Marvel: Impregnation System

Chapter 174 - 167: Departure

Meanwhile In Staten Island,

Although night had loomed over Staten Island, the coven entangled in its internal affairs remained abuzz.

Beneath an unassuming office building, a grand adornment was taking place as every member of the coven, except for the children and their caretakers, had gathered here.

The coven elders and Agatha sat at the helm of the meeting, positioned on a raised platform overlooking the other members seated in rows.

This emergency meeting had been underway for a while now, yet the elders' briefings were far from over as the discussion phase had just begun.

Whenever a highly detrimental event occurs, all members, even the regular ones, are given the opportunity to voice their thoughts on the matter.

However, for the last six hours, the coven had been vehemently discussing the attack on the Ordo Draconum, Merlyn's involvement, and the revelation of what he had been doing to their coven and their ancestors.

"Elders, I understand that we've been taken under the protection of the Warlock Ricky Luciano and have been integrating into not only stable jobs but their family, we've agreed and have not complained." A high-ranking member, Dexter, voiced as the other coven members nodded.

"But this subject isn't about being grateful, this is about avenging our lineage, our ancestors, and finally laying them to rest!" Dexter revealed the biggest issue within the entire coven and the meeting since as of right now, they wanted blood.

"Fifteen years ago, at the last battle with the Ordo Draconum, I had to watch as they ripped my little brother from my barely alive grasp." Dexter revealed, raising his shirt to show the large scar staining his skin.

"A sword impaled in my abdomen, left for dead, all to the sound of his kicking and screaming, and now I'm told that he might be a chimera? I CANNOT SIT STILL, I MUST PUT HIM OUT OF HIS MISERY!" Dexter roared, his words igniting a frenzy among the others as though necromancy was practiced within the coven, chimeras were not.

Even the coven strayed away from chimeras and its magical practice.

Unlike the undead, which could be animated with necromantic energy, a chimera required something more, life had to be forcibly breathed into its stitched-together form.

Rotting flesh would always result in the deterioration of the creation, rendering it unstable, grotesque, and ultimately useless since it didn't pair with life magic.

That was why, for those who dabbled in the grotesque art, the preferred method was to keep specimens alive before using them as parts to better breath in the magic of life.

A horrifying practice, one that made Dexter's blood run cold as the possibility that his little brother had not been granted the peace of death, that his body had been repurposed into something monstrous, was unbearable.

It was not just grief that gripped him, it was terror, that sheer and utter terror that his brother still existed in some grotesque half-state, bound to a form that was neither human nor corpse, trapped between life and death with no means to move on.

The thought sickened him, it enraged him, and more than anything, it was the fuel of the fire that rippled across the entire coven.

"Dexter, we are not saying no, but asking you to wait-oh thank god~" Agatha said, carefully trying to explain only to see a portal open near her and heave out a sigh of relief.

There, the entire coven watched as Ricky Luciano, the warlock they had preached him to be, stepped out of the portal and into their midst.

All eyes were on him, scrutinizing his every move, searching for the power and presence that had been spoken of in whispers and proclamations alike

CLAP

"Alright, I know you've been waiting, and I don't want to waste your time, so let's keep this short and sweet!" Ricky's voice boomed as he clapped his hands together, silencing the murmurs.

"In a month, I'm raiding Otherworld, and I want anyone seeking revenge to join me!"

The entire coven froze, his words hanging heavy in the air and sinking into the coven like a stone in deep water.

Then, as if a dam had broken, nearly half of the witches and warlocks rose to their feet, their eyes burning with the fire of long-held vengeance.

Murmurs of resolve rippled through the crowd, the once simmering tension now boiling over into something tangible, something violent.

A tidal wave of shouting erupted through the chamber, voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony of anger and resolve.

Though steeped in powerful magic, the coven had always been deeply spiritual.

Spirit arts were the backbone of their traditions, woven into every ritual, every incantation.

They communed with the dead, sought guidance from ancestors, and above all, ensured that the spirits of their kin could find rest as it was not just a practice, it was a sacred duty.

To leave their lost ones trapped in limbo, enslaved as chimeras, was a desecration beyond words.

Their traditions forbade idleness in the face of such an atrocity and to act was not a choice; it was an obligation, an honor.

Their ancestors cried out for release, and the coven would not stand by while their souls remained bound in suffering.

The uproar swelled as more witches and warlocks rose to their feet, their eyes burning with conviction.

"Hold on, hold-DAMMIT, SHUT UP!" Ricky bellowed, his voice slicing through the chaos as he finally roared over the mass shouting, bringing the entire room to silence.

"I know a lot of you wanna come, but I can't lug around all of you and that's why the elders will decide who joins me." Ricky stated firmly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"But before you even ask, I need to know now since I'm not about to f*cking change my entire plan because someone decided to join at the last minute. If you want in, speak up now, if not, you're staying behind." Ricky specifically said, pointing at all of them since he didn't care about their sob stories since he'd heard too many at this point.

"So don't be a d*ck, make a line and pitch yourself to the elders." Ricky solemnly said, gesturing towards Agatha who had a polite smile as the witches and warlocks gazed at one another, then slowly funneled into a line.

'Thank you.' Agatha mouthed, her sweet smiling forming on her lips before she looked at the first one in line, Dexter.

"Alright, let us start the reviews."

While the reviews were underway, Ricky sat in the audience, distanced from the others, his presence isolated from the ongoing deliberations.

From the depths of his coat pocket, Alexander slowly peeked out, his curious gaze sweeping over the tense gathering.

"We are really leaving tomorrow, correct?" Alexander asked, only speaking once Ricky had set up a soundproof barrier.

"Of course, no way am I waiting a goddamn month." Ricky said, crossing his arms as Alexander nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

"Then the reason you did it now is because-"

"Because I wanna throw whoever the fuck the rat is off for a loop, make them decide now rather than run off to get advice from that asswipe Merlyn," Ricky mused scartching his chin while Alexander nodded in understanding.

"Hmmm, and Merlyn wouldn't make them switch since that would be too obvious, putting any unnecessary suspicion on his supposed 'rats' wouldn't be good." Alexander mused, watching Ricky nod while his eyes stayed on the next guy stepping up to pitch why he should go.

"But you do know there could be more than one, and the likelihood they join you is low," Alexander whispered, truly pondering the issue.

"Yeah, but it's not zero and to be honest, based on everything you've said and how calculated Merlyn is, do you really think he wouldn't keep his eyes on me?" Ricky asked, watching Alexander shake his head.

"No, this is good, you'll divide and conquer," Alexander thought, realizing that if there was more than one traitor, they would either be split up or forced to choose one side or the other.

While this was going on, Cedric seemed to be dazing off, lost in thought, until his wife, Morgana Frost, gently smiled and took his arm.

"Cedric, honey, if you'd like to join, I wouldn't mind. I know how your best friend's passing still lingers," Morgana cooed, watching as Cedric downcast his gaze before looking over at her.

"My friend?" Cedric asked, only for a splitting pain to reverberate in his head before his wife put her hand on his shoulder.

"But what if-"

"You are only doing your duty." Morgana Frost smiled warmly, gently nudging him forward.

The other elders watched the exchange, their expressions unreadable, while Eldric Stone was the only other elder who had stepped forward to join.

"Then, Agatha, I would like to volunteer," Cedric said, raising his hand and Agatha nodded without hesitation, there was no need for him to explain himself since he was already an elder.

Now that two elders had joined, the rest of the coven members felt more comfortable stepping forward.

Over the next hour, names were called, debates were had, and choices were made, by the time the process was complete, the group was decided.

Clap

"Alright, now everyone follow me," Ricky called, gesturing for them to follow as the group exchanged uncertain glances, but shrugged it off, deciding to trust him.

Ricky led them down a narrow hallway, his pace steady and confident as Agatha raised an eyebrow but didn't question him since she trusted his judgment, even if his methods were sometimes unorthodox.

They entered another room, this one far more secure than the previous spaces.

Then, all of sudden, Ricky closed this entire room in his barrier before walking in front of them.

"I know this is sudden, but I just wanna get to know all of you, so I'm gonna ask you all some questions, and you'll just answer them," Ricky said with a casual laugh, his demeanor seemingly light-hearted but it was completely seeped in lies.

The coven members exchanged looks, a little confused by his approach, but understood to some degree but still, there was something unsettling about it.

"Alright, what's your name?" Ricky said, coming over to Dexter first as he stood straight up.

