrance of the tower, casting his gaze across the chamber. Lancer floated to his right while Thatch was to his left, floating slightly behind him.

"I don't care if Venator says it's safe, there is something wrong about this place," she muttered.

"Speaking of Venator, where is she?" Lancer questioned, "I really expected to run into her by now. She's not very quiet, at least, not when she's surrounded by so many women."

"We had a… disagreement," Paladin said, "She left to pursue her own pointless endeavor."

"You haven't gone to find her?"

"And leave the city defenseless?" Paladin objected, "I have risked so much to save these people, I'm not going to put them in jeopardy."

"So you did nothing and let your Sister run away," Lancer deadpanned. Paladin frowned.

"Why did you bring me here," he said, changing the subject. Lancer rolled his eye at the Titan's unsubtle deflection.

"Royal came here a while ago," he said, "To this island. With the others. They found something. Later, when we met the Trappers, he saw that same something in a memory."

"What something?"

"An army."

The Ghost led his companions deeper into the tower. They entered a chamber that spiraled high into the air. The walls were lined with small alcoves, each filled by a strange golem with a crescent-shaped head.

"What are these things?" Thatch questioned, cowering behind her Guardian.

"The creations of the Titans," Lancer said, "Built to battle the Collector." Paladin kneeled beside the same Golem that Venator had thrown her knife into. He grabbed it by the arm and lifted it. The creature lay limp in his grasp.

"They're inert."

"Yes, they are," Lancer admitted, "For now, at least. I have a theory."

"Do tell."

"When Royal was fighting one of these things, he struck it with Arc, Void, and Solar light," Lancer explained, "The Arc Light gave it speed. The Void Light let it teleport. But Solar didn't do anything. I think that Solar Light may be how we wake these warriors."

"Then what are we waiting for." Paladin rubbed his hands together, setting them on fire. Lancer quickly let out a warning beep.

"Hold up, without a Titan to command them, they'll attack anything they perceive as a threat. And I don't mean your kind of Titan."

"So, what do we do with them?"

"I would be willing to try some experimentation," Lancer muttered, "See if we can't trick them with illusions or something." Paladin was about to say something, only to be cut off when the three heard a massive explosion. Lancer and Thatch flinched while Paladin instantly turned to the source of the sound. Without a word, he took off. Arc Light coursed through his legs, amplifying him and granting him a burst of speed. Arriving back at the city, he rushed through the streets, trying to avoid the panicking civilians. With one, massive leap, he jumped atop the defensive walls. He gazed out over the Boiling Oceans, tightly gripping the railings.

A massive Vex army was converging on the city. Harpy's and Hydra's flew over the waters, bombarding the walls with their guns. Hordes of bipedal constructs emerged from the waters, marching up from the depths. Wyverns screeched, folding out their armor plating in a threatening display. The boiling waters began to rapidly evaporate as a colossal frame emerged from the ocean.

Pyrikaga rose from the waters, its flames burning brightly. The Typhons sword trailed in the sand behind it, instantly turning the ground into crystalline glass. It stopped on the beach, making eye contact with Paladin. The Titan was vaguely aware of Darius, Steve, Alador, and Odalia rushing up behind him.

"They found me," Odalia whispered, causing Darius to turn on her.

"You lead them here!" He spat, "Nothing but a puppet!" The Oracle shrank under his accusation.

"Enough!" Paladin said forcefully, "Darius, get everyone to the emergency bunkers! Steve, rally the troops, it's time for them to earn their keep."

"What are you going to do?" Alador questioned, eyeing the army in fear. Paladin turned back to Pyrikaga, who made a taunting gesture with its offhand.

"My duty."


I got kinda meta in this chapter, huh? Not quite breaking the fourth wall, more just poking it. Hope you all enjoyed it and I'll see you next time. Hopefully, it won't take as long to write. The length of This chapter really snuck up on me. Everything seems normal then boom, twelve thousand words.

As a side note, I saw Rise of the Beasts. very fun movie. Battletrap is, in fact, literally me. I love him and he has never done anything wrong.

ToasterRoaster: You are a bold one (with clanker rizz). Also, the sheer perfection of this being the 212th review.

Thatnewguy11: Don't really see how any of that applies to the story, but what do I know, I'm an idiot.

mysticalex: He's something of a yellow crayon connoisseur.

OMAC001: Hey, at least she didn't intend to sell everyone out. That's gotta count for something, right?

GodzillaMaster: Fun fact, this little dreamscape Royal is in is based on a very old draft of this story. It wasn't very much fun to work with. But I managed to repurpose it for this, so that's neat. To be fair to the BATTs, Hexside is completely surrounded by Vex. Like, it would take a Guardian almost five whole seconds to kill them all. That's a little more than they can handle. In reference to the Collector's power, I was referring to his powers of Darkness. His own magical power is something separate that is really strong, but still causal.

mmmplays27: Tasty crayola yum yum.

Jebest4781: Good to hear.


In another universe, where we did have time for twenty more adventures, the residents of the Owl House were relaxing at the beach where the water was conveniently not boiling. Lilith and Hooty lounged on the beach, basking in the sun. Luz and Amity were swimming in the shallows, having all the fun in the world. King ruled the beach from his sandcastle, laying waste to all those who opposed him. A sleeping Hunter had been buried up to his neck by Willow and Gus. All was nice. All was peaceful.

Eda wasn't having that.

"Rustbucket!" She shouted, knocking on the door to the changing room, "Get your metal ass out here and have some fun!"

"You can't make me!" The Guardian shouted back, "I'm not going out there with all that water!"

Eda groaned, resting her head in her hand.

"Immortal warrior from space, blessed with god-like power," she muttered, "And he's afraid of getting wet."

"Have you ever seen the things at the bottom of the ocean? I've been to Staurns Moon! All of that can go to hell!"

"That's it." Eda transformed into her harpy mode and tore the door off its hinges. She saw the Guardian cowering in the changing room, wearing nothing but a pair of incredibly gaudy swim trunks pulled from Eda's horde of Human junk. He recoiled as she reached out and grabbed him by the ankle.

Everyone else turned to watch with confusion and amusement as Eda dragged Royal across the beach. The Warlock tried desperately to dig his fingers into the sand and gain any kind of grip. Alas, his struggle was in vain. Once she reached the waterline, Eda gripped him more tightly and flung him into the water as he screamed. He sailed over Luz and Amity before hitting the water with a loud splash.

"Is he going to be alright?" Lilith asked, looking over her sunglasses.

"He'll be fine," Eda scoffed, "It's just a little water." She stared at the spot Royal had gone under, waiting for him to resurface.

"Any second now."

Luz took a deep breath and dipped under the water. After a second, she popped back up.

"Yeah, he's dead down there."