AUTHOR'S NOTE: Jezzeff's point of view contains a brief depiction of cruelty to animals which may be disturbing to some readers. (It was even disturbing to me.) I figured I should include a quick trigger warning here.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BRIAR
She woke up to Jezzeff standing over her with Sezzon and Leigan. "Sezzon, I want you to restrain the girl," Jezzeff said.

Sezzon nodded. "Of course, Jezzeff," he replied pleasantly. He grabbed Briar and pulled her violently off of the bed she'd been left on after Dale healed her. He held her tightly against his body, restraining her exceptionally well. She couldn't do more than squirm slightly.

Jezzeff grinned. "You have done this before," he observed.

"Grayzee is not the only one with experience torturing people," Sezzon replied. "I had a life before Hezzo and Maegus recruited me to their cause."

"I never would have expected you had this within you, my friend. I'm quite pleased." Jezzeff moved closer to Briar before pulling out his sword. He ran the tip of the blade lightly down her cheek until he reached her chin. "It would be such a shame to damage such a lovely face," he said.

"Is that the best plan you could come up with?" Briar asked. "Flirting with me? First of all, ew, you're literally ancient. Second, even if you weren't several millennia older than me, it's not like you can follow through, right?" She eyed his zipper before smirking.

Jezzeff glared at her. "Mouthy little brat, aren't you?" He mumbled. He ignored the jab at his age, which was technically inaccurate considering he'd been dead for most of that time and hadn't aged in millennia, but Briar stood by her comment. Besides, she knew what would really shake him up was mentioning the failings of his manhood.

"It's what makes me so charming," Briar replied sweetly.

He pulled the sword away from her and paused, a sadistic look in his eyes. "Sezzon, switch places with me," he said. "I want to see what you are capable of."

Sezzon allowed Jezzeff to take over restraining Briar. With the skill and precision only a brilliant man could possess, Sezzon began to systematically cut and torture Briar with a dagger. None of the injuries would kill her, but the pain was severe. Briar did her best not to scream, but she soon realized Sezzon wouldn't stop until she did.

She cried out as he stabbed her in her side, narrowly missing one of her kidneys by centimeters. Jezzeff smirked and said, "Enough. Will you reconsider telling us your true identity and agenda, Little Girl?" He asked.

"No," Briar replied firmly.

Jezzeff shook his head and sighed over-dramatically. "Go on, Sezzon," he said. "Persuade her."

"With pleasure," Sezzon replied. He stabbed her again, this time barely missing her Carotid Artery. If he'd come any closer to it, she'd have bled out almost instantly.

"This is not going to work, Jezzeff," Leigan pointed out. "The child is clearly stubborn and resists painful stimuli. Now, if I give her a disease and she feels her body start to shut down, I just might be able to scare the truth out of her."

Jezzeff considered this for a moment. "Very well, Leigan. Do your worst. If she does not start telling us what we want to know, leave her to perish," he replied.

Sezzon stopped stabbing her. Things were looking up. Then, Leigan put his hands over her heart. Suddenly, Briar's lungs began to fail. It was getting very hard to breathe very fast and she had no idea how to stop it.

Help me, she thought. Grandfather! Aiya! Someone help me... I can't keep this up for long.

She couldn't focus enough to reach anyone directly. She hoped her pleas for help would find their way to someone. She was losing a lot of blood and could barely breathe, but if someone found her soon, there was still hope of saving her life.

Just hold on a little longer, Briar, she told herself. That's all you have to do. Hold on... Keep fighting. Just a little bit longer...

As her lungs stopped functioning entirely, Briar started making choking sounds, unable to take in any air.

"Ease up a bit," Sezzon said. "It's no fun if she dies right away." He laughed. "I can teach you how to properly torture information out of someone. You must be patient, Leigan. Stick with me and she shall soon sing like a good little bird."

"Sezzon is correct. We still need answers, Leigan. Give her a chance to recover, then start again," Jezzeff instructed.

Briar felt her lungs expanding and the fluid they'd filled with started to drain. She gasped, desperate for air, and struggled not to cry. Being beaten and cut up was one thing. Losing the ability to breathe was quite another.

"Have you changed your mind yet?" Leigan demanded.

She couldn't speak because she was still trying to recover, so she simply shook her head very deliberately as she glared at him.

"Give her enough time to regain her ability to respond verbally, then start again," Jezzeff said.

Don't cry, Briar thought. Don't you dare! You are way too strong for that!

Still, the thought of Leigan repeatedly torturing her was terrifying, and she knew she'd snap eventually. Even she could only take so much.

Please help me, she thought again as Sezzon forced water into her mouth. It helped open her lungs back up, and it calmed her body down slightly, but she knew the relief wouldn't last for long.

LIDO
He was extremely nervous as he stood in the woods with Amos, Andie, and Ivan. Zuzu was in stasis in a safe location, and Lido felt vulnerable and exposed without his familiar beside him.

Amos paused, holding a ritual knife in his hand. "Andie... Do yourself a favor and do not watch this part," he said gently. "I will try to inflict minimal pain on his body, but the sight of what I must do may still be traumatic for you. It is bad enough you will feel what Lido feels. You shouldn't have to see me do this to him."

Andie took a deep breath. "Lido, you can do this. I believe in you," she told him. She stood on the tips of her toes, so Lido bent down, allowing her to kiss his cheek and trace his scar. "Be strong. I'll be here waiting for you." She paused before whispering, "I love you." Andie rarely said those words, although she'd started using the phrase more as she grew to trust people. Lido was always honored to hear her say it.

