Malefic Origins

by Albertson

Lynn and Lucy Loud venture to the Boiling Isles to hopefully discover some way to stop the Malefic Order. However, while one sister thrives in this environment, the other will struggle. As this quest gets more personal for the sports star, she may find she has a lot to learn, about being a sister as well as being a witch.

7. Resent and regret

Resent and regret

When Annie and Delilah finally came face-to-face with the Chronicler after all this time searching for clues as to his whereabouts, and undergoing his trials, it felt like reaching the end of a long journey. The Chronicler showed them into his private study, which was filled with shelves upon shelves of ancient tomes, old scrolls, and floating candles lit the vast space. Annie noted that some books were still being magically written by self-writing quills.

"It's a good thing Amy isn't here, or we'd have to drag her out kicking and screaming," Delilah joked.

"Yes, the current Court did make her very studious, didn't they? All that knowledge in abundance. Quite remarkable," the Chronicler remarked.

"Wait, how do you know? You weren't at her creation ceremony," Annie recalled.

"This chamber not only houses all dragon knowledge recorded since the beginning of the Dragon Kingdom, but also writes the history as it unfolds. I even chronicled your journey here," the Chronicler clarified. A book then hovered over to Annie and opened itself up to the part where they interrogated the Sorceress, journeyed to the Draco Vinculum, and set off for the White Isle.

"Let me see if I've got this straight. This place keeps records of the past and writes down the present, and you oversee all of it. How come Ignitus or none of the other councillors ever mention you?" Annie wondered.

"Maybe I should explain my role. The Chronicler is not my name. It is a title, passed down from previous Chroniclers. At the beginning of a new age, a worthy dragon is chosen to chronicle the many successes and failures of that age. When the Dark Master fell, I was chosen to fulfil this task by my predecessor. I have not gone by my real name in thousands of years," the Chronicler summarised.

"And you've been alone here all this time?" Delilah asked.

"Yes, but I have my books. The duty of Chronicler is a great honour, one I have readily accepted. Someone has to keep the history intact. As the years go by, my existence passes into legend. It's better this way, otherwise beings from all over the Realms will be hounding me for advice or questions about the past. I'm best left to my work," the Chronicler replied.

"Our apologies for disturbing you, Chronicler, but we have to know. Was our race originally born from darkness?" Annie probed. At this point, another book flew towards them.

"To properly answer this question, I should first tell you how the Dark Master rose to prominence. In his youth, he was just like any other dragon; ambitious, caring, empathetic. Must sound weird, me describing him like that," the Chronicler mused.

"A little bit," Delilah responded.

"The Dark Master saw other worlds in the multiverse during his travels, and he also saw leaders he thought incompetent at best, and tyrants at worst. He petitioned the Elders to intervene, but our policy was one of observation, never interference," the Chronicler continued. The book then opened to a page showing an illustration of a teenage dragon at the centre of a circle, surrounding him were elder dragons.

"Hey, this one looks familiar," Annie observed.

"He should, that's me, before I took the mantle of Chronicler. Yes, I served as an Elder on the old Dragon Council, which would later become the first Court of Ancients," the Chronicler disclosed.

"Let's get back on track. In short, the Dark Master wanted to aid these worlds, the Elders refused, and then…" Delilah summarised.

"In a rage, he left to find others who would. That did not take him long. Other dragons thought as he did; that we should not sit idly by while inept and malicious rulers oppressed their people. He amassed a following, raised armies, and one by one, he liberated worlds he thought were ruled by those unworthy," the Chronicler continued.

"That doesn't seem too bad. Where was this dragon when Andrias and Belos were stomping all over the place?" Delilah mused.

"I take it somewhere down the line, something changed?" Annie surmised.

"Correct. This is what I call 'the Corruption', when the Dark Master first began being called such," the Chronicler replied. The book then showed the Dark Master flying through Convexity, the Realm Between, and as he flew, his visage grew darker, more corrupted. "In his travels, the Dark Master sought out a power called the Aether, the darkness that balances out the light. It….spoke to him, taught him all manner of forbidden spells. Spells that enabled him to put pieces of his consciousness into objects, one that allowed him to corrupt others to his cause, and yes, even the one that gave him the ability to create life itself," the Chronicler explained.

"What is this 'Aether'?" Delilah inquired.

"Everything exists in balance. Light and dark, right and wrong, yin and yang. The Aether represents the darkness, the shoulder devil to one's shoulder angel, if you will. It is ever present, and it cannot be vanquished, but it can be resisted by devoted servants of the light, as you are," the Chronicler responded.

"So, the Dark Master succumbed to temptation, and eventually became something he wasn't?" Annie surmised.

"He sought quick answers. Liberating those worlds was a long, tough slog, and the Dark Master could not abide by the people's suffering. He took the quick and easy path and became the embodiment of evil. When his dragon supporters saw what he was turning into, they left him in droves, and turned to the Elders for both help and forgiveness. They banished the Dark Master from their kingdom, so he made his own generals using the Aether, powerful servants with abilities the stuff of nightmares. Bound to his cause, he called these being Marauders," the Chronicler exposited.

"Our original race," Annie recalled.

"Yes, these Marauders were much like yourselves, only much darker, with no free will, compassion, or indeed anything that makes a Sentinel who they are. You saw from my trials what happened next," the Chronicler stated.

"The Elders got a hold of the spell the Dark Master used to make Marauders, but couldn't work it themselves, so they took it to Odin and Asgard?" Delilah recollected.

"The Elders agreed that to use the spell in its current state, corrupted by the Aether, would make them like the Dark Master. It was hoped that Odin could purify the spell with the Bifrost, the light equivalent of the Aether, and then use it to make beings that could oppose the Marauders in battle, and he succeeded, but not without sacrifice," the Chronicler told the tale.

"Ragnarok and the Valkyries. After this, the Dark Master was pushed back," Annie guessed.

"Little by little, the forces opposing the Dark Master gained ground, re-liberating worlds that the Dark Master had subjugated. One of them, as you recall, was Amphibia. When the time came to take the battle to the Dark Master himself, the Elders were faced with another dilemma," the Chronicler regaled.

"We know they didn't kill him. I'm guessing you're going to tell us why," Delilah hypothesised.

"The Elders could very easily kill him, but when a dragon dies, his spirit lingers on, binding itself with nature, supposedly to offer hope for the future. The Elders knew that, should the Dark Master die like that, his spirit would forever taint the world on which the killing blow was struck. So, another solution was devised," the Chronicler divulged.

"Splitting his power and his spirit from his body, and sealing them away," Delilah recounted.

"Another spell taken from the Dark Master, an off-shoot of the one he used to put pieces of his mind into objects like the Eye of Gaul. However, without access to the Bifrost to purify the spell, the dragon that would cast it would have to use its original, Aether-tainted version, and forever be touched by its darkness," the Chronicler lamented.

"I do not envy that dragon," Annie stated.

"This one dragon would cast a spell that would change the course of history, bringing about a new age for dragon-kind. This dragon would pave the way for the Court of Ancients and the Sentinels as you see them now, and that dragon was me," the Chronicler revealed.

As Lynn, Lucy, Eda, Lilith, Luz, King, Toffee, Caramel, Amity, Willow, Hunter, and Gus stepped into Belos' now unlocked vault, they found a veritable treasure trove of artifacts and research that, to some, was probably best not to touch. The walls were lined with alchemical formulae on papers and diagrams to instruments that did not make the slightest bit of sense.

"This isn't a vault, it's a laboratory. What was Belos doing here?" Lilith wondered.

"He never told me about these experiments. Whatever they were, they couldn't be good," Hunter recalled. As if to prove his point, Willow spotted some documents best left unseen.

"Judging by these notes on how to make Grimwalkers, I think you're not the only version of the Golden Guard he's kept this place hidden from," Willow guessed. Hunter then raced over to see what Willow had found.

"He made my predecessors here? Then this must be where I was conceived, created, what's the word for this?" Hunter probed.

"I really don't like this place. Let's just find what we came for and go," Amity stated.

"Agreed. This place is a darker version of Lisa's bunker. Where is that doo-hickey you're after, anyway?" Lynn compared. Toffee and Caramel then got out the diagram showing the vessel containing the Spirit of the Dark Master in detail.

"It should look like an 18th century gas lantern, so it'll stick out like a sore thumb," Toffee replied.

"The sooner we find it, the sooner we get out of this hole," Luz urged. Everyone then spread out, searching drawers, shelves, anywhere they could reach, to try and find the object that Toffee and Caramel seek. Whilst they found an abundance of illicit potion recipes, alchemical research, prototypes for spells, and grotesque notes on the anatomy of every species that lived on the Isles, there was no sign of the vessel. Just as Lynn was on the verge of giving up, the apparition of Phillip appeared again, this time, at a far wall. He seemed to be pointing at a box tucked away in the corner. Taking this as a sign, Lynn approached it, cautiously. She opened the box, and there it was, the lantern in Toffee's diagram. True to form, it bore the resemblance of an olden style gas lantern, but instead of a flame, it housed a purplish sort of fog, and it was glowing. Lucy then noticed Lynn holding the object.

