Saving Tess S04E11 - Finale

Tess was still bound by magic to her chair. In her dimension, she had been trapped for around two hours. She was attempting to delve into the deepest parts of her mind, searching for that elusive power Grace had told her she possessed, but she hadn’t even had a whiff of it yet—apart from when she had blasted Sam out of the coven and onto the road edging City Park.

That was pretty cool, she thought. Should’ve made sure she stayed there.

While Tess was deep in thought, testing different spells, Millie and Carly entered the room in their dimension. To Tess and Millie’s surprise, Tess saw them arrive. Relief washed over her, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Millie quickly put a finger over her lips and shook her head. That was the moment Tess realised that neither Sam nor Rhianna knew they were there.

"Hi, Mum," Millie said telepathically.

"Millie!" Tess gasped. "How are you—"

"Never mind that," Carly interrupted, as though noticing Tess for the first time.

"Who are you?" Tess asked.

"I am the Eye, Carly," she said, observing the confusion on Tess’s face.

Tess slowly recalled her sister, Millie the Elder, telling her about Millie the Younger’s quest. But that was only a couple of hours ago...

Millie glanced at her watch, which was still behaving oddly. She looked at Carly in confusion. In the cave, the watch had moved back in time or forward in time—but now, both hands were pointing to twelve and vibrating.

"It’s because we’re in this dimension," Carly said. "Stop fidgeting."

Millie shot her a you’re not my mum look. Carly opened her mouth, but Millie beat her to it.

"Mum!" she said. "They—" she pointed at Sam and Rhianna, "can’t see us. We’re in a different dimension to them... to you."

"Diff— never mind. Are you okay? Did you find Sandra?"

"I’m fine, Mum. And yes! We found Sandra," Millie said. "Grace has her."

Tess frowned. Sandra’s comatose body was still lying next to her.

"Her astral body, Mum," Millie explained, trying to smooth the creases on Tess’s forehead. "They were using the bones of dead gods to hold her. What do they want from you? From us?"

"Power," Tess said. "More specifically, our family’s power, Mills."

"But how?" Millie asked.

Carly cleared her throat before speaking.

"The only way to take generational power," she began, "would be to bleed a witch out—"

"What?!" Millie exclaimed.

At the same time, Tess said aloud, “What?!”

Sam and Rhianna stopped what they were doing and stared at Tess. Taking a step toward her, Sam narrowed her eyes. "What are you up to?"

"Why’s she lookin’ at the roof?" Sam asked, pacing the room, sniffing and feeling the air, checking that their spell was still intact and without weaknesses.

"Best go check the bones," Rhianna said.

"Why me?" Sam whined.

"They obviously don’t know that..." Carly said. "Not very bright, are they?"

"Not a brain between them," Tess quipped. "S’pose that’s a good thing."

"Certainly is," Carly said. "Now, young Tess, you wouldn’t remember me, but I remember you from before... well, before Astrid passed into the hereafter."

"You mean when Mum—"

"Yes," Carly continued.

Tess’s heart pounded. Astrid. Her mother.

"Wait... you knew Mum?" Tess asked, her voice hesitant in her mind.

"Yes," Carly confirmed. "I knew her well. But now is not the time to delve into that. We have to get you out of here."

"I’d love that," Tess replied dryly, shifting in her restraints. "But as you can see, I’m a little tied up."

Millie smirked. "Not for long."

"How do we do this?" Tess asked.

"I can break the bindings," Carly said. "But the moment I do, they will know."

Millie and Tess exchanged glances.

"We’ll have to be fast, then," Millie said.

"We don’t have much time," Carly warned. "The magic that holds you is woven into this place. Once I break it, the entire coven will feel the disturbance."

"So, we need to be ready to fight," Millie concluded.

"Yes," Carly nodded. "But not yet. We must time this precisely. If we do it too soon, they might rebind you before you can gather your strength. We need to wait for the right moment."

"And when will that be?" Tess asked.

"When they believe they have won."

The Plan Unfolds

Meanwhile, Sam and Rhianna continued their discussion, oblivious to the duo in another dimension.

