Hell's Boiling Point

by ShootToMiss

"So get this... there's this girl. Normal girl, nothing strange about her. She gets sent to this summer camp... but the camp calls her mother and tells her she never made it. And that's when things turn sideways." When the BPRD investigates the disappearance of Luz Noceda, Hellboy ends up taking a vacation to the Boiling Isles... (cover art by MyNameJers) [Chapter 10 is complete!]

11. Short Stories: Nocedas

IMPORTANT NOTE- I've retconned Camila in Chapter 1 saying that her parents disowned her for having Luz out of wedlock. Neither of those things happened now. I even went back and slightly reworked chapter 1… and took that part out in the process. My editor and I agreed that these things were "putting a hat on another hat"- it pushed the dramatic into the melodramatic. Camila still doesn't have a good relationship with her folks, but it's for a different reason now, as you'll see.

It's done… we're done with the short stories. We move on with the story from here on out!

Hahahahaha- I'M NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN.

Like, maybe one short story at a time, in between chapters, but never a bunch at once. What was originally only meant to be ONE chapter ballooned into three. These things drained the life and soul outta me, and y'all probably noticed.

I didn't do it for no reason though. These weren't just fun little diddies I did to expand my writing creativity. Each one of these tales had significance to the story one way or another. Some are more obvious than others. That's why I kept trucking on, in spite of how much it drained me.

From here on out though, it's the main story. But I am probably going to limit myself again. I think it's perhaps been a bit too daunting trying to capture an entire episode in one chapter with all the added changes. I'm thinking about 5000 words a chapter, give or take a few hundred. So, Lost In Language isn't gonna be done all in one go. Otherwise, we're gonna be running into this issue all over again.

Also, I must apologize to my FFnet folks- I completely forgot that you can only review a chapter once. All that time asking for reviews on a chapter that I kept updating, I was wondering why nobody was saying anything. Boy, am I an idiot.

I also somehow didn't notice that the setup for Willow and Gus' story was gone on FF. It should be there now. One last update for that chapter.

…sigh. Let's get started. In spite of how exhausting it's been, I'm really proud of these short stories and I hope you enjoy them. Let's finish strong!

One last heads up- I present Cosmic Frontier as more of a Star Trek expy here- a tv series instead of a book, and stretching back further than just the 90s. It's simply what I'm familiar with.

A big thanks to TakanaMakana, Quantum01, and MyNameJers for the help editing.

---

Chapter 8.3: The Owlet and Other Short Stories- Noceda Dreams

King had fallen asleep close to the end of Eda's story, nestled on her lap and dozing. Honestly, he just kept getting more adorable.

"What's with the stare, Trenchcoat? You're weirding me out."

Eda asked Hellboy, who glanced up at her from eyeing King. "Hmm…" He looked hesitant.

"Listen, if we're clearing the air right now, you gotta pipe up." She said.

He seemed to take note of that. "...King. He's… not necessarily your partner, is he?"

"Pfft. Course he is. He's got an ego, but I wouldn't ask for a better partner in crime."

"No, not like… hmm." He pursed his lips. "He's… just a kid, ain't he?"

Eda's face darkened a bit. "Mmm hmm."

"...Which means he was probably a lot more scared when he met me than I thought."

"You threatened to pull his skull cap off."

I looked at him in shock. He didn't deny the claim. "Yeah. Yeah, let's not sanitize it." He sighed loudly. "The context I have for little guys like him is that they're imps, or fae, or some other tiny bastard that causes a lot of trouble. They're small, but they're adults. They mouth off and don't tell you anything till you force their hand. Kinda have to bully them."

"Would you have done it if he'd clammed up?" Eda stared daggers into him.

"...Yeah." He didn't look proud saying that.

Eda's hair bristled, and she bared her teeth. For a moment, it'd seemed like she'd attack. Hellboy didn't defend himself, almost as if he thought he deserved a beating. I felt like a trapped mouse, close to the path of an angry bear.

Which helped it hit me, too. It was tough to remember that King wasn't just some pet that could talk. Here, he was a sentient being, just like every other strange creature. More than that, he was a child. A child who didn't seem to have a family… besides the Owl Lady. And Eda… no matter how bad an influence she was, she cared for King. She acted a lot like his mother. And Luz… she'd noticed the girl had started to act like his big sister.

I empathized with Eda in that moment. Enough to know I should say something.

"Eda." The Owl Lady turned to me. She wasn't going to attack me- I could feel it. But she did give me an angry glare, likely expecting to be criticized. But I just looked at her softly. "You have every right to be angry about that. But Hellboy would not have brought it up if he did not care. There's regret in his eyes. He made a mistake that might've meant harming a child, and he clearly wants to make up for it. I'm not saying you should forgive him, but… you should hear him out."

Eda's face softened at her words. She seemed glad that someone understood her anger. She didn't say a word, only looking to Hellboy to see what he would say.

He looked right into her eyes, and spoke then without hesitation. "I don't hurt kids. But I did. And that was screwed up of me when I've been going off about keeping Luz safe. I've been a coward not to say anything up to this point. And I wanna make sure I make it up to the little guy."

Eda stared at him for a solid minute, then sighed. "Listen. Y'all have taken a lot of my agency since you got here. My pride got a little wounded, and I haven't been the most helpful because of it. I decided last night I was getting over it. I can handle some creeps in my house for a few days. But I do not compromise when it comes to King. If I ever catch you doing something like that again, I'll tear off that stone arm, stick it where the sun don't shine and literally turn you into your own puppet. Am I clear on that?"

He didn't react, but he replied. "Understood. And as far as I'm concerned, so long as I'm here, he's under my protection too."

Eda nodded. "First thing you're gonna do when he wakes up is apologize for that. Where you go from there is probably up to King." He nodded again, and she snorted. "You're being oddly more cooperative on this than anything else we've argued on."

"You took a little boy in despite the fact he looked nothing like you. It… hits close to home."

Eda chuckled. "Oh yeah, you were raised by humans. What was that guy that took you in? Brom or something? Should I call him so he can give you a scolding?"

He finally looked away sullenly, clenching the arms of his chair, clearly upset.

We both grasped that we had hit a very sore spot. Eda seemed almost dismayed at how sad he'd suddenly grown. Neither of us needed to be a genius to connect the dots.

Her face softened. "...I'm… sorry."

"No, I just… had a few strong memories come back, is all." He loosened his grip on the chair. "He was a good man. It hurts to remember he's gone, but… it's nice to remember the good stuff too."

Eda gave him a moment before speaking again. "I've… been distant from my folks. For… personal reasons. But I've got fond memories of 'em. Stuff I wouldn't trade for anything."

They didn't say much more between themselves, almost as if that simple trade of information was enough for the two of them. It… made me feel just a bit left out.

"You… got fond memories of your folks, Cam?" He asked.

I could feel my own face scrunch up. "That's a little complicated to answer. I… have good memories. But it tends to get overshadowed by the many… not so good moments."

Hellboy visibly flinched a bit. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine. It's just… my parents were very religious. And old-fashioned. It wasn't a good combo. The moment I hit my teens, I started to disagree with them on a lot of things: How to behave, what stuff I could be interested in, who I could hang out with… and it only got worse when I met Luz's father… really don't want to hear them brag about that one… But the breaking point was… when they started telling us how to raise Luz. We lost our tempers and well… we haven't spoken since."

Hellboy grunted in acknowledgement. "I get it. I'm not… keen on my folks. Blood-related ones, I mean. They had some ideas for me… and I don't want anything to do with them."

I chuckled a little. "Yes… it's exhausting." Yet, as much as I didn't want to think back on my childhood… one moment was beginning to burn like a bright light, something I couldn't ignore, something I dreaded thinking about. But with all the revelations I'd learned in the past few days, it seemed I couldn't ignore it any longer. "You know… there is one thing that's sticking out like a sore thumb. When I was a child, I had a nightmare." Hellboy and Eda looked at me peculiarly. "I know. A kid having a nightmare. Not a big deal, right? But… despite the fact that twenty nine years have passed since I had that nightmare… I still remember it so vividly. That's not supposed to happen, right? No matter how vivid they are, you always forget dreams and nightmares before long. But no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to forget it. I never thought much of it… I didn't want to, frankly. But… with everything I've learned since this whole debacle began…" I trailed off.

"I don't think it was just a nightmare."

---

El Cuco

Danvers, Massachusetts, December 1991

I was thirteen years old. My family had moved to the States a few years before thanks to a job opportunity given to my father. It was hard adapting to so many new things: A new environment, new faces, new culture… and of course, I found myself facing the ugly side of America. Racism was a factor suddenly thrust into my life. But a few months after we moved, I would be subjected to something more terrifying than I'd known… and a fear that would only be surpassed by the disappearance of my daughter.

"Mr. Brooks."

"Here."

"Mr. Campbell."

"Here."

"Ms. Derceto."

"Here."

"Ms. Gomez."

"Here." I spoke up as the roll call reached me. As the teacher continued on, I leaned over to my best friend. "Do you have it?"

Dolores pushed her glasses up, before pulling a VHS out. On it was labeled "Cosmic Frontier: A New Generation". "The original episode featuring the first appearance of the crafty reality warper, C, as he tests the wit of Captain Jean Claude Packard. As you requested."

I could barely contain myself as I took it from her. "Oh, you're the greatest, Lola."

"That I am, Cammy."

I pulled another VHS from my own backpack, a previous installment. "Here you go. Back safe and sound, like I promised."

Dolores shook her head as she took back the video. "All this secrecy. I mean, it's only a show. Are you sure you're not overreacting about your parents?"

"No way!" I objected. "My parents would totally freak if they found out I was watching this. They think this kind of stuff is all… satan-y."

"Excuse me, ladies. Is the topic you're discussing in some way more important than my class?" The teacher called out.

"No, sir." We answered back, putting on our conversation on hold.

He cleared his throat. "Alright, then. Don't forget, next week's history test is one of the last for this semester…"

---

"Okay, but I still haven't really been sold on Celestial Expanse Iota. Captain Avery doesn't really grab me the same way Packard or even Dirk do." Lola explained.

"I actually find him to be even more engaging. The idea he has to get past his own son's death while trying to lead a station slowly becoming a central hub for the galaxy… it makes him a bit more "human" than the other two, if that makes sense."

She shrugged in response. "If you say so." She opened her lunch, and I shudder at the smell. Anchovies and seaweed. Dolores has such a weird palette.

"So, has anyone asked you to the winter dance yet?"

I snort. "Someone asking weird chubby space girl out? As if. You?"

"Ah yes, anyone want a date with fishface girl? Please." We laughed it off, but it was admittedly a sore spot. Kids made fun of me because I love Cosmic Frontier and I'm… a bit on the pudgy side. But kids made fun of Dolores for more hurtful reasons. Since she tended to eat things like anchovies and seaweed, so there was a bit of a fishy smell around her, and her glasses had the unfortunate effect of magnifying her eyes.

But the worst part was that they brought her legs into it. Dolores was stuck in a wheelchair- she never explained what caused it, but I knew it wasn't my business to pry on such a personal matter.

Other kids however, didn't care so much about her privacy. They'd joke that she was hiding a tail fin under there, and some would try to rip her blanket off her.

Even so, she wasn't one to let it keep her down. In fact, when she saw me being picked on a few years ago, she rolled in to tell the bullies off… we've been best friends ever since.

"I don't think my Papi would approve anyway. He's pretty adamant about making sure I don't date until my Quince. Maybe not even then…" I rolled my eyes. "Not that I really wanted to go anyway. I'd just be giving little miss perfect Priscilla Donagan a chance to target me for some big prank."

"Oh, undoubtedly. Geez, a girl gets her braces off and suddenly she thinks she's better than everyone else."

"I am this close to punching her out, Lola." I growled. "But I'd just get a lecture from my parents. 'A violent woman is not a woman of the lord', or something like that." I shook it off. No need to get worked up about it. "But you know what I'm really excited for?"

"Does it have to do with a certain movie coming out in theaters?"

"You know it! Cosmic Frontier: Uncharted Territory! The final movie featuring the original cast! I've gotta see it."

"I dunno, Cam. I've kinda had my fill of the original cast. And the quality looks… spotty." She shook her head. "Of course, seeing as you need me to go see it since your parents would never take you, I guess I don't have a choice."

"Aw, come on, Lola. You'll love it! Besides, even if this movie isn't so good, there's always next year." Lola began to shift uncomfortably. She stopped looking me in the eyes. "...Lola? Something wrong?"

She rubbed her arm. "I… I only found out about it a few days ago. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you…" She paused. "My… my father got a job opportunity from a location closer to New York. Once the school year is over, we're..."

I connected the dots immediately. "...You're… moving away?"

"I… I tried to convince my dad not to, but… he simply couldn't refuse the offer." She looked down sadly.

I could feel the tears stinging my eyes. "Y-...You're my only friend here, Lola. If you leave…"

"I'm losing my only friend, too. And going somewhere completely unfamiliar." She sniffed, despite how stoic she tried to be. "I don't want to leave you either."