"Guys, my sister's found it," Lucy called out. Everyone looked up and rushed over. Toffee, in particular, seemed very concerned about how long Lynn had been looking at the spirit contained within. Eda wanted to ask Lynn how she found it so fast. But before anyone could dig deeper, the fog within started glowing brighter. It then showed Lynn a vision of her house. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but she also felt exhausted, as if she had a lot going on and just needed a break, some time to herself. She then decided to go to her room and relax on her bed for a while. She then climbed upstairs, but at the top was, strangely, Lynn herself, but how could she be here and there at the same time? When she noticed the bat in other Lynn's hands, she instinctively knew what was happening. She was being shown the 'bad luck' incident through her brother's eyes. Not only that, but she was feeling what he must've felt that day, and she had no control over her words and actions as she witnessed these events from another perspective.

"Hey, Lincoln, you're coming to my softball game today, right?" illusion Lynn inquired.

"Dang it, should've done a head count. Actually, Lynn, I have some important business to attend to, like Ace Savvy vs the Card Shark," Lincoln declined. The version of Lynn experiencing things from Lincoln's eyes, or Lynncoln, for short, felt like she was dying to read this comic while also enjoying some alone time.

"Lame! My team has won our last six games and you're the only member of this family who hasn't come out to support me," illusion Lynn protested.

"That's because I was supporting six other sisters at their things! Sorry, Lynn, I just can't do it today," Lynncoln argued. Illusion Lynn then made an intimidating gesture at Lincoln with her bat.

"Sure you won't reconsider?" illusion Lynn hinted. Lynncoln suddenly felt very scared, and against her wishes, agreed to go. The scene fast-forwarded to after the game, where Lynn's team lost. Lynncoln then approached illusion Lynn. Even though she did not want to be there, Lynncoln still felt an obligation to be supportive.

"Hey, sis. I'm really sorry you lost," Lynncoln consoled. Illusion Lynn then suddenly dived behind the dumpster, emerging only to throw a banana skin at Lynncoln.

"Stay back! You're bad luck!" illusion Lynn cursed. Lynncoln thought this was a bit harsh. It's not as if she had anything to do with her team losing.

"What are you talking about?" Lynncoln asked, rather dejectedly.

"My team has been dominating all season, and the one time you show up, we lose!" illusion Lynn scoffed.

"That's ridiculous! I'm not bad luck!" Lynncoln rebutted. Lynncoln could not believe what she was hearing. First, illusion Lynn practically forces her to go to this stupid game, then blames her for the loss she suffered. The nerve of her! Part of her wanted to give illusion Lynn a piece of her mind, but the injuries she would sustain, and the trouble with her parents afterward would not be worth it.

"Yeah-huh you are, which is why I'm banning you from all future games. Now scram! I have to make things right with the softball gods!" illusion Lynn ordered. What Lynncoln wouldn't give to knock illusion Lynn's clock off, but before she could even contemplate such actions, other events played at fast-forward. Lynncoln had been enjoying the perks of having a bad luck reputation, eating breakfast separately from the others, playing video games and generally having a lot more time to herself. However, as time went on, the family started shunning her, which led her to try and refute this 'bad luck' once and for all. She eventually found the solution when she wore a mascot costume to illusion Lynn's next game, and they won. But this did not have the effect she was hoping for. The family did stop shunning her, and even allowed her to go to the beach, but only if she wore the costume. It got so hot in there that she passed out.

The scene eventually stopped to the evening after Lynncoln's return from the ER, having been treated for heatstroke. The family were remorseful about what happened, and even offered Lynncoln the chance to press charges, but she turned it down because she thought, no matter how she felt about the family, it wasn't worth destroying them over. However, she still held some resentment towards them, especially illusion Lynn, so they left her alone. This message didn't take, though, as illusion Lynn came into Lynncoln's room.

"What do you want?!" Lynncoln greeted bitterly.

"I…..have a solution," illusion Lynn began.

"To what?" Lynncoln asked, hoping that if she said whatever she wanted to say quickly, she'd go away sooner.

"This can't happen again. By all accounts, you should've pressed charges and sued Mum, Dad, and all of us into oblivion, and we would've deserved it. Which is why I've decided to gather evidence of all our family's wrongdoings together. All we need is a place to put it," illusion Lynn proposed. Lynncoln thought this plan was rather half-baked. For starters, where would they be able to put it all? The Loud family has done more than its fair share of terrible things. No way would either of their rooms be big enough to keep and hide it all.

"There's barely enough space in this room for me, so if you were looking to sell all my stuff again to make space, tough luck," Lynncoln spat back.

"I wasn't going to do that. There's a storage unit no-one uses anymore, and the guy who owns it owes me a favour. We could keep it all in there," illusion Lynn suggested.

"There you go then, problem solved, now get out," Lynncoln scoffed.

"Please, Lincoln, you have to be a part of this. It is for you, after all. A nuclear option to hold over us all. If any of us does something this insane again, I'm begging you, don't hesitate," illusion Lynn pleaded. Lynncoln wanted to say 'no', but something told her that illusion Lynn would force the issue, so she relented. Just then, the scene turned dark, and Lynn felt someone grab her.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Lynn demanded. She can't see anything because whoever grabbed her shielded her eyes. She tried to break free, but they were strong. She wouldn't go quietly and tried to fight back.

"It's OK, it's OK, it's just us," a familiar voice assured. Her eyes were allowed to see that she was back in Belos' vault, and it was Caramel that had grabbed her. Toffee was busy sealing the lantern away. Lynn took a few deep breaths and processed what had just happened.

"Are you OK? You looked like you were in a trance for a few seconds," Gus inquired.

"It's what this thing does to you. It shows you the worst part of yourself. All your biggest regrets are shown to you, weakening your mind while the spirit inside worms its way in. If you're under its spell too long, the Dark Master can climb in and take control," Toffee explained.

"And then you wouldn't be you anymore. You'd be his puppet, a prisoner in your own mind. We need to get this thing out of here, and soon," Caramel added.

"We should check Lynn over, just in case," Amity interjected.

"I'll do it. I'm her sister. I'll know if anything's crawled inside," Lucy volunteered.

"Make it quick, please. This place is all sorts of wrong," King urged. Lucy then went over to check on Lynn.

"What did you see?" Lucy probed. Lynn sat there, shivering, with her head buried in her knees.

"I forced him to come to my game. I blamed him for my loss. I spread the bad luck rumour. It's my fault he ended up in the hospital. I forced him to be a part of my solution, that endangered his very life. I'm no sister. I'm a monster. No wonder he hates me," Lynn said with great sadness and remorse. Lucy then sat down beside Lynn.

"You know, since that day, I've asked myself whether or not Lincoln hates all of us for what we put him through. I've never had the courage to ask him myself. After this, maybe I should," Lucy resolved. Unbeknownst to Lucy, the image of Phillip also sat down on Lynn's other side.

"I, too, have known a brother's resentment. I, too, have seen a sibling succumb to the temptations of this world. It is not something I wish for you. Let me help, Lynn. I can make this all better," Phillip offered. Lynn then turned to face the apparition.

"What did it show you, Phillip?" Lynn asked. Lucy was now confused and concerned. Lynn was far too old for an imaginary friend. Not even Lily had engaged in this sort of play.

"It showed me the brother I failed to save. His ghost haunted me all these years. It is not a fate I wish for you. I can help fix things between you and your brother. I can deliver your sister from this accursed place she has grown so attached to, if you'll only let me," Phillip then outstretched his hand. Lynn found this offer very tempting. They had only come here to find a way to beat the Order, not to enrol at Hexside or befriend the locals, as Lucy had. She had lost sight of their mission. Plus, Lynn needed to make things right with Lincoln. If Phillip could help, she would welcome it. But before she could take his hand, Lucy intervened.

"Lynn, who are you talking to?" Lucy questioned. Lynn then turned to Lucy, then to Phillip, and back again.

"What, you don't see him?" Lynn rebuffed. Lucy then shook her head to respond in the negative. "This Phillip guy who told me how to get in here," Lynn answered. When the Hexside crew heard the name 'Phillip' they immediately stood at alert.

"Phillip who?" Luz interrogated.

"Wittebane, I think he said," Lynn replied. Suddenly, everyone grew very worried. Hunter then started rifling through documents until he found one that sent shivers through his spine. It was titled 'How to put a piece of yourself in a memory shard' and contained detailed, often graphic, instructions on how to preserve a piece of yourself inside an object. Luz then swiped the page and read it for herself.

"Lynn, you got us in here using a Horcrux!" Luz informed.

"Explain what that is to someone who couldn't be bothered to read those books," Lynn responded.

"A Horcrux is a piece of someone's soul infused into an object, like a memory shard. But the only way to make one is through murder. Who did Phillip kill to make it?" Lucy wondered. Lynn then turned to Phillip in horror.

"I told you, I failed to save him. This world seduced him away from the true path, tainting his soul. I did what I had to, but in the end, I couldn't save his soul from eternal damnation," Phillip clarified.

"There's more. Phillip was his human name, before he started calling himself Belos," Hunter disclosed. Lynn and Lucy then suddenly realised what was going on. Lynn had stumbled across the last remnants of the former tyrant of the Boiling Isles. When Lynn faced Phillip again, he wasn't dressed in the attire Lynn found him in, but in a long robe, and he was wearing a mask over his face, with horns.

"I was wondering when that truth would drop. I had hoped someone from the new government would find this place, but I suppose you will do, for now," Belos menaced.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Lynn demanded. Belos chuckled in sick amusement.

