Thanks to Them (Part 2)
Luz was seated in the waiting area at her mother's workplace. Her egg palisman was in front of her, and she could hear dogs and cats in the distance.
"Hmm, what will you be, little palisman?" she inquired as she perused a book. "A bird like Owlbert? A cool bug? Maybe an octopus so we can hold hands? Or maybe..."
She glanced across another page and noticed the plant glyph painted on it.
"Maybe you'll never hatch...and I messed up your life too," she said regretfully, a palm on her cheek.
"How's the lamp working?" her mother inquired abruptly, Luz flinching as she worried if her mother had heard her.
"Just fine."
"Good," Camila smiled as she walked up, her hair in a bun. "I'm ready to lock up," she said before leaving, and Luz stood up and switched out the lamp. She gazed at her notebook, perplexed, as smoke rose from the glyph. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed a burn mark on her hand.
Hunter tapped his foot anxiously. Flapjack chirped when he landed on the couch.
"Did you know about this?" Hunter asked his palisman, gazing up. "That he was here? I can tell you're hiding something."
Flapjack chirped, and Hunter sighed softly to settle down.
"Sorry. I shouldn't take this out on you I'm just scared," he acknowledged as he took up his palisman and placed him in a cage.
"Don't worry, Flap. If Belos is really here, I'll keep you safe," he said as he went, the bird continuing tweeting at him. He opened the door and greeted Luz and Camila. Hunter waved at Camila, who put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. Luz came up to him.
"Hunter, what's wrong?" She knew something was amiss right away.
"Belos," he replied, narrowing his eyes. She gasped at the answer. "Come on, we better get Bijou."
The two proceeded to the Adams home.
"Thanks for your help with the bake sale, Bijou," Dana said as Bijou off Mr. Garcia's car.
"No problem. Don't forget about the Halloween festival, you guys," Bijou replied.
"Don't worry, Bij. We won't miss it," Tyson said before the car continued down the road.
Bijou returned to her bedroom to get a few minutes of rest.
'I'm going to prepare for what tomorrow has in store,' Bijou thought to herself as she lay down on her pillow and closed her eyes for a few minutes. However, little did she know, the heart gems on her bangle start to glow.
Bijou's mindscape
Bijou opened her eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar location.
"Huh? Where am I? What's this place?" she inquired.
"You're in the astral realm," a voice stated.
Kai turned to find an unknown witch floating in front of him. The witch had a pale complexion, blonde hair, and blue eyes. The witch wore a white chiton gown with pink ribbons, a gold sun pin around her waist, a gold armband, a flower crown, and pink leg ribbons with white frills. She also appeared to be carrying a harp that was almost as tall as her. Bijou gazed at her, puzzled.
"Astral realm? Of what?" Bijou inquired.
The witch landed on the earth.
"An ethereal place where you meet up with a predecessor, courtesy of any item. In your case, it's my bangle," she told me.
Bijou blinked till she realized.
"Bangle? Wait. Does that mean you're...?" she said.
The witch nodded.
"Yes. I am the owner of that bangle you found. My name is Marianne Crowley but I know you know that. I'm also the last of a long line of Ascended witches, who are known for having exceedingly excellent skills in magic, relatively superior to any witch," she explained.
"Like the wild witches?" Bijou raised an eyebrow.
"More or less. But that's not important right now. I have called you here to talk about the damage that's being done to the Isles," Marianne continued, moving on to the reason why she called out to Bijou.
"What's going on? What is the Collector doing right now?" Bijou said as she rose.
Marianne sighed, "It's too dreadful to discuss right now, but you must find a way to return to the Isles and stop him for good."
"But how? I couldn't even stop the Draining Spell from happening. I still haven't learned much about you bangle because of the scarcity of evidence. Not to mention, I have no way of returning to the Isles to save everyone," Bijou stated with a perplexed and frightened expression on her face.
"I can assure you'll find a way to get to the Isles. The fate of the Demon Realm rests in the hands of you and your friend," Marianne explained.
Bijou gasped with amazement. How does she know who Luz is?
"But what about my research?" she inquired.
"That is something you must figure out on your own. Hopefully, you'll be able to," Marianne told her.
She looked up at the sky.
"It appears our time here is up," the first wild witch stated.
As Bijou covered her eyes, the astral realm started to light up.
Reality
Bijou awoke as she felt someone tap her arm. She turned to find Luz and Hazel standing near her.
"Luz? What's going on?" she inquired.
"Hunter told me that Belos is here and that we came here to get to you," Luz informed me.
"What?" Bijou said, raising an eyebrow before standing.
"Long story. Hunter will explain everything. He's outside," Luz said as they headed out to meet Hunter. They returned to the home, Hunter carrying a rake.
"Are you sure you saw him? I thought the Collector destroyed Belos," Luz replied, as she and Bijou looked at him with alarm.
"Yeah. We're...we're sure," Hunter said, sweating slightly as Bijou noticed his arms shaking.
"You know, we can go get the others if you want-" she said gently before Hunter interrupted her.
"No! We have to take care of this ourselves," Hunter replied hurriedly, glancing away. "Titan, I hate this!"
The wind blew in, knocking over a few masks.
"I was never scared as the Golden Guard."
"Then how about we bring back some of that masked confidence, huh?" She put on an owl mask, making a frightful screech, and he smiled at her. Bijou nodded and took a mask that looked like Eda. Hunter kicked open the door as they hurried inside. Luz carried a baseball bat, and Bijou armed herself with a shovel.
"Alright, Belos, what's about to happen should be relatively painless, if you just do what we say," he said while tightly gripping the rake.
"That's right! So come out with your hands behind your creepy, dumb head!"
"We know you're here! But if you don't hurt us, we won't hurt you back!" Bijou taunted as they moved forward.
They noticed a shadow moving to the left. Hunter gazed down the corridor but saw nothing. The girls looked in as they walked down the hall together. Hunter peered through another doorway and saw only darkness. Luz opened a door, and the wind blew in on some debris. They had avoided touching the remainder of the house since it seemed frightening. Not to mention that they had no incentive to return home because they were so focused on getting there. Bijou went into a closet and placed the ragged webbed garments in front of her. They heard a rattle and looked forward, alarmed.
