Chapter Text
Amity Blight stood at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the seas and looked off over the horizon, at the setting sun.
It all started here…
She turned and placed her hand on the Cherry Blossom tree, running her fingers over the carved heart with “L+A” carved in the middle of the heart.
“I miss you every day, Luz… Please forgive me for what I did…” She said, wiping a few tears.
There was a sudden set of footsteps and her Right Hand came over the steep over, joining her next to the tree.
“General,”
She ignored her second in command, Boscha. She just wanted to experience these last few moments of peace and quiet … Before rushing to her death at the hands of the Demon army approaching.
To save the Boiling Isles, General Blight needed to hold back a wave of demons, for just long enough to save her friends, family, and citizens from certain death.
“General, the scouts have spotted the demon army approaching from the East, and…” She was silent before continuing.
“And we have confirmed that… Luz Noceda is indeed the one leading them…” Boscha said softly, remembering the magicless witch who joined them and climbed the ranks with Amity.
Amity sighed and crouched, picking up her golden Corinthian helmet, sporting a large purple and white striped plume. She stared at the helmet for a few moments and closed her eyes, remembering a happier time in her life.
A young pair of friends were currently sparring on a dirt clearing.
“I don’t know about this, Amity…” Luz said, wearing a bucket as a helmet, constantly adjusting it so that she could see.
“You’ll be fine!” Amity said, fixing her own bucket helm. “If we want to join the Emperor’s Army, we’ll need to know how to use swords!!” She said, holding up her wooden gladius.
“But I don’t even know how to use Magic, they won’t let me join…” she held up her own gladius. “You’re lucky, I wish I could summon a battalion of Abominations like you!”
“I can barely make one.” She said, demonstrating by making an abomination rise from the ground, the sludge beast took a step forward and fell apart. “See? Now be ready!” Amity said as they charged, clashing their wooden blades.
“If we can do better than everyone, they can’t possibly ignore us, right?” Luz asked as she dodged a few swings of Amity’s wooden sword.
“Exactly, on your left!” Amity said, striking the Noceda in the left shoulder, a common mistake made by her.
Both girls had big dreams to join the Boiling Isle’s military and rise the ranks and defend their home from Demons and Monsters!
Mighty is the dreams of the young indeed.
Amity opened her eyes as she slipped on her helmet and saw the sun finally set behind the mountains. She turned to her second.
“Let us go, Boscha… I’m sure the troops are getting angsty to move out. Get my steed ready, this is where we make our last stand… We need to protect the Isles from Luz Noceda and her Demon Army…”
With that, they descended the hill and rejoined their army of 1000 of the Isles finest soldiers, a small battalion, the rest of the powerful military busy evacuating and planning their next move.
“This is a suicide mission, you know that, right?” Boscha asked.
“Of course I do, I thought of it,” Amity said as they walked through the many soldiers to get to their horses.
“Then why did you decide to come along? I was more than willing to die for my home, you know this! I mean, you’re the General!! Meant to lead the armies till your last breath! So why lead the charge?”
Amity thought for a few moments before coming to a stop at the stables and turning to Boscha.
“First off, you crack under stress and most of the men and women here don’t respect your leadership after the… Oni Incident... Second, Lilith is going to take over for me, they pulled her from retirement anyway the minute the demons declared war and third… I just need to see her one last time, just one more time, even if it’s at the end of my makhaira.” Amity said as she got on her eight-legged dark horse, Boscha getting on her own six-legged horse.
“You’re talking about Luz, aren’t you?” Boscha asked softly.
The men and woman within earshot went quiet, giving their Commander a look before returning to their preparations. Word quickly spread of one of their own betraying them and even joining the Demon Army, leading them here to destroy the Isles… It left quite a sour taste in their mouth.
“Don’t say her name, Boscha, you know better than to instigate the troops, now come along, Commander… We need to address the crowd before heading out.” The pair rode out to the front of the battalion, giving a loud whistle, Amity got their attention.
She drew a circle that formed into a ring around her neck.