"You really shouldn't have lent me your ear," Belos chided. A small stream of dust then erupted from the memory shard and blew its way into Lynn's ear. Lynn's head then started pounding, as if something was forcing its way into her brain. In her mindscape, Lynn and Belos came to a head.

"What are you doing?!" Lynn queried.

"Using you to pick up where I left off," Belos quipped. Lynn then lost control of her body, forced to watch as Belos controlled her every movement. In the vault, Lynn's body, under Belos' command, slowly got up and turned to face everyone else.

"Hello again. It's been a while," Bel-Lynn greeted.

Back in the Chronicler's chamber, Annie and Delilah were still processing the Chronicler's story in their minds. To hear him tell it, the original spell that created the Marauders did come from the Aether but was purified by the Bifrost to allow the first and other subsequent Court of Ancients to create the Sentinels. While this provided the answers they sought, they also learned that it was the Chronicler who split the Dark Master's spirit and power from his body, paving the way to his eventual downfall.

"While my actions sealed the Dark Master away, it wasn't without cost. The Aether touched me, tried to pull me under its sway just as it did him. Day by day, it took more effort to resist its influence, so I went into voluntary exile, where I found this island, and my predecessor. He helped me confine the curse to this gem, passed onto me the title of Chronicler, then left this world. I have been here ever since, both chronicling the history of the dragon race and keeping the Aether away from the kingdom," the Chronicler concluded.

"What of the Valkyrie and Marauder Keepers? You still haven't explained them," Annie remembered.

"While my spell did ensure the Dark Master's defeat, it was the combined efforts of Sigrun, Eir, Gondul, and Hildr, the last of the Valkyries, that created the seal in which his body now lies. Along with four captured Marauders, they created a lock that can only be opened with a key made of light and darkness in equal balance, a key that can only be summoned when all four Valkyrie and Marauder spirits are present in one location. Rather ingenious, if I do say so myself. To keep the key from ever being formed, the Valkyries and Marauders had their spirits wander the multi-verse, inhabiting hosts they deemed worthy. However, to keep the hosts safe, they would not be made aware of their status," the Chronicler explained.

"Which brings us back to now. The Dark Master is awake, and the Order that serves him is aware of at least three of the four Valkyrie Keepers," Delilah summarised.

"They are aware of all four. The Supreme Warlock vanquished the Ghost Council soon after the Chairman was deposed and destroyed. He is aware of Molly McGee. Good thing she has those ghost powers now. She'll be needing them," the Chronicler corrected.

"Then a showdown is inevitable. Do you know who the Supreme Warlock is? If we catch him, we can end this right now," Delilah probed.

"It is not a Chronicler's place to take sides in this war. In short, I do know, but I cannot tell you. Besides, there are more pressing concerns," the Chronicler replied. A book then floated over to Annie and Delilah and opened up to show events taking place in the Isles right now, including what was happening in Belos' last vault.

"Is that Lynn Loud?" Annie asked.

"Yes. She has stumbled upon the last remnant of Emperor Belos and has fallen victim to its influence. If Belos is not stopped now, he will rise again, using her body as a vessel. There is still time to save her, if you hurry," the Chronicler urged. He then showed Annie and Delilah two doors on either side of the room. "The door to your left leads back to the Sanctum and to unifying the Sentinels. The door to your right leads to the Isles and to Lynn Loud's salvation. Choose wisely," the Chronicler added.

"No choice about it. There's two of us. I can calm down our sisters while Annie deals with Belos," Delilah refuted. Annie and Delilah then made for their respective doors.

"I'll be back soon. Keep things orderly until I get there," Annie instructed.

"You know it, Chief," Delilah acknowledged. Annie then turned back to the Chronicler.

"Will we ever see you again?" Annie asked.

"Probably not, and that would be for the best," the Chronicler answered.

"Then thanks for the answers we sought. Your trials were…enlightening, but I don't want to take them again," Annie bid the Chronicler farewell and left through her door while Delilah went through hers.

Meanwhile, in the vault, Bel-Lynn was surveying the scene while getting used to his new body. It did feel nice to have a physical form again. Admittedly, he had hoped for a more powerful vessel, but all things in time. For now, he had visitors to address.

"I must say, this is rather rude. I don't come into your home and rifle through your valuables, do I?" Bel-Lynn taunted.

"No, you just plan mass genocide," Eda shot back.

"Give me back my sister!" Lucy demanded. Bel-Lynn then approached Lucy and examined her.

"A human witch? I hunted your kind in Gravesfield, before I came here, back during simpler times, when it was just me and my brother. I had hoped to save you, but judging from your palisman and that Hexside uniform, that can no longer be the case. A pity. Lynn was fond of you," Bel-Lynn lamented. At this point, Luz, Amity, Willow, Gus, and Hunter got in between Lucy and Bel-Lynn.

"We won't let you touch her!" Luz asserted.

"You want to play?" Bel-Lynn goaded. He then outstretched a hand, and a side cabinet unlocked itself, opened up, and a staff with artificial magic propelled itself into the outstretched hand. The staff then activated, the hum of artificial magic coursing through it. "We'll play," Bel-Lynn stated. He then waved the staff and sent Luz, King, and Amity flying in one direction, and Willow, Gus, and Hunter in the other. Bel-Lynn then set his sights on the lantern Toffee was holding. "I believe that belongs to me," Bel-Lynn remarked.

"Come get it," Toffee rebuffed.

"OK," Bel-Lynn replied, unimpressed. He then summoned several tentacles that grabbed the lantern. Toffee and the tentacles proceeded to play tug-of-war with the lantern, with neither side able to pull the lantern towards them. Even with Caramel helping him, Toffee was not strong enough to pull the lantern back towards him. "This is getting tiresome," Bel-Lynn said impatiently. He then used a severing charm to slice Toffee's hand off, allowing the tentacles to retrieve the lantern for Bel-Lynn while Toffee's hand grew back. Eda and Lilith transformed into their harpy forms and lunged at Bel-Lynn, only for the tentacles to restrain them.

"Tsk tsk tsk, the wild witch of Bonesborough and my former coven leader, reduced to this. Almost tragic, how far you've fallen," Bel-Lynn chided.

"Look what we rose above. Possessing teenage girls now, 'Your Highness'? I still remember stomping your skull in after Luz defeated you. Happiest memory of my life," Eda taunted.

"And I'd rather be a statue than serve in your coven again," Lilith added.

"That so? I can always make that happen," Bel-Lynn chided. He was about to do just that when Lucy fired off a disarming spell, knocking the staff from Bel-Lynn's hand.

"Let my sister go. I won't ask a second time!" Lucy imposed. Bel-Lynn smiled in response.

"You would seriously fight your own sister? You've certainly got guts," Bel-Lynn back-handedly complimented.

"If you have Lynn's memories, you should know we fight all the time," Lucy corrected.

"That can't be right, but I'll indulge you," Bel-Lynn said. He then did a deep dive into Lynn's memories and saw for himself the number of fights Lucy and Lynn got into stretched well into the double digits. In Lynn's mindscape, she and Belos were looking over the events to differing reactions. Lynn's was a sense of knowing, whereas Belos sported a look of bewilderment.

"How do two siblings who fight that often get along as well as they do?" Belos wondered.

"Duck, dodge, push, shove. It's how we show our love. For us Louds, fighting is just one way of communicating, and it isn't exclusive to Lucy. I've thrown down with each of my other sisters at least once, except for Lily, but only because she's a baby," Lynn bragged. Lynn and Belos then watched the other sibling fights play out in her head.

"And you're hung up about your brother resenting you? Maybe he isn't the only one. Looking through these memories, I see not a sister, but more like a bully at times. Take a look at these," Belos chastised. He then showed Lynn the time when she stayed in Lincoln's room after she and Lucy got into that fight. She saw herself put a luche libre mask on Lincoln and pulverize him, while he didn't put up any sort of fight. Another flashback had Lynn see herself be a bad winner on game night. All the instances of Lynn calling her siblings nicknames such as 'Stinkoln' and 'Brainbox' swirled around on an endless loop.

"OK, so I'm not perfect, but I'm not the bully you say I am!" Lynn admitted. Belos sighed heavily, and then grinned maliciously as if he had just hit the jackpot.

"What do we have here? A memory you've tried to bury, and it concerns your dear Lucy. Let's take a peek," Belos urged. Lynn then saw events she wished she could forget. She saw herself 'training' Lucy to stand up to bullies because she was afraid Lucy would get picked on, only her training methods left a lot to be desired, as Lynn was putting her down, calling her names, even subjecting her to a swirly or two.

"No, not this, please!" Lynn begged.

"It only proves my point. All this and more shows you're a sister by blood only. You were right about yourself before. You are a monster," Belos responded. Little by little, Lynn could feel herself losing more control of her body. "It won't be long now. I give it at least an hour before I will have erased you completely. Feel free to watch as I stamp out your entourage, starting with your sister. Ta ta," Belos then banished Lynn to the darkest recesses of her mind, where she could only watch helplessly as Belos used her body to confront her sister. Back at the vault, Bel-Lynn continued his exchange with Lucy.

"It has been interesting watching your family history through Lynn's memories. A family of witches, their powers bound by your ancestor, re-awakened by you when your family decided to go to war against the Nightmare King, and…what's this? A means to turn magic off? A Whispering Spell uttered in the Realm of Magic itself? I had wondered what caused the Great Magic Blackout," Bel-Lynn mused.

