Alarms wailed through the Louisiana State Prison as guards rushed to secure the front entrance, which had been burst open by a cloud of purple smoke. The guards formed a line, their weapons straight at the purple cloud. As the smoke slowly faded, someone stepped out into the open: A young girl, well in her teens, with an unusual shade of long silver hair garbed in what could be described as a purple wizard's outfit.
As she waled further into the prison, the guards redirected their aim at her.
"Freeze!" One of the guards yelled.
"Whoa, okay, easy there, pal," said the girl lightly, holding her hands up in surrender. "I don't want any trouble. I'm just here to get my uncle. So if you wouldn't mind showing me where – " She took a cautious step forward….
"I said freeze!" the guard repeated heatedly.
The girl sighed exasperatedly, and said, "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you…."
She unzipped the mouth of her doll-like bag, which seemed to come to life at the hands of its owner, reached inside to retrieve a glowing pink orb coated in similarly-colored electricity. She lightly tossed the orb at the guards' feet and shielded her face when it exploded, sending the officers flying in every direction, most slamming against the walls and falling unconscious. With the path ahead cleared, the young sorcerers pressed on.
A few more guards appeared, having heard the explosion from across the prison, and tried to tackle her. But the silver-haired girl casually tossed more exploding orbs at their feet. She could have easily done worse, but the sorceress seemed to be trying to avoid harming the guards, preferring to simply knock them out and leave them be. Even when one of the guards shut a door that blocked her path, the most she did was blow the door off its hinges and knocked the man unconscious.
She reaches the end of a long hallway where a single steel door waits at the end. She stopped in front of the door, then reached inside her living bag again and retrieved a red stone carved with a runic symbol. When she held the stone up to the door, it glowed bright crimson, confirming her suspicions. She replaced the stone inside her bag and pulled out a handful of pink dust, which she sprinkled over the door.
"Fallum Quarca Daminigan!" the girl chanted, pressed her hands against the door.
The door was blasted off its hinged by a burst of purple magic, opening the way into a dark, windowless room. In the center of the room, a man sat cross-legged with his back turned to the girl, hovering unsupported several feet in air.
"Charmcaster…," the man spoke greeted her while keeping his back turned. "I've been waiting…."
"Well, major jailbreaks aren't exactly easy to pull off, you know," said Charmcaster.
"It would have been easier," said the man with a tone of annoyance, "had you not restrained yourself again, my dear niece. The guards still breathe."
"I'm not going to kill people for doing their job!" Charmcaster argued.
"And that is why you will always be weak," scoffed the man. "You're too sentimental, just like your father was."
"I take that as a compliment," said Charmcaster defiantly.
"Don't talk back to me in that tone," the man threatened, his eyes briefly radiating with power, "or you will suffer the consequences."
"Yes, uncle," said Charmcaster, bowing her head submissively.
"My staff," the man demanded.
With great reluctance, Charmcaster unzipped her bag and pulled out the beginning of a long piece of wood. Her bag appeared to have storage capacity beyond its appearance because she kept pulling until she was holding a familiar six-foot staff with the skull of a raven with a golden ring through its sockets.
"Uh, the magic must have drained out of it or something; it doesn't work," said Charmcaster nervously. "But I swear, it's not my fault."
Charmcaster was nearly thrown off her feet when the staff suddenly flew out of her hand and shot across the room into the man's waiting grip. With his staff now returned to him, the man stepped forward into the light entering from the hallway, revealing Lucky Girl's old enemy, Hex.
"Its powers can be brought to life only in the hands of a master sorcerer," said Hex.
As a demonstration of his returned power, Hex released a bolt of electrical energy from the bird's beak and threw it Charmcaster's way. Charmcaster raised her arms to protect herself, but the bolt split into two and went around her, striking the two prison guards she had noticed entering the room behind her. The guards collapsed and Charmcaster realized, with a sickening lurch, they weren't breathing.
"Now, to reclaim the Charms of Bezel and restore my power," said Hex.
"But the charms were destroyed when you were arrested," said Charmcaster.
"Not all of them," said Hex. "I sense that one is still active. And with the alignment nearly upon us, I will complete the ritual and restore the other charms."
He turned towards the wall and blasted a hole with another magical beam. He stood on the steel door that Charmcaster had broken and beckoned his niece to do the same. He waved his staff and commanded the door to float, soaring out through the hole and into the open night sky.
"Once I have regained my power," Hex continued, "I will take revenge on the one responsible for imprisoning me in this festering sewer. Lucky Girl…."
But behind her uncle's back, Charmcaster grimaced at the prospect. Wherever this Lucky Girl is, Charmcaster thought, she better live up to her name.
Somewhere on a cliffside highway in central Nevada, a bus was hanging precariously over the edge of a huge drop. No one was exactly sure how this happened, considering there isn't another vehicle on the road, who why the bus didn't have a driver to begin with. All that really matter was that they were steadily slipping over the edge until they stopped with a great lurch. There was a momentary pause before they suddenly found themselves being pulled safely back onto the road.
Everyone looked around curiously until the back of the bus was ripped off, revealing that they had just been saved by the silicon-based hero, Diamondhead.
"It's okay, everybody," said Diamondhead reassuringly. "Everything's all right now."
With the day save once again, Diamondhead turned to leave –
"So you're not gonna help us off, Mr. strong man guy?" one of the passengers complained. Diamondhead looked back and only just realized that all of the passengers were elderly people. "Who raised you, anyway?"
"Oh, be a dear and carry me, would you?" an old woman requested. "My bunions are killing me."
"Your bunions, my butt!" another old lady argued. "My new hip's out of whack; I'm first."
Diamondhead groaned, but reluctantly doubled back to help the elderly. Sometimes being a superhero sucks….
The Rust Bucket was parked on the opposite side of the road while Ben helped the elderly get down. The RV had fallen under a state of awkward silence since their adventure in Mexico only two days ago. Max was sitting in the front seat, tapping the steering wheel anxiously while occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror. Trixie was sitting at the table using Gwen's computer for her online genius group chat while Gwen sat across with her arms crossed, making an effort not to look at either of them.
After another minute of painful silence, Max said, "So um, Ben's sure taking a while. Think we should go check on him or…."
"I want to go home," Gwen demanded, brushing off his attempt at small talk.
"You're still on that?" asked Trixie exasperatedly.
"Of course I'm 'still on that!'" said Gwen heatedly, slamming her hands on the table. "I said I wanted to go home, and I meant it!"
"Gwen, your parents aren't expecting you back until the end of the summer," said Max, frowning. "We still have almost two months until we head back home. You could at least try to enjoy the trip."
"How am I supposed to enjoy my summer when I'm surrounded by liars?" said Gwen angrily.
"Don't you thin you're overreacting?" said Trixie nonchalantly.
