Thud! Thud! Thud!
An ice-blue water dragon crashed hard against the stone vines. The surging torrent of magic tore through several of them before its power faded and dissolved into mist.
The remaining pale stone vines shot forward, wrapping tightly around Gwen and suspending her helplessly in midair.
Hex gave a cold laugh, floating before her as he snatched the Charm of Luck from her chest.
"Now, no one can stop me!" he shouted, holding the pendant high like a priceless treasure, laughing wildly.
"Damn it..." Gwen gritted her teeth, struggling to break free, but the vines held fast.
Hex embedded the Charm of Luck into the Charms of Bezel hanging on his chest. All five Bezel Stones were complete.
Overcome with excitement, Hex drew out the Archamada Book of Spells. The pages fluttered as he chanted obscure incantations that echoed through the dark tunnels.
With his chanting, violent winds erupted around him, howling like unseen beasts ready to tear the place apart.
Whoosh! A powerful gust suddenly struck from behind.
Startled, Hex quickly activated his Charm of Levitation and shot away, narrowly avoiding the brutal blow.
"You're fast for a coward," Humungousaur snorted, lowering his fist.
At the same time, Four Arms and Grandpa Max rushed up beside him, facing Hex head-on.
Hex frowned. His incantation had been interrupted, and he couldn't unleash the full power of the Keystone of Bezel.
"You keep ruining my plans! I'll make you pay for this!"
He swung his wand, summoning two blazing fire dragons that surged toward them.
Humungousaur slammed his palms together, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the fire dragons into nothingness.
"Damn it, that bastard's gone!" Four Arms cursed.
Scanning the area, they found no trace of Hex. Humungousaur guessed he had fled to absorb the Keystone's power before coming back for revenge.
"Cuz, help me!"
Gwen, stripped of her Charm of Luck, hung suspended by stone vines, completely immobilized.
Humungousaur stepped forward, easily tearing the vines apart. He caught the frail, trembling Gwen and gently laid her on the ground.
"Cuz, what do we do now?" Four Arms asked, spreading his hands.
"Let's head up first." Humungousaur picked Gwen up and headed toward the tunnel's exit.
Four Arms grabbed Grandpa Max and leapt after them.
Time was running out—they had to find Hex before he gained ultimate power.
...
When they emerged from the haunted house, the once-bright sky had turned pitch-black. Dark clouds churned above, streaked by flashes of lightning.
Howling winds tore through the streets. Thunder rumbled like the end of the world.
High above, Hex floated alone. His robes whipped in the freezing wind.
"I'll turn this city into a ghost town!" he roared.
He raised the Archamada Book of Spells and began chanting. His voice echoed across the storm-darkened sky.
The Keystone of Bezel on his chest blazed with golden light, releasing a surge of magic that swept through the entire city.
Cars and trees were hurled into the air, along with panicked people who screamed as they were lifted upward, swallowed by the magical storm.
"Water Dragon Soul!" Gwen unleashed her water magic, striking Hex from behind.
The sudden hit broke his concentration, and everything caught in the storm crashed back down.
Gwen clenched her teeth and used the last of her magic to summon bubbles that cushioned the falling people, saving them from certain death.
"You again!" Hex snarled, raising his gray wand and firing a blazing serpent of fire.
Humungousaur stepped in front of Gwen and shattered it with a single punch.
[Ding~ Alien Hacker Mission Triggered]
[Destroy the Keystone of Bezel]
[Reward: Random Alien Hero]
"Hmph. You dumb creature can't even fly up here. What can you do to me?" Hex mocked, looking down at him.
"If you've got the guts, come down here and fight me! I'll smash you flat!" Four Arms shouted.
Humungousaur grabbed a nearby stone block, swung it around, and hurled it into the sky.
Hex, wary of his strength, dodged aside.
Suddenly, a powerful gust slammed into his face, stinging his cheeks.
He turned sharply—and his eyes widened in shock.
The colossal Humungousaur had surged to his side in an instant, its feet planted on a Hoverboard—a sight that delivered a powerful visual impact!
