Hollow Mind
(A/N 1: Welcome to the chapter where everything falls into place.)
Nothing but an endless blanket of darkness and eerie silence. That's was what Bijou saw and heard, until she hears a familiar voice from nowhere.
"Bijou, wake up!"
Bijou gasped hard when her eyes opened, and she sat upright and exhaled deeply. Looking to her right, she noticed Luz kneeling by him.
"Luz?" she inquired.
The younger girl gave her a smile.
"Are you okay? That fall must've been painful," Luz said.
Bijou stood up, looking about her and Luz's current location. Multiple large artworks adorned the walls on both sides of a poorly lit corridor. Kai looked to his front and gasped. In front of him and Luz was a massive artwork of Emperor Belos holding his staff as he loomed over her, Hazel, Luz, King, Lilith, and Eda in her Owl Beast form. A plaque reading "TRIUMPH OVER WILD MAGIC" sat beneath the picture.
"What is this place?" Luz asked her friend, fearfully backing away.
"I don't know, and I'm not sure how we got here either," Bijou said, uncertainly.
"You know exactly where we are, Bijou," the girls trembled as they recognized Hunter's voice and turned around to see him in his Golden Guard suit. Hunter did not look pleased with Luz.
"You got us trapped in the Emperor's mind!" He accused the girl.
"Huh?!" they both exclaimed, surprised.
"We're in the Emperor's mind?!" Luz exclaimed. "That's bananas!"
"I don't know what those are, and I don't care to." He crossed his arms, annoyed with the younger human. "Remember what happened at the Night Market?"
Flashback - a while ago
At the Night Market, people were attempting to pitch their stands.
"Teeth! Get your teeth! We've got all varieties and qualities!" yelled a four-eyed devil with two faces, but no one listened. He gripped the shoulder of someone. "I even do trades."
His second voice flashed a creepy smirk as he clicked the pilers. And the guy he seized turned out to be Hunter in full uniform.
"Oh, uh, I mean, why would I trade teeth?" He sweated a little and looked around, knowing who he was because of the mask. "That's illegal and unsanitary."
Hunter didn't pay any attention when he noticed three figures approaching the corner. "But, I mean, if you're interested..."
"I heard whispers of an attempt to invade the Emperor's mind with wild magic. Apparently, word's also going around that they have a secret helper, and that the plan was her idea. She seems to be behind all this, though she wasn't there with them. I decided to take the villains out myself."
He followed them, and noticed a glow as one of them drew a circle on the ground. One of them took out a flute and began to play it, revealing that it was Raine in disguise. After failing to find a way to stop or at least offset the draining magic, Bijou proposed infiltrating Belos' mind to get answers after conducting some study. This had occurred to Willow previously, so she figured it was their best shot. And, obviously, they were camouflaged so that Belos would not recognize them. Darius twisted a spell finger to pour some purple liquid in a vial, turning it yellow, resulting in several golden rings. He bent down, about to use it on the ground.
Raine took out a cute walkie-talkie shaped like an eighth musical note and pressed the top button, whispered into it.
"Bat to Songbird, I repeat, Bat to Songbird," they said quietly, using Bijou's codename. Bijou was hidden in an alley away from the others, looking back.
"Songbird to Bat. I read you loud and clear," she told them. "But I don't have much time."
"We're about to take the plunge. I'll let you know what we find after we come back."
"Copy that. And be careful in there. This will be the last time we talk until 2," she reminded them, because they had all agreed to minimize communication in case Eda or Luz found out.
"Alright, 2 it is," Raine said, returning the walkie-talkie to their cloak.
"But just as I was about to stop them..."
Hunter jumped out of hiding before they could continue.
"Halt! For crimes against the Emperor, you are under arrest," he said, pointing his Golden Guard stick at them. "Tell me who your helper is!"
"Oh, wait! I remember now," Luz said, Bijou looking anxious because...Hunter was talking about her, but she wasn't overseeing the operation. He made it appear that she was a mole or something...
"Hey!" Hunter objected, and Luz returned to where she and Bijou had entered...aside from the latter pretending to need to check her phone for something.
"Eda took King, Hazel, Bij, and I to the Night Market to repair my witch's wool cape, but after Bijou said she had to check her phone and needed Hazel's help with it, we ran into some trouble."
"Part of it was really important, amie, and that had nothing to do with you or Eda..."
Eda knocked on the door. "Hello? Prim?"
She pressed her face against the door.
"Did you get into the Night Juice again? Hellooooo~?" Eda pushed her ear to the door, while Luz's walkie-talkie went off.
"Is this thing on? Demon King to Luzura," Luz's walkie-talkie resembled a rabbit as King talked. "You copy?"
"Sure do," Luz said, turning around to find King hidden in a mound of skulls not far away.
"Use the walkie!" He exclaimed eagerly.
"Oh, uh, right," She turned away to create the illusion that they were in a movie or something. "10-4, Demon King. Luzura here with Echo, Delta, Alpha. What's your 20? Over."
"Uh, oh, uh...habla mas...mento, por favor?" he inquired anxiously.
"Aw, you remembered your lesson," she cooed, as she and Bijou taught him their second languages. "But that wasn't Spanish, buddy. I read you loud and clear. Over."
Bijou and Hazel returned from their talk with Raine just as she had concluded. "So, Bij, what is it that you needed to check so bad?"
"Oh, she just cleared out some useless junk in my phone. I needed some extra space," she said, hiding her hands behind her back and whistling as she glanced away. Luz raised an eyebrow, thinking the reaction was off, especially from Bijou.