"Grandpa lied to us about Vilgax, the Plumbers, and nearly got everyone killed over his obsession with that dumb sword," Gwen vented, then pointed at Trixie. "And don't even me started on that whole mess with Kevin, who tried to annihilate us. Twice!"
"Gwen, I'm sorry about what happened in Mexico," Max apologized sincerely. "But I wasn't trying to lie to you about my history with the Plumbers or Vilgax."
"And just because you don't believe Kevin can be better doesn't mean I don't," said Trixie firmly, leering at the redhead. "He's not a bad person. He's just lost and confused."
"Whatever," Gwen scoffed, throwing herself back in her seat. "Surprisingly, the only person who hasn't stabbed me in the back all summer is Ben."
"What about me?" asked Ben, conveniently entering the Rust Bucket at just the right time.
"Gwen was complaining about Maxwell and I," Trixie explained shortly.
"What else is new?" Ben joked. Gwen glowered and threw a pillow at her cousin's face. "Seriously, Gwen, you've gotta let it go. Grandpa and Trixie made some mistakes, but you can't hold a grudge forever."
"I can, and I will," Gwen huffed, crossing her arms and turning away. "Next stop we make, I'm calling mom and dad and having them buy me a plane ticket back home."
"Well, that's too bad," Ben said with a mischievous grin. He reached into his pocket and whipped out a handful of tickets. "I guess you're gonna miss the magic convention."
"Magic convention?" Gwenn parroted, spinning around so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.
"Magic convention?" Trixie also repeated, with a more apprehensive tone.
"Those grannies gave me these tickets for a magic convention in Las Vegas," said Ben, waving the slips enticingly. "I figured after the whole thing with Fina and the Forever Knights, you might want to have a little fun for a change. Bu-u-ut, if you really want to go home, I guess I could just throw these in the trash – "
"No, no, no, no, I'll go, I'll go!" Gwen babbled excitedly, snatching up one of the tickets and looking it over like it were made of gold. After taking a moment to collect herself, she noticed Ben, Trixie, and Max grinning smugly. "…This doesn't mean I forgive you all."
Meanwhile, in the Louisiana outskirts, Hex had set up a roaring fire with his magic while Charmcaster stood off on the sidelines.
"Darkara Dorokey Aghosto," Hex chanted, tossing a handful of powder into the flames. The fire grew and crimson smoke rose into the air, then presented him with an image of the object he sought. "The last Charm of Bezel. In the hands of my most hated enemy."
"Who is a ten-year-old girl," Charmcaster commented.
"Silence!" Hex snapped; his niece flinched and bowed her head. "Now…reveal your location to me!"
The image of the Lucky Charm twisted until a nine-pointed sigil with a single blinking dot, acting as a compass.
"Well, there you go, you know where it is now," said Charmcaster, backing away slowly. "It was really nice seeing you again, Uncle Hex, but I should be going now. Summer homework and all that – "
But she didn't get far before Hex shot a bolt of magical energy directly in her path, making the ground explode and knocking Charmcaster off her feet. Charmcaster grimaced as she pushed herself to her hands and knees, only to see her intimidating uncle hovering over her menacingly.
"You will leave my service only when I say you can," Hex threatened. "In fact, I have a task for you."
"A-a task?" Charmcaster stuttered nervously.
"In my current state, I am ill-equipped to face the likes of Lucky Girl and her allies," said Hex. "That is why you are going to retrieve the Charm of Bezel for me."
"Me? What can I do that you can't?" asked Charmcaster worriedly.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure something out," said Hex.
By the next day, they made it to Las Vegas without any driverless buses full of grannies to save. They parked in front of the convention center called the Magic Lamp (Ben literally rolled his eyes at the pun.) But while the Tennysons got off the Rust Bucket, Trixie stayed behind.
"Are you sure you don't want to join us?" Max asked Trixie.
"Thanks for the offer," said Trixie, "but I intend to have a magic-free day. So if you need me, I'll be in my bunker."
Trixie slammed the RV door shut, ending the conversation.
The Tennysons entered the convention with Gwen and Max in high spirits while Ben was just powering through with a bored look on his face. He may have offered the ticket to put Gwen in a better mood, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to all this fake magic stuff, specially when he had seen the real thing firsthand.
Just as Ben had expected, the convention center was filled with stalls run by poser magicians who did boring party tricks like those dumb magic rings and disappearing objects (which were totally up their sleeves. Even worse, there were tables of nerds in wizarding costumes playing card games. Ben knew this was bound to be a horrible time, and it looked like he wasn't the only one who thought so. Gwen frowned at the overheard banner and sighed in disappointment.
"'Magician of the Year Expo?'" Gwen read. "Ugh, it's all cheap junk and grossed out trick. I thought it was gonna be magic magic. Not cheesy magic."
"Hate to tell you, Gwen, but real magic's hard to come by," said Ben, genuinely sympathetic to Gwen's disappointment. "We haven't run into any real wizards since we beat up that Hex guy in New Orleans."
"I know, it's just…," Gwen sighed. "We've been meeting aliens, and knights, and evil clones all summer, and you and Trixie are always…I don't know, in your element. I just thought, for once, we could do something that I was good at."
"Well, it's still early," said Max optimistically. "As long as we're here, we might as well look around."
Though reluctant to spend any more time in this cheesy convention, Grandpa Max had a point. They were already here – it'd be a waste to leave so soon.
Though as she wandered the convention center on her own, her disenchantment only grew. A stall that sold fake bugs and dog poo (gross), a stall for cheap plastic jewelry, a stall about card tricks – none of this was even close to the what she saw back in New Orleans. She thought she might at least find something good at the stall selling books, but the closest thing to 'magical' was the complete collection of Harry Potter books.
Gwen heaved another sigh.
"I know, disappointing, am I right?" Gwen blinked and looked to her right. Leaned against the wall next to the stall with her arms crossed smugly was Charmcaster. "I tell you; these dopes wouldn't know real magic if it turned them into a toad and sent them flying on a magic carpet.
"You know real magic?" said Gwen skeptically, giving her a onceover. "Nice costume. Let me guess: you're a level twenty enchantress."
"Don't lump me in with those dweebs," said Charmcaster, jabbing her thumb towards the nerds playing with their little wizard figurines. "I'm the genuine article."
"Oh yeah, prove it," Gwen challenged.
With a cocky smirk, Charmcaster faced the nerd table and raised her hand, making a sign with her hand. Her eyes briefly flashed purple as she chanted, "Bellum Hocorro Mazzora!" The same glow illuminated the nerd's figures, which suddenly came to life and started attacking their owners, who screamed like little girls and ran out of the center with the figurines chasing after them.
Gwen gasped at what she saw and flipped around to Charmcaster with her eyes twinkling in awe and wonderment.
"That – that was real magic!" Gwen sputtered excitedly. "You're a sorceress! A real sorceress!"
