PANEL 1

TEEN SPOOKY

SHE… WANTS ME TO FIND SOMEONE. OR SOME THING. A DEMON-HUMAN HYBRID WHO HAS A KIND OF CONNECTION TO HELL, AND WHO CAN MAYBE HELP US REPAIR THE WALLS.

(cont)

SHE PREFERS TO WORK ALONE, BUT SHE’S NOT AS GOOD AT FINDING THINGS AS I AM, SO SHE NEEDS MY HELP.

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

A DEMON-HUMAN HYBRID…

(cont)

OH, CRAP.

PANEL 3

FLYBOY

SPOOKY, LISTEN TO ME, THIS IS MY FAULT. YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. AND WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU CAN’T HELP HER FIND THAT BOY!

TEEN SPOOKY

“BOY.” HOW DID YOU KNOW SHE’S LOOKING FOR A BOY?

(cont)

WAIT! ARE YOU SAYING IT’S YOU SHE’S LOOKING FOR?

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

NO. AND I CAN’T TELL YOU MORE.

(cont)

BUT WAY DOWN THAT HALLWAY, WITH MY HAWK VISION, I THINK I SEE SOME DAYLIGHT BOUNCING OFF THE WALL. IT MIGHT BE A WAY FOR US-

PANEL 5

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

MINUTE’S UP.

(cont)

AND MY PATIENCE WITH BEING EXCLUDED FROM CONVERSATIONS IN MY OWN HOME HAS ALSO EXPIRED.

PANEL 6

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

YOUNG MAN, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE EVER MET. SO, WHY EXACTLY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE READY TO JUMP OUT OF YOUR OWN SKIN RIGHT NOW?

FLYBOY

Um, BECAUSE, uh…

PANEL 2

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

AH! SO YOU’RE A SPEEDSTER, ARE YOU?

(cont)

THAT IS A VERY UNCOMMON GIFT. I ONLY KNOW ONE OTHER WHO HAS IT.

PANEL 3

FLYBOY

YEAH. SORRY TO CRASH IN LIKE THAT. I STILL FEEL… A BIT FRAGILE RIGHT NOW, SO I KINDA WANT TO KEEP MY FRIENDS CLOSE.

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

AND YET, I HONESTLY DON’T CARE WHAT YOU FEEL!

(cont)

AND I DON’T RECALL BABYSITTING BEING PART OF OUR ARRANGEMENT.

PANEL 4

TEEN SPOOKY

THEY WON’T CAUSE ANY TROUBLE. REMEMBER, HE’S LITERALLY JUST WOKEN UP, AND I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO TELL HIM ANYTHING.

(cont)

JUST… GIVE US A MINUTE, OK?

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

VERY WELL. ONE MINUTE.

(cont)

TICK TOCK.

PANEL 5

TEEN SPOOKY

LOOK, I KNOW THIS IS A LOT BEING THROWN AT YOU GUYS, AND THAT SIRCEA CAN BE… INTENSE. SHE DIDN’T MAKE THE BEST FIRST IMPRESSION ON ME, EITHER. OR, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE MODERN WORLD.

(cont)

BUT SHE CAN USE MAGIC AND ISN’T CRAZY, I THINK WE’RE ACTUALLY ON THE SAME SIDE, AND IF I HELP HER WITH THIS, WE’LL ALL GET TO GO BACK HOME. THEN I PROMISE, I’LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.

PANEL 6

AMANDA

SPOOKY, NO. ENOUGH WITH THE SECRETS. YOU’VE BARELY SAID A SINGLE WORD TO ME FOR THE LAST 36 HOURS!

(cont)

TELL US WHAT SHE WANTS YOU TO HELP HER WITH RIGHT NOW OR, I SWEAR TO GOD, I’M GOING TO START BREAKING EVERY SINGLE GLASS BEAKER IN THIS ROOM WITH THESE RIDICULOUS, PATENT LEATHER BOOTS.

PANEL 1

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

WELL, NOW. I DO BELIEVE A VEST SUITS  YOU. YOU’LL FIND YOUR COSTUME IN THE BAG.

(cont)

DON’T BE SHY. TELL ME HONESTLY — WHAT DO YOU THINK?

FLYBOY

THAT I NOW HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA WHY AMANDA IS WEARING THOSE HEELS.

PANEL 2

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

HA HA HA! YOU ARE ADORABLE. I DO SO LOOK FORWARD TO DEEPENING OUR ACQUAINTANCE.

(cont)

BUT FOR NOW, I WOULD SAY WE ARE DONE HERE. YOUR FRIENDS ARE SAFE, CLOTHED, WHOLE, AND HEARTY.

PANEL 3

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

AND SO I BELIEVE IT IS YOUR TURN TO HELP ME WITH WHAT I NEED.

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH. OK.

(cont)

BUT ONCE I HELP YOU WITH THIS, I GET TO SEE HIM FIRST. BY MYSELF.

(cont)

JUST IN CASE YOU’RE WRONG.