They approached some strange-looking wallpaper. Luz peeled it away, revealing a door. She opened it, revealing a stairway that led down to the basement. They all down the stairs, Bijou turning on the light. They all gasped when a wardrobe up ahead rattled like mad. The light was only concentrated on the closet, and they exchanged glances. They all went forward into the light, drawing closer as they prepared for him. Luz leaned out and pulled the doorknob open. They gazed down with horrified eyes at a possum that hissed at them. They saw it flee, and Luz exhaled in relief.
"Oh, thank goodness. It's just a little angel."
"More like a little demon by the looks of it," Bijou said, watching it rush up the stairs. Hunter scratched the back of his neck while the girls removed their masks.
"No one's here. I guess it was just in my head."
"Well, can't blame you for being paranoid after everything we've been through," Luz shrugged and smiled slightly. "Especially you, Bijou, since Belos wanted to kill you."
She pointed at Bijou.
"Don't remind me," said the older female, annoyed by the thought of Belos declaring her his target.
"Yeah. You know," Hunter embraced himself as Luz closed the wardrobe. "I just wanna make sure everyone's safe."
"Ditto," Bjiou responded.
"Same," Luz lightly punched Hunter. "And that includes you too."
"What?"
"Yeah. Gonna make sure you're safe too, Hunter," she said, leaning slightly to touch his shoulder. "You're family now."
"Luz is right, and I wouldn't change it for the world," Bijou said cheerfully to him.
"Oh..." Hunter looked aside and began crying, tears falling from his eyes. They looked at him as he brushed away a tear. And then he burst into tears, turning to Bijou and embraced him. He cried on her shoulder.
"It's okay, mon ami," she said quietly as she held him back, recognizing he didn't have an actual family until Luz mentioned it herself. Luz joined in the hug, and he removed his mask.
"Ah, this mask is pretty gross now. And so is probably your jacket, sorry about that," he looked up at Bijou. All of them laughed.
"That's fine," she said playfully. He was just pleased to have found the right people who truly cared about him, beginning with Darius, of course.
"Let's get back before anyone worries," Luz said as they walked out of the basement.
"Yeah. Everything's fine," Hunter mumbled as they approached the stairway. "Belos is gone."
However, his shadow had transformed into that of Belos himself...
Luz and Hunter returned home and entered the living room.
"Hey, we're back!" Hunter announced to everyone in the living room. "Heh heh, and we bought some, uh, cars."
Luz poked him because that was an incorrect word, but he wasn't lying...
"Luz! We're designing our costumes for the Haunted Hayride," Amity announced eagerly. Vee was not interested in traveling, so she decided to stay at home.
"Guess what I've got planned?" Gus asked Hunter, putting on a false headset. "I'm gonna be Captain Avery, and you're..."
Hunter gasped as he opened a box to display what was inside.
"Chief Engineer O'Bailey?" He said excitedly, nuzzling the pin. Camila finished her tea hesitantly.
"How do you know about Cosmic Frontier?"
"All the books in your basement," Hunter replied.
"Wait, really?" Hunter blinked at her.
"Oh! Haha! Funny how things just show up in places, right? Without you hiding or putting them there. Hahaha! Life sure is full of surprises," Camila giggled nervously, attempting not to appear suspicious, as the series was her favorite and one of the reasons she was tormented.
"Cool! Humans freak out just like us," Gus said, smiling.
"It'll be fun. We want to experience your weird human traditions," Willow said, putting on a false pair of vampire teeth. She then gave a wicked laugh.
"And I thought you and I could take inspiration from..." She halted what was on television. "Good Witch Azura the Movie 2: The Betrayanning!"
She then played the movie as an explosion occurs. Azura unleashed a magical bolt.
"Hecate, I'll protect you!" The opponent was unaffected by the blow.
"Give her over, Azura. It's for your own good."
"Never!" Azura yelled angrily up at her.
"I could be Hecate to your Azura," Amity said, coming over to Luz and holding out a picture of the two. "What do you think?"
"Oh, wow. Yeah, l-let's do it!" Luz smiled and hugged her girlfriend.
"How could you do it, Villainous Luci?" Azura cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. "How could you betray your friends? Now everyone is gone!"
"It was for...the greater good."
"We'll never forgive you," Azura said, and Luz opened her eyes, knowing she'd face this reaction from her pals eventually. "Never!"
She frowned unhappily at the television.
Bijou returned to her own home to see Jackie, Hazel, and Quinton rummaging through boxes of clothes and accessories.
"Hey, what's going on here?" she asked.
"The gang is going for the Haunted Hayride tomorrow so Quin and I are gonna make costumes of our favorite characters," Jackie said. "Remember when you showed the game Genshin Impact? Well, I looked at all the characters and I decided to dress as Xinyan~!"
"That's perfect for you, Jackie. Xinyan here weaponizes her music with the help of her lyre. And since you're in the Bard track at Hexside, I can tell it clicked. And you know, I also had the thought of dressing up as Lumine. I already had my costume done and I can't wait to wear it tomorrow," Bijou said as she clapped her hands with glee and anticipation before turning to her brother. "What about you, Quin and Hazel, what costumes are you gonna wear?"
"I'm just gonna wear this mask," Hazel showed the mask he found.
"Well, I'm dressing up as Deku from My Hero Academia," Quinton replied as he took out out a yellow scarf.
Elle entered the living area with a guitar. "Hey guys, hope you have fun at this thing."
"Are you sure you don't want to come, Elle?" Hazel inquired, and she waved it off.
"Nah. Plus, I have a feeling that Jacob guy might do something if Vee and I go out," she said with wrath in her eyes. "Maybe next year."
"You play the guitar?" Bijou inquired, noticing her instrument. "How?"
"We met this witch who was in the Emperor's Coven. They found out about us and helped us escape. After that, they helped us find shelter and go into hiding until we came here. They helped me learn."
Bijou, Hazel, and Jackie smiled as they realized she was talking about Raine.
Later that night, Luz touched the underside of Vee's bed, unable to sleep again. She rolled onto her side, turned around, and smiled at Amity. But then she remembered the enormous truth she hadn't told Amity...she felt terrible for hiding it for so long, especially since she had previously lied to Amity. She took her laptop and moved away into the kitchen. She opened it to discover a picture of herself and Amity in the background. She turned on her video recorder and hit record.
"Dear diary, all I ever wanted was to be good at something," she said, resting her hand on her cheek. "To be around people who also liked that something. And when I found the Demon Realm with my amiga, I thought, wow! I found it. I can learn magic. I can be a witch! I-I won't be the dummy in the principal's office anymore!"
