During Olivia's experience of tapping deeper into Lilith's power, Maxine, Meredith, and Sam discussed the questionable daggers.
" These daggers were forged from dragon's teeth," Meredith said when she examined the weapons.
" That material can kill any witch exposed to enough cuts," Sam added." Even spellcasters can't heal from it."
" Phoenix blood wouldn't help either," Maxine said."
" But dragons have been extinct for millennia," said Meredith." Judging by the condition of these daggers, they were made more recently.
" What are you saying?" Sam asked." There are more dragons out there?"
" Or someone is resurrecting them."
" What the hell could bring back an extinct species?"
" I know of one group that might have that type of magic," Maxine said." The Blessing."
" The Blessing?"
" They're an underground group ofspellcasters that believe in merging Parabola with the human world so that they can mold reality to their desires," Meredith explained.
" So, Dorian Priest is part of this group?"
" Yeah," Maxine said." That is why I was so frightened when Priest returned.
" You thought the rest of the Blessing would be back," said Sam.
" They've been hiding for centuries," Meredith said." Many people believed they were not real."
" Only someone in the bureau would know you two were here while Olivia and the others were in the human world. They don't want us to cure the rest of the L.I.F.E agents."
" Then we must discover the cure before any more of their followers come after us," said Meredith.
"Exactly."
Maxine pulled out a small remote and pressed the button to generate a portal for them to enter.
" Hold on a sec."
Maxine slammed her wrists together to create a bright yellow light, summoning a silver armor around her, with a gold and silver sword and extending her wings.
" Figure this be the perfect excuse to dust off this old thing."
As they prepared to enter the portal, Bulk returned with a broom to clean the mess caused by the riff-raff previously.
" We should get moving." Meredithdeclared. The three of them jumped into the portal before it closed. Bulk was left to oversee the Broth.
" This job never gets dull."
A few minutes passed before Maxine, Meredith, and Sam arrived at the other side of the portal.
The drop-off point led them to a dark forest filled with acres of towering, pine trees.
"Welcome to the midnight forest," Maxine said.
"This forest was rumored to be wiped out of existence by Lilith," Meredith said.
"Don't believe everything you hear, Lust. This forest has mystic properties that even the omnipotent witches can't destroy completely."
"Why couldn't we teleport straight to the Temple of Newts?" Sam asked.
"This forest is the only way to reach the temple, "Maxine explained." It serves as a firewall for anyone foolish enough to look for it."
"We have to be cautious, Meredith added. " The forest can send warders to other dimensions, most of which are fatal,"
"That's why I brought this," Maxine said while she pulled out a compass. "Stay close. The wrong turn could land you to your grave."
Maxine continued to lead the two agents through midnight forest.
"What's that smell?" Sam asked.
"It's the pollen exposed from the trees" Maxine said. "It's a safeguard to trick warders into getting loose in the forest."
"This doesn't seem like a safe venue to take," Meredith said.
"Stay close and cover your mouths," Maxine said. "Breathing in the pollen can cause hallucinations."
"Maybe I can help with that," Sam said." Piga mask gesi ili kutukinga tatu," he chanted.
Sam conjured a gas mask, covering each of their faces to protect them against the pollen's effects.
"Good thinking, kid," Maxine said. "Stay sharp; this pollen isn't the only thing that can get us in hot water."
Suddenly, a tremendous growl echoed through the forest with no sign of origin.
"That can't be good," Sam said.
"Understatement of the year, Sam," Meredith replied. "Let's have a look."
Meredith shut two eyes and focused her attention on the third.
In a glance, Meredith could see with x-ray vision and pick up on the interior of the forest.
"What do you see, Lust?"
"Nothing but trees, so far."
Meredith turned around to find what potential threat could be lurking in the forest.
"It is no use, kid," Maxine said. "Not even our doomsday eyes can see through this place,"
"Doomsday eye?" Sam asked. "What's a…"
Before Sam could continue his question, a ten-foot humanoid creature with a lion, a tiger, and a bear burst through the trees behind them, ready to strike.