"In-training," Charmcaster corrected while offering her hand. "Name's Charmcaster."
"Gwen Tennyson," Gwen introduced, shaking her hand enthusiastically it nearly pulled Charmcaster's arm out of its socket. "I also go by Lucky Girl."
"Lucky Girl, huh?" said Charmcaster, grinning. "Like that masked superhero in the newpapers with all those alien heroes?"
"…I probably shouldn't have said that," said Gwen, wincing at her own blunder.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Charmcaster waved it off. She then reached into her bag. "Hey, since you're so interested in magic stuff, have a look at this." She pulled out a small book barely bigger than her hand. "Ta-da! The Compendium to Level One Magic. It's a basic beginner's guide to starting sorcerers."
"Wow, a real spell book," Gwen gasped excitedly.
"If you want, I could give it to you," Charmcaster offered. "I'm a Level Five sorceress, so I've already mastered every spell in this book."
"Really?!" asked Gwen happily, reaching out for the book. "That is so – "
"Hey, Gwen." She and Charmcaster pulled away before the swap could be made due to Max and Ben turning up. Charmcaster stowed the spell book bac in her bag. "Who's your new friend?"
"This is Charmcaster!" Gwen introduced the sorceress excitedly; Charmcaster smiled and waved nervously. "You're never going to believe this. She's a – "
Before she could explain what made her new friend so special, they heard a sudden uproar of panicked screams coming from outside. The Tennysons didn't even think twice before running out to see what the commotion was about. Charmcaster frowned and bit her finger nervously.
This was super bad, Charmcaster thought. She wasn't actually supposed to like this girl. Her job was simple: get in, steal the charm, and get out. But Gwen's innocent love of magic reminded Charmcaster of a puppy; it's too cute! This was gonna be harder than she thought….
Outside the convention center, there was a man in a straightjacket hanging from a helicopter. Apparently, he was in the middle of performing a stunt when the helicopter suddenly broke down for some inexplicable reason and was swinging out of control.
"I don't think that's part of the act," said Max.
"What was your first clue?" said Gwen, grabbing her cousin's wrist. "C'mon, Ben, it's hero time."
"Aw man," Ben whined, letting himself get dragged away. "Do we ever get a day off?"
As the Tennyson cousins disappeared around the corner, Charmcaster stepped out of the building and watched them go before looking up at the disaster taking place in the sky.
The situation appeared to have gotten worse. The helicopter flew between the powerlines, snapping the electric cables with its propellers. One cable came close to giving the hanging man a shock of a lifetime, only narrowly dodging it by leaning back. Unfortunately, the cable manages to snag the rope, catching it on fire.
The copter finally seemed to be losing momentum and tilted toward the ground when Jetray swooped onto the scene with Lucky Girl clinging to his back. Lucky Girl jumped off her cousin's back and grabbed hold of the rope, almost slipping but reaffirming her grip. Meanwhile, Jetray flattened himself against the underside of the helicopter, using his body to steer the vehicle.
"It's okay!" said Jetray. "Everything's under control!"
At that precise moment, the copter's rear propeller snapped off and went flying through the air.
"Does that look 'under control' to you?!" shouted Lucky Girl.
"Hey, which of us has the luck powers?" Jetray retorted.
As it just so happened, the wildly propelled was shot toward the convention center. Or, more specifically, towards Max, who didn't notice the spinning blades of death because his attention was focused on his grandchildren.
"Grandpa, look out!" Lucky Girl screamed.
His granddaughter's warnings alerted Max of the approaching danger, but by that time it was too late for him to move out of the way. But then, miraculously, came to an abrupt stop inches away from Max's face. The retired Plumber took a shaky step back, exhaling a relived sigh, and took another look at the propeller. There was a strange purple aura surrounding the blades, keeping them suspended in midair. Max tilted his head in confusion until Charmcaster walked past him, holding out her right hand, which was glowing in the same-colored aura. And when the sorceress-in-training dropped her hand, the propeller fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
"Uh…thanks?" Max said with uncertainty.
"No problem, old timer," said Charmcaster, giving him a playful two-fingered salute before running ahead. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a ride to catch."
Up in the air, Jetray struggled to keep the helicopter aloft as his body was much smaller and thin than the vehicle itself. But fortune favored them as Lucky Girl's charm activated its magic. And in that precise moment, an inflatable balloon sitting in one of the many casinos below was mysteriously cut free and floated in the path of the helicopter, resulting in it getting tangled up in the propeller. The balloon then snags one of the oversized letters on the casino sign, bringing the copter to a complete stop and leaving it dangling in the air.
"Boy, that was lucky," said Jetray jokingly.
"Hey, I was gonna say that," Lucky Girl complained, but was smiling nonetheless. "I'm thinking of making it my catchphrase."
"Clever," Jetray complimented.
But while they were discussing heroic catchphrases, they completely forget that the rope was burning until it finally snapped, sending the magician plummeting fifty feet to the ground. Jetray cursed and dived after him. But even with his speed, gravity was pulling the magician faster than the Aerophibian would keep up with. At this rate, he was gonna –
"Declam Baccura!"
The magician came to an unexpected stop in midair that Jetray flew past him and nearly faceplanted on the street. Jetray stared in bewilderment when he looked back and witnessed the showman be safely levitated to the ground by a glowing purple aura. Jetray noticed the same glowin his peripheral and swiveled around to find Charmcaster grinning a few feet away.
"Don't mind me," said Charmcaster. "Just thought I'd lend a hand."
"Charmcaster!" Lucky Girl cheered.
The sorceress-in-training used the same spell to levitate Lucky Girl and the helicopter pilot down to ground. Once they were safely on their feet, Charmcaster was startled when a roar of cheers rang out from the other side of the street. Everyone had seen what she had done, shouting praises and taking videos with their phones. Charmcaster grinned and scratched her head sheepishly. She had never been praised like this before.
Meanwhile, Jetray moved closer to his cousin and whispered in her ear, "Who's that?"
"She's my new friend," Lucky Girl answered proudly.
Everyone returned to the Rust Bucket where Charmcaster made herself comfy on the couch. Gwen invited the sorceress-in-training without a moment's hesitation, and Ben didn't mind revealing his true appearance to her after she saved that wannabe magician and Grandpa Max.
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done," said Max gratefully. "If it wasn't for you, I'd have ended up like sliced ham."
"Hey, it was no sweat," said Charmcaster nonchalantly. "Just a simple telekinesis spell. No big deal."
"She was so amazing!" Gwen praised. "She made it look so easy. I'm seriously jealous."
"Yeah, it's pretty cool to meet a magic dude who wasn't trying to kill us," said Ben.
"We ran into this creepy guy – Hex – who used magic to commit crimes," Gwen explained, frowning. "I don't suppose you've ever heard of him?"