"Great Magic Blackout?" Luz asked.

"That's what we called the period where, for no apparent reason, we couldn't cast any spells, at all. No-one knew what caused it. Guess we have our answer," Eda explained.

"That had consequences," Lucy reminded.

"Yes, yes, I'm quite aware. The merging of two worlds and the subsequent interdimensional instability. A small price to pay to rid us of the scourge of magic," Bel-Lynn scoffed. Luz heard this and thought of the frightening period of time where Earth became fused with Mewni. Well, frightening for others. Luz thought of it as a wonderful fever dream she didn't want to wake up from, even if there were growing pains.

"But then, of course, your brother had to ruin everything by waking magic up again, or at least, helping those who did. No matter, with this, I can correct the problem," Bel-Lynn then showed the key to the group, signalling his intention to open a portal to the Realm of Magic and switch it off again with the Whispering Spell. "Now, I can't risk having you lot get in my way, so let's see what you all regret, shall we?" Bel-Lynn menaced. He then turned the lantern on everyone, showing them their worst selves. Through its purple light, Amity could see herself, as she was before she met Luz, with her green hair.

"You used to have it all. Powerful friends, top of the class, captain of the Grudgby team. Now look at you, shacking up with a human of all people, and you're friends with half-a-witch Willow again. How the mighty have fallen," green-haired Amity scoffed. Purple-haired Amity did look back on those days with regret about how she treated those she deemed, at the time, beneath her, especially Luz and Willow.

"You are everything I've left behind. You are the version of me that was still afraid of a woman that cared nothing for us or our wants and desires. Everything was about Odalia Blight. To her, nothing else mattered except control. You call me weak, but you're the weak one. You'd never know true love or friendship," purple-haired Amity rebutted.

"You speak of love and friendship as if they're strengths. What have they ever gotten you?" green-haired Amity asked. Flashbacks to all the struggles she endured, all the battles she fought, plus the day she and the others got stranded in the Human Realm.

"They are strengths," came a voice purple-haired Amity was elated to hear. She turned to see Luz, with her palisman staff holding a light spell. "Take a look at everything you've gained," Luz indicated. Flashbacks to all the fun they had in the Human Realm, breaking free from her mother's control, seeing Amity's dad stand up for himself against Odalia, the day they tried to ask each other out, and most important of all, their first kiss. Purple-haired Amity wiped away tears of happiness and wore a smile on her face. She then turned to face green-haired Amity, who was slowly disintegrating in front of her.

"I am not you anymore, and I never will be. I have people that care about me. What do you have? Nothing. You are nothing, and I have risen above you," purple-haired Amity declared. She turned her back on her past self, who had completely vanished. She then embraced Luz and pulled her into a passionate kiss, one that dispelled the dark fog and brought them back to the vault, where they could see everyone except Eda, King, and Lucy in similar trances. Bel-Lynn was taken aback by this development.

"What is this? Why did this not work?" Bel-Lynn inquired.

"It's supposed to show us things we regret, right? Bad news, boneface, I don't regret anything," Eda answered.

"I'm too young for regrets," King added.

"I don't think I've regretted anything about coming to the Isles. It's changed me for the better," Luz reasoned.

"Take some comfort, it did work on me. It showed me the Dread Mistress, who I was when I was under Bill's sway, but I've long since come to terms with that. She has no hold on me anymore," Lucy consoled. Bel-Lynn then outstretched his hand, and the staff with artificial magic flew back into it, re-arming Bel-Lynn.

"Fine, the hard way it is," Bel-Lynn lamented. Lucy then conjured a ring of fire encircling them both like a makeshift arena, keeping Bel-Lynn from Luz, King, Eda, and Amity.

"I'll keep him occupied. You awaken the others," Lucy instructed.

"Kid, that's suicide!" Eda urged.

"That's my sister. If anyone's getting her back, it's me," Lucy rebutted.

"Doesn't much matter to me. I'll see to all of you eventually. For now, these two are overdue for some sibling bonding," Bel-Lynn said. He then tapped the floor with his staff and summoned more tentacles, only for Lucy to swat them away with her staff like a baseball bat. She hit back by conjuring a swarm of bats to rush Bel-Lynn, but he merely used a Shield Charm to keep them away. Still, this proved to be an effective distraction, as Lucy leapt up into the air and slammed her staff onto the floor, making the ground beneath Bel-Lynn's feet rise up suddenly, propelling him into the air. Lucy followed up with a return swing, using an air blast to slam Bel-Lynn into the wall.

"Lynn, I know you're in there somewhere," Lucy called out. While Lucy was duelling Bel-Lynn, Luz, Amity, and Eda set to work waking the others up. First was Willow. The biggest thing she ever regretted was not fighting harder to prevent the initial split between her and Amity, that if she had been stronger, then they would still be friends. To this end, childhood Amity rubbed this in her face.

"Some pal you turned out to be! You let my parents force us apart! Weakling!" childhood Amity ranted.

"I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do. I wasn't strong enough," Willow whimpered.

"And that is why we could never allow our Amity to associate with you," Odalia appeared and chided Willow. "She needed stronger, worthier friends. Someone as weak as you could never measure up to my daughter!" Odalia put down.

"That is simply not true!" came a voice Willow welcomed. It was present-day Amity, purple hair and all, come to pull Willow out of this funk. Amity then comforted Willow. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Stronger than me, even. You're more than worthy of being my friend and ally. I said this once, and I'll say it again, I was the weak one. I should've fought harder. I'm sorry," Amity admitted. Hearing this, Willow got her confidence back and hugged Amity tightly.

"We both should have, but we've done a lot of growing up since then, and we've come a long way," Willow affirmed, and the illusion dissipated around them. Willow and Amity found themselves back in the vault, with the duel between Lucy and Bel-Lynn still raging. Bel-Lynn used his staff to summon a small concussive force that drove Lucy back, widening the gap between the combatants.

"You still believe you can save your sister," Bel-Lynn taunted. He then magically pulled several objects towards him, added an electrical charge, and hurled them at Lucy. "How quaint," Bel-Lynn added. Lucy was only able to project a magical barrier to protect her from the impact in time, though maintaining it took effort.

"Did I miss something?" Willow inquired, watching the battle play out.

"We need to wake up the others. She can't hold him for long," Amity replied.

"I'll get Hunter, you back her up," Willow suggested. She then proceeded to enter Hunter's trance-induced hallucination while Amity jumped through the ring of fire and used an abomination fist to smack Bel-Lynn across the arena.

"Amity, don't. This is my fight," Lucy insisted.

"One, you don't need to do everything by yourself. I've said as much to Luz. Two, I've been wanting to take a crack at Lynn since I met her. This will do just nicely," Amity rebutted. Bel-Lynn gave an evil smile in response.

"Bring it on, Candyfloss!" Bel-Lynn goaded. Amity was very worried by this response.

"Oh, that's not good," Amity noted.

"How? Lynn called you 'Candyfloss' all the time," Lucy questioned.

"Yeah, Lynn did. The more of Lynn's mannerisms Belos uses, the more control he has. We don't have much time before he takes complete control of Lynn's psyche," Amity pressed.

"Then we better make this quick," Lucy urged. Lucy then used teleportation to dart around the battlefield and land quick strikes, keeping Bel-Lynn distracted while Amity used her abomination substance to try and disarm and restrain Bel-Lynn, but Bel-Lynn used his magic to turn the abomination substance to stone, shatter it into pieces, then launch those pieces at the two girls, who could only shield from the attack, driving them back. While this was happening, Willow was trying to get through to Hunter, who was confronted by his past self, the Golden Guard, in his vision.

"Belos took you in, gave you a home, power, authority, responsibility, and this is how you repay him? By turning on him, siding with his enemies and helping bring about his downfall. With allies like you, he never needed enemies. It's a wonder your new friends trust you," the Golden Guard goaded.

"He created us, abused us, isolated us, all so he could enact his plans for genocide that included us. He disposed of our predecessors like garbage whenever we dared question his vision. How can you be grateful to a man like that?" Hunter reasoned.

"Without him, where would you be? Answer me that!" the Golden Guard replied.

"Alright, I will," Willow's voice echoed throughout the vision, and the girl herself appeared. The Golden Guard rounded on her. "I can tell you exactly where Hunter would be without Belos, with friends that care about him, that do not judge him for his past, that accept him for who he is, and with someone who loves him no matter what," Willow answered. She then showed Hunter the events that took place while they were stranded in the Human Realm, no doubt the happiest time of his life. Hunter saw himself cosplaying as his favourite sci-fi characters, participating in movie and game nights, enjoying the water park, and discovering the existence of wolves. But most important out of all these memories were the times he spent with Willow, just the two of them, when his feelings for her began to take root, and he would not take them back for anything.

"You heard her. I'm fine without Belos. Better, in fact. The Golden Guard is gone. I am what rose from the ashes of that life. We don't need him anymore," Hunter resolved. Rather than objecting, the Golden Guard instead removed his mask and smiled at Hunter.

"About time one of us said it. Go on, live your best life," the Golden Guard congratulated. As the Golden Guard slowly vanished, Hunter and Willow were locked in a loving embrace, the two sharing a kiss that dispelled the darkness and brought them back into the vault. In Lilith's vision, she was confronted by her past, villainous self, the leader of the Emperor's Coven, and Belos' most prized servant.