“Attention!!” Her voice reverberated and reached every last person under her command, “You all know me as Amity Blight, then the disgraced noble of the Blight House and now the General of the Boiling Isles Militia but I didn’t reach this position through connections, I sweated, bled, and cried to reach the honor to lead you all in the charge to defend our home… To die for our home in combat and honorable death!!”
“HUAAAA!” They shouted, lifting their swords high in agreement.
“And the Demons think they can raze the Isles, our home, to the ground without a fight!?” She shouted, lifting up her sword.
“HUAA!!” They shouted again.
“Let this last stand of ours be one that echoes through history! Never forget that you are the finest soldiers in the entire Isles! Move out!!” She shouted as they all cheered and standing their march down along the dirt path.
Boscha rode up next to Amity.
“Good work, General, you really know how to raise spirits, huh?” Boscha asked.
“Yeah… I had a pretty good teacher…” She said softly as she reminisced on better times, zoning out as they marched out to battle.
“Come on Amity! I know you can climb this robe!!” Luz said from the top of a huge brick wall, conjured up by Construction magic of course.
The girls were older, in their late teens, and were still training for their dreams of joining the Militia. They could have joined at sixteen, but they would be required to go through two years of training before even being able to join a battalion. They were hoping to cut that time by being better than everyone.
Luz especially has always been seen training or practicing her swordsmanship. Every waking moment, Luz spent it by running around Bonesborough, using tree logs as weights, carrying rocks up in a woven basket, and various amount of other training activities. She needed to after all, with no magic to look up to and use, she just needed to be better than everyone else.
“Listen, Luz! I’m not as fast or strong as you!” Amity said as she continued to climb the rope up to the wall.
“Bull! Now hurry up that rope!” She encouraged.
Within the minute, Amity reached the top of the wall, panting and utterly exhausted.
“You did great, Amity!” Luz said, hugging Amity tightly and holding her close, “We’ll be Commanders in the Militia in no time! Now…” She suddenly pulled her gladius, an actual steel one, as they learned that you can’t learn without it being the real thing. Many small training scars littered their bodies.
“Be on your guard!” She said with a smile.
Amity smirked, pulling out her own sword, no longer a gladius but a cavalry sword, a makhaira. She preferred it to the common soldier’s gladius. She considered the sharper edge and curved blade more reliable in battle situations and a superior parrying device… In her opinion.
“Fine, I’ll entertain your challenge, hun, winner gets to be on top tonight…” She said softly, winking at Luz as they both got into their sword stance.
Luz seemed to beam at the thought.
“You’re on, Noble lady Blight!” Luz shouted, lunging forward.
“I’m no Noble Lady, not anymore, remember? Because wanting to join the military should be for the poor, apparently!!” She responded, quoting her parents as she dodged the slash from Luz, parrying and almost instantly disarming the Noceda.
“Luz, you lost again, pretty quick too…”
“Oh noooooo…” She said softly with a giggle.
“Luz! I’m not going to bounce on you if you just purposely lose.” She scolded, picking up her sword and handing it back to Luz for her. “Now actually try.”
“Hm… Fine…” Luz said as she took stance again.
-Later-
They both panted, each having small cuts littered across their body.
“I think… We can call this a draw?” Luz asked, barely able to hold her sword anymore, she was super tired. She could probably keep going with a break but that wasn’t going to happen.
“No… No way! This is my pride at stake!” Amity responded with a laugh.
“Then, Amity Blight, I wield my sword and hand you your rightful victory…” Luz said, kneeling in front of the Blight and presenting her the sword. “Strike me with my sword, as per law…” She said jokingly.
Amity took the sword and pressed the tip of the sword to Luz’s chest.
“Uh, Amity, let’s relax, that’s a sharp blade you have going on there.” She said with a nervous laugh.
“Oh? Not so chivalrous now, huh? How about you make your way inside our home and strip down to your socks for me?” Amity asked but it was certainly not a question. A very polite demand.
“Aye, Commander,” Luz said, holding her hands up as Amity pushed her along, “Anything for you~…” She said in a flirtatious manner.
Amity smiled as she pushed Luz forward into the house, blade against her back as she slowly closed the door behind her, giggling could be heard from inside the stone walls.
