Outside of the heptagram, there were three major symbols on Marly’s back. Through internet research-done so in spite of Marly’s fears that they would somehow be tracked-and frequent visits to the library the two teens were able to figure out what they were and what they meant.

Or rather, Marvin was able to figure out what they meant, since Marly was too busy antagonizing Maria Rockwell. With her in the house alongside Annie and Marvin’s grandmother, it was nearly impossible for them to talk freely.

They were given a lucky break however, since Marvin's grandma decided to take Annie out in order to bond as grandma and granddaughter. She also asked Marvin to join them but he denied, feigning tiredness.

In truth, he was hoping that, with Marly’s help, they’d be able to corner her and get some answers out of the woman.

The only problem with that plan was that the two women immediately started trying to kill one another in his living room.

“You wanted me? Well, here I am!” Marly all but shouted, going on the offensive against the woman using a sword that she had supposedly brought there in order to train.

“Come on now girl, you can do better than that.” smirked Maria, golden glowing heptagram hovering over the back of her hand acting as a small shield. “I’m not really experienced, but I hear banter is half the fun of the battle.”

“Fun?!” said Marly as she thrust forward, closing the distance between her and Maria. “You think this is fun?” she asked as she used her free hand to punch the brunette in the face.

“Stop!” said Marvin, grabbing Marly’s arm with both of his. Rockwell was down behind the couch, with Marly having raised her sword as if to strike.

Blinking twice, the anger seemed to evaporate from the blonde girl’s face, replaced with something unreadable. She lowered her sword, holding it tighter than Marvin had ever seen.

“Talk.” she said, now pointing it at the brunette.

Maria sighed in response. “How do you kill an immortal?” she asked, surprising the two teens.

It seemed random, it probably was, perhaps a sort of diversion on her part. But the tattoos. Or whatever they were. Marvin had figured out what the three symbols meant.

Could his hypothesis from all the way back then have been correct?

“The tattoos.” he said out loud, causing both the other people in the house to turn to him. Maria seemed satisfied, smug even, while Marly looked almost betrayed at him mentioning them.

“You’ve probably figured out most of the things back there by now. The Triskelion, Ouroboros, and the double infinity. They each either represent perfection, movement, the cycle of life and death, holiness or even a combination of them.” explained Maria looking up at the two teens.

“Marvin?” asked Marly, not breaking her gaze from Maria’s this time. “Did you find out about them?”

“Yeah.” sighed Mavin. “I did some research but I couldn’t talk with her here.”

“Come on now, don’t talk about your little cousin that way.” said Maria in a mock hurt tone. She didn’t seem at all threatened here, which Marvin found odd. Thinking about it, it didn’t make sense that she’d be there all alone either.

While a seemingly great, albeit twisted, sorceress, Maria Rockwell wasn’t a warrior. Of course there was always the possibility that she did only get there because of Annie’s visit, but something seemed off about that to Marvin.

“What is Amdis’s plan?” asked Marvin as he kneeled down to the sorceress’s level. She let out a quiet chuckle in response.

Loud, boisterous laughter followed, but it didn’t originate in the living room. Everyone’s eyes darted to the origin of the sound, the kitchen, just as its doors opened to reveal Amdis standing there in his dark red suit, once again drinking from his wine glass.

“It’s an acquired taste, but it’s great when you get used to it. Blood, that is.” he said with a wide smile, showcasing his fangs. “For your information I never worked with this woman. Well, she did make a mental landscape for me to torture veterans of the battle from five years ago. The same one that I used on you Marvin, but that’s not important right now.”

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Logically, Marvin knew that Amdis was now on their side. He had heard Eobard’s voice telling him that. Yet he couldn’t help but tense up at his Arrival. He felt Marly’s free hand wrap around his own for a moment before it was gone.

“How cute.” cringed Amdis. “However, your answer is correct Marvin.” he said with a raise of his glass.

“Explain!” shouted Marly. “How do you know about my tattoos? What’s happening here?”

“You-” Amdis pointed at Marly. “You aren’t a dhampir. You aren’t even a tiny bit natural. And everything that has happened this past school year and summer has been in an attempt to capture you.”