"Dexter Savante, sir!" Dexter truthfully said, a little too enthusiastically. Ricky calmed him down with a motion.

"Relax, and tell me why you want to come with me."

"Because I was left for dead and had my little brother taken away, I wish to come to finally free him from his imprisonment or satiate my hatred." Dexter didn't even try to hide his anger as Ricky slowly nodded.

"Now, have you ever betrayed the coven?" Ricky asked, his question making the others look shocked, but they all didn't dare interrupt as Dexter squinted his eyes, clearly annoyed by the question.

"Never."

His words didn't carry the slightest hint of a lie as Ricky shrugged and moved on to the next person.

"What's your name-"

Ricky's questioning was simple but effective, three questions that peeled back layers of hidden truths.

But the first two questions were merely to placate until that last question 'Have you ever betrayed the coven?'.

He didn't need them to confess outright nor did he need grand admissions of guilt, his whispered falsehoods would whisper all the buried truths into his head and sometimes, would allow him to glimpse into the lie.

The problem was how many truths were being layered under this specific question.

One warlock, for example, had lied and allowed for Ricky to subtly peek into the lie which revealed to him that he had been stealing magic powder to snort during his free time.

It wasn't anything that would destroy the coven, yet it still qualified as a betrayal.

He wasn't the rat he was searching for, but his actions were still a betrayal of the coven's trust.

And as Ricky peeled back these layers, he realized how much more complicated the situation was than he initially thought.

The coven, it seemed, was riddled with small but consistent betrayals as each member, in some way, had hidden something, whether it was an addiction, a fear, or a lie too small to matter on the surface but too large to ignore in a group bound by secrecy and trust.

And it was this web of half-truths, rather than any single glaring betrayal, that made Ricky's task so maddening and incredibly annoying.

"Alright, Cedric, let's make this quick. Have you ever betrayed the coven?" Ricky said, waving his hand to speed things along.

To Ricky, Cedric was that snooty grandpa who spoiled Zatanna and was genuinely jealous of any attention Ricky gave her, which made him subconsciously lower his guard.

"Not unless it is all the friends that have died because of me." Cedric spoke, his words heavy as it was a truth and yet, Ricky somehow peered into it as if it were a lie.

'What the-'

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, my friend~" Cedric sobbed, cradling his best friend in his arms as he bled out, the chaos of battle raging around them.

The sound of clashing steel and distant cries barely registered as Cedric's world narrowed down to the man he held, the blood staining his hands, and the weight of a broken promise.

"I'm sorry for my sins~"

"Ricky?" Cedric asked, watching Ricky zone out as he shook his head but looked at him weirdly.

Ricky knew from the previous question that Cedric wanted to attend because of his past grief, but unlike the others, Cedric didn't just carry an insufferable amount of sorrow.

He also seemed to peer into Cedric's truth, something he had never done before, especially since it was unclear whether Cedric felt guilt over his friend's death or something else entirely.

"It's nothing, old man." Ricky muttered before turning his attention to the next elder and the one who despised him to his very core.

"I'm not answering your questions." Eldric spat, his voice seething with disdain.

"The only reason I'm going with you is to avenge my daughter, who died in the last attack. When I get my revenge on Merlyn and put those chimeras to rest, I'm coming back. I'm not taking orders from you." Eldric finished, crossing his arms in front of Ricky who furrowed his brow, sensing the lie in Eldric's words.

But before he could speak, Eldric's voice cracked in distress within his mind as he peered into the truth.

"Matilda, MATILDA!" Eldric screamed, his eyes wide with desperation as a memory flickered before them.

Ricky's gaze sharpened as the truth emerged, Matilda hadn't died but instead she had been taken, abducted, leaving Eldric to pursue not vengeance, but the desperate hope of finding his daughter.

Ricky could feel the shift in the air as the weight of Eldric's true intentions became clear.

"Fine, be a d*ck about it." Ricky shrugged, backing up while keeping an eye on both these elders.

Walking around, Ricky continued his line of questioning, which dragged on far longer than it should have and eventually, he resorted to firing off questions left and right just to get through it.

By the time he finally finished, he dismissed all of the conven members including the elders, leaving himself alone in the room.

Slumping back in his chair, he frowned at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Alexander, watching him closely, expected Ricky to be rubbing his greedy hands together in satisfaction. Instead, he found him sitting there with a hollow look, his expression unreadable.

"Ricky, I would've thought you'd be celebrating right now, drinking and smoking till the sun rises, as if you were feasting with the gods themselves. Yet here you are, appealing to fit the expression nowadays 'kicked in the balls,'" Alexander remarked, shamelessly adopting the era's lingo to describe Ricky's vacant expression.

"Because I was so f*cking sure of myself and now I'm confused." Ricky frowned, his words making Alexander scrunch his furrowed brows.

"What are you saying, Ricky?" Alexander asked, thinking that Ricky had at least detected the rat they both long suspected.

"I'm saying that I didn't find the f*cking rat."

Meanwhile at Cedric Residence,

A dazed Cedric finally arrived home, guided by his wife as his entire being felt adrift, his mind submerged in a fog so thick it left him detached from reality.

"Cedric, honey, this way," Morgana Frost urged with a gentle smile, pulling along the man who now moved like a sleepwalker towards his office, his once-sharp eyes vacant.

"O-Oh, yes." Cedric muttered, clutching his head as if trying to hold his thoughts together.

But through all of it, through the entire meeting, something was wrong.

Every part of him felt worn, as though he had been stitched together with frayed threads barely holding him intact.

His mind lagged behind his body, his thoughts sluggish and disjointed, like pieces of himself had been misplaced along the way.

"You're alright, love," Morgana reassured, leading him through the threshold of their home, her grip firm yet soothing as she guided him toward his office.

"Why don't I remember anything-"

"Love, you're alright-"

"N-No, stop." Cedric shoved Morgana away, his breath hitching as a sharp, splitting pain erupted in his skull.

He staggered back, gripping his head, his vision blurring at the edges as it felt like something had been surgically extracted from his mind, pried open, tampered with, and stolen.

"Something's missing." Cedric rasped, panic creeping into his voice as he painfully clutched his head.

"I can feel it, like a part of me has been cut out." Cedric's knees nearly buckled as the realization clawed at him, the weight of the void in his mind pressing down harder with each passing second.

But through all of this, Morgana remained calm, too calm, watching him with a pleasant, wrinkled smile.

"Cedric," Morgana Frost said softly, stepping toward him with a practiced patience.

"You're overthinking this, just breathe and follow me, and I can help you-"

But her words only made his dread fester since he knew himself, he knew when something had been taken from him, and right now, something was gone.

"I-I have to warn Agatha. Something's wrong-"

"My love, I can't let you do that." Morgana's voice was still sweet, but her grip turned to iron and before Cedric could react, two more pairs of hands seized him.

One belonged to his son, Alistair, his fingers digging into Cedric's arm with practiced ease as his usually warm brown eyes were completely drained of emotion, glassy yet intense, as if he were looking through his father rather than at him.

Beside him, his daughter, Evelyne, latched onto his other arm with surprising strength as her delicate fingers, which had once braided flowers into his hair as a child, now clutched him with a force that sent a chill up his spine.

"Father, calm down," Alistair said, his voice eerily devoid of its usual warmth while looking at him as if this was necessary.

"Yes, Father," Evelyne chimed in, perfectly synchronized with her brother while holding Cedric in place

"You need to relax and touch this crystal ball. Everything will make sense afterward." Evelyne gestured, pulling out a familiar clear crystal ball from the side.

"No, no!" Cedric yelled, trying to break free only for Evelyne to roll her eyes and yank his hand onto the crystal ball herself.

GASP

The moment Cedric's hand touched the crystal ball, it pulsed with light, and his eyes rolled back as his fractured mind reeled.

His memories, once splintered and scattered, flooded back in a chaotic torrent, piecing themselves together with a jarring clarity.

But through the haze, a conversation resurfaced.

"What is it?" Merlyn's voice carried a sharp edge of annoyance, his words crackling through the crystal ball.

"Agatha has informed the elders that an emergency meeting has been called to determine if anyone seeks revenge against you after your involvement was revealed," Cedric dutifully reported, bowing his head lightly towards this grand figure.

"So he finally took the bait, good." Merlyn chuckled, poised to write something down before suddenly pausing and thinking of something.

"Did he say if anyone else would be accompanying him?" Merlyn asked, a new thought forming that bubbled up into words.