Her eyes welled up with tears as she leaned her chin on the table.
"But I messed up too much and endangered everyone," she said, sitting up and wiping her eyes. "Mama says I have to learn from my mistakes. So...I know what I have to do now..."
A tear trickled down her cheek.
The next day...
The sun set that night, and all of the houses turned on their lights. The Halloween Festival was well underway, with Camila driving her daughter, girlfriend, and their friends, who were all dressed up for the occasion. Clover, Emmeline, Ghost, and Flapjack hid inside their respective owners' costumes.
Camila stopped, while the others exited. Luz turned around to face her mother.
"Make sure to help Vee with the trick-or-treaters. You know they can be...demanding," she whispered, fearfully.
"Luz, are you okay?" Camila blinked at her. "You don't look so well."
"I was just so excited for this, I couldn't sleep," she said dismissively.
Meanwhile, Florian parked his car while Bijou, Jackie, Hazel, Quinton, Dana, and Tyson got out. Bijou, Jackie, Hazel, and Quinton are all suited up in their chosen costumes, Ruby and Iris also hiding in their respective owners' costumes. Tyson was costumed as Black Panther, with a black outfit highlighted with silver and a mask including eyeholes and air vents. Dana was dressed like Audrey Hepburn in her Breakfast at Tiffany's outfit, from the hair bun to the black dress.
As soon as they stepped out, they greeted their friends and even complimented their costumes and vice versa.
"Alright, kids, I'm heading back to help out your mom and Elle in giving candy to passersby. Remember to call me and your mom if you and the others are ready to head back, okay?"
"Sure thing, Dad." / "No problem," Bijou and Quinton replied simultaneously. As Quinton walked over to the group, Bijou glanced to the forest as she noticed a broken fence and heard an eerie whisper.
Amity assembled Jackie, Gus, Willow, Hazel, and Quinton (the latter two had been told about their plot).
"Alright. We'll keep the puzzle a secret till the time is right. And then, we'll tell them about the Titan Blood!" Amity smiled as Camila and Florian drove away. Hunter heard laughter and looked into the murky woodland, but saw nothing.
"Did you hear that?" He asked Flapjack, who chirped at him. "Hey, it's okay. It's probably just in my head again. Nestle down, Flapjack."
The cardinal palisman stiffened, and Hunter hid him.
They usually didn't allow anyone but Dana and Tyson view them, for obvious reasons. Ghost and Ruby were perhaps the only ones who could pass as normal animals. However, the others were either too large to be typical or possessed characteristics that did not make them appear normal.
"Is everything okay there?" Bijou asked, and he shuddered, not wanting to concern her about Belos again. So he planned to tell her later tonight, but not right now.
"Yeah. Just excited to spend this Halloween night with all of you," he said excitedly, and she smiled back.
"That's really sweet, Hunter...but seriously, what are you and the others hiding from me and Luz?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I promise we'll talk about it later. Right now I just wanna enjoy this night," he remarked dismissively, oblivious that something was crawling up his neck. Luz approached Amity, who happily rested her hands on her shoulders.
"We're gonna have the best night, and we might even have a surprise for you."
"Yeah, me too," Luz said, looking aside as the others left. Dana and Tyson spoke with them while they browsed the booths.
"You guys are gonna love it! Everyone in Gravesfield comes here every year," Tyson beamed, though Luz had planned to skip it this year.
"The festival has everything: the apple bobbing challenge, the haunted house, the corn maze," Dana said to them.
"Corn maze? As in where corn monsters attack?" Gus flinched with surprise.
"No, little dude," He laughed, patting the youngster on the head. "As in a giant puzzle. You guys like those, right?"
"Last year, we scared some of our classmates, and one of them even peed in his pants," Dana said, laughing.
"Yeah, that was my favorite part," Tyson said, laughing as well.
"Are they always like this?" Amity couldn't stop wondering.
"Almost always. They told me that they were best friends ever since they were in preschool," Bijou instructed them.
"Huh. I knew Dana and Tyson are close friends, but never THIS close," Luz exclaimed, surprised.
They strolled up to an old-looking building where a false witch trial was taking place.
"I hath seen Mrs. Smith consorting with impure spirits!" the prosecutor exclaimed, pointing to a woman in a cage. The judge then stared at her.
"Is this true, Mrs. Smith?"
She spun around and gripped the cage's bars.
"Nay, tis a fool lie! Inquisitor Jones is tarring me as a demon's valet so as to take mine fields!" she motioned to herself, Jones stooping down to her and glaring.
"Demon lies!"
"Your honor, I do object!" Gus burst onto the platform. "It is Inquisitor Jones who's in league with the dark forces!"
"Kid, come on, this is my spotlight," Jones said, agitated.
"Behold!" Gus twirled a finger and tugged Jones' pants down, showing red horned legs and a tail. Jones bolted, horrified, as the woman kissed Gus' cheek. He smiled as the audience clapped for him.
"How did he know that?" Hunter chuckled.
"He's been remembering what he's been taught. I'm proud," Bijou grinned, amused. She had taught him a little about how courts worked in the real world when she was still teaching him. She informed him that not everyone was as innocent as they appeared.
"Wow, he really did learn from you," Jackie smiled.
Jacob abruptly pushed back the crowd.
"Why are you clapping?" he shouted, and Bijou and Quinton froze alongside Luz. He stumbled over the rope and fell to the ground. He then pointed up at Gus. "These children are demon spawn, and they want your teeth!"
He came nearer, removing Gus' phony headset.
"Look! Look at his ears! He's from Mars!"
The human girls both sighed with satisfaction that he did not believe they were witches. "Hey, lay off the costume, man!"
Jacob looked around before looking at Bijou.
"There! She's affiliated with them! I recognize that blonde one anywhere," He narrowed his eyes at her. "You let my evidence get away!"
He rushed up to her as she stood with her arms crossed. She appeared smug, but a few seconds later, he was tackled by security. They tied him down, and the coffee shop employee moaned, pinching her nose.
"Is this him?" Jackie whispered to Bijou.
"Yeah...I'm surprised he's still trying to prove anything when we don't even know what he's saying," she smirked smugly, lifting her brow as he was brought away.
"No! It's true, you were there! I will get myself verified!" he said, and Bijou shook her head at him.
"Yeah, maybe we leave that part out for Vee and Elle when we get home," Luz said, and everyone agreed. They didn't want to freak out their buddies, and they probably wouldn't see him for a time anyhow.
