"We're sorry," the teens mumbled together, their voices sad.

"Are we in trouble with the Vanguard?" Rhea asked.

Glint shook his shell from side to side.

"No, you're not, but I'm going to clear this place out and make sure nothing is amiss. Get on home, ok?" They nodded and turned away. He added, loud enough for them to hear, "And no more rituals. You don't know what could happen if you accidentally mix real spells together."

"Thank you, Glint," Nirysk said, and lingered for just a moment before he joined his sister.

Glint sighed.

Any other year, he'd have been excited at the idea of a potential ritual to summon a Headless One, but this year… This year, he simply wanted some time for quiet contemplation. Figuring out what had caused such a strange phenomenon could wait. It was a problem for him and Eido to revisit at a future date.

For his own peace of mind, Glint scanned the reliquary and was relieved to find that it was just packed full of candy.