"What has become of you? Cursed, like your sister. Covenless, powerless, a mere historian, and what have you done to your hair? What happened to the Lilith who would curse her own sister to make it to the top? She had ambitions, goals, and the will to achieve them. This Lilith is nothing," past Lilith derided. Lilith was then showed repeated flashbacks of the time she cursed Eda when they were teens, and what she had done while in the emperor's service.

"That is not me anymore," Lilith protested.

"Belos gave you purpose, direction, and most of all, shelter from your resentful sister, and you threw that away," past Lilith scoffed.

"Resentful? I resent that!" Eda's voice called to Lilith. Eda then came into view to pull Lilith away from this nightmare.

"Eda. How?" Lilith asked.

"This magic feeds on resentment and regrets, and I don't have either. I'm too old for them," Eda responded.

"I…..always thought you resented me for choosing the path I did, for not being there when you needed me most, for putting the curse on you in the first place," Lilith lamented.

"Lilith, we may butt heads, but we're still sisters. I could never shun you, no matter what path you walked, and if it took all that to get you where you are now, then I'd say it was worth the journey. Besides, you found your calling without that blowhard Belos calling the shots. You're better than him by miles, and you're certainly better than your past self," Eda encouraged. Lilith was shown flashbacks of her punching Phillip in the face (a memory she frequently enjoyed), making friends with Hooty, opening the museum, planning the showcases, displaying the exhibits, everything she had done since leaving Belos' side, and she couldn't be prouder of herself.

"Thank you, dear sister. That is a relief to hear. Maybe I could show your students around sometime," Lilith offered.

"We always did say we'd make the Isles a better place together," Eda recalled. The two sisters hugged it out, dispelling the fog and past Lilith, putting them back into reality. In Gus' vision, he was wrestling with his past self as well. His greatest regret was not being able to see that he was being taken advantage of by other people before he became friends with Willow. His past self appeared before him.

"You're supposed to be a master illusionist, yet you couldn't see through this deception? You're hopeless," illusion Gus scoffed.

"I wanted to see the best in people. That's not a bad thing," Gus asserted.

"And look where that got you. They used you, Augustus Porter, and you fell for it. What kind of illusionist can't tell when he's being played? Especially by this weasel," illusion Gus mocked. Flashbacks played of the time where Mattholomule tricked his way into the Human Appreciation Society and tried to usurp Gus' presidency.

"And how is that his fault?" Luz questioned. Gus could then see Luz through the vision and got new hope. "Yes, he did get used, but what matters is that he saw the lie for what it was and chose to reject it, not that he didn't see it in the first place," Luz added.

"And now I have new friends, ones that value me as a person, that won't use me for my genius, and whose company I genuinely enjoy," Gus concluded.

"He also has compassion beyond measure, that led him to save the life of someone who wronged him, and that someone became his friend, and eventually, his lover. That is something to be proud of," Luz praised. A flashback then played of the time Gus and Mattholomule were helping to rebuild the Looking Glass Ruins. They had been going there for three weekends in a row, and were starting to get along, when Mattholomule brought up something he had on his mind.

"Hey, Gus, I've been meaning to ask. When we first met, I tricked you to get power for myself, even landed you in the detention pit. Why did you save me from that monster when you had every right to leave me there after what I did?" Mattholomule inquired.

"It wouldn't have been right. Sure, you were a jerk, but you didn't deserve that. Nor did you deserve being used by those Glandus kids either. I guess I can't help but see the good in people, sometimes," Gus answered.

"Even in people like me? No-one has ever thought of me as being a good person, and granted, I haven't done much to change that image," Mattholomule admitted.

"People can change, just look at Amity. The person she is now and who she used to be, you could swear they were two different people," Gus compared.

"So, you're saying I should dye my hair?" Mattholomule joked. Gus laughed a little when he heard this.

"No, I'm saying you should change your outlook. Instead of pushing people away, you should start accepting them into your life," Gus advised. Mattholomule thought about Gus' words, and the more he did, the more they made sense to him.

"Thanks, Gus, I'll do that," Mattholomule resolved. While they were working, Mattholomule's hand accidentally slipped onto Gus', and rather than recoil in fear, Mattholomule gently withdrew it and found himself warm in the cheeks. "Maybe I'll start with you," Mattholomule thought to himself.

"After that, we hung out more, and after we restored the Isles back to normal, he asked me out on our first date, and we've been going strong since," Gus recalled.

"Yes, you've come a long way since I met that child prodigy when I snuck into Hexside the first time," Luz affirmed.

"Well, I had a good teacher," Gus complimented.

"Taking strength from others? How pathetic!" illusion Gus chastised.

"If I draw strength from my friends, and they draw strength from me, then we all benefit," Gus refuted. Illusion Gus began to break apart as Gus came to terms with his past and cast aside his regrets. Illusion Gus smiled proudly as he slowly vanished.

"Nice words, pal. You've truly healed," illusion Gus complimented as he disappeared completely. Gus then turned to Luz.

"Thanks for helping me see the truth," Gus said gratefully.

"It's what friends do," Luz replied. The dark fog dissipated, and Luz and Gus were back at the vault. Everyone had been freed, save for Toffee and Caramel.

"We'll save the lizards, you lot restrain him," Eda instructed, referring to the duel between Lucy, Amity, and Bel-Lynn. By this point in the fight, Amity had successfully used her abomination power to disarm Bel-Lynn, but in turn, Bel-Lynn had also disarmed Amity. The two were locked in hand-to-hand combat, which surprised Lilith.

"I served with Belos a while, and he doesn't know how to fight with his hands," Lilith observed.

"No, but Lynn does. We need to end this now and get him out of her," Lucy corrected. Realising that they needed to act quickly if they were to have any chance of saving Lynn, Willow conjured some vines to grab Bel-Lynn by his ankles, keeping him from using his feet. Amity used this opportunity to land a few well-placed nerve strikes, temporarily disabling Bel-Lynn's arms. Willow then finished the job by wrapping Bel-Lynn up almost completely in plant matter, save for his head. Amity fortified this restraint with her abomination substance, creating an effective cage which Bel-Lynn couldn't escape from. Meanwhile, in Caramel's hallucination, she was confronted by her alter ego, the Chameleon, the name she gave herself when she stole in order to survive.

"The hero role doesn't suit you, Caramel. You tried to play it once, and it cost you everything. Your home, your family, everything," the Chameleon taunted.

"I tried to stop the war between monsters and mewmans, end the bloodshed," Caramel recounted. Flashbacks were shown of Caramel's efforts to match a mewman princess, Eclipsa, with the monster prince Globgor, in the hopes that a marriage would symbolise peace, but her father, Seth, became enraged and banished her from the monster kingdom.

"With nothing and no-one to rely on, you turned to thievery in order to survive day after day, and not only did you survive, you thrived as well. You didn't need anybody, so why did you try and re-connect with your brother Toffee?" the Chameleon chided.

"I….stole from everybody. Not just the rich, but the poor as well. Anyone that had anything I needed, whether it was food, money, or weapons. It wasn't a time I was fond of, so yes, I did try and talk to Toffee again," Caramel responded.

"And you rejected him when he told you he killed Queen Comet. You called him a monster, and so you went back to thieving. Why have you denigrated yourself now?" the Chameleon chastised.

"I encountered a brother and sister. They reminded me of what it was like to have a sibling, and I knew I couldn't do this anymore, so after helping them, I reformed, and that led me to my brother," Caramel recollected. Flashbacks were shown of Caramel's encounter with Dipper and Mabel Pines, the destruction of the Poseidon Engine, and Caramel's reunion with Toffee.

"You discarded me so you could play hero with your brother, hoping to rekindle your childhood. How sad!" the Chameleon scoffed.

"At least she's not alone anymore," Eda's voice called out. Eda then approached Caramel. "Take it from someone who's also had to steal and scam to survive, you learn to come to terms with that part of yourself, and as soon as you do, the Chameleon will stop being a part of you. Our past doesn't define us. Look at me, I was once the most wanted witch on Bonesborough, and now I'm a distinguished Headmistress of a prestigious university. Can't get better than that," Eda consoled. Caramel then thought back to how far she'd come. She had her brother back, she was doing good by the people, and she was helping make the multi-verse a better place. This more than made up for her thieving days, and she made a note to herself to thank the Pines twins for stopping her that day in London. Caramel then turned to the Chameleon.

"No more," Caramel declared. As she came to terms with her past, the Chameleon slowly vanished just like the other visions, and the Chameleon put on a proud smile.

"No more," the Chameleon repeated as she faded out of existence. Instead of returning to the vault, Eda and Caramel found themselves inside Toffee's vision, with him and Lilith engaging Toffee's past self, when he was a monster general.

"This has to be the worst fall from grace I have ever seen. You were once leading an army against magic, now you're doing the bidding of magical beings? How are we the same?" General Toffee mocked.

"I fought so that our kind could live in peace. We just wanted a place in the world," Toffee replied.

"Peace? Did you hope to get a peaceful resolution when you murdered Queen Comet in cold blood? She offered you peace, you gave her violence, as did Solaria centuries before her. You answered blood with blood, as was your right," General Toffee clarified.

"And look where that got me. It lost me a finger, and my sister," Toffee recalled.

"The finger was regrettable, but Caramel lost her way," General Toffee responded.