They dashed up to the hay rides, with Gus assisting Jackie onto the cart. Masha was dressed as a witch. As they sat down, Luz took Amity's hand.
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank Bijou for agreeing to play on the hayride." They smiled at her. "You'll find a hidden instrument in the hay. I hope you're all prepared for a truly scary ride."
Masha spoke up as Quinton, Hazel, Tyson, and Dana sat with Gus and Willow. Bijou's hair swirled in the breeze as she took out a little keyboard.
"Make us cry! Make us cry!" Gus, Quinton, and Willow exclaimed together.
"Because there's nothing scarier than...knowledge!"
"Boo! Just lie to me!" Gus exclaimed to her while Hazel quietly chuckled.
"Truths are boring! Just ask the librarian!" Quinton reclined back, arms crossed.
"Let me tell you the eeriest unsolved mystery of Gravesfield," Masha said as the wagon headed into the woodland. "The Tale of the Brothers Wittebane."
Luz, Hunter, and Bijou all glanced at her with wide eyes after hearing her name.
"Wittebane?" Amity muttered to the trio. "Isn't that Belos?"
The others exchanged glances before the lights turned on. They turned around to see what was happening. "The year is 1613. Two orphaned brothers arrive in Gravesfield."
The lights were turned on, revealing Gravesfield and two cardboard cut-outs of known faces.
"Their names? Phillip..."
Belos glared while in his mind.
"And Caleb."
Belos flicked Hunter's forelock, and he flinched.
"Oh no," Hunter said worriedly, Luz glancing at him and then frowning. The two classmates Luz and Bijou met at school had complete control over everything.
"Caleb did his best to take care of his younger brother. They tried to fit in with this town, and its unsavory practices. They became...witch hunters."
A cardboard mob emerged across from them.
"Local lore suggests that the brothers Wittebane met a real witch from another world! Her name was Evelyn," Masha continued.
Luz and Bijou turned to look at some wooden puppets of Evelyn, Caleb, and Philip.
"She dazzled him with magic and visions of a strange yet beautiful place. They used a secret code to travel between worlds. Philip set off to save his brother and bring the witch to justice but neither were seen again! Maybe Philip saved Caleb and they went on to lead peaceful lives," Masha explained as she sat down.
They put on a flashlight and aimed it at their face.
"Or maybe he's still chasing his brother, caught in a cycle of horror and strife!" Masha argued.
The group gasped as Masha turned out the flashlight.
"Sounds like the big bro got a hot witch girlfriend and the little bro got upset, but that's just me," Masha commented as the cart came to a halt.
The gang climbed down from the trolley. Hunter dusted the hay off his clothes before hearing Belos chuckle again. He looked ahead to see a creature with antlers and sparkling blue eyes. Hunter swallowed.
"Luz, Bij!" he said, grasping them by the arms.
Woah!" The two girls yelled as Hunter drew them behind the cart.
"What is going on?""Luz raised her brow at him.
"Why are you freaking out so suddenly?" Bijou asked, puzzled.
"It's him," he told the two in a panic. "He's here! I-I saw him this time. It wasn't in my head after all. You believe me, right?"
"Wait, you mean Belos?" Bijou guessed properly. "And you knew it last time?"
He bit his lip anxiously in response to her questions, and she crossed her arms.
"Why didn't you tell us before?"
"I didn't want to worry you both for nothing." He stroked the back of his neck. "I'm sorry."
"Well, how can you be sure? What would he be doing here?" Luz questioned the former Golden Guard, who stroked his chin.
"...Titan Blood," He whispered in realization, recalling the rebus. Bijou and Luz both raised their eyebrows at him.
"What was that?" Bijou inquired.
"I'm not supposed to tell. But the secret code that guide mentioned? It's a puzzle, a rebus we found in the shack. Amity thinks it leads to Titan Blood! We even told Hazel and Quinton about it, too." He let them know.
"Titan Blood? Puzzles? Amity? Why didn't anyone say anything?" Luz said, shocked.
"And Quin and Hazel were in on this?" Bijou was horrified by the information.
Hunter removed his headset. "You and your families do so much for us. We wanted to do something for you, and Amity's gonna surprise you both with it tonight."
"That is so...sweet..." Luz sweated nervously since she and Bijou weren't sure what she was going to say to their friends later...they looked behind the truck to see the others walking by.
"Hey, where are Luz, Hunter, and Bijou?" Amity couldn't help but inquire.
"We need to find Titan blood first, just to make sure," Luz said, looking down at the two. "I don't wanna freak anyone out yet."
"You don't believe me yet, do you? Fine. I'll prove he's here."
"Hunter, the last thing we need is a false alarm. We only need to evaluate our bases before we make assertions that we cannot sustain," Bijou told him gently.
"Flapjack," Hunter said, opening up his shirt slightly to allow the bird to fly out. He flew ahead of the trio. "Can you get the rebus?"
Flapjack didn't seem interested in stealing from Amity; he just had a horrible feeling about everything.
"I'll say that again," he said, his pupils turning blue as he stared at the palisman. "Get the rebus!"
Flapjack fled in terror as his voice sounded distorted.
Ruby flew in front of Amity, furiously flailing his wings and chirping.
"What is it, Ruby? Are you hungry? I don't have any food for you, but we can find you some."
The robin palisman pecked her crown, and Amity tried to convince her to stop.
"Ruby! Stop that!"
While she was preoccupied, Flapjack grabbed the rebus, and Ruby flew away.
"That's strange; why did he react like that?" Tyson asked Amity, who simply shrugged.
"I don't know, honestly."
They returned to their owners.
"Good work," Hunter said, holding out his hand and opening his shirt so Flapjack could dash in. Ruby hid in Bijou's hair. The three fled into the forest while their pals were looking the other way.
Vee was asleep, with a bowl of candy nearby and the television still on. Camila grinned as she turned it off and picked up Luz's laptop. She stepped forward and slipped on a baseball bat, just managed to catch the laptop. She sighed with relief, but then the laptop turned on.
"So, we moved," she said, looking at the screen, which showed one of Luz's video diaries. "Mom says it's because the house isn't 'pretty enough', but I think it's because there's a better hospital for Dad nearby."
Camila sat down and began watching.
"'Cause, let's be honest, this house isn't that much prettier," she added as the video finished.
