Tempted

" I can't keep this up," Tabitha said. She struggled to focus her astral form on holding the book.

" Why did you do it, Tabitha?" Olivia wept.

" You don't understand. I have spent my life being ignored and hated by my family. Even after my death, they ignored me. All I wanted was to create a world where I wouldn't be an outcast."

" I tried to help you," Olivia said." I tried to bring you back, and how did you repay me? You kidnapped my brother and betrayed your friends for the Blessing."

" I admit I've made mistakes, Liv. But together, we can make up for everything that's happened in our lives."

" What are you saying?"

" We're both holding the book now. Join me. Together, we can rewrite the rules of Parabola. We can create our reality. One where our families love both of us. We can be gods, Olivia."

Olivia considered Tabitha's words.

" Give me a second chance, Liv. Together, we can have any life you want,"

" What do you say?" asked Tabitha.

" I know what kind of world I want."

" Perfect!" Tabitha smiled with delight.

" But I want a world where you don't exist."

The book exploded with green energy that engulfed Tabitha, erasing her from existence.

" No!" Tabitha screamed before she disappeared.

The powers released by the book caused the dome to vanish along with the community of the Blessing.

Olivia laid unconscious with the book closed within her arms. Her friends rushed to her side.

" You did it, kid," Maxine said while she helped Olivia regain consciousness."

The aftermath of the young enchantress's struggle over the omnipotent book left the middle of the city a disaster zone.

"Olivia," Meredith screamed while she ran to her exhausted colleague.

Olivia's ankles buckled when the witch detective struggled to stand up.

" It's okay, I got you," Meredith said.

" Did we win?" Olivia asked.

" You sure did, kid," Maxine's voice echoed. Maxine, Scott, and Dr. Willows exited a claw-shaped portal next to her.

" The transcription was correct. Thank goodness," Dr. Willows said.

" You alright, Liv?" Scott asked.

" Depends. Did you get any Phoenix Blood?"

" Should be more at my loft," Maxine giggled.

" Not so fast," A menacing voice spoke. Dorian Priest teleported himself to the battle site, much to the detective's dismay.

" Priest ?!," Maxine scowled as she and the others prepared to battle against the masked spell-caster.

" Calm yourself, Valkyrie," Priest insisted." My business is not with you.

" Why are you here, Priest?"

" Simple. I want the book."

Maxine's fist tightened.

" You're insane if you think we're going to...,"

" Max!" Olivia interrupted. "It's okay."

Olivia lifted the book to Priest as he summoned it to his hand.

" Kid, what are you thinking?"

" The book only opens for people from my bloodline, so Priest can never open it."

" Rest assured; I have no desire to possess your brother or anyone in your family like Tabitha did," said Priest." My sole desire is to keep this book from the blasphemers who would abuse its true purpose."

" True purpose? "Meredith asked.

" There are still many things about Parabola that even the Valkyrie doesn't know."

" Still can't believe you're doing this, Olivia," Maxine lamented.

" Stubborn like the other Valkyrie," Priest said." Perhaps you will be more open minded should you ever find the survivors."

" Survivors?"

" Just as I said, Captain. There is much left unresolved."

Priest teleported in a green and black flash while everyone shielded their eyes.

All that was left was scattered debris and many unanswered questions for Olivia and the others.

" There are more Valkyries?" Maxine wondered.

Contemplating what to say to Maxine, Meredith's gentle touch barely relieved the Valkyrie's grief.

"Maxine," Said Meredith." I ...,"

But a plethora of police sirens intruded the tender moment.

" We have to go now," Scott said as he tore a portal to the sanctum.

" But Tosh needs a hospital," Olivia complained.

" We can't take him with us, and we can't stay in the human world now that the mission is finished," Meredith added.

Olivia tightened her fist thinking her choices.

" I'm not leaving his life. Not again."

" I might be the last person to speak for Syd, but you know the rules," Maxine walked up to Olivia, laying her hands on her shoulders." Tosh is not a witch detective like you. He will never last in Parabola. Even for a day."

While Olivia fought back the tears, Dr. Willows intervened while the others jumped into the portal.

" I will look after your brother. You have my word, Olivia."

" Thank you. Jill."

The excellent doctor tended to the boy, waiting for the police to join them.

The agents returned to their headquarters as Sam prepared the final ingredient to save the rest of their comrade.

" You sure this is going to work?" Scott asked.

"The waters from the fountain were the last thing that your friend needed to perform his spell," Maxine said." With Syd's help, it should be able to free the rest of the force from their curse."

Sam prepared are the ingredients in a dark cauldron as he summons green and purple magic around him while sitting in a green spell circle.

" So, what now?" Olivia asked.

" Now we prepare the final act," the captain said. He lifted his wand above his head." Agent Ethol, whenever you're ready."

"Yes, Captain," Sam said. "I'm ready."

" We might want to cover our eyes for this," Meredith said." An enchantment like this is illuminating." Everyone other than Sam and the captain shielded their eyes and hoped for the best.

A swirl of mystical energy filled the room while spirit-like constructs wrapped around Sam's body.

" Kwa mawe saba ya Parabola, nawaita roho kuwafukuza roho kutoka kifungo chao," Sam chanted his spell.

A barrage of skeleton-like constructs swarmed into Captain Moss's scepter. The wand glowed a bright blue before releasing a massive flash that engulfed the entire or headquarters.

When the bright light faded, Olivia and her friends noticed the frozen agents were free. Each of them slowly regained consciousness after the Blessing's attack.

" Thank the gods that it worked," Maxine said, feeling relieved. The freed agents roamed around, confused about what happened before their imprisonment.

" We should make sure everyone else is okay," Meredith said.

" Sure, let's help these cadets get situated," Maxine agreed.

But as the rest of the force were in the process of recovering, Olivia pulled Scott to the side.

" My magic is still tapped out," Olivia said." I need you to get me to Buffalo."

" Liv, you know the rules."

" Nollax, please."

Against his better judgment, Scott agreed to her request, and the two snuck away to travel back to the human world. But unbeknownst to them, Meredith and Maxine noticed their departure due to the sensory abilities from their doomsday eyes.

" They're going against protocol," Meredith said." Should we ...,"

" Let them go, kid," Maxine told Meredith." After all the hell we have been through these past couple of days, she deserves some closure. We all do."

Meredith and Maxine continued tending to the recovering agents while Olivia and Scott traveled back to the mortal world.