"Rest now my boy," Smolkie caught Lin as he fell forward, unconscious. Breathing a sigh of relief, the hypnotist glanced up and found that the fog lifted. The fairgrounds were covered in crows flying, cawing, hopping along, and scavenging through various attractions. It looked less like a carnival and more like a sanctuary for black birds of death.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice call out to them. "Ah, it is good to see you all safe and sound," Vontell approached with a smile. "It would seem you have made your way back to us," he gestured to Vivienne and the others before looking behind the hypnotist with narrowed eyes. Smolkie followed his gaze to the big top resting ominously ahead. It appeared as if in their quest to find Velvet, the dastardly fog had guided them back to where they had begun.

"I say..." The hypnotist let out a shaky breath. "That is an extremely unpleasant aura indeed. An evil most foul awaits us within there. Of that I am sure!"

Vyc gently took the unconscious Lin from Smolkie and laid him beside the others, sharing a knowing look at Vivi who was beside Vanora in worry. He stood upright and cracked his neck, "Well, might be some answers in there to this freakin' mess. We gotta go in and check it out, right?"

"Right! There's a lot of people counting on us," Velvet chipped in with an uncharacteristic fist to her palm. "I got some payback to give, too. Whatever's causing this mess got me choked and that sucked."

"I wish I could help, but I feel as if I have to stay back and watch them..." Vivienne held a hand to her chest with a concerned look at the ones slumbering. "Dr. McMoy, they... will wake up, won't they?"

Smolkie gave her a confident smile, "On my honor, Miss Harper. It may take them a while to come around since the darkness had them tight in its clutches, but I do say they will be ever fine! Right now, however, we have to do something about that," he looked towards the big top with a narrowed gaze. "Let us be quick, careful, and safe."

"That is a most sound argument, Vivi," Vontell nodded. "I shall stay behind with you and offer what meager protection I can provide! None of us should be alone in these dire circumstances." Vivi looked up at him mouthing the words 'thank you.'

Unbeknownst to them both, the miniscule blackness in Von's eye wiggled about. . .

The group made their way slowly to the big top, watched by beady red eyes every step of the way. Steeling themselves, they pressed through the entrance flap and emerged in a pitch black space. Not even the light from outside seemed to pierce the darkness around them. There was no familiar sound anymore. No crows. No crunching of their footsteps. Just strange muttering of an otherworldly nature. Like an unnerving chant of some sort, sourceless in the shadowed air.

"Did I say it's up to us? I meant you guys," Velvet turned on her heel to leave, but it was too late.

A myriad of disembodied eyes blinked to life before them. Eyes of various sizes and states. Eyes of bloodshot sorrow and innocent curiosity. Eyes that, in terrifying unison, flicked their unflinching gaze onto the group. The unrecognizable words they heard before hadn't skipped a beat.

Velvet's own eye twitched as she took a step back, "Yeah okay, I cap my brave meter at floating eyes!"

"Wait, I recognize this symbol!" Smolkie clenched a fist in realization and shouted, "Io! I know you're there. Please don't be afraid, my boy, and speak to us!" There was a pause in the distant voice, however slight, before its tone rose. With the increase came a wave of nauseating energy that brought the group to its knees in collective anguish. What was a single pulse turned so intense that the group thought themselves wrapped in a cyclone of despair.

"W-wait, my... boy..." Smolkie grunted as he clawed himself forward. The eyes above and beyond shifted closer to observe his struggle. One eye twitched hyperactively around him as if excited. "Don't... don't do this, I say!" He brought his pocket watch to bear and pushed it against another wave to fight the building pressure. The watch glowed brightly and emanated a shield of light that seemed to protect him... for now.

He shouted back to the rest, "We must break through, my friends, and save Io! Only then will the darkness be quelled, I think!"

Smolkie reached out with all his might and against the torrential waves of energy, pressed his glowing pocket watch to a shimmering wall of dark force. Like glass, the barrier shattered, and the group could make out Io just ahead. He was knelt down in the center of swirling tarot cards each dimly lit with magical power, hands clasped together in prayer. His chanting stopped, however, and he slowly brought his head up, biting his lip.

"Io my boy! You're... okay," Smolkie let out a sigh of relief, and smiled wide as he stepped towards the Oracle.

"Stop," he shouted in a tone that froze the hypnotist in his tracks. "Now that it has come to this, there is no other option. I need you to kill me." The group let out a collective gasp of horror, but the Oracle's voice was calm. Resolute. "If He... if Veles gains full possession of my body," he shook his head. "There will be no stopping Him. Please, you must act now. End me and-"

Smolkie, tears in his eyes, leapt forward and embraced the boy. "No no, there is no way we could ever do such a thing! It's fine, my boy, it's fine! I can help you, I say... I can exorcize you!" Io remained rigid in his arms, head turned. He let out a slight exhale.

"You cannot. You are powerful, but He has been inside me for far too long." He gave the hypnotist a gentle push away and thumped a hand over his own heart, "To end this nightmare, you must end me before I'm lost to Him completely. Do this one thing, if nothing else."

Smolkie squeezed the pocket watch tightly, staring at Io's face with nothing but hesitation on his own. He would never have a chance to act, however, for a rumbling voice spoke from the ether. It was one very familiar to all of them, and absolutely terrifying for Io. The same voice that seemingly devoured Trick and Treat.

"Oh..." The voice drawled out. "There you are, Io! You've been such a naughty boy, running from your dear ole demonic pal!" Laughter boomed throughout the space as the shadows in the big top grew closer to the center, swirling towards Io. "What have you to say for yourself, hmmm?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Vyc clenched his teeth.

Velvet stomped her foot and shouted out, "Are you the one responsible for all this-" She squeaked when an eye opened by her head, and she felt cold breath on her neck.

"Why yes, my dear! I most certainly am," the resounding voice took on many tones as it spoke, and no sound was ever the same. It made her skin crawl. "The name's Veles, as you've heard. An absolute pleasure to be greeted by so many on the day I finally move out! Or in, should I say?"

The darkness converged into a singular silhouette that rose from behind Io, hand clutching his shoulder. A toothy grin revealed itself where the face would be, but Io didn't seem to budge under the menacing presence. He looked straight in Smolkie's direction and mouthed the words: "Find Ran."

"My boy, I won't let this monster do anything to-" The hypnotist brought his pocket watch to bear, but Veles frowned.

"You're far too loud, Gramps. Take a seat and remember to use your indoor voice," the twisting shadow at Io's back made a flicking motion and the hypnotist flew back to the others, crashing to the floor at their feet. They watched in horror as Veles bore its hand into Io's chest, the boy crying out in pain as all the darkness in the big top surged into his body.

When the cries came to an end and the maelstrom settled, Io was still standing there. He reached up, took his blindfold in both hands, and pulled it off ceremoniously. A grin overtook his expression, then, as he started to chuckle. And cackle. And burst into a fit of manic laughter.

Smolkie swallowed and whispered out, "Io...?"

The laughing ceased abruptly as the Oracle raised a hand, "I'm afraid he can't come out and play right now. Shame, isn't it?" He crossed his arms with a shake of his head, "Oh well! But thanks for your help. That fool spent the better half of his life learning that spell to get rid of me, and you put a stop to that far better than I ever could!"

"No... I..." Smolkie looked down at his watch, choking back a sob. "I just wanted to help him... help him, I say."

Veles shrugged, "Eh, sometimes you just can't win. Smell ya later! Or never." He waved happily and vanished from sight.