Lido held onto her for a moment, drawing strength from her presence before he released her. "I love you, too," he replied softly.

Andie returned to Ivan's side. "Good luck, my good Sir," Ivan said to Lido as he pulled Andie into his arms protectively.

She buried her face in Ivan's chest as Amos raised the knife. He brought it down directly into Lido's heart. It was painful, but physical pain didn't bother Lido much. He endured that as Amos stabbed him two more times while mumbling words in what Lido recognized as the language sometimes spoken on the Reservation.

The physical pain stopped. Lido felt like he fell asleep, but his mind was still fully aware. He was startled when he felt himself falling into darkness, his soul leaving his body. He panicked slightly. He'd never felt anything like that before. He knew the panic made him connect to Andie. They were sharing sight. He had hoped to avoid that for a little longer to spare her, but it wasn't meant to be.

As he tumbled further into what he assumed was the Underworld, Lido forced himself to focus. Soon, he landed on the ground. He took a moment to adjust before he began to search through his strange new location.

What he saw was something he wasn't prepared for.

There were thousands of dead bodies all around him. All of them had been cleanly executed, and as Lido studied them, he recognized the handiwork.

"Oh no," he mumbled.

The dead began to awaken, staring at him accusingly. "You!" One shouted. "You did this to us!"

"I... I'm sorry," Lido began. He shook his head. "I was someone else then... Someone who followed orders and was unable to defy them or think for myself."

The other souls joined the first one, becoming a chorus of accusations. "You did this to us!"

"Yes!" Lido finally replied. "Yes, I killed you. I executed every last one of you, and I carry the weight of that every day. I cannot fix what I have done to you. I accept responsibility, and I understand your rage."

Many of the souls had been vile people when they were alive. They tortured innocents, often including children, and hid behind the power of their political positions. Their executions had been justified, yet Lido now understood killing them in the name of the Rebellion had not been the right path. Others had never deserved to die at all, but Garron had ordered their executions anyway. Now, all of their souls stood together, unable to find peace and united by the fact that their killer had crossed into their domain.

"Rip him apart! Make him suffer for what he did to us!" A woman cried.

Tazzianna Treygan, Lido thought as he recognized her. Rinton's granddaughter through Aphell had been one of the worst. She enjoyed inflicting pain on others and excelled at it. Aphell had adored the girl. When the Rebellion had learned the young Senator was torturing and murdering teenage girls for fun in her free time, Garron had ordered her execution. Lido had followed her home and severed her head as she stopped to unlock her front door.

The souls rallied behind Tazzianna. She'd always had a way of getting people to do whatever she wanted, and these souls were lost and searching for a leader. As they came toward him, Lido did the only thing he could; he ran deeper into the Underworld.

He entered a room and was immediately surrounded by birds. This was comforting, and he paused to recover from fleeing his victims. Two people stood motionless, frozen in time. They seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place them. Remember, a voice whispered in his mind.

The people came to life, speaking in hushed whispers. "He is an abomination... We must dispose of the boy at once," the man said.

"Yes, my husband," the woman replied submissively. "I understand."

Lido watched in fascination as a little boy entered the room. That's me, he realized. What is this?

An older boy came in behind him. Lido had seen flashes of him before. His eyes were always kind and smiling, and his image had comforted Lido after he was abandoned.

"Who are you?" Lido asked aloud.

The boy did not appear to hear him. He pulled the younger Lido up by his arms and spun him around in the air rapidly. The sensation of flying brought a smile to the younger boy's face and he cried out with joy.

I have never made such an excited sound, Lido thought. Who was this other boy?

"Colby, set your brother down before he spouts wings and flies away," the man scolded him.

"Can I?" Young Lido asked excitedly as the older boy, Colby, gently put him down.

"Anything is possible, Little Brother," Colby replied indulgently. "Never stop dreaming, and perhaps one day, you shall truly fly as your friends do."

"Little Brother?" Lido repeated aloud. "I... I had an older brother?"

The memory moved forward, and Lido was now watching his younger self alone in the woods. "Colby!" He called. "Colby, come for me... Save me..." He began to sob as darkness surrounded him and fear set in. His parents weren't coming back. He understood that now. His mother had refused to even look back at him once they began to walk away. He was alone... But surely his brother would save him?

"Colby is dead," someone said. Young Lido did not know her, but his adult self recognized her voice instantly.

"The Witch..." He whispered in horror.

"Dead? What is dead?" Young Lido asked, repeating the strange word.

"In exchange for trapping you here, I got to slaughter him. Your father should have paid closer attention to my words," the Witch replied with a cackle. "Enjoy the darkness, Lido. You will never know anything else!" She cackled again and vanished.

Her words were confusing, but young Lido still felt grief in his heart. He knew somehow that his beloved older brother was gone and he'd never see him again. He wept for Colby, and he also wept for himself. Colby had loved him, unlike the father who actively tried to hurt him and the mother who refused to look at him. Now, Colby was gone, and Lido was all alone in the world.

That was when the birds came to him. Lido smiled sadly as he watched baby Zuzu approach his younger self with an offering of berries. He wasn't alone anymore, but he'd lost everything.

The visions faded and Lido was surrounded by birds again. A man stood beside him. Lido recognized the fact that he was a spirit, and a powerful one. He smiled at Lido kindly.