As the mood fell, I wondered what I would do. After finally becoming just a little comfortable here, I was going to have that comfort ripped away…

I slammed my hands down on the table. "Then we're going to make sure we make the most of the time we have left! And if we're gonna have to deal with uncharted territory, it's only right that we start with Cosmic Frontier: Uncharted Territory!"

Lola wiped the tears under her glasses, giggling a little. "We were going to do that anyway."

"Yeah, but now there's a lot more meaning behind it! Just you wait, Lola! We're gonna have a movie night you'll never forget!"

---

The rest of the day had been less eventful. The class clown threw a whoopie cushion under one of our teachers' desks, but that was about it. So, I was pretty caught off guard by my ride home.

The first thing that should've alarmed me was how quiet she was. But I was so lost in thought after Dolores' bad news, I just didn't notice.

"Bye, Lola!" I waved as I got in her car. But Mom didn't ask me how my day was, or what happened, or… anything, really. She watched me as I settled in, before she finally began to drive.

While I hadn't noticed her silence at first, I began to heed the atmosphere with each and every mile, and I could feel a chill down my spine. If my mom was aware of my discomfort, she didn't show it, simply staring at the road ahead.

For the rest of the drive, I was anxious of the lion's den I'd just stepped into.

When we get home, Dad is there sitting at the table, just as silent as Mom. He looks to me as I enter the room,

"Welcome home, Camila. Could you come sit down?" He said.

"Uh, sure. Let me just put my backpack in my-"

"Ahora, Camila." He said sternly. Realizing that making him wait would only make him angrier, I scurried over, leaving my backpack next to my chair.

"Camila. We know that you're growing up. And as you grow up, certain temptations may present themselves to you." Mom began.

"But we expect you to remember what we taught you, to remember what you learned in church. It disappoints us when you break our trust." Dad added.

"Break… your trust?" I repeated back. I was beginning to get a sinking feeling of what this was about.

"Do not play the fool, Camila." Mami scolded. "Unless you'd like to tell us that this isn't yours?" She pulled a shoebox from aside and placed it on the table.

My shoebox. The one I keep in a secret panel in my room- it had been there when we moved in. The shoebox where I keep all of my personal Cosmic Frontier collection. Which meant…

"Mami! You went rooting around in my stuff?!"

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady." Mom fired back, sternly. "You live under our roof. And so long as that's true, what is yours is just as much ours. Perhaps moreso." She opened the shoe box. "Besides, I had good reason to search your room. I knew you were hiding something from us. Did you think I didn't notice how suspicious you've been acting? Notebooks you would close as I walked into the room, the rustling in your room when I'd knock on the door…"

"And now we know why." Dad glared. "How could you go behind our backs, Camila? We told you this show was not allowed in our household."

"It's not a big deal, Papi! It's just a harmless show!"

"Harmless?" Mom scoffed. "God only created man to be in his own image, Camila! And the only beings from above are the angels! These "aliens" are just Satan's way of enticing demons to us. And this so called technology attempts to demean the Lord's glory. Only He is capable of miracles. But this show would portray it like witchcraft, meant to make you believe that you can bend creation to your liking. I did not spend hours in labor for a child that thinks she can play God!"

"That's not at all what it is! This is exactly why I didn't want you to know! It always comes down to being Satan's master plan!"

"When you move out, you can subject yourself to these satanic images all you want. But until then, you live under our house, and our rules, Camila." Dad emphasized. "Now, where have you been getting these? Who showed you this program?"

"Who… showed me?"

Mom pulled out… my diary?! They seriously read my diary?! "You wrote that someone introduced you to it. Who was it?"

I turn away. "No one. I found it myself."

"Camila, do not lie." Dad said strictly. I clammed up. "Fine. Your grounding just became one month instead of one week."

"Fine. Can I go now?" I say with a decent amount of venom.

"Not so fast, young lady." Mom stopped me. "Your bag."

"Are you serious? Haven't you invaded my privacy enough?"

"Now, Camila." Dad says, his voice low. Reluctantly, I hand them my backpack. They quickly rifle through until they find the tape I'd gotten from Lola. "So, you have been getting these things from someone at school."

"Who is it, Camila?" Mom asks again, but I remain silent. "Fine, then. Regardless, you won't be seeing this again."

"What? You can't take it!" I object. Lola gave it to me… I can't lose it. I can't!

"I refuse to have this in my house any longer, Camila. And I refuse to let Satan's work influence anyone else." Dad says resolutely.

"No, Papi! I'm borrowing that! I have to give it back!" I stomp my foot. "If you take it, or destroy it, or anything else… you'll make me a thief!"

He jolts and stops in his tracks. Turning to me, he looks… angry. But I stand my ground. He growls audibly, before handing me the tape. "You will not watch it. You'll return it as soon as possible. Because every hour it remains in my house is another day you're grounded, Camila."

I take it from him, holding it close, like my life depended on it.

He walks off, fuming. Mom soon follows, though she glances back at me. "Go to your room, Camila. And you'd best think about what temptations you're giving into."

As she leaves, I simply scowl, retreating to the safety of my bed.

---

I lay there on my bed, staring at the Cosmic Frontier tape in my hands. Now, I was never gonna be able to watch it… or any Cosmic Frontier ever again. I shuddered, wondering how strongly they were going to bring the hammer down to enforce that.

Temptations… hmph. Why couldn't they understand? Cosmic Frontier is about discovery, camaraderie, fighting against injustice and prejudice… who could create something like that under some pretense of trying to lure people into evil? Well, I could probably still go see the movie with Lola. Scratch that, I definitely still had to go see it, I promised her we would. I'd never forgive myself if she left before I could fulfill that promise.

I hear a knock at my door. What do they want now?

"Camila. We have a guest. Come on out." Seriously? After what just happened? Ugh… let's get this over with.

"vml hrsG…"

I swiftly turn my head. For a moment it… sounded like someone was whispering. …Maybe I'm just hearing things.

I re-enter the dining area, where Mami and Papi are sitting. However, there is also another man sitting there. I recognize him… Father Rodrigo, the priest of our church. What's he doing here?

"Perhaps you would care to tell Father Rodrigo the things you told us, Camila?" Dad gestured to him.

"If you will not listen to us, perhaps speaking to a man of the Lord will get through to you." Mom said.

They looked at me expectantly, as if they thought I was going to start confessing then and there. Seriously? The only thing I did was look away in defiance. I could hear a slight grumble from my dad.

"Perhaps she would feel more comfortable if you were to leave the room. Maybe sit on the porch?" Father Rodrigo suggested. "Your fight only just happened, so she's more than likely still feeling defensive. If she feels that you're listening at all, she'll continue to refrain from speaking."

The two glanced at each other for a moment in uncertainty, as if having a conversation with their eyes. Eventually, however, they relented. "Very well, Father." The two got up, stepping outside.

It was quiet for a bit. The moment my parents had stepped out, he'd simply started looking through his bible, as if he knew I was going to start gabbing any minute now. It was a little arrogant.

Despite my attempt to stay silent, eventually I got frustrated with him just sitting there. "So, this is where I'm supposed to confess, right? I tell you the horrible, demonic temptation I've given into, and then you absolve me of my sins, is that it?" I mockingly said. "Well, forget it. I don't care what they told you. I didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, I'm inclined to agree."

"There's nothing wrong with Cosmic Frontier. It's just a show! I…I…" I did a double take. "Wha… What did you say?"

"I agree. Personally, it's not my cup of tea, but I don't really see anything wrong with a child taking interest in such a show."

"…Okay, I get it. Make me let my guard down before you start scare-mongering, right? I'm not buying it."

"That's rather fine, because I'm not selling anything." He smirked.

I stared at him, squinting hard enough that my eyelids could probably crush diamonds. "What's your angle, exactly?"

He paused for a moment, his face sobering. "Camila… do your parents often try to control your life? Not just what you watch, but what you eat and where you go."

I gave him a curious look. "Why do you want to know?"

He closed his eyes. "I'm concerned about how they treat you. Despite what they claim, I feel as if they are using the Lord as a weapon against you."

I snorted. "Don't let my mom hear you say that." I glanced at him again. "...You are gonna keep it to yourself, right?"

"Not a peep will reach their ears." Father Rodrigo promised.

I stared him down a few more moments… and let out a breath. Suddenly, I felt so… exhausted. "Feels like I live in a gulag. It's not just watching anything other than StarchyTales. If I don't eat what they want me to eat or wear what they want me to wear, they get all... judgmental. "You're getting so chubby, can't you eat better?", "You look so shabby in those clothes, why not wear something that actually looks good?", and stuff like that. Worse, if I talk back, they either put their foot down even harder, or guilt trip me. Earlier, Mom said she "didn't spend hours in labor to see me play God". I didn't ask to be made." I finished, rather harshly.

Father Rodrigo looked at me rather sympathetically. "It certainly sounds to me as if your parents have a rigid grip on your life."

"Oh, and let me guess, I just have to suck it up, right? That's what the bible says, or whatever. They can treat me however they want, and I just have to obey them." I spoke with a little venom.

Surprisingly, he didn't take offense. "It does say such things. But it also teaches that parents should treat their children with the same compassion that the Lord treats his children. It pains me to see your parents teaching you to fear them."

That was news to me. "If they're supposed to be good parents, why do they try to force me to do everything their way? Why do they try to guilt and shame me?"

He leaned slightly to the side, partially in thought. "The world is… full of many things that are out of our control. Racism, an increasingly complicated political world, and the ever shifting culture of our country… I imagine that all these things make your parents… anxious. It likely makes your parents feel better to control you, because it's one of the few things they have such control over."

I tilt my head. "Really?"

"It is my best guess. And this show of yours, they see you so invested and feel threatened. It's a tool that could break their control over you. So, they treat it as a callsign of the devil." He sighed. "Such envy and hatred can become a tool for the devil in of itself… just as King Saul's mind was poisoned by his jealousy of David."

"Uh… I don't remember that one." I chuckled nervously. He only chuckled back. "You never really did answer me. Why do you care so much?"

"Aside from it being my job as a priest to show such love and kindness? Hmm…" He looked a bit hesitant, but quickly pushed that down. "All through my childhood and into my adult years, I've seen parents fail to realize how they are pushing away their children from the Lord. They use his name in vain, and it turns them from the light… into many, truly dark places." He actually shuddered. "As a priest, I hoped I could keep that from happening… as best I could, anyway."

"You know, you could try to convince my parents they're being idiots. "Maybe they'll listen to a man of god", and all that." I suggested.

He chuckled again. "You'd be surprised how often people stop listening to religious figures when it doesn't fit their views. I think all we can do is pray that they realize they have been too overbearing."

I groan. "So… what? Years from now, am I just expected to forgive them when all is said and done?"

"For yourself, if nothing else. Grudges can poison the heart, whether you're religious or not. But as to whether you still want them in your life… well, only you can decide that." He stood. "Still, if you ever need someone to talk to, just let me know. For now… take this." He handed me a small wooden crucifix. "So you remember that the Lord is with you, no matter what. Besides, your parents believe that you're cavorting with the devil, so they might calm down if you take this."

I still wasn't sure what to think about this guy. But… he seemed pretty genuine. "...Thanks."

Not too long after, my parents came back in, and Father Rodrigo said his goodbyes. My parents expected me to open up, but when I stayed quiet, they simply sent me back to my room.

---

"Wow, Cam. I just… I know you said your parents were overbearing, but I didn't think by that much." Lola shook her head as she placed the VHS in her backpack.

"Honestly, this isn't even the worst case." I sigh. "Now how am I gonna see Uncharted Territory with you?"

"Can't you just… say you're hanging with me to study an upcoming test, and just have my folks take us to go see it?"

"I dunno… my parents have gotten a lot more suspicious about the kids at school. They're wary about whoever gave me such "sinful material". They'd probably suspect you, too."

She snorted. "I mean… they'd be right. But I doubt they'd suspect me from the get-go. Nobody ever thinks the kid in a wheelchair is capable of anything." She said with a tinge of bitterness.

"Are you sure? You might get in trouble."

"Hey, what's the Astral Oath? To love and protect each other just as we are…"

"Through supernovas and solar winds." I finished, smiling. "Ok, let's do this. Step one, I tell my mami we're having a study session for the history test next week."

"Okay, but you really need to be careful not to give away that you're lying." She interjected.

"What? Come on, Lola."

She gave me a deadpan look. "Cam, you're a garbage liar. You sound all strained and suspicious in an attempt to sound casual. Completely unconvincing."

I huff indignantly. "Well, if you're so good at it, how do you suggest I do better?"

"Easy. Tell half-truths. Since you're technically being honest, just omitting the unsavory lies, you don't feel as nervous." She suggested.

"You sure that will work?"

"Trust me, Cam. It works." She assured.

I narrow my eyes. "You… sound like you're speaking from experien-"

"So, we should plan our day out! We wanna make sure we don't spend too long, right?" She took out a pen and paper and began writing up a schedule. "Now, the best time would probably be…"

"vml vsg boozvi vsh hR?"

I turn my head rapidly. Glancing around, there are numerous conversations going on around the lunchroom. It was loud… but just like before, I heard someone whispering.

"Yo, Cammy. You paying attention?"

