I roll underneath several tendrils that shoot out towards me, slicing them apart with my kusarigama. Ghelly jumps into the fray, shooting several more that try to impale me. Sorry shadow snakes, I'm kind of the one who does the impaling around here.

"Stay back!" I yell at Ghelly. He rolls out of the way as Mutovinatum comes closer. I take a running leap at the shadow creature, but he bats me to the side, his sights focused on Ghelly. I slam against a tree and try to pick myself up, but the world is spinning too fast, and Ghelly's running out of room to evade. The ring of shadows hiss and circle in closer, snapping at his heels.

"You're mine," Mutovinatum growls. All of the shadows converge inside of him and he lunges forward as a single dark streak.

I jump in front of Ghelly and catch Mutovinatum, using his moment to sling him past the kid and into a tree. He slams into the wood and gasps out, looking down at his chest.

A large, sharp, spine of the tree sticks out through the black shadows of his chest. He gurgles and then evaporates into dark smoke, dissipating quickly. I breathe heavily and turn to Ghelly, pulling him close.

"Don't you ever risk yourself like that again," I demand, pointing a quivering finger at him.

"A 'thank you' would have been nice," he says. I shake my head and smack him on the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"It's how I show affection when I'm in a near-death situation," I reply. A whirl of bright blue pops up and Donyoku roars in excitement.

"Everybody through, now! That parasite must have been keeping us here," I look down at the heart of Zargoth, and then at the indents in the dirt. He was just doing his job, and this is how he gets repaid. Do you have to take just to get what you want? Is this how it's destined to be? I feel like I've started something here, and that may not be a good thing. I look at Ghelly—at least I have something pointing me in the right direction. Maybe the kid will be my moral compass. And also probably the death of me.

"Namonai! If you're done reminiscing, get your ass through here!" I turn to Donyoku and nod.

I clutch Zargoth's heart close and push Ghelly through the portal. For a moment, standing in front of the whirling cosmic gateway, I can't breathe. It feels like something is clogging my throat, curling and twisting up along my spine and every inch inside of me. The feeling is gone as quick as it came, and I gulp one last breath. Then, I leap through the gateway.