The second one came after they had settled in, but Luz didn't seem happy. "I think this might be the worst week ever," Camila's eyes softened as she remembered the day this was recorded...the week her husband died. She caressed the screen, missing him.
"But...Dad left me this book. I can't wait to read it," she said, smiling weakly at the computer screen.
"I loved it, I loved it so much!" she said the next time she checked in. She bounced up and down gleefully, hugging the book.
The following entry, she had already decked her room with Azura items and was wielding a sword. Her hair had grown longer by this stage. "Look what I got at the convention! I'm gonna cut my hair with it!"
Her hair, however, was in disarray.
"Ah, that was a bad idea!"
Camila smiled warmly.
"Mom saw my report card," Camila's smile faded when the entry was made a few days before the girls traveled for the Boiling Isles. "'Mija, if you just applied yourself.' But I am applying myself!"
She stepped up to her computer. She held up a fake griffin figurine.
"My baseball stitches are almost imperceptible, and I can read and write witch tongue in five different dialects. Also, I can sit so absolutely still that woodland creatures come to sit on me." She dashed off to retrieve her chair, pulling it over in front of her closet. When she sat quiet, a spider crept into her hair.
"But I guess none of this is gonna matter on the SATs."
Camila chuckled, and Luz returned to the computer.
"It's been really rough for Mom since the funeral. So I'm gonna wow my teacher's face off with this book report! Mom, you won't have to worry about me ever again."
She was ready to close the laptop...when she came across the most recent entry.
"Mama says I have to learn from my mistakes," she said as she opened the laptop again. "So...I know what I have to do now. On Halloween, after the hayride, I'm telling everyone I'm staying in the human realm. Permanently."
She looked aside, tears in her eyes.
Camila narrowed her eyes, determined to stop her so she wouldn't accidentally hurt anybody else.
Florian, Susan, and Elle waved goodbye to the last trick-or-treaters after handing out the last candy.
"Goodbye." / "Happy Halloween." / "See you all next year."
Just then, Camila's van drove over, and she and Vee climbed out.
"Camila, what's wrong?" Susan questioned.
"We need to get to Luz now!" Camila exclaimed as Florian and Susan, realizing where this is going, prepared their car and, along with Elle, followed after Camila and Vee.
Luz, Bijou, and Hunter continued to run into Old Gravesfield. The boy held the map, looked up, and dropped the rebus. He clutched his hand, taking the tape from his finger to show the same green goop he'd seen earlier.
"What the..."
Bijou stepped by him, picked up the map, and took a step forward to gain a sense of their location.
Hunter's pupils became blue again, and when he looked up, he saw the same scary shadow.
"There!" He dashed past the girl, seizing the map from her grasp. Ruby chirped in panic as he emerged from cover and swooped after him.
"Ruby, hey! Wait up!" Bijou called out to her palisman.
"Hunter!" Luz yelled at him as he vanished into the fog. She and Bijou chased him, but after a few feet, they couldn't find him. "Hunter!"
"Ugh, think, think!" Luz grabbed her head as Bijou searched the scene for clues as to where he had gone. "Hunter is following the rebus to the Titan's blood. But how can we find the blood without him? Come on, you can do this."
She gasped as she remembered the glyph scoring at her mother's vet clinic, as well as a glyph that had been entirely shredded the last time they visited. She removed a light glyph from her purse and tapped it. It then transformed into a tiny ball of light.
"What?" Bijou said in shock.
"Glyphs are powered by the magic of the isles, by the Titan itself! The closer we are to the Titan Blood, the stronger the glyphs become."
"How did you know about that?" her companion inquired.
"I accidentally touched a glyph when I was at Mom's clinic, and it gave off a scorch mark. I didn't think anything of it until now," the girl was told.
"So that means there is a source of Titan blood in this forest; if we find it, we will find Hunter and Ruby. Let's go," Bijou said as she and Luz set out to find Hunter and Ruby, guided by the light glyphs.
"Luz? Hunter? Bij?" Willow inquired as the five reunited on the hayride.
"Did you find them?" Amity inquired, squeezing her arm.
"We've searched everywhere," Hazel replied before sighing, "And nothing."
Dana shook her head, "They're not in the haunted house."
"I can't find them in the corn maze, either," Quinton said.
"Sorry, Amity. There's no sign of them anywhere," Tyson said, regretfully.
"Calm down," Gus attempted to soothe them. "They probably just went to buy some more cars."
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I just—I wanted to show Luz the rebus," Amity reached into her pocket, but was surprised to see it empty. "Huh? Wait, where did it go?"
They heard a disturbance and turned around to find Camila, Vee, Florian, Susan, and Elle approaching.
"Kids, have you seen Luz or Bijou? And have they, um, said anything weird?" Camila inquired hesitantly.
"Boom!" Vee and Elle produced their cellphones. "Find a phone."
Vee tracked down Luz's, while Elle tracked down Bijou's.
The two came upon a lake with gravestones in it, and a sign stated that they couldn't go in since the water was too deep.
"You think he's here?" Bijou inquired of her pal.
"This is where the path leads to. There's nowhere else he could've gone, and he wouldn't have gone back into town," Luz replied.
Bijou activated her bracelet, and together with Luz's ice glyph, they created an ice bridge across the ocean. They dashed across it, staring at a shadow standing alone.
"Hunter...are you okay? Did you see Belos?" Luz inquired, looking down to see the rebus cut in half. Hunter stood a few feet away from the things, his shirt wrapped over his waist.
"Oh, no. Just my imagination playing tricks again," He shrugged off, and Bijou tightened her gaze. "Why don't you two find the Titan Blood while I find my palisman? Little guy got spooked off..."
'That's strange. Hunter addresses Flapjack by name rather than "his palisman." Despite the fact that he pursued him, he made no mention of Ruby. And why would he have ripped the rebus?' Bijou thought suspiciously.
"Good idea. All this Belos talk has me on edge," Luz walked away, not suspecting anything. "But I hate to ruin Amity's surprise or even berate Quinton and Hazel for their involvement. I really appreciate that everyone wanted to do this."
"Luz..." Bijou screamed out hesitantly, but the younger girl did not respond.
"You guys are great friends," Luz said, as Hunter looked at his green finger, which was now covering his neck and some parts of his head. Bijou tapped her shoulder to catch her attention.
"Luz, be careful around him. I don't know what it is, but he seems...off," Bijou said, casting a fleeting glance at him.
"Hmm...good point, but still," Luz responded tentatively.
