Laundry, dishes, cooking, tending the garden, and keeping the house clean kept Amity busy through the rest of the week, with her aunt and uncle continuing to give her more tasks whenever she was about to ask for more details about her parents. Every night she went to bed exhausted in the small cubicle under the stairwell, wondering what she was missing at home, in school, and hearing about the crazy adventures that Luz was probably having.

She recoiled out of reflex as a carrot tried to bite at her for pulling it out of the dirt, it's two leg-like roots scurrying uselessly in the air in an attempt to escape. Tossing it in the woven basket she had been instructed to carry the garden vegetables in and closing the lid, Amity stood and dusted herself off.

She had managed to find a pair of overalls that her aunt Calpurnia had brought home; a donation from the Salivation Army where she frequented. Amity knew her mother would balk at the idea of wearing second hand clothing, let alone anything not woven from the most prestigious fabrics to begin with, but it was surprisingly comfortable to work in. Even the sleeveless blue shirt she wore beneath them was comfortable enough, in texture. Baring her upper arms and shoulders made her feel exposed compared to the tunics she usually wore, but the shade from the nearby Titan skull and isolation in the fenced yard made it at least bearable.

Amity wiped her brow, sweeping her lavender hair from her eyes. "It's… different." Luz had said when she had appeared at the door of Blight Manor, and Amity ran a finger over her pointed ear in belated embarrassment with a blushing smile. She had been furious with Luz, and admittedly herself, at the time for even thinking she could get away with sneaking through the Forbidden Stacks but unlike anyone else in her life, Luz had made the effort to make things right. In turn, Amity had helped access the Echo Mouse' digested information. And then…

And then she kissed Luz. A peck on the cheek was all, but the resulting gasp and then utter silence before Amity was whisked away without an explanation. Her smile faded and she heaved the basket of struggling vegetables over the garden fence before locking the gate behind her. She reached down to grasp the basket again before a squeak in the wind caught her attention. Reflexively, she looked up at her Uncle's mysterious shed that had remained locked since she had arrived, and she froze.

Her aunt and uncle had gone into the city a few hours ago, taking the airship for a 'date day'. The announcement had surprised her, as her uncle didn't seem like the romantic type. She slowly stood again, grasping at her overalls anxiously before looking around the yard.

The squeak snatched her attention again as the breeze blew through the shed, and she found herself putting one foot in front of the other, forcing her across the yard until she was surprised to find herself standing at the door of the structure. There were no windows, but she could still hear a constant, quiet howl of the wind passing through somewhere.

Her heart was pounding, like it had in the Forbidden Stacks, but the anxiety of being alone in her curiosity was far greater. There was no one to accuse of talking her into breaking the rules now, but she still couldn't help her curiosity. She surveyed the yard again to make certain no one was somehow watching her.

She lifted the lock in a hand and inspected it, frowning slightly. An abomination could easily break it off, but would assure her chances of getting caught. The seams of the door were sealed, making peeking through it impossible. Circling the building, Amity ran her hand across the outside surface, listening for where the wind was blowing through until she found a small hole just under the edge of the roof where something had burrowed through the wooden panel.

She drew a small spell circle to pull abomination fluid from the ground beneath her feet to lift her up until she could peek through the small hole. She wasn't sure why she felt compelled to find out what her uncle kept in his secretive shed. Maybe it was the lack of schooling keeping her mind focused, his insistence on all the secrets about everything she asked about, or maybe it was just Luz's chaotic nature rubbing off on her.

The inside of the shed was surprisingly brightly lit, with clouds of dust catching the sunlight that washed in from what must be a hidden window on the roof. While her field of view from the hole was severely limited, she could see a single small table on the far side of the room, with a single stool placed beneath it. A rack of tools hung meticulously on the wall above the table, complete with pruning shears, chisels, and a small hammer. Amity lifted herself up another inch in an attempt to see lower into the room, unveiling an old stump of a tree with small sprouts growing out of the severed surface. It was well pruned, being espaliered to grow straight and true, though from the size of the stump it could take several years to become a its own tree again. The bark and rings of the tree were a dark blue, and Amity's eyes widened in recognition. This was the remnants of a palistrom tree.

"What are you doing?!" Uncle Faust snapped, causing Amity to jump, and lose her concentration on the abomination goo that she was standing on. She let out a surprised shout, then a grunt as she fell to the ground on her back, splayed out. She laid there, her pale skin reddening in embarrassment and shame as her Uncle's horned shadow stretched over her on his approach. "Performing magic. Snooping into my private workshop. Lying down with unfinished chores…" he trailed off with a low growl. "I was beginning to wonder if this 'behavioral problem' your parents were concerned about was just a phase of your… teen mind."