"We need to move quickly," Rhianna muttered. "She’s strong, but not invincible. The longer we wait, the more time she has to fight back."

Sam smirked. "That’s why we won’t give her time."

Rhianna placed a hand over the spell-etched floor. A faint glow pulsed beneath her fingertips. "The bond is holding, but it’s unstable. If she fights too hard, it might break."

"Then we make sure she can’t fight," Sam said, reaching into a pouch at her waist. She pulled out a small vial of thick, dark liquid.

Rhianna’s eyes flickered with understanding. "Blood binding?"

"Not just any blood," Sam said with a grin. "Hers."

Millie clenched her fists as she listened in. No. We’re not letting that happen.

Carly put a hand on Millie’s shoulder. "Steady, young maiden. We need patience."

But patience was the last thing Millie had. Her mother was bound, her twin had been held captive, and now these two witches were trying to take everything from them.

"No more waiting," Millie said. "We act now."

Tess looked at her daughter, nodding in agreement. "I trust you, Millie."

Carly exhaled. "Very well. Stand ready."

She lifted her hands, her fingers weaving through the air as symbols glowed at her fingertips. The space around Tess shimmered, as though reality itself was bending. Then—

Snap!

The magical bindings shattered.

Tess collapsed forward, gasping. Power flooded back into her limbs as the invisible chains that held her vanished.

Sam and Rhianna spun around instantly. "What was that?!" Sam shrieked.

"The bond! It’s broken!" Rhianna hissed.

Tess lifted her head slowly, fire burning in her eyes.

"Oh," she said, stretching her arms, "You two are in so much trouble."

***

The Battle Begins

Rhianna took a cautious step back. "Sam... this wasn’t supposed to happen."

Sam snarled. "No kidding!"

Tess rolled her shoulders, shaking off the last remnants of the spell. Magic surged through her veins again, raw and furious.

Millie and Carly remained hidden in their dimension, watching as Tess sized up her captors.

"Should we step in?" Millie asked.

"Not yet," Carly whispered. "Your mother needs to reclaim her own power first. This is her fight."

Tess cracked her knuckles. "You tried to bind me with my own blood? Really?" She scoffed. "You must be desperate."

"Shut up," Sam hissed. "You don’t have a chance against both of us."

Tess tilted her head, considering this. "Hmm. Maybe. Or maybe you two should’ve tried harder to keep me tied down." She raised a hand and snapped her fingers.

A rush of golden light exploded outward, throwing both Sam and Rhianna back. They tumbled across the stone floor, landing hard against the far wall.

Sam let out a guttural scream. "You’ll pay for that!"

Tess grinned. "Come and get me, then."

Rhianna recovered first. She whispered a spell under her breath, her hands glowing with dark energy. Black tendrils shot out toward Tess.

Tess twisted her fingers, countering the attack mid-air. The tendrils dissipated with a hiss.

Millie watched in awe. Mum’s incredible...

Sam, meanwhile, was rummaging through her pouch again, pulling out another vial—this one glowing with an eerie blue light.

Carly’s expression darkened. "That is daemon magic," she warned. "It is not meant for mortals, or witches."

"Then we need to stop her!" Millie said.

"Now we intervene," Carly nodded.

Without another word, Millie stepped into the physical realm. One moment, she was invisible—the next, she was standing between her mother and Sam, hands pulsating with magic.

Sam’s eyes widened. "What—?!"

Millie didn’t give her a chance to react. She flicked her wrist, and a blast of energy struck Sam square in the chest. The vial flew from her hands and shattered against the floor, its contents hissing as they seeped into the stone.

Rhianna turned just in time to see Millie. "Impossible," she breathed.

"Surprise," Millie said, flashing a smirk. "Miss me?"

Sam clutched her chest, glaring daggers at Millie. "You little rat! We should’ve killed you when we had the chance!"

"Bit late for that now," Millie shot back.

Carly materialised beside her, looking down at the shattered remains of the daemon vial. "This would have been catastrophic," she muttered.

Rhianna’s expression twisted in fury. "You brats ruin everything!"

"Oh, you have no idea," Tess said, stepping beside her daughter.

