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Knights (Part 20)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19

(NOTE: The entire outline for Knights was written and finalized months before the release of Mystery Skull Animated: The Future and the recent reveal of Reverb's profile. No changes are to be made to fit into the Knights canon, as it's already become canon divergent as it is.)

It seems some people have not learned their lesson.

I am obligated to remind you that whether it is here or elsewhere, please be aware that there may be some topics from here on out that you as a reader will find uncomfortable. Elaborating what they are in the beginning will be considered spoilers, and we all know how much people hate spoilers.

Once again, do remember that this story is a work of fiction. Any similarities between characters or events to persons – living or dead – in our real world are purely and entirely coincidental.

If you have followed this since the beginning, then I am sure you know what you are getting yourself into. But for those who do not or quit halfway, know that reality is harsh. Should you stand behind a wall of safety and redundancy too often, you will not be able to withstand your own battles. We may be able to help reinforce you in battle, but we are not the ones capable of winning it, you are.

And yet you consider me a monster?

Don’t make me laugh! The real monster is nearby.

Enjoy the show.

Part 20: Can You See What I’ve Become?

- - - - - - -

Arthur has a hard time believing the reality that is now before him.

Standing in front of him is a nurse around Elaine’s height holding one of the two babies wrapped in a light blue blanket.

“It’s all right, Mr. Knights,” the nurse said with amusement, “You can hold her.”

“I-I don’t know. What if… What if I drop her?”

The amusement fell from the nurse’s face in an instant and was replaced by mild annoyance. She then made a gesture with her head, “Mr. Knights. Do you see that sleeper sofa over there?”

“Yes?”

“Sit down on the long cushion side, please.”

Arthur obeyed. The L-shaped sleeper sofa is somewhat large and spacious, yet very comfortable. It’s more like something one would find in a living room if it’s this luxurious.

“Comfy?”

Arthur nodded to her, but he still didn’t see what the nurse was getting at.

“Then here,” the nurse said as she handed the small white bundle to him, “Now you have no risk of dropping her. Make sure you support her head like this, okay?”

His whole being is trembling. He swallowed a lump in his as the nurse took her arms away, letting him hold the newborn baby by himself. He looked down and didn’t know what to think as he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

She’s so small…

He never knew just how small a newborn baby could be. The tiny little girl with black hair in his hold looks small enough to fit in the palms of his hands alone without the blanket wrapped around her. One of the baby’s tiny little hands is poking out from the blanket, and when Arthur gently nudged it, he let out a small gasp when he saw her even tinier little fingers try to grasp it.

This… this is my… This is my daughter.

He didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling. He didn’t know what it was. This lump in his throat, the faint heat within his face that started to well through his eyes…

This… is our daughter. She is here because I love Elaine. I’m… a father.

He never knew this would be possible.

“Aren’t they precious?”

Arthur looked up and could see tears coming from Elaine’s eyes as she held a small yellow bundle while in her hospital bed.

“I never would’ve thought that I would be able to have them, I’m so happy,” she said as she wiped some tears from her face, “For so long, I’ve always wanted to be a mother. To think, here we are, holding them in our arms!”

Once he knew he had the newborn child in his hands steady in his hold. Arthur stood up to be at Elaine’s side. He shifted his gaze to the other child with blond hair in Elaine’s hold, wrapped in a gentle yellow blanket. Even now, Arthur still has a hard time believing the new reality before him.

That… that is my son. Our son.

Learning that Elaine was with child is one thing, learning later that she was carrying twins became another. Actually holding said twins in their arms is…

“Have you picked out any names for them yet?”

Arthur had actually forgotten about the nurse that is in the room with them. Thinking about it, he moved to place his daughter next to his son, which made Elaine adjust her hold so she could support both of them.

“Well, my star?” Elaine smiled as she looked up at him.

Arthur knew exactly what to name them. It’s the least he can do for the twins… and for Vivi and Lewis. Because he cared for them that much, the names will be in memory of a life that had been lost unfairly, for the bittersweet memories they carried, and for a friendship he could never go back to. Lewis was probably joking when he suggested the names over two years ago, but Arthur figured he may as well use them. They are good names by themselves, after all.

“Gwen Vivi,” he said as he brushed a finger against their daughter’s hair before doing the same to their son, “And Percy Lewis.”

“Vivi?” Elaine looked puzzled as she looked up at Arthur, “Where did that come from?”

Arthur spelled it out to her before explaining, “I thought sounded nice, and it’s somewhat inspired from your grandmother’s name. I had thought of Gwen Vivienne, but…” he looked away briefly to think up a good excuse before turning back, “It didn’t sound right.”

Elaine hummed in thought, “Gwen Vivi Knights and Percy Lewis Knights,” she tested the names before smiling, “You’re right. Thinking about it, it fits them perfectly.”

It’s official. Arthur realizes as he wraps an arm around Elaine. Starting today, he now has a family of his own. Today, he made a vow. This isn’t about him anymore. These twin children mean so much more to him than life itself. He vowed that no matter what, he will protect these two with his life.

“The rest of my family will be so surprised when they see him,” Elaine said as she and Arthur watched their son move a little, “For over ten generations, we’ve never had a son. But here he is, our little Percy.”

“I guess it’s a good thing he looks like me, or else they might think he’s not ours,” Arthur laughed a little, “After all, in my family, we’ve only had sons.”

“Really?”

“No, I’m joking.”

Arthur already knew about Elaine’s family only having daughters based on the very long family tree they have. While he had found the supposedly female-only birth rate to be rather strange, he just chalked it up as a very unlikely but not impossible odd chance of that happening.

Still, Gwen and Percy are their children. And even though he is scared, Arthur swore that these two will always be loved. He will let these two grow up and have a happy life away from the hell he had long escaped from, away from the fox that took his arm, away from the vengeful desires of the wraith.

The fox will not hurt them. The wraith can not have them. Arthur will not let either take them away.

They’re his. They’re Elaine’s.

He himself had been thrown away with hatred by those he knew in Tempo, and Arthur promised himself that he will do whatever he can to protect these two, to let them live the life that he never had the luxury of having.

Gwen, Percy. Know that I will always love you.

- - - - - - -

Arthur knows for a fact that the wraith is too dangerous to keep around.

First it had hurt him so badly so long ago, then it just casually reveals that it had the demon trapped with it the whole time and therefore exposing people to it now that they’re free from their prison?!

Elaine didn’t sense anything wrong with the kids, so he’s confident that the demon is nowhere near them, but if that thing actually had the opportunity to take hold of one his own when they were at the wraith’s mansion…

He quickly reached his former bedroom. Gwen and Percy are sitting on the floor with some papers scattered about, although the twins froze in their spots and looked up at him. Vivian is still asleep with Niniane sitting on a chair beside the bed while reading a book of something about… anatomy? Not important.

“I take it things didn’t go so well?” Niniane asked without looking up.

Upon seeing that the children are safe, Arthur didn’t waste any time, “There’s no signs of a demonic possession happening to anyone in this room, is there?”

“Of course not, Morgan and I would’ve noticed,” Niniane looked up, “Now what brought this on?”

“We found out that Vivi and Mystery were on a wild goose chase the entire time since I left,” Arthur crossed his arms in irritation, “They couldn’t find the demon that’s responsible for the town’s curse, because it was sealed with the wraith the entire time. And now, that thing’s roaming free somewhere.”

“This is also the demon that took control of your arm and killed Lewis Pepper, correct?”

He nodded.

Niniane narrowed her eyes and closed the book in her hands with an audible snap before standing up, “It seems I will have to search the town again. I did not sense anything of an evil nature the last time I looked. I will also need to have another word with Yukino and the mutt. They’re more petty than I thought.”

