Benjamin had taken on the role of the scout. According to the plan, his job was to keep an eye on the school where Kovach was hiding, and he did just that, until the others, carefully and not at the same time, arrived. Robert was surprised to see that his brother was using one of the Lord's cars. Lord Patrick had a modest collection of cars, mostly just sitting in a big garage, since he wasn't able to drive them. They were still better looked after than his sons, thought Robert sourly as he was staring at the car. It was disturbing to see Benjamin behind the wheel, but since his car got destroyed by ghouls a week ago, Robert understood how this was a logical step. Still, he didn't like it. 

'The neighbourhood seems quiet,' mentioned Marcus once he and Robert were sitting in the car. 'Are we sure that he is here?'

The school was a big, modern, three-storied building complex. The main building faced them, and as Benjamin told them, there was a gymnasium, a football field and a Duel-arena behind it. These buildings and the few others on the two sides of the school on the street, according to Benjamin, were full of flesh golems. So was the main building, but they were sleeping, waiting, hidden. Robert was fairly sure that once the cube containing Yolanda's spirit will be removed, the army in the side buildings will be incapacitated. That still left them a lot of dangerous opponents, but it was their best chance.

'I haven't seen him,' Benjamin answered to Marcus. 'But in three minutes, two casually dressed men will walk in front, outside the fence. They are walking by every fifteen minutes.' 

So they waited and indeed, the guards appeared on time. Marcus nodded.

'Good enough. Three entrances, right? One at the back.'

'Yes. I installed a trap spell not long ago at two of them, if anything would try to get in or out, they would find themselves in a very intense inferno. Try not to use them.'

Robert checked his watch. 

'The thief is supposed to be already in,' he said. 'Have you seen him?'

'If I had, he wouldn't be a really good thief, would he now, brother?' asked back Benjamin. Robert couldn't help, but smile. He didn't hear Benjamin make a joke, or just talk this long since Rose died. Of course, he wasn't really himself just yet, but Robert considered this as a good sign.

The plan was simple and straightforward. Once the cube is out of the picture, they will go in the only usable entrance, all at once, together, and they will fight their way to The Priest. Benjamin and Tom will stay outside, as sentinels, making sure Kovach couldn't escape unnoticed and no backup could arrive to attack them in the back. 

'Something is happening,' said Marcus.

Robert looked up. A tall, skinny figure walked out of the entrance. He had the cube, but he moved a little weirdly, kind of like those dolls that were moved by strings. The reason was almost that: behind the thief there came Kovach, mimicking a puppet master.

'Montgomery! Carano! I know you are there, children! Let's have a heart to heart, shall we?'

Robert opened the car door and got out. The others did the same. They were further away, across the street, but Kovach was wearing his white mask anyway.

'So much about the plan,' murmured Marcus. 'Shit.' 

'Now, now, what's this all about then? I let you live, hide out in your little rat-hole of a pub, and you are sending spies and thieves after me?' The Priest sounded cheerful. 

Robert stepped forward. The street was empty, there was nothing and nobody around but Kovach and them. Robert felt like in the old days: he had his trench coat, the colour of the sky right before a thunderstorm and he had his walking stick. He faced unstoppable opponents. That was what he did.

'Let the boy go, drop the cube and surrender,' he said loudly, in a clear, strong voice. 'Nobody has to die today.'

Kovach giggled.

'I beg to differ, my friend. I think it's time you and your little bed warmer dies. I really tried to let you all go, but it seems like you just don't know what's good for you. Very annoying, I'm telling you. I thought after the Asian chick died and the tasty little blonde got eaten by my ghouls you are gonna finally quit, but no such luck.'

Robert looked at Benjamin, ready to stop him if needed. His face was blank and his eyes empty and dead. Teodore, however, took a step forward, but Martin grabbed his arm and shook his head. 

'Less talking, more surrendering, dude,' said Jenna. She talked casually, but Robert could hear the anger vibrating in her voice. 'I'm really tired of your bullshit.'

'Oh, Miss Carano,' Kovach shook his head. The thief shook his, too, just a step forward from him, still holding the cube. 'You know, the first time you showed up on my threshold, you were so familiar… And I couldn't place you. But I had time and now I know: you look just like your mother.'

'Careful, Kovach,' said Jenna coldly. 'I'm willing to capture you alive, don't ruin it to yourself.'

Robert had a bad feeling. Why would Kovach mention Jenna's mother? Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

'Poor little Luna, fallen sick all of the sudden… Almost as if she was cursed… Well, I actually meant that curse to your father, and let me tell you, when Patrick Montgomery heard that I killed Luna instead of Sebastiano, who I should have, he was so upset he barely wanted to pay my fee…'

Jenna looked at Robert. Her eyes were distant and cold. 

'Jenna, I… I didn't know,' said Robert, but the girl didn't listen to him. She sent a spell, so incredibly strong that it tore the concrete up towards Kovach as it flew, bent the . Robert had only enough time to push the thief aside using the Name of Movement, before it hit. Kovach flew backwards, through the open door, back into the building. The front got destroyed as if a bomb exploded in the hall. The two-winged glass door disappeared and heavy dust sat in the air. 

