Shin Ghost Note

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

For the non-discord peeps, I rewrote EVERYONE's description on the character list, including their abstractions. And removed all the dead characters who are unimportant.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

New NPCs

Gabriela.Valos
54 | Gabriela Mya Valos Sr | "Don't climb that ladder, build your own."	Description: Née Bennet. Gabriela grew up in a vibrant neighborhood in Los Angeles, surrounded by various cultures and influences that shaped her into a strong, independent woman. From a young age, she exhibited a fierce ambition and a knack for navigating the complexities of life in a city that thrived on competition and opportunity. With parents who instilled the value of hard work, Gabriela excelled in her studies and developed a passion for business, often dreaming of running her empire one day. Her path crossed with Jason Valos during his rise to power in the nightlife scene. Attracted to his charisma and ambition, Gabriela saw in him a partner who shared her drive for success. They quickly fell in love, and their relationship flourished as they built a life together, eventually marrying and starting a family. Gabriela became the backbone of Jason's various business ventures, leveraging her keen instincts and organizational skills to help expand their empire. While she supported Jason’s ambitions, Gabriela also sought to carve out her own identity within their world, establishing herself as a formidable businesswoman in her own right. Despite her glamorous lifestyle, Gabriela remains grounded and deeply connected to her family. She is a loving mother to Gabe and Jake, always prioritizing their well-being and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. Gabriela’s nurturing side often contrasts with her fierce determination in the boardroom, where she is known for her no-nonsense attitude and sharp negotiating skills. While she admires Jason’s ambition, she sometimes struggles with the darker aspects of his past and the criminal undercurrents of their empire. Abstraction: Unknown.
Elynn.Pimm
32 | Elynn Veronica Pimm | She/Her "Love is nothing but a weapon."	Description: Elynn Pimm’s childhood was a strange mix of luxury and darkness, where wealth concealed the deep dysfunction of her family. Alan Pimm, a charismatic actor beloved by the public, ruled the household with manipulation and cruelty, creating a toxic environment between Elynn and her siblings. Emotional abuse was the norm, and the Pimm children quickly learned that love was just another tool for control. Even more disturbing was the family's secret indulgence in incestuous relationships, a taboo they embraced as part of their twisted dynamics. This dark, unspoken bond only deepened their loyalty to each other while isolating them from the outside world. From a young age, Elynn showed a keen intellect, using her insight to understand power dynamics within her family. Though often overshadowed by her more flamboyant siblings, Elynn quietly studied the games of manipulation and control that defined the Pimm household. Magic fascinated her, but her Kindling Event was anything but natural, forcibly triggered by her father using an ancient artifact called the Eye of Reverie. This ring could induce a traumatic vision, pushing the wearer to confront their deepest fears to unlock their Lux. In a nightmarish hallucination, Elynn relived the twisted manipulation and cruelty of her childhood, culminating in a horrifying illusion where she was forced to murder her parents. The experience shattered her emotionally but unleashed her potential as an Adept. However, the trauma left deep scars, forever binding her to the darkness of her family’s legacy. For a time, Elynn hoped she might escape her lineage’s darkness by forging her path through magic. But the insidious nature of the Pimms - especially the incestuous bonds between her and her siblings - kept pulling her deeper into the family's corrupted legacy. Eventually, Elynn realized that her parents were obstacles to her true ambition. Inspired by whispered rumors of the family’s connection to a long-forgotten cult in St. Portwell, Elynn began to see their deaths as a way to inherit their wealth and the ultimate power to reshape the city. With her siblings at her side, they plotted their parents' murder, seeing it as the final step in freeing themselves from any remaining restraints. The night they killed Alan and Grace was a chilling mix of calculated violence and emotional release, marking the moment Elynn fully embraced her role as the leader of the Pimm family. After her parents' deaths, Elynn wasted no time asserting control over the family fortune and their standing within the Elite. Elynn Pimm's aspirations for the Elite extend beyond mere wealth and influence. While Blake views the organization as a way to gain power, Elynn sees it as a means to reshape the world around her according to her vision. She imagines the Elite as the largest Paranormal faction and as a ruling force dictating the balance of power in St. Portwell and beyond. Her leadership style, far more calculated and ruthless than Blake's, is driven by her desire to turn the city into a playground of hedonism and excess, where the Elite reigns supreme. Elynn knows the organization's potential and plans to exploit it fully, transforming the faction into a reflection of her own ambition and moral decay. Regarding Blake Schmidt, Elynn holds a mixture of disdain and strategic appreciation. She recognizes Blake’s incompetence and deluded sense of grandeur but also knows how to manipulate his ego for her gain. Blake’s obsession with magical power amuses Elynn—he is little more than a bumbling fool playing at greatness. However, his wealth, connections, and many artifacts make him a helpful pawn in her giant game. Elynn exploits Blake’s desperation for the Stygian Snake and indulges his leadership fantasies while quietly pulling the strings behind the scenes. To her, Blake is a means to an end, a tool she will discard once he outlives his usefulness. Yet, she has a strange bond with Phillis Schmidt. Abstraction: Unknown.
Chester.Pimm
38 | Chester Everett Pimm | He/Him "When I speak, they listen - because they know what happens when they don’t."	Description: Chester Pimm is the aggressive counterpart to his sister Elynn's calculated manipulation. Raised in the same toxic environment of luxury, emotional abuse, and incestuous control, Chester quickly became the enforcer of the Pimm family. The deeply entwined familial relationships fostered loyalty and competition among the siblings, often manifesting in complex dynamics marked by rivalry and an unsettling intimacy. While Elynn mastered the subtleties of power through manipulation, Chester embraced the raw, physical aspect of control, using his presence and prowess to bend others to his will. He was feared and admired equally among his siblings, a towering figure who took pleasure in asserting his authority whenever necessary. This dynamic made Chester the protector of the Pimm family and the one most willing to get his hands dirty, whether in family matters or their rise within the Elite. Chester’s role as the second in command of the Pimm family within the Elite is a natural extension of his upbringing. While Elynn handles the intricacies of strategy and manipulation, Chester ruthlessly executes their plans. He thrives in the more contentious aspects of the family’s dealings - dealing with enemies, keeping their followers in line, and ensuring that no one questions the Pimm family’s authority. As a man who understands power in its most direct form, Chester uses fear as his greatest weapon within the Elite and in the larger city of St. Portwell. His leadership style is straightforward: exert control by being the strongest in any room. Whether through physical intimidation or the sheer weight of his personality, Chester makes sure that those around him either fall in line or are removed from the equation entirely. Chester’s loyalty to his family, particularly to Elynn, runs deep, though his respect for her comes from recognizing her as the only person capable of matching his thirst for power. While he trusts her vision, his temper and violent tendencies often threaten to destabilize the delicate balance she tries to maintain within the Elite. Chester views the Elite as a means to gain wealth and influence and as a tool for the Pimm family to assert dominance over the entire Paranormal world. To him, the Elite should be an iron-fisted organization, feared and respected by all. Chester’s brutal leadership style and Elynn’s cunning make the Pimm family formidable. Chester is more than willing to do whatever it takes to ensure their reign continues, whether through politics, violence, or a combination of both. Outside the Elite, Chester’s ambitions reach toward a different form of control: political power. He is either running for the position by presenting himself as a man of the people. Chester has perfected the public persona of a strong leader who promises to restore order and prosperity to the city. He’s a charismatic figure to the public - rigid, unyielding, and decisive. His speeches are filled with rhetoric, promising to clean up crime, cut through the city's political gridlock, and bring back a sense of pride to St. Portwell. Behind this facade, however, lies the exact violent, power-hungry figure that dominates the Pimm household. Chester sees politics as another battlefield where force and intimidation are still the ultimate tools of control. Those who oppose him in his campaign or within the city’s political structure often face mysterious threats or become his victims. Abstraction: Unknown.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

---

The House of Cards Mafia & The Elite.

^{Featuring the introductions Elynn & Chester Pimm, and Gabriela Valos.}

Interactions: None.

Paragon Halls.

---

---

Discussions were heating up as the House of Cards limo made their way to the Paragon halls. Valencia was dressed in a decored black suit, sitting beside Demos, who wore a slick black leather suit. Across from Valencia sat Isabella, hat drawn low over her eyes and puffed blouse sleeves softening her figure.

Isabella was leaned forward, hands raised, as if trying to grasp reason and shove it into Valencia's head. “With all due respect, Mother, if the Sycamore catches wind of you outting them on the deal, we're going to have fifteen-plus powerful adepts on our doorstep. Probably more with how their alliances are.”

“They're not going to find out. Luna's kept her mouth shut.” Valencia said, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah? What about people like Mr. Kane, hm? How do you think the Elite caught wind of your desperate search for the notes? Who's to say Mr. Kane won't ring the bell?”

Isabella pinched the bridge between her nose, taking a breath, before her voice lowered, her eyes tilting up to meet Valencia's. “Ma'am, we've been through so much. We can't take another information leak. The first left us without Phantasia, rest her soul. If my suspicions are right-”

“If your suspicions are right, then we tighten security when this all goes down, and plan backdoors in case things go south.” Valencia said, her tone hard. “I've got too much riding on this alliance with the Elite. This could be our big ticket to more opportunities around St. Portwell, connections. You know how important those are to our own prosperity, Isabella.”

“And what of Luna? What if push comes to shove? Do you really think she'd choose us over her coven?”

Valencia was quick in her response. “She knows the punishment for disobeying a direct order. She's loyal. I wouldn't have made her Underboss if that wasn't the case.

“Now, are there any other concerns you wish to air out, Isabella?”

Isabella stared for a moment, before reluctantly sitting back in her seat. “Just one. With our new intel, what do you plan on doing…?”

Valencia flashed her wolfish grin. “I'll tell you. Mr. Valos is gonna hate it, that's for certain.”

---

Blumenkranz - Kill la Kill OST

---

Paragon Halls were active at night… security was through the roof as the various families of the Elite were assembled in the conference room. The Schmidts were all in their seat, with the Liu Family represented by Jiao-Long and his wife, Chunhua. However, another family was present… The Pimms. The leader of the Pimm branch of the Elite, Elynn Pimm, sat in her chair with her legs crossed and her fingers steepled. She was wearing a black suit and tie, and next to her was her esteemed brother and mayor-candidate, Chester Pimm, who stood with his arms behind his back. The room was eerily silent, as the tension was so thick one could cut it with a knife.

The doors opened, and Jason Valos hobbled in, with his wife, Gabriela Valos, at his side wearing an ornate black dress. He walked into the room.

“You’re late,” Elynn quietly said.

“The fuck I ain’t,” Jason said before he flashed her a grin. “I’m a minute early in fact. So shut the fuck up, Elynn.”

Elynn rolled her eyes.

“Jason, you’re here!” Blake said with a wide smile, clutching a glass of wine while Phillis sat beside him. “I hope everyone’s ready! Our guest of honor should be here any minute now.”

“... We don’t have everyone,” Chester nodded.

“Well, fuck ‘im,” Jason said as he hobbled over to his chair and sat down. “I put out a time, and if they want to treat it like an afterthought? Not my problem.” He rolled his eyes.

“Actually,” Chester took a step forward; his sister said something quietly to him, but he ignored her. “Let’s address the elephant in the room.”

Jason grinned again.

“... Got something to get off your chest there… Chesty?” He laughed. “Geddit?”

“I do, in fact,” Chester narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. “... Why are you inducting that freak, Sage, into your part of the Elite?”

Jason kept that grin. “... Why are you worrying about it? You said it yourself, ’your part of the Elite’. As in, my part. Not your part. My part. It’s none of your business.”

“It is my business.” Chester shot back, baring teeth.

“Look, Chester-” Elynn tried to pipe up.

“Look Chesty,” Jason grinned, “If you’re so worried about Sage’s induction fucking with what little ‘authority’ - and I use that word’ loosely - you have here then maybe you should go bitch at your sister. Not me.”

“What game are you playing here, Jason?” Chester asked, “I know that freak, and they wouldn’t want anything to do with us without a reason… Just like how I know you wouldn’t help that freak unless it benefits you.”

“... And here I was thinking the untreated syphilis finally rotted your brain, Chesty.” Jason laughed before clapping his hands together and putting them up. “You do have a brain… but it don’t work all that good, though.” Jason laughed.

“You think this is all a joke?! A fucking game!?” Chester shouted, pounding his fists on the table.

“Enough!” Elynn’s voice sliced through like a blade and stood tall, “This isn’t the time for petty insults. Chester has a point. Sage is up to something. You’re up to something. We can’t afford that kind of instability right now.”

“‘That kind of instability’?” Jason raised an eyebrow, incredulously laughing. “Bitch, you say that, and your got those two crazy bitches acting as your attack dogs.”

He paused for dramatic effect; his grin widened, “... Tell me what about those two screams stable?”

“You want to talk about stability?!” Elynn hissed, slamming her hands on the table. “My sisters, those ‘two crazy bitches,’ as you so elegantly put it, are fiercely loyal and effective. Unlike you, who seems obsessed with jeopardizing everything we’ve worked for every chance you get!”

“Now, you know that’s bullshit,” Jason laughed again, leaning back in his chair. “Those two are a disaster on four legs. It’s only time until those two just crash out.” He laughed.

“... Surprised it hasn’t happened already.”

“They’re loyal to us,” Chester said. Unlike you, they know how to follow orders when necessary.”

“Bullshit!” Jason laughed. “They’re loyal to their fuckin’ impulses. Why else would they flit around like lunatics literally every chance they get?”

“And yet their chaos has proven useful time and time again. You forget, Jason, that a little unpredictability can be our greatest weapon,” Elynn calmly said as she sat back down and steepled her fingers.

Jason shot her a condescending glance. “... Up until that unpredictability fucks you over, Elynn.”

“That unpredictability hasn’t once screwed us over,” Elynn said, not even looking in Jason’s direction. “And you know why? Because I know how to control it.

“You’re fuckin’ nuts if you think you can control those two, Elynn,” Jason laughed at the notion. “They’re one intrusive thought away from killing the whole lot of ya’ll!”

“Better wild and loyal than a coward that undermines us at every turn!” Chester shouted.

“Shouldn’t you be busy fucking your sister?” Jason gave Chester the biggest shit-eating grin. Chester’s face went red, and he began shaking. However, Jason didn’t stop there...

“... After all, you’re such a knuckleheaded fuck-up you somehow couldn’t get a girl to bend over for you even if you throw all the money in the world at her.” He began laughing. “So, I don’t think you have no choice, do you?”

“Alright, fuck you!” Chester shouted, charging over to Jason, who drew his pistol.

“Try me, you ugly fuck up,” Jason began.

“Surely, that’s enough!” Jiao-Long shouted as he raised his hands and began waving them. “We have guests coming! This is incredibly poo-”

The doors opened.

To say the lay of the room was surprising was an understatement, but Valencia knew an opportunity when she saw one. As she and Demos walked into the room, she flashed her wolfish smile, first to Blake, then to Jason.

“Boss-man Schmidt, a fine evening with you around.” Valencia said, before addressing Jason, side-eying the new Elite member currently about to throw hands with him.

“Mr. Valos, though I'm all for a good fight… might I have a word with you, privately.” Her wolfish smile widened. “It's terribly pertinent.”

Her hand gestured to Demos, who had taken another step into the room. “I'll leave my husband to regale you.”

Jason glanced at Chester.

Then flipped him off.

Before sliding his sidearm into his coat pocket and turning towards Valencia, he limped over to her on his cane and said, “Let’s go; there’s a private room over here.” Jason hobbled toward the side of the room, his cane tapping in rhythm with each step, though his confident swagger remained intact.

Jason shot a quick glance back at Chester and Elynn, he muttered under his breath, “... Jackasses.”

Jason said as he pushed open an oak door with a grunt. Inside, the private room was dimly lit from a low-hanging chandelier. A large mahogany table sat in the center, surrounded by plush leather chairs. Thick velvet curtains were drawn over the windows, sealing them in from the world outside. “After you,” Jason gestured, holding the door open as Valencia stepped past him, and he stepped in, closing the door after him. Jason stood by the door and said,

“... So, what’s up?” Jason asked. “Is this about the last time we met? Lady, it was nothing personal; I’m just trying to protect our pockets.”

Valencia took a couple steps into the room before turning back to face Jason, her eyes like little shards of ice.

“...No. This is about something else entirely.”

A smirk, and she reached into her suit's inner pocket, pulling out a small recorder. Her finger hovered over the ‘play’ button.

“Now, before you get any funny ideas, I have copies of this, so don't try and steal it.”

Valencia pressed the button, and a recording of the conversation between young voices.

“Maybe it’d be worth snatching those notes from Blake…”

“... Yes, I think we should.”

“...We’re basically Elite already. Getting them can’t be that hard, right?”

Valencia pressed a button on the recorder, and the recording stopped. Her eyes glinted up at Jason.

“From what I've gathered, they're yours, aren't they…?”

She leaned back, resting her back against the edge of the table, smirking. She wondered if Jason could tell where she was going with this.

“Now, it would be a real shame if the rest of the families heard about this… tragic news that your own blood wants to overthrow authority here. Betray your own people.”

Her smirk widened. “What would they think? Better yet, what would they do? To you, to the young ones. Ostracizing you would be a given, if they're that generous. Loss of trust, of course. And that'll eat your profits for a long time.”

She paused, watching Jason's face, before she leaned in. “That is… if I tell them.”

Jason stared at Valencia, completely blankfaced before he grinned ear to ear.

“Oh, you’re clever, ain’t you?” Jason began. “I knew they were up to something… I knew you were up to something.” He began laughing softly.

“So, what do you want? Money? That bitch’s manifesto?”

Valencia's smirk mirrored Jason's. ”One million, and I'll forget all about it. You can wire transfer me here.”

“... And how don’t I know you’ll just show those bastards anyway?” Jason raised an eyebrow. “I ain’t born yesterday.”

Valencia's head rolled slightly, staring at him, before she spoke. “Eye for an eye. I'll give you incriminating files on one of my men. That way, you have evidence to jail him if I talk. Sound fair?

“Of course, after you wire transfer me.”

Jason stared at Valencia for a moment, clenching his jaw before he sighed. “... Fine, you win this round, lady.”

Reaching into his coat, Jason pulled out his phone and, with a few taps, began the wire transfer. As the screen loaded, he glanced up at Valencia…

“... I’ll have you know you’re playing a very dangerous game here, lady,” Jason seethed, shaking his head. “The kind of games that end badly.”

Valencia had a serious expression on her face. ”I realize that.”

After a few seconds, his phone beeped in confirmation. “... It's done. Now where are the files on your men?”

Valencia immediately pulled out her own phone, confirming the transfer. Indeed, the funds had been transferred to her account.

Good.

Valencia reclined her back a little more against the table, finding the drive that held the files. A quick share, and Jason would find a folder filled with pdfs, audio files and photos available for him to download, all from a text with a shareable link.

Valencia looked up from her phone. “His name is Gianno Francesco. Has a lot of dirt on his hands that I've kept for a rainy day. But lucky for you, it's all yours. Enough evidence to put him away for 25 years, if not life.”

She clicked off her phone and slipped it back into her inner breast pocket. ”Now I believe that makes us even. Shall we return to your people?”

“Hmph,” Jason rolled his eyes, and hobbled out of the room back into the main room with the others.

---

The main hall was quiet after Jason and Valencia left. The faint hum of the building’s ventilation system was the only sound that broke the uneasy silence. Blake Schmidt sat at the head of the table, reclining casually, a thin smile on his face as he said,

“Have a seat my boy! We have much to discuss, don’t we?!” Blake steepled his fingers.

“... I don’t trust him,” Phillis was the first to speak up, whispering in Blake’s ear.