"Unless he plans to bring some of the unpowered individuals from his little mafia, the only forces I can think of are his undead summons." Cedric furrowed his brow, trying to recall Agatha's exact words before shaking his head.

"How amusing." Merlyn rubbed his chin before continuing to write on a scroll.

"What is it, Master Merlyn?" Cedric asked, watching in silence as the seemingly ancient man scribbled onto the parchment.

"Do you recall their little war meeting? The one where you reported that a certain 'gerbil' claiming to be Alexander the Great managed to deduce my motives?" Merlyn mused, glancing at Cedric with an interested smile.

Cedric nodded dutifully since although he hadn't been able to bring the orb into the meeting, he had memorized and relayed everything that had transpired.

However, Merlyn wasn't particularly concerned with their feeble attempts to strategize against him.

And yet, despite the limited information Merlyn had allowed to slip, the man had still reached an accurate conclusion.

"It seems they've begun to suspect an insider within their ranks," Merlyn said in an amused tone, not even the least bit threatened at having a portion of his plans revealed.

"But I thought I-"

"Think carefully, little Cedric. When did you first report Ricky Luciano's connection?" Merlyn interjected, asking the question that made Cedric lowered his head in shame.

The reason being that this connection had formed too late due to his own incompetence.

Only those from Otherworld, those attuned to that familiar energy and feeling its connection to the void, could truly recognize the taint of the Nethergods.

Otherworld acted as a gate between dimensions, a barrier that prevented their influence from seeping into Earth.

While their presence could sometimes be felt in the deepest corners of sorcery, it remained imperceptible to most, concealed beneath layers of natural and arcane forces.

And yet, despite Ricky being within Cedric's range for some time, he had never openly displayed his powers in a way that would draw suspicion.

Although Ricky hadn't intended it, his use of those powers had been restrained by his surroundings since there was simply no need for them.

More than anything, however, they had remained unintentionally subtle.

The only time Cedric could have witnessed it before was during the battle against Dracula.

Ricky had indeed used his abilities, but the overwhelming clash of supernatural energies had clouded everything.

The battlefield had been saturated with vampiric magic, necrotic forces, and ancient sorceries, enough to drown out the subtleties of any one source.

It had been easy for Cedric to miss the awakening of Ricky's power while he was fighting for his life against the horde of high ranking vampires.

But on that day, when Ricky walked away from Morgana, there had been no chaos, no battlefield brimming with magic to mask the truth.

The only thing that stood out was Morgana's arrival, which had sharpened Cedric's perception.

The sudden reveal of a looming threat to Camelot had set his mind on edge, tuning him to even the slightest disturbance.

It was in that heightened state of awareness, his senses sharpened by the looming threat of Morgana, that Cedric's gaze drifted, casual, almost absentminded.

And ironically, it wasn't in some grand revelation, nor in the heat of battle, nor in the aftermath of a catastrophic spell.

No, it was in the most mundane of moments, one that was most likely skipped over, when Ricky, without a second thought, retrieved his grimoire to open a portal as he always did, that Cedric saw it.

His eyes didn't widen at the sight of the entire book, nor even at a full spread of text, just a single page.

A single page that should not have been there.

For the briefest moment, as Ricky flipped through his grimoire casually, Cedric caught sight of it, a void-black page, nearly indistinguishable from the shadows themselves.

It wasn't ink, it wasn't charred parchment, it was a depthless stain upon reality, the kind that didn't merely exist but devoured the space around it.

And Cedric felt it.

Even in that fleeting glimpse, his senses recoiled, seized by a terror he hadn't felt in years.

The sheer presence of that page wasn't just dark, it wasn't just corrupted, it was something far worse.

It gnawed at the edges of existence itself, a malignant force that had embedded itself into everything that had destroyed his life and childhood.

The same taint, the same abyssal horror that had once ripped his world apart, now lay hidden within Ricky's grimoire.

The mark of the Nethergods.

Others would have mistaken it for mere dark magic, dismissed it as an advanced curse or an unusually malevolent enchantment.

But Cedric knew better.

Dark magic was potent, insidious, and cruel, but it was still bound to the rules of this world.

It operated within the known laws of sorcery, drawing from the well of mortal ambition, fear, and wrath and even the most forbidden spells still carried the weight of something understandable.

But this was different, this was not just darkness, but an absence.

Not magic, but a violation of it.

The Nethergods did not gift power; they infested it, twisting the very fabric of existence into something unnatural.

And Cedric had recognized it instantly, for the single reason he had been put in this coven in the first place instead of residing in his home of Camelot.

"It is understandable that your detection skills are so lacking, you left us at such a young age to become nothing more than a weed." Merlyn chuckled, referring to Cedric in a peculiar way that made him lower his head.

"That's why you'll live up to your title by joining his little crusade," Merlyn dismissed Ricky's efforts with a smirk, reducing his call to arms to nothing more than a minor spectacle.

He felt perfectly in control of the situation, certain that everything was unfolding according to his design.

"But to ensure he doesn't have another power hidden up his sleeve, place your hand on the orb and open your mind to me."

It was then that Merlyn revealed the perfection of his handiwork, the meticulous stitching of Cedric's mind, the very same perfection that left Chester utterly baffled at its sophistication.

It wasn't simple brainwashing or memory tampering; it was something far more insidious.

Merlyn had not begun to merely alter Cedric's thoughts, he had started to reform the very foundation of who he was.

He had taken pieces of Cedric away, excised entire fragments of his identity, and seamlessly stitched together what remained, leaving no gaps, no uneven seams, no inconsistencies that a lie detection ability could expose.

To Cedric, there was no deception, no buried truth, only the reality that Merlyn had shaped for him.

"Have you regained yourself?" Merlyn's voice echoed through the crystal ball, his gaze sharp and expectant.

Before him, Cedric drew in a slow breath as the final remnants of Merlyn's work settled into place.

His form stabilized, his posture straightened, and the haze clouding his mind lifted, only for a new, carefully sculpted clarity to take its place.

With deliberate grace, he lowered himself onto one knee, the weight of his restored self pressing upon his shoulders and he was not alone.

One by one, the rest of his family followed, kneeling in unison, a silent, reverent submission to the will of the sorcerer who had reforged them.

"Yes, Master Merlyn." Cedric dutifully bowed, his family following as Merlyn eyes saw the four of them all gathered.

"And has your family completely given themselves to bearing the sins of our fallen king?" Merlyn asked, his voice smooth, expectant.

But instead of the immediate nod he anticipated, Cedric hesitated, a single pause, so small yet all the more telling.

Merlyn's expression darkened ever so slightly as his gaze sharpened, scrutinizing the old man knight through the crystal ball.

"What are you hiding?" Merlyn inquired, his eyes narrowing as if persecuting the man before him.

Cedric's lips pressed into a thin line as he closed his eyes, steadying himself against the weight of the moment.

"My grandson, Alistar's son, hasn't been made aware and taken the pledge-"

"Then have him take the pledge." Merlyn interrupted, his tone final and at his command, they all closed their eyes since there was only one initiation required for the pledge.

"And you also said that Ricky Luciano has very capable offspring, correct?" Merlyn's voice made Cedric widen his eyes, raising his head.

"Master Merlyn-"

"This is necessary, Cedric. All your hard work will finally be rewarded because for the promised king," Merlyn said, his voice laced with reassurance.

Cedric's fists clenched tighter, his knuckles paling under the strain as he knew Merlyn understood the weight of what he was asking, the unspoken conflict raging within him.

For a moment, his gaze remained downcast, wrestling with his morals, with the path laid before him and then, slowly, he lifted his eyes, resolve hardening within them as he stared ahead.

"We must bear his sins."

Next Morning,

"There we go~," Ricky muttered to himself, digging a hole in the backyard of the mansion with deliberate focus.

Then, he held out his hand as a seed materialized in his palm, something that had been tucked away in the corner of his storage for far too long.

(Rare Item) Everbloom Seed: A small, enchanted seed that, when planted, instantly grows into a majestic and perpetually blooming tree. The tree's blossoms have unique properties, such as healing properties, the ability to induce sleep, or the power to enhance magical abilities.

"Aye, where are my little helpers?" Ricky asked, dropping the seed in the hole as he looked around.

"Coming!" Zatanna excitedly cheered, carrying a small bin of trash with a fast motion while Daneille walked at a slow, manageable pace with the trash in her hand.