Arthur didn’t understand what Niniane meant but decided not to question it. As far as he knows, the wraith and the demon are the only major threats left. That being said, while Vivi and Mystery will not try to hunt down the children anymore, that doesn’t mean that they’re no longer a danger to the children’s lives.

“Since you’re here, I will check in with Elaine,” Niniane said as she placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder, “As much as I hate to potentially delay things yet again, finding that demon is probably going to be our priority for the time being. Will you be staying with the children in the meantime?”

Upon seeing Arthur nod, Niniane returned the gesture before exiting the room, leaving him and the children to themselves.

The room is quiet. Arthur didn’t want it to be so, but he isn’t sure on what to say. He looked at Gwen and Percy to see them both looking and him and then glancing at each other. Seeing that neither were saying anything, Arthur sat down on the chair Niniane was at moments earlier by the bed Vivian was sleeping in. He took a moment to check the section of hair that had been cut by Vivi. Much to his dismay, it hasn’t grown back yet.

To think that it could’ve been so much worse. Arthur shuddered.

Gwen is the first to break the silence, “Is everything okay, Daddy?”

Arthur sighed, “No.”

No point in trying to sugarcoat anything anymore. Everything is just so messed up now.

“Dad,” Percy is the next to speak up, “I need to ask you something. About the photo in the locket.”

That stupid photo Vivi had taken so long ago, where it had all four members of the Mystery Skulls smiling and being friends… Arthur felt sick to his stomach. Under normal circumstances, it’s a memory he would treasure. Now, though? He isn’t sure. Not after everything that had happened in the past two days, where his children had almost been killed by two (three?) of the members in the picture.

“What of it?”

The harsh way Arthur spoke gave his son pause, then the boy composed himself, “You looked really happy in that photo. What happened that made you guys hate each other so much?”

“I don’t hate them,” Arthur corrected, “I just don’t trust them to be near you. Vivi and Mystery tried to kill you three, and as your father, I can’t forgive them for that. As for Lewis,” he averted his eyes, “He’s been dead for over seventeen years. Whoever that wraith claims to be, it’s not Lewis. Or at least, the Lewis I used to know," he sighed before nodding to his children, "But to answer your question, us going to that cave is where everything went wrong.

“I think it used to be a sort of tourism spot before it was abandoned, and sooner or later there were stories of the place being haunted. Vivi, she adored the supernatural and the occult, and under most circumstances, she’s usually pretty safe when exploring these places. Back then, though, she and Lewis were getting overconfident, and dangerously so. I didn’t want to go in there, I kept having bad feelings about the place. Even though we’ve had close calls in the past, some of which could have landed us in a hospital or worse, they ignored my concerns and went in without a care in the world.”

Although Arthur didn’t want to, he finally told Gwen and Percy about the incident where everything went wrong. How he didn’t want to go in there, how he tried to stop Vivi and Lewis from entering, how he didn’t want to split up, how the demon took control of his body and forced him to shove Lewis to his death, Mystery ripping off his arm to save him but at a bloody cost, the memory loss and trauma all but Mystery had. His determination to find his friend and fix things, not knowing Lewis was dead, to finding the ghost mansion, encountering the wraith for the first time, and all the other events that took place.

“Everything just went downhill after that,” Arthur continued as Gwen and Percy looked horrified, “I thought that… when we managed to defeat that demon after we learned what truly happened, that things would work out. Yes, Lewis is dead, but we all thought that things would just go back to normal. How wrong I truly was.”

Arthur gave out a dark chuckle at the memory of the first time the wraith had hurt him after Vivi and Mystery left them alone. How naïve and foolish he was, believing that the wraith born from his friend’s death was in fact Lewis himself. Although Arthur wasn’t aware of it at the time, after marrying into the Knights family, he learned of some of the teachings that the Knights family would pass on to the next generation after them. If he had known such facts…

“How the fu—How the heck is any of that your fault?” Percy tried to keep his voice in check, no doubt in consideration for Vivian who is still asleep, “They knew it was a demon that took control of you, so why did Lew—why did that ghost blame you in the first place?”

“Do you remember the five rules when it comes to death and ghosts?” Arthur looked up with a sad smile.

Gwen nodded and started counting off with her fingers, “Rule #1: ‘Once dead, they can never come back to life. Their mortal coil is forever severed, thus true resurrection is impossible.’ Rule #2: ‘Ghosts will always manifest at the place of death. Although where they choose to linger is up to them, it has to be close to their actual place of death.’ Rule #3: ‘A ghost of the dead can have memories of when the living being was alive, but not all memories are there unless they are stimulated to remember of what is forgotten.’ Rule #4: ‘A ghost can last anywhere from a few hours to many centuries if not even longer, but they will always gradually decay and become feral the longer they linger.’ Rule #5…”

Arthur immediately saw that his children are understanding what he’s hinting at if their looks of horrified realization mean anything.

“Rule #5,” Percy said grimly as he held up his hand with all fingers held up, “A vengeful wraith will never let go of their obsessions of love and/or hate, even after new information reveals contradictions in their beliefs.”

“Considering that I was the last person Lewis saw in his last moments, and he saw ‘me’ laughing with my hand stretched out after being pushed,” he smiled without a shred of genuine happiness, “If only I knew of those rules myself before I met your mother. I probably wouldn’t have put myself through such misery when Vivi and I started living with that thing.”

"Dad…"

"If I had known, I probably would've accepted that my friend, the one whose name I gave you to honor his memory, was no longer a part of this world before I went to live with Vivi and that monster. I--"

"Dad, that's enough."

Arthur was cut off when Percy spoke and wrapped his arms around him.

"You don't need to say anymore, Daddy," Gwen said as she joined in, "We know enough."

…

A short time later, when Arthur calmed down enough to know that the children were safe, he returned to the open doorway leading to the lobby. Vivi, Mystery, and the wraith were arguing about something. Mr. and Mrs. Pepper tried to calm them down, while Lance stayed behind the sidelines to talk to Morgan, who nodded once as she watched the Mystery Skulls with a sharp eye. No one but Elaine noticed Arthur yet, which gave him an opportunity while remaining hidden from view.

“What happened while I was gone?” He asked her in a low voice.

“Nana Niniane left to search for that demon after threatening the Mystery Skulls and the ghost into not trying anything funny with the kids. …And I just realized I worded that wrong, but anyway,” Elaine said, “Those guys are basically playing the blame game against one another. In fact, none of them – not even the ghost – are faulting you, but each other.”

Not even the wraith is blaming him? That can’t be right, Arthur thought. He needed to know, “For what, exactly?”

“Essentially everything that’s been going on,” she said as she glanced at Vivi uneasily, “Also, I’m under the impression that Yukino doesn’t like me very much, and I don’t think it’s because I have a monster form. She did say that she and Lewis loved you, so maybe she thought I… stole you from her? Er… them? If that makes any sense?”

It actually does, as much as Arthur would hate to admit it.

“I’ll handle this,” Arthur said as he stepped into the lobby, “Stay here so they can’t get to the kids easily.”

Upon seeing Elaine nod, Arthur walked up to the Mystery Skulls, even though his instincts are constantly screaming at him to run and get away and hide and get the fuck out of Tempo--

“Quite a lot of blood has been spilt by your actions, Lewis.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” the wraith protested, “I took that demon down with me so it couldn’t hurt anyone after your grandmother sealed me!”

“It still cursed the town!” Vivi countered, “You didn’t do anything to stop the townspeople from suffering these past seventeen years!”

“Vivi, calm down!” Mr. Pepper said frantically, “Yelling isn’t going to solve anything!”

“I told you, I didn’t know it’s been that long! It felt anywhere from hours to mere days! That thing tortured me, too! If I had known what was going on--!”

Keep it together. Keep it together. Keep it togeth—

“Arthur!” “Arthur!”