Amity continued to stay frozen, unconsciously holding her breath as though she could somehow still escape reprisal by remaining motionless.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he asked impatiently.

"You're growing a palistrom tree." she replied quietly. "And hiding it."

Faust's eyes blazed with fire and he continued to stare at her. "Are you blackmailing me?"

Amity hesitated. This could easily be her way of getting back home. "N-no, sir." she decided, wanting to curl into a ball and escape into an abomination shell.

"Your Emperor demands that any palistrom wood gets declared for use by the Coven."

"But the Emperor's Coven doesn't use palisman." she squeaked.

"Very observant." he said. "Come with me." Faust turned on his heel and approached the door of the shed, pulling a key from his pocket before pausing. "At your leisure, Ms. Blight."

Amity stood, brushing off her overalls before slinking over to the door. She wasn't sure what was happening at the moment, or if she was even in trouble or not. "Why do you have a palistrom tree in your shed?" she murmured shyly as her uncle opened the door.

The inside of the workshop was immaculate, now that she had a better view of the single room. A work apron was hung on the wall beside the door, as well as an abomination fuelled lamp as an open flame candle would be a hazard in such an enclosed space full of magical sawdust. It was a product Amity herself had tested. Along the wall that she couldn't see earlier, were small figurines in various states of being carved, though their forms were unrecognizable. They weren't large enough to become palisman, and were not modelled by a trained hand. "Palistrom trees are nearly extinct, and one of the last remnants that I myself had donated to the Bonesborough Garden Club was stolen yesterday." he said, trailing off with a groan of disdain. "Donating it was the act that had me removed from my position as Hexside's principal."

Cautiously, Amity moved into the shed, looking about the room and smelling the sweet aroma of the wood that still lingered. She crouched down to look at the malformed figurines, careful to keep her hands entwined despite her desire to touch them. "Why would donating it get you fired?" she asked, standing again to look at the tools hung above the work table more closely.

"Because it kept it out of the hands of Terra, and also the Emperor."

Amity paused, slowly turning to look up at her Uncle. This demon, that had been such a stickler for rules and punishment and authority, was in direct, albeit hidden, defiance of the Empire. "Why? What? I don't. What?" she stammered, trying to sort through the thoughts that had flooded her mind.

She watched as her uncle Faust closed the shed door behind him, donned a work apron, and sat at the work table, facing the wall where his horns would be unobstructed. "Many years ago, Emperor Belos decreed that everyone loyal to the Empire must donate their palisman as tribute." he said, his normally gravelly voice softening as he picked up a small piece of regular wood that had only begun to be carved. He inspected it, then took a tool from the rack on the wall. "I performed this duty wholeheartedly, eager to show my devotion and discipline to the new regime. I am old enough to remember the Savage Ages, and how everything changed when the Emperor took power."

Amity cautiously sat down at the table as well, folding her hands tightly together on the table in front of her. She wasn't sure if she should share her thoughts on the emperor and his coven or not, biting her lip in indecision.

"Your current Principal reasoned that his palisman compensated for the sight he lost as a child in his first battle when he lead the charge in founding Hexside."

"That story's in the brochure, though I learned a bit more of that during the pixie infestation."

He let out an irritated growl at Amity's interruption before continuing. "I was not so wise. I vividly recall giving Wolfgang to the Emperor's Coven, and a month later felt the disconnection when he was destroyed."

Amity felt her stomach turn at the thought. "Did it hurt?"

"I've cried twice in my life. Once when I was 7 and I was attacked by a centimander, and then again when I felt that Wolfgang had passed. So, I buried myself in my work as the principal of Hexside, seeking to give my sacrifice meaning by molding further generations toward perfection." he explained, carefully sliding a gouge through the piece of wood he was holding before slipping and creating a deeper cut than he had intended. "There was… resistance."

Alador closed the doors of Blight Manor behind him as he left. He had a bag that he fashioned out of abomination fluid slung over one shoulder, containing ingredients and gadgets that he had been toying with. He had assigned the abomibutler to remind him to go to Darius' home down in Bonesborough, and still managed to nearly forget about his promise to his friend.