“R.O.A.!!!” A soldier shouted, having spotted the Rain of Arrows quickly approaching.
Amity focused back in as she the black arrows sailing over a mountain ridge.
“Shields Up! Turtle formation!” She shouted as she and Boscha got off of their armored horses.
The commanders and the entire battalion all instinctively raised their shields over their heads and crouched, the formation was perfect all gaps covered with no chance of getting through. Arrows rained down.
The horses were the first victims of the arrows, almost instantly dying.
After a few stressful moments of waiting, the arrows stopped. Amity was the first to break formation, looking and seeing no more arrows coming their way, until-
“Look out!!” Boscha shouted, pushing Amity to the side before an arrow could lodge itself into her eye.
The arrow did, however, cut Amity’s cheek, right below her eye before it was embedded into a tree behind the battalion. She hissed in slight pain, touching it before looking forward, seeing the mounted Archer, a small demon army behind him made up of various foot soldiers, archers, spearmen, and only a few mounted fighters.
“This is the first fight!” Amity shouted, drawing her sword, and raising her shield. “Leave only one! So their commanders know we won’t let our home fall to their Scourge!! Formation delta, no one gets through the front lines!” They got into formation as the opposing army charged.
“HOLD!!” Boscha commanded, waiting for Amity’s signal.
They got closer…
“HOLD!!!!!”
Closer even…
Amity then saw the whites of a Demon’s eyes. She smiled.
“CHARGE!!”
The battalion gave a cheer and engaged the enemy. The clash seemed to echo across the entire valley, shields crashing into each other as swords sunk into flesh, and blood was spilled across the dirt and sand.
Amity focused in, all the screaming zoning out as she spun around the battlefield, knocking enemies on their ass with her shield and stabbing them with her sword, evading the soldiers, they were all too slow for her anyway... Nothing compared to Luz...
She blocked a lunge from a spearman with her shield, the spear going through the shield and almost stabbing her in the shoulder. She threw her sword into his chest. She watched the life drain from his eyes as she took his spear and pulled out her sword from his chest.
“May the Titans judgment be swift…” Amity whispered as she began to use the spear and sword in tandem with each other.
Swinging the spear to cut multiple enemies at once and using her sword to kill anyone who got too close, she would remain untouched.
The fight continued well into the night.
A multi-eyed, purple-skinned demon soldier was panting, trying to crawl away from his army, their numbers were quickly dwindled to nothing by the second.
“These Witches… Are… They’re ruthless! They haven’t even used magic! I need to get out of here! I need to live! I need to warn the Commander and- AHHHH!!” He was interrupted as a throwing dagger sunk into his hand, pinning him to the ground.
“What kind of soldiers abandons their dying brothers in arms?” Boscha asked as she walked over and stepped on the soldier's back, “A coward, that’s who…” She said as she stepped onto the dagger, driving the blade deeper into his hand.
“P- Please! D- don’t kill me!! I’ll tell you what you want!” He said, pleading for his life.
“A coward who rats out his country to save his own skin, a double combo it would seem.” Boscha then picked up the man, easily, dragging him back to Amity, who was discussing causalities with someone.
“They were only a small company, sir, they were slain with no casualties on our side. None are left, sadly, as per your commands… In the heat of battle we-” The soldier was interrupted by Boscha’s whistle.
“Cut that report short, soldier, I found one trying to scramble away! He thought ratting out his friends was gonna save him!!” She said before tossing the wounded demon at Amity's feet.
“P-please I have a family! A wife and-” Once, again, he was silenced. This time by Amity kicking him across his jaw.
“Be quiet, rat, I didn’t ask,” She said, stomping his chest, “We’re gonna have a little chat…”
“G- general! No need to be so rough! He already said he would surrender and-“ Suddenly Amity’s makhaira was pointed at the soldier's throat.
“This is a war, soldier, not a training drill or morale test. This demon-” She pointed her sword back at him, “-Would’ve marched into our capital and razed the city to the ground, raping and pillaging before moving on to the next city. Don’t forget who they are and certainly don’t forget what’s at stake. Dismissed.” She said threateningly.
