Gravity Rises (S3)

CW: Part Ten

Content warning: This chapter, Part Ten, through Part Thirteen contain violence and bodily harm.

"Enter," said Lord Cipher.

Marcus opened the door, then bowed deeply. "Everything is in place, my lord. Do you have any ideas about when the Symbols are coming?"

"Right now," Cipher said. He sat on the carpet with his legs folded. "I can feel them. They just left the Mystery Museum."

Marcus was surprised, though he shouldn't have been. Of course Lord Cipher could feel his Symbols. They were connected to him. Especially after the spell two days ago.

"Are you sure everything is ready?" asked Cipher. "All the spells, all the traps?"

"I checked myself, my lord. They are ready."

"Good. Then I would like you to go, give everyone a final reminder of my instructions, and return here."

"Yes, my lord."

"No one touches the Symbols," Cipher said, giving the reminder that Marcus was to pass on. "They're mine. But you can do whatever you'd like to the others. Some of your traps are designed to hinder, and others to kill, is that correct?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Cause as much chaos as you can. But don't get in the way of the Symbols. Separate them from their companions, but don't stop them."

"It will be as you say, my lord."

Cipher nodded. "Go and tell the others."

Marcus bowed again. Then he left, closing the door behind him and mentally charting his route through the Manor to safely reach his fellow servants without triggering any traps.

It was almost time. The Symbols and their magical friends were on the way.

Marcus allowed himself a small smile.

They would be right where Cipher wanted them.

~~~~~

Sitting behind Dipper on the hippogriff, Mabel couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't more scared.

Oh, she was scared. Terrified, even. But it wasn't the terror of being possessed by Bill. It wasn't the blind panic of being captured and almost killed by Pacifica. This experience — traveling to the Manor for a final battle with Bill — it somehow wasn't the scariest thing she'd been through this winter. In fact, she almost felt. . . calm.

Maybe calm wasn't the right word. She couldn't be scared and calm at the same time, could she? But. . . oh, she didn't know. She was still tired from the disaster two days ago, and she was definitely scared, but she also had. . . this strange energy, this determination.

This was it. They were going to confront Bill, get him out of Lee's body with some type of magic, and defeat him.

It had to be today. They had to get to Bill.

The other Symbols seemed to be thinking the same thing. Nobody, not even Melody, had protested when Mabel had come down from the attic despite her exhaustion and gotten on the hippogriff with her brother. Gideon and Pacifica had explained yesterday that the Symbols were magically connected and couldn't physically be too far away from each other, so that meant all ten of them were going to the Manor. They all needed to be there; Mabel just knew it.

The hippogriff landed near the Manor, and Mabel and Dipper got off and joined their group. It was the smallest — the Symbols, Andrew, Enoch, two other minotaurs, a few dryads, and a few hamadryads — but for now it would stay with the bigger group on the west side of the Manor. Only later would the smaller group break off and go after Bill.