He was reading the Abomination 201 tome as he walked down the path to the gate of the estate when a pair of heeled boots blocked his advance, and he reluctantly looked up to find Odalia Pernicial standing before him. "OdAlia?" he croaked, before clearing his throat. "Odalia? What are you doing here?" She had changed out of her Hexside Oracle Track uniform, instead now wearing light blue leggings and a pristine white tunic that hung snugly over a dark purple shirt. Alador's gaze lingered, contemplating how impractical the outfit was for walking. "Are you going to Darius' too?"

Odalia seemed satisfied at first at Alador's reaction before he mentioned Darius, earning him a subtle scowl before she replied. "Actually, I was hoping you and I could spend some time together. Darius has been very busy lately, and frankly, a girl has needs…"

"Like homework help?" Alador asked casually, his attention threatening to return to his book.

Odalia sighed. "Yes." she said through clenched teeth. "Like homework."

"We're in different tracks. I don't think I could help." he added, continuing forward and through the gate.

Odalia grabbed his arm, stopping him and regaining his attention. "I was actually hoping that I could help you with something."

"With what?"

"I-I think you would have a better chance of winning the Bonesborough Brawl than Darius. Imagine the prestige you could bring to the school if you won!"

"But Faust asked Darius."

Yes, I know that." Odalia sighed. "But Darius isn't as good as you at abomination magic."

"Darius. Your boyfriend."

Odalia frantically began searching for the words she would need to hold Alador's attention. "Yes! Yes, and I would love to know all about your… gadgets. How you manage to do whatever it is you do!"

Alador looked at her for a long while before his eyes began to brighten and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Well, it's pretty fascinating actually!" he said, unslinging his satchel and opening it to show off its contents.

"Spare me the details." Principal Faust said, holding up a clawed hand to stop Ernie from continuing. The student had returned to his office, just as instructed, and his attention to detail was admirable. His ability to creep about his fellow students without conscience, however, was alarming. "So, the Pernicial girl is going to interfere by driving a wedge between Blight and Deamonne." he growled. "Despicable."

"You didn't expect that, sir?" Ernie noted, his nasally voice causing the Principle to cut gouges into the surface of his desk in irritation.

"Of course I expected it!" he snapped, causing Ernie to recoil in the skeletal seat. "I've been studying the depravities of Hexside students for longer than you've been alive. The kindergarten class is a particularly rich source of information. They are… horrifying."

Ernie let out a quiet huff that nevertheless caught Faust's attention.

"Pray you never have to deal with them." Principal Faust said, his eyes blazing with fire. "Now, what were you able to learn about Darius? Is he prepared to compete today?"

Ernie grimaced, nervously pushing his black rimmed glasses up onto the bridge of his nose. "Welllllll…"

Darius had barely slept that night, being so angry at having waited for Alador the evening before. He had scrounged together some protective Grudgeby pads, and donned a purple cape that he had been gifted around his shoulders. He took one last look around his room, admiring how immaculate he kept it, found his mirror, and flashed himself a wink. "You've got this, Darius."

"Darius?! Where you goin'?!" shouted a voice from inside the house as he tried to quietly open the door to exit.

He closed his eyes and sighed, pausing and quietly cursing himself. "I'm going to the Bonesborough Brawl, mom!" he called back. "Like I told you!"

"You make sure you win, and bring back some skeets when you come back!"

Darius let out another groan and left the house, telling himself that if he did manage to win and gain the attention of the Emperor's Coven, he wouldn't be spending his free time there anymore. Or eating skeets.

He looked across the street to find Alador awkwardly waiting, one hand rubbing the opposite forearm nervously, like he did when he was struggling to stay on task by distracting himself. Darius grimaced and turned to begin his walk to the Brawl. He had the utmost respect for Alador and his strange magical experiments, but his lack of attention to anything but his own interests could be infuriating.

"Darius!" he called, waving an arm in the air in an effort to get his attention. "I'm here to help!"

Darius shrunk into his shoulders, trying to ignore Alador's calls as he continued walking away. He wasn't going to let Alador get away with being self absorbed this time. He could hear the boy approach and he stopped, turning to face him. "Help?! Where were you yesterday when I asked for your help?"

Alador instantly retreated when Darius turned. He had always been uncomfortable with confrontation, which was the only reason he didn't excel in school more than he already did, and likely why he wasn't chosen over Darius to take part in the Brawl. "Darius, I… I got distracted." he said, not able to meet Darius' gaze.

"You got distracted. You're always distracted, Alador!" Darius bit back. "Eventually you'll have everything you want, and you won't even notice it slip through your fingers."

