Lionhearts ||Skephalo||

71

Phil doesn't ask him any questions, glancing instead towards the body on the ground. A collective shiver passes throughout the people present, and Tubbo stands, brushing himself off.

"We need to contact the others," he urges, "Soon. Phil, can you get through to Tech?"

Philza nods,  and they make their way out of the room to go gather the rest of their group, leaving the disembodied spirit to loneliness once again.
A chill fills the empty room, the shadows in the crevices and crannies of the ceiling growing deeper and their stygian tendrils seeping further down the walls.

The body's tail twitches.

***

Philza directs them through the halls, gathering the mages to the central room.

"Start drawing up the extra symbols for the exorcism," he instructs, "We'll need protection and binding, and these." He hands a stack of loose sheets to Fundy, who glances over them and opens his mouth for a moment. Spifey beats him to it though.

"Aren't those forbidden?" He asks. Philza nods.

"They are, but we can't do much without using them," he says firmly, "This is a powerful demon and a powerful mage. We'll have to do everything we can to tear him free of the poor boy's body and spirit—poor thing hasn't endured this long out of anything other than his sheer innate power. This thing waited centuries," he emphasizes, and the mages nod nervously, "literal centuries, just watching and waiting for this chance. He's not going to be easy to exorcise. So we better be prepared. Even with me, Dream, and Skeppy, it will be a challenge to get enough power."

Silence falls over the room for a minute as everyone glances amidst themselves.

And then Tubbo presses a piece of glowstone chalk into his companions' hands, giving one to each of them.

"Come on guys," he breathlessly says, "We haven't a moment to lose."

Philza watches his son urge the others on, leading them into the room to begin preparations. Pride flickers up sadly, and he sighs. They're growing up too fast.

He turns, and begins to climb up the staircase to wait for the other group to arrive.

***

Techno jolts as Dream, Sapnap, Wilbur, and Skeppy join the others in the hallway.

A ringing in his ears alerts him to a familiar presence, and he asks quietly,

"Phil?"

"Hey Tech. Doing alright?" The mage's voice is weary, and Techno can almost sense the exhausted man rubbing his temples.

"Yeah. We're good. Preparing to leave actually." Philza hums slightly in approval. "Where are you anyway?"

"The chapel down the side of the delta, past the crimson forest. Cleared the place out. Who are you bringing?"

"Rest of the mercenaries and everyone except that brunet archer that Dream brought with him. He's fucked right now."

Dream rests a hand on the hybrid's arm, drawing his attention.

"We have a map, Techno," he says softly, "We need to leave now." Techno nods.

"You should be here in under an hour," Philza calculates, "Things got a bit worse o'er here, to be blunt. One of us got influenced and—had to put 'em down."

Techno winces in acknowledgement, and understanding passes between the connection before Philza's voice and the ringing in Techno's head dies down.
He turns to the group that had just emerged from the infirmary.