“Y- yes General Commander, sir!” The soldier saluted before quickly going back to their squad.
Amity turned back to the soldier and crouched in front of him.
“Now… You’re going to die… Either way, you know that? Deserting your company, willing to rat out your comrades… I’d be surprised if she…” She paused, “I’d be surprised if your Commander didn’t throw you down a pit herself…”
The Demon looked scared. He realized that he was screwed no matter what….
“So, I’ll cut you deal… Tell me everything you know… Leave absolutely no detail out. Where, when, and how are they going to gather and assemble…” Amity said, picking him up to his feet. “Tell us that, then you can walk out of this camp with… Fewer injuries than you might already have.”
The Demon took no time in nodding and agreeing to the deal.
“Yes, Yes!! I’ll do anything, just don’t kill me, please!” He agreed to the terms.
Amity smiled, remembering a quote from her really skilled mentor, Lilith.
“No matter how strong the tower… There is always a loose brick, that’ll send the entire tower crumbling…” She said as she threw him towards Boscha, “Take him, drain him for any valuable information.”
Boscha nodded and took him off to an empty tent, smiling at all the things she was about to do to him.
Amity looked up at the sky, specifically the stars and finally the large full moon. It was blood red. An Omen for death and strive. She sighed.
“Maybe she still likes to stare at the stars…” Amity said softly.
Far, far away, there was a rowdy camp of demons, preparing for war.
Throughout the camp, they were doing all sorts of things to get ready for each of their upcoming battles. Some were sharpening swords and claws, others were drinking and singing, as it very well may be their last days alive and some of the more diligent of the army was patrolling the camps and keeping track of inventory, wanting to be prepared as possible for the upcoming strife.
In the very center of the camp was a large red tent, an emblem of claw marks embroidered on the side of the tent.
Inside, a woman sat in front of the desk, reviewing plans on battle formations and maps.
She wore an animal skull, and the top half of her face was covered in red warpaint, mixed with witch blood of course and her brunette hair flowed behind her, bones and war trinkets weaved into it. Her clothing was dark in nature with a dark cloak over her.
“Commander Noceda!” A pitch-black-skinned demon ran into the tent, saluting with a fist over his heart.
Luz sighed as she looked up at the demon with an uninterested look about her.
“Yes, Ides, what is it?” She asked as she turned her face back to the documents in front of her. She held out her hand and a book flew into her hand, she listened as she read the book.
“The Owls has returned, they reported that the battalion you sent away, that they’ve been killed by the Boiling Isles Militia!” He said urgently.
“Battalion,” Luz said, turning the page.
“Excuse me?” Ides asked.
“It’s not the entire Militia we’re facing, it’s only a battalion.” She stood up, floating several more books towards her. They hovered around her, glowing a deep black magic. “They’d be foolish to send their entire Militia to face us and leave their homelands unprotected, they’re probably just stalling us for the cities on this path. Who was commanding them?”
The Demon nervously watched Luz use the Dark Magic, so easy too.
He cleared his throat.
“It was, actually, General Blight, Ma’am… She’s leading the charge against us.”
The books suddenly fell to the floor and Ides was suddenly lifted off the ground and pulled towards Luz.
“What did you say?” She asked, tightening the magic hold around Ides’ neck, “You better be mistaking her, or I’ll be certain that you’ll regret it.” She threatened, turning, and staring deep into his eyes.
Ides never really had the “pleasure” of seeing the Commander's eyes this close, one eye was a kind hazel but the right was scarred, with a very vibrant red pupil. An obvious transplant. He didn’t have much time to think about it as he felt himself being choked harder and that it was getting harder to breathe.
“Y- Yes, Commander!!” He chocked out, “Mint green and brunette hair! Just like you said to look out for!!” He yelled out quickly, not wanting to die at her hands.
Luz suddenly dropped Ides to the floor before she went to her desk and leaning against it, panting in anger and frustration.
“AHHHH!!” She screamed and punched the hardwood desk, breaking it down the middle and splinters flying everywhere. “LEAVE!” She shouted.
Ides wasted no time, saluting one last time before quickly running away.