The energy in the room shifted. Tess, Millie, and Carly stood together, their combined magic humming through the air. Sam and Rhianna faltered, glancing at each other.

For the first time, they looked uncertain, afraid.

"I say we end this," Millie said.

Tess grinned. "I like the sound of that."

Sam and Rhianna barely had time to react before the air around them crackled. Millie and Tess raised their hands, channelling their magic into a single, devastating strike.

A brilliant beam of light shot forward, slamming into the two witches.

Sam screamed as she was engulfed in white fire. Rhianna’s form flickered, her magic unravelling. They staggered back, fighting to hold their ground—but the combined force was too strong.

With one final blast, the room exploded with energy.

When the dust settled, Sam and Rhianna were gone.

The room was silent.

Millie let out a shaky breath. "Did we...?"

"They’re not dead," Carly said. "But they won’t be back for a long time."

Tess exhaled, rubbing her wrists. "Fine by me."

Millie turned to her mother. "Are you okay?"

Tess smiled and pulled Millie into a tight hug. "Thanks to you, yes."

Carly stepped forward. "This is not the end of your journey," she warned. "There are still greater forces at play."

Millie met her gaze. "Then we’ll face them. Together."

Carly nodded approvingly. "But first..."

The Aftermath

Carly waved her hand, and Sandra’s comatose body sat upright as her spirit returned to it.

"Sandy!" Tess and Millie cried, rushing to her side. They almost pulled her off the bed in their rush to embrace her.

"Oh, Mum," Sandra sobbed. "Mill’s, am I really back?"

"Yes," Millie said, "Your fabulously adorable self is back... isn’t that wonderful?"

While mother and daughters got reacquainted, the door to the casting room flew open. A group of witches, fully powered up, entered the room, ready for a fight. They looked around, confusion settling in as they found no immediate threat.

"It’s over... for now," Millie assured them.

Millie the Elder—the Crone—had seen The Eye as she entered the room, though no one else seemed to notice. With a smile, the Crone invited Carly to join in the relief. Carly, who rarely ventured out, lit up the room with a soft ruby glow. The witches fell silent as the glow intensified, then, suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared before them all.

"Would you mind if I invite another?" Carly asked in the silence. "I have some unfinished business to attend to."

Policeman Frank stood at the door, watching the scene unfold, unfazed.

"Of course," the Crone said.

Moments later, Grace stepped in from the Ether, and the witches began celebrating once more. Not one of them questioned who The Eye was. That was intentional—Carly had gently hazed their minds for what she was about to do.

She took Grace, The Mother, aside, then turned to Tess, Millie, The Maiden, and Sandra, The Confused, gesturing for them to gather in a huddle. Carly stood in the centre, her presence commanding yet calm.

"Tess," Carly said. "The role of Maiden was always yours. Do you wish to relieve your daughter of its burdens?"

All eyes turned to Tess, her expression one of shock. None were more surprised than Millie.

"I think that must be Millie’s choice," Tess said at last. "She is a young woman now, and she successfully found The Eye."

Now, all eyes fell on Millie. A million thoughts rushed through her mind at once, overwhelming her—until she settled on one.

"If I choose to just be Millie again," she asked slowly, "Will I keep my magic? I mean, the knowledge and strength that fuels my powers—not the power of dead gods, but the abilities I gained on my quest?"

"Of course," Carly said, her face betraying nothing.

Millie stood silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"Mill’s!" Sandra almost yelled, making Millie jump.

"Oh, okay... sorry, everyone," she mumbled. "I just have one more question."

"Yes?" Carly prompted.

"What will happen to Mum if I do?"

"Why, nothing, young maiden. Just as your aunt, the Crone, lives in this world, so too would your mother. She has accepted the power within her and can do everything you can do... and more."

Millie turned to Tess. "What about you, Mum? Do you want to be the Maiden?"

"I am ready, but I will not take it from you, my sweet daughter," Tess said gently, cupping Millie’s chin in her hand. "But if you’re not ready for the responsibilities that come with the role, then yes—I will be your Maiden."

Tess shed a tear for her brave daughter, knowing how difficult this choice was. After another moment, Millie finally replied.