"I already have everything I want." Alador replied absently. "I mean, I'm happy with what I have. I have Odalia and you as friends. I have school, and my faerie collection, and…"

Darius rolled his eyes and turned away before Alador could continue. "I get it. You've got everything. Lucky you."

"Darius, I'm-I'm sorry. I want to help."

Darius grumbled to himself for a moment before straightening and taking a deep breath. "You want to help, Alador? Find me a way to win." he said before continuing toward the Brawl grounds and leaving Alador behind.

Principal Faust growled to himself. "You're certain that your recollection of these events are accurate, Eaglebeak?" he asked, impatiently tapping his claws on his desk as he waited for the ridiculously detailed story to finish. "You're saying that Darius continued to the Brawl without the Blight or Pernicial children?"

Ernie nodded, pushing his damaged glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose with a finger. "That's right, sir. I came directly back to you to report."

Faust growled, steepling his clawed fingertips. "I would be very interested in seeing his performance in the Brawl myself." he announced, pausing for a moment before standing. His fiery tail flared, and a rippling doorway appeared before him, showing the front steps of the school beyond.

Ernie stood as well, gleefully eager to accept what was coming to him. "I brought you what you needed, right sir? Do I get a reward?"

The vertebrae in Faust's neck crackled as he turned to glare down at his little spy. "Of course, Eaglebeak..." he grinned. "One month detention!" he snapped, walking through the doorway as he continued to eye the student before closing the portal behind him.

The Bonesborough Brawl was a roughshod gathering of delinquents, criminals, celebrities, and wild witches that all wanted a chance at making a name for themselves by winning the Brawler's Belt. Some had a point to make about being the best duelist on the Isles, others sought the wealth that the trophy belt could bring, and a select few, like Darius Deamonne, were simply on a mission to prove themselves to their superiors.

While the Brawl was officially considered an underground duelist club, even members of the Emperor's Coven attended. Guards and scouts were typically there out of boredom, and looking to watch a fight. Those who were more serious, like the Golden Guard, were interested in studying their foes, or seeking recruits.

Faust straightened his posture as much as possible at seeing the Emperor's most loyal agent. They were clad in white and gold, with an intricately carved, gold mask that resembled the rounded face of a bird of prey. Their staff was unique, powered by a red gem mounted on one end and a single wing jutted out from its hilt, rather than a witch's typical palisman. The Guard was sat upon a fallen tree alone, with their white hood pulled up to shield their eyes as they watched the crowd, seemingly unnoticed by everyone but Mephisto Faust.

Faust approached as nonchalant as he could, and stood below the Guard's perch. "I'm surprised to see the Emperor's presence at such a gathering."

The Golden Guard slid off of the log to land gracefully beside Faust, their white cape billowing behind them. Faust knew that he himself was tall, and even though the Guard only stood up to his shoulders, the charisma they exuded was impressive.

"I like to know what's out there." The Guard's voice was masculine, but smooth, and reverberated through the mask that he wore, rather than being muffled. "What is your interest here, Principal Faust?"

He hesitated for a moment, considering his next few words carefully, knowing who he was speaking to. The Emperor was known for being intolerant of any signs of sedition, and despite having the Empire's best interests at heart, it was sometimes difficult to discern exactly what could be offensive to the Emperor's ideals. "One of my students has chosen to partake in the Brawl this year. I'm here to… encourage him." he seethed, biting out the last few words with a reluctant growl.

"Darius Deamonne, correct?" the Golden Guard replied.

"How did…"

"It's my job to know." he replied again, cutting off Faust's words. "He and his friends arrived just before you did."

Faust cleared his throat in embarrassment and composed himself. "Of course." he paused, looking through the growing crowd. He could see the pair of abomination students off to one side, the Deamonne boy arguing with the Blight boy, while the latter stood by with his hunched, lazy posture silently. "Excuse me, Golden Guard. I must attend to my invest… I mean, my students." he growled.

The crowd parted as Mephisto Faust waded through it. He recognized many of the participants from his reign as principal of Hexside for so many years. He had expelled many of them, who had remained wild witches; a stain on his otherwise flawless accomplishments as a school master, and he glared at each one as he passed before reaching his current protégés. "I hope you've prepared yourself."

Darius had constructed a costume for himself out of sports padding, a cape, and a thin coating of abomination fluid to hide his face, presented in a horrifying visage of strong, chiselled features. The ridiculous face pulled back to reveal Darius himself, and he nodded. "Yes, sir."

"By coating himself in abomination fluid, he's able to use it like an extension of his own body without having to create his own…" Alador began to explain, excitement hiding behind his worried tone.