Blake was silent.

“Oh, my dear Cassandra,” Blake said, not even bothering with whispering, “I got all of this in the bag. Just trust me.”

Blake leaned forward, his smile unwavering.

“Let me just say that it is great to meet you! We look forward to working with the House of Cards, don’t we?!” Blake grandiosity said, to relative silence and eye-rolling.

“... I would like to get to know you all a bit more,” Jiao-Long noted with a silent nod.

“That, that!” Blake loudly said. “What’s your name? Tell us about your organization’s goals and accomplishments. And how you came to your position!”

Demos stared out at the faces staring back at him, before she shrugged, taking a seat in one of the seats. “Demos Castles. Let me tell you a little story about myself…

“I was a young lad at the time, could barely grow fuzz on my chin. I walked into a bank during business hours, and I robbed it. Months of planning, to know which safety deposit boxes were heavy. It only took small explosions at the right place to pop them open, and dump out their contents. I was gone before the police, paranormal and mundane, came to the scene.

“I've always been one for antiques, physical wealth. With the gold and limited pieces I collected, I amassed five million that day.”

The story was sugar icing. Pleasant to listen to, but withheld any meaningful details. He, of course, hadn't answered Blake’s question directly.

Demos leaned back in his seat, gloved hand resting on the polished table. “I know my wife is very pleased to be working with you, Mr. Schmidt. Tell me, what's your stance on fencing? We're always looking for business partners who'll give our… lifted antiques a good new home.”

“Fencing you say?!” Blake grinned as he leaned back further into his chair. "Well, Mr. Castles, I do believe every business transaction has its, shall we say, artistic side. And, of course, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the occasional… transfer of valuable items!”

Demos nodded. “That's good to hear. It just so happens we have a new shipment of antique and new art pieces, and some precious metal pieces dating back 500 years. Perhaps we can set a time to discuss that business when it's convenient for you, Mr. Schmidt?”

Blake grinned.

“We can do it right now!” Blake shouted, “No time like the present!”

“... I thought we had an important meeting here,” Elynn piped up, crossing her arms as she glanced at Blake. “We all don’t need to be here just so you two can discuss buying art.”

“Unless it’s an Artifact,” Phillis added. “Or a sealed Apparition. Then that’s an entirely different subject matter, Elynn.”

Demos's eyes flickered, betraying a slight hunger, before he leaned forward, leaning his chin on steepled fingers. “If I said I could commission an Artifact for you, for the right price… What would you say to that?”

Blake’s face contorted into a wolfish grin.

“... Now you’re speaking my language!” Blake excitedly said, “Say! How long have you all been operating in St. Portwell?! I wish we met sooner!”

Demos’ eyes crinkled slightly. “About twenty-five years, but we prefer not to make too much noise. You know how it is.”

Cassandra and Angela looked at each other before Blake could respond. The door opened, and Jason rejoined the group…

“Jason! You’re back! Is everything well?!” Blake said, with a wide grin on his face.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s good,” Jason shook his head as he held his seat in Paragon Hall with the Valos family crest. He looked to the left, and to the right, then his gaze landed on Valencia, “Alright, let’s get to work, shall we?”

“Yes, you assembled us for something,” Elynn sipped her wine. “Let’s get this dog and pony show on the road already.”

Valencia took a seat beside Demos, smoothing out her suit. ”I'm all ears.”

“I assembled you all here to hash out the details on assembling those damn notes,” Jason spat out. “So that we’re all on the same page here.”

Elynn rolled her eyes, her head turning a different direction, “What’s so important about those damn notes anyway? Kari is dead, and unless they lead to more artifacts or resources we can ultilize, this is all a waste of time.” Elynn finished with a shrug

Blake straightened in his chair, "Ah, but that’s where you're mistaken, my dear Elynn. Those notes could be the key to unlocking new potentials, wouldn’t you agree?”

Elynn was silent, but Jason turned towards Valencia and Demos.

“... I’m just going to cut to the chase,” Jason said, “Me, Blake, and Jiao-Long have discussed using our laboratories on our headquarters, Elysium Island, as “our grounds” to decipher the notes. Then we get both of our muscle on the island, and that’s when we activate our two security measures, The Eustis Veil and The Eye of Ankhara so nobody gets on the island, and if they do, they’re going to have a hard time flitting around without us knowing.”

Jason nodded his head, glancing at Blake, then Jiao-Long.

“Is this Thursday a good time to decipher the notes so we can finally learn all the dirty little secrets that bitch had?”

Valencia paused for a moment before she nodded, grinning a little. ”Thursday works. Tell me a little more about your security measures, though. The Eustis Veil and the Eye. So I can be on the same page.”

Blake smiled like a fool, and Jason rolled his eyes.

“... I’ll let Blake take the floor on this one.”

“Thank you, my friend!” Blake began. “The heart of our defenses on Elysium Island was created by a genius named Eustis Avitus. Who fused the essence of a powerful Apparition into the Veil! When activated, it summons a chaotic storm that disrupts any teleportation magic! Anyone who tries to breach the perimeter through magic will find themselves lost in a storm of black clouds and lightning!”

“... Make sure to tell them about the downsides,” Elynn rolled her eyes.

“Oh, it’s nothing, my dear Elynn!” Blake laughed at her before turning back to Valencia, “Inside the dome created by the storm, you’re safe from its physical fury, but the longer you stay, the more you risk succumbing to the influence of the Apparition. It whispers; it pulls at your sanity. It’s a clever trap...” He shrugged.

“Oh yes, and the Eye of Ankhara, our surveillance system. Nefertari Ankhara, the creator, infused it with her mastery over sound and perception. Once activated, it creates a network of soundwaves that detect any movement or disruption up to a mile away. If someone enters the area too quickly or creates too much noise, the Eye illuminates their aura and alerts us. It’s sensitive to magical activities, too. Is there any use of magic in its vicinity? Instant exposure.”

Valencia nodded, brows furrowing slightly in thought. “...I'll want to be in the control room where the data from the Eye is relayed, so I can move my men as need be. It's likely we will have one group stationed outside the lab, one in another location… I'll need to see a map of the floor plan to best place them strategically.

“And just to confirm, no windows or ventilation shafts in the lab room where the decoding will take place, right?”

“There is no control room, my dear; if somebody sets off the Eye everyone will be informed,” Blake nodded.

Though, Jason turned his gaze towards Blake, and narrowed his eyes.

“There are no windows, but there are ventilation shafts; our people need to breathe, after all!” Blake said with a nod. “But, a floorplan is easy work! Our headquarters has two layers: the mansion above and all our facilities underneath! I can get it to you pronto!”

Then Jason facepalmed.

Valencia glanced at Jason, before grinning at Blake. ”Appreciated. As I mentioned before, I'll have my little genius take care of the decoding. We won't rest until those notes are laid out bare.

“Now, unless there was anything else…? I ought to get my people prepared…”

All the members of the Elite looked at each other as Blake just smiled. He got up from his seat, and walked over to Valencia, and extended a hand.

“Now, I’m looking forward to working with you all,” Blake began. “Hopefully, we’ll be working together more… People like us, you know, don’t have a lot of friends, and a lot of people who would love to see us fall.”

Blake laughed before he said,

“... So, perhaps an alliance is in order!?”

Jason leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes.

Valencia calmly stood, sliding her hand into Blake’s to shake. Her grip was firm.

”Then let's make it official. The Elite-House Alliance, born today, this Tuesday, November the 8th. Your enemies are my enemies. Your friends are my friends. May we both enjoy a long, prosperous alliance.”

Demos raised his hands and gave a light round of applause. The rest of the Schmidts and Lius joined him… Jason and his wife, and the Pimms just remained silent.

Blake just laughed as he gripped Valencia’s hand.

“Together, we will all achieve our goals!”

---

---

---

It was now a full twenty four hours since Lynn had her last drink, and she was feeling like hell in the middle of some cheap coffee shop . The bags under her eyes, the red look contained within them, and the constant shaking of her leg betrayed this. She had a finger in her mouth that her teeth began to chatter on and her nail. Still, this was suffering that was needed. Lynn knew that the possible trip to the pit was already dangerous, and it would be downright impossible if she was drunk, or dealing with these withdrawals then. A second passed before Lynn admitted to herself that she did not get sober for a possible trip to the literal hell of the magical world. She wanted to get sober because she was a fuck up and she could not live like one anymore. Lynn tried to fight the withdrawals with a plethora of sweet treats and sweet drinks. She had a Caramel Frappuccino, a smattering of Deez Nutz, a local chocolate covered nut, and a few cookies. The table was messy, but there was no point in being neat in a condition like this.

Lynn’s eyes darted to her phone as it finally hit noon. Drake would be here in less than a minute provided he wasn’t feeling generous to a homeless person, or rescuing a cat from a tree, or if he tried to take a shortcut and ended up in a traffic jam, or if he left a few minutes later than the futures told her, or if he got a call that he had to take, or if a freak windstorm blew him over and injured him, or if there was a water main explosion right under his car, or if the snake had broken free and Drake was one of the first victims of the new reign of terror, or-

The roar of Drake’s all-black Dodge Charger could be heard pulling into a spot… followed by the sound of the door opening when Drake Blackmore walked in. He wore a black leather jacket, jeans, a black t-shirt, a black watch, boots, a black chain, and a black baseball cap. He scanned the room a bit before walking over to Lynn with a smile.

”... Damn you look like shit,” Drake awkwardly laughed. ”Rough night?”

“Yep” Lynn knew that she looked like shit. “the roughest of my life so far,” Lynn smiled weakly but her eyes did not contain any joy. “Thank you for coming though,” Lynn paused as she grabbed another sweet treat and ate it, “ready to hear what I have to say about Goro and Yoko?”

Drake took a seat, then leaned back, putting his hands behind his head, ”Hit me.”

“I don’t know why he went in, or how he got there, but I do know that Goro is in the pit. Yoko, I do know, went in to find her brother. They’re still there as of today, but I think they’ll find their own way out eventually…if the idiots they’re with focus,” Lynn made sure to not drop too much detail about what she saw. There was no point in telling someone that three of their dead friends had somehow returned from the maw of the hound and were in the pit fighting every single day. She’d never seen a person who died in the past in the future before. Lynn paused as she looked at Drake, and then back to the table before she tossed a handful of Deez Nutz into her mouth. “Drake, I’ve never seen this before. I’ve never seen someone I know for a fact is dead alive in the future. Yoko is with Lisa, Ella, and Saiska.”

Drake was silent for a moment.

”... Who?”

Lynn blinked twice in rapid succession. Oh, they are doomed if they actually go to the pit with the covens ‘lights are on but nobody's home’ bad boy. Lynn’s eyes flashed green for a brief second as she pulled into the possible future, checking to see what way she could explain them.

“Anime girl who shouted her spells, spider girl who had her tits grabbed while flying away from Scott Reese and the edgy blood girl.”

”Yeah, don’t ring a bell,” Drake shrugged. ”So, wait, you said that they’re dead, but also alive? How’s that work?”

Lynn’s right eye twitched. “They were in our coven? They died ten years ago during the nightly battles we fought? Adora has crippling depression because she-…..you know what? Who they are isn’t important. They died, dead for a decade, but for some reason in twenty percent of the futures where we go to the Pit they’re there. I don’t know how. I’ve never seen something like that before and I’ve seen a lot of futures,” Lynn paused as she took a deep breath. She quickly grabbed the Frappuccino and took a big drink from it. “I could show you one of those possible futures.”

”I don’t really understand any of this, but hit me!” Drake said with a grin.

Lynn’s eyes flashed green and she was off to the possible future, projecting the vision onto the world so that Drake could see. It took just a moment for her to find the right way forward, and soon the vision began to show the potential details to Drake. After several, blazing fast seconds, Lynn’s vision began to slow down. The vision showed their position in the pit compromised. Several Autoknights had then surrounded.. Leon and Drake were both injured, Luna was nowhere to be seen, and it appeared the group was at their end. Suddenly, the knights were engaged and dispatched the metal monsters.

Lisa, Ella, and Saiska were painfully busy just being the worst people. Drake thankfully couldn’t hear what they said but their humor was crude, rude, and entirely unchanged from when they were kids. And then Yoko saw Drake, walked down, and began yelling at him. And yelling. And the yelling continued before she reached out and hugged him. Evelynn pulled herself out of the vision and groaned. The magic was feeling exceptionally brutal on her completely sober and withdrawal stricken mind.

“From there we would journey together, find Goro in one of fifty different places. The journey to him is even more dangerous, our group specifically is always woefully unprepared. In some of the futures you die not long after saving Goro, in some of the futures I die right before we find the exit from the Pit. In all the futures it seems like us going to the pit is almost more trouble than it’s worth. We always come home stronger, better equipped, and ready for what comes next, however.”

Drake leaned back in his chair, his casual smirk never fading.

"So let me get this straight…" Drake began. "We're going to the Pit, and there's a good chance we run into your dead friends or whatever who aren't dead anymore for some reason. But, like, we might also die trying to save Goro. And if we don’t die, we come back stronger. I’m not sure what part of this I’m supposed to be worried about."

He grinned. ”You’re acting like this is supposed to freak me out. But, come on, Lynn, haven’t we been through worse? Is it really worse? How can the Pit be any worse than fighting Stiggy?”

“I mean the pit is a wild place, that much is shown to me,” Lynn paused as she took a bite of a cookie. The sweets were not helping. She still felt like shit. Greyson was wrong. How could she get a reward if the cravings never end? “I want to be nothing but open. It will suck, arguably more than the fight with the snake. We had a lot more strength fighting that fight than we’d have fighting this one. The future tells me that the pit is important, but,” Lynn paused as she looked up to Drake, “I don’t know for sure. The last few days have given me…a clarity in the fog. That clarity is telling me that life is more complex than what the future shows.”

Drake raised an eyebrow.

”... And what do you mean by that?” He asked.

“I’m sober, just under a day now,” Lynn admitted, “I don’t know if it’ll last but I’m using my power for the first time…sober. Even back then I was drinking when we were fighting the snake. The future has always been this cold, detached, empty place that was empirical. Now, there’s more nuance to what I see. It feels more real to me. The emotions seem more real to me. And it hasn’t even been a day yet.”

Drake laughed heartily, "Usually it's the other way around. You start saying all the crazy shit when you're drunk…” He chuckled, shaking his head,

”So, if I am ‘getting it’, being sober is making you see the future different now? Well, how can we be sure it's not a side effect to your withdrawls or something?”

“Most of the visions of the pit I have checked were when I was drunk so,” Lynn paused, “I want to say that I got sober to get better at the future reading business but I just needed to. I think the added depth is just my brain screaming at me.”

”I mean, I’m no expert, but if the Pit looks bad when you’re drunk and even worse when you’re clear-headed, that’s gotta mean something, right? Maybe it’s not just your brain freaking out.” Drake replied.

“Who’s trying to freak out who now?” Lynn smiled as she looked across the coffee shop. “You may be onto something though.”

”Of course I’m onto something; I’m Drake Blackmore,” Drake grinned, ”But hey, if you’re saying I’m onto something, maybe we should start digging. See if there’s more to these visions than just a hangover and a panic attack.” He laughed.

“How should we start digging, and please tell me it’ll help with withdrawal symptoms?. Lynn placed their forehead on the table and.

”As much as I hate to say it…” Drake began. ”... We ask Britney.”

“Oh joy, that’s going to totally help, Lynn sighed, “should I see if she is free now?

”No, see if she’s free yesterday,” Drake laughed. ”Of course see if she’s free now.”

Lynn pulled her face off the table and pulled the phone to her face. Her eyes flashed green. A second later she was back and hit the call button. She put the call on speaker but lowered the volume. And then she waited as the pressure in her brain built up. Britney answered.

”Hello, Lynn,” Britney said, ”What’s going on?”

“Hi Britney, I have you on speaker with Drake . We’re at a coffee shop, you busy right now?, Lynn leaned back as she waited for a response

Britney loudly snorted, ”... You can throw a rock and hit a coffee shop, Lynn.” She began, ”But what do you need?”

“I am dealing with too much withdrawal stuff right now to even remember the name of this shop we’re at let me check their… the Twin Tails, Lynn paused as she looked towards Drake, “we’re talking pit stuff.”

”... You know it's a suicide mission, right? Britney said.

”Heh! Suicide Mission is my middle name!” Drake said, shooting Lynn the finger guns.

”... It's Dean.”

”You remembered!”

“You know what Britney, you’re right,” Lynn paused as she looked at the phone with anger, “Yoko has been in the pit for months but of course we’ll all die if we try and help her find her brother.”

”She and Goro are probably already dead,” Britney said with a sigh.

”Yo, how do we know she’s dead?” Drake tilted his head. ”I saw Yoko fight; she’s a tough cookie!”

”... And how do we know she’s still alive?” Britney shot back.

“In the majority of potential futures she’s alive. If it was one, ten, even a hundred different futures, of course I’d be more cautious about what I’m saying. I’ve seen her in thousands of futures, Pit or otherwise. The future has a part for her to play; she just hasn’t got to it yet.”

”But, this is Yoko we’re talking about,” Britney laughed. ”The rude, immature, and stupid pain in the ass we tolerated because of Goro… What exactly do you see her doing? She hated us! And I don’t mean ask your magic that. I mean, you… what do you, Everlynn Serelight, deadass think she will do?” She finished it with a sarcastic snort.

”Besides, from how you talked at the meeting; we only need what she has.”

”As much as I hate to say it…” Drake looked down at the phone, then back up to Lynn. ”... She has a point.”

“As much as I hate to say this,” Lynn paused as she leaned her head back and pressed her hands to her eyes, “I’m a fucking idiot. There are other artifacts we could use to search for Kari. I mean we won’t get the other fun artifacts but using what we can, here, is the right move. The pit needs to be a backup plan.”

”... It shouldn’t be a plan in any capacity,” Britney added, ”Unless we literally, ABSOLUTELY have to… though, I find your fixation with it-” Britney cut herself off.

”Fixation? That’s a strong word. Brit,” Drake crossed his arms.
”Pit or not, we can’t just leave them down there. Especially if Yoko has these... Wayfinders.” Drake looked at Lynn, scratching his head.

”And I get it Drake,” Britney sighed. ”Sometimes things are just… out of our hands. This being one of them.” Britney paused for a moment.

”... So, Lynn, what artifacts can we use to look for Kari?” Britney asked. ”Maybe I can point you in the right direction. Maybe we can find Father Wolf and finally put an end to this bullshit.”

“Uhhh I know the Mirror On The Wall and The Map Of The Drunken Sailor are in town. The mirror is a sealed apparition, a seer that can find anything or anyone. You have to answer three riddles without any assistance and they get harder as you go. Fail any of the riddles and you’ll be instead shown your greatest fear. The Map is this artifact that’s been passed around for ages. The surface of the map changes depending on the query. The only catch is you have to follow the map to get the destination, and rumor has it that the path it takes you on is filled with monsters and danger. It’ll mark the location of whoever, or whatever, you’re looking for with an ‘X’ which is kinda cute. I think it’s with a rich kid.”

Lynn grabbed some more Deez and offered some Nutz to Drake.

”Thanks, Lynn,” Drake said, taking the nuts into his hand. ”You picked some real fun options! And who are the “rich kid”?”

”... There’s a lot of them in St. Portwell,” Britney laughed. ”Be specific.”

“Honestly? I think I remember the name Jason Valos for the one and a Schmidt? Maybe Blake?”

”... Oh, great,” Britney said, rolling her eyes. ”Well, that tracks.” She sighed.

”Valos? That sounds familiar,” Drake rubbed his chin.

”There were three Valos in the Old Coven - they were in the ‘rich clique’” Britney asked.

