October 24th, a Sunday evening. I was sitting outside with Morgana at Deirde's house with the cool wind in our faces and blowing through our hair as we sat at the backyard picnic table. We had just sparred together, and were catching our breath.

It wouldn't be long till Halloween was here, and Deirde's whole neighborhood was in on this festive season with decorations—especially her house that had all the 'spookiest' stuff.

Like several skeletons in poses, hanging ghosts, a contraception that scares you, and lest we forget the pounds of spiderweb everywhere. As you might be able to guess, this was Deirde's favorite holiday.

How was Sophie's last chapter? She told me not to read it, not that I intended to... I could guess what it was about and didn't need any more romance in my life, I was brimming with more than enough already. Let alone snooping into Sophie's love life.

She'd been busy—certainly so.

Putting in a lot of work, no doubt about it, but so had I this past month. I'd been training with Morgana, who had first hand knowledge on how to fight these kinds of people, and also knew how they fought.

One thing became immediately evident with my training… I didn't have the raw strength needed. Not that I was weak before this, I wasn't, I just wasn't strong enough.

I did, however, have the speed needed, and most of the techniques I had to learn were easy enough for me to pick up, thankfully.

So there was nothing else to it, then.

I spent the last month absorbed in battles with Morgana, focusing on trying to at least match the strength needed to block and parry his blows.

You gotta understand...if someone is so much more strong than you that your weapon goes flying each time they strike—then you're as good as dead. You won't last even thirty seconds in those circumstances, and this was supposed to be a drawn out battle I'd be going into.

In that month of having my ass whooped by Morgana I'd gotten accustomed to his freakish strength. So he'd guessed right, all I needed was more experience against it.

"You're ready," Mogana told me. "Defense is never the answer, now it is time to take the offensive…"

"I can help with that. I've had Zada scout out whereabouts she thinks all the known players are. She even drew this map…" I reached in my back pocket and got the drawing, laying it flat on the table.

'Hm—" Morgana studied the map's layout. "This city is surprisingly large, no? In total this would rival my capitals size, and would probably have more people than it."

"It's a pretty average American city with 100,000 people…"

I guess Earth is entirely foreign to him, though, so it made sense that he'd be taken back by the size. I remember hearing somewhere that in the ancient world a nation's size at any given time was only around 300,000 people total.

"Do you think, Morgana, that we can take a defense?"

"And invite them to our doors to destroy our homes and frighten our women? No, you'll never win on the defensive, even if we let them do that."

When he put it like that… "Very true. But I was thinking about luring them into some sort of trap…"

"Certainly traps are a key part of battles with armies, but for individuals it's a fool's errand. You've already got an informant and plan if they were to attack, that is our defense."

"What do you think, looking at this?" I tapped the map. It was surprisingly well drawn, it even showed major changes of terrain.

"It changes nothing, Hierophant is still the biggest threat to us. And he's here, am I reading this correctly?" He pointed to the point on the map.

"You are. I didn't realize you could read our language, as well."

"I've been studying your books at night… It's been a good way to understand your culture."

"Morgana, what are you going to do when this is all over?"

"...I'll find a way back home, and I'll bring Deirde with me. I got here, so it must be possible."

"I'm sure Deirde would like that very much. Sorry for getting off track, what do you think of the map?"

"...You're wrong though. Deirde wouldn't like to leave Earth and the comforts of her society. But nevermind that, it feels impossibly far away."

I nodded my head… impossibly far in more ways than one. I wish I could tell him about his time and space walking Moonchild, Scarlet, but pushed it aside.

Morgana tapped his fingers on the table a few times. "Well, I wish I had something more sophisticated to say on the matter, but it seems we'll have to simply go and look, now won't we… we might as well tonight."

In response, I pulled out my phone and made a call, the movement was automatic.

"Why do they call these chips?" Jade was crunching down loudly in the speaker. "These are clearly triangles."

"Chips and salsa again?" I asked.

"No, triangles, weren't you listening?" Crunch, munch—

"I need you to send Zada to me. Morgana and I are moving out tonight, and we could use her as a guide."

"...I will. I'd tell you to be safe, but you're purposefully looking for a fight."

"I know. I'll come back in one piece."

"You better. You better not lose."

Beeplep.

She sounded irritated.

Can't say I blame her. Not after she had to pick me up after I jumped off the roof of the school to avoid certain death… kinda ironic, isn't it? I sighed.

"She sent our guide. Zada's pretty fast on her feet so it shouldn't take long for her to get here."