I turn back to her, before taking one last quick look around the lunchroom. "Sorry, I just… thought I heard something."

---

"A study session?" My mom asked as she drove me home for the day.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous about next week's test, so Lola offered to help." I clenched the straps on my backpack a bit tighter than usual.

She raised her eyebrow. "Can't you do it at our house?"

"We could, but Lola's house is more suited for her wheelchair. No need to inconvenience her just for this, you know?"

She thought for a moment. "...Very well, Camila. But I will pick you up not a second later."

"Thank you, mama."

---

"Thank you for taking us to the movie, Mr. Derceto." I spoke up.

In many ways, he was much like Lola. He also had glasses that made him look a little fish-eyed, and the smell of anchovies and seaweed was just as… pungent. But he was also just as nice as her. "Not a problem, Camila! For someone who's been a wonderful friend to my daughter, I don't mind bending the rules a tad."

"If we're gonna make it back before Mrs. Noceda does, we need to leave now." Dolores explained. "Cam says she's as punctual as a clock, and I believe her."

"Right! Hold on to your glasses, you two. I'm still not entirely acclimated to these kinds of vehicles."

"Uh, what does that mEEAAAAA-"

It was the third scariest moment in my life.

---

Though our town was a relatively quiet one, the theater almost made it seem like a hustling, bustling city. Whether it was a pack of teens, some girls having a night out, or just families here for a good time, it was a crowded hotspot.

It took a hot minute before Lola and I could get our snacks and shuffle into the movie, but once there, we were ready for one of the greatest experiences of our lives.

".verhhviknrmf hizvkkz vsH"

Again, I turn. The people behind me seem to be intently awaiting the show, none of them moving their mouths. But… that can't be. I know I heard whispering. Is… is someone following me?

"Hey, it's starting!" Lola said quietly. It takes me a moment to turn back. I even double take when I think I hear the whispering begin again.

Even after I turn around, it takes me a good twenty minutes into the movie for me to shake my uneasiness.

---

We had a wonderful time. The plot had been about foiling an assassination attempt on a peace conference, after the enemy planet was finally forced to seek concilation. It was up to Dirk and his crew to go on one final adventure to stop it.

"I mean, I always wondered what made the Crijons an ally of the federation in A New Generation, but an exploding planet was not my first guess." Lola said.

"I know! And I can't believe…" I started to whisper to her. "...that even people in Astral command were in on the conspiracy."

"What'd you think of the villain?"

"Not as good as Quin, but he was pretty entertaining." I snickered a little. "The dumb look on his face when the missile was headed straight for his command deck-" I began giggling uncontrollably.

"Yeah, he looked pretty dumb." Lola sighed happily. "...You were right, Cam. I had a really great time. I think… I'll remember this memory plenty."

I smiled, before noticing a standee, and someone with a camera in front of it. "Oh, hey!" I gestured to her to come along as I walked over. "Scuse me, sir? Could you take our picture?"

Turns out the man was there to photograph moviegoers anyway. We stepped in front of the standee and flashed the Astral Symbol. He gave us the photo, and we finally made our way out.

I looked at it, a somber grin on my face. "Here, Lola." I handed it to her. "I want you to have this. That way you never forget this chubby space nerd."

Dolores took the picture, staring at it before glancing back at me, her eyes watering. "Oh, Cammy…" We hugged, and I could feel my shoulder getting a bit damp. I couldn't complain… I was crying all over her shoulder, too. "I'm gonna miss you so much… thanks for being such a great friend to this fish eyed weirdo."

We held that hug for a good few seconds before separating. "Right…" I wiped my eyes. "Let's get back to your house before my mom comes to pick me up…

Dolores stopped her chair suddenly. She looked ahead nervously. "Uh, Cam…"

I gave her a confused look before following her gaze. Mr. Derceto seemed to be in an argument with someone. A one sided argument, given how much the other person was shouting.

My heart sank when I saw just who was yelling at him. "Oh no."

"You should be ashamed of yourself, bringing her to such an event! ¡Me enfermas!" Mami scolded him.

Mr. Derceto shook his head. "I just don't see what the big deal is…"

"I expect you wouldn't."

Mr. Derceto scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"If it weren't obvious to you…" Mami stopped when she noticed me. "Camila!" He walked over and grabbed my arm. "Pon a tu madre en una tumba prematura, ¿por qué no? You're coming home with me right now! You're in so much trouble!"

"Ah! Wait! Mami, let go!" It was no use, though. I'd probably hurt myself before I broke free of her grip. I look back to Lola sullenly. "See ya, Lola…"

She appeared to be half glaring at my mom, half looking at me in concern. "Take care, Cam."

---

"I can't believe you'd do such a thing. Lying to us? Sneaking off to a movie? And to a movie of a show we forbid you from watching!" Papi shouted.

"Are you trying to damn yourself to hell, Camila?! Because you are very close to throwing yourself into Satan's arms!" Mami added.

I only sat there. I'd already gotten enough of this the other day. An encore performance was just exhausting.

"At least we know who the culprit is, now." Mami said. A feeling of concern overcame me. "That girl. I'll bet she's the one who's been giving her all those demonic items."

"What?!" I shouted in shock.

Papi spouted a theory of his own. "Something about that family has always been off to me. Just look at how pale they are. And the way they smell like something rotten… I'm confident that they're into something satanic. And it's eating away at them from the inside."

Mami concurred. "I think you might be right. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that girl is hiding goat legs underneath that blanket-"

"Are you two serious?!" I object. "She's in a freaking wheelchair, Mami!"

"Don't you take that tone of voice with us, young lady." Papi said angrily. "You're in enough trouble as is."

I stood up. "I'm not just gonna let you stand there and talk about Lola that way!"

"That girl is the cause of all this!" Mami accused. "Convincing you to lie to your parents, taking you to see unholy movies-"

"It was my idea to sneak out! Not hers! You can't pin that on her!"

"Only because you were around her!" Papi blamed. "She's been filling your head with unholy thoughts! She's a terrible influence to be around! As of right now, Camila, we forbid you from seeing her."

I gasped in horror. They gave me stern looks, refusing to back down. I scowled. "No."

Mami recoiled. "What did you say?"

"I sad NO! You can make feel bad for what I wear and what I eat! You can take away everything about Cosmic Frontier I ever collected and burn it! But you're NEVER going to keep me from Lola! I'll talk to her every second I'm away from you! If you take me out of school, I'll sneak out every chance I get to see her! And even if she moves to the other side of the Earth, I find a way to send her letters, and read the ones she sends back to me! You aren't taking my best friend away from me!"

"She is straying you from the path of God, Camila! Straying you from us!" Papi argued.

"I'D RATHER BE WITH HER THAN EITHER OF YOU!"

Silence. My mother and father looked at me in abject horror. I flinched, ever so slightly…

…But I didn't take it back.

Mami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "...I can't believe this… my daughter is cavorting with the devil…" She then scowled at me. "And do you know what happens to girls who stray from God, Camila?"

I tensed a little. I'd never gotten them this angry before. What… what were they going to do?

"El Cuco will come for you."

My shoulders slump as I blankly stare at her. "Really, Mami? El Cuco?"

"Don't scoff." Papi warned. "He comes for disobedient children like you, Camila. Stalking them from the rooftops, waiting to whisk you away… or feast on you."

I rolled my eyes. "This is just… wow. What am I, five?"

"We…" Mom stuttered a bit. "We mean it, Camila. El Cuco is a living shadow, a horrid thing that can transform into whatever it wants. The way you're going, Camila, cavorting with people of the Devil? You won't see him coming till it's too late."

"Or he may just take you in the night, pulling you into the darkness… never to return." Papa added.

I sigh. "Can you guys just ground me for another month? Cause that would be so much better than you two trying to scare me like this."

Papi growled… then groaned, shaking his head. "...Go to your room. Perhaps tonight you may even get a glimpse of him."

And with that, I was finally able to walk away from this stressful conversation.

"...wvgrirkh bomrzgivx hr vsH"

I whisk around. The whispering again. But the only ones here are me and…

…My parents.

I scowl at them, as I watch them whispering to each other from the corner of my eye, before entering my room.

---

Night fell. But I couldn't sleep. Hard to believe, I know. There were just so many things on my mind.

But the biggest thing? That my parents were clearly the ones doing all that whispering. I mean, seriously, what else could it have been? That same kind of whispering has been happening nearly everywhere I go, and then they tried to scare me with El Cuco? It couldn't have been a coincidence.

I didn't know why my parents, more likely just mom, followed me everywhere just to try and make me believe in El Cuco. But I'm not surprised. Like usual, it was some way to control what I do.

Well, I'm not going to fall for it. They can try all they want… I won't let them stop me from seeing Lola.

I looked at the crucifix that Father Rodrigo gave me.

"They just don't get it. They're too stubborn. If Father Rodrigo can't make them see… can't you?" I asked aloud, as if God were really listening.

A movement out of the corner of my eye grabbed my attention.

I looked to the shadows being cast across my window. Every few seconds, a small bump went across the bottom, where the windowsill was.

".ivggzn lM... ?wvgxvuuzmf flb viz dlS"

I glared. They were still trying to pull this. "Oh no. It's El Cuco. Whatever will I do?" I say deadpan, out loud. The whispering continues. I audibly groan. "Oh, give it a rest, Mom! I can't believe you'd go this far just to make me do what you want!"

The whispering stopped for a moment. I grabbed a flashlight.

"I'm a teenager now, Mom! I know monsters aren't real! You can't just scare me into submission!"

Silence. Nothing but the dead of night and the sounds of…

Wait. There… weren't any sounds coming from outside. No rustling from the trees… no crickets chirping… even the wind was quiet.

Without warning, a creaking noise sounded out from around me. It seemingly traveled along the walls, and through the ceiling… as if something was moving through the foundation.

A shiver went down my spine as the sound moved around. It… it sounded like someone's bones cracking. But… I knew Mami and Papi were just trying other ways to scare me. They… They had to be. "I won't… I won't let you change me just because you're too scared of the world around you!"

Movement in the window again… a lot of movement. Too much movement. The shadows made by the top of the window, the blinds, the tree outside… something slithered alongside them. When one disappeared, another showed up.

I shined my flashlight at the window, hoping to reveal the culprit. The feeling of dread welled up inside of me. "So, just… stop! I'll… I'll r-run away! I swear!"

Creak

I froze. My closet had begun to open. Pitch black came from within. Nothing else…

Except the bright glowing eyes staring back at me.

I jumped out of bed, put my slippers on, and ran out the room. Reaching my parents' door, I knocked, resisting the urge to pummel it with fear. "O-Okay, Mami! Papi! Your… your little story got to me! I'm scared, I… could I sleep with y'all?"

The noise continued to travel through the house. As if the entire place would collapse. I began rapping the door. "M-Mami! Papi! P-Please, open up! I think there's something out here! I'm scared!"

".oirt shrollU"

I jolted as I heard a voice, not merely a whisper, speak to me. I whirled around and saw the glowing eyes coming from down the hallway, surrounded by darkness. I aimed at it with the flashlight, hoping that I'd find my mom or dad standing there.

The flashlight lit up the hall. The shadow was still there. It towered over me, it's body fusing with the darkness outside the light's reach. My body shook with fear as it stared into my eyes.

".ozvi viz hivghmlN"

It moved closer. The light from the flashlight began to disappear, as if its body was snuffing it out. It… It was really El Cuco.

I stepped back, unable to speak anymore. Tears leaked from my eyes. My legs felt like they would shatter.

I practically slammed the door, hard as I could. "MAMI! PAPI! PLEASE, PLEASE OPEN UP!" But they didn't answer. The light didn't even come on. El Cuco moved even closer. It reached it's gaunt hand out, hoping to grab me.

I didn't have any other choice. I ran.

I ran out the door, screaming, just trying to get away. I nearly tripped over the bump in the sidewalk as I did. My first thought was the neighbors. My mother knew them, they could help! I went to my left, reaching the next house. I almost hurt my hand rapping the door. "Please! Please, answer the door!" I shouted aloud, hoping they would hear me. But the lights in this house remained dark, too.

".dlm flb vpzg ghfq woflsh R hkzsivK"

A shiver went down my spine as the voice sounded out from behind me. I turned to find the El Cuco only a few feet away, still staring.

"Ahhhhh! No!" Panicking, I threw the flashlight right at its face, causing it to squint. I took the chance to run.

I ran down the street. "SOMEBODY HELP ME! I'M BEING ATTACKED! AYUDAME! EL CUCO IS CHASING ME! DON'T LET IT TAKE ME!" All the lights in every house remained dark. Whatever street light I reached shattered as I got close, spurring me to keep running.

".oord bn lg wmrn iflb wmvy woflx R"

The darkness seemed to swallow up any light behind me it could, capturing the world into a realm of pitch black. I was so focused on running, I didn't notice a stray rock. I tripped, but got up quickly, though I lost one of my slippers. At a fork in the road, I turned left.

As if luck would have it, I finally saw someone. A man walking through the neighborhood. Maybe he could-

'BARK! BARK! BARK BARK!" A sound caught my attention. From one neighbor's yard, a dog barked furiously at the man. Paranoid, I stopped, trying to get a closer look.