"Oh my," Sam and Meredith said simultaneously.
The three-headed folklore approached the three witches. Its huge paws pounced on the forest floor.
"As I said, stay together," Maxine said.
"Our strike must be quick and precise. The triple-headed creature swung its massive claw toward the agents.
"Aim for its underbelly," Meredith said.
She and Sam ran under the beast.
Sam gathered a ball of blue magic and fired a concession blast into the beast's stomach.
The creature rolled over in pain before lying still.
The shock wave of the creature's attack repelled the young voodooist deeper into the forest. As Sam sailed past the trees, he nearly landed in a volcano. Just as Sam was about to plummet in the molten magma, Maxine flew to his rescue and grabbed him before he plunged into the boiling lava. Maxine placed Sam by Meredith's side while they tried to outsmart the monster.
"Thanks for the save," Sam told Maxine.
"Don't thank me yet," Maxine said, "We still have to stop that thing,"
"I have an idea," Meredith said" Sam, can you create a construct that will hold of the muzzle against that thing?"
" If you two buy me enough time."
" Just make sure you make it count, cadet," Maxine said. She flew above the monster.Maxine wiggled her wings. This action released a barrage of flaming feathers upon the three-headed monster, distracting it from Sam.
Maxine distracted the beast, while Sam pressed his hands together and created a green and purple aura around him. He asked his magic to contain the monster.
" I'll help Maxine," Meredith said." Let us know when you're ready."
Meredith arched back and raced toward the monster.
She jumped several feet in the air and retracted her fist and punched the middle head of the beast. It was forced to retreat a few steps.
As the creature caught its footing, Maxine caught Meredith in mid-air and flew around the three-headed monster to continue their attack.
" You think you can handle this, Lust?" Maxine said.
" Just get me close," Meredith said. Her third eye glowed a dark green.
The three-headed monster twisted its body and swung but she to dodged it and threw Meredith at the beast.
Meredith drew her fist back, emitted a dark green glow around her body, and thrust her fist into its chest, sending a shockwave that rocked the trees around them.
" Ninaita roho za kale kujenga kwa kiasi kikubwa kuzuia," Sam chanted.
When Sam chanted his mantra, several large boney constructs emerged around him until it became a giant skeletal being.
" You two might want to get clear," Sam said.
Maxine swooped in to pick up Meredith and flew high in the air away from the giant monster.
Sam's construct wrapped itself around the behemoth, entangling it in its grip.
" Jumuisha mnyama mkali Ndani ya eneo la mahali popote,"
The huge skeletal construct slowly disappeared in purplish shimmer, bringing the large creature with it.
" Quick, I need you to open my side pouch and pull out the green bottle," said Sam." It's the only way I can contain this thing."
" I'll get it," Meredith said while she ran toward Sam.
" Step aside, Triclops," Maxine pulled her back. We both know you cannot handle the pressure.
" I was out there distracting that things like you were. And stop calling me Triclops,"
The two females continue to bicker while
Sam struggled to maintain his grip on the giant behemoth.
" Would you two do this a different time?" said Sam while clutching half of his face.
Maxine and Meredith focused on their task and ran towards Sam. Meredith pulled out a green bottle from Sam's pouch and unscrewed the cork. She pointed the bottle toward the construct while Sam directed his chant to it. The monster and construct were sucked inside.
Meredith fastened the cork back in the bottle keeping the creature contained.
She reached over to Sam who was bent over gasping for breath.
" You okay?" Meredith asked. She helped him stand.
" Yeah, just need a minute."
" Good job, Dreads," Maxine told Sam." Maybe you cadets are not soft after all. But there's no time for rest."
Meredith gave the bottle back to Sam. He placed it in his pouch.
" We should keep moving. The temple isn't too far from here."
Maxine took the lead while Sam pulled Meredith aside.
" What was up with that dispute between you two?"
" It's nothing," Meredith said. "Keep your guard up."
Meredith pursued Maxine, leaving Sam curious about her history with the former captain.
" I hope Olivia and the others are having an easier time than this," said Sam as he ran after his comrades.