"Oh, I know him, all right," said Charmcaster, looking in the corner apprehensively. "Everyone who's trained in the mystic arts has heard of him. He abuses magic for his own selfish gain, and doesn't care about any of the people he hurts." She subconsciously rubbed her bicep, wincing. "Any of them…."
Gwen had the sneaking that she knew more about Hex than she was letting on. The way she was rubbing her arm was like she was remembering a painful memory or injury. Did she run into Hex before? Did he hurt Charmcaster? Gwen didn't get the chance to ask, unfortunately, because a small hatch opened in the middle of the floor. Trixie crawled out moments later, closing the hatch behind her and stretching her arms above her head.
"Are you done with your creepy magic show?" asked Trixie. "Because I'm getting…."
As Trixie turned around, she finally noticed Charmcaster, who waved good-naturedly. Then…something strange happened that Trixie had never experienced before. It was a strange sensation that was hard to explain. Her face felt hot and turned a dusty shade of red and heartbeat momentarily accelerated. Trixie was startled by these symptoms, not knowing what to make of them.
"Wha…what's wrong with me?" Trixie sputtered, confused. "My face feels hot…and I think may be experiencing heart palpitations. Am I sick?"
"I think you're just fine," Max chuckled knowingly. "Trixie, this is Charmcaster. She's Gwen's new friend."
"She's a sorceress!" Gwen exclaimed excitedly.
"In-training," Charmcaster corrected.
"A sorceress?" Trixie repeated. "As in magic?"
"That's right," Charmcaster confirmed.
"…I feel strangely conflicted," muttered Trixie.
"So, Charmcaster, where'd you learn to do magic?" asked Ben curiously. "Did someone teach you or were you just born with it?"
"Where I'm from, everyone is born with magic," Charmcaster explained. "But you still need lessons so you don't accidentally blow yourself up. My dad taught me when I was little, but when he…passed, my uncle took over my training."
"Well, I'm sure your uncle is very proud if he raised a fine sorceress-in-training like you," said Max confidently.
"I don't know about that," said Charmcaster, frowning. "He can be very…demanding. Sometimes I just wanna…."
Before she could finish her sentence, a loud chiming sound filled the Rust Bucket, causing the Tennysons to look around wildly for the source. The noise was apparently coming from Charmcaster's bag, which she unzipped and rummaged through the contents. She retrieved a small hand mirror, which glowed each time it chimed.
"Ugh, speak of the devil," said Charmcaster, standing up. "I uh, need to take this."
Charmcaster excused herself and ran out of the Rust Bucket and took cover around the back. After check that none of the Tennysons were listening, she tapped the mirror and Hex's tattooed face appeared in the reflection.
"Hey, Uncle Hex, I was just about to call you," Charmcaster smiled nervously.
"Don't lie to me!" Hex snapped, making his niece flinch. "I saw the news! You were out playing hero with Lucky Girl instead of retrieving the Charm of Bezel as I instructed you to do!"
"I wasn't playing around; I was earning her trust!" Charmcaster yelped quickly. "She thinks I'm her best friend now. Just give me a little time and I'll get the charm – "
"Time is a luxury we can't afford!" yelled Hex. "The alignment s nearly upon us and I require the charm in order to perform the ritual! You will bring me the Charm of Bezel or I will – "
Just then, Charmcaster heard the Rust Bucket's door creak open. Charmcaster quickly stuffed the mirror back into her bag, muffling her uncle's voice, and walked bac around like nothing happened. The Tennyson were exiting the RV when Charmcaster joined them.
"Hey, we were thinking of checking out the rest of the convention," Gwen informed her. "I know it seems cheesy compared to real magic, but it could still be fun."
"I'm always up for shamelessly pointing and laughing at hacks," said Charmcaster with a bright smile.
"I will also be joining you," Trixie added, shutting the door behind her.
"I thought you hated magic," Ben pointed out.
"I wouldn't say I hate it," said Trixie, not meeting his eye. "In fact, I'd say I've developed a…healthy curiosity toward it."
Ben raised a brow until he realized that Trixie was looking at Charmcaster when she said that. A wide, mischievous grin crossed his lips.
"Ooh, I get it," said Ben teasingly.
"Get what?" asked Trixie, confused. Ben just snickered and walked away. "…Get what?!"
For the first time since Vilgax's attack, Gwen found herself genuinely having fun. They joined the surprisingly large crowd in the convention center as they watched several magicians perform on stage, dazzling everyone with their so-called magic. And after each, Charmcaster whispered the secret behind the stunt in Gwen's ear and they both had a laugh, much to the confusion of those around them. It felt good having a real friend for a change. It started to make her forget all the bad things that had happened recently.
The most recent magician just finished "sawing" a tiger in half and Charmcaster before he was moved off stage and the announcer said, "…and remember, the Magician of the Year will be crowned in a few hours during the solar eclipse."
Charmcaster frowned; she didn't want to be reminded of her deadline when she was having a good time….
"Now, please welcome our next contestant, the Amazing Alan!"
Appearing in a puff of white smoke (and the secret trapdoor on stage), another wannabe magician with unnecessarily long hair appeared pushing around a locked box.
"For my first trick," the 'Amazing' Alan spoke in an obviously fake German accent. "I will need a volunteer."
"Hey, where'd Benjamin go?" asked Trixie, just noticing that the wielder of the Omnitrix had disappeared.
"Ben Tennyson, at your service!" Ben suddenly shouted on stage, scaring the Amazing Alan.
"What's he up to now?" asked Max.
"Nothing good, I imagine," Trixie remarked.
"…and boy goes in," said the 'Amazing' Alan, lifting Ben into the box. "But what comes out will amaze and surprise you."
"They won't be the only ones," Ben muttered with a mischievous grin.
But while the Tennyson boy allowed himself to be locked inside the box and the "Amazing" Alan went on with his pointless trick, Charmcaster was keeping an obsessive eye on Gwen. More specifically, the charm around her neck. She had finally come up with a plan of attack: she would use a severing spell to cut the rope of Gwen's necklace and then use a levitation spell to slip it off before she noticed anything. Then Charmcaster can pretend that Gwen accidentally dropped it somewhere in the convention center before she slipped away in the crowd.
Maybe then Gwen wouldn't hate her….
But as she was initiating the severing spell, the "Amazing" Alan's box exploded on stage and Rath appeared with a bone-rattling roar, startling Charmcaster and causing her hand to slip. Boy, is that girl in for a surprise when she finds out a long strip of her hair was missing.
The crowd was cheering, thinking Rath's appearance was part of the show. Everyone except Gwen, Max, and Trixie, who looked remarkably unimpressed with Ben's prank. That was until a cloud of glittering red smoke melted through the center's skylight and glided down on stage at Rath and the "Amazing" Alan's feet, throwing them off with an unexpected explosion. And who else would emerge from the smokescreen that the menacing magician, Hex, whose expression was filled with annoyance and contempt. Charmcaster winced; he probably wasn't too happy about her hanging up on him.