"Hey, Prim!" Eda yelled out again, slamming the door, which then opened.
"Oh, there you are," she said, bending down to meet the shorter witch. "I need more witch's wool. I got a kid with cold shoulders and a knack for getting into trouble."
"The shop is closed, Eda. I've...decided to join a coven," Prim said, showing her wrist with the Oracle emblem on it. Eda recoiled and opened her mouth in disbelief.
"Emperor Belos says wild witches celebrate destruction and...pain."
"I mean, I know I can be...abrasive, but-"
"He also says that the Titan punishes those who aid wild witches," Prim interrupted as she began to seal the door. "I can't have you here."
She then shut the door completely, leaving Eda blinking in disbelief. She never imagined Prim would join a coven...or reject her in this manner after so many years.
"Well, what does he know?!" Luz said in defense, dashing to the door. "Belos is a liar. He just wants power!"
She smashed her fists on the door slightly.
"And I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he can't speak to the Titan!"
Everyone who was listening shocked when she made these allegations.
"Do you think she's right?"
"Don't let the Titan hear you say that. Belos says he can read minds."
"What even is a doughnut...?" they asked as they walked away from the gathering.
"Hey, I'll be fine," Eda waved her hand, knowing Luz could get in trouble if a Scout was around. "You're the one who needs to be careful."
"She's right. You can't go around saying things like that without freaking people out," Hazel cautioned her. "They might get the wrong idea from you."
"But people should know who Belos really is!" Luz argued vehemently with them.
"And who is he really?" Eda pressed her, and she turned away, as if she didn't know the answer. Neither of them did.
"Listen, Belos has been Emperor for 50 years; everyone is used to it. No one is going to risk change unless you have proof that he's up to something." She then spotted Luz's sad expression and hit her shoulder. "Ah, come on. We'll figure something out. But first, let's see if there are any respectable criminals left in this city."
Eda removed her staff from her hair and walked away. People pushed away from her, muttering about her, but she didn't appear to mind. King moved up to the girls.
"I hate seeing people look at Eda that way," she told them both.
"I agree, but you can't just spit out statements without supporting evidence," Bijou said, raising a finger.
"And it's gonna take more than a simple setence to convince everyone that Belos is not what he seems," Hazel continued.
"But how can I prove he's actually evil?" Luz inquired of her and King. "It feels so obvious, but no one believes me. No one answers my letters! UGH!"
She scratched her hair, frustrated.
"I don't know what to do."
"No one wants to think they've wasted their life following the wrong person," King told Luz. "You just gotta find something big to change their minds."
He and Hazel then moved away, and she began to think, with Bijou looking down at her.
"King's right. How can I find that something?" She looked up and gasped as Hunter pursued Darius, Eberwolf, and Raine.
"Perfect timing..." She rolled up her sleeve.
"Luz, please wait," Bijou urged her, shaking her head. "I don't think Hunter will be willing to give us an answer."
"We won't know unless we try!" Luz exclaimed before dashing off.
"Luz! Come back here!" Bijou chased after Luz.
Hunter glanced back to ensure he wasn't being followed, but he was. Luz and Bijou peered over some barrels, the latter's eyes widening as she understood who Hunter had stumbled onto. She hoped he wouldn't find out that she is working with Raine, Eberwolf, and Darius.
"Halt! For crimes against the Emperor, you are all under arrest!"
"Hunter!" Luz raced forward, knocking him to the ground.
"Luz!" Bijou said in surprise, racing over to them. "I told you, no tackling people!"
"Hey!" She took out her pen and smiled, ignoring her. "Can I bug you with a few questions?"
"No!" Bijou said, pulling Luz up with a murderous stare. "We're not gonna ask him about Belos because we're leaving."
"Bij!" Luz protested to her, but the girl simply indicated for the three to leave.
"Human?" Hunter sat up and looked at the younger human girl. Bijou silently motioned for Raine, Darius, and Eberwolf to call off the mission. Raine played his flute again and blew smoke.
"No, no! Stop! I forbid you to flee!" He exclaimed, but the three had vanished by the time the smoke cleared. He growled in exasperation and removed his mask to confront them.
"Human, do you realize what you've just done?" He pulled out his red palisman staff, and Bijou came forward.
"Whoa, Hunter! Let me explain-"
A crack was heard, and they all looked down to see Hunter stepping on the vial that the trio had left behind.
"Uhh, what's that?" Luz thought, as it began to glow. The spell lit around the three as they stood in the circle, and they all screamed as they flew up into the sky and disappeared. The mask, Ruby, and the red palisman were all left behind, with the two avian palismen chittering in concern for their owners.
End Flashback
Hunter burst into laughter after hearing their side of the story. "You want to prove that my uncle is evil? And you thought I would help?" He laughed again, Luz's hands on her hips.
"Well, now that I'm in his mind, I'll be able to discover the truth for myself," Luz said, raising her head and crossing her arms.
"It's weird. Luz and I have been in Willow's mind once, and it had a more natural scenery," Bijou commented.
"Eh, makes sense," Hunter replied. "Mindscapes reflect the individual. I've read a lot about this subject." Luz didn't seem amused by his response, and then he gasped at a snapshot. "Whoa, look at this memory!"
He approached a photograph of Belos leading witches away from a fire.
"You know, unfettered wild magic wiped out our family," he told them as they joined his side. "Everyone knew too much and got themselves hurt. That's why Belos took in the survivors and dedicated his life to making the Coven System!"
