The plan for movie night in the rec room was almost going off without a hitch—the key word being "almost." After the old one suddenly stopped working, Vee, Masha, Jimmy, Noelle, and Oscar had to search the supply closet for a new VCR. The five of them did all they could not to make any noise and alert their camp counselors, knowing full well they weren't supposed to be in there.
"It has to be here somewhere," Vee whispered, her voice barely audible in the dimly lit closet. Honestly, she had no idea what she was looking for but had to pretend that she did to keep up appearances.
"I think this is it," Masha—the one who finally found it—said, pulling out a dusty VCR from the back of the closet, hidden behind a stack of old board games.
"It's a little beat up, but it should still work," Jimmy said.
"Let's get out of here before we get caught," Vee urged.
"I saw something else in the closet," Masha added. "It looks like there is a door to a hidden room behind those board games. Should we check it out?"
"We're already pushing our luck by being in here. Let's grab the VCR and go," Vee replied, uneasy about further exploring. "We can come back another time to investigate the hidden room."
"But we may not get another chance to see what's behind that door," Masha insisted. "I say we take a quick look now while we're here."
"I am a little curious myself," Jimmy chimed in. "All in favor of just taking a quick peek and leaving before we get caught?"
"We're in," both Oscar and Noelle agreed in unison.
"Fine, one look, then back to the movie before we get caught," Vee conceded, reluctantly following the group toward the mysterious door.
To their luck—good or bad—the door was unlocked, allowing them to push it open quickly and reveal the hidden room inside. It was a dusty room filled with what looked like artifacts from the Human Realm. "What is all this?" Vee asked.
"These look like World War II memorabilia," Noelle remarked, picking up an old helmet. "My folks like to collect historical items like these."
"Far out," Oscar said, examining a faded photograph of soldiers. "I wonder how this stuff ended up here."
"Maybe someone at the camp is a collector?" Masha suggested, looking around the room curiously.
"Or maybe these were left behind by previous owners," Noelle added, placing the helmet back on the dusty shelf. However, doing so caused the shelf to shift slightly, sending the other items sliding off. "Oh, crap!"
Vee and Jimmy rushed to catch the falling items before they hit the ground, saving them. "That was a close one," Vee said with relief. Just as she said, a canister containing a black liquid fell and spilled over what appeared to be a metal biped with one arm and the lower half of its body missing.
"What is that?" Jimmy asked, staring at the strange metal figure now covered in the black liquid, seeping into an opening resembling a mouth.
"Is it some kind of dummy?" Masha guessed, looking at the bizarre sight in confusion.
Suddenly, the sockets that resembled eyes glowed red, and gears started whirring as the metal figure began to move, emitting a low, mechanical growl.
"I don't think that's a dummy," Vee said, her voice tinged with fear.
"G.I. Robot, reporting for duty!" The metal figure spoke robotically, causing the group to step back in shock. It slowly raised its remaining arm, saluting them. "Hello, children. Are there any Nazis nearby?"
The group exchanged nervous glances, unsure how to respond to the unexpected question. Masha finally managed to stammer out, "N-Nazis? No..."
G.I. Robot's red eyes dimmed slightly. "Oh." He sighed. Not in relief but in disappointment. "G.I. Robot was hoping there would be Nazis to kill." G.I. Robot looked around the room. "I must continue my patrol elsewhere," the metal man declared, then looked down. "Where is the rest of my body?"
"We don't know, Mr. G.I., can I call you G.I.?" Jimmy asked tentatively.
"You just called me G.I.," the robot replied, its red eyes flickering slightly. "I must find my missing parts and complete my mission."
"Your mission?" Vee asked.
"To send Nazis to Hell, where they belong," G.I. Robot said jovially.
"Right on, dude," Oscar chimed in.
"You seem kinda obsessed with killing these Nazis," Vee observed. She did not know what a Nazi was, either, but they sounded essential to the history of the Human Realm. If she were going to stay, she would need to read up on her new home's history.
"I was programmed to kill Nazis, and that is what I will do," G.I. Robot declared, its metal fingers flexing. "It is my purpose."
"G.I., what year do you think it is?" Noelle asked, concerned about the robot's fixation on a long-past enemy.
"It is the year 1944, the height of World War II," G.I. Robot replied confidently. "And there are plenty of Nazis that still need to be eliminated."