Arthur forced a hand up towards them. Everyone, even the wraith, immediately quieted down with a guilty look on their faces. While Arthur knew Vivi is genuine, and maybe Mr. and Mrs. Pepper are as well, he isn’t too sure about Mystery and the wraith. Unless it actually is Lewis—Arthur threw the thought out of his head as soon as it came. That thing is not Lewis.

The wraith and the fox are still staring at him, which did not help Arthur’s nerves as it kept telling him to get away. With Mr. and Mrs. Pepper nearby, those instincts were really yelling at him now.

…

“Stay away from them.” “You’re not to approach our family.”

Watch out for the teeth.

“You will not go near them.” “Who gave you the right to go near them?” “What gave you the right?”

Get away, you’ll get burned and mauled. Rocks will be thrown. They’ll hit you again. That slap hurt.

“Who gave you the right?”

…

“Um… Arthur?” Vivi broke the silence, “What are you doing?”

“I should ask you the same thing,” Arthur said as he glared at her and Mystery, “All you had to do was destroy that demon. Clearly you guys failed to do that. So instead of playing the blame game like you’ve all been doing, how about we actually try defeating the demon this time around once Niniane finds it? Assuming she doesn’t take it out herself, that is.”

No one responded. Arthur didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

“You’re right,” Vivi’s sighed which snapped Arthur out of his thoughts, “We probably should assist N-Niniane in the search.”

“No, we are to leave the search to Nana Niniane,” Morgan butted in as she walked up to face the younger woman, “You never needed Arthur to break the town’s curse. Frankly, I don't know what exactly you and that fox mutt all are trying to get out of this, Yukino, but frankly, after everything that’s happened ever since I got here, I have no intention of letting any of you run freely. After you and that mutt nearly killed three children from our family, I think I have every right to be concerned.”

“We said we were sorry, didn’t I?!”

“Yes, but that does not mean we are willing to forgive you, Yukino,”

Arthur looked at the Peppers, who remained quiet once he came into the conversation. He then risked a glance at the wraith, who in turn looked as if it didn’t dare to interject with anything, “If you’re trying to apologize, you’re too late for that," he turned away, "Seventeen years too late.”

Apologies can only do so much. Knowing that someone is genuinely sorry is one thing; however, some actions can never be truly taken back. What the Peppers had done to him hurt, and it wasn’t until recently that Arthur realized that, no, he didn’t deserve it. Arthur didn’t know how to feel about this.

He started to walk away.

“Arthur, you can’t keep running away like this!” Vivi snapped back, “You ran away before we could talk things through! We waited for you to come back from your work that week because we wanted to give you the space!” She then pointed at Elaine, “The fact that you just left and married a monster like her in a moment of weakness is just—”

RED.

“Vivi Yukino!” Arthur glared and stomped to her before Morgan could say something, “You did not just say that! You did not! Just say that!”

Vivi took a step back.

“Whatever nonsense you spouted just now? It’s not true,” Arthur spat out firmly, “Yeah, I won’t deny it, I was afraid of Elaine and her family when I learned what they were capable of. The only reason I stayed? Unlike the monsters here,” he briefly gestured to Mystery and the wraith, “Elaine never hurt me, she saved me. She told me that I could be afraid of her, or even leave her if I wanted to, just so long as I didn’t hate her. Do you have any idea what that means?”

Vivi didn’t answer. Typical.

“Then I’ll spell it out for you. It means that unlike you, when Elaine proposed to me, she gave me a choice. She gave me the choice to leave. I chose to stay by her side. You and that monster you call Lewis didn’t give me that. Instead, that monster gave me this,” he tugged at his sweater’s collar to show the faint burn scar on his neck, “All because I said ‘No’ when the two of you asked me to be your boyfriend. There’s no way I could ever love either of you, not after everything that happened.”

- - - - - - -

“Arthur.”

He froze. Vivi is talking to him first. That means the wraith will punish him against for going near her even though she came to him first.

“I was wondering…”

Arthur looked to where Vivi is. To his horror, Mystery is nearby, and the wraith is right next to her, wearing Lewis’s face and smiling kindly at him. What is it up to now?

“You know how we’ve been dating for a while, right?” Vivi asked as she placed a hand over the wraith’s that remained on her shoulder, “Well, before, you know, everything that happened to us last year?”

Arthur nodded. He did not dare speak to Vivi. The wraith did not like it when he talked to her, even when it was to answer a question Vivi asked.

“Well, we meant to ask you this after we did that cave exploration, but you know how things got in the way,” Vivi said as she waved a hand in nervous dismissal.

Of course Arthur knew how things “got in the way.” Lewis dying was one of them.

“I’ll say it now. We like you, Arthur.”

He froze.

“So we were wondering… if you wanted to be our boyfriend?

Crack.

What?

“Arthur, will you go on a date with us?”

Crack.

His chest felt tight as his stomach dropped. Did he hear her right? Is she serious? She has to be joking. Asking him out for a date right in front of the wraith? Both Vivi and the wraith were smiling at him.

Arthur didn’t know what to do as he tried to calm his heartbeat and keep his breath steady. The wraith always punished him for interacting with Vivi in any way with no exceptions, even when she was the one to approach him, and even when Arthur had no choice but to respond to her. At the same time, he did whatever he could for Vivi to be happy. He let her stay with that monster even though it hurt him so much, just like how he had let Mystery stay even though he feared him.

He knew he felt something for Vivi and Lewis, but the burns… those teeth…

What is he to do? Say yes and let Vivi be happy, then let the wraith punish him for “taking Vivi’s affections” or something among those lines? Or say no, let Vivi not be happy, and then get punished for upsetting her?

If he were to accept her feelings, there is a chance that the wraith would stop hurting him, but if he were forced to… love the wraith? Arthur couldn’t do it.

Why didn’t Vivi ask before Lewis died?

Vivi and Lewis? He would’ve accepted. Vivi and the wraith? He can’t do it.

“N-No,” Arthur shook his head and looked away, “I’m sorry, I can’t…”

“Wait, what?”

His blood ran cold when a large hand came down on his shoulder.

“Lewis, give him some space,” Vivi said as she pulled the wraith away and approached Arthur, “Arthur, what do you mean you can’t?”

He can’t take it anymore.

The wall broke.

“Because I hate it,” Arthur glared at her angrily, “I hate being in here. I don’t want to live like this anymore! I don’t want to get involved with that, with that monster!”

“Arthur, how can you say that?! Lewis isn’t a monster! He wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

“Lewis is dead!” Arthur yelled out and stepped away from her, “Dead and gone! All that ghost had ever done is hate me! That thing wants me dead!”

“Well, yes, but we cleared up that misunderstanding! It was that demon that did that!”

“It still tried to kill me!” Arthur snapped, “How can I ever move past that?!”

“Arthur, please,” Mystery started, “Cal--”

“And you!” Arthur grabbed at the wrist of his prosthetic as he glared at Mystery, “You did this to me! And then you just went on like nothing happened and left me on a wild goose chase for nothing! And then that thing that happened with the demon--! I don’t want to be near you!”

“Arthur, hold on!” Vivi moved to cover Mystery from Arthur’s view, “Why haven’t you said anything about this?”

“And you!” He glared at her, “I did so much to make sure you’re safe and happy, and yet you still…! I can’t be a Mystery Skull anymore if this is the life I’ll be living!”

He took a deep breath.

“Why the hell would I love any of you?!”

A large hand grabbed at his neck. Arthur screamed in pain. It burns!

“If you’re not happy here, then just leave!”

“LEWIS!”

The hand lets go, and Arthur falls to his back on the floor. He looks up at the three in fear, who all look horrified.

“Vivi. Mystery,” the wraith said, “You two should leave the room.”

Vivi looked like she wanted to say something. Regardless, she nodded before picking up Mystery and leaving the room. Soon, it was just Arthur and the wraith. What kind of punishment is the wraith going to give him this time? He closed his eyes and awaited his fate.