"Hmm... there maybe some details that he hasn't told anyone about. And I haven't told this myself, but he seems particularly interested in this bangle I'm wearing. I wonder if he has anything connected to it," Bijou pointed out, especially since she might have a theory that Belos has something to do with the bangle's original owner, Marianne Crowley.
He hesitated briefly before moving on to another memory of Belos surrounded by cheerful people.
"But stuff like this is why he's so well-liked! Our sigils protect us from ourselves, and make the Titan happy."
He suddenly recalled another memory.
"Oh! This is when I inherited my staff! You know, I'm the youngest scout to become Golden Guard. I, uh...never found out what happened to the previous one," he stroked his cheek, Bijou suspicious. This was becoming increasingly strange to her, most likely because Hunter bothered to either never inquire or because Belos was also involved...
"Huh, why does Darius look so sad here?"
Luz returned to the 'triumph over wild magic' memories. She gently caressed Eda's face with it.
Bijou whirled around, gasped in terror, and backed away from another recollection. "Hey, guys. You need to see this."
"What is it, Bijou?" Luz inquired.
Hunter looked around and froze. He saw another recollection, or rather a dream because it had not yet happened, and it was pretty terrible. There was Bijou tied to a stake and surrounded by a roaring fire. The bangle in the foreground appears to be the identical one that Bijou was wearing at the time. The only difference was that it was cracked and dirty.
"T-that's you!" Luz exclaimed, pointing at it. "He must really hate you, Bij..."
"Are you certain that's her?" Hunter asked, and she stared at him. "That could be anyone."
"There's no other people who wear the same bangle as Bijou around here, Hunter," she replied.
"Still, though."
Bijou scoffed at his denial and crossed her arms. "Sure, let's act like your uncle doesn't hate my guts."
"He doesn't! I'm sure he'll warm up to you...eventually," he said, looking away, and she arched an eyebrow.
"Why is it a photo if it isn't real?" Luz inquired, and Bijou looked to her.
"It must be a thought or a vision, to the point that it is ethced in his memory, I guess..."
That didn't make it any less unsettling, however. They heard wailing and followed it to see a small ghost boy wearing a mask identical to Belos. He looked up and gasped as he stood up.
"Belos?" The two trembled as Hunter spoke in unison to them. Kid Belos fled as they turned around, leaving Hunter gaping in the darkness. A shadow of Belos appeared ahead of them.
"Emperor, you're here!" Hunter bowed to him. "We beg for your assistance to return to the physical world, so that I may capture your enemies! And so she can ruin someone else's day."
He gave Luz and Bijou an annoyed expression. "And I wanted to know about why you had bad blood with Bijou so-"
Suddenly, Kid Belos emerged, shaking his head rapidly. A roar was heard, and the two gulped. It was not Belos, but rather a gigantic figure with blue eyeballs.
"Hunter!" the two said, running forward to stand in front of him. "Watch out!"
Bijou triggered her bracelet while Luz smashed some fire glyphs together to produce a big fire blast to distract it, resulting in an explosion that pushed them all through a wall. The three shouted as they dropped through the darkness. Luz went into her pocket and pulled out two glyphs. She handed one to Bijou and placed the other in her mouth while grabbing Hunter by the waist.
The two girls activated their glyphs, and the three flew above ground in a cave until the enchantment wore off, causing Luz to drop face first into the ground. Bijou and Hunter landed beside her, but on opposing sides.
The trio sat up, Bijou rubbing her head in anguish.
"Where are we now?" Hunter inquired.
Luz looked up and saw the hole they had come through disappear.
"We must be in the Emperor's real mind," she stated.
When the group stood up, they found themselves in a strange environment surrounded by dead trees. Some paintings can be found on the tree trunks. Bijou also spotted claw marks on the paintings, some of which covered the face of someone with short blonde hair.
Others were partially burnt, a few of them depicting a person with long blonde hair, wearing a flowing white garment, and clutching a harp.
"What do you mean by the Emperor's real mind?" the boy inquired, surprised. "That gallery-"
"Was made of all the lies he tells," Luz said, and Hunter turned away. "He's not who you think he is."
"I don't want to make you dislike your uncle, but he's not as good an emperor as you claim." Bijou narrowed her eyes as Hunter stooped down and picked up a palisman, which withered into dust. His hand shook slightly in anxiety, particularly of what could happen to his palisman, but he stood up.
"We're probably being punished because you provoked his inner self," Hunter accused Luz.
"Well, his inner self had a thousand glowing eyeballs!" Luz shot back at him.
"Oh, no, eyeballs!" Hunter pretended to be horrified by the prospect. He scoffed and crossed his arms. "You're so easy to scare."
"That's enough, you guys," Bijou rolled her eyes back in her head. "Can we just focus on finding a way out of the Emperor's head?"
"Boo!" Eda said over the walkie-talkie Luz still had, and Hunter cried and cringed in terror.
"Luz, Bij, where are you?" Eda inquired as Bijou looked over Luz's shoulder. "Oh, wait. Hey, blondie, your friend wants to talk to you."
"Uhh..." Hunter wondered who it was as Luz held out the walkie-talkie; by friend, Eda meant the red cardinal palisman. He chirped into the walkie-talkie, which Hunter instantly grabbed from Luz.
"Flapjack! Are you okay? Have they hurt you?"
"Give me that!" Luz yanked the cellphone away from him and crossed his arms.
"So, Eda," she said, placing her hand in her pocket. "We may kinda sorta be trapped in, uh...the Emperor's mind."
Eda exclaimed sharply as Bijou looked away innocently and scratched her cheek. She prayed Hazel hadn't informed Eda about the unsuccessful mission.
