Bringing down an enemy

## Summary

Alex and company have to stop Anubis when he flees a village he terrorized and starts harrassing people through dream travelling using a crudely created device.

## Thesia's POV

It’s been a while since I saved Cree, appeared on the news (well, not really since they didn’t get pictures) met Persephone and my mother-in-law (not quite my mother in law yet) and witnessed my sister get reincarnated, and I have to admit, things have been a bit slow lately.

I exit my house and walk over to a slightly beaten down coffee shop, where I hear sounds of a scuffle. I walk to the back to find the source of the fight.

“Okay, what’s going on?!” I say. My voice rising slightly.

The three figures that emerge are Artemis, Athena, and another Wolfren. One from the desert tribe.

“We spotted Anubis.” Artemis says. “However Astrid wanted to tie him up first before kicking him out. I would’ve loved to do that, being the asshole he is, but we don’t have time, because I promised my friends I would help organize this full moon festival with them.”

“You…” I say, turning towards the other Wolfren. “You’re Astrid, right?”

She nods.

“Where is this Moon festival?” I ask. “I actually have to admit, I’ve never been to any traditional events before.”

“Follow me.” She says, popping a lizard in her mouth. “It’s amazing. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

We walk into the plaza. It’s covered in shop stalls and streamers and signs. Lanterns casting a warm glow.

“Wow.” I say. “It looks amazing.”

“I know, right?” Artemis replies. “Wait until you see how it looks at night!”

“Now we just need to wait until sundown.” I say. “Then we can really have fun!”

“Hey!” Alex greets from behind me. “I have a friend I’d like you to meet. She’s non binary, but goes by any pronouns.”

“What’s her name?”

“Her name,” Alex says. “Is Remy. Remy Samson. She’s one of my friends who is autistic, but one hell of an artist. She’s helping me set up part of the festival.”

“She sounds cool.” I reply.

I wonder what she’s like. This will be very interesting.

I spot her in one of the stalls. She is tall, with auburn hair shaved in an undercut, lightly freckled skin, hazel eyes, yellowish tinted glasses, and wears a maroon hoodie and black sweatpants. She fiddles with a Rubik’s cube in one hand.

“Are you...Remy?” I ask. She turns towards me and slips off her headphones.

“Yes. Do you need anything from me?” She says. The pitch of her voice is a bit lower than I expected it to be.

“Er...no, not really, I was just saying hi.” I say. “Also why are you wearing sunglasses? It’s not that bright in here.” Artemis says

“I have sensory issues.” Remy replies. “Sometimes certain types of light are uncomfortable to me.”

“We can adjust it if you like.”

“Hey, I think I sort of recognise you.” She says. “Alex’s been telling me about you.”

Before I can say anymore, I hear an explosion, mechanical clanking, and maniacal laughter. It sounds like two people. A low pitched growly laugh, probably Anubis, and a higher pitched, grating laugh with a snort at the end.

“Oh good lord.” Artemis growls. “My psychopath of a brother is back.”

“I can help you.” Remy says. “There’s always a way.”

“I heard another voice next to his.” I say. “But I can’t place it.”

“We’ll explain later.” Alex says. “Right now we need to stop them both.”

“I will rule the realm and make my parents regret ratting on me.” The strange figure crows. “And I will mark you all fugitives! Especially that messy haired red wolf of yours, what’s her name? Raina...Ryan, oh...Remy.” She smiles smugly. “From now on you’ll call me ‘most imperial exalted highness.”

“That’ll do it.” Remy growls, her brow furrowing. She grows slightly taller, grows fur the same color as her hair, and her features become more wolf like. She lunges at the small malamute/pomeranian hybrid, and pins her down.

“Nobody insults me like that.” Remy snarls, locking eyes with her. “Oh Queenie. If you ever make assumptions like this, you’re in for a nasty surprise, you cowardly little egotistical brat.”

“I didn’t know Queenie was her name.” Astrid says. “How on earth is she so crazy?!”

“It’s time to hear the full story.” The source of the two voices come from a couple. One a pomeranian, and the other a husky. Probably Queenie’s parents.

“I’m ready.” I say, confidence in my voice. If there’s one thing we need to stop an enemy, it’s how it all started.

“When Queenie was much younger, she had, or rather, has always has had a disregard for rules. We thought she’d grow out of this, but I see we were wrong.” she says sadly. “She was a rough and tumble child, but when she ended up constantly hurting others when she was angry and attempting to be the center of everything, that’s when we started worrying. We should’ve been more careful.” The mother says. “Then she got kicked out of the realm and stripped of her magic, which only offered us temporary relief, but it didn’t last long when she started building robot suits and hacking into technology. The good thing is that even though the realm doesn’t use it as much, you guys know a lot.

## Artemis’ POV

“You can’t always undo things.” I say. “I couldn’t stop my brother from becoming evil, but we, the guardians will always be there to stop him, Byron the fake realm guy, and Queenie from wreaking havoc everywhere, even if we have to do so many times, saving the world is what we’ve always been doing.”

“Thank you for helping us.” Queenie’s father says.

“Anything for an ally.” I reply.

“Now let’s go see what else those two are doing.” Alex says. “But be careful. I don’t want to lose anyone. Not now, not ever.”

We walk through the plaza, and find Queenie, along with a mess of destroyed stalls. She runs off and teleports.

Clearly we’ve underestimated how bad this is gonna get.

“They’re gone.” I say. “But our search isn’t over. Keep looking.”

Alex spots a slip of paper buried in some sand. “I found a note.” She hands it to me. A voice emanates from the note.

*My name is Ash*. It reads. *I am one of the elder guardians I know where Queenie and Anubis went. Through mind travelling, I was able to take on an astral form unseen to the naked eye, and sneak into their hideout. There I was able to find out what they were really planning. Meet me at Moon Valley by sundown. The full moon festival can wait. Juno and Luna can fill you in on the details. In the meantime, stay vigilant. I’ve called over a guardian, scientist, and oracle named Analisa to guide you along the way. Stay safe on your journey.*

“We need to know more.” I say. “Call Calisto over. We may need Cree and your sisters too Maybe even Jenna or Griff if they’re available. This is going to get serious.”