"It's Hex!" Gwen screamed.
"Oh, come on," Trixie complained. "As if there wasn't enough creepy magic going around."
"Hey, wait your turn, pal; you're ruining my act,' said the 'Amazing' Alan, completely misinterpreting the situation.
"I have no time for amateurs," said Hex, casting his glowing gaze on the so-called magician.
With just a look, Hex lifted the "Amazing" Alan and threw him at Rath, knocking them both off the stage. He turned his attention to the audience, where he was able to zero in on his niece and archenemy almost instantly (probably because of their hair.)
"Lucky Girl, surrender the Charm of Bezel!" Hex demanded. "I will deal with you later, Charmcaster!"
"How does Hex know you?" Gwen asked Charmcaster.
"Yeah…funny story…," said Charmcaster nervously.
But any explanations would have to wait as Hex waved his staff and created a line of explosions in the crowd. The audience ran away in a predictable panic, climbing over each other in a rush towards the exits. But it was effective in clearing out the building, leaving only Hex, Charmcaster, and the Tennysons.
"Hand over the charm or I will destroy you all!" shouted Hex impatiently.
It was at that moment that Rath jumped into the air and landed behind Hex, wrapping the tattooed sorceress in a bearhug before he could carry out his threat.
"Let me tell you something, Hex!" Rath shouted. "Nobody threatens Rath's family and gets away with it!"
"Ch…Charmcaster, do something!" Hex commanded. Noticing his niece's hesitancy and the way she was casting anxious glances towards Gwen, Hex snarled. "Aid me or you will suffer the consequences!"
When Gwen looked at her new friend(?), it didn't escape her attention how terrified Charmcaster looked, or the way she unconsciously rubbed her arm like she did in the Rust Bucket. She was more scared of Hex than they were. That's why Gwen wasn't shocked when Charmcaster suddenly ran towards the stage, unzipping her bag as she went. She reached inside and threw a handful of metal rings, each one hitting Rath squarely in the face. Rath let go of Hex with a startled mewl, providing Hex with the opportunity to aim his staff and blow the Appoplexian away with a magical blast.
Charmcaster helped her uncle to his feet…right before he wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed – hard.
"When I command you to do something, I expect you to do it immediately!" Hex sneered. "Do you understand me?"
"Y…yes…sir…," Charmcaster choked.
"Let her go!" Gwen demanded, not even thinking as she ran to help Charmcaster.
Hex threw his niece aside like garbage and shot Gwen with a magical blast, throwing her across the room and crashing into a souvenir stand. The tattooed sorcerer charged for another magic blast when a pair of bowling pins were thrown at his head. Hex turned his head slowly and leered at Max, who armed himself with more bowling pins. Of course, that hardly seemed very threatening when Hex shot another magical beam at Max, who narrowly avoid the shot by leaping into one of the stalls.
At the same time, Trixie ran on stage, reading herself for a transformation…then Hex looked at her and she grinded her feet to a halt.
"…Nope," said Trixie plainly, then ran in the opposite direction.
Gwen rose from the wreckage of the stall, rubbing the swelling on her head, when Hex crossed the room in the blink of an eye. He grabbed Gwen by the front of her shirt, lifting her effortlessly into the air, her Lucky Charm dangling freely.
"There are two kinds of luck, child," said Hex with a snake-like grin. "Let me show you the bad kind."
"Wait, hold on!" Charmcaster cried urgently, raising to her feet quickly. "Just take the charm! You don't need to hurt her!"
"Quiet, Charmcaster, before I – "
While Hex looked over his shoulder to berate his niece, Gwen swung her foot and connected with Hex's chin, momentarily disorienting him. Hex lost his grip on Gwen, allowing her to land safely on her feet. She then grabbed Hex's arm and judo flipped him over her shoulder, sending him flying several feet.
"I don't need luck to kick your sorry butt!" Gwen declared.
"That little hit was nothing but luck," Hex claimed, standing like nothing happened. "But even with all the luck in the world, you are still no match for a master sorcerer. Now give me the Charm of Bezel!"
Hex pointed his staff at Gwen and started charging for another blast when he noticed a ground shadow beneath his feet. The tattooed sorcerer looked up and dived away at the last second before Rath came down with both fists, cracking the floor.
"Let me tell you something, Hex!" Rath screamed. "Rath is gonna kick your butt so hard, Rath foot is gonna come out of your – "
Hex hit him with another magical blast in the chest, sending him flying to the opposite end of the convention center. Gwen watched her cousin sail through the room and smash through the wall, disappearing somewhere outside. Max and Trixie – who had been dragged out of hiding in a magical truck – grouped up with Gwen. And, surprisingly, so did Charmcaster.
"Does he always talk that much?" she asked Gwen.
"Oh yeah," Gwen nodded in confirmation.
Hex stomped his feet on the ground, creating a magical shockwave from pure rage. He glared between Gwen and his own niece, seemingly uncertain which one he was furious with more.
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Hex roared.
Hex waved his staff and threw all four of them out of the convention center through the double doors conveniently hidden behind the stage curtain. They were tossed into the hedge maze (why was there a hedge mage in a Las Vegas convention center?), but were thrown on opposite sides of the tall shrubs. Max and Trixie landed in one section while Gwen and Charmcaster landed in the other.
"Ow…did anyone get the license off that magic walking stick?" Gwen groaned.
"Gwen, are you all right?!" Max called from the other side of the bushes.
"We're fine, grandpa!" Gwen called back.
"Is Ben with you?" asked Max.
"No, I haven't seen – "
Gwen is cut off when Charmcaster grabs her by the shoulder and forces her to turn. Both girls let out terrified screams as a gigantic snake made from red clouds slithers around the corner, spitting furiously while bearing its surprisingly sharp fangs. Charmcaster screams "RUN!" and pulls Gwen along behind her, slipping around a corner as the red serpent lunged at their heads.
The crimson snake slithered after them, chasing them around two corners and a crossroad before the girls managed to find cover behind one of the hedges. Gwen and Charmcaster covered their mouths, trying to muffle their ragged breathing. The red smoke snake hovered dangerously close to their hiding spot – it was literally within inches of Gwen as it poked its nose around the bushes. Charmcaster even tried to reach for her bag. But, thankfully, the serpent believed they were not presented and moved on.
Once its tail slinked around the corner, the girls released their withheld breaths.
"That was a close one," said Charmcaster, wiping the sweat from her brow. Then, without warning, Gwen snatched her bag and pushed Charmcaster away. "Hey, what's the big idea?!"
"That's my line!" Gwen shouted. "You're working for Hex? You lied to me!"