"Careful, Zatanna, you'll-"

But before Danielle could finish, Zatanna stumbled forward, the momentum of her excitement nearly sending the bin flying.

Bam

Zatanna stumbled, falling to the ground and scraping her knee as Ricky jerked his head backward, then sighed.

"Zatanna, are you okay?" Danielle asked softly, setting down the trash with care as she watched Zatanna push herself up.

Sniff

"Uh-huh," Zatanna mumbled, but her watery eyes betrayed her words, shimmering as if they were moments away from spilling over.

"It's okay, don't cry." Daneille bent down, patting her shoulder as the little girl slowly covered her eyes, rubbing them as if trying to stop the tears from forming.

Sniff

"I'm-"

Sniff

"Not-"

Sniff

"Crying~" Zatanna hiccuped, her tears finally spilling over as Ricky let out a small sigh and got up, walking over to her.

"Come here, let me see it," Ricky said gently, kneeling down and scooping her up.

The moment she was in his arms, Zatanna melted into his embrace, burying her face against his chest as her tiny fists clenched his shirt, staining it with the tears of the innocent.

"I'm not crying~" Zatanna whined, as if accusing Ricky of entertaining such blasphemous thoughts while he chuckled.

"I didn't even say anything," Ricky retorted, nudging his face against hers as if trying to pry her away from his shirt.

"You're lying! You were thinking it~" Zatanna insisted, swatting at his face that wouldn't stop laughing.

"Why would I think you're crying? You're not even hurt," Ricky teased, watching as Zatanna sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

"What?" Zatanna murmured, following Ricky's gaze only to realize her knee, which she was certain had been scraped, was perfectly fine.

Since Ricky had already healed it while she was definitely not crying.

"See? Look, how could you cry without even being hurt?" Ricky asked, kissing her cheek as Zatanna sniffled, nodding her head.

"Yeah."

Sniff

"I didn't cry because I'm not hurt." Zatanna reiterated her fathers words sitting in Ricky's arms as he rubbed her eyes to clear away any and all of these nonexistent tears.

Danielle had stepped to the side, peeking her head through Ricky's armpit to check on her little sister with a deeply concerned expression, gently holding her small hand to help her through the moment.

It was a quiet, calming scene as Ricky and Danielle both waited patiently for Zatanna to regain herself but just when she was about to speak, a red fur ball rolled in.

"I GOT IT!" Sarah roared, bursting onto the scene and running in circles, triumphantly holding up a garbage bag three times the size of both Danielle's and Zatanna's.

"I WON, I WON, I WON!" Sarah cheered happily, seeing that her trash bag was far larger than her sisters as she ran in triumphant counterclockwise circles, reveling in her victory.

"It wasn't a competition, Sarah." Danielle said quietly, slipping into her role as the big sister as she noticed Zatanna starting to pout, her eyes welling up with tears again.

"Oh yeah~" Sarah suddenly realized, her victorious smile flipping into a frown as she dropped the oversized bag of trash.

"I don't wanna do this anymore!" Sarah proclaimed, turning away and marching off to do whatever else caught her interest.

Watching Sarah march off, Zatanna crawled out of Ricky's arms and lunged at the trash bag, sniffling as she rolled it over to him.

"Here, Daddy! For you!" Zatanna beamed, immediately smiling as she took Sarah's abandoned bundle of trash and presented it to Ricky.

"Zatanna, that was Sarah's-" Daneille muttered, trying to stop Zatanna for taking credit that didn't belong to her as she frowned.

"But she left-"

"But you can't-"

"Girls, stop." Ricky sighed, rubbing their hair before playfully rolling them around until they both tipped over, breaking into giggles.

"You stop!" Zatanna fired back, giggling as if her retort was the funniest thing in the world.

"Yeah, Daddy, you stop!" Danielle chimed in, laughing along with Zatanna as their innocent laughter bubbled forth as Ricky rolled his eyes, shaking his head at their antics.

"Do you both wanna see me grow a tree or not?" Ricky asked, standing up and grabbing the trash before dumping it over the seed that had been planted in the ground.

The two little girls' laughter came to an immediate halt as they exchanged glances before whipping their heads back to Ricky, then bolted after him.

Rushing up behind him, they bumped into his legs but quickly grabbed onto his pants before they could stumble backward, peeking out from beside him with wide, eager eyes.

"Aye, Moxie, Johnny-" Ricky turned to the side, calling out for his sons, only to spot Alexander watching over them.

"Yes, young warriors! Swing as if there is an enemy charging at you, desperate and fearful, willing to do anything to survive." Alexander commanded, pacing back and forth atop Bucephalus's snout as he monitored Johnny and Moxie, both fiercely swinging their wooden swords through the air.

"THEN YOU CUT HIM DOWN-"

"Dammit, Alexander! What did I say about teaching them that stuff, man? They're like three!" Ricky called out, exasperated, expecting Alexander to at least wait until they were older.

"Yes, and-QUICKLY, BUCEPHALUS, ESCAPE BEFORE HE NOTICES!" Alexander looked up at him, nodding as if in agreement but what started as a calm response turned into a sudden command as Alexander shouted, and Bucephalus immediately bolted to the side, leaping over the nearby fence in a daring escape.

SPLASH

A towering wave of water erupted into the air as they landed straight into the neighbor's pool, splashing wildly before the weirdly muscular horse cleared the next fence without missing a beat.

Sigh

Ricky just sighed, shaking his head at Alexander's antics as he was used to it by now while behind him, his daughters chuckled, amused by the spectacle.

"Aye, Bob! Wanna come over and watch?" Ricky called out, already expecting rejection from his other sons, so he turned his attention to Bob, who lingered near the shade.

But instead of answering, Bob continued to sway, moving to rhythm with the wind and the subtle calls of the birds as Ricky tilted his head, watching him curiously.

"I guess that's a no?" Ricky muttered, shrugging before turning toward Henry and Gus.

"How can you say that? Catcher in the Rye is a timeless classic-"

"My point was not rooted in whether it is a classic, but rather that it simply falls short of what I consider a true masterpiece." Gus clarified, cutting Henry off, and properly explaining his point.

Ricky blinked, watching the two five-year-olds debate literature with a level of articulation that far exceeded his own.

"Carmine?" Ricky called out, watching as the boy wandered through the backyard, completely engrossed in his own little world.

Carmine didn't even acknowledge him, too absorbed in whatever had caught his interest.

"Okay, I guess it's just us ladies," Ricky said, turning to Danielle and Zatanna as they giggled at the recognition before watching him pile more trash into the hole.

Meanwhile, off to the side, a gathering of the women Ricky spent his time, and his cum, which sat around a table, oddly quiet as they observed.

Ricky didn't know how long he'd be gone, so he arranged one last gathering to see his kids and have them all together before he left.

The only ones missing were Carla and Augustine, who were busy preparing for their move to New York.

They had stayed behind in the Vatican, as Augustine was growing a little too attached and insisted on saying goodbye to Cardinal Sebastian, who was currently away on a missionary trip.

It was hard to believe that a group of women, all tied to the same man, could get along as best friends and the truth was, they didn't.

None of them were truly that close with one another.

Of course, given Ricky's lecherous ways, it wasn't hard to understand his lack of commitment or his inability to direct his lust toward just one woman as most of them were at least vaguely aware of the others.

It was just that meeting for the first time had left a sour taste in some of their mouths since there were a lot of them.

However, out of all the women, the two who least preferred each other's company were strangely enough Raven and Agatha.

It was as if they instinctively knew the other women were merely secondary, ordinary figures with different personalities, yet lacking the depth and significance to carry weight within Ricky's world.

However, some women were too preoccupied to entertain this minor occasion, as Jennifer and Rosa were engrossed in their own work but ensured that their boys could attend the function.

"So, Azalea, it is a pleasure to meet you." Raven smiled, breaking the silence as she set down her teacup.

"Yes, you too." Azalea nodded, her tone polite but cautious since as a pimp, she understood just how dangerous this situation could be, especially in this one, her instincts warning her to remain on the sidelines.

"You said you're from Harlem, right?"

A piercing gaze bore down on Azalea, making her lower her head under the weight of Madame St. Clair's curious expression or how Ricky knows her, Stephanie.

"Y-Yes." Azalea stuttered, struggling to keep her composure as she might not have known the other women at the table, but she knew Madame St. Clair, and that alone was enough to unnerve her.

Though Raven and Agatha were the most powerful among Ricky's harem of women, Stephanie wasn't far behind.