"No, it's the year 2020," Masha interjected, trying to bring the robot back to the present. "The war is long over."
G.I. Robot was silent. After a moment, it straightened up and said, "Then that means it has been exactly seventy-six years, one month, fifteen days, and forty-five minutes since I killed my last Nazi."
"Guys, I think we should start getting back to our cabins," Noelle suggested. "Someone is bound to notice that we've been gone for quite a while."
"And we don't want to cause any alarm," Masha added. "We'll have to pick up movie night another night."
"What about G.I.?" Jimmy asked, looking back at the robot. "We can't just leave him here."
G.I. Robot muttered, "Seventy-six years... it feels like yesterday."
"Maybe we can come and visit him once in a while," Vee suggested. "And maybe fix him up?"
"I guess we can't let him just collect dust here," Noelle agreed.
"Hey, G.I.," Vee began, "we'll come back and check on you. You won't be alone for long."
G.I. Robot tilted his head slightly. "Thank you, new friends," he said softly. "G.I. Robot will be waiting for your return. And one day, we can go out and kill Nazis together."
"Let's take it one step at a time," Vee smiled. "But we'll come back for you, G.I." The friends turned and left to return to their cabins.
Dell sat on the couch, watching the news report playing on the crystal ball. It was the funeral service for the scouts who lost their lives when Bloodsport attacked—the ones he couldn't save. The one leading the service was Scout Commander Turpin, Hunter as the Golden Guard stood beside him, and Darius in place of Lilith, who was absent.
"Thank you all for coming," Commander Turpin began, his voice heavy with grief as he addressed the somber crowd. Dell felt a pang of guilt for not being able to do more to prevent the tragedy. "These brave scouts died to protect the people they swore to serve in the emperor's name. They knew the risk, yet they still went out there, willing to sacrifice everything for the greater good. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten, and we must honor their memory by upholding the values they fought for."
"What do you mean they won't take my free snack samples?" King whined to Baba as they entered the living room.
"Well, for starters, I'm pretty sure none of these are edible," Baba replied, gesturing to the random assortment of items King had collected. "And secondly, I think they're all expired."
"So? We'll just say they're vintage and charge extra for them," King suggested with a mischievous grin. "Let's run it by Eda; she'll—" King paused as he noticed Dell watching the crystal ball.
Baba turned around and saw their son solemnly watching the funeral procession. "Dell, why are you torturing yourself by watching that?" Baba asked, concerned.
"Because I deserve it," Dell replied quietly, his eyes fixed on the screen. "I need to face the consequences of my actions."
"Your actions? You did nothing wrong."
"I did nothing right either," Dell muttered, his gaze never leaving the screen. "I let it happen. I bet their last thoughts were, 'Why didn't Superboy save me?' I let them down." He also lost control of his anger, letting his emotions take control of his actions. He almost killed a man.
Baba put a comforting hand on Dell's shoulder. "You can't save everyone, Dell."
"I have all this power, but what good is it if I can't use it to help those who need it most?" Dell's voice was barely a whisper, filled with regret. "I have to do better; I can't fail again."
"You can't carry the world's weight on your shoulders alone," Baba said softly. "Some things are just out of our control, and no matter how hard we try, we can't always prevent every tragedy. If you keep worrying about failing others, you'll never be able to focus on the ones you do save. More lives would have been lost if you weren't there when Bloodsport attacked. You are making a difference, Dell."
"Thank you, Baba," Dell whispered, not entirely relieved but grateful for the reassurance.
"Hey, why don't we help Eda and Luz at the stand to help take some of the weight off their shoulders?" Baba suggested, to which Dell nodded.
"Yes, and we can pitch her my snack idea!" King added excitedly, following his parent and brother out of the Owl House.
"Eda, you will not believe what's going on!" Luz exclaimed, returning to her teacher's Human Collectibles stand in the market district. Business had been slow today, with people passing by. No one even looked at the garbage Eda had collected and passed off as 'rare artifacts.' When Luz got there, she was greeted by Loisse, dressed professionally in a sleek blue suit that said she was all business. "Hey, Loisse, you're looking sharp today."
"It's my first day back on the job as a reporter," Loisse informed Luz with a smile. "I know my suspension was only a week, but it felt like an eternity. I'm excited to get back to work. Though Mr. Porter hasn't assigned me anything controversial yet."
