The new Restaurant felt oddly nostalgic for the child, as he'd look on and see the newly made statues by Banshee. The Beldam, quick in seeing the child be distracted, lunged forward, as something would begin to escape from the fresh room. Harvard would set up his Mecha spell, turning his body to a sharp metal, his insides into cogs and wires, letting him tank the spiked hits and drags across the ever-expanding scene. The beast roared as she kept the pressure going, small hints of an aroma wafting in the air, one that was slowly powering the Beldam's body.
Criollo would be able to enter back in the scene and run across, using the serpent heads as platforms to jump off of, following the Witch, watching her. He could see Harvard's stunted eyes, the slit between widening, like a cat after dark. The Guard would give chase, as he'd see the Beldam grab the child by the throat, slamming him into the wall, following it up with a jab through his stomach with her tail, then a cross kick to dig him through the structure, brickwork falling at each push and prod. The boy would recall his moments after the invasion, once he got a better look of the heads, a familiar shape being made onto them.
When he was trying to recover from the shots he was dealt, the bullets extracted and the wounds cleaned and regenerated, Harvard would be tasked over to bed rest in order to stave off any excess damage. He disobeyed such orders the second night came, overhearing noises within Oaking's castle. He'd try to follow such noise, a barracks on the side. Cells lined up, both housing the criminals responsible, but also the monsters. A Bird's beak, with a snake's body. Chicken-like legs that are either injured or tagged, a number and letter indicated for each of them. Three eyes on each side of the unformed head, a blindfold placed in order to prevent their gaze from reaching out. Harvard watched through the entrance as to what the people were doing with the monsters; magnifying glasses to examine their skin, syringes for their blood, blankets to cover them for the cold that lingered outside. It wasn't until one of the people took in such creatures, seeing one of the prisoners on the opposite side threatening them. It wasn't until one of his own folks took off the blindfold and made the beast see the prisoner directly.
Immediately the blood ran cold, the prisoner's eyes dimming away from such light. Blood leaked out from his mouth and nose as he'd collapse on the ground, dead. The people checked on his pulse to properly document the cause of death, keeping the Basilisk from running around and staring at the locals with such a fate.
Basilisks.
They were aiming to kill the people in Oaking with their sight, exploiting their powers for invasion. "Jesus... Instantly, huh?" The man mumbled, as he'd place the blindfold back on and pet the Basilisk, letting it return to its family as he'd take such notes. Harvard would try to sneak around and try to meet with them, one as small as he was, whimpering. One of its legs were nearly pulled out, bandages being visible around it. Based around the larger beasts keeping watch, it was safe to assume this abuse wasn't by the people studying.
"Hi hi...! Are you okay?" The small child asked, trying to reach out and pet it. The beast was nervous, backing away, able to see through the fold to understand who was out there.
SHIKK!!
Right as he was about to remember, the Beldam struck again, stabbing straight into his body, oil leaking out as a result. Chains were casted to bind the Beldam down, flipping her body over to meet with one of the heads, the aroma starting to be more and more spread out amongst the restaurant. Criollo would follow up such binds by a heavy leap, coming down with an axe straight to her head, but the Beldam retaliated as quick as he drew his weapon. Her maw opened up slightly, just enough to dodge and catch the axe, letting her lower jaw open wider in order to bite off the Guard's legs. Before it could connect, the Card Magician casted a spell, a mine to lodge it straight into her mouth, before the boy would push the Cookie away, headbutting the explosive and following it up with an Illusion spell, trapping the Beldam in a photonegative vision.
KA-BOOM!!!
A massive blast, met further with the serpent heads activating upon such magic cast, a screech that matched the same energy output, trying to disorient everyone inside. For the Beldam, it was a nightmare, having her scurry back and create a few toys from outside, letting them crawl in through the newly made windows in order to protect her while she recuperates. For Criollo, he'd stumble and put himself out of harms way. For Harvard, he'd simply deafen his ears, letting the drums rupture, as he'd charge ahead and keep his attacks coming with his memory, his steel body bulldozing the few soldiers she was able to make.
The Basilisks would judge the small child, watching him come day after day, seeing him bring new gifts to them, new trinkets that they can play around with. It would slowly warm the beasts over, letting their curiosity feed them: Balls to poke and watch bounce against the cages. Dolls that were strong enough to handle their brute force, letting them tug and shake it like they were dogs. Most importantly, there were cards. A small deck of playing cards, one that allowed the basilisks to loom over and help Harvard whenever he was playing Solitaire, acting as his personal tutors to teach him what to do.
In a way, in exchange for giving them the need and attention, he was given the chance to learn from them. They became his new teachers. They became his first proper set of friends beyond the children in Oaking.