The man turned… and I was met with the same glowing eyes.

A loud and sharp whine echoed out. The dog had vanished. But I could see something dripping along the fence, where it had been…

"...vifgzvix hhvosgilD"

I didn't waste another second. "AHH! STAY AWAY!" I ran the other direction, not waiting to figure out what happened to the poor dog.

As I approached another set of street lights that shattered, a sudden sharp pain hit my foot, causing me to fall down. It was bleeding, likely cut by one of the glass shards. But as I saw from where I lay, El Cuco was still following. He almost seemed to slither across the ground as he stalked me.

".wmrn iflb nliu wvvm R gzsd gxzigcv ghfq woflsh R vybzn iL"

Doing my best to ignore the pain, I got back up and continued to run. It hurt worse than any scrape or bruise I'd gotten, but I couldn't stop.

I thought I'd finally been in luck when I saw a police car, sitting in the road. That had to have been my chance! "OFFICER! AYUDA! BAD GUY!" I waved my arms frantically as I ran to his car.

But as I looked through the glass, I was met with bad luck once more. The officer's eyes were half lidded. He drooled a little, and overall seemed unresponsive. As if he were in some sort of… trance.

Is that what happened to Mami and Papi? To everyone in the neighborhood?

".mdl bn ul vml hz flb vpzg woflx R hkzsivk ,gvb wmZ"

The voice of El Cuco sounded out, interrupting my thoughts. Not even bothering to look where it came from, I only continued to flee.

My legs were starting to get sore. My foot stung like nothing else. I was so tired. And no one would be coming to help me. I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up. Should I try to reach Lola? No… her house was way too far. I'd never make it. And she might be affected, too. What could I even do?

"...worsx ,virhvw flb ivevgzsd flb vert woflx R"

Despite the fact that I couldn't understand what it was saying, whatever it said… made me feel enticed. As if it had… offered something I wanted. I pushed through those feelings. I couldn't let it trick me.

".ivevilu wmvriu iflb sgrd vy woflx flB"

I tried to push whatever thoughts she was forcing on me out of my mind. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"

"...ofuivwmld lh tmrsgvnlh ul gizkz vy oo'flb wmz ,vn sgrd vnlX"

I block out the words, and run. Run and hopefully find someone who can help before my body gives out.

And then, I saw it. A glint of light. Faint, but there. Out of the corner of my eye. I turned to it, and there was the church. Dim lights came from within. I guess God was the only one who could save me at this point.

I made a dash for the doors, slamming them open.

There, in the front, was Father Rodrigo. He whirled around in shock as I ran down the aisle, rushing into his arms. "Father Rodrigo!"

"Camila! What are you doing here so late? My goodness, your foot is bleeding!"

I cried into his chest, barely coherent. "M-monster! El Cuco! It's chasing me!"

Father Rodrigo seemed bewildered. "El Cuco? Camila, I know I said I'd be here if you needed to talk, but aren't you a little old to-"

The doors to the church slam open. El Cuco's eyes pierce through the darkness. Father Rodrigo's eyes widen in horror.

Rodrigo pulls me behind him. "Stay behind me, Camila!" He takes out his crucifix and bible. "Yield, demon! This is a house of God!"

".flb vezh glmmzx wlT ?vn nliu flb kvvp mzx vxzok xrgvsgzk hrsg pmrsg flb lW"

The darkness from outside seeped in, swallowing every candle's flame, but Father Rodrigo held his ground. "San Miguel Arcángel, defiéndenos en la lucha. Sé nuestro amparo contra la perversidad y acechanzas del demonio." He began speaking. The darkness slowed.

".tmligh hr sgrzu h'vml hrsG .tmrghvivgmR..."

"Que Dios manifieste sobre él su poder, es nuestra humilde súplica. Y tú, oh Príncipe de la Milicia Celestial, con el poder que Dios te ha conferido-" He stood against El Cuco, steadfast. He refused to flinch for even a moment. But even though the darkness slowed, it did not stop.

".bmrghvw bn nliu vn kvvp glm oord flb ,ivevdlS"

Rodrigo was practically shouting at the top of his lungs, but El Cuco began to reach his arm out, towards me.

I flinched, falling backward, my glasses falling off. Even with my sight impaired, I could see the monster looming over us. I looked on in fear as I was seemingly doomed.

And yet, it stopped. I could see the eyes staring at me, studying me.

".mllh llg wveriiz vezs R .dzh R hvml vsg g'mviz bvsg gfy ,izornrh viz bvsG .hvbv vhlsG..."

Father Rodrigo, taking notice of its hesitation, finished his prayer. ""-arroja al infierno a Satanás, y a los demás espíritus malignos que vagan por el mundo para la perdición de las almas! Amén!"

El Cuco recoiled, as if struck by a great force. It growled at us.

".vn lg sgild bmz ul ivtmlo lm viz flb ilu ...izvu woflsh flb wmZ .worsx ,mrp iflb ilu mifgvi oord R ...mdlw wizft bn gvo R"

El Cuco, and the darkness it brought, receded. The candles lit back up, as if their flame was given back. Father Rodrigo clutched his heart in relief, briefly holding his crucifix to his head.

I don't know if it was blood loss, or exhaustion, but as the adrenaline left my body, I lost consciousness. The last thing I heard was Father Rodrigo.

"Camila? Camila!"

---

Light hit my eyes, and they fluttered open. Groggily, I rose from where I was resting. I looked around… I was… in my room?

I heard my door open, and in came my mom. She gasped when she noticed I was awake. "C-Camila! You're up!"

"Y… yeah." I muttered.

Papi was right behind her, quickly entering. He seemed… restless. "How… how did you sleep?"

I rubbed my head, thinking back on last night… and it all came back to me! "M-Mami! Papi! El Cuco… it attacked me!"

"What?" Mami said in confusion. Though… it seemed off.

"It… it tried to take me! I tried to knock on your door to get you, but you wouldn't wake up! I was so scared, I ran outside and through the streets, and… the church, and Father Rodrigo…"

"Camila. Shh." Mami hugged me. "My little Cami, you just had a nightmare, that's all."

"N…No. It felt so real. It had to be real."

"We checked on you, Princesa. You were in bed all night." Papi said.

"I…" The words failed me. Could all of that really have been a dream?

"But…" Papi began. "I can see… that we must've really frightened you last night. Perhaps we went too far." I resisted the urge to sass him, which was easier thanks to feeling so tired. "You are still grounded for a month." He said sternly, but soon softened. "But… we will not keep you from seeing your friend. And when your grounding is done… we will consider letting you watch your… space show."

I perked up. "R-Really?"

Mami placed her hands on my shoulders. "Just promise us you will not lie or sneak out again, Cami."

"I promise." I said, rather quickly.

Both of them sighed in relief. "Why don't you come get something to eat? We cooked Mangú."

I nodded. "Okay. That sounds nice. I'll be out in a moment." They nodded, exiting my room.

I sighed. The fact that all of that had been a bad dream… was a relief. But it really did feel real... But it was over, and my parents were dialing it back. I should just-

"Ah!" I yelped as my foot touched the ground. I straightened out, a severe chill going down my spine. That foot… that spot…

My eyes slowly traveled downward, my arms shaking. Was… was the cut there? Did that mean…?

…

My eyes darted back up at the last second. I was too afraid to confirm. Despite how much it stung, I ignored the pain, and headed to breakfast.

I never did talk about that "nightmare" ever again. Not even with Lola. In fact, I started to ignore a lot of the 'supernatural' things that people talked about around me. I just focused on spending as much time with Lola as I could. It was a tearful goodbye, but I think I made the most of it. My parents, although more lenient than before, did still keep some bad habits- criticizing what I ate and wore, for one. But they never really got as bad as they used to be… until I started dating Manny, and even more so after Luz was born. And yet, despite rebelling against their control… for a fairly long while… I didn't go out after dark.

---

"I still have no idea what that… thing was saying to me. Honestly, I don't think I want to know. Now that I remembered what happened that night, my only hope is that I never see it again." I finished.

"Shadow demons, probably." Eda theorized. "Nasty pieces of work. They were probably feeding on your fear."

"Or maybe something else entirely. Hard to say without any of us having been there." Hellboy interjected. There was this… scowl on his face as he said that. Like something about my story… really unsettled him.

"But how come it couldn't take me? Everyone else was entranced, but why didn't the… thing do it to me if it was trying to take me?" I asked.

"The crucifix." Hellboy answered simply. "Doesn't matter what holy symbol of what religion it is. If you've got faith in what it represents, it'll protect you."

"But… I wouldn't exactly have called myself a devout Christian back then. Or now, even."

Hellboy gave a light shrug. "It was probably Father Rodrigo's faith within, not your own. Guy seemed devout enough for twenty people, honestly."

"I'm surprised your parents didn't take advantage of how scared you were. But they backed off your friend and that space show of yours instead?" Eda pointed out.

"I think for once, they actually cared about me more than the idea of controlling me. They lightened up because if I wasn't disobeying them, El Cuco would leave me alone. …Well… I hope that's what it was…" I opt to change the topic. "What I don't get is, why did my parents lie to me about it altogether? Not just that night, but the rest of my life?"

"Maybe they were protecting you. Finding out the monsters under the bed are real isn't doing a kid's mental health any favors." He grumbled a bit. "Or, a bit more cynically… they were protecting themselves. Too scared to acknowledge that the supernatural is really there… so they did their best to make sure you never did."

"...I guess I can understand that sentiment. I blamed my lack of knowledge of the BPRD and the supernatural on just… never focusing on you. But maybe I didn't want to. Maybe I didn't want to relive that night, or acknowledge that it was ever possibly real. And because of that… my daughter was just as unprepared." I let out a deep breath. "But it's painfully obvious to me now. I may be more familiar with Earth, but… in many ways, it can be just as dangerous as the Boiling Isles. In some cases, even more so. And yet, even the children of the Isles seem more prepared for such things." My hand slightly clenches in resolution. "Hellboy, can your agency do me a favor?"

"Mhm?"

"I need the number of Father Rodrigo. I need to ask him about that night…"

"Could take till tomorrow." He noted.

"That's alright… I only need his answers for myself." I peered out into the Isles, now anxious for my daughter to come home. "I already know what I'm going to tell my daughter."

---

Luz and the others are at their final stop, a view from the tallest rib. Luz could see the entirety of Bonesborough from here, all the witches and demons making a life for themselves.

I could feel Willow, Gus and Roger looking at me as I gazed out from the viewspot.

"So…" Willow broke the silence. "You went quiet again after lunch."

"Yep."

Gus spoke up next. "And we were… kinda hoping to ask…"

"If I finally wanted to talk about what was on my mind?" I finished.

"We'll leave it alone, if you prefer not to." Roger assured.

"...No. No, I just needed some time to think." I breathed out. "I feel like… no, I know what next step I need to take."

"What do you mean?" Willow asked.

"When I heard both of y'all's stories, I started… reflecting on things. Incidents that happened in my home town, rumors I heard, events the B.P.R.D. took care of." I shook my head. "It put a lot of things in perspective."

"You're… you're not saying you agree that you should leave, are you?" Gus said, a bit fearfully.

"No, nothing like that. But I've been thinking… maybe I've had the right goal… but I've been trying to attain it for the wrong reasons." I concluded.

"How so?" Roger asked.

"Well…hmm… how do I explain this?" I thought for a moment. "...You guys up for one last story?"

The three looked at each other for a moment. They turned back to me and nodded. "Hey, why not go three for three?" Willow said.

"Can't leave you out of the fun, can we?" Gus agreed.

Roger stepped forward. "Go right ahead, Luz."

I smiled. "So, after we left the food cart, a lot of memories were drudged up from the stories y'all told. But there's one I remembered above all the others." I explained. "Which is weird… because it was a dream. You're not supposed to remember dreams, right? And definitely not after a few years." My friends glanced at each other, curious. "But I do. I never gave it much thought… till today. And now…" I looked at them intently.

"I don't think it was just a dream."

Tiamat and Ashur

I had only recently started the sixth grade. We were currently learning about the ancient civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia. At the same time, my Mami had found a wounded snake in the forest. You should have seen it. It had this golden underbelly, and on top it was covered in a deep oceanic blue. Mama had never seen one like it, and it didn't match any I'd ever known. We spent a few weeks taking care of it. While we did, we noticed it didn't really act like a typical snake either. It was weird. But the weirdest thing about it was what happened when I came back from school one day…

"Mama! I'm home!" I dropped my backpack by the door.

"Mija!" Mom greeted me. She was at a desk, hunched over something. "How was school?"

"Uh… good." I said, half-heartedly.

Mami gave me a look. "You don't sound so confident."

"Oh, it's just… the first big assignment for History class. I'm just a bit nervous. But I'm fine, otherwise. Just some jitters."

Mom studied me in barely visible concern. "...Alright, Lucecita. But if you need to talk, or if you need help with studying, just let me know."

"I will, Mami." I noticed a familiar set of scales on the desk. "Oh, is that the little snoot?"

Mama chuckled. "Little snoot?"