"Finally, we meet," the man said softly.

Somehow, Lido understood who he was. "Onacona..." He whispered in wonder.

"Yes, my son..." he reached toward Lido hesitantly before pulling him into a tight embrace. Lido was stunned by how comforting the hug from this stranger was.

"Amos speaks highly of you," Lido said awkwardly as his biological father released him.

"Amos is a wonderful and loyal friend of mine," Onacona replied. "Lido, my son, you have more work to do before you can rest."

"I understand." He paused. "How did you perish? Amos never told me."

Onacona looked sad as he replied, "You mustn't blame your mother. She was terrified of facing his wrath."

"Whose?"

"The man who reluctantly raised you for three years. Your mother married young to honor her father's dying wish, and her husband was unkind to her. When we met, she was desperate for love. We spent a short but precious time together. I wanted to help her. I cared for her very much... However, she returned to her husband, and when you were born, she was forced to admit she had lain with another. Out of fear, she told him I took her by force. He demanded my name. She believed he would confront me, but not take it further. Instead, he poisoned me with a spell. I will spare you the details, but it was a painful death."

"My father killed you... No, not my father. You are my father, and that man murdered you in cold blood," Lido realized in horror.

"If he were a better man, I would say he did it to protect his wife, but he simply wanted to seek revenge against the man who dared to touch what he viewed as his property."

"I'm sorry, Onacona... It is my fault."

"No, Lido. You were an infant. You did not ask to be born. I am grateful you exist. I'm very proud of who you are."

"I am a cold, calculating killer... I am as bad as the man who took me in as his own."

"That isn't you, my son. It never was. The real Lido is kind, gentle, and pure of heart. You have found your way back to that, and you have made an effort to make amends. That must continue. Fix what you did, Lido."

"I can't. I have slaughtered thousands over the millennia, Onacona. That cannot be undone."

"In your heart, you know what to do. Let that guide you, my son. Face what you have done and fix it." Onacona hugged him again. "I have complete faith in you... And once you complete this journey, I can guide you when you have need of me."

Lido nodded as Onacona released him. "I am ready," he said stoically.

"I know you are." Onacona waved his hands. The birds moved aside, revealing the door to exit the room.

Lido took a deep breath and headed out of the room. "There he is! Destroy him!" Tazzianna cried.

His victims surrounded him. This time, Lido didn't run. As they began to grab onto him, he felt himself being torn apart slowly. The pain was unbearable. Suddenly, he wasn't only seeing his situation, but Andie's as well.

Andie screamed in agony. "It hurts!" She cried as Ivan tried to soothe her. "It hurts so much! They're killing him!"

"Sir Ivan! She needs you now!" Amos declared as Andie's body flew into physical distress.

"M'Lady, ground to me," Ivan said urgently. "Listen to my voice. Focus on my words."

"It hurts! He's dying! There are so many of them... He can't breathe!"

"Isobel!" Ivan shouted firmly as he grabbed Andie and wrapped her tightly in his arms. "Izzy, I need you to take control. I know you hear me, M'Lady... Isobel, Andie needs you. If she doesn't distance herself from Lido's suffering, she will surely meet her end. Please, my beloved, come to me now!"

As Daphne and Andie flew into further distress, Lido suddenly felt the connection break. He knew Isobel had taken control swiftly and harshly in order to protect her current incarnation.

She's safe, Lido thought in relief. No matter what happens to me, Andie will be alright.

"Suffer, Lido of Eltar!" Tazzianna shouted. "Suffer as we suffer!"

Suddenly, Lido knew what he needed to do. As Tazzianna clawed at him, he focused entirely on her energy. His instincts told him what to do next. He connected to her memories, feeling every horrible moment of her existence. Tazzianna had been a monster, but before she embraced her dark side, she had suffered greatly at the hands of her father. Lido held onto her, enduring the feelings of terror and heartbreak as Aphell tortured his daughter. Lido continued holding her, taking on her pain. As it became his own, it nearly overwhelmed him, but he refused to stop processing it. Finally, as he understood why Tazzianna had become a monster, he returned her memories to her.

Tazzianna did not try to attack him again. Instead, she began to cry, first in pain and ultimately in relief as Lido continued to hold her.

"I'm sorry for what he did to you," Lido said soothingly. "Now you must accept what you did before you can begin to heal from it. Only then can your soul return as a new person and try to get it right the next time."

She nodded at him with tears still in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered before she faded away.

Lido felt enormous power flowing through him.  This is what Shaman do, he realized. I just healed a soul... My powers are active.

He looked at the massive crowd of the angry, lost souls of his victims and took a deep breath. "Alright," he said, "who's next?"

For what felt like an eternity, Lido slowly touched the soul of every person he'd executed. He helped each of them heal, enduring their pain and suffering with them so they could finally begin to process it. Finally, he made it through them all.

He was weak. His soul had been severely damaged by his victims before he figured out what to do. He felt peace that he had helped them, but he was certain he had nothing left. He was stuck in the Underworld.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder. Lido looked up and was startled to see Celestia standing beside him. Keizos stood behind her.

"You did very well, Lido," she said.

"Celestia... Keizos..." He shook his head. "You reincarnated. Why are you here?"

"To help," Keizos replied. "We split ourselves off just for a little while to return to the Underworld so we could come to you."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't save you... Zell had turned me by the time he killed you."

