One by one, Edith found her former friends. Gallus, Smolder, Silverstream, Yona, Sandbar: all of them were now stone.
Edith called out to signal Knox. That’s when his part of the plan began. He carefully worked his way through the Treehouse until he had gathered all of the statues on the pedestals. When he turned towards the main corridor after placing Smolder’s statue, he found himself face-to-face with Ocellus, the changeling.
“Ah, Ocellus! It’s great to see you!”
“What have you done to my friends?” she asked, voice quaking with fear.
“Why, whatever do you mean? I didn’t do anything to them. My allies, on the other hand.” He slowly looked to his left and right. As Ocellus followed his gaze, she was horrified to see Edith and the Treehouse’s spirit standing supportively to either side of Knox.
“I had no use for your friends,” he continued, “but I’m going to give you an offer. I have use for your skills if you join me.”
“And what if I refuse?” she asked, anger rising in her voice.
“Well, it’s really quite simple. If you don’t join me,” he paused dramatically, “I’ll make you join me.”
Ocellus screamed in terror as she ran away from the three menacing figures, but Knox powered up the Talisman of Mirage, which he’d strategically placed in the corridor Ocellus had just run down. Ocellus screeched to a halt as she looked into the talisman’s jewel. She let out a scream of unbridled terror as her entire psyche flipped inside out. She was suddenly overcome with the desire to follow Knox’s orders. As long as it supplied her with love to steal, that is.
Knox was honestly shocked when Ocellus came back through the corridor. He hadn’t expected any physical changes, but here came Ocellus. She looked like a villainous changeling, one that had never metamorphosed.