"I wish we could stay longer," Stell told Happy and Serena as her group got themselves ready to leave, "it was great seeing you all again, I thought we'd never get to see one another again."

"Just remember dear, you're always welcomed to our home," Selena smiled, "you always have a family waiting for you here."

"And you get that book and show it who's boss!" Happy encouraged with a thumbs up.

"Make this family actually cool for once," Brian rolled his eyes.

"And tell us everything about what happens!" Hopper exclaimed.

"Tell us all about the fighting!" Topper demanded.

Stell chuckled at the twins' demands. "I promise, I'll tell you all about my adventures when I come back. I'll also make you some cake while I'm at it as well."

Hopper and Topper shared an excited look before cheering about being able to listen to daring stories and eat cake. Stell hugged them all one last time, Brian not as enthusiastically as the others, and went off to rejoin her group. On Reuben's back was a big bag of beer and meat, Alia eying it in disgust. Carla looked like she was more dead than undead as she suffered the consequences of a hangover from last night. Tak and Unie, however, looked completely awake and ready to continue with their trip. Both Kabuto and Tianlong looked just as ready, though not as enthusiastically as the children.

Reuben led the way onward, his bag making clacking and slapping sounds as he walked. After a few more miles from Happy's village, a hole opened up at the bottom of the bag and the contents began to spill out, leaving a trail behind him. Kabuto ended up stepping on a piece of meat, making the shadow scowl at a oblivious Reuben. Farkas, however, enjoyed himself and began eating up the meat that fell out while Harry jumped to lick up the liquor.

Thorne snatched up her immediately enamored hare and placed him limply on her shoulder. Soon Farkas began to suffer his gluttony and began to slow in following with everyone else. It finally came to a point where Alia snatched Reuben's bag, hit him with it, and then turned it to dust in her hand. Reuben complained about not having anything to eat or drink at the mountain while they waited for Stell to get the book.

"Wait," Stell spoke, "you're not going into the mountain with me? I thought you wanted to see the Grimorie."

"Oh, I do," Reuben admitted with a nod, "but this is your mission now and the Grimorie chose you, so it's only right you're the only one to go in and get it."

"I only knew about it because you took me with you to see Wendy," Stell told the necromancer, becoming slightly annoyed. "If you had just taken me home when I asked you for help, we probably wouldn't be here right now. The only reason I'm going to get the Grimorie was because I didn't have any another choice but to go with you to meet Wendy."

"Well, I'm sorry if you regret the journey you were able to take after being cooped up in a dark castle for three years and making some friends," Reuben responded condescendingly, "but I guess if you're not having fun and meeting new people isn't your thing, I suppose you could go back to your Uncle Happy and not meet your destiny."

"Don't be a jack ass, Reuben!" Alia shot, smacking her superior over the head.

"He does have a point though," Thorne pointed out, "why are you still going to get the Grimorie if you just wanted to go home and that being the end of it?"

Stell looked to the younger girl, unsure of how to answer. She didn't want to get the Grimorie, nor had she ever heard of it before all this. She just wanted to go home and put all of what happened to her back in Kespain. She had met some amazing people on her way back to Sefloria, but what were the odds she'd meet them anyway? What were the odds she'd run into Reuben only to meet Wendy and be told she was the new keeper of the Grimorie? Why was any of this happening? Not just the Grimorie, but why was she the one the Mallors kidnapped? There were plenty of full-blooded witches in Sefloria, so why was she singled out? She wasn't even all witch. Her father was human.

Stell then remembered what Selena had said about her father. Even though he was just as frightened and cautious as Stell, he still devoted himself to Stell's mother. Despite Luna being a carefree witch, Jack chose her to spend the rest of his life with. It was because he faced his fears that Stell was able to be born. He had found his own adventure in Luna. Now it seemed Stell needed to find her own in the Grimorie, even if was just a dusty old book.

The tugging of Stell's skirt made her look down at Tak and Unie, who both looked up at her worryingly.