"How in the world did you—no, we don't have time for that. Has the Inner Belos spotted you yet?"
"Yes, but we were able to get away...with help," she said, raising her brow. She had no idea who Kid Belos was or why he assisted. Willow had a child Willow in her head when she was thinking about her, Amity, and Bijou. But that was because it showed Willow when she was childhood friends with Amity, whereas the teenage Willow was a different side that showed how much fury she bottled up. Hunter and Bijou were staring at her.
"Can there be two inner selves?"
"No. But I have heard of strong emotions materializing. Just stay safe, all of you. If you're devoured in his mindscape-"
"We'll be trapped!" Hunter interrupted, the girls looking at him with startled eyes. "Dragged down into his subconscious forever. I...told you I read about this stuff."
"Well, we're gonna get you out!" King exclaimed. "We'll make a return spell as fast as we can."
"Make sure you keep the walkie-talkie with you at all times; it's our only way to communicate with you right now," Hazel said, causing Bijou to sigh in relief, knowing that by his tone, Hazel had not said anything confidential to Eda and King.
Luz pressed the button, slightly reassured. "You got it, Owl Lady. Over and out."
"Wait!" Hunter grabbed the smartphone from her. "I'll be home soon, Flapjack. Stay safe."
Flapjack chirped at him.
"I love you. Over and out."
"Aw!" King, Eda, and Hazel cooed, followed by Ruby's chirp.
"It's for you," Hunter said as he handed Bijou the walkie-talkie.
"Ruby!" She said with relief, Ruby chirping again. "Oh, I'm okay. I promise, nothing's gonna happen to me. Just stay with the others until they find a way to get us back. Be strong, okay?"
Ruby chirped again, and Bijou hung up. She passed the walkie-talkie to Luz. They were startled when they heard a noise. The three noticed Kid Belos emerge from hiding behind a tree.
"It's you! Kid Belos!"
"What?" Hunter asked quickly, never expecting to see Belos as a child. Luz moved up to him and bent down.
"Thank you for helping us before," Luz said, but Bijou looked skeptical, especially since she didn't view Kid Belos as...helpful.
"You don't seem nearly as scary as your inner self." A loud shriek was heard, and Kid Belos gripped her arm. "If strong emotions can take form, maybe he's the Emperor's...I don't know, sense of guilt?"
"What?" Hunter chuckled at the idea. "Belos has never done anything worthy of feeling guilt. It's obviously his, uh...sense of innocence. His pure intentions!"
"Perhaps he was created out of Belos' dread of wild magic," Bijou guessed.
"Well, whichever it is, I think he can help us stay safe," Luz said, completely turning to face Kid Belos. "And maybe you can show us who Belos really is."
She grinned because it was a win-win situation; they'd be alright till Eda got the spell to work, and she could discover some good proof on Belos. Kid Belos quietly nodded.
"What was that?"
Another roar was heard, and everyone gasped.
"No time!" Kid Belos dragged Luz away, and Bijou followed them. "Let's go, go, go!"
Hunter pursued them, but became defensive when he noticed the boy leap into a photograph.
"Wait! You're just gonna invade his memories? That's sacrilege!"
Another roar erupted, shaking everything.
"And we don't want to deal with the other Belos!" Bijou countered before diving into the photograph.
"Besides, it's a way to survive!" Luz drew him in.
Back at the Owl House...
Eda returned home, banging open the door.
"Hooty, I need you to lock down the house," she told the house demon, positioning her staff near the door. Flapjack and Ruby flew past while they watched. She accumulated a lot of stuff. "Windows shut, curtains drawn, absolutely zero distractions!"
The two palismen gathered some additional supplies to assist her.
"Hazel and King, go grab all the textbooks you can find." She grumbled as King hurried off, worried about them in the Emperor's head. "This is gonna be tough without magic...Hooty! Chop-chop!"
"Ma'am!" Hooty bolted all the windows and doors, creating a barrier before sealing the door with multiple locks. He posted a 'BRB' sign on the door to serve as guard. Darius, Raine, and Eberwolf observed from a distance. Raine came forward, but Darius stopped him. Their cover would be compromised if they attempted to bypass security right now.
"Oh, hey, your buddy's also trapped, right?" They could hear Hooty speaking to Flapjack. "The angry blond kid?"
Darius moved passed Raine to hear more.
"Eda's smart, but without magic, I'm afraid she can't do much."
Raine gazed up at Darius, who scratched his head, unsure what to do. They couldn't just stroll in there, especially because Raine refused to tell her anything. But how were they going to help without her knowledge?
Raine bent down to the sand and drew a plan with a stick. They pointed at his glasses, then to the ground, where there was a message. 'I know how to get past the bird. Owl? Tube? Him!'
Ruby chirped with concern as he landed on a tree branch, worried that Bijou was imprisoned within. Flapjack landed next to him and twittered a comfort before huddling with Ruby.
In the Emperor's mind...
The trio landed on grass, with Kid Belos dashing by them. They ran after him, the child giggling as they looked around the corner. As Kid Belos vanished, a crowd gathered to look at something. They dashed up to the stage, where others were waiting for something.
"He says he can talk to the Titan."
"The Titan is dead. How is that possible?"
Everyone gasped when Belos stepped up to the platform to confront them. He had greying hair and a wooden mask that resembled the one he wore in the present, so no one could see his face.
"Fellow citizens, we are born into chaos. Our lives anger the Titan. My own family has been hurt by the darkness of wild magic." Black smoke erupted from his staff, engulfing him and the throng. "I have been shown the healing light."