'Jenna!' Calm down!' 

The girl looked at Robert. He had seen her angry before, in fact, he thought Jenna's anger was terrifying, even with magic aside. But this… For a moment he was sure the next spell will be addressed for him. 

'Let's see if the son of a bitch is still alive,' she said and started to walk towards the school. Teodore followed her, so did Remy. A second later Claire did the same. Martin looked at Robert with a question in his eyes, but Robert just nodded. There was no turning back now.

'Boss, why is that shit glowing?' asked Martin. 

Robert didn't have to ask what he was talking about. All the elaborate, powerful spells lit up on the cube that the thief dropped when he was dragged out of the line of fire. Jenna didn't notice it, she walked by without even glancing at it. It wasn't supposed to be possible for anyone but Robert to open the cube, but they passed that barrier with possible things so long ago that the thought barely even entered his mind. 

It felt like time itself slowed down. Robert wanted to call her name out, his body moved but he was too far away. 

It was like a silent detonation. The cube exploded, but instead of flames and smoke, there was the Goddess, huge and translucent, not really human-like and furious. Jenna saw the danger just in time, and her protecting spell broke the whirl of multicoloured flames the Goddess threw at her.

'I'm here!' shouted Robert and sent a fireball to get Yolanda's attention. 'I'm the one who closed you up, you want me!'

It was just a flash of darkness, a silent movement and he was back in the dark forest where he first met Munin. He wasn't alone, but it wasn't the raven with him this time. The forest wasn't completely dark either, as it was last time. A figure stood not far away, radiating a blunt, white light. She was almost as tall as Robert, with a rough, but young face and long hair. She seemed strong and fit. Her short fur cloak danced in the non-existing wind.

'Why did you invite me in? I can kill you now.'

Robert sat on the leaf-covered ground, with his legs crossed. He didn't have his coat or cane in this world and he wore the clothes he did when they went ghoul-hunting with Jenna instead of the ones he actually had on in the real world. 

'What do I call you?' he asked.

'Your people call me The Goddess. For a short while I was Yolanda.'

Robert couldn't determine the language she spoke, or the one he did, for that matter. 

'What do you call yourself?' he asked.

The Goddess seemed to be hesitating.

'I… I don't remember,' she said then. 

Robert nodded.

'So do you want to fight? Kill me and take over my body?'

'This body is crippled,' she answered with disgust. 'It's full of magic but it can't use it anymore.'

'I get by,' Robert shrugged with a little smile. 'Power isn't everything.'

'Those who don't have it always say that,' the woman scoffed.

'Perhaps. Why did you possess me, then?'

'You invited me,' she replied. 'Being without a body… It hurts. I can't take it anymore.'

Robert wanted to ask how she could feel pain without a body, but then he changed his mind. It wasn't an important question. 

'So what do we do now?' he asked instead. 

'We fight to the death. There is no other way.'

'Isn't there?' he asked, looking at the woman's eyes. 

'I…'

'What do you really want?'

'I want to rest. I want to die. I want to meet my ancestors and see my children's face so I can remember them again. I'm tired, human. But I cannot die. They cursed me with eternity.'

'Do you think there is another life after this?' Robert asked.

'My people believed it,' she said, hesitantly. 'Even if there isn't… I'm tired. But it doesn't matter, I can only choose between killing you and the pain, and I don't want it to hurt anymore. I am sorry, human.'

She lifted her hand, said something but nothing happened.

'This is my world,' smiled Robert. 'You might be the most powerful creature outside, but in here you have no power over me.'

'I had over the others,' she said, frowning.

Robert climbed to his feet and dusted himself down.

'The others believed you had power over them. They gave it to you,' he explained on his teacher-voice.

The Goddess looked terrified as Robert slowly started to walk towards her. 

'What are you?' she whispered. 

'I'm Lord Robert Montgomery, sorcerer and shaman of the Raven,' he reached out for her. 'Let me help you. Please.'

She took his hand after a while. It felt like touching water, Robert thought, or almost. 

'You know your fight isn't over yet, right?' she asked.

'I do,' Robert nodded. 'He used you, didn't he?' 

'He fooled everyone. Everyone but you.'

'He fooled me, too, for a while. Doesn't matter anymore. Are you ready?'

For the first time, she smiled a little.

'Will it hurt?' she asked.

'Only for a second,' Robert smiled back. 'Then you will be free.'

The Goddess nodded. Ancient magic rumbled and the wind from nowhere got stronger. Wings whirred somewhere deep in the woods. Robert felt the age-old spells being broken, one by one, each releasing an incredible amount of energy into the nothing over the woods. He didn't need to use Runes, not in here, not in his own little world. 

Then the last seal was finally gone. 

The woman sighed, ever so quietly, then she just disappeared, as if she never existed. Nothing was remaining after her but some shining dust in the wind.