"Yeah, I did, but I found it again, and I helped you to find your way when you lost yours as well," Caramel reminded.

"We all lose our way sometimes. It is never shameful to seek help in finding the right path, though. I lost my way when I served the Emperor. Eda and Luz helped me find my way back to the light," Lilith empathised. Flashbacks were shown of Lilith sharing Eda's curse, of Toffee and Caramel's heart-to-heart talk, and of them fighting the Nightmare King's hoard with their allies. Toffee then looked from these to General Toffee and realised how far he came. No longer was he this vengeful war-monger, but he was now a defender of peace alongside his sister, which was all he ever really wanted.

"There's a difference between us. I have friends and a sibling. All you have are servants. You'll never know what a true ally is, and I feel sorry for you," Toffee rebutted. As General Toffee faded away, Toffee blew into him to finish the job, and he, Caramel, Lilith, and Eda were back in the vault. Now everyone was free. All that was left was to de-possess Lynn. However, that would prove difficult. Bel-Lynn mustered enough of Lynn's magical energy to break free of his bondage, fling Amity out of the arena of fire, erect a magical barrier between Lucy and the others, isolating her, and he disarmed Lucy, pounced on top of her, and put his hands around her throat, squeezing tightly.

"I tried to save you, but your soul is beyond redemption. Take solace, it'll be over soon," Bel-Lynn stated.

"You think…Lynn….would let you…kill me," Lucy wheezed as she struggled for breath. This only made Bel-Lynn squeeze tighter.

"She doesn't have a-ARRRRGGGHHH!" Bel-Lynn suddenly let go of Lucy, putting his hand on his forehead as if he were having a massive migraine. In Lynn's mindscape, she and Belos were struggling for control.

"Yo, old fart! Hands off my sister!" Lynn demanded.

"I thought I got rid of you. No matter. There's not much you can do anyway. It's just you and me in here, and I'm close to having full control. What hope do you have?" Belos derided.

"More than you think," came an unknown voice. A ball of light floated down and came to a stop between Lynn and Belos. The light then took the form of a girl, with wings on her back, wearing all blue, brown hair, and a halo of sorts. It had been a while, but Lynn remembered this face.

"Annie?" Lynn recalled.

"It's been a while. Sorry I'm late. It took a while to get everyone here," Annie replied. Lynn looked around but couldn't see anyone else bar Belos.

"Look around, no-one's here, and old man crazy over there is close to hijacking my body," Lynn observed with despair.

"Oh, you think?" Annie rebutted. Just as all hope seemed lost, more balls of light appeared. These lights took the form of each of Lynn's siblings. Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, Lana, Lola, and Lisa appeared inside her mind. Even Lincoln made an appearance.

"You look like you're having some trouble. Mind if we took over?" Leni asked.

"Annie clued us in on what's been happening. Hope you're up for family butt-kicking time," Lori encouraged.

"Time to send this guy back to his century!" Lola incited.

"Bring as many sisters as you like. You're all nothing compared to me. I am the Witch-Hunter General, and you are heathens, destined to burn," Belos dismissed.

"You're just another MAGA Republican to us, dude!" Luna backtalked. Working together, the light of the Louds was enough to force Belos back, but it still wasn't enough for Lynn to get full control back.

"That is impressive, I will grant you, but you'll need more than that to beat me," Belos bragged. It was then that Lucy made her way into Lynn's mindscape.

"Alright then, let's bring more," Lucy replied. She then used her staff to summon Belos' brother Caleb, Hunter, and the previous Golden guards into the mindscape. Belos merely laughed.

"You were supposed to summon more for your side, not mine. You're not very bright, even by a witch's standards. Stop them," Belos ordered, but the Golden Guards did not move. Neither did Caleb or Hunter. Belos looked around, bewildered, while the Louds smirked. "Are you all deaf? I gave you an order. Stop. Them!" Belos bellowed, but again, nobody moved.

"You murdered me!" Caleb responded.

"You indoctrinated us!" one Golden Guard added.

"You tossed us aside like trash!" another piled on.

"You treated us as tools!" Hunter asserted.

"You reap what you sow, Phillip. You tried to make the Golden Guards into an exact image of your brother. You succeeded, in every way, even bringing out his compassionate and tolerant side, the side that grew to love witches and witch-kind, the side that dared to ask questions. The side that realised witch-hunting was wrong, and now seek to end it," Lucy clarified. Another ball of light appeared and took on the form of a witch woman no-one recognised, save Caleb and Belos.

"Evelyn!" Belos realised.

"Now, you will pay for your sins," Evelyn resolved. A portal opened up to a fiery dimension, and the Golden Guards slowly dragged Belos through it.

"No! This is not my fate! I am not the one meant to burn! You are the heathens, all of you! I am the Saviour! I am the Witch-Hunter General!" Belos ranted.

"No. In the end, you are nothing," Caleb corrected. Belos gave one last scream before disappearing fully through the portal, closing behind him, signalling the end of Belos' presence in Lynn's mind. Caleb then turned to Annie.

"We are at peace now. Thank you, Sentinel," Caleb said gratefully, as he and the Golden Guards vanished with smiles on their faces. Hunter and the others returned to the vault to find the Louds and Annie in a meditative stance, which they were awakening from. Lynn was slow to wake up, but she did so surrounded by her family. Even Lincoln sported a look of concern.

"Are you, you, right now?" Lincoln probed. Lynn then prodded her face and body with her fingers.

"Yes, it's me. What happened? Why does everything hurt?" Lynn asked.

"We…..kinda got into a fight, when you weren't yourself. Amity even bested you in fisticuffs," Lucy relayed. Lynn was shocked at this revelation.

"What?! No way! I want a rematch, Candyfloss!" Lynn objected. Amity chuckled slightly.

"Yep, that's Lynn alright," Amity confirmed. Everyone laughed until Eda looked up.

"Triad's almost here. We'd better get out of this dump," Eda informed.

"Yeah, we should go. We got what we came for. No need to stick around," Toffee agreed.

"It's been fun, Louds. Hope we see you again someday," Caramel wished. Toffee then called for an extraction using a communicator that Jorgen gave him. A beam of light appeared before them.

"That's our ride. Gotta go," Toffee said, and he and Caramel walked into it, the light taking them and the Spirit away from the Isles.

"You should make yourself scarce too, Annie. I wouldn't want you to have to explain Sentinels and all that junk to these people. Lynn's key can get us back home," Lori suggested.

"Yeah, I'd better. Things are a mess back home. My sisters need me more than ever now," Annie agreed. She squeezed her orb and portalled away from the Isles just as Alador, Raine, and Darius descended on the vault.

"So this is where Belos hid the last vault? He truly had no shame," Darius stated.

"Get a salvage team down here," Alador ordered one of the accompanying guards. The guard left to carry out the order, while Raine saw to the Louds, especially Lynn.

"She's showing signs of post-possession stress. Get healers down here immediately," Raine ordered another guard, who was on his scroll to contact members of the former healing coven. Once both teams arrived, everybody left the vault. Lynn felt the memory shard that held the piece of Phillip's soul break away to nothing.

"Burn in hell," Lynn spat before letting the healers take her away.

Annie had returned to the Sanctum to find the Sentinels split down the middle. It seems Delilah had them separate into two camps. One side, Shawn, Amy, and Sylvia argued that the Sentinels should work with the Court despite them not telling them of their true nature, whereas the other side, consisting of Crystal, Zella, and Morgan, believed that the Court can never be trusted again. After her visit to the Chronicler, Annie could see both sides of the argument had valid points. Delilah was busy keeping them from going at each other's throats.

"Heya, Chief. You made boneface go bye-bye?" Delilah asked.

"The last piece of Belos is gone. No more will his specter haunt the Boiling Isles," Annie updated.

"Wait, you got to fight Belos? Jelly. I wanted to take a crack at him," Morgan expressed.

"It was a team effort. The Louds pitched in. They're seeing to Lynn as we speak," Annie said humbly.

"How is she? Post-possession stress can be rough," Amy inquired.

"Lynn's a tough girl. She'll be fine. Never mind that, though. What happened here?" Annie replied.

"After we got back from the White Isle, I found this lot ready to pound each other, insisting their position was the right one. I split them up and 'requested' they hold off on the rumble until you arrived," Delilah disclosed.

"That is true, so please, Chief, tell that lot over there that whatever the Court has done, we do still need them to take down the Order," Sylvia advised.

"Oh please, we can hunt them down without those deceitful old fogies breathing down our necks every step of the way," Crystal argued.

"We have inter-dimensional travel, the means to track down Order activity, Chief, tell them!" Zella added. Everyone started arguing again until Annie blew a sharp whistle.

"Will all of you keep it down, please?!" Annie calmed, and everyone fell silent. She then took a deep breath before speaking again. "Delilah, have you told them what we saw at the Chronicler's library?" Annie probed.

"Everything. The Aether, the Dragon Elders, all of it," Delilah confirmed.

"I still can't believe the Chronicler actually exists. I thought he was just a legend," Shawn stated.

"Indeed. What I wouldn't give to peruse his library," Amy gushed.

"Which is exactly why he should've remained a secret. No-one is to go anywhere near the White Isle. The trials there are not for the faint-hearted, and the Chronicler is not an advisor, only a historian. Is that understood?" Annie asserted. Everyone nodded in acknowledgement. "Good, that's settled. Given that you know everything, and I know where all of you stand, I am ready to deliver my opinion, but first, we should bring the Court into this discussion," Annie resolved.