"Mum," she whispered, tears streaming down her face, "It’s too big for me. I just want to have a life that doesn’t include quests and... and all this, at least not yet."

"Oh, Millie," Tess murmured, pulling her into her arms.

"The choice has been made," Carly proclaimed. "The young Maiden passes her gift to the true Maiden, Tess."

Carly placed a finger on each of their heads, and suddenly, the trio was drenched in light as the mantle passed from daughter to mother.

When the light faded, Sandra caught Millie before she collapsed to the ground. Tess, however, stood tall, radiating power—the transfer had barely affected her.

***

Reunion and Revelation

"There’s one more thing I must do before I return to whence I came," Carly said. She turned to Grace, her expression softening. "Grace, you have suffered more than any witch. Even with your merging into the Ether, you could not find your daughter."

Tears welled in Grace’s eyes, but for the first time in decades, they were tears of joy rather than loss.

Carly lifted her hands, tracing glowing sigils in the air. A brilliant ruby light wove itself into intricate patterns, and suddenly—from the space between worlds—a young girl appeared.

Everyone froze, confused.

Everyone, except one.

"Astrid?" Grace whispered.

"Mum?" the teenage girl gasped.

"Astrid!"

"Mum!"

Grace broke into sobs, throwing her arms around her daughter. For years, she had searched for Astrid, trapped in the Ether, unable to reach her. Now, after so much time, she held her again.

Tess, stunned, took a hesitant step forward. "Astrid? Oh my goddess, Astrid. It’s really you? I thought you were—"

"Dead?" Carly asked.

"Well... yes," Tess admitted.

"Astrid was murdered by your mother, Tess," Carly said. "But I took her as she lingered on the cusp of death and kept her safe until she could be returned to Grace."

Tess’s voice wavered. "Is she... is she alive?"

Carly’s expression softened. "She is neither alive nor dead. You may visit her in the Ether, for I have returned her to her true mother. But no—Astrid is no longer part of this world."

Tess swallowed hard but nodded. "I understand."

Grace and Astrid remained locked in a tight embrace, lost in their own moment.

Tess took a deep breath. "I suppose I should get used to this. I am the Maiden now."

The knowledge sank in. Her access to the Ether was now seamless—as simple as opening a door. She could visit Astrid and Grace whenever she wished.

The room glowed softly with the light of the ruby.

"What’s happening?" Sandra asked, gripping Millie as she wobbled in her arms.

The Eye's ruby stone, once embedded in Millie’s palm, lifted from her hand and slowly embedded itself into Tess’s instead.

A surge of raw energy flooded through her as the combined power of the Bones of Dead Gods and the ruby converged within her.

For most in the room, the shift was imperceptible. But those attuned to magic—the witches in the huddle—felt the ripple of transformation.

Frank, standing quietly at the door, watched it all unfold. He glanced at Aunt Millie.

I’m going to marry that woman, he thought. Then, with a chuckle, he turned to leave. It’ll probably be the death of me, but that’s life.

But as he opened the door, his chuckle died in his throat.

"Mill’s?" Frank called, staring at something—something impossible. "MILL’S??"

The others heard the urgency in his voice and rushed to his side.

In the middle of the room, hovering just above the floor, was a towering celestial being.

The Celestial Daemon

The being before them was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was humanoid in form but sculpted from pure cosmic energy. Its vast wings rippled, shifting through hues of silver, gold, and deep sapphire, radiating an ethereal light.

Its eyes held unfathomable wisdom—swirling nebulae that seemed to stretch into infinity. Intricate runes glowed across its armour, merging seamlessly with flowing robes woven from stardust.

It did not move—it glided, bending space around it. Its voice was not heard but felt, resonating through their minds in a choir of celestial harmonies.

"Thank you for freeing the gods’ daemon from evil intentions," it sang into their souls. "It has been bequeathed to sky and cloud. The beings who sought to harm the Astralis that binds you have been unclenched from your teeth and untethered from your souls."

Sandra, overwhelmed, whispered, "What?" but no one replied.

The daemon’s voice rang through them again.

"You shall move with the times' season flow, and our choir looks upon you with joy."