"Probably a good idea," Eda said, looking up from her magazine. "You don't want the Emperor's Coven breathing down your neck on your first day back. Ease into it."
"But I'm hoping to get something juicy soon," Loisse added. "I'm ready to dive back into the thick of things."
"Don't say I didn't warn ya," Eda leaned back into her chair as she looked at Luz, raising an eyebrow at her excitement. "And what's got you so worked up, kid?"
"It's a book fair! Where books come to life!" Luz exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"I was wondering why it reeks more of nerd than money today," Eda joked.
"Hey, Luz. Hey, Eda," Raine greeted, stopping by with King and Dell in tow.
"Oh, Loisse," Dell said, smiling at her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here and dressed so—"
"Sharp," Loisse finished for him, smoothing her blazer with a grin. "Luz said the same thing."
"Raine, there's a book fair going on," Luz informed, gesturing excitedly towards the entrance. "Can we go? Please."
Raine chuckled at Luz's excitement before turning to Eda, Dell, and King. "What do you say? Do you want to join us?"
"A fair without rides?" King asked with a hint of disappointment. "Why would I want to go?"
"Sounds like fun," Eda chimed in. "I'm bored and feel like pickpocketing some dork while they browse."
Dell shrugged, "I'm up for it. Maybe we'll find something interesting to read."
"Will you give it a chance, King?" Luz pleaded. "I'll let you ride in my hoodie."
King squeaked in excitement, "Fine, fine! I'll go, but only because I want to see what weird stuff they have there." Luz beamed at King's response as he climbed up her back and settled into her hoodie pocket, ready for the adventure ahead. "Ooohoohoohoo!"
"He likes feeling tall," Dell whispered to Loisse.
"Clearly," Loisse chuckled.
The group walked through the book fair, looking at the colorful displays and various genres of books available. Dell picked up a mystery novel while Luz browsed through the fantasy section, and King peeked out of the pocket to glimpse it all.
Meanwhile, Eda was skimming through different books and tossing them away. "Boring, boring, and boring," she muttered, clearly unimpressed with the selection. She then spotted a mirror and looked into it. "Another wrinkle!" She sighed in frustration. "The curse is quickening!"
"Or it could just be—" Raine began, but Eda cut them off sharply.
"Don't even say it," she warned, turning back to the books with a scowl. Raine wisely decided to keep their thoughts to themself and continued browsing alongside the rest of the group.
"This book fair's got everything!" Luz exclaimed. "A zine-making workshop, meet and greets, and—what's that?" She gasped. "A writing competition? I've always wanted to be a writer!"
"Writer?" King questioned. "I thought you wanted to be a witch?"
"Of course, I want to be a witch. But where I'm from, that's kinda... impossible. So, my runner-up dream was to be a writer." Luz pulls a picture out of her pocket. "I've had this About the Author picture since I was seven." The photo showed little Luz doing her best to look like a professional author. "I'm gonna enter the competition."
"Good luck with that," Dell genuinely replied with a smile. "Maybe you'll be able to make both of your dreams come true." Dell turned around and almost knocked over a girl running past them. "Whoops, I didn't see you there, Bo."
Bo laughed and brushed off the near collision. "No worries, Dell. Can't chat; I have to hurry!"
"What's the rush?"
"Jon De Plume, the most famous writer on the Boiling Isles and the famed author of the Realm Warriors series, is doing a book signing! I have to hurry before the line gets too long."
Dell nodded understandingly. "Have fun."
"Jon De Plume," Loisse exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe I can get an interview with him!" Loisse quickly went to the book signing with her mind set on interviewing Jon De Plume.
"Do authors command such power over people?" King asked, intrigued by the enthusiasm. "I must have the same! Luz, I, too, shall enter the competition!"
Luz gasped. "Really? We could work together! It'll be perfect! We're best friends, so we'll make the best team!"
Dell continued exploring the book fair. Luz and King left to enter a writing competition together; Loisse is waiting in line to ask Jon De Plume for an interview; Mom and Baba are off doing their own thing.
"What do you think you're doing with this stuff?" A gruff voice interrupted Dell's thoughts as he turned to see a group of thugs—two witches and a burly demon—harassing a vendor. He was selling books with Superboy's symbol, titled: "Hero of the Isles: A Documentation of Superboy's Greatest Feats."