"Yeah! Cause she's got a little snoot! I don't have a name for her, so I just call her that."

Mami sighed. "Luz, baby, you shouldn't name her. We can't keep her here. We said we were going to let her go once she got better, remember?"

My shoulders slumped. "I mean… I know. But we'll probably never see her again once she's healed and slithers off into the brush. I'm just… really excited to spend time with her while she's here."

"I know, mija. I'll be sad to see her go too." She turned back to the desk. "And it looks like it's gonna be today. She's healed up pretty nicely. She's just about ready to be released."

"Aww…" I whined sadly. Moving towards the desk, I found the little snoot coiled up. She began to follow me, her whole head turning as I walked by.

"She just so docile… even for a non-venomous snake." Mom noted. The snake slithered out of her spot, moving towards me. "I'll admit, Luz, she seems to have taken a liking to you."

I extended my hand out, and the serpent slithered onto my arm. "She must know I'm a snake person."

Mami giggled. "I've heard of dog people, cat people and even bird people. But never snake people."

"Just be glad I'm not a lizard person. BLEP." I said, sticking my tongue out. The little snoot stuck out her tongue in kind.

Mami giggled again. "Tell you what. She's been cooped up all morning, and being on my "examination table" probably hasn't helped. Why don't you take her out for one last nap in the shade? Then we can say goodbye."

I smiled. "Sure! Maybe she'll tell me her snake secrets."

Mom looked at my backpack. "Why don't you take your books out? It's a nice, soothing day. The perfect kind of day for reading in the shade."

"Oh, um… of course." I sling the bag over my shoulder without disturbing the little snoot and wandered outside.

Mami was right. It felt wonderful outside. Any other kid would find it easy to study. But me… well…

I groan as I slump next to the tree in our backyard, slowly slipping into a sitting position. The little snoot has slithered up onto my shoulder.

"...You know, little snoot, sometimes I wonder if I'd be a better snake than a person." The snake seemed to eyeball me, as if it were giving me a confused look. "It's just… middle school is so much different than elementary school. There's no recess, the projects aren't as fun, and the kids seem… even meaner than before." I pulled out this year's history textbook. "And to top it off, I can't seem to focus on reading this stupid thing! I try, but my brain just… keeps thinking of some different thing every few seconds." I clutch my shoulders. "I'm supposed to do an essay on something about ancient Mesopotamia, but I haven't even written the first sentence. And it's due tomorrow!"

The snake slithers down onto my leg. "I don't suppose you know anything about Ancient Mesopotamia, do you?" It bleps its tongue. "...Heh. Thanks anyway."

I lean back against the tree, taking in the scent of it. It smells like almond flowers. The breeze is nice, soothing against the skin and calming to the ears. I can't help but fade away, letting sleep take me…

---

Little one…

I stir, as a soothing voice calls out to me. "Huh?"

I must speak to you…

"M-Mama? Izzat you?" Opening my eyes, I find… a near void, filled with nothing but a golden glow.

Not quite, little one…

"Wha? Who said that?"

My eyes dart around, looking for the source of the voice. It was then that I felt something looming over me, compelling me to peer upward.

A gigantic serpent, shining with golden scales on its belly, and deep blue scales on top of it. The hood extending from its head told me it was some kind of cobra. Even more unusual? Out from its back, spread two colossal wings, with dazzling blue and green feathers. It stares intently at me.

We have much to discuss.

"Ahh!" I fall backward, more than a little spooked.

Fear not, child. You and your mother have taken such good care of me. I will not hurt you. It would be bad form.

I blinked, processing that statement. On closer inspection… the serpent did look familiar.

"Little snoot?"

Luz Noceda. Such a unique spirit you have. Knowing what lies ahead of you, I wondered if it was wise of me to entrust you with the truth. So, I came to see for myself what you were like. I see now I have nothing to fear.

"A-Ahead of me? Like, a test at school after my assignment?" I wondered aloud.

Yes. Many tests ahead of you… but you may not be aware of them until it is too late. I can only hope my knowledge will help you.

"K-Knowledge? Are you… helping me study?" I was just wholly confused at this point. "Who… are you?"

The people I watched over long ago… they gave me the name Wadjet. Goddess of snakes.

"...Whoa… big snoot…" I couldn't think of anything else to say.

The serpents who dedicate their life to you speak highly of your kindness. I, too, have borne witness to it. I can sense within you… a kinship. You resonate with my kind. You view us not with fear and disdain as humans often do, but with wonder and admiration.

I shall repay your kindness with the knowledge you seek. I shall tell you the tale of the Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia…

"G…Gods and Goddesses? Of Mesopotamia?"

Yes. Did you not want help learning about that?

"Huh? Oh! Er… I wasn't… actually expecting you to help." I said rather sheepishly.

Ah, but help I shall. It is how I wish to repay you.

I shall first tell you the tale the way the humans did… through their blind worship of those who did not deserve it.

They tell of the goddess of the sea, Tiamat, and the god of groundwater, Apsu. How their union gave birth to other gods- Lahmu and Lahamu, Anshar and Kishar. From them, came other gods, from Anu, to Ea.

"Uh… I don't know if I can remember all those names." I admitted.

For now, child, focus on Tiamat and Apsu.

Now, Apsu could not control these gods, and he feared they would rise up against him and Tiamat. He consulted his vizier, Mummu, who had advised that they should destroy their children.

"What?!" I shouted, appalled. "How could she ask them to do that?! No way they accepted."

Apsu agreed. Tiamat refused. She could not bear to destroy what they had created.

"So, their dad… abandoned them…" I pushed down some… familiar memories.

But the gods caught wind of Apsu's plans. It was Ea who took action, lulling him to sleep with a spell. Though Mummu tried to wake Apsu, it was no use. Ea took the halo from Apsu's head, killed him while he slept, and chained Mummu. His body became the dwelling of Ea and his wife Damkina, and within his heart was born the god, Marduk. His splendor was so great, his own father considered him to be the sun itself. In celebration, Anu crafted the four winds.

"So, they killed him and then… lived inside his heart? Gross. …Wait, Marduk was born inside…" I suddenly remembered the talk Mami gave me not too long ago. "AGH! WAY GROSS!"

But they grew arrogant. The taunted the distraught Tiamat, belittling her failure to protect her beloved. Tiamat grew furious. In retaliation, Tiamat created an army of her own. She formed eleven monstrous creatures, chimeras with blood like poison. Her remaining loyal child, Kingu, arose as her new consort, and chief of her war party. Tiamat gifted Kingu with the Tablet of Destinies, ensuring his total command over her army.

I tilted my head. "The Tablet of Destinies? What's that?"

For now, it is not important.

Ea became aware of Tiamat's efforts, and grew frightened. Her power was formidable, and several gods had declared their loyalty to her. He went to the other gods, telling them of the eleven beasts, Kingu, and the tablet. His grandfather, Anshar, asked Anu to attempt to appease Tiamat. But he was unable. Her anger and might were too great. Anshar feared the worst.

"Well… yeah. They killed her love. What, did they expect her to jump for joy?" I thought for a moment. "Then again, Apsu did want to kill her children… maybe she should've."

Anshar and Ea turned to their last hope… Marduk, born even mightier than his kin. When Anshar told him that he was to fight Tiamat, Marduk accepted the challenge. He told them that once he had done so, he would have the others name him supreme god, a being even Anshar would answer to. Though Anshar was against such a notion, he eventually relented.

"I… kinda feel like that's a red flag."

You may be right, child. But nonetheless, Marduk was given his throne, and the weapons necessary to fight Tiamat. Marduk began by trapping Tiamat with the four winds, cornering her. Tiamat, enraged by his challenge, engaged him in combat.

Though she was mighty, Marduk was mightier. He entangled her in a net, restricting her further. When she attempted to consume him, he used the winds to bloat her, causing her great pain. As she lay there, immobilized by his efforts, he shot an arrow into her heart. And the mighty Tiamat was dead. Those who had allied with her were captured, the eleven creatures she made were chained and tamed, and Kingu was stripped of the Tablet and sent to the angel of death. To commemorate his victory, Marduk smashed Tiamat's head with a mace, her blood taken by the North Wind. He split her body in twain. One half became the sky, the other became the earth.

From then on, Marduk went on to create. The constellations, day and night, clouds and rain, and finally… humans. Kingu was used as a sacrifice. From his blood, Marduk crafted humans to be servants of the gods, as eternal punishment for Kingu.

"Wait…" I interrupted. "So, the Mesopotamians… believe this is how the world was created?"

All civilizations tell the tale at one point. Perhaps with different actors, perhaps with different places. But all of them tried their hand at explaining their own existence.

"Huh… that's actually kinda cool. So, what happened to Marduk?"

Hmm? Oh, him. He had the gods construct him a throne, had a temple built in his name, gave himself numerous titles… and so on and so forth.

"That's… not very specific."

Yes, seems I petered off there at the end, did I? Honestly, I couldn't bear speaking another word. Quite the ego on Marduk. He would perhaps be furious to know that other Mesopotamian civilizations would conquer those that knew him, their leaders replacing his name with a god of their own- Ashur. All this talk of Marduk, only to be pushed out of the limelight by an unknown name! Except… certainly not an unimportant one.

I heard something akin to a laugh from the serpent. "Uh… you seem pleased about that for some reason." The snake scoffed.

How could I not? The fools who worshipped Marduk were fed blinding lies, twisted tales passed down from fathers to sons, mothers to daughters. All of them started by Marduk himself. The true tale is far different.

"Bwuh? Wait, then why tell me all that?" I asked, confused.

That is the only version that your human scholars will accept, little one. But allow me to show you the truth.

In the middle of the glowing aura, shadows appeared. So far, there were only two. They formed vague humanoid shapes, featuring horns on the heads and wings on the back.

Tiamat and Apsu were indeed partners in life. This much is true. But they did not sire Lahmu, or Lahamu, or Anshar, or Kishar, or any other… No, they lived peacefully in a realm beyond ours, giants trudging through a forgotten land.

A crack formed off to the side, startling me. Shadows that looked far more human stepped out of it, in awe of their surroundings. The two larger figures greeted them, talked with them.

Then, from a doorway between worlds, they came. A golden people from a civilization that lay in another dimension.

Tiamat and Apsu welcomed them hospitably, and the guests returned it in kind. They met Lahmu, Lahamu, Kishar, Anshar, Anu… and the young Ea. They conversed with one another, telling each other of their lives. The creatures they had found, the food they ate… the magic they used.

"Magic?" I repeated excitedly, my interest piqued. Wadjet nodded.

Many years, they lived without issue. The giants crafted land so their friends may live on, cold water that they make drink, and animals which they could tame or eat. And the golden people grew. For a time, the two groups were at peace.

But it all changed. For the golden people were not the first visitors to the giants' home. Before them… was Mummu.

A feminine figure slithered out from behind Apsu's shadow, whispering in his ear. Looking at her… gave me the creeps.

Mummu was not a man, but a woman with the body of a snake. She only ever came to the giants in shadow, or in the night. She had come long ago, seeking knowledge from Tiamat and Apsu. In return, she gifted them with knowledge of their own.

Apsu was enthralled with what she had to share. But Tiamat did not trust her. Something about her was… off. And her distrust would soon prove justified.

Out of nowhere, Mummu began to say that the golden people could not be trusted. She claimed that they secretly met each night, planning ways to kill them. Tiamat balked at such claims, and Apsu originally met them with scrutiny as well.

I smiled for a moment. 'So, in the true version… he didn't abandon his family?'

My hopes were dashed when Apsu's shadow was shown next, clearly anxious and irritable. Suddenly, Tiamat came in and began arguing with him. Whatever happened, Tiamat left in sorrow, while Mummu watched on from behind Apsu's throne.

But her words began to poison him. Day after day, Mummu fed his paranoia, his fears, his anger. Apsu grew suspicious of those he once trusted, eyeing them with hate. Tiamat became distraught. She tried to reason him back to sanity. But his fears got the better of him. Then, one day, Mummu suggested the worst. She said that they would need to kill the golden people, before it was too late. Apsu agreed. Tiamat refused. She could not destroy the people she had come to know so well. It tore their love in two, and she left in despair, taking with her the last treasure they had created together: eleven eggs, infants of their own.

'...Of course.' I scowled.

But Ea, having grown into the leader of his people, somehow caught wind that Apsu wanted to kill him. But before Ea could issue an attack, a warrior stepped forward. Kingu, most formidable of their forces, wished to meet with Apsu in one last plea, to know why he wished to kill them. Ea was incredulous, but allowed him to do so.

I tensed as I watched the bearded human come before Apsu. Apsu looked about ready to kill him. But Kingu dropped his sword and some sort of chest piece, and fell to his knees. Apsu's shadow relaxed. Kingu began to converse with him.

When Kingu met with Apsu, he was first met with hatred. Apsu threatened death upon him if he did not leave. But Kingu stripped himself of all weapons and armor, allowing himself to be vulnerable to Apsu. For the first time in quite a long time, Apsu doubted. He doubted the words of Mummu and the fears that had gripped him, and opened his eyes.