With that final message, the celestial daemon shimmered and disappeared, its presence fading like a breath upon the wind.

***

The Return to Normality (Sort Of)

“What the—” Mark’s voice rang out as he stepped into the room, completely oblivious to what had just occurred.

The problem?

He was stark naked.

The room erupted in giggles. A few gasps of "Oh no!" followed as Mark, blinking at everyone, slowly realised why they were laughing.

“When I left the bedroom,” Mark muttered, glancing at Marly, “I was a cat.”

Marly, standing in the doorway, looked just as stunned.

Now?

Mark was very much human again. And very much undressed.

"Um... Marly?" he called cautiously, still frozen in place. "Don’t come out!"

Too late.

Marly’s bare feet tapped across the floor, and before Mark could stop her, she stepped into view.

Then her eyes widened.

“Oh,” she said.

“Oh,” Mark echoed.

"MARK!" Marly shrieked, spinning back toward the bedroom in a rush of flustered footsteps.

Mark bolted after her, grabbing a blanket as he ran.

Frank, shaking his head, took a sip of coffee. “Well,” he muttered, “that’s something you don’t see every day.”

Tess sighed, rubbing her temples. “So much for a graceful ending.”

Millie chuckled. “Honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

***

New Beginnings

Once everyone had (mostly) calmed down, they gathered in the coven’s main room, sipping tea, coffee, and—after the Daemon Incident—maybe something a little stronger.

Marly sat with Mark, still eyeing him cautiously, as if he might turn back into a cat at any moment.

"Okay," Mark finally asked, clearing his throat. "Can someone please tell me what just happened? Because I shouldn’t be human right now."

Millie, still basking in the aftermath of everything, tapped her chin.

"It was the daemon," she realised.

"Where?" Mark asked, instinctively bracing, as if he might need to run.

"They’ve gone," Sandra assured him. "But wow—what a show. I think I shall never see another so radiant, woven from the very light of creation, standing at the threshold of eternity with eyes that hold the wisdom of a thousand stars."

Aunt Millie looked up in surprise.

"What was that, my girl?"

Sandra blinked, as if she wasn’t sure where the words had come from.

Then she just took a sip of her coffee.

***

The Spells Are Lifted

Frank sighed, crossing his arms. “So let me get this straight... the daemon was being used by Sam and Rhianna?”

“Yes,” Millie said.

“And they used it to create some fictional being?”

“Made of smoke and mirrors,” Sandra added.

Frank nodded slowly. “And when you, uh, dusted those witches—”

“The daemon was freed from their control,” Millie confirmed.

Frank exhaled. “Well, that explains nothing, but okay.”

Mark, meanwhile, had stopped mid-drink, realisation dawning across his face.

"Wait—so I can go home?" Marly asked suddenly, eyes widening.

"Yes," Millie said, smiling. "You can. And you—" she turned to Mark, smirking, "you’ll have to learn to be human again."

Mark huffed, shifting uncomfortably. “Great.”

"None of this walking around naked when there are women around," Millie added playfully.

Mark and Frank exchanged glances, then—almost in unison—said, “There’s always women around.”

***

Closing the Chapter

The afternoon was filled with warmth, laughter, and relief. The coven gathered, finally able to breathe after so many battles.

For the first time in what felt like forever, all was right.

The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone had accepted their roles.

The twins were safe.

And the coven was ready for whatever came next.

***

A Farewell and a Promise

As the last light of the day stretched across the sky, Grace and Astrid prepared to return to the Ether.

Tess held Astrid’s hands, smiling softly. “I can visit you anytime now.”

"Yes, you can," Astrid said. "And we’ll make up for lost time."

Grace beamed at her daughter, her happiness radiating in soft, golden waves.

Then, as the last remnants of magic swirled around them, Grace and Astrid disappeared, fading into the Ether together.

The coven stood in quiet reverence, watching as the air shimmered one last time before settling.

Tess took a deep breath.

"We’re ready," she said at last. "For whatever comes next."

Millie grinned.

"Bring it on."

And with that, the season of change came to an end.

For now.

***

The End... for now.