I was just about to go exploring when I heard footsteps approaching the front doors of the stronghold. I then saw Luna run into the stronghold with her staff in her hands. With a yelp of surprise, she took several steps back while raising her staff.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I exclaiming, holding my hands out in front of me. "Luna, it's me! Please, lower your staff. I do not want to become a toasted lupan!"

She froze, and I almost thought she was genuinely frozen in place before Luna blinked her eyes and looked at me in disbelief.

"H-Helix?" She began, a question glittering in her beautiful eyes.

I spread my arms out before me, "Yours truly-."

Luna bear hugged me, and I felt my ribs protesting the increased pressure that was applied to my chest.

"Y-You idiot!" She cried. Her voice was muffled as she spoke into my coat: "Everyone thought you were dead!"

"W-What?" I said, blinking my eyes in surprise.

"Your aura seemed to burn out a few hours ago, as if you..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

I sighed through my nostrils. "Right...I think I was knocked out when you sensed my aura burn out."

She looked up at me in alarm. "Knocked out? What did you do this time?"

I laughed nervously. "I, uh, pissed Thaleous off. I kept calling him fuckface."

She huffed. "Well, I suppose you do have that effect on people. I'm just glad you're okay...."

I returned her embrace after she let up a little bit on her death grip on my abdomen. I then caught sight of Dorrian and Ana as they ran into the stronghold. Dorrian almost tripped on his own feet when he saw me.

"Whoa! Furry beastie four o'clock!" Dorrian shouted in surprise.

Ana paused and looked at me: "Furries? I love furries..."

I facepalmed and almost poked my eye out with one of my claws. When I was sure I didn't hurt myself, I broke the embrace with Luna. "Guys...it's me, Helix. Dorrian, lower that damn bow before you put an arrow through my knee...again."

Dorrian looked at me in confusion, "Hel? Is that really you?"

Ana smacked him upside the head, "Dumbass. Who else would tell you to not put an arrow through their knee again?"

He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled to himself. "You make a good argument. Sorry Hel..."

I chuckled, "Don't sweat it. I'm getting used to this new form as well, so if you see me stumble or fall, that's because I'm still getting used to walking on my damn tip-toes."

Dorian rose an eyebrow as Nova, Ben, and Stanford ran into the stronghold next.

"Whoa man," Stanford mused, "Nice upgrade."

I grinned, scaring Dorrian shitless, (I never realized grinning could scare someone so much. I guess it's all the sharp teeth) "Thanks Pinesworth. The one downside is that I have to get used to walking on my tip-toes. It's really fucking weird."

"It's also fucking wicked!" Nova shouted. She pulled out a small hammer and hit my kneecap with it.

"Ow!" I cried, making Dorrian jump again.

My mad sister nodded to herself. "Yep, same reactions to external stimuli as your human form. Stand still please."

She poked me with a needle and drew a little bit of my blood.

"Nova! Quit your shit!" I shouted, "We don't have time for you to be all scientific!"

"We really don't," Luna chimed in dryly, "We still have to kill Thaleous, so hold off on any experiments on Helix until we're done here."

She studied the blood she drew from my arm, then looked up, "Huh?"

Luna sighed, "Hold off on all of this until we're done here."

Nova shrugged, "Fair enough."

I groaned, "I hate needles...too many bad memories..."

"Stop right there Helix," Dorrian cut in, "Please, I don't want to remember that one mission where we ran into a cactus..."

I shivered, then sensed Thaleous' aural signature.

I growled, then got an idea.

"Horace?" I called, "I need your assistance."

The lupan appeared before me, kneeling: "What is thy bidding, my lord?"

My team looked at me in confusion, and I shrugged helplessly: "I have no idea. There's some much-needed information I need to learn about ASAP."

I heard the same feminine voice that spoke to me when I was in the dungeon. She must be the entity known as Serafine: "You don't know the whole story yet and I apologize for that. All I can tell you at the moment is that you're part of a much bigger picture, and you'll be saving more lives than you can currently imagine right now by ending Thaleous."

I nodded, "Well, I'm still confused, but I'll play along for now until I can talk to you in person- your name is Serafine, right?"

"Yes, my name is Serafine," She replied, "Don't worry: All will be revealed to you after this event has passed. I cannot help you, but Horace will be here to answer any questions you may have. Your advisor will be instrumental in Thaleous' downfall, so take advantage of the knowledge and advice he has to offer. The only advice I offer is this: do not ask your team to help you kill Thaleous. He will use them against you."

I nodded slowly, "So you're saying that I should fight him alone?"

"No, not alone. Horace will be by your side to help you out to the best of his abilities."

Horace nodded, still in a kneeling position. His armor glimmered a brilliant orangish-gold in the faded light of the stronghold: "Aye, I will provide support when it is most needed, my lord."

I nodded, then turned to look at my team. I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked at Luna: "Alright, my people: I know you all have questions-trust me, I have my own questions. Hopefully, we'll get answers after this is all said and done. For now, secure the stronghold. Make sure no demons leave this stronghold to live another day."

I then realized than someone was missing: "Where's Evelyn?"

"She volunteered to watch Sylvia," Stanford replied, "The poor lass looked as if she was about to have a heart attack when we left a few hours ago."

My heart sank, and I caught sight of Soren's entire team as they ran toward us.

Simon looked at me curiously: "Hmm...you've done something different with your usual looks, Helix...did you restyle your hair?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, totally. It's a new look of mine that I'm going to try. I call it the 'shaggy wolf' style."

Simon chuckled, "Well it suits you. I didn't know if you could look any shaggier than you already were when you were in your human form, but you never seem to disappoint."

Soren looked at me and chuckled, "Greetings Helix. I'm relieved to see that you're alive and well."

I grinned, "Heh, I've never been better. You're in charge while I go after Thaleous. Make sure you leave no survivors."

He rose an eyebrow, "You're going after Thaleous alone? Is that a wise decision?"

"Horace, you can rise now," I said under my breath, then spoke louder to answer Soren's question: "No, I have backup. Don't worry about me: I've survived this long, all I have to do now is kick in the door of a mentally-unstable demonlord and rip his throat out. It's a by-the-book mission, so yeah...I'll be fine."

"Are you sure though?" Dorrian pressed, "I mean, Thaleous means business, and I don't want the bastard overwhelming you with only one other guy by your side-."

I held a hand up for silence, "I understand your hesitation for letting me run off on my own, but I'm not going to risk sacrificing one of my team-no, my family just so I can get closer to Thaleous. I can take a beating-hell, I've already taken a beating, but that's hardly important. Your mission is to make sure this stronghold is cleared of demons. My job is to end Thaleous. Any objections?"

No one spoke up.

I nodded, resigned to what I had to do, "Alright, then I wish you good luck, and Godspeed to all of you. Let's go Horace."

My advisor and I turned away from my team and began to walk off when I heard Luna call my name. I turned around, only to yelp in surprise as she embraced me again. She had to stand on her tip-toes in order to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"Good luck, love," She whispered, "Be sure to make Thaleous' death extra painful."

I chuckled, fighting to keep myself from crying, "Oh trust me, I'll make sure he knows the fear of defeat before I rip him apart limb from limb."

Luna smiled, "Good. Now, go and end this bloody conflict before Soren has a stroke from all of this stress,"

I chuckled, then kissed her forehead, "With pleasure."

With one last look at the woman I love, Horace and I turned back around and walked away while Soren split everyone into groups and issued orders.