”Oh yeah!” Drake said, ”I don't suppose we can just ask for them?”

”Or we can just swipe it from them,” Britney said.

“I won’t be very much help in either way right now,” Lynn said with a sigh as she put her forehead back on the table, “I really could use a drink.”

Drake popped another nut into his mouth, ”Stealing from rich kids? Sounds like Saturday night!” Drake cracked his knuckles. ”He probably won’t even notice it’s gone!”

”But people like them tend to have tight security, Blackmore,” Britney nodded her head. ”Plus, the Valos are not only unpredictable, but could be a part of the Elite. So… If we’re stealing it we might need to be careful.”

”We’ll just have Jack swipe it,” Drake shrugged. ”Piece of cake.”

”He could probably pull it off, the issue is that we won’t hear the end of it,” Britney laughed. ”Though, we don't know if Jason or Blake have any security around their artifacts.”

“I could check the future,” Lynn paused as she sighed, “but this craving is getting to me. I don’t think my mind can take the possible future right now.”

”You’re okay, Lynn,” Drake laughed, before popping another nut into his mouth. ”We got other ways to pull this off.”

”Sounds like if Lynn doesn’t get that drink, she’ll pass out,” Britney laughed over the phone. ”Normally, I wouldn’t support someone being a functional alcoholic, but Drake, can you please run and grab her something? Something strong enough to get her to perk up a bit.”

“No,” Lynn said but her mind said yes please, just one drink, anything. Lynn thought that one cheat drink wouldn’t be the worst, she’d just have to start from the beginning again and deal with a sleepless night, followed by the same terrible morning she had today, followed by an insatiable desire to drink all day long. She could do that again. She could totally do it. Just drink. Just. One. Sip. “I can’t.. maybe a single… no. no.”

Drake clapped his hands together, then threw them up,

“... You heard the lady, she said no.” Drake started before adding, ”Not like that ever stopped you.”

”Now’s not the time, Blackmore,” Britney coughed, ”But, look, Lynn, we don’t have to do everything right this second - okay, I know there’s a serial killer after us, and we need to go our separate ways again, but that doesn’t mean you gotta push yourself if you’re going through withdrawals like this.”
Britney sighed. ”I can just do some digging on Blake and the Valos and come back to you two, okay?”

Drake looked down at the phone, then up to Lynn.

”Call me if you need me!” Britney said before she hung up.

“Okay, thank you Britney.”. Lynn’s eyes went out of total focus. Her leg began to bounce off the ground. She wanted, no, needed that drink. The pain across her body swelled as every muscle in her body suddenly begged for the sweet release promised by a drink.

Drake popped the last of the nuts into his mouth before shrugging, ”... What happened to asking her about the visions? About your dead homies?”

”Hmmm?” Lynn paused as she looked over to Drake. ”Fuck. Fuck,” Lynn paused as she began pulling at her own hair. ”I completely forgot. Fuck. I fucking…”. Lynn paused as she let her head fall onto the table.

”Brooooooooooooooo…” Drake facepalmed with both hands. ”Look, I’m the last person who should be saying this, but you need to pull it together… I didn’t know you had this problem, but there’s a serial killer after us for saving the world. And we need to get our shit together.”

”I’m trying to, Drake, I can’t keep getting drunk. Like, bro I have been getting drunk since before the snake. How many more people will I lead to their death if I keep drinking? The future doesn’t know, and neither do I. But sober me has to be better. Sober me HAS to be.”

”I’m not saying drink, I’m saying…” Drake trailed off, before adding, ”Look, I don't want to leave everything in the hands of Britney, there’s gotta be SOMETHING we can do.”

”I….agree,” Lynn sighed as she groaned and took a big drink from the sugary drink, ” Drake, I’ll look back to the future tonight. I don’t know how much I will see,” Lynn paused as she sighed, ”but we need options. And I can give us options. And I’ll fucking woman up and find us something we can do, pit stop or otherwise.”

”Do you think I’m right about going to the pit?”

”I mean, I don't care about the Wayfinder!” Drake laughed. ”We can’t just leave them there!”

”Then let’s keep planning as if we’re going to go to the pit. Britney can help us with finding stuff to find Kari. We focus on finding a way to get our friends home.”

Drake shot her with the finger guns.

”Sounds like a plan!”

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Shin Ghost Note]

---

---

The group was silent.

Not one word was spoken as they advanced from the gritty and ruined city streets and entered a new biome within the Pit. The hum of the Autoknights’ airships was just a memory. Before them stretched an immense desert of red sands, a vast sea of shifting crimson dunes that seemed to go on forever… And the red skies of the Pit appeared to take on a different property here, as it felt like the sun beat down on them, even though there was no sun. In the distance, massive, oppressive mountains seemed to form strange canyons in the gaps between them. Even from this distance, they could see the entrances to the mineshafts that dotted each of the mountains. They could see the tools and mining equipment outside of them, and the tracks for the minecarts…

The group marched forward, approaching a massive canyon created by several flanking mountains. Yoko was in front of the formation, and she had the Yokai Killer drawn, and she occasionally drew it out enough to examine the glow. Then she sheathed it with a click, and sighed.

”... I take full responsibility for that,” Yoko admitted. ”We should have turned back instead of pressing forward. I was just thinking that they wouldn’t attack us and let us go through without incident.”

"No way! Maybe if I'd listened to you and taken cover we wouldn't have fought them… or if we were faster… you can't be thinking like that, Yoko," Ella said, from her position at the back of the group. She'd stopped crying, eventually, and that unshakeable determination was back. "We're in this together… good and bad. All of us."

"What kind of life did they even have…" Saskia intoned quietly. There were no obvious signs that they were feeling any different from normal beyond the silence that had come over them all. That same lack of expression, no visible guilt. They walked with their hands stuffed in their jacket pockets, as if there were any visible signs of what they'd done. There was no literal blood… but it was on their hands nonetheless.

And they'd do it again, and again, however many times they needed to do that Ella never had to.

It made it possible to push through, even when the image was still clear in their mind. The crying and screaming… but it had been as close to a mercy as was possible in this place. "No point dwelling on it."

”Yes! Can we just talk about something else, anything else?!” Lisa damn near shouted, throwing her hands up into the air, before letting out a deep breath.

Yoko closed her eyes, and nodded, ”... Very well.”

Lisa played with her fingers for a moment, before saying to Yoko, ”So, that’s a cool sword you got there,” She pointed at the Yokai Killer, ”Where did you get it from?”

”I made it.” Yoko succinctly answered.

”Really?” Lisa tilted her head.

”I made it with the assistance of Connor Bray, Selena Phoenix, and Luca Olivera… using instructions that my ancestors left behind on how to create the Apparition Killer and Mura- The Aberration Killer,” Yoko answered.

”Wait, your family made the Apparition Killer?! And there’s also an Abberration Killer?!” Lisa shouted, then tilted her head, tapping her head. ”... And you can also make artifacts?”

”Yes, yes, and yes,” Yoko said, ”The instructions my family left behind on the Apparition and Aberration Killers were left intentionally vague, however. So, I did the best I could”

"Whoa, that's so cool, Yoko! Do you think I could make artifacts too?" Ella asked.

Saskia rolled their eyes, turning her head back to look at Ella to make sure she saw it. It helped a bit with pushing back all the shit that had happened too. "You have three types of lux. Each one is weaker, there's no way you can make artifacts."

"Oh, right, makes sense!" Ella shrugged, not bothered. "Oh, how's Luca? I miss the little guy… is he still dealing with the Rot?"

”You can make artifacts, Disciple,” Yoko said, ”Making artifacts doesn't come to me that well, but I can teach you later.”

"Seriously?! Awesome!" Ella grinned.

Yoko then sighed, ”And far as I can recall, he is… I told him I would help him after I was done with my mission.”

”For ten years… I can’t believe it. We’ll help him too when we get back!" Ella nodded.

"And make Britney pay," Saskia intoned, voice quiet but deadly serious.

”I can make a spider crawl up her ass!” Lisa laughed.

”Ironically, that’s not what Olivera wants,” Yoko said with a roll of her eyes. ”Though, given those murders, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was one of the victims… Or the perpetrator.”

"She was still alive before we came here," Saskia said, tilting their head. They weren’t surprised Luca didn’t want Britney dead. It wasn’t in his nature. He was like Ella in that way… overly positive even in bleak situations. Saving others from falling into the darkness too quickly. "But that could have changed. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was her…"

"I wish we could help with those!" Ella said, throwing up her hands. "We came back to life and someone’s killing our former covenmates… but we can’t do anything about it!"

"We need to worry about ourselves first."

”That is true,” Yoko nodded at Saskia. ”We’re in the most dangerous location in the All-Verse… at least they have the luxury of some semblance of safety. Unlike us.”

As they approached the mountains, Yoko looked to the left and then the right… the mountain seemed to stretch on endlessly. However, the ahead seemed endless. However, she sighed,

”... Let’s find somewhere in here, then take a break,” Yoko suggested. ”We need one.”

"Maybe there's a cave somewhere!" Ella said, squinting at the mountains.

Saskia tilted her head as they approached, looking across. Then they pointed to what seemed to be a darker patch a bit further along, maybe an indent. "Let's try there."

Yoko followed Saskia’s gesture, as she scanned the distant patch of darkness.

”Seems like a good of a spot as any,” Lisa shrugged.

”Stay close,” Yoko said as they neared the indent, her hand on the hilt of the Yokai Killer. As they got closer, the indent was revealed to be the entrance to a mine… It went about twenty feet deep before it completely collapsed. Yoko sighed as she took a few steps forward and turned around to face the Pit. She knelt down, pulling the Yokai Killer out the sheathe, placing it down in front of her.

”... Get some rest you three,” Yoko said, ”I will keep watch.”

"Ok!" Ella said brightly. She stepped a bit further into the mine, taking off her bag and using it as a pillow. She moved the ice scepter to be within grasp. As soon as her eyes closed she was asleep.

Lisa simply found her space in the mineshaft that was separate from Ella, and stood there. Spiders descended from the ceiling and walls and quickly created a curtain out of thick spider webs.

Saskia didn't step that far into the mine, stopping just beyond Yoko and sitting with their back against the wall. They turned their head to look at Yoko and said quietly. "I'll keep you company a bit."

”... I don't think I’d make good conversation right now,” Yoko said, ”I’m going to meditate.”

”Don’t get too relaxed, then," Saskia commented simply. They shuffled themselves a bit further away so they were a bit more in their own space, before looking over towards where Lisa had gone… then to Ella. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully, which gave Saskia some feeling of relief. At least Ella would be fine.

Leaning back against the wall, Saskia closed their eyes. As they expected, sleep didn't come easily, even exhausted as they were. Maybe if they let themselves bleed out a bit further, then they'd drift to sleep faster… the blood would regenerate… but no, they couldn't risk Ella waking up and seeing that. Instead, they just tried to compartmentalize what had happened.

Eventually, they fell into an uneasy sleep. It didn't offer any relief.

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---

So Cold - Silent Strike & Lucia

---

Saskia found themselves back in Arcade Blues, but something was wrong.

The air felt thick, suffocating like the room was breathing. The bright neon lights flickered erratically, casting the familiar arcade in strange, twisted shadows. The children's laughter and the arcade machines' soft hum were gone. It was empty; the only two people there were Saskia…

And the Mother Will.
“This is where you met her, correct?” The Mother Will began. “The dear love of your life, Ella Brooks…”

"It is." Saskia intoned, just staring at Mother Will, seeming to not even blink. Then they looked around them. The same, but different. Not real. More horrifying. It was a place with good and bad memories. Where she met Ella, and where they kindled too.

"Are you going to send me off to fight another one of our friends like you did Ella?" Saskia asked, narrowing their eyes at the Mother Will.

The Mother Will laughed, “... You think I pushed Ella into that fight? No, no, no… Ella did what she had to.”

The Mother Will circled Saskia… her form seemingly floating across the floor. "You really think she’d fight Yoko for no reason? She was protecting you. Everything she did was for you..."

The Mother Will’s smile sharpened.

“... But, it’s easier to blame me for it all?”

”Ella's an idiot," Saskia said bluntly, eyes following the Mother Will as best they could. They didn't quite believe that - Ella could be incredibly stupid, but she could be smart too. She was just bullheaded and tended to jump to conclusions. "Sure, there was a reason. One you gave her. So yes, it's easier to blame you."

Saskia's eyes narrowed. "Because she wouldn't just fuck off without telling us."

“Always so eager to place the blame,” The Mother Will laughed. “You think Ella needed me to tell her what to do? No, she didn’t need a push. She knew exactly what was at stake.”

The Mother Will floated closer to Saskia, whispering in her ear, “... Think about it. Ella always jumps to do what she believes is right. To protect the people she cares about without a second thought! She didn’t ‘fuck off’; she acted. She saw the danger and did what she thought was best…”

The Mother Will floated backward.

“... For you and Lisa, of course. Why else would she act out of character?”

Saskia frowned. It did, sadly, make sense. Ella would do almost anything for then, just like Saskia would do the same for her. But they still didn’t believe Ella hadn’t been manipulated. "And what danger did Yoko pose to us? Me and Lisa hardly need protecting from her."

“Yoko may seem harmless, but...” The Mother Will, her voice cold, “... She’s merely a symptom of a far greater threat - those envious eyes that linger, hungry for what you possess. They will take it from you..”

The Mother Will laughed, and it echoed through the arcade halls. “That’s the truth, isn’t it? Every moment you falter, every second you hesitate, it’s not just you at risk. It’s Ella and Lisa, too. They’ll be the ones left to pay the price for your weakness. Do you really want to see them suffer because you hesitated to embrace your true power?.”

"When have I ever hesitated?" Saskia said, as they looked down at their hands. Pale, the only mark the near permanent wound on their hand. Their own blood. There were so many other’s on there too. And they had hesitated. To kill the children… and ten years ago, to go after Ella before she died.

"I’m already using my ‘true power’ to protect them. And there’s nothing to be taken from me but them," Saskia continued, even as she wavered. Was she using her true power? She couldn’t do the variety of spells Ella and Lisa could… and she was held back from developing more because of what they might entail. "Who is this greater threat, anyway?"

The Mother Will floated closer, “... The greater threat isn’t some enemy lurking in the shadows - it’s everything around you.” She then floated away, and continued, “The monsters, those survivors you let Yoko drag you right into the sights of...”

The Mother Will laughed, “You’re worried about protecting Lisa and Ella, but what happens when people like them sense that weakness? They don’t care about your noble intentions. They’ll take your friends from you because you never went far enough.”

Saskia pressed their lips together, pulling them into a thin line that almost tugged down towards a frown. Noble intentions? Did they really have those? They weren’t like Ella, who believed in the good of everything and saving people. Not really.

"How much further do I need to go? Is killing anyone who we come across not enough?" Saskia narrowed their eyes. "Because I would do anything to keep them safe."

“... Anyone can kill, Saskia,” The Mother Will said as her voice was a vicious whisper. “The Pit respects power. Not just the kind that ends life but the kind that leaves a mark. A legend. When people fear you, truly fear you, they won’t just flee when you arrive…”

The Mother Will’s grin widened unnaturally so, “... They’ll speak your name in terror. That’s the kind of protection Lisa and Saskia needs.”

Saskia tilted their head as they considered it. It was so tempting. A way to keep Ella and Lisa truly safe. They could do it. Easily. They didn’t care much about the lives of others beyond their friends. They’d kill for them again and again.

But could they really bring themselves to do it in a way that would make people fear them? Could they when they risked losing them because of it…

"I want that." Saskia looked at the Mother Will emotionlessly. "But I can’t. Not when they’ll see."

“You think Lisa and Ella wouldn’t understand? They love you, need you… and they rely on you to do what they can’t.”

She floated closer, but her tone was gentle, “They won’t see you as a monster, Saskia. They’ll see you as the protector you are. The one willing to do what’s necessary to keep them safe. Ella… she’s too kind. Lisa, well, she hides it better, but even she has her limits. You have to make sure there are no threats left for them to fear.”

Saskia wanted to believe it, but they couldn’t just accept that Ella and Lisa wouldn’t see her as a monster. Perhaps they already did. But… Did that really matter if they could keep them safe?

”You're right. They can't do it, so I have to. I'll do anything I have to to protect them. Anything."

“Good, that is what they need,” The Mother Will said, raising a hand and pressing her thumb against her middle finger. "You’ll protect them in ways they can’t even imagine. Let them call you what they will, but deep down, they’ll know it was always for them."

The Mother Will paused.

“... Show the world what happens when someone dares threaten them.”

She snapped her fingers.

---

”... Otten, Otten,” Yoko nudged Saskia awake, whispering. ”Get up. We have a problem.”

"What is it?" Saskia woke up immediately, responding in a hushed tone. They looked around, already ready to fight if needed.
”There are monsters,” Yoko said, ”Not a whole lot, but I’n not taking any chances.”

Yoko narrowed her eyes.

”Wake up Turner, I’ll get the Disciple,” Yoko quickly ran over to Ella.

Saskia nodded, running over to the curtain web. They tapped it rather than trying to push through. "Lisa- Lisa, get up."

”.... Huh?” Lisa said as she carved her way through the webs. ”What’s going on?”

"Yoko detected monsters," Saskia explained, already reopening the wound on their hand and manipulating their blood to cover their hand. "Not many, but still a problem."

Lisa finished carving her way out and stretched, sticking her arms in the air. She put a hand on her neck and then cracked it. ”... Let’s murder them real quick so I can go back to sleep.” She groaned.

"Agreed," Saskia nodded, though they really weren’t all that tired after that dream. They gestured to Lisa and crept back towards Yoko and Ella.

While Saskia woke up Lisa, Yoko ran over to Ella and knelt, nudging her enough to stir her awake as she said, ”... Disciple, get up. There are monsters here.”

"Monsters?!" Ella sat up immediately, grabbing the ice scepter. "Where?!"

Yoko immediately pressed a finger to Ella’s lips, then leaned in as she whispered, ”... Most creatures here have some form of enhanced senses. At this rate, they’ll hear us long before they see us.” She gave Ella an amused chuckle.

Then, she stepped back and closed her eyes briefly before her eyes shot open. ”Everyone come over here and get down!” Yoko commanded, not raising her voice too much as she walked over to the mine’s entrance and got down on her stomach. Lisa got right beside her as they looked at the canyon before them.

”Ssssh, one of them are almost here,” Yoko whispered, placing a finger to her lips.

Out of the corner of their eyes walked the fearsome creature that Yoko was so worried about it was a giant rat. It had grey fur and nothing abnormal about its appearance other than the size and girth of a pickup truck. It sniffed the ground as it walked around, seemingly unaware of their presence.

”... Is THAT what you’re so worried about?” Lisa whispered, whipping her head towards Yoko.

"Rats have very powerful bites," Saskia intoned quietly.

”If you get cocky down here, it’s practically a death sentence, Turner,” Yoko nodded her head at Lisa. ”We need to get the drop on it before it notices us. You and I will flank right. The Disciple and Otten will flank left.”

She nodded her head.

”That sounds like a plan?”

"Yes, Sensei!" Ella whispered enthusiastically, nodding. She started to push herself up to her knees.

Saskia just nodded, blood tendril forming on their back as they started to shuffle to the left side, ready to get up and go.

Yoko climbed to her feet and then slowly unsheathed the Yokai Killer; she stopped when it was one-third of the way out and kept a steady hand on it as she walked to the right. Lisa had spider legs burst from her back, and her right hand was covered in spiders as she walked over to the right. As per Yoko’s plan, they walked a circle around the creature, and once Yoko and Lisa were at the creature’s right, the former nodded at the other group.

Yoko raised her hand, putting up three fingers.

She lowered one finger.

Then two fingers…

Yoko paused for a moment.