"I didn't lie to you…," said Charmcaster, rubbing her neck sheepishly. "I just…didn't tell you about it."
"You are unbelievable!" said Gwen, biting her lower lip. She squinted her eyes, trying to fight bac the urge to cry. "I thought you were my friend. But you were just trying to get close to me to get my charm."
"Okay, I admit, that was my job at first," said Charmcaster earnestly. "But I legitimately liked hanging out with you. It's…honestly the first time I ever hanged out with anyone that wasn't made of stone. I realty do want to be your friend, it's just…I need that charm. I have to give it to Uncle Hex or…well, you saw for yourself."
"Hex is your uncle?" said Gwen, surprised. "The guy who tried to crush your windpipe earlier?"
"It wasn't that bad…," said Charmcaster while rubbing her arm anxiously.
"You're bruised," said Gwen, noticing the faint purplish pigment on her throat.
"I've got some concealer that'll cover it right up," said Charmcaster.
"You do?" asked Gwen, startled that Charmcaster would have something so readily available. "Does he…hurt you – "
"I know where you're going with this, Gwen, but that's none of your business," said Charmcaster pointedly. "After my father died, Uncle Hex was the only family I had left. Sure, he may…discipline me, but he still took care of me. He fed me, clothed me, gave me a home, and trained me in magic. I owe him a lot."
"That doesn't make it right," said Gwen, frowning. "You don't have to put up with that kind of treatment. Haven't you ever thought about leave? Getting away from Hex's abuse?"
"I…have thought about it," Charmcaster rubbed her arm again. "But you saw how powerful he is. No matter where I go, he'll find me. He doesn't take 'no' for an answer. And it'll only get worse once he has all five Charms of Bezel again."
"But I destroyed the other four charms," said Gwen, holding up her own charm. "This is the only one left."
"That's all he needs to perform the Ritual of Bezel," said Charmcaster. "Once he has your charm, he'll go to the highest point in the city and perform the ritual during the eclipse. That'll allow him to recreate the other charms you destroyed and restore him to his full power – "
"You don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you, Charmcaster?"
Gwen and Charmcaster swiveled around; Charmcaster unconsciously took a step behind Gwen like a shield. Hex seemingly melted through the shrubbery at the end of the path and glared at the girls. He then raised her free hand, summoning Max, Trixie, and Ben (in human form) and held them suspended in the air.
"Hand over the Charm of Bezel or watch them suffer a painful demise," Hex demanded.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on, Uncle Hex, you don't need to do that!" Charmcaster shouted quickly. In an act of quick desperation, she grabbed the Lucky Charm and ripped it off Gwen's neck, then stepped away before she could react. "See? I've got the charm right here. We can leave and you don't have to hurt anyone."
"Charmcaster!" cried Gwen.
"Good to see you understand your place, Charmcaster," said Hex smugly. His eyes glowed again, this time levitating Gwen off the ground and joining her with her family. "But their past transgressions cannot go unpunished. But do not fret, Lucky Girl." He pointed his staff, gathering energy for another beam. "I will make your death quick and painless."
"Aw man, I didn't think I'd go out this way," Ben moaned. "I always thought it'd be fighting some doomsday monster, like Superman."
"The fact that you've envisioned your own death is disturbing," Trixie noted.
"No, Uncle Hex, don't hurt them!" Charmcaster begged. But when her uncle refused to listen to reason, Charmcaster reached inside her bag of tricks and pulled out an explosive orb, holding it dangerously close to the Charm of Bezel. "Let them go, uncle, or I swear I'll destroy the charm! I will do it!"
Hex glanced over his shoulder at her. Judging by the hardened look in her eyes, he knew she was serious. She would willingly shatter the last Charm of Bezel to save his archenemy. What did Lucky Girl do that would inspire loyalty from Charmcaster in a day that he himself could not obtain without years of discipline? Whatever the reason may be, he could not afford to lose the last charm when it was this close to the eclipse.
"Fine," Hex relented.
Hex sent the Tennyson family flying over the hedge maze, where they landed in a conveniently placed swimming pool. Charmcaster let out a relieved sigh, dropping the explosive orb and offering her uncle the Charm of Bezel as promise.
Hex took the charm from her hand, inspected it for a moment…then backhanded her across the face, leaving a bright red mark on her cheek.
"Don't ever make demands of me again," Hex hissed. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-yes, uncle," Charmcaster mumbled submissively.
"Now that the Charm of Bezel has returned to its rightful owner," said Hex darkly, "I will soon have the power to destroy all my enemies and rule the world!"
Twenty minutes after their unexpected swimming excursion, the Tennyson dragged their feet back to the Rust Bucket, soaked to the bone and dripping everywhere. Max went inside and came back out with a bunch of towels – he didn't want to get his RV wet.
"Well, that could've gone better," said Ben, pouting.
"All things considered, I think a dip in the pool is getting off easy," Max commented.
"Still, I can't believe Charmcaster is a villain," said Trixie, frowning. "Just when I thought magic might not be all bad…"
"Charmcaster isn't a villain," Gwen proclaimed firmly.
"Uh, did you forget that she stole your Lucky Charm and gave it to her creepy Uncle Hex," said Ben.
"She also defended us when Hex was about to annihilate us," said Gwen, standing by her decision. "She could've just turned the other way and let Hex destroy us, but she didn't. We're alive because of her."
"But she kept a pretty big secret from you," Trixie pointed. "Doesn't that mean anything."
"Well yeah," said Gwen, frowning. "But it's not like she wanted to keep from me, she just didn't want to…hurt…me…." Her words trailed off, her eyes widening like she was suddenly experiencing an epiphany. She turned toward her grandfather. "And…just because she made a mistake, doesn't mean she can't make for it…. Just like you, grandpa…."
"So…you're saying you're not angry at Charmcaster?" asked Trixie curiously.
"She's not a bad person," said Gwen. "She just doesn't believe she has any other choice. Hex made her think that she has to be a villain. What she needs is a friend to support her…." And so struck her second realization, this time turning to Trixie. "Just like Kevin does…."
Gwen dropped her towel on the ground and ran her hands down her face, groaning in self-loathing. When she lowered her hands, she saw her grandpa and Trixie giving her proud looks.
"Grandpa, Trixie, I am so-o-o sorry," Gwen apologized sincerely. "I've been acting like such a jerk and giving you both a hard time – "
"No apologies necessary," said Max.
"The fact that you understand where we're coming from is more than enough," said Trixie.
"Still, I owe you both a huge apology," said Gwen.
"You can apologize later," said Ben urgently. "Right now, we need to stop Hex before they recreate those other charms."
"Charmcaster said the ritual would be performed at the highest point in the city during the eclipse," Gwen remembered.
"And the highest point around here is…," Trixie said slowly, then tilted her head back.
Ben and Gwen followed her line of sight and found themselves thinking the same thing: the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino.