“Arthur, I… I’m sorry,” the wraith gently pulled him up, “I didn’t mean to—”

He pulled himself away. Those hands burned.

He couldn’t do this anymore. He had to get away from here, get away from Tempo.

He ran off.

He stopped at the hallway that led to his bedroom to catch his breath. He rolled up his right sleeve to look at his arm and saw that he did in fact get burned. He hissed in pain upon feeling the burn on his neck. He groaned to himself. Not only will this burn be difficult to hide, it will be a while before it’ll even stop hurting.

He took his phone out of his pocket. The most recent text message is from his uncle.

“Hey, Arthur. I’m sure you’re busy, but can you come help out at the shop for just a week? I’ll pay you time and a half.”

…There’s no way Lance could afford to do that, but Arthur accepted, saying that he will work the hours.

Now he just needs to start packing…

- - - - - - -

“Arthur, I—”

“Wow, I didn’t think you’d go that far with your abuse. Disgusting.”

All of a sudden, Morgan snatched the wraith’s heart out of Vivi’s hands.

“Mrs. Knights!” Mr. and Mrs. Pepper protested. Morgan raised an arm in response.

“The fact that these two played with, and manipulated, my nephew-in-law’s heart like that,” Morgan seethed, “That is something I will not tolerate. I don’t know about you, Arthur, Elaine, but I’m through with this.”

For some reason, Arthur felt that he should stop Morgan, that what she is doing isn’t right. But at the same time, he isn’t sure if he wants to. He hesitated for too long, he realizes when he hears the wraith scream in pain before disappearing.

“We’ll deal with this wraith once Nana Niniane returns the next day,” Morgan said as she finished sticking a paper charm over the heart locket. She glared at Vivi and Mystery, “You’re dismissed. Go home.”

Arthur didn’t know what to think. If he were to acknowledge that the wraith is Lewis, then that would mean that he never really knew his “best friend.”

He looked away when Morgan forced the Mystery Skulls and the Peppers to leave.

…

"Hey, Arthur?"

He turned to Lance.

"Before you leave, do you mind coming with me for a moment? There's something I wanted to show you in the spare garage. I meant to do it yesterday, but you left after Belle and Cayenne came, so… yeah."

Arthur didn’t know what Lance had in store for him. Another trap to get him to talk to the Peppers by phone or something? Forget it.

“It’s not the Peppers, I promise. It’s something I’d think you’d want back.”

A possession of his?

“It won’t take us long, Morgan, I promise,” Lance said to the older woman when he saw her give him a look of suspicion.

His curiosity piqued, Arthur nodded and followed Lance. As his uncle walked in, it dawned on Arthur that this garage had been built sometime after he left Tempo long ago. He looked around to see what exactly Lance had in here. A fair number of toolboxes filled to the brim with items, a few stacks of tires tucked into a corner, and other various things a mechanic could want and need to run a repair shop. In the center of the garage is a large vehicle, possibly a van, with a large piece of cloth. The large shape looked familiar, but Arthur could only see the tires peeking out from beneath.

“Well,” Lance began as he pulled the cloth off, “Here it is.”

Some sort of weight sank onto his shoulders, although whether it’s from nostalgia or something else, he isn’t sure. He placed a hand over the panel van’s hood, from what little he has seen, not a single scratch could be found on the van’s exterior.

“I kept it in here the whole time,” Lance said nervously, “Well, actually, I do drive it around at least once a week to keep it in good condition and whatnot. After I had to report you missing, I had to take the van back from Vivi and Lewis since its registration is under both your name and mine. Not to mention I didn’t want to risk dealing with any of those weird insurance bits should Vivi drive it around and get into an accident. I don’t even know if there’s even a clause that would apply to ghosts should Lewis drive it.”

It wouldn’t have mattered. Arthur thought grimly. That monster would just possess the vehicle whenever it chose to drive, which was every time back then.

“When I said that you will always have a place to here, I mean it. I did everything I could to make sure of it. You loved and cared for this van like it was your baby. So it was only fair that I kept it in good condition when you couldn’t.”

While Lance was talking, it was then Arthur realized why the nostalgic feeling felt so off. The decals depicting the Mystery Skulls logo had been removed, which left the van’s looking very empty in comparison.

“Maybe when you go back to Cantabile, you could put the name of your wife’s business on it. I think it would make good advertising.”

Would the Four Queens be willing to take in the Kingsmen?

“Here,” Lance said as he placed something small in Arthur’s hand, “I mean it when I said that the van is yours. If by some chance you don’t want to keep it, you can just sign some papers and I’ll take full ownership of the van. Otherwise, I’ll transfer the title for you next week.”

He looked over at the van once more, then inserted the key that Lance has just given to him into the driver’s side door and opened the van.

“Not to brag, but I had to make quite an effort to get the interior spick and span,” Lance said as Arthur climbed into the driver’s seat.

Arthur looked down at the single car key with a very worn keychain bearing the old Kingsmen Mechanics logo. Has it really been over seventeen years since he last held this? He looked over into the back of the van, and he noticed that everything the van held was gone. No tools, no items with holy properties to fend off ghosts, no random weapons or knick knacks that Vivi had picked up from curiosity shops, none of it. The only things to be seen where the shelves that held everything and the frame for the little cot right behind the car seats.

When Arthur properly sat on the driver’s seat, he looked up at the rearview mirror and saw the familiar blue ghost ornament from a very old video game. He remembered buying it on a whim because it looked interesting, and when Vivi hung it over the mirror as a joke days later, Arthur just never bothered to remove it, enough to where not having it there felt so wrong.

If Arthur were younger, he probably would’ve cried. But now? He didn’t really feel any sadness, just a somewhat deep pit of disappointment.

“You didn’t have to do this, Lance,” Arthur finally said as he turned to Lance, “When I left here, I gave up everything, including this van, and even my place here.”

Lance gave out a quiet laugh, “You might have given them up, Arthur, but I haven’t.”

Why did his uncle have to be who he is? Gruff on the outside, yet kind and caring for family on the inside. Arthur knew that had it not been for him, then he probably wouldn’t still be around in more ways than one.

“…Thanks, Lance,” Arthur said before slipping out of the van and closing the door, “If you’re sure about this. I’ll have to inspect it a little more to make sure it’s safe, and if it is, I’ll take it home with me. It might make a good backup vehicle for my family to use, maybe even teach Gwen and Percy how to drive on the road when they’re old enough next year.”

“Any time,” Lance smiled briefly before asking, “Hey, so, after this, do you think you’ll be okay with me visiting you every now and then?”

Arthur looked up at the ceiling.

“I’ll think about it.”

- - - - - - -

Later that evening, after having a somewhat late dinner, Arthur and his family returned to their hotel rooms. Gwen and Percy wanted to ask what happened, but Elaine said that it is not to be talked about and sent them to bed with Morgan.

“Hey, Arthur.”

He looked up from where Vivian is sleeping on her bed.

“If… they had confessed to you back then, as in, before the cave incident,” she shifted her gaze away briefly before facing him directly, “Would you have accepted their feelings?”

Arthur looked away, "I don't know. Maybe? I can't really give you an answer since I, you know, don't really feel anything like that for them anymore?"

"That's understandable."

He is so lost, he didn't understand. Elaine seems to pick up on it. “Arthur, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I just don’t get it,” Arthur said as he turned to her, “How are you so calm about this? The fact that I—that I actually loved both Vivi and Lewis at the same time and yet it—It’s just so wrong! I shouldn’t have had those feelings, and yet they tell me that they felt the same way and yet they hurt me and scarred me so much and—” he was cut off when Elaine pressed a finger on his lips.

“I’ll be honest with you. Personally, the thought of a polyamorous relationship by itself isn’t a bad thing. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about what it would like if I were in one myself at least once,” she pulled her hand away and shrugged her shoulders, “I hear threesomes are quite an experience to have.”