Alex nods. “A team is better than two.” She teleports away.

“I’ll meet you back at Ash’s hideout.” Remy says.
Several hours pass by, and just when I think we’re never going to get to Queenie and Anubis’ hideout in time, Alex materializes in front of us, along with Jenna and Griff. “I’ve got everyone.” Alex says. “Now let’s roll. I have my GPS/compass hybrid with me.”

“I’ll aid you.” mom says, floating next to me.

“And if anyone tries to sabotage this journey, I’ll make them regret even coming near us.” Persephone says, conjuring an orb of ice.

Remy materializes in front of us. “And if Anubis tries to harm me or my wife, I’ll make him regret ever being born.”

“Hey! Get outta here!” A merchant shouts.

“Oops. Gotta go!” Remy says. “I’ll see you guys later!” She scampers away on all fours.

“So do we.” I say. We run through the entrance, slide down hills, and find an abandoned truck.

“Bingo.” Thesia says. She leaps into the front seat and starts the engine, which rumbles to life. “And it still works too!”

We drive off, hitting several rocky areas, but emerging unscathed.

Thesia jumps out and pops a berry in her mouth. A fly buzzes past her, and she opens her mouth slightly and rubs the skin of her hand against her teeth. The fly buzzes near, and she lunges slightly and catches it.
Jenna throws her a half-glare, her nose wrinkles.. “What the heck are you doing?!”

“I had an itch.” Thesia replies. “Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.”

“Sorry to say this about someone who rules an entire tribe, but...you’re gross.” I say.

“Whatever.” she replies snarkily.. “Maybe you should celebrate my weirdness. I lived in a forest for basically my entire life.”

“Ugh.” Jenna groans. “Stop making a big deal out of everything and keep driving.”

“Bruh, I myself live in a forest.” Artemis says. “So there. Now you four quit blabbing and shut up.”

We drive the rest of the way in silence.

Several twists and turns later, we reach where the festival should’ve been.

“What a mess.” Persephone says. “Looks like someone really trashed the place.”

Remy re-materializes in front of us.

“With luck we can clean it all up.” Remy says, fidgeting with a Rubik’s cube from their pocket.

“Maybe.” We hop out, and inspect the damage.
“Wow.” Artemis says. “This is terrible.”

“I know who did this.” Jenna says. “Anubis’ partner in crime, Queenie, she may be young, and stripped of her magic, but she always finds a way to turn things upside down.”

Griff scampers up to her. “The wretch. She attacked my sister Mabel, and nearly killed my parents, but I rallied several of my friends from different tribes to save them. Her partner Anubis killed the previous queen of my tribe, and when my friends and my people found out about it, they looked to the spirit of the queen for assistance, and that’s when she picked me to come next. I initially doubted myself, but with a little pep talk from Jenna, I finally got the confidence to rule a tribe. My people believed in me.”

“We will find her.” Remy says. “I know we will.”

“Now let’s see what else is here.” I say.

The sun burns high, and the only things in front of us are barrels of random stuff, and trash everywhere.

“Queenie!” I yell. “We know you’re here!”
I hear distant muttering.

“What a scaredy cat.” Remy says. “Even though Queenie isn’t actually a cat.”

We walk through the piles of destroyed shelves and rubble, and visions appear in my head, guiding me to where we should go next. The sun sets, turning the sky the color of fire, with an orange center flame. We jump over rocks, fly over hills, walk through the plaza, dodge townspeople, and hitch a ride on the back of a food cart. It stops at another building, which we sneak into, grab several items, and run off.

“Why’d you steal that?” Persephone asks.

“You read the sign, did you?”

“No. We were running so fast.”
“It said ‘free’.”

Thesia rolls her eyes, and snatches an orange. “Doesn’t matter.”

I hear screeching, and spot Queenie with several beat up robots.

“Hey!” I holler. “Get out of here and stop destroying everything! Jeezus!”

“I don’t answer to no one!” She yells. “Stupid hunks of junk won’t move. Come on, destroy those five!”
The robots just roll in random circles, destroying and tearing up stalls.

“Hey brat.” Remy hollers, her voice surprisingly calm, but determined. “You take your mess elsewhere, or I’ll take you.

That’s all. If you try to run, you won’t stand a chance. Maybe your inexperience with mechanics is why those tin cans don’t move.”

“You’re bigger than me, so I can run!” Queenie says snarkily, but Remy jumps in front of her.

“You underestimated me.” Remy says, undeterred.

“You think you’re so high and mighty.” Griff says. “Wrong.” When you’re one delinquent with a bunch of enemies, you have nowhere to run.”

Queenie cowers once she realizes that we have her cornered, then teleports away.

“We lost our chance.” Persephone says angrily. “*Great*.”

We reach the pavilion, and after some time, find an area full of grassy patches.

I squint slightly, and my vision telescopes.

“I see it. That’s our destination in Ash’s message.”

“Then let’s hurry.” Griff says. “I’ll catch up with you later. I have to deal with something that happened with Vex labs.”

“No problem.” I reply.

## Alex’s POV

I hear Ash’s voice in my head. “In order to reach us, take two lefts and a right, and you will find a run down bar. Go inside and down some stairs and you will find our hideout. Analisa, or Ana as we call her, will be waiting to assist you.”
Remembering their words, I trek through the forest and find a bar.

*Thanks Ash. I think we found our spot.*

I enter it and order a flask of water. I spot a flight of stairs heading downwards and I sneak past and walk into a room hidden by curtains.

“There you are.” Says a voice from the shadows. “I’ve heard about all of the crazy things happening around here, so I’ve had to lay low lately.”

The figure that emerges is a young Wolfren woman with light brown fur, wavy brown hair with pink highlights, and a lilac colored gem, along with a faint crescent moon shaped mark on her forehead, making her an oracle. She wears a loosely fitting shirt bearing her shoulders, paired with a faux leather jacket and navy blue leggings. The only parts of her left bare are her feet.

“By the way…” Thesia begins, then stalls, deep in thought. “H...How old are you?”