As Luz stared at the ruined desk, she began to think… Remember, the past… How she even got here in the first place.
Luz smiled brightly as she wrapped an arm around Amity’s shoulders and lifted a mug of ale.
“Celebrate!” She shouted at the of the Tavern, “The Isles remains safe from another Demon Invasion thanks to Sargent Blight!!” The entire tavern, filled with fellow soldiers, rose their own glasses and gave cheers for the embarrassed Blight, not quite enjoying the attention.
“L- Luz! Come on, sit back down!” Amity said, taking a sip of her drink.
Luz laughed and sat back down next to Amity.
“Come on! After three years of climbing ranks, you got to lead our Company to victory! You should be happy! Without your leadership, those Demons’ surprise attack would’ve done us in for sure!” Luz said as she leaned forward and kissed Amity on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you…” Luz said caringly.
“Well, don’t forget who the real star of that battle was,” Amity said, smiling at Luz and holding her hand. “That brutish demon was about to kill Right Hand Kikimora and General Lilith. If you hadn’t stepped in with that sword, our leaders would’ve been six feet under… You were amazing out there, love” Amity said, leaning forward for a kiss.
“I couldn’t agree more, Blight.” A sudden, very recognizable voice cut through their moment.
They tore themselves apart from each other and saluted.
“General Lilith!” They addressed her with her title.
Lilith laughed nervously, holding her helmet at her side.
“Now, now, no need to refer to me as such, this is a time of celebration after all,” Lilith said.
T he Bartender slid her a drink. She quickly downed it in a few gulps before sighing in relief. “That’s the stuff…” She placed the cup back down.
“Well, uhm…” Luz put her saluting hand down and cleared her throat, “So what brings you here, General, I didn’t take you for the drinking after a battle type.”
“Well... Let’s just say, I’ve been general for a long time… About 22 years, since joining the Militia with my… My sister…” She said, seeming sad at the thought of her. “And, almost dying yesterday, put some things into perspective.”
“What… Are you saying, General?” Amity asked.
“I’m saying, that, I’ve spoken to Emperor Belos, and Kikimora will become his advisor while I myself will be retiring to live my life with a recent flame of mine,” She said, laughing at the thought of her being in a relationship. “What a lady she is…” She mused softly to herself.
“What!?” The couple shouted in unison. “But you are one of the strongest fighters around!” Luz said, “Who can POSSIBLY be able to replace you!?” She asked.
“Well… You can.” Lilith said, handing Luz her golden Corinthian Helmet.
“What!?” The couple yelled in unison again.
“Me!? I- I can’t take your place all of a sudden!” Luz said, holding the helmet before attempting to push it back into Lilith's hands.
“Luz Noceda, you underestimate yourself greatly,” Lilith then drew a spell circle and made a stack of papers appear. “In your first day at basic training, you broke several Company records, for sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, archery, mounted combat even climbing and scaling that was all held by me. Amity coming in second for all of these as well.” She turned the page.
“Your combat skills and physical abilities are truly unmatched, you beat an entire company of fellow soldiers without a break and the only person you couldn’t beat was Amity, who impressively exploited your weaknesses... Which so happened to be herself, as you couldn't seem to be able to bring yourself to strike her,” She said, she flipped through the pages, “I can keep going about your early days alone but let’s talk more recently.” She made the papers disappear in a blue flame.
“When Kikimora and I were down and defenseless, about to be slain by that giant Demon, I hesitated. I stopped dead in my tracks, and I didn’t know what to do at that moment. I believed this was how I was going to die, with so much left to do… But like an angel from the clouds, you jumped in, fighting it off and even killing the giant. An impressive feat of skill, endurance, and power, that’s why I’m more than certain that you’re more than qualified for this task, this responsibility…”
Lilith then drew a spell circle, the plumes turned from blue to a purple and white striped one.
Luz looked at said helmet.
A helmet that has been passed down from general to general for years, ever since the immortal Emperor Belos came into power. Luz suddenly felt a sense of pride forming inside of her chest. Maybe with this promotion… She can really make the difference she always wanted for her home…
“Alright… Alright… I accept then…” Luz said with a small smile, staring at the helmet, even seeing her reflection in it.