Arthur stared at her in disbelief. Is she serious? Either way, it made him realize that while Elaine didn’t know much about him until now, there are still plenty of things he didn’t know about her until now, too.

“But Arthur, do know for a fact that I am perfectly happy having you as my husband,” Elaine smiled before her expression shifted into something more serious, “I don’t know how to say this, but I’m going to try. If… if you still feel something for Vivi and Lewis, that’s one thing, but I just don’t think you should ever be in such a romantic relationship with them. Or, at least, not with Yukino and the ghost. As far as I know, the relations between the two of them were already rather strained. Does that make sense?”

“I guess?” Arthur said slowly, unsure.

“To put it simply, no matter what kind of relationship you’re in, all I want is for you to be in a healthy one,” Elaine emphasized, “A healthy relationship that includes proper communication, friendly debates, knowing when to say ‘no’ and respecting each other’s decisions. From what little I have seen, Arthur, they didn’t have that. They didn’t communicate properly with you, they didn’t take you saying ‘no’ for an answer, and they didn’t respect your wishes. Or, at least, not enough. Either way, they didn’t make you comfortable, or happy, in the long run. You knew that, and instead of letting them drag you around for their own desires, you left that toxic environment so you could live your own life. Not to mention that the ghost had abused you for the longest time, so it kind of boggles me that he just kept doing it and then go 'Oh, I love this person. Let us confess and get him to be my boy toy, instead.'” Elaine quoted with a fake British accent before looking annoyed, “Yeah, like that's going to go well.”

In the past, Arthur would’ve told her that none of it was true. Now, with him no longer being in denial of everything, he can process the words clearly. What Elaine said isn’t wrong, and Arthur had to add something of his own, “I know you’re right, but I also know that even I have some responsibility in the suffering they went through.”

“Maybe. You didn’t say anything because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings, so you chose to run away without telling anyone," Elaine said, “Although while I can’t say that was your best move, we did meet because of you doing that. Personally speaking, whatever happened to them while you were with them was one thing. But the events that happened to them after you left, however, even if it was the result of you leaving, was not your fault. You don’t owe them a damn thing for any of that. As harsh as it is, this is just them reaping what they sowed.”

“Even though innocent people got caught in the crossfire?” Arthur asked, “There were those suicides Vivi mentioned.”

“Again, it’s not your fault. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the demon, not you,” Elaine said as if it was obvious, “And besides, from what I’ve seen, it’s Yukino’s actions that started the whole domino effect of all this, and she’s already taking responsibility. …Or so she says. Anyway, if you ask me, you shouldn’t worry yourself over this,” she cupped her hands around Arthur’s face to bring him closer to her, “Perhaps in another time, in another place, another you is in a happy relationship with another them.”

“But we’re not in that other place,” Arthur said as he lifted a hand over Elaine’s, smiling as he felt her wedding ring, “And I’m perfectly happy being with you in this one. I wouldn’t have it any other way after being with you for so long. I guess we’re okay keeping secrets from one another?”

“I wouldn’t say keeping secrets from one another,” Elaine said as she gently pressed her forehead against his, “If anything, we just left a lot of questions that didn’t need to be answered until now. It’s not that neither of us were willing to communicate, it’s just there wasn’t a need for us to ask back then.”

“Quite a lot of questions, at that.”

Elaine laughed before her lips ghosted his, “We’re seeing this through, right, my star?”

“Don’t we always, my light?"

“You bet,” she kissed him before letting go, “We’ll find that demon and take it down, and end this tragedy once and for all. If destroying that thing is what will give Lewis and many others rest, then it’s only fair that I will help you every step of the way,” she then snapped her fingers, “And then we can finally get the rest of the money from Mr. Yukino, he still owes me the remaining sixty percent when he paid us to come down here.”

For some reason, the sudden change of subject gave Arthur a much needed laugh.

“We can use that money to give the kids a Christmas they’ll never forget.”

“You said it, my star,” Elaine laughed with him before wrapping him lovingly in her arms, “Now… we should get some rest for tomorrow. I will be with you every step of the way.”

…

Even though they went to bed, Arthur remains awake. Vivian had already crawled into bed with Arthur and Elaine about an hour ago, which Arthur didn’t mind.

The TV had been left on at a low volume. Elaine figured the white noise made from a nature documentary will help Arthur sleep. As much as he appreciated the gesture, while the noise isn’t bothering him, it hasn’t exactly done what it’s supposed to do. There’s just so much in his mind that he doesn’t know what to do.

Groaning in frustration, Arthur sat up and got off the bed without disturbing Elaine and Vivian. Maybe a drink of water or a walk around the hallway will do him some good. He dressed into his usual clothes before starting to make his way out to the door until something caught the corner of his eye.

Arthur glared at the cracked heart that lay on the table before him. He didn’t know what Elaine or Morgan were thinking, leaving such a dangerous object unattended with nothing but a single paper tag with some symbols written wrapped around its front. The wraith hadn’t emerged yet, but Arthur knew that it’s just biding its time.

He took a moment to peek into the adjacent room. Gwen and Percy are currently asleep in one bed, Morgan in the other. As he quietly closed the door, he looked over at Elaine and Vivian still asleep in bed, the little girl clinging to her mother, before finally deciding.

His mind is made up.

Arthur silently walked over to his wife and daughter. He looked over at Vivian and carefully adjusted the bedspread so it would keep her warm before gently combing his fingers over the lock of hair that had been cut, and smiled somewhat upon seeing that it has finally grown back. He went over to Elaine’s side without waking her and gave her a kiss on her temple.

I love you, Elaine.

Arthur stepped away from his wife and daughter, grabbed the wraith’s heart locket from the table with his left hand and replaced it with his cell phone. A part of him is saying that he should talk to Elaine, but the more rational part of him is saying that he shouldn’t waste any more time.

Niniane is already searching for the demon. Arthur can take care of the wraith by himself in the meantime. He left the hotel room to reach Morgan’s camper in the parking lot.

Whenever Morgan wasn’t driving or giving directions, or working at Four of a Kind Queens, she would make various charms in her spare time. She may not have a monster form like the rest of her family, but her ability to handle tools and magic are top notch. Knowing that they would help, Arthur packed a handful of all the charm types he could find in the small box he had set aside. To his disappointment, all he could find were charms mostly made for wards and binding. A shame there weren't any for exorcisms, which could eliminate the wraith from the get-go, but it's probably beyond Morgan's ability for the time being.

He picked up a ward he didn’t recognize and read it. He rose a brow in confusion upon seeing that it’s a purification charm, which isn’t something he has no interest in using on the wraith. Still, he has a feeling that he should take it, so take it he did.

This should be plenty for him to do what’s needed to be done.

With everything prepared, Arthur took the box he stuffed the paper charms in and left the camper. It would take a little while to walk to Kingsmen Mechanics, but he knew to leave the camper with his family. They will need a ride home, after all.

…

This may be the year I disappear…

Arthur shook the toxic thought out of his head. He promised himself that he will do whatever he can to protect his children. He will return alive. He will return in one piece. For his children, and for Elaine. More than anything, he wants to go back to his current life in the mountains of Cantabile.

And that will be done as soon as he takes care of the wraith.

When he finally reached Kingsmen Mechanics, Arthur noticed that Lance had left the old Mystery Skulls van outside on the parking lot, which has made things significantly easier for him. He took the old key with the shop’s logo out of his pocket and unlocked the door leading to the van’s driver seat.