"I have a right to sell these books," the vendor protested, holding his ground despite the intimidating presence of the thugs.
"Yeah, a book giving an alien freak who has brought us nothing but trouble. We can't have that," one of the witches sneered, tracing a spell circle that set fire to the books. "Looks like we're gonna have to teach you a lesson." Dell's blood boiled at the sight, and he knew he had to step in before things escalated further.
The demon grabbed the man and held him in place. One of the witches traced a spell circle, turning his fist into stone, and was about to hit the man! But Dell grabbed the witch's arm just in time. "What are you doing?" Dell demanded, his voice filled with anger and concern.
The witch turned to face him. "What do you think you're doing defending this traitor?"
"Traitor? He just wrote a book." Dell retorted, his eyes narrowing. "You have no right to harm him for expressing his thoughts."
"His words are dangerous," the other witch scoffed, but Dell stood his ground. "Superboy has brought nothing but trouble to our kind. Because of him, aliens and meta-witch freaks are starting to show up. Anything that doesn't come from the Titan should be killed… and anyone who supports them should suffer the same fate. And it won't matter if they're some brat like you!" The man prepared the strike, and Dell was ready to defend him and the vendor.
But before the first punch could land, a bright light flashed, and the thugs were all restrained in magical binds—arms, legs, and mouths all frozen in place. Dell turned to see who had saved them and was surprised it was her. "Aunt Lilith?"
"What's going on here?" The leader of the Emperor's Coven asked. Steve accompanied her.
"These thugs tried to attack us," the vendor explained, pointing at the restrained men. "They were threatening me, and this young man came to my defense."
Aunt Lilith's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the situation, her expression unreadable. "Steve, contact a carriage and take these criminals to the Conformatorium."
"Right away, Ma'am," Steve replied, walking away to do just that.
"Aunt Lilith," Dell began, "how did you know we were in trouble?"
Aunt Lilith turned to Dell. "I was here on Emperor's Coven business when I heard a commotion. I always watch for trouble, especially from my sister's kid." The way she called him her 'sister's kid' felt like a subtle reminder that he was adopted as if he wasn't truly part of the family.
Dell shook off the feeling. "Well, thank you anyway."
"The carriage is on its way to pick up the criminals, ma'am," Steve reported.
"Thank you, Steve," Aunt Lilith replied, patting him on the back. "We must be going now."
As Aunt Lilith and Steve walked away, the Coven Scout turned around and gave Dell two thumbs up for his work. Dell then watched as the vendor cleaned up the mess left behind by the scuffle. "Here, let me help," Dell offered.
"Oh, no. You've done more than enough already," the vendor replied gratefully. "Go, enjoy the rest of your day."
Loisse felt down on her luck as she wandered, nearly running into Dell.
"Whoops, sorry, Loisse," he chuckled, stepping to the side to let her pass.
"No problem, Dell," Loisse replied, feeling more like a burden.
"Is everything alright?"
"No. Jon De Plume's publisher forbade me from setting up an interview with him," Loisse explained with a disappointed look.
"That's too bad," Dell sympathized.
"I need a good story to show I'm worthy of being a journalist," Loisse sighed.
"You are worthy of being a journalist," Dell reassured her. "Don't give up, Loisse. Keep pushing for those stories, and opportunities will come your way."
Loisse smiled gratefully at Dell's encouragement. "Thanks, but I still need a story. Something that will make a real impact, like…"
"Like Superboy?" Dell suggested, which caught Loisse's attention. "Just throwing out suggestions here, but maybe a piece on the local hero could be your big break."
Loisse's eyes lit up with excitement at the idea. "That's a great idea, Dell! I should…" She paused. An interview with Superboy? She knew Dell's secret identity but felt like this was exploiting his trust. But he doesn't know that she knows the truth. However, the opportunity was too good to pass up. "I mean… He has more important things to do, like saving the Isles."
"You never know, Loisse," Dell encouraged. "It's worth a shot."
"Maybe. I need to get back to the office and start working on something. Thanks for the pep talk." Loisse said, giving Dell a grateful smile before heading off to brainstorm ideas.
Loisse walked to the BBN-HXN news station. Upon entering the building, one of the receptionists said, "There you are, Ms. Laine. The boss has been looking for you. He wants to discuss something with you in his office."