“I am sorry for doing this in the middle of this Tavern, you weren’t at your residence.” Lilith apologized before sitting next to the couple, “Bartender! The largest container you have! I’m retiring!” Lilith shouted with a laugh before smacking Luz’s back.
Luz then turned to Amity, expecting a wide smile from her girlfriend, but she seemed to be… Distant…
“Amity, babe? Did you hear at all? I’m going to be General!!” Luz said, snapping her fingers in front of Amity’s face.
Amity focused in with a start.
“Huh? Oh… Y- yeah… I did hear… Hey, Luz, can… can we go…?” She asked, downing her drink, “I’m not exactly feeling well, anymore…”
Luz smiled, not sensing anything wrong with the love of her life. She placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead.
“If that’s what you want, then let's out of here.” She then turned to Lilith. “I’ll see you later, Lilith, thank you again… I promise I’m going to make you proud, I swear!” With that, Luz followed Amity out of the Tavern.
-Elsewhere-
Luz smiled as she and Amity climbed a hill, it was one of the most well-known spots on the Isles. As it was one the best places to stargaze and the moon was especially full tonight. Most importantly, it was Amity and Luz’s favorite spot on the Isles.
It’s where Amity asked Luz to be her official Girlfriend, where they shared their first kiss, where Luz carved their initials into the tree…
It was where Luz was going to propose…
Luz smiled even wider at the thought and ran up the hill even faster before finally reaching the top.
There was a cliff just a few feet forward that led all the way down to the raging waters. The tree was blooming, flower petals flying off into the wind. The mood was perfect. Luz ran a hand through her hair, finding the rings that she had successfully braided into her hair, as a way to hide it and to keep it close. She had a special jeweler make the rings, out the finest silver and brightest gold. She quickly undid the braid and held them tightly in her hand.
Amity finally came up the hill, she walked past the smiling Luz and stood at the edge of the cliff, looking off in the distance.
Amity could see the Demon Land very far off in the distance, the mortal enemy of the Isles for as long as the Blight could remember. Every day, they tried to invade and take over and thanks to the Militia, every day they survived and pushed them back.
Right now, however, there were different things on the young Blight's minds.
‘How could… Lilith choose Luz, over me?’ She thought, clenching her fist tightly, ‘I should be happy for her but… I’m so angry… And she’s brought me here of all places, no less… I’ve been in Luz’s shadow for so long, I’m sick of it. Every time I accomplish something, Luz is there to do it better, no magic and she’s accomplished so much!” She gritted her teeth as she placed a hand on her sword.
‘I worked just as hard during that demon siege, ensured that the fort would survive and that all of our lands wouldn’t be lost to these putrid demons and Lilith overlooks me… In favor of Luz… She didn’t even bother to look at me twice…’ She clenched the pommel of her blade.
Luz came up next to Amity, still smiling as she looked at the waves, still smiling.
“The ocean is so beautiful tonight, Ames…” Luz said, looking down at the crashing waves.
“Mhm…” She hummed, trying to keep her emotions in check, not wanting to bring up her irrational anger upon the love of her life… She didn’t deserve it…
“I still can’t believe that I’m going to be General… I wasn’t even trying to get in Lilith’s good graces,” She said, holding the helmet and staring at it. “There’s so much I’m going to do… So much to change, for sure, with you by my side, no less…” Luz said as she placed the helmet down.
‘I get disowned by my Mother and Father, I get made fun of by the Twins… Amelia discourages my dreams... I lose the right to even have the Blight name, all to prove myself as the best there is and Luz… She… Takes it all away from me without even... Trying…?’ She thought as she slowly wrapped her hand around her sword handle, seeing red and her mind clouding with anger, jealousy, and resentment…
It was sudden.
The sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath, the sounds of the wind being cut, as a blade sailed across towards her.
If Luz had not been a soldier with years of fighting and training, she wouldn’t have been able to react in time.
Luz was quick to draw her gladius and deflect the strike upwards, a mistake, as the sword was closer than she thought. The enemy’s sword cut a gash upwards through her right eye, blinding her right eye.