"We never blamed you, Lido," Keizos replied.

"You didn't?"

"Of course not," Celestia insisted. "We just wanted to help you... Like we're here to do now."

"Amos says I have to do this myself."

"You are. You already awakened your powers in all their glory. Now, there is just one more soul you need to heal to pass this test."

"Who is it?"

"You," Keizos replied. "It is time you forgive yourself for what you could not control, Lido. And once you do that, you will be strong enough to return to your body."

"I don't know if I can do that."

"You can," a gentle voice said sadly.

"Daphne..." He whispered. He turned around and saw her standing there. It wasn't Andie he was looking at, but Daphne's soul, manifested in front of him. Like Celestia and Keizos, she had split herself off of her current incarnation so she could return to the Underworld briefly.

"You can do anything, Lido. I believe in you," Daphne replied.

"But I failed you," Lido said. "I failed all three of you."

"You did everything you could," Daphne replied. "We thought there was time, Lido. I am the one who refused to go with you. I know you would have protected me if you could have. You always have."

He hugged her tightly, unable to keep from crying. "I love you," he told her. To actually hold Daphne again in her own form overwhelmed him.

"I know... Just as I love you."

"Is Andie alright?"

"Isobel's in control. She's shooting arrows at targets and that seems to be helping her focus."

Lido smiled sadly. Suddenly, as he continued to hold her, a memory flashed through his mind.

Colby held him while sunlight filled the sky. Lido was nearly blinded by the beautiful sight. He reached toward it, drawn to the powerful light that was filled with magic. It touched him and seemed to fill his heart. He didn't understand what was happening, but it brought him great joy.

As the light continued to fill the sky, Lido looked at Colby, who smiled peacefully. "I dreamed of this," he said. "A little girl has just been born, with the power to call the Sun, among other gifts... She needs a guardian, Lido. Her light has touched your heart. One day, you will be her greatest protector, and she will be your guide, helping you through your journey and bringing you peace. You share an incredible bond and are each going to become a great source of Good in this world."

"We are?" Lido asked in wonder.

"Yes, Little Brother. You are meant to do great things in your life. I am very proud of you. When you find her, embrace her, and never let her go. Your souls will always be connected, in every life. No matter what your connection is to each other, the bond will remain."

Lido was too young to fully understand his brother's words, and as he forgot Colby and the rest of his early life, he would also forget this information.

The flashback ended. "I am your guardian..." He said softly, still holding her. "And you are my guide."

She smiled at him peacefully. "That makes a lot of sense," she replied.

"I could have told you that ages ago," Celestia teased them. "You two really are terrible at figuring yourselves out."

"Lido... It's time for us to go," Keizos added gently.

"I know. Thank you all for coming," Lido replied. "Helping those whose lives I ended was almost easy compared to healing my own soul. Seeing you and knowing none of you hate me eases that burden a bit."

Celestia and Keizos hugged him. "Go on," Celestia said. "You're ready." She took Keizos and vanished.

Daphne got up on the tips of her toes. Lido smiled as he bent down. She kissed his cheek and his heart filled with light. For the first time, he fully felt like he had before Zell turned him in the Flames.

"I'm returning to Andie now," Daphne said. "I'll see you soon." She slowly faded away.

Lido was alone, but he felt much stronger than he had. "I am ready," he said. Slowly, he began making his way through the Underworld, searching for an exit.

THE WITCH
A full battle had broken out at the Guild's base as their enemies finally shattered the spells keeping them out. The Witch had decided to remain, curious what would come of it.

The first thing Jonah did was attack Aiyana. The Witch decided he was her new favorite lackey. Zell stepped protectively between Aiyana and Jonah. Leigan immediately moved to help his brother.

Edmund drew his sword and braced himself for battle. Ugh, another pest from the Flames, the Witch thought.

"Jezzy! He likes swords. Challenge him," she said.

Jezzeff grinned and drew his own sword. He headed straight for Edmund. They began to duel. The Witch was mildly impressed with how well the boy kept up with him. She could certainly see Sir Ivan's skill within the little brat.

As Jezzeff tried to go for a cheap shot, something very strange happened.

"Congratulations!" A voice said. "You have crossed a line I deem unacceptable. Welcome to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's Self Destruct Mode!"

"What the...?" The Witch mumbled.

"Initiating in ten... Nine... Eight... Seven-six-five-four-three-two-one!" The voice declared, gleefully speeding through the last of the numbers.

Suddenly, Jezzeff exploded. Zell shielded Aiyana with his body, keeping her safe from the carnage. Blood was everywhere and nothing else was left of Jezzeff. The Witch stared where he had been. She needed a moment to process that.

"What the hell just happened?" Drakaina asked in surprise, breaking the stunned silence of both the Guild members and their enemies.

The Witch began laughing and couldn't stop, too giddy from the surprise. "I believe one of the Soul Reapers put a self-destruct device in Jezzeff the day he took him apart and put him back together," she said before she howled with fresh laughter and began to applaud. "Well done, Mayuri! I didn't see that coming!"

"Wait... Can he come back from that?" Bourbon asked curiously.

"His soul was completely shattered... It wasn't just his body," Reid, as their resident necromancer, replied. "Jezzeff still exists, but the kind of power it will take to piece him back together and resurrect him is far beyond any of our skills."

The Witch smiled. "Excellent!" She declared.

"Excellent? Jezz is dead, Witch... Like, really, really dead," Bourbon pointed out.