Kingu spoke with Apsu of his misgivings. How he was told that they planned to kill him. Kingu knew he could not sate these fears so easily, but he offered to plead their case. And so, Kingu told him of their origins. How they were once part of a great golden city, under a wise king. How it was overlooked by a statue wielding a fearsome stone hand. How it was all brought down by one woman.

He told the giant how their King was seduced, and his knowledge stolen. How she preached the knowledge their king wished to keep secret, driving them mad. How they began to sacrifice children and poison the air and earth. When the statue saw this, it wept, and came to life. It rampaged across their once great city, killing nearly all…

Though they survived, the other cities of their kingdom would not accept them, believing them to be tainted. They feared they may not survive, until one day, the youngest of them learned of a place they could flee to. Using magic he had never seen before, Ea had brought them to the giants' realm. They could not question this- they had nowhere else to go. Apsu had saved their lives by gifting them land, food, water. They would not dare to attack him.

Apsu's shadow sighed, ashamed of himself. Luz contentedly huffed. 'Messed up big time, buddy.'

Apsu stared into Kingu's eyes as he told this tale, seeing a sincerity he'd never known. He realized he had been wrong. He asked Kingu what became of the woman, feeling a sense of retribution. Kingu revealed that their king had cursed her for her crimes. Half of her body would become a viper's, to reflect her true nature. Moreso, the sun's rays would forever be deadly to her, forcing her into darkness.

Apsu's shadow stood in surprise. Luz gasped as Mummu emerged from his shadow again, and instead of speaking, struck Apsu with a sickly, green energy. Kingu appeared horrified, before becoming angered. The other humans burst in, to Kingu's confusion. One adorned in bulky garb (Luz assumed it was something… kingly), came forward. It seemed to be Ea. Apsu pulled Kingu closer, whispering something in his ear… and from his mouth, a slightly different hue of gold flowed from his mouth, into Kingu's eyes. Just as that ended, Ea began to attack Apsu's body. The giant's shadow was assaulted, dissipating from the shadow-play.

Apsu was shocked. These traits… matched the description of his trusted advisor, Mummu. And it was then that Apsu realized that he had indeed been tricked… and pushed to blame the wrong people. But it was too late. Night had fallen. Mummu emerged from the shadows, and struck Apsu with dark magic. Before he could fade from consciousness, he gifted Kingu with some of his own magic, and told him to find Tiamat. The last words he spoke were a message for Kingu to give to his beloved.

Kingu prepared to fight the traitorous snake, but was stopped by the arrival of his own. Ea, leading all the warriors of their clan, had come in spite of Kingu's request. Kingu witnessed as his leader used a terrifying magic to tear the horns from Apsu's head and impale him with them. With Apsu's death, came a cataclysm unlike any other. As his blood shed from his body, it flooded the world, raising the level of the sea. Creature and person alike were afflicted by the disaster that changed the realm forever.

Kingu fled. A bright hue of blue burst from below, unable to be ignored. Mummu barely reacted, only slithering towards Ea, who kneeled before her. Kingu looked on, disgusted.

Mummu came forth… and congratulated him for his part. It was then Kingu discerned that he too had been betrayed. And with that clarity, came the realization of where Ea's knowledge had come from. It was Mummu who told him of the giants' realm. Who told Ea that Apsu had planned to kill them. For Mummu was indeed the very same woman who had brought their city to ruin. Ea had been coaxed by her honeyed words, and it had been their plan all along to murder Apsu… and very likely Tiamat as well.

"...I don't like Mummu." I said, rather bluntly.

Yes, she is detestable, is she not? But she has only begun to show her sins, as you will soon see.

I saw as Kingu came before Tiamat's shadow and told her what had happened. Tiamat's maw opened, roaring a cry silent to my ears.

Kingu left as they vowed to make a city from Apsu's corpse, lying that the beast sought to feast on them to their people. He sought out Tiamat, who had fled across the world, and told her Apsu's last message.

"Mummu is after the tablet."

With this revelation in hand, Tiamat screamed in anguish and fury. Wracked with guilt that he could not save Apsu, Kingu pledged his loyalty to her. Tiamat was merely thankful that he had brought Apsu back from the brink of insanity.

A rectangular shadow appeared from below, Tiamat guiding Kingu towards it. A fiery energy moved around her hands as she told him a tale.

Placing her trust in him, Tiamat showed him what Mummu sought: The Tablet of Destiny. Tiamat spoke of where it came from. She and Apsu were forged by Greater Spirits, once upon a time. When they first awoke, the two were afflicted with visions spanning beyond time and space. They were so terrified by what they saw that they could not bear it. But the curse of knowledge is that once something is known, it cannot be unknown. They could not remove it from existence, nor could they repress it. But… they could move it.

They forged a tablet out of stone, crafting it with a power known as the Secret Fire. They then transcribed it with the knowledge from their minds, forging it into the Tablet of Destiny. Filled with the secrets of the universe, Tiamat and Apsu had vowed to guard it with their lives. No one deserved to know such things. But now, with Apsu gone, Tiamat was the only one left to keep it safe.

I looked at the unassuming tablet. "Wow… were the secrets really that dangerous?"

They could've unraveled the very threads of existence, Luz Noceda.

"Yowza…" I muttered. "So… did Kingu help her protect the tablet?"

As I asked that, the scene changed, with Tiamat and Kingu looking upon eleven small creatures. They were… really cute.

No. She could not lay such a responsibility upon Kingu.…But she could ask him to protect her eleven children, who had only just hatched. Kingu accepted this as an honor, and vowed that no one would harm them. He would train them once they became old enough, and they would hopefully avenge Apsu's death.

"Sure. No pressure…" I commented.

The scene changed entirely, as I saw Ea and an unknown woman appear. The woman appeared to be in labor, under Mummu's watchful eye. I silently thanked Wadjet for using shadows. I really didn't want the details.

Ea lifted up two children, taking them before Mummu, who sprinkled a dash of her sickly magic over them.

But these eleven children of the giants were not the only new lives forged. Ea had consummated a relationship with one known as Damkina. Two babes were born from this union- a boy that Ea named Marduk… and a girl, named Ashur. These children were "blessed" by Mummu, as she considered them her own. So long as they sought the knowledge she desired, she would grant them what they desired.

Before I knew it, the babies became young children. The boy, Marduk, practiced fighting a dummy of some kind, while the girl, Ashur, sat in an illustrious forest with a book at her side.

Suddenly, Ashur was attacked by some sort of bear-like creature. Marduk was quick to defend his sister, and with surprising skill for a young boy. Although he warded the thing off, he had taken a wound in the arm. It was then that Ashur stepped forward, a calming purple energy coming from her hand. She placed it upon her brother's arm, healing the injury.

Marduk and Ashur were inseparable. They truly cared for one another… in spite of their differences. Marduk was much like his father. He lived to fight, and desired power. There was no doubt he would serve Mummu loyally.

But Ashur was more demure, preferring to avoid unnecessary violence. She was more comfortable among the wilds than the modern craftings of civilization. And though she sought knowledge, unlike Mummu, she believed in earning knowledge rather than taking it.

For most of their young lives, this hadn't mattered. But as they grew older, they were told of the fate given to them. They were to help Mummu find the Tablet of Destiny, and kill Tiamat and those that stood with her. To that end, Ea continued to feed Marduk's bloodlust and Ashur was introduced to Mummu.

I saw as Marduk grew more… violent in his training. He would practically tear the dummies apart, and when he had his first human opponent, he- 'Oh… I don't think he can live without that. I wonder if you can still puke in dream land…' I thought, very queasy.

Ashur worked under Mummu, learning the magic she wielded. But when her training ended and Mummu left, she collapsed, puking her guts out. 'Ok, if this keeps up, I really will find out if you can-' I desparately fight the urge to heave.

Marduk excelled in his training. He wanted nothing more than to hear his enemies' cries, to see people bow to their knees before him. He envisioned goring Tiamat and taking the Tablet for Mummu. But Ashur, modest as she was, lacked the vicious drive to learn such evil power. Despite her reluctance, Mummu, Ea, and even her brother coerced her to learn. And as she did so, her body felt more and more tainted.

The time had come for the siblings to fight. When they began, Marduk exceeded expectations. But Ashur was paralyzed in fear and sadness. The people they fought… were their own.

Chaos erupted around me as numerous humanoid shadows fought one another. Marduk slaughtered his way through the battlefield… honestly, I think he killed a few of his own along the way.

But Ashur remained still, shocked at the sight. She fell to the ground.

She was set upon by a larger figure, with horns and wings that made him look very similar to Apsu. But before he attacked, he saw Ashur's terrified form… and hesitated. In that moment, Marduk came to his sister's aid once more, slicing at the figure's face. He recoiled, clutching his face.

Kingu had not been idle in these years. He spread word of Ea's treachery, many of the golden people switching loyalties. And now, they fought each other in a bloody civil war. Ashur was horrified, having been told she was to fight monsters. She collapsed on the battlefield, unable to continue. In her despair, a shadow loomed over her.

It was not of the Golden Ones. He was Ugallu, one of Tiamat's eleven children. He appeared ready to strike. But when he saw the distraught state of the girl, he hesitated. It was all the time Marduk needed to intervene, slashing out Ugallu's right eye.

Though he drove Ugallu off, the battle was lost. Marduk returned as a hero. Ashur returned to be scorned.

I watched as Mummu ranted at a somber Ashur. I don't know what she said… but it couldn't have been anything pleasant. "It's not fair… they threw her into a warzone. She never wanted to do this!"

Ah, but Mummu did not care. She was furious. She belittled Ashur for her failure. But Ashur argued back. They had always been told that Tiamat and her children were the enemy. But the spawn of Tiamat had spared her. Perhaps they could be talked to. Reasoned with. Could she at least not try?

As Ashur pleaded her case, Marduk stepped up to Mummu.

Mummu sat in silence. Suddenly, Marduk stepped forward, vouching for his sister. He convinced Mummu to let Ashur try things her way. After a night of thought, Mummu granted her request. But were she to be unsuccessful after a year, the war would resume. Before she left, Marduk gave her an amulet. A symbol that he would always protect her.

Ashur took the amulet, hugging her brother. "At least her brother still cares…" I thought for a moment I heard the snake scoff. But she continued before I could ask.

Ashur's shadow walked along, the scenery behind her changing rapidly, to indicate an arduous journey. She finally stopped when she came upon a familiar figure… Ugallu.

I felt a bit of Deja Vu as Ashur cast aside her items, kneeling before him. Just the same when Ugallu relaxed in response.

Ashur left for Tiamat's land at once. When she arrived, she was met once again by Ugallu. Ugallu did not trust her, resentful of the pain her kingdom had caused.

Just as it happened before, Ashur dropped all weapons and armor. She told him to strike her as many times as he felt necessary to compensate for his pain.

Shocked by this gesture, Ugallu's anger left him. He agreed to take Ashur to his mother.

Ashur's shadow came before Tiamat and Kingu… who greeted her warmly, to my surprise.

When she arrived, she was greeted by both Tiamat and Kingu. To both Ugallu and Ashur's surprise, they greeted her warmly. They offered food, water, and shelter. Tiamat even offered to teach her the magic they knew. But Ashur was confused. She had been the child of their enemy. Why would they be so kind? They would not tell.

I gave Tiamat and Kingu's shadows a strange look. "That's… kinda weird."

Ashur thought so as well. But although it struck her as odd, she accepted their offers. She grew to know their city. Their culture. The lives built by those who had supposedly abandoned her people. She ate with them, played with them, worked with them. It struck her to her core. They had forged a society together, without persecution or strife. The very opposite of what she had been told.

I watched as Ashur explored the great city, people greeting her happily in the streets, nature coalescing with civilization perfectly. She saw Ugallu and greeted him. He tried to ignore her… but couldn't really do that when Ashur dragged him off elsewhere.

Though Ugallu kept his distance at first, she began to chip away at his rough exterior. She would ask him questions about his home, his family and the life he lived. She always tried to include him in her activities. And slowly but surely, bit by bit, he opened his heart to her. Before half a year had even passed, she had developed a closer bond with him than any other.

"¡Ay!" I cried out as other monstrous figures appeared. But Ashur showed no fear towards them. Some had longer snouts and more imposing bony spikes. Others had multiple eyes and more arms… or no arms at all, as Ashur found out when she met a serpentine figure.

She met Ugallu's siblings, the supposed monstrous chimera. Basmu, Usumgallu, Musmahhu, Mushussu, Lamu, Uridimmu, Girtablullu, Umu dabrutu, Kulullu, and Kusarikku. Before even a week had passed, she had learned their names by heart. And they knew her in kind.

I marveled as I watched Ashur try a new kind of magic. Each chimera showed her their magic, manipulating the elements around them. She looked so… happy. Nothing like when she trained with Mummu.

Ashur seemed to notice something in one burst of light, drawing it on the ground before her. And she, too, summoned light. Ashur was delighted as she began going around, observing the spells of Ugallu's other siblings… and so was I.

She learned of Tiamat's strange magic- the ability to "speak" to the universe around her. When she asked for light, she received light. When she wished for ice, it granted her request. When she called for fire, it responded to her call. And when she spoke to the plants, they grew in response.