Hex and Charmcaster landed on the roof of the Stratosphere Tower. The tattooed sorcerer shielded his eyes and turned his gaze to the sky; the moon was minutes away from overlapping the sun in perfect alignment for the Eclipse. The conditions were perfect for the recreation of the Charms of Bezel.
A sharp ding diverted his attention. Apparently, the tower had a rooftop elevator, which was filled with camera-wielding tourists likely coming to see the eclipse themselves. Hex charged up his staff menacingly, which convinced one of the smarter tourists to close the door before they were blown to bits. When the doors closed, Hex melted the metal and sealed the elevator permanently.
"Little harsh, don't you think?" Charmcaster commented.
"I do not want to be disturbed!" Hex snapped. He looked back to the sky as the moon and sun began to intersect. The Lucky Charm began to glow, responding to the magical influence of the eclipse. "Barban Hextida Zerzam… Barban Hextida Zerzam…."
The Lucky Charm flew out of Hex's open palm and settled itself at the peak of the tower's radio antenna –
The Rust Bucket stopped in front of the Start; Max had to swerve around to avoid the patrons fleeing the building. The Tennyson party stepped outside and could see the Lucky Charm giving off a menacing light all the way from ground level.
"We're running out of time," said Max. "The eclipse is only a few minutes away.
"Guess it's all up to you, Ben," said Gwen disappointedly.
"I'll need some help," said Ben. "Still feeling lucky?"
"What can I do without my powers?" asked Gwen uncertainly.
"The one thing we need you to do," said Ben, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Help Charmcaster. She's a sorceress, right? If anyone can take Hex down, it's her."
"But she's scared of her uncle," said Gwen.
"Which is why she needs a friend to give her the courage to stand up to him," said Max.
"Hey, bad news, everyone," said Trixie, who had run in an out of the building while they were talking. "The elevator is out. We're going to have to find another way up top."
"How're we gonna get up there?" asked Gwen.
"We can take that window washer's platform," said Max, pointing out the crane as said employee ran away. "It should take us straight to the top."
"You guys go on ahead," said Ben as the Omnitrix finished its recharge sequence. "I have an idea for my own ride."
"Barban Hextida Zerzam…," Hex continued to chant as the Charm shot off strange beams of light. "Barban Hextida Zerzam…."
But while her uncle was on the cusp of regaining his former power, Charmcaster stared out in the distance, lost in thought. She hoped Gwen was okay, and that she wasn't mad at her for lying. Gwen was the first real friend Charmcaster had made in a while; having a magic uncle bent on world domination was kind of a dealbreaker. Charmcaster could almost hear her voice now –
"Psst, Charmcaster."
Okay, she actually could hear her voice now.
Charmcaster took a sharp breath when she looked down and spotted the top of Gwen's head poking over the edge of the roof. Charmcaster looked back at her uncle. He was too busy managing the ritual to notice. She rushed forward and crouched on the edge. Looking down, she realized that Gwen was standing on her grandfather's shoulders with Trixie overseeing the platform controls.
"What're you doing here?!" Charmcaster hissed quietly.
"Helping a friend, obviously," said Gwen. "We need your help to stop Hex and shut down that ritual."
"I can't go against Uncle Hex," said Charmcaster, terrified by idea. "He's too powerful."
"We've beaten him before, and without magic," said Gwen. "If we work together, we can – "
Without warning, a golden glow was cast over the Tennyson party and they were lifted into the air. Charmcaster gasped, falling on her butt, and spun around. Hex had caught them. He waved his hand and slammed Gwen, Max, and Trixie on the ground next to Charmcaster, who shrunk under her uncle's furious gaze.
"Plotting behind my back, Charmcaster?" said Hex
"N-no, uncle, I would never – " Charmcaster sputtered frantically.
"Silence!" Hex snapped, charging up his staff. "Whatever silly stunt you have planned, it will do you no good."
"That's what you think," said Gwen. "You of all people should know better than anyone that sometimes magic is about misdirection."
Suspicious of Gwen's words and unusual confidence, Hex looked around for any signs of foul play. Before he knew it, he was getting a face full of flaming rock as Heatblast glided through the air, surfing on a piece of concrete he had ripped out of the ground.
"WAHOO!" Heatblast cheered, pumping his fists in the air. "I forgot how much fun this is." He looked over his shoulder down at his family, where Max was waving frantically from below. Heatblast waved back. "Hey, grandpa!"
"Ben, Hex is – "Max tried to warn, but was too late.
During Heatblast's impromptu hit-and-run, Hex had grabbed on to the underside of Ben's rock and allowed himself to be carried with them. Then, when the Pyronite's attention was away, the sorcerer climbed up and kicked Heatblast in the chest. Heatblast nearly rolled off the flying rock, but managed to grab the edge at the last second.
"I will not be denied my destiny as ruler of the world!" said Hex.
"That ain't gonan happen, skull face," said Heatblast.
Hex took a swing at Heatblast with his staff, but the Pyronite deflected it with his arm and responded with a fireball. Hex tilted his head back to avoid the flames, though it nearly caused him to fall off. And while the sorcerer tried to regain his balance, Heatblast climbed back onto the rock and threw a punch at Hex's face. The tattooed sorcerer finally managed to regain his footing and deflected the blow with his staff, then attempted to strike back with a magical blast. Heatblast managed to lean out the way at the last second.
All the while, Charmcaster watched Heatblast and her uncle fly all over the Las Vegas skyline, locked in (literally) heated dual. She snapped out of her stupor when Gwen grabbed her by the arms, forcing the sorceress to face her, and shook her frantically.
"Charmcaster, we need to stop the spell before the charms are finished!" shouted Gwen. "Can you stop it?!"
"I – I can't Charmcaster stuttered. "If Uncle Hex finds out – "
"If 'Uncle Hex' gets those charms," Gwen cut her off, "then the whole world will be in danger! You think what he's done today is bad, but wait until he's powered up. You've got to stop him. If not for the world, then do it for yourself."
"I – "
"Please…," Gwen pleaded. "I don't want him to hurt you anymore."
Charmcaster looked down hesitantly, uncertain of how to respond.
Back on the flying rock, Heatblast and Hex continued to exchange blows until Hex ducked underneath the Pyronite's swinging fist and delivered a critical swing to Heatblast's chin. The Pyronite lost his foot and slipped off the edge of the flaming rock and sent freefalling towards the ground.
Luckily, Heatblast had more than one trick up his sleeve.
The Pyronite aimed his hands at the approaching street, careful to avoid the civilians, and released a geyser of roaring flames. The blast not only stopped in the air, but also propelled him back into the sky like a rocket. Heatblast tackled Hex off the rock (hate to be who was under that when it landed) and carried him all the way back to the tower.
