Pastor Bennett's church sat ominously before him in the dark, snowy morning. He could see the Bennetts and his parent's car, with many tracks leading inside.

Eary sighed. "Oh God! I hope we're not too late!"

Eary looked at Mote. "We have to hurry!"

Mote replied. Yeah, kid, you're right. Quick make with the mental shield Ilia gave you."

With a wave of his hand, the teams' heads carried a faint purple mist around them.

Mote said, "Good luck, and be careful! Remember, on my cue."

Eary nodded as Mote flew off with his team while Eary led Calvin, Mei, and Decan to the back door. As he approached the large metal door, his heart was beating into his chest. What would he find on the other side?

He opened the door.

"Not locked."

He thought as he rushed through. The halls inside were dark. Eary went to flip the switch. "No power," he thought.

He summoned an orb of blue light and led the team further inside. Moving along, he checked the side rooms and the pastor's office. But no one was found. He knew where this led and headed straight to the cathedral. As he opened the door, a crack to peek inside.

His family was there, in a row on the cathedral stage. They lay still, hopefully just sleeping from Johnathan's power.

The pews were full of stitched-together monsters while Tiddle stood at the podium, giving a profane sermon:

"Welcome, guests. We are congregated here to mark a celebration of Eldris, our glorious lord and savior, who provides us with bounties..."

"Yuck!" Eary thought to himself

It appeared as if Mote and the others had yet to strike. The anticipation had Eary practically itching.

Eary tuned to Decan:

"When Mote strikes, we need to rush Tiddle. Get him pincered with his minions." A second later, Eary heard Mote cry out,

"Charge!"

Eary and the others looked at each other. They knew what to do.

They burst through the doors, making their way across the stage at Tiddle, who was charging up his hands with darkness. Eary shot a burst of white flame, Tiddle turned to block. As the auras of light and darkness clashed on the stage, Calvin, Decan, and Mei rescued the two unconscious families. While Denby smashed and crashed wildly into Johnathan's troops, a swarm of Sakile's batons charged, bludgeoned, and shattered another force of horrors. Luke zipped and sliced at the bandages holding his pack together while Alice stayed in the back, her eyes closed.

With a simple command from Mote,

"Now!"

Alice teleported Ben and the entire bestiary of the Star Gazer's hidden garden to the church. Ben rode the cockatrice with Riyoley, spitting flames beside the boy. The cockatrice glared at the group of horrors, petrifying the lot. Alice swooped in and, with her telekinetic abilities, shattered the force.

Johnathan's darkness was powerful, and Eary strained against the formidable dark magic. Johnathan shot a wave of darkness forward through the flames. Decan ran between Eary and the attack, catching the darkness with his blade. He swung his blade forward, and the power of Johnathan's darkness reflected back at him. Eary's burst of light sent Tiddle flying.

Johnathan caught himself in mid-air, charging his hands in swirls of darkness. He announced,

"I'm so pleased you could join me.

A voice called from behind Eary,

"Hey, Air Bear. Welcome home."

Eary tuned to see Ephraim standing on the stage, his eyes glowing with darkness. The rest of the Bennetts stood next to him. His family stood there as well and bore the same condition. They all moved to join Johnathan.

They all turned towards Eary and floated up into the air with Johnathan. When Johnathan Tiddle spoke, both families joined him in unison.

"I see you brought your friends, so I thought I'd bring a few of my own, " he cackled maniacally.

Alice scoffed. "What are you so smug about? It's not like I can't fix this like I fixed Maggie. You ain't shit bitch!"

Tiddle looked down at the girl. "You lie! I am a Scion! Chosen by Eldris, you are nothing but Nocopo descendants. None of you could match the power he has bestowed upon us!"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Oh, really?"

With a wave of her hand, Maggie and Hannah appeared to be with the rest of the group.

Maggie announced, "I'm fine. I'm a little confused, but I have a great new friend. And I can fight, too!"

She brandished the staff given to her by the crystal's light. With a wave, a torrent of water surrounded Johnathan while Hanna let loose her whip, channeling a powerful bolt that electrocuted the field of water.

With Tiddle distracted, Eary quickly erected a psychic barrier around his family. They fell through the air, but a purple mist caught each one, and in a poof, they were gone. Eary looked at Alice, and she smiled,

"I put them somewhere safe. Now let's kick the crazy out of this psycho!"

Johnathan erupted in a torrent of shadows. His dark aura consumed half the church. Dark clouds encircled the pews as they rose in the air and came flying at each member. Eary erected as many barriers as he could while Alice grabbed the others. Eary saw a jet of flames launch forward as Mei soared, spinning at Johnathan. She launched chakrams and several ice spears; Johnathan created a shield of darkness, preventing the girl's attack. A powerful tornado launched Johnathan into the ceiling, revealing the nature of Mei's assault.