But her children did not only speak hers. No, they spoke their own language as well, crafted by their own tongues. But they could use each other's languages as they pleased. Tiamat encouraged Ashur to learn these tongues for herself. Ashur eagerly agreed.

It was frustrating at first. No matter how hard she tried, she could not speak the way they did. But then, one day, as her dear friend Ugallu practiced in front of her, she noticed a strange symbol within his magic. Studying it, she discovered it to be his language. They were not words, but symbols given vocal form. She drew it out in front of her… and a light came forth from it.

With this startling new discovery, she began to excel. She studied the language of all eleven of Tiamat's children. She combined them in various different ways, producing new spells of her own. With each new lesson, the sickness in her heart diminished. This magic was not about force, or pain, or violence. It flowed and conversed with the universe itself.

So much to learn. So much beauty. How could this be the nightmare her father had told her of?

On a starlit night, Ashur and Ugallu sat before the moon. Judging by the pained look on her face, Ashur was appalled and somber about something. Ugallu appeared to be angry, though thankfully not at her.

It was 3 fourths into the year when she felt the urge to tell her friend. On a somber night, she told him of the tale she had been weaved. Ugallu was furious. He balked at such lies, telling her the truth of the traitorous Mummu and the murder of his father.

Ashur was horrified. She could not believe that her family or Mummu would do such things. She did not speak to him for some time.

The moon moved through its phases, signifying that time had passed… and with it, their expressions changed. Ashur's became more determined… while Ugallu's was haunted. "Wait… what's going on? Why's Ugallu so spooked?"

…When she finally came to him again, it was of resolution. She would not take part in such a conflict any further. When her year expired, she would return to her kingdom and plead to leave the Tablet be. And should they reject this plea, she would look her father, mother, mentor and brother in the eyes, and refuse to spill even a single drop of blood for the Tablet.

Ugallu was horrified. He knew of the cruelty of his enemies. He believed they would murder her for such words. But Ashur trusted them. She showed Ugallu her amulet as proof, explaining who gave it to her and what it meant. Her brother would always protect her.

Though he protested, her mind would not be changed. And Ugallu dreaded each passing day. And in the final week of her journey, Ugallu's fears bested him.

Ugallu's form approached Ashur, and he guided her to a secret place. Soon, they were upon a familiar rectangular shape.

"What?! ¡No, gran tonto! Don't do that!" I yelled, clutching my hair.

His judgment lapsed. A foolish idea came to him. If he were to show Ashur the Tablet, she would obtain vital knowledge. Knowledge that would spare her.

The eve of her leaving, Ugallu secretly brought Ashur to the tomb of the Tablet of Destiny. He lied, claiming that his mother allowed her a brief peek. But Ashur saw through this. She admonished him. He knew what she had said. He should have known that even if she had learned from the Tablet, she would not speak a word. If he truly believed that she was in danger, gifting her this knowledge would only increase that danger. Worse, he had betrayed his own mother's trust.

Ugallu fell to his knees. I gave a forlorn sigh. Even if it was wrong, I couldn't be mad. He only wanted to save his friend.

Ugallu broke down. He begged Ashur not to go, for he did not wish her to die. He cared for her too much.

Then it all went wrong. A familiar sickly green came from Ashur's amulet. From it emerged two familiar figures…

But before Ashur could comfort him, history mirrored itself. Her amulet glowed a sickly green. Bursting forth came Mummu, and her champion Marduk.

Ugallu tried to attack, but was ensnared in bonds of that green magic. Ashur tried to plead to her brother and mentor… but they cast her aside.

Unprepared, Ugallu was captured by Mummu's magic. Horrified and confused, Ashur commanded they let him go. But Mummu scorned her, disappointed in her weakness. When she pleaded to her brother for help, he only glared. He had vouched for her. He believed that if they let her gain the enemy's trust, they would take her to the Tablet. Then, the amulet, in actuality an artifact of transportation, would allow them to appear behind enemy lines. He thought that she would be loyal. But she betrayed him and her kingdom. He deemed her unfit to be his sister, and disowned her.

Her heart shattered.

"I… I can't believe it. That… jerk! ¡ESE HIJO DE PUTA!" Wadjet and the shadows looked at me in surprise. Marduk's shadowy anger gave me a tired look as if to say 'I'm just doing my job…'

I blushed sheepishly. "Well… I mean, he was." My anger came back in full force. "How could he turn on his sister?!"

His bloodlust won over his love for his sister. If there was ever anything of value in Marduk's heart, it died long ago.

I scowled as other humanoids were brought forth from the amulet. Before long, an entire army was amassing in the room of the Tablet.

As more forces poured out from the necklace, the two invaders took Ugallu hostage. They demanded the city surrender, or he would be killed. Neither Tiamat nor Kingu would see him hurt, and they relented.

What happened next would forever scar Ashur. Marduk gave a bloodthirsty grin.

"No…" I looked on in horror as Marduk flung himself at Tiamat. Her shadow was torn to shreds by someone who was little more than a wild animal in human skin, and all I or Ashur or anyone else could do was watch. "Stop! JUST STOP IT! ¡DETENLO AHORA!"

He stepped forward… and began to maul the great Tiamat. He hacked away at her flesh, assisted by violent spells from Mummu that twisted and tortured her. He forced her children and Kingu to watch. By the time he had finished, the mighty Tiamat was dead, not killed in an honorable battle… but treated as a plaything by a rabid dog.

But he was not done. He looked Kingu in the eyes… and ordered his army to slaughter the people.

The horror continued as the soldiers attacked the innocent. A red glow grew brighter around the silhouetted buildings, which only told me one thing…

They were burning it all to the ground. Ashur only curled in on herself in sorrow.

The bloodbath that followed lasted through the night. None were spared. The screams did not stop, no matter how much Kingu and Ashur wailed. By morning, the streets were paved red.

Ashur wept. Ugallu had told her of their cruelty and she did not listen. And they used her naivete, her kindness, all for their gain. Now, the lovely city she had come to know had been razed. Had this violence been what they wanted all along? To murder the innocent with glee?

She approached the place where Ugallu and his siblings were bound, and collapsed before them.

As Marduk and Mummu went back to inspect the Tablet, she collapsed and cried to Ugallu, his siblings and Kingu in sorrow. She too, deemed herself worthless, a blight on the realm that belonged nowhere.

I watched on, saddened. "No… don't blame yourself…"

You and Kingu agreed. He objected to her self-loathing. Though he knew from experience that it could always have been a trick, neither he nor Tiamat felt that it was her fault. Ugallu had seen something in her, a sincerity like none other, and felt she was worthy. Just as Apsu had, so many years ago. And he and Tiamat trusted his judgment… even now. Ugallu agreed. Over the year he had come to know her, she'd never been out to hinder others for her own gain. Her desire to learn and grow was always tempered by kindness. Neither of them blamed her for what happened.

I watched as Ugallu and the others consoled her. With their silent words, came a newfound resolve in Ashur's eyes.

Ashur broke them free with the magic she had learned. Ugallu and his kin ran off in one direction, while Ashur and Kingu went in the other.

Touched by their words, Ashur vowed to try and right her wrong. She secretly freed the Eleven and Kingu, and they set about stopping Marduk and Mummu. While the Eleven went to combat their enemy's forces, Ashur and Kingu traveled down to the tomb of the Tablet. There, they found the two vile snakes, evidently having trouble accessing the knowledge of the Tablet.

Kingu whispered to her of Tiamat's last defense- a spell around the Tablet that shielded it from gluttonous eyes. No one could look upon it so long as they desired the knowledge. Hearing this, Ashur whispered a plan to him.

I was confused when Ashur walked out into the open, seemingly appealing to her two abusers. And as they let their guard down, letting her approach the Tablet… Kingu launched a surprise attack.

Walking up to her brother and mentor, she feigned regret and repentance. She told Mummu and Marduk how she had been taught Tiamat's language, and would make up for her failure by shedding the ward from the Tablet. With no other option, the two allowed her to walk up to it. It was then that Kingu leapt from the shadows, combatting the invaders. He would distract them while Ashur made to destroy the Tablet.

Suddenly, a golden glow came from the Tablet, connecting to Ashur's own purple energy.

A look of abject terror etched itself onto Ashur's face, worse than any I'd seen… before it warped into pure fury.

But when Ashur reached for it, Tiamat's magic reacted. The ward was not only meant to protect it, but to leave her two final gifts. Tiamat's magic showed Ashur the only secret she would ever need to know, a piece of knowledge that the giant herself wished to discover… about Mummu. What she was truly after horrified Ashur to her core.

She wanted the end of everything.

When the vision subsided, Ashur was filled with an emotion she had only now become familiar with… rage. Rage that Mummu had used her and her brother in ways even he did not understand. Rage that they had slaughtered so many for such a worthless reward. Rage that all she was ever meant to be was a stepping stone to the apocalypse.

Ashur fell forward, catching her breath. She looked up just in time to see Kingu struck by Marduk.

As she was released by Tiamat's spell, and the Tablet shattered, she came upon another sin that enraged her even more. Kingu had fought valiantly. But Mummu and Marduk together were too great for him to surmount. Marduk had delivered a mortal wound to the once mighty warrior, and sought to finish him as violently as he did Tiamat.

Her fury returned… and her body changed. She grew taller, and gained mighty horns and wings. She looked very similar to Tiamat when it finished. She looked on at her brother and mentor with rage, causing even them to recoil.

But Ashur could take no more of their treachery. And it was then that Tiamat's final gift flowed through her… the last of her power had infused with the girl. And with her newfound rage, she turned this power unto her former family.

"Go get em…" I muttered, unable to even deny the satisfaction of seeing the looks on their faces.

It wasn't so much a fight as it was a slaughter. Ashur tossed Marduk and Mummu around like ragdolls, shrugging off their blows and spells like nothing.

By the end, she had them at her mercy. She raised her hand to fire one last spell… but stopped. She sighed, exhausted.

She waved her hand, and behind the two wretches, she opened a crack, sending them through it. The remaining followers of their empire were not far behind.

She fought Marduk and Mummu, overwhelming them with her great gift. But even when she finally suppressed them… she could not bring herself to kill them. With Tiamat's power, she banished Mummu, Marduk, and the golden people that followed them, back to the realm from whence they came. Marduk cursed her name as he fell through the portal, vowing to kill her one day.

Ashur turned to the dying Kingu, rushing to his side. Ugallu kneeled across from her, and his siblings cried in sorrow. Even I had to wipe tears from my own eyes.

Kingu appeared to comfort them, even as he faded. He pointed to Tiamat's body… as the gold glow from before poured into the deep blue, it created a neon green, brighter and more comforting than Mummu's. Kingu smiled on, before passing away.

With the deed done, Ashur tended to Kingu, surrounded by the eleven children he raised. She was sorrowful once more. But Kingu comforted her. He showed her one last solace. Though Tiamat had been killed, her blood had flowed into the oceans created by her lover's death. The warmth of such a reunion began to boil the seas, changing their landscape once more. Tiamat and Apsu had been reunited in death. With his dying breath, Kingu only wished that his death might mean something as well. He thanked his eleven children for giving him the chance to make his life one of honor, and Ashur for helping him keep them safe.

The sun and moon moved across the sky, until about two and a half days passed. Ashur's horns and wings had faded, and she had returned to normal size. She looked at Ugallu somberly, and he appeared saddened by a decision she made.

Even so, he warmly embraced her, the two shedding tears as they hugged. As they pulled away, Ashur gave Ugallu some sort of trinket.

With his death, Ashur felt too ashamed to stay. Knowing Tiamat's powers were fading, Ashur stated that she would also return to the realm of her forefathers. Mummu would not be stopped simply because one avenue was cut off. She was devious and resourceful. Someone needed to combat her efforts. This time, Ugallu supported her. For he, too, held regret for his mistakes and felt that he had responsibilities to attend to. He and his siblings would create something out of the world their parents had left for them. As they said goodbye, they gave each other one gift, a promise to see each one last time. Ugallu gave her a crown- for she herself was worthy of leading others into brighter tomorrows. In turn, Azura gave her friend a wooden bauble- a bat-like carving that would stay by his side.

The shadows faded, the world returning to a realm of gold. Wadjet moved to meet my gaze.

And so, Ashur returned to our world. Though she no longer held Tiamat's power, she continued to fight against those she once called family. In his vengeance, Marduk eventually went mad, before meeting his end. No one knows what exactly happened to him, but the kingdom he forged worshipped his name for many years to come… though they would eventually warp his tale.

As for Ashur, Mummu eventually retreated into the shadows, choosing to wait out her opponent's death. Knowing she could not be around forever to combat Mummu, Ashur taught others in hopes they would succeed her. But while some undertook that mission with great honor, others would corrupt her name, forging a city under it and crying Ashur's name in battle to justify their bloodshed. One could say they took vengeance for her when they invaded Marduk's kingdom and struck his name from his own pantheon…

But Ashur cared for none of their selfish desires. And as she felt her time come to a close, she discovered a way to meet her friend one last time.

The silhouettes of Ugallu and Ashur returned one last time. Though Ugallu looked much larger, and Ashur appeared much older. They walked together before coming to rest in front of a view of the ocean.