"Yes... He is so dead that he's the only one who can save himself... And to do it, he'll need to unlock a power that has previously eluded him." She laughed. "Thanks, Mayuri! I wasn't actually sure how to awaken it given his extreme immortality. This is helpful!"

"What is she babbling about?" Karone asked.

Aiyana's eyes widened as she seemed to catch on. "He's on a Shaman's journey," she said. "And if he manages to pass this test, he will become a full Shaman with access to every power that comes with it."

"We must stop him!" Edmund proclaimed.

"We can't interfere," Aiyana replied. "It goes against the Universe, and the consequences would be severe. What happens next is up to Jezzeff alone."

"Aiya... Can you do anything?" Zell asked. "You are a Mystic, too. You are trained in their ways."

"I can't interfere in his test, Zell. I can only stand against him when he returns."

The Witch cackled before she said, "Let's resume our fun!" She clapped her hands and the entire base was plunged into darkness.

"Hey! Not all of us can see in the dark! We aren't cats," Bailey protested.

The Witch opened up a portal. "Didi, take Dale and get him and the Mystery Brat out of here," she said. "Take Leigan as well. He's the only one whose tactics the brat really responds to."

"Okay, Mommy!" Didi replied eagerly. She grabbed Leigan. "Get Jayna," she said. "We're getting out of here." She moved to find Dale in the darkness.

"Witch! I must leave at once," Percival said as Anise turned toward him and smirked sadistically. He knew damn well Anise would turn him over to Keilah the second she got her hands on him.

"Coward," the Witch replied with a laugh. "Go on, Percival. Take your little minion, too. Follow Didi and Leigan."

"Thank you!" Percival took Ivy's arm and guided her toward the portal. Leigan, his captive, Didi, and Dale went through and the other two followed immediately behind them.

As some light came back, Reyzzo zeroed in on Zell. He flew into a sudden rage. "You killed me, you son of a bitch!" He shouted. He ran at Zell, ready to hit him with everything he had.

"Reyzzo, no!" Aiyana cried. She dove between them, stubbornly facing the very entity who had so recently violated her. The Witch watched in excitement, eager for Reyzzo to unleash his attack on Aiyana and kill the pest for her. Seeing yet another incarnation of Oralee perish before his eyes should shut Zell down pretty thoroughly.

To the Witch's complete shock, Reyzzo stopped himself, flinging his attack to the side instead. Sezzon narrowly avoided getting hit by it. Bailey quickly banished the energy before it could kill anyone.

"Oh, boo!" The Witch complained. "That was no fun at all!"

"Reyzzo... You don't have to do this," Aiyana said bravely. It disgusted the Witch. "You can choose a different path."

"Zell murdered me! He's the one who created me to begin with, and then he decided I was defective and killed me! I want him to pay!"

"I won't let you hurt him, Reyzzo."

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" He demanded. "I raped you!"

Zell tensed. The Witch was pretty sure he was going to destroy Reyzzo for the second time. At least then she'd be entertained... Instead, however, Aiyana gently touched Zell's arm and shook her head. He took a deep breath and didn't attack.

"I am afraid of you, Reyzzo," Aiyana admitted. "But you come from Sera and Bartello, and that means there is a lot of good in you. You've just never been allowed to touch it for long. I want to help you."

"You can't," he insisted. The Witch realized that, more than anything, Reyzzo wanted someone to save him from himself.

I'm going to need to handle this, she decided. She moved swiftly, grabbing one of Jezzeff's stray swords and raising it into the air. She was about to slash Aiyana's throat when someone intervened.

"I don't think so, Bitch!" Anise said, grabbing the Witch by her hair and slamming her head against the nearest wall multiple times.

The Witch needed a moment to gather her wits. In that time, Sezzon grabbed Reyzzo and slashed his hand. The dark magic flowing through the room was familiar to the Witch. It was not as strong as her version of the spell, but it was still pretty impressive.

"Wait... That's warlock magic," she said. "The darkest, most volatile kind. My favorite... But you are not a warlock, Sezzon."

He smiled at her. "I learned from the best," he replied. "Or the worst, depending on your point of view."

"Hezzo..." The Witch mumbled.

"I spent millennia watching him and Ling work magic. I picked up a great many warlock spells thanks to them."

Reyzzo had stopped responding. He stared at Sezzon. "Master..." He mumbled weakly.

"Reyzzo of Eltar, you now belong to me. Your loyalties lay where mine do. You will do as I say. Now... Destroy Sir Edmund of Zandar."

"No!" Aiyana cried. She tried to protect the youngest member of the rescue mission, but Reyzzo tossed her aside.

"What should I do, Master?" Reyzzo asked.

"I think a fire attack will do the job nicely," Sezzon replied calmly.

Reyzzo raised the energy. Aiyana moved to interfere again, but Zell stopped her. The Witch watched as Reyzzo attacked Edmund with magic.

Somehow, the boy absorbed the attack. He then took a deep breath and unleashed an identical one upon Reyzzo. The incubus barely jumped out of the way in time and the attack singed Jonah's shoes.

"He's pyrokinetic? I thought that Callie was the one with fire magic," Bailey said in confusion.

"She is," the Witch replied with a frown. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she didn't like it.

Bourbon sent a telekinetic attack at Edmund. He let the stones hit him before suddenly sending them back at Bourbon.

"Oh crap!" Bourbon cried, ducking out of the way at the last possible second.