"Mr. Porter wants to see me?"
The receptionist nodded, "Yes, he seemed quite urgent. I'll let him know you're on your way."
Loisse's heart raced as she went to Mr. Porter's office, wondering what important matter he needed to discuss with her. Upon entering, she came face-to-face with her boss and "D…" She held her tongue. "Superboy?"
"Loisse, you're here, good," Perry said, gesturing for her to sit. "We have a breaking story that I need you to cover." Loisse's curiosity piqued as she listened intently to the assignment Perry had for her. "Superboy just came in and requested to be interviewed for an exclusive piece but would only do it if you were the one to conduct the interview," Perry explained.
"Ms. Laine seems like a trustworthy journalist," Dell commented. "But only if she's up to it."
Loisse couldn't believe Dell was doing this for her. What else could she say, except, "Challenge accepted. Just give me a time and place, and I'll be ready to get the scoop."
"It'll be here, live on the crystal balls tonight," Perry informed Loisse. "Make sure you're prepared for anything," he added with a knowing smile.
"I won't let you down, Mr. Porter," Loisse assured. "I'll bring my A-game."
"Looking forward to it," Dell said with a nod. "I have no doubt you'll do great."
"Sire," Kikimora bowed before Emperor Belos, who was in a meeting with the Coven Heads, minus Lilith and the Golden Guard, as well as the Blights and Lionel Luthor, in his throne room. "I apologize for interrupting, but my spies have a report regarding Superboy."
"What kind of report?" Belos asked, his interest piqued as he gestured for Kikimora to continue.
"Later tonight, Superboy will be interviewed by reporters from BBN-HXN news. Something like this could bring more people onto his side."
Belos nodded thoughtfully, considering the implications of this new information.
"Then we must act swiftly to ensure that Superboy's image remains tarnished in the eyes of the public," Adrian Graye suggested a devious glint in his eye.
"You do not have a say in this matter," Osran interjected firmly, his voice commanding attention. "Media outlets are under the jurisdiction of the Oracle Coven; keep your Illusion Coven out of this."
"If media outlets were under my coven's control, to begin with, we wouldn't be having this problem," Adrian retorted. "This whole thing about free speech and the right to the truth is getting in the way of our…" He then noticed Belos glare at him warningly. "I meant to say the emperor's agenda. Let's not forget who holds the real power here."
"I don't usually agree with those whose life revolves around inferior magic," Odalia added, her tone dripping with disdain. "But in this case, I must admit that Adrian has a point."
"See, even Blight has a brain to go with her admittedly good looks. Though not as good-looking as yours truly."
"Do not speak to my wife that way," Alador interjected, his voice low. There was something off about Alador—he seemed sickly. Well, sicklier than usual.
"The people have the right to the truth," Osran interjected.
"The truth is whatever our emperor says it is," Kikimora countered. "We must not forget our loyalty lies with him above all else."
"Exactly," Adrian agreed, nodding in approval at Kikimora's words.
"Enough," Belos commanded, his voice cutting through the growing tension in the room. "If we censor this, we risk losing the trust of our people. The Day of Unity is too close to allow doubts to fester." Belos' words silenced the room. "Coven Head Vensworth, you are not to make a move without consulting me first. Is that clear?" Belos' authoritative tone left no room for argument, and Vensworth nodded in acquiescence. "Good."
"I take it you have a plan to take care of this?" Lionel asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Luthor, you were so quiet that I forgot you were even here," Belos remarked. "But to answer your question, I have a plan. We will convince the people that Superboy has no place in our society by staging an unfortunate accident. One that the Emperor's Coven will take care of."
"And how, with the utmost respect, do you plan to pull this off?" Adrian inquired.
"You may come out now," Belos called out, gesturing to the hidden figure in the shadows. He was an average-looking man with short black hair; nothing unusual about him. But upon closer look, everyone saw he had round ears.
"A human?" Adrian questioned in disbelief. "How can a human possibly help us?"
"He's no ordinary human," Belos said. The man suddenly melted and began reforming into a hulking creature like an abomination. Its body was a brown, mud-like substance, with long, muscular limbs, and towered even over the tallest bipedal demons. "My fellow Coven Heads, meet my newest asset from the Human Realm, Clayface."
Next Chapter: Clayface attacks!
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