“Oh? I’m 20. And my name is Analisa, but you can call me Ana. Also I’d like you to meet my little sister. She’s in that nook over in the corner.” Ana points to the room’s west side.
The nook is revealed to be a smaller area covered in cushions, a blanket, several candles lined up forming a circle, and several gems hanging over the entrance, arranged in such a way to mimic the shape of a mobile.
I spot a young girl tucked away and half wrapped in blankets, buried in a book. Her brown, magenta streaked hair is short and buzzed and she wears bronze framed glasses. Her appearance, facial features, and body shape make her look more Wolf-like than any Wolfren I know.

“This is my sister Diana, or Dion, as she prefers to be called. She is 15.” Ana says. “I am training her to harness her magic.”

“One question.” I say.

“Go for it.”

“Where are your parents?”

“My maman sacrificed herself to protect me from the fake realm guy when I was young.” Ana says sadly. “Dion has nightmares about it every time the night she died passes, so we often sleep together. But seeing her cry in her sleep saddens me, and she often wishes she could see her again. I’ve been able to summon her spirit, but she hasn’t been able to do that yet, which frustrates her.”

“Can I talk to her?” I ask.

“Yes.” Ana replies. “But she has a bit of a hard time trusting people, sooo she may try to scare you away with smart aleck comments, but once she knows you’re an ally of mine, she’ll warm up to you, although she gets emotional at times, let her know that someone will always be there to help. We’ve been through plenty of tragedies, and the stress did a number on Dion’s mental health, because several years ago after we had endured a particularly deadly raid, that scared her to the point where she just...went numb. Then she kept having nightmares where someone tried to harass her. Then I found out that Anubis was trying to hurt her in her dreams.”

I nod.

“Dion?” I say softly. “My name is Alex. We’re just here for assistance because we need to stop an enemy…Two actually. One of them is my best friend’s brother.”

“Your friend is an enemy?” Dion says snarkily, not looking up from her book.

“No.” Artemis replies walking up to her. “I am an ally of Alex. My brother is the one we’re stopping. And the fake realm guy.”

Dion looks up at her. A small tear streams down her face. “The one who killed my maman.” Her voice breaks.

“I’m so sorry.” Artemis says. “What he did was terrible.”

“He killed my mother too.” Thesia says. “Indirectly. Through a lab worker from Vex labs. I miss her, but her spirit is still with me.”

Dion’s sobs become louder. “No matter how hard I try, she doesn’t appear. It’s hopeless!” She growls. Tears streamed down her face.

“It’s not.” I say. “Your maman will come. I know she will. You can summon her. I know you can. You just have to concentrate and believe in your abilities. It took me a while to summon my ancestor Scarlet, the founder and original guardian of the Realm, but thanks to that, she’s here now.”

“I’ll try.” Dion replies

She lights a candle and places a spirit crystal in front of it. The crystal, along with her gem, glows, and a faint wisp rises from it and materializes in front of her. The ghostlike figure is revealed to be a Wolfren woman who looks similar to Ana, bearing her hair and eye color.

“Maman?” Dion says, looking up and wiping a tear from her eye. “Are you really back?”

“You did it, my love.” the woman says. Dion runs up and tearfully hugs her. “I see you have allies.”

“My name is Alex.” I say. ‘I’m the current guardian of the realm.”

“I’m Adrienne.” She says. “When I was your age, your mother was the guardian. I was one of the members of her team. Her coven.”

“Wait...a group of guardians is a coven? I thought only witches had that.”

“Well you’re about to learn something new.”

“What are witches anyway?” Thesia asks.

“Witches are humans who have entered the realm and learned psychic/mind magic, along with elemental magic from oracles.” I say. “Some witches are oracles themselves. They’re not the only ones with covens.”

I hear a crash from upstairs, and maniacal laughter.

“Uh oh.” Artemis says. “Anubis is back. Fight now, talk later. Now GO!”

“We have to run.” I say. “Ash says you two should come with us.”

“Will do.” Ana says. Dion uses her magic to stuff everything in her nook into a bottomless bag.

“It holds pretty much everything.” She says. “And it’s not even heavy.”

“I’ll meet you guys over at Moon Valley.” Adrienne says. “And Dion?”
“Yes, Maman?”

“You have allies now. When you can’t reach me, you have them to count on.”

We run upstairs, and the bar is dissolved into pure chaos. Broken glass, spilled liquids, upturned tables. People flee from the building.

“Hahahahahaha!” Anubis crows. “Byeee losers! Soon I will find Artemis and those wretched friends of hers, and blow ‘em all away! Soon my troubles will be over!”

“Aw *shit*.” Dion snarls. “Let’s go after him. He’s one of the asses I wish I kicked since he attacked me when I was 10.”

“You’ll get your chance.” I say. “We just need the right weaponry.”

“I can help you.” The figure that emerges from the other side of the forest is Ash.
“Thank god.” Dion says, relief in her voice.

I hear Queenie’s grating cackle. I hear the sound of a blowgun. Pain shoots through my right shoulder, then blood tinged mostly black, than blue oozes out of it.

I feel fatigue. My hearing swims in and out.

“Aw crud...Guys!” I manage to scream, but it sounds all wonky and slowed down. “I’ve been hit!”

The world goes dark. I pass out, then feel myself floating up.

## Dion’s POV

“RAAAAAHH!” I scream. “Honestly, I cannot fucking believe this guys kills innocent lives, but why did it have to be Alex of all people?? ARRRRRRRGH!!”

“Dion, relax.” Alex says hovering up to me. “I’m dead, but this is only a temporary situation. Trying to purge myself of the poison from Anubis’ blow darts is going to be hella painful if I chose to be alive for this, but voluntarily dying, making my spirit leave my body, and healing myself from the outside in is much easier, not painful, and I’ll be up and moving in no time.”

I spot someone emerging from the bushes. Two people, actually.

One is a tall dark gray malamute with brown eyes, a blue gem, a maroon cloak, combat boots, and a nanofiber scarf covering the bottom half of her face.

“Juno?” I say. “Is that you?”