Nine separate lights circled him and then shone in a circle.
"It shines in nine hues!"
Everyone was in amazement of the colors, and suddenly the lights went off.
"See? He's always been helping people," Hunter smiled as he nudged Luz.
"Hunter, I don't-"
A blast interrupted Bijou as everyone screamed, with explosions occurring behind Belos.
"The wild witches! They have found me. Run!"
Everyone yelled as they fled, Luz directing Hunter and Bijou to follow him.
"You incompetent fool!" He turned to see Belos reprimanding... the Golden Guard. "You nearly took my head off with that blast."
"I'm...sorry, Lord Belos," the Golden Guard ducked his head, sounding identical to Hunter.
"I'm off to the next town," Belos said as he walked away.
"W-What about the rest of these?" The Golden Guard removed a blanket, exposing that the attack was caused by explosives he set off.
"Put on a bigger show," Belos suggested, and Hunter flinched as his eyes widened. The Golden Guard lighted a match and walked away with Belos. Kid Belos appeared and grabbed a suitcase before rushing back into another shoot. The others followed him back to the mindscape.
"Belos was lying! Wild witches weren't attacking him," Luz said, gesturing to the scene they had just witnessed. "How could you help someone like that?"
"That was...probably a special technique to get people to listen to his message," he denied, walking away while they gazed at him. "It's...it's for the greater good."
They both narrowed their eyes.
"Since when is tricking innocent people into thinking that wild witches are evil the best way to persuade them?" Bijou responded to his argument. "Last time I learned, people back then weren't doing anything wrong! He just wants to make people believe what he wants! To have them fear wild magic, fall in line, and obey his every command."
"Which isn't a bad thing!" Hunter said, as some black fingers appeared right next to them in the photo. The two shouted and ran away.
"He found us!"
Kid Belos chuckled and jumped into another recollection, with the rest following. This time, it was winter since there was snow everywhere. Belos, who was standing on a peak in the distance, stole from one of the inhabitants.
"What's the kid doing?" Hunter inquired, perplexed.
"Shh!" Luz said as they looked up ahead.
"Look at what wild magic has done to your city!" Belos pointed to a city on fire. "Now imagine what it's doing to you. A city can rise from the ashes, but a soul..." He shook his head slowly, and they gasped and spoke to one another.
"What does that mean?"
"Wait, what?"
"I can make your magic pure again, as the Titan intended," Belos exclaimed, the Golden Guard illuminating his finger. People extended their wrists so that the man could place sigils on them. He returned to his master. "Welcome to your new covens!"
One woman concealed her arm, and her wrist illuminated. She gasped in anguish as the oracle symbol traveled throughout her veins. She shouted in confusion and pain, and her eyes shone. The similar thing happened to the others, who fell into the snow. The Golden Guard bent down to the woman.
"They're...still alive," he replied, returning his gaze to Belos.
"Then we still have some work to do," he said, stepping down the short hill. "Gather the palismen."
The Golden Guard began snatching them, with Belos taking one and squishing it. As he departed, the same woman was breathing heavily and twitching...but she was no longer herself. No one even stood up.
The three appeared upset by this, with Luz looking up at the two as the snow blew over them and the onlookers. Hunter dashed out of the painting before Kid Belos did.
"You can't deny it now!" Luz stated as she and Bijou exited the memory. "Belos is trying to hurt people!"
"H-He was just perfecting sigil magic," Hunter stammered, denying it once more and attempting to justify his uncle. "B-Besides, maybe he's remembering things wrong. Who knows how mindscapes work?!"
"I thought you did!" Luz stated.
"Do you not remember what he said?! When he said they still have work to do, he expected those people to be DEAD!" Bijou pointed to the photo in shock and rage. "When are you gonna understand that this isn't normal?"
Kid Belos chuckled again, and everyone looked to him.
"Well, maybe I'm an idiot!" Hunter growled at both of them. "You, get back here!"
He began chasing after the child, demanding answers. The two watched as he sped up, attempting to remain calm, and cornered the boy. A screech was heard, and they glanced up to see a tall, dark creature with bony limbs and legs who appeared extremely emaciated. It screeched at them, and they screamed and fled. They came to a recollection encircled by something, and a half-white, half-black visage appeared above it.
"Hunter!"
He turned around to face the girls, who reached out their hands. He hesitated but accepted them, and both drew him in. The monster peered in, searching for them, and then snorted. They were hiding directly beneath the photograph, peering up with big eyes. When it went, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Luz looked up as Kid Belos rushed away from them, gasping at what she saw in the distance.
"Bij...look!"
Bijou looked up, stunned and in surprise, as they noticed a portal entrance.
"Did Belos get the portal?!" Bijou cried, surprised when Hunter joined them.
"Did you know about this?" Luz questioned the boy, pointing to it.
"Of course. I helped rebuild it," he replied.
"I can hear you," they all paused as they saw Belos approach the door. He appeared to return their gaze, but they heard laughter instead. They all turned around to discover that Belos wasn't talking to them, but to a pair of white eyes.
"You caught me!"
Given the robe and face, it was clear who was the Collector. They flew towards the ground.
"To you who stray so far from home." Hunter drew away as the Collector materialized on the pillar next to him. "To me who's trapped beneath these bones."
They transformed into a fist, followed by individuals, before approaching Belos.
"We'll play forever, me and you, when you paint the land in nine bright hues!" They transformed into nine figures above the portal door before becoming Bonesborough and wiping out everyone. They chuckled as they leaned on top of the mechanism.
"What can I do for you, Collector?" Belos inquired with a smile, and Bijou gasped, looking at Luz, who was also surprised.
