In the city streets, the sorcerers of the Magicate caused mass destruction. Cars were smashed, buildings were battered, people ran away in fear, and sorcerers continued to cast magic all around them.

“Giant Toast Surprise!” Exclaimed Kate as a huge slice of toast fell from the sky and smashed a couple of sorcerers she was fighting.

“Some things just never get old, huh?” Theo said.

Kate smiled and Theo fired an ice bolt out of his hand at a sorcerer behind her.

Meanwhile, Tekashi with the Winx’ book in hand, stepped out of a rift that Rhys made and was once again in the Isle of Magic. Several sorcerers noticed him and began attacking and Rhys defended him.

“Man, you must've been one tough hero in your prime.” Tekashi said.

“Not the time!” Rhys said while continuing to take down one sorcerer after another.

After taking care of them, Rhys and Tekashi approached the building, but Draven appeared in front of them before they could walk inside.

“Well, here I thought you were smarter than this.” Draven said.

“Look at what you are doing to this city, you fool!” Rhys said.

Draven laughed and said “A necessary means to create something even greater. A better place for all magic users. It is our turn to be the ones at the top.”

“This is insane!” Tekashi said.

“Silence!” Draven said as he used his book to cast a powerful spell towards him.

Tekashi used the power of his book and cast a counterspell that collided with Draven’s which neutralized it.

“What?!” Said Draven upon seeing Tekashi with the book.

“What's wrong? I prefer fighting on an even playing field.” Said Tekashi with a smirk.

In another part of the city, Cruz and Kim were also up against several sorcerers.

“Kim watch out!” Cruz said as he dipped into a shadow and flew out to stop a sorcerer.

“Thanks. These guys just keep coming.” Kim said.

Just then, a sorcerer spoke an incantation, giving him double his strength, and leaped towards Cruz.

Kim noticed him out of the corner of her eye. Out of her arm grew vines, which wrapped around the sorcerer, and she forced him to the ground.

“That should take care of this area. Let’s see if anyone else needs help.” Kim said.

Over their earpieces, they listened for heroes requesting backup.

“I need some help over here! This guy is aiming to make me extra crispy.” Sheet Shifter said.

“We’re on our way!” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Glowstick and Digi fought back to back fending off several sorcerers.

Glowstick fired a beam of energy at one of them but the sorcerer redirected it into a building.

“These guys are crazy!” Digi said as she summoned a pixelated bow and fired a digital arrow at a sorcerer attacking her.

“You’re telling me!” Said Glowstick.

Just then from around a corner of a nearby building, a sorcerer cast a ground spell that moved underground until it was beneath Digi and then emerged, throwing her across the street and hitting a wall very hard.

“Digi!” Glowstick exclaimed before also being thrown to the ground having been distracted.

Back over where Theo and Kate were fighting, they had finished mopping the floor with the sorcerers and were about to join Rhys and Tekashi on the Isle of Magic when they got a distress call from Glowstick.

“What is it?” Kate asked.

“It’s Glowstick and Digi. They’re in trouble. I think it would be best if we split up. I’ll go help the girls while you go to the floating island.” Theo said.

“O-ok. Just be careful, please.” Kate said as a worried expression washed over her face.

Theo put his hand on her cheek and, giving her a warm smile, said “Always.”

He then leaned in and kissed her before using a gust of wind to propel himself forward towards the direction of Glowstick and Digi.

Kate blushed, turned around, looked at the cloud hiding the floating island, and thought for a moment about how to reach it. Then an idea came to her and she concentrated intensely as she created a giant slingshot that pointed directly at the island. She pulled it back, got into position, and then launched herself through the air. Everything whirred past her as she flew insanely fast. As she got close, she closed her eyes and concentrated again and in a moment created glider wings, transforming her hero suit into a gliding suit.

Concurrently, Tekashi and Rhys were fighting tooth and nail against Draven. No matter what was thrown at them, Tekashi could dish right back using the book’s power.

Draven, growing irritated, said “Enough of these games!”

He held his hands close together and formed a much larger and stronger spell of energy that hurled at Rhys at great speed.

“Rhys!” Tekashi said.

A rift opened behind Rhys and he quickly moved through it, putting him on a different side of Draven. However, the spell was too quick and barely followed him and, just as it was about to collide with Rhys, Kate soared from the sky and crashed into it. As the dust cleared, Kate stood tall and Draven's face was full of surprise.

“This has gone too far! It is time to end this!” Draven yelled.

Kate turned to Tekashi and nodded.

“It’s time. We’ll hold him off for as long as we can.” Kate said before looking at Rhys who agreed.

Tekashi opened the book from Winx and turned to the page that held the failsafe. An old incantation revealed itself and Tekashi took a deep breath before beginning to speak the spell.

Rhys opened and closed rifts for Kate as she jumped around attacking Draven from every angle, throwing punches and kicks. She tried to create some weapons but a headache developed and she lost her footing as Draven trapped her with an imprisonment spell. Tekashi was halfway through the spell and Rhys repositioned himself so that he was in between Tekashi and Draven.

“What are you doing, boy?! That spell is nothing I’ve heard of before.” Draven said as he grew more angry.

In a flash, Rhys shoved Draven through a portal and, knowing which rift he would emerge from, began to beat him as he came out of each rift. Draven collected himself and was able to catch Rhys’ fist before coming out of one of his rifts and smashing his mask. Rhys stumbled backward and held his head in pain as some pieces of his mask fell off while others stuck into his face that was slightly poking out from underneath.