“Yes.” She replies. “Heard Alex but poisoned by Anubis. I swear to God, that bloodthirsty mush brain never rests.”

“I’m dead!” Alex hollers. “But not for long!”
The other malamute next to Juno is smaller, black and white, has one brown eye and one blue eye, wears a trench coat, black leggings, no shoes, a crop top, aviator sunglasses, and a scarf.

“I’m Luna.” She says. She grins widely.

“You have...*quite the wardrobe.*” I say.

“Thanks.” She winks. “Also, if a friend gets incapacitated by venom darts, we’re here to help!”

I hear rustling, then Ash materializes in front of me.
“Alex.” They say. “I can help with the venom.” Their gem glows.

## Thesia’s POV

Ash places their hands on the wound on Alex’s shoulder, while Alex’s spirit does the same. Their combining powers form a glowing white orb that causes the oozing black wound to slowly fade, then it starts oozing more blood than venom.

“I think it’s working.” Alex says. “It….IS!”
Eventually the wound fades completely, and the poison has been purged. Alex’s spirit makes her way back into her body and she opens her eyes, and Dion helps her up.

“How do you feel?” I ask.

“Better than ever.” She replies. “Now give Anubis a taste of his own blow darts.”

“Looks like our team effort was a success.” Ash says, looking up at the moon. They are roughly five foot seven inches, look similar to a Wolfren, but with purple hair. Eventually their form changes. They grow taller. Purple fur grows over skin. Their features become more Wolf-like.

“Ahhh I knew that would come.” They say, chuckling.

“Wow...a purple wolf.” I say. “Awesome.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Anubis and Queenie attempting to hypnotize several Wolfren.
“Uh oh.” I say. “Guys...trouble’s coming.”

Ash scampers past me, going for a head start.

“We’ll stop those two before they can endanger more lives!” Artemis crows. “Nobody can beat me when I’m the baddest bitch
in this group!” She howls excitedly. “Now let’s go save some lives!”

## Alex’s POV

“I saw those two escape and turn west.” Artemis says. “But first we need to find those two Wolfren and reverse that hypnosis spell Anubis put on them.”

“He got stripped of his magic, but that cheater always finds loopholes!...in technology!” Ash says.

Queenie’s parents materialize in front of us. “And we tried to keep an eye on her, but she kept sneaking out of the house, and we saw Anubis build her a bunch of weapons.” her father says sadly. “We should’ve been more careful.”

“At least you tried your hardest.” I say. “That’s all that matters. We can help you stop both of them. All you have to do is stay with us.”

“What do you have with you?” Artemis asks.

“An old computer, but it still works.” Queenie’s mother says.

“Also we didn’t catch your names.” I say.

“Oh! My name is Duke.” Queenie’s father says.

“My name is Soraya but y’all can just call me Raya.” Queenie’s mother finishes.

“Okay, Raya. Now since Queenie and Anubis are using technology as a loophole to compensate for not having magic, try hacking into anything they have with them. If you need assistance, call us over.” I say.

“I took coding when I was a kid.” she says.
“Sounds like you have quite the experience.” Dion points out.
Images flash through my mind. Anubis and Queenie are heading away from us.

“Everyone join hands with me.” I say. “I had a vision of where Anubis and Queenie are heading. I’m teleporting all of you with me to their next hideout before they find more victims!”

“Also I have an elixir.” Ash says. “To reverse the hypnosis spell Anubis put on those two Wolfren villagers. He must have used magic from an artifact to achieve this since he can’t make his own.”

“And another thing.” Artemis adds. “He may be smart with the knowledge of magic, but in reality, he doesn’t make smart decisions. He thinks that everyone will just give up and be his slaves. Wrong as hell he is. He doesn’t always know that everyone else doesn’t support his views, and that they won’t give up without a fight. If he ever manages to capture someone, they’ll always find a way to free themselves. Even if they can’t, we’ll be there to help.”

“Is everyone ready?” I say. We join hands in a circle.
Thesia, Persephone, Artemis, Dion, Ana, Juno, Luna, and Ash give a thumbs up.

“You don’t have to bring us.” Raya and Duke say. “We’ll teleport ourselves.”

I nod, and the world disappears in a flash, and my body tingles slightly, but my nervousness is quelled by the feeling of my friends’ hands joined to mine. A moment later, we materialize in a small downtown area ravaged by Anubis and Queenie’s search for would-be victims, who have thankfully hidden themselves away in their homes.

We walk through soot filled streets, with frightened Wolfen residents peeking through curtained windows. Thesia walks up the front steps of one apartment and knocks on the door.

“Is anyone okay?”I ask. “We’re only here to help.”

“Thank goodness.” The door opens and the speakers are revealed to be a Wolfren couple, with the woman holding a young child, presumably an infant. “My husband and I have only gone out to buy food, and if we can’t we have to call someone to help us. This cabin fever is getting ugly. My poor daughter recently became ill. It’s not too bad, but I don’t like seeing her uncomfortable, and it’s too dangerous out here to buy medicinal elixirs.”

“You don’t have to wait any longer.” I say. I hand her a vial. “This should help you. The illness will run its course, but this will help alleviate any uncomfortable symptoms and reduce inflammation. In order for your child to take it, you will have to mix it into any liquid she consumes.”
The child whimpers, then cries in the woman’s arms. I go to take a closer look and spot her rubbing part of her face, which is pink and flushed with fever.

“Poor little thing.” Thesia says sadly. “I really wish I could help both of you. The baby as well.”

“You can.” They both say. “We’ve been trying to keep food on the table, and we could use your help. But first, thank you so much for helping us.”

“Anytime.” Thesia replies. “I would be happy to take care of your child if you need me. What is her name?”

“Her name is Serenity, but we just call her Ren.” The woman replies. “My name is Ariana.”

“And my name is Daxton.” Her partner adds.

“My name is Alex.” I say.

They face Thesia and Persephone, and bow. “We recognize you two queens of the sky tribe.”

“It’s quite a pleasure to meet you.” Persephone says. “I do hope we stay in touch.”

