𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐢𝐞 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝

[58]: 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙤𝙣

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘶𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯.

The tube started to glow, green fluid going through it as the circular structure around it began to shine brightly, a bright shade of gold. The cracked portal door stood before it, all colour lost before its eye started to glow as well.

The Emperor, who was draped in his usual white robe, walked towards the wooden structure. Belos had a grim look on his face, the portal key around his neck as the blue Titan's blood remained inside.

He clutched the small item, a grinning half-toned face appearing behind him as they chuckled brightly despite the Emperor's dreary mood.

"You nervous?" The Collector asked, slowly pulling away from Belos as the Emperor looked at the shadowy figure, unfazed.

"You haven't been home in like, how many hundreds of years?" The Collecter placed their hand against their cheek. "What if it's all changed?"

The Collector then appeared on another wall, smiling upside down at Belos while pointing at the Emperor.

"What if you changed?" He grinned. "You got so used to eating palismen, you can barely keep your human shape anymore!"

His eyes widened in slight fear as he realised an object was flying towards him, the Collector moving away as a green, slimy fist slammed against the wall where the Collector's face once was.

Belos' arm dropped, and the green goo splayed across the floor as a distorted maroon bone slowly began going back into place, the arm going back to normal.

"I can't wait to get out of this prison!" Collector continued to smile despite the outburst. "So many games I want to play! If we need a third player, we can make another grimwalker!"

Collector slid his shadow-like form down the portal door, morphing into a giant hand that appeared from the ground, a loud wail breaking out from the child-like figure.

"No," Belos frowned, holding a hand out. "Not until I've dealt with this one."

Collector pouted, morphing all over the room's pillars, his face appearing on each one as they all chorused at Belos, pouting with impatience at the old man.

"Just free me already! You promised!" He whined.

"The Draining Spell must work first, like you promised," Belos barely bat an eye, walking towards the door.

"You need to have more faith in pinky swears," Collector huffed, one of his faces nodding along in agreement.

"Don't worry, Collector," Belos huffed, walking away. "Your patience will be rewarded. The Day of Unity is about to begin."

The Collector grinned, Belos walking out as blips filled the air, witches walking towards the Head grimly while they watched down from the head.

Trouble was stirring up, and it soon would begin.

–––

"I was devastated to hear of your demotion, Kikimora," Odalia pouted, the small hand demon on the blip glaring at the green-haired witch as abomatons boarded the ship.

"Please stop talking to me," Kikimora huffed, a cap saying 'Coven Crate' on her head as she frowned, gripping the steering wheel.

"Personally, I liked you better than that turn-cloak Golden Guard," Odalia grinned, scribbling on a clipboard. "If only there was a way to show Belos your true worth."