Lincoln Loud stirred, his body nestled against the familiar softness of his sister's bed. The cool, dark comfort of Lucy's room was a stark contrast to the lingering remnants of his nightmare. He blinked a few times, his heart still unsteady, as the haunting vision of Korde's sinister gaze threatened to creep back into his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he turned his head to see Lucy sitting beneath the bed, her usual unreadable expression gazing out the window. The pale morning light filtered through her dark curtains, casting shadows over her face.
"Thanks, Lucy," Lincoln murmured, shifting under the covers. "For letting me stay here last night."
Lucy turned her head slightly, her black hair framing her face. "The night terrors may fade," she said in her calm, measured tone, "but the bonds of blood endure."
Lincoln offered a small smile. Even though Lucy had a way with eerie words, he knew what she meant. Their family was unshakable. No matter what fear gripped him at night, he wasn't alone. He sat up, stretching his arms as he prepared for the inevitable morning madness of the Loud House.
And, as if on cue, the house roared to life. From down the hall, he could already hear Lola and Lana arguing about whose turn it was to feed their pets, Lisa mumbling scientific equations, and Luna strumming her guitar to the tune of whatever song was in her head that morning. The air smelled of Lynn Sr.'s signature pancakes, a scent that managed to cut through the clamor and guide Lincoln toward the kitchen.
After a chaotic yet delicious breakfast, Lincoln was about to retreat to his room when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a message from Lori.
Lori: Hey, Linc. Ronnie Anne, Bobby, and I are heading to Hole In One-derland for some mini-golf. Wanna come? My treat if you beat Bobby. ;)
Lincoln grinned. A fun day out was exactly what he needed to shake off the eerie weight of his dream. He quickly replied with an enthusiastic, "I'm in!" and ran upstairs to change.
By the time he was ready, Lori had already pulled up outside in the family van. Lincoln hopped in, greeted by the sight of his eldest sister, already chatting with Bobby on speakerphone. Ronnie Anne sat in the back, smirking at Lincoln as he buckled in.
"Took you long enough, lame-o," she teased.
"Hey, great things take time," Lincoln shot back with a grin.
Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes playfully as they set off toward the mini-golf course.
Hole In One-derland was bustling with weekend excitement. The vibrant greens of the mini-golf course stretched under the clear blue sky, decorated with whimsical windmills, castles, and loop-DE-loops. As soon as they arrived, Lori and Bobby naturally drifted off into their own little world, giggling and holding hands.
Lincoln, meanwhile, focused on the competition.
"Alright, let's see if you've still got the skills, Loud," Ronnie Anne said as she placed her ball on the first hole's starting mark.
Lincoln smirked. "Oh, you're on."
They spent the next several holes locked in playful competition. Lincoln managed a few impressive putts, but Ronnie Anne was fierce, sinking shots with effortless precision. Lori was less concerned with the game, often distracted by Bobby's failed attempts at impressing her with trick shots that never quite landed.
Halfway through the course, the group found themselves at a particularly challenging hole with a winding ramp leading to a moving windmill.
"Bet you can't make it in two strokes," Ronnie Anne challenged, twirling her putter.
Lincoln narrowed his eyes. "Watch and learn."
He lined up his shot, inhaled deeply, and swung. The ball rolled up the ramp, narrowly avoiding the spinning blades of the windmill before bouncing off the inner curve and rolling straight into the hole.
"Boom! Two strokes!" Lincoln cheered, pumping his fist.
Ronnie Anne feigned dismay before playfully shoving his shoulder. "Alright, alright, I'm impressed. But don't think you're winning just yet."
They continued through the course, laughter filling the air as the sun shone overhead. For the first time since his nightmare, Lincoln felt truly at ease. The warmth of the sun, the friendly competition, the sound of Lori's giggles and Ronnie Anne's taunts—it was all normal, safe, fun.
But that peace was shattered in an instant.
A sleek black car screeched into the parking lot, its tires shrieking against the pavement as it spun to a sudden stop near the entrance. The abruptness of it silenced the laughter around the mini-golf course. Lincoln froze, his heart lurching.
The driver's door swung open.
A cloaked figure stepped out, long robes brushing the asphalt. His face, pale and angular, was partially obscured beneath the shadow of a hood—but Lincoln didn't need a full view to recognize him.
"Korde," he whispered, breath catching in his throat. "That's him. That's the warlock from my nightmare."