"Have you found the blood yet?" 'Hunter' interrupted their chat.
"We're on it. We just have to..." They heard chirping and turned to find Flapjack and Ruby huddled behind a gravestone. And both of them were shivering with fright.
"Flapjack? Ruby? Why do you look so scared?"
Flapjack hugged Ruby protectively. He spun around, confusing the females, until they noticed him shivering and flapping his wings.
Bijou sighed, "Don't tell me..."
"Luz...Marianne..." Hunter approached them from the shadows, his eyes blue, his voice familiar... "Didn't you use an ice glyph to get here?"
Horns sprang from the top of his head. "Your magic is working. And you're finally using your bangle again after so many months, Marianne."
"...Oh no," Bijou said in despair as they understood what had transpired...
Belos.
"Luz? Bij? I think they're this way."
"Hunter?"
"Luz!"
"Bijou?"
"Sis!"
"Mijas?"
"Guys, where are you?"
"Girls?"
"Hello?"
"We have to get Flapjack and Ruby out of here," Luz said to her companion, who was going to pick up Melody when a hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. They were face to face with Belos.
"I saw you. Glyphs do work here."
"You. You survived!" Luz said in panic, as Bijou ripped his hand away from her and backed away. Hunter's physique now had green marks on his face, blue eyes, and slightly longer hair.
"I did. Thanks again for all the help, girls. But I don't need both of you anymore," He thrust an arm formed of goop, and Bijou grabbed Luz, tackling her to the ground as Luz's hat was impaled. Her wig slipped off when Flapjack landed nearby.
"Flapjack!"
Bijou looked up to find Belos fishing for something underground before pulling out a vial of Titan's blood.
"Ah. There you are," he replied, smirking.
Luz slammed down an ice glyph, knocking the vial out of Belos' grip. She attacked Belos with fire glyphs, but he easily avoided them.
"You're not even trying right now," he said, noticing her excessive sweating. "What, afraid you'll hurt him?"
Bijou stared at Ruby, who was hidden behind another headstone, before glancing ahead to watch her friends and relatives arrive.
"Is that Hunter?" Camila inquired, as the others were stunned by his appearance.
"Something's wrong," Gus said, narrowing his gaze.
Elle gave a deep whiff, and what she smelled corroborated Gus's statement.
"Gus is right," she said. "That's not Hunter anymore."
"Belos has him under control!" Bijou clinched her teeth as she looked at them, and everyone's lips opened in surprise. "You guys need to get out of here! Now!"
"And leave you behind? No way!" Hazel demanded.
Belos grinned at the girls. "You see, this is why you're so useful, Luz. And why Marianne is so dimwitted. You're so desperate to help people...you even helped me meet The Collector."
"What?" Amity asked in disbelief.
"Marianne?" Florian, Susan, and Quinton said in disbelief.
"I didn't mean to. I thought I was doing something good!" Luz explained.
"That was a big mistake," Bijou grabbed the grass under her.
"You did something good, and it was no mistake; I thought this was another lost cause," he said, looking at his green arms with an ugly grin. "Because of you, we can finish our work as witch-hunters, starting with them!"
He extended his arm toward the group, and before anybody could react, a woman with pale coral hair and magenta eyes swooped in and swung her staff to block it. Her hair was partially tied into two buns, which were secured and ornamented with black bows with magenta accents and green gemstones. She even donned a black and magenta halter-neck dress with a matching corset, gold trimmings, and a black choker with a green gem outlined in gold and a magenta ribbon. She also wore black elbow gloves (one with no fingers), plum socks with gold and black accents, black heels with spider-like designs and green diamonds, and a brown double-loop belt.
"What?!" Belos cried, surprising everyone with her quick presence. She kneeled in front of the group and smiled knowingly.
"Hello again, Emperor," she said, rising up. "Didn't think I would return to get back at you?"
Bijou's eyes widened as she gasped, and both she and Luz recognized who she was.
"Aria...!" they murmured together.
"I still remember the day you left the coven after you refused to give up your old palisman," Belos said with a sneer. "No matter. Time to finish what I wanted to do to you!"
He thrust an arm at her, and she spun a spell circle to summon purple flames in response.
"I could use some help."
Amity nodded, then twirled her staff into her hands. Jackie, Willow, and Gus took out their own staffs and soared away. Gus, Jackie, Aria, and Amity attacked, but Belos dodged them all.
"Hey, Belos?" Gus asked smugly, flying around him. "Remember me?"
He thrust an arm forward, but Willow and Jackie grabbed it and knocked it down.
"Hang tight, Hunter!" Vee and Elle jumped in front of her and took a deep breath. They began siphoning his magic, dragging him forwards. He roared and prepared to assault them.
"Vee, Elle, watch out!" Amity yanked the two aside as Belos broke the ice bridge. Jackie, Amity, Willow, and Gus soared onward as illusions. However, Belos shattered them, knocking Gus into the others. Violetta was about to construct another ice bridge when he flew his arm again, knocking her staff away and knocking the woman down in the process.
"No!" Bijou exclaimed, Flapjack transforming into staff shape. Luz used it to teleport to Bijou, and they both teleported to Belos to hug him.
"I know you can hear us, Hunter. Fight him off!"
"You can do it, ami. Please listen to our voices," Bijou urged with him, tightening her hug to keep Belos from rebelling. He grabbed them both and flung them off into the lake. Amity created a massive spell circle, catching them with lake vines and ice fragments. Flapjack pecked Belos' horns, and he looked annoyed. He then snatched the palisman, making the others glance up in horror.
"That's right. You wouldn't want me harming your precious palisman, would you? Oh, but then again, I don't care what you want," he said. "Goodbye, Evelyn."
He used his hand to shoot a spike into Flapjack! Everyone gasped as his essence was transferred to Belos. Ruby squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to look away. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he imagined what had happened to his friend just now. Bijou scooped him up in her hands and hid him in her hair. However, for some reason, Belos let go of him and swooped over to the girls.
"Flapjack!" Luz grabbed him in her arms, both of them in tears. He had green gunk oozing from his injuries and wings. "Flapjack...you'll be okay."
As she rose up, Bijou clenched her hands and snarled violently. But she hesitated when she noticed Belos groaning on the ground. He blinked, and Hunter regained control while panting.
He gazed up at them and took a few breaths.