PANEL 4

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

OF COURSE, DARLING. WE’D CERTAINLY NEED TO RUN TESTS TO BE SURE. AND INVESTIGATION IS MUCH MORE YOUR FORTE THAN MINE.

PANEL 5

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

MAKE YOURSELVES COMFORTABLE. I WILL HAVE MORE FOOD BROUGHT TO YOU LATER.

PANEL 6

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

SHALL WE?

TEEN SPOOKY

I’LL BE BACK AS SOON AS I CAN, GUYS. JUST HANG TIGHT, OK?

PANEL 7

AMANDA

THERE ARE NO DOORS IN THIS ROOM. OR WINDOWS. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY OUT.

FLYBOY

RIGHT.

(cont)

HANG ON.

PANEL 1

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

SOMETHING I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO BE THE TYPE TO APPRECIATE!

(cont)

AT LEAST CONSIDERING WHAT I FOUND YOU IN.

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

MY SUIT. YOU REPAIRED IT.

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

YOUR FRIEND SPOOKY AND I ARE WORKING ON BUILDING A BIT OF TRUST IN EACH OTHER. AND I DON’T BELIEVE IN HALF MEASURES.

PANEL 3

FLYBOY

RIGHT.

(cont)

WELL, UM… THANKS.

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

BUT I ALSO DON’T BELIEVE IN HOSTING HALLOWEEN PARTIES! I EXPECT A MORE FORMAL ATTIRE AMONG MY GUESTS.

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

WAIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!

PANEL 5

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

OFFERING EVERY COURTESY, APPARENTLY.

(cont)

THIS CASTLE IS CHILLY, AND YOU AND MISS CHARLEYBOY WILL BE STAYING A WHILE.

PANEL 1

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

TRULY MUSIC TO MY EARS.

(cont)

AS YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THERE IS MUCH WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

PANEL 2

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, BOTH YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS ARE GOOD AS NEW.

(cont)

SO, WOULD YOU AGREE THAT I HAVE NOW HELD UP MY END OF THE BARGAIN?

TEEN SPOOKY

YEAH. YOU DID.

PANEL 3

AMANDA

WAIT. SPOOKY, WHAT IS THIS? YOU SAID YOU TWO KNEW EACH OTHER. YOU DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT A BARGAIN.

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

DON’T FEEL BAD, SWEETIE. OUR BOY DOES LIKE HIS SECRETS, DOESN’T HE?

PANEL 4

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

FOR EXAMPLE, I MAKE IT A POINT TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE SPECIAL BOYS AND GIRLS WHO HAVE BEEN POPPING UP IN THE LAST FEW DECADES. AND YET, SOMEHOW, I DON’T KNOW YOU, YOUNG MAN

(cont)

SO I’M SIMPLY DYING OF CURIOSITY, AND FOR SOME REASON, YOUNG MASTER JONES WON’T ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS.

TEEN SPOOKY

IT’S NOT MY STORY TO TELL. AND NOT PART OF OUR DEAL.

PANEL 5

FLYBOY

SPOOKY, WHAT DEAL? WHAT DOES SHE WANT YOU TO DO?

PANEL 6

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

WHY, I WANT HIM TO HELP ME SAVE THE WORLD, OF COURSE!

PANEL 1

AMANDA

WELCOME BACK.

PANEL 2

FLYBOY

GOOD TO BE BACK. AND… SINCE I’M WAKING UP WITHOUT MY CLOTHES AND WITH YOU GUYS HOVERING OVER ME, LOOKS LIKE IT’S DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN.

PLATINUM PRIESTESS (OFF)

NOW, THAT’S AN INTERESTING THING TO SAY.

PANEL 3

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

EXACTLY HOW MANY STRANGE BEDS HAVE YOU FOUND YOURSELF NAKED IN, YOUNG MAN?

PANEL 4

FLYBOY

SPOOKY… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

PANEL 5

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

HE JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE. SOMETHING I WOULD IMAGINE YOU WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR.

TEEN SPOOKY

THIS IS SIRCEA. A… FRIEND.

(cont)

YOU WERE DYING. AND I COULDN’T BRING YOU BACK.

(cont)

BUT SHE KNOWS A LOT MORE ABOUT MAGIC THAN I DO. SHE’S THE REASON YOU’RE ALIVE.

PANEL 6

PLATINUM PRIESTESS

TUT TUT. I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT WITHOUT YOUR PRELIMINARY EFFORTS THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE FOR HIM!

(cont)

YOU REALLY ARE BEING UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HARD ON YOURSELF, DARLING.

TEEN SPOOKY

MAYBE I’M JUST FINALLY READY TO LISTEN WHEN YOU SAY I’VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN.

PANEL 1

CORY

AND DO WE HAVE TO KEEP CALLING THIS GUY “THE WIZARD,” OR DOES HE ACTUALLY HAVE A NAME?

(cont)

BECAUSE THIS WHOLE THING IS BEGINNING TO FEEL AWFULLY YELLOW BRICK ROAD TO ME, AND IF SOMEONE STARTS SINGING, I THINK I’M GOING TO LOSE IT.