… Then three fingers.

Saskia jumped forward, blood tendril lashing out and going right for the massive rat’s bulging eyes, with the aim to penetrate right through it and to its skull. Ella blasted its feet with a cascade of ice. Yoko appeared on the other side of the creature, next to Ella, in the blink of an eye, and a moment later, a deep slash appeared on its back, followed by decay that exposed its severed spine. All the attacks made the creature fall over, loudly squealing before it stopped moving.

Lisa did nothing, however.

She gave them the thumbs up.

”... Good job!”

Yoko rolled her eyes, then slowly sheathed the Yokai Kiler..

”Let’s get-” Yoko said before she heard a loud thud off to the side. Another of the rat creatures had landed next to them. It fluffed its fur, charged forward, and snapped its jaws before retreating. In the distance, more rats were running over.

"By Sailor Moon, it’s just like the Princess Bride!" Ella screamed, spraying fire at the new rat creature. It squealed as it backpedaled.

"Who cares? We should get out of here," Saskia said, looking at the absolute stampede of rats.
In
"I’ll just burn them all!" Ella held out both her hands, creating large fireballs in them, ready to launch.

”Turner! We need a flying spider!” Yoko commanded as she firmly grasped the Yokai Killer and pulled it out. The blade extended as the rat creature retreated into its crowd.

“Now, Turner!” Yoko shouted as she put herself between Saskia, Ella, and the rat creatures. She took a few steps forward, her face stern.

”I wish I could pull it out of my ass!” Lisa shouted as a spider floated downunderneath her clothes and was engulfed in a white glowing cocoon.

”Stall!” Yoko said to Saskia and Ella as she swung the Yokai Killer at the crowd of rat creatures. Her swing was as unsteady as if she were hauling an entire club instead of a lightweight blade. The rat creatures retreated momentarily before quickly circling the group.

Ella launched her fireballs right into the middle of the group of giant rats.

"Ella, enhance me!" Saskia said as her blood tendril swiped out, a battering swing to keep them away. More blood spilled from her hand to cover her body in a hard armour… she felt a bit light headed afterwards, but she could push through.

"Huh?" Ella launched another fireball.

"... Super Prism Blood Weapons," Saskia rolled their eyes. Ella's eyes lit up and she jumped over to Saskia, grabbing her hands. A prismatic light coated the blood tendril.

They then used the stronger, and faster, tendril to shove through the heads of multiple nearby rats, killing them instantly. Yoko kept swinging the Yokai Killer at the rat creatures, every swipe caused severe necrosis in them. However, the rats did the unexpected; they bit down on the Yokai Killer to yank it away from Yoko. Their teeth and gums were rotted away, but the blade was away from Yoko.

”Oh, you gotta be-” Yoko shouted before one of the rat monsters came from behind and bit her thigh. Yoko hissed in pain as she took a defensive position, and the next rat that came for her was unable to pierce through her body.

”Yoko!” Lisa stuck her hand out before opening her mouth, and projectile vomited a stream of spiders onto the rat, biting into Yoko. They quickly crawled to the rat's mouth, eyes, nose, and ears and forced their way inside. The rat thrashed around as it desperately gasped for air.

Ella's eyes widened, staring at the rat, but she wasn't frozen for long - backing over to Yoko and Lisa, shooting a stream of fire out of her hands at all the rats around them.

Saskia stabbed another rat through the throat, bending over as her wings pushed through her back. Flesh splattered all over the ground, and she started to use the sharp ends as another weapon. Stabbing, slicing, she instantly killed some and others she hit in places that would incapicate them and leave them bleeding out slowly… all around her was brutal carnage as she got further away from the group.

The further Saskia separated from the group, the more of the rats swarmed them. They began snapping and tearing where ever they could.

”... Saskia! What the fuck?!” Lisa shouted.

”Turner! Heal me!” Yoko shouted.

The healing-spiders came from Lisa then burrowed into Yoko’s flesh. That gaping wound closed, then Yoko ran over to the Yokai Killer and grasped it with both hands.

”Disciple! Lightning Barrage!”

Several rats then took position between Saskia and the rest of the group.

Saskia didn't even seem bothered by the rats tearing their flesh, taking out each one that bit into them with a tendril through the neck or a sharp bone through the brain. With each dead rat another was replaced, but they weren't phased, blood from the wounds patching each up and moving across their body as some form of defence. The pain hardly registered, just the need to kill and protect their friends.

"Yes, Sensei!" Ella shouted, as she locked eyes with Yoko… breathing sychronising, energy focused, allowing her to start the first barrage of attacks. The Yokai Killer extended, and Yoko closed her eyes before she charged forward at blinding speeds - the first slash bifurcated the first rat she hit, and what was left was rotted to nothing. Another slash took a group of three of the rats out. Then Yoko paused for Ella’s turn…

Ella stepped forward, fists and hands glowing as she punched and kicked through the rats with blinding speed, before jumping back behind Yoko. That was when Yoko came with a whirlwind of slashes, spinning and using her entire body’s range of rotation for each swing of the Yokai Killer. More and more of them dropped with every brutal swing of the Yokai Killer.

Meanwhile, the spider burst out of its cocoon, which was large enough to carry them all, and Lisa called for them.

”Guys the spider is ready, let’s-” She was cut off by the rats leaping onto the spider and gnawing it to pieces. They were consuming it before her very eyes, as Lisa’s fists balls. ”You bastards!” Lisa shouted before she dove behind a rock.

Acid-Burst filled what was left of the spider with glowing yellow acid as it exploded and sent acid and chitin in all directions. Some of the rats eating the spider were killed instantly, while the others retreated.

Saskia grimaced as some of the acid flew far enough to hit them, but kept fighting through the rats that were piling onto them. They were covered in deep bites, gaping holes where flesh should be, but it just gave them an endless supply of blood to use in more and more brutal attacks. The rats’ swarming on them lessened as Ella and Yoko cut their way closer

Ella swapped in from Yoko, kicking one rat so hard it was sent flying over the swarm, and punching another right through the skull, killing any in her path before swapping back out with her. Yoko rushed forward, grabbing the sheath of the Yokai Killer to whack the rats with one hand, carving them to bits with the others. They were dropping like flies; if they weren’t killed outside, they were decayed into nothing.

Then Yoko hopped next to Ella and smoothly leveled the Yokai Killer over her shoulder with both hands. ”... Disciple! This is it!” Yoko shouted. ”All or nothing! We get Otten free with this blow!”

"It’s all, LIGHTNING FINAL STRIKE!" Ella shouted, unnecessarily. She synced completely with Yoko, energy combining together to deliver a finishing blow to the last wall of rats between them and Saskia. Yoko sucked in air before she charged forward so fast that she appeared as a blur. Dust and debris were disturbed, sending flailing in all directions as Yoko appeared on the other side of Saskia. Seconds later, several of the rats fell over and bifurcated.

"Saskia, you’re bleeding all over!" Ella shouted, kicking away the head of a rat she’d just destroyed in the last strike. She ran over to Saskia’s side, killing another on the way.

"It’s nothing, really," Saskia intoned, voice slightly slurred from the blood loss. Their blood tendril shot forward, spearing a rat right through the head. They then threw it away.

"Lisa, can you make another spider?!"

Meanwhile, Lisa was nursing another glowing cocoon. She looked at Ella, then at the cocoon. Then back to Ella. Then at the cocoon. Then back to Ella.

”... No.”

The static-y voice appeared.

….?....?...? Gotta-...?...?...?...MORE...?...?...are coming….?...?...?...up...?...?...?... up...?...?...?...up...?...?...?... up.

As the voice spoke, dozens more rat creatures perched themselves on the clifftop. Lisa’s eyes shot open. Yoko took a defensive position as she quietly said,

”At this point, we will be overrun,”

”Getting gangbanged by a bunch of rats is not how I wanted to go out!” Lisa shouted. ”I don’t know if you got it in you, Saskia!”

Lisa shouted as the blood-filled spiders appeared in the sky.

”But, you better fucking pull a miracle here!”

Surprisingly, Yoko sheathed the Yokai Killer, and it retracted into just the hilt as she put it into her hip pouch.

”Disciple, come here,” Yoko said as she channeled her Lux into her hands and created a sphere of yellow light. ”I would say this is all or nothing again, but it’s like what you said…” She said, cracking a warm smile despite it all.

"... It's all, and only all."

...?...?...?...?...?...?-and...?...?...?...you.

"I’ll show you a miracle," Saskia’s lips pulled up into a slight smile as she tilted their head towards Lisa. Her hand shoved into her pocket, finding the Orange Stone and grasping it. She held up a hand towards the blood filled spiders. They expanded even more than normal, filling with so much blood it splattered across the majority of the rats.

At the same time, Ella put her hands over Yoko’s, fueling the light. The sphere grew larger and larger until it was blindingly bright. Yoko nodded her head. Before her head scanned the area, her eyes landed on a mineshaft.

”You two! Make a break for some cover!” Yoko shouted as she pointed at the mineshaft. Then, she and Ella paused for a moment… before thrusting the sphere into the air. Once it was a good forty feet above them, it exploded, sending a terrifying shockwave in all directions.

Saskia used her blood tendril to propel herself towards the mineshaft, running as fast as she could. Sharp bone needles shoved through her fingertips, which she used to cut the Orange Stone out of her hand, shoving it back in her pocket - flesh and all. Lisa quickly took after behind them, using her spider legs.

Ella was knocked over by the shockwave before she managed to channel Block, stilling herself in a sitting position. However, Yoko ran over, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her into the mineshaft…

---

It was complete darkness in the mineshaft… well, some light provided in the distance.

”... I can’t see shit!”

”Ssssh! Quiet down, Turner,” Yoko said as she unsheathed the Yokai Killer around twenty-five percent of the way. There was a gentle glow, enough to illuminate their general vicinity. Then Yoko looked up and whispered, ”Is everyone okay?”

”I’m alive,” Lisa shrugged.

"I'm great!" Ella said cheerfully.

"Sadly still here." Saskia intoned.

”Okay, I have a plan,” Yoko nodded, ”We’re going to stay put, wait for them to pass, then we’re going to leave.”

Saskia just stared at Yoko, eyes narrowing slightly. "So what we could've done in the first place?"

”... They are a lot smarter than anticipated,” Yoko admitted, ”You can place the blame for all this on me.”

”I don't think that’s an option anymore,” Lisa played with her fingers, looking at the floor. ”We might have to find another way out…”

”Turner, we’ll get lost down here,” Yoko shook her head, ”And God knows what else is down here.”

”I mean… We made it through every other time,” Lisa shrugged. ”And worst come to worst, we’ll just eat Ella’s leg.” Unlike Lisa’s usual joking tone, it was monotone and strained.

”We have plenty of food anyway!" Ella said. She held out a hand, eyes narrowing as she forced her normal light beam into a floating orb of soft light.

"I agree with Lisa," Saskia said, grimacing. All the bite wounds across their body were starting to hurt, and the blood loss was getting to them - even though they'd clotted the blood. "Unless you have a grand plan to escape those rats. Rats have a great sense of smell, too, so they still know we're here."

They then turned to Lisa and Ella. "Can one of you heal me?"

Lisa wordlessly flicked her healing spiders onto Saskia. Yoko fully unsheathed the Yokai Killer and turned down the cave. Then she looked over her shoulder.

”Let’s go.”

Yoko began proceding down the cave… The dim glow of the Yokai Killer casting shadows with every step. Then Yoko paused abruptly, the Yokai Killer going to her side. The glint of a metallic object ahead - nothing more than an underturned minecart. Yoko just sighed.

The Yokai Killer glowed brighter, and Yoko raised an eyebrow. Behind them, there was a faint scratching sound on stone, along with somel squeaks.

”... Please don't tell me it's what I think it is,” Yoko groaned as she slowly pivoted.

"Probably," Saskia frowned. They slowly turned too, but didn’t go to cut their palm - blood would only make it easier for them to be found right now. "Rats barely use their sight, so they can navigate in the dark just as well as the light."

"Now isn’t the time for rat facts!" Ella said, spinning around and holding up the glowing orb of light in her hand. It fizzled a bit with her anxiety.

The scratching intensified, punctuated by the echoing squeaks that grew louder. The Yokai Killer was so bright that the glow that it projected light on the walls of this tunnel like a flashlight.

”... And I thought Turner was the anim-” Yoko said as she turned on her hell when she fully turned, her eyes shot open.

---

Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (Pendulum Remix)

---

The scratching grew louder, and their nails scraping the stone sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Thousands of claws skittering on the walls… Then, there was a sound, low, wet, and guttural. A chorus of squeaks followed, rising into a frenzied, blood-curdling cacophony. Down the tunnel they came; the darkness shifted and rippled as if it was alive. And from that abyss, a sea of grey fur and gnashing teeth charged into view. The rat creatures flooded the cave like a tidal wave, as dozens - no, hundreds - of the rat creatures skittered over each other.

All for them.

Yoko’s jaw dropped, but no words came out.

”... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

"WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE! SAVE ME SAILOR MOON!" Ella screamed, launching a fireball into the mass of rats - which did very little beyond killing a few of them.

"Scream louder, will you," Saskia hissed, hand shoving into their pocket. They grasped the orange stone again, feeling it merge with barely healed flesh. They knew at least Ella wouldn’t approve but… they needed the power.

Massive wings erupted out of their back, made of hard sinew and muscle. They curled around all four of them in a protective flesh wall, sharp bone spears sticking out of them to stab any rats that crashed into them.

”What are you doing?!” Lisa looked at Saskia and Ella with a face of utter confusion. ”We gotta run!” She turned on her heel and ran.

”Turner is right!” Yoko shouted as she began running away. ”There are way too many of them!”

"I panicked!" Ella shouted as she turned around and chased after them.

"There’s no way we can outrun them! They’re faster than us!" Saskia gritted their teeth, pulling the wings back in immediately and running after their friends. Multiple blood tendrils shoved out their back, flailing from side to side to slam into the walls behind them and keep the rats at bay.

”Then what do you suggest we do then, o’ Rat Expert?!” Yoko shouted, gritting her teeth.

”If they were spiders, we could-”

”... THAT’S NOT HELPFUL RIGHT NOW, TURNER!”

Saskia frowned, trying to think of some solution. How the fuck did they escape this? Maybe they could collapse the tunnels… no, then they’d be trapped. Maybe…

"Maybe we can direct them down a different path! They’re most likely to follow blood…" Saskia gritted out, trying to ignore the urge pressing against her to turn around and flay them all. The Orange Stone was still embedded in their hand… but they didn’t want to take it out yet.

”Sounds like a plan, but this isn’t one or two rats, Otten!” Yoko shouted. ”It’s an entire swarm! How are we going to get them off us long enough?!”

"Trap them," Saskia said simply. They then held up their hand, Orange Stone softly glowing in it. "With this I can do more than normal- I can probably make whole blood constructs. We stay hidden, silently- and then we cave in the tunnel they go down."

Slightly out of breath, they looked over at Lisa and Ella. "Heal all of our wounds. We need to smell less than all the blood I'll use."

Meanwhile, Lisa was dissolving some rat testicles in acid when Saskia called her name. Her head whipped around in her direction. ”Oh yes!” Lisa said as the healing spiders emerged from her pores. She flicked them onto Saskia, Ella, and Yoko.

”Hold on, Otten,” Yoko said as she pulled some paper scraps from her pocket and a marker; she then scribbled kanji and other symbols onto the paper. It began glowing as she recited a chant…

"From the heart of courage, I draw the strength divine,
Through ancient verses, let power intertwine.
Symbols aglow with orange hue,
Grant vigor now, to this soul true.
Strength to endure, resilience unfurled,
In this moment, let your spirit be your world."

With a final flourish, she pressed it against Saskia’s forehead and restored their stamina.

Saskia let out a slight sigh of relief… the craving for violence was subdued slightly as their stamina was restored. Just a little bit further and they found what they needed - a place where the path split in two.

"We need to be silent, and as still as possible," Saskia said quietly as they cut their palm. Blood poured from it and onto the floor, forming a bubbling mass. Their brow furrowed as they quickly formed it into something vaguely like a person. Then another, and another, until there were four vaguely human shaped blood constructs.

Saskia was incredibly pale, even with the boost from the orange stone, lightheaded enough they had to lean on Ella for support. But with the boost and stamina restoration, they were able to control the constructs they’d made just like they did their weapons.

Thankfully. They hadn’t been sure if this would work. If Lisa would have to be gangbanged by rats so the rest of them can get away.

Waving her bloody hand at Ella, her friend got the message and healed it. There wasn’t much time to hide down the tunnel they weren’t leading the rats down, back against the stone wall. They directed the blood constructs down the other one as the rats got closer… and would control them as far as they could. It was up to the others to collapse the tunnel behind the swarm.
The swarm chased after the constructs, then Yoko turned towards Ella and said, ”Disciple, get close,” Yoko began.

“Dragon Uppercut.”

Ella let go of Saskia, leaving them to slump against the wall as they used all their energy on continuing to control the constructs, even out of sight. She got close to Yoko. She took a deep breath, hands pressing together in a stance prepared to deliver the blow to the tunnel roof as soon as Yoko did the chant. Yoko took in a deep breath…

”By the spirit of the ancient flame,
Unleash the strength that gods inspire!
With this strike, the heavens shake,
The earth will quake, and the bones will break!
Rise, Ella, with power reborn,
Dragon's fury, through you sworn!”
Then Ella felt a boost…

Ella immediately launched forward and up, fist-slamming into the roof of the other tunnel. It was powerful enough it sent a shockwave down the tunnel, crack spiraling across the rock and causing the roof to cave in. Trapping the rats… but cracks also began to form above them as chunks started to fall. A net of spiders webs appeared that caught most of the smaller ones, but it was a lost cause for the larger ones. One large rock was sliced in half by the Yokai Killer, and Yoko barely had time to sheath the Yokai Killer before a loud crash reverberated through the tunnel, dust blowing in all directions as the cave-in sealed the path. However, there were still rocks tumbling from the ceiling.

”Is everyone alright?!” Yoko called, before she said, ”We need to move! There might be another tunnel, and knowing those bastards, they’ll find it!”

"Rats have very good spatial navigation thanks to-"

”... Now is not the time, Otten!” Yoko said, gesturing for them to follow before she darted down the tunnel.

Ella bent down to pick up Saskia, who used a last bit of blood to cut the Orange Stone out of their hand and shove it back in their pocket. They’d lost a lot of blood… so pale they were practically a ghost.

"We’ve bought ourselves time, at least!" Ella said, shifting Saskia to her back so she could carry them and still have a free arm.

As they ran, they could hear the distant squeaks of the horde of rats behind them… merely echoes that got suspiciously loud from time to time. However, the volume spikes were likely drowned out by the sound of the four’s frantic footsteps. They ran for an eternity until the tunnel suddenly opened into a massive chamber, with the ceiling stretching impossibly high…

… The red light shined from right above a rickety, old mineshaft elevator.

”Elevator!” Yoko shouted, ”If it works, we might have a way out of here!”

”... And if it doesn’t?” Lisa asked.

”Then get ready for a climb!”

"... Aren’t mineshaft elevators manual?" Saskia groaned as Ella put her down.

"That’s better, then, right?!" Ella said, putting out one foot into the elevator and carefully putting some weight onto it.

”... I thiiiink we should just climb up the shaft anyway,” Lisa said, placing her fingertips against her chin.

”Look, if it will take us up, then we-” Yoko said, before she heard a mass of squeaking, and without wasting a second, she rushed over to the old crank mechanism. Her hands gripped the cold iron wheel as she struggled to run it. ”Work, damn it…”

With a grunt, she gave it a twist, the metal screeched, but nothing happened. She pulled harder, and the elevator stayed put.