"You know what I'd like, Belos?" He sneered and stood up, gripping his arm. "I'd like to leave the Emperor's Coven and never step foot in that throne room again. I'd like to study wild magic and learn how to carve palismen."
He stepped towards the lake, the others running onto the bridge and gaping at him.
"I'd like to attend Hexide as a regular student and play Flyer Derby with my friends! I'd like to have someone love me for me, and I had that until you interfered with it! I'd like to be happy with the girl that I love without your permission without having to hurt her for your sake! And most of all...I'd like to make sure you never hurt anyone again!" He was overcome by tears as he threw the Titan Blood vial toward the water.
"No!" Belos shouted out, diving after it. Hunter slumped as soon as he gripped it, closing his eyes.
"Oh, no, no!"
"Move!" Camila and Florian dashed past everyone before jumping into the sea. They observed the bubbles in the water until they disappeared. The two adults emerged a few seconds later, gasping and clutching him. They dragged him over to join the others.
"Be careful with him," Willow urged worriedly as they drew him into her lap. Belos' essence flew away from Hunter's body, and he let out a twisted scream. They gazed up in horror as he appeared in front of them, bearing the Titan's blood.
"Caleb, you would stab me in the back?" he asked, shocked.
"You did it to him first," Luz snarled at him.
"Always blaming other people instead of yourself. That's what's best about you," Aria sneered at him as she stood in front of the gathering. Instead of answering, he slammed the blood into the emblem atop the arch. It dripped into the earth and eventually formed around the arch, producing a flashing light. They all braced themselves before realizing he had created a doorway into the demon realm.
"This is for the good of your souls! You'll thank me later," Belos said before exiting through the portal. They stared at him as he vanished, and Aria couldn't help but wonder why he returned. He worked tirelessly to return after so many years of scheming and plotting.
"...Is that the Belos you've been fighting all along?" Camila exclaimed, shocked.
"He looks different from the drawing you showed us, Bijou," Quinton said.
"Guys," Willow spoke forward, concerned. "Hunter isn't moving."
"Vee, Elle, call an ambulance," Florian urged them, Tyson moving his girlfriend away as she expressed concern about the former Golden Guard.
"Do human doctors know about possession?" Willow inquired, concerned for her companion.
"Or Grimwalkers?" Luz asked, and Bijou gasped as she said it aloud.
"Possession?" Camila looked at her daughter, shocked.
"Grimwalkers?" the others said, perplexed.
"It's a long story..." Bijou said, rubbing her nape nervously.
"We should call a doctor," Camila said. Flapjack flew out of Luz's bag.
"I'm not getting cell reception," Vee stated sadly.
"Old Gravesfield is a dead zone," Elle explained.
"What should we do?" Amity questioned in a panic.
Quinton noticed something: "Wait. Bijou, Hazel, you two can do healing magic, right? Can you help him?"
Bijou and Hazel went forward and performed their healing spells on Hunter. But their magic could barely heal even a single wound.
"We can't heal him ourselves. His injuries are too severe," Bijou told them.
"What do we do now?" Hazel questioned frantically.
"Looks like you guys need something to help boost your healing. Like..." Aria mused before it dawned in her mind, "Palistrom sap. That stuff has healing properties."
"But how? There are no palistrom trees here and we don't want to sacrifice one of our palismen to save him," replied Jackie.
Flapjack flew from Luz's purse and settled on the boy's chest, nuzzling his cheek. This made Bijou and Ruby comprehend what he was about to do.
"Flapjack, do you really want to do this?" Bijou asked the cardinal palisman, and Ruby agreed with her. He did not want to see his friend leave. He had known Flapjack since Aria placed him in the Bat Queen's care, before Bijou adopted him.
Flapjack chirped at him, insisting that he do it. He was aware of the danger, yet he was willing to risk everything to save his owner.
"Alright. Go ahead," Hazel murmured in resignation, before he and Bijou resumed their healing magic. Everyone else watched in silence as Flapjack lay down and offered Hunter his essence. As everyone watched in tears, a dazzling yellow and blue light encircled the palisman. Flapjack vanished into light, and they gazed up as they flew away. Hunter developed another scar on his cheek and gradually opened his eyes.
"Hey guys," he said with a faint smile. "Is everyone else okay?"
Gus and Luz exchanged glances. Tyson and Dana seemed sad for him.
"Actually...Flapjack-" Gus explained.
"Don't," Hunter interrupted, glancing away. "Don't..."
Tears flowed from his eyes as he clutched his chest.
"I already know."
"He did what he did to save you, Hunter," Tyson explained.
Luz glanced away, wiping away a tear. She stood up, and Bijou twirled a lock of her hair.
"Sit up slowly, baby," Camila instructed gently. "Are you in pain anywhere?"
"I'm fine," he responded, as Willow helped him sit up. Hunter heard a chirp and looked around to see Ruby flying towards him, chirping sadly.
"I know, Ruby," Hunter said, petting the robin. "I miss him, too."
"Um, Luz," Amity spoke slowly. "What did Belos mean when he said you and Bij helped him meet the Collector? I mean, that was a lie, right?"
"And...Belos calling you Marianne...that's not true either, is it?" Dana asked Bijou, who winced.
"No, I-it was true," Luz said, Bijou frowning. She walked approaching the gate. "If it weren't for us, the Day of Unity would have never happened. There was this time pool, and Bijou and I met him. We met him when he was still just Philip, and I taught him the light spell. Bij suspected something was off, but I didn't listen! We introduced him to The Collector! We set everything into motion. We're sorry, everyone."
"As for Belos calling me Marianne...it's a case of mistaken identity, courtesy of this," Bijou explained, holding out her bangle. "The rest is complicated, and...I'd rather not tell the whole story right now."
"Then why keep all of us in the dark about this?" Jackie said slowly, as they watched her approach the portal.
"I was scared. I thought you'd all hate us for it. Which is...why I've made a decision."
Bijou stared up at her, perplexed, wondering what she was going to say.
"I think...it'd be in everyone's best interest if I-"
"Took your mama to the demon realm!" Camila finished for her.
"What?!" Luz screamed, shocked.
"Camila, you can't be serious," Bijou replied in surprise.
"I couldn't hate you, Luz. You, too, Bijou," Amity hugged her girlfriend and smiled. "The fact that you still stand up for us means enough to me."
"Mija, now that I've seen what you and your amiga are up against, there is no way I'm letting you two go back alone. It is our duty to help your friends get back to their families," Camila smiled determinedly, clinching her fist.