Ronnie Anne stepped in front of Lincoln without hesitation, eyes narrowed. "Hey! You lost, creep? This place doesn't sell cursed antiques or whatever you're looking for."
Korde didn't speak. Instead, he lifted his hand, a ripple of dark energy forming in his palm. With a sharp flick of his fingers, an invisible force hurled Ronnie Anne backward. She crashed into a trash can, tumbling over it with a metallic clang.
"Ronnie Anne!" Lincoln shouted, rushing forward—but before he could reach her, that same magic wrapped around him like unseen chains. He was yanked off his feet and pulled toward the black car.
"No!" Lori screamed, already sprinting after them.
Lincoln struggled, trying to resist the pull, but the force was too strong. The car door opened by itself, and Lincoln was dragged inside. The door slammed shut.
Korde turned and stepped back into the driver's seat. The engine roared louder than before—unnaturally so—as if powered by something more than gasoline.
Ronnie Anne scrambled to her feet, her face twisted in fury. "He's not getting away!"
Lori, Bobby, and Ronnie Anne jumped into Lori's van, the tires squealing as she floored it out of the lot. They tore down the street, weaving through weekend traffic as the black car darted ahead.
"He's fast," Bobby muttered, gripping the handle on his door.
"No," Lori said, eyes locked on the car ahead. "That car's not normal."
Despite her expert maneuvering—cutting tight corners, threading through gaps between cars, and even gliding around a stalled food truck—the black vehicle only gained distance.
But then, fate threw them a break.
The black car suddenly jolted, the front-right tire bursting with a loud pop. Sparks flew as the rim scraped along the pavement, and Korde swerved, losing control. His vehicle skidded wildly before slamming front-first into a fire hydrant, sending a geyser of water shooting into the sky.
Inside the car, Korde slammed the steering wheel. He hissed, furious. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror—Lori's van was closing in fast.
Not wanting to let them win, not even by accident, Korde reached into his robe.
He raised his hand from inside his car, fingers curled as if he were summoning something from the air itself. A brilliant, smoking bomb materialized in front of him, shimmering with a lavender light.
Without a word, Korde left his own car and dropped the bomb onto the car floor. The moment it hit, it cracked open like an egg, releasing a thick lavender mist that quickly spread through the car.
Lincoln coughed once, instinctively covering his nose, but the vapor worked fast. His body slumped against the seat, eyes fluttering as confusion washed over him.
Why is he leaving? He thought, eyelids growing heavy. He had me. Why run?
But he didn't get the answer.
Outside, Korde had already stepped out of the car and slipped into the fog, vanishing like a shadow retreating from the light. His cloak fluttered behind him, and within seconds, he was gone.
The van screeched to a halt just yards behind the wrecked car. Lori was the first out, her sneakers pounding the pavement as she sprinted toward the dark vehicle. Bobby and Ronnie Anne followed close behind.
"Lincoln!" Lori shouted, trying the handle on the passenger door. It was locked. Her heart raced as she tried again. "Come on!" She pulled harder, frustration and fear clouding her mind.
"Bobby, help me!" Lori shouted.
Bobby hurried to her side, and together, they pulled with all their strength. With a final tug, the door creaked open. Lori didn't wait for a second. She reached in and gently pulled Lincoln's body out of the car, cradling him in her arms.
"Lincoln!" she whispered, her voice trembling as she shook him. "Wake up, Linc. Please…"
Tears welled up in her eyes as she pressed her forehead to his. The feeling of his limp form in her arms sent waves of panic crashing through her. "Please don't leave me, baby bro," she whispered, choking on the words. "You can't let this creep win."
She held him tighter, praying for some sign that he would wake up, but the minutes stretched on like hours. It felt as though the whole world had stopped spinning. No movement. No response. Just the sharp thudding of her heart.
Suddenly, Bobby's voice broke through the tension. "Maybe... perhaps you should try kissing him, Ronnie Anne."
Ronnie Anne blinked, her brows furrowing as she turned to look at him. "What?"
Bobby gave her an encouraging look. "I mean, it's like a fairy tale thing, right? The whole 'true love's kiss' could work, right? It's worth a shot."
Ronnie Anne gave a dry laugh, the situation not quite fitting for a storybook ending. "Yeah, except this isn't a fairy tale, Bobby."