”Damn it all!” Yoko hissed, as she turned back to the girl. ”We have to climb!”

The Mother Will appeared out of nowhere and placed her hands on Saskia’s shoulders, yet neither Lisa, Ella, or Yoko flinched. It was like she wasn’t there.

“This whole mess is her fault,” The Mother Will seductively said, pointing at Yoko. “Why should you be the one taking the fall? Why should your friends?” The Mother Will laughed.

Saskia didn’t react, not even looking at the Mother Will. The only sign she’d heard was a slight twitching of her lips, from a thin line to an almost frown. She wasn’t wrong. It was Yoko’s fault they were in this situation. But, she couldn’t do anything about that right now. Not without upsetting Ella, at least. The Mother Will retracted back into the darkness of the tunnels.

"Go up," Saskia said, wings starting to shove out of their back. They looked at Ella and Lisa, and gestured towards the mineshaft. Then they looked at Yoko. "You go last, Yoko."

Yoko stared at Saskia for a moment, before turning around and taking a defensive position, and sighing.

"You go first, Lisa, you’ll be faster!" Ella said, colours coating her hands and her legs starting to glow.

”Hold on!” Lisa shouted as she seemingly did three things at once… she raised her hands and from the darkness of the caves, an absolute carpet of spiders came and got in between their path. Then they bulged and began glowing with a yellow liquid. All while spider legs grew out of her back, and without a second word, she quickly climbed the mineshaft with the spider legs.

Ella followed after her, having a bit more of a difficult time. Even with enhanced arms and legs it was difficult to get handholds. But she started to make her way up after Lisa as fast as she could.

Leaving just Saskia and Yoko. Saskia stared at Yoko for a moment as their wings finished forming.

"Put them at risk again, and I won’t forgive you." They intoned lowly. Then they started to climb up the mineshaft - using the sharp bones along the wings like climbing picks, since there wasn’t enough room to actually fly. The extra limbs made it much easier for them to climb up, quickly catching up with Ella.

”Otten-” Yoko cut herself off before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath… using the breathing techniques from Bolster, Yoko quickly lept through the air, hopping on each wooden beam of the elevator. Surprisingly, she caught up with Saskia and Ella as they went from beam to beam.

They made it to the exit, which lead to a surprisingly flat surface. Yoko climbed her way out, and looked down. The rats were easily scaling the elevator... She quickly turned towards Ella, and said,

”... Disciple!” Yoko began. ”One last joint-cast we need to use Radiant Annihilation!”

Yoko put her hands together, and created a yellow sphere of light… Ella put her hands over it and channelled her own energy into it until it got bigger and brighter. A bead of sweat formed on her forehead as it reached its full potential, and she pushed out her hands to shove it below them.

it floated down… The fact it was going slow was overshadowed by the ravenous speed of the rats. Yoko looked over her shoulder at Ella,

”... Run.”

Then broke off into a sprint, Lisa was running as well, and she was tackled to the ground by Yoko… After a few moments, the sphere exploded, and the muffled squeaks were drown out by the sound of the tunnel collapsing. Stone and rat gore were sent in all directions.

The dust settled.

Yoko pushed herself up, and looked over her shoulder… The entire tunnel had collapsed. No rats had made it through. Yoko sighed in relief.

”... Hey g-gorgeous!” Lisa‘s voice trembled. ”You c-come here… O-often?” Lisa awkwaly blew her a kiss, followed by some equally awkward laughter.

Yoko rolled her eyes.

"Gross, I'm covered in blood! Again!" Ella shouted, standing up and shaking out her limbs, which were covered in rat bits. She'd been closest to the blast - but didn't seem all that bothered that she'd been hit by a few rats. Just the gore.

"Hardly," Saskia rolled their eyes at Ella. They were still on the ground where they'd dropped down, rolling onto their back with heaving breaths. If they got up right now… they'd pass out. They couldn't use anymore blood, either, but they wouldn't tell the others that.

Their head tilted towards Lisa. "You gotta work more on your post battle flirting."

”... Well, she needs to stop standing over me like we’re about to make out!” Lisa shouted, awkwardly laughing.

Yoko pushed herself to her feet, then offered a hand… which Lisa took and she helped her to her feet. ”Is everyone okay?” Yoko said.

"I’m just thinking about taking a nap," Saskia said, still lying on their back on the ground.

"I’m good!" Ella said, still chirpy.

”I’m alive.” Lisa nodded, dusting herself off. ”I could use a shower. Or two.” She shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself walking around.

”Maybe three-”

Lisa paused as something caught her eye leading her gaze upwards towards a massive looming shadow they neglected to notice. Floating high in the eye was a gigantic floating, landmass that had thick chains attached to it. On the top of it, a keen eye could notice some structures, but they were hard to spot from this angle.

”Oh…” Lisa looked on in awe. ”What is that?”

Yoko sighed, before she answered.

”... The Kingdom.”

Recollections: The Compendium

MONOCHROME
| The Lux Void | "I am the weapon of those who dwell in darkness." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | Monochrome is said to have been forged in the depths of the Void, created to counter the unchecked growth of Adepts and their power. This artifact embodies the fears of those who wield magic, serving as a reminder of the dark potential within the depths of the Lux. | TYPE: | Lux-Consuming Long-Axe. | LOCATION: | Last seen cast into The Pit by Adam Blackmore, Monochrome was disposed of in his final act before retiring from the magical scene. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | James Holloway: A once-celebrated Adept who took up Monochrome desperately attempting to protect his village from a sorcerer. He used the artifact to defeat the sorcerer, ultimately severing his Lux and freeing his community from tyranny. He cast Monochrome away after he was done using it. Cassandra the Evil: A sorceress who became infamous for her use of Monochrome in dark rituals. Driven by ambition, she used the artifact to absorb the magic of others, sacrificing them to enhance her powers and create a reign of terror over those who opposed her. Eventually, she was killed by Nora Reyes, who took Monochrome from her. Nora Reyes: Nora fell to the allure of Monochrome’s power during her quest for revenge against those who betrayed her. With Monochrome, she sought to dismantle the Accordance, but ultimately, she failed, and it fell into their hands. David Clarke: Once a celebrated peacekeeper of the Accordance, David became obsessed with power after stealing Monochrome from their vaults. He drained Lux from foes and allies, leading to devastation and chaos as he sought to establish himself as an undisputed ruler through fear. He was eventually killed by Adam Blackmore, who took Monochrome from him. Adam Blackmore: He briefly had Monochrome before he cast it into The Pit. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	Counterpart to the legendary Kaleidoscope, Monochrome is a legendary artifact classified as one of the "ultimate artifacts" due to its immense power and terrifying abilities. Known primarily for its ability to vortex Lux from the environment or its opponents, it can absorb magic cast by any Adept, essentially negating their spellcasting entirely. The type or power of Lux does not limit this ability — all colors and spells are susceptible to Monochrome’s siphoning powers. Over time, this absorbed Lux accumulates within the wielder, enhancing their physical and magical capabilities to dangerous, near-godlike levels. Adepts cannot wield Monochrome, as doing so would weaken them physically and magically. The artifact's ability to siphon Lux drains their power and disrupts their connection to it, threatening to sever them entirely if they persist in using it. In terms of its vortex ability, Monochrome does more than consume Lux. It stores it within the wielder, allowing them to enhance their physical form as long as they are connected to Monochrome. With enough absorbed Lux, a wielder could achieve feats of strength, speed, regeneration, and durability far beyond the normal limits of their body. Wielders who’ve mastered Monochrome have ascended to near-immortal states. The axe is also famed for its destructive capabilities. Constructs created by Adepts (whether barriers, summoned creatures (Abominable), or even Orange Lux Artifacts) are susceptible to Monochrome’s disruptive force. Any magic tied to Lux that clashes with the axe is nullified or destroyed. Monochrome is known for its near invincibility to all forms of damage. The axe, forged in the Void, possesses supernatural sharpness that can slice through the most robust materials, rendering it a formidable weapon against any foe. But its most feared ability, regarded with reverence and horror, is the "Lux Wound." Each strike from Monochrome inflicts physical damage and a debilitating wound on the Adept’s connection to their Lux. Repeated strikes weaken the victim’s spells, reducing their potency, and in time, if struck enough, the Adept can be severed entirely from their Lux — a fate worse than death for many. No Adept who has been severed from their Lux has ever regained it, and the psychological and emotional toll is devastating. Monochrome is a feared All-Verse weapon symbolizing ultimate power and finality. No known counter to Monochrome’s Lux Wound exists. While some Adepts have attempted to use healing magic or spells to close the wounds left on their Lux, none have succeeded. The effect is permanent, scarring on the soul of the Adept that not even the most potent of Green or Orange Lux spells can remedy. This permanence makes the axe a terrifying prospect for Adepts and entire factions, as Monochrome can effectively dismantle their most influential members. The mere appearance of Monochrome on a battlefield is enough to cause panic. Whole factions have surrendered upon the revelation that the axe was in play, not willing to risk the fate of losing their Adepts to its severing curse. Rumors suggest an unspoken rule among certain Paranormal groups: to fight Monochrome is to lose, so the only strategy is avoiding it at all costs. Legends say that when a Kaleidoscope wielder and a Monochrome bearer exist concurrently in the All-Verse, they are fated to engage in a duel. Not of magic, but skill. ..............................................................................................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

PENTY.HARMONIUM
| The Last Symphony | "The beginning is the end is the beginning." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | Penty Harmonium was born from the dying soul of The Maestro, a legendary Adept of Purple-Lux, whose obsession with controlling time led him to craft this ultimate artifact. As his body failed, his final act was to bind his soul to the harmonium, ensuring it would become a timeless instrument of unimaginable power. Fueled by the Maestro’s essence, the Penty Harmonium is his final masterpiece, unmatched in its ability to command time. | TYPE: | Organ-Clock artifact. | LOCATION: | Its current location is unknown, though rumors persist that it resides deep within the Temporal Vaults, a place hidden between timelines and accessible only through precise manipulations of time magic (Purple Lux or otherwise). | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Alden Drake, a time manipulator who once claimed the Penty Harmonium, played a devastating melody that erased an entire world from existence, leaving only fragments of memory in a few minds scattered across the All-Verse. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Penty Harmonium is a grand and imposing relic, both a musical instrument and a clock that sits frozen in a state of perpetual potential. Playing the Penty Harmonium grants its wielder unprecedented control over time, but unlike other artifacts, it doesn’t offer an Abstraction or enhance a wielder's inherent magic. Instead, it provides direct, unfiltered access to the raw forces of time, allowing the player to manipulate the timeline in ways that Purple-Lux Adepts could only dream of. The harmonium can speed up or slow down time within specific areas, reverse the flow of events, or create temporal pockets where time ceases to exist. With the right melody, entire eras can be undone or replayed, the future reshaped with each note played. A single note can rewind a moment of history, while a whole symphony can alter the fate of entire universes. The harmonium can collapse time into itself, blending past, present, and future into a singular moment of chaos or clarity, depending on the player's skill. The harmonium can open doorways to alternate timelines, trap enemies in infinite loops, or remove entire events from reality, leaving no trace of their existence. However, this power comes at a terrible cost. Playing the harmonium draws deeply on the user’s life force. As the melodies grow more complex, so does the price. The soul of the Maestro, trapped within the harmonium, feeds on the user's essence, slowly draining them of their vitality. The more time is manipulated, the more the instrument hungrily devours its player, eventually claiming their soul entirely if pushed too far. Adepts who have sought to master the Penty Harmonium have either been lost to time’s forgotten corners or wholly consumed by the artifact itself. The Penty Harmonium is also linked to the Ancient known as the Butterfly, the enigmatic being responsible for managing time across the All-Verse. It is said that those who wield the harmonium too recklessly will attract the Butterfly's attention. Should the Butterfly deem the user a threat to the integrity of time, it will take them to The Pasture, the Butterfly’s world, where they are trapped in an endless loop of their most significant failures, forced to relive them for eternity. No one has ever returned from The Pasture. For this reason, many who stumble upon the Penty Harmonium leave it untouched, fearing the price of its power. Yet, for those willing to risk their soul or being, the harmonium offers the ultimate reward: mastery over time, free from the constraints of mortality, history, or fate. .......................................................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.PRISM.RINGS
| The Lux Ampiflier | "The balance of power lies in restraint." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Prism Rings were forged by an ancient cult of Adepts from the world of Stars who sought to harness the ambient Lux of the Allverse. Through a deep understanding of Lux and the interconnectedness of all things, they created these rings to act as conduits for Lux, allowing wearers to tap into the energy surrounding them. | TYPE: | Conduit Artifact | LOCATION: | The twelve Prism Rings are scattered all over the All-Verse. Two of them are currently being held on Elysium Island by the Elite, while another is in the Pit, hidden somewhere on the body of the Deathpile. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | None of note. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Prism Rings consist of twelve rings, which can be worn individually or collectively. When worn by an Adept, these rings enable the user to draw Lux from their environment and other dimensions, boosting the potency of their spells. The rings amplify Adept's abilities and convert any other color of Lux they draw into their specific color, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their casting. For instance, a pyromancer could wear the red ring to absorb ambient red Lux from the surroundings, significantly increasing their fire spells' heat and destructive power. A fireball could explode on impact, causing a more significant damage radius or igniting flammable objects. Similarly, a healer could use Lux from the environment to enhance their healing spells, allowing them to heal multiple allies simultaneously or significantly speed up the recovery of grievous injuries. However, using the Prism Rings requires caution. The user can control the amount of Lux they channel, but the more they draw, the more volatile their casting becomes. Excessive Lux can lead to unpredictable results, increasing the likelihood of spells backfiring, misfiring, or spiraling out of control. For example, if a Red-Lux Adept tries to channel too much Lux while casting a fireball. In that case, the spell may become too powerful, leading to an uncontrollable explosion that injures enemies and puts allies at risk. In the case of healing, drawing too much green Lux while attempting to heal a minor wound could result in over-healing, rapidly causing the recipient's body to regenerate to an unstable state, causing tumors and ugly scars. The risks associated with the Prism Rings make them a powerful tool and a double-edged sword. ..........................................................................................................

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

The.Deathpile
4,088 | Ethan Zachariah Cole | It/Its/He/Him "̵F̶R̷E̶E̶ ̶U̵S̷!̵ ̸H̸U̸N̶G̴E̴R̶!̴ ̶C̶A̵N̸’̶T̸ ̵B̷R̶E̸A̷T̴H̷E̴,̴ ̷M̶O̸R̵E̵,̷ ̶M̵O̴R̸E̷!̶ ̷H̸E̴L̶P̸!̴ ̵W̷E̴ ̷A̶R̵E̷ ̶L̸O̴S̶T̴!̵ ̵S̵H̷A̷T̵T̴E̸R̶E̶D̵ ̸P̶I̵E̴C̷E̵S̸,̵ ̴J̷O̵I̴N̶ ̵U̷S̶!̵ ̴I̸ ̶D̶I̷D̴N̶'̷T̶ ̸M̵E̴A̸N̵ ̶F̷O̸R̸ ̵T̵H̷I̷S̵ ̴T̵O̴ ̵H̷A̴P̶P̶E̸N̷!̴ ̴A̸L̵L̵ ̵T̸H̸A̵T̷ ̴W̵A̴S̵,̴ ̶F̸L̵E̴S̶H̴,̴ ̸F̸L̵E̶S̷H̷!̵ ̴I̸T̸ ̸A̷C̸H̷E̴S̸,̸ ̵N̸E̸V̶E̵R̷ ̸F̶O̷R̵G̵O̵T̸T̵E̸N̴!̴ ̶H̵E̶A̵L̶ ̸T̴H̷E̸ ̸W̸O̶U̴N̵D̴!̸ ̷C̴O̵N̴S̵U̸M̵E̶!̴ ̸H̵E̵L̵P̸!̶ ̸A̵ ̷W̵H̸I̵S̷P̶E̸R̶ ̶I̵N̷ ̴T̷H̸E̴ ̸D̸A̴R̷K̵,̸ ̸M̸O̷R̸E̷!̷ ̵T̵H̶E̵ ̴A̴B̸Y̸S̸S̸ ̴C̴A̴L̵L̷S̵,̸ ̴W̷E̷ ̸C̷R̶A̷V̵E̶!̶ ̴I̸ ̸D̶O̷N̵'̴T̷ ̴W̵A̷N̸T̸ ̴T̵O̵ ̸H̶U̶R̷T̵ ̴A̴N̴Y̵O̶N̴E̷!̶ ̸B̸R̴E̵A̴K̶ ̵F̸R̶E̷E̶,̶ ̸S̵O̵ ̶M̵U̶C̴H̴ ̷P̴A̸I̵N̶!̷ ̷W̴E̵ ̶A̷R̶E̵ ̸O̵N̶E̷,̴ ̸N̶E̵V̸E̷R̶ ̴A̵G̴A̷I̵N̷!̸ ̷I̴'̸M̷ ̶S̸O̸R̵R̶Y̴!̴ ̶M̶O̵R̸E̸ ̸M̴O̵R̸E̸,̷ ̶M̶O̷R̵E̴!̵ ̵F̴E̶E̵L̵ ̴I̸T̷ ̶T̶E̵A̷R̸I̴N̶G̶,̴ ̸H̷E̴L̷P̴ ̷U̶S̸!̴ ̶T̶H̷E̷ ̷H̴U̷N̴G̴E̴R̸,̴ ̵A̸L̷W̷A̴Y̷S̴ ̷H̷U̸N̶G̴R̶Y̸!̷ ̵W̷E̸ ̵W̶I̷L̵L̸ ̵N̷O̵T̵ ̶B̵E̴ ̵F̶O̵R̶G̶O̶T̴T̴E̵N̵,̷ ̷N̶O̷T̴ ̵A̴G̶A̷I̷N̴!̵ ̴F̴O̵R̵G̷I̷V̶E̷ ̶M̴E̵!̸ ̶S̸T̷O̶P̵ ̴U̸S̸!̸"̷	Description: The Deathpile began with a man named Ethan Cole, a once-gifted Green Lux Adept who genuinely believed in the power of good intentions and the healing force of magic. Ethan was known for his unwavering optimism, traveling across realms to mend the sick and repair the damage caused by magical maleficence. For years, his magic seemed like a divine gift, bringing hope to war-torn universes and patches of peace to places that had long been ravaged by chaos. But Ethan’s zeal for making things right often blinded him to the consequences of his actions. His first significant failure came when he attempted to heal an entire region corrupted by a parasitic magical plague. Rather than addressing the root of the corruption, Ethan poured all his energy into purging it at once, suppressing the symptoms rather than curing the disease. The result was catastrophic: the plague mutated, becoming resistant to his magic, spreading even faster, and wiping out not just the infected but the entire universe. Entire ecosystems collapsed, and Ethan, horrified by the unintended destruction, fled to find a solution rather than stay and help those still alive. A powerful Apparition had laid waste to an entire city in another universe. Still, instead of forming a careful plan, Ethan believed his magic could pacify the entity through sheer force of will. The confrontation ended in disaster. The Apparition retaliated with such fury that the fabric of the universe began to unravel, causing a ripple effect destabilizing the entire dimension. While he managed to seal the Apparition, the cracks left in that universe would eventually lead to its collapse, causing it to fall into the Pit. Yet again, Ethan escaped to another realm, unable to face the carnage left in his wake. With every failure, Ethan grew more desperate. His once steadfast optimism became a blind conviction that he could fix everything if only he tried harder and pushed further. He was running out of time and hope, and the weight of his mistakes was starting to suffocate him. His healing magic, once his pride, now felt like a curse; each attempt to mend something only seemed to worsen it. As the All-Verse continued to fray and unravel, Ethan convinced himself that he needed to take more drastic measures, and that was when he devised his final spell. Drawing upon every ounce of his power, he crafted a massive enchantment, a spell meant to cleanse not just one world but entire dimensions of their suffering to undo the damage done by his hand. The ritual was as intricate as it was perilous, requiring tremendous Lux. Ethan sought to channel his Green Lux and every type of Lux he had ever touched. This led him to Prism Ring, which allowed him to channel magic beyond his Lux and amplify his existing Lux. He believed that by combining the full spectrum of magic, he could restore balance to the multiverse. But the spell was too vast, too ambitious. It was not magic meant to heal; it was meant to control. Ethan's desire to fix everything, to undo all his failures at once, warped the spell into something far darker than he had anticipated. Instead of restoring balance, the magic fed on his guilt, grief, and desperation. The surge of Lux overwhelmed him, twisting his body and soul. The magic consumed him, reducing his once noble intentions to a ravenous hunger for unity. This all-encompassing force sought to combine, fuse, and absorb all life into a grotesque mass. The moment Ethan lost control, the spell turned on him, melding him with the matter he had tried to heal. Flesh, bone, and spirit fused into a nightmarish creature of unending suffering. Ethan Cole became the Deathpile. The creature that emerged from the failed spell was an abomination, unlike anything the All-Verse had ever seen. Its form was an ever-shifting amalgamation of the countless beings it absorbed (living, dead, or in) between, its flesh writhing and pulsating as if trying to escape its existence. At its core, the remnants of Ethan Cole’s original form could occasionally be glimpsed: a skeletal figure with a grotesque, elongated tongue surrounded by malformed tendrils. The Deathpile did not stop with one universe; Ethan possessed an artifact that allowed it to travel to other universes via the portal. This artifact allowed the Deathpile to spread across multiple realities, devouring everything in its path - cities, planets, and dimensions. It is consumed without purpose or direction, driven by the warped remains of Ethan's original goal to fix everything, to merge all of existence into a singular, horrific mass. The more it absorbed, the more grotesque it became until its endless hunger swallowed entire worlds. The All-Verse prepared the worst: a coalition of the strongest Adepts from many realities banded together to trap the Deathpile. They lured the monstrosity to The Pit with great effort, using its insatiable desire to consume as bait. Once inside, the Deathpile became trapped, unable to escape, and there, it remains. Abstraction: Abominable - The Hunger of Unison. The Deathpile's Abstraction is a monstrous force of consumption, evolution, and creation. This ability allows the Deathpile to absorb any form of organic tissue (living, dead, or magical) and assimilate it into its grotesque mass. Each time it consumes, it grows stronger, absorbing not just flesh but the essence of its prey, including any Abstractions, strengths, or unique traits. With each absorption, the Deathpile’s power increases exponentially, and its form mutates into something more powerful, horrific, and adaptable. No matter what it devours, it only grows, continuously evolving with every life it consumes. The Deathpile is physically strong, capable of quickly crushing mountains, showcasing its immense might as it rampages across dimensions. The Deathpile's regenerative abilities are unparalleled. Even when parts of its body are destroyed, it can regenerate from the most minor remnants, rapidly restoring its lost mass and becoming more robust with each resurgence. This Abstraction also grants the Deathpile the ability to reshape itself at will. It can change into any form necessary, from towering giants of flesh and bone to swarms of smaller, agile predators. The Deathpile can shift between these forms quickly, and there is no limit to its transformations, allowing it to exploit the powers and traits of every being it absorbs. The Deathpile possesses an uncanny ability to sense organic tissue from miles away, allowing it to track potential prey across vast distances. This heightened awareness makes it a relentless predator, constantly seeking fresh biomass to absorb. It can spray an incredibly corrosive acid that can eat through even the most rigid materials, effectively breaking down flesh before devouring it. Perhaps most terrifying is its ability to create minions. The Deathpile can tear away pieces of its flesh, imbuing them with a twisted form of life and creating monstrous extensions of itself. These minions take on various forms, often combining the worst features of the beings the Deathpile has devoured. While not as powerful as the Deathpile itself, they are numerous, relentless, and driven by the same insatiable hunger......................................................