"It'll be dark soon enough. We leave once this Zada arrives."

I nodded.

I heard the door to the back of the house open, then a yell of, "Food is ready!"

Morgana and I headed inside.

It was steak and garlic bread, very good steak compared to what I buy and the garlic bread seemed to be handmade. If this was going to be my last meal, I was fine with it.

Did I really just think this might be the last time I eat…?

"You seem gloomy, Tayler," Deirde noted. "Don't act like this is the last time we'll see each other."

I put down my fork and knife. I was rapidly losing my appetite.

"It just hit me, were going out there with full intent to kill—"

"Or we'll be killed ourselves," Morgana interrupted me, continuing, "Never forget what you're fighting for. You've got two important people to you, well so do I. I won't let them be hurt."

"It's the principal. I'm starting to feel like I'm the only one with that weighing on me."

"You're not—killing and all parts of war never get easier, no matter how many times I do it or have done it."

"I feel the weight, too. So does Jade, I know. Me and her are only growing closer together from this, she might feel it most of all…" Deirdre said.

I looked down, lost in my head.

Funny, I'm trying to keep her far away from the weight, yet she'd feel it the most…

Morgana, still chewing, said, "I feel sorry for Jade if you always like this before a battle. You can act that way in front of her if you wish, but please put a courageous face on in front of my family."

"No, Morgana. That was out of line. It'd be more worrisome for me if neither of you seemed phased, this is a perfectly normal way to act. You should regret—death."

There's gotta be a better way...

"Tayler, get out of your head that there's another way. That person we saw was a mortal enemy of mine, just as they said. There was never another alternative."

I heard a window slide comically loud—open. "Hello Law-in-Brother," an emotionless, indeterminate voice called to—me?

Hanging out of the window was a androgynous person wearing a cloak and dress, a dagger hanging at it hip—it was actually Morganas dagger he gave to me that fateful roof-jumping day.

And you could see right up its dress—making no attempt to cover up. It had no sex, I'd you wondering, and that was just as weird as you'd think.

"If you're Jade's younger sister, I'm not quite your brother-in-law, yet! And cover your crotch!"

It jumped down from the sill and closed the window… Wait, I forgot to tell it to use the damn front door! I brought my palm up to my face.

Morgana and Deirde were laughing in the background.

Getting a good chuckle, huh…

"I'm glad you've arrived," Morgana stood. "I just finished my meal, it's time, wouldn't you say, Tayler?"

"Yeah…" I walked to the front door and grabbed my sword—verse resonate sword was too long… VRS. I grabbed it tight, and realized my blood was already pumping.

We'd be on a hunt tonight…

Morgana got a hug and kiss from Deirde, then she came to me and kissed my cheek, embracing me strongly.

I was caught off guard, honestly. She was hugging me more than Morgana…

"Could I have a word with Tayler… alone?" She eyed Morgana.

Morgana, as if he saw it coming, left wordlessly through the door.

She whispered some… encouraging words, in my ear—her voice was already seducing enough as it is...

I blushed.

But you only can if you come back in one piece, she added with a smile, kissing me lightly on the cheek.

I nodded, staring at my shoes, and walked through the door.

I ran into the tween, who was facing me. She grabbed my face and stuck her tongue in my mouth.

"Blah! You just ruined the mood! What the hell!"

"You and big sis are always doing it before you leave somewhere," she said as deadpan as always.

"That's totally different, with much less tongue! Holy shit… let's just go already."

Morgana was stifling a laugh, doubled over. I look back to Deirde, she was on the ground, laughing so hard she couldn't even get a sound out.

Honestly, I wanted to smack Zada.

Instead, I put a hand on top of her head and messed up her long hair white blonde hair.

"Only do that to people you love—and not your sisters love!"

"But I do love you, since I share emotions with my big sister."

This was starting to freak me out.

I walked quickly to the car—my trusty steed, the old, red Subaru.

- - - -

We were at the Peaks, which is the north west of town in the hills of this city. All nice and new houses there.

Morgana to my left, and Zada in the back.

"It said on your map that Hierophant was seen by you in the industrial part of town? That's the new side of town, it doesn't even have a name yet."

"I'll take you where I found her,” Zara said.

"Her?" I asked.

"It's a female—you'd say, yes."

I looked at Morgana. "Did we fight a woman that night?"

"It is impossible to be certain, it was night and they were wearing a heavy robe."

"...I guess you're right."

What did their voice sound like, again? It could be a woman, I guess.