"I'm bored!" the Collector exclaimed while lying on a statue. "Is the Draining Spell ready yet? I wanna play and see everything go all..." They molded into the statue in front of them before mimicking the screams that would follow.
"You'll have your fun on the Day of Unity," Belos said as he backed away from the gateway with a sneer.
"Betrayed, beguiled, alone, and deceived!" the Collector exclaimed dramatically. "We'll have our revenge on...ugh, unity is so hard to rhyme," they crossed their arms, exasperated. Luz and Bijou looked at Hunter, who shrugged unknowingly because he didn't know the Collector and had never met them before.
A shadow of Hunter from the Eclipse Lake events passed right past the current Hunter, who gasped and shuddered. Past Hunter approached his uncle.
"I-I know you didn't want me going to Eclipse Lake, but if I hadn't...I wouldn't have found this," he said, holding up the broken key with blood seeping from it. Belos grabbed it from him, and he gasped sharply. Belos didn't seem pleased that it was shattered.
"Some of the Titan blood did spill, b-but if you let me explain-"
"Leave. Now," Belos said with gloomy eyes, and Past Hunter faltered before turning around and fleeing. When the door was heard to be closed, the Collector emerged from hiding.
"Oooh, you were mad! I thought you were gonna go all..." The Collector transformed into Belos himself, a raging beast. "On that kid."
"Not as long as he stays on the right path," Belos said, turning around. "I say, 'The Titan has big plans for you,' and he does what he's told."
He held up the key.
"Unlike the previous attempts."
"I'm starting to think you make those things just to destroy them. You have fun with it," The Collector said, mischievously, as they had witnessed every single attempt. "Admit it! Ha ha ha!"
"Of course I don't, Collector," He said, leaving everyone perplexed yet scared. "It hurts every time he chooses to betray me."
Bijou and Luz winced when they heard that. Perhaps there was a message between the lines implying that Hunter was not the first of his type.
"Of course I don't, Collector," He said, leaving everyone perplexed yet scared. "It hurts every time he chooses to betray me."
Bijou and Luz winced when they heard that. There might have been a message between the lines implying that Hunter is not the first of his kind.
The Collector nodded.
"And what about that other blonde kid you mentioned?" They inquired.
Bijou recoiled at the mention of her. Belos chuckled grimly.
"I can assure you, I have big plans for Bijou," he replied.
"You told me that when faced against Marianne, your first enemy, she said she left part of her magic in some magic accessories, correct?" inquired the Collector.
"Yes. And I was sure I have destroyed every single one of them and every literary source connected to Marianne. But that was after I realized that I saw the bangle on Bijou's wrist that I missed one. And recalling that glare she gave me, it was like Marianne was living through her," Belos said, his teeth clenching.
"Ooh, looks like she struck a nerve there," the Collector chuckled after hearing such a rant. "I haven't seen you this mad. Not since you told me one of your recruits left your coven the same day she joined."
The Collector pointed, then transformed into a screen in front of Belos. Bijou squinted as they watched and noticed a memory pop up. Ruby's original owner, Aria Mysthaven, appeared at the Emperor's Castle. She had just been sworn into the Emperor's Coven...and then there was the palisman thing.
"No!" she insisted, clutching Ruby tight as she backed away. "I won't let you take him! He's my best friend!"
She kicked away a scout in front of her, and Belos arrived. When she saw him, she gasped and stood motionless.
"Emperor Belos..." she muttered in terror, edging away from the scout.
"Sorry you had to see this, sir, but she doesn't want to give up her palisman," the scout said, as Belos pushed past him.
"Well, I'm afraid we don't make any exceptions," he said, putting his hands behind his back. Aria scowled up at him. "Say goodbye to your palisman and hello to a new life...to serve this Coven, Arianrhod."
She tightened her teeth, and transformed Ruby into a staff.
"You don't scare me!" She swung it, aiming a blast at the Emperor, who stepped to the side, making her miss. Belos only chuckled, stooping down to gaze at her, which scared her even more as she stiffened.
"Your denial of fear is pathetic." He snapped his fingers, and two scouts surrounding her. She fought back, but they locked her in handcuffs, which negated her magic. "Scouts, take her to the petrification chamber."
"Sorry, girls. Looks like I have to give up on this dream," Aria mumbled before swinging her staff and knocking the scouts off their feet.
"Sorry, girls. Looks like I have to give up on this dream," Aria mumbled before swinging her staff and knocking the scouts off their feet. She then climbed onto her staff and sailed through the open window.
"She's getting away!" exclaimed the first coven spy, pointing at Aria. "Let's get her."
"No need," Emperor Belos answered calmly, despite his anger. "Let her live as a reminder that witches who refuse to give up their palismen will be executed."
The three teens were horrified by what they saw, with both girls shivering.
"Oh my gosh...she refused to give up Ruby...and nearly got punished for it..." Bijou said sadly, finally understanding why Ruby had been left in the care of the Bat Queen.
"Such a shame," Belos concluded the remembrance. "She had potential when she signed up for the Emperor's Coven...but then she got too attached to her palisman, and...had to give up such prestige."
The Collector only laughed, and Belos grinned.
Luz and Bijou pulled Hunter out of the memory, still shaken by what they had learnt and witnessed.
"Sounds like he wants to wipe out all life in the demon realm," Luz muttered as they hurried behind Hunter, who had his head down. "And the sigils help him do that."
Kid Belos raced away smiling as she spoke.