“You know what? Fuck you!” said Marly, lunging at Amdis who easily dodged and pushed her back.

“You don’t know the full story. Hell, I don’t know the full story. We barely have a couple pieces of the puzzle. So come with us” said Maria. “Both of you. Eobard, Chiron and even your friends Adam and CB are waiting.”

Eobard? Chiron? Adam and CB? Supposedly they were all working together. Every single one of the people Marvin considered at least semi-trustworthy were in on a conspiracy that he had no idea about.

Looking over at Marly he saw her even more devastated than he had ever seen her. He couldn’t place himself in her shoes. Everyone she trusted outside of her immediate family had betrayed her. And if his fears were correct, then they were going to betray her as well.

“Marly-” he began, not even sure of what he could say. He was interrupted however, by a loud explosion that tore open the left side of his grandma’s house. His house.

He screamed wordlessly as about a dozen shadowy figures stood in the clearing smoke. A few moments later the smoke cleared and it was the first time Marvin could actually feel the ramifications of how deep in this rabbit hole they were.

A dozen people dressed as soldiers with IDA on their shoulders had guns pointed in their direction. In front of them stood a grinning Alpha and stoic Yui, flanking what seemed to be a Magesmith in the white robes and golden mask, supposedly the most powerful rank in the whole of the Association.

“Vampire Amdis. Maria Rockwell.” spoke the Magesmith with their double male/female voice. “For conspiring against the International Defense Association and the New Order Protocol. Marvin Perlie, you are under arrest for your inability to protect the most valuable asset of the Association. You shall be questioned by Rank One Commander James Mallory. That is the Magesmiths’ Decree.

“Magesmith?” said Amdis, using his free hand to make air quotes. “Pretty fancy title considering what you are.”

The Magesmith raised their gloved hand. “Make sure Mallory lives. Nothing more.”

Heptagrams appeared in Maria’s hands. Amdis grinned as he smashed his glass on the floor. He was certain he heard the vampire mutter something about his ‘death being close’.

The soldiers aimed their weapons. Alpha and Yui got into a fighting stance.

Yui removed her left glove, showing a heptagram burned on the back of her hand. It was almost identical to Marly’s back he realised, adding another question to the endless pile.

“Ignis.” she said, a torrent of fire heading their way.

“Absorbeo!” said Maria getting at the front of the unlikely group, absorbing all of the flames.

Alpha seemed to head for Marly, with Amdis getting in his way. The vampire and dhampir exchanged a few blows before Amdis sidestepped one of Alpha’s hits before punching him in the stomach so hard that he actually threw up before he went flying back.

In a fluid motion the vampire grabbed Marly who was behind him, bringing her in front of him as a shield. It made strategic sense since they wanted her alive, but Marvin resolved to stab him with Snow Blade later on in order to get back at him for this.

“Your soldiers can’t fire when she’s involved, can you?” said Maria. “And we have a vampire on our side. And excluding a select few, no single person can go up against a vampire and win. Let us go and we will live to fight another day. No cover story will be able to explain what will follow if someone like you fights.”

Could-Could they resolve this peacefully? It was longer than a long shot but Marvin still had hope. Never had he thought that he would be grateful for Amdis and Maria Rockwell rescuing him.

“Don’t be stupid Maria.” smirked Amdis. “Of course my dear Magesmith and I will go against one another.”

He was actually insane. Marvin sometimes forgot or underestimated just how insane his old enemy was.

“Damn you, you idiot!” he said to him. “I know that this is just a game to you but for the love of god-if you want to be an ally of any sort start acting like it!”

“I think I just saved your lives. And I am actually thinking about you Marvin.” he said, turning to the boy while dropping a struggling Marly in front of him.

“What-What do you-”

“She had white hair, didn’t she? The vampire who killed Kara Snow.”

It took his brain a few moments to register the information. To go back there, to that loss. But he didn’t get the chance to respond, to remind Amdis that he was just as responsible and that they weren’t friends.

The Magesmith got into a battle ready position.

And all hell broke loose.