“How did you end up in this situation?” I ask. Maybe it will give us answers on the damage Anubis has done.

“We’re about to reveal one of the most dangerous things Anubis has done.” Ariana says sadly.

“Not too long ago, he found this village, and people didn’t know who he was, and once he revealed his plan to the residents, one tried to challenge him, then he killed them in cold blood right in front of the others. Once they all saw how bad things were going to get, they all submitted to him, fearing his wrath. He had a partner with him, but it wasn’t Queenie. After Anubis was found by a guardians’ coven, he fled, but not after leaving us all devastated and struggling to provide for ourselves and our families. If one of us falls ill, either we die if it was life threatening, or end up debilitated. I don’t know where Anubis’ partner went, but she’s definitely gone and ravaged another unwitting town.” Her voice cracks slightly.

“Holy shit.” I mutter.

“Good lord.” Remy growls softly, her brow furrowing. “If this other criminal went missing, we’ll have to try our hardest to find her.”

Suddenly, a familiar face materializes in front of us.

“Cree!” I shout joyfully, barreling into her. “You’re back!”
“Ohh oof. Watch the stomach, ya lover brain.” Cree says playfully. “Just kidding. Love you too.”
“We need you to help us.” I say.

“Gladly.” She replies. “Now what do you need?”

“Anubis recently devastated this town here.” I say. “And this couple has a child and she fell ill, so we gave them an elixir to treat the illness.”

“He had a partner with him, but it’s not Queenie.” Thesia says. “I’ve seen photos. Originally she was the one who went missing, but now it’s both of them who just...went.”
“They ain’t dead, that’s for sure.” Persephone says. “But we’ll find them. I know we will.”

“I found some photos!” Cree says. ‘Of Anubis and some other guy.”

I take a look at the photo. It has Anubis and a mysterious Rottweiler with a hood covering part of her face. Her fur is red with light splotches. I spot writing on the photo’s corner.

*Thanks to Darcy, I will rule all realms and my problems will be over.* It reads.

“*Darcy*.” She says slowly. Her brow furrows, and her face twists into a scowl. “Darcy. She allied herself with Vex labs and she was responsible for getting me a ticket to their hellhole.” She takes a vial full of bluebell serum and takes a long sip, swallowing harshly. “She’ll be in for a surprise once she realizes her dear ‘token’ escaped.” She growls. A low, sharp sound deep in her throat.

“*Token*…” Thesia says, pondering. “Cree, did she call you that?”

Cree nods. “She gave me hell when I was but a child, but I will return to give her a taste of her own torture!” She snarls, her eyes blazing like the fire inside her.

“That’s what we’ll do.” I say. “But we will need clues to find them.”

“Those clues are all marked by a tiny light pod.” Ariana says. “If you spot one, that means you will find her, but Darcy is ruthless, and if you do manage to find her, she’ll lead you on a wild goose chase!”

“Even if this is going to be hard for us, we’ll stop her.” I say. “I know we will. It may not be obvious, but Queenie isn’t always very smart in general. She douses herself in perfumes and wears shoes that take treads way too far.”

“I smell something.” Remy says. “It’s coming from those tracks over there that look like a combination of sandals and hiking boots that have been designed by someone at 2 in the goddamn morning. Also it smells like the wearer of those shoes has a mother that wears perfume that smells like a mixture of rose water gone bad, old moldy bandaid brandy, and one of those weird cologne samples.”

Ash wrinkles their nose. “Gross.”

“Remy…Impressive how you can smell something and break down everything that hits your sniffer…like how you don’t just smell pie but can also smell eggs, milk, vanilla extract, baking powder, pumpkin purée, sugar, salt, or whatever fruit is flavoring the pie…Also that type of perfume smells disgusting just imagining it thanks to your oddly specific description.

Also I meant that in a good way.”
Remy chuckles, her eyes squinting slightly. “That’s the perks of thinking in pictures…and being neurodiverse.”

“The world needs more people like you.” I say, hugging her.
“There are plenty of neurodiverse folk in this realm, as well as the others.” She replies, wrapping her arms around me.

“Hold up.” Artemis says. “I saw those shoes on Queenie’s feet…not very good at concealing any of her tracks. What a captain obvious.”
“Then we’ll keep following those tracks…and the disgusting perfume smell.” Remy adds.

We walk through every trail, town, plaza, pavilion, archway, hall, and building, and surprisingly most of them are vacant.

By the time we’ve reached a stopping point, the sky turns pink as the sun dips below the horizon, forming a yellow-orange glow. Lanterns line the streets like dim little stars, spreading light to large swaths of buildings and people.

“Man, I’m exhausted.” Dion says softly. “Also I can’t believe anyone’s even out here. How can these guys be out partying when we all know a crazy psychopath and his two partners, a kid in a robot suit, and a crazy Rottweiler with weird shoes and shitty perfume will jump out and stick a blade in their backs any minute now?!”

“Dion, I swear to God…”. I say. “I don’t know if they’re even here, and if they are…or were, they might’ve planned a clever disguise anyway.”

“As if they were.” She says. “I doubt anyone would leave clothes lying around unless they were living out of just a bottomless duffel bag and food from a roadside restaurant or something…or maybe they broke into a couple stores or ran away with someone’s clean laundry!”
“Okay…the laundry thing sounds likely if someone chose to dry their clothes like my ancestor Scarlet’s human friend did in the 1700s.” I say. “She stopped after Scarlet taught her how to use spells to wash and dry her clothes. Now let’s stop our search for now and ask if anyone here can give us a place to stay.”

We continue walking until we stumble upon another town that looks considerably more protected from Anubis’s forces and amble past several houses until we spot someone peek through one of the house windows. The building is significantly larger than the others, and slightly fancier. The inside is warmly lit,and the front porch is surrounded by lanterns casting a warm orange glow. I walk up the front steps and am about to knock when someone in the house opens the door in front of me.

Calisto. She’s changed.

Her hair is cut short and very curly, she looks half-tired, and her belly is swollen with signs of pregnancy. She wears a loosely fitting nightgown and baggy pants.

