Murderous

A Lot to Think About

Stolas exited Blitzo's office and closed the door behind him. He had a saddened look on his face, one Octavia noticed immediately. She stepped forward. Loona stayed back, looking nervous. 

Octavia: How'd it go? 

Stolas: I have a lot to think about. Hopefully, we both do.

Loona then stepped forward with her arms crossed and an awkward smile.

Loona: Uh, hey! I'm Loona, I'm the one who sh- I mean... I'm a friend, well acquaintance, more like... Uh, fuck. 

Stolas: You're Loona. His adopted daughter. I remember you.

Loona: Yeah, sorry I didn't talk to you sooner. It's just I'm really fucking embarrassed after that whole incident. 

Stolas: Look. One hundred percent honest here. I forgive you. It was an accident. You have no true malice towards Octavia, that's what matters. And I see you two are getting along. 

Octavia: We've actually got a lot in common. Loona's managed to get me into punk rock.

Stolas: That's nice to hear.

Stolas let out a sigh.

Stolas: Now I have to check in with the other Goetias and see if they're alright.

Moxxie: Excuse me, your majesty? 

Stolas looked down to his right at the small, well mannered, imp. He didn't see him there before. 

Moxxie: Blitz shot all our tv sets, long story, but Millie and I managed to find an old radio. The news is saying troops stormed into your palace earlier.

Stolas: What? 

Moxxie: We couldn't keep a signal long enough, so we don't know the specifics. 

Stolas: Do you still have the radio? 

Moxxie: Yeah, Millie got a little rough with it and... smashed it into a thousand tiny pieces.

Stolas: No time to try and fix that. I need to figure out what's going on with the others as soon as possible. Thanks anyway, uh, Moxxie, was it? 

Moxxie: Yes, your majesty. We've met before. 

Stolas: Right. Loo Loo Land. And the living world. That's... Anyway.

Stolas turned his attention to Octavia again. Moxxie stepped away quietly. 

Stolas: I don't know how long this'll take. So if your mother wakes up while I'm preoccupied, try to keep her from killing anyone, okay? 

Octavia: I'll try my best. 

Stolas: Actually... 

Stolas opened his grimoire and held it with one hand. He then reached behind his back and returned it to view with, through some magick spell, a sheet of paper in it. He whispered words written in his book, and magickally they appeared on the paper. He let out one last breath and the writing on the paper glowed blue for a brief moment. 

Stolas: See if you can cast this on her. It should allow her to sleep more peacefully. 

Octavia took the paper and read the text.

Octavia: Yeah. Yeah, I can do this.

Octavia stepped over to her mother on the couch. 

Stolas: That's my girl. 

Loona was about to walk off, but she felt Stolas hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him questioningly. 

Stolas: You know how to read runic and cast spells too, don't you? 

Loona: Yeah, I can read runic. But I can't cast spells without your book. 

Stolas: Still, your abilities with magicks are far greater than anyone would expect from someone your age. 

Loona: And my social caste? 

Stolas: Y- yes. That too.

Stolas looked back over to Octavia, who was struggling with the spell on the paper.

Stolas: You should help her out.

Loona nodded lightly. As she turned around, Stolas spoke softly once more. 

Stolas: And... She needs a good friend. Now more than ever.

Loona didn't say anything, she just continued on her way. As Stolas left the room, she met with Octavia, still struggling with the paper. 

Loona: Having trouble? 

Octavia: I usually have a key sheet with me. I can't remember all the translations. Still, I think I could figure it out... eventually. 

Loona: Here. Let me see. 

Octavia handed the paper to Loona. The runes on it, she recognized immediately, but they didn't spell out anything. It was all gibberish. 

Stolas, before he left the precipice of the main waiting room, waved his hand lightly at his side, and smiled. 

Suddenly the runes shifted around. Loona could comprehend them now as words, but they didn't spell out a spell. Instead, the runes read out...

Stick together through the tormenting storm of change. 

Octavia: What does it say? 

Loona: It... 

The runes shifted again, now into an actual spell. It was a general purpose fever and headache remedial spell.

Loona: Yeah. This should work. Let me... 

Loona thought for a moment. 

Loona: Actually, maybe I could walk you through it.