"You don't regret meeting us," Unie asked, "do you?"

Stell blinked before smiling down at the children. "Of course I don't," she soothed, patting both their heads, "I don't regret a single moment knowing either of you. I was just nervous about going into the mountain alone. But Reuben is right. This is my mission now and I'm the one the Grimorie wants, so if I go in there alone at least I'll come having faced what I was meant to do."

Almost there... Save me...

Stell suddenly flinched as an aching in her head stung her from out of nowhere. It faded quickly, but it still took her off guard.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked.

"I'm fine," Stell assured, "we should keep going before it gets too dark."

"Shall we fly now then?" Tianlong asked.

Tak and Unie looked up at Stell hopefully, clasping their hands together in a pleading manner. When the witch nodded, the children cheered happily as Tianlong went to stand back from everyone before transforming back into his true self.

"Much better," the dragon sighed, flapping his wings mightily, "I could feel myself becoming more human by the minute. I couldn't imagine a worser fate."

Stell climbed on to Tianlong's back, helping Tak and Unie up with her as Reuben, Thorne, and Alia climbed up with Harry and Farkas in their arms. Carla followed after, making sure to hold on to her hat and her exposed arms shaded from the sun. Kabuto went on to use his shadow as wings over riding the back of a dragon and lifted himself off the ground with the flapping of wings.

Save me... Almost there... Getting stronger...

Another splitting headache made Stell flinch again, but it vanished just as sudden as it had appeared. She thought she had heard a voice whispering in her head, but no one around her seemed to have said anything to her. It sent a chill down her spine, but she kept the experience to herself. She had worried everyone enough already.

"Hey, master," Tak called to Kabuto over the beating of Tianlong's wings, "have you ever raced a dragon?"

"Thankfully not," Kabuto called back, "I can only imagine what Tianlong will do when I beat him to the mountain."

"What makes you think a puny, insignificant bug like you can beat me in a race?" Tianlong snarled at Kabuto. "What makes you think you could beat any dragon?"

"Basic science actually," Kabuto smiled mischievously, "I'm puny and small, meaning I have less weights slowing my body down. You, however, are huge and bulky, not to mention you have tons added to you with all these people on your back, making you slower than my lesser massed body."

"I could fly faster than a weightless little insect like you," Tianlong growled sharply, "even with all these creatures on me!"

"Uh, Kabuto, shut up," Stell shook, not liking where any of this banter was headed, nor did Alia, Farkas, and Harry seem to either.

Kabuto ignored the witch and worried looks of Alia and the Familiars. "Well, why don't you prove it?" the shadow tempted. "You know, unless you're scared?"

Stell could feel Tianlong's scales heat up below her. She wrapped her arms around Tak and Unie and gripped on to the dragon's scales in front of them.

"Me?" Tianlong boomed furiously. "Dragons don't fear anything! You want me prove it? I'll have you literally eating my dust!"

"I like this!" Reuben beamed from behind a shaking Stell. "My money's on the shadow!"

"Shut up, Shadowsoul," Kabuto demanded, immediately silencing the necromancer. He returned his roguish green glare back to Tianlong. "Alright dragon, let's see how fast you really are!"

The shadow then zipped off as quick as he could, leaving behind the dragon who growled after him. Stell then held on even tighter to Tianlong's scales, keeping Tak and Unie close to his body as well to keep from them slipping through her grasp as the dragon raced after Kabuto.

After preparing his wings and flapping them harshly, Tianlong blasted off after Kabuto. The gusts of wind blew greatly against Stell's body and she could feel her grip on the scales in her hand unconsciously tighten. Tak and Unie ducked their heads down, their bodies making Stell's strength harder to hold on for dear life. She could hear the frightened screams and excited cries of the others behind her. The sound of Reuben's excited shouts soon faded and were replaced with frightened screams further behind Stell.