The alien and the sorcerer landed back on the tower and rolled across the ground after Heatblast's less than stellar landing strategy. The Tennyson family rushed to HHeatblast's aid while Charmcaster remained rooted in her place, casting nervous glances at her uncle near her feet.
"Benjamin, are you all right?" asked Trixie, helping him sit up.
"Ugh…I really need to work on that landing," Heatblast groaned.
Unfortunately, the entire Tennyson party was caught up in a familiar golden glow and raised into the air, their arms pinned at their sides. Hex had gotten back to his feet and he looked livid; Charmcaster was meekly hanging out in the background.
"Enough of this foolishness!" Hex shouted authoritatively. "The time of alignment is at hand! Behold – the Charms of Bezel restored!"
High above their heads, the eclipse had reached the peak of its alignment. Storm clouds swirled around the Lucky Charm as the magical artifact sparked with energy. In the swirling chaos, the Lucky Charm discharged four bolts of magical energy, which solidified into the once-destroyed Charms of Bezel. Hex's maniacal grin grew wide, his eyes glowing bright as he could feel the magic coursing through his veins.
"And now, my first order of business as ruler of the world," said Hex victoriously, "will be to eliminate all those who stood against me." He pointed his staff at Gwen. "Starting with you…Lucky Girl."
Hex charged his staff with magical power, this spell noticeably five time larger than anything he had performed all day. A blast of that size at pointblank range wouldn't even leave ashes.
Charmcaster bit into her lip anxiously as she watched Gwen struggle pointlessly against the magical bindings. She's going to die, Charmcaster thought. She's going to die and I'm just going to let it happen. Her lip was startling to bleed now from how hard she was biting.
Hex raised his staff as it finished charging, hovering it close to Gwen's face –
"Leave them alone!"
Hex was startled by the sudden outburst that he unconsciously dropped his spells. He swiveled around as Charmcaster reached into her bag, whipped out one of her sparking orbs, and threw it at his feet. The resulting explosion knocked Hex on his back, causing him to lose his grip on his staff, thereby releasing the Tennysons.
Charmcaster stared at her own handiwork with a dropped jaw. She actually stood up to her uncle! It…pretty good, actually.
Sadly, her newfound courage was squashed when Hex bounced to his feet again, approaching Charmcaster and grabbing her by the bicep with enough strength to make her wince in pain.
"I have grown tired of your constant disobedience!" yelled Hex. "Perhaps I haven't disciplined you hard enough!"
"Let me go!" cried Charmcaster, flailing to get loose.
"Hands off, Hex!"
The tattooed sorcerer furrowed his brow in annoyance. He turned his head and stared at Gwen, who was holding his own staff against him.
"Foolish child," Hex scoffed. "That staff only works in the hand of a master sor – "
BAM!
Gwen was nearly knocked off her feet when the staff suddenly discharged a bolt of magical energy, hitting Hex squarely in the chest. The tattooed sorcerer hit the wall and slumped to the ground, unconscious. Charmcaster and Gwen were dumbfounded, looking between the fallen Hex and the smoking staff.
"Okay…how come that worked?" asked Gwen cluelessly.
The question was put on hold as the storm continued to rage above their heads. Without someone controlling the power of the Charms, their magical energy was starting to run wild, shooting bolts of magical everywhere. But Charmcaster steeled herself, waving her hands to the air as she gathered up her strength.
"Adficio potentia!" she chanted.
Multiple beams of energy burst from her hands and rose towards the Charms of Bezel, swallowing them up – including Gwen's Lucky Charm. Charmcaster hesitated, looking over her shoulder at Gwen. Though the young redhead would have wished to have her Lucky Charm back, she knew the danger it presented if something like this happened again. So, with a resolute gaze, she nodded.
Charmcaster clutched her hands, and the Charms of Bezel were shattered to dust.
A great explosion blew away the storm clouds and the moon finally moved away from the sun, ending the unnaturally long eclipse.
It was over; the day was saved.
Charmcaster stood over her defeated uncle with a reflective look in her eyes until Gwen stepped beside her, touching her new friend's arm reassuringly.
"I know that must have been hard," said Gwen understandingly.
"…Easier than you'd think," said Charmcaster, grinning playfully.
Charmcaster and the Tennyson watched with immense satisfaction as the Las Vegas Police Department shoved Hex in the back of the car, taking him away to a new prison. One which his niece won't be rescuing him from this time. Charmcaster decided to hold on to her Uncle's Staff of Ages, stuffing it into her bag for safekeeping. She might not be able to use it now, but it might come in handy in the future.
"Well, it's been fun," said Charmcaster brightly. "But I think I'm gonna take off now."
"What're you going to do now?" asked Gwen.
"Well, first I have to finish my summer homework – " Charmcaster started.
"Nerd," said Ben jokingly, earning an elbow in the gut from Gwen.
"Then I think I'll take a trip of my own," Charmcaster continued. "There are other master sorcerer's all across the country. I wanna continue my training to become a master sorceress."
"Well, good luck to you," said Gwen, though her expression turned gloomy. "At least one of us will still be able to use magic. With the Charms of Bezel gone, so is Lucky Girl."
"I don't know about that," said Charmcaster with a knowing grin. In response to Gwen's confused look, Charmcaster reached inside her bag and pulled out a familiar book. "I think you'll find this useful."
"The Compendium to Level One Magic?" said Gwen, accepting the spellbook. "Why would I need this? I can't use magic."
"You blasted my uncle with the Staff of Ages," Charmcaster reminded her. "Only a master sorceress could've activated its power. You don't know it yet, but you've got a lot of potential, Gwen. I'm looking forward to seeing how far you can go."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Gwen cheered, wrapping Charmcaster in a big hug.
"Okay, that's enough of that," Charmcaster laughed, separating. "I guess I'll see you guys around." She paused for a moment, grinning playfully, then ruffled Trixie's hair. The living Omnitrix felt strangely hot in the face again. "You, too, squirt."
Charmcaster took a step back, pulled out a purple marble from her bag, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Gwen wasted no time opening her new spell book, pouring over the vast magical knowledge now at her disposal.
"So…you still wanna head back home?" asked Max, though he already knew the answer.
"Are you kidding?!" Gwen babbled excitedly. "I'm going to need all summer if I wanna memorize every spell in this book! Ooh, I can't wait to try these out on whatever creepy alien or bad guy we run into next!"
Ben, Max, and Trixie shared satisfied grins as they climbed into the Rust Bucket, dragging Gwen along with them for the next stop on their little adventure.
With this universe's Charmcaster, I made her more influenced by her father to become a better person instead of being twisted by grief along with Hex's less than stellar parenting style. I also chose this route because of the parallels between her and Kevin in that they are both capable of good, helping Gwen understand why Trixie wants to help him in spite of everything he's done.
Next chapter: The Grim Adventure of Ben & Gwen