“GAH!!” She screamed as she stumbled backward and held her bleeding eye. “W- who…?” She asked as she used her only good eye to look at her attacker. Her one eye widened at the sight of Amity, holding her sword and her blood dripping off the edge.
“A- Ames…? W- what are you…?” She lifted her sword up again in time as Amity brought her sword back down on Luz. Their blades clanging against each other.
Amity… Amity didn’t know what she was doing if she was being honest to herself in the current moment, her body moved on autopilot, fueled by ugly emotions. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she screamed, still attacking the defending Luz.
“Amity! Please! Why are you doing this!!” She shouted, blocking Amity’s attacks using her sword in her off-hand, still holding onto the wedding rings in her left hand. “P- Please talk to me!!”
Amity gritted her teeth and swung harder, putting more strength into her attacks.
Luz was nearly brought to her knees by Amity’s constant attacks, pushing back against Amity’s blade, her mind was running wild with theories on why Amity was doing this or how she could be brought to this. Amity’s attacks brought them to the edge of the cliff.
“A- Amity, please, j- just talk to me, I don’t want to hurt you…” She pleaded as tears were escaping her eyes, one stream bloodier than the other.
“Stop… TALKING!!” She screamed before lifting up her sword again, her sword lit up with purple flames before she brought it down hard on Luz’s gladius. Once again, Luz brought up said sword to defend herself.
Luz’s eye widened as the blade shattered down the middle and plunge itself into the left shoulder, the pain of being cut and burned at the same time was unbearable, she couldn’t even scream, too much in a state of shock. The rings slipped out of her hand.
Amity removed the sword from her shoulder and on a soldier's instinct, plunged it back directly into Luz’s chest, through her heart.
Luz gasped as her eyes slowly came down to look at the sword in her chest, her hands wrapping around the blade, just… Holding it…
How… How did this happen…? Had something happened to them to make Amity want to kill her…? How could she…
“How could you… Do this, Amity…?” chocked out, coughing up more blood as she began to stumble backward. The flaming sword easily sliding out without issue.
Amity’s narrowed eyes landed on the rings, a silver and gold one, her eyes widened, and all feelings of jealousy and anger instantly left her body, being replaced by regret and realization as she looked at the rings and then at Luz, stumbling back towards the cliff, eyes fluttering with unconsciousness.
Amity dropped her sword and quickly ran forward and reached out for Luz, but it was a second too late.
Luz fell backward as Amity attempted to grab her shirt, falling off the cliff and towards the sea.
“A… Amity…” She whispered as she finally fell under the effects of the blood loss and the betrayal of her lover and best friend.
Amity watched as Luz fell towards the foggy sea below, she couldn’t even see where her body was… There was absolutely no way she could’ve survived that fall… She fell to her hands and knees and began to cry even harder.
“What… What have I done…
Luz… Luz, I’m so sorry…” She whispered as she reached out and grabbed the rings off the grass and held them close to her chest as she curled up into the fetal position, crying the night away.
Luz wiped away a bloody tear, cursing the transplanted eye for never crying normal tears anymore. She then removed her shirt, looking at herself in a mirror that she summoned.
The cut on her left shoulder was healed over, leaving behind a nasty scar. She remembered being told that a few inches further and deeper, she would’ve lost the arm entirely. There were burn scars along the entire scar line as well that reached all over her back.
The other scar, on her chest and over her heart. It was now a scar line with burn marks surrounding it as well.
“I can’t believe I survived…” She said softly as she thought back to that night once again.
Luz’s single eye fluttered open, looking around the room she was in. It was and she could tell she was in a boat, that, or the room she was in was just actually rocking back and forth. She tried to remember…
She remembered… Amity attacking her, stabbing her through her heart, and then her eyes looking shocked and guilty, even trying to reach out for her as she fell off the cliff and into the sea.
She then felt that she was holding onto something. Looking down, she was it was her shattered sword.
More clear memories of the fight began to play in her head, she clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.
“N- No… she- she must’ve been under some kind of spell… I need to…” She attempted to sit up, “I need to find her…” She whispered.
