“Okay, I have finished everything up. The souls are back in the Juggernaut.” Mendel rubbed his eyes, blowing out the candles around the table. “Buggy, can you get the lights for me?” Buggy flicked on his lighter and went around to light up the candles on the walls, bringing dim light back to the room. Mendel began cleaning up the table, throwing out the petals and wiping up the dry water ring.
“So...the Juggernaut’s still alive right now?” Clive asked quietly.
“Yes. They are sleeping. When they awaken they won’t be as furious anymore. No more rampages, no more killing. They are finally stabilized, since the souls are not fighting against each other anymore, they’re working together.” Once Mendel finished he lay over the table and put his head down. “Tired....”
“Get some rest, nerd.” Mari pat his back.
“I need to get the Juggernaut their own room,” he mumbled. “We can keep them in the study, but it is rather small...”
“We won’t need to find a permanent room,” said Ophelia, walking to him with a stride. “We’ll be ditching town as soon as day breaks tomorrow morning.”
“T-Tomorrow morning?” Mendel said suddenly, sitting up abruptly.
“C’mon, Ophelia...” Mari begged. “This town is nice...besides, everyone’s either evacuated or going to move out. We can stay...”
“We cannot take risks. We must look for the rest of the Coven.” Ophelia glared.
“But Ophelia, this base is the best one we have ever found! And we already have everything set up, it would be a hassle—“ Mendel was cut off in the middle of his sentence.
“I said we were going to leave tomorrow morning. Don’t argue with me.”
“...Yes, Ophelia, I apologize,” Mendel said, defeated.
“C’mon, Oph... Surely we can make a compromise with the town. Besides, Mendel already said he was gonna make the Juggernaut help him clean up and rebuild the town with him to make up for what happened.” Mari leaned closer to Ophelia, hands clamped together in a begging way. The Coven Leader narrowed her eyes.
“...Tomorrow morning we get everything ready to leave. Once the town is done I expect you two to follow me and the rest of the Coven to the new town.” She turned. “I will seek out the rest of the Coven. Once they are found, we will leave.”
“Ophelia, please...” Mari stood by and looked back to Mendel, who had planted his face in his arms again. “What if Mendel and I stay here and you guys go to the new location? Kind of like outsourcing?”
“And what am I supposed to do with nothing but a Poisoner and a Hex Master?”
“...” Mari stayed quiet, at a loss. “Sorry, Madame.”
“That’s right.” Ophelia turned her head over her shoulder to face them. “You may keep the Juggernaut in the Hex Master’s room. She will not mind. She may not end up coming back. She was always wishy-washy about being in the coven in the first place.” She began to walk off to her throne room. “I’ll be gathering my stuff. Once the Juggernaut is settled and done with I expect you to start packing up your most precious materials for safe-keeping until we move to the new base.” She threw a look to Mari. “You too, Potion Master.” She finally walked upstairs and out of the lab.
Mendel stared down at the resting Juggernaut.
“I guess that is settled,” he said quietly to break the silence. “I will...start moving the Juggernaut to their new room.” His voice was forlorn and he kept his eyes averted as he lifted the Juggernaut with the help of Mari.
“We’ll be tending to the Jugg,” said Mari, leading the way to the Hex Master’s room. “They’ll be in a room far from the lab so nobody freaks out. If you need us just knock.” They disappeared up the stairs without another word.