Ugallu felt joy in seeing his friend. Though he was saddened to know that she would soon breathe her last, he vowed to make her feel as welcome as she was before. He showed her the kingdom he had created, the young his siblings had spawned, the magic language they had forged.

The scene changed, and Ashur laid upon a bed, Ugallu at her side, and the other chimera around her.

Ashur enjoyed every moment of it. She told Ugallu of her own tale, what she had done after they had separated. He reveled in those stories. But all stories must come to an end. Ashur's life began to fade, and Ugallu knew he would have to say goodbye one last time. He and his siblings were there, seeing their old friend through the next step of her journey. But before she passed… it is said she left Ugallu one last thing… a secret. No one knows what this secret was, if it even was such a thing to begin with. Some simply say it was unimportant to any but the two of them. Yet others say that the secret was something so great, it could change the very universe itself.

Whatever it may have been, Ugallu never told a soul. Not even his own siblings, or any children he would come to sire. Knowing that secret would be safe, Ashur passed on.

I waited for the snake to continue. But she was only met with silence. "W-Wait, is that it? Shouldn't… there be more?"

I've told all you must know of Ashur, young girl. I can only hope I have told it to the right person.

The figure of the snake noticed the world around us begin to crumble.

Our time together grows short. But there is one last thing I must tell you. A warning.

"H-Huh? A warning? About what?"

Something you can only be aware of when it is staring right at you.

The shadow of the snake moved right into my face.

Luz… beware of the woman you first meet who greets you with a familiar face.

"Wha? What does that mean?!" But the shadow of the snake began to disappear as the world fell to pieces. "Hang on! Come back! Gosh darn it, why do ominous warnings have to always be so vague?!"

---

"Huh!" I shot up, sputtering back into the land of the awake. I was still in the backyard. Of course… it was just a dream. "That was… something else." I rubbed my face intently. "Hope you had a good nap, little snoot, I…" But the snake was no longer in my lap. "L-Little snoot? Oh no!"

I looked for her as thoroughly as I possibly could… but there was no trace of her- no trails, no shed skin, nothing. The only thing I found… was a feather, both green and blue in hue. I was pretty distraught, thinking she'd been hurt or killed. But my mom reassured me, telling me that she'd probably just returned to the forest. It was for the best. She was a wild snake, after all. But I still wonder where she might've gone… and why I still remember that dream of her so vividly.

---

"That dream… Wad… jit? She was warning me about something. About what… I don't know. But clearly something bad. And why wouldn't she? The human world may not intertwine as heavily with magic and monsters as the Boiling Isles… but it's there. Waiting in the dark." I concluded. "And it's… unsettling. The idea that people are whisked away into the night, never to return. On Earth and the Boiling Isles. And the thought that it could happen to the people I care about…" I shudder.

"Yeah… I can't imagine how my dads would've felt if I'd disappeared that day, on the beach." Willow agreed.

"Conor Devney." Gus pointed out. "And the other humans. If he vanished without his family any wiser, did that happen to the other humans too?"

"Exactly. I don't just want to be a witch… I want to be a witch that can protect people. That can defend them from the things that go bump in the night."

"Does that mean you want to be a B.P.R.D. agent?" Roger questioned.

"...Maybe." I answered, unsure. "All I know is that, right now, I want to learn magic. I've got to."

Roger nodded. "One thing at a time, I suppose." He looked out at the setting sun. "It's getting late. I think it's time to head back. Should probably mention that little dream of yours, too."

A cold feeling went across my skin. Despite being so antsy for the day to go by, now I was anxious about talking to Mama all over again.

Suddenly, two hands were on my shoulders, as Willow and Gus stood beside me. "Hey. We're here with you, okay?" Willow said.

"No matter what happens." Gus added.

I gave them a smile, and steeled myself.

Time to rip off this band aid.

---

When we got back to the Owl House, the first thing we did was tell each other the stories we'd been sharing. (It was quite the coincidence that we were both telling tales to each other.) Regardless of what Mama chose, the BPRD needed the info in our tales to try and find answers, to get me home.

The Six-Toed dog. The Căpcăun. The Owlet. The Ghost. The Nightmare. The Dream.

Some of them had already served their purpose. But others revealed new leads for us to follow. Conor Devney in particular made Kate question if I were really the first human on the isles.

While the agents talked, I said my goodbyes to Willow and Gus. Roger, too, as he decided to start planning his trip. After that… well… it was time.

"Mami?" I found my mother sitting outside, in deep thought.

"Hey, baby. Did you enjoy your day out?" She asked me.

"Ehh…" I said honestly. "My mind was a little… preoccupied."

Mami gave a light laugh. "That makes two of us."

I paused for a moment. 'Here goes nothing…' "…Mama, whatever you're about to say, can I please tell you something first?"

Mami looked at me curiously. "What is it?"

"It's just… listening to what everyone had to say today… it put things into perspective. I know you want to take me home cause it'll be safer, but… I don't think it actually is. There are things on Earth, lying in wait… I don't want those things to take the people I care about. I want to be able to protect you and my friends."

Mami looked on somberly. "Oh, my Lucecita. I can understand, I really can. I thought if I whisked you away back home, nothing dangerous would ever come for you, ever again. But hearing what Hellboy and everyone else had to tell me, I realize reality isn't often what we wish it to be." She covered her hand with her mouth. "Something wants to keep you here, mija. And I don't think it would stop if you went home. I'm glad you want to protect others… but I also want you to be able to defend yourself when the time comes."

My eyes widen in realization. "Wait… you mean…?"

"Yes, mija. You can learn magic."

"You mean that? Really?!" I hugged her in excitement. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Mama chuckled. "Okay, okay, Luz! I know you're happy, but we'll still need to figure out how you're going to be taught." I pulled away, nodding profusely. "But that's something we're going to start figuring out tomorrow. It's pretty late. Let's get some sleep."

"Okay." I answer… and then hug her again. "Thank you! Good night!" I run to get ready for bed- after all, the faster I go to bed, the sooner I can get started learning magic. And the sooner I do that… the better chance I have against whatever wanted me to stay here.

---

"So, I likely won't be back for a few days." Roger finished telling the two of us. He seemed almost apologetic, as if it were his fault he needed closure.

"You don't have to justify it to us. Kate and I understand completely."

"Do you really think the library is the next step?" I asked.

"If there's any info about human activity on the isles, the library is the best place to start." Kate explained.

"Could be encoded." Hellboy mentioned.

Kate smugly waived that notion off. "Please, I can decipher it. From Atbash codes to simple backwards messages… I've seen 'em all." She looked at me. "In the meantime, you just stay safe, ok?"

"Thank you." He shuffled. "Erm… should I request for a helicopter… or something?"

"Actually, you're in luck." Kate told him. "We already have a chopper on the way."

"We do?"

"Yep. And it's got our backup. Manning probably would've thrown more of a fit if we didn't have someone to come switch out with you. And thankfully, we've got two."

---

The blades of the chopper slowed as our flyboy landed in a clearing closest to the cabin. Hopefully, Hellboy hadn't gotten into too much trouble while we were gone…

We were greeted by the sight of Sidney Leach, his glasses reflecting what little light was around. "Good to see you two. How was the Dead Sea?"

"Finally lived up to its name." Liz joked.

"We heard that progress was moving, if slowly. With any luck, we might be able to help advance it further." I said.

"Well, you're gonna be without Roger a bit. He's got some business to attend to using your ride. He can tell you about it if he's got time." Leach explained. "Kate wants you both on the Boiling Isles in the morning. She's got missions for each of you. Something about some leads we have to follow."

"Noted. Let's get some dinner and catch what little winks we can get, Abe." Liz offered.

"Please, nothing too salty." I'd had enough of that in Jordan.

She snickered. "I'll see what I can do."

---

"Here you are, sir."

Müller showed Sauer the photos posted by the imps. Several shots of the wild witch's house walking through the town. "This is… truly mind blowing. The girl truly has the ability to use magic."

"I would be remiss to mention the two imp children that were also there, sir." Müller mentioned.

"Of course, of course. It muddies any possible idea of the extent of her power. But the circle could have only worked if all three could use magic…" He thought for a moment. "It will not be easy to take the girl. The ape's shortsighted allies will keep her close. Hmm…" He tapped his foot as he considered their next course of action. "We cannot afford to alert the witch or that blasted ape of our presence. So… we shall see if Zeta Tau can prove any worth to her existence. Have her watch from afar. Report back any and all activity to me. I must know their patterns, their weak spots. Only then, can she be taken."

"Yes, sir. Shall we be… cleaning out the pantry, Standartenführer?"

"No. In case this proves to be yet another dead end, I want to make sure we still have experiments to fall back on. Keep them… for now."

"Of course." Müller nodded before exiting. He quickly made his way to the kennels. The moment their unbearable groans and cries hit his ears, his tone soured. "Honestly, such pathetic things…" He walked towards the cages of the juveniles. Some backed away in fear at his presence. They understood their place. Others stared at him in defiance, their spirit not yet broken. The rest were of no concern, for they were little more than worm food. They were either sprawled on the floor, or curled into a corner, moments away from death. He found himself amused at their neighbors, weeping over their half-dead corpses, or crying out unimportant speeches at him of his supposed evil.

It did not matter. There was only one he was here for. He stopped at the final cage, housing a slightly more important specimen. "Zeta Tau." From the darkness of the cave, a figure scrambled out. She almost appeared as a cross between a bat and a young girl. Dark fur that looked as pitch black as the night, large ears that were half the size of her head, furled wings attached to her arms, and a hognose to round out the look. She wore clothes that would qualify more as potato sacks than anything reasonable or practical.

She immediately cowered, prostrating herself before him. "Zeta Tau. We may soon find ourselves… cleaning house. You impressed us in the retrieval of key ingredients. Your continued survival shall depend on you being continually useful in the coming days."

She remained silent. He sighed. "Is that clear?"

She looked up at him, nodding profusely. "Zeta Tau do good!"

"We shall see if you can back that up." He pulled out a picture of Luz Noceda, showing it to her. "This girl is of the utmost importance. We require her to be observed… only observed, do you hear me? You will watch her from a distance and report back her activities every night after she has gone to sleep. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Understand. Watch. Tell. Not go near. Zeta Tau do good!"

"You had better." He pulled out a combat knife, pointing it in between her eyes. "Your predecessors said such things and failed us horribly. You know what happens to tools who do not live up to expectations… do you?"

She cowered again, clasping her hands together. "Yes! Zeta Tau not do bad! Zeta Tau do good! Zeta Tau do good!"

He sheathed his blade. "I'm so glad we understand each other. Your mission shall start tomorrow. 7 am sharp. Do not let me catch you sleeping in." He turned away, ready to rid the migraine of hearing these whelps. Zeta Tau returned to the shadows of her cage. She sat there, balled up and shivering. Her only thoughts were of survival.

---

"Let me out! I don't wanna be here!" It felt like I had ended up back where I had started. A cold, confining metal cage.

"Be quiet." The man at the work table muttered. "Mother is speaking to me…"

He always said something like that in the evening. How he 'served his mother', or how 'she took care of him', or about her 'vision for the world'. But tonight was just getting creepy… he had been sitting there, staring into the ceiling… a green glow was coming from his eyes.

I'd believed that finding that doorway would be my salvation. An escape from my creators and captors. But the moment I had entered into the realm, I had been attacked by… something. Some thing. By the time I had woken up, I'd been trapped once again. In the backroom of some… crazed nut.

Jacob Hopkins, he was called. Apparently, he ran the guise of being a museum curator. But the man secretly had a hand in witchcraft… dangerous witchcraft, if the ingredients I'd memorized around his room were any indication. They exuded magic, but… a disgusting, foul magic. If I tried to scarf it down for strength… I don't know what it would do to me.

"My mother has finished speaking to me." Hopkins suddenly said, standing up. "She has questions for you, basilisk. And you would do well to answer honestly…" He held up a letter in his hands.

I gazed in confusion. But a sight behind him made me back terrifyingly into my cage. My instincts were firing on all cylinders.

His shadow had stretched far beyond what it should be. It had taken a form similar to mine… a female humanoid body, attached to that of a serpent's. Glowing eyes pierced out where there should only have been shadow.

"I will cut straight to the point. These letters…" He threw one on the ground in front of her. 'To Mom', it said. "Why do they reek of your magic scent?"

---

And so concludes The Owlet and other Short Stories. Next time, we start off Lost in Language… but we aren't doing it all in one go. Gonna be split into parts. Sorry guys, it's for the best.

I also have another important announcement to make- From here on out, I will be switching to Third Person POV for my writing. First person has been… interesting, but I think now's the best time to move into a more comfortable style of writing.

But before I leave y'all once again…

Omegashark18- Wish granted.

TheonecalledA- …No, I can still work with what happened. Besides, numerous fanfics have had to deal with being outdated by canon, since they start in the middle of the series.

And to the rest of you offering comforting messages concerning my undiagnosed ADHD- thank you. I've only JUST recently started trying to get it diagnosed and treated. We'll see how that goes.

Ta ta, everyone!