“What? Oh my god.” I say, bewildered. “You’ve changed since the last time I saw you….”

“A lot can happen over the course of 6 months.” She says softly.
“How far along are you?” I ask.

“8 months.” She replies. “Not much time left. Wolfren pregnancies can last anywhere from 6 to 9 months, so who knows? I could give birth any moment now if my body got the chance.”

“Can we ask you a favor?” I say.

“Absolutely.”

“We recently were searching for Anubis and some other crazy guys, and it took us basically the whole day. Is it okay if…we stay at your place for the night?”

“Of course. I have plenty of room.” She replies. “Anything for friends of mine. Who are the newcomers? I know Thesia and Persephone joined you.”

“My name is Analisa, or Ana, as everyone calls me.”

“And I’m…Diana, but you can call me Dion.”

“Nice to meet you two.” She says.

closes the door behind her and leads us to a large sitting room with a huge bookshelf, and a couch with several pillows and a soft blanket.

“Make yourself comfortable.” She says. Just as she is about to sit down with us, she winces in pain.

“Are you okay?” I ask. “Do you need any help?”

“Ooh…” She says softly. “Ever since the baby started growing, I ache in all sorts of places, and I’ve been sleeping a lot lately.”

“Where does it hurt now?”

“Hips. But my legs ache too. My wife Riva has been helping me, and so has my maman. I get hungry. A lot which explains why there’s always a fruit bowl on the coffee table. For me, and for you guys if you want any.”

She joins us and Riva wraps her in several blankets. She closes her eyes and sighs quietly, then opens them again.

“Someone you know has been staying with me to help out with things.” She says, her voice slightly tinged with sleepiness.

“Leading a tribe is hard, but that task is harder when you’re about to have a child. Everyone knows, and people have been trying to help, which I am grateful for, but the whole tribe doesn’t have to. I only need a few people.” She takes a long sip of her tea.

Riva helps her up from the couch and she leads us down a long dimly lit hallway and knocks on one of its many doors.

“What is it?!” A voice calls out sleepily from the room behind it.

“Athena, you have guests.” Calisto replies.
“Oh really? Hope I didn’t get tricked.” She says, suddenly angry.

“No.” Calisto says. “You did not.”

The door opens, and in it stands Athena. Her hair is messy, she looks exhausted, and I see the scars on her face, clear as day, but faded. She wears baggy shorts and an oversized T-shirt, and leans slightly on a cane.

## Athena’s POV

“Alex…” I say. “Is it actually you?”

“Yes. In the fur, or rather…” She replies, shifting to human form. “…flesh.”

“Wow…It has been a long time.” I say. “Now why did you crash here of all places?”

“We trust Calisto.” She says. “We need her to help us, you too.”

I slowly walk towards them, then pause, doubling over and hold my legs, my face contorted with pain, as it shoots down both of them and throbs.

“Are you all right?” Thesia asks. “Where does it hurt?”

“E-Everywhere…” I say weakly. “Anubis hurt me a long time ago, my injuries are healed, but oftentimes it comes roaring back and can stay for days. The only thing helping is the haze of Bluebell serum and listening to smooth jazz records. A long time ago, I went to the healers to get a diagnosis and after a long time researching, a friend who’s a healer revealed I have...Fibromyalgia. After hearing my story with Anubis, she said the psychological and physical stress from that event might have been what caused it .”

“I’m so sorry…” Alex says softly.

“Ever since he hurt me, I’ve had a hard time trusting people…”

“Even Jenna?” She asks.

“No, no, only people I’ve only met once.” I say.

“What does your Fibro pain feel like?” Dion asks.

“It’s felt in my legs, because when Anubis hurt me, he deliberately damaged my legs so I couldn’t run to warn anyone. He was wrong about that, as I was able to warn my sister with my psychic powers. I bled and nearly died. It’s the reason why my legs have weird looking scars on them, and why I occasionally walk with a cane. Sometimes the pain I experience is felt deep in my muscles because he almost wanted to intentionally break both my legs but decided that was too risky. He didn’t want me dead, but still wanted a slave. Thanks to him, my legs can’t always support me like they used to. On my bad days I sometimes have to use a wheelchair. I also use it for long distances. My injury won’t get worse as time goes on, but there will be days where my injury and the memories come back to haunt me. Sometimes if I get insomnia from the day’s stress, I sleep terribly, then when I wake up in the morning, I’m tired as hell, my body doesn’t listen to me, and my legs refuse to hold me up.”

“Wow….so demented.” Dion says. “Looks like he’s deadlier than we thought he was.”

“He is.” I say. “But we will stop him thanks to all of you.”

“Now let’s rest first. I’m sure your journey has exhausted you eight.” Calisto says.

“Athena…” She says. “Reuniting here was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
“Are you kidding?! I missed your annoying poop jokes, now get outta here.” I say playfully, then soften up. “Really. I missed you so much. When I go to sleep at night, I long for the warmth of another body around me. I miss your voice. Your laugh. Your courage. The fact that you can be so strong, yet so vulnerable at the exact same time.”

“Athena…” Alex replies. “That’s one of the most surprising and sincere things anyone’s ever said to me. I have never felt as deep a connection with anyone else, other than you. This is a connection between longtime friends. Now, those friends have become lovers. We are those friends. I will always be with you, whether it be physically, or not.”

“Alex?” I ask, my voice lowering in volume slightly, and pitching up, becoming like that of a young child.
“Yes? She replies. The richness of her voice, slightly deeper than the voices of me and my sisters and other girls I know, has a resonant androgynous, almost masculine quality to it, but still also sounds feminine at the same time.

“Will you tuck me in? My momma used to do that when I was a child, and ever since I moved out, I missed that ritual.”
She helps me back into bed and gently tucks the blankets around me.

“Alex?” I say softly. My voice breaks slightly, and several tears roll down my cheek.

“What is it?” She says, getting closer to me and wiping the tear from my eye, caressing my face in the process. I feel my throat tighten, and go heavy, ready to let me cry. My eyes sizzle with tears which I struggle to blink away.