Eary channeled his scythe. With a mighty burst, it appeared in his hands, along with a strange new feeling. Eary's feet erupted in blue light as he took to the sky. Calvin joined him while Alice lifted herself to join her comrades. Mei used powerful jets of flame to match the feat.

The four fliers rushed in and encircled Johnathan. Mei flung her elements again while Calvin disrupted him with his wind. Alice, stealing Johnathan's idea, hurled the pews in Johnathan's direction. As Eary shot waives of searing light at Johnathan.

An aura of darkness prevailed as Tiddle erupted a shockwave of darkness, shattering the cathedral windows. Eary, Mei, Alice, and Calvin were sent smashing into the walls and crashing to the floors while the rest of the group and the beasts were knocked.

Eary stood and raised his hand. A healing blue field encircled his allies. He drew his scythe again, slashing and sending shockwaves of light at the evil-engorged man. The light had no effect as Tiddle landed and began to walk towards Earhart.

With his greasy voice, he taunted, "You tried; you can't say that you didn't." Smiling, he continued, "But the power we have acquired is more solid, purer." He removed a large radiating black and violet stone from his pocket. He explained, "Our power was never weakened. When that stupid bitch Ilia went and married a human, that was the start of...."

An orange streak zipped past Johnathan.

"I'll take that!" Luke was now holding the gem Johnathan had so proudly boasted over. "You think you can fuck with my family and get away with it?"

Luke charged once again, delivering an onslaught of punches as he bludgeoned Johnathan's face.

As Luke lifted the cowering, bleeding Johnathan. He stopped himself,

"The things you've put us through. You deserve the worst. But you belong in jail. We're taking you to Nato."

As Luke left the whimpering, bleeding Tiddle on the cathedral floor, he turned to rejoin his group.

Tiddle got up and, charging his hand, released a blast of darkness towards Luke. Eary reactively cast out his shield, reflecting the attack back, sending Tiddle flying into the air.

Mote said, "You might not be Num Nums, but you'll do!" His long tongue shot from his mouth, snatching Johnathan mid-air. Sucking him in, the moteling encased the Scion.

The group watched as the engorged Mote stared back awkwardly, as Johnathan could be seen struggling inside the creature. After another few moments, the struggling stopped, and Mote began to deflate. He complained,

"That piece of shit was so greasy, I'm gonna have the shits for days!"

Eary chuckled as he looked around the trashed church. He lamented, "What will we even say happened here?"

Alice replied, "Maybe NATO can fix it up; either that or say there was a gas leak." Eary laughed.

Luke stated, "Alice, can you fix the minds of our family?"

Alice sighed and teleported them back to the cathedral. She approached each one: Eary, Luke's Mom, Dad, and brother Josh.

Alice exclaimed after fixing Josh's mind.

"Oh shit!"

Eary asked, "What?"

Alice smiled nervously as she looked back to Eary.

"Umm, we're gonna have to have a talk later. Just found some shit out."

Eary looked down in nervous anticipation; he dreaded what the news could be.

Alice moved on to the Bennett family. She went through all four, saving Ephraim for last. The boy had looked better. His appearance was disheveled, not the usual look for his Sunday best. His facial hair was long and scraggly, and he did not appear to have bathed in at least a week, as his hair carried the hallmarks of grease.

Alice once again looked at Eary and Decan and gave a large sigh. She announced,

"Let's call Victoria and have her stage their 'Rescue.' We should all head back to Bright Hope. I say we get rested and start making plans to go home."

Sakile agreed and began calling Victoria.

Luke interrupted. "Are they going to be okay?"

Alice looked back. "I mean, I guess your parents will be thrilled."

Luke looked at her. "What does that mean?"

She stared at Luke in silence for a moment, then he chuckled. He replied, "Oh, that's funny, but I think everything should be fine."

Alice, giggling, responded, "I know, right, but, Fuck!?"

Eary inquired, "What are you talking about?"

Alice and Luke looked back and replied, "Nothing."

Sakile, who had just gotten off the phone, announced, "Okay, gang, a rescue and clean-up crew will be along shortly. We need to get back to Bright Hope for further instructions."

Alice inquired, "What does that mean?"

Sakile replied, "She has some news on our earlier requests. She needs to discuss how the future hunt for the Scions will go now that Tiddle is gone."

Alice nodded; closing her eyes, she teleported their forces back to Bright Hope.

First were Ben and his monsters; then, Decan, Calvin and Mei, Hannah and Maggie, Luke, Denby, and Sakile. Finally, Eary, Alice, and Mote remained.

Mote buzzed up to Eary.

"Congratulations, kid! But I don't think this is over yet. We still have two to go."

Alice chimed in,

"Then we have two more asses to kick."

Mote nodded. "That's the spirit!"

Eary felt a mix of unease and anxiety wash over him. As the three teleported back to the Star Gazer, he thought this was too close to home.