Maintaining her stake in Lucky Legacy Bank alone made her the richest Black woman in the United States, possibly even the world.

She might not have had the years or connections that Raven and Agatha did, but she had something just as formidable: financial backing.

"Well, it's really nice to meet you-" Alina, seeing the venomous atmosphere, tried to lighten it up only for Agatha to lean onto the table.

"Still, it's quite impressive that you managed to slip under Stephanie's radar for so long, considering Harlem is under her watch. Though, I suppose these are peaceful times~" Agatha remarked, reaching over to grab a biscuit as Stephanie's smile widened ever so slightly.

"I-I-" Azalea hesitated, her eyes darting over to Stephanie who showed a gentle smile and yet, her eyes were as sharp as daggers.

"Make sure to elaborate in scrupulous detail Azalea, since Agatha here is so isolated on her little, almost tiny, island." Stephanie laughed, covering her mouth as Agatha held back her sneer.

"I mean, who wouldn't want to know everything about New York when you're so far away from the city?" Stephanie continued, watching Agatha raise her smile as Raven simply took a sip of her tea.

Alina hesitated, lightly touching her face as uncertainty crept in since what was supposed to be a pleasant gathering was quickly unraveling into a verbal battle, until someone, entirely devoid of hostility, excitedly leaned in.

"I love your dress," Maria whispered to Alina, who smiled brightly, turning to the young woman whose eyes dazzled.

"I got it at Ramond Lamon's dress shop-"

Gasp

"I love Ramond Lamon's!" Maria covered her mouth, immediately delving into a side conversation with Alina.

Irene blushed fiercely, unsure of what to do with her hands as embarrassment washed over her as she had never been to a tea party before.

"As long as you don't put your elbows on the table, you're fine, honey." Raven whispered, leaning over to the distressed Irene.

"O-Oh, thank you!" Irene whispered back in relief, adjusting herself as Raven held out her hand.

"Raven," Raven introduced herself, her gaze settling on one of the few women who hadn't borne Ricky a son.

In her eyes, the greatest threats to her child's future inheritance were the sons ahead of them in the line of succession.

Deep down, she had never wanted a daughter, she had wanted a son, one who would solidify her claim to Ricky.

No matter how powerful she was, tradition dictated that only a son could inherit the mantle, especially in the Luciano family.

It was why Raven felt uneasy among all these women, and why she sought to sink her claws into Irene.

To steer her toward the foundation of her own budding faction within Ricky's harem.

"I-I'm Irene." Irene smiled brightly, relieved that someone was finally talking to her.

Raven tilted her head, observing her for a moment before reaching toward her shoulder as Irene flinched, but Raven merely plucked off a stray leaf and flicked it aside.

"It's a true pleasure to meet you, Irene."

WHOOSH

In that moment, Ricky activated Green Thumb, causing the Everbloom tree to suddenly sprout behind Raven.

Its blossoms unfurled in a breathtaking display, casting dappled light over the gathering.

Irene stared, lost for words as to how it could be possible for someone to appear as ethereal as Ricky.

In her mind, he was something beyond mere flesh and blood, something untouchable, almost divine but even so, Raven graced her sight all the same.

"BEANSTOCK, BEANSTOCK!" Sarah roared, immediately bolting back into the backyard, drawing everyone towards the blooming tree.

"Holy sh*t," Ricky muttered, staring up at the towering tree as its leaves unfurled, already thriving.

Tendrils of green energy cascaded from the branches, drifting through the air before sinking into the earth, mending the barren patches of dirt with vibrant life.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Chuck exclaimed excitedly from the side, startling Irene, who had never seen any of Ricky's undead before. Raven chuckled at her reaction.

"Don't worry, he's one of Ricky's." Raven whispered, winking at Irene as if assuring her she'd understand soon enough.

"I still don't get it," Boney muttered, trailing after Chuck, his gaze darting around in confusion as he struggled to grasp what was happening.

"BONEY!" Zatanna squealed with delight, dashing toward the undead knight, who immediately bowed.

"My lady," Boney said in a chivalrous tone, his formal gesture making Zatanna giggle madly as she grabbed the ends of her dress and curtsied like a princess, fully embracing the moment.

"Do not make yourself look foolish in front of the master's sired children!" Chuck whispered harshly, his voice barely contained but Boney merely rubbed his skull, unfazed by the reprimand.

"But how does this relate to you handling those trinkets-"

"Those weren't mere trinket's you buffon!" Chuck yelled, slapping Boney's head as something rattled within it making Zatanna laugh at this show.

"They were the tools for our masters' fortresses!" Chuck exclaimed, facepalming as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Huh?" Boney and Ricky echoed in unison, equally baffled.

"I apologize, Master. I know you intended to handle it yourself, but I simply couldn't stand idly by as your loyal servant," Chuck sighed helplessly, completely misinterpreting their confusion as he looked up at Ricky, who merely scratched his head.

"Uh, remind Boney what it is you did again." Ricky, playing along, pointed at Boney as Chuck nodded diligently.

"You see, back in our encounter with those humans, I-"

Chuck then launched into a detailed explanation of how he had completely misinterpreted Ricky's intentions.

At no point had Ricky even considered doing this, but the way his gaze had lingered on the passing prisoners made Chuck falsely assume he had plans to use their anti-magic items.

Instead of lounging around like Boney, Chuck took what he believed to be his master's subtle, if nonexistent, orders and began repurposing these items into anti-magic defensive devices.

In his mind, Ricky was consolidating his claim over the land by gathering houses as if they were castles, leading Chuck to assume that the anti-magic devices were meant for fortification.

He had gone too far, far beyond what anyone expected as even the women tuned in from the side, Chuck proudly revealed that he had installed these devices all over his castles within the mainland, with only Staten Island and Long Island left untouched, simply because he couldn't swim.

Ricky was somewhat shocked as he observed the extent of Chuck's work.

Somehow, this undead summon had managed to reconfigure the anti-magic devices into a functional network and even created a new controller that allowed anyone, mana or not, to operate them.

The original anti-magic devices were designed to suppress or negate magical abilities within a certain radius, typically activated by those who wielded mana.

However, Chuck had bypassed this limitation by modifying their energy flow, linking them together through a rudimentary but effective control system.

By repurposing various components, likely scavenged from different magical and mechanical sources, he had created a centralized device that interfaced with the anti-magic field.

Instead of requiring direct mana manipulation, the controller functioned through physical inputs, using levers, a dialed coded mechanism that could trigger the devices in sequence.

In essence, Chuck had unknowingly revolutionized how anti-magic defenses operated, making them accessible to even non-magical individuals.

This meant that Ricky, or anyone else, could now activate or deactivate the field at will without relying on a mage, giving them a distinct strategic advantage.

The only problem was that Chuck had not only stolen and repurposed all the available anti-magic devices, but he had also designed the system with a critical flaw, its complete reliance on a single, interconnected network.

If even one of the devices were destroyed, the entire system would collapse, rendering all of his efforts useless.

Chuck, in his enthusiasm, had unknowingly created a fragile web where each device was a crucial link.

Instead of operating independently, they were all synchronized to function as a collective whole.

"Woah," Ricky muttered, watching as Chuck placed the trigger into his hand.

From the side, Agatha's grip on her teacup tightened until it shattered in her grasp at a lost expression forming.

BAM

"HOW DID YOU EVEN GET THEM?!" Agatha shrieked, her voice laced with disbelief and fury, throwing her hands on the table while staring daggers at Chuck.

As far as she knew, her coven had confiscated every last anti-magic device for research and yet here they were, sitting in Ricky's hands like trinkets from a street vendor.

Chuck, unfazed, simply turned his head toward Boney who was looking at a passing bird.

Flashback

"Look over here! Look at me!" Boney bellowed, hopping up and down while juggling fourteen skeleton heads with expert precision.

The coven members, thoroughly mesmerized, gasped and clapped, their attention completely stolen by the absurdity of the display.

Meanwhile, Chuck inched his way behind them, eyes locked on the wheelbarrow they had carelessly set down.

Moving with the precision of a practiced thief, he reached out and scooped up an armful of small anti-magic devices before bolting into the tree line.

"TADA!" Boney cheered, tossing the skulls into the air and catching them in rapid succession, his performance hiding the crime in plain sight as claps resounded.

Flashback End

Back in the present, Agatha just blinked, staring at Chuck before her face crumbled into a furious expression as if she was ready to set the entire place on fire.