Under Hex's horrified gaze, Humungousaur clenched his mountain-sized fist, unleashing tremendous force. With a single punch, he sent Hex flying, crashing violently downward.
Though Hex activated his purple protective shield at the last moment, it shattered instantly under Humungousaur's impact. His body whistled through the air before slamming into the ground with a deafening crash.
Humungousaur glided down on his Hoverboard, carrying a terrifying momentum as he slammed into the pit. A purple afterimage darted from the crater just in time, barely evading the strike.
Before Hex could steady himself, Four Arms grabbed him, spun him violently, and hurled him away.
Thud!
Hex flew backward like a broken kite, tumbling across the ground. At the same time, the Keystone of Bezel slipped from his chest and fell nearby.
"No, my pendant!" Hex gritted his teeth, enduring the pain as he tried to get back up.
CRASH!
A massive brown figure descended from the sky. Humungousaur's foot came down hard on the Charms of Bezel's chain, the raw force instantly crushing it into fragments.
The shattered charm released an eerie blue light that drifted upward, letting out a faint wailing sound as if mourning.
"No!" Hex's voice broke in despair.
"You freak, let this hero punish you," Four Arms cracked his knuckles and strode forward.
"You'll regret this!" Hex snarled, tossing a magic stone from his cloak. It exploded in a flash of light, and his figure vanished.
With that, all five Keystones of Bezel were destroyed.
[Ding~ Successfully destroyed the Keystone of Bezel]
[Obtained a Random Alien Hero Chest]
[Can be opened anytime]
Turning to take in the ruined surroundings, the group exchanged glances and smiled in relief. Hex's plot had failed. Lucian had destroyed his pendant, preventing this vibrant city from becoming a ghost town.
After taking a moment to recover, the team set out once more toward their next destination.
...
On the road, Gwen sat listlessly on the bed, hugging a soft pillow.
"You all did great this time. Grandpa Max will treat you to a big feast later to help you recharge," Grandpa Max said with a cheerful chuckle, gripping the steering wheel.
The three in the back exchanged looks, their forced smiles looking more like grimaces.
Gwen sighed. "Not great at all. I lost my Charm of Luck. I'm not Lucky Girl anymore."
"The charm was just an aid. Winning or losing comes down to yourself," Lucian said, sitting beside her. "Besides, I don't think you need its power."
He was right. Gwen carried the bloodline of an Anodite, powerful enough without any external aid. Besides, if she kept wearing the charm, it would absorb the luck of those around her, leaving them with bad fortune—a dangerous thing.
"Thanks, Cuz," Gwen murmured, lowering her head as her cheeks turned slightly red.
"Gwen, you destroyed the charm! You did the right thing," Ben mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate.
"Maybe..." Gwen shrugged, a spark of mischief flashing in her eyes as she turned to him. "Since I lost my Charm of Luck, do me a small favor!"
"What favor?" Ben blinked in confusion.
"Just admit that I'm really awesome," Gwen sighed softly.
Ben thought about it. His nerdy little cousin really had it rough. Going from a phoenix to a pigeon must hurt.
Fine, he'd let her have this one.
Setting down his chocolate bar, Ben cleared his throat and said seriously, "Gwen, you really are amazing."
"Satisfied?"
Gwen chuckled. "Super satisfied."
"Good, because I'm never saying it again!" Ben waved her off and went back to his chocolate.
"Hehe, no need to say it!" Gwen grinned.
Then she pulled out a sleek MP3 player from under her pillow and hit play.
"Gwen, you're really amazing."
"Gwen, you're really amazing..."
"You recorded it? Oh, come on!" Ben smacked his forehead, realizing he'd been tricked.
"Hahaha, You never said I couldn't record it," Gwen laughed, her voice filling the room.
Beside them, Lucian shook his head with a wry smile. These two were too amusing.
Thankfully so—otherwise, the journey would have been far too dull.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Lucian gazed through the car window at the night sky, lost in thought.
He wondered where Ghostfreak had fled, when it might return, and what had become of Kevin, who had absorbed the watch's energy...