"What the hell is happening?" The Witch demanded. "No fair, Zell! What kind of freak did you create in this kid?"

Zell responded by sending a blast of lightning at Edmund. The boy took the hit head on and then sent lightning at the Witch.

She screamed in surprise and pain as the lightning struck her. If she wasn't an intangible, that might have killed her. She'd seen Children of the Flame with interesting and unique powers before, but she had never witnessed anything quite like this.

"Abort! Everyone get out now! Regroup later!" She shouted as Edmund wielded fire in one hand and lightning in the other while every loose object in the room started to levitate.

She didn't wait to see if her allies escaped. The Witch got the hell out of their now useless base and saved herself. They could fend for themselves, and if they died, they weren't worthy anyway.

JEZZEFF
At first, nothing made sense. He couldn't put his thoughts together, and he felt strange... Broken... More broken than he had ever been before.

What happened? He wondered. And what is this place?

Instinct urged him to focus. Slowly, enough tiny shards of his soul pieced themself together to give him some small level of functionality.

Mayuri, he thought. The absolutely insane Soul Reaper had done more damage to him than Jezzeff had ever believed was possible.

Resurrect, he ordered himself. Nothing happened. Reform... Come on, put yourself back together!

He managed only to open his eyes. Before him was a shattered mirror. Somehow he understood that in each shard was a small piece of his soul.

This is a puzzle, he realized. I only need to put it back together, piece by piece.

He willed the shards to move, but they didn't. He focused on his telekinetic abilities. Slowly, one of the shards began to shake.

He saw a bloody outline on the ground. It was shaped like his physical form. He moved the first shard into the blood and watched as it landed where his hand would be. It was only a tiny piece of it, but it was a start.

As he looked into the shard, a memory appeared inside of it. He saw the very first living thing he'd ever harmed. He was three when the tiny mouse wandered into his path. He began to play with it, petting it and letting it crawl into his hand before curiosity got the better of Jezzeff. He picked up a kitchen knife and plunged it into the animal's side. The mouse barely had time to squeak in horror before it bled to death in his hands. He liked the way the blood felt as it flowed onto his flesh. He was fascinated by how stiff the mouse became. Always a scientific boy, Jezzeff cut the mouse open further to see its insides.

His mother discovered him and let out a horrified scream as she watched him play with his very first victim. She tossed the creature's corpse aside before she began beating Jezzeff. This continued until he blacked out.

The shard turned to flesh as it lay in the bloody outline. Jezzeff understood then what was happening. Each shard would show him a piece of himself until his soul fully reformed. It took a lot of strength to move each one, but Jezzeff knew he could do it, as long as he focused and remained patient. This might take him some time.

He continued watching his life play out in the shards. He saw everything... The torture he'd endured as a child, the people he'd harmed, and all of the things he'd done that no one knew about. He saw his uncle, and Tiktah and Aliese, and all of the friends he'd made just because Terridian claimed him. He watched himself manipulate Zell into believing he was a helpless child who needed to be rescued from his abusive, unstable mother.

Suddenly, a spirit wandered toward him. His eyes widened in horror as she glared at him. "I will stop you!" She screamed. "I brought you into the world, but I will not allow you to do any further harm!" She began screaming. A few of the shards of his soul shattered further.

Enraged, Jezzeff made his recently reformed mouth speak. "I am not a child anymore, Mother," he said. "I shall dispose of you myself this time!"

He moved a shard toward her, ready to use the sharp edges to slaughter her. Instead, someone caught the shard and tossed it to the ground, crushing it beneath his feet.

"Lido?" Jezzeff asked in confusion. "What on all of Eltar are you doing here? Has someone finally figured out how to kill you?"

Lido looked at Jezzeff's lips and raised an eyebrow curiously. He didn't even seem like the sight of a disembodied talking mouth was the strangest thing he'd seen that day. "No," he replied simply.

Jezzeff's mother began to scream. "He must be stopped! He is an abomination! I brought evil into the world and it must be destroyed!" She shouted.

"Thank you, Mother," Jezzeff replied dryly. He waited, uncertain of what might happen next as Lido studied his mother curiously. Jezzeff needed to conserve his energy. It was going to take a lot of work to piece himself back together, but one way or another, he was determined to do it, and then he would destroy that wretched woman once and for all.

LIDO
Lido watched the woman for a moment, pausing thoughtfully as he realized who she was. "What is your name?" He finally asked gently.

"He must perish!" She screamed in response.

Her frantic rage and obvious psychosis were concerning, but Lido knew this was just another lost soul. He'd dealt with so many of those as he had faced his victims, and he'd helped them all. He knew he could help this woman, too, and something told him it was extremely important that he do it.

He gently touched her arm. The connection was strong and instant. He began to see what she saw and feel everything she had experienced.

"Laurel," he said as he learned her name. "Focus now... I wish to help you."

Laurel blinked at him, calmer as he held onto her energy. "My son," she began. "The boy is evil. The vizu showed me what he will become. Please, stop him... Stop him before he becomes the biggest monster Eltar has ever seen..."

"Jezz has grown up now," Lido explained gently. "He has done much harm, but I will stop him from doing more, Laurel. I am going to fight him until he is finally stopped forever."

"I tried to stop him... I beat him... I hurt him... I tried, but I could not kill him. He was my son. I know I should have, but I am not a killer..."

"Shhh... It is over now, Laurel. You did as you had to. You must rest now. It is time for you to find peace."