"You mean to tell me, that you stole them-" Agatha seethed, her voice dangerously low, since those anti magic devices were a very touchy subject in the coven.

"Used them, for my master's intended purposes." Chuck corrected, holding up a single bony finger.

"And you managed to do that because of mere juggling?" Agatha asked, her voice taut with exasperation, not at Chuck, but at the sheer incompetence of her coven for letting it happen.

Meanwhile, Raven sat off to the side, thoroughly entertained, a sly smile on her lips as she sipped her tea, enjoying the spectacle like it was a stage play crafted for her amusement.

"I get the whole anger toward Chuck, but you all gotta admit, that's pretty f*cking impressive," Ricky said, clapping his hands with an amused smirk.

Chuck, delighted by the praise, took an exaggerated bow, grinning like a performer basking in a standing ovation.

"Thank you master, I am only delighted that I could properly carry out your plan." Chuck humbly said, before turning his head upwards.

"But, if I may intrude into your grand scheme, am I to assume that I will be joining you on your expedition?" Chuck asked, desperately wanting to be by his master's side rather than cooped up in the basement.

"Uh, yeah, I'm taking all the undead guys, minus a couple that'll stay here and guard," Ricky said, surveying his forces as he left most of the uncommon ones buried in the yard, their dormant forms ready to rise against any intruders.

"Oh, oh, Master, take me!" Boney shouted, frantically waving his hand as Chuck face-planted in exasperation at this buffon.

"The only one not going is a certain undead because I have explicit plans for him." Ricky chuckled menacingly as the reason Frances wasn't here was precisely because of that.

"And there, finished!" Frances declared, wiping her forehead before stepping back to admire yet another portrait of Ricky.

Turning around, she glanced at the undead Dewey, scratching her head in confusion as she had no idea who, or what, this wraith truly was.

"I wonder why Ricky told me to order him to look at all my paintings?" Frances mused, looking at the scene briefly before turning back to her finished work.

The room was filled with dozens of portraits of Ricky, and Dewey stood before them all, forced to gaze upon each one for hours on end, a punishment for revealing Ricky's secrets to Dolly.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ricky let out his best supervillain laugh, cackling as Danielle clung worriedly to her father's leg, as if he had lost his mind.

"Johnny, Zatanna, we need to go." Agatha suddenly stood up, the veins on her forehead practically throbbing with frustration.

"But Mommy-" Zatanna immediately started to pout, her joyful smile souring in an instant

"No buts. Mommy needs to punish some of her co-workers." Agatha smiled wickedly, her tone sending a shiver down Johnny's spine.

Zatanna huffed, kicking a nearby pebble before reluctantly making her way toward the materializing purple portal.

"Okay," Zatanna muttered stubbornly before turning back to give Ricky a quick hug and then, without another word, she ran toward the portal.

"Johnny, Mommy really needs to hurt-I mean, talk, urgently." Agatha said with a laugh, quickly covering her slip-up.

Johnny hesitated for only a moment before grabbing his sword and dashing over to Agatha, waving goodbye to Moxie on the way.

"Bye, darling~" Agatha purred, her voice dripping with sensuality as she received a lazy, sleazy wave from Ricky.

But the moment her eyes flicked to the side, catching sight of Raven, she straightened up, smoothing her expression into one of composed politeness.

"Let's continue this another time," Agatha said properly, her tone cool and measured as Raven merely chuckled, setting down her teacup with an amused smirk.

"Yes, let's." Raven's eyes curved into crescent moons, locking onto Agatha with a knowing gaze.

Agatha gritted her teeth but said nothing, turning sharply before stepping into the portal since the only one to blame was herself, in her mind.

"Bye, Danny!" Zatanna called out, her exaggerated wave stretching toward Danielle, who smiled in return.

"Bye," Danielle replied softly, her warm expression lingering as Zatanna disappeared into the purple portal. She then lowered her gaze, fiddling with her fingers.

"Hey, you'll see her again," Ricky reassured her, leaning down.

Danielle looked up at him, her small hands reaching out, a silent request and upon taking the hint, Ricky scooped her up, holding her close.

"And you'll-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The neighbors next door screamed, interrupting Ricky's words as he simply sighed.

"Oh, my apologies, wrong house." A familiar voice sounded, turning to leave as the screaming continued before two pairs of horns stuck out.

Ricky watched patiently as the two-horned figure strode along the entire length of the fence before Asterion finally reached the door and opened it.

"Hello, all." Asterion greeted, correcting his previous mistake as he stepped into Ricky's backyard.

"I apologize for being late, but I saw the most beautiful rock I've ever seen, and I had to truly understand its beauty before I could move on," Asterion chuckled as his words instantly piqued everyone's curiosity as to what could possibly make a rock so beautiful.

"And I-wow, what a fascinating tree!" Asterion's attention drifted like the swaying leaves of the everbloom tree.

Its entire purpose was to utilize the items within Ricky's inventory and enhance his mastery of Chastiefol.

Mastery: 6→9%

'So close.'

For the rest of the day, the day of his departure, there wasn't any sort of grand strategy meeting or meticulous planning, just time.

Time that Ricky chose to spend with his family, the young Luciano family he was building.

The afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the estate as laughter echoed through the mansion grounds.

Danielle clung to his arm, her small hands wrapped tightly around his as she chattered about the stories she had been reading.

Ricky listened, half-smirking, watching the way her eyes lit up when she spoke.

Every now and then, she would pause, awaiting his reaction, and he made sure to nod in just the right moments, his presence alone enough to make her happy.

Sarah was play-fighting with Asterion, her laughter ringing through the air as she led the charge alongside Carmin and Moxie.

The trio attacked with playful ferocity, darting around the towering Minotaur, who humored them with exaggerated movements, pretending to stumble under their relentless assault.

Meanwhile, Bob continued his dance, completely lost in his own rhythm, twirling and stepping as if the world around him didn't exist.

Carmine, however, stood apart from the others, his gaze locked onto the everbloom tree as his hands traced the smooth bark.

Meanwhile, Irene sat beside him on the patio, absentmindedly fiddling with the edge of her dress, but adorning a happy smile while talking with Raven about this and that.

Further off, Alina and Maria were deep in conversation, laughing over something trivial yet meaningful in the way only newly forged friends could.

Even Azalea, who had once been so tense in the presence of these women, seemed to have settled into the environment as Stephanie had eased up at the departure of Agatha, though her eyes remained cautious.

It was a sight to take and Ricky took it all in.

These were his people, his women, his family and though power, wealth, and ambition drove him forward, in these rare moments, he allowed himself the indulgence of simply existing among them.

Evening crept in, painting the sky in shades of amber and violet, and still, there were no heavy discussions or pressing matters.

His children slowly departed, each walking alongside their mothers, their laughter and lingering excitement proof of the bonds that had been formed.

This gathering had not only been a day of play but a moment of revelation, siblings meeting for the first time, friendships taking root among them.

The connections forged here would last for decades, weaving a complex tapestry of loyalty, rivalry, and unbreakable ties across the vast Luciano family.

But right now, Ricky's expression was serious, his usual ease replaced with a quiet intensity as Alexander himself remained silent, his gaze fixed on a certain figure in the distance.

There was one last thing they needed to do before leaving, one final, unresolved matter that had been set aside for too long.

One thing that-

HUFF

HUFF

HUFF

The sounds of obesity quite literally shattered the fourth wall as Garfield, now weighing what looked to be four hundred pounds, waddled into Italiano's.

"It wasn't four hundred, but-"

Huff

Huff

"Give me a second~" Garfield heaved, holding his heart and sweating bullets after walking up literally three stairs.

"Jesus Christ, you're f*cking fat." Ricky exclaimed, staring at what could only be described as the result of animal cruelty.

For any normal person, this would be a shocking sight since even Alexander had never seen a cat as fat as Garfield in this moment.

"Garfield, I acknowledge your strength but you must know, that this will not be enough-" Asterion warned, watching Garfield lug his way over to him.

"It will be, all my training will have paid off!" Garfield roared in defiance, holding his head up and looking up at that tall mountain of a being that Asterion was.

"I, Garfield The Cosmic Cat, challenge you, Asterion, to an eating contest!" Garfield beckoned forward, watching Asterion slowly turn his gentle gaze into a serious one.

"I, Asterion, accept."

No other words except the subtle declaration of war between Asterion and Garfield need to be spoken because all that mattered was that it had already been accepted.