She looked back to see the older necromancer holding on to Tianlong's tail for dear life while Alia held on to Tianlong's back with one hand while the other held onto Farkas. Thorne held on to Alia's waist while Harry held on to Thorne's waist. Carla screamed fearfully as she held on to Tianlong's scales while trying to keep her hat on and skin protected from the sunlight.

Kabuto soon returned to Tianlong's side after only three flaps of the dragon's wings. The shadow looked to the dragon in shock before pushing himself harder to stay ahead.

Stell felt tears stream from her eyes as Tianlong flew even faster. Why did Kabuto have to provoke the crazy dragon? He didn't realize how prideful his kind were after knowing him this long? Why was it men who needed to prove something? Alabaster wanted shadows to be feared, Arlin wanted to show Stell how "manly" he was when she was being punished, and now Kabuto wanted to prove he could be faster than a dragon while Tianlong wanted to show off a dragon's skills. Stell couldn't imagine herself wanting to prove she was better than anyone, especially when she wasn't better than anyone in any regard.

Though, she was able to have a Silver Dream even at her skill level and was the chosen bookkeeper of the Grimorie. Maybe she did have something to brag about, but she doubt she'd do it to prove a point. Unless if it was to show Kabuto or any shadow how much stronger she was. Perhaps she wasn't any different from the racing beasts.

"There's the mountain, shadow!" Tianlong roared over the piercing wind. "You may as well give up, because I'm going to reach it before you will!"

"I seriously doubt it," Kabuto laughed back, "you limp salamander!"

With a furious roar and his body heating up more, Tianlong pushed himself even faster onward, Kabuto getting further down from the dragon's head.

Stell carefully pushed herself up slightly to look over Tianlong's head and saw the ominous sight of the Midnight Mountain. Clouds hung low and darkly over the top where she could see the entrance to a cave. All around it and at the bottom were bright, white boulders floating off the ground, illuminating around the mountain's exterior like the moon in the night sky. In the light of the sun that peaked through the clouds, Stell could see the mountain sparkle silver against the rocks like stars. It was surprisingly beautiful. Stell had thought she'd be frightened to see the mountain, but now looking at it for the first time, she couldn't wait to explore it.

The sudden screeching to a halt of Tianlong near the mountain's face woke Stell from her trance. She looked around to see the dragon and Kabuto had stopped when the mountain was no more than a feet before them.

"Who won?" Tak asked dizzily, poking his head out from below Stell. The witch gently released her grip from Tianlong, allowing the fire mage and Unie to look around them. From behind, Stell could hear Reuben pull himself back on Tianlong's back as Alia, Thorne, Farkas, Harry, and Carla straightened themselves up.

"Tie," Kabuto responded breathlessly.

"Bull shit!" Tianlong hissed.

"Not now!" Stell demanded. "Let me down so I can go in." she just wanted to get this over with and calm her nerves before she changed her mind.

"Hold on," replied Tianlong impatiently, "I'm going to land on the ground. If you recall, this place is possibly hexed and I'd rather not be turned into a mouse or dust from touching these rocks."

The dragon lowered himself down until his claws touched the ground. Lowering his body to the ground, the others jumped off of him and to the ground below. Kabuto lowered himself down and returned his wings to their flat shadow state below him.

Stell slowly made her way up to stand in front of the bottom of the mountain, clutching her locket in her hand. She continued to tell herself that there was nothing to be afraid of as she looked up to the top of the mountain. It shouldn't take her too long to reach the cave. She just needed to be careful not to slip and fall to her tragic end.

"Welp," Reuben's voice blurted from right next to Stell, making her jump, "Stell ain't gonna get the book from just standing here!"

The necromancer made his way closer to the mountain and reached out his hand to touch it, but slowed his movements as his skin almost made contact with the mountain. Just as he was about to make contact, he jumped behind Stell and pushed her ahead of him.

"You know what, it's your book," Reuben smiled, "you should be the first to go up the mountain!"

Stell glared up at the older man before looking back to the mountain and reaching her hand out to touch it. A strange, vibrating came off the rocks and down her body. She could feel her magic curdle in her veins as she inched closer. The feeling grew more and more with each careful step Stell took.