The nostalgic feeling is hard to deny. The feeling of the fabric wrapped around the seats, the empty shelves in the back of the van that used to house various tools, knick-knacks, and doodads that the Mystery Skulls would use in their investigations, to seeing the familiar car ornament of the little blue ghost with a long yellow tongue hanging from the rearview mirror…

The heaviness Arthur felt in his chest suffocated him. Even though he didn’t want to drive this van, it’s the only vehicle Arthur knows is available. His family will need Morgan’s camper to get home, and Lance will need his spare car back eventually. If there was one car Arthur won’t mind losing, it’s this old thing that should’ve been left in the scrapyard. He shook the thought out of his head as he tossed the heart locket and the box containing the charms onto the passenger side before climbing in. He buckled himself in, turned the key into the ignition, and finally started the drive to where Arthur knows he needs to go.

No one in this town would be awake at this hour, and no one would interfere.

“…Arthur?”

Arthur took a sharp breath in apprehension at the sound of someone calling for his name. Before long he gave a quick glance at the passenger seat before returning his focus on the road.

The wraith can’t do anything in its current state. It can’t even touch him.

“Where are we going?”

Arthur ignored it. It will learn soon enough.

“Where are the others? Are they not with you?”

He kept his focus on the road.

"Arthur, please. What's going on? Did something happen?"

Arthur pulled over, tired of hearing the wraith using Lewis's voice. If he had been in the same spot as his twenty-two-year-old self, he would've cracked and just chucked the heart out the window. But that would mean giving the wraith time to regain its power. Frustrated, he picked up the small box in the passenger seat and took out the paper charm that held the binding spell. He wondered why he didn't do this in the first place.

"Arthur, I know I'm stepping out of line, but you should go back to your family," the wraith said, "I know Gwen and Percy are--"

"Shut up."

How dare that monster speak their names.

"Arthur, wait, I--"

He slapped the charm around the heart, and he didn't hear it speak anymore. Satisfied, he gripped at the steering wheel and resumed his driving to the place he knows is the beginning and the end of everything.

- - - - - - -

He's finally here, in the place he never wanted to step foot in ever again.

The place where everything went wrong, where Lewis Pepper died, where he lost his arm, and Vivi… well, other than losing her boyfriend, she pretty much came out unscathed. One more thing to envy Vivi about, Arthur figured as he felt the wraith's gaze coming from behind him.

No matter.

He took the box full of seals and the heart locket before stepping out of the van.

"Just like old times, huh?" Arthur said to no one in particular, "I remember always being reluctant to take part in these expeditions. I always had a bad feeling, none of us took safety precautions, and yet against common sense, I let all this happen."

He started to walk forward.

"I honestly didn't know what was going on through my head before this all went downhill with the Mystery Skulls. It wasn't until I met Elaine and loved her did I realize that I had the exact same feelings for Vivi and Lewis. Ha!" Arthur let out a single laugh, his smile not reaching his eyes, "But as I'm sure you know, reality never goes the way we want it to, no matter how much we wish for it."

As expected, the wraith couldn't reply. It felt nice to know that it cannot speak up like he couldn't all those years ago.

"Even though there is a 'Lewis' here, the one I knew and loved is dead. Even now, I still wondered why I thought you were him. I should have realized it as soon as you burned me the first time after we fought off that demon at Kingsmen and thought things would be back to normal," he glared down at the heart clutched firmly in his hand, "I was ignorant, and you took advantage of it. If anything, you abused Vivi, too, and I can't forgive you for that. You might say something along the lines of 'Oh, but you left Vivi behind when you ran away!' So what if I did? I knew that you wouldn't hurt her physically, you could just make her forget about me and then you'd have your happily ever after."

He stepped into the cave. Nothing seemed amiss, so he kept going.

"When Vivi confessed to me with you behind her, I was horrified. What the hell was she thinking, asking me to love you, a monster, with her? If the real Lewis had been there, alive and well, I probably would've said yes. I don't know whether the relationship would work out in the end, but at least I would’ve known how we felt for one another. Either it would've worked out, or we would've parted ways and moved on. No funny games or lies or trying to be subtle. I don't know if I would've met Elaine had that path been opened to me, but we all know how small the world is."

Water is dripping down from the stalactites. It would've been comforting if not for what Arthur needs to do.

"On the day I left, I made the decision to cut ties with everyone I knew and everything I had in Tempo except for Galaham, as no one else could take care of him, and I didn’t want to leave him alone. I figured that as soon as he passed, I would end my own life right after since I would not have anything else to live for anymore," he said as he scanned the area carefully to make sure he wouldn't trip or nick himself on the stalagmites, "But Elaine… just a month before Galaham passed, I was already bound to her. Yeah, maybe Elaine didn’t tell me everything when we were dating, but she did tell me all the important things I needed to know before we married. I know that I probably married her during a moment of weakness like Vivi said, but I don’t care, Elaine kept me in this world. She made sure to talk to me, she gave me time to trust her, and she embraced me even though I hid so many things from her. We did have some rocky times here and there, of course, but we were happy."

A fork in the path. A familiar wooden sign pointing in two different directions, the text all but legible due to the rot. The nearby stanchions had fallen into disarray, the velvet ropes having long since rotted and discolored with age.

Arthur knew to take the sinister route. He went left.

"I never meant for her to fall pregnant. We were told that she would not be able to bear children, yet somehow, against all odds, she did, much to her happiness. Even though I was terrified, terrified that I would be punished for having a family, I didn't run away. I refused to. I didn't want to abandon her, nor the twins that were born because of me. My parents weren’t the best, and I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps, so I used them as an example of what not to do as a father. Unlike them, I swore to be there for those kids. If I couldn’t love them, then I would help raise them and be the father they deserve to have. When they were born, when I first held them in my arms, they, along with Elaine, became the only reasons for me to live."

This is it. The edge of the cliff. The anticipation is making Arthur shudder. His instincts are screaming at him to leave this place and go back. He gritted at his teeth, steeling himself for the inevitable. He set the box full of charms down on the ground and looked down at the stalagmites below. To be on the safe side, he briefly looked behind him to make sure no one had the funny idea to shove him down to his death.

"Those…" he shook his head, "My children are innocent of any wrongdoing. I won't let you or anyone have them pay for my sins, or let you take them as your playthings like what you did with me. Unlike me, they deserve a happy life, a future. A life free of the burdens I carry, one free of the burns."

He glared down at the heart in his hand, before lifting it up in a way the wraith had done to him so long ago. He felt a familiar pressure on his forearm, like someone was trying to grab him. He looked up without taking the heart out of his sight and saw the wraith struggling in his grasp. So the binding seal isn't capable of silencing the wraith entirely. This thing is more powerful than Arthur thought. He briefly thought about giving the wraith a response, but in the end decided it wasn’t worth it.

It’s not like it listened to him at all back when it would burn him here and there.

"Arthur, don’t do this! It’s me! Lewis!”

Arthur could barely contain his fury.

"You're. Not. The Lewis I knew. Goodbye."

He let go, the wraith falling down with it.

The sound of the metal heart clinking as it fell into the stalagmites below haunted his ears, and Arthur felt a weight lift off from his shoulders as he shuddered. It is done. The wraith is gone, and his children are safe. Perhaps now, Lewis Pepper can finally rest in peace. Yet...

...why does it feel so wrong?

Arthur shook his head. It's probably the fact that the wraith Lewis had been using Lewis's face to the very end, knowing that Arthur would never want to harm his best friend. It made one critical error, however. Arthur had long accepted that Lewis is dead, unable to interact with the world of the living. Ironically, it was the wraith's own actions that convinced Arthur of that fact. All that's left now is to place the remaining charms all over the cave to seal this place, and then bring Elaine and Niniane here the following morning to take out that monster for good.

He stepped back from the cliff and picked up the small box. He took out the binding charms first before sticking them in spots that look suitable as he slowly made his way back to the exit. Once he reached the area that combined two separate paths into one, he took out the wards and stuck them around some nearby stalagmites and around the entrances of the two paths. Finally, he took out one of the charms that are made to finally seal this place once and for all. He held it up to make sure the character were legible—

Something shot through the charm, rendering it useless as Arthur let go of it in surprise.