Their battlefield wasn't some grand coliseum, but a long wooden table, burdened with towering stacks of pizzas, their molten cheese bubbling like lava.

The scent of fresh-baked crust and rich tomato sauce filled the air, intoxicating and foreboding all at once.

Asterion rolled his shoulders, nostrils flaring as he cracked his knuckles.

Across from him, Garfield simply stretched, his lazy demeanor a carefully crafted deception.

His half-lidded eyes betrayed nothing, but Ricky, watching intently, could see it clearly just like anyone else.

The Cosmic Cat was ready.

Asterion didn't hesitate. He grabbed an entire pizza, folding it in half and shoving it into his mouth. His jaw worked with mechanical precision, devouring in a way that honored his beastly nature.

Garfield, in contrast, was unbothered. He lifted a slice with two fingers, flicking it into his mouth like a coin into a well. One bite. Gone. Another followed. His chewing was near-silent, eerily efficient.

The first pizza vanished in seconds, the second, and the third.

Ricky and the surrounding beings watched in stunned silence as the two warriors fell into rhythm, neither slowing, neither relenting.

Ricky was supposed to use this time to transition his undead from the basement, the Corpse Colossus slowly emerging from the swirling portal like a nightmare given form.

Yet, despite the monstrosity looming in the periphery, Ricky couldn't tear his eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before him.

"YEAH, ASTERION, KICK THAT LITTLE SH*T'S ASS-huh?" Ricky yelled, cheering Asterion on as he devoured each pizza slice, trying to match Garfield's speed.

But his excitement faltered as his eyes shifted to the side.

Johnny stood there, gripping Louis by the collar as the mutant child ducked his head in shame, avoiding Ricky's gaze.

Ricky side-eyed the event before heaving out a sigh, understanding something had happened.

Without a word, he gestured toward the side, signaling Johnny to bring Louis inside.

Then, turning away from the chaos of the pizza-eating contest, he walked toward an isolated room, waiting for Johnny to escort the boy in.

"What's wrong, did this kid kill someone or something?" Ricky asked, eyeing the grave expression on Johnny's face as he nudged Louis forward.

"Yeah, my trust," Johnny hissed, shoving Louis toward Ricky like he was tossing him to the wolves.

Louis stood there, small and cornered, Ricky's curious yet piercing gaze weighing heavy on him and slowly, hesitantly, he looked up.

"Boss, there's something I-"

"YOU DON'T HAVE THE F*CKING RIGHT TO CALL HIM THAT!" Johnny roared, raising his hand to slap Louis but Ricky caught his wrist before he could land the hit.

"Kid, out with it, why are you here?" Ricky's tone was steady, but his gaze bore down on Louis like a weight as the child ducked his head, his small frame trembling.

It was true that the runners had been making strides, but within the core of the mutant kids, there remained a subtle connection, an invisible thread leading back to someone always lurking in the shadows.

"I've been spying for Elias, boss."

"COME ON, GARFIELD! YOU MUST WANT VICTORY MORE THAN YOU WANT YOUR LIFE!" Alexander roared, cheering on his fellow familiar-in-arms as Garfield stuffed four slices of pizza into his face.

"YOU CANNOT SLOW DOWN! MOMENTUM IS WHAT DEFINES A FIGHT, A BATTLE, A RIVALRY! AND YOU MUST TAKE HOLD OF IT! YOU MUST EMBRACE IT! IT MUST CONSUME YOU BEFORE YOU CONSUME IT!" Alexander bellowed, his voice a rallying cry of pure conviction.

Garfield's eyes watered, whether from sheer determination or the overwhelming mass of cheese and grease clogging his senses but still, he chewed.

His jaw ached, his stomach screamed for mercy, yet he refused to falter.

Across from him, Asterion remained an immovable force, a minotaur of sheer will and boundless appetite.

His massive hands moved with practiced efficiency, folding entire slices into his mouth as if they were mere scraps.

Not a single crumb was wasted and each bite was a declaration of dominance, a testament to his unyielding might.

Meanwhile Garfield's paws trembled as he reached for another slice, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

His once-proud slothful nature had been replaced with desperation, a realization that he was no longer the predator, but the prey.

Even after all his so-called training, the countless nights spent honing his stomach, Asterion's seemed endless.

His heart pounded as he forced himself to keep pace, but Asterion, unfazed and unrelenting, continued to devour with godlike precision.

The room blurred around Garfield, his vision swimming as cheese-laden regret weighed down his very soul.

The grease, once his greatest ally, had turned against him, settling deep into his core like an anchor dragging him to the abyss.

With one final attempt, he lifted a slice to his mouth, but his body betrayed him as his grip faltered, the pizza slipping from his trembling paw and plopping unceremoniously onto the table and a deafening silence fell over the room.

Asterion, still chewing, simply watched and then, with the slow, merciless certainty of fate itself, he reached for another slice and devoured it whole.

Garfield huffed, his mouth still full of unchewed pizza, and reached out for another slice as his paw trembled, muscles barely responding, but he refused to surrender.

Victory was just one bite away, one more greasy, cheese-drenched bite away.

But before he could grasp it, a firm weight pressed down on his furry paw.

"It's over." Chester said, his voice devoid of mockery or gloating, only the cold, absolute finality of truth.

Garfield's world blurred, his ears rang, his mind, once a fortress of stubborn food-riddled defiance, cracked under the weight of those two simple words as his body followed suit.

With a defeated wheeze, he slumped forward, his face smacking into the table with a dull thud as the pizza slice slipped from his grip, landing in front of him as if mocking his failure.

The room was silent.

Asterion, having long since devoured his final slice, folded his arms and exhaled through his nose like a victorious gladiator.

"It was well fought and for that, I acknowledge your stomach, oh Garfield the Cosmic Cat," Asterion nodded, recognizing his victory but honoring all of Garfield's hard-fought effort.

Alexander, once a fervent cheerleader, now stood in quiet respect, bowing his head at the fallen warrior.

"Rest how, gluttonous one. You fought well." Alexander paid his respects, for a hard-earned fight came in many forms.

Though he had never taken part in a battle of such indulgence, he still acknowledged Garfield's dedication.

Sniff

Sniff

Behind Garfield's defeat, the quiet sniffles of Louis rang out as Johnny guided him forward, his face tight with displeasure, but he bore it nonetheless, his boss's orders were absolute.

So much was going on, yet Ricky barely had time to process any of it, Garfield's downfall, Louis's trembling confession, Johnny's simmering anger, it all blurred together, drowned out by the weight of what came next.

Because now, it was time to depart.

"Guys, let's go, it's time." Ricky gestured, opening a portal as the others nodded while Alexander patted Garfiled's unconscious head.

"Finally, the war is afoot!" Alexander charged forward, the first to scurry toward the portal, with Bucephalus galloping close behind.

The undead who had gathered from the basement, Boney and Chuck, hurriedly sprinted into the portal, as if even a moment's hesitation would doom them to be left behind.

Meanwhile, the Corpse Colossus sluggishly dragged itself forward, its massive form heaving as it forced its way through.

Asterion followed next, pausing to wave goodbye to Chester before stepping through and Ricky lingered for a moment, glancing back at him.

"You know what to do-"

"Yes, I've done my part." Chester nodded, recalling Ricky's warning about the traitor and his own efforts to uncover the truth.

"And can you handle-...that?" Ricky gestured vaguely at the unmoving mass of fur and fat that was Garfield, unable to put it into words as Chester let out a sigh before giving a solemn nod of his beak.

Sigh

"Yes."

Meanwhile at a particular designated meeting spot,

At the very first stroke of midnight, witches and warlocks found themselves abruptly summoned, their senses heightened with caution.

An emergency order had been issued, Agatha's command was absolute, demanding their immediate presence without explanation.

The air buzzed with unease as spellcasters arrived in disarray, some barely dressed, still shaking off the haze of interrupted sleep.

Amidst the tension, Eldric and Cedric exchanged words in a lighter manner, their voices a rare pocket of ease in the charged atmosphere.

Yet, a glint of unawareness lingered in their eyes as they, too, had no idea what was coming.

CLAP

Ricky suddenly clapped his hands, snapping everyone's attention away from their hushed whispers.

The coven members who had conscripted for the upcoming battle turned as he stepped out of a portal, flanked by a towering minotaur, a regal horse, and a gerbil perched smugly on his shoulder.