PANEL 2

KARTHAK

OF COURSE, HE HAS A NAME, ANGEL. IT IS KNOWN AND RESPECTED THROUGHOUT ALL THE LANDS.

(cont)

THE WIZARD’S NAME —

PANEL 3

KARTHAK

— IS VELLIOK THE WISE.

PANEL 1

KARTHAK

I… I AM VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, SACRED SPARROW. I KNOW I’M NOT WORTHY OF YOUR AID. BUT I PROMISE I’LL TRY TO BE.

ALMO

STARS ABOVE, YOU REALLY ARE TOTALLY ADORABLE, AREN’T YOU?

PANEL 2

ALMO

I’M SURE THAT MEANS YOU’LL BE THE FIRST TO GET DEVOURED.

PANEL 3

ALMO

WELL, LET’S GET IT OVER WITH THEN!

(cont)

THE OPENING TO THE PATH IS THIS WAY.

PANEL 4

PATI

I SHOULDN’T LET YOU GO, MY SON. IT SHOULD BE ME.

KARTHAK

IT’LL BE OK, PATI. IT’S JUST LIKE THE OLD STORIES. THE GREAT WOLF IS SENDING US ON A NOBLE QUEST!

PATI

EVERYONE IN THE OLD STORIES DIES, YOU FOOLISH BOY.

PANEL 5

KARTHAK

NOT EVERYONE. NOT WHEN THEIR CAUSE IS JUST.

(cont)

STAY CLOSE TO MATI. SHE NEEDS YOU HERE. AND I’LL BE BACK SOON. I PROMISE.

PATI

YOU AND YOUR PROMISES…

PANEL 6

CORY

YOU SAID THIS FIRST TOWN IS, LIKE, A DAY AWAY, RIGHT? SO, HOW FAR IS THIS WIZARD GUY?

KARTHAK

HIS CASTLE IS AT THE VERY END OF THE PATH. IN THE OLD STORIES, ONLY ONE GROUP OF HEROES WERE ABLE TO FIND HIM THAT WAY.

(cont)

I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY WEEKS, BUT IT’S SAID TO BE A LONG, TREACHEROUS JOURNEY.

PANEL 7

CORY

OF COURSE IT IS.

PANEL 1

BLOOD WOLF

THEN THIS APPEARS TO BE A DAY OF GRANTING WISHES.

(cont)

BECAUSE YOU ARE TO GO WITH THEM, ALMO. SHOW THEM THE PATH. AND GUIDE THEM WELL UNTIL THEY RELEASE YOU.

ALMO

SERIOUSLY?!

PANEL 2

ALMO

C’MON, BOSS! YOU CAN’T ASK ME TO DO THAT. THE BLUE BOY’S NICE ENOUGH FOR A MORON, BUT THE OTHER GUY’S A TOTAL LOSER!

CORY

SHUT UP, BIRD!

PANEL 3

BLOOD WOLF

YOU COULD REFUSE ME.

ALMO

YOU KNOW DAMN WELL I NEVER COULD REFUSE YOU ANYTHING.

PANEL 4

ALMO

PLEASE DON’T GO.

BLOOD WOLF

EVERYTHING ENDS, OLD FRIEND. AND THAT’S WHAT LETS EVERYTHING BEGIN.

PANEL 5

BLOOD WOLF

IT’S FINALLY TIME FOR THIS TO BEGIN. AND SO I AM NOW, AT LAST, AT PEACE.

PANEL 7

ALMO

WELL, THAT MAKES ONE OF US, YOU BIG, STUPID, SELFISH, BEAUTIFUL, CRYPTIC FUR GODDESS.

(cont)

TOTALLY NOT COOL.

PANEL 1

BLOOD WOLF

I BELIEVE THEY ARE, OLD FRIEND.

PANEL 2

CORY

THIS IS YOUR HEART? YOUR ACTUAL HEART? Um, DON’T YOU KINDA NEED THAT?

BLOOD WOLF

PERHAPS IT WILL FIND ITS WAY BACK TO ME. IN ANY EVENT, THE CHOICE OF WHAT TO DO WITH IT WILL BE YOURS NOW.

(cont)

FOR IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE, KNOW THIS: A HEART CAN ONLY BE GIVEN FREELY… OR NOT AT ALL.

PANEL 3

CORY

WAIT, WHAT?

(cont)

WHAT IN NEW-AGE-HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?

PANEL 4

BLOOD WOLF

THAT I’VE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

PANEL 5

ALMO

NO. NO. NOT LIKE THIS. I NEED TIME TO PREPARE!

(cont)

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING, BOSS! YOU HAVE YEARS LEFT!

PANEL 6

ALMO

JUST LOOK AT THEM! THEY’RE IDIOTS! COMPLETELY HELPLESS!

(cont)

YOU’RE GOING TO DO THIS STUPID THING, AND THEY ARE STILL GOING TO DIE HORRIBLY, WITH LIKE BLOOD AND GUTS AND SCREAMING, AND THE WORST PART IS, I WON’T EVEN GET TO SEE ANY OF IT!