"Yeah, sure, bring the untrustworthy ones into this debate," Morgan rebutted.

"I know how you feel, but they should be given the chance to explain themselves to you," Annie soothed.

"We already called them and they confessed everything. We told them we would wait on you before making a decision," Sylvia divulged.

"Though it seems they got impatient waiting for us," Delilah interjected.

"I see, alright, this saves time, and also puts a lot of pressure on me, so thanks a lot, guys," Annie responded.

"Remember the Trial of the Present, we should do whatever we do next as a group," Delilah reminded. Annie paced up and down the room, thinking about what her decision would be. On one hand, she could understand the Sentinels' distrust and resentment towards the Court for keeping such a vital truth hidden, but having gone through the Chronicler's trials, she could understand why they did it. The Dark Master's time must not be one the Court looks back on fondly, and the Sentinels as they are now are nothing like the Marauders of the past, so maybe Annie thought there was no need to reveal it. Plus, there was the Malefic Order issue. Could the Sentinels track down the Order without the Court's help? Their assistance was invaluable to them before. They narrowed down the activity to a certain location and sent Sentinels to investigate. Without them, the Sentinels would be flying blind, and Annie couldn't have that.

"Alright, here is what I've decided," Annie began. She then called the Court on her orb device, and holographic projections of Ignitus, Volteer, Cyril, and Terrador appeared before them. Even High Justice Red made an appearance, which was a rarity.

"Annie, Delilah, I'm glad to see you've returned. I take it your 'personal matters' have been resolved?" Ignitus asked like a concerned parent.

"You mean our trip to the White Isle and the Chronicler's library, yes, they have been. We learned a lot, and it has put things into perspective," Annie answered.

"So you have the context behind our deception, then? I always figured the truth would come out someday," Terrador lamented.

"Yes, it's all well and good, but your origins change nothing about who you are. You're still Sentinels to us, no matter who made the first of you," Red assured.

"I know that, which is why I've decided that we should continue working with you. Regardless of how we feel, we still need your help to track down and stop the Order, before they awaken the Dark Master. However, I have a condition. If I find out that you've kept anything else from us that we needed to know, the Dragon Guard will disband, and we will find a way to stop the Order ourselves, without your rules or constraints holding us back. We want the same things, but the Sentinels deserve honesty and truth from you in return," Annie concluded. The Court discussed this amongst themselves before coming to an agreement.

"Your terms are fair, and we accept them. What you learned from the Chronicler is everything we tried to conceal. There are no more secrets anymore," Ignitus agreed.

"And honestly, we were tired of keeping them anyway," Volteer added.

"Indeed. Now it's all out in the open, you know what the stakes are now. We'll need to be extra vigilant," Cyril cautioned.

"So, that's it, then? You know everything, and you still want to work with us. Previous Courts would call this 'luck'. I call it 'reason winning the day'," Red summarised.

"Yes, now that's out of the way, I should inform you that Belos kept a Horcrux of sorts, though that has been destroyed by the Louds and the Hexside Gang, and Toffee and Caramel were able to recover the Spirit of the Dark Master. They should be transporting it to Fairy World as we speak," Annie reported.

"A Horcrux? How come we couldn't sense it?" Ignitus wondered.

"Does it matter? The thing's gone, and the Spirit has been recovered. I'm putting this down as a twin victory," Red dismissed.

"Yes, old friend, I suppose that's true, though there's always the possibility that if he made one Horcrux, he could've made more," Ignitus posed.

"Agreed. We should keep watch over the Isles, just in case," Terrador suggested.

"By your will, councillors. If there's nothing else, I have a rift between the Sentinels to heal," Annie replied.

"Of course, you should get back to your family. They have a lot to absorb. May the Ancestors look after you," Ignitus wished, and the call was terminated.

Back at the Boiling Isles, everyone made it to Hexside without incident, where healing witches were looking Lynn over. Whilst that was happening, Lucy was telling the siblings all about their little adventure on the Isles, everything Annie didn't get around to telling them. Lincoln, being an amateur magician, was infatuated by Hexside, and wanted to enrol himself, but Bump wasn't impressed by card tricks, quarters behind ears, or pulling rabbits out of hats.

"Tell me that isn't what magic is like in the Human Realm," Bump groaned.

"It gets worse. They make you believe they can saw people in half. It's just smoke and mirrors, with a touch of sleight-of-hand," Lucy explained.

"This is a school of magic, not carnival tricks. Can you demonstrate some actual spells?" Bump asked.

"Only the bare basics. Lucy's the one who's truly magically gifted. The rest of us don't really like to use magic unless we don't have a choice," Lincoln admitted.

"That I believe. If you want to try again when you turn 14, let me know. Otherwise, you should stick to your human school," Bump advised. This, to Lincoln, was equivalent to 'we'll keep you in mind', which he could take. One of the healers then approached the sisters, having finished examining Lynn.

"She'll be fine. Belos wasn't in there long enough to do any permanent damage," the healer updated.

"Is she well enough for visitors?" Lori asked.

"I believe so, just take it easy," the healer allowed. Every Loud sibling rushed into the healing room, where Lynn was sitting on a hospital bed, and she smiled when she saw them. Even Lincoln was pleased to see she was doing OK. Whilst the sisters conveyed well-wishes, Lynn and Lincoln merely exchanged weak smiles, signalling to Lynn that the rift between them hadn't been fully mended yet. However, Lynn had a question for Lincoln that she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Linc, why did you come to save me? I thought you resented me," Lynn wondered. This caught the other siblings by surprise. While Lucy knew about Lincoln's resentment, they did not.

"Wait, you resent Lynn? Why?" Lori inquired.

"When did this start?" Luna probed.

"How come you never told anyone else about this?" Luan added.

"To answer Lynn's question, I came to save you for the same reason I turned down the opportunity to press charges. My feelings are not worth losing a sister or any member of this family over. I couldn't leave you to Belos, no matter how I felt. You're still my sister, and no rift between us will change that," Lincoln answered.

"That's nice to hear. Thanks, Linc," Lynn said gratefully. Lucy then stepped up to the plate.

"Lincoln, I have to ask this. Is Lynn the only one of us you resent, or are there more of us you feel this way towards?" Lucy asked desperately. Everyone looked from Lucy, to Lynn, to Lincoln. No-one spoke until Lori broke the silence.

"I think this is a discussion best had when we're back home," Lori suggested.

"Agreed. The 'rents should be in on this," Luna affirmed.

"She's well enough to travel. If you like, you can use the hospital wing door to get you back to the Loud House using that key of yours," the healer stated. Before anyone made any moves, the Hexside squad came in to visit, with an additional guest.

"Guys, this is Vee. She's got a gift you may find useful," Luz introduced. Vee then shapeshifted from her normal self, a freshman high school girl, to Leni's form. Leni then turned her around.

"Is this always what my hair looked like from the back?" Leni queried.

"Pretty much. It's an exact likeness," Lori complimented.

"Principal Bump has an idea. We hide the real Leni here, safe from the Order, while I live in her place. Lucy can board here at Hexside so she doesn't feel lonely and so she can carry out her studies. King has spoken to the Collecter and he's agreed to keep an inter-dimensional comm line open, but only to the Loud House. The real Leni cannot contact anyone else, lest we risk the ruse being discovered," Vee-Leni proposed.

"That makes sense. Having a double would halve the risk of capture, plus the Order would never risk coming back to their home, because they believe Belos to still be alive and hunting them," Lisa responded.

"I'd never turn down a chance to live here, even if it is in protective custody. The Isles sound awesome," Lana gushed.

"But you'd be living on a rotting corpse. Ewww!" Lola objected.

"The opportunities for study would be endless," Lisa stated.

"It should be Leni's decision," Lori asserted. Leni then turned to face Vee-Leni.

"I'd like to have this 'resentment' discussion with my family first before I decide," Leni requested.

"Sure, it seems like a sensitive topic, anyway," Vee-Leni conceded. She left the hospital wing while the Louds used Lynn's key to return home. Once there, they found Lynn Sr. and Rita, holding Lily, waiting for them in the living room.

"Oh, thank goodness. When Annie told us what happened, we feared the worst," Rita relayed.

"We're just glad you're all OK and…..what's with the dour attitude in the room?" Lynn Sr. probed.

"Well, Lincoln, it's time to answer my question. Do you resent us?" Lucy repeated. Everyone had their eyes on Lincoln, fearful of what he might say.

"What is this all about? Resentment? What's going on here?" Rita queried.

"In short, Lincoln told me he resents me for not only the 'bad luck' incident, but my solution to it as well," Lynn summarised.

"And…..she's not the only one," Lincoln disclosed, which made every Loud gasp in horror. He faced each sister one by one. "Lori, you are the oldest of us. We depend on you to be the wisest and fairest of all of us. How could you not see the bad luck fiasco was spiralling out of control and put your foot down?" Lincoln questioned. Lori had no words, only regrets that showed in her moistening eyes. "Leni, you're the sweetest and gentlest of us. How could you condone excluding me and locking me out?" Lincoln continued. Leni mimicked Lori's expression. "Luna, Luan, you two like to make people happy. How could you go along with something that was making me miserable and alone?" Lincoln asked.

"We got no excuses, bro. That was majorly not cool," Luna said remorsefully.