"He will return... Evil never dies... He is piecing himself back together stronger than before."

Lido nodded. "I understand. I will make sure everyone else does as well. Laurel, you are the one thing I think he ever truly feared. I need to help you. When you have healed a bit and your mind is clear, you have a part to play. Until then, you must remain safe." He put his hand over her heart. "Be calm. Find your peace. We shall meet again."

Focusing on Laurel, Lido sent her soul to a safe place where Jezzeff wouldn't find her.

"What did you do?" Jezzeff demanded.

"I helped her," Lido replied. "Your mother will finally heal."

"She tortured me! She doesn't deserve to heal!"

"Every soul deserves a chance to heal," Lido countered. After healing the souls of his victims, he suddenly understood that much more than he ever had before.

He began walking, ignoring Jezzeff's angry rant because he knew there was precious little time to waste. He started running as he sensed his body and Andie waiting for him. Soon enough, he found the exit to the Underworld. He knew his body had healed as his soul did, and he easily slipped back inside of it.

He drew in a sharp breath before he sat up. The sound of an arrow hitting a target made him look toward Andie's body. Isobel was clearly still in control, but as she saw Lido, she kissed Ivan.

"It is time, my beloved," Isobel said as Ivan held her.

"Goodbye, Izzy," Ivan replied softly. He was still holding her when Andie regained control of her body. She hugged him for a moment before he released her.

Andie ran toward Lido and flung her arms around him. He was still sitting, so he pulled her down beside him and held her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I think so," he replied.

"Welcome back, He With the Spirit of A Bird," Amos said with a smile. "That only took nine hours! You passed your test far faster than most. I am quite proud."

"Thank you, Amos," Lido replied. Then, he remembered why it had been so urgent he return. "Jezz," he mumbled. Louder, he explained, "Jezzeff is in the Underworld. He is on his Shaman's journey. Something shattered his soul, but he is slowly piecing it back together. He will return."

Amos nodded. "That's alright," he decided. "We will just make sure we are ready for him. I have trained many new Shaman, including Onacona. I will get you where you need to be."

"Amos... Now that I am a Shaman, will I be able to find my brother's soul and speak to him?" Lido asked softly. Now that he remembered Colby, he wanted more than anything to see him again.

"Nope!" Amos replied cheerfully.

"I see. Why not?"

"Because he's not dead, Lido. I left a very convincing tulpa in his place the day you were abandoned. That is what the Witch slaughtered. Your brother has been safe on Earth ever since."

"Lido has a brother?" Ivan asked in confusion.

"He was the only one in my family that took care of me," Lido replied.

"The boy whose face you saw as a child," Andie said suddenly, connecting to Daphne's memories. "He was your brother! That's why his face comforted you."

"He is alive..." Lido said in wonder. "May I see him? After my training, of course..."

"Nope," Amos said again. "You can see him now. Family must always come before training, Lido. That is something my teachers denied me. I will not do that to you. Besides, Colby has waited long enough, and A'Vah will be relieved to see you."

"You left her with him," Lido realized. "Because he already knows how to take care of a young Aviary."

"Exactly!" Amos smiled. "Come on, Lido. It is time to go have a family reunion."

ZORDON
Something was wrong. He could feel it in his core.

I can't take much more, a voice whispered in his mind. Help me... Someone, please help me...

Immediately concerned, Zordon decided to go to the energy he felt reaching out. "Alpha, I need you to send me here," he said to Prime, pointing to a spot on a map that felt right.

"Of course, Zordon," Prime replied.

Moments later, Zordon was teleported to a strange room. He hid in the shadows to process the situation before taking any action. He spotted Didi, Percival, Ivy, and the boy the Guild called Dale standing around casually. Leigan stood over a girl who was struggling for air and sobbing.

He recognized Briar and realized it was her voice he'd heard. Zordon was immediately furious. How dare they harm a child?

He forced himself to focus. Keilah, he thought. Keilah, I am in a room with several Guild members, and Percival is here. I thought you might wish to collect him.

He could practically see Keilah's smirk in his mind as she replied, I'm on my way.

He knew he should wait for Keilah to arrive, but as Briar began making horrible choking sounds because her lungs were failing, Zordon showed himself.

He flung a blast of energy at Leigan, knocking him away from Briar. She was unconscious. Percival reacted quickly, stabbing Briar in the chest with his sword before pulling it out and aiming for Zordon.

"I guess we know who sent the girl now," Percival said. He was shaking slightly as he faced Zordon, but his facial expression and tone remained arrogant.

He's scared, Zordon realized. Percival knows he has run out of options.

Leigan got back on his feet and stood at Percival's side with Ivy. All three looked ready for a fight.

Suddenly, Bridge showed himself. "SPD Emergency!" He shouted. He morphed beside Zordon.

"Bridge, not that I am not pleased to see you, but what are you doing here?" Zordon asked.

"I snuck through the portal before the Guild could. I figured if the Witch was sending Briar away, one of us should follow her," Bridge explained.

"One of who?"

"Me, Karone, Anise, Aiyana, your father, and Sir Edmund."

"What an unusual mix."

"Yeah... Anyway, I didn't want to show myself until I figured out how to save Briar, but now I know... You save the kid, and I'll distract the others."

As Didi came toward them, Bridge tossed a pack of Skittles at her and shouted, "Taste the rainbow!"