"Hunter, um...listen." He rested his hand against a tree and did not answer. Bijou gave him a troubled expression. "You don't need to return to the castle. You can stay at the Owl House if you want."
The elder human girl realized he was staring up and paled as she turned in his way.
"I'm sure Eda would be cool with it once we...tell her what we...heard," Luz said, alarmed as they saw...essentially a Golden Guard graveyard up ahead. Masks and armor were everywhere, but they were all smashed.
Luz heard a crack and startled as she saw Kid Belos tearing apart a mask. He threw it on fire.
"Hey!" She dashed up to the flames. "Stop that!"
She drew him away, and Hunter wheeled around his cloak, stomping on the blaze as Kid Belos fled.
"Why would he do that?"
Before anyone could figure anything out, a breeze blew through, and Hunter stood protectively in front of the females. A group of shadows approached a potions trap, which transformed into the monster they'd seen earlier, its orbs and mouth flashing a light blue. It stomped its foot as it stood up tall.
"Get away from him. Danger! Danger! Run!"
However, a closer inspection reveals that its body was constructed by little animals.
"Are those palisman?" Luz was even more appalled than before, which she did not believe was possible.
"Wait, so that means-" Bijou realized before Hunter spoke for her.
"We weren't fleeing the Inner Belos; he was with us...the entire time," Hunter concluded, scared.
He looked behind them and saw Kid Belos crying, which transformed into demonic laughing, with the boy turning around and drawing a wooden sword. He slapped it on the rope that led to the trap before setting it off. The potion slapped against the creature's face, triggering the other potions. They could only stare as the rope came alive, knotted, and plummeted in front of them. The creature roared, sending smoke flying away, and they whirled around to face Kid Belos.
Kid Belos transformed into Current Belos, his head lowered so that they could not see his face.
"Hello, Hunter," he said, looking up at them knowingly. "Hello, Luz. And Bijou, my first human captive..."
She flinched at this.
"I was finally able to catch it," he said, walking past them and staring at the monster. "This thing's been a thorn in my side for years."
Luz fished through her pocket for a glyph. Bijou prepared her bangle in case she had to defend herself, Luz, and Hunter.
"All these weepy Palisman souls," He touched the monster as it began to burn. "Their voices constantly nagging me."
He reached inside and retrieved a bird palisman shadow.
"Vile. But without them, I wouldn't be able to do this."
He revealed his monster arm, and Hunter watched as he squeezed it to dust. He flinched visibly as he thought about Flapjack. He sighed, turned around, and approached Hunter.
"I feel better already."
Hunter appeared afraid of him as his uncle glared him down.
"Thank you for distracting it."
"What did you do to the other guards?" Hunter asked, his face pouring with pain and terror as he pointed to the cemetery. "To our family? It wasn't wild magic, was it?"
"No, no, no!" Luz tugged harder, but nothing happened. "You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. Just hang on! Just..."
Despite their efforts, Hunter was completely dragged into the dirt.
"No," Bijou tried to feel Hunter's presence, but she couldn't
Belos grumbled as he walked right by them, and Luz felt bad as well. Not only because she couldn't help him, but also because her sister was crying... "I was really expecting him to last longer than the others..."
Luz and Bijou stared up at him with tears in their eyes.
"We're gonna tell everyone about the Day of Unity!" Luz yelled at him. "That you've been lying about the Titan for years!"
However, Belos appeared unconcerned.
"Yes, this has taken longer than I would have liked," he confessed to them, Bijou clutching her bangle. She appeared enraged because he had removed a new member from her social group.
"But...no one ever said being a witch hunter was easy," he smirked as Bijou angrily stared at him.
"Witch...hunter?" Luz began to grow angry as well. "So all this time people have been mindlessly helping a witch hunter?! How could they be tricked so easily?"
"I wouldn't be so judgmental if I were either of you," He raised a finger, and another screen erupted from the flames. They staggered back...and spotted two monsters with colored fangs from Lilith's Deadwardian Era trip.
"His pretty little words should make pretty good kindling."
"That doesn't belong to you."
"And if you take one more step, I promise you, this will be your last," Bijou said threateningly.
The two gradually discovered who Belos actually was. They expressed disbelief.
"No...no, no, no," Luz exclaimed with dread.
"That's...impossible," Bijou said in disbelief as she moved away slightly.
They watched Phillip create a glyph.
"Astounding!"
He then kneeled, cradling his injured leg. "It's okay. We can help. I know you wanna get home, but nothing is worth hurting people!"
"I just need to live long enough to see this through..." Phillip's voice shifted to Belos'.
"No, no, no. You're Belos!" Luz protested, clutching her hair as she began to scream. "You're just Belos!"
"This has to be another lie, right?!" Bijou drew away as Luz kneeled, trying not to show him her tears, but she didn't want to believe it...
"Please..." He moved forward. "Do me a kindness...and call me by my real name."
"We...can't," Luz replied, dropping her head.
"You're Phillip Wittebane, aren't you?"
"I can't believe I taught Phillip something new!"
"I'll go talk to Phillip."
"Phillip...why did you bring us here?"
Luz looked up, not wanting to say it aloud, but reluctantly accepted the reality...
"No..." Bijou muttered in dismay as she realized they had ended up supporting him in some way...
Back at the Owl House...
Eda dripped something into a vial, and there was a research billboard nearby. The potion exploded, and she threw it on the floor in frustration.
"Bones, dirt, and muck! I don't have time to fail!" There was a tap at the door.
"Inopportune interruption, eh?" Hooty, wearing sunglasses, looked suspicious. "I'll handle this..."
He went outside to check it out, while Eda set up a stand.