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

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Lynette Domínguez

Interactions: None

The House on The Hill.

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The door was pushed open after Sloane, the three Adoras stepped outside. ”Sloane, no.” One of the Adoras placed a hand on her shoulder while the other two stood side by side.
”I know it's all fucked up, but it's just not our place anymore.”

Adora sighed, ”Just let that ditzy-bitch go. It's on her.”

Of the small list of people who would come after her, Adora had not been on it. Whatever emotion the surprise should’ve elicited was smothered by annoyance when Adora suggested that she just let it go. Sloane shrugged off Adora’s hand and turned towards her.

“I must’ve missed it at the other meeting. Is ’It’s not our place’ the new motto for this iteration of the Coven? Oh, it doesn’t directly affect me, so why bother then? Is that it?” said Sloane in a mocking tone.

It was that kind of attitude that had allowed for problems like Alizée to slip through the cracks only to emerge at the most inopportune times. If they had sealed Void ten years ago when all had come to light about Alizée’s extracurriculars how different would their current situation be today? At the very least the meeting with Greenwood would’ve gone better, and it was quite obvious that the lives of those stalked by Alizée would’ve been vastly improved with their traumatic experience erased and hospital bills nullified. Sloane rolled her eyes. Fantasizing about what-ifs should be Lynn’s burden.

“Say something bad happens to Layla, like she becomes abscised by Alizée or is indoctrinated into Leon’s cult. Or Layla does something stupid, like releasing the Void Heart, and they begin tormenting normal people again. When we have a chance to do something and change Layla’s mind but instead choose to do nothing, is it really on her?” Sloane pointed at one of the Adoras. “Or are you just passing the blame?”

”And what do you expect to do about it, then?” The Adoras said, crossing their arms as they continued, ”Give her a rousing speech? Sis, do you honestly think she’s going to listen? Like, on God?”

As she spoke, she put her hands on her hips, ”I’m not saying that I don't care, I’m saying you can’t help people who don't want help.”

“Yes you can. It just requires a little more…” Sloane laced her hands in front of her and shook them, as if she were either shaking some sense into or strangling the life out of a ghost. “...tact.” Sloane’s hands dropped. Adora had a point. What reason would Layla have to listen to her? “It doesn’t matter if Layla won’t listen. Something is off about this whole situation. It shouldn’t just be brushed off. It shouldn’t be ignored.”

Her fist tightened at her side as she looked away from Adora and muttered through gritted teeth, “It’s not fair that Alizée gets another chance while the others stay dead.”

”I’m not saying we should brush anything off,” The Adoras said, shaking their heads. ”It's not fair she’s back, and Brit should have sealed her spooky ass and we shoulda called it a day.”

Adora sighed, ”Auri shouldn’t have invited her back in the first place. Would have saved us a lot of trouble.”

“Yeah, well, Auri is only good for making stupid decisions, and there’s nothing surprising about Britney doing the wrong thing,” said Sloane.

”But again, we can’t do anything about that, really,” Adora sighed, ”Maybe when-” Adora paused for a moment, ”... We talk to Layla when she gets back.”

“If she gets back,” said Sloane coldly, eying the three Adoras. “You know, the point of the Triplicate Ring is that you can be in three places at once so while one of you was stuck in this pointless meeting the other two could actually be accomplishing something like finding the other two Trinity Rings. If you aren’t going to use it properly you should just give it back.”

One of the Adoras crossed their arms, the other two turned their nose up at Sloane.

”Then tell me wh-” Adora cut herself off, before skipping off past Sloane. ”You know what, you’re right.”

The other two Adoras disappeared, and the remaining Adora looked over her shoulders back at Sloane. ”... I’ll get to work.”

“And now you unsumm—yep, screw it, whatever, you do that,” said Sloane, pinching the bridge of her nose and glancing back towards the abandoned bar. “Still got a Counterfeit to fini—”

Sloane was cut off by the blaring of a fire alarm. The door shot open, and various faces left the House on the Hill… and one walked over to Sloane and placed a hand on her shoulder. It was Lynette Domínguez, and she had a warming smile as a rock with all of the snacks and drinks she brought floated behind.

“... Sloane-y, I know you don’t like me, but can we talk briefly?” Lynette asked. “It’s important. Super important.”

Sloane turned to give Lynette an annoyed look. If Lynette was so concerned about Sloane's opinion of her then it'd be smart of her to stop saying Sloane-y. No matter how important something was, it was strange for Lynette to approach Sloane instead of one of her actual friends. Sloane hadn’t realized that the pecking order of the Coven followed the same rules as an extended family Thanksgiving dinner, where twenty-somethings had to wait for grandpa to croak to get a chance to have a seat at the adult’s table. Not that Sloane’s family ever had large celebrations.

“Well?”

Lynette took in a deep breath before she said, “Yes. I know this is going to sound shady. And yes, I know it’s going to sound shitty. But, I spoke with Emily’s sisters and they have a problem with one of the factions - Yes, I know they just attacked you, but hear me out; this is bigger than Emily. One of the factions that currently operate in the city and I won’t be naming them for your safety kidnapped their little cousin - an eleven-year-old girl named Constance Reed - and they won’t release her unless they find the Apparition Killer for them.”

Lynette shook her head, “Now, I know the sword is missing, but either way, I don’t think giving up the Apparition Killer is a good idea for any reason, so I was wondering if you could let me have the Aspiration Killer. It was a good enough replica to trick Stiggy; it should work on them. I’m not going to ask you to give me the Aspiration Killer for free, but I will do literally anything for you if you give me that sword. Anything.”

Sloane didn’t know exactly what she had expected to be “super important” for Lynette, but her forking up the ransom for a missing child’s case had not been it. The disappearance of Constance Reed had been something Sloane had heard about on the news for the past few months now, being dredged back up with any real additional information whenever there weren’t enough horrible things going on in the city to fill the evening news. Perhaps she had made the connection before that the Reed she knew was connected to the missing Reed, but it had subsequently been forgotten. It was a fact that was almost unimportant until it suddenly wasn’t.

Was Lynette’s request shady? Definitely. Was it shitty? Absolutely. But the real question was did Lynette think Sloane was stupid, was Lynette stupid, or were the kidnappers stupid? Kidnapping a child related to someone who once knew a person who had a thing that they wanted was like robbing a bank so you could use the money to go buy liquor. Just rob the store instead, or, to abandon the metaphor, kidnap Ashley’s daughter. Sloane frowned, her mind already contemplating counterarguments. Did Sloane think that Emily would kidnap her own cousin in some harebrained scheme to get the Apparition Killer? Extremely unlikely. Again, Ashley’s daughter, basically begging to be snatched from the playground.

But would Emily take advantage of a family tragedy to swindle others? If not, then the only reason she had yet to cross the line was merely because she didn’t realize it was there to step over.

“What could you realistically offer that I would want?” said Sloane. The question was rhetorical. She cut Lynette off before she could reply. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t have it.”

Lynette smiled, tilting her head,

“... Well, what happened to it?” She asked.

“Perhaps you should've come to the previous meetings, said Sloane. “It was stolen alongside my other artifacts.”

“Well…” Lynette trailed off, “... Shit. There goes my only plan.”

She touched her forehead, “Do you know who took them? Or have any clues? I’m a very good detective.” She grinned ear to ear…

“If I knew that then they would no longer be stolen. The only clue I have was that there were no clues. No fingerprints, no signs of forced entry, nothing recorded on any cameras, no evidence of any of my Hexmarks being triggered, nothing,” said Sloane, casting a glance towards the departing Coven members as she lowered her voice. “This is only an educated guess, but I’d imagine that the thief is either someone who knew my spells well enough to avoid them. So, either a former coven member or someone connected to one.”

“Hmmm…” Lynette thought to herself before saying, “When did this happen? Recently? Or… a long ass time ago?” She laughed, perhaps not at Sloane.

Maybe the absurdity of it all.

“A few months ago,” said Sloane, her face tightening. “Right around the same time Father Wolf started to prune leaves from the Sycamore Tree. A seemingly untraceable killer whose crime scenes provide us with just as many clues as our master thief. What do you deduce from that, Poirot?”

“A few months ago? Same time as Father Wolf, huh?” Lynette tilted her head, tapping her chin a few times as she hummed. “... Okay, I see what you’re saying. That’s way too much of a coincidence to ignore. No forced entry, no traps triggered, and no clues left behind? Whoever took your artifacts either knows you way too well or…” Lynette took in a deep breath.

Sloane shot Lynette a look, as if to dare her to finish what was starting to sound like an accusation. It wouldn’t be the first time Sloane had been accused of stealing her own property, and the lack of any real resolution for the theft of her first Counterfeit was still a sore spot all these years later.

“Okay, there’s gotta be something linking all of this together, right? If Father Wolf and the thief were somehow working together, or maybe it’s the same person…” Lynette stopped, “... And you probably already thought about that; I’m just thinking out loud here!” She laughed to herself before saying,

“Look, Sloane, I can tell you don’t trust me - and honestly, I’d be surprised if you did - but I’m trying to help you here. This isn’t just about Constance, the Apparition Killer going missing, or even the murders. Something bigger is happening here, and it’s gotta be connected.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” said Sloane bluntly. “Forcing a connection can sometimes be just as dangerous as ignoring one. Perhaps all of this is a grand conspiracy being strung together by some mastermind from the shadows. Or maybe it’s all just a series of unrelated messes that, once dumped on top of the other, happen to make a silhouette of a puppeteer.”

Sloane paused, and for a moment it sounded as if she was merely dismissing Lynette, before she rolled her eyes and said, “Still, we shouldn’t just ignore it. So, we have a kidnapper, a thief, and a murderer. The kidnapper wants the Apparition Killer. The thief, possibly, wants the Apparition Killer too, mistaking the Aspiration Killer for it. So what does the murderer want?”

“I mean, besides the obvious.” Sloane dragged her finger across her throat. “If we’re going to try to expand this world where everything is connected, then our deaths have to be accomplishing something.”

Or preventing something. Sloane closed her eyes, one of Lynn’s predictions echoing around in the back of her head, utterings of an umbral corruption planted in their subconsciousness by the Stygian Snake. Lynn’s voice warped and pitched down, becoming Drake as he stood outside of a Dairy Queen, presenting what had then sounded like little more than an upsetting crackpot theory. Sloane visibly winced, blinking away the phantoms.

“Unless there is a sniper hidden beyond some grassy knoll waiting to take the shot the moment they read your lips saying the name, then you should just tell me who kidnapped Constance,” said Sloane. “It might help us piece together the puzzle.”

Lynette awkwardly laughed.

“... There very well could be,” Lynette said, as she walked over to Sloane and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Look, I’m not telling you who they are because I am hiding something - or playing some type of angle here - I’m not telling you for your own safety because they are dangerous. I know how they operate, and people who tend to bark up their tree tend to go missing… at best.”

Lynette looked off to the side as she continued, “And, I’m going to be real here; I can’t tell you unless I can really trust you not to tell anyone in the Coven - or anyone at all. Because they probably already have eyes on and in the Coven. And I can’t risk you or anyone else getting killed because of me.”

“But you can risk me or others getting killed because you chose to withhold information that might be pertinent to our serial killer situation?” said Sloane, shaking her head. “C’mon, Lynette, you were in there. Even if I did say something, it’s pretty fucking obvious they already wouldn’t listen to me anyway.”

“... And that’s half their problem, isn’t it?” Lynette laughed, before she leaned in very close and whispered, “... Dollhouse. Even if you don’t think they’ll listen to you, just don’t say anything. At all. I was serious when I said they probably have eyes in the Coven.”

There was no dead giveaway of the alarm bell that sounded in Sloane’s head as she nodded slightly. Lynette confirmed what Clancy had mentioned in their meeting at the abandoned church that now felt like ages ago: the Dollhouse were operating in St. Portwell. What she knew of the organization was little more than rumors and speculations, extorters and potion pushers that sought wealth by turning magic into a commodity and offering it to the highest, almost exclusively criminal bidder. Her migraine from earlier made a grand return, kicking in the door to her skull, leaving its boots on, and stomping mud all over the carpet.

“Okay,” said Sloane. This didn’t clear up the picture at all. It only dumped more shit on it. “Okay. Why would they want the Apparition Killer?”

“No clue,” Lynette said, “They could want to sell it, they could need it for something, or they could want it out of the picture.”

Sloane gave a little hmph and folded her arms, “Allow me to rephrase that question: what would happen if they had the Apparition Killer?” Sloane held up her hand as Lynette started to respond. “Shut up, I already know the answer.”

Nothing good. Sloane bit her lip. Why did Lynette have to bring this to her attention? She already had too much on her plate as it was and hardly the time to deal with any of it. Pinching the bridge of her nose, as if the act of putting it in words alone was hurting her, Sloane said, “Setup a meeting with Emily’s sisters. I’ll fix this, but only if I can deal with them directly. Carol, too. She has something I need.”

“I got you…” Lynette looked off to the side momentarily as if scanning for any other members of the Coven before she continued. “It will be a little tricky because Luca apparently told the Coven about Jacqueline’s abstraction. So, Emily doesn’t want them going anywhere by themselves.”

Lynette grimaced, “... I’m going have to pull something shady on them to get this to work.”

“Sounds like something you’re more than qualified to handle then,” sniped Sloane, turning to walk away from Lynette and giving her a dismissive farewell wave without glancing over her shoulder. “Until then.”

“Hold on!” Lynette smiled as she extended her phone. “... How am I supposed to plan anything if I don’t have your number?!”

“It’s not like I changed…” sighed Sloane as she stopped, jumping to the conclusion that Lynette never bothered to save her number instead of any other sensible explanations. She pulled a Faris Imports business card with her number on it out of her pocket, turned sharply on her heels, and marched back towards Lynette to hand it to her. She gave Lynette an annoyed smile that was little more than gritted teeth. “There.”

Lynette smiled at her, as she placed her hand on Sloane’s shoulder.

“... You have a great smile, you know?” Lynette laughed as she removed her hand and then flashed Sloane the peace sigh. She walked past her as she said, “We’ll keep in touch.” The rock that held her snacks floated with her to her car. Moments later, the car drove off.

A truck horn honked to the tune of Shave and a Haircut and made Sloane jump as it rolled up next to her.

”Ayy Sloaney, you need a ride back home?” hollered Sully, holding up her things that she had left inside.

Sloane sighed. As much as she didn't want to deal with anyone right now, she still needed to finish her Counterfeit of the Chalice. She climbed in the passenger side, seatbelt barely on before Sully peeled out of the lot.

The door opened right as Sloane was gone. Drake Blackmore stepped out, stuck his hand out, and then shook his head.

”Damn it…” Drake began, ”... I missed again.”

---

The Greenwood Coven.

Interactions: None.

The Greenwood Camp. The Woods in North St. Portwell.

---

---

”... Hope this ain’t no fuckin’ prank.”

Adora said with a roll of her eyes as she followed the dropped pin that Ruby sent her. She had a phone (with the flashlight on) in one hand and the bottle of Grey Goose in the other. As they walked through the dirt road path, the animals made noises in the bushes. However, as they stepped forward, they saw the warm glow of a fire, heard music in the distance, and smelled the weed…

Adora picked up the pace until she made it to the Greenwood Camp.

---

Starry Eyed Surprise

---

The music could be clearly heard, as the loose movements of the Greenwood’s dancing could be seen. They didn’t even notice Amara and Adora at first, until James caught them at the corner of his eyes and grinned.

“... They’re here!” James shouted and pointed, and everyone else turned in their direction.

“Why are ya’ll standing over there!?” Jessica loudly shouted with a snort. “The party’s this way! Stop standing there like abuncha weirdos and par-day!”