“D-Daddy!”

A chill shot through Arthur's spine. It can’t be— He quickly turned to see— She followed him all this way?!

“VIVIAN!”

Vivian is behind him, struggling to reach out. The charm from earlier had been speared by her hair, but it wasn’t the charm being destroyed that alarmed Arthur, it was seeing the left half of Vivian’s face turning green. While Vivian was following him to the cave, the demon found her! Where is Niniane when Arthur needed her?! Why did she not find the demon before this?!

“Daddy… Help…!”

Arthur was by her side within seconds and held her hand. He winced as Vivian’s hair ended up cutting his cheek just below his right eye. The charms in Vivian’s clothing were only meant to keep her power under control, so they were never made to protect her from possession.

Wait. Protection?

To Arthur, With Love & Protection, Elaine.

Without hesitating, Arthur ripped off the moon pin from his vest and pinned it on Vivian’s dress before taking off the cord holding his wedding ring around his neck and tied it over his daughter's. Vivian's hair stopped moving around so frantically, but Arthur could still see the green over her face.

He grabbed at the box of charms and found the one that should help: the lone purification charm that he had taken on a whim.

"This might hurt, Vivian. I'm sorry."

Arthur placed the purification charm over the green on his daughter's face. The characters on the charm glowed a bright blue before sparks blew from it. The results were immediate as Vivian screamed; the green left her face just as something flew away from her body. As much as he would want to search for it, his child's health takes priority as he watched the purification charm disintegrate into dust.

"Vivian, are you okay?"

"Daddy…" she tearfully looked up at him.

"You should be asleep with Mama," he said, relieved that she is safe, "Why did you follow me out here?"

Vivian didn't answer, instead she hugged him, trembling.

If Arthur were to be honest with himself, he is upset at Vivian for not staying with Elaine like she was supposed to. However, it's no secret that Vivian has always been closer to him than with Elaine, and as such, would always stay by side with every chance she gets. He can't get angry at her for that.

He took a deep breath before checking the box and cursed to himself. All of the seal charms he had on hand had been torn in the struggle from earlier, rendering them useless, thus preventing him from being able to properly seal the wraith. He hated the fact that a good bit of Morgan's hard work had gone to waste, but hopefully the binding seals he had put on the wraith will be enough to keep it at bay until he can tell Elaine and Niniane to destroy the wraith and then seal off this place once and for all.

One tragedy happening in this cave is more than enough. Lewis had already lost his life in here. Arthur swore to himself that he will not let Vivian suffer the same fate.

With Vivian safe in his hold, Arthur started making the trek back to the exit. Even though he had left his phone behind in the hotel room, there is a gas station on the way back. Maybe with luck, there might be a TV screen big enough to let Vivian get back to Tempo safely. He knew he left the TV in the hotel room on as white noise to help him sleep.

In hindsight, Arthur knew he shouldn’t have left his phone behind. He definitely wouldn’t have done it had he known that Vivian would follow him.

"Vivian, one day, when you're older, I will have to leave your side," he said sadly, "I know you will do fine without me. You won't be lonely; you'll have your brother and sister to look out for you."

Vivian didn't say anything, which Arthur took as a sign that she is listening, but doesn't understand. Arthur sighed, knowing that a three-year-old wouldn't comprehend the idea of her parents no longer being around, especially if it was through death. Regardless, Arthur knew that he would do whatever he can to survive for his family's sake.

"No!"

Arthur turned behind him, his eyes wide with angered shock.

Lewis The wraith somehow managed to break through Morgan's binding charms. Why aren't the wards working? They're supposed to stop malicious spirits! How is it that it can still move?!

"Arthur! Run!"

A painful thump pounded in his chest.

…What?

Something pulled him down. His body felt heavy. The air became still in his throat. The pounding of his heart intensified. His entire body is filled with searing pain enough to make anyone howl. Vivian had somehow left his embrace. Arthur looked up to see that wraith cradling his daughter in its grasp.

Lewis’s Its eyes widened before it flew off with Vivian in its arms, his little girl reaching out to him and crying. The wraith is taking his daughter away.

The wraith. Is taking. His daughter. Away.

Taking. His daughter. Away.

Daughter. Away.

Away.

AWAY!

Something snapped in Arthur's mind. Red filled his vision. His left arm shattered into multiple pieces of scrap metal and wires as he roared out an agonizing scream. That monster never gave up its goal into taking away his family, just like it had tried to do in his nightmares. But this time, it has done it for real.

Now he knows the truth.

He will get his daughter back. He will get his children back.

He felt himself getting torn open from the inside. He felt himself growing angrier, stronger, bigger. His fingers grew longer, his nails becoming darker and sharper as his veins pulsed with fury. Furious at what the wraith, what Lewis, had done to him, to what the Mystery Skulls had forced him to go through, to what the people of Tempo that had forsaken him had put him through. The mantra of pain coursing through him.

It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!

"Lewis…" His voice grew hoarse, and he growled, "Lewis!"

The pain! The pain! The pain! So much pain!

No more playing nice. He will destroy all of the threats and finally let the little ones he protected in his nightmares for so long finally have peace once and for all.

"LEWIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSS!"

He finally gave in to the madness of red, black, and green.

- - - - - - -

"Daddy!"

"We're getting your mama, Vivian! She'll help Daddy!"

“No! Daddy!”

“Vivian, listen to me! We can’t help Daddy, we need your mama for this! We must get Mama, understand?”

“Daddy!”

Lewis knew he screwed up. When he realized the severity of his actions and the resulting aftermath of him missing so much, he knew not to interact with Arthur or his children anymore. Anything he did from speaking normally to even just looking at Arthur and his family was enough to push his former friend’s boundaries. He didn’t want to set off Arthur’s trauma, but he didn’t have a choice if it meant that Vivian would've been hurt by the demon again when Lewis saw it possessing Arthur. Again.

And he couldn’t do anything to help him.

Lewis tried to be logical as he flew back to Tempo as fast as he could with the little one struggling in his grasp. As a wraith, Lewis has no access to a means of expelling a demon from someone without the risk of hurting anyone within range or getting possessed himself. He knew that he needed to get help. Vivi, Mystery, Duet, Arthur's wife and in-laws, anyone. But would they listen? He didn't want to bring Gwen and Percy into this, but they may be the only ones in Arthur's family that are willing to. He hoped that no one would get the wrong idea and think that he had kidnapped their youngest child from her father.

Lewis didn't dare look back, keeping Vivian safe in his hold until he could get her into the safety of her family.

Even though his power has greatly weakened from those charms Arthur and that woman Morgan had used on him, Lewis managed to summon a Dead Beat. He quickly gave it the instruction to find the twins first and then bring them his way with the rest of their family. It’s his only hope.

Despite the Dead Beat also being weak, as evidenced by its pale white color and unsure expression, it nodded and flew off to Tempo at a much higher speed ahead of Lewis.

He could see Tempo just up ahead. It didn't matter anymore if he were exorcised by the Knights family or anyone else at this point. All that mattered was just getting Vivian away from the demon, and if Arthur were sane, Lewis knew that his former friend would have wanted the same thing.

“Daddy!”

“We’re almost there, Vivian!” Lewis said as he finally managed to reach the town border, “Once we get you to your mama, we’ll go help Daddy.”

The sheer amount of power that Lewis could sense looming behind him is nauseating. He didn't doubt that the demon had been slowly regathering its strength during the seventeen years it had been sealed with him. At the same time, he shuddered upon wondering how powerful it would’ve been if it had managed to get a hold of Vivian or himself.

“Lewis!”

Upon hearing his name, Lewis looked around and saw Mystery in his true form running towards him. Vivi is on his back.