Nearer... Closer... Stronger...

Pain ran from her head to her feet as she inched closer to the mountain. The voice from earlier seemed louder and more defined. Her head ached and it felt like daggers were being driven through her flesh, but she went on, ignoring the pain.

Just as her skin touched the cool stone of the mountain, a powerful shock ran through her body, replacing the pain. The mountain glowed a beautiful blue light that spread across everyone at the bottom, a mix of warm and cool air blasting around them.

When the light faded, Stell felt different than when she first saw the mountain. When she took her hand back, she looked up at the looming hill and suddenly felt terrified to go up it and into the cave to get the Grimorie. She wasn't sure what it would do when she touched it if this was how the mountain greeted her.

Save me...

She shook her head and regained her courage. She made it this far, backing out now would be a huge waste of her and everyone else's time.

"I'll be right back," Stell nodded to her group before beginning to climb up the mountain, grabbing a jutting out piece of rock and placing her foot on another closer to the ground.

"Wait," Stell froze at Kabuto's words and turned to see him walk up. "I'm going with you." the shadow put.

"What?" replied Stell, shocked. "But this is my mission, you don't have to-"

"I don't have to," Kabuto interrupted, "but I want to. If it's true that this mountain is hexed then there could be dangerous things in there and you can't go wasting your magic and dying up in there. It would make this whole trip worthless... Other than getting the chance to race a dragon, that was all worthwhile."

"If master's going, I wanna go too!" Tak ran up determinedly.

"And if he's going I'm going!" Unie shot. "He's not getting to see something cool until I get to!"

"Well, fuck it," Carla stepped up, "I'm not staying out in this sun infested outside! Let's go in the spooky cave!"

Tianlong shrugged from behind and went to join the others, flapping his wings roughly. The necromancers stayed where they were, sharing a look and looking back to the others.

"Guys," Stell began as she returned to the ground, "I think it's really sweet that you want to help me, but if something were to happen to you-"

"At least it'll happen to us together," Carla interrupted, placing a hand on Stell's shoulder. "I promised you'd be under Night Raider protection and I'm delivering even if it kills me! Besides, I can use my hearing, echolocation, and mind reading to know when someone is getting ready to attack!"

"And I can use my fire to light the way!" Tak exclaimed proudly as he snapped his fingers to not even get a spark. He tried again and flailed his hand, but nothing happened. "I can beat up the dark!"

"And even if there's no treasure in there, I want to go home with at least a cool adventure to tell!" Unie jumped. "No one in my town has ever seen a witch be made an official bookkeeper!"

"I've come too far from home to just stand out here and wait," Tianlong spat, "also, I don't like the necromancer."

Reuben looked up from wiping his staff with a gray rag before shrugging and returned to his cleaning. Alia and Thorne glared at their superior before shaking their heads and petting their Familiars.

Stell then looked to Kabuto for what he could contribute to their trek through the cave to the book. She knew he wanted to go because if she died he would've come here for nothing, but there had to be something more to it. They were at a truce, yes, but he was still a shadow. Why would he want to go near anything with witchcraft written all over it?

The shadow noticed Stell looking at him and he immediately looked away, hiding the red threatening to reveal itself on his face.

"W-We should get to climbing before it gets too late," said Kabuto quickly as  he sped walked to begin climbing up the mountain.

Tianlong then snatched Kabuto off the side of the mountain, lifting him up to his snout. "I don't climb mortal mountains." the dragon then grabbed the others who wanted to go and flew up to where the cave was and landed on the ledge that jutted out. He set everyone down and turned himself into his human form to fit into the cave.

Stell went to stand at the entrance and looked into the dark, lightless cave.

Save me...

The pain was worse and the terrifying feeling of foreboding was stronger, but she wasn't backing out now. Especially when she had friends going with her.

"Are you afraid?" Kabuto asked, walking up to stand beside her.

"Terrified." Stell replied simply before making her way to take her first steps into the cave to the book.