The car was parked by the ghost that Amara had instructed to drive, and she stepped out of the passenger seat. In one hand, she had a mostly untouched bottle of vodka, and the smell of weed hit her like cold water.

”Fuck yeah, it better be that way!” She laughed, walking over. ”Let’s fuckin’ go. Is Sully around here?”

Sully, who was on his hands and knees fiddling with the fire to keep it going strong, perked up at the sound of his own. His head popped up out of a cloud of smoke, eyes nearly as red as his cheeks from blowing on the flame. He let out a bellow as he spotted Amara and Adora, staggered up to his feet, swooned ever so slightly as he was hit by a spell of lightheadedness. There was a scary moment where it looked as if he was about to spill over into the campfire before he course-corrected himself, taking a few stumbling steps towards the duo before finding his footing, moving in for the group hug.

“Ayyy, what are you two doing in this part of the woods? Oh good, you brought booze. My pouring arm can rest now. I’m so glad you’re here,” said Sully, his voice slurring. He pulled Adora and Amara in tight, whispering loud enough that Jess would hear. “I need you to distract her so I can take over the radio. All she listens to are songs by the dude from Crazy Town. I can’t hear Butterfly again. I fucking can’t. I can’t. You gotta help me. Please. Help me.”

“... I heard that!” Jess said.

Adora couldn’t help but laugh before she shrugged, ”... This sounds like a job for Amara, right?” She grinned at Amara. ”Right?”

”...Is it?”

”Go rizz up that ginger,” Adora said.

“Amara, you’re the only one capable of doing this. Meanwhile,” Sully pulled out a scratched-up and dented iPod with a cracked screen and slipped it to Adora, “You gotta hook this baby up to the radio. The playlist you want is called On-The-Go 7.”

Amara took the busted up iPod and flicked her eyes towards Jess. Now this looks like a job for me.

”Mission accepted.” Amara slipped away and started walking off in Jess’ direction.

Sully gave Amara a soldier's salute, ten-hutting his heels together, before his eyes widened as they fell on the iPod in her hand. How could Adora hookup the iPod while Amara distracted Jess if Amara was waving the iPod around in front of Jess’s face? How would they escape the clutches of Shifty Shellshock now and find refuge whilst being cradled in the sweet, sweet soft rock arms of singer-songwriter Jack Johnson? Sully gripped Adora’s shoulder like a vise.

“Adora. Adora. You gotta fix this. The iPod houses the chillest of vibes only. If Jess gets it in her hands then I’ll never see it again.Then we’re forever going to be stuck having to dance all night, dance all night to this DJ.”

Adora put her hands on her hip as she pivoted out of his reach, and faced Sully, ”... And what’s wrong with that? I think this song is chill.” Adora shrugged and grinned at Sully.

”I was going to say that they can’t throw it back to death metal - but I gotta feeling you’re into white girl pop.” Then Adora laughed.

“See, that’s the problem, Adora. Everybody thinks Starry Eyed Surprise is chill the first time they hear it. Maybe even the second or third time,” Sully started to back away to the treeline, his eyes widening as he let out a maniacal chuckle, hamming it up like a bad actor playing the part of a gas station attendant found at the start of every campy horror movie ever made, put there solely to be weird and tell the teenage cast to turn back. “But it ain’t gonna be played only a couple of times. Oh no, Adora, it ain’t gonna be played only a couple of times. Just you remember. I tried to warn ya. I tried.”

Sully disappeared between some evergreens then, dropping the bit, called out in his normal voice, “Also, everybody likes white girl pop, Adora. That’s why it’s called pop. It’s the pizza of music. Be right back!”

Adora shrugged before she eyed the Greenwood members dancing in a group. With very little skill in dancing herself, she subtly weaved her way into the group and joined them.

Before Amara could reach Jess, a hand gently wrapped around her wrist and stopped her. When Amara turned her head, she saw Ruby…

“It's dangerous to go alone,” Ruby began. “Here, take this.” Ruby presented a perfectly rolled blunt to Amara.

Amara took it and vowed to use it well.

”So, what does one of the Four Maidens of St Portwell get up to at an hour like this?” Amara asked, sliding up to Jess with the vodka in one hand, and a well-hidden iPod in the other.

Jessica was sitting on a log, legs crossed and hands on her thighs. She grinned, “... You’re looking at it, sugar!” Jess boisterous said, “Partyin’ n’ drinkin’! Drinkin’ n’ partyin’! Occasionally I fit fighting evil in there!” She snorted.

Amara smirked and sat down near her on the log. ”Heard. Haven’t done much partying myself in a fuckin’ minute though. You got a light, you absolute fuckin’ Amazon?” she asked, holding up the blunt.

Jessica laughed loudly, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she reached into her pocket, pulling out a lighter with a flick of her thumb.

“Amazon?” Jess grinned, holding the flame steady. “Sis, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I’d be rich enough to own St. Portwell.”

She held the blunt up and lit it. Amara took a long, long drag off of it and felt the chemicals hit her like water to a desert. ”Holy. Shit,” she breathed. The smoke left her nose like a dragon of legend. ”Ohhh, you beautiful fucks. This shit is different.”

She offered the mostly undrank vodka to Jess. ”I have found my people.”

Jess took it, “And we found you as well.” She took a sip of it, before handing it back. “Lord, don’t call me a lightweight, but that shit is strong as fuck! Puts some hair on ya’ chest.”

Sully emerged from the woods, dragging a large log with him and adding it to the circle surrounding the campfire so that enough seats were available for everyone. He dragged a red cooler so that it would be within arms reach and then sat down on the log with a groan across from Amara and Jess.

“Maybe we can convince Auri to have the meeting start off with a smoke sesh from here on out. Help stop things from getting so tense, although we still might not get anything done,” said Sully with a smile, echoing what Amara had yelled at the others during her meltdown at the meeting. The smile faltered as Sully cocked an eyebrow, a look of genuine concern crossing his face as he thought about asking if she was doing okay before deciding against doing it in front of a whole group. Instead he popped open the cooler and pulled out a vacuum sealed pack of kosher style hotdogs. “Want a glizzy?”

“... After they’re cooked there, ODB!” Jessica laughed.

”What she said,” Amara laughed. ”Light that shit the fuck up, Beer God.”

“Did Ol’ Dirty eat cold hotdogs? I thought he died of an overdose, not botuli—ooooh,” said Sully, finally getting the joke as he struggled to get the pack open. He cursed under his breath as the little plastic ‘tear here’ bit ripped just short of opening the pack, eventually resorting to using the roasting fork to slice it open. Sully jammed all eight dogs on one fork and held it to the flames. “So what the hell have you been doing for the past ten years, Amara? I mean, besides apparently smoking bad grass.”

Amara blew a cloud up into the sky. ”Shooting monsters, running around the whole country, taking heads when someone thinks they’re hot shit. Pretty much what we did when we were kids. ‘Cept with more guns and a hell of a lot more crazy shit every other day.”

“Oh cool, word, word. Same for me too,” said Sully, slowly rotating the dogs.

“Minus the guns, the monsters, the decapitation, and the travel. Does shooting monsters come with a paycheck and a dental plan? I’m kind of between gigs right now.”

”It did, but it wasn’t worth a shit, really.We didn’t really get tax breaks for hunting monsters… Don’t fuck with the PRA, kids. It ain’t worth it.”

The music stopped. Jessica’s eyes shot open as everyone in Greenwood stared at Amara. The silence was deafening.

“... You’re PRA?” Jessica asked, her voice trembling.

Adora facepalmed as she tried to plug the iPod in.

”Was PRA,” she said, not missing a beat. ”Quit around a year ago. Seen enough of that shit for one life. If you guys are serious about that alliance, you’d find out eventually. Might as well find out now, right?”

She let the silence settle and took another puff of the weed. This shit was good.

”You know that bitch running around, Meifeng Liao? I was up there with her once, same rank and experience and other shit like that. Ain’t worth it in the long run, shit’s too cruel. I don’t fuck with them these days.”

“Yeah, um, cool man,” said Sully with a nervous cough. “Once you’re out, you’re out.”

Another uncomfortable silence settled over the camp as Sully tried not to think about the dozen or so movies he’d seen where a retired cop/agent/assassin/whatever tried to stay out but kept getting pulled back in. The fire popped loudly.

“I don’t only know cops,” said Sully, turning to Jess, feeling as if he had to explain himself for some reason. First Drake, now Amara. “Like, Adora’s not a cop, right? Adora? I think you gotta tell us if you are?”

”Sully, please,” Adora said. ”If I was a cop, I would have said it off rip.” She rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know Meifeng,” Ruby said as she calmly walked over. “But, we do know Porter Johnson… very, very, well.”

”Yeah…” Amara nodded. ”That got around, he got fired. Everyone knew about it. Heard someone tried to take him out. Wish they didn’t miss,” she commented. ”Fucker.”

“You’re looking at them, sis,” Jessica said with an awkward laugh. “James is the one that missed.”

“I’m still wondering how you could miss with lightning,” Ruby rolled her eyes.

James flipped her off.

“Broooooooooooo!” James shouted, throwing his hands up into the air with the axe in his right hand. “Who gives a fuck? She ain’t come here to arrest us!” James said, grinning at Amara.

“So, let’s turn the music back on and party!”

“Hell yeah. Adora, hit my music! These puppies are almost ready,” said Sully, leaning closer to the fire as he inspected the hotdogs. A perplexed look crossed Sully’s face as he turned towards James. “Wait, why’d you be arrested for trying to date this Porter Johnson dude?”
”He was a nazi, Sully.”

”Ooooooooh, yikes,” Adora grimaced, that was before she, as instructed, hit the music and braced herself for the most white girl teen-y pop out there.

“James, you tried to date a na—” Sully was interrupted as the radio blasted:

CUT MY LIFE INTO PIECES!

THIS IS MY LAST RESORT!

“No, not that one!”

Sully set the roasting fork against the campfire, nudging a couple of twigs around the base of it to keep it steady so the hotdogs could keep cooking. The moment he got up and walked over to the stereo the twigs were knocked to the side as the fork rolled and teetered, the hotdogs hanging in a precarious balance on the edge of the campfire, ready to fall in completely at the slightest nudge. Meanwhile, Sully lowered the volume on the radio so that nu metal wouldn’t burst anymore eardrums and switched the playlist over to something that could make everyone forget about Amara being a cop or James apparently trying to bone a nazi. Something that was strong and uniting. Something powerful that everybody loved. Jack Johnson’s shoulders were too weak to accept the responsibility. He knew of only one such artiste. Sully hit play.

---

Sully’s Song

---

“Yeeeeeeeah, there we go!”

Adora loudly gagged, but the rest of Greenwood was loving it! Except, Ruby, who shrugged.

“Why didn’t you play something good like Born This Way by Lady Gaga?”

“C’mon Rubes, you know it’s on the list,” said Sully, throwing his hands up with the rest of Greenwood while nodding his head like yeah.

“Then let’s fucking go!” Ruby shouted, raising her blunt into the air. “To another crazy ass night between friends!”

Adora couldn’t help but smile, raising her bottle of grey goose high. The group settled into an easy rhythm, with laughter and conversation filling the air. Drinks were passed around, music pulsed, and the smell of roasted hotdogs mixed with the night breeze.

---

---

Doyathing (Outro) - Gorillaz

[youtube]studio.youtube.com/video/G9nC1jUzAnA/…

---

The following day hit hard.
The sun was barely rising, casting long shadows over the clearing. The campfire had smoked to a pile of ash, and the smell of burnt hotdogs lingered in the air. A few bottles and remnants of half-eaten snacks and discarded blankets were scattered around. The stereo was still softly playing, but Sully’s triumphant playlist from the night before had been silenced to a hum.

Adora groaned first, still buried beneath a blanket. Ruby sat nearby, squinting as if the sunrise was a personal attack, holding a half-empty bottle of something that had gone warm.

”Ugh… what happened last night?” Adora groaned as she pulled her head from underneath the blanket.

“We fuckin’ balled,” Ruby said as she rolled a blunt.

”... Feels like we did more than that,” Adora groaned, rolling her eyes.

“It was a party,” Ruby said with a dismissive shrug, putting the rolled blunt between her lips. “You don’t do this a lot, do you?”

”No,” Adora concisely answered, then groaned.

“... Well, you were throwing back shots like you did,” Ruby laughed as she pulled a lighter to the blunt and sucked it like a straw. She leaned back until she lay down as her face turned into a limp smile.

”Remember what I told you when we first met?” Adora rolled onto her side. ”’Show me how to cut loose.’”

Ruby started laughing.

“Oh, you cut loose, alright.” She grinned.

”... I don’t like the way you said that!” Adora’s eyes shot open.

“I’m surprised you didn’t notice that yet, but you got crunk,” Ruby laughed some more.

”If you don’t tell me…” Adora hissed.

“Look down.”

Adora poked her head underneath the blanket as instructed, and her eyes shot open.

”... Oh, you gotta be FUCKING-”

“Yep,” Ruby shrugged before pointing at a tent with some jeans draped across them.

“... Your pants are over there.”

”Who the hell’d you bag? Amara asked, already up and on her feet and walking towards the rest of them… As if she didn’t get drunk. ”Wasn’t me or you’d have more than your pants missing.”

”I don’t kno-” Adora cut herself off.

“It was no one,” Ruby shrugged. “So you have nothing to be worried about.”

”Just grab my pants for me, girl!”

Amara tossed Adora her pants and rolled her shoulders, checking her phone. ”You guys are slow as hell. I thought you did this a lot.”

Without a word, Adora slinked underneath the blanket and put the pants on. Ruby just laughed.

“C’mon, give her a break,” Ruby laughed. “She just lost her party-virginity.”

”Man. I got more drunk than all of you and I’m on my feet already,” Amara laughed, twirling her car keys around a finger. ”I need all that, it was great.”

Ruby shrugged, “You’re welcome to come to the next party, and the one after that. Long as you stay cool, Greenwood fucks with you.”

She pulled that blunt out of her mouth and offered it to Amara.

Naomi jolted awake, eyes open with horror as she faced Ruby and Amara.

“... Don’t do it, she eats ass!”

Amara took it, without skipping a beat.

”And?”

“Das nasty, boo!” Naomi gagged.

As Adora finally managed to pull her pants on, she hopped from underneath the blanket and patted herself down. ”Holy shit, I got everything…” Adora sighed in relief.

“... By the way,” Ruby began, “You might want to check your phone. When you got drunk, you started texting.”

Ruby laughed.

“... A very bad combination.”

”What?! To who?!” Adora said, as she froze.

Ruby shrugged.

“Didn’t ask, was too busy partying,” Ruby said. “You did, um, send whoever…”

Ruby awkwardly grinned.

“... Some very interesting pictures when your pants came off.”

”What?! You didn’t stop me at all!?” Adora said, shocked.
“Now, hol’ up,” Ruby narrowed her eyes. “Going off your damn emotional state, you were on cloud fuckin’ nine. So, I figured the person on the other end was your boyfriend or sum’.” Then shrugged again.

Adora closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, ”You know what? It can’t be that-”

---

Adora stared at her phone in wide-eyed horror as she clutched it with both hands, shaking. A barrage of barely legible text messages…

... All to Stormy.

Adora’s heart was racing so fast, that even Ruby could hear it.

”Oh my God, I…” Adora groaned, facepalming with her free hand… meanwhile, Ruby slid over and peeked over the screen.

“Wow,” Ruby whistled. “You went all out there… usually drunks just send a ‘I miss you’, but…”

Adora slowly craned her neck in Ruby’s direction.

“... You should just go put it on him and get it out of your system.”

”What if I told him I got drunk and didn’t mean to send it to him?” Adora began shaking. ”He’ll understand, right? Right?!”

“Broooooo…” Ruby rolled her eyes. “Relax. It ain’t the end of the world if you get drunk and send a dude a pic of ya’ ass. Fuck, maybe he’s into you. Who fuckin’ knows. Sittin’ here killing yourself over it ain’t going to change anything either way.” Ruby shrugged.

”He’s not some random guy…” Adora trailed, pausing for a moment. ”... He’s my Coven-brother, mate, friend, whatever you want to call it, and I had a crush on him since I was a damn high schooler!”

“Again,” Ruby rolled her eyes again. “It ain’t the end of the world. Just relax.”

”I wish I had your fucking confidence,” Adora stammered.

“You do,” Ruby grinned, touching Adora’s shoulder. “You just don’t believe in it.”

Adora took a moment to let Ruby's words sink in, her heart still pounding in her chest. The laughter and fun of the night echoed in her mind… Adora took in a deep breath and then exhaled.

”Okay, maybe you’re right,” Adora said, as she stood straight up, she raised her hands as she said. ”I’m going to head home, shower, clear my head… I need to go meet someone at twelve.”

“Just remember,” Ruby added, grinning ear to ear like a crocodille. “If things get awkward, you can always blame the tequila.” She killed herself laughing, falling over as Adora just shook her head and walked away.

Though, Adora had forgotten something…

“Oh shit!” Ruby turned towards Amara.

“... I hope you didn’t ride with her.”

---

As everyone cleared out, a wolf that had been watching them since last night walked off into the woods, probably to go kill itself. The horrors it witnessed during that party cannot be put into words.

Meanwhile, Stormy looked at his phone and had absolutely no idea what any of the seventeen texts he received at 3 in the morning meant.

---

Memorial Park

---

After the chaotic meeting the day before, with very little opportunity to actually talk, Luca had organised to meet Adora the day after. He wanted to talk about… well, a lot. Namely seeing if they could get some 8th Street members to defect, or at least work with them. Then there was him dying… he at least wanted to fill Adora in on what he’d talked to Sloane about.

Just like when he’d met Sloane, he suggested Memorial Park. It was large enough to find an area without any people around, while being central enough it shouldn’t be too out of Adora’s way. With the weather cold like it was it’d be nicer to meet somewhere indoors but he just couldn’t risk it…

He got there a bit earlier than the agreed meeting time, waiting a little bit into the park. Dressed in loads of layers and all black it would maybe be a bit difficult for Adora to spot him, so he made sure to keep an eye out as he waited.

Adora silently sat down next to Luca, wearing a red hoodie and sweatpants combo, running shoes, a facemask… She sat down, putting her hands in her pockets.

”... Wassup,” Adora began. ”How have you been?”

”Hey!” Luca smiled brightly at Adora, shuffling over a bit to make sure she wouldn't get caught in his rotting aura. ”I’ve been fine, yeah… I mean, I got healed multiple times yesterday. So I'm as good as new!”

He flexed his arms, pathetically scrawny muscles hidden by layers of clothing anyway. ”That was a shitshow yesterday… at least we got somewhere at first. I wanted to talk about 8th street… y'know, figuring out how the whole group won't get blamed for the crimes of a few.”

”I mean I feel like people like Kenshiro made up their minds,” Adora shrugged.”Then again he ain't seem like the brightest bulb.”

”Hey Ken's not like that he's just… passionate and stubborn. Kari really hated 8th Street, and he really loves her so… I get it,” Luca rubbed the back of his neck as he defended his friend. He knew Ken wasn't likely to change his mind about 8th but… that was fine. ”People like Greta and Carol are there cause of their circumstances. I'm sure we could convince them to defect… Emily's sisters are reasonable too.”

”Who else is willing to listen?” Adora asked, raising an eyebrow. ”And should they come to our ‘Coven’ or just get away from Emily.”

”Just away from Emily - can you imagine, Sycamore is already chaotic enough! Maybe we form a new one,” Luca half joked. Though he didn't think it was a bad idea… Sycamore could barely function. He loved almost everyone in the group, but they just made things worse by being together. While Emily was basically a dictator, 8th had structure. ”Aside from those four… Lee, I think. Emily's massively manipulated him to hate Sycamore more but I might be able to get through. Phoebe would listen too, I think, and if we convinced her that'd convince Maya… they're basically joined at the hip. Brianna, definitely. Oh, and Anabelle… Miranda and Jacqueline's friend. She's dealing with some… stuff.”

