Illyria, one of the original demon lords of ancient times, looks upward as the shadow descends upon her. She has been in many wars – one battle lasted hundreds of years once – but as a building is thrown at her head, she hasn’t time to reflect.

From a distance, Charles Gunn thinks that that must hurt, slightly at least. He knows Baticus is running on borrowed power and drives the truck as close to the multi-story sized demon as he can.

Baticus looks at the human with mild curiosity. “Who dares? And you would be what?” he asks, “Her newest pet?” Gunn hasn’t got time to listen to the demon ranting at him. Yes, he dares. Baticus tells him to be wary – as soon as his Scourge followers have killed the Stygian demons and absorbed their life forces, he will be permanently linked to our dimension. Gunn realises the truth – the Scourge weren’t hunting the Stygian – they were herding them.

“Yeah, well. That’s not going to happen.” Gunn grins.

Before Baticus can question him, Illyria bursts from beneath the rubble of the warehouse, a sheet of steel in her hand, which she uses to bisect the demon. As it falls to the ground in pieces, she turns to Gunn. “He was not my favourite pet,” she declares. Maybe next time, she should try a goldfish, he suggests. He mentions that the Scourge are still going after the Stygian – Illyria insists it is not their duty to save them, but Gunn counters – the Stygian are innocent of any wrong doing. That’s enough for him.

Illyria seems distant as he speaks: Baticus is reforming behind her. She tells him not to rise, but he strikes, one of his mandibles skewering Illyria straight through her chest! As she looks up dazed at Charles, she tells him to save the Stygian to deny Baticus his anchor to this realm. He doesn’t want to leave her, but she insists: she is, perhaps, enjoying herself for the first time in millennia. This is enough for Charles, who, satisfied, drives off in the direction for the farmyard shelter.

Baticus is alarmed when suddenly he feels pain in his jaw. His mandible snaps under Illyria’s strength and she plummets to the ground, still upright, still defiant and still determined. He cannot believe it! She roars at him, picks up more steel and launches her human frame towards the monstrous beast.

Gunn is driving as fast as he can, but he thinks he’s going to be too late. He thinks back to his grandmother. Another memory. He’s on a roof top with his grams. She’s training him, but he doesn’t want to strike her. She kicks him in response and tells him to listen to every word she tells him from this point in: it will save his life.

In the present, Gunn cuts quickly into a cornfield, bridging the gap between him and the Stygian. He gets to the barn, and D’Rel is delighted – he’s kept his promise to help them. Charles interrupts the boy before he can finish: “Everyone, in the barn. Now!”

As the Stygian race inside and close the door, Gunn, armed with a hub cab axe, just like old times, sees two cars pull up. He knows the kid shouldn’t see what’s next…