“I…I don’t want you to go. You saved me from Anubis. When you’re not around, everything feels…empty.” I sob softly, my voice choked with emotion. I can’t help crying, I have to, after being away from my beloved for so long. Whenever I’m around Alex, I do….weird things. Things I can’t describe. I hope she knows it as well. For a long time I’ve been searching for someone to give me the courage to be myself in front of anyone. Someone I can confide in and reveal my innermost thoughts, and feel comfortable around. Someone I can learn from, and most of all, to free myself from the internal prison Anubis put me in, and to heal the scars he gave me.

I feel her turn my head up towards hers, our eyes locking.

“Athena, listen.” She says, her voice strong. “I will never leave you. Even after we haven’t seen each other in years. If we go anywhere to save our world, and other worlds…you can come with me. We are still looking for Anubis, and his two partners, but I promise he and his crew will be brought to justice.”

From hearing that, I knew Alex is one of the people I trust. One of the people I’ve grown to love with each passing day. And now that she’s here, my heart opens for her. I’ve had partners before, but never one like Alex. She knows what I’m going through. She’s seen my history with Anubis, and unlike my parents, she can help me confront Anubis, and heal the wounds he gave me.

“Alex…you are the greatest thing that ever happened to me. You saved me from being torn and shredded to kingdom come by Anubis. From that day on, I am eternally grateful.”
She smiles. “That’s the greatest honor I’ve ever received.”

I nod. She wraps me in more blankets and we kiss until sleep tugs at my eyelids, ready to overtake me. The very first kiss I’ve ever experienced. I feel a euphoric rush, coupled with the warmth of Alex’s body cradling mine. Once again, I feel the weight of my sadness tugging at my insides, which immediately fades and is replaced with a feeling of peace, and serenity, letting me know that I’m in a safe place.

“Athena…” Alex says softly. “Just know that if you’re having a rough day…”

“The ones where my body just won’t cooperate with me and I’m exhausted either from not sleeping from stress or the occasional nightmare about Anubis and my legs refuse to hold me up…” I add.

“I will always be there for you, to take care of you if you need it. Or vise versa.” Alex finishes. “It’s normal for bodies and minds to need rest if necessary. In fact, it’s crucial. Sleep or rest if you’re tired, eat if you’re hungry, do anything that will give you good results in the long run. If the world overwhelms you, conserving or using your energy wisely is key.”

When I hear those words, I now know that what I so desired was not a bad thing.

“When I was young, I was always afraid of asking for things like that, fearing no one would listen to me, or Anubis would beat the pulp out of me for being ‘lazy’ as he always did, thanks to his massive superiority complex and dangerously high self esteem, but Aphrodite tried to protect me. You tried to protect me.”

“I always will. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.” Alex says.

“I’m sleepy…” I say quietly. “I…want to ask you something.”
“What is it?” Alex replies.

“Will you read to me? Or tell me a story? I miss those rituals.” I say.

“Of course.” She nods, then picks a book from a nearby bookshelf. As I snuggle up next to her, the sound of her voice takes me through multiple universes. A tale where a prince meets a girl in the forest, but doesn’t always have the courage to tell her how he feels, which reminds me of how my life has progressively changed ever since I started having feelings for Alex, which blossomed after she saved me from Anubis. A while ago, we used to just be friends, but it’s blossomed into something bigger. Something better. Our parents knew this, and they knew that eventually both of us would lead a life together. Eventually Alex had to leave with a group of other guardians to search for Anubis. I wished I could come, but back then, my parents told me I had to stay for my safety. When he led a rampage through our house, I had enough, packed up my belongings, and stayed at several friends’ houses until eventually settling at Calisto’s place. Over time when I’d thought Alex would never come back to me, she did.

My relationship with my aunt and uncle wasn’t a good one, or a bad one, but thanks to Anubis, it’s become much more strained, but ever since Alex and Aphrodite saved me from him, my bond with Alex has grown stronger as time goes on.

Back then I even told Artemis about my feelings for Alex, but Anubis overheard us, and threatened to hurt me again, but failed since the tables got turned, and he was the one beaten up by Artie. Thanks to her, I’ve learned that if you don’t trust someone, you don’t always have to listen to them. If that person is a sociopathic asshole with murderous tendencies, their attempts to make you their slave are trash. Thanks to Alex, I have a reason to keep my hopes up. My thoughts intertwine with each story she reads, connecting them to what I’ve experienced over the years, letting me know that hope has taken my side. Because of her, I’ve gained the confidence to take things into my own hands, as well as learned that asking for help isn’t a bad thing.

Alex’s voice floats back and forth between characters from the story, bringing it to life with each page. As time passes, my body and mind slowly succumb to the pull of sleepiness.

“That was a good few chapters.” I say softly, both my arms hugging the stuffed animal I brought with me when I moved out.

“We’ll finish it tomorrow.” Alex says. She sticks a bookmark into the page she left off, closes the book, and gently places a kiss on my forehead. “Now it’s time to rest.”

My eyes close, and I feel her wrap her arms around me, and the weight of her body brings me comfort.
However, as I drift off, it isn’t what I expect it to be. I’m thrown into tumultuous dreams. I get trapped in a hotel bathroom, and when I peer into its mirror, Anubis’ face replaces mine. I turn around and spot him with a knife, which he plunges into my shoulder.

I feel someone grab my wrist, shaking me awake.

“What…happened?” I ask, my voice choked.

“You were sweating and muttering in your sleep.” She replies. “Anubis made his way into your dreams.”

From hearing that, I am confused. I don’t know how he can do that when he doesn’t have magic. Perhaps it’s one of his junky inventions. Despite that, he is endangering thousands of lives every night.
Tears stream down my face. Pain throbs in my shoulder.

“If he comes back, I will help you fight him and build up mental strength to keep any untrustworthy individuals out of your dreams…and everyone’s dreams.”
“My shoulder…it hurts.” I whisper. “I had a dream that his disgusting face was plastered onto mine, then he appeared next to me and drove a blade into my shoulder.”

“Good lord.” Alex says, clearly both exasperated and angered at the exact same time. “Here. Drink some serum. It will help you sleep and will help you form a mental shield. In the dream realm, I will find others to help fight Anubis and tell him to stay in his own dreams.”