He clasped his hands together in front of him. ”We shouldn't talk to them all at once. Maybe we start with someone like Greta… or the twins.”

”I think I got through to Greta the other night,” Adora shrugged. ”So she’s a start.. Can you call her?”

”She’s definitely the most reasonable and least connected… sure, I can.” Luca pulled out his phone, an incredibly out of date Nokia brick, and pulled up Greta's contact. He hit call, switched it to speaker and put it on the bench between them so he didn't have to hold it and risk destroying it.

“... Yes, Luca?” Greta answered.

”Heyyyy Greta,” Luca began, trying to figure out what to say. Did he just go straight into it? ”I’ve got Adora here with me too… we were calling to talk about, well, the whole shit show between your coven and ours! We know it's really Emily, Vashti and a few of the others and… would you consider… leaving?”

Greta was silent for a few moments and Adora looked on.

“... And go where, Luca?” Greta asked. “I need to move my lab as well. That's dozens of different potions. Plus my magnum opus which is massive…”

”Well… I have some money saved from working so much and barely buying anything. Maybe we can find somewhere in my area! Not just you… Carol, the twins, Anabelle, Brianna… We can figure something out,” Luca said, looking over at Adora, then down at his phone. ”I’d invite you to move in with me, lab and magnum opus and all, but it's getting a bit crammed in there. Just… the coven wants to deal with all of you. I don't want you to get hurt.”

“You don't have to worry about me,” Greta answered. “But, if you’re serious about this, I’m going to need something concrete.”

Greta paused for a moment, “Let’s figure something out today. And I will help you.”

”Great! I knew you would… and we'll definitely figure out something more solid than just promises on my part. I'll put anything I have to into it. Not like I need to save up for retirement or anything!” Luca joked, bringing up then easily playing off his own imminent death. But it played a part in this… he wanted to see everyone he cared for happy and no longer at risk before he died. ”Maybe we really should form our own coven.”

”Yeah we can call it the Baddies,” Adora chuckled, crossing her arms as she added, ”... Still would be more functional than Sycamore.”

“... Well?” Greta asked, raising an eyebrow. “What’s stopping you? Put it into action already.”

”... Nothing really, except I rejoined Sycamore to protect people I cared about - Jasper, Lila, Lynn, Ken, Sloane and the like. Ken would never agree, but the rest…” Luca rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ”I guess I could still do that with another Coven. We’d still be looking for Father Wolf. More effectively… Sycamore’s a mess. Everyone’s fucked up, understandably, and they’re constantly fighting.”

He looked over at Adora with a smile. ”It’d have to be Memorial Park Coven, obviously, to keep up the naming tradition… Or maybe the Memorial Baddies if you really want.”

“I’m not surprised Sycamore is a mess,” Greta said, the sound of her computer chair creaking could be heard in the background, “Unfortunately, the one thing that Emily gets right is that she doesn’t let people in that won’t fit in the mold.”

Adora put a hand on her hip, and raised an eyebrow as she said,
”... Why Memorial Park?”

”Cause that's where we are,” Luca replied with a slight laugh, gesturing to the park around them. ”Sycamore Tree was named after the tree it was founded under, 8th Street cause it was founded on 8th Street… and third time's the charm, right? But yeah, we'd have to be selective about it otherwise it'll go to shit like Sycamore. As much as I love everybody and like to see the good in them! It'll be for the sake of keeping everyone alive.”

“... What if we form the Coven somewhere else?” Greta snorted, laughing, “Imagine the name ‘Strip Club Coven’ or ‘Animal Shelter Coven’.”

”Can you imagine the start of that? ‘Hey guys, we want to invite your to start of our new coven, come down to the strip club'... the most troublesome members would find out and join!” Luca laughed. ”Animal shelter would be sweet, but I can't go to those.”

Greta was silent for a moment.

“... It’d save them plenty on euthanasia.”

”Oh my God!”

Luca’s mouth fell open in disbelief. ”Fuck, Greta!”

He laughed awkwardly for a moment, before deciding to move on. ”So… do you think other members of 8th would be willing to move?”

“Hmmm…” Greta trailed off. “Malik has been trying to get me to ‘see the light’ so he would be an obvious pick. Brianna, Phoebe, and Nadine don’t like Emily so that they may be talked into. The issue will come with Carol… who believes all the lies Emily tells her. Though, I think she’s just too angry to know better.”

”And if we get Phoebe we get Maya… not that we necessarily want her.” Luca frowned, thinking about Carol. He knew she wouldn’t just move… she was too angry and hated Britney too much. He understood that too. She’d gotten the short end of the stick in a lot of ways. He really did understand. ”You’re right about Carol. She just wants revenge on Britney… which I understand. Maybe I can talk to her and bring her round, but I have tried before. I don’t want to leave her there. Emily’s never going to help her and she deserves help.”

”... But if she doesn’t want help, there ain’t shit we can do about it,” Adora said, crossing her arms.

Luca frowned, looking down at the ground. He understood that, but he really didn’t want to accept it. Carol was his friend and he wanted to help her… it was difficult to accept he maybe couldn’t. ”Well… we’ll have to get rid of Emily eventually, I think. Carol can’t die so hopefully she’ll be safe if she won’t listen to us. We can help her then.”

“I don’t know how we can solve her Hourglass problem… it’s not like your Rot problem, but if we can separate the Hourglass from her, then maybe Carol will finally listen,” Greta said. “However, removing Emily and Vashti from the equation may be necessary. This stays between us, but I have been developing some… contingencies.”

”Oh now that don’t sound good,” Adora sinisterly chuckled.

“It shouldn’t, but I have been working on a fallback plan in the - highly unlikely - event that Emily and-or the greater 8th Coven turns on me,” Greta continued to explain. “Though, with this Father Wolf nonsense going on, I feel slightly more justified in my decision.”

”Okay, but will you get on with it?” Adora said, rolling her eyes.

“Ah, impatient as always, Appie,” Greta laughed, “You both know the source of Emily’s power is Babylon, but neutralizing her would be fairly simple compared to Vashti.”

”And what makes Vashti different?” Adora asked.

“Emily is still human, yes. Her hellfire is dangerous, and she can teleport, but she is still human. Vashti, on the other hand, is incredibly durable, and that’s what makes her dangerous. Not her strength or the storms, her ability to tank damage,” Greta explained. “But, there is a way… the source of her power isn’t connected to her soul like other Abstractions. It’s similar to you and I, Appie, in that her power is sourced from an object. The shawl.”

Greta dramatically paused. “It contains the Levitahan… Now, I’m not sure where she got the Leviathan from or how she sealed it, but it’s within her hood. If we remove the shawl, then she has no power.”

”But we’d have to get close enough to remove it,” Luca said with a frown. ”No one gets close without getting killed… she’d slice their throat before anyone took it off. I could maybe… hurt her enough? Can the shawl be rotted or would that release the leviathan?”

“I’m not sure, Luca,” Greta said, “Releasing the Leviathan would only cause it to latch onto her, which creates a whole new issue… I think we should find some way to separate her from it. I have a few ideas… but they are risky.”

”Risky for who?” Luca asked. ”Because if it’s something I can do… I’ll take the risk. I don’t have a whole load of time anyway.”

“Dying or not, I’m not letting you take a stupid risk, at least when we can help your condition,” Greta said, before pausing for a moment and saying, “... But maybe we don’t need to separate Vashti from the shawl, or eliminate Emily, at all…”

”What are you cooking, Gretchen?” Adora said, putting hands on both sides of her hips.

“We need to get Brianna on board,” Greta said. “Or else this won’t work. Trust me.”

”Do you think you can get Brianna on board? Or should we talk to her- I’m not really as friendly with her but I’m sure she’ll listen, right?” Luca said. ”She was always reasonable enough.”

“I can, easily,” Greta said, “She is, like most of 8th St, there for a reason that has nothing to Emily. So I can easily sway here. But I need you to talk to Miranda and Jacqueline.”

Greta paused for a moment before she continued, “Those two have been desperately trying to get Emily and Vashti to back down while there is time, but there isn’t much more they can do. However, we all know that 8th St is more willing to follow them than they are Emily and Vashti.”

”I can talk to them, easy! I have their numbers-” Luca said, almost sounding excited, before remembering the last time. They’d… still talk to him, probably. He just had to make sure Clancy wasn’t around. He was sure the sort of boy would listen to him if he asked. ”Last time we met didn’t go so well, but that was cause of something else- I think if I- we-”

He looked over at Adora. ”Talk to them, they’ll listen and realise that… Vashti and Emily need to be overthrown at the very least.”

“Then… let’s get to work,” Greta said. “I’ll try and get Brianna, and maybe whoever else I can under the nose of Emily and Vashti… Say, is anyone else in Sycamore aware of this?”

”We said that we’d try to talk to sympathetic members, but not… this whole plan. Only that we’d try and get help against Emily and Vashti,” Luca replied. ”There’s some people I’d like to tell, eventually, but for now let’s keep it between me and Adora.” As much as he didn’t like keeping secrets…

“Good,” Greta said, “Not that I have anything against Sycamore - I mean, I do but the more people who know, the more of a chance that someone will come to mess this up. You do have Tsukino back in the fold, correct?”

”... Unfortunately,” Adora said with a roll of her eyes.

“My point exactly,” Greta began. “Now, I will be going now. Time is of the essence. I trust you two will talk some sense into Miranda and Jacqueline?”

”Don’t know them,” Adora began, ”But we’ll try.”

“I have faith in you, Appie,” Greta said, “You too, Luca. Take care.”

The phone hung up.

”Well, that’s that…” Luca laughed, letting out a sigh. ”Don’t worry, the twins are nice. Just don’t get all aggressive at them… which I know you won’t! Last time we talked, Clancy gate crashed and it didn’t go well.”

He looked down at his phone. ”Should I try call them now?”

”... It’s like what she said,” Adora crossed her arms, ”’Time is of the essence’, and I would like to get this resolved before Emily or someone from Sycamore escalates things further.”

”Which could be in hours… Alright,” Luca nodded. He suppressed the rotting touch, face scrunching up in discomfort as he did, and reached out for his phone again. He found Miranda’s number and called it, putting the phone back down between them.

Miranda nervously answered.

“... Luca? What’s up?”

”Hey, Miranda! Are- are you alright?” Luca immediately noticed that Miranda sounded a bit off, and was immediately worried for her. ”You’re not in trouble or anything are you?”

“I’m… good…” Miranda awkwardly laughed, “I’m just breaking my neck trying to put out fires here!”

She paused, “Did anyone in Sycamore get hurt? Are you okay? Do you need healing?”

”I’m fine, don’t worry! It’s not a Sycamore problem… well, it is… It’s about those fires you’re putting out, really. With 8th, I assume. We were-” he looked over at Adora. ”Oh, Adora’s here with me. A Sycamore member, but you can trust her. Anyway… It’s about Emily and Vashti. I’ve been doing what I can here, but Sycamore isn’t just going to let them go. Some people don’t want to let any of you off. But I don’t want you guys- all of you- hurt for their decisions. So…”

He trailed off, trying to think how to word it. ”Would you be willing to jump ship? Not to Sycamore but to… something new.”

“I mean… Jacqueline and I have been thinking about it,” Miranda began. “After the Halloween Festival and the mess at Kari’s, I can’t look Emily in the eye.”

She sighed, then nervously laughed, “But, I’m getting off track here, aren’t I?! I am trying to say that I am willing to form a new Coven. But I want Jacqueline and I to be in charge of it. And you’ll be our second in command.”

”... Fuck me, I guess,” Adora shrugged.

”Just in it for the power, Adora?” Luca joked, before continuing more seriously. ”We can share that second in command position but… this makes things easier. I don't even have to convince you guys! I trust you both to be in charge too of an actual coven. One that helps each other rather than hurting others…”

He nodded. ”That’s really fine by me. Most of 8th trusts you both too… I already talked to Greta. She agreed with the idea too.”

“I’m curious if your Coven will be okay with it?” Miranda asked. “I mean… Maybe it’s not important right now.”

She sighed. “I can get some of the others on board easily, but we’ll need a new lair since the 8th St manor is all in Emily’s name...”

”I’ll convince anyone in our Coven if they have a problem,” Luca said. There were some people who, honestly, didn’t matter even if they weren’t okay with it. Others, like Ken, that he’d try his best to convince. ”As for the lair…”

Luca frowned thoughtfully. ”I don’t have an actual place in mind, but I have a lot of savings. Probably a surprise, but my remote job pays well! And I don’t exactly buy much since I’d just destroy anything… But I’m sure I could buy somewhere for us. It might not be so fancy, but there’s some big houses in worse areas that I could afford…”

“That could work,” Miranda mused. “Doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just something with space for everyone. Somewhere we can breathe, you know? A clean start.”
She paused momentarily, and shuffling papers could be heard faintly through the call. “Jacqueline’s got a good eye for property, with the all-knowing book and all,” Miranda added with a playful snort. “We’ve been looking around in case we decided to split. Might be worth getting her input. I’ll talk to her about it. Honestly, this whole thing could come together faster than I thought.”
”Yeah, I wanted to talk to you both about it, so please get her input… really I'm happy with anywhere you choose if I can afford it. And we rot proof some of it,” he laughed slightly, clasping his hands together in front of him. ”I honestly didn't expect you guys to be on board right away… Emily's your sister, after all, even with all the people she's hurt.”
He looked over at Adora. ”I’m not going to talk to anyone in Sycamore about it just yet, aside from Adora, but… I think there'll be a few people who'll want to come with me. Maybe. Jasper, Lynn… Lila. She's really got no issues with most of 8th’s members. What do you think, future coven leader?”

“Emily’s my sister, yeah,” Miranda softly replied, “But I can’t keep making excuses for her, not after what she’s done. I love her and always will, but it’s time for us to forge something new. Something better.” Miranda paused, and Adora narrowed her eyes.

“I never thought it would come to this. I never wanted it to. But I can’t keep pretending. We can’t keep being the ones to clean up her messes. Not anymore,” Miranda began. “I don’t know how it will play out or who will come with us… but I know this: I won’t let Emily drag anyone down any further. We’re building something new. Something real. And anyone who wants that is welcome.”

”You’re really strong for making this decision, you know, Miranda, and for everything you’ve done till now. Jacqueline too. It’s not easy to leave and start something new like this. I’ll support you every step of the way. We’ll-” he looked at Adora and smiled. ”Build it together. I’ll talk to the people I think will want to join… Eventually, I’ll have to tell all of Sycamore. But we’ll deal with it when we get to it.”

While this wasn’t what he’d planned to do when he’d come out to meet Adora today, it was maybe the best outcome. A new start, a new coven that would help each other. Better than 8th… and Sycamore. ”We’ll deal with it all together.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Official faction entry for the New Thule Society and another group that will come into play after the Elite arc. Also a supplementary faction!

Let me just note that I added a little tidbit in the Artifacts & Curses hider stating that normal objects can become artifacts through belief/emotion/whatever.

SENTINEL SOLUTIONS THE NEW THULE SOCIETY "Ad Astra Per Aspera."	. . . . Sentinel Solutions is a private paranormal investigation and enforcement agency working for the Elite. Led by Berlioz Auclair, the organization presents itself as a beacon of hope in a city plagued by supernatural threats. Their primary mission is to tackle issues that conventional law enforcement cannot handle, from rogue Apparitions to ancient curses threatening the city's peace. Sentinel Solutions excels in asset protection and acquisition, tasked with removing dangerous artifacts and magical entities from the hands of those deemed "unworthy.". However, the truth behind Sentinel Solutions is far more insidious. Beneath the surface of this supposedly noble organization lies The New Thule Society, a Neo-Nazi cult that is an offshoot of the defunct Das Sonnenrad. While they publicly project an image of authority and protection, their real aim is to uncover "Thule," a mythical pure universe believed to be untouched by the colored man. This goal drives their activities as they seek artifacts and abstractions that will allow them to locate and enter this promised land. Berlioz assures clients that each team member brings unique skills tailored for confronting the paranormal realm. However, their true purpose reveals a darker agenda as they use their cover to recruit and indoctrinate likeminded individuals.
THE.FIVE "Arm yourself; the odds can change with just a spin of the wheel."	. . . . The Five is an enigmatic faction operating primarily in Los Angeles, led by the illustrious Heidi Thomas. Initially conceived as a team of fifty-two paranormal mercenaries, The Five specializes in tackling jobs that others shy away from, driven by the promise of wealth and the thrill of the hunt. The organization operates under a unique system where their name shifts according to their number of members, if they gain or lose a mercenary, they adopt a new title, such as The Seven or The Twenty-One. Each member of The Five is assigned a playing card, lending a poker theme to their operations. While they primarily operate within California and Nevada, rumors are swirling that The Five have tackled significant job in St. Portwell. This potential venture could mark a turning point for The Five, offering them the opportunity to expand their influence and solidify their reputation as the go-to mercenaries for the paranormal elite.
THE.LEAGUE OF LUMINSCIENT FAMILIES "Bless the Lightfather!"	. . . . The universe inhabited by the League of Luminescence shares origins with our own but diverged dramatically when a secret society of magical families engaged in a covert war against Apparitions and Aberrations. This conflict escalated catastrophically when the Stygian Snake attacked, decimating over half the population with its armies. In a desperate final stand, the League united with remaining forces, including Apparitions and beings from other realms. Their combined efforts were nearly obliterated until a massive being of light, known as the "Light-Father," confronted the Stygian Snake. In a heroic sacrifice, he drove the Stygian Snake away. Following this victory, the League seized control over governments, ruling with an iron fist and obscuring the Stygian Snake’s existence. Most inhabitants of Glint are part of the League of Luminscience, an influential collective of families that dominate this world. While technology stagnated, magic flourished, and the League reveres the Luminscience as their power source, worshipping the Light-Father who saved them from the Stygian Snake. Historically, the League operated under a monarchy that relied on slavery until King Magnanimous dismantled the system in favor of an "equal" council where every family had a voice. However, the most prominent families dominate discussions, leading to petty feuds rather than progress. The League is notorious for its extreme punishments. They are a fervently religious society with severe penalties, including the eradication of entire bloodlines, for heinous crimes like murder and treason. Even minor offenses can result in collective punishment for families. Those without connections to Lux are treated as second-class citizens, often subjected to abuse and exploitation as they fulfill unwanted labor roles. Governance is divided among four houses: the House of Candlelight (Africa and the Middle East), the House of Torchlight (Asia), the House of Firelight (North and South America), and the House of Starlight (Europe and Russia). Each house is represented by the League’s council, where their voices resonate the strongest. The Knights of Luminescence serve as the League’s primary military force, a volunteer army of magical warriors. Families lower on the social ladder often join to gain status and wealth, starting as Squires at a young age, training under Knights until they can attain the rank. The League's primary adversaries are the Apparitions and Aberrations, long considered enemies since their inception. The genuine threat, however, lies in the resistance movement known as the White Rabbit Society, comprising Apparitions, Aberrations, and disillusioned League members led by the formidable White Arachne. The League has villainized her, blaming her for humanity’s near extinction to divert attention from the Stygian Snake. The League has established itself as a formidable magical menace, willing to traverse the boundaries of universes and meddle in the affairs of other realms. Their ambition knows no limits as they seek to extend their influence beyond Glint, exploiting the resources and vulnerabilities of parallel worlds for their gain. A notable aspect of their governance is the frequent use of exile as punishment; dissenters, criminals, or perceived threats are banished to distant universes.