“Lewis, why do you have her?!” Vivi asked with worry upon seeing Vivian, “Her family isn’t going to be happy if they find out you kidnapped her!”

“I didn’t! She followed us!” Lewis as he looked back from where he flew from, “Arthur tried to seal me in the cave I died in. Just when he was about to, Vivian here got possessed by the demon that killed me!”

“What?!” Mystery looked down and sniffed at the child, “But I don’t sense any of its traces on her?”

“I don’t know how Arthur did it, but he managed to expel it from her, but now it’s taken a hold of him. I couldn’t risk it possessing her or me. I had to take her to safety. Where's her family? We need to get help.”

Mystery looked back to Tempo. Hesitant, he turned back to Lewis, "Niniane should be here soon. Let's just hope she doesn't try to end us on the spot--"

“No! No! No! Let go!”

As if on cue, an explosion of a thick white mist consumed them. It wasn’t until Lewis landed on his back that not only had he been sent flying, but Vivian is no longer in his arms. He scrambled to his feet and looked around. Where is he? He couldn’t see Tempo anymore even though it was right there.

A loud roar. It wasn’t a furious one like Arthur’s had been, but it’s full of sorrow and pain. Is it calling out for someone? He turned to the direction where it came from and looked up in shock.

“What in--?!” Vivi’s voice.

Something that big was within Tempo the whole time? It's practically the size of a kaiju monster! Just where did that giant elephant-shaped creature come from? Is it even an elephant? Something about its shape seems off, but Lewis couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Mystery somehow found his way back to Lewis with Vivi beside him, “What just—"

"YOU!"

Right on cue, they all turned and saw a large white nine-tailed fox gunning towards them.

"Oh, for--!" The Mystery Skulls managed to avoid Niniane's jaws but were soon caught in her magic.

"I knew I should have destroyed the two of you when I had the chance," Niniane growled as she brought them closer to her while keeping Vivi separate, "It seems neither of you have learned your--"

Vivi is quick to cut her off, "Niniane! We don't have time for this! We have more pressing issues at hand! Arthur and Vivian need our help now, we can't waste our time fighting each other!"

Lewis sincerely hoped Vivi knew what she was doing.

"They would not have disappeared on us had it not been for you three, especially the two of you," she snarled at Mystery and Lewis, "Why should I trust the word of the ones who hurt my distant grandson-in-law the most?"

Lewis looked on in horror as he saw his heart being brought closer to Niniane’s jaws.

"All right, wraith. Where are Arthur and Vivian?" Niniane demanded with a harsh growl, "Answer me now, or I will crush your anchor into oblivion."

"I-I'm sorry! I tried! I couldn't stop it from taking Arthur! I tried to bring your granddaughter back here safely, but she vanished from my hold just seconds before you came! I don’t know where she went!”

Niniane growled, and Lewis feared she wouldn't believe him.

A loud lamenting cry pierces through the air.

It sounded like an animal. An elephant? Lewis isn’t sure. Niniane’s ears flicked upon hearing it, causing her to look into the distance. Within the horizon...

…Something that big was within Tempo the whole time? It's practically the size of a kaiju monster! Just where did that giant elephant-shaped creature come from? Is it even an elephant? Something about its shape seems off, but Lewis couldn't quite put his finger on it.

“Wait, this mist is..." Niniane sniffed before her eyes widened, "Vivian?!"

“Nana Niniane! We’ve got trouble!”

“What is it?” Niniane turned to the woman Lewis recognized as Arthur’s wife, who ran up to them, “Why are the children with you? They’re supposed to stay with Morgan!”

Lewis felt relieved seeing Gwen and Percy trailing behind their mother with his Dead Beat following. Did they get the message? Arthur needs help.

"We’ve got worse problems, it's this mist! Monsters and undead creatures are roaming around the town! It's like we're walking in a nightmare! Aunt Morgan is keeping Mr. Kingsmen safe, so he should be fine," Elaine said before noticing the Mystery Skulls. Immediately, her expression turned dark enough to look murderous, "You… Where is my husband and daughter?"

Gwen and Percy aren’t saying anything. Why? Their father is in danger!

"From what this fool has told me, Arthur is in that cave he mentioned earlier. As for Vivian, she's over there," Niniane looked up at the giant monster, where only its silhouette is seen, "That… is her monster form."

“What?!” Elaine and the twins looked up to the giant monster.

“That giant elephant is Vivian?!” Elaine asked incredulously, “Th-That can’t be her! Since when can a Zashiki-warashi turn into something like that?!”

The words Elaine spoke caught Lewis’s attention. Although his conversation with Gwen and Percy was brief, the twins did tell him a bit about how their bloodline works, and how unusual Vivian is in her case.

“It’s because Vivian isn’t a Zashiki-warashi, and that is not an elephant. She’s a baku, and a very powerful one at that,” Niniane said, her nine tails flicking about erratically, “All this time, we were mistaken. I should have realized it myself. You know above all else that, unless we have a specific talisman on our person, we Knights can only have our monster forms so long as we are awake and alert, yet we’ve seen Vivian sleep with her hair long for over three years. In other words, her power has awakened as a baby, but this is the first time she’s ever used her monster form,” Niniane let out a shuddering breath, “This is bad.”

“Oh, geez. It all makes sense now,” Elaine said as a realization of horror came over her, “The reason Arthur wasn’t able to remember some of his nightmares so clearly as of late, and the fact that he could sleep okay here and there ever since Vivian was born, it was all because she was eating his nightmares! It must have been an instinct she was born with to eat them! This could also explain why she’s so powerful for her age, all that power and nowhere to go? Did the charms on her clothes prevent her from letting loose until now?”

“I find it most likely,” Niniane finally set the Mystery Skulls down from her magic, “And since we are at the time of night when the people of this town are asleep, taking the demon’s nightmare curse into account, this place has become a baku’s ideal feasting ground. However, young baku do not know that they are only to consume so much in one sitting, otherwise they go out of control, like Vivian has now. It does raise the question why this hasn’t happened back home, but the curse may have something to do with it,” she nodded to Elaine, “I will take care of Vivian, Elaine. You go find Arthur.”

“What about us?” Percy asked.

As if it was a response, a loud rumbling came about as the ground shook.

“What now?!” Gwen shouted.

"LEWIS!"

Lewis felt a chill run down his spine.

The way Arthur roared his name, filled with a primal rage so deep that it's no longer human as the ground shook hard enough to knock everyone except for him off their feet.

"GIVE! HER! BACK!"

One crashing sound after another. One after another, again and again. It’s coming closer.

Lewis quickly turned to the direction Arthur’s voice came from and immediately paled at the sight.

A gigantic green hand large enough to crush a human emerged from the mist, an eye visible on its palm. Following that is a sight no one wanted to see. Towering over them with a glare so severe that it froze everyone in their tracks. Percy is the first to react.

“…Dad?”

THE PATRIARCH: KING ARTHUR

His body and torso, darkened and decaying and exposing his ribs and spine, towered over them as if they were vermin. A large red X took the place over his left eye, his right eye twisted a full ninety degrees sideways. Sharp teeth letting the putrid smell of green death leak out. His nails turned into claws that will kill should one carelessly walk in their path. His hair turned into a twisted mane that reached past the ribs. He got down to his hands and roared.

"YOU… YOU… HURT ME! YOU'LL HURT THEM, TOO! I WON'T LET YOU!"

Lewis knew he messed up.

- - - - - - -

It’s down to you!

It’s down to me!

Did you ever really think that I’d become…

Someone you’d call…

Your enemy?

…

Your enemy?!

YOUR ENEMY!??!

Part 21: !?KA?!

#mystery skulls animated #msa fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #msa arthur #arthur kingsmen #elaine knights #gwen knights #percy knights #vivian knights #niniane knights #msa vivi #vivi yukino #msa lewis #lewis pepper #msa mystery #msa ???

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