"I should hang up my comedy cap in shame," Luan agreed.

"The younger ones, I do not resent as much. It would be easy for them to get wrapped up in it all, with one glaring exception. Lisa, you're the smartest of us. How could you believe in luck and superstition to this degree? When did logic and reason fail you?" Lincoln wondered.

"I wish I could answer that, but alas, I cannot," Lisa responded.

"But the ones I resent the most…" Lincoln then turned to his parents. "…are the two of you. You had it within your power to stop the luck thing before it got out of control, and instead, you went along with all of it. That left a scar, one I'm not sure will heal," Lincoln vented. Rather than wailing uncontrollably, Lynn Sr. just let out a remorseful sigh.

"You're right, Lincoln. We failed you in the worst possible way, and we've never forgiven ourselves," Lynn Sr. replied.

"Which is why, since you got back from the hospital after the Order incident, we had these drafted," Rita then handed Lincoln a set of documents. "They're emancipation papers. For weeks now, you've been an emancipated minor, with all the rights that come with it, even the ability to move out of the house," Rita explained.

"We've always feared something like this could happen, which is why we have a plan," Lynn Sr. divulged.

"The choice is yours, but we can arrange to have you transferred to Chavez Academy in Great Lakes City. We broached this option with Principal Ramirez and she says she can make it happen. You can live with the Casagrandes while you heal from these emotional wounds we dealt to you, but as we said, it is your decision," Rita outlined. Lincoln thought about this. Maybe some time away would do him good. He'd be able to make a home with Ronnie Anne, and the change of scenery would take his mind off things, plus he was sure his friends wouldn't mind if they knew. Maybe it was time to quit bottling it up.

"Thanks, you guys. I'd like this. Please give me some time to break the news and say goodbye to my friends here," Lincoln agreed to the plan.

"Sure thing. Lynn, could you get Lucy back to Hexside? I'm sure she's eager to start classes," Rita instructed. Lynn then used the front door to open a portal to Hexside using her key, and Lucy went through. Leni also used this opportunity to speak to Vee-Leni.

"Have you decided yet?" Vee-Leni asked.

"Your boyfriend's name is Gavin. You work at Reininger's on weekends, and your favourite shows are The Dream Boat and Vest Friends Forever, and thanks for being my double," Leni emphasised, and hugged Vee-Leni goodbye, while they swapped places.

"So, we have a shapeshifter living with us now?" Lola mused.

"Eh, we've been through weirder," Lana dismissed.

"Really? Do tell?" Vee-Leni inquired.

"Well, Lucy found this icky wand on one of her graveyard walks, then she started haunting people with it, then there was this bioweapon, and this big-headed dork," Lola relayed.

"His name is Jimmy," Lisa corrected. This went on for several hours until it was time to turn in. On the Isles, Lucy and Leni were acclimatising to their newly-built quarters the Construction track students built for them. According to Bump, it was an extra-credit assignment, one Lucy and Leni would both give them A's for. They found King waiting for them in their shared bedroom with a crystal ball in his hands.

"Housewarming gift, from Luz and the gang," King then placed the ball on a table in the middle of the room. He then showed the girls how to use it to watch Boiling Isles programming, similar to a TV. While Leni found the shows enlightening, she found King even cuter.

"You were right, Lucy, he is adorable, and I do have several little outfit ideas for him," Leni complimented.

"Just please, no cheerleader stuff. Did that once, and never again," King shared.

"Oh, that I HAVE to see," Leni teased.

"I think Eda still has the pictures," Lucy informed.

"Or if that fails, with those horns, you could be a mascot for the Moon Goats," Leni said.

"If Luan doesn't use him for a comedy act, first," Lucy rebutted. The three laughed into the night about ideas for how King would interact with each of the Louds. Back at the Loud House, while everyone was asleep and Lincoln had made it to Great Lakes City without incident, Lynn was still wide awake. She couldn't get the experience of being under Belos' control out of her mind, what she was shown, both then and while she was under the influence of the Behir tranquilizer. It put things into perspective for her, and she knew what she had to do next. She went to her door and pulled out her key.

"I want to learn how to be a better sister," Lynn told the key. She put it into her door lock, turned, and summoned a portal to somewhere she did not know and gave one last look at her room.

"Goodbye," Lynn bad farewell to the Loud House, and vowed never to return until she found what she was looking for.

The next day, everyone that was still residing in the Loud House was getting ready for breakfast, when they noted Lynn's absence. Rita went to check in her room when she found a note on the bedside table. She started to read, and by the time she'd finished, she was in shock. It read as follows:

Dear family

By the time you read this, I will be gone. When I first went to the Isles, I thought of myself as a sister and as a witch. However, recent events led me to conclude that I have only been one thing; a failure. Both as a sister and as a witch. Failing as a witch, I could handle. I never wanted to be one, but failing as a sister, that cut deep. Because of me, Lincoln was nearly lost to us, and the family almost ripped apart, and it isn't just Lincoln. I haven't been a good sister to anyone, whether it is Luan and my 'advice' on spicing up her romance, or Lucy and my 'training' to stand up to bullies. I cannot set foot in the Loud House again until I learn how to be better, so I asked the key to take me to somewhere that could teach me that lesson. I don't know where I'm going, but I promise you, when you see me again, I will be a better sister, to all of you.

Lynn Loud Jr.

"I hope you find what you're looking for, Lynn, and I hope you're safe," Rita wished, and went back to what was left of the residents of the Loud House.

Author's note: Happy Thanksgiving, my American readers. I hope this finale chapter is at least somewhat meatier than the turkeys you'll have eaten by now. For anyone who's wondering, Lynn 'training' Lucy to stand up to bullies is a reference to Grace's story 'Behind Closed Doors' It's…..a doosey, let me tell you, and it's not one for the sensitive. Side note: thanks to OneDrive, I was able to work on this chapter on three devices, thereby tripling my productivity. This is the first thing I've written using this method, and I think I'll be using it more often. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their respective owners. Enjoy, and please take in these post-credit sequences.

Lynn Loud was walking down the streets. She was thankful the key took her somewhere civilised, though she still did not recognise the place. Bizarrely enough, some of it seemed familiar to her. She carried on for an hour before coming to rest at the suburbs, at a condo that looked mildly fancy. A lot fancier than her house, that's for sure.

"Why would you take me here?" Lynn asked the key, when the mailbox told her she had arrived at the Grant-Gomez household. Out of sight, she saw an older brother and younger sister get into a mini-van while chatting amongst themselves.

"I still don't get why you're having me fly around the Murphy house three times a week, Kevin," the sister stated.

"If what Marco said is true, this 'Malefic Order' could make a move on Milo at any moment. From the tone of his voice, it sounds like they could come soon," Kevin reiterated.

"It doesn't help that the house is the only one on their block with castle turrets. They stick out like a sore thumb," Gretel observed.

"I hear that. It's like displaying a neon sign saying 'Milo is here, come grab him'," Kevin agreed.

"On my last two fly-overs, things seemed quiet, though I did see someone staring at the house each time. Probably wondering about the decoration, but you can never be too certain," Gretel reported.

"If you see them again, let me know, or Marco, whichever of us is available. We can't take chances," Kevin instructed.

"Sure thing. I got everything I need for my sleep-over at Bailey's tonight," Gretel responded.

"You need me to come get you the next day?" Kevin probed.

"If it's not too much trouble," Gretel replied.

"Not at all. Bailey's house is on the way to the comic bookstore," Kevin assuaged.

"Oooooooo, sneaking in some 'Hiromi' time?" Gretel teased.

"Enough, let's get you to your sleep-over," Kevin asserted. They drove to Bailey's house, with Lynn having heard their conversation.

"Really? Them? Alright, I don't know what you want me to learn, but I'll follow your lead," Lynn spoke to her key.

At Butterfly Castle in Mewni, Annie, via holoprojection, was relaying everything she and Delilah had learned from the Chronicler to Moon, Eclipsa, the Magic High Commission, and the Calamity trio of Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright, and Marcy Wu.

"Yikes, and I thought the Butterfly family history was dark in places," Eclipsa compared.

"So, we're dealing with a relic of a bygone age. Nothing we haven't done before, but I fear this castle may not withstand a siege from a dragon, especially one as powerful as this 'Dark Master'," Moon disclosed.

"I don't think I have any dragon-sized crystals," Rhombulus lamented.

"I don't think it's a dragon we have to worry about, but his army. It sounds massive, larger than the one that laid siege to Newtopia," Omnitraxus Prime corrected.

"Bring 'em on, I say. A bunch of dirty apes are no match for Mewni's finest, and us," Hekapoo bragged. Lekmet grunted in response.

"The Chancellor's right. We can't afford hubris right now. How can we fight something when we don't know what it is. We don't even know this Dark Master's name," Rhombulus translated.

"Malefor," Anne interjected. Everyone turned to face her.

"Anne?" Sasha queried.

"You OK?" Marcy asked out of concern.

"His name is Malefor," Anne clarified. This sparked much discussion, whereas Annie could not believe someone was brave enough to utter the Dark Master's name. Even Sentinels feared to speak it.

Yeah, this post-credit sequence is a hint to those that did not know that I was using the 'Dana Terrace' approach when it came to revealing the name of the Dark Master. Hope you enjoyed this story. It will probably be my last entry into the Malefic Arc of 2023.