"Most of Venus's Apostles that fight us for Mars are… masculine women. This is not so surprising to me."

I nodded my head, focusing on driving. "Where is it from here, Zada?"

"Outskirts of town, in a place looking like a gorge. I saw her go from a brewery to the woods—I couldn't track her from there."

After Zada skillfully gave directions to this brewery, we all got out of the car. I didn't bother locking it… we might need a hasty retreat.

My phone said it was 8:32. The Sun was already completely hidden and dying for the moon's time to shine.

It was almost full—decent visibility, if we couldn't use my flashlight for some reason.

We'd parked down the street from the actual brewery and now Zada was leading the way down alleys to our destination, Hierophant's last known location.

It really was like a hole in the wall, a brewery called 4Fingers in a location like it was purposefully being secretive and didn't want to be found.

Zada, completely without hesitation, jumped up to a window and pried it forcefully open. I cringed looking at the thing, finally giving up and flying open.

"That's one way to do it…" Morgana said behind me.

"Brother, you'll want to see this."

I smelt it before I saw it—unmissable. It was the stench of decay…

I peered my head inside, holding my nose. Was that a stag? Surely that was too big to be a buck… I took my flashlight from my back pocket and shined it in.

The thing looked like it got mangled by a lion—simply shredded, but not very much taken from it.

I shined the light through the room…

A girl was in the corner standing stock still, she was wearing a short skirt and top that revealed a belly button piercing. Looked like she just had a fun night at the bars…

Besides the blood covering her hands and face. She smiled at me, as crimson red blood dripped down her lips.

She made a run for the door.

"Morgana, block the entrance!" I yelled behind me. I saw him sprint off. "Zada, block another exit, a window, anything!"

I jumped into the house, trying to avoid stepping in blood. I pointed my flashlight, searching, with VRS in the other hand, straight in front of me.

I spotted her. She was still like a cat.

She ran through an open door to the window—crashing right through it in a dive bomb.

"She went into the woods!"

There were trails of blood everywhere, and ice boxes piled up… I was getting nauseous and confused.

I found the front door and sprinted as fast as I humanly could to the woods.

This went to that gorge, I was sure of it! Zada grabbed my hand, running alongside me in the dark like it was nothing.

"This way, brother."

We ran for maybe a quarter mile.

She came to a sudden stop—we almost ran off a cliff.

I pointed the flash light down—it was so far down the light didn't reach the bottom.

"She went down there. I warn you—don't expect a human at the bottom."

I saw a flash of light from the bottom—in that flash I saw Morgana at the bottom and a monster—and felt the following explosion. One of Morgana's 'strikes.'

Huff… huff… huff!

"Take me down!"

As quickly as you can climb down a cliff, we did—jumping from place to place five feet at a time.

How the hell did Morgana get down here so fast?

"The next jump is the bottom, it's 20 feet down," Zada jumped first.

She landed as if she weighed nothing.

I pointed down my light, making sure I wasn't going to hit rocks, then jumped into a roll.

Another flash, not far away, behind some juniper trees. I ran.

The moonlight reached the bottom, and I dropped my flashlight, more accustomed to darkness.

It really was a monster.

It had four arms and a gaping mouth, twice the size of the woman I saw before—singed with burns that were healing before my eyes—the thing had arms above its head conjuring up a pool of water and the other two were outstretched to keep its attacker at bay.

Morgana had his real steel sword out in front of him—he hacked off some fingers, then glanced at me. "Beat it’s head in from behind!" He pointed a finger out and shot the levitating, spinning pool of water into vapor.

I gripped the sword in both hands and ran up at its side, jumping and striking a direct hit on its face.

It screamed—a horrible blood curdling scream—

I got behind it, strifing around and at its hips, hearing bone break and my sword fittingly reverberate in my hands.

Two arms shot back in response. It wasn't stable anymore.

I jumped up and brought down my sword with full intent to kill.

I could so vividly hear the sound of her skull break—

CRUNCH.

The thing spun around wildly—shrinking down to the size of that button nosed woman we saw earlier—it was a grotesque transformation. That's the only word to describe it—the extra limbs retreating like a vacuum was sucking up a whole blanket as it shrunk to a human.

I jumped back and fell on my ass—crawling backwards away on the ground.

Then a blood soaked piece of metal priced clean through its chest.

Morgana ran it through.

I was shaking hard and doubled over, puking on the ground and emptying my stomach.

I dropped my sword and looked at my hands, trembling like a earthquake was riding over me alone.

"It's not over yet! Get up!"