“Hug me.” I say softly. “Right now I need someone to hold on to.”
She helps me out of bed, and we make our way into the darkened kitchen.

Alex snaps her fingers, and a dimly lit orb casting a warm glow appears floating in front of her. She cracks open one of the cupboard doors and grabs a tea packet. She fills a cup with hot water and drops the packet in. The water darkens and glows slightly with a purple hue. Bluebell tea. Good for sleep, and good for building a mental dream wall and instilling a sense of wellbeing, as well as helping with aches and pains. I take the cup and place it to my lips, my stomach blazing with the warmth of the tea.

“I’m starting to feel better.” I whisper. “Much better.”

“You can go back to sleep if you’re ready.” Alex says. “I will be waiting for you. If Anubis makes an aim for you, I’ll help you keep him away.”

I nod. After slowly finishing my tea, Alex leads me back into the bedroom, where she tucks the covers around me, and I
feel the energy of her presence next to me. My eyes close, and the world dissolves around me, leaving only her remaining.

“Where are we?” I ask. Looking around, I see my surroundings have changed. Alex materializes next to me.

“We’re in the dream realm.” Alex replies. “If you spot Anubis, keep your guard up.”

“Wow…” I say. “There are people everywhere.”
“That’s because everyone is asleep.” Alex says. “Look over there. I think I see something.”

I turn around and someone familiar catches my eye.

It’s Aphrodite.

I haven’t seen my sister in years. The last time we talked, it was when I left my family’s home, having had enough with being overly protected, only to have my life nearly endangered after Anubis ransacked the house and nearly held me at gunpoint, only to be thwarted after I managed to use intermediate level martial arts to scare him off.

Alex saved me.

Aphrodite inspired me. Even after mom kept telling her that my injuries would make it impossible to make it in this world.
Even though my mother meant well, sometimes she didn’t make the best choices.

But I didn’t want to listen to her in the end. Not after years of being told I couldn’t make it on my own.
Then opportunity came in the form of me standing up for what I thought was best. I realized that staying home and letting everybody else do everything for you, and coddling you isn’t going to help in the long run. I had enough. One night I told Aphrodite I was leaving. I packed my things and I told both her and my mother that I wasn’t going to be scared any more. I had doubted myself thinking what if I really wasn’t strong enough? What if Anubis overpowers me? Then I knew that the one thing he didn’t have was allies. He may not have magic. I do. My coven does. Everyone else does. But in the end one of the most important things I had was courage. If I can’t always fight physically, that’s where the strength of the mind comes in.

“Athena…” She says, her eyes widening. “You came back?”

“Yes.” I reply. “But the truth is, I never truly left. I left home so that I could take care of myself, take a break from life, and sort things out for what was in store for the future. It’s not easy, but things are getting better for me. Alex…came back for me. I never thought she would come back, but she did.”

“Athena, I know mom wanted the best for you, but maybe…you should’ve told her you left in the first place. She’s been looking for you.”

“Then I will lead her to me. She may have good intentions, and may not have made the best choices in the process, but if she’s here, I’m telling her that even though I left, I’m okay. Better, actually.”

“That’s...good, but I’ve been trying to look for you. I thought you died or something.”
“Jeezus Christ Aphrodite! I’m not dead! You should really get your facts straight!”

“I thought that maybe you ran away because you hated us for being too protective!” She shoots back.
Something tells me that maybe Aphrodite didn’t quite get the message.
“I never hated you.” I say. “I swear to god, you have a bad habit of blowing shit out of proportion!”

“Maybe you should’ve told us before you left! You should’ve told mom how you really felt. If she calls us, don’t be afraid to answer. Tell her the truth. What matters is that you’re okay.” She embraces me, and I let her hug me, knowing that she will help me find Anubis, and save the Inhabitants of SummerWood from suffering every night.
“Let’s go find mom. Perhaps she can help us find Anubis and Darcy.” I say

“Come with me.” Aphrodite says. “I have a plan.”

I hope this plan works.

Aphrodite and I walk through a grassy landscape until I spot an older woman, a fennec fox, with short, disheveled hair conjuring up a forcefield. She surprises me for a second, but then a memory of her appears.
Mother. She came.

“Athena.” She says softly. “I’ve been searching everywhere for you. When you left, I thought that maybe I was too hard on you. That maybe you didn’t want to come back.”

I sob slightly. “It’s not that…I was just tired of being underestimated.”

“And I’m sorry.” she says. “Maybe I should’ve communicated better.”

“Mommy…” I say. “Things are better now. Alex and I will live together. She came back for me. I knew they would.”
She wraps her arm around me. “At least I know you’re safe. That’s all I care about.”

I hear rustling, then psychotic laughter.
“Uh oh.” I say. “Anubis found us.”

“Now’s the time to teach you how to block out unwanted dream travelers. I’m guessing Anubis used one that’s poorly designed because he looks kind of glitchy.” Alex says. “Anyway, take my hand. Protect and attack.”

Anubis lunges towards me. I easily dodge him. I feel everyone’s energy. The love Alex has for me helps me form a force field that slowly materializes around me. Anubis conjures a gun and tries to shoot me, but with a snap of my fingers, his bullets instantly disintegrate.

He growls. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot my two childhood friends, Artemis, and Demetra, queen and alpha of the Sea Wolf tribe.

“Both of you!” Alex hollers in Wolvish. “Show him no mercy!”

Anubis tries to shoot Demetra, but she narrowly avoids him and lands him a kick to his stomach. He stumbles over to Artemis.

“P-Please…” he says. “You promised to help me, but you never listened.”

“I never promised anything, jerk face.” She growls. She scratches his face, leaving a gash. Thanks to that glitchy dream traveling device, once he wakes up, it would’ve made its way to his sleeping body. He runs towards Alex and almost kills her, but his knife stab doesn’t do anything. Thanks to Alex’s protection spell, it disappears. Anubis screams angrily.

“Mom, cover for me!” I say. “We need to bring him down!”