"Eda..." King spoke up, and she turned to him, noticing his anxious expression. "Tell me it's...gonna be okay."
He and Hazel were now deeply concerned for them, and her gaze softened.
"Eda!" Hooty sang as he entered through the window with a bouquet of flowers. "Special delivery from a secret admirer!"
He placed some pink tulips in a vase.
"Hooty, that thing could be booby-trapped. Get it out of here," she told him. Before he could react, the flowers glowed and dissipated into yellow orbs that landed in the vase water. She gasped when she saw the note that had been left behind.
"It's the teleportation potion into the mindscape! But who would..." She looked out the window and saw no one, perplexed.
"Eda, we'll figure out who send this potion later. Right now, we have a bigger fish to fry," Hazel replied.
"Yeah, now we can save Luz and Bijou!" King exclaimed, jumping down from the couch with delight.
"Hold up!" Eda looked at the note for more. "It says it still needs a power source. And a big one."
He rubbed his chin and rushed away. He removed Amity's glove that was fastened to the board and held it out to her.
"Use this!"
"But that's the last of the girls' Titan blood," Eda protested, worried that if she used it, they'd be unable to return home. "They need it to get back home!"
"We have no choice, Eda," Hazel remarked.
"They'll never get home if they don't come back here!" King insisted, and she reluctantly accepted. She simply prayed that they could find another way...
Back in the Emperor's mind...
"Girls, are you there?" Eda asked through the walkie-talkie, which Luz had dropped from her jacket while attempting to save Hunter. Neither of them was paying attention as they tripped while backing away.
"We're getting you guys out."
"It does feel good to hear another human say that name," they scooted away as he approached. "I had to change it when Phillip was run out of too many towns."
They stumbled down a short hill.
"I told you once before, Luzura and Bijana." They rose up as he surrounded them. "Perhaps we were destined to meet."
He transformed into Phillip.
Luz asked, "And what about Hunter? What's a Grimwalker?"
He switched back to Belos.
"He's...a better version of an old friend," he said, smirking.
"You mean a clone of your friend?" Bijou's brows tightened.
"Hm. You catch on quick. No wonder why he liked you. But thanks to you, I'll have to make another one."
"No answer. Luz! Bijou! Hello?!" Hazel yelled urgently over the walkie-talkie.
"But why? Why go through all this?!" Luz screamed.
"Why do all this damage?! What is it worth anyway?" Bijou demanded of Belos.
"I'll do anything to save humanity from evil," he declared, holding up the Golden Guard mask.
"No..." Luz shook her head, slowly.
"Girls, we're gonna start the countdown. Are you ready?"
"You're evil," Luz shot back at Belos.
"And we will stop you," Bijou said, pointing at him. "Besides, what did witches ever do to humans besides you?"
"Can't reason with crazy," he said, glancing away and swinging a scythe at them. Luz's only hope of defense was Bijou, as she had no method to defend herself because the glyphs were in her jacket. They braced themselves as Bijou activated her bangle, and a wall of vines suddenly materialized. They looked up in amazement, only to discover Hunter with the jacket, who had saved them.
"Luz! Bij!" He hurled down many glyphs at them.
"Five..."
Luz grabbed one as they ran and touched it to trigger the fire symbol.
"Four..."
They broke through the wall, with Luz holding Bijou's hand and Bijou gripping Hunter's.
"Three..."
As they hurried passed Belos, Hunter took one last look at him, noting how different he had become now that they knew everything.
"Two...one."
Luz slid to grab the device. They all collapsed to the ground.
"Eda! Now, please, now!"
The magic was activated to transport them away, and the house lit up as they materialized on the living room floor. King, Hazel, and Hooty were about to charge ahead when Eda stopped them.
"Don't crowd them! Are you guys okay?"
Luz slowly stood up, unsure what to say, as Bijou dropped on her knees and looked at her hands. Everything they witnessed and experienced will undoubtedly leave emotional scars. Especially when Belos has learned of her bangle and its origins and identified her as his next target...
Once Hunter sat up, Flapjack greeted him cheerfully, and Ruby did the same for Bijou. Hunter exclaimed sharply as he realized that once somebody had left someone's thoughts, they would always remember it.
"He knows. H-he knows we were in there," he mumbled in terror, hyperventilating. "I can't...I can't go back!"
Eda, King, Hooty, and Hazel looked at him, concerned, as he began to panic.
"Kid, breathe," Eda attempted to reassure him.
Eda reached out her hand. He rose up, still panicked, his mind racing. He had no idea who he was or what to do, but he couldn't face his uncle anymore. He looked at his cloak and hastily removed it. He suddenly dashed out the door, Luz and Bijou trailing behind him.
"Hunter!"
"Come back!"
"What the heck happened in there?" King asked the girl.
"Girls...what did you see?" Eda inquired, and Luz and Bijou simply turned around, their faces as scarred as Hunter's. They had no idea where to begin.
The girls' expressions made Hazel frown.
"Don't tell me..." he trailed off.
A/N 2: I gotta say, Hollow Mind is the bomb. The dark revelations, all the emotions, the drama. All these makes it so sober and heart-wrenching. And here is the reason why Aria hasn't contacted Lilith, Eda, and Raine for years: after fleeing the Emperor's Castle and giving Ruby up to the Bat Queen, Aria decided to cut off contact with her friends and family to ensure their safety, as well as hers. In the next chapter, Bijou, Luz, Hazel, Hooty, and King set off to look for answers and clues about King's origins, only to discover a horrifying truth. So stay tuned and stay magical, readers. Byeeee~!