She stared down at Lincoln, her heart aching, unsure. But then she glanced up at Lori's tear-streaked face and knew they were running out of time. Maybe it was crazy. Possibly, it wouldn't work. But if there was any chance, she couldn't just sit there and do nothing.
"Fine," she muttered, swallowing her uncertainty. "I'll try."
Ronnie Anne leaned down and gently brushed a strand of Lincoln's hair from his forehead. Her fingers lingered for just a moment before she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, hoping something—anything—would break the spell that had him trapped in unconsciousness.
But nothing happened.
No sudden awakening, no change in the air, no spark of energy. Just silence, filled only by the distant hum of the world beyond them. Lincoln remained motionless in Lori's arms, the faintest hint of a shallow breath escaping his lips.
Ronnie Anne sat back, disappointment settling in her chest. "Nothing," she said, her voice low and regretful.
Lori let out a shaky breath, her face pale. She'd seen the same lack of reaction when Ronnie Anne tried. Her heart dropped as she held Lincoln tighter. She couldn't lose him. Not like this. She wouldn't give up on him.
Lori glanced at Bobby and Ronnie Anne, her eyes set with resolve. "I'll try something else. It's worth a shot."
She placed her hands gently on Lincoln's face, her eyes softening as she gazed down at him. "Please, Linc. Come back to me."
Her lips brushed against his forehead in a tender kiss, the most pure and loving kiss she could give.
And then, it happened.
Lincoln's eyes fluttered open, gasping for air. His arms immediately reached for her, pulling her into a tight embrace as he gasped out, "Lori!"
Tears filled her eyes as she hugged him back, relief and joy flooding her all at once. "You're okay, Linc. You're safe."
Ronnie Anne and Bobby rushed forward, and the four of them formed a tight group hug. The weight of the situation seemed to finally lift, and for the first time in what felt like forever, they could breathe easy.
"We thought we lost you," Bobby murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
Ronnie Anne joined in, holding Lincoln's other side. "Yeah, you scared the heck out of us."
"I'm sorry," Lincoln said, his voice still weak but full of gratitude. "Thank you... for not giving up on me."
Lori wiped a tear from her cheek, smiling softly at him. "You're my little brother, Linc. I'm never giving up on you."
Ronnie Anne leaned back, giving Lincoln a curious look. "But why did it work for you? You kissed him, and he woke up. I tried, and nothing happened. Why?"
Lincoln furrowed his brow, his head still spinning from the effects of the mist. He didn't have an answer, but he thought about it for a moment, tapping his fingers on the couch nervously.
"I don't really know," he said quietly. "Maybe... maybe it's because you're my sister, Lori. The love between us... it's... it's stronger than anything else. It's just different."
Lori's heart softened at his words. "I don't care about why it worked. All that matters is that you're here, and we're together."
But Ronnie Anne's mind was still swirling with questions. She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "I get it," she said after a beat. "It's family. But still, I'm just... I don't know. I thought maybe something else would work."
"Maybe it's not about the kiss, but about the love that comes with it," Bobby said quietly. "Love is a pretty powerful thing, you know?"
Ronnie Anne nodded slowly, chewing on his words. "Yeah... maybe. I guess that makes sense."
Lori took a deep breath, then looked around at all of them. "We need to tell the rest of the family. This isn't over. That creep is still out there."
Lincoln's expression grew serious, and he looked around at everyone. "I don't want to scare them, though. I mean, this whole thing is just... it's crazy. They'll freak out."
Lori placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. "Linc, we can't keep this to ourselves. We need to prepare. We need the whole family to know what's going on."
Lincoln sighed but nodded. He trusted Lori—he always had. If she said this was the best move, then it probably was.
"I just don't want to make it worse for them," he said softly.
Ronnie Anne glanced around the room and then nodded. "Yeah, I agree. We can't leave them in the dark."
"Exactly," Lori said, standing up. "The more people who know, the more we can protect each other. We're stronger when we're together."
As Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, Bobby and Lori entered the car to drive back home, Korde stood in the shadows, watching them leave. His mind churned with thoughts of revenge. He had underestimated Lori's resolve, but he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
He had already begun to form a new plan, one that would be more devious, more dangerous. Tomorrow, he will strike again, and this time, the sisters will not be so lucky.
Korde returns back to his lair to rest and wait for his next move. The warlock would not give up easily. Tomorrow would bring a new opportunity, and this time, he would not fail.