I crawled to my feet, somehow those words woke me up.

Morgana pointed two fingers down on her, just like you would a gun.

That cute bottom nosed her—naked as the day she was born—covered still in blood… like a victim.

The next thing I knew, I was in front of Morgana, arms spread out, between him and her.

"Let me talk to her…"

I didn't see his kick, but I felt it in the shin and buckled.

Morgana pushed me behind him.

I closed my eyes—but that didn't stop me from feeling the flash and point blank explosion.

BOOM!

I was weeping. Weeping for this monster. Crying for this poor cursed soul so far from its home...

Someone dragged me to my feet and threw me over their shoulder.

I opened my eyes, it was Zada carrying me.

I looked up from on top of her shoulder, seeing Morgana systematically stab the girl below her nude breast.

I puked again, all vile. The gross taste in my mouth felt fitting for how disgusted and dirty my soul felt—seeing him hand her like meat to be cut.

Morgana sheathed his sword and ran for us.

I felt dizzy and weak—I lost consciousness.

I awoke.

Laid down on the ground, the middle of the sidewalk. We were in front of my car, it looked like.

Morgana and Zada were looking down at me.

"We do not know how to drive," Zada said.

"Hurry up, Tayler. We must make a hasty retreat. Do not think about what you saw."

Somehow—I knew what he meant. I didn't think about it. My adrenaline was still pumping, and I shot up on my feet, climbing into the car.

I started the car. I heard them both climb in and I drove off with my best nonchalance, following all traffic rules even better than normal.

The dashboard said it was 10:00 PM. It'd be another thirty minutes till we got to Deirde's house.

I looked down at my clothes, there was blood splatter across my gray shirt.

I looked at Morgana and his clothes… he didn't have a drop of blood on him. How?

I shook my head.

No use thinking now.

- - - -

We parked in Deirdes driveway and I led all of us in. I noticed Jade had come over, her Datsun was parked on the side of the road as if the driveway were reserved for me.

"Hi—" I started to say.

Jade jumped up from the couch and half ran over to embrace me. I'm sure Morgana was getting the same treatment—I had my eyes closed though as I felt the love and worry for me, through Jade's and I touch…

I kissed her forehead.

"No need to worry, love."

The adrenaline had almost cleared and I needed to sit, so I headed to the couch.

Deirde turned from Morgana, who had her in his arms, and said to me, "Please stay the night."

I heard someone come down the stairs and saw Sophie. I stretched my arms out to her and she walked over to me.

"We were worried," Sophie whispered with her face into chest. "So worried…"

"We'll take you up on that offer, Deirde. I'm done for the night."

- - - -

"They eat raw meat, they're hunters and pests. That's why that thing had a mangled stag and ice chests. Even if they get raw meat, they still need to hunt—it's like a curse for their power."

Morgana explained to us the nature of the Hierophant.

"Something occurred to me when we were fighting—wasn't that pretty easy? Was that one weak?"

"No, that was a big one. But it was only one, usually they come in packs. I've never actually seen one alone."

We were wrapped in a blanket in the living room, sitting on the floor drinking night time tea... I had Sophie on one arm, and Jade on the other arm, clinging to me, under this big blanket.

I can't imagine the worry they went through...

"When they transform, they heal their wounds completely. If it wasn't disoriented, the thing would have jumped away and recovered. You did very well, Tayler. You passed my expectations."

"..."

I didn't know how to feel about what he said, his praise felt hollow.

"Fuck Venus," I said under my breath.

"Now you're thinking like a Martian! Ha!" Morgana was the only one laughing.

Deirde was holding her baby, Korrin, the babe was no longer sparkling and looked the age of three. It was like he gained two years of growth in the last week. He was sitting in Deirdes lap, sucking his thumb. I'd never seen him talk yet but supposedly he did with Deirde.

I thought about the sight of Morgana turning the woman on her back and stabbing beneath the breast—

I turned around to Jade and kissed her hard.

I could tell she was feeling my emotions, controlling them to be calm even as I put my lips to hers.

"Need some alone time?" Deirde giggled. "Let me show you to your room."

"I should do some meditation, preferably just us so I can concentrate." Sophie squeezed my arm hard. "Sophie can come too, of course." I added

We really were a team. A three man cell, if you would. Sorry, it doesn't rhyme.

After some deep thought on the killing of that monstrosity that looked like a cute button nose girl, I went to sleep, making a special exception just that night for Sophie to join us... at her request.

That may sound weird, but it felt only right for the stress I put them through.

For that night of hunting.