“J-just a little more Rhys.” Tekashi said as he was struggling.

The spell started to become taxing on Tekashi and was slowly draining him.

Rhys then remembered something that Winx had told him before he left the Kyomagi Learning Center.

After explaining the failsafe in his book, Professor Winx gave him a warning.

“Mr. Rhys. If this failsafe is used, the user that cast the spell will surely be destroyed. Please, be wise when deciding to use it.” Winx said.

Now staring at Draven with one of his eyes exposed, an aura of energy similar to his rifts surrounded him.

“Draven. Salty City is my home. It has always been and will always be my sworn duty to protect this city and its people. I’ve had quite enough of you, now be gone!” Rhys exclaimed as he fired a rift-like beam of energy at Draven.

Draven quickly fired his own beam of energy using the book and a beam struggle began.

“No, Rhys! He’s too powerful!” Tekashi said as he became distracted and the failsafe spell slowly began to dissipate.

As Rhys and Draven’s beams collided, Draven’s beam slowly overtook Rhys’ beam and Rhys was pushed away and clutched his chest in pain.

“Tekashi. Hand that book to me.” Draven ordered.

Beads of sweat were rolling down his head as he continued trying to cast the failsafe. He tried casting lightning at him but Draven was able to absorb it and threw it back at him and the book flew out of his hands.

“You should have trusted your instincts like before. You knew you weren’t stronger than me. You will never be.” Draven said.

While Draven was talking to Tekashi, Rhys opened a small portal that allowed him to reach his hand through and grab the book. He opened it back to the failsafe and continued to spell. Nearing its completion he felt the book slowly taking the life out of him as it used every bit of power in him.

“This world will be mine. I am the only one who is capable of ruling and-what?!” Draven said as he noticed Rhys.

Rhys shakily stood up for one last time. He grabbed what remained of his mask and pulled it off.

Tekashi looked over and was unable to speak as a tear streamed down his face. He attempted a brave face and silently saluted Rhys as several more tears fell.

F-for Salty City. For the Hero Society. For Jeff.” Rhys said.

The spell reached its completion and a blinding light engulfed the whole island. Across the city, the island could be seen breaking apart and several heroes quickly made their way underneath it and stopped any large falling debris that could cause further damage. Sorcerers all over stopped fighting and felt an immense pull within them and realized their power had greatly diminished. Most of them fled while others were captured. Theo helped Glowstick to her feet and kneeled over to patch up Digi who was in bad shape.

He looked up at the island that was crumbling in the sky and mumbled “Please be Ok.”

Kate slowly woke up on the roof of a building and saw Tekashi nearby sitting on the ground.

“Tekashi?” Said Kate.

He didn’t say anything as he sat still, looking upon the mangled body of Rhys. Kate gasped upon seeing the body and she knelt next to Tekashi and began to cry. He put a hand on her shoulder and hung his head as he too began to weep. Tekashi had activated his Hero Society locator beacon so everyone knew where they were and right away Kim and Cruz rushed to their location. When they arrived they were in disbelief. Kim put a hand over her mouth and teared up as Cruz put his arm around his sister. Hero after hero showed up and not a word was spoken among any of them. Finally, Theo landed on the rooftop and was confused about the commotion before seeing Rhy’s body. He slowly walked over and stood in front of it and stared at it. Kate noticed him and threw her arms around him as she grasped his chest and cried. After several moments, he motioned for Kate to let go and he picked up the body and gently floated down to the street where he slowly walked back to the Hero Society. People looked on as Theo passed by and all of the other heroes followed close behind. Upon reaching the society, he called for a medical hero to take the body and prepare it for a proper send-off.

A while later in Calibre Sanctum, Kim was making dinner and told Cruz to come to the table to eat. They both sat in silence as their plates grew empty.

“We should get ready to go to the funeral.” Cruz said.

Kim nodded and soon they left and headed towards the Hero Society. Many heroes were softly conversing in nice-looking clothing and soon an announcement was made for everyone to come to the roof. Theo began speaking as Kate looked over at Gen who had an open seat next to her. 

She leaned over and whispered “Is he coming?”

Gen looked at her and said “This one’s different. For Slinky and Matter, it was hard on him. But, this? This is a whole different level.”

Kate gave a sad expression as she put her arm around Gen and they listened to Theo. Knit Knight and Lenno sat next to each other while Mark and Shawn were both trying to hold it together nearby. Kyle was unusually quiet and calm and Hoodie Hipster couldn’t bring himself to look anywhere near the wrapped body of Rhys. Tekashi held Maeda and Fawth sat next to them with Tala who rested her head on his shoulder.

As Theo finished his speech, he pulled out Rhys’ cracked mask and placed it on his chest. He then stood back and took a deep breath.

“Goodbye, old friend.” He softly said.

He raised his arm to the sky and a thunderstorm rolled in. Lightning crackled and thunder rumbled. A bolt of lightning came down from the sky and as he moved his hand down and pointed toward Rhy’s body it followed suit and struck the body causing it to catch fire. Not a word was said as the storm dissipated and all that was left was the crackle of the fire that engulfed Rhy’s body.

Down below in the lobby of the Hero Society, there wasn’t anyone around as a ray of sun shone through the windows. It struck the statues of Slinky and Matter and their eyes glistened in the light.

A new age of The Slinky and Laughing Matter Hero Society had begun. But no enormous success is without its share of loss. And, on this day, the society collectively grieved one of the greatest losses it has ever dealt with.

R.I.P. Former Director Rhys, Master of Teleportation. 2020-2024.