"Alright, who's ready to leave for Camelot to kick Merlyn's ass!" Ricky laughed, glancing around at the coven members who stood in dead silence, exchanging uncertain looks as if waiting for the punchline.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that, Ricky?" Cedric laughed, thinking it was some sort of joke as the other coven members chuckled along, sharing the same assumption.

"I said, we're leaving right now for Otherworld, like, at this very second." Ricky repeated, spreading his arms as the portal behind him sealed shut only for another to tear open, revealing their next destination.

"....."

The laughter and murmurs died instantly at his serious expression, their expression flicking akin to a torchlight as long shadows of uncertainty casted over the gathered witches and warlocks, their expressions shifting from amusement to grim realization.

"You're actually serious?" Eldric finally spoke up, his usual composed demeanor wavering.

"We're actually storming Camelot as of this moment?" Eldric asked in disbelief, glancing around as if trying to gauge whether Ricky was truly serious.

"Well, no, 'cause to get to Camelot, you gotta go through this stupid portal somewhere in England." Ricky clarified, crossing his arms at the reason why Morgana wasn't here at this moment.

Rather than bringing her vessel along, Ricky had stationed her here to serve as an interdimensional relay, a makeshift phone for communication when he reached her true body.

The arrangement greatly displeased her, but the fact that he was finally heading towards Otherworld was enough to ease Morgana's frustration, at least for now.

"So instead, we're stopping at Dracula's castle for the night before heading out." Ricky gestured toward the swirling portal behind him.

The coven members exchanged baffled glances, some scratching their heads, others muttering amongst themselves.

"Dracula? But I thought you killed him-" Cedric echoed the confusion, looking at Ricky who faced palmed at this obvious statement.

"I did but I ended up boning his daughter so-ugh, just get in the f*cking portal." Ricky grunted, gesturing towards the portal once more but Eldric shook his head.

"Why in the hell are we stopping there?" Eldric pinched the bridge of his nose, seemingly missing something as Ricky dragged his hand down his face.

"Because it's on the way and I'm not about to march into Camelot or Otherworld or both sleep-deprived. Merlyn's a pain in the ass on a full night's rest, I'd rather not face him or whatever the hell this Otherworld dimension has while half-dead from exhaustion." Ricky said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, once again gesturing towards the portal.

"And I don't have time for second-guessing so if you're in, step forward. If not, get the f*ck out of the way." Ricky suddenly said before another one could speak up, gesturing his head towards the portal.

All the witches and warlocks hesitated, their unease palpable as they had been under the impression that the invasion was still a month away, only for Ricky to upend their expectations, revealing it was happening right now.

Murmurs spread among them, some shifting uncomfortably, others furrowing their brows in frustration but amidst the uncertainty, one figure stepped forward.

Dexter.

His jaw was set, his fists clenched at his sides as he wasn't thinking about strategy, or how absurd it was to follow Ricky's whims without warning.

All he saw when he looked into that swirling green portal was the hope of laying his little brother to rest.

Without a word, he stepped toward the portal.

Then, as if it was the domino effect, one by one, the witches and warlocks followed.

The hesitation lingered for only a moment longer before resolve hardened in their eyes.

Each of them had their own reasons, revenge, duty, ambition, but in the end, they all stepped forward.

The hushed whispers died out, replaced by the sound of boots against stone as the coven marched toward the portal, leaving behind whatever doubts they had.

Cedric and Eldric both gazed at each other before nodding, walking forward behind their coven until Ricky was the last one.

With a final glance back, he stepped through the portal himself, leading the charge into the unknown.

"It took you long enough."

Before Ricky and the coven's eyes, Lilith sat upon her throne, her gaze sharp and expectant, as if she had foreseen their arrival long before they even stepped through the portal.

The air in the throne room hung heavy with an eerie stillness, the flickering torches casting elongated shadows along the cold stone walls.

"I know, I know-what?" Ricky started, expecting Lilith to demand an explanation for his presence, only for her raised eyebrow to throw him off.

"Don't play dumb, I know you were stalling after hearing my message." Lilith purred, resting a hand on her stomach.

Ricky's gaze flickered downward before snapping back to her face, confusion tightening his features.

"Lilith, what are you talking about?" Ricky asked, glancing around at the coven members, all of whom looked increasingly uncomfortable as his eyes landed on Asterion.

"You know what she's talking about?" Ricky asked, his tone edging toward impatience as he turned to the minotaur, then the gerbil, and finally the horse, who merely huffed through his nose.

"I'm talking about my message, the one I sent my servants, Bonnie and Clyde, to deliver," Lilith said, her eyebrow twitching but despite her suspicions, Ricky's confusion didn't seem like an act.

"I still don't know what's going on and I was supposed to be the one surprising you," Ricky muttered, furrowing his brows.

Lilith, however, only sighed in exasperation, her fingers tightening against the armrest of her throne as she scrunched her brow, knowing those two must be up to their shenanigans again.

"The message that informed you of my pregnancy."

Meanwhile in Bienville Parish, Louisiana,

The morning was eerily still, the dense Louisiana forest humming with insects and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures.

Bonnie and Clyde, having spent the day on the run, were in their stolen Ford, unaware that this would be their final ride.

Unbeknownst to them, a posse of Texas and Louisiana lawmen, led by former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, had tracked them for months, studying their patterns, anticipating their next move.

The sun had barely set when they heard the faint roar of an approaching engine.

But unaware and hidden in the bushes along the roadside, the posse of six officers gripped their rifles, their breaths held in silent anticipation.

Dust kicked up from the dirt road as Clyde's Ford crested the hill, the car moving at an easy pace.

Inside, Clyde had one hand on the wheel, the other resting lazily on the leg of his darling Bonnie, curled up beside him.

"Hey Clyde." Bonnie, wiping her lips with a tinge of fang appearing, asked Clyde who smirked.

"Yeah, darling?" Clyde asked, winking at her as she giggled before cozying up to him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"I just remembered that we-"

BANG

Suddenly, before Clyde could react, the thunder of gunfire erupted from the treeline as a bullet shattered the windshield, striking Clyde in the head.

His foot jerked against the gas pedal, but the car never got the chance to surge forward.

The second round of gunfire tore through the vehicle, riddling Bonnie and Clyde with bullets before either could draw their weapons.

In the matter of minutes, the air reeked of gunpowder and blood.

By the time the smoke cleared, the car was a mangled husk of bullets, its doors blown open, its windows spider-webbed with bullet holes.

In it, Bonnie and Clyde's lifeless bodies slumped against each other, their final moments spent together as they always had been.

The lawmen approached cautiously, their rifles still raised as Frank Hamer took in the scene, his expression unreadable.

The outlaws were finally dead, their reign of crime ended in a hailstorm of bullets.

Except they weren't.

Suddenly, without warning, the two littered bodies of Bonnie and Clyde had their eyes snap open, scaring the officer but before they could pull the trigger, the two bared their fangs and lunged at them.

"What in the-"

Before he could finish, Clyde moved first as his once-limp body surged forward with inhuman speed, his mouth parting to reveal glistening fangs.

Bonnie followed, her head snapping up, eyes glowing with a predatory hunger.

The officers had no time to react.

Clyde lunged from the car, his hand closing around a deputy's throat with a vice-like grip, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.

The man kicked and sputtered, but Clyde only grinned, his teeth, now sharp as daggers, sinking into the flesh beneath his jaw.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

BANG

Bonnie moved with equal swiftness, twisting out of the vehicle in a blur as a shotgun fired, the blast hitting her square in the chest.

But this time, Bonnie stopped pretending as she barely flinched and instead, she turned toward the shooter, a Louisiana officer whose face drained of color as she locked onto him.

"You shouldn't have done that, sugar~" Bonnie purred, licking her red lips before launching herself at him.

What was supposed to be their carefully laid trap now turning into a massacre as bullets were fired, but they did nothing.

The legendary outlaws, who had been cut down in their prime, were now something else entirely.

By the time the sun fully crested the Louisiana horizon, the dusty road was painted in red, and Bonnie and Clyde stood among the wreckage, licking the last remnants of blood from their lips.

"Oh shoot~" Bonnie suddenly realized, kicking up some dust in a huff as Clyde, seeing his baby acting like this, knew she was frustrated about something.

"What's the matter, darling? "Clyde asked, throwing the drained husk of the officer away as he tentatively walked over to Bonnie who eagerly turned to him with a guilty expression.

"I just remembered, we forgot to tell that Slick fella that the Mistress is pregnant!"

Author's Note: I got way to into it when writing and really made this chap long but anyways, hope you enjoyed.