"But-"
"Girls, we understand why you did what you did," Gus replied with a smile.
"Yeah...it must've been a lot to keep all of that in," Willow said. "But because of you and Bij, we've all changed for the better. We couldn't ask for a better friend."
"You two became the source of positivity for us and we don't want to change that for anything," Jackie told them.
"Thanks, guys," Bijou said with a wan smile.
"...How can you forgive us so easily?" Luz asked, looking away.
Hunter defended both of them, saying, "You were tricked. That's what Belos does; he tricks people. But if it weren't you both, it would have been someone else, and then there'd be no one left to fight back. So let's do that. Let's fight back. Please? For Flapjack?"
"...For Flapjack," Luz replied gravely before Florian reached them.
"Camila, if you're going to the Demon realm, then at least let me join you," he remarked.
Everyone, even his own family, were surprised to hear this from him.
"Dad, are you sure about that? You don't know what that world is. The Collector is still out there doing who knows what," Bijou attempted to persuade him otherwise.
"I know, but ever since you told me about the Demon Realm, I wanted to know about this place," Florian said me. "It got all me curious inside. And if that Collector is still there, exploring the Demon Realm is a risk I'm willing to take."
"Dad, if that's what you want," Bijou replied tentatively before eventually agreeing. "Then I'm on par with that."
She then sees a flare out of the corner of her eye. They noticed that the portal was vanishing.
"The portal's closing," Vee murmured, peering at them.
"I can keep it open for a little longer, but it won't last," Aria said, looking at Bijou. "Then we'll finally get to have a talk...Marianne."
She winked at the girl, who recognized that the woman did not come for Ruby, but for her.
"I'm sorry, but...how exactly did you know where to find us? And why did you come here? We thought you were on the run," Gus cautioned Aria, who grinned slightly. Luz and Bijou had briefed them about her as well.
"I was. But I'll answer all of your questions when I'm not helping sustain a portal. Who's first?"
"We better head in," Luz said, and Bijou and Florian looked to their friends and family as they walked forward. They hugged and grinned.
"Bonne chance," Quinton told his father and sister. "We'll hold down the fort until you guys get back."
"Keep an eye on the others, honey," Susan advised her husband.
"I will, ma chérie," Florian responded, kissing his wife and ruffling his son's hair.
"Kick that guy's butt for us," Tyson said, winking at her. "Be careful, Bij."
"But also make him suffer for killing an innocent animal," Dana said with a wide smile.
"Deal," she laughed at her friends. They both moved forward, and he took a deep breath.
"We better head in," Luz said, and Bijou and Florian looked to their friends and family as they walked forward. They hugged and grinned.
"Bonne chance," Quinton told his father and sister.
"Keep an eye on the others, honey," Susan advised her husband.
Florian responded, "I will, ma chérie," before kissing his wife and ruffling his son's hair.
"Kick that guy's butt for us," Tyson said, winking at her. "Be careful, Bij."
"But also make him suffer for killing an innocent animal," Dana said with a wide smile.
"Deal," she laughed with her buddies as Hunter approached the portal first.
"Time to go home, Flap," he said, phasing through.
Hazel, Jackie, Gus, and Willow came next.
"It has been a great time being in this new world but now, it's time to save a familiar one. Wish me luck, human realm," Hazel said as he hopped into the portal.
"You helped me understand your beauty and worth, and your lecture has now etched itself in my heart and mind," Jackie said, placing her palm on her chest as she passed through the gateway.
"Goodbye, human realm! Thank you for showing me your secrets. I hope to see you again," He dove in, and Willow waved.
"Thanks for the memories! We'll be back after we get some revenge."
Amity stood next to her girlfriend.
"Luz, I know things are scary, and I don't know what the future holds. But it would be so cool if you were a part of that," she told the girl. Luz turned towards her.
"No more hiding, okay?"
They clasped hands, with Amity kissing her cheek as she entered the portal.
"Here," Vee gave Camila the baseball bat. "You'll probably need this."
"Are you coming, all of you?" Camila asked Vee, Elle, Dana, and Tyson.
"I don't think I'm ready," Vee stroked her fingers. "Besides."
She then changed into Camila, while Elle transformed into Bijou.
"Someone has to keep up appearances."
"And make sure both of them are still going to school," Elle said, transforming into Luz.
"And do all of their homework," Will added.
"Yeah. After all, we need to keep track on their academic performances," Dana said.
"Can't keep this thing going for too much longer!" Aria exclaimed as the gateway flickered again.
"Don't forget to give us all the deets when you guys get back!"
"Tell the staff I've gone home to see my abuela, okay?" Camila blurted out. "Carmen's in charge, Dianne has my schedule."
Florian agreed, and they hugged Elle, Vee, Tyson, and Dana.
"Thank you, girls," Camila responded.
"And the both of you, as well. We'll tell Bijou how great friends you are to her," Florian declared.
The adults approached their respective daughters, as Dana, Tyson, Quinton, and Susan smiled.
"This is it, Eddie. I'm finally seeing you again, and you're finally meeting someone from my family," Bijou told herself as she entered the portal next.
"Right behind you, kiddo," Florian said as he followed suit.
"Are you ready?" Camila inquired.
"Are you? I'm not sure what we'll see on the other side," Luz replied.
Camila looked away briefly before smiling. "Then we don't wanna leave unprepared," she said, pointing to Luz's fallen hat.
She grabbed it and put it on.
"A good witch always has to have her hat."
Before entering, she and Luz held hands. Aria gave the four a peace sign before entering herself, and the portal vanished altogether.
"Come on, let's take you guys home," Susan said as they walked away. Then Vee came to a realization.
"Shoot! Camila still has the car keys!"
"That's okay, Vee," Quinton reassured her. "We can still use Mom's car."
A/N: And there you have it, the second part of Thanks to Them. I even made some changes to Marianne's backstory as an Ascended. She was originally planned to be a witch from the 1600s and is a close companion of Evelyn. She would have been Evelyn and Caleb's matchmaker. This idea was rejected and revised so that Marianne has some enmity for Belos/Phillip. In the finished result, she was a witch descended from a long line of Ascended Witches, and, of course, she was last in line because of Belos/Phillip. After she died, her status as an Ascended and the faction were all but forgotten, until Bijou came across her bangle by chance.
Now that that's settled, coming up next is Part 1 of For the Future. Stay tuned for this, readers. Byeeeee~!