Faust held up a clawed hand and sighed. "I don't care." he snapped. "Just win, or you'll find yourself without a scholarship, and without a school. The Golden Guard is present today as well, possibly seeking to recruit for the Emperor's Coven. Do not disappoint either of us."

Darius swallowed hard, and Faust knew he had sufficiently motivated the student. If he didn't come out on top, it would be his own skills that failed. Faust grinned, and turned on his heel to take his place on the edge of the crowd in order to spectate. The competition would likely be fierce, and Faust was eager to see his former and current students battle.

"So, how are things going?"

"Ernie?" Alador asked as the senior student approached. He was still trying to repair his relationship with Darius before his friend entered the Brawl, potentially getting himself hurt or expelled.

"What do you want, Eaglebeak?" Darius asked, his voice muffled by his mask.

Ernie recoiled at Darius' visage before composing himself again. "I'm just checking on Hexside's 'top student' to make sure you're not going to choke today."

"You mean Principal Faust wants you to keep spying on me." Darius replied, stretching his muscles in preparation for his first bout. "Tell him I've got this. He doesn't need to worry."

"Next up," called the announcer for the Brawl, a floating orb shaped demon with a single eye above its wide mouth and a crown of small horns protruding from its skull. "Is Gorgonzilla! Versus! Goo Daddy!"

"Goo Daddy?" Alador asked with a sardonic look.

"Well I had to come up with something!" Darius replied, adjusting his shoulders one last time before making his way onto the stage. He hopped around a few times, shadow boxed for a moment as the crowd cheered, and finally cheered for himself, his thick abomination covering jiggling with his movement.

The ground began to shake however, and Darius' energy slowed as his opponent crawled up onto the stage. Darius lowered his arms, noticing the ripples in his abomination mud as a smelly, terrifying creature reared up, standing nearly double Darius' height. It was a pale white, with blue veins that ran through it's musculature. An uneven assortment of bright blue eyes twitched as they constantly took in their surroundings, taking a moment to focus on each point of movement in the cheering crowd before they all focused on Darius. It opened its toothless mouth, slime dripping from the opening and splashing heavily at its feet as it approached. It had a shiny, wet, slug-like body with clawed hands and feet at the end of powerful limbs, and Darius tilted his head in disbelief, looking up at the creature. "You can't be…"

"FIGHT!"

Darius didn't have time to protest before he was back handed and was sent skidding across the stage. His grudgeby padding did little to soften the blow, and he was certain that he would have been turned into blood pudding if not for his abomination covering. Fortunately, Gorgonzilla was as confident in the first hit as Darius was, and was slow in approaching, believing it had already won.

He drew abomination fluid from one arm to the other, forming the extra mass into a deadly looking axe blade around his hand and leaping to his feet. Gorgonzilla had as much of a surprised expression as it could muster at Darius' sudden recovery, and couldn't move out of the way of the swinging blade before one of its legs fell to the floor.

Darius grinned, facing the crowd and taking a bow for his win. "Darius! Watch it!" Alador called, barely over the noise of the crowd.

He glared back at him angrily, but it was enough that he caught his opponent reattaching its leg and standing. A blue, magical ring surrounded the quickly vanishing wound, and Darius swallowed the growing lump in his throat. "Healing magic…"

Gorgonzilla stood again, its leg now fully regenerated. "I want that trophy!" it gurgled, it's voice sounding like someone holding a mouthful of water, and it cast thick gobs of spittle across Darius. He froze in disgust, horrified by what he found himself covered in, and in his distracted state, was knocked aside again.

Alador gasped, moving to catch Darius' flailing body as it struck the stage and slid off into a thicket of bushes. "Darius! Are you okay?!" Alador shouted again, sliding on his knees to stop next to Darius. 'Goo Daddy' groaned, his abomination fluid sloughing away in chunks as he struggled just to comprehend his surroundings. "Ernie, make sure he's okay."

Ernie looked down at Alador, confused. "Me? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make sure he wins." he replied, drawing a pair of spell circles that drew Darius' abomination fluid around him as his friend had.

"Oh!" the announcer shouted excitedly, floating toward Gorgonzilla in order to congratulate it. "It looks like we have another winner!"

'Goo Daddy' crawled back up onto the stage, the Grudgeby padding and cape missing, but the chiselled features of the abomination armor apparently still intact. From a distance at least.

"What an amazing recovery, folks!" the announcer called, and the crowd exploded into an excited, yet disbelieving uproar. "These two just don't know how to quit!"