“I wouldn’t try it,” A voice said, from a dark corner of the room. Looking over, Luz saw the shadowy figure turning an oil lamp on and better illuminated the room.
It was a woman who seemed to be in her 40s with gray hair and golden eyes. She was wearing a maroon dress with a darker maroon cloak over it. Looking closer at her, Luz saw the owl emblem on her cloak.
“It took me hours to get that new heart to set into place for you and those scars are still fresh, move and those stitches will surely reopen,” She took a sip of a golden elixir, “You’re really lucky that that heart accepted you… With a bit of pushing of course… Banned magic is always so useful…”
“Who…” Luz began but hissed, the air felt like it was cutting her lungs.
“Try to whisper, I had to replace a few other parts of you, including your lungs, if you could believe it. I’m Eda the Owl Lady, you fell into the water and I was going to loot you, but then you coughed groaning “Amity” or something so I thought “hey if she can survive a fall like that, maybe I should help”, you know?” She said with a laugh.
Luz looked up at the Ceiling, she really owed her life to a known criminal and fugitive, her wanted poster was all over the barracks and any government building. She was notorious.
“T- thanks…” She whispered before carefully sitting up, “I- I need to get back to the Isles…” She whispered, trying to get to her feet before Eda held her down.
“Woah, woah kid! I found you in literal pieces and a practically burned away heart! I don’t know who did this to you and I understand wanting revenge, but you won’t get it while you’re falling apart!!” Eda said, placing a hand on her chest and making her lay down.
Luz looked shocked and shook her head no.
“N- no revenge… She was under a spell, my- my Amity was under a spell… I need to get back to her, tell her that I’m okay! That I forgive her!” Luz said, still whispering before coughing up blood all over Eda’s hand and groaning. “Why are you even… Helping me?” She asked. “Wouldn’t have been easier to leave me dead in the water…?”
Eda gave Luz a hum as she used a rag to clean her hand, she then placed the cold wet rag on Luz’s forehead.
“I guess my days in the militia are still drilled into my head… Me and Lilith were trained and taught to help all denizens of the Isles whenever and however possible.” She said with a laugh.
“Lilith? As in, General Lilith?” Luz asked, amazed to see someone who trained by Lilith's side was now a criminal.
“Oh, she did get that promotion, after all.” Eda said with a sigh, “I don’t get much news, living on a houseboat… Still, how… Good for her…” She then looked down at Luz. “Enough about my sister, tell me about yourself, kid. It’s not every day I practically bring someone back from the dead…”
Ignoring the fact that this fugitive was General Lilith’s estranged sister, Luz began to tell Eda about herself, how she and Amity met at a young age and decided how they would join the Militia to defend their home, how they grew up together and began to fall in love.
“Aww, what a sweet love story,” Eda said with a giggle, “So, why did this same love of your life… stab you through the heart… Literally…”
“She was under a spell… Amity would never do that to me, I don’t know why she would do that to me, it just wasn’t something that MY Amity would do to me… I… She loves me and I love her. We’ve been through so much so I just KNOW that it couldn’t have been her… Must’ve been… A demon or something…” Luz said with disgust, sighing as she tried to ignore the pain in her chest, not from the healing wounds but also because of the emotional pain…
Luz just needed to hold onto the hope that Amity wasn’t herself, that she couldn’t have tried to kill her… For what, she couldn’t figure it out…
Eda looked to know something, but she held back before standing up and drawing a spell circle over Luz, it glowed a soft yellow and Luz felt the magic course through her and her wounds.
“That’s enough kid-“
“I’m 20,”
“-You have serious injuries and you got only a month to get better,” Eda said as Luz felt the pain from her wounds easing off, a painkiller spell or something?
“Why a month?” Luz asked, confused.
“Don’t worry about that for now, start getting better,” Eda said as she snapped her fingers and the oil lamp flickered off as she left the room, the door swinging closed.
Luz sighed and turned her head to look out the window, staring out at the rocking seas.
“Please Amity… I love you so much… So don’t let it be true…” She whispered as her one eye being to leak tears, “Don’t tell me… You wanted to kill me…” She whispered to herself as she cried herself to sleep.