Didi caught the candy and grinned. "I love Skittles! Jezzeff never lets me have any candy," she said with a pout. She opened the package and poured its contents into her mouth in one shot. She started twitching and her energy began to grow stronger.

"Bridge... Perhaps it is not the best idea to give that one sugar," Zordon said.

Dale stood motionless for a moment as he watched Briar slowly bleeding out. He moved closer to her and started to heal her.

"Leave the girl!" Percival demanded. "She brought trouble to us and shall perish for it."

"Jezzeff wants her alive," Dale replied softly. His eyes said that was the least of the reasons he wanted to help her.

This boy is not evil, Zordon realized.

"Jezzeff isn't here right now and neither is the Witch, so I am in charge," Percival replied.

"Says who?" Leigan protested.

"Says my Treygan blood and the fact that I am older and smarter than the rest of you."

"And also surprisingly humble," Bridge said with a laugh.

Zordon moved closer to Briar. He barely knew the girl but everything inside of him was screaming that he needed to save her.

"Not so fast!" Leigan said, grabbing Zordon. His chest tightened and he felt like his heart was going to explode.

"Leigan of Eltar... Guilty or not guilty?" Bridge asked. "Ah, just what I thought... Guilty! Very guilty..." He produced a containment card. Suddenly, Leigan was sucked inside.

Zordon struggled to catch his breath as his heart rate returned to normal. He looked at Bridge gratefully. "Thank you," he managed.

"No problem. Let's see if I can collect them all!" Bridge said in excitement. "Percival Treygan... Guilty or-"

"I think we all know the answer to that," Keilah said as she arrived via portal. "Don't worry, Bridge. That bitch is mine." She looked at Zordon and added, "Are you okay?" Without waiting for an answer, she quickly reversed the damage to his heart before turning toward Percival.

"Keilah..." Percival whispered in horror.

"Uncle Percy," she replied sweetly. She drew her sword. Percival tried and failed to open a portal and flee. As Keilah moved to impale him, he pulled Ivy in front of him.

Blood came out of her mouth as Keilah's sword pierced her heart. "You bastard," Keilah shouted. "That poor girl is completely loyal to you and this is how you repay her?"

Ivy looked at Percival with tears in her eyes. She couldn't seem to speak. Zordon knew she was going to die, probably before Briar. He knew what had to be done. Thankfully, the choice was taken from him as Dale moved toward Ivy. He pulled the bleeding girl into his arms and began to heal her. Zordon ran to Briar.

"Didi of Eltar, Guilty or not guilty?" Bridge asked.

"Guilty!" Didi replied giddily. She proceeded to plunge the room into darkness. When the darkness passed, Didi had vanished.

Keilah hit Percival with a powerful spell, knocking him unconscious instantly. "He will face his execution just like Aphell did," she said. "The legal way."

"The girl... Ivy," Zordon began.

"She'll live," Dale replied softly. He watched Zordon nervously, like he expected to be attacked any second.

"Dale... Guilty or not guilty?" Bridge asked. He paused before smiling. "Not guilty. How refreshing!"

Zordon went back to focusing on Briar. He had healed the sword wound to her chest, and now he was focusing on her lungs. She hadn't been able to breathe for several minutes, but he refused to give up on her.

"Come on, Briar... Come back to me," he said softly.

After another minute, Briar was semi-conscious as she groaned out a single word... "Daddy..."

Zordon stared at her and suddenly understood the truth. "She's mine?" He asked in wonder.

As she whimpered and cried out for him again, Zordon forced himself to ignore his shock. "Shhh, sweet girl... All is well... You are safe now," he said soothingly as he finished healing her.

Briar's eyes fluttered open. "Zordon!" She cried in surprise.

"You and I have a lot to talk about... Daughter," he said as he held her. The word was strange to say but it felt right and he knew without a doubt that this was, in fact, his little girl.

Briar's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no... I am so busted," she mumbled.

"You are," he replied with a slightly amused smile, "but you are also safe. We can deal with the rest later."

"Dale... Where's Dale?" Briar asked.

"I'm here," Dale replied in confusion. "I won't harm you."

"I know that." She saw Percival and Ivy both unconscious on the ground. "Whoa... I missed something."

"I've got to bring Percival to Eltar... I'll take Ivy, too. I promise I'll get her the help she needs," Keilah said. "Are you okay here, Zordon?"

"Yes," Zordon replied.

"Here," Bridge said, passing the containment card to Keilah. "Leigan of Eltar, neatly packaged and travel-sized for your convenience."

Keilah laughed. "Good work, Bridge," she said. She vanished through a portal.

"Zor... Daddy... Dale needs to come with us," Briar said suddenly.

"Aiyana is right, isn't she?" Dale asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Zordon asked.

"You're my brother, Dale," Briar replied, making Zordon wonder if his heart might finally stop from shock. "And everything I've done has been about saving you, so if you don't come with us, it will have been for nothing."

Dale hesitated. "I... I can't," he whispered.

Zordon took a deep breath before releasing Briar. He slowly walked toward Dale. "This revelation of your heritage is news to me," he admitted, "but I see there is much good in your heart, Dale. Come with us and I promise I will help you." He extended his hand toward him.

Dale looked from Zordon to Briar and back again before he cautiously took Zordon's hand. Bridge grinned and helped Briar to her feet. She was fully healed and seemed steady, much to Zordon's relief.

"Alphas..." Zordon said. "Bring us home."